The Milwaukee Post

Johnson signs Obamacare Repeal Pledge The decision by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, decision to sign the ObamaCare Repeal Pledge has received support from the group touting the pro- posal. "Sen. Ron Johnson's decision to take (the) Pledge shows voters that, when it comes to health care, he gets it," said Heather Higgins, president and CEO of Independent Women's Voice, in a release. "Sen. Johnson understands the harm that ObamaCare has already caused and will continue to cause if it's not turned back. He recog- nizes that ObamaCare hurts seniors and increases costs for families. Moreover, he knows that ObamaCare means bigger government and less freedom, places government bureaucrats between doctors and their patients, and reduces our choice and control in health care deci- sions." "ObamaCare has been a disaster for Wisconsin families, doctors, and small businesses," Johnson said. "It needs to be repealed so we can undo the damage it's doing to health care and our economy, and it needs to be replaced with patient-centered, market-based reforms that would actually restrain the cost and improve the quality of health care." "The Repeal Pledge was designed as a litmus test to help the American public under- stand which candidates and office holders are serious about repeal, versus those who claim to be but won't actually take action," Higgins said. The Repeal Pledge is a project of Independent Women's Voice, a nonpartisan, non- profit organization. www.TheRepealPledge.com. 4 • Milwaukee County Post • October 21, 2016 WEEK IN REVIEW STATE AND LOCAL STORIES OF INTEREST Two Milwaukee men charged with trying to aid ISIL MILWAUKEE — Two Milwaukee men have been charged with attempting to provide support or resources to a foreign terrorist group, ISIL. Jason Michael Ludke, 35, and Yosvany Padilla-Conde, 30, face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, if convicted. They were arrested by the FBI and local law enforcement near San Angelo, Texas. It is alleged in the complaint that the two were traveling from Wisconsin to Mexico where they intended to acquire aid and documents necessary to travel to Syria and Iraq. Ludke told an undercover FBI employee that because he had a criminal past he had to first travel to Mexico. The United States is committed to identifying and arresting persons intent on pro- viding material support of any kind to foreign terrorist organizations, U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad said in a release. Those organizations pose a threat to United States interests abroad, including threats to U.S. military personnel, and a threat to the home- land through the possible return of terrorist supporters to the United States. Haanstad commended the investigation by the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. "Terrorism remains the FBI's top priority in keeping Americans safe. The arrest of these two individuals from Wisconsin, underscores how the real threat of terrorism can occur anywhere, at anytime," Justin Tolomeo, special agent in charge of the FBI, said. "We encourage all citizens to remain vigilant in reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement." The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul L. Kanter. Kinnickinnic River Parkway reconstruction alternatives to be presented Oct. 27 MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County announced it will host a public information meet- ing presenting two plans for the reconstruction of the Kinnickinnic River Parkway, from South 76th Street in West Allis to West Cleveland Avenue in Milwaukee. The open-house- style meeting will be held Oct. 27, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the McCarty Park Pavilion, 2567 S. 79th St. (west of South 78th Street between West Arthur Avenue and West Beloit Road). Street parking is available. Residents may view and give feedback on displays of the reconstruction alternatives prior to and following a brief presentation at 7 p.m. Representatives from Milwaukee County, Milwaukee and West Allis will be available to answer questions. The parkway sections being addressed at the meeting — from South 76th Street to South 68th Street and from South 68th Street to West Cleveland Avenue — are two in a series of seven identified KK Parkway reconstruction projects. The projects require the reconstruction of pavement, storm sewer and roadway lighting systems due to deterio- ration and end of useful life. Projects east of 60th Street will be reconstructed in the future. One alternative that will be presented at the meeting reconstructs the parkway with- in the same footprint, while the other alternative replaces the segment from South 76th Street to South 68th Street with a paved multi-use trail. In the trail alternative, a 10-foot-wide paved path would reduce the footprint of imper- vious pavement and increase green space as a best practice in stormwater management while creating a new amenity to serve the community's recreational needs. Planning and design for the parkway from South 76th Street to West Cleveland Avenue will be completed in 2016. Construction phase funding of $1.7 million is proposed in the 2017 Milwaukee County Capital Improvements Budget. Construction is anticipated to begin in late spring. For more information, contact Jill Organ at 414-257-4775 or Jill.Organ@ milwaukeecountywi.gov. Complaint: Contractor took over $11,000 for no work WAUKESHA — A Greenfield man allegedly entered a home-improvement contract with a client, taking over $11,000 and failing to do the work. Thomas Krivitz, 35, was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court on Tuesday with one felony count of theft by a contractor. If convicted, he could face up to six years in prison. South Milwaukee man charged after allegedly trying to enter three homes WAUKESHA — A South Milwaukee man allegedly tried to enter three Waukesha homes last week. Dean Lameer, 28, was charged recently in Waukesha County Circuit Court with crim- inal trespassing, resisting police and two counts of felony bail jumping for allegedly committing new crimes while pending on felony charges in an unrelated case. County's chief human resources officer reappointed MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced his reappoint- ment of Kerry Mitchell as the county's chief human resources officer, following five years of service to Milwaukee County that has included transforming the county's oper- ational human resources functions and implementing a national award-winning Employee Wellness Program. "Assisted by Ms. Mitchell's dedication and skills, the county has been able to give employees across-the-board pay raises two years in a row and we are on a sustainable path to a $15 per hour living wage by 2021. The county's human resources functions have become more professional, more organized and more responsive than ever before," Abele said. The county also started a new tuition reimbursement program, paid employees doing the same job the same salary and created the county's first employee handbook under Mitchell, who previously worked 19 years in senior-level human resources positions at US Bank. Sheriff's Office: County executive creates nearly $12 million structural deficit in sheriff's 2017 budget MILWAUKEE — County Executive Chris Abele's 2017 budget numbers continue a pat- tern of slashing public safety resources in the Sheriff's Office at a time when crime and violence are on the rise, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release. The total structural deficit amounts to $11,886,000. Milwaukee recently went through a riot, there are longer response times for calls for service, and longer waits for eviction services and serving domestic violence restraining orders, the release said. It highlighted the county executive's 2017 budget for the Sheriff's Office: ■ $3,986,000 in positions unfunded. ■ $7,400,000 in overtime reduction. ■ $500,000 in unrealistic revenue increase. Johnson

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