The Milwaukee Post

4 • Milwaukee County Post • October 5, 2018 WEC approves expanded post-election audits MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Elections Commission this week enhanced election security by approving a significant expansion of post-election audits to ensure the integrity of voting systems. The commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to require audits of voting equipment in 5 percent of the state's wards, including at least one in each of the 72 counties, and require completion of the audits before it certifies the final results. "The public is recognizing that post-election audits are an important tool," commis- sion Chairman Dean Knudson said. WEEK IN REVIEW STATE AND LOCAL STORIES OF INTEREST Foxconn to locate research hub in downtown Racine MILWAUKEE — Racine Mayor Cory Mason joined with Foxconn's Alan Yeung and other state, county, higher education and local officials to announce that Foxconn Technology group will open a "smart city" innovation center in downtown Racine. The innovation center will focus on working with community partners to research and devel- op innovative way to use technology to deliver city services using new, more efficient meth- ods. "Having Foxconn locate its innovation center in the heart of our downtown will be a game changer for the city. We know opportunity is coming to the area, and it is my job to make sure that those opportunities benefit as many of our residents as possible," Mason said. "With Foxconn's commitment to our community and with the quality of jobs it will bring to the city of Racine, I know this will spur additional growth and investment in our city." The 46,000-square-foot, three-story building at 1 Main St. along the Root River will become a state-of-the-art co-working space and a model for "smart city" pilot programs that reflect the transformational technologies created by the Wisconn Valley Science and Technology Park. The Racine innovation center is expected to be home to at least 125 jobs. Near Gateway Technical College, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and Carthage College, Foxconn Place Racine and the Wisconn Valley Innovation Center will connect Foxconn with institutions of higher education, businesses, local governments and the community to bring "smart city" research and development to the Racine area and beyond. Sherman Phoenix Project awarded federal grant MILWAUKEE — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — Office of Community Services awarded a $750,000 grant for the Sherman Phoenix Project for Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood that suffered $6 million in damage as a result of civil unrest. "I worked to support the Sherman Phoenix Project because it will create much-needed economic development and job opportunities for Milwaukee," Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, said in a news release. "When we invest in small businesses that create jobs, we can create economic growth for the community." The federal funds will be awarded to the Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corp. for its efforts that will transform a vacant BMO Harris Bank building damaged by fire from the 2016 riot after a police shooting into commercial space for 29 small entrepreneurs, offering prepared foods, wellness services, and arts and cultural activities. The Sherman Phoenix Project anticipates creating 49 new full-time jobs for low-income residents. The WWBIC will use a share of the grant funds to provide busi- ness and financial educational programming and one-on-one technical assistance to the Sherman Phoenix tenant entrepreneurs and business owners as well as business sup- port in the surrounding neighborhoods. "WWBIC's approach reflects my own philosophy on the importance of investing in inclusive pathways to economic opportunity for our neighborhoods and families," Alderman Khalif Rainey said in a separate news release. Rainey, who chairs the Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee, advocated for the creation of the Sherman Phoenix tax incremental financing district. The Common Council supported the revital- ization by establishing a TIF that awarded the project a $225,000 grant to begin redevel- opment. Governor highlights youth apprenticeship at program with MPS, Harley-Davidson MILWAUKEE — Gov. Scott Walker highlighted the importance of youth apprentice- ship and registered apprenticeship as workforce development tools during an event at Harley-Davidson University. He was joined by Harley-Davidson executives, representa- tives from the Milwaukee Public Schools and Milwaukee Area Technical College, and leadership from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. "By continuing to expand our Youth Apprenticeship program, we are creating path- ways to meaningful careers for high school students across Wisconsin," Walker said. "I'd like to congratulate Milwaukee Public Schools and Harley-Davidson for their ongoing commitment to integrating apprenticeship programs into their operations. They and hundreds of other organizations across Wisconsin are putting young people on the road to family-supporting careers." MPS students who work at Harley-Davidson as youth apprentices earn college credits through MATC. Since the 2010-11 school year, there has been a 166 percent increase in stu- dent participation and a 171 percent increase in business participation in youth appren- ticeship. Since 2012, funding has more than doubled, from $1.6 million to $3.9 million this year. Registered apprenticeship is post-secondary program through which apprentices learn a portion of their skills in a traditional classroom but receive most of their train- ing on-the-job, while working for an employer who pays a good wage. The employment is the primary requirement for an apprenticeship — a job must exist in order for the apprentice to be trained. The classroom instruction is usually provided through the Wisconsin Technical College system. 11th District town hall meeting at Hamilton High MILWAUKEE — Alderman Mark A. Borkowski invites 11th District residents to a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hamilton High School auditorium, 6215 W. Warnimont Ave., Milwaukee. Borkowski will be joined by representatives from the Police Department, Health Department, Department of Public Works and the Department of Neighborhood Services. Borkowski said he hopes that residents will take advantage of this opportunity to stay engaged in important neighborhood and city matters. Near South Side beat cop initiative planned MILWAUKEE — A highly visible and intensive Milwaukee police beat patrol initia- tive will serve the near South Side, Aldermen Bob Donovan and José G. Pérez announced. Donovan, chairman of the Public Safety and Health Committee, said the ini- tiative is set to launch on Sunday. "Every meeting I've attended regarding public safety during the past 18 years has included the topic of beat patrol officers and how effective they are in maintaining order in our neighborhoods," Donovan said. "This initiative is something I've been clamoring for for many years." Pérez said the initiative will touch as many as 17 near South Side neighborhoods that have been identified across MPD District 2. "A huge benefit I'm seeing in this initiative is that it will help to improve police-community relations — something much needed at this time — as officers will be walking and biking neighborhood beats and talking directly with residents and business owners," he said. As part of the initiative it is also hoped that officers can attend church and school events to meet church members, parents, and students, Donovan said Updated NAFTA gets bipartisan support in state MILWAUKEE — The Trump administration's trade deals have gained bipartisan sup- port from Wisconsin's congressional delegation. U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Menomonee Falls, said of the trilateral trade deal with Canada and Mexico: "Wisconsin stands to benefit from this new trade deal, which expands Americans' access to auto manufacturing and dairy markets." The deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement also received support from Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, who said she opposed NAFTA. She said the new agreement "appears to be an important step forward—easing some of Canada's unfair trade barriers and increasing market access for our dairy farmers." Baldwin

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