The Milwaukee Post

State construction employment up slightly Construction employment improved slightly in Wisconsin between March 2013 and March 2014, according to an analysis released Monday by the Associated General Contractors of America. The report says Wisconsin had 85,300 construction jobs in March compared with 85,200 in the same month a year ago. With mining and logging jobs included, the state had 88,700 positions in March 2014, an increase of 300 jobs over the same month a year ago. The Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis market and Oshkosh- Neenah markets each gained 200 construction jobs to 21,900 and 3,900, respectively, for March 2014. Green Bay had a 2 percent increase to 6,100 jobs. The Appleton, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Janesville and Madison markets all posted declines while the La Crosse, Racine and Sheboygan markets were unchanged. Nationally, construction employment expanded in 197 metro areas, declined in 87 and was stagnant in 55 between March 2013 and March 2014, according to the analysis from the AGCA. County gets federal transportation funds Federal funds totaling $38.9 million will assist with 24 transportation proj- ects to enhance public transit services, increase bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, improve traffic flow and reduce vehicle emissions, accord- ing to a Wisconsin Department of Transportation news release. The awards are part of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement pro- gram. The CMAQ's goal is to improve air quality with specific transportation-related projects. Counties included in the state's ozone and non-attainment and maintenance areas, as designated under the Clean Air Act, were eligible for CMAQ funding. The 11 Wisconsin counties include Door, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha. Man arrested for alleged credit card fraud A Chicago man has been arrested after he allegedly defrauded Pick 'n Save stores throughout southeastern Wisconsin of more than $12,000 using fraudulent credit cards, including nearly $5,300 from stores in Waukesha. Jimmie Thompson, 32, has been charged in Winnebago County with fraudulent use of a credit card and felony and misdemeanor counts of theft in Outagamie County, online court records show. On April 18, a Roundy's official reported credit card fraud at Waukesha stores, wherein the suspects would use credit cards to buy Visa gift cards. The cards used showed they were canceled, but store personnel allowed the purchases when the suspects showed ID matching the name on the cards, a search warrant filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court said. Thompson was arrested in Waukesha on April 19 after an alleged attempted fraudulent purchase; he was in a car that was seen idling outside the Pick 'n Save store on Moreland Boulevard for about an hour but then drove to a gas station across the street when police arrived on the scene. Thompson was arrested on a warrant through Winnebago County, and had at the time four Visa cards with different numbers all in his name, the warrant said. Thompson and the other suspect matched photos of the suspects sent out in a Roundy's security bulletin, the warrant said. It added other stores affected were in Milwaukee, West Allis, Shorewood, West Bend, Watertown and Brookfield. Milwaukee man facing multiple charges A 21-year-old Milwaukee man is facing multiple criminal counts of reck- less driving. According to a report through the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, Mitchell J. Tompkins was driving a white Jeep Cherokee northbound on Interstate 894 near West Oklahoma Avenue on April 21 along the far right lane and the right distress lane when it struck a disabled pickup truck. A 15-year-old boy was trapped in the rear passenger seat of the Jeep after the Jeep hit the disabled vehicle. The boy had to be extricated and transported for life-threaten- ing injuries. As of press time, he was in critical condition at Children's Hospital. Tompkins and two other passengers, ages 15 and 16, sustained minor injuries and were treated and released. The report says Tompkins admitted smoking a synthetic form of marijuana, and the passengers admitted smoking marijuana. Drug paraphernalia was found in the vehi- cle, and Tompkins did poorly on standardized field sobriety tests, it added. Tompkins faces charges of felony reckless driving causing great bodily harm, felony second-degree reckless injury, two counts of felony second-degree recklessly endangering safety, and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. If convicted on all counts, Tompkins faces up to 36 years in prison. The sheriff's office said pending toxicology results, Tompkins could face additional charges for driving impaired. 4 • Milwaukee County Post • May 2, 2014 2 WEEK IN REVIEW STATE AND LOCAL STORIES OF INTEREST 1 5 Man pleads not guilty to killing wife A 76-year-old Oak Creek man has pleaded not guilty to shooting his blind wife of 56 years, who he said had been nagging him for weeks. Online court records say Jack Lang waived his preliminary hearing Monday. He pleaded not guilty to first-degree intentional homicide. According to the criminal complaint, prosecutors said the Oak Creek man called 911 April 16 to say he just shot his wife in the face. The victim, June Lang, was found dead near the bed. Jack Lang told investigators she wouldn't stop nagging him, and even though he loved her, he'd had enough. He says he got his .22 caliber gun and warned her he was holding it inches from her head but she didn't believe him. 4 3 Humboldt Park receives private donation An private donor has donated $5,000 to the Humboldt Park Watch, to be used for several projects at the Bay View neighborhood's county park, accord- ing to a news release from Milwaukee County Supervisor Jason Haas. "This donation is great for Humboldt Park and everyone who enjoys it," Haas said. "I'm thankful for the investment in our park and look forward to seeing the progress that happens because of it." "This is a big step forward as we grow our organization and its mission to promote and enhance Humboldt Park," Humboldt Park Watch President Tim Richter said. Humboldt Park is well-known for the concert series "Chill on the Hill," and is a pro- posed site for a new beer garden that would open this summer, according to Haas. "We love to show off Humboldt Park to Milwaukee County every summer," Haas said, "but this donation will also go a long way for our neighbors who see and use the park every single day." 6 Thompson Stolen, burned dog undergoes surgery A female dog taken from a Milwaukee home recently and burned over most of her body and then left for dead received an unusual skin graft surgery to help her heal. The dog, Beatrice, was taken from her home March 13 and found 11 days later outside of a casino with second- and third-degree burns. The surgery involved put- ting pigskin over her burns to let them heal. A doctor said that after the surgery the dog will still need wound care and additional skin grafts to heal completely. As of press time, the Milwaukee County district attorney is reviewing possible charges against a 21-year-old Milwaukee man identified as a suspect in the case. 7 Wave gets new majority owner The Milwaukee Wave, which is the oldest continusously operating profes- sional soccer franchise in the country, was sold this week to MKE Sports & Entertainment, a group headed by Mike Zimmerman. Former majority owner Sue Black will have an ownership stake in MKE Sports & Entertainment and will operate the Wave for the new company. Zimmerman, the CEO of The Rock Sports Complex and Zimmerman Ventures, was in the news recently for his efforts to build a new baseball stadium in Franklin and secure a Frontier League franchise. The Wave will hold a press conference in May to discuss more details. 8

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