City of Racine 2009 statements of economic interest

Every year the city's elected officials, candidates or elected office and department heads are required to file a Statement of Economic Interest with the city clerk's office. Officials must report anyone who pays them, or their spouses, more than $5,000 per year. They also must report any properties they own, boards they serve on, gifts they receive and all investments. 

Below is an alphabetical list of city officials who filed statements of economic interest for 2009. Each listing includes the officials' name, sources of income, property, boards and gifts they reported. We did not reprint each person's investments, and we did not include candidates who ran for office, but were not elected.  

All city officials filed the reports on time, according to City Clerk Janice Johnson-Martin. 

2009 Statements of Economic Interest 

Sam Aiello, purchasing agent

Income: City of Racine

Paul Ancona, MIS director

Income: City of Racine; Wheaton Franciscan Hospital; DeVry University, Chicago, Ill.

Ray Anderson, city assessor

Income: City of Racine

Property: 4104 Nantucket Place, Racine, home; 3107 Bruce Drive, resident, tenant in common life estate

Ald. Bob Anderson

Income: Gateway Technical College; DOT Endocrine Clinic; Century 21 Savaglio Cape; Racine Appraisals, Racine; Sunrise Change, Racine

Board: President, Neighborhood Services of Southeastern Wisconsin

David Brown, finance director

Income: City of Racine

Jon Christensen, building inspector

Income: Christensen and Associates; Newman Road, farm

Ald. Jeff Coe

Income: City of Racine

Ald. Ray DeHahn

Income: City of Racine;

Mayor John Dickert

Income: City of Racine

Property: 151 Westminster Square, Racine, home

Thomas Eeg, assistant director of public works

Income: City of Racine; American Family Insurance

Property: 805 Cleveland Ave., rental

Kathleen Fischer, assistant finance director

Income: City of Racine; eHealth Global Tech, Rochester, NY

Tom Friedel, city administrator

Income: City of Racine; Twin Disc

Keith Haas, general manager Racine utilities

Income: Educators Credit Union; City ofRacine

Steve Hansen, fire chief

Income: City of Racine

Ald. Ron Hart

Income: Auto Excellence; S&R Consulting Services

Property: 4420 Republic Ave. – Home; 1901 Carter St.  – Rental

Ald. Greg Helding

Income: Wisconsin Internet, Inc.; Q Research

Rick Heller, chief building inspector

Income: City of Racine; In-Sink-Erator

Rick Jones, commissioner of public works

Income: City of Racine

Gift: ICLEA, $750, Washington DC conference

Board: TDA Wisconsin, president

Ald. Jim Kaplan

Income: WFHC-All Saints; City of Racine

Scott Letteney, deputy city attorney

Income: City of Racine; Town of Geneva; Wisconsin Air National Guard; Bigfoot High School

Ald. David Maack

Income: Racine County; Racine Unified

Board: Chair, Leadership Racine; board member, Indian Summer Festival

Jessica MacPhail

Income: City of Racine; St. Luke’s Church; John MacPhail Renovation, Racine

Ald. Eric Marcus

Income: Allied Commercial Holdings, Inc. (Woofdorf-Astoria Dog Hotel and Day Spa); Starbucks

Property: 1520 College Ave., home; 1308 18^th St., commercial,

Boards: President, Preservation Racine, Inc.; President, Allied Commercial Holdings Inc.

Ald. Terry McCarthy

Income: Volkswagon of America, Libertyville, Ill.

Ald. Robert Mozol

Income: City of Racine

Sam Aiello, purchasing agent

Income: City of Racine

Brian O’Connell, director of city development

Income: City of Racine

Board Member: St. Joseph Parish – Council Chair

John Rooney, assistant commissioner of public works

Income: City of Racine; Midwest Airlines (received more than $5,000)

Jerry Scott, human resources affirmative action officer

Income: City of Racine; Ottawa University, Cardinal-Stritch University, Eastern Airlines retirement

Board: OIC of Racine County board of directors

Ald. QA Shakoor II

Income: Twin Disc; City of Racine

Ald. Michael Shields

Income: Racine County; City of Racine

Property: Rental property at 1025-1027 Washington Ave., Racine

Board: President, Racine NAACP; Board member, Community Economic Development  Corp.; Board member, Salvation Army; Member, Racine Democratic Party

Donnie Snow, director of parks, recreation and cultural services

Income: City of Racine

Property: Rental properties at 829/831 Valerie Court, 934 Grand Ave.

Board: President, Sickle Cell Foundation of Racine

Ald. Jim Spangenberg

Income: Johnson Furniture; City of Racine

Commercial properties at 3219 Washington Ave. and 2817 Eaton Lane, Racine

Board member, West Racine Business and Professional Association

Rob Weber, city attorney

Income: City of Racine; Racine Unified

Ald. Sandy Weidner

Income: Racine County; City of Racine

Ald. Aron Wisneski

Income: Synteract Inc., Carlsbad, CA, contract research organization; City of Racine; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Property: 1025 Arthur Ave.

Ald. Dennis Wiser

Income: retired teacher; City of Racine

Heckenlively ready to go head to head against Ryan's strengths

UPDATE, July 22: John Heckenlively survived a state Republican Party challenge to his nomination to run against Paul Ryan, but Independent candidate William Tucker did not. Both candidates had hearings before the Government Accountability Board in Madison Wednesday.

The board ruled that Tucker of New Berlin submitted only 977 valid signatures, whereas 1,000 were required. Heckenlively's nomination papers were ruled in order.

That means the 1st Congressional District race on Nov. 2 will have three candidates: Republican incumbent Paul Ryan of Janesville, Democrat John Heckenlively of Racine and Libertarian Joseph Kexel of Kenosha.

Original post:
 
With just a few months to go before the election, John Heckenlively is still in limbo -- part Congressional candidate, part also-ran.

Fresh from a victory at the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board -- which, after first rejecting his nomination papers, reversed itself Monday morning and credited Heckenlively with 59 more nominating signatures than required -- the erstwhile Democratic candidate now faces a Republican Party challenge on Wednesday. This time, the question is whether some of those who signed Heckenlively's nominating petitions wrote in their correct community of residence -- is it Somers or Kenosha, Mt. Pleasant or Racine, for example. The GOP complaint is here; along with Heckenlively's response.

Heckenlively doesn't appear worried. "I've got a hurdle to cross on Wednesday," he said Monday night, "but I'm optimistic about it."

And why not? Getting on the ballot -- despite the difficulties he's already faced -- is unquestionably the easy part of winning a seat in Congress. Especially when one is challenging a six-term incumbent like Republican Paul Ryan, who already has more than $2 million in his campaign chest.

Actually, Heckenlively looks at some of Ryan's strengths -- his campaign stash, his growing national profile -- as points the all-but-unknown newcomer can capitalize on, much as a martial arts fighter uses his opponent's strength to bring him down (at least it works that way in the movies.)

Heckenlively rejects the idea that he's an unknown. "I'm slightly known," he concedes, "But one advantage I have is that Ryan has increased his national profile in the past few years. There are a lot of people who know who he is -- and I'm not like him.  There may be people who say: 'Ryan, I've heard of that guy. What can I do to help you beat him?' First stop for Heckenlively will be organizations like Move On and Progressive Democrats of America. "Move On has shown it's capable of raising large sums of money in a short period of time." He pauses for a moment, then adds, "Whether that will materialize, who knows?"
 
Although campaign funds have been an insurmountable hurdle for Ryan's Democratic opponents in recent elections (Marge Krupp and Jeff Thomas ran on a shoestring), Heckenlively sees the silver lining: "When you say, 'I'm running against a guy with $2 million; can you help out?' then you've got a point people can relate to."  They'd better; the 1st CD Democratic Party hasn't come up with much support in the past. "In the 1st CD, our budget's never been big; I'd be amazed if we ever came up with $5,000," he said. Still, "The second I'm on the ballot, I'm officially the Democratic candidate. Right away, I can jump in." (To some, he's already the candidate; Heckenlively was called yesterday afternoon by a reporter for the New York Times -- although she was writing yet another profile of Ryan.)

So why is Heckenlively taking on this Quixotic challenge? "I've been active in Democratic politics for a long time, and following Ryan's record.  I've been complaining about the guy's record for years. Now it's time to step up and put my money where my mouth is."

"My biggest problem with Ryan is he has consistently sided with the wealthy, and with the biggest corporations. And I don't blame him," Heckenlively said. "That's where he's getting his money from.  He votes for tax cuts for billionaires, and tax cuts for large corporations.  On practically every major legislation that would help ordinary people but would cost corporations profits, Ryan has sided with the corporations."

Heckenlively doesn't hesitate when asked what the key challenges are: "Jobs, jobs, jobs," he says. "

"Wisconsin, southeast Wisconsin, has some of the highest unemployment in the country. Economic development and bringing jobs to Wisconsin are going to be the key, regardless who the next congressman is."

Next is education. "There are a lot of things we can do to reform education, and not all of them involve money. Yes, there are a lot of infrastructure issues in Racine and all across the country: roofs caving in, broken windows; you can fix them with money. But without money, we still can change school culture, stressing the value of education. It's probably more valuable if parents do it,  but I think the President has stressed the value of education. Kids who stay in school do well; it    doesn't require any money for that..   People who are high profile and in visible positions need to convince kids that education is important."

 He's also concerned about the environment. "Wisconsin has had major air pollution issues for years."

Heckenlively, 46, grew up in the south side of Milwaukee County, and has a bachelor's degree from UW-Milwaukee in political science, and a master's in history. A former reporter for Racine's Labor Paper, he has a teaching certificate in social studies -- but has been unable to land a teaching job. "This is not the greatest market for teachers," he says ruefully. He's also the author of a book, "Bush must go," written before the 2004 election.

Clear Channel tower construction knocks E-vergent Wireless customers offline

Customers of a local Internet service provider were knocked offline Monday while Clear Channel rebuilds a tower along 5 Mile Road in western Racine County.

Some E-vergent Wireless customers service Monday for at least the next two weeks while Clear Channel rebuilds a tower that was decommissioned. Original plans called for a second tower to built next to the existing tower, but the project was deemed too dangerous, said Joe Falaschi, general manager of E-Vergent Wireless.

The tower project will leave E-vergent customers without service until Aug. 2, unless storms slow progress. A couple hundred customers are effected, Falaschi said.

"We understand that this is a bad situation and we appreciate your patience," Falaschi wrote to customers in an open letter posted on the E-vergent website. "We are working hard to minimize the impact and inconvenience for you."

E-vergent is an Internet service provider that focuses on areas that are not served by other ISPs. They have a tower on the Racine County Courthouse, but most of their local towers are west of the City of Racine.

The tower in question is a 500-foot tower owned by Clear Channel. E-vergent rents space on the tower at 400 feet. They looked into a temporary structure, but nothing was feasible over about 100 feet tall, Falaschi said.

Clear Channel uses the tower for its V100.7 FM out of Milwaukee. Clear Channel is moving the station's equipment to a backup tower until construction is complete. That option wasn't available for E-vergent because ISPs are site specific, Falaschi said.

Falaschi's letter gave E-vergent customers four options to check the Internet while the tower is down:

• The Country Rose Bakery located at 19319 Washington Avenue, Union Grove, WI 53182 has a Wi-Fi hotspot where you can bring your laptop. 
• We will have a computer available at our booth at the Racine County Fair from July 28 – August 1. 
• You are welcome to stop in our office at 8332 Corporate Drive, Racine, WI 53406, weekdays from 8am to 6pm. We will have a computer available as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot. 
• We are also offering free dial up as an option for home based Internet access, please contact our office or refer to the letter mailed to your home for the dial-up access number and credentials.

Racine's Perceptral listed in 'Top Secret America' investigation

The Washington Post has an explosive new series out about "Top Secret America," a hidden fourth branch of government founded after 9/11. The newspaper reports that 850,000 people in the U.S. are secretly employed in government agencies or work for government-sponsored companies.

See the series here.

The report's interactive map and data lists one top secret company in Racine, though the company isn't much of a secret. Perceptral, at 403 6th St. in Racine, is owned by Jonathon Pearl, who won RAMAC's 2010 Apollo Award for new and innovative businesses. Pearl also spoke at a small business development class about his company's efforts to develop technology to analyze and modify speech and sound.

Here's a description from the Perceptral website:

Perceptral was founded in May 2008 by Dr. Jonathan Pearl, to become the premier sound technology firm with a focus on improved handling of speech prosody. A great wealth of information, naturally encoded in speech and normally accessible to human listeners: is not exploited in human-machine interactions; remains unavailable to the hearing and vocally impaired who use technology to complete communications; and lies beyond the reach for business, information, and entertainment functions. The ability to produce high-quality, realistic, flexible, and animated voices eludes current providers, because the means to capture, classify, and synthesize these elements of speech have not been commercially developed. The promise of Perceptral's technology is to fill this unmet need.

Pearl is a really interesting guy. He's a trained opera singer who moved with his family from California to Racine to start a business. Based on his opera training, he came up with some ideas for sound technology and landed a military contract to work on the idea.

Here's a recent article from BizTimes about Pearl and Perceptral.

NAACP members 'frustrated and angry' over Downtown report

Update: Another source close to the NAACP called to say Keith Fair did not write the report. It may have been written on Fair's behalf, but he didn't write the actual words on paper.

Original post: Members of the NAACP's Racine branch are "frustrated and angry" over the venerable organization's local leadership.

Several of the members, including some in leadership positions, are questioning local NAACP President Mike Shields' comments in The Journal Times last week about a report alleging city leaders conspired to keep African-American businesses out of Downtown Racine.

Shields told the newspaper the report was meant to start a discussion, and further told the Insider News the organization would stand by the report. But NAACP members, local business owners and political insiders believe the report is an effort by Keith Fair, owner of The Place on Sixth Street bar, to fend off city inquiries into how he manages the bar.

People with knowledge of the Downtown Racine report, titled "Sun City, Sister City or Gaza on Lake Michigan: A Report on the State of Racine's Downtown," said little input was taken from NAACP members or its executive committee, and that it was written and distributed by a small group operating under the organization's name, but without the organization's support.

"No one from the NAACP as an organization wrote it. It was never brought up at a meeting. It was never discussed," an insider said. "It's a rogue thing. It's clear Keith Fair wrote it."

Fair was called before the Common Council's Public Safety and Licensing Committee this week to address incidents at his bar. Fair said he was taking steps to address problems, and the committee voted to formalize those steps by having Fair work out a side agreement with the city attorney to hire Racine police or Racine County sheriff's deputies to manage crowds. They also asked him to address capacity and come up with a dress code.

The NAACP report that was released last week on RacinePost and the Insider News was an emotional attack on city leaders for failing to attract and support minority-owned businesses in Downtown Racine.

"After investigation, and talks with both Downtown officers and officials within the Racine Police Department, it has become clear to the NAACP that a good downtown Racine is viewed as a white downtown," according to the NAACP report. (Read it here.)

That viewpoint is not shared by many members of the NAACP, according to people in the organization. One member said NAACP President Mike Shields lied to The Journal Times about the report and how it was written. While Shields, Fair and NAACP Community Coordinator Craig Oliver may technically have been a committee behind the report, it was a select group that never sought the input or support of the organization's executive committee. Instead, they simply released the report under the NAACP name to local leaders.

The report was met with a wave of criticism and opposition that was compounded by the NAACP's lack of a response. Shields canceled an emergency meeting of the organization this week and, until last week's JT story, did not release a comment. Rank-and-file members, including long-time supporters of the NAACP, said they're upset about the report, but don't feel Shields and Fair, who is an officer with the organization, are taking their concerns seriously.

"The truth is this has nothing to do with the NAACP," a member said. "It's about Keith Fair protecting his bar."

"People are just giving up," they added. "People can't take the fighting anymore. They're tired and intimidated. It's a shame."

"The NAACP's reputation is being ruined for whatever gain. This is terribly, terribly damaging to the organization."

The cartoon @ Racinepost.com

Champion Craig Alexander wins first Ironman 70.3 Racine

Craig Alexander's daughter, Lucy, 5, runs the last few yards of the Ironman with him

About 20 yards from the finish line, Ironman 70.3 Racine leader Craig Alexander headed for the sidelines, where he met his jubilant daughter, Lucy, 5, and shared a kiss and hug with his wife, Nerida, and son, Austin, 1.

Only then did he and Lucy -- holding hands -- run past the finish line to officially win Racine's inaugural Ironman, successor to the Spirit of Racine Triathlon.

Alexander's unofficial time was 3:48.56. Second place, a few minutes later -- official times not yet available -- went to fellow Australian Matt White, right, acknowledging crowd's applause as he approached the finish line.

 New Zealander Samantha Warriner was the first woman to cross the finish line, leading from the start -- by 15 seconds after the swim -- and stretching her lead to three minutes at one point, but finally crossing the finish line just 10 seconds ahead of Kate Major of Australia. Magali Tisseyre of Canada came in third. Racine is Warriner's third Ironman victory this year.

Alexander's victory was no surprise. Crowie, as he is known, was second out of the water after the 1.2 mile swim, and had been favored to win here, if only because of his championships in 2008 and 2009. Asked how many Ironman victories he's had, he could only shrug and say, "a bunch." OK, how about this year? That answer he has: "Six."

"I tried to do my own pace," he said. "I'm happy. This is a great race.

White said he had no illusions going into the race, knowing he was up against Alexander. "It was just a matter of trying to race smart," he said. "It's my best result in America so far." He made lots of friends in Racine, by autographing volunteers' shirts. He even gave his Ironman medal to a fan, to little Erin LaPlante of Racine.

 Samantha Warriner leads Kate Major from the swim; they were close at the end, too

Erin LaPlante shows off medal given her by  Matt White, as her brother Garrett looks on

Not to be out-done, Alexander autographs Park High student Nikki Wilson's shirt

Original post:

 Pro men athletes were first into the water as Ironman Racine 70.3 got under way

Right on time -- as befits an event that measures success in hundredths of a second -- the first Ironman Racine 70.3 began at 7 a.m. Sunday morning, with the first heat of professional athletes running into the water of Lake Michigan from North Beach.

The pro men were followed three minutes later by pro women, and then by age-group heats, all swimming the 1.2 mile course, to be followed by a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1 half-marathon. There are 2,000 participants.

The first athletes will cross the finish line about 11 a.m. One of those expected to be up front is two-time Ironman champion Craig Alexander of Australia. He was off to a great start, coming out of the water at the end of the quick swim among the leaders.  At right: Alexander just before the start of the swim.

Quick facts about Ironman Racine 

Behind-the-scenes pictures

More background on the race

 The start of the pro women's heat

 One of the first pro women out of the water and ready for the race's bike portion

Cyclist zips past onlookers at the Zoo

Before their own race, they cheered on friends and relatives

Relax. Kelly Kanter of Glenview, IL, neither raced nor gave birth.

(Her baby is due in two weeks). She cheered on husband Max.

Gallery Night: So little time, so much to see!

The Potter's Dream, by Marie Abbott, $650; at the Artists' Gallery

There's so much going on this weekend, we were tempted to skip Gallery Night -- but we're glad we didn't:  There was so much interesting and unusual art on display. Here are just a few sights that caught our eye during a much-too-quick run-through at too-few of Downtown's many art galleries Saturday.

Above is a porcelain on granite sculpture by multimedia artist Marie Abbott, who was featured at the Artists' Gallery. Here's the story behind the artwork: "One night, while sleeping, a potter dreamed he was making a pot on his wheel. Being a lonely man, he dreamed of creating the woman of his dreams, and she started to arise from the clay."

And, to prove Abbott's multimedia credentials, the luminous painting below is also hers.

Tulip Times, by Marie Abbott, $250; at Artists' Gallery

Once, this was the Grotto, Sam and Gene Johnson's banquet space 

adjacent to the Bistro/Yellow Rose. The spooky undersea-motif ceiling 

remains, but on Gallery Night it was display space for the artwork of

Design Partners' staff -- who occupy the space above, and whose more

mundane work involves packaging design for many big companies.

Colorfully painted chairs by Laura Underwood, $300, at Design Partners Gallery

Stone People Series 1, by Tony Macias; $300; at Racine Arts Council

Shapes Collage by Sea Daniel, at My Friday Girls art group, 202 Fifth St.

Trish Poole painted this Katrina-rescued cat on her carry-on luggage; at Cobblestone Ltd.

Musician Rob Reid drew a crowd outside the Racine Arts Council, 

layering tracks of vocals and various instruments. He and the Chicago duo
Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray will perform there Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.

Ironman behind the scenes... a few pictures

Dave Blank of realracine tries on a 2X jersey -- and finds it snug

The Ironman Racine 70.3 opened up shop Friday, as 2,000 athletes began arriving in town, collecting their all-important race chip and looking over the course.

Dave Blank of realracine, the county's tourism bureau responsible for bringing the triathlon to Racine when it was called the Spirit of Racine, looked around Friday afternoon at the competitors' expo  -- i.e., supply store for competitors full of Ironman-logo shirts and cups and mousepads -- and pronounced himself pleased. In addition to the more than $1.25 million he estimates competitors and their families will spend just on food and lodging this weekend, Blank guesses that the expo will sell some $250,000 worth of supplies and tourist stuff.

He especially recommends shirts with the word "Racine" on them. Even if the 2X seems a little tight...

Quick facts here.  Kiosk story here.

Ironman competitor checks in with his race chip

This could get interesting: Ryan Richards, Ironman race director, with Craig Bender, co-chairman of Salmon-a-Rama: What kind of combined event could they dream up?

It appears Heckenlively fell short on signatures...

Update: Kenosha News is reporting Heckenlively made the ballot.

That news is confirmed on the Government Accountability Board's website, which posted a revised figure for Heckenlively's approved signature count this morning: 1,059 -- 59 more than the minimum required.

Original: Is Racine Democrat John Heckenlively challenging Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, or not?

It looks as though he's fallen short on nomination signatures -- 77 fewer than the 1,000 required.

Realistically, it hardly matters (sorry, John) ... but our question relates not to available campaign funds, national recognition, experience or even issues, but merely to meeting Wisconsin's nomination requirements.

Earlier this week, as the filing period for September's primary ostensibly closed, Heckenlively had filed 1,100 nominating signatures, 100 more than the required number -- but the Government Accountability Board disqualified many, saying some who signed neglected to print the year they signed, as required.

The GAB gave Heckenlively until Friday to meet the requirement. Friday night, listing a Heckenlively filing on Thursday at 5:10 p.m.,  the GAB credited him with just 933 approved signatures.

For now, at least, it appears he did not qualify to have his name on the ballot.

Ryan, who is now serving his sixth term as the 1st District's congressman, has always had Democratic opposition -- of a sort (lackluster and under-funded). This would be the first time he runs unopposed -- although even that must be qualified: two other candidates apparently have filed sufficient nomination papers to challenge Ryan -- Independent William Thomas Tucker of New Berlin filed 1,042 signatures; and Libertarian Joseph Kexel of Kenosha filed 1,139 signatures.

Earlier story here.

A world record for Salmon-a-Rama? So far*, so good

Roger Hellen, left, and Joe Miller with world record* trout caught at Salmon-a-Rama

With any luck, Salmon-a-Rama pulled in a world record fish today -- although it will be a world record with an asterisk for Racine's 30-year fishing competition.

Roger Hellen of Franksville brought the brown trout in this morning, and it weighed in at 41.15 pounds on Salmon-a-Rama's scale, just under the world record of 41 pounds, 7 ounces, caught in Michigan last year.

But Hellen, who's been fishing "my whole life," and his fishing partner Joe Miller took the trophy fish to Brossman's Meat Market in Racine, where it was weighed on a certified scale. At Brossman's the fish clocked in at 41 pounds, 8 ounces -- enough to claim the world record at the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Association. If it holds up, it will be both the state and world record holder -- although its weight at Salmon-a-Rama will still be less because of the differences in scales.

Nonetheless, it will be Salmon-a-Rama's record fish as well. Up until now, the largest fish caught during our competition was a 37.4 lb. lake trout landed in 1997.

Hellen and Miller didn't appear concerned as they showed off the fish Friday night at Salmon-a-Rama, where it had been drawing a crowd while sitting in the glass cooler all day. Surrounded by photographers, Hellen calmly told and re-told the story of how the fish was landed, near Wind Point from their boat, the Get Hooked.

"It was just a normal, everyday thing," he said.

A TV reporter asked, "Was there anything unusual about landing it?"

"Well, it's a really big fish," Hellen said. Pressed, he added that it took about half an hour to land.

"What was your first reaction?" the TV reporter asked.

"Holy shit," Hellen said.

"How about something for TV?" the reporter pressed, seeking an FCC-friendly sound byte.

"Holy shit," Hellen said again.

"Who did you call first?" the reporter asked. Hellen gave the name of a friend.

"And what did he say?" the reporter asked.

"Holy shit," Hellen said.

The reporter pressed on: "There must be bigger fish out there. Are you gonna catch them?"

"Probably not," Hellen said. "You go out and do your thing. I just got lucky."

Hellen's fish is almost twice as big as the second-place fish on the leaderboard, a 22 lb., 4 ounce brown trout caught by Craig Kelliher of Menomenee Falls. Of course, both will have to sweat another couple of days; the fishing contest doesn't wind up until 11 a.m. Sunday. Top prize this year is $10,000.

Craig Bender, Salmon-a-Rama co-chair, said the fishing has been "outstanding" this year, "particularly the offshore angling." After falling on tough times in recent years -- when it went from a two-weekend fishing competition and music festival to a shorter Big Fish Bash and now, again back as Salmon-a-Rama, but without the festival -- Bender said the number of entrants has held up. The nine-day Salmon-a-Rama has about 1,300 entered this year: 1,000 on boats, 200 shore fishermen, 50 youth and 50 kayakers. They're competing for a total of about $25,000 in cash prizes.

Salmon-a-Rama's leaderboards are online HERE.

Jim Snopek of Raymond, with his 12.25 lb. Lake Trout

Snopek leads the Master Angler competition with a total of 63.05 lbs.:

Rainbow, 12.25; Brown, 19.8; Lake, 12.25; Chinook, 13.95; Coho, 4.8.

 Dan Hendricks of Racine with 12.55 Rainbow, which leads its division

Bobby Kroes, 14, of Racine, with his 17.55 lb. Brown Trout

Everyone wanted to get a picture of the potential world record Brown Trout

Dickert appointed to Mayors Water Council

Racine Mayor John Dickert has been appointed to the Mayors Water Council of the United States Conference of Mayors.

The Mayors Water Conference functions like a task force for the US Conference of Mayors. It provides mayors with a focal point for discussion of issues impacting how cities provide water and wastewater services, and protects water resources for citizens, the environment, and the local economy.

The MWC when, appropriate and necessary, will develop positions on federal legislation, regulation, and policy, and propose resolutions on water-related matters for consideration by the USCM Environment Committee.

Mayor Jennifer Hosterman of Pleasanton, Calif. and Mayor Brian Stratton of Schenectady, N.Y. will serve as co-hosts of the MWC.

Sheriff candidate Molnar says he'd put jail inmates to work

Racine County Sheriff candidate Ron Molnar said Friday he'd put jail inmates to work if elected.

“There are many healthy, able-bodied individuals that can make a contribution to the society they victimized,” he said in a prepared statement.

Molnar (right) is one of three Republicans running to replace outgoing Sheriff Bob Carlson, who is retiring. Christopher Schmaling and Gonzalo Gonzalez are also running as Republicans. One of the three candidates will advance to the general election following a Sept. 14 primary.

Joseph Buckley is running for Sheriff as a Democrat, and Jeffrey Gerrietts is running as an independent. Both will appear on the general election ballot.

Molnar said jail inmates were potential source of labor for the county.

"There’s too much work to be done," he said in his statement. "Creating partnerships throughout Racine County, inmate labor can assist with service projects that make a difference to our taxpayers. They can cut brush and remove trash. Or work to keep our parks beautiful by mowing, cleaning and painting.”

He added inmates can also work for Habitat for Humanity and help maintain community buildings. He also wants inmates to grow some of their own food in a community garden.

“Not a single inmate will lounge his time away while incarcerated," Molnar said. "They will pay their way, just like the rest of Racine County taxpayers,” says Molnar. “Racine County taxpayers should expect nothing less from their Sheriff.”

Quick facts on this weekend's Ironman 70.3

2009 triathlon

One of Racine's biggest summer events, the Ironman 70.3, is this Sunday. The annual triathlon draws athletes from around the world to our city. Every hotel room in the area is filled, and the popular event is expected to pump $2.5 million into the local economy. Here's some quick facts on the event: 

When:

Sunday, July 18, 2010, beginning at 7 a.m. (professional athlete start) and 7:10 a.m. (age group athlete start).

What:

A 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike race and 13.1-mile run. Competitors have 8.5 hours to finish; cutoff times are applied to each segment of the race.

Where:

Athletes will swim along North Beach in Lake Michigan, bike through the countryside of Racine County and a run on a course that features a tour of Racine Zoo and the beautiful Lake Michigan coastline.

Who:

Approximately 2,000 athletes from around the globe. Athletes will represent more than 35 states and eight countries. There are 400-plus participants from the state of Wisconsin.

Prize Purse:

A total of $30,000 is split among the top five professional men and women. First place wins $6,000, second place $4,000, third place $2,500, fourth place $1,500 and fifth place $1,000.  

Qualifying Slots:

Athletes will compete for 50 coveted slots to the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3, Presented by Ford, taking place on Nov. 13 in Clearwater, Fla.

Training:

The average hours per week devoted to training for Ironman 70.3 generally fall between 10 and 30- plus hours. Many competitors also cross-train with weight training, stretching and yoga, among other activities.

Average training distances for the three disciplines:

1) Miles per week swimming: 7 to 8

2) Miles per week biking: 150 to 175

3) Miles per week running: 30 to 40

Best Places to Watch: 

North Beach for swim start and finish 

Both transition areas on the course 

The finish line 

The run is along the lakeshore bike path and Michigan Blvd.

Schedule of Events: 

Friday, July 16, 2010

12:00-7:00 p.m. Ironman Store Festival Park

12:00-7:00 p.m. Ironman Bike Store & Tech Service Center Festival Park

12:00-7:00 p.m. Ironman 70.3 Racine Expo Festival Park

12:00- 7:00 p.m. Athlete Check-In Festival Hall

12:00- 7:00 p.m. Race Information Booth Festival Park

Saturday, July 17, 2010

9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Ironman Store Festival Park

9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Ironman 70.3 Racine Expo Festival Park

9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Ironman Bike Store & Tech Service Center Festival Park

12:00-1:00 p.m. Athlete Race Briefing Transition Area 

12:00-8:00 p.m. Race Information Booth Festival Park

12:00-8:00 p.m. Athlete Check-In Festival Hall

12:00-8:00 p.m. Mandatory Bike Check-In Transition at North Beach Park

Sunday, July 18, 2010 - Race Day!

5:00 a.m.-6:30 a.m. Transition Open; Body Marking; Gear Set-Up Transition Area at North Beach Park

5:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Race Information Booth/ Lost & Found Outside Transition at North Beach Park

7:00 a.m. Race Starts

8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Ironman Store Festival Park

11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Post-Race Athlete Food Transition Area at North Beach Park

1:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Mandatory Bike & Gear Check-Out Transition Area

2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. 2010 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 Registration Festival Hall

4:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony Festival Park

4:00 p.m. 2010 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 Roll down Festival Park

Mason, 30 state legislators call on Congress for jobless benefits action

State Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, sent a letter Thursday to each member of Wisconsin’s Congressional Delegation, asking for quick action to extend unemployment benefits. The letter was co-signed by 30 other legislators, including State Sen. John Lehman and Rep. Bob Turner, also Racine Democrats.

The letter said that more than 72,000 Wisconsin families lost unemployment benefits because Congress failed to approve an extension before leaving for its July 4th recess. "Congress' failure to pass this extension before taking a vacation is shameful," Mason wrote.

"As state Legislators, we hear every day from constituents who are anxiously watching time run out on their unemployment insurance. Many have only a few weeks of eligibility remaining and face mounting stress as they wonder how they will pay for basic necessities should these vital benefits come to an abrupt end," the letter said.

The House of Representatives did approve a bill to extend benefits, but the Senate failed to act before its recess.

“While our economy is definitely heading in the right direction, I know that recovery is slow. For those laid-off workers still searching for jobs, unemployment benefits are often the only thing keeping their families financially afloat,” Mason said. “Cutting benefits right now is the worst thing Congress could do to these workers, their families, and for the economic recovery we’ve worked so hard to accomplish.

“Wisconsin was the first state in the nation to recognize the importance of providing a safety net to workers struggling to get by between jobs. I hope that our Congressional delegation will remember our state’s proud history and work diligently and quickly to secure the votes to pass an extension of these benefits,” Mason concluded.

100 years ago in Racine ...

Here's the news reported in the July 19, 1910 edition of The Racine Journal ...

• A 20-year-old Racine man was shot and stabbed after a fight at De Mark Bros. Saloon. Antonio Bonadio, of Forest Street, was shot by two men from Kenosha while their father stabbed Bonadio. Johanne Frazee and his sons were wanted by the police.  Bonadio and Frazee were cousins. The story was front-page news, taking up two full columns in the 8-page weekly paper. The headline: "Italian feud may result in murder."

• The Caledonia train station was robbed for the third time in five months. Trunks and packages were found opened in the station and the contents strewn about.

• The second annual banquet of the Taylor Orphan asylum alumni was held in the institution south of the city. The orphanage was made possible through an endowment by the Hon. Isaac and Mrs. Taylor in the seventies. Since that date hundreds of homeless children have been cared for, given an education and otherwise equipped for life's work. There 35 children in the home in July 1910.

• "The Racine Chautauqua was marred by an accident Sunday morning at 9:30 o'clock when Mrs. Caroline Poulson of 1553 Sixteenth street was thrown from the steps of an open car to the ground and suffered a severe injury to her spine. It is doubtful if the unfortunate lady can recover, as she is sixty-eight years old. "

• The strike at Molders will be called off on August 1 and the strikers are expected to return to work.

• The Universal Crushed Stone Co. set off a largest blast of dynamite in Racine County history at Ives. The blast was heard for miles around the surrounding country and could be plainly heard in the city. It was composed of 10 tens of dynamite and several hundred pounds of other explosives. Enough limestone was loosened to last the company for six months.

• Description of the Racine Journal: "The Weekly Journal is an eight-page seven column paper, containing interesting correspondance from country towns and the news of the adjacent county and county seat up to the morning of publication. ... The Weekly Journal endeavors to give the news of the day unbiased. Its miscelleneous news matter is compiled by competent writers, and the serials published from time to time are always of interest and are from the best authors. Its correspondents are instructed to give news of interest from their respective towns and avoid all local gossip with offensive personal allusions. ...

• The subscription price of the Weekly Journal is one dollar ($1.00) a year, in advance, and the several premiums offered are valuable.

Anonymous reporters wrote local news in a column called "City Happenings." Here's a recap of the July 19, 1910 column ...

• The carpenters and contractors report that the present summer has been the best in several years. Many new homes and buildings are now under course of construction in various parts of the city.

• Miss Helen O'Laughlin of 834 Main street, while turning the corner of Main and Fifteenth streets last evening in her father's touring car ran into a telegraph pole. The machine was quite badly damaged.

• This morning a horse attached to a wagon, property of the Thomas Livery, became frightened and started on a wild run down Wisconsin street. The beast ran into the stables and entered without doing any damage.

• Henry Allen Cooper, present congressman from the district, who will be a candidate for re-election and William H. Bell, of Hamilton avenue, who will run for assembly of the first district, have placed their nomination papers in circulation.

• Reports from the St. Mary's hospital this morning are to the effect that little Charlotte Hermes, of Summit avenue, who was dangerously injured in a fall a few days ago, will recover. The physicians consider the child's case a remarkable one.

• Several small boys set fire to a plat of grass between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets on Center street last evening, and for some time it looked as if near by houses were in danger of being set on fire, but a large gang of men put the blaze out.

• Mrs. Albert Hansen of the Rapids Road entertained a number of her friends, among those present, being Mrs. F.B. Stafford, Mrs. Joseph Hecht, Mrs. E. Wuertzberger, Miss Ethel Schlosser, Miss Minnie Smith and Miss Lydia Wuertzberger.

• Milk Famine ...

Racine is in the throes of a milk famine. The summers has been so dry that the grass in the pastures has died and the cattle have been unable to get fresh fodder. Consequently the milk supply has become limited. Ice cream dealers are the first ones to be struck by the famine.

A. Matson and Son, one of the largest ice cream dealers in the city, with head quarters on Washington avenue, ordered fifty quarts of cream this morning from A F Crane, a milkman. The cream was to be used in the making of ice cream for tomorrow's business. Mr. Matson was informed by his milkman early today that it was utterly impossible to supply the order as his cows were not giving much milk and that which was secured he was forced to give to families having small children.

The disappointed merchant then called up every milk dealer in the city, but was unable to get one quart of cream or milk.

• The county insane asylum, with its 200 hundred unfortunate inmates, was the main subject of discussion. For years, the heating apparatus and ventilation have been inadequate and during the winter months half of the structure was cold and the inmates could not help but suffer. The county board of supervisors agreed to spend $10,000 installing a heating system and modern water system.

• The newspaper included a column called "Items of Condensed News - A Resume of Happenings in Tabloid Form for Busy Readers Who Like News in Abbreviated Shape." The column is simply a collection of unattributed paragraphs from around the country and world. One example include, "England is alarmed over the speedy increase of the drug habit, all classes of society being affected."

• 'Of Interest to Women'

It also included a column titled, "Of Interest to Women." The July 19, 1910 column began, "Are Women Changeless? - Prof. Haeckel, with that customary skeptical attitude of the German philosophers toward feminist movement, says: "The women are still fond of paint and feathers and wearing jewelry and of scenting themselves as they were 3,000 years ago. Time and civilization have had no effect on them. Their weapons of then are their weapons of today. They are beautiful, but no more so than they were, and it grieves me to think that they lay such stress on clothes and other outward adornments. But it always has been so and always will be so."

The professor's last sentence cheers us. We are glad that they will always be so: that is, that they will continue to look as pretty as they can, which we do not take to mean that they will always wear such grotesque hats and unpleasant looking gowns as they so often do now.

We live in fervid hope that some day woman with her accumulating intellectuality will throw off the slavery of fashion and attire herself (each one) in the garment that becomes her.

We even hope this for men, but with less confidence.

...

It will be a gloomy, dull, dead era when women cease to regard wherewith they are arrayed, but it will be a glorious awakening, a regeneration, on apotheosis, when they appear like the flowers of the field, each blossoming forth in such splendor as her gifts of face and figure make fit, and no garb shall exceed the limitations of its wearer ...

• Programme For Health - The programme for a day's hygienic life may be laid out as follows:

1. Upon waking go to the open window and take several long breaths of pure air
2. Drink a glass of cold or hot water
3. Take exercise for 20 minutes
4. Take warm sponge bath followed by cold plunge
5. Light breakfast - no meat
6. Short walk - one mile or two
7. Work.
8. Light lunch - no meat
9. (Frequent drinks of water during the day.)
10. A little rest after lunch.
11. Work.
12. Recreation for one hour, combined with out-of-door exercise. Two miles walking.
13. Slight rest.
14. Dinner.
15. Recreation.
16. Two glasses of water.
17. Exercise for 15 minutes.
18. Sleep for eight or nine hours.

White House lunch and a quick sit in President's chairhighlight Racine pageant winner's summer tour

Jeanette Morelan of Racine, Miss America's Outstanding Teen, at the White House

What does it mean to win a beauty pageant?

Well, there's the princess crown, of course, and the scholarship money.

But as Jeanette Morelan of Racine found out, there's so very much more -- including singing on a float in Washington, DC's, Fourth of July parade, lunch at the White House mess, even a chance to sit in the President's chair in the White House Situation Room -- just a few minutes before President Obama was scheduled to arrive.

Jeanette, a Mount Pleasant 15-year-old, won the Miss Wisconsin Outstanding Teen pageant in Oshkosh last July, and the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant in Orlando last August -- taking home $30,000 in scholarships and other prizes.  The daughter of Dr. Robert and Helen Morelan -- dad is superintendent of the 21st Century Preparatory School here -- she told us last summer that she plans to become President of the United States in 2040.

A three-week tour this summer included appearances at this year's Miss Wisconsin Outstanting Teen Pageant in Oshkosh  (at which she fell and badly bruised her knee, but the show went on!); the Forward 2010 teen leadership conference in Atlanta; a photoshoot in Orlando; and performing "Party in the USA" on a Showboat float during the capital's 4th of July parade, and singing "America the Beautiful" at the finale.

And her second visit to the White House, as the guest of Rear Admiral Stephen Rochon, director of the Executive Residence and White House Chief Usher.

Here's an excerpt from Jeanette's blog about that visit:

 I was so excited to see the Admiral again!! We started by going one place that we never did on our tour…his office! The Admiral’s office was incredible. You wouldn’t believe what kind of things he had in there! A rosary from the Pope, challenge coins from dignitaries from all across the world.

And also… three more chairs. Picture what I did when I found out that I was sitting in the chairs of FDR, Winston Churchill and Bill Clinton! I could hardly believe what I was doing! The Admiral also had some gifts; for me, he brought a set of presidential pens… the personal pens of the last seven presidents in office. I could hardly believe my eyes! It meant the world to me that the Admiral would think of something like that, especially for a future President.

We went down to the White House mess for lunch. It was SO nice. Lunch was fabulous, and I had the White House signature dessert  -- a molten chocolate cupcake with vanilla ice cream. It was amazing. Now I’ve got one more reason to take on the White House in 2040 – great food  ;)

After lunch, we went somewhere I never imagined….the Situation Room....the series of meeting rooms in which our nation is run. There was a meeting scheduled in half an hour with the President, but we still had time to look around. And….in the Situation room….I sat in the President’s chair!!!! Right before the meeting! To the back of me was the Presidential seal, to my left was the seat of Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and then many more chairs of people who are the reason our country is up and running….it was incredible.

Before we left, I said a little prayer…that someday, somehow, I would sit in that chair again, as President of the United States of America.

Read more of Jeanette's blog, and see more pictures from her trip, here.

Root River Environmental Education Center celebrates new weather station July 28

The Root River Environmental Education Community Center (REC) is holding a celebration for its new weather station Thursday, July 28, beginning at 9 a.m. 

Made possible by a grant from the AT&T Foundation, the station will be installed at the REC, located at 1301 West 6th St., Racine, and will be used to educate school children and the public about the affects of climate on water quality in the Root River.

“The REC’s location within an urban watershed river offers a unique opportunity to tie water monitoring into weather curriculum,” said Dr. John Skalbeck, director of UW-Parkside’s Center for Community Partnership which runs the REC. “Dissolved oxygen levels are affected by water temperature and aquatic plant photosynthesis, which are directly affected by the weather. This weather station is a vehicle to educate the community about how weather relates to water quality.”

Skalbeck, who also serves as an associate professor in UW-Parkside’s Geosciences department, said the weather station will be installed in spring 2011 along with an educational program in which area youth can participate. Skalbeck thanked the AT&T Foundation for its generous support which will improve students’ understanding of the factors contributing to water quality. The AT&T Foundation weather station celebration is free and open to the public.

A partnership between UW-Parkside and the City of Racine, the REC connects area students and residents to Racine’s Root River through research and recreational opportunities. Canoe rentals and bicycles are available at the REC Fridays through Sundays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Educational activities for area school children and university students are conducted throughout the year.

            

For more information on the REC, visit www.uwp.edu Keyword: REC or call 262-595-3340.

Mayor Dickert keeps Racine involved with Great Lakes initiative

Mayor John Dickert is keeping Racine involved in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. Here's a press release from his office:

Dickert among Mayors Leading Way as Green Cities Chart Sustainable Future for Great Lakes and St. Lawrence 

RACINE – Mayor John Dickert has joined mayors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, representing 13 million Americans and Canadians, in committing to adopt and expand green municipal practices, through the launch of the Green CiTTS program. 

“Mayors understand that actions in our cities have a positive impact across the Great Lakes Basin,” said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daily, founding United States Chair of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Initiative.”Today, cities are committing to expand and accelerate the implementation of innovative municipal projects and programs so that we can continue to lead the way on the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.” 

Racine Mayor Dickert, who serves on the Board of Directors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative couldn’t agree more. 

“On behalf of the City of Racine, I am proud to join the 72 Mayors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative in our pledge to transform the entire region, community by community, towards a sustainable, vibrant, and prosperous future,” said Dickert, “”We can lead the way in this effort. We know we must utilize the assets we have to build strong partnerships for growth around the water industry, and with funds becoming scarce, we’re working harder and smarter with our money to protect such a valuable asset.” 

The Green CiTTS (Cities Transforming Towards Sustainability) program has four objectives: 

• To Protect Water Resources and Costal Areas 
• To Promote Lo-Carbon Energy Generation and Consumption 
• To Adopt Green Land Use and Building Design 
• To Encourage Green Economic Development 

Actions under the Green CiTTS program in its inaugural year will contribute to protecting water resources and coastal areas, by providing support for municipal actions to reduce storm water runoff. This year’s program is supported by the Joyce Foundation, in collaboration with partners including American Rivers, and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. 

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities are already demonstrating their leadership their leadership. From Chicago’s Alternative Fuel Project to Montreal’s Sustainability Plan, from Grand Rapids’ commitment to 100% renewable fuels to Milwaukee’s Green Seems Program to reduce storm water runoff, mayors make it their daily duty to create sustainable communities. 

An important aspect of the Green CiTTS program is the promotion and adoption of green technologies to support this effort and the creation of green jobs to stimulate local and regional economies. Cities around the Great Lakes spend an estimated $15 billion on environmental protection initiatives each year. 

“Our cities have enormous investment and purchasing power that can be deployed to support the development of environmental technologies and trainings for green jobs,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, host city of last month’s Cities Initiative conference. 

Mayor Dickert also was part of a panel at the conference and addressed the members at which time he announced that the City Of Racine had installed a handicapped beach mat on North Beach – the first of its kind anywhere on the Great Lakes. 

The installation of the mat which gives access to Racine’s lakefront to the handicapped, those with strollers, and others, many for the first time in their lives, drew extreme interest from other mayors and officials attending the conference. 

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a bi-national coalition of over 70 mayors and other local officials that works actively with federal, state, tribal, first nation and provincial governments and other stakeholders to advance the protections, restoration, and promotion of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence basin. 

For media: For additional information see backgrounder and GLSLCI website for more details, www.glslcities.org/initiatives/greencities.cfm.