Suspect Sought Who Allegedly Passed Fake $20's And $100's Bills At Milwaukee Southside Businesses

A co-owner at a Milwaukee Southside bar claims that a suspect who he snapped a photo off and posted on Facebook has been passing counterfeit $100's bills.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 19, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - A suspect is being sought by Milwaukee police after he passed $20's and $100's dollar counterfeit bills at local bars in the Walker's Point neighborhood in Milwaukee's Southside. Tony Wojtecki, the co-owner of The Bottle snapped a photo of the alleged suspect when he returned to the bar in an attempt to pass a fake $100 bill. The suspect had passed fake $20's in November and returned on Monday to pass a $100 dollar fake bill as well. On Tuesday, Wojtecki posted a photo of the suspect on his Facebook account to warn other businesses and hoped the suspect can get caught by police.

The Bottle bar provided video surveillance of the suspect to police. The unidentified suspect has victimized other businesses in the Walker's Point area, according to Wojtecki.

It is a federal crime to produce or pass counterfeit U.S. currency. The U.S. Secret Service has been contacted about the fake bills being passed in Milwaukee's Southside.

21-Year-old Lizzy Luebke's Body Found Frozen In The Riverwest Neighborhood

The Milwaukee Medical Examiner's office will do an autopsy Monday to determine the cause of death of a young woman found frozen at a sidewalk in the Riverwest neighborhood.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 18, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - On Sunday, the frozen body of Lizzy Luebke, 21, of Oskosh was found in a sidewalk near E. Keefe Ave. and N. Bremen Street by a passer-by around 9:00 a.m., according to police. A surveillance video camera near the scene recorded Luebke walking along the sidewalk and collapsing around 4:25 a.m.

Luebke was attending a house party nearby and was not wearing warm clothing to protect her from the freezing temperatures, which were minus 2 degrees with a windchill factor of -23. Police suspect Luebke had consumed alcoholic beverages, left the party without a Winter coat and outdoor freezing conditions on early Sunday contributed to her death. She was wearing shorts, fish net leggings and a sleeveless top, according to a photo posted on the Riverside buy, sell and trade area Facebook (FB) page with information added that she was missing. The FB photo and information was later removed.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's office will conduct an autopsy to determine how Luebke passed away.

Consulate of Mexico In Milwaukee Will Open Within Months

The Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee expected to serve more than 300,000 Mexican nationals from Wisconsin, Michigan and could eventually take some of the overload of providing visas, passports and other legal documents to Mexican nationals being served at the Consulate of Mexico in Chicago and neighboring states.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 15, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - On Thursday, the Secretary of Foreign Relations from Mexico (SRE) announced that a Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee will open within months and is expected to serve more than 300,000 Mexican nationals from Wisconsin and Michigan. The SRE Undersecretary of North America, Carlos Pérez Verdía visited Milwaukee to inspect the newly leased building, which has 8,275 square feet of office space at 1443 N. Prospect Ave. that will house the new Mexican Consulate in Milwaukee.

Undersecretary Verdía met with Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch (R), City of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D) and U.S. Congressman Sean Duffy (R). Governor Scott Walker (R) also supported the opening of Mexican Consulate in Wisconsin. The Consul General of the Consulate of Mexico in Chicago, Carlos Jiménez Macías accompanied Verdía to Milwaukee as well and met with some GOP members of the Latino community to discuss the upcoming opening of the consulate on Prospect Ave.

The Consulate of Mexico in Chicago generates more than $7M a year in revenue from services rendered to Mexican nationals from Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois that include legal documents, visas, passports, Matricula Consular ID and additional services.

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson's (R) office released the following statement, For more than a year, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson and U.S. Representative Sean Duffy of Wisconsin's 7th District have worked closely to bring a consulate to Milwaukee. 

Also, Jesús Cabrera, a Wisconsin representative for the Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior (IME) for the last three years has worked with state, Mexican and U.S. diplomatic officials to open a Mexican Consulate in Milwaukee. When Cabrera ran for the elected IME position, he vowed to accomplish the goal of opening a consulate in Wisconsin, which is in the works to finally open after years of organized efforts to do so by the Mexican community since, the early 1970's.

The SRE says that the working relation with Wisconsin has generated at least $6B in U.S. dollars for Mexico and is a major exporter of products to Mexico ranking second and is considered the 21st business partner of Mexico in exports.

There are approximately 260,000 in population of Mexican origin in the state, which is 75% of the total Hispanic population in Wisconsin. The Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee with cover 53 of 72 counties in Wisconsin and 12 of 83 counties from state of Michigan.

In another diplomatic issue, Congressman Duffy announced that he personally gave a letter from lawmakers to Undersecretary Verdía requesting for Sinaloa drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera to be extradited to the U.S. to face federal indictments in Texas and California for drug trafficking and money laundering on Thursday, while in Milwaukee.

6,944 Milwaukee Area Vehicles Stolen In 2015, Milwaukee Police Reported

There was an 11% increased in auto thefts in the City of Milwaukee, according to Alderman Bob Donavan, a candidate for Mayor in 2016.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 12, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - On Tuesday, Alderman Bob Donovan, a candidate for Mayor in Milwaukee this year announced, that the City of Milwaukee had an 11% increase or 7,340 vehicles stolen in 2015 compared to 2014, which 6,691 were reported stolen, according to police stats. It cost the victims in just auto lost value alone about $48M, Ald. Donovan reported.

In 2013, police reported that at least 4,386 autos were stolen, an increase of 67% by last year.

The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) reported less vehicle thefts for 2015. MPD reported that 6,944 vehicles were stolen last year, but when MPD district total's were added, it only totaled 6,940.

Vehicle thefts by police district in Milwaukee.

● MPD - District 1 - 484 

● MPD - District 2 - 1,464

● MPD - District 3 - 793

● MPD - District 4 - 1,131

● MPD - District 5 - 983

● MPD - District 6 - 651

● MPD - District 7 - 1,434

Total: 6,940

Houston's Livestock And Rodeo 2016 Music Lineup Absent Of Tejano Headliners

The lack of a major Tejano lineup in the Rodeo Houston 2016 event this year will no doubt draw huge protests by Tejano music enthusiasts.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 11, 2016

Houston, Texas - On Monday, organizers of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR), a Texas non-profit organization that sponsors a 19-day rodeo in March announced their 2016 music lineup at the NRG arena on Facebook (RodeoHouston), which once again is absent of any major Tejano groups playing at the main events stage. The HLSR has for years discriminated against both Mexican nationals and Tejanos. 

Discrimination against Mexican nationals, the HLSR has denied scholarships to the sons and daughters of festivalgoers who attend the 19-day event, especially the Mexican genre music lineup. Los Huracanes del Norte and Band Los Recoditos were booked for March 13, the "Go Tejano Day". It seems that the HLSR 2016 major artist lineup is no exception from last year, this year once again there were no major Tejano groups scheduled to appear at the main NRG stage.

With the absence of a major Tejano group at the HLSR in March, anticipated organized protests by Tejanos are expected.

In brief, the HLSR receives funds from major corporations, sponsors and held fundraisers, including the 19-day rodeo event, which according to their federal tax reporting, they generated about $133M of revenue in 2014. In the last five years, the HLSR Educational Fund has given out more than $60M in scholarship awards to college bound students and students already in college.
In 2015, about 2,100 students attending 100 different colleges in Texas have received at least $40M in scholarships, not including grants from other sources. The HLSR committed more than $24M for the HLSR Educational Fund in 2015, according to their Web site.
Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) learned in 2015 that not one dollar of those scholarships has ever been awarded to DREAMers or undocumented student immigrants in Houston and Texas. The HLSR has a discriminatory guideline and requirement that excludes DREAMers and undocumented student immigrants from applying for scholarships, only U.S. Citizens and a Texas resident can apply for those scholarships.

Sinaloa Cartel Druglord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera Captured Again In Mexico

Guzman Loera was arrested by Mexican military police.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 8, 2016

Mexico, D.F. - On Friday, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto tweeted that Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, the fugitive Sinaloa Cartel leader was arrested by military police this morning. Guzman Loera was taken into custody in the city of Los Mochis in the state of Sinaloa.

A tip led to Guzman Loera's arrest. A $5M reward was offered by the U.S. and $3M by the Mexican government. The U.S. has filed an extradiction request for Guzman Loera with the Mexican government. El Chapo has been indicted in the U.S. for drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

Mexican Government Leased Consulate Office Space In Milwaukee's Eastside

Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee expected to open soon in the Eastside area.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 7, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - The Mexican government has leased 8,275 square feet at 1443 N. Prospect Ave. for a new Mexican Consulate in Milwuakee, RFP Commercial Inc. has confirmed. The Consulate office space lease was signed last month, according to the RFP website. The projected opening date for the new Mexican Consulate in Milwaukee has not been announced yet by state or Mexican government officials, but is expected to open soon.

A Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee will be the first to open in Wisconsin and is expected to help take some of the congestion from the Consulate in Chicago, which services are provided by appointment only and has a long backlog. Mexican nationals in the four state region (WI, IL, IN, MN) will no longer wait months to get visas and legal document services by using as an alternative the new Consulate of Mexico in Milwaukee once it opens for business.  

The Consulate of Mexico in Chicago generates more than $7M a year in revenue from services rendered to Mexican nationals from Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois that include legal documents, visas, passports, Matricula Consular ID and additional services.