Ernesto Chacon Honored For His Community Leadership In Milwaukee By The RHC And Awarded The Latinx Heritage Month Award 2022 At UWM

Chacon was honored and recognized as a community leader at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee by the Roberto Hernández Center.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 16, 2022

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, October 14, 2022, the Roberto Hernández Center-UWM honored and recognized Ernesto G. Chacon Sr., 84, as a community leader for his 1970 activism and instrumental leadership in helping to bring down the discriminatory barrier that kept Hispanics from enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). 

Chacon was one of multiple community educational leaders and organizers that led the August 27, 1970 Chapman Hall Takeover of the Chancellor's office at UWM.

After days and weeks of protests including sit-ins, then Chancellor J. Martin  Klotsche decided to create the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute (SSOI) to prepare Latino students for enrollment at UWM.

52 years ago on August 27, 1970, the Hispanic community took over Chapman Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee after a discriminatory policy was in place to keep Hispanics from enrolling at UWM. In the Fall semester of 1970, there were only 14 Hispanic students enrolled at UWM, most of them from South and Central America compared to 25,000 students attending classes. 

For the Hispanic community, "In Milwaukee many barriers existed blocking their paths to higher education. Their language and cultural distinctness were frowned upon, and they had limited access to information about educational opportunities and few professional role models. Discriminatory treatment was the norm." (Cited from Myriad Magazine UWM 1990, Volume 1 Number 1)

At least 500 people took it upon themselves to stand up and challenge the UWM discriminatory policy that prevented Hispanics and other minorities from enrolling at the urban university.

In 1996, the SSOI was renamed the Roberto Hernández Center. Hernández was one of the instrumental leaders of the UWM protests in 1970.

Chacon was the former Executive Director of the Latin American Union for Civil Rights, which also created the first Fiesta Mexicana fest to generate scholarships for Latinos students enrolling at UWM. Today, the Fiesta Mexicana, which have been organized by various groups through the years with the same mission and purpose to generate scholarships for college or university bound students has grown to draw more than 80,000 festivalgoers annually and has become the largest Midwest 3-day Mexican Fiesta at the Summerfest grounds operated by the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. in Milwaukee.

Chacon also served as president and director of the Federation for Civic Action in Milwaukee in the 1980's. He was the former deputy director for former Wisconsin Governor James Doyle (D).

Chacon is also known for organizing protests for Wisconsin immigrant farm workers rights in the 1960's and 1970's in the state. He led protests along with other Latino community leaders for Welfare rights and job opportunities for Latinos at local companies including Allen Bradley.

Historic video of the UWM 1970 Takeover and the creation of the SSOI, today the Roberto Hernández Center-UWM https://youtu.be/FzOpOxI_GKw

Two Men Ages 24 And 41 Murdered In the Southside of Milwaukee In Separate Incidents

Robinson and Odorño murdered in the Southside of Milwaukee.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 15, 2022

Milwaukee, Wisconsin  - A 24-year-old deceased victim was identified as Johnathan Robinson. Robinson was discovered with gunshot wounds at the 1800 block of S. 25th Street at around 7:13 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, in the Southside of Milwaukee according to Milwaukee police.

Robinson was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Robinson's death a homicide.

Lamar Conners, 17,  has been arrested and charged with 2nd-degree reckless homicide on October 14 in connection with Robinson's murder and a weapon was recovered at the scene.

If convicted, Conners is facing up to 25 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines. A $2,000 cash bond was set for Conners, according to court records.

On October 5, 2022, Milwaukee police responded to the 2400 block of W. Rogers Street after shot were reported fired and found Benjamin Ortiz Odorño, 41, fatally shot.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Odorño's death a homicide.

No arrests have been made in Odorño's homicide.

22-year-old José Silva Charged With The Vehicular Crash Reckless Homicide Of Aaron Strong, 40, In Milwaukee

Silva was speeding and ran multiple red lights before crashing into Strong's vehicle.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 14, 2022

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, José Silva, 22, was charged with one felony count for 2nd-degree reckless homicide for the vehicular death crash of Aaron Strong, 40. According to the criminal complaint, Silva was speeding between 70 to 80 mph when he ran a red light at N. 10th Street and W. Well Street crashing into the vehicle that Aaron was driving on Wednesday. 

Strong later died at Froedtert Hospital, according to the complaint. He was the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church.

Silva told police that he as a juror was running late for a domestic jury trial and was rushing to get to trial when he crashed into Strong.

If convicted, Silva is facing up to 25 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines.

Crab Du Jour Restaurant In Greenfield Closed Permanently After The Original Black Panthers Confronted Owner For Throwing Alcoholic Drink At Black Female Customer's Face

Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee instrumental in closing the Greenfield restaurant permanently after Asian owner exposed for throwing an alcoholic drink at a Black female customer causing an injury to her eye. Both locations of the Crab Du Jour Restaurants in Wisconsin  located in Greenfield and Milwaukee have disconnected their phone numbers and are no longer in service.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 13, 2022

Greenfield, Wisconsin - The Crab Du Jour Restaurant In Greenfield is now permanently closed due to an incident where the owner was exposed for tossing an alcoholic drink at a Black female customer after she complained about her food.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) attempted to call the Crab de Jour Restaurant phone number 414-667-2722 in Greenfield, but the number is no longer in service.

HNNUSA also learned the Crab Du Jour Restaurant located at 9080 N. Green Bay Rd in Milwaukee phone number 414-355-5556 has been disconnected and no longer in service.

The Crab Du Jour dot com website no longer shows any restaurant locations in Wisconsin. The Crab Du Jour Corporate was contacted by HNNUSA via email in regards to the restaurants in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, but no response has been received yet. Diong was also contacted by HNNUSA via Facebook for comment in regards to the Crab Du Jour Restaurant in Greenfield closing, but no response has been made by Diong yet.

In August, Darryl King Rick Farmer II and members of the Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee along with Mariah Luckett (victim) confronted Jason Diong, the owner of the Crab Du Jour, 4638 S. 76th Street  for allegedly tossing an alcoholic drink at Luckett's face causing an eye burn injury. Diong was cited for disorderly conduct by Greenfield police for the incident.

Luckett, 26, was transported to a local hospital for treatment. A St. Luke's Hospital doctor diagnosed that Luckett had "chemical conjunctivitis of both eyes". According to Luckett, Diong tossed a drink mixed with Hennessy, lemon juice, salt and ice in her eyes causing a chemical burn.

Diong admitted to tossing the alcoholic drink at Luckett's face because she allegedly made racial remarks towards him and he got mad and threw the drink at her. He later apologized to Luckett.

Luckett has denied that she made any racial remarks to Diong.

Farmer II told Diong that he and the Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee want for Diong to be arrested and charged with assault and battery. Farmer II also pushed for the Crab Du Jour in Greenfield to close down for disrespecting Black women while eating at the restaurant.

According to Diong, he told Farmer II that he turned in the inside video surveillance footage of the incident to police, but Farmer II says that he read the police report and that Diong hasn't released the video to police.

Farmer II says that he will continue to advocate for Diong's arrest for assault and battery charges and wants the restaurant to close.

The Greenfield Police Department has not released any information about the incident.

Facebook post video link showing Diong confronted by Farmer II and the Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee https://bit.ly/3cpUm9B

Black Lives Matter Activists And Community Activist Vaun Mayes Held Protest At Robert Walczykowski Sr.'s Home After He Grabbed Black Man By The Neck

A video showing a White man with his hand around a young Black man's neck went viral drawing a protest at Walczykowski's home by Black Lives Matter activists and local Milwaukee community activist Vaun Mayes.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 12, 2022

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, Black Lives Matter activists and local Black Community activist Vaun Mayes held a protest in front of Robert Allen Walczykowski Sr.'s, 62, home located at 2143 S. 25th Street in the Southside of Milwaukee after a Facebook video went viral showing Walczykowski Sr. who is White holding a young Black man with special needs by the neck with his hand. A good samaritan with the Facebook name LivingLife Wright video recorded the incident and forced Walczykowski Sr. to remove his hand from the young man's throat. Walczykowski Sr. is heard on his cellphone talking to the 911 operator and saying that someone had stolen his neighbor's green bicycle and that he had apprehended a suspect who he believes is the friend of the other person that stole the neighbor's bicycle. 

The unidentified young Black man is heard repeatedly that he didn't touch the bicycle. Mayes posted that the bicycle was taken at a prior date (two days before yesterday's incident) and not yesterday.

Mayes and the Black Lives Matter activists are calling for Walczykowski Sr. to face criminal charges for falsely claiming that the young Black man was involved in the prior bicycle theft and for holding the young victim without his consent and for assaulting the victim by grabbing his neck while calling 911.

Police and the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office haven't released any statements about the incident and whether Walczykowski Sr. will face criminal charges.

53-year-old Manuel A. Salinas From Elegante Events And Former Miss Fiesta Mexicana 1995 Pageant Coordinator Passed Away

Salinas managed Elegante Events and for years was the Miss Fiesta Mexicana Pageant coordinator for the three-day festival in Milwaukee.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 11, 2022

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) learned that Elegante Events and former Miss Fiesta Mexicana 1995 Pageant Coordinator Manuel A. Salinas, 53, of Milwaukee passed away last night. 

Salinas was also an employment recruiter for various companies.

Salinas was known for his ability to coordinate local beauty pageants, modeling events and choreography for private Quinceañera birthday celebrations for young ladies in Milwaukee.

Salinas is survived by his wife and daughter including extended family.

PHOTO ACTION USA Journalist Cy White To Receive AGIF Distinguish Americanism Award 2022 By Fellow Veterans In Milwaukee

White, a former Marine Veteran to be recognized by the local American GI Forum of Wisconsin for more than 40 years of capturing and documenting historic local events through his camera.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 7, 2022

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 9:15 a.m., the local American GI Forum of Wisconsin (AGIF Wisconsin) composed of former military armed forces Veterans will recognize award recipient former Marine Veteran Cy White from PHOTO ACTION USA with the AFGI Wisconsin Distinguish Americanism Award 2022 at the Milwaukee County War  Memorial Center. White joined the U.S. Marine Corp in 1956 and was honorably discharged in  1959 after ending his tour.

White for the last 25 years is well known for his photojournalism and capturing local and national historic events including covering and photograhing at least six U.S. Presidents and has covered the Latino community local events that have included Mexican Fiesta (Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc.), the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS), Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (HCCW) and the Conquistador Newspaper in Milwaukee.