Milwaukee, WI
A Brewer on the Brewers? Hicklen hoping his dream becomes a reality with Milwaukee
PHOENIX – Time will tell on his game. But there’s just no questioning the name.
Of course, we’re talking about Brewer Hicklen, non-roster invitee to major-league spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers.
If ever there were a marketing match made in heaven between player and franchise, this one is it as the 28-year-old native of Huntsville, Alabama, will spend the next few weeks engaged in an uphill battle to earn a spot in a Milwaukee outfield bursting at the seams with talent.
Hicklen already has heard the jokes a bunch, and even he can’t deny the serendipity.
“Yeah, it is pretty cool,” he said. “It’s just a family name. It was my great- great-grandmother’s maiden name, so my mom decided that she liked it. I had never met another Brewer until a couple years ago, and then this past year in Omaha in Triple-A with the Royals I met a baby that was named Brewer because they saw the scoreboard and liked the name.
“There’s some more Brewers out there. There’s not a ton, but it’s pretty a unique and uncommon name and I’m really excited. I hope the marketing team will have a good time trying to put something together if I do something cool.”
Hicklen was known for more than his first name before signing a minor-league deal with Milwaukee in late November.
An accomplished two-way athlete in high school, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Hicklen carried his dual talents to the University of Alabama-Birmingham, where he played wide receiver on the football team (which disbanded in 2014 but revived in 2016) and hit .308 with a .911 OPS in 107 games for the Blazers over 2016 and 2017.
“I feel like I’m kind of a power-speed duo that you don’t necessarily get,” Hicklen said. “I kind of have that hard-headed, hard-nosed, gridiron way that I approach the game. Any time I’m between the white lines I’m going to put my best foot forward. You never know when your last day is going to be playing this game, so I don’t take for granted any day or any game.”
Hicklen has spent most of his time in minor leagues
Kansas City drafted Hicklen in the seventh round in 2017 and he steadily ascended through the Royals’ minor-league system before making his major-league debut on May 26, 2022 with a start in Minnesota.
Hicklen’s stay was brief, however. He logged four at-bats over six games, was sent back down to Class AAA Omaha and has been seeking a return to baseball’s highest level since.
The Philadelphia Phillies acquired Hicklen for cash last August, but after he played 11 games at Class AAA Lehigh Valley he was cut loose, leading to his signing with the Brewers.
“Any time you get another year to play the game that you’ve dreamed of playing your entire life, it’s a blessing,” said Hicklen, a .262 hitter with 25 home runs, 90 runs batted in and an OPS of .829 in 577 games in the minors. “So, I’m truly excited for a new chapter with the Milwaukee Brewers. I’ve been welcomed with open arms, I’ve met a lot of great people in the organization and I’m excited for new beginnings.”
Hicklen is also realistic about what lies ahead with Cactus League play kicking off Saturday.
Of the eight outfielders in camp, seven are on the 40-man roster and Hicklen isn’t one of them. He’s undoubtedly done the math and knows that, barring a series of unexpected events, that he’s more than likely destined for Class AAA Nashville.
“I think that’s one thing, as you continue to stay in the game longer, you mature and really just focus on what you can control and what you do,” Hicklen said. “That’s something that I’ve developed over the last couple years, is just trying to embrace each and every day for its own and just go out there and get 1% better.
“That’s the only thing that I can control. I just put my best foot forward and hopefully upper management and the front office will make the decision to push me there. But at the end of the day, I can only do my best.”
Manager Pat Murphy was asked, tongue-in-cheek, if Hicklen’s first name had any bearing on his signing.
“He’s an impressive human and an impressive player,” he said. In a camp already full of Murphy-bestowed nicknames, Hicklen already has been dubbed, you guessed it, ‘Bernie.’
“Speed, power. I’m excited about him,” Murphy continued. “I don’t care what the first names are.”
Perhaps the stars will align and Hicklen will make it to Milwaukee. Imagine what a PR bonanza and fan favorite he could end up being.
“I saw that there’s only a handful of people, I think five or six guys, that have played for a team that (shared) a name,” Hicklen said. “Angels, a guy named Red. Only a handful, so hopefully I get the opportunity to make the opportunity a reality this year.”
Milwaukee, WI
‘We’re still struggling’: Milwaukee mom seeks help after historic flooding as Christmas approaches
MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin has confirmed a new 24-hour rainfall record after more than a foot of rain fell in Milwaukee during historic summer flooding, but for some families like Victoria Kiepert’s, the damage never ended.
The August 9th and 10th storms brought 14-and-a-half inches of rain to northwest Milwaukee in just 24 hours, now officially the most rain ever recorded in a single day in Wisconsin. Behind that historic number are families still trying to rebuild as Christmas approaches.
“We lost all of our stuff in the basement,” Kiepert said.
TMJ4
Floodwaters damaged Kiepert’s northside home, destroying nearly everything her family owned. She applied for help, but says months later, recovery is still falling on her shoulders.
“Beds, appliances, all that stuff, kids’ clothes, TVs, everything,” Kiepert said.
The Milwaukee mother, who cares for five children, says her family was left homeless for two weeks after the flooding.
Victoria Kiepert
“We had to move, and I couldn’t find a house right away, so we were homeless for two weeks, and then we moved and still don’t have the things we need,” Kiepert said.
Watch: Milwaukee mom seeks help after historic flooding as Christmas approaches
Milwaukee mom seeks help after historic flooding as Christmas approaches
Climate experts say the storms were unprecedented, with rain falling one to three inches an hour for several hours, overwhelming basements, streets, and sewer systems. Radar estimates show 10 to 12 inches fell across northern Milwaukee and northeast Waukesha counties, confirming the devastation was widespread.
Kiepert says she and her kids have to sleep on air mattresses, and the holidays only add more pressure to an already overwhelming situation.
“People think that after people get FEMA money, it’s just done and over with, and that should be enough, but it’s really not because it takes months, even years, sometimes when you’re starting all over,” Kiepert said.
She’s unsure how she will provide gifts for her kids this Christmas, her family still needs basic necessities months after the flooding.
Victoria Kiepert
“We still need beds, dressers, kids’ clothing, a lot of stuff,” Kiepert said.
As Wisconsin marks a new chapter in climate history, families like Kiepert’s say recovery can’t stop at statistics, especially as Christmas approaches.
“This year’s really hard, because mostly because of the flood, cause all the stuff we lost, I have to buy them new stuff, because that money isn’t available for Christmas,” Kiepert said.
The flooding has made this Christmas particularly challenging for Kiepert’s family, including her youngest daughter experiencing her first Christmas.
“This is my daughter’s first Christmas, it would help for all my kids but mainly for her, to make like a Christmas miracle for them,” Kiepert said.
Despite the hardships, Kiepert maintains perspective on what matters most during the holidays.
“Sometimes it’s not about the gifts, it’s about being stable and having family around,” Kiepert said.
As Victoria’s family continues to rebuild, community support can make a real difference. A GoFundMe is available for those who wish to donate money or provide much-needed household items. If you can donate any of the furniture items she seeks, her email is Victoria.kiepert@icloud.com, or you can reach out to me by email at gideon.verdin@tmj4.com, and I will connect you with Victoria.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Security officials at Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport offered advice for passengers navigating the busy holiday travel season this December.
Tim Goodman, Wisconsin assistant federal security director at the Transportation Security Administration, said Dec. 19 that the agency is prepared for high passenger volume at Milwaukee Mitchell in the next two weeks.
Goodman said the airport expects to process as many as 12,000 travelers during the busiest holiday travel days. These dates are projected to see the most traffic:
- Sunday, Dec. 21
- Monday, Dec. 22
- Tuesday, Dec. 23
- Sunday, Dec. 28
- Monday, Dec. 29
- Tuesday, Dec. 30
Here’s what to know about holiday travel at Milwaukee Mitchell this year:
Arrive early, especially for morning flights from Mitchell Airport
Goodman recommended travelers arrive no later than 90 minutes before their flight takes off, and longer if they’re boarding early morning flights.
Mornings are the busiest time of day for the airport, Goodman said.
“We are at capacity at the early morning hours,” he said. “We may see as many as 2,000 passengers going out before 7 a.m. on our busiest days.”
Don’t forget your Real ID when traveling through Mitchell
This is also the first winter holiday season after TSA began enforcing Real ID requirements for domestic flights. Starting on May 7, 2025, all domestic passengers must present a Real ID-compliant drivers license or other other acceptable forms of identification.
Earlier this month, TSA announced it will charge passengers $45 if they do not present a Real ID or other accepted identification starting Feb. 1, 2026.
In Wisconsin, Real ID-compliant drivers licenses are marked with a star in the upper right corner. More information about how to obtain a Real ID is available on the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s website.
Goodman said 97% of Wisconsin passengers already have a Real ID. Those who don’t have proper identification will see longer waits and additional screening at security checkpoints.
A list of acceptable identification is available on TSA’s website.
Some holiday items may not get through security at Mitchell
Goodman said some common holiday items should not be put in carry-on bags since security officials struggle to open and inspect them.
Those items include snow globes and wrapped gifts. Goodman recommended any gifts instead be put in a gift bag.
Goodman also said passengers should completely empty bags before packing them for a flight. It’s common for travelers to forget to remove prohibited items in their bag, only to find themselves stopped at security checkpoints.
Forecast looks clear, but weather is always a ‘wild card’
Goodman said the current weather forecast shows no significant winter storm activity, but that could change closer to the holidays.
“We can plan for everything else,” Goodman said. “The weather is always the wild card.”
Goodman also said severe weather at popular hubs like Chicago and Minneapolis could impact flights at Milwaukee Mitchell.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, center, depicted in a court sketch as jury selection in her trial begins in Milwaukee, Wis.
Adela Tesnow/Pool via AP
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Adela Tesnow/Pool via AP
MILWAUKEE — A federal jury found Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan guilty Thursday of obstructing immigration agents as they attempted to arrest an undocumented immigrant defendant last April.
Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was appearing in Dugan’s court on misdemeanor battery charges. Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national, was arrested outside the courthouse after a short chase by the immigration agents and has since been deported.
A grand jury indicted Dugan the following month. She denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the federal charges of obstructing a proceeding, a felony, and of concealing an individual to prevent an arrest, a misdemeanor. She was found not guilty of the misdemeanor charge.
During the trial, federal agents testified Dugan seemed “angry” when she approached them in the public hallway where they were waiting to arrest Flores-Ruiz after his hearing. They testified that she asked the agents if they had a judicial warrant, sent them to speak with the chief judge, rushed Flores-Ruiz’s case through, and allowed him and his attorney to leave the courtroom through the jury door, which led back to a public hallway.
During the government’s closing argument, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Watzka said Dugan conducted a “round-up” of federal agents and sent them to the chief judge’s office.
Watzka said Dugan then created an “escape route” for Flores-Ruiz when she let him exit a door defendants don’t usually go through. Prosecutors also played courtroom audio of Dugan saying she’d “take the heat” for her actions.
Dugan’s attorneys argued that immigration enforcement policy at the courthouse was in-flux at the time, which led to Dugan’s confusion, and that after Dugan let Flores-Ruiz go through the jury door, he ended up back in the public hallway. They argued this showed she wasn’t concealing him.
Dugan did not testify during the trial.
Dugan attorney Jason Luczak told the jury: “You’re the check on government overreach. Use your power to do justice in this case. You have the power to correct this unjust prosecution. It’s your decision and justice is in your hands.”
Until President Trump’s first term, courthouses were typically off-limits to federal authorities, including immigration agents. He implemented a policy in 2018 giving agents broader authority and has now ramped up immigration enforcement during his second term.
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