Connect with us

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee travelers feel the impact of government shutdown on holiday flights

Published

on

Milwaukee travelers feel the impact of government shutdown on holiday flights


MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Travelers at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport are facing significant disruptions to their holiday plans as the longest government shutdown in U.S. history continues to impact flight operations nationwide.

Nijeale Wilson experienced firsthand the ripple effects of FAA flight reductions when her flight to Pennsylvania to visit her son was canceled. The airline rebooked her on another flight, but it landed much farther from her intended destination.

“I had to rebook, so because of that I had to drive an hour and a half to get to my destination,” Wilson said. “It was frustrating at first, but of course, I roll with the punches.”

The disruptions extend far beyond individual inconveniences, according to travel industry professionals who are seeing widespread effects on their clients’ plans.

Advertisement

“When a plane doesn’t get from point A to point B, or a crew doesn’t get from point A to point B, it causes a ripple effect that can affect many flights down the line for days or weeks,” said Abby Rosenau, a vacation travel advisor with Fox World Travel.

Rosenau has watched her clients grapple with delays and cancellations as uncertainty continues.

“There is a lot of fear and a lot of uncertainty right now because we really don’t know. And even if this all ends — you know, the government shutdown ends — we don’t know how long it will take to ramp back up to, quote-unquote, normal operations,” Rosenau said.

A funding bill that would end the government shutdown is heading to the House for a final vote. However, even if the shutdown ends soon, there will be lasting effects on travel operations.

For travelers with upcoming holiday plans, Rosenau recommends several precautionary steps:

Advertisement
  • Know your rights as a traveler by reading the fine print of your ticket.
  • Call the airline ahead of your flight.
  • Turn notifications on for flight updates.
  • Come up with a plan B in case of delays or cancellations.

Wilson, who has now decided to stay home for the holidays, advises fellow travelers to exercise extra patience during this challenging time.

“Try to plan ahead — well ahead, more than usual. Try to get to the airport early. Keep checking your flights for those ones that might be changed at the last minute or canceled,” Wilson said.


Let’s talk:

Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.


It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

Advertisement

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip





Source link

Milwaukee, WI

Arizona Diamondbacks 0/2, Chicago White Sox/Milwaukee Brewers 6/6

Published

on

Arizona Diamondbacks 0/2, Chicago White Sox/Milwaukee Brewers 6/6


Record 7-7. Change on 2025: +0.5. 5-inning record: 4-9-1.

The D-backs found themselves swept on both sides of today’s split squad double-bill, with fairly weak line-ups in both games. Starting off at Salt River Fields, a pair of three-run homers did all the damage as the White Sox blanked the D-backs 6-0. They were allowed by Landon Sims and Joe Ross; the latter came in to relieve Daniel Eagan with two outs and two on in the second, and didn’t. The best of the relievers for Arizona was likely Andrew Hoffman who struck out three batters in a scoreless seventh. The Diamondbacks were held to four hits and two walks: Angel Ortiz had the only extra-base hit, a double, as the team went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Over in Maryvale, the team did at least pick up a five-inning win, leading 2-1 at that point. But the Brewers scored five unanswered runs to beat the D-backs 6-2. Mitch Bratt started, and walked four over 2.2 innings, but gave up just one run on one hit, with two strikeouts. Bryce Jarvis tossed two scoreless, but Juan Burgos, John Curtiss and Taylor Rashi allowed five runs on six hits and two walks, over their three frames. Gavin Conticello and Demetrio Crisantes each went 2-for-3, while DH Manuel Pena had a homer and drew a walk. LuJames Groover drove in Arizona’s other run with a groundout.

Tomorrow, it’s back to one game: that comes at Salt River Fields against the Giants, with a 1:10 pm first pitch, and Kohl Drake starting for the Diamondbacks.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee oversight body asks for more police pursuit policy changes

Published

on

Milwaukee oversight body asks for more police pursuit policy changes


play

  • The Fire and Police Commission is mulling a recommendation the Milwaukee Police Department amend its police chase policy and restrict chases for reckless driving.
  • The current recommendation draft calls for a ban on chases for reckless driving after an attempted traffic stop. That will now move to a committee for further changes.
  • The draft recommendation comes after department modified the policy to remove speeding as a sole justification for chases. Prior, speeding was allowed to be considered when evaluating reckless driving

A Milwaukee oversight body is pushing for further restrictions on how the city’s police decide to chase vehicles, but isn’t ready to move those forward yet.

At its March 5 meeting, the city’s Fire and Police Commission mulled a recommendation the Milwaukee Police Department no longer chase drivers for reckless driving after an attempted traffic stop and stop other chases for reckless driving if it raises danger to the public. The department’s pursuit policy has been a point of contention for years and has come under intense scrutiny after nine people died from police chase crashes in 2025.

Advertisement

But that recommendation was tabled and sent to commission committee for further discussion, after concerns it needed to be further tweaked and receive more police department input.

“I’m trying to find incremental changes we can make to reduce chases,” said Commissioner Bree Spencer, who sponsored the recommendation.

Spencer said she was hesitant to push for policy changes that were too sweeping or too permissive. She said that had happened in years past, when pursuits were heavily restricted in 2010 and then later opened up in 2017 in response to reckless driving, following a then-Fire and Police Commission order.

As has become the norm at the commission’s meetings, a lengthy public comment period was held where some were critical of the proposed changes. Some called for dashcam footage of pursuit-related deaths to be released, as policy requires in officer shootings, and for the city’s costs of police chase-related lawsuits to be publicized.

Advertisement

“Police chases do not keep our community safe,” Angela Lang, the co-executive director of Black Leaders Organizing Change, said during public comment.

The Fire and Police Commission’s proposed recommendation comes after the department voluntarily removed speeding as a permissible reason to chase someone who is recklessly driving. However, that move was met coldly by members of the public and the commission, which is the oversight body for the department, who said it didn’t go far enough.

Generally, department policy considers pursuits “justified” under six circumstances, among those being when an occupant is involved in a violent felony.

Milwaukee Assistant Chief Craig Sarnow said the department was content with its previous change, when commissioners asked him for feedback on the proposed recommendation.

Both the Fire and Police Commission’s drafted recommendation and police department’s change focus on reckless driving chases. Those make up an overwhelming amount of all chases that officers in Milwaukee make – with officers citing reckless driving as the initiating reason in 742 of the 970 chases in 2025, according to police data.

Advertisement

The Fire and Police Commission’s recommendation is also the first time the body has exercised that power since state legislation, 2023 Wisconsin Act 12, was passed. Before that legislation was passed, the commission held the ability to outright change police department policy, but the law shifted that to the city’s Common Council.

Some have called for the Fire and Police Commission to more aggressively issue recommendations like these.

The recommendation will now move to the commission’s Oversight and Accountability Committee. The decision was made after commissioners said they sought more time to tweak the language and for police to provide input.

License plate reading camera use scrutinized

The department’s use of license plate reading cameras, a system known as Flock, came under scrutiny from many attendees at the meeting as well, who called for the city to ban it. Many noted the recent criminal charges brought against Josue Ayala, an officer who prosecutors say improperly used the system to track a former partner and another person.

Ayala resigned and is facing a misdemeanor charge of attempted misconduct in public office. Ayala had previously faced claims of lying and excessive force but was not placed on a Milwaukee County District Attorney’s list of officers with a history of dishonesty, bias or integrity concerns until recently.

Advertisement

That was despite, in 2022, a federal public defender issuing a complaint against Ayala, saying he exaggerated so much in his testimony and reports that it almost seemed “like a compulsion.”

Milwaukee police officials like Heather Hough, the department’s chief of staff, said they were never made aware of that previous concern against Ayala.

“Had we received the information from defense counsel about these concerns they would have been investigated,” she said in an email to the Journal Sentinel.

But that goes against the role of the defense bar, outside experts and defense attorneys locally told the Journal Sentinel. Prosecutors have the ethical duty to share potential Brady material and serve the public, whereas defense attorneys’ obligation is to their client.

Milwaukee police began using Flock cameras in 2022. MPD has a $182,900 contract with Flock for the use of the technology. That contract is active through January 2027 and passed without requiring approval from member of the city’s Common Council, a point criticized by attendees.

Advertisement

The scrutiny against Flock came despite it not being on the meeting’s agenda. Attendees held signs that said things like “GET THE FLOCK OUTTA HERE” and called for the city to be “de-Flocked.”

David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.



Source link

Continue Reading

Milwaukee, WI

Illegal dumping plagues closed Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save

Published

on

Illegal dumping plagues closed Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save


Neighbors say since the Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save at 35th and North closed in 2025, the parking lot has been filling up, but not with cars or people. It has been attracting illegal dumpers. 

Trash piling up

Advertisement

What we know:

There are old mattresses and furniture in the parking lot. There are piles of garbage at the entrance of the old grocery store. Behind the building, there are tires, more mattresses and more trash. 

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

Advertisement

The Pick ‘n Save stores closed in July 2025. Since then, the building has sat empty. 

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

Advertisement

FOX6 News was contacted by a man who manages senior and family housing in the area. He said in the last couple of months, he has noticed the stile turn into a place for illegal dumping. The man said he was so fed up, he called the office of Milwaukee Alderman Russell Stamper about the problem. The man said the whole site is an eyesore, and something needs to change. 

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

Change sought

Advertisement

What they’re saying:

“As the snow melts, it’s full of garbage. People are dumping furniture on it, tires,” said Jeffrey Sessions, who manages nearby property. “If you drive around it, it’s garbage everywhere. It’s unsightly for the neighborhood, and it’s probably going to create rats and mice problems.”

FOX6 News reached out to the Department of Neighborhood Services. Officials said the dumping has not been reported. They said the department’s commercial team will now be made aware of the issue. 

Advertisement

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

“It makes the whole neighborhood look like garbage, like nobody’s taking care of anything around here,” Sessions said. “It’s a detriment, it’s unsightly, and it needs to be addressed.”

Advertisement

Illegal dumpers could face fines

Dig deeper:

If the dumpers are caught on camera, they could face fines. 

Advertisement

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

The owner of the property may also be ordered to clean it up.  

Illegal dumping at former grocery store near 35th and North, Milwaukee

Advertisement

The Source: Information in this post was provided by a person who owns property near the former grocery store, as well as Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services.

Crime and Public SafetyMilwaukeeNews



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending