RACINE — Members of Racine’s Greek community are processing the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade from the Milwaukee Bucks — and the timing hits especially hard, just days before Greek Fest at Kimissis Greek Orthodox Church.

Tents are going up in the parking lot, rides are being assembled, and the kitchen is already busy with preparations for the annual celebration of Greek culture in Racine. But amid the excitement, the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade from the Milwaukee Bucks is on the minds of some church members.

Joyce Muffoletto, secretary at Kimissis tid Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church in Racine, said the news took some of the joy out of her Tuesday.

Watch: Racine’s Greek community discusses what Giannis meant to them:

Racine’s Greek community reflects on Giannis’ celebration of Greek culture

“Yeah, that puts a damper on everything,” Muffoletto said.

Giannis, who was born and raised in Athens, Greece, earned the nickname “the Greek Freak” during his time with the Bucks. For Muffoletto, his Greek heritage made her a fan.

“Oh, of course,” she said with a laugh.

“I’m a pretty reserved, quiet person, but my husband had to go to a different level in the house because I’d be screaming at the TV when he was playing, you know, I’d be like, ‘Giannis! Giannis!’” Muffoletto said.

While Muffoletto made it to multiple Greek night games with the Bucks, she said what she will miss most goes beyond Giannis’s performance on the court.

“It’ll be hard to replace him. And more than him the player, kind of, him the person,” said Muffoletto, referring to the impact Giannis had on the Milwaukee community.

Church member Mary Luccas said she is not a big basketball fan, but she holds Giannis in high regard for the values he represents.

“We will be sad to lose that, but he set a really good foundation going forward,” Luccas said. “And he will be doing the same thing wherever he goes, because it’s just the quality of person that he is.”

TMJ4

Luccas said Giannis and his family have embodied Greek values throughout his time in Wisconsin.

“Family centered. Philoxenia. The friendship, the love. The doors are open. They welcome everybody,” Luccas said.

“He embraces the Greek culture, like we embrace the Greek culture. And he celebrates Greece and his Greek culture,” Luccas said. “So wherever he is, it will be a celebration of his Greek heritage.”

And while the loyalty to the Bucks remains, Muffoletto acknowledged the bittersweet reality.

“I’ll be loyal, but it’s a bit of a loss,” Muffoletto said.

Racine’s Greek Fest runs Friday through Sunday at 1335 S. Green Bay Road.

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.

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.

Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has released his timeline for selecting the city’s next police chief following the sudden resignation of former chief Brian O’Hara last month.

Timeline announced

What we know:

Mayor Frey announced a 16-week timeline on Tuesday for a national search for the next chief that will take place in six phases.

The mayor says the search will begin immediately and will start by gathering feedback from community stakeholders.

Phase 1

• Gather feedback from police department employees and hold council focus group.
• Develop police chief position profile and recruit materials.
• Community engagement
• Finalize recruitment strategy

Phase 2

• Launch recruitment campaign
• Post listings
• Accept and review applications

Phase 3: Screening interviews

• Conduct candidate evaluations
• Complete initial screening interviews
• Prepare search report and presentation of candidates

Phase 4: First-round interviews

• First-round interviews held
• The interview panel may include: Officer of Community Safety leaders, Minneapolis Police Department leadership, and police labor leadership.

Phase 5: Second-round interviews

• Second-round interviews held
• The interview panel may include: Officer of Community Safety leadership and city council members.

Phase 6: Final interviews and selection

• Final interviews with Mayor Frey, Office of Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette, and other city leaders held.
• Finalist selected

Nomination process

What’s next:

The mayor anticipates submitting his nominee to the council sometime in October or November. From there, the council will review the nominee and vote on the selection.

What they’re saying:

“Selecting a police chief is one of the most important decisions a mayor can make,” said Frey. “We’ve made significant progress to make Minneapolis safer over the last several years, but we still have work to do. This position demands someone who can lead a complex department, support officers, build trust with residents, and continue delivering results – both fighting crime and making reforms. Filling this role is a priority, so we’re going to conduct a thorough search and get this right.” 

The backstory:

Former Chief O’Hara resigned last month after an investigation into allegations of him carrying on relationships with department employees. While the investigation never substantiated any of the allegations against O’Hara, investigations found O’Hara deleted a contact of one of the employees from his work phone. Investigators also say O’Hara violated requested confidentiality during the investigation process.

Bill Peterson was named interim police chief earlier this month. Peterson told media members that he isn’t interested in seeking the full-time gig.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Rain & storm chances are returning later in the week and it’ll really heat up next week.  

TUESDAY EVENING/NIGHT:

Mostly sunny during the evening with fair skies and comfortable conditions overnight. Lows will be in the 50s for the 2nd night in a row.  

WEDNESDAY:

Partly cloudy skies overall with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s for most of Central Indiana.  While most of the day should remain dry, there is a chance of a few showers & storms during the evening.  

Advertisement

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:

Partly to mostly cloudy. Chance of a few showers & storms.  Lows in the low to mid 60s.  

THURSDAY:

Variably cloudy. Chance of a few showers & storms.  Highs in the lower 80s.   

THURSDAY NIGHT – FRIDAY:

Scattered rain & storms are looking more likely. Some heavy rain is possible and early projections suggest another 1-3” could fall across parts of Central and Southern Indiana.  We’ll continue to monitor for some severe weather potential, but as of Tuesday afternoon no part of Indiana is in an official outlook from the Storm Prediction Center.  Temperatures may only be in the upper 70s on Friday if we end up with more clouds and rain/storms.

WEEKEND:

Warm temperatures in the 80s are on track along with a chance for a few showers & storms both days.  Humidity levels will be rising and the heat index by Sunday afternoon could be well into the 90s.  

NEXT WEEK:

Advertisement

A hot and humid weather pattern is likely going to establish itself again over the Great Lakes region. While there could be a few stray storms from time to time and perhaps even a storm complex or two rolling in from the west, the main storyline will involve hot & muggy air. Highs are expected to push into the lower 90s with heat indices in the 100 to 105 range.