Milwaukee, WI
Willy Adames Gets His Due From Appreciative Milwaukee Brewers Fans
Shortstop Willy Adames and the Milwaukee Brewers are headed back to the postseason with the hopes of … [+]
Willy Adames had just settled into his usual spot on the infield dirt, smack dab in the middle of second and third base, ready to start the seventh inning of a meaningless regular-season finale against the New York Mets Sunday afternoon at American Family Field when Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy decided to make a change.
Andrew Monasterio would come into the game and play third base while rookie Joey Ortiz would slide over and replace Adames at shortstop.
“I knew I was going to be taken out of the game, but I didn’t know it was going to be like that,” Adames said after Milwaukee’s 5-0 loss.
The late switch wasn’t the result of a last-minute decision on Murphy’s part; instead, the skipper wanted to make sure Adames got his moment in the spotlight in what very likely was the fan favorite’s final regular-season game at American Family Field.
And the fans — all 33,754 of them — showed their appreciation for Adames with a standing ovation.
“I did it as much for the fans as I did for Willy,” Murphy said. “They needed to recognize, this guy has been a rock for us. He’s been unbelievable. Chances are, that’s his last regular-season game in a Brewers uniform, and everybody knows that. I wanted him to feel that appreciation.”
Adames, 29, is set to hit free agency for the first time this winter and after slashing .251/.331/.462 while setting career-highs with 32 home runs, 112 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, not to mention a short list of available shortstops this winter, Adames is likely to recieve the kind of deals — both in terms of cost and duration — that small-market franchises like the Brewers can’t come close to matching.
Which, in a way, makes Sunday afternoon’s atmosphere all the more unique and meaningful.
In any other year and any other similar market, Adames might not get the kind of moment he did. More often than not, players on the verge of landing massive free agent contracts aren’t kept around long enough to be sent off in style, usually getting dealt for prospects ahead of the annual trade deadline.
Milwaukee has had plenty of chances to do just that over the last year. General manager Matt Arnold fielded multiple offers for Adames last winter and the phone kept ringing once the season started.
But with the Brewers surpassing any and all expectations by surging to the top of the NL Central in late April, then holding that position throughout the summer, Arnold resisted the temptation to deal a player almost certain to leave at season’s end and one who could bring back the type of prospects that might keep the Brewers atop their division for years to come.
“From my perspective, you can never close the door on anything,” Arnold said earlier in the season, “but he is the heartbeat of our team in many ways.”
Arnold saw first-hand the way a first-place Brewers team fell apart after trading another star on the way to a pay day in the middle of the season when his predecessor, David Stearns, dealt closer Josh Hader to San Diego at the deadline in 2022.
That season remains the only time Milwaukee has missed the playoffs in the last seven seasons and neither he nor owner Mark Attanasio seemed interested in taking a chance at tinkering with clubhouse chemistry again, especially during a season as special as this one has been.
“We had plenty of offers for Adames this offseason, and if you were going to put it into an analytic model there may have been some merit to building for the future,” Attanasio said during a mid-season discussion with reporters. “You just can’t put a price on his leadership, his ‘posting’ every day. Adames does not want to miss a game. So guess what, now William Contreras doesn’t want to miss a game. Sal Frelick never wants to miss a game. You develop a culture and Willy is a key to it.”
So Adames stayed, played and thrived. He kept the clubhouse together any time things started to get tense, he helped the Brewers’ young players — especially rookie phenom Jackson Chourio — learn how to be big-leaguers and navigate the rigors of a 162-game season.
And every time the Brewers needed a clutch hit, Adames was not only the guy in the batters box but also the guy who delivered.
His teammates have shown their appreciation all season long. Sunday, it was the fans’ turn.
“It meant a lot, because all the work we’ve done over the last few years is appreciated,” Adames said. “When the fans show you so much love like that, it’s amazing. I have a lot of respect for everybody in this clubhouse, and for the fans, too. It’s special.”
The work, though, is far from done. There’s still more baseball to be played, starting Tuesday when Adames and the Brewers open the postseason not just in the hopes of winning a series for the first time since 2018 but making it to the World Series for the first time since 1982.
“Now is the exciting time,” Adames said. “Now, we have the fun part.”
MILWAUKEE – For decades, the standard response to crime in America followed a predictable script: police make an arrest, the court hands down a sentence and a jail door closes.
That revolving door rarely solves the root problem for people battling substance use or mental health crises. That’s where treatment courts come in.
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What is treatment court?
By the numbers:
Instead of handing down prison time, treatment courts’ specialized programs use legal accountability to push people into intensive, supervised recovery. Data shows it’s working.
According to the National Institute of Justice, treatment courts slash re-arrest rates by up to 58% compared to traditional court sentences. It isn’t just a temporary fix, either – research shows lower crime rates stick around for years after a treatment court participant graduates.
Milwaukee County Courthouse
So, how does the program get people to actually stick with it? It comes down to high stakes and strict supervision.
Participants face regular drug testing, mandatory check-ins with a judge and a requirement to secure housing or employment before they can graduate. People are six times more likely to stay in treatment long enough to actually get clean because of that pressure.
Milwaukee County graduates
Local perspective:
Milwaukee County hosted its annual treatment court graduation ceremony on Friday, honoring the people who successfully completed the programs. They were commended for their commitment to recovery and stability.
“Today, we gather to honor the remarkable achievements of the individuals who have shown an incredible strength, resilience and determination on their journey towards recovery and a brighter future,” said Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley. “A future that positively impacts their families, and our community.”
The program is designed to help Milwaukee County residents rebuild their lives and reconnect with their families.
The Source: Information in this story is from Milwaukee County and the National Institute of Justice.
July 3 drone show at McKinley Beach
Watch the first-ever July 3 drone show at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee County will again opt for drones over fireworks for its Independence Day festivities this summer.
The county had its first-ever Fourth of July drone show in 2025, with officials saying at the time that drones would be better for the environment, safer and less costly than fireworks.
The show costs about $150,000 less than fireworks, Milwaukee County officials told the Journal Sentinel this week.
“Milwaukee County is at its best when we come together to create memorable, inclusive experiences for everyone,” County Executive David Crowley said in an April news release. “This drone show is another example of how we’re investing in our parks, our neighborhoods and our shared sense of community pride.”
How did residents react to last year’s drone show?
Milwaukee County Parks Executive Director Guy Smith said in a news release last year the show is “an exciting and environmentally conscious way to celebrate our community.”
“Unlike traditional fireworks, drone shows reduce noise and air pollution while still delivering an unforgettable experience,” Smith said. “It’s about making memories and ensuring everyone feels welcome in these shared spaces.”
But the Journal Sentinel polled readers after last year’s show and a majority responded that they would prefer the county bring back fireworks.
This year’s show will debut pyrotechnic drone technology, adding spark effect for an “even more dynamic and visually stunning performance,” the news release says.
How long is the Milwaukee drone show?
The show is 45 minutes long and features 900 drones, county officials said. It is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. July 3 along the lakefront at McKinley Beach.
Milwaukee police audit shows Flock camera uses
The Milwaukee Police Department released a sample Flock camera audit showing outlier uses tied to serious crimes as scrutiny continues over officer misuse and community privacy concerns.
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Police Department is giving the public a closer look at how officers use license plate reader cameras, part of an effort to be more transparent about how the technology affects community safety.
What we know:
For the first time, FOX6 got a look at a sample of audit results from the MPD involving the license plate reader system, also known as Flock.
The transparency effort comes after former officer Josue Ayala was charged with using the license plate readers to track someone he was dating and that person’s ex. Earlier this month, the department said a second officer was under investigation for possible misuse of the Flock camera system.
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On Thursday, May 28, FOX6 obtained MPD’s Flock audit report from April. It is something the department does every month.
In the report, MPD shared 24 “outlier uses” of the system. Those are possible red flags. The list is not all of them, but it gives a glimpse into how MPD uses the Flock system and how the department checks for misuse.
Of the 24 outlier uses, some plate numbers were associated with a wanted homicide suspect, a felony narcotics trafficking suspect and a suspect vehicle used in the abduction of a 5-year-old. According to the audit, that vehicle was located, the child was returned safely and a suspect was arrested.
The audit also listed a homicide investigation in which detectives developed plate numbers for both a suspect and victim, as well as a plate connected to a person wanted for second-degree sexual assault who was later arrested.
What they’re saying:
“Those audit logs are what was used to hold the officer accountable,” said Paris Lewbel, Flock Safety spokesperson.
Lewbel said Flock Safety is partnered with 220 law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin.
“We think it is important that communities are talking about their technology and how they use it,” Lewbel said.
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The company does not release how many cameras there are, but Lewbel said there have been fewer than 15 misuse cases across the country among the 140,000 users on the platform.
“Within the FLOCK system from day one, we built an immutable audit log in the system that allows law enforcement command staff and internal affairs in these cases to be able to see exactly what is being searched in the law enforcement system and FLOCK system specifically,” Lewbel said.
Dig deeper:
In Milwaukee, license plate readers have faced pushback from people who fear the data could be misused. Critics have called the system an invasion of privacy, saying it tracks innocent people as the debate over how the cameras are used continues.
FOX6 asked the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday whether the second officer under investigation had been charged. The office replied, “not at this time.”
What you can do:
The full list of outliers from the audit is available on the FOX Local app.
The Source: FOX6 obtained the Milwaukee Police Department’s Flock audit report and utilized prior coverage.
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