PORT WASHINGTON, Wi — There was a tornado siren malfunction in Port Washington on Tuesday. Residents reported hearing the alarming sound at least two separate times.

“It sounded like a horror movie,” Rickey Tartaglia said.

Tartaglia heard the sirens shortly after 2:00 Tuesday afternoon outside of his work. He said the sirens lasted about two hours.

“It sounded very annoying. It was almost scary. It sounded like the purge,” Tartaglia said.

The alarming noise typically warns people of weather emergencies.

Watch: People in Port Washington react to hours-long tornado siren malfunction

People in Port Washington react to hours-long tornado siren malfunction

However, Ozaukee County Emergency Management posted on Facebook that the Port Washington sirens going off were errors.

“The Outdoor Warning Sirens in Port Washington are the responsibility of the City. They are owned by the city and the management and maintenance is their responsibility. Ozaukee County dispatch only has the ability to make them sound during a tornado warning. We do know that the failure causing this is not within the controls at dispatch. It is somewhere in the cities system. We have not been given any information on when the sirens will be shut down or how long repairs may be. Check the City of Port Washington’s Facebook or the Port Washington Police Facebook page for updates.”

“It was kind of going on all day,” Port Washington resident, Todd Stowell said.

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Stowell was one of many neighbors who heard the alarming sound.

“Nothing really exciting happens in Port Washington. I was like, ‘Huh, what’s going on?’” Stowell said.

The Port Washington Police Department alerted residents to stop calling dispatch as the city worked to fix the problem.

PWPD posted this statement on Facebook:

“We at the police department are aware that the tornado siren on the west end of the City is actively going off. A call for service has been made and we hope it can be rectified soon. Unfortunately, this activation is of no fault to anyone turning it on; therefore, can not just be turned off. We ask that you do not call Dispatch or the Police to notify us that the siren is active and have patience with the process.”

“I mean we’re a pretty quiet, quiet town. A little noise goes a long way around here,” Stowell explained.

TMJ4 reached out to the city for a comment on the incident and didn’t hear back yet.

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BURLEY, Wash. – A possible sighting of a murderous species of hornet has been reported in Washington.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) said it is investigating a report of a possible sighting of a Northern Giant Hornet, also known as a Murder Hornet, in the Burley area, near Port Orange, Washington.

The Northern Giant Hornet, formerly known as the Asian Giant Hornet, is the world’s largest species of hornet, according to WSDA. The species received the name because of its murderous tendencies toward honey bees. 

The hornets attack honey bee hives and during a “slaughter phase” can kill entire beehives by decapitating bees, WSDA said. A few hornets can eliminate an entire hive in just a few hours.

WSDA said the first known sighting of the Murder Hornet in the U.S. was in Washington in 2019. The state received confirmed reports of the Northern Giant Hornets in 2020 and 2021, and eradicated the species then. The hornets haven’t been recorded in the state since 2021, according to WSDA. 

The department said it does not have the specimen reported in Burley, so it can’t be determined at this time if what was reported is actually a Murder Hornet. 

Murder Hornets typically don’t attack people or pets unless threatened, WSDA said. However, their stings are longer than a honey bee’s and carry more venom. 

Northern Giant Hornets can also sting more than once, WSDA said. 

The WSDA asks any possible sightings of Northern Giant “Murder” Hornets to be reported on their website. 

WASHINGTON PARK, Ill. (First Alert 4) – Illinois State Police have arrested a man in connection with a deadly shooting in Washington Park in March of 2024.

According to ISP, 22-year-old Steven Tiller Jr., of Belleville, Ill., has been arrested and charged with murder and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.

On March 29, ISP was requested by the Washington Park Police Department to investigate a homicide that happened outside of a business in the 6000 block of Forest Blvd. A man, identified as George Smith, 39, of East St. Louis, died at the hospital after he was struck by gunfire.

Following an investigation, ISP agents identified Tiller as a suspect and arrested him on October 11.

Tiller is being held at the St. Clair County Jail.

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