It was long over due, but I finally did it. The version of WordPress used to power this blog prior to this post was 1.5.2. Now that the update is complete, the new version of WordPress being used is now 2.5.1. Also, some of the plug-ins have been updated too. Please let me know in the comments if you have any issues viewing and/or navigating this blog.
I came across the following post and wanted to share it with you. It is a good reminder that there is more than just working for tougher laws to help out victims.
folkbum’s rambles and rants: And What Of The Survivors?
I didn’t have a chance to attend because I was at a different fundraiser. So it make it hard for me to comment on it. However, I will do the next best thing. I will let read what the Master of Ceremonies, Kevin Fischer, had to say about the event.
The 1st Annual Citizens for a Safe Wisconsin fundraiser was a smashing success.What a great turnout of terrific people who had a marvelous time and were also very generous. Their heartfelt donations will go a long way to protecting children across the state of Wisconsin.
Entertainment was first-rate.
Band X was sizzling as the opening act. Their opening rendition of Otis Redding’s, “Hard to Handle” was smoking.
The Boogiemen followed with their usual high-quality tribute to the last decade that brought us decent music, the 70’s.
CFSW leader Shari Hanneman was somehow able to shake her booty in those big glow in the dark pink pumps. Talented lady!
Di Carlo Trattoria Pizzeria in Oak Creek did a super job on the food. Make sure you thank them the next time you visit their restaurant.
The volunteers are also to be commended for skillfully decorating the Oak Creek Community Center.
Seen in the Friday night crowd:
Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor
Franklin mayoral candidate Basil Ryan
All the Franklin Aldermen
City of Franklin Economic development Director Doug Wheaton
Franklin Aldermanic candidates Kristen Wilhelm and Steve Taylor
Franklin School Board candidates Ed Holpfer and David Works
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge candidate Rebecca Dallet
David Hintzman of Fountains of Franklin
The camaraderie was amazing: elected officials having friendly conversations with their opponents, citizens uniting to have a wonderful time for a wonderful cause.
Once again, I thank the entire CFSW organization for giving me the honor to serve as the master of Ceremonies for this splendid event.
I thank everyone who attended for their kindness and generosity.
If you couldn’t attend and would still like to make a donation, please contact CFSW.
And please patronize and express your gratitude to all of our fantastic sponsors listed below. (Some very lucky people are going to enjoy a private fireworks party courtesy of the Bartolotta Fireworks Company).
I am very proud of CFSW and a community that cares so deeply about children and families.
Citizens for a Safe Wisconsin
Welcome to the 1st Annual Fundraiser
Friday, February 29, 2008Board of Directors
Sandy Maher-Johnson
Shari Hanneman
John Pellmann
Ruzica Bartoshevich
Tony MartinezProgram
Master of Ceremonies
Mr. Kevin FischerDancing
Band XCitizens for a Safe Wisconsin Highlights
Sandy Maher-Johnson & Shari Hanneman
Co-foundersDancing
Featuring The BoogiemenAuction / Raffle
Since 2005, Citizens for a Safe Wisconsin, Inc. (CFSW) has been working to protect our children from violent sex predators. We are a state-wide advocacy group focused on policy change and public educations with a goal that no child will be victim to sexual abuse and exploitation.CFSW was formed by volunteers in response to the fact that Wisconsin leads the nation in the number of sex offenders who are released back into the public with minimally sufficient monitoring and management programs. We strive to see Wisconsin become the national model for protecting children from repeat sex offenders. There is still much to be done in terms of how Wisconsin handles where to put the most violent sex predators that are placed on supervised release from the state’s Chapter 980 civil commitment program. We are promoting the philosophy of Burden Equity — we believe that no community in Wisconsin should be forced by the State to house all of these potentially dangerous people.
Our Generous Sponsors
Bartolotta Fireworks Corporation
diCarlo Trattoria Pizzaria
The Bartolotta Restaurants
Tri-City National Bank
Titleist
Linda Carol Weber
Financial AdvisorChartered Retirement Planning CounselorA.G. Edwards is a Division of Wachovia Securities, LLCACP Properties, LLC
Baptista’s
Mark E. Carstensen Construction & Development Companies
Centec Security Systems, Inc.
Doering Leasing
Fine Print Graphics
Scheer Photography
Wisconsin Tech Sales, Inc.
Auction Items
Personal Fireworks Display
Donated by Bartolotta FireworksScotty Cameron Putter
Donated by TitleistOutdoor Photo Sitting
Donated by Scheer PhotographyTitleist Golf Bag
Donated by Titleist2 Tickets to Milwaukee BucksGame March 7th, 2008 withBradley Center Food Card
Donated by Wisconsin Tech Sales, Inc.Free Tax Preparation
Milwaukee Brewer Tickets Front Row – date TBD
Donated by Doering LeasingAuction Items
Pandora Bracelet w/charm and gift certificate
Donated by Prescott Miller JewelersWine Bouquet
Donated by Martinez Private CellarBartolotta Restaurant Certificates
Richlonn’s Gift Certificates (2)
Gyros West Gift Certificate
Mary Kay Cosmetics and Gift Certificate
Donated by Judy GillCasa Di Giorgio Gift Certificate
Dance Bag, Clothes and Gift Certificate
Donated by Next Step Dance StudioPallas Restaurant Gift Certificates (2)
Boulder Junction Gift Certificate
Link: Citizens for a Safe Wisconsin fundraiser a big success! - This Just In…
This is a copy of his whole post, but be sure to visit it and thank him for being the MC. I would read the comments of what people said too.
I don’t see any reason at thsi time why i won’t be at next years event. I can only hope that it is just as successful.
This is a shortened version of an email I received from my alderman. If you are on the fence about attending this event, then this is a must read.
For more than two years a group of citizens, primarily Franklin residents have been working tirelessly on your behalf to protect your children, families and properties from placement of sex offenders in our community and communities across the State. They now need your support. PLEASE ATTEND THEIR FUNDRAISER ON FRIDAY NIGHT, February 29, 2008 AT THE OAK CREEK COMMUNITY CENTER.
I’ve heard from many State Legislators that this group of citizens, based here in Franklin, have been the most effective grass roots group in getting meaningful legislation passed that they’ve ever experienced. These are ordinary citizens just like you who have dedicated their time and personal resources to work with the legislature on enacting tough sex offender laws and closing loopholes in current laws.
Here are some of their accomplishments:
• Instrumental in the passage of “Jessica’s Law” in the State of Wisconsin
• Instrumental in the passage of a statute removing funding for a SINGLE FACILITY TO HOUSE SEXUALLY VIOLENT PERSONS in Milwaukee County (you’ll recall this is the facility that the State wanted to build at the House of Correction.)
• Instrumental in passage of AB591, a bill now enacted into law which requires active GPS monitoring of several classes of sex offenders
• Served on the special Legislative Council on Placement of Sex Offenders which will result in stronger reporting requirements for sex offenders and improved communication with the public
• Supported and lobbied for the Governor’s SAFE initiative which has led to capture of a large number of sex offenders who have failed to register with the State or have not met their supervision requirements
• Continue to work tirelessly on enhancements to Chapter 980 (Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Law) to have the legislature enact “burden equity” whereby communities won’t become dumping grounds for the State’s worst of the worst.
• And a yet to be announced effort that has an immediate and profound effect on the City of Franklin
Most legislators go their entire elected careers with only one or two accomplishments similar to the ones listed above. YOUR neighbors have accomplished these with practically no financial support other than that from friends and relatives.
THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT. THEY DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT.
So, I encourage you to take some time out of your busy schedules and join a lot of your neighbors, friends and civic leaders at this worthy fundraiser.
But more than that, it will be a great party with music from the ‘70’s band THE BOOGIEMEN, good food and a silent auction.
I’m told that there’s an item up for bids that’s a PRIVATE FIREWORKS SHOW donated by Bartolotta Fireworks! That’s going to be a hot bid!
Please attend. If you can’t attend, please donate. There’s a link on their website for a PayPal payment.
I hope to see you there.
Steve Olson
Alderman, 1st District
So, at $25 a person, you get a lot of bang for the buck.
Also, do you like the new logo for CFSW?
HELP US CONTINUE OUR FIGHT FOR TOUGHER SEX OFFENDER LAWS!
Friday, February 29th
TICKET PRICES REDUCED! NOW $25.00
PURCHASE ONLINE AT
It has been a while since I have last posted, so let’s start out this way. Happy New Year! Now that that is done, I have a list of things that I need to mention. If you are thinking about just skimming over the list, be sure to not skim over the last item.
1. Citizens For A Safe Wisconsin, Inc. home page has a whole new look. Just click on the link to view it. One change besides the look is the addition of a PayPal button so that you can donate to CFSW and support the fight for tougher sex predator laws.
2. CFSW is holding an event called “Leap Into Action and Celebrate Safe Kids!” This event will be held on Friday, February 29th, 2008 at the Oak Creek Community Center. More information about the event is available here. To tease you a bit into finding out more, music will be by “The Boogiemen.”
3. Thanks to Patrick over at Badger Blogger, we learn that the state was at it again. Another Chapter 980 Sexually Violent Person named Robert Carney was seeking release from the Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center. If released, he would end up in Milwaukee County somewhere. JS Online has the story here. If you go to the post on this at Badger Blogger, you can read a great discussion on this including some interesting talk about Morford. The good news is that according to JS Online, Robert Carney did not get released.
4. Another thanks to Patrick over at Badger Blogger. We are given a few reasons why CFSW exists and of how dangerous child sex offenders can be. Be sure to read the two posts. They are “Badger Blogger - Blog Archive - Child molesters belong in prison for the rest of their lives, because they ALWAYS do it again” and “Badger Blogger - Blog Archive - Child molesters molest children, it is what they do! How do people not understand this?” Great work Patrick.
5. If you haven’t guessed by now, I am dropping the posting of sex offender / predator news that I get through Google alert emails. There are three reasons for this. The first is that they were always long and many times the articles repeated themselves. Second, too much time was spent reformatting each email so that it would show up correctly in the blog. Lastly, the news in the email alerts is already available through a link in the right side bar. Just click on Google News: Wisconsin Sex Offenders / Predators. This doesn’t mean I will stop getting those email alerts. It just means that I will pick through them and post those that are important.
6. Now for the most important item. For some time, this blog has talked about residency restrictions for sex offenders and cities that are adopting or looking to adopt those ordinances. This blog has even talked about the battle to have these ordinances and how they are under attack. Well, guess what. They are under attack again. This time, the whole state could be affected. The following is from the Green Bay Press - Gazette.
A state lawmaker wants to quash local laws restricting where registered sex offenders can live.Rep. Donald Friske, R-Merrill, has proposed legislation to bar municipalities from drafting ordinances dictating where people listed on the states’ sex offender registry can live.
Link: Green Bay Press-Gazette - Lawmaker aims to stop laws restricting sex offender residency
These are dangerous times for those who want to keep their children safe. If Friske’s bill passes, it can open the door for the state to plop sex offenders anywhere they like. This could even bring about the most dangerous thing which would be a group home for the Chapter 980s. Regardless of your view of the restrictions, child sex predators should go to jail and never ever see the outside world again. Donald Friske needs to know this. You can contact Friske and tell him you do not support his bill that stops residency restrictions of sex predators. Also tell him that a better bill would be to lock these predators up for life. On a related note, the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel has not mentioned anything about this.
This post is a little long, but full of lots of information and well over due. I’ll try not to make it so long between posts again.
Kenosha County has some explaining to do, it seems that a Chapter 980 Sexually Violent Person was released into the Kenosha County town of Summers (n/w corner of the city of Kenosha) and the Kenosha Sheriffs Department failed to notify people in the area that this sexual predator was released into their midst.
In 1995 DARCY W. POWELL was found guilty of
In 1999, Darcy Powell was declared a Sexually Violent Person under Wisconsin’s Chapter 980 Statute.
From the original police notification:
Mr. Powell targets victims both family members and Non-family members. Both male and female children and adolescents. Mr. Powell has been convicted of sexually assaulting his own relative but also has a history of fondling pre-pubescent females and male relatives and friends of family victims.
A local resident, Anne, has contacted some of us that have been fighting the fight against the release of Sexual predators, to say that they and their neighbors were never notified of the release of this predator into their neighborhood.
Powell moved into the home at 5415 16th Pl. in mid September, but it was not until Oct. 19th that she received an anonymous letter warning that their new neighbor was indeed the registered sexual predator… There was no word from any policing agency. As Anne said, “What is most appalling to me is that if it was not for the anonymous letter in the mail notifying us of his placement, my kids would probably still be outside riding their bikes and waving to him!” That’s a scary thought. Also in the neighborhood, there is a church, bus stop and of course, other children.
When Anne sought help from local law enforcement, the Sheriffs Department tried to pass the buck to the Parole & Probation Department and Kenosha police. Apparently, they seem to pass this to the Kenosha PD, because they were the agency to notify the residents at his last residence, but he was moved from there because “he was having problems” with children playing around his house and a school was being built two blocks away, which would draw even more kids. Another bit of scary information is that Powell wants to be able to go outside and do yard work unsupervised, even after the trouble at his previous home. As I understand it though, the Town of Summers should fall under the Kenosha Sheriffs Department, not the city PD.
Also, in her search for answers and help, Anne contacted the Community Correction Office, and apparently they flat out forgot that they work for the public, not the predator, and have become quite hostile towards this citizen that is trying to protect her children. This Community Corrections Officer refuses to help, in fact, he has called Anne and citizens looking for help in this matter, vigilantes and has threatened to “have the Sheriff’s Department have a talk with [Anne].” Personally, I would not only welcome a talk with the “sheriffs department,” I would be demanding to meet with the Sheriff David G. Beth to demand answers to why she and her neighbors were not informed that a registered Sexually Violent Person was allowed to move in without notification.
Anne has also been stonewalled by one of Powell’s state approved chaperons and religious mentor, Deacon Terry Maack of St. Peter Parish in Kenosha, who runs a prison ministry in Kenosha. Apparently, Deacon Maack also was involved in convincing the current property owner to rent to Powell. While I can respect Deacon Maack’s prison ministries, he needs to put the needs and fears of the potential victims and their families ahead of this violent predator. Maack has sent a letter to Anne and other neighbors, telling them that they are being unchristian… I wonder of Deacon Maack would trust this convicted pedophile to babysit for his grandchildren?
Wisconsin’s families deserve answers! How can a sexually violent predator like this be released into a neighborhood without the parents of children in the area being notified?
The CFSW Blog welcomes Patrick from the widely read, very popular, and highly respected Badger Blogger blog. Patrick will now be cross posting between his blog and this blog on things related to sex predators.
Patrick has a long great history of blogging about sex offenders/predators, laws dealing with them and other related events. This is evident with the many times that I point back to his blog. Having him cross post here is no brainer because he does exactly what it says at the top of his blog “Covering Wisconsin, the way the media won’t - Covering the media, the way they fear - Common sense views from America’s Heartland, Milwaukee Wisconsin.” If you haven’t visited his blog, take some time now to do so, because you are missing out a great number of things.
Be sure to give him a warm welcome and many comments as he starts cross posting between the two blogs.
Patrick, Thanks for accepting the invite to cross post.
Wisconsin’s personification of the child sexual predator, Billy Lee Morford has moved to 2803B S 9TH PLACE (three blocks north of Oklahoma Ave.), just a block away from St. John Kanty Elementary School on Milwaukee’s South Side.
Note: I would also like to take a moment to thank Andy for giving me the chance to post here at the CFSW blog, this is an issue that I have discussed many times, and I am happy to be able to join you in your fight to save our children.
Keeping sex offenders away from potential child victims takes a hit.
A registered sex offender will get to stay in his Franklin home<<< — snip — >>>Milwaukee County Circuit Judge John Franke ruled Tuesday that the city failed to meet the burden of proof for the injunction, most significantly failing to show that a child would be molested if Steven R. Hanke is allowed to remain in his home.
<<< — snip — >>>The city has sued to evict Hanke from the Franklin home he purchased months after the city enacted an ordinance restricting where sex offenders may live.
<<< — snip — >>>Hanke bought a home in the 8200 block of S. 77th St. in June, seven months after Franklin adopted an ordinance restricting certain sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of schools, day care centers and other places where children might congregate.
Be sure to read the Kevin Fisher link that is in the post prior to this one to get the story before this ruling.
In case you are wondering, Hanke’s house is about 600 ft from a middle school and looks to be within 2000 ft of grade school.
From around the BlogSphere:
Kevin Fisher: Franke rules against Franklin - This Just In…
Jessica McBride: McBride’s Media Matters: Franklin doesn’t have a crystal ball
The opinions and views expressed by CFSW Blog writers do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of CFSW, Inc. or its members, officers or directors. Further CFSW, Inc. is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any information posted or expressed by CFSW Blog writers. Readers may report objectionable content by clicking here.
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