Friday, December 26, 2025
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Friday, December 26, 2025

Milwaukee Press Club 'Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism' 2020 & 2021 Award Winners

The Wisconsin Right Now Wall of Fame: People Who Did The Right Thing in 2020

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The Wisconsin Right Now awards are here. Here’s who we think did the right thing in 2020.

We define winners as people or groups who did the right thing, took the state in the right direction, had a good year, and/or acted honorably.

You can see our 2020 Wall of Shame here.


1. Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber

For his actions in 2020, we award Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber the top position in our wall of fame. Weber exemplifies the highest principles and standards of a true leader. Weber is a cop’s cop. He defended and supported one of his officers under immense pressure. Weber withstood continuous unfair attacks and calls for his resignation by The People’s Revolution. Weber did a fantastic job during the ongoing protesting and rioting as he rode the fine line between allowing people to protest while maintaining the safety and security of the community.


2. Wisconsin Rank And File Police Officers

They had a tough year, but we’re going to name them winners because of how valiantly they continued to do their jobs despite the dangers of a pandemic and unprecedented attack from the media and Black Lives Matter. We think they’re supported by most people, and we included them on this list to remind them of that. The story we wrote about a heroic Milwaukee police officer who, when faced with a gun pointed at his chest, talked the woman down, exemplifies how officers, on a daily basis, face extremely difficult circumstances with great courage.


3. Rick Esenberg & The Wisconsin Institute of Law & Liberty

The conservative lawyer and WILL did the heavy lifting for conservatives this year, advancing their arguments in court with intellectual rigor.


4. Health Care Workers

Doctors, nurses, and medical technicians for quickly adapting, working tirelessly and risking their own lives to save others as the coronavirus spread in waves and continues to overwhelm the system and workforce.


5. Orlando Owens & The Joseph Project

Orlando owens
Orlando owens. Credit: jessica mcbride

Orlando Owens lost his bid for state Assembly as a Republican in Milwaukee (it’s tough running as a black conservative in Milwaukee), but his is an important, eloquent voice we hope is increasingly heard. Behind the scenes, he’s doing great work to help people get jobs through The Joseph Project.


6. Kenosha Mural Painters

2020 wisconsin winners
In Kenosha, after riots and arsonists destroyed a lot of downtown, business owners and community members got together and painted messages of hope, optimism, love and peace on boarded up windows. We photographed these, and they were beautiful and represented the community’s resilience in the face of destruction. Buzzfeed wrote a negative story accusing the painters of painting over messages like “f*ck 12” and BLM propaganda. See the murals here. Unlike those that marred State Street, they didn’t include negative and nasty stereotypes about cops.


7. Chief Alfonso Morales

Former chief morales
Former chief morales. Credit: mpd

Yeah, he was treated like dirt by the city, but he’s going to end the year with a big payday and his honor and dignity intact. Plus, he can look in the mirror at night because he did the right thing, the right way, and he never pandered to the anti-police narratives, media, or nutty politicians. He suffered no fools gladly, and it was refreshing to see. He was a cop’s cop, respected by his officers. He was also a person extremely invested in the Milwaukee community he’s lived in all his life. Milwaukee’s loss.


8. Joseph Mensah

Wauwatosa officer Joseph Mensah pursued and was forced to fatally shoot a person who was armed with a stolen gun and discharged it around cops outside of Mayfair mall. Mensah’s heroic act in stopping a mall gunman was met with calls for his termination. Mensah was cleared in the shooting death, but eventually resigned under immense pressure. In each of the fatal shootings by Mensah, the District Attorney ruled them justified actions. We don’t think it’s right to criticize an officer for a justified act he took legally. He gave up his career because he put his life on the line protecting the community in split-second judgments ruled lawful self defense. In addition, he weathered unprecedented harassment that culminated in a felony charge against a protester for discharging a gun at him on his girlfriend’s property. We wish you luck, Joseph.


9. Mark Belling

Mark Belling is a powerful force who gives conservatives a strong voice in the Milwaukee area. While Charlie Sykes was perched on MSNBC selling out to liberals, Belling was the driving force for conservative thought in Wisconsin.


10. Dan O’Donnell

Dan O’Donnell continually breaks news that other media outlets don’t have. He’s not just a pundit; he’s a good reporter, and Milwaukee needs more of that.


11. The Veterans Who Put Up the American Flag Outside Longfellow Middle School

2020 wisconsin winners

When someone (presumably BLM) took down an American flag during riots in Wauwatosa, a group of Vietnam veterans and others put it back up.

“Let freedom ring,” said Joe Campbell, 73, a Vietnam veteran and Wauwatosa resident who helped raise the flag.


12. Chris Johnson

He ruffles feathers among Milwaukee’s Democratic elite, but that’s not a bad thing. He’s hard to peg politically, which means he writes his conscience. Through his Kingfish website, Chris Johnson is doing serious independent journalism in Milwaukee’s black community, which has been under served by the news media for years. Keep up the great work!


13. US Rep. Bryan Steil

Trump janesville masks
Bryan steil and ron johnson

A rising star. He took the lead in getting federal intervention to stop the Kenosha rioting and has focused on getting people back to work. Wisconsin needs a strong Republican farm team, and he’s one to watch.


14. WI State Rep. Barb Dittrich

The Oconomowoc rep. withstood vicious attacks funded by piles of dark money to win another term. She’s been a consistently solid conservative voice in the state Legislature. Leadership calls?


15. Ron Johnson

We discovered that Sen. Ron Johnson and his office do a lot of positive, quiet work in Milwaukee’s inner city, in particular helping people released from prison become self-sufficient by getting jobs. We don’t think they get enough credit for this. Read our story on the Joseph Project for an example of this. His office also organized a political discussion in an inner city barbershop.


16. Small Business Owners

They had a tough, tough year. But for their grit and dedication to the community, for their sheer perseverance and ability to adapt, we have to tip our hats to Wisconsin’s small business owners.


17. Three Wisconsin State Troopers

Wisconsin State Troopers Alexander Polizzi, David Heinisch and Keegan Williams for pursuing, stopping and engaging a suspected bank robber during which time the suspect had engaged troopers with gunfire. The suspect was shot and killed by the troopers when he attempted an armed carjacking. No other injuries reported. Well done, men.


18. Julian Bradley

Bradley became the the first black Republican elected to Wisconsin’s Senate. Although his qualifications are obviously more important than his race, his election does highlight the diversity of opinion in the African-American community. A rising star to watch!


19. State Sen. Roger Roth

State Sen. Roger Roth, R-Appleton, for showing true leadership by working hard behind the scenes to get a surge testing center to Neenah during the pandemic while the Evers’ administration dawdled and dropped the ball.


20. New Berlin Police & the Anonymous Person Who Helped

What happened between a New Berlin police officer and anonymous person represents the best of society despite all the stresses law enforcement and the public have undergone in 2020. The PD’s Shop With a Cop event was cancelled due to COVID-19, but a New Berlin officer went to Walmart to buy $800 in gift cards for needy families. This illustrates the good, quiet work police do every day. Police wrote on Facebook that a random citizen stepped up to make the purchase for the officer; in addition New Berlin police gifted needy children nearly $3,000 in gift cards by raising charitable donations. Good work!

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Assembly Leaders Call for Dugan’s Resignation, Threaten Impeachment

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s Republican Assembly leaders say they will begin impeachment proceedings if Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan does not resign from her post immediately following a felony obstruction conviction Thursday evening.

Dugan was found guilty of obstructing as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were attempting to arrest a defendant in her court outside of the courtroom.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August, R-Walworth, sent a statement Friday noting that the last Wisconsin judge was impeached in 1853 but that the Assembly would begin impeachment proceedings if Dugan doesn’t resign.

Dugan’s legal team indicated Thursday that she would appeal the jury’s decision.

“Under a 1976 Attorney General Opinion, Democrat Bronson La Follette stated that when a State Senator was convicted of a felony, a vacancy was created, and the Senator ‘was effectually divested of any right or title to the office. His status with reference to the office was fixed at the time of his conviction,’ the leaders wrote. “Such is the case here, and Judge Dugan must recognize that the law requires her resignation.

“Wisconsinites deserve to know their judiciary is impartial and that justice is blind. Judge Hannah Dugan is neither, and her privilege of serving the people of Wisconsin has come to an end.”

The jury found Dugan not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of concealing related to defendant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was later arrested on the street outside the courthouse and has since been deported.

The obstruction charge could lead to up to five years in prison.

The Assembly leaders cited the Wisconsin constitution, which says “‘[n]o person convicted of a felony, in any court within the United States, no person convicted in federal court of a crime designated, at the time of commission, under federal law as a misdemeanor involving a violation of public trust and no person convicted, in a court of a state, of a crime designated, at the time of commission, under the law of the state as a misdemeanor involving a violation of public trust shall be eligible to any office of trust, profit or honor in this state unless pardoned of the conviction.”

“While we are disappointed in today’s outcome, the failure of the prosecution to secure convictions on both counts demonstrates the opportunity we have to clear Judge Dugan’s name and show she did nothing wrong in the matter,” her legal team said after the verdict was read. “We have planned for this potential outcome and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning.”

Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan Guilty of Felony Obstruction During ICE Arrest

(The Center Square) – Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan was found guilty of a felony charge of obstruction by a jury Thursday in a case involving the judge’s actions related to a defendant in her court that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were attempting to arrest outside of the courtroom.

The jury returned the verdict at 8:38 p.m. Central Time.

The jury found Dugan not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of concealing related to defendant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was later arrested on the street outside the courthouse and has since been deported.

The obstruction charge could lead to up to a $100,000 fine and a year in prison.

“While we are disappointed in today’s outcome, the failure of the prosecution to secure convictions on both counts demonstrates the opportunity we have to clear Judge Dugan’s name and show she did nothing wrong in the matter,” her legal team said. “We have planned for this potential outcome and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning.”

Video from the courthouse depicts Dugan speaking with ICE officers in the hallway outside her courtroom and defendant Flores-Ruiz walking through a back hallway with a person identified in an affidavit as his attorney before heading to an elevator and then being chased down and arrested on the street outside of the courthouse.

FBI, DOJ Foil Plot For New Year’s Eve Bombings in Southern California

Four alleged members of a pro-Palestine terror group were arrested in connection with alleged plans for New Year’s Eve bombings across Southern California.

Authorities announced the arrests during a news conference Monday with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis and Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

Essayli said all four suspects are from the Los Angeles area. He said one suspect created a plan to bomb five or more locations across Los Angeles and Orange County, with step-by-step instructions on building improvised explosive devices.

The arrests were made last week in Lucerne Valley, which is east of Los Angeles.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI prevented the bombings.

“The Turtle Island Liberation Front — a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist group — was preparing to conduct a series of bombings against multiple targets in California beginning on New Year’s Eve,” Bondi posted on X. “The group also planned to target ICE agents and vehicles.”

Bondi credited “an incredible effort” and "intense investigation" by the FBI and the U.S, Attorney’s Offices for foiling the plot.

“We will continue to pursue these terror groups and bring them to justice,” Bondi said.

Wisconsin All-Terrain, Utility Vehicles Registration Loophole Closed

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin all-terrain and utility task vehicle drivers now must follow Wisconsin laws on where they can drive the vehicles and must pay trail registration fees regardless of where the vehicle is registered.

The bill was recently signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers and it became Wisconsin Act 64.

The law requires any ATV or UTV to follow state law based upon how Wisconsin would classify the vehicle regardless of what the title says for the state where the vehicle is registered.

Lawmakers said the goal of the bill was to close a loophole where Wisconsin UTV and ATV owners would register a vehicle in South Dakota and Montana but drive it in Wisconsin.

“They’re contacting people in Wisconsin and saying ‘Hey, if you register your UTV to an LLC in Montana or South Dakota, we can license that as a motor vehicle, not as an ATV or UTV,’” sponsor Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, said during a public hearing on the bill. “And, because of that, they tell Wisconsin residents that you can now use this motor vehicle on any road in the state of Wisconsin.”

The current system of UTV and ATV routes and trails in the state and laws on using those vehicles are locally regulated and usage is determined on the local level.

The new law allows nonresidents access to all Wisconsin ATV and UTV trails and approved routes with a nonresident trail pass.

The registration system is a tax that allows ATV and UTV owners to pay their way by paying for the trail system, Wisconsin ATV Association President Randy Harden said during a public hearing. This means it is important that out-of-state vehicle owners also pay for using the system.

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Thousands of Afghan Refugees Qualified For Slew of Costly Benefits

Tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees, including the gunman charged in the shootings of two National Guard members, killing one just blocks from the White House, were eligible for a slew of benefits, including housing and medical at the expense of the American taxpayer.

Following the pullout of American forces from Afghanistan in 2021, the Biden administration admitted nearly 200,000 evacuees between 2021 and 2023, including two recently arrested on terrorism charges. Through various reports and testimony by government officials, it was revealed that many of the Afghan nationals couldn’t be properly vetted.

Afghans who entered the U.S. on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), under a special immigrant parole (SQ/SI), and were granted humanitarian parole as part of the Biden Administration’s Operation Allies Welcome were eligible for over a dozen taxpayer benefits, many continuing four years later.

The benefits include: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), HUD Public Housing and Section 8 housing vouchers, emergency Medicaid, Affordable Care Act health plans and subsidies, full-scope Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), federal student aid and Pell grants, REAL ID, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act services, refugee resettlement programs through the Office of Refugee Resettlement and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), according to the National Immigration Law Center.

For those who didn’t qualify for SSI or TANF, refugees were eligible for up to 12 months of Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) through the ORR.

In addition, many refugees qualified for employment assistance through Refugee Support Services, which included: childcare, transportation, “employability services,” job training and preparation, job search assistance, placement and retention, English language training, translation and interpreter services and case management, according to the Administration for Children and Families Office of Refugee Resettlement.

The ORR also noted that “some clients may be eligible for specialized programs such as health services, technical assistance for small business start-ups and financial savings.”

Many refugees also qualified for “immigration-related legal assistance” to assist them “on their pathway to obtaining a permanent status.”

Despite the multitude of services provided to Afghan refugees, “they are less likely to be proficient in English, have lower educational attainment, and lower labor force participation” compared to other immigrants in the U.S., according to the Migration Policy Institute. Additionally, “compared to both the native born and the overall foreign-born population, they are much more likely to be living in poverty.”

The institute noted that Afghans “tend to have lower educational attainment” compared to American and foreign-born populations, citing a 2022 statistic showing 28% of Afghan immigrants age 25 and older “reported having at least a bachelor’s degree” as compared to 36% of Americans and 35% of all foreign-born populations.

While 29% of Afghan adults reported having less than a high school diploma, compared to 25% of other immigrant populations, there were some slight improvements among those who arrived in the U.S. between 2020 and 2022, with 36% having at least a four-year degree. However, that figure is 12 points less than other immigrant populations arriving during the same period.

The institute highlighted the “relatively low labor force participation rate” of Afghan immigrants ages 16 and older, showing that in 2022, 61% were in the civilian labor market, compared to 67% of other immigrant populations and 63% of U.S.-born individuals.

Afghan immigrants have a higher poverty rate compared to the American and foreign-born populations. As of 2022, 39% of Afghan nationals were living in poverty, compared to 12% of Americans and 14% of other immigrant populations.

Among the many benefits Afghan refugees are eligible to receive, one of the most costly may be housing in the form of public housing and the Section 8 program.

The institute showed that a majority of immigrants from Afghanistan are concentrated in some of the regions with the highest housing costs in the nation, including the metro areas of Washington, D.C., Sacramento, San Fransico, Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle and San Diego.

When asked if Afghan refugees are still receiving housing benefits, a HUD official told The Center Square that the department “is working in coordination with appropriate agencies to align the Department’s guidance related to immigration status to ensure taxpayer-funded benefits are not used for any unintended purpose.”

Adding to housing benefits, The Center Square reported Tuesday exclusively that amid a national housing crisis, the Biden administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development produced guidelines encouraging property owners to forgo some fair housing practices to favor Afghan refugees, which the Trump administration directed to be terminated.

The Center Square obtained a HUD directive from the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity rescinding the Biden-era guidance document, “Operation Allies Welcome: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Fair Housing Issues,” and withdrawing from a FHEO guidance document “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Renting to Refugees and Eligible Newcomers,” which the agency claims violates the Fair Housing Act.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner argues the Biden-era guidelines prioritized nearly 200,000 Afghan refugees who were admitted following the 2021 pullout of American forces from Afghanistan by encouraging landlords and property owners to forgo credit checks, occupancy limitations, and engage in targeted marketing toward Afghans.

“After President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, his administration made a bad situation worse by prioritizing housing assistance for Afghan refugees, who we now know were unvetted and unchecked,” Turner told The Center Square. “Since day one, our mission has been clear: to serve the American people and end the misuse and abuse of American taxpayer-funded resources. That is why we rescinded this Operation Allies Welcome guidance, which encouraged landlords and property owners to violate federal civil rights law to protect Afghan refugees. Under President Trump’s leadership, the days of putting Americans last is over.”

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