Focaccia di recco; a quick salad matching salty pecorino Romano cheese with sweet pears and peppery arugula; rigatoni with sausage and cabbage.
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Pork liver pate; roast sausage with potatoes; braised sweetbreads in mirepoix; braised tongue with lentils.
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Basic serger skills; adding puffing or textures; serging on ribbon trim.
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Milwaukee PD officers monitor the May Day 2025 march with a Critical Response Vehicle, outfitted as a surveillance van. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
A group of 19 community organizations have joined forces to push for oversight of police surveillance in Milwaukee. Together the groups signed an open letter addressed to the city’s common council, asking it to adopt a Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) ordinance.
The measure would require existing surveillance technologies used by the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) to receive a public hearing and be subject to approval by the Milwaukee Common Council. The ordinance would also require the department to produce an annual report of surveillance gear.
“The proliferation of surveillance technology by the Milwaukee Police Department has occurred with virtually no transparency, no opportunities for community input and — without a real opportunity to reject surveillance techs or advocate for critical guardrails — presents significant threats to civil rights and civil liberties that hurts us all but disproportionately impact communities of color, queer communities, people seeking reproductive healthcare, immigrant communities, people fleeing violence, and low-income communities,” the coalition states in its letter.
“While we trust our local elected officials in Milwaukee, in light of the current political climate and the uncertainty surrounding future administrations at both the federal and state levels (both in Wisconsin and in other states), it is critical that our community has a say in if and how invasive surveillance technologies are used, how they are deployed against residents, if and how their data is stored and shared with third parties, and whether spending our limited tax dollars on surveillance technologies is the best way to promote public safety,” the letter adds.
CCOPS ordinances have already passed in 26 cities nationwide, and calls to rein in the flow and development of police surveillance technologies have grown in recent years in Milwaukee. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin began advocating for CCOPS ordinances in the Badger State, prompted by a lack of discussion on the issue and the impending Republican National Convention during the summer of 2024.
As with the 2020 Democratic National Convention four years earlier, the RNC brought with it an influx of new equipment that allowed MPD to augment its surveillance network. Before the DNC the police department upgraded its mobile phone surveillance gear, expanded a camera network capable of using automatic license plate reader technology, and purchased vans equipped with cameras and drones. The RNC likewise opened the door for a new open source intelligence software, growing MPD’s social media surveillance capabilities.
CCOPS Coalition Letter to Common Council
During the summer of 2020, many people who joined protests following the death of George Floyd witnessed these technologies, and reported suspicions that they were being monitored. As time passed, investigations revealed that local police departments monitored social media closely and drew information from confidential databases, with one agency funneling much of what it’d learned into a “target list” of nearly 200 people. The list had been shared with dozens of local, state, and federal agencies from Milwaukee to Kenosha.
Since then more attention has been focused on intelligence units such as the MPD’s fusion center, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s “MATRIX Group”, and on technologies including drones, wiretap devices, gunshot detection sensors like Shotspotter, and spyware. More recently, Milwaukee residents have begun to express concerns about MPD’s plans to acquire facial recognition technology.
The accumulation of these issues spurred the group of 19 community organizations to sign the letter calling for CCOPS. The coalition includes Planned Parenthood, Black Leaders Organizing Communities (BLOC), the ACLU of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO), Voces de la Frontera Action, ComForce, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee County League of Women Voters and others.
The letter states that “policies are increasingly enacted, and local governments and their surveillance mechanisms will likely be used to target individuals seeking or providing these services. This scenario is particularly alarming given that Black, Brown, Muslim, queer, low-income, and immigrant communities are already disproportionately affected by law enforcement practices.”
The letter suggests the stage is being set to repeat law enforcement spying scandals from the 1960s and ‘70s.
“Without robust oversight, we risk a resurgence of COINTELPRO-like tactics, where surveillance was used to suppress political dissent and target minority groups, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,” the letter states. “At a minimum, people who live, work, visit, or attend school in Milwaukee deserve to know if and how they’re being surveilled and who has access to that surveillance data.”
Jeep has just launched a new generation of the Compass in Europe, joining the entry-level Avenger and the aging Renegade. The latter is the one of oldest surviving models in the small SUV segment, prompting independent designer Marco Maltese to create a new version in the digital world.
The current Renegade was originally introduced in 2014, and despite its bold styling and the numerous updates it has received over the years, it desperately needs a refresh. Jeep has confirmed that a new generation will arrive in 2027, with a starting price under $25k in the US market. Maltese couldn’t wait that long, so he took action, unveiling his own take. His goal was to emphasize the Renegade’s rugged stance which distinguishes it from rivals.
Bringing The Renegade Up To Speed
The digital concept retains the compact footprint of the original, albeit with a more angular design. The profile is dominated by the sharp surfacing over the pronounced fenders, creating a futuristic stance in combination with raising windowline. The large alloy wheels of the pictured 3D model are shod in low-profile tires, but there is also an adventurous Trailhawk trim featuring all-terrain rubber.
More: Jeep Renegade Willys Edition Is A Nostalgic Throwback For Brazil
The front end ditches the iconic round headlights of the original but keeps the semi-circle LED graphics that have been popularized by the Land Rover Defender and a large number of Chinese SUVs. Jeep’s seven-slot grille is combined with bulky plastic cladding on the bumper, communicating the off-road heritage of the brand.
Moving over at the back, the upright tail represents an evolution of the outgoing model, with slimmer LEDs and an oversized skid plate mirroring the one at the front. While this is just a design exercise, Maltese went the extra mile and also modeled the interior. The cabin features a digital cockpit and practical storage solutions on the dashboard and center console, inspired by the smaller Jeep Avenger.
New Underpinnings With An Emphasis On Electrification
We already know that the next generation of the Renegade will swap its predecessor’s FCA Small Wide 4×4 architecture with more modern Stellantis underpinnings. The STLA Small platform is a serious contender, keeping the production costs low while being compatible with combustion, mild-hybrid, and fully electric powertrain options.
More: Which New Stellantis Compact SUV Would You Actually Buy?
Judging from mechanically-related SUVs, the Renegade could be fitted with Stellantis’ turbocharged 1.2-liter engine that’s supported by a 48V mild-hybrid system. This setup has the potential of an AWD version courtesy of an electrified rear axle, just like in the Jeep Avenger 4Xe. Furthermore, a fully electric powertrain option has been officially confirmed, following the example of the Avenger and the Compass.
When it arrives in 2027, the new Renegade will face more serious competition in Europe compared to the US where it will be one of the few small SUV offerings. Rivals in the Old Continent include the likes of the Dacia Duster, Peugeot 2008, Citroen C3 Aircross, Opel Frontera, VW T-Cross, Hyundai Kona, and more.
Do you like this independently-designed Jeep Renegade proposal, or would you prefer something closer to the styling language of the larger Compass?
Thanks to Maltese Design for sharing his project with us.
America waited what felt like an eternity to get its hands on the electric Volvo EX30 while European reviewers raved about it, but no sooner has it arrived than the EX30 is already at risk of disappearing. Volvo’s CEO has warned that he might be forced to pull the company’s smallest EV from the market because it’s simply not economically viable to import it under current US tariffs.
Hakan Samuelsson, who has returned to head the company after a three-year hiatus, made the revelation as Trump’s 90-day tariff pause nears its end. European carmakers are preparing for the possibility of a June 1 introduction of a 50 percent levy on cars imported to the US from the region.
Also: President Trump Just Dropped A Bomb On European Car Imports
Speaking to Reuters, Samuelsson said a 50 percent tariff would “limit the ability” of Volvo to sell the EX30 in America. Although Volvo builds the bigger EX90 in the US, American-spec EX30s are built in Belgium, with the company having moved export production there from China, which led to a delay in its US arrival. The automaker is believed to be considering moving production of the EX30, and potentially the XC60, to the US.
Buyers Will Feel the Price Hike
Samuelsson was also adamant that customers and not the carmaker itself would have to soak up most of the tariff-related price increases. Unlike high-end brands like Aston Martin or Ferrari, which cater to buyers with deeper pockets and much more tolerance for sticker shock, Volvo plays in a different league. Its buyers are much more sensitive to price increases, which makes tacking on a tariff-induced markup a risky proposition.
Volvo’s expectation that car buyers will have to shoulder the burden disproves Trump’s belief that tariffs will be “eaten up” by the exporting companies and their nations.
Hoping for a Diplomatic Detour
Even so, Samuelsson seems confident that some kind of resolution will be reached between Europe and the US. Under the terms of a deal secured between the UK and the US earlier this month, Land Rover, Mini and other British brands get away with a more manageable 10 percent tariff.
Related: Volvo’s EV Crash Hits Harder Than Expected As Buyers Walk Away From Batteries
“I believe there will be a deal soon,” Samuelsson told Reuters. “It could not be in the interest of Europe or the U.S. to shut down trade between them.”
Time is running out, but the industry is watching closely. If nothing changes by next month, the EX30’s American road trip could be cut painfully short.
Electric vehicles are, nowadays, neither a niche or a novelty. As more automakers flood the market with new models, competition is heating up – and Cadillac wants in. GM’s luxury brand is making a serious push to grow its EV presence, and a part of its strategy includes luring customers away from other automakers.
According to one General Motors executive speaking to CNBC, around 80 percent of new Cadillac EV buyers are coming from outside the brand. A closer look at the data shows that roughly one in 10 of those newcomers is switching over from Tesla.
Review: Is Cadillac’s New Vistiq The Baby Escalade You’ve Been Waiting For?
The Lyriq, Cadillac’s main weapon in its EV quiver, is a huge part of this conquest. It boasts a starting price of under $60,000 and is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, at least for now. It features a huge 33-inch curved OLED display, lots of luxury, and decent range too. Unsurprisingly, about 25 percent of Tesla owners trading in for a Cadillac are choosing the Lyriq.
“We see the opportunity to increase the conquest rate for Tesla, absolutely,” Brad Franz, Cadillac director of global marketing, told CNBC. The portfolio is the key,” he continued. “We’ve always had good interaction with Tesla customers, but in the past, that’s been in that 10% to 15% range [for Lyriq]. So, certainly, we’re seeing a good jump in conquest rate.”
Are Some Tesla Owners Just Done With Tesla?
Interestingly, at least one analyst believes that this is less about how perfect the Lyriq is for Tesla owners and more about getting out of the Tesla ecosystem altogether. “People leaving Tesla cars now, they’re, in my opinion, making a very deliberate choice to get out of that car. If your priority is to get out of the Tesla ASAP, then they’re not, technically, cross-shopping Tesla for their next car,” said Joseph Yoon, Edmunds’ consumer insights analyst.
That trend might not slow down anytime soon either. Tesla is facing a myriad of concerns at a brand level. At the same time, Cadillac is offering a stronger EV portfolio than ever before. “Cadillac is leading the way with our EV lineup,” Franz said. “We’re really poised for success. We’re going to take this portfolio, now that Vistiq is rounding out the SUV portfolio, and become the No. 1, tier-one EV luxury brand.”
What Buyers Are Actually Comparing
Data from Edmunds shows that Lyriq shoppers are also eyeing models like Cadillac’s own Optiq, the Acura ZDX, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and BMW iX. Just behind those are the Kia EV9 and GM’s own Chevy Blazer and Equinox EVs. Tesla buyers, on the other hand, tend to stay loyal, often looking at other Teslas when they’re ready for something new. Depending on the model, they may also consider options from Honda, Hyundai, Kia, or occasionally, the Equinox EV or Hummer EV.
It’s still too early to say if Cadillac can claim a top spot in the EV luxury space, but the landscape is shifting. Buyers in the EV market have more choices than ever before. The real question is whether that momentum can continue or if new regulations, tariff concerns, and stifled EV infrastructure will change that.
Mazda introduced the EZ-60 crossover at the Shanghai Auto Show last month. While the initial focus was on the range-extended variant that will be sold in Europe as the CX-6e, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has now revealed a number of details about the fully electric model.
On the styling front, the design isn’t much of a surprise as it looks virtually identical to the range-extended crossover. As such, it features split lighting units and a fully enclosed grille, as well as digital side mirrors, flush-mounted door handles, and plenty of plastic body cladding.
More: Mazda’s New Electric SUV Packs Six Screens And A Range-Extender Powertrain
That much we were already aware of – the real news is the release of performance specifications. According to the Chinese ministry the EZ-60 will have a 255 hp (190 kW / 258 PS) electric motor that enables the crossover to hit a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/h), a lithium iron phosphate battery, and a curb weight of up to 4,806 lbs (2,180 kg).
Many details are still unknown, but Mazda has previously said customers can expect a CLTC range of around 373 miles (600 km). For comparison, the rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model Y delivers 368 miles (593 km), while the all-wheel-drive version manages 447 miles (719 km) under the same, highly optimistic Chinese driving cycle. Mazda also revealed the BEV variant of its crossover will have a 47:53 front/rear weight distribution as opposed to the 50:50 setup found in the range-extended model.
That’s not a lot to go on, but Mazda recently revealed they have received more than 18,000 pre-orders since the EZ-60 debuted last month. Bear in mind, though, that those numbers never translate into actual sales – they are just an indication of the public’s interest. Moreover, anyone could place a pre-order by paying a deposit that started at just ¥10 ($1.39), or practically pocket change.
Regardless, the EV should feature a classy cabin with a 3D heads-up display and a 26.45-inch screen. We can also expect an AI assistant, a 23-speaker audio system, and zero-gravity front seats with eight massage modes.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — What was considered “plug and play” solution years ago, that being fleet electrification, is far more complicated. OEMs, vendors and transportation leaders are highlighting the continued challenges but also the benefits of electric school buses while also promoting collaboration as the industry enters uncharted territory. But continued funding is necessary.
Brad Beauchamp, EV product segment leader for Blue Bird, moderated a related session, “School Bus Sector: Rolling out the New Generation of School Buses,” on April 30 at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo that provided the perspectives of two student transporters, a leader of electrification at the nation’s largest school bus contractor, a mechanical engineer, and a smart charging technology provider.
Mike Bullman, director of transportation for the South Carolina Department of Education. described the uniqueness of The Palmetto State, as the DOE owns and maintains all 5,600-plus school buses. Bullman noted the fleet fuel makeup is currently 88 percent diesel, 10 percent propane, and three-and-a-half percent electric. He noted that his operation has taken a multi-pronged approach to alternative fuels with a focus on advancing technology.
He added that the South Carolina state specifications committee will be convening in the this summer, and gasoline will be on the agenda as well. “We feel that fleet diversity is very important as we certainly move into the future,” he said.
The South Carolina fleet travels 78 million miles a year and supports 77 public school districts. Those 78 million miles serve 365,000 students a day using about nine or 10 million gallons of diesel fuel annually and 1.2 million gallons of propane. There are 42 statewide school bus maintenance facilities and a staff of about 375 employees, with an annual budget of $170 million.
“It’s quite a large endeavor,” Bullman shared.
In addition to fuels, Bullman is focused on technology adoption. “We take a safety-first approach, but we want to make sure that technology is in there,” he said, adding that buses have tire pressure monitoring systems, stability control, camera systems, stop arm cameras, student management, GPS tracking. “All of that is part of this comprehensive multi-prong approach,” he added.
He noted that preventative and predictive maintenance are also important. Bullman and his team in South Carolina lead the inspection program offered at STN EXPO conferences.
Bullman’s department also has a statewide routing program and a comprehensive driver training program. “Additional investments in charging and fueling infrastructure is on our list and important to us, long cycle cost analysis for vehicle procurement, and staff training,” he said.
He added that South Carolina will continue to seek additional funding sources, noting that was the main driver for purchasing electric vehicles. In 2021, the state received $1.3 million in grant money to purchase four electric school busses and in 2022 received $6.6 million to purchase 16 EVs and then in 2024 they got another $6.9 million to purchase another 20.
He added that with the EVs, they are seeing cost savings with maintenance and operating costs, it’s the initial cost gap that needs to be bridged. “I personally and professionally believe that the school bus space is an ideal space for an electric vehicle,” he said. “It just fits. You’ve got long dwell times. You’ve got repeatable routes. Certainly, 80 to 90 percent of the routes in South Carolina can be covered quite comfortably with an EV bus.”
Bullman cited the current challenge is uncertainty surrounding federal funding for ESBs — which many in the industry would agree with. He noted that without grants, South Carolina would not have been able to purchase electric, citing the cost gap with diesel. He noted that data collecting will be key and help to convince naysayers that this is the right technology moving forward.
Sam Hill-Cristol, director of strategy and business development for The Mobility House, noted that V2G technology is a way to offset some of those costs. “We’re optimistic about the contributions that V2G revenues can make in the total cost of ownership calculation,” he said.
He noted that while there are ongoing V2G projects across the U.S., it is currently not scalable. He expects V2G to gain more popularity in the years to come.
Meanwhile, Lauren Lynch, senior mechanical engineer with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), noted that the agency focuses on energy systems research and development with an eye on data collection. She said NREL provides data to fleets of school buses to enable fleet managers who are adopting the technologies to better understand their use and performance.
She said the fully funded program is a free service to fleets right now. Going forward, she explained that NREL will provide buses with a data logger that works in conjunction with telematics systems, so it won’t interfere with other data logging taking place on the bus. The data is transferred to NREL, who stores the data and conducts an analysis. Currently, they are working with seven different fleets and aim to collect data for at least 30 days. NREL is also hoping to capture a year after year performance and is coming up on year two working with Beaverton School District near Portland, Oregon.
“It’s been exciting, and we’re expanding our analysis to include a maintenance and cost study,” she shared. “We want to ensure that we provide a value back to the fleets. So, as part of our overall objective, we not only want to provide this analysis to the fleets, where we highlight key insights or maybe identify some areas of opportunity, but we also hope to utilize the data as an aggregated study for the vocation, utilize the data and other tools and models to inform driver developments or address any barriers within the industry.”
She explained that the data shows electric buses are more efficient than other powertrains. They do, she confirmed, have higher capital costs but have resulted in an overall lower dollar-per-mile cost when operating the same routes.
“We’re looking at all powertrains within the fleet to understand the performance of each and identifying areas of opportunity and what’s going well,” she explained, adding that the end-goal is to make the electric school bus data publicly available via the online tool FleetREDI. Currently, the website has data on heavy- and medium-duty findings.
San Marcos Unified School District in California also received about $30 million in grant funds for infrastructure and school buses. “It was very overwhelming,” Executive Director of Transportation Mike Sawyer said.
He noted that the district had 84 old diesel buses, so he started applying for grants — one of them being the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program grant in California and the Zero Emission School Bus and Infrastructure Program — and the money kept flowing.
To help him navigate all the funding, he said he reached out to partners, including Engie, which helped San Marcos find inefficiencies in charging infrastructure. Engie helped San Marcos create “one of the biggest” charging infrastructure bus yards. Phase one was completed with 40 EV chargers, six of which are 120 kW, the remainder being 30 kW chargers. Phase two, which is about to break ground, will bring the district to a total of 75 chargers.
The location holds about one megawatt of solar and 1.5 megawatts of battery storage, and it includes a 60kW diesel generator to serve as backup if the power goes out. Sawyer noted SMUSD currently has 33 electric buses on the road.
Providing a Service
Meanwhile, First Student operates over 45,000 school buses across 43 states and eight Canadian provinces. Of those, 450 are electric vehicles.
“EVs, they are providing not only cleaner and quieter rides to school, but these kids are arriving to school calmer,” said Jennifer Harp, the contractor’s vice president of the electric vehicles program, discussing a recent project in rural Westville, Illinois that electrified its entire fleet of 17 school buses with help from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Program, IRA tax credits, and the Illinois Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust program.
“They had some limited resources,” she said, adding that they were on a lease property and needed an infrastructure solution that would avoid high costs.
She added the company integrated its First Charge, a trenchless, flexible and quick-to-deploy. purpose-built charging hub with that removes the barrier of having to trench locations.
Harp also noted First Student currently deploys 14 First Charge units. It took about nine months to deploy the one operating in Westville.
“If we want to follow Westville’s playbook for electrification success, we really need to remember that continued success in this space requires continued funding incentives from all of our government sectors,” she said. “It also requires that we minimize costly infrastructure as much as possible. Requires partnerships and a willingness to share those learnings. …With the right strategy and infrastructure, school bus electrification is not only possible, it is absolutely practical.”
Related: (STN Podcast E257) The Paths Forward: AI, Clean Energy, Manufacturing Discussed at ACT Expo
Related: Gallery: ACT Expo 2025
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She noted the conversations on battery-electric adoption at ACT Expo have evolved from the initial belief that it could be a plug-and-play option. “If you’ve been here long enough, you know that it’s not that simple,” she shared. “Fleet electrification takes partnerships, very strong partnerships, high increased project coordination, industry standardization, and, above all else, patience.”
Meanwhile, The Mobility House provides smart charging to fleets to over 2,500 sites globally, 100 of which are location in North America. Hill-Cristol shared that the grand vision is to achieve “zero emission transportation at zero cost,” he said. “We think we can get there in some cases, through the technology that we provide.”
He explained that vehicle grid integration is an umbrella term The Mobility House uses to talk about a suite of use cases that are becoming more common with the next-generation electric school bus projects.
“The days of going to the utility, getting a totally new service, 100 percent paid for, putting in enough capacity for every charger to be on at once, and then just turning it on and not worrying, I think those days are pretty much behind us,” he said, adding that now customers are looking for ways to solve challenges, like vehicle-to-grid, charging off peak and backup power integration.
Hill-Cristol also mentioned off-grid supplemental solutions, which consists of using solar storage or a backup generator to help with capacity challenges and the delay in receiving chargers. All of this is also provided by The Mobility House.
He elaborated that the off-grid solutions can be either a long-term or temporary solution. For instance, some districts are using it as a bridge as they wait for their infrastructure, whereas some districts can solely use it as a charge management system. Other use cases include a micro-gird if districts need additional power on site.
“Depending on where you fall on that spectrum, and the investment that you’re making, I think that would lead you to the conclusion of whether this is a two-to-five-year solution or whether this is going to be something that sticks around,” he said. “Because with the right combination of technologies, you’re also going to get operational cost saving.”
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"Chapter A Day" presents “Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary, Resilient, Disabled Body” by Rebekah Taussig, available for listening in its entirety until May 29.
The post Author Rebekah Taussig’s new book redefines disability — now available for listening on ‘Chapter A Day’ appeared first on WPR.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office seized more than 160 roosters and hens from an alleged cockfighting operation Thursday, according to an animal welfare group.
The post Birds euthanized after being seized from suspected cockfighting operation in Wisconsin appeared first on WPR.
How Wisconsin’s K-12 students are learning math is changing. On WPR’s “Wisconsin Today,” a panel of math educators discussed the state of mathematics education in Wisconsin.
The post Wisconsin’s fourth and eighth grade students are above average in math appeared first on WPR.
Last week, Milwaukee's City Hall and nearby municipal building were evacuated after what turned out to be a false alarm of a shooting.
The post Emergency response to last week’s Milwaukee City Hall threat a ‘failure,’ alders say appeared first on WPR.
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