The U.S. Census Bureau has released more detailed 2010 Census population totals and demographic characteristics to the governor and leadership of the state legislature in Wisconsin. These data provide the first look at population counts for small areas and race, Hispanic origin, voting age and housing unit data released from the 2010 Census.

The official 2010 Census Redistricting Data Summary File can be used to redraw federal, state and local legislative districts under Public Law 94-171. The census data are used by state officials to realign congressional and state legislative districts in their states, taking into account population shifts since the 2000 Census.

Data for Wisconsin show that the five most populous incorporated places and their 2010 Census counts are Milwaukee, 594,833; Madison, 233,209; Green Bay, 104,057; Kenosha, 99,218; and Racine, 78,860. Milwaukee decreased by 0.4 percent since the 2000 Census. Madison grew by 12.1 percent, Green Bay grew by 1.7 percent, Kenosha grew by 9.8 percent, and Racine decreased by 3.7 percent.

The largest county is Milwaukee, with a population of 947,735. Its population grew by 0.8 percent since 2000. The other counties in the top five include Dane, with a population of 488,073 (increase of 14.4 percent); Waukesha, 389,891 (increase of 8.1 percent); Brown, 248,007 (increase of 9.4 percent); and Racine, 195,408 (increase of 3.5 percent).

The redistricting file consists of five detailed tables: the first shows the population by race, including six single race groups and 57 multiple race groups (63 total race categories); the second shows the Hispanic or Latino population as well as the non-Hispanic or Latino population cross-tabulated by the 63 race categories. These tabulations are repeated in the third and fourth tables for the population 18 years and over and are for the resident population of the United States. The fifth table provides counts of housing units and their occupancy status.

These five detailed tables are available to the public online via FTP download at http://www2.census.gov/census_2010/01-Redistricting_File–PL_94-171/ and will be available within 24 hours at http://factfinder2.census.gov.  (Access 2003 or Access 2007 shells or SAS scripts are provided to assist with importing and accessing the summary file data from the FTP site.  These shells and scripts can be found at http://www.census.gov/rdo/tech_tips.  This Web page also contains special instructions for linking data downloaded from FactFinder and/or the FTP site with the Census Bureau’s geographic products.)

By April 1, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will receive these data for the following areas: state, congressional districts (for 111th Congress), counties, minor civil divisions, state legislative districts, places, school districts, census tracts, block groups and blocks, and if applicable, American Indian and Alaska Native areas and Hawaiian home lands. In addition, data are available for the 46 states that voluntarily provided voting districts to the Census Bureau’s Redistricting Data Program. Unique geographies for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are also available.

Race and Hispanic Origin Data

The Census Bureau collects race and Hispanic origin information following the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) standards for collecting and tabulating data on race and ethnicity. In October 1997, the OMB issued the current standards, which identify five race groups: white, black or African-American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. The Census Bureau also utilized a sixth category — “some other race.” Respondents who reported only one race are shown in these six groups.

Individuals were first presented with the option to self-identify with more than one race in the 2000 Census, and this continued in the 2010 Census. People who identify with more than one race may choose to provide multiple races in response to the race question. The 2010 Census results provide new data on the size and makeup of the nation’s multiracial population.

Respondents who reported more than one of the six race groups are included in the “two or more races” population. There are 57 possible combinations of the six race groups.

The Census Bureau included the “some other race” category for responses that could not be classified in any of the other race categories on the questionnaire. In the 2000 Census, the vast majority of people who reported only as “some other race” were of Hispanic or Latino origin. Data on Hispanics or Latinos, who may be of any race, were obtained from a separate question on ethnicity.

Popularity: 16% [?]

MillerCoors is celebrating the holiday season with a series of programs and partnerships to help prevent drunk driving and encourage consumers to plan ahead for a safe celebration. The company will launch its signature Miller Lite Free Rides™ program in five cities on New Year’s Eve and urges consumers nationwide to never drive drunk.

“We believe there is no greater responsibility than ensuring our great beers are consumed responsibly, and encourage consumers to plan ahead for a safe celebration and never drive drunk,” said Kim Marotta, vice president of corporate social responsibility for MillerCoors. “Whether they choose alternative transportation, designate a driver or stay overnight at a hotel or friend’s home, there is always a better option than driving drunk.”

Miller Lite Free Rides, which offers free public transportation during key holidays, will be offered on New Year’s Eve in Chicago, Milwaukee/Waukesha and Madison, Wisconsin, and for the first time ever in Baltimore.  In 2010 alone the Miller Lite Free Rides program has been offered in 13 cities to 354,169 riders, at different events such as the Kentucky Derby and St. Patrick’s Day, among others across the country. In its 23-year history, Free Rides has provided more than 2.4 million safe rides, helping to keep the holidays enjoyable.

In addition, MillerCoors is implementing a number of programs nationwide to provide alternative transportation:

• 1-800-TAXICAB, a national taxi dispatch service, reminds people there is always an alternative to driving drunk. Locating a cab is easy – no matter where you’re located; dial the toll free number and you will automatically be connected with a local-area taxi company.
• In partnership with the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) and Colorado Department of Transportation, MillerCoors is providing free rides on New Year’s Eve throughout the Denver metro area.
• Cab vouchers are being offered in more than 30 markets to help encourage consumers to choose alternative transportation rather than drive under the influence, including in Denver, Colorado Springs and Ft. Collins.
• Take the pledge at www.GreatBeerGreatResponsibility.com to prevent drunk driving and join MillerCoors “One Million Strong” effort. Legal-aged consumers can also share their plan to celebrate the holidays responsibly and be entered to win one of four gift cards valued at $500 to put towards that plan.

MillerCoors believes that with great beer, comes great responsibility. 

Popularity: 23% [?]

Reporting the most optimistic hiring expectations in more than two years, U.S. employers anticipate small staffing gains for Quarter 1 2011, according to the seasonally adjusted results of the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc. The adjusted Outlook for Quarter 1 2011 is +9%, up from +5% during the same period last year and +5% during Quarter 4 2010.

This quarter’s survey reveals:

• Five Straight Quarters of Employment Growth: Employers report a positive overall hiring Outlook since the start of 2010, according to seasonally adjusted data.
• Widespread Stability: The percentage of employers planning to keep staff levels unchanged persists at unsurpassed levels, and those in seven of the 13 industry sectors surveyed expect to remain relatively stable compared to Quarter 4 2010.
• Current Outlook Still Below Past Decade’s Average: Despite positive signals, the Quarter 1 2011 Outlook is nearly five percentage points below the average Outlook from 2001 to 2010.

“Across nearly all geographies in the world, the confidence to do additional hiring is improving,” said Manpower Inc. Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres. “However, like the U.S., the lack of robust demand for products and services is creating a persistent level of uncertainty.”

Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed, 14% anticipate an increase in staff levels in their Quarter 1 2011 hiring plans, while 10% expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of +4%. When seasonally adjusted, the Net Employment Outlook becomes +9%. Seventy- three percent of employers expect no change in their hiring plans. The final 3% of employers indicate they are undecided about their hiring intentions.

“The fact that hiring expectations are trending upward is an encouraging sign,” said Jonas Prising, Manpower president of the Americas. “This quarter’s survey responses paint a picture of a job market that is easing up, although not as quickly as anyone would like. We are still stuck in first gear, but the ongoing sector-wide improvement we have seen over the last year suggests that the labor market is ready to shift to a higher gear in 2011.”

Employers in 11 of the 13 industry sectors surveyed have a positive Outlook for Quarter 1 2011: Leisure & Hospitality (+12%), Professional & Business Services (+11%), Information (+10%), Wholesale & Retail Trade (+10%), Mining (+6%), Durable Goods Manufacturing (+6%), Nondurable Goods Manufacturing (+6%), Education & Health Services (+6%), Other Services (+4%), Financial Activities (+4%) and Transportation & Utilities (+2%). The January – March 2011 Outlook is negative in the Construction (-9%) industry, while Government (0%) hiring is expected to be flat. Employers in two industry sectors, Mining and Wholesale & Retail Trade, expect their hiring pace to decrease compared to the previous quarter, while those in three industry sectors, Information, Education & Health Services and Leisure & Hospitality, anticipate staff levels picking up. Hiring plans are relatively stable in the remaining industry sectors.

Compared to one year ago, employers in all four U.S. geographic regions surveyed anticipate an increased pace of hiring. Employers in the Midwest and South have the most optimistic view, with a Net Employment Outlook of +10%. The Outlook is +9% for employers in the Northeast and +7% for those in the West. When adjusting for seasonal variations, employers in the Northeast, Midwest and West anticipate a moderate increase in hiring compared to one year ago at this time, while employers in the South expect a slight increase. Quarter over quarter, employers in the West report the strongest growth in job prospects with a six point increase.

*The Net Employment Outlook, often shortened to simply Outlook or NEO, is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Financial security and access to resources is the number one predictor of whether domestic violence victims will stay or leave an abusive relationship, according to recent research. A new partnership between The Allstate Foundation and the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence will make that choice a little easier. The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program will award $70,000 to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence to support economic empowerment strategies for survivors.

The financial impact for a domestic violence survivor can last for years while the survivor works to repair or build credit, build assets and secure housing, childcare and transportation. In its fifth year, the Moving Ahead Economic Empowerment Grant program provides funding in the areas of financial education, job readiness and training, match savings programs or individual development accounts (IDA) and micro-loans, helping survivors on their path to financial security.

“Survivors need access to information and strategies that this grant program provides now more than ever to help them on their path to financial freedom,” said Jennifer Kuhn, program manager for The Allstate Foundation’s Domestic Violence Program. “The current economic climate demands that financial empowerment services be provided on the local level. The Allstate Foundation is proud to support these efforts and help make financial security a reality for many survivors.”

The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence will use the funding to promote services for survivor economic stability and safety. A program at Sojourner Center will provide intensive educational and job readiness programming, financial literacy training, matched savings/IDA and micro-loans to empower more than 500 survivors.

The grant program has provided more than $575,000 to ten state domestic violence coalitions this year. As a part of The Allstate Foundation’s commitment to ending domestic violence, the Moving Ahead Grant programs have provided more than $15 million in programming and direct support since their inception.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Erich Strausbaugh, a Kenosha cop involved in the questionable shooting death of Michael Bell in 2004, has killed himself.

The 34 year old was feeling residual stress of the ordeal and had marital problems weighing on his head. As a reminder, Strausbaugh killed the 21 year old Bell in his driveway six years ago after conducting a  traffic stop. Bell was forced to the ground and tased by Strausburgh and a second cop, while another officer shot him in the head at close range.

The family of Michael Bell won a $1.75  million settlement in March at the department’s expense.

Strausburgh was praised by his department as an exemplary officer despite the blemish and doubt surrounding the traumatic event. He is the second officer in six months to die by his own hand in the Kenosha Police Department. It has been estimated that every 17 to 21 hours, a cop commits suicide, with 30 to 40 percent of living officers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Popularity: 16% [?]

The following was released today by Estelle Rogers, Director of Advocacy, Project Vote:

As the hotly contested November election nears, it should be no surprise that voter intimidation and suppression schemes are ramping up too.  Even beyond the usual partisan pre-election hysteria, this year the Tea Party has made “voter fraud” a rallying cry.  Never mind that it’s been proven time and again that voter fraud is largely a myth; it excites the right-wing base.

To combat alleged “voter fraud,” party activists in a number of states have mounted well-publicized campaigns to compile challenge lists from returned mail (“voter caging”) and to deploy their members to watch the polls.  But what they’re really doing is threatening and intimidating a targeted group of voters, and it’s usually in minority precincts.

A zealous group of Republican, Tea Party, and right wing activists are on the attack.

• In Harris County, Texas, early voting has begun, and, as the Houston Chronicle reports, there are complaints that a Tea Party group has been hovering over voters, interfering with election workers, and disrupting lines of voters waiting to vote in minority neighborhoods.  The Justice Department is investigating and interviewing witnesses.
• Also in Texas, a fraudulent flyer being distributed in African American neighborhoods in Houston by the “Black Democratic Trust of Texas,” a nonexistent group, advises voters not to vote for the Democratic ticket because their votes will instead go to the Republicans.
• In Illinois, Senate candidate Mark Kirk has proudly claimed that he has mounted the state’s largest “voter integrity program in 15 years”—aimed at four largely African-American precincts. Coincidentally (or maybe not), the Republican National Lawyers Association, a group closely affiliated with the Republican National Committee, is conducting trainings for lawyers in Illinois to assist on Election Day and “ensure that the elections are open, fair and honest.”  Additionally, MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann has linked a key figure in Kirk’s “voter integrity squad” to voter intimidation that occurred in black communities while President Bush was in office.
• A voter suppression plan in Wisconsin (a combined effort of the state Republican Party, Americans for Prosperity, and Tea Party organizations) is targeting, among others, 16,000 Milwaukee County voters.  As the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, the organization One Wisconsin Now says it has obtained an audio recording of a tea party leader “outlining plans to work with the state Republican Party and another group, Americans for Prosperity, and use postcards to verify voters’ addresses as well as provide volunteer poll workers to challenge voters on Election Day.” A leader of a Tea Party group emailed “All Group Leaders” with instructions—including directions for photographing the homes of people targeted for voter suppression activities. The voter caging mailing allegedly targeted the 16th Assembly District, the district with the third-highest African-American voting population in the state.
• A coalition of right-wing groups in Minnesota has been unsuccessful in its efforts to require photo ID at the polls, so they’ve redirected their energies to creating “voter surveillance teams.”  As Minnesota Public Radio reports, their planned activities include videotaping and tracking buses that bring voters to the polls (to ensure—they say—that buses are not taking their passengers to multiple polling places).  Their materials also castigate Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and Attorney General Lori Swanson for failing to investigate and prosecute voter fraud.
• One of the most publicized and explicit campaigns to suppress the minority vote has been in Nevada, where “Latinos for Reform,” a group headed by a conservative Republican activist, is urging Hispanic voters to stay home on Election Day in order to “demand some attention.”  President Obama called the tactic a “cynical political ploy,” and the ads have been denounced by the Latino Coalition. The Hispanic television network Univision has announced it will not broadcast the ad.
• And everywhere, the conservative website “Pajamas Media” is trying to “develop a network of citizen journalists/poll watchers” to monitor as many polling places as possible and report back, preferably with video or still photographs, on cases of voter fraud or intimidation.  They’re looking for cases of electioneering too close to the polls, “forced assistance,” registration fraud, multiple voting, and “dead voters.” As Michael Waldman, executive director of the Brennan Center for Justice says in an Associated Press article, “unfounded fears cannot serve as prevention of actual voters casting actual votes.”

Caging and suppression tactics have occurred nationwide in recent elections.

• The GOP has practiced voter caging and intimidation under the auspices of “ballot security” since the civil rights era. In a 2004 report to the Center for Voting Rights and Protection entitled “Republican Ballot Security Programs: Vote Protection or Minority Vote Suppression—Or Both?”, scholars from Rice University discussed the history of what they call “ballot security programs gone bad” which, in the name of protecting against vote fraud, are intended to have a chilling effect on voting, and “almost exclusively target heavily black, Latino, or Indian voting precincts.”
• Some contemporary RNC officials have admitted, privately and publicly, that caging and similar so-called “ballot security campaigns” are intended to suppress the African-American vote. During a 2004 Detroit election campaign, for example, Michigan State representative John Pappageorge told a meeting of Oakland County Republican Party members that “if we do not suppress the Detroit vote, we’re going to have a tough time in this election.” (Detroit’s population is 83 percent African-American and overwhelmingly supports democratic candidates.)
• In 2004, the Ohio Republican Party mailed approximately 232,000 non-forwardable letters to all newly registered voters; those returned as undeliverable were used to challenge about 35,437 voters in predominantly minority metropolitan areas. Caging operations conducted by state Republican organizations in 2004  also targeted minorities in Florida, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky.
• In 2006, inquiries into the firings of nine U.S. Attorneys (the “Attorneygate” scandal) exposed the politicization of the Bush Administration Justice Department, in which law enforcement’s traditional role of protecting citizen rights was perverted to serve a partisan agenda, including voter suppression.
• In 2008 in Montana, the Republican Party filed challenges against 6,000 voters on the basis of residence in counties that were historically Democratic strongholds.
• In Michigan, statements from the Macomb County Republican Party chair that the party intended to challenge any voter who attempted to vote from a foreclosed address triggered a lawsuit by the Obama campaign and three individuals. The suit settled with an agreement not to use foreclosure lists as the basis of challenges.
• In Wisconsin in 2008, the GOP issued a call to policemen, security personnel, and firefighters “who would potentially be willing to volunteer … at inner city (more intimidating) polling places,” according to the Washington Post.
• In 2008 in Ohio, Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer announced that he was investigating hundreds of people who registered and voted during Ohio’s same-day registration window.  Despite rulings from four different federal and state courts upholding the lawfulness of the five-day window, the County announced they were attempting to “determine whether there was any voter fraud or not,” according to an Associated Press story. Fischer claimed to have been “flooded” with phone calls about alleged voter fraud; yet no actual grounds for an investigation were given.
• Also in Ohio, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, the local chairman of the McCain campaign, initiated a grand jury investigation and issued subpoenas for unredacted personal information on 40% of the 671 new voters who cast ballots during Ohio’s five-day window of same-day registration and voting. Both the election board and the secretary of state’s office said they were unaware of any evidence of voter fraud.

For more information contact Estelle Rogers, Director of Advocacy, at 202.546.4173 x. 310, or erogers@projectvote.org

Popularity: 17% [?]

The Daily Beast has released its second-annual ranking of America’s 55 largest cities by brainpower, from first to worst. In a study examining cities’ statistics on both educational attainment and intellectual environment, our data revealed that Boston came out on top as the smartest, while residents of Las Vegas had the lowest cumulative IQ.  

The Daily Beast’s research team ranked educational performance based on how many residents had attained bachelor’s and/or graduate degrees. Gauging the city’s intellectual environment comprised three parts: reviewing nonfiction book sales, measuring the ratio of institutions of higher education, and factoring in libraries per capita.

Full methodology: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-10-24/ranking-americas-smartest-and-dumbest-cities/

Popularity: 10% [?]

The deceased in a single car crash on Highway 16 Friday afternoon  has been identified.

Eric Pierce, 40 years old of Hartland, was killed when his Jeep lost control and rolled over many times, ending up on the median at 3:20 pm. His eight month old son was in the vehicle and sustained minor injuries.

Preliminary reports out of Waukesha said there was a reckless driver on Highway 16 involved in a fatal crash, which leads police to believe that the fatal wreck was a result of speeding. An investigation is ongoing.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Johnson Controls  ranked No. 14 of America’s 500 largest corporations by Newsweek’s Green Rankings.  The company placed second in its sector of consumer products and cars.

Each company was given a Green Score, which is calculated using three component scores: Environmental Impact Score, Green Policies Score and Reputation Score.  Johnson Controls’ Green Score was 90.94 out of 100.

“Newsweek’s ranking of Johnson Controls recognizes the commitment of our 130,000 employees throughout the world have to advancing our environmental leadership,” commented Stephen Roell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.  ”With our origins dating back to Warren Johnson’s invention of the first electric thermostat over 125 years ago, we always have been focused on energy conservation.  Our offerings now span retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient to developing advanced hybrid battery technology and lightweight seating for vehicles.”

Newsweek worked with leading environmental researchers, MSCI ESG Research, Trucost, and CorporateRegister.com to rank companies on their environmental performance, policies, and reputation.  The 500 companies included in the list are the largest U.S. companies as measured by revenue, market capitalization and number of employees.

Popularity: 9% [?]

K2, Kush, Spice, Yucatan Fire, pseudo weed, fake marijuana – whatever pseudonym you choose to use for the stuff, it’s being banned by Waukesha, according to a vote by the Waukesha Common Council.

The council overwhelmingly voted 14-0 for an ordinance that bans the sale and possession of the imitation marijuana. The vote wasn’t technically unanimous, as one member of the board was absent.

Persons caught with the insidious substance face fines ranging from$400-$1,000, while trafficking it will make you $500 – $1,000 poorer.

The polyonymous substance is intended to give the same high that illegal marijuana does. The Council stated that the imitation weed is dangerous for its inconsistent potency, which could be up to 100 times stronger than that of its genuine counterpart. They also mentioned a litany of health risks associated with its usage, such as heart palpitations, delusions, hallucinations, seizures and vomiting.

Popularity: 35% [?]