Marking 21 years since 9/11; Where to find booster shots in Milwaukee
I'm Sophie Carson and this is the Daily Briefing newsletter by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Sign up here to get it sent to your inbox each morning.
It's another rainy day Monday with a high of 65.
A flood watch for much of southeast and south central Wisconsin is in effect through Monday afternoon. By then, 2 to 5 inches of rain will have fallen, meteorologists for the National Weather Service said.
The highest rainfall totals will likely be Kenosha, Racine, Walworth, Waukesha and Milwaukee. Some spots might see more than 7 inches, the weather service said.
Creeks, streams and rivers may flood, the weather service said, along with urban areas and areas with poor drainage. When driving, remember the saying: Turn around, don't drown!
The weather service also warned people to stay out of Lake Michigan and away from piers and break walls. High waves and strong currents make swimming dangerous.
Sept. 11 anniversary
Sunday marked the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Milwaukee leaders at a remembrance event at the War Memorial Center shared their own memories of the day and lessons they learned.
A 14-year-old in 2001, Mayor Cavalier Johnson was inspired by the bravery of first responders and President George W. Bush's leadership and made a decision then to pursue public service. (He explains more in a series of tweets.)
Many at the event recalled how the country came together after 9/11. Marine veteran Eugene Manzanet said that today, it's more important than ever to remember that sense of unity.
"Hopefully we can get back to that," he told me.
American Muslims often note that the rosy picture of unity wasn't felt by everyone. Advocates say 9/11 contributed to a surge in Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate crimes.
"A lot of the Muslim community, during the time of 9/11, can feel secluded or stereotyped or like they have to be extra careful about what they do or say," Lena Abukhamireh, a recent Marquette University graduate, told reporter Daphne Chen.
To "shed a positive light," Milwaukee-area Muslims and local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined forces Saturday to clean up trash from the neighborhoods near South 13th Street and Layton Avenue.
Organizers planned it in conjunction with the National Day of Service, an annual community service event in remembrance of 9/11.
So how did the Muslim and Mormon communities connect? "Othman Atta, director of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, said the idea was born at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center, where his daughter, a nurse, works alongside (Chris) Nussbaum, an emergency medicine doctor" and president of the Milwaukee North Stake of the LDS Church.
Also Sunday, President Joe Biden somberly marked the anniversary. At the end of his remarks, Biden said the nation should use the anniversary to renew its commitment to democracy, and said "we'll secure our democracy together."
"It’s not enough to stand up for democracy once a year or every now and then," Biden said at another point. "It’s something we have to do every single day."
'Contamination quandary'
On French Island in La Crosse County, officials are puzzling over how to safely dispose of PFAS water filters.
Incinerating the filters could send highly concentrated "forever chemicals" into the air. So Lee Donahue, town supervisor, and other local leaders have created a plan to collect the filters from residents until they get guidance from the DNR.
About 2,000 residents on French Island are currently receiving bottled water either from the City of La Crosse or through the state, and have been since early 2021, because of high levels of contamination in their drinking water.
Meanwhile, Sen. Eric Wimberger (R-Green Bay) is planning to introduce legislation next year that could clear the way for a specialized landfill to receive the waste. But he acknowledges that it would likely be difficult to find a community comfortable with a landfill designated for PFAS.
There aren't many easy answers to this "contamination quandary." Reporter Laura Schulte cuts to the heart of the issue:
"To prevent PFAS waste from going into landfills, there would have to be a society-wide shift away from the compounds."
Bivalent booster vaccine now available from Milwaukee Health Department
On Monday, the Milwaukee Health Department will begin offering the updated single-dose COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccine at the Menomonee Valley Drive-Thru Clinic at 2401 W. St. Paul Ave.
Starting Tuesday, it'll also be at the Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Road, and Southside Health Center, 1639 S. 23rd St.
The boosters from the Health Department will be free, Alison Dirr reports. Neither an appointment nor proof of insurance are needed to receive the vaccine.
The booster is meant to target both the original strain of the virus as well as the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants.
And here's what to know about the booster rollout, from reporter Devi Shastri.
Don't miss these
Negotiating teams on Sunday reached a proposed settlement that would avert a nurses' strike at UW Health hospitals.
A man who pleaded guilty to robbing seven tow truck drivers at gunpoint during a three-week crime spree last fall has been sentenced to 22 years in prison.
The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission, once embattled over the ouster of Police Chief Alfonso Morales, has seen nearly total turnover.
Are you already planning your stops for Doors Open Milwaukee? It's set for Sept. 24-25. Here's what to know.
The Pack is ... not really back
The Packers opened the season with a 23-7 loss to the Vikings. But don't worry. Remember a year ago today they dropped their opener 38-3 to the Saints and ended up winning 13 of their next 16 games. Trust the process.
So... in other news... did everyone see Aaron Rodgers' new haircut? The internet wonders if he's trying to emulate a movie character's look again.
Contact Sophie Carson at (414) 223-5512 or scarson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SCarson_News.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee leaders remember 9/11, health department offers boosters
