Congratulations to everyone involved in our successful take back of the House of Corrections!  An action alert from WNPJ member group the Benedict Center requested calls to Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele urging him not to veto the Harris Amendment, which restored funding for a superintendent position for the Milwaukee County Correctional Facility - South (CCF-S).

The CCF-S superintendent will improve public safety by implementing programs to reduce recidivism, including AODA treatment, employment training, and community based alternatives like electronic monitoring, the Huber Facility and the Day Reporting Center.  On November 14, we received the news that Abele declined to veto the amendment. Thank you to all who called and the Benedict Center, Wisconsin Community Services, MICAH and Disability Rights for spreading the word.

The Kewaunee nuclear reactor, near Green Bay, will be shut down in mid-2013, owner Dominion Resources announced.

Dominion had been trying to sell the reactor for a year and a half, but could not find a buyer.

In a statement, the company said the decision to mothball the nuclear reactor "was based purely on economics."

The Chicago Tribune reports, "Kewaunee is the first nuclear plant to shut its doors due to competition from natural gas. Production has jumped in recent years as new technologies like horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking,' enable energy companies to tap the United States' vast shale reserves."

School of Americas Watch news:  Step by step, the longest march can be won.  You did it! After protests and nonviolent direct actions, thousands of petitions, and letters from religious leaders and Members of Congress, the White House has agreed to sit down with an SOA Watch delegation to discuss the School of the Americas / Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation mid-October. WNPJ has been involved with this movement over the last years, with our former Lifetime Achievement Awardee, Maureen McDonnell, OP leading the way. And longtime WNPJ member Fred Brancel of Monona (photo) served 6 months in a federal prison, for crossing the line at Ft. Benning, GA several years ago. Many of our members have made the annual trip to Geoargia each November in protest, written letters, and made call to our representatives. Thank you all.  Read more below, of what you can do now is support of this upcoming meeting.