By Attorney Carlos Gamino

Fox News host Tucker Carlson is no stranger to controversy – but he’s decidedly unfamiliar with criticism from top military leaders. Carlson drew strong rebuke from each military branch in mid-March when he said that China’s military was becoming “more masculine” while “our military needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine.” Carlson went on to say, “We’ve got new hairstyles and maternity flight suits. Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It’s a mockery of the U.S. military. The bottom line is: It’s out of control, and the Pentagon’s going along with this.”

Officials from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force quickly responded in support of women in the ranks, with some even correcting Carlson’s remark about pregnant women fighting in wars; pregnant women are non-deployable, and the maternity uniforms are used for daily work. Additionally, as some military news outlets noted, the hairstyle regulations haven’t been updated in decades. Previous regulations prohibited women from wearing ponytails in uniform, bangs that touched their eyebrows, and braids; the new regulations across the Army and Air Force simply changed with the times.

Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston, who’s quick to defend troops on Twitter and elsewhere, tweeted, “Women lead our most lethal units with character. They will dominate ANY future battlefield we’re called to fight on. Tucker Carlson’s words are divisive, don’t reflect our values. We have THE MOST professional, educated, agile, and strongest NCO Corps in the world.”

Major General Patrick Donahoe, the commander of the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning tweeted, “This is me, yesterday, conducting a re-enlistment for one of the tens of thousands of women who serve in our Army. Just a reminder that Tucker Carlson couldn’t be more wrong.”

Department of Defense Spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. military is working on becoming more inclusive and more respectful of everyone, especially women. He said, “We pledge to do better, and we will. What we absolutely won’t do is take personnel advice from a talk show host, or the Chinese military. Maybe those folks feel like they have something to prove. That’s on them.”

Master Gunnery Sergeant Stalker of U.S. Space Command, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, tweeted an entire video response that said, “His opinion, which he has a right to, is based off of actually zero days of service in the Armed Forces… the bottom line is that we value women in our Armed Forces.”

What Do You Think?

Do you believe that the U.S. military should become more inclusive and adjust its standards from time to time, or do you think it’s becoming “more feminine”? I’d love to hear your opinions, so please share them on my Facebook page or my Twitter feed.

Carlos Gamino

By Carlos Gamino

Wisconsin state health officials announced that they’ve administered nearly 2,000,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines during March with the number still climbing – even as some people refuse to get the shot and others are part of “Vaccine Hunters” groups that look for leftover vaccines to distribute to those who want them. (You can track COVID-19 vaccine data in Wisconsin here.)

What About Wasted Doses?

More than 1,800 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been wasted across Wisconsin, according to the Department of Health Services. That number does not include the 500 vaccines that were allegedly intentionally sabotaged by a pharmacist in December. Generally, the waste is accidental; because the vaccines need to be kept at extremely low temperatures, things can easily go wrong.

“St. Nicholas Hospital learned that 28 vials of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine were unintentionally left out unrefrigerated on the night of Feb. 8, 2021. Upon immediate review of the situation, the hospital concluded that these vials were set aside while sorting vaccine; and as a result of human error, the 28 vials were inadvertently left out rather than placed back in the refrigerator as is standard protocol,” a spokesperson from St. Nicholas Hospital said. “HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital firmly believes this situation was a result of human error and not intentional. The hospital has taken this incident very seriously and used it to improve processes and put additional measures in place to ensure it will not happen again.”

Vaccine Hunters on the Prowl

Facebook groups have popped up all over Wisconsin to enable people to find vaccines that would otherwise go to waste.

“We don’t advocate line skipping but we don’t want a dose to go to waste,” said Bob Orech, an organizer of one such group.

Pharmacists and medical professionals are doing their best not to waste vaccine doses. In fact, Dr. Hashim Zaibak of Hayat Pharmacy says they waste fewer doses by going on an as-needed basis. “It’s really difficult because if you mix 100 vaccines and only 50 people show up, then you’re left with 50 doses, then you have to find volunteers or find patients to get,” says Zaibak.

What Do You Think?

Will you get the COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available to you, or are you waiting – or not planning to get it at all? I’d love to hear what you think of the vaccine and your reasoning, so please share your thoughts on my Facebook page or my Twitter feed.

Attorney Carlos Gamino

By Attorney Carlos Gamino

Up for an adventure? There are plenty of things to see right here in Milwaukee, including the Bronze Fonz, St. Joan of Arc Chapel and the North Point Water Tower – but if you venture outside the city, that’s where the real adventures begin.

3 Amazing, People-Free Places to Go This Spring Near Milwaukee

Check out these great adventures within a short drive from Milwaukee – they’re all places you can go to escape from the city:

1. Nasbro Ghost Town
2. Fast Fiberglass Mold Graveyard
3. Holy Hill

Here’s a closer look at each.

#1. Nasbro Ghost Town

You won’t encounter a soul on a visit to Nasbro (see what we did there?). This ghost town was a milling hub from the 1920s to the 1970s, and while there are only a few traces of the dozen homes that once stood on the land, you’ll see five stone lime kilns. The ghost town is located 3 miles west of Lomira on the west side of County Road Y (north of Knowles). It’s definitely worth exploring – and you might find some artifacts along the old train tracks. Check it out here.

#2. Fast Fiberglass Mold Graveyard

Perhaps stranger than a ghost town, this eerie graveyard isn’t home to any people – it’s home to dozens of fiberglass molds designed to make larger-than-life animals, shapes and more. You’ll find massive dogs, oversized Santas and mice bigger than both. The owners let people stroll through the collection, which is located at 14177 County Highway Q in Sparta. Check it out here.

#3. Holy Hill

Whether or not you’re in need of redemption, Holy Hill is an amazing place to visit. Just 30 miles outside of Milwaukee, the hill was deemed a place of miracles after a partially paralyzed hermit named Francois Soubio spent the night there and woke up completely cured from his ailments. The site was home to a cross and altar set up in 1676 by a Canadian pioneer, and then the property sold for $50 in 1855. After changing hands a few more times, you can now find a side chapel and church house with crutches and canes left by those who claim to have been miraculously cured by the hill. And even if you’re not into the religious aspect of Holy Hill, you’ll love the spectacular views from the top – you can see the Milwaukee skyline and acres upon acres of forest. It’s located at 1525 Carmel Road in Hubertus. Check it out here.

What Do You Think?

I’d love to hear your favorite adventures in and around Milwaukee, so please feel free to share them on my Facebook page or on my Twitter feed.

Carlos Gamino

By Carlos Gamino

Millions of small businesses are at risk of closing down permanently due to the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic – and millions more will shutter their doors forever if the second wave is as bad as Dr. Anthony Fauci predicts.

So which businesses have closed their doors or filed for bankruptcy due to the virus? Here’s the most recent list:

1. JC Penney, which is the largest victim of the shutdown to date. The company filed for bankruptcy in mid-May.
2. Crew filed bankruptcy in early May.
3. Neiman Marcus was the first department store chain to declare bankruptcy in early May.

Forbes is maintaining a “Bankruptcy Watch List,” and as of today, that list includes:

• Capri Holdings (Michael Kors, Versace and Jimmy Choo)
• Dillard’s
• Kohl’s
• Levi Strauss
• Macy’s
• Nordstrom
• Signet (Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared and Piercing Pagoda)
• Tapestry (Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzmann)
• The Gap
• L Brands (Victoria’s Secret)
• GNC
• Olympia Sports
• Walgreens

The bottom line is that department stores aren’t cut out for long-term closures.

“Retail companies are not built to have their stores closed for extended periods of time, and unfortunately we need to really plan for the worst and hope for the best,” Manny Chirico, the CEO of PVH Corp., the owner of brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, told CNBC this week.

Chirico expects to see 20 to 25 percent of all U.S. stores to close within the next few years. And he may be right – department stores never quite bounced back from the 2008 recession, and shoppers’ habits have changed significantly since then. The pandemic has made online shopping even more popular, which could be the kiss of death… and we may be in for another retail apocalypse.

What Do You Think?

Do you think these companies should be bailed out, or that they should file for bankruptcy protection in order to stay open? I’d love to hear how you feel about these major retailers closing down, so please feel free to share them on my Facebook page or on my Twitter feed.

Attorney Carlos Gamino