Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett doesn't seem to have won many converts over the City's handling of the Frank Jude beating case, which happened in 2004. The community is still smarting, and the group formed after the beating -- Justice for Jude, Justice for All -- has given a rapier report on Barrett and the cops.

Commenting on Barrett's recent appearance on local radio, the group writes, "Your answers were safe, and non-committing, you once again left the community thinking that your head is buried in the sand.

"Your stance on Milwaukee Police Department issues can only be construed as: You really do not care about the community; you really are afraid of the MPD; the only council you are taking regarding MPD issues are from MPD; you regard the community as being uniformed about MPD issues."

They asked the mayor to call for a federal investigation and assert himself over the Fire and Police Commission by firing members who are doing a poor job.

Ald. Joe Davis has not forgotten the Jude case, either. He's asked the U.S. Attorney General office to investigate whether Milwaukee Police Deputy Inspector Mary Hoerig violated the law when she instructed a key police witness to not include certain details of the chaotic crime scene in her report. Hoerig told former officer Nicole Belmore to include only elements of crimes of theft and obstruction in her report.

"No commanding officer of any law enforcement agency should give instructions to sworn personnel to omit valuable, credible and most important, truthful information in which a crime may have been committed, and in this case it has been proven that crimes were committed," Davis states in his letter to the Department of Justice.

Barrett announced last week he was replacing the executive director of the Fire and Police Commission with Bruce Tobin, a long-time assistant city attorney and TV star on Common Council Judiciary Committee meetings. His budget accounts for more police on the streets, in the schools and continues a police outreach through community-based organizations and neighborhood groups.

Revoked License: Milwaukee Attorney James Gedlen has been a bad, bad boy, according to a complaint. In a rare move, the state Supreme Court revoked the lawyer's license to practice law in the Badger State.

According to the complaint, Gedlen is accused of 28 counts of misconduct relating to his handling of probate cases. He stole $103,826.41 from various accounts he controlled as an estate attorney, according to the finding. The court found that Gedlen issued 69 unauthorized checks from trust accounts to himself and then spent the cash. On one count, Gedlen was accused of "conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation."

According to state computer court records, Gedlen has also been the defendant in several civil actions alleging he owes money. And as of Oct. 3 he has a warrant out for his arrest in Waukesha County after not appearing at several hearings in his divorce proceedings, a case that's gone on since January 2005.

Gedlen's forte appears to be estate cases, but he landed in the media once during a divorce case he was representing. Gedlen was representing the soon-to-be-ex-wife and during that 1991 case, the husband killed his estranged wife and children and then committed suicide.

Sprechen Zie English? Milwaukee aldermen of recent years have tried their best to make sure cab drivers submit to an English-speaking test as well as a quiz on how to get around the city. And they continue to refine that rule to include other classes of workers that require city licenses.

This week a Common Council committee will consider an expansion of the language requirement and the geography exam. The expansion of the ordinance will now cover people who drive vehicles for handicapped and elderly passengers, which to the naked eye in this town means Transit Plus and American United Taxi for the most part.

It's a continuing pattern for the Common Council to further regulate most operators who need a license. A recent target has been junk dealers, who, of late, now must have their license number put on the sides of their vehicles, and, if approved, will have to submit to police fingerprinting and background checks; similar to what folks have to go through to sling beer at a bar. Why picking up junk in an alley and throwing it in the back of a pick-up is compatible with reigning over the responsibility of serving alcohol shows a lack of imagination in terms of writing city ordinances.

Under the Stress of Audit: Perhaps it's the sign of a stressed City of Milwaukee department head, but in his foreword to a recent audit of the Milwaukee fleet, Buildings and Fleet Superintendent Venu Gupta adds this editorial comment:

"Public sector fleets face the mandate of continuously improving performance with rigid budget constraints. ‘Do more with less!' has become a tired cliche. ... I remain challenged with budget constraints in an ever-increasing fuel cost environment. Certain federal mandates are also impacting the cost of vehicle replacements while demands for commodities worldwide are increasing the cost of parts and supplies," Gupta comments.

The audit was requested by Ald. Joe Dudzik, after it was discovered that the city's fleet was bloated and being used for personal use. Gupta is expected to give his report this week.

Continued War Protesting: Seven Madisonians pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing the sidewalk last week after being arrested Sept. 7 while demonstrating against the Iraq War in front of Herb Kohl's Madison office.

"They believe that in times like this, with a war criminal in the White House, it is necessary for citizens to take such actions," reads a statement from Joy First, one of those arrested.

The group placed police crime scene tape across senator's office door.

"The Pig" is called a Pig: The new owner of Piggly-Wiggly is being accused of acting like Wal-Mart, which in these parts is a bit of a slur. It took less than a week before the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1473 issued a statement that it was in "shock and disgust" over the new owner's contract offer.

The union had been working without a contract with the previous owner, Certifresh, for two years while negotiating. Paul Butera owns Fresh Brands and will take the company private. UFCW President John Eiden says Butera is offering a contract that eliminates health benefits "for hundreds" of workers, cuts time off for funeral leave and reduces vacation and holiday time. Workers clocking in less than 38 hours will be most affected the union chief warns.

Butera and Fresh Brands supplies some 95 franchises with supplies under various brand names. Last week he was telling local media how he wanted to expand The Pig's presence in Milwaukee.

"The new owner claimed he didn't care about making money and wanted to have fun. If this is the company's idea of fun, I'm frightful of what they would do to make money," says Eiden in a rare two-page statement.

Our hope is that Jerry Garcia is retained by The Pig for his tailgating tips during Milwaukee Brewers' telecasts.