Props To Eugene Kane For Posts On Binge Drinking

My former Journal Sentinel newsroom colleague Eugene Kane has recently moved to OnMilwaukee.com, and I appreciate the focus he's bringing there to dangerous binge-drinking that keeps taking lives from La Crosse to Milwaukee.

Tough, illuminating words from Kane on Wednesday:

More than nine deaths due to drowning were reported in Wisconsin college towns over the past decade, many in or near LaCrosse. I've received messages from readers in that area who always insisted police in the area know it's the work of a killer but don't want to admit it or be accused of incompetence.

Every cop I've talked to with any knowledge about those drownings has always insisted there's no way that could ever be true.

With this latest death by drowning in downtown Milwaukee of all places, the people who want to sound an alarm about drunken white males who stumble into the river don't want to hear anything about a serial killer.

For them, the true villain has a name - and it's alcoholism.

I've devoted attention to this issue  - - here, or here - - helping to bring to light the plague that abusive drinking inflicts on our state's youth, culture and reputation.

Kane will reach a big audience with his work.