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Post from Community: Natural and human history hike – Riverside Park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
May 6, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
9-12pm, May 22nd at Riverside Park
Registration is required for this program
(For adults) Riverside Park (formerly River Park) has many stories woven into its landscape. We’ll take a leisurely stroll to look for evidence of those stories (some tangible, some left to the imagination) that shaped the land.
$15 to $20. Pick your price
Personal financial situations vary widely so we provide multiple pricing options to make our programs accessible. The highest listed price fully covers the cost of the program. Lower prices reflect the generosity of our supporters who help us ensure programs are available to everyone. Please choose the option that best fits you, your family and your guests.
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For questions about this program, please contact us at programs@urbanecologycenter.org.


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176615961_10159433281683698_3397237679973105326_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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May 6, 2021

source: news-milwaukeenns

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Name *


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Post from Community: Registration open for the Hank Aaron State Trail 5K Run/Walk | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail
May 6, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
After having to cancel the event in 2020 due to COVID, the 21st Annual Hank Aaron State Trail 5K Run/Walk is returning in 2021 in a hybrid format, offering both an in-person event at the Tailgate Haus at American Family Field and do-it-yourself event. The Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail, a nonprofit group dedicated to sustaining and enhancing the trail hosts the annual community event.
Fans of Hank Aaron and supporters of the Trail can safely return to this favorite summer tradition. For those who wish to complete the course in-person, a safely planned event will take place on Saturday, August 14 at 8:30AM. The event is a family-friendly run/walk for people of all ages and abilities. For those who want some extra flexibility, a virtual event can be completed at your own pace any time between Sunday, August 1 and Saturday, August 14.
This year’s race is notably special, as it honors the life of baseball legend and community advocate Hank Aaron (1934-2021).  “Hammerin’ Hank” was one of baseball’s greatest players and was a man of enormous accomplishments and integrity. He holds more major league batting records than anyone in history and hit 755 home runs, many of them as a Milwaukee Brave and Brewer. He broke many racial and cultural barriers, and the Trail, which connects the diverse neighborhoods of the greater Milwaukee area, exemplifies his legacy.
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In addition to providing an affordable and accessible 5K, the annual run/walk is the Trail’s largest fundraiser and supports all major Trail initiatives, including:
The route weaves through the beautiful Three Bridges Park, through restored prairie with blooming native plants, and crosses the Menomonee River, providing an inspiring view of American Family Field in the home stretch. The route is steeped in history and is located along Milwaukee’s former rail and industrial corridor in the Menomonee River Valley. Restoration of the trail and adjacent areas has provided greenspace for recreation, wildlife habitat, and improved ecology.
Procedures have been put in place to ensure a safe in-person experience. These include required advance registration, mask use at the start and finish line, waves to allow for social distancing, a drive-up packet pick-up system, and more which will limit contact and keep volunteers and participants safe.
For more information or to register, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/Milwaukee/HankAaronStateTrail5K.
The Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustaining, promoting, and enhancing the Hank Aaron State Trail.  The 13-mile paved trail runs through the heart of the city and is within a 15 minute bike ride for over 400,000 Milwaukeeans. The 5K run/walk event is the primary fundraiser for the Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail. Proceeds are used for trail maintenance, improvements, and to fund youth bike camps in partnership with the Wisconsin Bike Fed.

author: Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail


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May 6, 2021


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5 things to do and know the weekend of May 7 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 7, 2021
Fondy Farmers Market is back with its early season market starting this Saturday, May 8. (NNS file photo)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 6, 2021


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Leaders consider opening grocery store at Ascension St. Joseph Hospital | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
May 7, 2021
Ascension Wisconsin’s Reggie Newson addresses a crowd in front of the mobile market at St. Joseph hospital. (Photo provided by Ascension Wisconsin)
Ascension St. Joseph hospital is hosting a mobile market for the next two weeks as leaders weigh opening a permanent grocery store on the campus.
The mobile market, which is stocked by Piggly Wiggly and run by the Hunger Task Force, will operate in the hospital’s parking lot, 5051 W. Burleigh St., from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday until May 14.
But after these two weeks, a new set of work begins: analyzing the shopping trends. Reggie Newson, chief community impact and advocacy officer for Ascension Wisconsin, said officials will collect data on the market’s use to see if there is enough demand for a permanent grocery store in the Sherman Park neighborhood, where St. Joseph is located.
“Access to fresh food and jobs can seriously affect health outcomes,” Newson said. “We consider this health care outside the four walls of the hospital.”
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Sherrie Tussler, executive director of Hunger Task Force, said her organization did door-to-door canvassing to get the word out about the mobile market.
Tussler said housing a grocery store in the hospital, located at 5000 W. Chambers St., would also create an option for “produce prescriptions,” where doctors could write prescriptions for those with health concerns that could be addressed through nutrition.
Mabel Lamb, executive director of the Sherman Park Community Association, says the neighborhood’s 31,000 residents need a grocery store. (Photo provided by the Sherman Park Community Association)
In addition, Tussler said, a brick-and-mortar location would help about 70% of the area’s residents who don’t have a car. The nearest grocery store is about a mile and half away in Midtown, she said.
“The leverage point here is healthy foods,” Tussler said.
Mabel Lamb, executive director of the Sherman Park Community Association, said the neighborhood’s 31,000 residents need a grocery store. The area has an oversaturation of convenience stores but no access to fresh vegetables and fruit, she said.
“It’s a lot easier to walk to St. Joe’s than it is to walk to Sentry on Lisbon,” Lamb said.
The mobile market accepts FoodShare Quest cards, debit cards and credit cards and sells goods at a 25% discount. No cash is accepted. Hunger Task Force will also have staff on site to help people sign up for FoodShare benefits.

author: Matt Martinez


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51157296307_9c3c59aff8_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 6, 2021


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MABELLAMB | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 6, 2021


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Post from Community: SaintA named one of Southeast Wisconsin’s top workplaces | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
SaintA
May 7, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
SaintA, an evolving, community-facing human services organization that offers a comprehensive array of prevention, intervention and crisis resources that help children and families thrive, was awarded a Top Workplaces 2021 honor by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Top Workplaces. The highly coveted honor is based solely on anonymous employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey.
“At SaintA, our mission is to facilitate equity, learning, healing and wellness for the children and families in our community, but these values also extend to our colleagues,” said Ann Leinfelder Grove, President and CEO of SaintA. “In recent years, we have been intentional about finding new and innovative ways to support, equip and invest in our team and I’m proud to see that reflected in our employees’ feedback.”
The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection.
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Top of Mind for Employees
Employee survey data illustrated the importance of SaintA’s DE&I efforts.
“At a time when racial injustice is top of mind for the nation and our local community, SaintA embarked on a journey to understand, identify and address inequity not only within the communities it serves but within our own walls,” said Leinfelder Grove.
In 2020, SaintA held its first all-agency virtual gathering called “The Healing Starts With Us,” where the team publicly denounced systemic racism, committed to being part of the community healing, and accepted their individual and collective responsibility to advocate for the racial justice they want to see.
Additionally, in recent years, SaintA has created and nurtured a Historical Trauma workgroup, an Equity Council, and several additional staff-led affinity groups that address equity. SaintA’s Board of Directors approved a sweeping equity and inclusion statement and SaintA launched and continues to support an array of Employee Resource Groups including groups for LGBTQ individuals, Aspiring Women of Color, and Men in Social Work. The agency has also launched an Aspiring Women of Color mentor program.
Over the past several years, SaintA has been intentional about diversifying its workforce, executive team and board of directors to reflect the diversity of the people SaintA serves. In 2013, SaintA’s executive team was 100% white. Today, it is 33% African American. Additionally, 32% of SaintA’s Board is made up of individuals from BIPOC communities.
“The past year has been incredibly difficult,” said Leinfelder Grove. “To hear directly from your employees that they feel cared for, supported and valued – while the work they were doing was caring for, supporting and adding value to the lives of children and families across Wisconsin – is incredibly rewarding.”
ABOUT SAINTA
SaintA is an evolving, community-facing human services organization based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a national leader in recognizing and addressing the impact of trauma, SaintA has been caring for kids for more than 170 years. Championing families, SaintA offers a comprehensive array of prevention, intervention and crisis resources to facilitate equity, learning, healing and wellness by restoring the connections that help children and families thrive. Learn more at https://sainta.org/.

author: SaintA


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sa_logo_lrg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
May 11, 2021

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Post from Community: Solidarity with Colombia/Solidaridad con Colombia | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
The Red Condor Collective
May 7, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
In Colombia on April 28, the country’s largest trade unions and other organizations organized a national strike against a tax hike, and the state responded with repression. Since then, Colombians across the country have been marching every day, and there has been a consistent escalation of violence from the state.
In solidarity, there’s an event happening in Milwaukee Wisconsin on Monday May 10th, at Walkers Square Park starting at 5PM, organized by Colombians in diaspora known as the Red Condor Collective. They’ve been supporting Colombia prior to the massive uprising, and are continuing to support activists on the ground there, raising $25,000 to uplift organizers.
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The event in Milwaukee on May 10 is part of an international call to action to pressure governments to denounce all human rights violations happening in Colombia.
The Colombian military has killed more than 30 protesters, Colombian police are shooting expired tear gas directly into people’s faces and limbs that turns into cyanide when expired, and security forces have cut electricity in poor and working class urban areas.
The biggest question amongst Colombians is where is democracy? Where is international support in light of this humanitarian crisis?
“Dozens of Colombians have been abused, murdered, and disappeared,’ says Eric, an organizer with The Red Condor Collective “It is important for people in the United States to stand in solidarity with Colombia because the United States government provides the political, military, and financial support which makes this violence possible.”
Colombians are demanding an end to US military aid to Colombia, an end to the repression, and the prosecution of the government officials who gave the orders to attack peaceful demonstrators. They are also demanding a guaranteed annual income for every Colombian so that millions no longer would have to live in poverty.
Solidarity protests are happening all over the world and can be followed through digital platforms with the hashtag #soscolombia.
Solidaridad con Colombia
En Colombia, el 28 de abril, los sindicatos y otras organizaciones más grandes del país organizaron una huelga nacional contra el aumento de impuestos, y el estado respondió con represión. Desde entonces, los colombianos de todo el país han estado marchando todos los días y ha habido una escalada constante de violencia por parte del estado.
En solidaridad, hay un evento en Milwaukee Wisconsin el lunes 10 de mayo, en Walkers Square Park empezando a las 5PM, organizado por colombianos en la diáspora conocida como Red Condor Collective. Han estado apoyando a Colombia antes del levantamiento masivo y continúan apoyando a los activistas en el terreno, recaudando $25,000 para animar a los organizadores.
El evento en Milwaukee el 10 de mayo es parte de un llamado internacional a la acción para presionar a los gobiernos para que denuncien todas las violaciones de derechos humanos que ocurren en Colombia.
El ejército colombiano ha matado a más de 30 manifestantes, la policía colombiana está disparando gas lacrimógeno caducado directamente en la cara y las extremidades de las personas que se convierte en cianuro cuando expira, y las fuerzas de seguridad han cortado la electricidad en áreas urbanas pobres y de clase trabajadora.
La mayor pregunta entre los colombianos es ¿dónde está la democracia? ¿Dónde está el apoyo internacional a la luz de esta crisis humanitaria?
“Decenas de colombianos han sido abusados, asesinados y desaparecidos”, dice Eric, un organizador del Colectivo Cóndor Rojo. “Es importante que la gente en los Estados Unidos se solidarice con Colombia porque el gobierno de los Estados Unidos brinda el apoyo político, militar y financiero que hace posible esta violencia”.
Los colombianos exigen el fin de la ayuda militar estadounidense a Colombia, el fin de la represión y el enjuiciamiento de los funcionarios del gobierno que dieron la orden de atacar a los manifestantes pacíficos. También exigen un ingreso anual garantizado para todos los colombianos para que millones ya no tengan que vivir en la pobreza.
Las protestas solidarias están sucediendo en todo el mundo y se pueden seguir a través de plataformas digitales con el hashtag #soscolombia.

author: The Red Condor Collective


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SOS Colombia | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 7, 2021


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: May 10 to May 15 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 10, 2021
The African American Roundtable is inviting the community to join its monthly meetings starting on Tuesday, May 11. (Photo provided by Markasa Tucker)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
Bonus: Milwaukee Recreation: Drive-in movie day: Saturday, May 15
Milwaukee Recreation is hosting a drive-in movie theater at the MPS Central Services Building, 5225 W. Vliet St., on Saturday, May 15. There will be three movies showing: “Despicable Me “at 2 p.m.; “The Secret life of Pets 2” at 4 p.m.; and “Big Hero 6” at 6 p.m. Registration is required, and it costs $20 per vehicle per movie. Popcorn and water will be available, but you can bring additional snacks.


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Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 9, 2021


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Post from Community: INVIVO Wellness to host 15th anniversary wellness day event on Saturday, May 15, 2021 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
INVIVO Wellness
May 10, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
INVIVO Wellness announced today that it will celebrate its 15 year in business with an anniversary event on Saturday, May 15, 2021, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at its facility located at 2060 N. Humboldt Avenue, Ste. 300, Milwaukee, WI 53212. The general public is invited to the free event, which will feature a variety of fun, active fitness activities. This event will require masks and social distancing among all guests.
“We have persevered with the continuous support of our inspired practitioners, the passion of our administrative team, and, most especially, the enthusiastic and unwavering support of our clients and members throughout the years. We at INVIVO are all honored to be an essential service to the Milwaukee health and wellness community. We look forward to continuing to be a vital and integral part of our community for years to come.” said INVIVO Wellness Owner and Physical Therapist, Maurice Dumit, MPT.
Attendees of INVIVO’s  anniversary event will have the opportunity to participate in free demo yoga and fitness classes, fitness challenges, and free chair massages. Refreshments will be provided. Throughout the day, INVIVO will be offering prizes to participants and attendees. To help support other area businesses, INVIVO has collected prizes from local restaurants and activity-based businesses and will be offering these prizes as well.
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Said Cynthia Akey, Wellness Director at INVIVO Wellness, “We are excited to showcase our new STUDIO space to provide a sample of our yoga and fitness class offerings. We are now able to welcome up to 16 participants to our group exercise classes during the pandemic. Post-pandemic we will be able to welcome even more.
During this Anniversary Event, we will introduce new-to-Milwaukee classes including Steel Mace Foundations and Steel-Mace Yoga. These and all our classes make fitness fun. Our team of talented, certified, and experienced instructors makes fitness accessible for everyone. We focus on teaching proper form and building healthy movement patterns and skills.
For more information, the public can visit http://www.invivowellness.com/cheers-to-15-years-invivo-celebration/, and to register to attend classes or challenges, visit http://bit.ly/invivo-register.
For questions, contact INVIVO Wellness at 414-265-5606 or email at info@invivowellness.com.
Located overlooking the Milwaukee River and downtown, INVIVO Wellness is a multi-service wellness center that has served Milwaukee residents since 2006. Specializing in an integrated and holistic approach to wellness, its practitioners work together to deliver skilled and effective pain management, movement, and wellness solutions for its clients. Practitioners are experts in the fields of physical therapy, massage therapy, yoga and fitness, personal training, chiropractic, and esthetic skin care services. In addition to dedicated physical and massage therapy studios, INVIVO’s wellness center features a fitness gym that offers memberships, group fitness and yoga classes, and personal training. For additional information, visit www.invivowellness.com.

author: INVIVO Wellness


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May 9, 2021


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Post from the Community: The Catholic Community Foundation provides grant to Penfield Children’s Center | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
The Catholic Community Foundation
May 10, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
The Catholic Community Foundation provided a generous grant of $10,000 to support the Special Care Nursing Services at Penfield Children’s Center.
Penfield Children’s Center’s Special Care Nursing Services serve children from birth to school age with chronic health conditions and medical challenges. Nursing staff provide care, therapy, and education for Milwaukee’s most vulnerable children. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Penfield continued to provide a safe environment for children in-center and for those who receive services virtually.
Layonni was born with spastic cerebral palsy, vision conditions, and sensory issues. Due to her health challenges, Layonni has significant muscle tightness and limited movement so she is unable to sit up. At six months old, Layonni was referred to Penfield through the Milwaukee County Birth to Three Early Intervention Program and started receiving occupational therapy in her home. After growing to trust our
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staff, Layonni’s mom, Rene, enrolled her in Penfield’s medically-based daycare in the Special Care Nursery. Learn more about Layonni’s journey here.
“At Penfield, we believe every child is capable of accomplishing developmental milestones and our Special Care Nursing Services allow us to serve children of all abilities,“ said Christine Holmes, President and CEO of Penfield Children’s Center. “This gift from the Catholic Community Foundation will enable us to serve more children like Layonni.”
About Penfield Children’s Center
Penfield Children’s Center creates a positive start in life for infants and children, many of whom have developmental delays or disabilities, by providing early education, health and wellness services and family programming. Founded in 1967, the organization is named in honor of Dr. Wilder Penfield (1891-1976), a world-renowned neurosurgeon who strongly advocated early intervention for children with developmental delays and disabilities.

author: The Catholic Community Foundation


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PCC-Real-Colors.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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May 7, 2021


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Mayor Tom Barrett blasts Senate bill that requires Fire and Police Commission add union-approved members | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
May 11, 2021
Mayor Tom Barrett called a bill passed Wednesday by the Senate that requires the Fire and Police Commission add members selected by the police and fire unions “a vicious attack on local government.”
“It’s a complete misnomer to call it ‘police reform,’ because it is a direct shot at local government,” said Barrett, referring to Senate Bill 117, which also requires union representatives sit on a disciplinary appeals panel for firefighters and officers.
Senate Bill 117, one of seven measures the Senate passed Wednesday, also bans the use of chokeholds except in life-threatening situations, requires more data collection and adds protection for whistleblowers.
The bills include several requirements for the fire and police commissions in Milwaukee and Madison, including mandated training and new hiring and oversight protocols for chiefs.
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“This is clearly state interference in local affairs and driven by the Milwaukee Police Association,” Barrett said before the bills were passed. The Milwaukee Police Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NNS regarding the bills Wednesday afternoon.
The proposals go next to the state Assembly.
Others, including the Common Council and ACLU of Wisconsin, also have expressed concern over the police union appointing a member to a commission charged with police oversight.
Senators Lena Taylor and Van H. Wanggaard, who co-sponsored the police reform bills, spoke about Senate Bill 117 during a virtual event hosted Monday by the Milwaukee Press Club.
Wanggaard, who was the first former police officer in the City of Racine to serve on its fire and police commission, said he faced opposition at first but was gradually accepted by other members. He said there are good reasons to have those groups represented.
“The idea is to have somebody that has a background in that field, whether it be police or fire, that can bring to the table an understanding as to why things happen and to know whether someone is giving the whole story or not, too.”
Wanggaard added that individuals would have to be five years removed from their department, and that the unions would provide a group of five individuals for the mayor to choose from.
Taylor said she did not fully agree with the union having five choices, preferring that African American and Latinx communities make that choice.
It’s “going to help to have a board that is more informed about what people are experiencing on the front lines of law enforcement,” said Taylor, who was the only Democrat to support the bill, which passed by a vote of 22-11.
The Milwaukee Police Association and the Fire and Police Commission have been at odds over the firing of former police chief Alfonso Morales and, more recently, over the commission’s vote to ban chokeholds in all circumstances, including life-threatening situations.
When asked whether adding a union representative to the Fire and Police Commission could cause division, Taylor responded that the group already struggles to find consensus on some issues.
“Our Fire and Police Commission can’t agree on a police chief,” she said. “I don’t think it will make things more divided in any way. Hopefully, it will help people have the conversations so that we can find a center.”
Senate Bill 117 also expands the commission from seven to nine members, changes the rules for filling vacancies and bar commissioners from staying on once their term has expired, as has been the case in the past.
Barrett said the bill is just an attempt by police unions to control decisions on policing that should be made locally.
“Here we are nationally, where there are cries and concerns about interference by police unions on disciplinary actions, and this would require for a police representative to be involved in each decision,” he said. “It’s a vicious attack on local government.”

author: Edgar Mendez


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Dwayne Burtin
May 11, 2021


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Leaders, residents work to transform South 13th Street | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
May 11, 2021
Organizers are working with residents and business owners, including members of the Crisol Corridor Business Improvement District, to create an action plan for the neighborhood around South 13th Street. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Robert Montemayor, the owner of Monterrey Market, recalls being one of the first Hispanic families to move into the area of South 13th Street and West Ohio Avenue more than 20 years ago, and then seeing things change.
“Latinos were moving farther and farther south into the area,” he said. “Obviously, they were in need of different businesses,” said Montemayor, who relocated his store from its original location on West Windlake Avenue to South 13th and West Manitoba streets in 2010 to help meet that demand.
Montemayor is now witnessing another transformation, as Burmese and other immigrants join long-time European and Hispanic residents, creating an opportunity for the neighborhood to once again reinvent itself.
Enter “Envision South 13th Street Together,” a strategic plan that will update the existing Southwest Side Area Plan and build upon several ongoing initiatives, including the Kinnickinnic River Corridor Neighborhood Plan.
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‘More opportunities to connect’
Organizers hope to invigorate the business corridor along South 13th Street, increase safety and better connect residents and amenities in the surrounding neighborhoods bordered by South Sixth to South 20th streets and West Harrison to West Morgan streets, said Amy Oeth, senior planner for the City of Milwaukee’s Department of City Development.
The City of Milwaukee, the Crisol Corridor Business Improvement District #50 Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers and others have organized surveys, spoken with residents and held virtual meetings to collect feedback for the plan, Oeth said.
One thing leaders have learned? Residents want more organized activities in their neighborhood.
“People want to have more opportunities to connect, whether it’s a street festival or block parties,” Oeth said. “There’s a desire for family-friendly activities.”
Residents also want to see more development of the business district along South 13 Street, said Leif Otteson, executive director of the Crisol Corridor business district.
Currently, the corridor has just a few vacant properties and many stable businesses, he said, but there are several properties that are underutilized. Whether those areas become apartments, public spaces, cafes or other types of businesses depends on what residents and business owners in the neighborhood want, Otteson said.
So far, increased public safety efforts top the list of residents’ concerns.
Like many areas of Milwaukee, reckless driving has been a problem along South 13th Street and other busy corridors, including West Morgan and West Oklahoma avenues, Otteson said. Organizers have worked with schools in the area to help create alternative routes for parents and students.
In addition, some funded projects already are underway to improve traffic safety, including providing accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Other safety improvements could include better lighting and more pedestrian signs. Organizers also plan to work more closely with the City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention
Along with those improvements, residents would also like to see a focus on health, said Stephanie Mercado, health communities project manager for Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers.
The Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, for example, is working with schools in the area to increase access to behavioral health services, she said.
Other focus areas for the strategic plan include outdoor recreation, storm management as well as placemaking and art.
Montemayor, who serves as board president of the Crisol Corridor district, said he believes organizers are on the right track.
“What I ultimately want to see with regards to our corridor and the business and residential areas are more cafes, tea shops, restaurants, places for you to get a haircut and see a doctor,” he said. “I want everyone to have that safe feeling and enjoy this part of the South Side.”


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51160390799_5c8027bfef_o (2) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 10, 2021


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Post from Community: MATC to host free summer camps for teens in June and July | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
May 11, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Milwaukee Area Technical College will host four free weeklong summer camps for teens in June and July. Camps will focus on cybersecurity, robotics/coding, Lean Process Improvement and electronics. Students entering the 8th through 12th grades and 2021 high school graduates are eligible.
Most courses will meet Monday-Thursday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. virtually. On Fridays, students will be offered the opportunity for a one-and-a-half hour visit to a lab at MATC’s Oak Creek Campus, 6665 S. Howell Ave.; or West Allis Campus, 1200 S. 71st St. The coding/robotics course will meet Monday-Wednesday virtually, and hold the campus visit on Thursday. Lab experiences will include appropriate health and safety protocols.
Camps include:
Introduction to Cybersecurity, June 7-11
Monday- Thursday, virtual; Friday: Oak Creek Campus lab visit, room A124
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Introduces students to basic networking and cybersecurity with review of common operating systems such as Windows and Linux; review of Internet Protocol IP addressing and becoming familiar with IPv4 and IPv6; basic review of network devices such as routers, switches and firewalls. Students will be introduced to cybersecurity troubleshooting, scanning, analysis and security penetration testing tools such as Netstat, Ping, Traceroute, Nmap, Wireshark and Metasploit. During the camp, students will have access and experiment with several hands-on online cybersecurity labs.
Introduction to Robotics/Coding, June 14-17 (Please note this camp is four days, rather than five, because the college is closed June 18 for Juneteenth Day.)
Monday-Wednesday virtual; Thursday Oak Creek Campus lab visit, room A124
Introduces students to basic concepts of robotics and coding. MATC faculty will use several online tools and interactive resources to engage students in activities.
Introduction to Lean: Learn to Do Everything Better, June 21-25
Monday-Thursday, virtual, Friday Oak Creek Campus lab visit, room A124
This camp introduces students to the concepts of Lean Process Improvement. Lean tools reduce waste and increase speed and efficiency in everyday activities. More than 50% of Fortune 500 companies use Lean to improve work processes. The camp activities allow students to learn these hands-on techniques to problem solve and think critically to make any process better and faster, using games, videos and other tools.
Introduction to Electronics, July 12-16
Monday-Thursday virtual, Friday; West Allis Campus lab visit room 319
Introduction to electronics and electronic components, introduction to Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC), introduction to programming embedded systems and digital logic, overview of Arduino or Texas Instruments MSP-430 applications, introduction to electronic test and measurement tools, and lab measurement practices.
Space is limited to 16 students per class. Students will be split into two groups of eight students for campus visits.
For more information or to register, visit http://www.matc.edu/camps/
or write explore@matc.edu.
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 30,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


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LIVING LEGENDS: Reuben Harpole’s secret: Be true to the day you were born | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
May 12, 2021
Retired from a long career of advocating for and connecting with the people of Milwaukee, Reuben Harpole is still sometimes referred to as the unofficial mayor of Milwaukee. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
This is the first in an occasional series of stories that honor members of Milwaukee’s vibrant senior community.
He’s never been elected, but many in the community call Reuben Harpole the mayor of Milwaukee.
At least unofficially.
After all, Harpole has long been known as one of the best-connected people in the city.
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“The ‘mayor of Milwaukee’ was more than a nickname,” he says. “It wasn’t by accident that I got it.
“It’s who I am. I love the people in Milwaukee. I love the potential here.”
Harpole, 86, grew up in the Lindsay Heights and Harambee neighborhoods and became an administrator in the UW-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education. He later served as an executive with the Helen Bader Foundation.
Harpole says his late wife, Mildred, nudged him into taking a bigger role in civil rights and community work in Milwaukee.
Together, the two had founding roles or involvement in many of the organizations that serve Milwaukee neighborhoods today, such as Central City Teacher Community Project, the Community Brainstorming Conference and the Children’s Performing Arts group, which eventually became the Ko-Thi Dance Company.
The man who knows everyone
“He was a walking Rolodex,” remembers Ferne Caulker, the founder of Ko-Thi dance company. “He knew everyone, and he knew how to contact them.”
Homeless advocate MacCanon Brown, a friend of Harpole’s, says he has a way of bringing people into action and consciousness.
“He often says, ‘We are who we’re waiting for,’” Brown says. “Meaning, we the people can solve our problems — and he has and continues to live by that.”
Harpole says he learned how to connect with people after taking a trip to Ghana, where he learned about African rites of passage.
One tenet is that a person’s character is governed by the day of the week in which he or she is born.
Harpole was born at Milwaukee County General Hospital (now Froedtert Hospital), on Sept. 4, 1934 — a Tuesday.
He believes this confirms he was meant to help people.
“Unless you know who you are and what your purpose and meaning in life is all about, you’ll have problems — in school, in the community,” he says. “Most people who have made something of themselves know who they are, and they can’t be maneuvered into something else.”
Harpole and his friend Anthony Mensah brought the Rites of Passage program to Milwaukee Public Schools in 1980. The project marked life stages — in this case, from boyhood to manhood.
Harpole says one of the first tasks for participants was finding out the day of the week they were born. “That goes back thousands of years in the culture of Ghana,” Harpole says. Each day of the week has a characteristic — those born on a Monday are peacemakers; Wednesday, the “sweet messenger,” Saturday, “the ancient one,” wise beyond their years, he says.
“I was born on Tuesday,” Harpole, an Army veteran, says. “Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were also born on Tuesdays.”
He says he wished the Rite of Passage program had been expanded.
“Having these traditions in our schools would completely change the way children are educated for the better,” Harpole says.
Harpole’s daughter, Annette, who works as a real estate investment specialist, fondly remembers the occasional family vacations and trips to the park where her dad would grill.
“As a child, it was hard having such successful parents. I didn’t know how to appreciate it,” she  says. “For many people, their children are their focus, and our parents were out creating change for everyone. But as an adult, I’m extremely proud to have the parents I do.”
Harpole’s son, John, relocated to Los Angeles and is a financial consultant.
These days, Harpole spends his time educating people through interviews and serving others through his continued volunteer work.
After spending two weeks in the hospital last year battling COVID- 19, he stays inside as much as possible, only going out to meet friends for lunch once a week.
“I can’t really work anymore,” Harpole says. “I’m too old for that.”
Harpole says Milwaukee’s long history with racism is his least favorite thing about the city, but he believes education is the answer to that.
“One of my favorite quotes says the purpose of education is to keep the world from cheating you,” he proclaims.

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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51020114176_a3a7e7cf25_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 11, 2021


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Post from Community: BBB Tip: What to know before signing up for a free trial offer | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin Better Business Bureau
May 12, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Free trial offers are an extremely popular marketing tactic, especially for subscription services. With so many consumers shopping online, there is no way to touch, see, or otherwise experience a product before buying it. That means free trials can be a win-win situation for both sellers and buyers. Consumers get to “try before they buy,” and sellers get to cultivate interest in their product and hopefully make a sale. That said, there are a few aspects of free trials consumers should be aware of if they want to avoid unwanted charges.
To avoid getting scammed with any free trial offer, periodically review BBB’s Scam Tips and tips for smart shopping online.
You may also want to read BBB’s tips for safe delivery of your online purchases.
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Always look for businesses that follow BBB Accreditation Standards and BBB Standards for Trust.

author: Wisconsin Better Business Bureau


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Post from Community: Healing and thriving despite living in America: Perspectives of Black men Wednesday, May 19, 2021| 4:30-5:45 p.m. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Medical College of Wisconsin
May 12, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Please join us for a Community Citizenship Mission Engagement Event sponsored by the Medical College of Wisconsin!  The event is free and will be held on Zoom. Registration is required.  Hear Dr. Ivor Benjamin, Alverno Divine, D Div, Reggie Moore, Jermaine Murry MS, and Ambrose WB speak about their experiences as Black men here in Milwaukee.
Black men raised in America, even in the wealthiest families and living in some of the most well-to-do neighborhoods, still earn less in adulthood than white men with similar backgrounds. These trends are reflected in the shortage of Black men in medicine, research, business, and leadership, and impact the social determinants of health and wealth in our community.
Hear and learn from the riveting stories of Black men who continue to make positive impact in their community despite challenges of race and stereotypes about Black men. They model resilience, healing, and thriving, while serving our community and building a new vision of a just, healthy, racism-free Milwaukee where everyone can thrive.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
Register at: http://bitly.ws/cYZK

author: Medical College of Wisconsin


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5-19-21.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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May 10, 2021


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Post from Community: Make plans to attend the MKE virtual collaborative urban investment town hall meeting | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee City Clerk
May 12, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Make plans to attend the MKE Virtual Collaborative Urban Investment Town Hall Meeting
Statement of Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II, Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, Alderwoman Chantia Lewis, Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, and Alderman Cavalier Johnson
Next Monday (May 17) we ask that you please join an important virtual public meeting to help prioritize inner city targets for investment and rebuilding as the City of Milwaukee begins planning on how to spend the massive $406 million federal payment as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
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The public is invited to join the MKE Virtual Collaborative Urban Investment Town Hall Meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17th.  The link to join is here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8543187070943705614.
We will be co-hosting the meeting, which will also include staff from the city Budget Office.
The ARPA funding is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address some important needs, deficiencies, and overdue investments in the community. Together on May 17th we can have a collaborative conversation about prioritizing where and how the funds should be expended for the betterment of urban Milwaukee.
Please make plans to join us – YOUR INPUT IS CRITICAL!
Additionally, time is of the essence as the city will receive half of the $406 million ARPA payment tomorrow – Tuesday, May 11th.
A public survey is being created by the city Department of Administration and the City Clerk’s Office to gauge citizens’ opinions and preferences on how to best spend the city’s ARPA funds. That online survey is expected to be ready soon, and we strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to fill it out.
Please go to https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/FRF-Interim-Final-Rule.pdf to view the just released federal guidelines on use of ARPA funds.

author: City of Milwaukee City Clerk


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Post from Community: Mud murals and soil science | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
May 12, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
11-1pm, May 28th at Riverside Park
Registration is required for this program
(For families) Come ‘dig in’ to some soil science in Riverside Park. We’ll take some closer looks at the ground we walk on and maybe find some critters that live under it! Then we’ll make some compost mud to make a marvelous ephemeral mural!
prices $9 to $14. Please register per individual, children 3 and under are free.
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Website: https://calendar.urbanecologycenter.org/event/mud-murals-and-soil-science/
For questions about this program, please contact us at programs@urbanecologycenter.org.

author: Urban Ecology Center


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176697466_10159433276623698_1938062030436592397_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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May 11, 2021


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Post from Community: Sunset river ecology hike | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
May 12, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
4-6pm, May 27th at Riverside Park
Registration is required for this program
(For families) Come spend a Spring evening with us as we hike along the Milwaukee River. We’ll keep our eye out for local wildlife, Spring flora and enjoy the sunset together.
Please register per individual, children 3 and under are free. Prices are $9 to $14.
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Website: https://calendar.urbanecologycenter.org/event/sunset-river-ecology-hike/
For questions about this program, please contact us at programs@urbanecologycenter.org.


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176999122_10159433376118698_3396287938450233084_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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May 11, 2021


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She wanted to bury her stillborn son. But no clothes fit him. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
May 13, 2021
Hazel Jones makes donation bags with burial gowns and caps for families who have lost children. Here, she holds a bassinet she made for donation. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Little things each day remind Hazel Jones of her son, Mattie.
In her apartment, dozens of stuffed and ceramic turtles decorate the walls. Hazel’s husband, Artrell Jones, was the first to make the connection between Mattie and the turtles. He loves the animals himself and suspects his son would have, too.
Other things, like the smell of peaches, red and black butterflies and yellow daisies all bring Mattie back to Hazel. Each of them has a significance, in one way or another. Every day without him is still a struggle, she said.
Matthew Aaron Jones was delivered stillborn. During a routine ultrasound when she was 20 weeks pregnant, the doctor told Hazel that Mattie’s heart wasn’t beating. What followed was a pain that she “wouldn’t wish on anybody.”
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Each month, Hazel Jones delivers donation bags to local hospitals for families that have lost a child in infancy or childbirth. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Amid the flurry of emotions after that was a mountain of paperwork and processes for the family to go through. Medical bills began to pile up that Hazel and Artrell had no hopes of paying. Along with their older son, Robert, they experienced homelessness for about 10 months trying to pay off the bills.
What stuck with Hazel most, however, was her son’s burial. The baby was only 6 inches long and weighed only 3 ½ half ounces, so the hospital did not have small enough clothes for him to wear.
That’s why Hazel decided to help those who have lost children – in Mattie’s memory.
‘I just hate to see people hurting’
Hazel established the organization Mattie’s Memory in 2012, with the goal of providing “memory bags” and bereavement information to hospitals throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. The bags include items for families to keep in memory of their child as well as burial gowns and other clothing for the babies themselves.
After the project was announced, she received a deluge of fabric and wedding dresses, which Hazel turns into burial gowns for the children who have gone too soon. She also makes hats, blankets and small bassinets.
Each month, she delivers donation bags to local hospitals for families that have lost a child in infancy or childbirth. The donations help address a shortage in burial gowns at the hospitals as well as provide some comfort for the bereaved, Hazel said.
“It’s like walking through a dark tunnel and the people who get it are at the end with a light,” says Hazel Jones about losing a child. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
“I just hate to see people hurting,” she said.
Hazel also puts together information for families trying to figure out what’s next after losing a child. The process can be difficult and confusing, she said, and hard to navigate in grief.
In her own experience, she struggled to get a stillbirth certificate, an official document acknowledging the death of the child. In some states, a stillbirth certificate is needed to get tax credits available to parents.
“If you don’t know about it, the hospitals won’t do it for you,” she said. “They’ll do your birth certificate, they’ll do your death certificate, but that stillbirth certificate — you have to fight for it.”
Hazel also is involved in an effort to get a tax credit for parents of stillborn children passed in the Wisconsin Legislature.
This type of support is especially important in Milwaukee, where 10 in every 1,000 pregnancies end in infant mortality, and another seven in every 1,000 end in stillbirth, according to a report from the Milwaukee Health Department on stillbirths and infant deaths from 2012 to 2015 in the city.
Wisconsin also was found to have the worst rate of infant mortality for Black children in a 2018 report covering the years 2013-’15. The state had the highest rate in the nation with 14.26 in every 1,000 Black pregnancies ending in infant mortality, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Black children died at three times the rate of white children before their first birthday.
‘I have to be strong for her’
Doing the work Hazel does can be daunting, but Hazel doesn’t do it by herself.
Artrell is involved with Mattie’s Memory, providing support every step of the way.
“I have to be strong for her,” Artrell, known as AJ, said. “I try to be tough about it, but I do grieve as well. Because it affects me, but at the time being there for her was more important than how I felt.”
Their roommate, Mike Isler, also lends his artwork to the project, designing logos and graphics for the Mattie’s Memory Facebook page and making art for giveaways.
“I have to be strong for her,” says Artrell “AJ” Jones about his wife, Hazel. “I try to be tough about it, but I do grieve as well. Because it affects me, but at the time being there for her was more important than how I felt.” (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Maggie Skovera, a volunteer with Mattie’s Memory, works alongside Hazel crafting blankets and performing other sewing duties. Skovera knows what they’re doing makes a difference.
“I know it brings comfort to just have something,” she said.
Skovera also represents an important piece of the bigger picture: Community. Among those who have lost children, there is a prevailing sense of togetherness and a common pain that few others can relate to.
“It’s like walking through a dark tunnel and the people who get it are at the end with a light,” Hazel said.
Skovera has also lost children. And Hazel said they can pick each other up when they’re down without saying a word.
“We’ll just sit there, not do anything, just sit there quietly,” Hazel said. “And we don’t have to ask each other what’s wrong. We get it.”
Though she’s learned to live with it, Hazel said the grief still manifests in her day-to-day life. Sometimes a movie or a trip to the store will bring up bad feelings.
“We call it the ‘ugly shoes journey,’” Hazel said. “Because it’s the ugliest pair of shoes you’ll wear in your life, and it’s the most painful.”
The saying is based on a poem by an unknown author, Hazel said, that many who have endured loss can relate to.
Hazel has also found another calling as a registered doula in Milwaukee. She also offers bereavement doula services as part of Mattie’s Memory.
Hazel Jones established Mattie’s Memory in 2012, with the goal of providing memory bags and bereavement information to hospitals throughout the state. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Two years ago, Hazel even delivered one of Skovera’s grandchildren: a little boy named Taylor, whom Hazel refers to as “Squishie.” It’s a long way from being fearful of holding babies just a few years ago, Hazel said.
As her work continues, Hazel said the end goal is helping to provide comfort in camaraderie for those who have lost children.
“It’s that unity of knowing that there’s somebody out there who gets it,” Hazel said. “We don’t hear very often from families, but when we do, it’s normally ‘Thank you for not making me feel alone. Thank you for being there. Thank you for understanding.’”
Mattie’s Memory has made over 6,000 gowns since 2012 and hosts community events to raise awareness for child loss.  To donate, contact Hazel Jones at facebook.com/mattiesmemory.


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Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 12, 2021


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Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 12, 2021


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51144191139_e4b258e02b_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 12, 2021


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51144195054_0ecd8b66fd_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 12, 2021


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Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 12, 2021


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5 things to do and know the weekend of May 14 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 14, 2021
Check out Family Day at Vibez Creative Arts Space this Saturday, May 15.  This photo was taken before the pandemic. (Photo provided by Vibez Creative Arts Space)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
Bonus: No Menthol Sunday: Sunday, May 16
The Center for Black Health and Equity, the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network and others are celebrating No Menthol Sunday, a national day of observance.  Tobacco is the No. 1 killer of African Americans. On this day, faith leaders are encouraged to discuss tobacco awareness and prevention.
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49264405683_b66e17601b_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 13, 2021


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Here’s how Milwaukee youths can get a part-time job this summer | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
May 14, 2021
Earn and Learn is still taking applications for the upcoming summer through May 27. (NNS file photo)
It’s not too late for young people to get a summer job through the city’s Earn and Learn program.
While Earn and Learn is no longer taking applications for its Summer Youth Internship Program, it is accepting applications for its Community Work Experience component, which matches young people with part-time summer jobs. The Summer Youth Internship Program places young people in roles with city government
Earn and Learn jobs that are open pay $7.50 per hour for up to 20 hours per week over seven weeks. In addition to job placement, young people (ages 14 to 24) in the program also receive paid professional development and job-readiness training every Friday.
Leaders from Employ Milwaukee, which administers the program, could not say how many jobs will be available this year or what proportion of those jobs will have a virtual option. Before COVID-19, the Community Work Experience program supported 800 to 1,200 jobs.
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Employers in the Community Work Experience program include Milwaukee Recreation, Holy Redeemer Church of God in Christ, City Kids Wrestling Club and TransCenter for Youth.
To apply, fill out an application online by 4 p.m. Thursday, May 27.
Three things to know
But what makes a good application, and how can you get help if you need it? We asked Employ Milwaukee’s Vanesa Carmona-Lewis, vice president of programs and business solutions, and Suzanne Reinstein, associate data manager.
Reinstein said the biggest and most common mistake applicants make is not filling out the application completely. Reinstein said Earn and Learn jobs are meant to be entry level, meaning you do not need to have experience in the industry you want to work in.
“We look at what industry applicants say they want to work in and try to do our best to get them into something they will like and will learn from,” Reinstein said.
2. If you need assistance, call or visit Employ Milwaukee for help
If you’re running into trouble on the application or want some guidance on how to get started, help is available. You can call Employ Milwaukee at (414) 270-1700 to speak with someone on the phone, or you can visit Employ Milwaukee at 2342 N. 27th St.
Staff are available to help with application questions from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday until the May 27 deadline. The office will also be open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 22.
No appointment is necessary, though masks are required if you are visiting in-person.
3. Once you begin your new job, be open to new experiences
Because these are entry-level jobs, Carmona-Lewis said that the most important thing is to learn while on the job.
In addition to on-the-job training, the Earn and Learn program also hosts professional development and job-readiness training every Friday throughout the program. This year, that training will include a mental health component, focused on mindfulness techniques.
“Something different this year will be adding the mental health component, which was motivated by COVID,” Carmona-Lewis said. “Now we’re more mindful of what youth have been through this year and we’re adjusting to accommodate that.”

author: Sam Woods


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40793189412_a2372b1aeb_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 13, 2021


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Here’s where you can get vaccinated this weekend | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
May 14, 2021
Vaccines are available throughout Milwaukee at various locations this weekend. (File photo by Sue Vliet)
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the times for the clinic at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and the vaccine residents will be able to get.
Looking to get your COVID-19 vaccine this weekend? Here are some places around Milwaukee where you can do it.
You can find places around Milwaukee to get your vaccine by checking out HealthyMKE.com and vaccines.gov. Vaccines also are available through the Milwaukee Health Department, major area health systems and local pharmacies, among others.
Some things to know
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer vaccine for use in children ages 12 to 15.
Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for use in adolescents under 18. Those interested can use https://www.vaccines.gov/search/ to find a place to get their shot and filter to only see results for Pfizer distributors.
The Wisconsin Center has changed its hours and will no longer be a vaccination site, effective May 28. The city’s main vaccination site at 400 W. Wells St. is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Walk-ins are welcome.
The remaining vaccines will be redistributed to the Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Rd. and Southside Health Center, 1639 S. 23rd St., at the end of May.
City-run sites, like the Wisconsin Center, Northwest Health Center and Southside Health Center, all have Pfizer vaccines available for those age 12 and older.
Where you can get vaccinated this weekend
The Social Development Commission, or SDC, is hosting a vaccine clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 15 at its northwest location, 9155 N. 76 St. in partnership with Ascension Wisconsin. Pfizer vaccines will be available for those 12 and older.
The first 100 visitors will receive a $25 Walmart gift card and a safety kit from Milwaukee Health Services. Register on the SDC website. Walk-ins will also be welcome.
Independence First, a disability resource center in Milwaukee located at 510 S. 1 St., is hosting a drive-through and walk-through vaccine clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, May 14. No appointment needed.
Wisconsin Black Historical Society and COA Youth Center will continue their walk-in vaccine clinics.
The Wisconsin Black Historical Society, 2620 W. Center St., will distribute the Pfizer vaccine from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 15.
COA’s Goldin Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St., will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 29, offering Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
Gee’s Clippers, 2200 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, offers Pfizer vaccines courtesy of Hayat Pharmacies from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The vaccines will be offered until May 31. To register, visit the Hayat Pharmacies website here. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Mexican Consulate (Consulado de Mexico en Milwaukee) offers vaccines every Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. Supplies are limited. Call (414) 944-7586, extension 143 and 144, to schedule your appointment. Pfizer and Moderna shots are available. The Mexican Consulate is located at 1443 N. Prospect Ave.
Stay in the know
To keep up with the latest information on the vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regularly publish guidance for the immunizations. You can also read our NNS coverage on vaccines.
NNS also published a list of places to get the vaccine in early April.


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51005142152_0164d5d8d6_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 13, 2021


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Post from Community: SaintA celebrates 170 years with Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
SaintA
May 14, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
On May 20, 2021 from 7 p.m.- 8 p.m., all are welcome to join SaintA in celebrating 170 years of continuously impacting the Milwaukee community and beyond through facilitating equity, learning, healing and wellness by restoring the connections that help children and families thrive.
This one-hour, free virtual event, hosted by TMJ4 television anchor Katie Crowther, will include special guests Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry, as well as local entertainment and much more.
To RSVP in advance, please visit: https://sainta.org/event/170th-anniversary-gala/
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Post from Community: The Alan Moore Project opening reception: Saturday, June 12, 2021, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at WPCA | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Walker's Point Center for the Arts
May 14, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Walker’s Point Center for the Arts
The Alan Moore Project
June 12 – July 10, 2021
Opening reception: Saturday, June 12, 2021, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Please note: COVID protocols will be observed including number of attendees in building, temperature checks and mandatory mask wearing.
Walker’s Point Center for the Arts presents The Alan Moore Project. Alan Moore, along with his mother and father Joan and Burton Moore, assembled a collection of artwork that reflects the counterculture attitudes and art approaches of a disparate group of artists living and working in New York City, especially those who united in a variety of co-ops, collectives and art groups. The collection was housed in their East Side Milwaukee home where it remained until Joan Moore passed away in the fall of 2020.
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A selected work from the collection, curated by Michael Flanagan and Kimberly Storage, will feature work by artists Kiki Smith, Keith Haring, Judy Rifka, Robert Goldman, aka Bobby G, Richard Bosman, Tom Otterness, John Ahearn, Rigoberto Torres, John “Crash” Matos, and Louise Bourgeois, among many others.
Alan Moore was a participant in the raucous art movements of the late 1970s and into the 1980s in New York City. He has written and published numerous essays and books about that time and has also extensively researched and written about the ‘squatting’ movements in NYC and Europe. His book “Art Gangs: Protest & Counterculture in New York City” is a well-researched look at the times. He is also an amateur archivist with a large collection of video artworks which is in the process of cataloging, preserving and disseminating by the XFR Collective.
Alan W. Moore currently lives in Madrid, Spain with his partner Malena. They will be in Milwaukee during the first weeks of the exhibition.
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Walker’s Point Center for the Arts is a nonprofit organization in support of visual and performing arts and youth arts education. WPCA seeks to enhance the fellowship and vibrancy of Walker’s Point. We provide a welcoming, safe and diverse cultural environment for children, artists and the public in order to maintain an active community. The center fosters creativity in children through innovative teaching, in addition to encouraging public and community initiative through social development.

author: Walker's Point Center for the Arts


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Post from Community: Thriving Communities grant application | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
May 14, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
Sherman Park East and North Division
From 2018-2019, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation engaged with residents in Sherman Park East and North Division neighborhoods to understand their needs and concerns. At the completion of a three-pronged community engagement process in each neighborhood, both respective community advisory councils made up of residents and community leaders determined the Foundation should invest $300,000 into youth. Our three-pronged community engagement process consisted of three community visioning sessions, one-on-one interviews with stakeholders, and the creation of a resident-led community advisory council.
Sherman Park East
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Funding Priority Area: Professional skills development for youth and young adults (16-24 years old)
When there are leadership opportunities and resources for youth and young adults to succeed, they will be better prepared for their future. Sherman Park is a young community, where more than 1,600 people between the ages of 15 and 24 are preparing to enter high school and the workforce. There are a number of programs in the area serving young people at that critical time of early adolescence when they are transitioning into high school. However, according to residents and community leaders, fewer programs have successfully engaged older adolescents (ages 16 to 24) as they prepare to graduate high school and enter the workforce.
Youth and young adults ages 16 to 24, who are preparing for their future, have greater impact in their community when there are resources and opportunities to develop professional skills to succeed in the workforce. When we do not invest in the talents and potential of our youth and young adults, there is chronic underemployment, which can lead to increased adverse interactions with police. Community stakeholders interviewed and those who participated in the visioning sessions agreed that support for youth engagement activities is a priority with the Sherman Park East neighborhood.
North Division
Funding Priority Areas: After-school programming for youth, social support activities for youth or young adults (10-18 years old)
When we cultivate safe and supportive environments for youth, they have a greater quality of life and overall positive engagement at school and in their community. With a quarter of the population in North Division under age 14, they need the appropriate tools to successfully develop their social and emotional learning skills. Given all the challenges that young people in North Division face, the lack of programming before and after school reveals a major gap in their social support systems.
Youth ages 10 to 18 are best equipped for positive engagement at school and in their community when there is access to safe and supportive spaces to learn and develop. By taking action to address challenges youth face and transforming values and attitudes to support youth development, families and communities are changed in a positive way. Community stakeholders interviewed and those who participated in the visioning sessions agreed that support for youth development activities is a priority with the North Division neighborhood.
Who is eligible?
The Foundation seeks to reach groups and organizations that are based in Sherman Park East or North Division that demonstrate a track record of hiring and engaging with community members. Priority will be given to initiatives that fall within the priorities identified and with organizations that place the voices of people who are traditionally left out of community decision-making at the center of the planning, implementation, and results of the proposed project, event, or activities. Groups and organizations representing these respective neighborhoods are encouraged to apply.
Successful proposals may include the following:
• Age-appropriate programming and/or activities for the following age groups for the respective neighborhoods:
**Youth – (ages 10-15)
**Young People (ages16-18)
**Young Adults (ages19-24)
• An outreach plan that includes strategies for recruitment and retention of youth • Demonstration of an understanding of how to provide programming that is     responsive to the interests and culture of youth in Sherman Park East or North Division
• Partnerships that leverage existing resources to improve outcomes for youth
Grant amounts may range from $250 to $7,500.
Organizations must be considered charitable organizations as determined by the IRS internal revenue code 501(c)(3). Please note: Organizations that do not have this designation may use a fiscal sponsor (organization recognized as a 501(c)(3) charitable entity) to serve as the recipient and manager of the grant. Eligible nonprofits are required to have board membership that is at least 10 percent people of color. The term “people of color” refers to all persons who are not categorized as white by the U.S. Census.
The applicant also agrees to share its experiences with the funders and others so that lessons learned can benefit other participants.
Proposal Requirements
Applicants must submit a completed written proposal by the deadline via the Grants Portal on the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s website. To help you be best prepared for submission, there will be four Q&A informational sessions and one-on-one sign-ups for office hours to answer your questions and receive initial feedback. Please reserve a 15-minute time slot here: https://forms.gle/CKxT8zRbGtm27by1A
Informational Sessions
Wednesday, May 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Monday, May 17, 4-5 p.m.
Wednesday, May 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 25, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Register here: https://forms.gle/7AcVy38vhKKkWGp5A
Informational Sessions: https://milwaukeenns.org/2021/05/03/post-from-community-grant-information-sessions-for-sherman-park-east-north-division-neighborhoods/
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Grant Website: https://www.greatermilwaukeefoundation.org/grants/grant-seekers/other-grant-opportunities/north-division-sherman-park/

author: Greater Milwaukee Foundation


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Post from Community: We support survivors: GLIIHC offers variety of services for victims of sexual assault | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, Inc
May 14, 2021
Editor’s note: Our Posts from the Community feature is a platform for community announcements and event postings. If you have a post to be considered, send it to info@milwaukeenns.org or submit it directly.
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center (GLIIHC) offers medical and behavioral health services, case management, advocacy services and crisis intervention for individuals who have been sexually assaulted, with the Department of Behavioral Health being home to the Circles of Strength (COS) Program. COS provides individual therapy, group therapy, ongoing domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy services, and peer support groups for survivors of sexual violence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most of these services went virtual. However, when establishing care or triaging an acute sexual assault, COS Program staff meet with survivors in person to provide support, develop trust, and ensure immediate medical needs are met.
To meet the needs of our survivors, GLIIHC has three telephone access points for anyone who has been a victim of violence. One access point is through calling the main GLIIHC phone line, and following automated prompts for the medical clinic. A second access point is by calling the Department of Behavioral Health directly. The third is through calling GLIIHC’s DV/SA Advocate using the advocacy service line.
The medical clinic provides immediate access to a nurse who is trained as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE). A SANE Nurse has specialized training to support, treat, and address the medical injuries inflicted by a sexual trauma. GLIIHC, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and the Department of Justice, is working on the development of a new program entitled “Tracking our Truth.” With guidance from specialists in the field of sexual assault forensic nursing this program focuses on building GLIIHC’s capacity to provide a full spectrum of sexual assault advocacy and medical forensic services. We look forward to not only offering medical treatment for injuries due to sexual assault, but also offer patients the option of having evidence collected in the event they choose to report the sexual assault to law enforcement.
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The most important aspect across all of our services offered is to ensure the patient feels safe, cared for, have their needs met, and are able to understand their options as a survivor.
Unfortunately, sexual violence in AI/AN communities is a harsh reality. The rates of sexual violence in Native American communities have been identified as a public health emergency (Urban Indian Health Institute). American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women are 2.5 times more likely to be raped or be victims of sexual assault compared to the rest of the country (Maze of Injustice, Amnesty International). They are stalked at a rate at least twice that of any other race (1998 Violence Against Women Survey). There are a number of barriers in access to care for women in tribal and urban communities who have experienced a sexual assault i.e. fear of victim blaming, lack of available resources, lack of trust in the criminal justice or healthcare system, and fears regarding confidentiality. Improving access to culturally responsive care and informing the community about the easiest ways to access medical, behavioral health, and advocacy services are critical.
Incorporating cultural practices into our care of survivors has shown to have an anchoring effect on their healing process. We utilize a client-centered approach through inquiry and empowerment of the survivor to identify what cultural practices have been helpful in the past, and therefore will be helpful in their healing journey moving forward. We utilize the touching and burning of traditional medicines in session to assist with grounding clients who are struggling with the flooding of trauma memories. We also offer the option of prayer, smudging, and calling on elders and other survivors willing to speak with survivors who are struggling.
Raising awareness on behalf of these survivors is at the core of the role our Circles of Strength (COS) Program plays. We are always looking to provide prevention education, information about our services, as well as supportive messaging for survivors of violence through community outreach campaigns. Participating in the Office of Violence Prevention’s Denim Day awareness efforts each April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month helps to bring survivors, agencies, and groups together, collectively to raise awareness about sexual assault.
The GLIIHC COS program can be found on the GLIIHC website (gliihc.net/cos), on Facebook, and on Instagram (@GLIIHCCOS).


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5 things to know this week in Milwaukee: May 17 to May 22 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
May 17, 2021
Support local Asian restaurants during ElevAsian’s first Asian Restaurant Week. (Photo by Adam Carr)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. MKE Virtual Collaborative Urban Investment Town Hall meeting: Monday, May 17
Milwaukee residents are invited to attend the MKE Virtual Collaborative Urban Investment Town Hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17. The City of Milwaukee is set to receive funding through the American Rescue Plan. The money could go toward investments in the central city and other projects. To give your input during the meeting, click here.
2. Asian American restaurant week: Monday, May 17 through Saturday, May 22
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In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, ElevAsian is hosting Asian Restaurant Week. The week began on Sunday, May 16 and will continue through Saturday, May 22. During this week, Milwaukeeans are encouraged to support local Asian restaurants. For the full list of participating restaurants, click here. Read: NNS Spotlight: ‘We want to be part of the conversation’: Group aims to elevate fellow Asian Pacific Americans.
3. Community food giveaway: Monday, May 17
Ald. Russell Stamper and Mike Taylor of the Taylor-Made Foundation MKE are partnering to present the “Essential Needs Assist” at the Unity Gospel House of Prayer, 1747 N. 12th St., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, May 17. During the event, Stamper and Taylor will distribute over 2,000 boxes filled with fresh food and mental health awareness materials.
4. Sign up for the VIBEZ Kids Club: Ongoing
Vibez Creative Arts Space, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., is offering a summer arts and crafts program this summer. The program, VIBEZ Kids Club, will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Wednesday starting Wednesday, June 16 until Wednesday, Aug. 25. The program is designed for children 6 years and older. Space is limited. The program costs $100 a month. Sign up by Monday, May 31 to get a discount. To register, click here.
5. Milwaukee Urban League high school laptop awards: Friday, May 21
The Milwaukee Urban League is helping high school graduates prepare for college with its high school laptop awards. Milwaukee students who are graduating and enrolled in college for fall 2021 are eligible to win a laptop. Interested students can apply in one of three categories: academic excellence, community service/leadership or character/academic turnaround. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on Friday, May 21. The application can be found here.
Bonus: A conversation on postpartum care: Monday, May 17
The O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University is inviting the public to learn more about postpartum care. The event will begin with a screening of the film, “Partum,” followed by a roundtable discussion featuring filmmaker Ade Osinubi along with local doulas and midwives. The theme for the evening is “Postpartum: Perspectives on nurturing families during the ‘fourth trimester.’” The event will take place virtually from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17. Registration is required.
Bonus 2: Vaccine clinics at 5 MPS locations: Monday, May 17
The Milwaukee Health Department is hosting COVID-19 vaccine clinics in five Milwaukee Public Schools locations starting Monday, May 17. The clinics will be open to anyone 12 and older. Click here for specific details.
Bonus 3: Volunteers needed for planting project: Wednesday, May 19
Friends of the Hank Aaron State Trail seeks volunteers to remove buckthorn, grapevines and more as well as plant new trees and seeding. Participants will meet at the Park and Ride just off of South 76th Street (just north of the Wisconsin State Fair RV Park). Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19. To sign up, click here.
Bonus 4: SaintA hosts virtual event: Thursday, May 20
SaintA is celebrating 170 years of service to Milwaukee from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 20 during a one-hour, free virtual event hosted by TMJ4 television anchor Katie Crowther, with special guests Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry, a psychiatrist and mental health expert. To RSVP, click here.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 16, 2021

author: Adam Carr


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Post from Community: 350 Students to receive GEDs/HSEDs in virtual graduation ceremony hosted by MATC May 18 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
May 17, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee Area Technical College will host a graduation for 350 students receiving General Educational Development (GED) certificates and High School Equivalency Diplomas (HSEDs). The virtual ceremony will stream at matc.stageclip.com beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 18. The ceremony will recognize students who are graduating from MATC and four community-based educational partners.
Each student has been asked to upload photos or video messages to be inserted into the ceremony.
The keynote speaker is Dr. Kweyku Akyirefi, the president and CEO of BLAQUESMITH Psychological Consultative Services, Inc., and a community activist working on civil justice issues of mental health reform, human trafficking and violence prevention. Dr. Sadique Isahaku, MATC dean of the General Education Pathway also will speak and confer the degrees. Student speakers are Tareka Rogers from UMOS and Serica May from the YWCA.
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Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 30,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.


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Post from Community: Bublr Bikes announces eBike program across Greater Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Bublr Bikes
May 17, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Bublr Bikes, greater Milwaukee’s bike-share program, will be unveiling their new ebike (electric-assist) program on Monday, May 19, at Indeed Brewery. Nearly 200 ebikes will be integrated into the Bublr Bikes network, later this season.
More information about the City of Milwaukee’s expansion of the system can be found here. The City of Milwaukee and Bublr Bikes hope to improve access to bike share by expanding into neighborhoods, increase ridership through strategic station placement and increased station density, and reduce trips made by single-occupancy vehicles.
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“The introduction of ebikes is going to expand the transit opportunities for the greater Milwaukee community, helping people of various abilities go further, faster, with less effort. We are so excited to preview this new resource at Indeed Brewing, and bring affordable, safe transit options to more communities, in greater Milwaukee.” said James Davies, Executive Director, Bublr Bikes.
Attendees will be able to take a ride on a brand new Bublr ebike. Bublr will have several ebikes at the event available for the public to test ride between 4 – 6 pm. Small group rides will start at Indeed and go to the Bublr Bikes Station on S. 2nd & Washington, and back to Indeed.
This event will also serve as a fundraiser to support Milwaukee’s bikeshare program. Through Indeed Brewings’ “Indeed We Can” program, 100% of the tap room and curbside net proceeds from the night will be donated to Bublr Bikes, greater Milwaukee’s nonprofit bikeshare.
“Indeed We Can” is Indeed Brewing’s charitable initiative, donating to a local non-profit each Wednesday. Indeed is an all-ages venue and their taproom is open from 3 – 10 pm with COVID-19 precautions in place. Bublr will also receive the proceeds of curbside orders.
“Having safe and affordable transit options is one of our core beliefs. We want all of our neighbors in Milwaukee to be able to explore the city, get to work, or run their errands with transportation that is good for the earth and good for their health,” said Jeff Gray, Milwaukee Sales and Market Manager, Indeed Brewery.
Bublr Bikes is Greater Milwaukee’s nonprofit bike share program that delivers an accessible, convenient, integrated and sustainable bike share system for all. Bublr Bikes is the nonprofit bikeshare operator of Milwaukee, Wauwatosa and West Allis.
Bublrs’ preview ebikes are thanks to, in part, a generous gift from Bob & Barb Monnat.
Bublr offers ($30) Monthly & ($100) Annual Memberships that include unlimited 60 minute-rides. For other pass types including a FREE option for income-qualified residents visit BublrBikes.org or call or text at 414-931-1121 to get more information.
Indeed We Can Fundraiser/ eBike preview event links:
bublrbikes.org/indeed • facebook event page • Google event page

author: Bublr Bikes


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Bublr-Bikes-Ebike-Preview-low-res.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
May 16, 2021

author: Name *


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Post from Community: ReStart Debt scholarship program helps students with past MATC balances return to college; Application deadline is Aug. 2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
May 17, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Students who were forced to stop out of their studies at Milwaukee Area Technical College between December 2004 and May 2019 due to debt owed to the college have an opportunity to return, thanks to a scholarship program called MATC ReStart. In its second year, MATC ReStart helps eligible returning students repay up to $1,500 of past-due balances owed the college for expenses such as tuition, books and other fees.
They must apply by Aug. 2 and fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or create a payment plan at program orientation. Eligible students must have completed six MATC credits but not have earned an associate degree, and enroll in at least six credits in the Fall 2021 semester. Eligible returning students should already have been contacted by the college if up-to-date contact information is available.
“Our research showed that many students were unable to finish their academic programs due to relatively modest debt owed to the college,” said Dr. Vicki J. Martin, MATC president. “MATC degrees and diplomas help individuals gain jobs that earn family-sustaining wages. We want to remove the barriers blocking our students from finishing college. So far, we have served 239 students with the MATC ReStart Program, and 38 students have retired their debt while continuing their studies successfully. Along with programs like our tuition-free MATC Promise, we believe MATC ReStart makes a crucial difference in changing lives for the better, especially in this time of economic distress caused by the pandemic.”
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Students who have an existing account balance of $1,500 or less can earn up to $500 in scholarships to repay their debt each semester they are successfully enrolled at MATC for up to three semesters. It does not apply to debt owed on government student loans.
To continue in the program, students must do the following each semester: enroll in six college level credits, earn a grade point average of 2.0 or better, successfully complete 67 percent of credits attempted, attend at least one meeting with a member of their Pathway team or at least one student resource workshop hosted by MATC during the semester, develop an academic plan with an advisor and attend the orientation.
The seed funding to begin the MATC ReStart program came from proceeds from MATC’s participation in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadcast incentive auction in which the MATC Board of Directors sold a portion of the airwaves used by Milwaukee PBS’s Channel 36. Some of the funds were designated for making college education more accessible and affordable.
For more information, visit matc.edu/restart or email restart@matc.edu.

Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 30,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.