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How to navigate the Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program and other resources for renters | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic, Wisconsin Watch
August 25, 2020
Gov. Tony Evers on May 20 funneled $25 million in federal pandemic relief into the Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program (WRAP). A network of regional social service agencies began accepting tenants’ applications on June 8.
The short-staffed agencies have since answered hundreds of calls and sifted through thousands of applications. Sometimes applicants get help quickly, but others wait more than three weeks for rent aid to be processed.
Related story: ‘Nowhere to go’: Wisconsin renters face evictions as emergency aid falls short
Meanwhile, eviction filings are flooding courts, especially in Milwaukee. City landlords filed 1,447 evictions in June, a 17% increase compared to pre-pandemic monthly averages. One study estimates more than 27% of Wisconsin renters are unable to pay rent and are at risk of eviction.
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Here is how renters can navigate WRAP and find other resources during the pandemic.
WRAP distributes up to $3,000 in rental assistance to each qualifying household, capped at $1,000 per month. The program sends payments directly to landlords or rental companies. The money can cover monthly rent, back rent, a security deposit or first month’s rent.
Regional agencies that are members of the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP) are distributing funds. Find your region’s agency here.
Each agency handles WRAP a little differently, but the eligibility guidelines extend statewide, said Brad Paul, WISCAP executive director. WRAP operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
Note: Before you begin your application, you must also apply and be approved for state energy assistance. Community Action agencies can process that application at the same time as a WRAP application.
To be eligible for WRAP, you must:
You cannot use WRAP to cover these expenses:
If there are multiple roommates — depending on other eligibility criteria — WRAP can be applied to multiple household members’ rent payments. One ineligible member of a household does not necessarily disqualify the entire household from WRAP.
Several WISCAP agencies require pre-applications or surveys, which you can find on their websites. The WRAP application itself requires four forms.
Elizabeth Knapp-Spooner of Community Action, Inc., which serves Rock and Walworth counties, said her colleagues screen pre-applications before giving qualified applicants the official WRAP forms. Staff will typically call, email or text applicants at that stage.
Landlords must complete some paperwork. That includes a vendor/landlord agreement to register with the Wisconsin Department of Administration. The form assures that landlords will apply the WRAP payment to the tenants’ rent, and it prohibits landlords from evicting tenants due to lack of rent payment while they are receiving WRAP. It does not prohibit landlords from evicting a tenant for another reason.
Landlords must also sign a renter verification form alongside tenants.
Landlords receive payments once the state approves all of that paperwork. The DOA issues payments once a week: at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays. Tenants should be notified once the payment is applied.
That varies by regional agency, ranging from days to weeks.
“It can be anywhere from a very fast process to we have people that applied in June (who have) still have not returned their documents, so we can not move forward with them,” Knapp-Spooner said.
Among the most common reasons, according to WISCAP agencies: Applicants are not yet behind on rent, or they lack documentation showing they lost income due to the pandemic.
If you don’t qualify for WRAP, you may still have other options. Some nonprofits offer separate funding through the federal CARES Act. Eligibility for these programs differs from WRAP.
In Dane County, the Tenant Resource Center administers the Dane County CARES Eviction Prevention Program. Visit the center’s website to learn what documents you need. Two require landlord participation. The center says it is prioritizing applications already in its system and those submitted by people with an eviction underway.
The key differences from WRAP:
You can receive aid from the Eviction Prevention Program and WRAP as long as payments are applied to different rental periods.
In Milwaukee, Community Advocates offers up to $3,000 per household in rental assistance — but only for people who have not received WRAP for the same months.
Requirements for the Community Advocates program are similar to those for WRAP, with one key difference:
Learn more about the program here.
WRAP application forms are available in English, Spanish and Hmong. The Tenant Resource Center’s application forms are also available in the same languages.
Many community action programs have closed their physical offices due to safety concerns during the pandemic. People without internet access should try calling their regional agency — most offer applications via phone.
Mediate Milwaukee helps landlords and tenants negotiate solutions that prevent evictions.  If you’re facing eviction, call before your hearing. The nonprofit can be reached at 414-939-8800. Mediate Milwaukee also settles landlord/tenant disputes unrelated to eviction.
Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee and Legal Action of Wisconsin offer free legal advice. Legal Aid also provides eviction defense.
Reach out to a News414 reporter by texting “MKE” to 73224.
The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

author: Allison Dikanovic, Wisconsin Watch


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apartment | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
August 24, 2020

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Dwayne Burtin


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‘Nowhere to go’: Wisconsin renters face evictions as emergency aid falls short | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic and Clara Neupert (Wisconsin Watch) and Princess Safiya Byers (Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service)
August 25, 2020
Kelli Walton waited four weeks to hear whether she qualified for state emergency rental assistance. When the news came, it was too late.
By the time the Social Development Commission, which distributes the aid, told her she was on a waiting list with thousands of others, Walton’s landlord had already issued a five-day notice — kickstarting an eviction.
The mother of two from Milwaukee said before the pandemic, she was paying rent on time. But Walton was infected by the coronavirus in April as it swept through the nursing home where she worked. She spent nearly three weeks in a hospital struggling to breathe.
Walton lost months of paychecks while recovering, joining a backlog of thousands waiting for the state Department of Workforce Development to process their unemployment insurance claims. Months later, Walton, 34, is still waiting on her unemployment benefits.
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She fell behind on her bills — including rent. That delay left Walton with a damaging eviction filing on her record, forcing her to scramble to stay in the home as she recovers from the virus.
“It’s really frustrating to know you can be put out,” she said. “Where can you go if you don’t have anywhere to go?”
Thousands of Wisconsin renters contemplated those questions since May 26. That was when Gov. Tony Evers’ 60-day moratorium on evictions expired. Evers was among the first governors to lift a state moratorium, and his $25 million statewide emergency rental assistance program is failing to meet the demands of thousands in need.
Local governments and housing advocates are now trying to catch individuals slipping through the cracks in the federally funded state program.
“A lot of us who are doing this work right now are working one person at a time trying to stave off disaster,” said Joanne Lipo Zovic, an attorney and mediator for Mediate Milwaukee, which  helps tenants and landlords reach agreements outside of court and is collaborating with other social service groups to fill enormous needs. “We kind of feel like we’re drinking out of a fire hose.”
Roughly 30 to 40 million renters nationwide are at risk of losing their homes this year as state moratoriums on evictions expire, according to an August study by the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan humanities think tank. Eviction filings are already upending lives in Wisconsin, especially for Black residents in Milwaukee, even as health officials urge residents to stay at home as much as possible to avoid COVID-19.
Milwaukee landlords filed for 1,447 evictions in June, 17% higher than pre-pandemic June averages, data from Princeton University’s Eviction Lab show. The city’s 1,347 eviction filings in July were 9% above averages from 2012 to 2016.
More than two-thirds of those filings hit Black-majority neighborhoods, according to Eviction Lab data, although Black residents make up just 39% of the population. The disparity highlights Milwaukee’s status as the nation’s most segregated metropolitan area, home to stark racial inequality created and maintained by decades of neglect from business and political leaders, according to research.
The pandemic is escalating the housing crisis a year after the city and Milwaukee County declared racism a public health crisis and while coronavirus continues to disproportionately infect and kill people of color.
“Pre-COVID, there was definitely a racial pattern of filings, and that is definitely what we’re seeing now,” said Matt Mleczko, an Eviction Lab research assistant. “Though this is a bad situation for renters in general, this is something that yet again is exposing and exacerbating long-running inequalities in cities like Milwaukee.”
The crisis is not confined to Milwaukee. Nearly 200,000 Wisconsin households, or 27% of state renters, are behind on rent and at risk of eviction, according to analysis of census data by Stout Risius Ross LLC, an international consulting and investment banking firm. The analysis projects 134,000 eviction filings statewide by November.
“What you’re seeing right now is two crises colliding,” said Brad Paul, executive director of Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP), the network of agencies distributing the state’s rent assistance funds. “You’re seeing the preexisting housing crisis and COVID. It’s a lethal combination.”
Walton started a new job in mid-July and is working part time. While she remains on the state housing assistance waiting list, she is receiving last-minute funds from Community Advocates, a nonprofit administering Milwaukee County’s separate rental aid program.
Those funds staved off an eviction. But the filing, although dismissed, could still scar her record, because some landlords reject would-be renters even for thwarted evictions, housing experts say.
“It’s still gonna be on my name,” Walton said. “I’m just trying to get back on my feet, slowly but surely.”
Evers, whose office did not respond to questions from Wisconsin Watch, took action early in the pandemic to keep people in their homes. His March 27 executive order banned landlords from evicting tenants for back rent and halted home foreclosures.
“Evictions and foreclosures pose a direct and serious threat to the health and well-being of Wisconsinites,” Evers said at the time, calling it “critically important” to ensure people keep a roof over their heads.
Although the order did not cancel rent, it temporarily accomplished its goal: Milwaukee County saw just 76 eviction filings during April and May, according to the Eviction Lab. (The order allowed evictions for purposes unrelated to nonpayment.)
Most states took similar actions as the virus spread, but Wisconsin lifted its ban before most of them. Neighboring Minnesota still has a moratorium in place, and and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has vowed to extend a ban was set to expire Aug. 22. Wisconsin’s struggle to process unemployment claims and match renters with aid may offer a warning to other states of what is to come.
“We’re starting to see what might happen if the right resources aren’t put in place,” said Eric Collins-Dyke, Milwaukee County’s assistant administrator of supportive housing and homeless services.
“All of those people have a right to safe and affordable housing … and if we don’t do something, they’re going to end up on the street and in our shelters.”
Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin tenants lived paycheck-to-paycheck even before coronavirus upended the world.
More than 306,000 Wisconsin low-income renters met the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of “worst-case housing needs”: They spent more than half their income on housing and did not receive government housing assistance.
Most live in Milwaukee, the state’s biggest city.
“The bubble is bursting. We’ve been talking about this population for years, and it’s extremely large in Milwaukee,” said Collins-Dyke.
Renters make up more than half of households in Milwaukee County, which in 2016 had a higher percentage of renters than any other large Midwestern county, according to a study from the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Before the coronavirus, about half were considered rent-burdened, meaning they spent at least 30% of their income on rent, the study said.
Some Milwaukee neighborhoods in recent years saw eviction rates of 10% to 15% of households, according to a separate analysis by the Medical College of Wisconsin.
“There are a high number of people who are paying 50, 60, 70 or more percent of their income on housing,” said Lipo Zovic of Mediate Milwaukee. “That’s a policy problem, and a practical problem. It’s both.”
Days before his eviction ban expired, Evers funneled $25 million in federal pandemic relief into the Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program (WRAP). He tapped housing agencies to evaluate tenants’ applications and send up to $3,000 directly to landlords.
But the agencies could not start processing applications until June 8, nearly two weeks after landlords could resume evictions.
WRAP through Aug. 6 distributed about $7 million to about 4,000 households statewide, said Paul, the WISCAP executive director.
That is a fraction of the 24,000 applicants in just Milwaukee, Washington and Ozaukee counties applying through the Social Development Commission — the vast majority of them from Milwaukee County. The cost of fully funding those requests would be $72 million, nearly three times what Evers earmarked statewide.
In the first two months, SDC distributed $1.1 million of $6.7 million in initial WRAP funds.  The city of Milwaukee this month sent $15 million in federal funds to the SDC and $1.6 million to Community Advocates to beef up aid to renters.
But the money didn’t flow fast enough to keep Wyconda Clayton out of court. The SDC ultimately granted her application — but her landlords refused the funds.
Clayton’s rent troubles started shortly before the pandemic. She lost work — and wages — as a home health care provider while caring for her elderly mother. She fell behind on rent, prompting her landlord to file for eviction in mid-March. The court delayed the case during the moratorium, court records show, offering Clayton a reprieve.
Clayton’s mother died in April, and she said she used money she had saved for rent to pay for the funeral. She eventually picked up a few home care hours, she said. But some elderly clients remain leery about welcoming workers into their homes during the pandemic, preventing her from earning enough to pay back her landlord, Business Ventures Investments.
When the moratorium expired, the company continued with the eviction.
Days before her Aug. 6 hearing, Clayton finally caught a break: SDC told her she qualified for $3,000 in WRAP aid, following a month-long wait. The aid could cover the rent she owed since February.
That was too late for Kevin and Dorothy Hampton, Clayton’s landlords at the investment company. They refused to submit paperwork necessary to accept the funds.
“When (Clayton) called us about the rent assistance, she didn’t have that money yet,” said Dorothy Hampton. “And when it got to the end, Mr. Hampton decided he did not want to do it anymore.”
Community Advocates and Mediate Milwaukee are helping Clayton and the Hamptons negotiate an agreement to remove the eviction case from her public record if Clayton moves out within 60 days.
Clayton does not want to leave her Sherman Park neighborhood home, where she has lived for four years, but she hopes an agreement will prevent worse harm to her renting record.
Black women like Clayton are at least twice as likely to have an eviction filed against them compared to white renters in Wisconsin and 16 other states, according to an ACLU analysis of 2012-16 Eviction Lab data.
“Everybody is going through it, and nobody should have to go through this,” Clayton said. “I’m just trying to work out this issue and move forward.”
Some agencies administering Evers’ program are streamlining how they process aid applications. But meeting demand remains next-to-impossible.
“You had a great amount of housing insecurity long before COVID, and COVID has put this on hyperdrive,” said Paul of WISCAP. “There are delays in getting unemployment, you combine all of that, and there’s just a huge bottleneck of applicants for agencies.”
Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin initially took 14 days to contact applicants in Dane, Jefferson and Waukesha counties and assess their eligibility, according to Amber Duddy, the agency’s executive director. But the agency teamed up with Energy Services Inc., which provides energy assistance to limited-income families, to speed up that process. Duddy expected to exhaust its $2.6 million in WRAP funds by Labor Day.
Officials at Community Action, Inc. say they have distributed at least $990,000 in aid to more than 528 households in Rock and Walworth counties. Staff sorted through 1,000-plus pre-application surveys, though not every applicant in need of help proved eligible.
It is unclear how long that agency can stretch its current funding, and whether it will receive more aid to distribute, said spokeswoman Beth Tallon.
More than a dozen tenants told Wisconsin Watch through News414, a Milwaukee-focused service journalism project, that they have hit snags while applying for WRAP.
Niesha Joseph moved into her Milwaukee apartment during an emergency in February, picking the place so her two children could avoid switching schools. She lost her temp agency job when the pandemic struck weeks later, and she quickly fell behind on rent.
Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin initially took 14 days to contact applicants in Dane, Jefferson and Waukesha counties and assess their eligibility, according to Amber Duddy, the agency’s executive director. But the agency teamed up with Energy Services Inc., which provides energy assistance to limited-income families, to speed up that process. Duddy expected to exhaust its $2.6 million in WRAP funds by Labor Day.
Officials at Community Action, Inc. say they have distributed at least $990,000 in aid to more than 528 households in Rock and Walworth counties. Staff sorted through 1,000-plus pre-application surveys, though not every applicant in need of help proved eligible.
It is unclear how long that agency can stretch its current funding, and whether it will receive more aid to distribute, said spokeswoman Beth Tallon.
More than a dozen tenants told Wisconsin Watch through News414, a Milwaukee-focused service journalism project, that they have hit snags while applying for WRAP.
Her landlord at XS Management, filed for eviction before the moratorium in March and continued the case in June. The landlord also harassed the family, Joseph alleges.
“She was calling and leaving threatening messages, coming and sitting in front of my house,” she said.
Joseph spent weeks waiting for SDC to process her application, only to learn that she missed a step that has tripped up other tenants in crisis: She had to first apply for energy assistance.
Joseph is waiting for a reply after taking that step, but she now plans to move out before her Sept. 15 court date; She said she no longer feels safe in the home and aims to prevent an eviction altogether.
“I just want to be gone,” she said. “I’m not sure where I’m going to go.”
The landlord, Tori Schultz, did not directly respond to Joseph’s allegations, but she told Wisconsin Watch that she took pleasure in ousting the family. Schultz unleashed a string of insults about the family.
Other tenants, including some outside of Milwaukee, discovered they cannot qualify for WRAP, despite struggling to stay in their homes.
Lisa Brady’s barrier: her roommate. The Dodge County woman applied after losing hours at the hotel where she works. But WRAP distributes funding on a per-household basis, requiring financial information from everyone living there. Brady said she was unable to get her roommate’s information while filling out the application.
“I’m 60 years old, should I go work as a cashier somewhere and deal with that ridiculousness?” she said. “Should I start looking for a van to live in? And I’m not kidding.”
Nathan Conner, who lost his factory job in Green Bay, unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a payment plan with his landlord while waiting for the state to process his unemployment claim. Conner said he did not yet owe back rent when he sought WRAP aid, but he anticipated falling behind while living on zero income. He could not qualify until missing a payment.
Conner left the apartment to avoid damaging his rental history with an eviction. He and his 6-year-old daughter are now living in a hotel, racking up credit card debt and watching his goal of homeownership move farther out of reach.
“I’m doing the right thing that you’re telling me to do, and I’m still losing everything. You understand how frustrating that is?” he said.
Conner recently accepted a forklift driver job near Milwaukee, and he found an apartment available in September; the landlord reached out after reading a story about his struggles published by the conservative Wisconsin Spotlight. But Conner last month said he did not know how he would pay his bills until work starts at the end of August, and he is trying to hide his stress from his daughter.
“I can’t let her see me cry, because she wants to know why we’re going through what we’re going through,” he said.
Recognizing Milwaukee’s chronic housing crisis, the county joined a coalition of renters, landlords and nonprofits two years ago in laying the groundwork for a Rental Housing Resource Center — a one-stop shop for tenants and landlords seeking to prevent evictions.
The center would offer mediation, financial assistance, case management, legal services and education.
“We have a lot of aligned interests,” said Lipo Zovic. “Landlords don’t want housing instability either.”
The pandemic scuttled plans for a planned physical opening in July, but legal and advocacy groups are teaming up remotely to try to plug the mammoth gap in state housing aid.
“We’re all sort of in the same building in a way, because we’re communicating so frequently now,” said Deb Heffner, housing strategy director for Community Advocates. The group has distributed just over $1 million in rental assistance to 600 families through mid-August to families in Milwaukee County.
But as the pandemic continues, advocates worry that even keeping tenants in their homes will be short lived as people struggle to find work and the pandemic creates health and child care problems.
“We may have just staved off an eviction for now, for it to only happen in a few months,” Lipo Zovic said. “We’re filling the hole behind us — and there’s a hole in front of us that’s opening.”
This story was produced through News414, a service journalism project that engages Milwaukee residents via text messages. Wisconsin Watch/WPR reporter Bram Sable-Smith contributed reporting. News414 is a collaboration between Wisconsin Watch, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and Outlier Media. The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with WPR, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
How to navigate the Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program and other resources for renters


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Post from Community: Winner of scholarship contest expresses importance of eliminating barriers to freedom | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
August 25, 2020
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.
Jada Young, an alumnus of Rufus King High School who is double majoring in political science and economics (on the pre- law track) at UW-Madison, has won the 12 annual Freedom Scholarship Essay Contest, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs announced today.
Selected from entries sent to the Alderwoman’s office, Ms. Young’s essay on freedom best captured the essence of the popular scholarship contest, Alderwoman Coggs said.
“The struggle for freedom, equality and justice has been brought to the fore by the Black Lives Matter protests and a wider reckoning with inequality, injustice and systemic racism, made ever clearer during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Alderwoman Coggs said. “Ms. Young eloquently wrote about that reckoning and what it means to her, and for me that struck a powerful chord.”
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Ms. Young, who has become an activist in the Black Lives Matter movement and plans to one day use her law degree to further civil and human rights causes, in her essay, wrote: “By better investing in our urban, inner city schools, we can uplift our black communities and work towards diminishing racial disparities in the justice and education systems. Without investing in these issues, we are not ensuring the liberties and rights of all Americans.”
Ms. Young, a former member of the City of Milwaukee Youth Council (1 District) who served on the ACLU Student Alliance, won the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Spoken Word Contest for the high school division, was a three-time All-City Conference Champion for MPS girls’ tennis, and a two-time state qualifier for the Wisconsin State Music Association Solo & Ensemble Festival.
For the winning entry Ms. Young receives a $500 scholarship award.

author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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How to talk to your kids about mental health as the school year begins | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
August 26, 2020
Parents should have honest conversations about the effects of COVID-19 as they check on the mental wellbeing of their kids, experts say. (Photo provided by Next Door)
As school reopens during an unprecedented year, experts urge parents to have conversations with their kids about their mental wellbeing.
Children’s Wisconsin, for example, is introducing a new campaign, called “Shine Through,” which is dedicated to facilitating difficult conversations about mental health for children.
The campaign is part of  Children’s Wisconsin’s five-year, $150 million plan to improve mental health services in the state.
Lakiesha Russell, a child and family therapist with Children’s Wisconsin, said that children need to have a safe zone where they can express their emotions.
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Parents might be tempted to say their kids are “too young” to have mental health issues or not take them seriously. But children of any age can experience stressors, and it’s important to address them when they do, Russell said
“Everyone has mental health,” Russell said. “Everyone needs a way to process it.”
Russell said it’s important for parents to check in every day with their kids to see how they’re doing during the pandemic.
Russell said she stresses providing coping skills for the students, which includes giving them an outlet to express their emotions. Russell said that outlet can include writing, journaling or even deep breathing.
In addition, Russell tries to expand the “emotional vocabulary” of the children she works with. Instead of them relying only on “sad, mad and glad,” she tries to teach students to go deeper and examine what they’re truly feeling.
Ultimately, Russell said, it’s important for parents to exhibit healthy behaviors and outlets themselves.
“Model what you want the children in your life to do,” Russell advised.
Latasha Holt, the youth social development director at Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, recommends establishing a schedule to help students get back in the mindset for school.
Holt has been practicing this with her daughter, who is in the seventh grade. She recommends waking kids up early and making sure they eat breakfast before they log onto online classes.
Holt also suggests giving students “debriefers” and recreational time to help break up the day. A debriefer can be any break where students don’t have to focus on schoolwork.
This could include taking a walk or doing something outside. Holt said lunch breaks and recess are examples of debriefers.
Holt said students need a routine, even while learning from home.
Parents, she said, should hold honest conversations with children about COVID-19.
The conversations should stress the importance of following safety precautions, while also reassuring kids things will be OK, Holt said.
“It’s important to sit them down and say: ‘This is how we as a family are going to deal with it,’” Holt said.
Mental health experts see rise in cases as pandemic, protests create anxiety
Back to School 101: What Parents and Students Need to Know

author: Matt Martinez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 25, 2020

author: Adam Carr


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Post from Community: BBB Tip: Back to school internet safety tips | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsin Better Business Bureau
August 26, 2020
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.
Several school districts may be picking up where they left off in March when many schools in the country suddenly shut down due to concerns over coronavirus. Now, as we approach the beginning of the school year, teachers, administrators and families are adapting to an unusual first day of school, and many schools have a focus on online learning. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) encourages everyone to stay safe while online and avoid being easy targets for online scammers.
Parents: Be careful
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Creating accounts on websites without permission: Social media sites are ripe with strangers with intentions that may be quite different than yours. Many sites are designed to collect and sell unauthorized user details and behaviors to advertisers looking to engage in targeted marketing. When creating an account, some kids may falsely create a birthdate to meet the minimum age requirement. Know what your child is doing online, and keep track of the social media sites and accounts to which they have access.
Contests and giveaways: Contests and giveaways often collect a hefty amount of personal information on their entry forms. Many are thinly disguised ways of collecting personal or financial information that could lead to identity theft. Make sure your child doesn’t have access to banking or credit card information, and supervise the filling out of any forms.
Phishing: Adults are not the only ones who receive spam and junk mail. Kids often get junk mail, and since they don’t have much online experience, are more likely to be susceptible to click on links and answer questions they probably shouldn’t. While some emails may be legitimate, the last thing parents want, or need, is a $500 bill from a fraudulent website where a purchase may have been made- or worse, giving up personal information that can be tracked back to your home.
Understand apps. Short for “applications,” apps are downloaded software that operate on various devices, such as smart phones. However, certain apps might collect and share personal information about your child, or target your child with ads. Even free apps may include paid features, and children may not understand that some apps or game features cost money, since they were labeled as free to download. They may click on these so-called free games and end up costing parents or guardians a hefty bill at the end of the month.
File sharing sites: Many websites allow children to download free media. What they may not know is these sites often come with the risk of downloading a virus, allowing identity thieves to access the gaming device, personal computer or even cell phone that’s being used. From there, the cyberthief can track financial transactions, physical location or even tap into the household wifi without anyone knowing it.
Teachers and administrators:
Videoconferencing tools: Just like businesses, make certain the online software used to deliver lectures, classroom work and other online interactions is secure. The days of Zoom bombing, phishing and other forms of cyber criminal activity aren’t over.
Evaluate and update cybersecurity plans: The sudden shut down of in person activities left many scrambling to change course in creating and delivering a currculum. Now is the time for educators to create a plan to notify students, faculty and staff should there be a data breach or security problem once classes are back in session.
Keep a clean machine and update devices that connect to the internet: Backing up critical lesson plans, personal information and assigments is the best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats. The only way to do this is to stay up to date on the most current software to protect against them.
Tips on how to manage online privacy for the family:
Know about Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU). CARU’s self-regulatory program provides detailed guidance to children’s advertisers on how to deal sensitively and honestly with children’s issues. These guidelines include, but go beyond, the issues of truthfulness and accuracy to consider the uniquely impressionable and vulnerable child audience.
Know about COPPA. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act protects personal information of children under the age of 13 on websites and online services—including apps. COPPA requires those sites and services to notify parents and get their approval before they collect, use or disclose a child’s personal information. However, if your nine-year old tells Instagram they are 13 (the age requirement to use the app), he or she won’t be protected by this law.
Know about FOSI. The Family Online Safety Institute brings an international perspective to the potential risks, and harms as well as the rewards of our online lives. The Good Digital Parenting web portal is a great resource for families looking to educate online safety measures in the Internet age.
Read privacy policies together and understand privacy settings. Parents can have their children read the privacy policies and terms of use of any apps they want to use. There might be a little grumbling that the policies “are too long” or that “it takes too much time,” remind them of the importance of knowing what they are signing up for and insist that they are read. Then, take time to learn and understand the privacy settings on each of the apps and games. Less is more when it comes to sharing information.
Don’t share your location. Nearly every app automatically tracks a user’s location. From placing an online order for groceries or fast food to playing an online game, review the apps on all of your devices to see which ones are tracking your location. Then, if it’s not needed, look in the settings to see how to disable this feature. Advise a friend or family member to avoid geo-tagging their posts with their location. Why? For example, you don’t want to announce the fact your family is vacationing out of state while the house sits empty. A simple review of the geo-tagged post will reveal where you really are.
Use parental controls if necessary. Although the best way to keep a child’s online privacy safe is to teach them to manage it themselves, it doesn’t hurt to have their backs by using parental controls. Today Android, iOS, and most web browsers offer built-in features that allow parents to monitor their children’s online activities, but third-party apps are available as well. Research the option that works best. Follow through with the child the reasons why you’re monitoring their activities.
Share with care and remember, personal information is like money. What is posted online can last a lifetime: parents can teach children that any information they share online can easily be copied and is almost impossible to take back. Talk to them about who might see a post and how it might be perceived in the future, and show them how anything they do online can positively, or negatively, can impact other people. Sharing personal information can also give online thieves an idea of what login information or passwords might be used for banking accounts or other online accounts.
Read more on keeping children safe online.
Visit the National Cybersecurity Alliance for the latest information.
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

author: Wisconsin Better Business Bureau


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‘I would like police officers to know that my skin is not a weapon’: What young Black men in Milwaukee are saying after the shooting of Jacob Blake. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
August 27, 2020
The shooting of Jacob Blake by officers of the Kenosha Police Department earlier this week has spurred yet another national conversation on police brutality. We reached out to young Black men in our neighborhoods to get their thoughts on police-community relations and to find out what they feel needs to change to avoid more incidents in the future.
(Photo provided by Brooks Griffin)
Brooks Griffin
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
27
Youth organizer and president of The Inspired Network
Hampton Heights
It’s difficult to think about the shooting of Jacob Blake because I went to school in Kenosha. As a young adult, I made dumb decisions in Kenosha. Now seeing this unfold, I think about how one of my decisions could have resulted. I think that if you make decisions from a place of fear, you shouldn’t be an officer.
It’s time for residents to be at the table alongside police. This philosophy of sitting high and looking low isn’t working anymore. Your policies as a community-serving organization, because that’s what police are meant to be, should be lining up with those of the community you serve. And if they don’t, you are doing a disservice. I would have the community at the table.
(Photo provided by Gabriel Small)
Gabriel Small
17
Amani
Bay View High School student
At this point, it feels like your job is irrelevant. I have only ever heard about or seen you doing something negative. It feels like you’re making things worse.
If I were police chief, I would fire those officers and try to get them a life sentence because they tried to kill someone. I would also do my best to change whatever the policy is on drawing your weapon because this isn’t working.
(Photo provided by Zech Simmons)
Zech Simmons
22
South Side of Milwaukee
UW-Parkside grad
I’ve personally had good experiences when pulled over by police, but what consistently happens to other Black men gives me plenty of questions. I know I have it easier. Because I am definitely lighter than others, I’ve had fewer negative experiences. But I’m glad I can contribute to the conversation.
Why is it so hard for police to remember their training?
In Jacob Blake’s case, if people weren’t recording across the street, we may not have had footage of this incident, as none of the officers had body cams on. Which is why it’s important to vote, to get the right people in the right seats to make it a rule that every officer needs to have a body cam no matter what department.
Why do you go for the gun first, especially when there’s a crowd? Why do you feel the need to “never lose a fight” in public? Do you feel like your manhood is at stake when you’re being challenged by a stronger opponent in front of others?
The second someone starts to prove your little 6-8 week de-escalation training didn’t work, you reach for lethal options. Why is it so important to be the macho man?
Why do you not hold your other officers accountable while you’re out with them?
The common response to police brutality is “all cops aren’t bad.” But when other cops are on the scene and stand by while their coworkers use excessive force, they stand there like garden gnomes. They do nothing to interfere, nor will they report misconduct.
Do you not care?
If I was the police chief—that’s easy, I simply wouldn’t be one. I would never contribute to systematic racism.
If I had no choice but to be the chief, then I would simply fire and actually hold officers accountable when they’re written up — not just a slap on the wrist.
I’d be the one that cancels everyone’s bonuses or whatever funding I need to cut to make sure that citizens don’t cross the street when then they see a cop coming toward them.
(Photo provided by Isaac Wells)
Isaac Wells
19
South Side
Student at UW-Madison
It’s not just an issue of bad policing, it’s an entire system of racism. In the recent past, we’ve had legalized racism and people say that it was in the past, but it wasn’t that long ago. Our generation is not the first to fight against systemic racism. This happens where there’s a giant peak every couple years and then it dies down. I’m scared my descendants will become so distanced from the areas of legalized racism that they’ll stop fighting for their rights and become numb to the issue.
There’s this stigma of Black men vs the police in Milwaukee. It’s expected that Black men will be arrested. I’ve never personally had a negative experience, but I recognize a lot of other men do have negative experiences. When you see an African American man walking down the street, no matter how they’re dressed, people label them and that’s not fair.
I’d tell an officer that behind the oppressive cultural stereotypes bounding my culture are engineers, doctors, fathers, nurses and teachers. Try not to look at us through a lens of “others,” but instead think of us as your brothers.
My one really big thing is the educational aspect. My duty as a police chief may not be education necessarily, but there’s no reason why police officers should be patrolling schools. Their presence adds to the school-to-prison pipeline.
If I were police chief, I feel that there should be more enforcement of getting officers from different representations. It’s a lot of officers coming from the suburbs.
I don’t know all the powers a police chief has, but they should be teaching people to not commit crimes instead of punishing people. I would attempt to eradicate crimes but changing mindsets instead of throwing people in prison.
(Photo provided by Richard Nwabuzor)
Richard Nwabuzor
22
Silver Spring
New Marquette University graduate
I grew up in a mostly middle-class neighborhood, so there wasn’t really an increased police presence . . . I’ve never seen police actually prevent a crime. They show up after a crime took place. Even in times I’ve needed police for small things like directions at the courthouse, it wasn’t helpful.
As a Black man, I avoid police at all costs. In an emergency situation, I try to figure it out myself.
I would work to understand those outraged. I wouldn’t be trying to condemn the community but rather my officers. I would be taking a double take at the department I am in control of to see what we are doing wrong. I would have to realize that maybe the organization I work for isn’t doing for the community what it thinks it’s doing.
(Photo provided by Thomas Leonard)
Thomas Leonard
23
Capitol Heights
Teen program coordinator for PEAK Initiative
I would like police officers to know that my skin is not a weapon.
I believe that the trust between Black folks and law enforcement can only be repaired through a change in policy and the continuous commitment to challenging historical biases and practices.
I would like police officers to understand that the duty to serve should include both empathy and a level of unlearning.
If I were police chief, I would see to it that all of the officers involved are treated the same as if they weren’t wearing badges.
If I ever commit a crime with two or more people involved, those two or more people would be arrested and charged as accomplices. If I were the police chief, I would make sure that officers get the same treatment.
: Stephan Lesure
: 26
: Entrepreneur
: Grantosa
Being a Black man is a gift and a curse. We’re wanted by many but hated by most. Not only does it anger me, but I’m also frustrated. The fact that the cycle continues to repeat itself. If we comply, we’re SHOT. If we’re handcuffed, we’re SHOT. If we’re simply breaking up a fight that doesn’t involve us, WE ARE SHOT (seven times in the back). Every interaction with law enforcement shouldn’t end with Black men being killed. Police are not judges. They don’t determine whether you live or die. I’m preconditioned to this. When I was young, I remember having conversations with my pops on this exact situation: interactions with police as a Black man. No matter my occupation, I’m still considered a “thug” in their eyes . . . Things won’t change until there is action, and I’m not talking about these peaceful protests and the riots. It starts within.
I will implement policies that will hold officers accountable for their actions. No more slap on the wrist. Policies where it affects them either financially or simply just gives them jail time. Also I’ll have monthly or biweekly mental health check-ins.
(Photo provided by Kylin Sears)
Kylin Sears
: 20
: Retail
: Lindsay Heights
It’s sad and frustrating that we don’t feel safe around you. Every interaction with you leaves me stressed and nervous, even police just pulling up next to me. I have no criminal record, but I personally live in fear of police. We should be able to rely on police and not fear that our call will get us killed. Children should look up to you, yet they are scared and traumatized by you. It’s disappointing.
I would put these officers on suspension and have a thorough investigation of what took place. I would follow the chain of command, which I think would lead to the officers being behind bars because the use of force was excessive. No one deserves to be shot seven times.
Adam Carr and Ana Martinez-Ortiz contributed to this report.

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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Adam Carr
August 26, 2020


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SPECIAL REPORT: Extreme heat puts city in double jeopardy | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Bridget Fogarty
August 27, 2020

author: Bridget Fogarty


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Dwayne Burtin
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Dwayne Burtin
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5 things to do and know the weekend of Aug. 28 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
August 28, 2020
BLXCK MKE is hosting a “March on Washington” in Washington Park on Friday, Aug. 28. (File photo from July 4, 2020, by Adam Carr)
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.
1. Blxck MKE “March on Washington”: Friday, Aug. 28
BLXCK MKE is hosting a “March on Washington.” The march will begin at the Urban Ecology Center located in Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th St., at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28.
2. Neighborhood rummage sale: Saturday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Aug. 30
Friends of Valley Park & Gardens is hosting a socially distanced neighborhood rummage sale. The sale will take place in the Valley Pigsville near the North 39th Street and West St. Paul Avenue area from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Aug. 30. If you are interested in selling, contact Anna Stone at annalenorestone@gmail.com or call 414-530-7525.
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3. Chicanx National Day of Action and Resistance: Saturday, Aug. 29
Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression and El Pueblo MKE are celebrating Chicanx National Day of Action and Resistance. The groups plan to begin the event with a march. There will also be an opportunity to hear from local speakers and to support artists, activists and vendors. The event will take place in the southwest parking lot of the Mitchell Park Domes on the corner of South 26th and West Pierce streets from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29.
4. Cash mob for Triciclo Perú: Sunday, Aug. 30
Mr. Dye’s Pies is hosting a cash mob for the restaurant Triciclo Perú, 3801 W. Vliet St., from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30. The goal is for a mass of people to show up and support a local business. Triciclo Perú offers an array of Peruvian food from empanadas to anticuchos.
5. The Black August bike ride: Sunday, Aug. 30
Red Bike & Green Milwaukee is hosting a bike ride as a part of Black August. The ride will begin at the 5 Points Gallery & Studios, 3514 N. Port Washington Ave., at 1:30 p.m. and go until 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30. Black August is a recognition and celebration of the history of Black resistance and rebellion that began in August from the Haitian Revolution to the Ferguson Uprising and more.
Bonus: The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed on coronavirus by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 27, 2020


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Community continues to celebrate life of youth leader Quanita ‘Tay’ Jackson | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
August 28, 2020
Quanita “Tay” Jackson at a Moody Park basketball tournament on Aug. 24, 2019, the day before she was killed. (Photo by Mark Doremus)
More than a year has passed since Quanita “Tay”‘ Jackson was shot and killed near Moody Park, and the community continues to celebrate the legacy of the 20-year-old youth leader and organizer.
On Tuesday, community members rallied in Moody Park for a “Tay Day March” in honor of Jackson. They marched, shared stories and dedicated performances to her.
Known for her kindness, creativity and positive attitude, Jackson was killed near Moody Park on Aug. 25, 2019.
Those close to her are still coping with her death but have chosen to celebrate her life.
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“We initially opened our doors for those mourning her and were not expecting how many people came out,” said Shalina Ali, the co-executive director of TRUE Skool, who worked with Jackson making music and mentoring those younger than her. “Now we have a mural of her up, and her music is a part of our soundtrack. That’s how we celebrate her.”
According to many, Jackson was talented and had innate leadership qualities.
“It’s cool to see people recognizing her talent,” said Jaylan Higgins, a friend and bandmate of Jackson’s. “I wish they would have done” it “while she was here, but it’s nice to see.”
Residents turn out this week for the “Tay Day March.” (Photo by PrincessSafiya Byers)
He, along with people Jackson worked with at TRUE Skool, a hip-hop nonprofit that serves Milwaukee youth, is working to get her unreleased music released.
“She made music about reversing the exact thing that took her life,” Ali said. “That will always hold a sense of irony to me.”
In the last year, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors approved a mural of Jackson to go up at the Moody Park basketball courts.
“In coming months, the backboards dedicated to her should be up,” said Vaun Mayes, a community activist. “And we are working on getting her community garden done.”
Jackson served as a youth ambassador for Mayes’ Program the Parks MKE campaign, which aims to tamp down violence in inner-city neighborhoods.
The day before she was killed, Jackson helped organize a three-on-three basketball tournament that drew a large crowd to Moody Park for hoops, food and music.
Jackson’s killing remains unsolved, and the Milwaukee Police Department continues to investigate.  The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the shooting was increased to $100,000.
Anyone with information related to this case can contact the Milwaukee Police Department at (414) 935-7360 or call Milwaukee Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS.
The day before she was killed, NNS interviewed Jackson about her leadership in the community.


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Post from Community: Convergence Resource Center celebrates Chuntazia Cox as its 2020 ‘Masterpiece Work of ART’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Convergence Resource Center
August 28, 2020
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.
One year ago, Chuntazia Cox was at a crossroads. She had been living life in the fast lane for ten years and knew deep inside it couldn’t last. Walking through the door of Convergence Resource Center (CRC) equipped her to walk away from a life of quick money, drugs  and constant danger.
CRC is a faith-based organization that helps women rebuild their lives after incarceration and female survivors of human trafficking. More than 900 women have overcome their traumas during the past 17 years because of CRC.
“I no longer live that lifestyle (of being trafficked for sex). I no longer do drugs and I’m around positive people daily that truly want to see me do great,” said Cox, 26 and a mother of three young children. “I’m working on budgeting, saving my money and I enjoy making an honest living now and being a good mom.”
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Because of her remarkable turnaround, Cox was recently celebrated as CRC’s “Masterpiece of ART” during the nonprofit’s “Celebration of Changed Lives” virtual telethon streamed on CRC’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/conresctr). ART refers to CRC’s Avoid Recidivism Track that provides counseling and training to help women rebuild their lives and remain out of the justice system.
“Chuntazia has a bright future because she’s listened to her heart and worked hard to change her thinking about herself and what she wants for herself and her children,” said Debbie Lassiter, D. Div., the nonprofit’s CEO and co-founder. “She has accomplished so much in the past year and has discovered that she can accomplish anything if she is willing to work hard and remain positive.”
Cox, who graduated high school despite leaving home as a teenager and being trafficked, sees herself going to college and becoming a fashion designer and business owner. She already has decided on the name and colors of her future clothing line: Perseverance.
“The signature colors are red and white to represent struggle,” said Cox. “And the name Perseverance means not giving up when things get rough.”
The roughly half-hour segments from the “A Celebration of Changed Lives” five-day virtual telethon are available for viewing on CRC’s website, Facebook page, and its YouTube channel. People can still donate by clicking a button on CRC’s Facebook page, its website or by testing “CRCGIVE” to 44-321.
“We have become a leading service provider for human trafficking survivors and justice involved women, and our HEMAD campaign has transitioned into a movement which addresses the demand side of human trafficking. Looking into 2020, we are prepared to launch several new services that are poised to address gaps in services for human trafficking survivors. We need support from the community to do that,” said Lassiter.
About Convergence Resource Center
Convergence Resource Center (CRC) is a faith-based nonprofit community service organization providing support for men and women rebuilding their lives after trauma with an emphasis on justice involved women and female survivors of human trafficking. It collaborates with more than 50 community service organizations locally and nationally through partnerships and membership in several human trafficking task forces. To learn more, call (414) 979-0591 or visit www.convergenceresource.org.

author: Convergence Resource Center


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August 28, 2020

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Post from Community: MATC launches access to four-year degrees on campus with Lakeland University as first partner | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
August 28, 2020
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 students can now pursue a Lakeland University bachelor’s degree at all four MATC campuses through MATC’s Center for University Partnerships and Studies. This innovative new educational access program will offer discounted Lakeland tuition and convenience for MATC graduates.
After earning an MATC associate degree, students can seamlessly pursue a Lakeland bachelor’s degree by continuing  to work with many of their MATC instructors in a format that is familiar and flexible. Lakeland will give MATC students pursuing a bachelor’s degree through MATC’s Center a 20% discount on Lakeland tuition and fees and will extend the MATC Promise to any qualified traditional or adult student.
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The MATC Center for University Partnerships and Studies will begin with part- and full-time options to continue on to five Lakeland bachelor’s degrees: accounting, business administration, criminal justice, graphic design and nursing.
The program is open to current and prospective MATC students as well as recent graduates.
“We are excited and grateful to announce this innovative partnership with Lakeland University, which will further strengthen opportunities for our students to earn a bachelor’s degree through the Center for University Partnerships and Studies on our campuses,” said MATC President Vicki J. Martin, Ph.D. “And it will extend the reach of our Promise programs to increase affordability and reduce college debt for all four years for qualified students. MATC continues to be a leader in connecting our students to a four-year degree.”
“This Center honors the special relationship MATC and Lakeland have shared over many years and affirms Lakeland’s commitment to the state’s technical colleges,” said Lakeland President David Black, Ph.D. “It represents a unique public-private partnership that will help elevate students in this region by removing barriers to a bachelor’s degree. It follows the successes of innovative programs in other states, adapted to the needs of our institutions.”
Lakeland coursework will be offered at the MATC locations aligned with each of five bachelor’s degrees and will use Lakeland’s popular BlendEd LIVE and Online LIVE formats. These formats allow students to decide week-to-week if they wish to attend class in the physical classroom or online, and are among the most flexible offered in higher education. Lakeland advisors will have a presence at each MATC campus.
MATC students will also have access to Lakeland’s Cooperative Education program, which creates full- and part-time job opportunities for students through co-op partner employers and tackles the student debt issue. MATC students can earn college credit for their work experiences and earn wages to help pay for school, putting them in a position to reduce or eliminate post-graduation tuition debt.
“This co-op model is unique to Lakeland and we’re excited to be able to expand it to MATC students,” Black said. “Lakeland’s co-op and credit-for-prior-learning options recognize the importance of work and experiential learning, and co-op students are earning impressive work experience with global companies.”
As the MATC Center for University Partnerships and Studies expands, the college will be able to offer additional bachelor’s degree programs to students as well as professional development options for its staff and community members.
To learn more about the Lakeland partnership, visit: https://lakeland.edu/matc-partnership. For more about MATC’s Center for University Partnerships, visit: http://www.matc.edu/academics/academic-resources/four-year-transfer/center-for-university-partnerships-and-studies.html.
About Milwaukee Area Technical College:
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. Nearly 35,000 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 35 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
About Lakeland University:
Founded in 1862, Lakeland University is an innovative, affordable four-year, private university that integrates the liberal arts with its award-winning Cooperative Education program. Lakeland’s main campus is located in Sheboygan County, and the institution has strong ties to the United Church of Christ. Lakeland serves approximately 3,000 students, including traditional undergraduates at its main campus, undergraduate and graduate students taking evening and online courses through one of Lakeland’s seven centers located throughout Wisconsin and students from all over the world enrolled at its campus in Tokyo, Japan. Learn more at lakeland.edu. Lakeland is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


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August 27, 2020


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Post from Community: Statement on closure of Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club from Ald. Coggs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
August 28, 2020
(Photo by Adam Carr)
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.
I am saddened to have been made aware this week of the closing of the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club, 611 W. Cherry St. The legacy Boys & Girls Club location that has served thousands of children and families over the years with important programming and services will close later today.
The sudden and difficult announcement brings a loss to the children and families of Hillside Terrace, to the Golda Meir students who would walk over to the club after school (for wrap-around services), and for the community as a whole. The great Pieper-Hillside BGC staff has always provided high quality care, mentorship, and service to our young people, and they will be missed.
I am committed to working with the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, Boys & Girls Club, and Hillside residents to ensure that youth services are made available in the future.
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BGC leadership has indicated that they have made accommodations for any child that will be impacted by the decision. Students will have preferential placements at the five remaining BGC legacy sites — Davis, Mary Ryan, Fitzsimonds, Daniels-Mardak, LaVarnway and at the Siefert CLC (located six blocks from the Pieper-Hillside BGC). Additionally, they indicate that all Pieper-Hillside staff will be offered positions at other Clubs sites.
The COVID-19 pandemic, according to the BGC leadership, played a major role in the decision to close the Pieper-Hillside location. Families have been severely impacted and are rightly putting the health and safety of children and family members first, and unemployment has also been a contributing factor.
I urge the community to continue following our Health Department orders (including the mandatory face masking order) and to put health and safety first, always.
Thank you to the Pieper-Hillside staff for their service, and may we move forward together as a community as we work to provide opportunities for our young people.


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Adam Carr
August 28, 2020


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Post from Community: Your questions answered about breastfeeding — free Facebook Live, September 3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Healthy Start
August 28, 2020
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 County Healthy Start will host a Facebook Live discussion about breastfeeding at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, September 3. Join for free on Facebook @MilwaukeeHealthyStart.
Experts from Milwaukee County Healthy Start, the City of Milwaukee Health Department and MyNP Professional LLC will provide some basic education about breastfeeding that include: things you should know, benefits of breastfeeding, resources and support. Your questions can be submitted in advance at healthystart@chw.org or asked live during the discussion.
Many things contribute to a healthy and safe pregnancy. If you are pregnant or planning a family, Healthy Start can help you get the information and services you need to have a healthy baby, raise a healthy family, and keep yourself healthy and strong.
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Maternal child-health navigators can connect you to the resources you need:
Learn more and sign up at milwaukeehealthystart.org.

author: Milwaukee County Healthy Start


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August 25, 2020


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OPINION: Looking for Black artists in Milwaukee? We are here. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Della Wells
August 29, 2020
“America Still Hides My Land,” a collage by Della Wells (Photo by Adam Carr)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
(Photo by Sonji Hunt)
Della Wells is a longtime Milwaukee artist.
Over the years, I and other African American artists in Milwaukee have been approached countless times by people, particularly from the white community, wanting to help Black artists or to increase diversity in the arts community or to help the Black community in general.
The reason they give is usually similar — they believe the work of African American artists is not seen here or they want African American artists to join their organization to increase diversity.
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All this is fine.
However, too often the African American artists in this city are seen with a monolithic lens (and this is probably true elsewhere, too). Just because an artist is Black does not mean they are not earning a living as an artist, obtaining their career goals or their work is not being seen. (To be honest, the same argument could apply to other artists in the city, not just Black artists.)
Part of it has to do with the reality that making a living as an artist is generally not easy, period. And things can get more difficult because of race, gender, economic class, where an artist lives and whether an artist makes connections with others who support and buy their work.
And yes, racism and sexism exist for artists. Often, those making decisions about which artists the art world deems important are not people of color.
Despite all this, there are African American artists in Milwaukee who have careers in the arts and earn a living in the arts, selling work and exhibiting, here and elsewhere.
Let me cite some examples.
There are and have been murals and public art projects done by Milwaukee-based artists such as Ammar Nsoroma, Tia Richardson, Ken Brown, Anna Rose, Mutope J. Johnson, Evelyn P. Terry, Brad Anthony Bernard, George Gist and others. In public libraries, schools, book stores and Amazon.com, one can find children’s books illustrated and created by award-winning Milwaukee-based illustrator Aaron Boyd. Not to mention Milwaukee-based artists such as Sonji Hunt, Sharon Kerry-Harlon, Reginald Baylor, LaNia Sproles, Rosemary Ollison, Nick Drain, Fatima Laster, Rosy Petri, Darrel M. Payne, Ariana Vaeth, Blanche Brown, Ruthie Joy, Rhonda Gatlin Hayes, Muneer Bahauddeen, Portia Cobb, Vedale Hill, myself and many more.
During the last three years, there have been 40 or more exhibitions in Southeastern Wisconsin where one could see artworks created by African American artists who are internationally known, nationally known and who are from Wisconsin. Some of the venues include John Michael Kohler Art Center, Wright Museum of Art, Lynden Sculpture Garden, Cedarburg Art Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, 5 Points Art Gallery & Studios, Sculpture Milwaukee, Haggerty Museum of Art, Real Tinsel, The Alice Wilds, Reginald Baylor Studio, Portrait Society Gallery, Fiserv Forum, Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons, Milwaukee School of Art and Design, Giving Gallery, Bronzeville Art Walk, various public libraries, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Jazale’s Art Studio, Greenwood Park Gallery, King Commons Gallery and Studio, Racine Art Museum, Mahogany Gallery, Ayzha Fine Arts Gallery & Boutique, David Barnett Gallery, No Studios, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, various bus shelters throughout the city, Saint Kate Arts Hotel, UW-Milwaukee Union Art Gallery, Museum of Wisconsin Art, Pfister Hotel, Bronzeville Collective MKE, Imagine MKE Gallery Night events, Terry McCormick Contemporary Fine and Folk Art Gallery, Var Gallery & Studios, Charles Allis Art Museum, Walker’s Point Center for the Arts and more.
I created these lists of artists and venues because we are told that African American artists’ work is not being seen, or maybe more accurately, that people don’t know where to go to see it.
It is there.
Many of the exhibitions and venues mentioned above do not have a focus on African American art. In other words, an African American artist’s work is not always in “Black only” shows. African American artists create all types of art.
So how do you find out where and when an African American artist’s work is to be exhibited or viewed? Social media or search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. are a good place to start. Or you can contact your local galleries, museums, art centers or arts organizations to find out where you can see African American art. If you know any artists, ask them if they know where you can see and buy African American art.
The information is out there, and it is up to us to find it.
Don’t assume that African American and other artists of color are not making strides in their career because you don’t know about their work.
We are here.
How four artists are flexing their creative muscles during COVID-19
‘A big blank canvas’: Milwaukee’s creatives of color talk about the city’s challenges and their triumphs
OPINION: Dear white gallery owner: Here’s how not to erase the narratives of Milwaukee’s black and brown artists

author: Della Wells


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Business accelerator program seeks next cohort of minority and female business owners | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
August 29, 2020
Rosland and Henry Anderson recently held an open house for the Standard of Excellence Education and Training Center, 6914 W. Appleton Ave. (Photo provided by Sawi Perry)
Last June, Rosland Anderson, CEO of Standard of Excellence Education and Training Center, and her husband, Henry Anderson, purchased a former Milwaukee Public Schools building. But they weren’t quite sure what to do with it.
“I was overwhelmed,” said Anderson, who at the time was operating her center in two locations. “So, now, I have 10,000-plus square feet of space and I’m thinking: ‘What else can I do to make money?’ ”
It was around that time that Anderson learned of SPARC, a business accelerator program of Scale Up Milwaukee, an initiative of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.
SPARC, which is taking applications from potential participants through August, is designed to help companies like Andersons’: minority and/or women-owned companies that earn from $100,000 to $1 million annually and are looking to increase revenue, said Elmer Moore, executive director of Scale Up Milwaukee.
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“We want to help people get to the next level and help people be more ambitious and be aware of what it looks like to be a high-growth business,” Moore said.
Sixty-six businesses have gone through SPARC, which began as a pilot program in 2013 and was relaunched in 2017 through the support of JP Morgan Chase. Those companies averaged a 57 percent increase in revenue growth last year, Moore said.
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For Anderson, who was a member of the 2019 cohort, the program helped her refresh her account management skills, work on her leadership team and set other goals to expand her services.
The training also helped her overcome challenges related to both the pandemic and bringing the long-vacant MPS building at 6914 W. Appleton Ave. up to code.
Anderson’s center, which offers training for entry level medical jobs, recently hosted an open house at the new location.
“I found the bravery to step up and do other programming,” Anderson said. “Now, we can take it to that next level financially.”
The curriculum for SPARC’s next 10-week cohort has been heavily influenced by the pandemic and will focus on pivoting operations to a digital presence, remote work, crisis recovery and planning.
It also will teach participants how to navigate government funding from programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program, Moore said.
“Coronavirus and the shutdown helped us to gain focus on some of the technical disparities that exist,” Moore said. “We have to make sure that if this ever happens again that folks are more prepared.”
Lakeia Jones, a member of the 2018 cohort and owner of AMRI Counseling Services, 4001 W. Capitol Drive, said the training she received through SPARC helped put her in a position to thrive once the pandemic hit.
Although Jones had long provided mental health and substance abuse services in an outpatient setting, SPARC forced her to dust off her strategic plan to focus more on telehealth, or remote health care, which she knew was the wave of the future.
Telehealth services became not just a necessity but also widely accessible after health insurance restrictions and other guidelines were lifted during the pandemic.
Before then, her base of customers and the range of internet services she could provide were limited.
“We have entered a new era of mental health,” Jones said. “My business now fits into the global economy.”
Darren Fisher, CEO and founder of SPEARity, which works with individuals and companies to create business and leadership strategies, was a member of the original cohort but since then has served as an instructor.
He said the program helped clarify ways to expand his business.
“That was huge for us,” said Fischer, whose company works with larger companies such as Sargento as well as startups from Brew City Match, a program that supports economic development in the Historic King Drive, North Avenue & Fond du Lac, and Cesar Chavez Drive business corridors.
Fisher and Moore also said that SPARC serves as a great networking opportunity that connects business owners with a passion for growth.
“We bring ambitious people together and they challenge each other and motivate each other and often do business together,” Moore said.
“We want to help our participants become really good at running their business and help grow the number of successful Black and Latinx companies,” he said.
Time is almost running out. Interested business owners should apply ASAP as the deadline closes at end of month.
Apply here or email Elizabeth Cizinsky with questions.

author: Edgar Mendez


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Post from Community: Redistributing or “defunding” the Milwaukee Police Department Budget: What is being asked by community groups and why? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
United Nations Association
August 30, 2020
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.
The United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee invites you to…
Redistributing or “Defunding” the Milwaukee Police Department Budget:  What is being asked by community groups and why?
A Virtual Zoom Event on September 12th, 2020 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM
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Advance registration is required.
Markasa Tucker, Director of the African American Roundtable at WI Voices, will provide an overview of the LiberateMKE campaign and what role local government and Milwaukee residents can play in the effort to achieve local safety.   The AART is a non-profit coalition of community leaders and organizations that works to improve civic engagement with a focus on organizing people to build power.
• Over the last five years, the City of Milwaukee police budget has grown by over $70 million but do we feel safer?   Every other department has seen little to no growth.   We know that instead of police, we could invest in programs that address the root causes of poverty and violence, like jobs, public health, and housing.
• In calling for defunding the police department, is there a need to redefine public safety?  What needs to be changed?  What are the community resources needed to achieve healthy, vibrant, and safe neighborhoods?
Markasa joined AART in 2014 as office administrator but her grassroots organizing experience came after she was drawn to Red Arrow Park in Milwaukee after Dontre Hamilton was murdered by police.   In 2019 she helped co-found the LiberateMKE campaign asking for investment in communities and an equitable city budget.
• She has a background in media relations including working on the assignment desks at WISN and CBS 58 and at 620 WTMJ as a radio producer.   She is a former member of the National Association of Black Journalists and served as secretary and president of the Wisconsin Black Media Association.
• Markasa graduated Cum Laude with a BA Degree in Mass Communications from Grambling State University and is the president of the GSU Alumni – Milwaukee Chapter.   She is the
founder of The Alternative, Inc., a Christian arts and community engagement organization.
For more information:
Contact Martha Collins at martha4progress@gmail.com or 414.435.6482
Advance registration is required. To register, go to:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqduGqqzgrHdO2eEfgJ89V88mISwPuvHeS
If you have trouble registering, send an email to the UNA-GM at UNAMilwaukeewi@gmail.com
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.
The United Nations Association of The United States of America “…is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and mobilizing Americans to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations and its agencies.”

author: United Nations Association


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IMAGE-UNITED-NATIONS-ASSOCIATION.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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August 30, 2020


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5 things to do and know this week in Milwaukee: Aug. 31 to Sept. 5 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
August 31, 2020
Near West Side Partners is hosting a webinar on reckless driving. (NNS file photo by Sophie Bolich)
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 .
The City of Milwaukee’s Health Department is hosting Back-to-School Fairs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31. The fairs are being held at four locations throughout the city: Hopkins Lloyd School, 1503 W. Hopkins St.; Riverwest School, 2765 N. Fratney St.; Greenfield Bilingual School, 1711 S. 35th St.; and Kilbourn School, 5354 N. 68th St. Students can receive school supplies, book bags, masks, hand sanitizer and more.
2. Milwaukee Recreation registration is open
Milwaukee residents can now register for the Milwaukee Recreation’s fall programs. In-person registration is not currently available, but people can register online or over the phone by calling 414-475-8811. To view the recreation guide, click here. Registration for non-residents opens at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The online registration deadline ends one week before the class begins.
3. Weekly Wednesday webinar: Reckless driving: Wednesday, Sept. 2
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Reckless driving is the topic of this week’s webinar by the Near West Side Partners. The webinar will be livestreamed on Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2. This week’s conversation features Ald. Chantia Lewis, Celia Jackson from the Coalition of Safe Driving MKE and Damien Smith of Safe & Sound. To register,  click here. : As reckless driving incidents mount in Milwaukee, task force releases plan to fix problem
4. Fuel Milwaukee’s “Race Bridge” webinarFuel Milwaukee is hosting a webinar titled “Race Bridge: Hyper Segregation in Milwaukee.” The webinar will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3. Historian and educator Reginald Jackson will be leading the discussion. Jackson will talk about the history of segregation in America, why it hit Milwaukee harder and what Milwaukeeans can do to erase racial lines in the city. To register, click here.
5. Black and Brown Solidarity MarchYouth Empowered in the Struggle is hosting a solidarity march and rally for Black and brown lives. The march will take place at the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd., from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5. The group plans to march across the 16th Street Bridge, which connects Milwaukee’s predominantly Latinx South Side with its predominantly Black North Side.
READ: A legacy of resistance: Historical resources for understanding local and national protest movements
The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 30, 2020


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OPINION: How we can help students stay resilient during the coronavirus | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Meralis Hood
August 31, 2020
(Photo provided by City Year Milwaukee)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
Meralis Hood is the executive director of City Year Milwaukee, an education-based nonprofit that places AmeriCorps members in Milwaukee  schools.
When our students return to school this fall, it won’t be “business as usual” for them—or for any of us. Despite the heroic efforts by Milwaukee Public Schools’ educators to adapt and support remote learning during the conclusion of the spring semester, students and schools will need additional supports to rebound from the academic and social emotional impacts of COVID-19.
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This is particularly true for the students who are absent from online learning, despite efforts to provide technological access and learning opportunities to all students. Experts are predicting that students who are not receiving effective distance learning could be a year behind when they return.
Student success—particularly during this disruptive moment in schooling—requires not only access to quality academic content but also strategies to engage students in their learning. Teachers, of course, are critical in all of these efforts.
As our schools continue to navigate the pandemic, we know that all our young people will need caring adult relationships in schools to help students reconnect with their school community, re-engage in their learning and recover from learning loss.
At City Year, we already partner with schools to provide additional near-peer adults who can support teachers and establish relationships with students.
The good news: We know more today about how to support holistic student success than ever before. A new study by the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University tells us that in order for students to learn and achieve, we need to focus on both academic content and on building their social and emotional skills, such as persisting through challenges and understanding their own strengths and growth areas. The study found that making gains in social-emotional skills
This study aligns with a growing evidence base and what we see every day when our City Year AmeriCorps members work alongside educators as student success coaches in Milwaukee Public Schools: Learning happens through relationships.
When our AmeriCorps members support students to help them master fractions, we also are helping them learn how to solve problems, work in teams and bounce back after setbacks. As we know from our own experience serving in schools, these are the skills that are essential to success in school and in life—and they will be even more relevant for students as they navigate our new “normal.”
A new study explores the relationship between social-emotional development and academic outcomes for students.
The study analyzed the impact of City Year AmeriCorps members who tutored and mentored thousands of students in 326 public schools across 28 U.S. cities—including here in Milwaukee. In addition to the statistically significant, consistent relationships between student social-emotional skills and academic outcomes, the study also found that spending more time with City Year AmeriCorps members is tied to significant academic gains, better attendance and stronger social-emotional skills such as self-management, decision-making and relationship-building, which support their long-term success.
As schools and districts prepare to bring students back to school in some form over the next months, we need to think creatively about how we catch students up academically and also support their social and emotional well-being.
This evidence strengthens the argument for why social-emotional skill building must be an essential part of K-12 education. Based on our experience partnering with schools and communities across the country, City Year has released a guide for practitioners and policymakers that highlights tools, practices and recommendations for integrating social, emotional and academic approaches to support improved student and school outcomes.
The recovery process from COVID-19 offers us a unique opportunity to refocus our efforts and invest our resources in the success of the next generation of leaders and innovators in Milwaukee. The future of our students, and our community, depend on it.

author: Meralis Hood


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CYMKE-IMG_2193_pp | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 30, 2020


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Post from Community: Milwaukee Repertory Theater hosts 20/20 Vision For Milwaukee Arts, a one-day conference in partnership with Milwaukee Black Theater Festival | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Repertory Theater
August 31, 2020
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.
In partnership with the first annual Milwaukee Black Theater Festival, Milwaukee Rep will host the 20/20 Vision for Milwaukee Arts, a one-day virtual conference on .  The conference will include several industry and community speakers, a panel discussion, and the debut of an original commission by Milwaukee Rep.  The conference is free and open to the public, just join via this Zoom link.
Playwright and new Director of The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College Idris Goodwin will give the Keynote address titled Be A Citizen Artist.  Goodwin recently wrote and performed an inspiring Break Beat poem Your House is Not Just a House to kick off Milwaukee Rep’s  From Our Home to Your Home virtual programming in April.
Playwright Cori Thomas (Lockdown) will introduce her play, Welcome Home, an online commission for Milwaukee Rep’s “From Our Home to Your Home” series.  The play centers on Rocket, played by Gavin Lawrence (American Players Theater Core Company Member), who finally walks free after his eighteen year incarceration and discovers a very different world on the other side.  In a masked up world in the time of COVID, he makes his very first FaceTime call.  The short play is directed by Kent Gash (founding director of NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama’s New Studio on Broadway) and also features Heather Alicia Simms (A Raisin in the Sun, Broadway).
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Milwaukee Chamber Theatre Artistic Director Brent Hazelton, Bronzeville Arts Ensemble Artistic Director Sheri Williams Pannell, UPAF President and CEO Deanna Tillisch and Skylight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Unger will take part in a panel discussion around Building and Sustaining a Diverse and Inclusive Arts in Milwaukee moderated by Morgan Phelps founder of Colorful Connections.
Additional speakers include the founder of Milwaukee’s first annual Black Theater Festival, Malkia Stampley, Catina Cole founder of MPower Theater Group, DiMonte Henning founder of Lights! Camera! Soul!, award-winning Milwaukee playwright Malaina Moore, actor and costume designer Austin Winter and more.
The Milwaukee Black Theater Festival’s mission is to create highly visible critical mass for Black narratives and focus energy of theater on the conversations about how Milwaukee can exist as its best self for every Black individual who choose to call it home.  The Festival is a multigenerational collaborative endeavor between Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Lights! Camera! Soul!, Bronzeville Arts Ensemble, Black Arts MKE, MPower Theater Group as well as other notable Black Milwaukee independent artists and arts leaders.  The Festival runs now through September 12, purchase a pass todayHERE.
For more information on the 20/20 Vision for Milwaukee Arts conference email athome@milwaukeerep.com.

author: Milwaukee Repertory Theater


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The NNS coronavirus update: What Milwaukee residents need to know the week of Aug. 31 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
August 31, 2020
The Milwaukee Health Department will be hosting Back-to-School Fairs on Aug. 31. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Here’s the latest update on COVID-19 in Milwaukee and the resources you need to combat it.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 31, the Milwaukee Health Department will distribute  bookbags, school supplies, hand sanitizer and masks at the following locations:
Hopkins Lloyd School – 1503 W. Hopkins St.
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Riverwest Elementary School – 2765 N. Fratney St.
Greenfield Bilingual School – 1711 S. 35th St.
Kilbourn School – 5354 N. 68th St.
Supplies will be first come, first serve.  The Health Department will also distribute community educational materials.
Greenfield Health Department Director Darren Rausch has monitored testing for students 18 and under. He said high school students currently have the highest rate of positive COVID-19 tests.
Rausch reminded everyone to remember the 3 W’s: Wear a mask. Watch your distance. And wash your hands.
“We know COVID will impact the schools, and we hope all of you are making collective decisions to help us minimize that,” Rausch said.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said there has been a “significant downward trend” for positive tests in the last two weeks. With an average of over 2,000 tests a day, Barrett said 5% have returned positive.
“That, to me, is the key number: bringing that positive rate down,” Barrett said.
The county is “green” in three of its five key indicators. The indicators are in place to measure the effectiveness of the COVID-19 response. Barrett said last week’s improvement marks a substantial improvement.
The number of individuals seeking tests declined over the last two weeks, Dr. Ben Weston of the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management said.
As we see encouraging signs, “we must maintain our momentum,” Weston said.
Weston strongly encourages testing for:
1. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms
2. Anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19
3. Anyone who has been instructed by a public health or health care provider to seek out testing
To obtain a free mask, residents can visit these sites:
NNS reporters also gathered a list of where to buy locally made masks if you’re looking to show some local business love when masking up.
Check the City of Milwaukee Health Department’s website for the most updated facts and answers to questions about the mask ordinance.
Look here for up-to-date statistics on COVID-19 in the county. More precautions on how to stay safe and information on COVID-19 can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
Contact your health provider, call IMPACT 2-1-1 or take a look at the county’s testing site map to find a testing center near you. The free community testing sites at UMOS, 2701 S. Chase Ave., and Custer Stadium by Barack Obama School, 4300 W. Fairmount Ave. continue to operate.
Check out our continuing coronavirus coverage.
Looking for more personalized direction to resources and information during the coronavirus crisis? Get connected with News414, a texting-based news resource from Milwaukee NNS, Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media. You can text MILWAUKEE to 73224 and begin to receive free, personalized data via text messages.
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