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Mental health board’s slow start prompts questions | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matthew Wisla
December 16, 2014
The Crisis Resource Center at 2057 S. 14th St. is part of a new model for delivering community-based mental health care. (Photo by Matthew Wisla)
Observers are raising questions about the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board and its plans for restructuring mental health care throughout the area. Formed in the spring, the board has yet to begin formal discussions on how it will lead the transformation to a decentralized health care system focused on community-based facilities.
According to board member Mary Neubauer, the board was initially faced with budget and organizational issues that required its attention and is now ready to make progress on its main mission. Chairperson Kimberly Walker said in an email that the board has discussed priorities that it will “flesh out” at its Dec.18 meeting.
“Once the board identifies priorities and goals, we will work in collaboration with the administration to see that strategic plans are developed and implemented,” Walker wrote.
Rob Henken, director of the Public Policy Forum (Photo courtesy of Public Policy Forum)
The 13-member board operates without a dedicated staff, raising uncertainty about how it will carry out its responsibilities. “Board members have a hunger for data and information but that raises questions about how the board will function without anyone on staff to gather the information,” said Rob Henken, director of the Public Policy Forum in Milwaukee.
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Questions also remain about how the board will manage the makeover of the mental health care system. “No one knows yet what level of oversight the board will choose for itself,” Henken said. “Will it be like a traditional board of directors that sets an agenda, or will it be more administrative and focus on day-to-day details?”
Neubauer said that some level of support staff is “most definitely needed” to gather data and provide analysis for the board to make decisions. Once armed with the information it needs, she believes, the board can lead the mental health care transformation.
“We need information to base the decisions we will make about how we will govern,” Neubauer said. “We are not here to do day-to-day management.”
Added Barbara Beckert, Milwaukee director of Disability Rights Wisconsin, “One of the concerns we had from the beginning was who will be supporting the board,” she said. “It is very important to have an independent staff that the board can direct in an analytical role. But to date that has not been available.”
Kimberly Walker, chair of the Mental Health Board (Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
The board has the ability to hire its own independent staff and assign responsibilities, according to Beckert. Until now, the county has proved some administrative support and information gathering.
The board was created by Wisconsin state law on April 8, and began holding meetings during the summer. It was established to create and manage a new, innovative system that would be based on community-based programs. Other cities around the country have succeeded in improving metal health care delivery using this approach, according to mental health experts.
Compared to Milwaukee’s previous model of centralized control under the County Board with treatment delivered in large institutional settings, establishing resources in communities increases efficiency, along with the quality of care and quality of life for patients, they note.
Neighborhood-based services are on the rise in Milwaukee County. In August, a new Crisis Resource Center opened in the Hampton Heights neighborhood at 5409 W. Villard Ave. The 12-bed facility, operated by the Milwaukee Center for Independence, provides assessment, stabilization and support services to patients in the community.
While questions continue to surround the board and its future, experts agree that it is still early. “They are working on a paradigm shift, and it’s very challenging,” Beckert said. “They are in uncharted territory.”
Dr. Ronald Diamond, retired director of the Mental Health Center of Dane County, has seen a community-based model for providing mental health care work first hand. He is a non-voting member of Milwaukee’s mental health board and is hopeful about its potential to improve mental health care.
“At the end of the day, after all of the discussion of budgets and policy and buildings and services, the real question is whether the lives of people with serious mental illness is really better,” he wrote in an email. “I am willing to put in my time on this project because I believe it can make a difference.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 15, 2014

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: December 15, 2014

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

author: Adam Carr


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Youth say holiday cheer does not mix with tobacco | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Melissa McGaughey
December 16, 2014
The City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance’s FACT group of youth engaged in tobacco prevention, housed out of Neulife Community Development, visited Hayat Pharmacy on 1919 W North Ave. with cards thanking them for not selling tobacco. FACT youth urge holiday shoppers to consider which stores support the community by refusing to sell tobacco products.
Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States, killing 480,000 Americans each year. More than 5 million kids alive today will die prematurely from smoking unless we take action now to prevent it. Responsible retailers can help save lives and create a tobacco-free generation by choosing not to sell tobacco products. Consumers can support them by shopping tobacco-free.
Share stories and pictures about other tobacco-free stores at #shoptobaccofree on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter. You can also find tobacco-free stores near you at shoptobaccofree.org.
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created: December 16, 2014

author: Melissa McGaughey


text:
819 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
December 16, 2014

author: Name *


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How to avoid overspending | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
North Shore Bank
December 17, 2014
Attempt to reduce overspending by minimizing use of credit cards and making coffee at home. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
Creating a budget for yourself and your family is an important step toward being financially stable. One factor that can significantly impede your efforts toward financial stability can be the bad habit of overspending.
“There are probably as many reasons why we overspend as there are reasons why we shouldn’t,” said financial advisor Jocelyn Black Hodes of DailyWorth. “The first step in changing our behavior is to recognize the triggers and to consciously confront them when we’re tempted to give in.”
It can be difficult to set boundaries for your spending, but identifying the areas where you overspend will have a positive impact on your financial status. Hodes offers some of the most common reasons for overspending and how to address them.
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Spending what you don’t see. Using credit cards instead of cash makes it easy to overspend. When you don’t physically see the money leaving your wallet, your money has a tendency to disappear much faster. Try taking out enough money at the beginning of the week to last you through your weeks’ expenses. If you happen to overspend one day, you’ll wind up having to make up for it the next.
Living beyond your lifestyle. Earnings have a habit of increasing and decreasing as life goes on; if your salary has taken a hit, it may be difficult to change your living habits with your finances. Set a goal for yourself now to live below your means and have adequate savings set aside (approximately six months worth) so you have a comfortable cushion should something unexpected occur.
Compensating for a poor childhood. Individuals who may have grown up feeling deprived can sometimes compensate by overspending as they become adults. Seek out positive financial advice from trustworthy sources so that you can be a good role model for others. You can still enjoy the finer things in life, but enjoy them in moderation and within your means.
Indulging in emotional spending. When people are unhappy, they tend to go on a shopping spree to make themselves feel better. While shopping and buying fun things can be an effective distraction, it will not solve the underlying problems that are causing you to be unhappy. Identify the reason for your emotions and deal with them directly so that your wallet doesn’t suffer as well.
As Harriette Halepis, of Mint Money Management, explained, “To stop overspending, you have to realize that you are overspending to begin with.”
Taking a close look at your expenses to identify where you are overspending is crucial to making a change in the right direction. Here are some of Halepis’ tips:
Cut the coffee. Instead of stopping for a coffee every morning, try making your own before you leave the house. The average coffee costs between $2 and $5. If you stop for a cup every day of the business week, you’re averaging upward of $1,300 a year just on coffee.
Don’t waste electricity. If you run your air conditioner or heat when you’re not at home, you’re increasing your electric bill. Invest in a thermostat that has a timer so your heat will automatically go down on the days when you’re away.
Limit the lavish living. You don’t have to completely cut out all the fun things in life, however, it is important to not go beyond the budget that you set for yourself. Dine out, but less frequently. Save up for something special that you’ve really been wanting instead of just buying the newest thing on the market.
Identifying the areas in your life where you habitually overspend and finding ways to reduce your spending will help you better maintain your financial stability. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to cut out the things you enjoy entirely; modifying those things to fit your budget means you can still enjoy them without putting a dent in your wallet.
For more information on how to avoid overspending, contact Kate Knox from North Shore Bank at 262.797.3323.

created: December 17, 2014

author: North Shore Bank


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 16, 2014


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Northwestern Mutual grants $225,000 to area nonprofits through Days of Sharing program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Northwestern Mutual
December 17, 2014
Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation, is recognizing local area nonprofits with grants totaling $225,000 through its Days of Sharing program. Now in its seventh year, the Days of Sharing program provides employees with the opportunity to nominate a nonprofit organization in the Milwaukee area to receive funding from the Northwestern Mutual Foundation.
“Our Days of Sharing program allows our employees to recognize local nonprofits that enrich and improve our communities,” said John Kordsmeier, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation. “Employees at Northwestern Mutual have a shared passion of giving back, this program is a way for us to spotlight their dedication and volunteer service.”
More than 700 employees nominated their preferred local nonprofit. The 25 winning grants were chosen at random each day for a week in November and range in size from $1,000 to $10,000. Watch employee winners being surprised by clicking http://youtu.be/EKUqaHDPQ6k.
2014 Days of Sharing winning organizations include:
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ABCD (After Breast Cancer Diagnosis)
Alexander Hamilton Jr. Wildcat Football Foundation Inc.
ALS Association Wisconsin Chapter
Best Buddies
Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation
Canine Cupids
City on a Hill
Cynthia’s Breast Cancer Giving Circle
Fondy Food Center
Gift of Adoption Fund
Hope House
Jewish Family Services
Junior Achievement
Katy’s Kloset – Team Up with Families
Milwaukee Public Museum
National Multiple Sclerosis Society – WI
PEARLS for Teen Girls
Project Concern St. Francis/Cudahy
Rides & Reins Therapeutic Riding Center
Schools That Can Milwaukee
St. Thomas More High School
String Academy of Wisconsin
Vision Forward
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center
Wauwatosa East Band Boosters
In addition, Northwestern Mutual provided employees the chance to vote for pre-selected nonprofits to receive grants totaling $125,000. This year the five chosen include Alzheimer’s Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, Fisher House Wisconsin, Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin and Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin. Since 2007, the company has awarded more than $1.1 million in grants on behalf of its employees through Days of Sharing.

author: Northwestern Mutual


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Our Daily Salt fights hunger with Wisconsin-shaped Christmas ornament | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Raina J. Johnson
December 17, 2014
Felisha Wild displays an unfinished rolling pin near the turning machine in her workshop. (Photo by Raina J. Johnson)
In the three years since a small woodworking business started in a basement, the owners have won a local business plan competition, moved into a storefront and are now giving back to the community.
Felisha Wild and Janelle Phalen, owners of Our Daily Salt, are donating the proceeds from the sale of Wisconsin-shaped Christmas ornaments to the Hunger Task Force. “We wanted to keep it related to food and community food resources, so the idea to make Wisconsin-shaped ornaments was born,” Wild explained.
Our Daily Salt, which sells kitchen tools and housewares, won a competition sponsored by Layton Boulevard West Neighbors (LBWN) that allowed the owners to move into the store at 3519 W. National Ave. in July. Since then, they have seen tremendous growth.
A display at Our Daily Salt features handcrafted wooden spoons, including the Happy Spoon, and a Wisconsin-shaped cutting board. (Photo by Raina J. Johnson)
In addition to their own products, Wild and Phalen sell work by other artists, ranging from tapestries and jewelry to bamboo plants. Their most popular item is the “Happy Spoon,” a wooden spoon with a smiling face on it.
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Wild and Phalen originally planned to make 70 of the Wisconsin ornaments to sell for $5 each, but they decided to make an additional 50 since sales have been strong. They hope to present a check to the Hunger Task Force before Christmas.
“Hunger Task Force is delighted to benefit from the sale of the holiday ornaments,” said Sherrie Tussler, executive director. “Hunger is a pervasive problem in Milwaukee and while people take the time to celebrate this season, we are thankful to the people who also make the time to help feed local families.”
As the winner of the contest sponsored by LBWN, Our Daily Salt got a lease on the 2,000-square-foot building, $5,000 from the Zilber Family Foundation and technical assistance.
Wild and Phalen entered the competition because they thought the space on National Avenue would be a good fit. “We were just getting too big for the basement,” Wild said.
Natanael Martinez, economic development manager at LBWN, noted that just a few months since winning the competition, “Our Daily Salt has contributed significantly to the economic vitality and visibility of the Silver City neighborhood.”
Visitors to the store, which boasts Cream City brick on the interior, can look into the workshop space through glass doors.
“I wanted to … give the chance for people to look into the shop to see what we’re doing,” said Wild, who worked as a chef for 20 years before losing her job a few years ago. Our Daily Salt started as a food blog, where Wild would post recipes, reviews and tips.
Asked how she chose the name for the store, Wild recounted a story she heard about a king who asked his daughter how much she loved him. Her response was, “I love you as much as salt.” The king didn’t like her reply and banished his daughter from the village because he didn’t see the value in salt, Wild explained.
“I wanted people to see the value in salt. Something small, but they use it every day.”

author: Raina J. Johnson


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On the Block: After Ferguson | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
December 18, 2014
Quintes Williams, 25, who lives in the Metcalfe Park neighborhood, shares some thoughts on interacting with the police.

created: December 18, 2014

author: Andrea Waxman


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 17, 2014


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Steve Fendt voted out as executive director of Southside Organizing Committee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
December 18, 2014
Steve Fendt, who stopped to pose for a photo prior to an SOC-hosted legislative forum in October, was the organization’s executive director for more than 22 years. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
In a move that surprised many, the Southside Organizing Committee board of directors has removed Steve Fendt as executive director. Fendt, who served in the role since 1991, sent an email dated Monday informing supporters of the board’s unanimous decision, made in November.
“While I respect the board’s right to make this choice to terminate my employment, I am saddened as I think it serves neither the organization nor the community,” Fendt wrote.
Originally from Fond du Lac, Fendt moved to Milwaukee in 1980 to attend Marquette University and worked as a community organizer in Chicago before joining SOC, according to a bio on the committee’s website.
In his email, Fendt wrote that he always acted in what he felt was the best interest of the organization and the residents of the South Side. Among the accomplishments he listed from his past year of work were drawing $2 million in city funding for homeowners and delivering 8,000 letters to the candidates for governor in support of a driver’s license program for undocumented immigrant laborers and caregivers. Fendt wrote that he was leaving SOC on firm financial ground and with commitments of more than $274,000 in funding for 2015.
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Steve Fendt (in blue sweater) often held press conferences featuring local legislators including State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa to draw attention to policy issues. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
As for why board members made the change, SOC Board President Jason Cleereman said, “The board creates a mission but after a significant period of time they were not seeing action on what they saw as important.”
When asked which issues were being neglected, Cleereman said he’d rather not discuss specifics, adding that he had much respect for Fendt as an individual, as well as for the work he did at SOC
Still, Cleereman said, the board did what’s best for residents served by SOC. He added that Fendt’s removal had been in the works for more than a year-and-a-half.
The only other board member to respond to an NNS request for comment was Graciela Hernandez, a local business owner who is vice president of the board, and will serve as interim director until a replacement is found.
Hernandez said she could offer no specifics as to why Fendt was voted out, but reiterated that his removal had been in process for some time.
In the meantime, “we’re still going forward with the SOC mission,” Hernandez said.
SOC and its army of volunteers, led by the candid and sometimes controversial Fendt, have long stood at the forefront of local issues, many of which affected Spanish-speaking South Side residents.
Two months ago, Fendt spoke to an overflow crowd of more than 500 residents during a legislative forum the SOC hosted at Serb Hall featuring Wisconsin Democrats including Sen. Tim Carpenter, State Representatives JoCasta Zamarripa and Josh Zepnick and then-gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke.
That night Fendt told the crowd — many of whom had gathered to voice their concerns about the inability of undocumented residents to obtain a driver’s card — that the South Side is the hardest-working neighborhood in the state.
“Go check out Cesar Chavez Drive at 7 a.m. and you’ll always see a street full of cars [with] people going to work,” Fendt said.
SOC was one of only a few community-based organizations to take a stand against Gov. Scott Walker’s budget amendment that repealed the residency requirement for city workers, which is still being fought in court. During Fendt’s tenure, the organization has also been well known for strongly encouraging residents to provide input on community development priorities.
“Steve has had a major impact for families living on the South Side,” said Charlotte John-Gomez, executive director of Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, a nonprofit that partnered on many projects with SOC over the years. “The neighborhood has been improved due to the SOC and his diligent work,” she added.

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 18, 2014


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Greater Milwaukee Foundation chooses new ‘Healthy Neighborhoods’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
December 19, 2014
One of four entrances to the Artery, near Keefe Avenue and Richards Street in the Harambee neighborhood. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has designated four new neighborhoods as part of the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative: Harambee, Riverwest, Kinnickinnic River Neighborhoods (KK River) and Polonia.
In addition, six current HNI neighborhoods in the city will continue to be part of the initiative: Thurston Woods/Old North Milwaukee, Capitol Heights, Havenwoods, Layton Boulevard West, Sherman Park and Lincoln Village/Baran Park. The Tower Hill/Dunbar Oaks neighborhood in Waukesha also will continue to be an HNI neighborhood.
KK River Neighborhoods and Capitol Heights will be funded in 2015.
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation (GMF) provides financial and technical support to the grantees,” explained Darlene Russell, senior program officer at the foundation. The city provides up to a $10,000 matching grant per project, as well.
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Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative organizations also have the opportunity for professional development and training.
Harambee and Riverwest, working with lead agency Riverworks Development Corporation plan to engage residents from both neighborhoods in a dialog about what they think works well in each neighborhood, said Executive Director Darryl Johnson.
Nadia Bogue, environmental project coordinator at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, discusses possible changes to Pulaski Park with residents in 2013. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
With the help of GMF, City of Milwaukee, LISC Milwaukee and Riverworks Business Improvement Districts #25 and #36, the community will tackle a number of difficult issues including strengthening economic development using art and culture, creating opportunities for employment, filling vacant spaces with entrepreneurs, increasing home ownership rates, reducing crime, marketing houses and building a sense of community between Riverwest and Harambee, Johnson said.
Johnson noted that the community is extending the Beerline Recreational Trail and intends to add activities all along the Artery to encourage engagement with the public space. On a portion of the Beerline Trail in Riverwest near Café Corazon, residents built an ice skating rink last year. “It’s open to anybody in the neighborhood to come out and ice skate,” Johnson said.
One new aspect of the HNI is an emphasis on smaller, more concentrated areas within the neighborhoods according to Iris Gonzalez, environmental coordinator for the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, lead agency for the Kinnickinnic River Neighborhoods.
The Healthy Neighborhood designation coincides with the Pulaski Park TIN geography, which is 16th to 20th streets and Lincoln to Windlake avenues, Gonzalez said. Russell noted that five of the Healthy Neighborhoods also are Targeted Investment Neighborhoods (TINs).
The city’s Targeted Investment Neighborhood program provides qualified home and rental property owners access to zero-interest and deferred payment rehab loans in designated neighborhoods for a three-year period.
Gonzalez expects that the community will build on the work it has been doing to increase green infrastructure and manage storm water to improve and revitalize Pulaski Park.
“We hope that our efforts in the Pulaski Park Healthy Neighborhood will create a destination for people who want to live in a green neighborhood, or a park neighborhood, or a river neighborhood. We want to highlight the green infrastructure that is going to happen in that residential area as a model that can be replicated in other neighborhoods,” Gonzalez added.
The Old North Milwaukee neighborhood, working with lead agency Agape Community Center, will focus its HNI work on the blocks between Silver Spring Drive and Florist Avenue and 35th and 38th streets, according to Al Luzi, director of development at Agape.
The neighborhood hopes to develop a city-owned vacant lot there into a “neighborhood engagement zone,” hopefully in a green space, Luzi said. “The residents will plan how best to use it. In our neighborhood, having green space makes sense because we are a densely urbanized area,” he said.
According to Sam Leichtling, program director of the city’s Neighborhood Improvement Development Corp. (NIDC), the GMF investment “shows the confidence they have in these neighborhoods and the partners in these neighborhoods to implement a vision for strengthening [them], engaging residents, improving the appearance of the properties, supporting ownership and increasing property values.”
Leichtling noted that all of those goals align with the city’s housing strategy and the mayor’s Strong Neighborhoods Plan. “We’re making significant investments in the housing stock and we continue to support improvement projects in those (neighborhoods) also,” he said.
HNI, which launched in 2006 in four neighborhoods, has always targeted “middle market” neighborhoods, according to Russell. It aims to help residents work together to improve neighborhood stability by investing in the appearance of their homes and public spaces, thus building confidence in the neighborhood. The program’s approach builds on neighborhood assets rather than focusing on perceived problems. Each Healthy Neighborhood designs its own projects and programs.
“The City of Milwaukee Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation has been a partner with the foundation since the inception (of HNI) and we have been working to more closely align our strategies,” Russell said. She noted that this year middle-market neighborhoods were identified using market value analysis data. Previously, neighborhoods self-identified as middle market.
Russell said the initiative has “worked closely with UWM to gather quarterly real estate data for the neighborhoods in order to build their capacity and provide needed data to help inform their work.”
Three neighborhoods whose grants are ending will not be renewed. The Johnsons Park and Martin Drive neighborhoods did not apply for new grants and Enderis Park was not eligible because it has strong market value and is no longer considered a “tipping point” neighborhood, Russell said.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since it was originally published.

created: December 19, 2014


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15016850266_cca0389747_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 18, 2014


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Tobacco prevention network helps engage Milwaukee teen in political process | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lorraine Lathen
December 19, 2014
There were 367,227 voters from Milwaukee County during the fall 2014 general election. One of them was 18-year-old Malachi Caldwell, a member of the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network (WTPPN) FACT Teen group. Caldwell, who cast his ballot at the Lovell Johnson Quality of Life Center, 1532 W. Atkinson Ave., first became engaged in the political process by attending a WTPPN hosted candidate forum at Coffee Makes You Black in August.
It was there that Caldwell met and talked with several legislative candidates from Milwaukee’s 10th District, including State Representative elect, David Bowen. When it came time to vote in the crucial November gubernatorial race, Caldwell eagerly submitted his ballot, becoming Wisconsin’s latest first-time voter. Waiting to greet him were his parents as well as advisors from the WTPPN. Caldwell hasn’t stopped there.
On Dec. 12, he met with State Rep. Evan Goyke and legislative aide to Sen. Lena Taylor, Will Williams, providing them an update on “environmental scans,” a FACT activity which involves visiting local stores and reporting back on tobacco companies latest advertising practices. Caldwell will be one of several individuals honored Saturday, during the WTPPN’s End of Year Celebration at St. Mark A.M.E. Church.
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author: Lorraine Lathen


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On the Block: What it means to be Santa | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matthew Wisla
December 22, 2014
In the Harambee neighborhood, a generation of children has grown up with Don Sargent, though they will never know his real name. For the last 10 years he has been their Santa, appearing annually at the Riverworks Breakfast with Santa event. He has a unique take on what it means for children to spend a few minutes with Santa.

created: December 22, 2014

author: Matthew Wisla


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 21, 2014

created: December 21, 2014


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Soup kitchen makeover helps ‘Mother Scott’ continue to feed the hungry | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Molly Rippinger
December 22, 2014
Christmas came early for Annie Naomi Scott, founder of the Scott Christian Youth Center, 2741 N. Teutonia Ave., when she learned she was the recipient of a soup kitchen makeover in June.
“I never thought anything like this would happen to me,” said Scott, who has made it her life’s mission to provide food, clothing and spiritual guidance to the poor of Milwaukee. Scott’s four decades of service have earned her the title of “mother” throughout the Lindsay Heights neighborhood where the center is located.
“What Mother Scott does day in and day out is just incredible,” said Ben Minkin who co-owns Fein Brothers, a local food service equipment and supply dealer, with his cousin, Todd Minkin. Fein Brothers celebrated its 85 anniversary by offering a free kitchen makeover for a local charity.
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“We have been in business for 85 years and it’s all because this community has been so good to us, so we really wanted to give back,” explained Todd Minkin.
The Scott Christian Youth Center was one of 33 area charities to apply for the makeover. The Fein Brothers’ staff and project sponsors narrowed the field of applicants by voting for the top five candidates. Ben and Todd Minkin then visited the kitchens to assess their needs.
Annie Naomi Scott enjoys a round of applause during a dinner that celebrated her winning a soup kitchen makeover. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
“There are so many organizations like this that need help,” explained Todd Minkin, who said it was no easy task choosing the winner.
When the Minkins visited the Scott Christian Youth Center, they saw broken appliances and outdated equipment. Through contributions by their vendors and in-store donations, Fein Brothers was able to install $45,000 worth of equipment that included three industrial ranges, a refrigerator and freezer along with other kitchen appliances. The makeover was completed in November, and to celebrate, the staff at Fein Brothers cooked and served dinner for the Scott Christian Youth Center community.
“I really think Todd and Ben fell in love with this place and the people,” explained Jackie Bordak, administrative assistant at Fein Brothers.
Todd Minkin said it “means the world to us to be able to give back and to know that Mother Scott and the kitchen will be in business for many years to come.”
Scott moved to Milwaukee in 1951 and was well respected as one of Milwaukee’s first African American beauty salon owners. In 1964, she had a spiritual vision that called her to provide faith-based guidance for area youth. A decade later, Scott and her husband, Joseph Scott, opened the doors to the Scott Christian Youth Center.
“There was such a great need,” explained Scott. “I didn’t fully realize it myself until we opened.”
In 1983, the center expanded to include a hot meal program, emergency food pantry and clothing bank. It also provided mothers with baby formula and food, and ran a crisis hotline. Religious services were added in 1987 when Scott established the Outreach Church of God in Christ. Scott has continued to run the center since the death of her husband in 2002.
Todd and Ben Minkin, co-owners of Fein Brothers, celebrated their 85th anniversary in business by renovating the Scott Christian Youth Center kitchen. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
“She’s been a trailblazer for African American women,” explained Oliver Sellers, Scott’s grandson. “She was one of Milwaukee’s first female pastors and started the Scott Christian Youth Center to provide a good, healthy atmosphere for people in the community.”
Dinner is served to the community Sunday through Thursday and breakfast is also available Monday through Friday. All food is provided through donations and prepared on-site.
The Scott Christian Youth Center also provides employment opportunities for community members. Victor Toney has had a job serving the evening meals for the past year. “I live just a few blocks away so working here is perfect,” said Toney, who grew up in the neighborhood and was placed at the center through an employment agency.
Scott sympathizes with those who are in need of a hot meal because she experienced the hollowness of hunger firsthand as a young child growing up in Alabama.
“I remember being so hungry that it seemed like my stomach was all the way back to my backbone,” said Scott. “That was an experience I never forgot.”
Curt Boyd, pastor of the Way of the Cross Missionary Baptist Church, praised Scott for her dedication to the poor and hungry. “This center is truly the heart of Jesus,” said Boyd, whose church is located across the street from the center, at 1401 W. Hadley St.
Sellers explained that all donations are given directly to those who need it most. “Everybody comes through the doors here because everyone needs something,” he said. He added that his grandmother was determined to make a difference in her community.
“My body physically gets tired and mentally I get so exhausted,” explained 88-year-old Scott, “but I … haven’t heard the word to stop yet. I really love people and I know that is a love God gave me.”

author: Molly Rippinger


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Rebuilt Moody Park to help reshape future of Amani neighborhood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
December 23, 2014
Amani United collaborated with the Overpass Light Brigade to produce a message at a recent candlelight vigil in the neighborhood. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Long-neglected Calvin Moody Park, located in the Amani neighborhood, is finally getting a makeover. The $2 million project, which includes a 3,000-square-foot community center, walking paths, lit basketball courts and a splash pad, broke ground in August and is expected to be completed next fall.
The park is one of many developments aimed at improving the quality of life for residents in the Amani neighborhood. Tom Schneider, executive director of the COA Goldin Center, said Amani was once “the single most distressed neighborhood in the city of Milwaukee.”
The park project is being funded with $5 million originally allocated to rebuild Moody Pool, boarded up in 2002 and demolished last year. The remaining funds are being used to rehab other central-city parks including Lindsay and Lindbergh.
(Photo by Andrea Waxman)
A combination of increased engagement by resident associations, non-profits such as the Dominican Center for Women and private sector organizations including the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, along with an influx of city and federal funding, is resulting in a brighter outlook for Amani. Local organizers said they hope it will eventually be known for new development rather than violence.
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Alderman Russell Stamper (15 District) grew up in Amani and acknowledges that crime remains a problem in the area and pleads for more resources to prevent rather than react to crime. Still, Stamper said, the area is becoming safer as more is invested in housing programs. “We have programs now that are helping people get loans to buy homes, but we still need more jobs for the community,” Stamper said.   Amani is an example of how a Building Neighborhood Capacities Program (BNCP) grant, which the neighborhood received in 2012, is supposed to work, said Susan Lloyd, executive director of the Zilber Family Foundation, which also funds programming in the area. The key, Lloyd said, is for people, “who live in these communities and appreciate them, to be in the best position to decide what will happen in the neighborhood.” Amani’s BNCP grant was recently extended another 18 months.
Other recent developments include a new family clinic at the Goldin Center, a slew of housing development programs, as well as an accredited early childhood education facility and job training project that are in the works.
But first, residents look forward to reclaiming the eyesore and crime hub that had become Moody Park and its pool. Ground was broken at the park in late August and the project should be complete by the fall. It almost didn’t happen, said Brenda Hart, chair of the Friends of Moody Park.
When rumors began to swirl in August that the groundbreaking would be delayed, Hart and other residents of Amani voiced their displeasure, and ground was broken as scheduled, Hart said. “We’ve become the kind of neighborhood that stands up and fights for change,” she added.
The Milwaukee County Department of Parks and Amani residents have worked hand in hand on the project. Hart hopes that the rebirth of the park will help people let go of their fears about the neighborhood, and help to turn the page on Amani’s darker days.
“The main thing I want is for people to not be afraid to come to the park; Amani is a loving community and one that we really care about,” Hart said.

created: December 23, 2014


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 22, 2014


text:
Charette explores plans for economic growth in Silver City, Clarke Square | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Molly Rippinger
December 24, 2014
City developers and community members listen as the Miller Architectural Group presented its plans for 3220-3238 W. Pierce St. in Silver City. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
City planners and community stakeholders gathered recently to design plans for developing underutilized properties in the South Side neighborhoods of Silver City and Clarke Square.
“The idea behind the charette is getting together bankers, developers, architects, community businesses and stakeholders in order to look at the sites that could be catalytic for further development of these neighborhoods,” explained Natanael Martinez, economic development manager at Layton Boulevard West Neighbors (LBWN). “We’re not looking at these sites as a challenge, but rather an opportunity.”
Carolyn Esswein, director of Community Design Solutions and a faculty member at UWM’s Department of Urban Planning, helped facilitate the daylong meeting, which took place at the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning. “This [charette] could be a model for the city,” said Esswein, who explained that other Milwaukee neighborhoods also are looking for ways to repurpose vacant or underutilized buildings.
Kristian Vaughn (left), a graduate student at UWM, listens as Natanael Martinez (right), economic development manager at Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, discusses ideas for sites in Silver City and Clarke Square. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
Vanessa Koster, planning manager at the Milwaukee Department of City Development, added that the Silver City and Clarke Square charette could be replicated in other commercial corridors and business improvement districts that want to preserve buildings while also improving the potential for economic development.
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The charette focused on six sites: 3514-3528 W. National Ave., 3733-3737 W. National Ave. and 3220-3238 W. Pierce St. in Silver City; and 2110-2134 W. National Ave., 2127 W. National Ave. and 2008-2034 W. Greenfield Ave. in Clarke Square.
During the session, six architectural firms worked on plans for a specific site. In the morning, the architects brainstormed and drafted proposals, which were then presented to the audience. City planners and residents offered critiques that were incorporated into the designs.
“This [charette] helps make sure that real estate development happens in a responsible and community-supported way,” said Ian Bautista, executive director of Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative (CSNI). Bautista was enthusiastic about the ideas for the sites, which included plans for community kitchens, coffee shops, indoor recreation facilities and housing developments.
Alex Van Osten and Tom Joy, project designers at Korb Tredo Architects, were assigned the site at 3733-3737 W. National Ave., where they proposed a mixed-use development that focuses on a ground floor community kitchen with apartments on the second floor. Van Osten explained that it was their first time attending the charette, although their firm has previously participated. “It’s been great to talk to people from the communities,” added Joy.
Other participating architects included American Design, Miller Architectural Group, Arcint Architecture and Hofman Architects, Quorum Architects and Engberg Anderson.
“We’re here for a marketplace of ideas,” said Rocky Marcoux, director of Milwaukee Department of City Development, who stressed the importance of hearing the needs of the neighborhood stakeholders while making strategic decisions for Milwaukee’s future.
Gino Odasz, a freshman at Escuela Verde, attended the charette with fellow students and his advisor, Joey Zocher.
“In the future, I’m thinking about being an architect, so seeing this was cool,” said Odasz, who was excited to hear the proposals for the area near 3628 W. Pierce Street, which is the new location of his public charter school.
This was the fourth charette hosted at UWM that focused on economic development opportunities in Milwaukee. Past charettes have helped develop plans for Bronzeville, Martin Luther King Drive and Riverworks.
When Alderman Bob Donovan saw the success that stemmed from the previous charettes, he suggested that LBWN and CSNI follow suit. The Zilber Family Foundation, the Milwaukee Department of City Development and LISC Milwaukee helped fund the charette.
“We want to continue to build on the momentum and assets of these two neighborhoods,” said Martinez, who expects to release a final report in January or February detailing what plans from the charette will be pursued.

created: December 24, 2014


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 23, 2014


text:
City of Milwaukee Health Department reports increase in flu-related hospitalizations | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Health Department
December 24, 2014
As flu activity continues to increase statewide, the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) is reminding all city residents that it’s not too late to get the flu vaccine. Cases of influenza have been confirmed statewide, now hospitalizing more than 100 individuals in the city of Milwaukee alone.
“This is the time of year when we typically gather with family and friends, and the last thing you want to bring with you is the flu,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “If you have not already received your flu vaccine, I urge everyone over 6 months of age to visit their doctor, clinic, or pharmacy to get vaccinated today. Even if you are healthy and can beat the flu, you will be protecting those around you by getting vaccinated.”
Influenza (the flu) is among the most common respiratory illnesses in the United States, infecting millions of people each year. The virus is spread through the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes, or speaks. Symptoms of seasonal flu include fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, and fatigue. Though common, the flu can be serious, leading to hospitalization and sometimes death in the most vulnerable populations, including infants and young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses.
“This year, we have seen flu-related hospitalizations in Milwaukee increase significantly since the Thanksgiving holiday, with most hospitalizations occurring in individuals ages 50 and older,” said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. “The single best way to protect yourself and your family is to get the flu vaccine. Although the current strain circulating is slightly different from that included in the vaccine, the seasonal vaccine is still the best protection you can have and can reduce the severity of symptoms if you do get sick.”
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The flu vaccine is recommended for all individuals over 6 months of age. Those especially at risk for complications from the flu include people with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and lung disease, as well as the elderly, pregnant women and young children.
Along with vaccination, antiviral medications can be highly effective in reducing the severity and duration of illness in individuals at risk for complications associated with the flu, as well as for those with persistent or severe symptoms.
The MHD encourages frequent hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow to reduce the spread of the flu, as well as other viruses that circulated during the winter months. Those experiencing symptoms should remain home from work or school, get rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take antivirals if recommended.
Flu vaccine remains available through local health care providers and retail pharmacies, though area residents are advised to call ahead to determine availability. Individuals looking for a location to receive vaccine near their home can use the flu vaccine finder at www.milwaukee.gov/health.

author: City of Milwaukee Health Department


text:
Favorite of 2014: Basketball league builds brotherhood of black role models | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Raina J. Johnson
December 25, 2014
Members of the Sports Talk Basketball Association wait for the games to begin. (Photo by Raina J. Johnson)
Growing up in the Havenwoods neighborhood, my older brother and I would shoot hoops regularly at McGovern Park. To me basketball was fun; everybody from the neighborhood was there. Sometimes it wasn’t about the game – if you had a slipped chain on your bike, you could find somebody to fix it. If you needed advice about a crush, or a bully at school, someone could help. We made up some rules as we went along, playing until the streetlights came on. Skill level didn’t matter as much as drive and determination.
Covering the story about a group of mainly African-American men who formed a basketball league based on a rivalry on social media immediately threw me back to my days at McGovern Park. I’m thankful to Michael Hutchinson and the other participants for giving me a chance to tell their story.
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created: December 25, 2014


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 24, 2014


text:
Favorite of 2014: Black men bear the brunt of unequal enforcement of marijuana laws | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
December 26, 2014
Rodney Hudson, 30, said he feels his felony conviction for marijuana possession is essentially a sentence to a life of poverty. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
In Milwaukee, as well as most of the nation, African Americans are much more likely than any other group to be arrested for possessing marijuana. Adding to that problem is the extremely costly felon tag attached to a second arrest for possession. I looked deeply at the issue and found that marijuana arrests are a major reason that Wisconsin has the highest incarceration rate in the country for African Americans.
To date, this story has been my most challenging story to report and write, but I believe it shed light on the issue and illustrated how damaging unequal enforcement of marijuana laws is to Milwaukee’s black community. Of all the stories I wrote in 2014, this is the one I’m most proud of.
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created: December 26, 2014


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Favorite of 2014: Scrappers brave the elements trying to make ends meet | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brendan O’Brien
December 27, 2014
Scrapper Jerry Miller collects cans on Fond Du Lac Avenue. (Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
My favorite story that I wrote in 2014 is the one about men and women who collect cans and discarded metal throughout the city and bring it to scrap yards where they are paid for it. The story kicked off a yearlong series on poverty and how people in Milwaukee make ends meet.
One of the main reasons I enjoyed working on the story is that it helps refute the narrative that poor people are somehow lazy. Many of the scrappers that I met work long, grueling hours to make very little money. Some told me that they refuse to take “hand outs” and much rather earn their keep.
Another reason I like the story is the video of scrapper Willy Whitehorn, who sings gospel music as he works. If we all had his positive outlook on life, the world would be a better place.
Read the story.
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created: December 27, 2014

author: Brendan O’Brien


text:
Why I was arrested in Milwaukee’s central city | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
December 28, 2014
Jabril Faraj is a freelance reporter who has written several pieces for Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.
As you may or may not know, I have been traveling Milwaukee’s neighborhoods for about seven months meeting people and sharing their personal stories via milwaukeestories.org. Over that time, I have also reported on a select number of news events including coverage of a dispute over student government and free speech at UWM, an event and subsequent march supporting Dontre Hamilton and his family, a press conference opposing the proposed I-94 expansion and the recent announcement that the officer who shot Mr. Hamilton would not be charged.
It has been my goal to talk and listen to those who aren’t asked what they think and to cover events in this city that our traditional media simply is not covering. So, when I received a call from my father on Friday, December 26th, around 5:20 p.m. telling me that there had been marching protesters near 27th and Burleigh about an hour before — and that no media was present — I felt a responsibility to be there the next time. Unfortunately, that situation — something newsworthy occurring in the central city but not being covered — is all too familiar, here. The fact is that media serve to keep both protesters and police honest.
When I saw a posting on Facebook saying there would be a meeting there Saturday, December 27th, at 3 p.m. I dropped what I was doing, grabbed my camera and recorder and got in my car. I arrived at the corner of 27th and Burleigh around 3:15 and greeted three other people standing there — one black male, one black girl and one white male, who identified himself as Christopher. I simply waited in the cold — wearing a blue jacket and bright orange winter hat — unaware of what, if anything, was happening. While waiting, the girl said there would be no marching, today. To that, Christopher mentioned that he had come from the west and observed about ten police squad cars and a bus.  This, to me, indicated an effort on the part of police to arrest a large number of protesters, should any activity occur.
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A couple minutes later, another black man, who identified himself as Corey, got out of a car, came up to us and said nothing would be happening, as well. Immediately after, he and two other people who had also parked left in their cars, leaving the four of us still on the corner. We, then, decided to go our separate ways but, before doing so, I handed a card to all three and asked them to keep me in the know, should anything else occur in the future.
Around 3:25, I headed back to my car, which had been parked on 26th Street just north of Burleigh. I placed my camera and recorder in the back seat, started the car and began to drive north on 26th Street toward Auer Avenue. I had it in my mind to appraise the situation at 35th and Burleigh — where we’d been told police had assembled — but, as I reached the corner of 26th and Auer, I noticed an unmarked squad car sitting on the east side of 26th Street right before the intersection. I passed that car and turned left on Auer. As I turned, I immediately spotted a marked squad car sitting on the south side of Auer about 20 to 30 feet west of 27th Street. I was skeptical about the amount of police activity in the area, especially considering what I had just heard. I approached 27th, looked left, right and crossed. As I approached their car, I was going to simply continue on but decided, instead, to inquire about why they were there. I had driven about 5 feet past the officer’s driver’s side window when I stopped my car and reversed until our windows were aligned.
We were facing opposite ways on the street so I was not directly next to the car; to my recollection, I maintained both hands on the steering wheel. I rolled down my window, as did the officer, who would later be identified as Branko Stoj. I, then, proceeded to say: “Hey, why are you guys over here?” He ordered me to move along, disregarding the inquiry. When I did not comply in the split second after his order — I started to say, “I was just wondering,” and attempted to move but was still in reverse — Officer Stoj quickly exited the vehicle, as I was trying to shift into drive, and opened my driver’s side door. He, then, commanded me to put the car into park, which I did. Officer Stoj, then, immediately pulled me from the vehicle and handcuffed me. I was quickly searched — they found no weapons or any other illegal contraband or substances on my body or in the car.
At this point, I was honestly surprised and told the officers I wasn’t aware that I could be handcuffed for asking questions. As this was happening, Officer Stoj transferred me, still cuffed to his partner, Officer Joseph Anderer, and began searching my vehicle, to which I said they were conducting an unlawful search. Within about 45 seconds of me being pulled from the car, at least four other police vehicles were present on the block (two marked squad cars – one blocking Auer at 28th and one on the corner of 27th and Auer – the unmarked car I had noticed on 26th and Auer and an SUV – maybe a suburban). I told another officer why I had been taken out of the car, to which he simply said, “Okay,” and kept walking. I, then, asked why I was being arrested and Officer Anderer, who was holding me by my arm, responded, “You’re a domestic terrorist.” In the initial aftermath, I clearly recall being accused of “stalking police” — a charge which would be repeated multiple times — and was asked if I was trying to kill a police officer. I also heard an officer ask, “Is he one of the three we’re looking for,” to which another voice replied, “Yes.” Also, in the course of this interaction, an officer, possibly Anderer, said, “We’re gonna fuck with you and your friends a bit.”
Less than 5 minutes, or so, after I had been pulled from my vehicle and handcuffed, I was in the back of another squad car on my way to the District 7 Police Station. My car was impounded, despite pleas that I couldn’t afford to get it out.
Upon reaching the station, I remained handcuffed and was instructed to wait on a bench in the parking area, across from a desk and computer. Officers Stoj and Anderer arrived and continued to assert that I had “stalked police” and was conspiring to kill an officer. They questioned me about the belongings they had taken from my vehicle — my camera, recorder and a walkie talkie — and the nature of milwaukeestories.org, asking if I had ever written anything supporting the killing of cops. I said no. They asked me where I had gotten my equipment. I answered that I bought the recorder online, most likely through Amazon, had been given the camera from a friend and had neglected to return the walkie talkie after an event I had volunteered at and used it. They asked if it was stolen — or had been reported stolen — and insinuated they would like to charge me for theft. Throughout the entire interaction, I remained polite, referring to the officers as “sir.”
Both the camera and walkie talkie, as expected, came up clean but the officers continued to argue with me about the details of our previous interaction. Officer Stoj said, “You don’t say, ‘What the fuck are you doing here?'” I, again, politely responded that I had, in fact, not used any language. He, at some point, said that it wouldn’t have been a problem if I’d just moved along. To which, I tried to explain my car being in the wrong gear and said, “If you’d just given me the opportunity…” but Officer Anderer, cutting me off, proclaimed, “We don’t give opportunities, we end things.” In the midst of all this, there came a moment of humanity when Officer Stoj mentioned he was just glad he’d be able to go home that evening, noting the recent deaths of two officers in New York. It was at this moment, I acknowledged the potentially suspicious nature of my behavior while in the car and apologized to him, which he accepted. However, I also noted that, in my experience, it has not been a crime to ask questions of law enforcement.
After this exchange, the realization that none of my property had been stolen and my admission that I graduated from Northwestern University, tensions eased considerably. I was told I would be receiving two citations — one for Resisting or Obstructing an Officer (City Statute 105-138-2) and another for Improper Parking/Standing of Vehicle (Wisconsin State Statute 346.54). The officers relaxed and even took to a bit of small talk over the sophistication of my voice recorder. However, at this point, two men — who remain unidentified but who I assumed to be civilians in employ of the department — came out to the table where Officers Anderer and Stoj were sitting. The officers relayed their version of the incident and one of the men, who apparently thought me quite dumb, turned and said, “You’re lucky you didn’t get shot,” to which Anderer immediately added, “We don’t mind making the news, again.” I held my tongue except to, at a later time, say that I believe any death is a tragedy. Officer Stoj agreed.
After what must have been 45 minutes or so outside the booking room I was taken inside, searched, fingerprinted, had my picture taken and was put in a holding cell until being released around 6:05 p.m. that night.
As previously said, I believe the way I approached these officers, in the moment, gave no suspicion other than the question I had asked — and they, purportedly, did not want to answer. I do acknowledge, as before, that police are on high alert; I also believe my actions in this incident did not merit the response I received. I also have to question the motivations behind my particular arrest, given the fact I had appeared on the corner of 27th and Burleigh in conspicuous clothing as well as some of the comments made in the course of my arrest and processing. In fact, Officer Joseph Anderer has somewhat of a history with reporters.
Both Anderer and Stoj received, earlier this year, the Meritorious Service Award from the Milwaukee Police Department in relation to their apprehension of a violent subject in the process of committing a robbery.

created: December 28, 2014

author: Jabril Faraj


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 28, 2014


text:
Favorite of 2014: New restaurant fuels optimism in SOHI District | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Molly Rippinger
December 29, 2014
Bennie Smith, co-owner of Daddy’s Soul Food & Grille, is optimistic about the SOHI District. (Photo by Molly Rippinger)
When you come from a culinary background, it’s hard not to have a soft spot for restaurateurs. The job is difficult and requires a passion not only for cooking, but also for the people who fill your seats. Knowing this, I have a deep respect for Bennie Smith and his wife, Angela, owners of the SOHI District’s newest restaurant, Daddy’s Soul Food & Grille.
While writing this story, it was apparent to me that the Smiths see great potential in the neighborhood and are passionate about providing delicious food and a welcoming environment. This was my favorite story of the year because I believe locally owned restaurants help reinvigorate communities and I cannot wait to see the effect Daddy’s has on the up-and-coming SOHI district.
Read the story.
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created: December 29, 2014


text:
Favorite of 2014: ‘Be Girl Project’ teaches leadership through urban arts | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
December 30, 2014
TRUE Skool teen Jaylen “DJaylen” Perez sets the mood with her music selections at the opening of the exhibit “Well-Behaved Women: Journeys to Fearlessness.” (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The heart of this story, women mentoring younger women, really lifts my spirits. As the oldest of three sisters, third of six female cousins and mother of an only daughter, women’s issues matter to me. The “Be Girl Project” not only provides teen girls with essential information, critical thinking skills, role models and a safe space to grapple with the challenges they face, it does so in the context of urban arts that are meaningful to them. I must give credit to TRUE Skool’s male teaching artists, as well.
I am privileged to report on many hard-working, creative and passionate people working to better the lives of city youth and adults. This year, the work of TRUE Skool, the Reproductive Justice Coalition, and FROM HERE TO HER Artist Collective on the “BE Girl” project stood out as especially inspiring.
Read the story.
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created: December 30, 2014


text:
After four decades of fair housing, segregation still rules Milwaukee streets | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brendan O’Brien
December 31, 2014
(Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
This is part of an ongoing series of articles that put a face on the poor in Milwaukee, 50 years after President Lyndon Johnson declared a “war on poverty.”
After years of dealing with the violence and poverty that surrounded her and her three children, Sytoria finally moved out of Milwaukee’s central city.
She found a nice, quiet and clean apartment in a safe suburban community, where she could keep the doors unlocked at night. But the 30-year-old black child care worker who makes $10 an hour was in for a rude awakening.
“We couldn’t afford to live way out there … it wasn’t pay check to pay check any longer, it was more like robbing Peter to pay Paul,” she said outside of her apartment at the corner of 34 and Center streets, where she helped a friend grill baby-back ribs.
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After a few months of paying $875 in 2012, Sytoria (who asked that we not use her last name) made the difficult decision to move back to the city, where she now pays $500 in rent and must deal with deadly violence and sub-par schools, she said.
“Safe is what you make it, as you got to know who to talk to and who not to talk to. We just watched someone get shot down on this damn street,” she said.
(Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
Although the Fair Housing Act passed more than 40 years ago, Sytoria and many like her who reside in the city have no choice in where they live, according to said Bill Tisdale, president and CEO at Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council.
“Fair housing is about people making their own decisions and that those decisions are not made for them,” he said.
The act, an outgrowth of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society, which included the War on Poverty, calls for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to combat discrimination in the rental or sale of housing.
Adopted in 1968, it also calls for “affirmatively furthering fair housing,” bureaucrat-speak for a proactive attempt to increase access and equal opportunity to housing as a way of reducing segregation. But the Fair Housing Act as an affirmative action tool to “dismantle the ghetto and those barriers that prevent individuals from having equal access,” has lagged, Tisdale said.
“We have some communities that don’t even have rental housing,” he said. “So if I’m going to make a choice as to what community to live in, my choice has already been made for me based on affordability.”
Sytoria lives in the most racially segregated city in the United States, according to a widely cited study by the Martin Prosperity Institute. Other studies during the last three decades have also shown strong links among segregation, poverty and violence in major cities such as Milwaukee.
“The historical question is whether the Fair Housing Act in and of itself could have ever achieved a level of racial integration and equity that we criticize it for not having accomplished,” said Kurt Paulsen, a professor of urban and regional planning at University of Wisconsin-Madison. “In many ways, patterns of segregation and concentrated poverty are the unfinished agenda of the Civil Rights era.”
Paulsen partly blames the high levels of segregation in urban areas such as Milwaukee on residential zoning laws and development plans in the suburbs that greatly dissuade or outright prohibit affordable housing. These laws have gone unchallenged by HUD due to political resistance and underfunding, he said.
“There has certainly been progress and improvement since the 1960s, but that progress and improvement is clearly inadequate relative to the ideals expressed in the law,” Paulsen said.
In addition to addressing restrictive zoning and development plans in neighboring municipalities, other affirmative action approaches include ensuring that lending patterns are in compliance with the law and insurance rates for houses are fair, Tisdale said.
“So what we look at as far as the effectiveness of the act is not only if people are complying, but are they taking these extra steps to ensure that these barriers are broken down,” Tisdale said. “That’s a much slower process.”
One of the most aggressive but rarely used ways suburban zoning restrictions that cause segregation can be challenged is by withholding community development block grants, a financial instrument used by the federal government to help fund local projects.
Withholding funding could increase under a HUD Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing proposal that requires municipalities to develop a desegregation plan.
Tisdale said that suburbs have an obligation to advance fair housing, but many do not make any attempt either to allow or develop affordable housing. Some municipalities mask their intentions by restricting family housing, a code word for describing housing for minorities who tend to have larger families, he said.
“Those are the kinds of things we are battling. It’s subtle. It’s not like it was in the 1960s when you went out and got a door slammed in your face,” Tisdale said.
The affirmative enforcement of the Fair Housing Act butts up against current political realities in terms of how much the federal government should dictate state and local policymaking and community development, according to Paulsen.
“If you believe in a free market in housing and property rights, then why can’t a developer build multi-family housing in your community that is responding to market demand?” Paulsen asked. “When zoning says only single-family homes are allowed to be constructed here, is that really ‘housing choice and the free market,’ or is it a very high degree of government regulation combined with strong federal subsidies?”
Tisdale suggests that access to affordable housing outside of the inner city is the key to breaking the generational cycles of poverty in cities. His proof is the Gautreaux Project, a housing-desegregation project in the Chicago area that began in 1966 as a result of a lawsuit filed by a public interest law group against the Chicago Housing Authority and HUD that resulted in more than 7,000 black families moving into more affluent white suburbs.
Research shows that the children of families involved in the project did better in school and were more likely to attend college compared to the children of families that stayed in the city. Employment rates were higher for adults who moved compared to those who did not, according to Tisdale.
Stan, a 57-year-old black welder, who did not wish to give his last name, suggested that inner city residents don’t want to move to the suburbs, regardless of what studies show. Although many people in his neighborhood struggle financially, they find comfort in living near family and friends, he said.
“It’s like the house you were raised in. You are more comfortable in that house where you were born and raised in than somewhere else, so they tend to stay,” said Stan, a homeowner near Chambers and 18 streets. “The people have got to want to change.”
Zoning restrictions and the lack of affirmative action enforcement in housing are more responsible for segregation and inner city poverty than a lack of will on the part of poor people to work or to obtain an education, Paulsen said.
“There’s an ideology … that seems to suggest that people’s lot in life is mostly due to forces within their control and therefore the wealth of the suburbs is due to virtue and effort, and the poverty in the central city must therefore be due to some deficiency either within individuals or cultures,” Paulsen said.
“But when you think about fair housing and the structure of metropolitan development patterns, you come to understand that ideology is exactly wrong.”

created: December 31, 2014


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 31, 2014


text:
Favorite of 2014: Former MPS superintendent backs Common Core education standards | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matthew Wisla
December 31, 2014
Howard Fuller sees school choice as a critical component to the future of education, but says politicians, educators and parents must work together. (Photo by Matthew Wisla)
Anyone who only knows Dr. Howard Fuller as the former superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools and the erudite voice for education reform can be excused for being a little shocked by the autobiography he published this year. “No Struggle No Progress: A Warrior’s Life from Black Power to Education Reform” chronicles his Milwaukee upbringing and the unexpected path he traveled after dedicating himself to education reform.
It surprised me to read about Fuller’s years spent organizing rallies in the streets, marching for equal opportunity for blacks and getting arrested, and his days as a freedom fighter in Africa. The story on Fuller’s views about Common Core was my favorite because researching it introduced me to a Howard Fuller I didn’t know existed. As I discovered while researching the story, his activism and willingness to stand up for his beliefs are an inspiration to many who are working for change in Milwaukee neighborhoods today.
Read the story.
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text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
December 25, 2014


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Why my grandpa quit smoking | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Danielle Foster
December 31, 2014
Hi, my name is Danielle,
First of all, my grandpa’s name is Charles Huey. He started smoking at the age of 25. What made him start smoking was being young and trying to fit in with his friends. He quit smoking for six months but while working on a job he allowed someone to step in and make him angry. Then he started back smoking again; about a pack a day of cigarettes.
For the next 20 years he smoked many different brands of cigarettes. Then one day he asked himself.
Why did he smoke?
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His reply was that he liked smoking.
But, in reasoning with himself he knew that smoking was hurting him physically, was not helping him mentally, and that there was no spiritual virtues related to the habit. Cigarettes were also getting more and more expensive each year.
He told himself that it was time to stop, and therefore went on a mission to quit smoking. My grandpa doesn’t smoke anymore and I’m happy for him, and us.
In Wisconsin, smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, and murders and suicides combined. That’s scary. But, if you smoke, there’s still time for you to quit, like my grandpa did. Maybe even quit for New Years! For help to quit smoking or for more information you can call 1-800-QUIT NOW.
Happy New Years,
Danielle (13 years old)
FACT Teen
Mount Calvary Lutheran School

author: Danielle Foster


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
May 26, 2014


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2014_HCA-logo_no-phone_4C.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
July 3, 2019


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2014HerbalCSA | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
August 28, 2013
2014HerbalCSA


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
October 29, 2019

created: October 29, 2019


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2015 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
December 31, 2015
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service covered a wide range of stories focused on central city neighborhoods during 2015. NNS reporter Jabril Faraj explains why the two stories republished here are his favorites of those he wrote this year.
UrbanMilwaukee.com
Wisconsin Public Radio
Latin Post
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service covered a wide range of stories focused on central city neighborhoods during 2015. NNS reporter Edgar Mendez explains why the story republished here is his favorite of those he wrote this year.
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service covered a wide range of stories focused on central city neighborhoods during 2015. NNS reporter Brendan O’Brien explains why the story republished here is his favorite of those he wrote this year.
Over thirty friends, family members, community leaders, and reporters gathered in front of a seemingly unassuming vacant property on North 14th St. It was Christmas Day, 2015 and the energy in the crowd was palpable. Everyone was waiting to share the good news with Dakeela Burkes and her family – the news of a new home. […]
The Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) will close early tonight due to winter storm conditions. All 13 library locations will close two hours early at 6:00 pm tonight. All Milwaukee libraries will open at regularly scheduled times tomorrow. Find MPL’s Schedule of Hours at http://www.mpl.org/#. Have a hold to pick up tomorrow? MPL is offering a two-day […]
WUWM Radio
Associated Press

created: December 31, 2015


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Southside Organizing Committee announce interim executive director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Southside Organizing Committee
January 5, 2015
The Board of Directors is excited to announce that Tammy L. Rivera will serve as Interim Executive Director of the Southside Organizing Committee (SOC) beginning January 7, 2015.
Ms. Rivera is a veteran nonprofit executive, community activist, educator, and lifelong resident of Milwaukee’s Southside.
For more than 25 years she has provided strategic and operational leadership across several communities and organizations including: United Community Center, SER Jobs for Progress, Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, United Cerebral Palsy of SEW, Girls Scouts of Milwaukee Area, Voces de la Frontera, etc. In 2008, she opened a consulting firm named Xecutiva to provide executive level consulting and services to organizations and professionals. She has also taught preschool, alternative education, adult basic education, and undergraduate and graduate courses. It is this diverse range of deliberately crafted experiences that she says, “has her committed to a holistic approach and unity in and across community.”
She was a community activist early on in her teen years including starting a youth council at United Community Center where she was an AODA peer counselor.  She trained at the Gamaliel Foundation in Chicago, IL, when hired by The Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee (HTFM) to organize single mothers and volunteers at food pantries. Although she makes clear she was the novice and youngest organizer, HTFM’s efforts spun off what we now know as MICAH (Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope). Her involvement in community issues, working to engage others in the political process, and political advising has remained consistent over the years. Her efforts include founding The Lula Project, a Latina Research and Leadership Institute; Campaign Manager for Judge Phil Chavez, who was an unknown candidate in an upset election and the first Latino in that position; and establishing the Latino Elected Officials group. In terms of the Latino population that SOC serves, her reflection was “God created me a Latina and gave me to a family in the inner-city, it is an indication to me that I will always have a responsibility to the things that I am.”
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Among her educational and training achievements, she holds a certificate in organizing; a certificate in Bible studies; graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Community Education; has a Master’s degree in Administrative Leadership where she was on fellows; and has entered the final stages of her Ph. D. in Adult and Continuing Education, with a minor in higher education, and a certificate in Teaching and Learning (focused on online learning) where she also has been a continuous fellow. Her dissertation research is focused on Latina leadership. She is a recognized beginning scholar including having her work published, presented and awarded. “Education is a cornerstone, flint stone and capstone to many impoverished and marginalized people.” is what she said about helping others learn about community development.
Like many families, her grandparents arrived here in response to intense labor recruitment during the industrial boom. They worked long and dangerous hours in factories and her grandmother lost much of one arm in a tannery. This is where she said she learned her work ethic and concern for workers. Her mother purchased a humble home in Walker’s Point and worked as an educator at the Council for the Spanish Speaking’s Guadalupe Head Start Program. She grew up in the shadows of the Rockwell Clock Tower among the children of the other Polish, Irish, German, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and other immigrant’s grandchildren. She purchased her own home on Historic Layton Boulevard more than a quarter of a century ago where she continues to live. She says her personal conviction is to “live where you lead.”
Ms. Rivera responded to the announcement with, “It is an honor to come along side my community as we move forward to realize our hopes and address our hardships. I am confident that we will be able to contribute to a thriving Southside and a stronger Greater Milwaukee by building leadership, unity, and engagement among SOC residents and in all sectors of our neighborhoods.”
Great appreciation is expressed to former board member Graciela Hernandez, who graciously served as the Interim Executive Director since the middle of November, and also to the neighbors, staff, volunteers, collaborators, funders, and wider community for their continued commitment.
The Southside Organizing Committee will be celebrating 25 years of partnership with the community this year. We are a neighborhood-based organization dedicated to the development and sustainability of Milwaukee’s near Southside neighborhoods.  We focus on projects that support community stakeholders and create safe and livable neighborhoods.

created: January 5, 2015

author: Southside Organizing Committee


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Diverse & Resilient, Inc. seeks Chief Executive Officer | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Diverse & Resilient
January 6, 2015
Diverse & Resilient, Inc. (D&R) is seeking a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with a strong history of leadership, commitment to partnership, experience in public health, and most importantly, a passion for promoting the health and well-being of LGBT communities. Established in 1995, D&R is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin whose mission is the healthy development of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Wisconsin by creating and sustaining programs, groups and communities to take action.  Our name serves as reminder that LGBT people are everywhere, engage in interesting and meaningful lives, and contribute to the welfare of each other and the broader community.  D&R is the largest nonprofit LGBT organization in Wisconsin and has established itself as the statewide leader in addressing LGBT health disparities.
The CEO works closely with the Board of Directors to advance the mission and vision of the organization. This position provides leadership to a diverse staff of 20+ individuals and more than 120 Community Health Workers to create, implement, and sustain a diverse array of high quality, creatively branded, evidence-based programs and capacity building services focused on reducing health disparities experienced by LGBT people in Wisconsin. The CEO also sustains partnerships with more than 60 partner organizations, schools and government programs, and advocates with policy makers to change systems and structures that contribute to health disparities among LGBT people. Finally, the CEO oversees fund development activities of the organization and is responsible for fiscal management of the agency’s $1.8 million annual budget.
Learn more about the position on the Diverse & Resilient website.
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created: January 6, 2015

author: Diverse & Resilient


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ACLU seeks Supreme Court review in Wisconsin voter ID case | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
ACLU of Wisconsin
January 7, 2015
The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court ruling upholding Wisconsin’s voter ID law. The ACLU is challenging the law, which a federal judge struck down as unconstitutional and in violation of the Voting Rights Act last April. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision, but in October the Supreme Court placed the law on hold as the case winds its way through the courts.
Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said:
“Efforts to restrict access to the ballot demand a full and thorough hearing, which is why we are asking the Supreme Court to review this case and ultimately strike down Wisconsin’s voter ID law. Throughout years of litigation, Wisconsin has failed to identify a single instance of the type of fraud this law purportedly seeks to prevent. At the same time, it is absolutely clear this law would prevent thousands of voters from exercising the most fundamental right in our democracy. The Supreme Court has an opportunity now to help protect the right of all Americans to vote free from undue burdens.”
Karyn Rotker, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Wisconsin, said:
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“We will continue to take all possible steps to ensure that all Wisconsin voters can exercise the right to vote – even if they are poor or homeless or disabled or for whatever other reason lack ID.”
The ACLU challenged the law on behalf of numerous Wisconsin voters, charging the measure violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The ACLU, the ACLU of Wisconsin, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and Dechert LLP are co-counsel in this case, Frank v. Walker. The Supreme Court petition was jointly filed with the League of United Latin American Citizens, represented by Arnold & Porter and the Advancement Project.
The petition is at: http://aclu-wi.org/sites/default/files/media/pdf/RuthellePetition.pdf
This press statement is at: http://aclu-wi.org/media/aclu-seeks-supreme-court-review-wisconsin-voter-id-case
More information about this case is at: https://www.aclu.org/voting-rights/frank-v-walker-fighting-voter-suppression-wisconsin

created: January 7, 2015

author: ACLU of Wisconsin


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Mayor and Common Council announce transitional job openings | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
January 7, 2015
The City of Milwaukee, in collaboration with the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB) and the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS), is hosting two information sessions for unemployed individuals interested in 115 newly-created six-month transitional jobs with the City of Milwaukee.
Transitional Jobs participants who are successfully recruited, interviewed and employed will have the opportunity to work in the Department of Public Works, the Department of City Development and Neighborhood Services, and the Port of Milwaukee. The 115 workers will gain skills and experience while working under the direct supervision of city supervisors and alongside city employees and will be paid at least $10.10 per hour.
The sessions are scheduled at the following date and times:
Individuals interested in applying for the Compete Milwaukee transitional jobs MUST meet the following requirements and attend the information session on January 14, 2015:
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NOTE: Individuals who participated in the Transform Milwaukee Jobs Program are not eligible to participate in this opportunity.
For more information, job seekers can call UMOS at (414) 389-6000 and visit this website.
“Given the overwhelming response we received regarding the transitional job positions in 2014 and the value transitional workers added to City services while gaining valuable work experience, I’m extremely pleased we are able to offer an additional 115 openings,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. “Our continued hope is that these individuals receive quality training and experience and go on to gain full-time employment.”
Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, the primary Common Council sponsor for Compete Milwaukee, said the variety of city departments taking part in the initiative offer participants a wide range of possible job opportunities.
“Compete Milwaukee is a prime opportunity for residents in some of the city’s most challenged areas to make their way into the employment pipeline,” Alderman Hamilton said. “I encourage job seekers who live in the targeted area and who meet the qualifications to come down on January 14th and see what Compete has to offer.”
“We are eager to continue with these temporary job placements as a means for participants to gain skills that will make them more competitive and could lead to full-time, family supporting employment,” states Lupe Martinez, President and Chief Executive Officer, UMOS.

author: City of Milwaukee


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MPS schools to be closed Thurs., Jan. 8, 2015 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
January 7, 2015
MPS schools will be closed on Thursday, January 8, 2015, Milwaukee Public Schools announced Wednesday afternoon.
MPS Central Services locations will remain open and all principals and assistant principals should report to their schools.
Evening activities, including sports, are cancelled. However, the MPS Strategic Planning and Budget Committee meeting will take place.
The district has reviewed the weather forecast for Thursday and determined it is in the best interest of students to close schools that day.
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An automated phone message to families will be distributed Wednesday evening. The news will also be distributed via the district website, switchboard and social media accounts as well as through traditional news media.

author: Milwaukee Public Schools


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 7, 2015

author: Adam Carr


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On the Block: Job hunt at MATC | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
January 7, 2015
Old North Milwaukee neighborhood resident Daniel Avant works part time as a chef. He’s starting 2015 with a search for a full-time job with benefits.


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“Street-wise MBA” boosts small business growth in urban neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
January 7, 2015
Ondra Stovall, CleanTec lead man since 2009, prepares to take cleaning equipment from the company’s storage room to a commercial client’s site. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Although Ingrid Hicks has run Transformation Services, Inc. since 2007, she just recently learned that hiring a certified public accountant would greatly enhance her chances of winning a city contract. Upgrading from a bookkeeper was not something she had considered before participating in a 26-week program for small business owners.
“If we don’t get (the contract), it won’t be because we didn’t have the staff or we didn’t put our best foot forward. It will be because of something that is beyond our control,” Hicks said.
In November, Hicks was one of 11 graduates of the Small Business Administration’s Emerging Leaders Initiative, a program that “specifically focuses on executives of businesses poised for growth in historically challenged communities,” according to the SBA Web site.
“Small businesses are job creators and we want to give them an opportunity to work on their businesses, rather than just in their businesses,” said Eric Ness, SBA district director.
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Taught by Gene Wright, the director of the Lubar Executive MBA program at UW Milwaukee, the initiative provides “the organizational framework, resource network, and motivation required to build sustainable businesses and promote the economic development within urban communities,” the Web site says.
Dr. Ingrid Hicks, CEO of Transformation Services, Inc. in a training room at her company. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
The initiative offers classes one evening every other week and brings in experts that focus on business and strategic assessment; financial management; sales and marketing; resources (human resources and accessing capital and markets); and developing a three-year growth plan. On alternate weeks, participants meet informally in “CEO Roundtables.” In groups of three or four, they talk with other small-business owners about their problems and about issues that come up in class, explained Ness.
Called “a street-wise MBA program,” the initiative is designed to give participants new skills and perspectives to help them run their businesses, according to Shirah Rachel Apple, SBA public information officer. But unlike academic MBA programs, which often examine Harvard case studies, the cases studied here are the businesses that participants are running. “They’re bringing in the problems that they need to work on,” Ness said.
The SBA pays participants’ tuition to Interise, the company that developed the curriculum. The SBA launched the initiative in 2008 in 10 U.S. cities including Milwaukee. Last year, it was offered in 27 cities and in 2015 it will expand to 48 cities.
This year, the SBA added the Emerging Leaders Graduate Institute of Learning, a series of 15 two-hour webinars that develop and review each of the topics covered in the program, said Mary Trimmier, lead economic development specialist at the SBA’s Milwaukee district.
Hicks, who has been a psychologist for 30 years, said she knew that the only way she could grow her business was to learn certain basic business principles that she felt she lacked.
Transformation Services, Inc., 835 N. 23rd St., provides alcohol and other drug treatment as well as drug counselor training and licensing. Addicts who complete a 90-day course of treatment and remain drug-free for another 90 days are eligible to enter a training program that leads to a substance abuse counselor-in-training license.
The company also offers training for professionals, individuals who need continuing education hours to maintain or improve upon their licenses, people getting out of the military and those who are interested in getting into another profession, Hicks said.
Expanded network
Charles Carter, founder of CleanTec, 2821 N. 4th St., a four-year-old commercial cleaning business, had a small network, “mainly industry-related or relatives,” he said. But this year, through the Emerging Leaders Initiative, he connected to a broader group of CEOs working in a wide range of industries.
Carter said that he enjoyed the opportunity to interact with other business owners, whose stories were so similar to his own, and learn best practices.
He also learned about social media tools to boost his marketing efforts, and gained financial planning skills. Financial institution representatives helped him understand what he had to do to get loans, he said. Government representatives who talked about purchasing and doing business with the government were also helpful. As a result, Carter registered CleanTec with the System for Award Management, the portal for doing business with the federal government, he added.
Small Business Administration staff, (from left) Shira Rachel Apple, public information officer; Eric Ness, district director; and Mary Trimmier, lead economic development specialist share a light moment in their offices at the Reuss Federal Plaza. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Forcing him to focus on his business and giving him new ideas, concepts and resources were all benefits, Carter noted. He is taking advantage of the graduate webinar series, he said and added, “If they ever come up with a part two, sign me up because it helped me and my business tremendously.”
Magic Maintenance founder and owner Guillermo Montoto Garza agreed. “Being able to share ideas … and learn about marketing, financials and human resources were all valuable,” he said. Magic Maintenance is located at 1000-04 W. National Ave.
Montoto Garza, whose company primarily focuses on facility maintenance, such as changing motors and belts and working on fans in HVAC systems, found the initiative through an online article. “I always try to stay on top of whatever trainings are available,” he said.
Ness noted that the SBA has a number of partners in the initiative, including Milwaukee County’s Community Business Development Partners, City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation, SCORE, Greater Milwaukee Committee, UWM’s Wisconsin Small Business Development Center, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corporation and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewage District, which hosts the program at its headquarters at 260 W. Seeboth St.
“It’s a great opportunity when folks have a business that’s up and running … [to] work with another group of folks to put their growth plan together,” Ness said. “One of my highlights of the year is to sit down and listen to what these businesses have accomplished over the 26 weeks.”
The SBA’s Milwaukee district will offer the initiative again for the eighth year in 2015. It is currently accepting applications for a class beginning in April. There is no cost to participants. CEOs of businesses that have been operating for at least three years, and have at least one other employee and $300,000 or more in revenue can apply online or contact the SBA Milwaukee district office.
In addition to providing opportunities to talk through and ask questions about business issues, Hicks said, the initiative facilitated her connection to U.S. senators and representatives who agreed to support her efforts to get federal contracts.
Hicks said, “I didn’t know prior to the class where to go [for help with my business]. I never felt that I had an ally or an ongoing support system like [I do] with the SBA.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 6, 2015