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5 things to know and do the weekend of March 8 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
March 8, 2024
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
An art exhibition titled “Biohazards: Cosmetics Out of Context” will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 8 at the Urban Ecology Center, 3700 W. Pierce St. The exhibition will feature paintings and sculptures crafted by Madelynn Austin. Entry is free and open to everyone. Click here to register. More information here.
The Harambee neighborhood will have its annual meeting from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9 at the Clinton Rose Senior Center, 3045 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Residents will hear neighborhood updates, receive resources and vote for the Neighborhood Improvement District Board of Directors. More information here.
In honor of Harriet Tubman’s legacy, Nearby Nature Milwaukee will host a series of activities, starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 9 at Harriet Tubman Park at 4750 N. 48th St. Attendees can take a hike, eat together and discuss climate justice. Click here to register and see the varying times for each activity. More information here.
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Bembé Drum & Dance will hold its annual Latino Carnaval Celebration from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 10 at Mitchell Street Arts, 710 W. Historic Mitchell St. There will be live music, performances, a special guest and more to celebrate various traditions. Click here to purchase tickets starting at $20.  More information here.
Juanibi Wellness will host an Afro-Caribbean dance class at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 10 at 800 W. Walnut St. This $5 class encourages self- expression, healing, and more through dance. More information here.
The Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority will host a Community Talk Back and Stakeholders Meeting for women and girls ages 9 and up from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 at Epikos Church – Sherman Park, 3737 N. Sherman Blvd. This event will feature painting, cooking demonstrations and more.  Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and is required.  More information here.


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53568144913_a719469e7e_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 7, 2024

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Ron Smith


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NNS Spotlight: How Milwaukee’s newest Black-owned grocery store serves the residents of Sherman Park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Trisha Young
March 8, 2024
In a neighborhood struggling with access to healthy food, Maurice “Moe” Wince and his Sherman Park Grocery Store have been called a lifesaver.
Wince and his wife, Yashica Spears, the store’s co-owner, saw this as they observed people stopping at surrounding gas stations to purchase unhealthy snacks like chips and Twinkies.
“I’ve lived my whole life in this city. Now we have a unique opportunity to change the narrative of the environment here by providing food access and education,” he said.
Nestled in the heart of Sherman Park at 4315 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Sherman Park Grocery Store has become a popular destination for those in and around the neighborhood since opening its doors last year.
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Wince said his business is one of the state’s only full service African American-owned grocery stores, which he believes reflects the possibility to transform Milwaukee.
Embassy Center MKE, formerly Parklawn Assembly of God Church, Wince and other community members made it a priority to meet with residents and local and state officials to address ways to improve amenities in the Sherman Park neighborhood. The scarcity of healthy food options in the area was a major concern.
The conversations came about after the neighborhood’s 2016 civil unrest following the shooting death of Sylville Smith by a Milwaukee Police officer.
From these conversations, the idea for a grocery store was born.
Sherman Park Grocery Store became a brick and mortar investment in the neighborhood in July 2022, led by Wince, Embassy Center MKE and other community leaders.
The store has eight employees and also works with organizations such as Employ Milwaukee to hire employees. Employ Milwaukee is a federally funded, local workforce development board that serves Milwaukee County.
Wince became familiar with the needs surrounding food access in the city through Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, food pantries and local meal programs. He also is a graduate of Feeding America’s Food Leaders Lab.
Wince said he also was familiar with the needs of Sherman Park, where he has spent much of his life.
His efforts are much needed.
According to a Milwaukee Fresh Food Access Report, in 2019, Milwaukee had 13 food deserts, which are mostly on the Northwest Side.
A food desert is an area where residents struggle to access affordable and nutritious food. And if one lives further than a half-mile from a grocery store, they are in a food desert, based on data from the USDA.
The Sherman Park Grocery Store saw almost 4,000 of its neighbors within its first 30 days of opening, Wince said.
Despite the grocery store’s success in reaching underserved populations in Milwaukee, like many small grocers, it now faces the challenge of dwindling FoodShare programs post pandemic.
FoodShare is Wisconsin’s name for its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP and historically referred to as “food stamps.”
Wince said many customers are unable to afford to buy the same food in the grocery store as they did before, which makes it more difficult for the store to remain profitable.
“The food assistance programs are shrinking, but the need hasn’t gone anywhere,” Wince said.
To address the ongoing needs of food access, Sherman Park Grocery Store operates Feed My Sheep Global Services, a nonprofit offering assistance through gift card purchases for essential groceries such as eggs, bread, milk and produce.
The gift cards are used when people find themselves short of money at the cash register.
Wince is also committed to supporting aspiring, young entrepreneurs in the community.
One example is UpStart Kitchen, 4325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., a culinary incubator located next door to Sherman Park Grocery.
Founded in 2020, the Kitchen serves as a launchpad for culinary artists such as Monique Evans, the owner of Mo’s Sweetside LLC, and Nesha Beamon, the owner of Pound for Pound Cakes by Nesha LLC, along with 17 other culinary artists.
Many of the artists sell their goods at the grocery store.
“This kitchen and grocery store are a lifesaver for me,” said Beamon.
For Beamon and Evans, the collaboration between UpStart Kitchen and Sherman Park Grocery symbolizes community resilience and togetherness.
“The events and community that Sherman Park Grocery has brought to the neighborhood has united residents,” Evans said.
Added Beamon, “I’ve seen neighbors I didn’t know were my neighbors coming together at this grocery store.”
Catch up with the people and organizations who make Milwaukee great by reading “NNS Spotlight.”

author: Trisha Young


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Ron Smith
March 7, 2024


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Ron Smith
March 7, 2024


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Ron Smith
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OPINION: Milwaukee’s students cannot afford for MPS to (just) maintain and sustain: We need a plan | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Colleston Morgan
March 8, 2024
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service invites community members to submit opinion pieces of 500-800 words on topics of interest to central city Milwaukee. To send a submission for consideration, please email info@milwaukeenns.org. The views expressed are solely those of the authors.
On April 2, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is asking Milwaukeeans for a permanent 30% increase in their property taxes to provide additional funding for our struggling school district.
It’s an ambitious request — the largest school property tax referendum ever placed on a ballot. It also comes without a thoughtful or complete plan for how over $250 million in newfunding each year will improve academic outcomes for our city’s students and address MPS’ long-term financial sustainability.
In fact, MPS has only promised that these funds will be used to “maintain and sustain” the status quo – and Milwaukee’s students, families and residents deserve far more. We need a plan — and until there’s a plan, Milwaukeeans should vote no on this referendum.
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Maintaining the status quo in Milwaukee means remaining in an academic crisis. Last year, nine in 10 MPS students did not meet grade-level expectations in math and reading. MPS’ scores on the Nation’s Report Card are lower than peer districts, in some cases by two full grade levels. For Black students – nearly 80% of MPS’ enrollment – academic performance remains the worst in the nation.
MPS must clearly outline how exactly new funding will improve these abysmal results. Families and taxpayers deserve specifics before agreeing to pay hundreds of dollars more in property taxes every year.
MPS must also face the reality of our city’s changing demographics. District enrollment has declined by more than 30% from its peak, yet MPS operates the same number of schools. And many of these buildings are now half-empty. By the district’s own figures, 40 schools are “significantly under-enrolled,” with some serving as few as 125 students.
Spending tens of millions of dollars each year subsidizing schools operating well below their capacity is unsustainable and irresponsible – but MPS has yet to present its “right-sizing” plan.
Without a detailed plan, how can Milwaukeeans know that this time will be different? Since 2020, MPS has received an unprecedented influx of funding – more than $1.2 billion. Thanks in large part to $87 million per year from Milwaukee taxpayers, MPS is now funded above both statewide and suburban district averages.
Yet today, MPS has even lower academic outcomes and larger financial shortfalls than before – even accounting for the impacts of the pandemic. Before passing another funding referendum, MPS must reassure Milwaukeeans that it will finally get its fiscal house in order.
In the end, this referendum is about more than dollars and cents. It is about the future of education for all Milwaukee students – including, but not just limited to, those in MPS.
Continuing with piecemeal Band-Aid solutions without resolving the underlying issues will only lead us back here again — and soon. Indeed, the district’s own financial projections show a return to red ink in as little as six years.
Milwaukee needs a plan – a thoughtful, ambitious plan for how these dollars will improve unacceptable academic outcomes not just in MPS but for all Milwaukee students and address MPS’ long-term financial sustainability.
Until MPS and city leaders put one forward, Milwaukeeans will  rightly question whether sending hundreds of millions more of their tax dollars to MPS each year will truly impact anything but their pocketbooks. Our city’s students – our city’s future –  hangs in the balance.
Born and raised in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood and an alum of Milwaukee’s public and private schools, Colleston Morgan Jr was appointed as executive director of City Forward Collective in 2023. Previously, he served as the organization’s vice president, strategy & policy. In his career, Colleston has served as a high school social studies teacher and district administrator in New Orleans as well as an executive with Teach for America. Colleston earned an A.B. in Government from Harvard University and a master’s in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. He is the proud father of two school-aged daughters.

author: Colleston Morgan


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Ron Smith
March 8, 2024


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Ron Smith
March 8, 2024


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5 things to know and do the week of March 11 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
March 11, 2024
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Ill Threadz MKE will hold its weekly dance session from      5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, March 11 at 5335 W. Oklahoma Ave. This free session is open to dancers of all levels. While break dancing, young people can learn the importance of teamwork, respect and more. Refreshments will be provided. More information here.
The City of Milwaukee and three other organizations have received a $12 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address disparities in Milwaukee’s urban tree canopy. A town hall meeting to address the project will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on      Tuesday, March 12 at the Milwaukee Public Library Mitchell Street Branch, 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. You can provide input on where the work should take place. More information here.
Sharlen Moore and Richard Geldon are the candidates running for office in Milwaukee Aldermanic District 10.  Community members are invited to a town hall with the candidates from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13 at 5400 W. Washington Blvd. You will have the opportunity to meet the candidates and hear about their goals for the Washington Heights neighborhood, the City of Milwaukee and District 10. More information here.
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Culture X Design will be screening a short film called,      “The Warrior Princess,” directed by Vianca Fuster, to celebrate Women’s History Month at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 14 at 191 N. Broadway, Suite 102. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. A talk back session with the film’s director will be held after the screening. Click here to register.   More information here.
Garfield’s 502 invites you to a special band performance by the Myles Duke Experience at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 14 at 502 W. Garfield Ave. Entry is free, and bartender specials will be available for purchase. More information here.

author: Chesnie Wardell


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Ron Smith
March 10, 2024


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Milwaukee agencies that serve crime victims push for more state support | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
March 12, 2024
Editor’s note: The Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday, March 12 — after this story was published — unanimously approved Assembly Bill 940, sending it to Gov. Tony Evers.
Nonprofit leaders and other advocates are urging people to contact their legislators to express support for a bill that addresses a substantial drop in federal funding for programs that serve crime victims.
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The federal funding comes from the Crime Victims Fund created by the Victim of Crimes Act of 1984, also known as VOCA.
The grant money goes to Wisconsin agencies that provide direct services to adults and children who are the victims of a range of crimes, including domestic abuse, sexual assault, hate crimes, kidnapping and human trafficking.
In 2023, Wisconsin agencies, including those in Milwaukee, were awarded roughly $23 million from the grant, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
The department estimates that in 2024 this funding will decrease by roughly 40%.
The Legislature will decide this week whether to take action.
If state legislation is not passed to make up for this loss, advocates fear that the services agencies provide will be seriously hampered.
But the clock is ticking.
The Wisconsin Senate adjourns for the year on Thursday, March 14, and the bill must be passed there before going to the governor.
“We depend on this funding in a lot of ways,” said Jeanne Geraci, executive director of Benedict Center, a Milwaukee organization that receives VOCA funding for its Sisters Program.
The Sisters Program provides advocacy and support for women in the street-based sex trade – women who experience high levels of gender-based violence, sexual and physical assault and sex trafficking, Geraci said.
From October 2022 to September 2023, the Sisters Program provided street outreach to 633 women; served 336 women through its two drop-in centers; provided sexual assault advocacy; and offered case management services to 150 women.
VOCA funding provides a large portion of the support and resources for all this work, Geraci said.
Pathfinders Milwaukee, another Milwaukee-based agency, uses VOCA funding as well, but for children and youths, including those at risk of trafficking and sexual exploitation and for survivors of sexual abuse or sexual assault.
Pathfinders has used VOCA funding for such purposes for more than a decade, said Tim Baack, president and CEO of Pathfinders.
In 2018, Wisconsin agencies were awarded more than $58 million in VOCA funding, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
But in 2023, that amount declined to roughly $23 million.
Now, the amount is expected to decrease even further to $13 million.
Such a decrease would be a serious loss to Pathfinders as well as to other VOCA-funded agencies in the community, Baack said.
“If we are not able to replace those lost funds with other sources of revenue, we and other organizations we refer youth to will see a pretty dramatic decline in the number of young people we can serve within our anti-trafficking and exploitation work,” he said.
Wisconsin lawmakers are working to pass legislation to replenish some of this lost VOCA funding.
“We realized that the federal government was not going to reauthorize this funding, and we started working with service providers across Wisconsin to see what we could do to address this,” said Wisconsin state Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, one of the sponsors of the Senate’s bill designed to address losses in VOCA funding.
Agard said she and her colleagues have “an opportunity to hit a home run and get this right.”
On Feb. 22, lawmakers passed Assembly Bill 940, which would add $10 million in funding over the current biennium.
Agard hopes the legislation will receive widespread bipartisan support, noting that the bill’s co-sponsor is Sen. Jesse James, R-Altoona.
“Ultimately, it is it is very hard to talk about domestic violence and sexual violence … but we as policymakers need to take meaningful life-saving steps and actions to protect folks in Wisconsin who are victims and survivors,” Agard said.
Those who are interested in the issue can reach out to their senators.
Devin Blake is the criminal justice reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. His position is funded by the Public Welfare Foundation, which plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.

author: Devin Blake


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Ron Smith
March 11, 2024


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Ron Smith
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Milwaukee neighborhood groups to host candidate forums | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Meredith Melland
March 12, 2024
Washington Heights, Amani, Martin Drive and Sherman Park neighborhoods will host forums for Milwaukee Common Council candidates in Districts 6, 7, and 10 this month.
All Common Council seats will be on the April 2 general election ballot, although not all are being contested.
Here’s a list of upcoming candidate forums:
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The Washington Heights Neighborhood Association is hosting a town hall for Richard Geldon and Sharlen Moore, District 10 candidates for Common Council, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13 at St. Sebastian Parish Church Hall, 5400 W. Washington Blvd.
The Corridor Neighborhoods Collaborative will hold a forum with candidates running for city comptroller, Milwaukee County comptroller, Circuit Court judge and District 6 alderperson at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13 at COA Goldin Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St.
Rochelle Johnson-Bent and state Rep. Marisabel Cabrera, judicial candidates for Milwaukee County Circuit Court – Branch 43; Milwaukee city comptroller candidates Bill Christianson and Gregory Gracz; Milwaukee County comptroller candidate Michael Harper; and District 6 aldermanic candidate Brandon Payton, who is running against incumbent Ald. Milele Coggs, will be in attendance.
Candidates Jessica Currie and DiAndre Jackson will discuss the issues at a District 7 forum hosted by the Sherman Park Community Association and the NAACP Milwaukee Branch from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, 3456 N. 38th St.
Martin Drive Neighborhood Association will hold a forum with Geldon and Moore from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 23, at Washington Park Media Center, 4303 W. Vliet St.
Voters can submit questions in advance using this Google Form.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.

author: Meredith Melland


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Ron Smith
March 12, 2024


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Ron Smith
March 12, 2024


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Here’s where you can celebrate Women’s History Month in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Meredith Melland
March 13, 2024
If you are looking to celebrate Women’s History Month in March, learn more about local women’s groups or engage in discussions on equity, explore this list of Milwaukee events.
Milwaukee Film is showing the debut films of notable female directors throughout March at the Oriental Theatre, 2230 N. Farwell Ave., to celebrate the achievements of women in the film industry and throughout history. More information here.
Moms Mental Health Initiative and Milwaukee Art Therapy Collective is hosting a free exhibition through May 8 at Milwaukee Art Therapy Collective, 9224 W. Burleigh St. The next gallery hours are from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 16. View the art during any upcoming Community Open Studios events or email mkearttherapywebsite@gmail.com to make an appointment. Donations are welcome. More information here.
From 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, explore the David Barnett Gallery with free admission, free wine and gifts for groups of two or more people. The gallery, located at 1024 E. State St., is collecting donated items for Sojourner Family Peace Center until April 11. New and unopened shampoo, conditioner, Black hair care products, deodorant, diapers, pads, tampons, clothing and art supplies are accepted. More information here.
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New Barons Brewing Cooperative, 2018 S. 1st St. #170, will feature live music from three female artists from 5:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 14. Doors open at 5 p.m. The brewery is raising money for Sojourner Family Peace Center through T-shirt sales and donations for a raffle of two paintings. This event is one of a larger series supporting Women’s History Month and women in the brewing industry from the Women’s Beer and Spirits Collective. More information here.
The first event in Culture x Design’s Women’s History Month program will be a free screening of “The Warrior Princess” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 14 at MARN Art + Culture Hub, 191 N. Broadway Suite #102. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Director Vianca Fuster will host a talkback session with Violet “The Warrior Princess” Lopez, her coach Angel Villarreal Jr., and her parents Brittni and Eddie Lopez. More information here.
Marquette University’s Center for Engagement and Inclusion is hosting its annual brunch celebrating Black women at noon on Sunday, March 17 at the Alumni Memorial Union Ballrooms,1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. The “Sunday’s Best” themed event will recognize Black business owners and the importance of self-care. Tickets are free for Marquette students, $10 for kids and $25 for the general public. More information here.
Cadence MKE is hosting a women’s workout clothing and gear swap from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 17 at Wheel & Sprocket, 87 E. Becher St. Available items will include cycling clothing, outdoor weather gear, new helmets and bike accessories and more. No money will be exchanged during the swap and you don’t have to bring something to take something. Swap items can be dropped off ahead of time at Wheel & Sprocket during business hours. More information here.
Corry Joe Biddle, vice president of community affairs at the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, will moderate a forum on recent national trends reshaping Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts and local decisions impacting public and private funding. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the free program starts at 5 p.m. at Ivy House, 906 S. Barclay St. More information here.
The Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee will host its monthly Laundry Night event on advancing equity for women and building community from 7 to 9 p.m. at Camp Bar, 4044 N. Oakland Ave, Shorewood. More information here.
Female authors and artists will read from and discuss their favorite banned books at Culture x Design’s free event celebrating literary diversity at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26 at Cactus Club, 2496 S Wentworth Ave. Doors open at 5 p.m. More information here.
Lauren Feaster, CEO of Professional Dimensions, will host and moderate a panel discussion on the unexpected parallels between job hunting and dating. The event starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 29 at Dandy, 5020 W. Vliet St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. More information here.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.


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Ron Smith
March 12, 2024


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5 things to know and do the weekend of March 15 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
March 14, 2024
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Cream City (WI) Chapter of the Links Inc. will host a wellness expo for Black families from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 15 at the Milwaukee Academy of Science, 2000 W. Kilbourn Ave. All ages are welcome to attend, have food and participate in wellness activities. Click here to register. More information here.
A science fair will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 15 at Escuela Verde, 3628 W. Pierce St. All ages are invited to bring and present a science project they created at home that focuses on a challenge in the community or just show up to learn or volunteer as a judge. If presenting or volunteering, click here to register.  More information here.
Come listen to trap and R&B music while playing Bingo for cash prizes and giveaways from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, March 15 at 801 S. Second St. Vivent Health will  provide free HIV/STI testing and condoms. More information here.
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The Center for Leadership of Afrikan Women’s Wellness will have a Sankofa Drum Circle from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 at 3910 W. Lisbon Ave. Individuals can borrow or bring their own drums to participate. You can even come to dance, as this event is all about rhythm and reconnecting with ancestors. All skill levels are welcome. More information here.
“Opposite of a Suicide Note” is a new book written by Mikey Cody Apollo. A release party to celebrate the publication will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 at Dream Lab, 738 S. Third St. The event will feature a performance by Cody Apollo and will also include a period product drive, so please feel free to bring any unopened menstrual goods to donate to the Milwaukee Diaper Mission. Click here to register. More information here.
Otto Bremer Trust and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation have partnered to distribute $3.5 million in grants of up to $75,000 to local nonprofits through the Community Responsive Fund. Applications will close on Monday, April 15. Click here to access the grants portal for the application.  Click here to view the grant calendar.  More information here.


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Ron Smith
March 14, 2024


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Although FlexRide Milwaukee’s ridership is surging, its future remains unclear | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
March 14, 2024
FlexRide celebrated its 50,000th ride in January. But although the program continues to be in high demand, its future is unclear.
Launched in 2022, FlexRide Milwaukee is an on-demand transportation service that provides affordable transportation to inner-city residents who work in Franklin, Oak Creek, New Berlin or Menomonee Falls.
After serving only 11 riders in its first month, FlexRide now averages 4,000 rides each month, said Dave Steele, executive director of MobiliSE, which operates FlexRide with financial support from various city, county and state agencies.
“We set out to help address a real problem in the region, providing affordable and reliable transportation for Milwaukee residents working or looking to work at employers beyond the reach of transit,” Steele said.
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“We have delivered on that mission – and hope to for years to come.
The program also is supported by a $4.2 million Wisconsin Workforce Innovation Grant and $1.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds through Milwaukee County.
However, according to Kathy Ehley, the chair of MobiliSE’s board, sustainable funding is only available through 2024.
MobiliSE and its partners are working to find long-term funding for 2025 and beyond.
Ehley said for FlexRide Milwaukee to continue to thrive, state legislators and business leaders need greater awareness of the importance of giving people multiple options to get to work.
Ehley urged Milwaukeeans to consider how different modes of transportation will affect those who can’t or don’t drive, as transportation is an issue that affects everyone in the region.
“Good transportation services have a positive impact on those using them, the jobs (employers) filling positions and the region as a whole,” she said.
Rhonda Lewis was one of FlexRide’s original drivers, but she quit because she found the job overwhelming.
“It’s a beautiful program, but drivers aren’t treated well,” Lewis said. “I felt like I was being worked like a dog because we didn’t have enough drivers to fulfill the need.”
Steele confirmed that drivers were stretched thin during the early days of the program, but said he feels FlexRide is now able to meet the challenge.
Fred Anderson, the president and CEO of Wenthe-Davidson Engineering Co., based in New Berlin, promoted the program to his employees.
“When we initially heard of the program, we thought it was perfect,” he said. “It gets people here and back home and they have a viable way to make a living.”
In the past two years, FlexRide has added its South and West zones and now offers 24/7, weekday service, using a new fleet of branded vehicles.
FlexRide also operates a program for working parents through a partnership with Employ Milwaukee that connects Milwaukeeans with free rides to qualified child care centers and to work and back home.
Lisa Jackson started driving for FlexRide Milwaukee eight months ago and said it has been one of the easiest and most rewarding job experiences she has had.
“I enjoy just being able to ride and chat with riders,” she said. “And you’ll notice someone was able to move into a better situation or dress nicer and just look like they are doing better after starting these jobs.”
West Milwaukee residents Burt C. and Rick R., who requested that their last names not be mentioned, have both used the service.
Rick R. said the program was a lifesaver when his car broke down on Christmas Eve.
“I was out of options and even with Uber or Lyft, it’s difficult to find a ride when you have to be at work by 4:30 a.m.,” he said.
Burt C. said knowing the program is there gives him peace of mind.
“I can often find a ride with a coworker but when I can’t, I know I have a reliable ride to and from work,” he said.
FlexRide is an app that works like Uber or Lyft.  You pay by adding a credit or debit card to your account in the FlexRide app. If a user does not have a smartphone, they can dial 414-667-7433 to request a ride.
Rides cost $3 and additional passengers can be added for $1.50.  Rides are available from 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Riders within a specific work zone can ride to the employer in that area. FlexRide connects employees from one of its three neighborhood zones to that zone’s specific employment zone.
People don’t have to live in a neighborhood zone to use the FlexRide app; they just have to be in the zone when ordering the ride.
You can visit www.flexridemke.com for more information.
In case you missed it: NNS Update: FlexRide Milwaukee changes service areas to make program more accessible to residents, employers
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author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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53547519098_82c0b40af8_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 13, 2024


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5 things to know and do the week of March 18 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
March 17, 2024
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, join Lideres por la Salud, a program of the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, for a community walk along the      Hank Aaron State Trail. The purpose is to encourage spending time in green spaces and socializing with community members. The next walk will be from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19. The group will meet in the parking lot of the Mitchell Park Domes Horticulture Conservatory, 524 S. Layton Blvd. Walkers of all ages can win prizes along the way. More information here.
The Milwaukee Police Department District 2 will have its crime and safety meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20 at 906 W. Mitchell St. Three guest speakers will also be present to address landlord and tenant issues and other community concerns. More information here.
Milwaukee Public Schools will host a student job fair for high school juniors from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. Students can learn about different employers and receive applications for the summer and year-round. Transportation will be provided and juniors must obtain a permission slip from their counselor or college and career center adviser. More information here.
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Receive free vision screenings and eyeglasses at a vision clinic hosted monthly by City on a Hill. The next one is from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, March 20 at 2224 W. Kilbourn Ave.  More information here.
Black Leaders Organizing for Communities will host a film screening of “Judging Juries” at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20 at 1037 W. McKinley Ave. It  will highlight the challenges jurors face while on jury duty.  After the screening, a panel discussion will be led by the film’s director, Abby Ginzberg, and local judges. More information here.


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Ron Smith
March 17, 2024


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Hunger Task Force’s Sherrie Tussler’s nontraditional approach to fighting hunger | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
March 20, 2024
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Sherrie Tussler has always been passionate about serving others.
For the last 26 years, she’s served the city and state by leading efforts to end hunger in Wisconsin as the CEO of the Hunger Task Force.
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Hunger Task Force works to prevent hunger and malnutrition by providing food to people in need today and advocates for policies that will help achieve a hunger free community in the future, according to the organization’s mission statement.
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Tussler, who is retiring in June, said her goal has been the same since she started in her role as CEO: to defend people against hunger.
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“We believe no one should have to go to sleep hungry or skip other essential bills in order to eat,” Tussler said. “ We work toward a Wisconsin where they don’t have to.”
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While she has been able to help eliminate barriers to food for many, Tussler working toward a Wisconsin where no one is hungry is a fight that must continue.
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After she retires, Tussler will step into a part-time role as CEO Emeritus and will provide strategic guidance on an as-needed basis for up to one year.
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Matt King, who currently serves as the associate director of the Hunger Task Force, will move into her position.
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“I’ve been saying to Matt that we’re driving down the road at 60 miles an hour, and I’m holding on to the steering wheel. And now we have to switch seats without reducing or increasing speed or changing any lanes,” Tussler said.
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Jon Janowski  worked with Tussler for 12 years at the Hunger Task Force and was a part of the committee that hired her. He said her approach was nontraditional from the start.
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“I still remember her interview because at one point she kind of put her knees up to the table like how someone might sit at home,” he said. “Everything from her body language to her the way she answered questions was saying ‘I don’t care what you ask me, I’ll have an answer and you’ll like it.”
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Janowski recalled that when Tussler came into her role, she immediately worked on revamping the organization’s advocacy arm that had been neglected.
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“Traditional non-profit boundaries were never an answer for her because she thinks big,” he said.
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Janowski said Tussler has never been afraid to challenge the status quo.
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“Doing something the way it’s always been done was never the answer for Sherrie,” he said.
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Tussler believes in spending time in the community with the people the Hunger Task Force serves.
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“You don’t know it if you haven’t seen it,” she said.
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She often visits food pantries, shelters and organizations they serve to gain firsthand understanding of what community members see. She encourages her staff to do the same.
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“Staff are not going to know, you know, what it’s like to go into the welfare office until you walk into that place,” she said.
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“It’s important to just hang out with people and listen to all to know what their experiences are, because you can’t talk about any of it without feeling it.”
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Tussler said she’s been grateful to be able to give a voice to people whose voices aren’t normally heard.
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She came to the Hunger Task Force in 1997 from Hope House,  a shelter for families facing homelessness.
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According to a LA Times article, thousands of Milwaukeeans had lost their general assistance checks a few years prior and the welfare system was crumbling.
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Many Milwaukeeans were hungry, so Tussler’s first campaign at the Hunger Task Force was welfare reform.
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“Food Stamps are a federal entitlement,” she said. “And our goal was to ensure that people who are entitled to that program are getting it, because it’s the number one defense against hunger,” she said. “It’s the largest federal nutrition program that the government operates.”
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Over the years Tussler held on to that belief.
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“It’s a trap to get into feeding more and more people (through food banks) and convincing yourself that somehow food banks or other charities can end hunger,” she said.
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Tussler said she’s learned some things along the way.
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She said when COVD-19  hit, the agency learned that all pantries could close,“if we just gave everyone an adequate amount of Foodshare.”
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FoodShare is Wisconsin’s name for its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP and historically referred to as “food stamps.”
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Tussler learned to say yes when opportunities arose. One example is the purchase of a farm in 2006.
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The Hunger Task Force Farm is a 208-acre farm in the suburb of Franklin, Wisconsin. It was initially the Milwaukee County House of Corrections  Work Farm.
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“In 2006, the Journal Sentinel called and said, the superintendent said he’s going to give you the farm, will you take it? And it wasn’t exactly what I had planned. And I’m not a farmer,” Tussler said. “But I said yes, because it seemed like an amazing opportunity. And we’ve been farming since 2006. We grow half a million pounds of produce.”
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Once she has officially left her job in June, Tussler said she plans to resume her hobby of rehabbing homes.
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“I own power tools and I know how to use them,” she said.
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Working for the task force has reinforced Tussler’s belief that the quality of people’s lives would improve if more Milwaukeans joined the fight to end hunger.
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“One (out of) four of us doesn’t have enough food on the table,” she said. “People could realize that and then they could share what they have. It feels good. It helps. It’ll make you a better person.”
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53573688943_b464759901_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
March 20, 2024

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Award for Women Leader and Alumna presented by PEARLS For Teen Girls | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alaina Landi
March 21, 2024
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
MILWAUKEE – MARCH 2023 – PEARLS for Teen Girls is recognizing PEARLS alumnae striving to promote the values of the organization in their lives and careers through a new award, The Alumna Chrysalis Award. Applications are currently open through March 22, and the award will be presented at PEARLS’ Inspired to Lead Gala on April 11, 2024.
PEARLS is a nonprofit with the mission of improving quality of life and strengthening our community one girl at a time by empowering young women and gender-expansive youth with self-development tools, guidance and support to strive for better, brighter futures by living out the PEARLS values: Personal Responsibility, Empathy, Awareness, Respect, Leadership and Support. They have provided unique mentorship and sisterhood to young girls in the Greater Milwaukee community for over 30 years. The Alumna Chrysalis Award is $1,500 and aims to help past PEARLS participants further their post-secondary goals in business pursuits or ongoing education.
“We’re thrilled to be providing a way to keep supporting the women who were once PEARLS girls,” said Jasmine Deacon, Director of Program Services. “Like we always say, ‘Once a PEARLS girl, always a PEARLS girl.’ This award is extra special because it’s named as a nod to Late Executive Director, Gerry Howze, who often referenced the process of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly as part of her own story, which is parallel to how a grain of sand develops into a pearl. This award perfectly encapsulates the theme of our gala and what we’re doing in the community — creating a Legacy in Motion.”
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The inaugural award recipient will act as a spokesperson for PEARLS throughout the 2024/2025 program year. They will also present the next recipient with their award at the 2025 Inspired to Lead Gala. For more information on requirements and to apply for the Alumna Chrysalis Award, visit: www.pearlsforteengirls.com/alum.
Inspired to Lead honors the founding PEARLS sisters, supporters and partners who contributed to making PEARLS what it is today. It also celebrates the continuation of this legacy and is a night of inspiration and opportunity to support the future leaders of Milwaukee. The 2024 event will be on April 11, hosted at Discovery World from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.pearlsforteengirls.com/itl.

author: Alaina Landi


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ITL24_ChrysalisAwardApplication.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 7, 2024

author: Name *


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Catch & Release Family – Fishing | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
david snell
March 21, 2024
Saturday, April 6th
9:30 – 11 a.m.
Urban Ecology Center- Washington Park
(For families) What a catch! Bring friends and family to learn the basics of fishing in the pond of Washington Park. Fishing license required for anyone over the age of 16 wishing to fish.
Contact Person and Phone Number: Cassie Bauer – Community Programs Manager
Email: cbauer@urbanecologycenter.org. Phone Number: (414) 626-8571
Link to Register: https://30781a.blackbaudhosting.com/30781a/Catch–Release—Family-Fishing
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Children/ Teens: $5 – $8.  Adults free.

author: david snell


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1.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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March 17, 2024


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Critically acclaimed author and best seller Ayana Mathis Serves as keynote speaker for the Delta Memorial Endowment Fund, Inc.’s Literary Luncheon | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jacqueline Gail Zeledon
March 21, 2024
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Ayana Mathis, author of the New York Times Bestseller The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, headlines the Delta Memorial Endowment Fund Inc.’s (DMEF, Inc.) 46 Annual Literary Luncheon on Saturday, April 20, 2024, 11:00 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 333 W. Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203. Tickets for the luncheon can be purchased online at Eventbrite.com.
Since 1978, DMEF has hosted notable authors across four decades, from Octavia Butler and Maya Angelou to Pearl Cleage and Attica Locke. Proceeds from the event fund college scholarships to local graduating high school seniors and Milwaukee-area charities, including arts-based organizations. More than $500,000 has been awarded to date.
Mathis’s Milwaukee appearance comes on the heels of her 2023 release of Unsettled, which was named a Notable Book of 2023 by the Washington Post and New York Times and an Oprah Daily Best Book of the Year. Unsettled is an intense multi-generational novel set in racially and politically turbulent Philadelphia about a mother fighting for her sanity and survival. In 1985 Philadelphia, Ava becomes swept up in a charismatic movement galvanized by a radical vision to destroy systems of racial injustice and bring about a bold new way of communal living. Kirkus called it an “affecting and carefully drawn story of a family on the brink” in their starred review, saying that “Mathis powerfully evokes the heartbreak and ways best efforts are undermined by social and legal machinery.” Oprah Daily proclaimed it one of the “Best Novels of 2023”.
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In addition to her fiction work, Mathis’s nonfiction has been published in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Financial Times, Rolling Stone, Glamour, and Guernica, and her book reviews frequently appear in The New York Times. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary, Mathis’s recent essays find the author exploring the intertwining of faith and American literature, as in her multi-part New York Times essay series “Imprinted By Belief”.
Mathis has been the recipient of fellowships from the New York Public Library’s Cullman Center, the Bogliasco Foundation, the Civitella Ranieri Foundation in Italy, and the American Academy in Berlin. She was the first Black woman to be a permanent member of the faculty at the Iowa Writers Workshop and has taught in MFA Programs at Columbia University and Rutgers. She currently hosts and curates the Black Arts Dialogues series, a conversation series centered around art and Blackness hosted by the African American and African Diasporic Studies Department at Columbia University and teaches in the MFA Creative Writing Program at Hunter College.

author: Jacqueline Gail Zeledon


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Opinion: Clean water is a basic human right. Yet many of us don’t have it. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Huda Alkaff
March 21, 2024
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service invites community members to submit opinion pieces of 500-800 words on topics of interest to central city Milwaukee. To send a submission for consideration, please email info@milwaukeenns.org. The views expressed are solely those of the authors.
Water is my teacher. It is a building block of living beings, a sacred gift and trust, pure and purifying, soothing, healing. It is a community where all droplets stick together, flowing beautifully in kindness and force. Its persistence and perseverance breaks rocks and charts new horizons. In all its forms, it is an awe to observe and appreciate. I love water. Water is life.
During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, as we fast from food and water from dawn till sunset, let us honor and celebrate the central role of water in our lives, both physically and spiritually.
This month-long spiritual and healing experience enhances and deepens our compassion for the poor, hungry and thirsty, especially those deprived of clean water due to water shutoffs at times of peace and war.
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I have been reflecting on the water’s healing force in my daily life, from the refreshing hot water drink throughout the day, the soothing steam inhalation remedy, the pain relief of ice and cold therapy, the blessing and provision of the rainfall and the Wisconsin Green Muslims’ Faithful Rainwater Harvesting Initiative (FaRaH, which means Joy!). Yet, although clean water is a human right, many people, particularly children, are deprived from it in the USA and all over the world.
My own community in Milwaukee faces many challenges to ensure every family has safe water to drink, including some of the highest numbers of lead drinking water pipes in Wisconsin.
As you know, no level of lead in drinking water is safe. Lead exposure in children can harm their brains and nervous systems resulting in developmental, learning and behavioral problems.
I see firsthand the lifelong impact on behavior and development among lead-poisoned children in my own community in Milwaukee. I hear from parents who fear for the futures of their children and are struggling to address the impact of lead on their families.
The impact of lead service lines disproportionately hurts low-income households and communities of color. These are communities that are already living in polluted areas and who face dangers from lead paint in their homes, dirty air in their cities, and now, dirty water.
We have suffered the most, and we will continue to suffer the effects of lead long after the pipes have been replaced. My community deserves the right to have a healthy, thriving future.
Right now, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is finalizing public health safeguards to remove all lead service lines from U.S. homes in the next 10 years. I applaud this step, and it needs to be done right.
The EPA must require the replacement of the full lead service line from city pipes to kitchen taps, closing the “access loophole” in the current proposed rule that could pass the cost of full lead service line replacement onto the lowest-income customers.
We need frequent testing and full public disclosure, coupling lead line replacement with water filtration to provide immediate protection for homes, child care centers and schools.
Almost 40 years after lead pipes were banned in new construction, we are starting to see more momentum toward a lead-free future.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included billions to help cities speed up removal and replacement. But families with lead water lines should not have to wait!
Lead exposure through drinking water is one of the most solvable health crises of our time. With stronger regulations and more funding, we can make unprecedented progress on this issue and achieve the administration’s goal of removing all lead service lines in 10 years.
Water is a healer in all its forms and it is up to us to ensure no one is left behind.
Huda Alkaff is the founder and director of Wisconsin Green Muslims, a grassroots organization  based in Milwaukee educating the Muslim community and general public about the Islamic environmental justice teachings since 2005.

author: Huda Alkaff


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Huda-Alkaff-1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 21, 2024


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Ron Smith
March 21, 2024


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Huda-Alkaff | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 21, 2024


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Post From Community: Eric Von Broadcast Fellowship honors its sixth fellow | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Faithe Colas
March 21, 2024
Editor’s note: Post From Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here
Eric Von, a highly respected journalist and commentator from Milwaukee, passed away in 2016 after an illustrious career in radio spanning over 25 years.
Throughout his time in the industry, he was known for his exceptional reporting and engaging talk shows, where he facilitated discussions on crucial community matters with influential local, national and global figures and unsung Milwaukee heroes.
Eric worked with various commercial radio stations, Radio One in his hometown of Washington D.C., 1290 WMCS, and WNOV 860 AM. His final years involved collaborating with WUWM 89.7 FM, 371 Productions, and AIR’s Finding America on the Precious Lives project. This two-year endeavor consisted of a hundred weekly radio episodes addressing the prevalent issue of gun violence among young people in Milwaukee.
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To commemorate Eric’s memory, WUWM allows aspiring journalists a paid experience to hone their skills and carry on his legacy through the Eric Von Broadcast Fellowship.
The Eric Von Broadcast Fellowship has launched the careers of six college graduates. Recently, Faithe Colas, Eric‘s wife, hosted an annual meet and greet for the sixth Von fellow, Nadya Kelly, at America’s Black Holocaust Museum.
WUWM staff, donors and supporters of the Von Fellowship enjoyed the intimate evening, complete with remarks from David Lee, the general manager of WUWM; Teran Powell, the first Von Fellow and now the Race & Ethnicity reporter for WUWM; and Colas. Ready To Roll catered the evening.
Lee said he believes the Von Fellowship is one of the most important things that WUWM does.And if the station  becomes known as the training ground for the next generation of diverse journalists in public media and beyond, that would be an incredible legacy for both WUWM and Eric.
Also present was Helen Ambuel, whose generous gift started the endowment for the Eric Von Broadcast Fellowship.
To learn more about the WUWM Eric Von Broadcast Fellowship and the Von Fellows, visit https://www.wuwm.com/eric-von-broadcast-fellowship

author: Faithe Colas


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53581525689_4d15c8b114_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 21, 2024


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Ron Smith
March 21, 2024


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PFC | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 21, 2024


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Tobacco retailer training held at Westlawn Gardens | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lorraine Lathen
March 21, 2024
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Together, we can help improve community health. That was the message during a recent training for tobacco retailers hosted by the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network, Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention & Poverty Network, and Wisconsin Wins Program. The Wisconsin Wins Program uses a science based approach to reduce youth access to tobacco and help retailers avoid fines.
Federal law prohibits the sale or purchase of tobacco to anyone under 21 years old. The fine in Milwaukee for selling tobacco to minors or single cigarettes is $691. Each year, 10,200 youth under the age of 18 try cigarettes for the first time in Wisconsin.
The workshop provided guidance on checking IDs and showed retailers how to access WiTobaccoCheck.org, which provides free training and state certification for retailers related to tobacco. A representative from the FDA also warned retailers about products that have not been authorized for sale in the U.S. and reminded them to ensure they don’t receive those products from vendors. Milwaukee Police Department officers from the Community Prosecution Unit and the License Investigation Unit hosted a panel discussion, providing tips on how to prevent adults from purchasing tobacco for minors and ensure safety of their staff and customers.
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The retailers were also given free signage including “no sales to minors” posters, and digital FDA age calculators. Retailers who would like to attend a future training can contact info@jumpatthesunllc.com. For free training retailers can visit WiTobaccoCheck.org.

author: Lorraine Lathen


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March 12, 2024


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5 things to know and do the weekend of March 22 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
March 22, 2024
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Your Move MKE will hold its Hip-Hop Chess Spring Blitz Tournament from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 22 at 1107 W. Historic Mitchell St. Sign up starts at 4 p.m. The registration fee is $20 for adult participants and entry is free for youth participants. People of all ages can win prizes and merchandise. Click here to register.  More information here.
Children from preschool through fourth grade are invited to participate in an Easter egg hunt at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 23 at Garden Homes Lutheran Church, 2450 W. Roosevelt Drive. Children will also make crafts, listen to an Easter story and more. More information here.
BizStarts Health Week will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at 161 S. First St. Entrepreneurs will hear from experts about how their health can contribute to a well-performing business. Speakers will include yoga instructor Heather Nill and Dr. Zelda Okia, a life and weight loss coach at P&Z Coaching Excellence. Click here to register. More information here.
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Join students from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design for a mural workshop and sidewalk chalk drawings from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at      Mitchell Street Arts, 710 W. Historic Mitchell St. More information here.
In support of colorectal and prostate cancer awareness, Milwaukee’s community leaders and elected officials will face each other in a charity basketball game from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at 5496 N. 72nd St. During this time, attendees can also receive free health screenings, purchase food, enjoy a live DJ and more. Click here to register.  More information here.


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Ron Smith
March 21, 2024


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5 things to know and do the week of March 25 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
March 25, 2024
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Every Monday through Thursday, the Milwaukee Islamic Dawah Center sponsors a food pantry from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at 5135 N. Teutonia Ave. To receive free food, you must bring a box or bag and your ID. The food pantry will be open again on Monday, March 25. Click here to register and to view the other upcoming dates. More information here.
The Walker’s Point Association will hold its community gathering from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. The gathering will take place at 1033 MKE, a new restaurant at 1033 S. First St. Listen to neighborhood updates, learn about neighborhood projects and more.  More information here.
WestCare Wisconsin is encouraging individuals to participate in its “Prescription Drug Take Back” from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, March 26  at the Clinton Rose Senior Center, 3045 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. You can bring prescription or non-prescription medications, for proper disposal. Pacemakers and needles are not accepted. More information here.
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Entrepreneurs, community leaders, and professionals will gather at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27 at Bronzeville Kitchen & Lounge, 2053 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.  Attendees can network, take masterclasses, participate in a discussion panel and more.
Harvie Herrington, entrepreneur, pro football player, motivational speaker, and author, will be the guest speaker. More information here.
Attend a community health and wellness fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 28 at Owen’s Place, 504 W. National Ave. You will receive free health screenings and health resources. There will also be a chance to win raffles, gift cards and more. If interested in getting a dental exam, registration is required. Click here to register for the health and wellness fair.   More information here.
Bonus: The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music is accepting applications for its new Fellowship in Teaching Artistry program. The program aims to support Black and Latino classical musicians early in their careers and increase underserved Milwaukee-area students’ exposure to classical music through one-on-one lessons and in-school instruction at schools that currently do not have a music teacher on staff.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of April 5. Click here to apply. More information here.


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53602373496_b1b73d4954_h | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 25, 2024


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Some students say ‘no’ to putting police officers back in MPS schools | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
March 26, 2024
In June, the Wisconsin State Legislature enacted 2023 Wisconsin Act 12, requiring, among other things, the placement of at least 25 full-time police officers in MPS buildings.
The exact cost to MPS has not been made public. But in May, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction provided an initial estimate of roughly $1 million in annual costs to MPS, assuming costs are equally shared between MPS and the Milwaukee Police Department, or MPD.
This estimate does not include other costs required by Act 12, such as the mandate for schools to report data about crimes and incidents at schools.
Opponents of police in schools point to a body of research that shows this practice disproportionately affects students of color and contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline, among other consequences.
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Current and former MPS students say this money should be spent on other crucial needs, including improvements to infrastructure, more security guards and better access to medical and mental health care for students.
The enactment of Act 12 comes after successful efforts, in 2016 and 2020, to remove officers from inside MPS buildings and then from patrolling around MPS buildings and events, respectively.
NNS spoke to participants in Milwaukee Succeeds’ Youth Forward Milwaukee ambassador program, who also are either current or former MPS students.
Milwaukee Succeeds is an organization that works to improve education for children and youths of all ages.
The Youth Forward Milwaukee coalition grew out of this effort and works to improve the educational experiences of Black male youths, helping them achieve more equitable outcomes, such as improved graduation rates.
NNS spoke with ambassadors Cree Ellzey, Amaya Bauldwin and Tailus Rush.
Ellzey, 16, is a junior at Rufus King International High School; Bauldwin, 18, graduated from Milwaukee School of Languages in 2023; and Rush, 19, graduated from Milwaukee High School of the Arts in 2022.
Here’s what three youth leaders say they would do with a million dollars.
Devin Blake is the criminal justice reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. His position is funded by the Public Welfare Foundation, which plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.


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Ron Smith
March 25, 2024


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Ron Smith
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Amaya REVISED (1) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 25, 2024
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Cree REVISED (1) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
March 25, 2024
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Ron Smith
March 25, 2024
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How proposed bus rapid transit line will affect Milwaukee neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Meredith Melland
March 27, 2024
Milwaukee County residents are weighing in this month on plans for CONNECT 2, a new bus rapid transit line planned for 27th Street, and how it could affect their neighborhoods.
The Milwaukee County Transit System, or MCTS, plans to use CONNECT 2 to strengthen transit service on the heavily used PurpleLine route.
CONNECT 2 also aligns with Milwaukee County’s goal of achieving racial equity by attempting to improve transit access for communities of color along the corridor.
“Reliable and safe transit options are paramount in addressing the health disparities right here within our community,” Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said at a news conference at the project’s Feb. 27 public information meeting.
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The $148 million project is in the environmental review and design phase and will not be ready for riders until at least 2028.
MCTS has been gauging public interest in the faster CONNECT 2 bus route. It is taking feedback until the end of March.
Some community members and bus riders voiced their concerns at public information meetings for the project held in late February.
“It’s going to be pretty helpful for me because … sometimes I wouldn’t have to take more than one bus because it’s going to go all the way down to Bayshore and stuff,” said Quartaria Wilder, who lives near Walker’s Point and is a member of the MCTS Transit Teen Advisory Board.
Sam Kovnar, a MCTS bus rider who lives on the South Side and attended a public information meeting at Wilson Senior Center, 2601 W. Howard Ave., said he thought the plans looked good.
“I think there are a few places that look to me like compromises, but I can also see the reasons for not having things like a dedicated lane or certain features on the stops,” he said.
However, David Ashley, who lives near 27th Street in Midtown, said he felt the plans did not keep enough stops in densely populated areas on the North Side and parts of the South Side.
“I understand cuts have to be made, but you don’t want to cut the most vulnerable people away from their source of public transportation, or transportation period,” he said.
CONNECT 2, also known as the Milwaukee North-South Transit Enhancement project, will follow an 18-mile route that’s similar to the PurpleLine but with fewer stops.
David Locher, manager of enhanced transit at MCTS, said CONNECT 2 will build off of results from CONNECT 1, the  bus rapid transit, or BRT line, that runs between downtown Milwaukee and Wauwatosa.
“We want to do the same things: achieve travel time savings and increase the frequency between buses, and ultimately, what we want to do with BRT is to make a more consistent and reliable service,” Locher said.
The project’s concept plan does not include in-depth designs yet, Locher said, and the designers will use public feedback as they move forward.
Of 118,000 people living within a half-mile of the CONNECT 2 planned route, 73% are people of color, according to the project’s website.
Within this area, 21% of households do not have a car, 25% are in poverty and 15% of people have disabilities, all higher than the Milwaukee County averages, according to the American Community Survey data from 2014-2018 used in the project’s feasibility study.
If bus service along 27th Street and Layton Boulevard is more reliable and efficient, it will help residents access jobs, medical centers, schools and essential services, according to Robert Schneider, an urban planning professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
With proposed stops planned near vacant lots, Schneider sees potential for community reinvestment in neighborhoods along the CONNECT 2 route.
“Each of those things provide an opportunity for a new building to go in, or some kind of reinvestment that provides for new jobs, new potential services like health care, new shopping opportunities, and other investments that hadn’t been made in a lot of these neighborhoods for a long time,” he said.
Locher said that MCTS plans to continue the underlying PurpleLine service when CONNECT 2 is added, but will analyze if changes will need to be made to the service.
“Our commitment is to find ways to not leave anyone behind,” he said.
Ashley said he thinks the BRT line will be successful if PurpleLine service is maintained because it will meet everyone’s accessibility needs.
“If that’s the path they want to go with, let’s ride,” he said.
Anyone interested in giving feedback on CONNECT 2 can complete a survey by March 31 and be entered in a raffle for 10 WisGo cards with a week of free rides or contact the project team.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.


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Ron Smith
March 27, 2024


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Here’s what Milwaukee voters should know about the $252 million MPS referendum | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Meredith Melland and Edgar Mendez
March 28, 2024
As the April 2 election draws near, debate continues over whether voters should support Milwaukee Public Schools’ $252 million referendum, which would raise property taxes.
District officials said the funding increase would allow them to sustain and improve educational programming, attract and retain teachers and avoid budget cuts due to cost increases.
“We have to continue to ensure that our students have art teachers, music teachers, smaller class sizes,” said Keith Posley, superintendent of  Milwaukee Public Schools, or MPS, during a recent online forum.
Some voters have expressed concerns about how the referendum would impact schools, students and taxpayers.
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“Why would I, as a homeowner, give you another dime until there is more accountability and transparency within MPS?” said Beverly Williams, leader of the group Community Together Voices of Milwaukee Children. “It’s not going to help, especially when they (MPS) had a surplus of funds because of the pandemic and didn’t use it to take care of the needs of the children.”
Williams, who worked as a teacher for Milwaukee Public Schools for more than 20 years and frequently criticizes her former employer, referred to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report, which found the district had surpluses in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
MPS officials attributed those surpluses mainly to pandemic aid and also the district’s struggle to fill vacancies, according to that report.
The district also invested some of the surplus into long-term payment obligations, according to Sara Shaw, a senior researcher at Wisconsin Policy Forum who co-authored the report.
The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and the Greater Milwaukee Committee oppose the referendum, citing the increase to property taxes and a lack of transparency from MPS around its plan.
MPS is estimating a $200 million budget deficit in 2024-2025. Posley said if the referendum does not pass, the district will face a 13% cut to schools and a 26% cut to central office services.
Missy Zombor, an MPS school board director, emphasized the importance of strong neighborhood schools as a rationale for supporting the referendum.
“People want their neighborhood schools to continue to improve,” she said.
Students with Youth Empowered in the Struggle, or YES, which organizes youth-led campaigns around local causes, are canvassing in favor of the referendum.
YES members from MPS schools said if voters reject the referendum, classes and clubs that engage students and offer career opportunities might be eliminated.
“Attendance is already struggling and without the extra classes that make them actually want to be there, you’re never going to see those kids,” said Abby Mueller, a sophomore at Hamilton High School.
La Escuela Fratney, a bilingual elementary school at 3255 N. Fratney St., would lose the equivalent of 5.6 teacher positions and two paraprofessional positions if the referendum is not approved, according to principal Sara Cruz.
Cruz said the school may still need to cut one classroom teacher even if the referendum passes.
“It would be sustainable to move forward with what we have with the referendum and we would be able to continue to meet the students’ needs,” Cruz said. “I see it as extremely challenging if the referendum wouldn’t pass.”
MPS is asking to exceed its revenue limit with a $252 million increase that would be phased in over four years. The referendum would raise property taxes by $2.16 per $1,000, or $216 for a $100,000 home, in the first year of the referendum. Taxes would stay at this rate for the next three years and remain elevated in following years, although the exact rate may change.
The district’s referendum is one of 91 from districts around the state on the April 2 ballot, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
“MPS, in many respects, is facing a similar situation that other districts are, and the MPS referendum stands out primarily because of its size,” said Shaw, of the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
Angela Lang, executive director of Black Leaders Organizing for Communities, or BLOC, said the funds are needed to ensure equity in education.
“Despite the Legislature continuing to defund public schools, we want to make sure that everybody has the same opportunities for quality education,” Lang said.
Zombor of the school board said the district has made progress, crediting an improved state report card, increased participation in career and technical programs and investing $87 million into music, art, PE and other areas after the 2020 referendum.
“If the (current) referendum doesn’t pass, all of those gains are going to be at risk,” she said.
However, Colleston Morgan Jr., executive director of City Forward Collective, an education equity nonprofit that opposes the referendum, said the district has not outlined how the increase would improve the district’s academic performances or its financial stability.
“We don’t have any of the details to actually understand what happens if this referendum isn’t approved,” he said. “What would the dollars be spent on if it were approved? At a minimum, those should be in place.”
You can cast your vote on the referendum in the local general election on Tuesday, April 2.
Early voting is open until Saturday, March 30 in Milwaukee at some locations.
Find your polling place and what’s on your ballot here or visit My Vote Wisconsin.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.

author: Meredith Melland and Edgar Mendez


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Ron Smith
March 27, 2024


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Ron Smith
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5 things to know and do the weekend of March 29 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
March 29, 2024
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Founded by T’Keyah Bennett, Blk Girl Space supports Black women on their journey of self-development. Meet the team from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 29 at HoneyBee Sage & Wellness Apothecary, 1819 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Feel free to also make a donation toward the group’s $5,000 goal for its startup fundraiser.  More information here.
In honor of Women’s History Month, Social X MKE is inviting women and men ages 21 and up to listen to music by female rappers from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 29 at Revel Bar, 2246 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Click here to register.  More information here.
Milwaukee Turners and Your Move MKE are partnering to host a Knights and Kings II workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 at 1107 W. Historic Mitchell St. Boys and men will receive hands-on instruction from experts on tie tying and shirt fitting. In addition, Revival the Barbershop will provide free haircuts. Click here to register.  More information here.
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Over 15 vendors will gather from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 at 4108 N. 51st Blvd. Foods, products and more that will be available for purchase. In addition, 300 Easter baskets will be given away. More information here.
Washington Heights Neighborhood Association will  host its annual Easter egg hunt at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 30. Attendees are asked to dress appropriately for the weather and bring their own baskets to collect eggs. More information here.


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Meredith Melland and Edgar Mendez
March 28, 2024


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5 things to know and do the week of April 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
April 1, 2024
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance.
Latino Arts is hosting an art exhibit called “Home Grown: Cultivado Aquí.”  Artwork by artists with connections to Milwaukee’s Hispanic community will be on display. You can view this exhibit from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 1 at 1028 S. Ninth St. A $1 donation is suggested. More information here.
To help you improve your English skills, tutors will be available from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, April 1 at the Milwaukee Public Library Zablocki Branch, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave. Learners of all skill levels are welcome. More information here.
The Milwaukee Art Therapy Collective is encouraging health care professionals to practice self-care. Health care professionals are welcome to spend the evening doing creative arts and relaxing from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3 at the Milwaukee Art Therapy Collective, 9224 W. Burleigh St. Click here to register. More information here.
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Denizen MKE will hold a live music night at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3 at 4227 W. Vliet St. This family-friendly event consists of kid activities, food trucks and a performance by Marcell Guyton. More information here.
Every first Wednesday of the month, the Dominican Center for Women and its partners host a housing meeting for Amani residents. The next meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3 at 2470 W. Locust St.  Receive housing resources, tips and more. Refreshments and child care will be provided. Click here to register.


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Ron Smith
March 31, 2024


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Wisconsin ballot questions on election administration are too vague, officials say | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Alexander Shur/Votebeat and Jack Kelly/Wisconsin Watch
April 1, 2024
Wisconsin residents will vote Tuesday on two proposed amendments to the state constitution that could reshape how elections are run in the state — but voters, and many election officials, don’t know exactly how the broadly written proposals would be interpreted by state election officials and the courts.
Election officials said the second proposal could have especially unpredictable consequences. That one seeks to ban anybody besides election officials from performing “any task in the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum.”
How strict would that ban be? Would it mean that election officials couldn’t hire private companies to print ballots or assemble voting machines? Or that they couldn’t ask other city workers to set up polling sites? Officials and experts aren’t sure.
“It’s a very poorly written provision because it is so vague,” said Mike Haas, Madison’s city attorney and the former administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. He said the wording used in the amendment isn’t defined in state law.
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Differing interpretations could play out in lawsuits if the measure is enacted.
The two Republican-written ballot questions coming before voters Tuesday are largely a response to 2020, when private groups and outside consultants got involved in funding and assisting election administration across the state and country in the midst of the pandemic.
The first proposed amendment seeks to prohibit the use of private grants or cash donations for election costs. That stems from a national GOP backlash to millions of dollars in election administration grants awarded in 2020 to communities around the country, including more than 200 jurisdictions in Wisconsin. The grants, from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, flowed primarily through the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a nonprofit.
The second, the proposal that seeks to restrict election-related tasks to election officials only, is meant to address a situation related to outside grants that arose in Green Bay in 2020, when the city worked with a consultant who had ties to outside funders. If the proposal is interpreted broadly, it could force major changes to elections in a swing state during a presidential election expected to spur high turnout.
That amendment could be interpreted to ban some non-election municipal workers from helping with voting-related tasks, such as city police escorting workers transporting ballots or the IT department providing cybersecurity for voter registration systems, Haas said. The proposal could also ban outside workers from transporting voting machines or troubleshooting election equipment, he added.
Some proponents of the amendment say the worries are overblown.
“We do not believe that the proposed amendment covers either printers who print the ballots or the companies that manufacture voting machines,” said Rick Esenberg, president of the conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, which frequently files lawsuits over questions of election administration. He added that he didn’t think it would prevent non-election city workers from setting up polling sites, either.
But if it did, it’s not clear what election officials would do instead.
“All of those employees of those companies are doing things that, if they didn’t perform those, we would not be able to conduct the election,” Haas said.
Questions about whether the proposal applies to private vendors building voting machines, printing ballots and programming them would likely end up being the subject of a lawsuit, said Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell, an elected Democrat who oversees elections in Wisconsin’s second most populous county.
“It’s sort of nuts,” he said about the proposal. “It is so unclear and, honestly, unthought-out that it would be up to a judge to decide these things.”
Other election officials also said the effort to prevent a repeat of the Green Bay situation creates unanswered questions and may go too far.
“The intent is a good thing,” said Marathon County Clerk Kim Trueblood, a Republican, about the proposal. “I just think there needs to be a little bit more clarification on some of the details.”
The first ballot question is meant to prohibit grants such as those awarded by CTCL in 2020, which added up to more than $10 million to communities around Wisconsin. Grants were awarded to any eligible community that applied, CTCL said, but most of the dollars in Wisconsin went to Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Racine, and Kenosha — the state’s largest cities and Democratic strongholds.
The amendment’s sponsors, Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay, and Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva, charged in a memo that “targeted private ‘donations’ were shown to dramatically increase turnout for one party.” Former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who led a partisan, taxpayer-funded review of Wisconsin’s 2020 vote, also seized on the donations, claiming the grants were “a wave of massive election bribery.”
Academic research has found otherwise. One study, published in October 2023, said that while “counties that favor Democrats were much more likely to apply for a grant, we find that the grants did not have a noticeable effect on the presidential election.”
Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, gave hundreds of millions of dollars to CTCL — funding that was doled out to some 2,500 election departments in 49 states, the nonprofit said. But some Wisconsin communities, including Madison, had received CTCL grants even before the tech billionaire made his donations.
Conservative-allied groups filed lawsuits over the grants, arguing they were illegal under existing state law, but lost in court. State lawmakers then passed a bill to ban them, but Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, vetoed it in June 2021, saying it would have unnecessarily restricted “the use of resources that may be needed to ensure elections are administered effectively.”
Conservatives then turned to the constitutional amendment, which uses language similar to the vetoed legislation. Governors in Wisconsin can’t veto constitutional amendments.
Twenty-seven states now ban, limit or regulate the use of private funds to run elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. All those laws were enacted after 2020.
If the proposal passes, the state constitution would be amended to ban government employees from applying for, accepting, expending, or using “any moneys or equipment” donated by an individual or nongovernmental entity in connection with a primary, election or referendum.
As for the second proposal, Green Bay in 2020 accepted more than $1.2 million in CTCL grants, funding that a city official said was needed because of the pandemic. The clerk’s office had exceeded its 2020 budget after the April election, according to an April 2021 report from Vanessa Chavez, who was Green Bay’s city attorney at the time.
Green Bay, through the CTCL grants, was provided access to consultants from the National Vote at Home Institute, the Elections Group, the Brennan Center for Justice, and other groups to help prepare for the election.
One outside consultant, Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein of the National Vote at Home Institute, was particularly involved in planning efforts, according to Chavez’s report. He drew the ire of Gableman, Republican lawmakers and conservative activists after the election.
“In at least one case, private employees played a concerning role in the administration of the presidential election,” Wimberger and August wrote in their memo.
Spitzer-Rubenstein made “recommendations to staff” about logistics, setup and elections operations, according to Chavez’s report, though he “had no decision-making authority” and he “never assisted with any matters involving actual ballots.”
Ahead of the vote on the second proposal, clerks across the state have raised concerns that the measure could prohibit assistance they have come to expect during elections.
Oconomowoc City Clerk Diane Coenen questioned whether the measure would ban city Department of Public Works officials from moving election equipment to polling sites, and Trueblood wondered if it would also prohibit private vendors from printing ballots.
“Am I going to be able to continue?” Trueblood said. “Am I going to have to send ballots to goodness knows where to have them printed? I would rather have our chain of custody locally, where I send them the ballots and I have one person deliver them to my office.”
Confronted with clerks’ concerns, Wimberger said that if they’re worried about whether a person is eligible to do an election-related task, they can just tell them they’re “hereby designated” to do that task.
“You just don’t want people collecting ballots that are not even monitored or are completely disconnected from the clerk who’s supposed to be managing all this,” he said. But, he added, “if you’re working at the clerk’s direction, that certainly means you’ve been designated to do the thing that you’re doing.”
But clerks can’t just designate anybody to assist with elections because state law generally requires election officials to be residents of the county they’re working in, said Emily Lau, a staff attorney at the University of Wisconsin Law School-based State Democracy Research Initiative.
That could rule out assistance from the many workers helping clerks with election-related tasks who live outside of the county, or even the state. For example, the company Election Systems & Software helps code ballots for 19 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, but most of that work is done at the company’s headquarters in Nebraska, ES&S spokesperson Katina Granger said.
Wimberger suggested it was unrealistic to interpret the provision as banning outside help for all election-related activities.
“You could go down a rabbit hole forever on that,” he said. “I mean, you do use pens. So where’s the ink made?”
He added that a rule from the Wisconsin Elections Commission or an update to state law could rule out any potential disagreements based on when an election starts to be formally conducted.
“There’s going to be a distinction between election preparation and the conducting of the election,” he said. “And I would say that the conducting of the election happens when the polls open or handling ballots.”
But that distinction isn’t written into the constitutional amendment wording, and Wimberger acknowledged that “conducting the election” is “a nebulous term.”
“Things like that have to be nebulous in a constitutional amendment because otherwise there’d be a statute,” he said. “Statutes are more specific, and rules are even more specific than statutes. So I don’t think it could have gotten pared down any more than that.”
Seeking clarity on the provision’s potential impact, Coenen and other clerks have looked through the ballot questions, the proposed language that would become part of the state constitution, and the explanatory statement that state Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, wrote.
Kaul’s brief statement doesn’t specify what election-related tasks would fall under the amendment’s scope if it passes. State law defines and regulates “how clerks can designate individuals and carry out various tasks relating to elections,” Kaul said.
The statement adds that clerks have power under state law to designate people to perform election-related tasks. But Kaul cautions that should the Legislature change that law, rescinding clerks’ power to designate people to help with election tasks, the new constitutional provision “would bar clerks from designating individuals to assist with election-related tasks.” His statement doesn’t address what might then happen, and clerks say it doesn’t resolve all their questions.
“They’re just too vague for me to get behind them and support them,” Coenen said about the amendment proposals. “And I don’t want to remain neutral because they’re too problematic to be neutral.”
Some clerks say the potential changes and legal issues that could arise if the amendments pass add more variables in an already busy election season.
“We’re trying to do our job. We’re trying to facilitate an election securely, fairly and accurately,” Coenen said. “Our goal is to make sure that every person who wants to vote and is eligible to vote gets to vote. And then we have all this back and forth, back and forth. It’s very concerning and disheartening.”
When new election-related lawsuits or laws require changes in election administration, the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission generally seeks to issue guidance telling clerks how to implement changes, Commissioner Ann Jacobs, a Democrat, said.
If the proposal passes, Jacobs said, she expects the agency to create new guidance, but it’s unclear how it’ll be worded.
“The problem is that amendment doesn’t really give us a lot of direction, does it?” she said.
Guidance for clerks can be created only if a majority of the six commissioners — three Republicans and three Democrats — approve it. Otherwise, clerks must look to other sources for legal clarification.
Before election administration became hyper-politicized around the 2020 election, the commissioners agreed on many election administration matters, said UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden, the founding director of the university’s Elections Research Center.
Since then, it has been harder for the commissioners to reach a consensus on many issues, Burden said. Since 2022, they have deadlocked on whether to restrict online access to absentee ballots, rescind guidance allowing drop boxes, and reappoint Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe, the state’s top election official.
“I don’t know whether, if these items pass, they’ll be able to put together a unified statement about interpreting all of this,” Burden said.
Elections Commission guidance has been challenged in courts, and judges have ordered the agency to rescind or issue new direction.
Between potential litigation and the unclear process ahead at the Elections Commission, the path ahead for clerks if the amendments pass could be murky as they prepare for the presidential election this fall, Burden said.
“Clerks will need to know what’s allowed and what’s not allowed,” he said. “They don’t want to be sued or have their plans disrupted.”
This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. Sign up for Votebeat’s free newsletters here.
This article first appeared on Wisconsin Watch and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.


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Amona_ElectionDay243.JPG | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
April 1, 2024