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5 things to know and do the weekend of June 30 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
June 30, 2023
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.
Milwaukee Parks Foundation and Milwaukee County Parks invites Capitol Heights residents to come out to Dineen Park for their monthly walk on Saturday, July 1 beginning at 1 p.m. This takes place at 6901 W. Vienna Ave.  More information here.
With the high amount of car thefts involving Kias and Hyundais in Milwaukee, community activist Vaun Mayes and priest, Dabar Ahmath, come together to lead a discussion about solutions against thefts of these cars, principally by a gang called Kia Boys. This will be Saturday, July 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 12601 W Hampton Ave.  More information here.
Milwaukee Public Library’s Mitchell Street Branch hosts its “Backyard Book Buffet” for those of all ages to come outdoors and enjoy some of the best books, alongside some food and games. It will take place Saturday, July 1 from noon to 2 p.m. at 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. Walk-ins are welcome if there’s enough space, but individuals are highly encouraged to register. More information here.
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If you’re looking for a hobby over the summer, Washington Park Community Fishing Club is offering free fishing lessons for individuals of all ages on Saturday, July 1 at the Urban Ecology Center, 1859 N. 40th St. This free activity runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. More information here.
American Family Field, 1 Brewers Way, will be having a card show Sunday, July 2 from noon to 4 p.m. Kids and adults will be able to collect sports cards and other collectibles from various vendors in attendance. Tickets are $6 to $12, but children under 12 can get in free. Food and entertainment will be present as well. More information here.


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7421212720_aec2fe9966_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
June 29, 2023

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Ron Smith


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7421221576_6dd29ee6a2_k-1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
June 29, 2023


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Ron Smith
June 29, 2023


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5 things to know and do the week of July 3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
July 3, 2023
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.
Meet F.E.A.R. (Forget Everything and Run) MKE on Tuesday, July 4 at Mobay Cafe, 1022 S. 1st St.  for its weekly Tuesday night run through Walker’s Point beginning at 6 p.m. A waiver form is required. More information here.  From the archives: NNS Spotlight: How one group provides a safe space for Milwaukee’s runners of color
Across the North and South sides, Milwaukee County Parks is celebrating Independence Day on Tuesday, July 4  with festivities, parades, fireworks and more. Each park has different times and activities.  More information here.
“Writing Sesh” is a workshop held by Your Move MKE where people can come to express themselves through any form of writing such as journaling, poetry, music and more. It will be held Wednesday, July 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 1109 W. Historic Mitchell St. More information here.
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HeartLove Place, a Christian nonprofit organization, will be offering art in the park every Thursday for children at Peace Park, on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Ring Street. So, come out Thursday, July 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to get crafty. Free lunch and art supplies will be provided. More information here.
Every first Friday of each month, Coffee Makes You Black offers an event called “Financial Friday” for individuals to get valuable resources on financial literacy. Topics include building credit, homebuying and stocks. The floor is open for community members to ask questions. This will be held Friday, July 7 at 2803 N. Teutonia Ave. from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. More information here.

author: Chesnie Wardell


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36815872286_742d21f631_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 2, 2023


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How you can give your kids a leg up in life in just 15 minutes | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Trisha Young
July 4, 2023
Just 15 minutes of playing, reading, singing and interacting with your child can help build important connections to family members and the community.
That’s the message the City of Milwaukee’s Office of Early Childhood Initiatives, or OECI, is stressing as it rolls out the Mighty Small Moments public service campaign.
One of the campaign’s messages is that kids are like sponges, which is to say they are constantly absorbing information and experiences, all of which affects the people they become as they age.
A majority of a person’s brain development and learning behavior starts in the first three years of life. So, it’s essential for families to make those learning connections with their infants as soon as possible.
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Studies show that fewer than half of children living in poverty are ready for kindergarten at age 5. This correlates to higher rates of behavioral issues, health problems and interactions with the criminal justice system.
Because babies are born with fairly undeveloped brains, this makes the early years of learning crucial.
Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, who is a pediatrician, child health advocate and partner of OECI, said this about the possibilities of an infant’s brain: “You have an opportunity to either create the conditions for really good brain circuits: for learning, for language, for love. Or circuits that are not so good, because they are responding to stressful environments where brains are worried for food, shelter and safety.”
The OECI started in 2018 with a mission to ensure that every child has the fundamental elements needed for success in both school and life.
“Talent is equally distributed across our population, but opportunity is not. When we don’t allow that talent to come to the floor, then we are all poor,” Navsaria said.
Through its PopSpot spaces, the OECI tries to make  learning accessible by incorporating vibrant color schemes, sensory activities, songs and reading opportunities in various languages so parents and families can engage children while being in spaces like waiting rooms, laundromats, parks, bus stops, banks and grocery stores.
The newest PopSpot location is at the Southside Health Center, located at 1639 S. 23rd St.
Maria and Jesús Beltran and three of their children checked out the PopSpot while visiting the clinic.
Maria Beltran sits on the Family Advisory Board for the OECI and is described as a volunteer ambassador. Three of her and her family’s children wandered around and played with various items in the space on this day.
“This gives them an opportunity to have a place to belong and be themselves and learn,” she said while watching her kids play. “They ask questions, they interact, and it makes the time go by so much faster if we’re waiting.”
The OECI understands that many parents and guardians face financial and educational barriers, so it designed an easy and streamlined one-stop shop for accessing free and low-cost tools necessary for child care. Check out its website at https://www.oecimke.com/.
Visit another PopSpot space at the Keenan Health Center at 3200 N. 36th St. And be sure to be on the lookout for other spots at bus shelters around Milwaukee to get in those moments of fun learning with your children.

author: Trisha Young


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Ron Smith
July 3, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 3, 2023


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‘Nobody would rent to me’: The scramble to find housing for those who’ve been incarcerated | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
‘Nowhere to go’, Challenges abound, Landlords hold power, A vicious cycle, Reincarceration, For questions about housing
July 5, 2023
Editor’s note: This story has been changed to clarify what The Community does.
Over and over again, people leaving incarceration say that they need better housing options. But they encounter persistent challenges as they return to their communities.
“There just needs to be more,” said Jason Seney, a Milwaukee resident who struggled for many years to find stable, permanent housing after being released from prison.
Although there are a range of urgent needs for returning citizens, including health care and employment, housing is at “the very top of that list,” said Roy Rogers, pre-entry liaison and information analyst at The Community.
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The Community edits and disseminates a monthly newsletter for people incarcerated in the Wisconsin prison system, and it can connect people to various reentry resources once they are released.
People getting out of prison, for example, often lack  support systems.
“I had nowhere to go,” Seney said. ”I don’t have family to go to.”
Nationally, rates of homelessness among people returning from prison are hard to pin down. But estimates range anywhere from 10% to 25%, according to a report from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.
As of the end of February, there were close to 13,000 people under some form of community supervision, like probation or parole, in Milwaukee County.
If estimates from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council hold true, there may be anywhere from 1,300 to 3,250 formerly incarcerated individuals in Milwaukee County who need housing.
This number does not include the people who are no longer on probation or parole but still have convictions on their record.
Rogers said getting affordable housing in Milwaukee can be hard for anyone, but especially for those who have been incarcerated.
Amy Hall, communications coordinator and public information officer for the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, said there are 6,000 housing choice vouchers provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, and 8,000 people on a waitlist for them.
And there are just shy of 5,000 units of public housing but 15,000 people on a waitlist for them.
In addition, returning citizens face blatant and open discrimination that others do not.
To address the dire need for housing among returning citizens, HUD has urged landlords to accept applicants with criminal records.
But the decision ultimately falls on the discretion of the landlord, said Emily Kenney, systems change director at IMPACT, a nonprofit that provides a range of social services, including housing advocacy, in Milwaukee.
Often rental applications will say prospective tenants “need a clean record.”
“And so then what it takes for us, on our end, is to make the case for why they should make an exception,” Kenney said. “But it does take us rallying.”
On top of this, criminal records make it harder to get things that landlords typically look for, like credit and rental histories.
“I’ve never rented an apartment, so I didn’t have any background,” Seney said. “And then I had felonies on my record, so nobody would rent to me.”
The lack of housing opportunities also creates more hardships.
“It’s hard to focus on your sobriety, your mental health, your employment, if you don’t have a place to sleep at night,” Julia May, bridge case manager at the Benedict Center, said.
The Benedict Center is an organization that supports and advocates for women who are involved in the criminal legal system.
Seney, who The Community connected with NNS, said this is precisely what happened to him.
“I started getting high again because I didn’t really care anymore,” he said.
Seney experienced a common cycle of being released, not finding housing, using again and being reincarcerated.
And he is not alone.
“For everybody I know, it’s the same,” he said.
About 15% of people who were released from incarceration in 2018 ended up being reincarcerated within the first year of release, according to a March 2022 report from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
That percentage goes up considerably over a longer time frame.
About 40% of people who were released in 2016 ended up being reincarcerated within three years.
Seney said he was finally able to make substantial progress after he stopped using substances. But that was only possible because he was able to find a drug treatment program that included 18 months of housing.
“After that came into play,” it was easier to maneuver, he said. “I didn’t have to worry about this or that, and then I managed to find a good job.”
Although things have improved, Seney’s housing problems are not solved.
“I live with my girlfriend. She owns the house,” he said. “But there’s nothing in my name.”
Staff at The Community also can informally refer people to housing support for people who are reentering, and can be reached at info@thecommunitynow.us. Organizations to which staff often refer include My Way Out, the Partners In Hope initiative at Community Warehouse and Project RETURN.
The Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center also provides a variety of housing-related services.
NNS reporter PrincessSafiya Byers contributed to this story


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Ron Smith
July 4, 2023


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NNS Summer Survival Guide: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee offers programs to keep kids engaged | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
July 6, 2023
Still looking for ways to keep your kids active and engaged this summer? Then check out the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, which has more than 50 locations across the city, including Legacy Clubs and Community Learning Centers.
Here are some programs you should know about:
There are several career development options to help youths develop workplace skills this summer. At The Ready Center, 1916 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., teens can learn about welding, phlebotomy, becoming a certified nurse’s aide and culinary careers.
The G.I.R.L.S Leadership Cohort, an all-girls program, focuses on self-esteem, self-awareness, mental health, career development and social justice issues, among other empowering topics. The G.I.R.L.S Day Camp will take place on July 10-14 at the Ready Center. You must be ages 13-18 to participate.
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A paid internship bike program is available for teens and young adults (14-21), which helps them become certified bike mechanics.
Check out information on all the College & Careers Programs.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee offers several league play options for boy’s baseball (12 and younger) and girls’ softball (14 and younger).
The clubs also offer courses on chess fundamentals to beginners of all ages with opportunities for tournament play.
Other sports opportunities for youths of all ages this summer include basketball, flag football,  the Pull Your Own Weight strengthening program, Triple-Play Healthy Habits Program, and fishing clinics at Pewaukee Lake on July 14 and Aug. 4.
To register for any of the programs mentioned, email sportsandrec@bgcmilwaukee.org.
Dance lessons are also available at several clubs. To register for those, email Cedric Garner. For more information,  you can email the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Select clubs will be hosting a twice-weekly social-emotional skill building programming, which includes optional mental health screening and follow-up therapy with guardian consent. Upon request, all members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee can be referred to mental health support through the organization’s licensed partners.
Available at several locations in Milwaukee this summer, the Summer Brain Gain, an interactive project-based learning program helps students stay on track and prepare for the next school year while having fun exploring new topics and ideas with their friends. The program, which consists of one-week modules, is separated into three age groups (6-8, 9-11, 12-18).
You can register here to become a Boys & Girls Clubs member.
NNS Summer Survival Guide: What you need to know to have a safe summer with the kids
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Here’s where you can find free summer meals for students
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Here’s a list of resources offered by Milwaukee Recreation to keep your kids active this summer

author: Edgar Mendez


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Ron Smith
July 5, 2023


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SPECIAL REPORT: As overdose deaths rise, drug-related arrests decline by 67% in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
July 6, 2023
Despite a record-breaking rise in drug overdose deaths in Milwaukee County over the past several years, the number of drug-related arrests in the city has declined.
Data from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Unified Crime Reporting data dashboard shows an annual decline in the number of drug-related arrests by the Milwaukee Police Department, or MPD, from 2017 to 2022.
In 2017, there were 2,210 arrests made for crimes including drug sale or drug possession, while in 2022, that total dropped to 724, a 67% decrease. In comparison, the much smaller West Allis Police Department made 384 drug related arrests last year, while Greenfield police made 185, in 2022.
MPD Capt. James Hutchinson said the main reason for the decrease is a shift in focus and the prioritization of limited resources by the department.
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“We typically focus on violent crime reduction,” Hutchinson said, referencing the increase in shootings and murders the past several years. “We have dedicated units that focus on violent crime that really aren’t focused directly on drug arrests.”
He said a reduction in personnel has also had an effect on drug investigations.
“We don’t have as many boots on the ground as we used to, so we have to rely on our enhanced intelligence and intelligence units to try and focus on what’s the more impactful thing to do,” he said.
Rafael Mercado, founder of Team HAVOC, said having less police available while the demand for drugs skyrockets has created a no-win situation for law enforcement and community groups.
“The increased use of fentanyl and other stronger products created by big pharma make it almost impossible for these community groups like mine to keep up,” he said.  “We don’t have enough resources to help us at this point and the resources that are out there are going to the wrong approaches.”
Team HAVOC conducts needle cleanups and trains people to administer Narcan, a drug used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
In 2022, there were 652 drug overdose deaths, with 25 cases still pending toxicology tests, in Milwaukee County.
Hutchinson said that MPD is using its resources to target the suppliers of large quantities of drugs, rather than the houses where drug users congregate.
“Traditionally, we’ve had drug arrests where we go into the community and try to arrest our way out of the drug problem, and we realize that it was the drug users getting arrested but we were probably missing the people that supply the drugs,” Hutchinson said.
This helped to create a culture of mistrust of the police, he added.
The number of arrests related to drug sales of opium and cocaine — two drugs implicated in thousands of deaths since 2017 — has decreased annually since 2017, from 281 that year to 80 in 2022.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was a factor in 1,526 deaths in the county from 2017 to  2021, while cocaine was involved in 1,026 deaths, according to a June 2022 presentation to members of City-County Heroin, Opioid and Cocaine Task Force by Sara Schreiber.
Schreiber is a member of the county overdose team and the forensic technical director of toxicology for the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Meanwhile, arrests for marijuana sales have remained steadier. In 2017, there were 193 arrests for marijuana sales, while in 2022, there were 150.
Arrests for the sale of synthetics or other dangerous drugs were minimal last year (14 for synthetic and 34 for other dangerous drugs). Arrests by MPD from 2017 to 2022 for possession of opium or cocaine dropped from 481 to 109, while possession of marijuana arrests dropped from 1,009 to 266.
Statewide, the number of drug-related arrests, in general, is also down from 2017, although those numbers have fluctuated. For example, the total of 31,124 arrests in 2017 increased in 2018 to 31,495, before a dip to 27,670 in 2019 and 23,046 in 2020.
Numbers have steadied since then. In 2021, there were 23,958 drug-related arrests in the state with a slight increase last year to 24,422.
Shanna Hickman, a Milwaukee resident who previously worked as an evidence technician for the Lac Du Flambeau Police Department, said MPD isn’t doing enough to address drugs, especially considering how much damage they’ve caused in the community.
“I think they don’t want to put in the work,” she said. “MPD picks and chooses which crimes to address, and drugs just always seem to be at the bottom of the barrel.”
Donta Holmes is the senior director of programming for Safe & Sound, an organization that works with residents, law enforcement, businesses and others to address safety concerns.
He said the top two concerns his organizers hear from residents are reckless driving and drug overdoses, two issues he believes are connected.
“In the past, it was drug houses, and now they’ve moved to mobile drug movement out of the cars,” he said. “A lot of the reckless driving ties into that.”
Wendy Ramm of Milwaukee agrees.
“The drug dealers have gotten smarter with not having a drug house and instead using vehicles to deliver products, so the cops can’t really stop everyone in a vehicle,” Ramm said.
Holmes added that violent crime is also often tied to drugs. Still, he said, a reduction in the number of arrests does fall in line with a public health approach that his organization supports.
“We want people to get the mental health help they need,” he said. “People who have drug issues or addictions, many times it ties back to mental health.”
Hutchinson said the MPD works to address drug issues through a public health lens.
“We’ve also had a shift in culture where we recognize that drug addiction is a public health crisis,” he said. “We can’t arrest our way out of this problem, although we are trying to interrupt it and make an impact on the death and destruction we’re seeing.”
Ramm said the problem with that approach is that it pushes the problem around without offering a real solution.
“Overdoses are through the roof, and the amount of people we see every day strung out on the streets is bad,” she said. “People have to want help and we can’t force them.”
Even if they want help, said Mercado, those resources also are limited.
“To prevent drug usage at its current rate we need to open up more treatment centers that are available 24/7,” he said.
Although Hutchinson said the decline in arrests was not a result of policy or procedural changes, Stephen Jansen, co-chair of the Community Collaborative Commission, or CCC, believes there’s no doubt the  ACLU settlement with the City of Milwaukee in 2018 has had an impact.
The $3.4 million settlement mandated sweeping reforms of stop-and-frisk practices, more training for police and improved reporting procedures, among other changes at MPD.
Jansen said the settlement created more accountability for training within the department and caused the city to look inward at how it can do better policing.
“As a result of that I think that’s why some of the stops have been reduced,” he said, adding that this has likely resulted in less targeted arrests.
He said that while some may believe fewer stops mean more crime, it’s a myth.
“Since we’ve seen a steady decline in stops that are taking place, you’ve also seen in some areas of policing that crime is being reduced, such as burglaries and other serious crimes,” he said. “When you use a broken window and stop-and-frisk approach you’re holistically targeting people.”
Jansen, whose group is working to negotiate a community plan with police and on a stop-and-frisk survey for residents, believes that drug use and drug related crimes are a major problem in the city. Still, he said, a holistic approach is needed to address it, rather than arrests.
“I think that when we’re talking about crime, especially drug-related crime, in many cases we’re talking about economics and mental health,” he said.
“We need economic viability. housing, mental health, getting rid of abandoned homes, and uniting with law enforcement to bridge relationships with residents, and the investment of the entire city to make things better.”
How to use Narcan to save a life during a drug overdose
10th Street Comprehensive Treatment Center
Rogers Behavioral Health
West Milwaukee Comprehensive Treatment Center
First Step Community Recovery Center
Meta House
West Allis Community Medical Services
United Community Center


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Ron Smith
July 5, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 5, 2023


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July 5, 2023


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5 things to know and do the weekend of July 8 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
July 7, 2023
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.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley’s Healthy County Challenge aims to encourage communal activities in the county’s parks. On Saturday, July 8 the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation, Colectivo Coffee and Milwaukee Parks Foundation partner to give youths the experience of a Junior NBA clinic with games and more. Bango from the Milwaukee Bucks, DJ Shawna and Rim Rockers will make appearances. The event begins at 10 a.m. at Atkinson Park, 936 W. Atkinson Ave. More information here.
New State is a nonprofit organization for artists in the community that gives them a platform to showcase skills and talent. It will be having an open mic night on Saturday, July 8 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 2616 W. State St. Message New State’s Instagram or send an email to newstatemke@gmail.com to sign up. More information here.
The Get The Lead Out Coalition will gather at the Washington Park Library, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd., on Saturday, July 8 for a discussion about Milwaukee’s toxic lead pipes. The event takes place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Finney Community Room of the library. More information here.
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Moms and children can relax with food, music and activities on Saturday, July 8. The event takes place at King Hall, 3413 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with a fee of $5. More information here.
MKE Yoga Social is hosting a meditation session during the fourth annual Frida Fest at Farmhouse Paint and Sip Bar and Cafe, 4511 S. 6th St. There will be two 20 minute sessions for $5 on Sunday, July 9 from 11 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Participants should bring their own yoga mat and register beforehand as space only holds up to 12 people. More information here.


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Ron Smith
July 6, 2023


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5 things to know and do the week of July 10 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
July 10, 2023
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.
On Monday, July 10 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Gee’s Clippers Barber and Beauty Salon will be partnering with Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin to train individuals on how to handle bleeding emergencies before professional aid arrives to a scene. This training will be at 2200 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Registration is required.
Milwaukee County Supervisor Priscilla Coggs-Jones has been hosting a clean-up series in the Lindsay Heights and  Amani neighborhoods since June. On Tuesday, July 11, volunteers can help clean the Lindsay Heights neighborhood, starting at  Walnut Way, 2240 N. 17th St. Volunteers can come out from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. or 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. More information here.
The Amani neighborhood is hosting a pop-up outreach day on Tuesday, July 11 from noon to 2 p.m. on North 25th and West Center streets for residents to receive resources. More information here.
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Bring your children to watch the Super Mario Bros. movie at Alice’s Garden Urban Farm, 2136 N. 21st St., on Friday, July 14 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs and snacks. More information here.
Each Friday, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges’ mutual aid shed provides its neighbors with free necessities like clothes, hygiene products, diapers and more. The next event is Friday, July 14 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 2620 N. 34th St. More information here.  In case you missed it: PHOTOS: Neighbors helping neighbors: Metcalfe Park Community Bridges provides resources to 2,000 residents


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Ron Smith
July 9, 2023


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Inside the NNS Newsroom: Meet us Thursday at ‘Chat with Bader’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 10, 2023
You read us.
Now come meet us.
The team of the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is proud to be part of this week’s “Chat With Bader” from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 13 at Bader Philanthropies, 3300 N. Martin Luther King Drive.
Learn about who we are and what we do.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
We want to hear from you about the stories and people we should be covering—and how we can give you the newsroom Milwaukee deserves.


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Ron Smith
July 9, 2023


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Sixteenth Street makes mental health care accessible on South Side | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Trisha Young
July 11, 2023
Serving the behavioral health needs of the city’s South Side means being where the need is and, importantly, providing bilingual services.
That’s a premise of Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers’ Behavioral Health Services at 1635 W. National Ave. It has been at it for about two years.
The clinic offers a broad array of services, from single, couple and family therapy to psychiatric assessment.
“We want to make an impact right where people live,” said Dr. Maria Elena Perez, Sixteenth Street’s vice president of behavioral health.
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The clinic on National Avenue is one of four Sixteenth Street’s Milwaukee locations. Another is in Waukesha. The centers now also have a presence in 10 schools, where they are better able to serve the needs of minors.
“Being an access point on Milwaukee’s South Side has really empowered Sixteenth Street to more quickly respond to patients in need,” Perez said. “And that’s very useful to our minority communities, because a large proportion of those families in that ZIP code are minority populations.”
To further accessibility to underserved communities, Sixteenth Street partners with the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Department, or BHD.
“Clinics, like Sixteenth Street, are in locations that are not only convenient, but culturally sensitive,” said Dr. Ken Cole, director of outpatient treatment of Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services.
Sixteenth Street’s National Avenue location is one of three BHD locations where crisis-oriented services are provided by Milwaukee County.
These services are tailored for under-insured or uninsured people who are experiencing mental health crises and who may be waiting for providers for up to several months, Cole explained.
“We are fortunate to be placed in reputable and trusted organizations like Sixteenth Street on the South Side and Outreach Community Health Centers Outpatient Clinic on the North Side,” Cole said.
In establishing the National Avenue clinic, Sixteenth Street saw specific needs.
“We see there are issues with access,” said Perez. “There are barriers with transportation, language barriers, people lacking financial resources and child care needs.”
Sixteenth Street has tried to alleviate some of those stresses. Due to the need in the community, 70% of Perez’s team is bilingual.
In addition, the clinic has seen a growing need for treatment for anxiety and depression among adolescents.
Perez said much of this shift is due to the pandemic, during which youths did not have “contact with their peers when their social development is paramount during that age.”
To help, the behavioral health unit at Sixteenth Street has recently started the Self- Esteem Empathy Empowerment Discovery of Self, or SEEDS, a treatment group for at-risk teenage girls in the community.
The clinic also has the distinction of being one of the first clinics in Milwaukee to have offered the COVID-19 vaccine early.
“The vaccine was a game changer” in terms of getting people back out to seek help, said Perez.
“People wanted to come back and see providers and therapists again.”
To schedule an appointment at Sixteenth Street’s National Avenue location, you can call 414-672-1353.
You may also walk in from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, though this will not guarantee that you will be seen immediately. No one, however, is turned away. Needs will be assessed by a professional member of the clinic.


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Here’s what you need to know now that 2 key emergency rental assistance programs in Milwaukee have paused accepting applications | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 12, 2023
Both Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee have now paused accepting rental assistance applications.
“We’re still working on applications in the queue, but the reality is the money is going to run out,” said George Hinton, the CEO of the Social development Commission, or SDC.
The county paused applications in mid-June, and the Milwaukee Emergency Rent Assistance Program – administered by the city and disbursed by the Social Development Commission – stopped taking applications July 1.
The SDC has disbursed approximately $90 million in assistance to individuals and families to offset current and late rent, electricity bills, gas bills, water bills and security deposits through the program.
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Hinton said the SDC has helped more than 10,000 households, with an average of $4,000 going into rent and monthly utilities.
“This kind of support has enabled residents to restart their lives, regain employment and come out of the pandemic with a better outlook than they had forecasted,” he said.
But Hinton recognizes the continued need for assistance, and that many people are still unable to meet their monthly obligations for rent and utilities.
“This is the reality of poverty and low income amongst families,” he said.
Hinton said an immediate goal for the SDC is to try to reassign and assist as many staff as possible. Both the SDC and Community Advocates brought on extra staff to help process rental assistance applications.
“Once the queue is empty, we have to either find those staffers positions here or help them find work elsewhere,” said Hinton. “They were the first ones to know about this shift because I wanted them to be prepared.”
According to Hinton, the SDC will encourage people in need to reach out to the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center moving forward.
The center is a collaborative network that provides assistance and resources to both landlords and tenants and is housed inside of Community Advocates.
“That’s the only resource that I can think of,” Hinton said. “They are the experts on what, if any, resources are out there for people as rent assistance phases out.
Nick Toman, an attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, said a big part of getting cases dismissed and settled has been the ability to connect people to rent assistance through Community Advocates and the Social Development Commission.
He said Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee continues to run its program, EvictionFreeMKE, providing legal services to Milwaukeeans facing evictions.
You can call the hotline at 414-892-7368 or check out the website.
The Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center is still open to support those in need.

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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NNS Summer Survival Guide: Ways to beat the heat | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 12, 2023
With warmer weather here and air quality keeping some Milwaukeeans indoors, here are some ways to stay safe and cool over the summer:
Pools and other places to cool down at Milwaukee County Parks are open during regular business hours throughout the summer. Look for one of the eight free splash pads close to your neighborhood, or call the aquatics hotline at (414) 257-8098 for more information.
1. Use your phoneCall Impact at 2-1-1, which can connect you to the overnight shelters and centers closest to you. You can also text your ZIP code to TXT-211.
2. Go online
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You can also look at the city health department’s list of designated cooling centers.
Many senior centers serve as bad-weather shelters in extreme heat. Here are a few.
Washington Park Senior Center
4420 W. Vliet St.
414-933-2332
Open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wilson Park Senior Center
2601 W. Howard Ave.
414-282-5566
Open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Clinton & Bernice K. Rose Senior Center
3045 N. Martin Luther King Drive
414-263-2255
Open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All Milwaukee Public Library locations allow individuals to cool down in the air-conditioning during regular business hours. Call 414-286-3000 to speak with a librarian regarding a specific branch.
1. Slow down and limit physical activity, especially if you are working outside or in hot settings.
2. Never leave children, persons with a disability, or pets in a parked car – as temperatures can become life threatening within minutes.
3. Use fans to increase ventilation, unless temperatures exceed 90 degrees at which point fans become ineffective in reducing heat-related illness.
4. Stay Hydrated!Drink plenty of water throughout the day regardless of thirst, to avoid dehydration.
5. Check in with neighbors and family to make sure they are staying cool.
Check with the City of Milwaukee Health Department for more cooling locations and to keep up with when it is safe to be outside.
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee offers programs to keep kids engaged
NNS Summer Survival Guide: What you need to know to have a safe summer with the kids
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Here’s where you can find free summer meals for students
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Here’s a list of resources offered by Milwaukee Recreation to keep your kids active this summer


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Ron Smith
July 11, 2023


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Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation honors 32 outstanding students. (You’ll work for them one day.) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 13, 2023
Chiann Walker graduated from high school after already earning her licensed practical nursing degree.
She spent the final years of her high school experience working as a certified nursing assistant.
Now, with help from the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation, Walker will be working to earn her bachelor’s degree in science and nursing.
“I’m just excited to start my new journey and be able to give back to my community,” she said.
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Walker was one of 32 scholarship recipients recognized by the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation last month in front of parents, peers, supporters and community members.
Tiffany Tardy, the executive director of the foundation, said hundreds of students applied for the 20 scholarships that were awarded.
“The scholarships weren’t awarded solely based on academics,” Tardy said. “We conducted interview to get to know the whole student.”
Another award recipient, Ashley Hernandez Caballero and her siblings started a project collecting donations to send backpacks and school supplies to her hometown of Oaxaca, Mexico.
“When my grandmother passed, we went to visit, and we saw just how different the community was in comparison to how we lived in the states,” she said.
They raised money and were able to provide 90 children there with backpacks filled with school supplies. They named the project after their late grandma, Epifania.
“She would always say the same things to us: Work hard in school so one day you can give back to our community,” Hernandez Caballero said.
Together, the students, who represented 13 of MPS’ high schools, were awarded more than $150,000 in  scholarships.
Eighty-one percent of the students will be first-generation college students, and 87% are students of color. Scholarships will support dreams in fields, including law, engineering, arts, pre-med, astrophysics, business and nursing.
Tardy said the foundation is particularly proud of this class because its entire high school experience was changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the students still managed to thrive.
“They started high school in 2019,” she said. “They’ve overcome all the regular trials of high school while dealing with different modes of learning.”
The Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation collaborates with corporations, foundations and individuals to provide philanthropic support for students, schools and district programs in an effort to expand and enhance academic achievement for all MPS students.
Learn more about the MPS Foundation by visiting its website.


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OPINION: Let the heavy lifting begin for ensuring equity for Milwaukee’s Black males | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dorothea Macon
July 13, 2023
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.
The Obama Foundation declared Milwaukee a “Community to watch” as it pertains to promoting efforts to support and provide opportunities for young men and boys of color.
To help move Milwaukee forward, under the leadership of Walter Lanier, the African American Leadership Alliance of Milwaukee, or AALAM, has emerged as the  backbone organization leading the My Brother’s Keeper certification process.
One of the first major works of this organization involved the convening of Greater Milwaukee leaders in May at the Milwaukee County Zoo Learning Loft.
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This session provided an opportunity for leaders to begin the work of organizing and creating synergy for the work that they do and that will be done to unify and strengthen that work.
Milwaukee Mayor Chevy Johnson and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley have committed to the My Brother’s Keeper initiative and were on hand to share their hope and passion for programming.
Their commitment to make Milwaukee a region where every young person has what they need to be healthy, safe and thrive was demonstrated when awarding AALAM with the MBK certification.
Along with support from the Obama Foundation and the city and the county, Milwaukee will make an impact on the youths and men of color in Milwaukee County. We are thankful for their support and commitment and praise them for their boldness in addressing a segment of the population that is often underserved.
Leaders were given the task of identifying the needs of Black males while providing some solutions for strengthening support or for eliminating barriers.
Conversations were lively and rich with qualitative and quantitative data that can be used to identify goals and priorities.
Value was seen in every position and intersecting point of awareness, lending to great divergence.
Within these many differing views, we create the possibility for many solutions.
And, given the spectacular turnout and the data that outlined work being done by various leaders, it is clear that “we are not outnumbered. We’re (formally) out-organized,” as Malcolm X said.
The convening of these leaders enabled us to create a new space for collaboration, defining of issues, prioritizing goals, creating metrics for success and identifying entry points for services of the many identified partnerships.
Neither the momentum nor the work done this day end here, for, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Those who love peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.”
Here is where the heavy lifting begins.
 Dorothea Macon is an associate with the African American Leadership Alliance of Milwaukee.

author: Dorothea Macon


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5 things to know and do the weekend of July 15 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
July 14, 2023
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.
Enjoy a political comedy show on Saturday, July 15 called “Laughing Liberally Milwaukee.” Multiple comedians will joke about topics such as LGBTQ rights, abortion and voting rights. This event begins at 8 p.m. at ComedySportz Milwaukee, 420 S. 1st St. Tickets are $8. More information here.
Clocktower Antiques is puttting together a pop-up market in Walker’s Point on Saturday, July 15 at 1134 S. 1st St. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Family and friends will have the chance to buy items from 30 vendors and food trucks. More information here.
Poi dance is a performance art involving spinning weights and body movements. Outdoor beginner classes will be at the Milwaukee Public Library Tippecanoe Branch, 3912 S. Howell Ave. on Saturday, July 15 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Feel free to bring movement props like hula hoops and batons if you would like. More information here.
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A free community pop-up event will take place Saturday, July 15 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mercy Memorial Baptist Church, 2474 N. 37th St. Families and individuals can receive free groceries, hygiene products, resources and even enjoy a cookout. More information here.
Fit Club MKE is a charity organization offering support to Milwaukee youths in underserved communities by introducing them to sports. It will be collaborating with Beckum-Stapleton Little League to have a free community baseball and softball clinic on Saturday, July 15 for children ages 6 to 12 at Sherman Park, 3000 N. Sherman Blvd. Children will be learning techniques and other fundamentals from Fit Club MKE founder and Executive Director Marcellus Dawson. Registration is required for each child. More information here.


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5 things to know and do the week of July 17 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
July 17, 2023
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.
Each month, the Empowerment Coalition of Milwaukee, or ECOM, hosts a monthly gathering to discuss topics of interest in the community. On Wednesday, July 19, the topics will be domestic violence and elder and child abuse. This workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at Community Advocates, 728 N. James Lovell St.. There is a $5 charge for refreshments. More information here.
Sixteenth Street Community Wellness and Muskego Way Forward are hosting a free workshop for kids and adults on mental health and improving relationships with children. The event takes place Wednesday, July 19 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 1608 W. Forest Home Ave. Each family will receive a free gift. More information here.
The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities is hosting a community conversation on Thursday, July 20 about the experiences of individuals and families with disabilities. This free event is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Independence First, 540 S. 1st St. with lunch included. Registration is required as space is limited. More information here.
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Join the America’s Black Holocaust Museum book club on Thursday July 20 at 6 p.m. as participants discuss “The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks” by Jeanne Theoharis. This discussion will be open to anyone to join via Zoom, and participants must purchase their own book before the event. More information here.
Riverworks Development Corporation hosts its annual Music on the Beerline on Friday, July 21.  Musical artists Twan Mack and Love Peace and Soul will perform. Food will be available. The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 3350 N. Holton St. More information here.


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Milwaukee Diaper Mission reaches milestone as it fights ‘period poverty’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Trisha Young
July 18, 2023
In a 5,000-square-foot warehouse in Franklin, thousands of boxed diapers and menstrual products sat ready to be distributed, free of charge, to those in need in Milwaukee.
On May 31, the Milwaukee Diaper Mission reached a milestone of 300,000 period products donated to women in need. The celebration included the making of 188 period kits to be distributed to food pantries across Milwaukee.
Those who joined the celebration included Deputy Commissioner of Community Health Erica Olivier, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and the Friedens Food Pantries, the Diaper Mission’s largest period product and diaper distributor.
In 2020, the executive director of the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, Meagan Johnson, learned that many families were burdened with the high cost of diapers. She also discovered there was no basic needs bank in Milwaukee. She decided to open the Milwaukee Diaper Mission that year.
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Soon after the opening of the Diaper Mission, the organization pivoted to also supplying period products.
“We recognized that there was no resource in our community providing menstruators with period kits on a monthly basis,” Johnson said.
According to the American Medical Women’s Association, “period poverty” is a term used to describe the widespread issue of individuals facing financial constraints that prevent them from accessing essential menstrual products such as pads, tampons or liners to effectively manage menstrual bleeding.
Recent studies show that about 1 in 3 people who menstruate in the United States are unable to afford essential period products monthly. This financial barrier leads to chronic school absenteeism, limited job opportunities and the potential for significant medical concerns.
The fight to end period poverty has grown significantly in Milwaukee since the Diaper Mission took it on.
Joining the mission are many dedicated volunteers.
Jamie Robarge and Nicole Dachs became friends through their time at the Diaper Mission.
Both had their own experiences with period poverty and diaper expenses. In May, the two organized the second annual Period Party.
“I’ve experienced period poverty throughout my life, and I didn’t know it was a thing that had a name to it,” Robarge said.
After having her son in 2019 and struggling with a 60% cut in pay during her maternity leave, Robarge learned of the Diaper Mission.
She now advocates for the end of the period poverty in Milwaukee.
“I see how quickly the shelves empty out. I know in order to sustain this program, we have to keep the donations coming in,” Dachs said.
The solution came to Dachs to celebrate menstruation, not just as a product drive, but as a party.
The two invited friends, family and community members to a party and encouraged them to donate period supplies. The Period Party resulted in donations of 15,000 products this year.
Olivier said the Milwaukee Health Department has been able to provide thousands of diapers and hygiene items to some of the most at risk and vulnerable populations because of the Milwaukee Diaper Mission.
Crowley said Milwaukee County is committed to ending period poverty.
“We must commit ourselves as using a positive definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not just the absence of disease,” Crowley said.
“The work of the Milwaukee Diaper Mission in wiping out period poverty in our community is a shining example of that mission,” Crowley said.
To donate or get involved with the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, visit its website at https://www.milwaukeediapermission.org/.
Dachs also asks small businesses to join the fight to end period poverty. She will supply any business in the local area with a hand-decorated basket to put period products in their bathrooms. The businesses will also receive a certificate of recognition to display.
To get a period product basket for a business, contact Nicole Dachs at her email: dachsn3@gmail.com.


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NNS Summer Survival Guide: 15 books you won’t regret reading | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 18, 2023
It’s officially summer, a time of the year that many associate with leisure time.
With that in mind, we asked some of our friends at local bookstores and libraries what exciting things Milwaukeeans can read.
Here’s what they said.
The Milwaukee Public Library also offers reading programs and activities for both children and adults. For more recommendations you can look at the Milwaukee Public Library website.
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You can reach out to La Revo Books and Niche Book Bar for other book recommendations – or ask your neighbor.
What books would you recommend? Let us know in the comments or email us with the subject line “books.”
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Ways to beat the heat
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee offers programs to keep kids engaged
NNS Summer Survival Guide: What you need to know to have a safe summer with the kids
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Here’s where you can find free summer meals for students
NNS Summer Survival Guide: Here’s a list of resources offered by Milwaukee Recreation to keep your kids active this summer


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NNS Spotlight: Meet Ammar Nsoroma, the muralist who inspired the Milwaukee Bucks’ uniform | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 19, 2023
Milwaukee muralist Ammar Nsoroma has definitely made a mark on Milwaukee.
His 1992 mural, “The Patchwork,” inspired the Milwaukee Bucks’ City Edition “Gathering Place” uniform.
The mural, located near North 5 Street and West North Avenue, is littered with colorful stars. Like most of his work, the mural is Afro inspired.
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“For the Black community, art serves a purpose. So, as an artist, you have a social responsibility to not only make art that is aesthetically pleasing but art that means something,” he said. “My artwork is about the beauty of being Black and feeling all right about it.
“I draw from the philosophies of the diverse religions of the African Diaspora, like Ifa, Vodou, Rastafari and ancient Kemetic traditions. They express the strength, inner peace and beauty of the path to enlightenment,”  he said.
Nsoroma’s earliest memories of an interest in art go back to grade school. His third-grade teacher became excited about a lion he had drawn in class the day after a visit to the zoo.
“I thought everybody could draw,” he said. “I realized then that what I had done was different.”
That jump-started his career.
“My teacher got me a scholarship to attend art classes at the art museum on Saturdays, and that’s where I first heard about murals, and then I started to notice them around the neighborhood,” he said.
Nsoroma, 56, grew up in Washington Park and said the diversity of that community has contributed to his works over time.
“The first mural I was a part of was at a pharmacy that was on 35th and Center,” he said. “I was like 16 and after that, I was hired to do another one, and I guess it just went from there.”
Nsoroma was a part of the first class of students that graduated from West Division, now known as Milwaukee High School of the Arts, where he studied visual arts.
He studied at both the Milwaukee Institute for Art & Design and the Art Institute of Chicago. He has many works across Milwaukee and other major cities like Chicago, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis and Los Angeles.
He sells smaller works in Milwaukee’s 5 Points Art Gallery & Studios. And he has illustrated books.
Nsoroma said while he knows he could do his work in any city, he stays in Milwaukee because his family is here and he feels a sense of responsibility to the city.
Outside of art, Nsoroma is an advocate of healthy living. He has been a vegan for more than 20 years and spends his spare time as a member of Red Bike & Green-Milwaukee. He is a bicycling advocate.
According to Evelyn Patricia Terry, a mentor of Nsoroma’s, in addition to being a talented artist, Nsoroma is highly intellectual.
“He knows so much about so many things because he reads a lot and retains the information well,” she said. “He’s soft-spoken but he could give a good talk, especially on African American history.”
Terry has known Nsoroma since he was 16 and said he’s just nice to be around.
“He’s a good person,” she said. “And his work is beautiful and meaningful, and I think it makes the world a better place.”
Nsoroma is a father of two and a grandfather of two.
“Having an artist as a father gives you a look into a very happy and creative life that I don’t think many kids get to experience,” said Adjua Nsoroma, his daughter.
She, like her father, is an artist.
“He inspired me to make art all the time,” she said. “I spent a lot of my childhood watching him create or attending art shows with him.”
Catch up with the people and organizations who make Milwaukee great by reading “NNS Spotlight.”


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What you need to know about the summer curfew for minors in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
July 19, 2023
Did you know that the citywide curfew changes over summer? Did you know the change already went into effect?
If not, you are not alone. Many in the community are unaware of the seasonal change to curfew hours.
Here’s what you need to know.
Summer curfew hours are 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. and are in effect through Aug. 31. Non-summer curfew hours are 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
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Both the child and their parents can be cited and fined for violating curfew, depending on the circumstances, said MPD Sgt. Efrain Cornejo.
The fine is $94 for the child and $195 for the parent.
The curfew ordinance is technically an ordinance that outlaws the “loitering of minors” as stated in the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances.
The ordinance prohibits minors being out in public streets, highways, roads, alleys, parks, public buildings, places of amusement and entertainment, places of employment, vacant lots or any public places in the city, whether on foot or in any conveyance.
Following this rule is “the first thing we can do to keep young people safe this summer,” said Marcey Patterson, community relations and engagement manager for the Milwaukee Police Department.
“There’s an increase in violence among young people,” said Patterson. “We have a significant gun problem on our streets. And so, parents need to know where their children are, who they’re with and what they’re doing.”
But there are instances when someone may be out during these hours, without violating curfew, Cornejo said.
“Issuances of citations is an officer’s discretion. There could be a reasonable reason why a minor is out past curfew,” he said.
The emphasis on summer curfew by MPD will not necessarily correspond to a change in ticketing frequency or strategy from MPD, however.
The emphasis is “a communication strategy to communicate to parents and guardians that there is a curfew, (and) the potential consequences of a curfew violation,” Cornejo said in an email.
“We are not saying curfew is a deterrent of crime,” Cornejo said. “What we are saying (is) that everyone, especially parents and guardians, need to be aware of where their youth is, who they are with and what they are doing.”
Beverly Williams has a school-aged granddaughter and is part of a community organization called Community Takeover Voices of Milwaukee’s Children that advocates for a range of reforms at Milwaukee Public Schools.
Williams said she did not know about the summer curfew but added, “If it is happening for children up to ages 17, it should happen.”
For those who are dubious, Williams references a recent incident at a gas station on the North Side where a 17-year-old was shot and subsequently hospitalized. The shooting took place around 11 p.m.
Diana Rico, a mother of four living on the South Side, said she also was not aware of the change in curfew for summertime.
Rico agreed that promoting the message that parents should know where their kids are is important but does not see the point “if it’s not really going to be enforced.”
Rico’s 12-year-old daughter, Sheyla Landa, said she knew of a curfew but believed it was related to the pandemic and was no longer applicable.
Landa also said promoting the message that parents should know where their kids are is an important one. But she said she does not believe a curfew would affect the behaviors of many of her friends.
“My friends aren’t the best with following rules. Most of my friends in school – they vape, they smoke, they skip class,” she said. “I feel like a curfew doesn’t stop them from doing what they want to do.”
If these friends incurred fines, Landa added, “They would say, ‘My parents will pay it off. It’s fine. I don’t care.’”
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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Milwaukee makes plans to replace lead service lines. Is there money to pay for it? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Trisha Young
July 20, 2023
Although Mayor Cavalier Johnson has released a plan that speeds up the replacement of lead service lines in the city, one major question remains: Will the money be there?
Moreover, critics say his plan to replace the lines in even 20 years is too long, though it improves on an earlier 60-year timeline.
Why the concern? Lead exposure can cause brain damage and other physical problems, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Children under 6 who are exposed to lead have a higher chance of developing lifelong issues, including developmental delays, slowed growth, difficulty in school and lowered IQ.
The mayor’s plan differs from a plan laid out by Milwaukee Water Works just shortly before his announcement.
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Back then, Brian Rothgery, the communication manager of the Milwaukee Water Works, laid out his department’s plans to NNS. The goal is to use new federal infrastructure funding to help accelerate the lead service line replacements.
Milwaukee still has more than 66,000 service lines that need to be replaced, with a current replacement rate of about 900 lines per year. Almost all lines getting replaced are those that are failing or leaking. About 5,700 lead service lines have been replaced already, according to Milwaukee Water Works.
Milwaukee Water Works Superintendent Patrick Pauly had decided to increase replacements from 500 to 1,000 in year one, Rothgery told NNS in an email before the mayor’s announcement.
With other factors, this took the per-year replacement rate to 2,200 lead service lines, which would require 30 years to complete.
But that’s not 3,300 lines a year, nor would that occur in the 20 years the mayor has suggested.
After the mayor’s announcement, Pauly tackled the difference.
“Water Works plans to increase the number of lead service line replacements every year until we arrive at an annual pace that puts us on track to replace all of them by 2044,” he said.
That roughly fits the mayor’s 20-year timeline. Milwaukee Water Work’s 30-year plan took into account funding. So, what changed?
“Establishing a plan to replace LSLs (lead service lines) creates a pathway to accelerate the pace much more quickly in successive years,” Rothgery said. He also sees the possibility that Milwaukee gets an increase in state funding.
And therein lies the rub. Will the money be there? Implicit in the mayor’s plan is a big “if.”
To make the 20-year timeline happen, Milwaukee Water Works “will need to be able to access a steady and sufficient stream of state and federal funds, eliminate the cost-share for residents, and greatly improve our internal vacancy rate of 25%,” Pauly wrote to NNS.
The internal vacancy rate includes any administrative and utility staffing positions that need to be filled.
Then there’s a potential boon for property owners who are now tasked with a share of the cost for replacing lead laterals.
Currently, they are expected to pay one-third of the replacement cost, which is $1,592.
But consider: Many of these pipes are in some of the city’s most underserved and impoverished neighborhoods. The current cost, even if it is spread over 10 years, acts as a disincentive.
Milwaukee is still waiting to hear how much the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Department of Administration will grant to the city out of the $139 million dollars put aside for upgrades in Wisconsin’s drinking water infrastructure.
Ultimately, Milwaukee will need an estimated $630 million to replace all the lead service lines, Rothgery said.  The homeowner costs might go away, Rothgery explained, if the federal government forgives the principal in loans provided for the work. The city agency is hopeful that Milwaukee’s Equity Prioritization Plan, which prioritizes which areas get the replacement work first, will help trigger this.
The equity plan takes into account three factors: the concentration of lead service lines; elevated blood lead levels in children; and the neighborhood’s socioeconomic index score. The socioeconomic index evaluates 17 criteria, encompassing income/employment, housing, education and household factors.
The ZIP codes selected for high priority based on these factors include 53205 and 53206 on the North Side as well as areas on the South Side.
If the federal money comes as principal-forgiveness loans, they will not have to be paid back. If that happens, the homeowner cost share will be lowered, if not entirely eliminated.
But, again, will this happen?
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grants funds to public transportation efforts and other infrastructure and construction projects. Thanks to the law, funds will be distributed across the state via the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
Rebecca Scott, the environmental loans manager of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, told NNS that although Milwaukee may well qualify for 100% principal forgiveness, there is no guarantee it will receive that total.
This is because federal standards say only 49% of these loans can have their principal forgiven, and the Department of Natural Resources has to balance this percentage with other Wisconsin municipalities that applied for these loans.
As with Milwaukee’s equity plan, the Department of Natural Resources places more weight on communities with higher population density, higher poverty percentages, higher amounts of lead in water and larger concentrations of children.
It is not at all unreasonable that Milwaukee would score higher than other Wisconsin cities in such an analysis. It is the state’s largest city and is near the top for the proportion of residents who live below the poverty line.
Scott said: “Milwaukee will be able to receive all the funding they requested; the only question is how much will be principal forgiveness and how much will be low-interest loan.”
Scott said the city has asked for $6.3 million for water main replacements. Water mains are the larger pipes that bring water to the smaller service lines. There are no lead water mains in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee is expected to find out about its loan awards by late August.
Critics note that cities like Detroit never expected homeowners to be burdened with lead service line replacement costs for anything but pipes located within the property. Denver has proposed increasing water rates by 3% to 5% to mitigate the cost.
Exasperation over any decades-long timeline was apparent at the first town hall on the lead issue in May, co-sponsored by Milwaukee Water Works and the Coalition on Lead Emergency. This occurred before the mayor’s announcement.
“I’m frustrated. I knew about the lead issue 30 years ago. The level of urgency is not there. And I get concerned when we dismiss examples of other cities much like (us) … who are doing things at a much more rapid pace,” said a woman at the meeting who identified herself as a lifelong resident of Milwaukee.
Also among the critics of how long it is taking the city to act is Robert Miranda, who started the Freshwater for Life Action Coalition, which partners closely with Get The Lead Out, another organization advocating for lead cleanup.
“To remove these pipes in even another 20 years continues to condemn our children and another generation to drinking toxic and tainted lead water,” Miranda said after the mayor’s announcement. “Other cities around the country seem to be moving faster and with much more urgency in removing these pipes.”
After the lead crisis in Flint, Michigan, children who were tested in Milwaukee had two or more times the lead levels in their blood than the national average.
Miranda pointed to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s lead service line replacement plans. Detroit plans to replace 5,000 lead water pipes this year, incrementally increasing the rate to finish replacing all 80,000 lead service lines by 2038.
Others also expressed frustration at the progress of the lead-line replacement at the last Get the Lead Out assembly on July 8.
“We put you in power, you need to figure it out,” said Stephani Lohman of Get the Lead Out after giving a presentation on the health risks of lead.
She and the coalition expressed the need to continue to apply pressure to city officials to accomplish their goals as well as set new ones to accomplish a Biden-Harris administration goal to remove all lead service lines in the U.S. in the next decade.
There will be other opportunities to get lead updates and for the community to have its voices heard.
Pauly is asking the community to attend future Milwaukee Water Works town hall meetings, which will occur in neighborhoods most affected.
The next Water Works town hall on the line replacement program will be held at Milwaukee Public Library’s Mitchell Street Branch, 906 W. Mitchell St., on July 24, at 6 p.m.
To find out more about Milwaukee’s lead service line replacement, dangers of lead, and reducing your risk, visit this page.
For info on lead-safe kits, visit the City of Milwaukee’s page. Or check out the Coalition on Lead Emergency page.
To find out if your service line contains lead or has been replaced, visit this page or call Milwaukee Water Works customer service at 414-286-2830.


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Ron Smith
July 19, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 19, 2023


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New head of Milwaukee Food Council works to ensure everyone has a seat (and a meal) at the table | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
July 20, 2023
After an extensive history in community outreach for political and social causes, Solana Patterson-Ramos finds herself in a new space.
Patterson now serves as the first executive director of the Milwaukee Food Council. She started in February.
The Milwaukee Food Council is a nonprofit dedicated to building a food system that is sustainable, healthy and community driven.
In its early years, the council was involved in legalizing ownership of chickens and beekeeping within city limits. Recently, the organization has focused efforts on drafting large-scale food system strategies on issues such as food waste and equitable food access.
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With the hiring of Patterson-Ramos and seven new additions to the board of directors this year, the organization seeks to build its capacity for community engagement with people who are not already involved in food-system advocacy.
“Education and community outreach is my thing,” she said.
The Milwaukee Food Council will be Patterson-Ramos’ first role that is explicitly about food security.
“Going through the interview process, I realized how much my views on the food system ties into everything I do,” she said.
Patterson-Ramos has held communications and outreach roles in organizations such as MKE Black, Citizen Action Wisconsin, the Milwaukee branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the American Civil Liberties Union.
She also has worked in several political campaigns for state and local offices, including her own campaign for Milwaukee County supervisor in 2015.
In all of these roles, Patterson-Ramos says there is common theme: getting reliable and digestible information to people for events or causes that matter.
Danielle Nabak, who joined the Milwaukee Food Council in 2017 and sits on the council’s board of directors, said Patterson-Ramos stood out in the hiring process because of her “lived experience with inequities in the food system.”
Patterson-Ramos “has a lot of experience building from the ground up,” Nabak said. “Our mission is to build a food system that is community-driven, and we’re excited about engaging new folks.”
For Patterson-Ramos, service comes naturally.
As a kid growing up in multiple neighborhoods on both the North and South sides of Milwaukee, her mom instilled in her the viewpoint that community service was not a special act but “just something you do.”
“I come from a low-income household, and I remember going to the soup kitchen (for meals,) but also volunteering in it,” she said.
But if you met her while she was attending Bradley Tech High School or in her early college days at UW-Milwaukee, she would probably have told you that she was destined for a career in electrical engineering. It was her focus in high school and her first declared major.
However, Patterson-Ramos remembers attending an out-of-town convention for the Society of Black Engineers in college that shifted her focus toward community outreach and education.
“Seeing all these Black and Brown people suited and booted and just seeing how a Black organization works, I came back pumped to do whatever I could (to) give people the help they needed to thrive and graduate,” she said.
Patterson-Ramos sees community outreach as a necessary ingredient for building a just and equitable society.
She said that often there is an assumption that people don’t care about an issue, when in reality they are simply unaware.
“A lot of times people just don’t know who’s involved or who they should talk to,” she said. “And a lot of times that’s because communication isn’t the best.
“If you don’t have a Facebook event, an Eventbrite, a press release and all that, how are people going to know about it?”
“There’s a lot of tools in the toolbox for fighting oppression, and education is one of those tools,” she said.
Rick Banks said he met Patterson-Ramos at a conference his first year in college.
“I remember thinking:  ‘Wow. This woman is really passionate, informed and knowledgeable and creative,’ ” he said.
Ever since, the two have made a dynamic duo, whether on student government and other groups at UW-Milwaukee, working on political campaigns (including each other’s) and on developing MKE Black, a business directory focused on Milwaukee’s Black-owned businesses.
Although Patterson-Ramos takes pride in her work, she also is equally proud of what she does outside of it.
She’s worked in multiple haunted houses for about 10 years, including at Six Flags and Hauntfest.
She’s also an avid cosplayer and gamer. She takes part in tournaments at the annual Midwest Gaming Classic, and used to be involved in Anime Milwaukee.
On top of all that, she’s taking care of four cats.
“I do a lot of random stuff, man,” she said. “Outside of the work, I’m a geek.”
Both Nabak and Patterson-Ramos said that the best way to get involved and stay up to date with the Milwaukee Food Council is to sign up for the organization’s newsletter, which summarizes what the organization is working on as well as upcoming events and opportunities to get involved.

author: Sam Woods


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Ron Smith
July 19, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 19, 2023


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5 things to know and do the weekend of July 21 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
July 21, 2023
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.
Milwaukee Recreation is having an ice cream social on Saturday, July 22 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the O.A.S.I.S Community Center, 2414 W. Mitchell St. Purple Door Ice Cream will be serving at this free event. More information here.
COA Youth & Family Centers holds its second annual kiddie prom on Saturday, July 22 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the COA Goldin Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St. This year’s dress code is “tiki party.” There will be food, music and an opportunity for adults and youths to be nominated for prom court. Registration is required. More information here.
To celebrate Latino Conservation Week in Milwaukee, individuals will come together from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Walker Square Park 1031 S. 9th St. on Sunday, July 23. The event will include playing, eating paletas and chances to win a raffle. Don’t forget to take photos while there as some of your photos can be published at the Escuela Verde Newline Cafe on 3618 W. Pierce St. More information here.
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Ben’s Cycle, a bicycle shop, will be having a repair session for riders on Sunday, July 23 to bring their bike in and learn how to repair it. Lessons include fixing a flat tire, brake adjustments and more. The event will be from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 1013 W. Lincoln Ave. Email alex@benscycle.com to sign up as space is limited. More information here.
Safe & Sound is hosting a “Safe Neighborhood” essay contest for high school students in the Milwaukee and Racine area. Participating youths must write a 500 word to 1,000 word essay on how they make their neighborhood safe. A $1,000 and $500 prize will be awarded to first- and second-place winners, along with a block party occurring in honor of their essay. Essays are accepted through Monday, July 31  and should be sent to info@safesound.org. More information here.


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Ron Smith
July 20, 2023


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5 things to know and do the week of July 24 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Chesnie Wardell
July 24, 2023
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.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify that, item 2, the Milwaukee Recreation’s Before & After-School Programs’ student showcase, is not open to the general public. It has also been corrected for a different start time for the Milwaukee Diaper Mission celebration.
Come watch the annual 3 v 3 Safe Summer Basketball League led by Mike Taylor and the Taylor-Made Foundation. The league meets from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday until  Tuesday, Aug. 8 for ages 5 to 16 at McGovern Park, 5400 N. 51st St. Registration for participants are no longer being accepted, but there’s room for those who want to volunteer or have a resource table present. More information here.
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Milwaukee Recreation’s Before & After-School Programs offers a chance for students in its child care camps and Community Learning Centers to participate in outdoor activities to encourage physical activity during the summer months. Participation is not open to the general public. This event will take place Wednesday, July 26 at Wick Playfield, 4929 W. Vliet St. There will be 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. sessions. The theme is ‘Strong Mind, Strong Body.”
Bike + STEAM Fest is a free bike ride open to all on Friday, July 28 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Riders will begin at Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th St. and ride through the surrounding area looking and learning about the community’s developments and establishments. Wheel & Sprocket will be there for free bike repairs and Bublr Bikes will be lending a limited number of bikes. You are encouraged to bring your own. More information here.
The Outpost Natural Foods team needs volunteers to come to the Hunger Task Force, 5000 W. Electric Ave., on Friday, July 28 to sort through donated food and items to feed the hungry. Volunteers must wear closed- toe shoes. Sorting is from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. but arrive 10 to 15 minutes earlier for orientation. More information here.
Milwaukee Diaper Mission, a nonprofit organization that provides families with diapers and other resources, has made approximately 1 million distributions since 2020. To celebrate, volunteers will distribute items to families in need Friday, July 28 beginning at 11 a.m. at the Hayat Pharmacy on 807 W. Layton Ave.


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Ron Smith
July 23, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 23, 2023


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Inside the NNS Newsroom: Join us Aug. 10 as we celebrate 12 years | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
July 24, 2023
You read us.
Now come meet us (and have some cake).
We are celebrating our 12 anniversary and invite you to join us!
Did we say cake?
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The fun takes place from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10 on the first floor of Johnston Hall, 1131 W. Wisconsin Ave., on Marquette University’s campus.
More details will be coming this week.
We can’t wait to see you.


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Ron Smith
July 23, 2023


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ACRE program seeks to diversify commercial real estate industry | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
July 25, 2023
After a career in lending, Jason Waters joined the ACRE program to expand his real estate knowledge.He says it was one of the best choices he’s made.
“It was inspirational to see people I knew and went to school with doing great things,” he said. “I learned so much more about the field and how I could do more than just fix and flips.”
The Associates in Commercial Real Estate, or ACRE, program provides professional training with the goal of expanding and supporting minority representation in the commercial real estate industry.
The program, founded in 2005 at Marquette University by Mark Eppli, has more than 281 alums, with a current class of 24, according to Christopher Kemp, the deputy director of  Local Initiative Support Corporation Milwaukee, which administers the initiative.
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“It’s going to take us over (the) 300 mark, which is great,” Kemp said.
ACRE is led by education partners from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning.
The 24-week program includes graduate level classes in a university setting. Students meet weekly during three-hour class periods and complete several assignments, three major exams and a final course project that includes creating a development proposal for an actual site in the region that’s delivered in a public setting and judged by seasoned real estate professionals.
“What we know is that education is access,” said Andy Hunt, the Vieth director of Marquette University’s Center for Real Estate. “Doors open to everyone when they have a certain level of education.”
Ranjit Singh is a current ACRE student who already works in real estate by doing fix-and-flips on residential properties and managing commercial properties.
“I applied to ACRE because the reputation speaks for itself,” she said. “It felt like a great place to be and has held to that so far.”
She said the network is the best part of the program.
“I feel like my classmates have turned into family,” Singh said. “It’s so helpful to be able to learn from our professors and one another.”
Both Hunt and Kemp said capital and access to equity are issues the program strives to combat.
“Not many of our participants come from environments where they have access to wealth,” Hunt said. “So, they aren’t able to do the same types of projects or get the same type of work as their peers.”
“Capital is the challenge,” Kemp added. “Not many people have millions in assets to get a project going.”
The program helps participants overcome these challenges.
“A lot of us are motivated to go into the field and show what we can do,” Waters said. “We have a perspective that (others) don’t have because we’re from these communities that we’re trying to develop.”
For more information on the ACRE program, you can look on the group’s website.


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Ron Smith
July 24, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 24, 2023


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‘The most traumatic thing’: Incarcerated mothers push for better medical care | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake
July 25, 2023
Cheri Branham gave birth eight years ago while she was incarcerated, calling the experience “the most traumatic thing I ever had to go through.”
She said she was not involved in the planning for how or when she would give birth. She was simply taken to a hospital without warning and induced.
In addition to the trauma of the birth, Branham said she experienced severe postpartum depression but was never seen by a medical professional for it.
Women who give birth while they are incarcerated say they need better care – for their sake and for their baby’s.
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As of May 31, roughly 16% of women incarcerated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, or DOC, were convicted in Milwaukee County, by far the highest percentage in the state. The next highest was in Brown County, where roughly 6% of women were convicted.
Although the county where a person is convicted is not necessarily where a person lived at the time of arrest, it is usually a good indicator in most cases, said John Beard, the former director of communications for the DOC, in an email.
The DOC currently has five pregnant women in its care, and there have been four deliveries so far this year, according to data requested from the DOC. In 2022, there were six deliveries.
Pregnant women in DOC custody are provided a prenatal plan, ongoing obstetrical treatment and postpartum physical and psychological assessments, among other services, according to the department’s website.
Many pregnancy-related decisions “are made between the patient and their medical care professional,” Kevin Hoffman, deputy director of communications for the DOC, said in an email. “With decisions related to a birth plan or inducing labor, there is no difference between incarcerated and non-incarcerated women.”
Peggy West-Schroder, executive director of FREE, said that she knows and has worked with many women where this simply was not the case.
FREE is a statewide organization that addresses the needs of incarcerated, formerly incarcerated and justice-impacted women and girls.
“In the state of Wisconsin, many, many women … are given what we call ‘forced induction,’” West-Schroder said.  For example, she said, correctional officers come by a woman’s side “and they say, ‘Well, we have the staff here, and we’ve made your appointment, and you’re going in today to be induced.’”
“I’m not allowed to ever know when I’m going to leave that facility, for how long I’ll be gone or where I’m going, OK? So that in and of itself tells you that there is not a discussion,” West-Schroder added.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the Milwaukee County Jail, did not respond to requests for comment. The jail, however, has been the subject of past scrutiny, and litigation, over the treatment of pregnant women.
State Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) said in a statement that because of a 2017 lawsuit, “we know that in the Milwaukee County Jail alone, at least 40 women were shackled while giving birth since 2011.
“In one case, a woman was shackled during 21 hours of labor,” Taylor said. “In another, correctional officers overruled the request of medical staff to remove a chain covering a patient’s belly, limiting their ability to provide treatment.”
“This is unacceptable, inhumane and unnecessary,” Taylor added.
Over the past six years, Taylor has been involved in two attempts at passing legislation that addresses maternal care for incarcerated women, including shackling.
Both attempts have failed.
In March, Taylor and state Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) announced a bill to stop the shackling of incarcerated women.
But Taylor’s office recently told NNS that instead of one overall bill, she is considering splitting the bill into three related, but separate, bills.
Proposing three more narrow bills would be a “strategic move” to prevent various portions from being removed during the legislative back-and-forth, said Christopher Bonds, legislative aide to Taylor.
“It’s really just the same bill split up so that we can make arguments for each service in each bill,” Bonds said.
The DOC’s current policy is not to shackle pregnant women, except in extreme cases where it is considered necessary for the safety of the patient, baby or medical staff, Beard said.
While Branham was not shackled while she gave birth, the practice is legal in Wisconsin, although many other states have outlawed the practice.
Catoya Roberts, board president of FREE, said Wisconsin needs to join them.
Although Roberts said she believes the Milwaukee County Jail does not currently shackle women who are giving birth, ““we don’t know for sure. And other counties do.”
While not shackling women is the policy of the administration of Kevin Carr, the secretary of the DOC, Roberts and others worry another administration could change this policy.
“Carr is very clear, ‘We don’t do this.’ But when he’s no longer the secretary, who’s to say that won’t change?” Roberts asked. “So we need to put it into law.”
Ultimately, West-Schroder said, she wants to see a shift in how incarcerated mothers are treated—one in which “we wouldn’t send pregnant women to prison or to jail.”
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
July 24, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 24, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 24, 2023


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Ron Smith
July 24, 2023