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Post From Community: Children at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee receive 15 new bikes from Associated Bank leadership team volunteer activity | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Frances Fyten
September 21, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Students at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) will receive a special gift with the delivery of 15 new bikes assembled by more than 100 members of Associated Bank’s leadership team.
“We work to ensure our communities are represented in each of our leadership team meetings,” said Andy Harmening, president and CEO, Associated Bank and board member of BGCGM. “The bike build volunteer event provided a unique opportunity for our leaders to support one of our great community partners and bring a smile to a child’s face.”
Associated Bank supports Boys & Girls Clubs across its footprint through donations and volunteerism. The value of the clubs’ programs is evident in the success members have in school.
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“Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is truly excited to receive these bikes and helmets from Associated Bank. It’s a great way to encourage kids to have fun, explore the outdoors, and get some exercise along the way,” said Kathy Thornton-Bias, president and CEO, BGCGM. “We love how our partnership with Associated Bank is helping create fun memories for our city’s youth. Thank you to the team who spent their evening building these bikes – it’s quite impressive!”
Boys & Girls Clubs provide a fun, safe and constructive environment for youth during out-of-school hours. They offer programs and services to help young people succeed in school, develop leadership skills, and maintain healthy lifestyles.
The assembled bikes will be distributed to members of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee based on their participation in club programs.

author: Frances Fyten


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Associated_BGCG-Bike-Build-Group.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 15, 2022

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: September 15, 2022

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

author: Name *


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Post From Community: Valley Week features urban nature and outdoor exploration | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Menomonee Valley Partners
September 21, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Valley Week, presented by Potawatomi Hotel and Casino, returns from September 24 to October 1, and showcases nature in the heart of the city, world-class companies, premier tourist destinations, and unique opportunities for outdoor recreation.
The Menomonee River Valley’s annual fall festival features 15 events, 11 of them outdoors, and most events are free thanks to sponsors. With parks, trails, and the Menomonee River, nature is abundant in the Valley.
See the Valley from the Menomonee River on the Sunset Kayak Tour or the Happy Hour Cruise. Take a hard-hat tour of Milwaukee’s recycling facility. Grab binoculars for a bird walk to find bird species that have returned to the Valley. Family-friendly experiences include an Outdoor Movie Night at the Harley-Davidson Museum and Kids Story Hike through Three Bridges Park. You can also show nature some love by responsibly disposing of your old electronics in exchange for free Palermo’s Breakfast Pizza and a morning cup of coffee.
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Valley Week showcases the Valley as a great place to visit and work. Like the Menomonee River Valley itself, Valley Week offers something for everyone. Proceeds support Menomonee Valley Partners, the organization which has led the Valley’s successful redevelopment since 1999.
All the week’s experiences are listed at TheValleyMKE.org, including:
For more information and to register for events, visit TheValleyMKE.org/ValleyWeek.
Menomonee Valley Partners is a nonprofit organization formed in 1999 with a mission to revitalize and sustain the Menomonee River Valley as a thriving urban district that advances economical, ecological, and social equity for the benefit of the greater Milwaukee community. Since then, 67 companies have moved to or expanded in the Valley, more than 5,200 jobs have been created, 60 acres of parks and trails have been established, and 10 million people visit the Valley’s recreation and entertainment destinations each year.

created: September 21, 2022

author: Menomonee Valley Partners


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Valley-Week-Banners.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 20, 2022

created: September 20, 2022


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Post From Community: Bike & Brunch | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
David Snell
September 22, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Saturday, October 1, 20228:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Menomonee Valley
(For adults & teens) Rise & Bike! Join us for a beginner bikers program as we take a slow roll through Three Bridges Park in the Menomonee Valley. We’ll cover bike safety basics, trail etiquette, and enjoy the morning together before making our way to Orenda Cafe for a warm bowl of steel cut oatmeal! Bike and helmet use, along with oatmeal brunch are included in the ticket price.
$12.00 – $16.00. See website.
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For questions about this program, please contact Registrar, Augie Rodenbeck, at arodenbeck@urbanecologycenter.org or call (414) 626-8518.
Registration is required for this event and will close 24 hours prior to event start time.

created: September 22, 2022

author: David Snell


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305134321_455776683242494_4305806542681339427_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 22, 2022


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Post From Community: First Stage announces Pay What You Choose schedule for 2022/23 season | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Cindy Moran
September 22, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
First Stage, one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families, is committed to broadening its reach and deepening its impact throughout the community. As part of this commitment, First Stage offers Pay What You Choose performances for select productions. Pay What You Choose tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis with a minimum suggested donation of $5 per person. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. on the day of the performance. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early. Tickets may be pre-ordered by phone only at (414) 267-2961. To find out how to reserve tickets for community organizations, please contact First Stage at ticketmanager@firststage.org.
FIRST STAGE’S 2022/23 PAY WHAT YOU CHOOSE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
ARTHUR TM AND FRIENDS MAKE A MUSICAL!
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Friday, October 14, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater
Read full press release here:
firststage.org/media/buejwem1/first-stage-s-arthur-and-friends-make-a-musical-final-9-15-22.pdf
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER TM: THE MUSICAL
Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Friday, December 16, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
CARMELA FULL OF WISHES
Friday, January 27, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater
THE HOBBIT
Friday, February 10, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
Friday, March 10, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater
LITTLE WOMEN
Friday, March 31, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
BOB MARLEY’S THREE LITTLE BIRDS
Friday, April 28, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater
THE GRACIOUS SISTERS
Friday, May 12, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
Please contact the First Stage Box Office at (414) 267-2961 with questions and to order in advance, or go to firststage.org/events-tickets/tickets-offers/pay-what-you-choose/ for more information.
Please note: Ticket availability is limited, and seat location is subject to availability. There are no refunds or exchanges available for Pay What You Choose performances, and the special rate cannot be applied to previously purchased tickets or in combination with other ticket offers, or towards a Family Package or All-Access Membership purchase. Please note, Pay What You Choose performances and dates are subject to change.
First Stage’s 2022/23 season: To learn more about any of First Stage’s upcoming 2022/23 productions, please read the full press release here: firststage.org/media/gk1f1wjl/first-stage-2022-23-season-announcement-final-5-17-22.pdf or visit: firststage.org
COVID Protocols: First Stage is no longer requiring proof of vaccination upon arrival, and masks will be optional in the theater, unless the community level in Milwaukee County is rated in the High category, as determined by the CDC. First Stage COVID safety protocols and updates can be viewed here:firststage.org/covid-19-safety-protocols/ – performances
For productions held at the Marcus Performing Arts Center Security Protocols are: Upon entry to the Todd Wehr Theater, attendees will walk through a security scanner to check for any items not permitted in the building. While purses and small bags are allowed, please leave larger bags, backpacks or other items at home. Review Security Procedures at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. Please allow ample time for parking and security checks before the performance.
About First Stage
First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families. First Stage touches hearts, engages minds and transforms lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences through professional theater productions that inspire, enlighten and entertain. Its Theater Academy, the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people, fosters life skills through stage skills and serves nearly 2,000 students each year. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs promote literacy, character building and experiential learning throughout the curriculum, serving over 20,000 students each year. First Stage was selected to participate in the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2012) and was the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Eureka Award, recognizing creativity and innovation in business, education and the arts for its Next Steps program for students on the autism spectrum (2013, 2015). First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). firststage.org.

author: Cindy Moran


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September 20, 2022


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Where did that gun used in a crime come from? Milwaukee police can’t easily tell you | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
September 22, 2022
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the time period for when Milwaukee police have tracked data on the origin of the more than 8,000 guns confiscated. It is from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 8, 2022, not Jan. 1, 2000.
Though there have been Milwaukee Common Council efforts to address the issue of stolen firearms seized or used in gun violence, there is no aggregate city data that records whether the thousands of guns confiscated annually by Milwaukee police were stolen or legally purchased and possessed.
At the local level here and elsewhere, it is simply not how the data is compiled, though information on where these guns came from may be contained in individual police reports and individually from other sources as well.
Nationally, experts say gun research has been hampered because data that could point to the origins of guns used in crimes has been difficult to glean as a matter of policy.
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Nonetheless, police and elected officials in Milwaukee often point to stolen guns as a factor in the rise of violence in the city in recent years.
In late May, District 4 Ald. Robert Bauman discussed an increase in guns stolen from cars while addressing a downtown shooting. District 15 Ald. Russell Stamper II sought to pass a new ordinance in the Common Council that would have required gun owners to store their guns properly and/or report their guns being stolen within 24 hours of discovery or risk fines of up to $5,000.
But if you ask law enforcement officials or anyone else in the city for data that shows whether the thousands of guns confiscated by police since 2020 were stolen, otherwise acquired by illegal means or legally purchased and possessed, they couldn’t tell you for certain.
That’s because the Milwaukee Police Department has not tracked data on the origin of the more than 8,000 guns confiscated from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 8, 2022, NNS learned from an open records request seeking data related to firearm seizures in Milwaukee.
That means the city lacks an overall picture of where guns used in shootings and other crimes originate from, which could possibly solve other crimes and identify trends to help create new approaches to prevent crime. Some police departments in other states trace every gun they collect, though many do not.
“You’d think strategically this would be one of the many things they would want to figure out,” said David Hemenway, director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, regarding the collection of data on gun traces. “This information can help you try to reduce this flow of guns into the wrong hands, rather than waiting until people who shouldn’t have guns use them wrongly.”
The research center at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has conducted research on police shootings and gun violence.
A response to a request for data on the origin of guns confiscated by Milwaukee police during the time period from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 2022, from Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and Police Lt. Jay Karas prompted this statement:
“MPD cannot provide the following as it would require a manual review of all reports to obtain this data. Your request is unreasonably burdensome because it encompasses a large number of records (8,076 recovered firearms).”
Paul Lough, an inspector for MPD, said, although this data is collected in various types of reports, including those submitted to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, it is not tracked by his department collectively.
Nationally, guns are submitted by many law enforcement agencies to the ATF for tracing and other purposes. Milwaukee police do track data on guns reported stolen in the city. Stamper said during a Common Council meeting earlier this summer that the MPD reported that 863 guns were stolen from vehicles and more than 375 from homes in 2021.
But these numbers reflect guns that were reported stolen and not the guns confiscated by police. Moreover, the numbers don’t tell whether these guns were then used to commit crimes.
In 2020, the last year firearms trace data for Wisconsin and other states is publicly available, 3,144 guns recovered in Milwaukee were traced by the ATF. This differs slightly from the total of 3,097 reported recovered during that time period by MPD through an open records request by NNS.
In addition to the number of guns traced, data from the ATF also tracks the age of the possessor; the length of time from when the gun was purchased to the time it was used in a crime; firearm and caliber types; crime categories; and the top-source states for the firearms. Not included on the ATF website or held by MPD is data that identifies whether the guns were stolen or possessed by the legal buyer when they were confiscated and then traced.
“You can’t track (this information) unless you manually review each report,” Lough said. “There’s different categories for different crimes. It’s not necessarily in our database.”
When a firearm is recovered by MPD, he said, it is checked for fingerprints and swabbed for DNA to see if someone who is prohibited from maintaining guns had possessed it. The gun also is fired and the casing entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, system to see if it has been used in any incidents in which shots were fired, Lough added.
But other useful data is available. Data available from the Milwaukee Police Department showed that half of the 8,076 firearms that were recovered in the city from Jan. 1, 2020, and July 2022, came from five North and Northwest side ZIP code areas.
These ZIP codes – 53206, 53209, 53218, 53216 and 53210 – were the top five in the number of guns seized and represent 47% of all such confiscations in that period.
The majority of all the guns in the city confiscated were during police incidents (63%); 18% from search warrants; 9% from traffic stops; and 3% from subject stops, according to data obtained from the Milwaukee Police Department through an open records request.
Four other ZIP codes – South Side areas 53204 and 53215, 53208, which includes the Near West Side and parts of the North Side, and 53212, which stretches across parts of the East and North sides – each had more than 500 guns seized during this period.
Although firearm violence and the gun culture in general is part of America’s legacy, shootings and murders peaked for the most part in the ’80s and ’90s but began to decline in the first two decades of the 2000s. Once the pandemic hit, the number of shootings and homicides in many American cities, including Milwaukee, began to rise.
Milwaukee is in the midst of its third year of record high murders.
Although gun violence has been a persistent problem for many years, federally funded data on guns that can be used to inform policy is insufficient, Hemenway said.
Much of this problem stems from a provision known as the 1996 Dickey Amendment, which mandated that no funds made available for injury prevention and control efforts through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be used to promote gun control.
Although this policy, backed strongly by the National Rifle Association, among others, has been amended to allow research on gun violence not specific to gun control, the Dickey Amendment has had a chilling effect, some say.
Hemenway said the policy has made it virtually impossible for researchers to get their hands on gun tracing data.
“Now they provide it aggregately,” he said. “What you really need is good national data to sort of understand the flow of guns and try to reduce this problematic flow. I think it’s hard to do, even hard to do for the police.”
In one example of that challenge, NNS requested data in late May on the origins of guns used in Milwaukee shootings from the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Injury Center, or CIC, which addresses injury prevention and control in the region and operates a Division of Violence Prevention. Requested specifically was data whether the guns were legally owned or purchased or stolen.
An email response from the CIC stated, “Unfortunately no one has this data. Someone did recommend reaching out to MPD.”
Reggie Moore, director of the Division of Violence Prevention and Engagement at CIC, was unavailable for an interview.
Stamper said during a meeting of the Public Safety and Health Committee in July that his proposed ordinance requiring firearm owners to report stolen guns or risk fines was created after a rash of shootings in the city, including the mass shooting downtown during the Milwaukee Bucks playoff run.
“Us as Common Council members for years have been trying to do what we can to prevent gun violence,” he said.
A review by the Ordinance Enforcement Division of the City Attorney’s Office found that Wisconsin state law requires that gun regulations be enacted at the state level before a city enacts a municipal ordinance.
“Overall, we support the intentions of the proposed ordinance. Research shows that reporting lost and stolen firearms helps reduce violence. … There is no state statute on point for either subsection of this proposed ordinance. Enacting this ordinance would be unlawful,” read part of a letter from City Attorney Tearman Spencer to Stamper explaining his office’s decision.
Stamper declined numerous NNS requests to discuss the ordinance for this story.
Studies on whether stolen guns are responsible for most crimes have been mixed. One 2016 study on state and federal inmates from the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that only 6% of the more than 280,000 inmates included in the analysis had stolen the gun they possessed during their offense. A larger majority, 43%, had obtained it off the street or from an underground market. A quarter obtained it from a family member or friend as a gift.
Nevertheless, stolen guns, like all other guns, are used in crimes and trafficked by criminals. Better understanding the supply side of guns used in crime and their flow at a local level is crucial to reducing crime, Hemenway said.
“We know so many guns are stolen, but we don’t know exactly how the flow of guns goes from theft to crime,” he said. “What policies are most cost-effective and what policies work we don’t know, because we don’t know some of the basics of this problem.”
In case you missed it: Nearly half of all guns seized by Milwaukee police since 2020 come from 5 North and Northwest side ZIP code areas

author: Edgar Mendez


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43587930482_41ad08bca2_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
September 21, 2022

author: Ron Smith


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Sept. 23 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
September 23, 2022
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.
A film screening of “Selena,” a 1997 biographical drama about Selena Quintanilla, the famed Tejano singer whose life was tragically cut short, takes place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23 at the Oriental Theatre, located at 2230 N. Farwell Ave. Tickets can be purchased at the door or here.
The Latino Chamber of Commerce of Southeastern Wisconsin is hosting the fourth annual “Latino Economic Unsummit,” which will focus on business resilience. The event takes place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Milwaukee Airport,  located at 6401 S. 13th St. Tickets are $25.
Pitmasters and local chefs face off in this barbeque showdown, hosted by the Milwaukee Public Library. Grilling and smoking techniques will be demonstrated, and the attendees are welcome to taste. The challenge takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Cargill Community Kitchen at the Mitchell Street Library, located at 906 W. Historic Mitchell St.
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Survivor’s Journey to Peace and Neighborhood House of Milwaukee host the return of this annual mental health educational and awareness event for youths ages 13 to 25 years and their parents. The event will have art therapy, guest speakers, lunch and more. The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24 at Neighborhood House, located at 2819 W. Richardson Place.
Doors Open is a citywide event for residents to see buildings and city sites that are typically closed to the public. Many buildings in our neighborhoods will participate. There will be activities, for example, at Metcalfe Park, Valor Creative Collective, Green Tech Station and the MPS Survive Alive House. The citywide event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25. However, check individual listings for site-specific hours. More information here.
Hispanic Heritage Month began on Sept. 15 and continues through Oct. 15. More information on events celebrating Latinx culture this weekend and throughout the month.
The annual Harvest Festival In The Garden will celebrate the garden community and neighborhood wellness in and around Westlawn Gardens from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24  in the large community gardens at 6301 W. Custer Ave. Sponsored by MHS Health Wisconsin and the Northwest Fresh Food Access Council, the festival will feature free food, a free farmers market and other activities.

created: September 23, 2022

author: Sam Woods


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Ron Smith
September 22, 2022


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Inside the NNS Newsroom: Join us Wednesday to learn about the launch of a new statehouse bureau run by Wisconsin Watch | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service staff
September 24, 2022
The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, also known as Wisconsin Watch, is hosting “Speakeasy: Our new statehouse bureau,” a look at the newsroom’s new three-member team investigating threats to democracy in Wisconsin as well as a discussion about what’s ahead in this election season.
The event takes place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 at Indeed Brewing Company, 530 S. 2nd St.
The evening will feature:
Staff will be available all evening to answer questions. This event is free to enter and will include complimentary appetizers.
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Wisconsin Watch is a partner of the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. The two newsrooms run News414, a project filling information and accountability gaps to meet the needs of traditionally underserved Milwaukee residents in Black-and brown-majority neighborhoods. News414 covers topics including housing, food access, public health, substance use and voting.
Recognizing the power of the two newsrooms’ partnership, the American Journalism Project has jointly awarded a major capacity-building grant to support their efforts to reshape the local news ecosystem in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin.
The grant will build revenue and operations teams at both nonprofit newsrooms to support the expansion of journalism that represents, informs and engages local communities.
The editorially independent NNS is housed in the Diederich College of Communication at Marquette University and receives tremendous in-kind support from throughout the university. The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism also has offices in Johnston Hall as part of the partnership.
Register on Eventbrite to be entered into a drawing to win Wisconsin Watch swag. This event is part of Indeed Brewing Company’s Indeed We Can initiative, with a portion of the proceeds from the entire night going directly to support Wisconsin Watch.

created: September 24, 2022


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Ron Smith
September 24, 2022


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Ron Smith
September 24, 2022


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Mobile markets bring fresh food to Wisconsin customers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Lauryn Azu / Wisconsin Watch
September 25, 2022
For Shirley Johnson, getting groceries is not easy.
Johnson, a 64-year-old retiree who lives alone in Milwaukee, does not own a vehicle and has to rely on others to get food. She often calls her daughter or other family members who live in the city, hoping to catch a ride to the grocery store.
But if they are tied up or busy, Johnson has to pay someone to take her shopping — except when the store comes to her.
Once a month, Johnson waits for a long, colorful semi-trailer hitched to a truck to pull up at the Highland Gardens apartments. The narrow aisles of the Piggly Wiggly on wheels are filled with fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products.
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“We appreciate that truck because a lot of us can’t get to the store,” said Johnson, who buys staples and specialty items including Lactaid for her lactose intolerance.
Thanks to a federal grant, the groceries are sold at half price. Johnson, like some others who shop at the mobile market, receives FoodShare and struggles to afford certain foods at regular stores.
Some nonprofits are turning to these mobile markets as an alternative to brick-and-mortar stores to reach food-insecure populations.
A majority of Milwaukee residents are considered to have low access to grocery stores, which is further complicated by a transportation barrier — 13.4% of Milwaukee households do not have vehicles, according to census data.
But mobile markets can struggle to stay financially afloat. One researcher who has studied mobile markets for over a decade likens them to “revolving doors” because of how frequently mobile market projects start up and then stall.
“There’s often funding to start them,” said Lydia Zepeda, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor. “The question is trying to find a model that is financially sustainable — because they’re expensive.”
The Hunger Task Force, a nonprofit based in Milwaukee, has partnered with Piggly Wiggly to offer mobile grocery stores.
“You really have to be creative if you’re going to solve problems like food insecurity,” said Sherrie Tussler, the executive director of the Hunger Task Force.
She added: “Just doing everything the same way all the time isn’t the answer, but thinking outside the box about what already works.”
All mobile market groceries are sold at half price thanks to a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. Cash isn’t allowed, but debit, credit and cards for the state’s food assistance program, FoodShare, are accepted.
The mobile market stops at community centers, senior living facilities, public housing complexes  and schools in identified food deserts across the metro region, from Brown Deer to Franklin. On average, about 25 to 35 people utilize the market at each stop, Tussler said.
According to data from 2019 collected from one mobile market stop, 88% of purchases at the market directly benefited children. Seniors benefit as well.
“A lot of these senior apartment buildings are in food deserts,” said Rick Lewandowski, the senior services director for Hunger Task Force. “We know it’s hard for seniors to get to grocery stores, so they have to pay someone to get there, and they’re already on a limited budget.”
The market does not carry any processed or canned foods. Tussler said this incentivizes people to eat healthy when oftentimes they can’t afford to do so.
“They use their limited FoodShare resources to go on board (the mobile market) and get all the fresh foods that create meals rather than stuff to eat,” Tussler said.
Johnson said the strategy works, helping customers with high blood pressure and diabetes make healthier choices.
“They’ve got good quality stuff,” Johnson said. “And, you know, this is much easier for me, so I won’t have to go to the store because they come to me. Yeah, Piggly Wiggly comes to me.”
Cornelius Sawyer, the president of Highland Garden, said in addition to the mobile market, residents over 60 can pick up a “Stockbox,” filled with healthy foods including rice, pasta and vegetables that the Hunger Task Force delivers to low-income seniors for free.
Between the Stockboxes and the other items available at the mobile market, 68-year-old shopper Lois Brown said the services are “a blessing all the way around” for residents of Highland Garden Apartments, especially those who are homebound.
“I mostly come out every month,” Brown said. “Rain, winter, shine or snow.”
But bringing groceries to shoppers comes at a steep cost.
Non-profit mobile markets require outside funding from sponsors or grants — which can be short lived, impacting the sustainability of operations. Food is also frequently sold at reduced prices, ultimately hurting the mobile markets’ bottom line, according to Zepeda’s 2016 study. And even when food is sold at retail price, that often does not cover the expenses, Zepeda said.
“Overall, if I had to put a pen and paper to it, it pretty much breaks even, if not even a little negative,” said Ralph Malicki, owner of Malicki’s Piggly Wiggly in Racine, which partners with the Hunger Task Force to run the mobile market.
Zepeda estimates the vehicle alone costs roughly $150,000. Even a cheaper used vehicle often requires modifications ranging from $50,000 to $75,000, she said. The Hunger Task Force also has to hire a Class A semi-truck driver to operate the vehicle, which adds quite heavily to the cost, according to Lewandowski.
“(Mobile markets) have their place, but they serve not a lot of people,” Zepeda said. “If you’re trying to solve hunger, mobile markets are not the answer. They are a solution, but they’re not the solution.”
Malicki knows that from first-hand experience. The mobile market he operated in the Kenosha and Racine areas failed because, “We couldn’t get enough traffic to the trailers. We couldn’t get enough consumer support to make it work.”
A few valuable lessons have come out of the Hunger Task Force’s mobile market. According to a Milwaukee Fresh Food Access report, data gathered from the mobile markets could be used to determine potential locations for grocery stores. For example, Tussler said when the mobile market was stationed for two weeks outside St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee, it showed there were not enough customers to support a grocery store in that food desert.
Tussler said the Hunger Task Force is working with small brick-and-mortar chains to offer the same 50% deals provided at the mobile markets to incentivize produce purchases. So far, the nonprofit has partnered with the Chequamegon Food Co-Op in Ashland and the Outpost Natural Food Cooperative in Milwaukee to offer the half-off produce discounts.
Malicki and Tussler say they are committed to continuing the mobile markets in Milwaukee, which have been going strong for five years. And relaunching a trailer in Kenosha and Racine isn’t out of the picture, Malicki said.
“If we can make this successful here, it might be a model nationwide that could be utilized in different food deserts in various areas where there’s not a lot of appetite to build up a brick-and-mortar location,” Malicki said. “To be part of something like that is incredible. If we can set the pace where it can be duplicated in other areas of the country, that’d be great.”
While mobile markets are not a perfect or permanent fix for food deserts, Johnson has no complaints — and two suggestions. She would like to see a wider variety of foods, and “We just wish they’d come twice a month.”
Reporter Erin Gretzinger contributed to this report. The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch collaborates with WPR, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

created: September 25, 2022

author: Lauryn Azu / Wisconsin Watch


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031622_Mobile_Market_08.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
September 22, 2022

author: Dwayne Burtin


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Dwayne Burtin
September 22, 2022


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Dwayne Burtin
September 22, 2022


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Dwayne Burtin
September 22, 2022


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Dwayne Burtin
September 22, 2022


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Sept. 26 to Sept. 30 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
September 26, 2022
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.
The Dominican Center and Amani United will host a resource fair full of information connected to the Amani neighborhood – and there will be free food. The event takes place from noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27 across from the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, at the intersection of North 26th and West Center Streets.
Dr. Lia A. Knox, Corey Fells and Darius Smith organize this free, recurring group therapeutic experience. This week is for Black and Brown men, but there are other recurring sessions for Black and Brown women and the Black and Brown LGBTQ+ community. This week’s session is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 at the Milwaukee Art Museum, located at 700 N. Art Museum Drive.  In case you missed it: Trauma in your past? It affects who you are and how you react today
Enjoy live music from Milwaukee singer-songwriter Trapper Schoepp in the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd., from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29. The event is for those 21 years and older. Tickets are $25 for Friends of The Domes members; and $30 for the public. Admission includes two drink tickets.
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The Milwaukee County Youth Commission consists of 20 members, ages 14 to 18, who make recommendations about policy and budget to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. The commission is looking to fill all 20 spots and is accepting applications until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30. In case you missed it: Looking to lead? Here are ways Milwaukee youths can serve their community
The public is invited to stop by for a coffee, breakfast pizza by Palermo’s and to recycle electronics such as cords, printers and batteries. Coffee and pizza will be available from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., while electronic waste will be collected from 7 a.m. to noon on Friday, Sept. 30 at Stamm Technologies, located at 1207 W. Canal St.
Hispanic Heritage Month began on Sept. 15 and continues through Oct. 15. More information on events celebrating Latinx culture can be found here.
Residents are invited to attend a public town hall meeting focused on the 2023 city budget from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 in the gymnasium of Siloah Lutheran School, 3730 N. 21st St.
Nik Kovac, budget and management director of the Department of Administration, will provide an update on the mayor’s proposed 2023 city budget.
In addition, officials from the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corp., Department of Neighborhood Services, Department of Public Works, Department of City Development and the Milwaukee Police Department will be on hand to address questions and concerns from residents. Ald. Milele A. Coggs is the host of the event.
County Supervisor Felesia A. Martin will host a community town hall from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Monday, Sept.  26 at McGovern Park Senior Center, 4500 W. Custer Ave.
County Supervisor Shawn Rolland, co-chair of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Task Force, will share information on the work of the task force and explain how residents can submit project proposals.
The event also will feature representatives from the Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance; Milwaukee County Parks Department; and Department of Health and Human Services.

created: September 26, 2022


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Ron Smith
September 24, 2022


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Bureaucracy is a barrier as Wisconsin cities try to curb deadly driving on urban highways | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jonah Chester / Wisconsin Watch
September 26, 2022
Tristain Thomas remembers seeing plenty of reckless driving while living along Milwaukee’s West Fond du Lac Avenue during his childhood. A police officer would park blocks from Thomas’ home and catch drivers barreling down the four-lane state highway.
“He would sit there for eight to 10 hours every day, pulling people over constantly, because they’re just flying down the street with no regard for anyone else,” Thomas, 40, recalled.
Thomas now lives in Appleton, Wisconsin, but the reckless driving hasn’t stopped along West Fond du Lac Avenue, which doubles as State Highway 145 as it runs through Milwaukee. Thomas may have lost his sister because of it.
On the morning of March 12, Dwynetta Thomas, of Sheboygan, was driving down the urban highway and tried to turn left onto Congress Street — roughly a mile from her and Tristain’s childhood home. That’s when a silver Volvo slammed into Dwynetta’s red Chevrolet Cobalt, killing her. Speed appeared to be a factor, according to the crash report, and the Volvo’s driver, who suffered minor injuries, was charged with driving with a revoked license and causing a death.
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“She did so much for so many people,” Tristain said of his 43-year-old sister. “The day she was killed she was actually dropping someone off at a store. So I think it’s apropos that she was out helping someone and then that happened. She was definitely loved.”
At least 397 people have died on Wisconsin’s roads and highways in 2022 as of Sept. 11, according to preliminary data from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). That’s more than the 388 fatalities logged at that point in 2021, which was the deadliest year on Wisconsin’s roads since 2017.
Reckless driving disproportionately affects Black residents in the deeply segregated state — particularly in Milwaukee.
Although much of Tristain’s family has left Milwaukee, they continue to discuss how to make Fond du Lac Avenue safer. Aside from wanting stiffer penalties for reckless drivers — which is part of Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s road safety initiatives — Tristain wonders why the highway  hasn’t been redesigned to prioritize safety.
“I know they have design changes downtown … where they’re going to make it more bicycle-friendly and pedestrian-friendly,” he said. “And I’m like: ‘Cool, great. Do the same thing for Fond du Lac. Do the same thing for Capitol, where it’s actually needed.’ ” Capitol Drive is another state highway cutting through the city’s northwest side.
As traffic deaths mount in Wisconsin, officials in Milwaukee, Madison and other cities are having similar discussions. Cities are taking multi-pronged approaches to making roads safer for the motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists who share them. That includes lowering speed limits, tightening enforcement and reengineering roads.
But their options are limited on what WisDOT calls “connecting highways” like Fond du Lac Avenue and Capitol Drive —  state highways that run through towns and cities that can be particularly dangerous.
On state highways, WisDOT gets the final say on any plans to narrow lanes, add concrete bump-outs to protect pedestrians or add other traffic-calming infrastructure. But WisDOT largely prioritizes smoothly flowing traffic for drivers. That focus complicates efforts to bolster safety in the neighborhoods that drivers speed through, according to city officials and grassroots advocates.
Fond du Lac Avenue runs northwest from downtown Milwaukee. Capitol Drive, part of State Highway 190, runs east-west and intersects with Fond du Lac Avenue.
At least 42 people, including Dwynetta Thomas, died in traffic collisions along the two Milwaukee highway stretches from January 2017 to July 2022, according to a WPR/Wisconsin Watch analysis of preliminary police crash reports compiled by WisDOT and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
That’s about 11% of the city of Milwaukee’s 381 total traffic fatalities during that period. The analysis did not include more recent crashes on Fond du Lac Avenue that killed a 71-year-old driver and a 36-year-old pedestrian, according to media reports.
In 2017, 18 of Milwaukee’s 25 most crash-prone intersections (72%) sat on or near connecting highways. Of those top 25 high-crash intersections, 16 were on or near Fond du Lac Avenue or Capitol Drive, according to a report by the city Department of Public Works and Police Department.
Jordan Morales, vice president of the Sherman Park Community Association, has become one of Milwaukee’s loudest proponents of safer streets out of concern for his five children. He says state bureaucracy has stymied solutions along Capitol Drive and Fond du Lac Avenue, which he calls Milwaukee’s most dangerous corridors.
Getting state funds or permission to calm traffic on the corridor is difficult, Morales says. “That is definitely a huge challenge that we have with reducing fatal car crashes in the city.”
A mismatch between WisDOT’s car-centric priorities and the diverse transportation needs of residents in cities persists statewide, says Gregg May, transportation policy director for the transportation and environmental advocacy group 1000 Friends of Wisconsin.
“It’s one of the big challenges we face as biking, walking and transit advocates,” May says. “The DOT has their own set of priorities, which can run counter to the adjacent communities to which these urban highways run. It’s an incredible challenge, trying to get them to think differently about implementing more walking, biking and safety options.”
Stephen Flottmeyer is the planning chief for WisDOT’s southwestern region. He says the agency considers the needs of all road users when weighing new projects, and it often follows the lead of local transportation agencies.
He says the department recognizes the “competing needs” between road users along connecting highways. But he acknowledges WisDOT typically approaches rural and urban highways with the same set of goals, including traffic flow.
Johnson represented parts of Milwaukee’s northwest side on the city’s Common Council before being sworn in as mayor in December 2021. He says “traffic and unsafe driving conditions” on Capitol Drive kept constituents south of the highway from crossing over to shop at the Midtown Center Pick ‘n Save — effectively limiting grocery options.
One of Johnson’s first acts as mayor included declaring reckless driving a public safety crisis and releasing a plan that includes redesigning roads, increasing enforcement and penalties and towing unregistered vehicles linked to reckless driving. This summer, the city began an initiative to sue repeat reckless driving offenders.
But some of those plans depend upon collaboration with WisDOT, Johnson says. He adds that the state agency has supported the anti-reckless driving push and is allowing the city to add concrete bumps outs —  curb extensions into parking lanes to narrow pedestrian crossings  — along connecting highways. The bump-outs also prevent drivers from veering into parking lanes to pass cars on the right — a dangerous maneuver that some call the “Milwaukee Slide.”
WisDOT also permitted the city to build concrete “refuge islands” to help pedestrians safely cross one short stretch of Fond du Lac Avenue.
“We’ve got to work to make sure the environment is safe for all users of the roadways, especially folks in their own neighborhoods who are simply trying to go to the store, drop their kids off at school or get their prescription drugs,” Johnson told WPR and Wisconsin Watch.
Jerrel Kruschke, Milwaukee’s interim commissioner of public works, says the city-state collaboration has been “going in the right direction over the past few years” with WisDOT “starting to understand the needs that we have in the city.”
Still, strict WisDOT guidelines have blocked more ambitious city efforts to slow down traffic by narrowing or eliminating some lanes on connecting highways, Kruschke says.
WisDOT’s approach works more smoothly in rural communities where motorists alone use the road, says Chris McCahill, managing director of the State Smart Transportation Initiative, a project of the UW-Madison and Smart Growth America that connects state transportation departments. Urban highways are trickier as bicyclists and pedestrians share space with drivers trying to get across town quickly.
“Traditionally, they’re (WisDOT) highway builders, and they’re good at that. Then you have folks coming from a city perspective, or a town perspective, whose interests are often the complete opposite of that,” says McCahill, who is also a member of Madison’s Transportation Policy and Planning Board.
In Madison, WisDOT approved lower speed limits in 2020 along East Washington Avenue, a portion of State Highway 151 that cuts through the isthmus and is popular for drag racers.
From January 2017 to July 2022, seven of Madison’s 61 traffic fatalities (11%) occurred on the connecting highway portion of East Washington, and 18 deaths (nearly 30%) occurred across all connecting highways in the city. In 2020, nine of Madison’s 25 highest-crash intersections (36%) sat on or near a connecting highway, according to a report by the city’s Traffic Engineering Division.
WisDOT’s lane restrictions require Madison to compromise as it prepares to launch its  east-west Bus Rapid Transit line along the state highway. The state will allow for designated bus lanes, but only if general traffic can use them during rush hour to reduce congestion, says Tom Lynch, Madison’s transportation director.
“We probably would have preferred to have kept the bus lanes during the rush hour,” Lynch says. “But this is one of the compromises we made so that we could use East Washington for Bus Rapid Transit.”
City leaders have pitched the rapid transit line as a major tool to combat traffic congestion in fast-growing Madison.
Any significant shift from cars to bus traffic could limit road fatalities. In 2020, the national death rate per 100 million passenger miles was 28 times higher for car occupants than bus riders, according to data compiled by the National Safety Council, a nonprofit advocacy group.
Meanwhile, Tristain Thomas’ family continues to grieve Dwynetta’s death.
“It’s still incredibly hard to believe she isn’t here,” he says. “We’ll have a messenger call where everybody’s got their video cameras on, and we’re looking at each other, and you’re waiting for her to come one and it’s like, ‘Oh, she’s not. She’s not coming on anymore.’ ”
Dwynetta is survived by her adult son and daughter and four siblings, including Tristain.
“It’s a gigantic loss for our family. It’s a gigantic loss for the community she served,” Tristain says. “And we just have to make sure nobody else’s bright light gets snuffed out.”
The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with WPR, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

author: Jonah Chester / Wisconsin Watch


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Connecting Highways | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
September 25, 2022


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MKE-fatalities-2 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
September 25, 2022


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Tristain Thomas | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
September 25, 2022


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Monkeypox testing and vaccination efforts ramp up in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
September 27, 2022
The Milwaukee Health Department and local organizations are ramping up efforts to encourage individuals who may have come into contact with monkeypox to get tested.
“If you know you’ve been exposed and if you have any symptoms, get tested immediately,” said Kirsten Johnson, Milwaukee Health Commissioner.
Those symptoms include fever, headache or other flu-like symptoms or lesions or a rash that become blisters, she said. As of Sept. 6, the city has had 25 confirmed cases of monkeypox.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released information on Sept. 12 warning that TPOXX, the antiviral medication currently being used to treat monkeypox, may lose its effectiveness as the virus mutates.
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In response, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the medication should only be used on those with severe symptoms.
The Milwaukee Health Department currently offers the vaccine to those 18 and older who live or work in Wisconsin and meet one of the following criteria:
So far, the Health Department has administered more than 1,200 doses, Johnson said. The vaccine is being offered without appointment at only the Menomonee Valley Drive-Thru Clinic, 2401 W. St. Paul Ave.
The city hopes to also offer the vaccine at two additional clinics soon, Johnson said.
The Milwaukee VA Medical Center recently announced that it has a limited supply of the monkeypox vaccine and is offering it to at-risk veterans.
Johnson said those who are apprehensive of getting the vaccine, shouldn’t be.
“It has been around for a while, it’s safe and can prevent you from getting monkeypox,” Johnson said.
In addition to vaccination efforts, Johnson said the city has also been working with local partners, including those who work with the LGBTQ community, which is most at risk for monkeypox, to increase testing.
Ruthie Weatherly, clinic operations manager for Brady East STD Clinic, or BESTD, said her organization offers monkeypox testing and has hosted on-site vaccination events. It has also received many questions about the virus.
“People are wondering how they can get it or how they can prevent monkeypox from their sex partners,” Weatherly said.
She said that although monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease, or STD, it is spread through close intimate contact, which can include sex.
She recommends that individuals look out for any signs of monkeypox, both on themselves and their partners, and take other safety measures.
“Take whatever precautions you are comfortable taking for prevention and if you have questions call us,” Weatherly said.
Click here for more information about monkeypox and where you can get tested.

created: September 27, 2022


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Ron Smith
September 26, 2022


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Post From Community: Council votes to make Juneteenth an official city holiday | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Common Council today (September 20, 2022) approved an ordinance making Juneteenth Day an official city holiday.
The legislation – Council file #220475 – was authored by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs.
“Juneteenth Day (June 19) holds a special significance for so many people — it is a federal holiday and a few years ago Milwaukee County passed legislation recognizing Juneteenth Day as an official holiday and it is time now for this important day to be recognized officially at the city level,” Alderwoman Coggs said.
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“Juneteenth Day represents a significant moment in history for many in this country. I want to thank my colleagues for their overwhelming support of this file and recognition of the importance of Juneteenth Day,” she said.
Milwaukee’s participation in the annual Juneteenth Day Celebration, a national event commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, is one of the nation’s oldest (more than 50 years) and is Milwaukee’s longest-running cultural festival.
“With the passing of this legislation, the city will celebrate a significant moment in history for many thousands of our fellow citizens and neighbors, and having city workers be able to fully celebrate the day as a holiday is tremendously positive,” Alderwoman Coggs said.
The Finance and Personnel Committee recommended the file for approval at its September 14 meeting.
Several cities throughout the U.S. have also recognized Juneteenth as an official city holiday, and that list includes New York, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
File #220475 is co-sponsored by Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, Alderman José G. Pérez, Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa, and Alderman Michael J. Murphy.

created: September 28, 2022

author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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Free. Kids Story Hike – Valley Week | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
David Snell
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Saturday, October 1, 202210:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.Menomonee Valley
(For families) Enjoy a morning hike for kids in the Menomonee Valley Community Park and Three Bridges Park. Three expert storytellers will be stationed along the route ready to engage young minds with stories that relate to the fascinating history of this place.
Stop 1: Urban Ecology Center – Pick up your nature journal* and Story Hike map. Get a stamp at each story stop!
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Stop 2: Valley Passage – Native American story
Stop 3: People of the Road Sculpture – Milwaukee Railroad story
Stop 4: Killdeer Hill – Nature story
A new Story Hike will begin every 20 minutes at 10:00 a.m., 10:20 a.m., and 10:40 a.m. The route is 1 mile and will take about an hour to complete.
All kids are welcome, but stories are geared toward kids under 10 years old. Adult caregivers will surely enjoy the stories and learning about these places as well!
*Nature journals will be handed out while supplies last
This program is offered in collaboration with the Urban Ecology Center – Menomonee Valley branch.
This event is free, but we ask you to RSVP so we have an estimate of how many people will attend.
For any additional questions about this program, please contact Menomonee Valley Branch Manager, Angélica Sánchez Mora, at asanchez@urbanecologycenter.org.
Registration is required for this event.
Website: https://30781a.blackbaudhosting.com/30781a/Kids-Story-Hike—Valley-Week


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September 22, 2022


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Post From Community: Milwaukee Health Department Hosts Fall Meetings to Gather Input from Community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Health Department
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Milwaukee Health Department is seeking feedback from the Milwaukee community to help choose priorities for the 2023-2028 MKE Elevate Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). Join MKE Elevate at one of four upcoming community meetings:
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The meetings are open to anyone who lives, works, or plays in Milwaukee. Each meeting will include a brief informational presentation, a photo display from the recent Photovoice contest, and small group discussions to prioritize top health issues. Participants will gain a better understanding of community health data, help set the agenda for community health improvement in Milwaukee, and learn how to stay engaged by joining a steering committee or action team. The meetings are free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided. Interested participants can register at Milwaukee.gov/MKEelevate.
“The Milwaukee Health Department is committed to crafting a Community Health Improvement Plan that directly acknowledges and impacts the issues most important to our residents,” said Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson. “To accomplish this, we need to hear from you. Make your voice heard at one of these fall meetings so we can be sure to achieve our vision of safe and healthy neighborhoods in Milwaukee.”
MKE Elevate was launched in 2016 as a comprehensive, community-driven process to develop a roadmap to identify, address, and resolve the health disparities in Milwaukee. The initial CHIP was published in October 2017 and implemented between 2017 and 2021. The upcoming fall meetings are part of the redevelopment of the CHIP for the next five years.
For more information, email mkeelevate@milwaukee.gov or visit Milwaukee.gov/MKEelevate.

author: Milwaukee Health Department


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NNS Spotlight: ‘Keeping the best interest of the community at heart’: Near West Side Partners celebrates 7 years of service | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
September 28, 2022
From better traffic control to economic development, the nonprofit Near West Side Partners is celebrating efforts to revitalize and sustain its community for the last seven years.
According to residents and stakeholders, the work is paying off.
Tiffany Miller has been a Near West Side resident for more than seven years and said the investments made have improved the quality of life in the area.
For example, Miller said she’s seen a series of new speed bumps in her neighborhood as well as nuisance businesses being moved or closed and replaced with new ones.
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The Near West Side is bound by I-43 on the east, Highway 41 on the west, Vliet Street and Highland Boulevard to the north and I-94 on the south.
Near West Side Partners participates in a monthly meeting that allows property owners, community members and business owners to come together with the Department of Neighborhood Services and the Milwaukee Police Department to discuss neighborhood issues and happenings.
“We try to keep it non-adversarial by keeping the best interest of the community at heart and mind when having these discussions,” said Bobby McQuay, the safety and outreach manager for Near West Side Partners. “We want this to be a safe area for our community to live, work and play.”
Patrick Kennelly, the director of Marquette University’s Center for Peacemaking, an academic research center, said he feels safety has improved through the Near West Side Partners’ PARC initiative.
PARC stands for Promoting Assets and Reducing Crime.
“More people are working together to keep the area safe,” he said. “The social connection really seems to have helped.”
According to PARC’s web page, violent crimes on the Near West Side decreased by 24% from 2014 to 2019.
Near West Side Partners celebrated its second annual Near West Side Week the week of Sept. 11 to highlight  the community’s successes.
Keith Stanley, the executive director of Near West Side Partners, said you can see, taste and feel the difference in the neighborhood.
“The Near West Side is a thriving community brimming with history and diversity,” he said. “Near West Side Week is a great opportunity to share all the wonderful qualities this neighborhood possesses with the rest of Milwaukee and celebrate why the Near West Side is a great place to live, work and play.”
The week included a ribbon cutting for one of the newest developments in the area: the New State, a music park at 2612 W State St., and a series of tours and scavenger hunts for community members.
One of the week’s highlights was the Rev-Up MKE annual competition, which provides a boost start-up entrepreneurs. This year’s winner, Vertical Essence Dance Company, took home $10,000.
Stanley said the Near West Side has a long history of entrepreneurship dating back to the 1850s, and Near West Side Partners has worked to continue the tradition since its inception in 2015.
According to Kennelly, almost 40 new businesses have opened on the Near West Side since 2016. Some include Daddy’s Soul Food & Grille, which Stanley pointed to as a thriving business in the community, Pete’s Pops and Lisa Kaye Catering.
“I want people to be proud of this community because there is a lot to be proud of,” Stanley said.
Stanley said he is even more excited for the things to come, particularly Concordia 27, a project turning a vacant property on 27th Street into a community center and affordable housing development.
The project will create full-time jobs, provide new creative spaces for community engagement and support entrepreneurs and small businesses.
To keep up with what’s happening on the Near West Side, you can follow Near West Side Partners on Facebook or check out its website.

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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Ron Smith
September 27, 2022


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Ron Smith
September 27, 2022


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Post From Community: Carroll University’s top-rated nursing program offers new associate degree in nursing to help address the nursing shortage in Wisconsin’s urban communities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Carroll University
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Wisconsin is suffering from a large nursing shortage that was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for nurses is so great that nursing programs across the country are finding it challenging to recruit students to address the shortage.
Carroll University’s Nursing Program, ranked number one in the state of Wisconsin, and new Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is designed to support students, accelerate their career, and increase workforce diversity in the healthcare industry. Classes are held in the Carroll nursing center at the United Community Center (UCC) in Milwaukee.
The programs aim to ease the nursing shortage in the state of Wisconsin by offering students hands-on learning with culturally competent care in urban communities where the nursing shortage is critical. In addition, the university has built a reputation for providing a supportive environment that fosters close working relationships with faculty members and peers.
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“The focus on diversity is critical to patient care outcomes,” said Teri Kaul, Chair of the Department of Nursing. “Our dedicated faculty put a lot of time and investment into our students. That all goes into their success, not only on the NCLEX exam, but certainly as a nurse. And that’s really what’s most important – we’re graduating skilled, competent nurses.”
In a recent survey conducted by Morning Consult, nearly one in five health care workers has quit their job since the pandemic began. Registered nurses could be short by nearly 23,000 professionals by 2040, according to a report from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
The new associate degree program is part of a Carroll University pipeline created for students who have been traditionally underrepresented in the nursing profession. Carroll’s nursing center includes a modern, fully equipped nursing lab with high-tech patient simulators that help students safely learn procedures before performing them on real patients.
After completing the two-year program, students will be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN), which is required to begin full-time employment as a registered nurse. The university has a 96.3% pass rate for the NCLEX exam to become a registered nurse, which is the highest in the state. The Carroll ADN curriculum is designed so students can continue to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in the future.
“During my clinical, I found it challenging to think like a nurse while writing care plans. The nursing program has really helped me see different cultures, opportunities, and ways to grow. I truly can see from other perspectives and enjoy being able to have influential conversations with others,” said Wilhelmina Zastrow, a current student in the nursing program.
For more information about the program, or to explore admission requirements, please visit, https://www.carrollu.edu/academics/health-sciences/adn-nursing and www.carrollu.edu/nursing.
Carroll University was incorporated in 1846, making it Wisconsin’s first four-year institution of higher learning. Situated in Waukesha, the independent, co-educational comprehensive university is grounded in the liberal arts tradition, and offers more than 95 areas of study, multiple graduate programs and a clinical doctorate in physical therapy. For more information, visit www.carrollu.edu

author: Carroll University


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DSC_1937.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 22, 2022


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Post From Community: gener8tor Art Announces 2022 Artists | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Maureen Ragalie
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Global venture firm and startup accelerator, gener8tor, announces the six visual artists selected for its 2022 gener8tor Art Fellowship. The talented recipients of this year’s accelerator include SPOOKY BOOBS (Madison, Wis.); Israel Campos (Los Angeles, Calif.); Marlos E’van (Nashville, Tenn.); Kate Klingbeil (Milwaukee, Wis.); Shanna Merola (Detroit, Mich.); and Moody Zine (Milwaukee, Wis.). Full artists profiles are provided below along with a press packet providing details about each of the artists and their work.
In partnership with the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, each artist receives a $15,000 grant and participates in the gener8tor Art 12-week accelerator program. With a focus on supporting artists who have a social activism component to their art practice, including themes of social justice, activism, creative placemaking and community development, the program provides artists the support and mentorship to maintain a sustainable practice and navigate the industry.
“We believe artists are inherently storytellers that help amplify the voices of individuals and communities,” said Nyra Jordan, social impact investment director at the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact. “This is why we support the programming of gener8tor Art. Congratulations to these six finalists.”
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gener8tor expanded this year’s program from four to six artists, welcoming three artists beyond Wisconsin and folding in a new element of artists’ perspectives, cultures and experiences from across different parts of the country. Throughout the program, artists meet with gener8tor mentors and industry experts through hybrid engagements both virtually and in person. At the end of the program, the fellowship along with mentors, sponsors and the gener8tor team will convene on November 11 at Var Gallery in Milwaukee for a celebratory showcase in honor of the artists – the first in-person gener8tor Art event since 2018.
“I’m excited to work with and support such a talented group of artists,” said Maureen Ragalie, director of gener8tor Art. “By focusing on creating a sustainable business structure for their creative practices, these artists are in a better place financially and creatively to share their art work with the rest of the world.”
The artists were selected from a pool of more than 200 applicants after multiple rounds of application reviews and virtual studio visits. They were chosen based on a jury’s gauge of the artist’s talent, the compelling nature of their bodies of work, their strong career goals, their ability to be significantly impacted by the program and the social impact of their work.
Representing a cross section of art industry professionals, including curators, gallerists, artists and academics, gener8tor Art’s 2022 jurors included Daniela Holban, co-founder and curator at Artfare (New York, N.Y.); Laura Zorch McDermot, executive director at Laramie Public Art Coalition (Laramie, Wyo.); Andrew Rafacz, director, Andrew Rafacz Gallery (Chicago, Ill.); Mark Rospenda, curator, South Bend Museum of Art (South Bend, Ind.); and Carolina Wheat, director, Elijah Wheat Showroom (Newburgh, N.Y.).
Graduates of the gener8tor Art Accelerator have continued to excel in their work, expanding their impact and scaling their businesses. Many alumni from the program see at least a 20 percent increase in income from their art practice over a two year period. Alumni also experience an increase in the number of exhibitions that they participate in, such as Phoenix Brown, 2021 gener8tor Art alum. Since completing the accelerator, Phoenix has been invited to exhibit her work at The Wright Museum of Art, The Green Gallery, The Trout Museum of Art and The Blue Room Gallery.
Learn more about the 2022 gener8tor Art Accelerator artists below. For additional information about the program, visit gener8tor Art or follow the program updates on Instagram at @gener8torart.
SPOOKY BOOBS visualizes the trivialization of women’s experiences through installations, performances, printed material and designed objects. Their work examines the power of misogynistic language and critiques the patriarchal systems that perpetuate disrespect toward women.
Israel Campos is an interdisciplinary artist who explores the rich and diverse tapestry of cultures, lifestyles and narratives found in the “City of Angels” through paintings, prints, photography and artist books. The contradictions woven into the city are explored through the lens of an Angelino who was raised and lives in a neighborhood that is heavily industrial and predominantly working class.
Marlos E’van’s work is a statement of the harsh, often self-contradictory ideologies on which
America is built. By using found materials, obsessive mark making, text and hyperbole, he explores how dystopian landscapes speak to long-standing American social problems.
Kate Klingbeil’s work explores the intrinsic and evolving relationship between humans and nature by presenting an emotional realm overlapping and mirroring the natural world. Made up of many small parts that form an anthropomorphic ecosystem, the paintings consist of thick acrylic paint, lake rocks, ceramic shards, sticks and sand, and other materials.
Shanna Merola is a visual artist, photojournalist and legal worker. Her sculptural photo collages are informed by the stories of environmental justice struggles past and present. Traveling to EPA designated Superfund sites, she has documented the slow violence of deregulation – from her own neighborhood on the Eastside of Detroit to Chicago’s Altgeld Gardens and Love Canal, N.Y.
Moody Zine is a bi-monthly handmade zine publication made up of artist contributions with an emphasis on queer and BIPOC creatives. Featured artists share not only images of work, but stories, poems, notes on their creative process, QR codes to online content, and whatever else has been on their minds. Off of the page, Moody spotlights its contributors and collaborates with local organizations via pop-up sales, art festivals and curatorial projects. Whether in print or in person, Moody aims to connect creative peers, amplify diverse voices and put money into the pockets of artists.
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, founders, workers, employers, artists and musicians across race, place and gender. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities and nonprofits to operate programs in more than 41 communities across 22 states and two countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022.
gener8tor Art is a 12-week accelerator program for visual artists. gener8tor Art helps artists achieve greater success by providing the support and mentorship needed to maintain a sustainable practice and navigate the industry.
American Family Insurance for Corporate and Social Impact is a venture capital firm and partner of choice for exceptional entrepreneurs who are building scalable, sustainable businesses in a long-term effort to close equity gaps in America. The Institute invests in companies working to provide economic opportunity for all, to build resilient communities, to create healthy youth development and to increase learning and academic achievement. It is based in Madison, Wisconsin and can be found on social media @AmFamInstitute or on the institute’s website.

author: Maureen Ragalie


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September 27, 2022


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Post From Community: Maruf Center: Because of You Donor’s Dinner | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
MA'RUF Youth Center
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Please join us, Saturday, October 1st. Inviting all donors and sponsors.
Food, awards, gift bags, raffle, and more. RSVP today.
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author: MA'RUF Youth Center


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unnamed-2.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 28, 2022


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Post From Community: MCW to host panel discussion on healthcare breakthroughs as part of MKE Tech Week | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Mark Curran
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee Tech Week, a weeklong celebration of technology in southeast Wisconsin, runs Oct. 3-7 throughout the community. As part of the event, MCW will host a panel discussion on Oct. 5 titled, “Healthcare Breakthroughs from the Intersection of Tech and Biotech: Three perspectives from the Medical College of Wisconsin Startups.” The panel discussion will take place in the Dunn Conference Room from 9-10 a.m.
Joseph E. Kerschner, MD Provost, Executive Vice President and The Julia A. Uihlein, MA, Dean of the School of Medicine, will serve as moderator. Christina L. Runge, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Professor of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Chief of Communication Sciences and Director of the Koss Cochlear Implant Program, will serve as one of the panelists.
As part of the discussion, startup founders will discuss three MCW (bio)technologies that have the potential to improve health and healthcare for millions. Specific areas of impact include enhanced ophthalmology data management, medical imaging software, and personal sound amplification devices.
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author: Mark Curran


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Reach Wisconsin awards $5,000 to Sweet Abilities to support employment for individuals with special needs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Kathryn Whitlock
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Real Estate Alliance for Charity (REACH) today announced Sweet Abilities as the recipient of a $5,000 High Impact Grant. The local small business will utilize the grant for much-needed ice cream truck repairs to provide a safer and more comfortable work environment for its employees with special needs.
Kristen Corrie, a local special education teacher, created Sweet Abilities in 2020 in response to the significant gap in employment options for people with special needs. The organization helps provide meaningful, community-based job opportunities for these individuals. Approximately eight employees work part time for the business, which brings its food truck to local businesses and private events to serve delicious Wisconsin-made treats such as Purple Door Ice Cream, Carries Crispies and Pete’s Pops.
“It means so much to me and my incredible crew that we have received this grant, which will help us make upgrades to the ice cream truck,” said Kristen Corrie, Sweet Abilities owner. “Access to a safe, accommodating vehicle allows my crew to thrive and will help Sweet Abilities continue to make an impact on the lives of these deserving individuals.”
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The repairs will include updating the gas gauge and speedometer as well as installing air conditioning. REACH Wisconsin’s High Impact Grant program is a small grant program designed for quick-response, one-time needs and opportunities. Grants of up to $5,000 are awarded for eligible projects and activities, and applications are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis. REACH Wisconsin’s funds are raised through both annual sponsorships within the commercial real estate industry as well as through its four signature events, including a recent bags tournament on September 14 that raised over $12,000 for future grants.
“Sweet Abilities provides an incredible service in our community,” said Josh Neudorfer, REACH Board Member. “We are thrilled to be part of their success, helping them achieve their mission and change the lives of individuals with special needs along the way.”
Sweet Abilities is a mission-based business run by Kristen Corrie, a Special Education teacher of 12 years. The organization provides fulfilling and accommodating work opportunities for individuals with special needs so that all abilities can shine. The crew serves Wisconsin-made treats such as Purple Door Ice Cream, Carries Crispies, Pete’s Pops and more at private events and outside of local businesses. Catering events include birthday parties, weddings, corporate and back to school events as well as a routine summer schedule at LD’s BBQ, End of the Leash and Green Meadows Petting Farm.
REACH is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves as the primary charitable organization for the commercial real estate community in SE Wisconsin. Since 1998, REACH has donated more than $825,000 to various Milwaukee organizations that focus on making our community a healthier, more vital place to live. Visit www.reach-wi.org for more information.

author: Kathryn Whitlock


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Post From Community: Save the date: City of Milwaukee information session | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Nelson Frederick
September 28, 2022
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Thursday, September 29
3-6 p.m.
2342 N. 27th Street
Want to know what it’s like to work for the city? Get answers directly from department representatives and learn about our open positions. Apply on site; assistance available.
Departments hiring:
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RSVP’s preferred (walk-ins welcome).
Questions? Frederick.Nelson@employmilwaukee.org, 414-335-5208.

author: Nelson Frederick


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Low-income residents can get free legal support to fight debt collections in small claims court | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
September 29, 2022
Low-income residents will now be able to get free legal support to fight cases filed against them in small claims court by third-party debt collectors or debt buyers thanks to a grant awarded to Legal Action of Wisconsin.
The goal of Legal Action’s Lawyer-For-A-Day program is to help consumers by reducing judgments against debtors who lack representation.
The Legal Services Corporation, or LSC, announced the $368,277 Pro Bono Innovation Fund grant on Aug. 17.
Legal Action is working to develop this project in the Milwaukee County Civil Court, where it also has a Lawyer-For-A-Day project that addresses evictions.
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Smalls claims courts typically deal with disputes below $5,000 for individuals suing but more for corporations.
J.J. Moore, the director of pro bono for Legal Action, said no firm date has been set on when the new program will begin. Officials hope to start accepting people into the program as soon as possible.
“We just want to provide a voice for our consumers,” Moore said. “It can overwhelm consumers when they find out they need to go to court. We just want to even the playing field.”
Legal Action is one of 15 legal aid organizations receiving a grant. In total, the LSC has awarded $4.75 million to support the growth of pro bono legal services for low-income Americans.
A report recently released by the LSC found that 74% of low-income households faced at least one civil legal challenge last year.
“Alarmingly, low-income Americans received no or insufficient legal help for 92% of their substantial civil legal problems,” LSC officials said in a statement announcing the grant.
You can follow Legal Action on Facebook or check out its website for updates on the program.

created: September 29, 2022


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27190972933_4f270e2c9f_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
September 28, 2022


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Sept. 30 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
September 30, 2022
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.
Items from local Latina vendors, including Ms. Yesenia’s Creative Studio and Ellas Café, will be for sale in the last outdoor market of the season. The market runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 at 3000 W. Forest Home Ave.
VIA CDC, formerly known as Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, is hosting a housing resource fair with information and resources for homeowners and tenants. The fair runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at 3300 W. Burnham St.
Muskego Way Forward will be hosting a pop-up market featuring local artists and vendors from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at Plazita Verde, located at 1600 W. Forest Home Ave.
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Muralist and author Tia Richardson will be reading from her recently released book “Caring All Around Me,” a children’s book designed to help young people learn to relate. The reading starts at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2 at Alice’s Garden Urban Farm, located at 2136 N. 21st St.
Milwaukee County and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission are planning a new rapid transit bus line running down 27th Street. You can learn more about the plan here. The deadline to submit comments is Sunday, Oct. 2. You can do so online or by emailing info@mkenorthsouth.com
See female artists from Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis perform at this Midwest music exhibition. Doors open at 7 p.m. and performances starting at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30 at Nō Studios, located at 1037 W. McKinley Ave.

created: September 30, 2022


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33324554780_50eaa3cb5b_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
September 29, 2022


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Oct. 3 to Oct. 7 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
October 3, 2022
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.
Bronzeville Collective is celebrating its fourth anniversary with weeklong sales, vendor pop-ups and shop and sips. The celebration starts on Tuesday, Oct. 4 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 9 at the Bronzeville Collective, located at 339 W. North Ave.  In case you missed it: ‘A big blank canvas’: Milwaukee’s creatives of color talk about the city’s challenges and their triumphs
Learn how to properly install and maintain a rain barrel, which helps capture rainwater from your roof for later use. The workshop takes place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at the Washington Park Library branch, located at 2121 N. Sherman Blvd. Each participant will receive a free barrel. Register here.
The Milwaukee Health Department is drafting its next Community Health Improvement Plan, which will help set the city’s health policy for the next five years. You can give feedback on the plan for 2023-’28 during four sessions. The first meeting will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5 on the fifth floor of the Zilber School of Public Health, located at 1240 N. 10th St.
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Staff archivists at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society Museum will discuss the process of archiving from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 2620 W. Center St. Register for free here.
If you or someone you know lives in the 6th Aldermanic District and has a well-landscaped or otherwise exceptional yard or garden, consider nominating them for an award. To submit a nominee, email their name, address and photo of the property to mcoggs@milwaukee.gov by the close of business of Friday, Oct. 7.
Employ Milwaukee is hosting an IT Reskill & Job Fair from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 2342 N. 27th St.  If you want to retrain in IT or are looking for an entry-level job or an internship opportunity, register here.

created: October 3, 2022


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Ron Smith
October 2, 2022

created: October 2, 2022


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Scholarship competition seeks to get out the vote – and the art | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
October 4, 2022
The I Am a Voter scholarship competition is awarding six scholarships to people who use art to encourage Wisconsinites to get out and vote.
The competition tasks individuals with producing an impactful social media post in the form of a graphic design, 2D art piece or 15-second video or animation that informs, inspires and activates Wisconsin voters to vote during the midterm elections.
Entrants must share their work online and submit it on the I Am A Voter scholarship competition website by Oct. 14.
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Once all submissions are in, a panel of judges will determine five of the six winners, and the public will vote for the winner of the People’s Choice Scholarship Award (valued at $1,000).
The contest consists of two scholarships valued at $3,000  and four scholarships valued at $1,000.
As a Milwaukee native, Natasha Lettner said she’s known many talented and artistic residents
But she’s never seen them have enough access to opportunities to show and share their work. So when she was asked to assist in the I Am A Voter scholarship competition, she immediately agreed.
“Opportunities surrounding the arts don’t usually reach the North Side,” she said. “So the I Am A Voter competition not only connects young people to the polls, it opens up career opportunities.”
The competition was launched by Greater Together and Souls to the Polls, which partnered with American Institute of Graphic Artists Wisconsin, the BrandLab in Milwaukee, Imagine MKE, Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Milwaukee Public Schools, United Adworkers, Urban Underground and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Sharlen Moore, the executive director of Urban Underground, said young people ages 18 to 30 often don’t turn out on Election Day.
“This is a way … to include them in the political process,” Moore said. Urban Underground works with and trains young leaders.
Moore said it’s important to engage young voters because they have the power to change the political landscape.
“This is a nonpartisan competition,” she said. “It allows and encourages young people to question what’s important to them and what they want to see from their leaders.”
Quintin Coby, a UWM graduate student, said he decided to join the effort because he liked the idea of using art to inspire and encourage voters.
“It’s that idea of art imitating life that makes this so cool,” he said. “Just being able to see that and learn more about how art has inspired so many different political and social justice actions has been nice to be a part of.”
Click here for information on the scholarship competition.

created: October 4, 2022


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Ron Smith
October 3, 2022


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Can Milwaukee become the first city in the nation to end long-term family homelessness? These leaders think so. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
October 5, 2022
Milwaukee is on track to be the first city in the nation to end long-term family homelessness, according to officials from the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County’s Safe & Stable Homes Initiative.
Though the initiative, which seeks to end family homelessness by 2023, faces challenges, all the necessary systems are in place to end family homelessness, according to the criteria and benchmarks of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, or USICH.
“If we stay on track, we’ll be the first in the nation to reach this goal in this regard,” said Krystina Kohler, the financial stability portfolio manager for United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.
Kohler said the average length of time a family experiences homelessness in Milwaukee already decreased by 60% from Aug. 31, 2021, to Aug. 31, 2022.
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According to USICH guidelines, to end family homelessness, a community must meet five guidelines.
The first is that “the community uses coordinated, comprehensive outreach, in-reach, multiple data sources, and other methods to identify and enumerate families experiencing homelessness, spanning the community’s entire geographical area.”
Kohler said the Safe & Stable Homes Initiative, in collaboration with agencies across the city, including IMPACT 211 and the City of Milwaukee, has been working to make sure that families facing homelessness are provided wraparound services whenever possible.
Kohler said the city’s Eviction Free MKE program is an example.
“It’s really important because we found that 90% of cases where a tenant has a lawyer are dismissed or delayed,” she said. “So that’s effective at preventing homelessness.”
Kohler said the program has provided 2,343 tenants free legal aid in their eviction cases since its launch in September 2021.
Erika Olson, the coordinated entry initiatives lead for IMPACT 211, which connects those in need with  resources, stressed the importance of collaboration.
“A big win is that we’ve been able to build up partnerships throughout the pandemic,” Olson said. “We are continuing to meet and discuss and try to make sure we’re serving people in the best way.”
In addition, Kohler pointed to the Rental Housing Resource Center, a collaborative network of local housing and related assistance programs that assist both tenants and landlords in housing challenges.
“They have a great triage team that is there to help people figure out what services they need and then connect them with those services,” Kohler said.
Despite these examples, challenges remain.
Kohler said the biggest hurdle has been finding housing for families.
“We’ll have families who are ready to go with everything they need but it’s difficult to get landlords to want to rent to them,” she said. “We are working with the city and county to incentivize those landlords and property owners willing to rent to people using assistance.”
To be able to afford a two-bedroom home in Milwaukee County, a person would need to earn $17.52 per hour, yet the average renter wages for Milwaukee County is $16.44, officials say.
The Safe & Stable Homes Initiative began in 2019 to end family homelessness.
United Way has funded legal representation and mediation services, wraparound supportive services and other programs to reach the goal.
“Because housing instability happens for a series of reasons, we can’t guarantee no family will ever be homeless again,” said Kohler. “But with these systems in place, we can assure they are a brief and one-time experience.”
For more information
Click here to learn more about the Safe & Stable Homes Initiative.

created: October 5, 2022


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52365297697_e56b79e511_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ron Smith
October 4, 2022