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5 things to do and know this week in Milwaukee: Sept. 14 to Sept. 19 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
September 14, 2020
Explore the Menomonee River Valley and learn about various art pieces through the self-guided bike tour. (Photo provided by Eddee Daniel/Menomonee Valley)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Menomonee River Valley: Public art bike tour: Monday, Sept. 14 through Saturday, Sept. 19
Menomonee River Valley Week is happening all week long. Milwaukee residents can sign up for the public art bike tour, a self-guided tour that takes cyclists through the valley to see the various art pieces. The event is free and those interested can bring their own bikes or receive the Bublr Bike promo code when they sign up. The tour will be available from now until 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19.
2. “Here to Stay: Braving Barriers Through Performance”: Monday, Sept. 14
The UWM Union Art Gallery is showcasing the work of several artists in “Here to Stay: Braving Barriers Through Performance.” The show features the work of Sami Hussain Ismat, Aram Han Siguentes and Jeanette Arellano and six UWM Peck School of the Arts students. The themes of the show are social justice, activism and immigration. The gallery will be available to view online until  11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14. It will remain on display through early October.
3. Mobile Legal Clinic: Expungement and pardon clinic: Wednesday, Sept. 16
The Milwaukee Justice Center’s Mobile Legal Clinic is hosting a free expungement and pardon clinic from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The meetings will take place over Zoom. To schedule an appointment, call 414-278-2046 or fill out this request form. Click here to see the expungement and pardon clinic dates for the rest of the year.
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4. Walnut Way’s “Real Men, Real Conversation”: Wednesday, Sept. 16
Walnut Way is continuing to host its “Real Men, Real Conversation” series. The conversations are taking place virtually over Zoom and the meeting ID is 265 549 127. This week’s meeting takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The meeting will be facilitated by Kenneth Ginlack and cover topics relating to men’s wellness such as trauma, friendships and more. READ:
5. The People United for Justice: Rally for Don Emilio Garza: Friday, Sept. 18
The People’s Revolution and La Comunidad MKE are coming together for the People United for Justice rally. The rally will take place at the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd., at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18. The group plans to demand justice for Don Emilio Garza, who was shot and killed earlier this month. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the injustices affecting the Black and brown residents.
Bonus: The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.

created: September 14, 2020


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 13, 2020

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: September 13, 2020

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

author: Adam Carr


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The NNS coronavirus update: What Milwaukee residents need to know the week of Sept. 14 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
September 14, 2020
Archbishop Jerome Listecki called for Catholics to return to church this week if they are able, but Milwaukee health officials are urging caution. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Here’s the latest update on COVID-19 in Milwaukee and the resources you need to combat it.
Suicides are on the rise in Milwaukee County, city and council leaders said last week during a media briefing.
Mayor Tom Barrett said the coronavirus, economic anxieties and the fight for racial justice have added to stress levels in society.
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Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley told reporters there were 23 suicides last month alone. Emergency service calls are up 60% for mental health services, and they have increased by 34% for overdoses and 72% for suicide attempts.
Crowley referred to comments in another briefing by Dr. Ben Weston, director of medical services for the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, that social isolation can lead to heightened mental health issues and suicide attempts.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve always used the term ‘physical distancing’ and not ‘social distancing,’ ” Crowley said. “That’s because humans need social connections. We’re going to be living through this pandemic for a long time, and we must find ways to stay connected with our loved ones.”
Weston said people experiencing mental health issues should contact someone they trust to let them know.
“Reach out,” Weston said. “Sometimes it can be the most important thing you can do to prevent the progression from a 911 call to a suicide.”
Archbishop Jerome Listecki called for Catholics to return to church last week, as the dispensation granted to Catholics at the beginning of the pandemic expires Sept. 14. A dispensation is a pardon from missing normally obligated religious services due to serious conditions or situations.
Barrett, when asked at last week’s media briefing, reminded the public that there are no exemptions for religious affiliations from COVID-19.
“Whatever activities are taking place, no matter how laudable they are, no matter how religious they are, they have to be done in accordance with public health,” Barrett said. “We’ve seen far too many stories of wedding or funerals or church gatherings or choir practices that have been places of large spreading of this disease.”
Crowley said anyone planning on attending church should wear a mask, and he also warned that singing in enclosed spaces with or without a mask can effectively spread the virus.
Greenfield Health Commissioner Darren Rausch provided data last week that cases are rising among the white population in the county.
While Latinx residents are still two times as likely to get the disease, whites have nearly eclipsed them in total cases. Rausch said this is likely because the coronavirus has spread further into the suburbs.
“Overall, this is not OK,” Rausch said. “We don’t want to see cases growing out of control in Milwaukee County, regardless of who is impacted.”
Rausch said county-wide data shows testing has dropped dramatically since early July. He urged anyone with symptoms or who has been exposed to the virus to take advantage of readily available testing.
To obtain a free mask, residents can visit these sites:
NNS reporters also gathered a list of where to buy locally made masks if you’re looking to show some local business love when masking up.
Check the City of Milwaukee Health Department’s website for the most updated facts and answers to questions about the mask ordinance.
Look here for up-to-date statistics on COVID-19 in the county. More precautions on how to stay safe and information on COVID-19 can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
Contact your health provider, call IMPACT 2-1-1 or take a look at the county’s testing site map to find a testing center near you. The free community testing sites at UMOS, 2701 S. Chase Ave., and Custer Stadium by Barack Obama School, 4300 W. Fairmount Ave. continue to operate.
Check out our continuing coronavirus coverage.
Looking for more personalized direction to resources and information during the coronavirus crisis? Get connected with News414, a texting-based news resource from Milwaukee NNS, Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media. You can text MILWAUKEE to 73224 and begin to receive free, personalized data via text messages.

author: Matt Martinez


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NNS Spotlight: Popular mobile market to make a triumphant in-person return this weekend | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
September 15, 2020
CirculateMKE’s mobile markets connect customers with some of Milwaukee’s most diverse vendors. (Photo provided by Shalina Ali)
Editor’s note: This story is part of an  occasional series that highlights groups and people worth knowing in Milwaukee. To nominate a person or a group, email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “Spotlight” in the subject line.
After COVID-19 put a halt to their in-person mobile markets, the organizers of CirculateMKE went virtual.
But this weekend, the market, which creates space and opportunity for shoppers and entrepreneurs to experience the diverse cultures of Milwaukee, is back in business.
“The pandemic hit the communities that already had limited resources the worst,” said Shalina Ali, a co-director of the market. “We knew that they needed a platform throughout all of this.”
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The mobile markets, which began in 2015, are held at different locations across the city, including TRUE Skool, the Artisan and Alice’s Garden, the site of this weekend’s event.
In April, the markets had to be canceled, but Ali and Fidel Verdin, the other co-director and organizer, didn’t want the community to miss out.
They turned to Zoom, giving entrepreneurs a platform to share their stories while advertising their products.
Bisan Muna, the owner of Rumaneh Nourish skin care, says: “I didn’t know what to expect from the markets initially. But they helped me grow my business and make a lot of new connections.” (Photo provided by Bisan Muna)
“Many of our vendors run small businesses from their homes,” Ali said. “But it’s not always comfortable having people come to your door, so we created a space for them to sell their products comfortably.”
CirculateMKE’s markets have become a home to over 120 local entrepreneurs.
Bisan Muna, the owner of Rumaneh Nourish skin care, is one of them.
“I didn’t know what to expect from the markets initially,” said Muna, a vendor for about three years. “But they helped me grow my business and make a lot of new connections.”
Muna said she’s forged close relationships with other vendors and the customers she’s met.
But the markets are just as much for the community as they are for the vendors.
“If you’re getting your necessities like soap or skin care products from someone at these markets, then you need to have access to it often,” Ali said.
“It’s a tight-knit group of people, but it’s always welcoming,” added vendor Alonzo Mickey, the owner of AZTeez, a hip-hop and custom clothing company.
Ali and Verdin run TRUE Skool, a nonprofit organization that develops Milwaukee youth through urban arts.
“We are both from Milwaukee, and we are deeply embedded in this community,” Ali said. “So there is a level of trust and understanding within the community that allows us to do what we do.”
In-person market Sept. 19-Sept. 20
CirculateMKE will host its first in-person market since the beginning of the pandemic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 19 -20 at Alice’s Garden. Organizers will ensure safety precautions like social distancing and requiring masks.

created: September 15, 2020

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 14, 2020


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Post from Community: MATC hosts Sept. 16 registration event for GED, HSED, Basic Skills and English as a Second Language Programs at Walker’s Square | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
September 15, 2020
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
To help connect students with adult basic skills, GED, HSED and English as a Second Language courses, Milwaukee Area Technical College is hosting another in-person registration event at the college’s Education Center at Walker’s Square from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16. Students can register for English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Basic Skills (math and writing courses), GED (General Education Development) or HSED (High School Equivalency Diploma) programs.
The Education Center at Walker’s Square is located at 816 W. National Ave., Milwaukee.
English-language classes are available at all campuses; Spanish-language opportunities are available at Walker’s Square.
Strong health and safety protocols are in place. Temperatures will be taken at the door. A mask that covers the mouth and nose must be worn.
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For more information, call (414) 297-7923 or email veleza@matc.edu
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. Nearly 35,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 35 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


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‘Rent is still due’: What you need to know about the federal order to halt residential evictions | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
September 15, 2020
Residential evictions are on hold through December. But remember: The order stopped evictions, but it did not suspend rent. (File photo by Aaron Maybin)
The federal government on Sept. 4 issued an emergency order to halt residential evictions through the end of the year.
Enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the moratorium seeks to stem the spread of COVID–19, seasonal influenza and the increased risk of homeless shelters becoming overcrowded in fall and winter.
What does that mean for Milwaukee renters who may be struggling to make payments because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
We break it down for you.
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1. Do I have to pay rent?
The short answer is yes, even if you lost your job because of COVID-19.
The order stopped evictions, but it did not suspend rent.
You are still obligated to pay your rent and will be responsible for back rent once the order is lifted.
“Rent is still due,” said Deb Heffner, housing strategy director of Community Advocates. “Rental assistance programs are still operating.”
Community Advocates received $7 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to assist families in Milwaukee County who face eviction or are behind on rent due to a COVID-19-related loss of income.
Heffner explained that a qualification of the moratorium is that tenants have done everything they could to avoid eviction.
“What we don’t want to see is people being evicted as soon as the order is lifted,” she said.
2. If I don’t pay this month, will I be evicted?
You can if you don’t submit a declaration form to your landlord. Once tenants have submitted the declaration, they cannot be evicted until after Dec. 31.
3. How do I qualify?
The eviction moratorium applies to those who:
4. What happens if the declaration is violated?
Pedro Hernandez, community redevelopment attorney of the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, said all violators can face criminal penalties.
For a tenant, this would mean “lying about their situation,” Hernandez said. “For a landlord or company, it would be disregarding the order.”
He said evictions do not often result in someone going to jail but penalties for violating this order are a year in jail, a fine of no more than $100,000 or both.
5. Can I be evicted for any reason even if I am covered?
Yes. You can still be evicted for:
Resources to consult if you’re worried about eviction
Check out our Instagram Story on “Milwaukee resources to help you avoid evictions.”
Help is just a text away with our News414 project with our friends from Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media. Text MILWAUKEE to 73224 to see how it works.


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We ask parents and educators how to make the best out of a challenging school year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
September 15, 2020
As the school year is fully underway, with a majority of students learning virtually, we have heard a lot about what is not working, or what is difficult about going to school virtually.
What we have not heard much about is how parents and school staff can work together to make the best of a situation that nobody wanted in the first place.
Today we check in with parents and educators to ask them what they need from each other to make virtual learning work. Our parents and school staff come from all over the city, teaching or raising children from grades K4 to high school seniors.
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The biggest theme that emerged is the need for consistent communication. As both our parents and educators mention, now more than ever is the time for parents and teachers to be on the same page about shared needs, struggles and obligations outside of school.
Parents: What do you wish teachers knew about your situation right now? If you are struggling, is there a reason why?
(Photo provided by Brianna Nguyen)
Dorothy Cottrell, grandparent and godparent: “It would be very nice if each teacher knew more about each of their students’ families.”
Brianna Nguyen, parent of a K5 student: “I appreciate when teachers reach out to check in and see how things are going. When the teacher has outlined a clear schedule and provides meaningful activities during those sessions, it is incredibly helpful.”
Educators: What do you wish parents knew about your situation right now? If you are struggling, is there a reason why?
(Photo provided by Orlando Verdecia)
Orlando Verdecia, school social worker: “This is everyone’s first year on the job again whether we’ve worked our role for five-plus or 10+ years. Social workers, teachers, and everyone in between, it’s our first year. We’re learning how to provide the best service and making it as equitable as possible.”
Megan Fischer, third grade teacher: “I appreciate when parents tell me if something is taking a third grader a long time to figure out at home. In the classroom I easily change plans or add a scaffold . . .  it is much harder to know if those changes or supports are needed in the virtual realm.”
(Photo provided by Megan Fischer)
Haley Dutton, seventh and eighth grade English and Language Arts teacher: “Parent involvement has never been more important. Parent support and trust are also equally as important as we are navigating uncharted waters.”
What do your children or students need most right now?
(Photo provided by Yesenia Saavedra)
Yesenia Saavedra, parent of K4 daughter and middle school assistant principal: “Kids need parents and teachers to be in constant communication, sharing needs and struggles. Parents and teachers see different things about the students. Parents can see how they’re doing at home and that information can help teachers. Teachers can share with parents struggles they’re having with technology just so we’re aware of it as well.”
Nguyen: “Patience, empathy, encouragement and rigor.”
What do you need most right now?
(Photo provided by Shalamar Fernandez)
Shalamar Fernandez, parent of a third and an eighth grader: “I don’t get a break. I am a 24 hours / 7 days a week mom. There is no clock-in, clock-out. It’d be nice to interact with other adults.”
(Photo provided by Tameika Lawrence)
Tameika Lawrence, ninth grade special education teacher: “Patience and understanding that this isn’t the situation educators wanted either! We prefer to be in buildings with kids as opposed to being online . . . I am double-checking work, reaching out to kids more, talking to my advisees to make sure I’m not missing anything and making sure I make connections with students.”
What solutions would you like to see in the future? Why do you want it to happen this way?
Danell Cross, parent of a seventh grader: “I would like the state to pay, through a child care subsidy, for a family member to be able to stay home and supervise their children along with other children in the families learning.”
Cottrell: “A way for each child to go to school at home or at a babysitter’s home with a small enough class to watch each student to assure safety. No large numbers of kids in a classroom at this time.”
In case you missed it: We asked students how they feel about schools reopening in the fall. Here’s what they said.

author: Sam Woods


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Adam Carr
September 14, 2020


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Adam Carr
September 14, 2020


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Adam Carr
September 14, 2020


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Adam Carr
September 14, 2020


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educatorsparents | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 14, 2020


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Post from Community: Future Forward adds Milwaukee Regional Coordinator | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Future Forward
September 16, 2020
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Early elementary literacy nonprofit Future Forward announced the addition of youth service specialist  as . In this role, Watkins will work with schools, as well as Future Forward Program Managers and Family Engagement Coordinators, to implement and evaluate the early literacy program within the new dynamics of this school year.
“Andreana adds an impressive range of experience working with students and families, as well as educators and community leaders. She has real-life understanding of how involving caregivers substantially bolsters early literacy,” said Executive Director .
As a Family Engagement Manager for nearly a decade, Watkins helped countless children with literacy and beyond, supported and promoted the needs of families, managed staff, and maintained productive relationships within the Milwaukee Public Schools System. As Milwaukee Regional Coordinator, she will oversee one of Future Forward’s largest community implementation sites in the country.
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Watkins graduated from Concordia University of Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
is funded by the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program, designed to generate and validate solutions to persistent educational challenges and to support the expansion of effective solutions to serve substantially larger numbers of students. The EIR Program, established under section 4611 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), provides funding to create, develop, implement, or replicate, entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students and rigorously evaluate such innovations.

created: September 16, 2020

author: Future Forward


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Andreana.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 16, 2020

author: Name *


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Post from Community: Free meal program goes through December 31st | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Russell W. Stamper, II
September 16, 2020
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II is inviting residents to partake in the Free Meal Program at the Urban Ecology Center in Washington Park, 1859 N. 40 St.
The program started yesterday (Tuesday, September 15 and will run through Thursday, December 31st (Tuesday-Thursday). Breakfast and lunch packs will be served from 12 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Alderman Stamper strongly encourages any families who could benefit from the program to take advantage of this opportunity. For more information about the program, please contact Terry Evans at (414)-344-5460 or tevans@urbanecologycenter.org.
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What: Free Summer Meal Program
When: September 15– December 31st (Tuesday-Thursday), 12 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: The Urban Ecology Center in Washington Park, 1859 N. 40 St.

author: Ald. Russell W. Stamper, II


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‘This pandemic is still out here’: How families can prepare for fall and winter | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
September 16, 2020
Metcalfe Park Community Bridges has been distributing mutual aid packages to residents to help them during these trying times. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
When the news of the pandemic broke, those who could afford it flocked to the stores and stocked up on essentials. That was months ago, and unfortunately the pandemic isn’t ending anytime soon.
Experts expect to see a surge in cases as the weather gets colder. During a coronavirus media briefing, Darren Rausch, the director of the Greenfield Health Department, noted that positive cases have began appearing across the country now that school is back in session.
Over the summer, Shavonda Sisson, director of programming at Public Allies and founder of Love on Black Women, posted a status on Facebook urging people to start preparing their households and families for the pandemic come fall and winter.
“I was giving a lot of thought to how I’m preparing my family” for the pandemic, Sisson said on why she posted the status.
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Sisson explained that when she was a child, her mother was constantly planning and preparing the household for various events and seasons. Her mom would stock up on non-perishables, buy things on sale, put them in the freezer and pull them out for Christmas or Easter.
Fortunately for Sisson, who adapted her mother’s habits, when Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order began last spring, she found herself a little more prepared for the quarantine, compared with the majority of people who felt overwhelmed.
“The more prepared I am, the more I feel in control — and there’s so little we can control right now,” Sisson said. “Getting things now protects my family against the brunt of it.”
Sisson isn’t the only one trying to get the word out about the importance of planning ahead. Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, a local grassroots organization, which has been distributing mutual aid packages since the start of the pandemic, recently started including information packets on how to prep your house for the pandemic.
“This pandemic is still out here, and it’s real,” Melody McCurtis, an organizer and deputy director of priorities for Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, said.
Furthermore, now that school is back in session, a lot of parents need extra support.
“We’re trying to navigate all these issues, and it feels impossible, but we know our families are resilient,” McCurtis said.
Below is a list of suggestions from Sisson and McCurtis on what families can do to prepare for the months to come.
1. Plan ahead and prioritize items
Sisson said that planning ahead can lighten stress and make things easier when the inevitable feeling of being cooped up in the house begins. Sisson advised anticipating what your household’s needs are going to be and to help formulate a plan.
For example, buy some extra toilet paper now instead of waiting, because who knows what is going to happen later. Prioritize items that are hard to find such as Lysol spray, Sisson said.
Prepare for what you can, advised McCurtis.
2. Use coupons and accumulate items over time
Sisson suggested using coupons and slowly accumulating a stockpile of items. Don’t overbuy items but keep enough in the house to keep everyone comfortable, she said.
When you stock up, you limit the number of trips to the store over time, Sisson said.
3. Think of your family
Some items that people might consider purchasing are the household’s favorite non-perishable snacks. Sisson also recommended looking into crafts or board and card games that can be easily sanitized and swapped with a neighbor.
Sisson also updated the family’s library cards to download book PDFs, looked at new recipes to break mealtime monotony and purchased a treadmill to help her children stay active.
It’s important to stay active, she said, and while not everyone can afford a treadmill, there are other forms of exercise such as jumping rope.
4. Utilize mutual aid services
McCurtis noted that a lot of people have lost their income or are waiting for their unemployment check to come through. Additionally, the prices of essential items are going up and some items are harder to find. This is where groups such as Metcalfe Park Community Bridges or Ayuda Mutua step in to help.
Starting in the third week of September, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges will have packages ready for pickup and drop off. The packages will include essential items such as food, cleaning supplies, hygiene products and real-time resources.
For more information on food pantries, click here.
5. Be mindful of your mental health
During the quarantine, a lot of Metcalfe Park residents got depressed staying inside all the time, McCurtis said. She encourages people to get outside and take a walk with the kids, even if it’s just around the block.
It’s good to get that outside air, even if you’re just sitting on the porch, she said.
The organization also is working on creating a list of free online mental health resources. McCurtis advised people to take a moment to feel what they’re feeling and breathe, but then to reach out to someone.
6. Embrace your community
Sisson encouraged people to find out what’s available in their community. See what other folks are doing, she said. Maybe someone is a gardener and you can barter or trade goods with them.
She noted that the pandemic revealed which relationships are important to her and who shares her same values.
“I’ve really homed in on who my people are, and it’s a small number of people, but I’m thankful for that clarity,” Sisson said.
For residents in Metcalfe Park, it isn’t about finding a community but rather staying connected with the community, McCurtis said. She said the organization focused on creating services that would help keep people connected, which included creating a phone buddy system.
The group suggested that people establish regular phone times with a friend or join a texting chain. By creating a space where people can talk or vent, you can strengthen the community’s relationships.
“You can have that social connection even with the distance in between,” McCurtis said.
As folks prepare for the months ahead, Sisson gave a last piece of advice.
“As cliché as this sounds, this won’t last forever,” she said. Take this time to reframe your mindset, build your hobbies and spend extra time with family, she said.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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5 things to do and know the weekend of Sept. 18 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
September 17, 2020
There will be a cleanup this weekend at Washington Park. (Photo by Adam Carr)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Walk-through voter registration: Friday, Sept. 18
Walnut Way and Wisconsin Conservation Voices are hosting walk- through voter registration events every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This week’s walk-through will be located at 1615 W. North Ave. to 1617 W. North Ave. from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18. Staff and volunteers will be on-site to help eligible voters register.
2. Roundtable discussion on Alzheimer’s: Friday, Sept. 18
In partnership with the Minority Health Film Festival, the UWM Helen Bader School of Social Welfare is hosting a roundtable discussion titled, “Time After Time: My Loved One Has Alzheimer’s.” The discussion will feature Renee Chenault Fattah, the director of “In Our Right Mind”; Lisa Jennings, a mentor and caregiver; and several others. It will be streamed live on the MKE Film YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages from noon to 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18.
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3. Washington Park community cleanup and essential workers day: Saturday, Sept. 19
Ald. Russell Stamper and United Methodist Children’s Services are inviting residents to help clean up Washington Park. The day will also double as a celebration for essential workers. The cleanup will begin near Amaranth Bakery, 3329 W. Lisbon Ave., at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19. A lunch celebrating essential workers will follow at noon. There will be additional resources available for residents, including voter registration, flu shots and blood pressure checks, census assistance and more. To volunteer or for additional information, contact the United Methodist Children’s Services at 414-344-1818 or email info@umcs-wi.org.
4. CirculateMKE weekend market: Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20
Circulate Creative Entrepreneur Market is hosting a weekend market for local makers and artisans. The market is being held in Alice’s Garden, 2136 N. 21st St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20. There will be a variety of vendors selling their handmade and crafted goods from food to skin products to jewelry and more. Furthermore, there will be special performances and a book drive. READ: NNS Spotlight: Popular mobile market to make a triumphant in-person return this weekend
5. Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council rally: Saturday, Sept. 19
The Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council is hosting a youth rally for justice. The rally will be held out the COA Goldin Center, 2320 W. Burleigh St., from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19. Protesters are calling for an end to police brutality, justice for Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and George Floyd.  Speakers include Fred Royal, the Milwaukee NAACP president and State Rep. Kalan Haywood.
Bonus: The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed on coronavirus by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.

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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 17, 2020


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Ascension St. Joseph Hospital opens emergency department for pregnant women | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
September 17, 2020
Staffers gather earlier this month for a blessing for the new obstetrics emergency department at Ascension St. Joseph’s Hospital. (Photo provided by Victoria Schmidt/Ascension Wisconsin)
Ascension St. Joseph’s Hospital has opened a new four-bed emergency department for pregnant women in an attempt to address maternal health disparities.
The new unit is known as the OB Emergency Department, or OBED. Dr. Matthew Lee, medical director, Women and Families, Ascension Wisconsin, said the unit aims to help women experiencing difficulties with their pregnancy.
OB/GYN staffers will be on-site to assist women suffering from abnormal bleeding, decreased fetal movement, higher blood pressure and other complications.
Lee said pregnancy-related deaths have increased nationally over the last several years, and Milwaukee is no exception. Black women are more likely than any other ethnic group to have complications with their pregnancy.
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Complications with pregnancy can lead to infant mortality. According to data from the City of Milwaukee, the infant mortality rate for Black women was roughly 15 in 1,000 from 2015 to 2017. This was three times higher than the infant mortality rate for white women. The report said that two of the leading causes for infant mortality in the city are premature birth and unsafe sleep.
Maternal mortality has also steadily increased over the last several years, likely because of  rising rates in obesity and other chronic health conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new department will increase access for obstetrics care — especially for at-risk communities, Lee said. He said not acting in the face of current rates was “unacceptable.”
Kevin Kluesner, chief administrative officer at Ascension St. Joseph, said the hospital has roughly 4,000 obstetrics triage visits per year, meaning patients are seeking critical care during their pregnancy. Creating the OBED is meant to elevate the level of care for high-risk moms, Kluesner said.
The emergency department will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Kluesner said the OBED will have specialists around the clock from the Obstetrics Hospitalist Group, a national organization that helps staff obstetrics units.
Four full-time obstetricians will be present, in addition to current staff. Lee said their only responsibility will be providing immediate care.
Lee said the OBED is part of a broader initiative.
“We have to invest where we are,” Lee said. “We’re continuing to grow our volume and increase access for patients.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 16, 2020


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NNS Spotlight: New group works to give North Side residents a seat at the table | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
September 17, 2020
North Side Rising is fighting for environmental and economic equity for North Side residents. (Photo by Bridget Fogarty)
Editor’s note: This story is part of an  occasional series that highlights groups and people worth knowing in Milwaukee. To nominate a person or a group, email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “Spotlight” in the subject line.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, people across the nation have been struggling to make ends meet, and advocacy groups and organizations have sprung up to voice people’s needs.
One of the newest such groups in Milwaukee is North Side Rising, which in its first weeks mounted a protest in hopes of extending the state moratorium on utility shutoffs.
The group is affiliated with Citizen Action Wisconsin, a nonprofit coalition that focused on social,  economic and environmental justice.
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The group’s goal is to create better lives for residents on the North Side of Milwaukee by advocating for the Green New Deal, a proposed package of legislation meant to address climate change and economic inequality.
The beginning
For years, Rafael Smith, climate and equity director of Citizen Action, saw a need for North Side residents to have economic power.
As a child, he heard the stories of how the area was home to a thriving community with endless economic opportunity.
So when he was given the opportunity to help rebuild the community, he took it. With a team of others invested in the North Side, he created North Side Rising.
“It was an idea I had in my back pocket for a long time,” Smith said. “I knew that the North Side needed environmental, climate and economic justice, but I didn’t know how to get it.”
After spending time working in Washington D.C., for the Washington Interfaith Network, which trains  and develops neighborhood leaders, he found inspiration.
“I noticed that when people wanted something, they were at the table from the beginning,” he said. “I had never seen that in Milwaukee.”
He hopes that by taking a seat at the table from the beginning, North Side residents will not be left out of the economic prosperity he feels the Green New Deal could bring to the city.
Others on the team share this vision.
Dana Kelly, the lead organizer for North Side Rising, got involved because she grew tired of others telling her community what it needed to do to flourish
“We know what we need,” she said. “We just have to learn to advocate for ourselves.”
Kelly said the Green New Deal could provide landscaping, roofing and weatherization jobs in communities of color, as well as provide some relief from health issues, such as asthma, that disproportionately affect people of color.
“If we want to live and have a vibrant life, this type of work is important,” she said.
Trevonna Sims, the Southeastern Wisconsin organizer with Citizen Action who was born and raised on the North Side, said the group seeks to get “more people involved to tackle issues that go against equity in that part of the city.”
More on North Side Rising
You can follow the group on Facebook and join its weekly Thursday night meeting for more information


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Post from Community: Bringing together local educators and business leaders to discuss equity in STEM | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
STEM Forward
September 17, 2020
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Don’t miss out!
Attend the 17th Annual sySTEMnow Conference which will be held virtually on October 29, 2020, and brings together business leaders, community members, educators, and government officials to share best practices and lessons learned. It has become the cornerstone of STEM-related awareness in our region.
The theme this year is “Equity in STEM” and the keynote speaker will be Dr. Calvin Mackie. There are multiple breakout sessions to choose from and networking opportunities available.
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Consider nominating someone you know for a prestigious Stemmy – Excellence in STEM Award or highlight your student’s STEM projects as part of Generation STEM. Learn more and register at https://www.stemforward.org/systemnow-conference
Educators – $25
General Public – $50
Students – free

author: STEM Forward


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sySTEMnow-Conference-Image-2.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 17, 2020


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Post from Community: Spectrum announces $60,000 in Spectrum Digital Education Grants to further digital literacy in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Spectrum
September 17, 2020
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Spectrum today announced two Milwaukee-area nonprofits, Hispanic Federation and Digital Bridge, will each receive a $30,000 Spectrum Digital Education Grant. Spectrum’s grants aim to further digital literacy in underserved populations within the Milwaukee area. These grants are part of the company’s multi-year, $6 million cash and in-kind national commitment to digital education in Spectrum communities across the country.
“We thank Hispanic Federation and Digital Bridge for being instrumental in helping us provide support for digital education in the Milwaukee community,” said Rahman Khan, Vice President of Community Impact for Charter Communications, Inc., which operates the Spectrum brand of TV, Internet, Voice and Mobile products. “Through these organizations, we can continue to provide those in need with the resources to navigate the challenges of the digital age.”
Recipients of this year’s Spectrum Digital Education Grants range from long-standing nonprofits that continue to make a difference in local communities, to newer organizations meeting educational needs for children, including those experiencing homelessness and remote learning challenges.
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Hispanic Federation Opens New Spectrum Learning Lab
The Spectrum Digital Education grant will create a Spectrum Learning Lab located at the Hispanic Federation partner agency, SER Jobs for Progress, in Milwaukee. The learning lab will equip seniors, Latino families, and low-income community members with the tools needed to contribute to their success. The computer lab will feature 15 workstations, a lending library of 10 portable devices and provide a hybrid model of in-person and individual distance learning adapted to various phases of COVID reopening plans.
“The new Spectrum Learning Lab will provide the Milwaukee community with opportunities to gain new digital skills and compete in the 21st-century workforce,” said Brent Wilkes, Hispanic Federation’s Senior Vice President for Institutional Development.
Digital Bridge Furthers Efforts in Response to COVID-19
For a third consecutive year, Digital Bridge will receive a Spectrum Digital Education grant to further the digital inclusion program known as “Bridge Milwaukee.” This program promotes digital literacy and bridges the divide for low-income families by removing barriers to digital inclusion, affordable home broadband access, access to devices, digital skills training and technical support. Bridge Milwaukee program participants emerge better able to access educational and economic opportunities.
“Digital Bridge is very excited to continue our partnership with Spectrum,” said Jeff Hanson, Executive Director of Digital Bridge. “Spectrum’s continued support – especially during COVID-19 – is helping us distribute even more refurbished technology so families can access digital learning for their students and so professionals can work remotely. With Spectrum’s partnership and grant funding, we’ve added a layer of education and access training to help individuals confidently take the equipment and utilize it to improve their lives.”
Hanson says Digital Bridge has shipped more than 1,000 refurbished devices in the Milwaukee area since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with new requests coming in daily.
Spectrum Digital Education Commitment Totals $6 Million
Spectrum Digital Education aims to help local community members across Charter’s 41-state service area to improve their lives through digital education. Since launching the program in 2017, Charter has committed to award $6 million in cash grants and in-kind commitments, including PSAs and technical assistance, to support broadband education, training and technology. Spectrum Digital Education has benefited 41,706 individuals in 17 states and Washington, D.C. through July 2020.
Spectrum Digital Education is one of several philanthropic programs developed by Charter to support the communities in which Charter provides service and where its employees both live and work.  Additionally, Spectrum Housing Assist, launched in 2015 to make homes safer and healthier, has resulted in improvements to more than 44,000 homes to date and is on track to meet its goal of improving 50,000 homes by the end of 2020. Charter’s Spectrum Employee Community Grants program, launched in 2019 to support employees’ volunteer activities at local social and human services organizations, has already resulted in donations to 164 organizations across 25 states.
This year, Charter announced the launch of the Spectrum Community Investment Loan Fund, which will invest $10 million in capital by the end of 2021, making loans up to $1 million to community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in the company’s footprint. In June, Charter announced additional investment partnerships with the National Urban League and National Action Network to support Black and other minority-owned small businesses. The addition of those partnerships increased Charter’s Loan Fund commitment to $13 million. Finally, this spring, Charter introduced Spectrum Scholars, a two-year educational program for eligible rising juniors in financial need, that will award a total of $400,000 in scholarship aid, provide company mentors for students, as well as connecting them with potential internship opportunities at Charter.

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Spectrum_Logo_RGB.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 17, 2020


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Utility cutoffs put on hold until Nov. 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
September 17, 2020
Although the Public Service Commission has halted utility cutoffs until April, you should take advantage of resources to avoid disconnection.. (File photo by Brittany Carloni)
Milwaukee residents won’t have to worry about utility disconnections until April thanks to a decision Thursday by the Public Service Commission.
Commissioners voted to extend the utility cutoff moratorium until Nov. 1. That date also is the beginning of the annual winter moratorium, which lasts until April 15.
This effectively extends the moratorium for the next seven months.
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However, the moratorium for shutting off water service is set to end on Nov. 1, and the PSC will have to approve any cold-weather disconnection plans.
Chairwoman Rebecca Cameron Valcq and Commissioner Tyler Huebner voted to extend the utility moratorium. Valcq said she was specifically concerned with the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin.
The moratorium was originally introduced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to help those experiencing financial hardships. It prevents utilities from disconnecting customers who cannot pay their bills.
Commissioner Ellen Nowak again cast the sole vote against extending the moratorium, saying that she did not think the “scattershot approach” would be as effective as targeted solutions for those who need them.
“I think the fairest, most compassionate thing to do is focus on helping only those in need and not harming them in the long run,” Nowak said.
Citizens Utility Board
How to keep your utilities on if you are behind in payments


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UTILITYHELP | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
September 17, 2020

author: Dwayne Burtin


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5 things to do and know this week in Milwaukee: Sept. 21 to Sept. 26 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
September 21, 2020
National Voter Registration Day takes place Tuesday, and groups throughout Milwaukee are ready to help residents. (File photo by Andrea Waxman)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
Bonus: The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!

created: September 21, 2020


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 20, 2020

created: September 20, 2020


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The NNS coronavirus update: What Milwaukee residents need to know the week of Sept. 21 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
September 21, 2020
National Guard testing sites have changed their hours of operation. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Here’s the latest update on COVID-19 in Milwaukee and the resources you need to combat it.
TestUp MKE launches, encourages Milwaukeeans to get tested
TestUp MKE, an initiative to help inform Milwaukeeans about coronavirus testing, launched its website last week.
Alison True, communications director for Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers and a spokeswoman for the initiative, said during a media briefing that the goal of the website is to create a trusted space for anyone in the community to get information about COVID-19 testing.
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True said TestUp MKE seeks to make information accessible and easy to understand for the community.
“I guarantee that at TestUp MKE, you don’t need to have a Ph.D. to know what’s happening, to know what to trust or to understand what to do,” True said.
The site is available in five languages: English, Spanish, Burmese, Hmong and Arabic. The site offers information such as testing locations and answers to frequently asked questions for each step of the process (e.g. before and after the test). The site also has an assessment tool to let you know whether or not you need a COVID-19 test.
The site and initiative launch as health officials reiterate the need to increase testing numbers. COVID-19 testing has been on the decline since mid-July.
National Guard testing sites change hours
National Guard testing sites changed their hours of operation, effective Sept. 15. The sites will now be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. They will be closed on Sundays.
Mayor Tom Barrett said the change was to accommodate for fall daylight hours. The two locations affected are:
•UMOS: 2701 S. Chase Ave.
•Custer Stadium: 4300 W. Fairmount Ave.
Officials urge flu vaccinations
As flu season approaches, Milwaukee health officials are asking people to get vaccinated to prevent outbreaks of both influenza and COVID-19. As NNS previously reported, catching both diseases can be deadly.
“Unlike COVID-19, we currently have an effective vaccine to prevent the flu,” Barrett said. “It is important for people to get this vaccination, because a combination of the flu and (COVID-19) is not a combination any of us want to have.”
Statewide COVID-19 numbers increasing
Wisconsin ranked fourth in the nation for confirmed cases of COVID-19 last week, as the state topped 2,000 cases in a day for the first time.
The 18-to-24 age range is leading the pack by far in case numbers, causing some to theorize that the reopening of college campuses has played a large role in the spike.
“I think it’s pretty clear that it’s the college campuses that are driving this,” Barrett said, “and I think there really has to be a redoubling of efforts to make sure that college students are taking this seriously, because it’s clearly having an effect right now.”
Where to get free masks
To obtain a free mask, residents can visit these sites:
NNS reporters also gathered a list of where to buy locally made masks if you’re looking to show some local business love when masking up.
Check the City of Milwaukee Health Department’s website for the most updated facts and answers to questions about the mask ordinance.
Resources to know
Look here for up-to-date statistics on COVID-19 in the county. More precautions on how to stay safe and information on COVID-19 can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
Contact your health provider, call IMPACT 2-1-1 or take a look at the county’s testing site map to find a testing center near you. The free community testing sites at UMOS, 2701 S. Chase Ave., and Custer Stadium by Barack Obama School, 4300 W. Fairmount Ave. continue to operate.
Check out our continuing coronavirus coverage.
Looking for more personalized direction to resources and information during the coronavirus crisis? Get connected with News414, a texting-based news resource from Milwaukee NNS, Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media. You can text MILWAUKEE to 73224 and begin to receive free, personalized data via text messages.


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Are you having a hard time finding food for your child? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
News414
September 22, 2020
Finding food for your child shouldn’t be hard.
News414 reporters are working on a running list of food sites and are looking into how hard it is to get food when schools are closed.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
We want to hear about what challenges you’re having and what resources have been helpful for you.
Fill out this form or text MKE to 73224 to talk with a reporter.
News414 is a collaboration between three nonprofit newsrooms: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (NNS), Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media.
We identify, report and deliver reliable information to meet the needs of Milwaukee residents. You can text MKE to 73224 to try out our service.
And don’t worry, no identifying information you share will be published without your explicit consent.

created: September 22, 2020


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 22, 2020


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UPDATE: Common Council OKs expansion of King Drive business district | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
September 22, 2020
If approved, the BID #8 boundary would expand north from West Locust Street to West Capitol Drive on North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the first name of Ken Little, neighborhood business development manager for the city.
An ambitious plan to expand the Historic King Drive Business Improvement District #8, which was opposed by members of the Five Points Neighborhood Association, was unanimously approved in a 14-0 vote Tuesday by the Common Council.
The group had launched a petition drive against the business improvement district, or BID, seeking to halt the expansion.
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“People I’ve talked to in other BID areas have experienced foreclosures as a residual effect of their taxes going up,” said Sy Smith, a board member for the group and a longtime Five Points resident.
Smith said she’s worried about possible displacement and gentrification, adding she and other residents were blindsided by the news that Five Points could become part of the MLK BID.
The BID’s territory, which included the Harambee, Schlitz Park, Brewers Hill and Halyard Park neighborhoods along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will now also include sections of the Haymarket Square and Five Points neighborhoods.
The BID’s territory would expand west on West North Avenue and West Walnut and Vliet streets. Most of the growth is concentrated on the north end of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, starting at West Locust Street and continuing until West Capitol Drive.
Deshea Agee, executive director of BID #8 said during a Sept. 9 Community and Economic Development Committee meeting that his organization hopes to attract new businesses to an expanded district.
“We want to create an attractive, accessible and safe district where businesses prosper and where residents share a sense of pride in their community,” he said.
Fatima Laster, owner of 5 Points Art Gallery & Studios and a member of the Five Points Neighborhood Association, wrote an opinion piece for NNS blasting the BID for not including residents or business owners in the expanded territory in the planning process or notifying them of the proposed changes.
She also criticized the BID for plans to charge membership fees to businesses already reeling from the pandemic.
She called the expansion a land grab meant to net the BID additional property and funds for services the city already provides for free, such as street cleaning. Laster also referenced the BID’s 2020 operating plan, which states that its activities may also include “utilizing and/or borrowing funds to acquire, develop and own real property to be used for the benefit of the District.”
Agee said the BID would collect $73,870 in fees from commercial property owners next year after factoring in businesses in the expanded territory, of which $11,000 would be used for staffing. Agee added that the BID plans to allocate $22,000 for redevelopment grants; $15,000 for street maintenance; and $13,000 for branding, banners, planters, furniture and streetscaping, among other expenditures. In combination with grants from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and LISC Milwaukee, the BID #8 operating budget for 2021 is estimated at $292,870, Agee said.
Terence Acquah, economic development specialist for the Department of City Development, said the BID followed proper protocol by posting public notices on two separate occasions and mailing out a brochure and a certified letter informing business owners in the expanded territory of the plans, including fees associated with joining the BID. In addition, Agee said he personally visited business and property owners, held six virtual meetings and one in-person meeting to discuss the plan, although he didn’t say who participated.
Agee also wrote an opinion piece for NNS that discussed the benefits of the BID expansion.
Laster, whose property was eventually removed from the expanded map, and other Five Points Neighborhood Association members collected more than 120 signatures aimed at stopping the expansion.
In response to efforts to derail the expansion, Agee sent a letter to property owners discussing the petition and asking owners not to sign it.
“We are aware they are spreading misinformation … The conclusion we have drawn is they don’t want improvements in this neighborhood,” read part of the letter.
Regardless, those petitions don’t meet the threshold to stop the expansion, according to a recent communication from Ken Little, neighborhood business development manager for the city, to the City Clerk Jim Owczarski.
Little said the petitions were far less than the 40% needed to halt the expansion.
Laster said the group planned to continue to petition and oppose the BID.
Although some businesses in the proposed annexed territory also are opposed, several have expressed their support for the expansion. One of them is from Darren Jackson, owner of King Hall, 3413 N. Martin Luther King Drive.
Jackson said he notices the difference between the southern and northern end of MLK Drive and believes that the BID will help him draw business.
“I get a lot of calls for my business from people who are concerned about what the area looks like before they want to even spend money with me,” said Jackson, who hosts weddings, baby showers and other parties at his location. “You can clearly see the difference.”
Ald. Milele Coggs said she understands concerns raised about gentrification and displacement.
“There is no greater opponent of gentrification and the resulting displacement than I on this council,” Coggs said. “One of those partners in that fight has been the MLK Drive BID.”

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 21, 2020


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Post from Community: Charter relaunches free 60-Day Spectrum nternet & WiFi offfer to help connect new households with K-12 and college student | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Spectrum
September 22, 2020
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Charter Communications, Inc. today announced a relaunch of its Remote Education Offer providing free Spectrum Internet – with speeds up to 200 Mbps — and WiFi access for 60 days to households with K-12 graders, college students and/or educators. The promotion is available for customers who live in a Spectrum market and do not currently have Spectrum Internet services. To enroll, new customers can call (844) 310-1198 and a free self-installation kit will be provided.
“The pandemic has prompted new focus on the technology divide and Charter is committed to being part of the comprehensive solution needed to close these gaps,” said Tom Rutledge, Charter Chairman and CEO. “This offer is the latest example of Charter’s ongoing commitment to improving access to broadband and helping to ease the strain of the pandemic in the communities we serve. From extending our network to rural areas to making high-speed broadband more accessible for low-income students and seniors through Spectrum Internet Assist, Charter provides a range of options that deliver critical connectivity to our customers.”
Charter first launched its Remote Education Offer in March, resulting in 448,000 new households added through June 30, 2020, to Charter’s high-speed Spectrum Internet service for two free months.
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In addition to the Remote Education Offer, Charter is making high-speed broadband more accessible through Spectrum Internet Assist (SIA), its low-cost broadband program available to eligible low-income households and seniors. SIA includes a free internet modem, high-speed data at 30 Mbps, no data caps or contracts, and optional in-home WiFi service for an additional $5/mo. SIA is available to households in which one or more members are a recipient of assistance through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSLP, or Supplemental Security Income (for applicants age 65+). Charter will offer two free months of Spectrum Internet Assist to eligible low-income households with students or an educator not already a Spectrum customer.
Charter also recently announced a doubling of its original 2020 commitment to digital education, awarding a total of $1 million in grants to organizations providing broadband education, technology and training. With this year’s grants, Charter has surpassed its multiyear commitment to award $6 million in cash and in-kind donations to support broadband education across the company’s 41-state service area.
Recipients across 15 states and Washington, D.C., include nonprofits working to empower disadvantaged residents in towns and cities, boost small businesses in rural areas, and provide computer assistance to senior citizens and organizations that meet educational needs for children.
About Charter
Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 30 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand. Over an advanced communications network, the company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet, TV, Mobile and Voice.
For small and medium-sized companies, Spectrum Business delivers the same suite of broadband products and services coupled with special features and applications to enhance productivity, while for larger businesses and government entities, Spectrum Enterprise provides highly customized, fiber-based solutions. Spectrum Reach delivers tailored advertising and production for the modern media landscape. The company also distributes award-winning news coverage, sports and high-quality original programming to its customers through Spectrum Networks and Spectrum Originals. More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com.


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Spectrum-Van.JPG | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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September 21, 2020


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Meet the groups working to ensure Milwaukee students make the grade remotely | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
September 23, 2020
Caitlin Cullen, owner of The Tandem, has opened an outdoor area for students to get Wi-Fi and tutoring help. Here, she talks with Damien Smith and Tyler Hadley from Safe and Sound about youth outreach. (Photo by Susan Vliet)
With the school year underway, K-12 families are still finding themselves without access to broadband or enough devices for each of their school-age children.
To close the gap in internet access, the education nonprofit City Forward Collective and the MPS Foundation, a nonprofit independent of Milwaukee Public Schools, are fundraising to ensure each school-age child has access.
In addition, Milwaukee Recreation, a department of MPS, has opened 51 child care locations equipped with Wi-Fi and tutoring help, while The Tandem at 1848 W. Fond Du Lac Ave. has unveiled its own drop-in center staffed with tutors to help students in grades 4-10 get online and complete their schoolwork.
As these efforts continue, City Forward Collective released the results last week of a poll that found that 30% of families surveyed (134 out of 447) said they did not have a separate computer or tablet for each school-aged child at home. In addition, 8.5% said they did not have reliable broadband internet access.
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The poll was conducted by Deringer Research Group, a Brookfield-based consumer research firm, from July 21 to Aug. 31. It is demographically representative of the city’s parents and caregivers of school-age children, and has a margin of error of 3%, according to the City Forward Collective.
Though the City Forward Collective’s poll indicated that thousands of families are still without reliable broadband access, the group and the MPS Foundation have been fundraising to meet this need since COVID-19 closed schools in March.
The Tandem has opened an outdoor internet cafe and tutoring center to aid Milwaukee students without access to the internet. Students receive meals and tutors will be paid up to $600. (Photo by Susan Vliet)
The MPS Foundation’s #ConnectMilwaukee initiative has already raised over $1 million to buy and distribute 7,000 hotspots to MPS students. The City Forward Collective is raising an additional $450,000 to provide 2,240 hotspots to public charter and private school students, who are not covered under the MPS Foundation’s initiative. These devices were distributed to students over the summer.
On Sept. 15, the MPS Foundation launched Phase 2 of its campaign, which aims to raise an additional $1 million to fund more IT staff, help desk support and training for teachers.
MPS Foundation Executive Director Wendell Willis says supporting educators as they transition to online platforms is the biggest need he has heard in conversations with MPS.
“We’re building the plane as we fly it,” Willis said. “Over the summer the biggest need among our families was to address the cost of internet access, and now we’re focusing on providing the necessary support, training and tools to make online learning successful.”
As fundraising efforts continue, Milwaukee Recreation and The Tandem have stepped up to offer Wi-Fi and tutoring help for students attending any school, MPS or non-MPS.
Though MPS classes remain completely virtual, Milwaukee Recreation is holding in-person support at 51 locations. Hours differ by location, but there is Wi-Fi access and staff available to help students navigate online learning platforms and traditional tutoring.
Leighton Cooper, Milwaukee Rec’s coordinator of before- and after-school programs, said that 870 students have registered for Milwaukee Recreation’s before- and after-school programs in the first two weeks. Cooper said families should enroll as soon as possible.
“Our numbers continue to grow as families become more aware of this option, and our capacity at each location is limited in order to practice social distancing and do all the things we need to do to keep everyone safe,” Cooper said.
The Tandem also is offering resources to  meet students’ internet and tutoring needs. The restaurant has already been providing free community meals in response to COVID-19, but this month opened an outdoor area for any student in grades 4-10 to come by and use Wi-Fi for school and get tutoring help Tuesdays-Thursdays and every weekday starting Sept. 28.
Students who come will receive free food from The Tandem, and owner Caitlin Cullen said tutors with a GED or high school diploma will be paid up to $600 total. In addition, Cullen said that for every five days students attend, they’ll get free prizes such as T-shirts. Cullen hopes this will motivate students to continue coming by throughout the school year.
“We’ll get some heat lamps, and we’ll be here as long as we can,” Cullen said. “At that point, we’ll have worked out the kinks of how to run this program and we’ll find a nearby community center that can house this when it’s too cold to be outside.”
You can donate to the MPS Foundation’s campaign here, and the City Forward Collective’s campaign here.

created: September 23, 2020


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Post from Community: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee providing in-person academic support | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee
September 23, 2020
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Following a successful in-person summer program that operated at reduced capacity, this fall Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) is providing in-person academic support to Milwaukee students learning remotely. Virtual learning support is available at more than 30 sites across Milwaukee. This is part of BGCGM’s commitment to do whatever it takes to give every child in Milwaukee access to a great future, especially those who need us most.
“We know families are under a tremendous amount of stress, and we want to alleviate some of that stress by giving parents and guardians an alternative to virtual schooling at home,” said BGCGM President and CEO Kathy Thornton-Bias. “Whether it’s that they work outside the home, they’re unfamiliar with virtual learning or technology, or they simply can’t balance their job and their kids’ schooling, online learning at home simply isn’t a viable option for some families. Boys & Girls Clubs offers peace of mind by providing families with an alternative environment for learning at a time when it is needed most.”
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BGCGM’s Youth Development Professionals support students as they study independently and while participating in their school’s synchronous learning schedule. Students wear masks and maintain CDC-recommended social distancing while working in small groups with access to reliable WiFi. BGCGM also provides students with nutritious meals and snacks, social-emotional care, recreation, and other enriching non-screen time activities.
Programming is available Monday-Friday for students aged 4-15. Select locations are open from 7am – 6pm while others are open for after school hours. Hours and ages served vary by site. Extensive health and safety protocols are in place and all students and staff are required to wear masks while inside Boys & Girls Club facilities. Families can learn more and register online at bgcmilwaukee.org/fall-registration.

author: Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee


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NNS Spotlight: As America grapples with racist past, leader of America’s Black Holocaust Museum looks toward the future | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
September 24, 2020
Dr. Robert Davis returned to Milwaukee in September 2019 as the president and CEO of America’s Black Holocaust Museum. (Photo provided by America’s Black Holocaust Museum)
Editor’s note: This story is part of an  occasional series that highlights groups and people worth knowing in Milwaukee. To nominate a person or a group, email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “Spotlight” in the subject line.
Dr. Robert Davis, who grew up in Illinois and later led the Zoological Society of Milwaukee County, hadn’t planned to return to Milwaukee.
In fact, he initially wanted to move somewhere with a warmer climate. But when the right opportunity arose, Davis came back to the city.
Last September, Davis was named president and CEO of America’s Black Holocaust Museum, 401 W. North Ave.
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In this time of debate and protest over America’s racist past, his institution is particularly well suited to deepen the discussion.
America’s Black Holocaust Museum began in 1984 in a storefront under the leadership of James Cameron. In 1988, the museum moved to a larger space where it remained until its doors closed in 2008. Four years later, the museum went virtual.
Thanks to the dedication of volunteers, the museum once again has a physical space, which was built on the footprint of the original museum.
Davis wants to reopen the museum in 2021 but is more focused on its recently relaunched digital space and social media presence.
A veterinarian by training, Davis served as a research fellow at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park and later, a supervisory veterinary medical officer. In 1997, he was the director of education and external relations for Zoo Atlanta. From 2001 to 2005, he worked as the vice president of education at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago before being named president and CEO of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee.
During his time with the Zoological Society,  Davis forged connections with people of various backgrounds and economic standings.
“I really got to know Milwaukee,” Davis said. “I love Milwaukee; otherwise, I wouldn’t have come back.”
Robert Smith, a history professor at Marquette University and a volunteer with the museum, said one day Davis asked him to join a Zoom meeting. Smith was immediately plugged into a national network of leaders.
Smith, who helped interview Davis for his current job, said Davis was the best choice for leading the museum.
“It became clear that he could be someone who could bring the institution to the future and [that] he understood the importance of the museum in Milwaukee,” Smith said.
Davis noted that the pandemic and this year’s social unrest exposed the inequities and injustices plaguing America. People are reaching out and ready to learn, he said, and the museum’s digital space is providing that opportunity.
Part of revamping the digital space included keeping Cameron’s legacy alive.
“A lot of what he talked about is still relevant,” Davis said.
Brad Pruitt, an executive consultant with the museum, said Cameron wanted the museum to be a cornerstone for understanding current challenges.
“Our history is not just part of what’s happening now, but it’s heavily impacting what’s happening now,” Davis said. “These are extraordinarily challenging times, and our organization is spending time and energy on figuring out how to serve during these challenging times.”
In case you missed it: A legacy of resistance: Historical resources for understanding local and national protest movements

created: September 24, 2020


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 23, 2020


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OPINION: This Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s truly celebrate the people we call essential but treat as disposable | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sergio M. González
September 24, 2020
(Photo by Wes Tank of TankThink)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
Sergio M. González is an assistant professor of Latinx Studies at Marquette University. A historian of 20th century U.S. immigration, labor and religion, his scholarship focuses on the development of Latina/o/x communities in the U.S. Midwest.
I often feel uneasy with the festivities that the period of Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 brings for Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month.
More often than not, commemorations present simplistic portrayals of an increasingly diverse community and elevate only a small number of Latinx luminaries such as Cesar Chavez or Sonia Sotomayor. All-you-can-eat taco specials and margarita happy hours, often accompanied with corporate branding, of course do little to actually honor Latinx peoples and their cultures. Instead, these celebrations disregard the experiences and lived realities of millions of Latinx peoples, many of whom work without recognition for the essential labor and community-building they engage in every day.
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Perhaps more than any other year, 2020 has clarified what Milwaukeeans consider essential. This word, and the accompanying term essential worker, have developed new connotations in the midst of a global pandemic. Thousands of Latinx workers in Wisconsin, newly tabbed as essential laborers, have trudged back to work in the service industry, meatpacking plants and so many other occupations our communities have now deemed necessary.
For their sacrifices, Latinx Wisconsinites have subsequently suffered from the coronavirus at disproportionally high levels. And in a cruel twist, being called “essential” has meant little for those Latinx residents who still face detention and deportation thanks to a runaway immigration enforcement system.
Before indulging in shallow celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month this year, perhaps we should instead consider how Milwaukeeans can deem a population vital while allowing them to suffer so greatly. Here, some historical retrospection can serve as a guide, helping us understand how Milwaukeeans have for over a century regarded Latinxs as necessary for the very survival of our city while too often treating them as less-than, disposable, and in essence, not all that indispensable.
This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the arrival of the first large groups of Latinx migrants to Milwaukee. While the city’s first Mexican resident arrived nearly a quarter century earlier, it was in 1920 that 25 “sons of Mexico,” as the Milwaukee Journal referred to them, trekked from their homes in Jalisco and Michoacán to this northern industrial metropolis.
They came, like many of the European immigrants that preceded them, in search of work. The young sojourners found it at the Pfister and Vogel Tannery in the Menomonee River Valley, where labor recruiters, known in Spanish as enganchistas (“those who hook”), had enlisted them to work in one of the city’s most important industries.
What those recruiters did not tell the young Mexicans, however, was that they had been brought to the city as strikebreakers to be used against the company’s unionized workforce. And so, told first that they were essential for keeping Milwaukee’s booming tanning industry thriving, Mexicans instead found themselves throughout the 1920s portrayed as job-stealers, racial nuisances and unwanted by the majority of Milwaukeeans.
These sentiments reached a tipping point with the onset of the Great Depression. Mexican workers were often the first to lose their jobs as the city’s tanneries, factories and foundries no longer required such a robust workforce. Depleted county resources and rising anti-immigrant sentiment, meanwhile, fueled migration crackdowns throughout the decade. Local elected officials worked with federal immigration officers to search for Mexicans on the county’s welfare rolls and lined them up for deportation. By the mid 1930s, what had once been a robust and resilient community of over 5,000 Mexicans had been decimated to fewer than 1,500 residents.
The 1930s certainly would not be the last time Latinx laborers, once deemed essential, would be cast away when their services were no longer desired. During National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1983, for example, federal agents initiated a series of deportation raids throughout Wisconsin. Mexican American leaders complained to Gov. Tony Earl that the raids were “worse than a slap in the face” of the state’s immigrant community.
Today, Wisconsin’s Latinx residents can sympathize with those past communities. Just a few weeks ago, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, announced that it had made more than 2,000 arrests during a six-week nationwide summer operation. ICE alleged that the focus of these apprehensions would be on individuals with certain criminal records. In practice, however, anyone in the country without documentation could fall in the federal government’s dragnet. That includes, of course, people who Americans had tabbed as essential just earlier this year.
Instead of valuing Latinxs as integral members of the Milwaukee community, instead of seeing them and regarding them as essential, our city has too often treated them as disposable.
And this year has perhaps proven to be little different.
As historians Natalia Molina and David Gutiérrez recently noted, the cascading crises of 2020 have “revealed a fundamental contradiction in U.S. immigration policy: critical reliance on immigrant labor, while, at the same time, vilifying and calling for the exclusion of immigrants.”
Before we break out nachos and turn up the merengue for what would only be a shallow celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we should instead start with some self-examination and work toward actually respecting the dignity and humanity of Latinx communities that have called Milwaukee home for a century.

author: Sergio M. González


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5 things to do and know the weekend of Sept. 25 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
September 25, 2020
Join the Urban Ecology Center for its annual HKE MKE. (File photo by Analise Pruni)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Dolphin Pool pitch contest for entrepreneurs: Friday, Sept. 25
Riverworks Milwaukee is hosting its sixth annual Dolphin Pool, a startup pitch contest for local entrepreneurs. Six contestants will pitch their business idea to a panel of judges. In addition to prizes for first, second and third place winners, there will also be a Community Choice award. To cast your vote, click here. This year’s contest will take place virtually at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25.
2. Free home-buying process and resource workshop: Saturday, Sept. 26
Near West Side Partners and Take Root Milwaukee are hosting a free virtual workshop on the home-buying process. The workshop will take place over Zoom from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26. To register for the event, click here. Real estate agents, lenders and other specialists will walk participants through the home-buying process.
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3. Virtual Doors Open kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 26
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Doors Open Milwaukee. To celebrate and kick off the event, Common Council President Cavalier Johnson will be ringing City Hall’s bell, “Solomon Juneau,” on Facebook Live at noon on Saturday, Sept. 26. Doors Open will take place virtually this year from Saturday, Sept. 26 to Sunday, Oct. 11.
4. Mitchell Park Domes cleanup: Saturday, Sept. 26
Milwaukee County Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez and Team Havoc are inviting Milwaukee residents to help clean up the area surrounding the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd. The cleanup will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.
5. Urban Ecology Center’s HKE MKE: Sunday, Sept. 27
The Urban Ecology Center is hosting its sixth annual HKE MKE in partnership with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. HKE MKE will begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 and continue through 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3. The hikes are two to three miles long and participants can choose a guided hike for $25 or a self-led tour for free. All hikers are asked to wear a mask and reserve a time slot. The hikes are available at Riverside Park, 1500 E. Park Place, Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th St. and Menomonee Valley, 3700 W. Pierce St.
Bonus: The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed on coronavirus by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.

created: September 25, 2020


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 24, 2020


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‘Always happy to right a wrong’: Community mourns death of immigration attorney Jason Cleereman | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
September 25, 2020
Jason Cleereman, pictured here with Tammy Rivera and his wife, Evanjelina (right), was an immigration attorney and active leader in the community. (Photo provided by Tammy Rivera)
Back in 2005, when Jason Cleereman moved to the Walker Square neighborhood, he saw a park down the block and thought: “What a wonderful place to have a farmers market.”
In 2008, he advocated for the market, which provided fresh and inexpensive fruit and vegetable options for residents. But it flopped.
Undeterred,  Cleereman worked with Hmong farmers and others and in 2010, the Walker Square Farmers Market, now a neighborhood staple, reopened.
“It’s easy to get down on yourself when things start falling apart, but I think this market is essential to reviving this community,” said Cleereman, then president of the Walker Square Neighborhood Association, during  an interview with the Neighborhood News Service in 2012.
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Cleereman, an immigration attorney who often provided pro bono and reduced rate legal services and a longtime board member of the Southside Organizing Center, among many other community efforts, was shot and killed Tuesday near the Holton Street Bridge. He was 54.
Those who knew him remember  Cleereman as a man who worked tirelessly for the community and who was dedicated to his family.
“He spent his time here really caring about his neighborhood being safe for his wife, his children and for all of us,” said Peggy West, who represented the Walker Square neighborhood as a county supervisor from 2004 to 2018.
She said Cleereman revived the dormant Walker Square Neighborhood Association and served for years as the group’s president. She described his death as senseless and tragic.
“He was just a very dedicated family man, neighbor and human being who was always happy to right a wrong,” West said. “It’s just a great loss.”
For years Cleereman ran his practice out of a building on the corner of South 5th and West Washington streets before moving to North Astor Street on the East Side.
“He helped endless families navigate the immigration process through his law firm,” wrote Tammy Rivera, executive director of the Southside Organizing Center, in a tribute she posted on her organization’s Facebook page. “His contributions to ensure residents had a voice, vote and vehicle to organize can never completely be captured.”
Rivera said Cleereman, a board member of the Southside Organizing Center, or SOC, played a pivotal role in helping the organization get through a rough period in 2014. It was during that time that the SOC transitioned from longtime Executive Director Steve Fendt to Rivera.
Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa said she and Ald. Jose Perez, who both represent the South Side on the Common Council, were stunned and saddened by the news of Cleereman’s death. She described Cleereman as a man who was not afraid to speak his mind.
“He told me when he agreed with me, and he told me when he did not,” Zamarripa said.
She and Perez, along with Ald. Nik Kovac, issued a joint statement about Cleereman on Wednesday.
“This loss will be felt particularly hard on the near Southside where Jason was an active resident always working to better the area for others,” read part of their statement. “He worked tirelessly in service of others, left a positive impact on those around him, and will surely be missed.”
Luz Sosa, an economics instructor at MATC, said Cleereman helped her and her father, who are natives of Paraguay, navigate the tedious immigration process and become citizens.
“I didn’t even know how to speak English at the time,” said Sosa, adding that Cleereman knew Spanish, words in other languages and was always interested in learning about everyone’s culture.
“He was a citizen of the world and helped everyone regardless of color, religion or creed,” she said.
According to an email to NNS from the Milwaukee Police Department, officers continue to search for suspect in the killing.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee Police at (414) 935-7360 or Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-TIPS or P3 Tips App.
Cleereman is survived by his wife, Evanjelina, and their two children. A GoFundMe account has been set up to assist his family.
A public visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 at Peace of Mind Funeral Home, 5325 W. Greenfield Ave., followed by a service. Masks are required.


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5 things to do and know this week in Milwaukee: Sept. 28 to Oct. 3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
September 28, 2020
To celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, Latino Arts is hosting an exhibit. (File photo by Allison Dikanovic)
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the start date for the ofrenda exhibit.
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
Bonus: The latest coronavirus coverage from NNS
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reporters are hard at work bringing readers up-to-date information regarding coronavirus. Stay informed by following us on our Facebook page and subscribing to our daily newsletter. All coronavirus related articles can be found on this landing page. If you have a question or concern about coronavirus, send them in our way. We’re here to serve you.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!

created: September 28, 2020


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 27, 2020

created: September 27, 2020


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‘Neighborhood Gems’: Learn about Pulaski Park and Peace Garden Project MKE | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
September 28, 2020
The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is collaborating with Historic Milwaukee on  “Neighborhood Gems: Behind the Scenes,” which takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1.
The free digital event, part of the virtual Doors Open, which runs through Oct. 11, will feature five-minute “lightning round” presentations from eight community projects, using multimedia and storytelling to share their backstory.
In the lead up, we are publishing mini-features on the projects. Today, we feature the newly renovated Pulaski Park and Peace Garden Project MKE.
The renovated Pulaski Park was reopened to the public this summer. (Photo by Adam Carr)
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After extensive renovations, Pulaski Park is open to the public. The Milwaukee County park has been upgraded with new futsal and basketball courts, a steel bridge, a renovated playground, new walking paths and a newly renaturalized stretch of the Kinnickinnic River.
Throughout the renovation, community members and the KK River Neighbors in Action were central to the process, directly informing design of the park.
The Pulaski Park presentation will be given by KK River Neighbors in Action member Travis Hope and Ald. Jose Pérez.
Camille Mays (left) works with neighborhood youth in 2018 during a Peace Garden MKE project. (Photo provided by Peace Garden Project MKE)
Since 2015, Sherman Park resident Camille Mays and her fiancé, Greg Powell, have worked through the Peace Garden Project MKE to collaborate with families who have lost loved ones to gun violence and to turn temporary memorials on sidewalks and streets into permanent gardens.
Mays has worked with community members and families to create flower gardens in neighborhoods throughout Milwaukee and continues to explore new avenues to promote personal peace and community healing.
The Peace Garden Project MKE presentation will be given by Mays.