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Election 2016: Aldermanic candidates address key local concerns | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
March 29, 2016
Aldermanic elections will take place on Tuesday April 5. (Photo by Emmy Yates)
Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series in which aldermanic candidates in the central city address issues of concern to their district. Tomorrow’s article will cover Districts 4, 8 and 12.
In addition to participating in the presidential primary and mayoral elections, voters in the City of Milwaukee will also have the opportunity to cast a vote in one of 15 local aldermanic races on Tuesday April 5. Those who are elected will represent their district on the Common Council for a term of four years.
Aldermen are responsible for representing the interests of residents of their districts on the council, serving on committees and making policy decisions that affect the quality of life in the neighborhoods they represent and the city as a whole.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service asked aldermanic candidates in 9 central city races to complete a survey addressing neighborhood concerns. Candidates in Districts 1 and 7 did not respond to the survey.
We asked the candidates the following four questions. (Note: Some answers have been edited for length.)
District 2: Chevy Johnson, Sherman Morton
Chevy Johnson
1. Residents are concerned about safety. Many feel that over time, their neighborhood is increasing becoming more susceptible to criminal activity. My goal as alderman will be to curb that deterioration and work with district residents, city departments and my colleagues on the Common Council to change the perception and the reality in my district for the better.
2. I bring with me to the Common Council a 15-year history of service and dedication to our community. My path to service has taken me across the country and back home to Milwaukee where I worked with young people involved in the juvenile justice system, young people preparing for their first summer job and older adults working to get back into the workforce. I also bring the unique experience of having studied political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and I have experience working in city government, as staff assistant to the mayor.
3. There are several recommendations that I support to make our neighborhoods safer. I support encouraging the expansion of traditional block watch groups and the adoption of modern electronic neighborhood organizations like Next Door. I support programs that work to increase homeownership because that creates stability in neighborhoods, the expansion of community police officers and a more robust partnership between Community Liaison Officers and the neighborhoods that they serve.
The best way to reduce criminal activity is to remove barriers, tackle systemic discrimination and racism, improve our education system and make proper investments in transportation that allow people to have access to good jobs with family-supporting wages. If we’re truly serious about taking on crime, then we have do it from a multi-pronged approach taking into account real-time safety on the ground, education, access to stabilizing career opportunities, homeownership and law enforcement.
4. We should of course work to attract jobs to our city but that doesn’t mean that we should forgo accessing good, family-supporting jobs where they are. We have to firm up the education system in Milwaukee so that every kid has access to a quality public education where they learn to be competitive in the 21st century. We also need to encourage entrepreneurship by streamlining the economic development toolkits available at all levels of government and even those available outside of government. Entrepreneurship helps to boost Main Street by keeping dollars circulating locally and those businesses have a higher likelihood to employ people who live in nearby neighborhoods. We also need to connect the dots between people who need access to family-supporting jobs in Milwaukee and employers in our metro area — particularly those in the WOW counties (Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington) in need of a larger talent pool.
Sherman Morton
1. Where you stay within the district will most likely determine your specific concern. If you live in the Dineen Park area off Capitol Drive along the Hampton Avenue area right off the Fond Du Lac freeway, one of your main issues may be rolling or drive-by drug deals. If you live along the area of 68 and Grantosa your issues can range from break-ins to gunshots. One of the issues in the area of 91 street from Appleton to Good Hope is speeding and in a few other areas they are experiencing a situation with lack of regard for stop signs. I have spelled out in my 60-day plan what my plan of action will be to deal with these issues and others concerning residents in the district.
2. Over the past 11 years I have worked as the legislative to Ald. Joe Davis. There will be no learning curve. There will not be a delay in services. I feel that as alderman I can now utilize my leadership skills to help the residents get focused on getting back to basics with simple ideas that will help with the public safety issues that plague the city as a whole.
3. The best way to prevent crime in the 2nd District is to work on recognizing the signs before they get out of hand. We have to empower residents with the tools and information that will help them recognize and combat most issues before they go full-blown. Block watches, block ambassadors, nosey neighbors and watchful eyes are the key.
4. Our main business attraction in the 2nd district is the Midtown Center. Now that Walmart is gone and Lowe’s is still empty, we need to come together with the owners of Midtown, Milwaukee’s Department of City Development, businesses in the area and residents to see exactly what kind of sustainably ideas we can come up with for those areas. It will take a combined effort on all sides.
District 6: Milele Coggs, Tory Lowe
Milele Coggs (incumbent)
Coggs did not respond to the NNS survey.
Tory Lowe
1. The most pressing issues in the 6 District are unemployment, mass incarceration, violence and crime. The issues of unemployment are my biggest concern. I plan to address the issue of unemployment by helping entrepreneurs develop small businesses that will employ people in the community.
2. My ability to communicate and bring awareness and information to the people will help keep residents up to speed on what’s going on in the district.
3. It will take a community-wide effort to address violence and crime by organizing and upgrading the block watch concept. We have to get back to the basics of the grassroots movement and take a direct approach to handling the tough issues in the district.
4. Developing small businesses will help to draw bigger businesses to the 6th District. The more we can help create jobs for our residents the more attractive the district will become for large companies who want to invest here.
District 10: Richard Geldon, Michael Murphy
Richard Geldon
Geldon did not respond to the NNS survey.
Michael J. Murphy (incumbent)
1. Without a doubt one of the greatest concerns is public safety in our community and I have been addressing it in a number of different ways. I have taken the lead by adding police officers through my service on the Common Council. I’ve been working with young people to support programs that help teach them peaceful ways to resolve disputes and have raised $1.2 million to help renovate public playgrounds in our community, which keeps kids off the street and in a safer environment. Those are issues I feel very strongly about and have addressed through both prevention and law enforcement means.
2. I bring a great deal of experience and institutional knowledge of how government works to the position. I am able to avoid making mistakes and provide advice and assistance to the administration because of my experience in local government.
3. You need a multi-prong approach. Having officers is not the only solution. I’m a strong believer and supporter of block watches and making sure they have the tools to be strong and vigilant. I believe that another approach is through the improvement of the housing in the area.
4. I’ve worked very closely with business improvement districts to bring two new restaurants and improve store façades through grants. I make a point of reaching out to residents in the neighborhoods regularly. On a citywide basis we’ve been using our Tax Incremental Financing to attract new businesses and I’ve worked closely with the water council to attract and retain water-based industries. I serve on the board of Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation and the Wisconsin Center District Board and we’re always looking to expand and bring in new businesses. I have also sponsored and supported resident preference programs so that residents get the first chance for job opportunities.
District 15: Sean Muhammad, Russell W. Stamper
Sean Muhammad
1. The most pressing issue facing my district is poverty. Fifty-three percent of the residents in the 15th live below the poverty level. This is defined as a single person earning $11,000 per year, with approximately $3,500 more added per additional household member.
My agenda to address this problem is through training and education in the construction trades and fighting for family-supporting wages. I will use the residential lead pipe replacement project as the catalyst. Milwaukee has 70,000 homes in need of servicing, estimated to cost $750 million and lasting nearly a decade. This lead pipe time bomb is an issue unaddressed by the Common Council or mayor. I would use it as the first phase of economic resuscitation of the 15th Aldermanic District.
2. I will bring vision, enthusiasm and courage to leading the district from a state of apathetic drudgery to a state of pride, unity and economic sustainability. I’m an educator who believes in leading from outfront and by example. I will spend two days a week from the beginning of spring to the end of fall walking through the wards, visiting schools and maintaining a pulse on the district.
3. Crime is the outgrowth of impoverished conditions. My solution is to infuse educational and training opportunities into the district. A job is not enough. Employment must have the ability grow the individual and the family. Eight dollars per hour isn’t enough to do that.
In addition, neighborhoods must become neighborly. So I will host summer-long block parties, summer fairs, back-to-school and end-of-school-year events, patterned after the “Heal the Hood” block party.
4. Attracting new business is predicated on my ability to provide a clean and safe commercial zone for these businesses. I will utilize the vacant and blighted city- owned properties along North Avenue, Center Street and Lisbon Avenue to incentivize new and existing businesses to make use of that space. I will craft programs that will serve as small business incubators to assist entrepreneurs in conceptualizing, developing and growing their businesses.
Russell W. Stamper (incumbent)
Stamper did not respond to the NNS survey.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 28, 2016

source: news-milwaukeenns

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

author: Adam Carr


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25429281334_44caf56a2e_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 28, 2016


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Election 2016: Crime, jobs top aldermanic candidates’ to-do list | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
March 30, 2016
Aldermanic elections will take place on Tuesday, April 5. (Photo by Emmy Yates)
Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series in which aldermanic candidates in the central city address issues of concern to their district.
Voters in the Milwaukee will have the opportunity to cast a vote in one of 15 local aldermanic races on Tuesday, April 5. Those who are elected will represent their district on the Common Council for a term of four years.
The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service asked aldermanic candidates in nine central city races to complete a survey addressing neighborhood concerns. Below are responses from candidates in Districts 4, 8 and 12. Candidates in Districts 1 and 7 did not respond to the survey.
We asked the candidates the following four questions. (Note: Some answers have been edited for length.)
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
1. What is the most pressing issue facing your ward and how would you address it?
2. What special skills or insights would you bring to office if elected?
3. How do you plan to address crime in your neighborhood?
4. What is your plan to attract new businesses and jobs to the community?
District 4: Robert Bauman, Monique Kelly
Robert Bauman (incumbent)
1. The most pressing issue is really a combination of three related issues: economic development, job creation and neighborhood revitalization. I have and will continue to use the legislative process, budgetary process and the city’s economic development tools and job creation programs such as Tax Incremental Financing (TIF), the MORE ordinance (Resident Preference Program, Emerging Business Enterprise Program, etc.), and Transitional Job Program to invest in development and infrastructure projects that have and will create thousands of construction and permanent jobs and have added millions of dollars to the city’s tax base, which is critical to the city’s ability to deliver public services and infrastructure at an affordable tax rate.
With respect to neighborhood revitalization, under my leadership as co-chair of the Joint Committee on the Redevelopment of Abandoned and Foreclosed Homes, chair of the Public Works Committee and member of the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee the city has invested nearly $70 million since the onset of the great recession in foreclosure mitigation and neighborhood revitalization. I have also sponsored numerous other programs targeted at neighborhood revitalization.
2. I have been a resident of the district for 29 years and have lived at 856 N. 29 Street in the Concordia neighborhood for 19 years. In addition I bring 12 years of experience as the current alderman and prior to my election, I had 27 years of experience as a practicing attorney and owner of a small start-up business. As such I have an intimate knowledge of the district and its neighborhoods and have a diverse background in law and business, an understanding of the challenges facing small businesses, and a thorough knowledge of the city’s legislative process, budgetary process, economic development tools, job creation tools, the real estate development process and land use regulations.
3. I spearheaded the creation of the Near Westside Partners Initiative in my district, which is a collaboration of Marquette University, the Forrest County Potawatomi, Harley-Davidson, Miller-Coors and Aurora Health Care, which has funded the PARC campaign (Promoting Assets Reducing Crime). This campaign has funded a Westside community prosecutor, and police overtime for bike and foot patrols among others. I have been and will continue to be a strong proponent of Community Oriented Policing whereby police interact with the community through foot patrols and bike patrols. I was a strong proponent of the city’s initiative (approved in the 2016 budget) to equip police officers with body cameras.
In addition, I have and will continue to address the causes of crime and disorder through economic development initiatives, job creation initiatives and neighborhood revitalization (see answer to question 1). Finally, I will continue to urge other levels of government such as the state legislature, Department of Public Instruction and Milwaukee School Board to adequately fund public education in Milwaukee, develop innovate programs to insure that our young people stay in school and receive the job skills required for the 21 Century economy, and focus on at-risk youth.
4. I have and will continue to use the city’s economic development tools, such as Tax Incremental Financing, to invest in real estate projects and infrastructure improvements throughout Milwaukee that have created thousands of family- supporting construction and permanent jobs. These investments have included investments in job training programs for central city residents so they can take advantage of these job opportunities.
Monique Kelly
1. Crime. It’s time to organize.
2. I have 15+ years of Human Resource Management, which is my niche while the community is my passion. I will bring a grassroots, ground-up perspective to the position, advocate for seniors, young people, small business and veterans, just to name a few. I will ensure their voice is heard and input is taken into consideration as decisions are being made, and work to increase knowledge, accessibility and opportunities to city services and programs.
3. I believe that there is safety in numbers and power through working together. I want to encourage people to become neighbors again by looking out for one another. Together we will reduce crime, get rid of drug houses, establish ongoing crime prevention techniques and renew citizen interest in community activity. We will develop a united community by simply learning to communicate between police and the citizens again. I am here to help make that connection.
4. My focus will be to help existing entrepreneurs and small business owners create jobs and economic growth.There are entrepreneurs andsmall business owners waiting for the opportunity to simply obtain a license to operate and they’re more than willing to give jobs to people within the community; however, there’s a major power kick involving the current leadership which blocks new business and jobs from developing opportunities. I am ready to open up opportunities for growth and advancement for both the residents and business owners.
District 8: Justin Bielinski, Robert Donovan
Justin Bielinski
1. Ask most 8th District residents what their top concern is, and they will say “safety.” I tend to agree. The district suffered the largest crime increase in the city in 2015, much of it driven by burglaries, car thefts and drug-related crimes. Thankfully, violent crime in the 8th is not nearly as prevalent as in some other parts of the city, but that will be of little comfort to those who have been victimized. The primary reason that safety issues are so prevalent on the near south side is due to institutional neglect. We simply have not been granted the necessary resources by city, county or state government to adequately fund our roads, alleys, parks, schools or services.
Neglected roads damage cars, which make it difficult to get to work. Underfunded schools have difficulty retaining good teachers and overworked parents have a harder time being involved in their children’s education. Neglected maintenance at local parks leads to more littering and less neighborhood pride. Poor police response times and negative police interactions lead to citizens underreporting crimes, which leads to more unsafe neighborhoods. When home repair assistance programs are available to some residents and not others, it leads to a perception that some residents matter less than others, and reduces their faith in the system as a whole. For a safer, better 8th District, we need a leader who will fight to bring our fair share of government resources to the district, and I plan to do just that.
2. My strongest assets are my education and my experience serving youth throughout my 15-year professional career. My bachelor’s degree in history, with a focus on American social and labor history, provides me with a nuanced perspective on our nation’s strengths and our struggles. My graduate certificate in nonprofit management gives me a good working knowledge of the charity sector, which must partner closely and effectively with local government if we are to succeed as a city going forward. My master’s in political science with a focus on local governance has familiarized me with the various tools available to local elected officials to solve urban problems in new and creative ways.
Perhaps even more than formal education, my decade and a half of experience serving local youth in psychiatric residential treatment, outpatient mental health and public education settings have taught me just how pervasive and persistent the struggles of working families in Milwaukee are. Moreover, my work experiences have instilled in me a deep empathy that I believe every politician or community leader must have to adequately address the needs of the people they intend to serve.
3. My plan to address crime in the 8th District boils down to three major initiatives. First, I will expand our current format of holding one safety meeting per month covering the entire MPD District 2 area, from the city limits to Lake Michigan on the near South Side, to holding a separate monthly safety meeting in each of our five distinct neighborhoods (Burnham Park, Layton Park, Clarke Square, Silver City, and Muskego Way).
My second anti-crime initiative is in regards to the slum landlord problem in the 8th District, particularly east of Layton Boulevard (27th Street). Landlords who don’t adequately maintain their properties or respond to neighborhood concerns about their tenants must be sanctioned more strictly and more severely. Additionally, landlords who are otherwise responsible but lack the funds to make needed improvements to their properties must be given access to funding or tax credits to do so.
My third anti-crime initiative involves funding for improved training and partnerships between MPD and the community groups in their jurisdiction. The police budget has increased by 49 percent since 2005, and currently accounts for 45 percent of the general-purpose city budget. Much of that increase has been allocated to staffing. I think at this point we need to ensure we are getting the most out of the officers that we have, rather than trying to expand the police force further at the expense of other departments, which are equally valuable to Milwaukee’s future.
4. Given the densely populated nature of the 8th District, and the lack of large-scale developable land therein, any significant increase in jobs is going to have to come in other parts of the city that are less developed. A great opportunity for this is the Harbor District, Milwaukee’s next big development frontier, which is located directly to the east of the 8th District. As alderman, I will work to ensure that our district is connected to the job centers of the city, including downtown, the Menomonee Valley and soon the Harbor District, to the greatest degree possible. This means improved roads and public transit.
Within the 8th District itself, we need to focus on smaller-scale, sustainable development. This means providing incentives for city residents to open small businesses, particularly light retail and dining, in our commercial corridors. These include National, Greenfield and Lincoln Avenues, as well as pockets of Burnham and 35th Streets and Muskego and Forest Home Avenues. Specifically, the 8th District is in need of an indoor soccer and recreation facility, a public library and technology center, breakfast cafes, a pizza place and other family-friendly options.
With our proximity to Miller Park, there is no reason we cannot have a more lively National Avenue in Silver City. The pieces are in place with businesses like Bamboo, Thai Barbecue and Our Daily Salt, but we need to do a better job of expanding on these assets.
Robert Donovan (incumbent)
Donovan did not respond to the NNS survey.
District 12: Jose G. Perez, Angel Sanchez
Jose G. Perez (incumbent)
1. My neighbors and friends across the 12th District want to be sure the city is addressing their quality of life. That means we need to keep our roads repaired, plowed and cleaned, our water and sewer systems in top-notch shape, our garbage and recycling pick-ups on time. We need to make sure police have the resources to address crime, to reduce car thefts, burglaries and violent crime, and to prevent crime by closing down drug houses. We need our neighborhoods to be strong, for vacant properties to be sold, rehabbed and occupied, and we need for every resident to have access to good libraries. My goal as alderman is to prioritize our neighborhood’s needs, and add to that smart, strong development that increases the tax base and creates jobs. I do that by staying in touch with the neighborhood, listening to my constituents, and looking for opportunities by working hard. This is a 24-7 job, and that’s what I’ve put into it over the last four years.
2. I have a unique background for an alderman. I started as a community organizer, and worked with kids facing the pressures of joining gangs, labor unions and neighborhood groups. I also had the chance to work on the inside of city government, and I worked as a private developer. All of these experiences let me understand the job of alderman, and the role of city government, in a unique way. I think that’s why I’ve been effective in my first term, and why I’m seen as a leader on the Common Council. I’m not a politician first — I’m a resident, parent, organizer and community leader first.
3. First and foremost, we must build a strong partnership between the local police in our district and community residents. Communication is key. Police need to know where there are potential hot spots or troublemakers, and kids, especially, who could be attracted into committing crimes, need alternatives. I am working at this from multiple angles. We need to create good-paying jobs. We need to improve trust between police and the neighborhood. We have to have smart prevention strategies. We need to support the drug treatment court and diversions that move people out of the cycle of crime and violence. Through my leadership on the finance and personnel committee we funded 20 percent more police officers than originally proposed by the mayor. I also co-sponsored legislation to create Community Service Officers, who will respond to some non-violent complaints and allow police officers more time to focus on other issues.
4. I’m incredibly proud of my record in this area. The new development on 1st and Greenfield is a huge game-changer, and I’ve been the champion of that. I had to challenge the Department of City of Development and force them to confront the truth that their long-term plan was not bearing fruit for our neighborhood. I’m also proud of the PNC Bank on Cesar E. Chavez, the new library and comprehensive health clinic on Mitchell Street, the MATC education campus on 9th & National Avenue, and the streetscape reconstruction of South 5th Street (Washington to Virginia) attracting several new businesses.
We need vision and planning, but we also need to have the guts to change and take advantage of opportunities that are put in front of us. I’ve spent two decades building relationships with both community leaders and developers, and am uniquely positioned to help leverage more growth in our neighborhoods. We will continue to actively recruit businesses to infill our main commercial corridors, we will look for opportunities to leverage major developments like 1st and Greenfield, and we will target city resources for maximum growth.
Angel Sanchez
1. The most pressing issue in the community is the homeowners and investors being targeted by the Department of Neighborhood Services.  While they have cause to issue orders, their fines and timetables are unrealistic in some cases and are simply not practical.  Some work orders go beyond the financial means of families, yet the city fines them, turns the case over to a debt collection law firm and eventually, if not resolved, the city takes the home away from the owner.
Crime is out of control everywhere.  People’s cars are being stolen, their homes are being broken into and fights erupt in the middle of the day on our streets.  We need to get more people employed and educated.  Our judicial system must send a message that if you commit a crime, you must do your time.  Currently, many violations are treated lightly and the offenders are back on the street the next day.
2. I’m highly educated, a great communicator and listener, have owned and understand what it takes to run a business and solve problems.  I have worked in the government sector and in the nonprofit sector.
I am highly successful, own eight properties in Milwaukee and believe in financial literacy, freedom and independence.  I can do anything I set my mind to, and have motivated others to reach for the sky.  I love people and there is plenty of room in our neighborhood for people of all walks of life.
3. See answer one.
4. People began to take a serious look at the South Side of Milwaukee when I became alderman from 2000 to 2004.  We led with $300 million of economic development.  Back then I had to sell a vision when the tumbleweeds would blow by while downtown Milwaukee would get another $5 million for street improvements.  Our restaurants were doing almost as much business as downtown.
I kept quiet and made it a priority to beat every district in our city with development.  The business community knew that I was a huge believer in business and far from a micro-manager.  My vision created lots of jobs, we increased the tax base, there was plenty of construction dollars invested and this neighborhood became a destination area to live work and play. Sixteenth Street became Cesar Chavez Drive, full of diversity, shopping and restaurants; Lincoln Avenue, once full of boarded-up store fronts, got revitalized and Walker’s Point came back to life offering condominiums, assisted living, arts and theaters.
There is still room for growth with services and venues. It must be a balance between the needs of the community and its stakeholders.

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 29, 2016


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26007640406_fd124488ae_o | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 29, 2016


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How to be a good mentor | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Big Brothers Big Sisters
March 30, 2016
Students learn how to be effective mentors at a Big Brothers Big Sisters training event (Photo by Alhaji Camara)
The term mentor is used to describe all sorts of roles. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides one-on-one mentoring relationships to children in our community. Here are some tips on how to be an effective mentor.
Show up
The most impactful part of being a mentor also happens to be the easiest: showing up. Kids value consistency above all else. You do no have to lead the most exciting life or have the most accomplishments to impress your “Little.” They are impressed that you follow through and do what you say you are going to do.
Ease up
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Sometimes mentors feel pressure to have deep conversations from day one. Kids need time to build relationships. Not every conversation should be about working toward a goal. Relationships have to be built in conversations about ice cream and television and books before they can make their way into grade-point averages and peer pressure.
Study up
This one is not as difficult as it seems. We want mentors to feel ready to embrace the challenges and joys of being a mentor so we provide them with online and in-person training, along with staff guidance throughout the match. You have questions; we have resources. But ultimately, the best thing is to learn from your Little. They will teach you the best ways to talk to them, relate to them and have an impact on them over time.
Sign up
Contact us at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee if you or someone you know could be a good mentor.

author: Big Brothers Big Sisters


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Social Development Commission (SDC) unveils new look, new website | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
March 30, 2016
Social Development Commission’s new branding and tagline (Courtesy of SDC)
The Social Development Commission (SDC) is settling into its new location at 1730 W. North Avenue. In conjunction with the agency’s move into a new facility, SDC has unveiled new branding and a new tagline. They are reflective of the positive impact the agency’s services and programs have on the lives of low-income residents of Milwaukee County.
“Our new tagline, providing pathways from poverty to success, truly speaks to what SDC endeavors to do – provide pathways to success for each individual we touch,” said SDC CEO George Hinton. “We know that success looks different for each person, but if they can attain that, their life can change.”
The colors of the new logo – a bright blue and rich gold, are vibrant and align with outlook for the future SDC aims to provide its clients.
A completely redesigned website features the new branding. The site is visually compelling and offers improved navigation for users. Responsive design provides ease for those using the site on mobile devices and tablets. The URL remains cr-sdc.org.
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SDC provides a broad range of services including education and training, health and wellness services, youth, adult and senior services, financial literacy, career enhancement and job placement, business services, weatherization programs and nutrition services.
All programs and services are now offered at the new facility on North Avenue, with the exception of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA will continue operations at SDC’s former office on Richards Street through the end of the tax season, Monday, April 18.
For more than 50 years, the Social Development Commission has operated as the Community Action Agency for Milwaukee County. SDC serves as a planner, coordinator, and provider of human service programs for low-income individuals and families residing in Milwaukee County. The agency is an intergovernmental commission and is governed by a board of 18 citizens from Milwaukee County, each of whom hold the title of “Commissioner.”
For more information on SDC’s programs and services, visit cr-sdc.org. Connect with us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/SDCMilwaukee and Twitter www.twitter.com/CRSDC.
SDC’s retired branding (Courtesy of SDC)

author: Social Development Commission


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 30, 2016


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Department of Education Report Calls on Colleges to Step Up Support for Poor Students | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
March 31, 2016
Pro Publica

author: Andrea Waxman


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In African-American Communities, Growing Interest In Home-Schooling | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
March 31, 2016
National Public Radio


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More Than 500,000 Americans Stand to Lose SNAP Benefits | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
March 31, 2016
The Atlantic City Lab


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MPS students get a financial ‘Reality Check’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
March 31, 2016
88NINE Radio Milwaukee


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On the Block: The meaning of family | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
March 31, 2016
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Maikou Xiong is the 12th of 17 children. Though many of her siblings have moved out and gotten married, all of them are still in Milwaukee. Xiong, who is Hmong, said her family members support each other through the challenges — large and small — that arise in life.
Read more about Maikou Xiong at milwaukeestories.org.
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author: Jabril Faraj


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Only a few weeks left for free tax preparation through VITA program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
March 31, 2016
The end of the tax season, Monday, April 18, is rapidly approaching leaving just a few weeks for individuals and families to receive free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The Social Development Commission (SDC) provides this free service to Milwaukee County residents and is the lead agency for VITA.
The program provides free tax services to low and middle-income residents with a household income of $56,000 or less. Eligible Milwaukee County residents can have their tax returns filed electronically for faster returns and avoid high preparation fees or refund anticipation loans.
Tax preparation is offered through April 18 at two sites Monday through Saturday, one site Monday through Friday, and two additional sites operate on different days of the week in Milwaukee County.
Monday – Saturday sites
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SDC-Richards
4041 N. Richards Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Mon., Wed., & Fri.: 8:00am – 5:00pm; Tues & Thurs: 10:00am -7:00pm; Sat: 9:00am- Noon
SDC-Teutonia
6848 N. Teutonia Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53209
Mon., Wed., & Fri.: 8:00am – 5:00pm; Tues & Thurs: 10:00am -7:00pm; Sat: 9:00am- Noon
Additional sites
MATC Downtown (Room S115)
700 W. State Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Tues.: 6:00pm -7:30pm- 20 Taxpayers Only; Sat.: 10:00am- 1:30pm- 30 Taxpayers Only
Closed: April 2, 2016
Sixteenth Street Community Health Center (Chavez Site)
1032 S. Cesar Chavez Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Thurs.: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Closed: April 7, 2016
Chase Avenue
2701 S. Chase Avenue, Milwaukee 53207
Mon. – Fri.: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Qualifications for Milwaukee County residents, information on what to bring, and the schedule for services is available on SDC’s website at cr-sdc.org.
Residents meeting qualifications can use the online Facilitated Self Assistance service which provides the ability to file electronically for free at www.MyFreeTaxes.com.
This if the 15th season that the VITA tax service program has helped residents maximize their tax returns. In the first 14 years of the program, almost 163,000 returns have been filed resulting in more than $174 million in tax refunds and credits back to residents and the local economy. The program will run through April 18.
For more than 50 years, the Social Development Commission has operated as the Community Action Agency for Milwaukee County. SDC serves as a planner, coordinator, and provider of human service programs for low-income individuals and families residing in Milwaukee County. The agency is an intergovernmental commission and is governed by a board of 18 citizens from Milwaukee County, each of whom hold the title of “Commissioner.” For more information on SDC’s programs and services, visit cr-sdc.org. Connect with us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/SDCMilwaukee and Twitter www.twitter.com/CRSDC.


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Precious Lives: Checking In With Isiah Johnson, Change Takes Time | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
March 31, 2016
WUWM Wisconsin Public Radio


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R-Life Café serves up food and employment opportunities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jimmy Gutierrez (News414)
March 31, 2016
You might know Running Rebels as an organization that offers afterschool and summer programs for city youth. But did you know that it also provides a good place to go when you’re hungry?
Running Rebels Community Organization operates the R-Life Café and Running Rebels Catering, located on the first floor of 1300 W. Fond du Lac Ave. The three-story brick building resembles a classic manufacturing structure, but the inside tells a different story.
“Running Rebels has always been known for its good food at its celebrations,” explained Dawn Barnett, co-executive director of Running Rebels. “So about six years ago a partner of ours was like ‘this is really, really good food. Would you consider doing this for our event?’”
In Wisconsin, catering companies need to be tied to a commercial kitchen. Once funding was in place for the kitchen, Barnett and her husband and co-executive director, Victor Barnett, decided to open a restaurant on site. The café opened in April 2015 with help from the Daniel M. Soref Charitable Trust.
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“We started with some staff people that had an interest in cooking and expanded from there,” Dawn Barnett said. “We were able to provide employment opportunities for young adults and even had parents working at one time.”
In less than a year the business has grown both as a café and a caterer. The menu features jerk chicken, grilled salmon, homemade pizza, and chicken and waffles.
The catering business, which once had a handful of requests a month, now has up to a dozen a week and has catered events as large as 400 people.
“We really look to encourage people to support the café because it does so much in creating jobs for young people,” said Victor Barnett. “We would like to open more cafes and empower youth to start their own businesses.”
The café employs two teens and five adults during the school year, and six teens and four adults during the summer months. Part of the café’s proceeds go to the Running Rebels scholarship fund.

author: Jimmy Gutierrez (News414)


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2016 Inspire by Example award winners | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Hannah Weinberg-Kinsey
April 1, 2016
A 17 year old who organized a workshop on the levels and manifestations of racism for her entire Milwaukee high school.
A retired engineer building houses not interested in rushing the job to completion but in empowering partner families to build and maintain their homes themselves.
A volunteer coordinator who recognizes that people with disabilities are not just people to be served, but skilled volunteers themselves.
A group of leaders building community by serving lunch to Milwaukee residents living homelessly for more than twenty five years.
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A long time board member at Beyond Vision who associates the word “volunteer” with the action-oriented phrase “a highway to do something.”
A corporate culture that supports its 6,000 employees giving back to the community for more than 30,000 hours each year.
These are the winners of the 2016 Inspire by Example Awards, all of whom are named below. Each recipient will be honored at this year’s Inspire by Example awards celebration on Thursday, April 7th from 11:30 am to 1:00pm at the Italian Community Center. Join us in celebrating these volunteers by attending the event or reading the story of each volunteer at www.npcmilwaukee.org/blog.
2016 Inspire By Example Award Winners

author: Hannah Weinberg-Kinsey


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HOPE Network grants help single mothers get degrees | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Pauline Beck
April 1, 2016
“I didn’t expect single parenting to be my fate, but I will not let it hinder my future,” says Darcel McIntyre, a mother of two who graduated magna cum laude with a degree in early childhood education from Cardinal Stritch University in May 2015.
When Chineva Smith, also a single mother of two, earned her degree in organizational administration from UW-Milwaukee, she was the first person on the maternal side of her family to graduate from college. She is now in the MBA program at Alverno College.
Both Darcel and Chineva benefited from a grant program run by the HOPE Network, a nonprofit group that provides support to single mothers and their children in the greater Milwaukee area.
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The group is now accepting applications for this year’s Edmund Springman Educational Grants. These grants are available to single mothers in the greater Milwaukee area who are pursuing post-secondary education. The annual awards of $1,000 can be used toward the cost of tuition, day care while the mother is in school, or both.
Darcel worked full time all during her studies, as well as raising Davion, who is in ninth grade, and Destiny, who is in third. She acknowledges that it was “tough,” and is very grateful for the help she was able to get from the HOPE Network.
“I want to encourage every single mother to keep striving. It’s hard to live a life that wasn’t chosen, but it’s rewarding when you succeed with the hand that you were dealt,” she says.
Chineva was struggling at the time she applied for the grant. “I had no idea how I was going to finish school, but when I got that letter telling me that I was a scholarship winner, it was my answer.”
HOPE Network will award at least six $1,000 grants for the upcoming school year (fall 2016 & spring 2017  semesters). Applications, which are available at www.hopenetworkinc.org, must be postmarked by April 30.
An applicant must be a single mother of a child under 18 (or a single female legal guardian of a minor child), must be pursuing post-secondary education at a college or technical school, and must live in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Ozaukee, or Racine Counties. Applicants must be HOPE Network members, and they may join when they submit their grant applications. Grant winners are required to do 10 hours of volunteer work for HOPE Network or another local community organization before the end of 2016.
Applicants will need to print out the application form from HOPE Network’s website and submit it along with three photocopies of everything, as specified on the form.
HOPE Network is a volunteer-based, grass-roots support system providing emotional, educational, and material support to single pregnant women and single mothers and their children in the greater Milwaukee area. Key programs are: cribs and safe sleep education, 24-page quarterly resource newspaper, scholarships, clothing banks, and family events. HOPE Network was founded in 1982 by Menomonee Falls resident Gail Grenier Sweet. Since 1988, HOPE Network has awarded $82,000 in educational grants to 83 single mothers.

author: Pauline Beck


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 1, 2016


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Name *
March 31, 2016

author: Name *


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Milwaukee Rising spurs steady increase in homeownership in Sherman Park | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brendan O’Brien
April 1, 2016
New homeowner Randy Jones stands outside of his Milwaukee Rising home. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
A transformation has occurred along 46th street from Center Street to North Avenue in the heart of the Sherman Park neighborhood, where homeowners have completed various home improvement projects such as repairing their roofs and replacing gutters and windows.
The rejuvenation along this small stretch has been spurred in part by the renovation of eight homes on the street by Milwaukee Rising, a campaign to improve the real estate market in Milwaukee by addressing the disproportionate number of foreclosures in Sherman Park.
“They are reinvesting in their homes because the neighborhood will not be so transient,” said Toni Wagner, a Milwaukee Rising volunteer who has lived in Sherman Park for 45 years. “People who live in the neighborhood and invest in the neighborhood are the ones that really care about the community.”
Milwaukee Rising, created by the grassroots group Common Ground, has renovated more than 70 foreclosed, distressed homes in Sherman Park, selling more than 60 of them to individuals and families since the effort began in 2008. Its goal is to rehabilitate 100 foreclosed houses and return them to the local real estate market.
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Homes in the Sherman Park neighborhood along 51st Street. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
One of Milwaukee Rising’s homes was recently purchased by Randy Jones, a 48-year-old divorcee, who looked at dozens of houses before finding his three-bedroom, two-bath bungalow. The former aldermanic candidate said the effort by Milwaukee Rising will have a long-term impact on the city.
“That’s what is going to change Milwaukee as a whole,” Jones said. “It’s going to start with homeownership. It’s about that sense of belonging and that sense of pride.”
The effort has reduced the number of abandoned homes in the neighborhood, from 300 in 2010 to about 150 in 2015. Because the remaining blighted homes are a breeding ground for crime, 30 volunteer home evaluators from Milwaukee Rising inspect each one monthly, reporting problems such as break-ins to the Milwaukee Police Department or the city.
Milwaukee Rising has received about $1 million in grants from Bank of America, Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo and about $500,000 in low- or no-interest loans from religious entities and Milwaukee Development Corporation. The City of Milwaukee also allocated about $4 million of federal Neighborhood Stabilization Project funds to the effort. In addition, Bank of America gave the organization 12 houses and $180,000 to rehab them.
“The banks are the ones that caused this problem, so they should be the ones to help rehab and repair these homes,” said Frank Finch III, treasurer of Milwaukee Rising.
Milwaukee Rising uses the funding to purchase properties and hire contractors to do major plumbing, electrical, foundation and general improvements to the houses. The organization then puts them back on the market and the proceeds from the sale of properties are used to pay lenders.
In addition to completing rehabs, Milwaukee Rising has provided up to $5,000 in matching grants to 40 Sherman Park homeowners to make improvements such as replacing a roof or windows. More than $200,000 has been disbursed through that effort.
“When we rehabbed a home, we went to each homeowner on the block and asked them if there was something they needed to get done on their house,” Finch said. “That was really successful.”
According to Zillow.com, which tracks the residential real estate market, the average home value in Sherman Park has decreased from $91,000 in 2006 to $51,000 in 2016. The dramatic decline has leveled off since 2012, as average prices have remained steady, between $50,000 and $61,000.
Zillow notes that foreclosures “will be a factor impacting home values in the next several years” in Sherman Park, where 15.6 per 10,000 homes are foreclosed, almost twice the rate for the entire city of Milwaukee and five times the national average.
To stem the long-term foreclosure tide in Sherman Park, homeownership is the key, according to Judy Maher, a contractor who serves as Milwaukee Rising’s project manager.
“This is making a big difference,” Maher said. “There are way too many people renting in Sherman Park who should own — plain and simple.”

author: Brendan O’Brien


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 31, 2016


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African-American Vote Might Mean The Difference In Wisconsin’s Democratic Presidential Primary | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 4, 2016
WPR Wisconsin Public Radio


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Deadline approaching for Milwaukee teen jobs program | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 4, 2016
jsonline.com


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Keeping our eyes on the prize | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Margaret Rozga
April 4, 2016
(Photo by Emmy A. Yates)
Margaret Rozga, poet, civil rights activist and professor emerita of English at UW-Waukesha, decries politicians who divert attention from the real issues.
My grandchildren and I were playing a game of bocci in their yard a few days ago. As I was about to take my turn, one of them glanced over her shoulder and exclaimed, “Oh, look, there’s Jessica!” I stopped, turned, but saw no one. “Made you look!” She laughed.
I remember that feeling from my own childhood, the glee at having made another lose her focus and do your will. I remember as well being on the other side of that, the embarrassment at having been gullible enough to trust a sibling or friend.
Now as an adult who hasn’t played that game in years, I puzzle over the joy of anyone who calls us to look and the shame of all those who trust that there is something real to look at. Why not the other way around? Why not shame for the one who tries to fool others?
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In this election year, there seem to be more than the usual number of candidates who call “oh, look” in an attempt to divert attention away from real issues. On the national level, they shout, “Oh, look, it’s immigrants, it’s Muslims.” On all levels, speaking usually in code, some candidates blame African-Americans, teachers, lesbian, gay or transgendered people, those on food stamps, those without jobs, women, protestors, unions or fill-in-the blank with any group a candidate wants us to imagine causes problems.
Candidates who play this child’s game include, of course, Republican Donald Trump, but also Republican back-up choice Ted Cruz who, given the bombing in Brussels, responds by saying that he thinks we need preemptory surveillance of Muslim neighborhoods.
Their game playing is much more hurtful than the momentary glee on one side and chagrin on the other of the childhood game. Cruz’s statement is based on the destructive idea that some people should be treated as guilty simply because of their ethnicity, race or religion. His statement also is based on a belief that neighborhoods are, and perhaps should be, segregated so that some citizens can be subjected more easily to such treatment. Like so many of his counterparts up and down the ticket, he would undo a century of progress toward forming a more perfect union, the goal of the Constitution of the United States.
Other candidates play this game using the issue of taxes. “Oh, look, I held (or will hold) taxes down.” So we save a few dollars on this year’s tax bills. But then roads, bridges, parks, parking lots, mental health facilities, veterans’ services, schools and other institutions all suffer. This year in Milwaukee County particular attention is on the Mitchell Park Domes, where whatever small dollars were saved from deferred maintenance year to year has added up to a hefty sum.
The real issue to stay focused on is the common good. Where and how can we best invest in a healthy, well-maintained, thriving city, county, state and nation? Now that we know the Domes have fallen into a sad state of disrepair, we have to ask what else has been neglected for the past decade. “Oh, look,” these politicians say, and when we do, we find that we’re in danger of losing electoral control of public schools. We may also find our rights to clean air and safe water given away to polluting corporations and private interests. Such politicians are not public servants; they are self-serving.
I want to keep my eyes on institutions that serve the common good. I want them to be properly maintained and supported, to thrive. Yes, I may save a few dollars in taxes when support for community-building institutions is cut, but those dollars do not determine my vote. I want to vote for women and men who value the common good.
As a person who got her start in social justice movements working on a voter registration campaign, I want to see voting encouraged and voters respected rather than manipulated. Shame on candidates who think all they have to do is to call “oh, look here” to mislead voters.

author: Margaret Rozga


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 4, 2016


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Milwaukee apartment development to provide housing for the homeless | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 4, 2016
Milwaukee Business Journal


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New statue furthers goal of creating Latino cultural hub on Chavez Drive | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
April 4, 2016
District 12 Alderman Jose Perez and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett pose next to the statue during the ceremony. (Photo by Adam Carr)
Undeterred by rain, hundreds of people, including state and local leaders, gathered in the Supermercado El Rey pedestrian plaza, 916 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive, for the unveiling of a statue of labor activist and Mexican-American civil rights leader Cesar E. Chavez.
“Cesar E. Chavez Drive showcases the best of the Latino community here, and there couldn’t be a more fitting location for this statue,” said District 12 Alderman Jose Perez, who was credited with helping spur the revitalization of Cesar E. Chavez Drive, once known simply as South Sixteenth Street. Perez pushed for a streetscape redesign of the business district in 2010.
For South Side resident Adrian Lynch, the statue, which is the only one featuring the likeness of Chavez in the Midwest, is another sign of progress.
“People always talk about the segregation in the city but this statue is another sign of its diversity,” Lynch said.
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Araceli Gonzalez, her daughter Conrada and son Sal, joined hundred of residents for the unveiling of the Cesar E. Chavez statue at the Supermercado El Rey pedestrian plaza recently. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
The unveiling of the life-sized statue took place on “Cesar Chavez Day” in Milwaukee, in the heart of Clarke Square’s liveliest business district along Chavez Drive.
“Chavez Drive is a vibrant commercial corridor,” said Julio Maldonado, executive director of the Cesar Chavez Business Improvement District. “Through promoting culture and commerce in the area our goal is to continue to connect the business and residential communities.”
The BID is partnering with CSNI to achieve that goal through the Farm Project, a three-year initiative to turn Cesar E. Chavez Drive into a stop not just for those looking to visit the street’s many ethnic stores or restaurants, but a cultural destination as well. The statue is its second major endeavor.
“We want nothing short of positioning Chavez Drive as the Latin cultural hub of Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin generally,” said Ian Bautista, executive director of CSNI.
The first Farm Project initiative was Ciclovia MKE, a bicycle-themed event held last August that was intended to promote healthier lifestyles and increase socialization among neighbors. This year’s Ciclovia MKE event will be held on June 12 and stretch from Cesar E. Chavez Drive to Walker’s Point, according to organizers.
Partners of the Farm Project raised more than $50,000 to create and install the Chavez statue, said organizers.
“It’s great to see such a beautiful statue honoring him; he’s a legend,” said Eusebio Ruiz, an El Rey employee who stayed after work to attend the ceremony.
Chavez co-founded what would later become the United Farm Workers union in 1962, leading several successful boycotts and strikes to increase wages and improve working conditions for migrant workers across the country. Chavez, who died in 1993, would go on to become one of the most renowned civil rights leaders in American history.
Araceli Gonzalez attended the statue unveiling with her daughter Conrada and son Sal so they could learn about the man behind the statue.
“I wanted them to know about the struggles he [Chavez] faced and how he overcame them to make things better for us,” said Gonzalez in Spanish.


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26209745755_3fd8b595fe_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 4, 2016


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The End of Welfare as We Know It | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 4, 2016
The Atlantic


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Job fair connects central city residents with career opportunities | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jabril Faraj
April 5, 2016
About 1,100 people attended the daylong event at North Division High School. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
America Works, a nationwide organization that connects job seekers and employers, recently held its first large-scale job fair in Milwaukee’s central city. The employment event, which focused on connecting people with jobs in the transportation industry, drew almost 100 companies.
About 1,100 out-of-work and struggling Milwaukee residents attended the event, which was held at North Division High School, 1011 W Center St. The school’s hallways and tables were crowded throughout the day as people spoke with employers and filled out job applications.
Deshawn Nabors, who most recently worked at Habitat for Humanity for five years doing home demolition, has been out of work for six or seven months. Nabors said his short-term goal is just to land a job but, eventually, he wants to own his own business.
“I’m adamant [about] working; I’m motivated to be a positive, productive citizen of society,” he said.
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Deshawn Nabors (foreground) and other attendees fill out applications. (Photo by Jabril Faraj)
Similar to Nabors, many attendees had longer-term goals but were hoping to come away from the event with better prospects for immediate employment. Monica Willis, a single mother of four who lost her job at Sam’s Club a week earlier, wants to find a stable job that will provide for her family and give her the financial resources to open a retail store down the line.
Dejaun Jones, a father of two, has been working for two different temp services, making between $8 and $9 per hour, and sometimes as low as $7.50. Jones said he spoke to a representative of WFA Staffing, a temp agency, at the event who said he wouldn’t be set up with temporary work that paid less than $10 per hour. Jones arranged an interview for the next day.
Though he’s ultimately hoping to find full-time work, Jones said the interaction was encouraging. “That’s the whole point of you coming … hoping to catch some opportunity,” he said. “You know, something that makes you feel like, okay, this was worth coming, you didn’t waste your time.”
State Rep. David Bowen, who helped organize the event, expressed pride in the turnout, saying it dispels the notion that people in Milwaukee don’t want to work. “I know a lot of people who work hard,” he said. “They usually work weekends, they work overtime, they work holidays, and they are putting in a lot of time away from their families that they otherwise could spend taking care of the folks that they love.”
“What they need access to are living-wage jobs,” Bowen added. “Living-wage jobs give people the opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty.”
He praised the employers in attendance because he said they understand the need for good-paying work. Vendors included the United States Postal Service, Home Depot, PepsiCo and Enterprise car rental. Many of the employers present, such as TaxAir, represented the commercial trucking industry.
Neal Kedzie, a former Wisconsin state legislator and president of the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association, a nonprofit trade group, said there is a projected shortage of 240,000 truck-driving jobs nationwide. Wisconsin, where 90 percent of manufactured goods are shipped by truck, is developing 1,800 jobs every year.
“We are an industry that is looking for you,” Kedzie said. “The demand is high.”
The jobs available, which include intra- or inter-state driving, start between $26,000 and $37,000 per year and top out at $75,000 or more, according to Kedzie.
Anthony Staton owns Professional CDL Training Institute, a company that trains people to obtain a Class A driver’s license, which is required to drive a semi-truck. Staton said the average person takes between 32 and 44 hours to be certified.
He said taking such a class is an investment, equating its impact to that of a college degree. “If I can jump from a job that’s paying me $9 an hour, which is approximately $18,000 a year, to a job that’s paying me $20 an hour — that’s approximately $40,000 a year — I just picked up $22,000 in year one.”
“I was born and raised here in this community,” said Staton, who grew up near North 24th Place and West Burleigh Street and attended Bradley Tech High School. “I’m from this area, so I’m just trying to show these folks that there’s a way out here to get a job, but you’ve got to want to help yourself, too.”
Connecting
During a town hall portion of the event, people expressed frustration over barriers to work, including past criminal history, not having a driver’s license and issues involving child support.
Tyrone Lowe, 45, was released from federal prison on Thanksgiving after serving 58 months of a 15-year sentence that was eventually thrown out. Lowe said he’s submitted three applications a week since but hasn’t found any work.
“What I’m looking for is a job that is consistent; a job that, if I don’t know exactly how to do it, I can be trained to do it,” said Lowe. “I’m looking to learn new things … I’m looking for stability, a friendly work environment, and someone that won’t judge me.”
Robert Spencer, 33, whose 4-year-old son was with him, said he hasn’t been able to find steady work since being released from the Milwaukee County House of Correction in January 2014. Spencer, who worked in the industrial maintenance industry for nine years, said he’s had two or three temporary jobs that didn’t last any more than a few months.
“My rent’s due — I’m gonna get evicted,” said Spencer, who added he doesn’t smoke or do drugs. “I don’t want to go out here and do nothing that’s going to cause me to go back to the institution I just left from.”
Driver’s license recovery and child support services were available at the event. State Sen. Lena Taylor and other attendees also suggested contacting organizations including Word of Hope Ministries, Project Return and Clean Slate Milwaukee, which help ex-offenders and others connect with resources.
Taylor said Milwaukee needs “community connectors” to direct people to organizations and individuals that can help, offering her office as such a resource. “It’s not so much that help isn’t there; [people are] just not sure which place to go,” she said.
But Taylor also encouraged people to “take the bull by the horns and decide what you want to do, because … opportunities exist.”
Justin Bryant, who represented UPS Freight, spoke with attendees about a part-time dockworker position, starting at $12 per hour, which he said could lead to advancement with the company. Bryant said he expected to find some good candidates from the event and would “absolutely” participate again.
“We hope to make this a long-term solution, being able to come to Milwaukee and have individuals apply and come work for UPS and build a career,” he said.
Carlyle Outten, director of operations at America Works, said he expects positive outcomes to result from the fair and guaranteed the event would not be the last of its kind.
“This one event is going to make a difference in the community,” said Outten. “If we had 10 of these, it would make a huge difference in the community, especially if the same people are coming back, and doing more, and doing better.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 6, 2016


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Popular South Side supermarket to open new store in Bronzeville | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Mark Doremus
April 5, 2016
Mayor Tom Barrett and District 6 Ald. Milele Coggs (left) announce that a Pete’s Fruit Market is coming to Bronzeville. (Photo by Mark Doremus)
Redevelopment of a distressed Milwaukee neighborhood will get a boost when Pete’s Fruit Market, a South Side institution, opens a new store on the corner of West North Avenue and North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
The corner building, long vacant after a Walgreens drug store relocated about a mile to the north, was the center of controversy in 2013 when a Dollar Tree store tried to move in. Community opposition to the Dollar Tree was led by Ald. Milele Coggs, who joined with the Milwaukee NAACP to demand that the neighborhood get a full-service grocery to improve the health of the community Coggs represents District 6, where the old Walgreens store is located.
The corner lot is at the crossroads of the Brewer’s Hill, Halyard Park and Harambee neighborhoods. It anchors the east end of the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District, a development zone where the city has been working for more than a decade to bring commerce and nightlife into an economically distressed area.
Theodore Tsitiridis, son of the fruit market’s founder, his wife Anne Marie and their son Peter look on as city officials announce that their popular market is branching out to the North Side. (Photo by Mark Doremus)
According to Mayor Tom Barrett, who announced the new grocery store at a brief outdoor ceremony, Pete’s will bring healthy foods, employment and a spirit of community engagement to the Bronzeville neighborhood.
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“If you’ve been to the South Side,” Barrett said, “you know Pete’s Fruit Market. It’s a family-owned business with a well-earned reputation for great quality food and great prices.”
The Walgreens site was owned previously by Anup “Andy” Khullar, who had promised to bring a grocery to the corner in exchange for financial support from the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation. Khullar received a $325,000 loan to support the project but later decided to lease the space to Dollar Tree instead of developing a locally owned and operated grocery store. Dollar Tree got as far as furnishing the store interior and putting up signs outside before it gave up on the Bronzeville location in the face of intense community opposition.
“The stakeholders in the community spoke up and together we fought to get what we originally wanted here and what this neighborhood was promised,” Coggs told the small crowd that attended the store unveiling.
“We are so proud to announce that with Pete’s Market coming to Bronzeville, the neighborhood will get the market it deserves.”
The new Pete’s Fruit Market will take over most of the building space that Walgreens occupied, according to Department of City Development Commissioner Rocky Marcoux. The market is expected to open by the end of 2016, after renovations to both the interior and exterior of the building.
The project will be developed by Vangard Group. Construction work on the building will be handled by JCP Construction, a minority-owned business enterprise.
The founder of Pete’s Fruit Market, Pete Tsitiridis, emigrated from Greece in 1963 and opened his first store in Waukegan, Illinois, in 1976. He sold that store and started over at the corner of South Union Street and West Greenfield Avenue in Milwaukee in 1992.

author: Mark Doremus


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 5, 2016


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Safe & Sound hiring: CPU Coordinator & Youth Organizer | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Safe & Sound
April 5, 2016
Safe & Sound seeks highly motivated, team-oriented, and skilled communicators to join our team.  If you are a qualified candidate who excels in the field and in the office and are passionate about the Milwaukee community, we hope to hear from you!
The Community Prosecution Unit (CPU) Coordinator will work as the liaison between residents, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), and other government entities. In addition to planning and coordinating public safety/nuisance abatement process events and resources, the CPU Coordinator’s chief responsibility is to assist with information gathering, organization and reporting leading to the abatement of CPU reported nuisances.
TheYouth Organizer at Safe & Sound is one part of a three part strategy aimed at building collective efficacy in neighborhoods to create safer communities. The youth organizer focuses on engaging youth in positive activities in the community, providing project based opportunities for creativity and leadership development.
Please see the job description (link) for more information and application instructions.
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Career Info/Submit Resume

author: Safe & Sound


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Volunteers needed to build over 500 gardens | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Victory Garden Initiative
April 5, 2016
Photo courtesy of Victory Garden Initiative
From Saturday, May 7 through May 21, hundreds of volunteers will join Victory Garden Initiative for the nation’s largest garden-building event, the Great Milwaukee Victory Garden BLITZ. Over these two weeks, volunteers will build approximately 500 4×8’ raised-bed gardens filled with healthy, organic soil in locations throughout Milwaukee.
The gardens, bought by community members at an affordable price, are fully installed by volunteers and filled with organic soil from VGI’s local compost partner, Blue Ribbon Organics. Anyone can purchase a garden for their yard or business, and each year at least half of the BLITZ gardens go to low-income recipients. Registration to purchase a garden is open now until May 1st.
The BLITZ mobilizes over 300 volunteers, who will meet every day at Habitat for Humanity, 3726 N. Booth St., to gather supplies and head out to neighborhoods to start building gardens. Registration is open to volunteer to help build gardens across Milwaukee! Individuals and groups welcome.
To sign up to volunteer or get a garden, please visit www.victorygardeninitiative.org/blitz.
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Photo courtesy of Victory Garden Initiative

author: Victory Garden Initiative


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Environmental educator helps kids ‘enjoy the beauty of nature’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrew Goldstein
April 6, 2016
Editor’s note: This is one in an occasional series on “20-somethings” in Milwaukee.
Elise Myers is in her element, leading about 15 children from Downtown Montessori Academy through snowy woods behind the Urban Ecology Center in Riverside Park. On a nicer day, they would have seen more insects, birds and other native species. No matter, though, as for 90 minutes she happily shows them trees, rocks and squirrel nests.
“It’s amazing that a little bit of education can change someone’s mindset to caring about wild animals instead of thinking it’s gross,” she said.
Myers, 25, who lives in the Harambee neighborhood, is an environmental educator at the center. She runs classes for students from local schools that are designed to connect them with nature. For most of these children, it is an encounter they almost never have.
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“I have an exciting job where I get to share that passion (for the environment) with kids who live in the city, who don’t get to have as much outdoor playtime,” said Myers, who earned her master’s degree in education from Marquette University last May.
Kristin Anglea, the ecology center’s environmental education manager, said Myers’ enthusiasm for the outdoors easily rubs off on students.
“She gets right down on their level, whether it’s little 4-year-olds or high school students,” Anglea said. “She’s relaxed and she’s very clear about what she needs kids to do, or wants them to do, but she’s also really good at listening and providing the space for kids to share with her.”
This passion started during Myers’ childhood in Newbury Park, California, an hour north of Los Angeles. Growing up within driving distance of both the beach and the Santa Monica mountains gave her an appreciation for plants and animals.
She also credits her parents — a graphic designer and a photographer — with nurturing her appreciation. “They also were always very reverent of nature and would comment on clouds and spiders … and different animals we would see in our backyard,” she said.
Initially, Myers planned to do something else for a living. She trekked across the country to Marymount Manhattan College in New York to study psychology and pursue acting. However, she realized that biology was her true calling and transferred, right before the start of her senior year, to Humboldt State University in Arcata, California.
After graduating from Humboldt in 2013, Myers joined Teach for America, the nonprofit teaching organization, which placed her in Milwaukee. Myers was teaching for six months when a friend recommended the center as a place where she could educate others. She started volunteering there in June 2014 and became a full-time employee last August.
“I just fell in love with the people who work here,” she said. “Everyone is very excited about the work that they do and really wants to share their enthusiasm and knowledge for the outdoors.”
In addition to educating children, Myers’ work involves conducting population surveys of native Milwaukee species. This means picking up snakes with her bare hands and spending long hours fully accounting for the number of bats in the Menomonee Valley.
Myers hopes to eventually run her own research projects. Mike Larson, her friend and co-educator, can easily envision her in that role.
“I could totally see her heading something up, striking out on her own, starting a new initiative; something like that,” Larson said. “I can see her taking on a project, doing something out of the ordinary and running with it and doing a great job.”
Myers enjoys living in Harambee, which is near the center. She spoke excitedly about the “hippie-ish environmental vibes” that characterize the neighborhood. She also cited the food, book and beer cooperatives located there as sources of vitality, adding that Harambee is “very diverse, and that makes me feel more comfortable being myself.”
Myers values the freedom to be herself, and sees the outdoors as a means to that end. If she could get across only one message to her students, it would be to get out more.
“Go have fun outside,” she said. “Enjoy the beauty of nature.”

author: Andrew Goldstein


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How to volunteer in April | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
April 6, 2016
UPS employees and their families and friends plant a tree for Arbor Day. (Photo by Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful)
Volunteer Milwaukee, a service of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee, features a calendar full of events for volunteers, both one-time and ongoing. Here are a few opportunities in April.
Victory Garden BLITZ: Community Canvassing
Canvass neighborhoods, sharing posters and fliers about Victory Garden Initiative’s the Great Milwaukee Garden BLITZ where people can purchase their own raised bed garden. Opportunities are April 7 and 14, from 3 to 5 p.m., as well as April 8 and 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Contact: Alysse Gear, 414-431-0888
Kinnickinnic Spring River Clean Up
Clean up Pulaski Park, the river, and the surrounding neighborhood by picking up garbage on April 23 from 9 a.m. to noon as part of the Environmental Health program of Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers.
Contact: Steven Hesse, 414-897-5622
Tree Planting
Form or join a group and meet at a local park and other green locations to plant trees on Arbor Day. Trees available at Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful.
Contact: Joe Wilson, 414-272-5462 ext.103
R.O.O.T. Riverside Park
Drop in to Urban Ecology Center at Riverside, Washington Park and Menomonee Valley sites to help improve natural habitat for native plants and wildlife weekdays and weekends. Starting April and beyond, come often.
Contact: Meghan Jones, 414-964-8505
Fostering Our Riparian Biodiversity
Remove invasive species, establish native plants and trees and maintain trails as part of River Revitalization Foundation’s program to improve habitat surrounding Milwaukee’s river basin. Volunteering opportunities include Monday and Friday afternoons and Saturdays.
Contact: Emily Thornburg, 414-271-8000
Spring Cleanup/Summer Lawn Help
Help older adults in your neighborhood with spring yard cleanup or adopt a senior and help them all summer with grass cutting or trimming as part of Interfaith Older Adult Programs’ Neighborhood Outreach.
Contact: Mary Steinke, 414-220-8648

author: the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee


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City of Milwaukee Health Department releases 2015-2016 Community Health Assessment | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Health Department
April 7, 2016
Today, Mayor Tom Barrett and Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker released the 2015-216 City of Milwaukee Community Health Assessment. The report provides detailed information in more than 100 measures across 21 core variables on the health status of city residents as well as conditions that impact health.
the 2015-2016 City of Milwaukee Community Health Assessment.
“We have seen much success in areas such as teen birth rates, immunizations, and childhood lead poisoning, and I am committed to driving further improvements for the health of all Milwaukee residents,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “Our City of Milwaukee Community Health Assessment will be the first step in a process of identifying additional priorities and partnerships that will create a healthier Milwaukee.”
Part of a yearlong effort conducted in collaboration with the health system members of the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership to gather, analyze, and summarize local data on the health status of city residents and the conditions that impact health of residents, the assessment serves as the foundation from which a community health improvement plan will be developed.
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The findings highlight not only traditional measures of illness, access to health care, and individual health behaviors, but also areas such as income, employment, education, and the built environment that are much more powerful than health care and health behaviors in determining the overall health of communities, neighborhoods, and the city as a whole.
“This report presents a snapshot of the health of city residents today,” said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. “With this information in hand, we will now begin a community health improvement planning process that will result in a community-driven plan for a healthier Milwaukee. This collaborative process will identify priorities and action steps for improving health outcomes in Milwaukee – and will call on partners citywide to come together around key issues.”
Over the coming months, the MHD will convene community members and stakeholders to select priority areas for communitywide action, and then to identify agencies and partners best suited to address these issues. The resulting Community Health Improvement Plan will then be used to guide updates to the MHD strategic plan.
The City of Milwaukee Community Health Assessment is available for community comment and feedback at Milwaukee.gov/health.

author: City of Milwaukee Health Department


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 7, 2016
MKE-Health-Dept-Community-Health-Assessment-2015-2016

author: Adam Carr


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Latino Children Left Uninsured Because Parents Unaware They may Qualify for No-Cost Healthcare: Study | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 7, 2016
Latin Post


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Lawsuit Says Some Immigrants Are Locked Up Because They’re Poor | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 7, 2016
National Public Radio


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MATC program helps children of incarcerated parents finish high school | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 7, 2016
jsonline.com


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Precious Lives: Restorative Justice Tool Empowers Students to Help Others | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 7, 2016
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio


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Urban Ecology Center hiring bilingual environmental educator | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Urban Ecology Center
April 7, 2016
Application deadline: April 15, 2016
REPORTS TO: Branch Manager, Menomonee Valley
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See full application here.
Position Summary: The primary responsibility of the Environmental Educator is to teach environmental science programs in English and Spanish for school age children.  During the school year, the environmental educator aligns teaching with school district and classroom curriculum requirements. This program requires creative design and implementation of innovative, inquiry-based programs on natural history, science, ecology and environmental issues to school children K-12.  During the summer, the educator will develop and lead camper-centered and nature-based activities for summer day camps with a focus on ecological sustainability.  The Environmental Educator will assist with daily operations of the Urban Ecology Center, as well as with program development, intern coaching and volunteer recruitment and training.
Starting Salary: $15.00 per hour
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Neighborhood Environmental Education Project
Summer Programs
Other Activities
Supervisory Responsibilities:
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED
Education/Training: BS or BA in natural sciences, environmental education or related field.
Experience: Minimum of two years teaching a broad range of ages in a formal or non-formal setting.
Skills and Abilities:
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Job Conditions/Work Location:
Physical Requirements:
Equipment Used:

author: Urban Ecology Center


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14204034197_3e32b9ea07_k | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 7, 2016


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 7, 2016


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Well-known homeless outreach effort moves from under bridge into church | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brendan O’Brien
April 7, 2016
A Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge volunteer stands in the organization’s trucks and hands items to a man in need. (Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
During a recent gloomy Saturday morning, volunteers unloaded boxes of clothes from a trailer in the parking lot of Redeemer Lutheran Church as a heavy snow began to fall and a wind began to whip.
Inside the church’s basement and out of the cold, a group of homeless men and women huddled around a few tables, drank hot coffee and mingled as others searched through organized piles of pants, shirts, shoes and coats in another room.
The friendly, warm atmosphere, along with the clothes and coffee were provided by Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge, an outreach organization that hands out donated clothes and hygiene items to people in Milwaukee who are homeless.
The organization’s weekly effort to serve the poor had taken place each Saturday morning in Zeidler Park in downtown Milwaukee, where it was, at times, chilly and damp. But a month ago the organization made a significant change in the way it operates, moving it into the basement of the church. This allows the group to better serve the approximately 125 people who rely on Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge each week for their clothes and other essential items.
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Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge volunteers unload a truck in the parking lot of Redeemer Lutheran Church. (Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
“The comfort level here is that they are not rushed. They are able to come in here and relax a bit,” said Bob Burmeister, who founded the organization in 2007 with his wife, as he greeted people at the door with hugs and handshakes. “If it was cold out like today, they would have came and got their stuff and hit the road.”
In addition to being in a more comfortable setting, the church basement allows volunteers to spend more time with homeless and poor individuals to better understand their needs.
“I can now sit down at one of these tables when it’s 10 below zero and get to know how they are doing,” Burmeister said.
Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge relies on donated clothes and toiletries that stream in from schools, churches, civic organizations and individuals around the metro area. Volunteers said they can solicit more effectively if they know the needs of the city’s homeless population. For instance, if volunteers begin hearing of a need for socks, the organization calls on its wide network to hold sock drives.
After the weekly gathering at the church, Burmeister and his band of volunteers drive around Milwaukee, giving clothes and toiletries to homeless people they find living underneath bridges, viaducts and in parks.
“Now we don’t have to stand in the mud and deal with the cold weather,” said a homeless woman who declined to give her name as she chatted with others at the church.
A homeless man named Vic chirped in, saying the move “is wonderful. They do such a wonderful job for us.”
The new setting also creates companionship among the individuals who are served by Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge, Burmeister said.
“We are creating fellowship,” he said.
Burmeister got the word out about the change by handing out and posting fliers around the city. The organization also relied on spreading the news of the change through word of mouth, resulting in a “phenomenal response,” Burmeister said.
The space was attractive to Mr. Bob’s because it is free and alleviates many of the space and logistical issues the organization faced as it attempted to serve more people, Burmeister said. “This was the best decision for the people who we serve.”
Another advantage to being in the church, located at 631 N. 19 St., is the relationship Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge has built with Just One More Ministry. The local organization uses the church to store food that it collects from grocery stores, restaurants and caterers and repackages it for food ministries and other hunger relief organizations. Organizers of the two nonprofits have been able to coordinate their efforts to serve the needy, Burmeister said.
“Until some systematic factors, particularly in Milwaukee, in profound poverty are addressed, we cannot let people go hungry and unclothed and live without the basic necessities of life,” said the church’s pastor, Lisa Bates-Froiland.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 6, 2016


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Why Do Some Poor Kids Thrive? | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 7, 2016
The Atlantic


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Alderwoman Coggs launches 8th Annual Freedom Essay Scholarship Contest | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ald. Milele A. Coggs
April 8, 2016
Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs is challenging recent Milwaukee high school graduates to dissect the concept of “freedom” for the 8th Annual Freedom Essay Scholarship Contest. The scholarship is open to current and recent high school graduates from Milwaukee who are college-bound.
The topic for the essay is “freedom,” and it provides graduates with an opportunity to parse out how they define the subject and what it means to them. They are encouraged to share their ideas to end prejudice, discrimination, sexism and violence, on a global scale. The suggested length of an applicant’s essay is 1,000 words.
Applications are being accepted now until the close of business on Friday, August 5, 2016. Two $500 scholarships will be awarded and winning essays may be published, Alderwoman Coggs said.
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Alderwoman Coggs began the contest when she took office in 2008 as a means of investing in and diversifying opportunities for students. Alderwoman Coggs said, “The scholarship contest is held annually because it is an important platform for young people in Milwaukee to express their thoughts on freedom, and it is fertile ground for new ideas from new young leaders.”
Applications are available online at milwaukee.gov/district6. Paper applications will also be available at city libraries, many high schools and colleges, and at the following locations:
The contest is open to students who reside in the City of Milwaukee and attended a public, private, parochial or home school, or who participated in a high school correspondence program in the city. Preference will be given to residents of the 6th Aldermanic District.
Additional contest rules, complete details and submission requirements are contained within the application. For more information, please contact Akuwa Dantzler at (414) 286-8640.

author: Ald. Milele A. Coggs


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Anthony McHenry is new CEO at Milwaukee Academy of Science: A People on the Move spotlight | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 11, 2016
Milwaukee Business Journal

author: Andrea Waxman


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Baltimore Sees Hospitals As Key To Breaking A Cycle Of Violence | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 11, 2016
National Public Radio


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By Using Tech to Solve Social Issues, Black Innovators Have a Shot at Closing the Funding Gap | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 11, 2016
theroot.com


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‘Milwaukee with John Gurda’ — Harambee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 11, 2016
88NINE Radio Milwaukee


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Six architecture firms generate ideas sites on the Near West Side | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sharon McGowan
April 11, 2016
Near West Side Partners, in collaboration with UWM’s Community Design Solutions, hosted a daylong Design Charette to create a vision for six key commercial corridors on the Near West Side.
Representatives from six local architecture firms participated: Uihlein/Wilson Architects, Quorum Architects Inc., HGA Architects and Engineers, Engberg Anderson Architects, Miller Architectural Group and American Design Inc. Architects worked with attendees to generate and refine ideas for the commercial corridors at the event, held at the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning.
The sites were identified based on feedback from a series of focus groups, made up of stakeholders on the Near West Side, including residents, city officials, lenders, developers and business owners.
Near West Side Partners, Inc. is a nonprofit organization working to revitalize the area as a thriving business and residential corridor. It comprises five anchor institutions — Aurora Health Care, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, MillerCoors and Potawatomi Business Development Corp.
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author: Sharon McGowan


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Urban Day School of Milwaukee to close at end of school year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
April 11, 2016
jsonline.com


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Compete Milwaukee program recruiting for general laborer position | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
UMOS
April 12, 2016
UMOS is currently recruiting qualified individuals interested in entry level general laborer positions within the Compete Milwaukee program.
Program participants will earn $10.69/hour for 40 hours a week, for up to six months of work experience.  Individuals who qualify should call Mr. Hector Lerma, form UMOS, at 389-6000.
Please find attached recruitment flyers for the Compete Milwaukee Program.  We encourage you to share this excellent opportunity with your networks and encourage qualified candidates to apply.
Compete Milwaukee is a partnership between the Mayor, Common Council, workforce development agencies and private employers, created in 2014, with the goal of connecting unemployed and underemployed Milwaukeeans with employment opportunities.
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It accomplishes this by providing unemployed city residents temporary work in a variety of professional disciplines, while at the same time providing job readiness training, career counseling and ultimately, a pathway to family supporting employment.
Compete Milwaukee participants gain valuable and marketable work experiences on City of Milwaukee work sites, while receiving specialized industry recognized certifications and trainings through WRTP/BIG STEP.
For more information, click this link.

author: UMOS


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 12, 2016


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On the Block: Exercise and community | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Jimmy Gutierrez (News414)
April 12, 2016
Claudia Dominguez helps out at St. Josaphat’s Parish School 801 W. Lincoln Ave, where her son, Iker Velasco is a third grader. She wants him to understand the importance of being an active community member. Iker said that, to him, it’s just like being a good teammate.

author: Jimmy Gutierrez (News414)


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
April 11, 2016