Headlines

Frustration with AI failure loops pushes Milwaukee professionals to build damage control protocols

The rapid adoption of large language models like GPT has brought unprecedented capabilities to users seeking everything from editorial writing assistance to image generation. But alongside this...

Growth and wellness: County Executive Crowley delivers 2025 State of the County address

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley delivered his 2025 State of the County Address at the Marcus Performing Arts Center on March 26, highlighting ongoing partnerships, economic development...

Thousands of U.S. veterans who have been fired from federal jobs say they feel betrayed by Trump

Nathan Hooven is a disabled Air Force veteran who voted for Donald Trump in November. Barely three months later, he is now unemployed and says he feels betrayed by the president’s dramatic...

Wisconsin’s defense industry at risk if buyers shift billions in arms purchases to other Rust Belt states

Wisconsin’s defense industry faces economic uncertainty as neighboring states consider ways to attract shifting military contracts. Experts say Donald Trump’s foreign policy decisions have...

A Volunteer Spirit: Mayor Satoru Kirigaya shares lessons from life and business for being a leader

“Milwaukee Independent” sat down with the Mayor of Zushi, Satoru Kirigaya, in Kanagawa Prefecture on March 14, 2024. The meeting came during a special assignment that reported on the...

Janet Boettner shares her love of traditional Japanese comfort food with Milwaukee one taste at a time

One of the unexpected methods that Milwaukee native Janet Boettner instinctively used to reflect on her experiences around the world was to measure the journey of her life in meals. They were the...

Putin’s Proxy: An unhinged Trump berates President Zelenskyy in ambush set by Vance at White House visit

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance unleashed a blistering verbal assault on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on February 28, abruptly canceling a...

March First Movement: Koreans in Milwaukee observe the anniversary of Korea’s push for Independence

Every year on March 1, Koreans pause to remember the wave of patriotic fervor that swept their country more than a century ago. Known as the March First Movement or the Samil Movement, the historic...

Governor Evers creates statewide Office of Violence Prevention in wake of Madison school shooting

Just weeks after the tragic shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Governor Governor Tony Evers created a new statewide office dedicated to preventing gun violence on January 14. The...

Not in our neighborhood: Proposed ICE detention facility in Milwaukee’s 9th District sparks outrage

A controversial plan to establish a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Milwaukee’s 9th Aldermanic District has drawn strong opposition from local officials and...

David Crowley: Redefining Milwaukee County’s leadership through education as a new UWM graduate

It is not every day that a high-level elected official quietly attends classes, writes research papers, and sits side-by-side with traditional undergraduates while holding one of the most...

Back to school: Older adults returning to college is a growing trend fueled by new career goals

Following a demographic shift that is redefining the traditional image of the undergraduate classroom, a growing number of older adults, particularly those in their 30s and 40s, are returning to...

Terracotta and Photogrammetry: How UWM’s Historic Preservation Institute uses new tech to save the past

by Staff | Apr 14, 2023 | Articles, Photos

The Pabst Mansion is currently seeking permission from the City of Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission to deconstruct and preserve its 1893 terracotta pavilion. While a decision is not expected until a May 1 meeting, the complex process of digitally...

Ithaka: Family-focused documentary about the fight for Julian Assange’s freedom premieres in Milwaukee

by Editor | Apr 10, 2023 | Articles, Featured

The historic Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee held a special screening on April 8 of the documentary “Ithaka,” a powerful film that presents the public with an immersive look into a father’s fight to save his son and political prisoner, Julian Assange....

Age of Automation: Newsrooms consider ethical implications for journalism by using AI-powered tools

by Alan Smithee | Apr 1, 2023 | Articles

DISCLAIMER: April Fools' Day Parody Special The content for this article was generated by OpenAI’s ChatGPT program in the parody tradition of April Fools’ Day. Artificial intelligence has rapidly gained prominence in journalism, with news organizations...

News organization sparks controversy by replacing all its human journalists in Milwaukee with AI

by Alan Smithee | Apr 1, 2023 | Articles

DISCLAIMER: April Fools' Day Parody Special The content for this article was generated by OpenAI’s ChatGPT program in the parody tradition of April Fools’ Day. In a bold move that has sent shockwaves through the media industry, a Milwaukee-based news...

Detour Ahead: Wisconsin Policy Forum’s report rings alarm for state action on local transit funding

by Staff | Mar 30, 2023 | Articles

The independent research group, Wisconsin Policy Forum (WPF), released sobering findings on March 30 concerning Milwaukee County’s fiscal cliff and the massive impact it will have on a key quality of life service relied on by thousands of residents: the Milwaukee...

Making mobility more equitable: MCTS launches fare capping system for public transit with WisGo

by Staff | Mar 30, 2023 | Articles, Featured

Beginning April 1, Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) will offer customers enhanced flexibility and convenience through WisGo, its new fare payment system powered by the Umo Mobility platform. With fare capping enabled, riders now pay as they go, saving money the...

Thinking about the best way to help survivors in Türkiye when the unthinkable happens

by Staff | Mar 28, 2023 | Articles, Türkiye

Earthquake Mission in Türkiye: A massive earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria on February 6, leaving tens of thousands dead and millions homeless. Milwaukee Independent was invited by a team of American doctors and clergy to document conditions in the hardest hit parts...

From Milwaukee to Istanbul: A visual diary from a city at the crossroads of Europe and Asia

by Lee Matz | Mar 28, 2023 | Articles, Editorial, Türkiye

Earthquake Mission in Türkiye: Documenting vast devastation with the Turkish Red Crescent

by Lee Matz | Mar 27, 2023 | Articles, Editorial, Featured, Türkiye

Türk Kizilay: Providing emergency relief to those affected by the Kahramanmaraş earthquake

by Staff | Mar 27, 2023 | Articles, Türkiye

Milwaukee Independent recognized as finalist for 11 journalism awards including War in Ukraine coverage

by Editor | Mar 10, 2023 | Articles, Awards, Featured

The Milwaukee Press Club announced the list of finalists for its 93rd Annual Gridiron Awards for Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism, covering an unusual news year of the pandemic, social unrest, and political turmoil. Milwaukee Independent was selected for 11...

Aly Miller: Playfully navigating the relationship between place and identity with illustrative maps

by Jocelyn Slocum | Mar 3, 2023 | Articles, Featured, Profiles

In parallel with the uniqueness of an individual’s identity are the maps each of us formulates of a place within our own mind. The groups of people with whom we interact, the locations which bring us comfort, those we avoid and those which inspire us all merge, bit by...