Author: Correspondent

Bublr continues expansion of electric assist bicycles in Milwaukee with plans to add almost 400 in 2022

Bublr Bikes is adding nearly 400 electric assist bicycles to the bikeshare system in 2022, through federal grants as well as local philanthropy. The initial fleet launched the week of April 25 deployed approximately 100 E-bikes throughout the system. The nonprofit bikeshare operator of the city of Milwaukee said that the E-Bikes were class 1 bicycles that only provide power while the rider is pedaling. The electric assistance tops out at 15 miles per hour. Benefits of the electric assist bicycles include making cycling easier such as riding up hills or into the wind, increasing the distance a person...

Read More

Urban Agriculture: Venice R. Williams appointed as Interim Executive Director for Fondy Food Center

Widely-known for her dedication to urban agriculture, Venice R. Williams became the Interim Executive Director of the Fondy Food Center on May 2. Announced on April 28 by the Board of Directors of the Fondy Food Center, Williams was selected for her visionary leadership of Alice’s Garden on the Northside of Milwaukee. “This time of transition is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the community and realign our mission. Venice brings abundant passion and purpose to lead this effort,” said Heather Deaton, president of the Fondy Board of Directors. “Her amazing gift of visioning, and her ability to build...

Read More

State provides $8M grant to help Wisconsin residents access legal services needed for pandemic recovery

Governor Tony Evers announced an $8 million grant on March 28 to support Wisconsinites who need legal assistance to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will be made to the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation Inc. (WisTAF) to fund civil legal aid organizations statewide and to build a Wisconsin Law Help website, a user-friendly online legal assistance portal that will help Wisconsinites access accurate legal information. “As we recover from the pandemic, it is critical that we create a strong and resilient Wisconsin that works for everyone,” said Governor Evers. “COVID-19 posed challenges to all of us, but especially...

Read More

Irpin Liberated: Ukrainian forces drive Russians out of Milwaukee’s besieged Sister City and retake control

The mayor of Irpin, Milwaukee’s sister city, said on March 28 that the area had been “liberated” from Russian troops. After weeks of fierce fighting, Ukraine declared that its forces had retaken the strategic town in the northwestern suburb of Kyiv, as negotiators from both sides met for the first peace talks in two weeks in the Turkish city of Istanbul. Announcing the liberation of the city in a video posted to Telegram, Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said, “We understand that there will be more attacks on our town and we will defend it courageously.” Using Irpin as a staging...

Read More

The Rape of Irpin: Survivors of the Russian siege share disturbing accounts of escaping the inhuman cruelty

The Instagram page War. Stories from Ukraine has been collecting stories of Ukrainian people who detail how they live during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Milwaukee’s sister city Irpin faced the brunt of Russia’s fierce invasion, because its location was a key corridor to the Capital City of Kyiv. Of the many personal stories being documented in the crowdsourced social media project, each reflects an individual condition of heartbreak from the war. Four residents from Irpin share their loss, struggle to survive, efforts to care for pets, and attempts to escape from the invading Russian forces. Their eyewitness accounts details...

Read More

More than $86M in funding awarded to support diversity of small business development in Wisconsin

Governor Tony Evers awarded more than $86 million in grants on March 21 to support small businesses in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic that have historically had difficulty accessing credit and capital. Of the more than $86 million, $57.6 million in grants were awarded through the Diverse Business Assistance Grant Program to 24 chambers of commerce and nonprofit organizations providing assistance to small businesses. “We’re continuing to build a strong and resilient economy that works for everyone, and that means encouraging business development in communities that have been hit hard by the pandemic and often face barriers to...

Read More