Author: Lee Matz

Photo Essay: Milwaukee’s 54th Annual Veterans Day Parade salutes hometown heroes

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” – Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States Veterans from across Southeastern Wisconsin marched through downtown Milwaukee on November 4, greeted with the cheers and gratitude from the public, for an event that honored their service to the nation. While the holiday is considered grammatically acceptable to print as Veteran’s Day or Veterans’ Day with an apostrophe, the official spelling does not include...

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A faith community ends after 150 years with last service at St. James

St. James Episcopal Church completed its journey with Christ as a Parish on November 1, after a remarkable 150 years of worship on Wisconsin Avenue with a final service before the Parish closed. The church was first called the Parish of St. James. It was established as a mission by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Milwaukee’s East side. Although, the two churches are only two miles apart, in 1850 the west side needed a church presence for a growing population. The site of the new church was considered a fair distance from town. “In the end, we were too...

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New mobile app lets MCTS riders plan trips and pay bus fares from an iPhone

While commuters in Milwaukee are looking for alternative ways to get around without a car, and better utilize the current transit network, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and MCTS unveiled the Ride MCTS App, the first transit app in Wisconsin that lets people plan their trip, buy their ticket, and get on the bus – all from a smartphone. Regular riders will enjoy the trip planning functions, route alerts and real-time information on the app, while those who are less familiar with public transit will benefit from how simple and easy the app makes getting on board. “MCTS has...

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Milwaukeeans will never move past fear until they develop a passion

The pictures presented in this feature would never have been taken if fear had won the day. That fear still rode along the way, but could not compete with the shear joy of capturing moments in Milwaukee by camera. As Milwaukee residents sit around tables and talk about how to improve the city, nothing will change until individuals learn to replace their fears with something positive and constructive. Personal fears are hard to admit to ourselves, and we are socially conditioned to not share them. There are rational reasons to have fear, like in a domestic violence situation. More...

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Street name dedication recognizes historic Milwaukee ministry

From a vacant lot full of drug needles, broken wine bottles, and rusty cans, to a thriving community of faith, the story of Ebenezer Church is one of hope and accomplishment. And in recognition of those transformational efforts, Pastor Jonathan Saffold was honored on October 21 with a street dedication in his name. Ebenezer Church of God in Christ was conceived by Pastor Saffold in his living room during the month February of 1976. Over the following years, the church made several moves to different locations until finding its permanent home in 1988, when a new facility and permanent...

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Map: Another Walk Across Milwaukee – Two Years Later

A return look at the city’s slow shift from decay to renewal On October 6, 2015 the Milwaukee Independent made the 84 block, 5.5 mile hike across North Avenue to photo-document the corridor’s condition as a geographical reference with images for future news reports about community projects. Inspired by the HOME GR/OWN story for development and urban transformation, the trek passed through the East Side, Riverwest, Brewers Hill, Halyard Park, Lindsay Heights, Park West, Metcalfe Park, Sherman Park, and Uptown neighborhoods of Milwaukee. On the second anniversary of that journey, October 6, 2017, the Milwaukee Independent retraced those steps...

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