Author: Syndicated

Federal prosecutors announced on November 8 that they will not file charges against a White Kenosha police officer who shot Jacob Blake in Wisconsin last year, a controversial shooting that sparked protests that led to the deaths of two men. Officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake in the back 7 times during a domestic disturbance in Kenosha in August 2020. The shooting left Blake, who is Black, paralyzed from the waist down and sparked several nights of protests, some of which turned violent. A youth from Illinois shot three people, killing two of them, during one of the demonstrations. State prosecutors...

The North American pattern of development is an unprecedented experiment. For thousands of years, humans around the world built their habitat in similar ways, at similar scales, in patterns still familiar. In the wake of the Great Depression and World War II, settlement patterns across the North American continent were completely reimagined. From the top-down, we transformed everything about how we live, discarding centuries of accumulated wisdom in the metaphorical blink of an eye. It is difficult for us to think about the modern American city as a massive experiment because, for most of us, this collection of frontage...

There is something about that Milwaukee hospitality. “That’s now nice Milwaukeeans are. You insult them and they invite you to a baseball game.” Last year, after the Democratic National Convention was moved from the Cream City to a virtual setting, comedian Stephen Colbert and his team at “The Late Show” created a virtual reality experience that highlighted the city’s quirks for those who would miss out. The experience included some perceived Milwaukee pastimes such as drinking craft beer and eating bratwurst at a Miller Park tailgate. Not many took the joke lightly and following the backlash, Colbert broadcast an...

Mayor Tom Barrett said Milwaukee “remains interested in being a national political convention site.” But he added that the process of bidding to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention would require buy-in from a number of parties. The national party has sent letters to more than 20 cities inviting them to apply to host the convention. New Chair Jaime Harrison billed it as “a historic event that can help shape the future of your city for decades to come.” Harrison also touted the potential economic benefits, writing past host cities have seen an impact of $150 million to $200...

Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes officially joined the crowded Democratic field for the U.S. Senate seat on July 20, vying to become the first African American from Wisconsin to serve in the Senate. The office is currently held by Republican Senator and Trump ally Ron Johnson. The 34-year-old Barnes is the first Black lieutenant governor in Wisconsin history. He is giving up a chance to run for a second term in 2022 as the running mate of Governor Tony Evers. Instead, Barnes becomes the eighth Democrat to enter the race, with an ninth expected to get in soon. During his...