Author: Lee Matz

Milwaukee families gathered at the Discovery World Science and Technology Museum on January 5 for a special Kids’ Gala, as part of the 2019 Wisconsin Inauguration festivities for Governor-elect Tony Evers and Lt. Governor-elect Mandela Barnes. Held in Appleton, Madison, and concluding in Milwaukee, Evers – a former teacher and Wisconsin superintendent of schools – wanted to share his passion for government with children in communities across the state. The three locations were selected to put the spotlight on children during the events scheduled to celebrate his January 7 inauguration. “We have a moral and legal obligation to make...

Governor-elect Tony Evers and Lt. Governor-elect Mandela Barnes held their final budget listening session in Milwaukee on December 19, hosted at the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County Volunteer Center. Hundreds of people attended the special event, to share their views about what the new administration should prioritize in the next state budget. Participants were organized into groups by topic, that focused on issues like economic development, education, environmental conservation, transportation, health care, and justice reform. The statewide tour, called “Building the People’s Budget,” started on December 11 in Green Bay. It ended in Milwaukee a week...

Hundreds of people braved the frigid shores of the Great Lake at Bradford Beach to take the annual January 1 Polar Bear Plunge and usher in the New Year. With an air temperature that averaged 24°, participants were greeted with a series of 2-foot waves. In spite of the weather, the conditions were far better than 2018. Last year saw sunny skies, but the beach area was encrusted with hazardous ice and a near record -14° windchill. This year found more fire pits and camps spread along the length of the beach. Crowds entering the freezing water were displaced...

As host of the Emmy award winning “Around the Corner with John McGivern,” the PBS series dedicated to his visits and profiles of various communities throughout Wisconsin, John McGivern is known for his down-to-earth charm and sense of humor that is easily relatable. In recent years he has become Milwaukee’s unofficial Christmas ambassador, and he remains a perennial favorite entertainer. This year, he returned to the Northern Lights Theater with his new stage show, “More Holiday Tales with John McGivern.” The exclusive show ran from November 29 to December 8, and served up new heartwarming stories along with some...

The 20th annual Canadian Pacific Holiday Train made a stop at Milwaukee’s Intermodal Station on December 6, as it passed through Wisconsin to bring holiday cheer, Saint Nicholas, and live music to families across North America. For 2018, Milwaukee native and legendary musician Willy Porter headlined a portion of the rail tour. The 14-car train was decorated with thousands of lights and visited stations in 13 Wisconsin communities. Each stop was treated to a concert by Porter, the band The Trews, and singer Kelly Prescott. The train made a grand entrance at the Milwaukee station by transforming an ordinary...