Author: Staff

“Housing First” program utilizes regional cooperation to improve Milwaukee’s homeless situation

Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin and other partners continue working together to connect individuals in encampments with permanent housing, and County Executive Chris Abele gave an update on January 16 about the progress. Following extensive regional cooperation to address the health, safety, and housing needs of homeless individuals at outdoor encampments, Milwaukee County, the City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin have made enormous progress in connecting individuals to permanent, supportive housing. In recent months, a number of homeless residents had temporarily located near the interstate overpass at 6th and Clybourn Streets, drawing significant community...

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Celeste Contreras takes over as Mitchell Street Library’s 2019 Artist in Residence

Gathering Art Stories and Place (GASP) begins its second year with Milwaukee’s Día De Los Muertos Parade founder as the 2019 Artist-in-Residence. Erick Ledesma was selected as the first Artist-in-Residence for the City of Milwaukee National Endowment of the Arts “Our Town” grant in 2018. Artists Working in Education (AWE) unveiled the final permanent art installation of Ledesma’s residency at the Milwaukee Public Library Mitchell Street Branch on On December 19. It was then announced that Celeste Contreras was selected to lead AWE’s second year of creative placemaking at Mitchell Street Branch. “Erick Ledesma really set the pace for...

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Federal Judge strikes down early voting restrictions approved in lame-duck session

Unconstitutional legislation that restricted Wisconsin voting rights, passed by Republicans and signed into law by former Governor Scott Walker in the December lame-duck session was tossed out on January 17 in a decisive ruling by federal Judge James Peterson. Judge Peterson’s decision comes after plaintiffs in federal lawsuit, One Wisconsin Institute, et al v. Thomsen, et al, asked Judge Peterson to enforce his rulings and previous injunctions from July 2016. At that time, he tossed out similar measures that Republicans had passed. In his legal opinion the legislation was defined as restrictive and deemed racially motivated. In the November...

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Milwaukee Torrent launches new soccer league with new head coach

The Milwaukee Torrent men’s outdoor soccer team announced on December 18 that it was among an established group of 11 clubs across the United States that have launched a new league with all professional players, coaches, and staff in association with the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). The Torrent will compete with the 10 other clubs in the first-ever NPSL Founders Cup competition that will be scheduled from August to November 2019. The 11 founding members include New York Cosmos, Miami United FC, Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, ASC San Diego, Cal FC, California United Strikers FC, FC Arizona,...

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No Studios launches book event series with Omari, a Milwaukee story about youth of color

John Ridley’s No Studios kicked-off its book event series on December 15 with “Omari” by Author Frank Lewis. Author Frank Lewis found that writing helped focus his imagination and express his creativity while growing up in Milwaukee. As a result, his new novel presents a familiar voice for young people of color. Chad Johnson moderated a discussion with Lewis about “Omari” and its community impact, related to issues from juvenile justice programs, to teen trauma, and the social pressures of high school in one of America’s most segregated cities. Hosted by Lisa Caesar, sister of Ridley and chief operating...

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First Stage performs first full-length musical with Roald Dahl’s “Matilda”

First Stage, one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families, will be performing Roald Dahl’s “Matilda The Musical,” featuring music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and book adaptation for the stage by Dennis Kelly, from January 11 to February 24. Based on the bestselling novel, the full-length Tony Award-winning musical tells the amazing story of a most unlikely heroine. Unloved by her parents and belittled by her child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, Matilda boldly steps up to set things right with her cleverness, the help of her friends and the support of her kind-hearted teacher, Miss Honey....

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