Author: Editor

LISC highlights revitalization progress during MLK Drive tour

Area residents are well aware of the developments under construction in Milwaukee’s downtown, from the Streetcar to office buildings and the sports complex. While those big budget projects continue to disproportionately grab headlines, the bigger story is how this latest renaissance cycle has spread outside of the city center and taken root in the supporting neighborhoods. The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is a Milwaukee branch of the New York-based organization that was started by the Ford Foundation in the 1970s. It has worked to assist in the revitalization of distressed communities, and remove the barriers to and stereotypes...

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Pabst goes old-school with Brewery signage

Even in the Age of Emoji and digital publishing, the human touch of painting signs has been making a slow comeback across the country and the style now adorns Milwaukee’s Pabst Brewery. Once the only way to display advertising and signage, the commercial art form was obliterated with the advent of computer technology during the 1960s. Vinyl signs began to offer photorealistic displays that broke with the quaint and vintage look of the past. Yet anyone who has taken cross-country trips in the family car can still come across the remains of the painted sign heyday, with faded pigments...

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Local boy petitions Senator Ron Johnson for lifesaving health care

Health care advocate Cathy Myers delivered a petition in support of Jack, a boy with a rare genetic disorder, to Senator Ron Johnson’s office in Milwaukee on June 29. While the Republican bill in the United States Senate continues to suffer from recent setbacks, residents of Wisconsin have remained committed to stop the Ryan-Trump Health Care Plan. At stake is the loss of health coverage for 22 million Americans, with a direct impact to Milwaukee’s underserved population. One of the challengers for Paul Ryan’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Democratic congressional candidate Cathy Myers, launched a petition...

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Oldest Polish church in America nearing completion of restoration work

St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, dedicated to the Polish martyr and saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów, is the oldest Polish church in America. Although Poles had been trickling into the south side of Milwaukee for several years, it was not until 1866 that they were numerous enough to organize a Roman Catholic parish. Thirty families bought a small brick church, formerly owned by Lutherans, and dedicated it to St. Stanislaus. They had come to the city to escape religious perception in Poland, and made many sacrifices to establish their own place of worship. Like many historic churches, Saint Stanislaus suffered from...

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Alexis Twito: Giving comfort in times of trauma

Standing as a bridge between police who struggle to express compassion while applying enforcement of the law and a grieving community raw with pain and limited resources to cope are the 51 Chaplains of The Salvation Army. The unique and first of its kind program in the nation is coordinated by Pastor Alexis Twito, who has seen the powerful and healing impact of creating trust between the diverse faith community, police, and marginalized Milwaukee residents by building relationships with trust and striving to do the most good. | Q&A with Alexis Twito Milwaukee Independent: What is the fondest memory of...

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YouthBuild trains future workforce with neighborhood construction

“Despite working very long and hard, the crew was happy to give the extra effort. And for our part, we hope they will have picked up some additional skills for general construction labor.” – Don Callen Members of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM)’s YouthBuild construction training crew recently had the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with a seasoned construction team that is installing a massive underground stormwater detention system in the Westlawn Gardens neighborhood. Funded through the U.S Department of Labor and contracted locally by Employ Milwaukee, HACM’s YouthBuild program is a non-residential, community-based alternative education...

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