Author: Correspondent

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently awarded Milwaukee County a $900,000 grant to battle opioid abuse and related issues, aimed at addressing the unique needs of women involved in street prostitution and sex trafficking. The grant will extend the partnership Milwaukee County has with the Benedict Center, an interfaith nonprofit that works with victims, offenders and the community toward achieving dignity and respect for every individual in the criminal justice system. “This grant will help us not only reduce a burden on the criminal justice system, but also empower women toward better lives,” Abele said. “Rather than focusing...

Milwaukee Film released names of the more than 100 filmmakers and industry professionals scheduled to attend the 10th Annual Milwaukee Film Festival, as part of festival screenings, forums, juries, and events. The 10th Annual Milwaukee Film Festival will take place from October 18 to November 1, 2018. Oscar-award winning screenwriter and Milwaukee Film board member, John Ridley, will be joining Emmy award-winning actress, Felicity Huffman, on a Working with Actors panel in partnership with Ridley’s new hub for the arts in Milwaukee, Nō Studios, as part of the festival’s Filmmaker Services. Other notable panelists this year include DeWanda Wise...

Milwaukee Recreation’s “natural alternative” to the usual haunted houses is returning for its 25th year. Halloween Glen encourages youth to learn about nature through a fun and interactive program in the outdoor setting of Hawthorn Glen, Milwaukee Recreation’s 23-acre nature center at 1130 N. 60th Street. The program will run every half hour from 5:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 12 and from 4:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, October 13. “Families attending Halloween Glen should expect a fun outdoor experience with an educational twist,” says Recreation Supervisor Nicole Sponholtz. “We’ve hired actors to dress up...

Effective October 9, Dr. Keith P. Posley was unanimously voted by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors to officially serve Milwaukee Public Schools, the largest school district in Wisconsin, as its Superintendent. He has been serving as interim superintendent since May 21, 2018. Dr. Posley began the new school year with a renewed focus on district classrooms and increasing academic achievement. “I am excited and honored to continue my work as Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools,” said Dr. Posley. “Nothing is more important than the academic success of our young people. I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively...

Understanding America’s educational system and how it is geared to foster the crіmіnаlіzаtion of an underclass of youth is the first step for affecting positive change in Milwaukee schools, and a new program was released to help parents and activists alter that institutional system. The Dignity in Schools Campaign and Professor Mark Warren at the University of Massachusetts Boston are excited to announce the release of a new online toolkit, “Organizing to Combat the School-to-Prison-Pipeline.” This toolkit, developed with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation contains over 130 resources produced by students, parents, advocates and organizations, each created to...

As municipal and county leaders grapple with spending and taxing decisions in their 2019 budgets, new data collected by the Wisconsin Policy Forum shows property taxes collected in the seven-county southeast Wisconsin region grew by 1.0% ($40 million) in 2018. Meanwhile, property values in the region grew 4.6%, the highest rate of growth in the past decade. In fact, for only the second time since 2006, the region’s growth rate exceeded that of the state as a whole (4.5%). Those findings are included in WPF’s latest property tax and values report, an annual publication that measures trends in property...