Author: Lee Matz

Mayor Tom Barrett delivered a positive outlook for his annual State of the City address on February 10 at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, highlighting Milwaukee’s accompaniments and a roadmap for 2020. From education, to health care, to the Democratic National Convention in July, Mayor Barrett’s upbeat speech covered a range of topics and issues that the city needed to address over the year ahead. “We’re starting to get the attention we deserve because special things are happening in Milwaukee,” said Mayor Barrett, after reading a list of news headlines that all touted the city’s renaissance. In some ways...

Crowds of people crowded the cold shores of Milwaukee’s Bradford Beach to make the annual Polar Bear Plunge on January 1 and welcome the New Year, in a tradition that goes back to 1916. This year the air and water temperatures were the same at 39° and the waves mild. The milder conditions compacted the beachfront area, which was more congested with fire pits and camps placed far closer to the waterline. Rescue divers from the Milwaukee Police and Fire departments were again deployed along the beach, about 50 meters from shore. Lacking any formal sponsors, the free event...

“This is only the beginning. In our first year, we learned more about the process and how to get things done in this community. But more importantly, we learned a lot more about ourselves, what our capacity is to deliver a high level of service, and bring some satisfaction and joy to our community. This year is only the beginning. Look at us three years from now, and you might not even recognize us as being a law enforcement agency first, but an agency that is a part of this community, and that works in harmony with our community.”...