Author: Staff

The Facts About Menthol Twenty LGBT and allied health organizations are applauding Milwaukee Pride for saying “no thanks” to Big Tobacco funding for this year’s PrideFest celebration. The decision builds on the Milwaukee Pride board’s decision last year to provide several tobacco-free spaces to promote the health of all PrideFest attendees. “The past several festival seasons have been ones full of progress, change and advancement. We’re proud to make a commitment to respectfully declining Big Tobacco sponsorship and support in an effort to continually educate and engage people about the health risks associated with smoking,” said Wes Shaver, President,...

Academy Award-winning writer John Ridley is adapting his “The American Way: Those Above And Those Below” comic series for the big screen after reaching a deal with independent studio Blumhouse Productions. According to Deadline, Ridley is attached to direct the project, based on his six-issue monthly mini-series published in 2017 by DC Entertainment’s Vertigo label. Blumhouse will fast track the film that explores racial themes by subverting the superhero genre. It worked on a similar project with Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” and specializes in producing low-cost genre films. Ridley wrote the story with illustrator George Jeanty in what was...

Fans of Hello Kitty can look forward to exclusive goodies and limited-edition collectibles when it arrives for the first time to Wisconsin and parks at Mayfair Mall on May 12. Since the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck made its debut in October 2014 as part of Sanrio’s first food-related venture, the cafe on wheels has delighted thousands of fans from all over the country, drawing crowds of of Hello Kitty lovers at each stop. Hello Kitty is the beloved Japanese cartoon character produced by Sanrio. The product line is worth about $7 billion a year and remains a staple of...

The Milwaukee Common Council voted unanimously on May 8 to rename a portion of North Fourth Street as North Vel R. Phillips Avenue, honoring Milwaukee’s first African-American and first female Alderperson. Phillips died on April 17 at the age of 94. She led the open housing marches in Milwaukee during the 1960s, and was also the first black person elected to a state office in Wisconsin. Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs introduced the legislation, which was also unanimously recommended for passage by the Public Works Committee on April 25. “The legacy of Vel Phillips, her incredible courage and commitment, has...

The City of Milwaukee recently received a $10,000 grant from the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW), through the Medical College of Wisconsin, to address the issue of evictions. In partnership with CommonBond Communities, one of the largest nonprofit affordable housing and service providers in the Upper Midwest, the funding will help create a coalition of local stakeholders involved in eviction and its prevention. “I am pleased to partner with CommonBond Communities on this important work,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. “Gathering stakeholders who share our commitment will be valuable as we work on identifying and implementing solutions for...

The ride-hailing company announced that it will be committing $1.5 million to its Relief Ride program during the next year, affecting Milwaukee residents and citizens across the United States. Tens of millions of people rely on Lyft to get them where they need to go. But it is not just everyday rides that make a difference. Transportation becomes critical in times of acute need like during a natural disaster or crisis. In those instances, Lyft can be an essential lifeline. After hurricanes affected Texas and Florida, Lyft offered free rides to shelters and hospitals. It also provided free transportation...