Author: Staff

Beginning June 1, Amtrak and its partner state transportation departments will restore a Hiawatha Service round-trip between Milwaukee and Chicago in response to anticipated increased demand. Hiawatha Trains 332 and 339, and continued service by Amtrak Empire Builder Trains 7/27 and 8/28 at all Hiawatha stops will together offer morning and afternoon departures daily on Amtrak’s most popular corridor. Additional Hiawatha round-trips are planned to begin on June 29, with morning, afternoon and evening departures by Trains 330, 332, 338, and 342 from Milwaukee and Trains 329, 331, 337, and 339 from Chicago. The Peak Fare Surcharge is suspended. Trains 329 and 330...

The community conversations campaign “You Matter” kicked off on May 28, promoting a positive message for members of the African American and Hispanic-Latinx populations about their shared and brighter future together in Milwaukee. The Stronger Together Collective organize and launch the new social initiative. The campaign’s goal seeks to ensure that communities of color stay informed, inspired, and hopeful as they continue to be negatively impacted by the current pandemic. The group of Milwaukee advocates created the “You Matter” campaign, or “Cuidate” en espanol, as a platform for virtual conversation between community members, social advocates, and the local government....

The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation awarded SaintA a grant to provide telehealth mental health services to some Milwaukeeans hit hardest by COVID-19, as part of Winfrey’s $12 million coronavirus relief effort for underserved communities she has called home. The COVID-19 Relief Fund was announced last month, initially giving $1 million to America’s Food Fund. That expanded to organizations in other cities where she had spent her life like Chicago, Baltimore, Nashville, and Kosciusko, Mississippi, where she was born. Winfrey moved to an inner-city neighborhood in Milwaukee at age six with her mother, Vernita Lee. That connection brought the $100,000...

Milwaukee County Parks is bracing for a season that looks drastically different from a typical Milwaukee summer, which will be a season without swimming pools or water parks. With many Milwaukee County Parks venues currently closed as a result of the pandemic, physical distancing recommendations still place, and group sizes still limited, safe pool operations are compromised. “Every decision we’re making right now is focused on the safety of our park visitors and our staff,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “It’s essential that our services support public health. Unfortunately, the challenges of both COVID-19 and the county’s fiscal...

As state and municipal leaders continue reopening parks and open spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Trust for Public Land announced its annual ParkScore Index of the nation’s best park systems. Milwaukee ranked 28th on the list, earning strong marks for park access. According to ParkScore analysts, 90 percent of Milwaukee residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. In all ParkScore cities, only 72% of residents have 10-minute walk access. However, Milwaukee’s overall ranking was hurt by below-average scores for park acreage and dog park access. Milwaukee trails and parks are currently open, although most amenities, such...