Author: Staff

Governor Tony Evers signed bipartisan legislation, Senate Bill 266 – known as the “duty death” benefit bill, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 19, into law on October 16. The bill had bipartisan support with a 33-0 vote in the Senate and 96-0 in the Assembly. Three widows of officers killed in the line of duty testified to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, even though the bill was not retroactive and would not benefit them. The bill ensures that the surviving immediate family of fallen state and local law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS first responders continue to...

Milwaukee Public Library Director Paula A. Kiely announced the appointment of Dasha Kelly Hamilton to serve as the library’s Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2021. The Milwaukee Poet Laureate project was initiated in February 2000 to serve as a leading example locally of the poetic voice of their genre for a two-year term. The poet laureate makes several guest appearances during the term, promoting poetry throughout the community. “Dasha Kelly is a familiar name not only in Milwaukee’s poetry community but throughout the city,” said Paula Kiely. “Her personal approach of bringing poetry to schools, libraries, and civic organizations...

A Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus driver was honored on October 10 for her efforts to help save residents from a burning apartment earlier this year. Chanaye Brown was along Route 12 late at night on January 5, 2019, when she spotted flames shooting from the window of a building near 79th and Hampton in Milwaukee. “The house is on fire,” Chanaye calmly told a passenger as she brought her bus to a stop. The man pulled out his cell phone and called 911 as Chanaye notified MCTS Dispatchers. “I’m going to see if I can get somebody’s...

Milwaukee-based organizations received 4 of the 5 annual statewide grants given on October 1 to nonprofits that provide entrepreneurship or technical training, or business assistance to veteran entrepreneurs to improve employment outcomes. Governor Tony Evers and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Secretary-designee Mary Kolar awarded $320,000 of the $400,000 total to Milwaukee organizations. Since 2016, the WDVA’s Entrepreneurship Grant Program has provided more than $1 million in funds to organizations assisting veteran entrepreneurs. This year’s entrepreneurship grant recipients located in Milwaukee were: Center for Veterans Issues, Ltd., Milwaukee, was awarded $100,000 for a storefront retail café. The goal...

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin recently announced the reintroduction of her bipartisan American Aviator Act with Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), designed to increase opportunities and expand flight-training services for veterans to become commercial airline pilots. The American Aviator Act will authorize grant funding through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support training opportunities for veterans who are not already military pilots. “America’s veterans have bravely served our nation and we have a shared responsibility to make sure their service and sacrifice is honored,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our veterans have also earned every opportunity to be productive and successful after completing...

Joined by Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Governor Tony Evers signed Executive Order #50 on October 8, declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Wisconsin. The executive order was signed at Indian Community School in Franklin. With the declaration, Governor Evers recognized the importance of the Native Nations to Wisconsin and reaffirmed the significance of Native Nations’ sovereignty, culture, and history. “Through this executive order, we recognize and appreciate our tribal nations and Indigenous people and their resilience, wisdom, and the contributions they make to our state,” Governor Evers said. “Native Americans in Wisconsin and throughout...