Staff, Author at Milwaukee Independent

Milwaukee nonprofit included in Oprah Winfrey’s $12M coronavirus relief grants to “home” cities

Posted by Staff | May 28, 2020 |

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...

Online resource launches to help teach about Milwaukee’s historic Solders Home

Posted by Staff | May 25, 2020 |

The Milwaukee Preservation Alliance (MPA) launched an at-home learning resource focused on the Milwaukee Soldiers Home on May 14. Teachers, parents, and students are encouraged to learn about Milwaukee’s historic and future role in providing care to our nation’s heroes. The online resource is the latest in MPA’s more than decade-long commitment to building awareness of and engagement with the Milwaukee Soldiers Home, to drive its ultimate goal of returning the District’s vacant buildings to the service of veterans. “As COVID-19 has taken education online, we wanted to be sure students had the opportunity to explore Milwaukee’s often untold...

A COVID-19 Summer: Pools and aquatic facilities at Milwaukee County Parks to remain closed

Posted by Staff | May 24, 2020 |

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...

Milwaukee’s park system drops four spots in national ranking amid pandemic

Posted by Staff | May 24, 2020 |

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...

Joe Biden holds virtual rally for Milwaukee voters and blames Trump for dreadful pandemic response

Posted by Staff | May 21, 2020 |

The political restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic has left presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden unable to attend an in-person campaign rally in Wisconsin, and instead a virtual event for voters was held on May 20. During his online speech aimed at Milwaukee residents, the former vice president slammed Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden denounced the lack of effort, saying Trump had “irresponsibly downplayed and delayed action on the virus” which could have prevented the needless loss of one hundred thousand American lives in two months. “COVID-19 is not his fault, the failure to respond quickly...

Governor Tony Evers directs $1 billion in CARES Act funding to fight COVID-19 in Wisconsin

Posted by Staff | May 20, 2020 |

Governor Tony Evers released information on May 19 about a robust $1 billion statewide effort to support COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, acquisition of needed supplies, emergency operations, and resources for local communities throughout Wisconsin. The effort is funded by $1.17 billion in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars. Recognizing that testing and contact tracing are essential to Wisconsin’s efforts to contain the spread of the virus, the state has allocated approximately $260 million for testing efforts and $75 million for contact tracing. “As I’ve said before, regardless of the political overtones of the past week,...