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UW Campuses Plan In-State Tuition Hike
Wisconsin’s in-state undergraduate students will see a tuition hike of 3.75 percent in the fall, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman announced Thursday. The proposal will be considered by the Board of Regents April 4. This year tuition increased 5 percent. That was the first increase in 10 years....
Crowley Vetoes Big Salary Hikes for Elected Officials
If the Milwaukee County Board wants to provide a 36% pay increase for three elected officials it will have to override County Executive David Crowley‘s veto. At its last meeting, the board quickly passed an unprecedented 36% pay raise for the county Treasurer, Register of Deeds and Clerk. All three are partisan, elected offices currently paying $91,483.
Evers Signs Bills Addressing Judges’ Safety and Human Sex Trafficking
Gov. Tony Evers signed a slate of 29 bills Wednesday focused on public safety and reducing crime, by addressing issues including human sex trafficking, judges’ safety and safety in schools. “Public safety continues to be an important priority for us as a state, and I look forward to continuing...
Homelessness Increasing in Milwaukee
Homelessness is on the rise in Milwaukee and Wisconsin. The latest data suggests that homelessness has increased in recent years after a decade of progress on this issue. The likely culprit, it seems, is the economic tumult caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum, a nonpartisan research organization. Its recent report also suggests the decline in homelessness during the past decade resulted from national and local policy changes prioritizing stable, permanent housing over transitional beds and shelters.
County Offering $2.8 Million For Opioid Addiction Programs
Milwaukee County plans to offer $2.85 million to community organizations to fight the opioid epidemic. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) plans to make grants to local organizations working on opioid addiction prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. The department is funding the grants in part through a settlement from a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors, which netted the county more than $100 million.
Milwaukee Yacht Club Worth $2.28 Million
On February 26th, 1967, Milwaukee County Executive John Doyne and the officers of the Milwaukee Yacht Club sank silver shovels into the sandy soil of McKinley Park to break ground for a new clubhouse. Back on November 23rd, 1943, at the height of World War II, the original 1896 frame building located there had burned down to its pilings. At the time, the United States Navy took precedence over private sailing clubs when it came to requisitioning construction supplies, so, in 1945, the members assembled a “temporary” clubhouse from materials they could scratch together until a new home could be built. Now, nearly a quarter-century later, at last construction could begin.
How Partisan Divide on Education Hurts State
For more than 30 years, the education scene in Milwaukee has been marked by a partisan divide between two groups: supporters and opponents of vouchers that allow students to attend private schools at government expense. Although supporters of the original school choice program included prominent Democrats, such as state representative Annette Polly Williams, the bill’s sponsor, and Milwaukee mayor John Norquist, more recently the political support and opposition seems to have settled down along partisan lines.
Buffalo Boss Exits Sherman Phoenix
Another Sherman Phoenix Marketplace business has left the nest. Buffalo Boss announced the closure of its location at the business hub on Tuesday. The transition will allow owner Taj Pearsall to prioritize his brick-and-mortar location, which opened in September at 540 N. 27th St. “We are thrilled to announce that...
Associated Press Will Decline in Wisconsin
Ironically, it was the AP itself that first broke the news: the Gannett and McClatchy newspaper chains “will stop using journalism from The Associated Press amid continued financial pressures for the news industry,” its story reported. “The AP was disappointed, considering there had been productive discussions with both news organizations, spokeswoman Lauren Easton said.”
Wisconsin Uses Millions of Tons of Salt
The same mineral we eat, pour from shakers, and ingest in processed foods— is used across the state to de-ice roads and walks, in order to keep society safely moving. But salt comes with hidden costs. The immense quantities applied over the years wash off impervious surfaces into our...
State Supreme Court Dismisses Amazon Claim That Drivers Aren’t Employees
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will not overturn a lower court order declaring Amazon delivery drivers are employees rather than contractors, meaning the company could be on the hook for more than $200,000 in delinquent unemployment taxes. The dispute between Amazon Logistics, Inc. — a subsidiary of Amazon — and multiple...
Heart Disease Killed Woman Whose Death Led to Milwaukee 911 Policy Change
A Milwaukee woman whose death at a bus stop on a freezing cold day inspired a change in the city’s 911 response policy died of heart disease. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner released the “final cause of death” report for Jolene Waldref on Tuesday. The report states Waldref, 49, died of “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.”
No More Free Boat Slips for Police
The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) will have to begin paying for boat slips in the county-run McKinley Marina. Under an agreement dating back to the 1990s, Milwaukee County was providing MPD with free slips and fuel for its boats in McKinley Marina. The county board recently voted to terminate this agreement.
Why Is North Point Parking Lot Closed?
North Point parking lot, a popular destination for visitors to Bradford Beach and the lakeshore, will be closed through the beginning of May. The closure will allow Milwaukee County Parks to finally rebuild the heavy stone barrier that protects the small patch of land jutting into the lake from storm surges and erosion.
Lawsuit Charges MPS Principal Abused First Grader for Having Gay Parents
A Milwaukee Public Schools principal allegedly physically and verbally abused a first grade student because his parents are gay, according to a federal lawsuit. The complaint, filed March 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, alleges Kasongo Kalumbula told the student, referred to as G.L., his parents would “burn in hell,” and threatened to kill him if he told anyone about it.
Third Ward’s Saffron Debuts New Menu
Holi, a Hindu festival celebrating colors, love and the arrival of spring, took place on Monday, March 25 — a fitting date for Saffron to debut its updated menu. The slate of more than 40 new offerings not only includes plenty of rich colors — saffron, beets, curry — but also a feast of textures, with eye-catching presentations ranging from billows of dry ice to gravity-defying kulfi pops.
Rep. Shankland Sells Her Record in 3rd Congressional District Race
Wisconsin State Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point) says that when she arrived in the Legislature at age 25, she was told she wouldn’t be able to accomplish much as a young freshman Democrat. Yet 13 years later, she’s been an author or co-sponsor on more than 200 bills enacted into law.
Students, Professors Question Closure of UW Two-Year Campuses
On Monday, a group of state legislators, professors and students questioned the “austerity” measures that have led to the closure of several of the Universities of Wisconsin’s two-year campuses and layoffs at others while the state sits on a multibillion-dollar budget surplus. Speakers at the hybrid event,...
Do Golden Eagles Mean Gold for Marquette?
The NCAA will bring in nearly $1 billion in revenue from the national basketball tournament this year. That is a lot of money that can be spread around to Division I schools. It sounds like good news for Marquette University, which is struggling with a debt of $31 million over the next seven years. But basketball is not a cash cow for most universities, not even for Marquette.
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