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Federal eviction moratorium may not be enough for Wisconsin renters
One the first actions of the Biden administration was the move by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to extend the federal moratorium on evictions, which was extended from last September to March 31, 2021. The moratorium is designed to protect tenants from being evicted during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it may not […]
Activists disillusioned after approval of previously rejected COPS grant
Some residents in the City of Milwaukee were left disillusioned after the Common Council reversed its December decision to reject the $9.7 million federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant. The three-year grant, now approved by the council, will add 30 new police officers to the ranks of the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), allowing more […]
ACLU of Wisconsin condemns Waukesha Sheriff’s Department for hiring Joseph Mensah
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin has released a statement condemning the Waukesha County Sheriff Department for hiring former Wauwatosa officer Joseph Mensah. ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Chris Ott called the move “irresponsible, and disrespectful to the community.” Mensah was sworn in as a Waukesha County deputy Monday, according to Sheriff Eric […]
After three fatal shootings in Wauwatosa, Joseph Mensah hired as a Waukesha County sheriff’s deputy
Joseph Mensah, the officer who became the focus of protests in Wauwatosa after three fatal shootings and later resigned, has been hired by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department and sworn in as a deputy. As a Wauwatosa police officer, Mensah shot and killed three people while on duty over a five-year period. Now, Mensah will […]
Lt. Gov. Barnes takes the national stage on climate policy
As the Biden administration takes power in Washington, D.C., Wisconsin’s Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes sees hope for communities in Wisconsin and elsewhere that have suffered from climate-related flooding and natural disasters. Speaking at a Jan. 21 virtual meeting alongside climate resilience officials from Rhode Island and New Jersey, Barnes said he believes that a new […]
Milwaukee activists call on Biden to reverse Trump immigration policies
Just one hour after Joe Biden was sworn in at his inauguration, a coalition of community groups gathered in Milwaukee to call for the new administration to reverse the outgoing Trump Administration’s hardline immigration policies. The action occurred as the new administration was releasing plans to create a path for citizenship for more than 11 […]
Wauwatosa PD created “protester list” during crackdown on peaceful demonstrations
The Wauwatosa Police Department (WPD) began tracking activists and created a list of at least 40 protesters as early as July 14, 2020. The list was referenced in a set of emails obtained by the Wisconsin Examiner via open records requests. The internal messages also mention a “protest folder” created sometime during early days of […]
The Trump insurrection, through a Black historical lens
Celebrations of one of the nation’s most revered civil rights leaders may be overshadowed by an aura of dread, as the nation continues to process the violent uprising that occurred in Washington, DC, on Jan. 6. The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is accompanied by further calls by pro-Trump groups for mass gatherings at state […]
Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride named as ‘target’ by police
Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride was identified as a “higher value target” by his own police department, according to an internal PowerPoint presentation created by Wauwatosa police. The PowerPoint, sent in an email on Sep. 1, 2020, was forwarded by a member of the department’s Special Operations Group (SOG) to a supervisor in the department’s Investigative […]
Jacob Blake’s family will take fight past the DA’s decision
As Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Gravely announced that no charges would be brought against officers involved in the shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, National Guard and law enforcement personnel kitted out in winter-adapted tactical gear positioned themselves around the city. A quiet stillness hung in the air, particularly around Civic Park, the site of […]
Gwen Moore attacked for voting after positive COVID test
Congresswoman Gwen Moore has been under fire recently for traveling to Washington DC after having tested positive for COVID-19. Her trip to cast her vote for the Speaker of the House came after Moore isolated following her positive test. Republicans blasted Moore for her visit. On Jan 3, Moore announced on Twitter that she had […]
Blake family plans to take struggle beyond charging decision
For the family of Jacob Blake, the pursuit of justice will not end with the district attorney’s decision not to charge the officer who shot Blake in the back, during an interaction in August, 2020. “It’s a new day,” Justin Blake, Jacob’s uncle, reassured a crowd of press and supporters on the eve of the […]