Author
Following Justice Rally, activists wonder what Wauwatosa considers ‘peaceful protest’
Wauwatosa protesters and residents gathered in Hart Park on Thursday, Oct. 15 for a rally for justice for police shooting victim Alvin Cole, organized by Team Roc, the social justice arm of rapper Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. The rally took place just a few blocks from the Wauwatosa village, a local business hub. Hundreds gathered around […]
Questions brewing over COVID outbreaks in smaller DOC facilities
“The people of Wisconsin are entitled to understand what additional burdens are being placed on our hospital systems,” said Chris Ott, Executive Director of the ACLU of Wisconsin, “as a result of the failure of Governor Evers and Secretary Carr to take serious actions to reduce the populations in Wisconsin prisons and to release the […]
Wauwatosa residents decry ‘militarized occupation’ of their community
A militarized police presence in Wauwatosa has transformed the once-quiet suburb, creating an occupation-like environment. Over the weekend, following the decision by District Attorney John Chisholm not to charge the Wauwatosa officer who shot 17-year-old Alvin Cole in February, protesters met a stiff brushback from local authorities. Before the decision, Gov. Tony Evers activated the […]
Protesters fill the streets in Wauwatosa and Milwaukee following Alvin Cole decision
Oct.7 proved to be a tense, anxiety-choked day in the City of Milwaukee and its suburban western neighbor Wauwatosa. A crowd of protesters, many local residents among them, gathered outside the Milwaukee City and County Safety Building, where District Attorney John Chisholm shared his decision not to pursue charges in the Alvin Cole shooting with […]
Tosa cop violated multiple department policies, independent investigator finds
As the morning rolled around on October 7, the day Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm was expected to announce his decision about charges in the shooting of 17-year-old Alvin Cole by Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah, an independent investigator hired by the Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission (PFC) released a report recommending Mensah’s termination. “Officer […]
PerSISTERS group calls for the respect of peaceful protest in Wauwatosa
A grassroots group known as the PerSISTERS has issued an open letter to Sen. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) and Rep. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield), calling on the pair to “join us in a statement of commitment to justice and non-violence.” The letter was issued in light of ongoing protests in Wauwatosa, and concerns about what may follow […]
Mayor McBride discusses mediating Wauwatosa’s growing divides
Sitting in the office of Mayor Dennis McBride, one might be fooled by the quiet hallways at City Hall and the mundane bustle of suburban traffic traversing the main road nearby. The reality is that the City of Wauwatosa, which is normally a placid, suburban community, has been the site of dramatic confrontations between Black […]
In-depth response from Milwaukee Health Department to Wednesday mass shooting
In the wake of a mass shooting incident, which occurred at a funeral home in Milwaukee on Sept. 30, the city’s Health Department issued a statement invoking the ever-present issue of gun violence. “No family in our community should have to suffer the grief and pain of gun violence — especially while mourning the loss […]
Climate group says Wisconsin’s risk of wildfires may be growing
Scenes of forests charred by unprecedented wildfires, skies filled with red-black and orange hues and widespread displacement are still appearing in headlines even after a month of fires raging along the west coast. They have produced eerie glimpses of the future climate change is driving us towards. In Wisconsin, the wildfire seasons appear to come […]
Poor People’s Campaign sermonizes on systemic injustices and the time to fight
“If there ever was a time to fight,” Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis said during a livestreamed address by the Poor People’s Campaign, “it is now.” The Sept. 24 address rang out like a sermon. It was made in response to of the ongoing trials of 2020, and the specter of the November presidential election looming […]
Protests pick up in Milwaukee and elsewhere following Breonna Taylor decision
Protesters took to the streets in several U.S. cities, including in Milwaukee, following the decision not to charge the Louisville Metro police officers involved in the shooting of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor. Instead, a grand jury indicted one of the officers on three counts of wanton endangerment for firing blindly into a neighbors apartment during the […]
DNR: Platteville fish dealer charged for invasive carp sales
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced that a wholesale fish dealer in Platteville is facing state charges for illegally selling species of highly invasive, destructive Asian carp. According to a DNR press release these particular types of carp are distinct from the German carp which have existed in the Badger State since the […]