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Update: Vitamin E in vapes offers clues to lung disease outbreak
The New York Department of Health (NYDH) might have stumbled upon an explanation for the rash of vaping-related lung disorders reported nationwide since August. Officials say that nearly all the tested vapes, sold as containing cannabis, also had high levels of vitamin E. A NYDH press release on the findings notes that vitamin E isn’t […]
Activists push Milwaukee PD to not work with ICE
Holding artwork and signs saying “Stop ICE,” and “Keep families together,” a diverse collective of teenagers, local activists and community leaders gathered at the Milwaukee City Hall on Thursday to send a clear message to Milwaukee city officials. Voces de la Frontera hosted the event, aided by the Jewish collective Never Again Is Now and […]
Waukesha sheriff’s deal with ICE
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin has learned that the Waukesha County sheriff’s office is the state’s only police department to enter into an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to use local officers to enforce federal immigration law. According to the ACLU, Sheriff Eric Severson renewed the agreement on July 1 […]
DNR, conservationists fight mad deer
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is uniting with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and Natural Resources Board to address the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Wisconsin’s white-tailed deer. The new push will in part focus on educating the public on the disease, and streamline the testing and disposal of dead deer. “We are […]
Fun and politics at Milwaukee Laborfest
Laborfest 2019, held on Milwaukee’s Summerfest grounds, attracted hundreds of residents from a variety of backgrounds. Free and open to the public, the festival, hosted by union groups and the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, provided food, live music, and activities for families and children. Among the attendees were representatives of various organizations, from workers’ rights […]
‘There’s more to people than the mistakes they’ve made’
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin is conducting a statewide Justice Tour to discuss criminal justice reform. A meeting in Milwaukee on August 29 focused on organizing against parole revocations for non-criminal rule violations and mass incarceration. Held at the Brown Deer United Methodist Church, Milwaukee’s meeting featured a panel discussion titled “Investing […]
Milwaukee County reacts to opioid settlement
The Sackler family, which owns Purdue Pharma, would pay $3 billion and give up ownership of the company, if a settlement of thousands of lawsuits concerning over-prescription of opioid painkillers goes through. The Sacklers’ settlement offer comes after more than 2,000 lawsuits have been filed against Purdue by counties, cities, and towns nationwide, alleging that […]
Clean-up effort at Jackson County frac mine spill
A clean-up effort is underway after a frac sand mine pumped some 400,000 gallons of sediment into Jackson County’s Curran Creek. The creek, which also flows into the Trempealeau River, has been receiving treatment from the mine’s owner, Wisconsin Proppants, since a pump malfunctioned on August 3. “Wisconsin Proppants is in the midst of gently […]
One dead In Illinois from vaping lung damage, 16 cases in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is currently aware of 16 cases of people being hospitalized with lung damage, possibly related to vaping, with another 15 cases still under investigation. In Illinois, the first death possibly associated with vaping was reported last week. The number of possible vaping-related cases of lung damage in Illinois […]
Opioid treatment center saves lives, confronts stigma
In December 2012, John Koch, was 24 years old and living on the streets of Chicago. He had just been released from prison, having served a 3½ year sentence –“my second adult prison sentence,” he told Wisconsin Examiner. The young man had struggled with heroin addiction since he was 15 years old. That was just […]
Election 2020: Milwaukee progressives weigh in
Can a progressive platform help the Democratic Party win in 2020? Voters in the battleground state of Wisconsin might offer some answers. Recently filed campaign finance documents show strong interest in progressive candidates. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has attracted $117,000 from 467 Wisconsinites, more than any other candidate. Close behind is Senator Elizabeth Warren with […]
Environmental groups sue over Endangered Species Act
Seven environmental groups including the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians, and the Natural Resources Defense Council have united behind a lawsuit against the Trump Administration. Filed by Earth Justice on the collective’s behalf, the lawsuit accuses the president’s new regulations of weakening the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “In general, the endangered species […]