Maria Hamilton, mother of Dontre Hamilton, is handed flowers during a “Dontre Day” event at Red Arrow Park in 2016. (File photo by NNS) Nearly 10 years after her son, Dontre Hamilton, was shot and killed by a Milwaukee Police Department officer, Maria Hamilton is still fighting for change. “The system failed me and my family, and I still want justice,” she said. “It wasn’t about Dontre being mentally ill, it was about a system created to do exactly what it did.”   What it did, she said, is it failed to protect her son and hold people accountable for his death.  Dontre Hamil ..read more

Khalif El-Amin (right) talks with former Harlem Globetrotter Charles “Choo” Smith during a live podcast episode at Radio Milwaukee. (Photo by PrincessSafiya Byers) Khalif El-Amin is on a mission to empower young people in Milwaukee to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.  To carry this out, El-Amin, cofounder of the Young Enterprising Society, or YES, has launched a new podcast, “Leef with the Legends,” featuring interviews with local and national legends from the worlds of sports, entertainment and business. YES is a group that helps young entrepreneurs launch and grow businesses. It als ..read more

The Amani neighborhood held its third annual Earth Day cleanup on Saturday, April 20 at the Dominican Center, 2470 W. Locust St. Community members got to engage with one another while cleaning ..read more

Volunteers and residents gather in the Muskego Way neighborhood to participate in the annual citywide cleanup. The next one is from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, April 22. (Photo provided by Elizabeth Ramirez) It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance. 1. Big Clean MKE: Monday, April 22 In memory of city worker Greg “Ziggy” Zyszkiewicz, a citywide cleanup will be held on Monday, April 22. Organizations will come together to c ..read more

Escuela Verde students clean up the Silver City neighborhood. Many organizations are hosting neighborhood cleanups for Earth Day. (NNS file photo by Adam Carr) To celebrate Earth Day, Milwaukee neighborhood groups will be picking up litter and debris at cleanup events around the city. Earth Day is an annual celebration that raises awareness about the importance of protecting the planet’s natural resources for future generations. Looking to lend a helping hand for Earth Day (April 22) and Earth Week (April 22-26) and beyond? Check out this list of neighborhood cleanups happening around Milwauke ..read more

Volunteers clean up the Amani neighborhood during the neighborhood’s annual Earth Day cleanup in spring of 2023. The next Earth Day cleanup is from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 20 at 2470 W. Locust St. (Photo provided by Christina Chronister) It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance. 1. Spoken Word Showcase: Friday, April 19 Drea McAlister will present “She Writes in Secret,” a spoken word showcase at Alverno Colleg ..read more

The search for someone to lead the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, or DOC, is in progress. In a press release, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced the retirement of Kevin Carr, who served as secretary of the DOC for roughly five years. Evers applauded Carr’s accomplishments, including expansion of educational opportunities for people who are incarcerated as well as increased access to medication assisted treatment, a treatment often used for opioid use disorder.  But some people who are currently incarcerated are not so quick to praise Carr.  Prisoners throughout Wisconsin shar ..read more

Kim Stephans dines at Rise & Grind Cafe, located at 2737 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The cafe serves free breakfast to seniors on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Photo by Trisha Young) For Kim Stephans, participating in Milwaukee County’s Dine Out program is more than just getting a free meal – it’s a lifeline to social connection and a sense of belonging. “Places like this will bring you back to life,” said Stephans. The program has become a vital part of Stephans’ life, along with the Clinton Rose Senior Center, 3045 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, which serves as a vital ..read more

Theodore Lipscomb Sr., executive director of Local Initiatives Support Corp., addresses Harambee residents at a Feb. 29 presentation of the neighborhood’s Quality of Life plan. (Photo by Meredith Melland) Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood is living up to its name — which means “all pull together” in Swahili — by putting residents’ voices at the heart of a new Quality of Life plan. More than 250 Harambee residents have come together to shape the plan, reflecting the neighborhood’s spirit of collaboration. Local Initiatives Support Corp., or LISC Milwaukee, launched the Harambee Quality of Life ..read more

Wisconsin Women in Conservation hosts a variety of gatherings for women who farm or are interested in farming in rural or urban settings. Its next meeting is on Tuesday, April 16. (Photo provided by Wisconsin Women in Conservation) It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please submit your news by clicking here at least two weeks in advance. 1. Neighborhood Cleanup: Monday, April 15 Join Muskego Way Forward in cleaning up the Muskego Way neighborhood from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Apr ..read more