Hospitals have been some of the places hit hardest by COVID-19. For months now, doctors, nurses and other staff have been working to save the lives of patients sickened by the coronavirus while also keeping themselves safe. A group of Milwaukee-area musicians has been offering comfort by providing hospital workers a way to escape — if only for a few minutes. The Black String Triage Ensemble was formed to provide spiritual and emotional healing by playing at the scenes of shootings and overdoses. But in recent weeks, the musicians have added emergency rooms to their list of venues. When the group shows up, the goal is to allow people to unburden themselves, says the ensemble's founder and musical director, Dayvin Hallmon. “It’s the permission to grieve so that you can on the other side of that collect yourself and continue to go about your day. We are the release valve. Our job is to catch the tears as they fall,” he says. Hallmon's orchestra has been playing outside of hospital

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Orchestra Performs Outside Of Milwaukee Emergency Rooms To Provide Healing Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Milwaukeeans got more answers Wednesday about a push to add federal investigators to anti-violence efforts in the city. U.S. Attorney Matthew Krueger announced the U.S. Department of Justice will provide 25 to 30 federal investigators in Milwaukee as part of Operation Legend — an initiative to curb violent crime in cities. Krueger highlighted that homicides in Milwaukee are up. "As of [Tuesday], there were already 97 homicides in Milwaukee compared to 52 at the same time last year. That's an 85% increase. That's over 45 additional lives lost, 45 additional sons and daughters," says Krueger. So, the Justice Department is providing trained federal investigators — from the FBI, DEA, ATF, and United States Marshals Service — to assist with work already underway by joint federal, state and local task forces. "Ten of those federal investigators are already assigned to Milwaukee temporarily to provide immediate assistance. The other investigators will be assigned permanently over the coming

More Than 25 Federal Investigators Coming To Milwaukee As Part Of Anti-Crime Effort Operation Legend

A Black family whose son was killed while in Milwaukee police custody 39 years ago is taking a bigger role in the Black Lives Matter protests. The relatives of Ernest Lacy are speaking up. Ernest died in a police van in 1981, after being taking into custody for a rape that was later determined the 22 year old did not commit. At a later hearing, then-community activist Howard Fuller called for charges against the officers who had forced Ernest to the ground. "We know they had handcuffed him and that [Officer Thomas] Eliopul was no longer concerned about arresting him. He was trying to hurt him," Fuller said. Eliopul was eventually fired. Four other officers were suspended, in a legal case that took about four years. Ernest's death has been revisited in Milwaukee before, when Black men have died while in police custody. With the death in May of George Floyd while being held down by Minneapolis police, Milwaukee activists are pointing to the similarities of the Ernest Lacy case. There are

Ernest Lacy's Relatives Add Their Voices To The Milwaukee Black Lives Matter Movement

A cloud of financial trouble is hanging over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as it plans for its first full semester in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Crisis Is Forcing UWM To Make Its Largest Single-Year Budget Cut

There are still a number of unknowns when it comes to federal agents being sent to Milwaukee. When will they arrive? How long will they be here? How many agents are we talking about? The deployment of those agents to Milwaukee was the subject of a special Milwaukee Common Council Public Safety and Health Committee meeting on Monday. Images from Portland, Ore., are front and center on the minds of a lot of people these days when anything concerning federal agents is mentioned. That’s after news broke of border patrol agents and deputies from the U.S. Marshal Service picking up protesters in unmarked vehicles and questioning them, using tear gas, and in some cases beating protesters with batons. Prosecutor: Agents Headed To Milwaukee Won't Police Protests Officials say that those federal agents were sent to Portland to protect federal property during continued protests urging society to care for Black people. Similar protests have been happening daily in Milwaukee. And with the federal

Questions Remain About Deployment Of Federal Agents To Milwaukee

Many in the university research community say science will eventually help find a vaccine for the coronavirus. But across Wisconsin, it's an uncertain time for the thousands of scientists — young and older — studying and working at universities. The COVID-19 pandemic has already brought some changes, and it's expected to bring more.

COVID-19 Pandemic Means Changes, Uncertainty For University Researchers In Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin System is forging ahead with plans for a combination of in-person and online classes this fall. Some universities in other states have walked back their plans for in-person learning out of concern about rising coronavirus infections . Wisconsin is also seeing a spike in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19. But UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson says in-person classes are still on the agenda when the semester begins Sept. 2. Wisconsin Sees Record High Of New Positive Coronavirus Cases “Parents and students say 'we want our students to be able to see the professor, we want in-person.’ So we’re trying to accommodate our consumer – the parents and the students,” Thompson said during a Monday call with reporters. Thompson said there isn’t a specific metric that would force one of the UW System’s 13 schools to close for in-person teaching. “We can’t stick our head in the sand and say we’re not going to get worse coronavirus cases or an

UW System Forges Ahead With Plan For Hybrid Online And In-Person Fall Semester

People working to make Milwaukee’s harbor cleaner plan to install a trash interceptor in the Kinnickinnic River. The idea is to catch floating trash before it reaches Lake Michigan. And the group Harbor District, Inc. , won a federal grant to bring the project to life.

Milwaukee Harbor Project To Install Trash-Eating Device To Keep Lake Michigan Cleaner

It's been 30 years since the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) became law. Some community activists say there are similarities between the battle for disabled rights and the current effort for racial equality. The ADA helped lead to things like more curb cuts, those little ramps built into concrete curbs at places like intersections. The 1990 law also did much more, of course, including banning discrimination against the disabled in public places. But Harvey Ross not being nice to the disabled community remembers at the time: "I can admit when I was walking around, I discriminated against people with disabilities. Made fun of them and everything else. And I think the universe was like, 'You think that is funny? Well, how about this? —Bye,' " Ross said. What went "bye" in 1992 was Ross' ability to use his legs after being hit by gunfire. He now gets around in a wheelchair and has become an advocate for people with disabilities. He's also part of the Black Lives Matter movement. Ross

Milwaukee Advocates For The Disabled And For Racial Justice Say They Share Common Goal

Federal agents are headed to Milwaukee, according to an announcement from the Trump administration . This comes after Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers explicitly asked the administration not to send agents to Milwaukee. Stating in a letter that, "this is not a moment to double down and unnecessarily increase police presence, especially without invitation." The president has since stated that the move is a necessary anti-violent crime effort. Right now, it's unclear how many federal agents will be deployed to Milwaukee and in what capacity. Prosectuor: Agents Headed To Milwaukee Won't Police Protests Federal agencies have been in the limelight recently after national news outlets began taking notice of their actions in Portland, Ore. Rebecca Ellis, an Oregon Public Broadcasting reporter, was on the ground Wednesday evening amidst the protests in Portland and describes a particularly surreal scene involving the city's mayor, Ted Wheeler. “I'm not sure what set them off, but by the time the

Federal Agents Will Soon Be In Milwaukee With Likely No Local Authority To Remove Them

As of Thursday, Milwaukee County has had more than 17,100 cases of COVID-19 and 374 deaths from the virus. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley says that while the greatest impact of COVID-19 is on human life, it’s also impacting finances. He says the impact of the coronavirus could total near $300 million in lost jobs, reopening costs and service needs. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act , is designed to help offset some of those financial losses. Another $47 million in CARES money has been allocated to help Milwaukee County. That’s in addition to the previous $30 million given to the county starting in June . The money will be used to cover the cost of personal protective equipment, enabling physical distancing for criminal justice facilities, along with job and housing stability efforts. “Currently, cares funding provides a temporary stopgap measure to increase the immediate needs of the county and its residents,” says

Milwaukee County Receives $47 Million More In CARES Act Funding

The Milwaukee Brewers start their coronavirus-shortened 60-game baseball season Friday evening in Chicago against the Cubs. For now, there won't be any fans in the stands, either at away games or July 31, when home games start at Miller Park. But baseball will try to make it sound like fans are at the stadiums. The Brewers just wrapped up a few weeks of what would normally be called spring training, except this year it was summer camp. The team webcast some of its intrasquad games at Miller Park, complete with announcers describing the action. Normally, fans might have been let in to cheer on their Brew Crew. But there were no fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Home runs clunked off the empty bleacher seats. There won't be any fans at the regular-season games, either, at least not now. What there will be is recorded cheering. What the Brewers call game entertainment is under the management of the team's Senior Vice President for Brand Experience, Teddy Werner. Usually, in-game doings

Thousands Of Recorded Voices Will Cheer Milwaukee Brewers At Miller Park

Milwaukee County leaders are promising greater racial equity in county operations. That includes the Parks Department, which has more than 150 properties. At least one county supervisor says she plans to hold the department to its pledge. At Dineen Park , 6901 W. Vienna Ave., on the northwest side of Milwaukee, a major renovation has been going on in recent years. Already with the financial help of the Milwaukee Bucks, the basketball courts have been upgraded. A younger adult who gave his name as Jdari was shooting baskets the other day. He says the fixing of the courts has made playing more fun. "When they did this, you saw many more familiar faces coming. It was like seeing childhood memories, everybody's back around. So, the fact they got courts that are actually playable is a good thing,” Jdari said while shooting a layup. He says the good feelings extend to the whole area. "There's a lot of things you can focus on negatively. But, for the most part, you stay optimistic, and stuff

Milwaukee County Parks Pledge Greater Racial Equity 'To Make Sure We're Serving'

Updated at 5:18 p.m. CT Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is implementing a second round of state budget cuts as the economy continues to flounder. Evers announced Wednesday that he is telling state agencies to find $250 million in cost savings for the current fiscal year. “While I am still hopeful that the federal government will adopt further bipartisan proposals to stabilize funding for state and local services, in the face of continued inaction and uncertainty, the unfortunate reality is that we must take these steps and make more significant cuts," Evers said in a statement. Tough decisions will be made in the weeks ahead, but Wisconsinites are resilient and I know if we put the health and safety of our communities first and work together to flatten the curve, we can get Wisconsin on track to bounce back stronger than ever. — Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) July 22, 2020 Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan will work with agency leaders to identify where that $250 million

Evers Orders $250 Million In Cuts From State Agencies

Despite summertime hopes, the coronavirus is still around. In fact, the state reports that cases are rising at an alarming rate. The highest numbers are being recorded in younger people. Tuesday marked the largest single-day increase in new coronavirus cases in Wisconsin — at 1,117. The state also reported 13 deaths, bringing the total to 859. Those ages 20-29 are largely responsible for the increase in coronavirus cases. Stephanie Smiley of the Department of Health Services says contact tracing

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