Shepherd Express - March 2024

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Garden: Photo by Michael Burmesch. Endorsements: Photo by Ayman Hussain/Getty Images.

ENDORSEMENTS

BY SHEPHERD EXPRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

MAYOR OF MILWAUKEE

REELECT: MAYOR CAVALIER (CHEVY) JOHNSON

The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses the reelection of Mayor Cavalier Johnson. He’s a bright, dedicated, serious minded and high energy person who is willing to take on all the challenges of a large American city. Cavalier grew up in a lower income Milwaukee household in Milwaukee’s central city where he had to deal with street violence, different schools almost every year and periods of food insecurity. Despite these challenges, he was able to attend Bay View High School where he worked hard and excelled and ended up earning a degree from UW-Madison. He knows the city well and understands the problems facing average Milwaukeeans. Mayor Johnson has taken on the difficult issues like crime and reckless driving. We see his biggest accomplishment being able to work with the Republican majorities in the state legislature to get state legislation to enable Milwaukee to get on a more solid fiscal path. Milwaukee needs four more years of Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

Please Vote for Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

MILWAUKEE CITY ATTORNEY

ELECT: EVAN GOYKE FOR MILWAUKEE CITY ATTORNEY

The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses attorney Evan Goyke for the position of Milwaukee City Attorney. Evan started his legal career as a public defender and in 2012 was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly. Even though the Democrats were in the minority during his whole time in the Assembly, Goyke served as one of the just two Democratic Assembly people on the powerful Joint Finance Committee. He is a very strong leader. We are excited that Goyke is running for city attorney because the current city attorney who was elected four years ago has unfortunately managed to severely damage the City Attorney’s Office. Since the current city attorney was elected in 2020, he managed to take an office that quietly and competently dealt with all the legal issues affecting the City of Milwaukee and create an unmitigated disaster. He managed to drive out most of the very experienced and dedicated attorneys who had institutional memories. We need a competent leader like Attorney Evan Goyke to restore the City Attorney’s office to the effective city legal office it was for decades.

Please Vote for Evan Goyke.

CITY OF MILWAUKEE COMPTROLLER

ELECT: BILL CHRISTIANSON FOR CITY OF MILWAUKEE COMPTROLLER

The Shepherd Express supports Bill Christianson for the City Comptroller. Bill is currently the Deputy City Comptroller. He has a master’s degree in public administration and has a total of 14 years’ experience in public finance, much of it in the city budget office. Christianson was born and raised in Milwaukee and is the son of a Milwaukee fire fighter and a Milwaukee Public School teacher. Three of his main goals if he is elected is: 1) Improve the City’s Bond Rating, 2) Build on the current transparency initiative with Open Checkbook so anyone can see every expenditure the city makes, and 3) Advocate for financial responsibility so our current financial problems are not pushed on to future generations.

Please Vote for Bill Christianson.

THIRD DISTRICT CITY OF MILWAKEE ALDERMAN

REELECT: JONATHAN BROSTOFF AS THIRD DISTRICT ALDERMAN

The Shepherd Express strongly endorses Jonathan Brostoff for his reelection for Milwaukee’s Third Aldermanic District. Prior to getting elected to the Milwaukee City Council, Jonathan served four terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly. In the Common Council Jonathan was one of the leaders on the Climate and Equity Plan that dealt with a number of environmental policies like limiting greenhouse gas emissions and promoting renewable energy. If reelected, Brostoff plans to work on policies that improve our public libraries and continue his efforts to protect the environment.

Please Vote for Jonathan Brostoff.

Photo courtesy of Cavalier for Milwaukee.

Photo courtesy Courtesy of Christianson for Comptroller.

Photo courtesy of Friends of Jonathan Brostoff.

Photo courtesy of Goyke for Milwaukee.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY EXECUTIVE

REELECT: DAVID CROWLEY AS MILWAUKEE COUNTY EXECUTIVE

The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses David Crowley for reelection as Milwaukee County Executive. David has done an excellent job in his first term as county executive and deserves to be reelected. We are very fortunate to finally have a county executive who cares about the county and who cares about the residents of our county and is in this elected position for all the right reasons. Crowley has been working on basically

FOURTH DISTRICT CITY OF MILWAKEE ALDERMAN

REELECT: BOB BAUMAN AS FOURTH DISTRICT ALDERMAN

The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Alderman Bob Bauman for reelection as the Milwaukee’s Fourth district alderman. Bob is an attorney and without question one of the smartest members of the city council. He has also been one of the most productive and most responsive alderpersons focused on improving the lives of the people in his district and the rest of the city. He has been focusing on trying to make our streets safer for drivers, bikers and pedestrians. He authored several traffic calming ordinances including the ordinance that created the traffic calming speed bumps. That ordinance enabled residents to petition to have a speed bump created on their street where the city and the residents on that street share the costs of building the speed bump and thereby making their neighborhood safer.

Bauman is also a leader in creating more housing units in lower income neighborhoods. For example, his Homes MKE program is responsible for completely renovating over 150 vacant or foreclosed older homes that were foreclosed by the city. Rather than tearing these old buildings down and creating a vacant lot that will probably stay a vacant lot, many of these old buildings are structurally sound buildings that can become wonderful family homes in the central city neighborhoods with less than $100,000 in renovation.

We need Alderman Bauman to continue his excellent work for the citizens of Milwaukee.

Please Vote to reelect Alderman Bob Bauman.

every area under county government. He has taken advantage of every new federal program that developed under President Biden’s numerous pieces of major legislation. For example, he used monies from the American Rescue Plan Act passed in May 2022 to build affordable lower income housing. Currently over 110 homes for lower income families have been built. Probably the most important and probably the most difficult thing that Crowley did was to go to Madison and work with the Republican legislators, who are often very critical of Milwaukee, but control both chambers of the legislature, to pass legislation that enabled Milwaukee County to get itself on a fiscally sustainable path going forward. We need David Crowley to continue as our county executive.

Please Vote to reelect David Crowley.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 3

REELECT: SHELDON WASSERMAN FOR MILWAUKEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 3

The Shepherd Express strongly endorses Sheldon Wasserman for reelection as a Milwaukee Supervisor. For the last several years he has been chair of the County Board’s Parks Committee and has worked very hard to continue to improve our parks and deal with the massive-deferred maintenance that is necessary to maintain and improve what is a nationally recognized as an excellent urban park system.

He led the efforts to study why McKinley Beach had to be closed last year due to riptides. The report came up with a solution that the Parks Committee implemented and the McKinley Beach will be re-opened this summer. Wasserman is also making sure that the Downer Avenue bus route is heading downtown again as it had done for many years.

If reelected, Wasserman will continue to focus on our park system and cultural institutions. Presently he is trying to open more swimming pools and the only thing that is holding back the opening of more pools is a lack of lifeguards. We need more lifeguards. As we all know, maintaining the park system is not cheap so Sheldon is constantly looking for revenue enhancements to bring in money for the parks that is not from the tax rolls. One very successful enhancement that has grown over the past several years is the popular Beer Gardens in many of our parks.

Please Vote for Sheldon Wasserman.

Photo courtesy of Bauman for Alderman Committee.

Photo courtesy of Friends of Sheldon Wasserman.

Photo courtesy of Crowley for County Executive.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY COMPTROLLER

ELECT: LIZ SUMNER AS MILWAUKEE COUNTY COMPTROLLER

The Shepherd Express endorses Liz Sumner for the position of Milwaukee County Comptroller. She was born and raised in Milwaukee, graduated from Marquette University and then received a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Chicago with a concentration in finance. She created a boutique woman’s clothing store 16 years ago that is still flourishing so she understands what it takes to run a small business. As county comptroller, she wants to make the office more efficient, strategic, and modern. Her plan starts with three immediate goals: 1) implement new technologies that continue to save time and money, 2) work with the various county department administrators to help them improve all levels of their services to improve the lives of our county citizens, and 3) expand the transparency of county finances.

Please Vote for Liz Sumner.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 14

REELECT: CAROLINE GOMEZ-TOM

The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Caroline Gomez-Tom for Milwaukee County Supervisor District 14. Caroline won a special election nine months ago and is the newest addition to the county board, but that hasn’t stopped her from having some important successes in her first year in office. A social worker by training, Gomez-Tom focuses on issues that directly affect her constituents’ daily lives. For example, when she learned that many of her constituents were prevented from dealing with county government because many of the public facing information on the county’s website or literature were not multilingual. She introduced a resolution to correct this and successfully worked with her colleagues and passed this resolution unanimously. She also got funding to upgrade and repair several issues in the parks in her district. If she is reelected, she wants to continue her work with the homeless population but wants to see if she can get things done preemptively so the county can prevent the family from becoming homeless. Also, her district currently has very low voter participation and local government participation and she wants to help improve participation.

Please vote for Caroline Gomez-Tom.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 4

ELECT: JOHN (JACK) ECKBLAD FOR MILWAUKEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 4

The Shepherd Express endorses Jack Eckblad for Milwaukee County Supervisor District 4. For the past 15 years he has been a community organizer with some significant victories under his belt. Some of these victories have been in some very red areas like West Bend. He attributes his successes to being a very enthusiastic, progressive and effective bridge builder. In a non-partisan body like the Milwaukee County Board, his skill set as a bridge builder would be very useful. If elected, he wants to 1) work to put our Milwaukee County Parks on a more sustainable economic course which recognizes the value, for example, of the revenue generating efforts like our beer gardens, 2) work to strengthen our public transit system which is essential to enable many lower income people to get to their job, and 3) Make sure that the recently passed provision to have an Independent Audit of the county jail gets implemented in a fair, honest and effective manner. When we have a death in the county jail, it hurts the trust we need in all levels of our government.

Please Vote for John (Jack) Eckblad.

Photo courtesy of Jack for Milwaukee.

Photo courtesy of Friends of Liz Sumner.

Photo courtesy of Caroline Cares For Milwaukee.

"Vote YES for MPS."

BY BOB PETERSON

On Tuesday, April 2, City of Milwaukee voters will have the chance to do what’s best for our city and our city’s children. We will have the opportunity to vote “YES” on the MPS referendum.

I taught for nearly three decades in MPS and am the former president of the Milwaukee School Board. I know, firsthand, the importance of voting “Yes for MPS.” Here are several reasons.

THE WISCONSIN LEGISLATURE UNDERFUNDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The Wisconsin legislature’s underfunding of public education is a statewide problem—the reason why 89 other Wisconsin school districts are holding referendum this spring. MPS, for a variety of reasons, has been especially hurt by the state’s ongoing failure to provide adequate school funding.

Like school districts across the state, MPS will continue to lobby the legislature for necessary money. In the meantime, MPS is turning to local voters, who will be the main beneficiaries of a “Yes” vote.

ART, MUSIC, PHY-ED AND LIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO A GOOD EDUCATION.

MPS has made good progress in providing funding for programs such as art, music, phy-ed and school libraries. These programs are particularly at risk due to state underfunding. All children deserve a quality, well-rounded education regardless of the zip code they live in.

RETAINING AND RECRUITING QUALITY STAFF

In my four years on the school board, too often I would see MPS teachers leave to work in the suburbs, where they would get more money and have fewer students in their classrooms.

The referendum will help MPS keep salaries competitive with other districts and hold onto quality teachers and support staff.

SUPPORTING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Over 85 languages are spoken by students and families in MPS, providing a rich experience for teachers and students in our increasingly globalized world. Unfortunately, the Wisconsin legislator’s support for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers is among the lowest in the country. Voting “Yes for MPS” will help the district hire more ESL teachers.

SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Similarly, MPS faces significant challenges in hiring and retaining special education teachers and staff. Some 40 years ago, the state provided 60.9% of the costs of special education services. Over the years the state has reneged on that commitment and now covers only about 32% of the costs. MPS has a higher percentage of special ed students than most school districts (about 20%.) Right now, going to a local referendum is essential to ensuring adequate funds for special ed in MPS.

PLUGGING THE FINANCIAL HOLE CAUSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE

The state’s underfunding of public education has had a cumulative effect, and MPS is facing a $200 million budget shortfall for the 2024-25 school.

Statewide, the last time that per-pupil funding matched inflation was in 2009, the year before Scott Walker was elected Governor. In addition, in 2021 and 2022, the state froze per-pupil funding for public schools for two years in a row—the first time ever. That freeze, combined with the highest inflation rate in Wisconsin since 1981, has significantly hurt Wisconsin’s children.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE REFERENDUM FAILS?

Martha Kreitzman, MPS Chief Financial Officer, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that if the April 2 referendum fails, “the district would have to cut staff, freeze salaries, close schools, eliminate specialty programs, reduce mental health supports, reduce transportation, delay building repairs or delay updates for educational materials and technology.”

MILWAUKEE VOTERS WILL DO THE RIGHT THING

I have lived and worked in Milwaukee for 50 years, and I have seen Milwaukee rise to face any number of challenges. I am hopeful that Milwaukee voters will “Vote Yes for MPS” on April 2. One of many good signs: More than 15 community organizations have endorsed the referendum.

In addition, many elected officials and electoral candidates have called for a “Yes” vote, from Rep. Gwen Moore (D) to former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

“As a proud MPS graduate and an MPS parent, I am happy to endorse this important campaign,” Crowley said at a Feb. 12 press conference promoting the referendum. Mayor Johnson agreed. “Milwaukee’s future is our children, and we must provide them the resources to ensure they are in quality learning environments.” Johnson said. “I’ll be voting ‘Yes for MPS’ on April 2 and I hope that all Milwaukee voters join me.”

For more information, visit mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us.

Vote YES for MPS site.

Bob Peterson was member of the Milwaukee School Board from 2019-2023, and board president for the final two years. He was also a classroom teacher for more 25 years, and president of the Milwaukee teachers’ union from 2011-2015.

Wisconsin Voter's Guide

WHETHER YOU'RE PLANNING TO VOTE IN PERSON OR BY ABSENTEE BALLOT, THIS GUIDE WILL HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE VOTING PROCESS IN THE BADGER STATE.

1. REGISTER TO VOTE:

• Before you can cast your ballot, make sure you're registered to vote. You can check your registration status and register online through the Wisconsin MyVote website at myvote.wi.gov/en-us/.

2. ABSENTEE VOTING:

• Absentee voting allows you to vote by mail if you're unable to vote in person on Election Day. Here's how to do it:

Request an absentee ballot: You can request an absentee ballot online through the MyVote website, or by contacting your municipal clerk's office.

• Fill out your ballot: Once you receive your absentee ballot, carefully follow the instructions and fill it out completely.

• Return your ballot: You can return your completed ballot by mail or deliver it in person to your municipal clerk's office or a designated drop-off location.

3. VOTING IN PERSON:

• If you prefer to vote in person, here's what you need to know:

• Find your polling place: You can find your polling place by visiting the MyVote website or contacting your municipal clerk's office.

• Bring identification: When you go to vote, you'll need to bring a valid photo ID, such as a driver's license or state ID card.

• Cast your ballot: Once you're at your polling place, follow the instructions provided by the poll workers to cast your ballot.

For more information about voting in Wisconsin, including specific eligibility requirements and FAQs, visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission website at elections.wi.gov.

Why Isn’t Everybody Talking about Biden’s Booming Economy?

BY JOEL MCNALLY

Let’s be clear. The U.S. economy under President Biden isn’t just very good as this presidential election year begins. Biden is presiding over what economists from right to left are calling a booming economy on the verge of getting even better.

So why isn’t everybody talking about Biden’s continuously robust job creation accelerating through 2023 to wipe out fears of a recession with rapidly rising wages for American workers and inflation falling to nearly 2%, the Federal Reserve’s target range to finally begin cutting interest rates for consumers and business?

Economic competence is a crucial difference between the two candidates in a presidential rematch. Former President Trump’s incompetence and lies during the pandemic killed millions of Americans and crashed the U.S. economy killing 20 million jobs.

Frankly, it was like pulling teeth to get economists and the media to acknowledge Biden’s economic success throughout 2023 despite blockbuster monthly jobs reports. Every analysis warned Americans could still face a crippling recession from the Fed’s battle against inflation raising interest rates to 5.4%, the highest in 22 years. By the time that threat evaporated, it’s a wonder that economists and the media had any teeth left at all.

UNDERSTANDABLE RELUCTANCE

The reluctance of the Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s central bank to declare victory over inflation and start slashing interest rates is understandable.

When Trump’s Covid economy crashed in March 2020, Powell cut interest rates to near zero. The Fed kept them there throughout the first year of Biden’s economic rescue and recovery including the trillion-dollar bipartisan infrastructure plan that has fueled massive job growth ever since.

BIDEN’S SURGING ECONOMY WILL ONLY BECOME MORE OBVIOUS TO THE PUBLIC THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE ELECTION.

The Fed didn’t raise interest rates for the first time since the pandemic began until March 2022. By then, Powell faced severe criticism for not acting sooner to reduce the inevitable inflation when millions of Americans returned to work from the wreckage left behind by Trump’s presidency.

The inflation peaked in June 2022 at 9% leading to the notorious $5 dollar gasoline with a huge assist from Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine that further disrupted the world economy and international supply chains.

EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS

It took the 2023 annual report showing Biden’s bustling U.S. economy growing much faster than economists believed possible while avoiding a recession with a “soft landing” reducing inflation without massive job losses for economists to finally acknowledge the extraordinary achievement by Biden and the Fed.

THE RELUCTANCE OF THE FED CHAIR JEROME POWELL’S CENTRAL BANK TO DECLARE VICTORY OVER INFLATION AND START SLASHING INTEREST RATES IS UNDERSTANDABLE.

“It’s just a perfect report: strong growth and low inflation,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics, in January. He said the wheels of Biden’s successful economy— consumers, business and government—were now all moving in the same direction.

But how much longer will it be before the news media starts reporting all that good news about Biden’s economy—important information during a presidential election—openly and explicitly?

I’m not talking about Fox News and the rightwing media’s disinformation network. Most Americans know that’s a constant propaganda machine for the lies of Trump and Republican extremists. It exists to attack factual journalism as a liberal conspiracy.

I’m talking about print and broadcast journalism, the profession in which I’ve spent my entire working life. The good jobs reports are in the business pages of daily newspapers and in newscasts, but they’re not the top of the news.

UNPRINCIPLED DEMAGOGUES

The problem is most Americans don’t pay much attention to details about the U.S. economy anyway. They’re too busy worrying about its effect on their lives. That makes them easy prey for unprincipled rightwing demagogues. That’s proven by polls showing many Americans still think the economy was better under Trump than it is under Biden.

Biden and his supporters know that’s a lie and they’ll continue to spread the truth all year long especially in battle -

ground states like Wisconsin. The best part is Biden’s surging economy will only become more obvious to the public the closer we get to the election.

While confirming all the good news about Biden’s economy in January, Powell warned consumers and businesses who were champing at the bit for the Fed to start cutting interest rates that it will not happen at this month’s meeting.

There is a fairly reasonable chance that the Federal Reserve will begin to cut the rates when the Fed meets on April 30 and May 1. That will begin to kick Biden’s booming economy up to the next level with multiple rate cuts for consumers and business before the end of the year.

It will have a profound effect on the election whenever it happens. In a perfect world, that also would be combined with a jury’s verdict in Jack Smith’s criminal prosecution of Trump for his violent insurrection to overthrow American democracy.

The U.S. economy recovered in record time. The U.S Supreme Court still has time to allow the trial court to do its job. Whether that happens or not, 2024 will be historic for our economy and our democracy.

Joel McNally was a critic and columnist for the Milwaukee Journal for 27 years. He has written the weekly Taking Liberties column for the Shepherd Express since 1996. For more McNally, visit shepherdexpress.com.

What’s the Meaning of the Free Market?

BY WILLIAM HOLAHAN

Often public policy questions center on the division of responsibility between the levels of our government and the market. For example, how extensively should government intervene in the market for the extraction, refinement and sale of fossil fuels; or the market for health insurance; or for higher education? Questions of this type are both economic and political, with “conservatives” urging reliance on markets free of government interference, while “progressives” tend to lean toward government solutions. Resolving these predilections requires a rigorous way to think about markets—and how “free” they should be.

Since 1776 when Adam Smith founded modern economics, peer reviewed research has produced an intensely logical model of how markets would work under idealized preconditions. The result is called the “Free Market Model,” an essential teaching tool in college and advanced high school economics classes. A working knowledge of the model is among the standard prerequisites for study in economics and in business and public policy schools. The model shows how the price system provides incentives for profit-seeking investors and innovators to form enterprises to produce and sell goods and services to the buyers, who, in turn, are described as well-informed about the quality, durability, safety and other characteristics of what they are buying. In this model, all market exchanges—buyer/seller; employer/worker; entrepreneur/banker—are voluntary and “mutually advantageous.”

The conclusions that can be drawn from this model include one of the great insights of Adam Smith: when there is competition among a large number of firms in a market, the profit-seeker promotes the betterment of society as a whole, even though “he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.”

The free-market model is deductive; its conclusions are drawn from axioms or preconditions. When some or all of the necessary preconditions of the free market are absent, the societal benefits of efficiency and innovation cannot be expected.

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

To protect the pre-requisites of market efficiency, government must provide contract law, accident law and criminal law, as well as police, fire and military protection. But the complementarity of government and markets does not end there; Smith further warns that the essential pre-requisite of competition might be undone by the profit-seekers: “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but [when they do] the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.”

Illustration

CONCENTRATION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY:

Some of our most important services are sold to us in markets that have too few firms to foster competition. For example, the airline industry has only four major domestic airlines; the meat-packing industry has only four major producers; and the internet only two major search engines. Other important goods and services are sold to us by public utility monopolies, e.g., the distribution of electricity, natural gas, water, cable TV, internet connectivity and sewer services.

PATENTS

Because inventions are easier to copy than to invent, the government grants inventors temporary protection from competition. During that temporary period, the inventors enjoy monopoly profits as the reward for their inventive and creative activity. When that period is over, the secret behind the invention becomes public knowledge so that competitive markets can bring the benefit of the invention to a broader market. Counter-intuitively, competition must be suppressed temporarily in order to incentivize innovation and to enhance eventual competition.

PUBLIC GOODS

By their nature, some goods and services cannot be owned by individuals; they must be shared. Tradable ownership rights cannot be well defined for such public goods as national defense, as well as public parks, streets, roads, broadband, police stations, ports, communication satellites and railroad rights of way. These are long-lived productive assets in the public sector, provided by the government and paid for with taxes.

This small sample shows the key point raised by Smith and refined to the present day: the economic prosperity of the nation—in America, a society of 330 million people—relies both on a market system and different levels of representative government. The market alone cannot perform the broad range of economic activity the nation needs. Understanding the free market, its limitations, and its role in formulating the right mix of market and government activity, would help move policy makers toward cooperation and away from the ideological polarization that hampers progress today.

William Holahan is emeritus professor and former chair of economics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Amber Chavez: Childcare Services for Community Organizations

BY BEN SLOWEY

Amber Chavez is co-founder of Milwaukee Childcare Collective, a volunteer-based group offering childcare services to parents involved in social justice work. Milwaukee community organizations lacking a budget for childcare may apply for the collective’s resources so that children are looked after while parents engage in activism and organizing. Milwaukee Childcare Collective (MilChiCo) launched in 2017 and now has a team of over a dozen volunteers.

Their website reads, “We recognize that mothers are often excluded from political work due to cultural expectations regarding childcare needs, which is a layer of gender-based oppression that is often forgotten in activist communities.”

Amber Chavez became a mother in 2011 and had decided to go into early childhood education around the same time. She describes her motherhood experience as its own class awakening. “There’s not a lot of space or respect in our society for mothers,” Chavez continues. “That naturally extends to when caregiving work becomes professionalized, where you’re then doing it in a classroom.”

Milwaukee Childcare Collective (MilChiCo) formed when Chavez and co-lead Lane Burns came together with a shared vision rooted in anti-oppression and emergent strategy, centering the needs of mothers who are engaged in radical advocacy. They modeled the group’s structure and mission after that of Chicago Childcare Collective.

“It was the way I could show up and be part of the solution,” Chavez affirms about MilChiCo. “I was in for it and did not need to be asked twice.”

SPEED OF TRUST

MilChiCo moves at the speed of trust. They strive to cultivate long-term, sustainable relationships with organizations that they partner with, viewing free childcare for grassroots groups as a step toward reparations. MilChiCo provides both childcare and child-friendly activities on-site, prioritizing those marginalized based on race and gender. At least two volunteers are present at all times to provide care.

“We always ask that our partners tell us during registration how many kids will be there, what their ages are and anything else we should know about,” Chavez mentions. “That helps us know how many volunteers to have and what to bring.”

The group is guided by four core values: consent, anti-adultism, transformative justice and restorative justice. “We don’t come in and tell kids that today we’re doing this activity and they have to do what we have planned,” Chavez explains. “We show up with a tote full of toys with things like paper, markers, crayons, scissors, books, blankets, balls, blocks, anything that kids like to play with. We try to make it fun and inviting without any pressure.”

Chavez makes clear that MilChiCo does not bring food for the kids or change diapers. “We call parents if there’s a diaper, and it helps that we’re on-site for that,” she notes. “Our partners often make sure that there’s food available if children are there, so we’ll still facilitate making sure that everyone is fed and happy.”

Their most consistent partner has been African American Breastfeeding Network, who advocate for maternal-child health equity in Milwaukee with a focus on supporting Black families. They recently partnered as well with Joyce’s House Education Center, who offer programs in GED preparation and testing for adult learners.

Those interested in volunteering with MilChiCo may fill out a signup form on their website. Volunteers are expected to show up with enthusiasm and to communicate with honesty. “If you want to be part of this work but you’re not the

Credit: Margaret Muza.

best with kids, maybe you want to be the person doing the midweek Zoom calls with our partners,” Chavez adds. “We are also a queer-friendly organization and operate with the principle that there is nothing wrong with queer people caring for children. All identities can be part of this work.”

They also accept donations of art supplies and children’s books.

In 2024, Milwaukee Childcare Collective plans to implement more formal training like CPR and first aid certifications for all volunteers. They also hope to build up their skill sharing and continue acquiring new partners.

“Community is the antidote,” Amber Chavez concludes. “Not having access to childcare is a barrier to people engaging with activism and organizing, and you have to provide resources to overcome that barrier.”

Visit Milwaukee Childcare Collective’s website to get in touch.

Ben Slowey is a regular contributor to shepherdexpress.com.

Carmen Pitre Helping Victims of Domestic Violence.

BY TOM JENZ

These are the kind of headlines I often see on Milwaukee’s television news or in newspapers: “Shooting near Holton and Meinecke. Police say it appears to be domestic violence related” or “24-year-old woman's homicide marks 8th domestic violence death in Milwaukee this year” or “It was a weekend of deadly domestic violence in Milwaukee. Police say one of the incidents resulted in a murder-suicide.”

A total of 96 people in Wisconsin lost their lives to domestic violence in 2022. Wisconsin ranks eighth in the nation for the number of women killed by men.

Not long ago, an inner city woman resident told me, “I just wanna know what is the root of this domestic violence problem. It’s crazy. What do we need to do out here as a community?”

What can they do? What can anyone do? One woman leader who has some answers is long-time victim advocate, Carmen Pitre, CEO and executive director of Sojourner Family Peace Center, one of Wisconsin’s largest service providers for people dealing with domestic violence.

Photo by Tom Jenz.

She met me at the Sojourner Family Peace Center, a red brick, two-story building on Sixth and Walnut. Through all the vital information she eventually shared with me, I could feel her intense vision shining through.

Pitre was raised in a small town, Cut Off, Louisiana, in the southern part of the state. Her mother was 13 when she married her dad (who was 18) and was 16, and at 16, she birthed Carmen. “My dad was violent,” she told me, “and my mother left us when she was 20. For me, she was an unknown presence but yet she was still inspirational because she escaped the abuse, and she later became a nurse. I graduated from South LaFourche High School and later earned my degree from Louisiana College of Lafayette.”

Who was caring for you when you were growing up?

There was child welfare, and at times, I lived with family members, my grandparents and my great grandparents, but mostly with my great aunt. I moved around a lot. You might say, I understand the domestic violence victims we serve here at Sojourner because I’ve lived the life—sometimes terrified because of violence, having to move at a moment’s notice. I was also a childhood survivor of incest.

Take me through your job career path and how you came to the Sojourner Family Peace Center.

I was an alcoholic from the age of 12 to 22. At the end of college, I went into treatment. My counselor said I needed to get away from my family in order to stay sober. On Christmas Eve day of 1984, I moved to Milwaukee in a 13-inch snowstorm. I stayed at a halfway house. I knew no one here. I got a job as a nursing assistant at a treatment center. I also did volunteer work at the Wisconsin Association of Children of Alcoholics. Eventually, I worked at Planned Parenthood in Capitol Court, working with women and girls who lived hard lives. Later in the 1980s and ‘90s, I was involved with the AIDS project. Heartbreaking human stories. Everywhere I went, I saw people suffering. Then, I landed at Milwaukee County, seven years in the Fighting Back project. It was mostly

Black people. My mentors were Black. This taught me what keeps the city together, block by block, organization by organization. After that, I ran a city commission on domestic violence and sexual assault. When 9/11 happened, I decided to settle, find a job I could do for my whole career. In 2001, I took a job at Sojourner.

I believe Sojourner is Wisconsin’s most comprehensive service provider for families dealing with domestic violence. You are the President and Chief Executive Officer. How is Sojourner funded, and how many employees?

This year, we have a budget of $10 million, which comes from individual donations, corporate foundations, government and private grants. Around $3 million comes from government sources. Presently, we serve about 8,000 people per year. We raised over $26 million to build this Family Peace Center, and we moved here in 2016. We have 100 employees, about 65 full time and the rest part time. We also have 14 partners who office with us and who also deal with domestic violence issues.

I understand your staff provides crisis housing, system advocacy, and individual support to thousands of women, men and their children. What exactly is “crisis housing and system advocacy?”

As for crisis housing, since 1978, we have run an emergency crisis shelter for women and kids who have dealt with violence. Some men, too. The shelter rooms are located in this building. Clients can stay with us for up to 120 days. For example, today we have 47 people. Three factors intersect to keep violence in place: housing insecurity, food insecurity, and children’s exposure to violence. One third of our clients own their own homes, but the biggest majority are living on an annual income of $15,000 or less.

We don’t own any houses, but we help find housing.

What about the concept of system advocacy?

Legal advocacy or system advocacy consists of us walking along side people as they navigate the criminal

and family court system. For instance, if you are filing a restraining order, we help you file. We also help if you have a children’s court issue or if you were charged for acting in self-defense. We have advocates in every police district in Milwaukee County. We attend the domestic violence scenes with police, and we do follow up visits. Let’s say you are doing victim testimony in court. We offer confidential support, advocates who advise you to know your rights. Our high-risk teams help families impacted by homicides. We might clean up the scene and relocate the family, even help with funeral arrangements. We also work with the media on behalf of the families. In other words, we navigate the complexities that happen when you’ve been a victim of a crime.

I’ve done a number of stories on deadly domestic violence. In all cases, the perpetrators had been let out of prison before their sentences were finished, perhaps paroled or through a glitch in the process. How do these people get early release from incarceration? A complex question. To start with, violence is a learned behavior. Often, when an incident has been reported to police, there had been many incidents gone unreported by the victim. The legal system does not always operate the way it should. Cases fall through the cracks, and perpetrators don’t get charged. There are so many players in the system, from police officers, public defenders, district attorneys, social workers, and on up to judges. If a case doesn’t get charged or the sentence is lenient, that sends this message: “I can do what I want.” We partner with the District Attorney’s office to add strength to their cases. But for the most lethal defenders, we do need a robust punishment system.

I’ve had police officers and social workers tell me that even in a family of violence, kids would rather stay with their families than in foster care.

I agree with that. I went through this as a child. But at the beginning of the cycle of violence, we could have more resources for schools and neighborhood-based programs. Every workplace should have access to help for

someone who is hurting or for someone who is hurting others. Every pastor in Milwaukee should be talking about the domestic violence issue. Research tells us that the kids who are witnessing violence in their homes will be committing violence when they become adults. Each neighborhood in this city should have a place for resources that residents need. This includes schools, churches, and neighborhood organizations who can help with domestic violence issues. Here at Sojourner, we offer help for people who walk in our building, but what are we doing for victims who do not walk in?

In Wisconsin, domestic violence is legally defined as “The intentional infliction of physical pain, injury or illness, sexual assault, or physical acts against a current or former spouse, habitant, or co-parent.” Do you agree with this definition?

Yes, I do, except that definition leaves out what they call in the field, “a boyfriend loophole.” Meaning what is left out is intimate partners who are not living together, dating relationships. When I train, I define domestic violence “as a crime between two people who live together now or have lived together in the past or have children in common.”

People ask me why the cops don’t intervene in domestic violence. Police tell me their hands are tied when encountering family violence. Unless they see the violence actually happening, they have to walk away.

We are connected to some police officers who do make referrals. As a pilot project in Police District 4, we are accompanying police on domestic violence calls.

I understand that you took on more than 1,000 domestic cases last year. Why is there so much domestic violence in the Milwaukee area?

Racism, sexism, and classism all contribute. Add to that the hatred of poor people, hatred of Black and Brown people, and hatred of women. These all intersect in ways that create barriers.

And in those categories, there is hatred of each other.

True, and also the generational passing of violence. The number one pillar is children’s exposure to domestic violence, when children see this dysfunctional behavior in their homes. Some of our survivors tell us that violent behavior is, and I quote, “our love language.” If violence is normalized, it will get passed down to the next generation.

Victims and their perpetrators need families and parents who stop that generational violence trend. They need to be healed. We have a 12week class for moms and kids who’ve experienced violence. Moms share their woundedness. We give them the healing resources to get to autonomy and self-determination. We also help their kids unlearn behavior patterns. We will be doing three12-week class cycles per year. We have lots of success stories.

What is the Milwaukee County Domestic Violence High Risk Team and how does Sojourner fit in?

At Sojourner, we have the Lethality Assessment Program, which has worked in other cities. At the scene of a domestic violence crime, the police ask the victims 11 questions for future assessment. The high-risk team consists of Sojourner, the DA’s office, Department of Corrections, and the city police department. Based on the answers to those questions, team members assess the possibility of future violence. They meet twice a week and review 30 to 40 high risk cases. High risk cases include strangulation, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, and mental health issues, but the highest risk is unemployment. The team’s only purpose is to prevent a future homicide.

I understand that the Sojourner Family Peace Center keeps its own statistics on deadly domestic violence in Milwaukee County. What are the statistics on homicides this year or last year?

In 2020, there were 52 domestic violence related homicides. 2021, there were 42. 2022 was about the same. 2023, high 30s.

But we have so many cases that are not deadly that we could be staffing every single case. That’s how much domestic violence is taking place in Milwaukee. Strangulation and brain injuries are prevalent. There are so many strangulations that the team can only work a case where a strangulation results in unconsciousness or loss of bodily function.

This piece of news kind of startled me: “Sojourner found two-thirds of people killed last year in domestic violence incidents had never requested help either from local law enforcement or from Sojourner.” Why would these victims not seek help?

I think these are intimate crimes that people won’t come forward about. There is fear and shame. We live in a victim-branded society. Many people of color won’t interact with the “system.” Many survivors are immobilized. If you are a Black woman, a poor white, or an undocumented victim living on $15,000 or less, where are you going to go? Every employer, school, or church should encourage you to come forward if you are being abused.

I’ve had inner city residents and victims tell me there is a kind of unwritten social rule among them: “What goes inside the house stays in the house.” Have you heard that? Absolutely. We had that rule where I grew up in Cut Off, Louisiana. “None of your business what goes on inside a house.” But I do believe that inside all of us we have a deep desire to connect. We don’t provide enough opportunities for victims to heal.

Before I left the building, Carmen told me, “I’m in the afternoon of my career, and I’ve been doing this work for 39 years, 22 at Sojourner. I consider this human rights work. When I pass, I hope people will say that my life was spent trying to help others. I think this work is bigger than me, and I’m a servant to the work.”

For more information, visit the Sojourner Website familypeacecenter.org.

Tom Jenz writes the Central City Stories column for shepherdexpress.com.

CAPRI DI NUOVO'S ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD

BY SUSAN HARPT GRIMES

When you’re planning to dine out but aren’t up for challenging “new” food, or trying to find Downtown parking, go where you know comfort food and the neighborhood family vibe are king—go to Capri di Nuovo in West Allis. This much beloved Italian restaurant, which was operated as simply “Capri” under the previous owners, has maintained much of its fanbase, as well as gaining many new ones after the change of ownership several years ago. Even at non-peak times, the cozy dining room is hopping, and the carryout business is steady. On a recent visit the service was friendly, the atmosphere relaxed, the food was tasty and plentiful.

Capri di Nouvo’s menu features classic Italian fare including salads, pasta dishes, and pizzas.

Begin your meal with an old favorite like the eggplant fries ($11.49) which are lightly breaded, topped with grated parmesan, and come with a

flavorful red sauce for dipping. Or go for something a bit unique and fun like the Italian nachos ($14.99), fried pasta chips topped with mozzarella and alfredo sauce, Italian sausage, tomatoes, black olives, and peperoncini. The garlic bread ($3.99) is incredibly buttery with that magical almost crisp on the outside, soft on the inside texture. Salads ($4.49-$15.99) are nicely sized from individual portions to portions for four.

Pasta lovers will be wowed by the generous portion sizes at Capri di Nuovo, making them perfect for splitting with a dining companion or as excellent leftovers the next day. Try the signature classic lasagna ($15.79), simmering stacked layers of meat sauce, noodles and cheese served with that delicious garlic bread. Another standout is the Fettuccine Alfredo ($16.49) which is properly rich and garlicky—with a slight upcharge to add chicken ($4.49) or shrimp ($6.49). Other pasta options ($10.49-$18.49) are available.

Photo by Michael Burmesch.

Photo by Susan Harpt Grimes.

Photo by Susan Harpt Grimes.

The star of the show, though, is pizza. Capri di Nuovo offers four types of crust for their pizzas: Milwaukee style thin crust, hand-tossed, pan style and Chicago deep dish. There’s no point in debating which is better, as everyone has their favorite. In all cases, the flavor of the crust is quite good, and the toppings are fresh and abundant. Notable options include the ever-popular Stallis pizza ($15.49-$26.79) loaded with outstanding handmade sausage, mushrooms and onions; and the cheese curd pizza ($15.49-$28.99) which is not for the faint of heart as it has a garlic butter base, topped with mozzarella, smokey bacon, melty cheddar cheese curds and drizzled with ranch dressing.

If pasta and pizza aren’t quite what you’re looking for when you visit, Capri di Nuovo offers a few sandwiches as well. The most intriguing is the pizza burger ($12.99), a handmade sausage patty topped with red sauce and mozzarella and served on two pieces of the wonderful garlic bread.

If you like old school Italian and comfortable, family friendly restaurants, there’s a lot to love about Capri di Nuovo.

CAPRI DI NUOVO

8340 Beloit Road, West Allis (414) 543-5510

capridinuovo.com $$

Susan Harpt Grimes is a Milwaukee writer and regular contributor to shepherdexpress.com

Photos by Susan Harpt Grimes.

ALL ABOUT THAT BASE

ALL ABOUT THAT BASE

MBY ARI LEVAUX

BY ARI LEVAUX

ost cooks and eaters understand the importance of acid in food. If a dish isn’t popping as envisioned, a squeeze of lemon or dash of vinegar will sharpen the flavors with a bright zing. To a meat or cheese eater, a mouthful just isn’t the same without a sip of wine. A salad maker needs acid as much as oil and salt. Dessert makers use acid to help them add more sugar.

Scientifically speaking, an acid lowers the pH, which is a measure of how many free protons are bouncing around the scene. A base is the opposite of an acid. It raises the pH by increasing the number of free protons in the pot. The many culinary acids, including citrus and vinegar, get all of the attention while their counterpart quietly makes good things happen – sometimes by cancelling out acids. And once you learn how to properly pump up the base, nothing, including breakfast, will ever be the same. So as we head into the New Year, I’ll show you how to use baking soda and baking powder, the two most common culinary bases, to improve your eggs, potatoes, and even your morning coffee.

In contemporary slang, the term “based” carries many connotations, all of them flattering. They describe an attitude of independence, and of not caring what others think of one’s life choices, as well as most every synonym for “fabulous.”

Me, I’m old-fashioned. When I hear something is based, I still think, “who raised the pH?” But once upon a time, I was that guy in the back of the truck in Bolivia, chewing coco leaves with the farmers while nibbling upon a grey, crumbly form of limestone. As a recent chemistry graduate, I knew the limestone, a base, was used to displace the cocaine, a weaker base, and make it available to enter the chewer’s bloodstream.

This chemical action is invoked by the term “freebase” cocaine, which in turn is the origin of the slang, “based,” which could have described my status that day in the back of that truck, with a year’s supply of baking soda toothpaste in my backpack. My Arm & Hammer tooth powder proved a more potent base than the lime rock, and with a minty taste no less.

Is there anything baking soda can’t do? It’s the most based thing in the kitchen, hands down. Baking powder is more complex, with thickeners and multiple rising agents, including baking soda. However you get around to it, I hope you all have a based New Year. Which is to say: be you and be fabulous.

My furnace broke about three years ago, and I haven’t bothered to get it fixed because the flickering gas space heater keeps the house plenty warm. And one of the perks of heating by stove is that you can place things on top to gently cook. It happens to be perfect for making dulce de leche.

I fill a quart jar with milk and add a teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2-teaspoon baking soda. The baking soda keeps the milk from becoming acidic as it condenses, which would cause it to curdle. The process is labor intensive, because you don’t stop stirring, but worth doing if you have too much milk on your hands, and can be done on a stove, on low. As it thickens, stir in up to 1/2-cup of sugar if you think it needs it.

I use the same theory in making a beverage that I drink every day, by leaving my heavily milked coffee on the stove. I use about a half cup of milk to a cup of strong coffee, along with a tablespoon of cocoa powder, a dash of vanilla extract and a pinch of baking soda. I mix it together and let it sit on the stove for at least an hour. The baking soda softens the double acid whammy of coffee and cocoa powder, while sweetening the drink with sugar from the milk. You can cheat, of course, with sweetener. But with a nuanced light roast coffee, to my taste, a cup of unsweetened Stovetop Mocha doesn’t need anything extra. Naturally sweetened from within, it goes down smooth and comfy.

A properly applied base can also improve the rest of breakfast too, including the potatoes and eggs. Add an 1/8 of a teaspoon baking powder—not baking soda—to two eggs, and beat for about a minute. This will cause the release of carbon dioxide bubbles, which will result in perhaps the fluffiest scrambled eggs you’ve ever had. Meanwhile, boiling potatoes in baking soda water before baking them creates a tater tot effect, with puffy interiors encased with delectable golden skins. Baking soda, of course, encourages the Maillard reaction, which creates the distinctive color and flavor of browned food.

STOVETOP MOCHA

Photo by Ari LeVaux.

BASED POTATOES BASED POTATOES

Crispy on the outside and light as clouds on the inside, these potatoes will change your life.

Serves 4

• 2 pounds of potatoes, peeled or not peeled, and cut into roughly one-inch cubes

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

• Other spices; your choice

Add the potatoes to six quarts of salted water and bring to a boil. When the salted, potatoed water has come to a rolling boil, add the baking soda and watch the cauldron roil.

Boil until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and let dry in the colander for another 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Transfer the potatoes to a baking pan and toss with the olive oil, and then the spices. Spread the potatoes out so there is minimal touching among the spuds. Bake for 30 minutes, or until utterly delectable, whichever comes first.

Ari LeVaux has written about food for The Atlantic Online, Outside Online and Alternet.

Based Potatoes baked with non-based zucchini, garnished with onions and chives.

Photo by Ari LeVaux.

Spring ARTS GUIDE Spring ARTS GUIDE

MARCH-MAY 2024

Comedy, Grief and Homecoming in ‘Scarecrow’

BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

In the early pandemic months of 2020, playwright-actor Heidi Armbruster drove from her Brooklyn home to her father’s dairy farm outside Lodi, Wis. She grew up in Madison, where dad taught in the agriculture school; he bought the farm after retiring and was dying when she came home. Armbruster was able to spend the final days of his life with him and the farm became her refuge as Covid continued to spread.

Her 2020 sojourn in Lodi became the material for her one-woman show, Scarecrow. Although it began as a series of essays written while grieving, Scarecrow is more comedy than tragedy. “You can’t survive without humor,” Armbruster says. “Scarecrow is more like stand-up than a visit to the chamber of death. It’s a play about using humor to process your feelings, of finding absurdity in the moments of our lives that are difficult to live through. It’s a Wisconsin-centric story with universal themes.”

It's also the story of an outsider making her way in a strange land. Armbruster left her college in San Francisco and headed after graduation for New York where she has found roles on stage and screen. Suddenly, she was left with a dairy farm and was fortunate to find helping hands from her father’s friends and neighbors. “My father left me with a legacy of good parenting—and an infrastructure,” she says. “How many adult children really have the time and space to grieve the death of their father with his friends, community, in his home and his landscape.”

Through March 17 at Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St.

Photo courtesy of Next Act Theatre.

HEIDI ARMBRUSTER

53212 PRESENTS 53212presents.org

5 POINTS ART GALLERY 5ptsartgallery.com

If You Only Knew: Messages through Abstraction, March 1-April 28

Enough Enough Enough: Too Fly Solo Exhibiton, March 1-April 28

ACACIA THEATRE COMPANY acaciatheatre.com

The House by the Stable, March 1-17

THE ALICE WILDS thealicewilds.com

ALL IN PRODUCTIONS allin-mke.com

ALVERNO ART & CULTURES GALLERY

The Modern Landscape, Feb. 2-March 9

Observations: Student Juried Exhibit, March 22-April 6

Transilient: Alverno Graduate Exhibit, April 15-May 6

AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE (APT) americanplayers.org

APERI ANIMAM aperianimam.com

ARTS @ LARGE artsatlargeinc.org

BACH CHAMBER CHOIR bachchoirmilwaukee.com

Spring Concert, April 14 (St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church)

BAYVIEW GALLERY NIGHT bvgn.org

May 31

BEL CANTO CHORUS belcanto.org

Eternal Light, March 17 (St. Monica Parish)

The Dream Gerontius, May 12 (Bradley Symphony Center)

BLACK ARTS MKE blackartsmke.org

BLACK HOLOCAUST MUSEUM abhmuseum.org

BOERNER BOTANICAL GARDENS boernerbotanicalgardens.org

BOMBSHELL THEATRE CO. bombshelltheatre.org

Sondheim Tribute Review, March 8-10

BOULEVARD THEATER milwaukeeboulevardtheatre.com

Cecile, or the School for Fathers , March 10-11, March 17-18 (Plymouth Church)

THE BOX THEATRE CO. boxtheatreco.org

BRONZEVILLE ARTS ENSEMBLE facebook.com/ BronzevilleArtsEnsemble

BROOM STREET THEATRE, MADISON bstonline.org

Doed Koecks , through March 2

CABARET MILWAUKEE facebook.com/cabmke

CAPITAL CITY THEATRE, MADISON capitalcitytheatre.org

CARROLL PLAYERS carroll-players.com

CARTHAGE COLLEGE THEATRE carthage.edu/arts/ experience-the-arts/ theatre-dance-performances

CATEY OTT DANCE COLLECTIVE cateyott.com

Realizations, March 2 (East Side Public Library)

CEDARBURG ART MUSEUM cedarburgartmuseum

From Journal to Cedarburg, through May 19

Show & Tell, through May 19

CEDARBURG CULTURAL CENTER cedarburgculturalcenter.org

CCC’s Annual Members Exhibit, through-March 3

CEDARBURG PERFORMING ARTS CENTER cedarburgpac.com

Take3 Trio, March 16

Kathy Mattea, May 4

CHANT CLAIRE CHAMBER CHOIR chantclaire.org

Spring Concert, May 18 (St. Marcus Lutheran Church)

CHARLES ALLIS ART MUSEUM charlesallis.org

Michael Lagerman, Not Pictured, through April 21

Screen Time: Video Art and Photography in the Age of the Internet, through July 24

The international artists in this exhibit tackle questions of modern life through artworks that range from critical to playful. The works include wry references to historical photography and video art while situating themselves squarely within contemporary media culture. (Morton Shlabotnik)

CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART (UW-MADISON) chazen.wisc.edu

Art of Enterprise: Israhel van Meckenem’s 15th Century Print Workshop, through-March 24

Look What Harvey Did: Harvey K. Littleton’s Legacy, through Aug. 16

Graphic courtesy of Boulevard Theatre.

CHORAL ARTS SOCIETY OF SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN choralartsonline.org

THE CONSTRUCTIVISTS theconstructivists.org

CONCORD CHAMBER ORCHESTRA concordorchestra.org

Finding a Pearl, March 16 (St. Sebastian Parish)

Crowning Glory, May 18 (St. Sebastian Parish)

COVERED BRIDGE ART STUDIO TOUR cedarburgartistsguild.com

DANCECIRCUS dancecircus.org

Monarchs, Mounds, Migrations, March 8-11 (Next Act Theatre)

DANCEWORKS PERFORMANCE MKE danceworksmke.org

Biome, Created by Gina Laurenzi, through-March 3

Dixit Dominus with Aperi Animam, May 17-19 (Calvary Presbyterian Church)

DAVID BARNETT GALLERY davidbarnettgallery.com

Abstract Visions, through April 13

DEAD MAN’S CARNIVAL facebook.com/Dead-Mans-Carnival338362982860387

EARLY MUSIC NOW earlymusicnow.org

Constantinople & Accademia del Piacere, Seville to Isfahan, April 6 (UWM Zelazo Center)

Spanish music at all levels was imbued with influences from the Near East—a legacy of the Moorish conquest. Constantinople & Accademia del Piacere is an acclaimed touring and recording ensemble whose current tour “brings into dialogue the music of the Spanish Renaissance with Persian/Ottoman masterpieces taken from recently discovered manuscripts unearthed in monasteries and palace libraries.” (David Luhrssen)

Four Nations Ensemble, May 18 (St. Paul’s Episcopal Church)

EX FABULA exfabula.org

Since 2009, Ex Fabula has been connecting community through the art of true, personal storytelling. Ex Fabula, which is Latin for “from stories,” presents storytelling workshops, StorySlams and Community Collaborations where people listen to each other, feel heard, and grow in empathy and understanding. (Morton Shlabotnik)

StorySlam: Choices, March 9 (Interchange Theatre)

Deaf Stories Project: StoryShare, March 12 (Virtual)

Ex Fabula’s 15th Birthday Bash, March 21 (The Cooperage)

StorySlam/Adulting, April 16

After Dark/For the Culture, April 25 (Radio Milwaukee)

All Stars/Once in a Lifetime, May 16 (Anodyne Coffee, Walker’s Point)

FALLS PATIO PLAYERS fallspatioplayers.com

42nd Street, April 19-21, April 26-28

FESTIVAL CITY SYMPHONY festivalcitysymphony.org

Suite Dreams of France, March 9

The concert spans two centuries and has its focal point in Paris, where composers Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894) and Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) began their work, and where the third composer on the bill, Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), debuted The Firebird (David Luhrssen)

Classical Echoes of American Life, April 27

Spring Barn Dance, May 1

FINE ARTS QUARTET fineartsquartet.com

Schumann, Dohnanyi, April 7 (Zelazo Center)

Verdi, Menelssohn, April 11 (Saint John’s on the Lake)

Verdi, Brahms, April 14 (St Paul’s Episcopal Church)

FIRST STAGE firststage.org

The Lightning Thief, through-March 3, Todd Wehr Theater

The old gods are still among us. In Rick Riordan’s 2005 novel The Lightning Thief, a 12-year-old boy with ADHD, Percy Jackson, stumbles into an odyssey on a class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He must confront a nasty Fury, a Minotaur and other beings while coming to terms with his own identity as the son of Poseidon (by a human mother). Sequels followed sales, and then a Broadway rock musical by Rob Rokicki. (David Luhrssen)

Elephant & Piggie, through-March 7, Milwaukee Youth Arts Center

Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical, April 6-May 5

An Enemy of the People, April 19-28

Escape from Peligro Island, May 10-June 2

Photo by Art Montes. Courtesy of Ex Fabula.

FLORENTINE OPERA florentineopera.org

Wanderlust, March 21-22 (Baumgartner Studio Artists, Lueders Opera Center)

Spotlight on Chaz’men Williams-Ali, March 28 (Luders Opera Center)

La Boheme, April 19-21 (Marcus Performing Arts Center)

Maria de Buenos Aires , May 17-19 (Turner Hall Ballroom)

GALLERY 2622 gallery2622.com

Giacomo Puccini was a composer in search of the perfect story for each opera. Many say he found it in La Bohème, whose high drama was set among the 1830s bohemian artists of Paris. For their production, the Florentine Opera shifted the setting to 1920s Bronzeville, Milwaukee’s Black neighborhood. Sung in Italian with English supertitles. (David Luhrssen)

FORTE THEATRE COMPANY fortetheatrecompany.org

Hello Dolly! , April 13-21

Barbra Streisand sang the part of Dolly Levi in the Oscar-winning 1969 film based on a Broadway smash from earlier that decade. The songs ring out in memory, especially the irrepressible title number, “Hello Dolly! ” (David Luhrssen)

FORWARD THEATER, MADISON forwardtheater.com

What the Constitution Means to Me, April 4-21

FOUR SEASONS THEATRE, MADISON fourseasonstheatre.com

The Hello Girls , through-March 3

FRANKLY MUSIC franklymusic.org

FRESCO OPERA THEATRE, MADISON frescoopera.com

GALLERY 218 gallery218.com

Women’s Work, April 5-May 31

Local artists Ann Baer, Stephanie Bartz, Blanche Brown, Dara Larson and Roxane Mayeur will exhibit their responses to the theme of “women’s work” in a group show. Baer explores women working at homemaking vs. working at creating in their “spare time.” Bartz photographs dynamic women in historically traditionally male-dominated vocations. Brown’s fiber arts explore the significance of African American women’s continued work on improving their mental health. Larson’s scratchboards explore women and handcraft. Mayeur’s two-dimensional encaustic paintings examine the “work of being a woman.” (David Luhrssen)

GALLERY NIGHT AND DAY gallerynightmke.com

April 19-20

GHS DRAMATIC IMPACT gsdwi.org

GREEN GALLERY

Thegreengallery.biz

Peter Barrickman, through March 1

GREENDALE COMMUNITY THEATRE greendaletheatre.org

GROHMANN MUSEUM msoe.edu/grohmann-museum

Cory Bonnet: Patterns of Meaning, through-April 28

For “Patterns of Meaning,” Pittsburgh painter Cory Bonnet used old wooden foundry patterns as the foundation for new creations—paintings, sculptures and assemblages. “Patterns of Meaning” is a novel approach to historic preservation coupled with a thoughtful repurposing of industrial artifacts,” says Grohmann’s director James Kieselburg. “Patterns from frames, wheels, core boxes and gears become the materials on which scenes of industry are painted, from which glass is cast, and with which new sculptural assemblages are constructed.” (David Luhrssen)

GROVE GALLERY gallerygrove.com

Rachel Foster: Empathetic Objects, through March 23

HAGGERTY MUSEUM OF ART

marquette.edu/haggerty-museum Image in Dispute: Dutch and Flemish Art from the Haggerty Museum of Art’s Collection, through May 12

It was a time of upheaval and religious conflict in the Low Countries with militant Protestants waging war against religious iconography. “As traditions of artmaking came under increasing verbal and physical attack, artists began to innovate, developing new subjects to accommodate changing beliefs and new pictorial modes that rendered conventional themes with gripping emotion and psychological force,” said curator Kirk Nickel of an exhibit featuring some 50 paintings, engravings and etchings from the Haggerty’s collection. (David Luhrssen)

Dynamic Range: Photographs by Bill Tennessen, through-May 12

Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists 2023, May 31-Aug. 4

Graphic courtesy of Stephanie Bartz.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM harley-davidson.com

Mama Tried: Bringing It Together, through January 2025

Mama Tried is an annual invitational for custom motorcycles—from choppers to racing bikes—that draws enthusiasts from around the world to Milwaukee. The H-D Museum’s first major new exhibition since COVID gathers 13 motorcycles, “an eclectic selection of everything and everyone,” says curator David Kreidler. When held in recent years at the Eagles Ballroom, Mama Tried has included as many as 100 motorcycles plus vendors. “We’re not trying to recreate the event but introduce the event,” Kreidler explains. (David Luhrssen)

Creating a Legend: Art & Engineering at Harley-Davidson, May

H. F. JOHNSON GALLERY OF ART carthage.edu/art-gallery

HOVER CRAFT hovercraftmke.com

HYPERLOCAL MKE hyperlocalmke.com

INSPIRATION STUDIOS ART GALLERY inspirationstudiosgallery.com

Joe Gallo Cabaret, March

Sue Berce Exhibit, April

IRISH CULTURAL AND HERITAGE CENTER ichc.net

Lunasa with Daoiri Farrell, March 2

Lúnasa, the renowned Celtic trad band from Ireland, have been playing their unique sound for over 25 years, and have played at Milwaukee Irish Fest several times. What makes them unique are the prominent woodwinds–flutes, whistles, and the uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes)–as well as, unusually, the standup bass. Throw in guitars, fiddle, and special guest Daoirí Farrell on vocals and bouzouki, and you're in for an evening of great Irish music. (Barry Houlehen)

Aoife Scott, March 3

Burke, Kennedy & O’Leary, March 6 Daimh, March 15

Scythian, March 16

Sweetie & The Toothaches, March 30

Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas, April 6

Darrell Scott, April 19

JAMES MAY GALLERY

jamesmaygallery.com

Painting in Time, opens March 1

JAZZ GALLERY CENTER FOR THE ARTS

jazzgallerycenterforarts.org

Free Improvisation Sessions, Saturday mornings

Milwaukee Jazz Institute, Sunday afternoons

JEWISH MUSEUM MILWAUKEE jewishmuseummilwaukee.org

The Book Smugglers: Partisans, Poets and the Race to Save Jewish Treasures from the Nazis, through-May 19

The act of writing has always been sacred in Jewish history, and its centrality is illustrated by the efforts of Lithuanian Jews to rescue their literary heritage from destruction. JMM curator Molly Dubin describes the exhibit as a “nearly unbelievable true story” of Jews who, during the Holocaust and its aftermath, “through brave acts of resistance, powerful friendship and devotion to literature, rescued thousands of rare books and manuscripts.” (David Luhrssen)

JOHN MICHAEL KOHLER ARTS CENTER jmkac.org/home.html

Bea Fremderman and the Grottoes, through March 3

Asberry Davis: Run Your Own Way, through March 16

Home is a Teddy Bear, through March 24

Sharing the Same Breath, through April 21

Cloth as Land, through June 16

The 30-piece exhibit, which runs through June 16, 2024, taps into JMKAC’s already impressive collection of traditional HMong textiles augmented by examples of contemporary HMong mixed-media art. (Michael Muckian)

KETTLE MORAINE SYMPHONY kmsymphony.org

Movie Music that Moves Us, May 18 (Silver Linings Art Center, West Bend)

KOHLER MEMORIAL THEATER kohlerfoundation.org

KO-THI DANCE COMPANY ko-thi.org

LAKE ARTS PROJECT lakeartsproject.com

LAKE COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE lakecountryplayhousewi.org

Urinetown the Musical, through-March 10

LATINO ARTS, INC. latinoartsinc.org

Home Grown: Cultivado Aqui, March 6-June 7

Las Migas: Libres Tour, March 8

LILY PAD GALLERY WEST lilypadgallery.com

Ocean House Spring 2024 Bistro/ Club/Reception, March 5-June 5

LYNDEN SCULPTURE GARDEN lyndensculpturegarden.org

MADISON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART mmoca.org

MADISON THEATRE GUILD madisontheatreguild.org

The Sweetest Swing in Baseball, March 15-23

MARCUS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER marcuscenter.org

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan, March 2

The Lightning Thief, through March 3 (First Stage)

Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live, March 3

Cirque Mechanics: Zephyr, March 7

Hubbard Street Dance Company, March 9

Cesar Chavez Celebration, March 10

Clue, March 12-17 (Broadway Series)

Shrek The Musical, March 22-23

Cinderella, April 4-7 (Milwaukee Ballet)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical, April 6-May 5 (First Stage)

Paul Mercurio, April 6

MOMIX: Alice, April 11

Spamilton: An American Parody, April 18-20

Bronzeville Boheme, April 19-21 (Florentine Opera)

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, April 23-28 (Broadway Series)

Born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, TN, Tina Turner’s strong voice and striking looks drew the attention of rising bandleader Ike Turner. He married her, made her a star and abused her. Breaking with Ike, she made one of music history’s great comebacks in the ‘80s with the multi-platinum album Private Dancer and the hit, “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” The Broadway musical is a jukebox tribute to her music. (David Luhrssen)

One-Man Star Wars Trilogy, May 4

Moulin Rouge: The Musical, May 14-26

MARN ART + CULTURE HUB marnarts.org

MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY THEATRE marquette.edu/communication/ theatre-arts.php

MASTER SINGERS OF MILWAUKEE mastersingersofmilwaukee.org

Where We Belong, March 3 (Christ King Church, Wauwatosa)

MATERIAL STUDIOS + GALLERY materialstudiosandgallery.com

MEMORIES DINNER THEATRE memoriesballroom.com

SOB Story, March 15-24

MENOMONEE FALLS SYMPHONY mfso.net

Spring Grandeur, April 20 (Hamilton Fine Arts Center, Sussex)

MIAD GALLERY AT THE AVE galleryattheave.miad.edu

MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM mam.org

Winter Series: Larry Bell’s Iceberg, through March 10

50 Paintings, through June 23

So, what can be said of such a diverse cross-section of 50 unrelated contemporary paintings? A lot, actually. Namely that all cross-sections have their own particular angle-of-entry. The works in “50 Paintings” are indeed diverse in form, strategy, and style; the curators have a good read on the attitudes that are bubbling in contemporary art studios, as well as the histories from which they’ve sprung. (Shane McAdams)

Beyond Heights: Skyscrapers and the Human Experience, through Sept. 8

MILWAUKEE BALLET milwaukeeballet.org

Cinderella, April 4-7

Sergei Prokofiev’s music for the ballet Cinderella is gorgeously melodious, the inspiration for many great choreographers, including the Milwaukee Ballet’s Artistic Director Michael Pink. The family-friendly work gives young dancers from the Ballet’s School & Academy the opportunity to shine on stage. (David Luhrssen)

MILWAUKEE CHAMBER THEATER milwaukeechambertheatre.org

The Mountaintop, March 8-24

On April 3, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. gave what would be his final speech, and he spoke to his audience in Memphis with forebodings. He was assassinated later that night. “We’ve got some difficult days ahead,” he told the audience. “But it really doesn't matter now, because I've been to the mountaintop … Like anybody, I would like to live a long life; longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain” and I saw the Promised Land. Pulitzer-winning playwright Katori Hall reimagines King’s last night. (David Luhrssen)

The Not-So-Accidental Conviction of Eleven Milwaukee Anarchists , April 26-May 12

MILWAUKEE CHILDREN'S CHOIR milwaukeechildrenschoir.org

MILWAUKEE COMEDY milwaukeecomedy.com

Colum Tyrrell, March 1-2

Akeem Woods, March 8-9

MILWAUKEE FESTIVAL BRASS mfbrass.org

Brass Band Explorations, March 2 (Carroll University Shattuck Music Center, Waukesha)

MILWAUKEE FILM mkefilm.org

Milwaukee Film Festival, April 11-25

MILWAUKEE FRINGE FESTIVAL mkefringe.com

MILWAUKEE INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN GALLERY miad.edu

Growing Resistance: Untold Stories of Milwaukee’s Community Guardians, through March 2

Old Type, New Ways: Work from the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum, through March 9

MILWAUKEE IRISH ARTS milirisharts.wordpres.com

Brian Friel’s Faith Healer, March 24-26

MILWAUKEE JAZZ INSTITUTE milwaukeejazzinstitute.org

Dave Bayles Trio, March 16 (Bar Centro)

Juli Wood Quartet, April 20 (Bar Centro)

MILWAUKEE JAZZ ORCHESTRA mjojazz.com

MILWAUKEE MAKERS MARKET milwaukeemakersmarket.com

Milwaukee Makers Market champions local artists, creators, designers and crafters to celebrate the city’s small businesses. This one-stop shop experience provides an inclusive environment for local makers to showcase their talent and connect with Milwaukeeans. (Sophia Hamdan)

Celebrate Milwaukee/414 Day, April 14 (Discovery World)

MILWAUKEE MUSAIK milwaukeemusaik.org

MILWAUKEE OPERA THEATRE milwaukeeoperatheatre.org

I Wanna Fly, through March 10 (Florentine Opera Center)

MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER milwaukeerep.com

Guys on Ice, through-March 13 (Stackner Cabaret)

It’s been 25 years since Guys on Ice debuted at the Rep and it’s just as entertaining now as it was back then. It’s been updated with modern day references (climate warming, Lady Gaga) but the parody of macho fisherman stereotypes comes through thanks to the talents of the trio of actors. (Harry Cherkinian)

What the Constitution Means to Me, through-March 10 (Stiemke Studio)

The Chosen, March 5-31 (Quadracci Powerhouse)

Piano Men, March 22-May 19 (Stackner Cabaret)

Nina Simone: Four Women, April 16-May 12 (Quadracci Powerhouse)

CINDERELLA Milwaukee Ballet Company (2015 Cinderella). Photo by Mark Frohna. Courtesy of Milwaukee Ballet.

CINDERELLA • MILWAUKEE BALLET

MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA mso.org

Tchaikovsky 6 & Brahms Songs, March 1-2

Musical Magic, March 3

Salon with Matt Annin and Steve Ayers, March 7

Bernstein & Gershwin, March 8-10

Leonard Bernstein was classical music’s most versatile figure to emerge from the last century. The MSO will perform his music from three dance episodes in On the Town, the Broadway musical-turned-Technicolor film starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. All that urban razzmatazz is rooted in George Gershwin’s An American in Paris, also on the MSO program. The concert, rounded out with two by Ravel, will be conducted by Jader Bignamini with George Li on piano. (David Luhrssen)

Nothin’ but the Blues, March 15-17

Bach Fest 1: Brandenburg, March 22-23

Bach Fest 2: Magnificat, March 24

Sonic Symphony with the MSO, April 6-7

Vijay Iyer Trio, April 13

Salon with Susan Babini and Ilana Setepen, April 18

Liszt Piano & Symphonie Fantastique, April 26-28

MILWAUKEE YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA myso.org

MILWAUKEE YOUTH THEATRE milwaukeeyouththeatre.org

MORNING STAR PRODUCTIONS morningstarproductions.org

MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART wisconsinart.org

Wisconsin Arts Biennial, through April 14

Amy Cropper, through April 14

MOWA | DTN (SAINT KATE-THE ARTS HOTEL)

Meg Lionel Murphy: Ecstasy and Escape at the Swan Song Motel, through April 17

MOWA ON THE LAKE (ST. JOHN’S ON THE LAKE)

Katherine Steichen Rosing, through April 1

NEXT ACT THEATRE nextact.org

Scarecrow, through-March 17

The Treasurer, April 24-May 19

NŌ STUDIOS nostudios.com

NORTH SHORE ACADEMY OF THE ARTS facebook.com/ northshoreacademyofthearts

NORTHERN SKY THEATER northernskytheater.com

OCONOMOWOC ARTS CENTER oasd.k12.wi.us/artscenter

OIL A CITY GALLERY oilmilwaukee.com

OPTIMIST THEATRE optimisttheatre.org

OUTSKIRTS THEATRE facebook.com/outskirtstheatre Stop Kiss , April 5-14 (Waukesha Civic Theatre)

OVER OUR HEAD PLAYERS overourheadplayers.org

OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, MADISON overture.org

PAINT CEDARBURG: A PLEIN AIR PAINTING EVENT cedarburgartistsguild.com/ paint-cedarburg

PENINSULA PLAYERS peninsulaplayers.com

PHILOMUSICA QUARTET philomusicaquartet.com

Vibrant Spring, April 22 (Wisconsin Lutheran College Schwan Hall)

PIANOARTS pianoarts.org

2024 North American Competition, May 28-June 4

PORTRAIT SOCIETY GALLERY portraitsocietygallery.com

Nirmal Raja: Grace and Grit, through March 9

Oscar Gruber: 400 Portraits from the Art Students League/Matthew Gruber: The First Automatons, March 22-May 4

Oscar Gruber made some 400 portraits while studying with the Art Students League in New York during the ‘50s, the era of Pollock, Rothko and the global cultural preeminence of the City that Never Sleeps. His son Matthew handmade “talking automatons” in his spare time. Oscar is 100 years old, living in Milwaukee and having this work displayed in a gallery for the first time. (David Luhrssen)

Oscar Gruber, Untitled (portrait of woman in yellow), circa 1950s. Oil on canvas. (Photo by Debra Brehmer, Portrait Society Gallery).

Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

JADER BIGNAMINI

PRESENT MUSIC presentmusic.org

The Blue Hour, April 11 (Milwaukee Art Museum)

“The Blue Hour” song cycle is a collaboration by five women composers: Rachel Grimes, Angélica Negrón, Shara Nova, Caroline Shaw and Sarah Kirkland Snider. The work is based upon Carolyn Forché's epic poem “On Earth,” which follows one woman’s life journey via thousands of hallucinatory and non-linear images. “Sung by Shara Nova and accompanied by a small string orchestra conducted by Deanna Tham, this Milwaukee Art Museum performance will offer a rare chance to hear ‘The Blue Hour’ performed in a live setting,” says Present Music Co-artistic Director Eric Segnitz. (David Luhrssen)

Honest Music, May 9 (Milwaukee Art Museum)

PROMETHEUS TRIO wcmusic.org

Mozart, Mendelssohn, May 13

QUASIMONDO PHYSICAL THEATRE quasimondo.org

RACINE ART MUSEUM ramart.org

Watercolor Wisconsin, through April 13

RAM Showcase: Focus on Clay, through May 25

RAM’s First 20 Years: A Visual History of the Art and Architecture, through July 20

Collection Focus: Frances and Michael Higgins, through Oct. 12

RACINE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA racinesymphony.org

Musical Flights, March 8 (Uncorkt, Racine)

Masterworks Finale, April 13 (Memorial Hall, Racine)

RACINE THEATRE GUILD racinetheatre.org

Now and Then, through-March 10

James and the Giant Peach, March 15-17

One of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s stories, James and the Giant Peach was transformed into a 1996 musical film, a Tim Burton-produced stopmotion, live-action extravaganza. In any medium, the story of a boy who encounters human-size bugs inside a magical peach has delighted kids for half a century. (David Luhrssen)

Stargirl, April 12-21

Cabaret, May 17-June 2

REAL TINSEL GALLERY realtinsel.com

Heimo Wallner: Not Again, through March 30

RENAISSANCE THEATERWORKS r-t-w.com

L’Appartement, March 24-April 14

Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s comedy is about a couple’s dream vacation in a perfect Paris Airbnb. L’Appartement is a spoofing look at middle class comfort, marriage and hypocrisy. Driven by Murray-Smith’s nimble dialogue, the couple’s passive aggressive bickering descends into full-blown chaos that comes to a head with the return of their hosts. (Morton Shlabotnik)

SACRA NOVA CHORALE sacranovacathedrale.com

With Melodious Accord: Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Music, April 21, Plymouth Congregational Church

SAINT KATE - THE ARTS HOTEL GALLERY saintkatearts.com

Julie Schenkelbe: Parlour Trix, through April 14 (The Vitrine)

William Lamson: In the Roaring Garden, through April 14 (The Closet)

Galen Chaney: Ripped and Woven, through April 14 (The Space)

Claire Ashley: Luminous Love Junk, through April 14

SEAT OF OUR PANTS READER THEATRE mkereaderstheatre.com

SHARON LYNNE WILSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS wilson-center.com

Milwaukee Jazz Institute Ensemble, March 8

Wisconsin Philharmonic: A Disney Spectacular, March 10

Danu: A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, March 14

Fred Astaire Dance Studio: Dance Fantasy 2024, March 23

Musical Romance of Frank Sinatra & Peggy Lee, March 27

Myriam Gendron, April 5

Hollywood Revisited, April 10

The Westerlies, April 19

Charlotte’s Web, May 3

Aaron Diehl: Stride & Ragtime, May 10

SHEBOYGAN THEATRE COMPANY stcshows.org

Rent, May 10-18

Photo courtesy of Bombshell Theatre Co.

SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE skylightmusictheatre.org

Spring Awakening, March 1-17

From Here to Eternity, April 12-May 5

The 1953 film From Here to Eternity is remembered as the Pearl Harbor on-the-eve-of war drama starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Donna Reed and Deborah Kerr. In 2013, Tim Rice and Stuart Brayson’s musical rendition of the torrid love story debuted on London’s West End. Skylight presents the musical’s Midwest premiere. (David Luhrssen)

SOUTH MILWAUKEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

southmilwaukeepac.org

Doo Wop Project, March 3

Trailblazing Women of Country, April 6

Miko Marks, Kristina Train and an all-female band perform the hits of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, lauding the singers for defying “restrictive gender norms, proving that women can be at once beautiful and strong, vulnerable and powerful.”

(David Luhrssen)

SUNSET PLAYHOUSE

sunsetplayhouse.com

The Savannah Sipping Society, through March 17

California Rock: Doors, Doobies and More, March 4-5

Sondheim Tribute Revue, March 8-10 (Bombshell Theatre)

Chick Singers of the ‘80s, March 21-24

Jesus Christ Superstar, April 18-May 5

Love Me Do: Lennon & McCartney, April 22-23

Little Red Hen Remix, April 24-27

Cry It Out, May 3-5

High School Musical Jr. , May 6-7

THEATRE GIGANTE theatregigante.org

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, March 10 (Jan Serr Studio)

Hitchcock’s first great film, The Lodger (1927), was also among the first movies about a serial killer. Theatre Gigante presents a screening of the silent classic with a new score performed by Little Bang Theory, an ensemble with which they have worked in the past. (David Luhrssen)

THEATRICAL TENDENCIES theatricaltendencies.com

THIRD AVENUE PLAYHOUSE, STURGEON BAY thirdavenueplayworks.org

Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson-Apt. 2B , May 1-19

THRASHER OPERA HOUSE, GREEN LAKE thrasheroperahouse.com

JigJam, March 2

Rucksack Revolution, March 16

Chatham Rabbits, April 5

The Weight Band, April 19

Dig Deep with Sharin’ Barrels, May 3

TORY FOLLIARD GALLERY toryfolliard.com

UW-PARKSIDE THEATRE uwp.edu/the rita/ theatreperformances.cfm

UW-MILWAUKEE PECK SCHOOL OF THE ARTS uwm.edu/arts/events

UWM THEATRE/ PECK SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

World Percussion Night, March 1-2 (Jan Serr Studio)

The music of the Caribbean and portions of Latin America were profoundly influenced by Africa, a cultural convergence displayed by this evening’s African drumming, Brazilian samba with performances on the Guatemalan marimba doble and Trinidadian steel pans. (David Luhrssen)

You on the Moors Now, March 6-10 (Theatre Building)

The heroines of Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Little Women decide to ditch their suitors in this contemporary remake of much-loved 19th century English novels. (David Luhrssen)

Jazz Night, March 7 (Jan Serr Studio)

Pipeline, April 3-7 (Kenilworth Square East)

A moving story of a mother's struggle to secure a brighter future for her son while remaining loyal to the community that molded him, Pipeline raises challenging questions about race, class, parental responsibility and the state of American education. (Morton Shlabotnik)

Makers 24! Sculpture, Jewelry & Metalsmithing Exhibitions, April 5-19 (Kenilworth Square East Gallery)

New Drama Works Short Play Festival, April 17-21 (Kenilworth Five-O-Eight)

Once Upon a Mattress , April 24-28 (Theatre Building)

The 1959 musical comedy revamped Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale “The Princess and the Pea,” became the launch pad for the long career of Carol Burnett and has endured as a staple of American musical theater. (David Luhrssen)

Spring Opera: Curlew River & Suor Angelica,April 12-13 (Music Building)

Spring Dances, May 2-5 (Kenilworth Square East)

UWM UNION ART GALLERY uwm.edu/studentinvolvement/ arts-and-entertainment/ union-art-gallery

Annual Juried Show, through March 14

UW-WHITEWATER CROSSMAN GALLERY uww.edu/coac/crossman

UW-WHITEWATER YOUNG AUDITORIUM uww.edu/youngauditorium

VAR GALLERY & STUDIOS vargallery.com

Abundance: Through the Lens of Black Women, through April 5

VILLA TERRACE DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM villaterrace.org

Supernova: Hope Yang & Keith Kaziak, through March 10

CENTER FOR THE ARTS wpca-milwaukee.org

Future Fibers, through March 1

Araceli Zuniga Exhibition, through March 29

WAREHOUSE ART MUSEUM wammke.org

Dyed Well: the feminist rug hooking practice of Emily Robertson, April 18-Oct. 13

The retrospective exhibition highlights the weaving and rug hooking of artist Emily Robertson. Through a feminist lens, Robertson pushes the boundaries of storytelling and visual aesthetics by weaving hand-dyed wool into fantastical tapestries that depict historical moments, natural landscapes and more. (Morton Shlabotnik)

VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE villageplayhouse.org

VOICES FOUND voicesfoundrep.com

WATER STREET DANCE MILWAUKEE waterstreetdancemke.com

WAUKESHA CIVIC THEATRE waukeshacivictheatre.org

The Bridges of Madison County, March 8-24

Best of Broadway Cabaret, March 20-21

Boeing, Boeing, April 12-28

Peter and the Starcatcher, May 9-12

Tempest Island, May 16-19 (ACAP Playmakers)

WEST ALLIS PLAYERS westallisplayers.org

WEST BEND THEATRE COMPANY westbendtheatreco.com

WEST PERFORMING ARTS CENTER nbexcellence.org/community/ westpac.cfm

WILD SPACE DANCE COMPANY wildspacedance.org

Special Guests Performance, March 30 (MARN Art + Culture Hub)

WINDFALL THEATRE windfalltheatre.com

WISCONSIN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC wcmusic.org

WISCONSIN CRAFT wisconsincraft.org

WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE CENTER FOR ARTS AND PERFORMANCE wlc.edu

WLC Choir Concert, March 17

A Rock Sails By, April 12-14, April 18-20

Philomusica String Quartet, April 22

WLC Spring Choir Concert, April 26

WISCONSIN MUSEUM OF QUILTS & FIBER ART wiquiltmuseum.com

25 Million Stitches: One Stitch, One Refugee, March 1-July 28

WISCONSIN PHILHARMONIC wisphil.org

A Disney Spectacular, March 10 (Sharon Lynne Wilson Center)

Songs of the Prairie, May 9 (Oconomowoc Arts Center)

Antonin Dvorak thought that the future of music might come from America through distilling the young nation’s already well-established folk traditions. The Wisconsin Philharmonic will pair Dvorak with work by classical music’s prominent American exponent of Americana, Aaron Copland. (David Luhrssen)

WOODLAND PATTERN BOOK CENTER woodlandpattern.org

Darlene Wesenberg Rzezotarski: Everything Has a Story, March 2-May

Alternating Currents Live: Michael Zerang with Michael Bettine, March 3

Formations Series for New and Improvised Music, March 21

WUSTUM MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ramart.org

What Wine Is

BY GAETANO MARANGELLI

I’d like to introduce you to Manuel Valenzuela, a winegrower, artist, genius and revolutionary who cultivates and vinifies the most extraordinary wines you haven’t tasted, but whose extraordinary wines will affect you.

We’re with Manuel in his vineyards at Bodega Barranco Oscuro in the Sierra de la Contraviesa, which is south of Granada in the region of Andalusia by the south coast of Spain. The sun is rising over the mountains. We’re up at over 1,300 meters. These are the second highest altitude vineyards in all of Europe. It’s the middle of January. The nights are cool. The days are warm. The vines are sleeping.

Manuel is telling us about a visitor to Bodega Barranco Oscuro. A visitor with a depth and breadth of knowledge about wine, but a visitor who was disposed to wines which are made according to the conventions of today’s wine trade. Which is to say, wines cultivated with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides and vinified with sulfur, commercial yeasts, and chemical additives. Which is to say, the kinds of wines made the way 99% of all wines are made today. The kinds of wines which saturate our markets, our society, our culture. The kinds of wines consumed by you and the visitor Manuel is telling us about.

The visitor tasted glass after glass of the kinds of wines Manuel and his son, Lorenzo, make at Bodega Barran -

co Oscuro—wines made without any chemical additives in the vineyards or in the cellar. Wines like Brut Nature, made with vigiriega, an autochthonous grape of Andalucia, and El Varetúo, made with pinot noir, and El Pino Rojo, made with tempranillo, and Garnata, made with grenache, and Rubaiyat, made with syrah.

After tasting the wines of Barranco Oscuro, the visitor said to Manuel, “If this is wine, then what do I call the other beverage I’ve been drinking?”

ASSEMBLY LINE WINE?

This is the question we have to ask ourselves about the wines Manuel and Lorenzo make at Barranco Oscuro. And this is the question for the world of wine. How can a beverage made like soda in a factory go by the same name as the beverage made as simply, as naturally, and as honestly as the earth makes its fruits?

In the late 1960s, Manuel and his wife, Rosa, actively opposed the regime of Generalissimo Francisco Franco. The night before the regime was going to arrest Rosa, the couple fled Spain for France. In the late 1970s, after Manuel and Rosa returned to Spain, and after the fall of the Franco regime, the couple acquired a third of an abandoned farmhouse and winery in the Sierra de la Contraviesa, along with about 15 hectares of abandoned land on slopes with almond trees and a few terraced plots.

As well as the farmhouse, the winery, and the land, the couple’s purchase included two vats of local wine, which Manuel and Rosa, their friends, and the clients of the previous owner of the property happily consumed. When the next harvest arrived, Manuel made more wine. Up until then, the Sierra de la Contraviesa was exclusively a producer of bulk wines.

GAETANO MARANGELLI (L) WITH MANUEL VALENZUELA (R)

Photos by Gaetano Marangelli.

But vintage by vintage, for more than 40 years, guided by his intuitive genius, relentless curiosity, ceaseless research, indefatigable industry, and enological artistry, Manuel has created and nurtured a winery which is devoted to the welfare of its earth and the people who drink the fruit of its vines.

The wines of Bodega Barranco Oscuro may be the best wines you haven’t tasted, but you will taste the fruits of Manuel’s labor. The wines of Barranco Oscuro and the winery’s practices of viticulture and viniculture have revolutionized the kinds of wines made in the Sierra de la Contraviesa and all of Andalusia.

And Manuel is a mentor, a guide, and a model to winegrowers across Spain and around the world. Winegrowers who have dedicated themselves to the same proposition Manuel has dedicated himself to. A proposition which stands counter to today’s market conventions of viticulture and enology. A proposition which asks us to grow and make and drink an honest beverage called wine.

Allow me to introduce you to Manuel Valenzuela, a winegrower, an artist, a genius and a revolutionary.

Gaetano Marangelli is a sommelier and playwright. He was the managing director of a wine import and distribution company in New York and beverage director for restaurants and retailers in New York and Chicago before moving to Wauwatosa.

CORRECTION

The description of Discount Liquor in the Best of Milwaukee section in the January Shepherd Express should have read “They stock some 2,000 import, craft and domestic beers,” not “2,00” as printed.

Photos by Gaetano Marangelli.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY GUIDE 2024

BY BARRY HOULEHEN

They say everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, and here in the City of Festivals we know how to do it right. In fact, we can't fit it all in one day, so we spread it out over a

couple weeks: the Green Season. Since Paddy’s Day is on a Sunday this year, there’s a lot going on Saturday. The pubs will be hopping with Guinness and green beer, Irish dancers, bagpipers, and plenty of live Irish music. Be sure to check out our Irish Pub List in this guide. But's it's not all about drinking and pub crawling! There are concerts with internationally known bands, all-ages shows, family fun, and even some 5-10K races! So here we go, it's almost time for the wearin’ of the green, jigs, reels, Danny Boy, Whiskey in the Jar, and kiss me I’m Irish ...

THE PARADES

We have three parades in the Milwaukee area. Two are in Milwaukee on Saturday March 9 (and they don't overlap), and then there’s the tailgating extravaganza in southern Washington County, the Town of Erin parade on March 17.

SHAMROCK CLUB OF WISCONSIN ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE

saintpatricksparade.org

Saturday March 9, Noon

Starts on Wisconsin Avenue at MLK Drive and winds north via Plankinton and MLK to Juneau, ending at Water and Highland. This family-friendly parade features over a hundred parade units and passes by several places to stop for a drink or a bite to eat, including three Irish pubs: Mo’s, The Harp and Trinity Three.

BLUEMOUND ROAD ST. PATRICK'S

DAY PARADE

bluemoundparade.com

Saturday March 9, 3:30 p.m.

Milwaukee's West Side parade runs from 65th Street (Balistreri’s) to 51st (Kelly's Bleachers) on Bluemound Road. Kelly’s will have a post-parade party with Irish American food, Irish dancers and a DJ.

TOWN OF ERIN ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE

March 17, 11 a.m.

Town of Erin

Highway K, Washington County

The little town of Erin throws a legendary parade with tailgaters lining the parade route. Be sure to stop by the Erin Inn for some fun afterwards!

IRISH CONCERT SEASON

Milwaukee is lucky to host a bunch of great Irish music groups in concert this season, from the legendary (fiddler Kevin Burke with Burke, Kennedy & O'Leary) to the up-and-coming (Mia + Ally, a Celtic fusion fiddle and bagpipes duo), and from famous Irish traditional players (Lúnasa, Danú, Dervish) to more rocking Irish American style (Gaelic Storm, Scythian).

IRISH CULTURAL & HERITAGE CENTER:

March 2 Lúnasa

March 3 Aoiffe Scott

March 6 Burke, Kennedy & O'Leary

March 7 The Celtic Tenors

March 15 Daimh

March 16 Scythian

RIVERSIDE THEATER

March 9 Gaelic Storm +

The High Kings, 8 p.m.

SHANK HALL

March 9 Dervish, 8 p.m.

SHARON LYNNE WILSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS, BROOKFIELD

March 14 Danú, 7:30 p.m.

VIVARIUM

March 17 Mia x Ally

THE BIG DAY: MARCH 17

MULLIGAN’S IRISH PUB & GRILL

6 a.m.-1 p.m., Full Irish Breakfast and Housemade Corned Beef Hash & Eggs; Authentic Irish Specialties all day, starting at 11am.

Huge Heated Party Tent with live music by Ian Gould (11a.m.–1p.m., Prodigal Sons (2–5p.m. and Clove 6-10 p.m.) plus special appearances by Irish Dancers, Guinness Girls & Irish Bagpipers.

COUNTY CLARE IRISH PUB

10 a.m. Tom & Evan Leahy

10:30 a.m. Blessing of the Shamrock

12:30 a.m. Beglan Academy of Irish Dance

1:30 p.m. Barry Dodd

3 p.m. Ian Gould

6:30 p.m. The Scrubbers

8:30 p.m. Blackthorn Folly

10 p.m. Frogwater

PADDY'S PUB

9 a.m. Sigmund Snopek

2 p.m. Atlantic Wave

MCBOB'S – MILWAUKEE

Free Breakfast 8–10 a.m.

REVERE'S WELLS STREET TAVERN – DELAFIELD

Noon Killarney Blarney

4 p.m. The O'Bradys

LUCK OF THE IRISH 5 AND 10K RUN

Veteran's Park – Milwaukee Lakefront Registration at wrsluckoftheirish.com

Dress in your green running gear and join the 5K or 10K runs down Lincoln Memorial drive, around the lagoon and along the Lakefront!

KELLY'S GREENS, WAUWATOSA

Noon-1 p.m. Áthas

OAK CREEK COMMUNITY CENTER

oakcreeklions.com

St. Paddy's Day Party 10 a.m.–7 p.m.

Free admission, cash bar, Irish American food

1 p.m. Greater Milwaukee

Fire & Police Pipes and Drums

5:30 p.m. Glencastle Irish Dancers

KELLY'S BLEACHERS –MILWAUKEE

Free breakfast 7 a.m. till food runs out Irish food, Irish dancers, DJ, green beer

GREEN SEASON

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

15TH ANNUAL SHAMROCK SHUFFLE

Shuffling across four areas of Milwaukee

Water Street, Brady Street, Third Street/MLK, Walker’s Point

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

LUCKY CLOVER IRISH PUB DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE

ShamROCK Kick-off Party 5:30 p.m.

Irish music with Ian Gould

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

SHAMROCK CLUB POST-PARADE PARTY

Irish Cultural and Heritage Center Milwaukee

Dance performances by Trinity, Glencastle and Bellator Irish dance academies, and Caledonian Scottish Dancers

Irish music by Frogwater, The Ceili Band and Hearthfire

CELTIC MKE CENTER, WAUWATOSA

Monthly Ceili Dance 7 p.m. Beginners and all ages are welcome. Instruction in traditional Irish dancing is taught all evening.

MCBOB'S PARADE DAY CELEBRATION

Before, during and after the Downtown parade Irish music with Blackthorn Folly 5-8 p.m.

KELLY'S BLEACHERS

After the Bluemound Road Parade Food, DJ, Irish dancers

THIRD SPACE BREWERY

Irish music with Paddygrass 1 p.m.

MASS IN HONOR OF ST. PATRICK 8:30–11:30 AM Shamrock Club of Wisconsin St Patrick's Church – Milwaukee

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

IRISH CELEBRATION AND FEAST! 6:30 P.M.

Irish music with Reilly Oak Creek Performing Arts & Education Center

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

MORAN'S PUB –SOUTH MILWAUKEE

Ian Gould 8 p.m.

REVERE'S WELLS STREET TAVERN – DELAFIELD

8 p.m. Irish music with The O’Bradys

DELICIOUS BITES –WAUWATOSA

Cookie Decoration 101 St. Paddy's Day Edition 7–9 p.m.

ELM GROVE WOMEN’S CLUB

6 p.m. Irish music with Paddygrass

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

COUNTY CLARE IRISH PUB

Noon Cat and Hare

3 p.m. Beglan Academy of Irish Dance

4:30 p.m. Barry Dodd

7 p.m. The Windy Kilts

IN GOOD SPIRITS – SULLIVAN

4 p.m. Irish music with Atlantic Wave

AJ O'BRADY'S –MENOMONEE FALLS

6 p.m. St. Patrick’s Day Party with The Love Monkeys

MCBOB'S – MILWAUKEE

2 p.m. Ian Gould

4 p.m. Bagpipers

THE COFFEE HOUSE AT PLYMOUTH CHURCH –MILWAUKEE

7:30 p.m. Green Sails with Tom Martinsen

HOP HARVEST & VINE (GOOD HARVEST MARKET) –PEWAUKEE

St. Paddy’s Eve Concert

6 p.m. Irish music with Ceol Cairde and Áthas

SHAKE YOUR SHAMROCKS RUN/WALK

Lucky Chucky's Oconomowoc

It’s a 5K and 10K run and 2K walk with Paddy's Day theme. Registration info at givesignup.org/Race/Info/WI/ Oconomowoc/ShakeYourShamrocks.

THE IRISH PUB LIST

With print deadlines and space limitations, we can't list everybody’s details for all their festivities. But we can be sure that the Milwaukee area’s many Irish pubs will all be having a grand time on the big day. So, here’s a list of pubs—find one near you, wear something green, and hoist a pint!

AJ O'BRADY'S IRISH PUB & GRILL

N88 W16495 Main St., Menomonee Falls

BELFAST STATION IRISH PUB

N64 W23246 Main St., Sussex

BUB'S IRISH PUB

N116 W16218 Main St., Germantown

CHAMPION'S PUB 2417 N. Bartlett Ave., Milwaukee

COUNTY CLARE

IRISH INN & PUB

1234 N. Astor St. Milwaukee

DANNY LYNCH'S

2300 S. 108th St., West Allis

ERIN INN IRISH PUB

6102 Donegal Road, Town of Erin (Hartford)

THE HARP IRISH PUB

113 E. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee

HOUSE OF GUINNESS

354 W. Main St., Waukesha

IRISH COTTAGE

11433 W. Ryan Rd., Franklin

LUCKY CLOVER IRISH PUB

1048 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee

MCAULIFFE'S PUB

3700 Meachem Road, Racine

MCBOB'S PUB & GRILL

4919 W. North Ave., Milwaukee

MCGUIRE'S BAR

6235 W. National Ave., West Allis

MCKIERNAN'S

MURPHY'S IRISH PUB

1613 W. Wells St., Milwaukee

NETTIE'S IRISH PUB

733 W. Wisconsin Ave., Pewaukee

O'BRIEN'S

MO'S

142 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee

10842 W. Bluemound Road, Wauwatosa

MORAN'S PUB

912 Milwaukee Ave., South Milwaukee

MULLIGANS IRISH PUB & GRILL

8933 S. 27th St., Franklin

O'CONNOR'S PERFECT PINT

8423 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis

O'DONOGHUE'S IRISH PUB

13225 Watertown Plank Road, Elm Grove

O'LYDIA'S BAR AND GRILL

338 S. First St., Milwaukee

O'SULLIVAN'S PUBLIC HOUSE

12525 W. North Ave., Brookfield

PADDY'S PUB

2339 N. Murray Ave., Milwaukee

TRINITY THREE IRISH PUBS

125 E. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee

INSIDE A GREENDALE ORIGINAL HOME THEN AND NOW

(PART TWO OF TWO)

BY SHEILA JULSON

In the October Shepherd Express magazine, we explored a historic Greendale Original home owned by the Greendale Historical Society. Their Apple Court Project house, a 1,000-square foot Greendale Original home at 5597 Apple Court., had been restored to its near original state. The English-inspired house features exposed wood ceiling beams, a clay tile roof and historically accurate Art Moderne pieces in the living room.

The single- and multi-family Greendale Original structures are the result of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Resettlement Administration’s Greenbelt projects. Greendale is one of only three Greenbelt projects; the other two are in Greenbelt, Md. and Greenhills, Ohio. All three were built between 1936 and 1938. These villages today are National Historic Landmarks.

All 366 Greendale Original structures still stand, but many have been creatively renovated by various owners over the years.

Joe and Marlene Bruno live in a remodeled Greendale Original home that combines the amenities of modern life with historical accents. Their home retains the cherished exposed wood ceiling beams, along with a flat wooden handrail on the staircase leading to the second floor—both signature to the true ‘30s design. But changes to the exterior and interior have added style and livability.

The Brunos purchased their current Greendale Original home in 2019. Like many of the homes, the original cincrete (a type of cinderblock) façade has been sided over. The house has an addition built by a previous owner. Their yard is larger due to the house being tucked onto a corner lot.

The Brunos had downsized from a larger home in Hales Corners. Joe, originally from New York, and Marlene, who hails from Pennsylvania, had lived in Greendale, on Angle Lane, during the ‘70s before moving to other areas as life unfolded. Marlene had always been intrigued by how Greendale reminded her of Keystone State towns. “The villages back East are based on English, European style homes,” she remarks.

BUILDING A BASEMENT

The Greendale Original homes were built without basements because the government started running out of money for the project by the time construction began in Wisconsin. Yet Marlene’s and Joe’s Greendale Original home has a basement. Through a surprise visit from a previous resident, they had learned how the former owners installed their own basement during the ‘50s—with no excavation equipment.

“The first year that we lived here, a gentleman, Peter Jackson, drove up our driveway. He lived here with his family while he was in high school,” Marlene recalls. “He told us that he and his dad dug out the basement. Through a hatch, his mom would go down there during the day and loosen the dirt. When the kids came home after school, they filled buckets and used a pulley system to hoist them up.”

On the main level, the Brunos remodeled a utility room by knocking out a wall and raising the ceiling by six inches. The bright, spacious room now easily accommodates modern appliances. The remodeled kitchen offers plenty

Photo by Michael Burmesch.

of cabinet storage and counter space. A slide-in induction range fits neatly between two countertops. They added recessed lighting, and an open counter offers a view of the dining room.

The Brunos had an outdoor slab of concrete enclosed to create a three-season seating area. An addition to the home, also built by the Jacksons, nearly glows with natural light. Joe believes previous owners may have used the addition as a dining room. Today, it serves as the Bruno’s family room.

They also added a bathroom on the main level, so there is one bathroom on each level.

Upstairs, the two-bedroom home has a remarkable amount of storage. Original latches still adorn cabinet doors in the upstairs hallway. The upstairs bathroom retains a ‘30s-era tub with clean lines; an about-face from the embellished Victorian-era claw foot tubs.

A conversation piece is the Bruno’s framed photograph of their previous

Greendale Original home on Angle Lane. It was taken by a photographer who took photos throughout Greendale and sold them. The Brunos happened to find the photo at a coffee shop on Broad Street. It’s proudly displayed on a wall of their current home, bringing their Greendale Original experience full circle.

Sheila Julson writes about food and local culture for shepherdexpress.com.

Photos by Michael Burmesch.

Ease Into Springtime: Verlo’s Sleep Tips for Daylight Saving Time

Springing forward for daylight saving time can throw your sleep schedule for a loop. But fear not, Verlo has some tips for making smart adjustments before March 10th!

Ease Into It: Begin the transition tonight! Gradually shift your bedtime 15 minutes earlier each day leading up to the time change. This gentle nudge helps your body naturally adjust to the new schedule.

Caffeine Countdown: Say "no" to coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages on the Saturday before daylight saving time. Caffeine lingers and can disrupt sleep, making it harder to fall asleep earlier that night.

Tire Yourself Out: Channel your inner energizer bunny! Engage in extra physical activity on Friday. A thorough workout helps tire you out, promoting easier sleep and making that early bedtime more inviting.

Try Fooling Yourself: Can't wait for the official switch? Trick your body! Adjust your clock to the new time on Saturday afternoon. Dim the lights, relax, and enjoy a pre-bedtime routine as if it were later. You'll be ready to sleep sooner and gain a head start on adapting.

Put It Into Perspective: Losing an hour might seem drastic, but remember, you've bounced back from 60-minute losses before! This temporary disruption is worth it for the extended sunlight and longer evenings to come. Embrace the change and focus on the enjoyment it brings.

Bonus Tip: Stick to your regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, after the time change. Consistency is key to maintaining a healthy sleep rhythm and feeling your best throughout the season.

With these simple tips, you can conquer daylight saving time and enjoy the extra hour of sunshine without sacrificing your sleep. So, sleep tight, and welcome spring with open (and well-rested) eyes!

Wake Up! Sleep Better. Verlo.

Whisker Wellness: Dietary Needs for your Feline Friend

BY CARRIE MARBLE, OWNER, BARK N’ SCRATCH

OUTPOST

The number one reason for cats to visit a veterinarian is urinary issues and one of the root causes can be their diet. When your cat's diet consists of all dry foods it is very dehydrating to their organs and overall body. Dry foods contain only 10 percent moisture; your cat's body needs up to 80 to 90 percent moisture in its meals.

When dry foods are consumed on their own, the stomach sends a signal to the brain that moisture is needed. The stomach can then break down the food to a texture that can be readily assimilated by your cat's body. When your cat's stomach has to get its hydration from their organs it causes stress leading to conditions that need veterinarian care like urinary tract infections and crystals.

Feeding a quality wet food like Wysong Uretic™ to your cat is a wonderful way to get more moisture and nutrients into their diet. If feeding a wet diet is not for your feline friend then adding filtered water to dry food can also help. Start with a very little amount of water that covers just a small amount of the food and build to an amount that your cats are comfortable with.

A great way to soothe a urinary issue is Tinkle Tonic from Animal Essentials. Tinkle Tonic is an herbal tincture we keep in stock that is specially formulated to support a healthy urinary tract in cats and dogs. Tinkle Tonic was originally developed in 1996 for veterinarians who asked for a natural remedy that could be used for feline urinary issues.

Cranberries and blueberries are another natural way to prevent infection in the bladder and urinary tract utilizing natural anti-adhesion compounds called proanthocyanidins.

Diggin Your Dog® Super Snouts Urinary Berry™ works by blocking the adhesion of bacteria to the bladder and urinary tract walls by forming a slippery barrier. Once that slippery barrier is created, bacteria can't stick and simply gets washed away. Urinary Berry supplement mixed into your cat's wet food will help support your cat's teeth, gums, eyes and cardiovascular health as well.

Stop in to explore these options and more. At Bark N’ Scratch Outpost we think outside the bag

Content sponsored by Bark N’ Scratch Outpost. Locally owned since 2006, Carrie, Michael and staff are dedicated to educating pet owners about healthy options for their pets. Bark n’ Scratch is located at 5835 W. Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53213. www.milwaukeepetfood.com

Photo by Denise Hasse/Getty Images.

Milwaukee Bluesman Jeff Schroedl Takes Charge of Blind Pig, America’s Top Blues Label

BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

Nine out of 10 musicians don’t have much of a head for business. Jeff Schroedl is that singular exception. For 22 years, Schroedl has co-led the Altered Five Blues Band, a Milwaukee group that toured Europe, reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Blues Chart with their 2021 album Holler If You Hear Me, and were all over Spotify and Sirius XM’s “Bluesville” with 2019’s Ten Thousand Watts Schroedl is also executive vice president of product development at Hal Leonard, the Milwaukee-based titan of music publishing, and has added a new bullet point to his resume. He is now president of Blind Pig Records.

Blind Pig is one of America’s most respected blues and roots music record labels. Founded in 1977 in the basement of an Ann Arbor, Michigan blues club, Blind Pig has released albums by Muddy Waters, Magic Slim, Elvin Bishop, James Cotton, Deborah Coleman and many other estimable artists. The label’s repertoire expanded beyond blues to include soul, gospel and zydeco.

Schroedl’s relations with Blind Pig began when the label released Alternate Five’s Charmed & Dangerous in 2017. By that time, Blind Pig had been acquired by The Orchard, a branch of Sony Music Entertainment. “I knew The Orchard wanted to keep Blind Pig going, but it was me who talked to them and floated the idea,” Schroedl says of the ownership transition. He also sought, and received, the blessings of Blind Pig’s founders, Jerry Del Giudice and Edward Chmelewski.

“I have a diverse background in the music business,” Schroedl adds. “I’ve dealt with labels and artists. I’ve had lots of interaction with management companies, PR firms, e-commerce, booking agencies and radio promoters.” In the ‘90s, he was editor of Guitar One magazine.

FRESH START

In many ways, Schroedl’s new regime at Blind Pig is a fresh start for the esteemed label. He does not own the back catalog but has inherited Blind Pig’s social media and You

JEFF SCHROEDL

Tube channels and email list as well as the familiar name and logo. Schroedl has signed two new acts, both from Louisiana, Jovin Webb and Sonny Gullage. They already have followings on Facebook and TikTok. “Artists are often their own influencers,” Schroedl says. He hopes to release three or four albums during his first year at the label’s helm on vinyl, CD and all digital formats.

“Blind Pig has a great reputation,” he continues. “I plan to do my best to continue that tradition of high-quality recordings—and high-quality business ethics,” he adds, commenting on the checkered history of blues musicians who were ripped off by record labels.

ALTERED FIVE

In some ways the audience for blues has shrunk since Schroedl moved to Milwaukee from Jefferson, Wisconsin in 1990; fewer bars book blues bands and the wages for local musicians haven’t kept up with inflation. On the other hand, new media has made it possible for local bands to find pockets of fandom across the world, gain exposure through streaming and organize tours more easily. “The business has evolved a great deal,” he says. “There are a lot of parts to it. But it still starts with great artistry and songs.”

As for the blues, that bedrock of American music, “it has to keep evolving and growing,” Schroedl continues. “I have deep respect for the history, but at the same time, it’s a living, breathing genre. We’re seeing a lot of blues-based artists bringing new things to the music and being successful. We intend to try and keep it moving forward. To reach new audiences, blues will have to keep developing.”

Altered Five’s next album, Testifyin’, is due at the end of March on the Blind Pig label.

David Luhrssen is Managing Editor of the Shepherd Express and coauthor of Milwaukee Rock and Roll 1950-2000: A Reflective History.

This Month in Milwaukee EIGHT THINGS TO DO IN MARCH

BY SOPHIA HAMDAN, ELIZABETH LINTONEN, DAVID LUHRSSEN AND BLAINE SCHULTZ

MARCH 8-10

Anime Milwaukee p

Baird Center/Hilton Milwaukee City Center

Save the date! Anime Milwaukee returns to the Baird Center and Hilton Milwaukee City Center for its 16th anniversary. Immerse yourself with likeminded anime enthusiasts in a threeday convention celebrating all-things geek culture, including anime, manga, cosplay, music and gaming. From cosplay competitions to informative panels with industry professionals, Anime Milwaukee promises an unforgettable weekend. For more information, visit animemilwaukee.org.

MARCH 9

t Rickie Lee Jones

Turner Hall Ballroom

If she was once known as Tom Waits’ muse, Rickie Lee Jones’ long career as pop-jazz singer-songwriter has defined her as an artist who has always charted her own course. In 1980, Jones took home a Grammy for Best New Artist (“Chuck E’s in Love” was the hit) and in 2024 she released the Grammy nominated album Pieces of Treasure

Illustration by Natalia Scharoikina/ Getty Images.

MARCH 10-11, MARCH 17-18

Cecile, Or the School for Fathers Boulevard Theater

The musical concert staging of Jean Anouilh’s Cecile, Or the School for Fathers will be the 1954 play’s Midwest premiere, according to Boulevard Theater’s founder, Mark Bucher. “It’s set in the 1700s and the characters are right out of Moliere with saucy maids and young lovers and crabby old men,” he continues. “It’s a perfect tonic for the gray month of March. Confusion will reign, hilarity will ensue and all ends happily.” Performances take place at Plymouth Church on Milwaukee’s East Side.

MARCH 13

Trish O’Kane u

Urban Ecology Center

Birds are a sure sign of spring; they slowly signify the end of a season filled with slush, snow and cold. Trish O’ Kane’s memoir, Birding to Change the World, is a celebration of the joy of nature. This well-timed conversation with the human rights investigative journalist covers the story of saving the planet and what birds can teach us about the way we live our lives. O’Kane’s discussion will take place at the Urban Ecology Center, 1500 E. Park Place, at 6 p.m. March 13.

MARCH 13

t Ike Reilly Assassination Shank Hall

In 2021, former gravedigger Ike Reilly released Because the Angels, oozing with “the flair and charisma of a streetwise poet.” “Someday Tonight (Will Seem Like a Long Time Ago)” was written by Reilly in the days after the police shooting of Jakob Blake in Kenosha in 2020. Two of Reilly’s children live in Kenosha and on the evening of the shooting, his son called and sent him the video of the incident which sent protesters, police and armed civilians into the streets. Before it ended, an Illinois resident, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, murdered two people and wounded another.

MARCH 14

Luna

Vivarium

Pioneering indie trio Galaxie 500 set the template and when that group dissolved, Dean Wareham further refined the sound with Luna. Extant from 1991 to 2005, the group reunited in 2015. Plying the urban twin guitar-based dream jangle sound of Velvet Underground (Luna toured with VU’s Lou Reed), Television (TV’s Tom Verlaine collaborated with Luna) and The Feelies (Feelies drummer Stanley Demeski was a Luna member), the quartet delivers sonic bliss in live settings.

MARCH 29

LA LOM Cactus Club

The Los Angeles League of Musicians, LA LOM, are an instrumental trio formed in 2021. With two shows (6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.) they will blend the sounds of cumbia sonidera, ‘60s soul ballads and classic romantic boleros that emanate from radios, backyard parties and dance clubs of LA with the twang of Peruvian chicha and Bakersfield country.

MARCH 30

The Rock-A-Dials w/The Bourbon Jockeys p Linneman’s Riverwest Inn

There is something to be said for making music your life’s avocation. Specializing in various shades of American roots music, The Rock-A-Dials and The Bourbon Jockeys have etched decades-long chapters in Milwaukee music.

THE ROCK-A-DIALS

Photo courtesy of linnemans.com

Dear Ally,

Similar to last month, I, too, am having problems in my marriage. But rather than moving to the suburbs; my spouse always needs to control everything. I’m so tired of “his way or the highway.” He’s judgmental and blames me for everything. He’s quite mean while doing it. In order to avoid an argument, I walk on eggshells more times than I’ll admit.

Dear Ready to Give Up,

I’m so sorry things are tough for you. Your complaints about your husband are legitimate. Everyone deserves to be seen and heard in every relationship. Loneliness can be a common problem, especially if we feel our needs are ignored.

Relationships are complicated. We not only bring our social and cultural beliefs to the relationship, but our entire family backgrounds as well. We carry values about sex, money management and everything else, into our intimate relationships. Our unhealed childhood wounds aren’t far behind either. They often show up with our life partner as a “trigger.” When we are triggered, by our partner, it has nothing to do with them. Instead, it’s an old wound that has been broken open from our past. It sounds like your husband’s pain has been triggered by your actions and he needs to do some internal work around this.

One of the best things we can do to maintain our integrity and be authentic is to be able to separate our inner issues from our partner’s.

I’m lonely in this relationship and feel like I’m losing more of myself every day.

There’s lots of articles I’ve read about needing to express my needs and the differences in our love languages, but none of that works. We just can’t communicate!

The truth is I don’t feel seen or heard by him. I bet he would say the same

WORDS HURT

Your husband said some mean things to you. We’re all familiar with the numerous plant studies that show kind words help plants grow and thrive and mean words cause them to wilt. Your husband made a mistake. Words affect all living things,

You mentioned that you felt like you were losing yourself. Sometimes we do this as a way to avoid arguments. That’s not compromise and only buys you time. We only hurt ourselves when we do this. It’s exhausting and deadly.

Co-dependency is defined as “a relationship dynamic where one person sacrifices their own needs and well-being for the other.” (Online Psychology Today.) Co-dependents Anonymous is a great organization that meets in person or online and can give you resources about ways to stay true to yourself in intimate relationships.

How are you going to figure this out? Do you need some space alone, where you can get grounded and think clearly? If you do, that’s an important first step. Maybe you can stay with a girlfriend or family for a couple of days. It’s important to have a clear head when dealing with these deep, emotional issues. If you think there’s a small chance of saving the relationship, it’s import-

about me. I thought marriage was a partnership. We both could be true to ourselves and love the other person. I still love him but am fed up. Now that I’m 55, living a peaceful life has become a priority. That seems impossible in this marriage. Can you help?

Ready to Give Up

ant that you identify the key changes that you need in order to stay. What’s your bottom line if you want to give the relationship another chance?

If you need help, you may choose to see a therapist alone first to help you sort things out. Some of the best reviewed online therapy sites are: Better help; Regain; Pride counseling; or Online therapy.com.

You can also ask your friends for their personal therapist recommendations.

When the time is right, if your husband will go to therapy, you can work on your marriage together.

Use this time of exploration to love yourself more, put yourself first and know that whatever you decide, you’ll land safely on your feet to live the peaceful life that you deserve.

You Can Do This!

Let me know how it goes.

AskAlly@shepex.com

Here for you,

Send your questions to AskAlly@shepex.com.

Social Media:

The Bad, and THE terribly BAD

BY PHILLIP CHARD

If you care about children, teens or young adults, then the impact of social media should be on your mental radar. It has certainly been in the news, from contentious Congressional hearings focused on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter (X) and the rest, to the alarming statistics on declining mental health in our youth. The research on the psychological effects of social media is contentious, with conclusions ranging from “Don’t worry about it” to “The sky is falling!”

Nonetheless, the reliable data are decidedly alarming. Over the past 14 years, the prevalence of depression and anxiety in this age cohort (teens through mid-20’s) has more than doubled. For young adults, the suicide rate has risen over 40%, while among those aged 10-14, it has tripled (quadrupled in females). One particularly alarming survey found that, at some point, over a quarter of high school girls develop a suicide plan, a clear warning sign of potential self-harm. These youngsters have most of their lives in front of them, yet many are sending a message that reads “no thanks.”

So, what factors are at work here?

Many point to the pandemic, noting the isolation it imposed during a critical juncture in the social development of many young people. However, these disturbing upward trends were well underway before COVID hit. Did the pandemic hurt? Sure, but not enough to account for this level of mental mayhem. The majority of reputable studies suggest the primary culprit is social media, and the main conduit for its dirty work is the smartphone. And while researchers remind us that a correlation isn’t necessarily a cause, the decline in mental health among our youth coincided directly with the proliferation of smartphones.

The average adolescent spends over seven hours daily on screens, a sizable portion of that on social media, while time spent in face-to-face interactions with their peers outside of school has plummeted. For teens, social media is replacing real-time interactions as a primary conduit for assessing their self-worth and formulating their identity. In this, there are two primary dangers:

• The comparison game: Most social media users photoshop their online identities to look their best, both physically and socially. Two triggers here are body image and popularity. When a young person views all this “Aren’t I wonderful?” tcontent and optimized photos or sees that someone has thousands of friends and “likes,” they can easily feel inferior and undesirable, leading to depression, social withdrawal and, particularly among girls, disordered eating.

• Cyberbullying: To haters and mean-spirited miscreants, social media is a godsend. In real time, bullies must face their victims, who can fight back or flee. On the Internet, they can snipe from the bushes, sometimes anonymously, and create a “blood in the water” scenario where many other goons pile on. One tormentor can become hundreds, and the harassment can prove unrelenting. A plethora of suicides by young people are directly attributable to cyberbullying.

Photo by monkeybusinessimages/Getty Images. Spiral by akkachai thothubthai/Getty Images. Illustrations by Tim Czerniakowski.

The data show girls are more susceptible to these negative influences than boys, in part because they spend more time on social media, while boys gravitate more to gaming. The latter is interactive, while the former is passive, and passivity is associated with depression and feelings of helplessness.

This leaves parents in a tough spot. The task of regulating their children’s social media exposure falls squarely on them, and many need help with this. Help in the form of regulations that require social media companies to do their part, and while a few states have moved in that direction, most have not.

So, irrespective of government regulation, why don’t the social media moguls do more to protect young people? Greed. A Harvard study found they rake in $11 billion annually by advertising to users under 18 years old. This despite some of the industry’s own research showing they are harming the mental health of youngsters.

Zuckerberg, Musk and the rest of the money mongers fit this description from Professor Cal Newport: “The tycoons of social media have to stop pretending they’re friendly nerd gods building a better world and admit they’re just tobacco farmers in T-shirts selling an addictive product to children.”

They should be ashamed, but clearly are not.

Philip Chard is a psychotherapist and author with a focus on lasting behavior change, emotional healing and adaptation to health challenges. For more, visit philipchard.com.

A DOG DAD DILEMMA

DEAR RUTHIE,

I’m a dog dad to a golden retriever we’ll call Benji. Benji lives with me but spends every other weekend at my ex’s home. Benji is elated when my ex picks him up but seems bored and annoyed living with me.

I can’t imagine living without Benji. The idea of him moving to my ex’s is upsetting but maybe it’s what Benji wants. I’m torn between my happiness and my dog’s, and it sort of kills me.

ANY ADVICE?

Dog Dad

DEAR DADDY,

Of course Benji is elated to see another Daddy! Whenever I see a Daddy, I’m elated, too! Seriously, though, it’s not surprising Benji is excited to see his other dad twice a month, go for a car ride and spend time in a different environment.

Talk to your ex. He may have input about Benji’s behavior you’re unaware of. Similarly, your vet might have some suggestions for you.

If you still feel Benji would be happier with your ex, increase visits to your ex’s to once per week. See how that goes (for all three of you) before making any permanent changes. Now … I’m off to find a Daddy of my own!

XXOO Ruthie

Ruthie's Social Calendar

MARCH 2

“ON YOUR FEET: THE STORY OF EMILIO AND GLORIA ESTEFAN” AT MARCUS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS (929 N. WATER ST.): Celebrate this talented couple with this one-night-only production. The sensational musical features decades of hits, including “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “1, 2, 3” and others. Conga over to www.marcuscenter.org for tickets. affair.

“ FORTUNE FEIMSTER: LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE” AT RIVERSIDE THEATER (116 W. WISCONSIN AVE.): Not only is Fortune Feimster a favorite with the LGBTQ+ community, but her matter-of-fact persona has struck a chord with comedy lovers from coast to coast. Don’t miss her tour when you nab seats via www.pabsttheatergroup.com.

MARCH 8

“SONDHEIM TRIBUTE REVUE” AT SUNSET PLAYHOUSE (700 WALL ST.): Bombshell Theatre serves up this homage to one of Broadway’s greats. Relish the magic of Steven Sondheim with songs from Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd and other classics. Reserve a seat at www.bombshelltheatre. org before the run closes March 10.

MARCH 10

MISS THIS IS IT PAGEANT AT THIS IS IT (418 E. WELLS ST.): One of the city’s most popular bars is handing out a new tiara! Check out the 7 p.m. pageant where some of the city’s top drag performers vie for the coveted title.

MARCH 16

RONA REMEMBERED MEMORIAL AT LACAGE NITECLUB (801 S. SECOND ST.):

Join me, Karen Valentine and Shannon Dupree as we honor the memory of Ronald “Rona” Thate. A local legend, Rona was not only Miss Gay Wisconsin 1982 but a key equal-rights advocate. The party starts at 5 p.m. and includes a Rona-approved drag show.

MARCH 18

TRIVIA NIGHT AT MILWAUKEE ARTIST RESOURCE NETWORK/MARN (191 N. BROADWAY): I’m pairing up with man-about-town Corey Patrick for a 6 p.m. trivia night! Enjoy wine, beer, food and prizes at the Third Ward hot spot when you and your team (2-6 people) put your knowledge to the test.

MARCH 19

“BIANCO DEL RIO: DEAD INSIDE” AT PABST THEATER (144 E. WELLS ST.):

The Joan Rivers of the drag set, Bianca Del Rio struts her forked-tongued stuff on the Milwaukee stage. Order tickets to her 8 p.m. stand-up at www.pabsttheatergroup.com and see why this “clown in a gown” is a doll of the LGBTQ+ community

MARCH 23

“AN EVENING WITH SIR TIM RICE” AT SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE (158 N. BROADWAY): The legendary Sir Tim Rice has delighted theater and film fans for generations. During this special night, the EGOT winner will reflect upon his career while performers bring his songs to life. Call 414-291-7800 for tickets and VIP meet-and-greet packages with Sir Tim.

MARCH 29

RUTHIE’S DINING WITH THE DIVAS AT HAMBURGER MARY’S (730 S. FIFTH ST.): I’m hosting a night of burgers, beer, booze and bawdy broads! Make reservations for my 7:30 p.m. drag show at www.hamburgermarys.com.mke, or reserve a table for my Saturday “Brunch with the Brunchettes” the following day at 2 p.m..

MARCH 31 IS TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY

BY PAUL MASTERSON

International Transgender Day of Visibility takes place on March 31. It may seem like just another “day” among so many others that come and go with perfunctory, if any, recognition. However, it is much more important for the greater LGBTQ+ community than we may think.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), there are currently over 400 bills targeting the LGBTQ community in a majority of state legislatures. Many passed in 2023. The most recent is a Georgia bill that ostensibly protects women’s rights but specifically and deliberately excludes transgender women. Introduced by members of the Republican majority, 14 bills are currently pending or have been introduced in Wisconsin’s State Assembly. They address issues largely aimed at the transgender student community including school sports bans, healthcare age restrictions and barriers, school curriculum censorship and other school restrictions. In 2023, Governor Tony Evers vetoed a bill that would have denied gender affirming care for trans youth.

Otherwise, throughout Wisconsin right wing-controlled school boards are implementing policies to deny LGBTQ existence in general and transgender identity in particular. At the university level, GOP State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos successfully blackmailed the University of Wisconsin board of regents by holding back funding unless the UW system’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs were dismantled.

DENOUNCED AND DEMONIZED

Just a year ago, at the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) meeting held outside Washington, D.C., a parade of the worst of their white nationalist extremists focused their attacks on the trans community. One speaker after another rabidly denounced and demonized trans people. One, in chilling Nazi-speak, even called for the “eradication of transgenderism.”

Then there was a Bud Light advertising campaign featuring a trans woman. In the ensuing backlash and boycott, brewer Anheuser-Busch/Bud Light suffered the wrath of the brainwashed, macho light-beer guzzling mob and lost millions of dollars. (Ironically, their dear leader Trump and the brewery have since made a financial deal that now undermines the Republican campaign against transgenderism … but never mind.)

In any case, the full-frontal assault on transgender rights seems like much ado about nothing. According to studies, the percentage of the country’s population that identifies as transgender is miniscule. According to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, 0.5% of adults and 1.4% of youth ages 13-17 identify as transgender. Wisconsin ranks 49th among the 50 states where it is a mere 0.34%. How could such a minority garner such hatred and hysteria? Why do Republicans spend so much time (and taxpayer dollars) attacking the trans community? The answer is quite simple.

STOKING FEAR

Similar to political causes past, like the Civil Rights Act, reproductive rights and marriage equality, stoking fear of transgender people incites and engages a reliable and easily manipulated voter block, white Evangelicals. In this case, anti-trans hate indulges Evangelical and other extremist Christian viewpoints that deny science and embrace literal biblical belief (there’s a conservative version of Wikipedia that claims Einstein’s theory of relativity is liberal plot against Christians). Here the argument is made based on the premise that God doesn’t make mistakes; ergo, there can only two genders. This simplistic argument falls neatly into the blind faith category and is followed accordingly, even to the point of violence. Not surprisingly, joining other Roman Catholic dioceses, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee hopped on the transphobic bandwagon in 2022, issuing guidelines for trans exclusion, referring to trans identity as part of the “disharmony caused by origin sin.” The declaration conforms to the Catholic Church’s alignment with conservative ideologues. Even Pope Francis has criticized the U.S. Catholic Church for this abandonment of doctrine for ideology, admonishing it saying “everyone, everyone, everyone is called to live in the church. Never forget that.”

Still, positive messaging from Democratic politicians like our own Gov. Evers, and, President Joe Biden himself, gives hope for the future. Although Jessica Katzenmeyer, a trans candidate for Wisconsin State Senate in 2022, lost her election bid thanks to successful Republican voter suppression and anemic Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts, her campaign raised trans visibility. Evers’ reelection guaranteed future vetoes for the slate of Republican anti-trans legislation. The election of Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz and the likely undoing of the state’s gerrymandered political districting also buttress the cause of trans rights. And, meanwhile, even the Pope has joined the fray.

Of course, the 2024 presidential election is of the utmost significance for not only the vulnerable trans community but for all LGBTQ+ people. We may dutifully but halfheartedly celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility, but we cannot ignore the wave of anti-trans legislation and the virulent calls for trans “eradication” is a resonating clarion for the erasure of all of us, one letter at a time.

Paul Masterson is an LGBTQ activist and writer and has served on the boards of the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, Milwaukee Pride, GAMMA and other organizations.

From The City That Always Sweeps From The City That Always Sweeps From The City That Always Sweeps

BY ART KUMBALEK

I’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a? So listen, here we be, about to slog through this year’s month of a March whose platter includes a chunk of the Lenten season; March Madness “student-athlete” basketball; St. Patrick’s Day’s yearly availability of a mug of beer’ tis be green boy-oh; the first day (perhaps last) of a so-called southeastern Badgerland spring; daylight saving time (we lose an hour, thanks for focking nothing); International Women’s Day; Purim; a late-winter monumental snow storm (tradition); Art Kumbalek figures how to come up with another rent payment; our Milwaukee Brewers igniting another 162-game season of balls, bats and overpriced beers on the 28th as they traditionally struggle to advance runners in scoring position; Harry Hou-focking-dini’s 150th birthday not to mention Fred “Mister” Rogers’ 96th (who would’ve been a great president but I’m thinking he had more important work to do) and Chico (Leonard) Marx’s 137th. Jeez louise. That’s a chock-packed jam-full calendar load to deal with, I don’t care what month you’re talking about, not to mention we’ve got an Easter Sunday tagged onto the 31st day of this ferkakta span of yearly time, what the fock.

Time for a paragraph break, you think? Swell, I agree. I’ll refresh my cocktail and be right back.

OK. Yes sir, ladies and gents, it’s the third month of the year, the one that the Romans named “Martius” way back when, named after “Mars,” their god of war, who from the pictures I’ve seen, did a pretty good job of wiping the landscape clean out of life from the planet named after him. And such is war, gods and nonesuch to be damned.

As I’ve said many time, many ways, it’s March, in like a lion, out like a lamb, goes the March trajectory I’ve heard. Or, is it in like a lamb, out like a lion? And in some quarters, does she go in as a lamb and come out as lamb chops? What with the climate change, who knows from the peculiarities of March anymore, ain’a?

And let’s not forget about the daylight saving time (Sunday, March 10) where we lose an hour, as if a guy my age can afford to flush a focking hour pinched from out of my life’s dwindling calendar of minutes. If only there were a saving-time day where instead of pushing the clock back a measly hour, you could push it back, say, 40-50 focking years and then load up on Microsoft stock at a bargain-basement price. Now that’s the kind of dicking around with time that I could get behind, I kid you not.

Anyways, that stolen lost hour come the 10th just happens to be the hour I had set aside so’s to finally plow through the Irishman James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake as a tip o’ the hat to St. Patrick’s Day. I’ve always been curious as to “who done it,” thus the need for a wake. My guess is it’s either the leprechaun, a rowdy tavern rapscallion or itinerant sheepherder, ain’a?

But can some lass or laddie please tell me how St. Patty’s “Day” has morphed into St. Patty’s Week-anda-focking-Half over the years, but yet the celebration will be culminated by many the morning after with the “pukin’ of the green” beer into the porcelain Saint Potty.

Tús maith leath na hoibre, St. Patty’s Day arrives mid-March, that time of year you can actually start believing that a winter around here might take up less calendar time than the 100 Years War. But here’s the thing: Yes, winter may suck, but did you forget about what comes next? Sure, you get some kind of spring come in for a week, 10 days, but then you’re right back into hot-focking-humid summertime with all kinds of insects plus youngish chowderheads with no school, no jobs and no taste in music doing their thing and disturbing the peace, what the fock.

And so, I am reminded of a traditional story repeated often only here:

Mary O’Reilly finds Father O’Grady after his Sunday morning service, and she’s in tears. He says, “So what’s bothering you, Mary my dear?” She says, “Oh, Father, I’ve got terrible news. My husband John passed away last night.”

The priest says, “Mary, that’s terrible. Tell me, did he have any last requests?” She says, “That he did, Father.” The priest says, “Pray tell, what did he ask, Mary?”

“He said, ‘Please Mary, put the damn gun down.’” O’ ba-ding!

And as we spring ahead toward who-knows-what-the-fock, I wish that “may the road rise up to meet you” as we march to the month of April showers, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.

Photo by breakermaximus/Getty Images.