Devin Blake

3 days ago | milwaukeenns.org | Devin Blake

The Trump administration has cut federal food assistance – including funding used by schools and food banks – sparking broader concerns about the safety net many Wisconsinites rely on.  Here’s what to know and how to help as summer approaches. In 2024, Milwaukee children received nearly 400,000 free summer meals through a single federal program, according to Hunger Task Force, a Milwaukee-based food bank and advocacy organization that distributed the meals.

4 days ago | milwaukeenns.org | Devin Blake

Milwaukee residents stand to benefit from a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that extends employment protections to people with municipal citations. The court found that individuals with these noncriminal citations on their record are entitled to the same protections from employment discrimination as individuals with criminal records.

1 week ago | wisconsinwatch.org | Devin Blake

Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s the kind of exchange that criminal justice data is meant to clarify: a police official insisting that law enforcement practices are fair and targeted, while a city commissioner questions whether those practices contribute to racial disparities.

1 week ago | wisconsinwatch.org | Meredith Melland |Devin Blake

Reading Time: 3 minutes The Wisconsin Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the Social Development Commission on Friday to secure back pay for former employees. At the same time, three state legislators are asking the agency, also known as the SDC, to consider voluntarily giving up its community action status.

1 week ago | milwaukeenns.org | Devin Blake

After spending more than 20 years under the supervision of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections – including 11 years incarcerated – Jamie De Jesus Sr. didn’t expect to be where he is now. “I swear to God, I would have never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d be a student at Marquette,” he said. Marquette University is part of the McNeely Prison Education Consortium, a growing network of colleges and universities offering educational opportunities for people who are or were incarcerated.