Edgar Mendez

6 days ago | onmilwaukee.com | Princess Byers |Dakota Barnes-Rush |Edgar Mendez

VIA CDC is marking its 30th anniversary this year. For the past three decades, VIA Community Development Corp., formerly Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, has been working with residents, businesses and partners to strengthen the Silver City, Burnham Park and Layton Park neighborhoods. VIA CDC focuses on community building, housing and economic development through several programs, initiatives and events. “To get to 30 is incredible,” said JoAnna Bautch, executive director of VIA CDC.

3 weeks ago | urbanmilwaukee.com | Edgar Mendez

When he leaves the office at the end of the week, James Hutchinson, captain of the Milwaukee Police Department’s Homicide Unit, can’t wait for Monday so he can get back to work solving murders. “I could have retired six months ago,” he said. “But I know that the work we do really makes an impact on people’s lives.”That work doesn’t always go as planned. Last year Milwaukee homicide detectives cleared 78% of the 132 murder cases they investigated — the highest rate in years.

3 weeks ago | milwaukeenns.org | Edgar Mendez

Public Allies Wisconsin, a program that fostered the careers of many Milwaukee leaders, is in jeopardy. It’s one of many programs impacted by $400 million in funding cuts to AmeriCorps, including $14 million in Wisconsin, ordered by billionaire Elon Musk’s U.S. Department of Government Efficiency. The outlook was grim for the organization, which posted the following on its Facebook page on May 7 “All activities had to be paused and Allies were asked not to report to placement,” it read.

3 weeks ago | milwaukeenns.org | Edgar Mendez

As drug overdose deaths decline in Milwaukee County, those who provide on-the-ground services say better collaborations and efforts funded from an opioid settlement are the reason “It shows that the collaborations, the pop-ups, all the work everyone is doing in the community is working,”  said Tahira Malik, founder and chief operations officer at Samad’s House, a sober living home for women. Drug overdose deaths dropped 30% in Milwaukee County from 2023 to 2024.

3 weeks ago | milwaukeenns.org | Edgar Mendez

Individuals working to slow the drug overdose epidemic in Milwaukee have a new tool at their disposal. A new Overdose Dashboard was released on Feb. 18 by Milwaukee County and the Office of Emergency Management. “We must prioritize evidence-based, data-driven decisions to develop effective harm reduction programs and services,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in a statement.