Edgar Mendez

2 days 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 days 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.

1 week ago | milwaukeenns.org | 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.

2 weeks ago | milwaukeenns.org | Meredith Melland |Edgar Mendez

Two former board members of the Social Development Commission are reflecting on their experiences on the board, criticisms of the board’s oversight and their hopes for the agency’s future. The commission, also known as the SDC, has been Milwaukee’s anti-poverty agency for over 60 years. It abruptly stopped providing social services and laid off employees in April 2024.

2 weeks ago | urbanmilwaukee.com | Edgar Mendez |Meredith Melland

It appears that Milwaukee County is ready to work with the state to find a new community action agency to replace the Social Development Commission, the embattled agency that has provided anti-poverty services for more than 60 years.