Lake Effect

The demonstrations erupting in cities around the country have brought thousands of people into the streets. They’re chanting, singing, and shouting in protest of police brutality. And as each word is articulated, they’re spreading minuscule water droplets into the air.

That’s a problem. Our communities are still in the middle of a global coronavirus pandemic, and many people are still being infected. So how can people demonstrate while maintaining their safety?

Throughout United States history, Milwaukee and Wisconsin have been politically significant. And Milwaukee has an interesting political past you may not know about: socialists ran the city for nearly half of the 20th century. One of the most notable was Mayor Daniel Hoan, who served for a consecutive 24 years — the longest socialist administration in U.S. history.

Along with the discussions and marches for Black Lives Matter, another phrase people are learning more about is “white privilege.” It’s a term that refers to the inherent advantages that come from being white — in a culture with pervasive and enduring racial inequity.

As a white man, our poetry contributor Shaun Ranft has been reflecting on the recent protests and he asks other white people to do the same. 

Protests continue to happen around the country following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck and a black woman named Breonna Taylor was shot several times in her bed in Louisville.

In one short week, George Floyd has become an internationally recognized name. His death at the hands of Minneapolis police has people marching in many cities, demanding racial equity and an end to violence by police.

>>Read WUWM & NPR Full Protest Coverage

Mars Cheese Castle, a multigenerational fixture along I-94 in Kenosha, posted "I can't breathe" on the store’s huge outdoor sign.

One in four working Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus pandemic began a couple months ago, according to the Department of Labor.

Milwaukee is no stranger to civil rights protests. The city’s open housing marches have become the stuff of legend. For 200 consecutive nights, demonstrators marched from Milwaukee’s predominantly black north side to the predominantly white south side. 

The coronavirus has disrupted the education world to an unprecedented degree. WUWM put a call out to the people who have been directly affected by the school closures and the unplanned shift to online learning.

Teachers, students and parents sent us voice memos and emails describing their new normal. 

The killings of a black man named George Floyd in Minneapolis and a black woman named Breonna Taylor in Louisville have sparked protests across the country and even internationally.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic and the cancellation of most live shows, Milwaukee bands continue to release new songs. And Matt Wild has listened to most of them.

Wild is one of the co-founders of Milwaukee Record, which describes itself as an online source for music, culture, and gentle sarcasm. Among the many cultural things Milwaukee Record keeps track of is a nearly exhaustive list of new music from local musicians.

Updated June 8 at 1:02 p.m. CT

Milwaukee County Zoo will reopen on June 18 after being closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus. But it's not all back to normal, as phase one will require people to purchase tickets online and have other restrictions in place.

Spring is in full swing, so many plants and trees are beginning to bloom. Research shows that blooming trends are being impacted by climate change.

Mark Schwartz, a UW-Milwaukee distinguished professor of geography, is one of the researchers digging into those trends.

Working from home has been met with mixed reviews from people who’ve had to do it during the COVID-19 pandemic. But for most pets, this time has been a bonanza of extra petting, treats, and time with the people they love.

But now that businesses are opening up and people are returning to their places of work, how will these pets respond?

Five years ago this week, Pope Francis released his first major encyclical called Laudato Si' (a letter a bishop writes instructing his followers on how to approach major issues). Instead of taking on an abstract theological issue, he addressed “the tragic effects of environmental degradation on the lives of the world’s poorest [people]."

"Uh-oh, SpaghettiOs!"

Even if it's been years since you’ve tasted SpaghettiOs, the jingle is probably ingrained in your brain. It was 55 years ago this month that the famous “neat, round spaghetti you can eat with a spoon” hit the shelves. And it’s all thanks to Donald Goerke, a Waukesha native and UW-Madison graduate.