WUWM News

The latest Census figures show that in 2006, nearly one of every two working-age black men in metro Milwaukee was unemployed or out of the labor force. We have more from WUWM’s Erin Toner.

Some Milwaukee employers who are concerned about the quality of the workforce are taking matters into their own hands. Super Steel on the city's northwest side chose to work with technical schools, to fashion customized training for welders. Ann-Elise Henzl visited Super Steel as part of our Project Milwaukee coverage on economic development. President and CEO Keith Trafton told her why he got into the training business.

There’s been a lot of debate locally about creating a regional transit system. Supporters say it would boost the economy and help low income people get to where jobs are being created. To get a feel for the impact rapid transit can have on a community, WUWM’s LaToya Dennis traveled to Minneapolis where a rapid transit system has been in place since 2004.

When people talk about economic development, the issue of “regionalism” usually comes up – the idea that communities should work together so the entire region benefits. As part of our “Project Milwaukee” series, WUWM's Erin Toner talked about regional cooperation with Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas.

In a recent study by MarketWatch.com, Milwaukee was ranked as the 18th best city in which to do business. The Minneapolis- Saint Paul region was ranked number one. We sent WUWM’s LaToya Dennis to the Twin Cities to find out why.

Yesterday, we visited part of a Milwaukee aldermanic district that's thriving. Today, we tour another section that's struggling to develop - Riverwest. WUWM's Marti Mikkelson reports on Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood. She spoke with Alderman Mike D'Amato and members of the community.

This month, WUWM is exploring the subject of economic development in metro Milwaukee. As part of the Project Milwaukee series, Marti Mikkelson is profiling one aldermanic district that has seen success in one section, and challenges in another.

Tuesday, we continue with our Project Milwaukee series. For the next couple of weeks, we’re looking at issues surrounding economic development in southeast Wisconsin. Now, we get the perspective of a local labor leader. Sheila Cochran is chief operating officer of the Milwaukee County Labor Council. She spoke with WUWM’s Erin Toner.

Milwaukee has been trying to bounce back for years from a decline in manufacturing. For nearly a century, starting around 1880, the city’s economy was built on factory jobs. Thousands of people moved here from other states and countries to find work. But manufacturers fell on hard times in the 1970s. There were a number of reasons for the decline. Professor Sammis White of the UWM Department of Urban Planning spoke to Ann-Elise Henzl. 

For the next month, our newsroom and Lake Effect staff are exploring the subject of economic development in southeastern Wisconsin. Today, Ann-Elise Henzl examines the rise and fall of local manufacturing. Milwaukee was built on it, earning the reputation as the Machine Shop to the World.