Take part in Match Day, a first-of-its-kind online giving event

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012, 4:53pm

MILWAUKEE — You’re encouraged to join FOX6 in supporting the Hunger Task Force on Match Day which takes place on Thursday, March 8th. Hunger Task Force is one of 19 nonprofit organizations that are taking part in Match Day, a first-of-its-kind event to raise awareness for basic needs in the greater Milwaukee area.

Match Day offers individuals, businesses and others a chance to support the organizations in our community that are helping meet individuals’ basic needs. Led by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and in partnership with other local funders, the online event aims to leverage support from the community for the Foundation’s Basic Needs Fund and the 19 agencies it supports, as well as raise the visibility of the ongoing need for food and shelter services in our community.

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National settlement sheds light on foreclosures

Submitted by FOX6Now Web Team

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012, 7:00am

National settlement sheds light on foreclosures

Sara K. Torres, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Despite the recently announced $25 billion national mortgage settlement, it could take up to three years for banks to determine which foreclosure victims are eligible to receive any monetary relief.

The multistate settlement announced on Feb. 9 provided that Wisconsin would receive $140 million in relief for victims of deceptive mortgage practices. Gov. Scott Walker has said he intends to use $25.6 million to reduce the state budget deficit. However, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the money should go toward foreclosure programs within the city, which has the most foreclosures in the state.

Even if all $140 million were to go toward foreclosed homeowners and prevention programs, advocates say it would not be sufficient... Read More

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Disturbance breaks out at funeral for Milwaukee murder victim

Submitted by FOX6Now Web Team

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012, 9:53pm

MILWAUKEE — Police were called to Good Samaritan Church of God in Christ near 52nd and Burleigh in Milwaukee for a disturbance Tuesday afternoon. Inside the building, people had gathered for the funeral of 19-year-old Raheem Johnson.

One person who spoke with FOX6 News said there was a gun pulled and “everyone got ducking and getting on the floor, leaving out. It was just a disaster,” said Charmaine West who was inside the church at the time.

Milwaukee police were called in and quickly swarmed the neighborhood. They also blocked off the lane of traffic in front of the church.

Johnson was shot killed near Fond du Lac Avenue and Tamarack around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, February 12th. Police say the incident started in the street as a dispute, followed by a double shooting.

Police tell FOX6 News there have not been any shots fired at or inside the church.

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Is Milwaukee’s anti-co-sleeping campaign working?

Submitted by FOX6Now Web Team

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012, 9:06am

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett calls three separate co-sleeping deaths during the 48-hour period encompassing this past Friday and Saturday unacceptable. Co-sleeping has been a big problem in the city of Milwaukee, resulting in preventable infant deaths, and the city recently launched a campaign urging parents to create safe sleep environments for their infants. But some say the message is missing the mark.

One case was reported shortly after 7:30 a.m. Friday in a neighborhood near Teutonia and Green Tree. The victim is a two-month-old boy who was found in an adult bed with his three-year-old brother lying on top of him. The infant’s face was apparently covered by the older boy’s arm. Both children were in bed with their parents.

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Churches check IDs to ensure that parishioners can vote

Submitted by FOX6Now Web Team

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012, 8:00am

Churches check IDs to ensure that parishioners can vote

Heather Ronaldson, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

The Rev. Michael Bertram of St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1927 N. 4th St., asked members of his congregation to hold up an accepted form of voter identification at church Sunday. The ID check was in response to a call from Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) to make sure parishioners will not be disenfranchised because they lack proper identification when they go to the polls.

The state’s new Voter ID law requires voters to show a state-issued ID to cast a ballot in special and recall elections. Gov. Scott Walker signed the law on May 25 to take effect this year. He says it will help crack down on voter fraud. Critics say it discourages voting, especially among the poor and elderly... Read More

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Supervisor Johnny Thomas bound over for trial

Submitted by FOX6Now Web Team

Monday, February 20th, 2012, 5:56pm

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County Supervisor Johnny Thomas pleaded not guilty Monday morning to charges he accepted a $500 bribe from what he thought was a Chicago firm seeking a contract — as a financial adviser for the county. Thomas was nabbed however, because it was part of a sting operation.

In testimony on Monday, another county official wondered why it was taking Thomas more than six months to schedule a contract for approval. Then, with the help of the Milwaukee County District Attorney‘s office, that official set up a sting — and Thomas allegedly bit.

The prosecution played video and audio recordings of unofficial meetings between Thomas and Patrick Farley, Milwaukee County’s director of administrative services.

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Community group hopes to slash number of state prison inmates

Submitted by FOX6Now Web Team

Monday, February 20th, 2012, 5:20pm

MILWAUKEE — More than 22,000 people in Wisconsin spend their days in the state prison system. But one organization has set a goal to cut that number in half in the next three years.

Organizers for Wisdom, a congregation-based community organization, gathered Monday morning to kick off their 11×15 campaign.

“The plan is to reduce Wisconsin’s prison population to 11,000 inmates by 2015,” Mandela Barnes with MICAH said. MICAH stands for Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope.

Wisdom hopes to accomplish this goal by expanding diversion programs. This means, instead of being locked up, offenders would be sent to rehabilitation programs.

“We’re putting people in jail who have underlying issues and these underlying issues don’t get treated, so when they are released from prison without those issues being treated, they’re most likely going to re-offend and re-commit and go back into the prison system,” Barnes said.

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