Enjoy a slide show of your event at milwaukeetimesnews.com
The
Milwaukee’s Only “Blue Chip” Community Newspaper
Weekly Newspaper
“Journalistic Excellence, Service, Integrity and Objectivity Always”
Vol. 32 No. 38 • Thurs., Oct. 3, 2013 - Wed., Oct. 9, 2013 • An NCON Publication Serving The Milwaukee Area • 65¢
Community leaders seek answers for deceptive practices at Westlawn Gardens By: Raina J. Johnson Special to The Milwaukee Times
Staff Photo
Leaders from the religious, civic and business community held a press conference at Greater Mt. Sinai Church of God In Christ (COGIC) on Monday, September 30, 2013 to express their dissatisfaction with the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee for not adhering to federal guidelines in contracting and hiring practices during the first phase of the $82-million Westlawn Housing project. The Rev. Willie Brisco, president of Milwaukee Inner City Allied for Hope (MICAH), said the project failed to utilize minority contractors and hire low-income individuals from the community. Now after the favorable findings of HUD, Rev. Brisco said city leaders are now ready to sit down for a conversation.
Deception, denial and questions without answers. Those were some of the phrases used Monday, September 30, 2013 as members from the faith, lay and political communities stood together demanding answers regarding a review of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The review found that the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) did not follow federal regulations in their hiring practices of low-income and minority workers on the $82 million revitalization of Westlawn Housing Project. The review was prompted by a complaint from the Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH). On Monday, a news conference was held at Greater Mt. Sinai Church of God in Christ (COGIC), across the street from the
newly developed Westlawn Gardens. MICAH president Rev. Willie E. Brisco spoke candidly about the failures of this project in terms of hiring minority contractors and low-income individuals from the neighborhood as workers. “This esthetic beauty that you’re seeing belies a whole lot of wrongs that have been done in this community. We stand today, not claiming victory but saying this is just an ongoing process to peel back this onion of deception that has happened in this process. "The Section 3, the Westlawn set-aside those things that were supposed to provide an economic boost to this community - that wasn’t done. The hiring of contractors, the hiring of residents, the hiring of individuals within this community who are unemployed, who are untrained that should have benefited from this project, none of that happened.” (Continued on pg. 3)
Damascus Missionary Baptist Church honors First Lady Wilkins
The congregation of Damascus Missionary Baptist Church, 2447 N. 27th Street, along with visitors and friends, paused briefly Sunday afternoon, September 29, 2013 to honor First Lady Sister Mary Louise Wilkins on her 21st Anniversary as First Lady of Damascus. The program theme was: “The Reward of Being a Proverbs 31 Woman.” Pictured (from left) are: Evangelist Minnie Taylor; the Rev. Dr. Ellis Wilkins, Pastor of Damascus; First Lady Sister Mary Louise Wilkins; the General Baptist State Convention of Wisconsin Women’s Auxiliary President, Dr. Bonita Smith; former First Lady of Friendship Baptist Church, Dean Elizabeth Hughes, and former First Lady of True Love Baptist Church and the afternoon keynote speaker, Sister Aretha McCullar.
Staff Photo
State lawmakers hold forum on gun violence By: Raina J. Johnson Special to The Milwaukee Times
Staff Photo
Our nation has been no stranger to a rash of mass shootings, from a Connecticut elementary school, and Chicago playgrounds to the Washington D.C. Naval Yard, gun violence and gun laws have been on the minds of everyone including Congress members and President Obama. This is a divisive and fiercely debated subject no matter to whom you talk, on either side of the aisle and in any part of the county. On a local level, Milwaukee this summer especially has seen an increase in gun vio-
lence. As of October 2, 2013, the year-to-date total number of homicides climbed up to 81. Understanding how violence of any kind impacts our community in many areas, Milwaukee-area state lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, decided to host a Community Forum on Gun Violence. The forum was moderated by community activist Earl Ingram, Jr., on September 17, 2013 at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society, 2620 W. Center Street. About 50 residents and community leaders were (Continued pg. 2)