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FEATURES | POLLS | TAKING LIBERTIES | ISSUE OF THE WEEK

A Statewide Issue

Has Addressing Homelessness Become a Bi-Partisan Issue Post-Walker? ::BY ELIZABETH ELVING

omelessness is a reality for thousands of people in Wisconsin, including many children and families. Across the state, local governments, shelters and outreach organizations work to meet the complex needs of this population. Shelter and housing efforts are coordinated by Continuum of Care organizations and bolstered by federal funding. But at the state level, advocates say much more needs to be done.

A 2015 report from the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness (WCAH) found that for the last 25 years, Wisconsin has allocated $1.4 million annually to shelters and transitional housing and $1.8 million to prevention—a striking contrast to neighboring states like Minnesota that spend more than $40 million on homeless services every year. During that time, Wisconsin has been without a comprehensive statewide strategy for dealing with the issue. “Wisconsin was one of the few states that didn’t have any kind of plan, any kind of a road map,” says WCAH executive director Joe Volk.

Furthermore, many believe the policies of Scott Walker’s administration have made the problem worse by pushing more people into poverty and housing insecurity.

This has led to renewed calls for a coordinated response, and both Democrats and Republicans have proposed preliminary solutions in the last two years. But with the government newly divided, and many competing concerns, supporters are challenged with making homelessness a long-term state priority.

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Studies show that homelessness in Wisconsin is pervasive and statewide. Point-in-time counts have found that, on any given night, thousands of people sleep in areas not meant for habitation. In 2017, nearly 22,000 people relied on Wisconsin’s shelters and homeless services, according to the Homeless Management Information System. And, in the 2016-’17 school year, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) reported 19,264 students without stable housing were enrolled in Wisconsin public schools.

“A lot of the people affected are families,” says Rep. Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee). “Children are homeless and coming to school. They’re not feeling safe. They don’t have a warm place to go, and they don’t know where their next meal is coming from. How can they possibly learn?”

Volk says the DPI report shows homeless students in school districts all over the state, making clear that the problem is not limited to Wisconsin cities. This data has encouraged support from lawmakers representing more rural areas. “It shows them that there really are homeless families and homeless kids going to school in their district,” he says.

In Milwaukee, a number of new tent encampments formed throughout the city in 2018, making homelessness more visible and causing some to speculate that housing insecurity was on the rise. Some advocates have traced this apparent increase directly to former Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s policies. As governor, Walker signed landlord-tenant laws that favored landlords’ rights and made it easier to evict people. He resisted calls to raise the minimum wage, even as housing prices in areas like Milwaukee went up, and he passed a series of bills that limited access to safety net programs. In 2018, a package of laws further restricted eligibility for FoodShare, Wisconsin’s food stamp program, increasing its work and job training requirement to 30 hours a week and applying it to parents of school-age children.

Walker promoted his work requirements as a way to encourage employment and self-sufficiency. But Sinicki says a real solution must first tackle the obstacles that prevent people from working in the first place, like mental illness or lacking a permanent address. “To mandate these things, we have to make sure that people have the support to do what we’re asking them to do, and we’re not doing that,” she says. Even before the additional limits went into effect, Walker’s work requirements caused 86,000 Wisconsin residents to lose their FoodShare benefits. In November, the Los Angeles-based anti-hunger group Mazon installed signs around an encampment at West Sixth and North Clybourne Streets, calling it “Walkerville” and the “legacy of Scott Walker’s bold food stamp reforms.”

Sherrie Tussler, executive director of Hunger Task Force, agrees that the rise in tent encampments is linked to Walker’s policies. For some, she says, losing income in the form of FoodShare can mean losing housing. This is particularly true of single adults staying with friends or family who rely on these benefits to remain contributing members of the household. “We’ve got to pay attention to public policy changes and see a connection between taking away someone’s ability to buy groceries and their homeless status,” she says. Tussler, who was previously a founding executive director of the homeless shelter Hope House, predicts that the increase will continue if the laws remain in effect. “I anticipate that, this time next year, there will be more families in tents,” she says, “not just single adults.”

Legislative Response

A longtime leader in homelessness prevention, Volk says that, for decades, Wisconsin has fallen short in addressing this crisis. Since its founding, the WCAH has made it a primary goal to encourage more state-level involvement. It was primarily the Democratic legislators who supported the homeless, but now Volk has found some influential Republican supporters in former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna). “Homelessness impacts virtually every community throughout the state,” Steineke says. “When I realized that I had allowed myself to become desensitized to the problem, that’s when I Homelessness continued on page 6 >

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NEWS&VIEWS::FEATURE Tussler questions whether a plan developed by state lawmakers would have a meaningful impact. “They never seem to understand the level of poverty in our community the way that people who live here do,” she says. “It’s hard to comment on whether they would come out with anything that would be truly relevant.”

A week after the Republicans’ bills passed in the Assembly, Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) introduced a “Housing First Package.” This legislation, which she described in a statement as a “stark contrast to the anemic package of Republican bills,” would triple the state’s investment in homelessness. Among other things, the bills proposed creating an eviction prevention program and directing $2.5 million toward Rapid Rehousing and Housing First programs.

The nationally recognized Housing First method places people in secure housing with no preconditions and then connects them with sup-

> Homelessness continued from page 4

decided to try to do something to help.”

In 2017, Steineke and fellow Republican lawmakers introduced a package of legislation on homelessness, including a bill that would form a dedicated council of relevant state agencies.

Modeled after a similar approach in Minnesota, the council would develop a plan for reducing homelessness statewide. Volk says that having a high-level council can “institutionalize progress” by creating metrics and goals, making budget recommendations and producing progress reports. Many praised this proposal as a long-overdue step in the right direction, but others found it did not go nearly far enough. Critics argued that the bills gave lip service to the problem without actually confronting peoples’ pressing needs. “I never put a lot of faith into creating councils to address emergency issues,” Sinicki says.

portive services like mental health counseling, drug and alcohol treatment and legal assistance.

City and county officials have found success with Housing First in Milwaukee, reportedly reducing chronic homelessness in the county by 40% since 2015. But, the chronically homeless (defined as anyone who has been without a home for more than a year or multiple times in three years) account for only about 8% of the total homeless population. Sinicki says more state funding would help more people benefit from this initiative. She supported Subeck’s bills, which she says are “absolutely the better approach”—moving past the planning stage to target root causes and fund programs that keep families housed.

“We need to put our money where our mouths are,” she says.

The desire to do more for the homeless is bipartisan, Steineke says, even if disagreements persist on how best to do so. Supporters of the

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Republican bills want to put a strategy in place first, so that lawmakers know what works before spending taxpayer money on it. Others argue these interim steps only delay funding for Housing First, which has already proven effective.

Nonetheless, Steineke says, “I didn’t run into anyone in the Legislature who said we shouldn’t be doing this.” His bill passed unanimously in the State Assembly and State Senate, and the Interagency Council on Homelessness was formed in November 2017. For its first year, council membership consisted of the leaders of eight state agencies (and from Wisconsin’s four Continuum of Care organizations), with Kleefisch serving as chair.

‘We Have to Try’

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ inauguration on Monday, Jan. 7, was a welcome change for critics of Walker’s record on poverty and homelessness, but even with a new governor—and bipartisan support for homelessness legislation—the path forward is still uncertain. The Interagency Council released its first action plan in November 2018, shortly after Evers was elected. It recommends an additional $3.75 million for homelessness reduction and prevention and promotes Housing First and case management as core principles. Supporters of the council and its plan say they will work with Gov. Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes to keep the established priorities top-of-mind.

Steineke says he is optimistic that the new leadership will incorporate the council’s recommendations into the next budget but says he will continue to pursue the issue regardless of how the report is received. “This isn’t something we’re going to give up on,” he says. Volk hopes the new administration will view the $3.75 million as a starting point and consider “more extensive spending” down the line.

Another looming question is how Walker’s policies will continue to impact people facing homelessness and whether it will be possible to overturn them. The bills passed in the 2018 lameduck session gave oversight of Walker’s welfare reforms to the Legislature, limiting Evers’ ability to change them. “That was quite intentional to allow these work-related reforms to continue,” Tussler says, “even if the people would prefer something else.” Sinicki says Democrats are “not done fighting” the lame-duck bills, but that overturning them will be difficult. She worries the ongoing fight will make it harder for the two sides to reach a compromise, even on a shared concern like homelessness. “It’s going to be very tough to work together,” she says. “But we have to try.”

According to Volk, the WCAH opposed many of the Walker administration’s policies that “made homelessness worse in Wisconsin,” but he cautions against allowing broader policy disputes to get in the way of progress. Instead, he says, supporters should try to isolate homelessness as a separate, bipartisan priority. “If we’re going to wait for Republicans and Democrats to agree on a minimum wage, welfare reform and expanding Medicaid before we deal with the issue of homelessness, we’re going to be waiting a long time,” he says. “We can fight about all of those other things, but on this one, let’s move forward.”

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NEWS&VIEWS::FEATURE

No End in Sight for Milwaukee’s Building Boom DEVELOPERS AND CITY OFFICIALS PREDICT MORE TO COME::BY DAN SHAW

B

y all accounts, Milwaukee’s current building boom is one for the record books. It stands out for reshaping the city’s skyline and bringing historical amounts of development spending to the downtown and nearby neighborhoods, but it also has been going on for quite a long time. Many people trace its origins to 2010, just when the country was coming out of the worst recession in living memory. Surely, things can’t go on like this forever?

Remarkably, though, developers, city officials and others close to the situation don’t see the end coming—at least not soon.

Filling Empty Spaces

Those projects may be the most conspicuous signs of the building boom, but they tell only part of the story. Even as multi-hundred-milliondollar projects like the Northwestern Mutual headquarters reshape the city’s skyline, apartments, hotels, shops and restaurants galore are filling in once-vacant or underused places and leaving their own indelible mark.

For Rocky Marcoux, commissioner of the Department of City Development, one of the best ways to gauge how much development has taken place is to look at investment numbers tracked by the Milwaukee Business Improvement District #21. The district, which encompasses Downtown, has tabulated that roughly $5 billion was spent on development within its boundaries from 2005 to the end of last year.

When that’s added to spending on projects now underway or planned, the downtown is on track

More Downtown Offices

With that market starting to slow, developers have now turned to building offices that are conveniently situated for their employees, many of whom are in their 20s and 30s and have moved Downtown. Jeffers plans to add the mix by putting up a building to house the offices of the law firm Husch Blackwell just south of the Mackie Building. “And I’m not sure whether there will be many office buildings completed after our building,” Jeffers says. “I actually think we will be the last one for this cycle. But I’d love it if I were wrong.”

That doesn’t mean, though, that a slowdown is imminent. Once developers have provided people with more places to live and work downF11PHOTO

Anyone wanting proof that Milwaukee has undergone a building boom of historic proportions need do little more than just look at its skyline—perhaps from a car driven northward over the Hoan Bridge. From that vantage point, it’s hard not to be impressed by the changes. Whereas the 42-story U.S Bank building had once been the sole structure towering over its neighbors, now there’s Northwestern Mutual’s 32-story headquarters building and 35-story 7Seventy7 apartment high-rise. Nearby, on a smaller scale, stands the 833 East office building and a new Westin Hotel, opened in 2017.

Drivers who get off the highway Downtown and head north on Water Street will find themselves going past the site of the 25-story office tower BMO Harris Bank is building across Well Street from City Hall. If they look to the west, they’ll catch sight of the $524 million Fiserv Forum arena, where the Milwaukee Bucks began playing last year.

to benefit from $7.7 billion worth of investment in less than 20 years.

Those numbers in themselves show that it’s no exaggeration to call the current building boom a record-breaker. Again, though, the big figures can overshadow perhaps less spectacular but nonetheless impressive accomplishments. In the same period, Marcoux noted, there have also been 11,000 new housing units built in downtown Milwaukee and 8,000 in nearby neighborhoods.

“Once you factor in that in the past 15 years, give or take, we had the greatest recession since the Great Depression, and there was really no measurable activity during that time, that makes the numbers even more impressive,” he says.

If there is any hint of a slowdown, it’s in the development of multi-family apartments. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, says the local developer Josh Jeffers.

Jeffers, owner of J. Jeffers & Co., says there was a time, in late 2014 and early 2015, when apartments couldn’t be built fast enough Downtown. Units were being rented out practically as quickly as they were opened. Jeffers has done quite a bit himself to help meet that demand. His long list of projects includes both the renovation of the historic Mackie Building, at the corner of East Michigan Street and of the former Garfield Elementary School at 2215 N. Fourth St.

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town, their next big opportunity will be to give them more to do. Jeffers predicted Milwaukee’s building boom will now move on to the construction of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Jeffers’ faith that the good times will continue can be seen in his staffing figures. After founding J. Jeffers & Co. in 2010, he ran the business as a one-man show before starting to hire employees in 2015. Now he has 10 people working for him, including an in-house lawyer. If there is any reason to be anxious, Jeffers and others say, it’s coming from the direction of federal policy. Interest rates are on the rise as the Federal Reserve begins to worry about taming inflation. And President Trump’s tariffs threaten to drive up the price of steel and other construction materials.

Projects are likely to become costlier.

Those pressures might be tapping the brakes on development but are unlikely to bring things to a halt. Mike Fabishak, chief executive of the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee, says he thinks there is still plenty of pent-up demand for repairs and maintenance work that was put off during the recession.

“There’s all that lower, residual stuff,” he said.

“A friend of mine owns an auto-repair shop that needs $300,000 to $400,000 worth of work.

And people are now more prepared to pull the trigger on them because say, ‘I’ve been putting this off for a while.’”

Of the big projects that still define Milwaukee’s building boom in the minds of many, 2019 has at least one more in store: The mining company Komatsu plans to build its North American headquarters at a former industrial site in the city’s harbor district. But, for those who really want a sign that the building boom has not abated, much will depend on the long-planned Couture high-rise apartment tower.

If built, the Couture would bring yet another skyscraper to the city’s lakefront, this one with 44 stories. The project has hit more than its fair share of obstacles. Given local officials’ blessing back in 2012, the Couture almost immediately became the subject of a dispute with the watchdog group Preserve Our Parks, which questioned whether the project could be built on a site created years ago by filling in part of Lake Michigan.

That entanglement was cleared away only after the state Legislature intervened. Since then, the bigger question has been whether the developer of the project, Barrett-Lo Visionary Development, will be able to secure financing for the $120 million project. Barrett-Lo made progress in that regard in November by getting preliminary approval for a federal loan guarantee. Local officials have since re-stated their confidence that the project will eventually get done.

Both Jeffers and Marcoux count themselves among the optimists about the Couture. Jeffers says delays are to be expected whenever a developer is trying to push the boundaries of what anyone had thought possible in a particular market and that “every great deal dies at least once.”

Marcoux notes that local plans for the city’s streetcar call for eventually having a station at the Couture site. “I feel fairly confident that it’s going to break ground this year,” he says. “And it’s going to be a great addition to the lakefront and to the whole region.”

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::SAVINGOURDEMOCRACY ( JAN. 31 - FEB. 6, 2019 ) The Shepherd Express serves as a clearinghouse for all activities in the greater Milwaukee area that peacefully push back against discriminatory, reactionary or authoritarian actions and policies of the Donald Trump administration, as well as others who seek to thwart social justice.

We will publicize and promote actions, demonstrations, planning meetings, teach-ins, party-building meetings, drinking-discussion get-togethers and any other actions that are directed toward fighting back to preserve our liberal democratic system.

Friday, Feb. 1

Bowen’s Birthday Bounce @ Bounce Milwaukee (2801 S. Fifth Court), 6-8 p.m.

State Rep. David Bowen will hold a birthday party at Bounce Milwaukee that is billed as “a night of laughing, dancing and progressive politics.” There is a suggested donation of $32, with higher donation levels from $100-500. Funds will go to Bowen’s reelection campaign.

Saturday, Feb. 2

Milwaukee Gun Violence Survivors Week @ Sojourner Family Peace Center (619 W. Walnut St.), 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Gun violence survivors and other community members will speak out about how coming together and changing our laws can change the tide of gun violence in America at Milwaukee Moms Demand Action’s Gun Violence Survivors Week event.

Peace Action of Wisconsin: Stand for Peace @ The corner of Howell and Howard Avenues, noon-1 p.m.

Every Saturday from noon-1 p.m., concerned citizens join with Peace Action of Wisconsin to protest war and, literally, “Stand for Peace.” Signs will be provided for those who need them.

Protesters are encouraged to stick around for conversation and coffee afterward.

Political Edge Film Festival @ Var Gallery & Studios (643 S. Second St.), 7-11 p.m.

The first screening for Political Edge Film Festival will feature predominantly political or documentary films. The festival will be free and open to the general public.

Tuesday, Feb 5

Resistance Radio Two-Year Anniversary Party @ The Roman Coin (1004 E. Brady St.), 5 p.m.-midnight

Progressive radio station Resistance Radio will host a two-year anniversary party at The Roman Coin that will include a live happy hour broadcast and free Lakefront Brewery beer while supplies last.

Wednesday, Feb. 6

Showdown for Democracy @ Hawthorne Coffee Roasters (4177 S. Howell Ave.), 6-8 p.m.

Lisa Neubauer, a progressive candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, will join Grass Roots South Shore and a number of other community organizations to discuss her candidacy.

She will be facing off against appellate court judge Brian Hagedorn.

MPS School Board At-Large Candidate Forum @ Washington Park Library (2121 N. Sherman Blvd.), 6-7:30 p.m.

Milwaukee students, staff, parents and community members are invited to meet the candidates for the Milwaukee Public Schools’ Board of Directors. Citywide/at-large candidates Bob Peterson and Stef Dugan will be in attendance.

To submit to this column, please send a brief description of your action, including date and time, to savingourdemocracy@shepex.com. Together, we can fight to minimize the damage that Donald Trump and others of his ilk have planned for our great country.

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NEWS&VIEWS::POLL

You Say Border Security Shouldn’t Be Negotiated During a Government Shutdown

Before the federal government shutdown ended last week, we asked if the government should be reopened and paychecks to federal employees resumed before the president and the U.S. Congress negotiate border security. You said: n Yes: 85% n No: 15%

What Do You Say? Understanding that it could split the anti-Trump vote, would you consider voting for a third-party candidate like Starbucks founder Howard Schultz in the 2020 presidential election? n Yes n No Vote online at shepherdexpress.com. We’ll publish the results of this poll in next week’s issue.

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NEWS&VIEWS::TAKINGLIBERTIES

Trump Surrenders After Hitting Wall ::BY JOEL MCNALLY

I

t had to be one of the strangest surrenders in a hostage negotiation ever broadcast nationwide on live television, but then Donald Trump is one of the strangest presidents this nation has ever had. Because so much of what Trump says publicly is either provably false or completely unintelligible, everyone watching had to listen closely to understand exactly what the president was saying.

Trump, who insisted he’d never end a government shutdown until Democrats appropriated billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars for a border wall, was announcing he was ending the government shutdown without any money at all being appropriated for his wall. That was certainly great news for the 800,000 federal employees Trump was holding hostage by either locking them out of their jobs or forcing them to work without pay for more than a month. It also was a relief for Americans everywhere endangered by the loss of safety inspections for airplanes, food and prescription drugs and countless other routine government protections the country used to take for granted until Trump became president.

In his announcement reopening the government, Trump sped right past his capitulation to Democrats to begin repeating all his dishonest, inflammatory arguments for spending billions of dollars on the worthless U.S.-Mexican border wall Trump promised voters numerous times that Mexico would pay for. Trump’s racist lies about a wall preventing terrorism from a murderous mob of blood-thirsty, brown-skinned immigrants were overwhelmingly rejected in November’s elections that flipped 40 Republican congressional seats to give Democrats control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democrats United Against the Wall

Joan Lunden, journalist, best-selling author, former host of Good Morning America and senior living advocate.

12 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

Trump’s reopening of the government is officially only for three weeks, while Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate negotiate over border security. But there’s very little chance the results will include any funds for a border wall. Democrats are united behind House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) against the wall. Even more important, the reason Democrats are so strongly united in their opposition is that most Americans don’t want Trump’s absurd wall, either.

Approval ratings for Trump and Republicans plummeted during the president’s irrational

shutdown. We know Trump is not a normal, stable human being with predictable behavior, but finally ending the government shutdown was overwhelmingly popular since it accomplished absolutely nothing other than inflicting unnecessary pain on the nation. Now that it’s over, not even Trump is moronic enough to close down the government again in three weeks when he doesn’t get his dumb wall.

Trump and Republicans have done for Pelosi exactly what they did for former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA): They’ve increased the national popularity of a powerful woman they’ve attacked for years.

Remember Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan partying with Trump in the Rose Garden to celebrate the House passing a bill destroying ACA health coverage for more than 20 million Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions? That’s when Americans realized everything they would lose if Republicans succeeded in destroying the ACA. Protecting and expanding affordable health care has been a winning issue for Democrats ever since.

Demonizing a Leader

For years, Pelosi was featured in Republican campaign ads all over the country as the scariest woman in the history of the world.

Demonizing the former Democratic Speaker of the House was a handy way for Republicans to rile up hatred for the two human species many of their voters found most threatening. Pelosi was not only a powerful woman in a man’s job, but she also was from San Francisco—the city where everybody was required by law to be homosexual.

The real reason why Republicans always feared Pelosi’s return as speaker is obvious.

Her initial tenure as Speaker from 2007 to 2011 was the most successful House leadership in modern times. John Boehner and Ryan—the pathetic Republican pretenders who followed her—were national embarrassments. Pelosi’s original version of the ACA passed by the House was far more progressive than the final version. It included a Medicarefor-all-style public option that would have lowered prices and improved benefits of every competing private insurance plan.

Trump is desperately denying his humiliation by Pelosi, who “sent him packing like a little boy” with his wall—to use Trump’s own description of running Scott Walker out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s latest temporary chief-of-staff, claims the president still could declare a national emergency to spend billions of dollars to build his wall without an appropriation from Congress. In a normal world, such an outrageous move would immediately be declared unconstitutional; even in Trump World, it would require extraordinary support from cowardly congressional Republicans and a totally corrupt Supreme Court.

In her first month back as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi has successfully built her own big, beautiful wall, and Trump is running right into it going full-speed—just like Wile E. Coyote did every time the Road Runner painted a tunnel on the side on a mountain.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n SHEPHERD EXPRESS

NEWS&VIEWS::ISSUEOFTHEWEEK

Is it Time for State Government to Get Smart?

T

::BY LOUIS G. FORTIS

he November 2018 election that replaced Wisconsin’s Republican governor, attorney general and state treasurer with Democrats showed that voters were tired of the highly politicized policy decisions by the GOP during the last eight years that often unnecessarily hurt our citizens. Now, the Marquette University poll out last week shows just how much our citizens reject those Scott Walker-era policies.

For example, voters by an overwhelming 62% to 25% want Wisconsin to join the vast majority of states and take Medicaid-expansion funds. The poll shows that even a majority of Republicans want to see Medicaid expansion.

Regarding legalization of marijuana, the Marquette poll shows exactly what the voters expressed on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at the ballot box: they want to see marijuana legalized by a margin of 59% to 35%.

Medicaid Expansion

Regarding Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare�) has a provision that encourages states to expand their Medicaid coverage to include virtually all individuals up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Walker and the Republicans categorically rejected that opportunity. Walker had his eye on running for president and was doing everything he could to kiss up to the extreme rightwing of Republican check writers. Walker used and abused Wisconsin to further his personal ambitions. One would have to have a selfish political agenda to refuse the money since the federal government was paying for 100% of the expansion costs through 2016. Beginning in 2017, the feds would pick up 90%. It’s an absolute “no brainer.� Wisconsin would just be getting back some of the tax dollars sent to Washington, D.C. Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich (a Republican), like Walker, also had plans to run for president and so likewise rejected federal Medicaid-expansion funds, but there was one difference: Ohio’s constitution has a provision that voters can actually push back and force the governor to reverse his policies. Ohio voters, both Democrats and Republicans, put an initiative on the next ballot to force the governor to accept the expansion dollars. The initiative easily passed, and the governor apologized and accepted the Medicaid money. In Wisconsin, the Republicans controlling the State Legislature naively followed Walker’s lead and, as of today, the Badger State has lost more than $1 billion due to simple, petulant stupidity.

It’s Not My Problem!

Some callous individuals might say, “It’s not hurting me, since I have a job that proSHEPHERD EXPRESS

vides health insurance.� Well, they are wrong.

If a low-income, uninsured person comes to a hospital emergency room, the hospital, by law, has to care for them. If they can’t pay the bill, that becomes what is termed “charity care,� but the hospital doesn’t eat all those costs; it shifts them to those who have insurance or who pay for their own medical care. This is no secret. “Cost-shifting� is a common practice at every hospital. The result is that healthcare and insurance costs increase, and many employers—who used to cover 80% of their employees’ monthly insurance premiums—now only cover 50-65%.

Furthermore, if someone is without health insurance, they often don’t go to doctor when health problems arise, hoping the problem will heal itself. It is only when the health issue gets particularly serious that they end up in the emergency room. By that time, they might be treated for a more advanced problem than if the person had seen a doctor in a timelier manner.

Emergency rooms are expensive, and the costs get shifted to those who are paying for their own healthcare—whether through insurance or out-of-pocket.

So, is it Time for Wisconsin to Get Smarter?

Walker and his Republican colleagues have, to-date, made Wisconsin taxpayers a billion dollars poorer, and that number climbs every day. Instead of cutting money for education throughout the last several years, accepting Medicaid expansion funds could have enabled the state to provide more money for education without raising taxes.

So, there are many reasons Southeastern Wisconsin has some of the highest medical costs in the nation, and this is one of them. This is a politically self-inflicted wound that can be changed tomorrow. However, our Republican friends in the Legislature are digging in their heels and refusing to correct the ridiculous policy of refusing the federal monies that Walker dragged them into. They can now reverse this mistake, since we have a governor who is not positioning himself to run for president.

So, if you have a Republican state representative or state senator, contact them and ask them why they oppose Medicaid expansion and why they ignore the will of the voters.

Don’t let them pass you off to some innocent staff person claiming they are “too busy;� they aren’t too busy to talk to their constituents. Go to their town hall meetings or question them if you see them in the supermarket or coffeeshop.

Ask the hard questions, and then step back and listen to their feeble answers.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

FRANK JUAREZ GALLERY

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We will keep you informed each week about the growing availability of legal cannabis products in Milwaukee and what’s happening at the state level with respect to Wisconsin’s movement towards legalization, what’s happening in other states and in the rest of the world.

K E E P C A L M & C B D O N

Minnesota is Lax on Some Cannabis Users, Tough on Others

NEW GOVERNOR WANTS FULL LEGALIZATION, BUT REPUBLICANS STAND IN THE WAY::BY JEAN-GABRIEL FERNANDEZ

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he gold standard for cannabis possession laws in states where it is illegal is: If possession is a misdemeanor rather than a felony, the state is a tolerant one. Some, like Wisconsin, fall in the middle, with possession of any amount of cannabis being a misdemeanor first and a felony for any subsequent offense.

Minnesota stands out in this respect. There, possession (as well as sale and cultivation!) of 42.5 grams of cannabis or less is a misdemeanor with no incarceration, a maximum fine of $200 and even a possible discharge for first-time offenders.

42.5 grams is a rather large amount, so it is reasonable to think that the state is tolerant, and occasional cannabis users can fly under the radar without much risk. But Minnesota law also considers possession or sale of more than 42.5g a felony, with up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine as punishment depending on the amount. (For the record, maximum sentences in Wisconsin are 3.5 years in prison for possession and 15 years for selling.)

As Minnesota is exceptionally lax with small-time users, it stands to reason that medical cannabis has been legal there since 2015. As of Tuesday, Jan. 1, more than 14,500 patients were qualified to buy medical marijuana products, and that number is increasing. Qualifying conditions are numerous, but about 90% of patients were qualified due to persistent muscle spasms, cancer, intractable pain or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The program is relatively restrictive as there are only two manufacturers in the state allowed to produce cannabis-derived medicine. Both Minnesota Medical Solutions and LeafLine Labs have reported millions of dollars in losses from 2015 to 2018, but their products are highly successful from patients’ perspectives.

Full legalization of cannabis is now on the table in Minnesota with the election of Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, whose campaign promises included “creating a taxation and regulation system for adult-use cannabis.” The newly elected, Democraticcontrolled Minnesota House of Representatives will probably vote to end “cannabis prohibition,” as Walz called it in an interview earlier this month, in the near future. However, victory is far from certain as Minnesota’s Senate is still controlled by a Republican majority (albeit a small one). It may be necessary to wait until 2020 and hope Republicans lose the Senate in the next elections, thus offering Democrats full powers to legalize marijuana state-wide in our neighbor to the west.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

Local Music Professional Launches Allay Cannabidiol Products

A

::BY SHEILA JULSON

s a music industry professional, Enrique “Mag” Rodriguez is always around people. The former tour manager and road DJ for local hip-hop artist IshDAAR is now program director for Backline, a program through 88Nine Radio Milwaukee and gener8tor that coaches, mentors and supports local musicians.

“I wouldn’t be able to have this public position where I have to talk to so many people if it wasn’t for cannabidiol (CBD),” Rodriguez said. While on the road with IshDAAR, Rodriguez dealt with large crowds and strenuous touring, which increased his anxiety. He found himself slipping into an unhealthy lifestyle, drinking before going on stage to calm his nerves. Then his friend, photographer Weston Rich, recommended CBD. Rodriguez tried CBD gummies and later used CBD oil during a spring tour in 2017.

“I tried CBD and it completely changed my outlook,” Rodriguez said. “I no longer drank on the road.” Later, Rodriguez sought other CBD products, researching taste, potency and other factors, but he hit a roadblock finding what he was looking for. A friend in the cannabis industry referred him to some labs, which led to Rodriguez, along with Rich and a silent business partner, formulating Allay CBD tinctures and vapes. Rodriguez will soon add CBD lotion and muscle gel to the Allay line.

Rodriguez secretly shopped CBD stores and dispensaries to get a feel for how CBD was sold and what people were looking for. “We didn’t want Allay to be just another trendy CBD product,” Rodriguez emphasized. “We want to be a product that people can incorporate into their daily lives. We also want to be sure that people selling our product were selling it appropriately.

CBD is a hot product and people are walking into stores wanting it, but not really knowing much about it.” Because of this, Rodriguez was cautious in selecting where to sell Allay. He started with Canni Hemp Co., which he says has a knowledgeable and attentive staff. Rodriguez also knew Canni Hemp Co. owner Colin Plant, who is also a musician.

Allay has vape products available only at Canni Hemp Co. The CBD oil tinctures, in 300 or 500 milligrams, are available on Allay’s website, at Canni Hemp Co. and at Bay View Clubhouse. The oil comes in original, lemon or orange flavors, and Rodriguez said it’s also made with medium chain triglycerides (MCT) cold-pressed coconut oil. To make Allay approachable to the taste buds, the tinctures are lighter in taste and texture than most dark green, earthy CBD tinctures. The bottles also have graduated droppers to measure exact dosages for consistency.

Rodriguez works with a lab in Colorado that is compliant in Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP). “All the lab’s engineers have master’s degrees, or they are M.D.s or Ph.Ds. We want to make a product that’s safe and made in an appropriate setting. There are currently no U.S. regulations on CBD— it’s the Wild West—so we want customers to buy a product made by professionals.” Rodriguez added that Allay’s products are THC-free (some CBD products contain up to 0.3% THC, just below the federally legal limit). Every Allay product comes with a lab report.

Rodriguez noted it’s still a bit of a waiting game to see how the recently signed 2018 United States farm bill will ultimately affect hemp production in Wisconsin. “We’re waiting until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets regulatory standards, but once we get that information, I think everyone is ready to make investments in Wisconsin,” he said.

For more information, visit liveallay.com.

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Place to Pick Up the Shepherd Express COLECTIVO COFFEE

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Burrito/ Mexican Restaurant CAFÉ CORAZÓN

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::DININGOUT

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COURTESY OF UNCLE JULIO’S

FEATURE | SHORT ORDER | EAT/DRINK

Uncle Julio’s

Even in the Coldest Months, New Restaurants Opened in Milwaukee ::BY LACEY MUSZYNSKI

As is normally the case for the beginning of the year, openings were a bit slow in January. But the new spots we did get are an international mix: a Syrian restaurant run by refugees and three different Mexican restaurants opened this month.

Damascus Gate Restaurant

A Syrian restaurant has opened on the South Side. Damascus Gate is operated

by Abdul Abadeh and Riham Silan, a husband-and-wife team who immigrated to the U.S. as refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war. Silan previously worked at her family’s restaurant in Damascus. According to its website, the restaurant’s goal is to empower refugees, and it employs other refugees from Syria and Somalia. The Middle Eastern menu includes well-known appetizer favorites like hummus ($5.99), falafel ($3.99-$6.49), tabbouleh ($5.99) and fried beef kibbeh ($7.99). Yalanji, or Syrian stuffed grape leaves ($4.99) have a vegetarian filling, as do fatayer ($1), a type of savory pie with spinach or cheese filling. Entrees include platters ($11.99) with marinated grilled chicken, ground lamb and beef kefta kebabs, or a combination of the two along with spiced rice with grilled onion and tomato. Pizza is also offered thanks to the pizza oven already in the space.

807 W. Historic Mitchell St. • 414-810-3561 • $-$$ damascusgatemilwaukee.com

Buenavista Banquets & Restaurant

A Mexican restaurant has opened in the former Norway House on the South Side. Buenavista Restaurant is part of the Taqueria Buenavista group, which includes the original restaurant on Burnham Street as well as a number of food trucks. The building houses a banquet hall for 250 people, as well as a full-service restaurant that is open at regular hours. Food served at the restaurant is the same

30 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

traditional Mexican fare as the other establishments, including tacos, sopes, tamales and quesadillas, along with some new additions. The parrillada ($35 for two) platter includes steak, chicken, pork and vegetables. Steak also appears in the new tampiquena ($13), a classic combo with grilled steak and a cheese enchilada, and mar y tierra, a steak and shrimp combo.

7507 W. Oklahoma Ave. • 414-573-2918 • $$

El Chivolin

A Mexican restaurant has opened in the former Jerusalem Pastries space in Greenfield. The ornate decor hasn’t changed much, though the former pastry case counter in the middle of the restaurant is now a bar. Owner Francisco Alvarez previously operated a restaurant of the same name on Mitchell Street, which is now closed. Like that restaurant, El Chivolin’s focus is on ceviche and other seafood dishes. Ceviche is available with various types of seafood ($12.99-$20.99) including fish, shrimp and octopus. Cooked dishes include whole fried fish, beef or chicken milanesa ($12.99), platters of head-on shrimp served with bottles of beer for sharing, and fish Verzcruzana. The bar serves up numerous types of micheladas, the beer and spicy tomato juice beverage, including versions with seafood right in the drink, including shrimp, octopus and oysters.

4171 S. 76th St. • 414-544-3132 • $$ facebook.com/cevicheriachivolin

Uncle Julio’s

A chain Mexican restaurant has opened in the Brookfield Square Mall. This is the first Uncle Julio’s location in Wisconsin, which has locations in nine other states.

The large building in the mall’s parking lot features rustic chic décor and a large wrap-around patio with fire pits. The menu is Tex-Mex with an emphasis on fajitas ($17.49-$26.99), including filet mignon, shrimp and salmon versions, all served with homemade flour tortillas. Tacos and combination platters make up the bulk of the rest of the menu, including seared ahi tuna tacos ($16.49) with mango jicama slaw. For dessert, the chocolate piñata ($25) is quite a show, since you have to crack open the hanging chocolate ball filled with fruit and churros. The margarita and tequila list is extensive with frozen and rocks options.

245 S. Moorland Road • 262-307-2700 • $$$ unclejulios.com

There were also a number of closings this month. Mi-key’s, a SURG Restaurant Group property on Jefferson, closed in late December, along with the Shorewood location of the Chocolate Factory. And, in Bayshore Town Center, both Sprecher’s Restaurant & Pub and Hom Woodfired Grill (also owned by SURG) closed, opting not to renew their leases.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::WHERETHEYEAT

ELECTRICAL SERVICE THAT WOWS

Nathan Heck

Head chef, Eagle Park Brewing When he isn’t smoking barbecue or karate chopping fries as head chef of Eagle Park Brewing, Nathan Heck likes to grab Mexican eats. “For quick bites, I will go to Taqueria El Cabrito for their menudo or tacos ranging from goat to chorizo,” Heck says. Restaurante Juquilita is his go-to for Oaxacan food, where he tries something new every time but always pairs it with an aqua jamaica.

When he and his girlfriend, Laura, head for a night out, their choice is often Goodkind. They get a cocktail or beer, and they agree that “anything off the menu is amazing. It’s comfy, warm and like a neighborhood bar.”

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::SHORTORDER

Cocktail Time at At Random

::BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

Some bars will whip up a Brandy Alexander on request, but At Random (2501 S. Delaware Ave.) isn’t just some bar. The inconspicuous corner in Bay View can handle a dozen different ice cream drinks, including Grasshoppers and Peanut Buttercups, served in soda fountain glasses and topped with cherries and butter cookies. If dessert isn’t your thing, At Random also serves such exotic inventions as the Red Dragon with vodka and rum and the Black Magic with Southern Comfort and vodka. In a “Mad Men” mood? At Random is the place for a Rob Roy or a Stinger. The drink menu is larger and more elaborate than the food menu at most restaurants. And yes, you can order plain old scotch and water on the rocks if that’s your fancy. They even have eye-catching non-alcoholic drinks.

After 60 some years in business, At Random nearly closed last year. It might have been razed, replaced by one of those multistory “multi-use” structures popping like toadstools around Milwaukee. Coming to the rescue was entrepreneur John Dye, the Milwaukeean who revitalized Bryant’s and resurrected the Jazz Gallery. The new owner changed virtually nothing. The dark interior is cozy and welcoming, lit by amber glass lamps suspended from the ceiling. The split mirrors on paneling remain, along with the curvaceous bar, the tiny booths for two and giant boomerang booths that could accommodate a party of 12. At Random has always existed in its own place and time—a cross between the sidebar at the Sands in Las Vegas circa 1955 and someone’s elaborate basement bar room circa 1969. Vintage soul music usually forms the conversational-level sonic backdrop to one of Milwaukee’s most unique lounges.

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Located in the Country Inn & Suites • 350 E Seven Hills Rd • Port Washington (414) 803-5177 • www.lepantobanquet.com J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | 31

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Weeds Keeps Growing Their Loose Leaf Tea Selection ::BY SHEILA JULSON

A

mericans are drinking more tea, but that’s no surprise to Karen Lillie, owner of Weeds (W62N588 Washington Ave., Cedarburg). At any given time, Weeds features more than 220 varieties of herbal, black, green, white, oolong, rooibos and chai loose-leaf tea and a myriad of tea accessories, and the selection keeps growing.

Weeds is the sister store to Lillies, featuring fairly traded, eco-friendly home goods, clothing and body care products. Karen and her husband, Jim, founded Lillies in 2007 and quickly saw there was a demand for ethically sourced goods that are also good for you—especially tea.

“When we first started out, we had fair trade tea and coffee,” Karen said. “More people were looking for herbal, medicinal-type tea, so we started checking companies that are strong in that area.” Karen has since built relationships with tea companies worldwide. Weeds also carries tea from local companies such as Rishi Tea. Karen’s daughter, Katie Gurung, and her husband, Bijaya Gurung, also work at Weeds. Bijaya is in charge of the tea department. The family has become well-versed in tea knowledge and lingo, and they’re always trying different teas and tak32 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

ing customer suggestions. Bijaya educates customers in great detail about tea growing and processing methods, or how to properly steep tea.

“Tea packed tightly into bags or a small tea ball constricts the leaves from fully opening up,” he said. “That diminishes the taste and aroma.”

He added that quality loose tea could be steeped three or four times over and still retain much of the flavor.

Medicinal teas like nettle or holy basil, as well as chamomile, lavender or cinnamon bark, still draw consistent customer interest. People also seek blends to help with sleep or ease symptoms from allergies or upset stomach. Weeds has eight different teas with turmeric, one of today’s indemand superfoods. They carry purple leaf tea, which Karen said is grown only in Kenya and is high in antioxidants. The Weeds team is evaluating tea with cannabidiol (CBD) to add to the store.

For those seeking flavor first, Katie and Bijaya noted that green or black almond teas are consistent bestsellers, along with seasonal varieties like summer strawberry or apple strudel. During the holidays, they sold plenty of Candy Cane or Butterscotch tea. Tea can also be aesthetically fun— Weeds has soothing blue hue teas, and tea for kids like Unicorn Sprinkles, Watermelon, Pink Flamingo or Fairy Tale Blend—a night-time mix to help kids relax.

With so many choices, people might be unsure of what they’re looking for, or just want to experiment with new varieties. Weeds has sample packs, so people can try different teas or have a cup of tea at the store.

Weeds also has spices to blend into to tea, along with local raw honey and maple syrup, and gourmet chocolates. Tea accessories include mugs, infusers, balls and travel tea mugs with built-in steepers. The Tea of the Month Club lets customers sign up for three, six or 12-month deliveries of assorted tea from a category of their choice.

Katie said they frequently see coffee drinkers looking to cut back on caffeine, but they think they don’t like tea because it’s not strong enough.

When they try a hearty black loose tea such as chestnut or the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Coffee blend, they’re pleasantly surprised by how tea can pack a robust flavor. “We’ve converted a lot of coffee drinkers,” she laughed.

For more information, visit lilliesweeds.com.

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J A N UA RY 3 1, 2 0 1 9 | 33

::A&E

Brought to you by The Milwaukee Art Museum

ROSS E ZENTNER

FEATURE | FILM | THEATRE | ART | BOOKS | CLASSICAL MUSIC | DANCE

Marti Gobel

‘Blood at the Root’ of American Injustice A CONVERSATION WITH NEXT ACT THEATRE’S MARTI GOBEL ::BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

34 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

n 2006 in Jena, La., someone hung a noose from the branches of an oak tree. The tree stood at the center of Jena High School’s courtyard and was considered the “white tree.”

Black students usually sat elsewhere when outside. The noose, starkly evoking the history of racist violence, set off a chain of events that led to the conviction of six black Jena High School students for beating a white classmate. In the aftermath came accusations that white attacks on blacks were treated more leniently in Jena. Thousands of protestors gathered at Jena in one of the largest civil rights rallies in years. The upheaval was a precursor to Black Lives Matter.

Jena also inspired a play: Dominique Morisseau’s Blood at the Root, opening this weekend at Next Act Theatre. The production is directed

by Marti Gobel, a familiar face for Milwaukee theatergoers as a performer with Next Act, Renaissance Theaterworks and Uprooted, a company she cofounded. Blood at the Root marks her directorial debut at Next Act. Gobel sees special urgency in presenting Blood at the Root—and not only because new incidents of racist behavior by high school and college students continue to spread virally. The play reflects on “where we are headed as a species. We are riding a tide of change,” she says.

“A wave of redefining so many things: what family is like; what gender is; what politics looks like; what self-identify is like. Change will come from the young. This play examines how those things that came before us can only be changed when young people decide that enough is enough!”

Enough should have been enough years ago. Blood at the Root’s title alludes to the 1939 anti-lynching song “Strange Fruit,” sung with laconic matter-of-factness by Billie Holiday. The lyric “blood on the branches, blood at the root,” written by Jewish activist Abel Meeropol, contradicted the mythology of “the gallant South” at a time when popular culture gave birth to Gone With the Wind.

Gobel calls the play “a devised memory piece” that addresses the “Jena Six,” the black students arBlood at rested in the incident that followed the hanging of noose. “It is heavily rooted in a contemporary the Root the hip-hop beat, recognizing that the roots of the isJan. 31 sue come from the jazz of the past,” she continues.

-Feb. 24 Morisseau, a provocative, contemporary, African American playwright, wrote Blood at the Root “with a Next Act rhythm that needs to be honored.” Gobel cites HamTheatre ilton as a breakthrough. “People are primed for storytelling in a different rhythm than they used to be.”

No trace of the mindless glee of most recent Broadway shows can be heard here. Not wanting to impose her own ideas on hip-hop, Gobel turned to her son, Kemet, to compose original music. “I put in music anywhere I can,” she insists. “I include more dance and music than Dominique Morisseau intended, but that’s just my style. She gave me permission to do that!

“Here’s the cool thing,” Gobel continues. “Half of the cast is very young. The lead actor, Chantae Miller, is 17 and plays a character [Raylynn] her own age.”Youthfulness is at the center of Gobel’s mission to teach with Blood at the Root by conducting workshops around the play at a half dozen Milwaukee urban high schools. The takeaway: “How the roots of the past led to who we are—the fresh branches of the American tree. It’s about young people and their voices,” Gobel says.

Blood at the Root shows Jan. 31-Feb. 24 at Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St. For tickets, call 414-278-0765 or visit nextact.org/shows/bloodat-the-root.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Evan P. and Marion Helfaer Theatre

MEET THE ARTIST

Feb. 15 - 24

Order tickets by phone: 414.288.7504, or online at marquettetheatre.showclix.com

On Saturday, February 2, meet Charles Munch.

11:00–2:00 | Conversations in the Gallery 2:00–3:00 | Artist Talk and Book Signing

205 Veterans Avenue, West Bend | wisconsinart.org Charles Munch, Wisconsin River Trip, Oil on canvas, 2018, Courtesy Tory Folliard Gallery (detail)

The Go-to Site for Everything Cannabis We will keep you informed each week about the growing availability of legal cannabis products in Milwaukee, the move toward legalization of marijuana in Wisconsin and cannabis news from around the world.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

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::THISWEEKINMILWAUKEE SATURDAY, FEB. 2 Mitten Fest @ Burnhearts, noon

Winter may have come in like a lamb this year, but it’s revealed itself to be a very angry lion.

That’s all the more reason to be thankful for Burnhearts’ annual Mitten Fest, the rare Milwaukee festival that invites us to make the most of a season that many of us dread. This year’s celebration of all things winter will feature an art and maker fair curated by Cortney Heimerl, a variety of drinks to warm up with (including Irish coffees, barrel old fashioneds, ginger brandy hot toddies and a variety of rare beers from Central Waters and Founders), and one of the event’s best music lineups yet. Headliners include Abby Jeanne, Vincent VanGREAT, Surgeons in Heat, Cashfire Sunset and Nickel&Rose. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishables, cash donations and new or gently used winter clothing for the Hunger Task Force (and hand warmers for themselves—you can never have enough hand warmers this time of year).

Ronnie Nyles w/ That’s What She Said @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY, JAN. 31

The Wailers

The Wailers @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.

The Wailers complemented Bob Marley’s reggae sound the same way that the J.B.s laid down the funk for James Brown, augmenting his voice with just the right groove and helping reggae’s most famous singer sell more than 250 million albums. After Marley’s death in 1981, the band carried on, releasing several studio albums, a slew of live albums and touring the world behind the hits that Marley made famous, including those collected in Marley’s hit posthumous compilation Legend. The band’s lineup has changed multiple times throughout the decades, but it’s always been anchored by original bassist Aston Barrett, who is currently joined by original guitarists Julian Junior Marvin and Donald Kinsey. They’re billing this show as Bob Marley’s birthday bash, ahead of what would have been the singer’s 74th birthday on Feb. 6.

FRIDAY, FEB. 1

Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents the Dan Nimmer Trio @ Marcus Center, 7:30 p.m.

It didn’t take jazz pianist/composer Dan Nimmer long to make a name for himself. The Milwaukee native had barely finished studying music at Northern Illinois University before he was hired in 2005 by Wynton Marsalis to join the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis Quintet. He continues to perform with both, but he’s also become a sought-after solo performer, releasing five albums on the Japanese label Venus. Over the years, he’s performed with artists as diverse as Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, Chick Corea, Tom Jones and Eric Clapton.

Chris D’Elia @ The Riverside Theater, 7 p.m.

Los Angeles comic Chris D’Elia has been seen on a variety of modestly watched or little-remembered sitcoms like “Whitney” and “Undateable,” but he’s clearly doing something right with his career. It’s a sign of how devoted his following is that his show originally scheduled for the Pabst Theater was relocated to the Riverside Theater due to demand. Some of that following could stem from D’Elia’s reoccurring role on ABC’s popular drama “The Good Doctor” during its first season, but most of it likely comes from the Internet, where videos of D’Elia’s stand-up sets and Comedy Central performances are widely shared.

Peeper & Le Play w/ Stormchaser and Stacian @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.

Milwaukee’s electronic music scene is a far bigger, weirder beast than most people realize. This bill spotlights one of the scene’s more eccentric acts. On their new cassette/album Club Frills Vol. 1, the duo Peeper & Le Play created a demented hodge-podge built around dance, children’s music, boogie and synthesizers. It’s a trip. They’re joined by Stormchaser, a Milwaukee/San Francisco act with an ear for blissful digital tones, and darkwave/minimalist synth composer Stacian, a Milwaukee native currently based out of Nashville.

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Milwaukee folk-rocker Ronnie Nyles has performed at festival stages all around the Midwest. She writes hard-fought songs about overcoming, but her secret weapon is her voice: a tough, smoky croon that’s earned her comparisons to belters like Rod Stewart, Bonnie Raitt and Melissa Etheridge. In November, Nyles released her most recent single, an Indigo Girlsesque inspirational ballad called “Fly.” Nyles is joined on this bill by That’s What She Said, a quartet of outspoken Milwaukee singer/songwriters, most of them staples at Milwaukee coffeeshops and open mics.

MONDAY, FEB. 4

Dancing with the Stars: Live! @ The Riverside Theater, 7:30 p.m.

The ongoing joke about ABC’s reliably popular reality series “Dancing with the Stars” is that it doesn’t feature any actual stars (most of the names of the series’ most recent 27th season would have been familiar only to the most addicted TV obsessive). Still, given the show’s name, it’s ironic that this live tour quite literally does away with the stars altogether. Instead, it features a cast of troupe dancers from the show, performing the kind of variety of ballroom and jazz dances that the show features. It’s a tacit admission that nobody’s really watching the show for the stars anyway.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 6 Comethazine w/ Matt Ox and TNT Tez @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.

20-year-old St. Louis rapper Comethazine began his career making lyrically minded rap in the vaguely throwback style of Joey Bada$$, only to find that it wasn’t gaining much traction. So he pivoted, turning instead to a wilder, more party-minded style of rap modeled after SoundCloud rappers like Lil Pump and Playboi Carti, while celebrating his love of lean. Since signing to Alamo Records in 2017, he’s scored viral singles, including “Deathwish” and “Piped Up.” He released his latest full-length BAW$KEE 2 in January.

Comethazine SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ARTISTIC DIRECTORS - ISABELLE KRALJ & MARK ANDERSON : PRESENT :

ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE featuring: Ben Yela | David Flores | Emmi! Morgans Hannah Klapperich-Mueller | Katie Gesell Leslie Fitzwater | Ron Scot Fry directed by: Isabelle Kralj music by: Jason Powell, Frank Pahl and Li!le Bang Theory lighting design by: Alan Piotrowicz

Based on Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy Of The People, this engaging theatrical work, typical of Gigante’s hybrid style, addresses a number of challenges that remain highly relevant today. Environmental issues vs. economic interests, policy debates, and the moral dilemmas and tensions involved in speaking truth to power.

FEB. 8–16, 2019

CREATED BY ISABELLE KRALJ & MARK ANDERSON Kenilworth 508 Theatre • 1925 E Kenilworth Place

tickets: $25 general • 20 seniors • 15 students giganteenemy.brownpapertickets.com or 800-838-3006 info: www.theatregigante.org

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supported and sponsored by

J A N UA RY 3 1, 2 0 1 9 | 37

A&E::INREVIEW

::PERFORMINGARTSWEEK THEATRE

PAW Patrol Live!

PAW Patrol Live! sets sail with a new adventure, and “X” barks the spot in this pirate-themed, kid-friendly show based on the Nickelodeon cartoon series. Titled The Great Pirate Adventure, the show begins on “Pirate Day” in Adventure Bay, and the townsfolk are getting ready for the big celebration, but first, Ryder and his team of pirate pups (the PAW Patrol) must rescue Cap’n Turbot from a mysterious cavern.

When they do, they also discover a secret pirate treasure map.

The PAW Patrol sets out over land and sea to find the treasure for the celebration before Mayor Humdinger finds it first; the pups will need all paws on deck for this pirate adventure, including some help from the newest pup, Tracker. This light-hearted children’s theatre show features colorful costumes and broad acting sure to keep the kiddies thoroughly entertained. (John Jahn) Feb. 5 and 6 at Miller High Life Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. For tickets, call 800-745-3000 or visit millerhighlifetheatre.com.

Pure Enough to Drink

This original two-act drama explores the consequences of (and reasons for) addiction through the eyes of a man and his son. A memory play with both comedic and dramatic elements, Pure Enough to Drink makes its debut on The Company of Strangers’ stage exploring lessons in self-sacrifice, patience and evil. Would-be attendees should note that this is a Christian-based theatrical performance company. Pure Enough to Drink will be directed by Jessica L. Sosnoski and feature actors Kerric Stephens, Markaz Davis and Kellie Wambold.

Feb. 1, 2, 8 and 9 at The Underground Collaborative, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets, call 434-221-7498 or visit thecompanyofstrangerstheater.com.

DANCE

Winterdances: Refuge

Refuge is found in community, social justice work and in art itself in the five premieres of this year’s winter concert by the UW-Milwaukee Dance Department created for student dancers by faculty choreographers Simone Ferro and Darci Brown Wutz, Master of Fine Arts candidate Bryn Cohn and guest artists Esther Baker-Tarpaga and Andrea Burkholder.

Burkholder’s “Residence Time” is the first aerial dance created for UWM students. To original music by Milwaukee’s Hydraviolet and video art by Nathanial Stern, the cast performs suspended by silk and a hoop—a temporary sanctuary or a home? Baker-Tarpaga is cofounder of a transnational dance company based in both Burkina Faso and Philadelphia.

She set “treewaterland-milwaukee” to gospel/punk music by Milwaukee’s Nickel&Rose and began rehearsals at Lake Michigan where her dancers discussed their family lineages and honored the ground on which they stood.

Ferro’s “The Grey Shape of Wasp’s Nests”—named after a poem by Milwaukee Poet Laureate Susan Firer—features the latter and Milwaukee actress Flora Coker reading Firer’s poetry. Based in Ferro’s research on the Sherman Park neighborhood, the work honors the determined, often anonymous women whose struggles have reshaped generations. Wutz considers Scottish folk dance in “Together Alone,” while Cohn’s “Viewpoint” presents performance relationships as portraits of refuge provided. (John Schneider) Jan. 31-Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. at the UWM Mainstage Theatre, 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd.

Shen Yun

New York-based Chinese dance ensemble Shen Yun has been performing a colorful review of 5,000 years of their nation’s history for more than a decade now. Since that story doesn’t end with the “happily-ever-after” of the workers’ paradise founded by the Chinese Communist Party, Shen Yun is now banned from their home country.

Shen Yun combines traditional Chinese dance with more modern moves, stunning special effects and a nicely blended East-meets-West symphonic palate. What it may lack in artistic depth is largely compensated for by sheer spectacle. A Shen Yun performance features highly talented, classically trained dancers, a full-scale orchestra and eye-popping visuals via animated backdrops and vivid costumes. (John Jahn) Feb. 2 and 3 at Miller High Life Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. For tickets, call 800-745-3000 or visit millerhighlifetheatre.com.

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ROSS E ZENTNER

For More to Do, visit shepherdexpress.com

Renaissance Theatreworks’ ‘Photograph 51’

THEATRE

Top-Notch Performances in Renaissance Theaterworks’ ‘Photograph 51’ ::BY HARRY CHERKINIAN

R

osalind Franklin is a woman ahead of her time and place in 1950s England. A scientist slavishly devoted to her work, she is consumed with discovering the “secret of life”—the DNA double-helix. And she is subsumed within a world dominated by men, who are more interested in making a name for themselves, using her work and discovery.

Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW), once again, provides an intensely captivating and fascinating drama filled with top-notch performances in Anna Ziegler’s Photograph 51.

Directed with acute precision and devotion to detail by RTW’s Suzan Fete, Photograph 51 educates as well as entertains. RTW’s stellar production demonstrates that the creativity of art and the laws of science can create a compelling onstage synergy.

There is no need to be a science “geek” to understand the goings-on. Ziegler’s exceptionally written script explains the evolution of the discovery with the actual numbered “photograph 51” being the image that clearly defined the DNA double -helix. Her innate understanding of the people in the white lab coats enriches the three-dimensional characters she’s created, showcasing their lives outside the lab as well as within it.

While the male-dominated cast turn in solid performances, Cassandra Bissell commands the stage, powerfully holding her ground as needed and paving the way for the discovery to come. Bissell’s choices are riveting to watch; the subtle shading of knowing when to push forward and pull back with a male colleague; her inner yearnings for companionship awakening late in her career when a protégé becomes romantically interested. It is an enthralling, tour de force performance. As her lab supervisor turned work “partner,” Dr. Maurice Wilkins, Neil Brookshire deftly navigates a challenging role as the “stiff” Englishman who is cowed—and ultimately seduced—by her intensity and knowingness. Joshua Krause skillfully fleshes out the protégé role of Ray Gosling, steadily but surely adding understated emotional layers within their growing personal relationship.

“We made the invisible, visible,” says Dr. Rosalind Franklin at play’s start. Thanks to Photograph 51, we can now clearly see the woman, not behind, but ahead of all the men surrounding her.

Through Feb. 10 at Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway. For more information, call 414-291-7800 or visit r-t-w.com.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

THEATRE

First Stage Dramatizes the Power of Words in ‘Locomotion’ ::BY RUSS BICKERSTAFF

F

irst Stage covers a tremendous amount of thematic ground with its production of Jacqueline Woodson’s drama Locomotion. The story of a foster kid in Brooklyn learning the power of poetry is a tale of art, life, struggle, expression, loss and so much more. It all springs vividly to life for 75 minutes without intermission.

Director Aaron Todd Douglas keeps all of the themes together with a keen sense of emotional complexity.

CLASSICALMUSIC

Humor and Phenomenal Playing at Red Priest Concert ::BY RICK WALTERS

T

he terrific British ensemble Red Priest (named after the red-headed Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi) hasn’t played in Milwaukee for a decade but returned on Saturday evening for a red-hot concert at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Any concert on the Early Music Now series never fails to deliver a near-capacity audience, even on an extremely cold night.

The program was titled “The Baroque Bohemians: Gypsy Fever from Campfire to Court.”

Loosely defined Gypsy-themed music by various composers was delivered with showmanship, humor and lightness of spirit, qualities too rarely encountered in classical concerts.

A whole concert of featured recorder playing SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Young performers from First Stage Theater Academy play Lonnie and Lili Motion—foster siblings who find themselves in different homes after the loss of their parents. Lonnie is trying to make sense of his own past with the aid of his writing teacher Miss Marcus. She challenges him to embrace the written language in order to express himself. Nadja Simmonds does a brilliant job of bringing the vibrant energy to the roles of both Miss Marcus in the present and Lonnie’s mother in flashbacks. Ronnel Taylor sharply channels earthbound wisdom as Lonnie’s late father in Lonnie’s memories.

There are some very deep moments between father and son where a love of the language is passed on. That love of language is fully embraced with the aid of Miss Marcus.

The drama rests on a beautiful set by Martin McClendon which balances an exaggerated sense of forced perspective with a warmly domestic Brooklyn apartment complete with fire escape to a roof looking out over a distant New York skyline beyond the Brooklyn Bridge.

It’s an appealingly simple space to embrace the complexities of life fed through the lens of a young man who is just beginning to understand the world through the language of poetry.

Through Feb. 24 at Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, 325 W. Walnut St. For tickets, call 414267-2961 or visit firststage.org.

can become a bit monotonous because of lack of variety in volume and tone. Not so with the phenomenal Piers Adams playing. I can’t imagine any recorder player today surpassing his virtuoso musicianship on seven recorders of different sizes and ranges, sometimes even playing two instruments at once in an impressive stunt.

Adams was also a charming spokesperson for the group, with a comedian-like light touch.

With a Gypsy theme, violin is inevitable, and Adam Summerhayes played fleet and flashy solo after solo with amazing technique and fluency. He is also a principal arranger for the group and has a knack for livening up music by Georg Telemann, George Handel or Vivaldi, sometimes veering into Bluegrasslike sounds. There was often a free, improvisatory spirit to the arrangements. The theme from The Godfather somehow made its way into Richard Nicholson’s “The Jew’s Dance.”

The music of Uhrovské, a region in Slovakia, was featured twice in spicy Summerhayes arrangements. I never expected to hear dueling recorder and fiddle solos in music by Handel, but it was giddy fun.

Angela East plays cello with lively gusto and a beautiful tone, captivating in soulful slow music, or in blazing fury, as in a Canzona by Polish composer Marcin Mielczewski. She was often the anchor for the antics of the other players.

David Wright made much of his harpsichord parts, brilliantly conjuring frothy solos that were not unlike jazz at times. The harpsichord is not usually a colorful instrument, but Wright makes it so con brio.

ROSS E ZENTNER

A&E::INREVIEW

Skylight’s ‘Five Guys Named Moe’

THEATRE

Five Entertaining ‘Guys Named Moe’ Move and Groove at Skylight

I

::BY HARRY CHERKINIAN

f the deep winter blues have settled in, then Skylight Music Theatre has the perfect pick me up: Five Guys Named Moe. This nonstop party of a musical is sure to lift spirits and sing and dance away the heartaches just in time for Cupid’s big arrival on Feb. 14.

Written by Clarke Peters and based on 25 classic songs by singer, songwriter and bandleader Louis Jordan, the “Five Moes” show up to turn around a jilted boyfriend drinking away his sorrows as he pines for his lost love. Jordan was one of the most popular entertainers from the 1940s-’50s, beloved by black and white audiences. His upbeat, jazzy tunes are well-served by a terrific ensemble that excel with their movin’ and groovin’ in this 110-minute “party.” Even the lead up to the intermission included an audience conga line. (Spoiler Alert: audience participation is mandatory, so just join in the fun!)

As Nomax (Gavin Lawrence) listens to the 5 a.m. blues on the radio with whiskey in hand. The Fivesome magically appear out of the radio to show him how to get his girl—and life—back on track. Just to keep count, there’s: Four-Eyed Moe (James Carrington), No Moe (Shawn Holmes), Eat Moe (Sean Anthony Jackson), Big Moe (Lorenzo Rush Jr.) and Little Moe (Kevin James Sievert). And can these multi-talented guys sing and dance!

Choreographer Lanette Costas keeps the fancy footwork in high gear throughout, from the train movements in “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” to the high energy impact the title tune. The Moes can handle it and so much, well, mo’. But it is director Malkia Stampley who truly impresses in her Skylight directorial debut. Her skilled direction pays homage to Jordan’s rich legacy and celebrates the innate, unfiltered joy of his music.

So, for a couple of hours, the cold melts away and troubles get left behind when five guys named Moe show up. Make sure to give them a warm welcome!

Through Feb. 10 at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway. For tickets, call 414-291-7800 or visit skylightmusictheatre.org.

For a review of Theater RED’s NINE the Musical, visit shepherdexpress.com. n J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | 39

A&E::VISUALART ‘CONSIDERING OUTSIDER ART’ AT COMMUNICATION GALLERY IN MADISON

SPONSORED BY

Communication Gallery Focuses on Artists Inside the Outsider Tradition ::BY SHANE MCADAMS

W

hen one is born, one’s relationship to language is firm and crystalline, and it thaws and turns fluid as the years pass. We all eventually come to understand the natural instability of the words we originally took for granted. When I was very young, words like “album,” “film” and “TV show” seemed concrete and eternal, but they survive today only because “a series of related digital songs” or “a 48-minute scripted drama on Netflix” aren’t reasonable alternatives. The medium in such cases conceived the name of the art form, and, as time passed and technology evolved, we were stuck using confused terminological orphans.

A more complex version of this conundrum is encapsulated in an exhibition at Madison’s Communication Gallery called “Considering Outsider Art” (through March 30), the implications of which reach deep into our local art world and far beyond. Like “film” and “album,” the term “outsider art” is a remnant from a time when the world was very different. A time when one could make something that was beyond the reach of “official culture,” the distinction preferred by the show’s curators to define the boundaries of “outsiderness”.

The show “considers” by exhibiting works by artists who practice in the outsider tradition. The gallery itself cuts a fairly humble profile in a storefront off highway 151 east of Madison.

It’s “outside” in the way the work is: off the metaphorical Main Street but not off the grid. The show unfolds in a back gallery behind a DIY shop in front, and it features work that is at times naïve, cleverly referential and even sophisticated by insider standards. Becca Kacanda’s glass, button and bottle cap encrusted mini-altars stand out as sculptural gems helping to confirm the show’s mission. Her work draws inspiration from the grottos of Iowa outsider Catherine Bastian but might also make locals think of Fred Smith’s roadside masterpiece in Phillips, Wis. Kacanda’s constructions don’t elicit the supernatural shiver that came over me when experiencing Smith’s Concrete Park alone in a light snow, at dusk, in midwinter. Still, they faithfully draw on a kind of creative abandon and material omnivorousness that unites Smith, Bastian and many other outsiders.

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Adjacent to Kacanda’s work on the wall are a number of equally beguiling concrete mask-like reliefs embedded with cutlery, keys, watches, glass and other items by Josh Howard. They succeed at furthering the cause by being completely bizarre and almost beyond category, unclear whether they were made in a sanitarium or a senior sculpture studio.

Tim Brenner, a Madison-based artist who has shown in Milwaukee on a number of occasions, offers a staider series of patterned acrylic abstractions on boards, sitting upright neatly on two homemade shelves painted with cartoony wood graining. It’s a little Dr. Seuss-y, but its overall elegance might mistake it for something less naïve: a Carol Bove, Haim Steinbach or something from the pages of Lucy Lippard’s Six Years. But, if you’re familiar with his work, you know he’s a master of the unmasterful, a virtuoso of unvirtuosity. So, his inclusion makes sense even as it begs for further clarification of the term “outsider.”

It would be simple to dismiss a show of “outsiderness” on the grounds that the enterprise is inherently contradictory and possibly fetishistic. There are plenty of detractors hurling these very claims throughout the art world at the moment, but they are outnumbered by the growing fanbase of “outsider,” “self-taught” and “folk” art.

The Outsider Art Fair concluded last week in New York and was attended by many thousands of visitors, 67 international galleries and hundreds of works both by true naïfs, many of them deceased, and hundreds more by living artists with art degrees and dedicated studio practices. Outsider art even includes the work of the actor Jim Carrey, who now makes political cartoons (He must have taught himself). One of Milwaukee’s best-loved galleries exhibited work there by several living local practitioners who, as far as I can tell, are totally inside the cultural fold. Clearly precise distinctions about what constitutes an outsider, it seems, don’t matter as much as does their look-and-feel. So, should we care about this dissonance any more than we care that we still use the term “book” to describe a story on Audible?

Maybe it’s like punk rock, as we know who the pioneers were: Sid, Joe, Joey. Their spirit lives on through new music, even if the Queen’s no longer offended. We know real punk when we see it.

Like Potter Stuart knew smut. Perhaps it’s the same for art; the possibility of being outside of anything in 2019 is lost, true, but can the essence persist in spite of that? That’s a question that hovers heavily over Wisconsin in particular, with its proud history of true outsiders: Tom Every; Herman Rusch; Paul and Matilda Wegner.

“Considering Outsider Art” offers a look at the post-punk equivalents who keep the naïve dream alive. LaNia Sproles, Barb Priem, Art Paul Schlosser and others reflect the defining characteristic of the regional art scene: fearlessly intuitive art work that scoffs at learned tastes. One wonders how long such an anti-intellectual spirit, which is ultimately what unites true outsider and outsider-derived art, can persist. And how long can we afford to be proudly innocent in a world of increasing cynicism and sophistication? Indefinitely, I hope, but I’m not counting on it.

OPENINGS: “Arrested Development” Feb. 1-March 30 5 Points Art Gallery and Studios 3514 N. Port Washington Ave.

“Arrested Development” showcases challenging depictions of the treatment and value of the black male body in reference to undefined and urban spaces by oil painter and Beloit College professor of visual arts, George Williams and multidisciplinary artist and Maryland Institute of College of Art student Xavier Lightfoot. Williams’ largescale paintings separate black male bodies from site-specific backgrounds with the hope of letting the audience both evaluate and question its views of black people in general. Lightfoot’s mixed-media and sculptural installations are visual narrations of an 18-year-old black and native male navigating social issues such as police brutality, mass incarceration, gun violence, sexual orientation, racism and religion in Milwaukee. For more information, call 414-988-4021 or visit facebook. com/5ptsartgallery.

Two Workshops for Adults

Feb. 2 and 3 Lynden Sculpture Garden 2145 W. Brown Deer Road

“Paper Marbling: A Workshop with Cary Suneja,” takes place on Saturday, Feb. 2. Marbling is the ancient art of “floating” paints on a water bath, then combing and raking them into intricate patterns.

In this workshop, participants can learn how to apply acrylic paints to a water bath and create beautiful one-of-a-kind papers. “Make a Planter for Valentine’s Day: A Ceramics Workshop with Katheryn Corbin,” takes place on Sunday, Feb. 3. In this workshop, attendees can create a ceramic planter for Valentine’s Day using coil-building techniques, red clay slip and surface decoration. Completed planters will be fired at Lynden and ready for pick-up by Valentine’s Day. Both adult workshops are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 414-446-8794 or visit lyndensculpturegarden.org.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

A&E::FILM

[ FILM CLIPS ] Miss Bala PG-13 Gloria (Gina Rodriguez) is a young, Hispanic, Los Angeles-based makeup artist. While visiting a Tijuana, Mexico, nightclub with her best friend, Suzu, gun-toting thugs attack. When the shooting stops, Suzu is gone. Reasoning her friend has been taken by the drug cartel responsible for the attack, Gloria finds its leader, Lino (Ismael Cruz Cordova), who forces Gloria to become one of his mules (drug couriers). He comes to trust the talented and brave makeup artist, unaware that she plans to turn him into the DEA in order to find and free her friend. This adaptation remakes a 2011 Mexican, Spanish-language film of the same name. Its realism may be questionable, but the action and its heroine are captivating. (Lisa Miller)

The Kid Who Would be King PG

‘Cold War’

OscarNominated ‘Cold War’ a Tragic Story of Love and Politics ::BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

I

n the 1930s, the Library of Congress sent musicologists into the American countryside to document fastfading rural traditions. According to Cold War, Communist Poland did something similar after World War II. The Oscar-nominated film opens with musicians and singers in remote villages—a bagpipe-fiddle duo droning with music as old as the Earth, girls singing love songs in the darkest shades of melancholy—being recorded on reel-toreel by an earnest team of musicologists. Not unlike the U.S. a decade before, the project is also a springboard from the front porch to the concert stage for a few performers able to make the transition.

Cold War’s protagonists are the musicologist-arranger Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) and the village girl he loves and mentors, Zula (Joanna Kulig). Wiktor’s pursuit of authentic folk music is called to question when he asks about the number she sings while auditioning for his state-sponsored folklore troupe. Turns out the song wasn’t handed down generation to generation. Zula heard it in a Soviet movie SHEPHERD EXPRESS

screened in her village. Well, it’s a good tune, sung in a voice like crystal. She passes the audition.

Music-in-performance is Cold War’s backdrop, the milieu of its talented protagonists. A tragic love story, Cold War concerns the distorting gravity of bad politics on the arts as well as personal life. Before long, the cultural bureaucrats insist on songs about land reform and productions that “show gratitude” for Comrade Stalin. Wiktor and Zula feel stifled and under surveillance. As Zula admits in a tender moment, she’s been drafted as an informer by Wiktor’s ideologically correct colleague, Lech (Borys Szyc). He wants to know if Wiktor listens to American radio, has foreign currency, believes in God… When their troupe performs in East Berlin, Wiktor and Zula are handed their chance. It’s 1952, a decade before the Wall, and escape is relatively easy. Wiktor stands at their rendezvous point near West Berlin’s French sector and waits—and waits. Hours pass in the cold night. Finally, he dashes alone across the line and ends up in Paris, Cold War playing piano with an Tomasz Kot African American expaJoanna Kulig triate jazz combo. He’s Directed free but has left part of

by Pawel himself behind. He’s still in love with Zula— Pawlikowski and perhaps with the Rated R country he fled.

Cold War also concerns affairs less definable than political borders as it explores the unstable, destructive tendencies within the human heart. Filmed in stark black and white, Cold War visually evokes European art-house cinema during the timespan of its story, the late 1940s through the early 1960s. And like leading figures in Europe’s cinema from that era, Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski has no use for happy Hollywood conventions. Cold War deserves its three Oscar nominations: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director and Best Cinematography.

A family friendly storyline and nostalgic ’80s morality tale are affable elements of this updated Excalibur story. Young Louis Ashbourne Serkis (son of famous motion-capture actor Andy Serkis) portrays downtrodden 12-year-old Alex. After intervening to save his best friend (Dean Chaumoo) from school bullies, Alex pulls a sword from concrete. Merlin arrives (Patrick Stewart and, in adolescent form, Angus Imrie) to explain Excalibur has chosen Alex to defeat evil Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson). Alex recruits classmates as his knights, reluctantly leading but refusing to see himself as special. Frequent one-liners and excellent special effects keep the action rolling along at a good clip. (L.M.)

Serenity R Matthew McConaughey is boat captain Baker, a hired guide for fishing trips off Plymouth Island. Diane Lane plays Baker’s girlfriend, Constance, awkward when Baker’s ex-wife, Karen (Anne Hathaway), shows up, claiming her new husband (Jason Clarke) intends to kill her.

With Karen attempting to persuade Baker to arrange a fatal fishing accident, it soon becomes evident his ex has secrets of her own. Can Constance and Baker’s best friend (Djimon Hounsou) save him? Much can go wrong with a twisty thriller, but given its impeccable cast, the doublecrosses should be double fun. (L.M.)

[ HOME MOVIES / NOW STREAMING ] n Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Collector’s Edition) n The Jerk: 40th Anniversary Edition Steve Martin and Michael Caine star in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), a suave evocation of classic Hollywood comedy. Martin even learned to tap dance for his role. The Blu-ray includes a behind-the-scenes documentary and interview with Martin and writer Dale Launer. For The Jerk’s 40th anniversary, the Blu-ray’s bonus material includes an amusing conversation between director Carl Reiner and writer-star Martin, who explains that the movie represents his transition from stand-up to cinema.

n Await Further Instructions It’s not a happy Christmas when the Milgram family’s son returns home with his Indian girlfriend. British director Johnny Kevorkian sets his horror film against a backdrop of ill-tempered xenophobia and bad news on the TV. The young couple try to slip away from the unpleasant household but find the house enclosed inside a mysterious black wall.

The archetypal story of squabbling people trapped together against an enemy takes pokes at mindless obedience and social anxiety.

n Bad Reputation When The Runaways debuted in 1975, girls didn’t play rock ’n’ roll.

Whatever else can be said for them, The Runaways were trailblazers in their day. Focused on guitarist Joan Jett, Bad Reputation revisits their origins in L.A.’s campy-Quaalude-cocaine subculture. But when they strayed into the mainstream, they were bullied and treated with scorn by a rock scene that wanted to remain a boys’ club. Jett makes the case in interviews for the liberating aspect of The Runaways.

—David Luhrssen J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | 41

A&E::BOOKS

PATRICK MANNING

BOOK|REVIEW

Wisconsin in Watercolor: The Life and Legend of Folk Artist Paul Seifert

(WISCONSIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESS), BY JOE KAPLER Paul Seifert (1846-1921) has been described as an outsider artist living on the Wisconsin frontier. In the first-ever book on Seifert, illustrated with many of his paintings in color, Joe Kapler complicates the picture. With his flat lack of perspective and carefully detailed depictions of rural Wisconsin scenes, Seifert was a primitive artist yet not quite an “outsider” as usually defined. The son of a German school teacher and a member of the Wisconsin Archeological Society, Seifert was a pillar of his community in Richland County.

Like his neighbors, Seifert farmed for a living. Painting was a hobby; he may have given some paintings away and bartered others for goods. He left behind a record of a particular place in time, “his imagery warm and nostalgic,” Kapler writes. (David Luhrssen)

Liam Callanan

BOOK|PREVIEW

Novelist Sets ‘Paris by the Book’ in Milwaukee

U

::BY JENNI HERRICK

W-Milwaukee English professor and author Liam Callanan has publicly embraced his adopted hometown, going so far as to dub the Brew City as the “new Seattle,” and so it should come as no surprise that he staged the early parts of his newest novel, Paris by the Book, in Milwaukee. Like its title presumes, however, most of the action in this poignant mystery takes place in the City of Lights, where Leah Eady and her two teenage daughters have unexpectedly relocated, on a desperate quest to locate Leah’s recently disappeared writer husband and the girls’ father.

Even more unexpectedly, the trio of female expats quickly find themselves as the new owners of a quintessential Parisian bookstore in the center of the city, whose beloved books and classic literary characters come alive against a backdrop of intrigue surrounding the disappearance. A national bestseller, Paris by the Book is an engrossing literary mystery, a vibrant tour through the streets of Paris and a love letter to books themselves.

Liam Callanan, whose debut 2004 novel, The Cloud Atlas, was an Edgar Award finalist and whose short fiction has appeared in publications ranging from Good Housekeeping to The New York Times, has crafted another charming book filled with refreshing characters whose family sagas and universal struggles transcend any border.

In addition to his work at UWM, Callanan is the founder of several city-wide community literature projects, including “Eat Local: Read Local” and the “Poetry Everywhere” animated film series. Callanan will celebrate the release of the paperback edition of Paris by the Book at the Elm Grove Public Library at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31.

The free book talk is co-sponsored by Boswell Book Co.

42 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::OFFTHECUFF

Showing LGBTQ People with Addiction the Way to Recovery OFF THE CUFF WITH DRUGREHABâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AMY KELLER ::BY JEAN-GABRIEL FERNANDEZ

T

he LGBTQ community is disproportionately affected by substance abuse: It affects 20-30% of LGBTQs compared to 8.4% of the general population, according to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Some services, such as drugrehab.com, cater specifically to LGBTQ individuals to address this alarming situation and the unique obstacles they encounter on the path to recovery. Amy Keller is a registered nurse and a lesbian, so she is particularly sensitive to medical issues affecting LGBTQ people. A writer and researcher for drugrehab.com, she discussed the issue of drug abuse in the community with Off the Cuff.

What motivated you to work on this topic?

Drug addiction is one of the biggest crises facing our country right now. I have lesbian friends who became addicted to alcohol in high school because of the misery they were enduring trying to hide the fact that they were gay. I have transgender friends whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve struggled with addiction and been driven to the brink of suicide because of the hatred and bullying theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve enduredâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;sometimes from their own family members.

 Can you talk about the work drugrehab.com does? Drugrehab.com is an entirely free website that provides information and resources to the public about drug abuse, addiction and recovery. You can read personal recovery stories, in-depth guides on everything from suicide to bullying to living with an alcoholic, information about all sorts of drugs, side effects, withdrawal and, most importantly, how treatment can help. Any question youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever had about drugs and addictionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we probably have the answer.  I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re filling an important informational void. You can certainly read about the drug epidemic every day in the media, but a lot of the coverage is incredibly dark.

People also need hope. They need to hear about how they can get well and overcome addiction, not just that overdose and death is inevitable. People have to know there is a way out of the hell theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re living in. We try to provide that light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

Why is the LGBTQ community particularly vulnerable to addiction?

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got gay kids and transgender kids who are rejected by their families and, in extreme cases, thrown out of their homes. Or maybe theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re being bullied at school, or arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t comfortable coming out at all, so they keep their identity completely secret.

Imagine the stress of having to live that way. All of those kinds of stressors take a toll on a person. It can lead to mental anguish, and people who are in pain look for ways to feel betterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;unfortunately, many turn to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. At drugrehab.com, we recognize that the LGBTQ community has some unique concerns and challenges when it comes to substance abuse. We try to cover these issues in a prominent way, with in-depth guides, podcasts and our news coverage.

What are the costs of treatment?

Treatment costs can vary dramaticallyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in-patient treatment is a lot more expensive. Detox can cost $250 to $800 a day, and residential treatment can range anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000, depending on the length of treatment. A 90-day outpatient program might range from $5,000 to $10,000. The key thing to do if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thinking about rehab is to check on your insurance coverage. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, insurance plans are required to cover treatment for mental health services, including rehab.

Can you tell me about one of your success stories?

About a year ago, I wrote a comprehensive article about GHB addiction, which is really rampant in the gay club scene. [GHB is Gamma Hydroxybutyrate. In the 1960s, it was used for general anesthetic purposes; in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s, it became more widely used as a body building agent and nutritional supplement; in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s, however, it grew more popular among young club goers as a drug of choice to abuse.] After that piece went live, I heard from a gay man who thanked me for writing the article and said it was the first piece heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d read about GHB addiction that he could relate to. He told me that there is so little information available about it that his therapist and doctor didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know what GHB was. We talked about his desire to start a GHB Anonymous group to help others. We still keep in touch.

Amy Keller

STRANGE SNOW

by Anna Ziegler

NOW - FEB 10 If scientist Rosalind Franklin played a crucial role in discovering the DNA Double Helix, why is her name left out of our history books?

This is her story.

by Stephen Metcalfe

FEB 22 - MAR 17 Megs and Davey survived Vietnam, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not surviving back home... until one day changes everything!

888 #30"%8":5)&"53&$&/5&3 $0. t t / #30"%8": t .*-8"6,&& 4 )*4503*$ 5)*3% 8"3% SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | 43

::HEARMEOUT ASK RUTHIE | UPCOMING EVENTS | PAUL MASTERSON

::ASKRUTHIE

SPONSORED BY

Hanky Spanky Dear Ruthie,

I’ve been in a monogamous relationship with another man for eight months. I have only been out, however, for two months (I was previously married to a woman for over 11 years). Things are going great in and out of the bedroom, or so I thought!

A few weeks ago, I discovered my boyfriend has a spanking fetish. He wants to spank me, promises it won’t hurt (he says it might “sting a little” but that he “respects boundaries”), and he won’t stop asking about it. It’s getting annoying.

He’s slapped my ass a few times in a playful way or even during sex, but I wasn’t expecting a man with a fetish like this.

Is this normal? I’m a newbie here. Shouldn’t he have told me this earlier in our relationship? I don’t know how to take this. I was once in love with him, but now I don’t know what to think. Do you?

What’s my next move?

Hanky Spanky Guy

Dear Spanky,

Your next move? Bite your lower lip, bend over and take it like a man, ya little bitch!

Oh, my! Where did that come from? Sorry. I think your next move is to loosen up a bit. I’m not sure this is a fullblown fetish. If it was, you’d likely have realized something was up in the bedroom months ago. Instead, I suspect this is just a little something he enjoys time and again. Why not give it a go?

Communicate your concerns, discuss boundaries and see if that doesn’t ease your inhibitions. If, in the end, this is just too far out of your comfort zone, let him know that. I don’t know that this is the end of your relationship, but take things step by step for now, and see if you change your mind in time. If you love the guy, this doesn’t have to be deal breaker.

::RUTHIE’SSOCIALCALENDAR Jan. 30—Welcome Reception for Amy Orta at Milwaukee LGBT Community Center (1110 N. Market St.): Hip, hip, hooray! Our community center has a new executive director, and her name is Amy Orta! Come meet the future of the center while you enjoy music and light food and refreshments from 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Jan. 30—MKE Ice Bars at the Third Ward (Broadway and St. Paul): They’re baaack! Some of the Historic Third Ward’s favorite watering holes celebrate winter with nods to Jack Frosts’ handiwork. Stop by Wicked Hop, St. Paul Fish Company and Cafe Benelux for food and beverages but also ice sculptures and outdoor fun (weather permitting). The cool and crazy good times start at 5 p.m. most nights of the week until Thursday, Feb. 7—or until the ice melts!

Jan. 31—Vers Party at This Is It! (418 E. Wells St.): The oldest LGBTQ bar in Milwaukee is mixing things up with this changeof-pace party. Each Thursday, the team hosts an 8 p.m. bash with a new theme. This week? “RuGirl Night.” Celebrate the music and madness of the country’s favorite RuPaul girls with an evening of drink specials, friendly faces and more.

Feb. 1—The Shades of Us: The Real Us at Casa Romero Renewal Center (423 W. Bruce St.): The pros at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers hosts this movie night in their new space at 5:30 p.m. Take in a screening of the groundbreaking movie For Colored Girls with food and beverages, followed by a discussion on the movie’s themes.

Feb. 2—Great Lakes Pet Expo at Wisconsin Expo Center (State Fair Park, 84th and Greenfield): Discover what thousands of pet lovers have known for years—there’s no pet expo like the Great Lakes Pet Expo! Check out the 15th annual celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Your $7 entry fee includes access to dozens of cats and dogs, kennel or rescue, pet food, pet services and much more. You’ll even experiences tutorials, live music, food, educational displays and so much more. Visit petexpomilwaukee.com for details before coming, but leave Fido at home.

Feb. 2—Gender Fest at Bos Meadery (849 E. Washington, Madison): Join the band Gender Confetti when they host this 6-10 p.m. event, celebrating all genders, particularly transitioning, non-binary and GNC folks. Enjoy a variety show, comedy, live music, DJ and a dance party after 10 p.m. The bash includes a door charge and is only open to those 21 and older.

Feb. 3—Divas Brunch with the Brunchettes at Hamburger Mary’s (730 S. Fifth St.): Belly up to buffet—the all-you-can-eat brunch buffet, that is! Kickstart your Sunday with a lip-smacking lineup that opens at 11 a.m. (and closes at 2 p.m.). The Brunchettes hit the stage for two 15-minute family-friendly drag shows at noon.

Feb. 3—Super Bowl Sunday at Woody’s (1579 S. Second St.): Watch the big game at this popular LGBTQ sports bar! In addition to friendly bartenders, numerous TV screens, great sound and an awesome crowd, you’ll enjoy Woody’s infamous Sunday beer bust during the game as well as snacks and “stadium food.” Grab a free shot whenever the Rams score.

Ask Ruthie a question and share your events at dearruthie@shepex.com. Follow her on Instagram @ruthiekeester and Facebook at Dear Ruthie. Don’t miss her hilarious reality show on YouTube—“Camp Wannakiki!”

LOVE // LIFE // ENTERTAINMENT ADVICE

Dear Ruthie says,

“Hear Me Out!”

AND FOR EVEN MORE FUN VISIT RUTHIE AND CYNTHIA AT RUTHIE’SBITCHINKITCHEN.COM 44 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::BLACKBLUE&RAINBOW

::MYLGBTQPoint of View

LGBTQ WINTER READING ::BY PAUL MASTERSON

W

ith the recent polar vortex, even the heartiest winter types have been hunkering down, eschewing outdoor activities for the warmth of home and hearth. Some curl up with a good book, perhaps the current selection of one of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ book clubs.

Carl Szatmary, the city’s exclusive purveyor of LGBTQ literature as the owner of Outwords Books, has been hosting community bibliophiles since 1994. Initially founded in that year as a monthly literary gathering for all LGBTQs, The Outwords Book Group has since evolved into separate clubs for lesbian, gay male and, more recently, bisexual+ readers. To expand the literary landscape, Szatmary often invites local writers like lesbian fiction writer and Lambda Literary Award finalist C. P. Rowlands or mystery author David Pederson to present their works to both club members and the general public. The longevity of these groups reflects Outwords Books’ tenacious staying power in these days of cyberization of our daily lives, LGBTQ or otherwise.

In fact, last year (its 25th Silver Anniversary), Outwords garnered recognition in Logo’s online news column “new now next” on its list of eight of the world’s only remaining LGBTQ bookstores, ranking fourth alongside shops in New York City, London, Berlin, Paris, Toronto, Philadelphia and Barcelona. Conspicuously absent was the gay mecca, San Francisco.

Its last bookstore, A Different Light, closed in 2011. Philadelphia’s historic Giovanni’s Room only managed a reprieve after closing in 2014 when it reopened as part of Philly AIDS Thrift.

While it is certainly a mark of progress to have a dedicated gay literature aisle in a big box bookstore or instant accessibility with a click through online sales outlets, Outwords’ attraction is its environment. The old-school storefront space offers an organic cultural destination for LGBTQs that provides a certain sense of familial comfort, a respite from the impersonal cyber world, or, speaking of frigidity, the cavernous cold of a chain bookstore.

Besides, it’s also the home of Milwaukee’s oldest LGBTQ book clubs.

The Men’s Book Group (recently joined by the GAMMA BookWorms) meets on the second Monday (next date: Feb. 11), while the Lesbian Reading Group convenes on the second Tuesday (next date: Feb. 12).

The upcoming Bi+ Pride Book Club meeting takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 20.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center launches its own book club on Tuesday, Feb. 12. In collaboration with Boswell Book Co., it hosts the inaugural LGBTQ+ Book Talk! at the Center with owner Daniel Goldin presenting recent titles from LGBTQ authors. It should also be noted that the Center is home to the Jack H. Smith Lending Library. One of the largest libraries of LGBTQ books in Wisconsin, this rare repository’s shelves hold more than 3,000 volumes covering the full spectrum of relevant fiction and non-fiction literature ranging from romance, art and spirituality to sociology, history and health. Titles are searchable online through the Center’s website. Over the years, its collection has enjoyed a continual influx of new books donated through the generosity of Joe Pabst and the Center’s librarian, Katie Obbink.

Information on Outwords Books’ current reading club selections may be found at outwordsbooks.com. Details about the LGBT Community Center’s LGBTQ+ Book Talk! are available on its Facebook page.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Map of states that have taken the Medicaid expansion (SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA)

It’s Health Care, Stupid ::BY CHRISTOPHER WALTON

W

isconsin has a history of doing the right thing, usually. We were the first state in the nation to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, for example. In more recent history, we kind of step in it sometimes, such as the constitutional ban on marriage equality back in 2006. Thankfully, around that same time we enacted Domestic Partnership benefits here, because everyone always grew up imaging the day they would “domestic partner” the person they loved. But it was still progress. Of course, as we all know, that came tumbling down when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized marriage equality nationwide. The time has come again for the state of Wisconsin to join the right side of history. Wisconsin needs to accept the Medicaid Expansion.

Currently, we are among 15 states that have not adopted the Medicaid expansion and the only state along I-94 that has not accepted the expansion money. I-94 runs from Detroit, Mich., to Seattle, Wash., so if you get sick make sure you’ve made it to the Twin Cities or Chicago. That’s the way the residents of Texarkana, Texas, handle it because Texas is among the other states that hasn’t accepted the expansion. These states have all made unwise decisions to leave their residents to the mercy of emergency room health care coverage rather than preventative health care services that, time and again, have proven more effective and efficient for the patient and the pocketbook. Catching cancer at stage 1 is way cheaper and less deadly than at stage 3.

But this would cost money, you say. Well, yes, it would cost more money: Money you’ve already paid because the federal government will put in for 90% of all cost. The state will only be responsible for an additional 10% of the cost. The alternative is to leave it

like it is and pay more in hospital bills because people are going to emergency rooms for routine checkups and can’t afford to pay the massive emergency bills, which in turn get dropped onto everyone. The expansion of Medicaid would cover up to 133% of the poverty line. So, if you, as a single person, make less than $29,000 a year and Wisconsin expanded Medicaid, you would be completely covered by federal health insurance. Congratulations!

The expansion of Medicaid would also allow for the expansion of PrEP—which is medication that keeps HIV-negative people from becoming infected with HIV, particularly in use in the LGBTQ community. The updated 2017 Annual Report from the Black AIDS Institute cited that, without Medicaid expansion, “paying for PrEP can pose barriers for many.”

The states that haven’t expanded Medicaid have higher insurance rates, poorer health outcomes and growing HIV rates. Thankfully, Gilead Sciences, a leading biotech research company, can provide access to PrEP without cost if a single person makes under 500% of the federal poverty line. Which means if you make under $60,000 a year you can get access to PrEP for free.

They even provide a co-pay plan to cover up to $3,600 a year for PrEP. But, if states like Texas, Florida and Wisconsin expand Medicaid, that money from Gilead could be spent on lowering drug cost and furthering medical research, rather than being a band-aid on the gaping wound of American health care.

So, what can we do to make sure that we get Medicaid expanded in Wisconsin? One thing is to support the Evers administration in his battle to expand Medicaid.

Another is to vote for people who will protect preexisting conditions by supporting legislation to make Medicaid expansion happen here in Wisconsin. Also, next time we go to the ballot box, make sure we defeat anti-Medicaid expansion legislators who would block health care from the people of Wisconsin. Call, write, tweet, pull up on all of the above and let our legislators know we want Medicaid expansion—otherwise, we want your jobs! Be not discouraged. Health care is a right and not a privilege. There are people in politics who know this, who want to expand it. Don’t leave the field. Stay in the game and fight like your health depends on it. It does.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | 45

::MUSIC

For more MUSIC, log onto shepherdexpress.com

FEATURE | ALBUM REVIEWS | CONCERT REVIEWS | LOCAL MUSIC

LIL AXION STICKS TO HIS OWN SCRIPT ::BY EVAN RYTLEWSKI ilwaukee is filled right now with rappers who do everything right, at least on paper. They play the right shows, run in the trendiest circles, spend big on videos and marketing and know how to charm local media. Their social media feeds look like marketing students designed them. And yet at the end of the day, most of these artists don’t have all that much to show for their best practices. They hardly sell any music and remain virtually unknown outside of the city.

Lil Axion

46 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

But there’s a whole other world of rappers on the city’s North Side who, at least by conventional wisdom, do everything wrong. A prodigal 19-year-old whose fierce raps disguise his effortless melodic instincts, Lil Axion is one of those artists who’s made the success that he’s achieved so far look almost too easy. Numbers wise, he’s not quite in the city’s top tier yet—he’s young, so he’s got time—but he’s got a couple YouTube videos with more than 100,000 views, and about a dozen others in the 25k-80k range. He’s built a real following, despite business practices that would make any self-respecting artist manager wince.

“I ain’t gonna lie: I built my audience on my own,” Axion says. “I ain’t have nobody promoting me or nobody managing me. I still don’t have no promoter or anything like that.” For a long time, he admits, his music didn’t even sound right. “I was working with this older guy, and he was charging me $20 to record and $20 to mix it. But I didn’t know what mixing was,” he laughs. “My song weren’t really mixed, because I didn’t know what any of that shit was!”

That’s all in the past, though. Axion’s recent releases have been much more polished. Produced by the rapper’s go-to collaborator Tay Love, his new mixtape, Hands In Hands Out, is a standout example of Milwaukee street rap circa this very moment: trap drums, slapping bass, hard raps and no gimmicks. It includes guest spots from several of the buzziest acts on the city’s North Side, including Weupnexxt Fresh, MT Twins and Looney Baby, and features a prime single candidate in “LifeStyle,” one of Axion’s catchiest, most buoyant tracks yet.

Axion says he feels like he’s playing catch up. He spent four months in jail last year, and it cost him. “I missed out on a lot of stuff,” he says. “I was hearing my name on the radio but I was in jail. I had three shows that I missed. I was supposed to play with Lil Baby. And Money Man. I was supposed to open for him, too.” Hands In Hands Out includes Axion’s addition to the ever-growing canon of first-day-out songs, “Ain’t Safe,” an incensed track about life under a parole officer’s microscope.

Axion credits club shows for helping him build an audience. He says he’s been playing them since he was 16 or 17, when he was way too young to be in the club (“Everybody knew I wasn’t supposed to be there,” he laughs, “so of course they all wanted to know who I was.”) But his success has also come at least in part because he understands something that some of his peers have been slow to pick up on: The audience for Milwaukee rap extends far beyond Milwaukee.

“I get a lot of messages from people from weird places, places I’ve never even heard of, and I get a lot of streams from outside the city,” Axion says. “There are a lot of cities that are listening to Milwaukee right now. Detroit loves us. Ohio loves us. So it’s important to move around. Since I’ve been out, I did a show in Indiana. I went to Detroit, and went to Phoenix. A lot of people say you’ve got to make a name in your city before you go somewhere. But that’s a myth to me. It’s good to do it, but sometimes your own city isn’t going to give that to you.”

Axion says his recording process has been evolving. He used to write his raps, he says, “but I ain’t been writing since I got out of jail. I just want to perfect my craft freestyling.” It’s a handier skill than writing, he explains. “Sometimes a big artist will show you songs, and if they want you on them you’ve got to be ready to just knock a song out. You can’t be writing! They’re going to be looking at you like, ‘You ready?’ So I’m focusing on freestyling. I can write, but it’s important to be able to do both.”

Lil Axion’s Hands In Hands Out is streaming now on Apple Music.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Friday, February 8 • 5:30pm to 9pm Taver n at Turner Hall

Unlimited MobCraft Beer Bacardi Punch crafted by Lost Whale Music by DJ Shawna • Party Games

Tickets: Shepherdtickets.com SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N UA RY 3 1, 2 0 1 9 | 47

::::LOCALMUSIC MELISSA MILLER

::CONCERTREVIEW

SleeperSound Explore Sonic Vistas

I

Neil Young

Neil Young Turned the Riverside Into His Living Room

A

::BY BLAINE SCHULTZ

s far as big-time rock ’n’ roll productions go, it was pretty weird. But if you’ve followed the peregrinations of Neil Young’s career, it all makes sense.

Not in a stoned-at-3-a.m. way, but in an if-you-pay-attention-and-connect-the dots sense.

Young and his fans have an interesting relationship. The implied agreement is he will play a few well-known songs like “Heart of Gold” and “Harvest Moon,” but the majority of the set belongs to his full-moon whims. Using no setlist, he manages to work without a net in a way that would be the envy of Karl Wallenda.

Wednesday at the Riverside Theater found Young sharing the stage with acoustic guitars (six and 12 string), banjo, a few harmonicas, a pair of grand pianos, a hollow body electric guitar, a ukulele and a wooden Indian. He acknowledged but did not touch the upright piano or antique pump organ.

Carrying a leather satchel, Young strolled onstage waved to the crowd and sat down. A light at the front of the stage read LOVE. This was the opening night of a five-date Midwest solo tour, and over the course of 18 songs Young delivered stripped down acoustic versions of songs that are best known as epic jams with his longtime backing band Crazy Horse. “Cortez the Killer” sounded like a poetic history lesson, and “Cowgirl in the Sand” had Young crunching out rhythms, then picking lead filigrees accompanied by skeletal, barely audible audience vocals echoing “hello woman of my dreams.” The normally ferocious “Like a Hurricane” came off as a rough-hewn valentine.

With a sprawling stage set and moodily lit stark backdrop that resembled the trunk of a giant sequoia, the show could have been billed as an evening in Young’s living room. The sound mix was dialed in to hear a pin drop. With his sons in attendance, Young looked right at home, scratching his head when considering which instrument to play next or almost performing a request; having sung one verse of “Don’t Be Denied” he raised his hand and stopped the song. Other songs were delivered in truncated versions as well.

Young’s between-song banter amounted to a few asides praising the Riverside as a “blue ribbon place,” and taking a sip, “Brought to you by your sponsor tonight, water.” But the music did the talking. “Thrasher” was his clear-eyed view of knowing when it is time to move on. For “Ohio,” he strapped on a Gretsch White Falcon plugged into a pair of vintage tweed Fender amps. With the opening riff, a brutal white spotlight shone behind Young nearly blinding the audience.

As if he needed to offer further evidence that he plays by his own rules, he began “One of These Days” on piano, then got up, walked across stage and grabbed a guitar to finish the song. And when is the last time you saw someone realize his harmonica was in the wrong key and switch midsong?

Called back for an encore, Young offered a heartfelt “Tumbleweed” accompanied on ukulele. With that Young picked up his satchel and exited.

As the man says, you buy a ticket and take your chances.

Opening act Benjamin Booker left his funky rocking sound at home and offered an introspective take on his songs. He seemed genuinely surprised at the polite attention the Milwaukee audience showed him, and admitted he only stole one thing in his life. “On my last day at work at a record store I took [Young’s album] On the Beach.”

48 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

::BY BLAINE SCHULTZ

While the band’s name may be a clue to its n November, the Milwaukee quartet SleeperSound released In Media Res, personality, there still needs to be give and take an album that follows up 2016’s Pilots when four creative individuals embark on a projPassengers Portals EP, and Mike Camp- ect. SleeperSound has found a way to not recogise (vocals/bass/synth) is especially nize roles in a typical sense.

According to Kenny Buesing (vocals/guitar/ pleased with the vinyl LP. “It’s surreal, as a musician, to hold your music as a truly physical ob- synth), “Each member moves between instruject,” he says. “I’ve never felt that from a CD or ments and vocals, lead and rhythm parts in such a way that best suits the tone and dynamdigital release before. It’s just so tangible.”

The six-song album sits comfortably at a ics of the song. The songs actually begin with crossroads of shoegaze, krautrock and ambient a well-defined chord structure and often even sounds. At times barely audible, their sense of song structure. From there, different textures dynamics scans like aural slow-motion explo- and sounds are added as embellishment. At this sions or fireworks off in the distance. Sounds point, the original kernel of the song that tends to get manipulated and mutated. The band’s wide- be brought in by a single member, goes through screen guitar-based, synth-laced sound is tailor- the SleeperSound ringer until we hit upon a final product that everyone is happy with. The band made for a pair of vintage headphones.

The album suggests attention to detail yet al- does not impose rigid roles on our members by design to allow for maximum lows for a feeling of interaction. latitude.”

Not so much loose jamming as While the additional responimprovisation gleaned from lisSleeperSound sibility of engineering, recordtening to each other and reacting ing and mixing the album fell in the moment. With a practice Linneman’s on Niedziejko’s shoulders, he space mic’d for recording, evRiverwest Inn shrugs off gearhead talk of vinerything is grist for the mill.

Saturday, tage boards and modern pro“When we record, we like to Feb. 2, 8:30 p.m. grams. “To be honest, I believe record live in the same room tothe album turned out well not gether as a band,” says drummer/ because of the gear but because engineer Dan Niedziejko. “This allows us to communicate and maintain the feel I’ve spent years experimenting and learning my of a live band while tracking. Aside from vocals, equipment,” he says. “No plug-ins or on-line about 90 percent of the album is live tracked, so mastering programs are going to replace your it’s a true representation of the band. We record ears and years of experience. Additionally, we practices, especially where we are writing. This worked with Mark Kramer (Ween, Galaxie500, has developed the band into being very comfort- Low) to master this record. I always work with able with the concept of tracking and recording Kramer on mastering.”

SleeperSound play Linneman’s Riverwest all the time, no tension or performance anxiety.”

This idea of working with no immediate goal Inn on Saturday, Feb. 2, with Cabin Essence in mind and letting the band’s collective uncon- and Labrador at 8:30 p.m. SleeperSound will scious take over is a viable course of action for perform accompanied by a live video score presented by Stephen Anderson. music that often conjures the time of not-quite-dreaming.

Instrumental passages flow like heavy liquid as opposed to mapped out, whiplash math rock/prog rock stylings.

Ideas intended for the beginning or end, may easily end up in the middle of it all.

“We typically spend hours just playing and exploring sound, and if something sounds interesting, we’ll go back and work that,” Campise says. “There’s been plenty of material that has been left on the shelf, but I think that’s pretty common when you have a lot of creativity in one room.

We record all our sessions for future reference, so you never know when an oldie gets resurrected.”

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

MUSIC::LISTINGS

::ALBUMS

To list your event, go to shepherdexpress.com/events and click submit an event

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31

Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Song Circle w/Tricia Alexander (6:30pm) County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, Acoustic Irish Folk w/Barry Dodd Jazz Estate, Soul Night: Cameron Webb Kelly’s Bleachers (Big Bend), Xeno Mason Street Grill, Mark Thierfelder Jazz Trio (5:30pm) O’Donoghues Irish Pub (Elm Grove), The All-Star SUPERband (6pm) On the Bayou, Open Mic Comedy w/host The Original Darryl Hill Pabst Theater, The Wailers: A Bob Marley Birthday Bash Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Jake Williams Rave / Eagles Club, Corey Smith w/Chris Bandi (all-ages, 8pm) Rounding Third Bar and Grill, World’s Funniest Free Comedy Show Sheryl’s Club 175 (Slinger), Acoustic Jam w/Milwaukee Mike & Downtown Julius The Bay Restaurant, Julie Thompson N’ Troy The Packing House Restaurant, Barbara Stephan & Peter Mac (6pm) Transfer Pizzeria Cafe, Martini Jazz Lounge: Jeno Somlai Organ Trio Turner Hall Ballroom, Spafford Up & Under Pub, A No Vacancy Comedy Open Mic

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Alley Cat Lounge (Five O’Clock Steakhouse), Christopher’s Project Ally’s Bistro (Menomonee Falls), The Kaye Berigan 4Tet American Legion Post #399 (Okauchee), Sawyer Road Band American Legion Post #449 (Brookfield), Nite Trax Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Julie’s Piano Karaoke Anodyne Coffee, Lil Rev w/Jim Liban & Jim Eannelli Art*Bar, Claire Kelly Bremen Cafe, Bourbon House at Bremen Cafe Cactus Club, Peeper & Le Play album release show w/Stacian & Stormchaser Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Three Thin Dimes Cedarburg Cultural Center, First Fridays: Hot & Dirty Brass Band (5:30pm) Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Poison Darts w/Clover (8pm); DJ: Seedy (10pm) ComedySportz Milwaukee, ComedySportz Milwaukee!

Company Brewing, The R&B, Soul & Trap Show w/Bizzon, Dripsweat & Nustylez County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, Traditional Irish Ceilidh Session Crush Wine Bar (Waukesha), CP & Stoll w/Chris Peppas & Jeff Stoll Dandy - Midventurous Modern, Beers to Chamber (5:30pm) Iron Mike’s (Franklin), Open Jam Session w/Steve Nitros & Friends Jazz Estate, Paul Silbergleit Trio (8pm), Late Night Session: Brett Westfahl Quartet (11:30pm) Lakefront Brewery, Brewhaus Polka Kings (5:30pm) Los Mariachis Mexican Restaurant, The Jammers Mamie’s, Stokes & the Old Blues Boys Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents the Dan Nimmer Trio Mason Street Grill, Phil Seed Trio (6pm) Miramar Theatre, G-Space x Laika Beats (all-ages, 9pm) Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Marcell Rave / Eagles Club, Jesse McCartney w/Whitney Woerz (all-ages, 8pm), Los Rehenes w/Los Caminantes, Grupo Samuray & Noe Martin Y Su Grupo Tentacíon (all-ages, 9pm) Riverside Theater, Chris D’Elia Shank Hall, Too Fighters (Foo Fighters tribute) The Back Room at Colectivo, 4th Ave w/Rayla and Aja9 The Bay Restaurant, Rick Aaron & The Men in Black Trio The Blind Horse Restaurant & Winery, Robert Allen Jr. Band (6pm) The Packing House Restaurant, Mike Prusinsky & The Carmen Sutra Trio (6:30pm) Turner Hall Ballroom, Nate Bargatze Up & Under Pub, Panoptics

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2

American Legion Post #449 (Brookfield), Our House Anodyne Coffee, Team Bryce Fondation presents “Music Raising Hope” w/The Quilz, Road Crew & Without U2 (5pm) Boat House Pub & Eatery (Kenosha), Joe Kadlec Burnhearts, Mitten Fest w/Abby Jeanne, Vincent VanGREAT, Surgeons in Heat, Cashfire Sunset and Nickel&Rose Cactus Club, Mittenfest After Party 2019: The Cheetahs, Eroders, Easy Habits, Platinum Boys, Saebra & Carlyle, and DJ Mikey Fastlife Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Jim Ohlscmidt & David Cox Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Fifth Star Band w/Fallen Angels (8pm); DJ: Theresa Who (10pm) ComedySportz Milwaukee, ComedySportz Milwaukee!

Company Brewing, Supperclub Jazz / The Abstract Truth: A night of jazz & hip-hop Cue Club of Wisconsin (Waukesha), Brewtown Beat SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Dandy - Midventurous Modern, A Dandy Comedy Show Five O’Clock Steakhouse, Charles Barber Glen Cafe, Jim the Piano Man (5pm) Hilton Milwaukee City Center, Vocals & Keys Jazz Estate, Mark Colby Quintet (8pm), Late Night Session: Ben Dameron Quartet (11:30pm) Kelly’s Bleachers (Big Bend), 76 Juliet Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Sleepersound w/Cabin Essence & Labrador Mason Street Grill, Jonathan Wade Trio (6pm) Matty’s Bar & Grille (New Berlin), Winter Music: Kyle Feerick McAuliffe’s Pub (Racine), Jake’O & Co. Mezcalero Restaurant, Close Enuf Band Groundhog Day Dance Milwaukee Ale House, Random Maxx Miramar Theatre, Emo Nite presented by Emo Nite LA (all-ages, 8:30pm) Motor Bar & Restaurant, Bulleit Bourbon Presents BBQ & Blues (5pm) Pistol Pete’s, 33 RPM Plymouth Church UCC, The Coffee House presents: Living Activism Benefit: Jam w/Brett Kemnutz & Friends Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Tinker Boys Route 20 Outhouse (Sturtevant), Winter Dance Party Tribute (60th Anniversary) w/Brett and the Dandys (ages 18-plus) Shank Hall, Ronnie Nyles w/That’s What She Said The Back Room at Colectivo, Trapper Schoepp w/Nineteen Thirteen The Cheel (Thiensville), The Blues Disciples The Packing House Restaurant, Maureè! (6:30pm) Turner Hall Ballroom, The Prince Experience w/The First Wave Up & Under Pub, Dystopian Echo

Far Corner Risk (CUNEIFORM RECORDS) On Risk, the third album from Milwaukee’s Far Corner, the instrumental chamber-rock quartet melds classical music and progressive rock into a deeply intense and oddly accessible listening experience. Risk showcases four of Wisconsin’s most accomplished experimental musicians—keyboardist Dan Maske, bassist William Kopecky, cellist Angela Schmidt and drummer Craig Walkner—at the peak of their performance powers. The album opens with “Unapproachable,” an eerie two-minute tribal soundtrack. Walkner evokes Phil Collins on the fun “Flim Flam Man” and “Laboratory Missteps” plays musical chairs with an offbeat orchestra that’s as charming as it is disturbing. Portions of Risk evoke the anxiety of its title, and Kopecky—whose credits include French industrial black-metal outfit Haiku Funeral—sharpens the music’s dark edges.

But despite all of the sonic action, Risk’s standout piece is “SolonEye,” a beautiful husband-and-wife duet. Maske’s joyful, delicate keyboards accompany Schmidt’s mournful cello, as the song crescendos into a chills-inducing finale.

—Michael Popke

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Moppa Elliott

Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Live Karaoke w/Julie Brandenburg Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Stella & Me (8pm); DJ: Trail Boss Tim Cook (10pm) Dugout 54, Dugout 54 Sunday Open Jam Rounding Third Bar and Grill, The Dangerously Strong Comedy Open Mic The Tonic Tavern, Third Coast Blues w/Nick Moss & Madison Slim (4pm)

Jazz Band/Rock Band/Dance Band (HOT CUP RECORDS)

Even the best of early ’70s jazz-rock fusion bands seldom rocked. Moppa Elliott rocks. Elliott’s new double-CD

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4

Jazz Estate, Jazz Estate Jam Session Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Poet’s Monday w/host Timothy Kloss & featured reader Rick Ollman (sign-up 7:30pm, 8-11pm) Mason Street Grill, Joel Burt Duo (5:30pm) Paulie’s Pub and Eatery, Open Jam: Christopher John & Friends w/featured band Riverside Theater, Dancing with The Stars: Live!

Up & Under Pub, Open Mic w/Marshall McGhee and the Wanderers

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Albert Lee Band Jazz Estate, Extra Crispy Brass Band Kim’s Lakeside (Pewaukee), Robert Allen Jr. & Friends Mamie’s, Open Blues Jam w/Marvelous Mack Mason Street Grill, Jamie Breiwick Group (5:30pm) McAuliffe’s Pub (Racine), The Parkside Reunion Big Band Miramar Theatre, Tuesday Open Mic w/host Sandy Weisto (sign-up 7:30pm, all-ages) Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Al White (4pm) Riverwest Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts, Jazz Jam Session Transfer Pizzeria Cafe, Transfer House Band w/Dennis Fermenich Turner Hall Ballroom, FRIENDS: The Musical Parody

is structured as if it was three albums by three separate groups sharing the foundation of his bass playing. It’s an ensemble effort. Musicians play with each other rather than take turns soloing. Shrill avant-garde dissonance jams into classic rock riffs and hip-hop and soul grooves push along echoes of ’60s garage, ’70s new wave and McCoy Tyner jazz. It’s not as if we’ve never heard anything like it, but this kind of music hasn’t been heard often enough.

—David Luhrssen

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Anodyne Coffee, Albert Lee Band w/Derek Pritzl & The Gamble Caroline’s Jazz Club, Jimi Schutte American Blues Conway’s Smokin’ Bar & Grill, Open Jam w/Big Wisconsin Johnson Glen Cafe, Jim the Piano Man (5pm) Hudson Business Lounge and Cafe, Jazz at Noon: Don Linke and Friends Iron Mike’s (Franklin), B Lee Nelson Acoustic Jam Jazz Estate, B~Free & Quinten Farr Duo Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Polka Open Jam Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Acoustic Open Stage w/feature Christian Porter (sign-up 8:30pm, start 9pm) Mason Street Grill, Jamie Breiwick Group (5:30pm) Pabst Theater, The Lettermen Paulie’s Field Trip, Wednesday Night Afterparty w/Dave Wacker & guests Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Al White Saloon on Calhoun with Bacon, Gabriel Sanchez Wednesday Open Jam Sunset Grill Pewaukee, Robert Allen Jr. & Friends Tally’s Tap & Eatery (Waukesha), Tomm Lehnigk The Packing House Restaurant, Tracy Hannemann & Kostia Efimov (6pm) Turner Hall Ballroom, Comethazine, Matt Ox & TNT Tez

1/31 Cashfire Sunset 2/7 No 414 Live because of SoundBites

J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | 49

THEME CROSSWORD

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

By James Barrick

PSYCHO SUDOKU! “Greater-Than Sudoku”

For this ‘Greater-Than Sudoku,’ I’m not giving you ANY numbers to start off with!

Adjoining squares in the grid’s 3x3 boxes have a greater-than sign (>) telling you which of the two numbers in those squares is larger. Fill in every square with a number from 1-9 using the greater-than signs as a guide. When you’re done, as in a normal Sudoku, every row, column, and 3x3 box will contain the numbers 1-9 exactly one time. (Solving hint: try to look for the 1’s and 9’s in each box first, then move on to the 2’s and 8’s, and so on). psychosudoku@gmail.com

72.God of woods and fields 73. Memorization 74. Investor’s concern 75. Savory 76. Mobster 77. — -Wan Kenobi 78. Relating to fireworks 80. Fishnet 81. Cruelest anagram 83. Great number 84. Scamp 85. “Dukes of Hazzard” spin-off 86. Lean 88. Fur 89. Work together 92. Quick-witted 93. Awns 96. Relating to recluses 99. Relating to mythical sailors 102. Woman’s garment 103. Intense 104. Silly one 105. Kind of china 106. Hinge joint 107. German composer 108. Inched 109. Foil cousin DOWN 1. Post — 2. A cheese 3. Stereo predecessor 4. Party in a contract 5. Black eye 6. Budget concern 7. Insects 8. Agnus — 9. Buttonwood, a tree 10. Ordinary 11. Mistreat 12. Cut rocks 13. — Lilly and Company 14. French article

15. Dental instrument 16. Bye-bye!

17. Rohmer or Bana 18. Dry measure 24. Worse than late 26. Sorcery 29. Kind of Japanese soup 32. Pendulate 33. Cafe order 34. Bustard genus 35. Packs 36. Lawful 37. Relating to mob rule 38. Flip-flop part 39. Catty 40. Relating to individuals 41. Pick up on 42. — tots 44. Curmudgeon 45. Warrants 46. Verona’s river 49. Static problem 51. Solitudinarian 53. Peels 54. Brutish fellow 55. Drive 57. Bell-like sound 58. Contusion 59. Went for the gold 61. Award 62. Programming

language 63. Seasonal song 64. Clay for bricks 65. Combos 66. A songbird 67. — Kea 68. Divine messenger 70. Biblical weeds 71. House for a minister 74. Pita-bread sandwich 75. Lack 76. Lab item: 2 wds.

78. Hit in fencing 79. Blacken 80. A condiment 82. Help-desk worker 84. Checked (with “in”) 86. Clobber 87. Horse on a track 88. Ordinary language 89. Tun 90. — — even keel 91. Port in Israel 92. Remnant 93. Excited 94. On the crest of 95. River in Germany 97. Unprocessed 98. Diamonds 100. Pole 101. So-so grade

1/24 Solution

WORD FIND This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 17 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

Weather Solution: 17 Letters

© 2019 Australian Word Games Dist. by Creators Syndicate Inc.

© 2019 United Feature Syndicate, Dist. by Andrews McMeel Syndication

ACROSS 1. Plant fiber 5. Zillions 10. Crusty roll 15. Place the foot 19. Repute 20. Term of endearment 21. Silver-leaved poplar 22. Guardianship 23. Relating to church law 25. Relating to coins and notes 27. Times 28. Gather 30. Sorrowful cry 31. Currier’s partner 32. Beam 33. Place for theatergoers 35. Relief pitcher 38. Playing cards 39. Writer of parodies 43. Kitchen item 44. Relating to palmistry 47. Narcs’ agcy.

48. Pain 49. Beldam 50. Blue-pencils 51. Dryer fuzz 52. Length unit 53. Textspeak cousin 54. “Runaway —” 55. Deer 56. Holiday decoration 58. Cafe au lait 59. Peddler 60. Narrow opening 61. Recipe direction 62. Dog with a muzzle 63. Affectionate 65. Supporting structure 66. Vista 69. Mount in the Cascades 70. Quality 71. Skinflint

E S C S S A X O P H O N I S T K T L S M E A L I B I M E M O R Y T N C I U E R E G G A E C O N V O Y U I J U R I S T W I Z A R D N S O R A E A R C H E R E X T R A I E Q N I D P E R F U N C T O R Y E E H N

Solution to last week’s puzzle

Ales Announcement Aurora Aware Barometer Beer Breeze Burnt Calm Chart Clear Cloudy Damp Danger

Deluge Drier Dry Dusty Front Gripe Hail Haze Heat Hot Ice Low Melt Mild

Muggy Night Racks Rain Rashes Rural Season Shade Sleet Snow Southerly Star Storm Sullen

Sun Swim Thaw Time Tired Vanes Wave Windy Wreak

1/24 Solution: Waiting for some down time

50 | J A N UA RY 3 1, 2 0 1 9

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

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J A N UA RY 3 1, 2 0 1 9 | 51

::FREEWILLASTROLOGY ::BY ROB BREZSNY AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: Start a new trend that will serve your noble goals for years to come. MARCH: Passion comes back into fashion with a tickle and a shiver and a whoosh. APRIL: As you expand and deepen your explorations, call on the metaphorical equivalents of both a telescope and a microscope. MAY: This is the beginning of the end of what you love to complain about. Hooray! JUNE: You’ll have an abundance of good reasons to celebrate the fact that you are the least normal sign in the zodiac.

Celebrate your idiosyncrasies!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: You’ll have a knack for enhancing the way you express yourself and present yourself. The inner you and the outer you will become more unified. MARCH: You’ll discover two original new ways to get excited. APRIL: Be bold as you make yourself available for a deeper commitment that will spawn more freedom. MAY: What are the gaps in your education? Make plans to mitigate your most pressing area of ignorance. JUNE: Your body’s ready to tell you secrets that your mind has not yet figured out. Listen well.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: You’ll be invited to make a pivotal transition in the history of your relationship with your most important life goals.

It should be both fun and daunting! MARCH: Don’t waste time and energy trying to coax others to haul away the junk and the clutter. Do it yourself. APRIL: The growing pains should feel pretty good. Enjoy the uncanny stretching sensations. MAY: It’ll be a favorable phase to upgrade your personal finances. Think richer thoughts. Experiment with new ideas about money. JUNE: Build two strong bridges for every rickety bridge you burn. Create two vital connections for every stale connection you leave behind.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: You have access to a semi-awkward magic that will serve you well if you don’t complain about its semi-awkwardness. MARCH: To increase your clout and influence, your crucial first step is to formulate a strong intention to do just that.

The universe will then work in your behalf. APRIL: Are you ready to clean messes and dispose of irrelevancies left over from the past? Yes! MAY: You can have almost anything you want if you resolve to use it for the greatest good. JUNE: Maintain rigorous standards, but don’t be a fanatic. Strive for excellence without getting bogged down in a counterproductive quest for perfection.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: Be alert for vivid glimpses of your best possible future. The power of self-fulfilling prophecy is even stronger than usual.

MARCH: High integrity and ethical rigor are crucial to your success — and so is a longing for sacred adventure. APRIL: How can you make the best use of your likability? MAY: Cheerfully dismantle an old system or structure to make way for a sparkling new system or structure. JUNE: Beginner’s luck will be yours if you choose the right place to begin. What’s a bit intimidating but very exciting?

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: Your sensual magnetism peaks at the same time as your spiritual clarity. MARCH: You want toasted ice? Succulent fire?

Earthy marvels? Homey strangeness? All of that is within reach. APRIL: Sow the seeds of the most interesting success you can envision. Your fantasy of what’s possible should thrill your imagination, not merely satisfy your sense of duty. MAY: Deadline time.

Be as decisive and forthright as an Aries, as bold as a Sagittarius, as systematic as a Capricorn. JUNE: Go wading in the womb-temperature ocean of emotion, but be mindful of the undertow.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: There’s a general amnesty in all matters regarding your relationships. Cultivate

52 | J A N U A R Y 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

truces and forgiveness. MARCH: Drop fixed ideas you might have about what’s possible and what’s not. Be keenly open to unexpected healings. APRIL: Wander out into the frontiers. Pluck goodies that have been off-limits. Consider the value of ignoring certain taboos. MAY: Sacrifice a small comfort so as to energize your ambitions. JUNE: Take a stand on behalf of your beautiful ideals and sacred truths.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: Master the Zen of constructive anger. Express your complaints in a holy cause. MARCH: You finally get a message you’ve been waiting to receive for a long time. Hallelujah! APRIL: Renew your most useful vows. Sign a better contract.

Come to a more complete agreement. MAY: Don’t let your preconceptions inhibit you from having a wildly good time. JUNE: Start your own club, band, organization, or business. Or reinvent and reinvigorate your current one.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: Be open to romantic or erotic adventures that are different from how love has worked in the past. MARCH: You’ll be offered interesting, productive problems. Welcome them! APRIL: Can you explore what’s experimental and fraught with interesting uncertainty even as you stay well-grounded? Yes! MAY: You can increase your power by not hiding your weakness. People will trust you most if you show your vulnerability. A key to this season’s model of success is the ability to calmly express profound emotion. JUNE: Wild cards and X-factors and loopholes will be more available than usual.

Don’t be shy about using them.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: The world may finally be ready to respond favorably to the power you’ve been storing up. MARCH: Everything you thought you knew about love and lust turns out to be too limited. So expand your expectations and capacities! APRIL: Extremism and obsession can be useful in moderation. MAY: Invisible means of support will become visible. Be alert for half-hidden help. JUNE: Good questions: What do other people find valuable about you? How can you enhance what’s valuable about you?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: You’ll have the need and opportunity to accomplish some benevolent hocus-pocus. For best results, upgrade your magical powers. MARCH: Make sure the Turning Point happens in your power spot or on your home turf.

APRIL: You should be willing to go anywhere, ask any question and even risk your pride if necessary so as to coax your most important relationships into living up to their potentials. MAY: If at first you don’t succeed, change the definition of success. JUNE: You can achieve more through negotiation and compromise than you could by pushing heedlessly ahead in service to your single-minded vision.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Here are your fortune cookie-style horoscopes for the next five months. FEBRUARY: A new phase of your education will begin when you acknowledge how much you have to learn. MARCH: Initiate diplomatic discussions about the Things That Never Get Talked About. APRIL: Revise your ideas about your dream home and your dream community. MAY: You have the power to find healing for your oldest lovesickness.

If you do find it, intimacy will enter a new Golden Age. JUNE: Solicit an ally’s ingenuity to help you improvise a partial solution to a complex problem.

Homework: What’s the kind of joy you’re not getting enough of? How could you get more of it? Freewillastrology.com.

Go to realastrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s Expanded Weekly Audio Horoscopes and Daily Text Message Horoscopes. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 877873-4888 or 900-950-7700.

::NEWS OF THE WEIRD ::BY THE EDITORS OF ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Aloe Vera the Almighty

B

ritish retailer Marks & Spencer is in hot water with Muslims who claim the store’s brand of toilet paper is embossed with the Arabic symbol for the word “God.” An unnamed man posted a video to social media displaying a roll of M&S Aloe Vera three-ply tissue and urging his Muslim brothers and sisters to avoid buying it or boycott the store altogether.

Metro News reports that, in response, Marks & Spencer says the symbol is of an aloe vera leaf: “The motif on the aloe vera toilet tissue, which we have been selling for more than five years, is categorically of an aloe vera leaf, and we have investigated and confirmed this with our suppliers.”

A Snip Off the Old Block Alijah Hernandez of Houston is a skilled barber in her father’s shop, reported KTRKTV on Jan. 17—which wouldn’t ordinarily be newsworthy, but Alijah is only 7 years old.

Her dad, Franky, says he’s been watching her since she was a toddler and started perfecting her skills three years ago. For her part, Alijah says cutting hair comes naturally to her; she practices on friends and family (with her dad supervising) and has already faced off in barber competitions across Texas.

Awash in Moonglow The very rare “super blood wolf moon” of Jan. 20 was so captivating to some sky watchers on Florida’s Ponte Vedra Beach, that they didn’t notice when the tide rolled in and waterlogged their Honda CRV. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office told News4Jax the occupants were able to get out of the car and move to safety, although the vehicle itself wasn’t recovered until the next day. A photo showed water up to the windshield on the front end.

Moonstruck In West Palm Beach, Fla., two unnamed 24-year-olds chose to view the Jan. 20 eclipse by lying prone in the middle of a dark road near the Apoxee Wilderness Trail. Which would have worked out fine, except that, at about 11:30 p.m., a West Palm Beach police officer patrolling the area ran over the pair.

Fortunately, reported the South Florida Sun Sentinel, he was cruising at just 5 mph, and the human speed bumps sustained non-lifethreatening injuries. The officer was put on paid administrative leave while the incident was investigated.

Oops. Nevermind Laura Lyons of Orinda, Calif., was in her kitchen on the afternoon of Jan. 20 when a loud alert message blared forth from their living room, followed by a detailed warning from “Civil Defense” that “intercontinental ballistic missiles are en route” towards Los Angeles, Chicago, and other U.S. cities. Lyons told the San Jose Mercury News the message warned listeners they had minutes to take shelter or evacuate. As she and her husband absorbed the news, they realized it had come from their Nest security camera—not from the TV—where the Rams-Saints game was proceeding as normal, and news channels were not reporting anything unusual. “It was five minutes of sheer terror,” she said. The Lyons called 911 and then Nest, where a supervisor told them they had been victims of a “thirdparty hack” on their camera and speakers.

Natural Medicine When a 33-year-old unnamed Irish man was admitted to a Dublin hospital with swelling in his right forearm and a rash, he surprised the attending physician with the “cure” he had been using for his back pain. For a year-and-a-half, reported Canoe.com on Jan. 16, the man had been injecting his own semen into his right forearm. X-rays revealed a pool of the fluid under his skin, which had become infected. “He had devised this ‘cure’ independent of any medical advice,” noted Dr. Lisa Dunne in the Irish Medical Journal. He also told Dr. Dunne that his back pain had worsened after lifting a heavy metal object.

Extra-Firm Pillow Dennis Palmer, 31, appeared to be guilty of more than just “TMI” on Jan. 10 when police were called to a Walmart in Stuart, Fla. TCPalm.com reported that Palmer was in the pillow aisle when he was seen exposing and touching himself inappropriately. Palmer told police “he was just itching himself because he has crabs.” But surveillance video recorded Palmer indulging in “rubbing” and “other activities” beyond mere scratching; “this continued for several minutes,” the affidavit stated.

When police asked Palmer what he was thinking, he replied that “he wasn’t thinking, but he should have been.” He was jailed for exposure of sexual organs. © 2019 ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION SHEPHERD EXPRESS

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I

’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a?

So listen, about these naming rights for the Brewers’ Miller Park going to some kind of insurance outfit, I’m calling a “what the fock” on that play. Maybe some fans don’t think it’s a big focking deal.

But what will they say when the mascot gets changed from Bernie Brewer to Petey Policy—some fockstick in a suit and tie—and every time the Crew hits a home run, instead of Bernie taking a ride down the slide, Petey parks his sorry ass behind a desk, whips out a pen and files a claim? Hey, you tell me.

And then I’ll tell you that the naming rights to this here page of essays are always darn-tootin’ priced right to go to the highest bidder: “Old Crow at Art for Art’s Sake,” “Art for Art’s Sake with Pall Malls.” I don’t give a rat’s ass what you want to peddle as part of the Art Kumbalek franchise, just as long as you pony up the yearly $100 grand it’ll take to do the deal, what the fock.

Anyways, I was out and about just the other day and some knob says to me, “Hey Artie, writing those essays must be good therapy, ain’a?” And I was reminded of a little story: This gal goes to her psychiatrist ’cause she’s having big problems with her sex life, wouldn’t you know. The psychiatrist asks her lots of questions but wasn’t getting a clear picture of her problems. So finally he asks, “Do you ever watch your husband’s face while you are having sex?” And she says, “Well, yes, I did once.” The psychiatrist asked her how he looked and she said, “Very angry.”

The psychiatrist felt he was finally getting somewhere: “That’s very interesting but we must look into this further. Now tell me, you say that you have only seen your husband’s face once during sex, which seems

somewhat unusual. How did it occur that you saw his face that time?” And she says, “He was looking through the window.” Ba-ding!

Yeah yeah you betcha, Artie’s his own therapist, how ’bout that. By cutting out the middle man, I figure I’m saving myself maybe about $150-$200 bucks an hour; so the drinks are on me. And as a therapist, one thing I know is that we can all use an extra pat on the back. Actually, I got a better idea. More than an extra pat on the back, we could all use an extra twenty in the pocketbook, what the fock. Hold on, I got an even better idea. How ’bout, say, you go see one of these psychiatric guys for a little shrink rap, and at the end of the session he gives you a crisp $100 bill and change instead of the other way around—“Hey doc, gosh. Thanks for the dough.

I’m feeling better about myself already.” And isn’t that the point?

Fock if I know, but I sometimes do wonder what things would be like these days if there had been an outbreak of the psychology racket in the olden days. Say, back in the year 0027 or something, they pull Jesus in for a psych session: “Well, Mr. Christ, to me it looks like we’re dealing with a pattern of self-destructive behavior here. I’d say you were clinically depressed but that hasn’t been invented yet. This savior thing.

It’s a grand idea, but practically speaking, what about the future? Do you actually see yourself doing this at 40, 50? And you say one thing, but then do another. ‘Love thy neighbor,’ fine.

But then you go bust up their money-changing temple. What I’d like to do is see you weekly for the long-term. Who is your health care provider, Mr. Christ?”

Okey-dokey, let’s wrap up with a nice ice fishing story, considering the weather we’ve had: This drunk guy decides to go ice fishing, so he gathers his gear and goes walking around until he finds a big patch of ice. He heads into the center of the ice and begins to saw a hole. All of sudden, a loud booming voice comes out of the sky. “You will find no fish under that ice.”

The drunk looks around, but sees no one. He starts sawing again. Once more, the voice speaks, “As I said before, there are no fish under the ice.” The drunk looks all around, high and low, but can’t see a single soul. He picks up the saw and before he can continue cutting, the huge voice interrupts. “I have warned you three times now. There are no fish!”

The drunk is abso-focking-lutely flustered, so he asks the voice, “How do you know there’s no fish? Are you God?” “No, douchebag,” the voice says.

“I am the manager of this hockey rink.”

Ba-ding! ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.

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