Print Edition: March 28, 2019

Why Milwaukeeans Should Welcome a Youth Prison ... page 10

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Erika Siemsen MPS School Board

Marva Herndon MPS School Board

Danielle Shelton Circuit Court Judge

Sequanna Taylor MPS School Board

Lisa Neubauer State Supreme Court

Renaissance Theaterworks’ ‘Annie Jump’ ... page 16

Bob Peterson MPS School Board

Megan O’Halloran MPS School Board

Shyla Deacon MPS School Board

Mott The Hoople Return to Milwaukee, 45 Years Later ... page 32

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::NEWS&VIEWS FEATURES | POLLS | TAKING LIBERTIES | ISSUE OF THE WEEK

THE SHEPHERD EXPRESS ENDORSES: APPEALS CHIEF JUDGE LISA NEUBAUER

Judge Lisa Neubauer

Shepherd Express Enthusiastically Endorses Lisa Neubauer ere in Wisconsin, our partisan elections have been so distorted by large amounts of out-of-state special interest group monies, extreme gerrymandering and voter suppression to the benefit of Republicans that the results often fail to reflect the will of the people. Our elections must be clean, free and fair. That makes it imperative that our justice system, which is the final arbiter in any election disputes, must be above reproach to intervene when required.

Unfortunately, the highest court in our state, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, has been tarnished with two Scott Walker appointees to vacant seats, each with histories of bigotry. Current state Supreme Court candidate Judge Brian Hagedorn’s homophobia and intolerance of religions other than his own is in that repugnant mold—not totally surprising given that he was Scott Walker’s lawyer.

What is new is that he’s such a rightwing extremist that even Republican stalwarts such as Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce and the Realtors, are fleeing or avoiding his campaign. A vote to reject that hatred is reason enough to run to the polls on Tuesday, April 2.

But here’s an even better reason to vote: There’s a candidate on the ballot who is steeped in judicial experience, strong leadership and a long and deep history of community service.

4 | MARCH 28, 2019

Talk to leaders in her hometown of Racine. Ask experts in the justice system from sheriffs to district attorneys to more than 340 judges— they are all on Team Neubauer, including a number of usually Republican stalwarts. Her opponent’s support is shallow, and when it came to light that he compared same-sex relationships to bestiality in his blog, he lost some of the few backers he had. Such conservative newspaper editorial boards as the Janesville Gazette have endorsed Neubauer, citing her superior experience, well-rounded skills and impartial approach.

Indeed, Neubauer has three decades of legal experience, including more than a decade as a twice-elected Appeals Court judge. Her volunteerism and civic involvement have earned her community praise and awards. Neubauer has been a reading tutor in Racine schools, a breast-cancer survivor mentor and a Big Sister. In contrast, her opponent cites helping Walker write Act 10—a piece of legislation that divided our state and harmed Wisconsin workers—as a high point of his much shorter career.

The justice elected on Tuesday, April 2, will replace a respected and ethical trailblazer, Justice Shirley Abrahamson, who has served with honor and integrity on Wisconsin’s high court for 42 years. Judge Neubauer is our clear choice to bring judicial knowledge, legal acumen, fairness and independence to Wisconsin’s highest court.

This race is for a 10-year term. Electing Neubauer will maintain the balance of the court at four conservatives and three liberals, as well as setting the stage for taking the Wisconsin Supreme Court back from Walker-Trump Republicans in 2020.

Please get out and vote in the spring nonpartisan elections on Tuesday, April 2. We must restore integrity and ethics in Wisconsin. Please vote for Lisa Neubauer.

ENDORSEMENTS: MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS

On Tuesday, April 2, voters in the City of Milwaukee will be voting for members of the governing board of the Milwaukee Public School (MPS) system. There are nine members of the MPS School Board— eight from districts that represent 1/8th of the population of Milwaukee, and one member elected at-large (citywide). The terms are for four years. Every two years, four of the eight members from the districts are up for election. This year, in addition to the four district-elected members, the citywide member is also up for election. The following are the Shepherd Express’ endorsements for the Tuesday, April 2, election. Please Vote.

Please Beware: Unfortunately, the out-of-state dark money that supports privatization has again come into the MPS School Board races with negative and false information. Please keep that in mind when you see negative flyers and negative ads against candidates that support public education.

DISTRICT ONE: DUAL ENDORSEMENT

District One is fortunate to have two qualified individuals running for the MPS School Board: Marva Herndon and Shyla Deacon. We believe that either one of these candidates would serve their community well. Both candidates are either current or former parents of MPS students and strongly believe in and understand the value of public education and will work hard to strengthen Milwaukee Public Schools.

Marva Herndon and Shyla Deacon bring different strengths to the position, and they each have an impressive list of endorsements.

Herndon has a deep history of involvement in virtually all of the fights in Milwaukee to protect public education over the past 10 years.

Deacon also has been active in the community in various ways, includEndorsements continued on page 6 >

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NEWS&VIEWS::FEATURE > Endorsements continued from page 4

ing serving on the board of the Next Door Foundation and as a member of the Early Education Task Force for the City of Milwaukee. Either way, District One and the children of Milwaukee are the winners.

CITYWIDE DISTRICT: BOB PETERSON

The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Bob Peterson for the Milwaukee Public School Board’s citywide position. Peterson is probably the most qualified person to run for the Milwaukee School Board in more than a generation, and that is not an exaggeration.

In the 1970s, while still a high school student, Bob Peterson was already organizing for school reform and had authored a pamphlet that was used well beyond Milwaukee for inspiring students to work for meaningful education reform, and that was just the beginning.

Peterson went on to get a couple degrees in education and a doctorate in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service. Peterson could have easily pursued a career as a college professor, but instead he chose to teach fourth and fifth grade for almost 30 years in MPS. He not only taught elementary school but co-founded La Escuela Fratney in 1988—Wisconsin’s first two-way bilingual school. In 1995, Peterson was honored as Wisconsin’s Elementary Teacher of the Year. In 2011, when Walker passed Act 10 targeting public unions, Peterson ran for and was elected president of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association (MTEA).

In addition to his classroom teaching and various work within the profession, he also was the founding editor of what is now a highly respected national school reform magazine, Rethinking Schools, and also co-edited several books.

The Shepherd Express asks you to please support Bob Peterson for the citywide school board position.

Milwaukee’s public schools definitely needs dedicated educational leaders like Bob Peterson.

DISTRICT TWO: ERIKA SIEMSEN

The Shepherd Express strongly endorses Erika Siemsen for the MPS School Board. Siemsen is a retired MPS teacher who is running for all the right reasons and is “for the kids.” She’s a teacher’s teacher.

After 31 years in an MPS classroom, she has seen it all and knows the good things MPS is doing, but also knows what needs to be improved. As she has said, “When I retired, I decided I was not done fighting for our children and the great public schools they deserve.”

This decision has led her to run for the Second District seat on the MPS School Board, where she hopes to put her pro-public-schools philosophy to work for all of the educators, parents and children of the MPS system.

Siemsen is a very strong supporter of public schools and understands that the best way to give our Milwaukee children the best education they can receive is by strengthening our public schools rather than shifting resources away from MPS, as her opponent is advocating. Siemsen explains, “I believe restoring funds, providing services and resources to our students and teachers, lowering class size and improving our meal program will have a direct effect on our students and improve their overall well-being.”

In addition to all of her endorsements from various community advocacy groups like Citizen Action of Wisconsin and Black Leaders Organizing Communities (BLOC), she is also strongly endorsed by many fellow education leaders, like former Milwaukee School Board President Peter Blewett. There is no doubt that 6 | MARCH 28, 2019

Siemsen is best qualified to serve the families in the Second District on the MPS School Board.

If you live in MPS District Two, please vote for Erika Siemsen.

One Contested Circuit Court Race in Milwaukee County

DISTRICT THREE: SEQUANNA TAYLOR

BRANCH 40: SHEPHERD EXPRESS ENDORSES DANIELLE SHELTON

Sequanna Taylor is the Shepherd Express’ choice for the District Three seat on the MPS Board of School Directors. She attended and graduated from MPS schools herself and is a mother of MPS students. Taylor has served as president of the Milwaukee Education Assistant Association (MEAA), has been a Milwaukee County Supervisor since 2016 and has focused her public service on the education of Milwaukee’s youth.

Most of her work and volunteer work focuses on properly educating Milwaukee’s children.

“I’ve seen firsthand how issues such as affordable housing, proper nutrition and decent healthcare overflow into our schools,” Taylor has stated. “How can a student focus on learning when they are worried about their next meal or if they have a place to stay for the night?” Taylor, an educational assistant, also serves on the National Educators Association (NEA) as a board director as well as on the leadership team of the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC). For Taylor, the most important issue the board has to address is making sure that MPS classrooms are fully funded.

Throughout her career, Taylor has worked hard for positive change, and she has earned the support of an impressive list of progressive organizations and community leaders who are now endorsing her in this election. In short, Taylor’s personal and professional track record strongly indicates that she will be a powerful advocate for the educators, parents and children of MPS. The Shepherd Express strongly endorses Taylor, and we ask the voters of MPS District Three to please vote for Sequanna Taylor.

DISTRICT EIGHT: MEGAN O’HALLORAN

The Shepherd Express strongly endorses Megan O’Halloran for the MPS District Eight board seat and for her tireless work supporting public education and fighting against the efforts of those who continue to try to privatize our public education. When asked why she is running for the board, she emphatically responds, “To protect public education from privatization efforts, disrupt the ‘school-to-prison’ pipeline and increase student access to advanced class options.”

O’Halloran graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree from UW-Milwaukee, and currently works as a fundraiser; as O’Halloran states, she “works every day to raise resources to meet our city’s most critical needs, [helping to] build the community I want to raise my children in.” O’Halloran has a strong history of community volunteer work and devotes considerable personal energy toward advocating for good public schools for all Milwaukee children.

As a tireless advocate for strong public schools, she says she looks forward “to bringing my professional experience and commitment to the community to the board.” O’Halloran explains that, when elected to the board, she’ll “fight to lower class size, increase student access to art, gym, library and music and increase community engagement with regular community conversations.”

The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Megan O’Halloran for the MPS District Eight seat and asks the voters to please vote for Megan O’Halloran on April 2.

It is always disappointing to see that very few judges are challenged for their re-election. It certainly isn’t because they have high name recognition since most people couldn’t name even two or three current Milwaukee County judges. There are a number of reasons for this, and unfortunately, most explanations are not particularly noble. Our courts would run much better if the voters held judges as accountable as they do with all other elected officials.

Many judges get on the bench from a gubernatorial appointment, and once on the bench, never ever face a contested election where they have to undergo the scrutiny of the voters. That is a sad fact about our judicial system. The current incumbent judge in this position, a conservative corporate attorney who was appointed to the bench by former Gov. Scott Walker to replace the very capable and progressive judge (now state Supreme Court Justice) Rebecca Dallet. Without Walker appointing him to the bench, would a conservative corporate lawyer with nothing that particularly distinguishes him ever be able to get elected judge in Milwaukee County?

The Tuesday, April 2, election is no different.

There is just one contested judicial race in Milwaukee County, and that race pits the Walker appointee, Andrew Jones, against an Assistant State Public Defender, Danielle Shelton.

It is difficult to evaluate a judge, since cases before the courts are all somewhat unique, so it comes down to understanding a person’s values to try to understand how they will function as a judge in interpreting the law. One of the best ways to understand a person’s values is to look at the career choices they have made.

Jones is an upstanding Danielle Shelton citizen who has been on the court for about seven months, which is not long enough to either distinguish himself or embarrass the court. He has been a conservative corporate attorney for the past 20 years, representing businesses in a variety of litigation and other legal matters. Our court system has a significant number of former corporate attorneys who understand the positions of the corporations and, unfortunately, often show sympathy for the corporations against average citizens.

Shelton has demonstrated her values in her career choices and has very broad experience. Early in her career, she worked in the private sector as a financial adviser for American Express. She also served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, and for the past 15 years, Shelton has devoted her considerable legal skills and energy to helping individuals who are not the wealthy and powerful.

Shelton first worked on behalf of senior citizens in a wide range of legal issues as an attorney for Legal Action. She then became a state Public Defender, positively impacting the lives of indigent defendants in criminal cases. Unfortunately, the Milwaukee County justice system has very few judges who have actually worked with poor people and understand their circumstances, and that is a very serious indictment of our entire justice system.

We need more judges who understand the lives of the average working people and poor people and who don’t lean toward always supporting the wealthy corporate interests. For this reason, we strongly endorse Danielle Shelton for Milwaukee County Judge.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com.

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::SAVINGOURDEMOCRACY ( MAR. 28 - APRIL 3, 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 gettogethers and any other actions that are directed toward fighting back to preserve our liberal democratic system.

Friday, March 29

‘Uncommon Friendships’ hosted by First Stage and Hours Against Hate @ Milwaukee Youth Arts Center (325 W. Walnut St.) 5-7 p.m.

A First Stage event in partnership with Hours Against Hate, “Uncommon Friendships” is geared to families and young people 10 years old and up. This event will highlight the powerful story told through First Stage’s ongoing production of Big River and its relevance today and offer opportunities to explore friendship across lines of division.

Saturday, March 30

Peace Action of Wisconsin: Stand for Peace @ the corner of West Forest Home Ave. and 43rd St., 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 the protest.

Veterans for Peace Benefit Concert @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn (1001 E. Locust St.) 7 p.m.

Massachusetts singer-songwriter and activist Tom Neilson performs an evening of music, satire and social commentary to benefit Veterans for Peace. For more information, call Bill Christofferson at 414-496-9651.

Saturday, March 30, and Sunday, March 31

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Canvass/Get Out the Vote for Tuesday, April 2 @ various locations

Visit resistancecalendar.org and volunteer to canvas your community and educate voters ahead of the spring election. Times and specific locations are as follows: Cudahy Family Library (3500 Library Drive) 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; Colectivo (9125 W. North Ave.) 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; Peace Action of Wisconsin (1001 E. Keefe Ave.) 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Monday, April 1

Plastic Free MKE @ Urban Ecology Center, Riverside Park (1500 E. Park Place) 6-7 p.m.

Join a meeting to match volunteers up with tasks for the group that will further the cause of reducing single-use plastics in Milwaukee.

Wednesday, April 3

‘Crossing the Bridge: Milwaukee’s Struggle for Civil Rights’ @ United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County Volunteer Center (200 W. Pleasant St.) 5-6:30 p.m.

Crossing the Bridge chronicles Milwaukee’s struggle for civil rights and the marches in support of open housing that led to the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

2019 Milwaukee Women’s Leadership Luncheon @ Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront (4700 N. Port Washington Road) 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Milwaukee Women’s Leadership Luncheon with keynote speaker Amy Chionchio, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee.

To submit to this column, please send a brief description of your action, including date and time, to savingourdemocracy@shepex.com. Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

Prospect Avenue High Rise is looking for a Part-Time 2nd Shift Garage Attendant.

What We Look For:

We are looking for flexible, hardworking and courteous individuals who enjoy working with people and excel in a fast-paced environment.

Job Description:

• Hours are 3:30 PM to 11:30 PM Saturday and Sunday.

• Promptly and carefully park residents’ vehicles.

• Greet and open garage lobby door for all residents.

• If appropriate, assist residents with groceries, packages and luggage.

Requirements:

• Must be able to drive vehicles with manual transmission.

• Must have a valid driver’s license and insurance.

Please contact Lori Ferguson at 414-326-3575 or by email at lferguson436@gmail.com for more information.

You may also fill out an application in person at 1610 N. Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

8 | MARCH 28, 2019

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

NEWS&VIEWS::POLL

You Say Facebook Has Become a Danger to Freedom and Privacy Last week, we asked if Facebook has grown so large and so monopolistic that it has become a danger to our freedom and privacy. You said: n Yes: 78% n No: 23%

What Do You Say? Do you believe that U.S. Attorney General William Barr accurately and truthfully conveyed Robert Mueller’s conclusions in his four-page summary of Mueller’s report? n Yes n No Vote online at shepherdexpress.com. We’ll publish the results of this poll in next week’s issue.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

MARCH 28, 2019 | 9

NEWS&VIEWS::TAKINGLIBERTIES

Why Milwaukeeans Should Welcome a Youth Prison::BY JOEL MCNALLY

T

he overwhelming benefits of locating detention facilities close to home for Milwaukee children who violate laws was hardly mentioned when angry neighborhood residents showed up at a public meeting to jeer city and state officials who are finally trying to do the right thing. So, let’s lay out the reasons why Milwaukee really should welcome a youth prison for its children in the city.

First and foremost is the indisputable urgency of reversing years of horrific physical and psychological abuse of children under Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Walker’s the one who shut down boys and girls “schools” close to Milwau-

kee in 2011 to send juveniles 200 miles away, into the wilds of northern Wisconsin, to be incarcerated in Lincoln Hills for boys and Copper Lake for girls.

Hiding those prisons in a remote area with little professional oversight was almost immediately catastrophic. Families could rarely travel so far to see what was happening there, and Walker didn’t seem to care. Stories came back about child rapes and brutal physical assaults resulting in broken bones, internal injuries and even an amputation. In 2012, a Racine judge refused to send children there and wrote to Walker detailing the horrors, but Walker avoided ever visiting the prisons.

The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI raided the prisons in 2015, seizing records to investigate allegations of sexual assault, physical brutality and falsification and destruction of records to cover up crimes against children. Unfortunately, nothing more came of the federal investigation after President Trump appointed Jeff Sessions his attorney general.

No More Torture

In 2017, thanks to the ACLU of Wisconsin and the Juvenile Law Center, a federal judge ordered the prisons to stop punishing children by drenching them in blistering pepper spray and psychologically torturing juveniles by holding them in solitary confinement for months at a time. During 10 months in 2016, there were 135 attempted suicides among the 20 to 35 girls at Copper Lake, about one every other day. During the same period, pepper spray (sold for protection against wild animals)

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10 | M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

was used 198 times against boys at Lincoln Hills, often for minor infractions.

I thought about all those years of crimes against children—Milwaukee’s own children— when angry Milwaukeeans began denouncing city and state officials for selecting a 17-acre site at North Teutonia Avenue and Mill Road to house 32 juvenile offenders. They raised the usual exaggerated fears about property values and threats to public safety. It shouldn’t be news to anyone that prisons are extremely safe, heavily guarded community institutions for anyone on the outside. Those shouting at Mayor Tom Barrett might have missed him describing the advantage of a 17-acre site with any buildings far removed from surrounding homes.

An even greater contribution to public safety is finally ending the permanent psychological damage done to incarcerated children in Walker’s black sites of torture and abuse. Violence feeds violence. Savage acts of cruelty inflicted upon children by the state are likely to create dysfunctional adults and more violent crime.

Some responsible adults who are doing their best to clean up Wisconsin’s sins against children in its custody are caught in the middle.

They include Gov. Tony Evers, newly appointed Secretary of Corrections Kevin Carr, Mayor Barrett and Common Council president Ashanti Hamilton.

A last-minute switch from a previously publicized Mill Road site in a different aldermanic district created unnecessary political tensions, although neighborhood controversy was probably inevitable for any site. Hamilton, who represents the new site, said he was left out of the state decision. Surprising area residents without any public hearings further inflamed the not-inmy-backyard reaction, Hamilton said.

Inevitably, too, the fact that Hamilton is publicly considering running for mayor in 2020 creates tensions with Barrett. Hamilton walked a tightrope presiding over the public hearing on the Mill Road site. He criticized the state for unnecessarily adding to the controversy by leaving neighbors out of the decision. But, like Barrett, Hamilton knows the value to the community of locating the detention facility for children in Milwaukee.

The driving political force behind Republicans imprisoning children and adults from Milwaukee and other urban areas in distant communities is to create jobs for white people with few opportunities guarding black and brown people. An added political bonus is those communities gain more representation in the legislature, as prison inmates count as part of their population.

Evers, a professional educator, knows what corrections professionals know—all incarcerated people, but especially children, benefit from regular contact with families who love them and an extended community support system. Also, he knows that positive rewards are far more effective in changing behavior in children who have started down the wrong road than violent punishment. The first step in rebuilding the state’s corrections system for children from one of child abuse to provide young people with a better future is to house them near people who care about them.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

NEWS&VIEWS::ISSUEOFTHEWEEK

Tell Wisconsin’s Republican Legislators to Expand Healthcare ::BY KEVIN KANE

I

n only a few instances (outside of the voting booth) does the average Wisconsinite have the power to advance the 100-year struggle for universal quality healthcare as we do next month.

For many, the Affordable Care Act was a godsend—the outlawing of insurance company practices that discriminated against people with preexisting conditions and provider of tax-credit support for hundreds of thousands of residents to help pay for premiums. It also offers one place to go, healthcare.gov, with clear rules that ensure a level playing field.

But the fight was never at its end. For too many, thanks to conservative sabotage, affordable healthcare coverage remains out of reach. People are still delaying care, struggling with bills and choosing to remain uninsured. Yet the stage of this drama today is not so much in Washington, D.C., as it is in Madison, Wis., and this spring, you have two major ways to be heard.

Expanding BadgerCare is now the opportunity in front of us that could guarantee more affordable healthcare coverage to tens of thousands of people, while improving care for the rest of us by accepting available federal funds that former Republican Gov. Scott Walker long refused and by opening up BadgerCare to be a “public option” to the individuals, families and employees who choose to buy in at their expense.

Expanding BadgerCare could immediately help the homecare workers, childcare workers, construction workers, office staff and restaurant employees who generally earn between $7.25 and $16 an hour, depending on family size and hours worked in a given month. Too many hard-working Wisconsinites simply can’t rely on their job for adequate healthcare coverage, and with small tweaks, BadgerCare could be available to everyone as an affordable

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

alternative “public” option for healthcare—including for those who get it at work.

But there is a barrier: Wisconsin’s GOP-controlled state Senate, led by Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald. While many senators (including Fitzgerald) have publicly wavered at times, they’ve publicly stated on many occasions that they remain opposed to affordable healthcare coverage for working Wisconsinites, yet it only requires three Republican senators to change their mind, and current budget negotiations with Gov. Tony Evers makes this year likely the one when big things will happen.

What Can You Do To Help?

Call your state senator (see Milwaukee-area senators list below). Senate supporters of BadgerCare can work with you, while opponents need to hear from you on it.

You can also make plans to attend the single budget hearing taking place in the Milwaukee area on Thursday, April 11. Alas, as of the publication of this article, the precise location of this hearing is unknown, but it should be on that day and start about 10 a.m. (Since these public hearings are first come-first served for seating, make plans to arrive before 9 a.m. if possible.)

To keep track of the scheduling of this budget hearing, please look for updates at Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s webpage at citizenactionwi.org or call them at 414-476-4501. Let us know if you can attend, and the moment it is clear where and when, we will connect you with how you can most help. Citizen Action also has an online pledge form at form.jotform. com/90774266565165.

This is your best chance to get involved to help tens of thousands of working Wisconsinites gain affordable healthcare coverage.

Milwaukee-area Wisconsin State Senators Dale Kooyenga (District Five) 608-266-2512 Alberta Darling (District Eight) 608-266-5830 Duey Stroebel (District 20) 608-266-7513 David Craig (District 28) 608-266-5400 Chris Kapenga (District 33) 608-266-9174

Kevin Kane is a director at Citizen Action of Wisconsin. Comment at shepherdexpress.com.

M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 11

::CANNABISCONNECTION THE GO-TO SITE FOR EVERYTHING CANNABIS IN WISCONSIN

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.

Euthymic Health Hemp shows a bright future for farming family ::BY SHEILA JULSON

N

ot long ago, Michelle Kyhn’s family faced a dilemma plaguing many dairy farmers in Wisconsin: tanking milk prices. As Kyhn’s father neared retirement, her brother, Jon Lundgren, who’s in his 30s, was reluctant to take over the family’s dairy farm operations due to the financial risk.

Meanwhile, Kyhn, a marathon runner, had heard about cannabidiol (CBD) and used it as a remedy for pain and inflammation. She and her husband David started researching hemp, and in 2017—when former Gov. Scott Walker had signed into law a hemp pilot research program in Wisconsin—Kyhn reached out to her brother about the possibility of farming hemp. That move eventually led to Euthymic Health (7406 W. Layton Ave.), the CBD shop the Kyhns opened in December.

The Kyhns and Lundgren attended hemp conferences and took steps toward growing hemp on their family’s farm property in Sauk County. “It was a scramble to find seed last year, because many places were already sold out, so we bought plants from a Colorado company that also does their own processing. We really liked how they ran things,” she said. “Some of the product we have here is actually their product with our private labeling on them. They have high quality tinctures that tastes better than most stuff out there.”

Euthymic Health’s CBD tinctures come in isolate (pure CBD extract from the plant) and full spectrum (which contains the terpenes, cannabinoids, flavonoids and fatty acids found in hemp). They carry CBD flower sourced from plants grown indoors on the family’s property. Kyhn said there was a learning curve involved in producing hemp outdoors. They started small and tried a variety that was actually meant more for southern latitudes and didn’t flower as scheduled.

“We knew the flowering was off, because there’s still wild hemp around our property that was grown there prior to World War II and that started flowering earlier,” she recalled.

Kyhn’s family ended up closing their dairy farm operations, but Lundgren, who lives near the farm, will grow hemp again this season on five acres of that land. The Kyhns own the Layton Avenue building housing Euthymic Health, which allowed them to open the store with little risk. Euthymic Health also has a muscle and joint balm and pet products. The shop’s Tune Up line is designed with specific dosages for athletes that want to maintain general daily wellness.

All of Euthymic Health’s products are third-party tested, and the results are available online. The store also carries Colorado-based Whole Made body massage oil, soap and lip balm and CBD Living gummies. They will soon be adding CBD water to their offerings.

Because they are fully integrated as farmers and processors, Euthymic Health’s owner-operators plan to add more products. They offer small-scale private labeling and sell small amounts of CBD extract to crafters that make personal care products. They also sell vape cartridges, but Kyhn emphasized those are cash only due to rules set by their credit card processor. She said advertising a CBD store via social media has also been challenging. Kyhn recently had an issue with Facebook; the social media giant recently took down Euthymic Health’s page without warning, she said, and she had to appeal twice to get it back up. “They don’t have any specific rules, and they don’t really tell you what you’ve done wrong,” she frowned.

Yet she’s optimistic that CBD is opening the door to cannabis acceptance generally, because it provides a great alternative for people who want effective natural wellness. The store’s comfortable ambiance draws younger people as well as older folk who had never tried cannabis products but are curious about how CBD may be able to help them.

For more information, visit buycbdmilwaukee.com.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n 12 | M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

Rehabilitation Before Punishment

FRANCE OPTS FOR REHABILITATION-ORIENTED LAWS OVER CANNABIS LEGALIZATION ::BY JEAN-GABRIEL FERNANDEZ

H

ow can a country reconcile being one of the world’s biggest cannabis consumers and still be opposed to cannabis legalization? That’s something we can learn by observing France. As a French citizen, I would like to share some insight about my country’s unique marijuana culture. France is the European Union’s single biggest consumer of cannabis, with nearly 41% of the population aged 15-64 admitting to using it, including 39% of high-schoolers. More than 22% of young adults use cannabis regularly.

Although marijuana has a billion-dollar black market in France, most young cannabis users report getting at least some of their cannabis for free, be it through family—yes, parents accompanying their kids on their first trip is a tradition there—or via shared blunts (rolled cannabis cigarettes) with friends, according to the French Observatory of Drugs and Addiction (OFDT).

It is an understood part of life in France that everyone smokes to some degree, be it tobacco or marijuana. I haven’t seen a single rolled cigarette in my time in the U.S., but you can hardly go a single day without seeing at least a dozen of them in France—most of which are probably blunts, even in public.

That is not to say that French people accept cannabis; in fact, more than half of the population opposes both the legalization and depenalization of its use, and marijuana is strictly illegal under French law—consuming it is punishable by up to one year in prison and a hefty fine. However, judges can choose to replace the sentence with medical treatment. If a judge deems a cannabis user needs help instead of punishment, this person will be ordered to follow a tailored medical program to help them recover from addiction, which can include therapy and regular checks on the person’s welfare.

In general, France wants to keep drug users safe rather than in prison. In 2015, more than 40% of all people admitted to a rehab facility in France used marijuana exclusively—as opposed to 14% of such people in the U.S. Cannabis users can be exonerated of their “crime” if they come forward and talk to medical professionals about their drug habits.

IN GENERAL, FRANCE WANTS TO KEEP DRUG USERS SAFE RATHER THAN IN PRISON. IN 2015, MORE THAN 40% OF ALL PEOPLE ADMITTED TO A REHAB FACILITY IN FRANCE USED MARIJUANA EXCLUSIVELY—AS OPPOSED TO 14% OF SUCH PEOPLE IN THE U.S. CANNABIS USERS CAN BE EXONERATED OF THEIR “CRIME” IF THEY COME FORWARD AND TALK TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ABOUT THEIR DRUG HABITS. Recently, two “shooting galleries” have opened in French hospitals, where someone with a drug addiction problem can come with their illegal drugs—including heroin and methamphetamine—and they cannot be held accountable for the drugs they consume within the galleries. On-site doctors and social workers provide them with clean syringes and support, and they ensure their safety during the trip.

Unlike the U.S., where in most places cannabis is still violently repressed, and its possessors and users imprisoned, France strongly favors rehabilitation before punishment. Since 1999, French law has required that medical professionals weigh in at every step of the legal process when a cannabis user is arrested, in order to determine the best course of action. As a result, only a tiny minority of drug users actually end up in a French prison.

In the U.S., the nonprofit Drug Policy Alliance found that roughly 30% of drug-related arrests lead to incarceration. In France, 200,000 people were arrested in 2013 for drug possession, 33,650 people were sentenced by a judge to fines, medical treatment or another outcome, of which only 1,400 were actually imprisoned. That amounts to less than 1% of all arrests.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n SHEPHERD EXPRESS

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::DININGOUT

For more Dining, log onto shepherdexpress.com

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FEATURE | SHORT ORDER | EAT/DRINK

Punch Bowl Social

New in Milwaukee Great places in Downtown, West Allis and West Milwaukee for burgers, Mexican and more ::BY LACEY MUSZYNSKI

After a February lull, restaurant openings came back with a vengeance this month. West Allis took the award for the most new (or relocated) spots with three, while Downtown and West Milwaukee don’t lag far behind.

Burgerim

A chain restaurant specializing in mini burgers has opened in the former Cousins Subs location on Old World Third Street. Burgerim serves up three-ounce halal beef burgers in a fast, casual setting. Burgers are served in duos ($6.99) and trios ($9.99) in any combination of toppings or proteins you like. Patty options include 28-daydry-aged beef, chicken breast, salmon and falafel, among seven others. Topping combos can be set, like the “Classic” with house sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and American cheese, or you can choose from a variety of options, like sautéed mushrooms and habanero mustard. French fries, onion rings, shakes and chicken wings are also available.

1001 N. Old World Third St. 414-800-7010 burgerim.com

Chilango Express

This Mexican restaurant has moved down the street from its old gas station location. The building, formerly Sofia’s, is larger and offers full service as well as a bar. The space has been renovated, including an upgraded kitchen, new booths, removed carpeting in the dining area and a new, bright exterior paint job. All the old favorites are still on the menu, including tacos ($2), quesadillas ($6.50) and huaraches ($6.50) made with homemade tortillas and daily specials like menudo. New to the menu are nachos and fajitas, along with margaritas and micheladas.

7030 W. Lincoln Ave. 414-807-7948 chilangoexpresswi.com

La Costeña Cafe

A Mexican restaurant has opened in West Allis in the former home of Antigua, which recently moved. La Costeña Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers a full bar. Breakfast items include Mexican specialties like chilaquiles ($8.99) and huevos con chorizo ($9.99), as well as American dishes like fresh berry waffles

14 | M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

($9.99). At lunch and dinner, diners can enjoy everything from a turkey melt ($8.49) on rye to a taco dinner ($10.99) made with cabesa or barbacoa. Parrillada for one or two ($17.99-$32.99), burgers ($7.99+) and seafood ($13.99) are also available.

5823 W. Burnham St. 837-6685 la-costena-cafe.business.site

Punch Bowl Social

A restaurant and bar chain has opened on Fiserv Forum’s entertainment block.

Punch Bowl Social is a multistory “adult playground” featuring numerous bowling alleys, arcade areas, board games, bars and a full menu to keep you energized while you play. Shareable appetizers and snacks make up the bulk of the menu, including green chorizo and cheese-topped fries ($12), potted pork belly ($11) and shrimp ceviche ($11). Tacos ($12-$14), burgers and sandwiches ($11-$14) and a few mains like chicken and waffles ($16) round it out. Brunch includes favorites like fried chicken ($14) and monkey bread French toast ($14).

1122 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave. 414-204-7544 punchbowlsocial.com/location/milwaukee

Spicy Tuna

A Japanese restaurant has opened in the former 4823 Grill & Pub building in West Milwaukee. Spicy Tuna offers ramen, sushi, teriyaki and noodle dishes in a sushi-bar-meets-tavern atmosphere. Nigiri and sashimi ($5-$7 for 2 pieces), vegetable maki ($4.50-$10), sushi entrees ($15-$28) and signature maki with elaborate decorations like the Miller Park ($14) with soft-shell crab, avocado, seared tuna and fried shallots are available. Six types of ramen are offered, including a beef version ($14) with barbecue beef. Other Japanese classics include tempura shrimp and vegetables ($6.50), seaweed salad ($4) and salmon teriyaki ($16).

4823 W. National Ave. 414-671-4823 spicytuna.us

Wild Roots

A new American restaurant has opened in the former Ka-Bob’s Bistro space in West Allis. Wild Roots is a partnership between chef Thi Cao (formerly of Buckley’s) and Bryan DeStefanis (owner of Big City Greens). The restaurant’s menu will change frequently and features seasonal ingredients from DeStefanis’ farm as well as foraged items. Inspiration for some dishes comes from Cao’s Vietnamese heritage through dishes like a bitter melon soup ($5), while others feature wild game and offal. For brunch and lunch, dishes include a salmon sandwich and green beans with crispy onions, fried egg and anchovy.

6807 W. Becher St. 414-231-9081 facebook.com/wildrootsmke

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DININGOUT::EATDRINK

::WHERETHEYEAT

Dan Turek, Executive Chef, Bass Bay Brewhouse S79W15851 Aud Mar Drive, Muskego bassbaybrewhouse.com Dan Turek can’t get enough of sandwiches and sausages. One of his favorite stops for a bite right now is the Foxfire Food Truck, which has been doing a winter popup at Hawthorne Coffee. “I think the hot fried chicken sandwich is probably the best in the city,” Turek says. “The chicken is always tender and seasoned perfectly. I have gotten one and put it in the fridge for the next day, and it was still delicious.”

Chef Turek also recommends Vanguard. “I love going there, because the food is always great, and the service is friendly and fun,” he says. “My favorite dish on the menu is the duck BLT sausage. I order it almost every time I go.”

Foxfire Food Truck (currently at) 4177 S. Howell Ave. foxfiremke.com

Vanguard

2659 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-539-3593 vanguardbar.com

HaloVino’s Drinkware

HaloVino’s Recyclable, Reusable Drinkware ::BY SHEILA JULSON

F Chef Dan Turek

::SHORTORDER

Great Brisket at Double B’s BBQ ::BY JAMIE LEE RAKE

Double B’s BBQ (7420 W. Greenfield Ave.) takes dining on smoked meat a step up with head chef/pit master Mark Timber’s scrumptious servings of pork, beef and chicken. Want something less messy than a plate of ribs, but more texturally varied than pulled pork or chicken? Try Double B’s brisket ends. The charring adds a tad of satisfying crunch to the tender meat, and they are bathed in a sweet, slightly hot Kansas City-styled sauce. Full strips of brisket may be had as well, and both those and the ends feature as sandwich fillings alongside Angus beef, black ben patties and the aforementioned pulled meats. Full meals are accompanied by creamy coleslaw, given a tinge of tanginess with apple cider vinegar, and a cornbread muffin so moist and sweet it could be mistaken for dessert. It’s worth having appetite enough for a proper, final, sweet course—the wonderous smoked pecan pie with a side of buttery bourbon caramel sauce.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

or wine lovers who want to take their vino to park concerts, sporting events, the poolside or anywhere that glass is a no-no, Jessica Bell has come up with a solution to awkwardly shaped, single-use plastic cups—HaloVino, a portable, shatterproof, reusable, BPA-free “no-glass” wine glass.

Many people might recognize Bell as co-host of Wisconsin Public Television’s “Wisconsin Foodie.” She’s also a sommelier. The idea for HaloVino came to her while drinking wine in places like stadiums and outdoor events that used wide-rimmed, stackable cups. She knows wine tastes and smells much better when consumed from a narrow-rimmed glass. In addition, she also wanted something stackable and cost-effective.

“I designed it to fit my needs,” she says. “I want to drink wine, I want it to taste good, and I want the cup to be portable and cost-efficient. So those were thing things I was looking for because it didn’t exist. Another factor that was important to me was sustainability.”

Once she had the ideal portable wine glass in mind, Bell launched a Kickstarter campaign that raised about $27,000, which was enough to build a prototype mold and start a test launch in June 2016. She went on to build a production mold for commercial manufacturing capabilities, and HaloVino has been in commercial production since last spring, manufactured locally

by Sussex IM. HaloVino drinkware includes that narrow rim and wide body that enhances the taste and scent of the wine. To make the wine glass stackable, Bell designed it in two pieces that easily snap together, creating the halo seal around the center of the glass. The halo takes the place of the stem of a wine glass, allowing it to rest nicely in your hands so you don’t have to touch the bowl on the glass. “You don’t want to warm the wine or get your hand wet if the glass is sweating,” Bell says. “The halo provides functional features, and it also sits nicely in cup holders and will float in pools.”

‘Live it Up With One Cup’

HaloVino is BPA-free, lead-free, phthalate-free and dishwasher safe, and it has serving lines to guide bartenders and servers, so they don’t over-pour. Bell noted that HaloVino drinkware has become popular with millennials—a group that often seeks out eco-friendly alternative packaging. Bell and her team have also recently launched the HaloTote, a water-resistant, dishwasher-safe bag to transport wine glasses.

In addition to making it easier for wine lovers to enjoy their favorite vino outdoors with a functional, reusable drinking vessel, HaloVino promotes sustainability. “We all want to be sustainable, but if the systems aren’t in place to fit our on-the-go lifestyles, we sometimes don’t do it,” Bell observes. “So we’re trying to encourage the idea of ‘live it up with one cup.’ Whether you use a HaloVino glass or not, try to at least reuse the glass you have that night or that day.

It’s a simple behavior change, and if we just have it in the back of our minds, it can make a big difference and cut down waste production.”

HaloVino can be ordered online; a package of six glasses starts at $9.99. The drinkware can also be purchased at select Sendik’s locations and Total Wine locations in Greenfield and Brookfield, Wisc. Bell said HaloVino is used at Jazz in the Park, the Fiserv Forum, Miller Park, the Wisconsin State Fair, the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, the Oriental Theatre and at the Milwaukee Film Festival. Going a little further afield, Bell has also expanded HaloVino to markets in Florida and California.

For more information, visit halovino.com.

M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 15

::A&E

Brought to you by The Milwaukee Art Museum

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

Rehearsals for Annie Jump

Science Fiction, Humor and Astronomy in ‘Annie Jump’

::BY JEAN-GABRIEL FERNANDEZ

hose eye is brighter than a woman’s?” is a sentence attributed to Annie Jump Cannon, one of America’s greatest astronomers, known for her classifications of the stars. Defying 19th-century gender stereotypes, Cannon established herself as a genius whose work is still celebrated today through the American Astronomical Society’s Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy. Playwright Reina Hardy references Cannon’s life and work in Renaissance Theaterworks’ new play, Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven, which closes the company’s season about women and science.

Annie Jump is a 13-year-old science genius living in a small Kansas town with a struggling dad who believes in aliens. Annie is visited by Althea, an intergalactic supercomputer who came to help Annie bring humanity out into the cosmos; in the process, Annie becomes free to realize her true potential. Through sciencefiction themes and exploring greater purpose in the Universe, the play focuses on interpersonal relationships.

“It is a humanist play. It is about the struggles within a family to realize their dreams,” director Pam Kriger says. “The science-fiction aspect of it is there to help this young girl become who she could become, but the play is truly about her journey.” This is not a play only for kids; “anyone from age 10 and up can enjoy it,” Suzan Fete, Renaissance Theaterworks’ artistic director, insists. It has characters that anyone can relate to, but it is first and foremost a beautiful story for everyone.

Hardy says that her two protagonists, Annie and Althea, “showed up from who knows where, already sniping at each other, already the best of friends,” while she tried to write the script. As for the initial idea, it came to her after she heard “a story about a man who maintained a website inviting aliens to contact him” and read a science history book “that described a theoretical concept much like the Library of Heaven. The two ideas sort of collided,” she adds.

Annie Jump has all the odds stacked in its favor, from a charming premise to a great cast, as well as animated sections using a large screen to take the public from place to place. To bring the story to life, Rachael Zientek, a seasoned actress, was chosen to play Althea. Annie herself is interpreted by 17-year-old Reese Parish, who has demonstrated her on-stage skills as Dorothy in First Stage’s The Wiz, despite still being a high-schooler. “She is really going to be a force to be reckoned with. She is amazingly well-rounded and she’s smart as a whip. You give her one little direction, and she goes with it, she really gets it,” Kriger says.

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RENAISSANCE THEATERWORKS’ NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT SERIES

Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven marks the beginning of a new era for Renaissance Theaterworks. The play is a rolling world premiere; it premieres in Milwaukee, but three other theaters in the nation are playing it, too: Rorschach Theatre in Washington, D.C., Vortex Theatre in Austin, Texas and Thrown Stone in Connecticut next season, all thanks to the National New Play Network, which Renaissance Theaterworks recently joined. The New Play Network is a national organization that helps new plays get developed and produced by giving local theater companies resources and contacts all over the country.

Annie Jump allowed Renaissance Theaterworks to join that network as the script is original, written specifically for the company’s New Play Development series, Br!NK. Since 2013, female Midwestern playwrights have been encouraged to submit scripts to Br!NK; each year, two scripts win and are subsequently developed and presented to the public through readings.

Hardy’s script for Annie Jump and the Library of HeavAnnie Jump en won Br!NK in 2017, and it is the first original Br!NK script that Renaissance Theaterworks fully produced. “We and the could afford to produce it well; we felt like it would fit in Library really well with our season, and we just really loved it,” of Heaven Fete explains. “It was also so successful at the reading; I’ve never had so many people coming to me and saying, ‘You Renaissance Theaterworks have to produce this.’ Of course, we would love to produce more Br!NK plays.”

March 29 More recently, the company expanded Br!NK with - April 21 Br!efs—a collection of short plays that will be presented as part of the Br!NK New Play Festival. “The Br!efs are 10-minute plays based on one of the three writing prompts we put out each year. For instance, ‘Fortune favors the bold,’ or ‘Happiness is waiting for you.’ We then show five of those plays during a Br!ef afternoon,” Fete explains.

If you’re a Midwestern woman, a passionate writer and, like Hardy, would like your script to be played not only here in Milwaukee but around the U.S., Renaissance Theaterworks offers you a chance to get your voice heard. This year’s Br!NK season is from September to December, and Br!efs are posted thrice a year on their website, r-t-w.com.

Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven will be performed March 29-April 21 at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway. For tickets, call 414-291-7800 or visit r-t-w.com.

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::THISWEEKINMILWAUKEE ::THISWEEKIN WEEK WEEKIN

Thou

THURSDAY, MARCH 28 Thou w/ Emma Ruth Rundle and Social Caterpillar @ Company Brewing, 9 p.m.

Working from a DIY template, the Baton Rouge metal group Thou has built their following by pushing the boundaries of sludge metal, experimenting with outside styles that underscore the band’s heaviness. The band also does a mean Nirvana cover: They’ve released several of them on tribute albums for the record label Robotic Empire, including a vicious “Floyd the Barber.” They released their latest album, Magus, last year for Sacred Bones Records. They’ll share this show with another artist who plays with metal in some expected ways. She’s a member of the heavy post-rock bands Red Sparowes and Marriages, but she does some of her most haunting work under her own name. She released her most recent collection of uneasy folk, On Dark Horses, last year on Sargent House.

Lil Baby w/ City Girls, Blueface, Jordan Hollywood, Rylo Rodriguez, Marlo and 42 Dugg @ The Rave, 8 p.m.

Thanks to an early co-sign from fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug, Lil Baby hit the ground running after serving two years in prison on drug charges. Less than a year after his release, he’d cemented himself as one of the city’s hottest rappers, thanks to mixtapes like last year’s Too Hard, which showcased his melodic voice and vivid storytelling. It didn’t take long for the world outside of Atlanta to recognize his talent, either. He enjoyed a breakthrough 2018, thanks to his official debut album Harder Than Ever and its Drake-assisted single “Yes Indeed,” then he furthered his profile with Drip Harder, a hit mixtape that partnered Baby with fellow Atlantan Gunna. Its single “Drip Too Hard” became his highest charting track yet. Also on this bill is Blueface, a California rapper who’s quickly becoming one of rap’s most debated acts, thanks to his unusual, off-beat flow.

His breakout hit “Thotiana” has been remixed repeatedly, with one particularly notable version featuring YG and Cardi B.

Verve Pipe w/ Daniel Rey @ The Back Room at Colectivo, 8 p.m.

The Verve Pipe were one of dozens of alternative bands gobbled up by major labels in the wake of Nirvana’s success, and they made the most of their opportunity, releasing their grungy major-label debut Villains in 1996. It included their first hit, “Photograph,” and their signature song, “The Freshmen,” the melodramatic tale of a high schooler’s suicide. The band has released albums sporadically since, and although they were never able to recreate that album’s success, they’ve retained a loyal fanbase thanks in part to their intimate live shows. At this show, they’ll be joined by Daniel Rey, better known as Dejan Kralj of The Gufs.

SUNDAY, MARCH 31

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

Mumford & Sons w/ Cat Power @ Fiserv Forum, 7:30 p.m.

Country singer Eric Church carries himself like a rock star in concert—the guy is a fan of pyrotechnics—but in the studio, he’s a far more complex creature. Without straying too far from commercial country radio’s norms, his records have flirted with honky tonk and outlaw country (Merle Haggard guested on his blockbuster 2006 debut Sinners Like Me), as well as rustic folk music. His 2015 album Mr. Misunderstood was his greatest commercial gambit yet, a record that looks as much to the mellow, low-key sounds of modern alt-country and Americana as it does to country radio. It featured guest appearances from blues singer Susan Tedeschi and Rhiannon Giddens of the old-time country band Carolina Chocolate Drops. Amazingly for a country star of his stature, his 2018 follow-up Desperate Man doubled down even further on modesty, keeping the emphasis firmly on Church’s intimate songwriting. (Also Saturday, March 30.)

Perhaps it was inevitable, given their success and the risk of being boxed in by their distinctive, hard-strummed folk revival style, but Mumford & Sons sound a little bit less like Mumford & Sons with each album. By 2015’s Wild Mind, a rich, lustrous album co-produced by Aaron Dessner (whose band The National loomed large over the record, Mumford & Sons were already toning down the folk signatures of their breakout debut Sigh No More, playing up electric instruments and letting the drums make their presence known. Their fourth and latest album Delta is even more electric, so much so that it often sounds indistinguishable from the bombastic, Imagine Dragons-style rock that dominates alternative radio right now. Maybe they’ll reconnect with their folk roots on this tour, which promises “a ground-breaking new show in the round.” They’re joined on the bill by indie-rock singer-songwriter Cat Power, who returned from a hiatus last year with an assertive, typically spellbinding new record, Wanderer.

ALISTAIR TAYLOR YOUNG

Eric Church @ Fiserv Forum, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30

Boosie Badazz & Friends w/ Webbie and Mo3 @ The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.

Formerly known as Lil Boosie, the rapper Boosie Badazz is no stranger to Milwaukee—in fact, in 2017, he was even given honorary keys to the city. That unlikely honor was the Common Council’s way of recognizing him for a visit he made in 2016 to the Mary Ryan Boys and Girls Club on Sherman Boulevard, where, according to the proclamation, Boosie “encouraged the kids in the audience to figure out what they do best, master it, chase their dreams and never give up.” Since being released from prison in 2014 after a five-year stint, the distinctively drawled Louisiana rapper has continued working at his usual aggressive pace, serving up a steady stream of new mixtapes and albums of trunk-rattling Southern rap.

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Read our daily events guide, Today in Milwaukee, on shepherdexpress.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 31 Sherman Park Arts Festival Community Arts Day @ Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club, 2-5 p.m.

The Milwaukee-based Jewish nonprofit organization RUACH has organized this event, now in its second year, which celebrates the diverse spirit of Sherman Park with an afternoon of all-ages arts and music. It’s free and open to the public. “Sherman Park, like many communities across America, is sometimes troubled by divisiveness and prejudice,” RUACH’s Executive Director Josh Richman said in a statement. “But Sherman Park is also illustrative in its successes of the great potential that people have to live happily side by side even if we are not all the same. The arts serve as a welcoming common bond that can bring people of different backgrounds together in harmony.”

MONDAY, APRIL 1 The Pixies w/ Basement @ The Rave, 8 p.m.

When The Pixies finally reunited in 2004, to great fanfare, they probably didn’t expect to still be on the road together 14 years later. These days, they have some new songs to play: After bassist Kim Deal left the band in 2013, they released a pair of full lengths, 2014’s uneven Indie Cindy and 2016’s (much better) Head Carrier. It shouldn’t be too surprising that the new music was received with cold reviews; there was no way any new music from the band could live up to enigmatic albums like Surfer Rosa or Doolittle, flawless LPs that helped lay the groundwork for an entire generation of alternative and indie bands. Nonetheless, Head Carrier in particular is the work of a band that, at the very least, is enjoying themselves. It may not be a classic, but after all these years, it’s reassuring that The Pixies still sound like The Pixies. The band dug deep into their songbook when they last played Milwaukee in July at Summerfest, sharing all sorts of loud and weird deep cuts from their early years. If they keep that intensity up, fans at this show are in for a treat.

The Pixies

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 Kevn Kinney and Friends @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

Kevn Kinney left behind Milwaukee in the ’80s to find success in Atlanta with his country-rock band Drivin N Cryin, but he’s returned here often, and regularly swings back through town to perform behind whatever recent music he’s released, be it solo or with Drivin N Cryin. Those solo albums have features guests like R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, Warren Haynes and John Popper. Recently one of his old Drivin N Cryin songs reached a new audience when a cover of “Straight to Hell,” from 1989’s Mystery Road, was included on Darius Rucker’s 2017 album When Was the Last Time (with guests Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan). What might Kinney have in store for this free show? It remains to be seen, but he certainly has no shortage of songs to pull from.

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M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 23

::PERFORMINGARTSWEEK For More to Do, visit shepherdexpress.com

THEATRE

To Fall in Love

More than 20 years ago, psychologist Arthur Aron watched as two strangers, sitting directly across from each other, fell in love as they asked each other a series of 36 questions he’d prepared for them. Six months later, the two participants were married. In Jennifer Lane’s new play, To Fall in Love, a couple, Merryn and Wyatt (played by Madeline Wakley and Matthew Scales, respectively) are on the verge of ending their marriage; they’ve decided to try Aron’s 36 questions themselves in hopes of reconnecting and starting their relationship anew. Will it work “in real life” as it did in an experiment?

“We feel this play provides a great balance to the epic nature of our fall production of The Pillowman,” says Jaimelyn Gray—artistic director of The Constructivists and director of the Midwest premiere of Lane’s play. “This is truly intimate, real-time, kick-in-the-gut, fly-on-the-wall-theatre.” (John Jahn) March 29-April 13 at The Underground Collaborative, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets, call 414-858-6874 or visit theconstructivists.org.

New Jerusalem

Some people know Baruch de Spinoza (1632-1677) only from allusions in popular media; he’s referenced, for example, in episodes of “M.A.S.H” and “Star Trek.” Others may know that he was listed on the Roman Catholic Church’s infamous “Index of Forbidden Books” for three centuries. Few people get an opportunity to hear his ideas expressed intelligibly in a wittily imagined drama based on historical events. Such a rare opportunity affords itself to you via David Ives’ New Jerusalem.

Directed by Margaret Bridges and accompanied by live music by cellist Ben Yela, a seven-member cast delves into the reasons for the ouster of the brilliant young philosopher from a congregation whose rabbi had groomed him to become the next chief rabbi of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, but rumors and innuendo about Spinoza’s ideas alarm Dutch leaders, who hold the Jews to strict requirements.

This “enhanced staged reading” is presented by Seat of Our Pants Readers Theatre Troupe. (John Jahn) March 28-30 at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center, 2133 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets, call 414-264-1867 or through brownpapertickets.com (event “4067732”).

CLASSICALMUSIC

“Copland and Levy: American Masters”

According to Festival City Symphony Music Director Carter Simmons, the orchestra’s upcoming performance “will be a memorable concert of music to stir the senses by great American composers.” One of the names on the concert’s title is that of Pulitzer Prize-winning icon Aaron Copland (1900-’90), of whom attendees will hear his Concerto for Clarinet and scenic tone poem Appalachian Spring. Also on the program is Starburst by contemporary composer Jessie Montgomery and Brigg Fair—An English Rhapsody by Frederick Delius (1862-1934).

As for the “Levy” in the concert’s title, that refers to FCS guest soloist Todd Levy—principal clarinet of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Grammy Award-winning artist—who is the soloist for the Copland concerto. (John Jahn) Sunday, March 31 at 2 p.m. in the Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 262853-6085, or visit festivalcitysymphony.org.

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A&E::INREVIEW

‘Little Wars’ is Low Profile but Exceptional in Every Way ::BY JEAN-GABRIEL FERNANDEZ

R

arely does a play touch so many chords, leaving you an emotional mess, and rarely does a play make a critic want to come out and take a stand by endorsing it. Little Wars is such a play, and here is my stand: You must watch Little Wars, no matter what it takes. You will laugh, you will learn, and you will leave the room on the verge of tears, deeply touched by the exceedingly human display you had the privilege to witness. This is a low-profile play in an intimate venue, but excellence erupts where you expect it least.

Little Wars tells the story of six exceptional women meeting for dinner in the French Alps during World War II. Famous writer and poet Gertrude Stein (Maggie Wirth), along with her girlfriend Alice Toklas (Donna Daniels), invited some of their famous author friends over for the occasion; they are joined by Dorothy Parker (Cara Johnston), Lillian Hellman (Carrie Gray) and Agatha Christie (Victoria Hudziak). Another woman unexpectedly joins them, Muriel Gardiner, an anti-fascist freedom fighter who smuggled money and passports to save German Jews, and who is played here by the exceptional

Johnny Cash Cracks a Smile in ‘Ring of Fire’ ::BY HARRY CHERKINIAN

H

e is the Man in Black and he’s back at the Rep’s Stackner Cabaret in Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash, the jukebox musical showcasing country music’s man of constant sorrow. But this time around, Cash cracks a smile (or three), jokes around and shows us what made him one of the most enigmatic—yet beloved—performers worldwide.

Ring of Fire, created by Richard Maltby Jr., first played the Stackner in 2013 in a revised version after a short Broadway stint. It continues to play well in a more intimate space like the Stackner, given the multi-talented cast and, of course, the most memorable songwriting. It reminds us that Cash wrote life’s songbook that speaks to us all: love, loss, sorrow and resilience.

In this production, five performers play various roles, giving us glimpses into the Cash family’s early struggles and young Johnny’s rise to fame. But it’s not until 30 minutes in that the

Ruth Arnell. Molly Corkins completes the all-female cast as Bernadette, the maid. In any average play, each would be the acting highlight, but this is an all-star cast where each actress reinforces an already fantastic script.

The story is fictional, but barely so. All of these women are real, all of their feats presented in the play are historical, and they were all part of the same social circles. We do not know if they were ever all in the same room, but playwright Steven Carl McCasland offers us the most perfect what-if dinner party imaginable.

Within this living room’s walls, these giants of literature clash violently, pitting scalding wit against fiery repartee. Gertrude Stein is made to be a ferocious woman, yet her retorts are always hilarious. Her distaste for Lillian Hellman makes for a light-hearted first act, which is spent bent in half in laughter. Then, when the radio announces France’s surrender to Hitler, the ambiance darkens, hearts open and secrets are revealed.

This exceptional story is delivered in an ideal location, the Brumder Mansion, an elegant Victorian mansion—complete with ghosts, if the rumors are to be believed—which feels perfectly appropriate for the setting. Between the colorful tapestries and beautiful artwork, the tiny theater in the basement plunges the audience in 1940 France. By weaving amazing writing with flawless acting and a gorgeous set, Little Wars bring the audience even farther than that, in the middle of a literary salon when history was made.

Through April 6 at the Brumder Mansion, 3046 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets, call 414388-9104 or visit milwaukeeentertainmentgroup.com.

storyline “gets rhythm” when Cash auditions for Sam Phillips of Sun Records. That’s when the energy really kicks in and “Cash” actually cracks his very first smile of the night.

The five actors excel, vocally and instrumentally, across the board. There’s the younger version of Johnny (Corbin Mayer), whose dark brooding looks juxtapose nicely against the inner insecurities of performing and the eventual descent into drug addiction. As the older Cash, Kent M. Lewis sings and speaks remarkably like Cash, even getting the back and forth moves on his acoustic guitar down perfectly. These are fascinating studies in character as is Alex Keiper’s performance of June Carter Cash, wife and performer. She is at times downright funny (“Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart”) to aching with genuine heartbreak (“I Still Miss Someone”). Paul Wyatt and James David Larson ably support on a variety of instruments under the solid direction of Stackner veteran Dan Kazemi. And special mention goes to Barry G. Funderburg for his state-of-the-art sound design.

In the show’s rollicking first song, “Country Boy,” the fivesome dream big: “Country Boy, how I wish I was in your shoes.” With Ring of Fire, we get to walk the line alongside the Man in Black—smiles and all.

Through May 26 at the Stackner Cabaret, 108 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 414-224-9490 or visit milwaukeerep.com.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

A&E::INREVIEW www.r-t-w.com KATHY WITTMAN, BALL SQUARE FILMS

‘’80s Movie’ Presents Nostalgia Through a Humorous Lens

By Reina Hardy

::BY BLAINE SCHULTZ

W

ith apologies to Marcel Proust, nostalgia isn’t always sun-dappled reverie. For ’80s Movie, director James Zager and Milwaukee Metro Voices have collected over two dozen songs from the era of spandex, synthesizers and Aqua Net and draped them across five characters. The Dork, Diva, Dingbat, Dancer and Daredevil all get a chance to tell their story at a therapy session.

Set in Anthony Michael Juvenile Hall, low hanging fruits and guilty pleasures abound.

Anyone (un)lucky enough to have made it through the decade will likely shake their head and laugh. Riffing heavily on touchstones—The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink, Footloose, Sixteen Candles, Heathers and Weird Science—the cast pout and bop through each character’s vignette in explaining the circumstances that landed them in this detention. Rae Elizabeth Pare’s channeling of Ally Sheedy is dead-on.

With a therapist and an all-seeing janitor to keep the show moving through the land of acid-washed denim, popped-collar Polo shirts and oversized crucifixes, Donna Kummer’s keyboard captures the era with piano, cheesy synths and everything in-between.

Quick one-liners like “the Molly bar and grill in Ringwald County,” “you can call me Al” or “Lithgow County” make you wonder how many pop culture references one can squeeze into a two act show.

Actually, the song selection for ’80s Movie underscores how important female artists were to the decade where music videos replaced radio—from mega stars like Madonna to obscure treasures like the late Patty Donahue. And in one gem, the cast illuminate the singular genius of the B-52s campy rock as Trojan Horse. While the “Leave It To Beaver” family wrings their hands over the troubled teen in their midst, a nervous maid keeps popping onto the stage, first with a lone potato (which may or may not be a reference to Peter Falk’s “Columbo”), then a bowl of potatoes before the cast breaks into “Private Idaho.”

Through March 31 at the Tenth Street Theatre, 628 N. 10th St. For tickets, visit milwaukeemetrovoices.org.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

MARCH 29 - APRIL 21

Florentine Opera’s ‘The Coronation of Poppea’

A sci-fi play for everyone about finding your place in the universe and intelligent life in your neighborhood.

MUSIC

‘Coronation of Poppea’ a Mirror into Our Best and Worst Selves

T

www.milwaukeechambertheatre.com

::BY JOHN JAHN

he Florentine Opera’s production of Claudio Monteverdi’s early opera, The Coronation of Poppea, is not one in which you go home “singing the sets.” The company opts for a somewhat pallid palette for its set design, which did not detract a bit from this intimate opera; rather, it allows the audience to focus its attention on the characters—characters brought to vivid life by a truly splendid cast.

As three goddesses debate which is of greater importance to the humans with which they freely play—Virtue (Katherine Pracht), Fortune (Nicole Heinen) and Love (Melissa Harvey)—the latter gradually comes out on top. Indeed, affairs of the heart— particularly those of love, lust and jealousy—are central to Monteverdi’s nearly 400-year-old opera. This is opera (as an art form) in its infancy from the man who, it can be said, invented it. We can see that, from the very beginning, opera took all of the best and worst of humanity and reflected it back upon us.

With an amazing central cast and fine group of supporting actor-vocalists, this Florentine production pushes all our emotional buttons. First is the title character, the conniving-yet-quite-enamored Poppea, here superbly sung and acted by mezzo-soprano Amanda Crider. Fully her equal is Emperor Nerone, here finely embodied by tenor Karim Sulayman, who manages to come off as a romantic hero and a frightening menace all at once; no mean feat. Their love scenes are thoroughly believable—at times even soaked in Eros. Another attention-getter is bass Matthew Treviño, who cuts an imposing figure as the doomed Seneca. Likewise, Pracht as the similarly doomed woman scorned, Empress Ottavia, brilliantly evokes all her requisite painful wrath.

Monteverdi’s lovely, impassioned score was trimmed down a bit to fit into the relatively small slice of space before the stage. Period instruments played by the Florentine Opera Baroque Ensemble—expertly led at the harpsichord by Jory Vinikour— lend Poppea yet further historical gravitas.

Through March 31 in Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, 123 E. State St. For tickets, visit florentineopera.org/Poppea.

BEN BUTLER

By Richard Strand

APRIL 12 - 28

This Civil War comedy (yes, we said comedy!) features a battle of wits for the soul of a nation!

TICKETS BROADWAY THEATRE CENTER BOX OFFICE 158 N Broadway, Milwaukee www.broadwaytheatrecenter.com (414) 291-7800 M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 25

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OPENINGS: “Self-Care Sunday With Jenna Knapp” Sunday, March 31, 2-4 p.m.

Lynden Sculpture Garden 2145 W. Brown Deer Road

Join artist, author and activist Jenna Knapp for this series of dropin workshops focusing on self-care techniques. Do you have an old book that you haven’t read in years, and you’ve thought about donating or throwing it away? Here’s your chance to up-cycle it into an art object. Transform the pages of a book into works of art by using selective words as inspiration to form your own pieces of writing. Or use the book as a canvas—painting over the text, collaging, drawing, cutting designs into the pages or turn it into your own journal.

Arrive with an old book (or choose from a variety of them provided by the Self-Care Studio) and work it into a new art object. For more information, call 414-446-8794 or visit lyndensculpturegarden.org.

“Collaborative Embroidery” April 2-26 Cedarburg Cultural Center W62 N546 Washington Ave.

“Embroidery is essentially drawing with thread,” according to Mindy Sue Wittock, artist-in-residence at the Cedarburg Cultural Center. In Wittock’s one-day workshop (Tuesday, April 23, 1-4 p.m.), students will work in pairs to create an original piece of art using various embroidery methods. Each participant will start with their own hoop and put down a layer of intuitive stitches. Then, they will switch hoops with their partners and respond to the composition by adding more stitches. Each hoop will be passed back and forth at least four times within the span of the workshop. Learn embroidery stitches, how to respond to a partner’s mark-making and use the elements of art to complete a round, dense composition. This workshop will have each participant leaving with an incredibly unique piece, made by making new friendships and collaborating with another maker. In addition to the workshop, visitors to the CCC will be able to observe Wittock at work during the other dates listed above.

To register for the workshop and for more information, call 262-3753676 or visit cedarburgculturalcenter.org.

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A&E::FILM

[ FILM CLIPS ] Dumbo PG Tim Burton’s penchant for the visually unusual makes him a natural choice to direct Disney’s liveaction Dumbo update. One CGI element is a baby circus elephant with oversized ears. Considered worthless by the circus’ owner (Danny DeVito), all that changes after the children of an employee (Colin Farrell) discover that Dumbo’s big ears allow him to fly. Michael Keaton portrays entrepreneur Vandevere, determined to acquire the show-stopping elephant. Eva Green appears as a French trapeze artist taking a considerable interest in the young pachyderm. This film eliminates talking animals from the 1941 version, scripting story-lines for its human characters instead. (Lisa Miller)

Hotel Mumbai R A movie to be appreciated in lieu of enjoyed, the true events shown here center around a cluster of 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. With hundreds of guests staying at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, heavily armed terrorists are intent on killing everyone. It falls to the hotel’s Indian staffers to guide survivors out through secret exits. Well-acted, the screenplay rattles about before coming to life during the savage attacks, thrusting ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances. The script also suggests how the young terrorists become vulnerable to recruitment and brainwashing. (L.M.)

Us R

‘Gloria Bell’

Julianne Moore Sorts Out Her Midlife Crisis in ‘Gloria Bell’

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::BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

hilean director Sebastián Lelio won the Best Foreign Language Oscar for A Fantastic Woman (2017), the story of a transwoman. For his next foray into English-language filmmaking after Disobedience (2017), Lelio reworked his earlier Spanish-language movie Gloria (2013), recasting the story and setting it in the U.S. Julianne Moore plays the title character of Gloria Bell, a woman midway through middle age with an uncertain present and an even less certain future. She pounds the steering wheel and sings along to her radio on the way to work in the morning—the faded songs of her youth calling forth memories of freedom before enduring another day in the pastel-colored prison of her insurance agency job. Thanks to smart phones, the ball and chain sometimes follows her home. Gloria’s children are grown and while friendly and caring, they don’t need mom the same as before.

At night, Gloria stops at a bar whose floor is filled with an after-work crowd dancing to the gentle, nostalgic pulse of ’70s disco. She sips her martini and scans the room purposefully. One night her eyes latch onto a stranger, Arnold (John Turturro). He’s sad-eyed and eager, awkwardly charming as he begins to speak. Before long, they have lunch where Gloria Bell he announces: “I can’t get you out of my head.”

Julianne Moore Gloria is a bit surprised but more than a little pleased—unJohn Turturro til things go off track. Arnold’s past (present?) is kept under guard, surfacing only in hushed and angry cell-phone calls.

Directed by Suspense builds.

Sebastián Lelio Happily, Gloria Bell thwarts genre expectations and adRated R dresses the complexity of real life, with wavering emotions and individual incidents that don’t always resolve in neat climaxes. Alongside directing the film with a sharp eye for visual detail, Lelio wrote the screenplay, which delivers a slice of contemporary everyday American life with pinpoint accuracy. The problems Gloria faces are familiar: the oversold value of her 401k, the probability of working drudge jobs into her 80s, the forced cheer of customer service, the telltale signs of decaying health, the need for chronic medication, the social banalities—even the realization that unseen neighbors much less the people closest to you might be nuts.

In the past, Moore often delivered her roles with the cool remove of a departmentstore mannequin. In Gloria Bell, she warms to her part, giving one of the most deeply felt performances of her career.

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Writer-director Jordan Peele delivers a frightening, sometimes humorous film that explores the dark recesses of our minds. When Adelaide, Gabe, Zora and Jason Wilson (played by Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex, respectively) take a Santa Cruz, Calif., family holiday, their vacation home is invaded. Most surprising? The four assailants are grotesque versions of themselves. The invaders’ malevolent intentions ring a bell with Adelaide, having once encountered her evil doppelganger as a child. While the family members struggle to comprehend their predicament, they also search for answers. Peele was criticized for his lack of scares in Get Out, but this time around, he wholeheartedly embraces the fear factor. (L.M.)

[ HOME MOVIES / NOW STREAMING ] n Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes In a great irony, just as Donald Trump was installed as the 2016 Republican candidate, GOP kingmaker Roger Ailes lost his throne. The founder-CEO of Fox News, the cable channel that steered the Republican Party rightward and sowed America with fear, is the subject of the fascinating documentary Divide and Conquer. Taken from Ailes’ own words and interviews with friends and associates, the media mogul emerges as a masterful image manipulator and a fearful man.

n Over the Limit

Gymnasts at their highest level shares some skills with ballet dancers. It’s a physically, emotionally demanding sport. The ballet-gymnastics overlap is evident in Over the Limit. Marta Prus’ documentary trails Russian champion gymnast Margarita Mamun as she goes for Olympic gold. Mamun’s grueling training includes enduring the berating of coaches whose manner resembles U.S. Marine Corps drill instructors. Over the Limit shows Mamun whirling before cheering crowds as well as waiting lonely and nervous backstage.

n The Iceman Cometh

Robert Ryan plays an anarchist lapsed into cynicism after fathoming the depths of human depravity in the 1973 American Film Theatre production of The Iceman Cometh. AFT’s mission was to film great plays, giving the audience perspectives that are lost in live theater. John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) directs Eugene O’Neill’s classic. The raft of Hollywood stars (veterans Fredric March and Lee Marvin and newcomer Jeff Bridges) are licensed to go deep into their characters.

n For a Few Dollars More

Italy’s Sergio Leone spoofed the improbable heroics of the Hollywood western while painting a grimy picture of the Old West more accurately than his American models. Clint Eastwood stars as a bounty hunter of imperturbable cool. The terse dialogue stands in high relief against meaningful glances, pregnant silences and the crack of rifles. Ennio Morricone provided the lonesomesounding score. The Blu-ray release of this 1965 classic includes audio commentary by film historian Tim Lucas.

—David Luhrssen M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 27

A&E::BOOKS

Boswell Beats the Odds and Marks 10 Years in Bookselling ::BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

“B

ookstores have no future!” cried the digitally deluded futurists of 2009. And yet, 10 years after it opened in ’09, Boswell Book Company is thriving. “The pundits said there would be no bookstores—or even books!—by 2014,” recalls owner Daniel Goldin.

Goldin came out of Harry W. Schwartz, the decades-old Milwaukee chain that finally broke under the strain of the Great Recession and the mindless cackling of the “print is dead” crowd. It didn’t seem like a good time to start a new bookshop, but Goldin managed to convince his lenders and his landlord that his was a good business strategy: make Boswell a destination for events, including readings by local and traveling authors, and participants will return to the store to shop. Next step: develop a deeper selection than even the biggest big box store, composed of back catalog titles and academic press publications for an inventory that goes well beyond any bestseller list.

Employees have been crucial to Boswell’s success. Three who have been with Goldin from the beginning—Jason Kennedy, Conrad Silverberg and Amie MechlerHickson—were also veterans of Schwartz. A fourth, Anne McMahon, worked in the defunct Book Nook chain. Says Kennedy, one of Boswell’s book buyers, “When I go out to shop, it’s the environment, the experience, the ambiance, the relationships.

I like to talk to people who are knowledgeable. You can’t replace that by shopping online.” Even Boswell’s special orders service remains active, despite the availability of virtually anything on Amazon. “What keeps us going is the relationship we have with our customers,” Goldin continues. “Really, there’s no reason to buy anything from us.

Even most of our greeting cards are available online.”

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Boswell Book Co.

However, browsers along Boswell’s many display tables and open shelves often find books they wouldn’t discover online. “The algorithms are often wrong,” Kennedy says. And the fake customer reviews are no substitute for the recommendations of bibliophiles working in the book trade. “I love history—I get excited by the Harvard University Press catalog,” Kennedy continues. “We once had a bookseller who sold a lot of hard science-fiction—the books he was really excited about. The staff can really make a difference by talking about what we love.”

According to Goldin, the eBook market is “stable” and moving toward a leasing as opposed to selling books. This presents an opportunity for a retailer dealing in the tactile reality of printed books. “Bookselling has always been a niche,” Goldin says. “We’ll be around as long as people want us!”

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::OFFTHECUFF

More Than Just ‘Gym and Swim’

Off the Cuff with Milwaukee YMCA CEO Carrie Wall ::BY BLAINE SCHULTZ In 2014, the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In restructuring, the Y looked at where it wants to be in the future. Milwaukee native Carrie Wall returned after 33 years to guide the organization as its president and CEO. She accepted to talk to Off the Cuff about it.

Where is the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee headed?

People think of us as “gym and swim.” And that might be what it looks like Downtown, but the YMCA is an important part of the fabric of our community, of meeting people where they are and fulfilling their health needs. Our three areas going forward are Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility.

Can you explain the importance of the Youth Development component?

If at-risk youth don’t have high quality early childhood educational experiences, they are 60% less likely to attend college. The first three years are critical for brain development.

We plan to serve children starting from age zero. We partner with other organizations like Wisconsin Shares in this effort. Our part is getting children ready for kindergarten and supporting the families of these children, who need to work.

I am a product of this Y. The support that I got for my children in the out-of-school time was what I needed to work and continue my career. They got that healthy out-of-school

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time that every child deserves. The YMCA helps make it affordable and accessible to all.

And this ties in with the area of Healthy Living?

For 160 years, the Y has been involved with health and wellness. We now realize we need to go deeper into preventive health—faster than the health care industry. We are moving into evidence-based health integration programs. An example is fall prevention. With the growing aging population, every 14 seconds someone is treated for a fall. They are treated in the emergency room for falls. We are partnering with health care to offer programs like Moving for Better Balance, which is Tai Chi-based and hand fitness. These Carrie Wall are evidence-based, and they serve a community need. We partnered with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institute for Health and the Centers for Disease Control to bundle programs to strengthen the aging market. We are stepping deeper into this area because this is a huge community need.

And in a broader sense, all this encompasses the idea of Social Responsibility?

The majority of our programs are off-site. Most people think of the YMCA buildings, but that is just one of our tools. Because we see the parents every day, we see the needs of the entire family. That helps us design other programs and activities. We are focused on making sure we continue with the achievement opportunities. We partner with schools, families and the work force.

We believe we are part of the solution to the disparities in society. We include all, especially those who need us most, by partnering with community leaders and organizations; as a collective, we have stronger bonds.

In November of 2018, the website 247wallstt.com listed Milwaukee as the second worst city for black Americans. That is unacceptable. What is our role in dealing with racial tensions in our community? We need to be that bridge between faith leaders, community leaders and corporate leaders. We first need to look at ourselves. Does our board, does our staff resemble the community we serve? That is a priority of our new Social Responsibility committee. We need to have the right people at the table in the conversation.

M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 29

::HEARMEOUT ASK RUTHIE | UPCOMING EVENTS | PAUL MASTERSON

::ASKRUTHIE

SPONSORED BY

Make Me a Match!

Dear Ruthie,

I’m a gay man who gets a lot of first dates but not so many second dates. I’m not sure what the problem is. My friends say that my looks get me in the door with interested guys, but my conversation skills on the date ruin things. I disagree, but something is going on with my dating life. Any tips that might get me a second date?

Thanks, No Seconds for Me

Dear Sloppy Seconds,

I don’t know you or what you’re like on dates, but when it comes to socializing with a new love interest, I’m guessing we can all use a brush up. As such, I asked my gal pal, Shawn Alderton, to share her top tips for first-date success. Why Shawn? Not only is she Milwaukee’s only certified professional matchmaker (certified by the Matchmaking Institute in Manhattan, N.Y.), but she’s also the CEO and founder of Wisconsin’s Affluent Amore Matchmakers (affluentamore.com) with four years of matchmaking under her belt.

Your problem might be that you’re simply selecting the wrong people to date. “It al-

ways starts with the initial connection,” says Shawn. She suggests asking yourself how you feel around that special person. “This is an accurate way to gauge if this person may be a good fit for you,” she adds. “Always listen to what your intuition is telling you about the person. I use my gift of intuition every day in my matchmaking.”

Like me, Shawn is a big believer in faith and putting the right type of energy into the Universe. “Make a point of replacing anxiety with faith” she says. “Know that you deserve to be loved. Positive energy and attitude are everything.”

When it’s time for the big day, Shawn suggests keeping those positive vibes flowing.

“Go into that first date saying, ‘I am really looking forward to this adventure of meeting someone new and interesting. There is always something I can learn from everyone.’ This can make a big difference when it comes to being open to the possibilities. Be authentic and your best self and understand that ‘like attracts like.’”

Not sure what to talk about as the date starts? Offer up a bit of praise. “Share a genuine compliment you notice about him,” says Shawn. “Words of appreciation go a long way. Smile, flirt, keep the subject matter light and have fun!” And for God’s sake, people, stay off your phones!

“Turn off and put away the cell phones, please,” laughs Shawn. “Manners are important! Elbows off the table; no trying someone’s food off their plate. These actions are very noticed and important. It’s also important to do more listening and be curious,” she adds. “People will tell you exactly who they are up front, so it’s your job to pay close attention.” I couldn’t agree more.

Listen more, kids, and talk less on that first date, “and leave a little mystery for the next date,” adds Shawn. Hopefully, these tips help with your next date. Write back and let Shawn and me know!

::RUTHIE’SSOCIALCALENDAR March 27—Bi+ Happy Hour at O’Lydias (338 S. First St.): Part of the Bi+ community?

An ally? Take a midweek break with this 6-8:30 p.m. cocktail hour at one of the city’s favorite waterholes. Order up some great eats, enjoy trivia later in the night and make new friends at the change-of-pace venue.

March 27—‘Life in the Hmong/Southeast Asian Community as LGBTQ’ Discussion at the Hmong American Women’s Association (3727 W. National Ave.): Join a lively discussion about what life is like being Hmong/Southeast Asian and LGBTQ. Part one of a four-part series, the 6-8 p.m. discussion includes light refreshments. Email pada@hawamke.org for more.

March 30—Fourth-Annual MKE Vegan Expo at the UW-Milwaukee Student Union Ballroom (2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.): Open to the public, this 10 a.m.-5 p.m. food fest focuses on those living a plant-based lifestyle (whether vegetarian, vegan, locavores or flexitarians). Enjoy cooking demos, speakers, exhibitors and, of course, some great food! The fest is free but be sure to register at mkeveganexpo.org.

March 30—Make a Promise 2019 at the Wisconsin Center (400 W. Wisconsin Ave.): The granddaddy of all HIV/AIDS-related fundraisers hits the calendar with this fabulous gala hosted by ARCW. The theme of this year’s bash is “Don’t Stop Us Now,” and the festivities kick off with a 5 p.m. cocktail reception, 7 p.m. dinner and 9 p.m. rock concert and dancing. Tickets run $100-$2,500 and are available via arcw.org.

March 31—Miss Hamburger Mary’s Pageant at Hamburger Mary’s (730 S. Fifth St.): See who has what it takes to sizzle up as winner of this juicy competition. Talent, evening gown and onstage questions make up this 7 p.m. pageant; doors open at 6 p.m., so come early for a great seat and a bite to eat. Hosted by the lovely Bryanna Banx, it’s sure to a fun night to remember. Be sure to stop by the judges table and say, “Hi.” April 3—Milwaukee Women’s Leadership Luncheon at Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront (4700 N. Port Washington Road): The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce hosts this 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. afternoon of networking, dialoging and more, including a keynote speech from Amy Chionchio, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee. Tickets start at $30 (for charter members) and go to $1,000 (for presenting sponsors). See wislgbtchamber.com to order yours today!

Ask Ruthie a question or share your events with her at dearruthie@shepex.com. Follow her on Instagram @ruthiekeester and Facebook at Dear Ruthie. Don’t miss season one of her drag reality show on YouTube, “Camp Wannakiki!”

The Go-to Site for Everything Cannabis 30 | M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::BLACKBLUE&RAINBOW

KATHY WITTMAN, BALL SQUARE FILMS

::MYLGBTQPoint of View

Florentine Opera’s ‘The Coronation of Poppea’

WE ALL KNOW NERO FOR HIS FIDDLING… OR, HOW TO KEEP HISTORY FROM REPEATING ITSELF

I

t was with great joy that I received an invitation from a friend inviting me to the Florentine Opera’s current production of Claudio Monteverdi’s historical fantasy about Nero and his consorts, L’Incoronazione di Poppea.

As a Baroque opera buff, I’ve been looking forward to this since the Florentine announced its 2018-19 season.

The last time I had the pleasure was over a dozen years ago in Los Angeles (with Susan Graham as Poppea, Frederica von Stade as Ottavia and Kurt Streit singing Nerone) in 2006.

First staged in 1643 for the Venice Carnival season, Monteverdi’s Poppea seems to have had a successful enough run to revive it just five years later (unlike our contemporary programming’s reliance on constant reruns, period operas rarely saw stage lights again after the premiere). It would remain dormant for two-and-ahalf centuries. But those late revivals were updated, rewritten and modernized. With the renaissance of early music performance practice, Baroque operas returned to their original sound and settings. Our local run, too, is played accordingly.

Besides which, the Florentine Opera’s production is timely. Although a little late, it’s close enough to Carnival season, but more so, like many an opera’s original intent, its not-so-subliminal message is one worth pondering. The curtain rises with Fortune and Virtue arguing which of them has the most power over humankind. Cupid enters and insists he trumps both and will prove it. The tale he tells is of Nerone, the corrupt Roman Emperor (Guard: “Our prince robs everyone to line the pockets of a few”), who is married to Ottavia.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::BY PAUL MASTERSON

Her rival, Melania (oops, sorry) Poppea, is intent upon marrying Nerone to become empress. In her wake, palace intrigue ensues: The sage Seneca, Nerone’s advisor, is forced to commit suicide for his opposition to Poppea, a plot to assassinate her is foiled, hearts are broken and corruption prevails.

Apart from an otherwise incredible performance, the LA Opera’s Poppea took a compelling turn. After all the mayhem, the opera ends with the coronation of Poppea and the work’s most famous musical moment, the exquisitely beautiful love duet between the newly crowned empress and Nerone. Typically performed as one might expect, the lovers melting vocally (and physically) into each other, the LA Opera version was sung icily, the voices blending as they should, but the characters detached, Poppea’s fait accompli fulfilling her hollow ambition, and the narcissistic Nerone now possessing his latest trophy. Other modern productions conclude even more explicitly, some with lots of blood and gore, in case you didn’t get the message. It will be interesting to see whether the Florentine stages this scene safely as a celebration of lovers finally united or as a powerful political statement. (I’m not reading reviews, so no spoilers, please.)

The performance is timely, with a Wisconsin Supreme Court judge’s election in the offing, L’Incoronazione di Melania (damn it…) Poppea should remind us to vote on April 2. Our choice is between fortune (read Nero-ic right wing machinations, misogyny and homophobia) and virtue (as in justice and equality). In other words, vote for Lisa Neubauer.

An Important Decision Looms for Wisconsin’s Democratic Party ::BY CHRISTOPHER WALTON

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s if the primaries weren’t enough, the members of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin now have a race for their next chair. After two terms, Martha Laning is retiring with an incredible victory under her belt, with Democrats sweeping all statewide races for the first time since 1982 and reelecting Tammy Baldwin to the U.S. Senate. Plus, she can lay claim to being the chair that helped secure the Democratic National Convention for Milwaukee—all of this coming after what was potentially one of the most devastating elections in the state’s history, with Donald Trump turning Wisconsin red for the first time in 28 years.

Now the question falls to us Wisconsin Democrats: Who do we want to lead our party? I’m glad you asked me. As chair of the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County, I have an opinion on the matter, but not an endorsement. What I have for the next chair are a few recommendations I think would make the party stronger, more effective and ready to ride into the general election with the wind at its back—and at the back of our presidential nominee—at the Fiserv Forum in July 2020.

The smoke-filled room has always been the “place where decisions get made.” We need to open those doors and let the smoke out. We need to make sure that those smoke-filled rooms include women, racial and ethnic minorities and members of the LGBTQ community.

Make it so they have a seat at the decision-making table, because, as it’s sometimes said, if you’re not at the table, you might be on the menu.

If you look at the staff on the website of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, no matter how you strain, you will not easily find a person of color in any position higher than that of the party’s regional organizers.

The next chair must be purposeful in making a concerted effort to change that. Hiring more than one senior staff person of color is needed. That would help to change the perspective of the transactional nature of our racial politics.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin and its new chair must have a presence in Milwaukee. Milwaukee is the largest, most diverse county in the state. Imagine what it would say if the Democratic parties of Wisconsin and Milwaukee County opened up a storefront office in the Sherman Park area and had staff working in the office year round rather than for six months only during election years.

This would be a catalyst for political-community outreach into parts of the city that need it the most.

I would like to see the regional organizing program begun by Laning continue with the next chair. Before I became county chairman, I was the Southeast Regional Organizer for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, overseeing Waukesha, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha.

Laning expanded the program to its current levels. Milwaukee alone has two separate regional organizers who are interested and capable of pushing the program to the next level. This program helped us build teams of volunteers going into the 2018 election cycle, which helped us elect Democratic candidates across all the statewide races.

We have one job in 2020, and that is to see to it that Wisconsin returns to its proud progressive tradition. From 1988 to 2012, Wisconsin was a proud brick of the “Blue Wall” of states that every Democratic won on his road to the White House. The choice of our state leader will help lay the groundwork for the next nominee and whether he or she will have Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes with them or in the small hands of our mercurial current White House occupant.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 31

::MUSIC

For more MUSIC, log onto shepherdexpress.com

TIA HAYGOOD, ROSS HALFIN, TRUDI KNIGHT

FEATURE | ALBUM REVIEWS | CONCERT REVIEWS | LOCAL MUSIC

MOTT THE HOOPLE RETURN TO MILWAUKEE, 45 YEARS LATER

::BY BLAINE SCHULTZ

don’t recommend retirement,” says Ian Hunter, who turns 80 in June. His card, it would seem, was punched early on.

“Nothing can replace the bolt I felt when I saw Jerry Lee,” he recalls. “Rock ’n’ roll, by its nature, is a young man’s game. So I think all of us are a little Peter Pan-ish. I don’t feel any different at my exalted age.”

The history of the band Mott The Hoople can be neatly divided into two chapters. The original lineup recorded four albums for Island Records, then, when on the brink of disbanding, David Bowie offered up the song “All the Young Dudes.” Rejuvenated, the band recorded another clutch of albums for CBS. Mott The Hoople played three festivals in Europe last year with Luther “Ariel Bender” Grosvenor on guitar and Morgan Fisher on keyboards, from the band’s second era. They perform Friday, April 1, at the Miller High Life Theatre, kicking off their first U.S. tour in 45 years in the same building (then called the Milwaukee Auditorium) where they performed on May 22, 1974. Opening act The Suburbs, like Mott The Hoople, released some great records and were more than a handful in concert. Initially active in the ’80s, they have again been releasing new music.

The original Mott lineup first reunited in 2009. Since then, bassist Overend Watts and drummer Dale “Buffin” Griffin have died, and guitarist Mick Ralphs suffered a stroke in 2016. This lineup will feature Hunter, Bender and Fisher, fleshed out by members of Hunter’s longtime group the Rant Band.

With the benefit of hindsight, how does Hunter view the two lineups?

“The second lineup was weaker from the point of view of albums, but the live show was fantastic,” he says. “It was a great atmosphere onstage. The first lineup (Ralphs/Allen) was more about finding things out, the way of looking at it.”

“Mick had grown up with Luther Grosvenor,” Hunter recalls. “They both had electric guitars and used to play to each other in phone booths because they didn’t have amps! When Mick left the band, we only had a couple of weeks to replace him. Luther was on Island Records,”—Mott’s soon-to-be former label—“so he was in before he knew it.”

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“He was great live but he didn’t write like Mick wrote,” Hunter continues. “He’s a showman. The Luther who was in previous bands was a pleasant tasteful guitar player but something happened (when he joined Mott)! Well we called him Ariel Bender and it wasn’t just onstage, but also offstage. And it’s still the same now!”

In 1974, Mott The Hoople did a six-week tour of the states for an album that didn’t come out. “Mick couldn’t make up his mind whether he was stopping or going. We had to go back to England for two weeks, then come back (to the U.S.) to do another six weeks because the record was out. So, in those two weeks, we had to get someone who would come back. I think the Hollywood Palladium was the first show. I remember Keith Moon was there and he thought we were great.”

While Hunter played occasional piano, Verden Allen’s Hammond B3 organ pushed Mott’s sound into the territory of “thin wild mercury”-era Bob Dylan. Enter Morgan Fisher. “Morgan is sartorial and a beautiful piano player,” Hunter says. “He’d been in collegiate-type bands, he had a brain. He brought that to the party. The guitar parts weren’t so creative, so Morgan was coming in the studio with his ideas.

The Hoople album was more geared toward Morgan, while Luther was getting the hang of what it was to be in Mott.

Mott The Meanwhile, Hunter was getting more creative: “I like the Hoople idea of strings against tenor saxes and was experimenting in that area, kind of like what Jeff Lynne did (with the ElecMiller High tric Light Orchestra).”

Life Theatre Hunter kept a diary of the band’s 1972 tour that was Friday, April 1, published in 1974. Diary of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star captures an 7:30 p.m. arc from the mundane to the amazing. He also had a keen eye for guitars. Before they were known as “vintage,” they were simply called “used.”“They were cheaper here,” he says. “There was a guy called Sid who had a shop on Regent Street in London, who’d give you a list of what he would pay. We would come over here and pick up Les Paul Juniors for $75, Les Pauls for $150. Well, these things were worth a lot more back home. And we weren’t making money in the band.” (Side note: according to legend, Watts purchased his iconic white Gibson Thunderbird bass at Stein’s pawn shop in Milwaukee.)

Mott The Hoople play the Miller High Life Theatre on Friday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. with The Suburbs. For more information and tickets, visit millerhighlifetheatre.com.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::::LOCALMUSIC

::CONCERTREVIEW

KOOL KEITH MADE A SMOOTH MILWAUKEE RETURN AT THE COOPERAGE ::BY THOMAS MICHALSKI

A

lthough his reputation for tardiness and general erratic behavior tends to precede him wherever he goes, Kool Keith’s last Milwaukee performance became a debacle for reasons entirely unrelated to the legendary rapper’s much gossiped-about eccentricities. A dubious anonymous tip about overcrowding and a somewhat heavy-handed response from the Milwaukee Police Department shut down Keith’s concert that summer at the Riverwest Public House after only a couple of songs. Thankfully though, it seems the experience hasn’t left the creatively schizoid MC with any ill will while planning his current tour, as Saturday he made his triumphant return to the city, albeit at a roomier venue.

The venue in question is a relatively new one, The Cooperage, a mid-size (and music-video-ready) space of the sort Milwaukee is sorely lacking; one that could conceivably host the countless touring acts who are equally unsuited to either hole-in-the-wall clubs or spacious theaters, of which we have many.

First to grace the stage this particular evening was St. Louis rapper Rec Riddles, whose skills working the mic and the crowd were ably matched by his backup, DJ Johnny Bravo, who bolstered his flow with a heady mix of unpredictable samples, classic rock riffs and plenty of bone-rattling bass.

Next up was some local flavor in the form of Dana Coppafeel, whose energy and sheer exuberance easily belies his many years as a Milwaukee hip-hop staple. Given the fun he seems to be having with party-starting tracks like “88,” alongside his willingness to share the spotlight with equally talented friends like Michael Mic Check, it was no surprise that the crowd’s spirits were riding high by the time his set ended, at which point DJ Madhatter, like many turtablists before him, took the opportunity to scratch his own personal signature onto the stone-cold Dr. Octagon classic “Bear Witness.”

While there was some chatter questioning whether things would proceed as planned, the man of a million aliases soon emerged. Considering his usual sartorial choices, he was dressed rather conservatively aside from a pair of large, round glasses rimmed with color-changing, presumably ultramagnetic LEDs. The glasses proved strangely unnerving as he veered casually through a set that managed to channel a great many of his musical personalities, though sometimes only in frustratingly short bursts. Eventually the classics gave way to something pitched inexplicably between freestyle rap and free association, and things gradually wound to a close, all without any hassles from the fuzz.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Velle Vell Doesn’t Sugarcoat Hard Truths ::BY EVAN RYTLEWSKI

I

F VELLE VELL HAS BEEN A LITTLE QUIETER THAN USUAL THESE LAST FEW MONTHS, THERE’S GOOD REASON FOR THAT. Next month the Milwaukee rapper will go to trial on gun charges, so he’s been lying low and putting music on the back burner. But Vell isn’t one to bite his tongue, either, and he’s eager to talk about what happened that night.

This is how he tells the story—and what jurors will hear next month if he takes the stand (his lawyer believes he should, he says, because understanding his actions requires hearing some hard truths about Vell’s neighborhood). Vell and a friend were outside around 1 in the morning when a car swerved down the block so recklessly they assumed it must have been a kid taking a stolen car on a joyride.

But then it returned, this time driving smoother. Then the car came back a third time, stalling at the end of the block. The driver cut the headlights, then hit the gas. This was a drive-by.

Vell says he didn’t have any other options. He fired first, sending warning shots at the car and chasing it off. Nobody was hit. His gun was registered and he had a concealed carry permit for it, he says, but he understood he was going to jail. “When I took my classes, they tell you that if you shoot your gun, you’re going to jail,” he says.

When the police came, Vell says he was upfront. “They pulled up and said, ‘You heard shooting?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, it was me,’” he recalls. “I didn’t have no problem telling them because of the simple fact I did it. They were going to find my gun, so it was going to point to me anyway. There was no point in lying.

“But in this case, I’m not a criminal,” Vell continues. “At the end of the day, I told my attorney there were only two ways you were going to see me: You were going to see me on Fox 6 for being dead, or you were going

to see me here for defending myself. That’s why I’m confident that I’m going to beat this case. If I can sit down and explain what happened, we can do what we need to do to take care of this.”

Would it help Vell’s case if the jurors heard his music?

Maybe not, but it would help them understand where he comes from. Drawing from the furious drill music of Chicago, where he spent parts of his youth, Vell raps with breathless intensity on his 2018 album Warning Before Destruction, detailing the cutthroat mentality of the streets and the extreme measures that youth will resort to when they’re cut off from other economic opportunities. Part of the power of rap music, especially for listeners cut off from the grimmer realities of city life, is it confronts us with truths we don’t want to hear. And Vell’s music, for all its buoyance and flair, is even more confrontational than most.

Vell describes his rap as a departure from what he calls the “cell phone music” that dominates portions of the city’s rap scene. “Most rappers sell drugs,” Vell says. “But I tell a whole other story, because I don’t use drugs. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I don’t do none of that. I’m just a regular person. I’m not saying I’m a perfect person; I’ve got my flaws. But basically I rap about the route that I took.”

Vell says he’s not ashamed of his path— he wouldn’t rap about it if he were— but says he wouldn’t wish it on anybody. It was dangerous. He’s got a real job now and says he’s relieved to be out of that life, since all he wanted was a job to begin with.

“My first route was job applications. It was ‘let me apply for Walgreens,’ and ‘let me apply for McDonald’s,’ and if I’d gotten one of those jobs, I never would have jumped into doing that stuff,” he says.

“Now look at me. I got a job. I don’t need to do that shit. At the end of the day, if you can get any of these drug dealers a job, so they can help their family or improve their situation, I guarantee you they’ll stop, at least most of them.

“All the shit that I did, I don’t think anybody wants to do that,” Vell continues.

“If I had the money, I’d be buying up houses, trying to get into real estate, or owning a truck company.

I’d do that! But my mama and daddy didn’t have money or good enough credit to get a loan so I could start something like that, and yet people wonder why people do what they do.

We’re just trying to survive like everybody else.”

Velle Vell’s Warning Before Destruction is streaming on Apple Music and Spotify.

Velle Vell PHOTO BY DREWZSKI

M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 33

MUSIC::LISTINGS

::ALBUMS Johnny G.

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

(ANOMALY RECORDS)

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

Riding the Wave Sometimes it works best to hear music with a fresh set of ears.

John Gimler’s album is stark, contains little in the way or production and next to no overdubs. This is an unfiltered performance; 20 years ago it could have been by a songwriter, alone in his apartment at 3 a.m., with his guitar recording a batch of demos on a four-track cassette machine. This is the sound of one guy chasing his demons in his haunted voice and leaving a raw collection of songs in his wake.

Scant information was limited to a Post-it Note tacked to the promo CD, with a phone number bearing a Corpus Christi, Texas area code. That was intriguing enough. The handwritten address for a barebones website shows a free performance April 3 at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn. The bio references “laid-back vibes” but it sounds like something far deeper is happening here.

—Blaine Schultz

Ellen Rowe Octet

Momentum—Portraits of Women in Motion (SMOKIN’ SLEDDOG RECORDS) Pianist/composer Ellen Rowe and band offer a CD of challenging, heady and enjoyable jazz. These are musicians at the top of their game, utilizing deep grooves and sophisticated arrangements. The opening cut, “Ain’t I A Woman,” takes a slow powerful momentum and builds to trombone, sax and bass solos. Janelle Reichman’s clarinet featured on “Anthem” evokes flight.

“Game, Set and Match” playfully pays tribute to tennis greats Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova, and “Song of the Meadowlark” creatively uses the bird’s song as starting point.

—Blaine Schultz

Michael Henszey Play On

The opening track on Play On, “Fallen From Grace,” soars on moody harmonies above its despondent lyric. It’s a remarkable production from a veteran Milwaukee sonic craftsman, Michael Henszey, whose resume includes studio work with Daryl Stuermer, Cheap Trick and Jerry Harrison. “Fallen From Grace” is like a great lost album track from the ’70s. Play On contains only a handful of songs but covers a lot of range musically.

“I Wanna Go Home” bounds along on a melody as sunny and easy as a mid-’60s pop tune. The title track is an amusing take on the travails of making a go in an era when YouTube videos are a measure of success.

—David Luhrssen Michael Henszey performs Friday, March 29, at Shank Hall at 8 p.m.

34 | M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

Art*Bar, Open Mic Comedy Cactus Club, Lost Tribes of the Moon w/Poison Darts, Beaker & Mark Adams son of Bill Caroline’s Jazz Club, The Group w/Eddie Butts Company Brewing, THOU w/Emma Ruth Rundle solo & Social Caterpillar County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, Acoustic Irish Folk w/Barry Dodd East Troy Brewery, Matt MF Tyner Jazz Estate, Bossa Nova and Samba Night Kelly’s Bleachers (Big Bend), Jeff Walski Mason Street Grill, Mark Thierfelder Jazz Trio (5:30pm) Miramar Theatre, Mando’s March Madness w/DJay Mando, Keys & Spice God (all-ages, 9pm) 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 Musical Box: A Genesis Extravaganza Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Kevin Kennedy is Special K Rounding Third Bar and Grill, World’s Funniest Free Comedy Show Saloon on Calhoun with Bacon, The Jimmys Shank Hall, Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings Sheryl’s Club 175 (Slinger), Acoustic Jam w/Milwaukee Mike & Downtown Julius The Back Room at Colectivo, Ten Fé The Bay Restaurant, Pocket Change The Packing House Restaurant, Barbara Stephan & Peter Mac (6pm) Transfer Pizzeria Cafe, Martini Jazz Lounge: Cream City Quintet Up & Under Pub, A No Vacancy Comedy Open Mic

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 Alley Cat Lounge (Five O’Clock Steakhouse), Tweed Funk American Legion Post #399 (Okauchee), Back Draft American Legion Post #449 (Brookfield), Larry Lynne Band (6:30pm) Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Julie’s Piano Karaoke Art*Bar, Jesse Guten & SunTanTrick Blu Bar & Lounge at the Pfister, The Scott Napoli Quartet w/Jorge Nila (8pm, 9:30pm, 11pm) Cactus Club, Agua De Rosas w/Morenxxx Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Sonofmel & the Slideman Camp Dundee Bar & Grill (Campbellsport), Robert Allen Jr. Band Caroline’s Jazz Club, Paul Silbergleit Quartet Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Smoke ’n Mirrors (8pm); DJ: Ching Suru Sound (10pm) ComedySportz Milwaukee, ComedySportz Milwaukee!

Company Brewing, Klassik w/OQ & Moon Ruin County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, Traditional Irish Ceilidh Session Fiserv Forum, Eric Church Iron Mike’s (Franklin), Open Jam Session w/Steve Nitros & Friends Jazz Estate, Andrew Rathbun Quintet (8pm), Late Night Session: Eric Jacobson Quartet (11:30pm) Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Sedated Ramon’s Tribute Band Lakefront Brewery, Brewhaus Polka Kings (5:30pm) Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Spike and April w/John Sieger Mamie’s, Kenny J. & The Shadows Mason Street Grill, Phil Seed Trio (6pm) McAuliffe’s Pub (Racine), Spillage w/Callous Wizaed Pabst Theater, And That’s Why We Drink Podcast Live Paulie’s Pub and Eatery, Michael Sean Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Amber & Adam Rave / Eagles Club, Lennon Stella w/Valley (all-ages, 7:30pm), Chief - A Tribute To Eric Church (all-ages, 11:45pm) Riverside Theater, Boosie Badazz & Friends w/WEBBIE and MO3 Saloon on Calhoun with Bacon, Ask Your Mother Shank Hall, Michael Henszey

Smith Bros. Coffee House (Port Washington), Zosia Holden (12pm) The Back Room at Colectivo, Ric Wilson The Cooperage, Chicken Wire Empire w/The MilBillies The Lakeside Supper Club & Lounge (Oconomowoc), Cowboy Up The Packing House Restaurant, Tracy Hannemann Group (6:30pm) Turner Hall Ballroom, Hi Five’s Top Five presents: Ammorelle, Will Pfrang and the Good Land Gang, Mo’ City, Dev Diamond and Bando, & LUM Up & Under Pub, Various Small Fires

SATURDAY, MARCH 30 American Legion Post #449 (Brookfield), Caught In the Act (CIA 2) Anodyne Coffee, The Cut Outs w/Beach Static, Genau & Hobbyist Art*Bar, Little Chao’s Jam Session Cactus Club, body work w/Black Thumb, Apollo Vermouth & Max Holiday Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Michael Hecht: Celebrating Martin Luther King/ Deborah Greene Caroline’s Jazz Club, The Paul Spencer Band w/James Sodke, Aaron Gardner, Michael Ritter & Dave “Smitty” Smith Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Spud Bucket w/Brian Wurch Band (8pm); DJ: Captain Recess (10pm) ComedySportz Milwaukee, ComedySportz Milwaukee!

Company Brewing, Radio Radio 10th Anniversary Show Cue Club of Wisconsin (Waukesha), 5 Card Studs Fiserv Forum, Eric Church Five O’Clock Steakhouse, Rafael Mendez Glen Cafe, Jim the Piano Man Hilton Milwaukee City Center, Vocals & Keys Jazz Estate, Mike Standal Organ Trio (8pm), Late Night Session: Joshua Catania Trio (11:30pm) Kelly’s Bleachers (Big Bend), Road Crew Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Kid Elephant Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Benefit concert - Vets for Peace present Tom Neilson Lyon’s Irish Pub (Watertown), Derek Byrne & Paddygrass Mainstream Bar & Grill (Waukesha), Joe Kadlec Mason Street Grill, Jonathan Wade Trio (6pm) Matty’s Bar & Grille (New Berlin), Winter Music: Ian Gould Mezcalero Restaurant, Close Enuf Band March Madness Dance 2019 Miramar Theatre, Freddy Todd and Mystic Grizzly w/Salty & C3Y3LOW (all-ages, 9pm) Motor Bar & Restaurant, Bulleit Bourbon Presents BBQ & Blues w/The Incorruptibles (5pm) Pabst Theater, Bert Kreischer Paulie’s Pub and Eatery, Mt. Olive Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In the Bingo Hall: Kurt Sommerfield and Star Vision Entertainment DJ & Karaoke (7:30pm), In Bar 360: Gabriel V2 (9pm) Rave / Eagles Club, Lil Baby w/City Girls, Blueface, Jordan Hollywood, Rylo Rodriguez, Marlo & 42 Dugg (all-ages, 8pm), Whiskey Myers w/Bones Owens (all-ages, 8pm) Richy’s D.S. Bar (Big Bend), Elvis Presley Tribute w/Alan Hart Saloon on Calhoun with Bacon, Rebel Grace Shank Hall, No Quarter (Led Zeppelin tribute) Smith Bros. Coffee House (Port Washington), Flood Trio The Back Room at Colectivo, The Verve Pipe w/Daniel Rey (Dejan Kralj of The Gufs) The Cheel (Thiensville), Leroy Airmaster The Lakeside Supper Club & Lounge (Oconomowoc), 33 RPM The Packing House Restaurant, Cameron Webb Trio (6:30pm) The Suburban Bourbon (Muskego), The Doo-Wop Daddies Up & Under Pub, Orange Costanza w/Whiskey and the Devil & Bandoleer Bacall

SUNDAY, MARCH 31 Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Live Karaoke w/Julie Brandenburg Cactus Club, Princess w/Gender Confetti

Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Derek Pritzl & Friends (8pm); DJ: Publique (10pm) Fiserv Forum, Mumford and Sons w/Cat Power J&B’s Blue Ribbon Bar and Grill, The Players Jam Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Sunday Matinee: The Exotics (2pm) Miller High Life Theatre, Dream Theater: The Distance Over Time Tour Paulie’s Pub and Eatery, Carvin Walls (3pm) Riverside Theater, Amos Lee w/Ethan Gruska Riverwest Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts, Jazz Pot Luck w/Tony Jensen, Steve Tilton & Friends (4pm) Rounding Third Bar and Grill, The Dangerously Strong Comedy Open Mic Shank Hall, #MilwaukeeStrong X-Ray Arcade, Oftener w/Operations, Flat Teeth and The Unitaskers

MONDAY, APRIL 1 Cactus Club, The Artisanals w/Band Of Dust Crimson Club, Metal Mondays Jazz Estate, Jazz Estate Jam Session Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Poet’s Monday w/host Timothy Kloss & featured reader Kory (sign-up 7:30pm, 8-11pm) Mason Street Grill, Joel Burt Duo (5:30pm) Miller High Life Theatre, Mott The Hoople ’74 w/The Suburbs Paulie’s Pub and Eatery, Open Jam: Christopher John & Friends w/featured band Rave / Eagles Club, Pixies w/Basement (all-ages, 8pm) Riverside Theater, Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets w/Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. Up & Under Pub, Open Mic w/Marshall McGhee and the Wanderers

TUESDAY, APRIL 2 Cactus Club, Wild Belle Jazz Estate, Funk Night with Araminati 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 Shank Hall, Tommy Castro and The Painkillers Transfer Pizzeria Cafe, Transfer House Band w/Dennis Fermenich Turner Hall Ballroom, The Interrupters w/Masked Intruder and Ratboy

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 Cactus Club, Hikes w/Jr. Clooney & Divine Crush Conway’s Smokin’ Bar & Grill, Open Jam w/Big Wisconsin Johnson Hudson Business Lounge and Cafe, Jazz at Noon: Don Linke and Friends Iron Mike’s (Franklin), B Lee Nelson Acoustic Jam Jazz Estate, Mark Davis B-day Bash Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Polka Open Jam Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Acoustic Open Stage w/feature Johnny G. (sign-up 7:30pm, start 8pm) Mason Street Grill, Jamie Breiwick Group (5:30pm) Miramar Theatre, Montana of 300 (all-ages, 6:30pm) Morton’s (Cedarburg), Big Al Dorn & The Blues Howlers (6:30pm) Paulie’s Field Trip, Wednesday Night Afterparty w/Dave Wacker & guests Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Al White Shank Hall, Kevn Kinney and Friends Sunset Grill Pewaukee, Robert Allen Jr. & Friends Tally’s Tap & Eatery (Waukesha), Tomm Lehnigk The Cheel (Thiensville), Kyle Feerick (6:30pm) The Packing House Restaurant, Carmen Nickerson & Kostia Efimov (6pm) SHEPHERD EXPRESS

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M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 | 35

THAT’S ABOUT ALL

THEME CROSSWORD

By James Barrick

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

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

75. Landlocked country 76. Regret 77. Wife of Osiris 78. Canonized one 80. Adjutants 81. Swamp 82. Game outcome 83. Fealty 85. Old Portuguese money 88. Of a fabulist 90. Pun or fun ending 91. More pallid 92. Yield 93. Delayer’s mantra 95. Mountain lake 97. Matt Damon role 100. Unbroken 101. Mushroom variety 105. Direction in music 107. Causing wheezing or sneezing 109. Favoritism 110. Cheer 111. Taunt 112. — Hashanah 113. Many years 114. Units of force 115. Inched 116. Japanese PM DOWN 1. Spotted trout 2. Patriot Nathan — 3. Evils 4. Ars — 5. Writing tablet 6. Irrigate 7. In the center of 8. Spanish river 9. Monastic provisioner 10. Practice 11. Stacked 12. Suburb of Paris 13. Pope — the Great

14. Scruffy, in a way 15. Tap 16. Taj Mahal site 17. Tense 18. Irish Gaelic 24. Where flyers assemble 26. Sponsorship 29. Toward shelter 32. Plummets 33. Stiff hair 34. Functioned 35. “Age of Reason” author 36. Eastern range 37. German physicist 38. Hideouts 39. Omnipotent: Hyph.

40. River in Tuscany 41. Circumvent 43. Multitude 45. Worker at a dye tank 46. Harvard, Yale, etc.

50. Swerves 52. “CSI: N.Y.” role 54. Encrusted 55. Indian instrument 56. Discussion group 58. Ceremonies 59. Malayan feather palm 60. Figure of speech 63. Vernacular

65. Efface 66. Actress — Rivera 67. — the Riveter 69. Exotic 70. Passover feast 71. Material for gloves 72. Man of La Mancha 75. More agreeable 78. Splintered 79. Winglike parts 80. Come before 83. Like a mimic 84. Wine city 86. Spray of leaves 87. Runs, said of horses 89. Princess Fiona, e.g.

93. Actress — Lenya 94. Bitter — 95. A pronoun 96. Made public 97. Bunyan’s Blue Ox 98. Hodgepodge 99. — Bator 100. Man in Constantinople 101. Dross 102. Small buffalo 103. Kipling’s “Fairy- —” 104. Repeat 106. City in England 108. Headed

3/21 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.

Gambling games Solution: 17 Letters

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

ACROSS 1. Old block piece 5. Moving crowd 10. Island of Samoa 15. Fortune 19. Angelic glow 20. Female vampire 21. Dangerous beauty 22. Kanten 23. Charge 25. Creature from the Jurassic period 27. Ingeminated 28. Shrewd 30. Greek goddess 31. Anatomical passage 32. Used an emery board 33. Wise 34. Rapidly 37. Stare 38. Float by magic 42. Carriage hood 44. Eases 47. XXII + XXXII 48. “... — death do us part” 49. Seed plant structure 51. Birdlike 52. Terra — 53. Dir. letters 54. Salad plant 55. Brouhaha 56. Played a fipple flute 57. Breaks down 59. Most willing 61. Be mad for 62. Backpacker 63. Water birds 64. Freshen 66. Where Heraklion is 68. Sashimi fish 70. Discomfort 73. Sharpened 74. Speak well of

Solution to last week’s puzzle

Addiction Alcohol Amuse Ante Bets Call Cash Champagne Craps Crib Cruise Deal Debts

Dominoes Dreams Drinking Envy Euchre Excitement Face Fear Fun Gain Jack Job Keno

Kismet Kits Land Lone Loser Luck Ludo Manila Move Odds Outwit Pawn Pick

Pit Pot Punt Rules Skip Solo Spades Tap Trip Two-up Upset Winners

36 | M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

3/21 Solution: Someone keeps making a big mess SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Solution: Don't blow your dough

Creators Syndicate 737 3rd Street • Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 • info@creators.com

Date: 3/28/19

::FREEWILLASTROLOGY ::BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Kermit the Frog from “Sesame Street” is the world’s most famous puppet. He has recorded songs, starred in films and TV shows and written an autobiography. His image has appeared on postage stamps and he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Kermit’s beginnings were humble, however. When his creator Jim Henson first assembled him, he consisted of Henson’s mom’s green coat and two halves of a white ping-pong ball. I mention this, Aries, because the current astrological omens suggest that you, too, could make a puppet that will one day have great influence. APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. Here’s the whole truth: Now isn’t a favorable time to start work on a magnificent puppet. But it is a perfect moment to launch the rough beginnings of a project that’s wellsuited for your unique talents.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus businessman Chuck Feeney made a huge fortune as the entrepreneur who co-developed dutyfree shopping. But at age 87, he lives frugally, having given away $8 billion to philanthropic causes. He doesn’t even own a house or car. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to follow his lead in the coming weeks. Be unreasonably generous and exorbitantly helpful. APRIL FOOL! I exaggerated a bit.

While it’s true that now is an extra favorable time to bestow blessings on everyone, you shouldn’t go overboard. Make sure your giving is artful, not careless or compulsive.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Now is a perfect time to start learning the Inuktitut language spoken by the indigenous people of Eastern Canada. Here are some key phrases to get you underway. 1. UllusiuKattagit inosek: Celebrate your life! 2. Pitsialagigavit, piggogutivagit!: Because you’re doing amazing things, I’m proud of you! 3. Nalligijauvutit: You are loved! 4. Kajusitsiatuinnagit: Keep it up!

APRIL FOOL! I lied. Now isn’t really a better time than any other to learn the Inuktitut language. But it is an important time to talk to yourself using phrases like those I mentioned. You need to be extra kind and super positive toward yourself.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): When he was 20 years old, Greek military leader Alexander the Great began to conquer the world. By age 30, he ruled the vast territory between Greece and northwest India. Never shy about extolling his own glory, he named 70 cities after himself. I offer his example as a model for you. Now is a favorable time to name clouds after yourself, as well as groves of trees, stretches of highway, buses, fire hydrants, parking spaces and rocks. APRIL FOOL. I got a bit carried away. It’s true that now is a good time to assert your authority, extend your clout, and put your unique stamp on every situation. But I don’t recommend that you name entire cities after yourself.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Now is an excellent time to join an exotic religion. How about the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, which believes that true spiritual devotion requires an appreciation of satire? Or how about Discordianism, which worships the goddess of chaos and disorder?

Then there’s the United Church of Bacon, whose members exult in the flavor of their favorite food.

(Here’s a list of more: tinyurl.com/WeirdReligions.)

APRIL FOOL! I wasn’t entirely truthful. It’s accurate to say that now is a great time to reinvigorate and transform your spiritual practice. But it’s better if you figure that out by yourself. There’s no need to get your ideas from a bizarre cult.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Studies show that people who love grilled cheese sandwiches engage in more sexual escapades than those who don’t gorge on grilled cheese sandwiches. So I advise you to eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches, because then you will have more sex than usual. And that’s important, because you are now in a phase when you will reap huge healing benefits from having as much sex as possible. APRIL FOOL! I lied when I implied that eating more grilled cheese sandwiches would motivate you to have more sex. But I wasn’t lying when I said that you should have more sex than usual. And I wasn’t lying when I said you will reap huge benefits from having as much sex as possible. (P.S. If you don’t have a partner, have sex with your fantasies or yourself.)

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): If you ever spend time at the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, you’ll get a chance to become a member of the 300 Club. To be eligible, you wait till the temperature outside drops to minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

When it does, you spend 20 minutes in a sauna heated to 200 degrees. Then you exit into the snow and ice wearing nothing but white rubber boots, and run a few hundred feet to a ceremonial pole and back. In so doing, you expose your naked body to a swing of 300 degrees. According to my astrological analysis, now is an ideal time to pull off this feat. APRIL FOOL! I lied.

I’m not really urging you to join the 300 Club. On the other hand, I do think it’s a favorable phase to go to extremes for an authentically good cause.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scientific research shows that if you arrange to get bitten by thousands of mosquitoes in a relatively short time, you make yourself immune. Forever after, mosquito bites won’t itch you. Now would be an excellent time for you to launch such a project. APRIL FOOL! I lied. I don’t really think you should do that. On the contrary. You should scrupulously avoid irritations and aggravations, especially little ones. Instead, immerse yourself in comfort and ease. Be as free from vexation as you have ever been!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If allowed to do what comes naturally, two rabbits and their immediate descendants will produce 1,300 new rabbits in 12 months’ time. In five years, their offspring would amount to 94 million. I suspect that you will approach this level of fertility in the next four weeks, at least in a metaphorical sense.

APRIL FOOL! I stretched the truth a bit. There’s no way you will produce more than 100 good new ideas and productions and gifts. At the most, you’ll generate a mere 50.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The weather is warm year-round and the crime rate is low on Pitcairn, a remote South Pacific island that is a 30-hour boat ride away from the nearest airport.

The population has been dwindling in recent years, however, which is why the government offers foreigners free land if they choose to relocate. You might want to consider taking advantage of this opportunity. APRIL FOOL! I was exaggerating. It’s true that you could get major health benefits by taking a sabbatical from civilization. But there’s no need to be so drastic about it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You don’t have to run faster than the bear that’s chasing you. You just have to run faster than the slowest person the bear is chasing. OK? So don’t worry! APRIL FOOL! What I just said wasn’t your real horoscope. I hope you know me well enough to understand that I would NEVER advise you to save your own ass by betraying or sacrificing someone else. It’s also important to note that the bear I mentioned is entirely metaphorical in nature. So please ignore what I said earlier. However, I do want you to know that there are effective ways to elude the symbolic bear that are also honorable. To discover them, meditate on calming down the beastly bear-like qualities in yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Now is a favorable time to disguise yourself as a bland nerd with no vivid qualities, or a shy wallflower with no strong opinions, or a polite wimp who prefers to avoid adventure. Please don’t even consider doing anything that’s too interesting or controversial. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is, I hope you’ll do the opposite of what I suggested. I think it’s time to express your deep authentic self with aggressive clarity. Be brave and candid and enterprising.

Homework: What’s the best joke or prank you could play on yourself? Tell me at 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

Shedding Common Sense

R

esearchers at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England, had been stumped how 10 British men had contracted a rare virus: Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type One. The men weren’t intravenous drug users and hadn’t had transfusions; none of them displayed any symptoms, but doctors had identified the virus through bloodwork. Dr. Divya Dhasmana, coauthor of a study published March 13 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was eventually tipped off to the source of the infections when she saw scars on one of the men’s back: The men participate in bloodshedding religious rituals, such as cutting or whipping themselves. The rituals the men reported include striking the forehead with a knife, then passing the knife to other men, or striking the back with a chain of blades.

rested on March 10 for delivering contraband to prison inmates, reported the Associated Press. Hickman’s clever delivery method was a T-shirt gun, used by sports team mascots to shoot promotional shirts to fans in the stands.

Hickman, however, launched methamphetamines, cellphones, ear buds, phone chargers, digital scales, marijuana and tobacco to some lucky inmates on the other side, but police discovered the gun and another package in her car, and she was booked on charges of introducing contraband into a penal institution, conspiracy and drug trafficking.

Roast Beef Beef Arby’s manager Le’Terria Akins, 21, was arrested in Royal Palm Beach, Fla., for aggravated assault, battery and criminal mischief on March 16 after an altercation with Ernst Point Du Jour, an employee. FOX 35 reported that trouble started after Akins asked Point Du Jour if he could work late that evening, according to police. When he refused, the two began arguing, and witnesses reported that as Point Du Jour got very close to Akins, she pepper-sprayed him.

Point Du Jour ran out of the building with Akins in hot pursuit, wielding a long kitchen knife. Police said Akins did not stab Du Jour but did scratch his car with the knife.

Graveyard Shift

Injurious Intervention

Joanne Cullen, 64, of North Bellmore, N.Y., wants to make administrators of St. Charles Resurrection Cemetery in Farmingdale pay for the horror she experienced in December 2016 as she visited her parents’ graves. On that day, Cullen was reaching down to straighten a bow on a wreath when the ground opened up beneath her, and a widening, shifting sinkhole “caused her to fall forward and smash her head on the tombstone,” cracking a tooth, her attorney, Joseph Perrini, told the New York Post. As Cullen sank, she grabbed the sides of the tombstone and yelled for help, but no one heard her. Cullen filed suit in March in Queens Supreme Court, asking for $5 million to overcome the nightmares and headaches she experiences, along with the fear of walking in open fields. “I will never go back there again,” Cullen said. “Getting sucked into your parents’ grave…it’s terrifying and traumatizing,” Perrini added.

It seems Cynthia Grund, 58, is not one to back down from a challenge. Particularly after her 37-year-old son had been drinking all day at her home in Salem Township, Minn.

Grund said she had arranged for her son to stay with a friend and prepared to give him a ride when he ran outside and stretched out on the ground behind her car in the driveway.

Grund followed him outside, where she saw her inebriated son laying behind the wheels of her vehicle, blocking its way out to the road. “Why don’t you just run me over?” he exclaimed. Grund was willing to oblige her son’s request, reported KIMT TV. “He didn’t believe I would. He had been drinking all day. We gave him a chance,” Grund told deputies who responded to her husband’s 911 call on March 18. Grund’s son suffered significant injuries to his head and pelvis, and his mother now stands accused of second-degree assault and may even face an attempted murder charge.

Gifts From Above Outside the North Fork Correctional Institution in Sayre, Ok., Kerri Jo Hickman was ar-

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