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GETTING TO WORK IN MILWAUKEE

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Even with relatively short commute times, transportation groups see room for improvement

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Debby Jackson, executive director of the Wisconsin Transportation Development Association, noted that Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s 2019 Urban Mobility Report found that traffic congestion costs Milwaukee-area drivers $790 a year in additional fuel and lost productivity. Although Milwaukee may have low commute times on average, she said, “it really depends on your route. If you routinely sit in traffic on I-94 east or west between the Marquette and Zoo interchanges, this ranking likely doesn’t reflect your daily reality.” Still, the reasons for being grateful are undeniable. Milwaukee’s commute times, along with being relatively short, are also remarkable for having changed very little in recent years. The Commercial Café study found that the average commute time in this city increased by only 0.9 minutes a day during the period 2008-’17. During those same years, average commute times increased by 19.9 minutes a day in Portland, Ore., and 21.7 minutes in Sacramento, Calif.

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GETTING TO WORK IN MILWAUKEE

Even with relatively short commute times, transportation groups see room for improvement ::BY DAN SHAW mong its many other assets, Milwaukee can boast of some of the shortest commute times in the country. According to a recent study by the real estate site Commercial Café, the average round-trip commute time in Milwaukee in 2017 was 44.4 minutes a day. That made Milwaukee better off in this regard than other Midwestern cities like Indianapolis (where the average time is 46.8 minutes a day) and Detroit (where it’s 50.8 minutes). Added up over the course of a year, Milwaukee’s commute time comes to eight days of sitting in traffic on average annually. That may seem like a lot, but, once again, it could be worse. Just to our south in Chicago, people spend 69.8 minutes a day commuting, equaling 12.6 days a year. But before they start rushing to congratulate themselves, Milwaukeeans have at least one reason for taking pause. Commercial Café contends that the cities that have done the best combating congestion are often those that have spent the most in recent years on improving roads and other infrastructure. That admonition touches on a sore spot in Wisconsin, where transportation advocates have long argued that highway improvements have failed to keep pace with increasing traffic numbers in the Milwaukee area.

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To be sure, Milwaukee’s moderate increase in average commutes came at a time when the population itself was growing fairly slowly. The Milwaukee metropolitan statistical area—which takes in not only the city proper but also all of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties— went from having an estimated 1,555,908 residents in 2010 to 1,576,236 in 2017, an increase of only 1.3%. Other developments have also helped to hold commute times in check. Advances in internet services have allowed more people to work from home or from remote offices and thus forgo the need to drive to and from an office in the city, and the recent influx of young people to the many new condominiums and apartment buildings in or near Milwaukee’s center has reduced drive times, or walk times, to less than 10 minutes. But, as Jackson and others note, all that’s likely of little consolation to drivers who still find themselves stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-94 or I-43 on trips to and from the Milwaukee suburbs. Fortunately, transportation advocates have seen some reason for hope in recent years. The state’s latest budget, for instance, includes plans to widen I-43 from Silver Spring Drive north of Milwaukee to Grafton. That long-contemplated project is just one of several deemed essential by the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) in its Vision 2050 plan. Kevin Muhs, SEWRPC’s executive director, said he’s also hopeful the state will soon renew working on plans to rebuild the section of I-94 running between the Zoo and Marquette interchanges. The interchanges themselves have undergone billions of dollars’ worth of construction work in the past two decades. Yet plans to expand the intervening stretch of interstate—to give it four lanes to match the four coming out of the rebuilt Zoo inCommuting continued on page 6 >

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::BY CATHERINE JOZWIK

ocated 33 miles northwest of Milwaukee, the village of Germantown boasts a rich Teutonic history, loads of green space, parks and excellent schools. Originally a farming community, Germantown was settled as early as 1836. The village was incorporated in 1924. In 1963, Milwaukee County annexed Washington County land for the purpose of building a landfill. “Fearing further annexation by Milwaukee County, the surrounding unincorporated hamlets of Kuhberg, Willow Creek, Meeker Hill, Goldenthal, Rockville, Dheinsville and Germantown decided to merge into one incorporated village, and Germantown was born,” reads the Germantown village website, village.germantown.wi.us. In 2007, Money Magazine ranked the Washington County village, which has a population of about 20,000 (according to the 2010 U.S. Census), “The 30th Most Appealing Place to Live in the United States.” “The thing I hear most frequently from Germantown residents is that it’s a great place to raise a family,” said Steven Kreklow, who stepped into the role as village administrator two years ago. The village’s low population density also appeals to residents and people eager to escape the hustle and bustle of urban living. “Personally, I love the size of the village,” said Lynn Grgich, executive director of the Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce, an organization which formed in the early 1980s and a Germantown resident since 1994. “There are no long lines at the grocery store.” Germantown’s convenient freeway access makes for an easy commute to Milwaukee, West Bend and Hartford. “Everything is within 30 minutes,” Grgich added. Village officials recently signed a contract with an engineering and planning firm, GRAEF, to develop the “2050 Comprehensive Plan.” According to Germantown’s community development director Jeff Retzlaff, 2050 is a one-year project “to address nine required topics or ‘elements’ required under Wisconsin statues, including housing, economic development, land use, transportation, natural, cultural and environmental resources, utilities and community facilities.” Recently, a community meeting was held at the Germantown library to discuss the plan. “Our goal is to develop sub-area land use plans for a number of areas in the village that will eventually be packaged into the overall comprehensive plan,” Retzlaff explains. Areas for proposed development include historic Main Street, Holy Hill Road and the “Germantown Gateway” or the areas near the I-41 and I-45 interchange. Spanning 34 miles, the village is home to 12 parks and contains plenty of undeveloped land for protected green space and housing developments. “In the last five years or so, we have focused on making upgrades to existing parks,” says Mark Schroeder, the village’s director of parks and recreation. The recently completed Gehl Foods Performing Arts Pavilion at Fireman’s Park (W162 N11870 Park Ave.) hosts a variety of events and activities, including summer concerts and a Thursday night beer garden.

‘Continued Growth’ in Business, Housing, Dining

Germantown has experienced a development boom in the manufacturing sector over the past year, with several industrial developments underway. “We have seen continued growth as we move up the I-41 and I-45 corridor,” Grgich says. To help support

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business developments in the area, Germantown village officials have created five new tax incremental districts (TIFs) within the last five years. Developed by Zilber Property Group, Gateway Corporate Park (W210 N12800 Gateway Crossing) will include a 750,000-square foot distribution center occupied by Briggs and Stratton. Dielectric Manufacturing, which recently relocated its headquarters from Menomonee Falls, is expected to open a new 198,800-square foot building and 204,400-square foot manufacturing facility in Gateway by 2020. In August, Ryan Companies US, Inc., a company based in Minneapolis, proposed to build a 243,419-square foot industrial building on 26.7 acres of land located in Willow Creek Business Park. Willow Creek, which sits on 192 acres of land between Appleton Avenue and Maple Road, is also home to Discount Ramps, a company which opened a location in the business park earlier this year. With a median home value of $283,000, according to zillow. com, Germantown offers a variety of housing options, from apartments and townhouses to single-family homes on spacious lots. Several new housing developments, including the Wrenwood and Harvest Hills subdivisions on Freistadt Road and Saxony Village Apartments (N115 W16165 Saxony Village Blvd.), have been built in the last few years. Several more developments are underway. Coupled with highly regarded schools, these new housing developments have drawn young professionals and families to the area. “Developers are finding ways to make housing attractive to younger families,” Kreklow says. Germantown visitors and residents have several options for dining out. At the end of July, chef Jodi Janisse-Kanzenbach, owner of West Bend’s farm-to-table establishment Café Sourette, opened Precinct Tap + Table (W161 N11629 Church St.). Precinct’s menu includes small plates and artisanal appetizers made with locally sourced ingredients, like bacon-wrapped pickled watermelon rinds and specialty personal pizzas. Jerry’s Old Town Inn (N116 W15841 Main St.) serves up German and American fare and imported beers in a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of a German beer hall. Robert’s Frozen Custard (N112 W16040 Mequon Road) is Germantown’s premium place to indulge a sweet tooth. The business opened its doors in 2003. Owner Darren Stamm says the village has “a terrific, small town” feel with “very neighborly people.” Several Germantown schools, including Germantown High School and Kennedy Middle School, have been renovated after the passing of a 2016 referendum. Schroeder believes that the village’s schools “are a real asset to the community.” The family friendly village embraces its German roots with annual events like MaiFest in spring and Oktoberfest, which will be held Sept. 28 and 29 this year at Dheinsville Historical Park (N128 W18780 Holy Hill Road). These festivals offer plenty of polka, pretzels, performers wearing dirndls and lederhosen and good, old-fashioned gemütlichkeit. Summertime festivals, like “Taste of Home,” organized by the local Kiwanis Club, also draw large crowds. Schroeder believes that, for a smaller village, Germantown offers many recreational opportunities for all. “We’ve provided a good variety of options for families to choose from,” he says. Grgich encourages people to visit the attractive, affable village. “If you haven’t been through Germantown, it’s worth checking out,” she concludes. Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

terchange—were allowed to lose their federal stamp of approval amid Republican former Gov. Scott Walker’s adamant refusal to consider raising the state’s gas tax or vehicle registration fees. The result has been a bottleneck on the main artery into the city from the west. Muhs said the only proven solution to congestion is so-called “dynamic tolling.” A system of this kind allows drivers to be charged more for use of the roads when they choose to drive at busy times of the day, but dynamic tolling remains unpopular and is unlikely to be adopted in Wisconsin. Barring that, the best way to keep commute times reasonable is to expand the roads. “When it comes to addressing congestion in the Milwaukee area, we have long recommended slight increases in capacity in the interstate system,” Muhs said. “Over time, as new businesses and residents continue to move in, this should be enough to roughly maintain our current level of congestion.” SHEPHERD STAFF

Developments Are Booming in Germantown

What About Public Transportation?

Muhs acknowledged there is a place for public transportation. This is one area of policy where many believe local officials could decidedly do better. In Milwaukee County, County Executive Chris Abele recently proposed cutting 16 bus lines in order to make up for a $5.9 million budgetary shortfall. That change, if adopted, would eliminate not only lines that run primarily inside the city but also six “Freeway Flyers,” which suburbanites often hop onto after parking their cars at an outlying lot and ride into the city. The possible loss of those routes, which are meant to reduce traffic congestion, is just one of the many reasons why the proposal is shortsighted, says Bruce Colburn, former president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998, which represents transit workers in the Milwaukee area. “It’s especially true for the routes they are talking about eliminating,” Colburn said. “A lot of the people who are riding these buses also have cars.” To him, eliminating bus routes will only add to the vicious cycle that got underway when fares were increased in recent years by Abele. By making the bus service both more expensive and less useful, public officials are doing nothing more than detracting from the overall appeal of public transportation and ensuring passenger numbers will be depressed even further. Colburn said he has some sympathy for public officials who are struggling with budget shortfalls, but he also asserted that policymakers somehow always manage to find ways to pay for their priorities. Although state government is not necessarily flush with money, he noted, lawmakers were able to pony up incentives for both the construction of Fiserv Forum and the Mount Pleasant Foxconn plant. “They need to recognize that our transit system is a vital service for our whole community,” Colburn said. “Right now, it’s just phony excuses they are giving.” Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n SHEPHERD EXPRESS

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Time to End the GOP’s Lame Duck Power Grab ::BY EVAN GOYKE

OSH KAUL WAS ELECTED WISCONSIN’S 45TH ATTORNEY GENERAL ON TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 2018. The next day, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and legislative Republicans began secretly crafting multiple bills to take away the power of Atty. Gen. Kaul and Governor Tony Evers. These bills were passed on a party-line vote in a rushed, all-night, “lame duck” session in December 2018, which resulted in a wave of litigation that remains unresolved and is being paid for by Wisconsin taxpayers. One of the more transparent power grabs within the lame duck session was a provision that requires the attorney general to obtain the approval of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance prior to settling litigation that the state is involved in. Every other attorney general in Wisconsin’s history, both Democrat and Republican, has had the authority to settle litigation. Not only is the settlement provision an unprecedented power grab, but the Republican law was so poorly written and so poorly thought out that the new law doesn’t even work. For months, Kaul sought agreement from legislative Republicans on how to implement the law. An early agreement was later tossed by Republicans, and a monthslong stalemate ensued.

Totally Unnecessary Additional Problems

Over the course of the past three weeks, as unsettled cases have begun to pile up, Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee have stumbled to try to use the law they wrote. In one hearing, held partially in public and partially behind closed doors, no

meaningful discussion could advance because of issues of confidentiality in the litigation. No cases were settled. Next, the Republicans hired their own lawyer, doing so without debate and without a vote of the committee. This attorney is being paid $290 an hour to try and find out a way to make the lame duck law work. A week after the failed first hearing, and now with the private attorney’s help, a second hearing was scheduled, but promptly canceled. It’s important to understand what’s at stake. Some litigation is huge, multi-state and could cost the state major opportunities at settlement money. Some litigation is small and only involves the state in a minor way. The complexity and confidential nature of litigation and settlement negotiations, even in small cases, is so fragile and protected that inserting partisan legislators will never work. There is no way to fix, tweak or amend this lame duck law; it cannot work for the legal system and the litigants within it. Take an example from the most recent failed hearing. The case involves a car accident. The injured person, the plaintiff, was seriously hurt. The insurance company, the defendant—the insurer of the driver at fault—agreed to the settle the case. The State of Wisconsin became an additional plaintiff to recoup health care costs from the Medicaid program. In the lawsuit, all sides have now agreed on a settlement. The injured person will get justice. The insurance company will get resolution. Taxpayers will get owed health care costs. Everyone agrees on an acceptable outcome—except legislative Republicans. We have a civil justice system that, for all of our state’s history, has functioned without needing legislative approval to settle cases. Injured people need Republicans to get out of their way. Insurance companies need Republicans to get out of their way. The lame duck power grab is now disrupting the legal system, delaying justice, increasing costs to both sides of the lawsuit and is now coming with a price tag of $290 an hour. Kaul was elected attorney general. He should be allowed to settle cases just as every other attorney general in our state’s history has. Only with a return to the way we’ve always operated, to the respect and trust of the attorney general and the citizens of Wisconsin who elected him, will the litigation settlement process work as intended. Evan Goyke is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

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Decide the Presidency in 2020 ::BY JOEL MCNALLY

nyone who has followed Wisconsin politics over the years is used to local media overhyping the importance of the state in determining the Democratic nominee and ultimately the presidency. It’s happened ever since Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy crushed Minnesota Sen. Hubert Humphrey here in 1960. This time, though, it’s the national media that have identified Wisconsin as “the single state upon which the election could turn,” in the words of veteran Washington Post political analyst Dan Balz. That’s the reason the Democratic National Convention is coming to Milwaukee next July. Balz actually expects four states—Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida—to decide the presidential election. Of those, he says Wisconsin might become the biggest focus nationally for both parties, especially because of its higher percentage of white, non-college-educated voters who are Donald Trump’s strongest remaining supporters. Anybody wonder why? All four states voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 but flipped to Trump in 2016 by a percentage point or less. Trying to predict corruptly managed, narrowly decided Florida elections has always been foolish, but all three northern states already redeemed themselves in the 2018 midterms with Democratic victories in their gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races. Democrats also flipped six seats in the U.S. Congress formerly held by Republicans in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Losing College Grads and Farmers

Joan Lunden, journalist, best-selling author, former host of Good Morning America and senior living advocate. 10 | S E P T E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 9

Trump’s alienation of college-educated voters has taken a political toll on his party in what used to be reliably Republican suburbs. It’s even visibly diminished the party’s edge in what was once the state’s richest source of Republican votes: the counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington. “Those counties are still voting Republican, but as much as 16 points less on the margin now than they were,” said Charles Franklin, who conducts the Marquette University Law School political polls. Whether Trump wins reelection may very well depend on how much longer he can hold onto the support of the state’s farmers who are literally becoming collateral damage in his disastrous trade war with China. For a year and a half, more than two dairy farms a day have

gone out of business in Wisconsin. Nearly 700 closed down last year. In the first half of this year, 449 went under, up 25% from the same period last year. That’s just dairy. Growers of corn, soybeans, ginseng and cranberries in Wisconsin all have lost hundreds of millions of dollars as China continues to slash imports of U.S. agricultural products in response to Trump’s escalating tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. from China, which, in turn, raises prices every day for farmers shopping at stores like Walmart. Total American agricultural exports to China were $24 billion five years ago. They fell to $9.1 billion last year under Trump and dropped another $1.3 billion in the first half of 2019. But wait. Didn’t Trump create a brand-new welfare program for farmers hurt by his trade war? According to an analysis by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, payouts from the initial $16 billion appropriation were exactly what you’d expect from a Republican welfare program. A small number of wealthy corporate farms received more than half the money. One huge agribusiness in Missouri received $2.8 million. Eighty-two of the richest farmers received more than $500,000 each. The top 1% of recipients averaged $183,331. The bottom 80% of desperately struggling farmers averaged less than $5,000. Don’t spend it all in one place.

Who’s Doing Great?

Trump deals with the economic devastation of farmers’ lives the same way he deals with every problem: He lies about it constantly. When Trump showed up for a $3 million Republican fundraiser in Milwaukee in July, he brought the good news to Wisconsin farmers that they were doing great: “Some of the farmers are doing very well… We’re over the hump. We’re doing very well.” All that has changed since is Trump has announced two more increases in tariffs on imports from China raising prices for U.S. consumers and China retaliated by slashing U.S. agricultural imports even further. Wisconsin is well into its fourth straight year of leading the nation in farm bankruptcies. There are plenty of reasons to be encouraged by the early organizing of the Wisconsin Democratic Party under a new activist chairman, Ben Wikler, formerly a national leader of MoveOn.org. But it’s still good to run scared right up to Election Day 2020. After being embarrassed by a sleazy, unqualified candidate we didn’t think could be elected in a decent country, we should never underestimate Trump’s hateful message. But Trump really isn’t some kind of stable political genius who can never lose the support of those who voted for him even when he’s destroying their lives. Proving we’re a more decent country than Trump’s bigoted, un-American version will require volunteers actively reaching every voter who wants democracy to work for everyone, not just those who live in gold towers. That’s our responsibility as “the single state upon which the election could turn.” Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n SHEPHERD EXPRESS

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::SAVINGOURDEMOCRACY ( SEPT. 12 - SEPT. 18, 2019 ) The Shepherd Express serves as a clearinghouse for all activities in the greater Milwaukee area that peacefully push back against discriminatory, reactionary, homophobic and authoritarian actions and policies of the Donald Trump administration and others who seek to thwart social justice. To submit to this column, please send a brief description of your action, including date and time, to savingourdemocracy@shepex.com.

Saturday, Sept. 14

Halyard Park-Bronzeville-Brewers Hill Visioning Session @ America’s Black Holocaust Museum, 401 W. North Ave, 11 a.m.

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is hosting a visioning session for residents of the Halyard Park, Harambee and Brewers Hill neighborhoods regarding the restoration and redevelopment of a historic building on 2153 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, known by many as the former Schuster’s-Gimbels store. During the session, residents will identify shared values, define a set of priorities and brainstorm ideas on how to strengthen the community through the redevelopment.

Peace Action of Wisconsin: Stand for Peace @ the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and North Avenue, 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 after the protest.

Milwaukee Democrats Digital Training Session @ 4900 W. Custer Ave., 12 p.m.

Digital campaign strategists are offering free digital training for Democrats in the Fourth Congressional District and Milwaukee County Democrats. Designed for “party activists and volunteers, anyone con-

sidering running for office or working on a campaign and Democrats wanting to learn how to take advantage of digital tools to reach more voters online.” Topics will handle websites, newsletters, social media and digital advertising. Register online.

Sunday, Sept. 15

Walk to End Alzheimer’s—Milwaukee County @ Henry W. Maier Festival Park, 8 a.m.

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. There is no fee to participate. The event will also include tips and tools for caregivers. Walk-ins are welcome.

Tuesday, Sept. 17

Political Open Mic: Making Your Vote Count @ Third Space Brewing, 6 p.m.

NEWaukee and Bridge the City are hosting a free open mic for residents, elected officials, nonprofit leaders and the business community. The goal is to educate others on how to get involved in the upcoming 2020 election. Featured speakers include Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Angela Lang of Black Leaders Organizing for Communities and Sachin Chheda, the director of the Fair Elections Project, among many others.

Fond du Lac and North Area Planning Community Meeting @ 2620 W. Center St., 6 p.m.

The City of Milwaukee Department of City Development and Alderman Russell Stamper are embarking on a year-long process to develop a new comprehensive plan for the neighborhoods surrounding Fond du Lac and North avenues. This is the first of several meetings. Discussion topics will include housing, parks, transportation, development and more. Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

Tickets on Sale n"!

join us at the cooperage THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 • 5PM – 9PM

tickets on sale now at shepherdexpress.com/shepherdevents 12 | S E P T E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 9

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S E P T E M B E R 12 , 2 0 1 9 | 13

::OUTOFMYMIND

Pivot Point in Romantic Relationships ::BY PHILIP CHARD

“I

’m not sure how it all went bad, but it did,” Sandra told me, referring to her once-budding romance. “It didn’t start with infatuation. We’ve both been in gaga relationships before, but ours grew gradually, so it felt steady and solid. Then, it started getting uncomfortable,” she explained. Gradually, Sandra’s beau became more judgmental and assertive, until she began feeling “handled,” as she put it. His increasingly frequent calls and texts felt intrusive, as if she was under scrutiny. What’s more, his comments about her appearance and behavior grew more critical, implying that he wanted her to change some things more to his liking. “When I confronted him about it, he denied wanting to keep tabs on me and said he likes me just the way I am,” she told me. “And, it did get better for a while, but the checkins and critical comments have crept back in.” Sandra and her boyfriend found themselves poised at a key pivot point that arrives, one way or the other, in most, if not all romantic pairings. In the early stages, many courtships exist primarily in a “let it be” emotional atmosphere. Both parties simply relish their time together, enjoy the process of mutual discovery, and are content to accept each other as-is. However, more often than not, this “state of being” becomes infiltrated by a “state of having.” The predilection to possess, to have or even to control, can begin emerging, often subtly at first, only to become more pronounced as familiarity increases. If and when the state of having takes precedent over the acceptance and mutual admiration inherent

in the state of being, the tone and nature of the relationship shifts, as Sandra sensed. “Should I be worried about this?” she asked. “You already are,” I replied. “Your intuition is talking to you, and it’s usually wise to pay attention to what it has to say.” “And what is the message?” she wondered. At a minimum, Sandra was experiencing a caution light, a warning to slow down, keep her wits about her and contemplate what was transpiring with her beau. Many who are transitioning from a “being state” in their romantic pairing to an unsettling “having state” experience some manner of disquiet. Too often, however, they override their intuitive misgivings, telling themselves it’s no big deal or that it will work out somehow over time. After all, falling in love is sufficiently compelling that, once it happens, most of us are reticent to mess with it, at least at first. And, of course, those who harbor a compelling need for attachment and belonging experience the greatest risk in this regard. Many is the romantic partner who dismisses her or his misgivings in deference to a powerful need to love and be loved. “Loving someone is more about being with them than having them,” I suggested to Sandra. Sure, it’s all but impossible to be in a romantic relationship without experiencing some degree of having, of wanting to possess the other person in some way, shape or form. When extreme, this emerges as maniacal efforts to control the other person, with all the accompanying jealousy, intrusiveness, emotional abuse and, on occasion, even stalking and violence. However, outside of these severe instances, most couples exhibit these two states (being and having) in varying proportions. If there is relative balance between them, and if just being (“I accept you as-is”) takes priority over having and possessing (“I want you my way”), the relationship rarely suffers. “You need to find out if having and managing you is more important to him than simply being with you,” I told Sandra. While there is almost always an element of “mine” in any romantic pairing, when possessing becomes the norm, this lyric from Linda Ronstadt’s song “Love Is a Rose” proves true: “Lose your love when you say the word mine.” For more, visit philipchard.com.

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855-240-6693 www.satellitedealnow.com/express 2019 NFL SUNDAY TICKET INCLUDED AT NO EXTRA COST WHEN YOU SWITCH TO DIRECTV. With CHOICE Package or above. Subscription renews automatically each season at then prevailing rate (currently $293.94/season) unless you call to cancel within two weeks after the start of the season.* CHOICE 1-YR ALL INCLUDED PACKAGE W/ ELIG. WIRELESS: Ends 10/19/19. Available only in the U.S. (excludes Puerto Rico and U.S.V.I.). 1st & 2nd year Pricing: $59.99 for first 12 mos. only. After 12 mos. or loss of eligibility, then prevailing rate applies (currently $110/mo for CHOICE All Included), unless cancelled or changed prior to end of the promo period. Pricing subject to change. $5/mo. autopay/paperless bill discount: Must enroll in autopay & paperless bill within 30 days of TV activation to receive bill credit starting in 1-3 bill cycles. First time credit will include all credits earned since meeting offer requirements. Must maintain autopay/paperless bill and valid email address to continue credits. No credits in 2nd year for autopay/paperless bill. Eligible Wireless for $10/mo. bundle discount: Consumers only. Sold separately. Reqs new or existing AT&T postpaid svc on elig. plan (excl. Lifeline) on a smartphone, phone or AT&T Wireless Internet device (excl. voice-only AT&T Wireless Internet). Eligible svc must be activated w/in 30 days of TV activation and svc addresses must match to receive bill credit starting in 1-3 bill cycles. First time credit will include all credits earned since meeting offer requirements. Must maintain both qualifying svcs to continue credits. No credits in 2nd year for bundled services. Includes: CHOICE All Included TV Pkg, monthly service & equipment fees for one Genie HD DVR, and standard pro installation. Exclusions: Price excludes Regional Sports Fee of up to $8.49/mo. (which is extra & applies to CHOICE and/or MÁS ULTRA and higher Pkgs.), applicable use tax expense surcharge on retail value of installation, custom installation, equipment upgrades/add-ons (min. $99 one-time & $7/mo. monthly fees for each extra receiver/DIRECTV Ready TV/Device), and certain other add’l fees & charges. Different offers may apply for eligible multi-dwelling unit and telco customers. DIRECTV SVC TERMS: Subject to Equipment Lease & Customer Agreements. Must maintain a min. base TV pkg of $29.99/mo. Some offers may not be available through all channels and in select areas. Call for details. GENERAL WIRELESS: Subj. to Wireless Customer Agmt (att.com/wca). Credit approval req’d. Deposit/Down Payment: may apply. Charges/restrictions: Taxes, Reg.Cost. Recovery Charge (Up to $1.50), other fees and charges, usage, speed, coverage & other restr’s apply per line. See att.com/mobilityfees for details on fees & charges. International and domestic off-net data may be at 2G speeds. AT&T service is subject to AT&T network management policies, see att.com/broadbandinfo for details. GENIE HD DVR UPGRADE OFFER: Includes instant rebates on one Genie HD DVR and up to three Genie Minis. Req’s SELECT Pkg or above; ÓPTIMO MÁS Pkg or above; or qual. int’l svc bundle with PREFERRED CHOICE. $99 fee applies for Wireless Genie Mini upgrade. Whole-Home HD DVR functionality req’s an HD DVR connected to one television and a Genie Mini, H25 HD Receiver(s) or a DIRECTV Ready TV/Device in each additional room. Limit of three remote viewings per HD DVR at a time. Visit directv.com/genie for complete details. 2019 NFL SUNDAY TICKET OFFER: Package consists of all live out-of-market NFL games (based on customer’s service address) broadcast on FOX and CBS. However, games broadcast by your local FOX or CBS affiliate, and select International games, will not be available in NFL SUNDAY TICKET. Games available via remote viewing based on device location. Other conditions apply. 2019 NFL SUNDAY TICKET regular full-season retail price is $293.94. 2019 NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX regular full-season retail price is $395.94. Customers activating CHOICE Package or above or MÁS ULTRA Package or above will be eligible to receive the 2019 season of NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX at no additional cost. NFL SUNDAY TICKET subscription will renew automatically in 2020 and each season thereafter, provided that DIRECTV carries these services, at the then prevailing rate (currently $293.94/season) unless you call to change or cancel by the date specified in your renewal notice. Up until two weeks after the 2020 season starts, you can cancel anytime and receive any applicable refund. To renew NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX, customer must call to upgrade after the 2019 season. Subscription cannot be canceled (in part or in whole) after the first two weeks of the season and subscription fee cannot be refunded. Only one game may be accessed remotely at any given time. Compatible device/operating system required for online/mobile access. Additional data charges may apply. Visit directv.com/nfl for a list of compatible devices/system requirements. Short Cuts are available from midnight Sunday ET through midnight Wednesday ET via the NFL SUNDAY TICKET App. For full Mix Channel and interactive functionality, HD equipment model H/HR 21 or later is required. Only one game may be accessed from any device at any given time. Compatible device/operating system required for online/mobile access. Additional data charges may apply. Visit directv.com/nfl for a list of compatible devices/system requirements. Programming, pricing, promotions, restrictions & terms subject to change & may be modified, discontinued or terminated at any time without notice. Offers may not be combined with other promotional offers on the same services and may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice. Other conditions apply to all offers. NFL, the NFL Shield design and the NFL SUNDAY TICKET name and logo are registered trademarks of the NFL and its affiliates. NFL team names and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. NFL: AP Images. ©2019 AT&T Intellectual Property. All Rights Reserved. AT&T, Globe logo, DIRECTV, and all other DIRECTV marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

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S E P T E M B E R 12 , 2 0 1 9 | 15

NEWS&VIEWS::POLL

You’re Pretty Split on the Packers’ Fortunes Last week, we asked if you thought the Green Bay Packers will make it into the playoffs this season. You said: n Yes: 47% n No: 53%

What Do You Say? Though Donald Trump claimed he didn’t know who drew the black Sharpie line on a weather map that showed Hurricane Dorian’s possible course running through Alabama (which was never under threat from the storm), do you think he actually drew it himself? n Yes n No Vote online at shepherdexpress.com. We’ll publish the results of this poll in next week’s issue.

like the paper, but on radio! like the paper, but on radio

Tune in to Riverwest Radio (104.1 FM) at 9:30 a.m. on the last Friday of each month to get the inside scoop on what’s coming to the paper.

ETHEREAL HYPNOTIC EXPERIMENTAL KENDRA AMALIE MILWAUKEE MUSICIAN FULL INTERVIEW AT RADIOMILWAUKEE.ORG 16 | S E P T E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 9

Drinks On Us!

Have you ordered your Cocktail Trail craft cocktail coupon book? Featuring discounts at 24 Milwaukee bars and restaurants, Cocktail Trail offers coupons for free or buy-one-get one drinks at participating establishments until May 2020. order online at shepstore.com Also available in store at MKE Home, Sparrow Collective and Beard MKE.

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::CANNABISCONNECTION Kanna Xclusive Boutique Specializes in Women’s Wellness ::BY SHEILA JULSON

ekisha Leonard realizes that women are the primary caretakers for their families and lead the way as health care consumers. As more women embrace holistic health approaches, Leonard knew women needed a space to network and share ideas and concerns. On Saturday, July 20, she held the grand opening for Kanna Xclusive Boutique (7463 Harwood Ave., Wauwatosa), her new business that specializes in cannabidiol (CBD) products and also serves as a supportive, comfortable space for women to network and have conversations about health and wellness. Kanna Xclusive Boutique hosts support groups and events themed around issues for women of all ages. “I wanted to create an environment where we can connect, learn and be resources for each other, not just for information but for entrepreneurial and networking opportunities,” Leonard says. The space serves support groups, book clubs and women-owned business launches. She’s also creating a woman-owned collective marketplace where entrepreneurs can rent shelf space. Vendors so far include Whipped Up Wonderful bath and beauty items, and Whisper Whip, a co-wash (conditioneronly) hair product. Both are non-CBD items.

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In 2015, Leonard was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory condition of the digestive tract. After infusion therapy and over-the-counter pain medication caused side effects, she found relief with CBD. Her mother-in-law had also used hemp oil for health benefits. Seeing a societal shift toward natural wellness, primarily in response to the opioid epidemic, she realized that women in particular could benefit from a relaxing boutique offering CBD items. Kanna Xclusive Boutique carries Joy Organics and Green Roads CBD tinctures, soft gels, topical pain-relieving cream, beauty and body care products, as well as pet products. “I take pride in making sure the companies I carry monitor their process from seed to store,” Leonard says. “Joy Organics is a woman-owned business and host webinars to keep people informed of what’s happening in the CBD industry.” Leonard hopes to also partner with Wisconsin vendors of hemp products. She offers a 100% money back guarantee on products. In addition to CBD products, Kanna Xclusive Boutique offers women’s wellness services that incorporate CBD. Vaginal steaming (also known as V-steaming) is where the client sits over steaming water with a mixture of beneficial herbs. The therapy is used to help alleviate menstrual cramps and bloating, menopausal symptoms and endometriosis. Leonard says broad spectrum CBD can be added to the steaming water to promote relaxation and pain relief. Clients can enjoy a relaxing beverage and light bites infused with CBD to promote relaxation. CBD Infusion Tasting Saturdays take place from 1 to 2 p.m. and offer samples of CBD-infused drinks and light edibles. Attendees learn how to infuse drinks and food at home. Leonard recently began working with the Southeastern Wisconsin chapter of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) to help further cannabis legalization for medicinal and recreational purposes in Wisconsin. “With regulation, people will see what’s in their products. They’ll be protected as consumers and be able to freely and legally use cannabis to ease conditions from which they’re suffering.” She cites recent recreational legalization in neighboring Illinois as a model, because it includes criminal justice reforms like expunging criminal records for marijuana convictions and reinvesting proceeds from taxes and revenue into communities hard hit by marijuana convictions. Please note that any health claims in this article are intended for informational purposes only and are not to be taken as substitutes for medical advice. Consult with a health care professional before starting any treatment. For more information and to see upcoming events, visit kannaxclusiveboutique.com.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

Labs Test Hemp Plants to Ensure Viable Crops ::BY JEAN-GABRIEL FERNANDEZ

“H

emp growers want to know where they’re standing with their crop throughout the growing season, and the same applies to the processors,” VerdaSure’s president and CEO Ilke Panzer says. This is why Assurance Laboratories, a Wisconsin-based toxicology laboratory, launched VerdaSure, a testing lab able to determine the potency of industrial hemp, to meet the needs of local farmers operating under the hemp pilot program.

The Importance of Testing

Currently, VerdaSure is able to quantify both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive constituent of cannabis, as well as cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD), when given plant samples. “Currently, 75% of industrial hemp is estimated to be grown for CBD harvest, so you would want to know the CBD content of your hemp because that may determine the price you can get when you actually sell it,” Panzer explains. By law, hemp is required to contain less than 0.3% of THC. In order to keep crops under control, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection inspects and tests hemp, so laboratories such as VerdaSure allow professionals of the industry to know where they’re standing and what their products contain throughout the growing season. “If the result indicates that THC is above the threshold, the two options growers have with the state is to have a second test done, and after that you have 10 days to destroy your crops,” according to Tim Barta, VerdaSure’s marketing manager. “For some strains, it has clearly been documented that, initially, as you grow your hemp, the THC stays pretty steady as the CBD continues to increase as your crop matures,” Panzer explains. “Then comes a time when the CBD no longer increases; that will be when the THC starts to spike. The perfect time to harvest is right before that. We plot that evolution and send the graph back. With several data points, growers can then determine when is the right time to harvest. You can’t have more than 0.3% THC, but you want the CBD to be as high as possible, so you try to leave the crop in the ﬁeld as long as you can. You have to time it right and call the state ahead of time when you see the THC value going up. But the timing of the state has been challenging because there’s such a huge number of people growing, so it’s important to call early.”

How Hemp Is Tested

For $85 per test, VerdaSure can ship a kit to growers with instructions to pick samples and collection materials and send them to the laboratory. There, technical director Adam Jansen will oversee the process as the plant material is dried in an oven, ground up and homogenized. The resulting powder is then dissolved in methanol, and a dilution of that methanol is what is analyzed. “To do that, we use liquid chromatography—mass spectrometry,” Jansen explains. “[Mass spectrometry] is a superior detection method to many others that are used. You gain much more speciﬁcity in identifying the mass of the compound and its fragmentation.” The lab guarantees results within 48 hours of receiving the sample, but Jansen prides himself on completing the analysis of every sample received so far in less than 24 hours. To meet the new market in Wisconsin, VerdaSure was formed from the strength of an existing laboratory with 10 years of experience, but few similar places exist. “If you are starting a testing lab for hemp only, it is very expensive to buy the [equipment to run tests]. Obviously, the state has it, larger labs that are doing a lot of other product testing have it and clinical facilities like ours might have it. But if you’re starting a brand-new lab for hemp testing only, you’d be hard pressed to spend that kind of money on testing technology,” Panzer explains. “We wanted to make sure we get in there early on and offer the basics: THC and a variety of cannabinoids such as CBD,” she adds. “We could also look at the terpenes, ﬂavonoids, pesticides, heavy metals and mycotoxins. Those are other things you might want to test your hemp for and things we are looking at expanding our menu for.” Among other offerings, VerdaSure can help with proper labeling, as many CBD products are over- or under-labeling the CBD potency. To protect consumers, VerdaSure provides testing so clients can be assured they are getting exactly what they think they purchased. Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n SHEPHERD EXPRESS