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The most important items on the August Primary Ballot are the two Constitutional Amendments. Please Vote NO
The Shepherd Express along with the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Chippewa Valley Votes, EXPO of Wisconsin, GROWW, Law Forward, Oregon Area Progressives, Souls to the Polls, Wisconsin Urban League of Greater Madison, WAVE Educational Fund, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, Working Families Power, Wisconsin Voices Power To The Polls WI plus dozens more, strongly encourage you to vote no on the two constitutional amendments.
Wisconsin Organizations Urge Voters to Vote No on August Constitutional Amendments
As the above organizations and groups who work together to strengthen our democracy and serve the people of Wisconsin, we urge voters to vote NO this August on the two constitutional amendments.
Not only are these two statewide ballot questions intentionally confusing, but they will create real harm. The constitutional amendments would impact the process for distributing federal money by adding unnecessary red tape and slowing funds to those in urgent need.
No matter our race, background or zip code, when disasters like tornadoes hit or our communities are in need, Wisconsinites take care of each other. We expect the same from our government. When there is a crisis, we don’t have time to wait for the slow-moving legislature to get funds to our fellow Wisconsinites.
It's no secret that Wisconsin’s legislature spends more time playing partisan games than acting on the issues Wisconsinites care about the most. In 2020, the Wisconsin State Legislature was one of the least active in the country.
This is a trend in the legislature, which:
• continues to refuse money that could be used to provide healthcare to almost 90,000 Wisconsinites
• blocked $125 million dollars that could be used to help Wisconsinites access safe and clean drinking water amidst the PFAS contamination crisis
• cost Wisconsinites $36 million dollars that would combat the opioid epidemic
Our governor is accountable to the whole state through a fair, statewide election. When our tax dollars are not distributed to meet our needs or don’t align with our values, it’s far easier to hold the governor accountable at the ballot box than the entire legislature.
Our laws already give legislators a say in how tax dollars are spent through the collaborative state budget-making process. These amendments would give the legislature excessive power to decide how to distribute federal funds. We cannot allow our legislators to siphon even more power for themselves and then sit on our money while they gavel-in and gavel-out of session when we need them most.
Like we saw this April, these constitutional amendment questions on the ballot are broad-sweeping and unclear –this is no accident! Let’s say no to purposefully confusing ballot questions. Let’s say no to more red tape.
This August, we can come together for our communities and vote down these harmful constitutional amendments.
Please Vote NO this August on both constitutional amendments.
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State
Assembly
Assembly Race District 19: Reelect Ryan Clancy
The State Assembly election getting the most attention is District 19 which comprises the East Side, part of Riverwest, Downtown, the Third Ward and Bayview. The voters are fortunate to have two smart, qualified candidates. The Shepherd endorsement committee unanimously endorsed current State Representative Ryan Clancy.
Clancy has apparently served his constituents well because he was a winner of The Shepherd’s Best of Milwaukee reader generated contests for the last few years. The district is a progressive district and Clancy fits the bill. After college, he joined the U.S. Peace Corp, taught in MPS, started and ran a small business, and more. He early on strongly opposed the Iraq War as the invasion seemed imminent. As an elected official and Clancy was both a Milwaukee County Supervisor and a Wisconsin State Assemblyman, he took on difficult issues such as jail and prison reform and tenant’s rights. He also has a master’s degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.
He is endorsed by dozens of organizations including the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, Wisconsin Education Association Council WEAC, AFSCME, American Federation of Teachers Local 212, Citizen Action, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities BLOC, Clean Wisconsin Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Advocates, Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Working Families Party, the district’s State Senator Chris Larson, Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic and many more.
Ryan is married and has five children.
Please Vote to Reelect Ryan Clancy for State Assembly on August 13.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Clancy for Assembly District 19
There are several legislative primaries that have some very engaged grassroots campaigns that go under the radar. These are often low budget but energetic door-to-door campaigns that are difficult to evaluate. We do not feel we have enough accurate information to be fair to all the candidates so rather than damage someone’s campaign by a poorly researched endorsement, we are simply not endorsing in all these Assembly campaigns.
Milwaukee County Treasurer
Dual Endorsement: Ted Chisholm and David Cullen
Milwaukee County voters are fortunate to have two very qualified and experienced individuals running for Milwaukee County Treasurer: Ted Chisholm and incumbent David Cullen.
Ted Chisholm has served in two important positions in the county. He was chief of staff for County Sheriff Ernell Lucus and most recently he served as senior administrator for management, finance and strategy in the Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court’s Office, overseeing budget and accounting services and jury management.
David Cullen started his public service getting elected to the State Assembly where he was a member of the Joint Committee on Audit and chaired the Insurance Committee.
He also received Clean Wisconsin’s prestigious Clean 16 award. David also served on the Milwaukee County board of supervisors where he was co-chair of the County’s Finance, Personnel and Audit Committee. He was elected Milwaukee County Treasurer in 2014.
Both candidates have a long list of endorsements from community leaders and organizations.
The historic bombshell that lawless U.S. Supreme Court justices dropped on the final day of their term, creating immunity from prosecution for presidents to commit horrible crimes, was so shocking that many of the court’s other terrible decisions immediately faded into the background. That can’t last forever, because many of the most corrupt decisions by the court’s current extreme rightwing Republican supermajority will be a continuing threat to democracy and freedom for most Americans for decades to come.
Other Terrible Decisions by the Lawless Supreme Court
BY JOEL MCNALLY
Here’s how dishonest many of those decisions were. What most Americans thought was a rare victory for reproductive freedom for women—a unanimous decision that refused to outlaw safe and effective abortion pills— does nothing to legalize access to those pills used in more than 60% of all abortions nationally. The anti-abortion Supreme Court supermajority hasn’t retreated. It’s just hiding in the weeds until the presidential election is over as more states restore protections for abortion rights in their state constitutions.
All six Republican justices who abolished a half-century of constitutional abortion rights for women still detest abortion pills because they provide access for millions of women to control their own lives in the privacy of their own homes in Republican states where abortions are banned.
WAITING FOR THE NATIONAL BAN
That’s why anti-abortion justices are just waiting until the heat is off after the presidential election to find another case in Texas or Louisiana challenging abortion pills so they can ban them nationwide once and for all.
THE ANTI-ABORTION SUPREME COURT SUPERMAJORITY HASN’T RETREATED. IT’S JUST HIDING IN THE WEEDS UNTIL THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS OVER AS MORE STATES RESTORE PROTECTIONS FOR ABORTION RIGHTS IN THEIR STATE CONSTITUTIONS.
The other most dangerous Supreme Court decision released in the final days that will be affecting all our lives in destructive ways is a boring-sounding decision about government regulation. It was decided by the same lopsided 6-3 extreme rightwing court majority that invented immunity from prosecution for criminal presidents and destroyed 50 years of constitutional rights for women.
That decision destroys 40 years of legal deference from the court to expert knowledge in creating government regulations. I warned you it sounded boring. Here’s an example to explain just how dangerous that really is. Instead of relying on medical experts to recommend how to save human lives in a pandemic, the court now considers that a political question best left up to politicians even if they come up with incredibly stupid ideas like injecting bleach into human beings to kill a deadly disease.
The title of the 1984 case that led to the Supreme Court’s decision deferring to knowledgeable experts in government regulatory agencies to safely implement laws passed by Congress— Chevron vs. Natural Resources Defense Council— exposes the hot button issue, environmental protection, that began a decades-long crusade by rightwing extremists to demonize relying on scientific and medical expertise to create intelligent government regulations.
UNREGULATED CHAOS
The Supreme Court has now joined those extremists to abolish scientific and medical expertise not only to craft basic environmental protection and safely care for women in high-risk pregnancies but increasingly to prevent the destruction of all life on earth from catastrophic heat, flash floods, droughts, hurricanes and entire seasons of wildfires.
The Supreme Court further demonstrated its hostility toward the Environmental Protection Agency’s protection of breathable air by ending its “good neighbor” program preventing filthy air from power plants and factories from blowing into neighboring states. As usual, the court’s reason to stop the EPA from keeping moving air clean was the cost to the polluting states.
Photo by GettyImages/Michał Chodyra
Glass Shatter by GettyImages/releon8211
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED THE SENTENCING OF THE PORTAGE MAYOR TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR ACCEPTING A FINANCIAL KICKBACK OF $13,000 FROM A LOCAL TRUCKING COMPANY AFTER THE CITY PAID $1.1 MILLION FOR FIVE TRASH TRUCKS FROM THE COMPANY. JUSTICE BRETT KAVANAUGH WROTE THE DECISION ARGUING THAT BECAUSE THE MAYOR TOOK THE PAYOFF AFTER THE CONTRACT WAS AWARDED, IT WASN’T A BRIBE. IT WAS A GRATUITY.
Perhaps the most comical decision by the court’s Republican supermajority was their attempt to somehow pretend there were legitimate legal reasons to keep corrupt politicians like former President Trump out of jail for committing crimes. Among their last major decisions, the six Republican justices threw out the conviction of a corrupt mayor in Portage, Ind., for taking a bribe.
I’m not making this up. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the sentencing of the Portage mayor to two years in prison for accepting a financial kickback of $13,000 from a local trucking company after the city paid $1.1 million for five trash trucks from the company.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the decision arguing that because the mayor took the payoff after the contract was awarded, it wasn’t a bribe. It was a gratuity. He said a bribery conviction “would radically upend gratuities rules” creating a “vague and unfair trap for 19 million state and local officials.”
Justice Jackson’s dissent for the three Democratic appointees called that tortured reading of the bribery statute “one only today’s Court could love.” Never mind that Kavanaugh was claiming there could be 19 million public officials nationwide accepting illegal payoffs for awarding government contracts.
There’s nothing funny about Americans being stuck with an openly corrupt rightwing Republican majority on the Supreme Court for decades to come. The only hope of reforming the court is to elect more Democrats in every House and Senate race. The corrupt, unethical court isn’t going to reform itself and Republicans don’t want to reform our courts. Apparently, Republicans like corrupt courts.
Joel McNally was a critic and columnist for the Milwaukee Journal for 27 years. He has written the weekly Taking Liberties column for the Shepherd Express since 1996. For more McNally, visit shepherdexpress.com.
Trump’s Chaotic Presidency: From Bleach to Inflation Trump’s Chaotic Presidency: From Bleach to Inflation
BY WILLIAM HOLAHAN
Former President Donald Trump is counting on voter amnesia as he campaigns for a second term. He especially wants them to forget 2020, the chaotic last year of his presidency. In particular, he hopes the public will forget how his mismanagement of the pandemic not only cost the nation preventable loss of life, but also how it triggered price inflation, a critical economic problem, passed on to the Biden Administration and the Federal Reserve, that has been getting under control within the past 18 months.
How did mismanagement of the pandemic in 2020 cause price inflation in 2021?
FEAR OF COVID BROUGHT ECONOMIC MELTDOWN
While medical experts were advising Trump that Covid-19 would be “five times more deadly than the common flu,” he downplayed the importance of aggressive action against the spread of Covid, including early testing to isolate the virus. In an interview with Bob Woodward on February 7, 2020, Trump admitted he “wanted to always play it down ... because I don’t want to create a panic.”
By testing for the virus, its victims can be isolated; without testing everyone is suspected of being a carrier and so the natural inclination for individuals is to isolate, both at work and in public places. Absenteeism rose in 2020, especially in jobs that required working in close proximity. Especially hard hit was the transportation industry—freight rail, harbors for container ship traffic and long and short haul trucking. Bottlenecks arose between producers and retail points of sale. Each link in the supply chain experienced greater delays as purchases were placed on back order to be delivered later depending on availability. These delays caused higher costs, which were eventually passed on to consumers in higher prices. Adding to price pressure, consumers changed their spending patterns to include on-line shopping for durable goods and tech they needed to isolate, work from home, set up online schooling for their children and lessen their family’s chances of contracting the disease.
OPERATION WARP SPEED
A vaccine was required to get to the root cause of the supply-side constraints. Fortunately, the relevant mRNA technology had been under research and development for 20 years in government-sponsored university labs and private pharmaceutical company labs. However, in early 2020, a specific vaccine for the Covid-19 was not ready. To speed up vaccine development and manufacture under a project dubbed Operation Warp Speed,
vaccine testing and production proceeded simultaneously rather than in the usual sequence in which successful FDA testing was required before manufacture. It worked: by the second half of 2020 the FDA allowed emergency use of an mRNA vaccine.
Although Operation Warp Speed achieved faster approval and production, there was no plan to inoculate tens of millions. Instead of promoting a plan to vaccinate the public, Trump created alarm at extremely strange press conferences during which he downplayed the importance of testing for the disease, and instead suggested infusions of ultraviolet light, and injections of ivermectin or bleach, none of which had proven efficacy against Covid-19.
Downplaying the testing and delaying the distribution of the vaccine also delayed fixing the persistent supply-side bottlenecks that were causing upward pressure on costs. For durable goods delivered only after a long delay, there was considerable time lag between the cause of inflation and its effect on the price data (prices are recorded after final sale). If the bottlenecks had been relieved quickly, market forces would have returned to normal, and the rate of price increases would have been smaller and temporary. By the time the problem was handed over to the Biden Administration in January 2021 it was too late to merely unclog the sclerotic supply chain; sterner measures were required to restrain inflation. The primary tool for controlling price inflation was Federal Reserve policy to raise interest rates, which incentivized consumers to slow their rate of spending, thereby reducing the upward pressure on prices.
For the first two years of the Biden administration prices rose faster than incomes, reducing purchasing power; a tough hit for consumers. However, for the past 18 months this pattern has reversed, and purchasing power has been on the rise again. Overall, the performance of the U.S. economy is by far the best among the major developed countries for all relevant indicators—employment, wage growth, wealth creation as well as inflation—not just in the aggregate but also across income, race and ethnic demographics.
William
Holahan is emeritus professor and former chairman of the Department of Economics at UW-Milwaukee.
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Louis Fortis
The Shepherd Express Publisher Finally Agrees to be Interviewed
BY TOM JENZ
Among his many interests and positions, Louis Fortis is the owner and publisher of the Shepherd Express. A rather humble man, he was reluctant to do an interview with me, but, over several months, I finally convinced him. “When I was in politics, I worked hard to get interviews, but those days are over,” he told me. “I am proud of what I’ve done in my life so far. I’ve worked very hard, sacrificed a lot. But I’m kind of shy talking about my accomplishments. But I suppose you will get it out of me.”
As an older guy, Fortis still has a runner’s body and seriously exercises every day as he has for over 40 years.
He has always focused on health and served as treasurer of the Outpost Coop in the ‘90s. Louis is an economist, Ph.D. educator, entrepreneur, international consultant, expert witness and a former Wisconsin State Legislator who served three terms as a Democratic member in the Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee County. He has also been publisher of the Shepherd Express for over 20 years. The Shepherd Express has a combined readership of slightly over 225,000 readers from the magazine, website, social media and daily e-newsletter according to a thirdparty survey group.
I wanted to interview Fortis because his life has been unique, a classic American success story, a living example of what is good about our country, the land of opportunity. In other words, what a person can achieve despite starting from almost nowhere. A self-made man who centuries ago, would be referred to as a “Renaissance Man.”
With your long list of accomplishments, you are proficient in a wide range of fields. Let’s talk about your background, where you grew up and how you ended up out in Massachusetts achieving advanced college degrees and teaching at Smith College.
I was born and raised in Chicago in a rather rough part of the city. When I was one year old, my dad was diagnosed with a serious and rare blood disease. My mother was told that he would die but it would be a couple years later. He had 168 blood transfusions over three years. He died when I was four years old and my brother was eight. This was a time when a lot of people were moving to
the suburbs, but my mother didn’t have the resources to move our family to the suburbs. I tell people, “I’m proud to say I went to some of the worst schools America has to offer, inner city Chicago public schools.” I was a skinny kid in a tough school and a tough neighborhood, but fortunately I was a smart kid. I was also very fortunate to have a wonderful mother. She was always very supportive of me no matter what I wanted to do. I was basically a “good kid” in school and my teachers liked me. I was also a happy kid. Years later, I was told by therapists that I probably sensed my mother had a difficult job in front of her raising two boys as a single mom at that time in our history when the labor market was not particularly good for women, so I tried to be supportive back. You develop a lot of empathy in a situation like I was in. That carried on to school where I would befriend some of the kids that were often picked on. On the down side, I didn’t have a dad to take me to ballgames, for example. After my dad died, my mother went to work in an office job as a clerk typist for Cook County. She had a strong work ethic as the child of immigrants, and she ultimately retired as the secretary to the Chief Judge of the Criminal Division of Cook County.
Through this process of schooling, you were very intelligent, studied hard and earned good grades. You graduated near the top of your class at a large public high school. My Chicago high school had slightly over 1,000 kids in just my class. We moved to Wisconsin in my last year in high school, but my last year in Chicago, I was ranked third in my class. I also skipped 7th grade so besides being a skinny kid, I was about a year younger than most of my classmates.
Photo courtesy of The Shepherd Express
As I mentioned, growing up I had a very loving homelife located in a fairly rough neighborhood. Those were tough streets. But we kids did not have guns. There were knives, baseball bats, fists. Being a skinny kid, it wasn’t too smart getting into too many fights, so I had to learn other skills. As a kid in an inner-city neighborhood of a large city, your neighborhood is all you know so you have to learn how to navigate it. You learn to negotiate and build alliances at a very young age and develop some friends who “would look out for me.” The parents didn’t have the time to be active in our recreational activities, so we learned how to make it work by ourselves. Learning those skills at a very young age have been invaluable for me.
Fortunately, school was always very easy for me. The academic gift I have is mathematics. I never got lower than the 97th percentile in math on the standardized achievement tests they gave us every few years starting in the third grade and on the ACT college exam and Graduate Record Exam. To this day, I can be very analytical, very strategic, and I am a good problem solver. It is almost instinctive.
At the same time, I have great difficulty following any kind of written instructions and directions. Also, and I don’t know if this is genetic, but I am very fortunate to be a very upbeat and positive person.
You went onto the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point for your undergrad work.
Yes, and I graduated with a degree in the broad field of Social Science and a math minor. After college, I taught junior high school math for one year, and then, I applied to VISTA, Volunteers in Service to America, which was the domestic version of Peace Corps. I ended up in Milwaukee as a Community Organizer with my first assignment working on Second and Clark. I loved it.
You came of age in an America steeped in controversy, anti-war and social protests, women’s rights, the war on poverty, civil rights, the changing upheaval. This would have been in the very early 1970s. Yes, it certainly was an interesting time to come of age. I became very idealistic, energized and committed to social justice.
I worked in VISTA for two and a half years. My last work as a VISTA organizer was helping set up a neighborhood group in the Riverwest community called ESHAC that lasted over 20 years. The Milwaukee city planners had written off Riverwest as a dying community. We didn’t accept that. We organized the community starting with fighting city hall over their plan to expand the Locust Street boulevard from Holton Street to the river which would have wiped out all of the storefronts on Locust Street. After we won that fight with city hall and the neighborhood residents saw a victory, things began to move forward. The neighborhood set up a cooperative grocery store after the last privately owned grocery store in the neighborhood closed and no other grocery chain would set up in Riverwest. Today Riverwest is a vital and exciting area of the city.
Then what did you do?
After that experience, I went off to graduate school in economics at the University of Massachusetts with very little money and no idea where I was going to sleep when I got to Amherst, Mass.
I did not know a soul there nor had ever been to Massachusetts. Looking back, I have no idea how I thought I would support myself. I chose the UMass economics department because they were the leading program in America that took a much broader approach to economic theory. It was more similar to a European model of political economy, more like the London School of Economics. I earned my master’s and doctorate degrees in Economics. That was a great experience.
In that era of social unrest that you describe and with the organizing I did in Milwaukee, it was very clear to me that almost everything came back to economics. I thought if I am going to be effective in policy and social change, I needed to have a thorough understanding of the economy. My views on social and economic justice did not change much, but I could explain and defend these positions with sound economic knowledge.
Anyway, I earned my Ph.D. and then taught at Smith College, which was and may still be the largest allwoman’s college in the country. It is one of the elite “Seven Sisters Schools” where Gloria Steinem, Julia Child and Reagan’s wife Nancy went to college along with our Senator Tammy Baldwin. I thoroughly enjoyed my time teaching at Smith and got very strong teacher evaluations from the students, but I didn’t want to get sucked into the very comfortable lifestyle of a professor at an elite private college. After my contract was over, I was offered another contract at Smith, but I respectfully turned it down and never regretted that decision.
And how did you end up living in Madison and later Milwaukee again?
I had known Lee Dreyfus, former Governor of Wisconsin, from my time as a student at UW Stevens Point a decade earlier when Dreyfus had been chancellor. I was involved in student government. We liked each other. We didn’t agree on most issues, but he would invite me to his office to discuss and debate issues. As many of you know, he was a former UW debate professor and he used to tell me how much he enjoyed our little debates. He was a tough guy to pin down on some issues. When it came to applying for graduate school, Dreyfus wrote one of my letters of reference for my application to UMass.
So, when he was running for governor, I was teaching at Smith College. I contacted him and asked him if he won his election, what he was planning to do with economic development in lower income areas like our inner-city neighborhoods, low-income rural areas and our 11tribes. He said that he hadn’t given that much thought. Inner city economic development was one of my fields of specialty and the area I had written my dissertation, and he was aware of that. I told him that as governor he needed focus on the economic development throughout the state and not just in the more prosperous areas. He had to strategically put money into the poorer urban neighborhoods, the poor rural areas, and the Native American tribes. I told him I’d be willing to leave Smith College, come back to Wisconsin, and set up a program in Community Economic Development.
While at Smith College, I would go into Boston once a week to work with a group of economists and community organizers to develop Community Economic Development legislation that a Boston inner-city state legislator Mel King would then introduce.
So, what happened?
As you know, Dreyfus won, and I left Smith College and came back to Wisconsin. However, when I returned to Wisconsin, Dreyfus had not told his cabinet staff about our conversation, so no one knew who I was or what Dreyfus had agreed to. I was given just a three month grant to make something happen in the area of Community Economic Development. Dreyfus’s top aid later told me that they thought I would use that time to find a different job. Despite having virtually no money, I never worried about making a living. I was always more interested in helping make some positive social change. Long story short, I worked with individuals I knew in Milwaukee from my pregraduate schoolwork along with a couple of Ph.Ds. in Madison and we developed draft legislation that a Milwaukee legislator introduced in the assembly, and I lobbied it through both chambers of the legislature. We created a public-private, quasi-state development authority called the Wisconsin Community Development Finance Authority that also had 501(c)3 tax status. What legislator is against economic development and job creation especially in lowincome areas, so the bill passed with a big majority in the assembly and unanimously in the state senate.
I then got appointed as executive director and reappointed when Tony Earl became governor. I did that job for almost five years in the mid-1980s. In these five years, we worked with twothirds of the Native American tribes, and this was before they had gambling. It became kind of a national model for a state-created public/private partnership to address economic development in distressed areas. Legislators from three other states interested in Community Economic Development invited me to speak to their colleagues.
So, you had access to public funds provided by the state to help these people?
Not exactly. This was 1982 and we were in a recession, so the legislature took most of the money out of the legislation and when it passed there was only a modest start up loan from the state. As I mentioned, it was “a public/private partnership” and we successfully got 501(c)3 status from the IRS which makes any money donated to this effort tax-exempt on Federal taxes. I spent the next year and a half putting together a quasistate agency and raising $2,700,000 in the middle of a recession. I want to make it very clear, I did not do that single-handedly.
And along the way, you also did other work, right?
So far in my life, I’ve had nine different careers, anyone of them could have been a lifelong career, but nine were more fun. About a third of those professions were part-time. In the early 1980s, at the encouragement of an economics professor friend at UWM I started doing consulting as an economist in legal cases as a side job. For example, in a lawsuit I would be hired to calculate the damages in monetary terms. If the damages were personal injury, for example, I would calculate the lost earning capacity. I would project out the loss to retirement age and discount it back to present value. That gave the attorneys a number to fight over. I consulted in over 250 cases in Wisconsin over a 22-year period, sitting for well over 150 depositions and about 80 courtroom testimonies.
I loved the depositions because of the challenges. The courtroom testimony was a bit stressful.
While you were running the Wisconsin Community Development Finance Authority and doing some economist consulting, you then ran for state office as the Democratic Assemblyman for the 11th Assembly District for the northeastern Milwaukee area. Yes, in 1986, I ran for State Assembly and defeated a 15-year incumbent in the primary and then won in the general election. From 1987 to 1993, I served as the State Representative for the 11th Assembly District which was two thirds of Glendale, all of Brown Deer and a northwestern portion of the City of Milwaukee. During that time, I continued to do the expert testimony.
When you were in the state assembly, what were you trying to do and what were your accomplishments?
First of all, a good legislator takes care of their district’s needs, and I represented the three units of local government so that took up a significant amount of time. I also introduced 11 pieces of economic development legislation. Since we had split government, I could usually get the legislation through both chambers because it was hard for my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote against job creating legislation. Our Republican governor at the time, Tommy Thompson, was a big supporter of any economic development legislation so some of my economic development legislation became law.
Continued on Page 50
Meeting with Ted Kennedy at the 1988 Democratic National Converntion
Many Milwaukeeans were likely familiar with Chef Dan Jacobs before his success on the recent season of “Top Chef,” the popular cooking show competition that filmed its 21st season in Wisconsin.
Jacobs and his friend/business partner, Dan Van Rite, own and operate DanDan, a Chinese restaurant in the Third Ward, and Ester Ev, a fine dining restaurant first launched inside DanDan and that now occupies a brick-and-mortar space in Bay View. Jacobs, a Chicago native, had also worked at esteemed Milwaukee restaurants Roots, Wolf Peach and Odd Duck.
In addition, Jacobs met president-elect Joe Biden in 2020 to talk about COVID-19 economic impact on independent restaurateurs. Jacobs and Van Rite were James Beard Award finalists in the 2024 Best Chef Midwest category.
We caught up with Jacobs as he and his family were en route to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colo., to talk about his “Top Chef” journey and what lies ahead.
COMPETITIVE RIGORS
Jacobs had had a long-time natural desire to compete on “Top Chef”; he had applied several times before being cast for Season 21. “I always felt like I would do really well on ‘Top Chef’ and needed the opportunity to do that,” he says.
Once Jacobs learned he was cast for “Top Chef: Wisconsin”, he prepared so he could handle the rigors of the competition. In 2016, Jacobs was diagnosed with Kennedy’s disease, a rare slow-progressing neuromuscular disorder. He worked with a personal trainer to do stretching exercises and yoga, and he learned meditation techniques.
Dan Jacobs Reflects on his Top Chef Experience
BY SHEILA JULSON
“I knew what this would entail,” he relates. “I knew it would take time, and I knew I would be cut off from my support system here at home. I needed to make sure I was going to be mentally and physically strong enough to do this.”
As the hometown hero of “Top Chef: Wisconsin,” Jacobs encountered several local chefs and culinary professionals throughout filming. As local viewers cheered him on through each episode, Jacobs says balancing those celebrity vibes was the easy part as he stayed focused on the competition and his craft.
“Even when I saw people that I knew, it would be momentarily,” he notes. “But it always felt good, and I wanted to showcase the city of Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin in the best way that I could.”
HOLDING HIS OWN
Jacobs held his own against very talented chefs. “One of the biggest things I learned was that I can compete with any of them. I think that translates to the city of Milwaukee, as well—we’re just as good as anybody else.
"I always knew that could do this, and I’m excited that I had the opportunity to put my talents to the test.”
As each episode aired, creative challenges unfolded that showcased the state’s food traditions: cheese, beer, cranberries, cherries, supper clubs and Door County fish boils. One challenge particularly resonated with Jacobs, the Elimination Challenge from Episode 9, “The Good Land”, which focused on Indigenous cuisine.
Photo by Clay Williams
“It was one of those challenges that showcased cuisine that is underrepresented across the country, and some of the people doing it the best are right here in the Midwest,” he says, referencing Indigenous chefs including Elena Terry, Bryce Stevenson and Sean Sherman, who judged the Indigenous challenge.
The “cheftestants” prepared dishes with Indigenous ingredients native to America and could not use go-to staples like dairy, cane sugar, pork, chicken or beef. Jacobs says being confined to certain ingredients stretched his creativity to the next level.
ELEVATING MILWAUKEE
Jacobs affirms that “Top Chef: Wisconsin” has elevated Milwaukee’s standing in the culinary world. “We’re already seeing the effect. People are traveling here to eat at the restaurants. I’ve always said that we’re on par with any other city in the United States, as far as food goes.”
Jacobs and Van Rite have been on the James Beard Award nomination long list five times together; Van Rite three times by himself. “Getting to that short list and going to Chicago to be part of the awards ceremony was one of those ‘pinch me’ moments,” he enthuses.
While Jacobs has earned much attention in recent months, he’s taking things one day at a time. He plans to enjoy the summer with his family and focus on upcoming events at DanDan and Ester Ev. Their Guest Chef Series runs at both restaurants through November and features past contestants from “Top Chef,” along with chefs from throughout the country. DanDan also hosts a Taste of China dinner series.
“I always did enjoy doing television,” concludes Jacobs, who also appeared on the show “Beat Bobby Flay”. “I was really proud of the way I was able to compete and show the state of Wisconsin and city of Milwaukee, to show the spirits of local places. Also, to show anybody that has a disability that you can still compete and still try to do what it is that you want to do.”
For more information, visit dandanmke.com or esterev.com.
Sheila Julson writes the Eat/Drink column for shepherdexpress.com.
Photo courtesy of Galdones Photography
Family Owned Ethnic Restaurant: Shah Jee’s and Sweet Basil
BY ASBAH SHAH
I’ve asked around for different ethnic restaurants across the city, all family owned. My ears have caught whispers of authenticity and affordability, hidden gems that have enticed thousands, which has led my search to two specific businesses: Shah Jee’s and Sweet Basil. The former has been around since the ‘90s, while the latter blossomed during the recent pandemic. Both have struggled against all odds to be where they are today.
Shah Jee’s is a world where flavors dance on your tongue and spiced aromas weave tales of culinary finesse. Nestled in the heart of downtown, the Pakistani eatery lives in the basement of an office building.
According to owner-founder Azhar Shah, it’s a place where “The Taste and Quality Stays!” The slogan has been around since he first coined it in 1995, when Shah decided that he wanted to create a business that sold world class meals at cheap prices.
Open for lunch hours only, the food is carefully crafted from fresh ingredients every morning. At Shah Jee’s, authenticity reigns supreme, and here originality isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a commitment reflected in every spice blend, every simmering curry, every handcrafted roti that emerges hot from the iron pan. Each recipe is a treasured secret passed down through generations, preserving the essence of tradition while embracing innovation.
It’s a hotspot for food enthusiasts wanting to expand their palettes, where Pakistani flavors meet Midwestern warmth.
BIG THINGS FROM A LITTLE KITCHEN
“Much happens in this little kitchen,” says Shah. There is a gleam in his eyes as he says this, as if he’s reciting a poem.
“From chickpea soaking to rice steaming to cheesemaking. There is something special about creating food with an ongoing sense of love that speaks to me. I cook with love, and I hope my customers can feel that sort of dedication in the food that I serve them.”
The rich fragrance of colorful curries fills the air as I survey the buffet: chicken masala, chana masala, aloo palak, saag panner, daal masoor, and weekly specials such as red pepper-flaked potatoes, eggplant and cauliflower. “Everything is fresh!” Shah continues. “We encourage our customers to create their own meals by mixing and matching whatever they see fit.”
Customers remark that they come here because the food tastes “like a home-cooked meal.” Each entree is served on a tri-sectioned plate or box. Customers can choose two or more entrees served with a side of fresh basmati rice cooked in a light tomato base and infused with a zest of spices.
Photos by Asbah Shah, Leaf illustrations by GettyImages/Ganna Galata
I’m sold, but Shah tells me that I haven’t seen it all: the secret ‘Green Sauce’ is where the real magic comes in. Made with a range of fresh ingredients, with touches of green peppers and cilantro, the vibrant condiment is popular with the public. It’s exceptionally flavorful, yet spicy!. “I’ve had several customers tell me that they aren't able to have a meal of mine without it,” he says, smiling. “Even when their tears are running and their throats are burning, most of them can’t put it down!”
But it’s not just the food, there’s an ambiance that whispers tales of heritage. There’s a picture here: the decor, a simple food stall reminiscent of the bustling streets from the owner’s hometown, invites you to unwind in an atmosphere that feels like a place lost to time, and the walls, though unadorned save for a banner-sized menu, plants and a few photographs, capture the essence of a vintage eatery with a homespun touch. From the moment you step through the doors and make your way down the basement steps towards the cafeteriastyle hub, a queue of bodies come into view, trailing from the top of the stairs and down to Shah’s smiling face. It’s a heartwarming sight, and Shah thinks so too. “I’m so lucky to have my customers,” he says. “They have stuck with me through thick and thin. I couldn't ask for a better dream.”
NIGHT MARKETS OF THAILAND
There is a similar tale going on with a restaurant on Milwaukee’s South Side. Sweet Basil stands as a gold mine of mouth-watering magic, serving up Thai and Laotian dishes reminiscent of the night markets in Thailand—but here comes the modern twist! They are doing things their way, the Sweet Basil way, and that’s something they pride themselves in. From the small fusion dishes to the large family-style platters, each dish tells a story steeped in tradition and passion. “Our philosophy is simple: Make everything from scratch and treat everyone like family!” co-founder Victoria Sithy says.
And the hospitality? It’s not just service, it’s a heartfelt welcome. The staff guide you through the menu with a humble eagerness to ensure your journey through their cuisine. The restaurant offers an elevated quick-casual experience with a flexibility allows guests to dine-in casually or order in advance online.
It’s something that sets Sweet Basil apart from similar restaurants in the area—the ability to whip up their creations at a fast pace while simultaneously serving them in style. The family believes in fostering friendships in the neighborhood, leveraging profits to help people and giving back to the community. Here stands a business with much to explore, so what’s their story?
“Sweet Basil started out as our mom’s dream.” Sithy says. There is a touch of nostalgia to her voice. Growing up in a turbulent lifestyle, witnessing her mother and stepfather work multiple jobs to provide for the family, the family took it upon themselves to fulfill their mother’s dream of owning a restaurant. Their efforts paid off! “It wasn’t easy,” she continues. “Over the years, our family has given their all into the restaurant and our customers. Much of Sweet Basil’s authenticity and success comes from their dedication and love that they put into the kitchen. Without them, this dream wouldn’t exist.”
FAMILY JOURNEY
It seems that their passions travel to their decor as well. A traditional statue in gold stands to greet you in the tiny doorway as you first enter, welcoming you inside. The front walls are speckled with a gallery of family photos that hang in intricate frames, displaying the family’s journey to success in a visual form. The dining room is simple but efficient, decorated with bright lights, simple tables, and various cultural artifacts. Touches of greenery can be found throughout the restaurant, with potted plants adding a refreshing burst of nature to the interior. The small lounging area near the front takes you to a mini paradise with reclining chairs, bamboo columns, and bleached woven floor mats against the vibrant wallpaper, painting a lively space for a hearty meal. There’s a feeling of inclusivity here, for both locals and newcomers.
The restaurant cooks and serve dishes the way one would in home kitchens and, similar to Shah Jee’s, it brings an air of familiarity to their food, evoking memories of family and identity, especially for the Thai and Lao communities.
There is house fried rice, tom yum soup and the spicy jeow bong noodles for customers who enjoy a little bit of a kick. As for their most popular dishes? “For a while our pad Thai noodles were the most popular item,” Siday says, “but lately our customers have really been loving the panang curry, beef teriyaki skewer, and the sweet mango sticky rice for dessert!”
When asked about the artistic fusion of their dishes and how they worked on merging cultural aspects of Thai and Laotian food, Sithy explained that the idea came from her grandparents’ dual background. “They were both Thai and Lao, so we grew up with the cultural influences of both but naturally they’re very similar since the countries neighbor each other.” The menu also showcases an array of Asian-Midwest fusions such as the caramel apple eggroll and the buffalo chicken Rangoon.
Milwaukee’s culinary landscape is rich, and these two businesses stand as a testament to the city’s growing diversity. So, whether you’re a food adventurer seeking new tastes or simply someone craving a taste of home, both Shah Jee’s and Sweet Basil welcome you with open arms and a promise of a dining experience as fresh and as authentic as their food.
Shah Jee’s Restaurant
770 N. Jefferson St, Milwaukee 414-271-5354
Sweet Basil
6509B S. 27th Street, Franklin 414-301-4126
Asbah Shah is a Milwaukee writer and contributor to shepherdexpress.com.
Green Ramen
BY ARI LEVAUX
Who among us does not have a trick or two up their sleeve for when they make instant ramen?
A vegetable or egg in the pot, your special sauce or powder, and if you’ve got some game perhaps a garnish on top. All good. Congratulations. But there are levels to this soup.
My breakthrough happened when I stopped thinking in terms of which ingredients should I add to my ramen, and instead began looking at a package of instant ramen as itself an ingredient, a raw material to be used in the creation of a truly unique bowl of noodle soup.
This time of year, the young farmers markets are awash in greenery, full of nutrients, fiber and flavor. Green tops to the radishes, and green everything else. Lettuce, kale, bok choy, herbs, pea shoots, spinach, watercress, chard, onions, chives, garlic, scallions, green onions and many other shades of green. Keeping it seasonal, like I do, means a decidedly green ramen. And minus the lettuce (eew), most any greens will work. I like to add a mix of greens to my ramen. This diversity gives the broth a unique and delicate bouquet.
Most enthusiasts will have their preferred make and model of instant ramen. Mine is of the Korean brand Nongshim. It’s called Premium Shin Black with Beef Bone Broth and comes in four-packs that cost north of $15. It’s also extremely spicy, though nowhere on the package is this mentioned. Another great Nongshim product is the Spicy Seafood. For me, ramen has to be spicy. If the brick I’m working with isn’t, I will have to adjust with spice of my own.
Photo by Ari Levaux
Photo by GettyImages/Ryzhkov
Wavy lines by GettyImages/Volha Mikhailava
Ingredients
This dish will serve 4-6 people, depending on the size of the chicken. Serve with rice.
• 1 package of Nongshim Premium Shin Black with Beef Bone Broth, or instant ramen of choice
• A diversity of cooking greens, ideally three of the following: kale, bok choy, gai long, mustard greens, spinach, chard…
• 1 or two egg(s)
• Mayo, hoisin, soy sauce, hot sauce etc.
• Cilantro, basil, chives or green onions for garnish
Instructions
Clean and chop 4-6 cups of greens. Crack the egg(s) into a small bowl.
Add 4 cups of water to a pan with a lid. With the water still cold, add the contents of the flavor packets contained within the package of instant ramen. Atop that, add the brick of noodles. Turn on the heat to high. Put the lid on.
When the ramen reaches a bouncing boil, add the greens, spreading them out so they are even atop the noodles. Pour the egg(s) atop the greens, gently so they nest stably. Put the lid back on and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and assess. You don’t want to overcook the egg. Or maybe you do. Egg cookery is a personal thing. If you think the egg needs a bit more, put the lid back on for a minute.
By this time, the pile of greens will have tightened into a mat atop the noodles. With a spatula or some kind of wide spoon, scoop the green puck, eggs and all, into a bowl. Then use a fork or chopsticks to transfer as many noodles to the bowl as you care to eat.
Before you eat, pour off any remaining broth into a separate container like a small pot or a cup. Don’t leave extra noodles lingering in the broth like a damn rookie. They will suck it up and render themselves too soggy to be of any use.
Finally, adorn your bowl with garnish and sauces. Chopped chives or cilantro. Hoisin sauce. Vegenaise, mayo.
LeVaux
Photo by Ari Levaux
The Art & Science of Cocktails and Food
BY GAETANO MARANGELLI
The idea of serving cocktails principally before dinner and exclusively with canapés and hors d'oeuvres is as out-of-date as bowler hats and petticoats. Their diverse ingredients and array of flavors can make cocktails complicated to pair with food, but those very attributes offer cocktails greater power and versatility to complement and enhance food in surprising and exciting ways.
Brandon Reyas, Director of Operations of Bittercube Bitters and a consultant for Christopher’s Southern Kitchen and Bar in the North Avenue Market, offers us a guide to the art and science of cocktails and food, as well as recipes for two cocktails to drink with (or without) an entrée.
An Interview with Brandon Reyas of Bittercube Bitters and Christopher's Southern Kitchen and Bar
Gaetano Marangelli: What principles do you apply when pairing cocktails and food? How do you think through your pairings?
Brandon Reyas: The main thing to keep in mind for pairings is to match the intensity of the dish, and then decide if you want to contrast the flavors in the dish with complementary flavors or amplify them with congruent flavors.
Intensity of flavor is important because you don’t want to overwhelm your palette with a strongly flavored cocktail and not taste the nuance in your food, and vice versa. A congruent pairing would be a cocktail with ingredients/ flavors that match up. For example, a Strawberry Margarita would pair up with a summer salad with strawberries, basil and balsamic vinegar. Aside from both containing strawberry, the intensity of the lime holds up to the vinegar, while tequila and basil both contain eugenol, an aromatic compound responsible for the spicy scent of clove. A contrasting pairing would be BBQ ribs with a Creme De Flora Collins. The sunny and sweet floral notes of chamomile, elderflower and rose offset the charred, salty, smokiness of the ribs, while the acidity of the lemon cuts through the fatty richness of the meat to cleanse the palette.
GM: What is an example of a great cocktail and food pairing? What makes the pairing so great?
BR: A Dry Gin Martini with fresh oysters is one of my favorite pairings. The luscious and creamy texture of the oysters balances out the drying bite of the gin. The briny liquor of the oysters combined with herbaceousness of the gin creates a fresh, salty and ozonic aroma that transports you to a pier somewhere, with waves crashing and scent of sea spray fills the air.
GM: Why does the southern food at Christopher's Southern Kitchen and Bar lend itself to cocktail pairings?
BR: Both the food and drink are created with layers of flavor and combined with the variety of options, there’s a lot to mix and match pairing wise.
GM: Which cocktail and food pairings do you recommend we try at Christopher's?
BR: The Fried Green Tomatoes and the Sweet Tea Sling creates a nice interplay of acidic, malty, and gently bitter flavors for a great aperitif pairing. A piping hot bowl of Vegan Gumbo goes great with an icy cold Frozen Hurricane. The passion fruit makes a surprisingly great pairing with the gumbo’s savory herbs and spices. Its tangy acidity helps cut through the richness. BBQ Pork Chop with the Pineapple Spritz or Smokehouse Sazerac. Either amplify the smokiness of the pork chop with the Sazerac or contrast it with the sweet and acidic Pineapple Spritz. The Banana Pudding with the Mai Tai creates a harmonious union of tropical spice, creamy texture and nutty flavors.
Gaetano Marangelli is a sommelier and playwright. He was managing director of a wine import and distribution company in New York and beverage director for restaurants and retailers in New York and Chicago before moving to Wauwatosa.
Photo by GettyImages/Edson Souza
Recipes for Cocktails to Drink with or without a BBQ Pork Chop
Pineapple Spritz
• 1 dash Bittercube Bolivar Bitters
• 1⁄2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 1⁄4 oz Pineapple Juice
• 1⁄2 oz Simple Syrup
• 1 1⁄2 oz London Dry Ginh
• 1⁄2 Heirloom Pineapple Amaro
• 1 oz Seltzer
• 1 oz Prosecco
Glass: White wine with fresh ice
Garnish: Lime wedge and orange peel
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients except seltzer and sparkling wine to a cocktail shaker and then fill with ice. Shake briefly with a fluid, strong motion. Add sparkling wine to the shaker and strain into glass.
Smokehouse Sazerac
• 4 dashes Bittercube Root Beer Bitters
• 1⁄8 oz Simple Syrup
• 1⁄3 oz Heirloom Genepy
• 1 oz Rye Whiskey
• 3⁄4 oz Cognac VS
• 1 Bittercube Cocktail Cedar
Glass: Cedar smoked rocks glass
Garnish: 1⁄4 oz Heirloom Alchermes, lemon peel expressed and discarded
Instructions
Add ice to the rocks glass, then stir to chill the glass. To smoke the glass, ignite a Bittercube cocktail cedar, then invert a glass over the flame to fill with the smoke. Place inverted glass and cedar on a plate or flame-resistant surface until the cocktail is ready. Add all of the ingredients to a stirring vessel and then fill with ice. Stir with a bar spoon until chilled, then dump out ice from rocks glass. Rinse the interior of the glass with 1⁄4 oz of Heirloom Alchermes and strain the cocktail into it. Express the oils from a lemon peel over the surface of the drink and discard the peel.
Photo by Marisa Krivitz
Photo by Marisa Krivitz
Fall Season Preview The Packers’ New Championship Window
BY PAUL NOONAN
For the Packers, their next championship window is officially wide open. Green Bay is coming off a fine 2023 season in which they gave the eventual NFC Champion 49ers a scare in the playoffs, but more than anything, there is not a single NFL team better set up for continued success.
In the second half of 2023, the Packers had the unprecedented combination of the NFL’s second-best offense (to San Francisco) and its youngest, featuring a group of receivers and tight ends exclusively in their first or second years in the league. Romeo Doubs was one of the league’s best possession receivers. Rookie Jayden Reed, who led the team in yards per game, is one of the most promising slot receivers in football. Christian Watson has the most potential of any skill position player on the team, and the Packers believe they have identified the cause of his frequent hamstring injuries.
And in the supporting cast, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton and Tucker Kraft all ranked as elite players on a per play basis, both in creating separation, and according to the advanced statistic DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average).
The team did lose guard Jon Runyan Jr. to the Giants, as well as star running back Aaron Jones to the rival Vikings, but those losses should be mitigated, at least partially, by first round draft pick Jordan Morgan, a versatile offensive lineman out of Arizona, and free agent running back Josh Jacobs, who was one of the best backs in football in 2022, and is still just 26 years old. The team also brought back reliable veteran AJ Dillon, and drafted the dynamic, (but fumble prone) Marshawn Lloyd out of USC.
On offense, the Packers are stacked.
DYSFUNCTIONAL DEFENSE?
But to be true contenders, they will need to improve on the defensive side of the ball after three years in Joe Barry’s dysfunctional system. New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will likely switch to a more aggressive, attacking style, and is expected to move from a base 3-4 system to a 4-3. Ultimately, the system itself will not be as important as Hafley’s situational play-calling. Barry was perfectly willing to concede a third-and-five in order to prevent big plays and long touchdowns, which often led to easy conversions for Packer opponents while also doing little to prevent those big plays. Hafley’s defenses have a reputation for gambling, and in the modern NFL, that style can pay big dividends. While it can result in the occasional embarrassing touchdown, the trade-off of avoiding long, meticulous drives is well worth it.
The Packers also took a savvy approach to fixing their two biggest holes on defense, investing big free agent money in safety Xavier McKinney, and supplementing his signing with three draft picks (Javon Bullard of Georgia, Evan Williams of Oregon and Kitan Oladapo of Oregon State). One of Green Bay’s biggest strengths is understanding just how random the draft can be, and so they give themselves as many opportunities to address problem positions as they can.
They took a similar tack at inside linebacker, where they have been routinely poor since Desmond Bishop manned the middle for the 2010 Super Bowl team. There, they spent a second-round pick on Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper and followed it up with the third-round selection of Ty’Ron Hopper out of Missouri.
TEAM BUILDING
The Packers were savvy in their approach to team building, and they should be a better team than they were in 2023. Unfortunately, they will need to be, as the NFC North is likely to be much improved. The Bears have almost certainly improved at quarterback with first overall pick Caleb Williams, and figure to have one of the best receiving groups in football, having added Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze to work along with DJ Moore. In Detroit, the Lions took a Packer-like approach to improving their greatest weakness in the secondary, signing corner Carlton Davis from Tampa, and drafting Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw with their first two picks in the draft. They won the division last season and remain the team to beat.
Only the Vikings took a step back by allowing Kirk Cousins to leave for Atlanta. They’ll be relying on a combination of veteran washout Sam Darnold and rookie JJ McCarthy to keep them afloat, however, they could still be scary if McCarthy develops quickly, as they have one of the best all-around skill position groups in the league.
The Packers managed to entirely avoid a rebuild post-Rodgers by knocking last year’s draft out of the park. They should be title contenders this year, and if they have similar success with their 2024 draft class, they may be an NFC juggernaut for years to come.
Paul Noonan is a regular contributor for the SBNation Packer website Acme Packing Company, as well as Baseball Prospectus Milwaukee. During the football season, he writes the weekly Green Bay Packers column for shepherdexpress.com.
If Finances Make Your Life Difficult, You May Have a Money Disorder
BY MICHAEL MUCKIAN
The scene is familiar among couples everywhere when discussing money. One partner wants to take an annual bonus, an inheritance windfall, or even just the monthly paycheck and save or invest all or part of it for a rainy day. The other partner wants to spend it immediately on a household upgrade, a much-needed vacation, or maybe even a sailboat. Arguments ensue, a settlement may or may not be reached, and at least one person, if not both, come away unhappy.
A standard exercise in all relationships? Sometimes, yes. But it also might mean that either one or both partners have a money disorder, a chronic pattern of self-defeating financial behavior resulting in an inability to manage the money available in constructive ways that further the goals of the relationship or family. The reasons for such disorders are many, and some are serious enough to require the intervention of a financial therapist, someone who goes beyond financial advisor role to get to the psychological root of money problems and set the sufferer on a more positive road to financial growth and satisfaction.
THE STAKES ARE HIGH, THE DIAGNOSES MANY
According to a 2018 Northwestern Mutual Planning & Progress Study, money woes and concerns are the number one stressor for 44% of Americans. Stress and anxiety over money can lead to sleepless nights, personal difficulties, and even destructive behaviors resulting in even greater money management woes. For those most severely affected, professional intervention may be the only way to treat the disorder and get them back on the right financial course.
There are actual formal diagnoses found within the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders that address the problem. The more familiar diagnoses include:
• Compulsive spending, which affects people who shop often either in person or online, spend more than they should, and later feel remorse about their purchases;
• Hoarding disorders, in which the sufferer saves anything and everything no matter the value, are often the offshoot of compulsive spending;
• Workaholism, a condition often driven by anxiety over poor money management skills, that leads the sufferer to work harder in an attempt to get ahead of the debt;
• Pathological gambling, which is an obvious detriment to anyone’s money management skills;
• Financial infidelity, in which one partner hides savings, checking or credit card accounts for personal use from the other partner, violating the trust they may have established as a couple for mutual money management goals;
• Financial dependence, enabling, and enmeshment, which describe various unhealthy monetary relationships between the sufferers and their children that can negatively affect both parties; and
• Financial denial, in which sufferers ignore their own financial situation for any of a variety of reasons.
SYMPTOMS AND SOLUTIONS
No one is born with a money disorder, but personality aspects and personal histories tend to drive their development, and social pressures and issues certainly can exacerbate them. We all have anxiety about money to a greater or lesser degree, even if we have more money than we’ll ever need and become pathological about not losing that comfort level. So, how can you recognize the symptoms?
Sudden shifts in spending habits in either direction can indicate increasing concern about money, as can a growing dependence on credit cards to pay for more mundane purchases like groceries and utility bills. One of the most evident signs is the avoidance or reluctance to talk about money or denying its importance. Symptoms can even include general mental issues like anxiety and depression, or physical manifestations like weight loss, weight gain or sudden sleeplessness.
The first step in addressing these concerns is reaching out to friends, family, and your partner to open the discussion and shed light on your issues. Hiring a financial therapist is another avenue for those more seriously affected. There is a Financial Therapy Association that may be able to connect you to a practitioner if you choose to go that route.
And, as you might expect, there is even a self-help group, in this case called Debtors Anonymous, to help those who need more frequent peer support.
Maybe it’s time to unwind your issues around money and seek the help you need. None of them alone are necessarily fatal, but mastering your money will help you lead a better, more comfortable, and more profitable life.
Michael Muckian was the banking and finance writer for the Milwaukee Business Journal and is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Financing and Accounting and The One-Day MBA in Finance and Accounting.
A DECADE OF THE SHEPHERD EXPRESS LGBTQ PROGRESS AWARDS: CELEBRATING THE HEROES OF QUEER MILWAUKEE
This year, the Shepherd Express celebrates the 10th anniversary of its LGBTQ Progress Awards. Founded in 2016, the awards honor members of the LGBTQ community and its allies. Over the decade, scores have been recognized. They represent a cadre of immense talent and dedication from all facets of the community including activists, artists, athletes, businesses, educators, health care providers, social service organizations, philanthropists and religious congregations.
Award nominees are primarily found among the unsung heroes of Milwaukee’s formative years of the LGBTQ struggle for equality. Some may be unknown to the greater community today. Even over the decades of their activity, they may not have garnered much recognition or even attention. They simply went about their personal mission of dedicating their time, talent and emotion for the betterment of their adopted family.
BY PAUL MASTERSON
Selecting a particular category for many nominees can therefore be challenging. Most have worn many hats over their years (or lifetimes) of community service.
In those early years of activism, volunteerism was a passion, if not an obsession. Becoming involved in just one organization was rare. As a result, the brief biographies that accompany each year’s slate of winners focuses on their greatest achievements, but barely reflect the impact the individual or organization has made not only in their respective category, but in any number of the others. Famously, PrideFest founder Bill Meunier also served as editor of the Wisconsin Light newspaper, directed the Wisconsin’s LGBTQ faction of the Jesse Jackson presidential primary campaign and helped Tammy Baldwin’s initial run for U.S. Senate. Among this year’s awardees, Lula Reams and Mona Garcia, winner for Pioneer and Equality categories respectively, also served on the Cream City Foundation’s board of directors. Governor Tommy Thompson, in addition to his fight for HIV/AIDS funding both in Wisconsin and worldwide, also signed into law the landmark Hate Crimes Act and the Bill of Rights for People with HIV and AIDS.
PAVING THE WAY
Whether a political activist protesting inequality, an artist or health care provider, an individual volunteering for practically every LGBTQ cause, or an organization serving a specific demographic, a church or synagogue tending to the community’s spiritual needs, each award recipient paved the way for the generations of activists
and leaders that followed. Especially in the early post-Stonewall years, the challenges they faced as LGBTQ activists were great. Many faced incredible obstacles and, some, dire consequences that included harassment, social and familial isolation and even arrest. The struggle for equality required emotional stamina and a certain fortitude of spirit few can imagine (or much less muster) today.
Many, of course, regardless of their other commitments in the arts, sports, business or elsewhere, also contributed to the fight against HIV/ AIDS. That crisis created a surge of activism and engagement that continues today in Vivent Health and other health care facilities throughout the city.
While seeking out those individuals whose impact on LGBTQ equality may not have been otherwise recognized, there is one group that presents a particular problem—the deceased. The committee has on occasion given posthumous awards. Such was the case with civil rights activist and State Legislator Lloyd Barbee and LGBTQ newspaper publisher Jerry Johnson. Often there is no known survivor available or willing to accept the award.
Still, these are the heroes of LGBTQ progress whose names should never be forgotten. Here is a brief list of names of some of those whose lives represented the criteria for the LGBTQ Progress Awards. Their names must never be forgotten.
IN MEMORIAM
Robert Uyvar, nationally recognized visual artist and illustrator of the 1970s and ‘80s who captured and celebrated the gay male and through his art raised awareness of the AIDS pandemic until the disease took his own life in 1986.
Dr. Roger Gremminger, health care professional served as a volunteer physician beginning in 1978 at the GPU Clinic and later donated the Brady Street building to the BESTD Clinic.
Father Mike Hammer, AIDS activist and founder of the Diocese of Milwaukee Catholic AIDS Ministry.
Ray Vahey, political activist who played a prominent role in the opposition to Wisconsin’s 2006 marriage amendment and served as president of Equality Wisconsin.
Dan Nelson , a leader in the SSBL, member of its Hall of Fame, long term parishioner of the MCC Church, and artist.
Jaime Hernandez , aka Jaime Gays, bar owner in the 1970s and among Milwaukee’s earliest drag performers.
Elena Domiguez , trans Latina community advocate who served on the LGBT Community Center board of directors for nearly 15 years.
Archbishop Rembert Weakland, gay Catholic Archbishop of Milwaukee who supported the passage of Wisconsin’s Assembly Bill 70 signed in 1982 as the nation’s first LGBT rights law.
Ron “Rona” Tate, community icon for half a century, known especially as the face of the M&M Club.
Lou Sullivan , FTM transgender author, editor and activist, the first to publicly speak of his sexual transition, secretary of the Gay People’s Union in the1970s.
Paul Masterson is an LGBTQ activist and writer and has served on the boards of the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, Milwaukee Pride, GAMMA and other organizations.
MAMMA LIKES A BAD BOY
DEAR RUTHIE,
Two years ago, my mom married a total loser. He doesn’t work, sits on the couch all day playing games and watching movies, and lives off her income which isn’t that great to start with. She pays all the bills, does all the cooking and cleaning, and handles all aspects of the house. He’s gross and has poor hygiene, too!
To top it off, he’s now saying disrespectful things about my being a lesbian! How can we get through to her that this guy is no good?
LOVE YA,
Concerned Carrie
DEAR CONCERNED,
I Seems mamma likes a bad boy. And who can blame her? Nothing churns my butter like a stinky middle-aged gamer ordering industrial sized barrels of cheese balls on my Amazon account.
But seriously, mamma’s a grown woman, making her own choices. I’m not saying you have to be a wet noodle. Continue to look out for her best interest and discuss red flags with her but realize that her choice in men is ultimately up to her.
I say this with one exception: Don’t let anyone make you feel “less than” in anyway. Let him and your mother know you are not going to stand for disparaging remarks regarding your sexuality or identity. Put your foot down and let them know you expect their respect.
XXOO
Ruthie
Ruthie's Social Calendar
AUGUST 6
MILWAUKEE AREA COFFEE CONNECTION AT HUMANWORKS
(8909 NORTH PORT WASHINGTON ROAD, SUITE 100): The team at Wisconsin’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, serves up another early-morning coffee clutch, helping you meet likeminded business owners. Grab a hot cup of joe between 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.
AUGUST 8
2024 LGBTQ+ PROGRESS AWARDS AT POTAWATOMI HOTEL & CASINO (1721 W. CANAL ST.): I’m thrilled to host this year’s ceremony, honoring those who truly make a difference in the local LGBTQ+ community. Join my co-host, Peter Burgelis, and I for a night of appetizers, dinner, beverages and more when you reserve a spot via www.shepherdexpress.com.
AUGUST 9
OPENING NIGHT THE PROM AT NEXT ACT THEATRE
(255 S. WATER ST.): Bombshell Theatre Company produces this musical that took Broadway by storm. The heartwarming story revolves around a student yearning to take her girlfriend to the big dance. Nab tickets at www.bombshelltheatre.org before the run closes August 18.
AUGUST 12
CENTER STREET DAZE FESTIVAL (ON CENTER STREET BETWEEN HUMBOLDT AND HOLTON): From the cart race to eight entertainment stages, the sights, sounds, flavors and fun improve each year at this street bash. See www.centerstreetdazefestival.com for details, lineups and more.
AUGUST 15
RESPECT: A TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN OF SOUL AT CATHEDRAL SQUARE PARK (520 E. WELLS ST.): As if Jazz in the Park wasn’t special enough, this concert honors one of the greatest divas of all time—Aretha Franklin! Relish the music of the legendary singer during the 5-9 p.m., free outdoor concert.
AUGUST 17
WASHINGTON COUNTY PRIDE CELEBRATION AT RIVEREDGE NATURE CENTER (4458 COUNTY ROAD Y, SAUKVILLE): If you didn’t get your fill of pride in June, don’t miss this noon to 4 p.m. bash. The family-friendly celebration includes live music, food, (non-alcoholic) beverages, drag performers and more.
AUGUST 18
OUTREACH MAGIC PRIDE FESTIVAL AT WARNER PARK (2930 N. SHERMAN AVE., MADISON): Hosted by Madison’s OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center, the 1-6 p.m. party includes live entertainment, food, beverages, family-friendly activities, a vendor area and more. Swing by www.outreachmagicfestival.org for details.
AUGUST 23
GIMME GIMME DISCO AT THE COOPERAGE (822 S. WATER ST.): This 8 p.m. dance party features the tunes of the ‘70s and 80s sure to shake your groove thing. From ABBA to The Village People, this is the music that’ll keep you on the dancefloor all night long. See www.eventbrite.com for tickets.
AUGUST 31
BRUNCH WITH THE BRUNCHETTES AT HAMBURGER MARY’S (730 S. FIFTH ST.): I’m hosting a fun and family-friendly brunch at the MKE burger palace! Join me for the 2 p.m. Saturday brunch that’s sure to be the highlight of your weekend. Be sure to make a reservation at www.hamburgermarys.com/mke.
The E-Collar and How It Can Help You and Your Dog
The E-Collar and How It Can Help You and Your Dog
BY TAILS N' TRAILS
The privilege of off-leash freedom only comes once a dog has been trained with reliable recall, meaning they come immediately when called. Many dog owners and trainers use the dog’s name followed by a verbal command, either “here” or “come” to recall their dog. But what happens when a dog catches the scent of something much more interesting than recalling to their owner? Or if they see a person or another animal they want to interact with, whether it be a positive or negative interaction?
An e-collar is a tool often used in dog training that has a handheld remote which is wirelessly connected to a receiver on a dog collar. An e-collar typically has three features: a pager/tone, a vibrate, and a stim.
A high quality e-collar will have a dial to adjust the level of the stim, ideally 0-100, in order to find the perfect level for each unique dog. Have you heard of the Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) unit?
That’s exactly what an e-collar is like for a dog! It is not harmful, painful, or abusive to the dog when it is used properly, just like any other tool.
Think of the vibrate and tone features like your cell phone vibrating or ringing; when that happens, you know someone is calling you. If trained properly through classical conditioning, when a dog feels the vibration or hears the pager/tone on their e-collar, they will recall, or do any other command they were trained to do following the signal.
Next time you’re wondering how to improve your dog’s training, their quality of life, and their safety while on off-leash adventures together, consider learning more about how a high quality e-collar might be the right tool for you.
Dog
No Relationship is Perfect
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Ask Ally, She Will Understand You
The Shepherd Express Advice Column is coming soon
Outdoor Dining Guide Outdoor Dining Guide
BARNACLE BUD’S
1955 S. Hilbert St.
Milwaukee (414) 481-9974
Barnaclebuds.com
Milwaukee’s iconic Best Kept Secret is not so secret any longer. Tucked away on the Kinnickinnic River, it offers a reprieve from the city with its casual atmosphere and fare. Barnacle Bud’s offers everything from seafood to bar food, from Pirate Punch to Dumpster Punch.
BOTANAS RESTAURANT
816 S. Fifth St.
Milwaukee (414) 672-3755
Botanasrestaurant.com
In the summer, sip margaritas and munch on chips and guacamole on Botana’s open-air patio. It’s spacious enough for large groups and also perfect for a table of two. If the outdoor seating is full, request a table under the covered patio to still take advantage of a summer evening. Both options are a great way to enjoy this casual cantina that offers authentic Mexican dishes.
BOONE & CROCKETT
818 S. Water St.
917 W Juneau Ave.
Milwaukee (414) 630-1609
bestplacemilwaukee.com
In a few words, it’s about History, Architecture, Ornate Interiors, Authenticity and Great People, especially Frederick Pabst. But, in a word, it’s all about BEER! Every morning opens with our quaint Best Place Coffee Shop. All your favorite Anodyne coffees, Rishi teas, lattes, and more! The Best Place Tavern serves twenty fresh Milwaukee Beers! Checkout our patio.
Milwaukee (414) 212-8115
Boonemilwaukee.com
There’s a reason Boone & Crockett has won BEST PATIO more than once! There’s always a good time to be had when you’re sitting on the river. Amazing drinks, food trucks, live music, great company, just to name a few. Find us under the lights of the Hoan!
Photo by Andry5/Getty Images
Photo courtesy of Barnacle Bud's.
Photo courtesy of Boone & Crockett.
Photo courtesy of Botana's Restaurant.
Photo courtesy of Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery.
CAFÉ AT THE PLAZA
1007 N. Cass St.
Milwaukee (414) 276-2101
Plazahotelmilwaukee.com/eat/
The Café at the Plaza courtyard is Milwaukee's most unique patio. Nestled in the heart of downtown, ivy-covered walls and the city's best brunch make this spot a can't-miss hidden gem.
CAFÉ MANNA
3815 N. Brookfield Rd.
Brookfield (262) 790-2340
Cafemanna.com
Enjoy this summer season at our neighborhood gem located off of Capitol Drive. Sit, socialize and indulge in Manna’s craft cocktails and exciting vegetarian/ vegan summer cuisine.
CAFÉ CORAZON
Multi locations in Bay View, Riverwest & Brown Deer
Corazonmilwaukee.com
The Riverwest location along the Beerline Trail complements the restaurant's bright, fresh Mexicaninspired food. In Bay View, you'll find a quiet, artsy patio tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Kinnickinnic. The Brown Deer location hosts the largest Corazon patio with seating for 60. It too is off the Oak Leaf Trail and will feature its own outdoor bar.
7211 W. Greenfield Ave. West Allis (414) 810-4838
Caminomke.com
Tucked away in a narrow alley, you’ll find a lush green landscape at Camino in Walker’s Point. It’s truly a hidden gem amongst downtown patios. Summer is short—come imbibe and get down with some killer bar food in this outdoor oasis while you can. Kitchen open late.
Photo courtesy of Café Corazon.
Photo courtesy of Café Manna.
CAMINO
Photo courtesy of Camino.
Photo courtesy of Café at the Plaza.
FIVE O’CLOCK STEAKHOUSE
2416 W. State St.
Milwaukee (414) 342-3553
Fiveoclocksteakhouse.com
Relax and enjoy your supper club experience on our intimate patio lined with beautiful flowers and firepit. Five O’Clock Steakhouse specializes in serving award winning steaks and seafood paired with a notable wine list, classic cocktails, and outstanding personalized service.
IL CERVO
420 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee (414) 279-6660
Ilcervorestaurant.com
Enjoy our rooftop patio above the city skyline and the Fiserv Forum. Sip a Negroni or enjoy weekend brunch, serving modern Italian food, wine, and cocktails seven days a week.
MOTOR BAR & RESTAURANT
401 W. Canal St.
Milwaukee (414) 287-2778
Motorrestaurant.com
Mil-town’s best patio is found at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant on the campus of the Harley-Davidson Museum! The waterfront vibes and lawn games pair perfectly with -scratch cooking and handcrafted cocktails. Let us provide your ideal setting to kick back and make memories all season long.
GOLDEN MAST
W349 N5293 Lacy’s Lane
Okauchee (262) 567-7047
Weissgerbergroup.com
The Golden Mast is a family-run restaurant and special events venue that offers delicious steaks, seafood and traditional German specialties in a truly unique setting. Gorgeous views of Lake Okauchee and warm European atmosphere make it a Lake Country favorite. Classic Fine Dining, Lakeside Lounge Patio, Casual Menu, Banquets & Weddings, Marina & Boat Launch and Bay Runner Pontoon.
408 W. Florida St.
Milwaukee
Lostvalley.com
Lost Valley Cider Bar serves up the largest selection of ciders from near and far. Featuring over 50 different ciders to choose from plus cider slushies, spirits and craft beer. All of Lost Valley is dog friendly, both inside and the large outdoor patio.
MULLIGANS IRISH PUB & GRILL
8933 S. 27th St.
Franklin (414) 304-0300
Mulliganson27th.com
Enjoy lunch or dinner on our beautiful, spacious smoke-free patio that is perfect for private parties and large groups. You can also catch live music with Ian Gould each first Tuesday of the month, starting in July (weather permitting).
Photo courtesy of Golden Mast.
Photo courtesy of Il Cervo.
Photo courtesy of Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill.
Photo courtesy of Motor Bar & Restaurant.
LOST VALLEY CIDER CO.
Photo courtesy of Lost Valley Cider Co.
Photo courtesy of Five O'Clock Steakhouse.
ON TAP’S PABST BREWERY
1203 N 10th St.
Milwaukee (414) 810-3351
Ontapmilwaukee.com
Discover On Tap's Pabst Brewery Beer Garden, nestled within the historic Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery in downtown Milwaukee. Open for the summer, unwind with live music, favorite brews, and delicious bites amidst ample shaded tables and cozy seating. It's the perfect setting to savor summer moments in a vibrant atmosphere.
1750 N Lincoln Memorial Dr
Milwaukee
414-395-4909
roundhousemke.com
An updated venue serving all those drawn to this freshwater coastline. Serving up snacks, drinks, and sundries, it’s your one-stop shop before setting sail. Not heading out on the water? Food and drinks purchased at Roundhouse Beer Garden can be enjoyed on the comfortable parklike lawn surrounding our building. Drinking at Roundhouse Beer Garden at McKinley Marina supports future Milwaukee County park projects.
2613 E Hampshire St.
Milwaukee (414) 964-2611
saladining.com
SALA, on a quiet street off Downer, where the patio offers a relaxing European atmosphere. You will find it perfect for a morning coffee and fresh pastry, a midday panini or a delicious evening dinner with a bottle of wine or a cocktail under the umbrellas. You may feel like you're enjoying an evening in Palermo or Rome.
Photo courtesy of Roundhouse Beer Garden.
BEER GARDEN
Photo courtesy of Sala.
Photo courtesy of On Tapp's Pabst Brewery Beer Garden.
BEER GARDEN
THE STELLA HOTEL & BALLROOM
5706 8th Avenue
Kenosha (262) 842-2000
Stellahotel.com
Experience charming outdoor dining at The Stella Hotel & Ballroom. The 1844 Table & Mash offers a vintage supper-club experience with fresh local dishes on its porch. For panoramic rooftop views of downtown Kenosha and Lake Michigan, visit Crow's Nest Rooftop Bar for craft cocktails and a tapas menu.
VON TRIER
2235 N. Farwell Ave.
Milwaukee (414) 272-1775
Vontriers.com
A taste of Germany is closer than you think. Spend hot summer nights on our award winning Biergarten, located right in Milwaukee’s East Side, cooling off with our award-winning import beer selection. Not to mention we serve killer food too.
Photo courtesy of The Stella Hotel & Ballroom.
Photo courtesy of Von Trier.
“Come Home” to Milwaukee’s Irish Fest 2024
BY SUSAN HARPT GRIMES
Almost every year since 1981 Irish Fest has welcomed the public to celebrate “Irishness” along our beautiful Lake Michigan waterfront on the Summerfest grounds. What began as a small crew of dedicated folks led by Irish Fest founder, Ed Ward, has grown into an event with over 4,000 volunteers and an annual attendance of over 100,000 visitors, which in 2023 meant they were nearly back to the pre-pandemic levels. “We’re ready to welcome everyone, with smiles,” says Molly Modlinski, director of Milwaukee Irish Fest, adding, “Everyone loves to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, and also on the festival weekend.” This year, the four-day festival takes place August 15-18, and features lots of ways to celebrate Ireland and Irish culture with an exceptional variety of activities, foods, and entertainment.
ENTERTAINMENT
Irish Fest has 16 stages and over 100 acts performing a wide range of music and dance. The groups come from all around the world, including several from Ireland and the United States. O’Jizo hails from Japan, and Gadan from Italy. Some of the many other standouts include the Elephant Sessions, Tumbling Paddies, East Pointers, Ulla and the High Kings. A special tribute show is planned for Saturday evening, August 17, to celebrate the work of Sinead O’Connor who passed away last year. The Screaming Orphans, a band who shared the stage in the past with O’Connor, will perform her songs in homage to her great contribution to world music and activism. “It’s going to be very special,” says Modlinski.
If you love Irish dancers, you’ll have many opportunities throughout the festival to catch their fast and fancy footwork. Eight area Irish dance schools will take their turns performing and showcasing their talented students. Other performers include renowned Irish Dance MC, Éamonn de Cógáin, and dancer Jackie O’Riley with musician Joey Abarta.
One of the most beloved traditions of Irish Fest, the Scattering, takes place on Sunday evening just before the festival ends. Several of the entertainers gather together on one stage and sing all of the old traditional songs. “It’s a big jam session with lots of dancing and singing, and a great way to send everyone off each year,” says Modlinski. After the Scattering the staff and volunteers rush to the main gates to wave or high-five everyone to say goodbye, thank them for coming, and to welcome them to come again next year. “It’s a great tradition,” says Modlinski, “We just want to see those smiles on everybody’s faces and want them to feel like they have come home when they’re at our festival.”
FOOD
There’s no shortage of great food available at Irish Fest. All of the traditional Irish favorites like corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, sausage rolls, fish & chips, Irish stew, birdies and stuffed baked potatoes will be available. The over-21 crowd will love the Jameson slushies, Guinness cheesecakes and Gilles Jameson custard. While the junior set will devour the shamrock cookies and morning buns (on Sunday). “Everyone loves the shamrock cookies at the Tea Room,” says Modlinski. Folks who’d prefer other options will find there’s still plenty of non-Irish food to choose from too, including pizza, tacos and barbeque.
If you have always thought Irish food was too “boiled” or too heavy, be sure to check out the featured Irish chefs in the Callen Celtic Kitchen. Chefs Tom Flavin and Johnny Harte will demonstrate the new Irish cooking. Focusing on fresh and locally sourced ingredients, you may find yourself surprised at how light and healthy modern Irish food can be.
ACTIVITIES
Irish Fest is family-friendly with a full docket of events that kids will enjoy. Lili-putt mini golf, Irish themed crafts to make or take-and-make at home, performances by puppeteers and dancers, are among the varied activities.
Children 12 and under with freckles and/or red hair can enter a contest to see who’s the most red-headed/freckled and then participate in the festival parade. Be sure to visit the Leprechaun Village to search for “gold” and learn about leprechauns. If you’re lucky, you may even meet Lily and Liam, the leprechaun characters who live in the village. For families who like a challenge, pick up an Irish Fest Family Passport so you can gather stamps at various locations all around the festival grounds and won’t miss any of the family-oriented activities.
Visitors of all ages will enjoy the culture tent which includes a theater where short plays are performed throughout the festival, a literary corner with author appearances— including local author Malcolm McDowell Woods—and a popular genealogy area where volunteers are on hand to assist visitors with a free search for ancestors from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. “It’s a very popular activity every time because, like I said, everyone loves to be Irish. So, if they can find even an ounce of being Irish there, they’re excited,” says Modlinski.
If you’re looking for a special memento or just like to shop, Irish Fest will have more than 90 marketplace vendors selling Irish and Celtic themed products. One area, near the culture tent, will have Celtic artisans working on site, so you can see the processes and skills employed to create the products they are selling.
Susan Harpt Grimes is a Milwaukee writer and regular contributor to shepherdexpress.com.
Chagall’s Seldom Seen Etchings for ‘Dead Souls’ at Jewish Museum Milwaukee Chagall’s Seldom Seen Etchings for ‘Dead Souls’ at Jewish Museum Milwaukee
BY DAVE LUHRSSEN
Marc Chagall was one of the last century’s greatest visual artists. While best known for his dreamlike paintings, many of them evoking the Russian small towns of his youth, Chagall also illustrated several books, including Nikolai Gogol’s Dead Souls All 96 of his etchings for that novel are on display at the Jewish Museum Milwaukee’s exhibition, “Chagall’s Dead Souls: A Satirical Account of Imperialist Russia.”
Drawn from the UWM Art Collection/ Emile H. Mathis Art Gallery, Chagall’s illustrations for the great Russian novel have seldom been exhibited. “Chagall is ubiquitous,” says the Jewish Museum’s Molly Dubin, “but this is work most people are not familiar with.”
The etchings are displayed above panels with quotations from relevant passages of Dead Souls Familiarity with the book is helpful in contextualizing the storyline (the etchings are displayed in sequence), but Chagall’s work can be appreciated on its own merits.
Gogol’s Dead Souls (1842) was a satirical journey into the heart of his homeland’s darkness. The protagonist, the unscrupulous hustler, Chichikov, devises a scheme to purchase dead serfs from their owners and mortgage them. By law, Chichikov is committing tax fraud, but the law said nothing about the morality of serfdom. Gogol satirized the “ownership” of serfs, who like livestock or buildings came with the landowners’ real estate. What does it mean to buy and sell someone’s soul?
SURREALISM AND CENSORSHIP
Gogol wrote like a surreal Charles Dickens and Chagall’s painted dreamscapes were a forerunner to surrealism in the visual arts. Dubin calls the combination “an engaging blend.” Both were towering figures produced by Russian culture confronted by their country’s censors but with differences: Chagall was Jewish and Gogol was born in Ukraine. They lived a century apart with Gogol under a reactionary czar and Chagall faced with totalitarian Bolsheviks.
Exhibit Photo courtesy of Jewish Museum Milwaukee
Artwork Photo Courtesy of the UW-Milwaukee
Collection and Emile H. Mathis
“They were incredible storytellers,” Dubin says. “Gogol had an amazing ability to detail his characters and Chagall visualized them. Both shared the drive to explore the complexities of the human experience. They understood that humans have many sides and can exhibit good qualities and bad qualities.”
On the surface, those bad qualities threaten the good on nearly every page of Gogol’s novel, giving Chagall (who executed the series 1923-27) the opportunity for caricatures almost as vicious as his German contemporary, George Grosz. The ugly psychology of several characters is magnified by their distorted physical features. Chichikov’s ego is personified in an etching depicting him as bloated, like an inflated balloon. One of the landlords he deals with, Sobakevich, is a bear of a man with legs like tree trunks.
The black and white etchings, devoid of Chagall’s usual color palette, brings his artistry down to basics. Many familiar elements from his visual vocabulary are present—the animals with sympathetic faces, the Eastern Orthodox churches on the horizon.
Some illustrations display a cubist multiplicity of angles; some are left with simple lines lost in white space suggesting a moral void; others are crowded with boisterous goings on.
One of the most intriguing etchings, The News Upsets the Town, illustrates the passage where Chichikov’s plot is exposed. The sparse images, enclosed within an egg-like oval, include a few visible buildings, a lone lamplighter with a single streetlight casting a long shadow and a tiny full moon radiating arms of light. The work is “layered with symbolism, infused with mythology. Chagall’s illustrations add layers of emotion and depth and great understanding to Gogol’s work,” Dubin says.
“Chagall’s Dead Souls: A Satirical Account of Imperialist Russia” is up through Sept. 8 at Jewish Museum of Milwaukee, 1360 N. Prospect Ave.
David Luhrssen is managing editor of the Shepherd Express and author of several books on 20th century culture including Hammer of the Gods: Thule Society and the Birth of Nazism.
I was also a major supporter of all the environmental legislation the was passed in my time in office.
In my second term, I chaired the second largest committee in the legislature, the Financial Institution and Insurance Committee. That committee covered life and health insurance, savings and commercial banks, credit unions, all of the tort reform issues plus a lot more. A committee chair can only do so much to move legislation along, but a chair can single handedly kill any legislation that is assigned to their committee. I also chaired a select committee on health care financing.
You left the legislature in 1993. How did that come about?
Redistricting happened after the 1990 census, and my district got chopped up into four pieces by the courts that drew the legislative maps in 1992. I ran for State Senate, and I lost to a close friend, our current Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who is still a close friend to this day. One thing I learned is that it is more fun to win than to lose an election, but if one has to lose, it is easier to lose to a good person like Gwen.
As a further consolation, 1992, was the year of the woman, after the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings and the terrible treatment Anita Hill experienced. In Wisconsin, I believe that there were about 35 contested primary elections in September 1992 and women won 80% of them, 28 out of the 35. That made the loss a little easier.
What did you do after you lost the election?
Campaigns absolutely dominate your life so after I lost, I had the time to deal with some personal issues. I was still in office for four more months since the primary loss was in September and my term ended in January. I now had the time to manage my mother’s care who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. My brother and I started paying all her expenses after her savings were exhausted. I was making about $30,000 as a state legislator. I decided it was time to start doing some economic development for Louis. I needed to make some money. I had helped put together economic development projects for community groups and in my pre-legislator days, I now needed to put together a plan for myself.
I increased my expert witness work so I had some income, and spent the next couple of years doing some small scale commercial real estate work rescuing and reviving properties that were in foreclosure, but could hopefully be successful if managed properly.
My first commercial investment was to buy a small strip mall in Madison that was in foreclosure. I took every dollar I had plus money I borrowed from my brother and my ex-girlfriend, and I bought the property. As I mentioned, it was in foreclosure and two banks were involved and they were suing each other. I was able to get between them and I negotiated the purchase from one bank and negotiated with the other bank to provide me the loan. We worked very hard to get a few of the vacant spaces rented that would cover the basic expenses, the debt service and the property taxes. Once that property was successful, we could refinance it and then look for another similar property.
At some point along the way, you got into the international consulting field.
Yes, about four years later, I got into international consulting, working on projects funded by the U. S. Agency for International Development, USAID. I always had an interest in world affairs ever since I backpacked through Europe for three months when I was young. I also taught a course in Beirut, Lebanon in 2010, the year before the Arab Spring, entitled “Global Shifts in the World Economy from WWII through the Present” at English-speaking Canadian University.
Regarding the consulting, I did economic development consulting in Bolivia, Slovakia, and Mongolia, and democracy building consulting, which was advising their parliaments, in Bulgaria, Romania, Uganda, Indonesian Borneo, and the West Bank and Gaza right after the Palestinians created the Palestinian Legislative Council and held their first election. For example, in Mongolia, I helped them with their plan to convert from a herder economy to a market economy.
When the Afghan and Iraq wars started, the Federal agency money funding my consulting jobs got siphoned off for those wars. That ended my international consulting.
Moving forward, how did you come to be the owner and publisher of the Shepherd Express?
In the mid-1990s after I left the legislature, I did some volunteer work with Ed Garvey, the prominent Madison lawyer. When the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel merged, Garvey was concerned that Milwaukee lost a news source. He wanted broader coverage of the news. He got involved with the Shepherd Express, which was in debt. He even started loaning more money to the Shepherd to pay for the weekly printing to keep it afloat.
One day, I stopped at Ed’s office and he was very down because his best friend had died. I asked if I could help in any way. He told me to go to Milwaukee and straighten out the Shepherd Express newspaper. I was living in Madison at that time. Ed Garvey had been very involved with the Shepherd Express, and it was losing money. That was the fall of 1997.
As I recall, right around that time, the Shepherd Express was about to shut down.
That’s right. Anyway, I agreed to come to the Shepherd’s offices as an unpaid consultant and spent one day. Looking at the Media Audit numbers, I found the readership was large, well over 200,000, and over 20% of the readers had advanced degrees and the average annual income of a Shepherd reader was above the average annual income of Milwaukee County and the WOW counties. To this day, there are still a number of people who totally misunderstand our demographics. That evening of that first day, there was a Shepherd board meeting. The board members were talking about closing it down. I called Ed Garvey explained what was happening and asked if he could raise more money. Then I went back to the board and asked them to match what Garvey thought he could raise.
After some handwringing and much guilting, the board members came through with more commitments and they kept the newspaper running. I came back the next week, again as an unpaid consultant for two days. I did that for a few months to try the “right the ship.”
Eventually the board wanted me to be publisher and after a couple of years we negotiated a deal for me to buy out the Shepherd Express investors, who were basically liberal attorneys and small business owners. During the 2020 pandemic, we changed our format from a weekly newspaper and website to a monthly glossy news magazine with a strong daily e-newsletter. The news business is a very challenging business, but I think the Shepherd Express plays a significant role in the community. People tell me that all the time, which keeps me going.
What is the philosophy of the Shepherd Express? I believe it is left-leaning and somewhat progressive. I do know that your audience is largely college-educated. Yes. People ask me about the mission statement. I say it is “Moving Milwaukee forward in a progressive way.” We try to support what’s good in our community, for instance, many years ago when the downtown Milwaukee Public Market was an idea, the Shepherd was strongly promoting it even putting the rendering of the future building on the cover. We want to see Milwaukee move forward with a spirit of fairness and social justice. When Pope Francis was selected, we put his picture on our cover with “Pope Francis’ New Moral Course Could Change the World.” We also highlight the individuals, the nonprofits and the businesses that try to make Milwaukee a better place.
Milwaukee has a lot of local heroes who are doing great things. Also, we can’t be intimidated. We do not have large outside investors like all the major newspapers and radio stations owned by big corporations. We do not get any grants or subsidies. We struggle financially but we have integrity and can call it the way it is, “without fear or favor” as they say.
Are you a philosophical paradox? You have often advocated funding large social programs supported by liberals—and yet you are a business entrepreneur normally associated with conservatives. Philosophically or economically, I am a progressive Social Democrat and a capitalist as in the northern European model. Over the years, I have gotten grants from the European Union, the German Marshall Fund, and the Swedish government to study their various economic models. I believe the government needs to set strong rules and let the entrepreneurs go from there. You don’t have government running businesses because the wealthy special interests will ultimately corrupt them. But the government can set the rules on things like environmental standards and workers’ rights. You then need the entrepreneurs, who will work their asses off, to make their businesses and the economy thrive, and the competition to provide consumers choice and keep businesses responsive and honest.
It is the small business community that makes a community interesting and great. I’d like to see a better social safety net for people. Also, as both a citizen and an economist, I am appalled by the income inequality in our country.
You often express your disapproval of inequities in our justice system, but yet you support the police, and the police have even given you awards.
Police are not the problem. The few bad and corrupt police are a huge problem. When I was in the legislature, I would do ride-alongs with the police in Milwaukee. I had great respect for the good cops I rode with. They often handled domestic disputes, for example, like they were therapists. We need good honest police who are in the job for the right reasons. Residents in the poorest, roughest neighborhoods want the police more than anyone. Yes, years ago, the Milwaukee Police Association honored me as Legislator of the Year and later as Publisher of the Year.
I was surprised to find out you were the founder in 2003 of the annual Milwaukee International Film Festival. How did that come about?
Dave Luhrssen, our arts and entertainment editor and the most sophisticated movie critic in Wisconsin, and I put the film festival together. We were told by many film people that Milwaukee cannot support an International Film Festival and it will fail. Whenever you try to create something whether it is a nonprofit or a small business, there are always many naysayers who will tell you that it will fail. Smile, thank them and go on and make it happen. We started with a ten-day festival in November of 2003. It cost me a lot of money personally, but Milwaukee has been good to me, and I wanted to give something back. If anyone wants to know more about the original film festival’s history, go the Shepherdexpress.com and find the cover story in the November 2023 Shepherd Express magazine that celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Milwaukee International Film Festival.
You have dedicated a share of your life to public service. Why public service?
I came of age in the 1970s when social justice was so important to us young people. We had the civil rights and student rights movements, women’s movement, and, of course, the anti-war movement against the Vietnam War. Also, the environmental movement started in 1970 in Wisconsin. Through the years, most of my work has been in public service. I tell people I’ve had nine careers, some simultaneously. Some examples: My first job out of undergrad college was one year as a junior high school math teacher. When I got to Milwaukee as a Vista Volunteer, I was a community organizer in the central city. I was an economics professor at Smith College. For five years in Milwaukee, I also taught a graduate course each year in Community Development at UWM. Then, I worked six years as a Wisconsin State Assemblyman. My time as an international consultant was also public service. Also, I have served on over 50 nonprofit boards.
I understand that you are also a kind of counselor and advisor to people.
I spend a lot of time informally helping people. I’m a godfather to some children of certain friends.
Switching gears, what is wrong with our country? Deep divisions in party politics, racism, religion, gender issues, and economic class divide, to name a few. Why is there so much anger and disharmony? When you have a downturn in the economy like we had with the Great Recession of 2008, people begin to protect their family and friends. They hunker down. In this country, there is a tremendous amount of unfairness. Racism is still a major issue even after over 150 years of emancipation. We still are not a colorblind society. Despite many academics arguing that we don’t have a class system in America, unfortunately we do have a class system. Many of these academics use a very narrow and rigid definition of a class system. Where you grew up, whether your parents graduated from college, what schools you went to, and if your family had health insurance will have a big effect on where you are in life when you are 40 years old.
Yes, there are avenues to get beyond humble beginnings, but it is much harder than if you grew up in a middleclass environment with good schools and unfortunately it doesn’t work for many people. Currently half of Americans, even those with full-time jobs, can’t handle a $1,000 emergency without having to borrow money. Then they see others, especially on social media, appearing to have very different lives and it doesn’t look fair to them.
Then there are people like Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk. Does anyone really need to be worth $180 billon? They were able to get rich because of all the monies earlier generations and our current generation put into our infrastructure like schools, universities, highways, airports, hospitals that provided them with opportunities and a trained labor force, and then they think they did it themselves. No, it was the foresight of earlier generations to develop the environment for our future.
These mega-wealthy are benefitting from all the work that earlier generations gave to the U.S. and instead of appreciating that, they fight like hell to avoid paying taxes.
Among the most developed countries in the world, the US has one of the worst levels of economic inequality.
Moving on, how do you see the future of the newspaper business?
Actually, publications like the Shepherd Express have morphed into small media companies. We have a publication and a very robust website and a six-day-a-week digital newsletter with over 50,000 subscribers and a high open rate. Running a small media company is a difficult game, but independent media are very important, media not controlled by a large corporation or a government entity. Only independent media can truly speak truth to power. Nonprofit media can be independent but can’t be partisan, can’t endorse political candidates. As for me, I believe strongly that news should be free because we need free news for a strong democracy. Despite the fact that you get the news and publication for free, it is very expensive to run a small media company. The Shepherd Express has been serving our community for the past 42 years. We plan to be around for another 42 years, but again it costs a lot of money. Personally I havent taken a salary for the past 18 years. The Shepherd Express is important for Milwaukee.
Please join our Friends of the Shepherd Express by visiting shepherdexpress.com/support
Tom Jenz writes the Central City Stories column for shepherdexpress.com.
This Month in Milwaukee
24 THINGS TO DO IN AUGUST
BY RUSS BICKERSTAFF, DAVID LUHRSSEN, SHANE MCADAMS, JAMIE LEE RAKE, BLAINE SCHULTZ, ANNE SIEGEL AND JULIA WATT
AUGUST 1-11
Wisconsin State Fair q
This year’s main stage lineup includes comedy, country, rap, rock and R&B.
• Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias (August 1)
The comedian who started out in the late ‘90s poking fun at his own girth has slimmed down from his peak 440 pounds since his diabetes diagnosis. But he still plies his easily relatable, family-friendly trademark schtick about food, family and going about his life.
• TLC (August 2)
Never mind that a reality show was dedicated to finding a replacement for TLC’s late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes. The surviving members of the most successful girl group in U.S. pop history, Tionne Watkins and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, are touring as a duo nowadays with power between them to recreate the often danceable, crossover R&B that made them a mainstay of multiple radio formats in the ‘90s.
• Yung Gravy (August 3)
Yung Gravy, the only rapper to be booked this year as a State Fair headliner, samples music by folk such as Rick Astley and The Chordettes and name-checks Martha Stewart for a song title while also borrowing from an even wider, multicultural musical gamut.
• The Brothers Osborne (August 4)
T.J. and John Osborne made their national debut in the mid-2010s, bringing integrity and rock-infused edge to the proud institution of the male country music duo. The siblings have yet to have a grand breakthrough on mainstream radio, though a steady stream of awards and quality singles have kept their profile high.
• Casting Crowns (August 5)
Casting Crowns’ lyrical content expresses the band’s faith, articulated with unusually high poetic facility, compassion, theological acuity and wit among their contemporary Christian peers. Their musicianship puts the septet at the forefront of memorable, solidly executed pop rock.
• Kidz Bop Live (August 6)
The number of kids who have passed through the ranks of the Kidz Bop Kids since the dawn of the 2000s likely number enough to fill a high school graduating class or three. The franchise’s mission of bridging generational tastes, deleting foul words and adult themes remains unchanged for going on a quartercentury.
• Riley Green (August 7)
Riley Green couldn’t be much more in the thick of mainstream country if he tried, opening shows for superstars such as Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs and recording his own platinum-certified singles about grandpas, girls, pickup trucks and such.
• Charlie Berens (August 8)
Charlie Berens has deservedly—and in short order—become a rallying point of Milwaukee pride and source of laughter based on bits that affirm regional mores. No surprise that he’s a State Fair headliner
• Lauren Daigle (August 9)
Lauren Daigle is one of the few artists in the 21st century to cross over from the contemporary Christian market to the wider world. Her plaintive folk rock has appeal enough to crack secular Top 40 pop radio and allow her to play the Coachella festival.
• Foreigner (August 10)
The campaign to induct Foreigner into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and give the ‘70s-‘80s album rock hitmakers a critical reassessment has picked up steam in recent months. Since their State Fair date is part of what they’re billing as their farewell tour, the time is right for them to rest on their laurels and bask in 50 years of defining rock’s mainstream.
• The Happy Together Tour (August 11)
If the State Fair is a place to make memories, it’s also a venue to remember the music of bygone youth. This year's iteration of the long-running Happy Together Tour features lineups from The Association, Badfinger, The Cowsills, Jay & The Americans, The Turtles and The Vogues playing oldies grandparents should flock to see and their grandkids could appreciate, too.
THROUGH AUGUST 11
Idris Khan: Repeat After Me Milwaukee Art Museum
Idris Khan’s exhibition is as the title suggests, repetitive. It’s awash in layers of recycled information that settle into sedimentary compositions blurring the lines between objectivity and abstraction. Though repetition isn’t typically the first quality most would look to on the way to originality, Khan’s work finds complexity in the idea, looking at how perceptual information settles into history over time.
Photo courtesy of The Wisconsin State Fair.
Photo
THROUGH AUGUST 16
Romeo and Juliette
Door Shakespeare
The classic tensions between two families collide in aggressive drama in Door Shakespeare’s production. Director DiMonte Henning moves the action across the stage quite fluidly as the Capulets and the Montagues fall into various tragic entanglements. The drama stretches out beneath a great tree in a magical, little wooded area in Baileys Harbor in Door County.
THROUGH AUGUST 18
Million Dollar Quartet
Peninsula Players
The jukebox musical visits Memphis’ legendary Sun Studio and the four recording artists who redirected the course of American music, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. Million Dollar Quartet debuted on Broadway in 2010, played on London’s West End in 2011 and has become a popular production for regional theater companies.
THROUGH AUGUST 23
Dennis Darmek: Crossing the DMZ, u A Contemporary Look at Working Women
Grohmann Museum
The 50 photos by Milwaukee’s Dennis Darmek are culled from a 2017 trip to Vietnam. He focused on the faces of women he encountered working outdoors in a variety of settings, including marketplaces, construction sites and farms. The women are old and young, wearing western clothing or the traditional conical hats of rice farmers. “The development of modern Vietnam is as much on the shoulders of women as
AUGUST
4
Grown Up Summer Camp
Urban Ecology Center
“Whether you’re reliving your summer camp memories or making new ones, you’re never too old to have fun outside.” The Urban Ecology Center, Milwaukee’s environmental restoration and recreation organization, hosts a one-day summer camp for adults on the first Sunday of August from 2-7 p.m. The camp offers different tiers of involvement, ranging from your classic campfire and crafts for casual outdoorsy folk, to an all-inclusive rock climbing and canoeing package for the most adventurous of campers. Tickets range from $35-$60.
AUGUST 8-25
For Colored Girls who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall in the Marcus PAC
The 2024 Milwaukee Black Theatre Festival will include a three-week livestage production of Ntozake Shange’s acclaimed 1976 play, performed as a series of poetic monologues accompanied by music and dance. Milwaukee’s Linetta Alexander will direct.
AUGUST 9-SEPTEMBER 28
King Lear
American Players Theater
William Shakespeare’s classic story is about an aging king and the effects of wisdom and madness that torment him. The Shakespeare play, considered one of his best, has been staged several times at APT and will be mounted this season in the Hill Theater.
AUGUST 14
Samantha Fish
Shank Hall
Blues artist Samantha Fish values the exchange of energy between performer and audience. “I fell in love with music from going to shows, and I know how cathartic it can be. It heals your heart,” she says. After a string of albums under her own name, Fish collaborated with Jesse Dayton for last year’s Death Wish Blues produce by Jon Spencer. With a sound that often draws from soul, country and funk, Fish has developed a sense of wisdom. “Guitar playing is a puzzle you’ll never put together, but you find little things that make you happy, and they fuel the pursuit to get better,” she said.
AUGUST 15
Los Dug Dug’s w/ Dead Feathers and Spidora
CC Presents @ Club Garibaldi
Cactus Club and Club Garibaldi team up to present a one-night garage-psych fest. Mexican legends Los Dug Dugs hunkered down as the house band at Tijuana strip joint Fantasistas in 1966. The group’s debut single, “Chicotito Si, Chicotito No,” the theme song for a children's television program was followed by appearances in a pair of films. Perhaps best known for four albums in the ‘70s, singer/multi-instrumentalist Armando Nava continues to lead the group. Chicago’s Dead Feathers is simply one of the best heavy bands working these days; no slouches, locals Spidora mix up a Tropicalia/psych cocktail.
AUGUST 17
Jeff “Skunk” Baxter
Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
Jeff Baxter played in several bands, including the Holy Modal Rounders, before becoming a founding member of Steely Dan. His guitar solos were prominent on early their albums (Can’t Buy a Thrill, Countdown to Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic) but by 1974 it was clear Steely Dan was no longer a band but a recording project for songwriters Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. Baxter moved on from there to the Doobie Brothers and has enjoyed a successful career as a session guitarist.
AUGUST 18
Buddy Guy - Damn Right Farewell with special guest Taj Farrant
Riverside Theater
Guitarist Buddy Guy was born in Louisiana and came to Chicago as part of the generation that defined the electrification of blues music, making his name alongside Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. Guy’s incendiary playing influenced musicians from Jeff Beck to John Mayer to Ivy Ford. A long-time entrepreneur with his Legends blues club in Chicago, Guy’s performance may be the last time to catch him on tour.
Photo by Dennis Darmek.
AUGUST 20
Mark Hummel Band w/Anson Funderburgh with special guests
The Jimmys
Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. Here’s a night of veteran musicians offering more than a bit of history. Mark Hummel has been playing harmonica since 1970. In 1969, Texas guitarist Anson Funderburgh was blown away seeing B.B. King with his full band including horns at the small Loser’s Club in Dallas. For over a decade Funderburgh’s band The Rockets included the late, legendary Sam Myers on harmonica. Madison’s The Jimmys feature Jimmy Voegeli (Hammond B-3 keyboardist, singer and songwriter); Perry Weber (guitar); Chris Sandoval on drums and John Wartenwieler on bass with a horn section of Pete Ross on saxophone, Chad Wittinghill on trumpet and Joe Goltz on trombone.
AUGUST 25
MARN Art + Culture Hub
191 N. Broadway.
Milwaukee writer Gaetano Marangelli has gained a measure of international interest for plays that ask difficult questions. His newest, The City of Benedict della Crosse, premiers in a reading directed by Next Act’s Cody Estle. The play is set during the 1988 general election in Wisconsin. The protagonist is an idealistic, liberal Republican candidate gradually drawn into the nasty turn taken by GOP politics. Doors open at 1 p.m. for a wine social. The play begins at 2.
I’m very worried about the upcoming presidential election and the lack of excitement from our younger generations. My college-educated daughter and her husband (in their 30s) have two young children and good jobs. They just bought their first home and are living the American dream. But it seems that their only exposure to news and world events is through social media and their friends and family.
Overall, they’re very removed from other viewpoints (including mine), that could teach them different perspectives. Add working remotely to the mix and my conclusion is that they’re pretty isolated and missing a significant amount of socialization.
Dear Ally, Dear Worried Mom,
I think this is just one of the many reasons, young people become disengaged. I know I need to cut my daughter some slack because her family is always in overwhelm, mostly due to the ages of their kids and are still suffering the impacts of COVID. But there doesn’t seem to be a lot of interest in doing their part to change the world for the better or try to improve living conditions for others who aren’t as fortunate as them.
Maybe this is another generational change, but it isn’t the way my daughter was brought up.
I try to broach the subject with her, but she just blames the fate of the less fortunate on them, rather than look at the systemic issues that are inherently unfair to non-white populations.
Similar to you, I believe that this upcoming presidential election will be the most important in our lifetime. The stakes are high for our country and the world’s future. Your beliefs and commitment to make the world a better place and to help others is also admirable.
Finally, your concern about the socialization of remote workers is legitimate as well. More knowledge needs to be shared and alternative viewpoints need to be explored. If we don’t have others to bounce ideas off of, we can easily lose our bearings with the increasing amount of fake news hitting the airwaves.
In 2022, Former President Obama addressed this issue when he gave a speech at Stanford University, warning students that we need to be responsible consumers of information. He reminded them that disinformation is one of the major reasons that has weakened our democracy.
“One of the biggest dangers we face,” the former president said, “is that over time, we lose our capacity to differentiate the truth from falsehoods.” Obama articulately pointed out that social media is a tool and we must carefully use it to advance our values.
I’d like you to take into account, which I’m sure you already have, that young people are connecting in different ways than we are.
And what about women’s’ right to decide their own future? The very foundations of our democracy are on the line here as well.
I’m disappointed with her and how small her world has become. What can I do?
Worried Mom
Change is inevitable and they will resolve this issue in a way that reflects their view of the world. Rather than putting the burden on your daughter, I’d like you to ask yourself; why are your adult daughter’s views so important to you? What are your intentions for trying to change her mind?
Sometimes it’s easier to face something we don’t like about ourselves and project it onto others. Are you worried that you’re cut off from the world and not involved enough in your community? You will need to explore this in depth before you have further conversations with your family members. Otherwise, you run the risk of acting judgmental or preachy about others’ views. And when young people sense either, they are not able to hear a thing you’re saying.
Listen to yourself internally, figure out your intentions and own your perspectives and motivations. Make sure you’re free of all judgement on your daughters’ actions. This will be the number one ingredient for future successful conversations.
Here for you,
Send your questions to
Making a Life List
BY PHILIP CHARD
“
Itry not to lose sight of who I am and what’s important in life, but the days go by in a blur, and I feel like I’m losing touch with me,” Katie explained, frustrated.
Like many of us, this 30-something single mom possessed a sense for what truly mattered to her. However, swept along as she was by the fast-moving current of life, she found herself struggling to remain tethered to who she was deep down, as opposed to what she needed to get done.
“How can I slow things down and stay focused on the big picture?” she asked.
“A life list may help,” I suggested.
A life list is the psychological equivalent of those we maintain for groceries, running errands, work tasks and the like. However, this version focuses on one’s inner life, not the external world of chores and timelines. As such, it is not a catalogue of things to do but, rather, a collection of personal adages and centering thoughts--essentially, reminders of what matters most.
LOSING TOUCH?
The external world bombards us with messages about who we should be, what we should want, do, have and the rest. These yank us out of ourselves and into the mayhem of get-it-done living, making it difficult to remain spiritually grounded, connected with our values and aware of our core purpose. We lose touch with our essence.
“To get control of the mind-numbing frenzy of your days, start by considering the most important things you want to keep in your awareness, the ones that remind you why you’re here and why it all matters,” I suggested to Katie.
Agreeing to my recommendation, she managed to carve out several periods of reflection and contemplation, all spent outdoors in a favorite spot. While there, she journaled about what she found most consequential in her life. Gradually, she composed a short but, for her, compelling list of maxims that exemplified her core values and sense of purpose.
Some of these were instructive, such as “Be as good a friend to yourself as to your best friend.” Others focused on maintaining perspective, such as “Tomorrow is promised to no one.” And some were remainders about commitments to herself, such as “Find time to give to you.”
MEANINGFUL PAUSES
Being an artistic sort, Katie later transferred her list to some fine parchment, placing it in a clear document folder so she could reference it frequently throughout the day without fraying the contents. Later, she made copies and posted them in places she knew she often looked, such as her bathroom mirror, a tack board next to her computer and, of course, her refrigerator.
Creating and regularly reviewing such a list is an effective way to interject meaningful pauses in one’s busy day, the kind that stop the onslaught of incoming stimuli that distract, overwhelm and scatter one’s consciousness.
Instead of being swept along helplessly in the experiential tsunami of modern existence, reviewing one’s life list creates interludes when one becomes like a boulder in a rushing river, unmoved by the torrent of events.
As Katie discovered, such a list may morph over time, requiring occasional revisions. As we grow, learn and age, different reminders become more relevant or helpful. Nonetheless, some of my clients report that certain items on their life lists never change, usually those entries most reflective of their core nature and aspirations. Still, by keeping earlier versions, one retains a sense for how one has changed, and not, over the years.
So, if you feel like a leaf blowing in an existential tempest and sometimes pause to wonder who the hell you are and what you’re doing here, consider creating a life list and referencing it several times throughout your day. Amidst all the mental clutter and chaos, it’s a way to come home to yourself.
Philip Chard is a psychotherapist and author with a focus on lasting behavior change, emotional healing and adaptation to health challenges. For more, visit philipchard.com.
From The City That Always Sweeps From The City That Always Sweeps
BY ART KUMBALEK
I’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a? So listen, just so you’s know, it’s the month of August already (snuck up on me, too), one of those rare holiday-less months of the year; although we do get what they call the Dog Days—or diēs caniculārēs as they inscribed in the ancient land of fair Latinia before it sank to the bottom of the sea, so I’ve heard.
Yes, August, a month chock-packed with 31 days of dwindling summertime, finally—days “marked by dull lack of progress,” as was my schoolboy study of Latin so marked, back at Our Lady In Pain Because You Kids Are Going Straight To Hell But Not Soon Enough, what the fock.
But yet, lest us not forget the eighth month of the year does present us with the greatest focking spectacle on Earth—the Wisconsin State Fair, you betcha.
Me and my aging buddies love the Fair, all the way back to when Ike Eisenhower ran the White House in a respectfully patriotic fashion and we believed snot to be a snack food.
Love the Fair, we do, always, forever. And it seems every year, after healthfully chowing down on all kind of fried matter served on a stick, me and the guys gravitate to the Midway, where the amusement rides are guaranteed to be well-maintained and operated by the finest staff of tattooed, toothless safety experts this side of a halfway house for Nazi bikers from hell.
And you just can’t beat those games of skill the Midway offers, can you—where the 120-pound guy of short stature wearing the frayed,
used-to-be-green tank-top blows $50 focking bucks in the attempt to topple the tripod of bottom-weighted faux milk jugs, so’s to win the buck twoeighty stuffed Garfield/Snoopy for his abundantly zaftig lady friend.
Of course, as tradition would have, there is the sharpster who attempts to guess your age and/or weight for a small stipend; your reward for his failure being a cracked Whiffle ball or listless goldfish. Me and my gang like to play our own game of skill, which is to guess which carny/ associate technician appears to be the responsible party for the most bodies buried in shallow graves to be found in remote locations above and below the Mason-Dixon Line, east to west, north to south. Don’t forget, nearly all these crackerjacks spend the off-season in Florida, which just happens to be Spanish for “serial killer” by-the-by, so what the fock, ain’a?
And speaking of days with dogs, about this high-rise Downtown condo/fancy schmancy apartment fad lately and people with dogs moving in down here by the boatload nearby my longstanding dinky apartment, I do declare that this sucks., I kid you not.
Cripes, the reason I live Downtown is to get away from that kind of suburban pet/dog crap. As I’ve said before, dogs are intellectually challenged and we already got enough of that Downtown, given the car-driving habits.
To the point: Why the hell do these idiot canines go berserk every goddamn time the doorbell rings? Do they actually imagine inside their peach-pit brain that this time it be something or someone come for them? Hey, they don’t go yelping nuts when the phone rings, do they; or do they? No.
At least a dog is smart enough to know that no way in a million years is that call for them. Even if it was, they know they’ve got not a damn thing to say, even to another dog. What the hell would they discuss with Fido, Rover or Bailey down the block: How much they’d like to tear the mailman a new one? How much food they swiped off the kitchen table when no one was looking? How the best time to pass gas and lick your privates is when company comes to visit? “Yeah yeah, big focking deal, been there, done that.”
(Yes, “Bailey,” or “Madison,” or “Levi”; today’s young, youngish, not-so-young, “urban professionals” have taken to naming their focking dogs such as they would children, if they deigned to have any, which they won’t, since a dog is maybe only a 12-year commitment, tops, with no teacher-parent conferences involved while a child would be a big-time lifetime emotional and financial commitment with visits to the orthodontist, soccer camp and/ or inconvenient weekly cartage to the youngster’s private clarinet teacher to boot, and what sensible urban professional has the time and true heart for that?)
Anyways, dogs. “Man’s best friend” for only two reasons that I can see: They’ll never tell you how to drive, and never ever wake you up in the middle of the night to “talk” about something, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.
Ferris Wheel Photo by GettyImages/Hemera Technologies
