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The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Kamala Harris for President of the United States. The choice before the public is quite clear. You have a bi-racial woman and a child of immigrants who worked hard and excelled becoming a district attorney, an attorney general, a U.S. senator and vice president. She prosecuted rapists, multinational corporations, gang-related crimes, child sexual assaults and other major crimes against innocent citizens.
Her opponent, Donald Trump, is a felon convicted on 34 charges who is awaiting his criminal sentencing, and who also faces three other felony indictments. Being a convicted felon is not how our high school civics textbooks described the qualities of a great president. Also, for those who were concerned about Biden’s age, if elected, Trump will be older than Biden is today during his time in the White House.
Again, this should be a slam dunk race for Harris, a highly successful prosecutor against a convicted felon, but because of the polarization growing in our country, the highly partisan news networks, and the continuous lies from Trump including immigrants eating your neighbor’s dogs, it will be a competitive election.
Endorsements for the November Election
BY THE SHEPHERD EXPRESS EDITORIAL BOARD
Trump stokes fears and hate to divide our nation, including blaming immigrants for increased crime rates even though all of the data show that the crime rate for immigrants is lower than that for American-born citizens. Unfortunately, rightwing media organizations uncritically quote and promote all of Trump’s lies. For these reasons and more, we are going to have a very close race.
MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN OUR LIFETIMES
Many argue that this is without question the most important election in our lifetimes. Yes, Trump already served a term as president and American survived as a democracy. However, after three Trump appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court, we now have one of the most extreme rightwing courts in our over 240-year history. Overturning Roe v. Wade was the most egregious decision from this extreme supreme court so far, but there were other lesser publicized court decisions that have damaged our freedoms and moved our country backward.
The court recently opened the door for Trump, if elected, to have an expanded level of immunity for many of his crimes.But another Trump presidency will be different and more damaging. In Trump’s panic to get himself elected with the desire to fire the Justice Department prosecutors who have strong cases against him,
he is willing to cut deals with anyone who is willing to help him. He offered the fossil fuel industry anything they want in return for funneling $1 billion into his election effort. Despite all his denials, Project 2025 is his playbook if re-elected. About 100 of his former MAGA employees were involved in Project 2025 and his vice presidential choice, JD Vance, wrote the forward to the 900 page Project 2025 document. Policies like a national ban on abortion and even outlawing contraception, and that is no exaggeration, would be on the agenda.
NO CANDIDATE IS PERFECT
Understand that no candidate is perfect. Some on the editorial board said they had a lot of problems with Biden and didn’t like a number of his policies and actions over his career. Some said that they didn’t support Biden in the 2020 primary, but once he was the candidate everyone got behind him and strongly supported him because it is then a binary choice, Biden versus Trump.
So, if you have some serious issues with Kamala Harris on some policies, let’s get her elected and then work to influence those policies you are critical of. Please don’t sit out this election. If Trump wins Wisconsin and it swings the national election his way, America will be pushed backward, and you will never forgive yourself.
Kamala Harris
Courtesy of Susan Hodler / Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
For the past 12 years, Sen. Baldwin has served Wisconsin with distinction both in Washington and back home in Wisconsin. Here in Wisconsin, she continually meets with her constituents to learn about their issues, their concerns and their aspirations for themselves and their families. She has a reputation as the hardest working U.S. senator.
In Wisconsin, Baldwin has focused on lowering prices on the basic kitchen table issues and has delivered for us. She has had successes with all these issues. With health care, she is one of the leaders in the Senate for defending a woman’s right to control her own body including her reproductive choices.
She has also been a leader fighting Big Pharma to lower the costs of prescription drugs. One big victory, for example, was getting the price of insulin down to $35 per month for seniors.
Now she is fighting to get it down to $35 for all those who need it.
With housing affordability issues, one of its causes is the fact that Wall Street’s Private Equity Funds are buying up hundreds of housing units in the larger cities,
dramatically increasing the rents and quickly evicting those who are having trouble with the new higher rents. Baldwin worked to eliminate some of the various tax breaks these Private Equity Funds were getting to buy up these city rental units.
She has also worked to help young families pay for decent childcare. She has been going after the price gouging that is responsible for some of the increases in our groceries. On higher education, she continues to be a leader on fighting to make higher education and post-high school training within the financial reach for middle class and working families. We could go on, but it is so clear that we have a choice on November 5, to re-elect Sen. Baldwin. She is successful because she has always been willing to work with senators across the aisle to win for Wisconsin.
Please Vote to Re-elect Tammy Baldwin for the U.S. Senate on November 5.
Now with the fairly-drawn congressional districts, Wisconsinites living in the district that goes from Milwaukee’s Southside to the Illinois border have a chance to make a needed change. They are fortunate to have a candidate with the right experience to represent and serve the First District.
Peter Barca has spent his career working to improve the lives and raise the standard of living to working and middleclass families. He has delivered.
Barca was born and raised in Kenosha County. He was a champion for the middle class and working families when he served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, in Congress in the 1990s, as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and as Midwest Regional Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration. He was successful in all these positions because he was always willing to work with and negotiate with the Republicans when it would bring positive results for his constituents.
On the issues, Barca has been a strong advocate for public education, higher education and vocational and technical training, because he knows that education and training is the ticket to the middleclass.
Barca is viewed as a top expert in economic development and job creation. He understands that creating jobs does not mean you have to destroy the environment. He is a strong advocate for environmental protection and strongly supports the efforts to remove the very dangerous “forever chemicals” from our drinking water. His opponent has voted seven times against legislation to regulate toxic “forever chemicals.”
Barca believes that a woman has the right to make all her own health care decisions, end of story. Regarding our senior citizens, he is very concerned about the Republican Party’s attacks on Social Security and Medicare.
Photo courtesy of Tammy Baldwin Senator for Wisconsin.
UNITED STATES SENATOR
The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Sen. Tammy Baldwin for Re-election to the U.S. Senate.
Photo courtesy of Citizens for Peter Barca.
CONGRESS
The Shepherd Express strongly endorses Peter Barca for Congress in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District.
Barca understands the importance of these programs for older working and middleclass citizens, and unlike his opponent,
he understands that working people pay for these programs in their paychecks every two weeks. Please Vote for Peter Barca for Congress on November 5.
CONGRESSIONAL
The Shepherd Express endorses U.S. Representative Gwen Moore for Re-election in Wisconsin’s 4th Congressional District.
Moore has served residents of the 4th District with genuine concern for their well-being and in Washington with effectiveness for the past 20 years. She does a great job because she listens to her constituents, and she understands their problems and their needs.
In Washington, Moore has earned the respect of her colleagues and now serves on the very important and powerful Ways and Means Committee.
Please Vote for Gwen Moore for Re-election in the 4th Congressional District on November 5.
PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
On our November 5 ballot, there will be another voter suppression constitutional amendment.
This amendment was created and supported solely by the Republicans in their efforts to confuse voters with a constitutional amendment that is already covered by state law.
This adds nothing to our already very safe, honest, and professional state voting system in our state. What it does, is open our state for rightwing activists and rightwing think tanks to sue in hopes that a future rightwing state supreme court like we had
until August 2023 when Janet Protasiewicz was sworn in as a new justice to limit our voting rights.
There are language changes in this proposed amendment that are subtle and appear innocuous but make a major change. For example, the simple change of word from “every” to “only” downgrades all our voting rights. It could allow the legislature to require birth certificates, passports, or any other documents to simply register to vote.
The gold standard of fair elections, the Wisconsin League of Women Voters, agrees. Please Vote No.
Habush Sinykin supports the return to Roe v. Wade guarantees, a full repeal of the Wisconsin 1849 abortion ban, as well as full access to contraception and IVF for Wisconsin families.
Her opponent, Duey Stroebel, voted to enforce Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban, voted against a right to contraception, voted against IVF access and was the only Wisconsin state senator who voted against extending federally funded postpartum care to moms in need.
Also, in the healthcare field, Stroebel, her opponent, voted against bringing up a vote on the “Less for Rx” bill which includes a $35 price cap on insulin and other provisions to reduce prescription drug costs.
Habush Sinykin advanced the Great Lakes Compact and other conservation initiatives over the course of her career as an environmental attorney, policy expert and educator. Stroebel, her opponent, anonymously objected to Knowles-Nelson funding for the Cedar Gorge Clay Bluffs natural area along Lake Michigan, despite strong local support and a decadelong fundraising effort.
Habush Sinykin supports increased funding for public K-12 education and the University of Wisconsin system. Duey voted to cut the governor’s proposed K-12 education budgets and to starve the University of Wisconsin System for more than a decade, despite record state budget surpluses.
The 8th Senate District deserves a thoughtful leader for the future, not a right-wing zealot like Duey Stroebel.
Jody Habush Sinykin is the thoughtful leader which the 8th Senate district deserves.
Please Vote for Jody Habush Sinykin for State Senate on November 5.
Photo courtesy of Gwen Moore for Congress.
DISTRICT FOUR:
Photo courtesy of Jodi for State Senate.
STATE SENATE
The Shepherd Express’ endorsement of Jodi Habush Sinykin would be justified on the issue of reproductive rights alone.
Vining draws from her personal experiences and struggles and professional knowledge to advocate for a strong healthcare agenda for all Wisconsinites; including the Mental Healthcare is Healthcare package of legislation, restoration of reproductive freedom, maternal and infant health, postpartum Medicaid expansion and epinephrine affordability.
A small businesswoman herself, Vining supports the Go Big for Small Business portal for the state. She understands Fair Maps, ending gun violence and moving forward on climate legislation all make Wisconsin a better state for all our businesses.
Strong support for education runs in her family and she supports the Save our Schools legislation, quality affordable childcare and knows the incredible work teachers perform throughout the state. She will make our public schools strong for all.
Rep. Vining deserves a fourth term.
Please Vote for Representative Robin Vining for State Assembly on November 5.
Tenorio was born and raised in West Allis, son of Filipino immigrant parents who worked hard in union jobs so their children could realize the American Dream. Tenorio is a graduate of University of WisconsinMadison and served in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. He also was elected to the West Allis Common Council, committed to making West Allis the best it can be for all its people to enable them to succeed wherever their dreams lead them. He believes in public service and giving back what was given to him.
In his efforts to serve the community if elected, Tenorio wants to continue his volunteer efforts to protect the environment and fight climate change. He will also work to strengthen public education which enables people to reach their full potential. Tenorio is a strong advocate for women controlling their own health care decisions and is strongly prochoice on reproductive rights. He clearly understands the need for more affordable housing options for people including a realistic pathway to home ownership.
Finally, he supports commonsense gun safety laws that will protect our citizens and that fit within our Second amendment rights.
Please Vote for Angelito Tenorio for State Assembly on November 5.
After a successful career in business, Marstellar was moved by Obama’s positive campaign and decided to devote his efforts to public service.
He describes himself as a fierce health care advocate which stems from the fact that he had hereditary congestive heart failure and the fact he almost died because of insurance issues. His brother died from that same condition. As his heart condition deteriorated, he had to spend more time in the hospital and was eventually terminated from his job. Losing his job meant losing his health insurance. Eventually it became clear that he needed a heart transplant. It was the Affordable Care Act that enabled him to get the heart transplant and to save his life.
Photo courtesy of Robyn Vining for State Assembly 2.
STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 13
The Shepherd Express strongly endorses Rep. Robin Vining for State Assembly District 13 based on her strong record since being elected to the Assembly in 2018.
Photo by Erin Bloodgood
The Shepherd Express endorses Angelito Tenorio for Assembly in the 14th District comprising West Allis.
STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 14
Photo courtesy of David Marstellar for Wisconsin Assembly District 21
The Shepherd Express endorses David Marstellar for Assembly in the 21st District on the southeastern portion of Milwaukee County including Oak Creek.
STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 21
Along with advocacy for good health care, Marstellar wants to see more efforts to curb reckless driving and drunken driving. “We need stronger penalties for reckless driving and more support for our law enforcement to make that happen, no one in our community should fear taking a walk, riding a bike, or something as simple as sitting at a bus stop.” He also wants to work on ways to bring down our prices that rose quickly during the pandemic.
His opponent’s campaign is getting nasty with false and negative accusations. Wisconsin deserves better.
Please Vote for David Marstellar for State Assembly on November 5.
Her background in teaching gives her the know-how to champion strong reliable public-school funding with a special focus on supporting funds for our special needs students.
Andraca believes all Wisconsinites should have access to quality, affordable healthcare and has worked to ensure this is reality for everyone.
She has championed responsible stewardship of Wisconsin’s natural resources, a source of great pride in our beautiful state but also a major factor in our state’s growing economy. She knows the value of clean air and water and the need to protect these invaluable resources for generations to come.
Wisconsin will move forward with the continued strong leadership from representatives like Deb Andraca.
Please Vote for Deb Andraca for State Assembly on November 5.
Serving Bayside, Fox Point, Grafton, Mequon, Thiensville and Whitefish Bay, Andraca has worked since 2021 on key issues facing the community.
She has been a strong advocate for common-sense firearm safety, red light cameras to address the problems of safety on our streets and communities. Andraca also believes very strongly that women should be able to make all their own health care decisions.
That district includes Sheboygan, which is a little north of the Shepherd’s media market, but we were so impressed with him that we added his endorsement.
In this time of great divisions, Sheehan believes strongly in “finding common ground” if you want to see some progress and bring some improvements to the lives of your constituents.
Sheehan is an educator, coach, school superintendent and also an economic development professional. He spent 38 years in education, 20 years of those 38 years were spent as school superintendent in Sheboygan. Sheehan also has a Ph.D. in education administration. His other area of expertise is economic development/ job creation. He spent two years as the head of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation.
On the issues, he is very supportive of education, pro-choice on women’s reproductive health and a strong advocate for expanding Medicaid, which will literally save lives. The expansion of Medicaid is funded by Federal government’s Affordable Care Act of 2010.
Please Vote for Joe Sheehan for State Assembly on November 5.
Photo by Captiol Photographers
The Shepherd Express express gives its strong endorsement to return Deb Andraca to State Assembly District 23.
STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 23
Photo courtesy of Joe Sheehan for 26th Assembly.
The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Joe Sheehan for State Assembly in the 26th district.
STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 26
If you want a one sentence to describe Bird, it is “I just can’t sit back when I see a problem.” For decades she has been actively working on issues that directly affect our everyday lives. She has been a leader in working to make sure that women control their own bodies when it comes to access to reproduction health care and all other aspects of their health care. She is concerned about young families having a decent start in life, so she has been focusing on lowering the high costs of childcare, health insurance and housing. Home ownership is important, and it is the way that the average working family can build their net worth.
She is doing all this while also caring for her husband who is permanently paralyzed. When her husband struggled to get access to their children’s schools because he was wheelchair bound, Bird didn’t sit back, she got elected to her school board and now all 22 facilities in the school district are fully accessible.
When her neighborhood water supply was being contaminated by a leaking and faulty septic system, she got herself appointed to the Sanitary Commission and now her neighborhood has a well-functioning sewer system.
Bird doesn’t just sit back and complain about problems, she fixes them. We need LuAnn in the State Assembly.
Please Vote for LuAnn Bird for State Assembly on November 5.
Public Safety ranks high on his agenda, including efforts to promote safe, healthy neighborhoods, secure resources for first responders, support criminal justice reform that addresses racial disparities and modernize the criminal justice system.
McGuire supports a strong university system, technical colleges and apprenticeship programs for our students.
He knows the importance of reducing prescription drug costs and providing protections for frontline workers. His advocacy of accepting federal health care dollars will serve Wisconsin well.
Please Vote for Representative Tip McGuire for State Assembly on November 5.
Beside serving his home community as a legislative aide to his predecessor, Rep. Peter Barca for five years, McGuire also worked as an assistant district attorney for Milwaukee County. His top priority in the legislature has been to restore the path to economic security for working and middle-class families.
His work on Buy American legislation, lowering property taxes for working families and small businesses and closing corporate tax loopholes are central to his agenda for a fairer, better Wisconsin.
Photo courtesy of Tip McGuire for Wisconsin.
The Shepherd Express endorses Representative Tip McGuire for State Assembly District 64, serving Greater Kenosha and Racine area since 2019.
STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 64
Photo by AGENCY Strategies.
The Shepherd Express strongly endorses LuAnn Bird for State Assembly in the 61st District.
STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 61
Utility Bill Shock Rising Energy Rates Hit Customers While Fueling Investor Returns
BY LEN NELSON
As millions of residential and business customers of We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) brace for the prospect of yet another rate hike, many consumer advocates and advocacy groups are questioning the legitimacy of a rate structure which has more than doubled customers’ bills over the last two decades while giving shareholders returns which one advocacy group says are 71% higher than the stock returns of a typical utility. WEC Energy Group, which owns both utilities, submitted rate increase applications with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) in April. The requests call for about $800 million in rate increases over the next two years.
An application for WE Energies seeks a 6.9% hike in electricity prices in 2025 and another 4.6% in 2026. The application also includes proposed rate increases for the two natural gas utilities which WE Energies operates, one calling for a 10% hike in 2025 and 5.1% in 2026 and the other for an 8.2% percent jump next year and 3.6% the following year. If approved by the PSC, the company’s steam customers in Milwaukee would also see an 8.4% rate increase in 2025 but none in 2026.
An application for WPS seeks an 8.5% rate increase in electricity rates for 2025 and 4.9% in 2026. The company also wants to increase gas customers’ rates by 6.8% next year and 3.9% in 2026.
RISING RATES
Calculations by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), a utility customer advocacy organization, show that a typical WE Energies customer would see their monthly electricity bill jump from $128 to $152 if the full rate request is approved. Small business customers would see theirs go from $172 to $188. Average WPS electricity customers would see monthly charges rise from $105 to $127 while its small business customers would see bills increase from $146 to $168. The rate increase applications come on the heels of significant price hikes in the previous two years. WE Energies says its electric rates went up by 9.2% in 2023 and 2.3% this year.
“We definitely have concerns about the magnitude of the increases and how they will affect the ability of customers to pay their bills,” said CUB Executive Director Tom Content. “Especially those customers who are already struggling to make ends meet.”
Content told Shepherd Express that the company’s position as a publicly regulated utility requires government oversight which prioritizes a proper balance between affordability and shareholder profits. But, he said, that balance has been skewed in recent years toward investors rather than toward the customer base which is guaranteed to the company by virtue of its monopoly. “The whole thing is that we don’t have a choice,” he said.
“Over the past 20 years, the parent company of WE Energies and WPS has done exceedingly well. The rate of return for its investors is something like 800 percent, a much higher rate of return than for other companies in the utility sector. Meanwhile, customers’ bills have more than doubled and have increased much more than the rate of inflation,” Content said.
NUDGING THE NUMBERS
When a utility seeks a rate increase with the PSC, the agency can set limits on its profit margin but Content said it’s a “subjective call” with no hard and fast mathematical formula by which to set utility profit rates. “There has been some progress in the last few rounds in which the PSC has lowered the allowable profit rate from 10.2% to 9.8% and from 10% down to 9.8%. That might not seem like much but it’s millions and millions of dollars in favor of ratepayers every time they (the PSC) nudge those percentages down,” Content said. “We want to see that progress continue and even accelerated. The PSC could be bolder, and it wouldn’t hurt the utility’s ability to raise capital to fund its operations.”
WEC spokesman Brendan Conway said the company’s rationale for increased rates is focused on three key priorities: reducing customer power outages, building infrastructure needed to support jobs and economic growth in Wisconsin and meeting new Environmental Protection Agency rules. “The majority of the filing is to recover costs of renewable and low-carbon power plants the PSC has already approved, including the Pairs Solar Energy Center in Kenosha County and Darien Solar Energy Center in Rock and Walworth counties. Both are under construction and are expected to be in service this year,” Conway said.
He also cited other priorities which include “storm hardening and grid resiliency” to account for the increasing frequency of major weather events in Wisconsin. Although Conway didn’t mention it, climate scientists attribute much of the increase in severe weather storms to global warming. Conway said WEC is “proposing to bury hundreds of miles of power lines over the next decade and increase tree trimming to remove dead ash trees outside the company's trim zone.”
MILLIONS IN SAVINGS?
Conway said the proposed rate increases also account for millions of dollars in savings from the closure of old coal units at the Oak Creek Power Plant and more than $100 million in customer savings due to federal tax credits and lower fuel costs from new renewable energy facilities to replace coal-fired power plants.
Ratepayer advocates like the CUB point to the utility’s retirement of coal-fired power plants as one way in which electricity customers are being forced to pay for poor planning and bad decisions by the company. Under current rules, the utilities still earn up to a 10% profit on those plants, all coming from the rates customers pay, even for years and decades after they are shut down and no longer producing electricity.
“Rather than use company profits to pay for it when a coalfired plant is shuttered years before its life expectancy has been reached, the utility tacks those costs onto ratepayers,” Content said. “They’re still earning profits on power plants that no longer exist and aren’t producing any electricity.”
Content said a partnership of what he calls “strange bedfellows,” which includes the CUB, some environmental organizations, the business association Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, AARP and even the conservative Koch brothers-founded political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, is working to stop the practice of allowing utilities to continue to profit on closed plants long after they stop contributing to energy generation in the state. Content said he is hopeful that the state legislature, currently under GOP control, will act on the issue. “Some of those groups, like Americans for Prosperity, have lots of pull in the Republican Party,” he said.
EXCESSIVE COMPENSATION
Utility companies like WEC have come under criticism from consumer groups for paying what they call excessive and exorbitant compensation to executives. Base salaries can reach nearly a million dollars but total compensation for WEC’s top two executives, which can include bonuses and stock options, reached more than nine million dollars each last year according to several industry analysts and consumer watchdog groups. However, Conway said compensation packages for WEC executives is in line with the industry average. Further, only the base salaries are included when the PSC calculates allowable profit margins and sets rates.
Other critics say utilities like those operated by WEC spend far too much on funding a powerful lobby at the state legislature. But Conway says rules are in place to protect ratepayers. “Political spending and incentive compensation for executives is specifically excluded from rates by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and has no impact on the price customers pay for energy,” he said.
While customers don’t directly pay for it via their monthly bill, Content says the system which provides bonuses and stock option incentives for top executives still impacts ratepayers because the additional compensation is based on how well their leadership has served to increased profits and shareholder returns. “They’re rewarded for convincing the PSC to approve higher profit rates and for delivering higher returns to investors, so they seek higher and higher rates to charge customers,” he said. “From our point of view, executives of publicly regulated monopolies should be rewarded instead for doing things the customers want to see in terms of reliability and affordability.”
Content said the Citizens Utility Board is studying the applications from WE Energies and WPS and preparing a report which it will submit to the Public Service Commission when it opens its public comment period, likely sometime in October. “We’re definitely going to ask that these rate increases be pared back but we don’t have the exact numbers yet,” he said. “We’re also waiting on the PSC to conduct its own audit of the rate requests.” He also encourages WE Energies and WPS customers to get involved by submitting comments online or by attending a hearing in person or by Zoom. “The more people who participate, the more the voice of the people is heard and the better the outcomes we’ll see,” he said.
Len Nelson is a freelance writer for the Shepherd Express. He is semi-retired after a four-decade career in radio broadcasting. He enjoys writing, politics, performing music and traveling Wisconsin.
What About Debt and Deficits?
BY WILLIAM HOLAHAN
When critical economic topics like the national debt come up, whether on the campaign trail, in debates, or media coverage, the tone and tenor of campaign rhetoric usually leads to over-simplification. The debt is typically presented simply as a scary number—currently it is $34 trillion, or 123% of GDP (one year's national income)— and political parties and candidates are compared on their contribution to that total.
Not all debt is created equal, however. The merit of borrowing for government spending depends on how the money is spent, i.e., whether it is spent on assets the economy needs to function and grow and that will, in turn, contribute to the future ability to repay that debt vs. debtgenerating tax cuts that simply transfer income and wealth from some taxpayers to more favored groups.
ESSENTIAL BORROWING: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Some borrowing is essential when war or large natural disasters strike, such as World War II, the pandemic of 2020-21 or Hurricane Katrina. Only the Federal government is large enough to coordinate a response and to finance that response through its borrowing capacity. Accordingly, both the Trump/Pence and Biden/Harris administrations borrowed heavily to respond to Covid. The responses to the pandemic—subsidies to small businesses, the self-employed, states and municipalities, as well as vaccine development, mass production of incubators, masks, temporary hospitals and morgues—are all expensive. Such disasters suppress economic activity; raising taxes to respond to the disaster would suppress it further—not a good option.
DEBT BY CHOICE: TRUMP/PENCE V. BIDEN/HARRIS
While emergency management leaves little choice but to borrow, the interesting comparisons among political parties and their candidates are the decisions to borrow when there is choice.
Of particular interest at this moment: Trump/Pence borrowed 4.8 trillion dollars for non-Covid spending, mostly to finance the tax cut of 2017. Biden/Harris borrowed 2.2 trillion dollars for non-Covid spending, mostly to repair, replace and maintain trillions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure.
TWO VERY DIFFERENT CASES
In the present case, both Trump/Pence and Biden/Harris have incurred rather substantial deficits by choice during their administration. Trump’s deficit began with the massive 2017 tax cuts to benefit the after-tax income of highincome taxpayers. Tax cuts for the rich have frequently been justified on the hypothesis that tax cuts “pay for themselves,” i.e., reduce the deficit rather than add to it. This remarkable “supply-side” hypothesis describes a series of steps: the tax cut permits greater investment in the productive assets of the market economy; that investment generates economic activity and jobs, in turn profits and wages, which generates tax revenue to the government greater than the revenue lost to the cut itself, resulting in deficit reduction.
This hypothesis has been tested often and succeeded once in the 1960s when top tax rates before the cuts were confiscatory rates in the 90% range. But when tax rates are lower, in the more reasonable 20-40% range, the hypothesis has failed the test. Cuts do not pay for themselves. Instead, cuts within that range of tax rates result in a debt-financed tax cut that transfers wealth from all taxpayers to those who are beneficiaries of the cut.
By contrast, Biden/Harris spent borrowed money to repair and up-grade infrastructure, transforming the borrowed money into productive assets: streets, roads, freeways, bridges and tunnels, as well as sewer and water systems, school buildings, government buildings, airports and harbors.
These are assets that the free market system needs but will not produce for itself. They are the responsibility of some level of government—state, local or federal—and are necessarily paid for with taxes.
Borrowing to pay for durable physical assets is not an income and wealth transfer, but an investment in the physical assets that will be “public goods,” i.e., shared resources that will boost future productivity, facilitating the repayment of the borrowed money.
TOWN HALL QUESTIONS
It is difficult for reporters and debate moderators, let alone audience members, to formulate questions about the national debt. Here is a suggested question to be posed to office seekers: “Is the spending you propose to finance with borrowed money expected to generate a pro-growth return on investment for the public, or does it promote consumption instead, leaving future tax payers with the obligation to repay the debt, but with a minimal additional productive asset base from which to enhance their ability to repay.” Cue the popcorn.
William Holahan is emeritus professor and former chairman of the Department of Economics
at UW-Milwaukee.
Tatiana Gritsevskiy Cultivates Love for Nature in Our Youth
BY SOPHIA HAMDAN
Tatiana Gritsevskiy set out on a passionate endeavor in February of 2023, driven by her desire to reconnect our youth with the wonders of the natural world. She founded Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo, an educational outreach program designed to share her love of wildlife, while cultivating a greater appreciation for Milwaukee ecosystems. With a collection of nearly 30 animals, including reptiles, amphibians and insects, Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo highlights some of the most misunderstood creatures on Earth and is a testament to Gritsevskiy’s lifelong commitment to environmental conservation.
Tatiana's Tiny Zoo provides unique animal encounters throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, offering hands-on interactions with a variety of snakes, lizards, tortoises, insects and amphibians at her events. Gritsevskiy offers various types of educational programming, emphasizing the importance of instilling environmentally friendly practices in both children and adults.
“Environmental education from an early age is a powerful tool to help shape the way that people think about nature for the rest of their lives,” said Gritsevskiy. “With the rise of technology, screens and social media, children are spending less time engaging with the natural communities around them, which could have devastating effects on our planet’s future.”
DISABILITIES, CHALLENGING TIMES
Since Gritsevskiy began her environmental expedition, she’s visited the Ronald McDonald House Charity in Wauwatosa and the Milwaukee Center for Independence. These visits allow Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo the opportunity to bring the therapeutic benefits of natural and animal connection to patients, making a positive impact on those with disabilities or families going through challenging times. Additionally, she extends her mission by participating in holiday events at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum.
Growing up in Milwaukee, Gritsevskiy recognized the lack of greenspaces in the city’s urban environment compared to her parent’s home country, Latvia. “In Latvia, access to nature is commonplace, with many people owning cottages in rural areas,” said Gritsevskiy. “This experience contrasts sharply with urban Milwaukee, where access to nature is often limited. Through Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo, I hope to bridge this gap and bring a piece of the natural world to those who might not otherwise experience it.”
Gritsevskiy graduated from UW-Milwaukee in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Environmental Science, which fueled her dedication to wildlife conservation and environmental education. With the COVID-19 pandemic following shortly after her graduation, she found new ways to connect with and educate the public through digital platforms, leading to the creation of her YouTube channel, Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo.
FROM DIGITAL TO REALITY
Launched in 2020, Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo garnered over 700K views and 5K subscribers on YouTube. Through her platform, Gritsevskiy offers a mix of content related to natural care for exotic animals, conservation, sustainability and environmental education. Her passion for these creatures is evident as she shares detailed information on their care, feeding and the ecological roles they play. She not only aims to inform but also to reduce the fear and stigma surrounding these often “creepy” creatures.
With her engaging and educational approach, Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo has garnered a significant following, reflecting the growing interest in learning about and respecting our natural environment. Gritsevskiy’s YouTube channel further fueled her desire to educate beyond digital platforms. “I realized that while digital platforms were a great start, bringing these experiences directly to people in their communities could have an even greater impact.”
Photo by Elora Hennessey.
As a former naturalist at Hawthorn Glen in Wauwatosa, Gritsevskiy developed and delivered a wide range of programs that engaged audiences of all ages in understanding and appreciating the natural world, particularly the often-overlooked reptiles and amphibians native to Wisconsin. Upon leaving Hawthorn Glen, she put her sole focus on starting her entrepreneurial career in environmental education, thus transforming Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo from digital to reality.
Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo allowed Gritsevskiy the rewarding experience of helping youth overcome their fears and develop an appreciation for Milwaukee’s ecosystems. “It’s amazing to see someone go from being afraid of an animal to being fascinated by it,” said Gritsevskiy. This transformation not only enriches individuals' lives but also fosters a broader appreciation for wildlife, which is central to Gritsevskiy’s mission.
In April, during Earth Month, Gritsevskiy offered discounted programs for anyone who collected recyclables, litter and other waste from their local neighborhoods to encourage environmental stewardship within Milwaukee. Several members within the community collectively gathered for her clean-up, with participation from classrooms, families, associations and more, resulting in over 20 collected garbage bags around Southeastern Wisconsin. “Seeing the community come together to clean up their neighborhoods was incredibly inspiring,” said Gritsevskiy. “This is what I set out to do —foster a sense of responsibility and connection to the environment.”
As a woman-owned business, Gritsevskiy is particularly aware of promoting the involvement of women in nature and STEM fields. “I want to help diversify the voices and perspectives in these crucial areas,” said Gritsevskiy. “Bringing people of different backgrounds together to solve problems allows more voices to be heard and the creation of more effective solutions. I also just want little girls to grow up knowing they are welcome in this space and that their ideas matter.”
Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo will appear at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum Halloween Party on Thursday, Oct. 24. For more event updates, follow Tatiana’s Tiny Zoo on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube or visit TatianasTinyZoo.com to schedule a program.
Sophia Hamdan is Digital Strategist for the Shepherd Express.
Pam Fendt on How Labor Makes a Comeback in Milwaukee Pam Fendt on How Labor Makes a Comeback in Milwaukee
BY TOM JENZ
MRacial Disparities in Employment Rates for Working-Age Males:
ilwaukee has always been a union town with blue collar workers earning good wages from industrial giants like AO Smith, Allis Chalmers, Briggs & Stratton, Allen Bradley, American Motors, Bucyrus Erie and the breweries. By the 1950s and ‘60s, front line workers had joined labor unions to gain better working conditions. When these formidable companies left town for cheaper labor overseas, the workers suffered, and Milwaukee’s population dropped from 741,324 in 1960 to 577,222 in 2020.
In 1959, the Milwaukee County Labor Council was founded to guide and support working men and women in those manufacturing jobs. Currently known as the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, the organization represents workers in Milwaukee, Washington and Ozaukee Counties. It is one of nearly 500 state and local labor councils of the AFL-CIO.
Recently, I talked with Pam Fendt, president of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council. One of four siblings, Pam grew up in Nebraska and moved to Wisconsin when she was 13. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UWM. Urban Studies was her field. Her first job was at the Center for Economic Development at UWM, an organization that conducts research on the study of racial disparity in economic indicators.
The center published a research report on deindustrialization in Milwaukee and how it had gutted the central city and lowered living standards for African Americans. In 2010, Fendt took a job at the Laborers International Union of North America, one of the 18 building trade unions. She specialized in construction employment and became a delegate to the Milwaukee Labor Council. She later became its president.
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population, 1970-2000; American Community Survey, 2007, 2010
Fendt has a restrained assured demeanor, dedicated to supporting workers and their right to collectively negotiate with employers over such matters as pay and working conditions.
Photo
Milwaukee is often thought of as a union town bolstered by leaders of the Democratic Party. Describe your job at the Labor Council. I serve in a volunteer capacity to manage and administrate the Labor Council. I supervise the staff and preside over meetings.
The stated mission of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council is “Organizing for economic and social justice in the workplace and community.” How do you go about this mission?
Every month, we have a meeting of delegates. The Labor Council is made up of roughly 90 local affiliated unions such as AFSCME, the building trades, machinists and steel workers union, hotel worker unions and more. Each of those unions sends a delegate to our monthly meeting. For instance, the machinists are trying to organize at Expiris Game Solutions, which is part of Manpower. The machinists had been picketing, and they asked other union members to join them in solidarity. We also picketed for the UAW strike on the South Side. When local union people ask us to take action, we try to support them.
The Labor Council more or less assists the individual unions to achieve their goals?
Correct, but we also implement AFL-CIO programming. We have a direct charter with the AFL-CIO national organization. We have a curriculum called Common Sense Economics, which explains the positive roles labor unions play in the economy and why we need more unions to make sure work and wages are fair. We support diversity, for instance, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Labor Council for Latin America Advancement and the Pride at Work chapter. All our work is about solidarity.
You recently wrote this to me: “The loss of unionized manufacturing jobs that were replaced by service sector jobs caused a depression in central city socioeconomic indicators.” Name a few of these service sector jobs, and should service sector workers be paid more?
Assisted living employees are generally underpaid. A woman I got to know at my mom’s assisted living facility was making $12.84 per hour after 20 years of employment. Service workers such as waiters, waitresses, and bartenders are also underpaid. Then, there are store clerks and fastfood industry workers. Minimum wage law in Wisconsin is $7.50 per hour. There is no city in the country where you can afford a one-bedroom apartment by yourself on minimum wage. Yes, service workers should be paid more.
Supposing I am a worker at a large manufacturing company, perhaps a welder or a carpenter or a machinist. What can a union do for me that my company isn’t already doing?
One thing for sure is safety. Belonging to a union will require your employer to enforce safety measures. For example, take a trench box, metal plates that push apart the dirt when digging, which ensures worker safety. We’ve seen companies that won the lowest bid eliminate trench boxes to save money.
Is it proven that non-union companies have a worse safety record than union companies?
Yes, it is. Another area is gender inequality and wage gaps where women doing the same job as men are paid less. A union will help standardize wages for genders.
So that workers treated unfairly will have a way to appeal through their union?
Workers can request a union rep to accompany them to a dispute meeting at their employer. That union rep can interpret the contract and worker rights.
And generally, union workers are paid more than nonunion workers?
Yes. I think the average is 10% or more, depending on the job, according to the AFL-CIO and other sources.
Let’s look at a few examples of union organizing. Starting locally with Colectivo Coffee. There are currently 20 coffee shop locations owned and operated by Colectivo in the Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago metropolitan areas with 600 workers. Last summer, unionized Colectivo workers ratified the first collective bargaining agreement. What are their benefits as a result of joining the union?
I believe part of their demands were wages, wanting more money for doing their jobs, but primarily working conditions. And safety. Covid was hard on service workers. The ability to get proper breaks, for instance. During the ACT 10 period, there were prison guards who testified that safe staffing issues were their biggest issue, and also schedules that prevented burnout in a difficult job.
How about Starbucks? As of June 2024, over 10,000 workers at over 400 Starbucks stores in at least 40 states in the United States have voted to unionize, primarily with the Workers United Union. Why is this drive to join the union organized on a store-by-store basis and not organized against the entire company in one big effort?
When you organize, you have to give each worker a say to decide if they want a union. It is a democratic process. You need to form an organizing committee at each store and include all the employees. With Starbucks, I believe the main issue was better pay.
Moving onto Planned Parenthood. Last winter, health care workers at Wisconsin’s Planned Parenthood clinics voted to unionize. This includes 134 healthcare professionals. What will a health care worker get out of this, a higher salary?
I think the issue with Planned Parenthood was working conditions. Wages were the second issue. Working at Planned Parenthood is a high stress job. The employees thought certain issues could be addressed collectively. The votes to unionize were overwhelming.
On a national basis, there is Volkswagen. Last spring, workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted overwhelmingly to join the United Auto Workers Union. How do the 5,500 workers benefit from joining the union?
That was a wage and workplace conditions issue. Volkswagen is a German company, and trade unions in Germany are a tradition. Workers wanted to bring work standards and benefits up to the level of the Big 3 American automakers. I have tremendous respect for Shawn Fain, the United Auto Workers President, who has done an excellent job in getting American auto workers good wages and benefits.
I believe that each union worker for the Volkswagen Tennessee factory, will on average, be making about $10,000 more per year than before the union contract. Yes, the financial gains from the UAW strike and the Volkswagen strike were very significant.
What are the union dues for a factory worker at a large company like the Big 3 automakers?
Not sure, but in the construction trades, there are local monthly dues, called window dues, which you pay regardless of whether or not you are working or you are laid off. Currently, the dues are $38 per month.
Five industries have a high proportion of union membership—government, utilities, transportation, telecommunications and education. Why are unions involved in these primarily government-related industries? Government union membership including Federal employees is like 30%.
I think government unions make sure you avoid corruption, for instance, preventing cronyism and patronage, or if a boss asks you to bury a report and so on. Then, there is gender disparity where women get paid less than men.
And there are certainly a lot of women who work in governments.
True. A lot less women are in the construction industry, for example. But we are working on that.
Looking at the private sector: In 1983, 19.8% of private sector employees belonged to a union. Forty years later in 2023, union membership declined to 5.6%. Why did this happen?
In the era of the 1950s and ‘60s, more workers were unionized and making good money, even African Americans in Milwaukee. Economic expansion was going strong. To make more profit, manufacturers went offshore for cheaper labor, and many American workers got paid less or lost their jobs. When the boss says he can’t give you a $100 raise but spends thousands on anti-union lawyers, that makes no sense. But I will say that in the past year, Wisconsin’s union membership has ticked up by point-four percent. Unions are making a comeback.
Also, during that 40-year period, cheap foreign goods flooded the American market, the foreign companies paying their workers much less than American workers. Yes, in America, we relied way too much on foreign products.
Should there be tariffs on goods produced in China in order to help American workers achieve more and better-paying jobs?
I do think so. Foreign companies may be having child labor or low wages for their workers, and that makes for an uneven playing field.
The state of Wisconsin saw a small uptick in union density in the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report, after years of decline.
The labor council believes that by continuing to work together we will organize additional workers into labor unions, and that this in turn will raise the standard of living of hundreds of Milwaukee area residents, and that is the very definition of solidarity. We are very proud as we celebrate this 65th anniversary.
Tom Jenz is a Milwaukee writer-photographer and author of the Central City Stories column for shepherdexpress.com.
India Garden is a Hidden Gem in Tosa
BY SUSAN HARPT GRIMES
The greater Milwaukee area is blessed with many excellent world cuisine restaurants. One that could be a challenge to find without precise directions, but is well worth seeking out, is India Garden. Located on a tucked away street, in the shadow of Highway 45, this Indian restaurant has been putting out excellent food from its opening day some 10 years ago. The moment you step through the door, the exotic aromas will transport your senses to faraway lands. The warm welcome from the friendly staff and the ambiance of the beautiful dining room creates a feeling of comfortable well-being, preparing you for the delicious meal to come.
There are many tasty ways to begin your meal at India Garden. Offering an extensive list of appetizers, it could be tough to choose just one. A safe bet is the samosa ($5.95), which consists of two delicately fried pastries stuffed with nicely spiced potatoes and green peas. Or try the mixed vegetarian platter ($8.95), which includes a variety of fried vegetable-based bites. Meat lovers may prefer the mixed non-vegetarian platter ($9.95), with a sampling of fried chicken and fish goodies. Each version is excellent, so if your party is big enough, or hungry enough, you may want to order both. For those who like to start with soup, try the spiced lentil vegetable mulligatawny soup ($6.95) or the sweet and creamy coconut soup ($6.95).
ALL THAT NAAN!
The various bread offerings at India Garden are remarkable. If you’ve only ever had grocery store naan and thought it was good, welcome to your new obsession.
There are about 15 different fresh naan breads available ($2.95-$7.95) with different preparations and fillings, plus several whole wheat paratha breads ($2.95-$3.95), and unleavened kulcha breads ($3.95-$4.95). It’s definitely worth selecting one, or more, to go along with your meal.
Entrees at India Garden generally tend to be curry or tandoori dishes. If you are unfamiliar with the differences between them, curries are cooked over a long period of time at lower temperatures to achieve tenderness and instill deep, rich flavors. Tandoori dishes are marinated and prepared in a tandoor charcoal clay oven which cooks food quickly at high temperatures, also achieving maximum tenderness but the flavors generally are smokier, and the spice is more on the surface.
Tandoor cooked standouts include the chicken tikka ($17.95), perfectly spiced and served in a flavorful sauce with rice. Or go with the tandoori mixed grill ($24.95) to sample a variety of the different grilled specialties like kebabs, achari chicken and tandoori shrimp.
There is a vast array of curry available at India Garden. With chicken, beef, lamb, goat, seafood and vegetable curries of varying preparations to choose from, it could be a bit intimidating to make a single choice. Diners decide their spice (heat) preference when ordering, so concern that a dish could be too hot shouldn’t hold you back. Try the lamb curry ($17.95) spiced to your palate and cooked with garlic, ginger, and onions. Or go with the popular, and always delicious, butter chicken ($16.95), which combines tandoori chicken with a rich and creamy sauce, served with rice.
Photo by Timothy Czerniakowski.
Noodle dishes ($14.95-$15.95), rice dishes ($14.95-$20.95), and deserts desserts ($4.95-$7.95) round out the menu.
Perhaps one of the best ways to introduce yourself to India Garden and sample the widest range of their food, is to try the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet offered daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3pm. (Monday-Thursday $16.95, Friday $17.95, Saturday and Sunday $19.95). Whenever you choose to visit, there is sure to be something for everyone at India Garden.
India Garden
2930 N. 117th St.
(414) 235-9220
indiagardenwauwatosa.com
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
$$-$$$
Susan Harpt Grimes is a Milwaukee writer and regular contributor to shepherdexpress.com.
The Beautiful Wisconsin Artisan Ciders Called Brix
BY GAETANO MARANGELLI
Wisconsin artisan cider is truly romantic and compelling, every bit as much as cheese or great beer. Upon meeting Matt, I just fundamentally liked him, so I was grateful that the ciders were delicious, well made and differentiated from one another. They're all refreshing and clean without being sanitized or stripped down.” — Bill Gardner, Brand Manager, Left Bank Wine and Spirits
It was at a family Thanksgiving dinner. I was the beverage director of a wine shop, café and restaurant in the city of Chicago, where I was serving a natural cider from Normandy called Julien Frémont Cidre Par Brut Natur. Its taste is bright and funky, rich and sour. Its core is pure apple. I like serving naturally fermented apple or pear ciders at Thanksgiving because the qualities of their complexity complement the diverse palate of flavors at the holiday table. When I served the Frémont cider at our family’s Thanksgiving, I saw my niece Marie and her boyfriend Matt were as taken with the cider as I was. Even then, Marie and Matt were experimenting with their own fermented ciders.
Since then, Marie and Matt completed master’s degrees in agroecology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison, married and moved to Malawi, where Matt was an agricultural development officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development and Marie was assistant director of the Kusamala Permaculture Center. After moving back to Wisconsin, Matt was an outreach specialist at the University of Wisconsin Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and Marie has been a land conservationist at the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department. Last year, Marie received the prestigious Conservationist of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association.
Together, Marie and Matt have been making the Wisconsin artisan ciders called Brix since 2016, and they’ve been serving their ciders, along with honest, local Wisconsin fare at their cidery in Mount Horeb since 2019. And since last year, Left Bank Wine and Spirits has been distributing Brix Ciders across the state. So now all of us can easily enjoy Marie and Matt’s beautiful Wisconsin artisan ciders.
AN INTERVIEW WITH MATT RABOIN, CO-OWNER OF BRIX CIDER
Gaetano Marangelli: How do you describe quality hard cider like the kind you make to those who don't know what it is?
Matt Raboin: Quality hard cider captures a perfect fall day at an orchard and puts it in a bottle to be enjoyed anytime. A lot of commercial hard ciders are overly sweetened and artificial tasting. Naturally made ciders that simply use fresh pressed apple juice have the quality of a subtle, nuanced “apple champagne.”
GM: What made you and Marie want to grow apples and make cider in Wisconsin?
MR: We became fascinated with fermenting things, starting about 15 years ago when we were first dating. We made all sorts of things: ciders, beers, wines, and meads. We tried fermenting just about everything we got our hands on. We lived in Africa for a couple years, and we made all sorts of experimental beverages with the fruits we found there. It was while we were in Africa that we started dreaming of starting our own craft beverage business.
Photo courtesy of Brix Cider.
Photo of apples by
With our interests and backgrounds in agriculture, we wanted to work with something that we could grow or that could be grown locally, and we landed on apples. Apples grow well in Wisconsin, and we really enjoyed the ciders we made, finding them much more pleasurable to drink than anything that was on the market in Wisconsin at the time.
GM: You make your ciders honestly, authentically, with Wisconsin apples. And you source the food you serve at your cidery’s restaurant locally, from small, family farms. Why?
MR: There’s such a huge disconnect in our society between consumers and the sources of their food and drink. For us, food and drink start on the farm, and there's so much more richness and depth to everything we eat and drink if we can connect it back to the farmers who grew it and the land it came from. So much food these days is just ultra-processed junk in a box, and it's hard to know if people were exploited somewhere along the value chain or if it was grown in a manner that was environmentally detrimental. We’re really lucky to be part of a vibrant local food community around Mount Horeb, and it wouldn't seem right to source our ingredients anywhere else.
GM: How have your and Marie’s studies and careers affected how you grow apples and make cider?
MR: Coming from a background of studying and working in agriculture, I think Marie and I brought a different perspective when entering the food and beverage business. A lot of chefs and brewers only think about ingredients as a means towards getting to a desired flavor profile, without paying much attention to where they came from. For us, we’re also really interested in the stories that the ingredients themselves have to tell. We want our customers to experience more than just a good flavor. We want them to also feel a deeper satisfaction of feeling connected to the land around us and the people in our community.
GM: All of the ciders Brix makes are delicious, but my favorites are those you ferment spontaneously. Can you describe how you make those ciders?
MR: I also love the spontaneously fermented ciders the best.
We do them on a more limited basis because they are less predictable and less shelf stable, but I think magical things happen when you just let the apples ferment themselves. In a way, they're the easiest ciders to make. All we do is press the apples, put the juice in a fermentation tank, and let it do its thing naturally. There are enough wild yeasts on and in the apples to manage the fermentation for us. Often, they take a little longer to get going, and the wild yeasts tend not to be as high attenuating as a commercial variety, sometimes leaving just a hint of sweetness rather than getting bone dry. The resulting ciders tend to be highly complex and endlessly intriguing. They’re not for everyone as you may get some odd flavors and aromas (things sometimes described with words like “barnyard, band aid, horse blanket, farmy, funky,” etc.), but in small doses, these flavors and aromas are part of a heightened fruitiness, ripeness, and lively quality that spontaneously fermented ciders tend to possess.
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.
Curds and Whey Curious
Curds and Whey Curious
HBY ARI LEVAUX
BY ARI LEVAUX
ave you ever wondered what, exactly, Little Miss Muffet was eating when she sat on her tuffet?
Curds and whey are what happen when you boil milk and add acid. The milk separates into coagulated chunks of curd surrounded by watery liquid known as whey. This is the first step in cheesemaking and point of departure to many wonderful culinary places. But not usually a destination.
I made my first batch of curds and whey by accident. I was enjoying a cup of tea with milk and decided to add a squeeze of lemon. Immediately, my cup filled with cheese curds. I guess I’m no Little Miss Muffet, because I made another cup of tea, rather than sip my way through that lumpy mess.
Curdling the milk is the first step in the making of most any cheese. And for paneer makers, it’s nearly the finish line. Simply strain the curds through cheesecloth, let them hang for a few minutes to drain, and then let it sit for a few hours under a heavy object to press out the last of the whey. Viola, you have made cheese.
In the making of most well-known cheeses, curds and whey is just the beginning, regardless of whether it’s going to end up aged, moldy or full of holes. But if you are aiming for the simpler end of the spectrum, like cottage cheese or Indianstyle paneer, you are almost done. And these easy cheeses can be just as satisfying as their fancier peers. Simply strain the curds, and perhaps give them a squeeze, and enjoy your cheese.
The acid you choose to curdle the milk will impact the flavor. I have made it with fresh tangerine juice, and both curds and whey came out tasting like creamsicle. I could totally relate to Little Miss Muffet for wanting to eat this, because I quickly slurped down my first bowl of tangerine curds and whey.
It doesn’t need sugar, but can handle sweetness very well if you want to add it. Meyer lemon, which is sweeter than regular lemon, makes a sweet lemony curd and a deliciously drinkable whey.
Citrus or yogurt wheys are great for making oats with, either hot oatmeal or “overnight”-style oats. You can also add it to pancake batter, smoothies, or drink it straight.
Vinegar makes a sharp, clean tasting paneer, but the whey is not as drinkable. Yogurt makes the mildest, creamiest paneer.
Once the curds are properly drained and pressed, they need nothing else. Salted and slipped into the kids’ salads, the curds went down like faux feta.
Last week I had some old milk in my fridge that was stressing me out. At any moment the kids would reject it. Before that happened I had to use it.
I found my answer at the winter farmer’s market, thanks to a bag of new spinach. The idea crystalized, or curdled, as it were, around a meal of saag paneer, the Indian dish of spinach and cheese.
The plan was to go home and make paneer from my old milk. I would cut the cheese into cubes, pan-fry them, and add these browned creamy cubic nuggets to a pan of liquified, seasoned spinach. I also grabbed a bag of winter-market arugula, as a proper saag paneer contains mustard leaves of some sort.
As planned, the combination of earthy, spicy veggies and meaty chunks of creamy cheese made a satisfying and complete meal. Once you know how to make easy cheese, there will never be an excuse to let milk go sour, ever again. Miss Muffet would be proud.
Ari LeVaux has written about food for The Atlantic Online, Outside Online and Alternet.
Photo by GettyImages-hanbr.
Paneer Instructions
Paneer:
• 1 gallon whole, full fat, non-skim milk
• 1 cup of yogurt or 6 tablespoons citrus or white vinegar
• 1 gallon whole, full fat milk
• Cheesecloth
Pour the milk into a thick-bottomed pot. Heat on medium, frequently scouring the bottom, ideally with a rubber spatula, to prevent buildup. When foaming and about to boil--about 20 minutes--turn off the heat and allow to sit for a minute. Then add your acid and briefly stir. It should curdle immediately into thick curds and clear whey. If it doesn’t curdle, add more acid until it does. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
While it’s cooling, lay two pieces of cheesecloth over a colander, crossed at the bottom to make a plus sign. Set the colander over a pot or bowl. Ladle yourself a cup of curds and whey and see what you think.
Carefully pour it through the cheesecloth, filtering the curds and catching the whey below. Pull the corners together and hang the curds by the corners.
If your acid is yogurt or citrus, set the whey aside for oatmeal or other uses. It’s full of protein and tastes really good. If it’s vinegar, the taste is more acquired but you can still drink it.
After an hour, unhang the curds. Pull the cheesecloth tight and shape the cheese into a puck-shaped disk. Find a way, with your gear in your kitchen, to put weight on the cheese. I put it in a deep bowl with a gallon jug of vinegar on top.
After about two hours, unwrap your cheese and cut the disc into cubes. Fry the cubes in a thick-bottomed pan and a tablespoon of olive oil or ghee, turning occasionally until brown on a couple sides.
Saag Instructions
Saag:
5 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
1 onion, minced
2 serrano or jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped ginger root
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 1 teaspoons mustard seed
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 pound fresh spinach
In a dry, heavy-bottomed pan, toast the mustard, cumin and coriander seeds on medium heat for about four minutes. Add three tablespoons of olive oil or ghee and the garam masala, onions, garlic, ginger and serranos. Cook until the onions are translucent, then turn off the heat.
When the water boils, blanch the spinach and arugula for three minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water. When cold, drain the leaves and squeeze out the water. Put the leaves in a blender, along with the onion mixture, and liquify. Season with salt, add water if it’s too thick, and blend again.
To put it all together, add the spinach mixture to the pan of browned cheese. Heat to a simmer. Serve with rice, and Indianstyle condiments.
photo
Photo by Ari Levaux.
Photo by Ari Levaux.
Great Service, Many Options at Knuckleheads Great Service, Many Options at Knuckleheads
BY DANNY LARSON
Our staff delivers excellent customer service with great products,” says Aly Waite, manager of Knuckleheads Wellness (2949 N. Oakland Ave.).
Knuckleheads began in Madison in the late ‘90s and has occupied its East Side Milwaukee location for 20 years. The Milwaukee storefront is narrow, densely packed and neatly organized, with every square inch of space devoted to an enormous array of products. In earlier times, Knuckleheads sold papers and pipes, tobacco and hookah smokes. With the liberalization that followed the 2018 Farm Bill, Knuckleheads now houses an alphabet of hemp-derived goods—CBD, CBN, THCP, THCJD, THCH, THCA, not to mention Deltas 8 and 10, plus Delta 9 gummies. If it’s legal, you can find it at Knuckleheads.
“We have a wide range of products and an option for everyone,” Waite continues. Unlike some dispensaries, Knuckleheads’ staff takes the time to talk with customers. “We ask about expectations—what are you trying to achieve with the product? We are not pharmacists. We can’t promise results, but from our experience we can give you an anticipation of what to expect.”
Knuckleheads staff has “first-hand knowledge” of their products. “We do a lot of on-the-job training,” Waite says. “We encourage our staff to read and do their research. If our staff doesn’t like a product, we don’t carry it. Sampling is a big part of what we do. We go to trade shows, talk to vendors and get a good idea of what they sell.”
The store’s philosophy is governed by the realization that body chemistries as well as tolerance levels can differ from person to person. “We like to give our customers options and let them decide for themselves. We like to let our customers have control.”
Open daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“
Photo by Tim Czerniakowski
Three Types of Perfectionism, ALLBAD
BY PHILIP CHARD
Perfectionists. We often refer to them with a sarcastic or flippant tone. But some uncompromising variations of this character trait are no laughing matter. In fact, research has implicated one type of perfectionism as a risk factor for suicide and another as highly destructive to one's relationships.
There are three approaches to being perfect, were that possible, and each varies in its impact on one’s well-being. The most widely recognized type is “selfdirected perfectionism.” These folks set an extremely high and unreachable bar for themselves, requiring that they demonstrate impeccable performance across a range of characteristics such as physical appearance, work output, living environment or social decorum. They embody the most common stereotype of a perfectionist, one who strives to be outwardly flawless.
In contrast, we find “socially-directed perfectionism.” Such individuals believe, whether accurately or not, that those around them (family, colleagues, teachers, etc.) want or demand perfection on their part, so they strive to meet the expectations of others more than their own. While those around them may set a high bar, these perfectionists assume this requires unblemished performance.
MOTIVATIONAL WHIP
Either of these types can be unduly self-critical. Mentally hounding themselves is how they crack the motivational whip to sustain their over-the-top efforts. This requires almost constant self-monitoring, which involves splitting their awareness into two modes—the one who is performing and the one who is critiquing.
Finally, there are perfectionists who are “other-oriented.” They expect other people to be flawless, and when they are disappointed in this regard, which is more or less constantly, they become highly judgmental and condescending. They believe those around them should meet standards of behavior and appearance they don’t apply to themselves. Interestingly, they often take smug satisfaction in watching others mess up or fail, which seems to afford them an ego boost (“I’m superior to them”).
In summary, perfectionists come in three flavors: (1) those who expect themselves to be perfect, (2) those who believe others expect that of them, and (3) the ones who expect it of others.
UNBLEMISHED EXCELLENCE?
People who strive for unblemished excellence, whether due to their own intrinsic motivation (self-directed) or what they perceive as the expectations of others (sociallydirected), are at increased risk for anxiety, depression and mental exhaustion. Worse still, socially directed perfectionists, who march to the beat of other people's drums, are more likely to contemplate suicide. For them, the constant pressure of external expectations, whether real or imagined, along with a persistent fear of criticism or rejection, can ferment despair.
Finally, the other-oriented perfectionists, who expect those around them to be impeccable while affording themselves a pass in this regard, prove to be the relationship wreckers. Because they are quick to find fault and are harsh in condemning it, positive interactions are not their strong suit. Condescension is.
Photo by GettyImages/AndreyPopov.
Whichever pedigree, perfectionism is among the more corrosive of personality traits. It is a form of chronic rejection, of oneself or others, disguised as the laudable pursuit of excellence. Having your psyche insist that you or others must achieve the unachievable is inherently self-defeating. That's not to say we shouldn't strive to make good use of the gifts we possess or expect the same of others, but when we set the bar too high and leave no space for common miscues and human failings, we undermine our humanity and sabotage reasonable efforts to be our best.
As psychologist Brené Brown wrote in her book The Gifts of Imperfection: “Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”
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.
Feeling Old?
BY KATHERINE BAYLISS, MD
It’s inevitable. If we live long enough, we grow old. But why is that? And why do some people seem to age so much better than others? For example, though my husband is 11 years my senior, he is irritatingly younger than me per a biological age lab test.
Research on aging and the practice of anti-aging medicine has been exploding. I’m not referring to the plethora of cosmetic procedures aimed at mitigating the outward appearance of aging, but rather peering inward at a cellular level to learn how we might actually influence this process.
According to the Max Planck Institute for Biologic Aging, researchers have uncovered several cellular and molecular hallmarks of aging.
• Genomic instability—DNA in our cells is constantly being damaged and then repaired, though not completely, and over time damaged DNA accumulates.
• Telomere degradation —Our DNA strands are protected on the ends by telomeres akin to the plastic caps on shoestrings. With age, these protective ends deteriorate leaving DNA more vulnerable to damage.
• Epigenetic changes—Epigenetic literally means “on top of genes.” Genes are turned on and off through an epigenetic phenomenon known as methylation. As we age, our DNA methylation patterns shift such that genes we want “on” are turned off and vice versa. This phenomenon is one of the ways biological age is tested in the lab—the “methylation clock”.
• Protein homeostasis/loss of autophagy—Proteins are responsible for most biochemical reactions. Damaged proteins are removed by a process known as autophagy. With time, we acquire more damaged proteins and autophagy dwindles, resulting in both loss of protein function and accumulated waste.
• Deregulated Nutrient Sensing —Nutrients act as signaling molecules helping cells to function optimally. As we age, these signaling processes degrade leading to all sorts of metabolic issues from insulin resistance to dysregulated lipid metabolism.
• Mitochondrial dysfunction —The energy factories of our cells, mitochondria, become damaged as we age causing diminished cellular energy and numerous disturbances in cell function.
• Cellular senescence —As individual cells incur damage they stop dividing, lose function and what’s worse hang around releasing inflammatory molecules and other substances impairing organ function.
Photo by GettyImages-PIKSEL.
• Exhaustion of Stem Cells—Stem cells have the ability to replenish organs and structures with healthy cells. Stem cells dwindle with aging.
• Altered intercellular communication —Cells communicate through signaling molecules such as hormones and cytokines. As we age these signaling mechanisms begin to falter leading to system breakdown.
• Immune Dysfunction/ Inflammation — With age, our immune system tends to become less capable of protecting us from infection while at the same time producing unhelpful chronic inflammatory states. The term “inflammaging” is sometimes applied.
• Imbalance of the intestinal Flora—I have discussed the critical importance of the gut microbiome in previous articles. With age there tends to be loss of the good gut bacteria with increases in the harmful or pathogenic bacteria.
These interrelated hallmarks of aging have a domino effect and the magnitude of factors at play might cause one to throw their hands up and cease making an effort. Yet there is hope! Knowledge of the physiology of decline helps us understand how we might run interference—not in search of Ponce De Leon’s fountain, but rather in seeking an optimized “healthspan.”
You too can obtain biological age tests such as the "methylation clock” that affords insight into your age as impacted by epigenetics. Genes matter for sure, but you can influence epigenetic factors that modify gene expression, and this may very well matter more. As the saying goes, “genes load the gun, but epigenetics pulls the trigger.” Moreover, there are strategies for inducing autophagy, supporting mitochondria, mitigating inflammation, mobilizing stem cells, protecting telomeres and more. Biological aging can be forestalled and sometimes even reversed. More to come in future articles, but meanwhile, I’m working hard on catching up with my younger older husband.
Katherine Bayliss, MD, a Milwaukee native, practiced in conventional medicine as a pathologist for 25 years. She now lives her passion, helping others through the more holistic Functional Medicine model.
How to Avoid Probate How to Avoid Probate
BY MICHAEL MUCKIAN
Probate is a term familiar to any individual or family that has dealt with the loss of a loved one and the disposition of his or her estate and its assets. The word “probate” comes from the Latin word probare, meaning “to prove,” and involves the legal methods by which the deceased’s final wishes regarding his or her worldly possessions can be proven in a court of law.
While it may sound simple in concept, probate in Wisconsin is a process that can last up to 18 months, employ numerous lawyers, and cost grieving family members thousands of dollars, not to mention creating lasting enmity among those vying for the more valuable assets within the deceased’s estate. (“Why do I only get Mother’s collection of beach hats, while Mr. Boots—who’s a cat—gets her entire seaside estate?”)
Things can get pretty ugly, but there are both legal ways and practical reasons to avoid probate. In addition to being less expensive, sidestepping probate usually means fewer difficulties overall, fewer process delays, which anyone who’s been involved in legal proceedings knows to be true, and the ability to maintain privacy. Once court proceedings begin, the matter becomes part of the public record, giving anyone the ability to review the assets and learn the deceased’s—and maybe the litigants’—financial worth and asset disposition.
PREEMPTIVE PLANNING
An estate attorney still needs to be involved, but preemptive planning prior to the ultimate event can make the transition of after-death assets much smoother. A legally drawn will is a start, but it’s by no means the end. Here are some ideas for you to consider.
First and foremost, the estate owner should assign powers of attorney to trusted individuals both for healthcare and finances. If the person then dies intestate, or even merely without designation of someone to make decisions in these areas on their behalf, the dispensation of assets after death will be left to some other relative and/or the courts. There’s no guarantee either will act in the deceased’s best interest.
Consider creating a living trust, the step beyond a will, that as a legal entity, becomes the owner of the assets. You will need to name first and perhaps second trustees, but the terms outlined within the trust, and not the courts, will be the engine that disburses those assets.
Specificity helps in the case of asset disposition and naming specific beneficiaries for specific assets—in addition to or even instead of creating a living trust—goes a long way in clearing up confusion, especially if you leave Mr. Boots out of the proceedings entirely.
LIQUID ASSETS
The documents also can name payable-on-death beneficiaries who will receive liquid assets like cash and stocks when the named person dies. Once again, specificity comes into play and there can be little confusion if the assets are directly transferred to a specific recipient. For real estate, transfer-on-death deeds operate much the same way, in both cases bypassing the need for court intervention.
For estates worth less than $100,000, the named parties may be able to follow small-estate proceedings and transfer assets directly to heirs without going through the courts. But be sure to consult an estate attorney before proceeding to make sure the estate qualifies. Ignorance of the law is, of course, no excuse, and even Mr. Boots knows that.
Michael Muckian was the banking and finance writer for the Milwaukee Business Journal and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Financing and Accounting and The One-Day MBA in Finance and Accounting.
Tricks AND Treats Tricks AND Treats
HERE'S THE POOP... HERE'S THE POOP...
It shouldn’t surprise you to hear that I, a trainer, like training; however, one of my favorite activities with my own dog is trick training. Like sneaking vegetables into dessert, teaching new tricks is a fun way to get the benefits of training without all the “work.”
Besides being fun, there are lots of reasons to introduce tricks into your training:
1). Improve your communication skills and build on your relationship with your dpg: we don’t speak the same language, but working with you, interacting with you, and learning with you teaches and reminds your dog that you’re rewarding and fun!
2). Build confidence. Any dog can benefit, but fearful, shy, and anxious dogs can really blossom!
3). A great break from the norm and daily routine!
4). Mental enrichment: exercising your dog’s brain is just as important as working out their body. It’s a way to keep your dog sharp into their later years!
5). Did I mention that tricks are fun? That goes for the canine AND human end of the leash!
If this has you fired up and ready to start teaching your dog some new tricks, that’s great! You and your dog won’t have to choose between tricks or treats this Halloween season! Happy (trick) training!
Jennifer Prill, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA Owner, Lead Trainer & Behavior Consultant
414-207-8060
sidekick-dogtraining.com
Monday-Saturday 10AM-8PM
Photo by GettyImages-Lakshmi3.
Crashing Back to Earth, After Olympics
BY GREGORY HARUTUNIAN
Although he was missing-in-action with a calf injury for the last few games of the regular season, and the first round of the playoffs, Giannis Antetokounmpo is back.
The Milwaukee Bucks All-Star player was happily bouncing around for the Greek basketball team during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He also made history in carrying the Greek flag, the first black athlete to do so for the country, during the opening ceremonies. The team was eventually eliminated, but the NBA 2024-2025 season is coming, and a lot of questions remain from the chaos of last season.
Pundits and Las Vegas betting outlets are slating the Bucks for no higher than a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Last season, Milwaukee finished 49-33, and took their sixth consecutive Central Division title, only to be eliminated in the first round for the second straight time.
WHERE WAS DEFENSE?
However, the disaster that was last season was marked by severe defensive lapses, a lack of cohesive play with a solid game plan, injuries that come with older players, and a possible scenario that was set to fail.
Early on, two key defensive cogs—Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen—were traded for offensive threat Damian Lillard. Championship coach Mike Budenholzer was let go in favor of Adrian Griffin. Despite a 30-13 from a team that appeared lost, he was subsequently replaced by Doc Rivers. The former Marquette star, seemingly pulled away from a golf course, finished with a 17-19 record.
The Bucks were shorthanded and exited the playoffs in six games, against their nemesis, the Indiana Pacers. There were some highlights such as the Game 6 finale, and frustration of Patrick Beverly throwing a basketball at fans in the stands, twice.
Photo courtesy of Visit Milwaukee Media Library.
STRONG SUPPORTING CAST
Arguably, the best team effort all season took place in Game 5, an absolute gem with Bobby Portis and Middleton each scoring 29 points. That Game 5 win was the final bow to the hometown Milwaukee fans, at the Fiserv.
Although Bucks general manager Jon Horst had the courage to make the decisions last season, many didn’t work out. The Shepherd-Express reached out to Horst on what’s ahead for this season. The media office said he was not available.
Any team boasting “The Big G,” Lillard, and Khris Middleton as a scoring trio on offense is formidable The Bucks have a strong supporting cast with Bobby Portis, Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverly, Brook Lopez, Jaylon Galloway, Pat Connaughton, a healthy (?) Jae Crowder, and Chris Livingston.
IS AGE A FACTOR?
One issue is that many of the players are entering that gray area, where age is going to be a factor. An infusion of youth will eventually be needed.
However, the main concern is finding people that will block and protect the basket. To that end, Milwaukee’s front office may have pulled off a nice offseason gambit in spending under $10 million for three players.
They picked up veteran defender, Gary Trent Jr., on a one-year deal. Known for his three-point perimeter shooting, he is being slotted to complement Lillard on the court. Delon Wright, another veteran with seven championship rings over his career, also was signed to a one-year contract.
Tauren Prince, picked up from the Los Angeles Lakers, can come off the bench with averages of 44% field goal shooting, coupled with 8.9 points and nearly 3 rebounds per game.
The players must remain healthy with physical trainers on the lookout. If the core group is there to start the playoffs, it could be an interesting ride.
The Bucks pre-season schedule starts away at the Detroit Pistons (Oct. 6), the Los Angeles Lakers at the Fiserv (Oct.10), the Chicago Bulls at the Fiserv (Oct. 14), and away at the Dallas Mavericks (Oct. 17). The regular season begins Oct. 23, at the Philadelphia 76er’s.
Gregory Harutunian is an Illinois writer with Milwaukee roots and a regular contributor to shepherdexpress.com.
The Historic Concordia neighborhood, bordered by Wisconsin Avenue, Highland Avenue, 27th Street and 35th Street, retains many of the grand Victorian homes built by Milwaukee’s affluent population of the late 1800s. The Concordia homes contained symbols of prosperity such as mantled fireplaces, intricate plasterwork and servant’s quarters.
By World War II, most of the neighborhood’s wealthy residents had left. Many of the larger homes were converted into boarding houses or fell into the hands of neglectful absentee landlords. During the ‘80s, neighborhood residents dedicated to preserving these classic homes formed Historic Concordia Neighbors, Inc. (HCNI) and partnered with the City of Milwaukee's Office of Historic Preservation to repair and restore these properties.
Michael and Kristi Westcott are proud owners of a Victorian home in the Concordia neighborhood. It was built in 1897 by Moritz Meissner, a German-born Jewish shoe and boot retailer. The house is 5,000 square feet and occupies a double lot.
Michael was born and raised in Milwaukee and is an artist specializing in encaustic painting. Kristi was raised in Racine, and works in investment management for Northwestern Mutual. The couple had lived in Chicago and San Francisco before buying their Concordia neighborhood home in 2003.
OLD VICTORIANS
“We like the old Victorians, old architecture and the older neighborhoods,” Kristi says. “We’re urban people.” The Westcott’s son and daughter attended Milwaukee Public Schools.
A spacious front porch with cluster columns and scalloped pediments welcomes visitors to the Westcott home. Inside, off a spacious foyer, is an ornate staircase with three large stained-glass windows at the landing.
The home was turned into a boarding house in 1925. However, the Westcott’s home was spared the drastic modifications from which many homes-turned-boarding houses suffered. “It didn’t get bastardized after World War II,” Michael notes. “Owners of a lot of these big houses made little compact rooms so they could fit in as many people as they could.”
A line of individual doorbells on the foyer wall is a remnant from home’s former life as a boarding house. Off the foyer is their music room with a baby grand piano. The Westcotts believe it was once a ladies’ parlor, due to dainty embellishments in the plaster and fireplace tile. An adjoining room was likely the men’s smoking parlor, reflective of turnof-the-century life when men and women separated at the end of the evening to socialize.
COMFORTABLY WARM
The fireplace in the men’s parlor was converted to gas, and the Westcotts had the chimney rebuilt with a stainlesssteel liner so the fireplace can burn safely and comfortably. Because it is located on an inside wall, it retains heat and keeps the area comfortably warm even in the dead of winter.
Michael’s paintings are displayed throughout the house, along with crosshatch art done by Kristi. Framed photos of the Westcott’s ancestors are displayed on a fireplace mantel. The Westcott’s raised their two children in the house, and they fostered and adopted many pets over the years. Their house was a popular gathering place for their kid’s friends.
The home features original hardwood floors, ornamental plaster and sliding pocket doors. There are also “gasoliers”— chandeliers that have gas-powered candles. Michael says there is a master cutoff safety switch in the basement just for the gasoliers.
Most renovations made by the Westcotts took place in the kitchen. They like to cook and entertain and needed a modern, functional space, yet one that honored the history of the house.
Photo by Timothy Czerniakowski.
EXPOSED BRICK
The kitchen had previously sported rickety haphazard cabinets with wainscot paneling. There was a half-bath that was separated from the kitchen by just a half-wall—another remnant of the boarding house days. “If someone walked into the kitchen, they could see somebody sitting on the toilet,” Michael remarks.
The Westcotts had the cabinets and half-bath removed and installed a powder room under the front staircase. They knocked down a kitchen wall and removed plaster from the chimney to expose the brick. They added a farm-style sink, stainless-steel appliances, black countertops and a tooled metal ceiling.
Their kitchen sink backsplash is a slab of marble they found in the basement and was likely from the original kitchen sink. The wood and glass kitchen cabinets they had custommade were replicated from an old cabinet Michael had found in the garage. The Westcotts converted a dumbwaiter into a laundry chute.
The second-floor bathroom has a clawfoot tub. There are four bedrooms on the second level. Two of the bedrooms are suite-style, each with an attached sitting area. There is an original junction box in the hallway that brought power to second and third floors. The Westcotts added a glass display door over the box.
Michael has his art studio on the third floor of the house.
SIDE YARD
Outside, a large side porch provides space for relaxation and entertaining. The side yard features a fountain surrounded by hostas, and a path the Westcotts installed for their dogs. The garage, once a horse barn, features an upper loft.
As their youngest child prepares for his first year of college, the Westcotts will be empty nesters and plan to tackle deferred maintenance such as painting and replacing the roof. Kristi notes it can be difficult to find contractors skilled in working with historic homes.
The Westcotts are members of HCNI and had taken part in annual home tours. Through their participation in a Spaces &Traces tour through Historic Milwaukee, they had received a roster of names of the souls that had passed through their house over the years, complied largely from telephone records. That, along with word-of-mouth accounts of the triumphs and tragedies that occurred within their house’s walls, gives them plenty of stories to share.
Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee writer and regular contributor to shepherdexpress.com.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ART GALLERY (NON-MUSEUM)
ART MUSEUM
ART & CRAFT FAIR/MAKERS MARKET
CHORAL GROUP
CLASSICAL MUSIC ENSEMBLE COMEDIAN
COMMUNITY FESTIVAL (Non-Lakefront)
DANCE COMPANY
ETHNIC FESTIVAL
ILLUSIONIST/MAGICIAN
LOCAL RADIO PERSONALITY
LOCAL TV PERSONALITY
MILWAUKEE AUTHOR
MOVIE THEATER
MUSEUM (NON-ART)
MUSIC EDUCATION
LAKEFRONT FESTIVAL
OUTDOOR MUSIC SERIES
RADIO STATION
THEATER COMPANY
STAGE ACTOR
SMALL PERFORMING ARTS GROUP
CHORAL GROUP (Small Venue)
CLASSICAL MUSIC ENSEMBLE (Small Venue)
BODY MIND & SPIRIT
ACUPUNCTURIST
ALTERNATIVE MEDICAL CLINIC
BOUTIQUE FITNESS
CROSSFIT-STYLE GYM
GYM
MASSAGE THERAPIST
PERSONAL TRAINER
PILATES STUDIO
REIKI STUDIO
SPA
YOGA STUDIO
BOUGHT & SOLD
ANTIQUE STORE
AUTO DEALERSHIP - DOMESTIC
AUTO DEALERSHIP - IMPORT
AUTO DEALERSHIP - PREOWNED
BIKE SHOP
BOOKSTORE
BOUTIQUE CLOTHING
CARPET/FINE RUGS
CBD RETAIL SHOP
CLOTHING - CHILDREN'S
CLOTHING - MEN'S
CLOTHING - WOMEN'S
COMIC BOOK STORE
EYEWEAR
FASHION ACCESSORIES
FINE JEWELRY STORE
FLOORING (NON-CARPET)
FLORIST
FURNITURE - NEW FURNITURE - RESTORED
GARDEN CENTER
GIFT SHOP
HARDWARE STORE
HEAD SHOP
LIGHTING SHOWROOM
MATTRESS STORE
MOTORCYCLE DEALERSHIP
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STORE
NEW RETAIL STORE (OPENED IN (2023)
NOVELTY/VARIETY S TORE
PET RETAIL STORE
RECORD STORE
SHOE STORE
TOBACCO SHOP
VAPE SHOP
VINTAGE/THRIFT STORE
CAKE/SPECIALTY
TIRE STORE
APPLIANCE STORE
CITY CONFIDENTIAL
LOCAL ACTIVIST
LOCAL CHARACTER
LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR
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MOST BELOVED POLITICIAN
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PLACE TO PICK UP THE SHEPHERD EXPRESS
STATE LEGISLATOR
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HOME IMPROVEMENT
ARCHITECT
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BATHROOM REMODELER
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ELECTRICIAN
HVAC
HOME BUILDER
HOME REMODELING
INTERIOR DESIGN
KITCHEN REMODELER
LANDSCAPER/LAWN MAINTENANCE
PAINTER
PLUMBER
ROOFER
WINDOW & SIDING
GUTTER INSTALLATION/REPAIR
GARAGE DOOR INSTALLATION/REPAIR
LGBTQ
DRAG EVENT
DRAG PERSONALITY
LGBTQ ADVOCATE
LGBTQ EVENT
LGBTQ-INCLUSIVE BUSINESS
LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESS
LOCALLY-OWNED FOOD - RETAIL
ARTISINAL CHEESE
BACON
BAKERY
BEER SELECTION
BRATWURST
BUTCHER SHOP
CHEESE CURDS
CHEESE SELECTION
CHOCOLATIER
CRAFT BEER
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FROZEN PIZZA
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SAUSAGE
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AMERICAN RESTAURANT
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COFFEE SHOP
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FISH FRY
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FROZEN YOGURT SHOP
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GLUTEN-FREE/FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
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GREEK RESTAURANT
HOT DOG
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ICE CREAM/FROZEN CUSTARD STAND INDIAN/PAKISTANI RESTAURANT
IRISH RESTAURANT
ITALIAN RESTAURANT
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
JEWISH/KOSHER-STYLE RESTAURANT
KITCHEN OPEN AFTER 10 P.M.
KOREAN RESTAURANT
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SANDWICH
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STEAKHOUSE
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MEDICAL
ALCOHOL & DRUG REHAB CENTER
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AXE THROWING BAR
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BAR ON A BUDGET
BAR TO BE SEEN IN
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BEER GARDEN
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IRISH PUB
JAZZ CLUB
KARAOKE BAR
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MARTINI
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ROCK CLUB
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WINERY
OLD FASHIONED
CAR SHOW
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COMEDY CLUB
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REAL ESTATE
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SERVICES RENDERED
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HAIR SALON - MEN'S
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LAW FIRM - BANKRUPTCY
LAW FIRM - BUSINESS
LAW FIRM - CRIMINAL DEFENSE
LAW FIRM - DIVORCE
LAW FIRM - ESTATE PLANNING
LAW FIRM - FAMILY LAW
LAW FIRM - FULL SERVICE
LAW FIRM - NEW (UNDER 5 YEARS)
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MOVING COMPANY
NAIL SALON
PET GROOMING
PHOTOGRAPHER
PICTURE FRAMING GALLERY
SENIOR LIVING FACILITY
TATTOO PARLOR
VETERINARIAN
WEDDING VENUE
DOG WALKER
PET SERVICES
ESTATE SALE COMPANY
IMMIGRATION SERVICES
LAW FIRM - SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE
WEALTH MANAGEMENT / FINANCIAL
PLANNING
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PET BEHAVIORALIST / TRAINER
PEST CONTROL
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ENDURANCE EVENT
FAVORITE BREWERS PLAYER
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GOLF COURSE
MINI GOLF COURSE
PADDLESPORTS - RENT OR BUY
REC SPORTS LEAGUE
ROCK CLIMBING VENUE
DANCE STUDIO
Rock and Roll Fantasy Fight Dice Mix Dungeons & Dragons with Raw Rock’n’Roll
Roll for Initiative!” It’s one of the common phrases exclaimed by players of fantasy tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), which debuted 50 years ago. The game continues to entertain and fascinate gamers young and old, bonding friends and family in quests that foster teamwork, creativity and fun. D&D fandom has even expanded well-beyond the game into new creative outlets.
That includes Milwaukee rock band Fight Dice, a group of longtime friends, D&D players and veteran Milwaukee musicians who create songs based on elements of the game. In September the group released its debut album Total Party Kill, a reference to an event in D&D where everyone in a group perishes.
Like all journeys, it starts with an origin. About four years ago singer Jay Gilkay (Evel), bassist Todd Bell (Braid, Hey Mercedes), drummer Dan Didier (The Promise Ring, Maritime),
BY JOSHUA M. MILLER
guitarists Brett Schwandt (Evel, Ceilishrine) and Eric Arsnow (Tigernite, Devils Teeth) began playing D&D virtually during the pandemic to pass the time.
Often meeting up to three times a week—something that they feel is miraculous given the difficult nature of getting people together even in person to play—the friends played D&D using Google Meetup. Each player signed in from their home and Gilkay displayed the game board on his screen.
CREATING STORIES
Creating their own stories provided hours of pure joy. Oftentimes, Gilkay and Schwandt took on the role of Dungeon Masters, who organize gameplay and create worlds for players to journey in a campaign. They used campaigns either from a manual or something “home brewed” that they created. Each player took satisfaction in taking the characters that they made and using their powers or abilities to complete certain tasks.
Players combated mythical creatures and sought to survive the game’s many twists and turns.
For Bell, who played D&D since middle school but had trouble in recent years finding interested friends, the group has been very fulfilling. Playing D&D was one of the things that kept his calendar rolling.
“It was one of those things that just kept us socially connected and engaged,” says Bell. “We create our own rules and make it as fun as we can because D&D has a lot of flexibility depending on who you’re playing with and where you want to go with it. We are doing it just to have fun, make jokes, create some laughs, kill time and be social.”
WRITING SONGS
During the waning days of the pandemic, Gilkay and Schwandt got together to write songs based on D&D and some of the campaigns they had done.
It went so well that they brought in the others with the idea of creating a fun side project band. In 2021 they played their first show as Fight Dice at Cactus Club.
“We decided we liked playing music together,” says Gilkay. “We started taking it a little bit more serious and people were becoming interested, so we started playing live.”
The band’s name refers to the dice that are used to determine actions on the board, as well as how they refer to D&D. “We would say, ‘let’s get together and do Fight Dice,’ since Dungeons & Dragons is a dice-based role-playing game,” says Bell.
About half of the album features narrative songs detailing real life scenarios and situations they’ve experienced, while the other is more of a manual detailing different parts of the game such as certain spells (“Magic Pact”) and monsters (“Owlbear”).
“We’re a little bit all over the place but keep it in the realm of Dungeons and Dragons and making sure that the content is relatable to people who play the game, but also accessible to people who don’t play the game and will just vibe and enjoy the music,” says Gilkay.
BRIGHT, HARSH AND HEAVY
Sonically, the 26-minute album offers a heavy blast of rock and punk influences, drawing on styles such as mid to late-‘90s rock or stoner rock and post hardcore. It’s not doom and gloom but rather its bright underside buffers the harsher and heavier elements.
Gilkay feels their enjoyment hanging out and creating music help them create something “magical.”
“Just that vibe of us being together, I think that’s the thing that really makes it all worthwhile,” he says. “I think it helps us all when we think about the mood or the feeling that we had playing and how we can convey that through the actual song. I would like to think that even if you’re not into D&D and don’t know about it, you’d still be able to listen to the music and have fun with it.”
The band is especially excited that the album is released on vinyl. They will celebrate the release with a show on Friday, Oct. 25 at X-Ray Arcade.
The band hopes to add more shows in the future around the area and are open to finding new ways to share their music and love of D&D. That might include playing random pop-up shows or even a comic or gaming convention.
“It’s always exciting to think so many years ago, 30 some years ago when we were just all kids going to basement shows and punk rock shows, here we are doing a band at this point and having fun together,” says Gilkay. “It’s kind of a wild thing.”
Joshua M. Miller is a Wisconsin writer who has contributed to Rolling Stone, Spin, Guitar World and MTV News.
This Month in October 13 Things to do
in Milwaukee
BY RUSS BICKERSTAFF, HARRY CHERKINIAN, SOPHIA HAMDAN, DAVID LUHRSSEN AND BLAINE SCHULTZ
THROUGH DECEMBER 22
Gil Reid and Friends: Working on the Railroad Grohmann Museum
“Retired railroad executive Chris Burger and his wife Rita have made annual gifts to the museum of much of Gil’s calendar work for Amtrak, along with other illustration work. Given the Grohmann Museum’s hallmark of displaying the art of industry, and the railroad’s intimate connection to it, we make exhibitions of railroad art a regular feature,” says the Grohmann’s director James Kieselburg. “Southeastern Wisconsin has a considerable rail following among its thousands of railfans, which makes it a natural for us.”
THROUGH JANUARY 26
“Against the Grain: The Remarkable Life of Artist Bernard Perlin” Jewish Museum Milwaukee Bernard Perlin “is not a household name. As an important and yet often overlooked artist of our time, he should be,” says curator Molly Dubin. Perlin executed social realist posters for the federal government during World War II and progressed to magical realism with an ability to “communicate emotion and engender empathy” that “pulls the viewer into the story he’s telling,” Dubin continues. “He had an extraordinary life and career as a gay Jewish artist, from the early years of Fire Island through World War II to New York City society life.”
OCTOBER 4-14
She Loves Me
Forte Theatre Company
Saber Center for the Performing Arts Forte Theatre Company kicks off their new season with a nod to old-fashioned romance with She Loves Me set in a European 1930s perfume shop. As two clerks fight among themselves, the animosity turns into affection. The films, Shop Around the Corner and You’ve Got Mail were inspired by this sweet-smelling love affair.
OCTOBER 4-NOVEMBER 3
Pete the Cat
First Stage (Marcus Performing Arts Center)
Another beloved children’s book character comes to life to open a new season for First Stage as it presents Sarah Hammond’s one-hour musical adaptation of Pete the Cat. The cool, blue cat created by Kimberly and James Dean graces the stage of the Marcus PAC’s Todd Wehr Theater.
OCTOBER 10
Boris w/ Starcrawler Vivarium
Japanese trio Boris balances lightness with extreme heaviosity. What other drone/doom/sludge metal group sees fit to spoof a Nick Drake album cover? Performing their debut album Amplifier Worship (1998) in a “double-drum-format drone set,” this show may test the limits of a room like Vivarium. Like to chat with friends while the band plays? Good luck. Opener Starcrawler kicks out the jams and checks off all boxes for a high energy mix of glam-punk-rawk. Vocalist Arrow de Wilde could be the spirit child of Iggy Pop and Destroy All Monsters’ chanteuse Niagara. In a word, this would be a poor time to sleep on the opening act.
OCTOBER 12-26
In the Canyon
The Constructivists (Broadway Theatre Center)
Playwright Calamity West explores politics, religion, abortion and more in the 2018 drama In the Canyon. It’s a drama that follows the lives of an ensemble of characters from 2007 to 2067. The challenging script is brought to life under the direction of Jaimelyn Gray in the season-opening production for The Constructivists.
by
Photo
OCTOBER 13
The dB’s w/Terry Alan Hackbarth Shank Hall
Touring on the remastered debut album Stands for deciBels (1981), the dB’s original lineup hits the road--four-plus decades later with that album finally being released domestically. What has changed since the friends from WinstonSalem, N.C. migrated to NYC and led the parade of power pop and college rock revolutions? The members split, recombined, collaborated and produced artists from The Wooldridge Brothers and REM to Steve Earle and Yo La Tengo. Their sonic brotherhood has aged sagaciously while still retaining the spark that got them started.
OCTOBER 18-19
Fall Gallery Night and Day MKE Gallery Night MKE returns this Fall on Friday, Oct. 18 from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Milwaukee’s premier gallery hop event welcomes all to explore local galleries, discover new artists and purchase original artworks throughout the Historic Third Ward. Shop and support local Milwaukee establishments or dine at one of many fine eateries Downtown.
OCTOBER 18-20
Madama Butterfly Florentine Opera (Marcus Perfroming Arts Center)
Enchanted by opera from an early age, Giacomo Puccini wrote the music for two of the most enduring stories set to music, La Boheme (1895) and Madama Butterfly (1904). The latter narrative of a Japanese girl (only 15!) who loses her life to an American cad has given rise to many contemporary interpretations concerning imperialism and feminism. But overall are the gorgeous melodies, suffused with Puccini’s understanding of Japanese music, and the piercing drama of betrayal and loss.
Milwaukee Makers Market champions local artists, creators, designers and crafters to celebrate the city’s small businesses. This one-stop shop experience provides an inclusive environment for local makers to showcase their talent and connect with Milwaukeeans.
OCTOBER 22-DECEMBER 22
Marie and Rosetta
Milwaukee Rep (Stiemke Studio)
While gospel music is at the root of 1950s R&B and influenced Elvis, few gospel singers have been included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sister Rosetta Tharpe (inducted posthumously in 2018) deserves the honor. Unlike many gospel performers who kept blues and vernacular music at arm’s length, Tharpe embraced the electric guitar and the rhythms pouring from the rural South into Chicago’s South Side. Marie and Rosetta tells the story of Tharpe and her protégé, Marie Knight. They enjoyed a Top-10 R&B hit together in 1948, “Up Above My Head.”
OCTOBER 25-NOVEMBER 3
Dust
Theatre Gigante (Kenilworth 508 Theatre)
The two-person play by one of Hungary’s top contemporary playwrights, György Spiró, concerns a couple struggling to stay afloat in the new reality of a postCommunist society. And then they win the lottery. “The couple travels through 75 minutes of whirlwind reasoning and discussion as they face this opportunity that rarely comes around to anyone. Spiró loads the stage with many vital and pertinent issues, seen through the eyes of the couple, says Gigante’s Co-Artistic Director Isabelle Kralj. Her partner, Mark Anderson, will direct.
Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Makers Market.
OCTOBER 26
The Queen’s Six Early Music Now
(St. Paul's Episcopal Church)
Their name isn’t just a lark. The Queen’s Six are an a cappella group chartered by Queen Elizabeth and based in Windsor Castle, where they perform regularly for the royal family and staff. Their wide repertoire ranges from Renaissance polyphony and haunting folk songs to “lewd madrigals” and arrangements of contemporary jazz and pop. And they venture beyond the castle walls to tour the world.
OCTOBER 31
Lift Off
Present Music
(Milwaukee Art Museum)
To program their season opener, Present Music called on Claire Chase, flutist and award-winning founder of the International Contemporary Ensemble. Says PM’s Co-Artistic Director Eric Segnitz, “I was drawn to the idea of having Claire curate a program. She’s an incredible musician, a mover and shaker— the kind of person who’d be great to have here. She got so excited about this piece,” Segnitz continued, referring to Terry Riley’s recent composition, The Holy Lift Off. “It’s a large-scale work with many elements.”
Good Morning, Ally
Let me say that I love the wisdom in your Shepherd Express column!
I was at Pauli’s Pub on W. Greenfield in West Allis, a few months ago. I was dancing by myself to my favorite band— The Lovin’ Kind—who all had attended my high school. I love that band!!
I happened to notice a very handsome guy over on the side. Much to my astonishment, he asked me to dance. It was magical and like nothing I had ever experienced before! I know he was feeling it too. After the song stopped, he took my hand, and we walked over to where he was sitting. It was like love at first sight, like a different part of my brain was functioning and the rest of my brain (used for words and thinking and speech) was NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL! We kissed. He had acknowledged his fluttering heart. I acknowledged what I was feeling. We had not even exchanged names! I’m not sure I have ever felt that way before!
Suddenly, the neighbor who had come with me and another friend stopped by our table. Our driver needed to leave immediately!
He has heart issues. I remembered him telling me that he loves music so much that if he ever had to leave a concert early, it would only be because he was having a heart attack. I felt I should immediately get him to a hospital. I panicked and just told the amazing guy that he could get my contact info from Bruce (one of the band leaders) and I left! But maybe he didn’t know that Bruce was one of the band leaders?
I think he was shocked and perhaps hurt by my sudden exit! All I know about this wonderful guy is that he is warm, well-groomed, articulate, honest, and a welder! Maybe in his mid-forties? I don’t know his name! And I guess he didn’t know who “Bruce” was!
I drew a picture of this guy and sent it to a local welders union. So far, no one knows him. I sent photos to barbershops in the area around Paulie’s Pub because he was so perfectly groomed. Nada. I mean, what if he works and lives near Madison?
I want to see this guy again, if only to apologize! Is there a good website I could try? I did try posting on that popular “missed connection” website on Craig’s List, but my post was taken down.
I’m at a loss. I’ve left a copy of the drawing I made of him along with my contact info at Paulie’s Pub in case the guy might drop in again.
Is there anything else I could do? We could have had such a great time together!
I will never put the welfare of others before my own needs again!
Help?
Dear Missing My Wonderful Welder,
What a beautiful, romantic story!
I hope you’re able to meet your wonderful welder again. Please don’t ever regret saving someone’s life. You did the right thing in caring for your friend. I’m only sorry you didn’t get a chance to exchange numbers first.
In terms of your welder search, you’ve done all the right things. I don’t know of any other websites than the one you’ve mentioned.
I have two additional suggestions:
1. I don’t think the drawing is working. Instead, return to the bar and establish a better relationship with the bartenders.
Let them know how important this is to you. Make sure, you have prepared cards that you can hand out with your name and phone number, in case they run into him.
2. The Lovin’ Kind can be a resource too. Get their band schedule and try to attend their concerts at various venues. Ask them to help you find this guy, so they can be on the lookout.
Here’s the most important part, and the one that requires the most work. Go inside and try to figure out how long you’re going to dedicate yourself to this search. Three or four months? Longer?
Whatever timeframe you decide, if you don’t receive any information or clues how to find this guy, it wasn’t meant to be.
Make a promise to yourself to let him go. By letting him go, you’re making room in your life for something else to happen that might be even more wonderful.
Best of luck,
AGGRAVATED UNCLE NEEDS A TIMEOUT
DEAR RUTHIE,
I’m an uncle to nieces and nephews who are not well behaved. They give me a headache 20 seconds into being in their presence.
The kids have no boundaries and are constantly screaming. We've been to restaurants where the kids run around while their parents say, “They have a lot of energy, let them get it out!”
Is it okay to correct a child in front of their parents? Am I supposed to sit there and let the kids take over while their parents do nothing?
SIGNED,
Frustrated Unk
DEAR UNK,
What’s that noise? Why, it’s the sound of thousands of readers simultaneously applauding this letter!
You could correct the kids in front of their parents, but that’s likely going to create a whole other set of problems for you. In addition, it’s not your nephews and nieces putting you in awkward situations; it’s their parents!
While you surely love the kids, that doesn’t mean you have to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Consider decreasing time spent with your sister’s family but tell her why. Explain that her children’s behavior stresses you out, so you’re being selective about the time you spend with her family.
Hopefully, she’ll get the message, and the rest of your family will support your decision. Keep me updated!
Ruthie's Social Calendar
OCTOBER 1
OPENING NIGHT BEETLEJUICE AT MARCUS CENTER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (929 N. WATER ST.): Start Halloween on a memorable note when the musical monster struts his spooky stuff into Cream City. Get your tickets at www.marcuscenter.org before the delightful demon moves out of town on October 6.
OCTOBER 5
PRIDE NIGHT FOR WAITRESS AT SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
(158 N. BROADWAY): One of the city’s most long-awaited productions opens this month at the Third Ward’s popular theater complex. Enjoy cocktails before the show during Pride Night and make the evening extra special. Simply go to www.skylightmusictheatre.org for more.
OCTOBER 5 & 6
“RUTHIE’S BIG GAY CABARET” AT LACAGE NITECLUB (801 S. SECOND ST.): Join me for another edition of my all-live cabaret. Catch us Saturday at 7 p.m. for a special night of food, fun, drinks and live music. Enjoy the show Sunday at 2 p.m., and your ticket gets you into the Packer party afterward with a free buffet and beer bust. See www.lacage.ticketleap.com for details, and I’ll see you at the cabaret!
OCTOBER 10
BUSINESS EQUALITY LUNCHEON AT SAINT KATE ARTS HOTEL (139 E. KILBOURN AVE.): One of Cream City Foundation’s largest events, this 11 a.m. luncheon offers networking opportunities, guest speakers, panelists and benefits key to today’s local LGBTQ+ business owners. Learn more at www.creamcityfdn.org.
MATEO LANE “CAN’T STOP TALKING TOUR” AT THE PABST THEATRE (144 E. WELLS ST.): Funny, feisty and a little furry, Mateo Lane has taken the LGBTQ+ comedy scene to new heights. Don’t miss the fun when this hilarious hottie hits the stage at 7:30 p.m. See www.pabsttheatergroup.com for tickets.
OCTOBER 12
50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND FUNDRAISER FOR BESTD CLINIC AT RADIO MILWAUKEE (158 S. BARCLAY ST.): Appetizers, cocktails, a drag show and more make this 6 p.m. celebration one you won’t want to miss. Raise a glass to one of the community’s most-valuable resources when you purchase tickets at www.zeffy.com.
OCTOBER 13
HOCUS POCUS DRAG BRUNCH AT MILWAUKEE IMPROV (201110 LOWER UNION ST., BROOKFIELD): Windy City diva Lucy Stoole hosts this nod to everyone’s favorite Halloween flick. The 2-4 p.m. brunch is for those over 21 only, so leave the kiddies at home. Swing by www.ticketweb. com and nab your spot today.
OCTOBER 18
FIREHOUSE FRIDAY: RUTHIE’S ALL-LIVE CABARET AT STORY HILL FIREHOUSE (407 N. HAWLEY ROAD): My crew and I are back with another cabaret! Join me for a night of live music, comedy and more. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a cash bar, followed by the show at 7 p.m. See www.eventbrite.com for tickets.
OCTOBER 25
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS AT THE MITCHELL PARK DOMES (524 S. LAYTON BLVD.): Music, dancing, food, a light show…these are just a few of the delights you’ll discover during this 6-9 p.m. party. Learn more when you purchase tickets via www.eventbrite.com.
Can We Talk? No...
BY PAUL MASTERSON
The great gay bard, Oscar Wilde once said, “There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” For the writer, the same may be said of not being read. I am pleased to acknowledge I am, in fact, being read. One reader even took it upon himself to send me the following message: “Instead of wailing to high heaven about how any gay man, lesbian or even trans individual dare be a conservative, why don’t you consider reaching out, you know TALKING to some of us.”
He is from Ecuador, by the way. You know Ecuador, where the nuts come from. Oh wait, sorry, that’s Brazil. Ecuador is where, not surprisingly, the bananas come from, and, of course, cocaine. I’m sure it is charming place. I once had a colleague from Quito, in fact, and she was charming … and talkative.
Still, if you are one of those who, like me, have contemplated a move to more queer friendly climes in case of a successful White Christian Nationalist coup, Ecuador may not be your best bet. While it recognizes LGBTQ rights and marriage equality to a certain degree (no adoption rights for same-sex couples, for example), as a machismo driven, conservative Christian country, it has its anti-LGBTQ detractors. Besides, due to a quasi-civil war, the entire nation is under a “state of internal armed conflict,” as they call it. Romantic moonlight walks along the border where one risks stepping on a landmine are therefore ill-advised.
WE ONCE WERE
CIVIL
To be honest, I found it presumptuous to imply that I haven’t had or currently have conservative friends, colleagues, teammates or dalliances. In fact, I once did and we talked about these things. Admittedly, I no longer do. Back in the pre-Obama days of civility, when the LGBTQ community was still more or less united in its struggle for equality, gay Republicans seemed benign enough.
They would awkwardly advocate their “change from within” strategy, believing they could inspire their homophobic
party to become a diversity embracing big tent, all the while joining the conservative chorus complaining about taxes and welfare queens (the poor, not the gay ones). For its part, the GOP shunned them.
Today, more than ever before, the Republican war on the LGBTQs has only intensified. There are still diehards, though, among them the gay, white and wealthy Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) whose unflinching devotion apparently knows neither moral nor financial bounds. LCR’s Palm Beach Chapter recently paid Melania Trump an eye-roll inducing $237,500 for a brief speaking engagement.
Meanwhile, one need only look to Project 2025, that conservative Heritage Foundation’s Orwellian “Presidential Transition Project” handbook for turning the country into a fossil fuel guzzling White Christian Nationalist state, to argue the senselessness of any talk of “talk.” One quote quite clearly defines its plan for the abrogation of LGBTQ and women’s rights. “The next conservative President must make the institutions of American civil society hard targets for woke culture warriors. This starts with deleting the terms sexual orientation and gender identity (“SOGI”), diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”), gender, gender equality, gender equity, gender awareness, gender-sensitive, abortion, reproductive health, reproductive rights, and any other term used to deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists,” it declares.
1984 IS ON THE CALENDAR
Aside from the mind-boggling “1984”-esque Newspeak of depriving First Amendment rights of some in order to defend the First Amendments rights of others, foreboding is the phrase “Starts wit h…” That implies a much grander plan to come, namely a second “Lavender Scare.” This time, however, as a full-blown government policy of unfettered discrimination and social exclusion to erase LGBTQ rights and identity.
In fact, the leaked Project 2025 training videos, designed to groom those appointed to take over tens of thousands of government positions, exhorts them to purge “the noxious tenants of gender identity,” declaring “equity has infiltrated into everything” and proclaiming “all equity plans will be eradicated!”
It is no surprise that the conservative, virulently homophobic and Hitler-inspired “Moms for Liberty” is on Project 2025’s advisory board. Unsettling, too, is the belief by 28% of Republicans that political violence (read terrorism, i.e. January 6) is justified to achieve political aims. Don’t forget, hate crimes increased by 32% under the last Republican regime. Meanwhile, there is a little noticed Republican plan to convene an Article V Convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution. It is yet another strategy for the GOP to wrest total power by changing our governing document itself. Nineteen of the 34 states (including Wisconsin) required to call such a convention are already on board.
GAY INFLUENCERS?
So just whom do I “talk” to among gay conservatives about their embrace of all of this? The fey Senator Lindsey Graham? Or perhaps gay conservative influencer Dave Rubin? By the way, Rubin is listed in the Department of Justice’s probe into Russian election interference. He is identified as a participant (among other MAGA sycophants, including Lara Trump, Kari Lake, et al) who, in Judas manner, spread Russian anti-LGBTQ and pro-Trump propaganda for money. He claims to have been duped (of course).
I might talk with some of my conservative gay “friends” on social media who share ugly memes attacking President Biden, a leader in LGBTQ rights advocacy, while praising Trump as their God-sent Messiah. Ironically, one is a witless drag queen who seems oblivious to the fact that she is a primary target for Republican hate. With days to go before we vote, the “talk” is pointless.
As Wilde’s Lady Augusta Bracknell might say, “to vote once for Trump may be misfortune, but twice is carelessness. Three times is self-loathing lunacy.”
Paul Masterson is an LGBTQ activist and writer and has served on the boards of Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, Milwaukee Pride, GAMMA and other organizations.
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, the other day, let’s call it Oct. 1, I was wont to flip the page of my monthly kitchen-wall calendar, Strumpets of the South Seas, ’cause that’s the kind of guy I am—organized, punctual, a seeker of useful information like which is the correct goddamn month of the year currently underfoot.
Informed I was that we had entered the bittersweet month of Foctober. I took a quick perusal of noted dates to check whether there were any big-time holidays where everyone gets the day off so’s they can visit relatives and drink their beer all day long outdoors. The answer was “no sir.” Yet, discover did I that this year “Columbus Day” landed on Monday, Oct. 14. My head began to spin.
We still got a Columbus Day? I thought a tribute to that jagwagon had gone the way like the statue on the village green of Gen. Robert E. Jefferson Stonewall Beauregard Johnny Reb Davis Lee.
Isn’t it universally to be known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or at least Discovery Day by now? Yeah yeah, Cristoforo Colombo “discovered” the New World whilst sailing the ocean blue, but personally, I wish he’d discovered a cure for the common cold.
The New World. Sounds like one of those fancy theme parks, ain’a? And what a roller coaster—but it only goes down, down and down, so I hear.
And speaking of down, by mid-October I’m often laid-low with the Columbus Day post-traumatic stress disorder. Happens every year—you wait for weeks in anticipation of the big day, it finally comes, you don’t get your mail and then it’s over. It’s enough to blow any guy off course, what the fock.
Cripes, I remember the year when the fellas came by and took me out to buoy my sinking spirits with round after round of tall-and-frosty cheer over by the Uptowner tavern/charm school, during which we felt obligated to toast the diversity of mighty members of the pink-skin pantheon—Paul Revere, Vince Lombardi, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Mickey Mantle, Russ Meyer, Marco focking Polo, John Philip Sousa, Soupy Sales, Casimir Pulaski, Chet Baker, to name but a few.
One thing these guys have in common besides being white is that as far as I focking know, they have never ever before had their names hauled out and stuffed into the same toolong sentence in the entire history of the printed word, I kid you not.
So after hours of respect-paying, the fellas hauled my sorry ass back to my dinky apartment where sometime later whilst lodged in a dream state—half awake, half asleep, but still wholly in the bag without the foresight to take the monstrous leak my bloated bladder screamed for—the image of a 900-foot golf putter came to me. Yes, the putter, proud symbol of the white man. I dreamt that it was the Great Navigator himself who had invented it, then carried this marvelous tool ’cross the ocean blue, to discover a place where he could use the goddamn thing; but to no avail, he had arrived to this New World on a weekend, and had forgotten to make reservations.
In fact, it would be some hundreds of years before reservations were invented, so as to keep the native people that Columbus had stumbled upon off the course—these so-called native people who had yet to assimilate the difference between a 5-iron and sand wedge.
These tawny people were nothing but a nuisance to the white man, ’cause how you going to shoot par with a fairway full of buffalo and guys with bows and arrows on mounted horseback? It is to wonder. Oftentimes, the white man who found himself in the rough not only would lose his ball, he’d lose his scalp to boot—talk about your 1-stroke penalty, ouch!
Dream on, I did. I dreamt that we are all what-you-call universal Indians, that we’re all “natives” on this planet and who knows where the fock else, and that had the so-called New World native people been as adept at sailing big boats as they were riding ponies, in 1492 they may have landed on the coast of Spain in search of a trade route to the East and then how history would be different, ain’a? You tell me.
And it was then I took that leak I was too tired to take earlier. And so I woke up, wishing the order of those two events had been reversed, what the fock.
But before I awoke, I dreamt the following: A white woman, wife of a MAGA Republican congressman, was driving near Las Vegas when she saw a Navajo woman hitchhiking. She stopped the car and offered the woman a ride.
During their small talk, the Navajo woman noticed a brown bag on the front seat between them. The politician’s wife said, “If you’re wondering what’s in the bag, it’s a six-pack of German beer. I got it for my husband.” The Navajo woman was silent, but then nodded and said, “Good trade.”
Ba-ding! So I leave you with this: “Ziggy zaggy, Ziggy zaggy, Oi! Oi! Oi!” ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.
