Milwaukee, WI
UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone Apologizes But Doesn't Withdraw Agreement
UW-Milwaukee’s chancellor is apologizing for weighing in on geopolitical issues but isn’t withdrawing the controversial agreement that weighed in on geopolitical issues.
UW-Milwaukee’s Chancellor Mark Mone has apologized for the university’s decision to weigh in on “deeply complex geopolitical and historical issues.”
“It is clear to me that UWM should not have weighed in on deeply complex geopolitical and historical issues. And for that, I apologize,” Mone wrote in a public statement on May 21.
However, Mone’s statement does not say anything about withdrawing or negating the university’s controversial agreement with pro-Palestinian activists, which calls for a ceasefire, uses Hamas propaganda to accuse Israel of plausible genocide, and labels Israeli detainees (who include militants and terrorists) “hostages,” while demanding their release.
In other words, by not withdrawing the agreement, Mone is apologizing that the university weighed in on “deeply complex geopolitical and historical issues,” while allowing the document that does just that to stand. Furthermore, Mone is not the only person who signed the agreement; it was also signed by Provost Andrew Daire, Vice Chancellor for DEI Chia Vang, and Dean of Students Adam Jussel. The latest statement is in Mone’s name only.
“UWM said the terms of the deal remained intact,” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported, quoting a university spokesperson as saying, “We are focused on moving forward. We are acknowledging the pain this caused for our Jewish community and that we should have been more explicit in our support for this community.”
“In recent days, I have heard from some on our campus and in our Jewish community that our response over the last few months to global events, local protests and the recent encampment left them feeling vulnerable, unsafe and unseen,” Mone wrote in the May 21 statement. “As a leader, educator and friend, this feedback has impacted me greatly.”
Mone’s apology comes after UWM’s decision to allow an anti-Israel encampment to remain on campus for two weeks draw sharp criticism, as did the university’s agreement ending that encampment. The encampment, encircled by a makeshift fence, contained examples of pro Oct. 7 and anti Israel propaganda. It’s not legal to camp on university property.
Three major Jewish organizations called on the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System “to immediately negate this (UWM) agreement and take the aggressive steps necessary to ensure Jewish – and all – students are able to attend UWM and all UW campuses without the threats of harassment, intimidation and hate just because of their identity.”
Wisconsin President Jay Rothman released his own statement, criticizing the UWM agreement and saying he was disappointed in it.
After Mone’s apology on May 21, Rothman wrote, “I appreciate that the chancellor reassessed his approach at UW-Milwaukee regarding the illegal encampments and issued a statement reflecting his apology. Chancellor Mone has dedicated his career to UWM, and I know he is committed to ensuring that all students feel equally welcome, safe, and supported as members of one UWM campus community.”
Wisconsin Right Now published a column by UWM Professor Shale Horowitz, who wrote, “UWM’s leadership supports an effort that can only succeed by killing and expelling Israel’s Jews.” WRN’s co-editor Jessica McBride, a UWM instructor, also penned a column in which she wrote, “The university should not pick a side… Because we all fund the state’s public university, they are essentially using their taxpayer-funded positions of state authority to argue for controversial foreign policy positions that many of us abhor. That’s wrong.”
In his May 21 statement, Mone wrote that, in recent days, “I have heard from some on our campus and in our Jewish community that our response over the last few months to global events, local protests and the recent encampment left them feeling vulnerable, unsafe and unseen. As a leader, educator and friend, this feedback has impacted me greatly.”
“It is clear to me that UWM should not have weighed in on deeply complex geopolitical and historical issues. And for that, I apologize. I acknowledge that it is an increasingly difficult time for many Jewish students at UWM and across America,” he wrote. “I’ve also heard that some students have not felt comfortable reporting their concerns or experiences. This distresses me. The expressions of grief and frustration over the conflict in the Middle East must not destabilize our shared sense of humanity or be twisted into a platform to spread hatred.”
Mone’s statement continued: “Let me be clear: UWM resolutely condemns antisemitism, just as we do Islamophobia and all other forms of hatred. Our campus must be a place that welcomes all students and the full expression of their history, culture, identity and ethnicity. But words alone cannot create the culture of inclusion we desire, which is why we must transform our words into commitment and action. This work will take time, as all hard work does, and it will also take the openness of our entire community.”
The statement concluded, “As we move forward, I am dedicated to continued listening, conversation and engagement with all our students. I recognize that students must first trust that we can better support them before they can feel comfortable sharing their concerns.”
He added, “The path ahead will be grounded in our guiding values. I reaffirm my personal commitment, and that of my leadership team, to advancing an inclusive campus where every student can succeed. I hope you will join me in this work.”
The Journal Sentinel reported that “pro Palestinian groups” slammed the criticism of the agreement as a “new McCarthyism on campus,” saying critics are using “false allegations of antisemitism to shut down the legitimate claims and gains of Palestine solidarity activism on campus.”
Here’s what the huge Brewers Bob Uecker mural in Milwaukee looks like
See the completed 100-foot tall mural of Milwaukee Brewers play-by-play announcer Bob Uecker covers the Wintrust Financial Center in downtown Milwaukee.
Steve Czaban, a popular radio fixture on Milwaukee sports-talk airwaves, is back in the market with the announcement from the Wisconsin Sports Radio Network that he’ll host an hour-long morning show with Josh Albrecht soon.
The show will run from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on 105.7 FM and 1250-AM “The Fan” in Milwaukee. The network, established last October, also features stations in Green Bay/Appleton (99.7 FM, 101.9 FM), Wausau (93.9 FM), Madison (94.9 FM) and Duluth/Superior (710 AM).
Czaban, whose role as host of a morning show on 97.3 The Game was eliminated with iHeartRadio’s decision to end that station’s sports-talk format, hasn’t been on the air in Milwaukee since October.
His show somewhat takes the place of Trevor Thomas’s “Inside Wisconsin Sports,” a licensed property that will continue to broadcast within its usual 6 to 9 a.m. slot from its Green Bay home despite ending its partnership with the Wisconsin Sports Network, seemingly amicably. Thomas has been hosting with Albrecht, and their final show together was scheduled for June 30.
Thomas wrote on social media that he notified Audacy Milwaukee in March that he’d like to end the partnership, delaying his announcement until WSSP had a replacement lined up. Thomas said his show will still be heard on WNFL 99.7 FM in Green Bay and on YouTube.
“Changes are made in radio with little to no explanation because employees sign paperwork that, if they get let go, muzzles them in order to receive their severance pay. Probably not uncommon in other businesses as well,” Thomas wrote on X, responding to one commenter who noted it’s rare for changes in radio to receive full transparency.
“In this case, we created a brand, we own the trademark, our brand was hired to host a morning show, and I’m choosing to end the relationship with Milwaukee because it just wasn’t a fit. And it’s all good. I love those guys. Our show goes on our YouTube page, 99.7 WNFL, and other ‘spots’ to be announced sometime soon.”
Czaban has maintained a strong radio presence in Milwaukee despite unique circumstances; he has remained based in Washington, D.C. He had been a regular contributor to another wildly popular Milwaukee morning show, the “Bob and Brian” show on 102.9 FM, making appearances for two decades. At the time, Czaban also hosted an afternoon drive show at an ESPN affiliate in Washington, and he’s done nationally syndicated work for multiple high-profile outlets.
He joined The Game in 2019 and hosted a show with former University of Wisconsin basketball star Brian Butch.
Since “The Fan” itself ended local sports programming in 2022, it has resuscitated its presence in Milwaukee with shows featuring former Packers John Kuhn and Mason Crosby among its regular offerings, plus a drive-time show “Wisconsin Sports Daily” with longtime station voice Steve “Sparky” Fifer.
American barbecue is rooted in the South, in the culture of Black Americans who learned the art through practice, dedication and intuition. Although Milwaukee doesn’t have a specific BBQ style, we have something that still stands tall – a blending of traditions that celebrate the mysterious, transformative power of smoke.
Tell us who you’d pick to be a Betty this year!
1501 W. CENTER ST. | 8718 W. LISBON AVE.
Ashley’s has an old-school barbecue pit, where chicken and cuts of pork and beef are smoked over hickory wood and charcoal. Thomas Ashley Jr. went from BBQ hobbyist to restaurant owner in 1960, using $350 he had borrowed from friends to open Ashley’s. His son Darnell runs the concept now and has expanded the Ashley’s footprint a few times in the past 14 years, pushing through losses that have included devastating restaurant fires. While the Center Street location is geared strictly to takeout (and is cash only), there’s the sit-down Ashley’s Que Too on the West Side with a more expansive menu and soul food on Sundays. Darnell also took over the local institution next door to Que Too, Champion Chicken, where he put in a bar and carries on the tradition of broasted chicken.
Darnell combines his dad’s legacy and what he’s learned over the years to develop the Ashley’s style – dry and wet rubs on meats that are also served sauced (tangy and sweet). The sliced shoulder dinner with white bread is what you want to order, or the slab of pork ribs – these are the fall-off-the-bone kind but still have a bit of chew. For a side, make it creamy – coleslaw or potato salad. $14-$33.
7412 W. GREENFIELD AVE.
When Mark Timber took over Double B’s on 74th and Greenfield in 2014, the community’s response made it clear that Stallis needed a BBQ joint. Timber used a smoker that was already on-site to jump-start the BBQ menu and soon added a food truck. Now Timber and his wife, Judy, are passing the torch over to new owners committed to keeping Double B’s just as it is. “We decided we were getting a little long in the tooth for day-to-day operations,” Timber said in April. The couple were planning to stay on for a bit to keep things “consistent and predictable,” he said.
That’s good, because some things can’t be tampered with. The brisket is moist and tender, with a dark, crusty, delicious ribbon of bark. Burnt ends – sticky bites of caramelized brisket and, yes, fat – are topped with French’s fried onions. And you won’t need sauce with the SmokeHouse wings and their juicy meat and charred, crispy skin. Before you get to those bigger-ticket items, you need to try the bacon ball appetizer – a pork, beef and bacon meatball, smoked, wrapped in bacon and deep-fried. Great balls of fire! Picking a side isn’t difficult – it’s the seven-cheese mac and cheese. The cavatappi holds onto the sauce, and the crusty cheddar crumb topping finishes the dish off just right. $13-$32.
Food Trucks
Mobile BBQ joints, often towing their fragrant smokers, offer a distinct, immersive dining experience. Here are five local ones to look for:
Brisket with an excellent bark, moist pulled pork. Look for specials like smoked lamb curry (so good!). Regular pop-ups at Hawthorne Coffee Roasters.
Outstanding brisket, pulled pork and pepper-crusted smoked turkey. The surprise standout? Crispy-skin pork belly with sweet-sour sauce. Pop-ups at Ope! Brewing and a regular this year at AmFam Field’s Alley Food Truck Park.
Owner Mike “Pops” Hester built this enterprise from scratch 22 years ago. His meats – smoky, succulent brisket and pulled pork – get everything they need from the dry rub. “This is how people find you,” he says. “They don’t want no barbecue sauce. They want to find out what you know.” Pops knows a lot! Appleton Avenue and Good Hope Road, Menomonee Falls. Thurs-Sat 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
The 10-year-old is a fixture on Fridays outside Woodman’s in Menomonee Falls (11 a.m.-5 p.m.). Matt Pagel’s pulled pork (get the sandwich with fried onion strings), brisket and smoked jerk chicken are all good.
Owner Alex Obradovich has been smoking his meats using fruitwood since 2012. His sizable menu includes the customary (brisket, St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork) and the unexpected (spicy smoked Polish sausage, pulled chicken, pit ham). The brisket is the charm (moist, so smoky, good bark), with a side of thick, smoky baked beans. Locations in West Allis and Franklin.
Where There’s Smoke
The East Side storefront (2311 N. Murray Ave.), with exposed brick and a century-old walnut bar, adds character to the tasty food served up at Smokin’ Jack’s Bar-B-Que, which opened in early 2026. Owner Jack Holt applies the low-and-slow method to his meats and blends traditions, too.
I’m a sauce-on-the-side kind of person, and both his beef brisket (hickory smoked for a respectable 12 hours) and pulled pork are flavorful au naturel. If you want sauce, Holt offers two kinds of Texas-style sauces, along with creamy, peppery Alabama white, and competition glaze (thin, sweet and sticky a la Kansas City), which is the best of the four.
As good as the brisket and pork were, the real standout was The Smokey Bird, a smoked chicken thigh sandwich topped with pickles, red cabbage slaw and a lick of sweet BBQ sauce on a toasted bun.
’Que Demystified
The lowdown on “low and slow,” a rib primer, and other distinctions
Dry versus wet rub
Both are used for their impact on the texture and flavor of the meat. Dry refers to a mixture of spices, herbs, salt and more applied anywhere from an hour to a day before cooking. The rub helps create that much-desired crust (aka bark) on the meat’s surface. In contrast, pitmasters use a wet rub (dry spices, maybe sugar or honey, and a liquid like oil, vinegar or mustard) to add moisture to, say, chicken.
Spareribs
Fatty and flavorful, spareribs come from the belly side of the pig’s ribs and include the cartilage, sternum bone and rib tips.
St. Louis-style ribs
These are pork spareribs that have the tough parts (cartilage, sternum, tips) removed.
Babyback ribs
Shorter than spareribs and a leaner cut, these come from the top of the ribs closest to the spine, under the loin muscle.
Brisket
This cut of beef comes from the animal’s breast or lower chest – dense muscle tissue. Pork brisket (cut from the chest, as with beef) also exists, but it’s not a standard cut, so you rarely see it.
“Low and slow”
Refers to using indirect heat or hardwood smoke at a low temperature (200-275 degrees) for a longer period of time. That combination renders fat and breaks down connective and muscle tissue to tenderize the meat. Smoke is more deeply infused and a crusty bark develops.
The Sides That Matter
These accompaniments are staples with BBQ meats – and for good reason.
Mac and Cheese: A creamy, rich and mild counterpoint to all charred, spiced, saucy meat. Try: Pop’s BBQ truck
Baked Beans: Think harmony. Beans (navy, sometimes others) cooked in sauce – thick, sweet-savory, sometimes with smoky add-ins like bacon – hold their own with the robust meats in their midst. Try: SmokeHouse beans, Double B’s, 7412 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis
Potato Salad: The trio of cool, creamy and tangy balances out the hot, smoky meat. Plus, mayo’s acidity cuts the fat. Try: Dill pickle potato salad, Just Smokin’ Barbeque, 20316 W. Main St., Lannon
Slaw: Mayo- or vinegar-based cabbage slaw provides a cool crunch that is so good on a pulled pork or beef brisket sandwich. Try: Smokin’ Jack’s Bar-B-Que
Cornbread: There’s the more dense, savory Southern style, and the sweet, cake-like interpretation in Northern parts. A nice compromise is a little sweet, golden crusted and moist. Try Double B’s
Styles of Sauce
It can be hard to keep them straight, the iconic regional sauces, but here they are in a nutshell
- Texas: tangy and warmly spiced, deepened by the tomato, Worcestershire and cider vinegar
- Kansas City: a thick, sweet-savory base of molasses and ketchup gives it a sticky texture
- Carolina: includes three – vinegar-pepper, tomato-vinegar and mustard (“Carolina Gold”)
- Memphis: the rub is king, sauce (thin, ketchup-based) served on the side
- Alabama: tangy, mayo-based white
This story is part of Milwaukee Magazine’s June 2026 issue.
Find it on newsstands or buy a copy at milwaukeemag.com/shop.
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Milwaukee, WI
Brewers, Salvation Army pack hundreds of lunches for Milwaukee children through Feed the Kids program
MILWAUKEE—- The Milwaukee Brewers and The Salvation Army teamed up Monday to help fight childhood hunger by packing hundreds of lunches for children across Milwaukee County.
Brewers front office staff, volunteers, and community leaders assembled 600 lunches at American Family Field as part of the annual Feed the Kids summer meals program.
Each lunch includes a turkey sandwich with cheese, fruit, vegetables, and milk. The meals will be distributed to children on weekdays through August 21st at six locations throughout Milwaukee County while school is out for the summer. The locations include Salvation Army Citadel Corps, Cold Springs Corps, Tiefenthaler Park, Westlawn Gardens, Salvation Army Distribution Center, and Carver Park. The Salvation Army also reminds attendees that all meals must be eaten on-site in accordance with USDA policy.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County Area Commander Major Beverly Gates, and Brewers players Andrew Vaughn and Chad Patrick joined volunteers during the event.
“While school is out, many children lose access to the meals they depend upon during the school year,” Major Beverly said. “Feed the Kids helps to fill that void, making sure that children have something nutritious to eat and reminding them that they are valued, that they’re important and that they’re supported.”
The Feed the Kids program began in 1990 and has provided more than 2.8 million meals to children facing food insecurity across Milwaukee County.
“I think just the act of making a sandwich may not seem like a lot, but really, for the kids across Milwaukee, it means a ton,” Mayor Johnson said. “For kids in Milwaukee and for kids in cities, the hunger really spikes when they’re no longer in school, when they don’t have, you know, that sort of structured programming around them. So the work that you’re doing today, it may seem pretty simple making a sandwich, but it really goes much farther than that.”
Organizers say the program helps fill the gap for families who rely on school meal programs during the academic year, ensuring children continue to have access to nutritious lunches throughout the summer.
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