Each year, the King Community Center becomes a gathering place to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. From daily programs that serve families throughout the year to a special celebration on King Day, the center continues to carry forward Dr. King’s mission of community, unity, and service.

That mission is reflected throughout the building, which Director Dee McCollum describes as a safe and welcoming space for the community. “In the walls of this King Center is a safe haven and that is modeled off of what Dr. King preached,” McCollum said.

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Located in King Park, the King Community Center offers something for people of all ages. On any given day, community members can be found using the fitness center, attending meetings, or playing basketball in the gym.

Watch: King Community Center celebrates 50 years of service with annual MLK Day event

King Community Center celebrates 50 years of service with annual MLK Day event

For many residents, the center provides a much-needed escape and sense of balance. Milwaukee resident Mac Miller said the space has become an important outlet in his daily life. “It’s been giving me an outlet, like a perfect outlet when I’m stressed out, have things going on. I come up here, leave my stress, go back about my day,” Miller said.

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Walking through the King Community Center, it’s clear the building represents more than recreation. It has long served as a cornerstone for the neighborhood, and this June, the center will mark a major milestone as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

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That spirit of community will be on full display Monday when the center hosts its annual King Day celebration. McCollum said attendees can expect a wide range of performances and speakers that reflect the center’s inclusive mission. “You can expect poets, singers, a six-year-old who plays the violin like an angel, and an awesome guest speaker, Pastor Locke,” she said.

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As the community comes together to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy, the King Community Center remains committed to serving as a place rooted in history, connection, and service for generations to come.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration will be held Monday, Jan. 19. Keynote speaker will be Pastor Kenneth R. Lock II, pastor and founder of Evolve Church.

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After an overnight snowfall, more snow showers are on the way for Milwaukee this weekend.

Two waves of overnight snowfall – between roughly 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. – left most of southeast Wisconsin with about 2 inches of snow on Friday, Jan. 16, according to Michaela Heeren, a meteorologist with the Milwaukee/Sullivan National Weather Service office.

Snow is expected to continue on-and-off through Friday afternoon, with temperatures reaching highs of 33 to 34 degrees, Heeren said. The relatively warmer temperatures means the snow showers will be intermittent but heavy.

The Friday evening commute may be impacted, Heeren said.

“The roads aren’t necessarily bad this morning, but there are enough people on the road to lead to some slowdowns,” she said. “The main concern for visibility is this afternoon. If you encounter low visibility, make sure you go slow and have your headlights on.”

After Friday’s warmer weather, temperatures will dip to highs in the 20s by Saturday, Jan. 17, and the mid-to -high teens by Sunday, Jan. 18, Heeren said.

MILWAUKEE — President Trump is threatening to invoke the rarely used Insurrection Act to send military troops to Minneapolis, sparking debate about the scope and appropriate use of the federal law.

RELATED CONTENT | Second ICE shooting in Minneapolis escalates tensions as protesters demand federal withdrawal

The Insurrection Act gives the president authority to deploy military forces inside the United States, but legal experts say how and when it’s used remains open for debate.

“An extreme use of power, and that’s why it’s only been used 30 times,” said Michael Rosen, a Milwaukee union activist and advocate.

The law has been invoked throughout Rosen’s lifetime, though never during events he attended as a union advocate.

He’s not an expert on the law but a long-time observer. Rosen believes the act can be justified in certain circumstances, pointing to its use during the 1992 Los Angeles riots when state officials requested federal help, or to enforce school desegregation in the South during the 1960s.

“The use of the Insurrection Act is legitimate when the federal law, in this case, desegregation, is being broken and local law enforcement can not and will not enforce the law,” Rosen said.

Watch: We asked two people in Milwaukee about the Insurrection Act – here’s what they told us

We asked two people in Milwaukee about the Insurrection Act – here’s what they told us

In a Truth Social post, Trump threatened to use the Insurrection Act “if the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitator and insurrectionist.” However, Rosen disagrees with this approach.

The Insurrection Act has been used about 30 times by 17 presidents throughout American history.

Patrick Sobkowski, who has a legal background and teaches American history and constitutional law at Marquette University, explains the law’s broad scope.

“It gives the president pretty broad authority to determine whether there is a sufficient domestic emergency,” Sobkowski said.

He notes there’s a reason the act has been rarely used throughout history.

“People from both sides of the political aisle have just kind of accepted as the correct or proper thing to do, and in America, we tend to think that too much power in the hands of one person is not a good thing,” Sobkowski said.

Some legal experts say various versions of the more than 200-year-old law are due for another update to provide more clarity on when it can and cannot be used.

This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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