MILWAUKEE – At MacDowell Montessori School in Milwaukee, the genuine excitement from these young students was palpable.

A winter surprise

What we know:

That’s because the Milwaukee Brewers and their Famous Racing Sausages stopped by as part of the team’s “Frozen Sausage Tour.”

“Recognizing and acknowledging the importance of education, together with celebrating our Brewers fans across the entire state just gets us out in the winter and allows us to say thank you and to remind kids that we know it’s the depths of winter, but baseball is coming and to bring them a little touch of the Milwaukee Brewers,” said Marti Wronski, Brewers Chief Operating Officer. 

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And who better to represent the Brewers than infielder Caleb Durbin and pitcher Chad Patrick.

The duo spent time talking to the student beforehand. They had one main message in mind and that was the importance of education.

“They just see us on the field and there’s a lot more to us than just being an athlete,” said Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin. “We went through the whole school system, some of us up through college and that was a big part of our life that I don’t think a lot of, definitely a lot of kids don’t really realize that we’re in their same position at one point.”

“It’s cool just to you know, give back and let these kids know you know, that your teachers are important,” said Brewers pitcher Chad Patrick. “School is important and just be respectful to them.”

Learning never stops

What they’re saying:

The pair reminded the students that they are no different from them. After all, even as professional baseball players, they’re still learning everyday from Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

“When you have one of the best teachers in the world kind of helping you with your craft, it gives you confidence,” said Durbin. “We feel like Murph prepares us better than anyone else that can do the job. There’s a lot of confidence going into the offseason that he’s got our back.”

“We’re just students of the game,” said Patrick. “You know, we’re learning everyday and whether you’re stepping in his office and he’s giving you a lot of advice, or whether it’s you know, the other coaches around us, giving us advice too, we’re always winning.”

Honoring educators

Big picture view:

To further emphasize the importance of rewarding educators, the Brewers honored teacher Heidi Henriques, who received the Grand Slam Teacher Award.

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MacDowell Montessori School also received a $1,000 check from the team. 

To add to the excitement, the Brewers’ Famous Racing Sausages finished the day with a race around the gym. 

“The Brewers take every one of these moments to heart and we hope that we get to share a little something special that might stick with some of the kids,” said Wronski.

The Brewers also made stops in Green Bay and Madison.

Novels offer a great escape, but sometimes we want our fiction to hit closer to home. These recent books are set in Milwaukee, but do they paint a recognizable portrait of our beloved city?

MYSTERY | PENGUIN BOOKS, 2022 | $18 

Sneha, a queer South Asian college grad moves to Milwaukee in 2013 for a job. She explores identity, romance and friendship, along with our city’s socialist history and alcohol culture.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?”  

Most definitely. The people whom Sneha meets ring true to our region, including “tony Brookfield,” Bay View and beyond.

 Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

Certainly. Sprinkled throughout are local history lessons and discussions of our prodigious alcohol consumption, not to mention a little day-drinking on Brady Street.  

Name-drops:

Bay View Massacre, North Division and Rufus King high schools.

COMING OF AGE | POLIS BOOKS, 2021 | $19 

Ukraine-born Masha must return from a new life in Israel to her childhood home in Milwaukee, where her sister has mysteriously gone missing. 

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Mostly. Masha’s father lives in the “semi-dangerous neighborhood of Riverwest.” Despite frequent allusions to Masha’s youth in Ukraine, Milwaukee’s cafes and clubs provide the main setting for Masha’s adventures. 

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

Indeed. Slor has clearly done her Riverwest research: Masha spends plenty of time sipping at Fuel Cafe (RIP) and checking out music at Bremen Cafe.  

Name-drops:

Foundation, Uptowner

POSTMODERN | PENGUIN PRESS, 2025 | $30 

In speakeasy Depression-era Milwaukee, a softening former cop deals with organized and not-so-organized crime as he follows the trail of a wayward cheese heiress.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Yes, early on. It’s left behind as a concrete setting for the second half of the book, but Cream City remains the spiritual home for our main character.

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The details are rich and almost always amusing. Characters gab around bubblers, drink old fashioneds, play sheepshead and talk more cheese than you can believe.

Name-drops:

Paramount Records (a defunct blues label in Grafton), Holton Street Bridge, Oriental Drugs

SUSPENSE | THREE TOWERS PRESS, 2019 | $27 

Mitch is a firefighter looking to escape a tragedy in rural Wisconsin. He relocates to Milwaukee to join a busy firehouse, leading to many adventures.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

As a former pro, Renz knows his firefighting, and he knows Milwaukee well enough to strike a clear contrast between the quiet, manure-air of Mitch’s farm home and the frenetic energy of the North Side. 

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The neighborhoods are richly drawn, and Renz includes the violence, conflict and racial tensions all too familiar in our unequal city.  

Name-drops:

Teutonia Avenue, a character called the “Jawbreaker of South Milwaukee”

THRILLER | BALLANTINE BOOKS, 2021 | $19 

Following a traumatic episode in Chile, Emily tries to recover with a new job in Milwaukee. A friend from the past arrives, and their violent history comes slowly to the surface.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Not really. Local author Bartz places the main characters here, but the setting isn’t the biggest factor in their character development.

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The plot mostly shines on the internal life of Emily, but there’s local insight: She’s “over Milwaukee – her hometown – with its smallish size and polarized communities.” 

Name-drops:

Brady Street and the “slightly creepy Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit at the public museum” 

MILWAUKEE – Changes to the Milwaukee Police Department’s pursuit policy will take effect Feb. 6, tightening the circumstances under which officers may chase reckless drivers.

What we know:

Under the updated policy, speed alone can no longer be the sole reason for a pursuit. Officers must identify at least one additional factor, such as a collision with another vehicle, forcing other drivers to take evasive action to avoid a crash, or failing to slow or stop at a controlled intersection.

The policy change follows a deadly year for police chases in Milwaukee. Six pursuit-related crashes resulted in the deaths of nine people in 2025, according to department data. 

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However, some community members and officials question whether the changes will prevent future tragedies.

Local perspective:

It was June 8, 2024, when Tiffany Stark said her daughter’s father, Anthony Higgins, was critically injured after a vehicle fleeing police slammed into him. Higgins later died from his injuries.

“I think about all the people that died, but we also needed to think about the people that have survived,” said Tiffany Stark.

Stark said Higgins lived for 16 months with severe injuries before his death.

“His last 16 months of life was no life. It was no quality of life so I think,” said Stark.  “A spinal cord injury paralyzed him from the neck out.”

Higgins’ death was one of several fatalities linked to police chases in 2025, a key reason MPD said it is revising its pursuit policy.

“My captains have talked to the community, I’ve talked to the community,” said MPD Chief Norman.

Big picture view:

MPD presented the policy change last week during a Fire and Police Commission meeting. Norman said officers must weigh the risk a pursuit poses to the public.

“I do understand the responsibility of what a 4,000 pound vehicle is to our community,” said Norman.

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The proposal drew pushback from some commissioners, who questioned whether the policy would have altered outcomes in past cases.

“When I was reading the policy I was saying to myself – would any of the fatalities of this year not happened under this policy? And I don’t think the answer is yes,” said Commissioner Bree Spencer.

MPD data shows that in addition to the fatal crashes, 233 of 970 police pursuits in 2025 ended in crashes.

As for the new policy, Stark said she remains unconvinced it will save lives.

“I don’t feel the changes are gonna save any lives,” said Stark.