Every week, the Milwaukee Music Premiere sponsored by Density Studios connects the city’s artists with our listening audience. If you’re an artist with a track you’d like us to debut exclusively on Radio Milwaukee, head over to our Music Submission page to learn how.

Today’s premiere provides a great lesson for bands looking to grab someone’s attention about a new track before they even get a chance to listen. In short, it never hurts to include a line like the one supplied to us by Wisconsin Space Program:

“This song was inspired by Austin Powers cutscenes.”

Brilliant.

Befitting the International Man of Mystery, Wisconsin Space Program provided no further explanation or context, leaving us listeners to make our own connection while enjoying “Time Machine” as it debuts here.

The title of the track jives nicely with a band that jumps around the musical timeline, from sunny to psych to stoner. This particular song leans a little heavier, both in the bold guitar riffs and the major frustration bursting from the lyrics:

I don’t wanna hear any of that noise
That cookie-cutter dopamine 
I don’t wanna see your pretty face
I need a break from the fake routine

And I don’t wanna think about anything
I just want my time machine
I don’t wanna stare at a little screen
I just want my time machine

The group’s bassist/vocalist Sean Anderson explained further:

“I feel like, growing up, we were fed the idea that the future would be this utopia where technology would be fun and exciting and improve our lives. Now, we’re living in the future, and it sucks. We were promised hoverboards and jet packs when we were kids, and instead we have AI data centers and the ‘doom scroll.’ I just want my time machine. I want to drift silently through the cosmos and block out the noise — maybe go back and ride a dinosaur.’

The song “Time Machine” is a bit of a time machine in and of itself, in that the track was originally supposed to land on Wisconsin Space Program’s debut album, Sun in Your Hands, last June. But the physical limitations of vinyl forced the group to back-pocket it until right now.

Enjoy the delayed gratification by hitting the “Listen” button at the top of the page, or you can catch “Time Machine” playing on 88Nine throughout today (6:30 and 10:30 am.; 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.). Wisconsin Space Program will also be live and in person at Humboldt Park’s Chill on the Hill on June 23.

As temperatures rise and the cold fades away, a whole new Milwaukee comes alive from June to August. From farmers markets to baseball games, the City of Festivals has something to offer everyone this summer. 

Enjoy the Weather 

Now that the freezing weather has finally gone away, consider checking out some of Milwaukee’s beautiful scenery. Head to one of Lake Michigan’s shorelines. Take a stroll on McKinley Beach or explore the waterways on one of Milwaukee’s many boat tours. Or, if the water isn’t your vibe, slide on your walking shoes and take a hike at one of Milwaukee’s various trails. Explore Three Bridges Park or Seven Bridges for some remarkable views. No matter what you choose, the summer scenery is hard to beat.

Grab a Bite to Eat

Milwaukee is known for some great grub. Head to The Bridgewater Modern Grill to enjoy lakeside dining and delicious seafood. Snack on fresh food and sip on fruity drinks at Estabrook Beer Garden. Or, for a more budget friendly option, head to one of the many food trucks sprinkled around Milwaukee and surround yourself with the sounds of the city while you bite into a scrumptious meal. 

Head to A Ball Game

There’s no better place to spend a summer night than at American-Family Field (formerly Miller Park) watching a Brewers Game. Bring a group of friends and grab a hot dog as you enjoy countless baseball traditions at one of the many Brewers games this summer. Select games offer up to a 50% discount for Wisconsin residents.

Explore one of Milwaukee’s many farmers markets

There’s no better way to enjoy the beautiful weather than at a community farmers market. Enjoy all the agriculture the city has to offer at one of the various markets this summer. Whether you’re in the mood for fruit, dairy or flowers, Milwaukee has got you covered. Explore the  city’s oldest and largest farmers market—West Allis Farmers Market—open May through October. You can enjoy a lakefront view at the South Shore Farmers Market. If you’re looking for more than food and flowers, head to Wauwatosa for free cooking demos and yoga classes at the Tosa Farmers Market. 

 Head to the festivals 

Milwaukee isn’t known as the City of Festivals for nothing. Head to Summerfest to hear some great music, or, for a more low-key crowd, consider exploring the Summer Solstice Music Festival. If your music taste is a little more hardcore, venture to Milwaukee’s Metal Fest. For a taste of local culture, check out Mexican Fiesta or German Fest. Try some fresh fruit at Cedarburg Strawberry Festival, or see why Milwaukee has been dubbed “Cream City” at a tour of America’s Dairyland. No matter what you choose to attend, you’re bound to have a good time. For a full list of festivals dates and locations, click here.

This article was written by Allison Scherquist, she can be contacted at [email protected]

• Milwaukee Public Schools will begin transporting students on 50 new electric buses this fall.
• The district plans to add another 100 electric buses over the next three years.
• Funding comes from federal pandemic relief aid and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants.
• Officials aim to reduce costs, lower carbon emissions, and help decrease childhood asthma rates.

Beginning this fall, thousands of students will catch rides to and from Milwaukee Public Schools by electric bus.

At an event June 8, MPS unveiled the arrival of the new electric buses, 50 of which will transport about 6,000 students starting this September. MPS officials said its transportation partners will add another 100 electric buses to service by the 2028-29 school year.

Once all 150 electric buses are on the road, about 22% of buses used to transport MPS students will be electric, according to figures provided by David Fifarek, MPS senior director of transportation services.

The initiative is fully funded through federal pandemic relief aid and about $40 million in grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a district spokesperson said. The district’s transportation providers are constructing charging infrastructure and will cover the cost of electricity, which district leaders said will help MPS save money.

MPS officials said the initiative is meant to cut costs amid rising fuel prices and to help reduce the city’s childhood asthma rates. The electric buses will additionally push MPS closer toward achieving its goal of reducing the district’s carbon emissions by 45% over the next four years, said Superintendent Brenda Cassellius.

According to the EPA, diesel exhaust is a significant contributor to climate change, as well as childhood asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

In 2024, Milwaukee had the nation’s highest rate of asthma-related emergency department visits, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reported. Across the U.S., public school children are about twice as likely to have asthma as their school-aged peers.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are particularly studying the link between air pollution and asthma-related visits to school nurses in MPS.

Cassellius said each electric bus will replace a diesel bus, resulting in “fewer emissions at bus stops, near our schools and in the communities our families call home.”

Ben Schutzman, CEO of Highland Electric Fleets, which provides the vehicles, said “replacing just five diesel school buses with electric buses can reduce the risk of pediatric asthma for approximately 1,500 students.”

“In a city where asthma remains a huge concern, that is a very meaningful step forward,” Cassellius said.

There are also financial benefits as MPS seeks to tighten its budget amid broader fiscal challenges, Cassellius added. With fuel prices soaring nationwide, school districts have incurred extra transportation costs.

From March to June, the district said in a statement, MPS spent about $800,000 in diesel surcharges, which are additional fees that bus contractors charge districts to offset higher gas prices.

“That kind of volatility makes it harder to budget and harder to invest where it matters most,” Cassellius said. “This initiative is helping us change that and will allow us to bring more stability to our transportation costs.”

At a School Board meeting in May, MPS interim Chief Operating Officer Michael Turza said the district expects to save money by making the switch, with daily operating costs decreasing because electric buses do not rely on fuel.

The district does not own the buses. MPS Chief Financial Officer Aycha Sawa told board members that the district’s bus vendors instead purchase the buses, and MPS reimburses them under the federal grant.

Contractors who receive the funding must operate in the district for five years, Fifarek said. The companies are also installing charging infrastructure at local bus terminals, which he said creates a long-term investment that could support further expansion of electric buses.

MPS now joins a growing number of school districts in Wisconsin and across the country that are transitioning to electric transportation.

Fifarek said MPS may seek additional EPA grants to increase the number of electric buses in the future.

Kayla Huynh covers K-12 education, teachers and solutions for the Journal Sentinel. Contact: khuynh@gannett.com. Follow her on X: @_kaylahuynh.