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Here’s how Milwaukee high school students can learn to drive for $35 this summer

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Here’s how Milwaukee high school students can learn to drive for  this summer


Summer is almost here, and so is registration for another round of $35 driver’s education classes for Milwaukee Public Schools students. 

Each semester, Milwaukee Recreation offers MPS Drive, a driver’s education program for Milwaukee Public Schools students ages 15 to 17.

Registration for July classes opened May 5. Students can take classes in person, online or both, in addition to getting their driving hours behind the wheel with an instructor.

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Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming driver’s education classes and how you can join.

How do I sign up?

You can sign up through the Milwaukee Recreation registration site here. 

Students signing up for MPS Drive already have an account, according to Nicole Jacobson, citywide programs manager. Students should sign in using the first seven digits of their student ID. Their pin should be their last name with the first letter capitalized.

Students interested in the community-based program will need to be signed up through a parent’s account. To create a parent’s account, you’ll need a username, email and password. You will be asked to provide your name, address, phone number, date of birth and information for any other family members interested in Milwaukee Recreation activities. 

Once signed in, pick the class format, dates, time and location that works best for you, then click ‘add to selection list’ and ‘add to cart.’

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Who can take classes?

Any student attending Milwaukee Public Schools between the ages of 15 and 17 and a half can sign up through MPS Drive. Students at some schools chartered through MPS can join as well. 

To verify if your student’s charter school is eligible, call     414-647-6050.

Where are the classes?

Classes are available in person within some high schools, a hybrid format using both online and in-person classes or an entirely asynchronous online course that students have 90 days to complete. 

All classes, including online courses, will include behind-the-wheel lessons with six hours of observation and six hours of driving, Jodie Donabar, driver’s education supervisor at Milwaukee Recreation, said.

How much does it cost?

The program has a $35 fee, which is used to cover the costs of the driver’s permit. This fee includes classroom education and practice time behind the wheel.

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What if I’m over the age limit?

If you’re over the age limit, you can take your test without completing a driver’s education program when you turn 18. You will need to pass the written permit test, which you can prepare for by studying the Wisconsin Motorists’ Handbook, and take practice permit tests. 

After you receive your permit, you can practice driving with someone who holds a Class D driver’s license that is not probationary. You can then schedule a road test at the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles. 

Those 18 and older can ask for tutoring help with the written permit test from local driving schools. You can also take a class at a private driving school, which costs on average $500 to $700. 


Alex Klaus is the education solutions reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.

This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://milwaukeenns.org/2026/05/05/heres-how-milwaukee-high-school-students-can-learn-to-drive-for-35-this-summer/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://milwaukeenns.org”>Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-NNS-Favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>

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Milwaukee cooling centers, heat advisory tips; what to know

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Milwaukee cooling centers, heat advisory tips; what to know


The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Milwaukee and all of southeastern Wisconsin from noon Tuesday through 8 p.m. Wednesday, with heat index values expected to reach the upper 90s to around 100 degrees.

While the advisory is expected to end Wednesday evening, hot and humid conditions are forecast to continue through the remainder of the week.

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Forecast conditions can change, so everyone is encouraged to monitor local forecasts and follow guidance from the National Weather Service.

Milwaukee County cooling sites

What we know:

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Cooling sites are available throughout Milwaukee County.

For an updated list of cooling locations, heat safety information, and resources on preventing heat-related illness, visit the City of Milwaukee website or call 211.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

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Staying safe during extreme heat

What you can do:

Stay cool

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  • Limit outdoor activities, especially during the hottest part of the day.
  • Spend time in air-conditioned buildings whenever possible such as libraries, shopping centers, or community centers.
  • If you have an air conditioner, make sure it is installed and working properly.
  • Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
  • Take cool showers or baths, or use cool, wet towels to lower body temperature.
  • Fans may provide comfort but should not be relied upon as the primary cooling method during extreme heat.

Stay hydrated

  • Drink water regularly, even if you do not feel thirsty.
  • Avoid alcohol and excessive caffeine, which can contribute to dehydration.
  • Encourage children, older adults, and others at higher risk to drink fluids throughout the day.

Protect yourself and others

  • Never leave children, older adults, or pets unattended in vehicles. Temperatures inside a parked vehicle can become deadly within minutes.
  • Check on older neighbors, family members, and others who may need assistance staying cool.
  • Many public cooling sites are located along Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) routes. Visit RideMCTS.com for transit information.

Know the Signs of Heat-Related Illness

Heat exhaustion may include:

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  • Heavy sweating
  • Weakness or fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Fainting

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Symptoms may include:

  • High body temperature
  • Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
  • Confusion
  • Rapid pulse
  • Loss of consciousness

Call 911 immediately if someone is experiencing signs of heat stroke.

For additional hot weather safety information, visit the City of Milwaukee website.

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The Source: City of Milwaukee Health Department sent FOX6 the information.

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Squire Robinson leads a new generation of Milwaukee artists with his distinctly bold style

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Squire Robinson leads a new generation of Milwaukee artists with his distinctly bold style


In a cavernous attic studio stands Squire Robinson. 

A painting titled “Her Love” by Squire Robinson.

Next to him on the ground is an unfinished painting of his. Hung above him are numerous paintings that he’s finished in the past year.

The walls are filled with works of art, crafted by the various artists who also call 100% MKE, a nonprofit arts studio and workspace at 217 N. Broadway, home. 

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Robinson’s art doesn’t just stand among them – it stands out.

Maybe it’s the saturated reds that prevail in each of his pieces.

Maybe it’s the bold strokes that create the even bolder figures that call his paintings home.

Either way, Robinson’s art has a tangible effect for those with the eyes to see.

“Sometimes the most important piece of art is that you feel. His art makes you feel,” Richard Badger Jr. said. Badger, who goes by the artist name Coyote Rich, is also an artist in residence at 100% MKE.

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A painting titled “Solitude” by Squire Robinson.

Robinson first fell in love with art through his grandfather, who painted signs for corner stores. Early memories of drawing contests with his grandfather enchanted Squire into the art world. 

Later, Robinson drew comics and superhero characters, foreshadowing the powerful figures he paints today. 

“My style has always been there, it’s just evolution, it grows and changes,” Robinson said. 

Robinson, a 2024 graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, has always had a certain fascination with Renaissance-era paintings.

Yet despite his appreciation of the style, something was missing. 

“I appreciated the technique and skill, but I just couldn’t really relate to it,” Robinson said. 

For him, the lack of diversity made the style feel distant.

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Black culture in art

Now, Robinson’s style flows through the powerful Black people he paints. 

“I took some of that flavor and remixed it to something that is more me,” Robinson said. “My inspiration comes from Black culture, music and my dreams.”

Two of Robinson’s paintings, titled “4 Deep” (left) and “The Thinker” (right), hang on a wall at 100% MKE.

Robinson’s own personality is vehemently present in each of his pieces. 

“His art has a very strong personality behind it,” said Nelle Speerschneider, a co-founding board member of 100% MKE.

By the end of a lengthy creative process, Robinson’s pieces are saturated with color and shapes that make viewers stop and stare. For Robinson, that’s the goal. 

“To me, good art is when you can just stare at it and sit with it and think,” Robinson said. “If you see my work and walk right past it, then I didn’t do something right.”

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A sketch and painting supplies belonging to Squire Robinson sit on a table.
A painting titled “Cupid’s Wrath” by Squire Robinson.

Music and the flow state

Robinson said when he is met with a blank canvas, he doesn’t begin with a person or a setting; he starts with the mood. Then, with the help of music, he lets his art flow. 

“I don’t try to contain the style, it’s just all me,” Robinson said.

Music is a big deal for Robinson. So much so that he can’t paint without it. Robinson’s taste in music, from classical and jazz to his love for Kendrick Lamar, seeps into his art. 

“Squire’s art makes me feel like music,” Badger said. 

Robinson said music helps him loosen up and get out of a funk. 

“It helps me escape and enter that flow state,” Robinson said. 

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He said music supports his ethereal creative process. 

“Sometimes when I paint, I feel like I’m being guided by something higher than me,” Robinson said.

Squire Robinson lays out a mockup of a future painting on a canvas at 100% MKE on June 17.

Milwaukee made

As a young figure in the Milwaukee art scene, Robinson wears the city on his sleeve. 

“Growing up in Milwaukee made me hard in the sense of staying true to myself,” Robinson said. 

At 100% MKE, Robinson offers a unique voice. “It’s nice to have his youthful and urban take in the studio,” Speerschneider said. 

Badger said young artists like Robinson are vital for pushing the scene forward. 

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“They’re the driving force of what Milwaukee looks and feels like,” he said.

A smaller painting by Squire Robinson sits on a windowsill.
A smaller painting by Squire Robinson sits on a windowsill.
A smaller painting by Squire Robinson sits on a windowsill.

Future goals

Going forward, Robinson wants to become an art therapist, someone who uses the medium of art to process emotional challenges. 

“Art has always been a way to self-express and get my own feelings out,” Robinson said. “That’s why the tone of my paintings matters the most, because those feelings are what I’m trying to evoke.”

As for his art career, Robinson says his finest work is yet to come. 

“I haven’t created my best one yet.”

Squire Robinson poses for a portrait in front of a couple of his paintings at 100% MKE on June 17.


Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://milwaukeenns.org/2026/07/13/squire-robinson-leads-a-new-generation-of-milwaukee-artists-with-his-distinctly-bold-style/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://milwaukeenns.org”>Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-NNS-Favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>

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Post From Community: Laughing Liberally Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

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Post From Community: Laughing Liberally Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


Editor’s note: Post From Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.

By Matthew Filipowicz, Laughing Liberally Milwaukee

Laughing Liberally Milwaukee
Saturday August 8, 2026, 8 p.m., $8
CSZ Milwaukee – 420 South 1st Street, Milwaukee, WI

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With right wing attacks on LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, voting rights, immigrants and more, we need progressive laughs now more than ever. That’s why we’re excited to present Laughing Liberally Milwaukee, a monthly progressive political comedy show featuring Milwaukee’s top liberal and progressive comedians.

Laughing Liberally Milwaukee is hosted by comedian, cartoonist and satirist Matthew Filipowicz. Matthew’s work has been featured by CNN, NPR, PBS, HBO, BBC, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, the Nation, the London Times, Ain’t It Cool News, and the Huffington Post. Matthew also hosts the creatively titled Laughing Liberally Milwaukee Podcast.

Comedians on the August 8th bill include Dana Ehrmann, Tony Castro, Gemini The Savage, John McCombs and sketch comedy troupe The Accountants Of Homeland Security

In addition to some of the finest progressive comedians Milwaukee has to offer, each Laughing Liberally Milwaukee features a special interview with a local activist, journalist, or political figure.

This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://milwaukeenns.org/2026/07/13/post-from-community-laughing-liberally-milwaukee-11/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://milwaukeenns.org”>Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-NNS-Favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>

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