by Chesnie Wardell / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Wisconsin Watch
November 15, 2025

In a classroom turned barbershop on the third floor at Milwaukee’s Rufus King International High School, students sit for a haircut and talk about academics, sports and the latest trends with English teachers Cameron LeFlore and Emmanuel Johnson.  

They’re the latest clients of The Shop in 310, a free on-campus barbershop club for Rufus King students. LeFlore said the cuts help young men feel more confident. 

“Then they don’t need a hat or hoodie,” he said. “They can just walk with their head held high.”

The idea for the shop started when LeFlore brought his clippers to the school, hoping students would want a haircut.

Johnson, who was recently hired at the school, decided to collaborate with LeFlore once he learned they both had an interest in barbering.

Checking out the new club

The Shop in 310 opens daily at 3:30 p.m. except Thursdays. Among the regulars at The Shop in 310 are Rufus King juniors Elijah Ramirez and Demontrey Cochran. 

Ramirez, 17, moved from Chicago to Milwaukee three months ago and was nervous about trying out a new barber for the first time in 10 years. 

“I was scared at first, but then I gained confidence and trust in Mr. LeFlore,” Ramirez said.  

He was pleased with the results of his first mid-taper cut. 

“It came out better than I expected,” he said. 

Since then, he’s gained opportunities with photographers and notices how his cut stands out.

Cochran, 16, is a student in LeFlore’s class and was excited to support the club.

“I really wanted to see how this would turn out,” Cochran said. 

Ramirez and Cochran each encourage their peers to give it a try. 

“Every man can vouch that after they get a haircut, they are going to feel good and that they can conquer the world because of their haircut and confidence from it,” Cochran said.

Financial relief for families

The Shop in 310 initially charged $10 per cut, but after being approved by the Office of Administration at Rufus King as an official club, the trims became free.

“If your child starts off as a freshman coming here, you’d be saving thousands by the time they’re a senior,” LeFlore said. 

Before joining Rufus King, Johnson offered free cuts to students at Marshall High School, where he taught previously, and felt glad to do it. 

“Back then, cuts were $25 to $30. Now barbers are charging $40 and up,” he said. 

Cochran typically spends $35 for a mid-taper cut at his barber. Since coming to The Shop in 310, he’s been able to save money and also values how accessible it has been for his peers.

“There’s a lot of people I know who don’t even have barbershops near them, so it takes them a long time to finally get a cut,” he said.

LeFlore and Johnson use the club’s Instagram to post haircut tutorials for students interested in learning how to cut their own hair at home. 

“I try to take a holistic approach and think back to what I would’ve wanted when I was in high school,” LeFlore said. 

Visiting The Shop in 310 is more than just receiving a haircut for Ramirez and Cochran. It’s a place to feel welcomed. 

“At first I saw them as just English teachers,” Ramirez said. “I like their communication and ability to understand what I’m specifically asking for.” 

Beyond the sounds of clippers, Cochran sees the barbershop as peaceful, chill and liberating. 

“As long as everything is appropriate this is a non-judgment zone,” he said.

Practice leads to improvement  

LeFlore and Johnson are self-taught barbers who learned the skills on their own before bringing clippers into the classroom. 

Johnson started off cutting his youngest brother’s hair as a favor while receiving feedback from his mentor Thomas Mclern, a barber with more than 30 years’ experience. 

“While cutting my brother’s hair I realized that cutting hair was one of the best ways for me to serve the community,” he said. “Cutting hair is now an art for me.”

LeFlore’s path to barbering began after watching a friend cut his own hair, inspiring him to do the same. 

“I told my friend to send me all the products I needed, then I went and brought everything,” he said.  

LeFlore said it used to take an hour and a half to complete a haircut, now it’s only 20 minutes.

Tapping into diverse hair types

As their skills improved by cutting five to 10 heads a week, Johnson and LeFlore became more versatile. 

Having already worked with diverse hair types at Marshall High School, Johnson was able to adjust to the needs of Rufus King students. 

“At Marshall, I was exposed to different hair types and hair thinness, so at Rufus King, I learned quickly and had no problem,” Johnson said. “Every now and then when I get a hair type that’s not my own, it’s still a learning experience.”

Though LeFlore was nervous about cutting different hair textures, he practiced on his dad, whose hair is straighter, and watched YouTube videos to become better. 

“I took my time and it turned out OK, but it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be,” he said. “I learned that straighter hair is easier, you just have to be more precise.”

Cochran said he has interest in cutting his own hair after graduating high school. 

“I want to purchase my own barber kit eventually, and that should save me at least $100 a month,” he said. 

Johnson and LeFlore want people to know that whether it’s cutting hair or something different, practice is key. 

“Whatever they’re looking to pursue, they need to find like-minded people who do the same things and practice together,” Johnson said.

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

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MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee’s 112th annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration returns to Fiserv Forum next Friday with Santa Claus, musical performances and the first-ever Deer District Holiday Market.

The beloved holiday tradition, presented by We Energies, will take place Friday, Nov. 21, at Fiserv Forum in the Cheer District, according to a release from the city.

Festivities begin at 5 p.m., leading up to the tree lighting at 6 p.m.

“Milwaukee embraces the Christmas spirit every year, and Cheer District is a center of our city’s celebrations,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. “I am grateful to all the partners who continue our tradition and make this event an annual success.”

This year’s centerpiece is a 38-foot Colorado blue spruce donated by Kaitlyn Schmidt Thabet and Amgad Thabet. Milwaukee entertaining and style expert David Caruso designed the tree, which will feature more than 600 colorful ornaments and 3,800 glowing lights. A 6-foot LED White Northern Burst will crown the display.

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“It’s always an incredible honor to design the official City of Milwaukee Christmas Tree — a tradition that brings our community together in the spirit of joy and celebration,” Caruso said. “This year’s theme, Together We Shine Brighter, is all about the power of unity. When we come together as a city — with our creativity, compassion and connection — Milwaukee truly shines its brightest.”

Holiday activities:

• Attendees will be able to enjoy fan-favorite Bango spreading holiday cheer alongside Dancer, Cupid and Vixen of Reindeer Games, and of course, Santa Claus himself.
• The New Fashioned will once again provide complimentary hot chocolate to all guests.
• The first-ever Deer District Holiday Market, presented by Deer District BID #53, will feature a curated lineup of local vendors, holiday-themed photo opportunities and seasonal food and beverage specials from Deer District establishments. The market will continue through Nov. 30 on the plaza at Fiserv Forum.
• An interactive display of City of Milwaukee vehicles, including Department of Public Works equipment, a Milwaukee Fire Department engine and Milwaukee Police Department vehicles.
• MPD’s mounted patrol will also be on-site for photo opportunities for attendees of all ages.

Entertainment lineup:

• Back for another great performance, Guyton Entertainment returns with DJ YC and Milwaukee’s piano man extraordinaire, Marcell Guyton, founder of The Rhythm Kings.
• Carolers from the Milwaukee Repertory Theater will perform a medley from their 50th anniversary production of A Christmas Carol.
• Varsity Drumline from Reagan High School will bring the rhythm and energy of Milwaukee Public Schools.

Special guests:

“Mr. Bucks in Six,” Brandon Jennings, will join Mayor Johnson to help light the 2025 Christmas tree and get the holiday started right.

“We are proud to once again partner with the City of Milwaukee to bring this cherished tradition to life in the heart of downtown,” said Michael Belot, Milwaukee Bucks senior vice president of business operations and chief real estate development officer. “Each year, the transformation of Deer District into Cheer District, presented by the We Energies Foundation, captures the joy and togetherness of the holiday season. We can’t wait to celebrate the 112th City of Milwaukee Christmas Tree Lighting and share the magic with our community.”

Parking information:

• The intersection of Vel R. Phillips Avenue and Highland Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic for the duration of the Tree Lighting Event.
• Free parking will be available at the Highland Avenue structure (1030 N. 6th St.) and the 5th Street structure (1215 N. 5th St.).
• Bikes can also be secured at bike racks located at these structures for anyone who prefers to bike in.

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MILWAUKEE – The nation’s six-week government shutdown – the longest in U.S. history – came to an end Wednesday night, but its fallout is still rippling through the aviation system.

What we know:

TSA officers resigned during the stalemate, and more than 10,000 flights were canceled in the past week.

Airline schedules remain thin with Thanksgiving approaching. Cancellations are already affecting Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, including flights to Boston, Newark and O’Hare.

What they’re saying:

Darrell English, a TSA officer and union representative for workers in Wisconsin and Illinois, said the loss of experienced staff has created lasting gaps.

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“Those people that have years in and experience level, and you lose that, that becomes a gap because that’s the experience level that takes years to build up to be able to replace,” English said.

Air traffic controllers also worked without pay throughout the shutdown. Adam Uhan, a commercial pilot, former Air Force pilot and leader of The Pilot Network with about 30,000 members, said the controllers remained steady through the strain.

“The most unsung of the heroes, the people that nobody ever sees or meets are the air traffic controllers,” Uhan said. “They did outstanding work throughout the shutdown.”

Uhan said frustration with the system was felt on the ground and in the cockpit.

“If you feel frustrated, your crew, the people that are working the gate, the people who are working in the bags, the air traffic controllers, they feel your frustration,” he said.

Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration directed major cuts at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports – beginning with a 4% reduction and originally slated to reach 10%. With the shutdown over, the Department of Transportation capped the cuts at 6% to relieve the pressure on controllers. 

Dig deeper:

Even so, Uhan said he felt safe in the skies.

“Safety was never, ever an issue in my mind. What was an issue in my mind was the people that were involved and their wellbeing. And as things progressed, if they got worse, more people were going to have to find other options to make those ends meet,” he said. “I never feared for my safety because I know the professionals that are involved, and they are simply some of the best people I’ve ever worked with in my life who could have done a number of other things at a very high level, but they chose this path because aviation is just, it’s like a calling.”

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English cautioned that workers face long-term financial consequences.

“People have to realize that this is not going to be a quick fix, because officers had had devastated their credit ratings, their livelihood. They got behind on bills because of this. And it’s going to take a while for them to actually get themselves out of this hole. An additional on top of that. This may repeat itself in January,” English said. “They’re still struggling to get out of this hole. So when you see these officers, don’t think that, okay, you’re going to get paid, you should be good. It’s not good because these officers now are in debt, to someone or some other agency that they owe money to. So be patient with them. They still have a lot of issues on their mind or how they want to get things paid back. And again, they had that problem down the line in January. How do I prepare for that?”

What’s next:

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said air traffic controllers may receive partial pay within days. The Trump administration said backpay for federal workers could begin this weekend and continue into the middle of next week.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem handed out $10,000 bonus checks to TSA agents she said “served with exemplary service” in Texas on Thursday, with more bonuses potentially on the way. Air traffic controllers may also receive bonuses as flights try to ramp back toward normal levels ahead of the holidays.