Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee shoppers frustrated by grocery prices as election year nears
Wisconsinites share their thoughts on recent grocery prices
Wisconsinites share their thoughts on recent grocery prices and how it’s effecting their daily shopping habbits.
Adriana Maldonado is a yoga therapist in Wauwatosa with two children at home and three who are grown up that she tries to help with groceries. She has a one-word description for the economy.
“Awful.”
Maldonado said she’s had to pick up extra work to pay bills and other expenses.
“I also bartend at Gibraltar’s, and I also drive for Veyo, which picks up medical patients,” Maldonado said. “And whatever odds and ends I can do, I will do.”
Maldonado added she has cut back on some spending.
“I had to get rid of car insurance for a little while and then I just picked up a cheaper (policy),” Maldonado said. “I cut back on any eating out.”
Maldonado said her faith in the political system and in politicians is broken.
“This is just playing a game on humans,” Maldonado said of the political process.
Maldonado said she encourages people to shop at small local businesses.
“Stop shopping at large companies, come to more local places, put money back into our community,” Maldonado said. “It makes more sense. If we continue to shop the big (stores) we’re going to lose people. There’s so many businesses closing right now, it’s so sad.”
Maldonado is in the sweet spot for one of the most consequential discussions happening across the country: How is the country doing economically? Is daily life affordable? Are we facing sticker shock at the grocery store?
And the enduring political question: Are we better off today than the last time we voted?
President Donald Trump says the Golden Age is upon us, complaints about affordability are a hoax, and any concerns are the fault of the Biden administration combined with the Federal Reserve’s refusal to slash interest rates.
Countering that perspective:
- National consumer sentiment sits near all-time lows, according to the University of Michigan’s monthly survey. The latest survey released Dec. 5 found sentiment improved slightly from November but remained 28 percentage points below December 2024 levels. “Consumers see modest improvements from November on a few dimensions, but the overall tenor of views is broadly somber, as consumers continue to cite the burden of high prices,” University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu said.
- The U.S. job market is showing signs of slowing, adding just 64,000 jobs in November, according to the most recent employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, the highest in four years. Preliminary data for October 2025 released Dec. 16 showed a loss of 105,000 jobs that month, largely driven by layoffs of federal workers.
- The Urban Institute reported in October that Americans are struggling to afford essentials like food, childcare and housing. Nearly four in five Americans believe the U.S. economy will not improve in the year ahead.
- The U.S. job market has been stagnant in recent months, and paycheck growth has been falling steadily for more than three years.
- Consumers never adjusted to the supply chain chaos and dramatic rise in prices during the COVID pandemic. Many of those prices never came down. “The price level changed so much because we had such high inflation for a couple of years there and you’re continuing to add inflation to an already high price level … people haven’t had time to adjust to that,” said Dominic Ceci, chief investing officer for Johnson Financial Group. “In the last five years, we’ve had more inflation than we did in a long time. If you think about prices in 2020, pre-pandemic versus now, it’s a huge difference. It’s a whiplash effect.”
Marquette Poll indicates widespread pessimism
According to the most recent Marquette Law School Poll, 47% of those surveyed in early November said their groceries have “gone up a lot,” and 28% said groceries have “gone up a little.”
In the same poll, people were asked to predict if the cost of living would increase, decrease or stay the same in the next 12 months. Two-thirds said they expect the cost of living to go up.
Historically, the party in power performs poorly in midterm elections. That means Republicans and Trump are running short on time to change people’s minds, according to Marquette Law School Poll director Charles Franklin.
“He is now suffering from this widespread perception, and especially with swing voters, these policies aren’t helping inflation, they’re really exacerbating it,” Franklin said. “That’s tied to tariffs but also other things.”
The widespread frustration with the economy helped Democratic candidates in New York, Virginia, New Jersey and Miami win races in 2025.
“Politicians need to react to that,” Ceci said of voters’ feelings on the economy. “There’s some stuff they can do. There’s tax policy. There’s all kinds of things, but is it realistic that any of that gets done or gets done effectively? Probably not. You really need all of the people to come together to agree to pass bills and make things happen.”
People coming together is not exactly a hallmark of today’s politics.
Milwaukee resident Blanca Rivera, a former parent educator with Bay View Community Center, said food in particular has gotten more expensive. She has three children, and two of them have already moved out or contribute financially to her household.
Even with fewer people to feed, Rivera said she’s spending around $400 per week on food for her family.
“The same amount of money that we spend now for only us three, it’s the same amount of money I used to spend for four to six people before,” said Rivera, who sometimes also shops for other relatives.
To save money, Rivera has cut back on trips to see family members in El Salvador. She used to visit at least two or three times per year, but her budget now only allows for one.
“When you want to go over there, you don’t want to go empty handed. You wanted to bring something” for relatives, Rivera said. “I used to bring seven luggage bags – now I bring two.”
Rivera is also reducing personal care-related expenses to save more money for her family’s more basic needs.
“Before, I used to go and do my nails, my hair, maybe go to buy a nice perfume,” she said. “Now, I’ve got to wait three, four months to do my hair.”
The Journal Sentinel went shopping last year. And then went back.
President Trump said prices would start falling shortly after he took office in January 2025, and in recent months said his administration is bringing down some prices and slowing inflation.
But lower prices have not been seen in Milwaukee area grocery stores.
In August 2024, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel collected the price of a basket of groceries at five Milwaukee-area stores: Walmart, Pick ‘n Save, Target, Festival Foods and Woodman’s.
On Dec. 2, 2025, the Journal Sentinel returned to the same stores to compare how prices changed over the past 16 months. Totals were collected using the same list of common staple items across all five stores. Name brand items were purchased; some stores offer house brands that would significantly bring down prices.
The full grocery list was:
- Almond Milk: 64 ounces
- 100% whole wheat bread: 24-ounce loaf
- Bacon: one pound
- Bananas
- Beef: one pound, 80% lean, not certified Angus
- Butter: one pound
- Cheerios: 8.9-ounce box
- Cheez-its: 12.4-ounce box
- Eggs: one dozen
- Flour: five pounds
- Green beans (canned)
- Strawberry jelly/jam: 18 ounces
- Iceberg lettuce: one head
- Milk: one gallon
- Oranges
- Paper towel: two-roll package
- Peanut butter: 18 ounces
- Toilet paper: six pack
At Walmart, 401 E. Capitol Drive in Milwaukee, the cost was $63.84 in August 2024, and $69.31 on Dec. 2 2025, up around 8.6%. Walmart remains the cheapest of the five stores.
At Woodman’s, 8131 S. Howell Ave. in Oak Creek, the cost was $61.38 in 2024 and $69.80 on Dec. 2, an increase of 13.7%.
At Festival Foods, 11111 W. Greenfield Ave., in West Allis, the cost was $85.62 in 2024 and $94.58 on Dec. 2, an increase of 10.5%.
At Target, 2950 S. Chase Ave., in Milwaukee, the cost was $69.88 in 2024 and $70.21 on Dec. 2, an increase of 0.5%. However, this Target does not carry a name-brand bag of flour, the house brand was substituted, likely lowering the overall cost.
Finally, at Pick ‘n Save, 605 E. Lyon St. in Milwaukee, the price was $83.18 in 2024 and $81.53 on Dec. 2. That’s a decrease of 2%.
Substituting store-brand alternatives for name-brand grocery items does offer some savings for customers. For example, Pick ‘n Save’s store-brand grocery list cost $57.33 in December.
Some items fluctuated wildly in price since August 2024. A bird flu epidemic drove national egg prices to more than $6 per dozen in March 2025. Prices have dropped significantly since then, but the national average price of a dozen eggs in September 2025 remained above August 2024 levels.
The cost of a dozen Grade A large eggs at the five Milwaukee-area stores ranged from $1.97 to $2.49 on Dec. 2.
Is the affordability issue overblown?
Chris Dare was at the Milwaukee Public Market with his son Jake and noticed that meat prices were higher than at their butcher shop back home in Oshkosh.
Still, both wondered if the broad reaction to elevated prices wasn’t a bit exaggerated.
“I don’t think it’s as bad as people are making it sound,” Chris Dare said. “The disappointing thing for me was COVID was an open door for prices to go up, with somewhat legitimate reasons, but of course when those reasons went away, prices didn’t go back down, which we knew was going to happen.”
His son Jake believes candidates will “weaponize” prices in upcoming elections.
“The cost of living and the cost of buying things, the purchasing power of the wages you make is going to affect politics,” Jake Dare said. “After the elections come and go, I think it’ll flatten back out again and you’ll have two years of, probably, steady increases … it’s cyclical, any time the elections come around.”
Both father and son think about how prices impact them when they go to the polls, and they encourage other voters to research candidates and vote based on what impacts them personally.
“I don’t think anybody wants to admit it,” Chris Dare said, but “let’s be realistic, I’m voting 100% selfishly how things affect me.”
Chris and Jake consider themselves conservative, but question what Trump could do in the near-term to lower prices.
“And unfortunately I don’t think any president has that much immediate control over the economy,” Chris Dare said. “As much as you’d like to have somebody march in and suddenly things turn around. … it doesn’t happen that quickly on the economy side.”
Shoppers want specifics from candidates on solutions
Karen and Lee Veldboom live in the city of Waukesha and have learned to be more selective when at the grocery store.
“We don’t buy beef,” Karen Veldboom said, adding that her family has cut back on sweets and other treats as well. “Everything is so volatile right now, you kind of go with what it is.”
Both believe prices and the economy will play a role in how people vote in 2026. And both yearn for the days of more civility and less anger.
“We lean conservative but there’s so much craziness going on now, you don’t even know who to support,” Lee Veldboom said. “You can’t go two days in a row without hearing something totally outrageous.”
Heather Wiese from Pewaukee has taken up thrift shopping since doing it with her daughter in 2020.
It’s a good way for her to save money and support smaller businesses, she said.
But it’s a different feeling at the grocery store.
“Prices are high, holy moly,” Wiese said. “The price of beef is way up. The price of everything is way up.”
Wiese doesn’t expect the issue of affordability to go away anytime soon.
“People really can’t afford a lot of stuff right now,” Wiese said.
What she doesn’t want to hear is a lot of rhetoric without specifics.
“I would like more details,” Wiese said. “I don’t think on day one everything is going to go down.”
Despite promises, they certainly haven’t in the past.
The grocery bill is just one of many factors affecting households each month. Here’s the price of other common household expenses as of Dec. 16, 2025, compared to a year ago:
- Gas, Milwaukee- Waukesha metro average: $2.499
- Utility Bill, Typical We Energies customer: $135.94 per month
- 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate, U.S. average: 6.22%
- Rent, Milwaukee average: $1,250
Milwaukee community members gathered at pop-up events across the northwest side Wednesday as part of “Peace on Every Block,” a week of activities aimed at building community, mentorship and sharing resources for violence prevention.
The week is organized by Advance Peace Milwaukee, Milwaukee Community Cross Roads and Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services.
“We want to see everybody win, and that’s the whole theme about it, about healing, coming together, stopping the violence,” Desilynn Smith of Uniting Garden Homes said.
Lorenzo Davis of Advance Peace said the northwest side was a deliberate focus for the effort.
“Because this is where the gun violence is happening, and we’re trying to end the gun violence in the city of Milwaukee. We really want to do what’s best for Milwaukee,” Davis said.
The Milwaukee Police Department reported a 30 percent drop in homicides during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. But community members say that progress doesn’t always reflect what people are experiencing on the ground.
Watch: ‘Peace on Every Block’ brings Milwaukee community together to fight gun violence
‘Peace on Every Block’ brings Milwaukee community together to fight gun violence
“The data doesn’t lie, that’s true, but when it’s like every day we’re hearing about a shooting, or we’re so connected to it, and so many people connected to it, it just doesn’t appear that way,” Smith said.
The events come as Milwaukee has seen several violent deaths in recent days. 42-year-old Kristy Syed was found shot to death on Milwaukee’s south side.
The Medical Examiner’s Office also identified 19-year-old Savannah Lynn, who was killed after gunfire broke out following a fight on the Fourth of July.
Nine-year-old Jade Riser died after a shooting that happened near East Burleigh Street last Thursday.
Smith said healing is central to any lasting change.
“If we don’t heal, we can’t stop anything, because violence is actually the secondary emotion that is really driven off a lot of pain,” Smith said.
Davis said the young people in these neighborhoods are ready for something better.
“They want to see a better inside Milwaukee. They want to see a better chance for Milwaukee, and they want to do something better for themselves. So, these kids out here, we promote peace with them, and we’re going to back them, and we want to see them win,” Davis said.
Let’s talk:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip
MILWAUKEE — Former Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan won’t serve prison time or probation and has been fined $5,000, a judge determined on Wednesday during her sentencing hearing.
It comes after a jury found her guilty of obstruction last year for helping an immigrant evade federal agents.
During the hearing, Dugan’s defense team called two character witnesses to the stand to speak on her behalf, including Rev. Gregory J. O’Meara, who is also a Marquette University Law School faculty member, and Janine Geske, the retired director of the Andrew Center for Restorative Justice and a law professor at Marquette.
“Hannah models what it means to be a Christian,” O’Meara said.
Dugan herself also spoke for the first time since the case against her began.
She told U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman that she tried to “maintain a courtroom with the decorum and safety the public deserves.”
Dugan added her actions on April 18, 2025, when the incident occurred, were “not done with any malicious intent or to advance any personal interest.”
Wrapping up her remarks, Dugan said to the court she has been cast as a scofflaw and a hero, but considers herself neither of those things.
“I am a public servant who’s just trying to do my job,” Dugan said, adding that she has had to retire from public life due to threats against her and her family.
A prosecutor then acknowledged that “she has experienced collateral damage because of her conduct,” but said “judges can’t choose to disregard the law.”
Prosecutors argued that Dugan’s actions amounted to an “abuse of trust” and asked the court’s sentence to reflect that.
Adelman then spoke, saying Dugan made a bad decision and that he doesn’t believe prison is necessary.
“This is a few minutes of conduct for someone who has dedicated her life to public service,” the judge said. “It’s a marked deviation from an otherwise law-abiding life.”
He also noted that Dugan’s actions didn’t stop the ICE agents from arresting the defendant outside the courthouse.
In April of last year, federal agents showed up at the Milwaukee County Courthouse to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who had reentered the country illegally. On that particular day, he was appearing before Dugan’s courtroom for a state battery case.
Dugan confronted the federal agents in a hallway outside the courtroom and directed them to the chief judge’s office. Following that, she helped Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a private jury door. Agents eventually caught up to him outside the courthouse.
Dugan was later arrested and charged for her part in the incident, and she was found guilty of obstruction last December; she was acquitted on her concealment charge.
Her lawyers argued during her trial that President Donald Trump’s administration sought to “crush” Dugan in an effort to ensure judicial compliance with the ICE strategy of targeting immigrants as they showed up for court hearings.
Dugan resigned the Milwaukee County circuit judgeship she had held for nine years in January amid threats of impeachment from Republican state lawmakers who labeled her an activist judge. In her resignation letter, she said her prosecution threatened “the independence of our judiciary.”
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who has the backing of Trump in his race for governor, urged authorities to “lock her up” in a social media post following her conviction.
Featured Events
1. Bastille Days
ALL WEEKEND AT VARIOUS TIMES | CATHEDRAL SQUARE PARK
Milwaukee’s French-themed festival is coming to Cathedral Square Park this weekend. The festival will feature French and Cajun cuisine, live entertainment, a 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica and more. The Storm the Bastille 5K run/walk is Milwaukee’s only nighttime 5K, kicking off the festival at 9 p.m. on Thursday. Entrance to Bastille Days is free all weekend.
2. Festa Italiana
FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AT VARIOUS TIMES | HENRY MAIER FESTIVAL PARK
Festa Italiana is serving up authentic Italian eats, live music, cultural performances and more this weekend. Don’t miss out on the Milwaukee’s Best Sauce contest! General admission is $18 and tickets can be purchased online in advance.
3. Whitefish Bay Art Fest
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. | EAST SILVER SPRING DRIVE
Check out 100 original artists making their way to Whitefish Bay for their annual art fest. Artists will be selling everything from jewelry to photography alongside cold beer and good food. A Kids Art Zone will be hosting art projects and face painting and live art demos allow guests to get to know the artist’s process. Entrance to this event is free, but you can reserve up to two tickets for complimentary food, drinks and desserts.
Experience an unforgettable evening celebrating great design!
More Events
4. Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!
THURSDAY FROM 7:30 P.M. TO 9:30 P.M. | RIVERSIDE THEATER
Peabody Award-winning comedy news quiz show Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! Is coming to the Riverside Theater. Hosted by Peter Sagal, a rotating panel of comedians, writers and celebrities review the week’s news before contestants are quizzed for the chance to win a custom-recorded greeting by a cast member for their voicemail. Tickets start at are $35 each and can be purchased online.
5. PRO’S 20TH Anniversary Party
FRIDAY FROM 6 P.M. TO 10 P.M. | THIRD SPACE BREWING
Performance Running Outfitters is celebrating 20 years serving the running community in Milwaukee. The celebration takes place at Third Space Brewing and will feature interactive activations from many of the top running gear brands. The party will also include local food trucks, live music and craft beer.
6. Sip and Strut 2026
FRIDAY AT 6 P.M. | CORK WINE AND COCKTAIL BAR
KenVogue LLC is transforming Cork Wine Bar into a Paris-inspired runway featuring local brands, designers and models. The night combines fashion and elegance with local pride and creativity. General admission tickets are $30 each and VIP tickets include an exclusive gift bag and dinner provided by Sydney Serving.
7. Starry Nights: Rockin’ Robins and Classic Car Show
FRIDAY FROM 6:30 P.M. TO 8:30 P.M. | GERLACH/HAACK OUTDOOR THEATER
Jam out to music from the 50’s and 60’s with the Rockin’ Robins while celebrating National Collector Appreciation Day with the Wilson Center Classic Vehicle Show. This joint event is a part of the Starry Nights concert series and both are free to attend. If you plan to stay for the music, make sure to bring chairs or a picnic blanket.
8. Wine Glass Painting Workshop
FRIDAY FROM 6:30 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M. | A STROKE OF GENIUS PAINT WINE STUDIO
Join the staff at A Stroke of Genius Paint and Sip for a fun and relaxing wine glass painting workshop. The team will lead lessons on simple painting techniques including brush strokes, patterns and decorative techniques. A ticket to the class includes the lesson, practice exercises, two wine glasses to paint, all painting supplies and access to the full bar. Tickets are $305 each and can be purchased online.
9. The Fine Arts Quartet 80th Anniversary Series
FRIDAY FROM 7:30 P.M. TO 9 P.M. | ZELAZO CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
The Fine Arts Quartet will celebrate 80 years with a free concert featuring Brahms Piano Quartet #3. The program features Gisele Witkowski and Fabio Witkowski as guest pianists. No ticket is required to attend this show.
10. 2026 Dragon Boat Festival
SATURDAY FROM 8 A.M. TO 4 P.M. | SOUTH GATE PLAZA
Spend Saturday on the shores of Lake Michigan and celebrate the spirit of teamwork, cultural heritage and more at the Dragon Boat Festival. Dragon boating teams from across the region will compete in multiple divisions throughout the day while family-friendly activities, traditional performances and authentic cuisine offer an immersive experience on land. Entrance to the festival is $5 per person over the age of 13.
11. Time Travelers Vintage Expo
SATURDAY FROM 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. | BAIRD CENTER
Travel back in time at the Time Travelers Vintage Expo and enter a retro wonderland. The expo brings together small businesses, curators and artists from across the US to offer the best vintage clothing, home goods, retro-inspired handmade items and more. Sellers offer a wide range of styles and price points, so there’s something for everyone. Tickets to the expo are $11 each and can be purchased online.
12. The Allis Fiber Festival
SATURDAY FROM 12 P.M. TO 4 P.M. | CHARLES ALLIS ART MUSEUM
Explore the many rooms of the Allis mansion and discover the world of fiber arts. Each room will include a different fiber or textile practice and include live demonstrations. In the courtyard, guests can meet fiber-bearing animals including llamas, alpacas and rabbits. Participation in this event is included with museum admission and free for members.
13. Bop to the Top
SATURDAY AT 9 P.M. | THE RAVE
Calling all Disney Channel girlies, it’s the Bop to the Top Tour! In honor of 20 years of Hannah Montana and High School Musical, this dance party will feature all the hits from Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Camp Rock, Lemonade Mouth and more. Full audience participation is expected, including screaming all of the lyrics. This event is 18+ and general admission tickets start at $28.
-
Wisconsin2 minutes agoNew Wisconsin AD Shawn Eichorst: Badgers Need ‘Texas Swagger’ And Less Humility
-
West Virginia7 minutes agoWest Virginia retailers told to allow people to purchase soda with SNAP benefits
-
Wyoming14 minutes agoWyoming women escape black bear attack on their tents in the Big Horn Mountains
-
Crypto17 minutes agoBinance maintains commitment to EU, seeking more licences in Asia
-
Finance22 minutes agoHow Banreservas mobilised diaspora capital
-
Fitness29 minutes agoI’d Fallen Into an Exercise Rut—Until Trail Running Reminded Me How Joyful Movement Could Be
-
Movie Reviews37 minutes agoMovie review: Supergirl is a blast
-
World42 minutes agoTrump Says He Thinks He Will Remove Syria From US Terrorism Sponsor List
