Milwaukee, WI
Significant moments of 2025 as seen by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff
A year is made of moments. Some of them are significant, and the world turns its eyes to what’s happening in Wisconsin. Big moments like the NFL Draft in Green Bay, August’s historic flooding, Brewers in the playoffs, a Milwaukee County judge charged with obstruction. But a year is made of quieter moments, too. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s visuals staff documented life in Wisconsin in 2025. Throughout the year, their travels across Wisconsin brought national attention to local stories, showcased life and culture of the state, and revealed moments that connect us to each other.
Only in Wisconsin do cows get spa treatment for a photo shoot in an image captured by photographer Mark Hoffman. Scott Ash documented the most exciting day of the year for many a 17-year-old: prom. Sports reporter Dave Kallmann’s still image of speed skaters captures motion. Mike De Sisti perfectly (and creepily) frames 9-year-old Carlos Cannon in his Halloween costume.
And even in moments of chaos, an image can save a quiet moment. Angela Peterson photographed Sheena Scarbrough being comforted after her daughter’s killer was found guilty. Jovanny Hernandez followed stories of immigration throughout the year, including Judge Hannah Dugan’s obstruction charges and Yessenia Ruano’s decision to return to El Salvador after exhausting options in Milwaukee.
This is a curated selection of images chosen for their impact, artistry and ability to represent Wisconsin’s rich cultural diversity. Within this collection, you’ll find photographs that are historic, artistic and ones that simply make you smile. They demonstrate the staff’s skill and dedication in presenting an authentic perspective on life in Wisconsin.
Angela Peterson
This is my favorite photo of 2025 because of the raw emotion of these young men embracing each other after ending a group therapy session. They are part of Bridge to Brighter, an organization that offers housing and life skills to young men who are aging out of the foster care system. On this evening, reporter Bridge Fogerty and I were observing a listening session. The men, between the ages 18-24, spoke candidly about the hardships of growing up without a family. And we heard the pain in their voices as they shared experiences about living with strangers. We were touched by their shared bond and how they created their own family within the program.
− Angela Peterson
Mike De Sisti
Looking back forces me to realize just how much ground I’ve covered photographically in 2025. From the community’s reaction to the loss of beloved Brewers’ broadcaster Bob Uecker and the nonstop fascination with the newly graffitied lakeshore landmark Deep Thought, to the deportation of a schoolteacher with U.S.-born children and the tornadoes that tore through small Dodge County communities. It’s been a year.
But when I’m asked to pick a single favorite image, I keep coming back to my firefly.
It’s a photo I’d wanted for years. I’ve taken wide, long-exposure shots of the night sky and captured fireflies by stacking multiple images, but I’d never managed to catch one solitary bug lighting up. My attention span probably matches theirs. After six or seven minutes of waiting, I’d usually give up.
But on this warm July evening, I was in the backyard with my daughters, trying to coax our indoor cat, Emily, out of her carrier. As we sat there with treats in hand, waiting her out, darkness settled in and out came the fireflies.
I grabbed my camera. After a few minutes of chasing one around the yard, it finally settled on a blade of grass. I waited. It flashed a burst of green bioluminescent light, I fired off a couple frames, and it flew away.
“Got it!” I yelled, as my kids, either uninterested or simply used to me doing this, barely looked up. But it made my night.
Maybe even my year.
− Mike DeSisti
Mark Hoffman
This photo of Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) warming up before their National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers captures his work ethic. The graphic nature of the images works for me. It’s something you will not see on television. It’s a quiet moment. Capturing moments that would otherwise slip between the cracks is what makes still photojournalism work.
− Mark Hoffman
Jovanny Hernandez
An image of a young Ojibwe spearer captures a quiet moment in which a young man learns the traditions of his ancestors. Spearfishing is part of a long continuum of cultural knowledge, identity and the expression of treaty rights. A mark in Wisconsin’s history, from the controversial Walleye Wars to a new generation learning these skills.
This image captures the enduring connection between people, nature and history. I am honored to have been welcomed into the lives of the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Nation to document the importance of these relationships for future generations.
− Jovanny Hernandez
Scott Ash
I have been blessed to photograph many events and gatherings throughout my career. Once in a great while, I’ll be fortunate to capture a moment that transports the viewer back in time. A nostalgic reminder of childhood, family and community.
− Scott Ash
Hannah Schroeder
I have spent the majority of the past five months, since I started at the Journal Sentinel, covering the historic flooding in August that devastated the community and its aftermath. Up until this point, I would have chosen a flooding photo as my top photo of the year due to the impact on the community.
However, I recently moved from a small town in New England and studied in rural Ohio, both of which have informed my perspective as a community photojournalist. My favorite moments tend to be intimate, emotional moments that unfold at community events and in day-to-day life. Documenting notable moments around the city and state, like this image at St. Rita Church in West Allis, brings me pride as a journalist. I spoke with countless community members at this final church service who were raised, baptized and married in this church. You could already feel the community’s loss long before the church closed its doors. Though my image, I hope to convey the difficult emotions of the congregation on this day.
− Hannah Schroeder
Angelica Edwards
I made this image while working on a story with Alyssa Salcedo, where we shadowed students at Notre Dame School of Milwaukee’s boys’ and girls’ middle school campuses volunteering in their communities.After photographing a group of boys assembling winter clothes kits at St. Vincent de Paul on West Madison Street, I went over to School Sisters of St. Francis Sacred Heart Retirement Community in Burnham Park. That’s where I met the eighth-grade girls helping seniors with a coloring activity, which involved rolling a die and coloring in a section of a turkey with the color corresponding to the die number.
I went from table to table, observing the girls’ lead a coloring activity, and converse with the seniors. I noticed eighth-grader Tairy Ramirez coloring with 88-year-old Sister Catherine Ollmann and was drawn to their laughter and made a couple of images of them interacting with each other. I selected this photo because I love the endearing moment shared between them and feel like it captures the energy and excitement shared by all of the students and sisters in the room.
− Angelica Edwards
Milwaukee, WI
Beloit Memorial star Amare Hereford remains loyal, signs with Milwaukee Panthers
Michigan wins the national championship over UConn
Michigan beats UConn to win the national championship and we break down how they did it and where both programs go from here.
Loyalty is a word you rarely hear anymore when it comes to college sports.
Amare Hereford is an exception.
The night before he was able to put pen to paper and make his commitment to the UW-Milwaukee men’s basketball team official earlier this week, the Beloit Memorial standout was invited for an on-campus visit with the Wisconsin Badgers.
Hereford did his due diligence. What player wouldn’t have in his position?
“Me being an 18-year-old kid, my first high major [visit], I just decided to go check it out,” Hereford said.
UW put on the full-court press in an attempt to lock down the Wisconsin “Mr. Basketball” finalist.
“They offered me a scholarship,” Hereford said. “It all happened so fast. It was all within a day.”
Hereford went home, processed the situation with his family and came to a decision.
He would honor his commitment to the Panthers, with his signature cementing the deal and UWM announcing the news Thursday, April 16.
“No, it wasn’t really hard to turn down,” Hereford said, referring to UW’s offer. “I love every school and I appreciate every school that reaches out to me. But I’m going to choose a school that I have a great relationship with, with all the coaching staff, and that’s been thinking highly of me and recruited me for the longest time. And that was the Panthers.
“Wisconsin is a great school, of course. But I’m going to the school that has been with me for the longest time.”
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Hereford is a huge addition for a Panthers squad that, like so many other programs due to transfer portal madness, is in the midst of rebuilding its roster for the 2026-2027 season almost from scratch.
“Amare will be a star here at Milwaukee,” coach Bart Lundy said. “He will be a fan favorite from the beginning. He is a complete basketball player but probably has as good of an ability to score as I’ve seen in any high school player. He is a great student and a great worker and completely fits our culture.
“We are so excited that he will represent the city of Milwaukee and the state and especially his hometown of Beloit.”
Indeed, Hereford put the ball through the net for Beloit Memorial at a prodigious rate, averaging 37.5 points per game – tops in the state – as a senior. He finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,493 points in four years.
Hereford also poured in 49 points in his final high school game, a WIAA sectional semifinal loss to Verona last month.
Hereford was tough to guard going to the basket as his 60.7% shooting this past season indicates, but he also shot a terrific 45% from from 3-point range (81 for 180) and capitalized on all the contact he drew to the tune of 83% accuracy at the free-throw line.
More than just a scorer, though, Hereford also finished with team-leading averages of 8.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.9 steals per game.
“My playing style fits the way [the Panthers] play – they get up and down, play fast,” Hereford said. “Coach Lundy said he definitely sees me running [point guard], having the ball in my hands, playing the same way I did in high school, finding teammates, getting to the rim and scoring at all three levels.”
Defense is typically where newcomers experience the biggest growing pains, learning the all-out effort it takes to guard at a high level on every possession.
Hereford, however, indicates he’s more than just a scorer.
“I love playing defense,” he said. “Hitting the gaps, getting steals and different things like that, being active with my hands a lot. I’m definitely looking forward to getting pushed defensively and picking up the ball full court, on-ball pressure in the half court.”
Hereford took his visit to UWM in mid-March, after the season had been completed, but saw enough games on TV to cement his opinion of the challenge ahead.
“The Horizon League is amazing,” he said. “There’s a lot of guards who play the same way I play, like to get up and down, play fast. That’s why I love Coach Lundy and the Panthers and the rest of the staff. They let guys be themselves. They play fast, get up and down, play together as one.
“They let everybody touch the ball and be themselves.”
Before Wisconsin entered the picture, Hereford said he’d narrowed his school choices to UWM and San Diego, where Whitefish Bay Dominican product and former Iowa State assistant JR Blount has taken over as head coach.
Now, Hereford projects as an important piece in the Panthers’ rebuilding process.
“Coach Lundy and the staff, they believe in me heavy. And I just want to prove them right,” Hereford said. “I want them to see that I can come in and make a huge impact right away for the team and in the Horizon League.
“I’m definitely going to come in and compete for my minutes. And obviously, I want to stay there.
“So, definitely looking forward to coming in and earning my spot.”
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee area flooding hits Bay View, south side neighborhoods
MILWAUKEE – Recent storms brought flooding back to parts of Milwaukee, causing new damage in neighborhoods still recovering from historic flooding last August.
Local perspective:
Along South Fulton Street in Bay View, piles of debris lined the road Thursday night as residents threw out water-damaged items from their basements. While the damage was not as severe as last year, neighbors said it is still frustrating.
Residents were also seen picking up dehumidifiers and fans, trying to dry out before more rain arrives.
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At the intersection of Howell and Oklahoma, which was underwater Wednesday night, a business flooded again.
“We’re kind of used to it over so many years,” said Michael Arenas, an insurance agent with Reilly’s Insurance Services.
Arenas said flooding has become almost an annual issue, often leaving water in the building’s basement. He pointed to window seals that were pushed out by floodwaters.
“We even had some of these windows sealed up over here, and the flood actually pushed these out pretty good, so we’re gonna have to get these […] yeah, they pushed them out pretty good, and put all these leaves and stuff down here from the window wells,” Arenas said.
What they’re saying:
About a mile away, homeowner Allison Gipp listed what she had to throw out after water entered her basement.
“Boxes, a TV, luggage, you know, wrapping paper and toilet paper,” Gipp said.
She said sewage backed up through her floor drain, reaching about three inches this time.
“They’re saying, ‘Well, our biggest priority is not to have sewage in people’s basements.’ Well… This is what keeps happening,” Gipp said.
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In August, Gipp said her basement had about three feet of water.
The cleanup is not as extensive this time, but she said more storms could bring more work.
“Hopefully it doesn’t happen again,” she said. “Hopefully, if it does, it’s not worse.”
Gipp said she is holding off on fully cleaning her basement in case more flooding happens.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.
Milwaukee, WI
5 Expensive Milwaukee Tools Users Say Are Worth Buying – SlashGear
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There’s no way around it: Milwaukee is an expensive brand. The toolmaker produces a lot of niche tools that specialized professionals rely on, as well as more common work tools and small, portable alternatives for DIYers and renters, and none are known for being especially affordable. For that, you’ll want to look at cheaper brands like Ryobi, Hercules, and Kobalt instead.
However, purchasing an expensive tool doesn’t mean you’re wasting your money. Sure, buying into the Milwaukee ecosystem is a serious investment, but sometimes that investment pays off in spades. That’s true for a lot of the more expensive Milwaukee tools, but the five examples on this list represent the most beloved products made by the brand that the community absolutely recommends, even if they have a big price tag attached.
Of course, you should check for any active promotions. If you shop at Home Depot, for example, you can often get a Milwaukee tool with a battery included at no extra cost.
M18 Fuel Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit
This kit, which includes the M18 Fuel Hammer Drill, the Impact Driver, and two M18 XC 5.0Ah batteries, is normally $400. It is not the cheapest way to get a drill and a driver, and even Milwaukee itself sells a more affordable hammer drill and impact driver bundle as part of the M12 portable productivity system lineup.
That said, $400 is a good price for a kit as versatile and powerful as this, at least according to professional reviewers and those who own it. The bundle has a nearly perfect review score on Home Depot, and Pro Tool Reviews called the M18 Fuel Impact Driver in this kit “the best all-around impact driver we’ve tested to date.” While the publication didn’t have quite the same words for the drill, it was still highly recommended, especially for its overall value.
That’s the secret to this bundle. While it isn’t cheap, the reason users so often recommend it is that, compared to buying its individual components, the kit is a steal. The two included batteries are usually sold for $170 each, while just one of these tools costs more than $200, making this combo kit, model number 3697-22, the cheaper option by far. Plus, the kit often goes on sale, and sometimes it comes with the High Output 6.0Ah M18 battery pack as a “free gift,” which is worth $200.
M18 Fuel Oscillating Multi-Tool
Sold for $250, most users say the M18 Fuel Oscillating Multi-Tool is worth the price, even if other brands’ alternatives are quite a bit cheaper. DeWalt even sells a whole kit with battery, a charger, a bag, and an oscillating multi-tool for less than just the Milwaukee tool. Professional reviews of Milwaukee’s tool are very positive, with Pro Tool Reviews listing its relatively slow tool-free blade change as the only negative. Meanwhile, users simply love it, with many comparing it favorably to DeWalt’s version. At the time of writing, this tool is offered in a bundle with a High Output 6.0Ah M18 battery at no additional cost. According to users, this kind of deal happens pretty often.
While it seems to be aimed at carpenters (lots of enthusiastic users are, in fact, carpenters), there’s a lot you can do with a Milwaukee oscillating multi-tool. However, you need to get the right blades and attachments first. You can buy Milwaukee blades. However, with much less attention from users, it’s hard to say if they’re worth the higher price. Thankfully, a number of Ryobi attachment sets work on Milwaukee multi-tools, and they’re way cheaper than Milwaukee’s originals. A 16-piece set of blades and accessories from Ryobi will cost you about $50, significantly less than Milwaukee’s $70 eight-piece blade kit.
M18 Fuel Hackzall Reciprocating Saw
While it’s now a somewhat common term for all small reciprocating saws, Milwaukee invented and owns the name Hackzall. It’s no surprise, then, that the company makes some of the best versions of this versatile one-handed tool. Its versatility means you’ll likely be using it more often than other cutting tools. Users recommend you pick the best of the best, the M18 Fuel Hackzall. This is a brushless tool, meaning (among other things) that the motor is less likely to fail; great for something you’ll get a lot of use out of.
The Fuel Hackzall is more expensive than non-M18, non-Fuel Milwaukee versions, as well as other brands’ alternatives. DeWalt’s Atomic Brushless reciprocating saw is technically just as expensive (both are sold at $200 when not on sale), but you can get DeWalt’s for free “with a qualifying purchase,” like a big pack of batteries and chargers.
Still, users say the Milwaukee is absolutely worth the price for the pivoting shoe and power. It gets 4.8 out of 5 stars on Home Depot, is recommended by many of its users, and has great professional reviews as well.
M18 Fuel 1/2-inch Controlled Mid-Torque Impact Wrench
Why is an impact wrench that only goes up to 250 ft-lb of torque priced at $1,599.00? As you might imagine, the 1/2-inch Controlled Mid-Torque Impact Wrench isn’t a normal impact wrench. “Controlled” in the name refers to the ability to set a target torque via the One Key app without worrying that the tool will overtorque: an ability that few impact wrenches have, and one that Milwaukee claims to have perfected. And every single user review on Home Depot is a full five stars, wholeheartedly recommending this tool to those who need it.
According to Milwaukee, rather than relying on the imprecise method of counting the blows performed by the tool, this impact wrench uses sensors and “machine learning developed algorithms” to achieve higher repeatability. In this context, high repeatability means that repeated uses of the tool under similar circumstances create very similar results. Setting the torque to 100 ft-lb might not result in that exact number (that’s accuracy), but it will produce the same number every time.
If you were confused by its price, you weren’t the only one. Users ask about it quite often on the Milwaukee subreddit, and the answer is always the same: For someone who works on large-scale installation projects where precise torque levels are necessary, this tool (or the higher and lower torque models) is absolutely worth the money. As Milwaukee points out, the controlled torque line is designed for utility-scale solar projects like solar farms. And as noted by Pro Tool Reviews in its buying guide for this product, a trusty controlled torque impact wrench can save lots of time by removing the need to finish each bolt with a manual torque wrench.
M18 Fuel Gen-2 Mid Torque Impact Wrench
More users recommend the Fuel Mid Torque Impact Wrench over the high torque version, since it’s not as heavy and can still handle most of what you can throw at it. With up to 650 ft-lb of breakaway torque, 2,575 max rpm, and a dedicated function to maximize torque when removing tough bolts, it shouldn’t have any problems with removing lug nuts from cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks.
Some users point out that it can struggle with nuts stuck with rust, but most owners seem to agree that, even at $279, the Mid Torque 1/2-inch Impact Wrench is worth its price. It has a near-perfect review score on Home Depot, with a 4.9-star average from over 2,500 user reviews. Users on forums praise the weight-to-power ratio, and professional reviews place it near the top of the pile for mid-torque impact wrenches.
When using it with a large 5.0Ah battery, it weighs only around five pounds, while the head is only about six inches long, which helps it fit into tighter spaces. With four power modes and an auto shut-off to prevent overtightening, it’s a relatively precise tool, too.
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