Milwaukee, WI
Some Milwaukee homes undergo lead abatement for free
MILWAUKEE — Health officials said lead is still commonly found in older homes around Milwaukee. Lead paint was banned in the U.S. in 1978, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
So many of the city’s homes are contaminated with lead that the Milwaukee Health Department is calling it a crisis.
Tyler Weber, the deputy commissioner of environmental health at the Milwaukee Health Department, said there are 200,000 homes in the City of Milwaukee contaminated with lead.
He said the older the home, the higher the levels of lead. That poses an array of health risks, especially for children.
“It can prevent a child from learning to read earlier in life,” Weber said. “It can decrease their vocabulary. There’s impulse control [and] potentially ADHD. So there’s a number of behavioral challenges and that can have a lifelong impact.”
Weber said lead can be found in walls, windows, water and soil. He said because it’s so prevalent in Milwaukee homes, $20 million in federal funds have been put toward reducing the lead hazard in low-income communities.
“They’ve been significantly red-lined, segregated economically and they have older homes with more windows, bigger square-footage and 80% of the families we work with are renters,” Weber said.
In Milwaukee, a resident may qualify for the Wisconsin Lead-Safe Homes Program (LSHP) if they meet the following criteria:
- “Your home was built before 1978
- “Your taxes are paid to date or you are enrolled in a tax payment plan
- “Children under age 19 or a pregnant woman living at or regularly visiting your home are on, or are eligible for, Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus. (“Regularly visiting” means visiting for at least three hours per day on two or more days per week, totaling at least 60 hours per year)”
The Morris sisters are just two of the many individuals impacted by lead exposure in the city. Their home was built in the early 1900s and riddled with lead.
A Habitat for Humanity flyer left in their mailbox that advertised free lead abatement services caught their interest.
“I told my sister, I said ‘Hey, I think this would be a good thing to look into,’ because it’s an older house. We have peeling paint and she had her two grandchildren living here with us,” Shawn Morris said.
They met the qualifications, as the grandkids living in the home had high levels of lead in their blood. Habitat for Humanity quickly got to work. The abatement took about three months to complete and was done free of charge.
“It’s a wonderful program,” Morris said. “They totally transformed our house. They gave us a new house. There’s no way we would have been able to afford it.”
The project saved the Morris family thousands of dollars and brought the grandkids’ lead blood levels back to normal. Weber is hoping to do just that for other families affected by lead exposure.
“Helping to get this crisis under control and bring awareness to the lead poisoning and the effects in can cause,” Weber said.
For more information on how to qualify and apply for free lead remediation in Milwaukee, click here.
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Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee neighbors embrace snow after lackluster winter
![Milwaukee neighbors embrace snow after lackluster winter Milwaukee neighbors embrace snow after lackluster winter](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7d9b34f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x1588+0+1222/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2Fd6%2Ff12eedbf4669b7a29aa28283786f%2Fimg-9841.jpg)
MILWAUKEE — Fresh snowfall brought sledding, shoveling, and winter excitement to Milwaukee on Wednesday.
Near the lakefront, kids and adults took advantage of the rare accumulation.
“This is our go-to spot when there’s snow,” said Kathleen Culen-Ritter, an East Side resident.
“There hasn’t been too much, so anytime there is, we get out there. It’s nice to have Colectivo for a hot chocolate afterward, too.”
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Sledding isn’t just for little kids, either. Michael Lynch, a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, joined his fraternity brothers for an impromptu sledding event.
“Right now, we don’t have school, so we’re just enjoying it,” Lynch said. “We’re big kids—we can still have fun.”
![IMG_9841.jpg](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/25abfab/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x4032+0+0/resize/1080x1440!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2Fd6%2Ff12eedbf4669b7a29aa28283786f%2Fimg-9841.jpg)
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After a lackluster winter so far, neighbors said even mundane tasks like shoveling seemed magical.
“I was missing out because we didn’t get any snow. Just bring a shovel and wedge your way in between,” East Side resident Duncan Kelly said as he shoveled out a coveted street parking spot.
![IMG_9846.jpg](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3dff047/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x4032+0+0/resize/1080x1440!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2F0c%2Faaa4fd034d7c8d7f7611580d11f1%2Fimg-9846.jpg)
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Milwaukee received about three inches of snow by Wednesday afternoon, with more falling into the evening.
Leaders with the City of Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works said salt trucks pre-treated main and residential streets early Wednesday morning.
Once the snow began, more than 100 city drivers worked to clear major roads, while roughly 80 garbage packer trucks with plows arrived later in the afternoon to start clearing side streets.
Watch: Milwaukee neighbors embrace snow after lackluster winter
Milwaukee neighbors embrace snow after lackluster winter
DPW estimates it will take 18 to 24 hours after the snow stops to clear all 7,000 lane miles.
“The roads are slippery, but if you go with caution, they should be fine,” Culen-Ritter said. “Lots of plowers are out, but some roads are still slushy.”
Street parking remains a concern. A snow emergency was not declared Wednesday, but city officials will assess conditions Thursday. Residents are encouraged to park close to the curb and sign up for alerts at Milwaukee.gov/parking.
City officials also ask residents to follow alternate-side parking rules and all winter parking regulations. Proper parking allows plows to clear roads more efficiently, especially near driveways, alleys, and intersections.
City of Milwaukee parking regulations are available at Milwaukee.gov/Parking/ParkingRegulations.
“This is why you have to make the most of it,” Culen-Ritter smiled. “Winter lasts a quarter of the year, so when it snows like this, with the right gear, it’s fun to be outside.”
Officials urge residents to drive carefully, avoid shoveling snow into the street, clear sidewalks within 24 hours, and keep fire hydrants accessible.
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Milwaukee, WI
Megan Thee Stallion, Benson Boone, Killers, Lainey Wilson Among 2025 Milwaukee Summerfest Headliners
![Megan Thee Stallion, Benson Boone, Killers, Lainey Wilson Among 2025 Milwaukee Summerfest Headliners Megan Thee Stallion, Benson Boone, Killers, Lainey Wilson Among 2025 Milwaukee Summerfest Headliners](https://www.billboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/megan-thee-stallion-fanduel-spotify-super-bowl-party-2025-billboard-1548.jpg?w=1024)
Milwaukee’s Summerfest announced its jam-packed 2025 lineup on Wednesday (Feb. 12), which includes headliners Megan Thee Stallion (with Flo Milli), The Killers, Benson Boone, The Lumineers (with Hippo Campus), Def Leppard (with Tesla), Hozier (with Gigi Perez) and James Taylor (with Jason Mraz and Tiny Habits).
The three-weekend throwdown on the banks of Lake Michigan will take place on June 19-21, June 26-28 and July 3-5 across 12 stages in its 75-acre festival park. Among the other acts slated to perform are: BossMan DLow, The Avett Brothers, Japanese Breakfast, CAKE, The Head And The Heart, Riley Green, Gary Clark Jr., Young the Giant, Babymetal, Loud Luxury, OFFSET, Jack’s Mannequin, Lindsey Stirling, Whiskey Myers, Billy Corgan and the Machines of God, Ayra Starr, Richard Marx, Porter Robinson, Dirty Heads, The Fray, Natasha Bedingfield, DEVO, Motion City Soundtrack, Betty Who, Snow Tha Product and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, among others.
“As an independent music festival, Summerfest delivers a one-of-a-kind experience, bringing fans together from all backgrounds to enjoy incredible performances and Milwaukee’s vibrant energy,” said Sarah Pancheri, President and CEO, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. in a statement. “Today is an exciting day as we unveil this year’s lineup with over 160 artists spanning all genres of music.”
Tickets are on sale now, with details available here. For a limited time, fans can also purchase a UScellular Power Pass for only $57, which includes admission for all nine days of the fest; the Power Pass is only available now through Feb. 18 at 11:59 p.m.
See the full 2025 Summerfest lineup poster below.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee inmate accused of offering bribe to correctional officer
![Milwaukee inmate accused of offering bribe to correctional officer Milwaukee inmate accused of offering bribe to correctional officer](https://images.foxtv.com/static.fox6now.com/www.fox6now.com/content/uploads/2025/02/1280/720/shawn-sims.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
MILWAUKEE – An inmate at the Milwaukee County jail is accused of trying to bribe a correctional officer. The accused, 46-year-old Shawn Sims, is charged with attempted bribery of a public official.
Bribery case
What we know:
According to the criminal complaint, a Milwaukee County Correctional Officer reported on Dec. 12, 2024, that an inmate, later identified as Shawn Sims, passed him a note at the Milwaukee County Jail and Criminal Justice Facility.
The note promised the correctional officer money in exchange for letting Sims out of jail early, court filings say.
The correctional officer said that Sims had promised to pay him $800 through the Cash application.
Sims was later interviewed, and admitted to offering the correctional officer cash in exchange for his release from custody, per the complaint.
![](https://images.foxtv.com/static.fox6now.com/www.fox6now.com/content/uploads/2021/06/932/524/b5d3355b-hj1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
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Sims claimed he was wrongfully being held in custody, and that is why “it has come to this point” of writing letters to correctional officers offering to pay cash to be released, the complaint states.
Online court records show that Sims was undergoing competency evaluations for a Milwaukee County case when the attempted bribe occurred.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.
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