Milwaukee, WI

‘Walk with their head held high’: Barbershop at Milwaukee high school gives free cuts and confidence to students

Published

4 months ago

November 15, 2025

‘Walk with their head held high’: Barbershop at Milwaukee high school gives free cuts and confidence to students

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.

Electric hair clippers and a brush rest on a surface with the text — Clippers used at The Shop in 310 sit on a desk at Rufus King High School. (Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local)

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.

A person trims another person's hair in a room with posters and a drawing on the wall behind them. — Demontrey Cochran, 16, gets a haircut from English teacher Emmanuel Johnson at Rufus King High School. (Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local)

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, WI

Why are Milwaukee-area students protesting ICE actions?

Published

3 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Why are Milwaukee-area students protesting ICE actions?

Ever since the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both by federal agents in Minneapolis in January, there have been numerous student protests by high school students across the country – including several in Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area.

Students at Milwaukee Public Schools’ high schools including Milwaukee King, Ronald Reagan, and others; Wauwatosa East High School, Shorewood High School, Menomonee Falls High School, Nicolet High School, Whitefish Bay High School – even one student at Marquette University High School – have all walked out of school to protest Immigrations and Customs’ Enforcement actions in Minneapolis and nationwide.

What is it about ICE’s actions that have students walking out? How are school districts handling it, and what do students and parents think?

UW-Madison political science professor shares thoughts on what’s behind student walkouts

Political science professor emeritus Howard Schweber of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said several factors play into why students are protesting.

One of those factors is that ICE raids have taken place near schools. In some school districts, teachers have been arrested and students have disappeared. In some areas of Minneapolis, schools have had to switch to remote learning because students feared ICE raids, Schweber said.

Second, Schweber said the walkouts tie in to past student protests over guns in schools; high school students are feeling unsafe in their schools.

“They’re feeling threatened by forces, you know, far beyond their control, and feeling like first, it was their government wouldn’t protect them. This time it’s their government that’s doing it to them. Of course I’m only speaking from the perspective of the students who are protesting. I don’t mean to suggest that all students feel this way, but the ones who are protesting, this is, I think, what is driving them,” he said.

“Unlike some other issues, I think this one – like the guns in schools issues – hits very close to home, and makes them feel personally involved and threatened by the situation,” he said.

Schweber also talked about where the First Amendment applies during these situations.

He said students, particularly high school students, do have First Amendment rights. He said that schools may not punish students for expressing one viewpoint as opposed to another, and that any policy must be neutral. However, he said, students who walk out, and especially students who engage in conduct that disrupts school activities, can be disciplined.

“The legal background to this is students have a right to express themselves, but while they’re in school or while they’re supposed to be in school, that right is quite curtailed,” he said. “I noticed that in Madison, for example, there were some protests that were held after school ended in order to avoid this problem, which is certainly one way to avoid the issue, but then it’s not a walkout.”

How school districts deal with the walkouts

When it comes to walkouts, school districts typically approach them from several perspectives: attendance, neutrality, recognizing freedom of speech and safety.

In general, school districts will mark students who participate in walkouts as absent and unexcused unless their parents call in to excuse them. Most districts surveyed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also stressed that walkouts are student-sponsored and not organized or sanctioned by the districts.

For example, Pewaukee High School principal Brian Sniff said in a letter to parents that a Feb. 4 walkout at that school was student-initiated and student-led. He said that while students planning the walkout consulted with administration for clarity on the school’s expectations and potential consequences so they could make an informed decision about their plans, the district did not endorse or encourage the activity.

At the same time, some districts have acknowledged that students have free speech rights, as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

While reiterating that students who walk out are unexcused unless a parent excuses them, the Wauwatosa School District said in a letter to parents in advance of a Jan. 12 walkout that it values and encourages student self-expression and recognizes the “importance of civic engagement as part of a well-rounded education.”

“We view moments like this as opportunities for young people to explore their voices, deepen their understanding of social issues, and learn about the power of collective action in a safe and constructive way,” the letter said.

Safety is also another factor that districts consider.

South Milwaukee School District Superintendent Deidre Roemer, Shorewood High School principal Tim Kenney and Franklin High School principal Michael Vuolo said in their letters to parents before planned walkouts that staff would not supervise students who left school grounds.

Sniff said that if students walked out, administrators and security would monitor the situation, ensure they remained in designated safe areas on campus and prevent conflict. But he added that supervision means ensuring safety, and does not equal support.

Parent, student perspective

Jamie Esser, a parent of a child attending Pewaukee High School, said she supported the walkout there. She said teens getting involved with politics and social issues was “heartwarming” to her.

“I think our children, ever since lockdown, have been isolated and stuck in their cell phones and stuck on social media and not really interacting with each other or looking at the world at large. So I think – especially with all the controversy around ICE and around the treatment of their fellow Americans or even fellow human beings – I think it’s great that kids are taking up concerns, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s very promising for the future that today’s generation sees the injustice and just wants to be heard that they don’t agree with it,” Esser said.

Conversely, Joe Rivera, a parent and school board candidate for the Wisconsin Hudson School District in northwestern Wisconsin, said he was concerned about inconsistencies in how that district told parents it would handle a walkout v. what actually happened.

The walkout took place, even though the district told parents that students would not be allowed to leave campus and that classes would continue as scheduled, a Feb. 14 post on his campaign Facebook page said.

“Allowing a large, pre-planned demonstration during the school day – after communicating it would not be allowed – created confusion, undermined trust, and placed students in unnecessary danger, the post said. “We do not have to look far to see how similar situations, even nearby, have escalated quickly and turned tragic.”

“As a parent in this district, I find it unacceptable that families were told one thing and experienced another – especially when it involves student supervision and safety during the school day,” the post said.

Thomas Stilp, a Marquette University High School student, said he was among several students who were organizing a walkout at his school in February. Things looked ready to go until the night before the walkout. That’s when organizers heard concerns that the walkout might draw unwanted attention from ICE; those concerns led them to cancel the event.

Stilp said he thinks students fear that what’s happening in Minnesota will eventually happen in Milwaukee.

“What we really want is the whole country to be doing this, and if people are leaving schools and people are shutting down their offices and are not showing up to work, like businesses are closed; if you can’t get your coffee in the morning because of these ICE raids that are happening and businesses are calling for that to be stopped, that’s when you’re going to notice,” he said.

However, not all students support the walkouts.

One of those students is Turner Dittrich, a senior at Arrowhead High School and a founder, former president and current member of the school’s chapter of the conservative organization Turning Point. He is also the son of Terry Dittrich, the Waukesha County Republican Party chairman.

Turner Dittrich said that while people have the right to protest, they should not interfere with ICE, which is investigating criminal behavior.

“My whole take on it is, is why should undocumented illegal citizens get the same immunity as the ones who sacrifice to follow the law? We are America. We are a country of laws,” he said.

Dittrich said anti-ICE protests have been boosted by students who simply do not want to be in school. He also said he does not think it’s right for students to miss school for protests, out of respect for teachers.

“At Arrowhead especially, I’ve met some phenomenal teachers, some phenomenal individuals. They wake up tired and they’re really pouring out their energy into what they’re teaching students. For the ICE protests to not be done at 3:30 or 4 [after school] is just shocking to me because it’s like, what are these teachers possibly doing? Now, I understand freedom of speech. They can’t control kids necessarily, but at the end of the day, when teachers are getting paid to show up and work hard, it just unfortunately saddens me.

“It’s the same thing if there was a pro-ICE protest. I would think that during school hours, it’d be wrong, right? So I think on both sides of the aisle, the fact that we’re doing this during school hours, is wrong. It can’t be done that way,” Dittrich said.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Common Council opposes We Energies’ data center rate plan

Published

15 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee Common Council opposes We Energies’ data center rate plan

The Milwaukee Common Council has called on state utility regulators to reject We Energies’ data center rate proposal in its current form.

The council unanimously adopted a resolution March 3 opposing We Energies’ proposal to create a separate energy rate for large-scale data centers, saying the plan does not go far enough to protect ratepayers.

At the same time, a group of council members led by District 14 Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic is drafting a six-month moratorium on data center development in the city of Milwaukee.

We Energies’ plan “is not a good deal for Milwaukeeans,” Dimitrijevic said during a Common Council meeting March 3.

We Energies’ proposal would create a separate energy rate for “very large” customers with an expected load of 500 megawatts or more. These very large customers, which include data center developers like Microsoft and Vantage, would pay for the massive amount of new infrastructure being built to serve them.

In October, We Energies filed plans to build more than $5 billion in new solar projects and natural gas plants to meet electricity demand brought by hyperscale data centers.

The utility says its rate plan protects customers from bearing costs associated with these projects, and hold data center companies responsible for costs through the life of the new assets.

“Our proposal is fair, transparent, and establishes strong safeguards — including binding agreements so data centers owners, not other customers, pay for the infrastructure they require,” We Energies spokesperson Brendan Conway said in a statement. “That means Wisconsin families are not subsidizing these projects.”

The resolution, introduced by Dimitrijevic, calls for stronger ratepayer protections, including binding service agreements that last the life of new infrastructure and include termination charges. It also wants the “very large” customer threshold lowered from 500 megawatts to prevent avoidance by data center companies.

In filings submitted to the Public Service Commission, We Energies said it would be willing to lower the threshold to 250 megawatts.

The resolution took particular issue with We Energies’ proposed cost split for the new natural gas plants. Under the current proposal, data center companies would pay for 75% of operating and maintenance, and other ratepayers would cover the remaining 25% as well as annual fuel costs.

We Energies says the plants will serve all customers as demand for energy is projected to rise across rate classes.

“If data centers never existed, we would’ve had to have built other plants, other power generation to meet our customers’ increasing need,” Conway previously told the Journal Sentinel.

The resolution said data center companies should pay “100% of all incremental and fixed costs required to serve them, including generation capacity, operations and maintenance, and fuel costs attributable to serving the data center load.”

Council members’ concerns echo those brought by environmental and consumer advocacy groups during a public hearing Feb. 10. The Public Service Commission will rule on the proposal by May 1.

This is not the first time the City of Milwaukee has weighed in on We Energies cases brought before the Public Service Commission. It’s intervened in opposition to previous energy rate hikes proposed by the utility, arguing they disproportionately burden thousands of low-income Milwaukee households.

In December, Dimitrijevic proposed a six-month moratorium on data center development in the city. The pause will give council members time to establish a regulatory framework for large-scale data center proposals, she told the Journal Sentinel.

“Sometimes the economy moves so quickly that we haven’t been able to catch up in licensing,” Dimitrijevic said. “We have to set up a careful way to regulate it and have public input.”

A group of aldermen want to require data center developers apply for a special use permit through the Milwaukee Zoning Appeals Board, a process they say creates more transparency. Should this pass, large data center proposals would be subject to public hearings, and the Zoning Appeals Board can reject a plan based on public health concerns.

The moratorium will receive a public hearing in the next few weeks.

This article was updated to include new information.

Francesca Pica can be reached at fpica@usatodayco.com.

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Milwaukee, WI

Check out these Milwaukee-area places to celebrate Pi Day on March 14

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Check out these Milwaukee-area places to celebrate Pi Day on March 14

For math enthusiasts and foodies, Pi Day on March 14 is upon us once again.

We all know what pie is, but what the heck is pi? Pi ― 3.14 ― is the ratio of the circumference of a circle (the distance around the outside of it) to the diameter of that circle (the distance edge-to-edge). As we may have learned in math class, no matter the size of the circle, pi is always 3.14.

Hence on March 14, many bakeries and eateries in and around Milwaukee are offering pie sales and diverse pie selections. A selection of them are listed below.

Note that pie availability is typically while supplies last and preordering or calling beforehand is recommended. If there is a bakery or restaurant that is recognizing Pi Day and is not included in this list, let us know so we can add it.

Gather Bakehouse in Bay View

At Gather Bakehouse, the bakery will have mini 3-inch pies as well as 9-inch pies. Flavors include Dutch apple, strawberry rhubarb, cherry, French silk, honey custard and key lime. There will also be preorder options.

Location: 1100 E. Oklahoma Ave., Milwaukee

Hours: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It’s closed on Monday.

For more information: Visit gatherbakehouse.com

National Bakery & Deli in Brookfield, Greendale and Milwaukee

National Bakery & Deli will have multiple pies available for National Pi Day: banana cream, cherry, apple, chocolate cream, Dutch apple and strawberry cream.

Location: 13820 W. Greenfield Ave., Brookfield; 5637 Broad St., Greendale; and 3200 S. 16th St., Milwaukee.

Hours for all locations: 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information or to order online: Visit nationalbakery.com

Kelly’s Pot Pies & More in Greenfield and East Troy

Kelly’s Pot Pies & More will have $3.14 off any large Reuben pot pie or shepherd’s pie beginning Pi Day and running through St. Patrick’s Day. These specials will be at both the East Troy and Greenfield stores.

Kelly’s Pot Pies & More also has other pot pies, including beef, turkey, veggie, taco and pizza. They also offer quiche, cheesecake, lemon torte and key lime pie.

To help guarantee a pie, order online two hours or more in advance.

Locations: 3785 S. 108th St. in Greenfield; and 3268 Main St. in East Troy

Hours: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

To order online or for more information: Visit kellyspotpies.com.

Mr. Dye’s Pies at 3rd Street Market Hall in Milwaukee

At Mr. Dye’s Pies at 3rd Street Market Hall, there are a plethora of pies sold by the slice or as a whole pie including peanut butter, sweet potato, pecan, key lime and blueberry.Location: 5504 W. State St. (First Floor, South Hall located in the row of stalls to the right of Dairyland)

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday

For more information: Visit 3rdstmarkethall.com/locations/all-vendors/mrdyespies

The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago

The Elegant Farmer will participate on National Pi Day from March 9 to 15 and will offer $3.14 off 5-inch apple pies baked in a paper bag (original price is $9.99). The pies baked in a bag feature a flaky crust with a sugar cookie-like top.

Location: 1545 Main St. (at Highways ES & J) in Mukwonago

Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

For more information or to order: Order online at elegantfarmer.com or call 262-363-6770

Periwinkle’s Bakery in Waukesha

Periwinkle’s Bakery on Broadway in Waukesha will have its full pie menu for special order on March 14 and a variety of 9-inch-deep dish pies for sale that same day at its retail location at neighboring Rochester Deli. These include French Silk, caramel apple, Key West lime, wild blueberry and peanut butter French silk.

Online orders need to be placed the week prior.

Location: 143 W. Broadway, Waukesha (Bakery for purchase inside of Rochester Deli)

Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday

For more information: Visit periwinklesbakery.com

All in Favor, Say Pie in Waukesha

At All in Favor, Say Pie, you can order your pie online to pick up in Waukesha. Flavors include Door County cherry pie, apple blueberry, Dutch apple pie, cranberry apple, mixed berry and blueberry. Pies should be ordered two to five days in advance.

For more information and to order: Visit https://sites.google.com/view/allinfavorsaypie/home

Aggie’s Bakery and Cake Shop in West Allis

Aggie’s Bakery and Cake Shop will sell pies including cherry, apple, caramel apple, blueberry, peach and banana cream pie on National Pi Day.

Location: 7328 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis

Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday

For more information: Call 414-482-1288 or visit aggiesbakery.com

The Bake Sale in West Allis

The Bake Sale in West Allis has pie options that customers can order online days in advance which include key lime, French silk, apple, caramel apple, strawberry rhubarb, pecan, whiskey chocolate pecan and fruity pebble. Pies are available on National Pi Day while supplies last. Select pies are available in the store.

Location: 6923 W. Becher St., West Allis

Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday

For more information or to order: 414-543-4230 or bakesalewestallis.com

Bishop’s Sweets in West Allis

For National Pi Day, Bishop’s Sweets will have whole pies and slices available while supplies last. If you want a specialty pie or to ensure there is one ready, order the pie 72 hours before March 14.

The featured pie flavors include apple, cherry, banana cream, coconut cream and Bishop’s Sweets requested favorite, French silk pie. The bakery will also be introducing additional pies for people to try, including chess, buttermilk and Mississippi mud pie.

Location: 8005 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis. Bishop’s Sweets also offers delivery through Uber Eats and DoorDash.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on National Pi Day, March 14, or until the pies are sold out. Otherwise, hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. (It is closed Monday through Thursday.)

For more information: Visit www.facebook.com/BishopsSweets or call 414-763-2436.

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on X at @kozlowicz_cathy

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