The Story that Caught My I...

Spotlighting compelling news stories in our city and world

The Internet

AOL News reported that the talk queen Oprah Winfrey tells us she's "shocked" and "disappointed" that she had to hear it from the Daily News that her 74-year-old father, Vernon, is writing a book about her. None of us know the details of the upcoming book or what it will entail. But it just goes to show you whenever big money is involved, it can turn anybody’s head … in this case even your parents who are supposed to protect and love you unconditionally. Money, money, money, some people got to have it all. At least he could have told her first, she may have helped him with the book and given it her blessings. I feel for you, Oprah, it’s sad.

AOL News also reported that in the town of Hooksett, N.H, the Town Council Fires Four Workers for Gossiping. Four town employees with 46 years of service between them were fired, in part for gossiping and discussing rumors of an improper relationship between the town administrator and another employee that Hooksett residents now agree were not true. Ok ya’ll watch those wagging tongues it could cost you your job especially when the rumors aren’t true. Mind Yo own Business, Holla!

Television

WISN 12 co-Weekend Anchor/Reporter DeMarco Morgan did a fantastic feature on ‘Conquering your Fears" His biggest fear was not knowing how to swim, so he enlisted former fire fighter Don Jackson to teach him how to swim.

DeMarco states the feature was inspired by the drowning deaths of Dre’ Henning and Purvis Parker, the two young men who were found drowned last summer in what appeared to be one child trying to save the other who could not swim. We all have fears that some point we must face head on; that’s why I liked the feature.

DeMarco shared with me that after the story ran, many corporations and foundations called to put up money to teach children how to swim. I love it! And who says Black journalist don’t make a difference, we do! Hey DeMarco, it’s the little bitty things that change folks lives for the better; education is the key to all great things. Thank you for thinking out the box and being the educator that you are.

Your small but big feature may have saved many lives. Ok so I’m still not going swimming with you because you didn’t swim the length of the pool, Holla! But at least you had the guts to try to face your fear, I love it! Lets all pick a fear and lets conquer it.

Radio

Now former WTMJ radio talk show host Jessica McBride is through for doing what was a perceived to be racist acts by using the killing of little Jasmine Owens to make jokes regarding what she called Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel Columnist Eugene Kane's liberal views on our community. On her radio show, Jessica pretended she was interviewing Kane asking him was the killer of Jasmine Owens a victim as well, then there were chicken clucking sounds made.

WTMJ was made aware of her using the death of Jasmine to make sick jokes so they yanked it off her blog and then canned her. Yes, this is the same kind of Imus sickness using innocent people to make poor jokes in this case the tragic death of Jasmine.

Before you start to say "hooray" WTMJ they were going to fire her anyway, for low ratings but even more so WTMJ has allowed all of its talk jocks to spur racist and undignified remarks toward Black people and our community over their air waves for years. Charlie Sykes being the station’s main culprit. So they didn’t do a big deal on firing Jessica who was imitating Charlie Sykes, her idol. Again, it just shows what the major society, here in Milwaukee, thinks of Black people.

Newspapers

The Milwaukee Community Journal I-Witness series "In My Shoes" is getting great response, many of our readers read all four segments on Goodwill Industries and called or e-mailed to tell us. Many teachers are using the series to share with their students about the different career opportunities and business and education options available. I-Witness thanks all of you and hope that ya’ll will share a dream with a young person. I-Witness’ next "In My Shoes" series will be a construction trades and an apprentice.

Honoring those who shape our future...

The Metropolitan Milwaukee Alliance of Black School Educators hosted it’s Fifth Annual Teacher of the Year Recognition Gala. Dr. Rogers Onick is the president.

More than 1200 atended the gala, which recognized more than 136 educators in the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).

Dr. Rogers Onick did opening remarks and welcomed Janie Hatton, an MPS principal and coach, who presided over the gala. MPS Superintdent William Andrekopoulos shared a greeting with the educators as well as Sam Carmen MTEA Executive Director and Peter Blewett President of MPS Board of Directors. The innvoction was shared by Lonnie Anderson, principal at Malcolm X Academy.

Gala Co-Chairs were Jeannie Dorsey and Margaret Rogers.

It was soon time for the moment we had all been waiting for. Can we have the envelop please, and the winner is… Kevin (KC) Carnes of Burroughs Middle School, Teacher of the Year. Carnes is in the process of completing his second master’s degree in eduactional leadership at Cardianl Stritch. KC is also a musician.

Dr. Rogers closed the evening with touching words: "lets keep educating and loving children."

Congratulation, KC you know you are one of I-Witness’ favorite educators, and the children are so blessed to have you. Keep doing the good stuff and advancing that next generation, I love it!

Hanging out at the Mad Mule

Local tavern represents the uniqueness of corner bars

It was a real party at Mad Mule, located on Keefe Avenue. It was so much of a good party that even the bartenders got into the spirit. Pictured are bartender Sonia Verdre, co-owner Linda Ponds and Gloria Myricks. (photo by Barbara White)

It was a party at Mad Mule as everyone danced the night away to their favorite tunes. DJ fee was rockin the house with old school jams. (photo by Barbara White)

 

Velma Coggs and I hung out at the Mad Mule Lounge, a neighborhood bar on Keefe Avenue. Let me tell you: there is nothing like corner bars for a real down home party.

Corner bars have a uniqueness that can only be found in Milwaukee. During the ‘50s breweries like Schultz, Miller, Pabst and Old Milwaukee opened and controlled corner bars and sold only their brands.

Then they began seeking out popular folks in the community to put in the bar business. At one time in the city of Milwaukee you could literally find a corner bar on every corner in every neighborhood. Here you cashed your check, your family would stop by and you ate. All social clubs and sports teams had their favorite bar to hang out at. And of course, you had pure party everyday.

Linda Ponds is co–owner of the Mad Mule. She is what we call the partyin’ bartender, when it’s a party in the house she rolls with you sometimes even being the party, Holla!

Ok so it was Heninken and Absolutely correct night for I –Witness, Holla! It was Ol’ School Night with D.J. Fee who prides himself on letting the music do his talking. He says talk undermines the pleasure of music, I loved it! He had some stuff to play too, Make Yours that made me think of this guy who wanted me to make him mine back in the day, ok so I have had my Heninken, Holla!

Mad Mule used to over Karaoke, but Linda said, "we cut out Karaoke and we just sing it when we feel it." I knew what she meant because I began singing all night.

I clamed down a bit when D.J. Fee played, "A Change Gon Come" by the late Sam Cooke, it remind me of Ron Stricklin, former Alderman Fred Gordon, Ron Johnson, Marica Waiss, Donna Rogers, State Senator Spencer Coggs, Innis Ragland, Fred Hopskins, Sandy Coleman as young people and our dreams to save not only Black People but the world and guess what I guess many of us still believe it.

D.J. Fee asked for my request and of course, y’all should know my favorite by now: "Getting down with my boyfriend and that ain’t right. You just can’t do any damn thing to me, I can do wheeling and I can do dealing but I don’t do no damn squiling."

"Get ready my brother we got to fight, get ready you mother for the big payback. Took my money, got my honey, don’t you see what you doing to me, gon deal with you, gon deal with you, don’t do me no dam favorites I don’t know karate but I know crazya, I’m a man, a son of man, don’t fear nothing, I need s some hits, hit me, I need a hit again, I gotta do da da do da, the big pay back," Holla! It’s a party in here y’all.

Ok every body is saying: "Go Fred, Go Fred!" Fred is the doorman who knows how to cut a few steps. You know he can step in the name of love real good, Holla!

The energy is wild up in here ya’ll! They were doing every kind of electric slide and shuffle on the planet, I need to get some of this, Velma is already on the floor.

I thought all the people at Gene’s Supper Club were from Mississippi but it’s a whole lot of people at the Mad Mule who have Mississippi mud on their boots, Holla!

D.J Fee got me giving them something they can feel, so I could let them know where I was coming from! Can you feel, feel it baby ... ok no more Absolutely correct, Holla!

Gloria Myricks from over at the Ret is in the house and she is working it.
Eunice Herd is in the house with her 31-year-old son. She says she brings him up here so he has somewhere safe to go.

"They all know me here, he won’t cause any problems but in case something goes down they can call me cause they know me here. I just want him to be somewhere safe to have fun, that’s why I bring him here. You know we never quit being parents," she shared.

D.J Fee is playing Dr. Feel Good and all the women have gone wild, I love it! The partyin bartenders Sonia Verde and Linda are wild and DJ Fee is rockin the house.

Linda made a cosmic drink for me to sample and it was pretty good. Bobby Martin the other co-owner is in the house.
Ok Bobby and Gloria are on the floor and they are bucking like mad mules, I love it! It’s a party in here ya’ll, and the mules a bucking.
Hey, Linda and Bobby I had a great time, thanks for the good hospitality. From now on I’m going to say I got my kicks at the Mad Mule, Holla!