All Peoples Church – Community Police Meeting ~
Lakefront Brewery Eyes Expansion ~
Riverwest Artist Association Events ~
Laborfest Milwaukee, Monday,September 1 ~
Peoples Climate March on New York City September 21st. ~
Visit Byron Kilbourn House in Estabrook Park, Free! ~
All Peoples Church Hosts Meeting Between Activists and Police Leaders
After a Ferguson Solidarity Rally addressing police-community relations led to the occupation of a Milwaukee Police Department office, organizers and police leaders looked for a way for “the healing to begin.”
The rally took place Friday, August 22 and was organized by a collation of social justice groups in the city. It began at Red Arrow Park, the site of the police-involved shooting of Dontre Hamilton.
Supporters from the rally and march then entered District 1 headquarters with demands for answers. After several hours, Captains Jutiki Jackson and Terreance Gordon addressed the occupiers. Rev. Steve Jerbi, senior pastor at All Peoples Church was among those gathered.
Organizers, members of victims’ families and the captains talked, seeking next steps.
As this issue of the Currents goes to press, a meeting is scheduled for Monday afternoon, August 25, hosted at All Peoples Church, 2600 N Second Street.
Though Pastor Jerbi has been a vocal critic of Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn, this meeting will be different. “All Peoples is a place for healing,” says Pastor Jerbi. “Organizers offered this space and the MPD agreed. This will be their meeting. All Peoples is always committed to the voice of the community and we are honored to host this conversation. We hope and expect it will be a step toward justice.”
Lakefront Brewery Eyes Expansion of Production Facilities
Lakefront Brewery, Inc., Milwaukee’s largest producer of craft beer, is once again eyeing a potential expansion site. The brewery today announced it has an accepted offer to buy land at 1890 N. Commerce St. The site, which was formerly slated for a condo development, is on the east side of the Holton Street Bridge, adjacent to the existing Lakefront facility at 1872 N. Commerce St.
According to Lakefront Brewery owner Russ Klisch, plans are to purchase the lot next door and build on it as soon as it is financially feasible for the brewery. The brewery plans to relocate its packaging lines and additional fermentation tanks at the new facility. The brew house would retain all of its existing fermentation tanks and would use the space vacated by packaging for barrel aging.
The expansion is being driven by increased demand. Lakefront now brews 40,000 barrels per year, with production having nearly doubled in the past two years alone. The second brewing location will provide Lakefront with the ability to expand its production and distribution and at capacity would provide an additional 40 full-time jobs to Wisconsin over the next several years. The company has also begun expanding its warehouse facilities; last week, Lakefront began work on an addition to its cold storage facility at 218 E. Keefe Ave., which could add as many as 30 jobs (10 full-time).
“We are taking a very measured approach to expansion, and acquiring this land is an initial step,” said Klisch. “However, the craft beer market just continues to grow and we need to expand production or we won’t be able to keep up with demand.”
A neighborhood meeting to review the plans for the Commerce Street expansion and to answer questions from the community is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25 at the brewery, as this issue of the Currents goes to press.
Lakefront Brewery, Inc. was started in 1987. The brewery distributes its products to 35 states, Japan, Korea and Canada. Lakefront Brewery, Inc. was the first brewery to brew a government-approved, gluten-free beer, New Grist, and brews the oldest USDA-certified organic beer, Organic ESB. In addition to brewery tours, the company also operates a fish fry and restaurant on the weekends at the Commerce Street facility. For more information, visit lakefrontbrewery.com or call (414) 372-8800.
Riverwest Artists Association’s Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts
SEPTEMBER; Chain Reaction and Mary Nohl Funding Workshop
by bonita bruch ART ENDS August 31 It’s not too late to spend some time at the Jazz Gallery’s Habeas Lounge! Thank you Linda Pollack, RAA’s summer artist in residence from Los Angeles, for turning our gallery into an eclectic gathering place to make new acquaintances and meet up with friends to explore the dynamic, artistic and cultural life of Riverwest.
Saturday, September 6-Saturday, September 27 Chain Reaction Art Exhibit
The second year of Chain Reaction will feature 15 artists who will work together to create a chain of artwork…each a reaction to the work created before it. Artists have one week to create a new work of art and when finished, the artwork is handed over to the next person in line. It is not until the opening night reception that the entire sequence is revealed. Artists react to the artwork based on a formal or conceptual element. It is up to the viewer to find the connection between and among the reactions each artist make.
Opening Night Reception: Saturday, September 6 from 6-10pm
Sunday, September 14, 10:30am-Noon Polly Morris will hold an information workshop for artists interested in applying for a Mary Nohl Fellowship Grant.
MUSIC Saturday September 13, 7pm
Manty Ellis and Jazz Foundation of Milwaukee $10
One of the surviving jazz greats will play at the original Jazz Gallery. Manty Ellis has formed an all-star band with some of
the brightest and best players on the contemporary jazz scene. NOT TO BE MISSED!
Saturday September 20, 7pm CLAMNATION A well-known jazz/rock fusion band from Milwaukee’s club scene of the 1990’s, Clamnation is still as vital and edgy as ever.
$5 suggested donation
Saturday September 27, 7pm Three.Stacks.Eliot with special guests [jazz/hip-hop fusion] Young, talented and cutting edge, this group brings their unique Vision to the Jazz Gallery stage monthly. They often showcase surprise guests…always a great show.
Every Tuesday, 7pm Open Jazz Jam Session AND Artists’ Sketch Sessions
1st Tuesday MYSO Jazz Program with Chris Mell and Manty Ellis
2nd Tuesday MATC Music Program with Julie Brandenburg and friends
3rd Tuesday with Brandon Miller and friends
4th Tuesday with Cody Steinmann and friends
RAA/JCGA Information
Riverwest Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts
926 East Center Street www.riverwestart.org
Facebook: Riverwest Artists Association Facebook: Jazz Gallery of the Arts
JGCFTA Gallery Hours: Every Saturday Noon-5pm Every Tuesday 7-9pm Third Thursday of the month: 1-4pm
Laborfest Milwaukee, Monday,Sept 1
The only festival on the Summerfest Grounds free and open to the public. 
11am Parade beginning at Zeidler Square Memorial Park – Laborfest 12pm-5pm Summerfest Grounds
Organized by volunteers from local labor unions and affiliates and supported by area businesses and nonprofits, this year marks the 55th since the first Laborfest began in Milwaukee. Marking the constant struggles workers face, Laborfest is a time to not only relax with your family on the lakefront but join in solidarity for strong neighborhoods and communities.
Enjoy Labor Day, achieved for all workers by unions, at Laborfest Milwaukee 2014!
Children’s Activities Live Music Auto Show Networking Issues and Policies Tent
Food and Beverages available for purchase. Milwaukee Area Labor Council on Facebook
milwaukeelabor.org
The Climate Crisis Connections
by George Paz Martin
Do you care about the climate crisis and your family’s future?
In September, world leaders are coming to New York City for a UN summit on the climate crisis. UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon is urging governments to support an ambitious global agreement to reduce global warming pollution dramatically.
With our future on the line and the whole world watching, we’ll take to the streets to demand a world safe from the ravages of climate change, a world with good jobs, clean air and water, and healthy communities and a world with an economy that works for people, peace and the planet.
More than a half-million Americans and their families will be joining the Peoples Climate March on Sunday, Sept. 21 in New York City (peoplesclimatemarch.org). This is planned to impact both our government’s climate policy and the United Nations’ climate meetings that week. 350.org is a global organization and the primary sponsor of the march. Milwaukee’s 350.org has organized roundtrip buses. Please join us if you can (350mke.org).
For the two days before the march, we are hosting a conference, the Global Climate Convergence for People, Peace and the Planet (convergeforclimate.org) to build and broaden the Climate Justice Movement with allies from the peace, indigenous, new economy including labor, and the food and environmental justice movements. Key speakers will include environmental activists from around the world led by Vandana Shiva, Christian Parenti and Naomi Klein.
This Convergence is co-produced by the Madison-based Liberty Tree Foundation of which I am a board member and a Convergence organizer.
As such, I have convened a national Peace Table of leading anti-war, non-violence, and nuclear disarmament organizations to participate in both the march and the conference. The links between militarism and climate change are many. The US military is the largest consumer of petroleum products in the world and is responsible for enormous amounts of carbon emissions, toxic waste and environmental destruction.
The climate crisis will bring global chaos and increased conflict. We will see wars over dwindling resources and mass migrations of climate refugees fleeing droughts, floods, economic collapse and civil uprisings. The Pentagon has understood this for some time.
350.org’s primary national campaign is focused on the Canadian tar sands extraction and Keystone XL Pipeline. About eight years ago, a Peace Action intern researched these issues and we presented these to the national United for Peace & Justice convention.
Then, I presented the Tar Sands and KXL Pipeline issues to the World Peace Council where we passed a resolution against them and created a Triumvirate of Canada, the US and Mexico to work together on these issues and others related to our region.
Immediately after the NYC Climate March and Convergence, I will travel to Mexico City for World Peace Council Triumvirate Commission meetings where I will be presenting a paper on the NYC events and the current Tar Sands and KXL Pipeline.
To assist with this travel, we are holding a fundraiser. Please join us:
World Peace and the Environment Fundraiser
Sept. 11, 7pm, Linneman’s 1001 E. Locust St.
Entertainment by Robin Pluer & Peter Roller and Evan Christian
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