December 2012 – Riverwest Currents

‘Home Gr/Own’ Project

by Currents StaffDecember 2012November 2013

City Plans to Make ‘Lemonade’ With ‘Home Gr/Own’ Project by Peggy Schulz

Collaborate: To work or labor with. Innovate: To make new. Lemonade: A positive product or result arising out of the manipulation of negative or “sour” circumstances.

The City of Milwaukee’s “Home Gr/Own” proposal was named one of 20 finalists in the Bloomberg Challenge early last month. In essence, the program will transform some of the more than 3,000 vacant lots and nearly 1,000 foreclosed homes which the city – unfortunately – owns, into creative, productive uses, including urban agriculture and urban homesteading.

Neighborhood News

Crime In Riverwest – Up?

by Ellen WarrenDecember 2012November 2013

In response to a growing concern that crime in Riverwest is escalating as of late, the Riverwest Currents spoke with Lieutenant Cliff Harrison, who is in command at District 5 during Captain Gordon’s brief absence.

Police statistics tell us that burglaries in Riverwest are down 50% from last year. The last few weeks have shown an increase which, although undesirable, is not unusual as we are entering into the holiday season. According to Lt. Harrison crime is cyclical and the coming season is a high cycle. A small piece of good news is that an arrest was recently made of a person responsible for five burglaries in the area.