55th Shamrock Club of Wisconsin St. Patrick’s Day Parade Returns March 11

The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin and Westown Association are excited to announce the 55th Shamrock Club of Wisconsin St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns to downtown Milwaukee on Saturday, March 11 at noon. Presented by Miller Lite, the Parade steps off at North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and West Wisconsin Avenue ending at Water Street and Highland Avenue. “The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of Milwaukee’s favorite traditions,” said Stacie Callies, Executive Director of Westown Association. “Each year we look forward to celebrating our city’s Irish history and culture with thousands of families and spectators that attend the Parade, even if they are only Irish for the day.” The traditional, yet unique event features over 120 units including Irish dance groups, pipe and drum corps, festive floats, local dignitaries and more. Each year, an estimated 20,000 people attend the Parade and support downtown’s bars, restaurants and hotels, creating a significant economic boost for the city. At this year’s Parade, the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin will recognize their 2023 honorees: Irishman of the Year Pat Farley, Irish Rose Deb Kreuser and Parade Marshalls John and Kathleen Avery. The annual ShamROCK Kick-off Party moves to a new location in 2023 and will be held at the Lucky Clover Irish Pub in the Old World Third Street Entertainment District on Friday, March 10 from 5:30 to 11 p.m. This free event is open to the public and features live music from Ian Gould and Pat McCurdy, beverage specials and dozens of raffle prizes. Additional celebrations will take place over Parade weekend including the Shamrock Club’s Post-Parade Party, with details to be announced. Visit saintpatricksparade.org for more information. The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the oldest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the nation, dating back to 1843. The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin has produced the parade since 1967 and has been in partnership with Westown Association since 2002.

Senator Baldwin Presses Southwest Airlines’ Executives About Holiday Meltdown

Today, in a U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) pressed Southwest Airlines’ executives about their operational failures that led to major travel disruptions in December 2022 that left Wisconsin families stranded. Senator Baldwin told the story of a Wisconsin resident who, due to Southwest’s meltdown, was forced to spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket and drive for more than 20 hours from Florida to Milwaukee to get home from holiday travel. Senator Baldwin discussed Southwest’s failure to upgrade software, despite numerous warnings from pilots, and pressed the company to prioritize investing in updated technology to further protect consumers, not enrich their stockholders. “Wisconsin families were left high and dry this holiday season – stranded in airports, driving across the country, and missing precious family time – because Southwest executives failed to prioritize their customers,” said Senator Baldwin. “Southwest Airlines must invest in their technology and operations to ensure a meltdown like this can never happen, rather than paying out their wealthy stockholders. I look forward to using the information we gained today in our Committee’s work to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration and strengthen protections for consumers.” Between December 21 and December 31, 2022, Southwest canceled more than 16,700 flights as overwhelmed and inadequate software was unable to keep up with numerous flight changes in the wake of severe winter weather. Air carriers who accepted Payroll Support Program relief funding during the pandemic, like Southwest, were banned from conducting stock buybacks until September 2022. While Southwest has not yet conducted any stock buybacks, it was the first major carrier to reinstate stock dividends to shareholders since the start of the pandemic. In December 2022, just weeks before the holiday meltdown, Southwest announced that it would issue a $428 million dividend in the first quarter of 2023. Senator Baldwin pressed Southwest to invest in software and update operations to prevent future disasters before enriching their shareholders through stock buybacks. Senator Baldwin also described concerns regarding Southwest leadership’s communication with Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport throughout the December meltdown and asked the company’s leadership to commit to providing clear and improved communication with airports moving forward. The video can be downloaded here.

Fitzgerald to Hold Office Hours

The United Performing Arts Fund Announces $10,800,000 2023 Fundraising Target

UPAF aims to top $12.5 million in annual fundraising by 2025

New Multimedia Campaign Focuses on 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Statewide advertising planned through 2023 to increase awareness of the service.

Senator Agard and Democratic Colleagues Call on Senator LeMahieu to Remove Bob Spindell

Last week, Wisconsin Senate Democrats sent a letter to Senator Devin LeMahieu (R-Ootsburg) requesting that he remove Robert Spindell from the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Senate Democrats previously called on Bob Spindell to resign after he celebrated successful voter suppression efforts in Black and Hispanic areas of the state during the 2022 election. Bob Spindell chose not to resign and Senator LeMahieu has not responded to the letter, nor has he taken any action to remove Bob Spindell from his position. Senate Democratic Leader Melissa Agard (D-Madison) released the following statement: “Bob Spindell does not reflect Wisconsin’s values and is a danger to our democracy. Senate Majority Leader LeMahieu is responsible for ensuring that his appointee to the Wisconsin Elections Commission will fairly administer our state’s election laws. Spindell’s words and actions have shown that, unfortunately, he is not able to do so. “Senator LeMahieu has been given the opportunity to do the right thing, defend our democracy, and protect the sanctity of voting in Wisconsin. It’s disappointing that he instead chose to ignore our request and allow an individual who is actively working to thwart our democratic ways to continue serving on the Wisconsin Elections Commission. “Unlike Bob Spindell’s efforts to suppress Wisconsin voters, my Democratic colleagues and I know that every eligible voter should be empowered to cast a ballot in each election. Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and Wisconsin’s elections must remain free, fair, and accessible.”

Be an energy-saving MVP as you catch the big game

Earn the energy saver-in-Chief title with an Eagle eye for efficiency

Brewers Group Tickets Now On Sale

Lac Du Flambeau Man Charged with Domestic Abuse in Three Wisconsin Counties

Wisconsin DOJ encourages those with information to come forward

Superheroes and A Touch of Arendelle On Tap For Red Arrow Park’s “Slice of Ice” Rink

Downtown Ice CAPE-ade and “Broadway Skates” featuring Disney’s FROZEN among the themed skating events for February

Incidental Take Notice For Door County

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species' overall population at risk.

Top Valentine’s Day Scams

BBB Scam Alert