Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How Judge Maxine White’s retirement could reshape Milwaukee’s appeals court.

And on the Milwaukee Patch calendar - Jeff Dunham: Artificial Intelligence Tour

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday December 31st Patch AM
Wednesday December 31st Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Good morning to you Milwaukee! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How Judge Maxine White’s retirement could reshape Milwaukee’s appeals court.
  • Will new safety measures finally tame this crash-prone east side corner?
  • How much more are Milwaukee homeowners paying on this year’s tax bills?

Also on today's calendar: Jeff Dunham: Artificial Intelligence Tour and 6 more events.

Find out what's happening in Milwaukeefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: I think I’ll wear only one boot today. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Milwaukeefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Wednesday: A little snow, up to 1", with a high of 31 and low of 8 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
  • Thursday: Partly sunny and very cold, temps: high: 21, low: 15.
  • Friday: Decreasing clouds; quite cold, with a high of 22 and low of 15 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Judge Maxine White Retiring in April (urbanmilwaukee.com) — Milwaukee County’s top appeals judge, Maxine White, will retire on April 3, 2026, creating a key vacancy on the District 1 Court of Appeals that serves only Milwaukee County. White, a trailblazing former Milwaukee County Circuit Court chief judge and Marquette Law graduate, has shaped local justice for decades. Gov. Tony Evers is now seeking applicants to fill her seat.
   

2. East side Milwaukee restaurant owner pushes for safety improvements at crash-prone intersection (tmj4.com) — A restaurant owner at Lafayette and Farwell on Milwaukee’s east side is rallying neighbors to demand traffic-calming fixes after years of dangerous crashes at the intersection. Through the city’s Community Led Traffic Calming Program, he’s collecting signatures so Public Works can design protective measures, with Ald. Alex Brower’s office signaling support for changes on North Farwell Avenue.
   

3. Milwaukee residents face sticker shock with rising property tax bills (wisn.com) — Milwaukee homeowners are seeing sharply higher property tax bills this year, with some facing increases of 15–20% and crowding City Hall to pay before the deadline. City, county, school district, and sewerage levies all play a role, and Mayor Cavalier Johnson is warning that state limits and economic uncertainty could mean more budget pressure ahead.
   

4. Milwaukee teen accused of OWI hit-and-run outside bar (fox6now.com) — Milwaukee police say a 17-year-old Milwaukee girl is charged after allegedly driving intoxicated near 76th and Good Hope, running over a bar security guard’s foot and then fleeing. Court records describe tavern patrol officers stopping the car nearby, finding open alcohol containers, and learning her license was suspended. The guard was treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital for a broken foot.
   

5. Transportation: Milwaukee Travelers Benefit From Competition at O'Hare (urbanmilwaukee.com) — Milwaukee air travelers will soon have more options to reach Chicago O’Hare, with American Airlines adding two additional daily flights from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport starting in February. The expansion is part of a major O’Hare buildup that increases competition with United and gives Milwaukee residents more departure times and connection choices to hundreds of destinations in 2026.
   

📸 Around Milwaukee

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Milwaukee

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

📣 Milwaukee Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Milwaukee PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • My emotional support dog was lost December 28th near 49th n Congress around 2pm.
    She is very small and friendly and has a purple collar on. Please help me find her. (Nextdoor Lincoln Creek)
  • So this morning I'm on 18th and Greenfield and I see this man obviously on drugs walking with this poor little dog and the snow dog had no collar was beyond freezing was so scared I pulled up and asked him what was he doing with the dog and he said
    trying to sell her cuz they have to many and me not having money like that but being an animal person I bought this dog to get it out the freezing… (Nextdoor Lincoln Village)
  • SpartanNash Company posted a job opening for Fresh Cut Produce Associate in Milwaukee. Apply here.
  • PSG Global Solutions posted a job opening for Store Cleaning Associate in Milwaukee. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Milwaukee here.

Ok Milwaukee! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I heard there’s only a 50 percent chance of snow.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Milwaukee