With the approval of the $789 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, President Barack Obama delivered on his promise to stabilize the sagging economy he inherited from ex-President George Bush through increased investment in domestic projects and programs. The White House estimates that the...

The clock is ticking on the implementation of the Real ID Act in Wisconsin. The state has until Dec. 31, 2009, to “materially comply” with the federal law that requires state driver’s licenses and ID cards to meet new standards and also develop a database that would allow the Department of Motor Vehicles to share data...

One of the most shocking revelations of recent weeks was that two judges in Pennsylvania potentially destroyed the lives and futures of thousands of juveniles by incarcerating them for minor offenses in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks from a private prison company. Even more shocking...

The time to green your resume is now. The federal Green Jobs Act got a $500 million boost from the economic stimulus package and is expected to train 70,000 workers in renewable-energy and energy-efficiency jobs. Plus, a floundering economy is nudging companies to hire employees to design and...

Three years ago, before the majority of the state’s voters approved a constitutional amendment that prohibited same-sex marriage and civil unions, supporters argued that the ban only affected the legal status of those two relationships. In contrast, domestic partnerships and the benefits granted by them...

Many people are critical when they learn that government gives direct financial assistance to private developers. But rather than complaining, two advocacy and organizing groups—the Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) and the Good Jobs Coalition—are urging that workers see some...

Because of the strong connections between Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and the job market, unions have always exerted a powerful influence on how the premier job training institution in the state is run. Every one of those unions strongly represented on MATC’s board has a clause in its contract to prevent...

It’s 6:30 p.m. on a bone-chilling Monday night. I arrive at the Hi Hat Garage to meet up with Keegan Trester, a custom bike builder. Trester began “tinkering” on motorcycles in 2002 after deciding that he needed an outlet for his creative energy. His first bike was a stock Honda Shadow VLX 600, which he later rebuilt...

I’m Art Kumbalek and man ohmanischewitz what a world, ain’a? So what the fock, another Presidents’ Day has come and gone and yet I am agog with wonder about just where the time goes. It seems that just the other day I couldn’t figure out how the Packers weren’t able to hold a lead with two minutes left in the game...

Laid-off workers gave lawmak-ers an earful at a Monday forum at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). Downsized employees from Delphi Corp., Glendale’s Strattec Security Corp., Janesville’s Lear Corp. and other job seekers told of their experiences in today’s job market. Some of their jobs have...