Politics - Aug. 28, 2009
Taking schools to school
Proponents and opponents of changing the way the Milwaukee Public Schools are run were lining up in droves this week as some public events were held to draw attention to a plan by Gov. Jim Doyle and Mayor Tom Barrett to allow the mayor to oversee the schools.
Tags: Milwaukee Public Schools, Tom Barrett, Jim Doyle, Gwen Moore, Josh Zepnick, Tony Zielinski, Willie Hines, Scott Walker, Mark Neumann, Milwaukee Public School Defense League

Politics - Feb. 20, 2009
Who should run MPS? The discussions continue...
Conversations about a potential takeover of the Milwaukee Public Schools continue, with politicians considering ideas ranging from letting the mayor run it to creating a pseudo MPS czar. Last week, the Public Policy Forum released a report that looked at other cities with mayoral control over the school system. Mayor Tom Barrett hasn't entirely dismissed the idea, which was entertained by former Mayor John Norquist some time ago. Another pitch would have the mayor appoint a "chancellor," and that chancellor would appoint the school board.
Tags: tom barrett, common council, willie hines, mps, bob donovan, jim doyle, bradley tech, jane pettit, bob bauman, dan sykes

Milwaukee Buzz - July 13, 2008
Sunday Sound-off: Is the one-beer rule a good one?
Do you think limiting the number of beers a person can buy at one time at a street festival is a good solution?
Tags: RiverSplash, Willie Hines, Michael Murphy, Jim Bohl, Doug Hissom, beer sales, beer vendors, one-drink maximum

Politics - April 18, 2008
Conference speakers shoot the breeze about gun ban
It might not seem like the most popular topic given the timing, but Nate Nelson, a field representative for The Leadership Institute, told the Future Wisconsin Conservative Conference that his organization is trying to fight a ban on handguns at Virginia Tech University.
Tags: nate nelson, the leadership institute, future wisconsin conservative conference, herb kohl, pat goss, terry witkowski, willie hines, joe dudzik, vel phillips, milwaukee police, youtube

Politics - Dec. 21, 2007
City contemplates crackdown on curfew
Some Milwaukee aldermen want to crack down on teen curfew violations and want to force business owners to get in the game, too.
Tags: curfew, zielinski, willie hines, vassallo, mo's, posner building, MMSD, milwaukee police department, horse patrol, Fontarome Chemical, Friends of Milwaukee Rivers