News

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Seattle-based Newsvine, Inc. was launched in March 2006 by a small team of like-minded colleagues with one purpose: to build a perfectly different, perfectly efficient way to read, write, and interact with the news.

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Founded by veterans of Disney, ESPN, and other media organizations, the mission of Newsvine is to bring together big and little media in a way which respects established journalism and empowers the individual at the same time.

At Newsvine, you can read stories from established media organizations like the Associated Press and ESPN as well as individual contributors from all around the world.

Placement of stories is determined by a multitude of factors including freshness, popularity, and reputation. Contribution is open to all, and editorial judgement is in the hands of the community.

Newsvine became a wholly-owned subsidiary of MSNBC Interactive News (msnbc.com) on October 5, 2007.

“We are pleased to make this technology leap,” said Mary Glass, Chair/CEO.

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Ms. Edith Bivens, Principal
Phillis Wheatley School
2442 N. 20th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53206
(414) 267–9000

Kukos to Ms. Bivens and the staff at Phillis Wheatley Elementary School for the special and warm hospitality for the Digital Divide Summit 2, sponsored by Campaign Neighborhood - CFNBA on Monday, December 3, 2007.

The meeting was held in the inviting and modern Parent Center on the first floor. The warmth from Principal Bivens and the staff were warm fuzzies with the outside weather being cold and icy.

SUMMIT Attendees:
Community Leader and Representative
• Mary Glass – Sponsor and Facilitator for the Summit

Phillis Wheatley Participants
• Ms. Edith Bivens – Principal
• Ms. Gaston – Parent Center Coordinator
• Ms. Garner – Title 1 Computer Center
• Ms. Bama Grice – Title 1 Computer Center
• Mr. Dan Schwarten – Art Specialist

WI Public Service Commission
• Jeff Richter – Telecommunications Analyst

WI Department of Public Instruction
• Richard Grobschmidt - Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Libraries, Technology and Community Learning
• Michael Cross - Director for Public Library Development
• Steve Sanders - Director for Information Media Technology

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
• John McCarragher, Associate Director of University Information Technology Services

Milwaukee Public School Board
• Charlene Hardin, MPS Board Director

Milwaukee Public Library Board
• Dr. Joan Prince, Chairwoman
• Charlene Hardin, MPS Board Director

Milwaukee Public Library Staff
• Bruce Gay, Technical Services Head

Address: 2442 North 20th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53206–1599

Principal: Edith Bivens
Tel: (414) 267–9000

Grade Levels: K4-Gr. 5

E-mail: 374@mail.milwaukee.k12.wi.us
Location Number: 374

Type: Neighborhood, Washington Campus Region
Calendar: Year-round
Academic Programs: Head Start, High/Scope, Direct Instruction
Time: 7:45 a.m. - 2:25 p.m.
Extended-day Activities, Voluntary School Uniform

Wheatley has a computer lab for Grades 1–5 and computer-assisted learning for all grades.

The Direct Instruction reading method uses Phonics, drills and repetition to ensure that children develop strong reading skills. The Community Learning Center provides family and community programs.

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Phillis Wheatley has been the first Milwaukee Public School as a model for the 5-Year Signature Plan (2005–2010).

5-Year Signature Plan Stats

• Located in the AMANI Neighborhood – Neighborhood Strategic Planning Area # 9
• Located in Aldermanic District 15 – Willie Hines, Alderman
• Located in Supervisor District 10 – Elizabeth Coggs-Jones
• Located in MPS District 4 – Charlene Hardin
• Located in Senate District 6 – Spencer Coggs
• Located in Representative District 16 – Leon Young
• Located in U.S. Congress District 4 – Gwen Moore
• Located in U.S. Senator – Herb Kohl

For information about the Digital Divide Summit click on, Summit Meeting.

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Secretary Celia Jackson
WI Department of Regulations & Licensing

Secretary Jackson has hit-the-floor running with making this department and Board more customer-friendly, informed and accountable.

Secretary Jackson has hit-the-floor running with making this department and Board more customer-friendly, informed and accountable.

The first Milwaukee Board Meeting will be held December 3, 2007. It is a two-part visit:

• Board Meeting - 2:00pm
• Listening Meeting - 6:30pm

Place: Destiny Youth Plaza

        7210 N. 76th Street

76th & Good Hope Road

For more information,
http://drl.wi.gov/dept/docs/Barb-Cos%20Invite%20Milw.pdf

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Milwaukee School Board - 4th District
Congratulations are in order for 4th District School Board Director, Ms. Charlene Hardin.

She has been a school board member since 1997.

She was appointed to:

• MPL/Milwaukee Public Library Board
• WASB/Wisconsin Association of School Board Directors

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Milwaukee’s population in 2000 was 573,378, in 2006 it had risen to 602,782.

That is an increase of 29,404 folk.

It increased almost by the size of the City of Franklin which is 29,494 (2000 census).

In 2007, Franklin was ranked 90th as the best place to live.

Milwaukee was rated the worst place for African Americans to live. African Americans make up the majority People of Color population for Milwaukee.

Coming article - the byproducts associated with the increased population.

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Our present concept of Intelligent Campuses in the Inner City of Milwaukee is in its infancy.

We do know it should be state-of-the-art, multi-level sites with some nodes as industrial park models (Inner City style - revitalized plants and structures) that are 10–40gbps.

They should be extremely customer-neighborhood friendly, with staff and competitive vendors that have signed on to the neighborhood business plan and social responsibility.

The sites are to be flexible and accessible as possible. This includes sites with 24/7 hours of operation.

All libraries should be operated by many of the people who live in the neighborhoods with paid and volunteer staff.

The intelligent campuses should have:

• Call Centers - for residential and business use
• e-Conference rooms and buildings
• Major thoroughfare connectivity - business and customer
• Neighborhood Networking - all
• Neighborhood Wellness - art appreciation, health care, spiritual, mental and physical therapy
• Incubator Lifestyle Business
• Safety Prevention and Intervention Clearinghouse
• Supply Chain Business Development
• Youth, Parent and Senior Centering

CUSTOMER
Our first thought was to think of who the audience/customer would be and their needs.

The customer base is the City of Milwaukee. Over 600,000 Milwaukeeans with diverse needs according to:

• age
• income
• poverty level
• employment
• under-employment
• education attainment
• lifestyles
• computer access
• computer literacy
• transportation

We then looked for a PUBLIC “internet platform” (location with computer access) that was “in place” and “accessible” to the public. It was MPL/Milwaukee Public Library system.

We then selected MPL as the hardware and software location for access.

There are 13 sites in Milwaukee at the present time. We see more intelligent library campuses needed and those presently being used, updated to meet more the customer base needs - residential, commercial, light industrial, institutional (clergy-school-social-government).

Some immediate areas being looked at by us are: physical site - hours, number of computers, printers, ergonomics, attachments (cell phones, smart phones, headphones and laptops), e-conference center, dispositories and neighborhood legacy sites, specialized use areas, research options, vendors, vendor competitiveness, customer care of the librarians as well as the vendors, procurement for businesses in the City of Milwaukee, especially People of Color and the Working Poor.

We are also looking at the staffing of the libraries - Intelligent Campus librarian qualifications, hiring practices, affirmative action, unions, non-unions, oversight, public vs private ownership, funding, accountability, and public-neighborhood decison making.

We feel the staffing should include present librarians and they should have cross-training orientation that is unique to each neighborhood makeup. The connectivity of the host campus will plan, communicate with the neighborhood representatives that are in place to help support the stakeholders.

For this model, we have selected a 2-tier support frame.

Primary supporters are:

• 18 CDBG/Community Development Block Grant Lead Agencies
• 40 Business Districts
• Churches, schools and social organiztions of the Lead Agency boundaries
• Alderperson
• Supervisor

Secondary supporters are:

• The Representative Office
• The Senator Office
• The Congressional Leaders - Senators and U.S. Congressional
• Civic and Fraternal organizations

More to come . . .

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We have adopted, but added to, the prinicipal definition and toolkit that is presented by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation(www.wkkf.org.)

Mindset
“Neighborhood governance gauges the sharing of power between different groups”.

Neighborhood governance is the power tool/catalyst for building partnerships between communities and the organizations that serve them.

Best continued practice tools must have buy-in. If used correctly and systematically, they can/will offer ways to:

• encourage community awareness and participation
• promote block club and neighborhood dialogue
• promote advocacy
• promote policy change through specific techniques and actions, such as: “study circles”, “community walks”, “town meetings”, “neighborhood conference calls”, “e-storming”, e-employment, e-commerce, e-blogging, e-wellness and focus groups.

To be continued…

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