As we celebrate 12 years of serving you, we decided to take a look back at 12 stories we feel embody our mission: to give residents who are often underserved by other media the newsroom they deserve through professional reporting.
It’s all part of NNSpirit Week!
Help us reach our goal of raising $12,000 in honor of our 12th anniversary!
1. 
Deportation tears apart family of seven
The last time Hector Arenas had any contact with law enforcement officials was when he was 22. Fifteen years later, he was removed from his home by immigration officers and deported to Mexico, leaving behind five children and their mother.
2. 
Special Report: Mounting fines for minor infractions hit low-income drivers hardest
Unpaid traffic tickets are leading to a growing number of driver’s license suspensions for impoverished, minority Milwaukeeans.
3.
Special Report: Undocumented immigrants pay heavy price for minor offenses
Many undocumented immigrants from Milwaukee County who were deported as a result of the federal Secure Communities program were guilty of misdemeanor offenses, such as driving without a license, according to a new report.
4. 
After four decades of fair housing, segregation still rules Milwaukee streets
The Fair Housing Act, passed in 1968, is rarely used to combat segregation and restrictive suburban zoning regulations.
5.
EXCLUSIVE: Milwaukee Police Department’s stay-at-home arrests reveal deep racial disparities
African Americans make up the majority of residents arrested on charges of violating Milwaukee’s stay-at-home order, according to data obtained from the Milwaukee Police Department through a public records request.
6. 
Special Report: Opioid crisis hits city hard
Of the 309 drug deaths in Milwaukee County this year through Oct. 15, 84 percent were caused by opioids, and 70 percent of the victims lived in the City of Milwaukee.
7. 
SPECIAL REPORT: A tale of two cities: How New York and Milwaukee approach juvenile justice
The closing of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons will affect the future of our state’s most vulnerable youths. Many leaders say New York is a model for how young people should be treated. We travel to the Big Apple to see if there are lessons we can learn for Milwaukee.
8. 
Where did that gun used in a crime come from? Milwaukee police can’t easily tell you
Milwaukee lacks an overall picture of where guns used in shootings and other crimes originate from, which could possibly solve other crimes and identify trends to help create new approaches to prevent crime.
9. 
‘How do I ever get caught up, if I’m always catching up?’ Poverty’s unrelenting grip on Milwaukee
Milwaukee ranks second in poverty among the top 50 most populated cities in the United States, with 24.6% of the city living in poverty. Here are some reasons why.
10. 
The slow fade of youth sports in Milwaukee
Fewer kids are playing sports, including baseball in Milwaukee, as the competitive gap between baseball in the city and suburbs continues to grow.
11. 
Safety concerns mount at psychiatric hospital contracted to serve Milwaukee County residents
Family members and mental health advocates have expressed concern about the safety of patients at Granite Hills Hospital, the psychiatric hospital contracted to serve Milwaukee County residents.
12. 
SPECIAL REPORT: As overdose deaths rise, drug-related arrests decline by 67% in Milwaukee
Despite a record-breaking rise in drug overdose deaths in Milwaukee County over the past several years, the number of drug-related arrests in the city has declined.
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