South Milwaukee Blog

Here is the survey link. From the Health Department …

Participation in this survey is voluntary. All responses will remain confidential. The first 300 people who complete the survey will be eligible to receive a $10 gift card. To receive the gift card, you will be asked to provide your name, email, or phone number towards the end of the survey. You must be a resident of Cudahy, Oak Creek, South Milwaukee, or St. Francis in order to be eligible for a gift card. Limit one survey per household.

The purpose of this survey is to identify the impacts of COVID-19 on communities in the South Shore of Milwaukee County. In addition, we want to better understand the needs, priorities, and strengths of our communities. The information gathered from this survey will be used to develop creative and equitable solutions to better support the South Shore communities as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

We appreciate your participation.

From the South Shore Athletic Club Facebook page …

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more information on what’s next for the space.

Welcome to the South Shore, Victory Christian Academy!

And here is a blog post from 2015, when it was announced the YMCA was closing.

From TMJ4 …

A man has died after a 100mph police chase resulted in a crash into the Oak Creek in South Milwaukee.

The Cudahy Police Department initiated a police pursuit around 3 a.m. after a vehicle with an improperly displayed registration was spotted speeding and deviating from its lane. The pursuit went on for about 3.4 miles, with speeds topping out around 100 mph. It was terminated after officers lost sight of the car.

About 40 minutes after the pursuit was terminated, the South Milwaukee Police Department located the vehicle in a ravine near Chicago Ave. and Rawson Ave.

TMJ4 News responded to the area and saw crews working to remove the vehicle.

The driver, a 23-year-old man, was found dead. There were no other occupants in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Cudahy Police later discovered the man had a warrant for his arrest. The crash is now being investigated by the South Milwaukee Police Department.

Here is the Cudahy Police Department press release. Photos are from WISN and TMJ4.

You can now vote at South Milwaukee City Hall, through Friday, March 31.

Here is a sample ballot for the 2023 spring election, featuring contested races South Milwaukee School Board, Wisconsin Court of Appeals and the Wisconsin Supreme Court. There are also four referendum measures related to parole, bail, welfare benefits and abortion.

My recommendations? I support Patrick Hintz, Augie Vega and Nathan Jurowski for South Milwaukee School Board, as well as Janet Protasiewicz for Supreme Court and Sara Geenen for Appeals Court.

South Milwaukee Mayor Jim Shelenske is running unopposed for a three-year term.

Election Day is Tuesday, April 4.

From the city website …

Anyone planning on being out of town or unable to make it to the polling place on election day can cast an absentee ballot in the Clerk’s office, or request a ballot in writing up until the Thursday before an election. Absentee voting will be conducted in the clerk’s office the two weeks prior to an election.

2023 Spring Election Important Dates

• March 30th – 5:00 PM – Last day for regular and overseas electors to request absentee ballots by mail. 
• March 31st – 5:00 PM – Last day to register to vote in the Clerk’s Office.
• March 31st – 5:00 PM – Last day for In-Person Absentee voting in the Clerk’s Office.
• March 31st – 5:00 PM – Last day for indefinitely confined electors and military electors to request an absentee ballot by mail and hospitalized voter.

In-Person Absentee Voting 

• Tuesday,  March 21st  – Friday,  March 24th  – 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
• Monday, March 27th  – Thursday, March 30th – 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
• Friday,  March 31st  – 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM 

Note:  There is no absentee voting or voter registration on the Monday prior to election day. 

From the South Milwaukee Police Department, by way of the school district …

This afternoon, a 9mm bullet was found on the floor of a sixth-grade classroom. A firearm was not found. Immediately after the bullet was discovered, the middle school administration and the South Milwaukee Police Department resource officers set in action a plan to ensure the safety of the student body.

It was determined that a thorough search of the belongings and persons of the students who had access to that area during the time prior to the bullet’s discovery was necessary. At all times, an officer and a staff member were present during the searches. Approximately 40 students were searched.

Student and staff safety is our primary concern. The presence of a live round is alarming and dangerous. Given the presence of the bullet, it’s the responsibility of the District to ensure no firearms were brought to school.

We will update you at the end of the students’ day as to the results of the search. We also take this time to ask that families talk with their children about not bringing unsafe items to school.

Hours are 5-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

From Milwaukee County …

Beer gardens are a tradition brought to Wisconsin by German brewers in the 1850s – they’re outdoor areas where beer and food are served, typically at shared tables shaded by trees.

The Traveling Beer Garden tours transform parks into temporary beer gardens for twelve days at a time. Restored fire trucks were converted into mobile beer trucks, serving up craft beers, and more.

One simultaneously running tour will travel to different parks between May and September.

The Traveling Beer Gardens are managed by Milwaukee County Parks in partnership with Sprecher Brewery. Revenue from the beer gardens goes back into improving the parks.

Our beer partner, Sprecher Brewery, offers an ever-changing selection of Sprecher craft beer at each tour stop. Cider, gluten-free options, and non-alcoholic beverages are available as well. While Sprecher remains the featured beverage at the TBG, we will also be offering City Lights, Lakefront & Eagle Park Breweries this summer.

Madness! Check out the blog events listing for a current list of events. Here are some from this weekend … including a corned beef and roasted pork loin dinner on Thursday.

• Thursday, March 16: Free Community Dinner, First Congregational Church. Details
• Friday, March 17-Sunday, March 19: South Milwaukee High School Theatre presents “The Sound of Music.” Shows on Friday and Saturday evening, as well as Sunday afternoon. Details
• Saturday, March 18: South Milwaukee Historical Society Open House, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Details
• Sunday, March 19: South Milwaukee American Legion Post 27 103rd Birthday Dinner. Cocktails at 4, dinner at 5 p.m. RSVP by March 5. Details

And check out what’s up with St. Patrick’s Day at Moran’s Pub!

A message from interim South Milwaukee School Superintendent Jim Shaw … also delivered via video.

Dear South Milwaukee Community,

This week the school administration will suggest a plan to reduce our budget to match the funding we expect to receive from the state. I’m writing to share my angst and concern for our students and teachers and to warn of the pain our community will soon feel.

I am proud to say that I am a Wisconsin public school educator, and have been for more than fifty years.  I have worked in six different school districts, visited countless schools across the state, and taught at three different Wisconsin universities.

I am proud of Wisconsin public education. I am proud that public schools are the schools for “all the children of all the people.” I am proud to know hundreds of teachers who taught me by their example, that the purpose of public education is to make a difference in the lives of children. Teachers are core to what we do in public schools.

I am proud of our local School Board, the concept of local control, and the school board’s advocacy for public education. 

I am sad to say that the schools I love are in crisis. Since 2008 Wisconsin public schools have been systematically defunded. Per-student funding is now more than $3,000 behind inflation. Most school districts must pass referendums just to survive. Across the state school boards are facing financial deficits and some are even considering dissolution.

Because teachers are underpaid and undervalued, Wisconsin is facing an unprecedented teacher shortage. The crisis is made worse by declining student enrollment and the need to downsize schools, cut programs and decrease opportunities for students.

While the Wisconsin Constitution defines public education as a State responsibility, the State is failing in its responsibility by freezing funding for public education, while at the same time, amassing a State surplus valued at more than $7 billion.

The School District of South Milwaukee is in crisis, facing a more than $1.6 million deficit. That means our elected school board must make reductions to match our costs to our income – something we all can relate to.

We don’t have a lot of power to change this situation – but you might. Your opinions matter to elected officials. We’ve compiled some materials to help you engage your elected officials in a discussion about public school funding and information on how to reach them.

On April 19, please join us for our Speak Up for Public Schools advocacy event from 5-7 p.m. in the high school. At that event, there will be many ways for whole families to celebrate and stand up for public education that can, if enough of us do something, possibly move the government to act.  You can RSVP here.

Wisconsin public education is in a funding crisis. In a crisis, the South Milwaukee Way is to come together. The School Board has asked for a plan to minimize the impact of budget reductions on students and teachers.

I am hopeful that we can work with our teachers and our community to keep our schools great and protect opportunities for all students.

Please come together to advocate for our South Milwaukee Public Schools.  

Jim Shaw, Interim-Superintendent   

Check out these headlines from around South Milwaukee …

• Milwaukee County Will Place Vending Machines Filled With Free Narcan, Fentanyl Test Strips Throughout Community (Wisconsin Public Radio)
• South Milwaukee Pedestrian Hit, Driver Arrested for OWI (Fox 6)
• South Milwaukee Missing/Runaway Teen Found Safe (Fox 6)
• To Snow Day Or Not To Snow Day: What’s Behind School Districts’ Decisions (TMJ4)
• Milwaukee School Bus Driver Warns Too Many People Are Driving Dangerously Around Buses (TMJ4)
• World Premiere Wisconsin Offers An Enticing Menu Of New Plays, Musicals (Shepherd Express)
• WIAA Approves Part Of Controversial Football-Only Conference Realignment (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

A winter storm overnight left thousands without power in South Milwaukee.

Here is the We Energies outage map. Most power outages locally seemed centered near Rawson and Nicholson as of 7:30 a.m. on March 10.

The South Milwaukee School District also announced a “non-traditional snow day.” From its message to families …

Due to the ongoing winter storm and power outages in many of our buildings, school buildings will be closed today, Friday, March 10, and students will have a non-traditional snow day. 

Elementary and middle school students should complete the work sent home or assigned to them before school resumes on Monday. High school students should be prepared for virtual check-ins today with each of their classes. 

Here is the morning update from the National Weather Service …

A press release from the South Milwaukee School District …

SOUTH MILWAUKEE – On Wednesday, March 8, the School District of South Milwaukee announced the appointment of Deidre Roemer as superintendent effective July 1.

“We’re extremely excited and proud to welcome Mrs. Roemer to South Milwaukee,” Board President Sophia Williams said. “Her track record as the Assistant Superintendent in West Allis-West Milwaukee is impressive. We can’t wait to see what she will do here.”

Roemer has worked in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District since 2005 first as a teacher, then the Coordinator of Special Education, the Director of Leadership and Learning and for the last year as the Assistant Superintendent. 

Prior to her time in West Allis-West Milwaukee, she taught in Minnesota, Iowa, Milwaukee, Hawaii and Illinois. She also serves as an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is a contributing author of Because of a Teacher by George Couros.

Roemer has been married to her husband, Rick, for fifteen years and is the proud parent of Emily, 20, and twins Nick and Henry, 14. 

“I am thrilled to be joining the team at the School District of South Milwaukee. It is a great community centered by excellent schools. The dedication to creating a sense of belonging so that every student can thrive drew me to apply for the position,” Roemer said. “I look forward to continuing and growing the work to embed Social Emotional Learning in every school and the amazing Career and Technical education work together. I have been impressed by the sense of family shared by the staff and students who I have met so far and am excited to meet more of the staff and spend time getting to know the community in the coming months.” 

The School Board began the search for a new superintendent in October following the departure of Dr. Jeffery Weiss who left to lead the Kenosha Unified School District.

Retired superintendent Dr. James Shaw was appointed in October as interim superintendent while the School Board conducted its search for Weiss’s replacement. Shaw will remain in his position with the District until June 30. 

Separate and distinct from Milwaukee Public Schools, South Milwaukee is a suburban School District that serves approximately 2,700 students in six buildings. There are four elementary schools and a middle and high school. 

From Urban Milwaukee …

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley signed contracts Tuesday providing $9.5 million for four affordable housing projects in suburban communities.

The funds will go towards projects in Brown Deer, Wauwatosa and South Milwaukee. The county executive and the county’s Housing Division made it a goal in 2022 to diversify the affordable housing available in metro Milwaukee by backing developments in communities that have historically been resistant to such projects.

“This is another huge step forward for the county, particularly in our work as we continue to increase the amount of safe and affordable housing in all neighborhoods throughout the county,” Crowley said.

Funding for the projects comes out of the county’s $185 million allocation of Affordable Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. In 2022, the county set aside $15 million in ARPA funding to support affordable suburban housing projects. The county worked with the Community Development Alliance to find projects to back and in January awarded funding to the first four projects Crowley signed off on Tuesday.

The projects include: $2 million for a project with 56 affordable units being developed by Jewish Family Services at 4114 W. Woodale Ave. in Brown Deer; $2.48 million for 56 units being developed by MSP Real Estate Inc. at 11500 W. Burleigh St. in the Mayfair Collection in Wauwatosa; $2.5 million for 82 affordable units to be incorporated into Scott Crawford Inc. and J. Jeffers & Co’s redevelopment of the former Bucyrus Plant, 1100 Milwaukee Ave., in South Milwaukee; and $2.5 million for 17 units at 7501 W. North Ave. in Wauwatosa being developed by Luther Group.

“Currently, in Milwaukee County, we have about 70,000 families who earn $15 an hour or less, but there’s only about 30,000 rentals that are available for them,” Crowley said, dramatizing the need for CDA’s affordable housing plan.

Also check out coverage from Fox 6, CBS 58, and Spectrum News.

Mayor Jim Shelenske’s comment via the city Facebook page: “Much like the Bucyrus campus through the Scott Crawford and J. Jeffers & Co. proposal, South Milwaukee is seeing new energy and momentum.”

More on the proposed Bucyrus development here, here and in Alderman Backes’ recent update.

I’m really excited to see this added to our city’s already strong event schedule.

Please spread the word, and mark your calendars now! From the Friends …