Monthly Archives: September 2011

by | September 20, 2011 · 9:07 pm

Oak Creek Bank Robbery And Other Local Headlines

The Tri-City National Bank inside the Pick ‘n Save store on Ryan Road was reportedly robbed Monday night.

Check out the story from Fox 6 here.

And check out these other local headlines of interest …

Also, the South Shore police report has been published on South Milwaukee NOW.

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by | September 19, 2011 · 10:00 am

Noticeable Changes: More On Griddlers

OnMilwaukee.com has an article with more information on the six new Griddlers Cafes, including the one in South Milwaukee.

Check it out here.

You’ll recall that the six were previously George Webb restaurants, but they changed their nameplate after the franchisee decided not to renew their agreement with Webb’s.

With the new name will come some menu, ambience and other changes. (New signs went up in the last week at the South Milwaukee location.)

According to the article:

“We’re being more creative, and we are improving the quality of the food,” Don Hensiak continued. The coffee is now freshly ground in store, the portion size of the hash browns has been increased, and the combined double cheeseburger patties now weigh in at one-third of a pound. “We’re upgrading the bread products and using more of a bakery bun for the double cheeseburger,” Don added. …

Many of the Webb concepts remain. Griddlers Cafes serve breakfast and burgers around the clock.

All employes have been retained, as has the folksy Webb culture. The staff uniform is a polo shirt in a palette of solid colors over black slacks.

Interior decor is changing to soften the look and suggest cafe rather than diner. Grand opening festivities are planned for next month.

I’d like to know what you think. Have you been to Griddlers? Write your review below!

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by | September 17, 2011 · 4:43 pm

South Milwaukee Sports Update: Homecoming Week Begins Sunday

I have been added to the email list for Rocket Update, an email from the South Milwaukee School District with updates on Rocket athletics.

This week’s edition includes a schedule of Homecoming events, starting Sunday.

  • SUNDAY (4:00p-6:00p) – 14 Activity Groups & Sports Teams have signed up for the traditional window painting on Milwaukee Avenue. Check the artwork out as you drive by during at the start of next week.
  • THURSDAY (5:45p-7:45p) – Hall Decorating by the each of the 4 classes in the HS
  • THURSDAY (8:00p-8:25p) – Pep Rally in the Sullivan Gymnasium
  • THURSDAY (8:30p-9:45p) – Bonfire just west of the baseball diamond on 15th & Beech
  • FRIDAY (1:58p-2:48p) – Homecoming Assembly & Pep Rally
  • FRIDAY (7:00p kickoff) – Homecoming Football Game v. Wauwatosa West
  • SATURDAY (8:00p-11:00p) – Homecoming Dance
I’ll be sure to post future Rocket Updates when I get them. And go Rockets!

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by | September 17, 2011 · 4:41 pm

South Milwaukee Football Team Loses Second Straight And Other Local Headlines

The South Milwaukee football team fell 14-7 to Greendale on Friday, dropping the Rockets to 2-2.

Check out the story from the Journal Sentinel here. And here are some photos from Greendale Patch.

Check out these headlines of local interest:

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by | September 15, 2011 · 11:26 pm

What’s For Sale? Taking A Closer Look At South Milwaukee Real Estate

It’s time for the second installment of “What’s For Sale?” a new, and regular, feature of South Milwaukee Blog that takes a closer look at real estate values around South Milwaukee.

This week, it’s listings from Shorewest.

Wonder what you can get for the following dollar amounts? Click on them to find out.

I must admit, that home for $889,000 is darn impressive.

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by | September 14, 2011 · 10:34 pm

Still Going Strong: South Milwaukee Farmers’ Market Health Fair Is Thursday

The South Milwaukee Downtown Market is partnering with South Shore Family Chiropractic to host the “10 Steps to Wellness” Health Fair on Thursday, September 15, at the market.

The free event is scheduled for 3 to 7 p.m. – the regular hours of the market – and will feature a variety of local health care providers providing wellness information, demonstrations and other services.

These vendors will be in addition to the dozens of produce, organics, baked goods, prepared food, arts and crafts and other vendors who call the market at 11th and Milwaukee Avenue in South Milwaukee home every week.

Learn more in this press release, and I hope to see you there!

(And mark your calendars now for our Oct. 15 Fall Family Festival at the market. This free event includes pumpkin decorating, apple bobbing, trick or treating and even a tamale eating contest. Stay tuned for details.)

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by | September 14, 2011 · 10:33 pm

The “False Dichotomies” Of The Transportation Debate And Other Local Headlines

Milwaukee County and South Shore Supervisor Pat Jursik had a thought-provoking editorial in Sunday Milwaukee’s Journal Sentinel, in which she criticized the “false dichotomies” that pervade the debate over road building and transit.

From it:

Community columnist Nancy Ettenheim on Sept. 2 mischaracterized my “really, big millennial” idea as just another new freeway. In effect, Ettenheim is singing the same old song: the Milwaukee blues. This is the blues of false dichotomies: If you support a bike trail, you can’t have a road; if you support buses, you can’t have a bike rack; if you support road building, you can’t have bikes or buses.

Check out the full piece here.

And check out these other local headlines:

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by | September 14, 2011 · 12:12 am

Painful Repercussions: Proposed County Paramedic Funding Cut Will Cost South Milwaukee

People have been waiting for weeks to see just how Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele will address a projected shortfall of $55 million in his 2012 county budget.

One detail emerged Tuesday: a proposal eliminating the county’s subsidy to communities for paramedic service.

Check out the Journal Sentinel story here.

This is a big deal for the communities that provide this service — including South Milwaukee. Elimination of this funding would leave an approximately $300,000 hole in our budget for 2012, making our work in crafting a responsible budget even tougher in coming months.

I’ll keep you posted as we go through this process. In the meantime, why not call Abele and urge him not to make this cut? We must maintain our high level of paramedic service, and this proposed cut makes that much more difficult.

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by | September 12, 2011 · 10:52 am

Key Budget Dates Scheduled

The 2012 budget will be tough. You can find out how tough at a series of meetings starting in October.

The city has posted its 2012 budget hearing and meeting schedule. Check it out here.

Here are some of the key dates:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 19: Executive budget review
  • Thursday, Nov. 3: Budget published
  • Monday, Nov. 28: Budget public hearing
  • Tuesday, Nov. 29: Common Council meetings to adopt budget.

I’ll keep you posted as some of these dates draw nearer.

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by | September 12, 2011 · 10:48 am

South Milwaukee Football Team Falls To Greenfield And Other Local Headlines

The South Milwaukee football team dropped to 2-1 with a loss to Greenfield on Friday night.

Check out the NOW game story here.

And check out these other headlines of note from around the South Shore:

Also, State Sen. Chris Larson has published a new Larson Report email update.
And do you remember this storm from 1981, when a tornado touched down in Oak Creek? A Google News Alert revealed this archive story.

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by | September 10, 2011 · 8:29 am

Public Hearing Dates Set For Walmart Development

The city has set dates for three public hearings related to the proposed Walmart development. Here are the details ….

Click on the links above to see the official notices. The Plan Commission is also expected to hold its own hearing on the issue at some point.
As you recall, I wrote about this issue after Tuesday’s council meeting. And don’t forget to vote in my poll on the right side of this page.

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by | September 9, 2011 · 12:07 pm

South Milwaukee Trick Or Treating Set For Sunday, Oct. 30 — But Why Not Halloween?

South Milwaukee has set its trick-or-treat times for 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30.

This is traditionally when the city has had it — the Sunday afternoon before Halloween. I wish it was different.

I voted no on this issue at Tuesday’s City Council meeting because I think trick-or-treating should be on Halloween evening, like many other communities across the area and state.

Check out a running list from Haunted Wisconsin here.

I was surprised to see how many communities will hold trick or treating in the late afternoon or early evening of Halloween this year. Locally, they include Hartland, Germantown, Brookfield, Cedarburg and Waukesha.

Other larger cities in the state holding Halloween trick-or-treating include Madison and Appleton.

I think we should join them and start a new tradition of celebrating Halloween on, well, Halloween — every year. To me, 4 to 6 p.m. seems reasonable, as this would mean that younger kids (including my own) could trick-or-treat in daylight hours while others, if they choose, could do it at night.

What do you think? Should South Milwaukee hold trick-or-treating on Halloween no matter the day of the week? Post your comments below!

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by | September 8, 2011 · 4:01 pm

Updated: Man Killed In Industrial Accident At Caterpillar

A 30-year-old Kenosha man was killed in an industrial accident at Caterpillar Thursday.

According to a press release from the South Milwaukee Police Department, the man who died was Jeffrey B. Smith, a crane operator.

Check out coverage from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WISN.

I’ll keep you posted when I hear more.

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by | September 8, 2011 · 8:55 am

Public Works Update: A Closer Look At A Busy Summer And Fall (And Into 2012)

City Engineer Kyle Vandercar has put together an informative summary of all the work that’s been done with city roads, sewers and other public works projects over the summer – and the plan for the remainder of the year.

Check it out here.

On the Parkway Drive/17th Avenue project, one that I’ve been asked more and more about in recent weeks:

Based on video inspection of storm and sanitary facilities completed in August, a significant amount of additional work needs to be included with the contract plans. We still intend to advertise a contract to construct storm and sanitary work this fall/early winter. Road work/paving will be a spring/early summer 2012 project.

I’ll keep you posted on this and other projects when possible.

And check out this update from Oak Creek Patch on the ongoing College Avenue reconstruction project.

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by | September 8, 2011 · 8:50 am

Wisconsin Wins: Honadel Proposes “Tryout Period” For Unemployed Job Seekers

South Milwaukee Rep. Mark Honadel has proposed a unique jobs bill that would give recipients of unemployment a chance to take part-time “training jobs” as a potential path to full-time employment — all while continuing to receive unemployment benefits.

Check out the press release here. From it:

“We must be open to new, creative solutions to get people back to work,” Honadel said.  “My plan will help match employers with potential employees for training that may lead to full-time jobs.”

What do you think of the proposal? Post your comments below!

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