Monthly Archives: December 2011

by | December 16, 2011 · 10:22 pm

New Bar Coming To The Former Bickler’s And Other Local Headlines

The Business Journal has a story on the new owner of the former Bickler’s — and it’s a name area Harley-Davidson enthusiasts may know.

Chaz Hastings, owner of Milwaukee Harley-Davidson, is growing his tavern business with Bottoms Up South on 5th and Madison. The tavern is expected to open in the next couple of months.

Chaz and his partner also have taverns in Butler, Richfield and Erin.

Learn more in this story (subscription required for full version). The Legislation & Permits Committee approved their license last month.

And check out these other local headlines of interest:

Also, NOW has published a new police blotter, and State Sen. Chris Larson has published a new Larson Report.

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by | December 16, 2011 · 4:03 pm

Report: No Hoan Bridge Bike Lane

There won’t be a bike lane on the Hoan Bridge.

Check out The Business Journal story here. Here is the press release.

As most of my readers know, I supported the addition of a bike and pedestrian lane to the bridge — an effort, albeit costly, to go beyond the bare minimum to make the bridge truly unique and special.

Instead, we get the bare minimum. So it goes.

Maybe the powers that be will try again in 2050, or whenever the deck needs replacing again. In the meantime, I’ll continue to drive this vital link between downtown and the South Shore, wishing it could be this or this or this or this (because, yes, this is being done other places).

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by | December 15, 2011 · 1:50 pm

Paying Your Taxes

By now, I’m assuming most, if not all, blog readers have received their 2011 property tax bills.

Remember, taxes are due Jan. 31, and you can pay by mail, by credit card online or over the phone, at City Hall and at these other local outlets:

  • Tri-City National Bank: Locations at 2115 10th Ave. and inside Pick ‘n Save at 2901 S. Chicago Ave.; and
  • M&I Bank, 1001 Marquette Ave.

Learn more about the tax billing process on the city’s website here.

And don’t forget that the treasurer’s office will be closed Dec. 23 and 26 and only be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Dec. 30.

I’d also like to know what your tax bill showed this year (especially the city portion). Post your comments below, and vote in my poll!

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by | December 15, 2011 · 1:22 pm

Special Event At Studio 915 On Saturday

A quick shout out to Studio 915, which is holding a special jewelry sale from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The sale features handmade jewelry from a number of local sellers, including several that were at the South Milwaukee Christmas Market the last two Saturdays.

Studio 915, at 915 Milwaukee Ave., opened less than two months ago. Check out my previous post here and its website.

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by | December 14, 2011 · 10:11 pm

More Memories Of Dick Bolender And Other Headlines

Services for former Oak Creek Mayor Dick Bolender, a South Milwaukee native, were held on Wednesday, as more and more people offered their thoughts on the local leader and his legacy.

Here is a story from NOW, and here is another story from Patch with reaction to Bolender’s death, including this from State Sen. Chris Larson …

“My first talk with him after the election as a good one. He had endorsed my opponent in the primary so there was a potential that we wouldn’t get along but I never felt slighted by him. He was someone who was above the fray. He was a statesman.

“I have five cities in my district – four full cities and part of Milwaukee. Of the five mayors that I’ve worked with, Mayor Bolender was the one I worked with the most. I sat down to talk issues with him more than anybody. A year ago I couldn’t have predicted that, but he was the easiest to approach, somebody who would get coffee at the drop of a hat if you wanted to talk about issues of development or what was going to be going on with the city hall project, what’s going on with Oak Creek schools, whatever it was … we acknowledged there was a difference between us (politically) but it was never an issue.”

And this from County Supervisor Pat Jursik …

“He was an extremely pragmatic man. He represented the community first and foremost. He did things in the interest of his community and I think that’s why he was such a good leader.

“He just totally loved his family. He wasn’t afraid to say that he loved his family and that he loved his wife.

“He was truly a (University of Wisconsin-) Whitewater fan. He played on the football team in college … and Bolender would wear his Whitewater football jacket around. To show how loyal a person he was, he supported that team his entire life.”

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

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by | December 12, 2011 · 9:35 pm

More On The Oak Creek Mayor’s Death And Other Local Headlines

The president of the Oak Creek City Council has been named the city’s acting mayor and upcoming meetings have been cancelled following the death of Dick Bolender over the weekend.

Learn more in this Oak Creek Patch story.

And check out these other local headlines of interest:

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by | December 12, 2011 · 9:19 pm

Golf In December? Grant Park Reopens

It’s mid-December. Why not break out the golf clubs?

Four Milwaukee County Parks golf courses, including Grant, have reopened, weather permitting, according to the Milwaukee County Parks system.

Learn more here, including course conditions. Rain is expected later this week, so you might want to get in a round on Tuesday …

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by | December 11, 2011 · 12:07 pm

Oak Creek Mayor Bolender Dead At Age 68

Update: Here is a more detailed story in the Journal Sentinel, and here are details from Oak Creek Patch.

Oak Creek Mayor Dick Bolender has died.

Oak Creek Patch broke the story this morning, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has confirmed it.

Bolender’s death, which reportedly came at his home on Saturday, comes after he announced earlier this week that he would not seek re-election this spring.

I’ll keep you posted when I learn more. In the meantime, let’s keep the Bolender family — and all those who knew and respected the Oak Creek mayor — in our prayers.

Did you know Mayor Bolender? What are your memories of him? What is his legacy? Post your comments below.

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by | December 9, 2011 · 9:26 am

New Concept: Mixed Use Proposal Surfaces For Land At College And Pennsylvania

A mixed-use development with retail, industrial and multi-family housing is now the focus for the 64 acres of land that the U.S. Postal Service had been eyeing for a new mail facility.

The Oak Creek City Council heard details of the conceptual plan at its meeting on Tuesday night. Oak Creek Patch has the story. From it:

This type of development is more viable than a postal facility and would also give the United States Postal Service an exit strategy to get out of its agreement to develop the processing center, said Scott Yauck of Cobalt Partners.

Oak Creek officials like the proposal because it would get the land back on the tax rolls – the land is currently non-taxable since it’s owned by the U.S. government.

It would also seem to be exactly the type of economic development that local officials were hoping for with a new-and-improved College Avenue.

But neighbors of the would-be development, just like they opposed the United States Postal Service building, voiced their displeasure of the plans Tuesday.

Most of their angst seemed to center on the multi-family housing aspect. Residents said they were fine with retail located directly next to the intersection of College and Pennsylvania. An industrial component, as proposed near the railroad tracks, would probably be something along the lines of an electrical parts distributor and unlikely to be seen from the residential neighborhood.

But residents said they did not want multi-family housing that close to their single-family neighborhood. They worried about the increase in traffic, impact on their property values and the type of people who would move in, among other concerns.

Of course, this development has a direct impact on South Milwaukee and the 4th District — it’s across the street. I am working on getting additional information and will keep you posted as the process unfolds.

In the meantime, what do you think? Post your comments below!

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by | December 8, 2011 · 5:48 pm

Mining Bill Has A Fan In Honadel … Me? Not Sure

The long-awaited bill that would streamline the approval process for new mines in Wisconsin has finally seen the light of day — and count South Milwaukee Rep. Mark Honadel as a supporter.

“Our state flag bears a miner on it,” he said in a press release. “That’s not only our heritage, but it must be our future too. To ignore the potential of thousands of good-paying jobs would do a disservice to the people of Wisconsin.”

Learn more about the bill here and here.

At first glance, I absolutely like parts of it. I think a shorter, more-defined approval process is a good thing becuase I do think bureaucracy can unnecessarily slow projects like this down — and kill them altogether. Sometimes, government can’t get out of the way.

But I also worry that, with the compressed timeline and the proposed elimination of “contested case hearings,” mining projects may not get proper due diligence. Plus, the bill “would ease numerous existing restrictions on protections for wetlands, groundwater, lakes, rivers and streams,” according to the Journal Sentinel.

State Sen. Chris Larson also interestingly points out in his new Larson Report that the bill was not assigned to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, but rather to the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business. This I am sure is a reflection of the attempt to shift the debate on bills like this from a focus on environmental impacts to “jobs, jobs, jobs.” And it appears to be working.

But at what cost, jobs? I want to see more job creation as much as anyone, but there has to be a balance between appropriate regulation and the economics of a proposed mine.

One thing I definitely do not support about this legislation is the process lawmakers seem to be taking to pass it. A public hearing on the bill is planned for 10 a.m. Wednesday at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis — just six days after it was introduced. This despite being worked on for months behind closed doors in the legislature.

I think that’s wrong. This bill deserves, demands, more careful consideration than what is being offered.

As for details of the bill itself, I guess I’ll wait and see.

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by | December 8, 2011 · 5:09 pm

“Get The Meds Out” Is, Well, Out

The Get the Meds Out medication collection program has been suspended, although South Milwaukeeans still have an opportunity to discard old medications through the South Milwaukee Police Department.

That’s according to this story by Jacqueline Ove, our city’s health administrator, on South Milwaukee NOW.

I’ll keep you posted.

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by | December 8, 2011 · 1:45 pm

Oak Creek Mayor To Retire And Other Local Headlines

Oak Creek Mayor Dick Bolender is retiring and will not seek another term this April.

Check out the story in Oak Creek Patch.

And check out these other local headlines:

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by | December 7, 2011 · 9:43 pm

Recapping Tuesday’s Council Meeting

Rounding up the City Council meeting Tuesday night …

  • The council voted to approve submittal of an application to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for a “Ready for Reuse” brownfield grant. This grant would help fund cleanup of the former tannery property on North Chicago Avenue where Walmart wants to build. Learn more about the program here.
  • We also voted to approve cancellation of the contract with Breakaway Event Productions for an International Cycling Classic event in South Milwaukee this summer. In other words, no downtown bike race, like last year. This is the last year of the three-year contract we signed with the race promoters — with the easy “out” language, thankfully.
  • The council unanimously approved combining the Water and Wastewater Commissions into a single, seven-member Water/Wastewater Commission. This approach will give the council more line of sight to the operations of both utilities — without micromanaging — and also help ensure a more a unified approach as the city tackles some of the major water and sewer infrastructure projects we’re facing in coming years.
  • The council also approved conditional use permits for an auto repair business at 2201 12th Ave.; for construction of a 2,940 equipment storage building (plus a second addition down the road) for EK Construction at 1113 Montana Ave.; and for a shared commercial kitchen, craft fair, indoor farmers’ market and restaurant planned for the former Zion Lutheran/Calvary Academy property at 2200 9th Ave.
  • The council also voted to cancel its Jan. 3 meeting due to the holidays. It will meet on Dec. 20 and then not again until Jan. 17.

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by | December 6, 2011 · 10:19 pm

Buy Local This Christmas … And Here Are Some Suggestions To Do It

Update: I have also added items on Studio 915 and Green Flag Racing. They are two more outstanding South Milwaukee downtown businesses, and they’re definitely worth a trip this holiday season. And don’t forget PJ’s Variety at 1234 Milwaukee!

You can get all of your Christmas shopping done without leaving South Milwaukee.

Sound crazy in this world of big boxes and shopping malls? It’s not. Here are some suggestions.

  • Studio One Art Glass, 1333 Milwaukee Ave. I buy a stained glass item here every Christmas, and most of our first-floor windows now have one of these beautiful pieces. Owner Kim Kostuch makes many of the stained glass items on display at the store, and he does some first-class custom work. Learn more at the Studio One website.
  • Parkway Floral, 1001 Milwaukee Ave. Our local florist has a wide variety of floral arrangements and gift items at the store and even more online.
  • Donn Powers Jeweler, 2110 10th Ave. “Your hometown jeweler” delivers personal service you can’t get at a mall jeweler, and his variety is outstanding. There is something for every price point at Donn Powers. Check out their website here.
  • FNF Skate Shop, 1203 Milwaukee Ave. Bet you didn’t know South Milwaukee is home to one of the area’s top up-and-coming skateboard stores. The shop has a wide range of skateboard gear, as well as 60 feet of “fingerboard ramps.” Not sure what that is? Check out the FNF website and watch the interesting welcome video.
  • Green Flag Racing, 1218 Milwaukee Ave. Bet you didn’t know South Milwaukee is home to one of the nation’s top NASCAR product retailers. They have a strong online presence, as well as a really cool retail store downtown, with a variety of NASCAR gear (clothing, diecasts, signs, etc.). As a relatively new NASCAR fan — go Blue Deuce! — I shop here for me and my 7-year-old. You can get even more items on its website.
  • Ace Hardware, 1009 Marquette Ave. I often choose to avoid the big box home improvement stores keep my dollars local, shopping the “helpful hardware place” for projects small and large. These guys are indeed helpful … and their selection isn’t bad either. You can get all the power tools and other manly gift items you need here without having to navigate the several football fields of Lowes, Home Depot or Menard’s.
  • Caterpillar, 1970 10th Ave. Know or related to a Caterpillar employee? Just like the company colors? The Cat company store inside the Heritage Building has a wide variety of items, from clothing to toys to NASCAR racing gear.
  • South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, 901 15th Ave. Communities our size are not supposed to have PACs, especially as good as the one we have. But we do. So we should count our blessings … and take advantage of the strong lineup of performances offered year-round through the facility. Some of my favorites coming up? The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Pops Too! this Thursday, John Gurda’s “A Region Built on Water” presentation on Jan. 7, John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party on Jan. 21 and Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana on Feb. 4. And that’s just the start. Learn more on the PAC website, and be sure to stop by the box office to pick up tickets.
  • Studio 915, 915 Milwaukee Ave. South Milwaukee’s newest art gallery and studio is absolutely worth a trip. Not only does it have some unique pieces at a variety of prices, it is also in a really cool storefront. Check out my previous post here and its website.

I’d also recommend gift certificates to some of our top local restaurants. Nona’s Café, Azteca, China Chef, Paisano’s, Papa Luigi’s II/Salvatore’s and Barbiere’s are among the first-class eateries that call South Milwaukee home. And if you’re looking to cater a holiday gathering, I’d suggest Emerald City’s Creative Catering at 1645 Rawson Ave. Their broasted chicken and fish are fantastic, and they have a wide variety of take-and-bake items available.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t put another plug in here for this Saturday’s South Milwaukee Christmas Market at Caterpillar, where you can “shop local” from among more than 40 vendors selling arts, crafts, organics, baked goods, prepared food and other items.

And, finally, I ask: What did I miss? And what’s your favorite locally sold Christmas gift? Post your comments below!

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by | December 6, 2011 · 2:06 pm

Unique Approach: Honadel’s “Wisconsin Wins” Job Training Initiative Introduced

South Milwaukee Rep. Mark Honadel and his counterpart in the Senate, Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), have introduced a bill that gives unemployed job seekers a “tryout period” with prospective employers while still receiving unemployment benefits.

Check out the press release here.

And here is my previous post on this.

It’s an interesting concept and unique approach to matching unemployed workers with jobs. I hope it gets strong consideration.

Either way, it’s just refreshing to see a state legislator introduce a bill focused on jobs, a departure from the often non-job-focused bills that framed the recently concluded special “jobs” session. This editorial from the Appleton Post-Crescent put it well.

I’ll keep you posted as this moves through the legislature.

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