I launched this website 15 years ago with a vision to engage the South Milwaukee community on local news and information they couldn’t get anywhere else, packaged in the way I package it.
1.8 milllion views, 600,000 visitors, and more than 4,000 posts later, I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s next for this platform, especially at this point in my life and at this point in history.
My conclusion: It’s time for a new approach. Now, more than ever.
What won’t change: A focus on local news and information. I will still do my best to keep South Milwaukeeans informed on key issues, from city and schools news to election coverage to items on local sports, business and people. For example, look for updates on the Mill Pond Dam this week, and local candidate profiles in February. I will also still seek to provide the most comprehensive list of local events in the city, as I have done since I relaunched the blog in 2023.
At the same time, I have shit to say and the platform to say it. So I will use it.
Especially now, at a time in our history when our president chooses to spend his first week back in office grabbing power for the executive branch, attacking his perceived enemies, settling old scores, targeting our most vulnerable, rewarding his loyalists, and further dividing our country … from pardoning cop beaters to unilaterally pausing federal grant funding (for a day) to threatening to make federal disaster aid conditional on political aims to choosing to blame DEI and the past administration for the Washington D.C. helicopter-plane crash 12 hours after it happened.
It’s shock and awe, and it’s shameful. And I can’t stay silent on it.
You can expect more opinion on these pages as we go forward, as I share viewpoints on world, national, state, county and local issues I find important — both my own words and others, including my daughter. “Shelby’s Banned Book Reviews” debuts this week.
Heck, I may even throw in a few hot Brewers takes.
You will be able to access this content under Viewpoints in the menu bar.
Almost 1,000 people subscribe to this blog, and if you don’t like this approach, or if you’re not comfortable reading views that might challenge your own, please unsubscribe. No hard feelings. If you’re OK with it, please keep reading and tell others to subscribe.
Thanks for joining me on this journey. Here’s to another 15 years.
South Milwaukee Blog 
Another fifteen years, indeed! Your efforts to communicate, to inform are appreciated, Erik. I look forward to Shelby’s contribution.
Well said, Eric!!! Thank you for putting voice & words to exactly what we are feeling right now. My husband & I are extremely saddened by the absolute disregard of half the US & we just hope we can make it thru these next 4 years. Keep posting
Thank you. Just look at any good this President might do…..I know that is hard for you.
I so much preferred it when you focused on our city and events happening in and around Southeastern Wisconsin.
By using this platform as an opportunity to voice your political beliefs you’ve alienated a majority of your readers.
There are multiple websites available for people to express whatever political views they have. Many times things get quite contentious, misinformation is spread, and divisiveness becomes the norm.
It truly was refreshing and uplifting to hear about our great city of South Milwaukee without politics entering the conversation. It was a safe outlet from the vitriol that has become too prevalent.
Very sorry, but I’ll be in following.
These comments are for you alone. I
Kudos to you for the brave, bold approach! I’ll look forward especially to Shelby’s banned book reviews.
Thank you for this blog and for sharing so capably. I agree.
Finally someone has the guts to say what is on his mind
Love it! We are new-ish to South Milwaukee and glad to see other locals feeling the same way. Stay steadfast!
THANK YOU!!!
Thank you for this blog – I think it’s great to see we’re not the only ones with these feelings.