Author Archives: Erik Brooks

These kinds of stories are at the heart of our promising future: Owner of a longstanding, cool, small business outgrows his current space and, liking what he sees, turns to South Milwaukee for its long-term home.

Such is the story with THE SHOP, an antique motorcycle repair business that is moving from the Hyde House in Bay View to the former auto repair shop at 1907 13^th Ave. in South Milwaukee by July 1.

Owner Tim Schneider announced the move on Facebook on Saturday.

I first met Tim at my Meet the Mayor session in March and then visited his shop later that month, and it is really impressive. It is a combination retail store and repair shop that featured, at least when I was there, everything from a rare 1902 motorcycle waiting for a new engine to a just-as-rare Ducati.

It’s a destination business. Almost no one in the area does what Tim does, and he’s been doing it a long time after leaving his job in corporate America almost 20 years to pursue his passion. He started on the East Side, moved to rental space at the Hyde House space on Greeley Avenue in Bay View almost 20 years ago, and has chosen South Milwaukee to buy his first building.

Tim liked the affordable real estate, to be sure, but also likes the direction we’re headed here, and it’s comments like that that make me believe we’re on the right path to revitalizing our fair city.

We’ll do it behind sustainable small businesses like The Shop.

Welcome to South Milwaukee!

Check out the South Shore headlines …

• Family of Foxes Has Captured Attention of Neighbors in Cudahy (Fox 6)
• IKEA Tries to Get into TIF at Oak Creek Site (NOW)
• 15-Year-Old Rescued After Rolling off Bluff in Cudahy (CBS 58)
• Police ID Man Found Dead in Hotel Room After Standoff (WISN)

NOW has published a new police blotter.

Also, this news came from the South Milwaukee Police Department on Tuesday ..

This morning the Police Department took a call of a 35 year old homeless man found deceased by the Oak Creek east of the War Memorial on HWY 32. No foul play is suspected. The public is not in danger.

We’re making significant investments in two key stretches of Highway 32.

First, Marquette Avenue underneath the railroad trestle will reopen later this week, reestablishing a valuable east-west connection for the city.

The finished product will include a new roadway and sidewalk, in addition to upgrades made to the bridge abutment (the reason behind the project). The sidewalk may remain closed for several weeks until a new handrail is fabricated and installed.

Then, in mid-June, construction will begin on the stretch of Highway 32 (North Chicago Avenue), from the Oak Creek bridge north to Pine Street.

The South Milwaukee City Council awarded the nearly $800,000 contract to LaLonde Contractors earlier this month, with funding coming from the city’s general fund, sewer enterprise funds, and the stormwater utility, without special assessments to property owners (except for driveway approaches or service walks).

Work will be done in stages and includes improvements to sanitary sewer, water main, laterals and pavement reconstruction. Construction won’t be completed until mid-October.

More details to come soon.

I appreciate your continued patience with both of these projects, as we look to continue to make investments to address our city’s aging infrastructure.

South Milwaukee will honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice with the annual Memorial Day ceremony set for  Monday, May 30.

At 10:30 a.m.,there will be a procession from American Legion Post 27 to the Veterans Memorial at 10th Avenue north of Rawson.

A ceremony starts at 11 a.m., with lunch to follow at the post, 920 Monroe Ave.

Thanks to the South Milwaukee Veterans Council for organizing this event. The council is a corporation of five chartered Veteran Units in South Milwaukee: the American Legion Post 27, AmVets Post 4, Catholic War Veterans Post 672, Polish Legion of American Veterans Post 49, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3742.

Note: The Plant Swap is May 28. A previous version of this post had the wrong date.

With such terrific weekend weather in store — and gardeners certainly headed outside — here is a reminder about two ways to make your home a bit more beautiful this summer.

First, it’s the South Milwaukee Historical Society Plant Swap, set for 9 to 11 a.m. next Saturday at the Society. Details below.

And don’t forget about the discounts, expertise and more available through the city’s new Neighborhood Beautification Program. Details here.

Tuesday was one of my favorite council meetings of the year …

In conjunction with National Peace Officers Week and National EMS Week, the South Milwaukee Police and Fire Departments held their annual department awards to recognize selected staff and citizens from the community.

You can see the full list of police award winners here. It’s an impressive list, and congratulations to everyone who was honored. I’ll call out the Hintzes and Daniel Smith, citizens who stepped up to help catch a burglar.

On October 21, 2015 Mr. & Mrs. Hintz observed a subject walking in South Milwaukee that resembled a subject they had seen on the news that the Police Department was looking for.  This subject had recently burglarized a business in South Milwaukee.  Officers checked the area where Mr. & Mrs. Hintz had last seen the subject and initially did not locate him. Mr. Smith contacted the South Milwaukee Police Department after viewing surveillance video from a burglary of a local business on Facebook.  He advised the Police Department he recognized the subject and provided a name and address for this subject. With Mr. Smith’s information and Mr. & Mrs. Hintz’s information officers were able to locate this subject and take him into custody for the burglary.  This subject was subsequently charged by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office with several charges of burglary.  Through the investigation it was determined this subject had committed other burglaries in the city.  Without Mr. & Mrs. Hintz and Mr. Smith’s assistance this subject possibly would not have been located and would have continued to commit other crimes in South Milwaukee.        

Daniel Smith was at the meeting and is pictured above.

The EMS award was also special — a great example of people (Recreation Department staff and the police and fire departments) working together to save a life. That person, Dennis Priest, was at Tuesday’s meeting and is also pictured. Here is the story …

In the world of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the chance of surviving sudden cardiac arrest is directly influenced by a series of actions that has come to be known as the “Chain of Survival.”  This “chain,” when put into motion, reduces the mortality associated with cardiac arrest.  Like any chain, the chain of survival is only as strong as its weakest link. The four interdependent links in the chain of survival are early recognition of cardiac arrest and access to EMS (calling 9-1-1), early CPR, early defibrillation, and early access to advanced life support (paramedic) services.  On September 18, 2015, all of these links fell into place when 67-year old Dennis Priest of Greenfield collapsed while walking the indoor track at the South Milwaukee High School Fitness Center.  Dennis’ collapsed was discovered by a worker at the Fitness Center who recognized the emergency and quickly called 9-1-1 and started CPR. The worker was quickly joined by the SMPD School Liaison Officer who assisted with CPR until the arrival of an on-duty SMFD Fire Lieutenant who just happened to be nearby returning to the station.  These rescuers were soon joined by crews from SMFD who continued advanced life support efforts and got Dennis’ pulse to return.  It is without a doubt that the Chain of Survival fell into place that morning and led to the successful resuscitation of a victim of sudden cardiac arrest.

Forming that chain and honored Tuesday evening were fitness center employee Carolyn Stojsavlevic, South Milwaukee Police Officer Tim Lewison, and South Milwaukee Fire Department members Captain Craig Boschke, Firefighter/Paramedics Jerre Schlax and Ryan Wendt and Firefighter/EMTs Ron Wainio and Nate Fager.

This will be the Summer of Grant Park Beach. And it starts on Saturday!

That is when Ferch’s Beachside is having its soft summer of 2016, starting at 11 a.m., as they ramp up toward a full opening on Memorial Day weekend. Stop by for burgers, custard and beer.

Dale and the Ferchoffs are planning their official grand opening, ribbon cutting and keg tapping for 3:30 p.m. on June 9. More details to come.

Also, beach volleyball leagues, back for a second year, begin June 1, with play set for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Learn more and join a league here.

Spread the word about all the good things happening at the beach this summer.

“We, the members of the South Milwaukee Police Department, are dedicated to providing a proactive, full service department that enhances the quality of life in our community by reducing crime through the protection of life and property.”

So says the mission statement of the South Milwaukee Police Department.

That mission comes to life in their annual report, a great summary of the work our department does every day to keep our city safe.

You can see the annual report here.

The report includes five-year crime trends (page 20), which I’ll admit is the first page I turn to each time I see one of these; I think it’s my journalism past shining through. It shows a decrease in violent and property crimes from 2015, with violent crime offenses slightly higher than the five-year average in 2015. Property crimes were slightly lower when compared to the five-year average.

Clearance rates were also up to more than 40%, and adult arrests were up to their highest levels in the five-year span.

You can read the statistics for yourself, and I won’t interpret them too much here, other than to say that, while every crime committed is significant, I am proud to say I live in a safe community — one that is made possible by our men and women in blue.

Thanks for all you do, SMPD.

From the South Milwaukee Police Department, in case you noticed the large law enforcement presence around 13th and Madison tonight …

On the evening of 5/16/2016, SMPD was notified of gunshots fired, inside a residence, in the 1300 block of Madison Avenue.  The caller reported gunshots and a woman and child screaming inside the residence.  Neighbors also reported hearing a noise, similar to gunshots, in the area.

The South Shore Joint Tactical Unit responded and found the residence to be empty.  The resident of that home was later spoken to, in person, by Milwaukee Police.  She was found to be fine and she reported no shooting took place in her home.

This incident is closed.

Terrific news for our local schools …

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation has awarded the South Milwaukee School District $25,000 as part of its investment in the Fabrication Laboratories program across the state.

From the press release …

Under the leadership of Technology and Engineering department, South Milwaukee High School has already installed several pieces of equipment and implemented their use in the curriculum. Students have learned the entire engineering process, taking their ideas through to the design and prototype stages. They have used 3D printers, a CNC milling machine, and a small laser engraver to create unique parts for hydraulic arms for the National Fluid Power Challenge, to create mementos for local veterans, and toys for the Toys for Tots program and South Milwaukee Human Concerns.

With the additional support that the WEDC grant is providing, the School District of South Milwaukee will be able to expand what students can do in high school, and also further support the development of teaching the engineering process at the elementary and middle school levels.

Congratulations to our local schools!

Learn more about the Fab Lab program here.

From the Friends …

Join the Friends of Grant Park, Alliance for the Great Lakes, and our Natural Areas Program staff for an enjoyable evening to explore and learn about Grant Park’s unique ravine ecosystems and how you and your community can help become stewards of this natural treasure.

A light meal will be served afterwards. Space is limited to 40 participants.

Please RSVP to Jody at jodyjohnson@wi.rr.com, or at (414) 764-7262.

Flyers for each of them are pasted below.

These should be fun, informative and good for your health too. And my dad is running one of them 🙂

From the South Milwaukee Police Department …

On May 8, 2016 at about 11:13am, the South Milwaukee Police Department responded to the 800 block of Marquette Avenue for a report of an altercation involving approximately six people. During the altercation there was a report of gunshots. Further investigation revealed that a suspect had fired one round from a handgun into the floor. No injuries were reported and a suspect is in custody at the CJF awaiting a charging.

There is no reason to believe that the community is in further danger.

When voters made me the mayor of this great city two years ago, their message was clear as to our top priority: Fix downtown.

It’s with that in mind that we set out on this journey to deliver a promising future for our city center, one that, if completed, will lift all of South Milwaukee. Last week marked a big step on that journey.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is covering some of that progress, and promise, in Sunday’s edition. Check it out.

Here are the details …

On Tuesday, the Common Council voted 8-0 to adopt the comprehensive and downtown plans, giving us the road map we need to drive successful and sustainable economic (re)development in South Milwaukee.

The council also voted unanimously to pass two key elements of the plan related to downtown …

• Downtown Revitalization Grant. This will replace our Facade Grant program and focus investment in our city center, notably in the 900 and 1000 block of Milwaukee Avenue. Matching grants of up to $30,000 for both exterior and interior work are available, as we look to breathe new life into struggling downtown storefronts. Look for more details soon, and we’ll begin sharing it both broadly to downtown property owners and in a targeted fashion to prospective new property owners and businesses. The program is being initially funded at $75,000.
• Funding for downtown strategy No. 1. The council also voted to spend up to $16,000 to continue work with Graef consulting to bring to life the most critical strategy in the plan — figuring out what downtown “ownership” looks like for South Milwaukee. I expect this work will begin in June, and we’ll have a way forward by the end of 2016.

You will also recall that we’re already working with Graef on another key part of the downtown plan: Milwaukee Avenue streetscaping options and concepts. More to come on those this summer.

And of all of this is happening while we’re working hard to attract new businesses (like this one), and help our existing ones grow (like this one), and as we continue to deliver the best special event schedule in the area. (Saturday’s Little League parade through downtown was terrific, and don’t forget the Food Truck Festival on May 22 and the Downtown Market opener on June 2.)

Have a plan, work the plan. That is my focus as mayor, and we’re doing it, together.

We’re making significant progress, and you’ll see several endorsements of the direction we’re taking in tomorrow’s newspaper. However, our work is just beginning.

Join us on the journey!

The ribbons and big scissors are at the ready.

Last week, it was Jen’s Sweet Treats. You can add three more South Milwaukee grand openings in the next month.

• May 13-15: Ace Hardware. Ben has a full weekend of activities planned, including a ribbon cutting at noon on Friday, grilling demos, a visit from WTMJ radio’s Jeff Wagner on Saturday, Family Day on Sunday and free coffee and donuts each day. There are also daily specials and discounts to celebrate the significant upgrades and renovations the Gil family, the new owners, have made to their Sunrise Plaza location. Check out the full list of activities and specials here.
• May 13: Tracker’s Pub and Grub. The tavern at 1401 Rawson Ave. has actually been open a few weeks now, but Tony and Jennifer are planning a formal opening — ribbon cutting and all — for 5 p.m. on Friday. Please join me and representatives from the South Milwaukee Community & Business Association at the event. Learn more about Tracker’s here.
• May 22: Lovenote Photos. The photo and graphic design studio opens at its new location at 1300 Milwaukee Ave. at 10 a.m., ahead of the start of the South Milwaukee Spring Food Truck Festival.

And there are more formal openings to come, including Ferch’s Beachside at Grant Park Beach, and three more on Milwaukee Avenue: Military Connection, the renovated and expanded DB Tax Service and Mara’s Sewing House, which is coming to 915 Milwaukee. Work also continues on Grillworks in the former Grebe’s and Nona’s Cafe building.

Stay tuned, and spread the word!