Author Archives: Erik Brooks

South Milwaukee lost an iconic figure on Thursday, as Earl Edwin Kneevers Jr. passed away at the age of 93 in Sheboygan.

What a life he led … from his groundbreaking service in the U.S. Army to his decades making music in South Milwaukee to his church and volunteer work to his post-retirement efforts as a historian and author, Mr. Kneevers left quite a legacy.

It all comes to life in his obituary.

Earl was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on August 10, 1929. His parents were Earl Edwin Kneevers, Sr. and Erna Steil Kneevers. He was baptized at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on September 1, 1929. Earl graduated from Sheboygan North High School in 1947.

He earned Bachelor and Master of Science degrees (1951 and 1961) in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He served in the United States Army for three years during the Korean War, performing with the Fifth Army Band, participating in the first firing of the atomic cannon, and serving as a prisoner chaser. His experience of the Operation Grable nuclear test is detailed in the book, Sheboygan County’s Unforgotten. Earl was proud to serve his country in the Army and made lifelong friends in service. (Details about his time in the Army here.)

He taught instrumental music in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin for thirty-five years, seventeen years as Senior High Band Director, eighteen years as Orchestra Director and also as K-12 Music Supervisor. Earl was awarded the Hugo Anhalt Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in 1966 for his contribution to the Advancement of Music in the State of Wisconsin. In 1986, the Mayor and Common Council of the City of South Milwaukee presented him with a “Resolution Honoring Mr. Earl Kneevers for his Contribution to the Art of Music in the City of South Milwaukee.”

Earl met his wife, Charmaine Louise Chopp, in high school when they performed in the Music Makers Dance Band, Earl as a saxophone and clarinet player and Charmaine as a vocalist. They were married on August 14, 1954, at Bethany Lutheran Church in the Village of Kohler, Wisconsin. During his career, Earl served the Boy Scouts of America as a Music Merit Badge Counselor.

He was President of Trinity Lutheran Church in South Milwaukee and also directed their choir. He was Conductor of the South Milwaukee Municipal Adult Band in addition to organizing and overseeing band, drum corps, twirler, and drill team competition for the Wisconsin Spectacle of Music in South Milwaukee for twenty years.

Upon retirement in 1989, Earl became a Master Adjudicator and Field Representative for the Wisconsin School Music Association. He was also appointed to serve as Chair for Retirees and History. Several of his news articles were published in the Wisconsin School Musician magazine. Community service projects for Earl included serving as President of SCARTA (Sheboygan County Area Retired Teachers Association) and President of the S.M.E.A. (South Milwaukee Education Association).

He also served as Commander of the Sheboygan Falls American Legion Post #149 from 2002-2005. He was an adjudicator for the Sheboygan Music Club Scholarship Program and was Chairman of the South Milwaukee Retirees Scholarship Committee. He worked with people who have memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease at “The Gathering Place” located at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. As an avid reader, he was a student of conservative politics and was an active member of the Sheboygan County Republican Party.

In 1998, Earl and his wife, Charmaine, published a historical book, The Kneevers Hotel – A Sheboygan Landmark 1887-1978. Their second historical book, The Sheboygan Socialists, was published in 2003. A retirement highlight for Earl was fishing with his granddaughters at the family cabin in “God’s Country” at Three Lakes, Wisconsin. 

Learn more in this YouTube video, described as “a collection of memories from South Milwaukee High School Band/Orchestra Director, Earl Kneevers’ scrapbooks. This slide show features, momentos, photos, newspaper articles and such contributed by friends, students and colleagues.”

What a game!

The South Milwaukee football team scored a 43-41 Homecoming victory in overtime over Whitnall Friday.

A touchdown pass from Adam Finn to Everett Lentz and a two-point conversion run by Blake Maldonado was the difference. A goal-line stand turned back a two-point conversion attempt by Whitnall to seal it.

Finn finished with three touchdown passes and two TD runs on the night. Lentz also had a big game, with two TD catches. Roy Scott also caught a touchdown.

A key sequence came at the end of the the first half, as Maldonado followed an interception return for a score by Whitnall with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Rockets (2-5) close the season with games at Grafton on Oct. 7 and at home against Wisconsin Lutheran on Oct. 14. See the full schedule here.

It’s Homecoming Week! Show your support this Thursday and Friday, as the Rockets prepare to take on Whitnall.

Thursday Homecoming Events

• 6 p.m. Parade begins. Staging is near 15th and Maple Avenues, and the parade heads north on 15th to Oak Creek Parkway, ending near the pep rally and bonfire.
• After the parade: Homecoming pep rally, near Galewski Field
• After the pep rally: Homecoming bonfire

Then at 7 p.m. on Friday it’s kickoff against the Falcons.

If you haven’t yet experienced this tradition, you should. Go Rockets!

It’s time for a property revaluation in the City of South Milwaukee, the first in 11 years — and plenty of questions, I’m sure.

Notices should be arriving this week. Mine did on Wednesday, and it showed a 46.6% increase in our home’s assessed valuation.

What does that mean? I have many of the same questions many of you do, and the city seeks to answer many of them here.

First, why?

The goal of the revaluation is to assure that taxes are distributed equitably and uniformly, as well as to comply with State Statutes.

Some other key points from the city …

The 2022 revaluation used sales that occurred between November 2020 and December 2021 to arrive at an estimated fair market value of each property as of January 1, 2022.

The average property would have been assessed 49% below market value as of January 1, 2022 without conducting a revaluation. … Note that a 49% increase does not mean a 49% increase in taxes. Typically, in this scenario where the average increase in value is 49%, property owners that receive an increase in value of 39% to 59% do not see a major change to their tax bill.

Does everybody’s tax go up because of revaluations?

No. Revaluation redistributes the existing property tax burden so that all property owners pay their fair share based on the market value of their property. If the total tax levy remains the same, only those properties which are not presently paying their fair share of the tax burden will pay more tax because of the revaluation. Property owners currently paying more than their fair share would actually pay less after the revaluation. The total amount of taxes levied is completely independent of the overall assessment.

How does the assessor value property?

Wisconsin Law requires that property assessments be based on fair market value. Estimating the market value of your property is a matter of determining the price a typical buyer would pay for it in its present condition. The assessor used 1 to 5 comparable properties that sold between November 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 to arrive at the 2022 assessed value.

Do all assessments change at the same rate?

There are differences between individual properties and between neighborhoods. In one area for a certain type of property, the sales may indicate a substantial increase in value in a given year. In another, there may be no change in value, or even a decrease in property values.

How can I determine what impact this revaluation will have on my property taxes?

The exact amount of your property tax bill will not be known until December, based upon the tax levies established by the City, as well as the other taxing jurisdictions (South Milwaukee School District, MATC and Milwaukee County).

Open Doors may be closed, but there are still several special opportunities to celebrate the City of South Milwaukee’s 125th anniversary.

Start by purchasing tickets now for the Oct. 2 Historical Trolley Tour and the Oct. 27 125th Gala!

Welcoming Spirit: 2022 South Milwaukee Open Doors

Let’s also look back at Saturday’s Open Doors event. Thank you to all of those who participated and attended. It was an honor to help deliver it, and I already can’t wait for year two.

Join us today for South Milwaukee Open Doors, a celebration of South Milwaukee’s art, architecture, culture, history, and people with behind the scenes tours of buildings throughout the city.  

This is a free-for-all-ages event — and it starts at 10 a.m.!

Check out the updated list of participating locations here … and visit more than one.

Those who visit 12 or more stops can claim a free 125^th anniversary commemorative coin. To get one, turn in a completed map – available here and at each stop – and return it to the South Milwaukee Fire Department by 3:15 p.m. on Sept. 17.

I hope you can join us for this first-ever event, in celebration of South Milwaukee’s 125th birthday. Spread the word, and bring your family and friends.

Check out coverage in the Journal Sentinel and on TMJ4 as well.

South Milwaukee School Superintendent Jeff Weiss has accepted a position to lead the Kenosha Unified School District, the state’s third-largest district.

Here is the message the district shared with families on Thursday …

Dear South Milwaukee Families, 

We are saddened to inform you that Superintendent Jeff Weiss has accepted the position of superintendent of schools with the Kenosha Unified School District, and will start in his new role on October 3rd.

Dr. Weiss has been superintendent in South Milwaukee since 2019. He and the School Board guided the District through an unprecedented time in education and society, while also sustaining focus on the priorities of the District. We wish Dr. Weiss success in the next chapter of his career.

The School District of South Milwaukee School Board is working on a transition plan for the 2022-23 school year. They will begin a search later this fall/early winter for the next superintendent to begin with the 2023-24 school year. 

The School Board is dedicated to being as open and transparent as possible throughout the selection process while respecting the privacy of applicants. A superintendent is a leader who sets the tone and direction of a school system. The Board shares the community’s expectation that the next superintendent should understand South Milwaukee’s proud past and the opportunities this vibrant community provides for its students. 

Thank you Dr. Weiss for your leadership and best wishes in your new role!

I echo those thanks and well wishes. Jeff will be missed, as a partner, leader, and friend.

He very much understands the value of a strong community, and the school district’s important role in it — and he continually delivered on that promise despite some incredibly challenging times for everyone in public education, made worse by a pandemic.

Most importantly, Jeff is a good man, someone with integrity, compassion, accountability, and dedication to improving the lives of all students.

He is in it for the right reasons, and Kenosha is lucky to have him.

See you at Tenuta’s, Jeff.

Here is Kenosha News coverage of the hiring of Dr. Weiss.

I love that this has continued after a break due to COVID — and thank you to First Congregational for hosting and all of the groups who serve. Stop by this Thursday!

This Saturday, Sept. 17, is Open Doors South Milwaukee, a public celebration of the city’s art, architecture, culture, history, businesses, organizations, and people that make it special.  

The free family event, which offers behind-the-scenes tours of buildings throughout the city, is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Times for some stops vary.) More than 20 locations are open, including historical points of interest, churches, schools, businesses, city facilities, and other organizations. The Bucyrus Museum will also be offering half-priced ($5) admission.

More details on the Open Doors event here, including a list of participating locations. Check back frequently, as and hours may change slightly this week.

Also, look for more information on a special incentive, as those who visit 12 or more stops can claim a free 125^th anniversary commemorative coin. To get one, turn in a completed map – available online prior to the event or at each stop – and return it to the South Milwaukee Fire Department by 3:15 p.m. on Sept. 17.

Find more details on the October 27 Gala here. Tickets are now available online.

Almost 24 hours of rain led to flooding in South Milwaukee.

Flood warnings were issued for Oak Creek until 6 p.m. on September 12, with “minor flooding occurring,” with flooding “confined mainly to lowland and wooded areas,” according to the National Weather Service. The creek stood at 9.4 feet as of 5 a.m. Flood stage is 8 feet.

“There is a 1 percent chance of the river reaching this level in any given year,” according to the NWS.

Oak Creek Parkway was closed near South Milwaukee High School as of 6 a.m., the South Milwaukee Police Department reported on its Facebook page.

Local TV stations were reporting about five inches of rain as of 6:25 a.m. on September 12. The National Weather Service, through the Journal Sentinel, reported more than 7.5 inches fell!

What are you seeing in your neighborhood? Post your comments!

More information from the South Milwaukee Fire Department Facebook page …

Also from the SMFD, on August 30 …

“The WISN helicopter captured our SMFD crew in the midst of a water rescue on Lake Michigan. SMFD responded along with the US Coast Guard to report of a boat taking on water about 6 miles off the shore of Bender Park. The occupants of the boat were safely returned to shore. SMFD cautions you to be aware of ever-changing water conditions while safely enjoying Lake Michigan.”

It’s South Milwaukee vs. Cudahy tonight! 7 p.m. at Cudahy High School.

Both the Rockets and Packers have started the season 0-2, with South Milwaukee losing at Brookfield Central and at home against New Berlin Eisenhower.

Blake Maldonado (8 rushes, 155 yards and a TD) and Everett Lentz (6 receptions, 100 yards, 1 TD) lead the way on offense for South Milwaukee. Quarterback Adam Finn is 17-for-38 passing for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

Go Rockets!

Join us on Saturday, September 17, for South Milwaukee Open Doors, a public celebration of South Milwaukee’s art, architecture, culture, history, and people with behind the scenes tours of buildings throughout the city.  

This is a free-for-all ages event planned as part of the city’s ongoing 125th anniversary celebration.

The lineup is terrific, and I guarantee you will see and learn new things about the places (and people) that make South Milwaukee, South Milwaukee.

Also, look for an opportunity to win a prize if you check out a majority of the stops.

Learn more here. And here is the Facebook event.

Spread the word and bring your family and friends!