Author Archives: Erik Brooks

The funeral procession for fallen Milwaukee Police Department Officer Matthew Rittner will pass through South Milwaukee later this afternoon (Wednesday, Feb. 13). The exact route can be found in this post.  

Note that it calls for the procession to head east on Rawson Avenue from Oak Creek, then north on Nicholson Avenue past College and into Cudahy, on its way to 794 and eventually Brookfield. Our police and street departments are supporting the processional, and we will have squads taking part in it. The South Milwaukee Fire Department will have an engine parked at Rawson and Nicholson with a large flag. 

The Milwaukee Police Department has indicated the procession will leave Oak Creek Assembly of God around 4:30 p.m., but please monitor it on TV, as that time may change.

I have encouraged our city workers to view the procession — which may mean some non-essential city functions will close early today — and I encourage you to do the same.

Let’s join together as a city in honoring Officer Rittner, and in supporting and thanking our police officers — and all public safety officers everywhere — on this day, and every day.

We also offer thoughts and prayers for the family of Bryan Rodriguez, the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works employee who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on the job this week. We thank all of our employees for their dedication during these difficult times. 

Updated at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 12.

News and notes from our latest winter storm …

• Local schools are closed today. The South Milwaukee School District made the call around 5:45 a.m.
• The district posted on their Feacbeook page that all after school events are cancelled today. This includes games, practices, events, recreation department activities and the superintendent feedback meeting. The feedback meeting has been rescheduled for Feb. 20.
• The high school girls’ basketball game — a key intradivision crossover game in the Woodland — between South Milwaukee and New Berlin Eisenhower has been moved to Thursday at Eisenhower.
• The Grobschmidt Senior Center is also closed due to the weather. So is our Self-Deposit Station. Otherwise, City Hall is open.
• The South Milwaukee Library is open regular hours, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Garbage and recycling are being picked today, as usual. Commercial garbage pickup has been rescheduled for Thursday.
• Plows have been out since around 2 a.m., including alley plows.
• The Friends of the Mill Pond have cancelled their meeting scheduled for this evening.

I also want to share a couple of messages I received from local residents today … well done, guys!

First, there was this one about the actions of one of our plow crews this morning around 6th and Sherman …

“Mayor Brooks: Just wanted to give a shout out to a couple of snowplow drivers who just pushed a woman’s car out of a snowdrift. The car was on the side of the road that had already been plowed, so it wasn’t stopping them from doing their job. South Milwaukee spirit at its best!”

And then this one came in … a call from a resident thanking our guys for helping him get up from the snow, after he had fallen, early this morning. They also helped get his daughter’s car unstuck. Well done!

And another one! Just got this for the 4:30 update, our plow drivers stepping up again, this time near 7th and Lakeview this afternoon …

The South Milwaukee Health Department is partnering with Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee and Oak Creek filmmaker Aaron Johnson to host a suicide prevention and awareness event on March 14 at City Hall.

The event begins at 6 p.m. From the Facebook event page …

Learn to recognize the risk factors and warning signs associated with suicidal thoughts and how to offer hope and help with QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Training. Also view the award winning documentary, “Hoan Alone,” which was created by Milwaukee’s own Aaron Johnson. QPR is for anyone who wants to know more about keeping loved ones from dying by suicide.

The event includes the South Milwaukee debut of Johnson’s short film, which has already been recognized at dozens of film festivals. It tells the stories of families and first responders impacted by those who took their own lives jumping from the iconic Milwaukee bridge.

Check out a trailer here.

Thank you to our health department for leading the dialog and planning this event. South Milwaukee is blessed to have such a dedicated group of professionals focused on public health issues like this.

And congratulations to Aaron, who attends Trinity Lutheran Church in South Milwaukee. His film is deserving of all the accolades it is receiving. See for yourself on March 14.

Crime in South Milwaukee was down significantly for the second straight year in 2018, but we’re not resting on that positive trend.

That is the message South Milwaukee Police Chief William Jessup shared in a video message posted to the department Facebook page today.

Said Jessup in the video …

“I give you these numbers knowing full well that for anyone who has been a victim of crime, these stats do not alleviate your anger or your fear. Crime can have an immense impact on your sense of security, so we continue to work at reducing these numbers even further. Our officers are active day and night. They have stepped up their enforcement of traffic laws to make our streets safer, and have increased their attention to neighborhoods and businesses in an effort to reduce crime and disorder.

“We encourage you to work with us in our crime-fighting efforts by becoming involved in a block watch, or simply calling us when you see something amiss. Together, we can make a difference in our community.”

This is obviously good news, but Chief Jessup is right in saying that all crime is personal, and even one is too many.

I want to thank our entire department for their work in helping to reduce crime and keep us safe. But, as Chief Jessup said, this is a partnership — we can not do this without our residents, property owners and others stepping up to do their part. Together, we will keep South Milwaukee a safe community in which to live, work and play.

Mark your calendars for this free community family event!

From the South Milwaukee Police Department …

The Sunrise Restaurant in South Milwaukee was robbed on January 20th, 2018 and the Little Cesar’s Pizza in South Milwaukee was robbed on February 11th, 2018. In both incidents, a single male suspect entered the business and committed the robberies. A lengthy investigation into these armed robberies has resulted in the arrest of a 32-year-old man, Matthew Mercil, of Oak Creek. Mercil is facing a total of 7 felony charges, which include the robberies, as well as Felony Shoplifting at the South Milwaukee Walmart. He is also charged with Fleeing an Officer and Recklessly Endangering Safety as a result of a vehicle pursuit on January 6th, 2019. A female accomplice has also been charged with felony shoplifting.

Update: This meeting is now Feb. 20.

South Milwaukee School District Superintendent Rita Olson is retiring at the end of the school year. With more than 40 years at the district — in roles ranging from German and French teacher to principal to various district leadership positions — she leaves quite a legacy, and will be missed.

More details on her lifetime in education here.

I really appreciate her leadership in recent years, during my time as mayor, and I thank her for supporting our strengthening partnership with the district in ways big and small.

Now, the search is on for her successor, which brings me to the reason for this post. From the South Milwaukee School District …

The School Board invites all parents and community members to a feedback session on Tuesday, February 12, to hear your priorities regarding the hiring of a new school superintendent.

The meeting will be facilitated by a Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) search consultant and you do not need to complete any advance preparation. Your feedback will be used to in the preparation of essay questions for the applicants, the development of questions for use during the interviews, and the creation of a profile outlining the skills and characteristics sought in candidates for the position.

The parent/community feedback group meeting will begin at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, February 12, in the District Board room at 901 15th Avenue. The meeting will conclude by 6:45 pm. Please park in the district or high school parking lots and enter through Door #8.

Thank you for considering to participate in this important discussion! 

Here is the official meeting notice …

From Da Crusher Statue press release …

On Saturday, June 8, 2019, wrestling fans near and far will celebrate the unveiling of a bronze statue of Reggie “Da Crusher” Lisowski.  Mr. Lisowski, who died in 2005, was a renowned champion professional wrestler and billed as “The Man That Made Milwaukee Famous.”  Lisowski was also a life long South Milwaukee resident and World War II veteran. 

The fundraising to build the statue kicked off when a fan launched a website, http://www.dacrusher.org, in late 2017.  The fundraising quickly skyrocketed, and the effort raised more than $40,000.00 in 90 days.  Organizers commissioned the Milwaukee firm Vanguard Sculpture Services to create the bronze statue. 

The City of South Milwaukee, which is undergoing significant city-wide redevelopment, agreed to transform a city-owned parking lot at 1101 Milwaukee Avenue into a “pocket park” to house the statue.  Significant work on the area will be done by volunteers from Miller Monuments, KEI Landscaping, and the Bricklayers Union.  The area will feature a brick square that will resemble a wrestling ring for the statue to be placed on.  Fans can purchase an engraved brick at http://www.dacrusher.org.

Stay tuned for much more about the event itself. From what I’ve been told, it will be a weekend to remember.

I’m debuting a new regular event on Thursday, Feb. 7, at my favorite local coffeehouse — Coffee With the Mayor.

Join me from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Avenue Coffeehouse, 911 Milwaukee Ave. for an open discussion on what’s happening in South Milwaukee. There is no set agenda, and pretty much anything is fair game. So bring your questions, comments or concerns, and grab a drink while you’re there.

Look for special guests at future coffees, to tackle specific topics.

Thanks to Sara and Aaron for hosting!

Updated at 2:07 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

• All local schools are closed on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as Fitness Center and Recreation Department events. More details on South Milwaukee public schools here.
• Advanced Disposal ran into some cold-weather related issues with their equipment, and may have missed areas today. For anyone missed, Advanced Disposal will be picking up again on the next scheduled pick-up day. Thursday’s pick-up is still scheduled as usual. For questions on recycling, Advanced Disposal can be reached at (262) 679-0860.
• A reminder from the Street Department: Please keep your garbage and recycling carts in an area that is free of snow with at least 4 feet of clearance on each side of the cart.
• A water main break was reported Wednesday afternoon near Willow and Elm. Report main breaks and other frozen pipe/water issues to 414-768-8070; there is also an after-hours reporting option.
• The Grobschmidt Senior Center and Milwaukee County Meal Site program are CLOSED Wednesday and Thursday.
• City Hall will be OPEN regular business hours of 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• South Milwaukee Library will be OPEN. However, their hours of operation will be 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., and the facility will be a warming site during those hours.
• All other City services will be as usual barring any unforeseen issues.
• If you or anyone you know is in need of shelter, please call 211.

For cold weather tips, visit here.

Working together across communities and across agencies to solve problems, and using innovative best practices to do so.

That is the spirit behind a potentially life-saving partnership among the South Shore Communities, endorsed by the South Milwaukee Common Council earlier this month.

From the South Milwaukee Health Department …

The South Milwaukee Health, Police, and Fire departments in coordination with these agencies in the cities of Cudahy, Oak Creek, and Saint Francis have applied for an Emergency Preparedness Grant to assist our agencies in responding to the Opioid Epidemic. The communities initially applied for $80,000 and received $70,000.  The City of Cudahy is the lead fiscal agent for the grant. Through this cooperative effort there are four main components that the communities will collaborate on: 

• The first is utilizing and reviewing the real time reporting of overdoses through OD Map.  This program is currently being used by our Fire Department to log overdoses as they happen within our community.  The health department staff recently gained access to this mapping system to review where overdoses are occurring in our community and to monitor for spikes in overdoses.  At this time there is no cost to use OD Map.
• The second component is to provide training for police, fire, and health in Trauma Informed Care.  This training will help our first responders and health care workers to better recognize and respond to the various types of trauma that impact children and adults in our communities. These adverse experiences have been shown to contribute to substance abuse, mental health problems, domestic abuse and child abuse. Training will be provided in coordination with SaintA, a leader in Trauma Informed Care.
• The third component of the grant is to establish a Quick Response Team (QRT) that consists of a police officer, public health nurse, and recovery or peer support specialist.  Each community will develop their own QRT.  The QRT will review recent nonfatal overdoses and will attempt to make contact with the overdose victim or family members to offer assistance in obtaining treatment.  This type of intervention program is relatively new but has been implemented with some success in communities such as Canton Ohio.
• The fourth component is an awareness campaign.  This will be done primarily through the use of social media. 

We consider this to be a $70,000 investment in addressing a crisis that does not seem to be abating.

According to the American Public Health Association, every $1 spent on mental health and addiction services saves $7 in healthcare costs and $30 in productivity and social costs.  Of note, the South Shore communities saw 28 accidental overdose deaths in 2018, and there were 74 non-fatal overdoses reported by the police departments.

If we can save even one of those lives, this is worth it.

John Galewski Field and the Bob Weber Dugout … it has a nice ring to it!

I am so glad to hear the longtime baseball coaches are being honored in this way, and I encourage you to put May 10 on your calendars for this special celebration. More details here.

From my blog post on John’s 2018 retirement, which celebrated his Hall of Fame coaching career …

More important to me than numbers is the positive impact Coach Galewski has had on so many lives in South Milwaukee, me included. I’m proud to have gotten to know him in recent years, and I’ve enjoyed him sharing even a fraction of the wisdom he has around the game, coaching and life.

John Galewski’s legacy is unmatched, his impact profound. He has changed lives … shaping boys into young men, young men into adults.

I wish my 13-year-old son could have played for him. Thankfully, hundreds of kids did, and our community is better for it.

The same words could be said of Bob Weber … and I can’t wait to celebrate their legacy on May 10. Join me!

This is a terrific event. RSVP here by Wednesday, so they can get an accurate count for food.

Updated: 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 27.

A few notes as we prepare for another winter storm and some of the worst cold we’ve seen in years …

• Salters went out around midnight, and we switched to plowing around 1:30 a.m.
• As for plowing, please be patient as we do our best to keep up with the snow. We have more than a dozen pieces of equipment that may be used at any one time, clearing our streets, alleys and sidewalks.
• City offices will generally be open. Monday garbage pickup is cancelled; it will be be collected on Friday. Other city services may be impacted. Check out our Facebook page for regular updates.
• The Grobschmidt Senior Center is also closed on Monday.
• South Milwaukee public school students were already scheduled to be off on Monday, with the end of a quarter. Activities and sports are also now cancelled, and staff does not have to report, according to the school district Facebook page. The fitness center is also closed.
• Divine Mercy and Zion Lutheran Schools are also closed. So is Knights of Columbus, according to WISN.
• Here is information on our local ordinances around snow removal. The basic rule: You have 24 hours to shovel from the end of a storm.
• Don’t forget to shovel out those hydrants, even if it’s not in front of your house. It could save your life, or property.
• And check out some cold-weather tips below …

The South Milwaukee girls’ basketball team is on fire, and making a strong run toward the WIAA postseason.

The Rockets moved to 14-3 after beating Greenfield Friday, two days after knocking off state-ranked Milwaukee Washington on the road. They were ranked No. 20 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel area poll this week, but are sure to move up.

The Rockets sit atop the Woodland Conference East standings at 9-0, just ahead of 9-1 Cudahy. The two play in a huge rivalry game at 5:45 p.m. on Friday at the Sullivan Gymnasium — mark your calendars.

South Milwaukee, coached by Jim Grassl, is led by sharpshooting senior guard Julia Meyers, who is averaging 15.5 points per game. She and Kayla Tierney (11.8 points) have each made 48 threes, and Tierney is shooting 42.9 percent from the 3-point line. Elaina Rivera is averaging eight points per game.

Araia Breedlove averages 6.7 rebounds per game, Hailey Johnson 5.7. Tierney and Rivera are averaging 1.9 assists per game. Rivera and Tierney both have 29 steals on the season. More details here.

I’ve seen several of their recent games, and the girls are really fun to watch, with a full-court pressing style and a host of three-point shooters (they have made 124 threes in just 17 games). More importantly, they play as a team, with a deep rotation that includes five freshmen who get regular minutes — which bodes well for the seasons ahead.

But the future is now for this team, with WIAA Division 2 postseason play starting on Feb. 19. Call it February Madness, and I can’t wait.

Let’s get behind this team, South Milwaukee. See you Friday!