Author Archives: Erik Brooks

A couple excerpts from the South Milwaukee Fire Department Facebook page …

First, an honor last week for Chief Joe Knitter …

Humbled to be one of the recipients of the Unsung Heroes Award presented by the FBI Milwaukee Citizens Academy Alumni Association at tonight’s awards program. And a HUGE THANK YOU goes out to Theresa Kent and the Association for an incredibly generous $3,500 donation to the SMFD for the purchase of protective equipment for our cancer awareness and prevention program. A great organization and a great event.

And this from May, recognizing more of the team …

Congratulations to the members of the SMFD who were recognized by Aurora Health Care as part of their Annual EMS Week Recognition event. Two crews were recognized for their work on two successful resuscitation calls. In addition, the citizen bystanders that assisted on one call and the patient they saved were recognized, as well as Jackie Ove, the South Milwaukee Public Health Administrator for her work in getting Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) placed in all the public schools and public-access municipal buildings.

Thanks to all of our firefighters for all you do!

The Beautification Awards are in full swing with the Patriotic Display Awards, recognizing the best of the best of “those who show patriotism through the look and feel of their properties.”

From the awards website …

The Patriotic Display Awards recognize those who show their patriotism through the look and feel of their properties. Residents are encouraged to create patriotic-themed displays, which could include flags, bunting, flowers, handcrafted or purchased items, with relevance to Memorial Day, Flag Day and/or Independence Day.

• These awards are nomination-based, with nominations being solicited using Facebook and this online form.
• All decorations must be up by June 28, and recipients are selected by the Beautification Committee on or around June 30.
• Up to three winners will each receive $50, a sign, and recognition at a city council meeting or on city/mayor digital platforms.

Submit your entries now! And while you’re at it, start submitting for the Curb Appeal Awards, too. They “are presented annually to South Milwaukee businesses, homeowners and civic organizations who devote extra effort to their property’s beautification, through landscaping and other street-facing efforts.”

More details on the awards page.

I was proud to be part of the grand re-opening of the South Milwaukee McDonald’s on Tuesday, joining with owner Jeff Steren, South Milwaukee Community & Business Association President Leah Manthey and South Milwaukee Little League President Bob Lubetski for a special day celebrating an iconic local business and businessman.

Check out pictures with this post showing off the significant and impressive upgrades, including new ordering technology. Details on the project here.

We’ve had a McDonald’s in South Milwaukee for 49 years. Here’s to another 49!

I love this project being started by the Friends of Grant Park. Can you help?

Lots of local news in recent weeks …

• Fire up the Grill! Milwaukee Sausage Company Opens This Weekend (OnMilwaukee.com)
• South Milwaukee Library Renovation Brings the City’s Parks Indoors with New Theme (NOW)
• South Milwaukee Seeks to Change Structure of HR Jobs Following Resignation of HR Coordinator (NOW)
• Want a Spa, Arcade, or Pet Store in South Milwaukee? Mount Mary University Students Propose Downtown Revitalization Ideas (NOW)
• South Shore ‘Chemo Man’ Identified and Cited by Police for Begging in Cudahy (NOW)

South Milwaukee’s Joanna Rizzotto was honored by the Wisconsin Education Association Council recently for her work with the REAL Academy. See the newsletter story here.

And the South Milwaukee Police Department has published its weekly crime roundup on its Facebook page. Be sure to like the page, if you haven’t already.

We are reinventing ourselves in South Milwaukee.

We are at a crossroads, and while we certainly face our share of challenges, I remain as excited as ever about our potential as a city, and committed to doing all we can to shape our promising future, while embracing our proud past.

It starts with telling our heritage story, which I’m happy to see coming to life through the work to open a South Milwaukee Industrial Museum honoring the history of Bucyrus and the effort to build a statue honoring our most famous son, Da Crusher.

Our future is bright, too, as we ramp up work on downtown and city redevelopment, work harder than ever to attract and retain small businesses, and make significant investments in our infrastructure. We’re also innovating in how we do business, always exploring new and more efficient ways to deliver our city services and how we function as a government.

That is the foundation we are building upon with our new city brand.

It officially launches today.

We partnered with Savage Solutions on this project, the same firm behind the rebranding of Oak Creek, downtown Waukesha and West Allis. After focus groups with dozens of local residents and business owners, and the work of a smaller steering committee inside City Hall, we emerged with an iconic design.

We have a lot to be proud of in South Milwaukee, but nothing defines us like Grant Park, which makes Seven Bridges the perfect choice to visually represent who we are, and where we are headed. Add in the “Rocket red” color, typography, and purposeful word choice — including a decision to not go with an official slogan — and we have a logo that is uniquely South Milwaukee.

Now the fun begins: Showing off this new mark. You’ve probably already seen the City Hall flag and sign, and those are just the start.

Welcome signage, Milwaukee Avenue street banners, digital activations (including our soon-to-be launched city app), marketing pieces, wearables (we gave away 1,000 logoed t-shirts following the high school graduation ceremony), and much more, with many of the pieces being made by local vendors … you will see our new logo come to life in a number of ways this summer and beyond.

You will also see us at a number of events throughout 2018, including the South Milwaukee Downtown Market on June 14 and 21, Heritage Week, and more.

Now is the right time to launch our new brand, and I can’t wait to get started. We have lots of work to do, and we’re doing it. Together.

I love this proactive, community-minded event.

Two South Chicago Avenue retailers — McDonald’s and ALDI — are getting a new look, as businesses continue to step up their investments in South Milwaukee.

From the Steren Management Company and Jeff Steren, who owns 13 area McDonald’s …

Big changes are underway at McDonald’s of South Milwaukee. When the dining room re-opens this weekend, customers will enjoy a fresh new look with modern décor and also some cool tech features.

Customers will be welcomed to experience the future with touch-screen ordering kiosks. However, there is no need to worry if you are not the tech-savvy type. You’ll always have the option to order old-style with a real person at the counter.

Another great tech upgrade will be GPS table tents. The table tents will enable the McDonald’s crew to quickly deliver your food order to wherever you are seated.

Grand Re-Opening Specials will begin at Noon on June 12 (Tuesday), with a ribbon cutting by the mayor and local McDonald’s Owner Operator Jeff Steren. Free celebration cake and cookies will immediately follow the ribbon cutting. 

Watch for a flyer at the restaurant with more details.

As for the work underway at ALDI, here is a statement from Atty McGrath, vice president, of the ALDI Oak Creek Division.

We are excited to confirm that the ALDI store in South Milwaukee will undergo remodeling later this summer. The location will temporarily close for about one month leading up to the Grand Reopening to finalize construction. We will be in touch with more details about the Grand Reopening celebration as the big day approaches!

The updated store will offer a smarter, faster and easier shopping experience. All of our remodeled stores maximize refrigerator space, and we’re using the additional cold storage to grow our already robust selections of fresh produce, dairy and meat. Remodeled stores also feature open ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally-friendly building materials such as recycled materials, energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting.

Thanks for investing in South Milwaukee!

In many ways, the story of Modern Machining LLC is the story of South Milwaukee’s continued path to redevelopment — a story of a young entrepreneur starting small, building his business the right way, and expanding for the future. Locally.

Today, we celebrate a company that recently moved from a small space 1204 Minnesota Ave. to 2205 12th Ave., leasing more than 20,000 square feet in the former Johnson Health Tech building (Line Material way back in the day).

I was proud to help owner Jason Scherer and his family cut a ribbon in May, celebrating their new location and a promising future as a manufacturer of specialty machined and machine-assembled components for more than a dozen companies, serving major hydraulic, firearm, power tool, medical, and railroad manufacturers, and more.

Modern Machining employs five people, with plans to add four more.

It started with one, Jason, who grew up in South Milwaukee and worked for multiple manufacturing companies before starting his firm in 2015.

How has growth come so quickly? From their website …

Utilizing the newest technologies in manufacturing processes and software, Modern Machining stays a cut above the rest. Providing high quality component parts, at competitive prices on-time ever time.

It’s a winning formula I see repeated every day in businesses across South Milwaukee.

Thanks for investing locally, Modern Machining!

Thanks to all of our sponsors, who are helping us continue to grow this event without any additional taxpayer dollars.

See you July 4th, for a full day of family fun … and please help spread the word!

Join us for our annual Flag Day ceremony on Thursday, June 14, outside the Grobschmidt Senior Center at the gazebo.

The event will feature a flag retirement ceremony including local veterans and scouts, music from the South Milwaukee Municipal Band, essays from local students on “what the flag means to me,” and refreshments.

Also, check out the Flags for Heroes flag display outside City Hall, presented by the Rotary Club of Mitchell Field.

Flag tributes much be purchased by June 13. Details below.

If it rains, the event will be held inside the Senior Center.

Be advised: Two major construction projects are set to begin the week of June 11, with both impacting local drivers, bikers and walkers.

• A joint project between South Milwaukee and Oak Creek to rebuild the intersection at Nicholson and Milwaukee Avenues, to widen the roadway and create a left-turn lane from Nicholson to Milwaukee; and
• A Milwaukee County project to reconstruct Oak Creek Parkway from North Chicago Avenue to the railroad trestle near South Milwaukee High School.

Work on Nicholson/Milwaukee is expected to be completed by the end of June. Learn more here.

Work on the Oak Creek Parkway will likely take all summer. Learn more here.

Thanks for your patience as continue to invest in our infrastructure!

From downtown’s newest business, 1200 Milwaukee Ave. …

We just can’t wait anymore! We will be holding our soft opening this weekend! Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm or until we run out. Come down and see what we’ve done with the place and try your new favorite sausage!

Welcome to South Milwaukee!

One down … let’s do this 19 more times!

Season 10 of the South Milwaukee Downtown Market is underway, and it was a perfect day for it. Join us from 3 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at this terrific outdoor market and live music venue — something that is uniquely South Milwaukee.