Author Archives: Erik Brooks

South Milwaukee is getting closer to having an indoor youth soccer/futsal facility at the former AMF South Park Lanes.

The new owners of the site came before the South Milwaukee Plan Commission on Monday for a public hearing and discussion of their plans to convert the former bowling alley into a three indoor soccer/futsal fields, offering a local alternative to local soccer teams, especially area youth.

Here is NOW coverage from the meeting. The Plan Commission recommended approval of a conditional use permit for the facility, and the matter now heads to the full South Milwaukee Common Council for our May 1 meeting.

I want to thank those who spoke at the public hearing. There were a number of valid concerns raised, from traffic to safety and security to hours of operation to building appearance. The commission took those to heart and spelled out a number of conditions for the owners, to ensure this will be a development we can all be proud of. This includes no hours of operation after 10 p.m. and the closure of a service drive that was too often used as a connecting street through the property.

I’m excited about the prospects of this project. As the father of a youth soccer player, I know there is a shortage of indoor space for kids (and adults), validated at the meeting by the facility operator, a longtime member of the youth soccer community who plans to move his youth league to South Milwaukee.

The facility will also attract plenty of visitors to our city, which I love.

I’ll keep you posted as the ball continues to roll here.

• Authorities Called to Auto Body Shop Fire in South Milwaukee (CBS 58)
• Caterpillar Sales Jump on Strong International Demand (Wall Street Journal)
  • Also earnings coverage from Reuters and the Peoria Journal-Star
• Parents and Their Children Could be Cited for Student Bullying with Newly Proposed Ordinance in South Milwaukee (NOW)
• New Jobs, Maintenance Budget Included in Possible Fall South Milwaukee School Referendum (NOW)
• South Milwaukee Mayor Declares Tuesday Catherine Krause Day as Woman Celebrates 100th Birthday (Fox 6)
• Waterford Woman and South Milwaukee Woman Face Drug Charges (Racine County Eye)
• Man Exposes Himself and Urinates on Wall While Giving Blood in South Milwaukee (NOW)

Also, the South Milwaukee Police Department has started providing weekly crime summaries on their new Facebook page. They just posted one for April 12-19. Please like their page, if you haven’t already — it’s full of useful information.

Updated on April 26.

As the weather finally warms and you make planting plans for your home, use these special discounts offered to South Milwaukee residents!

Thanks to Patti Bergeson and the South Milwaukee Beautification Committee for pulling this together and doing their part to encourage a more beautiful city.

South Milwaukee Library Director Nan Champe and board member Dan Reszel presented the 2017 library annual report to the South Milwaukee Common Council on Tuesday. From it …

With more than 78,000 visits in 2017, the South Milwaukee Library (SML) is the city’s most-used non-school public facility. Your SML is an engaging learning, information and idea center that enhances the community’s quality of life.

I couldn’t say it better myself. It’s great to see so many good things happening at this important local institution.

Check out a PDF of the report here, including a page detailing the library budget.

Don’t forget the library remains closed as they install new carpet and paint. Follow progress and see pictures on their Facebook page.

I’m proud of our ongoing partnership with the South Milwaukee School District, especially when it helps with the safety and welfare of our students.

The latest example: an anti-bullying ordinance which gained initial passage by the South Milwaukee Common Council on Tuesday, which includes penalties for children and their parents involved in persistent bullying, hazing or harassment.

It’s an innovative approach to a complex problem without easy solutions. And while this ordinance in and of itself won’t solve the problem, we, after conversations with the school district, think it will help.

You can see the ordinance here. It includes fines of up to $439 for children or parents who “engage in bullying, hazing or harassment of a person; induce another person to engage in bullying, hazing or harassment; or retaliate against any person who reports any conduct prohibited by this section.”

As for bullying, it is defined (by both us and the schools) as …

A form of harassment defined as an intentional course of conduct which, through verbal acts, physical acts, messages or any other form of communication, is reasonably likely to intimidate, emotionally abuse, slander or threaten another person and serves no legitimate purpose.   Bullying also means systematically or persistently inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students. It is intentional written, spoken, nonverbal or physical behavior, including but not limited to any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture or communication, including the spreading of rumors, that has the effect of doing any of the following: substantially interfering with any student’s education, creating a threatening or fearful environment in a school setting for any student or group of students, or substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.  Bullying also includes the use of digital technologies, including but not limited to email, cell phones, text messages, instant messages, chat rooms and social websites. 

And the preamble includes more details as to why this is so important …

WHEREAS,  the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than one fifth of students in the United States grades 6-12 experience bullying;

WHEREAS,  the Common Council of the City of South Milwaukee has determined that bullying and harassment disrupt the safe environment in the City; interfere with one’s ability to succeed or excel in a safe environment in the City; and interfere with one’s ability to participate in or benefit from the programs, activities, worksites and opportunities offered in this community;

WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of South Milwaukee further finds that it is in the interest of the People of the City of South Milwaukee to take steps to encourage the idea that every person is valued and respected regardless of perceived or actual differences and that every person should enjoy life free from bullying, harassment and intimidation.

WHEREAS, The City has collaborated with the South Milwaukee School District to draft this ordinance and believes that it is necessary to protect the health and safety and general welfare of the Citizens of this community, and it is necessary that the regulations herein provided be enacted …

The idea for the ordinance came from School Resource Officer JJ McLean. Thanks, officer, for bringing this forward, and for Chief Jessup, City Attorney Smith and school leaders for being part of the solution.

We are bringing another tool to the table in the redevelopment of South Milwaukee’s city center.

You may recall that state officials recently recommended to the federal government that a South Milwaukee census tract be included as one of 120 in the state eligible for “Economic Opportunity Zone” status, as part of a new program under the tax reform bill. Last week, we were informed the U.S. Treasury Department had indeed chosen our tract (all of of the 120 submitted, in fact) for this designation.

More details here, and a map of the tract is in this blog post. You will see it includes all of our downtown and much of the former Bucyrus campus.

What does this mean? A lot remains to be seen, as it seems details on the program are still being worked out. At the very least, it will put another pool of money in play as we continue the work of our reinvigorating our city and downtown.

Thanks to state and federal officials for their support of our application, and thanks to Stephanie Hacker, our economic development director, for working quickly to make our application a reality once we heard about the opportunity.

More to come!

Check out these South Milwaukee headlines …

• Federal Prosecutors: Man Who Admitted to Robbing 7 ALDI Stores in 6 Months to “Pay Rent” Pleads Guilty (Fox 6)
• 65-Year-Old South Milwaukee Man Stabbed April 15 (NOW)
• South Milwaukee Parents Speak Out on Students’ Threat to Kill Classmate at Blakewood Elementary (NOW)
• Wrestling Royalty Gathers to Honor Da Crusher at Statue Fundraiser (TMJ4)
• Wisconsin Communities Weigh Referendums to Fund Services (Wisconsin Public Radio)
• Hidden Gem: Slick Willies (Milwaukee Record)

From the South Milwaukee Police Department …

On April 15, 2018, at approximately 7:08pm, SMPD responded to a report of a stabbing at an apartment complex in the 2800 block of South Chicago Avenue. 

The victim is a 65 year old South Milwaukee resident.  He was injured and was transported to Froedtert Hospital for treatment.  His condition is unknown at this time.

A 28 year old Mt Pleasant man was arrested at the scene and subsequently transported to the Milwaukee County Jail to await a charging conference.

The suspect and victim are known to each other and the South Milwaukee Police Department is investigating the circumstances that led to the stabbing incident.  There is no threat to the public and no other suspects are being sought as a result of this incident.

Check out a PDF of the flyer here. From the Facebook event …

Come do your part to help keep South Milwaukee beautiful!

Community wide clean up from 9:00 a.m. to Noon, with a lunch to follow for all volunteers at the Grobschmidt Senior Center. Sign up and pick up supplies at the following locations: South Milwaukee City Hall, 2424 15th Avenue, 16th and Rawson Avenues, Oak Creek Parkway and North Chicago, and at the South Milwaukee Fire Department.

Shredding from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. To be held in the City Hall Parking Lot located at 2424 15th Avenue. Sponsored by the South Milwaukee Lions Club.

Electronics Recycling from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Sponsored by CASTRO Recycling. Any electronic item with a plug! (EXCEPT TV’s or old CRT monitors. These will NOT be accepted at City Hall.) TV’s and CRT Monitors can be disposed of at the Self Deposit Station, 1106 Blake Ave. ($3 Daily fee will be waived only on April 28 for TV drop-off) but a $ 5 disposal fees does apply for EACH CRT monitor or television along with a onetime donation of (5) cans of non-perishable foods for South Milwaukee Human Concerns, Inc. Proceeds from Electronics recycling will be used to purchase trees.

Take Back Day Prescription from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the Grobschmidt Senior Center parking lot. Noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Police Department, entrance Door #3. Controlled and non-controlled over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, non-aerosol sprays, inhalers, creams, vials and pet medications will be accepted. People are asked to remove the medication from its container and dispose of it directly into a disposal box or into a clear sealable plastic bag. Sponsored by the South Milwaukee
Police Department.

Sharps (needles, syringes) Container Collection for disposal – The Health Department
will be collecting filled sharps containers for disposal. The usual fee is waived. Sharps will need to be in an approved sharps container or covered heavy duty container, such as a Tide laundry bottle. Sponsored by The South Milwaukee Health Department.

Eyeglass Recycling (used) Donate glasses and change someone’s life. Sponsored by the South Milwaukee Lions Club.

American Flag Collection – Retire our flag with the respect that it is due. The first 30 who bring a retired flag will receive a new replacement flag free. Sponsored by CSL Plasma.

Printer Cartridges and Cell Phones – Donate Your Empty Ink Jet & Laser Printer Cartridges and Used Cell Phones.

Free flower seeds bookmarks. Sponsored by Educators Credit Union.

Cans for Human Concerns – Bring your crushed or uncrushed cans so that we can recycle them with all proceeds going to South Milwaukee Human Concerns. We will recycle the cans for you – just drive thru and we do the rest. Together we help the needy. Sponsored by the South Milwaukee Lions.

The Rotary Club of Mitchell Field is bringing back Food Truck Sunday, a celebration of some great local food, community and downtown.

Mark your calendars now, and stop by from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, at the farmers’ market site, 11th and Milwaukee Avenues.

Up to 15 trucks are expected, as well as live music from Crossing, a local rock cover band. At this time expected to join the event are Streetza Pizza, JJs Wood Grill, Denson’s Catering, Little Havana Express, Oano’s Empanades, Firewise BBQ, The Rolling Cones, La Guacamaya, JJs Wood Grill, The Frying Dutchhmen, Timber’s BBQ, Cupcake-a-Rhee and Brody’s Italian ice

All proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Mitchell Field and its mission to provide service to others and promote peace and goodwill. Some of its local projects include grants to local nonprofits, scholarships for college-bound seniors, Thanksgiving baskets for families and seniors in need, and a prom for senior citizens.

More details on the Facebook event page here.

Work continues to raise money for the South Milwaukee Industrial Museum, a celebration of Bucyrus’ rich tradition and strong legacy in South Milwaukee.

Learn more here. Please consider a donation to this important project!

As part of their work in preserving artifacts from the Bucyrus collection, the museum organizers have come across hundreds of employee photos from the 1960s-1980s, and are offering them to family members.

From Bob Jelinek, who is leading museum effort …

The South Milwaukee Industrial Museum LLC  (SMIM) has obtained roughly 400 employee portrait type photographs taken by the company photographer during the late 1960’s through the early 1980’s. (Samples in this post.)

It’s not a complete collection of employee photos, only small part of the archives that Caterpillar moved to Peoria, IL.  We requested that they be returned to SMIM as part of the Bucyrus Heritage archives. We’ve scanned them for our files, and would now like to provide the original negatives and photos to the employees, or any of their family members who may want them, on a first come- first served basis.

The photos were used mainly for Scoop Magazine.  Articles that the photos appeared in include the Quarter Century Club and Forty Year Club recognitions, job promotion announcements, and human interest articles. We even have a few passport or ID type photos.  Each folder has one or more negative and a proof shot or two.  All photos and negatives are in black and white.

Maybe it’s you, or Mom or Dad, Aunt, Grandfather, or other family member that worked at Bucyrus during those years.  To find out if a portrait folder is available, just mail a note or send an email to SMIM at BEMuseum@SMIMLLC.org  with the full name of the employee. We’ll let you know if there is a match, and if there is, we’ll ask that you fill out a short request/release form for us. We’ll then provide you with the original folder and its contents, all for free!

We’re still working diligently toward re-opening the former Bucyrus Heritage Museum to display more than 135 years’ worth of company and local history.  Stop by the South Milwaukee City Hall to see one of our traveling displays though April 30^th.

We’re always looking for donations of company artifacts to add to the collection, and for our fundraising efforts through our GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/moving-the-sm-industrial-museum.

Direct donations can also be mailed to South Milwaukee Industrial Museum, PO Box 84, So. Milw., WI 53172-0084