Category Archives: Community

by | October 17, 2010 · 7:33 pm

A Few Thoughts on Toilet Paper …

I know I’m not alone in my dismay over the extent of the toilet-papering of Oak Creek Parkway during South Milwaukee High School Homecoming week.

Now while I don’t necessarily agree with local blogger Jerrianne Hayslett’s link between the toilet paper and sewer backups — I’d like to see more science on this before tying those two issues together — she is right on when she writes this:

Looking at it yesterday reminded me of places I’ve been that is strewn with litter and what a terrible impression that makes on a community. Trashy.

I’m no fuddy-duddy (or am I one simply by using the word “fuddy-duddy” in the first place?), and I can appreciate a good Homecoming tradition, and prank, as much as the next person, but this time it went too far. Trees were covered in toilet paper for block after block down the parkway, east from 15th Avenue to nearly Chicago Avenue. And a good deal of it still remains.

My biggest concern? Not sewer backups, but aesthetics. Oak Creek Parkway is a South Milwaukee jewel, and the toilet paper defaces it, especially once rain and wind wash it from the trees and send it to the ground. Hayslett’s word describes it best: trashy.

I did inquire about this in the days after it happened with our police chief and the school district superintendent.

Chief Ann Wellens wrote back, and she is right when she says the department doesn’t have the resources to prevent this, especially when an estimated 100 students took part. (Although police did confiscate more than 200 rolls of toilet paper before they were used this time).

Instead, I think this is a school district issue, and South Milwaukee Superintendent Dr. Rita Olson did contact me to say they were working to clean it up.

She also extended me an invitation to join the district’s Vision and Planning Committee, which begins meeting next week. One goal of the group of about 35 students, parent, teachers, administrators and community members? Develop “long-term solutions in working with our youth.”

I appreciate the invitation and look forward to the process. And who knows? Maybe we can come up with a solution to toilet-papering, too.

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by | October 13, 2010 · 9:28 pm

Just Two Weeks Left for the Downtown Market … Including Our Fall Festival!

We’re finishing year two of the South Milwaukee Downtown Market in style with our first-annual Fall Festival on Thursday, Oct. 21.

Join us as we say farewell to the season and say thank you to our loyal vendors and customers with special activities like pumpkin decorating, apple bobbing, vendor trick-or-treating and a vendor costume contest.

The market runs from 3 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 21. Children’s activities begin at 4.

Learn more in this press release … and see how we’re ringing in the holidays with a special Christmas Market on Dec. 4.

As always, it’s been a pleasure doing my part to bring the market to life. Thanks to everyone who has made Thursday evenings special in downtown South Milwaukee, and we hope to see you on 11th and Milwaukee Avenues the next two weeks!

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by | October 9, 2010 · 5:51 pm

South Milwaukee “Going Pink” on Oct. 19

You’ll see a lot of pink around town on Tuesday, Oct. 19 … including at the City Council meeting that night.

That’s when elected officials and employees of the city and school district — including police officers and firefighters — and employees at a number of area businesses are “going pink” to support breast cancer victims and survivors.

Read the press release here.

A special thanks to South Milwaukee Police Chief Ann Wellens for leading the effort here. It’s an honor to be a small part of it. (And check out my new pink t-shirt at the Common Council meeting at 7 p.m. on Oct. 19.)

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by | October 7, 2010 · 10:08 am

Get Your Flu Shots Today!

My apologies for the late notice, but the city Health Department is offering an adult seasonal flu shot clinic today at City Hall.

Hours are noon to 6 p.m., and you should probably stop by since the CDC is urging flu shots for essentially everyone this year.

Learn more on the city’s website.

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by | October 6, 2010 · 9:10 pm

Help Wanted: Oak Creek Cleanup Planned for Saturday Morning

Take ownership of a 4th District resource!

Friends of the Mill Pond & Oak Creek Watercourse have scheduled the fall cleanup for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. The designated clean-up area is from North Chicago Avenue to Rawson Avenue.

Volunteers are needed to clean trash and debris from selected areas along the watercourse. Some of the items previously found (along with common trash) removed are: shopping carts, a plastic slide, a pay phone, tires, tire rims, crutches, bike tires, batteries, assorted balls and toys, a tricycle, fire extinguisher, jacket, container of oil, pieces of plywood and a street barricade.

Safety vests, bags, bottled water and vinyl gloves are provided to participants. Volunteers are urged to bring tall boots if they have them.

Email friendsofthemillpond@gmail.com for additional information.

It’s supposed to be a great day … and I hope to see you there. The Friends of the Mill Pond and Oak Creek Watercourse could use your help in cleaning up this South Milwaukee jewel. Bring your family and friends!

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by | October 4, 2010 · 12:32 pm

South Milwaukee Trick-or-Treating Hours Set

This year, setting the trick-or-treat hours was easy.

Since Halloween falls on a Sunday this year, South Milwaukee trick-or-treating will be from 2 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 31.

I continue would like to see trick-or-treating done at night in South Milwaukee, but I don’t see council support for this. What do you think? Post your comments below.

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by | September 21, 2010 · 11:02 pm

Settlement Reached in Lake Bluff Case

Sixteen years of on-and-off-again litigation over the Lake Bluff Apartments is coming to an end.

The South Milwaukee City Council voted 8-0 Tuesday night to settle a complicated lawsuit involving, among others, State Financial Bank, the American Civil Liberties Union and the owners of the two lakefront apartment buildings that the city contended for years were built illegally.

Here is an in-depth Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story summarizing the lawsuit from 2009 — written before a Milwaukee County Circuit Court jury decided that, if the city tore down Lake Bluff, it would be considered discrimination against the low-income and disabled residents who live there.

That ruling set in motion the settlement talks, which culminated with Tuesday’s vote. Here are the key details:

  • Under the settlement, the city will move to rezone the Lake Bluff properties “multifamily,” making the buildings there legal and allowing us to collect the appropriate property taxes (estimated at $60,000 annually, compared to the $10,000 we currently collect).
  • Lake Bluff will buy the adjacent 13-acre Northwestern Barrel Superfund site from Towne Realty and donate it to the city for use as a park or other public purpose (such as stormwater mitigation).  It will be named after late Towne founder Joseph Zilber.
  • Lake Bluff will also pay a significant part of attorney fees involved in the case. The city pays none.
  • The ACLU will release a statement saying the city has met its fair housing obligations.

Of course, the deal is much more complicated than that because the case itself is so complicated. You can imagine the paperwork (and legal fees) that 16 years of litigation has wrought.

In the end, however, the deal is a good one because it’s time. It’s time for this to end. It’s time to move on.

The city was victorious in court every step along the way … until the 2009 ruling. We could have appealed, but that would have meant more years of court battles and more tarnish to our image. It’s a prospect few were happy with, including me.

This settlement gives us a chance to put this behind us. I’m ready to do so.

Do you agree? I’d like to know what you think. Post your comments below, and vote in the new poll on the right-hand side of this page.

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by | August 10, 2010 · 9:27 am

Longtime South Milwaukee Teacher, Community Servant Dies

I just saw an obituary for Eunice E. Hahn, and I was impressed with her dedication to our city.

From teaching at South Milwaukee High School to her involvement in a variety of community organizations, she left her mark on South Milwaukee.

Did you know Eunice? Post a comment and share your memories.

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