Category Archives: South Milwaukee

by | June 10, 2015 · 9:47 pm

Heritage Days Parade: Do Your Part To Help!

Parade 3 Parade 2 Parade 1

The South Milwaukee Heritage Days Parade team is looking for your financial help … and I can’t think of a better event to get behind.

The parade is set for 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, and it’s quickly becoming one of the largest in the area.

From the parade committee …

The Parade will be bigger and better in almost all facets. More music including the South Shore Drill Team from Chicago (see You Tube). More Veterans. More special guests including a tribute to the 3 past Mayors, and Green Bay Packers Super Fan St. Vincent and his 1957 Packard Packermobile, and all 5 Brewers Racing Sausages! All of this comes at a bigger and better cost however, and the Committee is asking you to help. You can contribute individually or pool your resources. We have a lot of ground to make up in 8 short weeks and welcome any financial relief. We are now a 501(c)3 so your contributions should be tax deductible. This Committee has almost doubled the size of the Parade in 2 short years. … Thanks in advance and keep up the fight.

Find more details on how to give here. And look for 50-50 raffle tickets around town.

And a big thank you to all of the parade committee members. This is truly a year-round effort, but their efforts will pay off with  a terrific event as they take it to new heights in 2015.

Please support them in their work. It’s an investment in what makes South Milwaukee uniquely South Milwaukee.

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by | June 10, 2015 · 9:15 pm

Read All About It! Summer Reading In South Milwaukee

Summer reading

Update: One more opportunity for summer reading is the Bookmobile, a partnership between the South Milwaukee Library and School District. See a schedule here. The first stop is June 16 at South Milwaukee Little League.

There are some great things happening at the South Milwaukee Library these days, and their summer reading program is the latest example.

Check out the flyer above … and more details on the kids program, teen program and an events and activities calendar.

Keep our kids reading this summer!

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by | June 10, 2015 · 9:13 pm

This Little Free Library Needs A Good Home

Little Free Library

Caterpillar wants to donate the Little Free Library you see here to a loving resident and neighborhood that needs it.

Are you interested, or know a South Milwaukeean who might be? Contact me via email at brooks@smwi.org.

And thanks to Cat for stepping up to donate this library. It used to be at their 11th and Milwaukee entrance, but they realized it would be better served in a neighborhood.

Could that neighborhood be yours?

Learn more about the Little Free Library movement here. I love the concept, and the fact that you already see so many of them around town.

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by | June 9, 2015 · 7:18 pm

Garden Tour Set For June 27

What a terrific way to showcase our city, its homes, its gardens and, most importantly, its gardeners …

Indeed, it’s the people who make South Milwaukee beautiful.

Let’s celebrate them! I hope to see you on June 27.

Garden tour 2 Garden Tour

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by | June 8, 2015 · 9:19 pm

Headlines: Bicyclist Victims Named, Baseball Stadium Effort Back To Franklin And More

Check out these South Shore headlines …

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by | June 8, 2015 · 8:59 pm

Annie! First Outdoor Movie Set For June 19

Just a reminder … see you in 12 days for “Annie”!

Dinner and a Movie 2

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by | June 6, 2015 · 8:38 pm

Beech Street Bridge Update: Working Hard Toward A Replacement

Not surprisingly, there are lots of folks wondering “what’s next?” for the Beech Street foot bridge over Oak Creek. I am one of those people, and continue to press the county for action.

Here is an update from County Supervisor Patricia Jursik …

The Parks Department has gotten initial estimates on the bridge replacement. The figure is in the ball park of $150,000. The bridge can no longer just be repaired as it was last time in 2010 when the flood washed it out. It will now need new bridge footings.

We have been exploring how to pay for this cost since it was not in the county budget. The Parks Department has said they do not have “cash” to pay for this. Parks is exploring whether there may be excess funds available in our capital budget. (This occurs when we borrow for other projects that do not cost as much as planned. Typically the county has excess funds in almost every year because of the amount of borrowing we do in both Parks and Highway among others.) The good news is that replacement of a bridge is an appropriate project to use capital funds (IRS rules).  

I know the City of South Milwaukee would like this bridge replaced ASAP since there are so few routes across the creek for the subdivision in question.  There is an estimate from the schools that about 200 children live in the subdivision and need to have access to a crossing without going to either Rawson or College.  

If county officials can be convinced this is an emergency need, there could be an argument to get cash out of the county’s contingency funds, and it could be done without going through a lengthy RFP process. Without this classification, all projects must go through standard channels that require an RFP. If the county must go through our standard procedure, it will be nearly impossible to get this done by September. As it stands now, we should be signing contracts and getting the work started immediately to meet a September deadline.  

So, where do we go from here? Supervisor Jursik pledges to continue to push hard to get this repaired as soon as possible, and I will stand beside her in making this case with the county executive and others.

We both know how important this bridge is, not just for school traffic, but for all of the recreational users of the Oak Creek Parkway – from joggers to bicyclists to dog walkers.

We will keep you updated throughout the work to replace it.

Also of concern are reports that people (especially kids) are going around the barricades and using the closed (and unsafe) bridge anyway. I have asked the county to step up efforts to prevent this. While the closure is frustrating, we can’t have people ignoring the signage and attempting to cross the bridge. It’s too dangerous.

We ask for patience. This bridge must be fixed for the long term, and done the right way.

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by | June 6, 2015 · 8:15 pm

Bicyclist Tragedy In Muskego And Other Headlines

Check out these South Shore headlines, including reports from police that a South Milwaukee man struck and killed two bicyclists in Muskego this morning …

NOW has published a new police blotter, and here is coverage of a fire at an Oak Creek landscaping company on Wednesday. South Milwaukee firefighters were among the early responders, and here is the narrative from South Milwaukee Fire Chief Joe Knitter …

At approximately 3:42 this morning, the SMFD ladder truck and Chief responded to the city of Oak Creek for the report of a fully involved building at 1720 West Elm Road.  Upon the arrival of the OCFD units, they encountered an approximately 4,000 square foot building belonging to Hickory Landscaping that was, in fact, fully involved in fire.  Complicating matters was the physical location of the building which was located over 2,000’ from the closest fire hydrant.  5” large diameter hose was layed out the entire distance from 13th Street to the fire.  In addition, extra precautions were taken due to the unknown contents of the building which, considering the type of business, could have contained fertilizers, pesticides and other hazardous substances. No injuries were reported and the cause is still under investigation.

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by | June 5, 2015 · 10:34 pm

Showing Off REAL Success

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I had the pleasure of meeting many of the students of South Milwaukee’s REAL Academy on Friday during their open house. What an impressive group of kids — and what an impressive example of innovation in public education.

This is a South Milwaukee success story.

In its third year, the REAL (Rocket Education for Alternative Learning) Academy offers an option for kids who may have been left behind in many districts.

Kids meet for three hours a day and get a lot out of that time. As described by teacher Joanna Rizzotto …

The REAL Academy is an alternative learning environment that provides high need, at-risk and special education students equal access to education by addressing their barriers to success through a personalized educational program. The REAL Academy is a separate school within SMHS, resulting in a small classroom setting which allows for individual student attention and a strong community atmosphere. Everything we do is created around being a Productive Worker: Attendance & Punctuality, Organization, Task Completion, Taking Initiative, Enthusiasm, Self Esteem, and Self Management.

All of that was on display Friday, with the students serving as the storytellers. They spoke about the academy’s innovative learning model, its focus on teaching life skills, its community commitment, its successes.

More importantly, the students spoke about the impact the academy has had on their lives — and how it has put them on a path for a promising future that probably wouldn’t have existed but for this unique school within a school.

In a time when school districts across the state face funding crises and state lamwakers ponder taking even more money out of the broken education funding system, we should all keep efforts like the REAL Academy in mind.

I can’t think of a better investment in the future of South Milwaukee.

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by | June 3, 2015 · 4:10 pm

Be On The Lookout: Strangers And Kids

A message from the South Milwaukee Police Department … please be vigilant.

Please be advised that the police department has received several complaints this week involving a man in his 50’s to 60’s, with long gray hair, dressed in “Cowboy” garb, walking around in the area of Lakeview School and speaking to young boys. A parent recalled seeing a subject matching the description a few days earlier at a local gas station and driving a red pickup truck. It is unknown if this is the same person. The SMPD has located and spoken with two individuals matching the general physical description and have determined neither one to be involved. Based upon the information that we have received no crime has been committed, but please take the time to educate your children. Please reinforce with them not engage in conversations with strangers, to tell an adult ASAP if approached, and to call the police. Should a person matching that description be seen again, please do not make contact with the subject, but instead contact the SMPD at 768-8060. If driving a vehicle, a detailed description along with a license plate would be helpful.

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by | May 30, 2015 · 12:09 am

More Headlines

Check out these South Shore headlines …

NOW has published a new police blotter.

Also, County Supervisor Pat Jursik has published a new news update, with information on the Cudahy Sportsman’s Club, an honor for a Cudahy senior and a warning about feeding birds in area parks.

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by | May 29, 2015 · 11:47 pm

Big Investment In Grobschmidt Pool

Update: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more on the Oak Leaf Trail improvements.

The investments continue in South Milwaukee’s county park assets.

The latest: several significant upgrades to Grobschmidt Pool, improvements that give this longtime local attraction — on and off the Milwaukee County budget chopping block over the years — a bright future.

Among them:

  • Installation of a new pool liner membrane;
  • Conversion of the pool water supply channel system to one using floor inlets; and
  • The addition of new stainless steel hand railings for the pool steps.

The pool, like all county pools, opens June 20. Details here.

I want to again thank Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, the Parks Department and County Supervisor Patricia Jursik for their support of this and all the investments coming to South Milwaukee’s parks this year and beyond.

All in, more than a million dollars is headed to parks in South Milwaukee in 2015.

And those investments are coming to life right now. Among them:

We also continue to make progress on a much-needed Oak Creek Watershed restoration plan.

More than 20% of South Milwaukee’s land mass is parkland, and what’s good for our parks is good for our city. That’s why it’s hard not to be excited about this.

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by | May 29, 2015 · 8:50 am

Go Rockets! Softball Regional Final, Track Sectional Today

Softball, track and more … our Rockets are really taking off.

From the South Milwaukee School District …

SOFTBALL

The Rockets take on Oak Creek today at 4:30pm at Oak Creek East Middle School in the WIAA Regional Final. The Rockets advanced to the game by virtue of their 6-0 WIAA Regional Semifinal win on Wednesday v. Racine Park. A special note is included down below about Senior Abby Mahsem who was not only named the Journal Sentinel Softball Player of the Week, she was also selected as a Senior All-Star and will be playing in the Dells on June 16th in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Game! Congratulations Abby and GO ROCKETS!

http://www.wfsca.org/page/show/1198016-rosters 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Abby Mahsem, South Milwaukee. The Rockets senior pitcher/shortstop played a large role in the team’s strong finish to the regular season.

She tossed a complete game with five strikeouts and scored two runs as South Milwaukee (15-7) beat Greenfield, 3-1, May 18 to hand the Hawks their first loss of the season. The next day she pitched two innings of relief and went 2 for 3 with three runs in an 8-6 victory over Cudahy. On Wednesday she struck out 10 in a 4-3 victory over Greendale.

Entering the Rockets’ game with Oak Creek on Friday, Mahsem led South Milwaukee with a .533 batting average and 34 RBI and shared the team lead with six home runs.

Here’s the link – http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/softrail26-b99506773z1-304958481.html 

BOYS’ & GIRLS’ TRACK

At Tuesday’s WIAA Regionals at Spaltholz Field, the Rockets qualified 15 girls and 19 boys for the WIAA Sectionals which are being held today. The top 3 placewinners in each event and the top 8 performances out of all 8 sectionals in the state will qualify for WIAA State next weekend. 

WIAA SECTIONALS

Wisconsin Lutheran HS

4:00pm – Field Events

4:45pm – Running Events

Admission – $5 adults & $3 for seniors and kids age 1-12 

GIRLS’ SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS

  • Chenoa Stuhr (12) – (200m)
  • Bristine Fowler (12) – (800m)
  • Maddie Wood (10) – (3200m)
  • Kelsey Tehan (9) – (300m hurdles)
  • Chenoa Stuhr (12)/Chidimma Ozodi (12)/Natalie Swanson (12)/Maddie Kendall (10) – (4x100m)
  • Clarice Michalski (10)/Maddie Kendall (10)/Haley Slusar (10)/Abby Kettinger (11) – (4x200m)
  • Sam Meszaros (12)/Capri Fowler (12)/Becca Heller (11)/Clarice Michalski (10) – (4x400m)
  • Sam Meszaros (12)/Becca Heller (11)/Maddie Wood (10)/Capri Fowler (12) – (4x800m)
  • Marissa Stanley (12) – (Pole Vault)
  • Natalie Swanson (12) – (Pole Vault)
  • Clarice Michalski (10) – (Triple Jump)
  • Olivia Osunkwo (11) – (Shot Put)
  • Olivia Osunkwo (11) – (Discus) 

BOYS’ SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS

  • Justin Weber (11) – (1600m)
  • Jordan Janusiak (9) – (1600m)
  • Josh Janusiak (12) – (3200m)
  • Jacob Hochschild (10) – (300m Hurdles)
  • Mua Vang (9)/Clayton Westrum (10)/Jalen Haack (12)/Evan Koronkowski (12) – (4x100m)
  • Mua Vang (9)/Calvin Shilling (12)/McCoy Swanson (12)/Colin Wilson (12) – (4x200m)
  • Colin Wilson (12)/Victor DeLao (10)/McCoy Swanson (12)/Calvin Shilling (12) – (4x400m)
  • Damon Dettman (12)/Chris Sobczak (10)/Wyatt Schlager (9)/Andrew Wimmer (12) – (4x800m)
  • Ian Pribyl (12) – (High Jump)
  • Nick Honerlaw (10) – (Shot Put)
  • Ian Pribyl (12) – (Shot Put)
  • Joey Nelson (11) – (Discus) 

http://67.23.19.61/system/files/14232/original/REGIONAL.htm?1432689480

BOYS’ TENNIS

Joel Rodriguez (11) qualified for WIAA Sectional play this week and fell in straight sets to the #1 singles player from Marquette HS but finished with a solid season by getting to Sectionals.

GOLF

On Tuesday at WIAA Regionals at Oakwood, Matthew Boyle (11) & Ryan Graber (11) qualified for WIAA Sectional play next Tuesday at Ives Grove. Good luck gentlemen!

GIRLS SOCCER

The Rockets won last night 10-3 over Brown Deer as Megan Hilbelink (12) scored 4 goals, Hannah Fryer (12) scored 3 goals, Emily Grunert (10) scored 2 goals and Sofia Ladewig scored 1 goal. IN the tough Woodland Conference, the Rockets improved their conference record to 5-6. The JV plays today at 4:30pm at home against Franklin. Then the Rockets take on Oak Creek on Tuesday at Oak Creek High School (5:00pm JV & 7:00pm Varsity).

The Rockets earned the #6 seed in the WIAA Regionals that begin on Thursday, June 4th. They will travel to Greendale to take on the Panthers at 6:30pm on Thursday night.

BASEBALL

The Rockets won last night at Whitnall 4-0. Junior Matt McCarty led the way by pitching a complete game shutout and throwing 10 strikeouts. The Rockets host Whitnall tonight at 5:00pm and SWCHA tomorrow at 3:30pm (the freshman are at home at 9:30am and the JV play at home at 12:30pm as well).

 GOOD LUCK ROCKETS!

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by | May 27, 2015 · 9:30 pm

Police: Walgreens Employee Injured During Robbery

3732 robber 2

Update: Added an image of the suspect.

Scary stuff from the South Milwaukee Walgreens today.

From the South Milwaukee Police Department press release …

On May 27, 2015, at 12:48pm, the South Milwaukee Police Department received a call of an armed robbery at Walgreens, located at 2985 South Chicago Avenue, in South Milwaukee.

Preliminary investigation shows that a black male, displaying a handgun, did obtain prescription medication from the pharmacy.  He also assaulted an employee of Walgreens during the robbery.  He was then seen exiting the store, running in a northwest direction.

An employee was struck in the head by the suspect, with the gun, suffering a non-life threatening injury. 

The South Milwaukee Police Department is currently investigating this incident.

I’ll keep you posted.

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by | May 27, 2015 · 6:14 pm

Market Season Is Here!

It’s year seven for the South Milwaukee Downtown Market, and this weekly community celebration just gets bigger and better every summer. Anyd in 2015, you’ll see more vendors, music and special events than ever before.

Your South Milwaukee summer officially starts Thursday. See you there!

SummerPosterColor

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