Category Archives: South Milwaukee

by | September 20, 2013 · 11:36 am

More Pub For The South Milwaukee Football Team, Cat News, Scam Update & Other Headlines

At 4-0, the South Milwaukee football team deserves some recognition. And they’re getting it.

Check out stories this week from TMJ4, NOW and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which named South Milwaukee one of its Teams of the Week. (And don’t forget Friday’s game at Whitnall. Kickoff is 7 p.m.)

And check out these South Shore headlines …

And the South Milwaukee Police Department has this update on a scam going around …

A follow-up to a previous e-mail about a church fund raising scam.  The SMPD has taken two complaints about this person soliciting funds since I sent the original alert.  The suspect uses the name Eugene Hankins and claims to be soliciting for the United Restoration Church.  Hankins is described as a black male, about 50’s, about 5’7″ with salt and pepper hair.  Hankins is not affiliated with the United Restoration Church and does not have permission to be soliciting on their behalf.  Please contact the SMPD if you have contact with Hankins.  Please pass this along to anyone you think may benefit from it.  

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by | September 19, 2013 · 10:30 pm

School Report Cards Issued: How Did South Milwaukee Do?

The answer? Pretty well.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction came out with its school report cards on Tuesday, and every South Milwaukee school fell in the “meets or exceeds expectations” category.

Here is where each one ranked …

And the overall district received a “meets expectations” grade of 68.4.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has some context in this story.

And these report cards demand context. While I respect the effort in grading schools — and support having objective standards in doing so — there are so many factors driving educational excellence that a true apples to apples comparison is nearly impossible.

I prefer the eye test when it comes to rating schools, and South Milwaukee’s schools pass that with high marks. I am the proud parent of two Rawson Elementary students, and I continue to be impressed with that school and the district as a whole. I see every day the strides my children are making as young learners, the excitement they bring home every day about what they’ve learned. It’s infectious.

And that’s something you can’t measure on DPI report cards.

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by | September 19, 2013 · 10:13 pm

Honadel Speaks On His Time In Office

“No regrets.”

That’s the message from state outgoing Rep. Mark Honadel in an extensive interview with Oak Creek Patch.

See it here. From it:

In a wide-ranging interview with Oak Creek Patch last week, Honadel said “he was going out on top,” proud of his career, accomplishments and approach to politics. 

He’s long prided himself on working with people of all political beliefs, while at the same time staying true to his. That philosophy guided his years as a legislator, he said. 

“If the cause was worthy, I’m not going to get all shook up about what’s what. Either you’re with me or you’re not. No sweat off my rear end,” he said. 

His accomplishments include changing the payout formula for communities hosting power plants. The formula used to be based on the value of the facility, which depreciates over time, and now is based on how much power the plant generates. …

Honadel also successfully pushed for a deregulation of the telecommunications industry and the Drexel Interchange, which opened late last year. In fact, the apples shown on the Drexel Avenue overpass are a tribute to the apple orchards, including the Honadel’s, that once graced the area. 

One of his most controversial causes was the mining legislation that passed last year. Honadel was a chief sponsor and advocate of the bill. 

Several groups and lobbyists approached Honadel, with his industrial background, about sponsoring a bill that would loosen regulations and overhaul the state’s mining laws. 

Supporters said the bill would help create a mine in northern Wisconsin, and Honadel also believed it would help southeastern Wisconsin companies like Caterpillar. 

“I said, ‘Yes, I want to be your guy. I’ll take this on,'” Honadel said. 

Then there were the Capitol protests of 2011, when thousands descended on Madison rallying against widespread changes to collective bargaining for public employees. 

Honadel views that as an ugly period for the Legislature, with protestors taking over the Capitol and Democratic state senators making a high-profile trip to Illinois. 

“I think the Legislature lost some dignity,” Honadel said. “I hope respect and dignity comes back, and I think it has.” 

What do you think of Honadel’s record? Post your comments below!

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by | September 18, 2013 · 5:22 pm

Fire Reported On North Chicago Avenue

313 North Chicago 002Thankfully, no one was injured in the fire at 313 N. Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee this morning … but there was extensive damage to the home. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Here is the report from the South Milwaukee Fire Department …

At approximately 10:13AM this morning, SMFD received a 911 call of fire in the living room at 313 North Chicago Avenue.  Due to the nature of the 911 call, an immediate request for a “Working Still” level response was called bringing in mutual aid assistance from Oak Creek, Cudahy, St. Francis and the 128th Air Guard.  Upon my arrival, dark smoke was issuing from the front door and a front window that had broken out from the fire.  Contact with the occupants proved that all had self-evacuated and the fire was located in the living room.  Hoselines were laid to the front door and a quick knockdown of the fire was made by SMFD crews.  Additional crews performed a search of the dwelling to confirm the absence of occupants. The occupants also evacuated their pets from the house.  Heat and smoke damage to the living room was extensive with moderate to extensive smoke damage to the rest of the first floor and moderate to light smoke damage to the 2nd floor and basement.  WE Energies was called to the scene to control the utilities and the American Red Cross was requested to assist the family with lodging and belongings.  No injuries to the occupants or fire personnel were reported.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.  Damage to the structure is approximately $50,000.

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by | September 18, 2013 · 10:16 am

Three 21st Assembly District Candidates Enter The Fray

Update: And, now, a fourth …

Three Republicans have stepped up so far …

An Oak Creek alderman, a school choice champion and tea party leader.

Here is the Oak Creek Patch story on Jessie Rodriguez and Larry Gamble. And here is the story on Ken Gehl.

I’ll keep you posted … and post your comments below!

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by | September 17, 2013 · 9:27 pm

Report: South Milwaukee’s Grobschmidt Pool Targeted For Closure

South Milwaukee’s Grobschmidt Pool is one of four Milwaukee County pools the new parks director is eyeing for closure in 2014, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Here is the story. From it …

Indoor pools at Noyes and Pulaski parks and outdoor pools at Jackson and Grobschmidt parks all have relatively high costs and low attendance, Dargle said.

A proposed pool closing plan would include reinvestment of savings for other amenities at those parks, Dargle said in an interview and comments before the County Board’s parks committee Tuesday.

He said costs greatly exceeded revenue at Noyes and Pulaski pools each year, in response to a question by Supervisor Khalif Rainey on whether Abele would propose their closure.

“We are losing some money at those” pools, Dargle said. “They are old pools.”

Noyes Pool is at 8235 W. Good Hope Road and Pulaski is at 2701 S. 16th St.

The two pools need a combined $4.2 million in repairs, the report said. That includes nearly $1 million in electrical work and more than $700,000 for heating and cooling system upgrades.

In the interview, Dargle added Jackson and Grobschmidt to the potential closure list. The Jackson Park pool is at 3500 W. Forest Home Ave. Grobschmidt pool is at 2600 16th Ave. in South Milwaukee.

An Abele spokesman said full details of his 2014 budget won’t be released until next week. Any potential changes with pools Abele may propose would be better described as offering supervisors “options to open amenities that get more use by the public” and cost less, said spokesman Brendan Conway.

This is really disappointing news and thankfully far from the final word. As this debate continues, please make your voice heard … and let’s work to save this community amenity.

As County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimtrijevic put it: “I don’t understand this philosophy of eliminating public amenities.”

Instead, let’s invest in them to make them viable. What a concept.

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by | September 17, 2013 · 9:26 pm

Date Set For Assembly Election

Now we just need some candidates …

Here is the Oak Creek Patch story. The special election in the race to replace South Milwaukee Republican Mark Honadel for his 21st Assembly District seat is set for Nov. 19, with any primary being held on Oct. 22.

Also, check out the press release and executive order. Nomination papers are due Sept. 24.

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by | September 13, 2013 · 10:48 pm

The Beat Goes On: Rockets Move To 4-0 With Win Over Brown Deer

South Milwaukee’s perfect season continues …

Ian Pribyl rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown, and Andrew Plewa caught seven passes for 100 yards to lead the Rocket football team to 29-14 victory over Brown Deer Friday night at Spaltholz Field.

Quarterback Justin Oliden was 9-of-15 passing for 145 yards and added a touchdown on the ground for South Milwaukee, which scored 15 unanswered points to snap a 14-14 halftime tie.

Next up: Tough road tests at Whitnall and Greenfield.

More details here … and go Rockets!

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by | September 13, 2013 · 9:45 pm

Flu Clinics Coming To South Milwaukee Health Department

Need a flu shot?

The South Milwaukee Health Department is offering flu clinics from 2 to 4 p.m. every Thursday starting September 26. Shots are $30 for adults 19 and over. Uninsured children and those on Badgercare or Medicaid get shots for free.

No appointments are necessary.

Learn more here, and check out the Health Department’s web page.

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by | September 12, 2013 · 10:29 am

South Shore Fire Consolidation Report Released

Are we better as three or one?

That’s the question we’ll have to answer in the South Shore when it comes to fire consolidation.

The Public Policy Forum weighs in on the issue in a detailed study commissioned by South Milwaukee, Cudahy and St. Francis released this morning. Here is the press release. From it …

Three consolidation scenarios are presented for consideration, which differ based on minimum staffing levels at each station location. It is assumed that under each scenario, the consolidated department would have identical governance, command and administrative structures, as well as the same apparatus and equipment. In addition, it is assumed that one of Cudahy’s two fire stations could be eliminated under each of the scenarios, so that the three cities collectively would be served by three stations – one each in Cudahy, South Milwaukee and St. Francis.

 “Our fiscal analysis estimates that the impacts of a consolidated department could range from a collective added annual operating cost of $67,000 for one of the three staffing models, to annual operating savings ranging from $248,000 to $890,000 for the other two,” says Forum President Rob Henken. “In addition, under each of the scenarios, we estimate that the three cities would save more than $1.7 million in vehicle replacement costs over the next seven years because of the ability to shrink the size of the collective vehicle fleet.”

Obviously, this is a very complex issue that requires further additional examination and debate before any action is taken — or not taken, for that matter. Should we consolidate at all? If so, what should that look like?

My take is consistent: I am open to consolidation, as long as we can save money while also delivering the same level (or an enhanced level) of service. These options may deliver on that … but the devil will be in the details.

I promise to continue to get as informed on possible on this issue and act in the best interest of the city. I also pledge to think about this holistically, not forgetting that we also did a dispatch consolidation study a year ago with its own set of recommendations.

Whatever happens, I will keep you informed along the way. The community must be involved in this debate, and I encourage you to make your voices heard.

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by | September 10, 2013 · 4:35 pm

SMPD Warns Of Door-To-Door Scam

Here is the information from the South Milwaukee Police Department …

I received an email from a South Milwaukee citizen this evening reporting a possible door-to-door solicitation scam.  This particular one revolved around the Milwaukee Restoration Church and a male using the name “Eugene Hankins.”  The Milwaukee Restoration Church is an actual organization that solicits door-to-door for legitimate reasons, Hankins is no longer affiliated with the church and does not fund raise for them.  If you feel something is not right about a solicitor, the best thing to do is politely decline.  You can also call the SMPD (or your local jurisdiction) and report the incident.  As always, when reporting an incident be sure to report in a timely manner and include a description of the person and the behavior that you found to be suspicious.  

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by | September 9, 2013 · 5:54 am

Growing Locally: Sorce Martial Arts Invests In Downtown South Milwaukee

We need more businesses like Sorce Martial Arts in downtown South Milwaukee.

The studio has announced an expansion and remodeling project made possible by the Sorces purchasing the building they call home at 926 Milwaukee Ave. Learn more in this news release, and on the studio’s Facebook page.

From the release …

Sorce Martial Arts opened its doors in 2004 with about 1,600 square feet of training space and 50 students. In 2007, the school grew to more than 120 students and was expanded to approximately 3,300 square feet. The latest expansion will nearly double the training space to serve the school’s current enrollment of approximately 220 students, two full-time and three part-time employees. Completion of the renovation is expected later this year.

Thanks to the Sorces for choosing to expand in South Milwaukee, and let’s hope they have many more years of success at 10th and Milwaukee Avenues.

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by | September 8, 2013 · 4:59 pm

Out In The Community

Fire hydrant smallerIf you were driving around town today, you may have noticed (they were hard to miss) the yellow “God’s Work … Our Hands” shirts. They were on the backs of more than 150 members of Trinity Lutheran Church, as we fanned out across South Milwaukee and the area to do community service projects.

This is a picture of me and the family painting a few of the city’s more than 600 fire hydrants. Others picked up garbage, harvested vegetables at the Hunger Task Force farm, cleaned up at Human Concerns, painted benches the South Milwaukee arboretum, even wrote letters to soldiers, among other projects.

If you’re looking for a church that is committed to making a difference, try Trinity. It’s an amazing group of people led by an amazing pastor — and I’m proud to be a small part of the congregation.

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by | September 7, 2013 · 11:07 pm

Free Knowledge: Community Invited To Presentation By Local Historian, Author Gurda On September 22

We’re bringing a Community Lecture Series to my church — Trinity Lutheran in South Milwaukee — and the community is invited.

Our first two speakers are noted Milwaukee historian John Gurda on Sept. 22, and award-winning local children’s author Janet Halfmann on Nov. 3 Both Sunday events start at 4 p.m., to be followed by a simple supper, and they are free and open to the public.

Gurda has authored 19 books on local history and will bring his “Making of Milwaukee” book and television documentary to life with a fascinating examination of the people, places and events that have shaped the Milwaukee area.

Halfmann, who lives in South Milwaukee, has authored more than a dozen children’s books, including critically acclaimed titles like “Little Skink’s Tale,” “Fur and Feathers,” “Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish” and “Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?” She will speak about her journey to becoming an author and share tips of for aspiring writers.

Both authors will also sell and sign copies of their books.

I hope you can stop by!

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by | September 6, 2013 · 11:31 pm

Bring The Hammer: Rockets Roll To Shutout Over Cudahy

Another week, another shutout for the South Milwaukee football team.

The Rockets rolled past rival Cudahy, 27-0, Friday night in Cudahy. It was another big night for running back Ian Pribyl and the defense, which also held Westosha Central scoreless last week.

South Milwaukee is now 3-0 — and has outscored its opponents 81-7 to start the season. Not bad.

Check out Fox 6 coverage of Friday’s game here.

Next up: South Milwaukee hosts Brown Deer at 7 p.m. Friday. Go Rockets!

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