South Milwaukee Blog

The South Milwaukee football team is headed to the WIAA playoffs.

After finishing the season 3-6, they are the No. 7 seed in Division 2’s Group D, and they will travel to second-seeded Whitefish Bay at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Check out the full pairings here.

And here are South Milwaukee’s schedule and results.

The Rockets finish 3-3 in the Woodland Conference East Division, qualifying them for the WIAA playoffs despite their overall 3-6 record. They have lost their last two — Woodland “crossover games” — after winning three straight.

They lost 35-0 to Greendale on Friday, but played without star quarterback Jake Simuncak, who is averaging more than 208 yards per game rushing this season and has 23 touchdowns on the ground (another seven as a passer).

I’m so excited to see new life at the former South Shore YMCA.

Check out the facility’s grand opening on Oct. 22, and see firsthand the investment the Federation of Balkan Americans has made in this facility. It’s impressive.

Welcome to the South Shore!

Here is the press release.

Our city has an unbelievable collection of volunteers, and that’s especially evident with those who step up to beautify South Milwaukee.

A few recent examples …

• Today, I joined members of the city’s Beautification Committee putting corn stalks and other decorations on downtown street light poles. Next week, look for downtown scarecrows made by Blakewood and Lakeview students!
• Last Saturday, more than 50 people (a record) took part in the Friends of the Mill Pond Oak Creek cleanup.
• Earlier that week, the Garden Club, led by Patti Bergeson, stepped up to landscape the welcome sign on Lake Drive near Cudahy. A big thank you also goes out to Sue Lindmeyer Janowski for donating the hostas and Jim Schulte at Verdant Landscaping for helping us out by edging, rototiling and planting.

Thank you to everyone who helped with all of these efforts — and everyone who is committed, in big ways and small, to make South Milwaukee a more beautiful place. We will never take our volunteers for granted.

Leaf collection season is here.

The city picks up leaves from street gutters from October 1 through November 15 each year.

It’s a service we’re proud to offer, even as many do not (at least not free of charge).

A few notes for South Milwaukee residents … No yard waste and plants will be collected. They must be taken to the Self-Deposit Station. And please do not push leaves into the gutter after November 15 — they may not be picked up.

You may recall my open letter on this subject from 2014, as we were faced with significantly higher costs in picking up and disposing of leaves. Well, we’ve solved that problem and have a disposal site more reasonably priced and closer by.

Still, I continue to ask: If possible, consider mulching instead of raking. Or compost them. Or save a few bags of leaves in your garage to use for mulch next spring.

Why do I ask for moderation?

• First, this service is extremely costly for taxpayers. From the labor costs of picking up the leaves and trucking them to our collection site in Caledonia to what the facility bills us for accepting the leaves to the fuel costs associated with that work, we’ll spend more than $100,000 on leaf collection and disposal this fall, if nothing changes.
• It is also bad for the environment. While the landfill does compost the leaves we give them, the fuel it takes to make the trip alone makes this bad for our planet. Plus, leaves being left in the street can be washed into area waterways, causing water quality issues. And piles of leaves can, and do, clog sewer drains during rainstorms. Mulching is better.

Of course, I realize mulching is not an option for some homeowners, especially those with a number of trees in their yard that can bury a lawn in leaves each fall.

But for those who can, please consider putting the rake away. I do.

My next Meet the Mayor session is at one of South Milwaukee’s newest business: Taco Stop MKE.

Join me from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 513 Chicago Ave.

Bring your questions, comments or concerns, or just stop by to say hi, and check out some of Taco Stop’s terrific Mexican food. My door is open!

Today, I proudly announce my intentions to run for a second term as South Milwaukee’s mayor. Your mayor.

It’s been an honor serving these past two-plus years. I humbly ask for your vote on April 4, 2017, as I seek three more years leading our city forward.

We’ve made great progress since 2014, responsibly investing in critical areas.

• We’re welcoming new businesses across the city, as we step up our economic development efforts.
• We’re breathing new life into downtown, taking concrete actions to ensure we set our city center up for long-term success.
• We’re working with public and private partners to renew the Oak Creek watershed, planning to make the environmental, ecological and recreational improvements needed to make it a first-class destination once again.
• We’re making our city government more efficient, improving how we deliver the services you have come to expect from us.
• We’re driving significant and critical public works projects to replace and enhance our public infrastructure.
• We’re improving communication, sharing important information more frequently and better telling our story with residents, visitors and business owners.
• And we’re doing this all as responsible stewards of your money, living out our commitment every day to keep expenditures under control and taxes as low as possible.

As election day approaches, please take a few minutes to learn more about me, the campaign, the progress we have made, and, most importantly, a vision for our promising future that both builds on our successes and reflects on the lessons we’ve learned as we drive positive change.

Here is my campaign website, and here is my campaign Facebook page. Also, look for me around town as I ramp up the campaign … and, as always, do not hesitate to contact me to share your thoughts and views.

I am excited for the future of this city, and I ask you to join me in continuing to shape that future next April.

We’re in this together. And the best part? We’re just getting started.

Please join me for this important event, as I join Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi and Pardeep Kaleka, whose father was killed in the 2012 Sikh Temple shootings in Oak Creek, on a panel discussion following the showing of the movie.

The response to the shootings was heroic, and the dialog they sparked continues. I’m proud to be a part of it.

From the South Milwaukee School District …

MARCHING BAND

The Rocket Marching Band won both of their AAA competitions last weekend (at Greendale on Saturday & at WA Hale for the Wisconsin Lutheran Invite last Sunday)! They scored some of their best scores ever!

• Best percussion caption award for AA & AAA (our highest percussion score ever)
• Best Music caption award for AA & AAA.

They compete tomorrow night at Cudahy and again on Sunday afternoon at Fort Atkinson! Good luck Rockets!

CROSS COUNTRY

The Rocket Boys CC Team won last Saturday at the Cudahy Purgolder Invite. Jordan Janusiak won the meet again as well individually! The Rocket boys also won the meet yesterday at Westosha Central (see results down below).

Girls Results – Cudahy

• 16 – Miranda Ekleberry
• 17 – Maddie Smith
• 28 – Vivian Grossman
• 31 – Alezandria Zeman
• 32 – Kate O’Neill

Girls Resuts – Westosha

• 6 – Maddie Wood – 20:58
• 15 – Miranda Ekleberry – 22:11
• 24 – Maddie Smith – 22:32
• 43 – Vivian Grossman – 23:51
• 49 – Kate O’Neill – 24:33
• 56 – Alexandria Zeman – 24:47

BOYS RESULTS – CUDAHY

• 1 – Jordan Janusiak  JR  16:13
• 3 – Chris Sobczak  SR  16:49
• 11 – Aiden Sodemann  SO  17:11
• 18 – Max Moran  JR  17:29
• 20 – Wyatt Schlager  JR  17:32
• 29 – Andrew  Strasser  JR  17:41
• 30 – Nick Sluga JR 17:41

BOYS RESULTS – WESTOSHA

• 5 – Jordan Janusiak – 17:41
• 6 – Aiden Sodemann – 17:44
• 7 – Chris Sobczak – 17:46
• 10 – Wyatt Schlager – 17:54
• 16 – Max Moran – 18:09
• 21 – Sage Leahy – 18:21
• 25 – Andrew Strasser – 18:27
• 26 – Nick Sluga – 18:28
• 43 – Jacob Meszaros – 18:54

The Rockets next race at Whitnall (Hales Corners Park) next Thursday at the Woodland Conference Championships!

WC Time Schedule

• 3:15pm – Girls’ J.V.
• 3:55pm – Boys’ J.V.
• 4:35pm – Girls’ Varsity
• 5:05pm – Boys’ Varsity
• Approx. 5:55 PM             Awards

FOOTBALL

The Rockets are on a roll winning their last 3 games (55-18 over Brown Deer, 36-0 over Cudahy on Homecoming! and 33-27 last Friday against Whitnall)! The win over Cudahy earned the Rockets back The Hammer! The win over Whitnall made the Rockets playoff eligible which means that they have guaranteed themselves a .500 record in conference and a very good chance to make the playoffs.

The Rockets next travel to New Berlin West tonight at 7:00pm in a crossover that is a non-conference game and then finish by hosting Greendale on Friday, 10/14 in the final conference game of the season.

Speaking of being on a roll, South Milwaukee Senior QB Jake Simuncak is on a roll that has only happened twice in state history. Behind some stellar offensive line play, Jake has rushed for 308, 418 and 309 yards in his last 3 games!!! Yes, you read those numbers correctly! This has only been accomplished twice before in Wisconsin HS FB State history (1970 & 2001). Jake’s 418 yards is also a state record for rushing yards by a QB (the former record was 363 yards) and is obviously also a school record and Woodland Conference record (formerly held by Zack Baun currently a Wisconsin Badger) for any position! See the article and blog down below for more info including a nice little family State Record tie-in for Jake and his dad Dennis!

Player of the Week by Lake Country Now

http://www.lakecountrynow.com/story/sports/2016/08/22/push-weekly-rundown-milwaukee-area-prep-football/88903796/

http://www.lakecountrynow.com/story/sports/blogs/first-and-short/2016/10/07/first-and-short-simuncak-record-setting-run/91724174/

Preps Plus

Jake will also be the featured student-athlete of the week by Preps Plus on Sunday night! Due to the Packer game being on NBC (Channel 4 or 1004 on TWC), the show (which is scheduled to air at 11:05) will be delayed undoubtedly closer to midnight just so you know for DVR purposes. Jake will also be featured soon on Fox6 and I will let you know when that will air (likely Sunday, 10/16).

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

The Rocket Varsity BVB team won it’s first conference match in at least 5 years with a thrilling 5-set win last night over Greendale! Great effort by the boys!

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

The Rocket Varsity GVB team won their first crossover with the always tough West Division (they beat New Berlin West) last week! Again it was a tremendous effort by the girls!

BOYS SOCCER 

The Rockets tied Greenfield on Monday 2-2 (Luke Harty scored both goals for the Rockets) and lost 3-2 to NB West on Wednesday. The Rockets are at NB Eisenhower on Monday and then host Pius XI on Wednesday (4:30pm JV & 6:30pmVarsity)

GIRLS SWIM & DIVE

The Rockets will be hosting St. Thomas More/St. Francis on Wednesday, 10/12 at 5:00pm and New Berlin West on Wednesday, 10/19 at 5:00pm as well. Good luck to senior diver Ally Osell as she dives at Nicolet tonight and Cedarburgtomorrow morning!

This is an amazing story. South Milwaukee steps up again.

This was the stated goal of the Downtown Revitalization Grant we launched in May …

South Milwaukee’s Downtown Revitalization Grant program has been designed to improve downtown’s buildings and to support ongoing investment in South Milwaukee’s Downtown. Through these improvements, the City hopes to foster the growth of new downtown businesses and the expansion of downtown’s current businesses. This emphasis on business growth and expansion will enhance the downtown’s vitality, attracting new customers and their dollars to downtown’s businesses and additional investment in the downtown over time. Ultimately, South Milwaukee’s revitalized downtown can become the community’s central place for residents and provide a unique experience for visitors to the community.

We’re off to a terrific start.

The South Milwaukee City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to fund a $17,463 grant application by Steve Fenno, owner of the building that houses Jen’s Sweet Treats at 907 Milwaukee Ave. The 50% matching grant will support a $34,926 interior and renovation of the property and allow for the expansion of Jen’s into the entire first floor.

Plans include adding new windows and doors, rehabbing the brick facade to its original appearance, installing a new canopy, upgrading interior electrical and plumbing, refurbishing interior walls, and seamlessly connecting the two existing storefronts — to create both an expanded retail space and a new community room.

Jennifer Clark, owner of Jen’s, which first moved into the smaller space just this spring, plans to begin construction ASAP, with the renovated store reopening by December.

Thank you to Steve and Jennifer for their investment in downtown South Milwaukee, and their ongoing commitment to our city center.

This is exciting news for us — and I’m betting the first of more grant applications to come, as we use this program to demonstrate our commitment to breathing new life into our city center, one property, one business, at a time. We’re well on our way.

We couldn’t do it without our property owners stepping to help.

As Steve said in his grant application: “We see a concerted effort by city officials to genuinely attempt to upgrade our city center. It is our responsibility to join the effort.”

Here, here!

Know of someone who may be interested in the grant? Learn more here … and apply!

Spend a few minutes getting your group together, for a good cause.

I love Pink Day! Celebrate with us by ordering your pink gear in the next two days. Details below … and stay tuned as Oct. 18 approaches. 

Our best Rocketober yet continues Thursday, as the South Milwaukee Downtown Market concludes its ninth season with the Fall Family Festival from 3 to 7 p.m.

Then, next week, the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center hosts Travis Tritt and The Donny McCaslin Group, and on Oct. 13 there is a screening of the powerful “Waking in Oak Creek” documentary and panel discussion at the South Milwaukee Library.

Here is an updated calendar … see you around town!

South Milwaukee is full of smart, passionate people who want to make a difference. One way to do it – step up and be considered for a volunteer board or commission.

The city has more than a dozen of these groups providing oversight and guidance to various city departments and functions, and we’re always looking for new people to provide their expertise in any number of areas.

We are currently looking for people to serve on …

• Plan Commission
• Library Board
• Beautification Committee (alternates)
• Board of Review (alternate)

Interested in any or all of these, or spots (when they open up) on any of our board and commissions? Learn more and apply here.