South Milwaukee Blog

Our July 4th celebration is bigger and better than ever – and now louder.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we’re adding to the fireworks show, with $1,000 worth of extra shells and a ramped-up grand finale.

Consider it one more reason to celebrate Independence Day with us in South Milwaukee. Here is the rundown of activities …

• 10 a.m. Call to colors, kiddie parade and judging; bouncy houses open until 4 p.m.
• 11 a.m. Games, presented by the South Milwaukee Recreation Department
• 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Mayor’s Picnic (free hot dog lunch, as well as Cracker Jack and ice cream for all attendees)
• 7 p.m. Navy Band Great Lakes Brass Ambassadors and Fair Winds quintets perform
• 9:30 p.m. Fireworks

All events are at Grant Park Picnic Areas 5 and 5A and the Brown Pavilion.

None of this would be possible without our aforementioned sponsors, and please join in me in thanking them:  Milwaukee County Parks, Max A. Sass & Son Funeral Home, TASC Services, Sprecher Brewing, and Beer Capitol.

See you on Independence Day!

The South Milwaukee Fire Department has issued its 2015 Annual Report, and it provides a great summary of the hard work they put in every day to keep us safe.

From Fire Chief Joe Knitter …

This report provides only a brief snapshot of the hard work put forth by the members of your fire department who continue to demonstrate their commitment to providing an exceptional level of service and standard of coverage to meet the increasing needs of our community. Our overall call volume increased during 2015 with a notable increase in the number of EMS calls. Conversely, the number of total fire incidents dropped slightly as did the dollar loss associated with structure fires.

One area of improvement that I am once again proud to highlight is the increase in the number of community members impacted by our fire prevention/community outreach efforts. As you will see on Page 12, we interacted with a significant number of K-4/5, 1st grade and 5th grade students who participated in our fire safety education programs and visited a number of businesses and industries instructing community members on the safe and proper use of fire extinguishers. Although it is nearly impossible to predict how many fires or injuries these initiatives prevent, our dedication to maintaining a presence in the community and delivering fire and life safety messages can only become more effective as we interact with more community members.

Thanks to all of these everyday heroes for all they do!

This is becoming one of my favorite events in this city, as we showcase some of our city’s most beautiful properties.

And stay tuned to see who wins the “Mayor’s Choice” award!

You may recall the push earlier this year to have Milwaukee County parkland actually rezoned as parks in local communities – and my questioning of some of the motives behind this effort.

The city tackled the issue quickly when asked by the county administration, and, after a few months of study and discussions, we’ve now “cleaned up” our zoning designations for parkland in South Milwaukee. The city council passed the new zoning in May. You can see the ordinance, which creates new designations in our code for parks and public buildings, here.

No one wants to sell parkland, and no one had that intention. This takes steps to ensure that won’t happen in South Milwaukee.

I’m excited to see all the positive changes at the South Milwaukee Library these days … and that starts with a terrific lineup of programming.

There is literally something for all ages throughout the summer.

See for yourself on the library’s summer calendar and on this flyer promoting the library’s summer reading program — for both kids, teens AND adults. Also, check out information below on three unique events that combine walking and learning this summer.

Learn more on the library’s website and Facebook page.

Showtime is dusk this Wednesday at the site of the South Milwaukee Downtown Market, and it’s free. Thanks to Guardian Credit Union for getting behind these again in 2016 — and be sure to mark your calendars for July 13 and August 10!

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began two weeks ago, and with it worship at the South Milwaukee location of Masjid Al-Huda, the mosque at the former St. Adalbert’s site.

I re-extend my welcome to our fair city.

I got a quick tour of the campus a couple weeks ago and left impressed with the work the new owners have done to breathe new life into the longtime dormant space.

The biggest change is to the sanctuary, which you can see in the photo above. Many of the other rooms, including the classrooms, have been cleaned and have received a fresh coat of paint, and it’s made a world of difference – they look much as they did when the last St. Adalbert’s students transferred to St. Sylvester’s/Divine Mercy. The gym does too, all the way down to the “DM” logo still at center court.

Masjid Al-Huda plans to grow into many of these rooms – in fact, the entire campus — over the course of years, as they look to make this a long-term second home and keep their Greenfield location. That includes Guardian Academy, the religious school that will start this fall with maybe a few dozen children and adults. (Most mosque youth will also attend a  traditional local school or be home schooled.)

There will be five worship services per day. This month, the first is at 3:45 a.m., with the last at 10:30 p.m. More typically, outside of Ramadan, services will be held at dawn, in the early afternoon, in the late afternoon, after sunset, and in the evening.

Attendance is expected to be small to start and grow over time, with the most well-attended services likely to be those held around noon Fridays. Holy days and festivals – such as Ramadan, a month of intense prayers and fasting from sunrise to sundown to mark the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad; it continues through the evening of July 5 – will also draw more attendees.

I look forward to the positive impact the mosque and their worshipers will have on our community. I have met with mosque leaders and attendees several times, and I have seen first-hand their commitment to openness, outreach and community.

These are not radical Islamic jihadists, the people behind attacks like the one in Orlando, which Al-Huda quickly and forcefully condemned. These are good people who are excited to become part of the South Milwaukee community, while bringing much-needed new life to an abandoned property in our city.

These are our neighbors, our co-workers, and our friends … and I ask that we all take time to learn more about who our new neighbors are — and, just as importantly, who they aren’t; what they believe and what they don’t.

Look for more chances to meet them at a barbecue and open house coming this summer. You can also get individual tours of the South Milwaukee site, and meet with mosque attendees and leadership, by contacting them at info@alhudamke.org. Lionsfest will also continue at the site July 29-31.

Learn more about Masjid Al-Huda on its website and Facebook page. They also have an app. Here is the full Al-Huda statement on the Orlando shooting.

Here is another sign of summer: Milwaukee County’s outdoor pools, including Grobschmidt Pool behind the city administration building, open for the season on Saturday.

Grobschmidt, 2600 16^th Ave., will be open from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. daily, with a night swim from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

We’re blessed to have a local pool like this in South Milwaukee, and it’s exciting to see it will be here for the long term after the county’s investments a year ago.

See you at the pool!

Mara Vignevic helped build Eder Flag’s sewing department in her more than 20 years with the Oak Creek company. Now she’s on her own, and she’s bringing her sewing business to downtown South Milwaukee.

Mara’s Sewing Shop has opened at 915 Milwaukee Ave., where she and her eight employees will sew flags, banners, garments, and other custom items for customers big and small, as well as do alterations. (They were sewing thousands of American flags for one client this week alone.) There will also be a small walk-in retail shop, where they can take custom orders.

Mara is no stranger to Milwaukee Avenue. The shop was previously at 1200 Milwaukee Ave., but she had to scale back when her husband took ill. He passed away late last year, and Mara is now looking to return her business to the city in which she grew up.

You can learn more about Mara’s story in this 2013 Business Journal article.

I met Mara and her assistant for coffee at their new neighbor, MKE City Sippers, recently. She feels a strong tie to downtown, and wants to be part of its continued revitalization.

She is also expanding her business as a tribute to her husband, who encouraged her to continue growing Mara’s Sewing House before his death.

“It took me 6 months to even go for coffee with a friend or accept phone calls but now I feel like he is watching me and approves of my growth and is very proud,” she told me. “That thought has helped me with my grieving process.”

I can’t think of a better tribute. Welcome back to downtown South Milwaukee!

Please join us for the city’s annual Flag Day ceremony tonight at City Hall.

The brief ceremony starts at 6 p.m. at the gazebo outside of the Grobschmidt Senior Center. It will feature a flag retirement ceremony featuring local veterans and scouts, music from the South Milwaukee Municipal Band, and refreshments. We’ll also read select writings from Rawson Elementary students, who were asked to answer this question: “What does the flag mean to you?”

See you there!

And it’s free! (At least for a little while.)

And don’t forget the live music, too.

South Milwaukee has been in the news a lot these days …

• South Milwaukee Contemplates Future of Caterpillar Property (BizTimes)
• A South Milwaukee Outdoor Delight (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• BioBlitz Scientists ID Species, Offer Lesson in Biodiversity (Journal Sentinel)
• Ferch’s Beachside Grille Opens in South Milwaukee (CBS 58)
• Summer Brings New Outdoor Patios to Milwaukee-Area Eateries (Journal Sentinel)
• Man Being Arrested for 6th DUI Runs from South Milwaukee Police (TMJ4)
• Oak Creek Passes Land Agreement for Senior Community at Drexel Town Square (NOW)

Update: Information from the South Milwaukee Fire Department … including information on the lifesaving actions of someone passing by the house …

At approx. 3:03AM this morning, SMFD was notified of a house on fire at 2407 Nicholson Avenue.  A passerby noticed the fire, knocked on the door to awake the occupants (who were unaware that the rear of their house was on fire) and used a garden hose to attempt extinguishment of the fire. Upon arrival of SMFD units, the whereabouts of the occupants (2 adults & 4 children) was confirmed and fire was witnessed coming from the southeast corner of the house.  A hoseline was extended to extinguish the fire, which had consumed a large portion of the exterior wall and was extending into the attic area.  Extensive overhaul was required both inside the rear addition to the house and on the exterior.  No injuries were reported.  The family refused assistance from the American Red Cross.  The area of origin appears to be inside the wall above the rear entrance door.  Based on statements from witnesses and the occupants, accidental and natural causes have been eliminated. However, the involvement of the electrical system has not been ruled out at this time.

 And here is the original report from the South Milwaukee Police Department …

On June 13, 2016 at about 3:03am, the South Milwaukee Police Department along with the South Milwaukee Fire Department responded to the 2400 block of Nicholson Avenue for a report of a house fire. Upon arrival there was a visible fire coming from the back of the residence. All of the occupants of the residence had been evacuated and were uninjured. SMFD and surrounding Fire Departments extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire appears to be electrical and Arson has been ruled out.

Please keep these residents in your thoughts and prayers, and offer continued thanks to our first responders.

This sounds really fun. From the Milwaukee Public Museum …

Grab your magnifying glass and join us for MPM’s next BioBlitz at Milwaukee County Park’s Grant Park!

• When: Saturday, June 11th
• Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Where: Grant Park, 100 E. Hawthorne Ave.
  **Follow the yard signs to picnic area 5A**
• Cost: FREE

What is a BioBlitz? It’s a 24-hour event where scientists work together to see how many species of plants and animals they can find in one area. On Friday, June 10th, some of Wisconsin’s best science minds from MPM and other local institutions will converge on the Milwaukee County Park to discover its native biodiversity.

The BioBlitz will be open to the public on Saturday, June 11th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meet the scientists, see what species they’ve found, and take part in hands-on activities – BioBlitz is fun for the whole family!

Why Grant Park? Milwaukee County Park’s Grant Park is an excellent location to hold BioBlitz 2016 because it is a multi-use park with a golf course, tennis courts, and soccer fields and yet it also has the potential to showcase the amazing diversity contained within a neighborhood. Grant Park contains a variety of habitats (lake shore, bluffs, forests, grasslands, and a riverine corridor) which increases the number of plant and animal species we expect to find and adds challenge to the survey. Moreover, the Warnimont Bluff Fens State Natural Area, an outstanding example of a unique type of natural community with rare plants and animals, is adjacent to the park.

More details here, and here is Milwaukee Journal Sentinel coverage.

And thanks to Keith Orcholski for the photo. He regularly posts his work on his Facebook page, and it’s amazing to see how the park comes alive through his lens. This is a shot of a recent Grant Park sunrise. Awesome.