by | May 11, 2014 · 5:38 pm

Police Department Files Annual Report — With Some Really Good News

The South Milwaukee Police Department has filed its 2013 annual report — and it includes a stat I think we should all celebrate.

Here it is: Crime has fallen in South Milwaukee each of the past five years. And we’re solving more crimes, too.

Here are the numbers …

  • Four hundred forty four crimes were reported in 2013, down significantly (9.3%) from 2012, when 490 crimes were committed. And it’s down even more from 2011 (529) and 2010 (611).
  • Clearance rates are also up. Last year, police solved 41.4% of crimes, up from 39.6% the year prior. This measure has improved every year since 2009.
  • As for 2013, property crimes, including burglaries and thefts, decreased from 2012. Violent crimes increased slightly due to minor increases in aggravated battery and robbery calls.

Check out the full report here. It provides a comprehensive overview of the department, from key statistics to information on personnel to details on the department’s work in the community.

Take a few minutes to read through it … and join me in thanking our police for all they do.

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by | May 10, 2014 · 9:42 pm

Welcoming Drexel Town Square

MAINSTREETLOOKINGSOUTH_large_7-15

I was happy to attend today’s formal groundbreaking of Oak Creek’s Drexel Town Square downtown development, and I left impressed.

The project was called “transformational,” and I can’t disagree. What an opportunity for Oak Creek — a chance to create a city center from scratch with a mix of civic, retail, residential and other uses.

Over the next five to seven years, you’ll see a new city hall, library, hotel (Four Points Sheraton), big box retailer (Meijer), apartments and small Main Street merchants rise from the site at Howell and Drexel Avenues. Farmers’ market, splash pad, ice skating, a town square, greenspace … the list goes on. Added to that list Saturday was Water Street Brewery, which announced its plans to build at Drexel Town Square at a ceremony held at the site.

I’m excited about the project. Some might view it as a negative for South Milwaukee — simply more competition for us when it comes to attracting retailers to our city. I take a different view. This is not “us vs. them,” not zero sum. Yes, Drexel Town Square ratchets up competition, but a project like this lifts the entire region, the entire South Shore, South Milwaukee included. We are all better because of projects like Drexel Town Square.

Learn more details on Drexel Town Square here, and check out more coverage from Saturday’s groundbreaking from Fox 6, CBS 58 and the Business Journal.

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by | May 10, 2014 · 9:14 pm

Kids And Strangers

A South Milwaukee parent told me that Thursday evening a stranger approached her daughter outside their house and asked if her parents were home – and then drove away after a few minutes upon seeing the girl’s older sister come to the door.

I checked, and police do not believe there was anything nefarious happening here, but I think it’s a good opportunity to remind parents (including me) about a few tips about what to teach kids about strangers.

Here is some information from the National Crime Prevention Council …

  • Know where your children are at all times. Make it a rule that your children must ask permission or check in with you before going anywhere. Give your children your work and cell phone numbers so they can reach you at all times.
  • Point out safe places. Show your children safe places to play, safe roads and paths to take, and safe places to go if there’s trouble.
  • Teach children to trust their instincts. Explain that if they ever feel scared or uncomfortable, they should get away as fast as they can and tell an adult. Tell them that sometimes adults they know may make them feel uncomfortable, and they should still get away as fast as possible and tell another adult what happened. Reassure children that you will help them when they need it.
  • Teach your children to be assertive. Make sure they know that it’s okay to say no to an adult and to run away from adults in dangerous situations.
  • Encourage your children to play with others. There’s safety in numbers!

And, of course, if you ever suspect anything suspicious, please contact the police.

South Milwaukee is a very safe place — look for another blog post in coming days with statistics backing this up — but we should always be vigilant.

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by | May 9, 2014 · 11:09 pm

Rocket Sports And Activities Update

From the South Milwaukee Athletic Department …

SOFTBALL

The Rockets Varsity Fastpitch Softball team has started the season out extremely well. They are 10-1 thus far after last night’s thrilling 3-0 win at New Berlin West. The game was scoreless through 6 innings when the Rockets came to bat in the top of the 7th. Caitlin Schwanke (10) reached base and Abby Mahsem (11) hit a 2-run home run to give the Rockets a lead they would not relinquish! Maddie Veres (9) followed that with a solo home run for a little insurance and the Rockets moved to 8-0 in the Woodland Conference!

On Monday night, the Rockets scored a 22-0 win over Shorewood behind 9 (yes…nine) RBI by Abby Mahsem (11) and a one-hitter from Maddie Veres (9). These were timely performances from Maddie since if you look below you will see that she was named the Journal Sentinel Area Player of the Week for last week!

The Rockets crept into the area rankings in the #10 spot, one spot behind Woodland Conference favorite New Berlin Eisenhower, a team that South Milwaukee just happened to shutout 5-0 last Friday (gotta love the logic in rankings)!

Here is there upcoming schedule. Come on out on Friday for a big game as the Rockets take on division foe Whitnall at 4:30pm at the Rawson Softball Complex!

WEDNESDAY – SM @ St. Francis (doubleheader-4:00pm first pitch)

THURSDAY – SM @ Shorewood

FRIDAY – Whitnall @ SM

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/softrail06-b99262501z1-258043591.html

AREA RANKINGS

Last week

1. Westosha Central (12-3) 1

2. Racine Case (9-2) 2

3. Kenosha Bradford (8-4) 3

4. Union Grove (9-3) 6

5. Wilmot (8-4) 5

6. Muskego (12-2) —

7. Menomonee Falls (13-4) 4

8. Watertown (7-2) 10

9. New Berlin Eisenhower (10-2) 9

10. South Milwaukee (8-1) —

NOTABLE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Maddie Veras, South Milwaukee. The freshman first baseman brings a combination of discipline and power to the plate that should be fun to watch the next three years. On Friday her power was on display as she smacked two home runs and drove in every run in a 5-0 victory over New Berlin Eisenhower. Veras’ first homer, a three-run shot in the first inning, was mammoth. “In 13 years of coaching softball, that is the farthest home run I’ve ever seen,” Rockets coach Heather Hanson said. “She was getting close to 300 feet probably.” Veras finished that game 2 for 2 and went 9 for 14 with 13 RBI for the week. She is hitting .515 with 20 RBI for the season.

Eric Klamrowski (Class of 2010)
MSOE standout tennis player (and Rocket standout of course) Eric Klamrowski just finished his senior season being honored for the 4th straight year as a 1st team all-conference performer for the Red Raiders!

http://www.go-raiders.com/sports/mten/2013-14/releases/20140502gcut8k

DECA NATIONALS
South Milwaukee had 4 competitors at the DECA national competition in Atlanta, GA last weekend:  Nick Herzberg (12), Darrel Clayton (12), Tim Hennessey (12), and Bart Brzezcki (12).  At the DECA national event there were over 17,000 attendees competing in over 25 different events.  Nick Herzberg and Darrel Clayton competed in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing event.  Tim Hennessey and Bart Brzezcki created an advertising campaign for Tesla Motors.  

Tim and Bart scored in the top 20 of their event out of 150 teams in the preliminary part of the competition. They qualified for the final competition.  At the grand awards ceremony they were called up as one of the top ten teams up to the stage in front of the crowd of 17,000. Even though they did not place in the top 3 of their event, they did place in the top 10 out of 150 teams from around the country.

FCCLA NATIONALS

Great news!  The SM FCCLA chapter did an amazing job at the State Leadership Conference in early April.  I am so proud of the work they’ve done, and they were a joy to take as representatives of South Milwaukee to the conference.

  • Monica Castillo (12)- Interior Design – Gold (National qualifier)
  • Julia Gritzman (11) – Fashion Design – Gold (National qualifier)
  • Taylor Halama (11) – Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation – Silver (National qualifier)
  • Brooke Briesmeister (12) – Impromptu Speaking (National qualifier)
  • Molly Hoffman (11) – Pastry and Baked Goods – Gold (Recipient of a $2000 renewable scholarship from the Culinary Institute of America)
  • Jessica Kania (11) – Pastry and Baked Goods – Gold
  • Candace Smith (12) – Illustrated Talk – Bronze
  • Elicia Blankenship (10) – Illustrated Talk – Silver

The National Leadership Conference is this summer from July 6th – 11th in San Antonio Texas.  The students are already excited about attending.

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by | May 9, 2014 · 3:28 pm

Haircut For A Cause

IMG_5523IMG_5540Once again, South Milwaukeeans stepped up for charity.

Congratulations to the South Milwaukee Police Department, which raised $1,746 for St. Baldrick’s Foundation through its childhood cancer fundraiser. The goal was $1,000.

As part of the effort, officers, dispatchers and others raised pledges in exchange for getting their head shaved. In the end, six people got the haircut, including three police officers, one of the city’s female dispatchers and Ald. Patrick Stoner.

Check out before and after photos above.

St. Baldrick’s raises money for childhood cancer research. Learn more here.

 

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by | May 7, 2014 · 10:03 pm

Honoring Our Heroes

Next week is National Peace Officers Week, and we had the chance to honor some of those everyday heroes — both police officers and citizens — at Tuesday’s South Milwaukee City Council meeting.

It’s one of my favorite meetings of the year … and I was proud to play a small role in calling attention to the great work of our people and willingness to step up by area residents.

Check out details on the awards handed out on my Mayor’s Message page on the city website.

And thank a police officer the next chance you get. South Milwaukee is a safe city. These people are the reason why.

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by | May 6, 2014 · 10:50 pm

Investing In Our Services And Infrastructure

It was a busy South Milwaukee City Council meeting Tuesday night, with the annual police department awards topping the agenda.

More on those awards in a separate post.

For now, I want to call out a few items that passed showing the city’s continued commitment to invest in our infrastructure.

  • First, the council gave final passage to significant changes to our urban forestry ordinance, 6-1. Key details were contained in my previous post, although the final version passed Tuesday does include a change making the idea of care for more than 5,o00 “street trees” more of a partnership with property owners than the sole responsibility of the city. But the spirit of the ordinance is the same — the city is taking a much more active role in maintaining our urban forest, including removal of dead or dying trees in the right of way and pruning. As I’ve said, I hope this is a good first step toward a broader urban forestry effort, and it’s the right thing to do. The city should play an active role in maintaining (and enhancing) its urban forest, and we’re now in the game, as we offer a new service for taxpayers that I hope residents embrace.
  • The council also approved spending for engineering services for the looming reconstruction of 17th Avenue between Rawson and Milwaukee. It’s likely going to be a late-season project — and one badly needed.
  • Alderpersons also voted to fund a study into storm sewer relief for the neighborhood south of City Hall, between 16th and 17th Avenues, Mackinac to Marshall. This is an area hit particularly hard by the 2008 and 2010 floods, and this study will look at ways we can address issues in that neighborhood long term … the latest example of investments the city has made to reduce the risk of major flooding.

I’ll keep you posted as these projects evolve.

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by | May 6, 2014 · 10:18 pm

Restore The Lagoon Group Plans Benefit Car Wash

Restore the Lagoon has a number of fundraising events planned this summer.

The next one: A car wash on Saturday, May 10, at the Oak Creek Speedway, 8667 S. Howell Ave.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., so stop by, and get a car wash for a worthy cause.

Next up for the group is their May 25 Cousins fundraiser and June 1 can drive, where you can take cans to the South Milwaukee High School parking lot from noon to 2:30. Cans will be taken to SM Recycling, with all proceeds going to Restore the Lagoon.

Learn more on the group’s Facebook page.

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by | May 5, 2014 · 9:22 pm

Historical Society Publishes Book Of Civil War Letters

The South Milwaukee Historical Society has published a book of letters written by four local soldiers to Marietta Rawson.

The book, “Letters to Mettie,” is available for sale by sending a $10 check to Mettie Book, South Milwaukee Historical Society, 717 Milwaukee Ave., South Milwaukee. Checks can be made out to the society. Call 520-1959 for more information.

Books can also be purchased during normal society hours: the first Thursday of each month, 1 to 3 p.m. The authors and researchers behind the book will also be giving a book talk on Wednesday, May 21, at the South Milwaukee Library. Start time is 6:30 p.m.

Learn more about the society here.

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by | May 3, 2014 · 3:52 pm

Larson Plans South Milwaukee Town Hall For Wednesday @ Library

Note: A previous version of this post listed the wrong date for this event. It is Wednesday, May 7.

Here is the message from State Sen. Chris Larson’s office … see you there!

Join Senator Chris Larson and Mayor Erik Brooks for a town hall meeting on Wednesday, May 7, at the South Milwaukee Library (1907 10th Ave) from 5 pm to 6:30 pm.

Senator Larson will discuss how legislation that passed during session this year will affect the community, and looks forward to hearing from neighbors! This is also a great opportunity to connect with South Milwaukee’s new Mayor, Erik Brooks.

Please contact Grace Fuhr, Senator Larson’s district director, for additional information: 414-273-1509,grace.fuhr@legis.wi.gov.

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by | May 2, 2014 · 7:03 pm

Play Ball! Little League Parade, Opening Day Set For Saturday

cropped-ll-parade1.jpgSaturday is one of my favorite days of the year: South Milwaukee Little League Opening Day.

The festivities start with a parade at noon. It leaves from 12th Milwaukee, heads east on Milwaukee to Ninth, then south to Drexel, then east into Little League Park.

Brief opening day ceremonies follow. Then there’s a full slate of games.

Diamond #1

  • 1:30 Shakes vs Small Fries
  • 2:30 Mets vs Brewers
  • 4:30 A’s vs Yankees

Diamond #2

  • 1:30 Golden Arches vs McFlurries
  • 2:30 Bees vs Emeralds
  • 4:30 Blue Jays vs Brewers

Diamond #3

  • 1:30 McMuffins vs McNuggets
  • 2:30 Blue Claws vs Red Wings
  • 4:30 Iron Pigs vs Bulls

Please line the parade route and cheer on the kids — including my AAA boy! — and then stop by for some great baseball and fun.

We should cherish Little League in this community … it’s an important part of the fabric of this city. And Saturday is one of those special traditions that we should all embrace in South Milwaukee.

See you there!

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by | May 1, 2014 · 9:44 pm

Meet The Mayor: First Session Is May 10, And More Dates Announced

Don’t forget to stop by Azteca Restaurant from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, for the first Meet the Mayor session.

No topic is off limits, so bring your ideas, concerns, complaints, compliments … or just stop by and say hi. And enjoy some great authentic Mexican food while you’re there.

I’ve also locked down dates through the summer, so mark your calendars. Each session is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

  • Saturday, June 7: Studio One Art Glass, 1333 Milwaukee Ave. Stop by and check out some of the terrific hand-crafted art glass pieces Kim has for sale at his store — and learn more about his custom work.
  • Saturday, July 12: Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Home, 1314 Manitoba Ave. Mike and company have done a lot with the former St. Mary’s School, and it looks great. See for yourself on July 12.
  • Saturday, August 16: Moxie Fitness, 1234 Milwaukee Ave. Stop in learn more about some of the cool programming Tori and Cindy are offering.

See you soon, and bring a friend!

 

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by | April 30, 2014 · 9:14 pm

The Cost Of Our Harsh Winter

Winter is over. Right? I hope so, because it led to some real costs for the city — and communities across the state.

A couple examples that we discussed at the April 22 South Milwaukee City Council meeting …

  • Water Utility. We had 45 water main breaks between December and March, compared with 22 during the same period last winter. And we had another 15 reports of frozen water lines, compared to none the year before. All in, it’s estimated the winter cost the utility $230,000, compared to $105,000 in 2012-13.
  • Street Department. Costs for snow and ice removal have also been significant. We are already running ahead of our snow and ice removal overtime budget for the year, even though we still have November and December to go in 2014. So let’s hope for a mild start to next winter.

Of course, we are not alone here.

And we may be getting some outside help.

South Milwaukee recently joined other communities in making application with the state to obtain federal disaster status. Gov. Scott Walker recently submitted that paperwork to the federal government, so we’ll see if that leads to any funds coming back to South Milwaukee.

Thankfully, there are still eight months left in 2014. We’ll see where this nets out come Dec. 31.

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by | April 29, 2014 · 10:42 pm

Welcome The Newest Alderperson

The newest South Milwaukee alderperson is Peggy Clark.

Peggy was chosen over four other candidates from the Fourth District following interviews in front of the South Milwaukee City Council Tuesday night.

She replaces me in the role and will serve through the spring elections in 2015.

I’d like to wish Peggy all the best in her new (old) job, which she formally assumes starting with the May 6 council meeting. You’ll recall that Peggy was the Fourth District alderwoman from 2003 to 2007.

It was a strong group of candidates — and I want to thank all of them for interviewing. It’s good to see so many smart, community-minded people interested in serving in city government.

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by | April 29, 2014 · 10:30 pm

Fines For Cooper Power After Acid Spill And Other Headlines

Update: And County Supervisor Pat Jursik has published a new e-news update, with information on transit and other items.

There are reports that Cooper Power Systems is facing a $166,000 fine from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration following an October chemical spill that injured seven employees.

Here is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story. The Business Journal also has coverage.

And check out these other South Shores headlines …

Also, NOW has published a new police blotter, including this …

Police are investigating theft of about $1,000 in cash from the Milwaukee Lounge, 1009 Milwaukee Ave. According to police reports, surveillance video shows a man using a key to enter the bar at 9:49 a.m. April 20, then going to the bar’s office before leaving several minutes later.

And this …

Extensive vandalism was found near the pavilion at Grant Park, 100 E. Hawthorne Ave., the morning of April 19. There was graffiti on the building, saplings pulled from the ground, and garbage cans were found on the roof. 

And this …

A 25-year-old South Milwaukee man was cited for reckless driving, criminal damage to property and unlawful use of a vehicle in a park after police received reports of a car driving across parkland in the vicinity of 16th and Marquette avenues just before midnight April 18. The driver abandoned the car, which had struck several trees and crossed Oak Creek before landing on its side. The man, who said he had gotten lost, turned himself in to police April 23. He was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia after a marijuana pipe was found in the car.

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