by | November 19, 2013 · 9:01 pm

More On Sunday’s Sirens

Update from Chief Knitter: I am happy to report that WE Energies replaced one of the transformers feeding power to the siren and American Signal then reset an internal switch on the siren and it is now OPERATIONAL.  Electronic polling (sending a signal to it remotely) and actual “growl” testing (making it spin and sound momentarily) were both successful. Both agencies believe the transformer may have been hit by lightning that caused both the transformer and the internal switch on the siren to fail.

 Following up on Sunday’s storms, here is some more information on the tornado sirens in town …

South Milwaukee has two tornado siren locations: near the former middle school near Memorial Drive and at the South Milwaukee Fire Department. The siren at the fire department did not sound during Sunday’s storm.

Why? According to South Milwaukee Fire Chief Joe Knitter …

The problem with the siren has been identified to be inadequate power coming from the WE Energies transformer that supplies the required voltage to the siren.  Apparently, the field technician identified an issue with one phase of the three-phase power that comes into the siren.  When I heard the description of the problem, I recalled that we had a similar issue earlier this year.  A search of the repair records by American Signal showed that we did have a similar issue back in May of this year and WE Energies had to come out to fix it.  WE Energies has been notified by Milw. County Emergency Management.

Previously, Chief Knitter had sent me this update.

Milwaukee County Emergency Management is responsible for the operation of the forty-eight outdoor warning sirens located throughout Milwaukee County. These sirens are electronically tested daily at approximately 2 AM to determine their serviceability. In addition, an audible test of the sirens is done on the second Wednesday of each month, weather permitting. The results of these tests are reviewed and forwarded on to the contracted servicing agency to affect any repairs that may be necessary. Records indicate that the involved siren had no issues during the testing cycles. …

We have a very proactive emergency management system in our community. The City identified a problem with one of the sirens very shortly after the warning was issued and made the requisite phone calls to Milwaukee County Emergency Management to attempt to troubleshoot the problem. Jackie Ove, our Public Health Administrator and Emergency Management Director and myself, as Deputy Director of Emergency management, were in contact from the onset of the storm until the warnings had expired and the system had moved on.

Chief Knitter also has some good suggestions on staying informed during severe storms.

The Outdoor Warning Siren System is designed to be heard OUTSIDE only.  It is not intended to be heard inside the confines of a building and should not be relied upon as the only alerting “system” for the public.

The absolute best weather alerting system available is a NOAA Weather Radio. These radios broadcast continuous weather information, including warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. In addition, radios are available that are powered by batteries, thus providing reliable advanced warning, even in the event of a power outage. The next best source of information is our 24/7/365 news media.  All of our local news and radio stations do an excellent job of informing the public, especially considering they are able to broadcast live radar and provide up-to-the minute updates.

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by | November 19, 2013 · 10:49 am

It’s Election Day!

Today is special election day in the race for the 21st Assembly District seat vacated by Mark Honadel.

The candidates: Democrat Elizabeth Coppola and Republican Jessie Rodriguez.

Learn more about them by clicking on their websites linked above and in this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article and this Wisconsin Public Radio story.

And here are some details on voting …

  • Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Check out a district and polling location map here. All Fourth District residents vote at Rawson Elementary, 1410 Rawson Ave.
  • See a sample ballot here.
  • Learn more on the city website elections page.

And visit South Milwaukee Blog later tonight for local election results.

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by | November 18, 2013 · 5:28 pm

Caterpillar Cuts Continue

This time, the mining giant is closing a plant in Virginia, this following the closure of a plant in Texas and another in Tasmania announced in recent weeks.

And all in, according to the Reuters report, more than 900 jobs have been cut in Cat’s Decatur, Ill., and South Milwaukee mining operations this year alone.

Let’s hope and pray the South Milwaukee plant is spared here.

From the article:

Caterpillar also makes construction equipment, railroad locomotives, and a variety of reciprocating and turbine engines. But mining equipment is its most profitable product category.

Those margins were one of the reasons it made mining equipment a focus of its merger and acquisition activity in recent years, buying Bucyrus, a U.S. maker of giant excavators and shovels, for $7.6 billion in 2010, and ERA Mining, a Chinese mining equipment company, for $654 million in 2012.

But the ink was barely dry on those deals before Caterpillar’s global mining customers, facing investor backlash over unpopular takeovers, budget overruns and falling metal prices, slashed capital spending, slowed development on some projects and shelved others entirely, and postponed or canceled new equipment orders.

That pullback, which caught Caterpillar by surprise, has forced the company to cut its outlook three times so far this year.

Last month, as it released disappointing third-quarter earnings, Caterpillar warned its 2014 sales could be down as much as 5 percent from 2013.

Over the past year, the company has cut more than 13,000 jobs, about 10 percent of the global total, as the slowdown in its mining business forced it to repeatedly post lower-than-expected quarterly results and repeatedly slash its outlook.

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by | November 17, 2013 · 10:04 pm

Storm Update: More From South Milwaukee

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A few more news and notes from Sunday’s crazy November storm …

  • Mitchell International Airport reported 2.17 inches of rain fell on Sunday.
  • Fox 6 has a story about the storm’s impacts on South Milwaukee, including more on the street flooding and power outages. At one point, more than 3,500 We Energies were without power, but it was restored by 1 p.m.
  • WDJT also has a story about some local storm impacts — oddly enough, shot on my block with interviews with three of our neighbors. (That blue minivan in the background is ours.)
  • There were also reports on Facebook that tornado sirens did not go off in some places in South Milwaukee. I’m looking into this and will post more when I learn more. (I can’t verify this with my own ears because I was in my church basement during the storm.)

In the end, not too bad. With as many tornadoes that tore through Illinois, it could have been so much worse.

What did you experience? Post your comments below!

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by | November 17, 2013 · 1:27 pm

My Storm Story

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The pictures are from an event this morning I’ll probably never forget. Here is my story …

At about 11:30 a.m., after we held our worship service in the Trinity Lutheran Church basement Sunday morning, I left for home to see if we had any water in our basement.

I turned north on to 5th Avenue and found the curve onto Milwaukee Avenue nearly impassable … but I got by on the side of the flooded road. A few blocks later, water blocked another intersection at Milwaukee, so I decided to cut through Oak Creek Parkway to get back home. All looked good — not much water on the road — until I started heading west on Oak Creek Parkway.

After passing the Mill Pond, I couldn’t believe what I saw — a large tree limb falling across the road and onto a minivan about 75 yards in front of me. It smashed the van’s windshield, severely dented the hood and dislodged the spare tire from underneath the van. I stopped to see if everything was OK and saw a man and a young child get out of the van, unharmed.

Thank God.

I called 911 and police arrived shortly afterwards, as I helped another bystander get the limb to the side of the road.

I made it home around 11:50 a.m. with no problems, only to find our power out (but still a dry basement). Power was restored about an hour later.

That’s my story from today’s crazy weather. What’s yours?

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by | November 14, 2013 · 9:16 pm

Christmas In South Milwaukee: Mark Your Calendars

I love Christmas … and I love Christmas in South Milwaukee.

And that starts with all the special events happening around town. Here’s a roundup, and I apologize ahead of time for missing any …

  • Saturday, Nov. 23: South Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce Tree Lighting. Stop by from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for a visit with Santa, music, hot drinks and more at Heritage Park on 10th and Milwaukee Avenues. Learn more here.
  • Saturday, Nov. 30: South Milwaukee Christmas Market. The indoor version of the Downtown Market returns to South Milwaukee High School with more than 70 vendors selling arts, crafts, baked goods, prepared foods and more. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Live holiday music is also scheduled. Learn more here … and on the market’s Facebook page.
  • Sunday, Dec. 1: South Milwaukee Christmas Parade and Old Fashioned Christmas. The traditional South Milwaukee Christmas celebration begins with the Lions’ Christmas Parade starting at 12:30 p.m. at 12th and Milwaukee, continuing west on Milwaukee, then south on 15th Avenue to City Hall. Following the parade, enjoy all the festivities at City Hall, including pictures with Santa, arts and crafts, food and more. The city Christmas tree is lit at 5 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 8: Pancake Breakfast with Santa. Stop by the American Legion Post 27 from 8:30 a.m. to noon for breakfast and pictures with Santa. Adults are $4, children 6-12 are $3 and those under 5 are free. The post is at 920 Monroe Ave. Also, the Milwaukee Circle Choir is playing at 3:30 p.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, 1308 15th Ave. Admission is free. Learn more about the concert here.
  • Thursday, Dec. 12: Calmus Christmas A Cappella. The South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center continues to bring in terrific acts. This Christmas season, it’s Calmus, a German quintet that has drawn raves worldwide. The group will perform traditional and contemporary favorites. Learn more here.
  • Friday, Dec. 13: Cantare Chorale concert. The chorus brings its “Songs of the Season” performance to the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center for a show starting at 7:30 p.m. Learn more here.
  • Saturday, Dec. 14, and Sunday, Dec. 15: Ye Old Christmas Feaste. This tradition of 35 years will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14, and Sunday, Dec. 15, at the high school. This three-hour event magically transports you to 15th century England for Christmas merriment with a seven-course meal, featuring a new menu this year. Pre-dinner music starts 4:30 p.m., and dinner is served at 5. Cost is $30 per person or $150 for a table of six. For more information, click here or call the high school at 766-5100. 

And merry Christmas!

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by | November 13, 2013 · 9:59 pm

South Milwaukee Pick ‘n Save Building Sold And Other Headlines

Check out these South Shore headlines …

And NOW has published a new police blotter.

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by | November 13, 2013 · 4:33 pm

Reminder: In-Person Absentee Voting For Tuesday’s Assembly Election Ends Friday

Can’t make it to the polls on Tuesday? There is still time to vote in person at City Hall for the 21st Assembly District special election.

Be sure to do so by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15. After that point, you’ll only be able to vote at the polls on Tuesday.

Learn more on the city’s Facebook page — and if you haven’t liked that page yet, please do so!

And check out the city website’s elections page.

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by | November 12, 2013 · 9:35 pm

Winter Parking Permits On Sale

From the South Milwaukee Police Department …

Restrictions don’t go into place until December 1, but act now to get those permits.

Winter parking regulations will be in effect from December 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014.  Winter Parking Permits are available at the Police Department during regular business hours (Mon.– Fri. 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.) beginning November 1, 2013.  Please PLAN AHEAD prior to the beginning of winter parking.  No citation payments are accepted or parking permits sold on weekends or holidays (November 28 & 29, December 24, 25, & 31, and January 1, 2014).  Please purchase your parking permit prior to the last days of the month.  Permits are sold separately for each month of the winter parking season for $25.00, or all four months for $80.00.  Vehicles should be parked on the even number side of the street on those nights that the calendar date before midnight is even and on the odd number side of the street on odd calendar days.  Citations will be issued for parking a vehicle on the wrong side of the street or for not having a valid parking permit between 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.  Instructions are available at the Police Department.  A Holiday On-Street Parking Permit (December 15- January 15) is available for $25.00.  This permit works well for college students home between semesters or family members visiting for more than a week.

**NOTE**  This year the Thanksgiving Holiday falls on November 28 & 29 which means residents will have to purchase the December permit prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday in order to have the permit in time for the beginning of winter parking regulations on December 1.  PLAN AHEAD– get your permit early.  Parking permission will not be given because a citizen did not have time to purchase a permit. 

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by | November 12, 2013 · 8:52 pm

Rawson, Luther Students Help Others Experience Nature

Consider it another example of local students stepping up to help others …

Fifth graders from Rawson and E.W. Luther Elementary Schools have pitched in on projects at the Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center for the disabled in the Wisconsin Dells.

The Rawson students built a stairway at the facility, while the Luther students built a stretch of wheelchair-accessible boardwalk.

Learn more in this press release. And thanks to Luther Principal Eric Wightman for sharing.

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by | November 9, 2013 · 11:35 pm

More Headlines

Check out these South Shore headlines …

Also, as Caterpillar sheds jobs locally, the company continues to close mining facilities and cut jobs elsewhere. Among the news in the past week is the closure of a facility in West Virginia, as well as job cuts in Tanzania.

And NOW has published a new police blotter, including this disturbing item …

Police were called Oct. 24 to an apartment in the 800 block of Marquette Avenue, where a snake was found dead by a South Milwaukee Health Department employee, and pet rats had no food or water. Pet lizards, snakes and rats were taken by Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control, after a MADAC employee at the scene said he believed the animals would be neglected, since there was no heat or electricity in the apartment.

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by | November 7, 2013 · 9:49 pm

Proposed 2014 Budget Includes Levy Decrease

The proposed South Milwaukee budget has been published, and it once again keeps property tax increases responsibly low while maintaining the city services we expect. In fact, it calls for a property tax levy decrease.

The details:

  • The proposed budget calls for a 1.16% increase in expenditures from the 2013 budget, to more than $18.6 million. With this small increase, we will again receive an “expenditure restraint” payment from the state in 2014, budgeted at more than $371,000.
  • Revenues are anticipated to increase 1.85% to more than $8.7 million.
  • The property tax levy is expected to decrease 0.14%, to $10.5 million. This is, of course, below the state-imposed levy limit increase, which is set at 0.642% for 2014 due to the limited amount of new local construction growth from 2012 to 2013. This limit excludes debt service payments – and because the city’s debt payment decreased for debt issued after 2005, the city’s 2014 levy will be less than the 2013 levy. There is also no “buy down” of the levy planned for next year, which we have used in the past.
  • We expect state aids to remain constant in 2014 from 2013 – good news, but you’ll recall that many state aids were cut in previous state budgets … and never restored. One example: funding for recycling programs.
  • The executive budget keeps staffing the same and includes a 1.66% salary increase for civil service (AFSCME) and a 3.0% salary increase for non-represented employees. The AFSCME increase is the maximum increase allowed by law for unionized general employees with labor contracts that expire December 31, per guidance from the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. You will note the police union contract includes a 3% increase effective January 1, and the fire union contract includes a 2% increase effective January 1 and 1% increase effective July 1.
  • Health insurance premiums are expected to decrease slightly. Wisconsin Retirement System rates will increase.
  • And the proposed has some good news for local grade school students. Eight thousand dollars were added to the police department overtime budget to allow for the bicycle safety program to be offered to the fifth-grade classes that missed the program two years ago, when the program was suspended for a year due to manpower shortages. This program is generally done in the spring for third graders. 

So, what will this all mean for your tax bill? We won’t know that until tax rates are determined in coming weeks. I’ll keep you posted. And don’t forget that the city makes up just one portion of your tax bill. The biggest portion funds schools.

You also have a chance to weigh in on the city budget. A public hearing is set for Nov. 25, with the city council meeting the next night consider passage. I hope you can join us for those meetings … and post your comments below.

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by | November 7, 2013 · 8:59 am

Taste Of South Milwaukee Set For Monday

South Milwaukee has a terrific collection of local restaurants. Taste for yourself at the second-annual Taste of South Milwaukee on Monday evening, Nov. 11.

The event, hosted by the South Milwaukee Lions Club, will be held from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at Salvatore’s, 1912 12th Ave. in downtown South Milwaukee. The bar opens at 3 p.m.

Among the participating restaurants:

  • Aggie’s Cakes and Pastries
  • Barbiere’s
  • Cousin’s Subs of South Milwaukee
  • Dairy Queen
  • Derango’s Pizzeria
  • Emerald City Catering
  • Greg’s Soup-er Desserts
  • Muskie’s Gourmet House
  • Nona’s Café
  • Paisano’s
  • Pat’s Oak Manor
  • Salvatore’s
  • Slick Willie’s
  • Trattoria di Carlo

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Children 10 and under are $5. All tickets include unlimited samplings. Advanced tickets can be purchased at participating restaurants and from local South Milwaukee Lions members.

Proceeds go to fund the long list of Lions charitable activities. The South Milwaukee Lions lived their “we serve” motto by donating more than $15,000 and thousands of volunteer hours to area organizations and activities in 2013.

Taste also features live music from Abby J & DOTS and Just Rich.

See you there!

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by | November 6, 2013 · 9:21 pm

City Council Roundup: Rain Barrels, Recognizing A Retirement And More

A few items from Tuesday’s South Milwaukee City Council meeting …

  • The council gave final passage, by a 4-3 vote, to an ordinance allowing rain barrels in South Milwaukee — with restrictions, too many restrictions, actually. I voted no on this previously, and my vote didn’t change Tuesday. Nor did my rationale. In our effort to rewrite an outdated part of our city code and make rain barrels legal, we are essentially outlawing rain barrels for many people. If that sounds odd, it should. But that’s what we’re getting with the rules we have now enacted. For example, according to the new ordinance, homeowners can have no more than two on their property. And no rain barrel can be within 12 feet of a neighbor’s structure. And they can’t be located in front yards. And they need double screens. And they can only be elevated using concrete, brick or paver platforms. Those are just a few of the 13 detailed requirements we have now placed on rain barrels. I am for more sensible restrictions, something that encourages their use while still giving the city power to crack down on problem property owners. Restrictions like this and this. Instead, we’re going the other way — giving South Milwaukee what has to be one of the most restrictive rain barrel ordinances in the state. 
  • The council accepted the retirement letter of police officer Charles “Mick” Olson, who is leaving the department after more than 31 years. I wish Officer Olson, well known in the community, well.
  • We also voted to fill his position, which will come open in March, as well as two vacant firefighter positions.
  • The council also approved more than $297,0o0 in revolving fund requests for 2013, including funds for two new police cars.
  • As a reminder, the next council meeting is Nov. 26, when final budget passage is expected. The budget public hearing is Nov. 25. I’ll have more details on the budget in a post later this week. There is no meeting on Nov. 19 or Dec. 3.

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by | November 5, 2013 · 10:45 pm

Sex Sting Brings Deputies To Grant Park

Update: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more on the arrest of Lee Erickson, as does TMJ4 and WISN.

Fox 6 has the disturbing details, which reportedly include the arrest of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra chorus director, a South Milwaukee resident.

From the story:

In a statement, Sheriff’s officials say the Sheriff’s Office has received numerous complaints of sexual activity and solicitation taking place in County parks.

In response to these complaints, Sheriff Clarke initiated an undercover operation with a goal of curbing and deterring illegal sexual activity in the parks, and seven arrests have been made in the past two weeks.

Four more arrests were made Tuesday, November 5th.

Those arrested range in age from 43 to 75.

58-year-old Erickson of South Milwaukee was arrested on Monday by an undercover Sheriff’s deputy.

According to Sheriff’s officials, Erickson followed the deputy into a bathroom at Grant Park along Milwaukee’s Lakefront, exposed himself, and began masturbating in front of the officer.

Sheriff’s officials say Erickson stated numerous times that he just wanted to be able to pay the fine and not have this go public or this would ruin his career.

I’ll keep you posted.

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