by | August 28, 2012 · 5:35 pm

$2.6 Million For A Cleaner Grant Park Beach (And Others, Too)

Update: Here is Racine Journal Times coverage.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is turning its eyes to South Milwaukee and Grant Park with significant grant funding announced Tuesday.

A portion of $2.6 million in federal grants will go towards “reconfiguring” Grant Park Beach and select other beaches in Wisconsin and Michigan. The goal: Reduce bacteria levels.

Here is the press release.

See the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story here. From it:

It includes a $1 million grant to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh to work to reconfigure eight state beaches to reduce bacteria levels. The beaches on the list include Grant Park in South Milwaukee as well as swimming areas in Marinette, Algoma, Manitowoc and Kenosha.

“These Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grants will improve water quality, allowing people to enjoy more days at Great Lakes beaches,” Susan Hedman of the Environmental Protection Agency said in a news release. “The projects will make beaches safer, by eliminating harmful bacteria and other sources of contamination.”

Learn more about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Milwaukee County, Parks

Tagged as ,

by | August 27, 2012 · 8:36 pm

Sex Offender Law Information Session Planned

The South Milwaukee Police Department is holding a public information session around sex offender laws on Wednesday, September 12, at City Hall.

The 30- to 60-minute session will begin at 7 p.m.

It will be conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and include safety tips.

Learn more in this flyer.

Leave a comment

Filed under Crime

by | August 26, 2012 · 9:08 pm

Another South Shore Sexual Assault And Other Headlines

Check out these headlines from around the South Shore …

And I checked late last week — there is no news to report on the South Milwaukee sexual assaults in July. The investigation continues. I’ll keep you posted.

Leave a comment

Filed under Headlines

Tagged as

by | August 25, 2012 · 10:06 pm

Greendale Rolls Past South Milwaukee In Football Opener

Update: Here is a Patch story.

It wasn’t the greatest of starts for the South Milwaukee football team.

The Rockets fell behind 35-0 in the third quarter before falling 38-12 to Greendale in a Woodland Conference game on Friday night.

See the stats here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Sports

Tagged as

by | August 25, 2012 · 9:51 pm

Merchandise Outlet In Cudahy Is Closing

Packard Plaza is losing another retailer.

Merchandise Outlet is closing its 40,000 square-foot store at 5656 Packard Ave. in Cudahy, according to a sign in the window and its website.

Learn more about the history of this unique store here.

1 Comment

Filed under Local Business

by | August 24, 2012 · 3:43 pm

Headlines, Headlines, Headlines

Check out these headlines from around the South Shore …

Also, State Sen. Chris Larson has published a new Larson Report entitled “Back to School.”

Leave a comment

Filed under Headlines

by | August 23, 2012 · 10:49 pm

Funeral Home Competition Coming?

Molthen-Bell & Son Funeral Home may be getting some local competition.

Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral Home is eyeing the former St. Mary’s school building at 1314 Manitoba for a new location.

It would be the funeral home’s fourth.

A public hearing is planned on the project before the South Milwaukee Plan Commission’s meeting on Monday. The commission will then consider a conditional use permit for the development. Here is the agenda.

I’ll keep you posted.

Here is the Molthen-Bell website. Here is the Sass website.

Leave a comment

Filed under Local Business

Tagged as ,

by | August 23, 2012 · 10:48 pm

South Milwaukee ACT Scores Increase

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has released statewide ACT scores, and there is good news for South Milwaukee.

South Milwaukee’s 2011-12 composite score was 21.7, an increase from 21.4 a year earlier. The district’s score was 22.0 in 2009-10.

The percentage of students tested also increased to 65.1%.

See the South Milwaukee ACT scores here.

Oak Creek’s fell slightly, according to this Patch story. Here is the Journal Sentinel story on the statewide results.

Leave a comment

Filed under Schools

Tagged as

by | August 22, 2012 · 10:30 pm

Come See Little Blue People On Thursday

Just a reminder that the last of the three outdoor Groovy Movie Nites is Thursday, as a showing of The Smurfs follows the South Milwaukee Farmers’ Market.

Showtime is dusk, or around 8:15 p.m.

The weather looks great, and bring your family and friends!

(The movie was rescheduled from August 9, due to rain.)

Leave a comment

Filed under Community

Tagged as ,

by | August 22, 2012 · 5:01 pm

South Shore Masonic Lodge Makes Big Donation To South Milwaukee Police

Update: Here is a picture.

A big thanks goes to the Masonic South Shore Lodge #3 for its $2,350 donation to the South Milwaukee Police Department for new officer and citizen safety equipment.

Lodge members made the donation at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, saying that the contribution fits in well with its goals of serving others and helping the community.

Police will use the funds to purchase tourniquets and combat gauze for each of the department’s 32 officers, as well as some extras.

The equipment will be used to treat officers and others at critical incidents to hopefully stabilize the patient before first responders arrive – important lifesaving gear that is a welcome addition for the department.

Leave a comment

Filed under Police

Tagged as ,

by | August 21, 2012 · 9:58 pm

More On Black’s Firing And Other Headlines

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel spoke with South Shore Supervisor Pat Jursik about the firing Milwaukee County Parks Director on Monday. According to the story:

Supervisor Jursik, who is a lawyer, said she feared that Abele’s firing of Black exposed the county to potential damages. Jursik said Black likely has a good argument that her 2011 raise given to keep her in her county job created a contractual right to her job. If a judge or jury agreed, the county would be forced to argue the firing was justified for cause, Jursik said.

Check out the full story here … and these other local headlines.

Also, NOW has published a new police blotter, including reference to a $3,000 theft from a safe on Southtown Place.

Leave a comment

Filed under Headlines

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | August 20, 2012 · 8:46 pm

More On The South Milwaukee Fish Kill: “We May Never Know The Cause”

I’ve been in further contact with the DNR on last week’s Oak Creek fish kill in South Milwaukee, and I want to thank state biologist Will Wawrzyn for his continued help in providing information on the situation.

Here are his last two emails to me …

I am certain of one conclusion, the event was not caused by excessive heat or low flow conditions that the region experienced earlier this summer and contributed to fish kills throughout the state. …

There are some naturally occurring substances that may cause fish kills, most notably 4 relatively common algae species. However, these potentially toxic algae most often occur in eutrophic ponds, lakes and impoundments.

http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/bluegreenalgae/

They are often visibly present as green surface scum or along wind-blown shorelines. These conditions were not observed along Oak Creek.  Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) is a recent infectious disease that can be fatal to fish.

http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/vhs/

None of the fish I inspected displayed any of the symptoms of VHS.

At this point, unless sample results show some definitive killing agent or we receive information from another source about an illicit discharge, we may never know the cause.

I’ll keep you posted.

1 Comment

Filed under Community

by | August 19, 2012 · 9:53 pm

Tommy Or Tammy: Who Gets Your Vote?

I just posted a new poll on the right side of this page.

Vote! And post your comments below.

Leave a comment

Filed under 2012 Elections

Tagged as ,

by | August 18, 2012 · 9:07 am

Debating The Budget: Key Dates Announced

The 2013 budget promises to be another difficult one, but residents will have plenty of opportunity to weigh in on the document in coming months.

Here is the just-published list of key dates for the 2013 budget process:

  • October 17: Executive budget review, providing a chance for City Council members and citizens to take a more detailed dive into the budget with department heads. Time: 6 p.m.
  • October 24: Additional budget review (if necessary). Time: 6 p.m.
  • November 1: Budget published.
  • November 26: Budget public hearing. Time: 6 p.m.
  • November 27: City Council meeting to adopt budget. Time: 6 p.m.

Here is a PDF listing those meeting dates.

Of course, I’ll keep you posted on the budget process as it unfolds.

Leave a comment

Filed under 2013 Budget

Tagged as

by | August 18, 2012 · 9:06 am

Even More Headlines

Check out these headlines from around the South Shore …

Also, NOW has published a new police blotter. It includes reports of a couple significant thefts — a car and boat — as well as this item:

A man was arrested for obstructing an investigation in the 1400 block of Marquette Avenue after leading officers on a four-block foot chase that began in the 1300 block of Milwaukee Avenue about 11:40 p.m. Aug. 5. Neighbors said the man and another man had smashed a beer bottle on the sidewalk and were loud and disorderly.

4 Comments

Filed under Headlines