Update: Pools hours are being extended due to the weather.
Milwaukee County Parks pools are open for the summer, and that’s good news when temperatures are expected to soar into the 90s like they are on Friday.
Of course, South Milwaukee is home to Grobschmidt Pool at 2600 16th Ave. behind City Hall.
It’s open from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. daily and also 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Learn more here.
Filed under Community
It’s closing time at The Frozen Rope.
The City Council voted unanimously (5-0, with Ald. Bukowski abstaining and Ald. Stoner out) Wednesday night to deny a Class B “combination” license filed by DBF Enterprises for the tavern at 1815 10th Ave. — the site of shootings on March 26 and June 4.
The action came after a more than three hour hearing where aldermen heard from the bar owner, patrons, neighbors and the police. It means the bar can only stay open through Thursday, the end of the 2010-11 license year.
This is actually the second time the council has acted on this issue. We also voted on June 14 to both revoke The Frozen Rope license for 2010-11 and deny the agent’s 2011-12 license application. The owner then appealed the decision to Milwaukee County Circuit Court, and a judge ordered the council to rehear the case around its application for the new license year.
I voted in favor of denying the license, which included renaming the bar the “Cat House.”
If you recall, I was the only “no” vote when the council voted to suspend The Frozen Rope license for 14 days in May, following the first shooting. I didn’t think the penalty was harsh enough, although I was open to giving the bar owner a second chance to clean things up.
He squandered that second chance when five shots rang out in the early morning hours of June 4 — shots allegedly fired by the bar’s DJ.
As neighbors and others eloquently put it Wednesday night: Eight gunshots have now been fired outside The Frozen Rope since late March. To date, no one has been hit by the gunfire. When will our luck run out?
It’s time to put neighbors’ fears to rest. Our vote does that.
Of course, I’d like to know what you think of this issue. Please post your comments below.
Filed under City Council
Check out these headlines from around the South Shore …
Filed under Headlines
The long-standing Lake Bluff Apartments legal battle is over.
The settlement between the city, the owners of the apartment complex, the American Civil Liberties Union and others was signed earlier this month, City Attorney Joe Murphy told the City Council at our meeting last week.
Check out a Journal Sentinel story on the subject here. From it:
Provisions of the settlement, according to lawyers, include:
Indeed, the details have not changed much since my previous post on this topic.
I’d like to know what you think of the settlement. Post your comments below!
Filed under City Council
Shoot off fireworks? Get a ticket. It’s that simple, as the South Milwaukee Police Department steps up enforcement at Grant Park on July 4.
Learn more in this press release. From it:
The City of South Milwaukee Police Department will have extra officers in Grant Park during the July 4th, 2011 celebration. The officers will adopt a zero tolerance policy for persons discharging any type or size of fireworks in the park. There will be no warnings. If you discharge fireworks in the park, you will be cited, and your fireworks may be confiscated. The current fine/forfeiture for fireworks violations in the park is $290.00.
I hope to see you at the park on July 4. Activities begin at 10 a.m.
Learn more on the city website here.
South Milwaukee’s new telephone-based emergency alert system is here, and I think it’s a great way to improve our communications during the times when we need them most.
The system, which I wrote about in December, generates automated phone calls to city residents with a landline phone during emergencies, sharing information about what’s happening and what to do next.
Let’s hope we never need to use it. But think of how useful this would have been during the floods of 2008 and 2010, or the water main break last year, when residents were starved for information and it wasn’t always easy to share it.
So, what do you need to do to receive this service? Nothing, really. All landline phones are already in the database we will access for this service.
But there is a way to also get emergency calls and text messages to your mobile device. To get that service (which is also free) you need to add your mobile phone number to our provider’s database. Learn more on this page on the city website.
I encourage you to do it … and take full advantage of this valuable service.
(I also want to give a shout out to the Women’s Club of South Milwaukee, which has donated $1,500 to purchase our first block of 10,000 calls that we now have banked to use in an emergency. That essentially equals one call to every city landline. The city can purchase more if needed.)
Filed under Community
South Milwaukee is getting another pizza place … but this is not your ordinany franchise.
Toppers Pizza is coming soon to Grant Park Plaza, according the chain’s website.
Check out all of its locations here, and click here for my previous post on this.
And here is an article on the franchisee from Entrepreneurs magazine.
Filed under Local Business
The Business Journal of Milwaukee did a nice feature last week on the new Bucyrus History Museum and its potential impact on South Milwaukee and our downtown area (including the farmers’ market).
Check out a PDF version of the story here. (Thanks, Carol Rehak, for passing along.)
The market also got a mention in a recent Oak Creek Patch story about its farmers’ market.
Also, check out these other headlines of interest from around the South Shore:
Filed under Headlines
As I’ve written about, the city is making a significant investment in flood control and other public works project in the Parkway Heights area in the next year, and it starts soon.
Learn more about the plans for this summer at a public information meeting from 5 to 6 p.m. on Monday, June 27, at City Hall.
Neighbors were informed of the meeting in this letter, which details some of the upcoming storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water main and road work expected to begin in August. From it:
Unlimited capacity to the storm and sanitary systems cannot be cost effectively engineered. However, city officials understand the frustration of property owners with flood damages and are committed to identifying improvements which will reduce the chance of flooding and sanitary sewer backups.
Indeed, these improvements will help … and I hope they show everyone how seriously we take these concerns.
Filed under 2010 Flooding, Construction
I just got back from an Iowa vacation, where we had severe weather each of the last two nights … only to return to more severe weather.
A flash flood warning has just been issued for Milwaukee County.
Are you seeing any flooding issues locally? Let me know by posting your comments below.
Filed under Weather
The next First District alderman will be chosen by the council … and then by the people.
The City Council, at its meeting Tuesday night, approved the process by which we’ll replace Mike Karbowski, who died too soon on June 14 after a battle with cancer.
(That said, I’d argue we can never “replace” someone like Mike.)
Mike was just elected in April, and his term, like everyone’s on the council, runs through April of 2013. So here is how that term will be filled:
I’ll keep you posted as this process plays out. I expect interest to be high, judging by the fact that there were at least two interested candidates in attendance at tonight’s council meeting.
Of course, let’s also not forget the reason we’re doing this in the first place. We lost a good man and strong political voice for the First District in Mike Karbowski last week, and he will be be dearly missed.
Rest in peace, Mike. My prayers are with your family and friends.
Filed under Politics
I just got this email update from the South Milwaukee Police Department …
On Tuesday 06/21/11 at about 5:56p.m. South Milwaukee Police Department Officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of 17th Ave. for a reported domestic violence incident. The victim, a 60 year old female, reported her husband had choked her, hit her, threatened her with a kitchen knife, and sprayed her with butane fuel. The victim further stated her husband threatened to kill her and himself. After a short standoff, the suspect, a 54 year old male, came out of the house and was taken into custody without further incident. The South Milwaukee Police Department will be seeking charges of Recklessly Endangering Safety while Armed, Battery-Domestic Violence related, and Bail jumping.
I’ll keep you posted if I hear more about this.
I’m going to take the next several days off from blogging, but I’d like to leave this open thread behind … hopefully sparking a debate.
The question: What should be the top priority in revitalizing downtown South Milwaukee?
Post your thoughts below, and please feel encouraged to reply to comments of others.
Thanks for your continued support of me and the blog, and talk to you next week!
(And while you’re surfing the web, why not join the South Milwaukee Downtown Market Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_116259115070852. In fact, I’d like to think the market is part of the solution downtown, but it’s only the start …)
Filed under Community
I got a note from South Milwaukee School Superintendent Rita Olson recently about the next steps of the long-range planning process I was a part of last fall and winter. From it:
As you know, during the first half of the year, we had a Visioning and Planning Committee work on our district’s Vision, Mission, and Goals. Over the past several months, different leadership groups have identified their role in helping us achieve our goals. Some committees disbanded when they realized that their original purpose was no longer aligned to our Visioning and Planning. New leaderships are forming to fill in missing components. It is all very exciting work!
One of the new groups that has formed is focusing on improving communication and building relationships. The group has enlisted the help of Fund Development Corporation to help us create a “marketing” plan to increase positive perceptions and active engagement.
Fund Development Corporation began meeting with staff, students, community members and prospective partners last week to learn about what they need from the school system as well as what resources they could possibly share.
They want your voice as well via online survey. Please take a few minutes and take the survey here.
Filed under Schools
The Catholic Herald has a great story about Circle of Friends, which brings together local residents to help support families in need with food, gifts and other items every month.
Check out the story here. From it:
With the goal of keeping the program anonymous and simple, Loper, the Circle of Friends coordinator, set up clusters of 10-14 individuals. Currently, more than 70 members comprise seven clusters. Each month, members donate between $10-$20, or whatever they can manage, as well as some non-perishable items. Of those funds, $150 is used to purchase gift cards for grocery stores and the remainder is in cash.
Although a spreadsheet is passed out to each member giving them a non-perishable item to purchase for the month, members are generous and often provide far more than asked. Some months, Loper finds bags of fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese at her door in addition to the requested items. Once the donations are collected at the cluster leader’s home, the items are either picked up or delivered to the family.
My wife, Sarah, and I are happy to be a part of one Circle of Friends. We joined a group more than a year ago at the suggestion of South Milwaukee Alderwoman Lisa Pieper, and we’re happy to do our part to help others in need through this effort.
I’d ask that you consider joining a Circle as well. Contact information is in the article.
Filed under Community
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