A 30-year-old South Milwaukee man reported that he accidentally shot himself Sunday night in his home in the 1300 block of Monroe Avenue.
The man’s condition is not known, and police are investigating.
Check out the press release here.
I will keep you posted if and when I learn more.
The Blizzard of ’11 just got a bit less painful. A bit.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state have awarded South Milwaukee $52,083.69 to help defray costs related to the February 2 snow emergency declaration.
Most of the funds will help reimburse the city for Street Department costs.
Thanks to Jackie Ove, our emergency management director, and her team for doing a lot of the leg work to make this happen. The funds are much appreciated, and they will certainly help ease the unexpected budget pain this storm caused.
Of course, we’re not alone in getting FEMA funds for this historic storm. Here is a story from Walworth County, for example. Individuals have also received funds … and some have had to pay them back.
Filed under Community
Check out these headlines of local interest:
Filed under Headlines
As expected, the U.S. Justice Department has cleared the Caterpillar-Bucyrus deal.
Here is the press release, and here is an item from WISN. From the release:
The DOJ action, in addition to the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act waiting period, concludes the antitrust review process in the United States. The clearance by the DOJ will allow the acquisition, valued at approximately $8.6 billion (including net debt), to proceed as soon as all other conditions to closing have been satisfied. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2011.
What do you think of the deal and its potential impacts on South Milwaukee? Post your comments below!
Filed under Local Business
As I wrote about earlier this week, we had the pleasure of honoring some local heroes at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, a group of police officers, residents and others who risked their lives and safety to keep others safe.
Of course, the South Milwaukee Fire Department has its own share of heroes.
Learn more about some of their great work in the department’s 2010 annual report, which we accepted at Tuesday’s council meeting. Among the highlights summarizing the department’s 117th year of existence:
According to the report cover note: “We are proud of our member’s efforts and outstanding safety record while performing their duties on these calls and serving with reduced staffing levels since 2007.”
I can’t agree more. Our department does more with less … and we need to make sure we do all we can to preserve this high level of service.
Filed under Fire
Bucyrus International continues to invest in its South Milwaukee campus.
The company held a grand opening celebration for its newly renovated visitor center today, and I was happy to attend and get a first-hand look at its new three-story museum — an upgrade from its one-story facility — as well as a new company store and theater, all part of its Heritage Building.
My review? In a word, outstanding.
From the interactive features aimed at young people on the first floor to the library — named for outgoing Bucyrus CEO Tim Sullivan — on the third floor, the museum does a great job of telling the story of Bucyrus … a story that is distinctly South Milwaukee.
And the best part? The museum will now have regular, daily hours:
Also, Bucyrus is planning regular plant tours.
The renovations were done over the winter, and I am glad to see this project completed. I see it as a strong sign of Bucyrus’ continued commitment to South Milwaukee even with the looming acquisition by Caterpillar.
The next step is to see how we can leverage this major investment as a community. That potential is limitless.
In his remarks about the renovation Thursday, Sullivan specifically cited the company’s interest in making the facility a destination for visitors, and based on what I saw it most assuredly will be. He said the company is working with Visit Milwaukee to make this happen, working to attract everyone from local convention attendees to bus tours.
Think of it … a busload of tourists having just visited the Harley-Davidson Museum makes their next stop at Bucyrus, spending an hour or two at the museum before heading out to a downtown restaurant, the Downtown Market or the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center for a show. Or maybe they make a sidetrip to the Seven Bridges at Grant Park.
Think of the potential economic impact that brings to our city.
Well, this is not just a fantasy. This may be reality sooner rather than later thanks to this major investment in a truly unique community attraction.
Thank you, Bucyrus. Now, let’s tell the world about this!
Filed under Local Business
Update: I just heard from Milwaukee County Supervisor Pat Jursik, who said work on College west of Pennsylvania is expected to be complete by December. And be prepared: A roundabout is indeed planned on College at Ace Industrial Drive.
In case you haven’t noticed, College Avenue west of Pennsylvania Avenue is now closed to through traffic, setting up a frustratingly long detour around the airport using Layton Avenue to the north or Rawson Avenue to the south.
This happened in the last couple of days, and I’m not quite sure what the current timeline is for the project.
Of course, work on College east of Pennsylvania/Nicholson also continues, so that whole stretch is kind of a mess. But think of how it will look when it’s done!
I am working to find out more details and will keep you posted. In the meantime, please be patient around the delays.
Filed under Construction
Longtime South Milwaukee High School football, baseball and basketball coach Brad Knoche has died.
Here is his obituary. And there is a touching tribute to Knoche in this Fond du Lac Daily Reporter column by one of his former players, Doug Whiteley.
From the obituary:
He was a passionate educator and took a special interest in his students in and outside the classroom. With great love, he supported his children and took pride in all their accomplishments. Brad loved Mary Kay unconditionally. They were a great team and devoted to each other. He was active in the community and belonged to South Milwaukee Lions Club, where he served as past president and longtime treasurer. He also served as Parish Council President for St. John’s Church in South Milwaukee.
Did you know Knoche? What will be his legacy?
Post your comments below.
Heroes. There is no other way to describe the actions of the people (and even a pet) that we honored at Tuesday’s City Council meeting as part of National Peace Officers Week and National Police Officers Week.
Entering a burning building to wake sleeping residents. Keeping a man from jumping into the Mill Pond waterfall. Catching a crook trying to resell a stolen ring. Partnering with man’s best friend to save someone who nearly died in the February blizzard.
These are just some of the stories we heard about … and some of the reasons we should thank our police officers and others who keep our community safe everyday. This where our tax dollars go, providing first-class services like this.
Congratulations, everyone!
Check out the stories here.
Filed under Police
The plan is on the table. Now what will we do with it?
More than 30 people attended the downtown plan presentation by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee graduate students before Tuesday’s City Council meeting, and they saw what I believe to be a thoughtful, reasonable, attainable and, most of all, creative plan for revitalizing our city center.
Check out the full plan here.
I will have a more detailed post on elements of this plan in coming days, as I sift through the 81 pages in more detail.
I ask you to give it a good read as well … and let me know what you think.
Post your comments below!
Filed under Community
I must admit, I did not see this coming.
But he certainly has a strong business background, and Ron Johnson has proven you can win a Senate seat with those credentials. And with Paul Ryan announcing he is not running, the field is a bit more open.
Check out the story from WTMJ-TV here.
What do you think? Post your comments below, and vote in my new poll!
Check out these headlines from around the South Shore:
Also, City Clerk Jim Shelenske has published his monthly eVents newsletter, with details on happenings around town in coming weeks. Check it and all things South Milwaukee out at his website: www.southmilwaukee.org.
And I wonder if this Bay View bike race is the International Cycling Classic’s replacement for the Bucyrus International Cycling Classic? I still feel bad we’re not bringing this event back to South Milwaukee this summer … maybe next year.
Filed under Headlines
As I’ve writen about, a graduate class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning has made revitalizing downtown South Milwaukee one of its projects for the semester.
Well, the semester is over, and the plan is complete.
Check it out for yourself at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, when the presentation begins. (We have started the City Council meeting a half hour early to allow extra time to hear the students’ perspective and proposals.)
I had a chance to view the presentation to their class last week, and I came away very impressed. It truly delivers some fresh thinking and new perspectives that we need to kick-start the debate over the future of our city center.
Join us, and let me know what you think!
Filed under Community
South Milwaukee Rep. Mark Honadel has taken an interest in mining … and with his district being home to the world’s largest mining equipment manufacturer, it makes perfect sense.
But is what he’s proposing the right thing to do?
Honadel was quoted extensively in a story on Friday about two proposed, and controversial, mines in northern Wisconsin. One would mine iron ore near the tiny Ashland County town of Mellen, and the other is a gold mine near Wausau.
From the Small Business Times article:
A report released recently by Madison-based NorthStar Economics Inc. estimates the iron ore mine would create 3,175 jobs a year over a two-year period just to build it. Once the mine begins operating it would support 2,834 jobs in a 12-county region, including 700 mining jobs, the NorthStar report says. The total economic impact from the mine’s operations would be $604 million a year, the report says.
“This is such a good thing for Wisconsin,” said state Rep. Mark Honadel, R-South Milwaukee, who plans to introduce legislation to change the approval process for iron ore mines. “It’s going to be great for our state.”
Honadel plans to introduce a bill that would make it easier for iron ore mines, such as the one planned by Gogebic Taconite, to be approved. Iron ore mines should be reviewed in a separate process from how sulfide mine proposals, such as the possible gold mine near Wausau, are reviewed, he said. …
“Having only one set of standards (for all metallic mines) in the state really hinders Wisconsin from becoming a mover and a shaker in the iron ore mining industry,” he said. “If a (mining) company knows there is solid legislation in place and it’s fair for everybody, then they have peace of mind to still invest in Wisconsin.”
Honadel said most of his bill, which will be introduced soon, contains existing DNR regulations for mines.
“We want to keep our good air, water and wetland stuff in place,” he said. “I can’t tell you how excited I am for this bill.”
Honadel said a major reason he is interested in the iron ore mine proposal, which is located far from his district, is because South Milwaukee-based Bucyrus International Inc. plans to sell equipment for the mine.
The economic benefit the state would receive from an iron ore mine would be significant, Honadel said. Bucyrus, which is being acquired by Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar Inc., is just one of several companies in the state that could benefit, he said.
“This is going to be in place for a couple of generations of good family-supporting jobs,” Honadel said. “Mills could pop up to process the iron ore. This is going to be a huge, huge deal.”
Of course, not everyone is so enamored with the prospect of the two mines, especially the iron ore mine, nor the potential legislation, which, like the rest of Madison Republicans’ agenda these days, is being fast-tracked.
There are indeed serious environmental concerns with the mines and the prospect of speeding up the review process. This includes potential language in the Senate version of the bill that would reportedly (and amazingly, if true) state that mining permit applicants no longer would be “required to include a risk assessment of accidental health or environmental hazards potentially associated with the mining operations.” That is according to a draft copy of the bill obtained by Wisconsin Public Radio.
I’ll keep you posted on this issue.
In the meantime, I’d like to know what you think. Post your comments below!
Filed under Politics
Check out these headlines from around the South Shore, including a few crime stories involving either local residents or local police …
Also, check out the most recent police report from NOW. It shows a shocking number of reports of BB guns being fired into vehicle windows in Cudahy around the same time the South Milwaukee Police Department issued a press release on the subject.
And, finally, local State Sen. Chris Larson has launched a new website. Check it out here.
Filed under Headlines, Uncategorized
