by | January 16, 2011 · 12:36 am

25,000 Views: Blog Hits a Milestone

When I launched 4thDistrictBlog.com in October of 2009, I had no idea it would grow like it has. But it has.

This week, the blog hit a major milestone (at least for me), as the number of page views to date topped 25,000.

Simply … thank you, thank you, thank you. I could not do this without you, and I appreciate and value your readership.

I look forward to continuing this service in 2011 and beyond, so please tell your family and friends about this website.

And please consider subscribing to the blog by clicking on the button on the right-hand side of this page. By doing so, you can have new blog entries automatically emailed to you, saving you the hassle of having to log on to see what’s new (although I’m not complaining if you do).

And did I say “thank you” yet?

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by | January 16, 2011 · 12:24 am

Expanding on My Quotes in the Journal Sentinel’s Walmart Story

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a story in Sunday’s edition updating the status — and mixed reception — of some of the new Walmarts proposed for the area. And the story quotes me.

You can read the piece by Tom Daykin here.

Here is the section on South Milwaukee …

In November, the Common Council approved plans to sell a city-owned lot to Gatlin as part of the Walmart site. The plan for the larger 10-acre site, west of Chicago Ave., one block south of College Ave., is expected to be filed soon.

Ald. Erik Brooks, whose district borders the Walmart site, says he’s heard from more Walmart supporters than opponents.

“I think they like the idea of a shopping source close by,” Brooks said. “We really don’t have big-box retail in South Milwaukee.”

Brooks also said the store would provide economic benefits, including about 200 jobs.

Ald. Mike Karbowski, whose district includes the site, said some residents are concerned about the effects of store traffic and water run-off.

But the benefits, he said, include property tax revenue generated by the development.

I think the story was well-done, and my quotes are accurate. Indeed, at community events, while on the campaign trail and simply talking to neighbors and friends, I have heard more positive than negative comments on the proposed Walmart so far.

The same holds true on my blog.

One reason I created this blog was to drive a community dialog on key issues (like the proposed Walmart) and give residents and others a forum to discuss them. The poll question (albeit admittedly unscientific and far from perfect) is one of those vehicles, and the strong response to the Walmart question the past couple of months has been as good a measuring stick as any for me on community reaction to the development.

Respondents have been overwhelmingly positive — more than 2-to-1 in favor of the store since the poll was published. And there is still time to vote. I will keep the poll question up at least a couple more weeks, so if you haven’t already weighed in, please do so.

Your feedback on this and every issue is important to me. The Journal Sentinel does not state this, but I have not made up my mind on the Walmart development, and I remain anxious to learn more about the plan, get some key questions answered and hear more of your thoughts. Let me know what you think. I promise to listen and take your perspective to heart as this moves ahead.

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by | January 14, 2011 · 11:30 pm

Local Mining Jobs in Question … Again

The U.S. Export-Import Bank is back in the news again, and that has not meant good news for South Milwaukee-based Bucyrus recently.

At issue is the bank’s potential funding of a mining project in South Africa — and the potential impact that that decision could have on jobs at either Bucyrus or Milwaukee-based Joy Global (which would likely make the shovel needed for the project). Read more in this Journal Sentinel story. From it:

If the plant gets financed, either Bucyrus or Joy Global would likely win a contract to build a coal mining dragline – a huge machine that Bucyrus says would take 30 months to manufacture at a cost of roughly $120 million.

It is work that could be started this year, said Bucyrus CEO Tim Sullivan.

“We know the mine would need a dragline,” he said. “If the Export-Import Bank processes this decision the way we hope they will, it means jobs in Milwaukee one way or the other.”

Sound familiar?

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by | January 12, 2011 · 9:10 pm

Oak Creek Power Plant Update and Other Headlines of Interest

So, the Oak Creek power plant is finally complete.

Read the full Journal Sentinel story here. From it:

The biggest unknown: the project’s final cost. We Energies will file reports detailing the final cost this year when it seeks to adjust rates for 2012 and 2013, Kuester said.

Regulators approved a $2.15 billion price tag for the project, and set a cap allowing overruns of up to 5% to be passed along to utility customers.

“We hope customers won’t have to pay for any cost overruns associated with the construction of the power plants,” Charlie Higley, executive director of the coustomer group Wisconsin Citizens’ Utility Board. “We’re also hopeful that the plants continue to run well, and that We Energies doesn’t charge customers for any costs associated with uneven performance” of the first coal plant last year.

And check out these other local headlines of note:

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by | January 10, 2011 · 3:23 pm

Flu Shots Available from South Milwaukee Health Department

The South Milwaukee Health Department will offer flu shots for adults and children from 2 to 4 p.m. every Thursday through March 31.

Cost for adults is $15, and shots for children are free.  This is a walk-in clinic, so no appointments are necessary. 

Call the Health Department for more information at 768-8055. And here is more information from the Centers for Disease Control about the 2010-11 flu season.

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by | January 9, 2011 · 11:56 pm

Don’t Sleep on the South Milwaukee Boys’ Basketball Team …

Update: Here is the Journal Sentinel story on the team’s 69-61 win over New Berlin Eisenhower on Tuesday.

The Rockets are firing.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has named the streaking South Milwaukee boys’ basketball team its Team of the Week. Learn more here, and check out more information on the team on the Wisconsin Sports Network’s team page.

We can only hope the basketball team finds the same success the football team had. Go Rockets!

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by | January 7, 2011 · 10:55 pm

Learn About South Milwaukee Sex Offender Rules and Other South Shore Headlines of Interest

The South Milwaukee Police Department is holding an informational session on sex offender registration laws on Monday, Jan. 20, at City Hall.

The approximately 30-minute presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session, starts at 7 p.m. Learn more in this flier.

Also, the South Milwaukee Fire Department joined others in the area responding to a fire in Cudahy Friday morning.

And check out these other headlines of interest from around the South Shore:

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by | January 6, 2011 · 10:40 pm

Celebrating a Refreshing Local Business

Haven’t heard of Joseph Ryan Clothing? You will.

It’s a “socially conscious clothier” started by brothers Nicholas and Chris Fare, South Milwaukee brothers who have both overcome muscular dystrophy en route to becoming entrepreneurs with a purpose — helping those with special needs.

Learn more on the brothers’ website and in this YouTube video. Also check out this story on South Milwaukee NOW, one that details the brothers’ efforts to land a Pepsi Refresh Project grant for their business.

From the business website:

The brothers have been personally involved in every phase of developing JR Clothing, from choosing the fine pima cotton fabric from a Peruvian supplier to designing the company’s logo. The name of the clothing is a combination of the brothers’ middle names, Nicholas Joseph and Christopher Ryan Fare.

The company donates 20% of every shirt sold. “This may seem like a lot especially for a new business but we are confident that we can establish ourselves as a successful brand in fashion and as a charitable organization by combining our values and our style.”

Sounds like a great concept, something South Milwaukee can be proud of. The Fares grew up in the city, went to South Milwaukee High School and still live here … so let’s get behind two of our own!

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by | January 6, 2011 · 11:22 am

A Quick Update on Walmart

There isn’t much new on the South Milwaukee Walmart front, but I’ve had a number of people ask recently, so here is what I know, based on an email from Community Development Director Danielle Devlin:

  • The executed purchase agreement between Gatlin Development and the city for the 3.5-acre, city-owned parcel on North Chicago Avenue has been completed and received. (You’ll recall that the entire development is around 10 acres and includes other privately owned parcels to the west of the city site.)
  • Our engineering department is working through the environmental and utility issues on the site with the developer’s consultants.
  • We expect Gatlin (Walmart) will formally submit plans for the site later this month.

I promise to keep you informed on the proposed Walmart if and when I know more — including information on any public meetings about the project. You will have a number of chances to be heard on this issue.

In the meantime, feel free to post your comments below and to vote in the poll found on the right-hand side of this page.

(Also: Gatlin and Walmart continues their efforts to build in a number of other communities in the area, to varying levels of hospitaility, including Menomonee Falls and the area near Timmerman Field.)

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by | January 5, 2011 · 12:57 pm

Three Candidates for Three South Milwaukee School Board Seats

The South Milwaukee School Board ballot is set.  

Three of the eight School Board seats are up for election on April 5 — those held by incumbents Patricia Bordak (board president), John Haslam and Brett Briesemeister — and there are three people formally running for those seats.

Pat and John will join challenger Carol Dufek on the ballot, according to the district. Brett is not running again after six years of service.

It’s good to see that there will at least be three candidates on the ballot. You’ll recall that in 2009 just one candidate (Theresa Travia) declared to run for two open School Board seats.

Joe Weirich beat Dufek as a write-in candidate to claim the other seat.

School board candidates serve three-year terms. Elected city officials serve two-year terms.

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by | January 5, 2011 · 11:34 am

Declaration Day: Who is Running for Alderman?

Tuesday’s filing deadline has come and gone, and it looks like the names on the April 5 ballot will be familiar ones.

Of the eight South Milwaukee aldermanic seats up for election, only one race — that for First District alderman — will feature competition.

In that district, incumbent Mike Karbowski will square off against local businessman Mike Moeller and Craig Maass for two seats. (You’ll recall that Mike McCarthy resigned the other First District seat in October.)

In the other three districts, only the two incumbents will have their names on the ballot come April: Patrick Stoner and Ramon Navarro in the Second District, Lisa Pieper and Joe Bukowski in the Third District and Dave Bartoshevich and me in the Fourth District.

Click here to see a complete list of aldermanic candidates whose names will appear on the South Milwaukee ballot.

Here is a link to my campaign website. You can view Moeller’s campaign site here. No other candidate has such a site.

Of course, South Milwaukee is not alone in having most of its local council seats uncontested. Here is a Journal Sentinel roundup of local election filings, and here is a look at what Oak Creek voters will see on their ballot.

On a personal note, the fact that I do not have competition on the ballot does not mean I won’t campaign this spring (although it might mean fewer yard signs). I look forward to getting out in the district in coming weeks and months to continue a dialog with my constituents and talk about the future of the Fourth District and South Milwaukee.

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by | January 3, 2011 · 11:37 pm

Read it NOW: Heart-Touching Stories of Resolve from South Milwaukee

I’ve been a pretty vocal critic of the NOW newspapers and websites on this blog.

So, I think it’s only right that I call out a strong piece of journalism from this media outlet when I see one. The paper’s new year’s “stories of resolve” are just that — examples of what reader-generated (and first-person) journalism can be if done well.

There are a couple of South Milwaukee stories of note. Check them out:

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by | January 3, 2011 · 11:22 pm

Taking a Ride on the Route 15 …

OnMilwaukee.com has a first-person account of a ride on the Route 15 bus from Bayshore to South Milwaukee and back again.

Check it out here. From it:

Jackie Janz, the marketing director for the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS), verified that the 15 was the longest route, looping 59.8 miles. It runs from the North Shore to South Milwaukee and back again. A portion of the 15 route is one of two of the original bus routes that originated 150 years ago.

“The 15 was an important industrial route back then and it remains that way today,” says Janz. “So many people rely on this route to get to work as well as to school and other important places.”

MCTS does not have demographic information for the passengers of specific bus routes, but from what I could assess, the 15 is a diverse mix of ages and races, with — not surprisingly — more college students riding on the East Side and more workers riding on the South Side. …

I also met Wayne Schuman, who has rode the 15 for 15 years to and from his job at Bucyrus International.”It takes me 15 minutes to get to and from work,” he says. “It has worked out great for me.”

I also took the 15 bus to work at MillerCoors one day recently, with my car in the shop. I was happy with the experience … and would not hesitate to do it again.

The question is, however, what type of transit system will we have in coming years given the “death by a thousand cuts” reality of recent years with this one-time mass transit jewel?

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by | January 3, 2011 · 11:09 pm

An Closer Look at Fourth District Demographics and Other Headlines

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s PolitiFact team has an interesting story taking a closer look at a statement made recently by U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore: Is the Fourth Congressional District (which includes South Milwaukee) the fourth-poorest in the country?

The short answer: No.

Learn more in this story.

And check out these other headlines of note from around the South Shore:

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by | January 3, 2011 · 12:48 am

A New Way to Promote South Milwaukee Businesses

I continue to believe that we do a poor job of telling the South Milwaukee story — letting others know about all of the things that make our city great and all of the opportunities available here.

That includes promoting our local businesses.

The South Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce is doing its part. It is taking part in a new “Milwaukee Shop Local”  campaign that offers online and in-store shopping opportunities, discounts, coupons and events associated with local businesses.

Learn more here. Advertisers range from Parkway Floral to the South Milwaukee Public Library.

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