South Milwaukee Blog

While I enjoyed Sunday’s July 4 events at Grant Park, it left me wondering: Should South Milwaukee have a July 4 parade?

Most other communities _ including Cudahy, St. Francis and Oak Creek — have parades on July 4, and they are wonderful celebrations of those communities.

That said, we also have the Heritage Days parade later in July, a great celebration in its own right.

What do you think? Post your comments below … and vote using the new poll feature on the right-hand side of the main page.

In my first year as alderman, it’s been a pleasure learning more about the South Milwaukee Police Department and the great work it does in our community — all with one of the smallest forces per capita in the area.

The department’s annual report reinforces this reality … and shows a mixed bag of crime statistics.

More on the stats in a second. But first let’s celebrate some of the 2009 successes from the department, including the launch of its new website, email alert service and crime-free multi-housing program. The department also began a check diversion program in cooperation with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office and a medicine collection program in cooperation with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

Of course, there were big wins fighting crime, too. The biggest: the arrest of two people for committing five armed robberies in a two-and-half-week period. Thanks to some great police work and help from local citizens, both subjects have been charged federally and are serving time in federal prison.

Said Chief Ann Wellens in the report: “I feel very proud of the effort department members put forth.” I couldn’t agree more.

Now on to the crime stats. From the report:

• Overall criminal offenses increased 5.6% percent from 2008 (500) to 2009 (528). While that sounds high, keep this in mind: 630 crimes occurred in South Milwaukee in 2006 and 569 in 2007.
• The number of violent crime incidents in South Milwaukee increased from 22 in 2008 to 27 in 2009, including seven more robberies over that span.
• Property crimes also increased, 4.8% from 478 in 2008 to 501 in 2009. That includes 24 more burglaries in 2009, to 96, but decreases in theft and motor vehicle theft.
• The clearance rate was 17.8% in 2009, down from 24.1% in 2008 and 18.1% in 2007, but higher from the 13% in 2006 and 15% in 2006.
• Of the 1,093 arrests in 2009, 759 were adults and 334 were juveniles. Of detentions, 321 were men and 74 were women.
• In the 96 burglaries of 2009, the average amount taken was $2,187, up significantly from 2008. Most break-ins — 58 of the 96 — occurred during the daytime hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Of the 383 reported thefts, 125 were from motor vehicles, with an average dollar loss of $436.
• The city responded to 386 animal-related calls and complaints in 2009, up slightly from 2008. The 553 noise complaints were down slightly from 2008.
• There were 955 disorderly conduct incidents reported in 2009, a decrease of 10.4% from 2008.

There was also some interesting traffic enforcement data in the report, as the department continued its directed traffic enforcement program in 2009. Each week, locations were highlighted for enforcement based on accident statistics, citizen complaints, requests from the traffic commission and high traffic areas, according to the report. Radar and laser speed measuring devices helped with these efforts.

Among the statistics:

• The total number of traffic citations and warnings issued in 2009 was 3,019, or 1,089 more traffic citations than 2008. The significant increase was due to a large increase in OWI arrests (a real success of its own).
• There were 497 written warnings and 115 mandatory seatbelt citations issued in 2009.
• There were 3,686 parking citations issued in 2009.

In all, there were 24,224 calls for service in 2009, up 18.5% percent from 2008.

I know this is a lot of numbers, but I think they tell a story — a story about the difficult job facing the group of dedicated officers and supervisors focused on keeping South Milwaukee the safe community it is.

I thank them and appreciate their service.

(I’ll post a link to the annual report as soon as I can. Hard copies are available.)

July 4 is one of my favorite holidays for a simple reason — it’s a chance for community celebration, a chance to build community pride. South Milwaukee is no different when celebrating our nation’s independence.

Our annual celebration begins at 10 a.m. Sunday at Grant Park’s Brown Pavilion (Picnic Areas 5 and 6). Fireworks are at 9:30 p.m.

Learn more on this page at SouthMilwaukee.org.

I hope to see you there!

Here is some other news of note from around the South Shore …

• South Milwaukee Principal to Lead MFHS (NOW)
• Emerald Ash Borer Strikes Cudahy (Journal Sentinel)
• Oak Creek Considers Tax District for Lakefront Development Effort (Journal Sentinel)
• Family of Oak Creek Man Mourns Death, Looks for Answers (Journal Sentinel)
• Missing Man Found Dead in Van Near Cudahy Park (Journal Sentinel)
• Court Deal Likely in Stolen Wreaths (Journal Sentinel)
• Plea Deal Expected in Football Bets Case (Journal Sentinel)

Also, County Supervisor Pat Jursik has published her July edition of e-News. Click here to see it.

Some good news about the Bucyrus International bank loan mess …

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this afternoon:

The U.S. Export-Import Bank has agreed to reverse a decision to deny $600 million in loan guarantees for mining equipment that would be manufactured in the U.S. for a coal mine in India, saving up to 1,000 jobs, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) said Wednesday.

Kohl said the bank would support the loan guarantees provided that the Indian borrower, Reliance Power Ltd., moves ahead with renewable energy projects that also could use U.S. made equipment.

Click here for the full story.

While this doesn’t keep the headquarters in South Milwaukee (see the post below), at least we can look forward to some new jobs …

It’s been quite an active couple weeks for South Milwaukee.

Neighbors upset with a sex offender living near Lakeview School. A chemical leak at Grobschmidt Pool. An explosion at Appleton Electric. A serious car accident sending five people to the hospital.

Indeed, I missed quite a bit while I was on vacation at the Georgia coast. But the biggest news came from, and continues to come from, Bucyrus International.

It started with a story in The Business Journal of Milwaukee that Bucyrus would officially make the former Midwest Airlines headquarters in Oak Creek its new “home base” once it moves its senior management there later this year.

Bucyrus CEO Tim Sullivan confirmed this fact in a story by reporter Rich Rovito … and in doing so confirmed my fears when Bucyrus first announced the acquisition of the Oak Creek property in May. I laid out my concerns in this post.

Simply, the Business Journal story clearly states that South Milwaukee will no longer be able to say that we’re home the world’s largest mining equipment manufacturer. Oak Creek can now make that boast, thanks in part to the help of some tax credits.

That news was bad enough. Then came word from the Wall Street Journal that Bucyrus may lose a major order for mining machinery because olf decision by the U.S. Export-Import Bank against providing loan guarantees for the project.

More from the story:

The decision is equivalent to “throwing 1,000 jobs in the ditch,” Tim Sullivan, chief executive of the South Milwaukee, Wis., maker of mining equipment, said in an interview Friday. Bucyrus has estimated that the order would create or protect 984 jobs in 13 U.S. states.

That potentially includes hundreds in South Milwaukee, tempering any enthusiasm for the planned addition of new jobs for the city arising out of the Terex Corporation acquisition.

Of course, the story is national now, and the bank may reportedly reconsider its decision. Let’s hope so.

I link these two stories because the Export-Import Bank case proves an important point: Manufacturing jobs can come and go … in this case, perhaps thanks to the vote of two people on a three-person loan committee.

So while South Milwaukee should celebrate the potential addition of jobs to our local plant, there is only one true “home” for Bucyrus, and that is now Oak Creek.

We (maybe) gain some jobs, but lose the headquarters. That’s disappointing news … and a net loss for South Milwaukee.

To all of the readers of the 4th District blog, thank you.

Traffic is steadily growing, and I am so grateful that people are dialing up my site to learn about what’s happening in the district and South Milwaukee.

I’m taking about 10 days off from posting, but I wanted to remind you of a few things in my absence from the blogosphere:

• The big public works project in the 4th District remains 15th Avenue. Weather has impacted it a bit, but it’s still expected to wrap up by August 30. Check out the timeline in my previous post, and thanks again for your patience during the construction.
• Work on resurfacing the “stub streets” off of 15th began this week.
• Don’t forget about the South Milwaukee Downtown Market, every Thursday from 3 to 7:30 p.m. on 11th Avenue south of Bucyrus. With more than 50 vendors and a great new seating area and entertainment, we’re really picking up steam. Stop by some night … grab dinner … do some shopping … enjoy some great music and fun. Learn more at our website, and be sure to join us on Facebook.
• Also, tell your friends about the Bucyrus International Cycling Classic on July 20. Learn more in the post below.
• And good luck to the South Milwauke High School softball team! The Rockets play Watertown on Thursday in Madison in the first state tournament game since 1998.

We’ll talk again in late June.

The Daily Reporter has an interesting story about the crumbling Hoan Bridge and the short-term fix planned to address it.

Check it out here. From the article:

Small pieces of concrete have fallen from the Hoan Bridge, a Wisconsin Department of Transportation official said, prompting a plan to hang a net beneath the Milwaukee structure. The WisDOT plan is feeding the concerns of a Milwaukee County supervisor who wants the bridge rebuilt.

As I’ve stated before on this blog, I have taken a different view on this issue. I want to see a formal study of all options when it comes to the bridge before deciding that a simple redecking in its current footprint is what’s necessary.

However, as the bridge continues to crumble, it’s looking more and more like redecking is the only way to go. With a short-term fix needed, there may not be enough time to truly look at the long-term future of the span, and that’ s unfortunate.

Heritage Week is already a great time to be in South Milwaukee. Spaghetti dinner at the firehouse. Evening on the Avenue. Lionsfest. Car cruise. Heritage Days parade. Friends of the Mill Pond and Oak Creek Watercourse Duck Race.

This year — and hopefully for many years to come — we welcome another great event: the Bucyrus International Cycling Classic.

The Classic, planned for Tuesday, July 20, promises to be a day full of competitive international cycling AND family fun.

Races begin around 10 a.m. and conclude around 8, as hundreds of cyclists, from amateurs to professionals, loop through a 2.8-mile course through the heart of downtown South Milwaukee and into the Oak Creek Parkway and Grant Park.

The start-finish line is planned for 9th and Milwaukee Avenues, and that’s where the fun continues with a special Tuesday edition of the South Milwaukee Downtown Market and a Wheaton Family Medical Group/South Shore YMCA family fun area.

Learn more in this press release, and I’ll have plenty more details in the weeks to come. Also check out our website, where you can learn more about sponsoring the race or taking part in the Downtown Market.

I also ask you to consider volunteering for the event. We need dozens, if not a hundred, volunteers to pull this off. Please consider giving a few hours of your time to help bring this wonderful day to life. Email me or comment on this post if you our your group is interested.

Here are some other headlines from around the South Shore:

• County Supervisor Larson to Challenge Plale (Blogging Blue)
• Slain Driver in Oak Creek Loved Cars, Was Loved by Friends (Journal Sentinel)
• DA To Review Crash Involving Deputy (Journal Sentinel)
• County Supervisors Bus, Bike to Work Friday Morning

State Sen. Jeff Plale, a South Milwaukee Democrat and 4th District resident, will face a challenge in the September primary from Milwaukee County Supervisor Chris Larson, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

State Rep. Mark Honadel is facing a Republican primary fight from Oak’s Creek’s Jason Scott Komorowski … and he is likely to face a sitting Oak Creek alderman in November.

Learn more about Plale’s competition in this Journal Sentinel story and this blog post. Larson’s quote: “There are definitely folks on the left (who) are not happy with the way things are going in Madison.”

Check out the press release announcing Larson’s candidacy and his website, which is currently under construction.

So far, just one Republican, Milwaukee attorney Jess Ripp, has formally declared his candidacy in the Senate race.

Oak Creek Alderman Tom Michalski is the only Democrat to formally declare in the Assembly race. Learn more in this Blogging Blue post.

Both races bear watching, and I’ll keep you posted as the Sept. 14 primary nears.

The South Milwaukee High School softball team rolled past Oak Creek, 11-1, on Thursday to qualify for its first WIAA state tournament berth in 12 years.

Here is the full story.

Here is some other news of note from around the South Shore …

• Woman Drives Car Off Grant Park Cliff (AM-620 WTMJ)
• Oak Creek Crash Victim  Was to Graduate Saturday (Journal Sentinel)
• Internet Sex Sting Leads to 10-Year Sentence (Journal Sentinel)

Week two of the 2010 South Milwaukee Downtown Market is here … and we hope you can join us.

This week, Lopez Bakery, the “kettlecorn guy” and Quednow’s Heirloom Apple Orchard are back, joining more than 50 other vendors for what promises to be a great event.

(And here is a quick sneak preview for June 17: Next week’s market features both the Health Department Poker Walk and a performance from the South Milwaukee Municipal Band!)

Learn more at our website, and be sure to become a member of our Facebook page.

Alderman Dave Bartoshevich and I hope you can join us for our second town hall meeting starting at 10 a.m. this Saturday at City Hall. We’ll cover a variety of topics, from all of the road projects going on in the district to the water rate increase.

Learn more in my previous post in our summer newsletter.