South Milwaukee Blog

In my ongoing efforts to keep people updated on 4th District and South Milwaukee news and issues, I’m starting an email update service.

To sign up, simply email me at erikbrooks32@yahoo.com.

What you’ll get are regular emails from me calling attention to important “new news” on the blog. The key word there is “important.” I promise not to bombard your inboxes with emails.

In fact, some weeks you may not see an email from me. On others you may see a couple, or more.

Major city government, school or crime news. Public  works project updates. Event previews. Other information you need to know about South Milwaukee, its people, places and institutions. That’s what you can expect from these email updates, and my blog.

I hope you consider signing up … and telling your friends. I am committed to keeping residents informed, and this email service will help.

That Drexel Interchange at Interstate 94 remains a longshot at best. Too bad.

Learn more in this Journal Sentinel story.

From the story:

The chances of a new I-94 interchange being built at Drexel Ave. in Oak Creek remain in question after the common councils in Oak Creek and Franklin took no action on related proposals Tuesday.

The state Department of Transportation requires that 50% of the cost of new interchanges be covered by local money. And it has set a deadline of May 1 for a local money commitment in order for an interchange at Drexel to be considered.

A resolution presented to the Oak Creek Common Council on Tuesday would commit the city to contributing $3.75 million toward the cost of the interchange itself, plus $650,000 for lighting on Drexel Ave. and on S. 27th St. as well as making changes in city utilities.

The council took no action on the resolution, but could schedule a special meeting for as soon as Monday to discuss it.

Let’s hope this proposal doesn’t die. I think a Drexel interchange is a great idea and a good thing for South Milwaukee.

Here are a few additional area headlines you may be interested in …

• Oak Creek Backs Study of Lake Parkway Extension
• Cudahy Library Square Condos, Bought in Foreclosure, Nearly Sold Out
• Number of Lobbyist-Written State Bills Grows (State Sen. Jeff Plale mentioned prominently)
• Miller Brewing to Receive Water Use Credit Worth up to $300,000 (Plale led the charge for this)

There was some news for 4th District residents coming out of Tuesday’s South Milwaukee City Council meeting … and it wasn’t the fact I am now the chairman of the Public Works and Property Committee.

Rather, the “stub streets” are finally getting resurfaced. The council approved spending just shy of $134,589 to rebuild the following streets:

• Pine, Chestnut and Cedar Streets: 15th Avenue easy to the alley
• Michigan and Marquette Avenues: 15th Avenue west to Oak Creek Parkway

The work, to be done this summer, will include the following:

• Spot replacement of deteriorated curb and gutter (100 percent on Pine Street);
• Removal of asphalt;
• Over excavation of poor base materials and clay; and
• Installation of a stone base and new asphalt pavement.

We received eight bids in all, seven higher than the city engineer’s estimate of nearly $143,000 due to a spike in asphalt prices.

I think it’s money well spent — some of these roads haven’t been resurfaced in 60 years. While they are certainly not highly traveled, these streets need attention. There are none worse in the city.

But, of course, I’d be happy to know your thoughts.

Among our other votes was one to amend the salary ordinance to account for Jim Shelenske’s election as city clerk.

The suspect in Sunday’s suspected homicide has been identified as 28-year-old Joshua D. Wollinger.

Learn more in this Journal Sentinel story, which says the case against Wollinger will be referred to the Milwaukee Country District Attorney’s office as early as Thursday.

Police allege Wollinger killed 47-year-old Richard Ostrowski in an apartment in the 1000 block of Milwaukee Avenue. Wollinger, apparently intoxicated and covered in blood, was arrested in the apartment.

South Milwaukee police have identified the victim in Sunday evening’s stabbing death as 47-year-old Richard E. Ostrowski.

The suspect in the case, who was arrested at the scene of the incident in the 1000 block of Milwaukee Avenue, has not been identified. Police are recommending charges of first degree intentional homicide against the man, who they say stabbed Ostrowski to death.

We’re getting plenty of media coverage for this, unfortunately, but when a city the size of South Milwaukee has two homicides in the span of three weeks — after having none in five years — it’s unavoidable.

From the WTMJ-TV story …

Juan Carrasco knows the two men involved in the Sunday night homicide, the victim and the 28-year-old suspect. Carrasco manages a ministry outreach a few blocks from the apartment where 47-year-old Richard Ostrowski was found dead.

“Close friends, close friends it seemed,” he said. “Never seen them argue.”

Investigators believe the suspect actually made the desperate 911 call from an apartment at 1011 Millwaukee Avenue. By the time help arrived, it was too late. Ostrowski died from a stab wound to the chest.

From the WISN-TV story …

Investigators are not offering a motive, but according to a search warrant obtained by 12 News, the suspect called 911 after committing the crime. According to the search warrant the suspect was covered in blood and highly intoxicated.

Also check out the story from Fox 6. And here is the original police press release.

One complaint I hear (and make) often about South Milwaukee is that it’s hard to get to. It’s hard to “stumble upon” our great city. You have to want to go here to get here.

State Sen. Jeff Plale brought home this point at last week’s South Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce dinner, when he said he encountered a longtime area resident at the recent South Milwaukee Spring Market that had never even heard of our city until that day.

That’s why the idea of a Drexel Avenue entrance and exit at Interstate 94 is appealing to me. It would create another entry point into the city — a second exit from I-94 in addition to Rawson Avenue that will make it that much easier to find your way to South Milwaukee.

The Oak Creek City Council is taking up the issue at its meeting Tuesday night.

Learn more here, and click here to see the resolution.

I am interested to know what you think. Post your comments below.

A man was stabbed to death Sunday evening in his residence in the 1000 block of Milwaukee Avenue in South Milwaukee.

A 28-year-old man is in custody, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting. Click here for the story.

It may be the second homicide in South Milwaukee in less than three weeks — after the city went years without a murder — and the second stabbing downtown in recent months. You’ll also recall the stabbing at Sportz Medicine II in early March.

I’ll keep you posted when I get more details.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an interesting story on the death of Mille Totushek, a former South Milwaukee resident and accomplished photographer.

From the story:

She grew up in South Milwaukee. Her first camera was a little black Brownie, a reward from her grandmother for picking raspberries. Later, while still in high school, she applied for a part-time drafting job at Bucyrus-Erie.

“I wanted to be an architect or an interior decorator,” Totushek said, speaking in a 1976 newspaper story. “They didn’t have an opening, so they asked me if I’d like to start temporarily in the photographic department.”

The temporary job lasted 10 years.

“I was doing machines and going up on cranes,” she said. “I’d crawl into their open furnaces to take pictures of their bricks.”

She would go on to study photography at the Layton School of Art and open a photo studio in Oak Creek. From the story:

Totushek repeatedly won the annual grand award for the Wisconsin Professional Photographers Association. Other honors included the Professional Photographers of America’s mentor award. She was a regular judge for photo competitions, both in Wisconsin and elsewhere. She continued working into her 70s.

There are some wonderful memories of Mille in this Heritage Funeral Home online guestbook.

The Totushek name is well-known in South Milwaukee. Mille was the sister-in-law of former South Milwaukee School Board member and area musician Robert Totushek, who died in 2001. You can read his obituary here.

The city is now accepting applications from Third District residents interested in replacing Alderman Jim Shelenske, who will take over as city clerk on May 1.

Shelenske told me today that he submitted his resignation on Thursday, and the City Council will surely accept it at its next meeting on Tuesday. His seat will officially be vacant starting April 30.

The council will interview candidates at a special May 17 meeting and likely vote that night on a replacement for Shelenske. That person will then serve out the remainder of Shelenske’s term until the April 2011 elections.

Read more in the press release here. And click here for the application if you’re interested in applying.

And speaking of city clerk, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an interesting story about cost savings that the city will realize because Shelenske was elected last month. South Milwaukee pays its full-time elected officials in a range based on experience, so a newly elected official like Shelenske receives a smaller paycheck than than a three-term clerk like Kathleen Lisowski. That equates to about an $11,000 savings per year.

From the story …

Having been clerk for six years, Lisowski’s salary was $67,626. But, by virtue of being new to the job, Shelenske, who has held the part-time position of alderman for four years, will be paid at the bottom of the clerk’s scale, $56,368.

City Administrator Tami Mayzik said Friday that Oak Creek has a similar system, but she didn’t know whether other municipalities pay their full-time elected officials based on their time in the job. She said the view in South Milwaukee is that a person becomes more productive the more time they have in the job.

If a person stays clerk long enough, he or she could earn $72,462 per year, based on the current salary ordinance.

I received a press release tonight from the South Milwaukee Police Department about the recent homicide at the Badger Place Apartments.

It doesn’t add too much from what I posted last weekend, but here is the text:

“Please be advised that the missing vehicle from this case has been located. The person who was found driving the vehicle was interviewed and released. No information including sex, race, or where the vehicle was found will be released at this time. Investigators are following up on leads. We have no other updated information at this time. Thank you.”

I’ll share further updates when I get them.

I am a big and longtime fan of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Jim Stingl because he always tells the stories no one else tells — unique, compelling and real-world portrayals of larger issues.

His column this week is another winner, and it focuses on a South Milwaukee High School student.

Check it out here … and let’s hope there’s a happy ending to this. And by “happy ending” I mean the ticket should be thrown out in court.

Here’s a few more headlines of note from around the South Shore …

• Oak Creek to Address Lake Parkway Extension
• Cudahy Emergency Crews Complete Fire Drill
• Defendant Won’t Use Public Defender in Football Bets Case
• Hazardous Waste Collection is Friday, Saturday

Oak Creek is a jewel of the 4th District … and all of South Milwaukee. Help polish that jewel on Saturday, April 17.

That is when we’ll be celebrating Earth Day with a cleanup of this invaluable resource, as well as other areas around the city. The event is planned for 9 a.m. to noon.

Clean-up stations (to sign up and pick up garbage bags) are at:

• South Milwaukee City Hall;
• The southwest corner of 16th and Rawson Avenues (I’ll be here);
• The southwest corner of Oak Creek Parkway and North Chicago Avenue; and
• The South Milwaukee Fire Department.

The Friends of Mill Pond and Oak Creek Watercourse are holding  a cleanup of its own that day for the area between the Grant Park beach and North Chicago. Meet at the Grant Park beach parking lot at 8 a.m. The Friends group will provide safety vests, bags, water and vinyl gloves.

Lunch will be served to all volunteers following the cleanup.

Questions? Call fellow 4th District Alderman David Bartoshevich at 764-2836.

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

• Officials Deny Rumor About Patrick Cudahy Move
• Cudahy Woman Crowned Miss Milwaukee
• Woman Struck and Killed by Train Identified
• Cousins Subs Seeks Local Nonprofits to Benefit from Donation Days