South Milwaukee Blog

Bring your family, friends, groups and organizations for a socially distanced cleanup events. See you Saturday!

Service started yesterday, at two sites, and are free and open to all students.

From the South Milwaukee School District website …

We want to be sure to offer free meals to our students who depend on the schools for meals. Our School Nutrition Services Department will be providing “grab and go” lunches along with an additional breakfast offering that is shelf stable for the following morning for all of our students. 

The meals will be free of charge and be provided at the following sites at the following times on  Meals can be picked up at any location regardless of the school you attend. Our preferred method of delivery is drive up. All visitors should leave the school property once the lunch is received.

Locations & Hours

• High School: 12 – 12:45pm (Door #29)
• Lakeview: 11:30am – 12pm (Door #1) *changed from door 11

Monday, 6/22 – Thursday, 8/13

• Monday (Monday’s meal only)
• Tuesday (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday meals only)
• Thursday (Friday, Saturday, Sunday meals only)

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Just before the pandemic, we lost Harold Swanson, a South Milwaukee resident who captained the 1952 Rocket state championship basketball team before leaving a lasting mark on local tennis and in the classroom.

Learn more is his obituary, and in this terrific piece on his legacy from the Racine Journal Times. Rest in peace, Coach Swanson.

Here is the proclamation I shared at a small graveside service today.

WHEREAS, Harold Otto Swanson was born in South Milwaukee on April 20, 1935, to Carl and Marion Swanson. Harold went to school in South Milwaukee, graduating from South Milwaukee High School in 1953. During his time at the high school, Harold captained the basketball team which won the Wisconsin state championship in 1952; and

WHEREAS, after graduating, Harold attended the University of Minnesota, earning letters in basketball and tennis for four years. After graduation from college, Harold began his teaching career in Minnesota for two years before returning to Milwaukee. He and Kathryn Lindall married on June 9, 1962, and would raise three children, Kristen, Thor and Erik; and

WHEREAS, after his return to Milwaukee, Harold served as the first tennis pro at the Western Tennis Club in Elm Grove for 10 years. He then taught at South Milwaukee Middle School before joining the faculty at The Prairie School in Racine, where he coached boys’ and girls’ tennis for decades, leaving a strong legacy on and off the court; and

WHEREAS, Harold led Prairie tennis teams to six state championships and individual athletes to over 50 state recognitions. In 2013, Harold was recognized as the Division II Coach of the Year by the Wisconsin Tennis Coaches’ Association, a distinction conferred by his peers. In 2014, he was inducted into the Wisconsin Tennis Coaches’ Hall of Fame. Harold’s career as a coach was based on his drive to work with students and young adults, mentoring them to be the best they could be of themselves and seeking to achieve personal growth and advancement through hard work and commitment. To Harold, trophies and “wins” were secondary to the experience of doing your best; and

WHEREAS, Swanny’s love of tennis is equal to his passion for working with students. For 46 years, Harold was a social studies teacher at Prairie, demonstrating tremendous patience and commitment, individualizing his approach to learning by organizing after-school study sessions and developing games to help students prepare for exams; and

WHEREAS, Harold passed away on March 2, 2020, leaving a legacy worthy of praise.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Mayor Erik Brooks and the Common Council of the City of South Milwaukee, do hereby declare June 22, 2020, as “Harold Otto Swanson Day” in the City of South Milwaukee in recognition of a life well lived and in his honor.  

Details here, and here are steps Milwaukee County is taking to ensure safety during the pandemic. They include the use of single-use cups, table sanitation, and no live music.

It was a beautiful Thursday at the South Milwaukee Downtown Market, which has reopened safely and with a really nice mix of vendors.

Thank you to the organizers for working with the Health Department on a reopening strategy, and thank you to the vendors who have given the market, and South Milwaukee, a chance in these difficult times.

Check it out for yourself every Thursday, 3 to 7 p.m.

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I’m happy to announce I’m restarting my Meet the Mayor events — socially distanced and outside, so they’re as safe as possible.

Here are dates, times and locations for my next three …

• Thursday, June 25: Noon at Ferch’s Beachside (Grant Park Beach).
• Saturday, July 25: Noon at Taco Stop MKE, 513 N. Chicago.
• Saturday, August 29: Noon at The Tap Room, 1301 Milwaukee Ave.

Mark your calendars, and please bring your questions, comments or concerns — or just stop by, say hi and support a local business. And please bring a friend or three!

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It was great to see South Milwaukee Little League begins its new season tonight, with safety measures in place.

Games continue weeknights through July. Here is the schedule.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who make this happen every year, especially this year, as they’ve worked extra hard to provide some sense of normalcy in this difficult summer.

Play ball!

I’m taking a much-needed and long-overdue break from Facebook. 

This includes my mayoral and personal pages and several others I’ve started over the years to keep people informed on more specific things like promoting Rocketober and Christmas events in South Milwaukee.

James Moran has graciously agreed to administer the Shop Local South MIlwaukee page, which I began to promote local businesses. Thanks, James!

My campaign team will continue to manage my Brooks for Assembly page. 

There remain plenty of ways to get in touch with me, stay informed, raise questions and share your thoughts on issues.

• Follow South Milwaukee Blog. I’ll keep it going, minus comments, and will probably ramp up my posting. You can get emails every time I post by signing up from the link on the front page of my site. 
• Email me at brooks@smwi.org. 
• Call me at 414-768-8049 and leave a voicemail.
• Write me a letter. 
• Speak at a council meeting. 
• Set up an in-person meeting, which I welcome and do frequently. 
• Or find me around town at an event. 

I’ll be back to Facebook eventually, and it may be a while.

Until then, l ask you to remember the words we choose matter, especially during the generational challenges we’re facing. Let’s use words to unite, not divide; to build up, not tear down; to help, not harm. That includes me.

And let’s be stronger, together.

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From the South Milwaukee Fire Department …

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF MOTHER NATURE OR LAKE MICHIGAN!!

Shortly after 2pm this afternoon, the SMFD responded to Grant Park Beach for a report of several young children floating away from shore on an inflatable raft. While the on-duty officer responded to the beach area to identify any witnesses and attempt to identify a last known location of the raft, additional crews responded to the South Milwaukee Yacht Club to prepare our rescue boat for launch.

Upon their arrival at the beach, crews were able to make visual contact with the raft and confirmed that it was approximately 200 yards or more off shore and being pushed further out. They were also able to identify that there were several occupants still on the raft.

At the time, the winds at the lakefront were from the west at approx. 16mph. And, while the air temperature was 80 degrees, the Lake Michigan water temperature was 56 degrees. According to the National Center for Cold Water Safety, water temperature between 50-60F is considered very dangerous/immediately life-threatening and can lead to total loss of breathing control, maximum intensity cold shock, and leave a person unable to control gasping and hyperventilation.

Within 5 minutes of the launch of the rescue boat, all three patients were brought on board, provided with life jackets and blankets to keep warm and the boat was en route back to the SMYC where they were evaluated by EMS and reunited with their parents. Besides being terrified and cold, the young girls were not injured.

To say the least, these girls were lucky the SMFD is trained and equipped to respond to this type of water emergency as any more time in the water could have led to serious injury or death.

While we’re not coming together this July 4th, we can still proudly celebrate Independence Day.

Residents, businesses, and other organizations are encouraged to create patriotic-themed displays that we’ll share on the city website and Facebook page — so you can check them all out on your own during a virtual July 4th parade.

Submit your photo entries below or submit them using our Google form. https://forms.gle/T2ExrvW479Vbmarx5

We will upload the entries to our Facebook page, with followers being able to vote for the best of the best.

All entries must be submitted by June 29.

The South Milwaukee Beautification Committee is proud to present a socially distanced community cleanup.

Bring your family, friends and groups to help clean up areas across the city and in our parks and parkways.

Meet at Da Crusher Statue, and we’ll give out bags and assignments.

Please practice social distancing as you beautify South Milwaukee. Masks are encouraged if working in groups.

Former South Milwaukee Mayor Chet Grobschmidt turns 100 today!

Please join me in wishing a happy birthday to this community icon, on what we’ve proclaimed Mayor Chet Day in South Milwaukee.

WHEREAS, Chester W. Grobschmidt was born June 8, 1920, one of five children of John and Ann Grobschmidt. The family moved to South Milwaukee in 1926. Chet attended St. Mary’s Grade School and graduated from South Milwaukee High School in 1938; and

WHEREAS, in 1938 Chet got his first job pedaling the Shopping News. Four years later, Chet began his 40-year career at Bucyrus Erie, retiring in 1983. Chet served in the Navy during World War II from 1942-46 in New Guinea (Admiralty Islands), and was discharged with the rank of Second Class Metalsmith. Chet was celebrated for his service by participating in an Honor Flight to Washington D.C.; and

WHEREAS, in January, 1948, during the Blizzard of ‘48, Chet married Leone Repech and they had two children, Richard and Karen. Leone passed away in 1982 after 34 years of marriage. In 1992, Chet married Lorraine Schweitzer and expanded his family with four stepchildren: Sharon, Patsy, Jim and Jon. Chet and Lorraine were married for 24 years until her death in 2016; and

WHEREAS, Chet has a long legacy of service to his community. He served as Alderperson for the Fourth District for nine years. In 1966, Chet was elected Mayor of the City of South Milwaukee and served the city in that capacity for 28 years, retiring in 1994. During his time as Mayor, Chet provided strong leadership for the city during a time of significant change.  This list of course is long, a few highlights are in 1982, City Hall moved to its current location at the former Parkway Elementary School on 15^th Avenue, and the mayor led efforts to fund and open the South Milwaukee Senior Center, which was renamed the Chester W. Grobschmidt Senior Center in 1996. The new fire station was dedicated in 1981, and Chet was instrumental in the bringing the Med-10 Unit to the city which began service in 1988. He also began the recycling program and led efforts to keep local control over the South Milwaukee Sewage Treatment Plant; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Chet’s dedication to the city and it didn’t end when he left office. Chet was a strong advocate for the beautification of the downtown area.  An avid gardener, he prized his dahlias and would bring some to City Hall every year for the employees to enjoy. He was a member of multiple veterans organizations, involved with the War Memorial and served as president of the Historical Society; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Mayor Erik Brooks and the Common Council of the City of South Milwaukee do hereby declare June 8, 2020, as “Mayor Chet Day” in the City of South Milwaukee in celebration of his 100^th birthday, wish Chet well as we recognize this milestone, and thank him for his lifetime of dedicated service to the city. 

Work continues on the Oak Creek Watershed Restoration Plan, even if the pandemic has prevented a community meeting for feedback on the second part of Chapter 4. It’s full of information that will be the foundation for the discussion of needed investments and recommended actions for this critically important body of water.

The final plan is set for delivery at the end of the year.

From the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission …

We continue to make progress on the Oak Creek Watershed Restoration Plan, and now have the second half of our “Inventory Findings” chapter (Chapter 4) ready for review. 

• All of the work completed to date for this project can be found on the project website.
• Here is the link to the second half of Chapter 4.
• We have also completed  a summary presentation for the new text in the second half of Chapter 4.

Comments on the draft plan text can be submitted via the project website or to Laura Herrick at lherrick@sewrpc.org. We look forward to your input to help us continue our progress on this important plan.

Stronger, together. I’ve said that countless times, choosing to always put the focus on unity and cooperation, not division and discord, as we seek to move past our differences and work together to solve problems.

I’ve said it as mayor, as a legislative candidate, and in countless conversations with friends, colleagues, family and my kids. 

I’ve urged it as we worked to unite South Milwaukeeans around an agenda for our promising future. I’ve urged it as we continue to address the pandemic, doing the best we can amid a generational challenge. 

Today I hope and pray for that same unity as we confront the societal realities revealed and illuminated by the death of George Floyd, and the protests that have followed. 

Stronger, together. Now, more than ever. 

In the last 10 days, I have thought a lot about what I would write on this platform, knowing that whatever I say here will not go far enough for some, and will go too far for others. 

Some will say I’m a politician exploiting issues that I have no business weighing in on because of the color of my skin. Others will say I should have a stronger voice and lead from the front. 

Some will say I’m part of the problem. Others will say I, and leaders like me, need to be more a part of the solution. 

I’ll let others judge as I speak from the heart and say and do what I think is right. This is where I stand. 

I stand with the peaceful protestors — and against those who seek to do harm to our communities. 

I stand with the police department, and the vast, vast majority of officers who are committed to keeping us safe and put their lives on the line every day to do so — and against officers who abuse that public trust and commit unjustified acts of violence. 

I stand with those who are speaking out across this city, state and country. I am inspired by the diversity of those who have taken to the streets to raise their voices in support of black Americans and against hatred and prejudice. These are Americans of all colors fighting for change, many of them are my (and your) friends, colleagues and neighbors. 

At the same time, I stand against those who are using these peaceful protests as a means to violent ends. There is no place for violence and lawlessness in the name of protesting. This drowns out the message, puts our officers and the public at risk, and makes the change sought that much harder to achieve. When residents are scared for their safety, buildings are engulfed in flames, businesses are looted, and dissenting views are shouted down, it’s hard to see beyond that, to a place where real change happens. 

But we have to see beyond it nonetheless. 

I stand with the police officers — husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends and neighbors — who have decided to make protecting and serving our community their jobs, and the many who do it well. They should not be shot at, assaulted, and targeted for doing those jobs. 

Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated our officers and their work before the South Milwaukee Common Council with the presentation of the department’s annual report, a summary what our officers are doing to work alongside the community to keep our city safe. That night, I celebrated that policing partnership and called our officers “everyday heroes,” as I have many times. That remains true. 

But this is not the case everywhere and in all cases, and police officers who break the law must be held accountable. Those responsible for the death of George Floyd — and the too many other black Americans who have lost their lives due to criminal actions by the police — must be brought to justice. No one can be above the law. 

Black lives must matter, and we must put in the hard and sometimes painful work to make sure that is the case. 

We face huge challenges in doing so.

There are too many black Americans dying unnecessarily at the hands of police. Institutional racism exists. Gaping inequities between white and black Americans are real. The societal problems faced by people of color in this country are undeniable. Hate and prejudice live.

All of this is true, and it’s true in South Milwaukee. We must face all of this as a nation, and as a community. The protests have brought that front and center this week, as have the words I’ve heard loudly and clearly from people across our community. 

We must hear their voices, and act, bringing to life the change we need. 

I don’t pretend to have all the answers here, or any at all. But we need to do better. Change must come. 

Let’s make these protests mean something. Let’s get to work. 

And that’s my pledge to South Milwaukee: To do my part to address the past, present and future of race in our city, starting a dialogue that I hope will lead to real and necessary change.  

Let’s start today with one small, but still significant, way to have an impact: Stepping up to be on a city board or commission. We have more than a dozen of these bodies, and each plays a role in driving thought and action in specific areas of government. See the full list and apply to join one here. We currently have a vacancy on the Board of Health, with other vacancies coming up throughout the year, across boards and commissions.

Diverse candidates are encouraged. Diversity makes us stronger, and the makeup of our boards and commissions today does not reflect our increasingly ethnically diverse city. We, I, need to do better here, and will. 

And I need your help to do it. Please apply.

Of course, this is just the start, and it’s not enough. There is more work to come and do, and you’ll hear more about it in the weeks, months and years ahead. I ask the community to join me, knowing we are, and always will be, stronger, together. 

From the City of South Milwaukee Facebook page …

A free, South Shore COVID-19 testing site will be held at the Cudahy Water Utility, 5110 S. Lake Drive, June 4 – 6, 2020. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

No appointment is necessary, and individuals do not have to have symptoms to be tested. Drive through and walk-up testing is available.

For more information, please see the flyer.

This testing site is brought to you by the Oak Creek Health Department, the South Milwaukee/St. Francis Health Department, Cudahy WI Health Department and the Wisconsin National Guard.