From the engineer’s office … thanks ahead of time for your patience.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Rawson Avenue Closure at Railroad Crossing beginning Wednesday, July 10th.
Contractors for Union Pacific Railroad will be closing Rawson Avenue to ALL TRAFFIC at the railroad crossing in both directions beginning at 6:00 AM on Wednesday, July 10th. Work is scheduled to be complete by 6:00 PM on Friday, July 12th.
Please plan your daily commute accordingly.
Filed under South Milwaukee
Filed under South Milwaukee
Nominations for the South Milwaukee Beautification Committee Curb Appeal awards are are now open!
This award is presented to South Milwaukee businesses, homeowners, and civic organizations who devote extra effort to their property’s beautification, through landscaping and other street-facing efforts.
Deadline to submit nominations is July 31. Do so using this online form, or by replying the city’s Facebook post with addresses.
From the city website, where you can find information on all Beautification Awards throughout the year …
The South Milwaukee Curb Appeal Awards are presented annually to South Milwaukee businesses, homeowners and civic organizations who devote extra effort to their property’s beautification, through landscaping and other street-facing efforts. Judging criteria include utilization of color, appropriateness for the architecture of the structure, originality, lawn upkeep, and decorative exterior structures. Properties also will be judged on the overall exterior appearance of their buildings. Current-year Garden Tour entrants are also not eligible.
The recipients of the Beautification Awards are selected by the Beautification Committee in early August. The Beautification Awards are nomination-based, with nominations being solicited using Facebook and this online form.
Each of the homeowners will receive $50 a yard sign. The businesses will receive everything but the cash prize.
Filed under South Milwaukee
Congratulations to the South Milwaukee Police Department for their work on this tragic case. From the department today …
A summons was issued this week for First Degree Reckless Homicide (Len Bias Law) against a 35-year-old Milwaukee man who allegedly provided drugs to a South Milwaukee woman, causing her death. The incident occurred on December 5th, 2018, in the 300 block of Marquette Avenue. Officers and paramedics were initially dispatched to that location for a suspected overdose, and when they arrived they found an unresponsive 61-year-old South Milwaukee woman. Paramedics attempted to revive her but those efforts were unsuccessful. The victim died as a result of an accidental overdose and a lengthy investigation eventually led to the identification of the alleged drug supplier.
Filed under South Milwaukee
Check out these South Milwaukee headlines …
And check out this BizTimes story on Milwaukee-area rent prices. From it:
The cheapest rent prices in the state can be found in South Milwaukee. In May, it recorded an average rent price of $813, which was a $16, or nearly 2%, increase from the previous year. Following South Milwaukee for communities with cheapest rental rates are Kenosha, with an average rate of $1,028 per month, and Waukesha, at $1,028 per month.
Filed under South Milwaukee
From the Mayor’s Picnic to the bouncy houses, I am proud of how we’ve been able to grow this event over the years, thanks to our sponsors.
This year, we’ve added an afternoon and evening of live music, starting with a performance by our high school a cappella groups, and we’ve invested more into the fireworks show.
See you Thursday for another Independence Day of family fun!
Filed under South Milwaukee
We will redevelop South Milwaukee, one small business at a time (and maybe a few big ones too).
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been proud to help welcome CM Salons (who previously called Oak Creek home), Eberhardy & Eberhardy (previously in Cudahy), and Black Sheep Tattoo to town, and celebrate a nice renovation at one of our longstanding local merchants, Parkway Floral.
There are more wins on the horizon, probably some losses too.
The progress is real. But we have lots of work yet to do. We’re doing it.
Filed under South Milwaukee
I’ll bring the beer, MillerCoors products of course.
Filed under South Milwaukee
From the South Milwaukee School District …
We are happy to announce that the School Board for the School District of South Milwaukee approved Dr. Jeffrey Fleig as the next principal of South Milwaukee High School effective July 8, 2019.
Dr. Fleig has 21 years of experience in administration. He previously served as the principal for La Crosse Central High School for 5 years, and as the assistant principal of the same high school for 6 years prior to becoming the principal. Since moving to the Milwaukee area three years ago, Dr. Fleig has been the principal of Glen Hills Middle School in the Glendale River Hill School District.
Dr. Fleig was chosen to be the next principal of South Milwaukee High School after multiple interviews with students, parents, teachers, administration, and the Board of Education. He recently received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with his dissertation focused equity for all students. His master’s degree is from UW-Superior, and his undergraduate work is from UW-La Crosse. The School District of South Milwaukee is very excited to announce his appointment.
Welcome to South Milwaukee, Dr. Fleig, and good luck at Kettle Moraine, Mrs. Kaminski!
Filed under South Milwaukee
I had the pleasure of meeting many of the students of South Milwaukee’s REAL Academy recently during their open house and graduation ceremony. What an impressive group of young adults — and what an impressive example of innovating to improve the lives of all students.
Indeed, this is a South Milwaukee success story. And these kids are too.
The REAL (Rocket Education for Alternative Learning) Academy offers an option for kids who may have been left behind in many districts.
Kids — those who need an alternative learning environment outside of the traditional high school — meet for three hours a day and get a lot out of that time. As instructor Joanna Rizzotto told me when I first learned about this effort several years ago …
The REAL Academy is an alternative learning environment that provides high need, at-risk and special education students equal access to education by addressing their barriers to success through a personalized educational program. The REAL Academy is a separate school within SMHS, resulting in a small classroom setting which allows for individual student attention and a strong community atmosphere. Everything we do is created around being a Productive Worker: Attendance & Punctuality, Organization, Task Completion, Taking Initiative, Enthusiasm, Self Esteem, and Self Management.
She added recently …
Most of our guests comment about how they can just “feel” what is different from our students. Our students understand what they are doing, why they are doing it, and how it can be applied in their lives outside of school. The majority of alternative programs utilize online learning and have a focus on obtaining credits. Our focus is on the overall well-being (regulation) of the child and addressing root causes (of disregulation) first. We are so grateful to be supported by our community.
Supported, and recognized for their good work.
Joanna and fellow REAL instructor Hallie Schmeling were recognized with a WISN Top Teacher Award last fall. More details here. From that story …
At the REAL Academy, Joanna says, “the focus is on the whole child and relationships.” She says her approach to teaching is “to be open, to respond and not react, to guide.”
“The unique thing,” Hallie says, “is that we really come from the space that instead of me being the teacher that is putting information into kids, we’re more about they have it in them, they have their passions, they have strengths, they have things that just need to be drawn out of them.”
Our community is better for it.
Filed under South Milwaukee
Bucyrus continues to leave a legacy in South Milwaukee, supporting the organizations that make our city so special and help so many people.
The Bucyrus Foundation has announced a new $25,000 grant program aimed at supporting South Milwaukee-based nonprofit organizations and institutions.
The city will administer the grants, partnering with the foundation and its board (including former CEO Tim Sullivan), as well as the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, to choose recipients. Grants will be for up to $5,000 each.
While funds can be used for general operations, applicants are encouraged to use the grant money to drive new or early-stage projects or programs. Funding can also be used toward capital projects. Recipients should improve the quality of life of residents in the city, or help attract new visitors, residents or businesses to South Milwaukee.
Applicants can apply here.
“The Bucyrus Foundation is thrilled to bring this funding to deserving South Milwaukee organizations,” said Tim Sullivan, a foundation board member and former CEO of Bucyrus. “I’m proud of the work Bucyrus and our employees did in passionately supporting community organizations. This effort reflects that commitment, and I’m personally excited to get behind it.”
Applications must be received by July 19, 2019. Funds will be disbursed in September.
The grants are a continuation of a program that Bucyrus pledged as part of its 2001 tax incremental financing agreement to remodel its downtown South Milwaukee campus. Caterpillar, which acquired Bucyrus in 2011, continued with the grants until the obligation expired in 2018, under terms of the TIF contract.
“I’m really happy Tim and the Bucyrus Foundation stepped up to continue to offer these funds,” South Milwaukee Mayor Erik Brooks said. “These will make a real difference for some deserving organizations and the people they serve. Our community will be stronger for it.”
Filed under South Milwaukee
So glad to see this return this summer!
From the South Milwaukee School District …
The School District of South Milwaukee will provide a free lunch program again this year to all children 18 years and under. Persons over 18 years of age who are determined by a state or local public educational agency to be mentally or physically disabled and who also participate in a public or private non-profit school program during the regular school year may receive free meals as well.
The program will operate from one location this year: South Milwaukee High School, 801 15th Avenue. The program will operate Monday-Friday beginning Monday June 24, through Friday August 9, 2019. Lunch will be served from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm every Monday-Friday during this time. We will be closed on Thursday, July 4th for the holiday.
Meals are provided to eligible children regardless of race, color, national origin, age, gender or disability and there will be no discrimination in the course of meal service.
The Summer Food Service Program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. If you have any questions, please feel free to call.
Check out the menu here.
Filed under South Milwaukee
Thanks to First Congregational United Church of Christ and all of the community organizations who continue to make this happen each month. Please check it out — and bring a friend or three!
Filed under South Milwaukee
