South Milwaukee Blog

I am always impressed with the variety of performances that come to the South Milwaukee PAC. And the next couple of months don’t disappoint.

Buy your tickets now for these shows …

Saturday, January 20

The Transit Vocal Band Headlines the 4th Annual Milwaukeappella 2018

Lovers of a cappella and vocal music will thrill at this year’s Milwaukappella performance, Jan. 20, 2018, at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center www.southmilwaukeepac.org.

Milwaukappella 2018 will be headlined by The Transit Vocal Band, an award-winning a cappella group featuring “American Idol” and “America’s Got Talent” finalist Adam Decker. The Transit’s diverse repertoire includes classic, soul, contemporary, alternative and family favorites. Soaring leads, smooth harmonies and deep, thumping rhythms showcase The Transit’s power and versatility.

The Transit’s 7:30 p.m. performance opens with Southeast Wisconsin-area students who attended a daylong workshop at South Milwaukee High School conducted by veteran vocal teachers and members of Transit.

Advance tickets for the evening performance start at $19 for students and seniors, $24 for adults. Family-savings packages are available. Tickets for children 4 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased on the SMPAC website, or click here: http://southmilwaukeepac.org/event/milwaukappella.

Friday, January 26

Vitaly: An Evening of Wonders

Master illusionist Vitaly Beckman has mystified fans from all over the world, including Las Vegas superstars Penn & Teller whom he successfully fooled in their TV show, Fool Us. From bringing pictures and drawings to life, to erasing people from their own driver’s licenses, Vitaly’s signature illusions leaves even the most jaded audience awestruck. Vitaly breathes innovation and artistry into the field of magic. He invented and designed every single illusion in his stage show, An Evening of Wonders, treating spectators to a theatrical entertainment not seen anywhere else in the world. You will witness the elegant rendering of the impossible, while being charmed by Vitaly’s engaging personality.

Tickets: Adult $25-$40, Senior (ages 60+) $20-$35, Student (ages 4 thru college) $10-$20.

Friday, February 16

Turtle Island Quartet: Bird’s Eye View, The Legend of Charlie Parker

Turtle Island Quartet has been a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings since its inception in 1985. Turtle Island fuses the classical quartet esthetic with contemporary American musical styles devising a performance practice that honors both. In Bird’s Eye View, the two-time GRAMMY® winning Turtle Island Quartet pays homage to the visionary brilliance of jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. The genius of his improvisations almost single handedly catapulted jazz from pop style into art music, indelibly altering the musical landscape of America. Iconic Charlie Parker classics such as Ornithology, KoKo and Dewey Square are juxtaposed with original responses by quartet members, and intertwined with other thematic pieces from the bebop era and beyond such as Sonny Rollins’ Airegin, Bird Calls by Charlie Mingus and Too High by Stevie Wonder.

Turtle Island Quartet musicians include David Balakrishnan (violin), Alex Hargreaves (violin), Malcolm Parson (cello), and Benjamin and Von Gutzeit (viola).

Tickets: Adult $30-$45, Senior (ages 60+) $25-$40, Student (ages 4 thru college) $10-$20.

Other Performances

And these are in addition to Knightwind Ensemble Winter Concert on Feb. 11 and CYT presentation of “Mary Poppins” Feb. 22-25. Get a full schedule here.

Filing deadlines for candidates to appear on the spring 2018 ballot came and went at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and here is how local races are shaping up …

• South Milwaukee Common Council: In the First District, incumbents Craig Maass and Frank Van Dusen will face four challengers in a Feb. 20 primary: Brett Breisemeister, Andrew Buckner, Frank Millpond Gratke and James Leavens. In the Second District, incumbents R. Patrick Stoner and Ramon Navarro face challenger Larry Pagelsdorf. Only the two incumbents are running in the Third (Lisa Pieper, Joseph Bukowski) and Fourth (David Bartoshevich and Peggy Clark) District, for two seats in each district. No primaries are needed in the Second, Third and Fourth Districts.
• South Milwaukee School Board: Incumbents David Maass and Jon Shelenske will face challenger Gratke for two seats. There will be no primary.
• Milwaukee County Board: There will be a Feb. 20 primary for the District 8 seat, with incumbent David Sartori of Cudahy facing challengers James Davies of South Milwaukee and Steven Shea of Cudahy. More details here.

Much more to come as these races get closer.

I say this a lot: South Milwaukee is full of smart, passionate people who want to make a difference. One way to do it – step up and be considered for a volunteer board or commission.

The city has more than a dozen of these groups providing oversight and guidance to various city departments and functions, and we’re always looking for new people to provide their expertise in any number of areas.

So if you have a background or interest in libraries, health, law enforcement, public safety or a number of other areas, please consider getting involved!

Right now, we have an opening on the Library Board. This is an exciting role on a board that plays a key oversight role of one of our top community institutions — one that has seen a lot of positive change recently, with more to come.

Interested? Get more details and apply here.

Even if the Library Board isn’t for you, please consider filling out the application, so we can get your name on file for future board and commission openings.

And I close with this: A heartfelt thank-you to Margaret Luczywko, who is stepping down from the board, for her distinguished service.

We have done a lot to enhance city communications in recent years. One key example: An investment in AlertSense, a platform we have used and will use going forward to communicate with residents in times of emergency.

Your landline is already in our system, but mobile phones need to be logged if you prefer (or need to) get information that way, so please consider entering those numbers, too.

Sign up here. More details on the city website …

The City of South Milwaukee, in cooperation with AlertSense^© system is pleased to offer its residents a quick and reliable way of receiving emergency messages and alerts by phone or text message. This AlertSense system has the capability of notifying residents by phone in the event of an emergency that affects your neighborhood. This is done utilizing a pre-established landline phone database. 

In the event of an emergency, you may receive an automated phone call advising you of the nature of the situation and the appropriate measures to take. The caller will always identify themselves as being with the City and may leave a phone number for you to contact for further information. An added feature of this system allows people to sign up their mobile phones or other communication devices to receive these alerts by text message.

To sign up for this free service. (NOTE: This is a free service, but normal text messaging rates based on your wireless service plan will apply.) It is not necessary to complete a registration, for a landline telephone, these numbers are currently available to the alerting system.

South Milwaukeeans always step up to help those in need — and that’s especially the case around Christmas.

Don’t know where to start? Here are some opportunities to give back.

• I always start with Human Concerns, and they are serving more people than ever. I’m told they can especially use hygiene and cleaning supplies now, but please consider giving money, too. I know they can use it not only during the holiday season, but all year long. And why not give your time?
• Interfaith — which is relaunching as UNISON after combining with SET Ministry earlier this year — is a great organization aimed at serving our seniors that just happens to be based locally at Trinity Lutheran Church (my church). Their mission: “help older adults in the neighborhood remain living in their own homes in a safe and dignified manner.”
• “We serve.” That’s our motto as South Milwaukee Lions. They can use your support throughout the year, financial and in man and woman power, to in turn give back to local organizations in need. The impact they have is real.
• The Rotary Club of Mitchell Field — serving five cities, including South Milwaukee, and Bay View — is also doing some great things, from serving Thanksgiving dinners to needy families to providing college scholarships to high school seniors, and much, much more.
• South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center. Support the terrific performing arts in South Milwaukee!
• Want to support classroom and other projects in our terrific local schools? Start with South Milwaukee Legacy.
• Get behind local athletes by donating to the local sports booster clubs, or give the gift of music by donating to help the South Milwaukee Music Parents.
• Or maybe help one of the groups supporting our terrific green spaces: Friends of the Mill Pond and Oak Creek Watercourse, Friends of Grant Park or Restore the Lagoon. And how about the Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network? They are the nonprofit leading the public information efforts for the ongoing Oak Creek watershed restoration study.
• Help the South Milwaukee Historical Society preserve our proud past, for our promising future.
• Of course, you can also help by donating cash or toys for homeless kids on Christmas Eve, as I’ve written about.

Did I miss any? I’m sure I did. Send your favorite local charities along!

Check out these South Shore headlines …

• 7 Hidden and Underrated Milwaukee-Area Coffee Shops (Milwaukee Record)
• Swastika Symbols Found Drawn in Snow in South Milwaukee (NOW)
• Police Release Names of Those Involved in Early Morning Oak Creek Homicide (NOW)
• Man Charged in Wild Shooting Monday in Parking Lot Outside Meijer Store in Oak Creek (Journal Sentinel)
• 3 in Custody After Pursuit of 2 Vehicles Stolen in Cudahy (Fox 6)
• Seven St. Francis Residents Report Credit Card Fraud (NOW)

Also, NOW has published a new police blotter.

What an amazing response to our first-ever Light Up South Milwaukee holiday lights awards program!

More than a dozen of us — including Beautification Committee members, families and friends, young and less young — toured and scored each of the 49 entries on Saturday evening. A few thoughts on what we saw …

• There are LOTS of terrific lights displays out there across the city, including many that weren’t even nominated for the program.
• A number of blocks have some great displays, too. James Circle comes to mind.
• The seven winners are below (in no particular order). Each of these houses received at least nine scores of “five” from the 12 judges. Winners will receive $40, a yard sign and mention in this blog post and on social media. (Note: We decided to scrap the idea of categories once we got into the judging; too complicated.)

We have also compiled a list of addresses of each home that received at least one “five” score from our judges — including a list of seven “honorable mentions,” addresses that received at least five “five” ratings. Check it out here, and take your own tour!

Finally, I say thanks to the Beautification Committee for their support of the program, our judges, Sue Hebner for mapping the route, and the Golden Lion for the bus, especially driver Kurt for his patience with our festive group. And thanks to Ryan Greco for the photos.

I think we have the start of another South Milwaukee Christmas tradition here. This was a ton of fun. I’m already looking forward to 2018.

806 Lake Drive

1306 Marquette Avenue

1720 Manitoba Avenue

1817 Edgewood Avenue

1333 Columbia Avenue

2501 8th Avenue

3701 6th Avenue

Check out these South Shore headlines …

• “We Love You, We Miss You”: South Milwaukee Teen Missing 3 Days (TMJ4)
• Year-End Cuts Expected at Cudahy Fire Department (TMJ4)
• Gun Shots Fired in Oak Creek Meijer Parking Lot (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• Oak Creek School District Considering Random Drug Testing (NOW)
• Tutaj Announces Interest in Running for St. Francis Mayor, Provided Recall Moves Forward (NOW)
• This Might be the Charlie Brown-est Tree in Milwaukee (OnMilwaukee.com)

And NOW has published a new police blotter.

Update: She was found safe.

The South Milwaukee Police Department (SMPD) is requesting assistance in locating Abigail Maduscha, a missing/endangered 15 year old girl.  The SMPD has received information that Abigail has asked for someone to buy her a plane, train, or bus ticket to California.  California is the destination she had been discussing going to months earlier in relation to sex trafficking, specifically the Sacramento area.

Please call 911, or contact your local law enforcement if you see her.  SMPD case #17-026794.

From the South Milwaukee Unite Against Drug Abuse Coalition …

This is the 2nd Annual Addiction Information and Resource Fair. This event is a FREE community forum to bring information to our residents to increase awareness and understanding of substance use disorder and treatment. At this event we will have speakers on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the connection to Addiction. A community member will share their personal story about addiction, and a panel of professionals will talk about treatment options. There will also be an opportunity for FREE Narcan training. For planning purposes, we ask that you please pre-register, however, walk-ins are welcome.

The event starts at 5:45 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22, at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center. Learn more and register here.

Thanks to all involved for their continued work on this critical effort, and for organizing this event. Parents and children are invited to attend.

Great news from the FBI today … there has been an arrest of a man suspected in seven ALDI robberies in recent months, including of the South Milwaukee store.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the arrest, especially the South Milwaukee Police Department, which played a significant role.

From the FBI …

On 12/08/17, Special Agent in Charge Justin Tolomeo of the FBI Milwaukee Division announced serial armed robbery suspect, Hiram O. Graham, age 30, resident of Cudahy, Wisconsin was arrested without incident at his residence. Graham is alleged to have victimized seven ALDI Foods’ stores throughout Wisconsin and northern Indiana over the past six months, and was arrested by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crime Task Force (MAVCTF) around 6:00 am on Friday, December 8, 2017.

The FBI MAVCTF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the FBI, the Milwaukee Police Department and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office Investigative Unit, supported by FBI SWAT teams from the Milwaukee and Chicago Field Offices executed two federal search warrants on residences in the 3300 block of W. Bottsford Avenue in Cudahy and the 200 block of W. Mitchell Street in Milwaukee.

The FBI announced on November 6, 2017, a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the spree of ALDI’s robberies. Regarding today’s arrest, Milwaukee FBI Special Agent in Charge Justin Tolomeo stated, “The FBI Milwaukee Division is committed to relentlessly pursuing violent offenders. This case highlights the lengths to which our task force will go to bring violent criminals to justice.”

Graham is believed to be responsible for the armed robbery or attempt armed robbery of the following locations:

• 06/15/17- ALDI Foods located at 3105 South Chicago Avenue, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• 07/10/17- ALDI Foods located at 4615 West Layton Avenue, Greenfield, Wisconsin
• 08/01/17- ALDI Foods located at 1521 Unity Drive, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
• 09/16/17- ALDI Foods located at 19555 West Bluemound Road, Town of Brookfield, Wisconsin
• 10/07/17- ALDI Foods located at 3925 Lein Road, Madison, Wisconsin
• 11/02/17- ALDI Foods located at 3105 South Chicago Avenue, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin (attempted robbery)
• 11/24/17- ALDI Foods located at 10 81st Avenue, Merrillville, Indiana

Graham is charged with violation of the federal Hobbs Act and use of a firearm in a crime of violence. He is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee on Friday, December 8, 2017.

The referenced cases were jointly investigated by the FBI MAVCTF, South Milwaukee Police Department, Greenfield Police Department, Oconomowoc Police Department, Town of Brookfield Police Department, Madison Police Department, as well as the Merrillville, Indiana Police Department.

The public is reminded that all persons are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

The South Milwaukee Police & Fire Commission has chosen our next police chief: William Jessup.

The PFC voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the appointment of Jessup, a longtime Milwaukee Police Department leader who grew up in Cudahy. The South Milwaukee Common Council then accepted and placed on file the letter announcing his appointment, and approved his salary and benefits.

It is anticipated Chief Jessup will start with the SMPD on Jan. 8, giving him a week to work with Chief Ann Wellens before she retires. He will be sworn in Jan. 16.

He has big shoes to fill, as I’ve written about. One example of the impact Chief Wellens has had was on full display on Tuesday, as the chief received a proclamation celebrating the department’s latest Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group accreditation.

This is a strong validation of the work of our department, as WILEAG officials measure 237 items in assessing the quality of an agency. We excelled again, and are one of less than 10 percent of the state’s more than 550 police agencies to secure this accreditation. We’ve been accredited since 1998, when we were one of only three departments in the state to earn it the first year of the program.

“This is no small accomplishment,” said Stan Stojkovic, WILEAG board member and dean of the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

No small accomplishment, indeed. Congratulations to Chief Wellens and the entire department for delivering every day to make this accreditation possible — and good luck to Chief Jessup as he builds on that legacy.

Proud to present this proclamation at tonight’s city council meeting. What a special group of young men and coaches, led by Stan Druckrey. Go Rockets!

CONGRATULATING SOUTH MILWAUKEE

ROCKETS CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM

Whereas, the South Milwaukee cross-country team finished in third place at the WIAA Division 1 state cross-country meet, the highest finish for South Milwaukee in 52 years; and

Whereas, the team accomplished this historic performance through a true team effort, led by seniors Jordan Janusiak, Andrew Strasser, Wyatt Schlager, Max Moran, Nick Sluga, and Jacob Meszaros;  junior Aidan Sodemann ; and sophomore Owen Smith.

Whereas, under the guidance of Coach Stan Druckrey and Assistant Coaches Paul Hiegel and Jim Oelschlager, the cross-country team finished second in four meets, won the Cudahy Purgold Invitational for the fourth straight year, and won the WIAA sectional meet, earning the Rockets a state berth; and 

Whereas, Jordan Janusiak placed fifth at the state meet, leading his team to their strong finish. Schlager finished 53^rd, Moran 59^th, Sodemann 94^th, Sluga 105^th, Smith 162^nd and Strasser 168^th.

Whereas, Janusiak finished his South Milwaukee running career with 15 individual meet titles and four appearances at state, including finishing eighth at the state meet in 2016; 

 Whereas, it is with great pride the City of South Milwaukee pays tribute to the South Milwaukee cross-country team and coaches for their dedication and outstanding performance during the season.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Mayor Erik Brooks and the Common Council of the City of South Milwaukee, do hereby extend congratulations to the South Milwaukee cross-country team on their excellent year and third-place finish in the WIAA Division 1 state meet.

Dated at South Milwaukee this 5^th day of December, 2017.   

The updated list of South Milwaukee holiday events includes a really cool one: the first-ever Festival of Trees Celebration!

More information from this Facebook event …

Check out more than 30 trees decorated by local organizations, businesses and families, and enjoy hot chocolate, candy canes and more. Caterpillar employees will be collecting personal hygiene products and new, unwrapped toys for Human Concerns. 4-7 p.m. at the South Milwaukee Downtown Market. Presented by Ace Hardware and Caterpillar employees.

Of course, you can come by anytime to see the trees — many are already beautifully decorated. Thanks to everyone who has stepped up to become part of this new holiday celebration.