apnews.com
From the Article: > > > Public worker and teachers unions argued Tuesday that their lawsuit seeking to strike down a Wisconsin law that drew massive protests and made the state the center of a national fight over union rights should be allowed to proceed, even as the Republican-controlled Legislature sought to have it dismissed. > > > > It is the first challenge to the law known as Act 10 since Wisconsin’s Supreme Court flipped to liberal control last year. > > > > Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost questioned Tuesday whether there was another remedy to address alleged problems with the law short of striking it down. He did not rule from the bench and said he would issue a written order on the Legislature’s request to dismiss the case. > > > > The unions’ attorney argued that the 2011 law should be struck down because it creates unconstitutional exemptions for firefighters and other public safety workers. Attorneys for the Legislature and state agencies countered that the exemptions are legal, have already been upheld by other courts, and that the case should be dismissed. > > > > The judge questioned why different classes of employees were created under the law and some public safety workers were “cherry picked” to retain their collective bargaining rights while others were not. > >
www.fox6now.com
From the Article: > > > Milwaukee's July 3rd lakefront firework show cancelation is sparking problems with a nearby business. > > > > On Friday, May 24, leaders with Milwaukee County Parks announced this year's show is shut down. Park leaders say a lack of sponsors snuffed out this year's firework show. They also imply it could be long-term. > > > > "At this point, we believe that the 3rd of July fireworks have run their course," Milwaukee County Parks Executive Director Guy Smith said. > > > > The firework show has been a summer staple and a memory maker for decades. It's also the county's War Memorial Center's biggest fundraiser of the year. > >
www.tmj4.com
The 'Corpse Flower,' also known as “U’Reeka," was given its nickname due to its smell, with some describing its short-lived bloom as smelling like rotting meat, that "offends the human nose."
www.fox6now.com
From the Article: > > > Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. > > > > In Cedarburg on Sunday, May 26, thousands of people shopped and explored for the first ‘Maxwell Street Days’ of the season, a major fundraiser for the fire department. > > > > Sometimes it takes a little strategy to find the perfect items at an outdoor market. > > > > "Knowing what you like and what you want to look for," said Hayden Kolowrat. > >
From the Article: > > > A Buffalo Wild Wings Go restaurant opens this weekend in Glendale as the sports bar chain continues to expand its to-go locations in southeast Wisconsin. > > > > The new location opens at 6969 N. Port Washington Road at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a press release. > > > > The Glendale opening follows others in recent months that included Milwaukee, 2900 N. Oakland Ave., in December and Waukesha in March. A Buffalo Wild Wings is also planned for the Pabst Farms development in Oconomowoc. > > > > The Buffalo Wild Wings Go concept launched in 2020 with an aim to streamline customers' orders, whether they choose to dine in or take their food to go, according to the company. > > > > The 1,500-square-foot Glendale location provides in-store seating for dining at the restaurant and also offers options for delivery or takeout with a menu that will include all 26 Buffalo Wild Wings signature sauces and dry rubs. The restaurant will serve traditional and boneless wings, hand-breaded tenders, chicken sandwiches, burgers and sides. > > > > The restaurant will employ eight crew members. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. > > > > Another 1,500-square-foot location had been proposed in 2022 for Glendale at 5530 N. Port Washington Road. Glendale officials were not available for comment on Friday, and applicants who proposed the project could not be reached for inquiries on its status. > > > > The sports bar chain, owned by Inspire Brands, has more than 1,200 locations nationwide, including 34 in Wisconsin, according to its website. That figure includes both the full-service restaurants as well as the company's to-go locations. > > > > The restaurant is in the Glendale Market, which is anchored by a Metro Market grocery store, and it features several other businesses including Stone Creek Coffee, Jimmy John’s, Curry & Momo House and Dr. Dawg, according to the website for General Capital Group. > > > > General Capital Group, a real estate firm based in Fox Point, coordinated the initial properties within the boutique shopping center over a period of three years. The firm’s website says that to recoup the cost of demolition and environmental remediation, it worked with the city of Glendale to form one of Wisconsin’s first environmental remediation tax incremental financing districts. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is requesting that the state budget committee release $20 million meant to create a grant program that would support communities where a University of Wisconsin branch campus has closed. > > > > The request is the third submitted to the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) by Gov. Tony Evers’ administration this week, bringing the total amount to be released to $45 million. The requests come as lawmakers and Evers have been in conflict over the release of other state funding that was improved in the budget, including funds for fighting PFAS contamination of local drinking water supplies, grants to support hospitals in western Wisconsin and a new literacy program in schools. > > > > The closure of UW branch campuses, including UW-Platteville’s Richland campus, UW-Milwaukee’s Washington County campus and UW-Oshkosh’s Fond du Lac campus, have left local communities facing potential economic crises. > > > > WEDC’s request would allow the agency to implement the grant program as instructed by a law passed by the Legislature in February and signed by Evers in March. Under the law, communities will be eligible for a $2 million grant. > > > > Evers said in a statement that a lack of “meaningful investments” in the UW system has caused the recent campus closures along with staff layoffs, and the state needs to quickly work to address the challenges to prevent additional layoffs and closures. > > > > “This funding is critically important in the meantime to help communities like Richland Center, Washington County, Fond du Lac, and Marinette find new uses for the infrastructure and existing buildings to support local communities and economies,” Evers said. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > A Republican appointee to the Universities of Wisconsin’s Board of Regents says he’ll continue to serve on the board, even though his term officially expired at the start of May. > > > > In 2017, Republican Gov. Scott Walker first appointed Robert “Bob” Atwell, the founder of Nicolet Bankshares, to a seven-year term on the board overseeing Wisconsin’s public university system. > > > > But in an email this week, Rothman wrote that, acting on the advice of Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, he intends to stay on the board indefinitely. > > > > WisPolitics first reported on the existence of the email sent from Atwell to UW leaders, including UW System President Jay Rothman. > > > > “Speaker Vos brought to my attention that the statute directs that, in the absence of a resignation regents remain in office until their successor is appointed and confirmed,” Atwell wrote using his business email for Nicolet Bank. “Jay has recently confirmed this understanding. In light of that, I will remain on the Board until I resign or my successor is seated. I hope that my temporary continuation as a regent can support good communication between the Legislative Council and the BOR.” > > > > A successor to Atwell would need to be appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and confirmed by Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Senate. > >
onmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > The Midwest Gaming Classic celebrates its 23rd anniversary this year and will take place the weekend of April 5-7 at the Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. > > > > The event is a whirlwind of activity with over 10,000 games on free play from cherished vintage classics to cutting-edge releases. Attractions also include classic pinball and arcade games, every generation of console, tabletop games, a 125,000 square foot vendor hall with over 200 vendors, live entertainment including pro wrestling, bands, and meet and greets with pop-culture personalities. > > > > Among the unique programming attractions this year will be Steve Henneberry (AKA “Tower” from American Gladiator), who will combat attendees in Johann Sebastian Joust, a no-graphics, digitally-enabled playground game designed for motion controllers. Attendees can also look forward to a wider variety of esports, gamer podcasts, the MGC Cosplay Championship, and The World of Nintendo Exhibit. > >
From the Article: > > > Three months after announcing the closure of its 126-year-old city club, the University Club of Milwaukee is in the process of selling its downtown building to Northwestern Mutual. > > > > The University Club of Milwaukee's board president Jim Caragher and Northwestern Mutual confirmed the news to the Milwaukee Business Journal Monday morning after Urban Milwaukee president Jeramey Jannene shared the news on X, formerly Twitter. > > > > Northwestern Mutual has "reached an agreement (in principle) to purchase the University Club property at 924 E. Wells St.," Northwestern Mutual senior director of strategic communications and corporate reputation Julia Fennelly said in an email. > > > > "As an active real estate investor, Northwestern Mutual is a steward of our downtown Milwaukee campus and neighboring area and the opportunity to invest in the University Club property allows us to ensure the building continues to serve as a prominent, thriving downtown hub for the Milwaukee community," Fennelly said. > > > > Northwestern Mutual plans to share its intended use for the building in the near future, she said. The company declined to share the terms of the agreement and the purchase price. > > > > The University Club property's total assessment is $2,728,500 and the estimated fair market value is $3,277,871, according to its 2023 city property tax bill. > > > > After the building sells, the University Club would use the proceeds to refund former members who paid a $5,000 assessment the club levied in April 2023 as it attempted to raise money to keep the club open and pay for facility upgrades, according to previous Milwaukee Business Journal reporting. > >
steinbring
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My Cito (the black lab in the front) came up from Kentucky. I was told at the time that the Wisconsin Humane Society gets a lot of dogs from the South because Wisconsinites adopt and Southerners just don't.
onmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > Anyone familiar with the local dog community knows there is an abundance of pups in Wisconsin who were rescued from southern states like Texas, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama – just to name a few. This leads to the question: Why are so many dogs rescued in one state, but then transported to Wisconsin for adoption? > > > > Experts and animal enthusiasts speculate some of the reasons why Wisconsin is home to a surplus of rescues is because, generally speaking, attitudes towards pets are different here. In Midwest culture, dogs are more often than not viewed and treated as family members. Of course, there are many loving and responsible dog owners in the South, but there are many who are not. > > > > Glenna Tucker operates Sweetpups, a rescue and sanctuary in Winnie, Texas, and she has taken in thousands of ailing and abandoned dogs over the past decade. She then nurses them back to health and then transports the pups to rescues in Wisconsin. > > > > "The situation is bad here – you’d probably think I was making these stories up, but I’m not. It’s common here for people to throw a litter of puppies into a garbage can like they’re disposable diapers," says Tucker. "We get emails every day. Yesterday we found out about 20 dogs living about five miles from here whose owner has been gone for more than two months and a neighbor finally contacted us. Some of the dogs died, and the others are emaciated." > > > > Tucker says Texas animal advocates rely on Wisconsin for our animal compassion and low euthanasia rates. > > > > "We have euthanasia rates of 80 to 85 percent here. Wisconsin is filled with people who want to help because they know what’s going on in Texas where dogs are looked at like property not pets," says Tucker. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > The city has found a contractor to stabilize the again-failing facade at Milwaukee City Hall. > > > > Urban Milwaukee reported in October that pieces of the terra cotta facade were breaking off, less than 15 years after they were replaced as part of a $76 million project. > > > > The city, said a Department of Public Works (DPW) spokesperson in October, was pursuing “accountability.” But as Urban Milwaukee reported, a 2014 settlement could very well bar the city from recouping any of the costs. > > > > And now, the public has an indication of what the starting point for those costs is. > > > > A newly filed building permit indicates a $1.62 million “temporary facade stabilization” effort, primarily netting, will be installed by Wiss, Jannet, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) and general contractor Mark 1 Masonry, both of Illinois. > > > > “There is some flaking of the fabrication and as our first and main responsibility is safety, the netting is being put up as a precaution to hold the flaking pieces of the terra cotta in place and prevent any from falling to the sidewalk or street surrounding City Hall,” said a DPW spokesperson Friday. “The work should begin in April and conclude in October.” > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > The school funding referendum, less than two weeks away, is make or break for Milwaukee Public Schools, according to administrators. > > > > MPS principals told Urban Milwaukee that for their schools the referendum is a question between maintaining their current level of staffing and resources, or budget cuts. > > > > “A ‘Yes’ referendum is going to make our school function very similar to how it’s functioning today, and a ‘No’ referendum will change our schools significantly,” said Frank Lammers, Principal of the German Immersion School. > > > > The district is trying to make its case with voters for an additional $252 million in funding over the next four years, with approximately $125 million coming from a property tax increase in the City of Milwaukee. The district successfully went to referendum just four years ago for an additional $87 million. > > > > MPS, the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association and their political allies have been trying to generate support for the funding increase. The city’s powerful business lobby, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) has bankrolled an ad campaign opposing the referendum. Another opposition campaign organized by local attorney Daniel Adams is arguing the proposed tax increase will negatively affect housing affordability. > > > > “I would say in my tenure, as a principal, this is the most significant budget that we’ve that I have had to go through,” said Lammers, who has been principal of German Immersion School for seven years. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > A quickly-expanding trail could soon link Milwaukee’s South Side and southern suburbs with Lake Michigan. > > > > The City of Milwaukee and three suburban cities are moving forward on a study of expanding the Powerline Trail. The completed trail would roughly parallel Howard Avenue from S. 104th St. all the way east to Lake Michigan. A northern leg would parallel Interstate 894, running north to the Zoo Interchange and Hank Aaron State Trail. > > > > The central portion of the 10-foot-wide paved trail was recently completed and a second segment is expected to join it later this year. > > > > In 2022, the City of Greenfield opened the $1.5 million first phase between the intersection of S. 99th Street and W. Cold Spring Road and the intersection of S. 60th Street and W. Plainfield Avenue. An on-street segment on W. Cold Spring Road links the three-mile trail with the Oak Leaf Trail just west of S. 104th Street. > > > > A $1.2 million second phase, slated for construction in 2024, will extend the trail east into the city of Milwaukee. The trail will be extended east from S. 60th Street to S. 35th Street, Pondview Park and Zablocki Park. State-administered federal grants are covering most of the construction costs of the first two segments. > > > > A $250,000 study is now about to begin to design a trail extension east of Pondview Park to Lake Michigan and north from the trail’s western terminus toward the Hank Aaron State Trail. Additional efforts could see the trail extended southwest. > >
www.wpr.org
From the Article: > > > The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will close its Waukesha campus at the end of the spring 2025 semester. > > > > At a Monday news conference, UW-Milwaukee chancellor Mark Mone cited declining enrollment, shifting demographics and budgetary issues as reasons for the closure, which was made under a directive from Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman. > > > > “Today, higher education is challenged,” Mone said. “We need to make very difficult decisions, to, in every possible hope for opportunity, avoid some of the more consequential types of decisions that we may see in the future.” > > > > Around 550 full-time equivalent students are enrolled at the campus currently according to Mone. The campus closure will impact more than 100 employees and require layoffs of staff and tenured faculty as well. > > > > The university’s Waukesha campus, which used to operate independently of UW-Milwaukee as the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha until 2018, has seen a total enrollment decline of more than 65 percent from 2014 to 2023. > > > > “These are double digit enrollment declines, that make things rather challenging and they’re not unlike other some of the numbers that we’re seeing at other two-year campuses in this state and certainly nationally,” Mone said. > > > > The cost to run the Waukesha campus is the same per student as it is to run the main UW-Milwaukee campus, but students in Waukesha pay half the tuition. > > > > “So that puts us in a very untenable, very difficult situation,” Mone added. > >
From the Article: > > > The $148 million project to offer north-south commuter bus service on 27th Street starting in 2028 took a step forward Monday with a route endorsement from a Milwaukee County Board committee. > > > > That 18-mile “Connect 2” route would span almost the entire county, running from Bayshore mall in Glendale to the Ikea store in Oak Creek. The new BRT, or Bus Rapid Transit, service would replace the existing PurpleLine bus route. It would run faster, with more frequent service at stations to be a more practical alternative for commuting workers. > > > > The east-west Connect 1 BRT route between downtown Milwaukee and Wauwatosa began passenger service in June 2023. > > > > Pending additional approvals, construction could begin in 2026 for a start of passenger service in 2028, according to a Monday presentation to the Milwaukee County Board’s Committee on Transportation and Transit. That committee unanimously endorsed the route for the Connect 2 line, sending it to the full County Board for a possible approval on March 21. > > > > County Board approval for that locally preferred route is a necessary step for the BRT to continue its planning and start more detailed engineering work, said David Locher, manager of enhanced transit for the Milwaukee County Transit System. The route can still be changed in the future, and more steps are needed in order to spend federal construction funds, Locher said. > > > > “It’s a milestone to get us on to other milestones,” Locher said. > > > > The bulk of the project’s funding would come through the Federal Transit Administration’s Small Starts grant program. Milwaukee County funding would cover about 20% of the budget. > > > > The line would run primarily on 27th Street, with 64 stations serving 32 destinations. Those include a stop at 27th Street and Drexel Avenue outside the Franklin office campus that Northwestern Mutual intends to close and eventually sell as it moves those 2,000 jobs to downtown Milwaukee in 2027. > > > > That announcement came about a year ago. The planning for the north-south Connect 2 line began in 2020. > > > > County Board Supervisor Patti Logsdon asked about the impact of Northwestern Mutual’s move on the anticipated route. > > > > “I’m sure that’s got to have a big effect on the ridership,” she said. > > > > Locher said that even without Northwestern Mutual employees, “the ridership continues to be very strong.” The existing PurpleLine, like the proposed Connect 2, goes south to Ikea. > > > > “Our commitment has always been to invest where the ridership is the highest,” he said. “At the outset of the study, yes, there was that NML component with their campus on the south end. There were even early discussions of maybe it could route through there. Front-door service.” > >
www.cbs58.com
From the Article: > > > A cherished liquor store that's been on Milwaukee's east side since 1934 is embarking on a new journey with new ownership. > > > > "This has been a long time in the making," said Sarah Zimmerman. > > > > Tonit Calaway and Sarah Zimmerman, of Boss Babes, Inc., have recently acquired Downer Wine & Spirits. > > > > "Tonit and I are both attorneys and so we come from a legal background," explained Zimmerman. > > > > Both women are longtime residents of the Downer Avenue neighborhood. Zimmerman said she and her husband moved to the area nearly 17 years ago. > > > > "We've been coming here as customers ever since we started living here," she added. > > > > When the friends heard brothers Mark and Steve Nord were selling their store after about 18 years, they had to jump in on the opportunity. > > > > "Downer Avenue thrives when it's bustling, when all the storefronts are full, and we really wanted to contribute to keeping that going. We didn't want to see another vacant spot," Zimmerman said. > > > > For 90 years, this wine and liquor store has been at this exact location under similar names and different ownership, all while still maintaining their diverse selection. > > > > Manager Michael Morris has been working at the liquor store since 2006. > > > > "We try to have some of the best beer and wine and liquor that's available out there," he told CBS 58 News. > > > > Morris said it's no surprise many customers, like Zimmerman and Calaway, always come back. > > > > "We try everything that comes into the store and make sure that everything's great, so that you can pick anything out and it's going to be a quality good product," he added. > > > > Zimmerman said the essence of the neighborhood staple will remain intact under new ownership. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > Wisconsin taxpayers paid millions for the Talgo trainsets, but will need to spend even more on a plane ticket if they ever want to ride them. > > > > Instead of welcoming passengers traveling between Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison, the Badger-colored trainsets are ferrying passengers in Lagos, Nigeria. > > > > The first 17 miles of Lagos’ planned 23-mile Red Line opened to passengers on Feb. 29. The line is the second commuter rail line in Africa’s largest urban center, which boasts a population of greater than 21 million. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who initiated the project more than two decades ago as governor of the city-state, attended the much-anticipated opening. > > > > “This is the dream realized,” said Tinubu. But it certainly wasn’t Wisconsin’s dream. > > > > In 2010, then-governor-elect Scott Walker refused a $823 million federal grant to build an Amtrak Hiawatha Service extension to Madison and plan an extension to Minneapolis, but the state was still on the hook to pay for the trainsets ordered in 2009 by predecessor Jim Doyle. Rather than invest in a maintenance facility to put the trainsets into use on the existing line, Walker and the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature had the state default on the contract. Talgo, which assembled the trains in a facility in Milwaukee’s Century City business park, sued in 2012 as the trainsets were completed and the equipment was placed into storage for a decade. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > Two lawsuits seeking to kick former President Donald Trump off Wisconsin ballots were dismissed this week in the wake of a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. > > > > On Monday, justices rejected an attempt to disqualify Trump from the Colorado primary ballot because of his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. The unanimous Supreme Court decision came a day before Super Tuesday primary elections happening in Colorado and other states. > > > > It also ended similar attempts to knock Trump off the ballot in Wisconsin, prompting Dane County judges to dismiss two lawsuits Monday. > > > > One suit was filed in January by Kirk Bangstad, a liberal activist and owner of Minocqua Brewing Company. The other was filed in August by John Anthony Castro, a Texas resident and longshot Republican candidate who’s filed similar challenges across the country. > > > > The legal arguments for disqualifying Trump pointed to Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which bars anyone who’s previously taken the oath of office from holding public office if they’ve engaged in “insurrection or rebellion” against the United States. > > > > But this week, a majority of justices concluded that Congress, rather than the states, is responsible for enforcing that provision against federal officeholders and candidates. > >
From the Article: > > > A little over five months since the Downer Theatre unexpectedly closed, the organization behind the annual Milwaukee Film Festival said it will assume operations of the movie theater next month, starting with the 2024 running of the film festival followed by regular movie showings afterward. > > > > The Downer Theatre, at 2589 N. Downer Ave., was the city's oldest operating theater when it closed in September 2023. It was operated by Landmark Theatres, and the building is owned by Bridge33 Capital LLC of Seattle, which owns 61,000 square feet of building spaces on both sides of Downer Avenue, which house businesses including Cafe Hollander, Stone Creek Coffee and Boswell Book Co. > > > > In a press release, Milwaukee Film did not disclose the nature of its business arrangement with the theater, whether it is being purchased or leased. An organization representative did not immediately respond to a request for more information. > > > > The 2024 Milwaukee Film Festival is scheduled for April 11 through April 25 and will include screenings at the Downer Theatre, Milwaukee Film’s Oriental Theatre, and two other local theaters, the Avalon Theater and the Times Cinema. The festival will revive the Downer starting April 12. > > > > Susan Mikulay, chair of Milwaukee Film’s board of directors, said the Downer has been a cornerstone of Milwaukee's cinematic and cultural scene since its opening in 1915. After the closure, Milwaukee Film made its interest in the theater public. > > > > "Our mission has always been to make cinematic experiences possible for as many people as possible, and expanding our footprint in this way is a key next step in doing that,” Mikulay said in a press release. > > > > Beginning April 26, the Downer will offer a year-round program of first-run independent, foreign and documentary films, curated by Milwaukee Film's programming team. > > > > “Our being able to reopen the Downer this spring is a significant occasion for our organization as well as for the neighborhood,” said Cara Ogburn, artistic director at Milwaukee Film. “When the Downer closed last year, it meant that many films could not show on screens in our city. Adding these two screens to our footprint will allow us to better serve our community with high-quality films year-round.” > > > > The Downer will become the second former Landmark Theatre to be acquired by Milwaukee Film. In 2017, the organization took control of the Oriental Theatre on Milwaukee's east side and embarked on a multiyear, multimillion-dollar restoration project. At that time, the organization also publicly expressed its interest in the Downer Theater. > >
www.milwaukeemag.com
From the Article: > > > Ethan Hawke – four-time Oscar-nominee, noted Rihanna appreciator and silver fox – is on his way to Milwaukee. Hawke will be in town for two screenings of his new film, Wildcat, on Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. at the Oriental Theatre. > > > > Wildcat, which Hawke directed and co-wrote, stars his daughter, Maya Hawke, as Flannery O’Connor, the mid-20th-century author of A Good Man Is Hard to Find, Everything That Rises Must Converge and more. The film follows the legendary Southern Gothic writer at the age of 24, when she was diagnosed with lupus (a disease that would eventually take her life). The diagnosis inspires her to explore her Catholic faith and her belief in the power of art, as she begins to compose her greatest stories. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley signed legislation Wednesday providing $500,000 for park projects and workforce spending. > > > > The funding, although just a small piece of the overall Milwaukee County Parks budget for 2024, was made possible by the new 0.4% countywide sales tax that went into effect in January. > > > > The new sales tax came thanks to a lobbying effort by the city and county for legislative authority from the state to generate additional revenue and reform the pension systems that were dragging on the budgets of both governments. The additional revenue provided the county with the first budget surplus in decades. > > > > “And what that means is that rather than determining what cuts will be least harmful to this community, it gave us an opportunity to look at what investments can we actually make to deploy the most beneficial investments for all of our residents within Milwaukee County,” County Executive Crowley said during the signing event at Tiefenthaler Park. > > > > The Milwaukee County Board earmarked the funding in the 2024 budget and asked Milwaukee County Parks to return to them with a plan to spend the money. Parks developed a list of ideas it’s calling “high-impact” projects, which the department can implement quickly and be recognized by county residents this year. > > > > Tiefenthaler Park in Midtown received one of the larger allocations in the package: $100,000. Parks will use the funding to turn a wading pool into a splash pad and upgrade lighting and pathways throughout the park. The upgrades are intended to enhance the upgrades already made at the park by the Kellogg Peak Initiative, which essentially turned a park pavilion into a community center. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) has operated battery electric buses for less than a year, and in light of a spotty first nine months and changing “market realities,” officials are planning to only purchase clean-diesel buses in the near term. > > > > Top transportation officials have been suggested in recent months that ordering new BEBs is not a good idea for the county. One of the primary reasons is that there aren’t any manufacturers in the U.S. market officials trust. The BEB manufacturer MCTS purchased the county’s first BEBs from left the U.S. market in 2023 and isn’t accepting new orders. And on top of it all, the technology has not proven itself reliable and the buses are incredibly expensive. > > > > Officials from MCTS and the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will go before the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in March seeking changes to the county policy for battery electric buses and fleet replacement. > > > > Officials are proposing that the county continue to replace aging buses with new clean-diesel buses. Additionally, transitioning to an alternative fuel source bus will be paused until “these vehicles are further tested, easily available, determined to be fiscally sustainable and have the appropriate infrastructure deployed within Milwaukee,” according to the draft policy. > > > > This would tweak the county’s existing policy, which only held off on transitioning the fleet from diesel to battery electric until the end of a BEB pilot program, which was the implementation of 11 BEBs along the Connect 1 bus rapid transit line. > >
www.wpr.org
From the Article: > > > A bipartisan effort to unlock federal funding to expand electric vehicle charging stations in Wisconsin is one step closer to becoming a reality. > > > > Last week, the state Assembly passed two bills involving electric vehicles in its hectic final session of the year. > > > > One would exempt electric vehicle charging stations from being regulated as utilities. The other would authorize the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to establish and fund an EV infrastructure program. Both bills passed the Assembly last week on near unanimous votes. > > > > The funding bill is now on its way to Gov. Tony Evers, while the other heads back to the Senate because of a Republican amendment. > > > > The changes were required to unlock around $78 million in federal funds to build out a state electric vehicle charging network. > > > > Environmental advocates cheered the development. > > > > “We’re really excited about the bill passing the Assembly with such broad bipartisan support. It’s not something that we often see in the Legislature,” said Emma Heins, policy manager for the nonprofit Electrification Coalition. “This is a great demonstration that EVs really extend beyond traditional party lines and they’re just a great transportation option for a lot of people across the state.” > > > > EV charging stations must charge customers by the amount of electricity used, also known as a kilowatt-hour. In Wisconsin, current state law allows only regulated utilities to charge per kilowatt-hour. That’s why an exemption is necessary. > > > > Republicans amended the bill that would exempt EV chargers from being regulated as utilities. > > > > The amendment would ban local governments from requiring private developers to install electric vehicle charging stations as a condition of receiving a building permit. A City of Madison ordinance requires some multi-family residential buildings and commercial developments to install EV chargers at a small number of parking spots. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is proposing a compromise to GOP lawmakers that would provide $125 million to help local governments and landowners address PFAS pollution. > > > > The request comes as Evers has all but promised to veto a Republican bill that passed the Legislature to address contamination from so-called forever chemicals known as PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. > > > > Last week, the Republican-controlled Assembly voted 62-35 to pass the bill along party lines. The Senate passed the legislation in November. > Evers has signaled concerns with provisions in the GOP plan that would limit the authority of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to test for and clean up the chemicals. The governor called those a “poison pill” that gives polluters a free pass. > > > > “In Wisconsin, if someone pollutes our water, property, and natural resources, Wisconsinites expect them to pay to clean it up. That’s just common sense,” Evers said in a statement. “I’m not signing a bill that lets polluters off the hook for cleaning up their contamination and asks Wisconsin taxpayers to foot the bill. No way.” > >
From the Article: > > > In what will now amount to a total $100 million investment, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy said Tuesday that it will demolish several buildings on the former Cardinal Stritch University campus and construct new buildings as it plans a fall 2026 opening of a north campus for the K4-12 Christian school. > > > > The investment amount includes the $24 million price for acquiring the property, the school said in a press release. The 43.5-acre site in Glendale and Fox Point became available last spring after Cardinal Stritch announced that it would discontinue operations following its commencement ceremony in May. > > > > The investment is twice the $50 million that was initially planned to rework the campus. > > > > The school will be known as Aug Prep North and is expected to open in fall 2026 with just over 300 students in grades K4-6th and 9th. It will grow to serve 1,000-plus students in grades K4-12. > > > > A second phase — beyond the $100 million investment — is envisioned for the future, which would eventually build capacity to reach 2,000-plus students. > > > > St. Augustine Prep was founded by Gus and Becky Ramirez and has quickly grown to become one of the top-rated K4-12 schools in Wisconsin, according to the press release. The Ramirez family and Husco International, a lead benefactor of Aug Prep, have committed $75 million in the first phase at Aug Prep North. A fundraising campaign, initially targeting $15 million, has been increased to $25 million, with over $5.5 million already raised. > >
From the Article: > > > The Target store that opened at Bayshore in 2021 was listed for sale this month for almost $14.4 million, along with two other buildings at the Glendale mall. > > > > The Target store's sale isn’t likely to affect its operations, as a buyer would want the property because the national retailer is leasing the building and paying rent. There are 11 years remaining on Target’s lease for the building, plus options to extend that for up to 50 more years, according to the marketing materials for the property. > > > > That Target store is an anchor for the most recent redevelopment of Bayshore. Mall manager Cypress Equities, of Dallas, built the two-story Target on the footprint of the mall’s former Boston Store, which closed in 2018. Cypress also tore down portions of the enclosed mall at Bayshore, opening land for new apartments and other additions. > > > > Bayshore, through a spokesperson, on Tuesday issued an emailed response to questions about the attempt to sell the Target. The listing to sell the building to an investor is a “standard course of operational business in the real estate industry,” according to Bayshore’s statement. > > > > SRS Capital Markets’ Chicago office is listing the Target store for sale, along with two other standalone buildings at Bayshore. The marketing materials say Bayshore ranks in the 97th percentile among U.S. shopping centers with 5.5 million annual visits in 2023, according to data compiled by Placer.ai. > > > > “The subject property affords an investor the rare opportunity to acquire a generational legacy asset leased to one of the premier retailers in the world, with unmatched underlying intangibles, while further mitigating risk with far-below market rent and an acquisition price substantially below replacement cost,” the materials state. > > > > The property has 128,512 square feet of rentable building space on 3.57 acres. > > > > Also for sale is the Bayshore building at 5600 N. Bayshore Drive that houses First Citizens Bank and Crumbl Cookies. Its asking price is $3.28 million. The U.S. Bank branch at Bayshore is also for sale, with a $4.67 million asking price. > >
steinbring
7 months ago
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My office is barely inside the security zone. The boundries are on the north and east sides of the parking lot. I suspect that I am going to be coming down with a heck of a cold that will keep me home for the duration of the RNC.
From the Article: > > > The former chair of the Wisconsin Republican Party said Sunday he was “tricked” into signing documents alleging then-President Trump won the 2020 election as part of the state’s “fake elector” scheme. > > > > Andrew Hitt told Anderson Cooper in a “60 Minutes” interview that he was advised by the state GOP’s legal counsel to sign the documents as a contingency, in case the Trump campaign’s legal case against Wisconsin’s election integrity succeeded. > > > > Hitt said he “wasn’t comfortable with” Trump campaign attempts to toss out votes in Wisconsin, and that he didn’t believe the legal claims of widespread fraud. > > > > “We got specific advice from our lawyers that these documents were meaningless, unless a court said they had meaning,” he said. > > > > He added that he felt pressured into signing the document, fearful that he would be held responsible in the situation that Trump won the suit and the electors were not prepared. > > > > “It was not a safe time,” he said. “If my lawyer is right, and the whole reason Trump loses Wisconsin is because of me, I will be scared to death.” > > > > “If I knew what I knew now, I wouldn’t have done it,” he continued. “It was kept from us that there was this alternate scheme, alternate motive.” > > > > The 10 Wisconsin GOP electors met at the state Capitol on Dec. 14 to sign the document under supervision of Kenneth Chesebro, the Trump campaign lawyer whom federal special counsel Jack Smith described as the “architect” of the fake elector scheme. > >
news.yahoo.com
From the Article: > > > MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed new legislative district maps into law on Monday that he proposed and that the Republicans who control the Legislature passed to avoid having the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court draw the lines. > > > > Democrats hailed the signing as a major political victory in the swing state where the Legislature has been firmly under Republican control for more than a decade, even as Democrats have won 14 of the past 17 statewide elections. > > > > “When I promised I wanted fair maps — not maps that are better for one party or another, including my own — I damn well meant it,” Evers said prior to signing the maps into law at the state Capitol. "Wisconsin is not a red state or a blue state — we're a purple state, and I believe our maps should reflect that basic fact. > > > > Democrats are almost certain to gain seats in the state Assembly and state Senate under the new maps, which will be in place for the November election. Republicans have been operating since 2011 under maps they drew that were recognized as among the most gerrymandered in the country. > > > > Democrats tried unsuccessfully for more than a decade to overturn the Republican-drawn maps. But it wasn’t until control of the state Supreme Court flipped in August after the election of liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz that Democrats found a winning formula. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > It’s time to grab your ID and head to the polls. There is an election Tuesday. > > > > Though all eyes are on Wisconsin’s role in the November presidential election, Milwaukee voters can go to the polls this spring to reshape who leads city and county government. > > > > Tuesday’s primary election will narrow the field to two candidates in four races, with many more winner-take-all contests between two candidates to follow on April 2. Only races with three or more candidates appear on the primary ballot. > > > > All city of Milwaukee voters will find a three-way race for mayor on the ballot. Incumbent Cavalier Johnson is vying for a full four-year term against two challengers. > > > > But voters in three select areas of Milwaukee will also find a legislative race on their ballot. On the southwest side, there is a three-way race to replace retiring alderman Mark Borkowski. In the north-central portion of the city, there is a four-way race to replace alderman Khalif Rainey, who opted not to run for reelection after two terms. > > > > The final race will appear on the ballot for residents of the city’s far northwest side. Incumbent Deanna Alexander faces two challengers to retain her seat on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > Kehr’s Candies made an announcement last Friday that was as bittersweet as its hand-dipped chocolates. > > > > The confectionery will leave its longtime post at the Milwaukee Public Market at the end of the month, but will continue to offer its products for deliveries, curbside pickup and, eventually, pop-ups. > > > > Owners Katey and Paul Martinka announced the news in a social media post, noting that the transition will allow them to step away from “the demands that come with a brick-and-mortar detail candy business.” The pair also shared their gratitude for the Milwaukee Public Market and the Historic Third Ward Association. > > > > Kehr’s Candies joined the then-new Public Market in 2006, occupying a prime spot at the center of the bustling food hall, 400 N. Water St. The business’s history, however, stretches back much further. Pearl and B.D. Kehr first launched Kehr’s in 1930, offering homemade caramel corn and potato chips. They later expanded to sell chocolate fudge and other candies, slowly adding additional products as they acquired new recipes. > > > > The store occupied several Milwaukee buildings before settling in at 3533 W. Lisbon Ave. in the mid-1950s. More than 75 years later, the space is still in use as a production kitchen for Kehr’s. > > > > Paul joined the business at the age of 18, working as a stock boy under the Kehr’s son, Bill. After spending 12 years learning the ins and outs of the candy-making trade, Paul took over as owner in 1995. Today, Kehr’s chocolatiers continue to reference B.D. Kehr’s original recipes and use many of the same tools as the founder. > >
steinbring
7 months ago
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100%
With most motorcycles, you can bump start them and the vast majority of the wiring on the bike is exposed to everybody and everything. I can see them falling into a similar space as the voiture sans permis.
From the Article: > > > After an almost four-year closure, the Rosebud Cinema on North Avenue in Wauwatosa has officially reopened. > > > > The nearly 100-year-old, single-screen movie theater opened in 1931 at 6823 W. North Ave. It is operated by the Neighborhood Theater Group. > > > > The Neighborhood Theater Group owns three movie theaters in Wisconsin. Along with the Rosebud, the company owns and operates the Avalon Theater on South Kinnickinnic Avenue and Times Cinema on West Vliet Street. > > > > The Times Cinema recently shared on social media that it would be transitioning away from regularly scheduled film programming to special public or private events. The only movie screenings currently listed on The Times Cinema's website are its Friday Night Freak Show series presented by WMSE-FM (91.7), which include screenings on Feb. 16, March 15 and April 19. > > > > Back in late November of 2023, the Rosebud Cinema announced its reopening, which was then slated for Jan. 8. > > > > The Rosebud Cinema is screening its first movies on Feb. 14. The theater currently lists showtimes through Feb. 29 on its website. > > > > Milwaukee's movie theater scene experienced many changes in 2023. > > > > In early September 2023, Marcus Theatres closed down three of its Milwaukee-area cinemas, Marcus Southgate Cinema, Marcus Showtime Cinema and Marcus Saukville Cinema. In late September, the Downer Theatre, which was the city's oldest operating theater, unexpectedly closed its doors. It had been open at 2589 N. Downer Ave. since December 1915. > > > > Milwaukee Film Festival organizer Milwaukee Film had previously expressed an interest in acquiring the Downer Theatre but has not made any recent comments about progress. > >
www.wpr.org
From the Article: > > > A Wisconsin bill would require an ignition interlock device to be placed in the vehicle of all drunken driving offenders in the state. > > > > That device requires a driver to pass a breath alcohol test before their vehicle starts. The legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, said it’s aimed at changing behavior for what he called a “toxic culture” of drinking and driving that exists across the state. > > > > “It’s time that we do more to curb the culture of drinking and driving in Wisconsin, while mitigating fatalities, injuries and property loss caused by drunk drivers,” Larson said during a press conference in Milwaukee Thursday. > > > > Current state law requires the device for people with two or more charges for operating while intoxicated, or OWI. It’s also mandatory for first-time offenders with a blood alcohol content above 0.15, according to an analysis from the Legislative Reference Bureau. The bill expands the ignition interlock requirement to all OWI offenses that involve the use of alcohol. > > > > This isn’t the first time Larson has introduced a similar version of the bill. He’s introduced the measure every legislative session that he’s been in office since 2011 — a total of seven times. > > > > Larson said the measure has received some bipartisan support in the past, but with the Republican-controlled state Legislature, the bill has only gotten one hearing in the past 13 years. > > > > “I would hope that as there’s more pressure, that people realize, ‘Hey, this is something that we can change,’” Larson said after the press conference. > > > > Larson said he’s open to discussion on amendments to the bill to help move it along. Rep. Deb Andraca, D-Whitefish Bay, is also a co-sponsor of the bill. > > > > “We want to get something passed, we would like to see this happen,” Larson said. > > > > The device would be in the vehicle for one year under Larson’s measure. The driver would also need to blow under a .02 during the breath alcohol test. > > > > Erin Payton, the regional executive director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, also spoke in favor of the bill Thursday. Payton said since 2019, drunken driving deaths have increased 31 percent across the nation. > >
apnews.com
From the Article: > > > MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A constitutional amendment supported by Republicans that attempts to limit diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in Wisconsin won approval Thursday in the state Assembly. > > > > The measure is the latest effort targeting DEI efforts nationwide, but it is a long way from becoming law in Wisconsin. It must also pass the Senate this year and then the full Legislature next session before it would go to a statewide vote to be added to the Wisconsin Constitution. > > > > The Senate is only expected to be in session a couple more days before ending its work for the year in March. > > > > Wisconsin Republicans have been proposing more constitutional amendments because they don’t require a sign off from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. He has vetoed more bills than any other governor in state history, serving as a block on the agenda of Republicans who have strong majorities in the Legislature. > >
From the Article: > > > MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says it will start sending out new license plate stickers to drivers who own electric and hybrid vehicles due to a new law. > > > > The law passed last year requires all hybrids and EVs to have license plate stickers as a safety precaution for first responders, letting them know when they approach the scene of a crash whether the vehicle is electric or a traditional combustion engine so they can use the appropriate equipment. > > > > The bill proposal introduced last year referenced a report published in 2013 by the National Fire Protection Alliance noted that EV fires are less likely to include explosions than combustion engine vehicle fires, but EV fires may burn more intensely due to the chemicals used in batteries. Hybrids and EVs may also have a higher risk of electric shocks to first responders, according to a 2020 report from the National Transportation Safety Board. > > > > Anyone who already owns a hybrid or EV will automatically be sent the stickers in the mail, and they should receive them by June. Anyone who buys a hybrid or EV starting this summer will get the stickers with their new license plates. The DOT says there is no need to contact the DMV to get the stickers. > > > > The DOT says the sticker should be placed in the upper right corner of each standard-sized license plate. > > > > State records show there were nearly 146,000 hybrids and EVs on Wisconsin roads last year. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > A Milwaukee County-backed affordable housing project in Whitefish Bay is back on track after it was blocked by a village commission in January. On Tuesday, the Village’s Board of Appeals overturned an architectural review board decision. > > > > Spoerl Development LLC is planning to build a three-story, 17-unit affordable apartment building, called The Hampton, at 4800-4818 N. Santa Monica Blvd. The site is located at the intersection of N. Santa Monica Boulevard and E. Hampton Road, near the border of Whitefish Bay and Shorewood. The intersection is considered one of the gateways to the village. > > > > The project was designed to be in compliance with village zoning, and only needed approval for permitting. It went before the village Architectural Review Commission (ARC) twice, and during the second meeting, in December, the project was denied. > > > > The denial proved controversial, as the Milwaukee County Housing Division had just awarded the project $3.2 million, with authorization from the county Board of Supervisors, to support the creation of affordable housing. “It just so happens that the same day this project went to the ARC that the county announced their grant for us, for an affordable housing development,” the developer Brian Spoerl, told Urban Milwaukee in January. > > > > Expanding affordable housing, with a special attention to housing options in the suburbs, has been a policy priority of the county’s Housing Division under County Executive David Crowley. > > > > According to a “Finding of Facts” produced by the commission, the project was rejected based upon a handful of considerations including concerns about local property values, parking; a subjective notion that one of the walls was “cold” and “not residential feeling”; and that it “still doesn’t feel like Whitefish Bay.” > >
www.wpr.org
From the Article: > > > Concordia University in suburban Milwaukee will likely cut staff in the face of “financial instability” according to a spokesperson for the university. > > > > University President Erik Ankerberg sent an email to students and staff Feb. 13 saying the university’s campuses in Mequon and in Ann Arbor, Michigan must reduce costs to operate sustainably. > > > > “Concordia University is taking these necessary steps to continue to fulfill its mission,” a statement from the university said. > > > > According to the university, property, facilities and equipment on the campus in Michigan will likely be sold. The statement did not detail how many jobs would be cut. > > > > Both universities are a part of the Concordia University System, a nationwide network of colleges and universities that are run independently but are all affiliated with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The two campuses merged in 2013 when Ann Arbor “could not obtain needed cash flow.” > > > > Enrollment has grown on average over the last decade. The suburban Milwaukee campus enrolled 6,274 students during the 2022-23 school year, compared to 1,359 students in Ann Arbor. Since 2013, enrollment at the Michigan campus has more than doubled. > > > > The announcement comes after university staff completed a financial review on Feb. 1. Concordia’s tax forms show the school has run a deficit in five of the last six years, ranging from $2 million to $6.3 million. > > > > Benjamin Brenckle is a senior at Concordia University Wisconsin, studying music education. He said when he first heard the news, he was worried. > > > > “I just kind of get concerned that because we don’t have as many people in the degree that we might lose the program or we might lose our staff,” Brenckle said. > > > > Brenckle said his professors have assured him that the Wisconsin campus will not be hit as hard by cuts as the Michigan location. > > > > The university has ambitious goals for its future. In a synopsis of the 2024-2028 strategic plan, the university aims to build enrollment to 8,500 students and increase donations to the university’s annual fund. > >
News
The US now has an 85% chance of recession in 2024, the highest probability since the Great Financial Crisis, economist David Rosenberg says
steinbring
7 months ago
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100%
Last year, the talking heads were predicting a 76% chance of recession. Someone seems to be really eager for some relevance.
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > Wong’s Wok, a Chinese chain restaurant with roots in Milwaukee, has shuttered its final location. The closure marks the end of a 45-year run for the family-owned restaurant, which operated as many as 13 locations at its peak. > > > > Since its inception in 1979, Wong’s Wok has operated as a fast food concept with a focus on traditional Cantonese recipes such as egg foo young, sweet-and-sour chicken and lo mein. The takeout-focused restaurant also served several varieties of fried rice, sesame chicken, crab rangoon and more. > > > > The last remaining Wong’s Wok, 3702 S. 27th St., was open as recently as early January, according to online reviews. As of Monday, however, the building has been stripped of its signage. A note posted in the drive-thru window reads: “restaurant closed.” > > > > The restaurant chain, originally founded by Edward Chin, has been passed down through multiple generations. Chin’s daughter, Jennifer Norvik, is the current business owner. > > > > In addition to its brick-and-mortar locations, Wong’s Wok was a regular vendor at Summerfest. The restaurant served fried rice, sesame chicken, crab rangoon and other crowd-favorites throughout the annual festival. Summerfest has not yet announced a full list of vendors for the 2024 event. > > > > The proprietor is now seeking a new tenant for the southside restaurant space. The standalone building shares a parking lot with a strip mall containing a number of businesses including Dollar Tree, an auto parts store and several others. The building is also home to a Chinese Buffet restaurant. A third Chinese restaurant, Panda Express, is located just north of the property. > >
www.milwaukeemag.com
From the Article: > > > Go deep into motorcycle culture with Mama Tried, a sprawling show of custom and collectible bikes named for a Merle Haggard song. > > > > The weekend kicks off on Feb. 23 at Fiserv Forum with Flat Out Friday, the “world’s largest indoor flat track race” on a surface coated with Dr Pepper syrup. (It adds traction, like a sticky movie theater floor.) > > > > This year marks the 10th anniversary of the homegrown show, which runs Feb. 24-25 at the Eagles Ballroom. > > > > “People come into town from all over the world to spend the whole week doing motorcycle-related parties and stuff like that,” says co-founder Scott Johnson. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > The City of Milwaukee celebrated the start of early voting for the spring election with the opening of a new voting center at the intersection of N. 60th St. and W. Capitol Dr. > > > > The new location at 6001 W. Capitol Dr., replaces the early voting site at the Midtown Center Shopping Complex. City officials decided to move the site in 2023 after an Atlanta-based firm bought the building, tripling cost of the city’s lease and reducing the space offered for the voting site, as Urban Milwaukee reported. > > > > Losing the Midtown site without a replacement would have been a blow to voting access for Milwaukee residents, particularly those living in the predominantly Black neighborhoods that surround the site. > > > > And a blow to turnout in Milwaukee. “This is the busiest early voting center in the Midwest,” said Claire Woodall, director of the Milwaukee Election Commission. > > > > The new site is located in two-story building that was originally a bank. It can be accessed by several bus routes, including Route 60, which runs north and south along 60th Street, and the RedLine, which runs east and west along Capitol Drive. The building is also ADA accessible and has parking for approximately 90 vehicles. > > > > “We’re hoping that this site will be more convenient than our previous site,” Woodall said. The city is planning to be in the location at least through 2025. > >
urbanmilwaukee.com
From the Article: > > > Last winter, a Milwaukee police officer walked into Axel’s. Shouting over the dive bar’s thumping music, he told underage patrons to leave the bar immediately. > > > > “This is your one chance,” he said, holding up a finger. > > > > A few seconds later, more than three dozen patrons stood up and filed out of the building. The incident, which was captured on video and distributed across multiple social media platforms, was just one of several cases of underage drinking found at the tavern throughout the past several years. > > > > The pattern captured the attention of the Licenses Committee, which on Jan. 23 recommended a 20-day suspension for the East Side tavern, 2859 N. Oakland Ave. > > > > But just minutes before the full Common Council was to vote on the matter Tuesday, area Alderman Jonathan Brostoff recommended the committee change the suspension to a warning letter — the tavern’s fourth in five years — during a special committee meeting. > >
steinbring
9 months ago
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100%
Well, that's no good. 🤨
steinbring
9 months ago
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100%
steinbring
10 months ago
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100%
$6.3 million feels like a lot. Did they even build anything there?
steinbring
11 months ago
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100%
Hopefully someone like Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, Colectivo, Stone Creek Coffee, or Anodyne will find value in the space. It would suck if it was turned into something other than a coffee shop.
Milwaukee
Should Amtrak trains stop at American Family Field? Planned new routes could make it possible
steinbring
11 months ago
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100%
I would love to see The Hop have a stop there but it is having trouble getting as far as the convention center. There are light rail systems that are on the street part of the time and on rail lines part of the time. I wonder if it would be possible to do something like that with The Hop to extend its reach?
steinbring
11 months ago
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100%
I remember the first snow of the year being in late October / early November over the past few years. I just mowed my lawn again, yesterday. That feels very weird.
steinbring
11 months ago
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100%
By the time it goes from concept to release, I’m guessing that it will be ~2028. Hopefully Ford will give the Maverick an EV drivetrain by then.
steinbring
11 months ago
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100%
All of the ChargePoint chargers around where I am seem to still have CHAdeMO. Maybe just replace CHAdeMO with NACS?
steinbring
11 months ago
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100%
Somebody new bought Midtown Center and a new tenant is moving into the space that the city normally leases for the voting site. It sounds like they lease it for a month when an election approaches and then let it go again but a normal business is willing to grab it for longer. My voting site in Glendale keeps moving (a university, a high school, a bar, a library, etc). A disused retail space is probably pretty conveint but I'm sure there is a church basement somewhere if they can't work something out with Midtown Center.
steinbring
11 months ago
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100%
@quortez I can
steinbring
12 months ago
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100%
The Milwaukee Clipper (the boat that the Lake Express replaced) primarily went between Milwaukee and Muskegon but they did seasonal routes all over Lake Michigan. Folks complain about the cost of running high-speed passenger rail from Milwaukee to Green Bay but what if there was another ferry route going from Chicago to Milwaukee and onward to Green Bay? I would use it.
Politics
[News] Government shutdown threat eases after House passes a 45-day funding plan, sending it to Senate
steinbring
12 months ago
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100%
This was supposed to be dealt with back in May. Even if the continuing resolution gets through the Senate, I'm guessing that we are going to be back here a month from now but with no house speaker (after Lauren Boebert and company force him out of the speakership for being "too liberal").
politics
steinbring
12 months ago
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88%
"If voters want change, they should go to the polls" doesn't work anymore. I don't know if it is the Democrats' spinelessness or the fact that the GOP is doing everything that they can to gerrymander and rig elections, or when that fails, just try to overthrow the damn government. We really need a plan B, though.
FoodPorn
steinbring
12 months ago
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90%
That looks amazing.
steinbring
12 months ago
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100%
I've never been to the original but I've driven past it often. I have high hopes for the new one.
Wisconsin
Republican proposals would preserve voter ID law, remove Wisconsin from election database
steinbring
12 months ago
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100%
Over the past 2 years, Republican-controlled states have been quitting the Electronic Registration Information Center like it's going out of style. Conspiracy theorists insist that it is some sort of liberal front for controlling elections. In reality, it is just a way of making sure that someone isn't registered to vote in two states at the same time. I'm just glad that Evers is there to veto the bill.
Milwaukee
Will Milwaukee Film Take Over The Downer? | Oriental Theatre leader confirms interest in rescuing recently-shuttered theater.
steinbring
12 months ago
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100%
Theaters like The Oriental, The Downer, The Times, and The Avalon are damn treasures. Unlike Marcus and AMC theaters (with their dozen screens and acres of parking), the indie theaters were built at a neighborhood scale. I really like being able to walk or bike to a theater on a Sunday afternoon. In recent memory, we've lost The Downer, The Fox Bay, and the Rosebud. The Rivoli Theatre up in Cedarburg has stayed open by leaning on a committed group of volunteers and community fundraising. Last year, the folks who own The Fox Bay tried to get $773,000 from the Downtown Incentive Grant program to help pay for the renovation and reopening of it. This summer the Fox Bay Theater opened its doors for a short high school film festival. I'm hoping that non-profit community groups (like Milwaukee Film) and community involvement can save as many of these places as possible.
steinbring
12 months ago
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100%
I don't have a say in the matter since I don't live in Milwaukee but I like what he's done so far. I look forward to 20 more years of him in office.
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
The beauty of the fediverse is that you are using lemmy, I'm using kbin, and the two interoperate. :)
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
Every time I walk past that structure, I wonder why the performing arts center hasn't rebuilt it, yet. I guess if it is owned by the city, that would explain it.
Movies and TV Shows
[TMZ] 'The Price is Right' Host Bob Barker Dead at 99
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
I thought that he had passed, a while ago. 99 years is a good run.
Spay and neuter, folks!
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
The current museum is more than twice the size of the new building, which kind of bummed me out a little. It sounds like the new structure will be more efficient, though. The bulk of the collections at the current museum are used for research and are not on display but all those collections are now going to be visible from the exhibit floors so that the visitors can see them. I'm excited to see what's happening, next.
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
I backed the Kickstarter for them to open that place and then never went there. It's been on my to-do list for years.
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
"will be served by clean diesel buses until the batteries have been replaced"? Somebody invented a way of powering a diesel bus without burning diesel?
Milwaukee
'This is our best chance': A successful NASCAR return could put the Milwaukee Mile back on the map
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
Going to Pius in the 90s, all of the windows were open after it started getting warm outside (since k12 schools don't seem to ever have AC). I could remember the constant sound practice over at the Milwaukee Mile. It would be neat to bring that back.
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
I just discovered that park recently. It's pretty nice.
Memes
steinbring
1 year ago
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70%
... or walk?
Fewer CO2 emissions is a good goal if you are going to buy a car. Keeping it as long as possible is a better goal.
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
It was apparently a Sears for over 50yrs (only closing in the 80s). There were relatively recent plans to turn the building into an 80-room hotel (https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2019/03/27/eyes-on-milwaukee-old-sears-building-to-become-new-hotel/).
Milwaukee
Milwaukee County Launches Balancing Act Tool to Encourage Public Input on First Budget Surplus in Over 20 Years
steinbring
1 year ago
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100%
The county has a hell of a lot of "deferred maintenance" that has piled up since 2002. $31.6M won't even put a dent in it but hopefully, they can deal with the worst of it.
steinbring
1 year ago
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I have a single-family home in Glendale and I think that I would like to switch to a condo at some point just so I have less of a reason to be around all of the time. I like to travel and with winters in Wisconsin getting colder and my desire to be cold decreasing with each polar vortex, I figured that renting a place in Mexico for 2-3mo every year might be nice. It's harder to do that when you have to maintain a SFH while you are away.
steinbring
1 year ago
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More housing is always better than less housing. Something tells me that these are going to be "Luxury Apartments" though (priced at something like $2500/mo) and folks who are downsizing will willingly pay it because only 25 total condo units have been built in Milwaukee since 2011. We need more housing to drive down costs but we need more housing in more categories (market-rate apartments, luxury apartments, and especially condos).
Shitty Food Porn
Quick and easy two ingredient burrito
steinbring
1 year ago
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Gah!
steinbring
1 year ago
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If it keeps the buses running, the sewers working, and the parks open, I am all for it. I share @muffinrobotofdoom's concern, though. I also think that sales taxes disproportionately favor the wealthy. In an environment where the state legislature is actively trying to bankrupt the city, you have to work with what you can get.
steinbring
1 year ago
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There is a better argument to get folks to switch from twitter/faceboook to mastodon or instagram to pixelfed because the software is more flushed out. Kbin and Lemmy are still a little alpha. I'm a little afraid that if you get a normie to give the community a try, they will get frustrated.
steinbring
1 year ago
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If I'm not mistaken, hotel rooms in Milwaukee generate 7% in taxes for the city and 3% in taxes for the county. As long as they pay their fare share, I'm in favor of it. I would only object if they take a "We aren't a hotel. We refuse to pay taxes." attitude.