Milwaukee

From the Article:

There was a time when Milwaukee was awash in great bookshops. This is not that time. But don’t fret because there is still a range of great booksellers purveying everything from fine literature to kids classics to cutting edge poetry to political works and more.

Though there are a number of chain shops, I have not included those, nor have I dwelled too heavily on used books, though I have included a few. After you visit these, you might want to delve deeper into some of the other shops – offering mostly pre-owned books.

From the Article:

Milwaukee voters have a good chance of finding a contested primary, potentially with high stakes, on their ballot Tuesday.

There are 10 state-level partisan primaries on city of Milwaukee ballots Tuesday.

While candidates are technically running for the party’s nomination, a handful of primary races will actually determine who wins the seat come November. With few Republicans running for office in a Democratic stronghold like Milwaukee, some winners will coast into the general election unopposed.

Our candidate guide notes which races will be determined by the outcome of Tuesday’s partisan primaries. Uncontested races are not included.

The majority of the races on the ballot are for seats in the Assembly, where representatives serve two-year terms. The only Senate race is a rematch of the special election held in District 4 last month.

From the Article:

After nearly eight decades of family ownership, Glorioso’s Italian Market is being sold.

Brothers Carmine, Dominic and Paolo Presta, an Illinois-based family, are preparing to take over the specialty grocer, 1011 E. Brady St., with plans to honor and continue the store’s neighborhood legacy.

Carmine, who will serve as president of the new ownership group, said the transition will commence as soon as the licensing process is finalized.

“Our thing is to keep everything the same,” he said. “Same staff, same chef, same recipes.”

The brothers plan to work closely with the current general manager and registered agent, Michael Glorioso, who will act as an ambassador and adviser moving forward.

“We’re kind of like Michael’s younger generation that he’s always wanted, to see what he’s done with Glorioso’s, and to see it keep going forward and expanding,” Carmine said. “We thought it was a great opportunity.”

From the Article:

There are 100 new foods in which you can indulge at the 2024 Wisconsin State Fair. But which ones are worth trying?

For the eighth year, I spent a good portion of opening day at the Fair working my way through a list of reader-suggested foods, tasting every single one. I've ranked 16 of them from worst to best (16 being the worst). I’ve also included my tasting notes and candid thoughts for your reading enjoyment.

From the Article:

The Hop, presented by Potawatomi Casino Hotel, will return to regular M-Line and L-Line service beginning Sunday, Aug. 11. The streetcar system had been operating its combined “Festivals Line” throughout the summer months to better accommodate passengers accessing the multitude of summer events held along Milwaukee’s lakefront.

“The combined Festivals Line was a wonderful pilot program that brought a number of benefits to our riders, particularly with so many new riders looking to access the Lakefront and not being familiar with the newer L-Line and need to transfer,” Milwaukee Commissioner of Public Works Jerrel Kruschke said. “We’ve learned a lot over the last few months and will continue to evaluate how we can best serve our riders during peak times, whether they are looking to access the Lakefront or not.”

Beginning Aug. 11, The Hop will once again operate the M-Line and L-Line independently, with three cars serving the M-Line during peak hours and one car dedicated to the L-Line. Service will continue to be provided during the system’s regular hours of operation from 5 a.m. to midnight Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

From the Article:

Major cleanup is about to get underway on the expansive campus of the Milwaukee VA Soldiers Home. The work on three buildings, to the tune of $25 million, is expected to benefit, not just the veterans who live here, but the entire Milwaukee area. Michele Fiore reports.

"It is a real win for the veteran community and really everyone in Milwaukee and the state to see this transformed again to what it once was," said Jonathan Beck, Development Project Manager, The Alexander Company.

Three solid structures, rich in Milwaukee history…

"You have people that actually fought in Gettysburg sitting in these seats at one point in time," said Beck.

…about to be brought back to life after sitting vacant for some 40 years.

"So where are we standing right now? -35 Jonathan: We are standing in the Ward Memorial Theatre," said Beck.

In the 1880s, a number of soldiers called this home. Now, some buildings that had fallen into disrepair, will be making a full return.

From the Article:

Motorcycles are all over Milwaukee this weekend, but a different kind of bike is taking over the Riverwest neighborhood.

We're now three hours into the Riverwest24.

The 24-hour bike race started as a community block watches in the neighborhood, giving people a way to welcome new people and strengthen the community together.

Some people try to do the while 24 hours, but others form teams to break it up into shorter segments.

Either way, it's always a popular event every year.

From the Article:

After nearly eight years in the Walker’s Point neighborhood, Hamburger Mary’s is preparing to bring its burgers, bloodies and beauties to a new locale.

The restaurant, known for its drag performances, will close its doors at 730 S. 5th St. after service on Sunday, July 28.

Co-owners Ashley and Brandon Wright told Urban Milwaukee they plan to reopen in a new location. At this time, the brothers are still unsure exactly where that will be.

“This is bittersweet,” Brandon said in a statement. “While we are sad to announce that Hamburger Mary’s will be closing, we are excited for the possibilities that a new location can offer.”

The brothers also own Hunty’s Social Club (formerly Mary’s Arcade Bar) at 734 S. 5th St. The space, which adjoins Hamburger Mary’s, has quietly been on the market for over a year.

The brothers said they listed the social club space for sale after reckoning with the lingering effects of COVID-19.

cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/14727808

From the Article:

Milwaukee backers of the Republican National Convention coming to the city, who have predicted a $200 million economic impact from the event, said they weren’t fazed by former President Donald Trump citing an impact of over $250 million during his speech accepting the party's nomination.

Two leaders of the Milwaukee 2024 RNC Host Committee said Friday they don’t yet know the final estimated impact of hosting the convention and don’t rule out finishing higher than their $200 million prediction.

Here is what Trump said Thursday night at Fiserv Forum:

“By the way, Wisconsin, we are spending over $250 million here creating jobs and the other economic development all over the place, so I hope you will remember this in November. Give us your vote. I am trying to buy your vote – I’ll be honest about that.” Trump's remarks drew cheers from the audience, which included the Wisconsin delegation near the stage.

A reporter from Milwaukee CBS affiliate WDJT-TV (Channel 58) reported the teleprompter for Trump's speech said $200 million, indicating Trump deviated from the script. However, the audience at Fiserv Forum and on television, streaming and other platforms heard the $250 million figure.

Visit Milwaukee president and CEO Peggy Williams-Smith said Friday that her organization and the Host Committee's $200 million figure was based on the impact of previous national political conventions.

“I do not control what Donald Trump says,” she said. “I’m still going with $200 million.”

Williams-Smith said she’s awaiting financial reports on the convention’s impact before declaring a final dollar amount.

“Obviously with inflation, I can totally see that ($250 million) happening, but I’m not going to increase it right now,” she said. “My gut feel says it’ll be higher (than $200 million), but we have to wait and see.”

Tim Sheehy, senior adviser and past president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, said the convention met performance goals for attendance and impact on the local hospitality industry.

“I don’t know whether it’s $200 million or $250 (million),” Sheehy said. “Past conventions, it’s been around $200 (million). I don’t make this as a political statement, but inflation’s going to drive that up.”

Sheehy acknowledged that while the convention delivered revenue boosts for hotels and many hospitality and service businesses, it wasn’t a win for all businesses.

“I’m going to have to describe it as 'lumpy peanut butter,'” he said. “The reason I describe it as 'lumpy peanut butter' is I think the spread of exposure for Milwaukee nationally and internationally was fantastic.

“The lumpy part is not every business met the expectations that they had for the convention. That’s somewhat understandable,” he said.

Sheehy said convention guests faced challenges entering and exiting the security zone, which likely limited their access to businesses beyond the perimeter.

Williams-Smith said she was sad that not all businesses in Milwaukee did as well as their owners and managers thought they would, but she said the Host Committee never promised all businesses would benefit. She said activity picked up through the course of the week at bars and restaurants.

Before the convention started, the Host Committee announced raising over $85 million from businesses and organizations in Wisconsin and beyond. The sales pitch to local donors was that their contributions would boost the Milwaukee area during the convention week and lead to opportunities for more large conventions.

Sheehy, who worked on the fundraising campaign, said the final figure was about $87 million, and about $40 million of that was raised in Wisconsin.

From the Article:

Despite years of delays, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport officials are preparing for potential reignition of a dormant project.

Mitchell International submitted a request for proposal for the demolition of the existing Concourse E and the construction of a new international terminal building. Bids are due on July 25 by 2 p.m.

This is the most recent development for a project that has been in the works since 2016. With funding originally included in Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele’s 2018 budget plan, the airport has had to pivot its plans due to an increased price. In March, Milwaukee County airport director Brian Dranzik said inflation has increased the cost to more than $80 million.

The project is anticipated to begin as early as 2025, though that could change based on funding availability and other contingencies, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport director of public affairs and marketing Harold Mester told the Business Journal in an email. The project would take approximately two years to complete and final costs will be determined by the bids that come in, Mester wrote.

Instead of receiving funding through the Milwaukee County budget plan, the airport will apply for federal grants from the Federal Aviation Administration through its Airport Terminals Program which distributes $1 billion annually to provide competitive grants for airport terminal development projects. FAA grant applications are due July 31.

“Hopefully we get that award next year, and hopefully we get enough funds to then actually bring that project along,” Dranzik said in March.

From the Article:

Women’s rights, a free Palestine, defeating the Republican agenda, immigrant rights, the end of war and LGBTQ+ protections.

The Coalition to March on the RNC offered messages on all those topics and more as it snaked through downtown Milwaukee Monday afternoon.

The coalition, formed by more than 100 groups nationwide, spent more than a year preparing for the march. Its efforts included suing the City of Milwaukee for a permit to march its own route near Fiserv Forum and developing a team of medics and organizers to support the disparate groups.

Co-chair Blake Jones said the primary mission Monday was to “show the Republicans that their hateful and racist agenda is not welcome here.”

In the months leading up to the march, co-chair Omar Flores stressed the group would hold a “family friendly” and peaceful march. On Monday, it appeared they delivered on that promise. Flores, in an interview, estimated 3,000 people attended, but added, “maybe I’m being optimistic.”

The group was big, but the large contingent of international media members and police officers circling through the area made it tough to precisely measure the numbers.

I received this email earlier today. I wasn't sure how safe it was going to be at the Marcus Performing Arts Center anyway.

From the Article:

Commercial aviation was just getting off the ground when this photo was taken in 1940. Milwaukee County had opened its first primitive airport in what is now Currie Park in 1919, only 16 years after the Wright brothers terrorized the resident birds of Kitty Hawk, but the focus of attention shifted steadily to what we know today as Mitchell Airport, pictured here.

Milwaukee County began to buy land near the intersection of Layton and Howell avenues in 1926, and commercial planes were soon taxiing down cinder runways on what had once been a seasonally soggy horse pasture.

Scheduled passenger service began less than a year later, when a Northwest Airways three-seater made its inaugural daily flight from Chicago to Minneapolis, stopping in Milwaukee en route. The one-way fare was $50 – nearly $900 in today’s dollars – and the plane cruised at an airborne snail’s pace of 85 miles per hour.

As flying became faster, cheaper and easier, demand soared, and Milwaukee soon needed a genuine passenger terminal. In 1940, with major help from New Deal relief programs, the building pictured here was dedicated at 1011 E. Layton Ave. It served paying passengers, but there was still plenty of room for airline offices, a weather station and a control tower.

Within a decade, rapid growth had made the “new” terminal obsolete. In 1950, Milwaukee County decided to shift the airport’s operations center westward. A state-of-the-art facility opened on the Howell Avenue side of the field in 1955, and it became the nucleus of the sprawling complex familiar to today’s travelers.

Useless for anything but storage, the Layton Avenue terminal was demolished in 1966. Its site was eventually occupied by private hangars, and sleek corporate jets now touch down where biplanes and Trimotors once ruled the runways. 

From the Article:

The Coalition to March on the Republican National Convention (RNC) and the City of Milwaukee have reached a near last-minute deal on the coalition’s plan to march inside the soft security perimeter and within view of the convention being held at Fiserv Forum.

“We’re very proud to announce that as of 11 a.m. today, we have reached a handshake agreement with the city of Milwaukee that will allow us to march within sight and sound of the Fiserv Forum,” Omar Flores, co-chair of the coalition, said at a press conference Friday afternoon. “A member of the City Attorney’s office will be observing the march at the very front to make sure that things go without a hitch.”

It is the second time this week the coalition has had to change the protest route. After losing a lawsuit over the city’s permitting for public demonstrations earlier this week, coalition leaders said the march would still go forward and announced a new route running through the “soft zone” of the RNC security perimeter. Pedestrians and cyclists are able to pass freely through the “soft zone” but vehicles must go through a security checkpoint.

Following the deal with the city, the new route will still run through the security perimeter and through the “soft zone”, going past the intersection of W. Highland Avenue and N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, where it will be roughly within a block of Fiserv Forum. The march is scheduled to take off Monday morning from Red Arrow Park.

The coalition sued the city after the city refused to permit a march inside the security zone of the Republican National Convention. With legal representation from the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin (ACLU), the group sued the city in federal court seeking an injunction against the permitting restrictions, arguing they violate the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

U.S. District Court Judge Brett Ludwig did not grant the injunction and said the city’s restrictions meet the standard for “time, place and manner” limitations accepted by the U.S. Supreme Court, in a decision released late Monday.

From the Article:

The nation’s top Republicans will descend on Milwaukee this weekend ahead of the party’s national convention, which kicks off Sunday evening.

Alongside former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, two prominent names in socially progressive advocacy are planning to make an appearance.

Ben and Jerry.

The popular ice cream brand, which has a long history of political activism, is set to open its new scoop shop in the Historic Third Ward on Sunday, July 14.

The neighborhood announced the news on social media Wednesday, noting that the business, 203 N. Broadway, will soon be serving “creamy cones and sweet treats galore.”

Frederick and Patricia Rasmussen are co-owners of the upcoming business, which will be the first Ben & Jerry’s location in the state. Both reside in Illinois, according to a license application.

From the Article:

Buses will make a wide berth around the Republican National Convention (RNC), cutting off much of Downtown from direct bus service.

The transit system remains uncertain when the detours will begin, but said they could begin as soon as July 11 when fencing for the perimeter begins going up. The detours will last throughout the entire convention, which runs from July 15 to July 18, plus another day afterward.

Buses will not travel west of Broadway, nor east of N. 10th Street, according to a map released by MCTS Monday.

Detoured routes will also run north of W. Walnut Street and south all the way to Walker’s Point while skirting around the security perimeter created for the event.

There will be no temporary stops installed outside of the security perimeter to make up for the route changes. “For safety reasons, riders are asked to go to an existing bus stop as there are no temporary stops,” the statement by MCTS says.

The detours will affect 14 bus routes running through Downtown: CONNECT 1, BlueLine, GreenLine, 12, 15, 18, 19, 30, 31, 33, 34, 57, 80 and 81. Most of the service is being rerouted along N. 12th Street, W. Walnut Avenue and N. Milwaukee Street. The detour for Route 18 is not illustrated in a map from MCTS, but is included in a descriptions of detours (included below).

The large chunk of service taken out of the transit network — nearly all of Westown — will have ripple effects across the entire system. “While public transportation will be most impacted in downtown Milwaukee, riders should also expect delays across the system due to the overall increase in traffic expected at the event,” MCTS said.

The transit system’s paratransit service, Transit Plus, will have access to the security zone for dropoffs. Riders will be subject to security screenings and MCTS asks that riders prepare for longer travel times as a result. “We welcome delegates and visitors to the RNC and look forward to helping you make the most of Milwaukee County and have a wonderful experience during your visit,” said MCTS. “While we’re ready for this worldwide event, we ask everyone to allow more time in your travel plans and know that security measures could change service on short notice.”

From the Article:

Milwaukee County Supervisor Shawn Rolland wants to raise the fine for illegal dumping in Milwaukee County Parks.

Illegal dumping has been a problem in the parks system for many years. With many secluded areas and plenty of space, parks are a ripe target for contractors, landlords and others who want to skirt the fees charged at local dumpsites.

Municipalities struggle with the problem, too. The City of Milwaukee has a $5,000 fine for dumping, as well as a reward for tipsters. Milwaukee County ordinance sets the fine for dumping at $200. Rolland has authored a resolution raising the fine to $5,000, bringing it in line with the city’s fine.

“It’s time to send a message that’s crystal clear: our parks are jewels, not junkyards,” Rolland told Urban Milwaukee. “And if you bring your garbage to our parks instead of your local dump, you’re going to get a painful fine.”

In 2021, parks officials began cataloging instances of illegal dumping throughout the system. They found that much of the dumping is occurring within a few parks in the system, McGovern Park, the Little Menomonee River Parkway and Washington Park are among them.

The problem is tricky to solve. The parks department is already understaffed and the system includes more than 15,000 acres of parkland. Even if the department deployed cameras at the hot-spot parks, it would be difficult to put up enough to catch everything. Department staff have also noticed that when someone gets caught dumping in a specific area the dumping will increase elsewhere.

From the Article:

After its May 21 launch, Amtrak Borealis attracted hundreds of daily passengers for the St. Paul, Minnesota/Milwaukee/Chicago train route and is one of only two state-supported routes to turn a profit.

In its monthly performance report released last week, Amtrak said the St. Paul and Chicago train route dubbed Borealis brought in about 6,600 passengers during the 11 days it was operational in May. The route has eight stops in Wisconsin, including the downtown Milwaukee Intermodal Station.

Recently, the Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers reported figures from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation that confirmed the Borealis train in May carried over 600 passengers daily during that 11-day period. The daily average for westbound travelers, they said, was 329. Meanwhile, the daily average for eastbound travelers was 275.

The twice-daily Borealis was built as an expansion of the current Empire Builder service which connects Chicago with the Twin Cities on its way to Seattle. Borealis’ 411-mile route takes about 7 hours and 20 minutes, compared with Empire’s nearly 8-hour journey.

The route is sponsored by the states of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. A federal grant was to provide 90% of the first year operating costs. In its brief history, the St. Paul-to-Chicago route is one of only two Amtrak state-supported routes — out of 30 nationwide — to turn an operating profit this year; revenue for May was $600,000, vs. expenses of $500,000.

St. Paul’s Union Depot is working on becoming a destination attraction train travelers. The depot recently welcomed a new restaurant from the owners of Lake Elmo Inn called 1881 by Lake Elmo. St. Paul officials are reportedly hoping the upscale restaurant will become an attraction in its own right for people traveling into St. Paul via train.

From the Article:

For the first time in over a year, WISN 12 News cameras were granted rare access Monday inside the former Northridge Mall weeks before a contractor is set to begin demolition.

The city of Milwaukee acquired the site of the former mall in January 2024 after a judge granted a foreclosure following years of unpaid taxes by U.S. Black Spruce Enterprises, the Chinese-based company that owned the property.

Since gaining access to the buildings, the city of Milwaukee says they have secured the premises and added 24/7 on-site security.

This comes after years of vandalism at the property including a string of dangerous arsons in the summer of 2022.

That vandalism was still on full display Monday. Stores once filled with eager shoppers are now littered with shattered glass, graffiti and broken property. Mold and asbestos cover the floors and walls.

"It's a real health and safety issue," Benji Timm, a project manager with the Department of City Development said. "It doesn't take long for people to get inside, for Mother Nature to work her magic on a building like this."

The city says they are now working with Veit, a Minnesota-based contractor to begin asbestos abatement and demolition by late summer.

Timm says the process will likely take close to a year to complete. The city hopes to have a more concrete timeline in August when they plan to hold a special public meeting.

In the meantime, the City has launched two websites to provide updates on the project and give community members a chance to weigh in on what they'd like to see built on the property once the former mall is removed.

From the Article:

The Marcus Performing Arts Center is not ready to sever its relationship with Milwaukee County taxpayers.

MPAC, the 55-year-old, downtown art center, is reporting that it has spent the last few years spending down its cash reserves as it struggles to bring in revenue. It was supposed to cut financial ties with the county in 2026, but it’s unlikely the organization will be ready to do so.

MPAC wants to extend its funding agreement with the county. Unfortunately for MPAC, the organization’s plea comes at a time that county policymakers are looking to cut spending on arts and culture.

Milwaukee County owns the building at 929 N. Water, which is operated by MPAC. The privately-built center opened in 1969 and was deeded to the county, to be held in trust for the public and to support the performing arts.

In 2015, a plan to transfer ownership of the building from the county to the Wisconsin Center District was added to state legislation financing the new Milwaukee Bucks arena. A year later, the county board finalized a funding agreement with MPAC that stated the county would stop providing funding if ownership was transferred to the district.

In light of this agreement, MPAC and the county successfully sought a repeal of the state legislation authorizing the ownership transfer.

From the Article:

Dust off those lawn chairs and pack the cooler. The South Milwaukee Heritage Days Parade will kick off its annual parade at 11 am on Saturday, July 27th. This highly anticipated parade will feature over 150 units marching through the center of South Milwaukee along Milwaukee Avenue, culminating at the Lionsfest grounds on 16th & Rawson Avenue.

The 2024 Heritage Days Parade promises to be an unforgettable experience – boasting a diverse array of exciting highlights. Attendees can expect a captivating Harley-Davidson prelude, a harmonious crescendo of marching bands, patriotic displays from military, veteran, fire, and police personnel, dance performances, majestic horses, and colorful floats. Bring a bag to collect the candy and swag giveaways!

From the Article:

The former Llewellyn Library in Bay View is now up for sale for $300,000.

The 8,234 square-foot building, located at 907 E Russell Ave., used to be the Milwaukee Public Library but was replaced in 1993 by the Bay View Library on Kinnickinnic Ave.

The former Llewellyn Library, built in 1913 and expanded in 1958, is zoned as RT4 residential. This zoning allows for up single-family to four-unit homes and "commercial establishments commonly found in urban neighborhoods," according to the city zoning code.

The Milwaukee Department of City Development prefers an adaptive reuse of the building as residential, low-traffic commercial, studio, shop, or art gallery space.

The former library cannot be used as a "parking lot, pawnshop, cigarette or cigar shop, gun shop, tavern, liquor store, currency exchange, payday or auto-title loan store, medical service facility, daycare facilities," or uses prohibited by zoning according to the Department of Development.

The selected developer cannot apply for tax exemption and must host an informational neighborhood meeting explaining the new use of the building.

According to our partners at OnMilwaukee, after the former library closed, it was briefly leased to Milwaukee Public Schools, which used it for Bay View High School's Redcat Academy, a program to "serve at-risk students with a mix of programming that included NJROTC, construction and technical specialty training."

The building has sat vacant since the Redcat Academy program ended over a decade ago.

The Milwaukee Department of City Development issued a Request for Proposals for the 17,315 square-foot lot.

Proposals to buy the building are due by noon on Tuesday, July 30.