Play in the City

Congrats, Journal Sentinel!

On Monday, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Dave Umhoefer won a Pulitzer Prize. This is the first time the newspaper has been awarded journalism’s top honor since Milwaukee’s two daily papers – the Journal and the Sentinel – combined back in ’95.

Umhoefer won in the category of Local Reporting for his investigative report last summer that detailed pension deals for county workers. You can head over here to read more about Umhoefer’s article and its significance if you want.

Apparently, the Milwaukee Journal had won five Pulitzer Prizes before it merged with the Milwaukee Sentinel. But that doesn't matter right now. What truly matters is that the Journal Sentinel currently has a really strong staff vigorously committed to journalism. I mean, to have a writer who can compete with all of the big wig papers out there and win top honor, well, that deserves more than just a pat on the back!

Not only has Umhoefer received props for his report, Milwaukee and its local newspapers and the journalists and writers working in the city have also gained outstanding acknowledgment.

As a writer I’m very impressed by Umhoefer’s work and his achievement. Actually, I'm inspired. It proves that if you keep your nose to the grindstone, something amazing will eventually become of it; and in this case, something that can rival the movers and shakers around the country!

So, way to go! High-fives all around!

The Official Beer Day

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has declared Monday, April 7, 2008 Beer Day in Brew City!

I know, I know, you're probably thinking, "Isn't every day Beer Day in Milwaukee?"

According to Barrett, this unique day is in observance of the 75th anniversary of the first legal beer deliveries in the United States. He says it's also a day to recognize the role the brewing industry has played in making Milwaukee the city it is today.

FOX 6 explains that on this day in 1933 the Cullen-Harrison Act took effect, finally allowing the sale of beer by nullifying the Volstead Act, the legal framework of Prohibition.

So with all of that behind us, Barrett met with Miller Brewing Company executives at the Miller Inn this morning to announce the dedication and to make a toast with a bottle of Miller High Life, the "Champaign of Beers."

And here I thought Opening Day was Beer Day in Milwaukee... silly me.

The Circus Parade Returns!

Last week in the news I read that Milwaukee is planning to revive a long lost tradition: The Great Circus Parade!

Watching the Circus Parade was a tradition for my family that spanned many years. Sadly, our custom fizzled out once my brother, sister and I grew up, and then after nearly two decades the parade was eventually canceled for everyone.

After a six-year hiatus, the Great Circus Parade will be back in 2009 in celebration of the Circus World Museum’s 50th Anniversary. This news elicited nostalgia for me and many Milwaukeeans.

Do you have any memories of the Great Circus Parade?

It’s funny because just a few days before the news broke I asked my dad, “Hey dad, whatever happened to the Circus Parade?” Over lunch he explained the lack of funds and its cancellation. Then, we reminisced about how people would camp out downtown just to wait for the parade and how the entire week was deemed "Circus Week" as it was filled with special activities to attract families from all over the country, even the world.

This annual festival culminated in the Great Circus Parade and as a kid we’d pack a cooler and head from Brookfield to downtown early in the morning to find a spot along Wisconsin Avenue. There we'd wait curbside on lawn chairs and on blankets for hours and hours along with hundreds of thousands of wide-eyed locals all anticipating the Circus Parade's arrival.

Then, the blast of a train horn commenced the magnificent spectacle and the whimsical antique wagons, peppy marching bands, goofy clowns, exotic animals, and the stream of other fantastic circus performers flooded the streets of Milwaukee.

Back then it was the world's only annual circus parade and it was a Milwaukee treasure. I’m thrilled that the Great Circus Parade is coming back to our city and I'm delighted to relive this Milwaukee tradition!

Parking Relief. Finally!

My only gripe about living in the city is the parking, or lack thereof.

Parking spots are at a premium around the East Side. There are so many rules that even the most seasoned East Side veteran can’t find a loophole when it comes to parking. For instance, before I got an underground parking spot I was getting one parking ticket per week if I didn’t fill out one of these forms. Still, such online permission slips are only good for three nights each month, which is pretty worthless in the long run.

Luckily, the city is cutting us some slack. Finally!

I heard on the news the other day that the City of Milwaukee plans to ease the 24-hour parking limit on streets in certain areas on the East Side, which is arguably the worst place to find a parking spot. So, from now until December 1, you can leave your car along most streets for up to five days. FIVE DAYS!

Definitely take advantage of the new grace period, but know the boundaries and make sure that you aren’t interfering with any other parking regulation. For more information, head over here.

Happy parking!

Your Vote Counts!

Polls opened across Wisconsin at 7 a.m. this morning for the Presidential Primary and will close at 8 p.m.

The candidates have been campaigning hard in Wisconsin for about a week, sending the message that Wisconsin matters. So, the Primary here may go a long way toward determining who will be nominated for president.

The decision is in YOUR hands, the hands of voters.

State election officials expect a higher than usual voter turnout today. They anticipate 35% of Wisconsin voters to cast a ballot for this election, which is the highest voter turnout in 20 years.

You might want to take note that the busiest times for voting are expected to be before work from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and then after work from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

If you aren’t sure who you want to vote for, check out this site to help you decide on a candidate that’s perfect for you, and then get out there and vote!

If you don’t know where your polling location is, click here. And if you’re not registered, it’s not a problem. You can register at your polling place if you bring a drivers license or something else to prove who you are (a utility bill or pay stub). It’s extremely easy!

To make it even easier, my friend Mark broke it down for everyone on MySpace. Here's the scoop:

The bottom line is you can register at the polls if you bring proof of residence and your ID and you are a U.S. citizen and at least 18-years-old.

You must provide your Wisconsin driver's license or identification card, or if you have neither, you must have the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.

You'll also need to prove that you've lived at your current residence for at least ten days before the election. The following documents will get you your ticket to vote, so long as they include your full name and your current, complete residential address. (Many of these items don't usually have all of those things, so you might have to bring more than one.)

• Wisconsin driver's license
• Wisconsin ID card
• Any other official identification card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or an employer ID card. (Business cards don't count though.)
• Credit card
• Library card
• Check-cashing or courtesy card
• Real estate tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election.
• Residential lease that is effective for a period that includes election day.
• University, college or technical institute fee card
• University, college or technical institute identification card
• Airplane pilot's license
• Gas, electric or telephone service statement or bill that starts no earlier than 90 days before the election

He says that if you've recently moved, your best bet is to bring a gas, electric, or phone bill, or your lease if you're a renter. (Thanks Mark!)

If voting isn't enough and you want to get in more of the action, tonight Democratic followers will be rallied in Milwaukee. Clinton’s party will be held at Rock Bottom Brewery while Obama supporters will be down the road at Bar Louie as results are divulged.

This is only the beginning. Stay in the know about other important dates; primaries, caucuses, straw polls and general elections. If you have any questions about voting, how to register, becoming a pollworker or getting involved in the campaigns, take a look here.

The Beer Drinker's Pizza

Beer and pizza are tastes that, for many of us, just seem to go together. But what about beer that tastes like pizza?

Pizza and beer have been combined and bottled and now mass-produced as the first culinary beer in Milwaukee! I found out about this strange enterprise last week and needed to share it with all of you beer nuts.

According to the story I saw on Fox 6, two suburban Illinois hobbyists Tom and Athena Seefurth came up with the idea of brewing a pizza beer just last year. With their home brewing kit and a garden filled with too many tomatoes and plenty of garlic, oregano and basil, Pizza Beer was created.

Take a look here and see how the Chicagoland couple made this odd blend – there are actually real pieces of pizza stirred into the mix.

Okay, does the idea of pizza-flavored beer appeal to anyone out there?

Anybody?

Believe it or not, the popularity of their home-brew grew so quickly that Tom and Athena needed a local brewery to help them churn out hefty amounts of their concoction in order to meet the demand. Finally, Sprecher Brewery gave them the green light and now cases of Mama Mia’s Pizza Beer are flying off the shelves at Sprecher’s store.

Maybe I'm the odd one out, but I think it seems kind of on par with Bloody Marys. I’m a bit skeptical, but I’m definitely going to try it. In fact, I’m planning to take the Sprecher Brewery tour in the next few weeks just so I can taste the new beer myself. (Bottles are sold for $2 at the store.)

Those who've already had a sample claim it smells and tastes just like pizza, which would be any pizza and beer lover’s dream come true, right? Apparently, it has the same sudsy and hoppy flavor of beer with a hint of spice that will give you the illusion that you downed a couple slices of pizza at Zaffiro’s.

It can't be too bad.

Side note: I bought Eric a beer brewing kit for Christmas and we have finished our first brew – 43 bottles of IPA. We had so much fun brewing that we are thinking about our next venture. Tom and Athena's Pizza Beer has inspired us to experiment with bratwurst beer; after all, beer brats are a Milwaukee favorite!

Public Opinion About Downtown

What do YOU think of Milwaukee?

Do you live downtown and love it? Do you wish there were more jobs? Do you think that Milwaukee needs something else for entertainment? Do you want to move downtown but wish there were more affordable condos? Do you think parking is a pain but public transportation inadequate?

If any of these sound like you, then SPEAK UP!

You have a chance to voice your opinion about downtown Milwaukee in hopes that your suggestions stimulate ideas for a new plan that will guide future downtown development. Seldom do we get this kind of opportunity, folks.

A Play in the City reader clued me in on this survey and its significance prompted me to enlighten all of you. Thanks Todd!

According to Milwaukee’s Department of City Development, the City and its Community Partners are preparing area plans for the entire city as they begin the process of reviewing and updating the 1999 Downtown Plan, which helped to guide development over the past eight years. The planning process will build on the momentum of the '99 Plan and will eventually provide a document that will offer guidance for the future.

Go here to take the Downtown Plan Community Survey! You have until March 31, 2008.

The clock is ticking.

It only took me about five minutes to complete – you can do it on your lunch break or in between loads of laundry.

I love Milwaukee, but some aspects can definitely use improvements. That's why this survey is important – it focuses on several issues I have strong opinions on such as economic development and job opportunities, crime, and public transit and parking availability. Other important topics include land use, preservation of iconic buildings, destinations and attractions, retail, and sustainability and revitalization of sub-areas within the Downtown. Some of these matters I never thought about until a few minutes ago but realize that they are all vital to Milwaukee's growth and prosperity.

So, what did you think? Is the Community Survey beneficial?

The City and Partners believe that the survey will help them learn why you live, work and/or play Downtown, or why you do not. Having members of the community invest their time and energy in the planning process makes the final product meaningful and the success of implementation even greater.

When you're done with the survey, take a look at the Downtown Plan Update Report, it’s pretty insightful. There's also information on proposed schedules for focus groups, committee meetings and public hearings if you're interested in participating.

The Mother of All Snowstorms

The snowstorm yesterday dumped nearly 20 inches of windblown snow on southeastern Wisconsin and left hundreds of motorists caught in massive traffic backups while bringing schools, buses and airports across the region to a standstill.

On Wednesday morning, many Milwaukeeans woke to find the wind blowing, snow falling and even some lightning flashing, which wasn’t much of a surprise because we had been under a “Winter Storm Advisory” since Tuesday afternoon.

The weathermen were calling for 12 to 18 inches of snow along the lakefront and 10 to 14 inches in south central Wisconsin. Just like I used to when I was in school, I hoped with all my might that the blizzard would bury us in the middle of the night so that maybe it’d be far too dangerous to venture out to work in the morning. All night I had dreams of the snow piling up so high that my sister and I were stuck inside our apartment for an unexpected, lazy week off of work.

However, to my dismay we only had about three inches of snow when I sprang out of bed at 6 a.m. and it looked as if it was already letting up. I was crushed. I was looking forward to a day off – a day to relax and play board games and watch a ton of daytime TV and maybe even bake cookies (because that's what you do on snow days, people). With just a small inkling of hope left, I called our employee hotline only to find that conditions weren’t bad enough to call off work, so I was forced to shower and then commute to Franklin.

As I reluctantly got ready, I clicked on the news and watched lists of closures scroll below the broadcast. For most of Milwaukee County, schools, stores and offices were already closed and the National Weather Service advised people to stay inside because as we'd later find out, it was only going to get worse – and by worse I mean we were about to meet the mother of all snowstorms!

Film Tax Incentives: Take 1

Generous tax breaks that took effect on January 1 are already attracting attention from movie and television companies looking to film in Wisconsin.

Recently, Universal Studios committed to Wisconsin as the place to film major parts of Public Enemies, a depression-era gangster movie starring Johnny Depp (squeal!) as the infamous bank robber John Dillinger.

Director Michael Mann, a University of Wisconsin graduate, and his executives have been eyeing several locations around the state for filming. They toured downtown Milwaukee’s Germania Building (152 W. Wells St.) as a possible site. According to the news, the building’s marble grand foyer would serve as a bank lobby in the film. Mann’s staff is also evaluating five other sites around Milwaukee for banks, prisons, and street scenes; other locations are reported to include Madison and Chicago.

The movie is a screen adaptation of Bryan Burrough’s book Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-1934. (I’m definitely prompted to buy a copy.) The story unravels the Midwest crime sprees of Dillinger, Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd and Lester “Baby Face Nelson” Gillis that lead up to Dillinger’s death in Chicago in 1934.

I’m thrilled about this movie – I love gangster flicks – and the opportunity it brings to Milwaukee, not to mention the extra perk of having a mega celebrity like Johnny Depp parading around our city.

This is the first major production to come to Wisconsin since the tax incentives went into effect. These inducements have been described as among the best in the nation and they’ve put Wisconsin on competitive footing with California and New York – it sounds a bit surreal, doesn’t it?

Under the law, a production company qualifies for a tax credit of 25% of the wages paid to employees to produce a film, video, electronic game, broadcast advertisement, or TV program in Wisconsin. Also included are credits for sales tax, construction, wardrobe, clothing and visual effects.

Incentives and the projects they attract will undoubtedly create high-paying, high-tech jobs and probably will have an economic ripple effect starting in local communities where filming is done. I think this will definitely increase tourism, but perhaps the new job industry will open doors for the younger generation that tends to flee the city for flourishing jobs elsewhere.

For instance, camera rental and sales companies like Fletcher Camera are already planning to open in Milwaukee and Third Ward Records is currently building a recording studio thanks to the 15% income tax credits that the incentives give to related businesses.

Besides Public Enemies, Milwaukee has already been chosen for another film, Blue World, a thriller set to begin shooting soon. Plus, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay or St. Norbert College will be the scene for the $1 million motion picture The Violinist, which will be filmed entirely in Packers country.

Filming for Public Enemies will begin in early March and continue through the end of June. Scenes in Milwaukee are rumored to start in April, if city permits are issued.

Just within the first month, the ratified tax incentives have created buzz about Wisconsin and have peeked interest from film makers. Can you imagine what this will do for Milwaukee in the coming years?

Bronze The Fonz?

In the news yesterday I learned that “The Fonz” will soon be part of Milwaukee’s downtown landscape.

I guess you can never underestimate the popularity of a 30-year-old TV pop culture icon.

Local visitor groups and civic boosters hope to attract visitors to the city by immortalizing the character of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli in a life-size bronze sculpture.

Henry Winkler, the man behind the character, was in Milwaukee yesterday morning for the announcement that the money needed WAS raised and now the tribute statue will be dedicated sometime around Labor Day this year.

According to local news sources, this strange idea started with TV Land, who developed an icon statue program. For the statue program, TV Land donated six sculptures commemorating memorable TV characters to various cities, starting in 2000 with a NYC statue of Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners. The effort is also responsible for a Mary Tyler Moore statue in Minneapolis and one of Bob Newhart in Chicago, among others, but the cable network later ended the program for whatever reason. That left the idea of bringing a bronze “Fonz” to Milwaukee in limbo, that is, until Visit Milwaukee and Spirit Milwaukee jumped on board to make it happen.

Local groups were forced to raise $85,000 to create and erect the statue, but many people were eager to contribute towards the cost. I learned that Brew City Promotions even designed a special "Bronze The Fonz" t-shirt that you could purchase online or at the Brew City store at The Shops of Grand Avenue for $22 and $10 of that would go towards the fund-raising campaign. Had I known, I would have bought one just because they are hilarious – and of course, Fonzie is the epitome of cool. Check it out.

This idea, however, wasn’t without controversy. (And it fits in nicely with the AOL article I’ve been talking about.)

I’m impartial to the creation of the statue – I’m not offended by it, nor do I think it’s the best way to attract visitors or build a better reputation for Milwaukee. All in all, I just find it hilarious. But I figure if it helps the city, then I’m okay with it no matter how ridiculous the concept. Besides, you have to trust that our tourist groups know what they’re doing, right?

Still many Milwaukeeans are fighting the statue because they believe it perpetuates the perception that the only things Wisconsin can offer are the Packers, serial killer Jeffery Dahmer and the show Happy Days, said Newsradio 620 WTMJ reporter Jay Sorgi. People in Milwaukee are trying to move forward and rebuild the city’s reputation by making attempts to depict the city as some place other than the home of Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley, so is this a step in the wrong direction?

Then again, some think Milwaukee should embrace its stereotypes and that The Fonz just represents the old image of Milwaukee, which some visitors still appreciate. Maybe instead of running from our traditions – beer, brats, fish fries, cheeseheads, Happy Days, etc. – we should realize that they all embody a small piece of Milwaukee’s culture and we should accept them knowing that they are minor labels and don't define Milwaukee or those who live here.

What do you think?

Should Milwaukee put up a statue of The Fonz? Do you think he represents Milwaukee or do you think we need to shed the Happy Days image? Maybe you’d rather see a statue of some other famous person. If so, who? Or are you neutral?

Either way, the commemorative statue of Fonzie will be built within the year. An exact spot hasn’t been chosen, but new reports state that it will most likely be along the Milwaukee River.