Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The ambitious plans for the corner of Drexel and Howell continue to move ahead, with work under way at the site now and a public hearing coming up in June.
Progress on Oak Creek's much-publicized Drexel Town Square development comes in both visible and invisible ways. Visible work is happening now at the corner of Drexel and Howell avenues, where several trucks and workers are digging up concrete at the 85-acre site. That work will continue until the end of July, and the concrete will be re-used within the development. The invisible: the Drexel Town Square site plan has begun moving through the city government review process, with a public hearing set for June 18 and a final Oak Creek Common Council vote sometime soon after that. "Given the complexities of the commercial real estate market, the financing market and everything else that's been going on since the crash of 2008, I feel we're …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The city withdrew its application for $300,000 in grant money after the DNR refused to waive a requirement regarding hunting and trapping.
Oak Creek's progress on redeveloping its lakefront was dealt a setback after the state Department of Natural Resources declined to award a $300,000 grant without the city allowing hunting and trapping. Lakefront plans are still moving forward, but city officials say money has to be reallocated and it will negatively impact the development of 250 vacant acres along Lake Michigan, where a mix of public, residential and commercial uses are planned. "It's going to take away from other things we can do on the lakefront," City Attorney Larry Haskin said. Oak Creek had applied for a DNR stewardship grant to help pay for the purchase of 30 acres along the lakefront at 9006 S. 5th Ave. The $300,000 grant, for which city officials say they received …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Some Wisconsin legislators are hoping to prevent any government restrictions on the size of your soda. What about your own restrictions? If any?
If the state Joint Finance Committee gets its way, the Big Gulp will have the freedom to remain, well, … Big. WISN 12 News reports the panel, which includes local representatives Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), placed a provision in the budget bill that would prevent any city or county from limiting the size of a food or drink being sold. The infamous New York City ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces is being challenged in court, but if successful it would dramatically slash the 7-11 Big Gulp (128 ounces) and the McDonald’s Supersize (40 ounces) among others, according to Mother Jones. Setting aside the notion for a moment of how much control government should exert over such a matter, how…
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Environmental remediation is under way on the southern portion of the lakefront redevelopment area, east of Fifth Avenue and north of Ryan Road.
The machinery is out in full force on the south end of Oak Creek's lakefront redevelopment area, just east of Fifth Avenue and north of Ryan Road. Crews are working on environmental remediation of the former DuPont and EPEC properties, near the 9100 block of S. 5th Avenue, to get the land ready for development. The work includes removing select areas of trees and concrete slabs, excavating along part of the bluff and treating soils. A building has also been demolished. "It's real, tangible signs of progress down there at the lakefront," City Attorney Larry Haskin said. The factories that operated on the land years ago—at a time of lax environmental regulations—left a host of problems that have plagued redevelopment efforts up to this …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Controversies over the $648 million reserve fund and the $600,000 Palermo's Pizza deal are bedeviling University of Wisconsin leaders.
It’s hard not to feel a bit sorry for Rebecca Blank, incoming chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Sure, the acting U.S. commerce secretary, set to start in July, will make $500,000 a year — plus benefits and perks, including a university residence and car, money for travel and entertainment, and an unpaid academic appointment for her husband. But she’ll be stepping into a host of controversies, drawing flak from all directions. As one UW-Madison student quipped, “Blank is not starting off with a blank slate.” There’ll be ongoing fallout from some legislators’ volcanic eruptions over revelations that the UW System has a $648 million reserve fund. Though this is in line with other state systems, Wisconsin politicians are “…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The new bridge is under construction while the old one still stands, part of an innovative method to continue work while keeping the road open to vehicles.
The reconstruction of the Rawson Interchange includes a unique way of building a new bridge over the freeway. As drivers have probably noticed, the bridge and deck are under construction in two separate staging areas on either side of Interstate 94. Once they are done, they will be put into place by what's called a Self-Propelled Modular Transporter. A SPMT is a motorized vehicle that can pivot 360 degrees and lift and carry heavy loads, according to a state Department of Transportation fact sheet. Officials say using SPMTs reduces traffic disruption and allows roadways to open sooner. At Rawson, the existing bridge is scheduled to be demolished beginning May 28 (the day after Memorial Day), which means Rawson Avenue will be closed between…
Attention online shoppers: You might have to pony up more cash for those online shopping sprees, if federal sales tax legislation becomes law.
Online shoppers, who enjoyed avoiding paying sales tax for their out-of-state purchases, probably won't be happy if a bill pending in Congress becomes law. The Marketplace Fairness Act, which passed 69-27 in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, allows states the authority, and option, of collecting taxes on Internet and catalog sales. The act does not create a new tax. But it does allow states the option of collecting the taxes, which they are already owed. However, the legislation does exempt small businesses that make less than $1 million from collecting the tax. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) voted for the bill, but Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) did not. “Today, I joined a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate in support of the Marketplace Fairness …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Speaking in Oak Creek Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, former running mate of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, says that with the election behind him, he's happy to "get back to work" and fight for what he believes in."
Friday, May 3, 2013
Wisconsin's drunk driving-related incidents are the highest in the United States and state Legislators have crafted six bills to confront the issue, but they carries a hefty price tag.
Some state Republican Legislators want to toughen the laws for habitual drunk drivers and first-time drunk drivers if they cause an injury or killed someone, but the price tag for those laws could cost taxpayers up to $236 million, according to a story in the Wisconsin State Journal. Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) have introduced six bills to the Senate and House. The bills would: Because of the jail time provisions, the state expects to have to build 17 facilities that would each house 300 people. "A fiscal estimate from the state Department of Corrections put the cost of the bill regarding third and subsequent offenses at between $169 million and $204 million annually. Other agencies also weighed in, …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Through a 4,000-mile motorcycle ride to New Orleans and Key West, Oak Creek Alderman Jim Ruetz hopes to raise money toward a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Ever since he could drive, Oak Creek Alderman Jim Ruetz has been a motorcycle guy. He got his first bike around the age of 15 or 16 and has been riding ever since. Two years ago, he took a "bucket list" ride to Alaska—combining two long-held dreams of doing a long motorcycle ride and visiting Alaska. But the journey wasn't just for his own personal fulfillment. After seeing Clay Matthews in a commercial talking about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which affects more than 300,000 boys worldwide, he decided to use the ride to raise money for CureDuchenne. Ruetz ended up raising $10,000 that year. And this summer, Ruetz will embark on another ride for CureDuchenne with the hopes of doubling that amount. The "Cajun-Parrot Run" will begin June 5 …
vocal local 1
10:38 pm on Monday, May 20, 2013
Nicole, IKEA has no interest in building a store in OC. Meijer's is our only hope to finance part of the TIF debt on Drexel Square and new Library. OC has a horrible reputation when it comes to developers who no longer choose to jump through hoops and invest in the city unless it's a give away deal with low tax rates and other enticements. The cities development schemes are too rich and destined … more ›