spring 2015 whna highlighter

THE MAGAZINE OF THE WHNA Spring 2015

www.whna.net

JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS AT OUR ANNUAL MEETING page 3

EASTER EGG HUNT page 6

CELEBRATE SPRING WITH AN ARTWALK page 7

THE BYRNE INITIATIVE page 12

Polo in the park! page 14

WHNA 2014-2015 board of directors

The Highlighter is a quarterly publication of the Washington Heights Neighborhood Association. Washington Heights includes the area from Highway 41 to North 60th Street and from West Vliet Street to West North Ave.

You can expect your Summer Highlighter in mid-June. To submit an article, please contact Jane at [email protected].

EDITOR Jane Konkel

LAYOUT & DESIGN Nicole Julius

ADVERTISING MANAGER Corbett Reinbold

CONTRIBUTORS Eric AndersonLaura BurkeBarb HaigMary JumesAllen MillerMatt O’NeillJon RupprechtTom RutenbeckLynita Wolf

NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTIONStephanie Moffett & Mark Drzewiecki

COLLATORSThanks to all who help us collate and deliver the Highlighter. The next collation date is June 10 , 2015 at Art & Soul Gallery.

PRESIDENTDavid Johnson 671.9102

VICE-PRESIDENTSarah Drilias 839.5233

PAST PRESIDENTLarry Kilmer 899.1082

TREASURERJohn Augustyniak 467.3146

SECRETARYSofi Thorne Bambulas 745.4410

REPRESENTATIVES

AREA 1 Jane Konkel 949.1577

AREA 2Gary Haertlein 283.2269

AREA 3 David Johnson 294.8442

AREA 4 Sarah Drilias 839.5233

AREA 5 Larry Kilmer 899.1082

AREA 6 Ann Navin 477.9528

AREA 7 Nick Bambulas 807.6425

AREA 8 Corbett Reinbold 213.9730

AREA 9 John Augustyniak 467.3146 Mark Drzewiecki 476.1858

AT-LARGE EVEN YEARSStephanie Moffett 305.2824 Sofi Thorn Bambulas 745.4410 Josh Roberts 262.385.1775

AT-LARGE ODD YEARSMary McGrath 258.2991Tom Rutenbeck 453.3453

LIAISONSVLIET ST.Pat Mueller 933.5589

NORTH AVE.Larry Kilmer 899.1082

RAINBOW ASSOCIATIONTerri Coughlin 258.4351

OTHER REP YOUTH

SENIOR

COMMITTEESBLOCK WATCHGary Haertlein 257.9634

HOUSING/ APPEARANCETom Rutenbeck 453.3453

MEMBERSHIPMary McGrath 258.2991

WEBSITE John Augustyniak 467.3146

GREEN COMMITTEERich Gaeta 704.3303

ADVERTISER INDEXSinclair Firestone ..........................................................4 Spring Artwalk ..............................................................7The Shar Borg Team ..................................................9Mount Olive .....................................................................9Stella’s..................................................................................10Art & Soul Gallery ...................................................10Puhl’s True Value .......................................................13Bloom Gallery & Creative Ground ............ 14Joyce Heating & Air Conditioning ............ 14Four Corners of the World ............................... 19St. James Lutheran Church .............................. 19Urban Sense/ReSource .......................................24

2 ❖ Contact us at [email protected] or visit us online at www.whna.net

FROM THE PRESIDENTDavid Johnson, WHNA President

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE WHNA Summer 2014

www.whna.net

WEDNESDAYS AT THE SHELL JULY 2–AUGUST 27 page 5

boulevard bash news saturday, August 23 page 6

MILWAUKEE AREA TIME EXCHANGE page 10

POWER COUPLE ON NORTH AVE. page 14

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS page 18

and more!

YOUR PHOTO HERE!

You could be the next Highlighter cover photographer!

Don’t forget to submit your best summer Heights photos for consideration – on Facebook or to [email protected].

HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT YOU’D LIKE TO INCLUDE IN

OUR SPRING HIGHLIGHTER?

Email the Jane at the address above.

ANNUAL MEETING

Thursday • May 14th, 2014 • 6:00 – 8:30 PM Urban Ecology Center

(Cars enter from North 41st Street)

The Washington Heights Neighborhood Association will hold its annual meeting: All Washington Heights neighbors are invited.

Greetings, friends and neighbors!We’ve endured another Milwaukee winter together, and I think we’re all looking

forward to seeing the flowers bloom and the leaves return to the Boulevard and our many tree-lined streets. Spring is an easy time to be thankful for living in such a verdant and healthy part of our city, but we should also recognize and appreciate the work that we put into being good stewards throughout the blustery season that just passed. Thank you, neighbors, for your tireless shoveling and scraping and salting to keep our sidewalks and alleys passable this winter. Washington Heights should (and indeed does) strive to be a welcoming place for everyone who lives, visits, or merely passes through here any time of year.

Now, let’s greet this new season (and the new year already well underway) together with enthusiasm and optimism, encouraging each other to enjoy all that the Heights and the WHNA have to offer. I hope you’ll consider participating in the upcoming WHNA Easter Egg Hunt in April and the Annual Meeting in May, as well as any other informal happenings such as block parties, clean-up efforts, and of course the general enjoyment of our homes, local businesses, and green spaces.

As always, be in touch with your Area Representative or another Board member if you have questions, comments, or concerns for the WHNA, and please also consider getting more involved in WHNA activities, such as participating on a committee, organizing an event, or serving on the Board.

Thank you, and have a wonderful spring! ✿

Annual Meeting: Elections & By-Laws Amendments

Elections will be held at the WHNA Annual Meeting in May for odd-numbered Area Representatives (1-3-5-7-9) and three At-Large Representatives. If you are interested in serving on the Board or nominating a neighbor, please contact the WHNA Secretary. Please consider making this important contribution to your neighborhood; the Association relies upon people just like you to step up and serve!

There will also be two by-laws amendments proposed and put to a vote at the Annual Meeting in May, relating to (1) merging two standing committees (Highlighter and Website) to form a single Communications committee and (2) expediting the check-signing process for Board expenditures. The full text of the amendments (and details about the Annual Meeting itself) will be promulgated soon via the WHNA website, Facebook page, and the e-mail newsletter, and Area Representatives will also be able to provide that information. Please attend, discuss, and vote! ✿

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Sewer Maintenance Disrupts Vliet Street BusinessBy Barb Haig

If running a small business isn’t hard enough, road construction that blocks parking and access to your restaurant or shop is making the winter of 2015 difficult for some Vliet Street business.

Since August, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) has been repairing the metropolitan interceptor sewer route, which had severely deteriorated. In addition to construction of about 1,200 feet of sewer, the project includes rehabilitation or modification of seven manholes and construction of four new manholes.

MMSD senior project manager Jennifer Wright says the $2.7 million construction was unavoidable, and the project’s goal is to achieve an additional 50 years in service life. The biggest challenges so far have been “hitting unexpected pockets of rock while micro-tunneling as well as the exceptionally cold temps.”

According to Wright, while some of the work is completed, the street still will need to be resurfaced, which is anticipated to be completed by early April – a month earlier than the contractual date.

HUGE IMPACTThat’s little consolation to the businesses that have had to face

massive construction equipment, loss of parking, traffic down to two lanes, and detour of a major bus route.

“There has been a huge, huge impact. It has deterred a lot of people, especially with our lunch business,” says Christian Schroeder, executive chef at Nourri on 59th & Vliet. The restaurant opened to critical raves – just about the same time the street construction started.

“It certainly has affected in-store sales. We are grateful to have offsite book fairs and other events that help us keep going, but it’s had a significant effect on people who walk in the neighborhood,” says Maryebeth Dugan at Rainbow Booksellers on 57th & Vliet.

A public meeting with business owners was held last summer, and Schroeder said the project was delayed to let them squeeze the last profits out of summer. The contractor continues to provide updates to Alderman Murphy, and business owners say workers are polite and helpful.

“But when people see the cones, porta-potties and construction, they’re much less likely to stop,” Schroeder says. He is confident business will come back, but the financial situation has been difficult to manage.

Questions about the project should be directed to Richard Schluge, 414-225-2127. ✿


WHNA easter egg huntPlease join us at our Easter egg hunt for springtime fun!

REGISTRATION @ COLD SPOONS: Sunday, March 22, 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.Tuesday, March 24, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

HUNT: Washington Park, Saturday March 28, 11:45 a.m.


Spring ArtwalkBy Lynita Wolf

Mark your calendars for the Spring Westside Artwalk, Friday, April 24 5-9pm and Saturday, April 25 10-4pm. Experience the growing arts community on West Vliet Street and North Avenue. During Artwalk, you can visit locally owned galleries specializing in Milwaukee-made artwork and watch artists working in their studios. You can also shop boutiques offering a variety of options such as clothing, accessories, gift items, and vintage, upcycled or repurposed items for the home. The Artwalk is the perfect time to pick up gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduations, and weddings.

If you need a break from shopping, enjoy a drink, coffee or a meal at an array of restaurants, many featuring seasonal and local ingredients.

The Vliet Street Business Association is excited to be partnering with Mural MKE to help beautify Vliet Street. The mission of Mural MKE is to improve the visual landscape of Milwaukee and to create awareness, inspiration and appreciation for public art by utilizing the skills of talented artists, designers and architects. We are planning for the first mural to be started during Artwalk this year. If you own a building on Vliet Street and would be interested in having a mural on your building, please contact the Vliet Street Business Association: [email protected] or Mural MKE: [email protected]. You can find out more about Mural MKE at www.muralmke.com. ✿

2015

Fri. • April 245pm to 9pmSat. • April 2510am to 4pm

Boulevard Bash August 22, 2015Boulevard Bash needs your help!

If you would like to help with vendors, entertainment, silent auction/raffle, volunteer coordination, logistics, or the children’s area, please contact the WHNA at [email protected]


The Benefits Of An Organized BlockWhat is an organized block? (sometimes called a Block Club or a Block Watch) By Allen Miller

Knowing your neighbors and communicating on a regular basis encourages a stronger community by building relationships, which improves the quality of life in a neighborhood. There are many ways that blocks organize themselves; the important part is organizing around issues that affect you and your neighbors in a way that works for you. The goal is to create a small town feel, where people care for and about each other.

AN ACTIVE, ORGANIZED BLOCK:• Promotes getting to know neighbors, leading to a fun,

safe, and appealing neighborhood to live, work, and raise a family.

• Teaches participants how to take preventative measures that substantially decrease the likelihood of becoming a crime victim.

• Brings law enforcement and the community together as a team. Members are educated in what suspicious activity is and how to accurately and promptly report it to law enforcement.

• Keeps participants informed about crime trends and patterns so they are better prepared to spot criminal activity and stop it in their neighborhood.

• Has a presence that makes politicians and the police more accountable.

Some of the activities that neighbors have utilized to get to know each other are:

• Hold social events such as block parties, movie nights, pot-lucks, clean-ups, block walks, games nights, etc.

• Invite speakers to block meetings, such as alderman, county supervisors, city departments, (i.e. Department of Neighborhood Services, Department of Sanitation, Fire Department,) etc.

• Develop a block map and an email contact list.• Create a neighborhood newsletter.• Form a Garden Club.• Hold security training meetings conducted by the police

department.• Exchange services with neighbors, i.e. Babysitting, yard

work, picking up mail when neighbor is out of town.• Create an “out of town” watch.• Invite local businesses to be involved with their neighbors,

and to perhaps provide donations or financial support.• Develop a schedule to check on elderly, handicapped, or ill

neighbors.• Create opportunities for the youth of the neighborhood.• Form a “Virtual Block Club” for members to meet and have

dialog via the Internet.It is important for neighborhoods to participate in security

training meetings conducted by the Police Dept. Many blocks start in this way and then develop the social aspect. Meeting participants receive Block Watch signs that remind neighbors to watch out for each other, as well as alert criminals that residents have taken the necessary steps to deter crime, are on the lookout, and will call the police when they see any suspicious activity.


STEPS TO GET STARTED:• A good first step is to recruit two or three people on your block

who are interested in helping to organize your neighbors.• Select a time and a location to hold the initial meeting.

This can be a home or a neutral location such as a church, library, community center, business, etc.

• If meeting purpose is for security training, contact a District 3 Community Liaison Officer (CLO) at 414-935-7733 to arrange a meeting date and time that is convenient to both of you. District 3 CLO Officers are: PO Ashley Van Drisse • [email protected] PO Stephen Osmanski • [email protected]

• Create a simple flyer to explain the purpose of the meeting and invite each household and business on your block to the meeting. If possible, revisit homes where no-one was available to try and make a personal connection before leaving a flyer.

• Distribute the invitations at least 7 to 10 days prior to the meeting.

• A block coordinator can be determined at this meeting if the initial planner or planners do not wish to fill that role. Neighbors to help the coordinator can be developed.

DUTIES OF A BLOCK COORDINATORThe coordinator is the spokesperson for the block and the

contact between the CLO (Community Liaison Officer) of your Police District and your neighbors. Duties include:

• Organize Block meetings by making arrangements to secure a location for the meeting and prepare an agenda that can be distributed to your members.

• Encourage all neighbors to be alert to the activity in the neighborhood and to report odd and suspicious behavior to the Police and to keep the neighbors informed.

• Pass on any valuable information received from your Alderman, Police Department and other City Departments. Having an email loop within your neighborhood will assist in expediting the information.

• Keep an updated map of the block area. This will have the names, addresses, and phone numbers of your members. A copy of this map is also given to your CLO.

Besides the Washington Heights Block Club and Safety Committee (Gary Haertlin, 414-282-2269, [email protected],) other valuable resources for help getting started are:

• Caitlin Sprague, Safe and Sound, Inc., (414) 897-4190, ([email protected])

• Common Council President/ Dist. 10 Ald. Michael Murphy ([email protected])

• Dist. 15 Ald. Russell Stamper II ([email protected])

References: Milwaukee Police Dept. document PCSD-16, “Block Captains Guide”Chicago Police Dept. website https://portal.chicagopolice.org/portal/page/portal/BlockClub ✿

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5327 W Washington Blvd Milwaukee, WI 53208

414.774.2200 www.mtolivemke.org

Sunday Worship at 8:30 & 11:00 AM Saturday Worship at 6:00 PM

Sunday Broadcast on WJYI AM-1340 at 9:00 AM

M o u n t O l i v e l u t h e r a n c h u r c h


Sidewalk Repair Delayed Until May

If you’ve walked the dog anywhere between HiMount/50th Street and Hawley from North Ave. to Vine, you’ve often had to navigate over broken sidewalks, uneven pathways and hunks of missing pavement. You’ve probably also seen the spray-painted marks indicating that something is going to be done about it.

The city’s plan to reconstruct neighborhood sidewalks has been put on hold until May so construction won’t disrupt school at Mount Olive and St. Sebastian. Gerard Berendt, the city’s sidewalk repair specialist, says they’ll work a block at a time to get the 92,000 square feet of repaving done over about six weeks. The area near the schools will be done last.

A removal crew from Snorek Paving will get rid of the bad areas, with the construction crew following. The plan is to close individual streets for less than a week at a time. Property owners will pay for the work – but you likely won’t get the special assessment for two years. If you sell the property, the assessment will come up in a title search.

Contact:• Gerard Berendt, City of Milwakee – 414-286-2444 – For

questions about the project or your assessment.• Jim Snorek, Snorek Paving – 414-763-9677 – For questions

about the work and schedule. Snorek also can do private work within the boundary, including replacing driveways and side sidewalks. ✿



Bloom and groom!The Fifth Annual Bloom & Groom will take place on May 30th, 2015 at The Community

Garden (Northwest corner of 49th & Lloyd).Bloom & Groom is an opportunity for our Washington Heights’ community to purchase

beautiful plants and flowers at a significant discount as the result of Lowe’s in-kind support and the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation’s (NIDC’s) matching funds.

Look for more information at WHNA.net. ✿

Byrne Initiative Grant Working to Promote Our Safety An Interview with Assistant District Attorney Christopher LadwigBy Matt O’Neill

In 2013, our neighborhood was awarded a $600,000 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, intended to address high crime rates in the Washington Park area. Edward Byrne was a 22-year old New York City police officer murdered while on duty in 1988. The killing sparked national outrage,

and led the Department of Justice to create the grant program, designed to direct funding to local law enforcement to increase neighborhood safety.

Milwaukee was one of only 14 cities to receive a grant. The grant was jointly awarded to Washington Park Partners, Safe & Sound, and the Milwaukee Police Department. These entities have been working with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to implement the grant. Many of you may have seen these efforts in the community, through increased communications and outreach from our local District 3 police department.

The Highlighter posed a series of questions to Assistant District Attorney Christopher Ladwig, the Community Prosecutor for District 3, who is deeply involved in the initiative:

When did the Byrne initiative start and how did it start?In 2013, there were a number of grant opportunities through the

Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) program. The BCJI is a part of the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI), which helps communities develop place-based, community-oriented strategies to change challenged neighborhoods into neighborhoods of opportunity.

The City of Milwaukee applied for a BCJI grant through MPD, LISC, Safe & Sound, and Washington Park Partners and the grant proposal was accepted for Washington Park in 2013. District Attorney John Chisholm, who built Milwaukee’s nationally recognized Community Prosecution Unit and is focused on building neighborhood collective efficacy, designated me to work on this project with the Milwaukee Police Department and our community partners.

Why Washington Park?Washington Park has the appropriate blend of local stakeholders,

resident leaders, law enforcement focus, and opportunity for positive change. With that foundation, the Washington Park community is an excellent place to collaboratively work to improve the overall quality of life in the community. Washington Park also had and continues to have a significant investment from its residents, Habitat for Humanity, Department of Neighborhood Services Commissioner Art Dahlberg, Washington Park Partners, Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn, District Attorney Chisholm, Safe and Sound, and LISC.

Based on the work, what have you learned?We have developed many important neighborhood improvement

strategies, but the most important lesson learned by both representatives of law enforcement agencies and residents is that the fundamental building blocks of neighborhood improvement is consistent, effective communication and responsiveness. Understanding this, District 3 Commander Jason Smith and I have devoted significant time and resources into understanding the concerns of the community and creating multiple methods to communicate with businesses, residents, and community-based organizations. Nothing can create legal cynicism more than citizens reaching out to law enforcement and feeling that their voices are not being heard, and this can discourage citizen input. When we lose citizen engagement, law enforcement loses its ability to be its most effective.

I was told that letters were sent to certain problematic homeowners in the neighborhood. What did the letters say?

We have a number of different landlord/property owner/business owner letters that serve multiple purposes. Generally, however, a letter from the District Attorney’s Office has the following components: (1) an explanation of the problematic activity; (2) a brief explanation of the process to abate the problems; and (3) a request to meet me to discuss how we can work together to abate the unwanted behavior. The meeting with the owners often leads to a positive result where we see a significant reduction in the unwanted behavior.


A letter from Captain Smith is often the start of legally designating a property as a “nuisance.” Captain Smith and I make significant attempts to gain compliance through informal methods, however, if we cannot succeed, we take the path of enforcement through the Department of Neighborhood Services and the City Attorney’s Office, which can be a costly path for owners.

I was also told that areas with significant nuisance issue are going to be investigated. Could you explain what qualifies as a significant nuisance issue?

A significant nuisance is not easily defined, which is why we heavily rely on communication with our residents and business owners. Residents are our eyes and ears to the problems that are occurring in their neighborhood. Anytime we hear from a resident that crime or nuisance issues are disturbing the quality of life on a block, we intervene and attempt to stop the activity. Resolution to the problems can sometimes be swift but often they take significant time to abate, so we try to keep concerned citizens informed on the process as we progress toward abatement.

How do Washington Park Partners and Safe & Sound contribute to the crime analysis?

WPP and Safe & Sound play a critical role in providing a connection between law enforcement and the community. They work hand-in-hand with the local community groups to increase resident engagement, gather information on problematic properties, and provide resources to citizens to help them resolve whatever issue they are facing. The WPP and Safe & Sound Community Prosecution Coordinator, Mandy Potapenko keeps track of the resident complaints, inform the police and me as to the neighborhood concerns, and then in turn relay our interventions back to the community.

What’s the plan to prevent crime and unwanted activity for the future?

We know that we must address crime and nuisance issues as a team, and when we have our team focused on a problem, we can intervene from multiple angles. Our

Community Prosecution Unit consists of a Community Prosecutor, police officers, DNS

inspectors, DOC agents, LISC, Washington Park Partners, City Attorney’s Office, a Domestic

Violence Victim Advocate, Safe & Sound, and, most importantly, residents and business owners. We

have developed a person-based and placed-based strategy where we can combine all of our partners’ abilities and tools

to lower unwanted behavior and increase quality of life.

What do you hope to accomplish with the analysis?Our Washington Park work has assisted us in developing best

practices for intervention tactics. For example, we’ve learned to analyze problematic issues through a block-by-block analysis. To understand what is truly occurring on a challenged block, we need to speak to residents and analyze the data connected to each house on that block. That data collection and analysis allows for the most effective intervention strategy by our Community Prosecution Team. ✿

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POLO IN THE PARKby Jon Rupprecht

So did you miss the tournament? The big North American championship tournament in Washington Park? Back in 2012?

Yeah, I missed it too. I don’t think many of us knew anything about it. “Big” applies to its significance for the participants, not to its status in community awareness. But it is a unique and interesting activity: Bike Polo. Ever hear of it?

I hadn’t until I was asked to write this article. That’s when I got to meet Jake Newborn, who filled me in on the details. Jake is the head of the Milwaukee Bike Polo Club, LLC, which includes 25 people who play against each other on their own teams plus against teams from other cities. Jake is employed by the Wisconsin Bike Federation, where he teaches bike safety to MPS students and works with the Heights’ own Dave Schlabowske, the federation’s deputy director.

It all started about eight years ago when Jake, a UWM student at the time, was hit by a car while riding his bike in River West. While Jake had no broken bones, his bike was totaled. During the process of purchasing a new bike, he was invited to play bike polo, and the rest is history.

So how does bike polo work? In short, it’s pretty much like hockey on bicycles. There are three people on a team; the mallets are ski

WANTED!LOCAL ADVERTISERSAre you looking to increase your visibility in the community? Did you just start a new business and looking for a way to let your neighbors know? Place an ad in the next Highlighter, due out mid-June. The Highlighter magazine reaches approximately 3500 homes 4 times per year in a diverse neighborhood.Complete advertising details and rates available online at whna.net/highlighter/advertising. For more information, email our ad salesperson at [email protected]. Reservations for ads for the Summer Highlighter are due by May 13. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!


poles with high-density round tubular plastic heads, and they hit a street hockey ball, not a puck. This necessitates the placement of walls made of wooden boards, four feet high, surrounding the court to keep the ball in bounds. Games run for 12 minutes or until one of the teams scores five points.

You might recall a news story from a few years ago where some cyclists were arrested in the parking garage at O’Donnell Park for playing bike polo there. While Jake was not arrested, that was his group. With the help of a pro bono lawyer they all got their citations dropped, and the Milwaukee County Park Commission agreed to find a suitable site for bike polo. Of the three locations offered, Washington Park was by far the most preferable, since its tennis courts were both large enough and smooth enough. (Due to lack of use for tennis, the MCPC had no longer been stringing nets on these courts.) Bike polo can be played on any open, hard, smoothly paved surface; tennis courts - two adjacent courts are the minimum size - are a common but not essential selection.

Bike polo began in the early 1900’s. It was an “exhibition sport” at the 1908 London Olympics. Its modern form, “hard court” bike polo, started in Seattle in the late 1990’s. Since then it has grown into an international sport, with around 5,000 players in the US on teams in all major cities, plus others in Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia. The North American Bike Polo Championship Tournament at Washington Park in July 2012 involved 48 teams, with about 250 people present. Besides that annual tournament there is also an annual international tournament, most recently held in Montpellier, France. The next one is scheduled for January 2016 in Timaru, New Zealand.

But the sport is not highly professionalized or financed. Scores are kept on make-shift scoreboards, and referees use simple stop-watches. Players and referees are all unpaid volunteers, and they cover their own transportation and lodging costs for tournaments. There is some minimal commercial sponsorship, such as from Pabst Brewing Co. and the Milwaukee Bicycle Co., which provides for jerseys, court maintenance, construction of the walls (with their ads on them at times), and the web site, but that’s as far as it goes.

Milwaukee Bike Polo Club member Jake Newborn.

Bike polo has been garnering increasing media coverage. AP recently did a story, as did Fox 6, and Pabst has produced a promotional video. You can see and learn more on their web site, www.milwaukeebikepolo.com , as well as by liking them on Facebook.

Bike polo and you? Even if you don’t think you’d ever play the sport, you can definitely come and watch this “niche” game in action at around 2pm every Sunday afternoon from March through October, weather permitting, for free, on the bike courts in Washington Park. See you there! ✿


Holidays in the HeightsIn December, we surveyed neighborhood outdoor Holiday decorations in order to celebrate the efforts of our neighbors. Our goal was

to identify displays that showed creativity, originality, skillful execution, pleasing effect, and of course Holiday Spirit. Special thanks to volunteers Eric Anderson, Jamie Bilgo-Bruchman and Zach Bruchman.

We were able to identify one award winner for each of our nine areas. Award winners received a framed certificate and a $50 gift card to a local merchant, Art and Soul Gallery, on Vliet St.

Area 11509 N 49th St. Leah Schlichtholz and Family; “Bright Snowman”

Area 42134 N 53rd St. John Trayser and Family “The Poinsettia House”

Area 75815/17 W Washington Blvd. Diane Klug ; “Toy Train”

Area 22013 N Hi Mount Blvd. Ryan and Sara Janecek ; “Front Yard Giants

Area 51800 N 52nd St. James & Bonnie Lund ; “Holiday Choo Choo”

Area 32115 N Hi Mount Blvd Michael Marass; “Luminescence”

Area 65402 W Cherry Donald and Kris Zimmer ; “Holiday Potpourri Area 9

2234 N 60th St. Leslie and Jeann E Baker “Holiday Eclectic”

Area 85816 W Washington Blvd. Richard And Diane Meiers “The Buttonface Family”


Other Fine Efforts:

“Christmas Cow”

“St. Nick in Green”

“Welcome to our Hearth”

“Ice”

“Enchanted Forest”

“Merry Carolers”

PRESENTS THE 2013 HOLIDAY IN THE HEIGHTS AWARD FOR AREA 0 TO 5500 Washington Heights Dr.

John and Jane Doe Your home was selected for its Holiday decorations, which showed pleasing design, inventive presentation, and – of course – holiday spirit!

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

Housing and Appearance Chairperson


Wining and Dining at the WHNA Wine TastingFriends and neighbors gathered at Sarama Home and Garden

on February 28 for a fun night of wine tasting and socializing. What a great night to spend with friends and neighbors after a long cold winter inside! ✿


St. James Lutheran Church

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2028 North 60th Street, Milwaukee, WI Pastor Peter Kassulke, 414-453-5770 www.saintjames-mke.org

414-774-2446

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Home Security Tom Rutenbeck Security Control Officer, Retired United States Postal Service Milwaukee Main PO and P&DC

Crimes, such as home break-ins or burglary, can occur in even the nicest of neighborhoods. They are mostly crimes of opportunity, where the perpetrator thinks that the potential rewards outweigh the risk and effort required. With a little knowledge and effort you can greatly reduce your vulnerability. The following information and suggestions make no pretense of being all-inclusive and exhaustive, but are intended to be helpful recommendations.

PHYSICAL SECURITYExterior Doors: Be sure the doors and locks on your home are in good repair, and resistant to being kicked in. Research has shown that regardless of the material the door itself is made from, entry doors generally fail when the door jamb splits near the lock strike plate. To remedy this, the dead bolt on your door should be at least 1” long, and you should install a reinforced metal box strike with screws at least 3” into the door jamb. Material cost to do this should be $10-15 and it is a relatively easy DIY project. Lock set replacement is also an inexpensive and relatively easy DIY project.

Garage Doors: The best security is obtained by an overhead door, with an electric chain or gear drive opener, and no glass window panels on the door itself. You may also want to consider replacing any other glass windows with plywood. It needn’t be an eyesore if it is painted to match the rest of the building.

Windows: Exterior windows should be lockable, even when slightly opened for ventilation. You

may also want to consider strengthening the glass by

applying safety window film. However, this mate-rial is costly and generally

requires professional instal-lat ion for best results. Base-ment windows in many older homes can be a vulnerable

point, especially if they are installed in large open-

ings above grade. In this case, you

may want to consider glass

block panel w indows. For some homeown-ers this is

also a fairly easy and inexpensive DIY project. Even installed by a contractor, glass block panels are less expensive than conventional sash replacements. Glass block panels are made to order, so don’t forget to include venting for air infiltration, appliances (such as dryers), etc.

Lighting: Good outdoor lighting is a very effective deterrent to opportunists at night. Turning on your porch light is good during the evening hours, but won’t do much once you go to bed if you turn it off then. Motion activated flood lamps, usually mounted on the garage, are a very popular option as they don’t use energy unless triggered. There are two other types of lighting you may want to consider. Low voltage landscape lighting can be extremely effective in removing the cover of darkness around shrubbery up close to the house. This lighting can be triggered by a timer or dusk/dawn sensor, or both. A typical installation should not draw more than 100 Watts. Also, there are now highly efficient LED flood lamp units, on the market, for dusk to dawn use. You can illuminate your driveway with light equivalent up to 450 Watts of traditional flood lamps for as little as 30 Watts.

SECURITY MONITORINGIntrusion Alarm Systems: There are several national companies that manufacture home alarm systems, and offer remote monitoring services. All of them work on the same basic principle. Wireless detection devices, such as door and window contacts, and motion sensors are networked with a central control unit, mounted in a location of your choosing within the home. When the system is armed, an open door, window, or motion will set the central unit into alarm. A loud and irritating alarm tone will be set off within the dwelling. Simultaneously, an alarm will be sent, via phone, to a remote monitoring location. They all also furnish a yard sign to display in front of your home, which is an excellent deterrent in itself. The monthly service cost is generally $25-$60. Cost variability is largely dependent on whether you purchase the equipment up front, and the length of the contract, if any. There is really nothing to distinguish one company’s alarm system as functionally superior to the others. Also, the presence of any of these systems should qualify you for a discount on your homeowner’s insurance premium.

However, it would be wise to choose an intrusion detection system with the following characteristics:

• Use of a cell phone line to connect to the remote monitoring station, as opposed to a land line, which can easily be cut in advance by an intruder.

• The central control is normally powered by house power, but should also be fully functional on self-contained battery backup.

• Some systems also incorporate fire and life safety features. Ceiling mounted smoke detectors should be installed on each level of the dwelling, if this feature is present.

The State of Real Estate in Washington Heightsby Mary Jumes, CRS

As your neighbor & realtor, I am pleased to report our neighborhood has seen a nice little hop up in overall prices. With available properties spanning from just under $20,000 to the high $200’s, there’s a wide range of options.

Upon submission of this article, as posted in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), there are currently 44 active properties on the market in the Washington Heights; 22 single families, 21 duplexes, and 1 commercial property. We had 60 properties go to closing in 2014 and already have seven that have closed this year, putting us right on track for another solid year.

The Washington Heights continues to offer great opportunities in real estate. Remember, it’s important to consult with your real estate professional to discuss the current market and how it impacts your unique situation and property. ✿


• Excellent responsiveness on the part of the remote monitoring station, and adequate incident escalation protocol. If an alarm occurs, the remote monitoring station should initiate a phone call to the customer, at a designated number, within 60 seconds. If initial customer contact is unsuccessful, escalation should move through alternate contacts, on to notifying local police or fire within 180 seconds total. It does not matter where the remote monitor is physically located, provided it can pass this standard. You can easily test this yourself by arming the system and opening an alarmed door. See how long it takes the remote monitoring station to contact you by phone. Then you can ask questions about the escalation procedures, once you have answered your pre-set security questions.

Security Camera Systems: An impressive, if not bewildering, array of video surveillance equipment is available on the market today. The industry serves a wide variety of needs, from industrial complexes, to casinos, to retail, and even equipment appropriate in cost, scale, and complexity for home use. In the home use category choices would range from a single fixed, wired camera unit connected to a monitor, to multi-channel WiFi wireless camera systems, using outdoor rated cameras with night vision capability, and computer disc DVR recording.

Video surveillance for criminal activity enjoys a fairly high level of public approval, in part due to television accounts of it being used to thwart criminals in public places. However, these accounts also glean over the cost and effort required to install these systems, and to keep them functioning at a high level. Video equipment, including its recording capability, tends to degrade rapidly in the absence of frequent maintenance. There are, no doubt, many tech savvy individuals who may choose to invest the time and effort needed to optimize their systems in their home. However, unless you are one of them, or willing to pay for adequate contracted services, you will probably not be able to fulfill your desire to produce prosecution quality video of the thief that stole your bicycle.

VULNERABILITY REDUCING BEHAVIORSSome of the most effective security measures take little but knowledge and effort.

Know your neighbors. • A Block Watch is an excellent way to facilitate and formalize

this. Block Watches are strongly encouraged and recommended by WHNA.

• Well acquainted neighbors can be invaluable. For example, they would be the first ones to see a furniture moving truck at your home while you are away.

Maintain a low profile. • Don’t allow items of obvious value, such as large flat screen

TVs to be visible through your windows. Position items, or use more concealing window treatments, accordingly.

• Don’t leave your garage open when unattended, even for a few minutes. Your unguarded tools and recreation equipment are attractive targets of opportunity to thieves.

• Don’t leave spare house keys out.

Be discrete when you will be away from home.• Don’t announce vacation plans in advance, or in detail, on

social media or in public.• Make your home look occupied while away.• Don’t let newspapers or mail accumulate at your front

door. Place vacation holds; have a trusted friend, relative or neighbor pick it up; use an in-door mail slot with a concealed accumulation area.

• Set up at least one light or lamp on a timer during your absence.• Don’t leave cash, precious jewelry, or other valuable items

unsecured. Valuables should be left in a home safe, or in a safety deposit box at a financial institution.

• A flat screen TV on a wall mount instantly becomes less attractive to a thief.

• Get a dog. A barking dog is a burglar’s worst enemy. ✿

Dog Maby Laura Burke

Cat scratch fever – what I have learned from my cat, the hard way.

I grew up with dogs. Never owned a cat, until one day our little Rerun came into our life. Rerun was very skinny, sickly, and maybe 2 lbs. She was semi-feral and obviously hungry, so we fed her a can of tuna. She threw this all up later, the grass & tuna (which was the only thing in her tummy)

It was a sharp learning curve with Rerun. My husband had cats growing up, and he said if I was going to help her, I should pick her up a lot carry her around, and give her lots a love. (John named her Rerun, because, she had been thru a lot before us)

Lessons learned:

Lesson #1 - I loved and petted her, with the resulting bites & scratches. What the heck!

Cats can get over-stimulated, here are some warning signs. The tail will flick back and forth fast, ears go back, wide eyes and sometimes a low growl. Studying these behaviors saved me a lot of pain.

Lesson #2 - The tail wag display is, not the same between cats and dogs. Dogs wag when the are happy. When a cat flicks his or her tail back and forth fast, they are NOT happy.

Lesson #3 - Halloween Cat. When we see a cat with an arched back and tail up in the air. I think what a mean cat, but it’s just the opposite. In fact this is a warning sign that they are scared, they are puffing to make themselves look bigger.

Lesson #4 - The Cat hug. When you see a dog lying on their back exposing their tummy, you reach in for a tummy rub! You do this with a cat, and you might lose a finger! When a cat rolls on their back showing their belly, they are exposing the most vulnerable part of themselves, they would never expose this to a predator. What this means is that your cat trusts you. Don’t get lured in by that soft, pink tummy, which is just so cute, you can’t resist touching it! This doesn’t necessarily mean. “Touch my tummy.” NO! A small handful of cats like tummy rubs, on average most don’t.

Some signs your cat loves you:They drool over you, they bring you gifts, never leave you alone,

they hate when you leave, they hang/sleep with you, and sit on your lap and they mark you.

Cats have scent glands along the tail, on each side of their head, on their lips, base of their tail, chin, near their sex organs, and between their front paws. When the cat rubs you, he is marking you with his scent, claiming you as “his.” Learning all of this makes me glad of two things: 1) That our cat now loves me enough to claim me as her own, and 2) that she’s not marking me another way.

Bark at you later! ✿


UPCOMING EVENTSMARCHSATURDAY, MARCH 21 PLAY AND LEARN – STRETCHING WITH STORYBOOKS10:30 – 11:30am • Washington Park Library

SUNDAY, MARCH 22 EASTER EGG HUNT REGISTRATION12 — 2pm • Cold Spoons Gelato

TUESDAY, MARCH 24 EASTER EGG HUNT REGISTRATION7pm - 9pm • Cold Spoons Gelato

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 PLAY AND LEARN – DOCTOR’S OFFICE10:30 – 11:30am • Washington Park Library

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 EASTER EGG HUNT11:30am • Washington Park

APRILSATURDAY, APRIL 4 PLAY AND LEARN – BAD KITTY10:30 – 11:30am • Washington Park Library

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 PLAY AND LEARN – I’M SMART10:30 – 11:30am • Washington Park Library

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 ANNUAL NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP8am — 12pm

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 PLAY AND LEARN – GO GO GO!10:30 – 11:30am • Washington Park Library

FRIDAY, APRIL 24 SPRING WESTSIDE ARTWALK5pm – 9pm • Vliet St from 43rd to 60th • North Avenue in the Uptown Crossing Business District

SATURDAY, APRIL 25 SPRING WESTIDE ARTWALK10am – 4pm • Vliet St from 43rd to 60th • North Avenue in the Uptown Crossing Business District

SATURDAY, APRIL 25 PLAY AND LEARN – PIZZA PARLOR10:30 – 11:30am • Washington Park Library

SATURDAY, APRIL 25 WASHINGTON PARK SENIOR CENTER RUMMAGE SALE8am — 2pm • More than 35 vendors, bake sale, concessions. New this year: t-shirt painting for all.

MAYWEDENSDAY, MAY 13Ad and Article deadline for summer Highlighter

THURSDAY, MAY 14 ANNUAL MEETING6 — 8:30pm • Urban Ecology Center in Washington Park

SATURDAY, MAY 30 ANNUAL BLOOM & GROOM PLANT SALE Community Garden

JUNESATURDAY, JUNE 6Washington Heights’ Neighborhood Rummage Sale

JULY/AUGUSTWEDNESDAYS, JULY 1 — AUG 26 Wednesdays at the Shell in Washington Park concert series

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22 BOULEVARD BASH

community ContactsTHIRD DISTRICT NON-EMERGENCY .........933.4444CRIME PREVENTION ........................................ 935.7733GRAFFITI HOTLINE ............................................286.8715BLOCK WATCH ....................................................588.5619

highlighter ContactsADVERTISING INFORMATION [email protected] WHNA VOICE MAIL ..............................................297.9617HIGHLIGHTER EDITOR .........................................................

[email protected] or 949.1577HIGHLIGHTER DISTRIBUTION .........................771.7977RAINBOW ASSOCIATION ..................................258.2991

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Highlighter online at www.whna.netDo you want the Highlighter emailed to you?

Contact [email protected].

The deadline to submit articles and ads for the summer issue of the Highlighter is

Wednesday, May 13, 2015.

Think Spring!


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Green | Upcycled | Unique Gifts

5422 W. Vliet St. | Milwaukee, WI 53208414.257.0178 | Dino Jones

[email protected] | www.resourcemke.com

spring 2015 whna highlighter

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