Shepherd Figure to Run Madison Paper

Catherine M. Nelson, the loftily-titled “Associate Publisher & CFO” of the Shepherd Express will be the new publisher of “Core,” a free weekly newspaper that will enter the Madison market in August.

Nelson will continue her role at the Shepherd Express where she is credited with numerous changes in the newspaper, including a trend toward softer, lifestyle stories.

“Core” will be aimed at younger readers, and at Madison’s Isthmus and Onion newspapers.

Nelson was quoted in the Wisconsin State Journal as saying, “I’m really trying to create an alternative to the alternative newspaper.”

True to form, the Shepherd Express staff was not told about the boss’s new project.

The Shepherd itself launched a vapid quarterly, “DIG” which is long on fashion and short on information. This may portend the content of “Core.”

“Core” will be owned by Capital Papers, publisher of the Wisconsin State Journal and the Madison Capital Times.

Board Chairman Jim Hopson, quoted in the Wisconsin State Journal article, said of Nelson, “She is, in my estimation, the best in the business. It will be exciting to watch her work.”

Will it ever.

Fire!

The suspicious fire that leveled many buildings at 4763 N. 32nd St. continues to smolder, and an order was issued Monday, July 12th calling for the demolition of most of the structures that remain at the vacant industrial complex.

Inspector Brian Kraus signed the demolition order, as he has in the past when other structures on the property either burned or fell apart due to dereliction.

“We did one after a fire in 2000. It was basically clean-up, since like the recent fire not much of the building remained,” he said. “None of the buildings were being used for anything,” Braun said of the status of the structures in the recent fire. “A few buildings remain and could be used.”

The property was sold on June 1, 2004 by the Kaiser Properties Trust, which had been asking nearly a million dollars for the then 349,117 feet of buildings on a 5-1/2 acre lot.

The purchaser was Bishop’s Creek Community Development Corporation. That firm lists Sedgwick Daniels as its operator according to City records.

Bishop Daniels is the minister of Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God In Christ, a large congregation located nearby at 3500 Mother Daniels Way.

The church had hoped to convert the property to parish use in its multitude of ministries. Rev. Daniels did not immediately return a call for comment on the church’s plans in the aftermath of the fire.

The property was valued at $103,700 for the land and $222,300 for the then improvements, for a total of $326,000.

The registered agent for Bishop’s Creek Community Development Corporation is an outfit known as “Lawdock, Inc.,” with offices at the law firm of Quarles & Brady where the bishop’s brother John W. Daniels, Jr. is a partner. Among Daniels Jr.’s numerous civic activities is his service as a director of Holy Redeemer Christian Academy.

One Down, Three Remain: Krug Exits Congressional Race

Both Gwen Moore and Tim Carpenter had nice things to say about Shirley Krug, once she withdrew from the Congressional race. They pointed out her distinguished service in the legislature. Carpenter added, through a spokesperson, that he would have relished the lively debates that would most certainly have ensued in the campaign to replace Jerry Kleczka. Classy.

Here’s what Matt Flynn had to say about Krug’s departure from the race: “I wish her well.”

“Oh, and you salute her service in the legislature, and you would have looked forward to a spirited debate …”

“No, that’s somebody else’s quote. I wish her well.”

If you are a Flynn groupie, you can attend his third listening session at the Atkinson Library, 1960 W. Atkinson on Thursday, July 15th from 6 – 7 p.m.

Becker’s Back

Dismas Becker wants to be County Treasurer, and a couple dozen of his old friends turned out at Long Wong’s, 5230 W. Bluemound Road Monday, July 12th to help him raise funds for the race. Bluemound Road is torn up these days, so navigating to the site posed some challenges for many of the attendees. Among notable guests was John Siefert, who was once treasurer himself, and who appointed Becker his Deputy at one point.

“He’s paying me back,” Becker said. “I helped him get his job.” (It is unclear in retrospect whether Becker referred to Siefert’s stint as treasurer or his current gig as a Circuit Court judge.)

Siefert has mastered the intricacies of State election law, which does not necessarily require the Treasurer to be elected, since it is not one of the state’s original constitutional offices.

“If the Sheriff or the Register of Deeds resigns, the Governor names a replacement,” he said. “If the Treasurer resigns, the replacement is made by the County Board.”

The things you learn!

Becker filed for the Treasurer’s post in April. Other candidates include John Martin, Daniel J. Diliberti and Dawn Marie Sass. The current Treasurer, Dorothy Dean, has filed papers of non-candidacy.

Among Becker supporters at the event were Tom Ament, Register of Deeds John LaFave and Alderman Robert Bauman, along with Matt Flynn.

Bauman, who has a long history of interest in railroading, said his plan for a Canal Street connector is being studied – but you can never be sure when you are dealing with traffic engineers. “You’re either too early or too late when you offer proposals to engineers.”

Canal Street will be redone soon, and the question is about its configuration.

Complicating matters is that railroad tracks run up the middle of the street, and Bauman says he told the engineers, “keep them there!” But, it turns out the Norquist administration had lobbied for Canal Street to be as narrow as possible, ruling out the rail-boulevard approach. Bauman’s plan calls for track right-of-way to be established in the plans now, although not built. When the community wakes up to the need for rail transit, the rights-of-way will be in place and the trains could roll.

Where is our Lakeshore State Park?

The Lakeshore State Park was dedicated on October 7, 1998 by Governor Tommy G. Thompson. According to Clarke Johnson, park superintendent, Wisconsin’s first “new state park in 20 years” might very well be constructed in the next two years. Right now, he is talking to multiple constituencies about the many details involved in creating the connection between the Hank Aaron State Trail (also unbuilt) and Milwaukee County’s Oak Leaf Trail and other destinations.

Among the constituencies: Summerfest, Pier Wisconsin, the County, the City and the State. “It’s a juggling act continuing to work with our partners. We are working out a land transfer. A lot of the issues are attorneys and language,” Johnson says. Also on the board: how to connect the Hank Aaron State Trail to the lakefront, which would seem to require a bridge somewhere. “There are three plans for the connection,” Johnson says. He hopes to go to the State Building Commission in August to get a release of the funds, with construction to commence in February 2005 and with a completion date of February 2007. The $17 million project will be handled by the Department of Administration (another Tommy Thompson creation) because it is so large, Johnson says.

The completed park will offer a harbor and maritime basin for the schooner Denis Sullivan, a causeway from the north end of Summerfest Island to the mainland, a visitor center on the island, a fishing pier, a picnic and special events center and a “24 to 26 slip” docking area for transient sailing vessels, along with public baths and shower accommodations. The slips will be merely overnight accommodations, unlike the nearby McKinley Marina, operated by Milwaukee County. There, a 25 foot slip runs you $1,320 for a season that begins May 1 and ends October 31.

Around the Town

Mayor Barrett asks you to recycle your used athletic shoes. In a program coordinated with Milwaukee Recycles, the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program is looking for 5000 or more pair of used athletic shoes, which will be processed into Nike Grind, a recycled surface material that will then be used to resurface a Milwaukee Public School tot lot / playground. Collection points will be established at running events, festivals, local businesses, the City Hall rotunda and Milwaukee’s two self-help recycling centers. … Zarko Zigich wants to open Zak’s Café at 1228 N. Astor St. … Michael Feker of Il Mito hopes to open El Gaucho Grill at 780 N. Jefferson Street. … The Pick ‘N’ Save store (formerly Kohl’s) at 1123 N. Van Buren Street has applied for a liquor license … The Village of Bayside plans to award its Community Development Block Grant funds to the repair of the famous Lion Gates that separate a quality section of Lake Drive from an even better section. … I got a letter addressed to my residence from the Russ Darrow Group of automobile dealers. In it I am informed that “now is the best time of the year to purchase a vehicle.” I have no idea how the Russ Darrow Group got my name and address. Could it be from that time I signed in at a Russ Darrow for Senate fundraiser at the Milwaukee Athletic Club? Next thing you know the Michels Corporation will be pitching a gas pipeline to my residence. … Summer Gallery Night & Day will be upon us July 23rd and 24th. Voss Books, 229 N. Water Street will feature Judith Ann Moriarty and her autobiographical picture book, “A Fairy Tale.” Ms. Moriarty begs me to mention the 1522 N. Prospect Ave. building once again. Packer great Willie Davis and wife Andrea Davis will be moving into a 17th floor condominium there. According to Moriarty, Ms. Davis would rather be in Milwaukee (she’s a native) than in Los Angeles. … The City Plan Commission has heard proposals for duplexes at the west side of  N. Marshall Street, north of East Hamilton Street, condos in the 100 block of South First Street and has made plans to sell the former Finney Library building at 4243 West North Avenue.

Norquist in NY Times

The New York Times of Tuesday, July 13th included a “Letter from Chicago” written by Stephen Kinzer. The letter writes about the “long awaited” Millennium Park soon to be unveiled in that community. Although derided by some as a “corporate theme park” for its many sponsored elements like the Bank One Promenade (a name soon to change), SBC Plaza, McCormick Tribune Plaza, the BP Pedestrian Bridge and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the park has rehabilitated a desolate rail yard in the heart of the city.

John Norquist enters the picture because he is head of the Chicago-based Congress for the New Urbanism and is himself a former Mayor. According to the Times, “By promoting Millennium Park so vigorously, Mayor [Richard M.] Daley has probably secured his position among the city’s great builders.”

Norquist chimes in, “It’s really hard to saw now whether people here will ultimately come to love this park. … What’s more broadly important is what this shows about Daley’s commitment to the urban idea. He has become increasingly good at finding urban policies that add value to a city, and he’s held in high esteem for that.”

The Times then goes on to outline the numerous scandals that surround Daley, and for good measure brings up the sex scandal that Norquist faced during his last term as mayor here. Norquist figures the park opening could be a nice diversion for Daley.

“If you’ve got something happening that you don’t want attention to be focused on, it’s nice to have something good happening at the same time.”

(updated July 13, 2004)