The Watchman photo by John Cizmas
JUDGE SHARES CANCER EXPERIENCES IN NEW LIGHT
Judge Jean DiMotto has been sharing her experiences with cancer in a blog called Cancer Light, which she subtitled “Reflections and humor on the journey with cancer.” As a judicial blogger, DiMotto is not the first in these parts – that honor belongs to her husband Judge John DiMotto, who launched Bench and Bar Experiences in 2009.
Jean DiMotto, a registered psychiatric nurse with a special interest in Dream Therapy, began the blog in August and continues to update readers with her progress.
Writing in mid-December, DiMotto told her readers:
In one 24-hour period this week – just as my hair was beginning to grow back (I note with chagrin that the hair on my chinny chin chin raced back at a pace far exceeding that on my head and legs), just when I was beginning to feel more energetic, just when I abandoned my daily attire of bed clothing (to remind myself to reserve my energy for healing) and began wearing regular clothing – just then I was given three new diagnoses. My mother always told me life wasn’t fair, but really.
DiMotto is scheduled for surgery in the early morning of January 9th at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center.
THOMPSON SEEKS “SPANISH” VOTE
Former Governor and reliable malapropist Tommy Thompson, who has recast himself as a farmer from Elroy, kicked off his campaign for U.S. Senate in Milwaukee with a visit to St. Anthony of Padua School, calling it a successful institution with “1500 children – all Spanish.” Alas, even with the arrival of Ingeteam and Talgo factories in this city, the Iberian Peninsula does not provide us with many settlers. The children of St. Anthony are largely Latino, and speak Spanish. If we get any Quebecois residents here, Thompson will probably call them “French.”
MILWAUKEE’S “PHARMACEUTICAL” LOBBYISTS
The most numerous lobbyists working City Hall in 2011 represented The [former Pabst]Brewery Project (5 lobbyists) and Mandel Group (4 lobbyists), both of which are involved in redevelopment of former industrial property. Also hiring four lobbyists was Walgreens, the Chicago-based drug chain that is seeking alcohol beverage sales permits for its Milwaukee locations. Walgreens is represented by the drug giant’s Robert Wucki and Donovan Pepper, along with Tim McMurtry and H. Carl Mueller of Mueller Communications.
“Most Clients” honors goes to Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren attorney Bruce Block, representing Building 41 LLC. Business Improvement District 15, Gershman Brown, UWM Real Estate Foundation and didn’t-know-they-were-still-around developers New Land Enterprises LLP, who hired Block to represent them on “matters re: City Entitlement Process.” … [Extensive restoration work is being done to the New Land-built condominium at 1515 N. Van Buren St. where workers are replacing flashing and window trim in the 1999 structure, probably a bit sooner than the condo association had budgeted.]
The city’s list of lobbyists is kept more-or-less up-to-date, with the most recent data dating to December. But it is over two years out-of-date on the really interesting data, namely the amount these entities and others have spent lobbying city officials for their clients. As of the most recent reporting, covering data from the inception of the City’s lobbyist registry in 2005 through the first half of 2009, principals spent a total of $581,653 advancing their issues before the municipal government.
SCENE ON THE STREET
Ald. Nik Kovac held a neighborhood meeting (and a public hearing of the City Plan Commission is scheduled for Monday, January 9 at 2:40 p.m.) to discuss the redevelopment of 1601 N. Jackson St. by Dermond Group as a 34 unit apartment building. The site for years was known as Fazio’s Restaurant, and was quite lively during the late ‘70s when Frank Balistrieri needed a change of view from his usual perch at Snug’s in the Shorecrest Hotel. The site, which later housed Curro’s, Joe and Mario’s and most recently Joey’s, has been vacant for years, although the building has managed to remain standing. The story of the proposed development was first reported by Sean Ryan of the Business Journal, who can see the site from his front door… Milwaukee’s Tea Krulos, who was among the first in the nation to report on the Real Life Superhero trend (including in this magazine), is getting recognition for his expertise, including a quote in a front-page New York Times article from December 26th on the phenomenon. The same issue included an article on the quietness of New York streets on Monday, December 26th, and the same was true about the state of downtown Milwaukee: Dead. Many restaurants and most businesses were shut for a bonus holiday, since Christmas fell on a Sunday. The same is likely for Monday January 2nd. Flynn Meyer of Milwaukee Courier Company said his staff of bicycle messengers had the day off and he was on call from home that day – except nobody called. He expects the same scenario next Monday, saying “I equate Milwaukee with the [UW] Whitewater dorms. Once the holidays come, everybody’s gone.” Meyer said he spent the evening Monday training horses at the Milwaukee Coach and Carriage Company barn on East National Avenue and only encountered 16 cars all night.
