Yesterday, I awoke to the fresh snow and roads that were worse than they'd been even in recent days. I saw the morning paper with a headline shouting that the DPW vowed to do a better job clearing the streets this time and I wondered what was up.
The day before, a group of alderman balked at the response to the weekend's deluge of snow, sleet and freezing rain. That's what led to the DPW's vow.
So, first thing yesterday morning, on the way to a meeting, the roads were awful, although I'll give a cheer to Tosa, which had already done a yeoman's job of clearing and salting by 7:45 a.m. After the meeting, I drove east and found the roads -- including I-94 -- still pretty bad. At nearly 10 a.m.
That's when I was prepared to rant and rave. But I held my tongue and I was happy to see that last night things were much, much better. For the first time in a week, our street and the neighboring ones were properly cleared and driving even on the side streets was pretty easy -- as long as you were careful. And someone even plowed part of our alley (hooray)!
I'm happy to see that the DPW really did step it up as promised. I wish I could say the same for Milwaukee citizens. Driving on the West Side, the Southwest Side and the East Side, I've seen lots and lots of unshoveled sidewalks.
Come on neighbors. The mail carrier needs to get through and so do people walking to the store and, yes, sometimes kids headed to school. If you don't have the time, the back strength or the inclination, enlist some help, but clear your sidewalk. It's not only the considerate thing to do and your duty as a good neighbor, but it's also the law.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
