Why does it seem like Milwaukee grinds to a halt when it snows nowadays? We used to be a hard-as-nails people, but on Saturday when the accurately predicted snow arrived, the city appeared to shut down.
We saw no advance salters out and plows and salt trucks didn't appear in our neighborhood until nearly 11 p.m. That's when we were walking home, unsatisfied, from our neighborhood movie theater.
We had planned a night at the movies and trudged seven or eight blocks through the snow, thinking walking was safer than driving, since none of the streets near us had been cleared.
It's not usually too difficult, but since few people had shoveled, the walk was a little harder - and wetter -- than normal. When we reached the theater, we were told the evening's screening had been canceled due to the weather.
It seemed odd because the theater was clearly already staffed and we were living proof that there were customers. Nothing doing. And no offer of a pass for our troubles or anything. Just no film, because it was snowing.
What is this, Raleigh? Nashville? Some other place so unprepared for snow that the city comes to a halt?
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.
