But first…

An Elephant Tale

By Yvonne Wentlandt
As told to Lisa Emmons

I was looking out my window, watching the Meta House construction on N. 39th Street. I chuckled to myself as I wondered if they’ll find the elephant bones buried there by the time they finish.

A few years ago, when I was a youngster, my grandfather, a circus buff, told me how some of the biggest circus companies in the business would set up in that area. At that time, 35th Street was the westerly border of Milwaukee. The Valley/Piggsville was in the town of Wauwatosa. Streets were plotted differently-what is now 40th Street would have been 39th Street. West Clybourn ran all the way west and connected where it is at 35th and Clybourn. Throughout the summer, a fun procession set up on the circus grounds. The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey were there. So were Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and Salls Floto. Each circus would parade down Wisconsin Avenue, then, Grand Avenue to publicize their shows. Seeing clowns, tigers, lions, aerialists, and trick riders was exotic to the neighborhood. And then there was the Calliope, the siren call of the circus.

Area kids could spend every day at the circus grounds if they wanted to. In the 1970s, older neighbors would remember helping to water the elephants for a free pass to the circus. This is where the legend of the elephant bones comes in. According to my grandpa, while a circus was rehearsing here, an elephant died. It was buried in the Meta House construction area. This passing of an elephant and having its resting place here is somehow known to people all over the city. Can they all be wrong? Fact, fiction, or a touch of nostalgia?

_____________________________________________________________________

To the newcomers: WELCOME TO THE VALLEY, Piggsville, USA!

To the oldsters: FRIENDLY list of REMINDERS!

WE WANT YOU TO KNOW WHEN WE SEE PROBLEMS, WE CONTACT THE POLICE, CITY OFFICIALS, AND LANDLORDS. WE HOPE YOU WILL COOPERATE WITH OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP THE VALLEY A SAFE AND QUIET PLACE TO LIVE.

HOME SWEET HOME – Loud music from cars, motorcycles, homes, loud parties, and disagreements all disrupt your neighbors’ quiet enjoyment of their homes

JUST LIKE HOME—Landlords need to be responsible neighbors. This includes property maintenance, the conduct of their tenants, and properly screening prospective tenants.

KEEP IT CLEAN—Pick up garbage from your yard, in front of your house/apartment, and alley whenever you can. It will keep our neighborhood looking good! On trash day, put carts back where they belong. No one should be going through anyone else’s recycling or garbage carts; it’s against the law! DO NOT put papers with personal info on them in the dumpster. IT PUTS YOU AT RISK FOR IDENTITY THEFT!

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT – To increase safety, all residents are asked to turn on porch and yard lights at night.

TOOL TIME- Cut the grass, pull the weeds, rake the leaves, shovel the snow, and salt the icy sidewalks!

PET PRIDE—Clean up after your pets. Pet waste should be picked up, bagged, and disposed of. No one wants to find Fido and Fluffy’s “presents” on their property or in the neighborhood park. If your pet is not in a secured yard, leash it at all times. Obsessive barking is a disturbance to neighbors.

PARK IT—Observe posted parking rules and speed limits. Please do not park too close to corners or block intersections. Observe parking restrictions during winter weather.

KIDS R US—Please observe curfew laws. No one younger than 17 years old is allowed out between 10 pm and 5 am Monday through Friday and between 11 pm and 5 am Saturday and Sunday. The fine is $74 for a juvenile and $175 for an adult guardian. So, parents, please discuss this with your children and make sure they are home by curfew. Teach your kids not to play in the street or block traffic.

GET INVOLVED—We have an active Neighborhood Association that sponsors meetings and activities to help neighbors keep our neighborhood vibrant and viable.

————————————————————————————————–

A letter from your neighbor:

Hello Valley Residents,

I am gathering information to be used in a “welcome packet” for neighbors new to The Valley. We will develop a packet of information or informational sheets that can be given to new neighbors. Information such as websites could help them know how to get new garbage eans, parking restrictions, and report potholes; the kind of info that is helpful to have at your fingertips. We are doing this with help from anyone who wants to give us their input.

We all bring a different set of experiences, and together, we hope to welcome people and make their transition towards Valley Residence-ship a fun one. Additionally, since not everyone has internet or likes the computer, we will be providing printouts for some of the information that we think is important.
We invite everyone to contact one of us if you have a suggestion of information that will help new people, and of course, if someone moves in next to you, please share that info with us. Although we see much of what is happening, we are not everywhere.

Thank you!
Janet

jhaas420@wi.rr.com

————————————————————————————————–

Other Friendly Reminders:

The Importance of Calling Things In and Why It’s Essential to Make the Call…

Neighbors must understand the importance of reporting crime incidents or suspicious behavior in the neighborhood, even if it’s too late for the police to send a squad. Calling things in creates a paper trail that documents what’s going on in the neighborhood. It allows the police to make a case to the city government and other entities with the power to provide more funding and personnel to the streets. Our area is a place to put those extra resources when available. NOT reporting things can also affect police patrolling in the neighborhood. If no one calls in an incident, no matter how big or small a neighbor may think it is, it’s like it never happened. The Police Department of the 21st Century goes entirely by how many reports are filed in an area. If there is nothing on PAPER, it is assumed there is NO CRIME in an area, and unfortunately, that has happened in this neighborhood on more than one occasion.

REASONS TO CALLING 9-1-1

EMERGENCY

• Imminent life-threatening situations (shooting – stabbing)
• Shots fired
• Battery
• Robbery
• Drug deal in progress
• Threat to a person’s life (gun – knife – other weapon)
• Fire
• Medical attention required (injured as a result of a crime – a car accident or any medical condition)
• A person who is hurt or in danger
• A crime in progress
• WHEN YOU CALL 9-1-1
  1) Stay on the line with the operator – do not hang up!
  2) Provide the location of the emergency.
  3) Stay calm and describe the emergency.
  4) Provide your name, phone number, and descriptions of the suspects (you can call anonymously).
  5) Answer the operator’s questions as best you can.
  6) Wait for the operator to instruct you to hang up.
  

NON-EMERGENCY

414 933-4444

Non-threatening situations:
-Loud music (vehicle – resident – other)
-Theft (shoplifter – vehicle – communication devices – keys)

-Loitering (gambling – drug dealing)
-Abandoned property
(bikes – persons personal property)
-Property damage
(graffiti – vehicle – broken windows)

Police District 3-District Notifications

Example: Vacant house-owner on vacations wants squad to be aware:

414-935-7232

C0mmunity Liaison Officers–

RE: Crime Prevention Issues:

414-935-7733

District Captain’s Office:

414-935-7230

District Lieutenant’s Office:

414-935-7231

Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Dept. (Matters related to Valley Park) Still call M.P.D. for police issues but can still call Sheriff’s Dept. for law enforcement issues related to the park:

414-278-4788

SOCIAL SERVICES 2-11
-Health care (prevention – maternity – illnesses)
-Children and Families
(domestic violence – child care – job skill training)

-Disaster emergency
(fire – tornado – flood – snow storm)

-Shelter
(homeless people – food – clothing -other services)

-Mental health
(transportation – housing – support groups)

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES

414 286-CITY (286-2489)

-Property Violations
(overgrown grass and weeds – garbage and other debris – neglected buildings)

-Nuisance Violations
(barking dogs – loud music – neglected vehicles)

Milwaukee Police LGBTQ+ Liaison

Information:

-Police Officer Juliana Nailen (She/Her and They/Them)

-Police Sergeant Guadalupe Velasquex (She/Her)

LGBTQLiason@milwaukee.gov

————————————————————————————————–

Stolen Vehicle

There was a vehicle stolen near N 40th and Clybourn last month during daylight hours. Caught on surveillance, one could summize by the footage and how quickly the crime transpired, the thieves were waiting for the perfect opportunity and unfortunately found it. We love the suburban feel of our safe neighborhood and it’s easy to forget that crime can happen anywhere at anytime. It’s important to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times.

Here’s some tips to help keep you safe from vehicle theft:

Vehicle Theft Prevention

By following these tips, you will reduce your chances of being the victim of a vehicle theft or vehicle break-in:
-Always Take Your Keys
-Never leave them in the car. Nearly 20% of all vehicles taken had keys in them. -Hiding a second set of keys in your vehicle is not recommended, as extra keys can easily be found if a thief takes the time.
-Always Lock Your Vehicle
-Approximately 50% of all vehicles taken were left unlocked.
-Park in Well-Lighted Areas
-Over half of all vehicles occur at night.
-Never Leave Your Vehicle Running Unattended
Why make it even easier for thieves? Vehicle theft can happen quickly, even if you are only gone for a minute. This is especially true during a cold morning when many owners leave the vehicle unattended to warm up. Also, it is against the law to leave your motor vehicle running with the key in it in Wisconsin.
-Do Not Leave Valuables in Plain View
Hide them under the seats, lock them in the glove box or trunk, or cover them with something. Leaving valuables in plain view will attract thieves and make your vehicle more desirable.
-Park In a Garage
If you have a garage, use it. Vehicles parked outside or on the street are more vulnerable. When parking in your garage, lock the garage door and your vehicle. By locking both, you will significantly improve your chances of deterring thieves.
-Never Leave the Title Registration in the Vehicle
Thieves can and will use it to sell your stolen vehicle.
-Register Your Vehicle in the Catch Auto Thieves (CAT) Program with the Milwaukee Police Department
If you do not drive your vehicle between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., you may elect to register your vehicle for participation in this program. Once registered, you will receive a window sticker identifying your vehicle as participating. Any officer observing your truck operating on the roadway between the specified hours is then authorized to stop it without further probable.
Catch Auto Thieves (CAT)
Auto theft is a growing national epidemic that is a potentially dangerous crime that often facilitates additional criminal activity. The CAT program, in which car owners sign a consent form that allows police to stop the vehicle without cause if it is being operated between the hours of 11:00 P.M. and 5:00 A.M., allows police to stop a car and catch auto thieves quickly before the owner even has a chance to report the vehicle stolen. Participants enroll in the program by providing Milwaukee Police information about their car, a list of authorized drivers, and displaying the decal.
Vehicle owners can sign up at any district station.

————————————————————————————————–

Keep Drugs Out of The Valley by Reporting Drug Activity to the POLICE

In light of the recent shocking discovery of a methamphetamine lab in an 11th District residence, Ald. Dudzik is asking residents to help him shut down houses and apartments where illegal drugs are being stored, manufactured, or peddled. You can do this anonymously.
Please take a few minutes to read the items below. You may even want to print this information and post it on your refrigerator for future reference. By copying down some of the information below, you will be able to help Milwaukee Police investigate possible drug houses. When ready, please call the police department’s Vice Control Division at 414-935-7411. Any information received will be kept strictly confidential.

Please try to pass along the following information to police:

-Address of suspected drug activity.
-Is the drug activity occurring at a residence?
-Type of residence: Single Family_ Duplex (lower)_ (upper) Apt.Bldg.
-What door(s) do buyers go to? Front Back_ Side_ Other_
-Type(s) of drugs being sold?
-How long has the drug activity been observed?
-Times of peak activity: Month: Beginning Middle_ End
Weekdays_ Weekends_

-Time of Day Names/Street names of the seller(s) involved?

-Physical description of the sellers:

–(Race/Sex; Age(s); Height/Weight; Clothing Description

-Description of any automobile(s) involved: (Make, Model, Year, Color, Plate No. & State)

-Drug buyers’ method of approach.

-Any additional information (is there an alarm or lookout system used by the sellers), or is there a dog kept at the house/apartment?).
-Police urge residents to call the Vice Control Division (414-935-7411) to report possible drug dealing and drug houses.

Under no circumstances should a resident approach, call out, threaten, or in any way make contact with the drug sellers) or their associates.

————————————————————————————————–

In other news:

Neighbor Yvonne Wentlandt won the door prize at the Captain’s Meeting last month. Congradulations, Yvonne! The Captain’s Meetings take place at the 3rd District Station the last Thursday of the month at 5:30pm. Attending these meetings a wonderful way to participate in neighborhood safety. You get to know your community. You also support police officers in serving and protecting the people of this wonderful city.

————————————————————————————————–

I SPY..

-Drug dealing on St. Paul Ave. between N. 40th to N. 42nd St. “Neighbors” meet cars on foot. On occasion, some come out of alley between N.41st and N. 42nd on 300 block .

-A lady living in a van with a young child, running a power cord from a property. Van runs almost constantly. Reported to the authorities. 

-Thefts of recycling and trash carts.

-A large amount of trash in street and front of a lot of properties in 400 n. 39th St.

-Theft from backyards, garages and porches.

-Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District being great neighbors by efforts to maintain the river channel to protect us from flooding.

-County Supervisor Sky being available to us and quickly resolving issues!

————————————————————————————————-

Other announcements–

Flower and Vegetable Seed Giveaway:

Saturday, March 8th at 2:00 pm

The Valley Inn

4000 W. Clybourn Street

Milw.

Download Atlas One to your smartphone:

The Milwaukee Police Department Launches Atlas One Application