When - Saturday April 11th from 10am - 2pm

Where - Cousins Subs at 2965 S. Chicago Ave. South Milwaukee, WI 53172-3133

Ph 414-768-1111

http://www.wisconsin.wish.org/

Meet Cudahy & South Milwaukee Police Officers as they raise money for the MAKE-A-WISH & prepare for the Badge Ball Tournament

Meet the K-9 Unit (Ezzo and Officer Olson)

10% of all sales from the event will be donated to make a wish through the badge ball tournament

Badge Ball 2009

Join us as some of the cities finest engage in a friendly battle to see who will be crowned Badge Ball Champion 2009!  On Saturday, April 18th the Cudahy Police Department will face off in a border battle against the South Milwaukee Police Department and on Saturday, May 2nd the Cudahy Police Department will face off against their arch rivals the Cudahy Fire Department.

The Badge ball tournament between Cudahy Police and the South Milwaukee Police will take place on April 18 at Cudahy High School at 6PM.

This is our 8th year of Battle of the Badges.  Since we started, we have raised $20,187 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  The proceeds for the May 2nd game will benefit disabled Cudahy Firefighter Dennis LeDoux.  We need to get the word out to the community and make some money for Dennis and his family.

Information courtesy of CPD Sgt Blunt

Here is a warning that some might just pass off as being just a little too cautious, but it is better to be informed and have each parent make the call.

You probably don't want to bathe your baby in formaldehyde and dioxane but, believe it or not, you might be.

The probable cancer-causing chemicals are present in more than half of children's bath soaps, shampoos and lotions tested by a consumer's group.

The FDA does not require the chemicals be listed on the label, since manufacturers do not add them intentionally.

Some very good name brand companies have bad chemicals leaching or contaminated by ingredients into baby products.  Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo and Baby Magic lotion are just a few of the trusted products.

New Report: No More Toxic Tub

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF TESTED PRODUCTS

Probable Carcinogens Found in Baby Toiletries

Washington Post Article

More than half the baby shampoo, lotion and other infant care products analyzed by a health advocacy group were found to contain trace amounts of two chemicals that are believed to cause cancer, the organization said yesterday.

Instead of just focusing on the 4th of July with a committee, I think the Cudahy committee’s name and purpose needs to change and evolve to the Special Events Committee.

Changing to the Special Events Committee would allow that committee to work on Halloween, Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day and July 4^th.  There is much more than just the 4^th of July to do.

Imagine if the city took an active role instead of a passive role for Christmas.  Yes, we have breakfast with Santa and 2008 was a good showing for it minus the Mayor not being there.  However, as a few people have suggested that the tree lighting ceremony be moved to the library on a Saturday and have a weekend celebration.  It makes it more community instead of city hallish (Hellish).  You know, stuffy!

You could have Christmas Carols. 

Have people buy ornaments to place on the tree. 

Have breakfast with Santa.

Maybe if there is snow a contest of create the best snowman.

Pay to throw a snowball at an elected official for charity.

Sell hot chocolate, coffee or tea.

Night sledding

Bonfire

Ice Skating

Seek donation money for horse and carriage rides.

Parade down Packard Ave.

See if local business would like to donate money for lights and decorations.  Create a synergy between the citizens, government and business.  The triad of trifectas’.

The committee could look at all of the holidays to make it more community in nature to get more community involvement.

There might be local businesses that would donate time or money let say for Halloween that currently do want to donate for July 4^th.

Why put all the eggs in one basket and hardly nothing the rest of the year?  If you want to engage and encourage the citizens of Cudahy, start thinking outside the box.

Side Note – I was just emailed this:  Forming a civic celebrations committee is another campaign promise that Mayor McCue has not fulfilled!

If you live in Oak Creek, South Milwaukee, Cudahy, St. Francis, Bay View or anywhere else please join us for Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Hunt.

JE Jones PTA - Breakfast with the Easter Bunny

Hop on over to JE Jones School (5845 S. Swift Ave - Cudahy) on March 21, 2009 for an All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast sponsored by our PTA.

Along with the Pancake Breakfast we will be offering crafts for the kids to do, an opportunity for them to have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny, and an Egg hunt with special eggs that will have a money prize in them.

DATE: MARCH 21, 2009

TIME: BREAKFAST SERVED 9 AM - 11 AM

EGG HUNT 11 AM

COST: $5 / ADULT*

$4 / CHILD UNDER 10*

2 AND UNDER FREE*

$2 FOR CRAFTS AND EGG HUNT ONLY

$3 FOR PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY

*Pancake Breakfast includes crafts and egg hunt.

Visit our PTA Website at http://www.jejonespta.webs.com/, click on Events to find out more information or call 414-294-7150.

What is Grandma's House Day Care?  Grandma's House Day Care http://www.grandmashouse.org/ is a Day Care, which offers after care with pickup from the schools to the day care location.  It offers early childhood programs and the home feeling of what would a Grandma’s house would be.

"Grandma's House is a developmentally appropriate child care setting which strives to meet the physical, social, emotional, and educational needs of each child under the guidance of a qualified staff in a warm and caring atmosphere which is licensed by the State of Wisconsin and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  As an accredited program, we have voluntarily undergone a comprehensive process of internal self-study, invited external professional review to verify compliance with the Academy's Criteria, and been found to be in compliance with the Criteria."

Grandma's House Early Childhood Programs

Open Monday-Friday, 6:00 am - 6:00 pm

* Licensed by the State of Wisconsin

* Accredited by the National Academy for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

* Home-cooked lunches & snacks

* Developmentally appropriate programs for all children ages 6 weeks through 11 years

* Full-day Kindergarten Program

* Summer Program

Excerpted from the preschool's website

Sorry, to those that are seeing this post again.  I had it posted once, but with all the problems with the blog software and the site I took it down.

Boys Technology and Trade School (Boys Tech) was founded in 1906 and in 1976 the name changed to Milwaukee Trade & Technical High School (Milwaukee Tech or Tech) to allow girls to attend.

In 2002, Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School opened.  Tech specializes in Construction, Communications, Manufacturing and Design.

It no longer has a pool, which the MPS database for expenses caused some talk on how could the school be charged for pool cleaning if one doesn’t exist?

Tech once was a proud school, which excelled in athletics and education.  What happen to the school?  Well a big part of the problem was that they dropped the entrance exam to attend the school.  The thought process was that since it was a public school you could not disallow students from attending.  Then one by one as a domino effect MPS dismantled the maintain a “C” grade point average, take out the requirement to be in a trade or tech program, close the open lunch and now you are left with just an ordinary MPS High School.

MPS prides itself with “High Standards Start Here,” but that is just an empty slogan.  Look at the headlines for Bradley Tech now.  Guns shots, stabbings, over 200 people in fights, 6 Girls in Fight At Bradley Tech; Crowd Watches Milwaukee Police Officer Punched By 17-Year-Old Girl and so on.  Gone are the good headlines!

I agree with Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan’s statement released February 13, 2009.

Yesterday’s melee at Bradley Tech High School – which included a punch to the face for one of Milwaukee’s fine police officers – is yet another sad example of just how out of control Milwaukee Public Schools have become.

The way Bradley Tech has degenerated is an insult to the tens of thousands of proud graduates of the former Tech, which served as a model school in Milwaukee for decades.

I am proposing that Bradley Tech be closed at the end of this school year so that we can start over.  I propose reopening the school only as a true technical high school, with technical coursework in subjects such as computers, electronics, building/drafting/design, and even carpentry.  Students would be required to take tests to get into the school.

Our businesses and industries are in dire need of workers who could gain valuable skills and know-how at a “new” Bradley Tech.  If nothing else, we owe it to our children and grandchildren to give them a public school that offers solid technical training, a place where they can gain the skills for jobs and careers that will offer a better quality of life.

I believe that is the kind of Bradley Tech we should create, because the current one is a disgrace that is likely causing Jane Pettit to turn over in her grave.

You must be very careful of the lawsuits that will occur once the entrance exams are added back in, but since it is a specialty school, it should have special requirements and special students.

I am proud I attended Milwaukee Tech, but I am embarrassed by what it has become after I left.  Is the entrance exam fair?  Some of my friends that didn’t pass it and were not accepted to attend might tell you NO!  However, without it, all you have is another MPS school, not a shinny gem.

As in incentive, give the students back the open lunch conditionally.  Any fights and the lunch is closed for two weeks.

Adding back in the grade point average requirement along with the trade/tech program requirement will weed out the students that don’t and are not serious about an education. 

Add in that if you are in a fight, you are kicked out.  Find a knife, gun or other weapon you are kicked out.  MPS likes to water down the schools; it is time to rise up the level at this one.  MPS has plenty of other common schools to play with!  You cannot teach or reach students that don’t want it! 

Ban cell phones and install cell phone jammers at the school during school hours.  Having a cell phone and the use of it is NOT a right!  We didn’t have them when I went to school and I am so tired of the parents that say it is a right to have one for emergencies.  What now they cannot call the school’s office and get a message to the student?  Have we as a society become that lazy and self-centered?

Bradley Tech has two full time MPD officers on site and still is a zoo so adding more of a police presence is not the answer.

Right now Bradley Tech resembles more of a school for troublemakers than a school for those wanting an education.  Tech is not just a family/neighborhood school; it embodies the education of trades and technology.

Let us look at MPS reaction to Ald. Bob Donovan's call for the closing of Bradley Tech High School after a brawl there.  I have highlighted a few items and placed my comments in blue.

"This is a statement from MPS Administration regarding comments made today about the Lynde & Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School.

"The actions of a few students who set aside better judgment and chose to act out on Thursday do not speak for the Bradley Tech student body of 1,390. . . . 

"Bradley Tech has 64% fewer suspensions in the first six months of this school year versus the same time period last year.  The school is open for tours for those who'd like to visit; call the office and let the staff know.  (What are the real numbers not %’s)

"MPS continues to provide a structured and safe environment every day for students in all our schools, including Bradley Tech.  The school was created through an intergovernmental agreement between the Milwaukee Public Schools, area business and labor leaders, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

"The Bradley Tech Commission remains active in the operation, curriculum, and the future, of this valuable trade school.”  (It doesn’t sound like they are.  It sounds like MPS is though!)

In his statement earlier today, Donovan decried the brawl and said the school should require tests for students who want to get in.

Thursday's fight drew a crowd of 150 to 200 students.  Police arrested the student accused of punching an officer assigned to the school, at 700 S. 4th St. As of noon, charges hadn't been filed against the student.  (14% of the total students watched)

Officers gave tickets to 16 other students alleging disorderly conduct.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/39603812.html

Get MPS’s hand out of the school and restore the policies that worked and everything else will work it self out!

I have received an email from Milwaukee Alderman Donovan on this subject about my post.

Randy - Thanks for your support!  I have heard from many, many grads on this issue and they all feel the same way you do.  Let's hope they wise up and make the necessary changes!

Bob

Robert G. Donovan

Alderman, 8th District

City of Milwaukee

Phone: 414-286-3533

Fax: 414-286-3456

http://www.commonsensemilwaukee.com/

I have received a few emails in regards if we are doing anything in Cudahy like “Breakfast with the Easter Bunny” or an “Easter Egg hunt”?

YES in Cudahy, we will have both!  Please attend JE Jones School on MARCH 21, 2009.  See info at bottom for details.

Originally, the answer to both was NO, but one was a maybe.  Then just as I was going to post, I saw “JE Jones PTA - Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and egg hunt.”  I will have more about it at the end.

I checked to see if the “City” was going to do a “Breakfast with the Easter Bunny” and was told “NO”, but an offer would be put out to the Cudahy Family Library again requesting if they would like to do it.  Again, the answer was NO!

As many of you are aware, Tina Dondajeski of the Patrick Cudahy Park Friends, held an Easter Egg Hunt in 2007 at Cudahy Park that was successful.  Unfortunately, due to an earlier Easter and all the snow last year, no Easter Egg Hunt was planned.  This year, the Park Friends don’t have enough volunteers to do an Easter Egg hunt.  If they could get five or six more people, they might be able to pull something together. 

I do know we have five alderpersons and a Mayor in Cudahy.  Doesn’t that make six?

The time to act is now to get in place an Easter Egg hunt!  The Patrick Cudahy Park Friends have most of the supplies to do an Easter egg hunt and could even get a bunny costume.  Weather is a problem since they can’t get into the pavilion yet because it’s used for storage.  However, they could do it at another park, the library, or even one of the schools. 

The biggest problem is not enough people willing to join the group and help out.  Depending on when and what my commitments already are, I will help out!

Cudahy is a very family orientated city and our wonderful children in the community need an event like this.  Please volunteer and make this a reality.  Who knows, if we all push our Alderpersons, Mayor McCue and the library we might be able to pull off “Breakfast with the Easter Bunny.”  “Breakfast with Santa” was very successful and I have no doubt “Breakfast with the Easter Bunny” could be as well. 

Thanks again to Tina for doing so much for our parks and children.

Please contact Tina Dondajeski of the Patrick Cudahy Park Friends to help volunteer.

Tina Dondajeski, President

Patrick Cudahy Park Friends

Phone: (414) 881-8494

Email: Tina.Dondajeski@symbiontonline.com

So for those that missed it on the “Your Stories” JE Jones PTA - Breakfast with the Easter Bunny here is the info:

Hop on over to JE Jones School (5845 S. Swift Ave - Cudahy) on March 21, 2009 for an All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast sponsored by our PTA.

Along with the Pancake Breakfast, we will be offering crafts for the kids to do, an opportunity for them to have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny, and an Egg hunt with special eggs that will have a money prize in them.

DATE: MARCH 21, 2009

TIME: BREAKFAST SERVED 9 AM - 11 AM

EGG HUNT 11 AM

COST: $5 / ADULT*

$4 / CHILD UNDER 10*

2 AND UNDER FREE*

$2 FOR CRAFTS AND EGG HUNT ONLY

$3 FOR PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY

*Pancake Breakfast includes crafts and egg hunt.

Visit our PTA Website at http://www.jejonespta.webs.com/, click on Events to find out more information or call 414-294-7150.

To purchase advanced reservations please email us at jejones53110@gmail.com for payment options or stop by our school and reserve your space today.  There will be a limited amount of space available the day of the event so order early.  Advanced sales available until March 17th.

CPR - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is a combination of a series of rescue breathing and chest compressions to someone in need after the heart stops pumping blood.  Most of us way back in Health class, have done this on a practice dummy.

Please Click Here For Adult CPR Demonstration Video

This adult life saving measure of 2 BREATHS, each breath should take 1 second, and 30 PUMPS with hand over hand (both hands) to the chest faster than once per second repeatedly done until help can arrive.

But what about babies and small children?  Do you remember anything from class on them?  Did they even cover it in your Health Class? 

Please Click Here For Child CPR Demonstration Video

CPR for Children (Ages 1-8)

CPR for children is similar to CPR for adults.  The compression to ventilation ratio is 30:2.  There are, however, 3 differences.

1) If you are alone with the child give two minutes of CPR before calling 911

2) Use the heel of one hand as for adults for chest compressions

3) Press the sternum approximately one-third the depth of the chest

CPR for Infants (Age <1)

There are vastly different things that have to be done for a baby.  Key items are covering the mouth and nose, watch how hard you give the pumps, the use of two or three fingers to give the compression inside of the hand.

Please Click Here For Baby CPR Demonstration Video

1. Shout and Tap

Shout and gently tap the child on the shoulder.  If there is no response, position the infant on his or her back

 2. Open The Airway

Open the airway using a head tilt lifting of chin.  Do not tilt the head too far back

 3. Give 2 Gentle Breaths

If the baby is NOT breathing give 2 small gentle breaths.  Cover the baby's mouth and nose with your mouth.  Each breath should be 1 second long.  You should see the baby's chest rise with each breath.

 4. Give 30 Compressions

Give 30 gentle chest compressions at the rate of 100 per minute.  Use two or three fingers in the center of the chest just below the nipples.  Press down approximately one-third the depth of the chest.

  5. Repeat

Repeat with 2 breath and 30 compressions.  After two minutes of repeated cycles call 911 and continue giving breaths and compressions.

http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/infantcpr.html

More information on Saving Your Baby's Life please visit http://www.babyzoneandbeyond.com/

More Video Demonstrations

Reminder For compressions:

Adults = two hands

Small Child = the heel of one hand

Baby = 2 or 3 fingers

Today my son Ryan Dean would have been 4 years old.

“To outlive one's children is a curse of the gods.”

– Old Chinese proverb

In life, I know there must be death.  I can accept that.

People expect to lose grandparents and eventually parents to old age or sickness.

When someone old is suffering, we say they had a good life and now need to go to a better place.

When your spouse dies, you are a widow.

When a child of whatever age is left behind when both parents die, you are an orphan.

But there is no word to describe the greatest loss of all: the death of your child.

There is no word to describe when your child dies!  None.

I know I am not alone when it comes to feeling this pain.  It is a fact of life, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck or hurt any less. 

I am very grateful for my daughter Ria and understand that in some ways it was a trade off.  If my son were still here, I would not have my daughter Ria.  We planned on having more kids, but most likely would not have had another child so close in age.

I think of my son daily and the pain has diminished somewhat, but the rawness is still the same.

Ria looks up at Ryan’s picture and knows that that is baby Ryan, her big brother.  At the age of two and a half, she knows that he is in heaven watching her.  My eyes gush with tears when she asks me, “When are we or Ryan going to visit!”  I try to explain as best as I can that we will not be going to visit him in heaven for a while and when we go to the cemetery where Ryan is sleeping we are whole as a family.  I tell her that Ryan is always watching over us and he is always with us.  She then asks me, “Did you hurt something?” since she doesn’t understand that heartache causes tears just as easy as a booboo.

I will leave you with a poem I wrote about my son Ryan Dean.  Faith brings the only real HOPE.

Fly, fly high into the sky

Fly so high that I hope to touch you

Fly to see you one last time

Fly, fly for I know nothing

Fly so I can understand why

Fly to be with you

Fly, fly my pain must die

Fly so high that I can float with wings and clouds

Fly to be free

Fly, fly high into heaven

Fly so I know why

Fly to be whole again

Fly, fly for I just gotta know

Fly so high that my tears dry away

Fly to be alive

Fly, fly my love knows no bounds

Fly so I can find a way

Fly to bring you back with me

A favorite holiday tradition in southeastern Wisconsin is driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations.

Take a drive down Candy Cane Lane in West Allis to see more than 300 homes decorated for the holidays.  Do it soon because it is only open until Dec. 27.

Visitors can drive through the neighborhood from 6 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

It doesn't cost anything, but people can make a donation that will go to the MACC Fund (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer Fund).  When I drove through, Star Wars characters were accepting the donations.

Candy Cane Lane is located north of Oklahoma Avenue between 92nd and 96th streets.

It is best to enter on Oklahoma and turn right on to 93^rd street and follow the long lines of cars.  I say best because you cannot make a left turn on to Oklahoma and this way you are always making right turns.

I will also be posting up pictures from Cudahy houses soon as well.

 

This was the information from my wife’s teaching co-op class in the form of a handout.

You are your child’s first teacher.  As a father, mother, or other family member you begin teaching your newborn about language as you welcome him into the world with smiles and caring words.  By responding to your child's coos, babbles, early words, and simple sentences, you encourage him to learn.  By reading to your child, you encourage him to read and write.  Thus by the time your child is old enough for preschool, he knows a lot about language, because of all the time your family has spent listening, talking, reading, and writing with him.

Below are 10 tips to help you teach your child.

• Talk with and listen to your child as you play and do daily activities together.
• Read with your child at a regular time every day and whenever he asks you.
• Take toddlers and preschoolers to the library.  Let them choose books to read at home.
• Create a special place in your home where your child can read and write.
• Keep books and other reading materials where your child can reach them.  Add a new book at least every month.
• Keep writing materials such as washable, nontoxic crayons and markers, paints and brushes, and different kinds of paper where your child can reach them.
• Take books and writing materials with you whenever you go out, so your child can read or write at the doctor's office, on the bus, and in the car.
• Show your child how you read and write every day to have fun and to get things done.
• Point out printed words in your home and in the community to your child.
• Encourage your child to do things for himself.  Let him feed and dress himself, and clean up after himself even if these tasks take more time and are not done perfectly

1. Identify and write the letters of the alphabet, upper and lower case.
2. Write full name, first and last, using upper case letters at the beginning only.
3. Know birthday- date and year.
4. Know address: house number, street, town, state and country.
5. Identify and write numbers 1-10.
6. Recognize own name.
7. Know phone number.
8. Know shapes: circle, square, rectangle, triangle

Know colors: red, orange, yellow, blue, green, purple, pink, brown, black and white.

Predators use gaming consoles to 'get foot in the door'

Sexual predators are using gaming consoles such as the Wii, PlayStation and Xbox to meet children online.

Again, looking at the fact that the sexual predators are changing up and using the latest kid’s gadgets to meet or trick our children.  While more and more things become wired into the Internet or our too smart for their own good children can defeat parent’s safety controls, it is sometimes easy for the sexual deviants to prey on our children.

The world is a very scary place for parents and a fun place for the sexual predators to prey upon our sometimes naïve children. 

Well that is all wrong!  It should be a fun place for the parents and a scary place for the sexual predators.  With good laws, good police, and parents in the know, we can all make that happen.

Full Story

I don’t have an Internet gaming console, but I have many of friends with kids that do.  This is something that all parents need to be looking for.  Sexual predators along, with someone taking my child, is my greatest fear.  My wife and I agree that when my two year old gets to an age to play video games connected to whatever Internet is around at that time we will have it in a common area to be able to watch.

On Oct. 29, 2007, Molly Collins of Wisconsin Wins, reported that “Within the City of Cudahy 23.81% of the surveyed retailers with tobacco retail license allowed minors to have access to tobacco products after one of two surveys were performed earlier this month.”

She further went on to say, “The selling of a tobacco product to a minor is illegal and violates municipal law.  Owners and employees of establishments who possess tobacco retail license are strongly advised to always ask for identification in order to verify that a customer is of legal age when requesting to purchase tobacco products.

This is the fifth year that the Wisconsin Wins (WI Wins) campaign is being conducted.  Retailers in surrounding municipalities and counties undergo the same inspection.  The WI Wins project was launched in 2002 to assure compliance with Federal Synar regulation.  Synar requires states to maintain a youth tobacco access rate of less than 20%.”

Source

Fast forward to July 28, 2008, it was reported that eight retail workers were cited for selling cigarettes to minors and the identification of a ninth offender is pending, Cudahy police officials said.

On July 19, Cudahy police officers, James Karweik and Andrew Ayala, teamed up with representatives of the Wisconsin Wins project, a state-based initiative designed to decrease youth access to tobacco, Cudahy Police Lt. David Aamodt said.

During the sting, a 15-year-old volunteer attempted to buy cigarettes from 31 Cudahy businesses.  Nine businesses sold cigarettes to the minor. 

The violators are:

Gerry's Inn, 4767 S. Packard Ave.,

Speedway Gas Station, 4944 S. Packard Ave.,

Stingray's bar, 5132 S. Packard Ave.,

Whiskey River tavern, 5260 S. Packard Ave.,

Benn There tavern, 5270 S. Packard Ave.,

CVS Pharmacy, 5740 S. Packard Ave.,

The Country Club, 5928 S. Packard Ave.,

Citgo gas station, 2415 E. Layton Ave.,

Citgo gas station, 2400 E. College Ave.,

Source

Many of you might have picked up that I am not in favor of smoking in general.  I am very adamant that under age smoking is bad and not just because it is against the law.  I cannot tell you how many times, while working at K-Mart, parents would come in to buy the smokes for their children.  Many times the parents would say, it is only illegal to sell them to minors not that they cannot smoke.

When I would drop off my younger sister at Bay View and just see the kids smoking at school and to find out my little sister smoked and her friend’s mom would buy them for her, it would just upset me.  I didn’t tattle on her, I did look the other way.  She quit smoking on her own after it was no longer the cool thing to do with her friends.

As a kid, I tried smoking twice, a regular Marlboro Red and Newport menthol.  Didn’t like either.  I swiped them from my grandparents.  My grandma died six years later from lung cancer.

I will probably lose an aunt to lung cancer later this year as well.

Cudahy needs to kick the habit of selling to minors, not just because it is against the law, but because it is the right thing.  People will smoke, but you don’t need easy access for kids to develop the bad habit which is hard to break.  Just ask my aunt Ellen who is on oxygen and still cannot quit the thing that will kill her.  

Why just one cigarette can hook some smokers

Study: Region of the brain may explain vulnerability to nicotine addiction

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26043695/

Parenting from a new father’s perspective.  First I would like to share my thoughts on Fatherhood.

Fatherhood is a 'true joy' and the “Best thing I ever did” or better to correctly say, the best thing to happen to me.  Not that Carrie and I didn’t plan my daughter Ria, because we did, but that GOD allowed me to feel the love and joy of fatherhood.  Gone were the feeling and thoughts of holding something so small and precious all the while feeling I could accidentally break her or the guilty feelings of having Ria to hold close to my heart while she sleeps and not being able to do this with my son Ryan.  No father should ever have to bury his children or know the pain left by the void, as others and I have. 

Scars don’t move or go away, but they do heal and fade a bit.  But, this makes my time with Ria all that more special. Fatherhood completely changes your perspective and certainly takes the focus off yourself, but having kids is really the most extraordinary thing I've ever taken on and have had the pleasure of doing.  Seeing my daughter smile and laugh is the greatest joy I could ever ask for!!  I can barely wait to what is to come.

Advice from others comes fast and most are upset when the advice is not taken.  I know everyone means well, but I listen to all, but take only those I find meet my ideals.  One person was even mad to the point she said that things don’t change and my kids turned out fine. 

I look at this way, if they were having kids now, they would do the things that the experts say today to do.  Those that act that way need to remember, did they take all the advice that was given to them?  Family is the most important thing in life, and I look forward to my kids doing better than I.  If they don’t, then I failed them.  One must not be envious or jealous when the children do better then the parents, that is the way of the land.

Family is kids, mother and father period.  The extended family is great, but the internal family of the kingdom is what matters.  When people live under one roof a society forms.  A pecking order and government with laws, rules, and commandments, so know your place in it and know their place.  I believe we are all equal, but we are not all the same, and that equality within society and the law should give the benefits to those individuals seeking it whether they are fortunate enough to be blessed with it or work for it.  Don’t stand in the way, lead by example and guide them.  Be the light for their path, not the lines or rails of it.  In life there is ONLY one thing and only one thing that is for sure and that is death.  Be thankful of what you have.

Lee Iacocca said it best:  “Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way!”

As NASA has stated many times, “Failure is not an option!”, and it should never be.  Don’t give up.

Ten Commandments of fatherhood as told to me and have come to me from others.

1. Let it be known that a lie is much worse than telling the truth no matter what it is.  Lies just make things worse and erode the fragile bond of trust one might call the family.

2. Be the dad first and best friend second.  You must know when to whisper. Know when to shout.  Know when to say NO and when to say yes.  Teach them to know when to forgive.  Teach them patience and tolerance.  Know when to take the training wheels off, just as easy as when to take the gloves off.

3. Be strong, yet bendable when it comes to disciplining.  Don’t insist on always having things your way.  Listen to their side of the story before making a decision.  Remember there are always three sides to the story, yours, theirs, and the truth, which is somewhere in the middle.  Hard and fast rules have a way of backfiring.  Learn to compromise and adjust to the situation.

4. See the long and big of the picture.  You are the role model, the measuring stick that they may gauge their future mate to.  Little girls first fall in love with their daddy, and look for someone like them for a husband.  Your kids will listen to you more times than not.  My dad said to me “Son, the longer I live, the more right I will be!”, and for the most part he was correct.  Not always, but a good part of the time he was and is right.  Your kids will learn values/morals from you.  That old thing we call right from wrong.  For the rest of their lives, one of their first thoughts in most situations will be, “What would dad do or say!”

5. Strive for perfection, but know that there will never be perfection and at times their best is good enough.  Let them know you are not perfect either.  People have a hard time dealing with me because I am the type of person who is right most of the time, about 98.6 percent of the time to be exact.  I am very black/white, right/wrong, yes/no person.  My grey area is very small.  I have an awe that intimidates some, make others feel uncomfortable, some even feel scared of.  I do make mistakes and when I do I am big enough of a man to admit it.  Don’t be too stubborn not to admit a mistake to your children.

6. Spend as much time with them, because at some point they will want to spend very little time with you and more becoming an individual.   They will disengage from parents and before long, develop their own family.  Be sure to always wave and blow kisses when are doing their play at school.  Be as important as they want you to be, show up for their track meets or wrestling matches.  Know what activities are in their hearts not just in their lives.

7. Show them we should be fair, but all things are not always fair. Life isn’t fair and that is a hard lesson to learn even for adults.  If you should be so lucky that they have an exceptional high IQ, teach them you don’t have to feel sorry that others don’t.  Allow them to share, but not to be taking advantage of.

8. Show them that planning and organization is very important, but so is improvisation/shooting from the hip.  You can plan for all outcomes and still not get it correct.  You should have a BP (battle plan) and also a plan B.  Teach them the “6P’s”--- Proper --- Planning --- Prevents --- Piss --- Poor --- Performance.  Tell them that the lines are not always your friends and sometimes thinking outside the box is not enough.  Sometimes you have to live outside the box.  Teach them that a circle block will fit in the circle hole, but also in the square hole with enough force.

9. Help guide them, but realize you cannot relive your life through them.  You cannot vicariously relive your life through your kids.  You had your chance.  This is their time to shine.  Support them on whatever path they may choose to take.  You can makeup for mistakes your parents made with you, but you will make new ones.  After all, they are your mistakes to make, even GOD allows for mistakes in your and their DNA.

10. Let them be kids.  Most of the time kids need to be kids.  Many parents try to turn their kids into mini-adults and some think that the two are the same.  They are not, there are some things that kids should not see, hear or experience.  Too often, because it is convenient for the parents, they allow their kids to act or do adult things.   A lot of parents signup their kids for all these activities, just so their kids are busy.  Just so the parents don’t have to spend their time with the kids, much like an activities babysitter.  Kids want to play and have fun with other kids, not always just learning how to hit a baseball, or shoot a jump shot, or stuck in some classroom.  Teach your daughter that if she wants to be a race car driver or a fighter pilot, she can go for it.  She can do what ever she puts her mind to it.  Don’t let old school, chauvinistic pigs tell her or influence her that she cannot or should not.  A few things in life are truly men’s or women’s only.  If she has a stick in her hand it maybe to her a magic wand or a sword.  Let her play along.  Forget being “PC”, but be mindful not to fall into the society pressure to turn boys into girls and girls into boys.

Ages to allow:

15 - Go to mall alone

10 – Ride bike alone

13 – Be home alone or baby sit

13 - Ride in front seat of car

Walking to school:

8 - With help

10 - Alone

1 in 3 parents lacks knowledge about babies

Many have little understanding of infant development, study finds

Source Here

Breast-feeding may boost children's IQ

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24482257/

Quebec: A judge has ruled that a 12-year-old girl who was grounded and not permitted to go on a school trip because she broke her father's rules for using the internet may indeed go on the trip.

The father had grounded the unidentified 12-year-old because she had circumvented security measures on the computer to access forbidden sites and had uploaded images of herself described as "inappropriate for a child her age.”

"I don't think this tribunal was the proper forum for a decision like this one.  If we don't learn at the age of 12 there are rules to follow, when do we?" said lawyer Kim Beaudoin.  An appeal to the ruling is planned.

Source: www.upi.com

And to think how our courts are beginning to be so liberal that something like this is headed our way.  I see a time where the Judge and Government tells the parents no more paper bag lunches because we have to make sure not peanuts and the food you send your children with is healthy enough for them.

When people talk about the military taking away our freedoms and they feel it is okay for a Judge and the Government to parent our children and there is no outcry there is something wrong.

Day 15 – Still No real response from the Mayor – The citizens have time, do you

Hawk Eyes Hollenbeck is watching...

I had a reader email me a question on School Boards that I, myself, didn’t really know the correct answers for, so I told them I don't know exactly but I would ask.

My first stop was the Cudahy School District website at www.cudahy.k12.wi.us.

There is some good things on it, but not the exact questions asked.

My second stop was to email Superintendent Jim Heiden at heidenj@cudahy.k12.wi.us

He did not respond to my first email so I looked around the web for answers.  I found some general info that I will weave into this post, but still no answers to the exact questions asked of me.

So emailed Superintendent Jim Heiden again and this time he was gracious enough to answer the question.  Thank you Superintendent Jim Heiden for answering.  I will place his answers in red following the questions.

First, I will dispense with the general information.

The school board sets the vision for the school district and the decisions they make at their monthly meetings make a difference for your school.  A school board’s major responsibility is setting district policy.

The most important thing a school board does is to establish a vision for the community's schools that reflects a consensus of the board, community and district staff.  The school board has a wide variety of additional responsibilities, such as adopting a balanced annual budget and issuing interim financial reports, adopting the school calendar, negotiating contracts with employee unions, approving curriculum materials and closing or constructing schools.

What philosophy of education do we want our local schools to have?  What should our students know and be able to do when they graduate?  How can schools best educate students who come from diverse backgrounds?  These are some of the types of questions that a school board must ponder when trying to establish a vision.

Whatever the vision may be, it's up to the school superintendent to implement it.  This is why one of the board's most crucial decisions is the hiring and firing of the superintendent.  The board also approves the superintendent's personnel recommendations.

The board hires a superintendent who in turn hires staff to put policies into practice.  The superintendent is accountable to the school board for managing the district according to board policies.

School board meetings must be open to the public with the agenda publicly posted in advance.  You can learn a lot about your district's policies and challenges by attending a meeting.  In most cases, board meetings are also structured to give you a chance to express your opinions to the board and the community.

Because they serve the community, board members must engage the public in establishing the mission and direction of education.  It’s up to the school board to lead the way in building community involvement and support for public education.  They are the district’s vital link to the public – as well as advocates for public education.

A board member must be a skilled decision-maker and team player.  Board decisions are made by majority at public meetings.  Each board member has one vote.

As a public employer, the board establishes the policies that govern the recruitment, employment, supervision, evaluation and dismissal of employees, and sits as a hearings panel in questions of employee discipline, if so requested.

Board members also make decisions related to the following:

Protecting the morals and health of pupils

Establishing budgets

Asking voters to approve bond measures and local levies for facilities and operations

Guiding collective bargaining

Determining the school year calendar

Adopting curriculum and textbooks

Choosing transportation systems

Source http://www.greatschools.net

Questions asked to Superintendent Jim Heiden

For Cudahy, what does a School Board do?

School Boards are policy makers.  There main function is to oversee the budget and policies.  They hire a Superintendent to do implement the policies and oversee the entire operation of the District.  WASB has some great information on how and why School Boards exist.  www.wasb.org

How many School Board members does Cudahy have?

We have 7 board members.  Feel free to visit our website and go to the Board page.  There is a listing of the 7 members as well as contact information.

Whom do the Board Members report too?  If your voice as a parent was not being heard with the Board Members who do you contact next?"

Board members are elected and "report" to the citizenry of the community.  In the event that a citizen's complaint was not properly resolved and reached the level of the school board (something that has not happened in the last 12 years that I have been here) the board as a whole would hear it.  The board's decision is final.  The only recourse would be to file a civil suit in court and that can only happen in specific instances.  The major recourse is either a recall of specific members or during the normal election cycle.

Where are the School Board meetings located?

Meetings are held twice a month.  2nd and 4th Mondays at 7:00  Meeting locations vary for the first meeting as it is a working committee of the whole meeting.  The second is usually held at the District office on Ramsey Ave.  Again, I would refer your readers to our website www.cudahy.k12.wi.us.  We have an interactive calendar and a wealth of information on our schools there.

I would like to thank Superintendent Jim Heiden for taking time and answering questions regarding the School Board.  Get involved.  Go to the school board meetings.  Let them know who you are and that you are involved in your child's education.  I plan on attending.

Day 5 – Still No response from the Mayor

Amazing, the leader (in name only) votes something down, is silent, and will probably gets away with it.  Hey, only in Cudahy!

It was requested that I do a monthly review of the most looked at topics I wrote.  I will run down the top 10 and give a small overview of each. 

Some of these have an unfair advantage because they are older and have had the chance to be looked at longer.  By far, the shorter time Wal-Mart articles have more people view them quicker.  Many people still want to hear about Wal-Mart from both sides of the issue.

People keep emailing me offline in private and that is good.  I would like people to start making comments.  The South Shore viewers don’t seem to want to publicly comment, by how many private emails I get vs. the comments feature used.

1. Turf War – What to Build? –Yes it is a Wal-Mart post and I talked about TIFs and how the Mayor doesn’t want the Wal-Mart and how this chance may not come again. I also included a letter from a reader that they sent to the Mayor and my responses to what the Mayor replied.

2. Real Voter Intimidation – I talked about how during the 2006 election my neighbor was intimidated and took down his sign in fear of retribution from his union steward.

3. ** Adults Only **  – The title maybe misleading to a few, but the subject matter was how adult content is on the web and we must watch what our children do on the web.

4. One Must Look Back To See The Future  – Here I wrote about that sometimes one must look back to see the future and how Mayor McCue had some foreshadowing in his campaign pledge about Wal-Mart.  Cudahy, as is the nation, is in a recession and how in a downturn we should not pass up the opportunity of this Wal-Mart.

5. History Repeating Page Two  –I wrote about the info a reader emailed me about a Cudahy School closing and Wal-Mart spin.

6. Plan Commission   – I wrote about what happen at the last Plan Commission meeting about Cudahy Station.  How some members didn’t even understand what they were to be voting on that night.

7. Proposal On The Table  – I wrote about what is the Wal-Mart proposal, TIF, and the Plan Commission.

8. Teen’s Common Sense Sometimes Lacking  – I wrote about a report I came across on how Florida legislators are encouraging a review of their "abstinence only" sex education programs after a recent survey completed by Florida teens returned some curious results of not understanding things like drinking bleach prevents HIV.  By now way am I attacking "abstinence only", just bring to light what they found.

9. Flamethrower  –I wrote about what a person said to me about how I deal with the Mayor and if I hate him.  I may be ruffling feathers and again once you write it, and sign it, you can’t hide from it something I wish the city would do.

10. Keeping Us In The “Noir”  – Keeping Us In The "Noir" is about how we are in the dark (Noir) on may things in government and how with open records laws, the information should be public and easily obtainable.  I wrote about how many of these very things should be on the web at a mouse click away from you and I to read and know.

I hope everyone enjoys reading my posts.  You may not agree with me, but maybe what I have to say will shed some new light on matters and make you pause.  I am not a reporter, but a commentator.  I do not get paid, work for the city, or have a secret agenda.  I gain nothing personally from doing this blog other than the satisfaction of being able to put “The Way I See It” out for others to read.  I do it because I think it needs to be said.  I try to be fair and when I see something I don’t agree with, I let it be known.

Many people have said I am hard on the Mayor in his first year and I write blogs that don’t show his job performance in a good light.  When I see something that he does great, I will blog on it.

Hey, I am not the only one blogging on the Cudahy Now website, Greg Janisch was McCue’s campaign Treasurer and he can blog.  Just because I am critical of the Mayor’s job performance, does not make me a person who is attacking Ryan McCue personally nor am I character assassinating him!  This is about his job performance period!  We all have freedom of speech and a voice; I just choose to use mine.

Here is what a reader, Dave Taylor, said in a comment:

“Randy, there's a lot of people in Cudahy who back you up, even if they are too scared to admit it.  We should all be thankful that someone is willing to take a stand for what is right for our city; like you said, "...just want Cudahy to be better", too bad there are egos that get in the way of the good the city could do.  There isn't any reason to be shameful of an opinion, that's what makes us human (not robots) and why our country is a great one!

Sometimes you may feel your comments fall of deaf ears, but the truth is that people ARE reading and they ARE listening.  We rally behind you and hopefully, you are stronger in your plight for a better Cudahy because of it.  You are a voice that matters!  You are looking out for the betterment of Cudahy!  You are taking a stand, unafraid of whose feathers you ruffle!  Those of us who stand behind will continue to support you, even if the “powers that be” wish we weren’t listening!

Keep up the good work…your supporters need your voice!”

Someone has talked to my superiors at mycommunitynow.com to have my work censored or shutdown.  The claim was I lie, spread rumors, and have false and inaccurate information.  I try to source my work and some comes from people in government that do not like the direction we are headed or people close to a situation that feel some injudicious is being done.  I have always believed in correct information and not disinformation.  If something is truly wrong let me know and I will correct it, but don’t be all that upset and try and shut me down because you don’t LIKE what I am saying!  People if what I am hearing from those inside is true, some scary things are coming or happening.  Hypothetically, it might even be something like a change of salary ordinances for health insurances that is not fair and done evenly.  Should it not be changed for all and not leave out anyone?  Fair is fair.  That is a hypothetical, but watch it might just come true.

I will not stop until the misinformation, disinformation and no information are brought to light.  More and more people are emailing me with things.  These are very reliable people and trustworthy people.  Together we can all make a difference.  I will NEVER sell you out and I have been asked who is telling me things.  The wheel of information doesn’t need to stop spinning just because it might ruffle some feathers.

The typical online child sex predator is not a person posing on a social-networking site as a teenager, claims a new study, but rather an adult who identifies him- or herself as such and plainly states a desire for a sexual encounter with a minor.

Their victims tend to be youths who believe they are in love with their suitors rather than teens duped into thinking the predator is another teen, according to a study by the Crimes Against Children Research Center in New Hampshire.

"The great majority of cases we have seen involved young teenagers, mostly 13-, 14-, 15-year-old girls who are targeted by adults on the Internet who are straightforward about being interested in sex," said Janis Wolak of the CACRC.

As will be my plan for my daughter, (she is only 22 months) when she starts using a computer, she will follow rules.  Parents please understand even if they are your children, kids are kids, they will be tempted to look at inappropriate websites.

No computer in the child’s room, this includes laptops.

Screen and computer will be in plain view in common area

Computer may be monitored including IMing and email

No computer use when a parent is not home

Computer will be setup with user profiles and child’s profile will not be administrator

No installed software without parent’s approval

No personal information will be posted without parent’s approval this includes facebook, myspace or any other such sites

I will be as active as I have to be!

Full article below

Source

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23226497/

Source Here:

Here's an unknown to consumers and not talked about fact about cigarettes from the manufacturers.  The reason why tobacco plants produce nicotine is because nicotine is an insecticide.  And it is a potent one -- 50 milligrams of nicotine is enough to kill an adult human being.

When a person smokes a filtered cigarette, all of the smoke passes through the cigarette's filter and the smoker receives two or three milligrams of nicotine from the smoke that he or she inhales.  This small dose is not toxic enough and has several effects on the smoker -- it increases the smoker's heart rate for example, and causes blood vessels to constrict.

When the smoker finishes the cigarette and flicks the butt away, the butt actually contains a significant amount of nicotine trapped in the fibers of the filter -- perhaps 20 milligrams.  That is enough, it turns out, to kill your child.  If 20 milligrams of nicotine is ingested by a small child, the nicotine will cause respiratory failure and paralysis.

We all know how excited infants and toddlers are about putting everything they find in their mouths.  If you put your infant or toddler on the sidewalk, and if the child happens upon a fresh cigarette butt, and if the child does the completely normal thing of putting the butt in his or her mouth and swallowing it, then you have an emergency.  It is definitely time to call the poison control center and/or head for the emergency room, because that cigarette butt may very well be lethal.

Even if you do not smoke, someone else around does.  Most smokers are careless with the cigarette butts.  They flick them out of their cars; drop them while they walk on to the sidewalk.  That is littering.  Dangerous littering!

Your neighbor either next door or a few houses away could be a smoker. They may have a can that they use for their cigarette butts and just dump the butts in the garbage can afterwards.  You should ask them to please put them in a bag first so when the garbage trucks pickup the trash and dump it they don’t have a chance to fall out.   

Did you ever wonder sometimes how a cigarette butt makes it way in your backyard?  Many birds try to eat them thinking they are worms and just drop them.  Now your child could unknowingly and unfortunately pick it up and eat it.

I am going to ask the Mayor if they can maybe post something in one of the newsletters we get about proper disposal of them and the dangers that lurk with them.

This is my email to Gerber about the safety of plastics for children and their response.

4/3/2006 2:59 PM

With all of the scientific unknowns about the use and chemicals in the manufacturing of #7 plastic that are known to leach the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol-A (BPA), it maybe prudent to err on the side of caution and stop using the plastic containers for your Gerber Baby food (for example Applesauce).  The recommendation has been not to microwave anything in a #7 container, but your foil top on the baby food states “remove foil seal before microwaving.  I implore you to stop for our kid’s sake, this may turn out to be the smoking gun for the rise in Autism and you would not like to be the company that sat on their hands with this issue.  Gerber has always been known to be first and foremost for kid’s safety.  Make a statement, step out and step up and show people that Gerber really does care about kids.  Be the leader and do something about this.

The following is the web site and a small excerpt from it

http://www.ewg.org/reports/bisphenola/consumertips.php

While the levels of BPA that leach from hard plastics are generally low, we recommend avoiding use of plastic containers to heat food in the microwave, especially food for children.  Ceramic, glass, and other microwaveable dishware are good alternatives.  Avoid using old and scratched plastic bottles.

Randy Hollenbeck

Thank you for the information; this should be something that you are telling people, on your web site, on the packaging, in commercials.  Just get the word out.

Randy