Category Archives: Do

Weird Local Blogger Takes Pictures – Gets Chided

Here’s my, hey, maybe I should read what I write before posting it comment on my local newspaper of records story on Asher and Bob’s time on big Chicago radio.

Yes, it is true that unlike many of The Press staff, I live in Sheboygan, not the greater Milwaukee area. Yet, I’m not a photographer. I’m a photojournalist, and the difference is dramatic enough that an entire profession of highly skilled visual journalists work under the banner. 

Listen to the show

It’s strange that in covering a story, I become the focus, yet, I’m that important around here, I guess. It’s not that I’m not worth mentioning, there’s definitely infotainment value in my inclusion. Some very important things involving Asher’s one ended feud with Mayor Ryan happened yesterday, and aren’t included in the story, we’ll save that for my story.

“At one point, Brandmeier chided Brunette for coming into the studio to take pictures, likening the curly, long-haired photographer to rock musician Sammy Hagar.

“Get this crazy guy out of here,” Brandmeier said on the air. “This ‘Sammy Hagar.’Get out of here ‘Sammy.’Get that out of here, you crazy nut … I don’t know what he’s doing with that camera. Who is that guy?”"

This was a political comedy piece with six willing participants and a news angle. A good journalist does what they can to get the story, I got a great one yesterday. My involvement was similar to the role I played when I followed Presidential candidates throughout Iowa in the previous election cycles.

Yes, I admit to travelling with Senator John Kerry to a pheasant hunt (full disclosure: I did not accept the pheasant John offered me), and with Howard Dean to an Iowa farm. I was subsequently “chided” by Howard: “sit down, the people came to see me, not you”. Silly me, how unprofessional, what was I thinking? Oh yeah, It’s my freaking job!

This was a political comedy piece with six willing participants and a news angle, I’m happy to play my role as the creator of SheVegas, the brand. Not to be confused with others attempts to co-opt my love child. I don’t usually plug my collection of Sheboygan kitten photos known as SheVegas.com. Heck, I don’t even post 99% of the stuff I produce, yet feel it’s more informative than the brain cleanser you’re using know.

How Do You Sheboygan? Not with a laughable at best Marcom Award. http://www.marcomawards.com/winners.php

Notable “Bloggers” http://en.wordpress.com/notable-users/

Johnny B, can you play us out with a bit that mentions Bratwurst Day and makes fun of Wisconsin people?

http://youtu.be/kZRNdSB_eZQ

Remember the Armory?

Shootout @ The Sheboygan Walmart

Friends of Victims Arriving - Tried to make this clear.

Shortly after midnight @Endrz48 woke Sheboygan’s Twitter stream with: “Holy fuck the sheboygan police just drove by at like 100 MPH. At least 7 cops.”

My Twitter stream picked up the action when Sheboygan Mayoral candidate and notorious Twit (I don’t know what you call these guys) @aherheimerman broadcast: “Unconfirmed reports of a shooting at the Sheboygan Southside Wallmart.” followed by: “@shevegas Unconfirmed reports of a shooting at the Sheboygan Southside Wallmart. Head over there for photos. Lots of police & fire.”

I ran this through the SheVegas Twit analyzer and headed off to WalMart, because, why not? Asher was right, police cars, marked and un, made it clear I wasn’t getting near. Joining a group of WalMart employees, and post bar gawkers in the defunct Car-X lot I started shooting and scooting, while listening to the smart phone packing crew sharing updates from local Twitter god @sheboyganscan.

“Guy shot a dude in the face and he’s being flight for lifed”

“Another guy got out of a car and shot the guy bam, bam, three times in the chest, point blank, the guy that got shot in the face is OK”

My bad self asked, how the fuck is the guy that got shot in the face OK?

“It went through his mouth”

Flight for life heads towards St. Nicholas Hospital.

An impromptu flashlight interview with my “official sources” revealed something, I don’t recall (review the vid later). Moving on I descend upon the parking lot with TMJ4 camera guy. As we snuggle up to the POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS zone, a beat ass Chevy Cavalierish car pulls next to us, why did we walk?

“Oh man, why’s the door closed? We gotta go pee, we just got back from Oneida”. I informed Cheech and Chong (white like me) that they just arrived at a shootout and better not pee because cops are everywhere. They jumped in the car and rolled out, at this point I noticed that the front entrance was lacking the red & blue disco lights (shift change?) and pulled my warming box to ground zero.

Seconds later a red car moving at about 40MPH pulled into the spot where the above pik was snapped. WTF, dudes want to be shot? Ah, they know somebody involved, spin and fist clench of despair confirms this. Flight for life heads out to Milwaukee, quiet on the set.

Shoot move shoot, Officer X informs us newsies: We are still evaluating the crime scene, could you move to the westside of the parking lot. Reevaluating what? I circle out and notice several cars hanging out by the tape and move into place behind the gawkers.

Andrew comes walking from inside WalMart and beelines towards TV dudes: “I’m looking for my fifteen minutes of fame” feeling ignored, he comes up to my warm self in the Yaris. “You just looking” I hold up the big I’m working here camera and talk to Andrew.

Picking up my pocket hammer I point it towards Andrew and ask him to tell me what he just told me. “Are you shooting this?” Ja, Andrew freezes , I tell him it’s OK, what you said is positive spin for WalMart. Andrew tells me his story, we talk and the TV guys are now obligated to interview Andrew. Cool, sidelit images rock, say it again and again Andrew.

One guy is dead, one critical, another wanted, I’m going to bed.

This is intended to be an uninformed rumor based account of what I saw and heard at the scene. Misinformation spreads rapidly, sorry for offending anyone.

Reality has a group of nice guys heading to the store for some food. They were gunned down by somebody they didn’t know. Could have been any one of us.

I kept the overtly racist comments out of the story, yet, am appalled that so many condemned the group simply for being Hmong. I’m jealous of the community that reminds me of my family from days gone by, and truly admire my neighbors on the other side of the house.

Andrew May be condemned for his appearance, yet he saved WalMart from having their logo on screen for the entire piece and cleared up some mistruths.

I may be condemned and perhaps I deserve it.

 

Running For Mayor?

Bruno, Sammy, SheVegas, whatever, I’m Mike, and I think I might want to be your Mayor. Wow, how’s that for commitment, yet, that’s the truth.

Would I make a good Mayor, it’s hard to say, I’m not sure what it means to be Mayor of Sheboygan. In fact, the committee of the whole meets tonight to discuss    just this issue. The introduction of Jim Amodeo as Chief Administrative Officer has also altered the Mayor’s role significantly.

Last week, while waiting downstairs while the Council discussed what appears to be the sale of City owned land for a possible casino at Sheboygan’s South Pier District. I met two gentlemen whose attendance was more than just in passing.

I will call the first man: Warrant Server, because that’s what he was. Warrant Server drove in from the West Bend area to serve papers on a potential mayoral candidate, yet, that’s not the strange part. This weirdness served as an intro into to two other citizens looking to get involved, friendly guys, one invited me out for a beer. I accepted.

I new him as Cederwell, as that is the name he performs under. turns out his real name is Erik Neave, and he’s a political “noob” interested in what happened at the meeting, it was invisible after all. I explained that everybody inside had a confidentiality agreement, that’s how it works, no way of finding out. Unless it’s leaked, as “Source” spilled the beans to The Sheboygan Press the very next day.

We talked about City politics and the role of the Mayor, when I mentioned I would like to have a Rock the Vote thingy within the next week or two to give the candidates a chance to introduce themselves to the public. He was excited, I was excited, this would be fun, informative, and help get the young ones involved.

Music and presentations, tied together by someone who could run a tight and entertaining show, livestream it and upload to Youtube. Anybody can watch any of the candidates presentations at any time, getting the word out in a strange election. What could go wrong?

I mention I was thinking about running for Mayor as an informational candidate, in the tradition of Pat Paulson, Hunter S. Thompson, and legions of other fools and dreamers. It’s a great way to get a message out, yet, would require really running, and If I run, can I cover the race?

“So was I” (thinking of running) said Erik. You should, no you should, went on for awhile, discussion shifted to issues and potential candidates, we went home, neither a candidate for office. The next day we talked again, agreed to go forth with the event and boom, I’m here.

I mentioned my idea to local radio personality Ben Olson, and he agreed to help with the event, nothing more. Candidates were invited in the forums of the Sheboygan Press, and by, e-mail. Great response from some candidates, zero response from others, Mayor Bob and the Department of Public works were extremely helpful, yet scheduling, and what would be a conflict of interest if I ran, are still issues that I can’t resolve.

The Committee of the whole should clear up some of the confusion as to the future role of the Mayor tonight, This is important, if the Mayor has to become more like the Queen, this isn’t that important anymore. Erik said, he would decide tonight, and I would love somebody, anybody with a pulse to take over an event, or let it die, under the circumstances.

Feedback told me, next Wednesday evening would be great due to the short race and holiday season, this is just an intro after all, not a debate, the goal was to get young kids involved, nothing more.

update: Erik just left a message on my answering machine, he’s running for Mayor of Sheboygan, Wisconsin took out the papers this morning.

I guess there’s a reason things are done in the traditional manner, to much drama, this time, it’s my bad.

 

The Great Day at the Lake – Sheboygan Style

SheVegas
it’s people

The Great Day at the Lake
Posted 3/4/2010 9:35 AM CST

I’m thinking Sheboygan should have a wild card day this summer. Fourth of July rules like bonfires and pits on the beach, yet on a completely random day chosen by the Mayor.

The Mayor simply sends a twitter message declaring It’s a Great Day at the lake, the world retweets and texts the message, a link to a youtube video detailing the event is included, and the masses are mobilized for a flashmob super day of all that is Sheboygan County. No worries about weather, no advance tickets, just a great day at the lake.

Johnsonville could fire up the big grill, Old Wisconsin and Miesfelds could go old school, and Sparky could move his cart into position if he wants. Ty Gutschow and the boys from Larry’s could setup the beer pumps, Sargento could pimp cheese, you get the idea. Musicians would be encouraged to come out and play, drum circles could be formed, and coffee could flow.

Cost would be minimal because it’s a great day, no tents needed, no advertising, it’s a great day. Sheboygan’s miles of lakeshore would be showcased for the world to see. We could crowdsource a website documenting the day and the public could go live on our cable access. The whole thing can be cost neutral and potentially go to retiring municipal debt, the bottom line is nobody profits directly but the citizens. Companies that participate would find numerous benefits and would be allowed to recoup costs if they would like, or good will and notoriety.

Thousands of people could drive golf balls into the big lake, local businesses could sponsor cheesy contests and we could all have a great day. Crime would drop because nobody wants to be in lockup and miss the great day. Local products could be showcased as sculptures for the day, and I, for one would have a great day.

This is a win, win, win, win situation, nobody has to participate, yet, this could be a modern day Woodstock on the water.

gowisconsin wrote:

I like!!! (except for the golf balls in the lake idea. Do you not watch Seinfeld? Oh yeah, no whales in Lake Michigan)
3/4/2010 10:55 AM CST
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Sheboygan

Sheboygan Beach


Ubercool Hopscotch Wonder and the Teek powered Weather Center provided the musical story of the Kool-Aid Stand.

Surfer Dudes Surfed at Dog Run.

Rain Played at Kohler Andrae.

Sheboygan Wisconsin Lake Michigan USA

Walldogs Plymouth Night 1

 

 

 

 

When I’m working, let me work.

Lights out for the Walldogs in Plymouth, Wisconsin

Walldogs – Plymouth – Wisconsin

Plymouth, becomes it’s own movie set, cream city bricks turn color as modern icons of the age of promise appear stroke by stroke, transforming a working downtown into a postcard piglet.

The bones are right, brick steel cement glass, river hills heaven. A Wisconsin town built on cheese production and the Plymouth Cheese Exchange, where national cheese prices were set until 1955.

A mural on the east wall of the former Plymouth Cheese Exchange at 301 E. Mill Street notes just that. It’s like history slapped on bricks with paint.Hi-Ho, Ketchup, Rail and other things Plymouth are popping up through Sunday.

If I knew how to dream, Ice Cream Barn.

Sand Bar – Sheboygan – Wisconsin

My favorite sand bar, depends on the day.

Sheboygan North Expo

North Expo

The SheVegas project had 2 overriding principles, include as many people as possible, and no contact or preparation, shoot and gather as a Citizen, not an entity. During that period, Sheboygan North High School treated me like no other, they welcomed me into their school, without question, or judgement. Tonight I hope to shoot my third Expo, why? because I likes it. Also to mark the return of SheVegas, as it was intended, yet with a twist, I’m ready to talk to people, and ask for a little more. What that means, I’m actually going to identify my self and ask for small favors, like tapping into the sound board, and a place to stash some stuff. SheVegas II Electric Boogaloo is ready to redefine online journalism, get ready for a smooth ride into the future.

Videos from Sheboygan North’s Expo 2010 after the jump. Continue reading