Bill Stace will expand his entertainment empire to the South Side. Stace will host shows at the Modjeska Theatre on Mitchell Street after he gets a liquor license from the Common Council. The Licenses Committee gave its approval last week.

Stace has operated the Miramar Theatre on Oakland Avenue since 1998, holding various eclectic forms of entertainment ranging from bands to plays. He says that while he's breaking even at the Miramar, he needs a larger venue to make some money.

The Modjeska, which seats 1,300, has been shuttered for the most part recently although its board of directors is looking for ways to keep the doors open. Stace said his shows would receive approval from the board. Some Miramar shows in the past have drawn ire from stalwart Christians and conservative talk radio hosts.

"Basically, I'm just going to run it as a larger version of the Miramar," he told the committee, offering about three or four shows a month.

Stace made a point to say he would put on shows that wouldn't compete with other venues.

Stace said he's already preparing a show "about being Polish" on Milwaukee's South Side, featuring The Happy Schnapps Combo.

Ald. Jim Witkowiak, who represents the district called the Modjeska "the Riverside of the South Side" and gave his enthusiastic support.

Water Works: New Berlin is thirsting for more Milwaukee water. Under a plan to be considered by a Milwaukee Common Council committee the Waukesha County city would pay a bonus of $1.5 million to Milwaukee in addition to its annual payments of $996,000. In exchange, Milwaukee would increase its flow to New Berlin from 4.8 million gallons to 6.3 million gallons per day.

The agreement also calls for Milwaukee to foot the bill for infrastructure improvements to get the water out west.

This is the second deal for water between Milwaukee and New Berlin, the last one particularly rankled aldermen because New Berlin would use the water for further sprawl and to compete with Milwaukee for jobs. Milwaukee aldermen reluctantly agreed to a deal after New Berlin threatened to go to Oak Creek or Racine for the wet stuff.

Aldermen also pointed out the fact that New Berlin is woefully underserved in the affordable housing category and the new deal includes a provision that the two cities will chat once a year to try and do something about that. It is a key concession to get Ald. Michael Murphy -- a once-adamant opponent of water sales -- on board.

Beer Wars: The continuing contention between East Side homeowners and UW-Milwaukee students flared up again in the form of a liquor license hearing for a corner grocery store.

Owners of the Parkside Liquor and Grocery, 2700 N. Murray Ave., want to expand their alcohol offerings to include wine and a little bit of liquor, but members of three neighborhood associations showed up to object. The main opposition argument is that it would lead to more binge drinking and house parties by students.

Neighbors who actually live next to the store said owner Hana Assad keeps the place clean and the area outside free of trash. They said they would like to see alcohol sold there for convenience. It's not the first time neighborhood associations, such as the Murray Hill Association and the Riverside Park Association have tried to rally against beer and booze being sold at the store.

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Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by sijan_heights on July 23, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (report)

It would be cool if local club owners didn't treat Milwaukee's music scene like a spoiled only child with a toy. . . Mine, Mine, Mine ! So sick of seeing decent venues getting messed with by paranoids with delusions of grandeur.

Posted by mjonthemove on July 23, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (report)

I am not conservative, but I am a christian and I have attended quite a few shows at the Miramar. I tried to find any mention of conservative christians speaking out against the Miramar, but found none. In fact, the only thing I've heard about in relation to christians and the Miramar is that a church used to meet there. This isn't the focus of that particular article, but the besmirchment without a reference is entirely unnecessary within the context of your article. So, can you please give me a reference?