{image1}The buzz is back. With our feet on the street and nose for news, here are some of the scoops and rumors we just have to share with you. The Milwaukee Buzz is back and it's full of fun.

LE PEEP CLOSES
The Le Peep Restaurant at 250 E. Wisconsin Ave. has closed. The franchise has closed many of its locations.

WEBBS TO MU
The Marquette campus community has found a replacement for the closed DQ at 16th and Wells. Watch for a George Webbs to open in that location by summer.

CAFE VECCHIO HIRES HAMMER
Cafe Vecchio Mondo, 1137 Old World Third St., has launched a new menu with the hiring of its new new executive Chef Brent Hammer. Hammer comes from Celia at The Pfister Hotel and has implemented a new moderately priced prix fixe menu -- it's a fixed price deal that includes a first course, entree and dessert. It's offered Tuesdays-Saturdays from 5 p.m.-midnight.

GRAND AVENUE BUZZ
TJ Maxx and Linens 'N' Things are open. Old Navy will set up shop in July, and officials tell us there are "some other exciting new announcements" soon. Stay tuned.

EAST SIDE BUZZ
Prospect Mall is in the process of being sold. Watch for some changes and upgrades. And Columbia St. Mary's new building at Prospect and North will add even more vitality and life to the neighborhood. Watch for more big changes in this area soon.

PUBLIC MARKET TO BREAK GROUND IN JUNE
It's going to happen! That's what we hear. Groundbreaking for Milwaukee's new downtown Public Market is scheduled for June. To be located in the Historic Third Ward, the Milwaukee Public Market will preserve the nature of the area, particularly Commission Row, which has been a locus of market activity for over a 100 years. Stay tuned and we'll bring you an exact date as soon as we know.

REDD'S SNAPPER
The neighborhood fish and seafood carryout chain (we hate to call it that, since it's an indie, but this will be the third location), is prepping a new eatery on the corner of 60th Street and Lisbon Avenue. An opening appears imminent.

BODEANS NEW DISC DROPS THIS SUMMER
Zoë/Rounder Records has signed The BoDeans. This June, the band's new studio album "Resolution" will be released. Following the June release of Resolution, The BoDeans will kick off a nationwide tour, with dates to be announced in the coming months. No Summerfest date is booked yet, but they'll play August 26 and 27 at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Ill.

SOCIAL TO THE WARD
The Social, 434 S. 2nd St., is seeking and may have found a new home on Water Street in the Historic Third Ward. Once finalized, read the pages of the OMC for all the details.

BE ON THE BACHELOR
WISN-TV has announced its third Milwaukee casting call for the fall season of "The Bachelor." WISN-TV and its sponsor, The Charcoal Grill & Rotisserie, will hold the open casting call at the restaurant's New Berlin location, 15375 W. Greenfield Ave., on Wednesday, April 21, from 4 to 9 p.m. Miltown has been a key market for "The Bachelor" in terms of its popularity and success at finding "stars." Tina "Fabulous" Panas, of Oconomowoc, made it all the way to the final three in the third edition, and Shelly Komodoros, of Wauwatosa, appeared in the fourth edition of "The Bachelor." Both women will be at the auditions to help those seeking advice on how to get on the show.

ZANDT TO ZEPPOS
Former WTMJ meteorologist Paul Zandt has joined the public relations firm Zeppos & Associates, Inc. as an account executive. Zandt joined Today's TMJ 4 in September 1993 as a weekend weatherman after stints in Minnesota, Iowa and Tucson. His contract was not renewed with the station earlier this year.

TOSA BUZZ
Opening weekend at the new Sendik's in Wauwatosa on North Avenue was a huge success. The store was jumping with people and lines were long. The shelves were well-stocked and we were jumping with joy when we saw blood oranges in the produce department!

MILWAUKEE YOUTH ARTS CENTER BREAKS GROUND ON APRIL 7
First Stage Children's Theater and Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra will break ground for their new Milwaukee Youth Arts Center at 325 W. Walnut St. on Wednesday, April 7 at 4 p.m.

IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE FUTURE, THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY
Three members of the OnMilwaukee.com staff have gone through the Future Milwaukee leadership development program. You should too, or you should consider nominating someone you know. Call (414) 276-4760.

DON AND BO
The Don and Bo Show starring Don Hoffman and Bo Black premieres in April on WMLW (Time Warner Cable channel 7) at 10 p.m. on Saturdays and at 11:30 p.m. on WDJT-CBS 58. The show will feature spotlights on Milwaukee as well as new personalities.

MORE DON
Don Hoffman's other business, Half-Price Tickets, is now open inside the newly renovated Shops of Grand Avenue, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave. Call (414) 287-0366 to get great same-day ticket discounts to more than 70 sports and performing arts groups around town.

FORMERLY FORTIS
Fortis Heath is now called Assurant Health.

CANS IS COMING
Cans Bar and Canteen, now only located in Bucktown in Chicago, is coming to the East Side. It will open at the former Rocky's location at 1815 E. Kenilworth Pl. in May. Watch OMC for a full report, including photos soon.

THE FONZ RETURNS
Henry Winkler will be the celebrity Independence First Power Lunch speaker on June 17 at the Midwest Airlines Center. He'll speak about his life and his "Hank Zipzer" book series for young readers that is loosely based on his childhood. Call (414) 291-7520 for more information.

NEW THIRD WARD SPOT
The latest breakfast/lunch spot to hit the Third Ward, called "nova cena" cafe and bakery opened Friday, March 26. Finally, another downtown breakfast option. You'll find everything from bakery to omelets and lunches include sandwiches, salads, soups and brick-oven pizzas -- everything made from scratch! Located in the space formerly known as La Boulangerie. It's owned and operated by Brian Bielert.

EDEN
Gallery Night on April 16 will bring the opening of a new gallery called Eden to 535 E. Wells St. Flowers, paintings and more. Call them at (414) 291-9314

DETOUR
Detour, the cool clothing store on Brady St., is exploring a second location in Brookfield.

RADIO FOR MILWAUKEE
The RFM, Radio for Milwaukee, group has received one of its initial grants needed to move the process of making a new, adult-alternative station a reality at WYMS FM.

GROOM TO MOVE
Groom, 714 N. Old World 3rd St., is exploring a move out of the Hotel Wisconsin. It is considering relocating just north to 240 W. Wells St.

WACKY WACKER COMING TO MKE
Young Professionals of Milwaukee, YPM, has booked internationally known futurist Watts Wacker for its Third Birthday Celebration on August 17. As founder and director of FirstMatter LLC, Wacker describes himself as a twenty-first century alchemist as well as "a cross between James Brown and the unknown comic, (the hardest working nobody in the business.)" His book, The 500 Year Delta was an international bestseller and his second book, The Visionary's Handbook is required reading at many of the world's finest business schools and received outstanding reviews. Both books were coauthored with Jim Taylor.

MEDIA BUZZ
Journalist Kai Reed will join WISN-TV as an anchor/reporter in July. Kai (pronounced "keye") will co-anchor the weekend early evening and late newscasts with WISN 12's Mike Miller. She will also report during the week on "WISN 12 News." Reed replaces WISN's Jessica Jallings, who the station says "has decided to leave her position as weekend anchor/reporter in the next few months."

WINNER
Milwaukee Downtown, Business Improvement District #21, was the recipient of the Corporate Citizen Award at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts's annual meeting, Thursday, March 11. The award recognizes Milwaukee Downtown's strong commitment to the arts in Milwaukee and it's efforts to help the Marcus Center reach out to the community.