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Although I’d better not catch you going out to look at them, a number of Downtown buildings will be lit red, white and blue, beginning tonight, as a tribute to American resiliency in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 is encouraging buildings and landmarks throughout the city to illuminate their facades and tonight it’ll kick off with the U.S. Bank Center, Northwestern Mutual, The Gas Light Building, 833 East Michigan, The Pfister Hotel and the M-K-E letters at General Mitchell International Airport taking part.
The Milwaukee County Historical Society will join in on Friday.
The BID is encouraging other buildings and landmarks throughout the city add their own illuminations and keep them lit through March 31.
"Now is the time for our community and nation to come together," said Beth Weirick, CEO of Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21, in a statement.
"Already there’s been a tremendous outpouring of support for businesses, employees, artists and musicians, and we remain committed to furthering this goodwill and generosity. Our lighted skyline is yet another symbol of the unity and hopefulness taking place."
Information on Milwaukee Downtown’s COVID-19 initiatives can be found at milwaukeedowntown.com.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
