Every Friday, Off The Record looks to other Milwaukee publications (and beyond) for bits of news we missed throughout the week.
• Every weekday from 4:30 a.m. until 9 a.m., FOX6 WakeUp does its best to entertain, enlighten, and, well, wake up southeastern Wisconsin’s early, early, early birds. And with four and a half hours to fill, that’s no small feat. So what happens when, just 13 minutes into a broadcast, a tower camera mounted high above downtown Milwaukee catches a glimpse of some mysterious lights darting around in the pre-dawn sky? You quietly flip the fuck out, that’s what.
Yep, that’s exactly what happened early Tuesday morning—much to the WakeUp crew’s bafflement and, eventually, the internet’s delight “Are those fireworks?” the WakeUp anchors wondered out loud as a bunch of weird-looking white blobs moved around weirdly in the sky. “What is that? Aliens?” Also uttered: “Am I…you see it, right?” “It’s getting weirder by the second!” “Um…we’re gonna…do some…digging…” and “WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?”
Countless Reddit threads and nearly one million YouTube views later, it turned out it was a big-ass flock of seagulls. [Fox6]
• Harley-Davidson is gearing up for its 115th Anniversary Milwaukee Celebration, set for August 29-September 2. (Has it already been 15 years since The Rolling Stones Bruce Springsteen Elton John played the 100th?) Six words: beach motorcycle racing on Bradford Beach. [Milwaukee Business Journal]
• The recently closed White House tavern, 2900 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., might get interim and permanent “historic” designations—which would halt planned renovations to the building’s exterior. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• Lex Allen released a new song, “Colors In Bloom,” featuring Taj Raiden. The track is part of a campaign which “aims to remind LGBTQ people that they are worthy of self-love and acceptance; and to help end violence within the LGBTQ community.” [88Nine Radio Milwaukee]
• The owner of Plum Lounge and The Dogg Haus is taking over a nearby space that formerly housed Peking House, 782 N. Jefferson St. The Dogg Haus will relocate to the northern portion of the new space, while the southern portion will be dedicated to a “brand new concept which will feature a combination of both traditional and not-so-traditional Mexican and Latin American fare, including (but not limited to) tacos.” [OnMilwaukee]
• Milwaukee Film has a new marketing officer and some new board members. [Milwaukee Business Journal]
• Jim Beam will soon become the “official bourbon of the Milwaukee Brewers.” [Milwaukee Business Journal]
• The Buca di Beppo in Southridge Mall has closed. [Milwaukee Business Journal]
• A new pizza joint called Pizza Di Famiglia is opening in the former Jimmy John’s at 2242 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Stay glued to OnMilwaukee as this story develops. [OnMilwaukee]
• Have a great weekend, Milwaukee!