Milwaukee, WI
A nonprofit pledged to restore the Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse. What happened?
Take a rare look inside the historic Milwaukee breakwater lighthouse
Take a rare look inside the historic Milwaukee breakwater light.
Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse, which has dotted the city’s landscape since 1926, has been empty since 1966. And despite a local nonprofit’s promises to restore the historical landmark in 2013, it remains untouched and inaccessible.
Brookfield-based nonprofit Optima Enrichment acquired the lighthouse for free from the National Park Service in 2013, promising $2.5 million worth of major renovations in hopes to create a publicly accessible museum by 2015. Now, almost ten years later, not much has changed.
After Madison resident Steve Tyska purchased property in Sheboygan last year, he noticed a lighthouse in the harbor was in need of some renovations. Thinking it could be a fun project to tackle after retirement, he dove into research.
That’s when he stumbled on past Journal Sentinel articles about the Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse. Upon learning of Optima Enrichment’s goals to renovate the building, he called the organization’s owner, Brookfield optometrist Randall Melchert, for some advice.
“This guy tried to do, on a much bigger scale, what I was thinking about doing,” said Tyska.
But Tyska said he was never able to reach Melchert. Disappointed he was unable to find out what came of the project, he contacted Public Investigator.
“10 years later, nothing’s been done,” Tyska said. “Who is overseeing this project? Should the city get involved?”
Despite multiple attempts to reach Melchert through email and phone, Public Investigator was also unable to get in touch with him.
In 2016, Melchert told the Journal Sentinel his nonprofit raised less than $20,000 since it received the deed, which was mostly spent on insurance.
“We were a little optimistic,” Melchert said at the time.
National Park Service spokesperson Jordan Fifer said the lighthouse is still owned by Optima Enrichment.
According to Fifer, the National Park Service is aware that the group hasn’t raised enough money to fulfill its obligations under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.
Under the act, federally-owned historic lighthouses can be transferred at no cost to federal, state or private entities that pledge to preserve them. The entity that acquires the lighthouse must make it publicly available for educational, recreational, cultural or historic preservation purposes.
If this fails to occur, Fifer said, it’s up to the federal General Services Administration to determine if if the entity should lose ownership.
Fifer said the National Park Service monitors compliance with the act every two years and “maintains regular contact” with the General Services Administration.
Public Investigator asked the General Services Administration whether it has kept tabs on the Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse. The agency did not respond by the time of publication.
Meanwhile, Port Milwaukee spokesperson Madison Goldbeck said the city has no authority or jurisdiction over the lighthouse.
Had no other qualified nonprofits or government agencies expressed interest in the Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse at the time, it would’ve been sold to the highest bidder, according to the Journal Sentinel’s 2013 article.
For now, Tyska said he’s hopeful an article may spark public officials’ interest.
The Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse is one of the last examples of a fully enclosed breakwater lighthouse on the Great Lakes. Its Fresnel lens — the glass that once surrounded the lighthouse’s bulb — is currently on display at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc.
“It’s something that could potentially be a benefit for the city if it was tended to,” Tyska said, “and it’s certainly something that could be a liability to the city if it’s neglected.”
Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter. She can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Quinn_A_Clark.
About Public Investigator
Government corruption. Corporate wrongdoing. Consumer complaints. Medical scams. Public Investigator is a new initiative of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its sister newsrooms across Wisconsin. Our team wants to hear your tips, chase the leads and uncover the truth. We’ll investigate anywhere in Wisconsin. Send your tips to watchdog@journalsentinel.com or call 414-319-9061. You can also submit tips at jsonline.com/tips.
Milwaukee Police Department (MPD)
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee police arrested a 15-year-old boy after a pursuit across the city’s north side Wednesday night.
What they’re saying:
The chase started around 9:20 p.m. MPD said officers saw a vehicle that was wanted in an armed robbery and tried to stop it near 33rd and Locust, but the driver took off.
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The chase ended roughly two miles away near 29th and Roosevelt, where the driver got out and ran. MPD said the suspect’s vehicle continued to roll and collided with another vehicle. Officers ultimately caught the 15-year-old and took him into custody.
What’s next:
Criminal charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
The Source: FOX6 News requested information from the Milwaukee Police Department.
Milwaukee Police Department
MILWAUKEE – One person was taken to the hospital after a stabbing in Milwaukee on Wednesday night, Jan. 7.
What we know:
According to Milwaukee police, a 26-year-old was stabbed around 7 p.m. near 40th and McKinley.
Milwaukee police arrested a suspect on the scene.
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What you can do:
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-Tips or P3 Tips.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Police Department.
MILWAUKEE – A 26-year-old Milwaukee man is accused of fleeing police during an arrest attempt. An officer who was present to make the arrest ended up being trapped in the backseat of the defendant’s vehicle during an attempt to flee law enforcement. The accused is Kewane Daniels – and he faces the following criminal counts:
- First-degree recklessly endangering safety
- False imprisonment
- Operating a motor vehicle to flee or in an attempt to elude an officer
- Second-degree recklessly endangering safety
Property taken, arrest attempt
What we know:
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police reported to the Comfort Suites near 118th and Silver Spring after a caller indicated that “property had been taken from her by the defendant,” the complaint says. The caller indicated location data alerted her that the property was in the hotel parking lot. Daniels also had two warrants for his arrest.
The caller reached out to Daniels to come outside and meet her. Law enforcement were going to assist with arresting Daniels and getting the property back.
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The complaint indicates Daniels approached his car, and an officer followed and positioned himself behind an open rear door. He “drew his service weapon knowing that Daniels was reported to frequently be armed,” the complaint says. The officer ordered Daniels not to place the car in drive, but the complaint says Daniels ignored the orders and “accelerated in reverse in an attempt to flee (the officer).”
Arresting officer trapped in defendant’s vehicle
Dig deeper:
The officer, who was now being forced to back pedal, “realized he could not keep up with the quickly reversing vehicle, and feared he may be overtaken and crushed beneath the auto. (The officer) stated that he had to jump into the open rear passenger’s seat in order to escape the possibility of being knocked down beneath the oncoming vehicle’s door and tires,” the complaint says.
The defendant quickly accelerated out of the hotel parking lot with the officer in the rear seat. The officer “continually ordered him to stop the car,” the complaint says. The officer stated, “Daniels fled at a high rate of speed near 90 mph east on W. Silver Spring Drive while losing control and mounting the curb several times,” the complaint says. During this entire incident, the officer said he “kept his service weapon aimed at Daniels while in the back seat. Due to the speeds and reckless driving, (the officer) could not exit the vehicle,” the complaint says.
The court filing says the officer having his firearm pointed had no effect on Daniels pulling over the vehicle. Later, he put his weapon away to try and convince Daniels that he was not in danger and to pull over the vehicle. Instead, the defendant continued fleeing and driving recklessly, the complaint says.
Defendant bails, car crashes
What we know:
Near 92nd and Birch Avenue in Milwaukee, the complaint says, “Daniels opened the driver’s door and abandoned the vehicle which was still moving at approximately 35 mph.” The officer remained trapped in the rear passenger seat of the driverless vehicle which “came to a stop when it mounted the curb, continued into a front yard, and eventually crashed into a tree,” the complaint says. It is noted that Daniels’ vehicle had the child locks engaged, so the officer was unable to exit the vehicle on his own.
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Officers in other squads quickly located Daniels. The complaint indicates the defendant was “missing footwear in extremely frigid temperatures.” His footwear was recovered in a grassy area near where he was taken into custody.
What’s next:
Online court records indicate Daniels is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Thursday, Jan. 8.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Wisconsin Circuit Court Access and the criminal complaint associated with this case.
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