Milwaukee, WI

Article prompts Milwaukee’s Seaway Terrace Apartments to repair tenant’s heat

Published

1 year ago

March 7, 2025

Article prompts Milwaukee’s Seaway Terrace Apartments to repair tenant’s heat

During Milwaukee’s frigid temperatures in early February, Steve Paradowski found himself facing a familiar problem in the apartment he moved into over 10 years ago — his heater wouldn’t turn on.

Paradowski, 68, told Public Investigator he couldn’t remember the last time both heaters in his Seaway Terrace apartment at 4601 S. First St. had worked. As soon as one was repaired, it didn’t take long before it broke again or the other one stopped working, he said.

Public Investigator called the phone number on the Seaway Terrace Apartments website, which is the same number for the Illinois-based property owners, Kinzie Realty, three times. Reporters also followed up with five emails over the next three weeks. Nobody responded.

But just three hours after Public Investigator published an article about Paradowski’s faulty thermostats and nonfunctioning heater, he said he got a call from the property manager.

“I just had a long talk with the manager,” Paradowski texted the morning of March 3. “Apparently, your article was read by the owners who contacted the manager. A maintenance man is on the way as we speak.”

That day, Paradowski said his living room heater was fixed. Two days later, maintenance fixed the thermostats that had been hanging from the wall since he moved in.

Even the closet door, which Paradowski said had been broken for nearly his entire time there, was repaired.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Paradowski said. “I didn’t expect them to act so quickly.”

Paradowski said property manager Scott Snarski personally visited his apartment to check over the completed repairs.

Andrew Brown, a representative for Kinzie Realty, said the company never received any voicemails from Public Investigator at its Evanston offices, even though reporters used the contact information on Seaway’s website.

According to Brown, Paradowski didn’t formally request maintenance work. Tenants have to make these requests through email, phone, online, or in person before they’re logged in the company’s software, Brown said.

“There are no logged work order requests from this tenant from the past several years,” Brown wrote in an email.

Paradowski said he knows a filing a work order is required, but thought he could ask maintenance directly for help, which he’s done in the past.

But Brown said notifying maintenance staff isn’t sufficient for a request.

He said the other tenant in the story, Nailah Boyd, who also reported heating problems, has also been visited since the article’s publication, and her issues are being resolved “as rapidly as possible.”

Boyd’s thermostat had been “repaired promptly” after she submitted a maintenance request in December, Brown added.

“At the same time, it is possible that her heat was compromised, but we’re not certain,” Brown said.

Brown also pointed out that Kinzie Realty did not own the apartment building until 2018. The company owns or manages several apartment buildings in Wisconsin and the greater Chicago area.

“We’re regretful that this prior owner may not have focused on repairing property maintenance issues timely, but we can’t be responsible for their flaws,” Brown said.

Paradowski said the problems with his apartment go back farther than just the issue with his living room heater. He also took issue with Kinzie Realty taking away residents’ free storage units in 2018 and maintenance staff making a hole in his wall in 2019.

According to a notice viewed by Public Investigator, maintenance made the hole to install a sleeve for a standing air conditioning unit. Paradowski was given two choices: buy his own AC unit, or rent one from Seaway. He said he couldn’t afford either.

Though his heating issues are resolved, Paradowski said it shouldn’t have taken an article for Kinzie Realty to respond to Public Investigator. But sometimes, that’s what it takes, he said.

“It’s good,” he said. “Because I guarantee you, I’m not the only one.”

Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com.

Contact 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 publicinvestigator@jrn.com or call 414-319-9061. You can also submit tips at jsonline.com/tips.

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Milwaukee, WI

Forest Home Avenue construction to resume in Milwaukee County

Published

2 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Forest Home Avenue construction to resume in Milwaukee County

Construction on a stretch of Forest Home Avenue in Milwaukee County is set to resume as part of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation resurfacing project, according to WisDOT.

The project affects Highway 24 — also known as Forest Home Avenue — between Janesville Road in Hales Corners and 45th Street in Milwaukee. The project started in early 2025 and is expected to be completed in mid-2026.

Here’s what to know about the latest construction update.

When will Forest Home Avenue construction resume?

Preparation work for construction along Forest Home Avenue is expected to begin the week of March 16, according to WisDOT.

Active construction work is scheduled to begin the week of March 23, weather permitting.

Where will construction be?

Construction work will take place in two segments along the corridor. The segment between 45th Street and Howard Avenue is already largely complete and will include minor lighting work and restoration.

The segment between Howard Avenue and Janesville Road will include resurfacing, permanent pavement markings, guardrail installation and improvements at several intersections.

What work will be done during construction?

The Highway 24 project will improve about 5 miles of roadway. The work includes resurfacing pavement, replacing traffic signals and lighting at numerous locations, making improvements to the bridge at 76th Street and upgrading sidewalks and curb ramps.

Traffic impacts during Forest Home Avenue construction in Milwaukee County

During construction, Highway 24 will be reduced to one lane in each direction in active work zones. Drivers may also encounter parking lane restrictions, overnight or short-term closures at ramps and intersections, and temporary pedestrian detours.

Access to businesses and residences along the corridor will be maintained during construction.

When will the project be completed?

The project is currently scheduled to be completed in early summer, though WisDOT says the timeline may change depending on weather conditions.

Adrienne Davis is a south suburban reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee County funeral home debt; committee advances collections plan

Published

15 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee County funeral home debt; committee advances collections plan

MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County leaders are moving forward with a plan to collect unpaid fees owed to the medical examiner’s office by funeral homes.

What we know:

A Milwaukee County committee on Tuesday, March 10, advanced legislation allowing the county attorney to pursue collections from funeral homes with large outstanding debts owed to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Earlier this year, the medical examiner’s office began requiring funeral homes with outstanding balances of $25,000 or more to pay fees up front for services such as death certificates, cremation permits and body transport. Funeral homes collect those fees from families and are expected to pass them along to the county.

What they’re saying:

“What is the overall number we’re waiting on?” asked Milwaukee County Supervisor Sky Capriolo.

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“We do list 18 funeral homes that have a balance, currently, of $25,000 or more,” said Timothy Schabo, Milwaukee County Medical Examiner operations manager.

“Our hope is that, certainly, we’ll be able to avoid any litigation,” said William Davidson, deputy corporation counsel.

“If a family is paying a funeral home for services, and someone at the funeral home is not paying the county, where is that money going? We don’t know?” Capriolo asked.

Officials say it is not uncommon for funeral homes to carry large balances, and some are already aware of their debts, are on payment plans or pay quarterly.

The medical examiner says if families cannot pay and qualify for assistance from the state or county, those fees are waived.

“I understand there is some delay for some families receiving assistance from this program,” Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Dr. Wieslawa Tlomak said. “However, the funeral homes that we are talking about haven’t been paying us for a long period of time.”

Dig deeper:

The medical examiner said the outstanding balances continue to grow.

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Medical examiner records show four Milwaukee funeral homes currently owe a combined $1,324,100, including one funeral home with a balance of more than $512,000.

FOX6 reached out to the funeral homes for comment but has not heard back.

The legislation now heads to the full Milwaukee County Board for consideration.

The Source: FOX6 attended the Milwaukee County committee hearing regarding the funeral home debt.

Milwaukee CountyNews

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Milwaukee, WI

Critically missing Milwaukee man; last seen near Teutonia and Good Hope

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Critically missing Milwaukee man; last seen near Teutonia and Good Hope

article

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a critically missing man, 33-year-old Nicolas Blakely.

Missing man

What we know:

Blakely was last seen around 9:45 p.m. on Monday, March 9 in the area of Teutonia and Good Hope.

Blakely is described as a male, black, 6’1″ tall, 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue puffy jacket over a white hooded sweatshirt, with tan Nike sweatpants.

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