Best of Milwaukee 2014 Winners: City Confidential

Local Activist

Barbara Beckert

“Everybody needs to be part of the solution,” Barbara Beckert told the Shepherd last year. Beckert, the director of the Milwaukee office of Disability Rights Wisconsin, was talking specifically about care for Milwaukee County residents with mental illnesses, but she could have been talking about her tireless advocacy for those with any kind of disability. Beckert’s mission is to ensure that individuals with a disability are treated with dignity and fairness—a solution we should all work toward. (Lisa Kaiser)

Runners-up:

Bob Connolly

Amar Kaleka

Local Character

David Clarke

“Local character” is an interesting way to describe Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. With his cowboy hat and his shirts with the sleeves cut off, his efforts to look like a tough guy also add to the “local character” title. As Shepherd readers know, Clarke runs as a Democrat in campaigns, but walks and talks like an ultra-right-wing Republican the rest of the time. Clarke’s strategy of running on the Democratic ticket but refusing to join the Democratic Party may be deceptive, but it certainly is not unlawful. It appears that Clarke will continue to win elections as long as the Republican ticket does not have a hotly contested primary race for governor or attorney general. Such a ticket would prompt Milwaukee County Republicans to vote in the Republican primary and thereby become unable to vote for Sheriff Clarke in the Democratic primary. At that point he will lose a primary to a real Democrat. Until then he will be the “local character.” (L.K.)

Runners-up:

Art Kumbalek

Roosevelt McCarter

Vince Hanoski

Local Entrepreneur

Joe Bartolotta

Joe Bartolotta and his team have it covered. The Bartolotta Restaurants have nationally recognized bistros (Bacchus, Lake Park Bistro, Mr. B’s), traditional Italian (Ristorante Bartolotta), classic supper clubs (Joey Gerard’s), gastropubs (The Rumpus Room) and casual fare (Nonna Bartolotta’s, Pizzeria Piccola and Northpoint Custard). And catering, too. But don’t forget the company’s generous philanthropy. Bartolotta’s Care-a-lotta offers pro bono catering for nine nonprofits annually and a chance to use Northpoint Custard as a distribution point for their message. (L.K.)

Runners-up:

Ashley Weber aka Miss Cupcake

Andy Nunemaker

Milwaukeean of the Year

Most Beloved Politician

Most Trusted Politician

Tom Barrett

Tom Barrett always wins handily when he’s on the ballot for Milwaukee mayor and, once again, he’s cleaning up in the Shepherd’s Best of Milwaukee poll. Barrett is devoted to all corners of the city, from the revitalization of our diverse neighborhoods to the preservation of Lake Michigan. Folks are already lining up to take him on if he runs again in 2016, but it seems that he’s got your support locked up. Again. (L.K.)

Runners-up Milwaukeean of the Year:

David Clarke

Michael Hupy

David Gruber

Runners-up Most Beloved Politician:

Bob Donovan

Gwen Moore

Runners-up Most Trusted Politician:

Paul Ryan

David Clarke

Bob Donovan

Milwaukee Alderman

Bob Donovan

Alderman Bob Donovan made it official this summer. The outspoken and conservative South Sider will be running for Milwaukee mayor in 2016. That’s a long way away, and there’s no telling who he’ll have to face on the ballot, but Donovan certainly has the support in his aldermanic district. He also has the support from a good portion of the Shepherd’s Best of Milwaukee voters. Donovan doesn’t have a solid track record from his time in office, but he does have a long list of reactionary and sometimes silly press releases and experiences in front of a microphone. (L.K.)

Runners-up:

Michael Murphy

Nik Kovac

Bob Bauman

Milwaukee County Supervisor

Marina Dimitrijevic

If there’s one thing you can say about Marina Dimitrijevic, it’s that she’s a survivor. Dimitrijevic managed to pass progressive legislation during Scott Walker’s tenure as Milwaukee County executive—no easy feat. She became board chair during an even more politically polarized era, the one we’re in now with conservative Chris Abele in charge. Dimitrijevic unapologetically champions causes that support the average working person rather than the elite 1%, which may be why she gets so much grief from the likes of Chris Abele. It isn’t an easy struggle, but we’re confident she can handle it. (L.K.)

Runners-up:

David Bowen

Jason Haas

Milwaukee Landmark

Milwaukee Art Museum

Lake Michigan is the defining feature of Milwaukee’s landscape and Milwaukeeans love that shoreline. Little wonder that two of the four Best-of contenders for Milwaukee Landmark are on the lakefront and the third is the lakefront itself. Also of little surprise: The winner is the spectacular structure that has become part of the city’s image, the soaring, bird-like addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. (David Luhrssen)

Runners-up:

Milwaukee’s lakefront

North Point Water Tower at Water Tower Park

City Hall

Organization Supporting Veterans

Wounded Warrior Project

America created a new generation of wounded heroes after the post-9/11 conflicts, and it is vitally important to make sure that these veterans are well supported when they return home. The Wounded Warrior Project is specifically devoted to those who have put their lives on the line since 2001, and it has served more than 56,000 vets who need economic empowerment and physical and emotional recovery following their tours of duty. (L.K.)

Runners-up:

Wisconsin Honor Flight

Dryhootch

Most Despised Politician

Scott Walker

Here’s a result that everyone saw coming. Scott Walker, yet again, is Shepherd readers’ most despised politician. This result is not a big surprise because Walker opposes just about everything the majority of our readers hold dear, such as social and economic justice, tolerance toward others and a sense of fair play. Besides winning this dubious honor, he certainly knows how to win Wisconsin elections. After weeks of being tied in the polls, he won a clear victory on Nov. 4. We have a feeling that Walker will win this category again next year, but we hope we are wrong. We hope that after his re-election he will become more of a statesman and less divisive and try to represent the entire population of Wisconsin, not just the half that put him in office. (L.K.)

Runners-up:

Gwen Moore

David Clarke

Paul Ryan

Place to Pick up the Shepherd Express

Pick ’n Save

Multiple locations

picknsave.com

With almost 200,000 of our readers shopping at Roundy’s Pick ’n Save or Metro Market, it makes perfect sense that our readers would often pick up the Shepherd at one of their stores. We very much appreciate your loyalty to the paper and we very much appreciate the fact that Pick ’n Save provides such a convenient place for you to get your weekly Shepherd. (Morton Shlabotnik)

Runners-up:

Colectivo Coffee

Outpost Natural Foods

Beans & Barley

Whole Foods

Rising Star in Politics

Mary Burke

Republicans threw everything they could at her, but Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke earned your respect and admiration. Taking on Scott Walker, a seasoned campaigner with virtually unlimited financial support from a few right-wing billionaires couldn’t have been an easy task for a relative newcomer. But Burke rose to the challenge, grew as a candidate and won the respect of Wisconsinites. If she chooses to run another race in Wisconsin she will start as the odds-on favorite. (L.K.)

Runners-up:

Jonathan Brostoff

David Bowen

State Legislator

Chris Larson

Republicans seriously underestimated state Sen. Chris Larson when he became the Democrats’ Senate minority leader. Larson may not have had the votes in that chamber to pass progressive legislation, but, instead, he skillfully used the bully pulpit to point out the deficiencies in the GOP’s agenda, as a minority leader is supposed to do. Larson also is a fierce campaigner and has helped to get Democrats from the Democratic wing of the party elected in the past few cycles. Shepherd readers like his take on the issues and his unstinting support for Milwaukee in the Legislature. (L.K.)

Runners-up:

Sandy Pasch

Mary Lazich

Jon Richards

Urban Farm

Growing Power

The aptly named Growing Power isn’t just about planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables. It’s about recognizing the power that each of us has to change our world. The brainchild of former pro basketball player and McArthur genius grant recipient Will Allen, Growing Power has inspired first Milwaukee, then the nation, to create a good food revolution that improves urban residents’ access to healthy food and taps into each person’s—and community’s—true power. (L.K.)

Runners-up:

Alice’s Garden

Walnut Way Conservation Corp.