Blog
September 25, 2023
It's been a very busy summer as I haven't done a blog in a month!
My stage 2 bladder cancer is so far under control after the right kidney was removed on July 24th. I feel almost normal again! Another CT scan in a little over a month to check things out.
On August 27th at the Milwaukee Mile, NASCAR came back to town! Last visit for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was in 2009. They ran for 15 straight years starting in 1995 at the Mile.
"The Clean Harbors 175" NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race ran along with the "Sprechers 150" ARCA Menards Series race. It was a beautiful day for racing and a great crowd showed up at race time.
Bonnie Blair our Milwaukee multiple Olympic gold medal skater was the Grand Marshall for the Craftsman Truck Series race which was very nice. Plus, we got a flyover with a C-130 and two F-35 fighter jets! Always love flyovers and the pilots need the practice and hours.
A few Wisconsin drivers were participating most notably Ty Majeski from Seymour, WI. who had just won the previous race, the Lucas Oil IRP. Other Wisconsin drivers were Josh Bilicki, Dexter Bean and Derek Kraus.
Ty Majeski qualified second but was penalized after a right rear tire was confiscated during a pre-qualifying inspection. I actually saw being done Sunday morning when I walked by the inspection area.
He qualified second but the penalty put him to 13th for the race and the crazy day saw him finishing seventh. The was docked 75 points as well as five playoff points. Crew chief Joe Shear was suspended for the next four races and fined $25,000. That's racing folks!
Friend and racer Josh Bilicki who we had big hopes for had a tire issue that put him out early and the race was won by rookie Grant Enfinger.
On another note, Hailie Deegan finished 13th for a pretty good day.
Grant also raced the ARCA Menards race but William Sawalich won the ARCA race at 16 years old after a great last restart and race with Joel Love.
Great weekend of racing at the Milwaukee Mile. Enjoy some photos!
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
August 21, 2023
This blog is about a project that my wife and I have been working on for five years! "The Carl Zimmermann Story" is now complete and published. It's a really nice book available for purchase from us.
In the future it may be available elsewhere but for now we are the outlet for the 200 page book that is nicely printed on high quality paper with color and black and white photos.
My father had an amazing life starting in radio at WEMP in Milwaukee at age 14 where he camped out every morning before school for weeks until they hired him.
He became a soldier for the U.S. Army and a battlefield reporter doing live broadcasts from the front lines of WWll all across Europe and Africa. While researching we learned that he was also a spy for the U.S. Army OSS/CIA while reporting!
Back to Milwaukee and then the Korean conflict happened to start and Dad started broadcasting "The Big Picture" television show with the U.S. Army in New York.
After three years of that he returned to Milwaukee for a career in radio and then television ending with WITI-TV6 for many years and then retiring in 1986.
The book is available for $50 plus a $5.shipping fee in the U.S. Payment can be made with Zelle or contact me for more information.
It's a great read and an interesting story about their wonderful marriage along with a great history of radio and television. A few of the photos in the book are below. My mother saved every article about my father and every telegram he sent to her through the years. They are all in the book.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
August 7, 2023
I've had the privilege to photograph a lot of different things in my life and I never take it for granted.
This year at Gathering on the Green I photographed Rise and Shine In The Park on Sunday July 16th at Mequon Rotary Park. Wisconsin's Frankie Moscato and the national act ,Cain, also performed.
That was a unique experience like I've never witnessed, and was good to see people having fun with religion and music together. There was also a live painting being done as the show was going on for charity.
Frankie Moscato is a young American Idol contestant. The band Cain is a brother with his two sisters performing. It was great music and fun on a really windy day. Frankie lost her hat at the beginning of the first song and I even retrieved it for her! You can see it on top of the piano as she didn't wear it for the rest of the set.
Saturday night July 15th was the rock night with the bands Starship featuring old friend Mickey Thomas and Ann Wilson from the band Heart. Guitars for Vets, contests and raffles were also going on.
I've known Mickey Thomas since his days with Elvin Bishop in 1977 at Milwaukee's Summerfest and again in 1979. I photographed a meet and greet with Mickey and Starship singer Cian Coey. We talked a bunch before the show about the old days. Included here is a meet and greet photo with me in it!!
Mickey is probably most famous for his song "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" from the Elvin Bishop days and he ended his show dedicating the song to me!! Very cool and appreciated Mickey!
Ann Wilson from Heart played after Starship and it was good to hear some old tunes and a few new ones.
Guitars for Vets opened up the night with a nice set.
WAMI and Guitars for Vets have been around for a few years and it was cool to see veterans having fun! Plus, they are great musicians doing it all for a very worthy cause.
Enjoy a look at a fun filled weekend for me!
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
