West Bend man finds wooden wheel while cleaning river in West Bend

Jim Walters made a unique find as he was walking in the river off Auxiliary Court in West Bend.

Walters thinks the 12-spoke wooden wheel dates to early 1900s; possibly 1910 – 1915.

He found it while walking in the river behind the Seven-Up Bottling Company on W. Kilbourn Avenue.

There are some forums on the Internet that discuss old wooden wheels. An interesting one for Buicks from the 1920 – 1930 looks darn close to what Walters found.

One of the theories on the wooden wheel is there used to be an old Schwartzburg Chevy-Olds dealership on S. Main Street. “People used to clean up by tossing things out of sight and sometimes that meant into the river,” said Walters.

To try and remedy over 100 years of waste dumping, Walters is putting together a Clean Up at the Bend event on September 14 from 8 a.m. to noon starting at Auxiliary Court. The community is invited to take part and volunteer.

Relighting of the Historic West Bend Theatre sign

There was a nice turnout Thursday, Sept. 5 for an historic moment in the City of West Bend as a refurbished West Bend Theatre sign was relit on S. Main Street.

It was a unique moment in West Bend history and over 100 people came down to 125 N. Main Street to celebrate the iconic moment when the landmark of the community was relit.

It was a celebration preceded by storytelling and recognition of former employees. Lester Hahn spoke lovingly of being fired multiple times. He gave several shout outs to people in attendance he recognized as former coworkers.

The 35-minute event culminated with the relighting of the famous sign which was refurbished by Poblocki Sign Company in West Allis.

Germantown’s Anthony Roskopf honored as 7,000 veteran to fly on Honor Flight

There was a special ceremony at Mitchell International Airport today as 16 veterans from Washington County took part in the 53rd Stars and Stripes Honor Flight.

Korean War Army veteran Anthony Roskopf of Germantown was recognized as the 7,000 veteran to fly on the Stars & Stripes Honor Flight out of Milwaukee.

Roskopf was drafted in 1953 when he was 23 years old. “I worked on a farm at the time in Menomonee Falls,” he said. “The farm is right where COSCO is today.”

Roskopf went to Fort Leonard Wood Missouri for basic training. In July, rather than being shipped to Korea, Roskopf was ordered to go to advanced radar repair school at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. “While we were there a hurricane came into Chesapeake Bay and tore up the whole base and tipped our trailer over,” said Roskopf.

Roskopf then was stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas however he worked mainly in White Sands, New Mexico. “We worked with a lot of highly classified material,” he said.

Other veterans on Saturday, Sept. 7 Honor Flight include:

Vietnam Army Michael Wilhelm of Germantown, Korea Navy Wendel Smith of Colgate, Vietnam Navy Paul Gillis of Hartford, Korea Marines Ronald Fass of Hartford, Vietnam Army James Gilmore of Hartford, Vietnam Army Vincent Strupp of Hartford, Vietnam Air Force Judith Warnecke Strupp of Hartford, Vietnam Navy Dennis Albrecht of Hartford, Vietnam Army Steven Liegl Sr. of Kewaskum, Vietnam Army Ronald Wicke of West Bend, Vietnam Marines Carlos Nava of West Bend, Vietnam Army Stephen Hebel of West Bend, Vietnam Air Force Richard Holbrook of West Bend, Vietnam Marines Lawrence Ketterman Jr. of West Bend, and Vietnam Army Irving Marsh of West Bend

Two Allegiant Airlines A320 aircraft will leave Milwaukee’s Mitchell Airport at approximately 7 a.m. on flight day, bound for Baltimore Washington International Airport with 169 local veterans (and their guardians) on board.  On that day, Stars and Stripes Honor Flight will welcome 9 WWII veterans, 43 Korean War veterans, and 117 veterans of the Vietnam War.

Veterans who will be taking their Honor Flight on September 7 include a 99-year-old WWII submariner, a crew chief on a Huey helicopter, a member of the 101st Airborne “Screaming Eagles” in Vietnam, and a 93-year-old female WWII Navy veteran who was an aide to Admiral Richard Byrd, the Medal of Honor recipient and famed polar explorer.

After the planes land in Baltimore on flight day, the veterans will board coach buses to tour Washington DC’s WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Air Force Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and more. The day will also include viewing the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.  A DC Park Police escort will ensure that the veterans do not spend time stuck in traffic.

Honor Flight is a national program with more than 130 hubs from coast to coast. The WWII Memorial did not open until 2004 and many veterans are unable to visit Washington DC without assistance. Nationally, hubs in the Honor Flight network have taken well over 221,000 veterans to see their memorials.

West Bend Plan Commission reviews proposal for Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins

The West Bend Plan Commission reviewed the redevelopment plan for 1610 W. Washington Street, formerly home to Pizza Hut. A representative for Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins was called before the Plan Commission to answer questions about parking, signage, and traffic.

Redevelopment of 1610 W. Washington Street – 2,160 square foot. Property is zoned B-1. Parking – use existing driveway and 21 standard stalls. Required storm water management. Request added signage on west side of building and east side of building. Majority of building is mountain red brick and accents on walls and a cool grey tower. Orange colored awnings. Part of site plan also remove asphalt on east side of the lot.

Plan Commission member Jed Dolnick – I have a concern about the traffic flow in and out and driveway is not permittable one way in and one out. Wants to make a left turn onto Washington Street. The type of traffic counts for Washington Street and he doesn’t have an answer. This could be a concern and you can’t get out. Why – unless there isn’t room the drive-up traffic doesn’t get directed straight south. By wrapping it around it conflicts

Is there a monument sign proposed. One on the southwest corner – it’s close to the driveway and possibly over property line.

City Engineer Max Marechal – We usually ask for trip generation calculations. If a traffic impact analysis is warranted it will tell us if we need re-timing of the traffic signals or is road improvement needed. “Probably re-timing the signal – when Kwik Trip came to Main Street and Decorah Road the traffic impact analysis {TIA) noted a re-timing of signals,” said Marechal.

First step is to have a trip generation study done.

Mario Valentini – MRV Architects. Your analysis is spot on. It benefits us to have a bit of a longer stack exiting after the drive thru. If we have a little longer order you can direct someone to park and then bring the order to them. We keep the traffic flow going by doing that. We need the exit plus the opportunity to go in front of the building and park. If there’s an immediate exit – simultaneously east and west exiting. Mid-block we don’t have a big concern to stack cars if needed.

Jed D. asks to widen entrance apron to permit a left turn.

Mario V. said that is possible. There is some concern about shifting lanes and widening it – we were trying to keep the existing apron in an effort to use what’s there.

Plan Commission member Bernie Newman – asks a question about the third sign on the building.

Mario V. – the Baskin Robbins signs are 20 x 22 square feet. Issue is we have two brands in one building. No way to put them together in one box. It’s a tacky look for both. A co-branded building brings about some issues.

Plan Commission member Sara Fleischman – we don’t normally approve slogan signs.

Mario – What you’re seeing with this building is new for Dunkin and new for Baskin. This is a national brand that wants to make some identification, so you have the big slogan “America runs on Dunkin” or “West Bend runs on Dunkin.” The other slogan is a catchy phrase – in the past we’ve had situations where the facades become open and blank and the criticism is can you do something to break it up.

We break up the building with materials we see, and we are open – if it’s concerning, we don’t want too much going on but we do want something.

Sara Fleischman – I agree need to break it up but I won’t support the slogans. I won’t give my vote if slogan stays on the side.

Mario V. – We’re open.

Max M. – add to work with getting the trip generation numbers add that (no slogan sign) as a condition and then determine whether to go forward with a traffic analysis.

Plan Commission member Chris Schmidt – I agree with Sara – not to add slogans on signs of buildings.

Max M. – we can move forward. I don’t have a huge concern in the extent of changes from TIA. We may see an analysis that we don’t need to make any changes. As we move forward with the traffic I can let you know what the study says.

Sara F. – move forward with four conditions and that the slogan on both sides of the building are not allowed.

Jim White – Outlined requirements for developer to meet before development proposal can move forward: erosion control plan, landscape bid, storm water plan, revision of site plan and a trip generation study. Forward all to city engineer and no slog signs on either wall of the building.

Valentini said after the meeting that they hope to break ground yet this year and open in early spring 2020, however their timetable was weather dependent.

Landmark Credit Union moving to new location in West Bend

Landmark Credit Union will soon be moving into the former Bank Mutual location, 1526 S. Main Street in West Bend.

The property on S. Main Street sold to ENDF3DK LLC on Sept. 27, 2018 for $1,065,420. The parcel was last assessed at $1,563,000.

A spokeswoman for Landmark Credit Union, based in New Berlin, said it did purchase the property and they are remodeling.

A sign at the Landmark Credit Union branch inside Pick ‘n Save south is posted below. The credit union will close Saturday, Oct. 12 and open in the new location on S. Main Street on Monday, Oct. 14 at 9 a.m.

“It will match the look and feel of the other branches we have,” said Katie Monfre, communications manager for Landmark Credit Union.

“It offers our members a number of advantages including private offices, a drive-thru lane, a drive-up ATM and it will give us both an in-store presence in West Bend and one location as a stand-alone branch.”

Landmark Credit Union is currently located in the Kroger Pick ‘n Save stores in West Bend. A larger, standalone branch is located at 1400 Schauer Drive in Hartford.

Halloween trick-or-treat for communities across Washington County

Halloween is Thursday, October 31 this year but quite a few communities across Washington County have trick or treat on the weekend.

Town of Addison 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27

Town of Erin 4 pm. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31

Village of Germantown 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31

Hartford is Saturday, October 26, Downtown 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Ages 12 & under who are in costume accompanied by an adult are welcome

Village of Newburg has not yet established a day or time for trick or treat 2019. The information will be be posted when it becomes available.

Village of Jackson 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. is Sunday, October 27

Village of Kewaskum 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26

Village of Slinger is Saturday, Oct. 26 from 5 – 7 p. m. Afterward families are welcome to a free event as Spooky Slinger will be held from 7 – 9 p.m. at Slinger Community Park with music, pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, food and beverages.

Village of Richfield 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.  on Saturday, October 26

West Bend 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26.

Happy 71st wedding anniversary to Norbert and Lucy Carter

A belated happy anniversary wish to Norbert and Lucy Carter. The couple recently celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary.

Norbert and Lucy met at the Newburg Picnic. They have 8 kids; four boys and four girls and 16 grandchildren.

A brief story about Norbert’s military career is below. Norbert Carter was 20 years old and married for a couple years when he was drafted in 1951 into the Army. He entered service in 1952.

“I never got to go to high school,” said Carter. “I was put on the farm to help my uncle because he couldn’t get a hired man during the war.”

Carter was one of 7 boys in the family; four of his siblings were also in the service. “My dad was in World War I; my oldest brother was in the Navy during Pearl Harbor. Two of my brothers were in Germany, two of us were in Korea and my youngest son was in Desert Storm.”

Carter went to Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania for basic training. That was followed by a stint in Washington and later he spent 17 days on a ship to Japan.

“We spent one night in Japan, got back on the boat and I spent the next 15 months and 22 days in Korea,” Carter said.

Immediately stationed on the front line, Carter recalls his orders.

“We were on night patrol and walked up to one area and were handed a steel vest and they said ‘put it on — this is the area where you need it’ and we walked some more and pretty soon we were up on Old Baldy,” he said referencing the site of five engagements during a 10-month span of the Korean War.

“For 32 days I helped build bridges while we were under fire,” Carter said. “There were some Army tanks on a couple mountains up there and we had to get them back for service work.

“The biggest bridge we had was 280-feet long and it was all steel treadway. We couldn’t work during the day because the enemy could see us and every day for the first five days the bridge was knocked out by artillery, so each day we had to tear it out and start over.”

Carter was discharged in 1953 as a staff sergeant Section B in the Second Division Combat Engineers.  Carter is well-known in the local military circle; he is chairman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in West Bend and has been commander for 18.5 years.

Carter has been active for 60 years in the local VFW post honor guard and military squad.