Automotive Row on Hwy 33 Just Got Bigger

Automotive row on W. Washington Street in West Bend just got a little bigger as Steve Kearns sold another property on the southwest corner of Valley Avenue and Highway 33.

Just last week Kearns cut a deal with Russ Darrow.  He sold nearly 11 acres on West Washington Street just east of Valley Avenue in West Bend to Darrow for $3 million.

On Monday, Kearns completed another deal for 3.65 acres on the west side of Valley Avenue. He sold the parcel to Sam and Mary Ann Scaffidi, owners of Heiser Chevrolet Cadillac in West Bend.

“The reason my dad and I like this parcel is because I absolutely love West Bend,” said Mary Ann Scaffidi. “I’m from a smaller  town and I love …..

Remembering Gene Otten – “I’d have to say Grandpa loved his family most.”
Elise Ann Otten reached out to the Washington County Insider and shared this note and some photos of her grandpa, Gene Otten, who passed away June 11, 2016:

“On behalf of the Otten Family, thank you again for writing a piece on my grandpa’s funeral service. We’ve all very much appreciated and gotten a kick out of the other posts you and the good people of Barton have written both on the Washington County Insider and the Facebook group. It’s been so wonderful to read the memories over the past few days.

I’ve attached the reflection my cousin Sophia Dramm gave at the beginning of the service (see below). It truly embodies how my dad, my Aunt Lynda and all of us grandkids feel about Gene and being a part of his family.”

My grandfather was a special man. He was kind, generous, devoted, holy. All of these things came from his incredible ability to love. He loved his dear friends, his church, the customers at his grocery store, his brothers from the Knights of Columbus, the strangers he met on the street – and his family. To describe my Grandpa in one word would be “loving.” Of course, you all know that, and that’s why you’re here. You had the honor to be loved by the wonderful Gene Otten, and are returning the love today.

Not to be biased, but I’d have to say Grandpa loved his family the most. I mean, he said it before every meal, “Thanks dear Lord for Sue and family.” I was blessed to have been a part of Gene’s family as his granddaughter for nineteen years – nineteen years too short.

Besides loving, Grandpa was always incredibly proud of us grandchildren. He was especially amazed by our intelligence, with four of us at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and one at Marquette University, and always loved the fact that we all went to Catholic high schools. Grandpa always called us “wizards” at school and often wondered exactly where our smartness came from, claiming it was “not from his side.”

When Grandpa was proud of us, you could literally see him glowing with pride. There were two times when I knew Grandpa was especially proud of me. One time was when I got accepted to UW-Madison, which he didn’t realize for a good five minutes because he couldn’t hear me on the phone. The other was when I performed a lead role in “The Nutcracker” ballet, which he called “The Woodpecker.” In those times, Grandpa was so happy for me that I felt his love at its very strongest.

Of his family, Gene loved his wife, my grandmother, Sue, the absolute most. He had so much devotion to her. (Actually, the last time I was up here reading was for her funeral in 2009.) Every day since her death, Grandpa visited Grandma’s grave, praying, crying, watering flowers, visiting other family members. He went every single day. If that’s not commitment, then I don’t know what is. Though they were divided on Earth after her death, he made sure they remained united by heart. But now, they have been reunited. Though there’s not a time that goes by when I think of my grandma and miss her, and now my Grandpa, I can honestly say that I feel at peace knowing they are together again.

All of us here have been touched by my grandpa’s love in some way. Though he’s not with us anymore, I think we are all certain he is now in a better, more beautiful place with some of the people he loved the absolute most. Thank you for coming to celebrate his life.

Amazing Ride For Alzheimer’s 2016 Is Under Way

DAY ONE – And the license plate makes it official: On Tuesday, June 21, Judy Steffes left for New Mexico to begin her cycle tour back to West Bend. It is an annual event that continues to grow as she raises funding for Alzheimer’s programs at Cedar Community of West Bend.

Starting out on Day 1 of the 2016 Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s Judy hit an unexpected flat tire. Not one to be troubled by minor inconveniences, she changed out the tire and ramped it up on the road.

Jim Glover from JCM Automotive on Yale Blvd. donated an old New Mexico license plate to the tour.
“The previous governor told us we had to go from an all yellow plate to a rainbow color so we’d be diversified,” he said laughing.

I Haven’t Taken a Spill Like That Since I was….6?

Total disclosure, I had my first big crash on Tuesday. Fluke accident. I was on the sidewalk looking at local art, rounding a corner and my wheel hit a crack and stuck. Down I went like a sack of potatoes, but a little more clunky.
Good grief, I haven’t fallen down since I was about 6 years old. When did the ground get so far down there?

I was clipped in to my pedals, which helped not at all. Of course it was the busy corner on the Main drag. I’ll admit it wasn’t the most graceful recovery. It was kind of a sit up, then to a knee and finally reaching for a nearby wall to heft myself off the ground.

I took a major pause to give the impression I was reassessing the situation…. in reality it was me shaking off the stars. Dang – could’ve broke a hip.

Landed on my biggest muscle. Thank God that has plenty of cushion.

JESUS or Jesus

I came upon this Big Jesus Sale. Just had to stop and check it out.

Found quite a few Big Jesus wooden carvings, nothing I could carry on my bike so I decided to push along.

A sales person met me at the door and clarified. “The owner’s name is Jesus – HAY-SOOS – the Mexican pronunciation.  ‘He’ was having a big sale.”