West Bend man recovering in ICU after being pulled from snowbank

A West Bend man, 61, is being treated at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee after being found lying in a snowbank Tuesday morning on N. Main Street.

According to West Bend Police Lt. Duane Farrand, the man was reportedly found before 6 a.m. in the 1300 block of N. Main Street.

Neighbors in Barton said a member of Asplundh Tree Service found the man in the snowbank just outside Bagg End Tavern. The man was cold and wet.

Patrons at Joker’s 5 Bar & Grill said they knew the man as Jeff and said “he walked everywhere.”

Lt. Farrand said they were called to the scene for someone who had “slipped on the ice.” Farrand did not know if the man suffered hypothermia.

Vrana Body Shop shares the same driveway as Bagg End Tavern. Staff said they were aware police were on scene Tuesday morning. They said the driveway was a “sheet of ice” and even the trucks from Asplundh had a tough time with traction.

The man’s relatives said he was walking around 8 p.m. Monday when he slipped and fell on the ice. Every time he tried to get up he fell again and slid further down the driveway away from the road. The final time the man tried to get his footing he fell and hit his head. The man did not regain consciousness until he was found the next morning.

The man is still at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee.

New events director for Downtown West Bend Association

Anna Jensen, 25, is relatively new to the community of West Bend. A transplant from Edgerton, Wisconsin, Jensen moved to town for a job in radio sales. Now a short year and a half later she’s the new events director for the Downtown West Bend Association.

Jensen studied meteorology in college. She took courses like physics and chemistry and interned at a couple of TV stations in the weather department.

“I’m really more into the people and less into the computers,” she said, while visiting Tuesday morning in the Main Street office of the DWBA.  “That’s what kind of brought me into sales. I can start a conversation with a stranger and have no problem talking to anybody.”

Aside from her strong social skills, Jensen has managed to successfully network in West Bend and surrounding communities. She’s a member of the green coats with the West Bend Chamber of Commerce and she’s with the Hartford Chamber.

Last year Jensen worked closely with the DWBA marketing several events including the Downtown West Bend Concourse/ToAD, Maxwell Street Day and Music on Main.

“I’d really like to grow the current events and maybe build another event in the following year,” she said.

Carol Baranyk will be working alongside Jensen. “She’s a perfect fit for this position,” said Baranyk. “She’s not afraid to strike up a conversation with someone, she’s enthusiastic, and hopefully with meteorology in her background she’ll be able to predict the weather and keep the rain away for Music on Main.”

West Bend-area family to be featured on Family Feud

A family from the West Bend area will be appearing next month on The Family Feud as their episode airs Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. on WVTV Channel 18.

Liz Borden said her family was on the Feud over the summer. “We said we are from Hubertus, since that’s where we grew up,” said Borden. “We are spread out now but I’m in the Newburg area and my sister is in Jackson.”

The family in the picture with Steve Harvey starting from the left is brother Chris from Milwaukee, sister Kim from Jackson, myself Liz, mom Janet and dad Gary who split time between Nekoosa and Green Valley, AZ.

The family auditioned in Milwaukee in November 2015. “We found out they only took 25 families from Wisconsin and then when you went to Atlanta and you had to try out again,” she said. “So there was a chance you might have gone to Atlanta but not actually make it on.”

The show paid the families travel expenses and the word at the network was, “They told us they only take the best of the best.”

Borden raved about show host Steve Harvey. “He is amazing and the funniest guy you will ever meet,” she said. “He will crack jokes all day long on and off camera.

“He is a very down-to-earth guy; very heartfelt and faithful but he sure can make you laugh.”

Borden said she can’t say if they won. She said they are excited to see how they will edit the episode “because we were laughing the whole time.” Borden said she is planning a viewing party.

Semi crosses 2 lanes of traffic and clips old Held’s Meat Market

A semi traveling northbound on I41 crossed the median and crashed on the other side of the I system near Sherman Way.  Washington County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said the accident happened just after 10 a.m. on Thursday.  He said the semi driver choked on his soda, lost control of his rig, went through the median, across the southbound lanes of I41, through the ditch and the fencing. The semi clipped the corner of the former Held’s Meat Market building.  The driver suffered minor injuries but was not transported. No other vehicles were involved in the accident. The rig was from Aim Trucking.

Noon Rotary exhibit helps detect drug use

The Noon Rotary Club of West Bend is partnering with Elevate, the Heroin Task Force of Washington County and Moraine Park Technical College to bring forward a program that focuses on educating parents on the critical issue of prescription drug abuse, underage drinking/tobacco consumption and other forms of illegal drug use.

Located at Moraine Park Technical College in West Bend, Hidden in Plain Sight is an interactive display of a teenager’s bedroom with many items hidden or in plain view that helps to identify areas where teens may hide drugs, alcohol and other paraphernalia.

It also points out household items that can be used to either cover up drug and alcohol abuse or can be used to facilitate drug and alcohol use. The purpose of the program is to educate family and caregivers about the signs that can be an indicator of drug abuse.

Guided tours of the exhibit bedroom will run Saturday’s from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and on Thursday’s from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. through February 23. It is free to attend and open to everyone 18 and older. The exhibit is located next to the MPTC Library at the West Bend Campus.

New LED sign at Regner Park

Hat tip to the West Bend Noon Rotary as it completed a project donation to the community and Regner Park. A new LED sign is in place on N. Main Street just north of Silverbrook Drive. The programmable sign will highlight events at Regner Park including concerts and events at the Silver Lining Stage.

Fillmore Fire Department Awards night                             Courtesy Bob Bonenfant

The Fillmore Fire Department held its annual awards banquet at the Fillmore Fire Hall.

Chief Jeff Steinert then gave his report of the departments 2016 activity which included 19 fire calls, one structure fire, two vehicle accidents and 35 EMS calls.

A number of members were honored for years of service: Jake Guttman, DJ Neumann and Eric Spaeth received 10 year service certificates, Duane Taylor was recognized for 20 years and Jeff Steinert honored for 25 years of service. Larry Polanske was the recipient of the First Responder of the Year plaque.

Dale Spaeth was honored as Firefighter of the Year and Judy Spaeth was recognized as Social Member of the Year, an award given to an individual who lends a hand in any way to help the department.

Updates & tidbits

– The West Bend Kiwanis Early Risers 9th Annual Chili/Soup Cook-off is Saturday, Feb. 4 from 11-2 p.m. at Silverbrook Intermediate School. There are over 25 entries in 4 categories: restaurants, business, First Responders and non-profits. There is a new category this year for First Responders which will be a competition between the West Bend Fire Department and the West Bend Police Department.

-Mary Hafeman, from Missing Links, has been named to U.S. Kids Golf’s annual list of Top 50 Kids Teachers. The Award recognizes the world’s most outstanding youth golf instructors, and Hafeman is part of a select group that earned Top 50 accolades among nearly 350 applicants.

– The Elbe family from Golden “E” Dairy in the Town of Farmington will host the 2017 Washington County Breakfast on the Farm. The dairy is located at the corners of Orchard Valley and Shalom. Advance tickets will be available in April.

–Sunday, Feb. 12 the 12^th annual Motorcycle Ice Races will be raising money for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Washington County. Races will take place on Wallace Lake with event headquarters at Eddie’s Lake House, 7138 Highway 144 N, West Bend.

-Local Girl Scouts will soon be hitting the streets and offices with their colorful grid of cookie sales including thin mints, shortbread, Thanks-A-Lot and Lemonades. Scouts will be taking orders through the end of February.

– The Washington County Dairy Promotion Committee is looking for volunteers to serve on its board (3-year term). Three positions will be voted on at the Feb. 2 annual meeting. Contact President Bill Hinckley if interested at williamh921@charter.net or 262-365-9734.

– Someone with the West Bend Theatre project will address the common council during its Jan. 23 meeting. Mayor Kraig Sadownikow made clear the council has no say in the project as the building is owned by a private party.

-Paul Eve as Johnny Cash Alive is coming to the West Bend Moose Lodge on Feb. 25. Tickets to dinner and a show are $30. Call and make your reservations at 262-338-8122.

– The gloves will be coming off Feb. 25 at the Washington County Fair Park as Tin Love, Justin Dredd and Damon Knight climb into the ring for Mayhem for Mason. Money will be raised for Mason Holbrook and family.

– Donald and Barron Ryan, a talented father and son piano duo, will take the stage at UW-Washington County on Friday, January 27 to present their brand of classic and contemporary music.

Remembering the old tower fire escape

Today’s 1919 photo, courtesy Steve Kissinger, is posted as a tribute to Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 29 – Feb. 4.

According to the archives in the Research Center at the WCHS, ‘The public grade school was located at the head of Elm Street where it intersects with Eighth Avenue. The view looks northwest and was taken from Eighth Avenue. Notable with this view is the addition of the tower fire escape.  The building was later sold to Holy Angels Catholic Church, which used it as an elementary school. The building no longer exists.’

 

Dick Klumb of West Bend wrote a book in 2001 about the ‘History of Holy Angels.’ “The Public School was constructed in approximately 1888,” said Klumb.

 

“In 1939 after McLane School was built Holy Angels purchased this school from the West Bend School District and it became Holy Angels grade school. An addition to the south side of the school was added in 1950 and in 1963 the original Public School was torn down and the current building was completed.”

 

Roger Strack of Kewaskum was in second grade when he moved to McLane School. He said he didn’t recognize the Public School as much as he did the big merry go round on the north side of the playground and the fire escape. “I remember we’d open the steel door and climb up the slide,” Strack said.

 

Washington County Judge Andrew Gonring said his father, Mike, went to school when it was Holy Angels. “He used to say, a lot of famous fannies slid down that fire escape,” said Gonring. “At the annual Valentine’s Day party at school you could slide down it for two cents.”

 

Corey (Kohl) Wuebben said he “spent some of the happiest years of my life in that building.”  Wuebben said the “old part of the building where the fire escape is pictured was demolished” and is now the site of the food stand and band tent during the annual parish festival.

 

Mary Ann Goeden Hupfer of West Bend went to school at the original Holy Angels in the mid 1940s when Sister Agatha was principal and Rev. Stehling would “teach religious ed and hand out jellybeans.”

 

“I remember the really long cloak room in the sixth grade,” Hupfer said. “It had hooks and we’d all hang our coats and caps in there because we had no lockers.”   Hupfer also remembered marching with music. “When we’d go outside for recess there was an old Victrola in the lobby and we’d march in procession and you wouldn’t talk until you were down the street,” she said.

 

Hupfer also remembered an incident in first grade when she was in Sister Robert’s class. “My friend Marcella broke her crayon in half and we got caught giggling in the back of class. I had to stay after school until 4 o’clock with my finger on my mouth,” laughed Hupfer.

 

Kay Baker Michels was a 1963 graduate of Holy Angels School. “Both my husband, Terry Michels, and I attended this school and I taught at Holy Angels for 26 years as a second grade teacher and librarian.” Michels said the connection with the photo was that it tied into celebrating Catholic Schools Week. “I also remember the old fire escape,” said Michels. “Everyone wanted to be in Sister Hildebrand’s class as you got to take a ride in it each time there was a fire drill.”

 

James Fellenz went to Holy Angels back in the 1950s. “I’ll never forget the fire escape,” Fellenz said. “The janitor took our shoes and we had to walk home bare footed. It was in March; talk about having cold feet.”

 

Doug Jaeger also recalled how “some of us kids used to climb up that outdoor emergency escape chute and slide back down.”

 

Maureen Dick of West Bend was a student at Holy Angels until in 1963. “I was in the eighth grade and that was the first year for the new addition on the north side of the building,” she said. “If I remember correctly the old building wasn’t taken down until the new one was completed.”

 

Dick recalled that was also the beginning of the Holy Angels picnic. “At the first picnic we were allowed go inside and pay to swing a sledge hammer at a wall,” she said referencing the demolition.

 

Some of the teachers connected to Holy Angels included Sister Mary Marks; she ran the candy store in the basement at lunch time. Sister Mary Agatha, Sister Mary Lisetta, Sister Mary Ventura, Sister Mary Hildebrand, Sister Cyril, Ms. Brown, Sister Lillian, Mrs. Rice, Sister Marinella, Sister Mary Floria, and Sister Mary Amabilis.

On a side note: One of the notable talking points was the fire escape. Jim Dricken wrote, “When they took the building down in the mid 1960s, my dad Len Dricken, saved the fire escape to be used as a fun item for kids. The fire escape, named ‘The Tower,’ is still in use at Lake Lenwood Beach and Campground.