New podium for Memorial Day

A new handmade podium will debut at the Memorial Day ceremony in West Bend. The podium was crafted by Jeff Slais from Wisconsin House Woodworks.  The podium is designed with a POW MIA stained glass piece in front along with a special box for a folded American flag. The podium will be used during the ceremony in the Old Courthouse Square.

This year Gold Star Mother Liz Kryst will be the guest speaker at the event which will get underway around 11 a.m. after the Memorial Day procession.

Bumper to Bumper property sold

Troy Zagel of Zagel Properties, LLC purchased the Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts building, 3520 W. Washington Street. Zagel closed on the purchase May 24, 2016 for $500,000. The parcel was last purchased by W.B.S. Incorporated for more than $800,000. Bumper to Bumper has a 5-year lease. Watch for upgrades to the building and parking lot.

New signs across the city

Some new signs have popped up in the community including new signage for Cast Iron Luxury Living. The signs are at the entrance to River Shores and include New signage is on the way for a building that was previously home to the Historical Society and prior to that a credit union.

-Local attorneys have also made their home in the former Regal Ware Museum, 18 E. Washington Street. To help spread the word some new signs are being installed on the front of the building. Amy Salberg with the Salberg Law Firm and Sara Snyder with Snyder Law, LLC have been in place at the red brick building since early this year.

-In other business news blacktop and striping was put down this week in the parking lot of the West Bend Cinema.

The old 5 OH 1 in Newburg opens as Cork n Barrel

The old 5 OH 1 Bar & Grille in Newburg has a new look as Al Patel and his business partner Bob Bralich get set to open next week. “This is going to be a little more high end,” said Patel. “We’re going to have good martinis and good wine and we have a nice menu put together.”

Patel said his goal is to give people within a 10-mile radius more options than just running to West Bend or Port Washington.

On Thursday afternoon contractors were working on the interior as the Cork n Barrel, 501 Main Street, aims to open before the June 3 Newburg Picnic. Patel has a couple other ventures including another establishment on Brown Deer Road and 107th Street.

The 5 OH 1 Bar & Grille opened in August 2014 and dubbed itself “Newberg’s new premiere spot for food and drinks!”

History Center of Washington County

This week the Washington County Historical Society revamped its look by unveiling a new name and logo. John Spartz, chairman of the Historical Society Board of Directors, made the announcement during a gathering on the second floor of the Old Courthouse Museum. He said the new name would better define all that is available at the History Center.

Executive director Patricia Lutz said the new name and logo will also help with marketing and advertising. “We get a lot of people from out of the area,” said Lutz. “This will broaden that scope and show people this is as much of a destination to visit as is the Museum of Wisconsin Art.”

Lutz said there’s been a growing trend for museums to make change. “There’s been such a discrepancy between being a small historical society and a big one and now the idea of society has a different meaning,” she said. “The local History Center is so much more with programs, exhibits and a very well-respected Research Center. It was definitely time to spruce things up.”

The name change will encompass the Old Courthouse and the jail.

The new logo was designed by Steve Malone from Real Time Solutions and the website was designed by Valley Technologies. The new name, according to Lutz, will give the museum a better identity.

WBHS vet hiking the Ice Age Trail

West Bend native Michael Maziarka is participating in the Warrior Hike (WH) which encompasses the entire length of the Ice Age Trail (over 1,000 miles) in Wisconsin.

Maziarka is a U.S. Army Afghanistan War vet and is trekking the distance with U.S. Marine vet Miles Vining.

Today Maziarka and Vining are in Rice Lake, WI – Haugen to be exact, and will surpass 100 miles of hiking today, making this a milestone distance for both soldiers.

If there’s anything they’ve encountered on this long-distance, three-month gig it’s….ticks.

“We probably pick off 5 or 6 at a time every few minutes,” said Maziarka.

As the vets arrived in the small town of Haugen on Sunday, just north of Rice Lake, they were greeted by a local who learned that the men were passing through, hopped on his motorcycle and sought them out on the trail because he “just had to meet these guys.”

Maziarka explained their time on the trail is more of the “down time” each week and he and Vining have had an enjoyable time getting to know each other and just talk – a lot.

Once a week they have an “off day” where they spend a night at the home of a vet, wash clothes, shower, clean equipment, etc.

Maziarka said keeping up with his blog is going to be a challenge as they continue to hoof it at a good pace on the trail, check in with the Warrior Hike organization, upload pictures (provided there’s a signal in the area), and visit with people they meet along the way.

If there is one word that sums up this week, Maziarka said it’s “generosity.”

They’ve shared a number of hefty meals, a few beers, a pontoon ride and great conversations with folks they’ve met along the way.

He also gives credit to his wife, Rachel (formerly Rieden – a Kewaskum grad) who “is the only person crazy enough to stick with me through being stationed in Georgia, a deployment to Afghanistan, and now this hike across Wisconsin.”

Signature bike racks to expand in WB

Representatives from the Downtown West Bend Business District, City of West Bend, Washington County and Bike Friendly West Bend were all on hand Wednesday morning to promote the success of the signature bicycle racks in the downtown.

Ten bicycle red bicycle racks with a copy of the city logo were funded by the BID District. Several of the racks are already in place within a one-block radius of Old Settlers’ Park and more are on the way.

“We have two going up by Tap & Tavern, another will be placed in front of Candyman  on Main, Mountain Outfitters will have one along with Century Farmhouse Soaps and Riverside Brewery,” said Parks Director Craig Hoeppner. “If they’re used heavily we’ll also look at Sixth Avenue.”

Jeff Puetz is with Bike Friendly West Bend. He said that group is also working with students at Moraine Park Technical College to design more bike racks for the community.

“These will be custom bike racks that will be supported by businesses around the city,” he said. “There will be three to five design options and businesses would pick which one they like. Right now we’re still a work in progress.”

Businesses approached by MPTC are outside the downtown BID District. The bicycle racks in the community are being highlighted as part of the May is Bike Month celebration. Hoeppner said, so far the bike racks are receiving “rave reviews.”

West Bend East junior make Green Bay Packer drumline

The Green Bay Packers “Tundra Line” drumline is going to have West-Bend flare this season as WB East High School junior Duwayne Davis has earned a spot on the team. Davis currently plays snare drum for the Milwaukee Bucks “Buck Beats” drumline.

Davis will be marching with Shadow Drum and Bugle Corps this summer and he will be a section leader in the WBHS marching band next year. Davis, a drummer since he was 2-or-3 years old, has been playing it low key. “I haven’t told a lot of people but my friends are telling everybody,” he said.

Single-bay car wash under construction on Paradise Dr.

A new single-bay car wash is under construction at the Shell station, 815 W. Paradise Dr. in West Bend. Owners Bud and Patrick Osowski were initially approved for the car wash late last year.  Construction got underway this month as work crews cleared out the old wooden gazebo and made way for the foundation. New to this year’s plan were a couple changes to the architectural building elevations and material changes for the addition.

Updates & tidbits

–The Hartford Union School Board approved the band and orchestra’s invitation to perform for the Gala Concert Series in London and for the 2018 London New Years Day Parade.  The HUHS band and orchestra is directed by Andy Hacker.

-Watch for Hank & Essie from Barton to make their debut on Saturday, May 28 at the downtown West Bend Farmers’ Market. The 1940s couple will be on hand to pose for photos and it appears they’re getting a dog but they’re in a bit of a fix as they’re still looking for a name. Will you be able to help?

-Frisby’s Farmhouse Ale, a Saison brewed by Scott Bartell at Riverside Brewery and Restaurant will be at Riverfest: West Bend’s Premier Food & Music Festival, June 3 – 4 at Regner Park.

-A grand reopening celebration for Old Settlers’ Park is 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 2 during the first concert of the season at Music on Main in downtown West Bend. The rock group The Now Band performs. The evening is sponsored by West Bend Community Foundation with featured restaurant Cafe Soeurette. Next week blues band Back Alley takes the stage.

-Students of the month from Holy Angels include high praise for Leah Rosen, Morgan Krause and Kaya Faehling.

– A bicycle raffled off during Bike to Work Day in West Bend was won by Scott Stueber.

-The gym at Holy Angels School in West Bend was rededicated Friday and named the Father Jerry Britain Gymnasium.

-There will be a ‘Farewell to Rev. Enrique’ with a Cake and Ice Cream Social/Open House on Sunday, June 12 from 12:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Center. All are welcome to thank Father for his years of service.

-West Bend East High School senior Victoria Davis, 18, qualified as a state finalist and is preparing to compete in the Miss Wisconsin Teen Pageant Aug. 27 – 28 in the Wisconsin Dells.

-Eighty-three people in the town of Farmington were without power Thursday morning after a dump truck tipped over on Highway HH and hit a power pole. Nobody was injured.

-Some well-deserved recognition for student reporters from The West Bend Current as they took home a dozen awards from the Northeastern Wisconsin Scholastic Press Association.

– Sign up early for the Dirty Ninja Mud Run on July 16 at Regner Park in West Bend.

History photo

Neighbors across Washington County are being asked to stand and remove their hats when the U.S. flag passes at the start of Memorial Day parades on Monday, May 30. The day, also called Decoration Day, is for observance in memory of dead members of the armed forces of all wars. Today’s 1924 history photo is of an American Legion parade. The picture was donated to the Kewaskum Historical Society by the James Andre family. Can you identify the intersection in the photo?