Casey’s General Store in Town of West Bend sold

The signage for Casey’s General Store on CTH P in the Town of West Bend came down earlier this week as the sale closed on the property just north of Mile View Road.

The Casey’s General Store, 5105 Highway P and the store in Hustisford sold to Lakhbir Sing.

It was November 2018 when Casey’s first moved into the Town of West Bend. Casey’s purchased the former Tri-Par station owned by brothers Steve and Mark Gall.  In 2018 they sold seven Tri-Par stations in Washington, Dodge, Ozaukee, and Sheboygan counties.

Amber Mayer is the manager of the new Refuel Pantry West Bend. “This will be a BP,” she said. “We liked this location because we’ve heard good things about the products, the food is great including the chicken and fish, this is a nice road and it’s a good location.”

Mayer said based off of prior sales they looked at Casey’s numbers and compared that to Tri-Par receipts and thought there was room for growth.

Lakhbir Sing owns 22 gas stations including locations in Oshkosh, Lake Mills, Oxford, Sun Prairie, Fall River, and Hustisford to name a few. According to Sing’s LinkedIn page he has an economics degree from UW-Parkside and is the principal owner of Refuel Pantry since August 2014. Sing is also the owner of a Big Apple Bagel store in Liberty Station since 2014.

As far as gas prices are concerned Mayer said Refuel Pantry West Bend will be “competitive.” Asked to define the word “competitive” Mayer said, “We are generally cheaper than most places; it will be competitive to local which is equal or less.”

The new Refuel Pantry West Bend will be open 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. There are 11 employees at the store on Highway P.

 Rededication of Schowalter Sculpture

Residents, family, friends, and staff at Cedar Community gathered Sunday for the rededication of the sculpture donated in 1989 as a memorial tribute to Rev. Philip Schowalter.

A writeup from Cedar Community read: Rev. Louis Riesch, Cedar Community visionary and founder, commissioned the work “Eternal Life” in 1989 as a memorial to Rev. Philip Schowalter in thanks and gratitude for his faithful service.

In 1990, the work was dedicated at the northwest entrance to the Cedar Ridge campus where Philip and his wife, Audrey, served as the first managers of the newly constructed campus. The abstract work was intended to evoke the strong spiritual legacy of Pastor Schowalter.

Words from the original dedication describe the work this way.

• three steel triangular sections representing the Holy Trinity and a strong spiritual foundation
• two outstretched steel arms representing welcome and service
• one stainless steel ring in the center of the sculpture, representing the fulfilment of Christ’s redeeming work

Audrey Schowalter said she very much appreciated the rededication and was touched by the memorial stone and the large turnout at the ceremony.

“Today, August 22, 2021, we proudly rededicate the work to honor Rev. Philip and Audrey Schowalter for their faithful service, joyful commitment, and legacy of leadership here at Cedar Community,” said Nicole Pretre, CEO at Cedar Community. A large turnout of the Schowalter family for Sunday’s ceremony.

Designs unveiled for new clubhouse at West Bend Lakes Golf Club

It has been nearly six months since a devastating fire raced through the clubhouse at West Bend Lakes Golf Club, 1241 Highway 33 in the Town of Trenton. It was March 14, 2021, and 15 area fire departments responded.

Kicking through the rubble of what was once a 100-year-old building, the Merkel family counted its blessings as no one was injured and they worked quickly to pick up the pieces. With generous support from the community the 18-hole course opened for the season.

Below are the first drawings to be released of the new clubhouse. Designs are courtesy American Construction Services.

“Team American is proud to be working with the Merkel family to restore full operations of West Bend Lakes,” said company President Kraig Sadownikow.  “Their golf course is a landmark in the West Bend area and we are excited to be associated with a family business that gives so much to the community.”

The building is approximately 4,000-square-feet which includes bar/dining area, pro shop, full kitchen, office, and storage. “Our design intent was a small homage to the Augusta National Clubhouse,” said Adam Hertel with American Construction Services.

The Merkel family said it is pleased to be moving forward. Some statements from the family are below. “I like the openness and the country style with the porch. We are blue collar but we wanted to keep it with a ‘country feel. We’re not going for a high-end, white collar, fancy. We want it to be a clubhouse where people could come and relax.

“The new design features all one level, no second story. From the customer side it will be more user friendly so you don’t have to go down 10 steps to get outside.

“The ground level of the first floor will be lower than what it used to be because it was built on stilts. There will be fewer steps to get in or out.

“This is a little bit smaller than we want but today’s costs are just not conducive to that. It will work very efficiently for us. I’m hoping to get it started pretty soon.”

Plans for the new clubhouse must still be approved by the State of Wisconsin.

The Merkel’s credit businesses in the community for their help including Tommy Schwai, Jeff’s Spirits on Main, Jeff Lamby, and Equipment Rentals. The cause of the fire was electrical in nature.

Six veterans from Washington County on Saturday, August 28 Honor Flight

Six veterans from Washington County will be participating in Saturday’s Stars & Stripes Honor Flight to Washington D.C.

The local veterans include WWII Army veteran Anthony Elsinger, Vietnam Army Lloyd Westerman of Kewaskum, Vietnam Army Thomas Foshag of West Bend, Korea Army Eugenie Olsen of West Bend. Vietnam Army Walter Kohler of West Bend and Vietnam Air Force Richard Lindbeck of West Bend.

Walter Kohler was drafted in 1956. “I was honored I could do my part for my country,” said Kohler.  He talked about receiving a good conduct medal and he scored pretty high with his shooting skills. “When I came home, everybody was waiting for me and that made me feel pretty good. When you’re away from your family for almost two years it’s pretty nice to get back home,” he said.

Richard Lindbeck served in the U.S. Air Force. During his time in service Lindbeck was part of the military police in Saigon. He recalled being “shelled by the Vietcong” during his service in Vietnam. Lindbeck is a former alderman in West Bend and he served as the president of the Wisconsin Chapter of Vietnam Veterans.

Hartford welcomes new alderman                                                              By Steve Volkert

On Tuesday night, the Hartford Common Council unanimously voted in Justin Webb onto the Common Council to replace Rachel Mixon. Webb is an attorney in Milwaukee dealing in cyber security and has lived in Hartford for the past 14 years. Webb’s term is up in April 2022 at which time he will need to run for the position in the Spring election.

Bob’s Main Street Auto successful school supply drive                     By Rachel Espitia

Bob’s Main Street Auto & Towing in West Bend had another successful year for its School Supply Drive.  This year the locally owned auto repair shop raised $738.18 to purchase over 800 school supply items. The supplies were taken to a local non-profit organization and will benefit over 500 children in Washington County. Bill and Laurie Rate, owners of Bob’s Main Street Auto & Towing said, “We can’t thank our community enough for their support. It’s a great feeling knowing we are able to help over 500 children here in Washington County.”

Hartford teen wins People’s Choice Award at 2021 Art & Chalk Fest

The Museum of Wisconsin Art’s 2021 Art & Chalk Fest People’s Choice Winner was Kaylee Goodman of Hartford. Goodman, 17, chalked a portrait of Amelia Earhart.

Kaylee Goodman is one hot mess, but in a good way. The smiley teen is a making her mark as a budding chalk artist. Armed with a case of soft pastels and brilliant fluorescent sticks of chalk, Kaylee sits down on her pallet of hard concrete and gets lost in the zone.

This isn’t school-yard scribbling, but a splash of magic that pours from the stained fingertips of a 17-year-old. “If she’s late for supper we normally find her in the driveway,” said mom Sandi.

She good naturedly chides her daughter on how she leaves her own unique Hansel-and-Gretel trail of breadcrumbs. “We know when she’s been in the car because there’s a chalk smudge on the visor,” she said.

Most often Kaylee’s face looks like she’s been made up for a school play as there’s streaks of chalk across her forehead and often the bridge of her nose. Though it all, Kaylee smiles. “I originally went to Chalk the Walk in West Bend at the shopping mall on S. Main Street and I chalked a mermaid,” said Kaylee.

The larger-than-life mermaid with long, flowing hair and flared blades of a fish tail caught the attention of teachers who referred Kaylee to a show at the Museum of Wisconsin Art.

“It was past the deadline and I didn’t think I could get into their event but they still wanted me,” she said. The Art & Chalk Fest in West Bend was a sunny day and a bit of a swelter; at least that’s what Kaylee remembered.

“It was very warm and I chalked both days but it was fun,” she said. “I’ve done chalk drawings for a couple years and there’s something different from just drawing on a piece of paper. I love how you can get creative, even on concrete,” she said.

Kaylee reminisces about her early career and waves it off as a learning experience when she talks about her “nothing drawings.”

“They were stick people when I started but I ventured into faces and people and I’m getting better; now I kind of show off what I can do,” she said. Art teachers in the Slinger School District have worked to give Goodman confidence. “They tell me I’m very good,” she said modestly.

Sandi chimes in. “We could draw something in chalk and it would literally look like that thing,” she said. “But when Kaylee chalks … it’s as if they’re right there. People are also starting to recognize her and she’s so dedicated.”

Kaylee does most of her initial drawings in sketch books. “After I sketch, then I ink and then color with marker,” she said. “I normally get them printed before an event so I can sell them to make money to cover my chalk supplies.”

A working artist, Goodman said she’s currently focused on drawing people but she is trying to broaden her horizons with shadowing and landscapes.

On a sunny afternoon, Goodman can be found colorful chalk in hand in her driveway just south of Pike Lake State Park. While her pallet is a little rocky in some areas, she has a large, smooth patch closer to the house.

“Kaylee can sometimes get swallowed up by the expansiveness or her pieces,” said Sandi. One piece measured about 40 square feet. “We just can’t get that big again,” she said.

Washington Co. Executive Committee selects tentative County Supervisory District Plan

After a 20-minute presentation from Washington County data and GIS manager Eric Damkot the County Executive Committee, on a voice vote, selected Plan 3 for an upcoming redistricting map.

It was February 12, 2020, when the full County Board voted 15-7 to reduce the size of the board by the year 2022 from 26 supervisors to 21. The proposed map will have an impact on the April 2022 election which not only includes supervisory seats but also the number of different versions of ballots that will need to be composed by the county clerk.

Every 10 years following the census the supervisory districts are adjusted based on population.

According to Damkok the census data was supposed to be released in March 2021 and the County Board would have 180 days to adopt a tentative plan, select municipalities and wards and then adopt a final redistricting plan before circulating papers started December 1, 2021.

Because of a delay from the governor’s office the census redistricting data was released August 12, 2021. Now the County Board must still select municipalities and wards and adopt a final plan, however the timeline will be crushed into the next 90 days.

There was a lot of intense data that went into the redistricting process.  Three plans with maps and boundary outlines were presented to the executive committee.

Some of the conversation from county supervisors included a shoutout from Supervisor Peter Sorce who felt the process was unfair and politically motivated to get rid of five supervisors.

Damkot said, “We didn’t map supervisors until after the districts were drawn. There were no outside influences.”

Supervisor Lois Gundrum said, “By keeping 5 full districts in West Bend that gives 25% of voting power on the board and townships could lose power. That’s a concern.”

Supervisor Pam Konrath echoed that statement. “Smaller townships do lose their voice,” she said. The next meeting on the issue is September 8, 2021.

Lovey’s last kiss at Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary | By David Fechter | Photo by Jessica Eirich

Five days ago, a video was posted at Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary of Lovey the deer who was dying of old age; she was nursing her twin fawns for one last time.

Lovey is the oldest doe at Shalom. Born on Memorial Day in 2012, she was a bottle-fed fawn that many visitors had the chance to feed.  In the posting we let everyone know that the end was near for Lovey and if any of her fans wanted to say their goodbyes, now was the time.

The next morning when we checked on Lovey, we told her that her friends were coming to see her one more time. To our amazement, Lovey managed to somehow get the strength to make it over to the visitor viewing area by early afternoon that day; she stayed there until last night.

Yesterday afternoon visitors started telling us that a deer had her head through the fence and was kissing a brown bear. As soon as I heard about Lovey kissing a bear through the fence, I checked it out. When I arrived, Lovey was resting on the ground on her side of the fence and Clark the bear was on the other side watching her.

I stayed there for quite a while watching; Lovey was too weak to stand. I thought to myself, did Lovey really kiss a bear, or were they sitting there sniffing each other through the fence, making it looked like a kiss.

This morning Lovey passed away.

Later this afternoon Jessica Eirich who was at Shalom yesterday sent me a picture of Lovey kissing Clark. As soon as I saw the picture, I said out loud “Oh, my God.”

You see, Lovey has been living next to Lewis and Clark every single day since they were cubs. That’s almost eight years. They loved each other; the proof is in the picture.

This morning Lewis and Clark seemed different, very tired.  After seeing Jessica’s picture, I now know Lewis and Clark were not tired, they were heart broken and silently crying inside. So long, Lovey. You will be missed by everyone.

Dugouts installed at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field in West Bend, WI

One more finishing touch added to the upgrade at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field in West Bend, WI as the dugouts were installed on Monday. A crane lifted the 10,000-pound dugouts into place. The dugouts are the same size as the former facility and they are even with the playing field so there’s no step to access the field. There is a small closet on the east side of the dugout for storage.

According to Craig Larsen with the West Bend Baseball Association the next thing will be to seed the outfield and eventually put the lights in place. As far as restoring the ivy to the outfield fencing, that won’t happen. “There’s an insect like the emerald ash borer that’s preventing us from putting in the ivy,” Larsen said. The WBBA even consulted with the Chicago Cubs to investigate questions about returning ivy to Carl M. Kuss Field.

STH 175 in Slinger reopen following completion of bridge work              By Ron Naab

Motorists in the Village of Slinger are celebrating the completion of road work as a segment of STH 175/ W. Washington Street from Maple Road over the bridge to Spur Road has now reopened.  According to officials in the Village of Slinger contractors started work July 26, 2021, on WIS 175 over County Shop Drive and the Wisconsin Central Railroad; it would take approximately four weeks to complete bridge deck repairs.

PRD election and $80,000 referendum result

A strong turnout Tuesday night, August 25, 2021 as the Big Cedar Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District held an election at the Town of West Bend Town Hall. Cars were lined up on both sides of the road from 4:30 p.m. until polls closed at 7:30 p.m.

The PRD also held its annual meeting.

The commissioners race included incumbent Dave Claussen and Ross Anderson. The pair ran on the same billboard. Claussen was a no show for the annual meeting. He was also not in attendance to accept the nomination for election. Commissioner Roger Walsh was also up for election but did not run for another term.  Two newcomers secured the win filling two open seats; each will fulfill a 3-year term.

Matt Haldemann 387

Jeff Braun 376

Ross Anderson 244

(I) Dave Claussen 228

$80K Referendum on Genthe Pond  442 yes 109 No

Approve obtaining a contractor to clean-out the Genthe Pond off West Lake Drive south of Peninsula Drive and change the pond infrastructure to lesson future problems for a cost not to exceed approximately $80,000.

Budget 405 yes  149 no                 Levy 363 yes  181 no

WAC veteran Margaret Borsch turns 100 on Sunday, August 22, 2021

Margaret Borchardt doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about.

“A big day? Yes… it’s my birthday today and I’m 100 years old,” she said. “It is unbelievable. I don’t know if there is a secret to getting this old… it just happened.

Borchardt is a resident at The Waterford in West Bend.

Born in Milwaukee on August 23, 1921, to Christine and Peter Borchardt.

Margaret doesn’t recall what hospital she was born at. “Maybe it was at home on the kitchen table,” she said. “I don’t know.”

A middle child, Borchardt had one brother and two sisters.

While growing up Borchardt belonged to St. Gall’s Church in Milwaukee on 3rd Street between Clark and Center. “I went to Riverside High,” she said. “I worked at the City Hall in Milwaukee in the comptroller’s office as a keypunch operator. It was during the Depression so it really was great to have a job.” Borchardt enlisted in the Army in 1942 when she was in her 20s. “I did it because it was something new for women and it gave women a little importance and I thought I always wanted to be a nurse and when they said women could join the medics, I thought that’s for me,” she said.

“My brother was in the Navy and so I thought I’d join. My mother wasn’t too sure; she thought it was kind of risky. She didn’t make a big deal but we knew she was concerned.”

Basic training was at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. Borchardt said she arrived in Iowa either by train or bus. “Our training consisted of learning to march,” she laughed. “I did office work for the most part until I went into the medics and worked at the hospital.”

Borchardt was initially in the machine records unit for a year before becoming a medic for two years. She recalled her duties included making beds, changing dressings, and giving blood.

“They’d make an announcement when they were bringing fellas in from the field that if anyone wanted to give blood they should and we’d go,” she said.

Borchardt was stationed for a year in Dallas, Texas and then at Camp Polk Louisiana. After the service Borchardt served in the Army Reserves. “Every summer for my two weeks training I’d go up to Camp McCoy and I did that for 20 years,” she said.

Borchardt returned to her job at Milwaukee City Hall and worked there until she retired. Never married, Borchardt lived in an upper flat with her baby sister Jane in a duplex on Pierce Street in Milwaukee; her parents lived in the lower level. “For fun, we would go bowling,” said Borchardt.

West Bend boy earns money through lemonade stand for baseball bat of his dreams

Just over one week ago a 10-year-old’s dream of owning a prestigious baseball bat for upcoming tournaments became a reality. Left-handed Bowen LeMay set out with grit and determination, similar to that of his pitching demeanor when on the field with the U11 Bulldogs.

At Bowen’s insistence, he and his dad Bob LeMay, set up a lemonade and sweet treats stand outside their West Bend home. Bowen’s dad gently counseled him that selling lemonade would most likely not cover the cost of the bat he was dreaming of but Bowen’s instinct told him otherwise.

Once the community learned of Bowen’s desire to put in the hard work on one of the hottest days of the year, folks began to pour in to help support the cause. Neighbors could be seen gathered around the lemonade stand conversing with Bowen, Bob and Bowen’s mom, Rhonda LeMay. There were words of encouragement and many donations, both large and small.

It all added up to one thing – a dream come true. Bowen purchased his bat with the proceeds from his hard-earned money and the support of his friends, family, neighbors and surrounding community, some of whom simply came to the stand to give a donation.

Bowen said he and his dad mixed up lots of pitchers of lemonade. His dad would measure and fill and he would stir the beverage. He also handed out a piece of free candy to everyone that made a purchase.

“I want to just say thanks to everyone who gave donations for my new tournament bat fund. I’m going to be using it for my next season with the U11 Bulldogs,” said Bowen.

The LeMay’s immediately went to the local RBI Academy to test it out and Bowen gave the bat a double thumbs up. Bowen said of his newly acquired dream bat, “I just can’t wait to crush some balls.”