Based on the inconsistencies between the resident’s statements, the reported information, the observations of the officer, the concern for the health and welfare of any animals in the residence, as well as for the public health in general for the residential area of the residence, the City Building Inspector served an inspection warrant on the residence on Nov. 5, 2018.
Over a dozen large garbage bags full of feces and bedding were located stacked just inside the back door of the residence, and an extensive system of animal cages were located in the basement of the home.
An officer accompanying the building inspector on the inspection observed 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 ferrets, 21 rabbits, 90 guinea pigs, 5 mice, 3 rats, 3 quail, and 6 button quail being kept within the home.
Allan Kieckhafer wins Cliff and Betty Nelson Volunteer Leadership Award
Allan Kieckhafer of West Bend is this year’s winner of the Cliff and Betty Nelson Volunteer Leadership Award.
During an interview Thursday morning at Kieckhafer’s home overlooking Big Cedar Lake the 94-and-a-half year old spoke enthusiastically about his dedication to West Bend.
Kieckhafer noted, the only other time he had been this thrilled about being recognized was when Betty Pearson with the West Bend Chamber of Commerce recognized him in May 1987. It was a day the mayor proclaimed Allan Kieckhafer Day.
Over the years the Kieckhafer has spent his time, talent and treasure giving back to the community. Those qualities are something the past winners of the award look for in a recipient.
The United Way of Washington County created the Clifford A. and Elizabeth M. Nelson Volunteer Leadership Award to honor an individual in Washington County who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to volunteering.
The award is named in honor of West Bend resident Cliff and his wife Betty, known for their outstanding volunteer efforts on behalf of human service, civic, and arts organizations. Allan Kieckhafer shaking hands with a scout
Kieckhafer is a strong advocate for the Boy Scouts, Kieckhafer has also been a supporter of the Museum of Wisconsin Art, Veterans in West Bend and UWM at Washington County.
Friend Nancy Mehring worked for Kieckhafer when she was 18 years old. “He was my boss at the West Bend Aluminum Company,” said Mehring. “Allan is a doer as well as a giver. He is the most lovable man, he always has a smile for everyone and the best thing about him when I worked for him was he was always kind and a gentleman.”
Betty Nelson said she has known Kieckhafer since they went to Sunday school and kindergarten together. “It’s good he got the award because Allan has been involved in more stuff than you can imagine,” she said.
“He’s always been the chairman for the Memorial Day celebration and Veterans Day, Kettle Moraine Symphony, the Museum of Wisconsin Art, UW-Washington County, and he’s been in scouting for years. “He’s very loyal to friends,” said Nelson. “When people in our high school class died from the Class of 1941, he still went to their funerals. They may not have been much of friends through the later years but he’s so loyal.”
Previous winners of the award were part of the selection committee and Kieckhafer was a unanimous choice.
United Way’s Volunteer Leadership Award was created to recognize an individual in Washington County who has demonstrated community leadership and a long-term commitment to volunteering. The award is named in honor of the late Cliff Nelson and his wife Betty, who are known for their outstanding volunteer efforts on behalf of human service, civic, and arts organizations. Each year, past Nelson Award winners nominate and select a new recipient.
“United Way has a legacy of bringing people together to improve lives and community conditions,” said Kristin Brandner, Executive Director of United Way of Washington County. “This award celebrates leaders in our community who do just that. It honors volunteers who have spent a lifetime giving their time and talents to make a lasting impact in Washington County.”
“Allan Kieckhafer is a dedicated and treasured member of this community,” Brandner said. “His unwavering support of so many organizations and projects that are integral to Washington County is astounding. Everyone on the selection committee felt that without his commitment and support, this community would not be what it is today.”
Kieckhafer is the oldest living United Way Campaign Chair. In 1977 he was the first to achieve the $100,000 milestone for the annual fundraising drive.
As a proud Navy veteran, Kieckhafer has spent over 40 years as a member of the Memorial Day services committee for the City of West Bend, and has performed the role of Master of Ceremonies for many years.
Kieckhafer established Boy Scout Troop 780 at Fifth Avenue Methodist Church and continued working on behalf of the Boy Scouts for over 50 years as President of the Badger Boy Scout Council and a Trustee for the Bay Lakes Council. He was awarded the Silver Beaver award for his outstanding service to the Boy Scouts.
Additionally, he was instrumental in founding the University Ambassadors council at the University of Wisconsin in Washington County. He served as the Council President in 1975 and continues to act as an Ambassador at the campus. Kieckhafer has also volunteered as an Ambassador and a member of the Executive Board for the West Bend area Chamber of Commerce. He is an active member of the Noon Rotary Club of West Bend, and has received 10 Paul Harris awards for his support of the organization.
A life-long resident of West Bend, Kieckhafer spent 38 years at the West Bend Aluminum Company working in sales management. “Allan has done so much for our community,” said Nancy Mehring, who worked with Kieckhafer at the West Bend Aluminum Company.
Assistant Fire Chief in Waubeka killed in motorcycle accident
Bruce Koehler, 53, of Waubeka, passed away unexpectedly following a motorcycle accident Friday night. Bruce was born in Port Washington on June 22, 1965, son of Frederick “Fritz” Koehler Jr. and Betty Reimer Koehler. From an early age Bruce’s family always came first. He grew up in Little Kohler, helping the family in their businesses, Lehn’s Catering and Lehn’s Tavern. He took pride in starting his mother’s school bus for her every morning and caring for the Koehler Family Pond. He attended school in Random Lake, graduating with the class of 1983.
Bruce worked as a Head Maintenance Engineer for the Clothes Clinic in West Bend.
His calling in life was helping people. He was a longtime member of the Waubeka Fire Department where he currently held the rank of Assistant Chief, a team leader for the HazMat Team and a Rescue Boat Crew member for Ozaukee County Emergency Management, President of MABAS Division 119, a member of the Southeast Wisconsin Incident Management Team, an advisor for the Random Lake Area District Explorers Program, a member of the Ozaukee County and the Wisconsin State Fire Chief’s Associations, and the Badger Firefighters Association.
Funeral services will be celebrated Saturday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 824 Fredonia Ave., Fredonia. Visitation will take place at the church from 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. when the Fire Department walk-through will take place.
Morrie’s Honda officially breaks ground in West Bend
The crew from the new Morrie’s Honda gathered in West Bend on Thursday morning, Nov. 1, at the corner of Highway 33 and Scenic Drive to introduce themselves and talk about the future of the dealership. Karl Schmidt, CEO with Morrie’s Automotive, started his career with Morrie’s about 30 years ago. Watch for the new store to open in July/August 2019.
Five players from UWM at Washington Co. volleyball make WCC All-Conference
UWM at Washington County placed five players on the Wisconsin Collegiate Conference All-Conference Volleyball team.
Kayla Boehm led the Eastern Division with 83 kills as a middle hitter and hitting at a 46% kill rate. She also led the division with 30 blocks. Boehm was selected First Team All-Conference and named Player of the Year.
Kayla Schommer led the Eastern division in two categories as a setter, she had 179 assists for kills, and also had a division high 42 ace serves with 93% serving accuracy. Schommer also had 19 kills and 38 digs. She was selected First Team All-Conference and named Setter of the Year for a second year in a row.
Catherine Tucker was our defensive specialist and led the Eastern Division with 184 digs. She also had 17 ace serves with a 94% serving accuracy. Tucker was selected First Team All-Conference and named Defensive Specialist of the Year.
Breanna Cronin was an outside hitter and ranked No. 3 in the Eastern Division for attacks and defense. She had 61 kills with a 40% kill rate, 73 digs, 27 ace serves with an 89% serving accuracy. Cronin was selected First Team All-Conference.
Morgan Kappler was an outside hitter and ranked 5th in the Eastern Division for attacks and defense. She had 47 kills with a 35% kill rate, 16 ace serves, serving accuracy at 89% and 67 digs. Kappler was selected Second Team All-Conference.
Coach Debbie Butschlick said, “I am so proud of these players especially all the hard work they put into the season. The Conference coaches truly saw the skills each one of our players had. To have one or two players make the WCC All-Conference Team is a blessing when there are seven teams in the Eastern Division, but to have five players on the All-Conference team and three players receiving the highest honors given by the Conference is truly amazing. Even though five players received the honors, it was an entire team effort to have such an outstanding season.”
Construction begins on new West Bend Fleet Farm
The logging trucks and bulldozers have cleared a majority of the trees from the nearly 42-acre lot as contractors make way for the 192,000-square-foot Fleet Farm to the south of Highway 33 just east of County Highway Z. An aerial view shows a tree line to the south at the back of the lot. Black fabric outlines the edge of the proposed development to the west. Reddish-orange fencing circles a small wetland area in what appears the near middle of the property.
Along with the new store there will also be 652 parking stalls and another 7,100-square-foot convenience store. About a mile east on Highway 33 the old Fleet Farm on 18th Avenue sports its seasons sign touting “Toyland Now Open.” It’s the last time that sign will be displayed at this location as the new Fleet Farm is scheduled to be completed September 9, 2019.
Updates & Tidbits
–Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6 and polls open at 7 a.m.
-The West Bend Common Council will hold its regular Monday night meeting at the Museum of Wisconsin Art on Nov. 5 as elected officials pay tribute to veterans. The event is organized by Common Sense Citizens of Washington County.
– The development of a new sports complex at Regner Park is moving along quickly. Within the last two weeks the land has been cleared, fencing removed, cement poured and now six basketball hoops are in place.
-The Kettle Moraine Symphony will honor veterans during its concert Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 at 3 p.m. Free admission for Veterans. The community celebrates its veterans when KMS collaborates with local organizations to honor Americans who have served in the military.
– Tickets go on sale Nov. 11 for the amazing Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops Concert on Dec. 11 at the West Bend High Schools Silver Lining Arts Center.
– The Kettle Moraine Lutheran Chargers fell to East Troy in the WIAA Division 2 State Championship at the Resch Center in Green Bay. East Troy (31-8) def. Kettle Moraine Lutheran (31-11) – 25-22, 25-19, 25-13.
– A strong turnout of volunteers Saturday morning help sweep clean Veterans Plaza in West Bend as we count down the days to Nov. 11 and Veterans Day. Thanks to all who helped give of their time and talents.
– A burial will be held Sunday, Nov. 4 for Robert B. Pick II, 76, who passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 after a brief illness at Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee.
– A huge thank you to members of the West Bend Noon Rotary Club: Chris Wenzel, Amanda Follett, Jerry Mehring and Richard Klumb. These Rotarians helped the Downtown West Bend Association remove the ArtWalk banners from the light poles this week.
– Grab your family and bundle up because the 32nd Annual Hartford Christmas Parade is just around the corner. The theme of the Nov. 10 parade is “Christmas Lights.” Start time is 3 p.m.
Large turnout to remember Bob Neja
A large turnout Tuesday as neighbors, friends and family turned out to pay their respects to Bob Neja. Robert H. Neja, 84, of West Bend, entered Eternal Life with Jesus on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018 after 62 wonderful years of marriage with Anne “Dolly” Neja. Bob passed away at home, surrounded by his family, after his battle with pancreatic cancer.
During the funeral Mass at St. Frances Cabrini, Neja’s youngest son Peter offered some kind words about his father.
This will be brief so please pay attention. Thank you all for coming to celebrate the life of an amazing man. Bob Neja.
Dad was a very disciplined yet sensitive and sometimes goofy man. He was an incredible husband, dad, gramps, friend, teacher, athlete and coach.
He spent his life walking with Jesus. In fact during his final weeks reflecting alone in his bedroom, saying the rosary daily with his Dolly and getting to Mass were more important than the Brewers or anything else.
Everyone around him benefited from his faith and lifestyle, especially his Dolly. Bob and Anne’s bond is one that people pray for.
Young Bob was smitten with Anne from the start. So much that his competitive nature faltered at his high school teammates repeatedly nag him for arriving late to practice because he was off gallivanting with his Anne. As they spent more time together they developed an unwavering love for one another that continued for 62 years.
While celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary one of Bob’s grandchildren asked Gramps, “What advice can you offer to make it through 60 years of marriage?” With complete sincerity he instantly replied, “To marry Anne.”
As they built a family it was no surprise that he emulated that same level of love onto his kids and grandkids. The Nejas’ lives were full of fun and competition, family vacations, lots of games, cards included!
He was always up for celebrating as long as it didn’t involve fireworks, which he made us watch from the car to avoid the crowd.
Obviously Dad was competitive. He competed, sometimes intensely, and always in a fun way.
For example at a family reunion softball game he picked up third base and ran away with it to keep his nephew from scoring. If he was losing you sure would hear about it, but it was all in good lighthearted fun and certainly nothing a brownie with extra frosting would not fix.
People may think it’s difficult to be in high school with a parent as a teacher. Dad was so well respected by colleagues, students and athletes that he made it is easy for us. We all were so proud to have him as our father.
Although leading many teams to championships as an athlete and coach led to inductions into several Halls of Fame, Dad’s real legacy was the positive influence he had on lives.
You see, being a teacher and coach was not just a job for Neej, but a way of life.
His philosophy was “grow the kids into great people first and hopefully enjoy winning along the way.”
No matter what subject he taught or sport he coached or where he bumped into you, Dad would have an ever lasting impact on your life.
As I lived Dad again for the past 3 to 4 months I was reminded about how much of a positive effect you had on the lives he touched. So many students, athletes, friends and family reached out by visiting him in person, by calling and by sending notes.
Dad had the gift of making anyone feel like they were special and his priority.
In turn his family loved and respected him in a way that drove them to strive at following in his footsteps living a loving, faithful lifestyle that Neej could be proud o.
He was a role model for the entire Neja clan and everyone close to him.
His impact will continue to live on and the world is a better place because of him. Amen!
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A Mafia hitman and career criminal is suspected of leading the fatal attack on notorious Boston mob boss James ‘Whitey’ Bulger because he hated informants.
Fotios ‘Freddy’ Geas, 51, is under investigation for allegedly instigating a group of men to beat wheelchair-bound Bulger to death with a lock wrapped in a sock and partially gouge his eyes while in maximum security prison Tuesday.
‘Freddy hated rats,’ private investigator Ted McDonough said of Geas, who is serving a life sentence after he was ratted on for the murders of former Genovese crime family mob boss Adolfo ‘Big Al’ Bruno and associate Gary D Westerman in 2003.
Bulger had cut a sweet deal to serve as an FBI informant as far back as 1975, giving him virtual impunity to commit any crime he wanted for decades – except for murder.
The former head of south Boston’s Winter Hill Gang was convicted in 2013 of killing at least 11 people and was serving two life sentences at the time of his death.
‘Freddy hated guys who abused women. Whitey was a rat who killed women. It’s probably that simple,’ McDonough, who became friendly with Geas while working for him as an investigator, revealed to The Boston Globe.
West Bend couple celebrate 70th wedding anniversary
It was Sept. 25, 1948 and Franklin Bales and Margaret Weninger, 90, recited their vows to remain faithful and committed for the rest of their lives. This year the couple celebrated its 70th wedding anniversary. Franklin, 91, was born on the family farm on Rusco Drive in West Bend. He and Margaret, 90, met at a dance.
“Our farm was just a mile west of Gonring’s Resort. I had broken up with a different guy and me and my girlfriends were standing there and then he (Franklin) came over and asked me to dance. Then he asked to take me home, then he asked me to another dance and from there we kept on going.”
Margaret said she “didn’t think of marriage right away. She just liked being with him.”
“I liked his laugh,” said Margaret. “We had fun.”
Margaret was 18 years old when she met Franklin. She worked at Amity Leather at the time.
Franklin was 19 and a half and he worked on the family farm.
“I like her because she was easy going,” he said. “I could handle that.”
When Margaret turned 20 she and Franklin tied the knot.
“We got married at St. Matthias Church and had dinner at noon in the school basement. Some of the neighbor women cooked the meal and then we went to Gonring’s Resort for a dance,” said Margaret.
During the conversation the black-and-white wedding photos from Kind Studio – Barton, Wisc. are passed around the room. “I bought my dress in Chicago,” said Margaret. “I had aunts and uncles living in Chicago and a couple times I went down on the train and we went shopping for the dress. It was nothing fancy.”
The wedding photos look straight out of ‘June Bride’ featuring an elegant Margaret and a dapper Franklin surrounded by a wedding party of eight set against a backdrop of blue skies, two meaty columns and drapes.
“The photographer didn’t come to the wedding, we had to go to the photographer,” Margaret said.
Franklin recalled a delayed honeymoon as chores on the dairy farm took precedent.
“She had to can pears before we left and I had to fill the silo again,” he said.
A couple days later the pair were off gallivanting. “We drove into Canada and circled around a bit just so we could tell our friends we were in Canada,” said Margaret.
The couple moved in to Franklin’s home. “I’ve always live here,” he said. “Our bedroom is the room I was born in.”
The Bales had seven kids. Daughter Kathy Bales/Stodola shared some memories:
-Mom and Dad showed us by their example the importance of helping others. Sharing Mom’s amazing cinnamon rolls and produce from the garden with those who needed a pick-me-up visit.
-Volunteering at St. Frances Cabrini: ushering, counting lunch tickets, quilting, helping at the annual Rummage Sale
-Driving their older friends to doctor’s appointments
-Volunteering at Samaritan every Wednesday evening for years
-Catholic Family Life Insurance- Mom was secretary. Helped organize annual picnic and Christmas party.
-Mom and Dad also instilled in their children a love of learning. We had few books of our own at home except for a complete set of the World Book encyclopedia and the Childcraft set. We would page through the books endlessly and often look up topics for our school projects. I still recognize poems and artwork from those volumes.
-There were always trips to our WB Public Library. We would eagerly search for books to take home with us. The stack grew to a dozen or 20 but I think we only lost a couple in all those years!
-On Sunday drives, one or the other parent would say “I wonder where that road goes” and we’d turn and see! Even though, being on a farm, travel was limited they managed to take us all to the Milwaukee Museum or Zoo several times and it turned out that all their children are avid travelers looking to see where the road takes them. Fortunately, Dad and Mom retired early enough to enjoy quite a few long trips to places such as Mexico, California, Alaska and many more.
Recognizing anniversaries
Ever since cresting their 25th wedding anniversary the couple recognize their longevity together every 5 years. There are homemade posters from some of their 16 grandchildren still taped to the door from the last family gathering. “We also have 12 great grandchildren … with one more on the way,” said Franklin.
The Bales celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in the barn. “Our son cleaned it up and it looked just like a ballroom,” said Margaret.
When asked their secret to a happy marriage, Margaret talks about their evening routine. “At 7 p.m. we listen to the Rosary and Mass on Relevant Radio and then we hold hands every night and his hands are always cold. Then we go to bed at 8 o’clock and we talk a few minutes and then I say ‘good night, love you’ and he knows that’s the end of the conversation and he falls asleep very fast.”
Daughter Rosemary Kutz had fond memories growing up.
-Polka dancing with dad at dances with the Julida Boys
-Finding a note on the refrigerator when I got home from school that said we should come down and help pick stones but first we could have the warm potato salad or other good food mom had left for us on the stove.
-Blackberries and cream on soft white bread.
-Watching for Santa upstairs and hearing a loud “Ho Ho Ho” and bells ringing and then mom or dad saying “Come down, Santa was here”
-Learning how to be young volunteers by going with mom and dad to Samaritan
-Mom and dad always taking time to listen to us and seeming interested – no matter the subject
-Always saying just what I needed to hear if I was doubting a decision
-Teaching me to put God as a priority
Blessed with strong faith
Sitting in the living room the Bales overstuffed chairs are nestled next to each other. They’re close enough they reach out and hold hands throughout much of the conversation.
Raising seven children Margaret stressed how important it was for her to be home when the kids got home from school. “I did a lot of baking,” she said. “Sweet rolls, bread and pies and we had 3 eggs, toast and bacon for breakfast each morning. I never thought of it as work, we just did it.”
Margaret talked about when the kids were young and she’d hold one child on her hip and turn the crank on the ringer washer with the other.
Faith, according to the Bales, played a big factor in their lives. “We’d take the seven kids to church at St. Frances Cabrini and we’d pile in the car,” said Margaret. “We prayed the rosary during Lent when they were small and we had a prayer before meals.”
“We always tried to work things out,” said Franklin. “Things are easier if you try to work it out.”
“Patience,” said Margaret. “Patience is the key.”
Daughter Geralyn Kobs recalled growing up in a family of seven kids:
-Growing up in a family of 7 kids lends itself to memories of busy times, quiet moments, happy and sad days. Meals always began with a prayer and nearly always included potatoes, vegetables, meat and dessert. Mom is a fantastic cook and baker and could scrounge up a meal in no time. All the boys (left handed) sat on one side of the table and all the girls (right handed) sat on the other to prevent elbow jabbing fights!
-Mom always read books to us and a happy memory was going to the library in WB and checking out a fresh stack of books.
-Christmas memory – the tree would be trimmed for days but the lights would not be turned on and baby Jesus would not be added to the nativity set until Christmas Eve.
-Dad coming in from early morning milking with a metal jug of fresh milk, giving Mom a kiss, and sitting down to his breakfast of eggs.
-Dad telling us – ‘put a sweater on, I’m cold’ or ‘go to bed, I’m tired.’
-Giving up candy for Lent (seemed to be mandatory) and then getting chocolate covered peanuts in our Easter baskets.
-Mom sprinkling holy water around the house and on us during bad thunderstorms.
Daughter Joan Blankenship – Some things I remember:
-Not putting baby Jesus in the Nativity set until Christmas Eve and coming downstairs on Christmas Eve after watching out the window for Santa, and seeing all the presents under the lit Christmas tree. It was so magical. Our tradition was to not turn on the Christmas lights until Christmas Eve.
-Mom not liking to wake us up in the morning so she would throw a sock on our bed to wake us up gently. But every morning in the winter, I could hear Mom down by the wood furnace opening up the door of the furnace, and the noise radiating upstairs.
-Coming home from school and always having delicious snacks to eat – potato salad, homemade bread, coffee cake, peanut squares, Rosettes.
-Going out to the field to tell Dad, who was driving tractor, about some exciting occurrence at school. He would always stop, idle the tractor and listen, no matter how busy he was.
-Going swimming in between loads of hay. That pool was so enjoyable.
-Two plates with huge stacks of sweet corn placed on the window sill to cool off. Mom always gave me the lighter-color ones because they were easier for me to digest.
-I remember Dad always reading the paper every night while drinking a bottle of beer. He was always current with local, and world events.
-We had a set up encyclopedias which were so helpful when doing reports for school. We made many a trip to the library. They paid for all of the kids’ college tuition.
-We always had holy water in the hallway. Mom would sprinkle us with the holy water before we left on trips to help keep us safe and she would sprinkle around the house during thunderstorms to keep us safe. It worked. We always said Grace before meals. After my brother Paul passed away, they added another prayer to say, to always include and remember him and others who passed away.
Thank you for being the best parents ever. I always felt safe and cared for and loved. I always appreciate how you took such an interest in our life and activities. You’ve always been so helpful and generous. I feel so lucky to have you as my parents. I could not ask for more.
Trees are leveled as construction begins on new Fleet Farm
The logging trucks are clearing the 192,000-square-foot lot to the south of Highway 33 just east of County Highway Z for the new Fleet Farm. On Thursday a tree-cutting operation quickly moved through the property cutting trees and leveling the land for future development. Start date is listed as Oct 1, 2018. Completion is listed as September 9, 2019. 192,000-square-foot retail store and 7,100-square-foot convenience store and 652 parking stalls
Aside from the store there will also be a 7,162-square-foot gas station and convenience store. The proposed gas station would include 18 fuel pumps and 9 islands. Fleet Farm opened the existing West Bend store in 1961 as the sixth store in the company’s fleet. The existing 45,000-square-foot West Bend Fleet Farm will close when the new store opens in the fall of 2019.
Devenport family home is raised to make way for West Bend Honda Subaru
The demolition of the Devenport family home on the southwest corner of Highway 33 and Scenic Drive started at 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 2018.
It was a mere 28 minutes later and the old red brick two-story farmhouse was no more. The live broadcast drew thousands of viewers; many lamented the loss of a fine structure and some expressed sadness at what may be deemed “progress.”
According to records in the West Bend city assessor’s office the Devenport property on W. Washington Street, was annexed into the city in February 2018. The 39.575 acres sold to Morries West Bend H RE, LLC.
Long time teacher and coach Bob Neja has died
Robert H. Neja, 84, of West Bend, entered Eternal Life with Jesus on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018 after 62 wonderful years of marriage with Anne “Dolly” Neja. Bob passed away at home, surrounded by his family, after his battle with pancreatic cancer.
Bob was born on Jan. 16, 1934 in Milwaukee to the late Daniel and Marion Neja. Bob started his athletic career at St. Boniface Catholic Grade School and continued at Messmer High School, becoming a three sport letter winner in basketball, baseball and football. After graduating from Messmer High School in 1952, he attended St. Norbert College, earning a degree in Education. While at St. Norbert, Bob lettered four years in basketball and baseball. He was named Most Valuable Athlete. He also earned All-Midwest Catholic College Basketball team honors.
Bob married the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Anne Poehlmann on June 30, 1956. He then entered the U.S. Army on July 6, 1956 and was honorably discharged July 5, 1958 as a First Lieutenant MSC.
After the Army, Bob began his illustrious teaching and coaching career at his Alma Mater, Messmer High School in Milwaukee. During his time at Messmer from 1958 to 1970, Bob taught biology and coached football, track, baseball and basketball. He accumulated a record of 158 wins and 63 losses as head basketball coach and his teams were Conference Champions four years and WISAA State Champions in 1966 and 1968. They were State Championship Runners-up in 1967, losing the title game by one point.
Bob continued his teaching and coaching career at West Bend East High School from 1970 to 1995. He was the West Bend East Boys Basketball coach for five years and the West Bend East Girls Tennis coach for over 20 years. His tennis teams won eight conference championships, while qualifying numerous players and teams to the State Tournament.
His positive influence on students and athletes cannot be overstated. His philosophy was to help the kids grow to be great people first, winning along the way.
In honor of his years of success, Bob has been inducted into several Halls of Fame: Messmer High School, St. Norbert College, Wisconsin High School Basketball Coaches Association, Wisconsin High School Tennis Association, West Bend East High School, and the Old Time Ballplayers’ Association.
Bob was an active member of St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Fr. Casper Rehrl Council #1964. His faith was his priority in life.
Funeral services in honor of Bob will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church (1025 S. 7th Ave, West Bend) with visitation from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. followed by a Knights of Columbus service at 4:45 p.m. and Mass of Christian Burial at 5 p.m. After the Mass a reception will be held in the church hall.
Updates & tidbits
–In-person absentee voting is underway in Washington County for the Nov. 6 General Election.
– Sale price the Seed of Hope Center in West Bend paid for the former Graymont Western Lime building, 206 N. Sixth Avenue was $350,000. The building on the northwest corner of Sixth Avenue and Elm Street was built in 1961. It went on the market in March 2016 and was listed by RSM Property Management & Realty for $495,000. The 2018 assessment was $414,500.
-This week the West Bend Common Council approved a request to install a Civil War Memorial at Pilgrim Rest Cemetery on Chestnut and Summit in West Bend.
– Stephanie Salentine, Med/Surg RN, has been recognized with the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin St. Joseph’s Hospital first quarter DAISY Award for her care and comfort.
-The city of West Bend Police Department, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration will participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 1115 S. Main St., in the parking lot in front of West Bend City Hall.
– Details on the sale of the property for the Bob Fish Dealership show four parcels were involved and Lynch Ventures LLC paid $2.4 million for the land and building at 2275 S. Main Street.
– The second white bridge arrived in downtown West Bend on Wednesday, Oct. 24 and placed over the Milwaukee River. The bridge is installed to the south of where the ‘bridge to nowhere’ used to be located.
– Slinger Honorary Fire Fighter Ed Wolf, 76, passed away Wednesday morning, Oct. 24. Slinger Fire Department will be performing a bell ringing ceremony and walk through at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct 28. Members of Badger Firefighters association are welcome to attend. We will be meeting at Peace Lutheran Church in Hartford at 1:40 PM to line up.
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15 vets from Washington County will be on the Nov. 3 Honor Flight
Fifteen veterans from Washington County will be on the Nov. 3 Stars & Stripes Honor Flight.
This will be the 49th mission for the Honor Flight. Two planes carrying 75 vets each will take off from Mitchell International Airport. Since 2008 the Stars & Stripes Honor Flight has flown 6,199 local veterans.
Vietnam vets on this flight include: Robert Hertzfeldt, Army, from Jackson.
West Bend veterans who served during Vietnam include Louis Malmarowski, Army, Michael O’Leary, Army, Donald Harter, Army, Robert Pfeifer, Marines, Theodore Harris, Army, Robert Mueller, Army, Ronald Henderson, Army, and the husband-wife team of John and Donna Kleinmaus.
Hartford veteran Darrell Malmarowski Shadow, Army and David Wierzba, Air Force.
Germantown veteran Robert Drewek, Army and William Eusebio, Army, and Dale Schuldt from Hubertus.
Gov. Walker and Senator Johnson participate in George Webb hamburger giveaway
The line was pretty manageable Thursday, Oct. 18 as Brewers’ fans in West Bend lined up at George Webb on S. Main Street to get free burgers. The promotion was part of the George Webb promise of one free burger per customer if the Milwaukee Brewers win 12 games in a row.
Staff at George Webb were surrounded by volunteers who helped keep customers happy and the line moving. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker stopped by for a bit to greet Brewers fans and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson took a shift behind the grill flipping burgers. Store management planned to serve 3,000 people during the one-day event.
New concert series announced at Washington Co. Fair Park
The inaugural Junction 45 Music Festival is set to rock Washington County Fair Park on Saturday August 24, 2019 with festival headliner Hairball.
“Hairball has been the No. 1 requested band since I came on board and their fan base here would agree they are the perfect fit to kick off the first-ever Junction 45 Music Festival.” said Kellie Boone, Executive Director of Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center.
“We are thrilled to offer more events in addition to the annual County Fair that showcase The Silver Lining Amphitheater; it is an asset to Washington County Fair Park and the entire county.”
Hairball is a Rock & Roll experience with lights, sound, smoke, fire, bombs, and screaming hordes of avid fans. There will be three to four more bands featured at the festival that will be announced soon. Tickets for Junction 45 go on sale for AIS Members on Monday, Oct. 22 at 8 a.m. and to the public on Friday, Oct. 26 at 9 a.m. Tickets start at $15 for general admission lawn seating and range between $25 and $35 for the reserved seating and the pit area. More information on Junction 45 can be found at wcfairpark.com/Junction45.
Culaccino Bar + Italian Kitchen open in West Bend
Culaccino Bar + Italian Kitchen, 110 Wisconsin Street, in West Bend is now open. The interior has retained some of the familiar architecture from the old farmhouse days as The Binkery but the design and feel of the establishment are a blend of elegant, chic and classy.
The menu features wood-fired pizzas including Margherita featuring San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil or Fig and Prosciutto featuring goat cheese, fig mostarda, spinach, roasted garlic and olive oil.
Pasta includes Chicken Carbonara with features papradelle, pancetta, peas, egg and cream or Beef Short rib which features red wine braised beef, red wine sauce, papradelle, charred carrot, and balsamic marinated onion. Culaccino is accepting reservations at this time.
Work underway for new basketball/volleyball/pickleball courts at Regner Park
Work is underway at Regner Park for the new Milwaukee Bucks Court Project. The basketball court, volleyball and pickleball court are being built in the current area of Softball Field A which is located to the north of Carl Kuss Memorial Field, to the east of the parking lot and to the south of the Urban Fishing Pond.
The Milwaukee Bucks and West Bend Mutual Insurance joined together to donate $150,000 for the sports complex. This week the field was leveled, the backstop fencing removed and the new court framed out. According to Park & Rec Dept. head Craig Hoeppner the concrete will be poured next week followed by installation of a sportcourt. The project should be completed by mid-November.
The Sounds of the Season is theme of Germantown Christmas Festival
Germantown’s Christmas Parade and 5K Candy Cane Run/Walk is Nov. 10. That’s the day for the annual Germantown Christmas Festival.
“This year’s theme is ‘The Sounds of the Season’ and we are really happy to have three musical groups providing holiday music along the parade route,” said Lynn Grgich, executive director of the Germantown Chamber of Commerce.
The 5k Candy Cane Run/Walk will kick-off at 10 a.m. from the parking lot of the Germantown Police Department.
Holiday and patriotic music will fill the parade route with three musical groups set to perform. The Germantown Community Band will be featured as the Parade Marshall. “This is the 20th anniversary of the band and we are certainly pleased that the group has been named the Parade Marshall,” says Jim Barnes, the director of the group.
Grgich expects 50 to 60 ‘units’ in the parade and “at least 1,000 people marching.” There are no fees to take part as an entry in the parade but pre-registration is required as a way of managing the order of the units. Parade lineup will be at 12:30 pm and the parade will get underway at 1:30 at Pilgrim Road and Sylvan Circle, immediately north of Mequon Road. The parade will travel north to Fond du Lac Avenue, onto Main Street to Squire Drive, then turn south onto Squire Drive ending in the Life Church parking lot.
At the close of the parade, events will shift to the Germantown Community Library. There will free, horse-drawn carriage rides, hot beverages and treats, Christmas caroling, KID IDs by the Germantown Police Department, a gift basket sale by Friends of the Library, and visits with Santa when he is finished with his work with the parade.
“The actual lighting of the official Village Christmas Tree will take place around 4:15,” said Grgich.
170th anniversary at Fifth Avenue Methodist Church By Pastor Clarissa Martinelli
We greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We would be honored if you would be a part of our 170th Church Anniversary Jamboree.
This year Fifth Avenue Methodist Church in West Bend will celebrate its 170th Anniversary. The Jamboree will kick off Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 at 5 p.m. with an enlightening program rejoicing in our past, present, and future, followed by a dinner celebration.
Our Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018 at 10 a.m. our worship service celebration will be a combination of all the wonderful memories of the past 170 years, rejoicing in God’s richest blessings now, and looking forward to a great future! We are honored to have Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, resident bishop in the Wisconsin Annual Conference, as our guest speaker.
This year’s theme: “RESET FOR TRANSITION”, Making a Commitment to Improvement through Alignment and Involvement, derived from, Haggai 2:9 (The Message).
You have been an essential part of Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church’s history, I hope you will come and help make this an exceptional 170th Church Anniversary.
Please join us in praying that the Lord Jesus will be honored and glorified through all the reflections, singing, preaching, and worship on these special days!
Yours in Christ, Pastor Clarissa and Martin Martinelli
Ground breaking for new West Bend Medical
A ground breaking was held this week for the new West Bend Medical at 140 E. Water Street in West Bend. The 13,125-square-foot building will be located on the northeast corner of Water Street just east of Wisconsin Street (across from the old Dublin’s Restaurant). “We are excited for the opportunity to bring our brand of healthcare back to the heart of West Bend,” said Dr. Chad Tamez.
“We (the physicians and staff of West Bend Medical) have dedicated our careers to helping our community be healthier both inside and outside the office,” said Dr. Carey Cameron.
Doctor Wolter said, “Redeveloping an unused site in the downtown area is simply an extension of our commitment to making West Bend a better place to live.”
Sex offender released in Town of Jackson
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office informed the public this week of the release of a sex offender. According to authorities his criminal history places him in a classification level which reflects the potential to re-offend.
Christian Petak, 48, will reside at the 1725 CTH NN in the Town of Jackson; while he attempts to locate a residence and employment. During 1999 in Washington County Petak was convicted of 1 count of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault of a Child, 1 count of 3rd Degree Sexual Assault of a Child and 1 count of Traveling Interstate with the Intent to Engage in Sexual Act with a Minor.
Petak will be on probation until Feb. 19, 2022 and will be monitored closely by WI-DOC Division of Community Corrections agents. Petak will have numerous rules and restrictions to follow including wearing a live tracking GPS unit.
An education at the West Bend Airport
More than 100 students from McLane Elementary learned a bit about the dynamics of flight as volunteers from the EAA1158 chapter at the West Bend Airport held demonstrations, gave tours and passed along lessons about flight. The parachute drop was popular with kids along with a chance to sit behind the steering column inside a real plane. There was also a lesson about the power of air … which was presented using a common household item; a hairdryer. Students were able to explore a plane and they were treated to a drone demonstration.
Halloween Trick or Treat in Washington County By Samantha Sali
Halloween is almost here. Here are some of the trick-or-treat times for Washington, Ozaukee, and Dodge Counties.
Saturday, October 27, 2018 – Cedarburg, 5 – 8 p.m., Grafton, 5 – 8 p.m., Farmington, 4 – 7 p.m., Hartford (Downtown), 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Kewaskum, 5 – 7 p.m., Port Washington, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Downtown Trick or Treat (Participating businesses will have a pumpkin in the window.) 4 – 7 p.m. city-wide trick or treat, Richfield, 3 – 6 p.m., Slinger, 5 – 7 p.m. (Afterward families are welcome to a free event as Spooky Slinger will be held from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Slinger Community Park with music, pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, food and beverages.), Trenton, 4 – 6 p.m., West Bend, 4 – 6 p.m.
–In-person absentee voting is underway in Washington County for the Nov. 6 General Election.
-The city of West Bend Police Department, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration will participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct/ 27, 2018 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 1115 S. Main St., in the parking lot in front of West Bend City Hall.
-American Legion Post 36 will host a brat fry on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27 at Highway 33 and 15th Avenue in West Bend. Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds go to local veterans programs.
– Rally Time Sports Bar and Grill in West Bend is looking for a part-time line cook position. Rally Time has a family-friendly team atmosphere. The position is primarily day shift and coverage as needed. Call Dan at 262-389-1142 or Cindy at 262-389-0839 or stop at the bar for an application.
The Hartford community remembers the generous spirit of Terry Lutz By Samantha Sali
Neighbors in Hartford are singing the praises and saying goodbye to local philanthropist and former President of Signicast Terry Lutz.
Walter “Terry” Lutz died Friday, October 12, 2018 at the age of 78.
Former Hartford Mayor and current Director of the Chamber of Commerce Scott Henke said, “I’m going to miss Terry’s generosity and warm heart. He’s done so many things for the city…we are always indebted to him for those community donations.”
In February 2013 Terry Lutz wrote his autobiography In Pursuit of Manufacturing Excellence – The Signicast Story. In the book Lutz relayed how he “transformed a small job shop on the outskirts of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, into the largest commercial investment casting company in the United States.”
According to the book, “Lutz grew up in Haddonfield, New Jersey and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. After working many years at Haynes Stellite Company in Kokomo, Indiana, Lutz moved his family to Cedarburg in 1974 and joined Signicast as a General Manager in Brown Deer.”
By 1978 Lutz was the President of Signicast and in 1981, purchased the company. He led the company from sales of $1 million and 30 employees in 1974 to $149 million in sales and 690 employees by 2012.
Lutz reluctantly sold Signicast in 2008 to The Pritzker Group but stayed on as president until retiring in 2012.
In early 2018, Signicast renamed its auditorium in honor of Lutz. This week Signicast released a statement on its website as a tribute to its former owners.
“Terry Lutz contributed in many immeasurable ways to Signicast, the investment casting industry and to our local community. As visionary for the Signicast business we know today, it was his persistent way that revolutionized the industry. His drive, inquisitive nature, dedication to continuous flow manufacturing, use of automation and application of world class process engineering, opened new possibilities for the application of investment casting. Along the way he taught many others because of his own inquisitiveness and allowed them to expand their own careers in the process. After selling Signicast, he directed that same drive and passion toward donating both his time and financial resources in support of his local community. On behalf of all Signicast employees, our hearts and best wishes are with Terry’s family and loved ones.”
As Lutz made a significant impact on the growth and development of Signicast, his dedication to Washington County is equally noteworthy.
Creating the Lutz Family Foundation, Terry Lutz was a benefactor for high-profile landmarks in Hartford. His most noteworthy monetary gifts were to the Harford Recreation Center Signicast Family Pool, Schauer Arts Center, Jack Russell Memorial Library, the Chandelier Ballroom, and Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center.
In 2017, he also donated over $2 million to Waukesha County Technical College.
The Dean of Applied Technologies at Waukesha County Technical College, Mike Shiels, said Lutz was very involved in education.
“Terry had an incredible passion and vision for technical education and he really understood what it takes to deliver that quality education,” said Shiels. “He was willing to make significant investments to ensure education could be delivered and could carry on for generations to come. While he was an employer at Signicast, he sent many apprentices to us and hired many of our graduates. He will be missed and it was in honor to have known him.”
Michele Price, Executive Director of the Chandelier Ballroom, said Lutz had always been a huge supporter of the Ballroom and all of the projects through the years.
“I feel as though the Ballroom would not be standing here today without Terry’s support,” Price said. “His generous spirit is like nothing I’ve ever seen. He was so successful in life, paid it forward, and to be around a person like him was really special. He’s an amazing man and I’m so proud to have known him and been able to be a part of the wonderful things he’s done for the city.”
Hartford Park and Recreation Director Mike Herman said Lutz was extremely generous and quick to step forward to make the community a great place to live.
“One of the first major gifts he made was in 1999 when we were building the Hartford Recreation Center,” said Herman. “He gifted the Signicast Family Aquatic Center. Terry and his wife were also our honorary campaign chairs for raising money for the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center. They made a major donation of $1.5 million and inspired the community to step forward; we ended up raising $2.3 million. It was a pleasure working with Terry and his wife through the campaign.”
Please keep the Lutz family in your thoughts and prayers. Visitation was Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 at the Chandelier Ballroom. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Hartford Boys and Girls Club or to the Washington County Humane Society.
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West Bend West has a new head baseball coach as Dan D’Amico has been hired to fill the post following the end-of-season retirement of Billy Albrecht. D’Amico, 31, is currently a teacher at Waukesha North High School.
“An opportunity to coach a team like West Bend West doesn’t come up every day,” said D’Amico. “Having coached a summer team for the last six years and playing high school summer baseball myself the tradition of West Bend West is hard to miss. I was well aware going in of what success coach Albrecht had in the past.”
D’Amico mentioned the strong tradition of baseball in the community of West Bend overall.
The WIAA spring baseball season starts in March 2019. D’Amico said he realizes baseball fans are not familiar with starting a season in the snow but it should be an enjoyable experience.
“This will be a good situation for West Bend West because it will allow the kids to play more baseball,” he said. “They’ll get a chance to play for their high school in the spring and they’ll get a chance to play club or with some travel team in the summer.”
D’Amico was more than familiar that he was coming into a new stadium situation as Carl Kuss Memorial Field is undergoing an extensive upgrade. “Fortunately I was able to play in the last regular season game at Regner,” he said. “We played West Bend East in the last game before the playoffs.
“I’m well aware of the history of the stadium and it’s a beautiful stadium and I think the upgrade is going to be a wonderful opportunity for both schools and the community and I’m excited to see what it looks like,” he said.
D’Amico was coach of the Waukesha North boys varsity baseball team for the past five seasons. He started as an Assistant Varsity/JV Head Coach in 2013 and became head coach the last four years. D’Amico attended UW-Stevens Point where he majored in Physical Education. He is currently a Phy Ed teacher as well as a football and track assistant coach at Waukesha North.
Questioned whether he will be changing jobs and teaching in the West Bend School District, D’Amico said, “My students ask me that 15 times a day and right now there’s no teaching job that’s been offered to me and I plan on staying in Waukesha as long as they’ll have me.”
Albrecht coached WB West baseball team for 13 years. He retired the end of the 2018 season.
Soft opening for Culaccino Bar + Italian Kitchen
The opening of Culaccino Bar + Italian Kitchen, 110 Wisconsin Street, is so close…. you can almost taste it. The new outdoor sign went up Friday afternoon just in time for a soft, soft opening this weekend. It’s an invite-only sort of event, which will run the next couple of days as the staff gets its footing. Pronounced cool-lah-chino, the modern Italian restaurant is the homegrown concept of Bibinger’s owner Travis Dowden. Designed to deliver Italian-inspired, honest cooking, with an emphasis on using the highest quality ingredients, locally-sourced whenever possible. The new sign for Culaccino was produced by Odd Job Shop in West Bend.
New sign in place at Washington County Fair Park
The folks at Washington County Fair Park took the new sign on Highway 45 for a test drive on Thursday afternoon and lit up the LED board. The new digital sign is about twice the size of the old and it’s in color; staff said the goal was an easier read for motorists along the highway. Also new: the lettering across the top, a larger banner for the Fair Park & Conference Center and a larger banner for the Washington County 4H. The project was completed by SignEffectz.Inc.
Ground breaking Monday, Oct. 15 for new West Bend Medical
Construction is underway for the new West Bend Medical at 140 E. Water Street in West Bend.
The 13,125-square-foot building will be located on the northeast corner of Water Street just east of Wisconsin Street (across from the old Dublin’s Restaurant). The groundbreaking will be held on Monday, Oct. 15 at 6:15 p.m. “We are excited for the opportunity to bring our brand of healthcare back to the heart of West Bend,” said Dr. Chad Tamez.
“We (the physicians and staff of West Bend Medical) have dedicated our careers to helping our community be healthier both inside and outside the office,” said Dr. Carey Cameron.
Doctor Wolter said, “Redeveloping an unused site in the downtown area is simply an extension of our commitment to making West Bend a better place to live.”
Development in Germantown
Although construction is already underway on 140 acres in Germantown, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held Tuesday afternoon to acknowledge the new Briggs & Stratton facility and Germantown’s future Gateway Corporate Park.
Stats on development include:
-706,000-square-foot industrial distribution facility for Briggs & Stratton Corporation.
-Gateway Corporate Park will be home to future build-to-suit projects up to 1.4 million square feet.
-To put the project into perspective, the Amazon development in Kenosha is 1 million square feet and the Germantown development is 700,000+ square feet.
-Thirty jobs will be created at the distribution facility.
Christian Tscheschlok, Executive Director of Economic Development Washington County, said the county EDWC got involved in April 2018 and made quick work of helping secure the project.
“This is exciting on so many levels because really what it’s showing is the opportunity in front of us right now as it relates to some of the spillover from the Foxconn effect,” said Tscheschlok.
“You’re seeing the market heat up so substantially in southeast Wisconsin and some of the effect for Washington County will be to leverage the position we have to be able to tap into multiple labor sheds, available space and land that is still cost effective for development and new opportunity and a workforce that’s highly skilled and you put all that together and we represent a significant place for economic development that’s going to come off of some of the challenges they’re already facing already in the Kenosha/Racine area.”
-Guest speakers included Chad Navis, Director of Industrial Investments – Zilber Property Group, Dean Wolter, Village Board President in Germantown, John Kersey, Executive Vice President with Zilber Property Group and Bill Harlow, Director of Global Distribution and Warehousing Briggs & Stratton.
-Target completion date for Briggs distribution facility is April 1, 2019.
West Bend School Board votes 6-1 on 2018-19 teacher contract
The 2018-19 teacher collective bargaining agreement was approved on a 6-1 vote during Monday night’s West Bend School Board meeting. Ken Schmidt was the only dissenting vote.
Dave Hammelmann with the West Bend School District said, “We did complete the WBEA teachers union and we had two negotiation meetings in September.
“The negotiations did end in at impasse for both 2017-18 and 2018-19 so in general where we ended up is within the preliminary budget you all approved and authorization was given to that.
“In general it’s a 2 percent across-the-board increase for teachers which includes the teachers making over $70,000 who in the past had been at a cap. So they received in the past a cash-in-lieu-of payment instead of a natural base increase. So this plan does include that so I’m pleased to say that’s where we are.”
Ken Schmidt said he would be voting ‘no’ on the proposed contract.
“I have no problem with the amount of dollars that will be disseminated however the way they are disseminated is a challenge for me. Across-the-board base wages makes us as a district locked into that increase and that can have repercussions for the future, especially if we get into tight budget years.
“This economy is on steroids, we’ve got a great economy and because of that property values are up. There’s a high demand for housing and so on and that means there will be more taxes coming into the coffers but that’s not always going to be the case. Property values can go down and have a bad economy and then what do we do?
“Maybe give a partial across-the-board increase that would be ok with a maybe a bonus but … 2 percent lock it in across the board I think that locks us in as a district to maybe some obligations we may have problems with in the future and have to cut this or that to fund this increase, we could even be facing an operational referendum and I don’t want to see that in the West Bend School District.
“I think there’s a more reasonable way of providing this increase to our faculty and support staff.”
Board members voting in favor of the contract include Tiffany Larson, Nancy Justman, Joel Ongert, Tonnie Schmidt, Chris Zwygart, and Kurt Rebholz.
Details on the compensation package regarding health insurance and benefits included in the contract were not provided.
Superintendent Don Kirkegaard said after the meeting all teachers were treated the same. “Everybody got a flat 2 percent and that was true for all the support staff as well,” he said.
Questioned how teachers will be encouraged to excel if they’re all treated the same, Kirkegaard said, “At this time we do not have a quality process in place that addresses performance, all of the different things. That’s not there and that’s one of the things we’re going to work on for this year is to try to put something back in place so for future years you potentially have a flat amount but you also provide additional incentives based on certain criteria and that’s what we’ll work on this year.”
Paying tribute to Jeff Klotz
Funeral services were held Friday for Jeffrey Steven Klotz who was called to be with the Lord and his older brother, Daniel, on Oct. 5, 2018 at age 61.
Since the news broke about Jeff’s death many have written memories and tributes. A collection of thoughts and comments are below:
Jenny Kruse-Zaskowski – Our thoughts and prayers to Jeff’s family. As a very frequent shopper he is a testimonial to true leadership. He was always working side by side with all of his youth employees. He instilled great work ethic in his entire staff and showed customer and community service like no other. What a loss to our community.
Valery Brussat – A great loss to our community. Sending prayers to his family.
Debra Jurcek – What a great loss and shock. Just recently I asked him to stock something for me and a week or so later it was at the store. He really cared for his customers. Prayers to his family.
Grant Baehmann – What a wonderful man and boss he was. He will be deeply missed.
Sharon Grammel (Duckett) – Jeff was a great boss and mentor when I worked for him and Carole back in the early 80’s at Benidts Red Owl. I am just shocked and saddened. He will truly be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Klotz family.
Anna Marie – My first summer job. I remember for lunch he’d always ask me to make him a hot ham sandwich on a Kaiser roll with plenty of horseradish sauce. He was a good man to work for and always with a smile on his face.
Barb Datka Redman – So sad. Jeff gave my son his first job. He was/is a very good man and his will be felt by the entire community.
Lisa Ryan – What a huge loss. I will forever remember a tall blonde haired man, always saying hello to me. Jeff? You were a man who cared about his customers and treated those customers as friends. RIP dear man. I wish your family peace and comfort in your memory.
Pattie Coffelt Philipps – So sad to hear this. We’re regular customers and always saw Jeff working at the store. Always a smile and hello. Heartfelt sympathy for his family, friends, and employees.
AnnMarie Corbett- Prayers to the family! He always greeted everyone with a smile and a Hello…The store won’t be the same without him!
Tom Jensen -He will be terribly missed. Jeff was a natural leader who taught by doing and not by intimidation. From him, I learned to importance of hard work, friendliness, and never giving up until the job was done. These examples were important for this snot-nosed kid in 1980 at the old Red Owl on Washington Street. God Bless you Jeff.
Jenny Schulteis – He was absolutely a quiet community leader. He helped D11SC, Inc. With our Thanksgiving and Christmas meal initiatives to provide meals for local families in need. He was happy to so this with a joyful heart.
Larry Last- I was shocked. Jeff as so many say will be missed. A pillar in the community, always supporting events and teams and more. Gave so many jobs to teens. My most favorite grocer ever. Always ready to great customers with that kind and caring spirit. You have been a great example to me and so so many more. Prayers to all your loved ones Sir. Rest in Peace and we all shall meet again on the other side.
Josh Wiedmeyer – He is going to be truly missed. My daughters and I shop every Saturday morning at the Pig. Jeff always said hi and would go out his way to help. How many grocery store owners today are still on the floor stocking, shelf facing or just being completely approachable? He was one of the very last of those guys and the very reason I would shop a grocery store. He was awesome!
Mark Hoefert – I remember when Jeff started working at the Red Owl store in West Bend, as the Assistant Manager to Gregg Benidt who had purchased the store. The Benidt family owned numerous grocery stores in Waukesha at the time – as I recall, Jeff had worked for them before they bought the West Bend store. Gregg himself died at a young age in a tragic car accident near his home on east Paradise Road in the Town of Trenton. I used to tell Jeff that someday he would own the Red Owl store and he would laugh at me. I was 1/2 right – he may not have become the owner of the Red Owl store, but he did become owner of his own Piggly Wiggly. I don’t think I ever knew a more positive, upbeat guy. Always smiling.
Lisa Lange I can’t wrap my head around this news. I just saw you last week. Jeff I have known you for many years. You always had a smile on your face when I ran into you at the Pig. I watched your kids and even worked for you and Carole in High School. Sending many thoughts and prayers. R.I.P Jeff.
Jeff never met a golf course he wouldn’t play, a mountain he wouldn’t hike, or a person he wouldn’t help. A masterful and hilarious storyteller. A good man, a great man, and a great loss.
Halloween Trick or Treat in Washington County By Samantha Sali
Halloween is almost here. Here are some of the trick-or-treat times for Washington, Ozaukee, and Dodge Counties.
Saturday, October 27, 2018 – Cedarburg, 5 – 8 p.m., Grafton, 5 – 8 p.m., Farmington, 4 – 7 p.m., Hartford (Downtown), 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Kewaskum, 5 – 7 p.m., Port Washington, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Downtown Trick or Treat (Participating businesses will have a pumpkin in the window.) 4 – 7 p.m. city-wide trick or treat, Richfield, 3 – 6 p.m., Slinger, 5 – 7 p.m. (Afterward families are welcome to a free event as Spooky Slinger will be held from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Slinger Community Park with music, pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, food and beverages.), Trenton, 4 – 6 p.m., West Bend, 4 – 6 p.m.
– The doors at Good Shepherd Lutheran and Little Lambs Child Care will be open to the community this Sunday, Oct. 14, from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Tours of Good Shepherd and Little Lambs Child Care, treats, door prizes and more. Bring your friends and relatives to see the blessings showered on Good Shepherd and the vision to connect to Christ, each other and our community. Join in the activities and the fun.
– There’s a complimentary session on Monday, Oct. 15 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in West Bend on how to plan to finance a college education. RSVP at 262-224-5058 or email peter.kapler@thrivent.com
– Keller Inc. carried out its 4th annual Police Dedication and presented about a dozen checks for $2,500 each to area police departments including Germantown Police Department.
–In-person absentee voting is underway in Washington County for the Nov. 6 General Election.
– The VFW Post #1393 in West Bend, 260 Sand Drive, is gearing up to host its annual spaghetti dinner on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.. All money raised goes to the organizations general fund. Bring the family and come join us.
– The Allenton Volunteer Fire Department and St. Lawrence Fire Company have announced plans for their annual Pancake Breakfast and Open House in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week. This year’s event will be Sunday, Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the Allenton Fire Department.
-American Legion Post 36 will host a brat fry on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27 at Highway 33 and 15th Avenue in West Bend. Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds go to local veterans programs.
– The annual Interfaith Tea is just around the corner and you’re invited. This year’s theme is Tailgating. Celebrity waiters will serve you and your guests and there will be an amazing silent auction, a fun purse auction, 50-50 raffle and a beer and wine pull. Lots of fun on tap and all for a good cause. Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County is a local organization that matches volunteers with senior citizens to help with doctor appointments, shopping, cleaning and just paying it forward. Reserve your seat today and contact Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County. See you Oct. 14 at the West Bend Mutual Prairie Center.
– Hartford’s H.e.l.p. Corner at Redeemer Church is slated to open mid-September.
– Rally Time Sports Bar and Grill in West Bend is looking for a part-time line cook position. Rally Time has a family-friendly team atmosphere. The position is primarily day shift and coverage as needed. Call Dan at 262-389-1142 or Cindy at 262-389-0839 or stop at the bar for an application.
Find local news for free 7 days a week at WashingtonCountyInsider.com
Remembering “quiet community leader” Jeff Klotz from Klotz’s Piggly Wiggly
Neighbors in West Bend are mourning the loss of community leader Jeff Klotz.
Klotz was co-owner of the Piggly Wiggly in West Bend, Campbellsport and in April 2016 he purchased a store in Fond du Lac.
George Prescott of West Bend was a fellow grocer. “I’ve got a lot of respect for him,” said Prescott. “He had good service, a good reputation and I’m just shocked.”
Bob Bonenfant, formerly with WBKV Radio, knew Klotz personally and worked with him on radio ads.
“I just liked the guy,” said Bonenfant. “I never saw a person who worked so hard in his life. He was always here at the store and he was working.”
Klotz had a very high profile at the store on Highway 33 in West Bend. He could be seen regularly in the aisles wearing his green Piggly Wiggly apron and talking to customers or stocking product.
“For an owner he did everything from stocking shelves to making sure the carts were picked up,” said Bonenfant.
West Bend Mayor Kraig Sadownikow said, “Jeff Klotz was a quiet leader and a man who gave hundreds of high school kids the opportunity to have their first job.”
Todd Tennies said Klotz was always a big supporter of high school athletics. “I know he had a son who was a good football player and he donated a lot to sports groups. He was always very community minded and I’m saddened by his loss,” said Tennies.
Jeff Szukalski, owner of Jeff’s Spirits on Main, was shocked by the news.
“Jeff was a great guy, great friend, great business guy and he cared about the kids in the community,” he said. “He was always there to pitch in for the Food Pantry and for the West Bend Christmas Parade.”
Klotz’s Piggly Wiggly was previously located on N. Main Street in Barton. The store moved to E. Washington Street in 2004. Jeff Klotz was active in the West Bend Baseball Association, West Bend Christmas Parade, youth sports leagues and the West Bend Food Pantry.
The Washington County Sheriff Deputies were called to Klotz’s home in Kewaskum early Friday morning.
An autopsy shows Klotz died from natural causes related to high blood pressure. Services for Jeff Klotz will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church in West Bend. Details will be posted shorlty by the Phillip Funeral Home. Early plans are set for Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Woman crashes into Big Cedar Lake off CTH K and State Hwy 144
Nobody was hurt following a single-vehicle accident early Wednesday morning at State Highway 144 and County Highway K.
Washington County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said a woman from Fond du Lac was eastbound on CTH K and failed to stop at the intersection, continued east and ended up in Big Cedar Lake.
The accident happened shortly after 4:30 a.m. on Oct. 3. “Another motorist called it in. That person said the woman was driving erratically around I41 and CTH K,” said Schmidt. “The woman missed the stop sign at the bottom of the hill and drove into the lake and landed half on the pier.”
Schmidt said alcohol was not a factor in the accident nor a medical condition.
The woman, 38, told authorities she was on I41 and missed her exit. She got confused and took CTH K and was driving at a high rate of speed and didn’t see the stop sign or the intersection.
A citation will be mailed to the woman. Schmidt said she was not injured.
Accepted offer on former Graymont building in downtown West Bend
The former Graymont building, 206 N. Sixth Ave., in downtown West Bend has an accepted offer.
Seed of Hope Center is looking to purchase the building. The medical clinic, based in West Bend, provides free pregnancy testing, sexual health consultations, and parenting education.
“We have been serving Washington County for 26 years,” said executive director Laura Denk. “We’ve moved around a bit and we’ve been thinking we have so many women that come to us and those who love our services and we wanted to put our roots down in Washington County and make it permanent.”
Seed of Hope Center has moved four times in the last 17 years. It is currently located in the office building, 279 S. 17th Avenue, in West Bend. Prior to that it was located in the Spaulding Clinical building off Oak Street and prior to that it was in two different locations in Hartford.
“We love everything about the building but the biggest thing that attracts us to it is the location,” Denk said. “We work so closely with many different agencies in Washington County and we felt we would be surrounded by other agencies that could provide services some of our moms need.”
Denk mentioned Family Promise, Life of Hope, the Department of Social Services, Froedtert St. Joseph’s Hospital and Friends of Abused Families as key partner agencies in the community.
Currently Seed of Hope Center has about 3,000 square feet of space. The site on Sixth Avenue measures a little more than twice that.
“We want to build an educational kitchen so we can teach,” said Denk. “A lot of our moms learn how to set a menu and grocery shop but some don’t and this would be a good opportunity to teach.”
Seed of Hope Center averages 600 – 800 people that take advantage of classes each year.
“Our future, future goal would be to provide not a shelter, but a home for moms prior to giving birth,” Denk said. “Some of the young ladies that come here were never nurtured and they never learned how to be a parent. We’re looking for a short term 6 to 9 month stay that helps these moms learn life skills, deal with their own life struggles and just to get them on their feet so when their baby is born they could raise their own family.”
Denk said the goal would be to be in the same building but they haven’t even explored that yet.
“Buying this building is just a stepping stone,” she said. “The purpose of buying the building is to be one location for all our services.” Denk credited the multiple donors and supporters for assisting in the purchase of the building. The building on the northwest corner of Sixth Avenue and Elm Street was built in 1961.
According to the city assessor the property was assessed at $414,500 in 2018. The total property tax in 2017 was $9,726.13. The portion that went to the BID assessment was $1,320. Seed of Hope Center is a 501c3 non-profit. The city assessor’s office said it would have until March 1, 2019 to apply for exemption. Seed of Hope Center is planning to move into its new location before the end of the year.
In March 2016 the property went up for sale. Below is the archived story from Around the Bend.
Property updates: The former Graymont building, 206 N. Sixth Avenue in West Bend, has finally hit the real estate market. The property is formerly home to Western Lime Corporation. It changed to Graymont in April 2012 after the company moved from a small office above the Husar building.
Last April, Graymont moved across the street to 215 N. Main Street, formerly the Ziegler building. The property at 206 N. Sixth Ave. was built in 1961, updated in 1994, is 7,500 square feet and is listed by agent Jodi Brandt from RSM Property Management & Realty at $495,000.
The closing date according to RSM Property is November however that date may be pushed up a bit. We’ll keep you posted.
Fire Prevention Week is underway By Ron Naab
Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country.
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of Oct. 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage.
This horrific fire killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land. Both fires started on Oct. 8 and intensified on Oct. 9. The Peshtigo fire came to a halt when it reached the shores of Lake Michigan.
During Fire Prevention Week the goal is to educate children and adults on being safe in case of a fire. The teaching theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week is: Look, Listen, Learn. Be aware of your surroundings because fire can happen anywhere. Look for places fire could start around your home, your work place and the places you have fun at. Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm.
Test your smoke detectors, if they are 10 years old replace them. Do a drill so all know what to do and where to go. Finally, learn two ways out of every room and out of your house. Make sure all doors and windows are cleared of any clutter.
In Washington County the week starts off Friday night with the Richfield Fire Company 25th Annual Fire Prevention Week Kick-Off on Friday evening starting at 6:30 until 9 p.m.
There will be a huge display of fire trucks and emergency equipment along with a landing of the Flight for Life Ambulance Helicopter [7:45 pm]. This will be followed by the other departments in the county hosting activities throughout the week.
Washington Co. Fire Prevention Week activities are below:
Allenton Vol. Fire Department and St. Lawrence Fire Company Pancake Breakfast & Open House on Sunday, Oct. 14, 8 a.m.-12 noon at the Allenton Fire Station
Boltonville Fire Department Open House at Boltonville Fire Station on Monday, Oct. 8, 6-8 p.m.
Fillmore Fire Department Open House on Saturday, Oct. 13, 1-3 p.m.
Germantown FD Fire Safety Fair at Station No. 2 on Edison Dr., Saturday, Oct. 6; 10 a.m. -2 p.m.
Hartford Fire-Rescue Open House on Saturday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Jackson Fire Department Open House on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 6 – 8 p.m.
Kewaskum Fire Department Open House on Thursday, Oct. 11, 6:00-8:00 pm
Kohlsville Fire Department Open House on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Richfield Fire Prevention Week Kick-Off at RFC Station 2 on Friday, Oct. 5, 6:30-9:00 pm
Slinger Fire Department Open House at Slinger Community Park on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 6 -8 p.m.
West Bend Fire Department Open House at Station No. 1 on Saturday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Washington County Supervisor resignation letter By William Blanchard
On Thursday, Dist. 11 Washington Co. Supervisor William Blanchard submitted a letter of resignation to the Washington County Board. His letter is below followed by a note from County Administrator Joshua Schoemann
Early on in my life, my parents taught me the importance of giving back to your community. Whether it was delivering meals on wheels with my dad, mowing the lawn or shoveling the sidewalk of an older neighbor, helping with a handicapped Boy Scout troop or going on mission trips to Mexico to assist with building homes, I have looked for ways to give back and serve those less fortunate. That sense of giving back has been carried through to my adult life. For 28 years I have honorably served this country. I have sacrificed the comforts of home and modern life to serve in other countries. I have sacrificed time with friends and family for training and deployments. Additionally, I have volunteered my time as a Firefighter and EMT with Campbellsport Volunteer Fire Department and now as a Firefighter with Boltonville Fire Department.
As my military career winded down and I began to seriously contemplate retirement, I looked for a new way to serve my community. After serious contemplation and discussions with my family, I decided to run for County Board Supervisor. I knocked on doors and got to meet many of my neighbors that I otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet. Unfortunately, I didn’t win the election but it was a blessing in disguise as my hero, my Dad, passed away from cancer the day before the election and I needed the time to deal with the loss. I was thrilled when I learned that the County Board Supervisor position for District 11 was open and even more thrilled when I was appointed to that position in August.
I am devastated that I am now forced, under duress, to resign from my position as Washington County Board Supervisor for District 11. Over the past few weeks, I have been subjected to harassing calls and threats to resign or else… Why am I being forced to resign? NOT because I have done anything wrong or committed any ethics violation but, rather, because my mentally ill daughter is receiving services from Washington County.
Therefore, with a heavy heart, I submit this letter as my resignation from my position as Washington County Board Supervisor for District 11.
I have received multiple communications from several Supervisors about the email you received from Supervisor Blanchard today announcing his intent to resign as a County Board Supervisor. As with all Board communication I highly advise you to refrain from any discussion amongst yourselves regarding this matter, including any ‘Reply’ or ‘Reply All’ to the original email from Supervisor Blanchard. I only give this advice as the matter may relate to the Open Meetings Law, as it may or may not be discussed by the County Board and as it has been considered by the Ethics Committee.
Please be advised this matter is of a sensitive nature, and thus requires the County’s strictest diligence. While Supervisor Blanchard is certainly allowed to share, as he did, any and all detail he feels appropriate, the County must follow all legal protocols within the ethics realm, as well as within the realm of treating clients and navigating through the court system with clients (if there were to be any).
Please know that Chairman Kriefall, Attorney Stern and I have worked hard to follow these protocols to date, including the process for seeking an ethics opinion via County Code. In the coming days we will work through further protocols to ensure compliance, while informing the Board as legally allowed.
I thank you for your patience, understanding and for not politicizing this 100% non – political matter.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Joshua Schoemann County Administrator
Slinger student working on Eagle Scout Project By Alex Lange
I have been very busy these past couple of months with demolition and fundraising on my Eagle Scout Project for the Slinger VFW.
I removed the pergola at Jim’s Place. Then with the help of Kevin Zee Home and Ground Improvement we moved the brat shack, shed and the large tables to allow access to the brick pavers for removal. Later, I removed six light posts and two permanent garbage cans. Some members from my troop volunteered their time to help remove the bricks from the patio and put them on pallets. I also removed the rotted fencing. This Saturday we took the pallets of bricks off the patio and moved them towards the back of the lot with the help of Randy Duquette. This has cleared the way to work on the new foundation.
I have also been very active raising funds. Speaking to local service organizations, churches and businesses that also have been very supportive of my project. Tile sales for the Honor and Appreciation Wall have been steady as well. I have enough funds to begin buying some of the necessary supplies to begin rebuilding, starting with the foundation.
City of West Bend recognized as Ice Age Trail Community
The City of West Bend received special recognition this week as an Ice Age Trail Community.
The Certificate of Special Senatorial Recognition read: Congratulations on your recognition by the Ice Age Trail Alliance as an Ice Age Trail Community. Thank you for your deep respect for the rich history of this area and your commitment to enhancing awareness of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Signed United States Senator Ron Johnson.
Dist. 6 alderman Steve Hoogester presented the announcement during the Common Council meeting.
In June 2017 the West Bend Common Council approved the Ice Age Trail Alliance property acquisition on Highway 33. The woodsy lot belonged to the Living Trust of Sharon E. Marth. The parcel was sold June 1, 2017 for $360,000 to the Ice Age Trail Alliance, Inc., A Wisconsin Corporation.
Mike Wollmer, executive director with Ice Age Trail Alliance, said the acquisition of the Marth property will extend the trail from Ridge Run Park out to Highway 33. “It will eliminate the long road walk that currently exists between Camp Silverbrook and Highway 33,” he said.
West Bend Fire Department Citizen Awards
The West Bend Fire Department handed out a couple of citizen awards during the Monday night Common Council meeting. This is the 2018 Fire Department Citizen Appreciation Awards.
Deputy Fire Chief Charles Beistle recognized Washington County Sheriff Deputies Timothy Dexter and Justin Jilling and Kewaskum volunteer firefighter Josh Harter were recognized for helping at a house fire in Dec. 20, 2017.
On December 20, 2017, Deputies Jilling and Dexter were enroute to serve a warrant when they noticed an unusual amount of dark colored smoke coming from a residence in the area. Upon investigation they found dark colored smoke originating from the rear of a residence. Already on scene was Josh Harter (a volunteer firefighter from Kewaskum) who works in the area and saw the smoke himself. He stated that he had already called 911 and was attempting to alert the occupants. Deputies and Mr. Harter attempted to alert residents who were not home. They also used extinguishers to attempt to put out the fire. Through the efforts of all the individuals involved they helped reduce the property damage by early notification of fire department and Deputies using their extinguishers. With their efforts they also saved the lives of family pets inside the house, that were later rescued by the fire department.
Steve Eklund and his wife were also recognized for contacting the WBFD about faulty lighting on their Christmas tree. On Monday January 8, 2018, Steve Eklund and his wife were taking down their artificial Christmas tree when it began to smoke. It gave off a choking electrical smell which filled the room. He unplugged the tree which took away any further hazard. He contacted the fire department after investigating and found the LED wiring system had failed and began to overheat. He brought his findings and tree to the fire station and reported his findings. All information was passed on to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Mr. Ecklund was willing to put in the extra interest and effort to try to make sure this doesn’t happen to somebody else. If this would have happened during the night or other times when adults were not right there, I believe it would have been worse results possibly even fatal.
Halloween Trick or Treat in Washington County By Samantha Sali
Halloween is almost here. Here are some of the trick-or-treat times for Washington, Ozaukee, and Dodge Counties.
Saturday, October 27, 2018 – Cedarburg, 5 – 8 p.m., Grafton, 5 – 8 p.m., Farmington, 4 – 7 p.m., Hartford (Downtown), 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Kewaskum, 5 – 7 p.m., Port Washington, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Downtown Trick or Treat (Participating businesses will have a pumpkin in the window.) 4 – 7 p.m. city-wide trick or treat, Richfield, 3 – 6 p.m., Slinger, 5 – 7 p.m. (Afterward families are welcome to a free event as Spooky Slinger will be held from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Slinger Community Park with music, pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, food and beverages.), Trenton, 4 – 6 p.m., West Bend, 4 – 6 p.m.
Don’t forget the Downtown West Bend Association will host its annual Fall Fest on Friday, Oct. 12 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Dress up in your Halloween costume and trick or treat in downtown West Bend. Look for the pumpkin in the window of participating businesses.
There will be lots of spooktacular activities for the whole family to enjoy including face painting by Maverick Tattoos LLC and balloon art by First Baptist Church of West Bend, Wisconsin. Compete in pumpkin bowling sponsored by Slesar Glass Shop and Sals Pizzeria! Roll a hand-size pumpkin knock down pins and win prizes.
Updates & tidbits
–In-person absentee voting is underway in Washington County for the Nov. 6 General Election.
– Visit Heritage House, Cedar Community’s restored turn-of-the-century farmhouse, located at their main campus, 5595 County Road Z, West Bend, on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a family fun day. Tour Heritage House and Ye Olde School, enjoy complimentary desserts and refreshments, musical entertainment, fall color rides throughout the beautiful trails, old-fashioned school games and pumpkin decorating. This event is open to the public and free to attend.
– The VFW Post #1393 in West Bend, 260 Sand Drive, is gearing up to host its annual spaghetti dinner on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.. All money raised goes to the organizations general fund. Bring the family and come join us.
– The Allenton Volunteer Fire Department and St. Lawrence Fire Company have announced plans for their annual Pancake Breakfast and Open House in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week. This year’s event will be Sunday, Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the Allenton Fire Department.
– The annual Interfaith Tea is just around the corner and you’re invited. This year’s theme is Tailgating. Celebrity waiters will serve you and your guests and there will be an amazing silent auction, a fun purse auction, 50-50 raffle and a beer and wine pull. Lots of fun on tap and all for a good cause. Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County is a local organization that matches volunteers with senior citizens to help with doctor appointments, shopping, cleaning and just paying it forward. Reserve your seat today and contact Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County. See you Oct. 14 at the West Bend Mutual Prairie Center.
– Hartford’s H.e.l.p. Corner at Redeemer Church is slated to open mid-September.
– Rally Time Sports Bar and Grill in West Bend is looking for a part-time line cook position. Rally Time has a family-friendly team atmosphere. The position is primarily day shift and coverage as needed. Call Dan at 262-389-1142 or Cindy at 262-389-0839 or stop at the bar for an application.
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Not in the Alaskan wilderness, where the bears at Katmai national park are unwittingly fighting for the title of the tubbiest in Fat Bear Week – the fourth annual competition to see which bear will be fattest before a half-year hibernation.
“Life as a bear is hard,” Andrew LaValle, a national park ranger at Katmai, told the Guardian in an email. “They come out of the dens in spring looking weak and hungry, and being fat in October or November is a sign of success and resilience.”
[…]
Fat Bear Week kicked off on Wednesday and continues through Tuesday, when a winner will emerge.
It is up to the public to decide which is the most rotund bear.
Each day, two bears are matched against each other on Facebook and the one to get the most likes is the day’s winner and advances to the next round of the bracketed competition.
If I remember my history correctly, this means she’s a queen now, right?
While wading in Vidöstern lake in Tånnö, Småland, Saga Vanecek stumbled upon what she thought was ‘some kind of stick’ – but, it turned out to be a sword dating back more than 1,000 years to the pre-Viking era.
Experts are now working to preserve the delicate relic before it’s eventually put on display at the Jönköpings Läns Museum.
After leading the National League Central by five games on Sept. 3, the Cubs’ season has been reduced to a win-or-go-home scenario.
The Brewers applied a blend of timely hitting and dominant pitching Monday to beat the Cubs 3-1 in the division tiebreaker before 38,450 fans at Wrigley Field.
By virtue of their victory, the Brewers earned the NL Central title and won’t play until Thursday, when they host the first of two games of the best-of-five NL Division Series.
The Cubs, whose two-year reign as NL Central champions was snapped, will play host to the loser of the NL West tiebreaker between the Rockies and Dodgers on Tuesday in the NL wild-card game.
It spent less than a month on the market and now it appears there’s an accepted offer on the table for Timmer’s Resort. It was August 23, 2018 when the story ran on WashingtonCountyInsider.com that George Prescott and his wife Judi confirmed Timmer’s Resort was up for sale.
“I decided after 10 -12 years I have a nice sense of accomplishment that I brought the resort back to life and I’ll turn it over to somebody else now to let them take it on,” George Prescott said.
This week a spokeswoman for Prescott said, “Yes we have an accepted offer but we’re not at liberty to disclose the buyer. We hope to close on the sale yet this year.” The Prescotts, who lives on Big Cedar Lake, paid $1.75 million for Timmer’s Resort and restaurant in October 2007. That was a little more than half the original $3.49 million asking price.
Questioned what sort of buyer he was looking for, Prescott said he preferred “someone local who could maintain the integrity.”
“I’m biased but I think the public will be better served with local ownership rather than remote ownership,” he said. Prescott qualified Timmer’s as “a special place.”
“There are conversations going on with serious contenders who have some thoughts on what to do with it and we want to cooperate with them. So we will see.” More details are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
Christmas trees planted at Riverfront Parkway Overlook Park in Barton
The Historic Barton Business Association (HBBA) in partnership with the West Bend Parks Department, West Bend Elevator, and Bink Steinbach planted evergreen trees in the Riverfront Parkway Overlook in Barton this week. Three trees were set in place on the grassy lot just off N. Main Street to the south of Rally Time Sports Bar. Another tree was added by the Eisenbahn State Trail on Barton Avenue and Commerce Street.
The trees were donated by West Bend Elevator and Bink Steinbach and Bink’s “Get Real” Christmas Tree Farm. The HBBA will be adding holiday lights at Christmas time, along with additional street light decorations from Park Avenue up to Barton Avenue. Hat tip as well to Doug Buechel from West Bend Elevator, Dist. 7 alderman Justice Madl, Mason Shier with Naylor’s Custom Metal Cutting and Jeff Slais from Wisconsin House Woodworks.
New basketball and pickleball court coming to Regner Park
The West Bend Common Council got its first look at the new Milwaukee Bucks Court Project this week.
The basketball court, volleyball and pickleball court will be built in the current area of Softball Field A which is located to the north of left field at Carl Kuss Memorial Field and just to the east of the parking lot and to the south of the Urban Fishing Pond.
The Milwaukee Bucks and West Bend Mutual Insurance joined together to donate $150,000 for the sports complex.
It will include a 50′ x 84′ concrete basketball court (snap court/sport court), a 74′ x 40′ concrete volleyball/pickleball court, basketball backboards, poles and padding and fencing at each end of the volleyball/pickleball court.
There will be six basketball hoops and the height of the hoops can be adjusted as the park is designated specifically for kids.
Any cost overruns beyond the gift will be covered by the Milwaukee Bucks. Construction is set to begin in October and be completed within the month. The courts will be in place year round.
Charming Paws to open second location in Grafton
Ashley Skinkis, owner of Charming Paws Dog Day Care, is prepping to open a second location.
Skinkis runs Charming Paws, 1410 Lang Street, in West Bend. In June the West Bend Plan Commission approved an expansion of her current facility.
Skinkis became more aggressive and is leasing space at Twin City Plaza in the Village of Grafton. She’s looking to open her second dog day care at 1754 Wisconsin Avenue.
“We did our research and this is the perfect spot,” said Skinkis. “We have over 5,000 square feet, there’s a lot of parking and space out for two dog play areas.”
Skinkis received approval from the Grafton Plan Commission this week for a conditional use permit. A build out will soon be underway and Skinkis is hoping to open in mid-November.
Charming Paws is also looking to hire. Call Skinkis at 262-334-8793 or stop in at the shop in West Bend for more details.
Firehouse Subs Foundation makes donation to area fire department
There was a ceremony this week as Firehouse Subs in West Bend hosted three area fire departments to celebrate over $81,000 of donations for lifesaving equipment. The donation was made by Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
Award recipients included the Glenbeulah Fire/Rescue and Fire Responders, Town of Sheboygan Falls Fire Department and the West Bend Fire Department.
Glenbeluah firefighter and EMT Michael Meyer praised the support from the foundation. The department received $14,673 which was used to acquire an all-terrain vehicle which will be helpful during search and rescue missions.
Meyer said the ATV was outfitted with a QTAC 85 EMS skid unit which holds 85 gallons of water and a Stokes Rescue Basket. “In rural communities the need for outside corporate assistance is desperately needed and with the grant vehicle we have been able to provide better service,” said Meyer.
The Town of Sheboygan Falls Fire Department received rescue equipment and a thermal imaging camera valued at $16,919. The awarded equipment will assist the Rapid Intervention Team by allowing firefighters to quickly detect body heat and hot spots in burning buildings, locate victims and provide lifesaving assistance.
The West Bend Fire Department received $20,555 which was used to buy four video laryngoscopes, a ventilator and four cardiac monitor brackets.
West Bend Police arrest teen for pornography at Badger Middle School
West Bend Police Chief Ken Meuler is confirming one child was arrested in the West Bend School District in connection with an issue involving pornography. During a telephone interview last week Meuler commented on record.
“We have one complaint that was brought forward to us and we took a kid into custody. If there are others and somebody has evidence then they need to report that to us,” he said. “That was Feb. 7, 2018 and it was at Badger Middle School involving a 15-year-old boy and he had possession of obscene material and he was exposing other children to it.”
Meuler said the child was referred to juvenile authorities.
The issue of pornography at the Middle School has been brought before the West Bend School Board three times over the past month including at the annual meeting.
Meuler said he called the superintendent of the West Bend School District after he found out about the three statements before the board to see if the board took any action or if they reported it to police.
“I called up the superintendent and said ‘how can you sit at a meeting and listen to this and not say this might be a crime,’” he said. “Either question her on it or at least call us and say this was reported to us.”
Meuler said it was also irresponsible for the media to not check with police about the statements. “I’m not just jumping on you,” said Meuler. “Somebody has to report it. It’s not being protective of the kids to not report it to police.”
Emails have been sent to members of the West Bend School Board to see if any of the elected officials contacted police regarding the statements made to the board. As of 9:15 a.m. Monday none of the board members has commented.
West Bend School District Superintendent Don Kirkegaard confirmed the chief did call him about the complaints made during the meetings.
“We’re going to talk about it at the next school board meeting,” said Kirkegaard. “We have policies in place, we don’t think our policies are not working.”
Kirkegaard is new to the school district and said the incident Meuler referred to with the boy was handled appropriately.
“We follow the same guidelines and same regulations as every district in Wisconsin and literally every district in the United States because we all have the same federal guidelines, just like our libraries do, to require the filters and servers and software to exclude inappropriate material,” said Kirkegaard. “That doesn’t mean to say that there isn’t from time to time someone gets through or brings their own device in and when that happens 100 percent of the time we address it.”
Kirkegaard said, “At this point in time we are not suggesting we will eliminate phones from school; that is not being considered at this time.”
Holy Angels hosts drug-awareness program
Holy Angels is hosting a Prayer Service and Information Gathering Event for parents to increase their awareness about the heroin epidemic and other substance abuses. The event will take place on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in Holy Angels Church. The guest speaker will be Ronna Corliss.
Corliss currently serves as Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships for Elevate. She also serves as chairperson for the Washington County Prevention Network Coalition as well as the Washington County Heroin Task Force. She has worked in alcohol and other drug prevention for 25 years, 16 of those in Washington County.
Corliss will update participants on the status of the heroin epidemic across the country and in Washington County. She will also share strategies for talking with your children about drugs and alcohol as well as how to identify warning signs and symptoms to look for if you suspect your child might be using. The evening will conclude with viewing the “Hidden In Plain Sight.” It’s a room that replicates a teen’s bedroom with more than 30 things that could signal drug or alcohol use.
Halloween Trick or Treat in Washington County By Samantha Sali
Halloween is almost here. Here are some of the trick-or-treat times for Washington, Ozaukee, and Dodge Counties.
Saturday, October 27, 2018 – Cedarburg, 5 – 8 p.m., Grafton, 5 – 8 p.m., Farmington, 4 – 7 p.m., Hartford (Downtown), 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Kewaskum, 5 – 7 p.m., Port Washington, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Downtown Trick or Treat (Participating businesses will have a pumpkin in the window.) 4 – 7 p.m. city-wide trick or treat, Richfield, 3 – 6 p.m., Slinger, 5 – 7 p.m. (Afterward families are welcome to a free event as Spooky Slinger will be held from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Slinger Community Park with music, pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, food and beverages.), Trenton, 4 – 6 p.m., West Bend, 4 – 6 p.m.
Don’t forget the Downtown West Bend Association will host its annual Fall Fest on Friday, Oct. 12 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Dress up in your Halloween costume and trick or treat in downtown West Bend. Look for the pumpkin in the window of participating businesses.
There will be lots of spooktacular activities for the whole family to enjoy including face painting by Maverick Tattoos LLC and balloon art by First Baptist Church of West Bend, Wisconsin. Compete in pumpkin bowling sponsored by Slesar Glass Shop and Sals Pizzeria! Roll a hand-size pumpkin knock down pins and win prizes.
Low flying airplane in Hartford
A number of reports came in just after 7 p.m. Friday night regarding a low flying commercial jet circling Hartford. The Washington County Sheriff contacted the Federal Aviation Administration which said the pilot is burning off fuel before landing in Chicago. According to airliners.net the AF 137 apparently has “issues with its landing gear and headed back to O’Hare after burning off fuel.”
Updates & tidbits
–In-person absentee voting begins Oct. 1 in Washington County for the Nov. 6 General Election.
– Construction is set to get underway next week for the new Fleet Farm store in West Bend. Below are some of the specifics for the new Fleet Farm at W. Washington Street and CTH Z in West Bend. Howard Immel Inc from Green Bay is the Construction Manager. Bids for the site work, concrete and asphalt were due Sept. 20. Start date is listed as Oct 1, 2018. Completion is listed as September 9, 2019. 192,000-square-foot retail store, 7,100-square-foot convenience store, 652 parking stalls.
– Visit Heritage House, Cedar Community’s restored turn-of-the-century farmhouse, located at their main campus, 5595 County Road Z, West Bend, on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a family fun day. Tour Heritage House and Ye Olde School, enjoy complimentary desserts and refreshments, musical entertainment, fall color rides throughout the beautiful trails, old-fashioned school games and pumpkin decorating. This event is open to the public and free to attend.
– The Allenton Volunteer Fire Department and St. Lawrence Fire Company have announced plans for their annual Pancake Breakfast and Open House in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week. This year’s event will be Sunday, Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the Allenton Fire Department.
– The annual Interfaith Tea is just around the corner and you’re invited. This year’s theme is Tailgating. Celebrity waiters will serve you and your guests and there will be an amazing silent auction, a fun purse auction, 50-50 raffle and a beer and wine pull. Lots of fun on tap and all for a good cause. Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County is a local organization that matches volunteers with senior citizens to help with doctor appointments, shopping, cleaning and just paying it forward. Reserve your seat today and contact Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County. See you Oct. 14 at the West Bend Mutual Prairie Center.
– Hartford’s H.e.l.p. Corner at Redeemer Church is slated to open mid-September.
– Rally Time Sports Bar and Grill in West Bend is looking for a part-time line cook position. Rally Time has a family-friendly team atmosphere. The position is primarily day shift and coverage as needed. Call Dan at 262-389-1142 or Cindy at 262-389-0839 or stop at the bar for an application.
Jackson Police hand out Green Bay Packer trading cards
Jackson Police handed out Green Bay Packer trading cards this week during Custard with a Cop today in Jackson. The 2018 team includes a set of 20 cards courtesy Jackson Travel Center and Kruepke Printing.
The trading cards feature a color photo of a member of the Packers on front and on the back the NFL player’s bio along with an important safety tip written by a student. On the back of Aaron Rodgers card the tip is from 5th grader Maddy B. says: “Create a username that doesn’t have any personal information.”
Reading the safety tip on the back of the Clay Matthews card to Jackson Police Chief Ryan Vossekuil: “Play the game hard but not so hard that you lift or drive the quarterback into the ground.”
“That’s not what it says,” said Vossekuil quickly checking the backs of his cards. Correction – that’s not what it says… but Packers fans are more than familiar with the situation.
The important safety tip on back of the Clay Matthews card is from 5th grader Jonathan B. who says: “Do not give out your birth date online.”
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Once upon a time it was seen as a double solution – a way to get rid of old tyres, while creating habitats for marine life and stimulating marine organisms to grow on the rubber.
In the 1980s local authorities agreed 25,000 tyres should be sunk into the waters 500m (1,640 feet) from the shore between Cannes and Antibes, on the French Riviera.
In 2005, researchers found the tyres were leaking chemicals including heavy metals – a risk to human life – into the environment.
Teen finishes Eagle Scout project for West Bend Community Memorial Library
Connor Markohn of West Bend is with local Scout Troop 762. The troop holds its meetings at the West Bend Moose Lodge.
Markohn came dressed for the video shoot about his Eagle Scout project in a tan, button-down scout shirt covered with a collage of merit badges that show off his many accomplishments.
Earlier this month Markohn finished an Eagle Scout project for the West Bend Community Memorial Library.
“I found out about some projects when the Community Memorial Library held its open house,” he said.
At 13 years old Markohn is tall, wiry and direct. His mother, Jen Martin, has mentioned autism but throughout the interview Markohn comes across as super intelligent, mature, outgoing, and a tell-it-like-it-is kinda kid with a lot of facts and knowledge thrown in.
“Building 40 shelves for library books really seemed like more of a worthy project,” he said.
With that stepping off point Markohn is on a roll talking about the construction process, which for an Eagle Scout project for a young teen is pretty in depth.
“I had to compile designs, collect materials and create funding,” he said. “I decided to use particle board and then solicited donations from Zuern and Home Depot. For the materials I had to pay for I used donations received from The Soul Source, a community wellness center.”
Librarian Hannah Kane said the pair sifted through a number of project options and then settled on tackling an insert for the wire racks in the Teen Zone section of the library.
The project was a team effort with friends and family chipping in time and talents. “The project took a full month to complete,” he said.
To finish off the shelves Markohn’s subtle sense of humor is evident by the dedication sticker tagged on each level.
“I dedicated it to all the librarians who suffered from having to move all the books and CDs for all the years,” he said.
Martin said she is proud of her son’s drive and accomplishments. “He just is an awesome example of what all kids can do when they are encouraged to be themselves and focus on their abilities instead of their disabilities,” she said.
“He has put in more than 225 hours of service in the community (this does not include his Eagle Project hours), and his Troop has done so many wonderful projects for local schools, parks and community organizations.”
Aside from scouts Markohn is an accomplished musician. He sang the National Anthem at the 2018 America’s Dairyland Tour in West Bend, played the part of Shrek Junior in a production by Musical Masquers and he is the only student from Badger Middle School going to State Honors Choir in October.
“Scouting can really help me with lifelong skills like leadership skills, organizational skills and time management skills,” he said.
Markohn is also a part-time student at Pathways Charter School. He has been active in scouts since March 2016.
Heavy hearts at the Pike Lake office of the DNR as word spreads about the death of Forester Julie Peltier.
“She was extremely popular and had been at Pike Lake for years,” said DNR warden Bill Mitchell. “Every year she helped at the spring Fish and Game hearing and she was a hunter safety instructor.”
Washington County Conservation Congress chairman Brett Weir worked at the spring hearings with Peltier. “What I liked about her is when she spoke people listened,” he said. “She was very good at explaining things, she helped me with forestry questions and she had a personality where she was always approachable.”
Weir said he was shocked by the news. “What a loss; that is a big loss,” he said.
Peltier had been with the DNR since February 1997, according to a post on her LinkedIn account.
Peltier received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resources from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and she worked as a Forestry Tech for nine years at the Black Hills National Forest, located in southwestern South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming,
Friends said Peltier had not been to work for a couple days. Police were called after she failed to appear at an event and she was found deceased at her home on Tuesday afternoon. Friends said the death is not considered suspicious. Friends are asking to keep Peltier’s family in your thoughts and prayers.
Hartford tennis coach receives recognition
Hartford Union High School (HUHS) is proud to announce Andy Andress, head girls tennis coach, has been named 2017-18 National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) Girls Tennis Coach of the Year for Wisconsin. “I am blessed to have a supportive group of coaches to work with, supportive administration and leadership that values all the learning experiences student athletes get from sports and an understanding family that allows me to do what I do,” he said.
Every year the NFHS recognizes a coach from each state for significant achievement in their sport. State level recipients are considered for NFHS Sectional Recognition. National Coaches of the Year are then chosen from the sectional winners in which Andress will be considered.
Paradise Springs Fitness moving and building for lease
Tony Chemer, owner of Paradise Springs Fitness, is moving his club to the Kettle Moraine YMCA and putting his space at 1414 E. Paradise Drive in West Bend up for lease.
“The main reason is my real full-time job, which is sales for Alloy Personal Training Solutions, it’s real hard to run the different facilities (Paradise Springs and a program at the Y) and travel several times a month for Alloy.”
Conversations with the Kettle Moraine YMCA
“I’ve been talking with the Y over the past few months to find out how to still service the people with training but do it in an easier way. The Y said they would love to accommodate the training at the branch on W. Washington Street.”
“We’ve always collaborated well with the Kettle Moraine YMCA. Even during the Y’s recent flooding issue we had everybody come over here. We opened up the doors and basically we were YMCA south for about a month.”
Repurposing the building on Paradise
“I spoke with a realtor about the best use for the property because we have gyms all over town and I don’t have a whole lot of people in here except for training times. They thought the location on Paradise Drive was better for a medical facility or some sort of business professional that would fit in better with the spa. Philosophy Day Spa will remain at the location on Paradise Drive. “I will still be the owner of the property and I want it to have the highest value and I think that will happen if we move the fitness facility.”
Membership transfers
“We want to make this change over to the YMCA in October. We wanted to make the transition and make everybody feel comfortable before the new year. This gives us time to get all the schedules organized and the Y is seeing if the trainers want to work with them.”
Member reaction
“Some are shocked and others already do joint training at the Y. One client today was excited and said now they can use all the Y amenities along with the training while another said they liked Paradise Springs because there weren’t a lot of kids.”
Membership transfers
“We’re starting over fresh. The membership will end here and if the members and staff choose to go to the Y they will be offered a special deal but it’s up to them whether they choose to do that.”
History of Paradise Springs Fitness – Purchase story that ran Dec. 17, 2009
Tony and Jenny Chemer are the new owners of Paradise East Springs, 1414 E. Paradise Drive.
“I got the whole ball of wax,” said Chemer, who bought the building and the business from Janine Peters.
Chemer has run the fitness business at Pleasant Valley Fitness the last 12 years.
“At first I was just looking for potentially a new place to lease my business and then when I learned more about the spa business, it just made a lot of sense to take over everything,” he said.
Chemer is renaming the location Paradise Valley Spa and Fitness. All memberships from Pleasant Valley Fitness will carry over as will current memberships at Paradise East Springs. Chemer hopes to be open before the end of the year.
As far as Pleasant Valley is concerned, John and Jacci Gambucci will start a new fitness facility, Pleasant Valley Tennis and Fitness, which will all be under their ownership. The Gambuccis will take over the fitness space on Jan. 1, 2010, with the hope of opening in mid-January.
New sign for Stein Gardens & Gifts
Change is afoot at Stein Gardens & Gifts in West Bend. The store on W. Washington Street is changing its logo and its name to Stein’s Garden & Home.
The rebranding of 16 stores across Wisconsin started two years ago.
Everything was in line for a new look including the landscape to how merchandise would be laid out inside the store. Watch for the new signage to go up in the coming weeks.
Did you ever wonder how Stein’s got its start?
In 2010 Amy Rabideau Silvers with the Journal Sentinel wrote Jack Stein’s obituary. A portion of that story is below.
Published on: 4/26/2010 – Jack Stein learned a lot working for his parents’ florist business, following service during World War II and a couple years of college.
“He learned that he didn’t want to do that kind of work,” said his wife, Joan Stein. “But he also learned other things.”
Instead of taking care of one customer at a time, Stein wanted to take care of lots of customers. The result was Stein Gardens & Gifts, the second-largest independently owned garden center business in the country. “He was a merchandiser,” she said. “He wanted to sell merchandise.”
When Stein founded his business in the 1950s, he also realized that the market for gardening supplies was changing. Department stores were getting out of the business. The postwar housing boom was on. “Everybody was buying houses,” his wife said. “And that’s when he stepped into the gardening supply business.”
Stein’s now has annual sales of nearly $90 million at 16 stores. The company employs about 1,000 people in Wisconsin and about 200 more during the busy spring season.
New Charter School opening at Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg
In partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Northern Ozaukee School District, Riveredge Nature Center is establishing a nature-based public charter elementary school. It will serve up to 99 students K-5th, after a 3-year phase-in period that starts with the 2019-2020 school year. Riveredge Nature Center will accept students from any school district, subject to space availability and following the Open Enrollment process into the Northern Ozaukee School District
Riveredge Nature Center is located in Ozaukee County, less than 2 miles from the Village of Newburg. Currently elementary students from Newburg are bussed to Decorah School in West Bend, at a distance of less than 8 miles. Northern Ozaukee School Districts also operates a virtual (on-line) charter school that serves public education students under Open Enrollment.
Recount on Tuesday, Sept. 18 for Big Cedar Lake PRD
A recount was held Tuesday night, Sept. 18, as a follow up to a pair of requests regarding the final tally from the election August 29. Nicole Gonring submitted a petition along with Troy Zagel, both were candidates in the race for two seats for PRD commissioner.
The original vote from the Aug. 29 election showed Roger Walsh with 197 toes, David Claussen at 166, Nicole Gonring at 163 and Troy Zagel collected 161 votes. The tally from Tuesday’s recount was as follows: Walsh 200, Claussen 166, Gonring 163 and Zagel 161.
UPS box removed from Centrum building in downtown West Bend
There’s some confusion that’s causing a mix of panic and frustration as the UPS box has been removed from the lobby of the Centrum building, 120 N. Main Street, in downtown West Bend.
Businesses within the Centrum building say the UPS box had found its home for years on the lower level next to the soda machine; that UPS box was removed about a week ago.
Packages are still arriving and sitting on the ledge as well as the neighboring wooden bench even though the brown and yellow box is no longer there.
Some neighboring businesses thought a recent uptick in drop offs, which took up a sizable portion of the entryway, may have played a part in the removal of the UPS site.
In the interim, neighbors looking for a new UPS drop site can find one on W. Washington Street in West Bend. The site is in the same parking lot as the Shorewest Office, 2419 W. Washington Street. It’s across from the AmericInn Motel and what will soon be the former location of National Exchange Bank.
Hartford School Board president resigns
It was an announcement that was short and to the point. On Monday night, Sept. 17, during the Hartford Union High School District Board meeting Board President Deborah Reinbold resigned.
“Next on the agenda is the Board President’s report and I’m really thankful all of you are here tonight because I wanted to let you know that last Friday evening I emailed all of the board members to let them know that tonight will be my last meeting,” said Reinbold.
“I have a new job I’m starting next week Monday and I just wanted to be able to start and make sure I have the time available to put into that and I’ve been on the board the last 10 years and I think it’s ready for someone else to move into this spot.”
Reinbold was first elected to the board in 2008. She was re-elected multiple times after that. She won her last term in 2016. Her current term would expire in April 2019.
“Anyone with the tenure and 10 years of community service should be exemplified,” said board member Scott Hanke.
The board will set a timetable to collect names and schedule interviews to fill the remaining term for that seat.
Updates & tidbits
–The one and only fan favorite Milwaukee Brewer Gorman Thomas will be at Tommy Schwai’s booth at the downtown West Bend Farmers’ Market on Saturday. The market runs from 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
– An 84-year-old West Bend woman who had been missing since Sunday afternoon has been found safe. Imelda Algiers went missing from her home in the 1000 block of Decker Drive around 3:50 p.m. Sunday. Imelda has Alzheimer’s Disease. Police were joined in the search by Washington County Sheriff’s deputies, the West Bend Fire Department and members of the community. Police reported they found Algiers a little after 1 a.m. She was located in a wooded area in the vicinity of the Ice Age Trail just north of Park Avenue. Algiers was turned over to a family member who took her to St. Joseph’s Hospital as a precautionary measure. West Bend police expressed thanks to the community for their cooperation.
– The Columbian is hosting a Ham and Chicken Dinner on Sunday, September 23, 2018. Make your reservations today. The event is open to the public. Cost is $15 per person. Bar opens at 4 p.m. and serving is from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
– There’s new signage in place at West Bend Sausage Plus, 1435 W. Washington Street, in West Bend. Ben Houle, 31, is the new owner of the local meat market. The sign was put up by The Sign Shop of Baraboo.
– Visit Heritage House, Cedar Community’s restored turn-of-the-century farmhouse, located at their main campus, 5595 County Road Z, West Bend, on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a family fun day. Tour Heritage House and Ye Olde School, enjoy complimentary desserts and refreshments, musical entertainment, fall color rides throughout the beautiful trails, old-fashioned school games and pumpkin decorating. This event is open to the public and free to attend.
– Hartford’s H.e.l.p. Corner at Redeemer Church is slated to open mid-September.
-St. Frances Cabrini annual Rummage Sale is Thursday, Sept. 20 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 21 from 8 a.m. to noon in Mother Cabrini Hall in the lower level of the church. Baked goods will also be available. Rummage items can be dropped off Sept. 15 through Sept. 19.
– Rally Time Sports Bar and Grill in West Bend is looking for a part-time line cook position. Rally Time has a family-friendly team atmosphere. The position is primarily day shift and coverage as needed. Call Dan at 262-389-1142 or Cindy at 262-389-0839 or stop at the bar for an application.
George Prescott quiets rumor about Aaron Rodgers buying Timmer’s Resort
It was going to be the scoop of the century as a tipster called in that Green Bay Packer’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers was buying property on Big Cedar Lake.
Why an NFL pro worth a gazillion dollars ( or $30 million according to The Street) would want to have neighbors and not just simply buy a private lake… was a little questionable until the rumor mill stirred the pot and the next thing you know Rodgers was buying Timmer’s Resort.
In August, a story was posted on WashingtonCountyInsider.com that George and Judi Prescott were putting Timmer’s Resort up for sale.
Prescott and his wife bought the property on the south end of Big Cedar Lake in October 2007 and now… “Yup I decided after 10 -12 years I have a nice sense of accomplishment that I brought the resort back to life and I’ll turn it over to somebody else now to let them take it on,” Prescott said.
After a month on the market the chatter started about a possible sale and we caught up with Mr. Prescott at a fundraiser for Roots & Branches and he cleared everything up. “Rodgers will have to stand behind Oprah,” said a wily Prescott.
On a side note: Grocer George (as he calls himself) is so humble, but he likes a good story and after a lifetime in Washington County he’s used to the rumor mill. Even though he knew it was not true he was agreeable to do the video. “We need more humor these days,” he said.
Prescott promised to keep us up to speed on the pending sale of Timmer’s Resort.
Living Word Lutheran grad named Miss Wisconsin USA
Danika Tramburg of Richfield has just been selected Miss Wisconsin USA 2019. A graduate of Living Word Lutheran High School in Jackson and Concordia University in Mequon.
The Miss Wisconsin USA pageant selects the representative for the state of Wisconsin to compete in the Miss USA pageant. Sunday night’s competition was held at the Fond du Lac High School Performing Arts Center.
According to the Miss Wisconsin website: The contestants will compete in three, equally scored areas of competition – Interview, Evening Gown, and Swimwear/Active Wear. The winners will spend their year forging alliances with charitable organizations around the state and will advance to compete in the nationally televised 2019 Miss USA pageant on FOX.
Moving forward with Fleet Farm in West Bend
The new Fleet Farm store in West Bend just hit the “Bids Wanted” section of The Daily Reporter.
The publication is where contractors go to find jobs that are bidding in the area.
Here are a couple of posted updates about the new Fleet Farm proposed W. Washington Street and CTH Z in West Bend.
Howard Immel Inc from Green Bay is the Construction Manager.
Bids for the site work, concrete and asphalt are due Sept. 20.
Start date is listed as Oct 1, 2018.
Completion is listed as September 9, 2019. 192,000-square-foot retail store, 7,100-square-foot convenience store, 652 parking stalls.
The information posted aligns with the concept plan reviewed by the West Bend Plan Commission on August 7.
Fleet Farm spokesman Tom Carrico said they “haven’t really finalized the scheduling details.”
He said the information in the Daily Reporter is probably coming from construction manager Howard Immel Inc.
On Aug. 13, 2018 during the Town of West Bend Board meeting there was some discussion regarding Fleet Farm and how the DOT wanted an access road off CTH Z.
Fleet Farm laid out designs with the West Bend Plan Commission last week regarding its new 190,000-square-foot store on Highway 33 and County Hwy Z. During the pitch to the city Fleet officials said they would only have access roads off Highway 33. During Monday night’s Town Board meeting Town Chairman Jim Heipp said the city, state, and county are satisfied with that plan however the DOT wants an access road off County Hwy Z. That plan is still in discussion.
When Carrico was asked about an access road off County Hwy Z he said, “The plan we submitted to the city is the plan we’re going forward with; we are waiting for DOT comment.”
On Tuesday, Sept. 11 the West Bend Plan Commission reviewed several development proposals with ties to the Fleet Farm property on W. Washington Street and CTH Z.
Details on zoning changes were released on a proposed 7,162-square-foot gas station and convenience store. The proposed gas station would include 18 fuel pumps and 9 islands.
Wis. Guard from West Bend assists with hurricane response By Capt. Joe Trovato
The Wisconsin National Guard stands ready to assist civil authorities, if needed, with the response to Hurricane Florence.
As Florence battered the East Coast, four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters departed Wisconsin Sept. 14 en route to Maryland, where they will stage in a standby status in the event those resources are requested by civil authorities.
The West Bend, Wisconsin-based Blackhawks and approximately two dozen crew members are medevac helicopters with hoist and medical treatment capabilities.
The movement to Maryland represents a training opportunity while simultaneously pre-positioning forces in the region should authorities in affected states need additional assistance. The Wisconsin National Guard is part of a nationwide response, in which states communicate their requests for assistance and resources via Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) requests. The crews would mobilize to a state active duty status in the event of an approved EMAC request for assistance from another state.
More than 7,000 troops from the National Guard and the active component nationwide are standing by ready to assist, according to the Department of Defense. DoD is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pre-position helicopters, vehicles, and supplies in the region so the department is prepared to assist FEMA and other federal and state partners, as needed.
Sgt. Emily Cash, a flight operations specialist from Cross Plains, Wisconsin, said it’s a rewarding experience to have the opportunity to serve in times of emergency, especially given the context of the past few weeks of flooding in Wisconsin, where her own town felt the impact.
“When things hit the fan and they need help, it’s nice to know that we can go out there and help them and they can gain a greater appreciation for what our training is, what we do and that we’re not just hanging out on drill weekends and going home,” she said. “We’re training for a mission every single time we come in here to be able to go and do this stuff if we get called up.”
Warrant Officer 1 Steven Baumel, a Blackhawk pilot, from Horicon, Wisconsin, agreed.
“This is what we train for, so it’s very exciting to actually go out and do our jobs, and I’m confident that we’re going to do it well,” he said. “We train regularly in different scenarios, different weather, different everything, so this is what we’re here for in the National Guard. We’re supposed to be ready for stuff like this. It’s very exciting. Everyone is excited to get there and motivated.”
The medevac crews bring a variety of resources and capabilities that civil authorities could employ in the response ranging from search and extraction capabilities using a hoist, to medical treatment.
“I think it’s a great thing,” Sgt. Jonathan Walsh, a flight medic said. “We’re going out to help people who can’t help themselves. They’re in a pretty bad situation, so I think it’s kind of an honor to be in the position that we’re in. A lot of people would love to be in a position to do this. So it’s an honor to do it.”
Monday Night Bass Fishing League wraps up its season By Bryan Miller
The Kettle Moraine Monday Bass League wrapped up its 2018 season with the Championship on Pike Lake. Conditions were less than favorable, strong NE winds and a significant temperature drop led to a tough bite. As always in this league, a few teams figure out a pattern and make it happen.
Taking home the championship were Bryan Miller and Tyler Lauters. This duo got hot after the fifth or sixth week and never looked back. They brought in a limit of 5 bass weighing 12.06 pounds to capture the 16th KMMBT Title since the league’s inception in 2003.
Second place went to Joe Koch and Michael Cloninger. This pair also had a limit of 5 weighing 11.22 pounds.
Third place was cleaned up by Angler of the Year Logan Kertscher and his grandfather Don Kertscher. They caught 4 bass weighing 8.88 pounds.
Fourth place went to Marv Thiesen and Roger Kutz. These guys were a top 6 qualifying team and they finished well. Taking home the BOAT DOC/ MEC Big Bass Title on this day, Caleb Niedfeldt, with a Largemouth registering 3.44 pounds.
The league will kick off its 17th season at Pike Lake in May 2019.
Kettle Moraine Symphony
Kettle Moraine Symphony 2018-19 season opens Sunday, Sept. 30 at 3 p.m. with an exciting concert for the whole family. For the kids the Star Wars Suite and then a kids-only activity while parents enjoy the wiles of Scheherazade and her tales from 1001 nights.
There will be a pre-concert talk at 2 p.m. with Dr. Peter Gibeau, UWM at Washington County music professor and KMS principal bass. Concerts will be held at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School Auditorium, 3399 Division Road, Jackson.
Recount on Tuesday, Sept. 18 for Big Cedar Lake PRD
There’s going to be recount, Sept. 18, for commissioners elected to the Big Cedar Lake PRD.
Petitions from candidates Troy Zagel and Nicole Gonring have been filed. The pair lost in an election at the annual meeting August 29. Four candidates were vying for two seats on the Big Cedar Lake PRD. Each seat carried a 3-year term. The terms of board members Roger Walsh and Jim McGath had expired. McGath chose not to run again.
Walsh was on the ballot with David Claussen, Nicole Gonring and Troy Zagel.
Nearly an hour after ballots had been cast and votes tabulated the results were read by Walsh which showed he finished first followed by a very close second through fourth place finish.
Only five votes separated three candidates.
Dan Carroll, Operations Manager/Chief of Patrol at Big Cedar Lake PRD, said they counted the votes five times. There were about 300 people who voted Wednesday night. Gonring questioned if they counted five times, how come these were the final totals they settled on.
Changes in food service explored at UWM at Washington County By Sue Bausch
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is working to provide food service on campus at UWM-Washington County after the previous vendor’s contract with UW Colleges ended.
A’viands contract with UW Colleges was completed at the end of the spring semester. UW Colleges transferred the Washington County campus to UWM on July 1, 2018, under a proposal put forward by UW System President Ray Cross and approved by the UW System Board of Regents.
UWM began seeking a new food service provider in June in anticipation of the upcoming transfer. No vendors responded to its request for proposals.
UWM then began exploring other options for providing food service and identified Canteen’s Smart Market as an affordable and convenient alternative to traditional food service. Canteen is the nation’s largest vending machine services company.
Its Smart Market machines are stocked with healthy sandwiches, snacks, drinks and premium coffee from vendors like Starbucks and Peet’s. Canteen said the machines will be installed in November.
Meanwhile, Gateway Catering in Kewaskum has agreed to provide catering for student events and special events held at the Washington County campus.
It is important to note most students drive to the Washington County campus and no students live on-campus. As a result, demand for on-campus food service is relatively low. Many students choose to bring food from home, and others opt to eat at the many nearby restaurants.
Over the past three years, on-campus food service has resulted in losses that average $33,000 per year. This is why the university believes an automated fresh food service like Smart Market is the best, most affordable solution for students at this time at UWM at Washington County.
The university will continue to explore additional food service options for the Washington County campus, and as always, are happy to hear from companies interested in working with all three campuses.
When working with vendors, the university strives to provide the best possible experience for our students, while being mindful of the need to keep education affordable and be wise stewards of public money. Students, staff and faculty were notified of the change.
Changes at Pilot building in downtown West Bend
On Monday contractors tore the façade off the building on S. Main Street just south of Mountain Outfitters. In West Bend the building is known as the “Pilot” building; it’s stamped PILOT above the second-story window and in the 1900s the building was home to the community newspaper “West Bend Pilot.”
Plans are to bring a new look to the building with large storefront windows and gooseneck lighting. According to “The Spirit of West Bend” by Dorothy E. Williams the building “at the foot of Hickory Street still bears the name “The Pilot” on the front.” It was once home to the community newspaper the “West Bend Pilot.” Prior to 1907 the paper was called the “Democrat.”
Laurie Wagner wrote, “The Pilot newspaper was owned by my great grandfather, Henry B. Kaempfer and later by my grandfather Henry C. Kaempfer. Jacob Kaempfer was my great uncle but didn’t own the paper. My mom has a lot more info on all of this.”
Kevin Schultz, owner of Mountain Outfitters, owns the Pilot building and the two brick buildings to the north.
Veterans from Washington Co. on the Sept. 15 Honor Flight
Eight veterans from Washington County will be on the Sept. 15 Stars & Stripes Honor Flight. Veterans include Jerry Bentfield of Hartford who served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, Oscar Rathke of Jackson, and six veterans from West Bend including Ed Farrell, Vietnam War Army, Lester Hahn, WWII Army, Michael Henner, Vietnam War Army, Bob Martin, Vietnam War Army, Bob Schulz, Vietnam War Army, and Ivan Vorderbruggen, Korean War Army. This is the 47th mission of the Stars & Stripes Honor Flight since 2008.
Construction moves forward on Barton Apartments
The long-awaited project to turn the old Barton School on School Place and Fairview Drive into multi-family residential received approval from the West Bend Plan Commission on Monday.
Plans include a 22 unit multi-family adaptive reuse of the former school building and three six unit townhome residential development located at 614 School Place, by Barton School Apartments, LLC. Plans date to Oct. 6, 2015. The property is 6.8 acres and includes the former Barton Elementary School, 630 School Place, which will be remodeled into apartments.
Plan Commission member Sara Fleischman asked to see actual masonry on the lower band of the townhomes and by the doors. “We promised the neighbors we would keep an eye on the quality and aesthetics of these buildings and I feel pretty strong about that,” she said. The developer agreed to the change.
Updates & tidbits
– The Kettle Moraine Ice Center will host a try hockey free weekend Sept. 14-16. Any interested family can register at www.wcyha.org
– Ethan Hollenberger has been hired as Washington County’s first Public Affairs Coordinator. Hollenberger most recently served as Communications Director for State Senator Duey Stroebel and the committee clerk for the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Consumer Protection and Technology. His salary is just under $65,000 with benefits.
– The 4th annual Faith & Family Fest is Sunday, Sept. 16 at Regner Park in West Bend. Faith and Family Fest is hosted by Holy Angels, Holy Trinity (Newburg), Saint Frances Cabrini and Saint Mary’s Immaculate Conception Catholic Parishes of West Bend.
– The Kewaskum FFA Alumni presented a check for $100,000 for a new greenhouse in memory of Brent Schultz, a student killed in an auto accident 4 years ago.
-Cars in Kewaskum, formerly the Grand Larsony Custom Classic Car Show, is Saturday, Sept. 15. Mike Beal from Top Fuel is organizing the event. This year money raise will be donated to Art Klemme and Janine Prunty. Modern Woodmen will provide matching funds.
– Kris O’Meara was the winner Friday at West Bend Lakes Golf Course of the Classics for a Cause drawing. O’Meara won a 1968 Ford Mustang. Proceeds benefitted Elevate and the Washington County Senior Center. O’Meara was not present for the drawing as she was up north celebrating her wedding anniversary.
– Hartford’s H.e.l.p. Corner at Redeemer Church is slated to open mid-September.
-St. Frances Cabrini annual Rummage Sale is Thursday, Sept. 20 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 21 from 8 a.m. to noon in Mother Cabrini Hall in the lower level of the church. Baked goods will also be available. Rummage items can be dropped off Sept. 15 through Sept. 19.
– John A. Jagodzinski, an outstanding photographer and long- time resident of West Bend, died unexpectedly on August 30, 2018. John was a brilliant photographer. He moved to West Bend and opened his business “Photography by John” on Fifth Avenue. He spent the past 40 plus years perfecting his craft and restoring old photographs for numerous clients. He loved photography and enjoyed meeting and visiting with his customers.
– There’s a golf outing Sept. 23 at West Bend Lakes Golf Club and proceeds go to the Luke Gromowski Ironman Scholarship Fund. Gromowski was a senior at West Bend East when he died in a car accident in November 2014. Registration is 8 a.m. with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. The cost is $100 per adult and $50 for a student. Contact Ed Ihlenfeld at 262-707-5449 for more detail.
– Rally Time Sports Bar and Grill in West Bend is looking for a part-time line cook position. Rally Time has a family-friendly team atmosphere. The position is primarily day shift and coverage as needed. Call Dan at 262-389-1142 or Cindy at 262-389-0839 or stop at the bar for an application.
For years, the Texas Longhorns have been hailed as college football’s ultimate cash cow. In 2011, Texas was the first college football team ever to record $100 million in revenue. In 2014, the team generated more in profit – $92 million – than all but two teams made that year in revenue.
But there’s a new No. 1, and you don’t even have to leave the state to find them: Texas A&M is now college football’s most valuable program.
Across the three years prior to last season, Texas A&M averaged annual revenues of $148 million, the most of any program in the nation. That not only tops the Longhorns; it leaves them in the dust. Over the same time period, Texas football averaged $133 million in revenue, making the Longhorns a distant second.
Graduate of Kettle Moraine Lutheran H.S. serves as pallbearer at Sen. McCain memorial
There was a Washington County tie to the funeral of U.S. Senator John McCain as 2016 Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School graduate Collin Schwab had the honor of serving as a pallbearer at the memorial service in Phoenix. Schwab, 20, serves in the US Navy.
Mike Schwab said his son is humbled by the experience.
“He’s been given the honor of seeing to it that America’s Navy veterans are laid to rest with the decorum and dignity they deserve and that’s a huge responsibility,” he said.
While at KML Collin Schwab was captain of the Chargers wrestling team, football team and track team. He was also part of the school’s Veteran’s Day program.
Collin Schwab is the youngest of three brothers. His oldest sibling is an aerospace engineer with Boeing and the middle brother is a mining engineer.
“Collin was going into nuclear engineering but when the military determined he was color deficient the Navy asked if he would participate in the ceremonial guard and he’s been doing that since October 2016,” said Mike Schwab.
The Schwab family found out Monday, Aug. 27 via text their son would participate in the Senator McCain procession.
“He rarely does funerals anymore but said he would be flying out Monday night,” said Mike Schwab.
In the past, most of Collin Schwab’s duties had been at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
“He’s done funerals for Metal of Honor recipients, Secretaries of Defense, and he helped with funerals for dignified transfers for soldiers killed in the USS John McCain incident in August 2017,” Mike Schwab said.
There were times, according to Mike Schwab, when his son was doing up to six funerals a day at Arlington National Cemetery.
Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School Superintendent David Bartelt said while the situation surrounding the event is sad, it’s exciting to see a local graduate in the midst of such a high-profile event. “It’s very nice to see our graduates doing good things,” he said.
Mike Schwab said Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School really helped prepare his son and give him a solid foundation for his future.
“His education at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School certainly gives him a perspective on life-and-death issues. He’s always been a kid with a lot of decorum and he understands how to act,” Mike Schwab said.
Since the service in Phoenix on Aug. 30 the Schwab family in Jackson has been receiving comments and texts from across the country.
Senator McCain died following a battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 81.
OSHA said Sunburst contesting citations
OSHA completed its inspection, found violations and proposed penalties of $48, 041.
This week OSHA spokesman Scott Allen said the owner of the ski hill is contesting the findings.
“I just got word they (Sunburst) contested the citations so it will go before an Independent Occupational Safety Review Committee to make a final determination on whether the citation and penalties will be upheld or whether there will be some type of settlement talks,” Allen said.
In terms of appeal, Allen said “some companies will agree to pay the penalties and abate all the issues and some will contest the citations and have settlement discussions or it will go further to a legal process and make a final determination.”
There is no date on when a final decision will be made. Allen said it could “take up to a year to get it finalized.”
As far as resolving the violations in the OSHA write up, Allen said “technically the company doesn’t have to abate all the issues until everything has been resolved legally.”
“A lot of these cases will get resolved before it goes to a full legal process and they’ll get a settlement negotiation and they’ll come to some terms where they’ll abate the issues and the penalties will be reduced, but that is not always the case,” he said.
D.J. Burns, director of operations at the Sunburst Ski Area said shortly after the incident occurred OSHA’s inspectors arrived on site to review the work area where the injury occurred. During that site visit OSHA staff alerted Sunburst to some potential improvements that could be made in order to help Sunburst ensure workplace safety.
“The case file is still open but an informal conference was held near the end of August and Sunburst provided notice of its intent to participate in an informal conference to all of its employees as required by OSHA.
“The informal conference was held to discuss OSHA’s findings, potential methods to improve workplace safety and to discuss the alleged violations contained within OSHA’s notice.
“Sunburst also had the opportunity to inform OSHA of its ongoing work through the National Ski Areas Association in regard to best practices to ensure workplace safety at ski resorts throughout the United States,” said Burns.
There is no closed date until OSHA reviews the information
OSHA will follow up with a letter apprising Sunburst of any grouping of violations or elimination of violations and any reductions in associated fines.
Burns is hoping OSHA will review improvements Sunburst has already made to its facility.
He said the culture of safety at Sunburst is vastly different than other ski resorts across the country.
“Our commitment to employee safety is such that we train all our senior management and management staff in CPR, First Aid, and AED,” said Burns. “That comes at a great cost but we want to ensure a safe workplace.”
Recount Monday for Big Cedar Lake PRD
There’s going to be a request for a recount during Monday’s meeting, Sept. 11, for the Big Cedar Lake PRD.
Petitions from candidates Troy Zagel and Nicole Gonring have been filed. The pair lost in an election at the annual meeting on August 29.
Four candidates were vying for two seats on the Big Cedar Lake PRD. Each seat carried a 3-year term. The terms of board members Roger Walsh and Jim McGath had expired. McGath chose not to run again.
Walsh was on the ballot with David Claussen, Nicole Gonring and Troy Zagel.
Nearly an hour after ballots had been cast and votes tabulated the results were read by Walsh which showed he finished first followed by a very close second through fourth place finish.
Only five votes separated three candidates.
Dan Carroll, Operations Manager/Chief of Patrol at Big Cedar Lake PRD, said they counted the votes five times. There were about 300 people who voted Wednesday night.
Gonring questioned if they counted five times, how come these were the final totals they settled on. Monday’s meeting begins at 5:45 p.m.
City of West Bend considering sharp shooters for deer management
On Sept. 10 the West Bend Common Council will review a managed deer hunt for the 2018-19 season. The city is targeting a reduction in deer numbers in an effort to reduce deer damage to habitat, property and car/deer collisions. For this year the Deer Management Committee will recommend licensed sharp shooters perform the hunt during the evening at Ridge Run Park and Lac Lawrann Conservancy. The hunt will be conducted while the parks are closed.
The sharp shooters are part of a cooperative service agreement with the USDA Wildlife Service. They will target the removal of 30 deer per park. The financial plan for the managed hunt will not exceed $9,002. The City is also applying for a $5,000 Urban Wildlife Damage Abatement and Control grant.
Veterans from Washington Co. on the Sept. 15 Honor Flight
Eight veterans from Washington County will be on the Sept. 15 Stars & Stripes Honor Flight. Veterans include Jerry Bentfield of Hartford who served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, Oscar Rathke of Jackson, and six veterans from West Bend including Ed Farrell, Vietnam War Army, Lester Hahn, WWII Army, Michael Henner, Vietnam War Army, Bob Martin, Vietnam War Army, Bob Schulz, Vietnam War Army, and Ivan Vorderbruggen, Korean War Army. This is the 47th mission of the Stars & Stripes Honor Flight since 2008.
Silver Lining Chamber Artists Concert Series By Ian Tomaz
Ian Tomaz, West Bend High School class of 2013 and recent graduate with distinction from the University of Wisconsin Mead Witter School of Music, has created a 10 concert monthly series of classical chamber music recitals as part of his Artist in Residency position at Silver Lining Arts Center for the 2018-2019 school year. The first concert is Sept. 9 at 3 p.m., featuring vocalists and string instrumentalists in a range of works from classical composers Brahms and Debussy to early American Jazz and Disney classics. Tickets are $5 for adults and seniors, free for students and children, with a portion of proceeds going to a scholarship fund for students involved in the performance class.
Updates & tidbits
– Make your life more secure by shredding old documents and make your community better too. Horicon Bank, 1535 W. Paradise Drive, in West Bend will be collecting donations for the Wisconsin Honor Flight at its Shred Day event, Saturday, Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. – noon.
-Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 777 S. Indiana Avenue, in West Bend is dedicating its $3.2 million “Building Connections” expansion project Sunday, Sept. 9. There will be a meal and banquet following the 10:30 a.m. service.
–The annual St. Frances Cabrini Used Book Sale and Rummage Sale is Saturday, Sept. 8 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 9 from 8:30 a.m. – noon in Mother Cabrini Hall in the lower level of church.
– The Kettle Moraine Ice Center will host a try hockey free weekend Sept. 14-16. Any interested family can register at www.wcyha.org
-Cars in Kewaskum, formerly the Grand Larsony Custom Classic Car Show, is set for Saturday, Sept. 15. Mike Beal from Top Fuel is organizing the event. This year money raise will be donated to Art Klemme and Janine Prunty. Modern Woodmen will provide matching funds.
– St. Gabriel’s Parish is excited to announce Milwaukee Brewers Hernan Perez, will be at the St. Gabe Flea Market on Sept. 8 from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30am for a meet and greet and Perez will be signing autographs. Proceeds will benefit Karl’s Place/Family Promise in West Bend.
– Hartford’s H.e.l.p. Corner at Redeemer Church is slated to open mid-September.
– The annual Friends of Pike Lake Community and Campfire concert is Saturday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. Entertainer Randy Peterson, will perform in the Pike amphitheatre.
-St. Frances Cabrini annual Rummage Sale is Thursday, Sept. 20 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 21 from 8 a.m. to noon in Mother Cabrini Hall in the lower level of the church. Baked goods will also be available. Rummage items can be dropped off Sept. 15 through Sept. 19.
– There’s a golf outing Sept. 23 at West Bend Lakes Golf Club and proceeds go to the Luke Gromowski Ironman Scholarship Fund. Gromowski was a senior at West Bend East when he died in a car accident in November 2014. Registration is 8 a.m. with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. The cost is $100 per adult and $50 for a student. Contact Ed Ihlenfeld at 262-707-5449 for more detail.
– Rally Time Sports Bar and Grill in West Bend is looking for a part-time line cook position. Rally Time has a family-friendly team atmosphere. The position is primarily day shift and coverage as needed. Call Dan at 262-389-1142 or Cindy at 262-389-0839 or stop at the bar for an application.
– Sign up today for the 8th Annual Swinging for Seniors Golf Outing at West Bend Lakes Golf Club on Friday, Sept. 14. All proceeds benefit Senior Citizens Activities, Inc. Stick around after golf and take part in the Classics for a Cause Raffle and a chance to win a 1968 Ford Mustang.
Training for the big day in New Zealand By Lexi Bullis
Slinger High School grad Lexi Bullis, 18, has been participating in the Junior World Snowboarding Championship in New Zealand. She posted this story below.
Training on Saturday and Sunday went really well. We had to wake up around 4 a.m. to make breakfast and leave by 5:45 a.m.
We drove up the road and got to watch the sunrise over the mountain range across the valley and it was the most amazing sight. Because it is still winter here sunrise doesn’t happen until 7 a.m.
Training was from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Coaches Justin Reiter and Lynn Ott had me working on a few things before the races. I was a quick study and afterward the coaches said my riding improved tremendously and I could definitely feel the difference.
The courses are really fun, however during training the snow didn’t hold out well as ruts formed fast because so many good riders use the same line. Both days we got off the hill around 10 a.m.
Food in New Zealand varies a lot and meat pies are one of my favorite. I’ve had steak and venison. It’s similar to a pot pie but smaller and more delish. Come to find out it is also a British food.
Since eating out hasn’t always been the easiest or healthiest, I have learned to cook on this trip! My teammate Kaiya and I have made everything from steak to pasta to my now famous breakfast sandwiches. It has been a ton of fun.
Monday was supposed to be our off day from snowboarding but during the early afternoon, the U.S. guys decided we were going to go on a 10 km hike. We hopped in the van and drove through the valley and straight into the mountain range.
There were signs along the fence-lined roads that said ‘Animal crossing next 20 km.’
The road turned from pavement to pasture and animals, including sheep and cows, were everywhere. At one point the car in front of us had to slam on its brakes and swerve out of the way from hitting a cow; it walked across the road like it owned it. As we passed that same cow turned and almost walked straight into the side of our van.
The trailhead started at the end of the road and the glacier hike followed a river uphill into the mountains. It was 3.5 miles there and 3.5 miles back, but the view was outstanding.
The higher we hiked the colder it got and we finished where a recent avalanche had gone through. The ground was very soft and everything was broken up. It was nearly dark by the time we got back and we had a total of 3.5 hours of hiking under our belt.
Tuesday was our final training day before the race and all of the countries had finally arrived including China, Russia, Japan, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Canada, U.S., Sweden, Poland, and a few others I’m forgetting.
We were instructed to only take a few runs and not burn ourselves out. I felt good on my practice runs and went in for the day. In the afternoon, we did a small recovery session and had a team meeting. It was late by the time we had a chance to eat so the girls, Kaiya, my coach Lynn and me, decided to get some Indian Curry. I have never had Indian food and it was absolutely amazing. We went to bed early to get ready for race day.
A big thanks to my sponsors for helping make this tour possible including: Donek Snowboards for the sweet rides that have served me well, Glacier Hills Credit Union, Lifestar Ambulance, and Attitude Sports. This is an experience of a lifetime and I appreciate the community support.
