Two Rivers man’s heroic role during WWII focus of one-man show coming to Washington House Museum July 27

MANITOWOC - A performance of “The Accidental Hero” is set for 7 p.m. July 27 at Washington House Museum , 1622 Jefferson St., in Two Rivers. Seating is limited for the fundraising event, which will be held in the museum’s Grand Ballroom.

Patrick Dewane has performed his award-winning one-man show “The Accidental Hero” more than 200 times across the U.S. and in Europe. His four-decade career in the performing arts includes senior-level work with The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Luciano Pavarotti, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Minnesota Opera and its Pulitzer Prize-winning opera “Silent Night.” He was nominated for an Emmy as executive producer of a national PBS broadcast of “Silent Night.” A graduate of Roncalli High School, he has an MFA from Brooklyn College and taught writing at the graduate school of St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. He and his wife live in Minneapolis and have a second home in Two Rivers.

A newly published book by Dewane, “The Colonel from Two Rivers: Matt Konop’s World War II Odyssey to His Czech Roots,” is the jaw-dropping true story of Two Rivers’ own Lt. Col. Matt Konop. Konop’s native tongue was Czech, the only language spoken on his grandfather’s farm near Stangelville. And Czech would be his superpower the last week of World War II, earning him the assignment of commander of the advance party to liberate Czechoslovakia.

Of all the places to poke across the border, the U.S. Army sent Konop to the same remote villages his grandparents had left for Stangelville in the 1860s. The jubilant Czechs gave Konop a hero’s homecoming, parading him around town on their shoulders as their liberator, hailing him as “one of our own.”

The experience flipped Konop’s sense of who he was. Instead of running from his poor, Bohemian upbringing, it became his greatest passion. However, like many returning combat veterans, Konop didn’t speak about the war.

Meanwhile, back in Czechoslovakia, the Communist regime outlawed the telling of his story. Then, 23 years after his death, Konop’s long-forgotten manuscript was discovered in a basement, and his grandson, Patrick Dewane, turned the writing into a one-man show titled “The Accidental Hero.” It became a hit, both in America and the free Czech Republic, and the second life of Konop’s heroics prompted the cities of Two Rivers and Domažlice, Czech Republic, to become Sister Cities.

In this book, Dewane weaves a story of freedom, family, loss and resurrection. Told with humor and the heartfelt love of a grandson, “The Colonel from Two Rivers” reminds us how quickly the ordinary can transform into the magical.

All proceeds from the July 27 performance benefit the the Washington House Museum fundraising project for enhanced exhibit lighting. For more information, visit tworivers-history.org or call 920-793-2490.

County sales tax: Manitowoc County passes 0.5% sales tax, joining 68 other Wisconsin counties. Here’s when it starts.

Veteran-led effort collects $28K for USS Cobia Dry Dock campaign

Seven submarine veteran groups have banded together to donate $28,000 to the USS Cobia dry dock campaign at Manitowoc’s Wisconsin Maritime Museum .

The USS Cobia, a World War II-era submarine, is scheduled to enter dry dock in September 2025. This process involves removing the vessel from the water to conduct comprehensive maintenance on its underwater hull. Dry docking is essential for the long-term preservation of historic submarines like Cobia, as it allows for detailed cleaning, inspection and repair of the vessel’s submerged components.

The extensive dry dock work will take place at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay and is expected to last four to six weeks.

The estimated cost for the project is $1.5 million. This includes all necessary preparations, towing, dry dock time, hull cleaning, epoxy coating, painting for long-term protection and any required metal repairs. The full scope of repairs will be assessed once the hull is thoroughly inspected.

The $28,783 donation was raised by the following submarine veteran groups: Crash Dive Base, Great Lakes Base, Museum Supporters US Submarine Veterans, The United States Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation, United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., USS Chicago Base and USS Illinois Base.

Wisconsin Maritime Museum is at 75 Maritime Drive, online at wisconsinmaritime.org or call 920-684-0218.

Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council to meet July 25

The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. July 25 at Manitowoc Public Library, 707 Quay St. If weather allows, the meeting will be moved to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive. Check the organization’s Facebook page for location updates or contact jean.prevo@noaa.gov . The public is invited to attend.

The meeting agenda includes regular council business and working group reports. The meeting will also include updates by Allyson Ropp, NOAA Nancy Foster Scholar and East Carolina University Ph.D. student on fieldwork in Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary and Mallows Bay National Marine Sanctuary; and Kevin Cullen, executive director of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on their new sanctuary exhibit. NOAA staff will also provide a sanctuary update.

Public comment will be taken at approximately 7:20 p.m. If you cannot participate in the meeting, you may send comments to jean.prevo@noaa.gov.

For council updates, visit https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/wisconsin/involved/ .

Lions Club to host demonstration of Closed Circuit Television Visual Screener

The Manitowoc/Two Rivers Lions Club will host a demonstration by Gabe Deleon of Germantown of the Closed Circuit Television Visual Screener.

A CCTV assists individuals with macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy and other low-vision causing eye diseases and conditions.

This low vision assistive tool aids with duties such as reading the mail, books, writing, enjoying a crossroad puzzle and more.

The demonstration will take place at Meadow Lanes North, 1540 Johnston Drive, Manitowoc, at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6. Anyone is welcome to attend.

No change in speed limit: Waldo Boulevard speed limit to stay 25 mph, Two Rivers seeks parks and open space feedback

Hometown History Expo slated at Manitowoc County Historical Society

Manitowoc County Historical Society will host a Hometown History Expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 10 at its museum and Pinecrest Village, 924 Pinecrest Road in Manitowoc.

A news release said: “The Expo is perfect for those interested in learning more about local history, including family historians and general enthusiasts. The Hometown History Expo aims to connect museum visitors with their local small museums, town historians, historical societies, and genealogy groups. Included in the cost of general museum admission, come out for a day of exciting local learning and participation in local history! Visit with our participating organizations in the Two Creeks Town Hall including the MCHS Research Library, Manitowoc County Genealogical Society, Two Rivers Historical Society, and the St. Nazianz Area Historical Society.”

General admission is $14 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for youth 4-17, and children younger than 4 years of age are admitted free. General Admission is always free for members. Tickets can be purchased on the grounds or in advance. To order tickets or for more details, go to ManitowocCountyHistory.org or call 920-684-4445.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Two Rivers man’s heroic role during WWII focus of one-man show coming to Washington House Museum July 27