May 4, 2026, 5:02 a.m. CT
- A construction company is suing a local restaurant developer for approximately $1 million in unpaid bills.
- A YouTuber from England is restoring a 1950s Burger Boat yacht once chartered by Frank Sinatra.
- A new Italian restaurant, Trattoria Tennie, is opening in the former Grizzly’s location on Washington Street.
- The local OfficeMax store has closed, with Five Below and PetSmart slated to move into the space.
- A Manitowoc grandmother retired after raising $80,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters over three decades.
MANITOWOC – The calendar page has flipped to May, and that means it’s time for a look back and recap of my top stories for the month of April. Without further ado …
Readers flocked to my story about Quasius Construction’s move to take the developer of The Spices restaurant to court. The Sheboygan-based company says Basudev Adhikari and a number of businesses he owns owe about $1 million for work done but not paid for.
Boat used by Sinatra has Manitowoc roots
Another story that resonated with readers was a look at a young YouTuber from England who is refurbishing a yacht made by Burger Boat Company in the 1950s.
This boat has had quite a life — it was chartered by Frank Sinatra, spent time in Asia as a house boat, as well as in San Diego, where celebrities and Saudi princes took to the waves.
People caught up with March news in April
This might be a bit meta for a Monday morning, but one of my top stories for April was my piece on the top stories for March. I’m so glad no one wants to miss a thing! These included stories about The Golden Flame restaurant up for sale, the S.S. Badger and more.
Restaurant news is popular in April
Restaurant news is usually popular, and my story about the new Trattoria Tennie followed that trend. I spoke with owner Mark Tennie. He seems like a really nice guy and I look forward to visiting his restaurant at the site of the old Grizzly’s on Washington Street.
Both my story about OfficeMax closing and the one about Five Below and PetSmart — two stores moving into the old OfficeMax space — were well read. Check them out if you can.
This grandma bowled many games to support Big Brothers Big Sisters
Finally, I did a feel-good piece about a Manitowoc grandma who raised $80,000 over three decades for the nonprofit Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. She formed a bowling team with her grandson in the mid-1990s and raised money for their annual bowling fundraiser — but she retired this year.
Contact reporter Patti Zarling at pzarling@usatodayco.com or call 920-2575.
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