The rebuild of the College Avenue bridge in Appleton has been completed and the new, wider bridge will open officially on Friday at 5 pm. There is a big program of events beginning at 2 pm to celebrate the opening. Fox 11 News gives the agenda:

College Avenue Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
AGENDA
(Appleton Mayor Timothy Hanna - Master of Ceremonies)
2 p.m. - American Legion Post No. 38 Color Guard leads the West High Band marching from the west end of the bridge to the center of the bridge (playing West High School song)

* VFW Color Guard leads the East High Band marching from the east end of the bridge to the center of the bridge (playing East High School song)
* Drum cadence
* Presentation of colors
* “National Anthem” performed by both bands
* “Pledge of Allegiance” given by members of the Edison and Richmond Elementary School safety patrols

2:15 p.m. - Speakers and special guests introduced by Mayor Hanna

* Alderperson Curt Konetzke (Council President and Chairman of the Bridge Design Committee)
* Kevin Kaufman (citizen representative from Bridge Design Committee)
* U.S. Congressman Steve Kagen
* Governor Jim Doyle (invited)

2:30 p.m. - Ribbon cutting (Mayor Hanna, Governor Doyle, Congressman Kagen, speakers and members of the safety patrols)
2:40 p.m. - Bands play “God Bless America”
2:50 p.m. - Cake and visiting
(Following the ceremony, the bridge will remain closed to motorized traffic for a short while to allow citizens to tour the bridge.)
4:45 p.m. - Drawing for first ride across the bridge (police car driven by Police Chief David Walsh)
5 p.m. - Bridge opens to traffic

The bridge is tentatively scheduled to open at 5 p.m. Friday, but the project schedule is weather dependant. Rain during the week could delay the bridge opening to traffic for a few days. Friday’s ribbon cutting event will take place as planned.

A group of high-school students went to Wild Truffle Pizzeria last night for dinner. In making reservations for the group, they were told that there would be a minimum order of $15 per person for the food. When they got there and were seated, THEN they were told that the minimum order was $20. For a pizzeria! That pretty much forces people to order more than just a main course, and was a potentially painful surprise to people using cash who might not have had enough.

Wild Truffle Pizzeria is styling itself as a classy gourmet place, but forcing people to spend a lot isn't classy at all. When I went there, two of us had more than we could eat for about $15 a person, and I would have preferred just ordering one $15 pizza for two instead. Forcing people to buy $20 of food per person - more than most people could eat - is not just unkind, it's unhealthy and wasteful.

On the other hand, I can understand the concerns of management worried about a large number of customers who won't be purchasing liquor, a major source of income for restaurants. Perhaps they should simply not take reservations for high-school groups or groups greater than, say, 10 people.

If you're in a group, I recommend eating elsewhere.

On Oct. 7, 2009, the Nobel Prize committee announced that the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry would go to an alumnus of Appleton's Lawrence University, Dr. Thomas Steitz. I heard the news while on campus at Lawrence, right before I gave a lecture to an amazing group of students in Lawrence University's Science Hall, a building that Dr. Steitz helped dedicate in 2000: he was the keynote speaker at the ceremonies. (My lecture in Science Hall was on intellectual property and the broader topic of intellectual assets, going over basics that future business leaders and entrepreneurs should know. Not nearly as intense as the crystal structure of RNA in bacterial ribosomes, the topic behind Dr. Steitz's chemistry prize.)

Lawrence University is proud of this remarkable achievement. Wisconsin is also proud that an alumnus of a fine Wisconsin school who was born in Milwaukee is being recognized with this honor.

Octoberfest in Appleton on Sept. 26, 2009 may have been the best ever. I can say that the demand for Tiger Paws was higher than ever, and in spite of the thousands that were produced with the highly innovative supply chain and production models of the Tiger Paws fund-raising group (youth groups for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, earning money to help young people go to Scout camp and girls camp), our team could have sold three times as many if we could have increased production that much. There were often long lines waiting patiently for their Tiger Paws treat, a genuine tradition for many Octoberfest fans.

Over 100,000 people crowded the long stretch of College Avenue for what is probably the nation's best and most popular Octoberfest celebration - the biggest of the many classy parties that my little party town enjoys. Here are some photos I took before and after my shift making Tiger Paws. Can you guess which Tiger Paws maker is my son, Mark Lindsay?

I'm impressed with the work of one of the Fox Valley's local historian, Chad Wolf, who has just launched a new website with historical information about Appleton. The site is AppletonHistoryClub1857.com. There is a great collection of links to information sites and photos, and some interesting tidbits such as photographic evidence from 1881 that Appleton's Waverly Masonic Lodge was probably the first Masonic Lodge in the world with electric light. (Chad writes that this "makes sense, since almost every individual involved in the purchase of the hydro-electric patent in Appleton were members of the lodge.")

One of the most intriguing gems in this site is a document providing Chad's original research into an intriguing mystery regarding the first Mayor of Appleton, Amos Story (link is to a Word document). Is it possible that the mysterious Amos Story was actually the former Supreme Court Justice, Judge Joseph Story? If so, this is a remarkable finding and an amazing story. Look at the evidence, then let me know what you think. I would love for this to be true - which makes it difficult to be unbiased. So help me out.

Thanks, Chad, for an important contribution to the Fox Valley!

My wife and I stopped at Wild Truffle Wood-Fired Pizzeria and Italian Bistro last Friday night. Since it's a new place in a remote east-side location, we figured it wouldn't be very crowded. Wrong! The word is out that this place has terrific food. At 7 pm, already on the late side for Appleton dining, we were told the wait would be 45 minutes. Was packed inside with a healthy group seated or standing outside. Nice! But we didn't have that kind of time, so we went to the fast and inexpensive Q'Doba instead just north of the Fox River Mall, near Noodles. Yes, I am not ashamed to say I like Q'Doba (love their pesto sauce in burritos).

I got back to Wild Truffle yesterday when I went to lunch with a local education guru. I was hoping for some kind of lunch menu, but it's the same menu as dinner, which means lunch was a but pricey - but really delicious. We tried a pizza and a pasta dish. The pizza turned out to be large enough that two could share and be OK, if not really hungry. I ordered the Wild Truffle pizza which has crimini mushrooms (wonderfully sauteed in butter), great cheese, and a little truffle oil. Very nice flavor. The crust is spectacular - something they spent weeks developing, using a mix of imported Italian flours. Very flavorful and bubbly, not thin but not too thick. Baked to perfection. They've really got the pizza making done to an art.

As for those crimini mushrooms, these might be brown Italian mushrooms or baby portobellos, but "crimini" is one of many names for common mushrooms. Wherever they came from, they were terrific. If you find out more, let me know!

The pasta was excellent. We ordered the Sweet Italian Sausage Penne, a rich, flavorful dish with finely diced tomatoes, herbs, and Italian sausage over penne (penne rigati, as I recall). Done well, but not as delightful as the pizza.

Service was excellent. The decor is very pleasant and open. Not overloaded with noise. Great place for most any occasion. But for lunch, it was a bit pricey. Just the pizza and paste (no drinks or desert) with tax and tip came to $36 and change. No problem when it's evening--I just hope they'll add some lunch specials.

Is it the best pizza in the Valley? I've heard some enthusiastic comments about this place. It just may be. What do you think?

Wild Truffle Pizzeria appears to be one of a kind - not part of a standardized chain. That may increase the risks and the learning curve, but they appear to be pretty far advanced. I wish them success!

Wild Truffle is at 5120 W. Michaels Drive, Appleton. A map is at the bottom of their home page, but it's off of McCarthy Road, which is the first street west of Casoloma if you're on College Avenue. Head north on McCarthy from College (or south from Wisconsin) and you'll see Wild Truffle in a little strip mall on the east side of the road. Turn onto Michaels Drive and you're there.

Phone: 920.733.3330. You can call to make reservations--an especially good idea if you're going on a Friday evening.

An interesting local story of entrepreneurship, innovation, and pro-active health care comes from Appleton resident Mar Bentley, owner and founder of Mind and Body Products. While I've been acquainted with the Bentleys for a while, I didn't realize that Mar had launched a business until I ran into her booth a couple months ago during Appleton's famous Saturday morning farmers market. Even that didn't really perk my interest until I went by in September with my wife and tried out some of their products. I was delighted and impressed to learn that the personal care products they sell (body scrubs, bath salts, facial care products, beauty products, and more - they even have a natural diaper ointment) are made right here in Appleton and are natural and hypoallergenic. The products can be ordered online, purchased at the farmers market or Octoberfest this Saturday, and can be found in a couple of local stores. With luck, they will soon be offered in many other locations.

I inquired further and just learned that their story began with a serious neurological disorder faced by one of their daughters that involved seizures, as mentioned on their "About Us" page. The neurological specialist they went to in Green Bay proclaimed that the disorder was permanent and that the child would face a terribly diminished life with serious learning disorders and other severe disabilities. In addition, she would have to take strong medications with serious side effects that would further harm the quality of her life. The family refused to accept the gloomy decree of the expert and began their own proactive search for answers.

They received assistance from a natural therapist. Suspecting that unhealthy chemical might be playing a role, they changed their lifestyle to reduce artificial chemicals in their diet, and began making their own pure soap out of glycerin. They developed expertise in making a variety of natural products without artificial chemicals, and found that their child began making progress. A number of months later, the "permanent" affliction has been overcome and the gloomy forecast of the medical expert has been completely rebutted. Tonight I met that daughter (and the rest of the family) and found her to be one of the brightest and most charming young people I've met with a limitless future before her. Thank goodness her parents didn't give up!

With all they learned about making natural, healthy products for their use, they decided to make some of their products available for others. Thus, Mind and Body Products, LLC was launched. I hope they do well. If you own a spa or retail store, consider adding these products to your line!

I purchased a couple of their products and like them. I didn't realize that such pleasant products could be formulated without all the usual artificial ingredients I'm used to seeing in personal care products. (I'm a chemical engineer and pay attention to the many chemicals in consumer products. A mind-numbing activity!)

Mar Bentley's Mind and Body Products will be on College Avenue during Octoberfest this Saturday, Her booth will be near the Two Paws Up Bakery next to Avenue Jewelers on the south side of College Avenue (around 300 East College Avenue). Try out some of their salt scrubs, buy some products for your own use and for gifts, and be sure to say that Jeff sent you!

(I have no financial interest in this venture, but I do like the story, the people, and the products.)

Here are photos from the Mind and Body booth at the farmers market. My wife is rinsing her hands in between trying different salt scrubs.

Appleton is a total party town, with fun, wholesome parties all the time. Things like Art in the Park, free music parties downtown on Thursday night in the summer, our giant Farmers Market every summer Saturday morning, our amazing parades, and dozens of other events. The Fox Cities are far more lively and social than others might imagine. There just seems to be a lot of great public events going on all the time - truly a party town in the best way. One of our famous mega-parties is coming up on Saturday, Sept. 25. A party that brings in people from all over the State and even from all over the Midwest. A town of about 80,000 will just about double in size as over 100,000 flock to Appleton's famous Octoberfest. I hope you'll be there, too! Look for me in a fund-raising booth selling the official treat of Octoberfest, Tiger Paws! Those succulent flat donut-like delights sprinkled with 100% trans-fat free (in fact, fat free!) sugar and cinnamon, cooked to perfection in 100% sugar-free hot oil. Mmmm, talk about dietary wisdom!