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It’s your paper! Friday, June 8, 2018 • Vol. 5, No. 4 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1
Inside
Fitchburg Police Department
Verona Road
May sees uptick in crashes at PD intersection Police: Crashes ‘tamed down’ after mid-month shift
Fitchburg Days photos Page 2
SCOTT GIRARD
City breaks ground on second new fire station
Unified Newspaper Group
Page 3 Fitchburg resident competing in Ironman 70.3 Page 10
Business Tapatios restaurant opens on Cahill Main Page 15
Photos by Kimberly Wethal
Sgt. Edward Hartwick has been part of a pilot program testing body cameras since January. The cameras, attached to the officers’ uniforms with a magnet, are expected to be worn by all Fitchburg officers by the end of the month.
The Third Eye
City preparing to have a body camera on every officer
Sports
KIMBERLY WETHAL
Edgewood boys golf repeats as D2 state champions
As Fitchburg police Sgt. Edward Hartwick flipped on the emergency lights on his squad car for a drug overdose investigation last week, he also needed to remember to flip on the body camera clipped halfway down his chest. Hartwick has been wearing the camera since January as a part of a Fitchburg Police Department pilot program aimed at putting one on each of the 48 officers in the department. After the department receives a final piece of equipment that will integrate the body cameras with the computers in their squads to review footage, it plans to roll out the full program – department leaders hope by the end of the month. Getting here has been a three-year process that police chief Chad Brecklin said has involved spending about $160,000 for 48 cameras and assorted equipment, getting buy-in from city leaders and feedback from citizens and an intradepartmental committee, putting together and testing a policy for how the cameras are used and how video footage is stored and released and testing it on a handful of
Unified Newspaper Group
Page B1
Schools VASD outlines boundary change timeline Page B7
PRSRT STANDARD ECRWSS US POSTAGE
‘The cameras are there to try to bring those things that people have felt have been behind-the-scenes for so long out into the forefront.’ – Chad Brecklin, Fitchburg police chief officers. For Hartwick, having the camera running during the June 1 overdose investigation was vital as he sifted through a cluttered passenger seat of the patient’s car while the man was loaded into the ambulance. The pills in the tall, skinny orange bottle Hartwick picked out from that seat weren’t the cause of the overdose – instead, they belonged to the driver of vehicle. But in situations where searches, arrests and restraints are conducted by police, having a body camera – an impartial third-person view, as Brecklin described it – allows for transparency in the day-to- The Panasonic body cameras can day interactions between officers and be linked to each car’s mobile data computer to enable quick reviewal of citizens. footage.
Turn to Cameras/Page 12
May featured the most significant traffic shift to date on Verona Road in Fitchburg, as crews routed both directions onto entirely different lanes from Raymond Road past Hwy. PD. The 12 accidents were the most at the Verona Road-PD intersection of any month in the past year, according to crime map data from the Fitchburg Police Department. “Any time you make a change in the lane or direction of travel, you’re gonna have problems,” FPD Sgt. Tom Schmitt said. “They’re gonna get confused.” Schmitt told the Star they “always expect crashes,” when changes are made during construction season – and especially on a major project like this – as people get used to their routes and often are driving with distractions. By now, though, three weeks since the May 18-20 changeover Schmitt said the confusion has “kind of run its course.” “People now I think are used to it,” he said. Of the 12 crashes in May at the intersection, there w e r e t wo t h a t S c h m i t t deemed “serious” incidents, one before the traffic switch and one after. On May 7, two people were hospitalized after a driver ran a red light while
Turn to Verona Road/Page 13
Inside What’s ahead for Verona Road Page 13
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Fitchburg Star
From left, CC Girard and Ashley Elias, both 13, ride “Pharoah’s Fury” at Fitchburg Days on Saturday, June 19.
Fun at Fitchburg Days
Photos by Alexander Cramer
From left, Lexi Remiker, 11, and Leah Peterson, 12, get a sample from the Sugar River Kettle Corn guy, Jim Schultz, during Fitchburg Days.
ALEXANDER CRAMER Unified Newspaper Group
The Fitchburg Days midway was bustling on the sunny afternoon on Saturday, May 19, with the whir of rides overhead and the smell of cotton candy and fried food wafting through the air. The night before on Friday, May 18, fighting among juveniles had forced the festival to close early and two teenagers were taken to juvenile detention while two more had been cited and others were being investigated. But on this afternoon, families with young kids abounded, partaking in carnival rides or trying their hand at winning gigantic stuffed animals.
Right, Soren Sable, age 3 1/2, runs down the end of the slide at Fitchburg Days.
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From back, Kyra Vosberg, 6, and Melanye Herrera, 8, come to the end of their run down the slide at Fitchburg Days on Saturday, May 19.
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June 8, 2018
Fitchburg Star
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Fitchburg fire department
Second station to open next year Ceremonial groundbreaking held June 1 SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
The Fitchburg Fire Department had its first call from the location of its next station June 1 – even without a building there. Firefighters attending the ceremonial groundbreaking Friday, June 1, at the corner of Clayton and Syene roads were called away in the middle to respond to a nearby drug overdose. The quick response time to County Hwy. MM., on the city’s east side, was one of the major motivations for the city in deciding to relocate its fire operations for the second time in a threeyear period. The department opened its new Fire Station No. 2 location on Marketplace Drive, replacing the King James Way station, last summer. The Clayton-Syene location is expected to be occupied next summer and will replace the Lacy Road station, which will remain in operation for administrative purposes. “This is the beginning of the end of our fire station journey — for awhile,” Mayor Jason Gonzalez said at the event. The $8 million, 26,832-square-foot station will be one story with 12 bunk rooms, four truck bays, a training room and several environmentally sustainable features. City officials have been planning the two new fire stations as far back as 2009, and purchased the
Some firefighters were in attendance at the ceremony, some had to leave the ceremony to respond to a nearby call.
City of Fitchburg staff and elected officials throw the first dirt at the new fire station site.
Photos by Scott Girard
City of Fitchburg fire chief Joe Pulvermacher thanks the community for its support in building two new fire stations. five acres of land for this station in August 2016 for $260,000. The station had initially been estimated to cost $11.6 million, but the city decided to keep administration operations at the Lacy Road station, which allowed the new station to be smaller. The city initially hoped to build it earlier in the decade, but it became even
more pressing as development has picked up around the Lacy Road-Hwy. 14 c o r r i d o r a n d t h e Tow n of Madison dissolution approaches. Fitchburg will inherit some of the town’s land by 2022 at the latest. Fire chief Joe Pulvermacher said the station’s location was “carefully considered to be able to provide the most efficient
emergency response.” “This firehouse marks the growth of a city and our emergency response,” Pulvermacher said. “We will be good stewards of this investment, and we thank you for your support.” Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com City of Fitchburg planning director Tom Hovel shares the hisand follow him on Twitter tory of fire stations in the city. @sgirard9.
Lacy Road closed June 11-24 SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
Lacy Road travelers will again have to use a different route for a few weeks this summer. After last year’s closure between Fish Hatchery and Syene roads, this year, the section between Seminole Hwy. and Fitchrona Road will be closed for two weeks this month. From June 11-24, road construction will take place
near the Quarry Vista subdivision, as Lacy Road is lowered and a new intersection is constructed. The signed detour will direct drivers onto Seminole Highway to Whalen Road then east on Fitchrona Road. The road is scheduled to reopen by 6 a.m. June 24 at the latest, according to a city news release. Questions regarding the closure can be directed to interim public works director Bill Balke at 270-4264 or bill.balke@fitchburgwi. gov. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
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Opinion
Fitchburg Star
Letters to the editor
Where will the animals go? We purchased our property 26 years ago. It seemed perfect. Close to Madison and yet open spaces, farmland and wild animals. It was the best of both urban and rural. However, most of that is long gone. Empty land is now fields of apartments and condos. Wet lands now have houses squeezed
together. Trees that once lined roads have been felled. Fitchburg, once unique, is now becoming just another suburb. And in the words of my grandson, “Gramma, where will all the animals live?” Yes, where will all the animals live? Norma Johnson City of Fitchburg
Letters to the editor policy Unified Newspaper Group is proud to offer a venue for public debate and welcomes letters to the editor, provided they comply with our guidelines. Letters should be no longer than 400 words. They should also contain contact information – the writer’s full name, address, and phone number – so that the paper may confirm authorship. Unsigned or anonymous letters will not be printed under any circumstances. Letters to the editor should be of general public interest. Letters that are strictly personal – lost pets, for example – will not be printed. Letters that recount personal experiences, good or bad, with individual businesses will not be printed unless there is an overwhelming and compelling public interest to do so. Letters that urge readers to patronize specific businesses or specific religious faiths will not be printed, either. “Thank-you” letters can be printed under limited circumstances, provided they do not contain material that should instead be placed as an advertisement and reflect public, rather than promotional interests. Unified Newspaper Group encourages lively public debate on issues, but it reserves the right to limit the number of exchanges between individual letter writers to ensure all writers have a chance to have their voices heard. This policy will be printed from time to time in an abbreviated form here and is posted in its entirety on our websites.
Friday, June 8, 2018 • Vol. 5, No. 4 Periodical Postage Paid, Verona, WI and additional offices. Published monthly on Friday by the Unified Newspaper Group, A Division of Woodward Communications, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send Address Corrections to The Fitchburg Star, 133 Enterprise Drive, Verona, WI 53593.
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Electric vehicles becoming a more viable option
M
ore residents in this part of Wisconsin seem to be concerned about the environment and minimizing their impact on the environment. For example, as a Toyota Prius owner, I tend to notice other hybrid vehicles, and our area seems to have more Priuses per capita than any other area in Wisconsin or the other states I’ve visited. I’ve also noticed people in our area competing with others and with themselves on increasing their gas mileage. I recently achieved a 100.9 mpg on a trip from Madison’s west side to Fitchburg, and I wasn’t even trying. The increasing number of electric vehicles have taken this competition for energy- efficiency to a whole new level. Several years go, if you wanted an EV, you had the choice of having a hybrid vehicle converted or going to the coast to buy one. No longer. There is now a good selection of EVs available for purchase in the Midwest. In addition, faster EV charging stations are more readily available. The combination has more people thinking about the possibility of going electric. But the choices are complicated, and if you’re thinking of someday purchasing an EV, it might be difficult to know where to begin deciding which one is right for you. That’s why Fitchburg’s Resource Conservation Commission is partnering with Madison Gas and Electric to host an event this month we call “EV 101.” The event is June 21 at the Fitchburg library and will feature a great lineup of EVs on display, including a Chevrolet Bolt, a Tesla Model 3, a BMW i3, a Mini Countryman, a Nissan Leaf, a Chevy Volt and a Toyota
Prius Prime. As part of this push to get more information to people about electric vehicles, MG&E forwarded a primer on EVs to the Star, which is printed below:
Selection of EVs continues to grow Many car buyers don’t realize there’s a large and growing assortment of electric vehicle options at dealerships in the Madison area. There are more than 40 electric vehicle models available in almost every vehicle class, from the Chevy Bolt hatchback to the Chrysler Pacifica minivan. And that number is expected to double in the next five years. Like their gasoline counterparts, today’s electric vehicles offer many choices when it comes to trim, color, and packages. And electric vehicles also are fueled in different ways. Some are all-electric, also known as battery electric vehicles (BEV), while others are plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). BEVs like the Chevy Bolt, Nissan LEAF, and Tesla Model 3 run on electricity only. They have an electric motor. The battery recharges by plugging into an electrical outlet or charging station. On average, you can drive from 100 to 240 miles on a charge.
Automakers are promising future models will travel 300 miles or more on a single charge. PHEVs also have an electric motor and battery with a gasoline engine for backup. You can drive from 10 to 50 miles on electricity before the gasoline engine kicks in, and altogether you can go between 300 to 600 miles before you need to charge or fuel up. There are many models available, including the Chrysler Pacifica Minivan, Honda Clarity, Mitsubishi Outlander and BMW 330e. Whether to select a PHEV or BEV depends on your driving habits and lifestyle. If you live in DeForest and work in Madison, for example, a BEV might be a good choice. As an example, the Chevy Bolt gives you more than 200 miles per charge. If you travel for your job or take your kids to soccer tournaments in Wausau and Green Bay, a PHEV may be the option for you since they typically allow for traveling greater distance. It is clear automakers are committed to building and selling electric vehicles for drivers with different needs, price points, and features. That means there will continue to be more choices for drivers – and we’re likely to see some of them sooner than later. It’s predicted there will be more than 100 models on the road by 2022. To find out more about electric vehicles and charging options, visit Madison Gas and Electric’s new online feature about electric vehicles and charging options at energy2030together.com/EVRider. Diane Streck is a member of Fitchburg’s Resource Conservation Commission.
Healthy Living
There’s no magic pill for the afternoon slump
E
nergy is that elusive thing we’re constantly striving for more of. We’re rushing from one thing to the next, constantly deprived of sleep and trying to “get more energy” any way we can. And people will try anything to get that energy. Hoerr Companies have capitalized on this, and as a result, the market is full of products advertising that they contain the energy boost you’re looking for. From energy bars and energy drinks to a variety of supplements and even wa t e r, s o m e h ow w e ’ve come to believe that these things have that magical ingredient we all need. It can be difficult for most of us to know which, if any, of these products actually work. One thing is for certain: There is no magical ingredient. I often have people ask me if energy bites, which are round balls of oats,
h o n ey a n d p e a n u t bu t ter, will give them energy. Technically, yes. But probably not the in the superhero way that they’re envisioning or hoping. Simply put, energy is calories. Only carbs, protein and fat provide us with calories. We get calories from food, which our bodies then convert into a form of energy (ATP, if you can remember back to high school biology) that our cells can use. So yes, those energy bites and energy bars are a great source of energy – by way of calories. Waters and supplements that boast about the number of B vitamins they contain actually aren’t giving you any energy at all. And while caffeine sure does seem like it can give us a boost of energy, it’s a stimulant, but doesn’t truly give us more energy, per se. If you wonder what all those B vitamins doing in our energy drinks and waters if they don’t give us energy, that’s a good question. While the vitamins themselves don’t actually give you more energy, all eight essential B vitamins are needed at the cellular level
to help convert the food we eat into energy. I guess you could say they make the magic happen. Most of us, however, are getting all the B vitamins we need from the food we eat on a daily basis – no energy drinks or waters required. Good sources of the vitamin B complex include dairy, eggs, meat, fish, nuts, legumes or beans, leafy greens and whole grains. Since we can’t store up the majority of the B vitamins for future use, we need to have a variety of these foods on a daily basis. But as long as our levels are adequate, it doesn’t necessarily benefit us to eat an additional dose of foods rich in vitamin B solely for an extra shot of energy. Those most at risk for being deficient are vegans, vegetarians or pregnant and breastfeeding women who may not be getting enough vitamin B in their diets to meet their specific needs, especially vitamin B12 and folate. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, and folate is needed in greater amounts when pregnant. If you feel like you’re more run-down than
normal and sleep doesn’t seem to help, talk with your doctor about getting a blood test to make sure you’re not deficient in one of the B vitamins or iron or that there’s not another concern that needs addressing. As for having an energy drink for a mid-afternoon boost to get you through the day, you may be better off getting past your slump by having a piece of fruit, nuts or whole-grain crackers. An elixir that guarantees an increase in energy may not exist, but if we stick to the simple routine of getting plenty of rest, eating a variety of foods and maintaining a balanced diet, we’ll be feeling more energized than any drink could possibly give us. Kara Hoerr, MS, RDN, CD, is the registered dietitian nutritionist at the Fitchburg Hy-Vee. For nutrition information or questions, contact her at khoerr@hy-vee. com or 273-5125. This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
June 8, 2018
Rethinking 50 mph speed limits Forum: More traffic should mean lower speeds ALEXANDER CRAMER Unified Newspaper Group
As the city sees more development, more people are driving on roads designed when the city was more rural, complete with high speed limits and no shoulders. In an effort to prevent what they worry could be a burgeoning traffic-safety issue, District 4 Alds. Tony Hartmann and Tom Clauder hosted a public forum on speed limits on Wednesday, May 16. The alders were joined by Fitchburg Police Department Lt. Ryan Michels, Sgt. Edward Hartwick and Sgt. Nick Clemens and roughly a dozen residents to share concerns and identify problem areas. Hartmann cited the city’s “break-neck
pace” of development for increases in traffic volume and wear on the city’s roads. “We don’t want to wait until the accidents come, or someone gets killed,” Hartmann told the Star. “We’re looking at (lowering) speed limits as a relatively inexpensive way to reduce risks and improve safety.” One theme Hartmann said he took away from the forum is the desire for consistency, as the speed limit on some roads like Whalen Road vacillate repeatedly between 40 and 55 mph in the space of a few miles. This can lead to tickets for drivers who didn’t notice the change, but also provides the opportunity for a dangerous discrepancy in speeds, which can make for serious accidents. Many of the residents who attended live in the alders’ district, the largest in Fitchburg and what Hartmann described as “where the soybeans meet the city.” In some areas, drivers are “cruising at 55 or 60” as residents are trying to turn
into their driveways. Dane County is already in the process of reducing the speed limit on County Hwy. MM north of Irish Lane to McCoy Road from 50 mph to 40 mph. Residents pointed to Whalen Road, Seminole Highway and Fish Hatchery Road as potential sites for speed-limit reduction, all of which have 50 mph zones that are seeing heavier traffic. Hartmann said officers he’s spoken to have mentioned the intersection of PD and Hwy. 151 as the most dangerous in the city. Hartmann said next steps will be to bring up concerns with the Public Works Department, which may do traffic volume or speed studies in recommended areas. And, Hartmann added, “If (police) set up radar in a spot, even just occasionally, people will learn.” Contact Alexander Cramer at alexander.cramer@wcinet.com.
3 arrested after stolen vehicle pursuit K9 Drago injured during incident KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group
A 22-year-old man and two 23-year-old men were arrested after a stolen car pursuit that began in Fitchburg ended in a crash and a foot chase in Madison. On Thursday, May 31, Fitchburg police received a tip Friday, May 31, from another law enforcement agency that three suspects were in a vehicle that was reported stolen from North Dakota two days earlier.
On the morning of Friday, June 1, an officer located the car on the 2400 block of Post Road. A chase ensued after four people, one of whom was dropped off at a grocery store prior to the pursuit, drove off in the vehicle. Officers decided to pursue the vehicle following the dropoff. The vehicle, reaching speeds of 50 in Madison neighborhoods and a top speed of 90 on the Beltline, was stopped on South Stoughton Road after it struck another vehicle. Two of the vehicle’s occupants fled on foot. Emmanuel Floyd Hunter III, 22, who fled toward
Glendale Elementary School, was located by Fitchburg K9 Drago after the suspect barricaded himself on the porch of a nearby residence. The elementary school was placed on lockdown. Hunter, who allegedly kicked and punched the K9, was arrested after Drago bit him, according to the release. Hunter was treated at a local hospital for the dog bite. Drago received a cut on his ear and was evaluated at a vet clinic, the release stated. Hunter, the driver of the allegedly stolen vehicle, was preliminarily charged with fleeing/eluding an officer, resisting arrest, operation of a motor vehicle without
owner’s consent and harassment of a police animal. Hunter was also held on a parole violation, as were the two people with him, Cleaster Letroy Moon and Wali Ali, both 23. Ali was also cited for resisting arrest, as he fled the scene and was arrested after a brief foot chase. The driver of the vehicle that was struck during the pursuit was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.
Former Oakhill staffer charged with sexual assault of inmate Wife of DOC security director allegedly started relationship SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
A former sergeant working at the Oakhill Correctional Institute allegedly had sex with an inmate and is now facing felony sexual assault charges. Cassandra Green, 49, of DeForest, has been charged with second-degree sexual assault by correctional staff for an alleged relationship she developed with an inmate, which eventually led to sex last November. She resigned in December “without any real notice,” according to the criminal complaint. Green is married to the security director for the state Department of Corrections, Michael Green.
Within a day of her resignation, security and wardens received information about her husband finding out she was having an affair with an inmate, according to the complaint. That was based on photos and a video on Cassandra Green’s phone, as well as letters that indicated a possible relationship, the complaint states. The inmate, identified in the complaint by initials CDH, told investigators he and Green had sex in a kitchen area of one of the cottages Green around 3 a.m. Nov. 24, according to the complaint. The inmate told police he and Green had “joked about (having sex) in the past, but he never thought it was going to happen,” the complaint states.
During Green’s nightly inmate counts, CDH told investigators, he woke up as she shined the flashlight into his room and the officer then “motioned to him with her finger to follow her.” The two then went to the kitchen, where Green reportedly told CDH to “be quick about this.” The two had developed the relationship between them over time, as they would see each other through a window and make eye contact and smile at each other, according to the complaint. They had kissed and touched each other’s butts in the past, CDH said, often after he told a coworker he would finish their cleaning work alone before Green would come in the room. Green faces up to 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine if convicted of the Class C Felony.
Festival fighting prompts early cutoff JIM FEROLIE Fitchburg Star editor
Juvenile “disturbances” caused Fitchburg Days to shut down its carnival and midway early on Friday, May 18, and made plans to stop it early Saturday, as well. Starting after 7 p.m., several incidents on the midway grounds prompted the Fitchburg and Town of Madison police to bring every available officer “due to the large scale,” according to a Fitchburg Police Department release sent early Saturday.
The investigation was ongoing as of Saturday, May 19, but police reported a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were taken to juvenile detention and a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were issued citations and three others were being investigated for their roles. The midway and carnival were set to close at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19, “due to safety concerns for the general public,” the release said. The annual festival at McKee Farms Park has
been ongoing for many years, but it drew controversy last year when multiple alders and the mayor suggested it should be replaced with something different and organizer Jay Allen, a former mayor, responded by criticizing the mayor. Its future has been questioned since 2015, when most of the committee resigned and Allen took it on mostly solo. Email Fitchburg Star editor Jim Ferolie at fitchburgstar@wcinet.com.
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Fitchburg Star
Redeemer City Church looks to move to King James Way Would take over former Stevens Design building SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
A church that has operated out of Chavez Elementary School since 2013 could soon have a home of its own – and a chance to share it. Redeemer City Church pastor Casey Johnson told the Star the church is set to take over the former Steven’s Design building, 5356 King James Way, though it still needs some approvals from the City of Fitchburg’s Plan Commission and Common Council. Johnson said the church has been looking for building space in the Fitchburg area for about a year, and “wanted to be in an area that lacked resources,” like building space on King James. “If we were gonna have a building, we don’t need it Monday through Saturday for a lot of that time,” Johnson said. “We wanted to utilize our space, more than anything, for the good of the community.” He said if the city’s approvals come through this month, the church hopes to begin redesigning the building in July and have it occupied by the end of the year. The building has been vacant since its owner decided to close in 2016 because of the
Verona Road construction. The Plan Commission last month recommended allowing church use under the Professional Office district zoning, which was previously not allowed in that classification. Johnson said the idea of working with the community – including the Verona Area School District, the Fitchburg Public Library’s outreach coordinator, Badger Prairie Needs Network leaders and city officials – is something that represents “kind of who we are as a church.” He pointed to current partnerships like Adopta-School, serving at BPNN and the Trails to Success program in the High Ridge Trail area as examples of what they can do. Their potential new location will only enhance that outreach, and it could serve as a future polling place, he added. “To actually be in a neighborhood where we can do this kind of service is wonderful,” he said. “This really opens that up to a whole new level.” He stressed that they want to work with community members and provide space for “grassroots leaders” to try out programs and reach others. “We’re not going in and starting a bunch of our programs, we’re trying to partner with people that are already doing good work in these neighborhoods – this just enables them to do it better,” he said.
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Free Event for Caregivers! Former Wisconsin Governor Martin J. Schreiber presents
‘My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver’ Wednesday, June 13th | 3 pm | All Saints Chapel 511 Commerce Drive in Madison The first 15 people to RSVP will receive a free copy of Schreiber’s book! RSVP by June 8th to Donna at 608-827-2772 or dmalaise@elderspan.com. adno=573972-01
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June 8, 2018
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Fitchburg Star
Fitchburg artist to host talk on Bucky on Parade design KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group
Fitchburg Artist Christy Grace said that getting noticed as an artist is difficult, so being a part of the Bucky on Parade exhibit and getting to talk about the process of her artwork is “nice.” “It’s not often that as an artist, you have work that’s so public,” she said. “I think because it’s based on Bucky, people at first cling on to that, and then get inspired by the art that’s on it.” Grace will speak about the process of making the BioTech Bucky, located at Agora Pavilion at 5500 Cheryl Pkwy., at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 28. Grace will make her presentation more hands-on, she said, as she plans to bring along some of the materials she used to make some of the “cheesy” details on Bucky, including the beaker, the goggles and the notebook in his pocket that reads “Important Stuff.” “Just saying it doesn’t really equate to seeing it and feeling it,” she said. Grace is one of 64 artists who designed a total of 85 Bucky on Parade statues that were put on display in May and are available for viewing until Sept. 12. Grace designed two of the statues on display, the BioTech Bucky at the Agora Pavilion and “Celestial Bucky” which is placed along Observatory Drive on the UW-Madison campus. Following the exhibit, the Buckys that were not commissioned will be
Photo by Amber Levenhagen
“Biotech Bucky” at the Agora Pavilion near the Fitchburg Center is among 85 around the Dane County area. This particular Bucky was designed by Christy Grace and is sponsored by the Fitchburg Community and Economic Development Authority. auctioned off, with proceeds going to support nonprofits like Garding Against Cancer, Madison Area Sports Commission and additional charities, according to a news release from the Greater Madison Convention and Visitor Bureau. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.
If You Go What: Bucky on Parade artist talk – Christy Grace When: 5 p.m. Thursday, June 28 Where: Agora Pavilion, 5511 Cheryl Pkwy. Info: madisonsports.org
Festival of Speed debuts in Fitchburg KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group
Fitchburg’s newest festival – an all-day cycling event called the Fitchburg Festival of Speed – is right in line with the branding the city’s chamber of commerce is looking for. “We’ve kind of become this hub for athletic events, just since I’ve been here,” Kate Wicker, membership director for the Fitchburg Chamber Visitor and Business Bureau, told the Star in April. “We get a lot of people who travel here from the Chicago, Minneapolis areas; as far as Missouri and Iowa come here to bike on our trails.” The July 7 festival will include bike and foot races around the city, some competitive, others relaxed, as well as entertainment for children and adults. The all-day event serves as the Wisconsin Cycling Association’s State Criterium Championship competition and features a 25-mile bike ride, a 5K Memorial Donor Dash, a 1-mile run and a kid’s fun run. The Donor Dash is honor of Andy Nelesen, a reporter at the Green Bay Press-Gazette who donated his organs after he died in 2010. It will also feature a kid’s zone, a beer zone and live music starting at 6 p.m. Angela Kinderman,
If You Go What: Fitchburg Festival of Speed When: 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, July 7 Where: Agora Pavilion, 5511 E Cheryl Pkwy. Info: fitchburgfestivalofspeed.com Fitchburg chamber executive director, said they were pleased when Race Day Events, the organizers behind the event, reached out to them about hosting it in Fitchburg. “We were looking for a unique event that fit well with our bike-friendly community brand,” she wrote in an email to the Star. Kinderman said they’re expecting around 2,000 people in the festival’s inaugural year, but she notes that being designated as the site for the criterium competition could have an impact on those numbers. She hopes the people who participate have a good time while there. “They might also find a new or renewed interest in biking, (whether) it be a ride or a race,” she said.
Calendar of events Saturday, June 9
• 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Steeple to Steeple bike ride, ($10$30), All Saints Lutheran Church, 2951 Chapel Valley Rd., twhughes17@ gmail.com
Monday, June 11
• 10 a.m., Havens petting farm, library, 729-1763 • 2:30 p.m., Sound production (ages 7-12), library, 729-1762
Tuesday, June 12
• 11-11:45 a.m., Lapsit storytime (ages 0-2), library, 729-1760 • 2 p.m., Men’s Group,
senior center, fitchburgwi. gov/823/groups-to-join • 3:30 p.m., Promega summer art show opening, BioPharmaceutical Technology Center, 5445 E. Cheryl Pkwy., fitchburg chamber.com • 3:30-4:30 p.m., Mug Cake Make and Bake, library, 729-1760 • 6 p.m., Pendulum painting (ages 13-17), library, 729-1760
Wednesday, June 13
• 11:30 a.m., Food nutrition class with LyTonia, senior center, 270-4290 • 4-5 p.m., Library lab:
Bubble science (ages 5-12), library, 729-1760 • 6 p.m., Pendulum painting (ages 9-12), library, 729-1760 • 6 p.m., Free English class, Nine Springs Golf Course, 2201 Traceway Drive., 244-3911
Thursday, June 14
• 10 a.m., STEAM power (ages 2-5), library, 7291760 • 10 a.m., Caregiver support, senior center, 2704290 • 1 p.m., Bouncing babies storytime, library, 7291760 • 1:30 p.m., REACH book club, senior center, 2704290 • 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Center Farmers MarketStrawberry Fest, Agora Pavilion, 5511 East Cheryl Pkwy., fitchburgmarket. wordpress.com
Friday, June 15
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• 11 a.m., Musical instrument crafts (ages 2-5), library, 729-1760 • Noon, Friends of Fitchburg library used book sale, library, 729-1760
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Saturday, June 16
• 9:30 a.m., Badger Prairie 5K run/walk, 1100 E. Verona Ave., runsignup. com • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friends of Fitchburg library used book sale, library, 729-1760
Monday, June 18
• 9:30 a.m., Preschool storytime (ages 2-5), library, 729-1760 • 11 a.m., Preschool storytime (ages 2-5), library, 729-1760 • 2 p.m., Parkinson’s support with Bob Gilpatrick,
senior center, 270-4290 • 2:30-4 p.m., Stop motion animation basics class 1, library, 729-1760 • 7 p.m., Great decisions in the library, library, 7291763 • 6-9 p.m., Concerts at McKee, McKee Farms Park, 2930 Chapel Valley Road, fitchburgchamber. com
rytime (ages 2-5), library, 729-1762 • 10 a.m. to noon, Triangle Tree Nursery weed out event, McGaw Park, 5236 Lacy Road, 270-4285 • 10:30 a.m., Identify invasives, Wildwood Kettle, Osmundsen Road and Norwich St., 270-4289
Sunday, June 24
Pkwy., fitchburgmarket. wordpress.com • 6:30 p.m., Summer concerts: Le Gran Fromage, library, 729-1763
Friday, June 29
• 11 a.m., Book boogie (ages 2-5), library, 7291760 • 4 p.m., UW space place comet in the classroom, library, 729-1760
• 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 19 Bike fundraiser for Wheels Saturday, June 30 • 11-11:45 a.m., Lapsit sto- for Winners, The Church • 9:30-11:30 a.m., Invarytime (ages 0-2), library, at Christ Memorial, 2833 sive Control Patrol, WildRaritan Road, livelifeto 729-1760 wood Kettle, Osmundsen gether.com. • 6 p.m., The craft conRoad and Norwich St., nection, library, 729-1763 Monday, June 25 628-9910 Wednesday, June 20 • 11 a.m., MusikGarten Tuesday, July 3 (ages 3-5), library, 729• 10 a.m., Wednesday • 11-11:45 a.m., Lapsit sto1762 morning book discussion, • 2:30 p.m., Video produc- rytime (ages 0-2), library, library, 729-1763 729-1760 tion 101 (ages 7-12, reg• 10:30 a.m., Cable free istration required), library, Thursday, July 5 TV, senior center, 270729-1762 • 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Cen4290 ter Farmers Market, Agora • 2:30-4 p.m., Stop motion Tuesday, June 26 animation basics class 2, • 11-11:45 a.m., Lapsit sto- Pavilion, 5511 East Cheryl library, 729-1760 rytime (ages 0-2), library, Pkwy., fitchburgmarket. wordpress.com 729-1760 Thursday, June 21 Saturday, July 7 • 10 a.m., Garbage trucks • 2 p.m., Miller and Mike juggling, library, 729-1760 • 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Golf are awesome (ages 2-5), outing to benefit Wound• 2 p.m., Active Women’s library, 729-1760 ed Warrior Project ($40), Group meeting, senior • 10:30 a.m., Memory Nine Springs Golf Course, center, fitchburgwi. Cafe, senior center, 2702201 Traceway Drive., gov/823/groups-to-join 4290 ninespringswounded • 6 p.m., Minecraft party • 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Cenwarriors.com ter Farmers Market, Agora (ages 5-12), library, 729• 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., 1760 Pavilion, 5511 East Cheryl Fitchburg Festival of Pkwy., fitchburgmarket. Wednesday, June 27 Speed, Agora Pavilion, wordpress.com • 4 p.m., Library lab: Food 5500 Cheryl Pkwy., fitch • 4 p.m., Sphero Robotscience (ages 5-12), burgfestivalofspeed.com ics coding, (ages 9-12), library, 729-1760 library, 729-1762 Tuesday, July 10 Thursday, June 28 • 6:30 p.m., Electric vehi• 11-11:45 a.m., Lapsit stocles 101, library, 729-1763 • 11 a.m., Cookbook club rytime (ages 0-2), library, – rainbow recipes, library, 729-1760 Friday, June 22 729-1763 • 1-2 p.m., Travel Show • 12:40 p.m., Movie day: • 1:30 p.m., I Love a Mys- with Fitchburg Senior “Murder on the Orient tery Book Club meeting, Center Friends, senior Express,” senior center, senior center, 270-4290 center, 270-4290Cheryl 270-4290 • 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Cen- Pkwy., fitchburgmarket. ter Farmers Market, Agora wordpress.com Saturday, June 23 Pavilion, 5511 East Cheryl • 10:30 a.m., Safari sto-
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June 8, 2018
Monthly concerts at McKee Farms Park begin June 18 SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
The first of three Concerts at McKee is set for June 18. The annual summer concert series, which will be on the third Monday of June, July and August, begins at 6 p.m. each evening with beer and food carts and Madison Music Foundry youth bands playing. The h e a d l i n e r s b eg i n a t 7 p.m. The features bands this summer are Trapper Schoepp June 18, KinFolk July 16 and Orquesta SalSoul del Mad Aug. 20. Kids are able to use the Splash Pad or Kids’ Crossing Dream Park if they aren’t interested in the music, as well. Schoepp tells the stories of “a strange and diverse cast of characters” he’s befriended over his 24 years through “finely etched m u s i c a l v i g n e t t e s ,” according to the Facebook page for the event. The following month, KinFolk will bring its “diverse musical style” and “captivating live performance s ” t o M c Ke e . T h e
If You Go What: Concerts at McKee When: 6-9 p.m. Mondays, June 18, July 16, Aug. 20 Where: McKee Farms Park, 2930 Chapel Valley Road Info: Facebook.com/ concertsatmckee Madison-based band “infuses soulful harmonies and gritty vocals to recreate memories of the past, and point to the promise of the future,” according to the event’s Facebook page. Orquesta SalSoul del Mad will close the series Aug. 20 with a combination of “the fire of Latin rhythm and the groove of soul,” the Facebook event states. The musicians in the group are all local, “representing the international diversity of Madison.” For more information, visit facebook. com/concertsatmckee. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet. com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
Coming up
For information, call 729-1762.
Bike ride against hunger The Steeple to Steeple Ride for Hunger 2018 fundraiser will be held on Saturday, June 9, at All Saints Lutheran Church, 2951 Chapel Valley Road. All proceeds will go to fight hunger through the organization ELCA World Hunger and is sponsored by the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin. The cost is $10-30. For information, visit steepleride. com.
Oscar Meyer photos The Oscar Meyer team of Peanutters and Hotdoggers will be at Staybridge Suites of Madison-Fitchburg, 2916 Hardrock Road, from June 9-17. People are invited to visit and take pictures. For information, call 616-5660.
Brush collection week Brush collection week starts at 6:30 a.m. Monday, June 11. Collection is for brush only- yard waste will not be collected. Yard waste can be dropped off at 2373 S. Fish Hatchery Road and placed in the yard waste bunker. For information, visit fitchburgwi. gov/146/solid-waste.
Petting farm Come see a variety of farm animals from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, June 11, at the library. The Havens Petting Farm will be able to see and touch bunnies, chicks, lambs, goats, a calf, a potbelly pig, a mini donkey, a duck, a goose and chickens. For information, call 729-1760.
Sound production Children ages 7-12 can learn sound editing and effects from everyday sounds from FACTv employees from 2:30-4 p.m. on Monday, June 11, at the library. Registration for the class is required.
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The Summer 18 Promega Art Showcase opening reception will be held from 3:306:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, at the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center, 5445 E. Cheryl Pkwy. Musician Jim Schwall will perform Electric vehicles during the reception at 4:30. For information, visit fitchburgchamber. Madison Gas and Electric will showcase com. a variety of electric vehicles at the library from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 21. Pendulum painting Registration is requested. Ian’s Pizza Children ages 13-17 can learn to paint will also be provided. For information and to register, email with pendulums from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, rebecca.swanson@fitchburgwi.gov. June 12, at the library. Momentum and gravity will help participants create one-of-a-kind pieces of art- Identify invasives work. City naturalist Anna Healy will host an For information, 729-1760. educational event to identify invasive species at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 23, meetLibrary lab ing across the street from the Wildwood Children ages 5-12 are invited to learn Kettle at the intersection of Osmundsen how bubbles work and experiment with Road and Norwich Street near the fire stathem from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, June 13 at tion. After answering questions about the ketthe library. The lab will start as storytime and then tle, the group will head to Wildwood Praiwill go out to the library’s patio to play rie Park one block south. Those who are planning to volunteer to with bubbles. clear invasives should wear appropriate For information, call 729-1760. clothing and bring their own tools. Free English class The “Invasive Control Patrol” will meet Nine Springs Golf Course, 2201 Trace- Saturdays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the ketway Drive., will offer a free English class tle. For information, call Sue at 628-9910. from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 13. The class is open for adults and free Bike fundraiser childcare is provided. The Church at Christ Memorial, 2833 For information, call 244-3911. Raritan Road, will host a community bike STEAM power ride and fundraiser from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 Children ages 2-5 are invited to a p.m. Sunday, June 24. A free will offering will be taken and all STEAM storytime and exploration from proceeds will benefit Wheels for Winners. 10-11 a.m. Thursday, June 14. The event includes an 8-mile bike ride, The activities following the storytime a 1.5 mile bike ride, a kids bike rodeo and will be based on the books. yoga classes. There will be a cookout folFor information, call 729-1760. lowing the rides. Used book sale Registration information can be found The Friends of the Fitchburg Library by visiting livelifetogether.com.
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will sell used books from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, June 15 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 16 at the library. The proceeds of the used book sale go to support programming and materials used at the library. For information, visit friendsoffitchburglibrary.com.
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June 8, 2018
ConnectFitchburg.com
Fitchburg Star
Fitchburg remembers the fallen The city of Fitchburg held a Memorial Day service on Monday, May 28 to honor veterans. Fire Chief Joe Pulvermacher, a veteran himself, was the keynote speaker for the
event. He spoke to the toll the responsibility of being a member of the armed forces takes on a person and the need for mental health assistance for veterans. – Kimberly Wethal
Photos by Kimberly Wethal
A city of Fitchburg firefighter salutes the wreath presented for Memorial Day during the city’s service on Monday, May 28.
Sebastian Karbassi, 2, of Waunakee, eats gelato at Festa Italia.
Photos by Kimberly Wethal
Festa Italia returns to Fitchburg The annual Festa Italia festival, hosted traditional foods, a pasta-eating contest, by the Italian Workmen’s Club, was held cultural exhibits and traditional live music. June 1-3 at McKee Farms Park. The Italian heritage festival features – Kimberly Wethal
Volunteers with the Badger Prairie Needs Network unload flags stacked in a trailer and place them in their own vehicles to place along their routes throughout the nonprofit’s coverage area.
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Natalia Bermudez, 1, sits atop a picnic table and eats spaghetti.
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June 8, 2018
Fitchburg Star
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Optimist Club presents 2 scholarships to Fitchburg students The Fitchburg Optimist Club presented two high school graduates from Fitchburg with $1,000 scholarships this month. Henry Jacobs and Connor Cruz, who both graduated from Edgewood High School this spring, were named recipients. According to a news release from the club, both logged
“hundreds of hours of service,” including tutoring, working with children with special needs, serving as camp counselors, mentoring and coaching athletics. “Henry and Connor are both Jacobs
excellent examples of motivat- young adults understand the importance of giving back and ed young people setting excellent examples for the in our community younger generations following who make a practhem, and the Fitchburg Optimist tice of giving back Club is happy to honor them both to their commuwith a scholarship award this year nity,” club president Jake Johnson towards their continued educasaid in the release. tion.” “ B o t h o f t h e s e Cruz Jacobs will attend St. Louis
College beginning this fall, while Cruz will attend UW-Madison. The Optimist Club awards the scholarships each spring to a Fitchburg resident who is pursuing higher education. For more information on the club or to get involved, visit fitchburg optimists.com or email fitchburgoptimis@gmail.com.
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remodel. The process can be made easier by using a qualified Designer, but selecting the correct one for you is key. Recommendations are great, so ask your friends & family for good (or bad!) experiences. Research online at Houzz.com or their website for reviews from past clients and a portfolio of their work. Talk with the Designer to discover if what you want is in their field of expertise, and fits your style and budget. Having chosen your Designer, be sure to convey your timeline needs & job expectations to ensure there are no surprises. A good Designer will be open and honest about costs up front, and exactly what you can expect from the process. New window coverings are no different, so be sure your buying experience is a good one by following these simple guidelines. Have FUN with the designing process & trust in the knowledge that your Designer has done this before and your project will look beautiful & expertly designed.
DENTIST
Q. I want to protect my child’s smile. At what age is a mouth guard needed? A. Your daughter fell on the playground at school and hit her mouth. You see that
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it’s more than just a split lip. She’s fractured her front teeth and bruised and cut her gums. They’re just baby teeth, right? And she’s only 4 years old. Does she really need to be wearing a mouth guard at this age? Dentists and sports medicine docs agree on the advantages of mouth guards for active children even as young as 4 years. Mouth guards help to protect dental trauma to baby and adult teeth and are important for kids wearing braces. Mouth guards can be “custom fitted” for your child by their dentist, “boil and bite” from the drug store, or “one size fits all,” also available from the drug store. They are easy to care for, and so commonly worn by everyone from kids to pro athletes, that getting your child to wear hers won’t be difficult. A mouth guard won’t eliminate that head plant, but it will protect precious teeth and gums.
CHIROPRACTOR
Q. I was told that Orthotics might help my back: how does that work?
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Orthotics properly stabilize the arches of your feet providing a solid foundation for the rest of your body. They work to maintain the foot’s structure and functionality; this provides greater balance when you stand, walk, run, or bike. Jill Unwin, Lee Unwin, They also assist in dampening the impact that is transmitted DC, CCEP BCMT, CSCS into the legs, hips, and back during these activities. Whether you have flat, normal, or high arches, orthotics will not only make your feet feel better they will make your entire body feel better. Unwin Chiropractic & Wellness Center can take a detailed scan of your foot and create a custom orthotic just for you. To feel the difference a custom orthotic can make, simply call and make an appointment today.
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Q. What can I do to get my house ready to sell? A. Home sales in Fitchburg are currently strong and you may be considering
Shawn Pfaff
putting your home on the market soon. If you are thinking that, please take some easy-steps to get your home in the best possible shape to sell. You may want to have your home inspected by a home inspector, so you are aware of any possible issues that may arise, so you can address them in advance. You should also repair or replace leaky faucets, fix any doors that stick, clean up dirty carpeting and repair dinged up corners of walls. Improve your landscaping so your house and lawn are well-kept. Decluttering your home to allow for more space and painting your home with light or neutral colors to make it feel more comfortable are also recommended. Please visit www.shawnpfaff.firstweber.com, so I can assist you in getting your home ready to put on the market. adno=574015-01
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PHYSICAL THERAPY
Q. I have a referral for Physical Therapy for hip and leg pain with a diagnosis of “piriformis syndrome”. What is this?
A. The piriformis muscle is a deep muscle located in the posterior hip area beneath the gluteal muscles. It assists with stabilizing the pelvis, external rotation the hip joint, and provides support of the femur while in a standing position. The piriformis muscle and tendon are located in close proximity to the main nerve roots that form the sciatic nerve. When the piriformis muscle is strained or has increased tension, Susan Armstrong, MPT it causes compression of the sciatic nerve, resulting in pain, radiating symptoms Physical Therapist and altered sensation into the low back and leg. Thus, a diagnosis of Piriformis Syndrome and Sciatica are often overlapping. Treatment of this diagnosis can be effectively completed by a skilled Physical Therapist. Contact Stellar Rehabilitation at 608-845-2100 or www.stellarrehab.com for more information and treatment of this painful, limiting condition. Comprehensive Therapy Services 1049 N. Edge Trail • Prairie Oaks (608) 845-2100 • Verona, WI 53593 • www.stellarrehab.com
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mortgage in exchange for a lower interest rate. One “point” is equal to 1% of the loan amount, so on a $200,000 mortgage, one discount point would be $2,000. Discount points are tax-deductible, and mathematically, if the interest savings over the life of the loan is greater than the points paid, it can be worth it. A mortgage calculator can help you determine whether discount points are a good idea by comparing the effect of various interest rates on your mortgage.
back to someone who may have played an important part in your life, allowing for a genuine reconnection. Caring for a parent, in particular, can be especially valuable, as there is often a sense of things coming “full circle.” However, even in the most ideal situations, caregiving can ultimately become a demanding job – one that’s taxing on the mind, body, and spirit. And for those who work a full-time job and have a family to take care of, assisting a loved one can add a great deal of stress. It seems only natural that family caregivers would desire a break, but we often push ourselves past reasonable limits, with the mentality of “I can do it all” and that anything less would be Stephen Rudolph seen as a sign of weakness. In reality, asking for help is anything but selfish. Respite care allows seniors to still receive the appropriate level of care, even in the absence of a family caregiver. Having a care professional substitute can help reduce feelings of guilt that you or your senior might feel. Trusting your loved one with someone else is not an easy decision, but with the compassionate, professional caregivers at Comfort Keepers®, you can trust that he or she will be in capable hands.
VETERINARIAN
Q. My dogs love to swim in the summer. Are there any risks with that? A. Many dogs love swimming and several Madison shores are dog friendly. The main risks aside from an inability to swim are ear and skin infections caused by having a damp coat. In some areas, infections from Giardia are common. Giardia usually causes diarrhea and is frequently found around ponds, streams and lakes. Waterfowl often carry the organism. It is easily diagnosed and readily treated. Blastomycosis is a fungal infection that can settle in bone, muscle and internal organs. Wisconsin has one of the highest incidences of Blastomycosis in the country, particularly in the northern regions, and it is usually associated with streams and rivers. It can be very difficult to treat so if you know that any people or pets in an area have contracted Blastomycosis, avoid letting your dogs near the water at all.
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10
June 8, 2018
ConnectFitchburg.com
Fitchburg Star
Ironman 70.3 is back Fitchburg racer hopes to stay afloat
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Sometime around 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning, Fitchburg resident Tim Skinner is going to have a good idea how his day is going to go. That’s an hour-and-a-half after the Ironman 70.3 kicks off with a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Monona, and depending on when he jumps in, will be right around the time Skinner is nearing the one-hour cutoff for racers to finish the swim. If he manages to beat the cutoff and make it to his bike, Skinner is confident he’ll be able to finish the race — and possibly post times he’ll be able to brag about to his buddies, especially in the bike leg. But that first 1.2 miles is going to be tough. “My dog may actually swim faster than me in a full wetsuit despite my 6 hours and 18 minutes of swim practice over the last 2 months,” Skinner joked in an email to the Star.
Getting into the race
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Plus, it was on sale. “It sounded like a good idea and it was a good price. Looking back, I’d rather pay the (extra) $75 and make the decision now,” he laughed.
Focused competitor Skinner, 50, was an athlete growing up and got back into sports after college. While he was living in Chicago he was known as Mr. Volleyball for bringing six nets down to the beach and playing two-on-two for as long as there was light, 13 hours if he could. “I kind of get that one focus on doing something, and then go at it,” Skinner said. For the last seven years, a large part of that focus has been on bike racing, which he competes in year-round. Skinner is confident he has the “cardio engine” to get him through the Ironman, as long as he gets past the swim. “Not drowning is key,”
Skinner said. He invested in a wetsuit to help him in the effort, and has been swimming laps and done some longer open-water swims to get ready. He said he’d read in online forums that the wetsuit can help a bad swimmer get better, but won’t really help a good swimmer become great. “Apparently I’m a really, really bad swimmer. It didn’t help me a damn,” Skinner said. The bike course will come most naturally to Skinner, as he rides part of the loop regularly. Many competitors agree the bike leg is what sets the Madison half-Ironman apart: it climbs more than 2,800 feet in the hills south of Madison. Observatory Hill Road in Montrose can be particularly brutal, finisher Ryan Haut told the Star, which Skinner used to do hill-repeats as part of his training rides.
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The race will be a learning experience for Skinner. Friends who have finished triathlons who normally run in the 8-minute mile range often slow by a minute or more when running after completing the other two legs, Skinner said. He’s relying on game speed to boost his performance once he gets into “race mode.” He recalled a running race where he thought he’d pace himself well, but went all-out in the last kilometer, complete with “Tom Cruise knife-hands.” His time improved, but the next day was pretty rough. When asked whether he was looking forward to Sunday, Skinner responded, “Oh, yeah,” with no hesitation. “ N o bu y e r ’s r e m o r s e here,” Skinner said. “If I didn’t sign up, I might’ve just (mowed) the lawn or something instead.” Contact Alexander Cramer at alexander.cramer@ wcinet.com.
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The Ironman 70.3 is exactly one-half the length of the full-length Ironman. After the swim, racers bike 56 miles on a hilly course south of Madison then run a 13.1-mile half-marathon around Lake Monona. While that may sound daunting to most, Skinner is unfazed. “I just kind of wanted to try it out,” Skinner said in an interview after work as an HR manager in a Beloit food science firm. “(Fifty-six) miles doesn’t sound like too hard of an effort, I should be able to do 13 miles. Throwing the swim in, sounds like something I can knock out and have some fun with,” Skinner recalled his thought process while debating registering for the race last fall.
ConnectFitchburg.com
June 8, 2018
Fitchburg Star
11
Constructing fun Kids Building Wisconsin returned to McKee Farms Park on May 12. Dozens of different industries were represented at the event, including different aspects of construction, firefighting and machinery operation.
On the web See more photos from Kids Building Wisconsin:
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NOW HIRING!
First time for Fitchburg AMBER LEVENHAGEN Unified Newspaper Group
Two students made history last week as they were the first from Fitchburg to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The pair, 9-year-old Maya Jean Jadhav and 14-yearold Martius Isaac Bautista, were among eight from Wisconsin to compete in the Jadhav annual spelling championship, held May 29-31 in Washington D.C. All students from Wisconsin Bautista were eliminated in the second and third quarter-semi-final rounds, just missing the chance to appear on the ESPN broadcast.
Jadhav was the fourth-youngest entrant at the national contest, according to a news release from Eagle School. She took third place in the Wisconsin Spelling Bee, held in Madison on March 24. She’s the daughter of Terra Theim and Nitin Jadhav, who have lived in Fitchburg for seven years, according to the release. She’s a fourth-grade student at Eagle School. Bautista is an eighthgrade student at Edgewood Campus School in Madison. He’s the son of Ryndon and Shiela Marie Bautista and has lived in Fitchburg for the last year. Before moving to Fitchburg, he competed in the 2015 National Spelling Bee, where he tied for 50th place, and again in 2016, tied for 46th place, and last year, when he tied for 46th place. He wasn’t able to compete in the state competition but qualified for Scripps because of its new RSVBEE online test. It offers students who have won a local spelling bee in
the last year, or those who previously competed at the national level, to take an online test to qualify for the competition. Five students from Wisconsin qualified to compete via the RSVBEE test, including Spencer Martin Phillips, 12, of McFarland, Kieran Ryan McKinney, 13, of West Salem, Ryan Alexander Raether, 14, of Thorp, and Ronald Walters, 13, of Onalaska. Wi s c o n s i n w a s a l s o represented by Hanna Ghouse, 14, of Kenosha, and Immanuel Goveas, 11, of Menomenee Falls, who were the tied winners of the 2018 state spelling bee in March, according to the
release. Karthik Nemmani, 14, of McKinney, Texas, correctly spelled “haecceitas” before successfully facing his final word, “koinonia,” according to the release, to win the national bee. Nemmani, who advanced to the national contest via RSVBEE, won the gold trophy and earned more than $40,000 in cash and prizes. Naysa Modi, 12, of Frisco, Texas, took second in Thursday’s final. Returning for her fourth Scripps bee, she misspelled “Bewusstseinslage” in round 17. Contact Amber Levenhagen at amber.levenhagen@ wcinet.com.
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12
June 8, 2018
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Fitchburg Star
Cameras: Extra layer of transparency not a ‘magic solution,’ but a tool to build trust Continued from page 1 “The cameras are there to try to bring those things that people have felt have been behind-the-scenes for so long out into the forefront,” Brecklin said. This extra layer of transparency is providing another avenue of collecting evidence for prosecutors and defense lawyers and serves as both a check on officers’ performance during traffic stops and interactions and a defense when their actions are questioned. With increased scrutiny on police in recent years, partially fueled by citizen video spreading around the internet in high-profile incidents, police departments across the country have been considering the pros and cons of integrating the cameras into their operations. Brecklin said his department has felt the impact of mistakes made elsewhere. “They have an effect on local police, regardless of the location,” Brecklin said. “As I go into a situation, depending on somebody’s belief on what they’ve just seen on social media or media, or what they’ve heard from somebody who’s had a poor experience with a police department … we can certainly run into some lack of trust.” In addition to greater transparency, the cameras can also help create more detailed reports, better information for supervisors looking at work performance and better identification of suspects. Hartwick said a camera recording earlier this year helped him identify a person who had provided him with a false name. The cameras also come with concerns, including added workload, privacy – specifically in what situations officers will be recording interactions – and fears that the videos will lack depth and context of a given situation. Fitchburg has been working on adding its cameras since 2015, after Brecklin – then a lieutenant – and thenchief Thomas Blatter proposed the idea to the Common Council and secured a federal grant. U l t i m a t e l y, B r e c k l i n doesn’t think the presence of cameras is going to change the quality of the work his officers do on a daily basis. “I’d like to believe that based on the quality of people we are looking to hire here, the training we provide … that in the vast majority of situations, our people
Sgt. Edward Hartwick’s body camera is turned on during a traffic stop.
Photos by Kimberly Wethal
On the Web To view the draft policy for the department’s use of body cameras, visit:
fitchburgwi.gov/2400/BodyWorn-Cameras. are going to interact well with members of the public regardless of whether a camera is present or not,” he said.
An ‘open mind’ During a ride-along last week, Hartwick told the Star the idea of having a camera clipped to the chest of his uniform – weighing one pound and pulling on the back of his shirt as a constant reminder that it’s there – was an idea he had to warm up to. But he and others in the department “came into it with an open mind” and have gotten used to it. “I think the idea for anyone to say, ‘Starting tomorrow, you’re going to have a camera attached to you that’s going to follow you and record everything that you’re going to say and do’ could potentially be viewed as a daunting or potentially negative assignment,” he said. “But … I think people really realized the value of being able to review their work on a call and see if there was anything they may have missed in their initial report.” It also helps that Fitchburg police have had cameras stationed in their squad cars for close to two decades, with recording beginning as soon as the emergency lights are
Sgt. Edward Hartwick speaks with another officer at the scene of an overdose on County MM. In situations involving searches, such as this one, the body camera must be turned on. activated. Brecklin said most of his staff agrees with him on the concept of body cameras, but one reservation some officers expressed is that footage could be taken out of context. “They are a piece of equipment, they will only show what they show,” Brecklin said. “They won’t show the whole perspective of an officer … They don’t smell, they don’t have the sixth sense that a police officer can have.” The addition of body cameras will also increase the workload of the department, Brecklin said, explaining that
officers in supervisory roles will be tasked with reviewing footage on a regular basis and ensuring cameras are being turned on and left on when they need to be. Records custodians at the department will be given the responsibility of making sure videos, if asked for through an open records request, receive the necessary redactions and preparatory work in ways similar to how other records are processed, Brecklin said. “It’s going to be a positive tool for us to have, but it doesn’t come without cost,” he said.
Tweaking the policy As the department wrote its policy, Brecklin said, it looked at a variety of other municipalities’ policies locally, including the University of Wisconsin campus police, and around the nation to see what worked for them. He said the department had access to “subject matter experts” as a result of the DOJ grant and took what it considered “best practices.” “This committee took a look at the contents of a lot of policies, and took a look at what would best fit the Fitchburg situation, what we have
in our community and what the expectations are of our community,” he said. The policy defines when the cameras should be turned on and in what situations and locations they can be turned off, along with how video and audio should be stored and when an officer has a right to review the footage. During arrests, incidents of restraint and searches of a person or property, the cameras should be turned on, it states. Officers are given more leeway in choosing to turn the cameras on while in hospitals, schools or private residences, but if the situation becomes hostile, Brecklin said, the cameras always should be turned on. A previous version of the policy stated officers needed cameras on while out in the public, but the department determined there were situations, such as attendance at community meetings, that wouldn’t warrant recording and would take up unnecessary space in storage servers, Brecklin said. Brecklin said he expects more tweaks to be made to the policy as the entire department begins to use them. When to record was the main concern expressed when the department held community listening sessions in 2016. To alleviate some of those citizen concerns, the department placed the policy on the city’s website for the public to read. “We’re trying to be as transparent as possible through this entire process,” Brecklin said. “It is something that we know people may have some questions about, and there’s nothing to hide.” He added that while having the cameras will allow the department to improve their relations with the community and increase transparency, it won’t be a “magic solution” to resolve all citizen concerns with police. Hartwick hopes the ability for others to experience what officers do through body camera footage will help remedy at least some of the trust issues some citizens have with law enforcement. “There’s some uses where it really demonstrates what we’re facing on a daily basis,” he said. “I think it definitely brings a whole new meaning to the word transparency.” Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.
Getting cameras a three-year process KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group
The Common Council was hesitant during the body camera program’s first pitch but warmed up to the idea a few months later. During a June 2015 joint meeting of the Finance and Public Works committees, alders questioned why a city the size of Fitchburg needed police body cameras. But the city budgeted $95,800 for the purchase of the cameras for 2016. In 2016, the department created a committee to evaluate different
body cameras, writing the policy that defined when the camera needs to be used and the training of staff, Brecklin said. It featured a select few of the patrol staff from all three shifts, supervisory staff and a representative from the Wisconsin Professional Police Association. The department chose to purchase 48 Panasonic body cameras from among four prototypes to match its existing squad car cameras of the same brand, allowing for all videos to be stored in one location. The department also received
a federal Department of Justice grant that year worth $46,500 that it put toward the purchase of the cameras. In total, the entire process for the addition of the body cameras has cost around $160,000. The city purchased the full set of cameras last year after receiving council approval in June, and they arrived six months later in December. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com Photo by Kimberly Wethal and follow her on Twitter @ Forty-eight body cameras charge at the Fitchburg police station. The body kimberly_wethal. cameras will be worn by every officer by the end of the month.
City news
June 8, 2018
Promega seeks TIF from city SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
The city is considering providing taxpayer funds to help Promega expand its operation in Fitchburg. The Common Council is expected to review a plan for a new tax-increment financing district, TID 12, this month. A plan for the district to provide up to $14.8 million toward a $190 million expansion of the biotech company’s research and development operation received support from the Plan Commission last month. TIF districts allow cities to control any taxes on the increased value of developed land from all
underlying taxing jurisdictions when it is determined the development wouldn’t happen without the city’s help. The new R&D facility would be approximately 270,000 square feet, according to the TID proposal, and would be located on the business’ campus on East Cheryl Parkway. The project would also include two new floors of parking with about 340 spaces and a 4,800-square-foot central utility plant. Groundbreaking could take place as soon as this summer, if all city approvals go through, with occupancy by the end of 2020. The project would be expected to include “several roadway improvements,” according to the plan, including extending Fahey Glen from the East Cheryl Parkway roundabout to Lacy Road, reconstruction
of that roundabout and traffic-calming improvements along East Cheryl Parkway. Of the proposed $14.8 million in TIF, $3.2 million would go toward public infrastructure improvements. The new TID would partially overlay TID 4, which is an industrial district that is expected to close before reaching its full lifespan, around 2023, according to meeting minutes from the May Plan Commission meeting. TID 12 would be expected to generate sufficient tax increments to recover project costs by 2033 – seven years before it reached its maximum 20-year lifespan, according to the project plan. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
Glossary TIF district Tax-increment financing is an economic development tool that puts combined property taxes within a defined area under control of a municipality. This is powerful, because municipal property taxes are usually around onethird or less of the overall property tax. When a TIF district is created, any increases to property taxes paid are paid to that district, rather than to the taxing jurisdictions, and the money must be used to pay for improvements benefiting that district. School districts and other taxing bodies in Wisconsin tend to not object to TIF districts because the state’s school aid formula factors out the districts in its calculations, making them revenue neutral.
CIP public hearing at June 12 council SCOTT GIRARD
If You Go
Unified Newspaper Group
The public can weigh in on MayWhat: CIP public hearing or Jason Gonzalez’s proposed 10-year When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 12 capital improvement plan next week. Where: City Hall, 5520 Lacy Road The CIP helps the city plan for upcoming major expenditures and Info: fitchburgwi.gov borrowing. This year’s version recommends $24.7 million for construction of a new police station in 2021-22, The Common Council will hold a $997,500 for road maintenance next year and $12.3 million for reconstruc- public hearing on the plan at its June 12 meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m. tion of Fish Hatchery Road in 2019. Any amendments proposed by alders
are due one week later. Those will be posted on the city website by July 2, with a public hearing on those and a final vote expected July 10. None of the proposals are locked in by the vote. But anything approved for 2019 will serve as the starting point for the budget discussion this fall. To see the full CIP, visit fitchburgwi. gov. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
Verona Road: Dozen crashes the most in a month in last year Continued from page 1 travelling northbound on Verona Road while intoxicated, according to a department news release. In a May 25 incident, a driver in a sedan rear-ended a pickup truck and fled the scene. Schmitt said they later found the suspect, who acknowledged he was on the phone when the accident happened. Schmitt said some of the other incidents, especially right after the traffic switch, involved people simply not knowing where to stop. “There was some confusion where the stop lines were,” he said. “People were actually stopping out in the lane of traffic.” There aren’t many preventative options, Schmitt said. So for the most part, officers focus on preparing for what to do after incidents,
including working with construction crews both before traffic switches and on a daily basis to help with responding to incidents. For example, he said, officers will often ask workers to leave extra orange barrels and cones that an officer could set up to divert traffic if there is a crash, and it’s an “intricate part of our plan” as they often do not have the staff to have two or three cars blocking lanes of traffic. “That is a real tough thing,” he said of responding to accidents in a construction zone. “We just try to divert people, we get on the media and let them know there’s a crash going on and people can use different routes.” That preparation is also a key part of what the state Department of Transportation attempts to do before major switches and with its weekly construction updates,
Verona Road Project communications manager Steve Theissen said. “There’s certainly a lot of coordination,” Theissen told the Star. “Letting people know in advance of that traffic switch so people are prepared for what’s coming down the road (is important).” Schmitt contends that most incidents could be avoided if people “slow down, no distractions, relax a little bit.” “Give yourself more time, don’t plan that you’re gonna get there at the same time at work,” he said. “The nervousness and the stress goes up when you’re running late and people make dumb decisions.” Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
“The goal, by November, is between Williamsburg Way through Raymond Road up to the Beltline, all of that is permanent concrete, permanent configuration and having that all finished,” Theissen said. Crews will then shift their attention to the segment between Hwy. PD and Williamsburg Way. Once the interchange ramps in that area are completed, southbound traffic will shift there as crews work on the “core” of Verona Road, including bringing it underneath
‘Affordable’ apartments would straddle city, town Developer proposes more than 160 units SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
A developer has proposed building 160 to 180 apartment buildings on land off of Oregon Road and Novation Parkway in both the City of Fitchburg and Town of Madison. That area is within the part of the town that will be absorbed into Fitchburg when it dissolves, which is expected in 2022 at the latest. According to a project plan presented to the city’s Plan Commission in May by the Alexander Company, the one-and two-bedroom apartments would include some “live-work units,” which would offer “workforce housing for start-up or home occupation businesses, service type uses or artist workspace.” The developer is planning to pursue state and federal credits, tax-exempt bonds and tax-increment financing from the city, to help fund the project. The goal would be to have at least 90 percent of its units “affordable to those earning an average of no more than 60 percent of the county median income,” meaning a one-bedroom apartment for $800-875, according to the plan. “ Wi t h ove r 1 , 3 0 0 employees now located in the Novation Campus, Artisan Village will provide clean, safe, attractive and affordable workforce housing allowing residents
to live close to where they work and play reducing commute times and fuel consumption,” the plan states. “The addition of quality affordable housing options close to major employers in the campus such as Exact Sciences, Unity Point Health, Zimbrick European and many others will help attract employees to the campus while ensuring a diverse and vibrant community.” The seven buildings would be two or three stories, according to the plan, with porches toward the street. The complexes would also include some garage parking stalls along with outdoor surface parking. There would also be a clubhouse and patio, along with gardens and green space on the property. According to minutes from the May Plan Commission meeting, some commissioners were concerned about adding more apartments to the city, and chair Carol Poole, a former alder, wanted to be sure the city did not “create even larger pockets of poverty in the city”, with U.S. Hwy. 14 as a barrier to city services. The commission also discussed the lack of food options or a grocery store in the area, according to the minutes. The commission did not vote on the item, as it was only on the agenda for a pre-application request. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
By month Crashes at the Verona Road-Hwy. PD intersection*: May 2017: 7 June 2017: 8 July 2017: 7 Aug. 2017: 3 Sept. 2017: 6 Oct. 2017: 7 Nov. 2017: 10 Dec. 2017: 7 Jan. 2018: 7 Feb. 2018: 9 March 2018: 6 April 2018: 2 May 2018: 12 *data via LexisNexis Community Crime Map
What’s ahead in 2018 on Verona Road Verona Road traffic is set in its configuration for a few months at least. The May change moved southbound traffic into the former northbound lanes and northbound traffic to new lanes to the east, and those will remain until late August or September, state Department of Transportation Verona Road project communications manager Steve Theissen told the Star. Then, traffic will shift “a little bit” on the northern side of the project between Raymond Road and Williamsburg Way.
13
Williamsburg Way and over Hwy. PD. Dirt being dug out in front of the businesses on the west side of Verona Road will move down to the PD area to help build the ramps there, Theissen said, and the interchanges are both expected to be completed in 2019, when traffic will shift again. “People will see a lot of dirt moving this summer into the fall,” he said. – Scott Girard
Dennis Senz, AIC, AIS, AINS 2843 No Oaks Ridge, Fitchburg, WI 53711 (608) 290-0241 dsenz@senzinsurance.com
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FROM THE FITCHBURG SENIOR CENTER…
THE SPLASH PAD AT MCKEE FARMS PARK IS OPEN FOR THE SEASON! This is a popular destination for children of all ages and is open daily through Labor Day from 10 am to 8 pm. The Splash Pad is free and located at 2930 Chapel Valley Road.
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Coming in July the Senior Center will be partnering with AccessAbility Wisconsin to offer all terrain wheelchair rides! These wheelchairs are a means to provide individuals of all ages with mobility challenges access to Wisconsin’s natural resources. Join us at the Senior Center on Tuesday, June 12 at noon to learn more about how this non-profit is bringing the outdoors alive for those that can’t do it with their own two feet. A wheelchair will be available to demo. Call 270-4290 to register for lunch.
2018 SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAMS ARE OPEN FOR REGISTRATION! Go to www.fitchburgwi.gov/recreation and click on “View Activities” to see our list of programs for this upcoming summer! We have themed Half Day Camps, Art Camps, Golf, Tennis, Volleyball Camps and more!
Half Day Camps
CI Youth Camps – Dream Team
These Monday-Thursday weekly camps have a new theme each week. Some of the camps offered are Anything Goes, Blast Off! Boom! Science, Mystery Masters, Outdoor Adventurers, H2WHOA and Sports Mania Week! • Ages – 6-11 • Days/Times – Mon-Thur., throughout the Summer, 1-4pm • Location – McKee Farms Park Shelter • Fee - $50 each camp
Team bonding at its finest with this CI Camp! Your child will learn what it takes to be a good teammate while working up a sweat! Try out new games and sports, join together for team building activities and maybe even learn the cha-cha slide. • Ages – 6-10 • Day/Time – Wednesdays, June 13th – August 29th from 10-11am • Location – Swan Creek Park • Fee - $155
Ace 5 Day Soccer Camps
CI Youth Camps – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
These 5 Day Soccer Camps will cover the following topics: Dribbling/Turns, Passing/Receiving, 1v1 and 1v2 Defending and Shooting. Each day one of the topics will be the focus. This allows for a more detailed and in depth look at each topic while presenting the information in a FUN and entertaining way that will appeal to players 5 to 14 years of age. The final day of the camp we will put it all together with a short warm up followed by playing activities and games for the remainder of the day. • Ages – 5-7 and 8-14 • Days/Times – Mon-Fri July 9-July13, 6-7pm (5-7 yrs) and 6-7:30pm (8-14yrs) • Location – McKee Farms Park Soccer Fields • Fee – $75
Build friendships and have fun in this group designed just for girls with this CI Camp. This group is all about its members! Participants will be encouraged to express their creativity as they generate group ideas to plan weekly activities! Plans may include doing arts and crafts, listening to music and other fun-filled activities in a relaxed environment. • Ages – 10-14 • Day/Time – Tuesdays, June 12th – August 28th from 12:30-1:30pm • Location – Swan Creek Park • Fee - $155
Art Camp 2018
This is a youth instructional tennis program designed for all abilities. Instructors are skilled college and high school tennis players. Tennis balls will be provided, however participants need to bring their own racquet. • Classes – Lessons for ages 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-12, and 13-16 • Days/Times – Mondays and Wednesdays w/ Session 1: June 11-July 11 and Session 2: July 16-August 8 • Location – McKee Farms Park Tennis Courts • Fee – Session 1: $36 Session 2: $32
Does your child love art? If so, sign them up for this fun filled creative art camp. Each day we will be creating a beautiful project. On Thursday, June 28th at 10:00am we will have an art show for the children’s families and friends to come see their masterpieces. They will be doing an amazing acrylic on canvas, a gorgeous watercolor painting, a fun multi-media piece and a darling bird house. We will also do a small craft project each day and work on sketch books. A small snack will be provided each day. The 4 main projects will be: 1. An acrylic painting 16 x 20 canvas 2. A mixed media project on a 12 x 12 canvas 3. A watercolor painting on 11 x 14 4. A class vase modge podge project • Ages – 5-11 • Days/Times – Monday-Thursday, June 25th – June 28th, 9-11:30am • Location – Huegel-Jamestown Park • Fee - $163
Volleyball Camps
Participants will learn skills appropriate to learning volleyball including; court movement, skill work, and related games. Special rule adaptations and age appropriate teaching techniques and volleyballs will be used. • Ages – K-2nd Grade Camp and 3rd-5th Grade Camp • Days/Times – Tuesday-Thursday, June 12th-14th • Location – Stoner Prairie Large Gym • Fee - $25 K-2nd and $35 3rd-5th
CI Youth Camps – Art Voyagers
Explore new ways to participate in art with CI Art Camp! Whether it is foraging for leaves to create a picture or painting natural vistas or even making a group collage, this group is the perfect combination of artistic outlet and connection with nature. Participants will be in nature or use items from nature during every session! • Ages – 4-6 • Day/Time – Tuesdays, June 12th – August 28th from 10-11am • Location – Swan Creek Park • Fee - $155
Leopold Community Nights Aldo Leopold Park, 2906 Traceway Drive, Tuesday evenings, 5-7 pm. 6/19, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31. Activities for the whole family - food, sports, arts & crafts, BINGO & much more. All are welcome.
Fitchburg Library at Leopold Park-2906 Traceway Dr. Mon.-Thur., 12-3 pm, June 18-August 2nd (excluding July 4th) Free lunch provided through MMSD’s Summer Food Program from 1-2 pm. For more information on these programs, contact Liz Zimdars at 608-729-1791 or liz.zimdars@fitchburgwi.gov
Tennis Lessons
Open Flag Football
Do you love football? The Rec Dept. is organizing an open flag football program for kids entering grades 1-3 and 4-6. This isn’t an organized league. There will be football skill instruction for the first part of the class, then we will play a game. New teams will be picked each week and FUN is the main objective. • Classes – 1st - 3rd Grade and 4th - 6th Grade • Days/Times – Fridays, June 15-August 3, 9:30 am (1st-3rd), 10:30 am (4th-6th) • Location – Tower Hill Park • Fee - $30
Musikgarten
Beth Marshall is offering a multitude of programs this summer including Cycles of Seasons, Family Music, Music Makers, Nature Trails, and Music at the Playground. These classes will be held outside at area parks. Classes range in ages from babies up to 7 years old. For descriptions and more info, visit the online registration page. • Ages – Varying ages for each class • Day/Time – Thursdays, June-July, Mornings and early Afternoon • Location – Fitchburg Parks • Fee - $20 to $30 depending on class
LIBRARY EVENTS Free English Class Nine Springs Golf Course 2201 Traceway Drive, Fitchburg, 53713 Wednesdays, 6pm – 8pm June 6 – August 15 Participants will learn: • English communication skills • To use the library • About reading with your family • And more! For information, please call 244-3911 Free childcare!
Clases De Inglés Gratuitas Nine Springs Golf Course 2201 Traceway Drive, Fitchburg, 53713 miércoles, 6:00pm a 8:00pm 6 de junio – 15 de agosto Los participantes aprenderán: • A comunicarse mejor en inglés • A usar la biblioteca • Sobre leer con su familia • ¡Y más! Para más información, llame a 244-3911 ¡Cuidado de niños disponible!
Business
ConnectFitchburg.com
June 8, 2018
Fitchburg Star
15
Guadalajara to Fitchburg Tapatios brings mostly family recipes after food cart success BILL LIVICK
Tapatios Cocina Mexicana
Unified Newspaper Group
A workplace injury led to the eventual opening of a new Mexican restaurant on Cahill Main. Tapatios Cocina Mexicana began operating in mid-April and is the first brick-and-mortar restaurant for owners Leticia and Daniel Hernandez. The Verona couple has operated a food cart, Cali Fresh, on the State Street Mall for almost four years. The food cart continues to operate as a mobile taquiera, and the restaurant serves mostly family recipes. Before they ever thought about entering the food-service industry, Daniel Hernandez had worked in construction “his whole life since he was really young,” his wife told the Star, including for a decade as a carpenter in California. Born and raised in Guadalajara, the largest city in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, Hernandez moved to Madison area in 2012 and met Leticia there the same year. In early 2013, he fell off a roof, breaking his spine and forcing him to wear a back brace for months. “Thank God he didn’t need surgery and he healed well,” Leticia said, “but there was that possibility of him not healing well. … I didn’t want him to go back to construction, and we were like, what are we going to do now?” Her mother, who operates a grocery store and food cart in the area, suggested the couple think about buying a food cart that she had noticed was for sale. And that led to a new career in
2990 Cahill Main #100, Fitchburg 467-7400 Facebook.com/Tapatios Owners: Leticia and Daniel Hernandez Hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily
Photo by Alexander Cramer
Daniel and Leticia Hernandez in the dining room of their new restaurant on Cahill Main. Daniel has a history working construction and did all the renovations to turn a “white box” into a welcoming space – except for the plumbing, his wife noted. food service. “She said why don’t you guys look into buying that because it could get you by,” Leticia recalled. “To be honest, we were stuck in a situation where he wasn’t working and things were just tough. So we decided to give it a try.” Daniel worked for months in his back brace, remodeling the food cart and painting it, and in 2014, the Hernandezes began operating their cart. “We were on the Library Mall, and we had a great turnout and built a really strong clientele base there,” Leticia remembered. They have managed to keep their spot on the mall while their business steadily grew. And meanwhile, Leticia said, customers kept asking when the couple was going to open a restaurant.
They decided they were ready last year and spent a long time searching for the right place. Then one day last August, they noticed an open space in the Cahill Main shopping plaza that’s also home to a brewpub they like, the Great Dane, where they would often drive by on the way to downtown Madison. “We thought it was a really cute plaza and maybe we’d find a place there someday,” she told the Star. “We didn’t push it at all and thought, if it’s meant to be it’ll happen.” They fell in love with the space, and Daniel spent the fall and winter transforming the former pet store, which looked like “a white box,” into an attractive dining room with handsome booths and tables. He did all the work except the
plumbing, his wife said.
Simple, evolving menu The restaurant started with “a really basic menu,” Leticia said, “because we were coming from a food cart.” The cart is a mobile taqueria, where people can grab a quick taco and other items merging the cuisine of Guadalajara with “a California twist.” That means adding things like cabbage, avocado and chopped cucumbers to boost the tacos’ flavor and texture. The restaurant grew out of that and now features Mexican cuisine with recipes borrowed from her mother and Daniel’s grandmother. Leticia said the couple also included things that they like and think others would enjoy, too, like shrimp tacos, which
Daniel acquired a fondness for while living on the West Coast. A distinct weekend menu offers platters that are specifically from Guadalajara. “That’s what tapatios is – somebody or something associated with Guadalajara,” Leticia explained. The weekend specials are mostly family recipes, she said, and the couple adds more items as they get customer requests. Recently, they’ve planned to incorporate mole, enchiladas and a mole platter, which comes from Daniel’s family. “It was his grandmother’s recipe, and then his mother taught me, and now I think I make a pretty fine mole,” Leticia said with a laugh. “Sometimes I’m a little insecure and wonder if people will like something, but that one I’m confident about.” The restaurant serves beer but hasn’t gotten a license to sell hard alcohol yet. The couple has applied for that license and expect they’ll be making margaritas in the near future. “On Cinco de Mayo, ev e r y o n e r e a l l y w a n t ed a margarita,” Leticia
lamented. “We get a lot of requests for that, and we want to give people what they want and give them a good experience.” She said in the beginning, the idea was to open a restaurant that “would be more casual – just grab a taco and a beer.” “But now I see that people enjoy sitting down and bringing their family and staying a while,” she added. “That’s the environment that we want to provide.”
Balancing family, work Leticia said the biggest challenge has been finding the right balance of family and work. When they ran only the food cart, they were done by mid-afternoon and had lots of time to spend with their two young children. But operating a restaurant that’s open 10 hours p e r d a y, s eve n d a y s a week, is more difficult and time-consuming. “ Yo u w o u l d n ’ t e v e n imagine,” she said. “It’s been tough; this is a totally different rodeo.” The Hernandezes look forward to the day when they’ll be in a position to hire a manager and devote more time to family. “We value family a lot, so I think that’s our toughest challenge right now,” Letitica said. “But this is just the first starting months, and I feel like we need to be here now and get things going. I’m sure that once things are going well and things fall into place, we’ll find that time and balance.” Contact Bill Livick at bill. livick@wcinet.com.
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Anthony Iozzo, assistant sports editor 845-9559 x237 • sportsreporter@wcinet.com Fax: 845-9550
Edgewood girls track
Sports
Friday, June 8, 2018
The
1
Fitchburg Star For more sports coverage, visit: ConnectFitchburg.com
Edgewood boys golf
Photo by Anthony Iozzo
Senior Caitlin Link (left) races to the finish line in the 800 finals Saturday, June 2, in the WIAA Division 2 state track and field championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium at UW-La Crosse. Link finished fourth in 2 minutes, 19.46 seconds and was also on the state champion 4x800 relay, which won in 9:25.40, and the 4x400, which took sixth in 4:02.99.
Photo submitted
Madison Edgewood boys golf won its second-straight WIAA Division 2 state title June 4-5 at University Ridge Golf Course. The Crusaders finished with a 605 (303-302).
Holding onto the gold
4x800 relay wins state title
Crusaders repeat as Division 2 state champs ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Madison Edgewood boys golf won another gold trophy on June 5 after posting a 302 in round two of the WIAA Division 2 state boys golf tournament to repeat as champions. The Crusaders (605) started state with a 303 on June 4 at University Ridge Golf Course and held a 25-stroke lead over Edgerton after round one. They gained another 14 strokes in round two. Edgerton ended up with a 644, and Lakeland took third with a 650. “It was a great accomplishment,” coach Joe Ring said. “Winning a state title is
ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Seniors Caitlin Link and Kelly Rodriguez, junior Kaitlyn Barth and sophomore Maeve O’Driscoll won a state championship on June 1 in the WIAA Division 2 track and field championships. The 4x800 quartet reached the finish line at Veterans Memorial Stadium at UW-La Crosse in 9 minutes, 25.4 seconds. East Troy was second in 9:30.28. Link also took fourth in the
Turn to Edgewood girls/Page 2
difficult.” Edgewood shot a 623 to win the title in 2017, and seniors Rory Gierhart, Drew Arndt and Matthew Phelan and junior James Gilmore were all on that team. Sophomore Karl Gilmore, who was an alternate last season, replaced graduate Ben Gilles on this year’s starting squad. “We had the experience coming in and felt like we had a good chance coming into the season to repeat,” Ring said. The Crusaders didn’t have the individual state champion, which was Lakeside Lutheran’s Lukas Heckmann, who shot a 147 (6879), but they did have four golfers in the top six. Arndt was the state runner-up with a 150 (75-75), and Phelan (78-73) was tied for third with Lakeland’s Kyle Bengtson (7675) with 151s. James Gilmore
State results TOP THREE TEAMS First: Madison Edgewood 605 (303-302) Second: Edgerton 644 (328-316) Third: Lakeland 650 (326-324) TOP SIX INDIVIDUALS First: Lukas Heckmann, Lakeside Lutheran, 147 (68-79) Second: Drew Arndt, Edgewood, 150 (75-75) Third (tied): Matthew Phelan, Edgewood, 151 (78-73) Third (tied): Kyle Bengston, Lakeland, 151 (76-75) Fifth (tied): James Gilmore, Edgewood, 152 (79-73) Fifth (tied): Rory Gierhart, Edgewood, 152 (71-81) (79-73) and Gierhart (71-81) were tied for fifth with 152s. “We had a really good team, and that is kind of the way it was the whole year,” Ring said.
OHS girls track and field
Jackson medals in three events at state JEREMY JONES Sports editor
Senior Alexis Jackson medaled in three events last weekend at the WIAA Division 1 girls state track and field meet at UW-La Crosse to help the Oregon girls track and field team finish seventh out of 54 teams with 25 points. Waukesha West held off Milwaukee 38-35 to win the meet, while Wausau West and Muskego tied for third with 30 points. The Panthers were 10th last year and tied for third in 2016. A three-time state champion as a sophomore, Jackson finished second Saturday in the 100- and third in the 300-meter hurdles and added a third-place finish on the 4x200 relay — the same three events she won in 2016. Jackson suffered a knee injury leading into last season, however, and was unable to defend her
state titles as a junior. Though she was bothered a bit by a quad or calf injury at this time last season, for the most part the University of Wisconsin recruit was happy with her performances last weekend. “It is special to make the podium,” she said. “I wasn’t hurting like last year, so at least I came back out and did the best that I can.” Jackson finished runner-up to defending state champion Destiny Huven, a junior from Nicolet, by .07 in the 100 hurdles with a 14.33. She finished third in the event last year. “It was a good race. I would have rather taken first,” Jackson said. “It wasn’t my best time, but I did as well as I could in the moment.” Jackson finished third in the 300 hurdles, lowering her own school record time by 1.06 to
“Not everyone had their best day everyday, and we were able to time that quite well where we never had three or four people
Turn to Golf/Page 2
West boys tennis
Regents go down in first round at D1 state meet JEREMY JONES Sports editor
Photo by Anthony Iozzo
Senior Alexis Jackson leaps over the final hurdle in the 300 hurdles final June 2 in the girls D1 state track and field championships. Jackson medaled and finished third in 42.8 seconds. She also added a second place in the 100 hurdles and was a part of the 4x200 relay that took Turn to OHS girls track/Page 5 third for two other medals.
Madison West boys tennis was represented by three flights May 31-June 1 at the WIAA Division 1 individual state tournament. The Regents dropped all three matches in the opening round. Perhaps the biggest surprise was sophomore Luca Willauer and senior Matthew Ruggiero (20-12) who drew the 12th seed but lost their first match 7-5, 2-6, (7) against Germantown seniors John Lotus and Ryan Sobczak (14-14). Madison West junior Andrew Glasgow fell 7-5, 6-4 to Green Bay Southwest junior Michael
Turn to West tennis/Page 5
2
June 8, 2018
Fitchburg Star
Madison Edgewood/Madison West
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Edgewood boys tennis
Crusaders aim for second Division 2 team state title JEREMY JONES
Madison Edgewood boys tennis drew three seeds for the WIAA Division 2 individual state tennis tournament May 31-June 1 inside UW-Madison’s Nielsen Tennis Stadium. One of those seeds, the team’s No. 1 doubles team, came home with a fifth-place finish. Seniors Hunter Dunn and Forrest Lynn (21-8) earned the eighth-seed and went on to finish fifth. Dunn and Lynn cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 win over Edgerton and a 6-4 ,6-1 win over Kewaskum in the second round before falling to top-seeded Xavier seniors David Horak and Konnor Barth (28-2) in the quarterfinals. Dunn and Lynn weren’t done,
however, and fought their way back to a fifth-place finish with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Kenosha St. Joseph senior John McTernan and junior Nick Harron (23-4). Dunn and Lynn capped off their tournament by defeating sixth-seeded Shorewood senior Adam Kelly and sophomore John Ewing 6-3, 7-6 (4). Freshmen Donovan Pfaff (144) and Alex Sviatoslavsky (18-1) earned the No. 7 and 8 seeds in the singles tournament. Sviatoslavsky, Edgewood’s No. 2 singles player during the regular season, swept Rhinelander senior Markus Johnson (9-5) and East Troy senior Nick Bourdo 6-0, 6-0 to open the tournament. That set up a quarterfinal match
Edgewood boys track
Edgewood girls soccer
Sports editor
What’s next No. 2 Madison Edgewood takes on Kohler at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 9, in the WIAA Division 2 team state tennis meet. The winner takes on the winner of No. 1 University School and McFarland at 2 p.m. Saturday in the state final. with top-seeded Kohler senior Casey Johnson, who entered the tournament 23-0. Johnson received a first-round bye and then flew threw his next two matches, including a 6-2, 6-1 win over Sviatoslavsky. The loss dropped Sviatoslavsky into the consolation bracket where he dropped his first match 7-5, 6-2 to fourth-seeded George Wong
(17-4) of Dominican. Johnson fell 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to second-seeded Brookfield Academy sophomore Pablo Dale (21-1). Pfaff won a round at state, beating Prairie School senior Peter Lamberton 6-0, 6-3 in the first round. The Edgewood freshman struggled in the second round, however, and fell 6-4, 6-2 to unseeded Catholic Memorial
senior Mitchel Teuteberg (21-9). The Crusaders have at least one more dual meet left this season as they face Kohler in the first round of the Division 2 state team tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 9. The winner of that dual will face either the top-seeded University School of Milwaukee Wildcats or the McFarland Spartans later Saturday at 2 p.m. Edgewood has reached the state tournament the last 15 consecutive seasons. The program’s lone state title, however, came in 2016. The Crusaders have finished runner-up eight times. USM has qualified for team state in 14 of the last 16 years. The program has won 10 titles, including six straight from 200611.
Luebke takes Badger South co-champs win Division 3 regional title minute with an assist from sophfourth at state ANTHONY IOZZO omore forward/midfielder Lizzie What’s next Drake. Junior forward midfielder JorThe top-seeded Madison Edgein shot put Edgewood hosted fifth-seeded McFarland Thursday in a WIAA Diwood girls soccer team defeated dyn Rothwell added a goal in the Assistant sports editor
ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Senior Mark Luebke was the lone state qualifier for Madison Edgewood in the WIAA Division 2 boys track and field championships. Luebke ended up reaching the podium in the shot put with a fourth-place distance of 52 feet, 9 1/4 inches. Berlin junior Bradon Gulch won (53- 1/2).
West boys track
West 4x400 medals at state ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Madison West’s 4x400 relay reached the podium on June 2 in the WIAA Division 1 boys track and field championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium at UW-La Crosse. Seniors Daniel Jacobs and Aaron Letcher, junior Kaleb Kohn and sophomore Ryan Reed took fourth in 7 minutes, 59.89 seconds. Kimberly won in 7:54.72. Jacobs also added an eighth place in the 800 in 1:55.76. Junior Patrick Horvath took 17th in the shot put with a heave of 48 feet, 4 1/2 inches.
Edgewood girls Continued from page 1 800-meter run in 2:19.46. Lakeland Union sophomore Aubrey Anderson won in 2:18.73. O’Driscoll added a fifth-place in the 400 in 59.02 to make the podium. Wittenberg-Birnamwood senior Maddy Pietz won in 56.91 seconds. Edgewood’s 4x400 relay of Rodriguez, Barth, Link and O’Driscoll finished sixth in 4:02.99 to medal. The 4x400 quartet was third in prelims in 4:03.2. Wittenberg-Birnamwood won in 3:54.94. Edgewood ended up seventh overall at state with 22 points. Wittenberg-Birnamwood won with 50.
Monroe 2-0 on June 2 to win a WIAA Division 3 regional title. The Crusaders (14-2-2 overall), which shared the Badger South Conference title with Oregon, scored both goals in the second half. Junior defender Madeline Cruz struck first in the 53rd
vision 3 sectional semifinal. The winner takes on the winner of No. 2 88th minute with assists from Sugar River and No. 3 Mount Horeb at 4 p.m. Saturday in Mount Horeb freshman forward/midfielder Hailey Rothwell and Cruz. in the sectional final. Senior goalie Jamila Hamdan State is June 15-16 at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee. played 80 minutes and finished with one save. Senior goalie Erin Tomlinson played 10 minutes and didn’t see a shot on goal. Riley had 18 saves. semifinal 10-0 over La Crosse Monroe senior goalie Pond The Crusaders won its regional Logan.
West baseball
Regents win Division 1 regional title, fall in sectional semifinals ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Madison West baseball hosted rival Madison Memorial on May 31 in a WIAA Division 1 regional final, and the fourth-seeded Regents advanced to sectionals with an 11-0 win over the fifth-seeded Spartans. The Regents (12-13 overall)
scored twice in the first inning and finished the game with nine runs in the sixth inning to win by the 10-run rule. Junior Drake Baldwin had a monster game with four RBIs, and junior Max Hanson added two RBIs. Senior Eli Sorensen went the distance and allowed no runs on three hits. He struck out seven.
Craig 13, West 3 The Regents’ season came to an end in the D1 sectional semifinal on June 5 against top-seeded Janesville Craig at Riverside Park. The Cougars won 7-2. West fell behind 5-0 after two innings and didn’t score until the top of the fourth. Junior Otto Treichel and senior
Donovan O’Flahrity each had RBIs for the Regents, and Sorenson and Treichel scored the runs. Junior Aiden Burgess started and allowed three earned runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings. He walked one. Senior David Grunder pitched the final 4 1/3 innings and allowed two earned runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out two.
Golf: Edgewood wins Badger South, regional and sectional titles Continued from page 1 having a bad day at the same time.” Karl Gilmore finished tied for 24th with a 166 (83-83). Gierhart, Phelan and Arndt graduate and leave three holes on the varsity lineup for 2019. “It is a big loss for next year and having to replace all of those guys,” Ring said. James and Karl Gilmore are expected to be back next season along with alternate junior Brody Andes. Ring said Andes played some varsity golf this year and will be looking to make the starting five from their alternate spot, much like Karl Gilmore from 2017 to 2018. Ring added that there were a few freshman who also look to compete for varsity spots next year. “Hopefully, they put the time and effort in during the summer to win one of those spots,” Ring said.
which took runner-up with a 318, finished with 38 points. Phelan was the overall medalist for the Badger South and had the best score when combining scores from the Badger North. He finished with a 74. Gierhart took third with a 77, and Karl Gilmore was next on the team with a 78. Arndt and James Gilmore each shot 81s. Arndt and Gierhart were named to the first-team all-conference following the meet. Karl Gilmore, James Gilmore and Phelan were named to the second-team all-conference.
Adams-Friendship regional
Edgewood shot a 304 to claim the Adams-Friendship regional title on May 22 at Castle Course at Northern Bay in Arkdale. Watertown Luther Prep (336), Lakeside Lutheran (338) and Columbus (339) joined the Crusaders as sectional qualifiers. Photo by Anthony Iozzo Gierhart and Phelan tied for first Badger South Conference with 73s, and Arndt and James Senior Rory Gierhart hits his second shot on the eighth hole on May 15 in Gilmore were tied for sixth with the Badger South Conference meet at the House on the Rock Golf Resort. meet Gierhart finished with a 77, and Edgewood won the meet title with a 310. 79s. The Crusaders also won the conference title with 48 points. Edgewood claimed another Badger South Conference title on May Platteville sectional Edgerton was the other team to and Gierhart was third with a 75. 15 with a 310 at the tournament. Edgewood made state by claimThe Crusaders won all four ing the Platteville sectional title advance to state with a runner-up Phelan took fourth with a 76, and James and Karl Gilmore tied for mini-meets during the regular sea- on May 29 with a 305 at Platte- 322. Arndt was second with a 74, 11th with 80s. son and scored 48 points. Oregon, ville Country Club.
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Verona Area High School
Boys golf
June 8, 2018
Fitchburg Star
3
Boys track
Photo by Anthony Iozzo
Senior Garhett Kaegi tees off on the 17th hole on June 4 in round one of the WIAA Division 1 boys golf state meet at University Ridge Golf Course. Kaegi finished with a 6-over 78 in round one.
Cats takes 11th at state ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Verona boys golf didn’t shoot its best rounds of the season in its first team appearance in the WIAA Division 1 state meet, but the Wildcats still went out strong with a 323 in round two to finish 11th with a 647 for the tournament. The Wildcats made state by shooting a season-best 296 at sectionals, and they would have had to repeat that performance twice to have a shot at a state title. Marquette University School won with a 598 (299-299). Hartland Arrowhead was second with a 606 (306-300), and Eau Claire Memorial was third with a 613 (318-295). Despite not getting any hardware, coach Jon Rebholz said it was a special experience to see the team play the final two rounds of the season on the biggest stage at University Ridge Golf Course. “There is certainly a lot of talk about Verona’s first boys team going to state and all that,” Rebholz said. “We like to think as coaches that is a start of some sort of tradition.” Seniors Garhett Kaegi, Connor Rufenacht and Logan Lindell played their final high school round Tuesday, and Kaegi repeated his first-round score while Connor Rufenacht and
Lindell improved on theirs. Kaegi started off slow with two bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey in the first six holes, but besides a triple bogey on his 12th hole (the par-3 third), he ended strong with four birdies and seven pars to finish with a 6-over 78. Kaegi finished tied for 38th overall at state with a 156. He started with six pars in eight holes Monday but doubled the ninth and tripled the 10th to fall to 7-over. He bounced back with three birdies on the back nine to finish with a 6-over 78. Connor had one of his higher scores of the season with a 22-over 94 in round one. He was much better on Tuesday, shooting a 43 on his front nine (holes 10-18). He had a 14-stroke improvement on the front nine with four pars and two birdies to finish with a 9-over 81. Connor ended 99th with a 175 at state. Lindell bested his firstround score by a stroke on Tuesday, finishing with a 13-over 85. He had 12 bogeys, four pars and a birdie in round two to go along with a double bogey. Junior Austin Gaby and sophomore Cale Rufenacht are both expected back in 2019, and they both gained valuable experience at state. Gaby finished for 45th overall with a 158 (78-80). Cale ended tied for 76th with a 166 (82-84).
Baseball
Wildcats fall 90 feet shy ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Verona baseball fell 90 feet short of tying second-seeded Janesville Parker in a 2-1 WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal loss June 5 at Riverside Park. Senior shortstop Connor McGowan came up to the plate with two on and two out in the top of the seventh, and drilled a 1-0 fastball off the wall in right-center field. Junior third baseman Jake Osiecki scored, but Parker center fielder Jordan Bailey threw a dart to cutoff man Carter Schneider to catch McGowan in a rundown. S e n i o r c e n t e r fi e l d e r Tucker Teskey stopped for a second after rounding third, and before he could score to tie the game, McGowan was tagged out. “They played really well,” coach Brad D’Orazio said. “It was a really good high school baseball game. I
thought there was really good pitching from both pitchers … We just had to find a way to scratch more runs across.” T h e Wi l d c a t s ( 1 3 - 1 2 overall) lost two close games to the Vikings during the regular season, 4-1 on April 20, and 3-2 on April 23, and Tuesday’s game was another pitcher’s duel – this time between Verona freshman Ryan Taylor and Casey Stone. Ta y l o r p i t c h e d w e l l , allowing two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. But Stone picked up the victory, allowing one unearned run on eight hits and a walk in complete game. “(Taylor) hasn’t looked like a freshman all year,” D’Orazio said. “He pitched really, really well today, getting ahead of guys and making them put the ball in play. … He did fantastic and gave us a chance to win.”
Photo by Anthony Iozzo
Junior Mason Jordan (from back left), senior Jared Jenkins and junior Jayden Joe-Wright congratulate Oregon’s 4x400 relay following the June 2 final in the WIAA Division 1 boys track and field state championships at UW-La Crosse. Along with senior Peter Barger (not pictured), the Verona 4x400 took fifth and medaled in 3 minutes, 23.2 seconds. Oregon was third.
4x400 medals at state JEREMY JONES Sports editor
The Verona boys 4x400 relay team brought home a medal and earn All-State honors at last weekend’s WIAA Division 1 state track and field meet. Juniors Jayden Joe-Wright and Mason Jordan and seniors Peter Barger and Jared Jenkins finished a team-best fifth place to make the podium in the 4x400-meter relay. “It felt so great. I love my team so much, Jenkins said. “It sucks that I am
senior, because I am going to miss them a lot.” The quartet’s season-best time of 3 minutes, 23.2 seconds was one second off the school record and a .20 drop from its performance in the preliminary round. “Zoning out helps to just stay in the race, but on the back stretch your whole body is tight,” Jordan said. “Hearing all the fans cheering for you, it gives you that extra kick to cross that line. There is no pain or anything. It is just you, floating out there with the crowd.” Oak Creek, which had been fourth
after prelims, won the relay in 3:19.67. Neenah, which had the fastest prelim time dropped back to finish second (3:21.94). “I really didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it was going to be much tighter than the previous races,” Barger said. And oh my god, it was very tight with little room to move around and hard to adjust.” Barger said he simply focused on making a move to set his team up.
Turn to VAHS boys track/Page 5
Boys tennis
Verona falls short of expectations at state JEREMY JONES Sports editor
Junior Will Tennison played his heart out to earn the top seed at the WIAA Division 1 individual state tennis tournament last week. Sadly, an injury in his third match of the tournament forced Tennison (253) to withdraw from his consolation match Saturday morning. The best he could have finished after a quarterfinal loss was fifth. Verona lost all three of its other flights at individual state but will play in the team state tournament this week. Tennison had opened the tournament with a 6-0, 6-1 drubbing of Grey Waedekin of Whitefish Bay before going to three sets in his next two matches, against 16th-seeded Homestead junior Michael Morway (14-8) in the quarterfinals and eighth-seeded junior Nathan Balthazor (21-3) of DePere in the semifinals. Tennison and Morway had gone to three sets earlier this season in Homestead as part of the Nicolet Invitational. “Will looked OK. He didn’t really show any signs of frustration or anything,” coach Rick Engen said. “Michael switched up his game and was moving Will around quite a bit, doing a lot of dropshooting.” Engen said all the running may have taken a toll on Tennison, but he ground out the win 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. That appeared to irritate an early-season injury when Tennison played Balthazor in the semifinals, and he fell 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. “Nathan is a great player – a big hitter,” Engen said. “Will was really confident going into that match.” Tennison led 3-1 in the second set after winning the first before pulling something. Eventually losing the second set, Engen talked to the trainer while Tennison got stretched out. “We thought we had him back on
Photo by Jeremy Jones
Junior Will Tennison advanced to the WIAA Division 1 individual state quarterfinals where he lost 2-6,6-4,6-3 to DePere’s Nathan Balthazar. Tennison could not play in the fifth-place match.
What’s next The fourth-seeded Verona boys tennis travels back to Nielsen Tennis Stadium for the WIAA Division 1 team state tournament 5:30 p.m. Friday. track mentally and physically,” Engen said. The upset sent Tennison, who had finished sixth as a freshman and fourth as a sophomore, sent him to the consolation bracket Saturday morning against Green Bay Southwest junior Johnny Zakowski (29-2), the same opponent he’ll face in the opening round of the team state tournament this weekend. But Tennison was unable to play.
“I had a conversation at about 7 o’clock this morning and we talked about the options,” Engen said before the match was to have been played. “It’s ultimately Will’s decision. He knows his body.”Three losses Verona’s other three matches all ended in early exits. Junior Kevin Fan (28-1) lost his first match of the season, falling 6-3, 6-4 to Hudson junior Tyler Grosz (16-4). Fan was up 4-1 in the second set but was unable to finish the rally. Junior Chris Queoff (22-5) would have had to face his teammate, Tennison, had he been able to pull off a firstround win in his first state tournament. Instead, Queoff fell 6-2, 6-21 to Whitefish Bay junior Grey Waedekin (16-7). Seniors Vivek Swaminath and Jordan Hutchcroft lost their opening-round doubles match 6-2, 6-3 to Kenosha Bradford senior Carlos Lima and junior Zach Kozmer.
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June 8, 2018
Oregon High School
Fitchburg Star
Girls soccer
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Boys track
Phillips, 4x400 win medals at state JEREMY JONES Sports editor
Photo by Eddie Brognano
The Oregon girls soccer team won its sixth straight regional championship on June 2 with a 7-0 win over Monona Grove in WIAA Division 2, sectional 3.
Panthers win sixth straight regional title ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Oregon girls soccer didn’t have any problems claiming its sixth straight regional title on June 2. The second-seeded Panthers (9-3-6 overall) defeated seventh-seeded Monona Grove 7-0 in the WIAA Division 2 regional final at Huntoon Field. Coach Julie Grutzner said she remembers never winning a regional title when she was in high school, and it is a rare feat for a program, espeically with the quality teams in the Oregon’s sectional. “For Oregon to win it six years in a row, that is not an easy accomplishment,” Grutzner said. “But we know we are only halfway there. Our goal is to make it back to state.” The Panthers, which ended in a 1-1 tie with the Silver Eagles on May 4, scored five times in the first half and added two more goals in the second half. Grutzner said she knew it was going to be a tough game, especially since the teams met less than a month earlier and tied. So before the game, Grutzner said she stressed winning the battle for possession and capitalizing on chances. Oregon responded better than even Grutzner imagined by dominating inside the 18-yard mark and winning rebounds. “If we play to the level we know we can, we can compete with anyone in the state,” she said. One of the turning points in the game was after the Panthers took a 2-0 lead. Monona Grove was awarded a penalty kick, but sophomore goalie Melia Moyer made the save. Instead of a one-goal game, Oregon added a third goal a few minutes later when senior forward Marah Weidensee buried a pass by sophomore defender
What’s next Second-seeded Oregon hosted No. 3 Milton in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal Thursday. The winner takes on the winner of No. 1 Waunakee and No. 5 Burlington at 4 p.m. back in Oregon. Emma Halverson to make it 3-0. Sophomore midfielder Hanna Rohrer scored first with an assist to senior forward Kailie Sweeney, and senior defender Alexis Kane followed with a goal to make it 2-0. Sophomore forward/midfielder Kaitlyn Schrimpf made it 4-0 with an assist by sophomore Lauren Denu, and Sweeney scored on a pass by Weidensee to make it 5-0 at halftime. In the second half, senior midfielder Emma Krause scored with an assist to sophomore forward/midfielder Ashley Hanson, and sophomore Ellen Legler scored the final goal. Moyer had three saves in 73 minutes, and senior goalie Kelly Kubichek had four saves in the final 17 minutes. Next up for the Panthers is a rematch with Badger South rival Milton at 6 p.m. Saturday in the WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal. Grutzner said she knows it will be a tough game between host Oregon and the No. 3 Red Hawks. “We know that Milton is wanting to beat us, especially since they are so seniorheavy and they feel like this is their year,” Grutzner said. “If we don’t play at that level, they will beat us.”
Senior Kardelle Phillips wondered, “What if?” several times during the 2018 boys track and field season. A standout hurdler and sprinter, he had only fully committed to track this season at the suggestion of his college football coach to get in shape for this fall. Last weekend, Phillips highlighted an unforgettable season in which he culminated his prep career with an individual and relay medal at the WIAA Division 1 state meet, finishing second in the 300 hurdles and helping the 4x400 relay team finish third. His effort helped the Panthers finish 18th of 58 teams with 15 points at UW-La Crosse. Kimberly dominated the meet, beating Oak Creek 74-45 to take home top team honors. Muskego finished third with 33 points. Phillips moved up to second over the final 100 and led the race briefly before finishing .62 behind Kimberly senior DJ Stewart with a 39.05 in the 300 hurdles. “I felt good getting second because I didn’t feel like I was going to get second,” Phillips said. “I thought I was the fourth or maybe fifth guy coming in. I grinded it out and I worked hard on hurdles this year. “It is like the best experience ever, to hang out with your friends, run and have a good time.” In the triple jump, Phillips fell three feet short of his state-qualifying effort, finishing 22nd out of 24 jumpers with a 41-1 1/2. He jumped a 44-3 1/2 at sectionals, which would have earned him eighth place at state. Oak Creek senior James Carter leaped 49-2 to win the event. Oregon’s 4x400 relay cut .53 from its preliminary time, but fell back one spot to finish third. Sophomore Matt Kissling, junior Carter Hendrickson and seniors Devin Keast and Phillips posted a time of 3:22.44 as the Panther relay reached the medal podium. “Honestly, I was just trying to start Matt up on the cut,” Hendrickson said. “I didn’t want to have him in a
Photo by Anthony Iozzo
Senior Devin Keast hands the baton to senior Kardelle Phillips for the final lap of the boys 4x400 on June 2 in the WIAA Division 1 state boys track and field meet. The two seniors joined junior Carter Hendrickson and sophomore Matt Kissling to medal with a third-place finish in 3 minutes, 22.44 seconds. bad position and get caught in, so I wanted him to get out in front.” Verona led Oregon on the second leg before Kissling made a move. “I have been working really hard all year, and I really wanted to do it for these seniors,” Kissling said. “They pushed us since day one and just really kind of kept us going. It was nice to go out there and get it for them.” Verona was back in front of Oregon on the third leg, but Keast turned it on over the final 100 and moved up from fifth to third. “I just knew I had to get into a good position,” Keast said. “I knew I had to keep up with (Verona’s Peter Barger) and make sure he didn’t pass me. I wanted to keep up with him on the last turn with three guys in front of me. I knew I had to catch them so I could get Kardelle in a good position. I just had to grit it out. It is amazing.” Phillips remained in third, and Jordan took the baton from Barger in a battle for fifth and ended up fifth. “At the beginning of the
year, I was kind of nervous because there was a lot of pressure,” Phillips said. “But in finals, I was confident because I knew coming out that Carter was going to bring it strong, Matt has a giant kick and Devin was going to give it his all and bring it all the way home. “I knew I could just rely on those guys to put me in a good position to finish strong. I feel good about it. I feel like I did a really good job this year.” Oak Creek, which was fourth after prelims won the relay in 3:19.67. Neenah, which had the fastest prelimin time, dropped back to second (3:21.94). Senior Brett Wannebo, a first-time state qualifier, also scored points at state. Wannebo didn’t match his his seed throw of 54 3/4, but he finished eighth with a 52-4. Fond du Lac junior Andrew Stone uncorked a 63-10 to win the event. Senior John Auer finished 15th in the long jump with a 21-2. It was foot below his state-qualifying jump. Hamilton senior won the long jump with a leap of 24-5 3/4.
Boys golf
Candell ties for 41st overall at D1 state tournament ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
Photo by Anthony Iozzo
Senior Ryan Candell takes his second shot on hole one Monday in round one of the WIAA Division 1 state boys golf tournament at University Ridge Golf Course. Candell finished with a 5-over 77 in round one.
Senior Ryan Candell didn’t leaving the WIAA Division 1 golf state tournament with a medal, but he finished his high school career strong Monday and Tuesday at University Ridge Golf Course. Candell, who made his first career appearance at state after winning a sectional title on May 29, ended up finishing tied for 41st overall after shooting a 5-over 77 in round one and an 8-over 80 in round two to finish with a 157. Coach Sara Mess said that Candell grew up fast as a senior, and was able to handle the highs and lows of golf better. “Last year, (Candell) didn’t
have the year that he wanted and he put a lot of work over the summer and he went to Arizona during spring break,” Mess said. “He put a lot of effort and work in, and it was really nice to see that pay off.” He was steady all season and was named to the firstteam All-Badger South Conference, and followed up with a third-place 76 at regionals and a first-place 72 at sectionals. Candell had a tough start to his first round at state with four bogeys and a double bogey in the first seven holes. Candell bounced back, however, with eight pars and two birdies in the final 11 holes to finish day one tied for 29th. “He buckled down and hit some really nice iron shots,
especially on the par 3s,” Mess said. “He played the par 3s really well both days. He played more like the Ryan I have been used to seeing the last couple of weeks.” On Tuesday, Candell had 13 pars and bounced back from a 41 on the front nine with a 39 on the back nine. Mess said he was the most inconsistent with his swings all season, and he scrambled to get to an 80. Candell was in trouble on holes one, two, six, nine and 16, Mess said, but he was able to limit the damage. “I am not sure if it was nerves or trying to do too much but considering some of the interesting places he was hitting from, the 80 is a really good score,” Mess said.
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June 8, 2018
Photo by Jeremy Jones
Madison West’s Andrew Glasgow reacts after hitting a winner against Green Bay Southwest junior Michael Vivian at the WIAA Division 1 individual state tennis tournament. Glasgow lost the match 7-5, 6-4.
West tennis: Regents take third in D1 sectional meet Continued from page 1 Vivian (23-3) and senior Alexander Poland fell 6-2, 6-3 to 12th-seeded senior Brendan Pietila of Arrowhead (25-7). Glasgow won the No. 2 singles bracket at sectionals to earn his trip to the state tournament. Willhauer and Ruggiero and Madison West senior Quinn Gallagher (27-5) each finished second at sectionals. Willhauer and Ruggiero fell to Middleton junior Sam Dettman and senior
Rafael Sanga in the sectional finals. Gallagher finished second to Verona junior Kevin Fan (28-0) at No. 3 singles at sectionals. Poland took fourth at sectionals but earned a special qualifier for the state tournament. The Regents finished third at the Madison Memorial sectional with a combined 28 points. Verona scored 39 points to edge Middleton 39-36. The Wildcats advanced back to the state team tournament June 8-9 for the second time in the last three years with the victory.
Fitchburg Star
5
Photo by Anthony Iozzo
Junior Scarlet Egwuonwu (left) sprints to the finish line in the 200 finals June 2 in the girls WIAA Division 1 state track and field meet at Veterans Memorial Stadium at UW-La Crosse. Egwuonwu fourth place in 25.37 seconds. She was also on the 4x200 relay that medaled and took third.
Girls track: 4x200 relay finishes third at state Continued from page 1 42.8. Wausau West junior Brooke Jaworski broke her state record to win the race in 41.4 – the third-fastest high school time in the nation this year. Defending state champion sophomore Jadin O’Brien of Divine Savior Holy Angel overtook Jackson on the final hurdle for second place in 42.56. Junior Scarlett Egwuonwu was admittedly disappointed with her 14th-place finish in the 100 dash but used that to fuel her in the 200 as well as on the 4x2 relay with Jackson. Egwuonwu moved up to fourth out of lane 10 in the finals, passing several girls over the final 50 meters on her way to a time of 25.37.
“The biggest moment for me was when I looked at the scoreboard, and I was like, ‘Fourth? What? I made the podium for my open event?,” Egwuonwu said “I have made the podium on relays, but I never thought I was going to be on it in an open event so I am really, really happy.” Senior Addison Schipper led off the 4x200, which along with sophomore Jenna Sharkus, Egwuonwu and Jackson, scored eight points with a third-place finish in 1:42.11. Hamilton won the relay with a 1:41.28. “I just wanted to start us off right,” Schipper said. “It is super awesome. I have never been here before, so it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” “I was just trying to keep going as fast as I could and get the baton around,” Sharkus added. “It is a surreal experience.” Jackson struggled in the long
jump and finished more than two feet behind her seed with a leap of 16-7 1/4. The leap earned her 17th place. Waukesha South senior Armoni Brown, who was DQed as the top seed in the 100 dash, came back to win the long jump with a distance of 19-6 1/4. Senior shot putter Ellen McCorkle finished 19th in her first state tournament appearance with a throw of 36-9 1/4. The throw was a little more than a foot off her state-qualifying throw of 38 1/4. Oak Creek senior Jenna Dankert won the shot put with a heave of 45-5. Freshman Halle Bush, sophomores Isabella Peterson and Liz Uhl and Alexis Karls added nearly 2 1/2 seconds to finish 24th out of 25 relays competing in the 4x400 with a time of 4:13.31. Arrowhead won the race in 3:55.42.
VAHS boys track: Jenkins finishes 16th in 400 “I didn’t want to go home without a medal this week,” he said. It was also a storybook ending for junior Jayden Joe-Wright, who had moved back to Wisconsin from Texas around spring break. “This was my first year back in
Wisconsin, and just being out here and getting on that podium, it was a dream come true,” he said. Joe-Wright just missed the 200 dash finals with the second-fastest time in VAHS history on Friday. His 22.0 was .05 off the record and good 11th place at state. The top 10 advanced out of prelims and into Saturday’s finals, where Muskego
senior Justin Kotarak won with a 21.87. Senior Jared Jenkins fell .10 shy of his seed time and finished 16th in the 400 dash in 51.04. Neenah senior Colin Enz took the state title home in 49.03. Barger finished 2 1/2 seconds off his state-qualifying 1,600 time. He took 18th with a time of 4:27.10.
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Riley and Joe-Wright led the 4x100 relay to a 17th-place finish in a season-best 43.5. Muskego won the relay in 42.0. Verona tied six other schools to finish 41st out of 58 schools with four points. Kimberly dominated the meet, beating Oak Creek 74-45 to take home top team honors. Muskego finished third with 33 points.
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Homestead junior Drew Bosley won in 4:10.39. Sophomore Brad Tuomi finished roughly 2.5 seconds off his seed time, crossing the finish line last in the 800 (2:03.29). Stevens Point senior Liam Belson won the race in 1:53.54. Freshman Jackson Acker, sophomore Malik Odetunde, senior Joe
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6
June 8, 2018
Fitchburg Star
Madison Metropolitan School District
Van Hise principal to move to Leopold Some unhappy with process, Cap Times reports SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
Leopold Elementary School will have a new principal next year. P e g Ke e ler, the principal at Van Hise Elementary School, is s e t t o t a ke Sloan over for the 2018-19 school year after current principal Karine Sloan announced her departure in April. According Keeler to a report in the Cap Times, the process to hire Keeler irked some parents, who questioned if it fit the “Community School” designation Leopold got two years ago.
That designation, of which there are two in the Madison Metropolitan School District, comes with some funding and the idea that parents and community members will be more involved in decisions. But in this case, the Cap Times reported, MMSD superintendent Jennifer Cheatham sent an email the day after Sloan’s departure announcement that she was considering using “strategic placement” for the next principal. That process allows the superintendent to shift a staff member from one position to another. Keeler had to go before a panel of school staff, parents and other community members before her hire was official, according to the Cap Times, but some in attendance said the questions were predetermined and they were unhappy with the process. Keeler will take over effective July 1. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
Oregon School District
No drugs in school sweeps But several ‘alerts’ indicate potential presence, chief says SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group
For the second time this school year, and the fourth time since the fall of 2016, teams of area law enforcement officers and drug dogs conducte d r a n d o m Uhl searches at Oregon High School and Oregon Middle School. While dogs had “several alerts” to lockers and vehicles at the high school during the Thursday, May 17 sweep, no drugs were found and no citations were issued, according to an Oregon Police Department news release. No drugs were found inside the schools during the previous random search of OHS and OMS students’ lockers on Nov. 27, 2017. However, police cited two people for possession of THC, drug paraphernalia and tobacco products after a dog “alerted” on four vehicles in the OHS parking lot. In the first two random searches, in the 2016-17 school year, there was one case of suspected marijuana inside a locker at OHS and dogs alerted to 11 places in or around the high school and two at the middle school.
Oregon police chief Brian Uhl said in last week’s news release canine alerts that don’t result in drugs being found doesn’t necessarily mean a “false hit.” “What is more likely is they alerted on lockers and vehicles that either contained drugs at some point in the last several weeks or there was residual odor from clothing or backpacks (that we are not allowed to search) which were recently removed,” Uhl said. “The canines are very effective and can detect residual odor of drugs for several weeks after it has been removed.” The random K-9 “sniff” searches May 17 involved teams from Oregon, McFarland, Monroe, Cott a g e G r ove , F i t c h bu rg , Verona, Janesville, Stoughton, the Rock County Sheriff’s Office and University of Wisconsin police department, according to the news release. Uhl said a K-9 team “hit” on a vehicle in the OHS parking lot later found to have prescription opioids in it, as well as “empty beer bottles, several knives, and ammunition for handguns, shotguns, and rifles.” U h l s a i d t h e ve h i c l e turned out to belong to the driver’s relative, who owns a hunting guide business, and as there was “no threat to school safety,” no citations were issued. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.dela ruelle@wcinet.com.
Oregon/Madison schools
ConnectFitchburg.com
Oregon School District
Fitchburg school first OSD board picks plan for November referendum, will work on ballot language SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group
All that’s left to decide for a planned referendum vote this fall is the specific ballot language. At a special meeting Tuesday, May 29, Oregon school board members voted 6-0 to ask district residents Nov. 6 to fund the construction of a new elementary school in Fitchburg by 2020. Members chose one of two remaining options for building two new schools and renovating every existing school other than Oregon High School. OSD completed construction last year on a $54 million referendum voters approved in 2014, but the district is
expecting to have to accommodate rapid growth in the area over the next few years, particularly on the east side of Fitchburg and the west side of the Village of Oregon. District superintendent Brian Busler said administrators will now work to develop referendum language for the board’s consideration at the June 11 board meeting. He said the vote calling for the referendum will happen at that meeting “provided we can gather enough information and have the official resolution prepared by that time.” Earlier this month, board members had agreed – without a vote – that the district would go to referendum this fall for funding to build new schools and renovating several others. They narrowed a list of plans from four to two at that meeting, then pared that to a final option Tuesday. That plan – labeled “D” in recent months’ discussion – would build two schools in two different phases.
The first would be a K-6 elementary school within the City of Fitchburg for the 2020-21 school year, followed by a “centrally located” middle school (grades 6-8) by 2024. When the middle school is built, the district would convert the three existing K-4 schools to K-5, convert Rome Corners Intermediate to a K-5 elementary and convert Oregon Middle School from a 7-8 to a 6-8 building. The middle school building would be left to a future referendum, school board president Steve Zach said at the May 14 meeting. The other remaining option had called for a new middle school with the same complementary renovations by September 2020. A new K-5 school in Fitchburg would then be built in 2024, after a separate referendum. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott. delaruelle@wcinet.com.
Pioneering a Tradition Heritage Day an inclusive look at state, students’ histories ALEXANDER CRAMER Unified Newspaper Group
As the fourth-graders filed in to the little theater at Prairie View Elementary they saw a man with dreadlocks sitting alone at the front of the room, waiting patiently in silence behind his drum. The normal sounds of students settling in quieted as they realized the man was waiting for silence. Several students jumped when his hand came down on the djembe in front of him and their lesson in Guinean drumming began. Mandjou Mara was at PVE on Friday, May 25, as part of Heritage Day, an annual celebration of the area’s history that had long been known as Pioneer Day. Students dressed in costumes reflecting their families’ heritage moved between different presentations and workshops. In the morning, Mandjou’s African drumming was one of three stations students visited, along with a lesson in Cuban dancing in the gym and a presentation on the history of Native Americans who have lived in Wisconsin. The event began in the 1970s to show students what it was like to live in rural Oregon in the 1800s. This year, organizers changed the name and broadened the scope of the event, PVE fourth-grade teacher Rachel Fahey told the Observer. “We wanted to make sure we were celebrating all cultures of our students and people in our community,” Fahey said. “(We said) ‘Let’s have a fun day of celebration and learn some things about different cultures.’”
Photo by Alexander Cramer
Second-grader Isaac Schmitt, 8, checks out a diorama of an 1800s German barn made by two PVE fourth-graders for Heritage Day.
elementary schools. Students bring pioneer lunches and dressed in knickers with suspenders or dresses and bonnets provided by the Oregon Area Historical Society, which cobbled together a group of local volunteers to make, repair and clean the costumes every year as part of a “loaning closet.” The closet was born in 1997 in preparation for the state’s sesquicentennial celebrations the next year and originally was tasked with providing about 40 costumes. Between Pioneer Day and Wax Day, when students research and dress as historical figures, the loaning closet now has enough costumes for about 350 or 400 students. In addition to history lessons, many speakers have come through the years to teach students traditional skills like basket weaving or yarn-making. Students learned to have “unplugged fun,” playing traditional games that require little more than a button or handkerchief, longtime Brooklyn History of pioneering educator and Pioneer Day Started at Brooklyn Ele- organizer Dale Schulz told mentary, the event devel- the Observer last year. oped over the years, add- A new ‘Heritage’ ing an off-site “one-room This year, the majority of schoolhouse” for BKE students where they learned students at PVE who wore traditional skills like churn- traditional pioneer costumes ing butter and has since were joined by a few stuspread to the district’s other dents who came decked out
in traditional Mexican, Indian or German costumes. The students were given a paper doll to take home and decorate in some way connected to their heritage, which was then displayed in the hallways. Many crayoned-on happy faces beamed back from the walls, their hands holding handdrawn flags from various nations. Close to 30 fourth graders chose to participate in an additional project related to their families’ heritage, Fahey said, ranging from dioramas to family trees to a giant, decorated Polish egg. After lunch, the kids picked from a dozen workshops to attend, ranging from lumberjack snacks to enchilada-making to Native American crafts to a Japanese tea party. The students’ excitement bubbled over at times in the classroom, where Tim Fish and Rachel Byington were teaching kids the history of some native tribes in Wisconsin through the lens of their own tribes’ lived experience. Fish and Byington, who are Muscogee and Choctaw, asked kids to imagine what it was like to go through what Native Americans did. “How many of you have walked two miles?” Byington asked during a discussion of the Trail of Tears. “Five miles? 10? 20? How did you feel afterward?
What do you think you’d need to take with you on a journey if you were leaving your whole house behind?” Fish said his goal in visiting the school was for kids to see a Native American person, which “they might not see a lot,” but also to share an indigenous lens of history and the fact that even through diversity, “we all have connections.” “It’s important that the kids understand there are tribes in Wisconsin and who the tribes are, and that the tribes were here before the pioneers,” Fish said.
Adding equity Fa h ey ex p l a i n e d t h e change in the event’s name and scope came from a district-wide focus on equity, including staff meetings and professional development days, coupled with the existing history curriculum. “In fourth grade, one of our main focuses in history is working on Wisconsin histories (and) how many different people have lived here,” Fahey said. “We wanted to incorporate all sides of the story — or as many sides as we can. Although many parents have “really embraced it,” Fahey said she’s fielded some questions from parents about the change, but that’s to be expected with Pioneer Day being such a longstanding community tradition. She answers by saying, “We’re not taking anything away, we’re still having a full day of celebration, we’re just framing it so all students can see themselves in that day.” The goal, Fahey said, is to “help students to be more critical thinkers.” “They’re nine and 10 years old. We don’t need to have an in-depth conversations about everything,” Fahey said. “Just opening their minds, (so) when you hear a story or learn about history, you open up to learn it from different perspectives.”
Verona schools
ConnectFitchburg.com
June 8, 2018
Fitchburg Star
7
Plan: Boundary changes set by April 2019 Would go into effect fall of 2020-21 year SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
the board in terms of what it is you are looking for from them,” he said. “We know this is an emotional issue for people who are impacted by the change. You may have many people who wish to participate.” Decisions for the board will include how to consider the charter schools in this process – which Howick said he had not dealt with before – and how many students to put into the new Sugar Creek Elementary School, which is expected to move into the current Badger Ridge Middle School. Boundaries last changed on a district-wide level in 2006, when Glacier Edge Elementary School opened, but some neighborhoods were rezoned from the GE attendance area to Country View and Stoner Prairie in January 2016 as the newer school experienced overcrowding. Board member Tom Duerst, who was on the board during that redistricting process and served on the committee, said setting the guiding principles will be the “most significant decision we will make.” The district’s administration led the creation of the previous set of guiding principles, including walking distance and balanced demographics, rather than consultants. But Gorrell said Howick and Mark Roffers – who has worked with the district on enrollment projections – are “the right two people helping us with this process” this time, given the scope and other current work in the district. “If it were just this alone, it’d be a heavy lift,” Gorrell cautioned board members.
Verona Area School District parents will know more than a year ahead of time where their children will begin the 2020-21 school year under a plan presented last month. The timeline laid out for the Verona Area school board by a pair of consultants would have new boundaries – a result of last year’s referendum to build a new high school – voted on by April 2019. The consultants would help lead the process of redrawing attendance boundaries as the new high school opens and some lower schools shift among buildings. That would give parents about 16 months to adjust to the changes. It has not been decided whether current students would be grandfathered or whether it would take effect at the same time for everyone. Whichever way it goes, superintendent Dean Gorrell said it should be done with a lasting effect in mind. “It’s not something you go into haphazardly,” he said. “Whatever changes are made, the intent would be that it would have a shelf life, five or seven (years).” The consultants’ plan would have board members begin to determine guiding principles in July, with a community group formed soon thereafter to evaluate the plans. C o n s u l t a n t D r ew H ow i c k recently worked with the DeForest School District for boundary redrawing there and said the com- Process of ‘integrity’ mittee will be filled by community After the guiding principles members and will play a key role. “(It needs a) clear charge from are established, the board will
Proposed timeline
Past guiding principles
July: Review historical guiding principles, current boundaries August: Reaffirm or re-establish guiding principles September: Establish boundary committee October-February 2019: Committee creates options, narrows to 2-3 March 2019: First review of boundary recommendation April 2019: Board vote on changes
• Students within walkable distances • Balanced student demographics • Neighborhoods stay together • Be flexible, but adhere to as many principles as possible • Keep school changes to a minimum
need to determine how to populate its committee. Howick said having a “transparent” process and ensuring the community feels represented in the conversation will be key to district residents accepting the decision that will be made. “Any recommendation will have its naysayers, so we just have to be prepared to say there was integrity in this process,” Howick said. Creating the committee will include deciding how to let people know about the committee, soliciting invitations and determining what balance it should have among school representation and how large it should be, Howick said. He added that determining the “key stakeholders” in the redistricting process will help reach those terms. “I’m pretty confident that with a discussion among us, we can identify those criteria,” he said. Howick suggested the committee’s meetings should stay open to the public so people can listen
to the discussion. The district has done that with its strategic planning committee over the past few months. Board president Noah Roberts added that with the strategic plan likely being approved in June, the board can use its “pillars” from that plan, which involved a committee of parents, to help establish the guiding principles. Guiding principles in the GE decision were: • Students within walkable distances • Balanced student demographics • Neighborhoods stay together • Be flexible, but adhere to as many principles as possible • Keep school changes to a minimum
Big decisions
Creek, whether students are able to stay at the schools they’re already in and the longevity of any changes. Roffers said his recent work in DeForest led to boundaries that were considered reliable until 2025, and with VASD’s anticipated growth, “at some point, you’re going to have to go through a process like this again” if more new schools are needed. That leaves an expected “shelf life” into the middle of the next decade, Gorrell estimated. The size of the new Sugar Creek became a discussion point during the $180 million referendum for the new high school and related renovations, with some parents concerned about putting young children in a building that housed up to 800. The more students who go there, the more the space would help solves the district’s expected elementary school enrollment crunch. Determining whom the change s s h o u l d a ff e c t a n d w h e n , including whether there’s grandfathering or “lift and shift” will also be delicate. In Verona, Gorrell said, it has been “mostly lift and shift, but with some grandfathering.” Roffers said in Sun Prairie, fourthgrade students were grandfathered so they could spend their final year at a familiar school, but everyone else moved immediately. “There’s a lot of different options between the extremes,” Roffers said.
The committee’s decision will depend largely on the board’s clarity in its instructions. That will include a few significant, and likely controversial, considerations: how many students to put in the new Sugar
Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
What’s online Read these and more Verona Area School District stories at ConnectFitchburg.com:
Pisani’s exit followed years of complaints Stoner Prairie Elementary School principal Mike Pisani will leave the district next year, after it was initially he would be reassigned to the district office. The move follows years of parent complaints over his communication and leadership.
Saying goodbye Read about Verona Area High School Class of 2018 graduates who are the firs t to achieve the Seal of Biliteracy and district retirees who finished their final days of teaching this week.
U.S. News: VAHS ranks 10th in state A national high school raning placed Verona Area High School 10th-best in Wisconsin.
Buss to take over as principal at BRMS
Stoner Prairie Field Day
Photo by Scott Girard
From left, Daniel Christian, Mackenzie Kreuser and Charlotte Gonzalez wave the parachute up and down to get the balls to fly up into the air during the Stoner Prairie Elementary School field day Friday, June 1.
Verona Area High School assistant prinicpal Alan Buss will move his office a block away to Badger Ridge Middle School next year as he takes over as principal. Current principal Mike Murphy will take Buss’ assistant principal role.
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