Valley Sentinel - 07-14-2021 by Valley Sentinel

Inside this edition

Community Calendar: Theater, live music and more!

Family continues search for Parker Kruse

Whippoorwills and Words at Ferry Bluff

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Spring Green, Wisconsin

Wednesday, July 14, 2021 Vol. 2, No. 28 FREE, Single-Copy

Restoration complete on Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wyoming Valley School, new era of cultural arts begins for the space Photo by Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Wyoming Valley School just wrapped up on a four month renovation to get the building back in the best shape—and back to some of its original design. The Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, the nonproﬁt that supports and manages the building, was awarded at least $90,000 in grant funds to renovate and restore the historically registered, 1950s built schoolhouse. The renovations were completed earlier this month, and will now be open for workshops, performances and exhibits. The space will also be open for weddings, banquets and business meetings. Tours of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wyoming Valley School are oﬀered every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. now to November 15. Tours last approximately 30 minutes. Reservations are not required and tours are free, donations are requested. The school is located three miles from Taliesin, at 6306 WI-23, Spring Green.

School board takes first steps towards $1.5 million sports complex to replace football field and track Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The River Valley School Board met July 8 for a summer meeting that ranged from summer school updates to resignations and hirings to considering the first steps of a $1.5 million sports complex and more.

Summer School

During his school district operations update, District Administrator Loren Glasbrenner shared that High School Principal Darby Blakley reported that 38 high school students had completed credit recovery during summer school. “That was an exciting, great way to get them back onto a successful path,” said Glasbrenner. “So that was great, they felt like summer school was really eﬃcient and good for those kids.” James Radtke, middle school principal, reported that 35-37 middle school students had completed summer school. Carla Peterson, elementary school principal, reported that nearly 100 elementary school students had consistently attended summer school. “They made gains, had some good elementary fun as well,” shared Peterson. “It was nice for the kindergartners going into the ﬁrst grade to be able to get into the building and have a little more of a chance to see the building in action as well.

Recognizing the loss of an alumnus

School Board President Kathy Jennings shared her feelings on the incident July 3 on the Wisconsin River that led to 22-year-old River Valley alumnus Parker Kruse being

thrown out of a boat, with recovery eﬀorts still ongoing as of press time. “I’d also like to take a minute here just to recognize the heartbreak and the tragedy that happened this weekend with Parker… No family should ever have to go through this and this is really when the community needs to pull together,” shared Jennings. “On behalf of the board, I’d just like to extend thoughts and prayers and support to the family and friends of Parker.”

State budget passes

School district Business Manager Brian Krey shared a legislative update regarding the recently passed state biennial budget, clarifying that the district revenue limit was not increasing and that the school district wasn’t getting an increase in per pupil funding compared to last year. “The revenue limit is made up of two things, state aid and property taxes. Basically they are going to pump a bunch of that education money into state aid, which doesn’t give us any more money but it just lessens the burden on our taxpayers,” said Krey. “So when our local oﬃcials say that we are getting $2,900 more per kid, we are getting it in the state aid formula, we’re not getting it in additional revenue at all.” “If we got $2,900 in additional revenue per kid that’d be an additional 3.3 million dollars for us and we would be in a much— we’d actually probably be where we need to be in regards to revenue,” stated Krey. Krey emphasized that the state aid formula is more complicated than the revenue limit and that he was going to wait for the

Legislative Fiscal Bureau to come out with estimates and present them at the next Budget Committee meeting in August. Student Academic and Career Planning The board approved their annual Academic and Career Planning (ACP) document, which must be approved annually per statutes and has been required since the 2017-2018 school year. The school district assists students in academic and career planning in grades 6-12. “The purpose of education for employment programs is to prepare all students for employment, to promote cooperation between business and industry and public schools, and to establish a role for public schools in the economic development of Wisconsin,” according to the school district website. “ACP, is a student-driven, adult-supported process in which students create and cultivate their own unique and information-based visions for postsecondary success, obtained through self-exploration, career exploration, and the development of career management and planning skills.” More information is available at: www.rvschools.org/district/PI26ACP.cfm

Resignations and Hirings

The board accepted the retirement of Cindy Eby, district food service director. Eby is retiring but staying on through December to help transition her replacement. The board also accepted the resignations of Sam Slezewski, elementary art teacher, and Heather Obershaw, grade 1 teacher. The board took action to hire Jaime Hisel

as School Nutrition Supervisor to replace Eby. Hisel holds associates degrees from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Business Management and Culinary Arts. She has six years of experience in the areas of food safety, packaging, and preparation. The position will be starting at a full time equivalency (FTE) of 100% and $39,984 salary. The board also took action to hire Keri Evenson as Elementary Special Education Teacher. The position is new and Evenson brings seven years of experience in a similar position with the Belleville School District. The position will be starting at a FTE of 100% and $48,000 salary. The board additionally took action to hire Katie Bril as Middle School Art Teacher to replace Haylee Rognholt. Bril brings six years of experience, as well as a bachelor’s from UW-Platteville and a master’s from UW-Milwaukee, both in Art Education. The position will be starting at a full time equivalency (FTE) of 100% and $50,000 salary. The board also approved the transfer of two teachers, Megan Quigley from Grade 2 Teacher to Elementary Art Teacher and Elaine Frank from K4 Teacher to Grade 2 Teacher.

Restraint and Seclusion Report

The board approved the required 2020-21 Restraint and Seclusion Report. Wisconsin Act 125 prohibits the use of seclusion or

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‘Pride is the opposite of shame’: Richland County passes resolution celebrating Pride Month, community hosts ﬁrst-ever Pride Picnic Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief The Richland County Board passed a resolution recognizing and celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month at it’s June meeting, just in time for local community organizers to host the 1st annual Pride Picnic in Richland Center over the weekend.

The resolution, passed by the board on June 15, encourages county residents to learn about the history and purpose of Pride Month, and states that any notable LGBTQ+ community members from Richland County have not been documented due to past but lingering social stigmas about being a member of the community.

This resolution comes accompanied by various other proposed resolutions, from the Rules and Resolutions committee, that focuses on celebrating the county’s diversity. “When we talk about diversity, it can sometimes be one sided,” said Supervisor Shaun Murphy-Lopez, of Hillsboro. “The point is to have diﬀerent groups represented with these

resolutions coming forward.” In presenting the resolution, Murphy-Lopez discussed a recent survey of approximately 450 students within the Richland Center and Ithaca school districts that showed LGBTQ+ students in the districts

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opinion

WednesdaY, juLY 14, 2021

Letter to the Editor: New budget receives bi-partisan support Dear Editor, I recently saw that the new budget passed by the State Senate and Assembly was voted for by both Republicans and Democrats. This makes it the ﬁrst bi-partisan budget in well over a decade, and I have to extend this credit to Senator Marklein who has helped craft this budget since the very

beginning. Our government is often wasteful in their spending. Obviously, our state and country have been through a diﬃcult year and allocating every penny of our taxpayer money to the right direction is extremely important. After seeing much of the budget funding, I am grateful that Senator Marklein took careful thought and spent our

cash judiciously. He funded all the important things – education, healthcare, roads, etc. – while also providing billions of dollars in tax relief. Obviously, Democrats saw this was good too, since this was a bipartisan budget approval. It is great to see both sides of the aisle agree on something! Overall, I’m thankful that our Senator is leading the way in

funding our state while also looking out for our hard-earned cash. It’s great to have a budget this year supported by both Democrats and Republicans. Dave Certa Shullsburg, WI

Gov. Evers announces more than $100 million in new funding for public schools Oﬃce of Tony Evers, WI State Governor WHITEFISH BAY — On July 8 Gov. Tony Evers signed the 2021-23 biennial budget, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 58, providing one of the largest tax cuts in Wisconsin state history and delivering on his 2018 campaign promise to cut tax taxes for middleclass families by 10 percent. Gov. Evers, former public school teacher and state superintendent of public instruction, also announced more than $100 million in new funding for public schools on top of investments included in the biennial budget. “In many ways, this budget presents a false choice between the priorities the people this state care about and deserve,” said Gov. Evers. “But after a long eight years of politicians making decisions for all the wrong reasons, I ran to be the governor of this state and promised I would always put people before politics—that I would always try to do the right thing, that I would work to ﬁnd common ground, and that I would make decisions based on

what’s best for our kids and our state. “I made a promise when I ran for governor—I promised I would cut taxes for middle-class families by 10 percent. Today, I am keeping my word,” Gov. Evers continued. “This morning, I’m providing more than $2 billion in tax relief and cutting taxes for middle-class families at a time when our economy and families need it most.” The tax relief comes after the last biennium, where the governor signed the 2019-21 biennial budget which, together with 2019 Wisconsin Act 10, provided an estimated $577 million in individual income tax relief through income tax rate reductions targeting lower- and middle-income earners. Earlier this year, the ﬁrst bill the governor signed this biennium, 2021 Wisconsin Act 1, provided $480 million in tax relief for Wisconsin businesses and families aﬀected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to today, Gov. Evers had signed into law $2 billion in cumulative tax relief for Wisconsin families and businesses.

This budget alone provides $2 billion in individual income tax relief over the biennium and approximately $1 billion annually going forward and newly provides tax relief to more than 1.6 million Wisconsin taxpayers as the state’s economy and families continue to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic. When combined with prior reductions, 2.4 million ﬁlers will be receiving tax relief. The 2021-23 biennial budget provides roughly $685 million in additional net general and categorical school aids and hits the mark for twothirds funding in the next biennium for the ﬁrst time in two decades. In addition to the investments made through the biennial budget, Gov. Evers today announced more than $100 million in federal funds for kids and schools across the state. The additional funding announced today is made possible through the Coronavirus Relief Fund under the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act through the administration’s careful management

of pandemic-related resources and actions to shift pandemic-related costs to funds provided under the American Rescue Plan Act. Costs for schools are eligible under the Coronavirus Relief Fund, with states being able to provide a per-pupil distribution to schools in recognition of the increased costs and challenges they faced throughout the past year and a half. Districts across the state will be able to use the funds for non-pandemic-related expenses. “I’ve always said what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state, so this budget began and ends where it always does for me—with education,” said Gov. Evers. “Other people playing politics hasn’t stopped me from doing what’s best for our kids before, and it’s not going to stop me today. Schools in districts across our state will be able to use these funds to support kids in the classroom, hire educators and staﬀ, provide additional educational or mental health supports, buy art supplies, or computers, keep the lights on— whatever they need.”

Howard Marklein’s Response: The Governor signed the Legislature’s budget with 50 vetoes Howard Marklein , WI State Senator Governor Tony Evers signed the Legislature’s budget on Thursday, July 8, 2021 with 50 vetoes. The Governor had no choice but to sign our budget because it funded our priorities, cut taxes and guaranteed billions of Federal funds for our schools. I am very happy that the Governor signed the legislature’s budget into law. We crafted a great budget for rural Wisconsin that includes $100 million for local, rural roads, increased reimbursements for hospitals and nursing homes and support for the workers who care for us. Our bi-partisan budget, which was supported by seven democrats,

including the Senate Minority leader, is good for Wisconsin. While the Governor is taking credit for the tax cuts in our budget, it is important to remember that his original budget proposal would have increased taxes by $1 billion! Only six months ago, he wanted to take more from taxpayers. But the Republican Legislature has consistently pushed back, especially when times are good. When we have a surplus, we will always ﬁght to return your tax dollars to you. And this is what we did. I am very proud of this because we are sending $3.5 billion back to you while still funding all of our priorities – education, roads, health care,

broadband and more! The Governor took some liberties with his veto pen. He made 50 changes to the legislature’s budget. Some of these vetoes are to remove legislative oversight of agency operations. He also vetoed some funding for the Agricultural Export initiative. He vetoed all of the $550 million we wanted to transfer to the state’s Rainy Day Fund. This will force us to exercise very good ﬁscal discipline since these funds are now in the checking account, rather than our savings account. Overall, I continue to be very proud of our work on the state budget. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle

have praised the smoothness and transparency of the process this year. We kept our word and focused on funding strategic priorities. We did not incorporate extraneous policy, nor did we end our work with a hodge-podge 999 motion. We met our deadlines and delivered a budget bill to the Governor that he had no choice but to sign for the people of Wisconsin. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide information or assistance on any state related matter. Please call 608-2660703, email Sen.Marklein@legis. wisconsin.gov or write to me at PO Box 7882, Madison, WI 53707.

Your Right to Know: No private email accounts for public business Tom Kamenick, Wisconsin Transparency Project Imagine that a developer has been lobbying your local town board to approve a controversial development. You file a record request asking for all emails between that developer and the board’s three members. None of them have official government email accounts, so they search their personal emails. Two members each turn over more than 15 emails. The third says she never sent nor received any emails from the developer. Do you believe her? What can you do about it if you don’t? Shockingly, in Wisconsin it’s perfectly legal for government officials to use their personal emails to do government work. Even though a government entity may have no ability to access personal accounts and even though it’s ridiculously easy to use personal emails to hide conversations from the public, these practices are still allowed. Yes, as anybody familiar with the Open Records Law knows, personal email

accounts are still subject to the law. Government officials are required to search through personal email accounts and produce any emails related to government work that are responsive to a record request. But the ability of officials to use their personal email accounts is an opportunity for mischief. In a society that values transparency and public oversight, it should be unacceptable. The problems with permitting government work to be done with personal email accounts are myriad. Without central administration, nobody else can track, search or review those emails. The emails may not be backed up in any way. Different email providers will have different retention rules. It’s much easier to accidentally (or intentionally) lose emails. Once officials leave service, they are supposed to turn over all their records to their successor, but that practically never happens with personal emails. And how do you trust that these officials

didn’t delete any emails? That they thoroughly searched for responsive emails? There is almost no way to verify that an appropriate search was done and nothing was deleted. All you can do is trust, but trust is often in short supply, particularly when a controversial issue is involved or a citizen is investigating potential misconduct. The solution for these problems is simple, obvious, and has little downside. Like some other states and local governments, Wisconsin should prohibit the use of personal email accounts to do government business. It should be illegal for government employees and officials to do anything more than send a “please use my official email” response to any contact to a personal email. Also, anything sent to a personal email account about government business should be forwarded to the official one for easy retrieval. Such a law would eliminate all those problems. Government entities would have to provide email accounts to officials (and

some employees), but most do so already, and email accounts are cheap. For instance, GoDaddy sells email service attached to website domains for $2/month, and accounts can be purchased in bulk at even cheaper rates. In exchange, the government entity gets central administration of email records, email accounts that are easily transferred to successors, and a significant boost in the public’s confidence in their record searches. It’s not often that a thorny problem has such an easy, clear, and inexpensive solution. To remove barriers to public accountability and improve the efficiency of government operations, the legislature should prohibit the use of personal email accounts for government business at the state and local level. Your Right to Know is a monthly column distributed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council (wisfoic.org), a group dedicated to open government. Tom Kamenick is the president and founder of the Wisconsin Transparency Project.

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From The Plain and Simple Correspondent—OOPS! Wisconsin receives failing grade Katie Green, The Plain and Simple Correspondent Wisconsin used to be hailed for its progressive attitudes and policies toward a number of human endeavors, such as conservation, sharing the wealth, and educational curricula encouraging a bottomless hunger for knowledge. I’m sure not everyone was onboard with the progressive spirit even in The Good Old Days, as I like to think of them. Now other philosophies clammer loudly in the public debate and push back against truth-telling and intellectual curiosity. Especially testy are those who want to limit the knowledge the next generation of school children will have access to insofar as unpleasant historic events are concerned – you know, hard facts about slavery, continued racial and cultural inequality, sexism, labor unrest, holocausts, haves vs havenots, that sort of thing. I heard on the radio that a national panel that rated all the states’ teaching materials and methods by the standards of what’s become known as Critical Race Theory (CRT) places Wisconsin at the bottom of the list. What kids are taught currently in their history and social studies classes little resembles the full range of what actually happened historically, and the residual eﬀects of denying the truth continues to prevent equitable opportunities for all. If the critics have their way, only the record of a white, Eurocentric, mostly-male past will continue to ﬁll the pages of textbooks. Already, 9 states dominated by a certain unnamed (by me) political party have passed bans on teaching about the long history of injustices perpetrated in this country.

They give a stamp of approval to being and remaining ignorant. The official justification for such questionable behavior is that teaching the truth will make students hate their country because they’ll feel ashamed and embarrassed. Huh? It’s my country right or wrong, but I’d much rather it be right. And is there a better way to get in the right groove than to fess up to past sins and devise a plan for improving things, one step at a time? A clever essay I read recently actually thanked those who were kind enough to point out the error of the author’s ways to him. That’s good practice, a first step on the road to recovery. Eating a big slice of humble pie – rhubarb pie, as Garrison Keillor used to advise-- helps get the taste of pain and humiliation out of your mouth. A dose of humility, like the time-honored castor oil purgative in Spring, is cleansing, preparing the way for health, for starting again cleaned out and lighter in weight. Denying the truth is a heavy burden to carry around, so a flash of being ashamed and embarrassed is a small price to pay. Regardless of what the official reasons are given for opposing CRT, it seems to me that the opposition comes from a place of fear and feelings of scarcity. As anthropologists define it, a scarcity culture focuses on what you think you lack and how much you think everyone else has, and therefore you hoard as much as you can for yourself. I acknowledged that tendency in myself last week when I went with a friend on the Olbrich garden tour in Madison. Wandering through lush, manicured private gardens crammed full of

Photo by Katie Green The common name is bee balm, botanical name is monarda…. it is a favorite of pollinators, and this particular stand of them was at a private garden on the Olbrich garden tour. I have the native variety in my garden for the most part — pale lavender. You can see them all along the roads at the moment. stunning foliage, monumental rock work, dramatic water features, unique decorative art, beautiful fences, sacred trees – the whole nine yards of compost and mulch -- I felt a stab of envy and scarcity in my life. Which is ridiculous. There is no scarcity in my life. I already have more than I can care for, however diligent a soil sister I strive to be. The fear factor is centered on whether or not I’ll continue to have the energy to be a good steward as I get more decrepit.

PO Box 144 Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588 USA (608) 588-6694 editor@valleysentinelnews.com valleysentinelnews.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Nicole Aimone Managing Editor Taylor Scott Legal Editor Gary Ernest Grass, esq.

So, it boils down to the shared human condition. Face it, we make mistakes, we fail, we fall down, we are selﬁsh, we look out for ourselves, but there are better impulses in us all which we can choose to obey and often do. I hope Wisconsin soon drifts back to its generous progressive outlook, whereby it schools and feeds and houses and supports its children to face and forgive the ongoing errors of the adults in charge. Dear citizens, an unﬂinching, truthful future awaits.

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Community

WednesdaY, juLY 14, 2021

COmmunitycalendar Events for July 15 - July 28 Thursday, July 15 Wyoming Valley School Tour 11:00 AM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 State Road 23 Spring Green . Free . www.wyomingvalleyschool.org. Tour times are 11am, 1pm, and 2pm. Our tours are free to the public and casual. The rehabilitated historic project is finally complete. Come visit the only public elementary designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. APT: Talk Backs — An Iliad 4:30 PM . www.americanplayers.org. Our usual post-show Q&A continues this year through the magic of Zoom. Bonus: we're recording them this year, so if you can't make the live stream, you can still watch any time after. Santa Teresa Sister City Ice Cream Social 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM . Krouskop Park, 1050 N. Orange St., Richland Center . www.santa-teresa.org . Join us for an Ice Cream Social! With Covid precautions, this social is an alternative way for people to gather and support the project. Local Night: Solstice Jazz Band 5:30 PM - 8:00PM . The Shed/Post House Garden, 123 N Lexington Street, 119 E Jefferson Street Spring Green . Come out and spend your Thursday evenings with some local music and local food. The food cooked on the grill on the patio is from our many local vendors in Spring Green and surrounding towns, and the musicians are from the River Valley area. Wine & Yoga 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr. Muscoda . $10 cash only . www.wildhillswinery.com. Wine & Yoga every Thursday in the Vineyard with certified Yoga Instructor Lara Carpenter. Dedication of Mazomanie Pavilion Designed by Taliesin Students 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Westland Promenade, 116 Brodhead St., Mazomanie . Free . Contact Jay Rath at jay.rath@yahoo.com. The return of students from the architectural school founded by Frank Lloyd Wright will be celebrated with a community event. A brief live music performance is planned, and Tim Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright’s grandson, will tell tales of his teenage years living at Taliesin in the summers and working for his grandfather. Public Information Meeting 7:00 PM . American Legion Hall, 102 Wood St, Barneveld . www.driftlessdefenders.com. Join us as we discuss the Cardinal-Hickory Creek High-Voltage Transmission Line. Presented by Howard Learner and Rachel Granneman.

Friday, July 16 Wyoming Valley School Tour 11:00 AM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 State Road 23 Spring Green . Free . www.wyomingvalleyschool.org. Tour times are 11am, 1pm, and 2pm. Our tours are free to the public and casual. The rehabilitated historic project is ﬁnally complete. Come visit the only public elementary designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Wine Down Fridays 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr. Muscoda . Free . www.wildhillswinery.com. Wine down and chill at Wild Hills Winery! Live music every Friday! Enjoy the sounds of local musicians and singer-songwriters outdoors on the patio. Food and drink specials. APT: Spring Green Night 8:00 PM . American Players Theatre, 5950 Golf Course Road, Spring Green . $25 . www.americanplayers.org. Join us for our Spring Green night for Rough Crossing. River Valley School district residents only. Use promo code SG21 at checkout.

Saturday, July 17 Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . S230 E. Monroe St Spring Green . www.facebook.com/SGFMarket. Local farm fresh produce, coffee, fresh baked goods, honey, soaps & lotions, bedding plants, cut flowers, maple syrup and more. River Valley Area Community Garden Brat Fry 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM . Prem Meats, E5028 US-14, Spring Green . www.premmeats.com. Brats, hotdogs and chicken sandwiches will be served. All proceeds will go towards building a shelter at the Gardens. Everyone is welcome to tour the Gardens! Driftless Landscape Tour 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM . Taliesin Preservation Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center 5607 County Road C Spring Green . $6 – $25 . www.taliesinpreservation.org. Join Taliesin for a conversation about the interconnectedness of land and culture while enjoying an approximately 1-mile walk across the Taliesin estate. This completely outdoor tour will speak to the natural history of the estate, using Frank Lloyd Wright as the connecting theme between topics. APT: Play Talk — Rough Crossing 11:00 AM . www.americanplayers.org. Talk about the plays with the artists and experts. Live stream requires a reservation. Wyoming Valley School Tour 11:00 AM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 State Road 23 Spring Green . Free . www.wyomingvalleyschool.org. Tour times are 11am, 1pm, and 2pm. Our tours are free to the public and casual. The rehabilitated historic project is finally complete. Come visit the only public elementary designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Art Paul Schlosser 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S Albany Spring Green . Free . www.springgreen.com . This group of artists have been playing together for decades. Come and listen or grab your instrument and come and play with them. Jambidextrous 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM . Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road Spring Green . www.wiriverside.com/entertainment. Summer music continues on the River Stage! Arcadia Book Club: Book Signing with Nikki Wallschlaeger, author of Waterboy 4:00 PM . Arcadia Books, 102 E. Jefferson St., Spring Green . www.readinutopia.com. Using the element of water to connect her poems, Nikki Wallschlaeger writes about family, memory, Blackness, motherhood, work and the toll taken on the body and spirit. Mazo Music & Street Market: Red Door Duo - Helen Avakian & David Irwin 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM . The Apothecary & Mercantile, 18 E Hudson St., Mazo. Spend a fantastic evening in Mazo! Enjoy live music and browse a bountiful farmer/craft market.

Sunday, July 18 AD German Warehouse, Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Tour: County Employees Special Rate 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM . $15/person, cash or check only . 300 South Church Street, Richland Center . www.adgermanwarehouse.org. Tour the only warehouse designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. County Employees will receive $5 oﬀ their tour. Tours are available by appointment only. Bobby’s Misbehavin Band 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM . Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shiﬄet Road Spring Green . www.wiriverside.com/entertainment. Summer music continues on the River Stage!

Monday, July 19 Local Night: SG Fire Department Fundraiser 5:30 PM - 8:00PM . The Shed/Post, 123 N Lexington Street, Spring Green . Local night beneﬁtting the Spring Green Fire & EMS District. Music by 4H. Food and drink served in The Garden. Come view the ladder truck, ambulance and talk to the crews! Rural Musicians Forum: The Underground Collective 7:30 PM . Mazomaine Outdoor Pavillion, Mazo. Performing Beethoven’s Septet and more. Trivia Night 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM . SlowPoke Lounge 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green . www.slowpokelounge.com. Join us for a night of Trivia! Kyle Adams will host as we put teams together for a contest of trivia. Come for the prizes, stay for the fun!

Tuesday, July 20 Tails & Tales Outdoor Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . www.kraemerlibrary.org. Storytime lasts between 30 minutes and aimed for ages 0-6 with themed songs and stories. Pizza on 14 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM . The Shoppe, 7352 Hwy 14, Arena . Pizza from our wood-ﬁred oven and live music every Tuesday.

Wednesday, July 21 Story Time at South Park 10:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E Monroe St Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org. Join Ms Christi at Spring Green's South Park for a fun morning of summer Story Time! Arcadia Book Club: Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty 6:00 PM . Arcadia Books, 102 E. Jefferson St., Spring Green . www.readinutopia.com. From sixteen-year-old Dara McAnulty, a globally renowned figure in the youth climate activist movement, comes a memoir about oving the natural world and fighting to save it.

Thursday, July 22 Pattern/Geometry Workshop 4:30 PM - 8:30 PM . Arts Lab, 143 S. Washington Street, Spring Green . $25 . www.artslabspringgreen.org. This workshop will cover the beauty of simple geometric shapes and grids as they generate pattern for compositions of all kinds, from graphics, to quilts, to crafts, etc. No previous knowledge of geometry or math is required. All principles will be demonstrated visually so we can follow and use them as visual artists. Wine & Yoga 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr. Muscoda . $10 cash only . www.wildhillswinery.com. Wine & Yoga every Thursday in the Vineyard with certiﬁed Yoga Instructor Lara Carpenter. Local Night: 4H 5:30 PM - 8:00PM . The Shed/Post House Garden, 123 N Lexington Street, 119 E Jeﬀerson Street Spring Green . Come out and spend your Thursday evenings with some local music and local food. The food cooked on the grill on the patio is from our many local vendors in Spring Green and surrounding towns, and the musicians are from the River Valley area.

Friday, July 23 Circus Show 3:00 PM . Downtown Mazo . Come join us for the Circus in Downtown Mazo! Hosted by Wild Rumpus Circus. Wine Down Fridays 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr. Muscoda . Free . www.wildhillswinery.com. Wine down and chill at Wild Hills Winery! Live music every Friday! Enjoy the sounds of local musicians and singer-songwriters outdoors on the patio. Food and drink specials. Sugar Mama and the Rent Check 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM . SlowPoke Lounge 137 W Jeﬀerson St., Spring Green . www.slowpokelounge.com. Playing a mix of funk, soul and rock 'n roll, Sugar Mama and the Rent Check are a Spring Green-based band featuring Laura Burbaugh on vocals, Ellie Barta-Moran on vocals, killer tambourine and guitar, Todd Miller on lead guitar, John Christiansen on vocals and keyboard, Tim Gittings on bass and harmonica, and Rob Steﬀen on drums. APT: Facemask Fridays Showtimes vary . www.americanplayers.org. For those of you who want or need to be masked at APT, we have set aside select performances on July 9, 23 & 30 where masks are mandatory on the grounds and in the Hill Teatre. Visit our website for tickets and additional information.

Saturday, July 24 Give Back to Wild Places! 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM . Driftless Area Land Conservancy, Spring Valley Tract . www.driftlessconservancy.org. Calling all botanists interested incontributing to a plant species list for this newly acquired preserve. Interestand experience in documenting species in Wisconsin woodlands, prairie and savanna, and wetland communities needed! Lunch to be provided. Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . S230 E. Monroe St Spring Green . www.facebook.com/SGFMarket. Local farm fresh produce, coffee, fresh baked goods, honey, soaps & lotions, bedding plants, cut flowers, maple syrup and more. The Travis Studnicka Memorial Volleyball Tournament 9:30 AM . Plain Park, Volleyball Courts, Plain . $60 per Coed Team . Contact 608-799-0877. Come join the fun as the Village of Plain dedicates the Plain’s Park Volleyball Courts to Travis Studnicka. Half the enty fee will be awarded to the 1st place winning team and the other half will be donated to a local charity along with the proceeds from the day. Everyone is welcome. Driftless Landscape Tour 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM . Taliesin Preservation Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center 5607 County Road C Spring Green . $6 – $25 . www.taliesinpreservation.org. Join Taliesin for a conversation about the interconnectedness of land and culture while enjoying an approximately 1-mile walk across the Taliesin estate. This completely outdoor tour will speak to the natural history of the estate, using Frank Lloyd Wright as the connecting theme between topics. Myles Talbott Dyad 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM . Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road Spring Green . www.wiriverside.com/entertainment. Summer music continues on the River Stage! Acoustic Jam 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S Albany Spring Green . Free . www.springgreen.com . Come and listen or grab your instrument and come and play with them. Summer Stock: Free Movie Screening in the Big Red Barn 8:00 PM . White Oak Savanna, 4352 WI-23, Dodgeville . Free but donations are encouraged . www.whiteoaksavanna.com. Please join us for a free movie and free popcorn to benefit SWCAP Iowa County Food Pantry. Drinks for sale but feel free to bring your own snacks.

Community

WednesdaY, juLY 14, 2021

Sunday, July 25 AD German Warehouse, Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Tour: City Employees Special Rate 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM . $15/person, cash or check only . 300 South Church Street, Richland Center . www.adgermanwarehouse.org. Tour the only warehouse designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. City Employees will receive $5 off their tour. Tours are available by appointment only. Plain Fire & EMS Celebration Chicken BBQ 12:00 PM . 820 Wachter Ave. Line up will begin in the Mathy Construction parking lot . Contact 608-434-1217. Drive-thru only. Come support Plain Fire & EMS by enjoying drive-thru half chicken, baked potato, baked beans, bread and cookies. All proceeds to benefit the Plain Fire & EMS. Big MoJo 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM . Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road Spring Green . www.wiriverside.com/entertainment. Summer music continues on the River Stage!

Monday, July 26 Food for Thought: Designing Architecture with Food in Mind (Ages 12-16) 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM . Taliesin Preservation Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center 5607 County Road C Spring Green . $200 . www.taliesinpreservation.org. In this virtual, weeklong summer camp, students will be empowered and guided to reimagine current foodways during individual design challenges that will result in their own architectural creation to address one element of foodways. Take & Make Craft Kits: Wire Photo/Note Holder 11:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E Monroe St Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org. Drop by the library to grab a Take and Make kit:Wire Photo/Note Holder! These kits are created with adults in mind (all are welcome to them!) and contain materials needed to complete the project. Kits are available first come, first served, while Story Night 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM . SlowPoke Lounge 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . www.slowpokelounge.com. Gather with us as we tell our stories, as we listen to each other’s stories, as we come together to laugh and cry about our real lives.We’re going to try this like an open mic. Not planned. Not curated. Just laid back and wild in the same breath. Our theme for our first try at this: FAMILY. Rural Musicians Forum: Angela Puerta duo or trio 7:30 PM . Mazomaine Outdoor Pavillion, Mazo. Performing Columbian traditional music and Latin Maerican rhythms.

Tuesday, July 27 Tails & Tales Outdoor Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . www.kraemerlibrary.org. Storytime lasts between 30 minutes and aimed for ages 0-6 with themed songs and stories. Pizza on 14 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM . The Shoppe, 7352 Hwy 14, Arena . Pizza from our wood-ﬁred oven and live music every Tuesday.

Wednesday, July 28 Story Time at South Park 10:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E Monroe St Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org. Join Ms Christi at Spring Green's South Park for a fun morning of summer Story Time!

Arena Village Board fills one of two vacant seats, takes other actions Nicole Aimone, Editor-In-Chief The Arena village board filled one of its two vacant seats on July 6 with James Doerflinger filling an empty seat. The vote to fill the seat was unanimous and the newly appointed trustee will fill a term that expires in April 2023. Doerflinger will serve on the public works committee and serve as chairman for the public works committee. Prior to filling the seat, Trustee Paul Pustina asked quickly why Doerflinger was interested in the position. “I saw the headline in the newspaper that you were short a couple of people so I thought I’d get back in. I did it before a couple of years ago, it was fun, it was interesting,” said Doerflinger. “I’m here to serve.” Trustee Chuck Burch thanked Doerflinger for being willing to fill the position, “Thank you again for doing your duty, we greatly appreciate it.” Other actions the board took included: —Hearing the monthly maintenance report, where Public Works Director

Mike Schmidt indicated a recent well site study for a second village well, showed the best location would be in the sand volleyball courts at the park. The recommendation and study will be sent to the DNR. —Approved a chicken permit for Sarah Wedige, on Dalogasa Dr. —Gave preapproval to the fire board to purchase a used fire truck, up to $100,00. The village will split the bill with the township in a 70/30 split, meaning the village’s portion will be $30,000. Village President Kate Reimann said the preapproval allows the fire board to begin the search for a reliable vehicle, and make an offer at any point something becomes available. —The board authorized the clerk to find suitable financing options to fund the village’s $30,000 portion. —Heard from Sergeant Wyatt Miller that the police department made its largest drug bust, totalling over $12,000. The drugs found included methamphetamine, cocaine, mushrooms, THC and tabs of acid.

Page 5

Authorities end official search as family keeps searching for missing local boater Parker Kruse Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The family of Parker Kruse, a missing 22-year-old local man from Arena, who was knocked overboard into the Wisconsin River near the Wisconsin Riverside Resort in a boat collision after rescuing someone in need on July 3, is continuing their search as the DNR ends its official search after six days. The search has and continues to bring the community together, with hundreds attending a candlelight vigil and lantern lighting July 7 in support. Joni Johnson-Kropp, Kruse’s aunt, who has been speaking on behalf of the family throughout the search, shared that Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Warden Mike Green had the tough job of informing the family on July 8 that the DNR had decided to let nature take its course and end the organized search by authorities. “I’m sure that was hard for him to tell Parker’s parents, and I could tell he really hated his job at that moment,” said Johnson-Kropp. The DNR had been coordinating the official search. “The DNR basically said that there’s not much else that can be done because the river is always changing, and is full of roots, trees, etc which makes recovery that much more difficult. I know he felt bad because you could see it in his eyes. There’s just no fool proof way of recovering a body on this river,” said Johnson-Kropp. She said that Kruse’s mother, Jackie Johnson-Kruse, asked Green if the official effort could continue another couple days and he reiterated that family and others can keep looking. Spring Green and Lone Rock fire and rescue had been assisting, as possible, throughout the search. The search has not been without its own events, with organizations helping when they can and a diver from the organi-

zation Wings of Hope sustaining minor injuries on July 7 during a dive. Johnson-Kropp said she wished there was more river-oriented equipment designed for this sort of search in a swift current. “Diving in any body of water can be dangerous, but diving in the Wisconsin River is even more so,” said Johnson-Kropp. “Unfortunately not just anyone that has their diving certiﬁcation can do it, it takes a lot more training for the swift waters and deadly undercurrent.” On July 9 the search headquarters moved to the Lone Rock boat landing, from the Wisconsin Riverside Resort. The search moved back to the Resort on July 11, with search teams scouring the Wisconsin River from the Resort to Muscoda, downriver. A 21-mile canoe race, the Wisconsin River Race, took place in the same stretch as the search on July 10. The canoers were informed of the search and told to keep a lookout, but nothing substantial was reported. Wings of Hope and other organizations are set to re-join the search July 16. In the meantime, Johnson-Kropp says she’s been going out every day with family to search. “I can’t thank the businesses and members of the community enough,” said Johnson-Kropp. “The community and beyond has been over the top amazing.” As of press time Kruse had not been recovered. The family says the search will continue and they hope to ﬁnd peace, with Johnson-Kropp posting updates on her Facebook and inviting those that want to help search, to text or call her at 608-588-5477. Boaters that want to take people out to search are encouraged to reach out. “It’s just not going to be an organized search with the authorities,” said Johnson-Kropp. “Unfortunately, the world doesn’t stop, even though ours has.”

Photos by Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief

Construction Superintendent

Kraemer Brothers, one of Wisconsin’s leading construction companies, is adding an experienced construction professional to its staff. Kraemer Brothers consistently provides top level compensation and a challenging and safe work environment.

Requirements: 5+ years of field management and a related degree or equivalent experience for this position. Experience supervising and coordinating the construction of complex commercial or institutional projects. Duties include: ■ Overall responsibility for the management of construction activities. ■ Ensuring compliance with design, schedule and budget requirements. ■ Coordinating company performed trade work. Successful candidate must be able to demonstrate prior success in working effectively as a team member with project owners, architects and subcontractors.

Friends, family and community members gather for a candlelight vigil held July 7 in honor of Parker Kruse. Pictured, attendees ﬂoat paper lanterns over the Wisconsin River at the Kruse vigil.

Business Brief Last Leaf Public House expanding menu The pizza focused, former Freddy Valentines Public House, opened with limited appetizers and drinks last month, and is now expanding its menu to include flatbread pizzas. Owner Dave Owen said the flatbread pizza option will serve as a bridge to the restaurant becoming a true pizzeria after battling staff shortages. The restaurant will keep the shareable options while adding in flatbread pizzas, a new salad and house smoked entrees like brisket, chicken and pork. “Last Leaf will finally be a real restaurant! We are pretty jazzed about it!” said Owen.

Please forward your confidential resume to:

Kraemer Brothers, LLC • 925 Park Ave., Plain, WI 53577 Phone: 608-546-2411 • Fax: 608-546-2509 Email: jobs@kraemerbrothers.com www.kraemerbrothers.com

EEO/AA EMPLOYER

Last Leaf is located at 134 W Jeﬀerson Street in Spring Green and is open 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays.

Page 6

Community

WednesdaY, juLY 14, 2021

Resolution, picnic gives LGBTQ+ community a place in Richland County continued from page 1 were almost three times as likely as nonLGBTQ+ students to be bullied. 44% of students who identify as LGBTQ+, reported being bullied on school grounds, compared to a 26% of non-LGBTQ+ students. The study also found that 43% of the LGBTQ+ students in the two districts had seriously considering suicide, or had made a suicide plan, in the past 12 months. That, compared to a 13% of non-LGBTQ+ who did the same. “If you want to look at data, there’s the data. If you want to hear stories, there’s stories of local children who have committed suicide,” said Murphy-Lopez. “I think this is a serious topic, I can personally speak to experiencing shame, and you can be surprised when you come out and people are telling you to be proud. When we talk about whether we should send this message to be proud or not, really, we’re talking about someone’s self worth and their identity.” Murphy-Lopez acknowledged that the resolution, passed with a 15-4 vote, was symbolic and it was one of many steps needed to help young people’s mental health and acceptance in the LGBTQ+ community. Supervisor Donald Seep of Cazenovia commended Murphy-Lopez’s courage in sharing his story and being open with the community and his electors about being a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Seep went on to share a story of a great uncle in the 1930s who taught in various schools in the area and was a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Seep shared that his family member was bullied heavily and forced to leave the area because of it. “I’ll bet there is not one of us who doesn’t know someone or is related to someone who belongs to this community that Shaun had

advocated for,” said Seep. “I am proud of this county and this community for taking Pride. I support this resolution wholeheartedly.” During the discussion on passing the resolution, the county board brieﬂy discussed removing the word Pride, to “tone down” the resolution, where the resolution would honor LGBTQ+ history in the county. Supervisor Timothy Gottschall proposed the amendment, saying that he believes the Government is at its best when it remains neutral. McKee brought forth the amendment for consideration, and it was seconded by Ingrid Glassbrenner of Richland Center. Supervisor Richard McKee, of Richland Center, spoke against changing any wording of the resolution, and supported passing it as presented. “I don’t see any reason why we should change the wording of this resolution simply because it makes a few people uncomfortable.” Richland County Resident and organizer of the Pride Picnic, Shawna Kratochwill, spoke at the meeting in support of the resolution, and said she didn’t understand the purpose of an amendment. “I’m here for my kid,” Kratochwill said while holding back tears. “When I hear people say that discrimination against this community is in the past, it’s not. It’s here and now. My daughter did not attend her high school graduation last month, or her prom or even go to school for the last three years, because she was bullied and excluded and made to feel less than at the school in our town.” Kratochwill continued, “There was one high school counselor who tried so hard to help, but there is just no infrastructure to help these kids. I know the resolution doesn’t involve the school, but what happens

Photo by Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief Nearly one hundred LGBTQ+ community members and allies came out to Krouskop Park in Richland Center July 11 to celebrate the County Board passage of a resolution recognizing Pride Month. in our community is what happens in our schools,” said Kratochwill. “Pride is suicide prevention for our kids, Pride is suicide prevention for my kid. Pride is necessary, because it is the opposite of shame, shame is deadly. While history is important, it leaves out those who are here today and those who are to come.” The amendment did not pass, with 5 votes to pass the amendment, and 16 votes against it. Supervisor Dan McGuire, of Lone Rock, voted in support of the amendment and ultimately against passing the resolution. Kratochwill was one organizer of the 1st

annual Pride Picnic, held July 11 at Krouskop Park. The picnic was meant to bring together members of the LGBTQ+ community in the area, and welcomed anyone. “I was pleasantly surprised to see such a high turnout. A lot of people in the LGBTQ community have felt alone in the Richland County area. Sunday’s picnic and the County Board resolution sent the message they are not alone,” said Murphy-Lopez. “They have a lot of support from other LGBTQ people and their allies. It takes courage to be part of this LGBTQ+allies community, and I appreciate everyone who took the time to display that courage so publicly.”

Clyde resident installs pre-fabricated, environmentally-friendly home in six pieces

Photos contributed by Tripp Stroud Town of Clyde resident Tripp Stroud had his pre-built modular home delivered and constructed on the spot July 8. The home—the structure itself, the drywall, paint, windows and cabinets were built and placed inside the home in a factory, and delivered to the Stroud’s property in six separate pieces. Last week the pieces were all placed together by a crane, and connected to electrical and water hookups that were built on the property prior to delivery. Ewers Contracting of Lone Rock, Concrete Forms out of Lone Rock, Water Maker out of Arena, Viking Electric of Wiota, and Olson Plumbing of Mineral Point, were involved in pre-placement construction. The pieces were built by Stratford Homes in Stratford, Wisconsin. “The experience was great. We went the modular route for environmental reasons—it ends up being a tighter and more eﬃcient home in terms of heating and cooling,” said Stroud.

Local officials see details of WIS 23 resurfacing project, public input sought before July 28 Taylor Scott, Managing Editor Local officials met virtually with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) July 8 as the department looks at developing plans for a proposed resurfacing of WIS 23 through Spring Green. With construction set for 2024, WisDOT is seeking public input as they finalize plans for the improvement. Village of Spring Green trustees Michael Broh, Jane Hauser and others listened in and asked questions as WisDOT Project Manager Jim Simpson outlined the constructions

between the Wisconsin River Bridge south of Spring Green and US 14 north of Spring Green on WIS 23. According to WisDOT, the initial design includes resurfacing the 2.79 miles length of roadway between Pecks Landing’s driveway and US 14, curb ramp updates to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, a 300foot section of subgrade improvement (between Madison Street and the railroad), and one culvert pipe improvement. The pavement markings will be updated throughout the project. Centerline and shoulder rumble strips

are proposed south of Spring Green where the roadway is 55-mph. The project is currently scheduled for construction in Spring/Summer of 2024. The roadway will be closed to through traffic with a posted detour route for approximately 2 weeks during subgrade improvement, with access remaining open to local homes and businesses. The road will be open to traffic under flagging operations for the remainder of the project. WisDOT is seeking input from the public on the proposed improvements

and asks that comments be emailed to Jim.Simpson@dot.wi.gov by July 28, referencing Project ID: 5255-01-03. “Your comments assist us in developing a project that will serve the needs of the traveling public as well as the needs of the local community. Your input is welcome and appreciated throughout the design process,” said Simpson. More information can be found at: wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/ by-region/sw/wis23-springgreen/ default.aspx

Community

WednesdaY, juLY 14, 2021

COVID-19 Dashboard

Page 7

Wisconsin Summary

614,057 Positive Cases

Cases as of 7/13/2021

+907 from 7/6

2,995,186 Negative Test Results +6,141 from 7/6

7,360 Deaths +37 from 7/6

Vaccine Summary Statistics Updated: 7/13/2021

6,809,515

5,686,736 Administered

Allocated

3,128,283

2,323,620

Pfizer doses administered

234,697

Moderna doses administered

Johnson & Johnson doses administered

Vaccine Data

These two core measures are all measures of herd immunity in Richland, Sauk and Iowa County. We do not yet know what level of vaccination leads to herd immunity for COVID-19, or how current or future variants might affect herd immunity. We know based on other diseases that herd immunity is likely at least 60%, and if more transmissible variants become more common, that threshold may become higher, so our current target range is 60-90%. -Madison Public Health and Dane County

Richland County

1,337 Positive Cases +3 from 7/6 8,219 Negative Tests -51 from 7/6 16 Death +0 from 7/6

Richland

Sauk

Target Range

49.3%

Iowa County

2,067 Positive Cases +1 from 7/6 11,989 Negative Tests +15 from 7/6 13 Deaths +0 from 7/6 Sauk County 5,997 Positive Cases +24 from 7/6 36,659 Negative Tests +127 from 7/6 51 Deaths +0 from 7/6

52.3%

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

49.3%

46.9%

Percent fully vaccinated

Target Range

Percent fully vaccinated

Iowa

Target Range

58.4%

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

56.2%

Percent fully vaccinated

Percent of Wisconsin residents ages 12-15 who have received at least one dose by county

Cases per zip code Cases as of 7/13/2021

Updated: 7/13/2021

Lower %

Higher %

Richland County Ages 12-15 25.8%

Iowa County Ages 12-15

Percent of Wisconsin residents who have received at least one dose

37.5%

Sauk County

Ages

12-15

Ages 12-15 28.3%

16-17

18-24

Dane County Ages 12-15

Graphic by Whitney Back

61.7%

25-34

Updated: 7/13/2021 29.1%

37.9%

42.4%

35-44

47.5% 55.7%

55-64 65+

85%

45-54

Data From: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm

57.4%

67.9%

“The good stuﬀ.”

Page 8

Arts & Culture Community

WednesdaY, juLY 14, 2021

Art from around the Valley: Jen Salt’s “Impending Storm” showcases the beauty of the Valley Painting via Jen Salt I personally believe that the River Valley has the most beautiful clouds in the world. On sunny days, you can look in any direction and see “The Simpson Clouds” billowing across the sky and shadowing the land. This painting of the soy bean field entitled “Impending Storm”, taken from the perspective of my backyard is one of my favorites. I wanted the clouds to be dramatic but not overpower the subject matter. It’s a somewhat impressionistic style compared to my other paintings and I felt a sense of freedom to concentrate more on color as opposed to details. This field is currently planted in corn but soy beans are an important crop globally providing oil and protein for products such as soy “milk”, tofu, and tempeh. The painting is done in oil and measures 11” x 14”. —Jen Salt, Contributor Jen Salt is an artist who lives in a place she calls “Crow’s Lair Cottage”-just outside of Spring Green where she’s lived for five and a half years. “The Wisconsin River was the draw to move here and I’ve never looked back, coming from a big city. This is home.” ...

Valley Sentinel welcomes local artists across all mediums to share their work with the community, send your submissions to: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

Library garden art unveiling at Spring Green Community Library Photo by Don Greenwood, via Spring Green Community Library

Stop by to check out the Spring Green Community Library’s new interactive outdoor garden sculpture from R.C. Anderson of Door County. Both the kaleidoscopes and urn rotate, resulting in a dazzling view through the eyepieces. The display will change seasonally. The installation was made possible in part through grants from River Valley ARTS (formerly SGAAC), the Wisconsin Arts Board, and the Sauk County Extension Arts & Culture Committe.

Business/Professional

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Reserve a spot in our business/professional directory! Add $30 to any ad order or as a stand-alone ad and you’ll be added to the next week’s business/professional directory.

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Or visit: valleysentinelnews.com/subscribe to pay using a credit card, debit card or paypal.

Outdoors/recreation

WednesdaY, juLY 14, 2021

Page 9

The Sauk Country Gardener — Enjoy July’s Blooms While Scouting for Pests Jeannie Manis, SCMGA President ‘A lily or a rose never pretends, and its beauty is that it is what it is.’ - Jiddu Krishnamurti This past week has been a busy one for my gardens. My daylilies have started to bloom, and it looks like it going to be a spectacular display this year. They started a little earlier this year, so I’m hoping there will still be plenty of blooms for my daughter’s bridal shower being held in our garden at the end of the month. After they are done blooming, the daylilies can be cut back and divided if needed. If you still have perennial seeds you wanted to plant, finish up by the end of July. I want to accomplish quite a bit more in my garden before the end of the month, but we will see – sometimes I run out of time. I had my first sighting of Japanese beetles on my roses and my kale. They always love my roses and tend to show up there first. This makes it a little easier for me to find the scouts if I deadhead regularly. The beetles also tend to like plants with red colored foliage such as our cannas, smoke tree and ninebark shrubs. They also really like our basswoods. Raspberries and grapes are quite susceptible as well. My floribunda roses have already had their first blooms so there are not lot of roses for them to munch on at this time. It best to take a multi-part approach to control beetles. Go out in your gardens in the cool of the morning with a cup of coffee and a bucket of soapy water and a spray bottle with neem oil mixed in it. While you are walking and enjoying coffee in your gardens, you

can also look for those pesky beetles. Handpick the beetles and drop them in the bucket of soapy water and then the spray neem oil (an organic insecticide) on the aﬀected plants. I purchase the concentrate and mix it up in a spray bottle (read the directions for the right concentrate-to-water ratio.) To prevent future generations of Japanese beetles, you can apply Milky spore (the bacterium Paenibacillus papillae) in late summer/early fall. The soil should between 60-70 degrees F when the grubs are actively feeding. Apply right before it rains or water it lightly, so it soaks into the ground. Milky spore is safe for humans, animals, and plants. I don’t recommend using the traps; they are designed to draw in the beetles and if you have a small yard, you’re asking for more trouble. We have a mole problem in our lawn, but I tend to tolerate them as I know they eat Japanese beetle larvae. I typically just stomp down their tunnels instead of using traps and other means of removal. Our granddaughter has a diﬀerent technique. Recently when she was mowing our lawn, she noticed the ground was being actively disturbed – it was a mole. She dug it out, pick it up by its’ tail, and released him in the woods. She says her gardening services also include humane pest removal. I haven’t discovered Japanese beetles on our patch of wild blackcap raspberries yet. I’m hoping to pick enough to make my husband a cobbler. They are just staring to ripen, so maybe the beetles are simply waiting to eat them before we can.

If you have a vegetable garden, check it daily. I’m still picking peas and watching for various insect pests. That’s how I discovered the Japanese beetles on my kale – I didn’t even know they liked kale. If you started any broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower seeds for a fall crop, transplant them into the garden. You can also plant Swiss chard. Keep an eye on your tomatoes - water regularly and deeply to help prevent blossom end rot and replenish mulch to help retain moisture. Keep pruning your indeterminate varieties of tomatoes. If you prune determinate varieties (other than the leaves that touch the soil), you can reduce the harvest. Indeterminate varieties grow and put on blooms all season. They produce fruit along the stem. Examples include: ‘Pink Brandywine’, ‘Cherokee Purple’, ‘Sun Gold’ and ‘Sunrise Bumble Bee’. Determinate variety reach a certain height and then stop their shoot production once flowers form on the shoot ends. Examples include: ‘Celebrity’, ‘Patio Choice Yellow’, ‘Martino’s Roma’, and ‘Bush Early Girl’. Prune out the suckers to improve airflow and reduce disease, get bigger fruit, and enjoy earlier ripening. The Sauk County Master Gardeners will be discussing how to care for your tomatoes to prevent disease and demonstrating how to prune them (Friday, July 16 at 2 pm) at the Sauk County Fair FAME stage in the Commercial Building. We’re also presenting on how to attract pollinators to your garden (Saturday, July 17 at 2 pm) and managing invasive garden weeds (Sunday, July 18 at 2 pm). During those presentations, we’ll

Photo by Jeanie Manis have our new book on sale – “Sauk County Gardener”. It’s a compilation of 16 plus years’ worth of articles written by Phyllis Both, past Horticulture Extension Educator for Sauk County and the original columnist of the Sauk County Gardener. I hope you stop by to watch our demonstrations and learn about the Sauk County Master Gardener’s Association. This week’s article is written by Jeannie Manis, a Wisconsin Certiﬁed Sauk County Master Gardener Volunteer. If you have any gardening questions, please contact the Extension Sauk County by emailing to tim.ripp@ saukcountywi.gov or calling the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County oﬃce at 608355-3250.

Whippoorwills and Words: A magical evening at Ferry Bluff State Natural Area Diane Schwartz, Voices of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway The view from the overlook at Ferry Bluff State Natural Area is beautiful at any time of year, but it is especially beautiful on a summer evening when the whippoorwills start to sing. Then, things get magical. On a mostly clear night on July 8, I was with a small group of people for my Whippoorwills and Words event. We got up to the bluff top about 8 p.m. and then read from the August Derleth Reader (edited by Jim Stephens) while waiting for the singing to start. We read a selection from “Return to Walden West” and several of his poems. In between selections, we saw a bald eagle pass through and a flock of pelicans crossing the sky. We started to read a short story called “The Night Road,” but the whippoorwills

started singing and so we sat and listened to them, mesmerized, for the next 30 minutes. Derleth is an appropriate author to read at Ferry Bluff because of his love of Sauk City and the surrounding countryside. He wrote frequently about whippoorwills and even noted in his journal that he listened to one whippoorwill outside his home in Sauk City call 1,209 consecutive times! Is that even possible? James Roberts, one of the participants, counted a mere 95 consecutive calls from one bird. I have been listening to the Eastern Whippoorwill (Antrostomus vociferus) at Ferry Bluff for several years and they never fail to disappoint. Sunset was at 8:38 p.m. on July 8 and the first whippoorwills started to sing at 9:02 pm. Like clockwork, they start singing about 15 to 30 minutes after sunset. They are

Photo via Diane Schwartz View from Ferry Bluﬀ State Natural Area at dusk.

Photo via Diane Schwartz Eastern Whippoorwill

like the woodcock in that they need the light to be just so before they start to sing. Whippoorwills are nocturnal birds, feeding and mating at night. They sing to attract a mate and to defend their territory. They lay their eggs on the forest ﬂoor and don’t even bother to build a nest, leaving them open to predation. In Wisconsin, they are a species of concern, meaning that while not endangered or threatened, their populations have declined over the years. A loss of ﬂying insects, their main food source, is the most common reason given for their decline in numbers. At this section of the Wisconsin River, however, there is no shortage of birds. On this night, I counted at least six separate whippoorwills. They started singing across the river in the Mazomanie bottomlands. We heard at least three singing there. Then, we heard them to our right in the bottomlands below

the bluff and then quite by surprise, we heard two right behind us on the bluff top. I felt as though these birds were just a few yards away. Had there been more light, we could have perhaps spotted them. They felt that close. At 9:30 p.m., we decided to call an end to the night and carefully hiked back down the bluff. The trail has eroded significantly over the years and some of the steps on the trail drop down close to two feet. Plus tree roots are exposed on the trail making the trip down a bit precarious. With the aid of our flashlights, fortunately, we made it down safely. The whippoorwills will continue to sing through mid-July, so be sure to listen for them if you can. If you don’t want to hike all the way to the top of the bluff, you could just sit at the water’s edge beneath the bluff. There may be more bugs there, but you would still hear a good show.

Outdoors/recreation

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Shorebirds starting southbound migration while nesting birds feed young Ryan Brady, DNR Natural Heritage Conservation Program Biologist Right on schedule, southbound migration is already underway for some shorebirds. New arrivals include the first solitary sandpipers, least sandpipers, and both greater and lesser yellowlegs, as well as a few black-bellied plovers, semipalmated plovers and short-billed dowitchers. Abundance and diversity will continue to increase weekly, with July featuring the bulk of the adult shorebird migration. Young of the year then peak from August into early September. Know of any mudflats, shallow wetlands, or drying ponds in your area? Visit over the next two months to catch a glimpse of these fascinating long-distance migrants. Mid-summer also brings the second half of the nesting cycle for most bird species, meaning nestlings and fledglings abound now, as well as adult birds carrying mouthfuls of food to feed them. In turn, bird song has slowly begun to decline as courtship and territorial behaviors wane. Some of the young birds reported this week include common loons, red-tailed and broad-winged hawks, green herons and American bitterns, tree and barn

swallows, Baltimore orioles, blue jays, northern cardinals, and various warblers such as Nashville, black-andwhite, yellow- rumped, and others. If you ﬁnd a baby bird and wonder if it needs help follow our guide to give the bird its best chance of survival. Wondering why you may be seeing fewer birds in your backyard lately? There’s often no easy answer as local changes in habitat, populations of predators such as cats and hawks, or herbicide application can have impacts, although we do know that winter weather in the southern U.S. took a large toll on bluebirds, phoebes, and some other species. June is also a time when many birds are incubating eggs and thus become less active and more secretive. Moreover, feeders are simply not a necessary resource now given all the natural food on the landscape. If you choose to feed birds this time of year, be sure to use fresh food, clean feeders weekly with a 10% bleach solution, remove fallen waste seed and keep pets away from feeder areas. Birdbaths and fountains are wonderful summer additions too but should also be cleaned and refreshed every 3-5 days to promote a healthy environment for our feathered friends.

Photo by Ryan Brady, Wisconsin DNR Southbound shorebird migration has begun, including species such as this solitary sandpiper. Some of the rare birds spotted this week included a white-tailed kite continuing at Crex Meadows in Burnett County, Swainson’s hawk in Portage, little gull in Marinette, and great gray owl, red-throated loon, and hooded warbler in Bayﬁeld. Over the weeks ahead, look for more ﬂedged young

and family groups of birds, more migrating shorebirds, and by the second half of July, the ﬁrst adult landbirds starting their southbound migrations as well. Help us track it all by reporting your observations to www.ebird.org/wi. Good birding!

DNR following multi-state reports of sick songbirds Lindsey Long, DNR Wildlife Veterinarian MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is actively following incidents of bird mortalities first reported in the eastern United States in late May. At that time, wildlife managers in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky began receiving reports of sick and dying birds with eye swelling and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs. The illness affecting birds in the eastern U.S. has not yet been identified, and it has not been linked to bird mortalities in Wisconsin. Out of precaution, the DNR asks the public to report sick or dead birds with clinical signs and to follow best practices for bird feeder and bird bath hygiene. The department continually monitors reports of sick and dead wildlife and has received a few scattered reports of birds in Wisconsin with swollen, crusty eyes. These reports may be associated with several causes and may not be associated with the illness reported in eastern states. Symptoms of concern include crusty or swollen eyes as well as seizures and lack of coordination. If you observe a songbird with any of these symptoms, report it to your observation to your local conservation biologist or wildlife biologist. “Several wildlife laboratories, includ-

ing the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, are working to identify the cause or causes of these cases,” said DNR Wildlife Veterinarian Lindsey Long. “These symptoms can be from multiple causes, so these groups have been conducting expansive testing. As part of our continued monitoring of wildlife health, we ask Wisconsinites to report birds with swollen or scabbing eyes so that we may investigate further. Sometimes, we may ask to collect these birds for testing.” Cases have been identiﬁed in Washington, D. C., Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Juvenile or ﬂedgling blue jays, common grackles, European starlings and American robins have predominately been associated with the eastern U.S. event. Anyone who observes sick or dead birds at their bird feeders or bird baths should remove their feeders. If you have not seen sick or dead birds at your feeders or baths, take care to clean and disinfect them regularly with soap and water, followed by a rinse in 10% bleach solution. It is always good practice to wear gloves while working with and around bird feeders. Pets should be kept away from the area below the feeders and away from any sick or dead birds.

Local. Natural. Delicious. We strive to serve specialty coffee and baked goods created with ingredients that are locally sourced, all natural and sustainable. Our schedule is posted each week on social media.

Get in touch with us today! www.butternutroadcoffee.com butternutroadcoffeetruck@gmail.com 608-459-5016 Butternut Road Coffee Truck butternutroad_coffeetruck Butternut_Road

Coffee & News A collaboration by Valley Sentinel & Butternut Road Coffee.

Stop by the coffee truck starting mid-week to pick up a copy of Valley Sentinel with your coffee, while supplies last.

Photo via Wisconsin DNR A healthy blue jay perches on a branch. The DNR is actively following incidents of bird mortalities ﬁrst reported in the eastern U.S. in late May.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Kraemer Brothers, one of Wisconsin’s leading construction companies, is seeking a Marketing & Communications Specialist. An innovative and dynamic company, Kraemer Brothers offers tremendous opportunities for qualified and motivated professionals.

Requirements: Degree in Marketing, Journalism or Media required or 5 years of related experience. Proficiency with Mac & PC based design software, strong organizational skills, writing, and communication skills are recommended. Related experience in the construction industry is preferred but not required. Responsible for creating, coordinating, planning and implementing various materials including digital project proposals, website enhancements, project photos and videos, promotional material and social media communications. Please forward your confidential resume to: Kraemer Brothers, LLC • 925 Park Ave. Plain, WI 53577 608-546-2411 • jobs@kraemerbrothers.com

aG/Outdoors/recreation

WednesdaY, juLY 14, 2021 Page 11

Ag Plastics Recycling July Collection Event — Wednesday, July 21 When: Wednesday, July 21 from 10-

noon

Where: Sauk County Highway Shop620 HWY 136, West Baraboo Farmers will be able to drop off their silage bags, bunker covers, bale wrap, plastic feed bags, and hoop film for FREE. Plastic feed bags and hoop film MUST be kept separate from other

plastics being recycled. Plastic baler twine will not be accepted but can be used to tie loose plastic into bundles. Net wrap is not accepted. Please do not bring it to the collection or hide it in the supersacks. Loose plastics are not accepted. Plastics can be brought to the Highway Shop bundled up with twine, or in a

supersack (we are working to phase out the supersacks as they are not recyclable and cause extra contamination, they are still accepted but bundled plastic tied with twine is preferred). The plastics must be as clean and dry as possible to maximize recycling opportunities. Recycling these plastics keeps them

out of landﬁlls and can reduce disposal costs for farmers. Burning plastic is illegal and a dangerous source of air pollution. For more information, contact Justine Bula at justine.bula@saukcountywi. us or 355-4842. https://www.co.sauk. wi.us/landconservation/ag-plastics-recycling-1

Wisconsin Ruffed Grouse survey shows decrease in breeding grouse Wisconsin DNR MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the results of its annual ruffed grouse surveys. Roadside ruffed grouse surveys completed this spring showed statewide drumming activity decreased 6% between 2019 and 2021; no data was collected in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Ruffed grouse typically follow a tenyear population cycle with cyclic highs occurring in years that end in 9, 0 or 1. It is likely that during this cycle, the grouse population peaked in 2019 or 2020 and it is likely that abundance will begin to decrease in the coming years as we enter the “down phase” of the cycle. The surveys found there was a 33% increase in drumming in the Driftless priority area, while the central priority area had no change. The northern priority area saw a 7% decrease in the number of drums per stop from 2019 levels. Drumming is a practice performed by male ruffed grouse, typically during mating season. During the ritual, males beat their wings slowly at first then rapidly to create a deep, thumping sound. The display usually lasts 5-10 seconds, during which the wings can beat approximately 50 times. Surveyors listen to this sound to identify and count male ruffed grouse each

Photo via Wisconsin DNR Roadside ruffed grouse surveys completed this spring showed statewide drumming activity decreased 6% between 2019 and 2021. spring during the mating season. “Ruffed grouse rely on dense, young forest cover resulting from disturbances such as fire and logging. Beyond actively managing state-owned lands, the Wisconsin DNR is working to provide suitable grouse habitat through an extensive collaborative effort known as the Wisconsin Young

Forest Partnership,” said Alaina Gerrits, DNR Assistant Upland Wildlife Ecologist. “This partnership provides technical and financial assistance for young forest management on private lands, benefitting ruffed grouse and other wildlife species by helping maintain healthy and diverse forest communities.”

Roadside surveys to monitor the number of breeding grouse have been conducted by staﬀ from the DNR, U.S. Forest Service, tribal employees and numerous grouse enthusiasts and volunteers since 1964. Complete survey results are available on the DNR website.

Sharp-Tailed Grouse hunting season remains closed for Fall 2021 Wisconsin DNR MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that the fall 2021 sharp-tailed grouse hunting season remains closed due to the spring surveys results and concerns over future viability of the sharptailed grouse population. Permits and applications will not be available or accepted this year. Each year, the sharp-tailed grouse advisory committee, which consists of interested conservation groups and DNR wildlife biologists, uses spring dancing ground surveys to evaluate the size of the population. The recommendation to keep the sharp-tailed grouse hunting season closed follows the review of spring 2021 survey data, historical data trends and scientiﬁc models that indicate a potential marked decrease in population viability if hunting were to take place this fall. This is the third year the season has been closed. Although permits will not be issued this year, sharp-tailed grouse will retain their status as a game species per state law. Those who are passionate about Wisconsin’s strong and historic tradition of sharp-tailed grouse hunting should be encouraged by the signiﬁcant partnerships that exist in the northwest part of

Photo by Travis Bonovsky, Wisconsin DNR The sharp-tailed grouse season remains closed for 2021. the state. DNR staﬀ are hopeful that the population will respond positively to ongoing focused habitat manage-

ment eﬀorts to restore the young forests and barrens habitats that sharp-tailed grouse depend upon for survival.

More information on sharp-tailed grouse hunting and management in Wisconsin is available on the DNR’s website.

Community

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Loras College: RV Alumnus Liegel lands At-Large Academic All-District Emily Adlfinger, Director of Athletic Communications Leading the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) with a combined three award winners, Loras College wrestlers Shane Liegel and Zeke Smith and women’s tennis senior Audrey Hinz became the first Duhawks in more than 15 years to earn CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 honors as At-Large selections. The at-large categories features award winners from 14 sports and the All-District teams includes 10 student-athletes on the women’s team and 13 on the men’s. Liegel, a business administration and accounting double major from Spring Green, Wis., capped off an incredible sophomore season at 184 lbs. as the National Wrestling Coaches Associ-

ation (NWCA) National Champion and ﬁnished with an overall record of 14-1. Liegel compiled six pins, four technical falls, four decisions and one major decision. He was the A-R-C Most Valuable Wrestler and a conference All-Academic and NWCA Scholar All- American for the second straight season, adding to his already impressive resume which saw him earn All- Conference, All-America, Scholar All-America and a spot on the D3wrestle.com All-Freshman team his ﬁrst season Smith, an engineering and Spanish double major from Prairie du Sac, Wis., had an overall record of 10-5 on the season and placed third at the NWCA Division III National Championship at 149 lbs. in addition to a spot on the All- Conference team,

Academic All-Conference honors, and NWCA Scholar All-American nods. Outside of athletics, Smith is a Senior Resident Hall Advisor and member of the Dubuque Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Liegel and Smith, carrying a 3.93 and 3.98 GPA respectively, become the second and third male student-athletes to earn at-large honors in the department’s history with Hall of Fame wrestler Paul Cleary ‘03 winning back-to-back honors in 2002 and 2003. Hinz, a criminal justice and social work double major and local Duhawk wrapped up her college career with the tennis team as a ﬁve-time All-Conference selection, three-time All-Academic honoree, and Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar Athlete.

Hinz is heavily involved in campus and community activities off the court as a member of the Loras Environmental Action Forum (LEAF), internships within the social work field and will work as a Program Specialist with Opening Doors in Dubuque. She also plans to obtain her master’s degree in social work to continue her career. Hinz is the first women’s tennis award winner, first female student-athlete since Rebekah Reid ‘04 in 2004 to earn at-large honors and the fourth in program history. The trio moves on to the national ballot where the nation’s sports information directors (SIDs) vote for Academic All-America honorees. The All-America selections will be announced on August 4.

Plain A’s home talent baseball dominated Middleton 29ers, secure a 2-4 season record Pat Mahoney, Plain A’s Home Talent Plain A’s home talent baseball bested Middleton 29ers in a high-scoring affair, 11-6. In the first inning, Plain A’s got their offense started. Plain A’s scored one run when Brock Mahoney singled. Plain A’s pulled away for good with two runs in the fourth inning. In the fourth Jack Meixelsperger was struck by a pitch, driving in a run and Ryan Nonn was hit by a pitch, driving in a run. Plain A’s scored three runs in the eighth

inning. Derek Bodendein and Nonn all moved runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning. Middleton 29ers scored three runs in the ninth inning. Middleton 29ers’s big inning was driven by a walk by Nolan Dunn, a single by Drew Farrell, and by Jacob Ross. Ryan Klein earned the victory on the hill for Plain A’s. The ace surrendered three runs on ﬁve hits over seven innings, striking out four. Mahoney threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen. Mahoney recorded the last six outs to earn the save for Plain A’s.

Dylan Acker took the loss for Middleton 29ers. The hurler allowed 13 hits and 11 runs over eight innings, striking out six. Plain A’s hit one home run on the day. Cole Mahoney went yard in the ﬁfth inning. Plain A’s racked up 13 hits. Mahoney, Nonn, Bodendein, and Zach Cady each had multiple hits for Plain A’s. Mahoney led Plain A’s with three hits in ﬁve at bats. Middleton 29ers collected eight hits on the day. Josh Hinson and Ross Hellenbrand all collected multiple hits for Middleton 29ers.

Upcoming Home Games

Muscoda @ Plain A’s July 25 6 p.m. Cazenovia @ Plain A’s July 29 6 p.m.

Budget committee recommends $1.5 million sports complex option, community fundraising needed continued from page 1 physical restraint, except when certain conditions apply. Schools are asked to report and maintain data on seclusion and physical restraint. According to the report, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) defines “physical restraint” as a restriction that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a student to freely move his or her torso, arms, legs, or head. The DPI defines “seclusion” as the involuntary confinement of a student, apart from other students, in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. The report outlined that during the 20202021 school year there were 2 students who were involved in 3 separate instances of seclusion, all involving special education students and there were 2 students who were involved in 4 separate instances of physical restraint, all involving special education students.

Sports Complex

The board took up Budget Committee recommendations regarding the current River Valley football field and track. The field was used for football games last fall, but the facility was not able to support track and field events this past spring and won’t be able to until the track is repaired. According to a ‘River Valley Stadium Campaign’ case statement situation analysis provided to the board, due to poor drainage, the River Valley football field and track surface are in need of major repair. The estimated cost to restore the field and track to playable condition is $900,000. The statement says those repairs would not include any upgrades to the track or football field, and field conditions would still be subject to weather. The other option outlined is to upgrade the facility, replacing the grass field with a synthetic turf. This option is estimated to cost $1.5 million. The statement claims this option would allow the field to be used five times more than it is currently being used. According to draft frequently asked questions and a brochure the board reviewed, the number of potential activities held on the current grass field would top out at 50, while potential activities on a synthetic turf field would top out at 247 per school year.

The Budget Committee recommended that the district cover $750,000 of the total cost for option two, while the other half would come from community donations. Krey clarified that the district funds being looked at for the project are already in the treasury and the project wouldn’t include any need for additional taxpayer funds and would not raise taxes. As incentive to community contributors, naming rights are available for contributions of $100,000 and over, with donations over $250 to be recognized on a permanent display on site. A contribution of $150,000 would offer stadium naming rights for 15 years. A contribution of $75,000 allows for a selection of naming rights for the football field, soccer pitch, and the track, each for 15 years. A contribution of $50,000 would include a business logo placed on the sideline for 15 years. Other contributions between $250-$49,999 would include various other tiers of permanent display recognition. “As part of our recommendation we had a needed donation percentage before we would move ahead with district funds,” said board member John Bettinger. The documents provided to the board said the district would need to fundraise 75%, or $562,500, by December 31 of this year. If fundraising is successful, construction on the project would begin in the spring of 2022, with completion by August 2022. Board member Jeff Maier emphasized the community nature of the project, noting areas for community involvement and saying that he had already heard from several businesses willing to assist with fundraising. The board ultimately approved to generally commit to matching the $750,000 and to proceed with finalizing the documents and start fundraising as soon as possible.

Broadband Expansion

Board member Fred Iausly brought up broadband expansion and discussed grants available and how involved the school district would like to be in the grant process and any additional funding. The consensus of the board was to gather more information, numbers of students aﬀected and cost, as well as talking to the Endowment Fund, before taking action.

Additional Selected Actions by the Board

—The board updated the following 2021-22 handbooks with minor updates: Elementary Student, Middle School Student, High School Student, Special Education, Coaches. —The board decided the school will be holding Junior and Senior Proms next year and funded the hiring of two prom advisors.

—The board approved a required ‘Academic Standards Notice’ which is an outline of base expectations. —The board set an annual meeting date of October 25, 2021 at 7:00 pm and set a special meeting date immediately following the annual meeting for the purpose of approving the 2021-22 budget.