Valley Sentinel - 01-20-2022

Inside this edition

Editor Column: New Year’s Inspirations

Community Calendar: Live music, theatre auditions, trivia and more

Enos Farms wants your help assisting local families in need

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Spring Green, Wisconsin

Thursday, January 20, 2022 | Vol. 3, No. 3 FREE, Single-Copy

River Valley Players community theater ends hiatus, to hold auditions for 'Almost, Maine' John Christensen, River Valley Players River Valley Players, the community theater company in Spring Green, will hold open auditions for its upcoming production of Almost, Maine by John Cariani. Auditions will be in the Music Room at River Valley Middle School on Thursday, January 27 from 6:30-9pm, and again on Sunday January 30 from 12:30-3 pm, with possible callbacks between 3:30-5 pm Sunday. Molly Maslin Arbogast will be directing the production. Auditions will be firstcome first-served. Performances will

Riverway Board reviews lighting for new Lone Rock bridge Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board met virtually on Jan. 13, to conduct a regular monthly business meeting. Francis Schelfhout, Department of Transportation (DOT) Planner, gave a presentation regarding the proposed lighting of the intersection of STH 130 and STH 133 at the Iowa County terminus of the new Lone Rock bridge, expected to be completed in 2024. Schelfhout said local officials and area residents had encouraged placement of a flashing beacon at the end of the bridge similar to the red flashing light at the end of the existing bridge. In addition, a streetlight will be placed at the intersection. Both the beacon and the streetlight will require individual solar panels to avoid the necessity of running power across the bridge.

Schelfhout said DOT is proposing use of colors for the exterior of the beacon shroud and light pole in the same hue as are proposed for the bridge but approval from the federal government is pending.

The Riverway Board adopted a motion to require the lighting to be Dark Sky compliant, meaning there will be shrouds on the lights to reduce light pollution while still maintaining the safety benefits of the lighting mechanisms. The board also adopted a motion to accept the design for the beacon and streetlight with the note that solar panels will be placed on each light to provide power. Schelfhout said DOT uses the Dark Sky compliant directive on most projects and indicated his appreciation to the board for taking action to accept the lighting proposal.

The board approved issuance of a timber harvest permit to Terry and Suzanne Shifflet for the Wintergreen Conference Center property in the Town of Wyoming, Iowa County.

An 81-acre portion of the 250-acre property will be logged to remove walnut and oak. Some of the harvest area will be visible from the Wisconsin River. The harvest will occur during the winter months

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be April 1,2,3 in the Gard Theater in Spring Green Board Treasurer John Christensen says that "it's way past time for RVP to get back to bringing people together to have fun producing plays again," after a long hiatus. "Almost, Maine is a warm, lovely, and funny show, with parts for teenage or adult actors, and should be a great re-introduction for community theater here in the River Valley."

Between 1972 and 2017 RVP staged 105 different plays, musicals, and revues in the Gard Theater in Spring

Green, and the group hopes to continue producing shows into the future, according to Christensen.

"There's a lot of untapped community talent and energy here, and it's RVP's job to find ways to bring that out for people on a regular basis again."

Almost, Maine features a series of short vignettes in which residents of a small, fictional town fall in and out of love in unexpected (and sometimes hilarious) ways. It is one of the most widely produced plays by community theaters and high schools of the last

decade. The male and female characters are all adults - actors of all experience levels from high school age and up are encouraged to audition. Actors may double in different roles. Actors do not need to prepare specific material, or any music for audition. Almost, Maine is not a musical play.

There will also be a need for backstage volunteers and other production assistance. Any questions may be directed to John Christensen at 608561-1774 or to rivervalleyplayers@ gmail.com.

Arena discusses beer license for Home Talent and consider reading room possibilities Adeline Holte, Editorial Intern The Village of Arena Board of Trustees held its monthly board meeting on Jan. 4. Among the topics discussed during the meeting was the possibility of the Arena Home Talent baseball league obtaining a beer license for the upcoming 2022 season, as well as revisiting a chicken permit for a residence on Oak Street that was previously declined.

The first item on the agenda was the discussion of a park usage fee and beer license for the Arena Home Talent league. Nick Jennings began by stating to the trustees that they will need approval to restart the Home Talent team, as they have been inactive since 2007. Jennings stated that he will be attending a league representative meeting to ask the six-member board for approval to be reinstated in the league.

“The teams over here in the North are real excited about us getting back in,” Jennings stated.

Jennings moved on to discuss the usage fee for the league to use the Arena Community Park on Sharon Street. He stated he believed the usage fee would be $25 per game, which includes use of the concession stands and the baseball field, which the Board confirmed was the correct amount. Jennings said he anticipates 10 games to be played. Discussion ensued regarding the Home Talent team. Trustee Paul Pustina mentioned that the Home Talent team was not yet a bona fide club and they must meet all the qualifications under ordinance for obtaining a beer license.

There also needs to be confirmation that their organization has been around for at least six months prior to the date of application for the beer license, according to state law, so the organization itself would not be able to apply until June.

Jennings also stated that in the “late 90s” the team “caught some flack” from not being up to code while selling beer, as they did not have the area of the park where they were selling beer fenced in during the games. Jennings stated that if they can monitor who is buying beer to eliminate any possible minors obtaining alcohol, they should not need a fence around the entire game since this, according to Jennings, is “just not feasible.” He said that the solution to the problem they faced in the 90s was to just confine the alcohol

Photo by Kalen Scott, Contributor Despite some rumors on social media of an ice rink, the test well drilling equipment for the second village well is seen on Tuesday at the site of the former volleyball courts at the Arena Park. to a certain space without having to erect a fence. He stated that they would be sure to stop people who tried to leave the premises with alcohol in hand.

Police Sergeant Wyatt Miller expressed the Arena Police saw no problem with not erecting a fence, as long as IDs were being properly checked and there was something to represent who could drink at the game, such as a mark on the hand or a bracelet to ensure no underage drinking, and no one could leave the premises with alcohol. Jennings also requested to book the park for Sundays and Thursdays before they get their schedule, to be sure they will have the park on the days they need it and stated that they should be able to start on May 15, and go until the end of August, anticipating Thursdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 1:00 pm. The league plans to use the Mary Jones Memorial Fireworks Fund to cover the concession stands licensing and insurance so the league can sell beer at the games and start before June. Before discussion ended, trustees agreed that the ordinance would need to be updated in the near future to allow beer sales without fencing.

Next on the agenda was the monthly maintenance report. Included in this was the sewer televising data, which included a manhole inspection, performed by MSA and village public works staff to look for sources or a solution to stop any infiltration or inflow from entering the system.

Also discussed were updates from MSA and their plans to continue evaluating alternatives about the project scope for upgrades on the Pine Street lift station, as well as the gravity sewer project on Sharon Street. These alternatives include four potential possibilities for replacing the South Street lift station, while the financial evaluation of the alternative possibilities will be based on the condition of the current standby generator, which is currently 20-years-old. The goal of the village is to “develop a comprehensive bid package to address collection system deficiencies while preserving the budget for Sewer Rehabilitation of approximately $300,000.”

“Big money decisions,” Public Works Superintendent Mike Schmidt stated.

The board also heard that the second well project was underway at the former volleyball courts at the Community Park, however Sam’s Well Drilling needed to push back the test well drilling a week due employee illness/COVID. The next item on the agenda was the discussion of a chicken permit submitted by Tricia Greene for 374 Oak Street. At the Dec. board meeting, Greene’s permit was discussed and she was warned that she was potentially subject to fines for having the chickens on her property without written consent from the joining property

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Commentary/Opinion

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Katie Green’s The Plain and Simple Correspondent: Dimensions of Dementia, Part I Katie Green, The Plain and Simple Correspondent Downstairs in the basement I am staring about me blankly, wondering why I am there. What did I come for?

I experience a moment of uneasiness because this happens frequently enough that I can't help but wonder if I am, as they say, losing my marbles. For those of us of a certain age, slips in memory cause fear. Physical deterioration, or even serious forms of mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorders don't seem to stir the same horrified reaction as the thought of losing one's identity and memory completely because of alterations in the brain. In discussing the topic with a son, he asked, “If I have no character with which to engage with the world, what am I?” An excellent question, with multitudes of answers.

You undoubtedly know someone who suffers from dementia or have lost a loved one to it. My dear youngest

Katie Green brother is in the grip of what is probably Alzheimer's, although a definitive diagnosis can only be determined after death by doing an autopsy. There are many, many types of dementia and the chances are that if you live long enough you will develop one or another of these, if only “Old Timer's” — forgetfulness and difficulty in retrieving information which isn't an alteration in brain chemistry or physical meltdown, just info overload plus natural wear and tear.

My brother was a formidable figure when younger: a professional in the natural sciences, a fine physical specimen who biked long distances, hiked and backpacked, a man who was particular in his dress, loved to host and attend costume parties, danced, sang in choirs, even soloed sometimes, hummed as he tended his native plant garden, volunteered for many projects in the community, was a shameless punster.

He used to be the person I turned to for identifying a flower, a tree, shrub, or bird. He read voraciously.

He has roamed the globe alone, yet now he has no sense of direction and last year was lost for three days in Mexico City, where he lives with his daughter.

He walked and walked the entire time before being found, with blistered feet, dehydrated and starving. He no longer

enters into conversations because it is so hard for him to string together a whole sentence, and he has become paranoid.

He thinks people are out to get him, hiding in the walls of his bathroom, following him around. Sometimes he is sure his daughter is one of the assassins.

Maybe the worst of it is that he knows he is losing mental capacity and is so depressed at “not being able to continue activities that previously were enjoyable and meaningful,” as one doctor wrote about persons who used to function at a high level. At any level, I would add.

Of course depression is an appropriate response, for everyone involved.

For a long time, when the symptoms first began to show up, he angrily denied anything was wrong. His family detected the changes slowly – when he could no longer figure out how to use his computer, keep his checkbook and pay bills, was becoming slovenly in his personal habits, got lost while out on his bicycle and a kindly person had to return him home. Fortunately, he lived in a small town and his friends and neighbors looked after him as best they could, since his kin lived elsewhere. Finally it was not safe for him to live alone, so his daughter sold his property, car, and most of his many bikes, and brought him to be with her along with a few of his most treasured possessions, including his LP collection. (Remember LPs?) Music he doted on in the past cheers him up, which squares with a recent piece I read about Alzheimer's. Scientists working on the illness claim that sound is the last of the five senses lost to patients with memory impairment, so that “playing a song they associated with good memories had a calming effect.” My brother is a big man and fit, and now can sometimes be belligerent in his frustration and when paranoid fantasies take over, so I worry for his daughter. I admire her courage and fortitude. How long she can rely on caregivers to help her tend to his needs in her home remains to be seen. I listen as she gives vent to her exhausted emotions by telephone while they rollercoaster up and down. I have no advice to give other than that she take care of herself, too, and that I love them both.

Published articles about this manyfaceted condition, or syndrome, stress that it's not a single disease. In dementia, cognitive problems are acquired, not lifelong, that much is clear. It's not like dyslexia or Down's syndrome, for instance, inborn conditions that affect brain function to a greater or lesser degree. And there is no real antidote yet, although scientists are working furiously to come up with treatments that will delay or even cure the various disease forms. Until that gladsome day arrives, support groups, education, and therapy help sufferers and their families adjust to the diagnosis.

There are many sources of information if you want checkpoints listing symptoms

Photo contributed by Katie Green The author’s brother at a family reunion in 2021. of the commonest types, namely: Alzheimer's, affecting attention, learning, ability to plan, use language, operate motor functions related to shapes, locations, and directions, and conducting effective social behavior; Lewy bodies (a combination of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, in which a palsy often appears before brain dysfunction); vascular, where insufficient blood flow and nutrients to the brain cause a problem of retrieving information, not because the actual storage structure has been damaged; FTLD (Frontotemporal Lobar Dementia), in which behavioral disturbances are sometimes mistaken for depression, mania, personality disorder, or substance abuse. The BrightFocus Foundation, led by Dr. James M. Ellison, is updated frequently online and viewing it might put your mind at ease when you stand looking into the refrigerator, can't think what you meant to get out or put in it, while cold air floods the kitchen.

My former mother-in-law, a brilliant scientist, panicked when her powerful brain began to play tricks on her. She begged her children to help her commit suicide, but they refused. Her daughter thoughtfully curated Mary's care to the end, and wrote many poems about the downward slide toward death. Here's one.

No pain today for you, but for me something like an ache.

You showed me how to plant flowers/ how to love a child fiercely, and joyfully how to march against insane wars, stay hopeful, tenderly stroke a brow.

You made things happen –big wonderful things.

And your presence was excitement, safety, and sometimes the kind of silence we count between thunder and lightning.

And she also wrote “a word about older people living in facilities: when my mother spent five years in an Alzheimer's facility alone in a single bed, I hired someone to give her weekly massages.

As she lost her capacity to talk, she and I communicated entirely through hugs, kisses, hand-holding, and even snuggling [on her bed.] My mother yearned for this sort of contact and many older people in residential care are sadly deprived of loving touch. Having said this, personal preferences should be honored. Some people never enjoyed touch and have not changed just because they live in a facility. The key is to treat people with compassion and respect.” Agreed.

Compassion and respect work in almost any situation I can think of.

More about the topic next week... if I remember. …

Correction: in the December 30 issue of the Sentinel I consistently misspelled the name Galarnyk, substituting an “i” for the “y”. Once I knew better, before fog set in. Apologies to the forgiving members of the Galarnyk tribe. As the Scarecrow says in Wizard of Oz, “Oh, if I only had a brain!” Unfortunately, the Wizard's suggested solution sounded worse than the problem. Look it up.

Wisconsin Legislature: 90-day eviction notice bill introduced Representative Dave Considine, (D-Baraboo)

On December 30th, 2021, residents of a mobile home community in Sauk City were given a notice that they would need to vacate in 31 days. They were given no explanation and told that they would need to remove their homes from the land. Today, Representative Dave Considine (D-Baraboo), Rep. Sondy Pope (D-Mt. Horeb), and Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-West Point)

introduced LRB-5653 in response, requiring that tenants be given a 90day notice and released the following statement: “We were disheartened by the news that residents of a mobile home community were given little notice that they would need to find a new place to reside. To make matters worse, they were told that they had to move their mobile home, which is precarious in

the winter months. This is unfair to the families and individuals who had no inkling that the land was being sold.

In addition, finding someone to haul a mobile home and land to place a home is much harder than finding an apartment, and Wisconsin law should reflect that. Moving requires thoughtful planning and can greatly impact the lives of everyone involved. Current law does not provide this essential time.

“LRB-5653 would require that tenants be given a 90 day notice before their lease is terminated so that Wisconsin mobile home residents are given the proper time to plan their next steps.

We must ensure that individuals have time to find a new place of residence, to avoid unnecessary hardship. If passed, this bill could prevent others from the horrible experience of having nowhere to go.”

Online orders for free at-home COVID tests through USPS began Tuesday Ariana Figueroa, Wisconsin Examiner

The Biden administration on Tuesday launched a new website for Americans to request up to four free COVID-19 tests per household.

The administration is buying 1 billion at-home rapid COVID-19 tests, and Americans is able to order the tests at

COVIDtests.gov.

Tests should ship via the U.S. Postal Service between seven and 12 days after they are ordered, senior administration officials said on a call with reporters.

“Testing is a critical tool to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” a

senior administration official said.

The White House said tests should be used by individuals who begin to have COVID-19 symptoms; after five days of coming into close contact with someone with COVID-19; or if gathering indoors with someone who is at risk for a severe disease or is

unvaccinated. Children 4 and under are not eligible for vaccines.

In Wisconsin, the Department of Health Services (DHS) also has a program for free at-home tests, which can be ordered on the DHS website: www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/ collection.htm

Commentary/Opinion

Thursday, January 20, 2022 Page 3

Editor Column: New Year’s resolutions inspirations, what can be learned as we seek ways to build community Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief Just before the New Year, we embarked on a somewhat last minute trip to Eau Claire, a destination I’ve had my sights set on for a while Eau Claire has held a special place in the Valley Sentinel newsroom, as it’s home to Volume One, an alt bi-weekly publication that was a major inspiration as we embarked on the adventure that is our publication, and continues to be a guiding force for our next steps. The only thing was—I’d never seen Volume One in hard copy, or the city that inspired large parts of all of this (my fellow editor was lucky enough to live there for four years).

And it was time for that to change, so I took the week off from my day job and booked a last minute hotel with the idea to just explore.

Going in, the most notable information I had about Eau Claire is that the musician Justin Vernon—of Bon Iver—called it home and was a sort of local celebrity.

I even joked that we should take a shot every time we hear or see anything related to Bon Iver while we were there (it was a vacation after all).

What I found while I was there was much more than a local celebrity, but

Photo by Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief A notice posted at The Nucleus, a cafe in Eau Claire.

instead an incredible sense of community, a community full of kind and genuinely happy people. Happy people who felt free in their environment to create, innovate and collaborate.

It’s a community of people who value the hearts and minds of the people who live there, and support having a variety of local businesses to choose from and a community where there's always something to do, even in the middle of winter. The community values all different varieties of arts, professions, fields of studies, it was so interesting to see, as an outsider, all of those things so clearly and openly. I didn’t have to be a long-time resident of that community to see what its values were or to feel comfortable there.

One major thing that stood out to me was the kindness everyone met us with— and through an avenue I didn’t expect.

A major movement there (invigorated by the ongoing pandemic) is ensuring all service and essential workers are paid a fair and living wage, making tipping accessory, not necessary. I’d never truly considered the full effect that could have on service somewhere until I was confronted with it firsthand. Not a single place we patronized was short staffed and every member of the staff was incredibly friendly and happy to help—I realize later because they weren’t worried about financial security or turning over tables to make more tips, no matter how many tables they served that shift they were getting at least $16 an hour.

But were our meals more expensive?

Did our dollar go less far? Not to get into the weeds, but not at all. Most businesses incorporated the price increase into the menu, along with helpful reminders on the tables and on the menus themselves that reduced any sticker shock and ensured you understood tipping wasn’t expected. For the less open minded folks, at least one business simply kept

Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The author pictured in front of "Cascade" — a mural by Chicago artist and digital designer Molly Z, at the intersection of Farwell St. and Galloway St. in Eau Claire. their previous prices on the menu and conspicuously advertised an 18% gratuity would be added. In sum, as long as you’re not the type of person that doesn’t usually tip, there was effectively no difference in meal price. The real difference was that the employees knew that no matter what they were going to be able to pay all their bills that month and most likely have some money left over for other creative pursuits.

The reason this stands out to me, is the kindness this implies, the empathy employers have for their workers, that they deserve a livable wage and financial security no matter what job they hold for them, and doing it in a way that doesn’t make it a customer’s responsibility to pay a business’ employees—it’s important to note again that our meals were no more expensive than they are when we would normally tip, and every restaurant was packed and doing well.

As an aside: While this model doesn’t

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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.

work for all businesses (ahem, volunteers here raise your hands with me), some businesses in the area are actively looking at the model, with a recent example coming to mind with Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret looking for bartenders, advertising a starting pay $8 per hour plus tips, while guaranteeing a $15 average including tips. This is a start and should be applauded.

Back to the matter: While I learned there’s so much more to this little city nestled in the north, I went in knowing only Bon Iver — and it’s funny, since returning and listening to his music, it truly embodies the feeling you have when walking through downtown Eau Claire, I can see myself wandering the streets, in and out of the shops with a beautiful view of the northwoods, with just a few lyrics of his songs. It’s a feeling that

Contributors Arts & Culture/Editorial Columns Graphic Design/Pagination Bill Gordon Grace Vosen Anna Stocks-Hess Arts & Culture/Editorial Sports Editorial Intern Alison Graves Mike McDermott Adeline Holte Arts Community/Opinion Graphic Design Intern Jen Salt Katie Green Julianna Williams Our team will be growing and changing as we settle into publishing regularly, please stay in touch. Thank you to all of our contributors for believing in our community.

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Est. 2020 igne conflatum “Forged in Fire”

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Community

Thursday, January 20, 2022

COmmunitycalendar Events for January 20 - February 8 Thursday, January 20 Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green . springgreengeneralstore.com . The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jefferson St. Spring Green . ninasdepartmentstore.com . Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

LIVE MUSIC: Slowpoke Songwriters Round 7:30 PM- 9:30 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . Featuring Soren Staff of Them Coulee Boys, Nici Peper of all the beautiful things, and Andrew Hughes of The Lake Effect. Support local artists by joining us for a night of original music with several songwriters, all on the stage together, sharing their music round robin style. If you would like to take part on stage, please contact Tim Eddy at pinehill@mwt.net. No cover, but tips for artists are always welcome. Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 required for all Slowpoke events.

Friday, January 21 COMEDY NIGHT: Plain Lions Club 6:00 PM . Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Rd, Spring Green, WI 53588 . $30 . Spend a night relaxing with some amusing comedy, food and drink. Doors open at 6pm, with the comedian starting at 7pm. Ticket includes the show and a wide range of all-you-can-eat heavy hor d'oeuvres and 1 alcoholic beverage. Proceeds go to help offset the costs of the Summer Children’s Recreation Program held in Plain (a program that is open to any resident or non-resident children age 4 to 14 at no cost). A limited number of tickets will be sold. Contact Bob Neuheisel 608-588-5004 or Ray Ring 608-588-4073 for more information.

LIVE MUSIC: The Growlers : MOVED FROM SAT 22 7:30 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . No Cover . The Growlers (formerly Screamin Gene and the Lake Louie Growlers) are entering their 44th year with their core group of River Valley natives Gene Roberts-Bass, Greg Schoenmann-Guitar, and Ted Frank-Keyboard. They are now joined by Lou Cassis of New Glarus on drums.

Expect to receive a heavy dose of long jam progressive rock, with dabblings into jazz, funk, and psychedelia including Pink Floyd, Neil Young and Steely Dan. Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 required for all Slowpoke events.

Saturday, January 22 Pop-Up Spring Green Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM . S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . The Spring Green Farmers Market is continuing in the Spring Green Community Public Library Lot through the winter every Saturday morning. Pre-orders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMarket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact information.

January Yoga Classes with Rural Remedy 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM . S11105 Fairview Rd Spring Green (lower barn) . ruralremedy.com . 3-class series is $50 (reach out for more options) . Let's do some yoga together! Begin again, start from scratch or revisit your practice in a restored, well-heated old barn tucked away in our beautiful rural hills. All are welcome. Please register online to reserve your spot. Email embenz@gmail.com for more information.

Tuesday, January 25 Winter Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM . Kraemer Library, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Come join us for 45 minutes of fun-filled interactive stories, songs and rhymes! Meet new friends, sing songs, and have fun! Enjoy a story session that encourages a love of reading and fosters the development of early literacy skills.for a list of participating vendors and their contact information. Ages 0-5. Masks encouraged.

Thursday, January 27 Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green . springgreengeneralstore.com . The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jefferson St. Spring Green . ninasdepartmentstore.com . Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

Auditions for Almost, Maine 6:30 PM -9:00 PM . River Valley Middle, 660 W Daley St River Valley Players, the community theater company in Spring Green, will hold open auditions for its upcoming production of "Almost, Maine" by John Cariani, Auditions will be in the Music Room at River Valley Middle School on Thursday, January 27 from 6:30-9pm, and again on Sunday January 30 from 12:30-3 pm, with possible callbacks between 3:30-5 pm Sunday. Molly Maslin Arbogast will be directing the production.

Auditions will be first- come first-served. Performances will be April 1,2,3 in the Gard Theater in Spring Green. Almost, Maine features a series of short vignettes in which residents of a small, fictional town fall in and out of love in unexpected (and sometimes hilarious) ways. It is one of the most widely produced plays by community theaters and high schools of the last decade. The male and female characters are all adults - actors of all experience levels from high school age and up are encouraged to audition.

Actors may double in different roles. Actors do not need to prepare specific material, or any music for audition. Almost, Maine is not a musical play. There will also be a need for backstage volunteers and other production assistance. Any questions may be directed to John Christensen at 608-561-1774 or to rivervalleyplayers@gmail.com.

Saturday,January 29 Pop-Up Spring Green Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM . S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . The Spring Green Farmers Market is continuing in the Spring Green Community Public Library Lot through the winter every Saturday morning. Pre-orders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMarket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact information.

Tuesday, February 1 Winter Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM . Kraemer Library, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Come join us for 45 minutes of fun-filled interactive stories, songs and rhymes! Meet new friends, sing songs, and have fun! Enjoy a story session that encourages a love of reading and fosters the development of early literacy skills.for a list of participating vendors and their contact information. Ages 0-5. Masks encouraged.

Thursday, February 3 Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green . springgreengeneralstore.com . The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jefferson St. Spring Green . ninasdepartmentstore.com . Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

Saturday, February 5 Pop-Up Spring Green Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM . S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . The Spring Green Farmers Market is continuing in the Spring Green Community Public Library Lot through the winter every Saturday morning. Pre-orders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMarket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact information.

Valentine Tea Party and Card Making Event 1:00 PM -3:00 PM . Spring Green Community Center, 117 S Washington St . All materials will be provided to make up to 3 cards per person. This is a fun time for all creative types from 9-99. Pre-registration is required by emailing springgreencommuitycenter@gmail.com or calling 608-588-7800 to leave a message. Cost is $10/person or 2 people for $18. Come make someone special a unique Valentine!

LIVE MUSIC: The Lately with Little Earthquakes 7:30 PM- 10:30 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 required for all Slowpoke events . Danceable grooves, unshakable hooks, quiet interludes, and raucous explorations — a blender mix of early Fiona Apple, Beck, Depeche Mode, Block Party, and Lykke Li — all held together by Annie Kubena’s singular vocal style. We hope you enjoy!

Sunday, January 30 Auditions for Almost, Maine 12:30 PM -3:00 PM . River Valley Middle, 660 W Daley St . River Valley Players, the community theater company in Spring Green, will hold open auditions for its upcoming production of "Almost, Maine" by John Cariani, Auditions will be in the Music Room at River Valley Middle School. Any questions may be directed to John Christensen at 608-561-1774 or to rivervalleyplayers@gmail.com.

Monday, February 7 Trivia Night 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green .

Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 required for all Slowpoke events . 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! First Question at 7:00 - and it should last about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Tuesday, February 8 Community Potluck 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM . Spring Green Community Center, 117 South Washington Street. . Everyone invited! No fee; donations accepted.

Winter Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM . Kraemer Library, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Come join us for 45 minutes of fun-filled interactive stories, songs and rhymes! Meet new friends, sing songs, and have fun! Enjoy a story session that encourages a love of reading and fosters the development of early literacy skills.for a list of participating vendors and their contact information. Ages 0-5. Masks encouraged.

Reminder The risk of participating in a certain activity depends on many factors. Because of this, there’s no way to assign risk levels to certain actions. That’s why it’s important to consider your own situation and the risks for you, your family, and your community.

Here are some important guidelines to help ensure everyone’s safety: Get vaccinated.

Stay at least 6 feet away from other people when possible.

Wash hands frequently.

Wear a mask.

Stay home when sick.

Get tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Avoid crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spaces when possible.

Taken from: www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/community.htm

Community

Thursday, January 20, 2022 Page 5

COVID-19 Dashboard 1,239,094 Positive Cases

Wisconsin Summary

+135,722 from 1/12

Cases as of 1/19/2022

3,982,324 Negative Test Results +76,870 from 1/12

10,648 Deaths +241 from 1/12 Updated: 1/19/2022 /2022

Critically High Vaccine Summary Statistics Very High Updated: 1/19/2022 High 8,903,421 3,415,360 337,387 5,150,674 Medium Moderna doses Johnson & Johnson Pfizer doses Total doses Low administered doses administered administered administered

covid case activity level This graph shows information on case burden and trajectory. Burden (case rate) is the total number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Wisconsin residents in the last two weeks. Trajectory is the percent case change from the previous to the current week. These are different from Community Transmission Level, which is the total confirmed cases per 100,000 persons reported in the past 7 days.

Case activity is a combination of burden and trajectory over the prior two weeks.

Iowa County

786,870

23,409

Pfizer doses administered

Moderna doses administered

Johnson & Johnson doses administered

These two core measures are 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 the current target range is 60-90%. -Adapted from Madison Public Health and Dane County

+285 from 1/12 +203 from 1/12 +5 from 1/12

Richland

+353 from 1/12 +281 from 1/12 +2 from 1/12

4,404 Positive Cases 15,499 Negative Tests 24 Deaths

988,299

Total boosters administered

Vaccine Data

county level weekly statistics Richland County 3,251 Positive Cases 10,551 Negative Tests 38 Deaths

1,798,578

Sauk County

13,888 Positive Cases 46,375 Negative Tests 88 Deaths Updated: 1/19/2022

+1,478 from 1/12 +858 from 1/12 +11 from 1/12

Target Range

Sauk

Target Range

59.0%

64.2%

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

56.1%

60.3%

Percent fully vaccinated

Percent fully vaccinated Target Range

Iowa 69.6% Percent with at least one vaccine dose

66.2% Percent fully vaccinated

Cases per zip code

Percent of Wisconsin residents ages 5-11 who have received at least one dose by county

Cases as of 1/19/2022

Updated: 1/19/2022

Lower %

Richland County

16.1%

Ages 5-11

Iowa County Ages 5-11

Higher %

Percent of Wisconsin residents who have received at least one dose

29.0%

Sauk County Ages 5-11

Ages

22.5% Dane County Ages 5-11

Graphic by Anna Stocks-Hess

53.4%

5-11 12-17 18-24 25-34 35-44

Updated: 1/19/2022 23.8% 58.8% 58.0% 62.3%

45-54

68.0% 70.7%

55-64 65+

77.4% 85.6%

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

Page 6

Community

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Enos Farms asking for assistance to help local families in need

Area Village Caucus Results

Village of Spring Green

Village of Plain

Incumbent trustees Michael Broh and Deb Miller were both nominated for re-election and, with no one else nominated, will run opposed in the Spring general election. Trustee Jane Hauser decided to not seek re-election. Damien Barta was nominated to be placed on the ballot and accepted, he will also run unopposed.

Incumbents are Tracey Brent, Merry Lynn Riek and Steve Whitford. Tracey Brent is not seeking re-election. 11 residents were nominated. After voting: Steve Whitford, Merry Lynn Riek, Wade Neubauer, Mary C. Brey, Kim Heck and Jessica Herfel received the nomination, four trustee positions are open.

The Village of Arena uses a Spring primary to determine who will run in the Spring general election if there are more than two residents running for one seat. The Village of Lone Rock held their caucus Jan. 18, results were not available as of press time.

UPCOMING MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES WITH VALLEY SENTINEL

Photo contributed by Enos Farms The "Local Grocery Bag" from Enos Farm. Enos Farms' goal is to help 250 local families in need.

Enos Farms is still nearly 150 bags short in their annual “local grocery bag”food drive. With a goal of 250 bags sold, Enos Farms is planning on continuing the drive through the end of January. They will deliver the bags to SWCAP’s Mobile Food Pantry in February when pantries have run out of December donations.

“Our goal, with your help, is to feed 250 families in our local community, meanwhile, aiming to keep local producers producing good food,” said Enos Farms. “Last year, we sold 246 bags from generous people across the country and we hope to exceed our goal this year!”

Enos Farms does not take a profit on this sale.

The “Local Grocery Bag” includes: —12-pack Yellow Corn Tortillas

(Tortilleria Zepeda, Lone Rock, WI) —Black Eclipse Dry Beans (Meadowlark Organics, Ridgeway, WI) —1 lb Raw Honey (Kissed By The Sun, Plain, WI) —Sourdough Sandwich Loaf (ORIGIN Breads, Madison, WI) —Organic Medium Cheddar, (Cedar Grove Cheese, Plain, WI) 1 lb —Ground Pastured Pork (Enos Farms, Spring Green, WI) Thank you for your help!

“We still feel extremely grateful and are excited to donate the bags you've already purchased,” said Enos Farms. “Thank you for your continued support and helping us feed local families locally sourced foods. We think it's a really cool thing.”

The bags are $29 each and can be purchased at enosfarms.com.

With winter in full swing and the promise of more snow on the horizon, we thought we'd put together a special section to break us all out of our mid-winter doldrums and highlight some of the great winter activities to do in the greater Spring Green area.

Whether winter sports with a thermos full of local coffee or hot cocoa are your thing or you'd prefer being cozy by the fire with a glass of wine, let's inspire the community with ideas this season.

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESSES: DATE OUT: January 27

Sponsorship Featured Business/Promotional Articles Advertising Spots Event Listings

SPACE DEADLINE: January 24

Want to be the first to read Valley Sentinel?

More subscriptions mean more routes, and our distribution intern is back at college, so we’re looking for help distributing the paper!

We can’t thank those who have recently stepped up to offer to help enough, thank you!

Paper Distribution Routes Arena Subscribers: COVERED Arena Businesses: COVERED Lone Rock Subscribers: AVAILABLE Lone Rock Businesses: AVAILABLE Plain Subscribers: AVAILABLE

Plain Businesses: AVAILABLE Spring Green Subscribers: AVAILABLE Spring Green Businesses: AVAILABLE Want to enjoy scenic winter drives or a walk around town and assist in connecting our businesses, subscribers and community? Whether for fun or for volunteer experience, just one village, route, or more, we’d be happy to have you!

Interested in learning more? Contact us today to claim your space!

Email: ads@valleysentinelnews.com | Phone: 608-588-6694

OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HORIZON DATE OUT: February 10

Interested?

Email: editor@valleysentinelnews.com or call 608-588-6694

DEADLINE: February 4

Employment opportunities Commercial Project Manager/Estimator

Duties: • Manage multiple projects in various stages of planning and construction • Prepare and manage detailed schematic budgeting and estimating • Coordinate subcontractor bids Requirements: • 5+ years of Commercial Project Manager/Estimator experience • Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management or Civil Engineering • Understanding of our self-performed trades • Familiar with estimating software, have strong client service orientation, and demonstrate outstanding communication and organization skills

Commercial Construction Superintendent

Duties: • Management of construction activities • Ensuring compliance with design, schedule, and budget requirements • Overseeing multiple subcontractors Requirements • 5+ years of commercial field management experience • Experience in one of our self-performed trades • Must be able to demonstrate prior success in working effectively as a team with project owners, architects, and subcontractors. Must possess the leadership abilities to achieve top-flight results

For more info visit www.kraemerbrothers.com

Salary will be based on experience EEO/AA employer

Please send your resume to:

Kraemer Brothers, LLC 925 Park Ave | PO Box 219 Plain, WI 53577 Email: jobs@kraemerbrothers.com Phone: 608-546-2411

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY Looking for a challenge?

We are looking for interns/volunteers who want to be in the unique position to learn the nuts and bolts of a news media publication that started from the ground up.

You will have the chance to make an impact at the ground level of a startup and see the effect of your work and ideas carried out with a lot of flexibility, in an environment and creative culture you can help influence and create.

Available subject areas: EDITORIAL/JOURNALISM SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING/MARKETING

GRAPHIC DESIGN/PAGE DESIGN/LAYOUT DISTRIBUTION/CIRCULATION/CRM MNGMT PODCASTING/AUDIO PRODUCTION

We are a new, all volunteer local news source that holds a strong belief that by working to keep our communities informed and engaged on a variety of topics including arts & culture, events, community news and serving as a watchdog for our local governmental bodies, we can help create a strong identity for our community and ignite positive growth and change throughout the area.

Interested? Send us your area(s) of interest and a resume to: editor@valleysentinelnews.com Internship will be unpaid, interns will be required to sign a FSLA-compliant internship agreement.

If credit is available from intern’s educational institution for participation in an internship, we are glad to work with you to meet any requirements for receiving credit.

Commentary/Opinion/Government

Thursday, January 20, 2022 Page 7

Winter Wonderland special section coming, Valley Sentinel to soft launch initiative to foster ideas continued from page 3 whispers increasingly louder to me as I walk through the downtown streets in the Valley here.

We talk a lot about building community at Valley Sentinel, and for me—that’s what it means. Building a place where people come to create, visit for a dose of inspiration or a lesson in kindness. A place where people can stay and live and thrive.

As we start this New Year, we are full of not just resolutions, but resolve and inspirations — with our many ideas held back only by the holidays, manpower, onboarding interns, the number of hours in a week (and a million other things). Our creativity, however, is not

held back and while we’ve reluctantly had those things limit us to an eight page publication lately — not for lack of potential content — we’ll continue to find and share new ways to build community.

Next week, we’ll be doing a Winter Wonderland special section. A section devoted to breaking us out of our midwinter doldrums and inspiring us to enjoy the season and engage with our community. We also will be doing a soft launch of an initiative that is near and dear to our hearts that will seek to inspire ideas — impulses — and foster them into tangible and cherished community endeavors. We hope you’ll join us.

— Taylor Scott, Managing Editor, also contributed to this column

Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor Looking across the new bridge in December between Phoenix Park and Haymarket Plaza, a newlycreated public space, at the Pablo Center at the Confluence, a performing arts center in Eau Claire.

Future of Arena Reading Room discussed, with option to disband it on the table as board looks for help continued from page 1 owners The board heard that Greene recently received letters of consent from those property owners. The board approved the chicken permit for Greene unanimously.

Another topic discussed was a request

by Pustina that asked for the village clerk and the village president to reply to emails from board members.

Pustina stated that he has sent emails to both the village clerk and village president and not received a response.

He explained that his emails have not violated open meeting laws, and has still received no reply, and would like

to hear a response to his emails that contain questions.

“I would very much appreciate that,” Pustina commented. “It’s common courtesy.”

Village President Kate Reimann stated that she would like to receive common courtesy as well, before quickly moving onto the next item without expanding on her statement.

The next item discussed was the future of the Reading Room, a small library in the village hall open to the public. It was stated that the articles of organization needed to be looked over, as well as discussed, and that it may take around three meetings to get organized, as well as adding another

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Our schedule is posted each week on social media.

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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.

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member to the committee.

Currently, the members of the committee are Pustina, Martha Bauer, Monica Reeves, Wendy Doerflinger and Elaine Drachenberg.

The board recognized the public's affection for the Reading Room but stated that things will need to be invested to keep it going, and people will need to get involved. Pustina stated that ideas on what to do for the Reading Room will be discussed at the next meeting, and one of the ideas is to disband it. He also suggested disbanding would make people realize that if they want this, they will have to get involved and do something for it, as it needs to be promoted, and

other people need to step up and get involved so others don’t get burned out.

There is money in the Friends of the Library account, from fundraisers and donations, accumulating to $5,800.

“Either we go for it, or it just goes away,” Pustina stated.

An invitation was extended to the Village of Arena Board Members for a ride along with the Arena Police Department, where they would be going through Arena, the Iowa County Sheriff's Office, and the Dodgeville EMS. They also stated that there will be internships for law enforcement and EMS prospects.

The next regular monthly board meeting will be on Feb. 1 at 7pm.

UW-Madison student creating interactive Lower Wisconsin State Riverway map continued from page 1 when the ground is frozen or dry.

No new roads will be required. The proposed harvest will comply with the applicable Riverway regulations to protect scenic beauty. The consultant is Rick Livingston of Driftless Area Forestry, LLC. Mark Cupp, Riverway Board Executive Director, reported a project by a University of Wisconsin Madison student will have benefits for the Riverway. Christina Dennis is a student of Dr. William Gartner and is working on a capstone project involving a map of the lower Wisconsin River area with an emphasis on cultural features as well information related to locations of parks, boat landings, public lands, parking areas, etc. Sites on the National Register of Historic Places

will be included on the interactive map as well as locations of effigy mound sites on public lands. The map will be housed on the Riverway Board website and will be accessible from home computer or by cell phone. A limited number of paper maps also will be available. The completion date for the project will be in the spring, prior to the end of the semester.

The next meeting of the Riverway Board will be February 10. The current plan is to hold the meeting in-person at the Muscoda village hall. However, the board will monitor COVID protocols and may meet virtually.

Check the Riverway Board website for updates or call 608-739-3188.

For further information, contact Mark E. Cupp, LWSRB Executive Director, at (608) 739-3188 or by cell phone at (608) 739-2179 or by e-mail at mark.cupp@wisconsin.gov.

Business/Professional

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“The good stuff.”

Page 8

Outdoors & Recreation

Thursday, January 20, 2022

An Outdoorsman’s Journal

Mark Walters, Columnist

I don’t care who you are, after helping three boys learn how to become independent in the woods it seems you Hello friends, worry more about the daughter. I Nature has a way of setting the pace for learned on this trip there simply is very little reason to worry anymore. what many of us do in life and that can Last week, I wrote that this week be good, bad, or in between. Last week would be Mississippi’s first week where and this week I am writing to you about they can use dogs to hunt deer. a hunting, camping and canoeing This morning I had been sitting for adventure that I went on with my 20maybe three hours, which I had canoed year-old daughter Selina and my for twenty minutes, and then hiked for brother Tom, who lives near Denham another twenty to get to.

Springs, Louisiana. The three of us I heard a group of hunters coming my spent a week camped in the Delta way on a dirt path and I knew it was National Forest, which is in west central dog hunters.

When they passed me, I Mississippi near Rolling Forks. knew they would be setting up a hunt This area could be compared to and a wise hunter stays on his or her Wisconsin's Buffalo County, as it is stand when they run them.

When dog managed for large whitetail deer and hunters move deer and hogs there can has them. Bucks have to have a 15-inch be action and, in this situation, Selina inside spread or a beam of at least 18saw a buck and two doe. The buck’s inches in length. neck was covered with vines from Thursday, December 30th probably where it was hiding and was not large enough to harvest.

High 81, Low 59 Tom had two deer come flying by him Three of the seven days of this hunt we and I had a doe run by me. Up to that experienced record highs and though point in the morning, none had seen a that made for very comfortable deer. camping, any form of hiking, which we I decided I was going to meet this did often, was a drencher when it came group of nine hunters, and am I glad to sweat. We had hoped to hit the rut that I did. At first, I walked up to and though we did find some scrapes, maybe a 16-year-old boy, and I could the rut was put on hold. tell he was skittish about talking to me Each morning Selina and I would canoe but he could soon see I was harmless. in the dark through the cypress trees Eventually the entire group, which are and then we would hike to our stands. from the Delta Camp, came over by me Sometimes together, sometimes to and we had a great talk. There were separate locations. It was incredibly cool kids in this group as young as five and to either drop Selina off in the dark or the man that I spoke the most with, wait for her in my canoe in the dark and have many times since, was Dustin after a day’s hunt.

Hariel, who is from Poplarville, Mississippi.

Bayou Getaway

Photo by Mark Walters, Columnist This is partially how Mark and Selina Walters lived for a week.

Photo by Mark Walters, Columnist Mark Walters is predicting that this group of Mississippians will be in his hunting future.

Photo by Mark Walters, Columnist (left to right) Young Mississippi hunters Daron and Jaken Hariel with a 10 point buck that their dad Dustin had harvested.

These guys have a camp nearby and were they ever interesting and friendly.

Their dogs names were Martha and Mary and they were each 3/4 beagle and 1/4 Treeing Walker Coonhound. An area is surrounded, one hunter walks into it with the dogs and releases them and the hunters use shotguns with Double 00 Buckshot.

Many deer were moved on this drive, but none were harvested. One of the first things that Dustin told me is that we could not have hit worse conditions for our hunt, which I already knew. Dustin had harvested a beautiful 10-point buck earlier in the week and we had a solid conversation where I was asked to come to their camp and they asked if I knew anything about turkey hunting in Wisconsin, as in how they could do it.

If anyone could help them out, I would work with you on it. Dustin is in the earth-moving business and a pastor at his church. What I truly loved about these guys is the gazillion pictures Dustin sent me where his boys are harvesting turkey, rabbits and lots of fish. In other words, old school parenting and outdoor oriented people.

Another very interesting part of this trip were the Asian carp. They were everywhere when we were canoeing and, until you get used to them, when canoeing in the dark they can scare the heck out of you as they let you get real close before they jump high in the air.

We really wanted to whack some deer and hogs but not a one of us ever took the gun off safety. What put a smile on my face was at the end of the week was Selina told me that she wants to do this her last two Christmas breaks at UW Stevens Point.

I will get good at this with time and when nature allows!

—Sunset Follow along each week on the adventures of Mark Walters, a syndicated outdoor adventure columnist who lives in Necedah, Wisconsin. He began writing his column, An Outdoorsman's Journal, in 1989. It includes hunting, fishing, lots of canoeing and backpacking. He currently writes for around 60 newspapers on a weekly basis. He hopes you enjoy reading about his adventures!

Want to read more?

Check out previous weeks’ columns at www.outdoorsmansjournal.com