Valley Sentinel - 02-08-2024

Spring Green, Wisconsin

Thursday, February 8, 2024 | Vol. 5, No. 3 FREE, Single-Copy

Inside this edition

Arena’s Alex Harrington becomes chief weatherman

Lexington & Jefferson: Valentine’s Poems and Prose

Lawmakers propose bills to bolster local news

Pages 2, 4

Page 8

Pages 1, 5

Olympian, Spring Green native Carie Graves posthumously honored by University of Texas Alison Graves, Contributed Former Spring Green resident, River Valley High School and UW graduate, the late Carie Graves (1953-2021), was recently honored by the University of Texas as the rowing program founder and first head rowing coach in UT history. Texas Rowing dedicated its team training space in the Texas Basketball and Rowing Facility to Carie at an event held on January 20, 2024.

Speaking at the event, former Texas Women's Athletic Director Jody Conradt spoke fondly of Carie, "Carie was the smartest, the most determined, the most committed individual I think I've ever been around. She challenged all of us and she was demanding, but she never asked anyone to do more than she had done, probably tenfold.

She set the standard."

Carie built the Texas Rowing program from the ground up beginning in the fall of 1998. She steered the Longhorns to two NCAA Championship appearances and four-straight Big 12 crowns and was 2012 Big 12 Coach of the Year.

She retired from coaching and moved home to Spring Green in 2014.

Photo contributed by Alison Graves An excerpt from Olympian and Spring Green native Carie Grave's time as the head coach of UT Rowing.

Graves is pictured, in the foreground, at UT with her rowing team.

Carie guided the UW Badgers to the 1975 National Rowing Association Championship, the first National

Championship to be won by a UW varsity women's team. She was the first-ever inductee into the school's

Women's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984 and was ranked No. 16 on her alma mater's list of "Top 100 Athletes of the Century." She completed a master's of education at Harvard in 1985.

Carie enjoyed a distinguished rowing career of her own and was selected to three U.S. Olympic teams (1976, '80 and '84) and five additional U.S. national teams (1975, '77, '79, '81 and '83). She helped the USA women's eight to gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and bronze at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Carie was a member of the U.S. Olympic Team that boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games. At the 1975 World Championships she won a silver medal as part of the "Red Rose Crew" that ushered in a new era of competition for women in the male dominated sport.

In 2022, USRowing renamed its Female Athlete of the Year Award in honor of Carie. The Carie Graves Female Athlete of the Year Award is selected annually by athletes on that year's senior national team.

State lawmakers propose ways of bolstering local news Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner Amid reports of layoffs in the journalism industry and ongoing concerns about newsroom closures and consolidations, Wisconsin Democrats are proposing some ways of boosting the local journalism industry.

A package of bills — coauthored by Reps. Jimmy Anderson (D-Fitchburg), Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) and Sen. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) — would create a tax credit for people who subscribe to local newspapers, a fellowship program to get individuals

into the field and a Civic Information Consortium Board that would award grants to local news.

“Local journalism is essential to our democracy. It keeps voters informed and engaged on the issues that matter most to their communities, and local reporters also play an important role in keeping officials accountable to their constituents,” Anderson said at a press conference about the package last week. “But local news is dying.”

Wisconsin has one county without a news source, and 22 counties with only

one, according to the State of Local News 2023, a report by Northwestern University’s Local News Initiative.

(Editors' Note: Having started the publication fairly recently, in Oct. 2020, Valley Sentinel's editors would like to share that unfortunately this publication was missed in the report. We have reached out to the report's project manager, Wisconsin Newspaper Association President George Stanley to remedy the oversight.)

The report also states that residents

in more than half of U.S. counties have no, or very limited, access to a reliable local news source, and the number of local news outlets contracted at an even steeper rate in 2023 compared with previous years.

“News deserts are disproportionately located in rural areas, low-income areas and located in communities of color,” Anderson said. “The three bills in his package are designed to ensure

continued on page 5

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Commentary/Opinion

Thursday, February 8, 2024

OPINION/EDITORIAL

The (not so) Plain and Simple Correspondent: Alexander the Great Arena native Alex Harrington to become chief meteorologist Katie Green, Columnist We usually associate the title “Alexander the Great” with Alexander III of the Greek kingdom of Macedonia, one of history's most successful military commanders, who built a vast empire three hundred years before the Christian era. He established more than twenty cities, the most famous of which was Alexandria, Egypt. He was not a modest man, naming many of them for himself. His military tactics (clever but brutal) are said to be admired and studied today. When you look around at all the empire-builders around the world, our own country being no exception, it is not hard to believe that Alexander III was and is an exemplar to some. One of his tutors when he was young was Aristotle, who failed to convince Alexander to stay home and be content to be philosophical, live and let live with his neighbors. It must be a guy thing. It might have enabled him to live longer. To his foes' relief, he died at age 33 and his empire speedily fell apart.

The Alexander the Great's empire I am more interested in, however, is that of meteorologist Alex Harrington, born

and raised in Arena to a family deeply rooted in the River Valley, often involved in education. His mother, Joannie, was a secretary in Arena at the public grammar school he himself attended, his sister has taught in the schools for close two

Katie Green decades. Alex attended Middle School and High School in Spring Green. His grandmother Harrington still lives on her own in Arena at age 100. He was raised Catholic and although he didn't attend parochial school, the family's religious precepts provided a North Star and have provided the framework for his life

purpose. His personal great “moment” has arrived: he has landed the job of Chief Meteorologist for Madison’s CBS affiliate WISC-TV Channel 3000 and Madison’s Fox affiliate WMSN-TV Fox47 starting in March, when longtime chief meteorologist Gary Cannalte formally retires. Quite the feat! Before the last couple years, Alex had been off the air in his chosen field for ten years, last working in Kansas—a place with spectacular weather of the terrifying, ill-natured sort—and was overjoyed to return home to Wisconsin.

Alex's interest in weather began at an extremely tender age. His sister Amery was besotted with the film “Wizard of OZ.” She wanted to be Dorothy, he wanted to be the tornado!

By the age of five he was giving weather reports to the family in their living room, brandishing hand-drawn charts.

Soon these were laminated to look more professional. The Harrington children were growing up on the Tim and Steve Harrington family farm in rural Arena, deeply immersed in the healthy pleasures of pastoral life, so that when Dorothy gets back to OZ saying “There's no place like home!”, Alex and his sister could second that feeling enthusiastically. He was like the young Bach or Mozart, a child prodigy

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

who accepted almost from birth where the yellow brick road would inevitably take him.

When I told Alex about the storm spotters who sat on our ridge when we lived in rural Spring Green, he said “I could talk about that all day. I've been a storm chaser since I was 18.” Later, when he worked as a TV meteorologist in Kansas in a high-action tornado alley, he often chased storms – from a safe distance.

Careless storm chasers can get in serious trouble, even lose their lives. He took no huge chances but enjoyed the frisson of fear that one naturally gets when seeing a funnel cloud moving toward you, like a devil on the loose.

A few years after Alex started tornado spotting in Sauk County, he became a guide at Taliesin, touring people through the School of Architecture (before it was cast out). It was a perfect job for a mature college student in the River Valley with good stage presence. He is a tall, slender fellow, with a sparkling set of choppers that give him a lovely smile “thanks to Village Family Dental”, and a rambunctious head of dark hair that doesn't want to

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Dear Editor, It’s confusing today to understand all we read or hear in the news. However, it’s important when voting, to look for decency and honesty in those who represent us. In recent years, Republicans have done nothing to help ordinary people. Their tax cuts have mainly benefited multi-millionaires and corporations, while reducing meaningful benefits for those of us who need them. Democrats are unable to get bills passed because the Republican majority in the House blocks them.

Speaker Mike Johnson has already said the bill Republicans insisted on for the border and Ukraine will be “dead on arrival”.

Republicans also follow blindly on issues considered as “religious”. Making abortion illegal doesn’t only ruin the lives of people who are pregnant through rape, incest, or carelessness. It has also created impossible situations for families who desperately want a child, but have learned that their pregnancy is doomed: their baby would only have hours to live, if that. Forcing such

women to carry the fetus to term does nobody any good, and can cause death to the mother. But in their ignorance, Republicans pushed for this reversal of a right of all women, only to please the so-called “religious right”, many of whom never attend church. What if they had called for sterilization of all rapists?

Would that have passed?

Then we have state Republican Representatives who have done nothing to help our UW colleges prosper. After the Pandemic, the transfer of multiple UW Richland lecturers and staff

members to Platteville including our recruiter caused a loss of students. But this was met by Marklein and Kurz as beyond their power to do anything.

Just another ploy to dumb down the electorate by making a university education out of reach for much of our youth due to distance and cost, so these local Representatives could continue to deceive us and remain in power. Please weigh the facts before voting at all levels!

Dear Editor, Ken Stark’s political cartoon published a few weeks ago actually had a response from Sen. Marklein. In it, Marklein again pats himself on the back for all he did for the UW system…and for all he did for UW-Richland.

Does he really think that our memories are so poor that we don’t remember he basically did nothing to help our beloved UW-Richland campus? At community meetings, he would say he was powerless to do anything. Powerless??? The co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee, which is one of the strongest, most

powerful committees in the legislature?

He said he didn’t want to throw money at a losing cause. UW-Richland supporters had a PLAN…a plan to increase students and become viable again. They just needed another 2 years to prove they could do it. Time, and a bit of money. Did Marklein ever meet with them?

Did he ever try to help them succeed?

NO. He seems to have been part of Rothman’s plan to rid the state of affordable education by ending 2 year campuses.

The UW system now is trying to get more international students, because of the amount of money they pay, and

the amount they spend. Isn’t it ironic that UW-Richland had many international students, and UW-Platteville took them over….thereby taking students and money away from UW R?!! And has Sen. Marklein ever spoken out about that?

No. But he did say he authorized a ton of money to go to UW-P for buildings, etc.

A small percentage of that money would have helped UW R stay in business. This kind of reminds me of how Marklein crowed about how wonderful the Foxconn boondoggle would be for Wisconsin, and how proud he was to be a part of it. Funny how he never talks about it

now.

I have never been able to figure out why Sen. Marklein seems to ignore Richland County. His party has said they want to get more young adults to come to WI and to work in WI….yet he turned his back on the young adults in his district who wanted an affordable education. I have been a frequent and vocal commenter about Marklein, and how he hasn’t done anything for us. He just never seems to give me a reason to change my mind.

On the cover

Dear Editor, I am writing to update the Village of Arena community on the progress made during our recent Village of Arena Resident Community Team meeting held on January 23rd. The response from residents was reassuring, and we are grateful for the shared commitment to fostering a transparent, informed, and engaged community.

During this initial meeting, we collectively established Meeting Agreements, emphasizing respect and constructive dialogue. These agreements are instrumental in ensuring that our discussions focus on addressing community issues rather than individuals.

We recognize the importance of addressing concerns that impact our community's well-being. We conducted an exercise inviting residents to share thoughts about our community. The open discussion highlighted several concerns: 1. Rising Taxes: Residents expressed worry about increasing tax rates and how the money is being spent.

2. Decrease in Services: Concerns were

raised about the state of our public safety services and communicating service interruption in a timely manner.

3. Police Department: Some residents shared thoughts that the reduction of our police force should have been shared with the residents before the change was made.

4. Lack of Transparency: Transparency emerged as a shared concern, with residents seeking more openness from our Village Board 5. Customer Service: It was shared that the Village personnel demonstrate poor customer service skills.

6. Harassment for Asking Questions: Some residents shared they have experienced instances of harassment for questioning how business is conducted in the Village.

A petition was presented to bring back transparency and easy access to Village of Arena meeting information. It states that

we, the residents of the Village of Arena, are committed to fostering a transparent, informed, and engaged community. We believe that increased transparency and accessibility to Village Board proceedings are essential for effective community involvement and decision making. Therefore, we respectfully request the following actions to be implement by the Village Board of Arena: Utilization of Audio-Visual Equipment, Recording and Accessibility of Meeting, Provision of Meeting Packets.

Our next Village of Arena Resident Community Meeting will be Feb. 27, from 6–7:30 p.m. at the Ewing-Olson VFW Post 9336, 514 Willow Street. Your presence and engagement are crucial as we address community concerns and work towards positive changes. We encourage ALL residents to attend and participate in this important discussion.

“Double Rainbow Over the Harrington Farm” Photo by Julie and Kent Jensen, provided by Alex Harrington

A true image of the farm that a neighbor took of a double rainbow over The Harrington Farm in Arena. "I guess I am 'over the rainbow,'" says Arena native Alex Harrington of his new job as a local chief meteorologist, profiled by Katie Green in this edition.

Submit your artwork or photography for cover consideration: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

Kay Ziegahn Richland Center, Wisconsin

Barbara Voyce Lone Rock, Wisconsin

Sue Pustina Arena, Wisconsin

Commentary/OpInIon

Thursday, February 8, 2024 Page 3

OPINION/EDITORIAL

Public Education — Part 10: Reforms or a Prescription for Disaster?

Beverly Pestel, Columnist The right to an education at the government’s expense may be one of the most important rights given to us by the Founding Fathers. It was a while in coming and, arguably, it has never lived up to their aspirations.

Following the progression and development of public education, however, allows us to understand where we’ve been, and where we may be going. More importantly, analyzing it carefully may be critical to ensuring a prosperous future for all

Beverly Pestel of us. So, here we go...

To cover the next chapters of public education, I need two good hands and I’m not sure they are equal to the task.

The fact is, it is a matter of “on one hand, but on the other hand.” And I’m finding out I have a lot of company on this. One of my readers has cautioned me that to maintain my credibility with readers I have to do due diligence to objectivity. Some of the quotes I use in this column are very negative regarding public education. So, that brings me back yet again to “You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have, the facts of life.”

You take the hand you’re given.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading, trying to be careful to get a balanced view. Some of what I’m reading is simply informative, but some of it is distressing enough to send me looking for antidepressants, and some of it is sending me to the Hallmark Channel to wipe the remnants of a horror story out of my head. Let’s start with Daniel Koretz, Research Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate

School of Education speaking about standardized testing— On one hand…

“Test-based accountability has become an end in itself in American education, unmoored from clear thinking about what should be measured, how it should be measured, or how testing can fit into a rational plan for evaluating and improving our schools. It is hard to overstate how much this matters—for children, for educators, and for the American public…

“Test-based accountability has led teachers to waste time on all manner of undesirable test preparation… have displaced a sizable share of actual instruction… has led to a corruption of the ideals of teaching…has led to manipulation of the tested population… and outright cheating…And it has created gratuitous and often enormous stress for educators, parents, and, most important, students…

(The Testing Charade: Pretending to Make Schools Better published in 2017, pgs. 5-6 Kindle Edition) On the other hand, Prof. Koretz makes it clear that there are positive methods to attempt accountability and admits that “Standardized tests, if properly used, are a valuable and in some instances irreplaceable tool.” (pg. 8) See what I mean?

OK, so how did we get here?

The federal government created a role for itself in K-12 policy by passing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This law has been reauthorized and changed multiple times, and each new iteration has expanded the federal role in education.

A case could be made that this would have been unnecessary had the states been more responsive to quality and equal education – but here we are. Now we have a mix of state and federal regulations for K-12 education.

Reforms have been implemented with the intent (we assume) to improve education and often to comply with federal requirements in order to

qualify for federal funding. The results clear and reasonable high school are – well – you will ultimately have to graduation requirements, improving decide for yourself. the quality of textbooks, increasing According to Diane Ravitch in her entrance requirements for the teaching book The Death and Life of the Great profession, and increasing teacher American School System, the late pay. Setting these standards became 1960s and early 1970 was a period of a hotbed of contention and a political radical school reforms: “Tear down football. According to Ravitch, in the the walls between the classrooms, said 1990s politicians decided that tests some reformers. Free the children, could be used to measure students’ free the schools, abolish all rules and performance and that accountability requirements. Let the English teacher to test results would lead to better teach math, and the math teacher teach schools.

English. Let students design their own State and national standards courses and learn whatever they feel continued to be written, and some of like learning whenever (or if ever) they them are pretty good. For instance, feel like learning…And then one day in the last edition of the national science 1975, the New York Times reported on standards are very good. Implementing its front page that scores on the SAT - these standards, however, has the nation’s premier college entrance proven to be difficult. In addition, the examination – had fallen steadily for development of curriculum, textbooks, over a decade.” (pg. 23) and teacher prep correlated with these Who could have guessed? I don’t standards is a herculean task with need two hands for this part. These no clear method to accomplish it or “reforms” did not occur everywhere implement it. as I indicated in Part 8, but they were So, tests. Well, that sounds easy, widespread enough to have an impact. forget working on a comprehensive Enter A Nation at Risk. curriculum, guaranteed quality In 1981, Secretary of Education T. H. textbooks, improved teacher Bell created the National Commission preparation, and increased teacher on Excellence in Education and pay. Just write a test that will directed it to present a report on the theoretically guide the curriculum and quality of education in America. That tell us whether the education system is report was published in 1983, it begins performing as we wish. this way…

Enter No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in “…the educational foundations 2001 of our society are presently Yeah, just write a test - and then being eroded by a rising tide of hold students, teachers, principals, mediocrity that threatens our superintendents, and school districts very future as a Nation and a accountable to meeting some arbitrary people…If an unfriendly foreign proficiency targets that are virtually power had attempted to impose unmoored in any meaningful way to on America the mediocre the standards. educational performance that I need to stop here, go pet the kitties, exists today, we might well have then take a long walk before I end up viewed it as an act of war. As it throwing these books against the wall. stands, we have allowed this to I’m still hoping for some good news to happen to ourselves.” (pg. 9) be found in these books, but I’m not at Let me insert a caution here: the test all sure the hands will be balanced on data they based this analysis on may this one. More on standardized testing not have been as accurate as they to come. thought.

This report, however, is credited Beverly is a retired professor. She with being the precursor of the lives in a remodeled farmhouse BETTER NEWSPAPE standards movement that focused and tends 40 acres of woodland in CONTEST AWAR heavily on the quality and breadth of Richland County. When not in the the curriculum. The standards-based woods she spends her time reading, reforms struggled along through the beauty W I S C Owriting N S I N N Eand W S PAenjoying P E R A S S Othe C IAT I O N F Oof U N D AT I O N 1980s calling for strengthening the the Driftless Area. Beverly may be curriculum for all students, setting contacted at bpestel@msn.com.

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REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS EDITION EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Graphic Design Community Columnist Agriculture Columnist Nicole Aimone Julianna Williams Katie Green Barb Garvoille Managing Editor Taylor Scott Democracy, Society & Edu. Columnist Literary Contributor Editorial Intern Legal Editor Beverly Pestel Mary Lanita Schulz Alex Prochaska Gary Ernest Grass, esq.

Have graphic design experience or interested in meetings, events or writing and becoming a community contributor? Let us know. Thank you to all of our contributors for believing in our community.

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On certain topics in areas of great community interest, the editors of the Valley Sentinel may take positions they believe best represent and serve the interests of the community. Any opinions or positions taken by the editorial board are separate and distinct in labeling and substance from the community journalism that appears in the rest of the publication and does not affect the integrity and impartiality of our reporting. .

Est. 2020 igne conflatum “Forged in Fire”

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Commentary/OpInIon

Thursday, February 8, 2024

OPINION/EDITORIAL

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, Otto von Bismarck once said: “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”

Hitler rose to power during the 1920’s-30’s. His single-minded Nazi party abandoned Christian love and compassion to fear and hatred. This same unbending fealty to a cult leader has become a real national problem for Americans this election year.

Martin Niemöller, a prominent German Lutheran Pastor during the 1920’s-30’s, supported Nazi’s radical right-wing. He became disillusioned after Hitler took total control in 1933 becoming an outspoken critic of Hitler’s regime. His opposition earned him eight years in Nazi prisons/concentration camps.

Pastor Niemöller is best remembered for his postwar statement: “First, they came for the socialists, and I did not

speak out because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”

After World War II, Niemöller spoke about his early complicity with Nazism.

His quote became the final words of the permanent exhibition at the U.S. Ho-

locaust Memorial Museum. His words serve as an indictment of passivity and indifference during the Holocaust.

We face Pastor Niemöller’s same dilemma in 2024. We must choose between Democracy/Freedom and Dictatorship/Autocracy! If cult-driven dictatorship wins, who will speak for you?

Lee D. Van Landuyt Hillsboro, Wisconsin

The (not so) Plain and Simple Correspondent: Alexander the Great continued from page 2 behave. Needing to wear glasses, he has taken to wearing spectacles with wild colored frames as his special signature.

Depending on the season and the weather he wears red frames for summery hot, blue for wintry cold, green for balmy spring, yellow or orange for autumn.

Recently, when he made an appearance at St. Luke's parochial school in Plain and at the Early Childhood Learning Center “to introduce the next generation of children to meteorology”, two of the things Alex led them in was making weather charts and their own paper glasses with colored frames of their choosing. You can bet the kids will remember that informative and fun day. He is what is called an “influencer” these days, for children and adults alike.

Since returning to Wisconsin from Kansas and waiting for his dream job “moment”, Alex has put together “a potpourri of skills – I try to adapt.” He is a consultant at UW Health, and teaches a business course at Edgewood College, as well as appearing at schools. It all adds up to an income. When I asked if he had a partner he said, “I'm too busy to date.” Instead, he adopted a German Shepherd mix, a rescue animal, whom he named “Loki”, after the Norse God of Mischief. “He's very spoiled in his eating preferences but has sparky energy and a great personality.” The latter traits like Alex himself. People know who he is

and recognize him on the street even if they are not acquainted. It is his fifteen minutes of fame, as the saying is.

“The River Valley has supported me in my life-long dream,” he tells me.

Commendations are now coming in from around the community to nominate him “Best of Madison” in the category of television personalities based on past performance, even before he starts the new position. Definitely a prestigious honor. Many farm boys such as he was are content to stay on the farm, which is honorable, too, and can be rewarding, even magical at times, but he thinks of it as “epic” that he has traveled out and beyond the farm, even been nominated for top ranking in such a public arena (pun intended.)

Summing up his rather eccentric life purpose, he says, “I aim to inspire people to do what makes them happiest.” He sees that “Everything I've experienced has built me for this moment. It didn't happen overnight.” In fact, it took years and never wavering from a goal he set at age four. Alex, may your empire and influence increase as you grow in age and wisdom. You do your hometown proud.

Katie, who until recently lived in Plain, has been writing for fun and profit since childhood. Self-described as opinionated, she writes in the interests of a more loving, better-functioning world for all.

She may be reached at katiewgreen@ icloud.com.

Photo contributed by Alex Harrington Alex Harrington does the weather on-air at the WISC-TV Channel 3000 studios in Madison.

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Norm Buehl

Photo contributed by Alex Harrington Alex Harrington's color coded glasses weather forecast legend.

Held At: St. John the Baptist Church Gymnasium 321 North Wisconsin Avenue Muscoda, WI 53573

Saturday February 24th, 10:00 am DIRECTIONS: 2 Blocks north of Muscoda Mini Mart & Copper Lounge on Wisconsin Ave./Hwy. 80. LUNCH: Kim’s Kitchen. NOTE: Large auction. All very clean & well kept. For complete listing & photos log onto www.georgeauction.com PICKUP TRUCK: 2009 Ford F-150 Lariat, Super Cab, 4WD, (225,000 Miles).

Photo contributed by Alex Harrington Alex Harrington teaches elementary students about the weather on a recent trip to Plain.

GOVeRnMent

Thursday, February 8, 2024 Page 5

State lawmakers propose ways of bolstering local news continued from page 1

that all Wisconsinites can access high quality, reliable local journalism that connects them to the communities and supports a civic engagement in Wisconsin.”

The journalism fellowship program would be administered by the University of Wisconsin System.

Under the program, a panel of UW journalism professors and industry experts would choose 25 fellows to match to participating newsrooms for a one-year fellowship.

Participants, who would be required to hold a two- or four-year degree in journalism, media, communications or a similar program, would receive a $40,000 salary.

Another bill would create a nonrefundable tax credit as a way of encouraging people to subscribe to their local newspaper. When subscribing to a qualifying local newspaper, taxpayers could receive a tax credit equal to 50% of the amount paid to subscribe. The credit would be

limited to a maximum of $250 in each taxable year.

Alex Frandsen, the journalism program manager for Free Press Action, said that newsroom closures, layoffs and the poor economic outlook for journalism affects more than just journalists.

“The less that we know about our neighbors, the less we know about our lawmakers, the less we know about our communities, the more disconnected and disempowered we become,” Frandsen said. “Access to civic news and information surely is a pillar of our democracy and really, a cornerstone of our ability to empathize with one another and create change collectively.

Unfortunately, it’s become clear that this pillar is just too much weight for the market to bear on its own. We desperately need policies that can start a new path forward and that’s what makes that thing here today.”

The last proposal would look to boost journalism by creating a Civic Information Consortium Board, which would work to distribute grants to

local news and media projects with the purpose of bolstering media literacy, civic engagement and supporting access to local journalism, especially in underserved communities.

The board would attached to the University of Wisconsin System and made up of two members appointed by the governor, four legislators, representatives of UW-Madison, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Superior and a representative of local media, a representative from the technology sector and two public members.

The Civic Information Consortium Board would be modeled after a similar one in New Jersey, which was adopted in 2018. Frandsen noted that the program has awarded about $6 million in grants since its inception.

Anderson noted that the program will be set up so that legislators cannot interfere with the accountability work that journalists often engage in.

“The goal, obviously, is for journalists to be able to hold us accountable and if the money was at all able

to be controlled by the legislators themselves, my concern was that it would influence the editorial process,” Anderson said. “So there are a lot of roadblocks to ensure that there is a separation between who receives those grants and any of the reporting that they may be doing on the individuals in the Legislature themselves.”

Under the bill, board members who are legislators would not be allowed to vote on matters related to a grant award.

Baylor Spears is a staff reporter for the Wisconsin Examiner. She’s previously written for the Minnesota Reformer and Washingtonian Magazine. A Tennessee-native, she graduated with a degree in journalism from Northwestern University in June 2022.

Read more at wisconsinexaminer. com

The proprietors of Prem Meats (E 5018 US Highway 14, Spring Green) have recently announced they are opening The Lux at Wintergreen (5320 Cty Rd C, Spring Green WI 53588)—a former ski resort, restaurant and event venue—and intend to shortly launch a full “Wisconsin Supper Club Menu”.

The Lux will be hosting its first Friday fish fry dinner open to the general public on Feb. 16.

The Lux will fully open, with complete menu offerings Wednesday through Saturday, in early March.

Have major updates to your business? Moving? Opening? Re-opening? Offering something you don’t normally offer during your regular course of business or having a pop-up?

Please submit your updates for consideration as we try to flesh out what this will look like and how to best drive engagement for our business community: editor@valleysentinelnews.com Remember, marketing is an important part of any event and business budget. These updates don’t replace advertising, but we’re happy to offer them as a business community service.

In the picture, from left, is Stefanie Morrill Kerckhoff, Joey Ksioszk and Dick Powell, owner of Rite-way Shell. The check they are holding is for $49,187.42. It was deposited in a CD in the name of Joey S. Ksiosk Educational Trust.

Special THANKS to Stefanie Morrill Kerckhoff, the Executive Director of River Valley Commons who accounted for all the contributions to the Joey S. Ksiosk Educational Trust.

Thank you once again to everyone who contributed money, silent and live auction items, their time, The Wintergreen, employees at Rite-way Shell, Fat Jacks BBQ, Janna and the Junkyard Dawgs and finally Wilkinson Auction service, and anyone else I may have missed.

—Dick Powell

THANK YOU!

Page 6

Community

Thursday, February 8, 2024

COmmunitycalendar

The Community Calendar is curated and designed by Julianna Williams. Events are subject to change, always check ahead for up-to-date information on any events you are interested in.

Events for February 8 - February 17 Thursday, February 8 Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green . ruralremedy.com . More information and registration details online.

Storytime 10:30 AM . Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock . lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com . Join us every Thursday for storytime!

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.

Bingo at Arthur’s Supper Club 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Arthur’s Supper Club, E4885 US-14, Spring Green . arthurssupperclub.com . FREE . 18+ . Every Thursday evening until May Arthur’s plays 7 games of Bingo. Bingo is FREE, food and beverages available.

Prizes for the winner of each game, donated by area businesses.

Saturday, February 10 SOLD OUT: The Art and Science of Sourdough Baking 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM . Meadowlark Organics, 3630 Ridgevue Road, Ridgeway . savortherivervalley.org . Participants will learn what sourdough is, how to create and maintain a starter, what to do with discards, and other basic sourdough info; scoring and baking, initial mix and first fold, seeds, forage loaf, soakers, rye, and more.

Spring Green Winter Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM . S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market offering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning.

Wednesday, February 14 All Ages Storytime 10:30 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Throughout the month of February we'll be sharing books, songs and activities that highlight the theme: "Love Makes the World Go Around".

Valentine Party 11:30 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Celebrate the day with someone you love!

Share some sweet treats, Valentine-themed games and crafts. Perfect for kids 11 and under accompanied by a caregiver.

Tween & Teen Anti-Valentine Party 3:30 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Looking for a refreshing break from the usual Valentine's mushy stuff? Find yourself feeling a little grouchy about Valentine's Day? No Worries- we'll offer slightly sour crafts, goofy games, and enough sugar to sweeten any day! 12 and up!

Thursday, February 15 Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green . ruralremedy.com . More information and registration details online.

Storytime 10:30 AM . Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock . lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com . Join us every Thursday for storytime!

SESSION FULL: WORKSHOP — Explore the World of Watercolor 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Watercolor classes designed for beginner and advanced beginner artists wishing to explore and improve their watercolor painting techniques. The classes will be held Thursdays, February 15-April 4 from 1-4pm. This class is full.

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 SESSION FULL: Introduction to Knitting 1:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . The three sessions are Family Fun Night! 5:00 PM . Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain . kraemerliFebruary 10, 17, and 24. Join us to experience the fun of social knitting! Learn or brush brary.org . Join us for Family Fun Nights at the Library! Each month we will have a fun up on the basic knitting techniques in a friendly, fun, and supportive setting. Materials themed activity for families to drop in to do. Join us for pizza and a movie! Families can for practicing the techniques and for a small project will be supplied. Space is limited; sign up at the front desk or call 608-546-4201. Kids under 6 must be with an adult. don’t miss out. This series is geared toward those 15 years old and up.

Arena VFW Steak Feed 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM . Arena VFW Hall 514 Willow Street, Arena .

For more info look up Ewing-Olson VFW Post 9336 on Facebook . $15.00 Steak (done the way you like) $8.00- 8 ounce chicken breast. 608-753-2225 for carryout.

LIVE MUSIC: Feestet 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . Tickets $10 in advance/$15 at the door . It’s Valentine’s Day weekend and we’ve got a great treat for you. Come on down for a night of romantic dancing to some of the great jazz standards and more. We’ll clear the dance floor and leave tables around the edges for what is sure to be a beautiful night.

Feestet features songs that non-jazz lovers can enjoy, songs that will perk the ears of jazz enthusiasts, songs that harken back and push forward this timeless genre.

Sunday, February 11 Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM . Radiant Spirit Retreats Yoga, S7163 County Rd G, Hill Point . ruralremedy.com . More information and registration details online.

LIVE MUSIC: Troye Shanks 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green . 608-5880-707 . His thirty plus years as a singer/songwriter, Troye Shanks has performed well over a thousand shows and has just about as many songs at his beck and call. Mixed in with some original music there are plenty of cover songs to please almost any crowd.

Valentine's Day Cookie Decorating Class 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM . Grandma Mary’s Cafe,175 U. S. Highway 14, Arena . Facebook: Royally Sweet Cookies or Email: Alicia@royallysweetcookies.com . Join us for a fun and tasty cookie decorating class. Get your creativity flowing as we show you how to turn plain cookies into edible masterpieces. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned decorator, this class is perfect for all skill levels. Learn various techniques, tips, and tricks from our expert instructors.

Bring your friends, family, or even come alone - it's a great opportunity to meet new people and have a blast. Don't miss out on this sweet event! Tickets are $58 each.

Tuesday, February 13 Movies, Munchies and More — Passing 1:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Come to the library for a cup of coffee, a sweet treat, a movie. Movie Summary: In 1920s New York City, a Black woman finds her world upended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend who's passing as white. (PG-13, 1hr 38 min, 2021) SESSION FULL: Moving Senior Bodies 4:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Join Upland Hills Health professionals Rosie Morrey, APNP, and Jennifer Day, COTA, for weekly classes focusing on balance and strength training to promote healthy aging.This session is full. We are planning on doing more sessions, so please check back after the summer.

Winter Afternoon Storytime 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM . Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Story time includes stories and songs followed by a fun themed craft and activity.

Yoga with Rural Remedy 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green . ruralremedy.com . More information and registration details online.

Bingo at Arthur’s Supper Club 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Arthur’s Supper Club, E4885 US-14, Spring Green . arthurssupperclub.com . FREE . 18+ . Every Thursday evening until May Arthur’s plays 7 games of Bingo. Bingo is FREE, food and beverages available.

Prizes for the winner of each game, donated by area businesses.

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.

Friday, February 16 WORKSHOP: River Valley Players Theater Arts Workshop All day event . River Valley High School, 660 Varsity Blvd, Spring Green . Contact Patrick Hagen, hagenp2@gmail.com for more information . The cost is $15.00. Students receiving free or reduced lunch will receive a scholarship to cover the costs of participation . This all-day workshop is for new and experienced high school actors and those students interested in theater production. It will provide students with opportunities to grow in confidence as performers and participants in theater making. Enrollment is limited to 20 students.

Saturday, February 17 Trader's Winter Kids Fisheree 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM . Trader's Bar & Grill, 6147 Hwy 14, Arena . Ages 15 and under. Registration Required - 8:00am-9:00am. Kids Fishing Time - 9:00am - 1:00pm. Kids must have pole in their hands. 8 years and under may accept assistance by adult with bigger fish. Three (3) poles allowed per child.

We will be fishing on the bank. You will need to bring a regular fishing pole and tackle (spinner bait) to fish. We will supply bait. Fishing poles will be provided upon registration, if needed.

Spring Green Winter Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM . S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market offering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning.

SESSION FULL: Introduction to Knitting 1:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . The three sessions are February 10, 17, and 24. Join us to experience the fun of social knitting! Learn or brush up on the basic knitting techniques in a friendly, fun, and supportive setting. Materials for practicing the techniques and for a small project will be supplied. Space is limited; don’t miss out. This series is geared toward those 15 years old and up.

Winter Afternoon Storytime 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM . Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Story time includes stories and songs followed by a fun themed craft and activity.

LIVE MUSIC: Rare Element 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . $15 in advance/ $20 at the door . Madison based funk band, Rare Element, has developed a strong reputation for its high-intensity live shows. The band's highly talented 7-piece roster, including 3-piece horn section, bring massive energy to the stage at each performance. The band is highly influenced by classic funk artists, come see for yourself!

very (maybe?)

V

r

Community

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Events for February 8 - February 22 Sunday, February 18 River Valley FFA Annual Pancake Breakfast 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM . Arena VFW, 514 Willow St, Arena . For more information look up River Valley FFA on Facebook, or call 608-588-2554 ext. 2109 . Adults $8. Children 5-10 $5. 4 and under Free . Profits will be used towards a variety of River Valley FFA events, workshops, and scholarships.

Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM . Radiant Spirit Retreats Yoga, S7163 County Rd G, Hill Point . ruralremedy.com . More info and registration details online.

Euchre 6:00 PM . Dave's On Main, 1170 Main St, Plain . For more info look up Dave’s on Main on Facebook . Join us every Sunday for Euchre!

Monday, February 19 Arena Historians 1:30 PM . Grandma Mary's (Brisbane Hall), 175 US Hwy 14, Arena .

For more info look up Arena Historians on Facebook . Mark your calendars as the Arena Historians will welcome master craftsman Nels Diller as our featured guest. Diller, who studied log cabin building techniques in Norway, has been leading the restoration efforts of the Aslak Lie Cabin at Folklore Village. We will also take a look back at the life of Margaret Akins, one of our founding members, who recently passed away at the age of 95.

Monday Teen Movie: The Hate U Give 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Starr Carter lives in two very different worlds, trying to find a balance between the poor neighborhood she lives in and the wealthy elite prep school she attends. When she witnesses the violent death of a friend during a police shooting she must stand up for justice, even if it alienates her from friends on both sides. PG-13- Strong language, mature themes including some violent content and drug use depicted. Parents are encouraged to use their discretion when deciding if this film is right for their child.

A Night of Words 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . An open mic. Friends sharing words. Watch. Listen.

Speak. Share. Maybe you have a favorite poem, or passage from a book you’d like to share. Or maybe you write your own and are ready to share it with the rest of us.

Maybe you just want to tell a story. Or maybe you just want to listen. It’s all good. Let’s hang out and share words together. Poetry. Stories. Original work and old favorites.

This and that. A Night of Words.

Tuesday, February 20 Winter Afternoon Storytime 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM . Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Story time includes stories and songs followed by a fun themed craft and activity.

Yoga with Rural Remedy 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green . ruralremedy.com . More information and registration details online.

Wednesday, February 21 All Ages Storytime 10:30 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Bring the whole family to the library for a morning of song, stories, movement, and fun!

Arcadia Book Club discusses "Orbital" by Samantha Harvey 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM .

This is a virtual book club meeting . readinutopia.com . A slender novel of epic power, Orbital deftly snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men hurtling through space—not towards the moon or the vast unknown, but around our planet. Selected for one of the last space station missions of its kind before the program is dismantled, these astronauts and cosmonauts— from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan— have left their lives behind to travel at a speed of over seventeen thousand miles an hour as the earth reels below. Their experiences of sixteen sunrises and sunsets and the bright, blinking constellations of the galaxy are at once breathtakingly awesome and surprisingly intimate. Profound, contemplative and gorgeous, Orbital is an eloquent meditation on space and a moving elegy to our humanity, environment, and planet.

Thursday, February 22 Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green . ruralremedy.com . More information and registration details online.

Storytime 10:30 AM . Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock . lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com . Join us every Thursday for storytime!

SESSION FULL: WORKSHOP — Explore the World of Watercolor 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.com . Watercolor classes designed for beginner and advanced beginner artists wishing to explore and improve their watercolor painting techniques. The classes will be held Thursdays, February 15-April 4 from 1-4pm. This class is full.

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.

Bingo at Arthur’s Supper Club 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Arthur’s Supper Club, E4885 US-14, Spring Green . arthurssupperclub.com . FREE . 18+ . Every Thursday evening until May Arthur’s plays 7 games of Bingo. Bingo is FREE, food and beverages available.

Prizes for the winner of each game, donated by area businesses.

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.

sunday, February 25

featured event:

drag brunch frundraiser

RIVER VALLEY ARTS 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM . Reunion, 134 W. Jefferson Street, Spring Green . rivervalleyarts.org or contact@rivervalleyArts.org . . ADULTS ONLY . $30 / Ticket .

Raise money for River Valley ARTS while enjoying Reunion's delicious brunch menu. Hosted by Diva Beverly Hillz. Tickets available online.

Doors open at 10:30 AM!

Page 7

CIVICS CIVICS & & SERVICES

C A L E N DA R

This calendar is a place listing (for free) the typical meeting dates for area governmental bodies,

Please email us with these meetings, or use the form on our Community Calendar page — and let's build community together: editor@valleysentinelnews.com February 9: VOLUNTEER: Ridgeway Pine Relict Workday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . For questions or to RSVP, contact Bob Scheidegger at bobscheidegger@yahoo.com. RSVP is preferred but not required. Simply reply that you’re attending and we’ll mark you down as a volunteer . Ridgeway Pine Relict State Natural Area is known for its scenic pine relicts that have northern plant species. Help care for this site with Friends of Ridgeway Pine Relict by removing invasive plants and encouraging native plants at our second Friday of the month workdays. Activities during winter focus on brush cutting, treating and burning. An optional potluck lunch will follow immediately after the workday.

February 12: MEETING: Library Board Meeting 5:00 PM . Commmunity Room, Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.org . The Library Board of Trustees meets each month, typically on the first or second Tuesday, at 5 PM. Changes to this schedule are posted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

The meetings are open to the public.

MEETING: Wildlife Forever ATV Club 6:30 PM . Arena VFW, 514 Willow St, Arena .

For more info look up Wildlife Forever ATV Club on Facebook February 13: MEETING: Village of Lone Rock Board Meeting 7:00 PM . villageoflonerock.com .

Village Hall, 314 E Forest St, Lone Rock . See full agenda online February 14: MEETING: Plain Village Board Meeting 6:30 PM . 510 Main Street, Plain . villageofplain.com .

MEETING: Village of Spring Green Board Meeting 7:00 PM . In person and virtual event . 154 N. Lexington Street, Spring Green . vi.springgreen.wi.gov .

February 15: St. Luke Catholic Preschool Open House 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM . St. Luke Catholic School, 1290 Nachreiner Ave, Plain. stlukes-plain.org . Diane Mueller. Principal 608-546-2963 or diane.mueller@stlukecatholicchurchplain.com . Any families with children interested in entering 3K or 4K for the 2024-2025 school year are invited to join us for our annual open house event! Come meet our staff, learn how we set a foundation for your child’s learning, and help them grow closer to God. 3K:Half Monday-Thursday (8-11). 4K: 5 full days a week.

February 20: VOTING: Primary Election Day 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM . myvote.wi.gov . Check online to see a list of who is running, and where you can vote!

February 22: Farmland Preservation Listening Session 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM . Kraemer Library & Community Center, 910 Main St., Plain . co.sauk.wi.us . Sauk County is launching a planning process for the update of the Sauk County Farmland Preservation Plan which outlines strategies and policies which designate how the County participates in the Farmland Preservation Program. The Wisconsin Farmland Preservation Program (FPP) is designed to help local governments and landowners preserve agricultural land, minimize conflicting land uses, and promote soil and water conservation. Owners of farmland who participate in the program receive an income tax credit incentive.

The County will be hosting listening sessions to collect input that will be utilized in the preparation of the Sauk County Farmland Preservation Plan. Attendees will have the opportunity to comment on topics related to the future of agriculture in Sauk County including farm succession, the Farmland Preservation Program, rural development, and programs and services needed to support and protect productive and profitable farms and communities. Please contact Brain Simmert at 608-355-4834 or email brian.simmert@saukcountywi.gov with any questions on the field day.

February 27: MEETING: Village of Arena Resident Community Meeting 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM .

Arena VFW, 514 Willow St, Arena .

WHAT’S HANGINg ? ongoing art exhibitions

Spring Green Community Library Art Exhibitions . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E Monroe St, Spring Green . Throughout February. Monday-Thursday: 10 AM - 7 PM . Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM . Saturday: 9 AM - 1 PM February exhibits feature art work from River Valley High School students.

The Community Room Gallery is an exhibition featuring works in photography, graphite, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, collage, and multimedia by graduating seniors from the River Valley Class of 2024. The artists in this year’s graduating class explore a variety of art media and are enrolled in both entry level and advanced level visual arts courses. The collection of work provides a peek into what each has learned during their time at River Valley. We wish them all the best of luck as they finish the last semester of their high school careers.This exhibit can be viewed at anytime during regular library hours when the Community Room is not already in use. Please ask for the room key at the circulation desk.

The collection in the Glass Case Gallery is a variety of 3D artwork from artists in 9-12th grade. This work has been completed in 3D studio Arts and Ceramics Arts courses.

Students in these classes explore a variety of three dimensional media and themes that correlate with the WI state standards for Visuals Arts Education This display is available for viewing during regular library hours.

The Community Calendar is curated and designed by Julianna Williams.

Events are subject to change, always check ahead for up-to-date information on any events you are interested in.

“The good stuff.”

Page 8

Community/arts & cULtUre

Thursday, February 8, 2024

What is Lexington & Jefferson?

Some time ago, we announced the soft launch of a semi-regular to regular literary section we've been inspired by other literary compilations to call Lexington & Jefferson.

As the pivotal intersection of our community, we envision this as a place that celebrates the cross-section of arts in our greater community.

We envision it as a place of curated and submitted prose, poetry and more that showcase the talents of our community.

Each edition we receive submissions of artwork, poetry, prose and other musings that we have trouble placing in the paper on their own and often have to simply hold or regrettably turn down.

We hope this becomes a welcome place for them.

This space will grow and change, as all things do, and we welcome talented individuals, organizations, authors, experts and artists to help curate this section. We are beginning to actively seek to publish an

Lexington & Jefferson

Musings from the End of the Rainbow

Take a journey with me to the end of the Rainbow. I grew up at the end of Rainbow Road, a beautiful and magical place in a River Valley, just outside of a town called Spring Green. Following are stories and reflections of a simpler time.....

— Mary Lanita Schulz

dƌĞĂƐƵƌĞƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ,ĞĂƌƚ

annual literary journal. If interested, please reach out.

We may also use this space for arts & culture news and submitted musings that don't quite fit within the bounds of a traditional column, profile or letter to the editor.

Get involved: If you're interested in submitting, curating or have ideas, please do not hesitate at all to submit them to us at: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

LITERARY + ARTS & CULTURE SECTION

A Selection...

Sigh of Winter, Promise of Spring: Poems for Valentine’s Day Curated by Alex Prochaska, Editorial & Literary Intern It’s been an unusual Winter, hasn’t it? We’ve jumped from icy subzeroes to the warmth of a premature Spring.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I for one welcome the odd season.

Here are two Valentine’s poems fit for this year’s Winter. The first is a traditional, rather short love poem which some might say is a little cold. The second is longer, and it’s not your typical Valentine’s poem at all—but like our weather, I hope it’s received as an interesting shakeup.

—Alex

Valentines’ ĂLJ͕ &ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ ϭϰ ͕ Ă ĚĂLJ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ƐĞƚ ĂƐŝĚĞ ĨŽƌ ůŽǀĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƌŽŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ŶĞǀĞƌ “ƚĞĐŚŶŝĐĂůůLJ” ƚŚ

ĐĞůĞďƌĂƚĞĚ Ăƚ ŽƵƌ ŚŽƵƐĞ͘ /ƚ ǁĂƐ ĂĐƚƵĂůůLJ &ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ ϭϬƚŚ͗ ĂLJ ŽĨ DŝƐĐŚŝĞĨ ĂŶĚ WƌŽŵŝƐĞ͕ >ŽǀĞ ĂŶĚ DLJƐƚĞƌLJ͘ &ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ ϭϬƚŚ ǁĂƐ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ƚŚĂŶ ŵLJ parent’s ĂŶŶŝǀĞƌƐĂƌLJ͕ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ƚŚĂŶ ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ͕ ŵŽƌĞ

A Trinity

ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ƚŚĂŶ ĂŶLJ ďŝƌƚŚĚĂLJ͕ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ DŽŵ ĂŶĚ ad’s ƵŶŽĨĨŝĐŝĂů͕ ŽĨĨŝĐŝĂů͕ ĚĞĐůĂƌĂƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ Ă ůŝĨĞůŽŶŐ ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ĞĂĐŚ ŽƚŚĞƌ͘ 'ƌŽǁŝŶŐ ƵƉ͕ DŽŵ ǁĂƐ ĂůǁĂLJƐ ǀĞƌLJ ĨŽƌƚŚƌŝŐŚƚ ƚŽ ƵƐ ŬŝĚƐ͘ &ƌŽŵ Ă ǀĞƌLJ LJŽƵŶŐ ĂŐĞ ƐŚĞ͕ ŝŶ ŶŽ ƵŶĐĞƌƚĂŝŶ ƚĞƌŵƐ͕ ǁŽƵůĚ ƚĞůů ƵƐ ƚŚĂƚ ƐŚĞ ŚĂĚ ĂĚ ůŽŶŐ ďĞĨŽƌĞ ƐŚĞ ŚĂĚ ĂŶLJ ŽĨ ƵƐ ĂŶĚ ŽŶĐĞ ǁĞ Ăůů ůĞĨƚ͕ 'ŽĚ ǁŝůůŝŶŐ͕ ƐŚĞ ǁŽƵůĚ ŚĂǀĞ Śŝŵ ůŽŶŐ ĂĨƚĞƌ͘ dŚĞŝƌƐ ŵĂLJ ŶŽƚ ŚĂǀĞ ďĞĞŶ Ă ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ŵĂƌƌŝĂŐĞ ďƵƚ to the two of them “they” came first and ǁĞ

Of three in One and One in three My narrow mind would doubting be Till Beauty, Grace and Kindness met And all at once were Juliet.

Hilaire Belloc

“ŬŝĚƐ” ƐĞĐŽŶĚ͘ dŚĂƚ ŵĂLJ ƐŽƵŶĚ ŚĂƌƐŚ ƚŽ ƐĂLJ ƚŽ Ă ĐŚŝůĚ ďƵƚ ďLJ ƐĞĞŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŵ ƉƵƚ ĞĂĐŚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĨŝƌƐƚ͕ ůĂƵŐŚ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ͕ ǁŽƌŬ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ͕ ƉůĂLJ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ ĂŶĚ ŐĞŶƵŝŶĞůLJ ĞŶũŽLJ each other’s ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ / ĨĞůƚ͗ ^ĂĨĞ͕ ^ĞĐƵƌĞ ĂŶĚ >ŽǀĞĚ͘ >ŝŬĞ ĐůŽĐŬǁŽƌŬ͕ ĞǀĞƌLJ LJĞĂƌ͕ ĐŽŵĞ ƚŚĞ ϭϬƚŚ ŽĨ &ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ DŽŵ ǁŽƵůĚ ďĞ ĂŶ ĞdžĐŝƚĞĚ ĐŚŝůĚ ǁŽŶĚĞƌŝŶŐ ǁŚĞƌĞ Žƌ

A Valentine

ǁŚĞŶ ƐŚĞ ǁŽƵůĚ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ ŚĞƌ ŚĞĂƌƚ ƐŚĂƉĞĚ ďŽdž ŽĨ ĐŚŽĐŽůĂƚĞƐ͘ ĂĚ ǁŽƵůĚ ǁĂůŬ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ĂĐƚŝŶŐ ĂƐ ŝĨ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ ũƵƐƚ ĂŶLJ ‘ŽůĞ ĚĂLJ͕ ŶŽƚŚŝŶŐ ƐƉĞĐŝĂů ĂďŽƵƚ ŝƚ͘ >ŝŬĞ ĂŶ ĂƐƚĞƌ ďĂƐŬĞƚ͕ ǁĞ ŶĞǀĞƌ ŬŶĞǁ ǁŚĞƌĞ ŝƚ ŵĂLJ ƐŚŽǁ ƵƉ͘ /ƚ didn’t ŵĂƚƚĞƌ ƚŽ ƵƐ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ DŽŵ’s͕ ĂƐ ǁĞ ƚŽŽŬ ũƵƐƚ ĂƐ ŵƵĐŚ ũŽLJ ŝŶ ĨŝŶĚŝŶŐ ŝƚ͕ ŬĞĞŶůLJ ŬĞĞƉŝŶŐ ŝƚƐ ůŽĐĂƚŝŽŶ Ă ƐĞĐƌĞƚ ƵŶƚŝů DŽŵ ĐŽƵůĚ ĨŝŶĚ ŝƚ ŚĞƌƐĞůĨ͘ ^ŽŵĞ LJĞĂƌƐ ŝƚ ǁŽƵůĚ ďĞ ƐŝŵƉůLJ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚ ŽŶ ŚĞƌ ƉŝůůŽǁ͕ Žƌ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĂƚ ŽĨ ŚĞƌ ĐĂƌ͕ Žƌ ũƵƐƚ ƐƵĚĚĞŶůLJ ƐŚŽǁ ƵƉ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƵŶƚĞƌ ǁŚĞŶ ƐŚĞ ǁĂůŬĞĚ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌŽŽŵ ĨŽƌ ŽŶůLJ Ă ŵŽŵĞŶƚ͘ dŚĞƌĞ ǁĂƐ ŽŶĞ LJĞĂƌ ƚŚĂƚ͕ ĐŽŵĞ ƐƵƉƉĞƌ͕ ŶŽ ŚĞĂƌƚ ŚĂĚ ďĞĞŶ ĨŽƵŶĚ͘ DĞĂůƚŝŵĞ ǁĂƐ ƚĞŶƐĞ ĂŶĚ ƋƵŝĞƚ͕ ĂƐ DŽŵ ƐƚĞǁĞĚ͕ ƚŚŝŶŬŝŶŐ ĂĚ ŚĂĚ ĨŽƌŐŽƚƚĞŶ͘ Ɛ ǁĞ ĂƚĞ͕ Ăll of us kids couldn’t help but ƌĞůĞĂƐĞ ŵƵĨĨůĞĚ ŐŝŐŐůĞƐ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ďŝƚĞƐ ĂƐ ǁĞ Ăůů ĐŽƵůĚ ƐĞĞ ƚŚĞ ďĞĂƵƚŝĨƵůůLJ ďŽǁĞĚ ŚĞĂƌƚ ďĂůĂŶĐŝŶŐ ƉƌŽŵŝŶĞŶƚůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ůŝŐŚƚ ĨŝdžƚƵƌĞ ĚŝƌĞĐƚůLJ ĂďŽǀĞ dŚĞ ŝŶŶĞƌ dĂďůĞ͘ tŚŽ ŬŶŽǁƐ͕ ŵĂLJďĞ DŽŵ ǁĂƐ ŵĞƐƐŝŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ ƵƐ͕ ĂƐ ŝƚ ƐĞĞŵƐ ŝŵƉůĂƵƐŝďůĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƐŚĞ ĐŽƵůĚ ŚĂǀĞ ŵŝƐƐĞĚ ŝƚ͊ ǀĞƌLJ LJĞĂƌ ǁĞ ǁŽŶĚĞƌĞĚ͕ ǁŚLJ ƚŚĞ ϭϬƚŚ͍ KƵƌ ŵŝŶĚƐ ĂƌƌŝǀŝŶŐ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚŽƌƌŝĚ ŽĨ ƉŽƐƐŝďŝůŝƚŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞƌLJ LJĞĂƌ ǁĞ ũƵƐƚ ŐŽƚ Ă sly look and a “just because” response ĨƌŽŵ ĂĚ͘ tŚĞŶ ĂĚ ĨĞůů ŝůů͕ ŚĞ ĐĂůůĞĚ ŵĞ ƚŽ ŚŝƐ ďĞĚƐŝĚĞ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƋƵĞƐƚĞĚ ƚŚĂƚ / ƉůĞĂƐĞ ŐŽ ďƵLJ DŽŵ Ă ĐŚŽĐŽůĂƚĞ ŚĞĂƌƚ ĂŶĚ ďƌŝŶŐ ŝƚ ƚŽ ŚĞƌ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ϭϬƚŚ͘ &Žƌ ƚŚĞ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ LJĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ŚŝƐ ŝůůŶĞƐƐ͕ ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚ ďĞĚƌŝĚĚĞŶ͕ ŚĞ ŶĞǀĞƌ ĨŽƌŐŽƚ ƚŽ ƌĞƋƵĞƐƚ Ă ŚĞĂƌƚ ĂŶĚ /͕ Ɛƚŝůů ŶŽƚ ŬŶŽǁŝŶŐ ǁŚLJ ƚŚĞ ϭϬƚŚ ͕ ĨĞůƚ ŝƚ ĂŶ ŚŽŶŽƌ ƚŽ ďĞ ĞŶƚƌƵƐƚĞĚ ĂƐ ŚŝƐ ƐƵƌƌŽŐĂƚĞ ƵƉŝĚ͘ hƉŽŶ ĂĚ’Ɛ ƉĂƐƐŝŶŐ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ŽƵƚ ŚŝƐ ǁĂůůĞƚ͕ ƐƚƵĨĨĞĚ ƐŽ ĨĂƌ ŝŶƚŽ ĂŶ ŝŶƐŝĚĞ ƐůĞĞǀĞ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ ĂůŵŽƐƚ ŵŝƐƐĞĚ͕ DŽŵ ĨŽƵŶĚ Ă ƐŵĂůů ƐĐƌĂƚĐŚ ŽĨ ƉĂƉĞƌ ĨŽůĚĞĚ ŝŶ ĞŝŐŚƚ ƐƋƵĂƌĞƐ͕ LJĞůůŽǁĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŐĞ͘ hƉŽŶ ĐĂƌĞĨƵůůLJ ƵŶĨŽůĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƚĂƚƚĞƌĞĚ ƐĐƌĂƉ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝŶ ĨĂĚĞĚ ŝŶŬ͕ ƐĐƌŝďďůĞĚ ŝŶ ĂĚƐ LJŽƵƚŚĨƵů ŚĂŶĚǁƌŝƚŝŶŐ͗ DŽŵ ƌĞĂĚ͖ &Ğď ϭϬƚŚ …<ŝƐƐĞĚ ĚŝƚŚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĨŝƌƐƚ ƚŝŵĞ͘

dŚĞ ŵLJƐƚĞƌLJ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŚĞĂƌƚ ĂƌƌŝǀŝŶŐ LJĞĂƌůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƚĞŶƚŚ ǁĂƐ ĨŝŶĂůůLJ ƐŽůǀĞĚ͘ DŽŵ ŚĂĚ ĐĂƉƚƵƌĞĚ ĂĚ’Ɛ ŚĞĂƌƚ ŽŶ ƚŚĂƚ ĚĂLJ ƐŽ ŵĂŶLJ LJĞĂƌƐ ďĞĨŽƌĞ ĂŶĚ ŚĞ͕ ŝŶ ƚƵƌŶ͕ ŐĂǀĞ ŝƚ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ ŚĞƌ ĞǀĞƌLJ LJĞĂƌ ĂĨƚĞƌ͘ ĂĚ ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ ŐŽŶĞ ŶŽǁ ĨŽƌ ŽǀĞƌ ƚǁĞŶƚLJ LJĞĂƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŚĂƐ ŶŽƚ ďĞĞŶ ŽŶĞ LJĞĂƌ͕ ƐŝŶĐĞ ŚŝƐ ƉĂƐƐŝŶŐ͕ ƚŚĂƚ DŽŵ ŚĂƐ ŐŽŶĞ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ƌĞĐĞŝǀŝŶŐ Ă ŚĞĂƌƚ͘ / ƚĂŬĞ ŐƌĞĂƚ ƉƌŝĚĞ ŝŶ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ĂŶĚ ĨŝŶĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ƐLJŵďŽů ŽĨ ůŽǀĞ ƚŽ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚ ƚŽ ŵLJ DŽŵ ĞǀĞƌLJ &ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ ϭϬƚŚ ͗ Ɛ / ŬŶŽǁ͕ ŝƚ ŝƐ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ƚŽ ĂĚ ƚŚĂƚ DŽŵ ŬŶŽǁƐ͗ ǀĞŶ ŝŶ ĞĂƚŚ͕ ŚĞ Ɛƚŝůů ƚƌĞĂƐƵƌĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĨŝƌƐƚ <ŝƐƐ͘

A Valentine The Bree was up; the floods were out Around the hut of Culgo Jim: The hand of God had broke the drought And filled the channels to the brim: The outline of the hut loomed dim Among the shades of murmurous pine, That eve of good Saint Valentine.

He watched, and to his sleepy gaze The dying embers of the fire, Its yellow reds and pearly greys, Made pictures of his younger days.

Outside the waters mounted higher Beneath a half-moon's sickly shine, That eve of good Saint Valentine.

He opened; by his heels the hound Sniffed at the night. ‘Who comes, and why?

What? no one! Hush! was that a sound?

Methought I heard a human cry.

Bah! 'twas a curlew passing by Out where the lignum bushes twine, This morn of good Saint Valentine.

‘What ails the dog? Down, Stumpy, down!

No? Well, lead on, perchance a It is, poor brute, that fears to drown.

Heavens! how chill the waters creep!

Why, Stumpy, do you splash and leap?

'Tis but a foolish quest of thine, This morn of good Saint Valentine.

There, in the great slab fire-place The oak log, burnt away to coal, Showed him the semblance of a face Framed in a golden aureole: Eyes, the clear windows of a soul— Soul of a maid, who used to sign Herself, ‘Jim, dear, your Valentine.'

‘Nay, not so foolish as I thought . . .

Hark! 'mid those reeds a feeble scream!

Mother of God! a cradle—brought Down from some homestead up the stream!

A white-robed baby! Do I dream?

No, 'tis that dear dead love of mine Who sends me thus a Valentine!'

Lips, whose pink curves were made to bear Love's kisses, not to be the mock Of grave-worms . . . Suddenly a whirr, And twelve loud strokes upon the clock; Then at the door a gentle knock.

The collie dog began to whine That morn of good Saint Valentine.

Barcroft Boake

102 East Jefferson Street, Spring Green

curbside pickup and shipping Jan-March 2024 Last Month’s Bestsellers at Arcadia Books Offering only 608-588-7638 | www.readinutopia.com

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Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt After Tova’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat.

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Upcoming Events + Book Club

Arcadia Book Club discusses: “orbital” by Samantha Harvey Feb. 21st, 2024 @ 6:00PM - 7:00 PM Register at readinutopia.com/events

Community/aG In Brief Rep. Considine announces retirement from Wisconsin State Assembly Representative Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) recently announced his decision not to seek re-election to the Wisconsin State Assembly, bringing a conclusion to his ten years of service. In a statement, Rep. Considine expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve his constituents.

Reflecting on his retirement, Rep. Considine stated, "I am grateful for the privilege of serving the constituents of the 81st Assembly District and surrounding areas. I have enjoyed this job immensely and am honored to have been elected to serve each of you and the citizens of our state."

During his tenure, Rep. Considine has focused on issues such as agriculture, hemp farming, public education, environmental protections and mental health.

Considine's 81st Assembly District covers northeast and east central Iowa county within Valley Sentinel's immediate coverage area, and continues northeast to encompass Baraboo.

Wormfarm Institute receives grant from National Endowment for the Arts Wormfarm Institute recently announced a Grants for Arts Projects award of $50,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This grant will support the 10th iteration of the Farm/Art DTour, scheduled from October 5-14 in Sauk County. The NEA announced a total of 958 grants across the country, amounting to more than $27.1 million in its first round of fiscal year 2024 grants.

The Farm/Art DTour is a free, 50mile, self-guided route through Sauk County's working farmlands. It features site-responsive artworks, pasture performances, roadside poetry, local food markets, and more. This biennial event fosters community engagement and celebrates the intersection of culture and agriculture in the region.

Donna Neuwirth, Executive Director of Wormfarm, highlighted the importance of investing in rural places and connections with urban neighbors, particularly as farming practices evolve. "Artists have a unique role to play in exploring timeless connections between people and the land," she said, "and collaborating with our agricultural community to imagine ways forward."

Wormfarm Institute, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to building a sustainable future for agriculture and the arts. For more information on other projects included in the NEA’s grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

Thursday, February 8, 2024 Page 9 Reflections from Lost Horizon Farm — The Unusual, The Unexpected and The Funny (Part 6) Barb Garvoille, Columnist

The Unexpected Delivery 1988 was a year of terrible drought.

Even with all the barn's fans in operation, the cattle suffered in the high heat and humidity. Milk production was affected by the record number of above 90 degree days as humidity levels approximated those of a tropical region. Milk production took a nosedive, cows did not show heat, and those that were bred had low conception rates. The milk price was poor, both crops and crop yields were stunted, and the grasses in the pastures had gone dormant.

On the very day that we were debating whether or not to supplement our cows with some of the precious hay we had been able to harvest that summer, we heard a tractor pulling onto our farm road. A retired farmer/neighbor, a man we did not know well, had driven down to our place with a flat rack loaded high with square bales. He understood drought, he said, and he was gifting this load of feed to us. He had known drought years beforehand; in fact, he spoke of going down to the Wisconsin River to cut marsh hay for his hungry cattle and also about going into his woods and felling trees so that his cattle could eat the tree leaves. His was a gift we never forgot; we were forever grateful to this very thoughtful and generous gentleman, Bub, who would not accept anything in return for his act of kindness.

on sandy ground, it was ready to bale the following day. Mr. Farmer had taken the tractor and round baler down to the prairie and had hired a man to rake the hay. The windrows were tall and fluffy. Some of the hay must have come in contact with the hot engine of the tractor. When Mr. Farmer looked back at the baler, he saw the windrow on fire, and burning hay going into the baler. While the hired man unhooked the rake, jumped on his tractor, and raced back to the farm to call the fire department, Mr. Farmer pushed the flaming bale out of the baler and drove the baler and tractor out of harm's way and parked. He then decoupled his tractor from the round baler and hitched it to the hay rake.. He lowered the rake knowing the tines would then hit the ground and kick up sand that might smother some of the flames. In an ever tightening circle, he began raking, trying to rake the fire into the middle to contain it. However, because the field was so dry, even with the raking, the sod and stubble continued to burn outward.

The volunteer fire department came quickly and extinguished the fire. It had burned about an acre of land and six round bales. The round baler had been damaged as well. Several of its reinforced rubber belts had burned. Luckily, there had been no wind that day, and the fire had not reached the woods. If it had, the droughtstricken trees and underbrush would have burned and caused a much larger, far more dangerous fire.

Mr. Farmer made a point of calling the landowner straightaway. He wanted to be sure the owner was aware of the fire on his prairie land before he read about it in the local paper!

Fire on the Prairie We had another neighbor who had signed up his prairie land in a government set-aside program. This program was a conservation program for which the government paid the landowner a dollar figure per acre in set-aside in return for not harvesting land enrolled. During the year of the drought, the government had released land held in that program so that farmers could harvest the overripe and weedy forage from it. (As Mr. Farmer would say:”It’s better feed than a snowbank!”) The neighbor allowed us to make hay on some of his acreage in return for paying him the small amount of money he needed to return to the government for those harvested acres. It was another Godsend for us.

Mr. Farmer had cut the hay. Because of the extraordinarily dry conditions and because this crop was mature and growing

Farm Lumberjacking A mulberry tree in the front yard had been an attractive food source for summer birds like Catbirds, Robins, and Cedar Waxwings, so even though it was close to the house, it had been allowed to grow.

One winter a split filled with ice appeared in the crotch of this tree, and during a particularly windy day, it appeared that the tree was about to shear in two and fall on the house. Mr. Farmer went into emergency mode and readied his chain saw. He hurriedly and successfully made a saw cut and had pounded a wedge in the cut to direct the tree's descent. When the tree announced its intention to fall with a loud crack, Mr. Farmer got out of the way. Unfortunately, because of the wind, the tree fell in two directions. One part of the tree hit and dented the lid of the farm’s propane tank on the lawn, and the other part of the tree spun and its branches tore

Each edition, retired dairy farmer Barb Garvoille brings her musings on dairy farm life from her own years of experience on Lost Horizon Farm with her late husband Vince “Mr. Farmer” Garvoille.

This mooving memoir focuses on 19802000, join Barb as she rises with the herd.

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille Mr. Farmer photographed in 1988, the very challenging year of stunted crops and poor yields. the screens on the porch. At least, disaster was averted because the house was not hit directly!

Another time, on an unsettled summer evening, a sudden and very forceful wind gust blew an oak tree in the front yard onto the highway. Mr. Farmer defaulted to a frantic hurry-up mode because we feared a motorist might collide with the sizable downed tree as darkening conditions reduced visibility. We parked the farm truck so that it straddled the centerline of the highway and activated its emergency flashers to blink as a warning. First, Mr. Farmer cut the tree into good-sized sections. Then, using the tractor and a log chain, he pulled those sections off the road and onto the lawn where they could be moved later to be cut up for firewood.

Many downed trees had been cut for firewood on Lost Horizon Farm, but these two incidents served as a reminder of who the real lumberjack was: Mother Nature.

Barb has called Lost Horizon Farm, just north of Spring Green, her home for the past 44 years. She is fond of all creatures (including snakes). Her joy stems from being able to be outdoors every day observing and treasuring the plant and animal life on her small piece of this planet. She loved milking cows and is proud to have been a dairy farmer.

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille Mr. Farmer used his skid steer to move a portion of tree trunk from the lawn.

4PeteSake

4PeteSake is accepting applications for potential 2024 Spring Funding recipients Visit 4petesake.com for more information or to download an application.

Applications may also be obtained by writing to P.O. Box 577, Spring Green, WI 53588

Applications must be received by March 8, 2024

Page 10 Thursday, February 8, 2024

Outdoors & Recreation

The Sauk County Gardener February Gardening Tasks

Jeannie Manis, Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener “February is the border between winter and spring.”

— Terri Guillemets It’s hard to believe but February is upon us. We had a nice melting this past weekend but don’t be fooled, we will still have a bit of winter to contend with. While it was melting outside, I was doing a little winter sowing (until I ran out of milk jugs). I now have a small group of milk jugs sitting in my raised beds where they can get plenty of access to sun, snow and rain.

There’s not a lot of garden tasks to complete in February, but there are a few you can complete to help you get a head start for spring. If your forced bulbs are done blooming, keep them in a sunny window and continue to water them. Plant them outside after

the threat of hard frost has passed. It may take up to 2+ years for them to bloom again. To keep your houseplants growing evenly, give their containers a quarter to half turn every two days or so.

If you’re like me with limited time, just rotate them a quarter turn every week when you water. It’s not perfect but it’s better than nothing at all. Try to fit a monthly shower of tepid water for your houseplants into your schedule as well.

If you stored dahlias or begonia tubers or any other fleshy rooted plants, inspect them for rot or desiccation (dried up) and toss any bad ones.

Around week two, start begonia tubers in pots. Around week three, you can start impatiens, vinca, pansies, and geraniums from seed. I’ve had good luck with geraniums but not impatiens – I think I’m too impatient as they are slow growers. If you want to learn more

about starting impatiens from seed, visit hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/ how-start-impatiens-seed. For some beautiful tropical color for your potted plants, start caladiums in pots around the end of the month.

Just as you need to inspect stored flower bulbs, inspect any stored vegetables, and toss any bad ones. About mid-month, you can start leek and onion seeds. If you don’t want to start them from seed, you can order them for delivery around mid-April. Long day onions do best in northern states that have 14-16 hours of summer daylight length. If you don’t want to start onions from seed or order online, there are several nurseries that offer them for sale – Woodland Valley Farms just outside of LaValle is one of my favorite nurseries and they offer onions plants for sale. Look for them to open in late April.

Once you’re done with your indoor chores, step outside and see what trees and summer-blooming shrubs need pruning. Some summer blooming shrubs include hydrangea, spirea, weigela, and buddleia (butterfly bush). Don’t prune spring blooming shrubs or you won’t have any spring blooms. If your oak tree needs pruning, plan to complete it before April to prevent the risk of oak wilt. In fact, stop pruning when daytime temps reach 50 degrees. While you’re outside, check young trees and shrubs for rodent injury on lower trunks and add hardware cloth or protective collars if needed. You may want to check some of your older trees as well. A couple years ago when we had very deep snow, we ended up with extensive rodent damage on one of our original flowering crab trees. The tree was girdled by rodents, and we ended up losing a beautiful tree.

Flowering shrubs that form their flower buds on new wood can be pruned in late winter/early spring. Many of these summer-blooming shrubs bloom on new wood: Japanese spirea, potentilla, rose of Sharon, dogwoods, St. John's Wort, and buddleia (butterfly bush). Hydrangea is a summer-blooming shrub, but it’s also important to know if your hydrangea blooms on new or old wood. Panicles and smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood and should be pruned in late winter/ early spring before the flowers begin to bud or right after the plant has finished blooming. ‘Limelight’ or ‘Peegee’ varieties are examples of panicle hydrangeas, and they tend to be cone-shaped, sharply pointed and bloom on new wood. They will respond to hard pruning in late winter by vigorously growing new stems.

The ‘Annabella’ variety is an example of a smooth hydrangea. If you want to control its size, cut down all the stems to the ground prior to new stem growth.

Those hydrangeas that bloom on old wood (bigleaf, oakleaf) should really only have their weak and dead stems removed in late winter/early spring. Other shrubs

that bloom on old wood (previous year growth) include azalea, bridalwreath spirea, forsythia, lilacs, mock orange, ninebark, rhododendron, viburnum, weigela, wisteria, and witch hazel.

Late winter/early spring is also ideal for pruning certain trees and evergreens.

Some shrubs that do well at this time of year are yew, holly, boxwood evergreen shrubs. Spruce and fir trees should be pruned when they are still dormant before new growth begins. You can also prune sweetgum, maple, and hornbeam at this time. If you have an oak tree that needs pruning, it’s extremely important to complete its pruning before April to prevent the risk of oak wilt. In fact, stop pruning when daytime temps reach 50 degrees. Apple trees can also be pruned in late winter/early spring. The goal is to keep the tree open with the main branches well-spaced. With large trees, consider hiring a professional to trim any large, high-up branches.

Plan to attend our Sauk County Master Gardeners Association’s meeting on Thursday, February 8 at 6pm in the West Square Building, Room B-24,

Baraboo. Becky Gutzman, Columbia County Master Gardener, will present “Extending the Garden Season: Winter Sowing.” Bring a clean plastic milk jug if you wish to participate. This meeting is free and open to the public.

Finally, this weekend (February 9-11) is the PBS Wisconsin Garden & Landscape Expo at the Alliant Energy Center. You’ll find 150+ free educational gardening presentations, access to UW-Madison Extension Horticulture experts, a full exhibitor mall, and more.

I’ll be working in the UW-Madison Extension Horticulture booth on Saturday afternoon – stop by and bring your gardening questions. For more information, visit https://wigardenexpo. com/.

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 trripp@wisc.edu or calling the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250.

Cold Weather Pruning Jeannie Manis, Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener “The color of springtime is in the flowers; the color of winter is in the imagination.”

— Terri Guillemets The nice weather this past weekend afforded me the opportunity to check some of our trees to see what needed pruning, and if so, how much. I mentioned last week that it was time to see what trees and summer-blooming shrubs need pruning. Although it is not always comfortable to prune in late winter/early spring, it’s a great time for most deciduous trees and shrubs as many are dormant in the winter.

Pruning in the winter makes it easier for the plant to recover. The plant will then put its energy toward producing new grown when it starts to warm up.

Another reason to prune in the winter is that it is easier to see a plant’s shape when it doesn’t have any leaves. The best pruning weather is a mild, dry day.

Knowing when to prune flowering shrubs is important so you don’t inadvertently prune off all the flower buds by pruning at the wrong time.

River Valley Area Community Gardens donates 2103 lbs of produce, reflects on 2023 Rose Ellen Schneider, River Valley Area Community Gardens The River Valley Area Community Gardens Inc. has successfully completed its 8th growing season.

At its annual meeting in December, the Gardens announced that they had donated more than 2103.4 lbs of produce to help relieve food scarcity in the River Valley area. The Community Food Pantry of Spring Green received 1621.9 lbs. The Meadows Assisted Living and Memory Center received 216.5 lbs. A minimum of 265 lbs of produce was distributed through the veggie kiosk on the Gardens site on Westmor St in Spring Green. Produce donated by individual gardeners, the Busy Bees and other gardeners in the area was not weighed.

The Gardens reported serving 36 garden families in 52 plots with 8 gardeners renting 10 x 10 plots, 10 gardeners renting 10 x 20 plots and 18 gardeners renting one or more 20 x 20 plots. Two gardeners rented a total of 5 elevated bed.

In addition to renting plots to area residents, the Gardens provided free 10 x 10 garden plots to 9 children in grades 3 through 12. It also provided a 2 ft by 4 ft raised bed to 27 children ages 3 through grade 4 who participated in the Busy Bees Garden Club. The Busy Bees also participated in a variety of educational classes on Tuesday mornings between

June 7 and Aug 9.

Also at the meeting the Gardens increased their board membership to 11 and elected the following officers President, Rose Ellen Schneider; Vice President, Doug Rouse; Secretary, Kelly Miller, and Treasurer, Melissa Hildebrandt.

The Gardens sponsored several educational opportunities that were open to the public including a Planning Your Garden workshop at the Spring Green Community Library in March with a follow-up in August in conjunction with a Gardens Open House. There was also a demonstration of basic gardening techniques in May. The RVACG thanks all of you who participated in our successful fundraising activities of brat frys, the ice cream stand at the Art Fair, Culvers Share nights and the Caramel apple sale at the RV School Fair to raise money for the building of our new equipment shed. As 2023 ended, all permits are in place, with site and construction plans approved for the building of our new equipment shed in 2024.

The RVACG would like to thank the following for help and support in various ways, Jim and Caryl Sprecher, Jerome Sprecher, the Spring Green Art Fair Committee, Cardinal IG, Peoples Community Bank, Doerre Hardware, TriCounty Building Supply, Red Barn

Photo contributed by Rose Ellen Schneider Produce from the River Valley Area Community Gardens is seen.

Catering, the Spring Green Community Church, Spring Green Community Library, WRCO radio, the Weekly Home News, Valley Sentinel, Hometown Supermarket, Oakwood Fruit Farm, Prems Meats, Culvers of Spring Green, Wendy Crary, Vikki Stingley, and Adam Reno at the Village Office. For support of the Busy Bees Garden Club, the Gardens would like to thank Emily Whitmore, Culvers of Spring Green and Subway.

Looking forward to its 9th growing season in 2024, the Gardens is anticipating the building of the

equipment shed, providing more educational opportunities for gardeners and the community, installing a new garden sign and more fundraising opportunities.

Registration for the 2024 season is open.

Applications are available by request via email at info@rvacg.org, by phone at 608-588-6040, or request through the RVACG Facebook or web pages. Annual rental fees run from $20 for a raised bed to $60 for a 20 x 20 plot.

Water, mulch, tiller, fertilizer and other amenities are included.

Outdoors & Recreation

Thursday, February 8, 2024 Page 11

An Outdoorswoman’s Journal Selina Walters, Columnist

Life Changes

Hello friends, I, Selina, will be writing this week’s column to fill you in on some pretty big life changes I have undergone recently.

On December 16th I graduated from UWSP with a double major in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and Water Resources, minors in Soil Science and Biology, and a Wetland Science certificate. (I know that is a mouthful, but I never tell people all the things because it is, and now is my chance! (It was a lot of work so I’m taking this opportunity.)) I am also proud to announce that I was selected to receive the Chancellors Leadership Award upon my graduation, an award given to students who exemplify strong leadership skills and selfgrowth during their time at UWSP. Graduating was extremely bittersweet. I truly loved my time at UWSP and could not imagine myself having attended another university.

As far as natural resources education goes, I do not think UWSP can be beaten, the number of programs and opportunities available through the school are incredible. I believe what makes UWSP so special though is the

professors and faculty who continually go above and beyond for their students.

I consider many of these people to now be friends, and plan to keep in touch with them throughout my career. It has also been very exciting yet difficult to watch my friends grow up alongside me, many of my natural resource friends are like me and dispersing all over the US chasing their own dreams.

By the time this has been published I will be moved out to Missoula, Montana!

I was incredibly fortunate and landed a full-time permanent position out there as a Fish and Wildlife Consultant Biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Consultant Biologists work with other federal agencies who are planning to modify federal land where endangered species are present to minimize the impact of their modification to the species. I know that sounds really confusing so here is an example of something I could run in to.

Example: the US Forest Service wants to log a section of National Forest, but they need to build a logging road that will cross a stream that contains Bull Trout. It will be my job to add insight to where would be the best location, and what would be the best way to build the road with having the least amount of

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Selina graduated from UWSP with a double major, two minors, and certificate as a first generation student in December 2023.

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Photo contributed by Mark Walters Mark’s influence on Selina had a large impact on her career decisions.

impact to Bull Trout.

I quickly want to note: I actually didn’t even apply for this position. After I completed my job in Arizona this summer, my resume was sent around and the supervisor out of the USFWS office in Missoula called me, now the rest is history! I do want to acknowledge that there were many people who aided in this transition, and I would not have been able to do it without them.

As excited as I am to move out to Montana, I would be lying if I said it is all happy emotions that I’m feeling right now. I have been extremely fortunate to live with or very close to my best friends for the last four and a half years. My closest girl friends have been like the sisters I never had, and I know I will never lose that relationship with them, but it is bittersweet to watch it change.

Moving away from my family is going to be the most difficult, in all honesty I don’t even really know how to put it into words.

It would be inappropriate for me to not include a section on my Dad. I think my Dad has been the most impactful person to me, and is a large part of the person that I am today. You may know, I went on my first camping trip when I was only a few months old, and that was not just a one-time deal. In a lot of ways, I was

raised surrounded by the outdoors.

From a young age my Dad taught me the importance of conservation, utilizing and appreciating natural resources. While our mission was always to harvest something on our countless hunting and fishing trips, I think the real goal of his was simply for us to appreciate time together outdoors. He is 62 but you would never know, extremely hardworking, always has a positive attitude, contributes to his community regularly, and is one of the craziest people I know. He is the one of the coolest and best people I know, and I aspire to be like him.

I love Wisconsin and the life I have here. There are countless people that have helped me become the person I am today and have pushed me towards success. I will forever be grateful for my time spent, lessons learned, and connections made at UWSP. As sad as I am to leave, I am very excited to start this new chapter of my life!

You can’t stop time, so might as well make the most of it!

Selina

Want to read more?

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

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Selina with her friends from UWSP after a fun morning electrofishing.

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Page 12 Thursday, February 8, 2024

Outdoors & Recreation

An Outdoorsman’s Journal Mark Walters, Columnist

Something about Selina

Hello friends, Ever since December 15th, my life has pretty much been on the same track and that is/was spending time with my daughter Selina before she moved to Missoula, Montana.

First it was graduation, then it was Christmas, followed by a ten-day trip to Mississippi where we camped and hunted deer and hogs. Next it was moving her from Stevens Point, a simple going away party and this last week, loading up my truck and 12-foot trailer and moving her to Missoula where she is now a biologist (as of Monday) for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

My run with Selina started back in 2000 and this week I am going to write about some of my incredible memories. When I realized that I was going to be a father, I used to slow dance with Selina’s mother and talk to Selina, sounds crazy, but I did this with regularity. When Selina was born, she was breached, which meant things became serious during her birth. As soon as she was born, she looked at me and smiled, that is how Selina got the name “Goof” which I use almost daily.

I am an outdoor writer and live off the land as much as possible and this also includes hobby farming on a large scale. By the age of 3 months, I carried Selina everywhere that I was working such as planting trees, gardening,

cattle, and firewood work I would set her down and have my golden retrievers stay with her.

Without trying I turned Selina into a person that loves to canoe. When she was 2 years and 4 months old, I took her on the Chippewa flowage in early May. I had purchased a small kids paddle for her and tied her on a rope so that if she fell in, I could pull her back into the canoe. It was cold, Selina fell in the “Big Chip” while paddling and I pulled her back to the canoe. Selina started crying and I figured it was because she was cold. She then told me it was because she had lost her paddle and that was why she was crying. We retrieved the paddle, built a camp, and dried her out.

I was extremely active as a single parent with Selina’s schooling. When she started kindergarten, I took her on her first day, introduced myself to her teacher and from then on for the next five years, volunteered in her class once a week teaching the kid’s outdoor stuff. When the kids were too old for my lessons, I started KAMO. Some of my favorite experiences were being her mentor for spelling bees and speeches as well as DECA which she went to Nationals for as a junior and senior.

I would cook supper, Selina would study in her room and then give her presentation to me, she could handle constructive criticism.

Bear hunting. Selina hunted black bear in northern Juneau County at the age

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Selina Walters graduation from UWSP put a smile on a lot of peoples faces.

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Selina Walters at 4 months of age with her pups Star and Pearl!

of 10, 13 and 15. When she was 110,we hunted 19 nights and on two occasions we had a huge sow come in with 1.5 year old cubs which are legal to harvest and do not go into the den with their mother at that age. The sow was huge and presented very easy shots, Selina passed on her and I agreed with her decision.

When Selina was 15, after hundreds of hours running baits and sitting in stands, she harvested a beautiful bear and all was perfect in our world.

When Selina was just starting her freshmen year in high school I set her up at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge as a volunteer and it soon became known that she could do both manual labor and brain work on the computer. That winter Selina told me that she was going to become a biologist and someday be a refuge manager, the course of that plan started then and never deviated.

I have been “low income” my entire career as a writer but do just fine. I told Selina that she needed to think of scholarships both local and national as a part time job and to apply and to do it right. The proudest night of my life was during her senior year at the “Honors Banquet” Selina was awarded $22,000.00 in local scholarships and the majority of the donors said it was

because of her activities in clubs and volunteering. Selina graduated from UWSP with no debt and two majors.

This one was a tough pill for me to swallow but she was correct. Selina told me when she was 15 that if she was going to be ahead of the pack, she was going to have to intern every summer in college. That is exactly what she did, which meant that she did not come home. Selina’s interning is what got her the job she now has.

So we move to the present, I put 3000, miles on my truck, met Selina’s coworkers and the following day started the drive home well aware that the best 22 years of my life had just passed.

As much as that is true, the young biologist can legally hunt as a Montana resident after 6 months. Her father loves to hunt elk and even if he does not get a tag, he can always camp and sit with his daughter in the Rocky Mountains this fall.

You did good Goof!

Love Dad

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

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Mark Walters and Selina enjoying a great day on a Canadian fishing trip back in 2016.

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