Inside this edition
RV School Board passes on track resurfacing
SG Farmers Market weighs FoodShare/EBT payment
Page 5
Page 7
Spring Green, Wisconsin
Fishing & Foraging + Morel pasta recipe
Pages 9-10
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Vol. 2, No. 17 Free, Single-Copy
DHS Secretary visits Richland County to view lead abatement progress in area homes Photo by Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief
Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee, Karen Timberlake visited a home in Richland County April 22 to see progress on a house that will benefit from Lead Safe Homes funding from DHS. The Lead Safe Homes project was introduced about two years ago, and aims to give homeowners or landlords funding to remove any lead based paint or other lead based products in pre-1980s homes to minimize lead poisoning in children. In the upcoming biennial budget, Gov. Tony Evers is proposing additional funding for lead removal in homes and water supplies. For more information on how to benefit from the Lead Safe Homes project, contact local county health departments. Pictured: DHS Secretary-designee, Karen Timberlake, center foreground, tours a home included in the Lead Safe Homes project in Richland Center with Troy Morris, Richland County’s environmental health consultant, right background, and Rose Kohout, Richland County’s public health officer, at left.
Richland County appoints new clerk following sudden resignation of Vlasak Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief The Richland County board voted to appoint former deputy clerk Derek Kalish as County clerk, and approved an overall decrease to the position’s salary at its April 20 meeting. Following the sudden resignation of current County Clerk Victor Vlasak earlier this month, the board scrambled to appoint someone prior to April 30, Vlasak’s last day in office. Kalish will finish out the 2021-2024 term to which Vlasak was re-elected in No-
vember 2020. “I would like to thank all of those who put their name in for the position, it’s not easy and I do appreciate it,” said County Board Chairman, Marty Brewer of Richland Center. “This was put together pretty quickly, we didn’t have a lot of time to react, but we sure as heck need a clerk.” While the position of Clerk is typically elected, due to Vlasak’s resignation, the board is given the power to appoint a replacement through state
statute. The county board could also choose to appoint someone intermily, and order a special election to elect the permanent replacement for the remaining term. However, Interim Corporation Counsel Julie Dadoun recommended the board not take that route, as there is no upcoming election cycle that would create additional cost to the county. “I am eager to see Derek Kalish return to service for the residents of Richland County as our future County
Clerk. As the former Deputy County Clerk, he will hit the ground running with his knowledge of elections, record keeping, and state requirements,” said Supervisor and Finance Committee Chair, Shaun Murphy-Lopez, of Hillsboro. “I look forward to seeing how he modernizes the office and creates partnerships with the County Board and other elected officials.” The board’s vote to appoint Kalish was unanimous.
See page 6
County Health Departments provide update on vaccine distribution Valley Sentinel reached out to the local health departments for an update on vaccine distribution in the county. Below are responses about vaccines in Iowa and Richland counties. Valley Sentinel: As availability increases and demand plateaus, do you foresee there being an excess of vaccines? Iowa County Health officer Debbie Siegenthaler and Iowa County Emergency Management Kieth Hurlburt: Yes, at some point we will see more vaccine than there are people wanting to be vaccinated. VS: If so, does the county plan to adjust its distribution methods? DS/KH: We have started to make adjustments now. This week and next
week we will offer clinics that will incorporate some evening hours. Our intent is to provide an opportunity for people to be vaccinated without taking off of work or using their earned time off. VS: How confident are you that we will reach a herd immunity level of vaccinations in the county? Do you have an estimate of when that could happen? DS/KH: We are relatively confident that this will happen later this summer/fall. To reach herd immunity, we strongly encourage people to be vaccinated to protect themselves and their family, friends and neighbors. We have confidence that residents will continue to help in this pandemic response as
they have been all along. Getting vaccinated is another important step everyone can take to reach herd immunity and get our lives back to whatever our “new” normal is. VS: What would you say to the people who are on the fence about getting the vaccine? DS/KH: We ask that they base their decision on credible sources of information, do their own research and not fall victim to the misinformation game. They should consider the documented data on the testing of the mRNA vaccine technology, its incorporation into the COVID-19 vaccines and the efficacy data that has been established. We can’t do anything about those who spread bad information or twist information
to fit their agenda. We ask that those on the fence remember this. Those of us working to vaccinate people are not interested in profit or notoriety. We simply want people to live as long and as healthy of a life as they can. Herd immunity is necessary to achieve a broad level of protection from the virus. To that end, it is important that every person who can get vaccinated, does – see a few resources on herd immunity below as well as vaccine safety. Below are responses from Rose Kohout, Richland County Public Health Officer. Valley Sentinel: As availability increases and demand plateaus, do you
See page 6
Page 2
opinion
WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
‘s
1ST ANNUAL
BEST of LOWER WISCONSIN
THE
RIVER VALLEY 1 2 20 READER POLL SPRING GREEN AREA
CATEGORIES & QUESTIONS
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Outdoors & Leisure Best Body of Water for Recreation Best Campground Best Golf Course Best Place to Get Fit Best Sledding Hill Best Trail - Hiking/Biking Arts & Culture Best Free Entertainment Option Best Holiday/Seasonal Event Best Local Play/Musical Best Music Festival Best Mural Best Local Visual Artist (Illustration/Painting/Sculpture, etc.) Best Art Gallery Best Local Music Best Local Author Best Music Venue Best Photographer Noms & Nightlife Best Food Event Best Appetizer (location and item) Best Bakery Best Place to Get Coffee
Updates: Timeline
April 14 - May 4: Open nominations! This is your time to share all your best choices for each category and question. Share your favorite business or place or thing. Instructions on how are below. May 5 - May 26: Polls open! This is your time to vote on the nominations and
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Best Breakfast/Brunch Spot Best Friday Fish Fry Best Burger (location and item) Best Wings Best Food Truck/Food Pop-up Best Regional Beer (brewery/specific brew) Best New Restaurant Best Restaurant for Outdoor Dining Best Pizza Best Steak Best Place for Dancing Best Bar Best Old Fashioned Best Subs/Sandwiches (Anything between 2 pieces of bread that’s not a burger) Best Restaurant Best Wedding Venue Best Supper Club in the Region Best Regional Winery Oot & Aboot Best Day Trip Best Hotel Best Public Park
help decide who or what wins each poll question. We’re working on the possibility of write-in options as well. June 2: Winners announced! On or around this date winners will be announced. We’re still ironing out the details of what this looks like and what sort of fancy certificates and such
• • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Best All-Ages Hangout Best Tourist Attraction Best/Most Beautiful Local Spot Shopping Best Area Bookstore Best Clothing Boutique Best Gas Station (specific location) Best Sporting Goods/Tackle Store Best Place to get Groceries Best Hardware Store Best Place for Jewelry Best Cheese Factory Best Place to Buy Meat Best Shop for Gifts Services Best Attorney Best Autobody Shop/Automotive Repair Best Bank/Credit Union Best Place to get a Haircut Best Carpentry or Remodeling Company Best Construction Company Best Dental Practice Best Electrician
businesses get, but feel free to share your ideas!
Right Now: Call for Nominations
Visit www.valleysentinelnews.com and submit your nominations online. Online nominations are live as long as the link is up.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Best Florist Best Heating & Cooling Company Best Area Hospital/Clinic Best Plumber Best Senior Living Residence Best Tax Service Best Vet Clinic Best Real Estate Agent/Office Best Landscaping/Lawncare Best Local Insurance Agent/Office Best Nail Salon Best Event/Wedding DJ Agriculture Best CSA Best Farm Extras Favorite Elected Official Most Overrated Thing in the Valley Most Underrated Thing in the Valley Thing the Valley is Best At Thing the Valley is Worst At Biggest Thing We Should Make Happen Soon
Businesses
By the end of the week we will be providing resources online for you to use to engage customers to assist with voting. Email us with any questions: editor@valleysentinelnews.com or visit www.valleysentinelnews.com/best-of
Letter to the Editor: Inspiring Hope through Healing The Richland community has much to celebrate during this National Hospital Week, May 9-15. The staff at the Richland Hospital, along with the County Public Health and Emergency Response teams, took the lead in addressing the Covid pandemic from early on. During those first few months, adapting to the newly reorganized clinic and hospital structure added challenges. I signed up early when the opportunity came up for a vaccination. I’ve heard others say that they had an experience like mine that day in the Pippin meeting rooms - a very efficient
process and a sense of the beginning of the lift of burden of isolation and anxiety. The recognition by Madison television stations made Richland County a destination for more than our usual attractions. Over a span of almost 100 years, the turning points in our lives have happened at the hospital. “I was born there” is a phrase that we hear throughout the area. We have shared births, struggles with an illness or an injury, and loss of loved ones with caring staff members who might have faded from our memories, but were never-the-less people who helped us through these moments. As local
residents, we appreciate that we have a hospital with the caring and talented people who work there. We thank them from the bottoms of our hearts. As health care has become more complex and as diagnoses and treatments have expanded, so has the physical and organizational structure of the hospital. At the center of every expansion is the dedication of the community to keeping our hospital in Richland Center. While a trip to Madison or La Crosse for entertainment might be fun, a long drive for medical care or support for our families in a medical crisis is not! Staff members appreciate a chance to work in their
profession without a long daily drive for work. We need to continue to support our local hospital. The theme of National Hospital Week is “Inspiring Hope through Healing.” As we heal from the effects of the pandemic, we can be assured that the Richland Hospital will be here for us, and will continue to grow to meet the increasingly complex demands for our health and our health care system. —Marilyn Rinehart Chair Richland Hospital Board of Directors
REGIONAl
WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
Page 3
Wisconsin state legislators wrote themselves a ‘bizarre’ loophole in the Open Records Law Peter Cameron, The Badger Project If the city of Oshkosh’s streets superintendent gets an email from a citizen complaining about an uneven sidewalk in front of his house, by law that public employee has to hold onto that record should anyone want to see it. But if a state legislator gets an email from a lobbyist asking for political favors in exchange for money, it’s perfectly legal for the legislator to delete that digital document, and thus the evidence. That’s a comparison Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, likes to make to explain how state legislators in Wisconsin have shielded themselves from the state’s Open Records Law, throwing a potential dark cloak over the public work they are elected to do. In Wisconsin, public officials generally must retain all public records, which includes emails. But state legislators have no legal obligation to do so. State legislators must comply with an Open Records request, but if they have destroyed the record, they have nothing to send. “Obviously it’s troubling,” Lueders said. “It allows legislators to make things go away that they would rather not see the light of day.” State Rep. Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) told the Wisconsin Examiner that his office “frequently deletes emails during the normal course of business each day.” The state’s Open Records Law was enacted in 1982 by a state legislature controlled by Democrats and signed
into law by a Republican governor. For the third time, Sen. Chris Larson, a Democrat from Milwaukee, has introduced a bill to close that exemption for state legislators. Before his election to the state Senate in 2010, Larson served on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. As a public official, he had to maintain all his records there, and assumed the same when he arrived in the legislature. But as his email inbox filled up and ran low on space, Larson said he was told by IT staff to simply delete old messages. The destruction of public records is “actually encouraged because you don’t have the space to retain these records,” Larson said. “It’s just flabbergasting that’s the case.” The state senator’s first two bills to close the loophole were mostly ignored by Republicans who control the legislature, and Larson doesn’t expect this time to be different. The majority party generally pays little attention to bills from the minority. “There’s a huge traffic jam of bills that never make it onto the freeway,” Larson said. The fact the Wisconsin State Legislature is even subject to the Open Records Law, albeit with a huge caveat, actually makes it one of the more transparent states. Nearly a quarter of all states — 12 in total — do not even allow records from the legislature to be accessed by the public, according to a study from The Journal of Civic Information. Congress has also excluded itself from open records requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
Legislators and their records are subject to the Open Records Law in Wisconsin. But only if they do something that isn’t legally required: keep their records. This exemption “completely undermines Wisconsin’s public records law and the ability for citizens to trust their Legislature,” said David Cuillier, the president of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and an associate professor of journalism at the University of Arizona. “It’s really quite bizarre, and an outlier in the United States. The right thing to do is remove it and restore accountability and credibility to the institution.”
Contact us
PO Box 144 Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588 USA (608) 588-6694 editor@valleysentinelnews.com valleysentinelnews.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Nicole Aimone Managing Editor Taylor Scott Legal Editor Gary Ernest Grass, esq. Interns Graphic Design/Pagination
The Badger Project is a nonpartisan, citizen-supported journalism nonprofit in Wisconsin.
Deadlines: The display and classified
Valley Sentinel is published in Spring Green, Wisconsin every Wednesday by Lower Wisconsin River Valley Sentinel, LLC. ISSN 2694-541X (print) — ISSN 2694-5401 (online) Anna Stocks-Hess Graphic Design/Infographics Whitney Back Editorial Adeline Holte Graphic Design/Editorial Nicole Hansen Editorial Matthew L. Beyer
Editorial Adam Meyer Distribution/Photography Kalen Scott Regular Contributors Arts & Culture/Editorial Bill Gordon Arts & Culture/Editorial Alison Graves
advertising deadline is Monday at noon for that week. If you would like our design team to design the ad then please allow extra time for the creative process and proofing.
Ad team: ads@valleysentinelnews.com Arts Jen Salt Columns Grace Vosen Sports Mike McDermott
Our team will be growing and changing as we settle into publishing regularly, please stay in touch. Thank you to all of our contributors, by name and by pen, for believing in our community.
Editorial Policy
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
Letter to the Editor Policy
Letters submitted for consideration are subject to fact-checking and editing for space and clarity. Submissions must have a compelling local community interest. Letters to the editor must fit within a 500-word limit, and include name, city and phone number. Phone numbers are for office use only and will not be published. Letters of a political nature, without chance of rebuttal, will not be published the week before an election.
and impartiality of our reporting.
Est. 2020 igne conflatum “Forged in Fire”
Valley Sentinel is a free, weekly single-copy news publication, available on newsstands in the area. Covering Arena, Lone Rock, Plain, Spring Green and the surrounding areas.
Column Policy
Editors may feature opinion columns written by public figures, members of the public or other publication staff. Columns reflect the opinions of the individual contributors and do not represent positions of the publication. Guest columns of an anticipated length more than 500 words should seek prior editor authorization.
Subscribe Want the paper delivered to your home or business? Subscribe online at valleysentinelnews. com/subscribe or subscribe annually with your name, phone number, address and $30 sent to: Valley Sentinel, PO Box 144, Spring Green, WI 53588
Community Discussion Policy
From time to time the editorial board may select letters to the editor of a particular compelling community interest where a public figure or accountable public action is the recipient of criticism and allow, in the same issue, the subject of the criticism chance for rebuttal, with expounded independent input. The format shall be point, counterpoint and expert analysis. This community discussion shall serve as a moderated dialogue that presents multiple views of important community topics.
Page 4
Community
WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
COmmunitycalendar Rummage Sale: Christ Lutheran Church
Community Calendar
We care about the community and want to showcase your events, especially in times like these! Our goal is to keep the community in touch with events, people, life and businesses of the River Valley. Email us to submit your local events, editor@valleysentinelnews.com
237 Daley Street, Spring Green, WI Thursday - Friday - Saturday May 6-7-8th. 7:30am-2:30pm Good quality Items. Fellowship Hall tables filled to overflowing. Something for everyone. All are welcome! Face coverings required.
Saturday, May 15 - 9am to dusk This year’s events will be held on one day, Saturday May 15th starting at 9:00am and will conclude with the fireworks show at dusk. The activities this year will be held entirely outdoors. The Hometown Heroes Parade will start at 3pm and the famous Firemen’s Steak feed will begin at 4pm.
Perennial Plant Sale
Prairie Seed Spreading at Spring Green Preserve
The River Valley Area Community Gardens located at 900 N. Westmor in Spring Green is sponsoring a perennial plant sale on Saturday, May 15 from 10 to 1 or until plants are gone. Pictures of some of the plants that need to be rehomed are located on the Gardens Facebook page and on the Gardens website at rvacg.org. The Gardens received a Sauk County Native Plant Pollinator Grant Kit and is building a shelter so new homes need to be found for the plants that are being displaced. All proceeds will go toward the cost of building the new shelter. Your generosity will be appreciated. Any questions phone 608-588-6040 or email info@rvacg.org
Muscoda Morel Mushroom Festival
Friday, April 30 - 10am Those interested will be meeting at the Parking Area for the Spring Green Preserve on Jones Rd at 10:00 am. Depending on how much interest there is, this could take anywhere from 2-4 hours, but if you can only stop by for an hour that’s okay too! The area to be seeded is about a 15 minute walk from the parking area on uneven terrain, so if you plan to come make sure to wear sturdy shoes. If you’re interested, please let Karina Cardella at The Nature Conservancy know by Thursday afternoon at: karina.cardella@tnc.org
River Valley Area Community Gardens Planting A Garden demonstrations are planned for the River Valley Area Community Gardens on Friday, May 7 at 1 pm and repeated at 6 pm and again on Saturday, May 8 at 10 am. This is a good learning opportunity for people who are new to gardening and for experienced gardeners to pick up or share a few new tips.The RV Area Community Gardens are located at 900 N. Westmor in Spring Green Please bring masks and practice social distancing. Lawn chairs welcome.
DOT notes Work Zone Awareness week, provides updates on Hwy 14 project Gov. Tony Evers proclaimed April 26-30 as Work Zone Safety Awareness Week, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will be taking part in a nationwide campaign to spread awareness about safe driving as construction and maintenance activity increases for the spring and summer months. “One thing that unites us all as highway workers and motorists is that we all want to make it home to our families,” said WisDOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson. “Even the smallest distraction can lead to a tragedy on the highway, so we ask everyone to stay focused – buckle up, phone down.” Last year, despite traffic reductions related to the pandemic, there was still a work zone crash every 3.5 hours in Wisconsin. Over the past five years, Wisconsin work zones have seen more than 13,000 crashes causing 59 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries. The vast majority of crash victims are drivers and passengers with speed, tailgating and distracted driving all common factors. “Every moment matters behind the wheel,” said Tony Burrell, superintendent of the Wisconsin State Patrol. “We ask all drivers to stay focused, plan ahead and always expect the unexpected.” Even at a reduced speed of 55 mph, a vehicle covers 80 feet per second, or the length of a football field in under four seconds. In Wisconsin, work zones include major highway construction and rolling maintenance operations as well as emergency response, municipal projects and utility work along local roads. Wisconsin’s efforts are in coordination with National Work Zone Awareness Week.
Highway 14 Construction
Construction on Highway 14 through Mazomanie started last week, WisDOT
manager Steven Thiesen provided an update to Valley Sentinel on work zone safety and progress for the project. Valley Sentinel: With the Work Zone Awareness Week proclamation, we wanted to check in to see how the HWY 14/Mazomanie construction was going? Steven Thiesen: The project is just getting started, but the construction is going per plan thus far. VS: With construction and flagging operations going on for a week now in a busy commuter corridor, have drivers been respectful of the construction workers? ST: Yes, for the most part. We always remind drivers to do their part in work zones – be alert, slow down and eliminate distractions. VS: Have there been an incidents of driver recklessness in the construction zone? ST: Crews have observed speeding in the construction zone as well as drivers on cell phones. As the news release states, every driver makes a difference. We urge drivers to keep their head up and speeds down in the work zone. It is also illegal to use a hand-held mobile device in work zones. VS: Is there anything you’d like drivers to know about work zone safety awareness as they go about their commute on HWY 14? ST: The space available to keep traffic on the roadway during the construction is very limited so the resulting construction zones are narrow. Therefore, we need the traveling public to be alert when going through this work zone. The first weeks of the US 14 project consist of temporary widening along the existing pavement to create ample space to shift traffic for the actual construction. Weather and work dependent, starting early next week, crews will shift both directions of US 14/Commercial Street traffic to the far north side of the existing roadway. During this stage, crews will complete
the reconstruction of the south half of the roadway through Mazomanie. A significant part of this reconstruction is replacing all of the storm sewer system through the Village. Crews will reconstruct the roadway; pour new curb and gutter with the new storm sewer; place new sidewalk and install new light poles and traffic signals. This work will run through June. Around the second week of June, all US 14 traffic will be detoured for three (3) weeks for storm sewer work near County KP. The official detour is WIS 78 to Sauk City and WIS 60 back to Spring Green. We recognize that drivers familiar with the area will use local roadways during the three-week closure. The new storm sewer system is very deep and cannot be installed with traffic on the roadway. Crews will also
be working on finishing up the reconstruction of the south half of the roadway during this time. Once the highway reopens after the threeweek closure, crews anticipate shifting both lanes of US 14 traffic onto the newly reconstructed roadway. Crews will then repeat the process for the north half of the roadway. Access remains open along US 14 during construction. We encourage the public to continue to patronize the local businesses. More information about the US 14 project can be found at https://projects.511wi.gov/ us14/. The project is scheduled for completion in late September.
Community
WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
Page 5
School board passes on $900,000 track resurfacing project in special meeting Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The River Valley School District Board of Education met April 19 for a special meeting in which federal emergency relief funds and a track resurfacing project were discussed. All eight board members were present, with one vacancy still remaining for Area 4 in the Village of Lone Rock. Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds The board first heard from district Business Manager Brian Krey, who said the district is expected to receive $570,000 in round two Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. Krey shared that based on the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau’s estimate of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s proposal, the district is set to receive just over $1.2 million in round three of the ESSER funding, with a total near $1.8 million. The proposal is still awaiting state approval. “Our discussion focused on utilizing that money for items currently in our budget and what impact that would have on future deficits,” said Krey, of the district Budget Committee’s discussion regarding the funds. “Hopefully the state will make some decisions on round three and solidify those and that way we have a firm number moving forward.”
Track resurfacing project In February the board received their first solid numbers regarding a proposed Athletics Redevelopment Plan that would resurface and upgrade the track along with the surrounding athletic complex. The project was estimated to cost $1,239,000 and would have covered earthwork/demolition, utilities for stormwater management and drainage, hard surface work on the grandstand plaza, basework and resurfacing of the track itself, pole vault and long/triple jump site renewal, electrical, and football field reconstruction. At the time, the board opted to solicit bids regarding the project and the results were brought to the board meeting from the Budget Committee. “We had lengthy discussion on the received bids for the track resurfacing project. At this time we have no recommendations,” said John Bettinger, Budget Committee chair. “Primarily I think it was the total cost of the project and the timing.” Bettinger shared that the lone bid came in around $900,000, while Krey stated that $500,000 was available in the budget and anything over would have to be funded from elsewhere, such as Fund 49 — which Krey said stands at $970,000 after the recent sale of the school forest. “So that would be a way to fund that,” said Krey, of Fund 49. Krey stated the track and field team wasn’t planning on hosting any meets this school year due to the condition of
the track, but is still practicing on it. Board member Fred Iausly shared concerns that the project was being put off another year and that needed changes wouldn’t be done in time for football in the fall. “So we realize as a committee we bring no recommendation to the board,” said Bettinger in response. “It doesn’t mean that this issue can’t be discussed at full board or the board can’t make a decision that’s different than the budget committee discussed.” “Cost is the biggest factor,” said Kathy Jennings, board president. “I don’t see it going down in cost the further we put it off.” Board member Jeff Maier and Krey discussed the initial idea to use the football field as a dual purpose football and soccer field, but that the respective coaches have cooled to the idea recently. That really kind of sets you back and I don’t think it’s wise to get into a project people are gonna complain about,” said Maier, who expressed he had hoped to move forward with the project. “I think maybe we need to talk to our folks about some fundraising ideas.” Board member Sara Young also expressed consternation at the process. “I know it’s kind of a bummer to be this far in the process and have gotten bids and feeling like ‘okay we’re full steam ahead’ but even there you know if we have new information or feel like this may not be as strategically right for us as we thought it’s a lot of money
Monthly StoryWalks at Governor Dodge State Park begin this month
to spend to not go ahead and take the time to do it,” said Young. Discussion ensued regarding different sports and coaches working together to utilize the field fairly. “My feeling is that stadium complex is a district asset and it shouldn’t be just kind of viewed as just one sport gets to have access to that and it’s their quote-unquote field or pitch or whatever it is,” stated Iausly. “If we want to try to provide the best facility we can for our students we should be able to figure that out and the coaches need to just kind of work together on that.” Bettinger shared his concerns that the field would have to handle too many games under the current structure of the plan proposed. Ultimately the board declined to take action on the project. “Maybe if we take a pause and keep this project in mind and maybe provide contractors a little more time, I think this was kind of short notice for them,” said Maier. “I’m really surprised we only got one bid so maybe the next go around would be better.”
Where to watch School board meetings can be found on the River Valley School District YouTube page: www.youtube.com/channel/ UCUCAKU8zpZQjHj2vP37BNMg/videos
OPEN HOUSE AT Tortilleria Zepeda Wednesday
CINCO DE MAYO May 5 3pm to 6pm 304 S Oak St, Lone Rock, WI Come meet owners Heidi and Julian Zepeda, pick up some fresh tortillas, and perhaps some other corn delights! We are excited to meet you!
Photo via Friends of Governor Dodge State Park The Friends of Governor Dodge State Park have funded four StoryWalks at Governor Dodge State Park. They are scheduled this spring and summer. StoryWalks are outdoor reading walks. The walks are set at Twin Valley Picnic Shelter. The first walk “How To Help the Earth” by the Lorax kicked off on Earth Day, April 22. The walks will change monthly. The other walks are “If the Dinosaurs Came Back, Ragweeds Farm Dog Handbook”, and “We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt”. For more information on the Friends Group and StoryWalk updates join us at http://www.friendsofgovdodge.org
SUBSCRIBE to Valley Sentinel!
Want Valley Sentinel delivered to your home/business? Send a check with your name, address and $30 to: Valley Sentinel PO Box 144, Spring Green, WI 53588.
Or visit: valleysentinelnews.com/subscribe to pay using a credit card, debit card or paypal.
Page 6
Community
WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
County’s working to find evening vaccine appointments, assure safety to reach herd immunity continued from page 1 foresee there being an excess of vaccines? Rose Kohout: We’ve alway tried to make sure we knew what our allocation of vaccines was before we’d open up our schedule. We would only open the amount of appointments we had vaccines for. We are trying to tailor the amount of vaccines to the folks who want it. VS: If so, does the county plan to adjust its distribution methods? RK: I think at this point, we will probably switch our tactics, we’ll put out appointments and then we’ll see how many vaccines we need. We’ll always take a risk of cancellations or no-shows. VS: How confident are you that we will reach a herd immunity level of vaccinations in the county? Do you have an estimate of when that could happen? RK: I wish I could forecast, it’s difficult. We want to do everything we can do to make people feel comfortable, to
give them opportunities. It’s important for us to really take a look and see how we can meet the needs of folks who are interested. A Lot of that falls back to us to make people feel comfortable with products and information. A Lot of times there’s that personal interaction that helps people feel comfortable. I think maybe overtime, people will see the vaccines are effective. I also think if the CDC and DHS are allowing fully vaccinated folks to perhaps have a bit more freedom, I think that’s helpful. VS: What would you say to the people who are on the fence about getting the vaccine? RK: It’s important for folks to see the value in the vaccine, being fully vaccinated allows you more freedom. If you’re fully vaccinated, you can travel, if you’re outdoors you can be without a mask. I think the continued clinical trials will be helpful, for folks to see that someone has been fully vaccinated for 9 months more and now she’s having a baby, people might see there isn’t an
issue with infertility. We’re hopeful to be supportive of that, and get people vaccinated to stop that transmission. Once we can stop transmission, we won’t create variants and new strains don’t occur. In its weekly COVID-19 update, Sauk County addressed vaccine safety, stating: The speed of the vaccine’s development was the result of cutting red tape and bureaucracy, not cutting corners or bypassing any safety precautions. Earlier work on other coronaviruses (like SARS and MERS) jump-started the COVID-19 vaccine development process. SARS was first detected in 2002, while MERS was first detected in 2012, and both have been researched ever since. Through ground-breaking partnerships between leading medical experts, scientists were able to build on lessons learned from past pandemics (Zika, Ebola, H1N1) to make the COVID-19 vaccines. Medical experts and other key players all dedicated their time, effort, and
resources to developing COVID-19 vaccines. Millions of Americans have safely received a COVID-19 vaccine. Over 211 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the United States from December 14, 2020, through April 19, 2021. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met FDA’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization (EUA). Even with all the testing and FDA EUA, there is continued ongoing safety monitoring. Medical experts and researchers all agree that the vaccines are safe and effective. Getting vaccinated helps you protect yourself, your family, and your community. Wisconsin DHS recently announced they will be using the CDC’s VaccineFinder, an online resource to find local vaccines. Visit, https://vaccinefinder.org
Richland County board approves increase Instagram exclusive: Prescribed woodland followed by swift drop to clerk salary burn at Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve continued from page 1 The current salary for the County Clerk position is approximately $78,000, and is set to receive a steady increase through the remainder of the 2021-2024 term, which will earn Kalish approximately $83,000 annually in three years time. However, the county board unanimously voted at the April 20 meeting to give a hefty, overall decrease to the county clerk’s salary—eventually. Due to state statute, a county board is prohibited from adjusting the salary of elected officials mid-term, in this case the 2021-24 term Kalish will be finishing out, but can adjust salary for future terms. The statue also prohibits the county from determining salary for elected officials based on experience. Salary for the County Clerk’s 2025 term will drop by approximately $15,000, to about $68,000. Murphy-Lopez and the finance committee recommended this decrease for board approval in an effort to equalize salary across elected officials such as the register of deeds and the treasurer, whose salaries fall into the $60,000 to $68,000 range. “I’m thankful to the constituent who raised the issue of reducing our County
Clerk’s salary. My research revealed we have the highest paid County Clerk out of any peer county in the state,” said Murphy-Lopez. To offset the upcoming swift drop in salary, candidates were informed the $15,000 would be considered transitional pay they would receive until 2025, as the county continues it’s transition to a county administrator. In 2020, the county separated the clerk position from an administrative coordinator position and hired a county administrator. Throughout the remainder of the 2021-24 term, the clerk will remain responsible for a few administrator duties, while receiving the pay increases to $83,000. In the next term, the clerk will see a salary decrease and will no longer be performing administration duties, only the duties outlined in statute for clerks. Other candidates considered for the clerk position include: Crystal Adams, Cheryl Dull, Jeffery Harrison, Roseanna Knower, Samantha Kern and Stacy Kliest, the current county Clerk of Courts. Kalish will officially begin in the position on May, following Vlasak’s last day in office on April 30. Kalish will be sworn into office.
Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor Unfortunately, not everything can make it to print, we’re busy each week bringing you stories from all over Richland, Sauk and Iowa counties. To see additional news that doesn’t make it to print each week, follow Valley Sentinel on Facebook at www.facebook.com/valleysentinel, or on Twitter and Instagram: @vs_wisconsin. The photo above appeared last week on our Instagram.
Local. Natural. Delicious. We strive to serve specialty coffee and baked goods created with ingredients that are locally sourced, all natural and sustainable. Our schedule is posted each week on social media.
Get in touch with us today! www.butternutroadcoffee.com butternutroadcoffeetruck@gmail.com 608-459-5016 Butternut Road Coffee Truck butternutroad_coffeetruck Butternut_Road
Coffee & News A collaboration by Valley Sentinel & Butternut Road Coffee. Stop by the coffee truck starting mid-week to pick up a copy of Valley Sentinel with your coffee, while supplies last.
Community
WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
Spring Green Farmers Market Information
Through May 8th: Every Saturday from 10am-11am in the Spring Green Community Library parking lot.
Page 7
Pre-ordering is highly recommended, though many of the vendors do bring extra for day-of shopping, so you will be sure to find something that you like.
Beginning May 15th: Every Saturday from 9am-noon in the Spring Green Community Library parking lot.
Participating vendors can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/SGFMarket/
Masks and social distancing are required.
FoodShare and farmers market accessibility, keeping emergency benefits in the local economy The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) released a statement Monday announcing that all FoodShare households will receive a minimum amount of emergency benefits, per USDA guidance. Households began receiving these benefits over the weekend. DHS estimates that under this new guidance Wisconsin will provide more than $75 million in emergency allotments to over 411,000 FoodShare households in April. This is an increase over the $57.5 million in emergency allotments provided to 265,000 households in February. DHS stated that recipients will spend these resources at local grocers and farmers markets across the state. The past year and a half have been unprecedented in living memory, nearly a million Wisconsinites received FoodShare in 2020 as the world grappled with the COVID-19 Pandemic. In an effort to increase accessibility to local, fresh produce and keep money in their local economy, many farmers markets have been working with the UW-Extension, WI DHS and the USDA to
accept FoodShare electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards as a form of payment. With some markets asking each vendor to apply to accept benefits and other markets taking a centralized approach with the market itself accepting EBT payment in exchange for tokens that are then spent with each vendor. Locally, according to the USDA, the Dodgeville Farmers Market accepts FoodShare EBT payments. The Spring Green Farmers Market currently does not. We asked Jane Hauser, Spring Green Farmers Market Manager, about whether the market was looking into being able to accept these payments and what she was excited about most as the start to the official Farmers Market approaches. “We are currently looking into being able to participate in the Food Share program. The State has made it easier for Farmers Markets to offer assistance to people dependent on SNAP and we are hoping to take advantage of it. Last year, we provided food for individuals that inquired about SNAP, and just covered the cost. We, also, have had generous community members offer to pay vendors for providing
food to people experiencing financial hardship. Our mission is to support our local farmers and food producers to offer healthy, quality, locally-sourced products to the community and we are very grateful for the support we’ve received in return from our community, particularly during the past year of Covid related challenges. While we’ve been successfully providing a one hour Market throughout the winter, we look forward to opening the full time Saturday, Farmers Market on May 15th, from 9amnoon.” —Jane Hauser, Spring Green Farmers Market Manager Farmers market vendors and patrons are encouraged to express to market managers if there is interest in a centralized system to accept EBT FoodShare. In the meantime, individual vendors are able to quickly sign up to accept EBT and can apply to WI DHS to have point of sale devices provided at no cost. More information can be found on the UW-Extension website: healthyliving.extension.wisc.edu/articles/ how-to-accept-foodshare-snap-benefits-atyour-farmers-market/ Vegetables are categorized by USDA vegetable subgroups.
Seasonal Availability of Wisconsin Vegetables ZONE 4, CENTRAL WI
ZONE 5, SOUTHERN WI
Visit https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/maps/ to determine the zone where you live. The bars represent average dates of harvest and availability which can vary with such factors as weather conditions, farm location, varieties grown, and season extension.
APR
MAY MAY
BROCCOLI JUN
JUL JUL JUL JUL JUL
CHINESE CABBAGE COLLARD GREENS KALE LETTUCE
non-iceberg
MUSTARD GREENS
JUL MAY
MAY MAY MAY
JUN JUN JUN JUN JUN JUN JUN
JUL JUL JUL JUL JUL JUL
JUL MAY
SPINACH MAY
JUN JUN JUN JUN
CARROTS
RED / ORANGE
MAY
JUN
JUL JUL JUL JUL JUL
RED CHILI PEPPERS RED/ORANGE PEPPERS SWEET POTATOES /YAMS TOMATOES
AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG
AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG AUG
JUL JUL JUL
AUG AUG AUG
WINTER SQUASH
acorn, butternut
AUG
SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP SEP
JUL
GREEN PEAS
JUN MAY
OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT
OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT OCT
ASPARAGUS APR
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
OCT
AUG
SEP
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
MAY
JUN
JUL
SEP
MAY
JUN JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
AUG
SEP
OCT
AUG
SEP
OCT
BRUSSEL SPROUTS
AUG
CABBAGE
green and red
JUN
JUL
CAULIFLOWER JUL
CUCUMBERS & PICKLES
JUN
ONIONS
SEP
OCT
SEP
OCT
AUG
SEP
OCT
AUG
SEP
OCT
AUG
SEP
OCT
AUG
SEP
OCT
AUG
SEP
OCT
AUG
SEP
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
AUG
PEPPERS
green, purple and yellow
OCT OCT OCT
OCT
SEP AUG
BEETS
ZUCCHINI SQUASH
OCT
SEP
JUL
green and yellow
OCT
SEP SEP
JUL
BEANS
RADISHES
AUG AUG
JUN
POTATOES
OTHER
GREEN LEAFY
ARUGULA
JUN JUN JUN
STARCHY
ZONE 3, NORTHERN WI
SWEET CORN
MAY
JUN
MAY
JUN
MAY
JUN
JUN
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
JUL
AUG
SEP
SEP
OCT
FoodWIse education is funded by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program - EFNEP. An EEO/AA employer, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
“The good stuff.”
Page 8
Community
WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
Spring Sports Preview The River Valley High School spring sports season officially kicked off on April 19—with a later start and a shorter season than usual due to COVID-19. “The spring season will be very busy with the delayed start and shortened overall season. I think everyone is excited about the start, about being outside, and hopefully warmer weather. Within our Operations Agreements, you’ll notice that there will be situations in some sports where student-athletes don’t have to mask during portions of competition. We’re not restricting the number of spectators, but all spectators must wear a mask,” said district Activities Director Jaime Hegland. Valley Sentinel reached out to the coaches of RVHS spring sports with questions regarding the upcoming season and how COVID-19 has affected their teams. Below are their responses so far. Valley Sentinel will provide updates in print and online as we hear back from coaches.
GOLF PREVIEW Valley Sentinel: Did you have any comments or quotes as we start out the season? What should the community be looking forward to while watching this season? Any breakout
athletes to watch? Should we expect to see any River Valley athletes at State contests this spring sports season? What are you most excited about regarding this season? What are some of your goals for the season? Matt Snow: The RV golf team is excited to return to play after no season in 2020. The 2021 season looks to be a great year to rebuild and grow with a great group of students. This season’s roster includes 23 boys and 1 girl. The varsity team will be led by returning varsity golfer, Eli Johnson (Junior). The other varsity players starting the season will be sophomores Ashton Price and Jackson Thier, junior Conner Fields, and senior, Luke Snow. One area that we are excited about is the growth in numbers of the golf program. Some of our goals for the season include competing for the conference championship as well as qualifying for Sectionals as a team. In addition, we look forward to the continued growth of our younger players. VS: How has COVID affected your season so far? How do you anticipate COVID affecting the season as it progresses? MS: COVID continues to shape our high school student experience, however, as an outdoor sport, there are not too many modifications.
Golf Results April 23rd - Reedsburg Invitational Eli Johnson - 86 Ashton Price- 99 Jackson Thier - 106 Connor Fields - 101 Luke Snow - 111 April 24th - Dodge-Point Invitational Team - 5th Place Eli Johnson - 83 Ashton Price - 95 Luke Snow - 97 -2nd place Medalist in Flight Jackson Thier - 98 Connor Fields - 103
SOFTBALL PREVIEW Valley Sentinel: Did you have any comments or quotes as we start out the season? Jane Briehl: We are excited to be back on the field! Our student athletes are working extremely hard and have set some great goals for the season. We scrimmaged both Horicon and Belmont on Saturday. Both of these teams are perennial power houses. It was fun to see how our kids would stack up against them. VS: What should the community be
looking forward to while watching this season? JB: Our ladies are working hard every night and are aiming to improve with every night we come out and play. VS: Any breakout athletes to watch? Should we expect to see any River Valley athletes at State contests this spring sports season? What are you most excited about regarding this season? JB: Not only do we have a great group of softball players, we have great young ladies on this team. We are so excited to be able to spend time with them every day this spring. They help to make us better coaches and our goal is to not only teach softball skills and strategies to them, but to also help them learn some life skills. VS: What are some of your goals for the season? JB: Our main goal is to work hard and give 100% every night we come to practice so that it will transfer over into the games we play. We feel like if that happens, anything is possible with this team. We will focus on one game at a time in hopes to accomplish some other tangible team goals.
Parents/Spectators Please send high quality sporting event pictures to editor@valleysentinelnews.com for consideration to be printed. Thank you!
Weekly School Activities Golf Dodge-Point Country Club 4 p.m. April 29
MS Track Dodgeville High School 4 p.m. April 30
Varsity Softball Fireman’s Memorial Park Middleton, WI 5 p.m. April 29
Varsity Baseball Sauk City Jaycee Park 5 p.m. April 30
JV Softball Fireman’s Memorial Park Middleton, WI 5 p.m. April 29
JV Baseball Grand Avenue Elementary 5 p.m. April 30 Golf House of the Rock Resort 9 a.m. May 1
Varsity Baseball River Valley HS Field 5 p.m. April 29
JV Softball Spring Green North Park 10 a.m. May 1 Trap Club Spring Green Rod and Gun 10 a.m. May 2
JV Softball RVHS 5 p.m. May 3
JV Baseball Richland Center High School 5 p.m. May 4 Girls Soccer RVHS 5 p.m. May 4
Golf Lancaster Country Club 4 p.m. May 3
Golf House on the Rock Golf Course 4 p.m. May 4
Varsity Softball Richland Center High School 5 p.m. May 4
Varsity Baseball Mineral Point High School 4:30 p.m. May 3
MS Track Boscobel High School 4 p.m. May 4
JV Softball Richland Center High School 5 p.m. May 4
JV Baseball RVHS 5 p.m. May 3
Varsity Baseball Richland Center High School 5 p.m. May 4
Track SWC invitational Prairie du Chien High School 5 p.m. May 4
Varsity Softball RVHS Softball Field 10 a.m. May 1
JV Baseball Spring Green South Park 5 p.m. April 29
Varsity Softball RVHS 5 p.m. May 3
Business/Professional
Directory ork y W red t i l a u •Qu lly Ins ates •Fu e Estim e •Fr
J J
Total Lawn Care
M-F 8 S and at 8 am-5pm a m -noo and n James Harwood •608-588-2453• E4792 Kennedy Rd.
Snow Removal
rna qva ervice s u H &S es Sal •Natural double shredded oak bark mulch - $30/yard •Colored decorative mulch Red-Brown-Gold-Orange - $30/yard •Free delivery to the River Valley area (min. 2 yards) •Other landscape supplies available! Gravel-Boulders-Screened Topsoil-Sand, etc.
Reserve a spot in our business/professional directory! Add $30 to any ad order or as a stand-alone ad and you’ll be added to the next week’s business/professional directory.
We offer complete landscape and lawn care service •Full Landscaping from start to finish •Lawn Mowing We’ re y •Plantings stop our on sho e •Grading & Seedings p! •Bark Spreading •Limestone & Boulder Retaining Walls
Business card sized (2 col./5.125” x 2.81”), full color ad. Perfect for top-of-mind awareness. Want to run it every week? $750 for 6 months, $1000 for 1 year (26% discount, $19.23 /week).
Outdoors/recreation
WednesdaY, April 28 2021
Page 9
General fishing season opens May 1: Fishing forecast looks promising Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds anglers that the 2021-2022 fishing season will open May 1, without any changes to season dates. All regulations and license requirements still apply. “I hope everyone is as excited as I am for the 2021 fishing season,” said Justine Hasz, DNR Fisheries Management Bureau Director. “I have my rods ready and can’t wait to hit the water this coming Saturday. 2020 was a great year for anglers, and I expect 2021 to be even better.” Many new and experienced anglers took part in the general fishing season opener last year amidst the pandemic. The DNR warns that boat launches will likely be crowded again this year and encourages anglers to maintain social distancing and wear a face covering when within 6-feet of other anglers. As anglers head out to their favorite fishing locations, please remember: •Always wear life jackets •Practice safe and sober boat operations •Release fish responsibly •Minimize the spread of aquatic invasive species by removing plants and animals from your boat before and after launching, draining all water from compartments, and never move live fish away from any waterbody. Over the past year, DNR staff have worked hard to manage Wisconsin’s amazing fishery resources responsibly. The DNR’s efforts include maintaining and enhancing critical fish habitat, conducting fish population surveys, adding over 120 miles of classified trout waters and stocking out over 5.5 million fish into inland lakes and streams and both Great Lakes. Based on early harvest reports, the DNR predicts anglers across the state will have a successful opening weekend.
Northern Pike and Walleye Forecast
Recent creel reports show anglers have successfully fished inshore for species such as northern pike and walleye. In the central, western and northern parts of the state, walleye will be done spawning and have moved into shallower bays to feed. Anglers should expect to find them in slow currents or drop-offs and should fish for them using a jig and a minnow. On the Winnebago System, walleye and northern pike will be in their pre-summer patterns in a little deeper water and prominent lake locations, but not as much as during the heat of summer. Anglers should expect walleye to be next to shore structures in the vicinity of the major rivers. Inland waters on the eastern side of the state will be a little cooler, and the walleye and northern pike will likely be hanging around the shoreline-oriented habitat. In southern Wisconsin, walleye and pike are finished spawning, but the southern lakes haven’t warmed up much past 55 degrees. Cool water temperatures in Lake Superior have prolonged walleye spawning. The temperature should provide excellent walleye fishing along the Ashland County side of Chequamegon Bay, off the coal dock in Washburn County and in the St. Louis River. If you are fishing the southern portion of Lake Michigan, try fishing tributary rivers.
Bass Forecast
Bass anglers have reported modest catches during the new catch and release season, and both largemouth and smallmouth bass will be in their pre-spawning modes for the opener. Anglers will find largemouth bass in the same shallow bays as walleye, while smallmouths will be on rocky drop-offs adjacent to spawn-
Photo via the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fishing forecasts look good for the general fishing opener on May 1. ing sites. If temperatures warm before the opener, this will be some of the best smallmouth action of the year.
Panfish Forecast
Panfish anglers will find hungry bluegills and crappies in warm shallow water around trees and stumps preparing to spawn, though fishing may be slow with the cooler weather. Worms, waxies or small plastics fished under a bobber will work well for bluegills. Try using minnows under a bobber to catch crappies.
Trout and Salmon Forecast
Good catches and a high abundance of trout have been reported during the early catch and release season despite clear waters. Trout streams are low, but trout fishing in the Driftless Area should be phenomenal. Trout streams across the eastern part of the state look suitable for opening weekend as well, though they are lower than in years past. Expect clear waters unless it rains. Anglers should take a stealthy approach and expect trout to spook easily. Reports indicate trout anglers have had luck while trolling stick baits and spoons. Anglers trolling in Door County and northern Lake Michigan can expect to catch brown trout, and perhaps rainbow trout, as they are just finishing their spawning runs. Many of these trout have begun returning to the lake. Additionally, coho salmon are starting to make their annual northward migration along the Lake Michigan lakeshore. Shore anglers have reported catching coho by casting spoons off the piers, while boat anglers have caught them trolling with flies on dipsy divers. This time of year, anglers fishing Lake Superior have the most success trolling stick baits high in the water column in shallow water. Coho salmon, brown trout, splake and lake trout can all be caught. The DNR has stocked out spring catchable trout and those locations will be a hit opening weekend. “No matter where you live or recreate in Wisconsin, there is a good fishing spot close by,” Hasz said. “Take some time, get outdoors and find your adventure fishing Wisconsin waters.” Contact your local fisheries biologist for more information or to find a launch or fishing location near you. All Wisconsin residents and non-residents over the age of 16 are required to purchase a fishing license. Licenses can be purchased through the GoWild System or from a licensed vendor. The DNR invites anglers buying their
annual fishing license through GoWild to add a donation to the Cherish Wisconsin Outdoors Fund before completing their purchase. Proceeds from the endowment fund established by the Wisconsin Legislature go toward protecting, restoring and improving habitat for plants and animals on the state’s 1.5 million acres
of public lands, including fisheries areas like the Lawrence Creek Fish and Wildlife Area. The fund is held and managed by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, a public, nonprofit 501c3 organization. Donations can also be made on CherishWisconsin.org.
TUNE-UP SPECIALS! BRING YOUR ITEM IN BEFORE MAY 1 AND RECEIVE
10% OFF
Pickup & Delivery available in the River Valley area for an additional charge
Zero Turn Mowers ............$100* Riding Mowers ........................ $90* Push Mowers.............................. $55* Handheld (Chain Saws, Etc.).......... $45* *Includes labor – plus sharpening, greasing and cleaning. All parts extra – gas, fuel conditioner, plugs, fuel & air filters, oil, oil filters, blades, etc.
J J and
Total Lawn Care & Snow Removal
COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL
E4792 Kennedy Rd., Spring Green
608-588-2453
Open Monday-Friday 8-5• Saturday 8-12
Outdoors/Arts & Culture
Page 10 WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
Foraging can be a fun way to put good eats on the table Megan Sheridan, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
any unknown harvests in their mouths as snacks along the way.
As winter’s chill works itself into a thaw and green begins to color the landscape, it is prime time to sleuth out some of Wisconsin’s most delicious hidden gems. Foraging is an endless, wide-ranging skill that is also a frugal way to fill your pantry and fridge. It’s especially useful when people seek out activities that encourage outdoor, solo fun. But how do you get started? Matt Normansell, a foraging educator and owner of Eden Wild Food, provides the simplest advice: Be curious. “Fire up your curiosity,” he said. “Look but don’t seek. Start to look at what’s around you and build a relationship with your environment.” Think of your favorite fruit or vegetable. There is likely a Wisconsin equivalent growing not too far from your home. Start there and learn as much as you can. “Don’t think about ‘learning’ foraging,” said Sam Thayer of Forager’s Harvest in Bruce. “Think about learning one plant or one mushroom thoroughly and well. “It’s not like learning a new language, where you have to know the grammar and a whole bunch of words to start using it. You just need to know one, whether that’s black raspberries or asparagus.” Thayer considers foraging to be a cumulative skill and by learning one plant or fungi well, you can build on that knowledge to discover a greater variety of forageable things.
The rules of where you can forage in Wisconsin are slightly different, depending on the ownership of the property. Private lands: If you’d like to forage on private land you do not own, ask permission. Federal lands: Foraging is allowed; however, the rules can differ from place to place. For instance, the St. Croix Wetland Management District allows foraging of berries and mushrooms for personal use. On the Apostle Islands, fruits, berries and nuts can be foraged for personal use, but collecting other natural objects such as rocks, wildflowers and driftwood is not allowed. There are foraging limits in the Apostle Islands of one gallon per person, per week of fruits, berries and mushrooms and five gallons per person, per week for apples. Check with the property manager of federal lands before you start. State lands: Foraging is allowed on state properties. Take a look at the sidebar below for specifics on what kinds of foraging are permitted. County lands: Counties can set their own rules for foraging. Foraging is not allowed in Milwaukee County Parks, for instance, but is allowed in Dane County Parks, which goes so far as to recommend park locations to find in-demand foods — Dane County Parks - Foraging. Municipal properties: These also can set their own foraging rules. Call your local parks department or municipal clerk to find out what restrictions may apply in your area. It’s important to note that you do not need to live in a rural community to forage. You can forage in your back yard, so to speak, even if you don’t have one.
Growing Interest
With more people seeking a wide breadth of solo activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Normansell has seen increasing numbers join online groups and search digital content, although in-person classes are currently on hold. “I have noticed an increase in traffic on the online groups, and demand for digital content in the foraging world seems to be on the increase,” he said. “In times where being close to people has become problematic, foraging is a pastime that’s very COVID-friendly.” Eden Wild Food and Foragers Harvest each have websites featuring extensive foraging information, including learning opportunities and details on where to purchase foraged goods. Visit Eden Wild Food and Forager’s Harvest. Both Normansell and Thayer began foraging in earnest as children and learning from family, which means that, yes, foraging is a family-friendly activity. Being curious, inquisitive and lower to the ground, kids can get in on the hunt and have success, too, as long as they’re not putting
Where can I forage?
Foraging Ethics
Outside of the rules placed on properties by governing bodies, there also are some ethical standards for foraging. “Never take more than you need and try and understand the life cycles of what you harvest to ensure what you are doing is always sustainable,” Normansell said. “This especially can include eating invasive species, which have the added benefit that you can take as much as you like, e.g., autumn olive, garlic mustard, etc.” Also, if you have to damage a plant or tree in order to harvest, like cutting or breaking a branch to get at good fruit, don’t do it. It could cause further harm and reduce the next season’s harvest.
Foraging Seasons
Like many Wisconsinites, Thayer has deer season and the fish opener on his mental calendar every year. Outside of hunting and fishing, he also makes note of about 100
other seasons for things like blueberries and spring greens. “For me, my entire emotional experience of a year is like a constant cycle of things I’m excited about one and then the next and then the next,” Thayer said. Foraging can happen nearly year-round, but most opportunities start in March and run through November. “The climax of the summer brings forth a bounty of wild fruits,” Normansell said. “The late summer fungi are still around, but the real stars of the fall fungi are starting to pop. “This is the time when you never quite know what you will come home with, but you’re usually guaranteed to find something.” Thayer’s best advice is the simplest: “When you’re looking for food, look for disturbance.” Areas that have seen disturbance — whether it’s flooding, fire or deposits of material like dead leaves or compost — are likely to have a bounty of vegetables. Here are the seasons for some of the state’s most popular “found foods.” —Morel mushrooms: It can start as early as March and run as late as May, depending on where you live in Wisconsin. Prime time for morel mushrooms occurs with daytime temperatures in the 60s and overnight temperatures in the 40s. A little bit of rain and a little bit of sun help these mushrooms spring up. —Ramps: Also known as wild leeks, ramps are an onion-y favorite of many foragers. They are most easily spotted around the same time as morels, in spring. —Asparagus: This is also a springtime harvest, and some say one of the easiest to find because it is hard to mistake it for another plant. Keep an eye out starting in midApril, and always remember to leave some intact spears behind— asparagus that goes to seed grows more asparagus next season. —Blueberries: Likely, you’ve picked some up before at your local farmer’s market, but finding them on your own is easy, especially if you live in the northern two-thirds of the state. They’re typically ready for harvest starting in early July and running through mid-August. —Black raspberries/black caps: These berries tend to show up in the peak of summer, usually around mid-July. They’re milder than the conventional raspberries picked up in the grocery store but still quite sweet.
Foraging Safety
A lot of foraged food, especially mushrooms and berries, have look-alikes or go from being edible to inedible, or vice versa, as they ripen/age. “Don’t eat something unless you’re 100% certain of what it is and that it’s safe to eat,”
Thayer said. “People have heard of poisonings, but when you look into specific cases, it’s generally people eating unidentified plants. It’s very rare that it’s a misidentified plant.” Normansell said poisonings are often the result of wishful thinking, such as hoping to find chanterelle mushrooms and instead finding and eating jack-o’-lanterns, putting you in severe gastrointestinal distress. “The biggest mistakes in foraging come from trying to seek out a certain plant or fungi, and more than its fair share of poisonings historically come from a bad case of wishful thinking,” he said. Also, pay attention to where you harvest. If you’re near a roadway or farmland, what you’re foraging may have come in contact with fertilizer, herbicides or pesticides as well as dirt and exhaust. As always, anything foraged needs a good wash before eating.
Recipe: Morel and asparagus creamy pasta
INGREDIENTS —3 ounces fresh morel mushrooms, wiped clean —4 tablespoons unsalted butter plus a splash of olive oil to taste —1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon), or substitute a red or yellow onion —1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 11⁄2-inch slices —11⁄4 cups heavy cream —2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (dried are OK if they’re from a good source) —Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper —6 ounces linguine or fettuccine —3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (must be fresh; dried and processed just won’t do) INSTRUCTIONS If the morels are on the big side, cut them in half lengthwise. You want them about the size of your thumb. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced shallots and cook for about one minute but do not brown. Add optional olive oil. Add the morels and saute, stirring occasionally until tender, probably seven to 10 minutes. Add the sliced asparagus, cream and thyme and simmer until the asparagus is tender but not too soft and the sauce is slightly thickened, probably five minutes on medium heat. Season as desired with salt and pepper. On another burner, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the asparagus and morels. Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano over it all and toss gently to coat the pasta, morels and asparagus with unctuous cheese. Serve immediately.
Art from around the Valley: Jen Salt’s “Baby Robbins”—an oil painting Painting via Jen Salt Last Spring these baby robins were, for a short time, tucked carefully into a nearby shrub. My neighbors, Ruthie and Jerry discovered their little chirps and pretty soon we were all checking on them daily, especially after thunderstorms. I had a new perspective on robins. Full disclosure: I find robins somewhat annoying- especially at 4:30 a.m. when the males perch themselves on the tallest branch (across from my bedroom window) and greet each new morning with a caterwauling of high-pitched whistles and sheiks. I tell my friends ‘if these birds just had a melodic song it wouldn’t be so bad’. Give me crows and ravens any day…at least they don’t sound the alarm till 7 a.m.! As I mentioned earlier, it did give me a new perspective on robins with the new generation growing up so fast in their safe little nest in the shrubs. Baby robins are ready to fledge after only about 2 weeks, at which point the father takes over their care while mom prepares for a new nest. You gotta love them. They’re so cute. —Jen Salt, Contributor Jen Salt is an artist who lives in a place she calls “Crow’s Lair Cottage”-just outside of Spring Green where she’s lived for five and a half years. “The Wisconsin River was the draw to move here and I’ve never looked back, coming from a big city. This is home.”
Outdoors/recreation
WednesdaY, April 28, 2021 Page 11
An Outdoorsman’s Journal
Mark Walters, Contributor
Paddling the Wisconsin River/ Petenwell Flowage
Hello friends, The last time that I canoed on the stretch of the Wisconsin River that I am about to write about was back in 1991. That was a big year in my life as I spent the winter camping and training to hike the Appalachian Trail with my golden retriever Ben in the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area. With Ben carrying 12-pounds and me a whole bunch more we hiked 1244 miles of the AT. When I got home I purchased “Star” who was 6-weeks old and would be Ben’s future mate The three of us jumped in a canoe and I paddled down the Wisconsin River and when I got home in the early fall, I returned to Meadow Valley.
Tuesday, April 20th High 48, Low 28
Once again, the north is immersed in a long, cold spell. I knew that would have an effect on the fish catching as I rigged three poles at the boat landing at Nekoosa in preparation for a journey that would be roughly 7-miles on the Wisconsin River and then 17 on the Petenwell Flowage. I would be paddle trolling and would use three crankbaits which had a Hot n Tot, Flicker Shad, and a blue chrome Husky Jerk, J-12 and to keep them away from my rig I would use left and right planer boards. My first thoughts as I began paddling were this would be a very nice place to live and you do not have to go far down river and there are no houses, just what appears to be very
remote lowlands and highlands. It did not take long, and something hit the Hot n Tot and it turned out to be what walleye fishermen call a “short” which is a walleye under 15-inches. As I paddled, I kept thinking I wonder if the land on the south shore is public and if it is there sure would be some good deer and waterfowl hunting. My goal for today was just to paddle to the Petenwell as I figured it might be tough to find a place to camp after that. I caught one more short and then reached the Petenwell and found a great place to build a camp, which I did as well as shore fished with crawlers. I caught one more short, about an 8-pound catfish and a sheephead. Best of all I drank a beer and watched nature while doing as little as possible.
Wednesday, April 21st High 41, Low 26
I woke up early this morning and watched ducks and geese from my camp and listened to a tom turkey that was gobbling and getting closer. Today was opening day of Wisconsin’s first turkey season and the tom got me pretty excited for my hunt which is only 7-days away. My paddling day would be one of weather and that would be intense, snow squalls and snags while pulling three lines. Here is a brief description, I am pulling three lines, the wind is out of the west and not a problem, a snow squall hits, and the wind is out of the north and hitting me from the side, I am taking on water and cannot see the shore which is always at least a mile away. During one of these events, I literally figured I was about to meet my
Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor Walters canoeing down the Wisconsin River.
Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor Mark Walters camp on the Petenwell Flowage.
Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor An ever changing Wisconsin River cost this tree its life.
Waterloo! The waves were so large and paddling so difficult that I figured I was going down like the Titanic. Several times “at least ten” one of my rigs got snagged and I just wanted to take a knife and cut it, but instead I would kind of backup, while reeling in my two other lines and either end up breaking my line or getting it free. This all may seem kind of like not much fun to the average person but for me it is all part of the challenge of getting from Point A to Point B. Fourteen thousand years ago this body of water covered 1,800 square miles and was 150-deep in places which if you look at rock formations like Petenwell Rock by hwy 21 that was actually the top of an island. Today my two biggest challenges were
catching a fish and making it home. As far as catching a fish goes all I caught was one short. I literally saw at least 50 wind direction changes over the course of one very long day and the entire day on the flowage I only saw three boats on the water Thirty years after my first trip on this stretch of water, I am still earning a living as an outdoor writer and I am still addicted to life in a canoe. —Sunset
Want to read more?
Check out previous weeks’ columns at www.outdoorsmansjournal.com
Advertise here for $25 /week!
Advertise here for $25 /week!
608-588-6694 ads@valleysentinelnews.com
608-588-6694 ads@valleysentinelnews.com
Community
Page 12 WednesdaY, April 28, 2021
COVID-19 Dashboard Wisconsin Summary
595,864 Positive Cases
Cases as of 4/27/2021
+4,228 from 4/20
2,833,669 Negative Test Results +27,038 from 4/20
6,773 Deaths +55 from 4/20
Vaccine Summary Statistics Updated: 4/27/2021
4,248,455
4,258,516
Allocated
2,273,250
Administered
1,818,777
Pfizer doses administered
Moderna doses administered
166,301
Johnson & Johnson doses administered
Vaccine Data Updated: 4/27/2021
Richland County
1,299 Positive Cases +8 from 4/20 8,252 Negative Tests +47 from 4/20 15 Deaths +0 from 4/20
These two core measures are all measures of herd immunity in Richland, Sauk and Iowa County. We do not yet know what level of vaccination leads to herd immunity for COVID-19, or how current or future variants might affect herd immunity. We know based on other diseases that herd immunity is likely at least 60%, and if more transmissible variants become more common, that threshold may become higher, so our current target range is 60-90%. -Madison Public Health and Dane County
Richland
Target Range
42.6%
42.1%
Iowa County
2,004 Positive Cases +14 from 4/20 11,515 Negative Tests +92 from 4/20 10 Deaths +0 from 4/20
Sauk County
5,719 Positive Cases +52 from 4/20 35,506 Negative Tests +160 from 4/20 47 Deaths +1 from 4/20
Percent with at least one vaccine dose
Percent with at least one vaccine dose
31.8%
32.9%
Percent fully vaccinated
Sauk
Percent fully vaccinated
Iowa
Target Range
48.2%
Percent with at least one vaccine dose
36.7%
Percent fully vaccinated
Cumulative total confirmed COVID-19 cases by date in Wisconsin Cases as of 4/27/2021
Graphic by Whitney Back
Cases per zip code Cases as of 4/27/2021
Data From: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm
Target Range