Valley Sentinel - 09-08-2021

Inside this edition

Flannel and Spooky Season Special Section Launch Page 3

Live music, theater and more in our Community Calendar

Spring Green, Wisconsin

Boys Soccer Preview

Pages 4-5

Page 7

Wednesday, September 8, 2021 | Vol. 2, No. 36 FREE, Single-Copy

People (and dogs) enjoy the mild weather as Labor Day marks the unofficial end to summer Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor Mochi, a german shepherd/yellow labrador mix, was one of many residents, visitors and dogs out enjoying the mild weather, with temperatures in the high 70’s over the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Pictured: Mochi enjoying the beach and water at Peck’s Landing in Spring Green on Sept. 5, with the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center in the background.

With the unofficial start of flannel and spooky season here, check inside to see details about our upcoming special fall edition.

See Page 3 for details.

A looming crisis: How to get rental assistance in Wisconsin A guide to navigating assistance programs for those at risk of eviction during the pandemic.

On Aug. 26 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a temporary ban on evictions enacted by the Biden administration because of the coronavirus pandemic. According to Census Bureau data from last month, this leaves almost 3.5 million people in the U.S. potentially facing eviction.

If I haven’t applied yet, am I still eligible and what help can I get?

Yes. Eligible applicants may receive up to 15 months of aid in a combination of rental payments and/or security deposits. These payments will be paid directly to the landlord on behalf of the tenant. To apply, applicants must: —Be an adult Wisconsin resident; assistance does not require that a recipient be a legal resident of the United States.

—Have a household income at or below 80% of the county median income in the month of or prior to the application date and experienced financial hardship or significant costs due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

—Be at risk of becoming homeless or experiencing unstable housing.

How do I apply?

The Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP) coordinates the program through its member agencies.

Most agencies offer online applications, but some instruct applicants to send an email requesting a WERA application. Apply at the agency that serves your county, as outlined below: —Central Wisconsin Community Action Council, serving Adams, Columbia, Dodge.

Juneau and Sauk counties (cwcac.org or email wendys@cwcac.org).

—Southwestern Community Action Program, serving Grant, Green, Iowa,

Lafayette and Richland counties (swcap.org).

If you live in Dane county, go to: —Tenant Resource Center serves Madison and surrounding Dane County. It can be reached at tenantresourcecenter.org or at 608-257-0006.

To apply you must provide the following information and documentation: —Driver’s license or state ID. —Documentation of income you receive.

—Proof of financial hardship (including loss of employment, reduced hours of employment and an applicant or other adult in household not working in order to supervise virtual learning).

—Eviction notice or arrears statement.

Am I eligible if I am undocumented, a noncitizen or have no SSN?

Rental assistance funds come from the federal government, and Congress left eligibility open to non-citizens — including those who lack Social Security numbers or are undocumented. Neither states nor

local governments may impose their own immigration restrictions in lieu of the federal government, according to a National Housing Law Project fact sheet.

Wisconsin residents can apply for rental assistance as long as they meet incomerelated requirements.

Applicants will not be asked about their immigration status at any point during the process.

Accepting rental assistance should not harm an immigrant’s application for legal status under the concept of the “public charge,” legal experts say.

What do I do if my application is still pending and my landlord still hasn’t received payment?

Try asking the organization you applied to for an update.

Who else can I contact for help?

Legal Action of Wisconsin: 855-947-2529 —Adapted locally from Wisconsin Watch

Iowa County Fair held over Labor Day weekend, Richland County Fair held this week

Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor A view overlooking the Iowa County Fair in Mineral Point during the evening of Sept. 5.

The fair was held Labor Day weekend, Sept.

2-6, providing agricultural, educational and entertainment events to people from every town, village, and township in Iowa County (and beyond).

According to the fair website, the vision of the Iowa County Fair is to promote agricultural and industrial education to our community.

The fair has been held in Mineral Point annually since 1856, previously being held in Dodgeville the five years prior to that.

The Sauk County Fair was held the week of July 12. The Richland County Fair, 23630 Co Hwy AA, Richland Center, is being held this week. More information can be found at: fair. co.richland.wi.us

Page 2

Opinion

WednesdaY, September 8, 2021

Community Column: Write A Book, Plant A Tree, Have A Child Katie Green, The Plain and Simple Correspondent I have accomplished all those things that supposedly complete a person’s life on earth. In my case, I got carried away and did multiples of everything. This morning, the garden where I plant is a glorious vision in the early sunlight, sparkling with dew, serving up a vast, crazy mixed-up potpourri of wild and domesticated flowers. Vegetables and herbs are squeezed in and around. From my elevated position on the back deck, listening to the crickets rasp a sonata in the background, I feel like Queen of All I Survey. An illusion, of course.

Most of the verdant life before me I put in the soil myself on hands and knees, but not everything. The previous owners of this property planted a few shrubs, trees and bulbs. Other plants appear as if by magic, blown in by the wind, or a gift from birds and small animals.

Some I want and others (“weeds”), I do not.

And the mysterious processes by which plants flourish, or don’t, is largely out of my control.

Why was the chard so poor this year? Why are there so many greenbeans that to look another greenbean in the face is repellent to me and will be so for a month of Sundays?

Today with deep satisfaction I catalogue the palette of yellow (goldenrod, black-eyed susans, marigolds, sunflowers), adding to that pinks and purples (asters of different hues, turtleheads, chrysanthemums, petunias, buddleia, South African daisies, anemonie, clematis, verbena, cosmos -- on and on). There’s also the blue of salvia, Russian sage, tall hyssop, and a sprinkling of late flax. Actually, like my reaction to greenbeans, I’m reaching the point of visual glut by this end of the growing season. Soon I’ll be full-up, color-saturated, ready for the brief wonder of flaming leaves that will fade into Andrew Wyeth-y tans, russets, and subdued golds. Later, a few furtive cardinals perched in deep green conifers to flee falling snowflakes and busy chickadees in subdued black and white tuxedos hopping about in the bare branches will be all my eyes require. A long hiatus without the stimulation of brazen hues clamouring for attention will eventually generate a renewed craving for bright color. That craving will slowly rise over the winter months as I curl up on the

couch with books and knitting, bathed in music from the radio and CDs and whatever hums in my head. That’s when the seed catalogues will begin to arrive to whet the appetite for the rainbowed color chart again.

But today I haven’t yet muttered to myself with a burp, “it’s all a bit much!” Not quite yet. The names of the plants themselves are a delicious feast in the mouth. Who needs breakfast? It’s deeply pleasurable to chant the word “anemonie” over and over again, for instance, rolling the syllables on the tongue while celebrating the pale white petaled variety (in spring), the pink petaled ones in autumn, both with the jaunty yellow pollen-rich centers so attractive to insects. My taste in colors runs to the cooling, soothing end of the light spectrum – pastels, but with pops of bright red here and there from cardinal flowers and zinnias. (Almost never orange, particularly the pale, washed out yellow-oranges, to which I have an aversion I can’t explain.) Even some of the fungi springing up everywhere after the warm rains are brilliantly colored, pleasing red torches in the grass.

Flowers are eye-candy to me and to many another, but sustenance of a different sort to the birds, butterflies and others of the insect world.

The other day when I was poking my nose into a fragrant buddleia blossom, around me crowded three kinds of butterflies, a hummingbird, an assortment of wild bees, and entirely too many Japanese beetles bent on supping there at the tiny, sweet-smelling, vibrantly-rosy pistils.

Watching the swarm around me I ask myself, are non-human beings immune to beauty as such, divorced from the eating and breeding needs of their lives? Can we ever know?

I remember when President Lyndon Johnson’s wife, “Ladybird”, undertook her roadside beautification program in the 1960s, traveling the country urging conservation of wildflowers and other native plants that were fast disappearing.

There were those who ridiculed her for that project behind her back, but she was just ahead of her time. Not only do native plants treat the eye, but they combat soil erosion and feed the pollinators on whom our agriculture and therefore our very lives depend. On the heels of her campaign, an extensive, interactive

Photo contributed by Katie Green arboretum and nature learning center was established in Ladybird’s honor near Austin, Texas. My nomination for a truly worthy use of the infamous $680k just voted by the majority party of this state to contest the 2020 election one more time, would be to help communities create similar nature centers all over Wisconsin.

We have some nice ones, but never enough, to teach the oncoming generations how important the balance of nature is, and how beautiful. This is especially important as kids spend less and less time outdoors and ever more time inside communicating electronically with who knows whom or what, oblivious to what’s going on around them unmediated by walls, window panes, and lighted screens. How can they do without the breeze in their hair that causes them to quote the second-rate but much-beloved poet, Joyce Kilmer’s “Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you. But when the trees bow down their heads, the wind is passing through.”

The human requirement for beauty is seemingly universal and very touching to me. When I was a child, my family traveled back and forth each summer from California to the Midwest to visit kinfolk. Passing through the humblest, barest, most wind-swept and fleabitten villages of Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and other plains states,

I would look for – and always find – evidence that people cared about their surroundings. A few brave flowers bending in the ceaseless winds by a front door, garden ornaments, a house painted vivid purple, a village park providing a sheltered place under old cottonwood trees for a picnic and for kids to play in, a mural on a commercial building wall depicting the history of the place, children’s artworks taped to windows in small, shabby homes.

Around here aesthetics are alive and well. You can see it everywhere you turn. Farmers even add flourishes on and around their barns and sheds.

Artists work in many media and some even make a living at it as they follow their bliss. Even so, I know of a few eyesores that could use some help. I like the story, perhaps apocryphal, about Frank Lloyd Wright’s opinion of Coit Tower at Yale University. “Make sure you are inside it, so you don’t have to look at it,” he is supposed to have said. “Plant ivy”, he supposedly added. In that spirit, maybe not ivy, but a fencing screen of arborvitae around a junkyard or two. Give away a potted geranium for the windowsill of a sterilelooking home you have seen, to cheer the owner and passing strangers as summer fades. If the gift is refused, well, it was worth the gesture.

Sen. Howard Marklein, (R-Spring Green) Thousands of refugees from Afghanistan have arrived at Fort McCoy. The base currently has capacity for approximately 13,000 people and they expect to continue receiving new visitors for a while.

I, along with several of my colleagues in the Wisconsin legislature who represent districts near Fort McCoy, visited with Major General Darrell Guthrie, Senior Commander at Fort McCoy and Commanding General of the Army Reserve’s 88th Readiness Division on Wednesday, August 25, 2021. He is overseeing all of the operations at Fort McCoy. Our goal was to understand the mission, ask questions and share the concerns of our constituents. Since my visit, I have been monitoring the mission at Fort McCoy and asking additional questions. I want to share what I have learned with you.

During my visit, we received a thorough briefing from Maj. Gen. Guthrie, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and members of Guthrie’s team. We took a driving tour of Fort McCoy to observe the operations and I saw many families playing in the yards around the barracks and on the playgrounds. I saw busy laundromats, people hanging laundry to dry and walking around the base talking on cell phones and with each other. I saw people rebuilding their lives. I saw relief.

I know there are a lot of questions and concerns about the refugees at Fort McCoy. First and foremost, we must remember that the vast

majority of the refugees helped us in Afghanistan.

Their lives were at risk. Their families were threatened. And our nation should offer a safe place to land. I cannot imagine what it would be like to leave my home, with very few possessions and flee to another country without knowing what the future will hold; but that is what a lot of these people did.

Maj. Gen. Guthrie and his team at Fort McCoy learned about this significant mission only 10 days before the first Afghan refugees arrived.

However, the Army ramped up very quickly and have brought in more than 1,000 soldiers from other parts of the country to meet the needs of the mission. They were more than ready and continue to be well-supplied to perform their duties.

Most of the refugees who arrive at Fort McCoy are initially entering the United States through Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia.

They meet with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents upon arrival to be processed before they board another plane for Volk Field in Wisconsin. From Volk Field, they take buses to Fort McCoy. Every individual is tested for COVID-19 two times before they arrive at Fort McCoy and then one additional time upon arrival. If they test positive, they are provided quarantined space to recover. Every individual is also offered opportunity for vaccination. According to my sources, a very small percentage of refugees have tested positive for COVID-19.

In addition to COVID-19 testing, all refugees are given a thorough medical exam and provided medical care at Fort McCoy, including other vaccines, medications and treatments. They are provided with hot meals, sundries and supplies.

Families are housed together and separated from other families in the barracks. Single men and single women have separate accommodations. According to my sources, they have ample laundry and dining facilities to serve everyone who has arrived so far and many more to come.

The Red Cross, Team Rubicon and Catholic Charities of the La Crosse Diocese are the main points of contact to coordinate donations and volunteers. I was recently told that they particularly need warm clothes and blankets for babies and children. As the weather gets cooler, they are looking for warm pajamas, blankets and seasonal clothing for fall.

Please visit https://cclse.org/afghanistanrefugee-assistance/ for the list of items they will accept and for links to online gift registries.

Donations can be dropped off at Catholic Charities - 3710 East Avenue South in La Crosse, Monday-Friday, 9-11 am and 1-3 pm.

The State Department is coordinating all relocation services for the refugees. They are working with each individual or family to identify people or places in the United States where they may have connections, including veterans with whom they may have served.

According to my contacts, it is highly unlikely

that many refugees will remain in Wisconsin.

The State Department’s goal is to relocate people quickly within 14-21 days of arrival. This is why, at this time, we do not expect Afghan children to be enrolled in our local schools or for many Afghan refugees to be relocated to communities near Fort McCoy. A national news story recently listed 19 major cities throughout the country that will likely become home to refugees. There are several national non-profit organizations that work with the State Department to provide relocation options for refugees.

Throughout this process we must remain vigilant and focused on the goal of the mission at Fort McCoy: to provide temporary housing and support for vulnerable Afghans in support of Operation Allies Refuge. I have shared my concerns about security and thorough vetting with the leadership on the base. We must be perfect in order to protect the integrity of this mission. I know that nearly every refugee we are welcoming to the United States is here with the best intentions. But it takes only one person with nefarious plans to damage the entire mission and cast suspicion on thousands of good people.

I appreciate the hard work, effort, compassion and hospitality that the men and women at Fort McCoy are providing to thousands every day. If you are able to contribute, donate or volunteer, please consider participating in this effort. It is a great opportunity to extend Wisconsin hospitality to those who need it most.

Sen. Howard Marklein — Wisconsin Hospitality at Fort McCoy

Freedom of Information Council — Your Right to Know: Fee recovery is key to transparency Christa Westerberg, Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Many states, including Wisconsin, have public records laws. But that doesn’t mean requesters always get the records they seek, or even that the laws are followed.

What provisions in a state’s laws are most associated with compliance?

The answer may surprise you. It’s not the strength of a law’s penalty provisions or whether a state has an ombudsman office to mediate records disputes (Wisconsin does not).

Instead, a 2019 study by University of Arizona journalism professor David Cullier found a significant correlation between compliance and laws that “mandate judges to impose attorney fees” to requesters deemed to have been wrongly denied access to records.

That’s why a recent Wisconsin court of appeals decision, in a case known as Meinecke v. Thyes, is good news. It held that if a court orders the

release of records—even if it’s only some of the records—the requester has “prevailed” in substantial part and is thus entitled to attorney fees. While Wisconsin’s open records law has a mandatory fee-shifting provision, this case for the first time established that getting an order for records was sufficient to trigger it.

At issue was a village trustee’s request for five categories of records from the village she served.

A circuit court found the village had unlawfully withheld some of the records and ordered them released, but then denied the trustee’s request for attorney fees because the trustee did not obtain access to all the records she sought and that village officials did not act with “wanton disregard” for the law, among other considerations.

That ruling was appealed, with the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, Wisconsin Newspaper Association and Wisconsin Broadcasters Association filing a “friend of the court” brief in favor of the trustee. (My law firm authored the brief.)

The appeals court ruled that the trustee was entitled to fee recovery, citing the open records law’s statement that “all persons are entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government” and its direction that the law be liberally construed in favor of public access.

Laws that allow requesters to recover attorneys fees have always been important to ensuring access to information. For example, they allow people who could not otherwise afford an attorney to hire one on a contingent-fee basis to bring an open records case.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is also considering a different attorney fees case this term. It will decide whether requesters can get attorney fees when an agency voluntarily produces records after a suit is filed, if the initial denial was unlawful.

The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council joined with four other organizations in filing a “friend-of-the-court” brief urging a “yes” answer to this question.

A stronger fee recovery standard means a government that is less willing to test the limits of its ability to withhold records. As Cullier pointed out, “Certainly, agencies might not worry about a $1,000 fine or other slap on the wrist, but it appears they pay attention to paying tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to a successful plaintiff’s attorney, not to mention the bad publicity that would create for the agency.”

The court of appeals decision that getting a court order directing the release of records should entitle a requester to fees is a welcome clarification to Wisconsin’s records law.

Your Right to Know is a monthly column distributed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council (wisfoic.org), a group dedicated to open government. Christa Westerberg, an attorney at Pines Bach law firm in Madison, is the group’s vice president. She also is legal counsel to the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.

Community

WednesdaY, September 8, 2021

Page 3

Advertising Alerts

UPCOMING MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES WITH VALLEY SENTINEL

FLANNEL &SPECIAL SPOOKY SEASON EDITION With September being the unofficial start of flannel & spooky season, cool nights, warm campfires, apple picking, corn mazes and all things pumpkin spice — we thought we’d put together a special edition of Valley Sentinel to celebrate all the wonderful fall things to enjoy in the greater Spring Green area.

Our goal is to put together fall features and a directory of regional orchards, markets, corn mazes, hiking & biking trails, wineries & vineyards, autumnal events and more around the Valley.

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

•Sponsorship of the section •Featured Business/Promotional Articles •Advertising Spots •Featured Event Listings

DATE OUT: October 6 | SPACE DEADLINE: September 30 Guaranteed 1,000 copy regional print distribution with additional e-edition engagement. The section will be featured online all year as well for residents and tourists alike to plan their outings.

Readers:

Have a favorite spooky or flannel activity in the Valley? Know a business with a campfire on cold nights? Know a good place for hot cider and apple picking?

We want to hear everything flannel and spooky, let us know what you love to do during Fall in the Valley: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

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

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

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.

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) Interns Graphic Design/Pagination Anna Stocks-Hess Graphic Design/Infographics Whitney Back Editorial Adeline Holte Graphic Design/Editorial Nicole Hansen

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

Editorial Matthew L. Beyer Editorial Adam Meyer Distribution/Photography Kalen Scott Regular Contributors Arts & Culture/Editorial Bill Gordon

Arts & Culture/Editorial Alison Graves 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 and impartiality of our reporting. .

Est. 2020 igne conflatum “Forged in Fire”

Letter to the Editor Policy

Column 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.

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. .

Valley Sentinel is a free, weekly single-copy news publication, available on newsstands in the area.

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

Covering Arena, Lone Rock, Plain, Spring Green and the surrounding areas in Sauk, Iowa and Richland counties..

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

WednesdaY, September 8, 2021

Community

COmmunitycalendar

WednesdaY, September 8, 2021

Community/arts & culture

Page 5

Community Calendar curated by Whitney Back, from events post and submitted by the community

Briefs Lone Rock to hold hearing regarding Comprehensive Plan A public hearing and meeting to consider the adoption of the Village of Lone Rock Comprehensive Plan, 2021-2031 will be held on Sept. 14 at 6:00 pm.

Copies of the draft plan are available for review at the Village Office, 314 E Forest St., Lone Rock, and at the Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N. Broadway, Lone Rock. The plan is also available on the Village of Lone Rock’s website at www.villageoflonerock.com.

The public is invited to speak on the proposed plan at the public hearing. Written comments may be submitted prior to the public hearing. Any questions, written comments, or requests for a copy of the proposed update should be directed to the Village of Lone Rock Clerk, Tammy Christianson, (608)-583-0088, or vlr.clerk@villageoflonerock.com. Written comments need to be received by the end of the day on Friday, September 10th, 2021.

The Plan Commission and Village Board will review the comments received following the public hearing.

The Plan Commission and Village Board may take action to adopt the plan immediately following the public hearing.

Gov. Evers, DHS announce extension of the $100 COVID-19 Vaccine Reward Program After more than 65,000 Wisconsinites received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine between Aug. 20 and Sept. 1, Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced that eligibility for the $100 COVID-19 Vaccine Reward Program will be extended to Sept. 19.

In order to receive the $100 reward, Wisconsin residents will need to register by filling out the form available at 100.wisconsin.gov or call 844-684-1064 to register over the phone.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine location in your community, visit Vaccines.gov or call 211 or 877-947-2211.

The program is available to anyone ages 12 and up in Wisconsin who gets their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 19.

While vaccination is the most important layer of protection against COVID-19, with the high-level of disease transmission in Wisconsin, DHS is urging everyone to add additional layers of protection including wearing a mask, staying home when feeling sick, and thinking carefully about the activities you are attending.

Fall service and music at the Little Brown Church of Bear Valley The Fall service at the historic, nondenominational Little Brown Church of Bear Valley will be held on Sept.

19, at 10:30 am.

Ron Fruit, from WRCO Radio, will present the message. Meredith and David Moseley, from Warrens, WI, will provide the special music and be the accompanist.

The Church, 29864 Brown Church Road, Lone Rock, is located in Richland County, 7 miles north of Lone Rock, at the intersections of State Hwy.130, County Hwy. B, and Brown Church Rd. The Church is handicapped accessible and air-conditioned. All COVID guidelines will be practiced and masks are highly recommended.

Driftless Area Land Conservancy seeks Accreditation Renewal Public Comment Period The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. Driftless Area Land Conservancy (DALC) is applying for renewal of accreditation. A public comment period is now open.

The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications.

Comments must relate to how Driftless Area Land Conservancy complies with national quality standards.

These standards address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. For the full list of standards see: landtrustaccreditation.org/help-and-resources/indicator-practices.

To learn more about the accreditation program and to submit a comment, visit landtrustaccreditation.org, or email your comment to info@landtrustaccreditation.org. Comments may also be faxed or mailed to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, Attn: Public Comments: (fax) 518-587-3183; (mail) 36 Phila Street, Suite 2, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

Comments on DALC’s application will be most useful by October 10th.

DALC is an accredited non-profit land trust in Southwest Wisconsin. DALC’s purpose is to maintain and enhance the health, diversity and beauty of Southwest Wisconsin’s natural and agricultural landscape through permanent land protection and restoration, and improve people’s lives by connecting them to the land and to each other.

Wyoming Garage full of music as Rural Musicians Forum presents ‘Three Jazz Masters Pick Up the Beat’ Photo via John Christensen On Sept. 5, Rural Musicians Forum presented “Three Jazz Masters Pick Up the Beat” along with John Himmelfarb’s KB-3 truck sculpture to an audience at the Town of Wyoming Garage.

The performance featured the Rodrigo Villanueva Experimental Jazz Trio along with other guest artists performing on area artist John Himmelfarb’s KB-3 truck sculpture.

The core trio includes Rodrigo Villanueva, composer, percussionist and Professor of Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University with guitarist, Fareed Haque and bassist, John Christensen.

The concert was made possible with support from the Spring Green Area Arts Coalition/ River Valley ARTS, the Wisconsin Arts Board, and from BlueStem Jazz Madison.

Page 6

Community

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

COVID-19 Dashboard Wisconsin Summary

672,271 Positive Cases

Cases as of 9/7/2021

+11,032from 8/31

3,184,857 Negative Test Results +29,708 from 8/31

7,667 Deaths +68 from 8/31

Vaccine Summary Statistics Updated: 9/7/2021

6,171,269 Administered

3,467,264

2,446,307

Pfizer doses administered

257,698

Moderna doses administered

Johnson & Johnson doses administered

Vaccine Data

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

-Madison Public Health and Dane County

Richland County

1,477 Positive Cases +39 from 8/31 8,595 Negative Tests +72 from 8/31 18 Deaths +2 from 8/31

Richland

Sauk

Target Range

53%

Iowa County

2,248 Positive Cases +29 from 8/31 +91 from 8/31 12,621 Negative Tests 13 Deaths +0 from 8/31 Sauk County 6,650 Positive Cases +141 from 8/31 38,532 Negative Tests +312 from 8/31 53 Deaths +0 from 8/31

57.1%

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

53.6%

50.2

Percent fully vaccinated

Target Range

Percent fully vaccinated

Iowa

Target Range

62.4%

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

59.8%

Percent fully vaccinated

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

Cases per zip code Cases as of 9/7/2021

Updated: 9/7/2021

Lower %

Higher %

Richland County Ages 12-15 38.6%

Iowa County Ages 12-15

Percent of Wisconsin residents who have received at least one dose

51.6%

Sauk County

Ages

12-15

Ages 12-15 42.8%

16-17

18-24

Dane County Ages 12-15

Graphic by Whitney Back

77%

25-34

Updated: 9/7/2021

43.6%

49.7% 49.6%

35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

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

53.8%

61.5%

63.1%

72.3% 84.9%

Sports

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

Page 7

Boys Soccer Preview: Blackhawks look to contend for conference title, beat Mauston 2-0 Coming off a 7-5 record last year (5-4 conference), returning River Valley Boys Soccer Head Coach Cory Schmidt says he looks for the team to contend for the conference title in his second year of coaching, after key senior losses and turnover bring younger players up.

The team lost seven letterwinner from last year, Bradly Richardson, Cole Schaffer, Dylan Luther, Josh Kerr, Noah Zumm, Cayden Krueger and Luke Snow, finishing 3rd in the conference and ending the season with a Regional game loss to St. John’s Military Academy.

“Four time 1st team all conference player Josh Kerr and his 17 goals last season will be hard to replace. Josh drew a lot of attention and obviously his scoring ability is not something that can be easily replicated,” said Schmidt. “2nd team all conference goalie Bradley Richardson will be greatly missed for his leadership and play. Midfielders Noah Zumm and Luke Snow will also be hard to replace for their physical play and quality on the ball. Center back Cayden Krueger brought an attitude and physical play style that got our opposition out of their game plan.”

Ten letterwinners are returning this year (name, year, position, letters won): Tristen Schmidt, Junior, Centerback, 2 time Varsity letter winner, 1st team all conference

last year; Ben Whitaker, Senior, Forward/ midfielder, 3 time Varsity letter winner, 1st team all conference last year; Ian Hamblen, Senior, Fullback, 3 time Varsity letter winner; Conrad Youngquist, Senior, Midfielder, 3 time Varsity letter winner, 2nd Team all conference last year; Cameron Hanson, Junior, Midfielder, 2 time Varsity Letter winner; Lukas Bettinger, Junior, Midfielder, 2 time Varsity Letter winner; Zach Baumberger, Junior, Fullback, 1 time Varsity Letter winner; Ashton Price, Junior, Midfielder, 1 time Varsity letter winner; Adrien Johnson, Junior, Forward, 1 time Varsity letter winner; Tory Weller, Junior, Midfielder, 1 time Varsity letter winner.

“The upperclassmen group that makes up the core of this team has been playing together since they were very young,” said Schmidt.

“They are hungry and they have been putting in the work in the offseason. I believe this team will play as 11 and that will lead to a successful season.”

Schmidt also elaborated on what he believes needs work this season.

“We have six first year starters this season and we are changing to a 3-5-2 formation.

This will take some time to get into place and for the players to feel comfortable with this new formation,” said Schmidt. “We also have

Photo contributed by Corey Schmidt, RVHS Boys Soccer Head Coach Back Row: Lars Anding, Ian Hamblen, Aiden Schmidt, Stephen Gostomski, Zach Baumberger, Tristen Schmidt, Ashton Price, Lukas Bettinger, Cameron Hanson, Bradley Hisel, Adrien Johnson, Ben Whitaker, Gavin Davidson. Front Row: Arie Snow, Alex Erickson, Devlin Krueger, Drew Fradette, Conrad Youngquist, Kin Thao, Cameron Schmidtknecht, Will Kaltenberg, Guidry Ridge, Alex Garcia, Jordan Cook-Hurley, Isaac Deibert, Easton Robson, Isaac Wagner. between RV, Dodge Point, and Platteville/ a good group of young players that are lookLancaster,” said Schmidt, of his conference ing to make an impact, the experience that favorites. “All three of us are replacing large they gain in the early season will hopefully groups of seniors from last year and I think bear fruit.”

Schmidt said he expects the team to contend that the younger players we are bringing up will match up well.” for the conference title this season and that The team beat Mauston, 2-0, on Tuesday he expects the team to make it past the renight. Their next game is Sept. 14 at home gional round in the postseason. against Platteville.

“I believe this year will be a three way race

Blackhawks notch back-to-back wins with high-scoring game against Platteville, 44-14 Photo by Mike McDermott, Sports Contributor The River Valley Blackhawks Varsity Football team won their second game in a row Sept. 3, improving their record to 2-1 with a week three home win against the Platteville Hillmen, 44-14.

The Blackhawks go on the road for the first time this season this week, with an away game Friday against the Montello/Princeton/Green Lake co-op.

Pictured: No. 10, Landen Alt, pulls in a throw for a touchdown on Sept. 3 at home against the Platteville Hillmen.

School activities this week

Football: 7th Grade Oregon Middle School Thursday, Sept. 9, 5:30 p.m.

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game Woodside Sports Complex, WI Dells Friday, Sept. 10, 3:00 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls JV Reedsburg High School Saturday, Sept. 11, 9:00 a.m.

Volleyball: Middle School Cuba City HS/MS Tuesday, Sept. 14, 4:00 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls JV2 RVHS - Old Gym Thursday, Sept. 9, 5:45 p.m.

Football: Varsity Game Montello High School Friday, Sept. 10, 7:00 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls Varsity DeForest High School Saturday, Sept. 11, 9:00 a.m.

Cross Country: Middle School Dodgeville Middle School Tuesday, Sept. 14, 4:30 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls JV RVHS - New Gym Thursday, Sept. 9, 5:45 p.m.

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game Woodside Sports Complex, WI Dells Saturday, Sept. 11, 12:00 p.m.

Swimming: Girls RVRC Varsity Lodi High School Saturday, Sept. 11, 10:00 a.m.

Football: 7th Grade Webb Middle School Tuesday, Sept. 14, 5:30 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls Varsity RVHS - New Gym Thursday, Sept. 9, 7:15 p.m.

Cross Country: RV Invitational Spring Green Golf Course Saturday, Sept. 11, 8:45 a.m.

Volleyball: Girls JV2 RVHS - Old Gym Monday, Sept. 13, 5:45 p.m.

Football: 8th Grade Webb Middle School Tuesday, Sept. 14, 7:00 p.m.

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game Mueller Pitch, RVE Thursday, Sept. 9, 5:00 p.m.

Cross Country: Middle School Spring Green Golf Course Saturday, Sept. 11, 11:45 a.m.

Volleyball: Girls JV RVHS - New Gym Monday, Sept. 13, 5:45 p.m.

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game Mueller Pitch, RVE Tuesday, Sept. 14, 5:00 p.m.

Soccer: Boys JV Game Mueller Pitch, RVE Thursday, Sept. 9, 6:30 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls JV2 Waunakee High School Saturday, Sept. 11, 9:00 a.m.

Volleyball: Girls Varsity RVHS - New Gym Monday, Sept. 13, 7:15 p.m.

Soccer: Boys JV Game Mueller Pitch, RVE Tuesday, Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m.

Employment opportunities KRAEMER BROTHERS IS HIRING! Project Manager (PM)/Estimator

Duties: • Manage multiple projects in various stages of planning and construction • Prepare and manage detailed schematic budget ing and estimating • Project administration of projects to ensure accordance with design, schedule, and budget • Coordinate subcontractor bids Requirements: • 5+ years of Project Manager/Estimator experience • Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management or Civil Engineering • Commercial construction experience • Understanding of our self-performed trades: carpentry, masonry, concrete, and ironwork is beneficial.Successful candidates should be familiar with estimating software, have strong client service orientation, demonstrate outstanding communication and organization skills.

Please send your resume to: Kraemer Brothers, LLC 925 Park Ave Plain, WI 53577 Email: jobs@kraemerbrothers.com Phone: 608-546-2411

Construction Superintendent Duties: •Management of construction activities •Ensuring compliance with design, schedule and budget requirements •Coordinating company performed trade work • Overseeing multiple subcontractors Requirements: • 5+ years of field management experience • Supervisory experience • Commercial construction experience • Experience in one of our self-performed trades: carpentry, masonry, concrete, and ironwork Successful candidates must be able to demonstrate prior success in working effectively as a team with project owners, architects, and subcontractors. Must possess the leadership abilities to achieve top-flight results.

Salary will be based on experience.

EEO/AA employer.

Now Hiring!

CleanPower is looking for a bank cleaner in Spring Green.

Work is Monday thru Saturday for 1.25 hours after 5:30pm.

This job has a flexible start time! Wage is $13 per hour.

Apply direct at www.cleanpower1.com by clicking careers at the top or call 608-213-9863 for more info.

EEO/AA Employer

“The good stuff.”

Page 8

Sports/outdoors & recreation

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

Blackhawks Girls Varsity Volleyball drops first conference matchup against RC Mariah Hill, RVHS Head Volleyball Coach

River Valley Volleyball traveled to Richland Center Sept. 2. It was a hard fought match, but unfortunately RVVB came up short and lost in 3 straight sets.

We played hard and had leads throughout the match, but we couldn’t capitalize on our side of the net.

Richland Center is a very scrappy team and we just couldn’t find any holes in their defense.

Leaders for the Blackhawks were Junior Morgan Brickl with 9 kills, 8 digs, and 2 ace serves, Junior Katie Hahn with

6 kills and 1 ace, senior Anabelle Willoughby with 5 kills, 2 ace serves, and 9 digs.

Junior Brooke Anderson had 9 assists and Senior Kate Hanson had 6.

The team also traveled to Mukwonago on Sept. 4. Although we finished 1-4 on the day, we worked on things we need to improve on. I was proud of how we worked all day. We just need to put all our pieces together.

This week we have our home opener against Dodgeville on Thursday and then travel to Deforest on Saturday.

Photo by Kelly Hanson Senior Anabelle Willoughby swings for a kill during play at Richland Center.

River Valley Cross Country competes at Darlington Invite, RV Invitational Saturday Brian Krey, Head Coach RVHS Cross County The River Valley cross country teams competed at the Darlington Invitational on Saturday, September 4. This is one of the

largest invites we compete in each year, with 22 total teams in one race. The girls’ team placed 8th overall and the boys’ team placed 10th.

Photos by Aaron Maes At left, Emma Anding runs her first race for JV cross country at the Darlington invite Sept. 4.

At right, Josh Maes looks to edge out an Albany runner during the Darlington invite.

Individually, Julius Ross placed 11th overall and Bobbi DuCharme placed 14th overall - they both received medals and ran fantastic races. They both ran really smart races, as they sat in the back of the lead pack, and held their position or moved up from about a half-mile until the finish.

Every single boy improved his time from 2019, which is the last time we raced at Darlington - a great job by all of them. TJ Strine improved his time from 2019 by over 6 minutes - what an improvement!

Other boys that improved times from 2019 include Mason Henkel (37 seconds), Ethan Wastlick (54 seconds), Eli Johnson(1 minute, 25 seconds), Josh Maes (58 seconds), and Julius Ross (1 minute, 50 seconds).

On the girls’ side, Anna Johnson (20 seconds) improved her time from 2019, and Abi Cummings really pushed through some nagging hamstring tightness to finish strong. Jayla Maier ran her first race ever, in a fast varsity race - she will only keep improving. In addition, first-year runner Emma Anding went out fast in the JV race and held on to have a great first race.

Overall, we have to be happy with our races at Darlington. Each person that finished competed with confidence and courage something we have been working on from Day 1 of practice. This shouldn’t be our fastest race or time of the year, as we are

still in the building phase of our training and our bodies are still tired and a bit beat up from this phase of training.

Some nagging injuries to Madison Krey and Noah Radtke kept them out of this race, but they are hopeful to be back for the River Valley Invite on Saturday, September 11.

Girls Varsity Results: Bobbi DuCharme, 14th place, 21:38; Jayla Maier, 44th place, 24:32; Caitlin Wastlick, 52nd place, 25:08; Anna Johnson, 55th place, 25:34; Abi Cummings, 56th place, 25:41; Kylie Morrey, 66th place, 27:18 Girls JV Results: Emma Anding, 42nd place, 28:41; Madeline Hutnik, 50th place, 29:45 Boys Varsity Results: Julius Ross, 11th place, 18:30; Josh Maes, 36th place, 20:00; Ethan Wastlick, 50th place, 20:18; Mason Henkel, 66th place, 21:03; Eli Johnson, 70th place, 21:18; TJ Strine, 103rd place, 23:50 We invite everyone to come down to the Spring Green Golf Course and support our team and this invitational - races begin at 8:30 am Saturday morning, Sept. 11!

Birding Report: Warbler migration firing on all cylinders statewide, look for raptors too Ryan Brady, DNR Natural Heritage Conservation Program Biologist Are you ready, birders? September is peak migration season for our long-distance migrants that feed heavily on insects and winter in the tropics. Every oriole, hummingbird and swallow you see now may be your last until next spring, especially in the north, while grosbeaks, tanagers, catbirds and buntings continue their exodus as well. Nighthawks moved through the state over the past 7-10 days but are fewer now in all but far southern counties.

Bobolinks, all the flycatcher species and most of the vireos are also on their way out.

Warbler migration is now firing on all cylinders statewide, with the best numbers and diversity to come around mid-month. Look for Swainson’s and gray-cheeked thrushes around the same time. The first short-distance migrants are also on the move, including species such as white-throated, swamp, chipping and Lincoln’s sparrow, purple finch and

cedar waxwing. Flocks of grackles, red-winged blackbirds and American robins are common, though most haven’t begun southward flights yet.

Raptor migration is getting underway.

American kestrels, broad-winged hawks and ospreys are especially known for early-season movements, but nearly all species, such as vultures, eagles, harriers and red-tailed, sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks can be seen. The best hawk watching days usually occur from mid-September to late October and often feature at least partial sunshine and cool west or northerly winds.

Although shorebird numbers are past peak, diversity can be excellent this time of year.

Some Great Lakes beaches are hosting sanderlings, semipalmated plover, ruddy turnstone and even a couple red knots. Other uncommon species reported this week were Hudsonian

godwit and whimbrel. Wetlands continue to host good numbers of great blue herons, green herons, great egrets, belted kingfishers, blue-winged teal, wood ducks and mallards. A few horned grebes have shown up a bit earlier than average.

The week’s rarest find was a magnificent frigatebird photographed on Aug. 28 in Milwaukee County, furnishing Wisconsin’s sixth record of this elegant seabird typically found nearer the Gulf of Mexico. Milwaukee also hosted a laughing gull and yellow-crowned night-heron, while a black-crowned night-heron in Ashland was rare for Lake Superior.

Expect high migration activity and turnover this week as several cold fronts sweep through the state and provide the weather conditions birds prefer for these long flights. Help us track them and their movements by reporting your observations to www.ebird.org/wi.

Photo by Ryan Brady The bulk of Wisconsin’s warbler migration occurs over the month of September, many species sporting different plumages than spring that challenge even the most seasoned birders.

Share your sightings Have any rare or beautiful local bird sightings this week to share? Let us know the identification and location.

Share them with us at: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

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

•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.

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

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.

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).