Valley Sentinel - 09-29-2021

Inside this edition

Volleyball hosts Promise Parker Night

Scenes from Homecoming and the School Fair

An Outdoorsman’s Journal is back — ‘Bear Hunt’

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Spring Green, Wisconsin

Wednesday, September 29, 2021 | Vol. 2, No. 39 FREE, Single-Copy

APT looks to build apartments as Spring Green Village Board takes action to rezone parcel Taylor Scott, Managing Editor

At the Sept. 22 meeting of the Spring Green Village Board, American Players Theatre (APT) was approved in some of the first steps for the process of building housing for its employees on Sunrise Drive in Spring Green. The board also took action on requests from another business looking to set up shop in the area.

The request — to rezone a parcel in the Prairie Subdivision, located on Sunrise Drive, Village of Spring Green from B-3

Village Highway Commercial District to R-3 Village Multiple-Family Residential District — had previously been taken up and recommended for approval by the Plan Commission on Sept. 15.

The plans presented to the board include two multi-family, eight unit apartment buildings on adjacent parcels. The second parcel was already zoned R-3 Village Multiple-Family Residential District and needed no action at this point in the process.

Village Trustee and Plan Commission

member Michael Broh described the plan as a straightforward move.

“We all thought that it was a good move and recommended approval,” said Village Trustee and Plan Commission member David Saperstein.

With limited further discussion, the action to rezone the parcel in question was approved unanimously. According to APT, the plan includes breaking ground this fall and having the buildings completed by fall 2022.

The board also approved a Certified Survey

Map (CSM) submitted to split a parcel into two lots, located on southeast corner of N. Westmor and USH 14, Town of Spring Green. O’Reilly Auto Parts intends to build a location there, in the vacant area between Rumbleseats and Ringbrother’s.

The board also approved a request from O’Reilly Auto Parts to allow a second driveway and to exceed the allowed driveway width for the property located on N. Westmor Street.

See page 7

Richland County com- 2021 Spring Green Musician in Residence program features Bubbles Brown munity partners now offering COVID-19 booster vaccinations Richland County Emergency Management Richland County community partners started to offer Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster vaccinations to those eligible Wednesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & Wisconsin Department of Health Services is now recommending that the following groups receive a booster vaccination.

Those that SHOULD receive a booster dose of Pfizer at least 6 months after receiving their second dose of Pfizer in order to further strengthen their immunity include: —People aged 65 years and older.

—All residents in long-term care.

—People aged 50-64 years with certain underlying medical conditions including: • Cancer • Chronic kidney disease Chronic lung diseases, including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension • Dementia or other neurological conditions • Diabetes (type 1 or type 2) • Down syndrome • Heart conditions (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension) • HIV infection • Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) • Liver disease • Overweight and obesity • Pregnancy • Sickle cell disease or thalassemia • Smoking, current or former • Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant • Stroke or cerebrovascular disease, which affects blood flow to the brain • Substance use disorders Those that MAY receive a booster dose of Pfizer at least 6 months after receiving their second dose of Pfizer,

See page 4

Photo contributed by Rob Steffen The musical duo Bubbles Brown play to a sold out show at the Sh*tty Barn in Spring Green Sept. 24 as part of the Spring Green Musician in Residence program An artistic collaboration with local by a grant to residency partner River painter Jen Salt was also an important Spring Green Musician in Residence Valley Commons from the Sauk County part of this years’ program. Finding Bubbles Brown recently completExtension Education, Arts & Culture funds to support artist Salt’s time ed their two-week residency in the Committee and the Wisconsin Arts and materials was important for the River Valley area. The Chicago duo, Board with funds from the State of program. consisting of Ben Brundage (“WashWisconsin. Local businesses have sup“Just as we want to support musicians ported the residency through reduced board Ben”) and Christopher Brown (“Bubbles Brown”), was selected by the in their creative time, this year we lodging rates, tickets donations to local wanted to prioritize financial support residency committee for their quality attractions for the musicians to enjoy, to the collaborators,” said Nolet. musicianship, plans to take advantage and providing a space for musicians to A grant from River Valley ARTS, of the experience, and the energy they practice. previously the Spring Green Area Arts bring to their performances. “This was The program is looking forward to Coalition, was awarded to support our first duo,” says program founder hosting their fifth residency next year Salt’s work. Nolet was appreciative of Kim Nolet. “We felt their ability to fill and will be fundraising this winter to Salt’s willingness to partner, “Jen was up the room with their sound and get help the program continue. Follow the so open to this idea of bringing painta crowd moving were exactly what the Spring Green Musician in Residence ing and music together and was a great Program on Facebook for opportunicommunity needed coming out of a ambassador for the River Valley area. pandemic.” ties to support and interact with the It was great that this program could Bubbles Brown played shows at four program. connect us in our appreciation for art, HISTORY local venues: the Smoke in the Valley music and Spring Green. We feel lucky The Spring Green Musician in ResiCharity BBQ Competition, The Slowshe said yes to our invitation to collabdence Program was launched in 2018 poke Lounge & Cabaret, The Branding orate.”

Iron Roadhouse and a finale show at See page 7 This year’s program was supported The Sh*tty Barn.

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WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

opinion/ LETTER TO THE EDITOR/Regional

Community Column: This week’s Plain & Simple Correspondent — Detour Katie Green, The Plain and Simple Correspondent There are two seasons of the year – Winter, and Road Repair. Or so said the locals in the small village where I once lived in New England years ago. The truth of that wry quip has been evident around here for the past several months, as certain streets have received the kind attention of our town Public Works Department, and finding another way to get to where you want to go has become a complicated game. Nobody’s complaining about the temporary inconvenience, surely. In fact, those neighborhoods that have not yet won the mysterious lottery that determines which streets are resurfaced are envious.

I’m looking forward to the time when the crumbling surface of the street leading up to our property is the lucky one. It has become dangerous to anyone on foot or bicycle. There are no sidewalks beyond the village center, so pedestrians have to take their chances out on the street as vehicles whiz past and feet slip on sand and asphalt fragments. Last summer a teenager wiped out on his bike going down the steepest part of the hill, landed on his head, left a ton of skin on the road, and scared the living daylights out of those who rushed to help him.

The $700 thousand (and counting) that our clownish state legislature majority voted to spend on disputing the election results of 2020 once more would fill a lot of potholes.

The detours one must take to go farther afield from the village are inconvenient, yes, but they occur because of necessary upkeep and can have pleasant consequences. This week I set off to drive to Richland Center via County Rd. B in search of canning jars and discovered that a bridge was being replaced on the route. That led to a longer adventure along winding country roads I’d not been on for a while. Deer grazed in stubble fields, autumn leaves were suddenly much in evidence, a night heron perched in a tree

along a creek, I passed the houses of several friends I’ve not talked to in a while but now was reminded to reach out to – these are some of the unforeseen gifts of having to take a detour.

As I left the village, I saw that a handsome new decorative iron gate had been installed at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, the pioneer burying ground that the Kraemer cousins, Kevin, Tom, and Marty, have quietly restored this year. It replaces an ordinary rusting farmgate, and was designed by yet another cousin, Ken Kraemer. These four men have taken it upon themselves to spruce up the older cemeteries one by one, where sleep the ancestors of this area, setting upright grave markers that had fallen and/or been broken, supplying an index to who is buried there, and replacing fencing. For historians and proud descendants, their accomplishments are deeply appreciated. This is out-of-pocket expense for them and the fact that they were thus-motivated is what used to be called noblesse oblige, which used to be widely practiced by the upper classes. It operates on the principle that if you’ve been fortunate enough to accumulate or inherit wealth, you show your gratitude by ploughing some of it back into your community. One could wish that all the wealthy corporations and individual billionaires of this country, many having slyly figured out how to pay avoid paying taxes, would be so moved to help others get a leg up out of poverty, contribute to land trusts, engage in acts of physical enhancement wherever they live, or other types of philanthropy. Sometimes the wealthy act out of self-interest or to burnish their image (think of our just-former President) but thankfully that is not the case here.

Coming back homeward by yet another, less familiar route, I wasn’t exactly “lost”, but didn’t know where I was for some

Photo contributed by Katie Green miles, either. No worries. The scenery was gorgeous and the radio was bathing me in superb music as I rolled along in essentially unknown territory, when suddenly a very weird thing occurred: while passing along under some high tension wires, the classical sonata I was listening to was intruded upon by voices jabbering in French. French! (How appropriate, inasmuch as the word “detour” is an import into our language from France.)

It is intriguing to wonder what station in what country the electrical towers picked up on. Quebec? My waggish husband suggested that perhaps it was aliens from outer space, but if so, they were speaking in fluent French. I’ll never know, because as soon as my vehicle moved away from the influence of the wires, Wisconsin Public Radio returned and the violins sawed on melodiously once more.

The temperatures dipped to forty degrees last night, the foxes were yipping and the owls hooting in the woods nearby, all indi-

cations that soon we shall leave the season of Road Repair and enter the other, more contemplative, colder one. Time to order the firewood from Mike, get out the soup pot, and knit woolies in earnest as the world turns on its axis. The books that sat waiting while garden and yard work ate up so much of my waking hours will be dusted off. Maybe I’ll reread The Road Not Taken or On The Road. Or detour into some subject I know nothing about and stimulate my tired old braincells into thinking as nimbly as a kid again – only with more judgment.

As a postscript, our extremely busy village Public Works Director, John Ruhland, took enough time off to get married recently. He and his wife Becky now travel a path that is a detour from single blessedness onto the more complex and rewarding trail of wedded partnership. May it be a smooth and happy one, filled with those magical unforeseen experiences that make living so interesting and worthwhile.

Letter to the Editor: Marklein’s leadership on tobacco legislation appreciated Dear Editor: Tobacco 21 legislation is pending in our state legislature which would align our state laws with Federal law.

This legislation is very important to me and I appreciate Senator Howard Marklein’s work and leadership on this

bill.

As a member of the South Central Alliance for Tobacco Prevention and a retired nurse, I fully understand the dangers of tobacco and vaping. This legislation will protect our kids from toxic, addictive chemicals by making

it harder for them to access cigarettes, cigars and tobacco products as well as all types of vaping products.

Sen. Marklein listened to our Alliance’s concerns and amended his original bill to make sure that it included all types of vaping products.

The original language in the bill needed to be updated as technology and product development has changed. I appreciate his willingness to hear our concerns and take action.

—Donna McGinley Mauston, WI

Sen. Marklein — Unintended Consequences of Emergency Declarations Sen. Howard Marklein, (R-Spring Green) I recently authored Senate Bill (SB) 437 with Representative Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville).

This bill clarifies current law regarding the use and operation of unregistered vehicles during a state of emergency. The idea was brought to us by Green County District Attorney Craig Nolen and is supported by law enforcement throughout Wisconsin.

Under current law, a driver cannot operate an unregistered motor vehicle. However, there is an exception, “during a state of emergency proclaimed under ch. 323”. This makes sense during an actual and imminent emergency as it allows someone to drive to escape imminent harm.

However, with so many State of Emergency declarations over the past few years, it is inhibiting law enforcement from doing its job.

I believe this is an unintended consequence of current law.

Current law not only prohibits law enforcement from writing a citation, it also prohibits law enforcement from stopping a vehicle that is unregistered. As an example, all law enforcement officers were prohibited from stopping or ticketing an unregistered vehicle everywhere in Wisconsin from April 5, 2021 through June 3, 2021 because of “elevated wildfire risk”.

Since 2019, there have been 19 State of Emergency declarations by the Governor that have applied to at least some part of the state under Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 323. These declarations have covered more than 710 of the last 982 days, or more than 72% of the time. In addition, there have been countless local emergency declarations.

These State of Emergency declarations have ranged from closing state office buildings due to cold weather, to preparing an emergency management response due to elevated wildfire conditions, to COVID-19 related measures. While some of these declarations are only necessary for a few days, under state law, emergency declarations last 60 days, unless revoked by the Governor via an executive order or by the legislature by joint resolution.

This bill clarifies that all vehicles operated on a road must be registered, unless the operator of the vehicle believes he/she is in imminent danger of “death or great bodily harm”. Under the bill, a driver could still operate an unregistered vehicle if they were, for example, attempting to escape from an actual emergency, such as a wildfire.

Again, if this bill becomes law, law enforcement will be able to stop and ticket unregistered vehicles throughout the year, even if there is a declared state of emergency in effect. However, the law will continue to allow a driver to operate an unregistered vehicle to flee a true emergency situation.

A special thank you to Green County District Attorney, Craig Nolen who brought me the idea for this commonsense legislation. I also appreciate Darlington Police Chief Jason King and Monticello Police Chief, Szvon Conway for testifying in favor of this legislation. The bill is also supported by the Badger State Sheriffs’ Association, City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association, Inc., Wisconsin Grocers Association, Wisconsin Professional Police Association, and Wisconsin Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association.

Wisconsin Examiner: Republican legislators push for redistricting advantage GOP desire to minimize boundary changes in stark contrast to their 2011 actions

Melanie Conklin and Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner Court battles surrounding redistricting have taken center stage, but on Tuesday Republican legislative leaders set forth a list of policies they believe should guide the process that takes place once every 10 years based on new census data on population.

The resolution authored by Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos declares that one of the core concepts in redistricting should be to diverge from the current districts as little as possible. Doing so could secure their

power for another decade by retaining boundaries that are cited as among the most gerrymandered in the nation.

Republicans who were in full control of state government when districts were last drawn in 2011 secured a 10-year electoral advantage by making significant changes to the district lines, moving millions of Wisconsinites into new districts that were designed to augment their power.

“What’s happening is the Senate and the Assembly are going on record to formalize gerrymandering — something none of us should be proud of,” said Sen. Melissa Agard (D-Madison). “We are debating how to keep those in power in power, as opposed to how we listen and react to the

people of our districts. … You are going forward with impunity and power, as opposed to with a moral compass.”

In both the Assembly and Senate, Democrats forwarded a substitute measure to take up a nonpartisan redistricting bill at its next meeting. Both were voted down by Republicans. Moments later, the resolution from LeMahieu and Vos, stating that currently gerrymandered districts advantaging Republicans be kept to as close to their current form as possible, passed 19-12 in the Senate along the same party lines. The resolution passed the Assembly on a 60-38 party-line vote.

Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) said that the way Wisconsin maps would be

drawn under the GOP resolution was akin letting whatever football team was up at half-time make up rules that would be observed for the rest of the game. “We could start at the 40 yard line and make the other team start at the 10. We can make our field goals count for five, their’s for two — the other team wins because it was rigged.

It would be a lousy thing to watch.”

The amendment from Democrats that was rejected is the nonpartisan redistricting bill authored by Sen. Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick). He said that what people really don’t like about politics is the extremism and the fact that measures popular with the public

continued on page 3

Commentary/Regional

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

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Fair Maps? GOP desire to minimize boundary changes in stark contrast to their 2011 actions continued from page 2 don’t stand a chance under gerrymandered maps.

“We are long overdue for Wisconsin lawmakers to properly reflect the will of the voters,” said Smith. “It’s about the soul of our state. Gerrymandered maps make life easier for politicians. They silence voters with unaccountable elected officials who cruise to victory … Gerrymandering creates lazy, unaccountable legislators who serve as long as they want.”

Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-West Point) dared legislators to try to draw districts that are as close to reflecting the 50-50 partisan split that makes Wisconsin a purple swing state in which both Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson are elected to the U.S. Senate. He predicted there would be much greater bipartisanship with fewer extremists on both sides if gerrymandering did not create such “safe” districts for legislators that the only election they actually worried about was a primary.

“Majorities on either side, whether it’s Democrats or Republicans, should never be this comfortable with the majority,” argued Erpenbach. He objected to leaders being involved in redistricting at all — or even legislators, saying that “Drawing our own maps is like grading our own tests.”

Republicans did not observe the rules they now want instituted when it came to redistricting in 2011 when they moved millions of voters into new districts to secure what many describe as a permanent majority in the Legislature. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Patrick Marley reported that Republicans moved nearly 2.4 million voters into new Assembly districts, and in the Senate, although they would have

needed to move about 230,000 voters into new districts, they instead moved 1.2 million people. He cited testimony in court from UW-Madison political science professor Ken Mayer, who described the shift of 719 times more voters than they would have needed to move in the Ozaukee County area.

Even before the results of the 2020 census were released and lawsuits seeking to move the redistricting process to state and federal courts were filed, legislative Republicans sought — over the vocal objections of Democrats — to move back the deadlines for drawing new maps, which would keep the current gerrymandered districts in place for the 2022 elections. Rep. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) said Republicans were once again placing their partisan goals over the desires of Wisconsin voters.

“Just three months ago, we were here talking about a different rushed redistricting item,” Spreitzer said. “And back then you said, ‘trust us, we’re not doing anything nefarious.’ Well, this resolution is a perfect reminder why we and the people of Wisconsin will not and cannot trust the majority party when it comes to districting.”

“Republicans say they want fewer redistricting changes,” he added. “But a decade ago, they moved millions of voters into new districts. This resolution reeks of hypocrisy when compared to what Republicans did a decade ago. This latest resolution is just more of the same, trying to cling to power and saying anything you can in order to come up with a justification for doing that.”

But Vos continued to insist the resolution just lays out the baseline for how the process will move forward, and that because

Photo by Tony Webster via Wisconsin Examiner, CC BY 2.0 A yard sign in Mellen, Wisconsin supports redistricting legislation to reform gerrymandering.

Republicans will pass what they want anyway, Democrats should just accept it.

“So the resolution before us is simple,” Vos said. “It basically reiterates what current law is, what current constitutional theory is and gives a clear guidance to the folks who are going to submit maps over the course of the next month or two, as we try to put together a map that we will ultimately bring to the Legislature through a series of options where we’ll have public hearings, we’ll let people have their say, just as we do on every bill that comes before the Legislature with the hope that Gov. Evers acting in good faith isn’t going to say that no matter what we do, he’s a no.”

Vos continued, telling Democrats, “So hopefully, you won’t just continue to take

the no way, no how, never route, which is kind of where you’ve been before and accept the fact that this resolution lays out the principles that we are going to utilize to ensure that we have a map that will last during the next 10 years just like the last one has during the past decade.”

The Wisconsin Examiner is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news site offering a fresh perspective on politics and policy in our state. As the largest news bureau covering state government in Madison, the Examiner offers investigative reporting and daily coverage dedicated to the public interest. We take our inspiration from the motto emblazoned on a ceiling in our state Capitol: “The Will of the People Is the Law of the Land.”

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Community

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

Guidance offered on COVID boosters and where to recieve them in the area continued from page 1 after considering their individual risks and benefits include: —People aged 18-49 years with certain underlying medical conditions as noted above.

—People aged 18-64 years at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of their job or institutional settings. Occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission include front line essential workers and health care workers: • First responders (health care workers, firefighters, police, staff at congregate care facilities) • Education staff (teachers, support staff, childcare workers) • Food and agriculture workers • Manufacturing workers • Corrections workers • U.S. Postal Service workers • Public transit workers • Grocery store workers This list could be updated in the

future.

The following partners are routinely offering vaccine clinics around Richland County: Richland County Health & Human Services and Emergency Management offers FREE COVID-19 vaccinations at Richland County Health & Human Services, 221 W. Seminary Street, Richland Center: Wednesdays from 8:30am-4:30pm.

Pfizer booster doses will be offered starting September 29th by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call 608-649-5795.

The Boscobel Pharmacy offers COVID-19 and Influenza vaccinations at 1028 Wisconsin Avenue, Boscobel.

Pfizer booster doses will be offered on Wednesdays starting September 29th by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call 608-3754466.

The Center Pharmacy offers COVID-19 and Influenza vaccinations at 190 N. Orange Street, Richland Center.

Pfizer booster doses will be offered on

Thursdays starting September 30th by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call 608-647-8918.

The Richland Hospital and Clinic offers COVID-19 and Influenza vaccinations: Monday – Friday from 9am-5pm Pfizer booster doses and Influenza vaccinations will be offered starting October 4th by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call 608-647-6321.

The Spring Green Medical Center offers COVID-19 vaccinations, Pfizer booster doses and Influenza vaccinations during clinic appointments. To schedule an appointment, please call 608-588-7413.

The Muscoda Health Center offers COVID-19 vaccinations, Pfizer booster doses and Influenza vaccinations during clinic appointments. To schedule an appointment, please call 608-739-3113.

At this time, the Pfizer booster authorization only applies to people whose primary series was Pfizer

vaccine. People in the recommended groups who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine will likely need a booster shot in the near future.

More data on the effectiveness and safety of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots are expected soon.

For the most up-to-date COVID-19 information, consult the following websites: Richland County: covid.co.richland.wi.us Sauk County: co.sauk.wi.us/publichealth/ coronavirus Iowa County: iowacounty.org/departments/ COVID-19 Wisconsin Department of Health Services: dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index. htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/ index.html

In Other News/Briefs River Valley School Board updates COVID protocols The River Valley School Board met Sept. 22 in a quick special meeting to close a loophole in the district’s COVID-19 protocols that had made masking requirements unclear for certain extracurricular activities and visitors, despite any masking mandates that may be in place.

School district buildings enforce mask requirements when an individual building reaches a certain threshold of active cases. As of press time, the high school is again under a mask mandate until Oct. 9, with both the elementary school and the high school recently finishing up previous mandates and having dipped under the threshold for masking.

At the meeting, the board approved the following motion applying mask requirements: “All indoor activities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who enters the building if a building has met the masking threshold.” The daily masking thresholds and daily tracker can be found on the District website here: rvschools.org/district/rvcovidupdates.cfm DALC: Driftless Trail opens October 1 The Driftless Area Land Conservancy (DALC) announced that the first segment of the Driftless Trail - the Weaver Road Trail - opens on October 1.

“We have many people to thank that brought us to this point - we started planning our vision back in 2016 in partnership with The National Park Service, the Ice Age Trail Association, North Country Trail Association, Taliesin Preservation, area landowners and the public,” said DALC in a statement.

You can read more about the history and vision of the Driftless Trail, and download a map (available on October 1) to get yourself out to this short but spectacular trail located just north of Governor Dodge State Park here: driftlessconservancy.org/driftless-trail The Driftless Trail is for foot traffic only – hiking, running, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing.

APT announces last show of the 2021 season: The Gift of the Magi Based on the book by James DeVita, APT is once again bringing back a (new) holiday classic.

In the Touchstone Theatre, November 26 - December 19, James DeVita and Josh Schmidt’s original musical is based on O. Henry’s classic tale of love and generosity returns to at long last.

American Players Theatre says: It’s been hailed as “a Christmas Delight” (The Isthmus).

We’ve also been told that “It’s difficult to imagine a more idyllic holiday escape.” (The Shepherd Express). But don’t take our word for it (or even theirs). This is a play that longs to be seen. To be reveled in and shared with friends and family. So help us celebrate the end of this remarkable season along with Jim and Della, who, with full hearts and empty pockets, seek the perfect gift for one another only to find they already have all they need.

Featuring Kelsey Brennan, Brian Mani and Marcus Truschinski. Lyrics by James DeVita & Josh Schmidt. Music by Josh Schmidt. Directed by Malkia Stampley.

Tickets on sale Tuesday, October 26, 9:00 am CT online at americanplayers.org and 10:00 am by phone at 608-588-2361

Employment opportunities

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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.

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Commercial Project Manager/Estimator

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

Commercial Construction Superintendent

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

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Salary will be based on experience EEO/AA employer

Please send your resume to:

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

Community

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

Page 5

COVID-19 Dashboard Wisconsin Summary

721,872 Positive Cases +17,438 from 9/21

Cases as of 9/28/2021

3,338,058 Negative Test Results +50,081 from 9/21

7,962 Deaths +108 from 9/21

Critically High Very High High Medium Low

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

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

Updated: 9/28/2021

6,342,518

Administered

3,593,503

2,483,977

Pfizer doses administered

Richland

Sauk

Target Range

54.2%

+63 from 9/21 +169 from 9/21 +0 from 9/21

Sauk County

+180 from 9/21 +493 from 9/21 +1 from 9/21

7,206 Positive Cases 40,086 Negative Tests 56 Deaths Updated: 9/28/2021

Target Range

58.1%

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

Iowa County

Johnson & Johnson doses administered

Vaccine Data

+90 from 9/21 +170 from 9/21 +2 from 9/21

2,417 Positive Cases 13,160 Negative Tests 15 Deaths

265,977

Moderna doses administered

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

county level weekly statistics Richland County 1,694 Positive Cases 9,010 Negative Tests 20 Deaths

Vaccine Summary Statistics

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

51.7%

55.2%

Percent fully vaccinated

Percent fully vaccinated

Iowa

Target Range

63.3% Percent with at least one vaccine dose

61.1% Percent fully vaccinated

Cases per zip code

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

Cases as of 9/28/2021

Updated: 9/28/2021 Lower %

Richland County Ages 12-15

Iowa County

Ages 12-15

Higher %

41.0%

Percent of Wisconsin residents who have received at least one dose

53.9%

Sauk County

Ages 12-15

Updated: 9/28/2021

44.8% Dane County Ages 12-15

Graphic by Anna Stocks-Hess

Ages

79.3%

12-15 16-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

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

46.2% 51.6% 51.5% 55.8% 63.4% 64.7% 73.4% 85.4%

Page 6

Community

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

COmmunitycalendar Events for September 30 - October 13 Thursday, September 30 Local Night: Acoustic River 5:30 PM - 8:00PM . The Shed/Post House Garden, 123 N Lexington Street, 119 E Jefferson Street Spring Green . Come out and spend your Thursday evenings with some local music and local food. The food cooked on the grill on the patio is from our many local vendors in Spring Green and surrounding towns, and the musicians are from the River Valley area.

Saturday, October 2 Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.facebook.com/SGFMarket. Local farm fresh produce, coffee, fresh baked goods, honey, soaps & lotions, bedding plants, cut flowers, maple syrup and more.

National Solar Tour 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM . 770 N. Westmor St., Spring Green . poemhomes.org . Join people across America who are learning about solar energy as part of the ASES National Solar Tour by touring Spring Green's first net-zero energy home.

Learn what it takes to go green: super-insulation, non-toxic materials, and energy-efficient mechanicals.

Rare Element 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . $15 in advance, $20 at the door . www.slowpokelounge.com . Wisconsin based horn band, RARE ELEMENT performs high-energyinstrumental funk music in a truly unique manner. The band’s highly talented roster coupled with it’s creative and intricate arrangements make Rare Element a must-see act. Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 required for all Slowpoke events.

Sunday, October 3 Benefit for Amanda White 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM . The Woods Bar and Grill, 320 S Oak St, Lone Rock . Amanda was diagnosed with inoperable cervical cancer and had incurred large medical bills. Proceeds will help pay bills. 50/50 drawings, meat paddles,

Monday, October 4 Morrill Lecture: Nickolas Butler, “GODSPEED: The Practice & Ethic of Craft” 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM . The Octagon Barn, E4350 Horseshoe Road, Spring Green . In the last Morrill Lecture of the 2021 season, the author of “Shotgun Lovesongs,” “Beneath the Bonfire,” “Hearts of Men” and “Little Faith” will discuss the frenzied writing of his newest novel “GODSPEED,” the process of selling the book, and the lessons learned from these events in the days preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Free; registration strongly suggested. Pre-ordered dinner from Wander Provisions available at 5 p.m. rivervalleycommons.org/morrill-lectures-home River Valley Music Booster monthly meeting 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM . River Valley Middle School Band Room, 660 W. Daley, Spring Green . Monthly meeting to support the River Valley Music students

Tuesday, October 5 Fall Outdoor Storytime 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . www.kraemerlibrary.org . Storytimes lasts about 30 minutes (no one gets offended if your child doesn’t last this long!) and is aimed for families with children ages 0-6 with themed songs and stories.

Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the World 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org .

Eleanor Roosevelt shares with the audience her tragedies and triumphs. Born into the opulent wealth of America’s “Golden Age” she would grow from the shy, homely orphan into a confident, driven woman. Annealed by personal tragedy, she would emerge as a champion of civil rights, author, and stateswoman. She is best summed up by President Harry S. Truman, who dubbed her “The First Lady of the World.”

Wednesday, October 6 Family Outdoor Storytime 10:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org . Join us for stories, songs, and fun. Meet on the library's east lawn. Seating pads are provided for children; adults please bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

Thursday, October 7 Evenings Afield: History of Farms in the Wyoming Valley Area 6:00 PM-8:00 PM . Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, 5607 Cty. Rd. C, Spring Green . The Lowery Creek Watershed Initiative, a community partnership coordinated by the Driftless Area Land Conservancy, once again is hosting monthly gatherings that are part field trip and part socializing. In this session, join Mary Pohlman to learn the history and tales of early farmers to better understand today’s renowned Wyoming Valley area. Sessions are free, although a donation is encouraged. Group size is limited to 30. Registration is required at driftlessconservancy.org/events. For more information, contact Barb Barzen at (608) 930-3252 or barb@driftlessconservancy.org.

Spring Green Lions Club 7:00 PM . The Shed, 123 N Lexington St, Spring Green .

Grab a friend or neighbor and join us for game night of Apples to Apples, Euchre games, Cribbage and possibly Sheepshead. We will have pizza and refreshments.

Saturday, October 9 Strassenfest 11:00 AM-5:00 PM . Alma Ave, Plain . Come to visit our local businesses, enjoy live music, great food & drinks. There will be a silent auction, 50/50 raffles, TV raffle and meat raffles with proceeds going towards entertainment costs. There is an organized bike ride beforehand. Find more info on the bike ride at www.villageofplain.com under "Forms". 11am-1pm Shawn Schell. 1pm-2pm Madison Maennerchor.

2pm-5pm The Hard Tellin' Band. WEAR YOUR BAVARIAN ATTIRE! Bring the kiddos to roast a marshmallow and makes their own S'mores.

Food, planet, and the delicious questions in between with chef & author Peter Hoffman 5:30 PM-7:30 PM . The Riverview Terrace Cafe/Taliesin Preservation: Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center 5607 County Rd C, Spring Green . The Riverview Terrace Cafe welcomes you to join Chef Peter Hoffman, author of What’s Good? a Memoir in Fourteen Ingredients, to talk about ‘Food, Planet, and the Delicious Questions in Between.’ Odessa Piper of Taliesin’s Food Artisan Immersion Program will moderate the discussion. Following the discussion, author Peter Hoffman will sign books. www.taliesinpreservation.org Gov. Dodge Candlelight Fall Hike 7:00 PM-9:00 PM . Cox Hollow Beach, 4175 WI-23, Dodgeville . Come enjoy an autumn evening hike on the Lakeview Trail (1.25 miles) lined with luminaries. Bring family and friends and enjoy the evening outdoors including a campfire and s'mores at Governor Dodge State Park. This is a free event, however a valid park sticker is required. For more information contact the Park at 608-935-2315. Sponsored by the Friends of Governor Dodge State Park

Monday, October 11 Community Gathering to Support Racial Justice 6:00 PM-7:00 PM . North Park, Daley St & Park Rd, Spring Green . The Community Group for Racial Justice is a discussion and action group that meets at North Park in Spring Green the second Monday of each month. The October meeting will be about the relationship between Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day.

Tuesday, October 12 Fall Outdoor Storytime 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . www.kraemerlibrary.org . Storytimes lasts about 30 minutes (no one gets offended if your child doesn’t last this long!) and is aimed for families with children ages 0-6 with themed songs and stories.

Wednesday, October 13 Family Outdoor Storytime 10:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org . Join us for stories, songs, and fun. Meet on the library's east lawn. Seating pads are provided for children; adults please bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

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

Is there substantial to high transmission of COVID-19 in your community?

Do you take everyday actions to protect yourself from COVID-19?

Will you potentially be in close contact with someone who is sick or someone who is not wearing a mask (and may be asymptomatic)?

Are you fully vaccinated?

Are you at increased risk of severe illness?

Will you be in close contact with people outside of your household? Are they fully vaccinated?

Data from: www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/community.htm Here are some important guidelines to help ensure everyone’s safety: Get vaccinated.

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

Wash hands frequently.

Wear a mask.

Stay home when sick.

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

Avoid crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spaces when possible.

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

Community

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

Page 7

Volleyball holds Promise Parker Night fundraiser for family of Parker Kruse Mariah Hill, RVHS Girls Volleyball Head Coach For years the River Valley Volleyball program has done a fundraiser during their homecoming match to support a former alumni family, breast cancer awareness, local charity, local family, etc.

This year was another amazing one. We chose PROMISE PARKER in honor of former RV alumnus Parker Kruse, who on July 3rd had a tragic boating accident and has yet to be returned to his family

from the WI River. Parker went to the aid of a fellow boater in trouble, went into the river and has yet to be found. The Johnson Kruse family along with numerous friends, family, and volunteers tirelessly keep searching for closure each day in hopes that this will be the day they find Parker.

Both teams dropped the usual school colors and jerseys in honor of Parker’s favorite color and both wore shades of

Photo by Janeen Anderson Parker’s mom, Jackie Johnson-Kruse, speaks to fans with family surrounding her at Promise Parker Night.

Photo by Janeen Anderson The amazing student section supporting the ‘blue out’ and in Promise Parker shirts.

continued from page 1

Blue.

Richland Center was right away willing to join in and support such a great cause and night. For 2 rivals to come together for one cause is really something special to see. The gym was a complete BLUE OUT with both communities wearing Promise Parker shirts or blue in support of the night.

We sold over 550 shirts to raise money

for the family. Over 800 blue bracelets, a bake sale, and we ran a 2 minute bucket run before the match in the stands and raised over $2400 in that short time. The communities were both so generous.

We are so thankful for all who attended, supported, donated, and stayed for one exciting volleyball match. Thank you to everyone involved from the bottom of our hearts.

APT’s statement on employee and affordable housing

“A portion of Pleasant Rowland’s recent landmark donation to APT is going to be used for construction of additional company housing. We’ve purchased two multi-family lots on Sunrise Drive. We will be breaking ground this fall on two apartment buildings, 8 units in each, with hopes of putting them to use in fall of 2022.

The buildings have been designed by Jewell. S&D Builders will be the general contractor.

As our company grows, we find the shortage of housing in Spring Green even more acute, with the lack of housing options driving our production decisions. We know that the dearth of housing in the area is a major challenge for area families and businesses. We hope that constructing these apartments will inspire other developers to invest in the community.”

— Carrie Van Hallgren, Managing Director of American Players Theatre

Musician in Residence program features Chicago duo, art collaborations continued from page 1

as a way to support musicians and showcase the community of Spring Green “I felt Spring Green had a lot of creative physical and intellectual space for visiting musicians to take advantage of, but in order to do that, they needed to spend time here and really experience the community,” says program founder Kim Nolet. “But most importantly, I wanted a way to support musicians during their time developing new music and projects. Most musicians don’t have record contracts that pay them to create. Paying for a ticket and buying their music is important, but it’s not paying their bills while they are writing and creating.”

Nolet had the idea in her head for years, but didn’t quite know how to pitch it to the community. A group of Spring Green area residents started meeting in 2017 to talk about ways to support and grow the community. This evolved into the group Springboard.

Someone put an invitation to that first meeting on Facebook and Nolet thought this might be the opportunity to make connections and see if there

was interest.

“That forum was exactly what I needed. I learned about available grants and people reacted positively to the idea.”

From there, Nolet knew she needed to talk to someone from the local music venue, The Sh*tty Barn about the idea. It was support from the venue, River Valley ARTS and local musician Don Greenwood that helped launch the program. From there, other local musicians and music fans started to get involved and brought the program to new life. Currently the program committee includes Rob Steffen, Allen DeSchepper, Dave Saperstein, Christ Nolet, Ben Feiner and Josh Gerstner.

The program invites a small number of musicians to apply each year for the two-week residency. The musicians receive lodging and a stipend. In exchange, they play a few local shows and commit to collaborating in some way with the local arts community. Past collaborations have included a series of songwriting workshops for area musicians, a songwriting workshop for middle schoolers, a music video with a Taliesin student and dancer, and a music video filmed by filmmaker Asa

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If we charged $1 for each copy of Valley Sentinel, just half of the copies that are picked up each week would entirely cover our printing costs — however, we are committed to remaining a free

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Valley Sentinel will stay a free and truly independent and accessible paper. Please frequent our local businesses and let them

Photo by Rob Steffen Bubbles Brown pictured at the Sh*tty Barn in Spring Green before performing Sept. 24.

Derks with area musicians and spoken word by two American Players Theatre actors. Local venues have also been willing and excited to host performances by the musicians and the audiences have grown each year.

“The community has really turned out to support this,” said Nolet. “The know you read Valley Sentinel each week.

What does independent news mean to us? It means NOT influenced by corporations or government, NO big corporate backers, NO corporate umbrella organizations, NO big money investors. Just a handful of people with a dream to build community.

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collaborators have found some inspiration and joy, and the community gets to enjoy their endeavors.”

Artist’s Reflection

I’m so privileged to have been invited to experience Spring Green Musician’s

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Page 8

Community

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

Scenes from the 2021 River Valley Homecoming and School Fair as “Olympics” are celebrated

Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor Anabelle Willoughby and Conrad Youngquist were named the 2021 River Valley Homecoming Queen and King.

Photo by Adeline Holte, Editorial Intern Varsity Boulevard after the ceremonial toilet-papering for Homecoming. The student-picked theme was “Olympics”.

Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor Homecoming Parade Grand Marshall Kathy Kinney.

Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The River Valley Blackhawks Football teams and cheer ride on a float during the Homecoming Parade.

Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor Members of the River Valley Cross Country teams make their traditional run through the Homecoming Parade.

Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The River Valley High School Band marching through the Homecoming Parade.

Photo via Shari Graffunder A student showing a pig in the School Fair.

Photo via Shari Graffunder Students showing pigs in the School Fair.

Photo via Shari Graffunder Students displaying their winning rabbits at the School Fair.

Thank you Royal Bank for supporting the River Valley School Fair by purchasing my market hog.

- Ben Pulvermacher

Photo via Shari Graffunder District Administrator Loren Glasbrenner holding a chicken with a student at the School Fair.

Thank you Royal Bank for supporting the River Valley School Fair by purchasing my market hog.

- Emelyn Pulvermacher

ARTS & CULTURE

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

Page 9

Musician in Residence program artist reflects on time in Spring Green continued from page 7

Residency Program. It is a totally unique opportunity that allows for artists to work on there craft, immerse themselves in Wisconsin traditions, and perform for new audiences that they may not have engaged with otherwise. The food, beer, scenic beauty, and pleasant disposition of the locals made the stay in Spring Green a memorable one. Kim and Chris Nolet were so incredible. They made sure we had everything we needed, showed us around, and were great hosts. They had us over for the Packers game and we made Chili and Brandy Old Fashions.

Brandy in an Old Fashioned was a new phenomenon for me. They roadied our gear and were awesome support when we needed it. They were terrific ambassadors for Spring Green. We were also able to collaborate with a

local painter. I’m looking forward to seeing the completed paintings by Jen Salt. The driftless region was stunning and climbing Frank’s Hill with her and watching the sun set on the Fall Equinox was probably my favorite memory of the trip. All of the shows were amazing. Smoke In The Valley, the Branding Iron Roadhouse, and a sold out show at the Shitty Barn. I felt great to play with Ben again after over a year and a half hiatus due to Covid 19. We were able to practice and work on projects for our new record Blood Harmony to be released early 2022. We hope to be back up there soon. I’ll be passing through next month solo so maybe I’ll stop by and say hello. This little town is a hidden gem and the residency makes it even more special.

— Christopher Brown

Photo by Rob Steffen Christopher Brown, of Bubbles Brown, pictured performing at the Sh*tty Barn in Spring Green Sept. 24.

Bubbles Brown, Musician in Residence program collaborate with area artist Jen Salt

Paintings by Jen Salt

Work in Progress

A Poem for Frank’s Hill

I’d like to thank the Spring Green Musician in Residence Program for giving me, as an artist, the opportunity to collaborate with Bubbles Brown for the past couple of weeks. It’s been a wonderful experience and has encouraged me to “paint outside of the lines” so to speak and, experiment with other color options, painting mediums and techniques.

Thank you to Ben and Bubbles for spending time with me and talking about your music, ideas, and thoughts on the three paintings. Spring Green has been very fortunate to have you here.

These three paintings, referred to as a “triptych’ are still a work in progress and will hopefully, be around Spring Green for a while when completed next month. When working in oils using the Old Masters technique, a few days of drying time is required between each layer of paint…….thanks for your patience.

Thank you also to River Valley ARTS for providing a Eureka Grant to fund the artistic part of the art/musician collaboration. I appreciate their support and the great things they do to make Spring Green a more colorful and artful place to live.

—Jen Salt, Spring Green

Layer upon layer of clouds In hues of azure and amethyst slowly……. methodically…….. coerce the blood-orange sun into the sea of weathered corn.

The golden hour is fading into indigo night.

Autumn Equinox, 2021 Jen Salt

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Outdoors/recreation

Page 10 WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

The Sauk County Gardener — Don’t Waste the Warm Weather

Jeanie Manis, Sauk County Master Gardener

“You don’t waste October sunshine. Soon the old autumn sun would bed down in cloud blankets, and there would be weeks of gray rain before it finally decided to snow.”

–Katherine Arden, Small Spaces This weekend was glorious, fall weather – warm and sunny, letting me know that summer is still here but not for long. Our daughter is getting married this coming weekend, so my husband and I spent the weekend prepping our home for out-oftown guests coming to this big event – well sort of. I put up the fall decorations, he put up his deer stand. My daughter has everything pretty much buttoned up, so I had more free time than I was expecting – at least from working on wedding preparations. The last-minute preparations will get into full swing about mid-week and then I’ll be wishing for some of that free time I had this past weekend.

I used some of that free time to assess my perennial garden for areas that need some work (other than weeding; there is always something that needs to be weeded.)

At this time of year, one thing that’s easy to see is what beds still need some color for fall. When we bought our house, there were only two established beds and they had been neglected for a year or so before we moved in. I tried working in plants and

such, but I think it’s time to completely redo those two beds next year. They need to be completely dug up and replanted to help ensure full color from spring to fall. I’ll give those two beds a good clean-up this fall and mark where the late emerging plants such as butterfly weed are located, so I don’t have to worry about accidentally destroying them next spring. Use this time to give your garden beds a critical look-over, especially for assessing for color. If anything, take some pictures so you can reference them next winter when you’re planning your gardens.

The weather forecast for the month of October shows temps in the 60s and 70s so there is still time to get some hardy annual and perennial seeds planted in your beds. Some good perennial seeds to plant include Echinacea, phlox, poppy, primrose, scabiosa, pansies, and penstemon. I’m hoping to get some poppies planted – I’ve never had much luck before, but I’m determined I’m going to get some to grow eventually. However, it will not be unusual for the nighttime temps to dip below 45 degrees, so be prepared to bring in your houseplants and topicals if temps are expected to drop if you haven’t already transitioned them indoors.

With this extended warm weather, your vegetable garden might still be going strong. In my case, it’s the tomatoes and beans – still! I just can’t seem to pull them

up when they are still producing. I have some amazing Opalka tomatoes that are still producing but unfortunately, some will probably not ripen before it gets too cool. Tomatoes need temperatures between 68 - 77 degrees F to ripen. Daytime temps should stay there through at least the first 10 days or so of October. These glorious paste tomatoes are meaty, have few seeds, and have really good flavor. Bonus, some of mine are the size of softballs! I will leave mine on the vine until there is a change of frost or they are no longer ripening. At that point, any that are showing a hint of color (near the blossom end of the fruit), have a chance of ripening off the vine so they can be picked. Put them in a paper bag or lidded cardboard box with a ripe banana. The banana will give ethylene gas which helps speed the ripening process of nearby fruit. The tomatoes do not need light to ripen, they need the warmth. You can also ripen them on the countertop out of direct sunlight. If you have a lot of green tomatoes, you might not want them to all ripen at once. If that is the case, put the green(er), blemish-free, tomatoes in a cool (around 50 – 50 degrees F), dark and dry place. Then bring them into warmer temps when you want to use them. Keep in mind, indoor- ripened tomatoes are not going to be as delicious as field ripened. However, it’s better than letting them go to waste.

If you don’t want to ripen them, consider

eating them green – there are lots of recipes out there to try. Once you’ve picked the last of your tomatoes, dispose of any diseased plant material in your trash and not your compost pile. If you put diseased garden waste in your compost pile, it is highly likely you will be spreading those diseases to your garden beds next year when you use the compost.

Added note - This is a great time to do a soil test as your gardens use up lots of nutrients during the growing season, the ground is not yet frozen, and there is not as much of a rush for to get results. Soil test should be done every three to five years.

Visit the Extension Sauk County office for soil sample bags and testing information for your lawn, garden, or agricultural fields.

It takes about two weeks to get the results.

There is a small fee for the test, but it is well worth it. To learn more about testing your soil, read this article on sampling lawns and gardens: uwlab.webhosting.cals.wisc.edu/ wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2010/12/ A2166-2.pdf Also visit: uwlab.soils.wisc. edu/soil-samples/lawn-garden/.

This week’s article is written by Jeannie Manis, a Wisconsin Certified Sauk County Master Gardener Volunteer. If you have any gardening questions, please contact the Extension Sauk County by emailing to trrip@wisc.edu or calling the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250.

Voices of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway: Whippoorwills still singing at Ferry Bluff Diane Schwartz, Voices of the Lower Wisconsin River Riverway On September 19, on the eve of the full moon, and just days from the autumnal equinox, I headed to Ferry Bluff State Natural Area to see if the whippoorwills were still singing.

They were.

I’ve been visiting Ferry Bluff all summer to hear the whippoorwills and I have to say that I’m more than a bit obsessed with them.

At their peak in July, I heard upwards

Photo by Diane Schwartz, Voices of the Lower Wisconsin River Riverway Full Moon at Ferry Bluff looking east at the Mazomanie Bottoms.

of 10 birds, but there were probably more. It’s hard to distinguish individual birds, especially when the singing comes from across the river. On September 19, I heard just two. Sunset was at 7:00 p.m. and the birds started singing at 7:30 pm.

Both of the birds were singing from the bluff side. I didn’t hear any birds singing from across the river, though I did hear two barred owls calling from the Mazomanie bottomlands.

My theory is that once the birds stop singing, they will have left for their winter homes in Mexico and Central America. Since I’ve heard fewer birds at Ferry Bluff since their July peak, I’m assuming that the birds have migrated south. I will visit Ferry Bluff again on October 1 to see if the birds are still singing.

Will they still be there?

Photo via Diane Schwartz, Voices of the Lower Wisconsin River Riverway Eastern Whippoorwill

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

Deer health and wild game bird outlooks for the fall hunting season

Isiah Holmes, Wisconsin Examiner The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has confirmed that a tissue sample from a La Crosse County deer tested positive for the virus that causes Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease. It was confirmed after a landowner reported eight dead deer across a 200-acre property south of La Crosse.

This particular virus is carried by midges, a kind of small fly sometimes called biting gnats or no-see-ums. According to a DNR press release, the virus is not known to infect humans even if a person handles or consumes infected deer. Being bitten by infected midges is also not known to pass the virus to humans.

Infected deer can be spotted by a slew of symptoms. Excessive salivation, or foaming around the mouth and nose are noticeable indicators. So too are if the deer appears to be weak, or can be approached by humans with ease. Their carcasses are often found in or near water because infected deer will often lie in the water to cool down and drink. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease is common across the southern and western United States, and occasionally occurs in the Midwest. It’s a short-lived disease, since infected flies die after the first frost and deer die within seven days of infection.

Last fall, Wisconsin saw small outbreaks of less than 50 deer each in Oconto and Buffalo counties. The year before, epizootic hemorrhagic disease was detected in Crawford and six surrounding counties, affecting about 300 deer. Just one case was confirmed in 2017. Despite the scarcity, it’s important to remain aware of such disease alerts, particularly as fall sets in and hunters across the state prepare for various game, the DNR advises.

The DNR is also asking hunters to help monitor Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in deer. The fatal infectious nervous system disease in deer, moose, elk, and reindeer/caribou was first detected in the state in 2002. Wisconsin law forbids feeding or baiting deer within 10 miles of wild or farm-raised deer that have tested positive for CWD or tuberculosis.

“We especially encourage hunters in northeast Wisconsin and around our other CWD surveillance areas to get their adult deer tested this season,” said Amanda Kamps, a DNR Wildlife Health Conservation Specialist. “Each test result helps us better understand CWD distribution.”

The DNR has also released the outlook for the wild turkey, woodcock and ruffed grouse hunting seasons. The grouse season opened Sept. 18 and continues until

Photo by Linda Freshwaters Arndt via WI DNR Whitetail deer buck in the woods. The DNR is asking hunters to look for signs of Epizootic Hemorrhage.

Jan 9. A statewide survey found a 6% decrease in breeding grouse compared to 2019, which a DNR press release said may simply reflect a down-phase of a 10-year population cycle for the grouse.

The woodcock season opened Sept.

25, and will run until Nov. 8. Hunters must register annually with the Harvest Information Program to hunt woodcock as well as waterfowl and mourning doves.

Wild turkey season opened on Sept. 18. It will close on Nov. 19 or Jan. 9, depending on the hunting zone. The DNR notes that wild turkey currently have a strong

population statewide, but researchers continue to monitor the hen population to ensure that it isn’t reduced by excessive hunting.

“Last winter was relatively mild with low snow levels statewide and few long-lasting cold snaps,” said DNR Marinette County Wildlife Biologist Alaina Gerrits. “Mild winter conditions paired with an early spring green-up and dry weather point to favorable brooding conditions for 2021.

All field reports suggest a healthy and robust turkey population providing many opportunities for fall hunting.”

SPORTS

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 Page 11

Blackhawks lose tough game to Broadhead/Juda for second loss on the season Kalen Scott, Sports Contributor On Friday Sept. 24, the River Valley Blackhawks Varsity Football team faced their toughest team of the season in their Homecoming game. A conference game was staged at home versus the Brodhead/ Juda Cardinals. Brodhead/Juda was the favored coming into the game especially with the starting running back Zach Gloudeman questionable. The battle for the conference championship was arguably fought that night.

The Cardinals came out red hot getting up 14 to nothing in the first quarter but the Blackhawks with a few impressive plays with Ethan Wickman avoiding sacks, Landon Clary making some moves for good yardage, along with Landon Alt running some great routes made the Cardinals still be up on their toes.

However, the Cardinals had the stronger running game throughout.

“Brodhead-Juda was very good in their execution in the running game,” said Blackhawks Head Coach Tim Eastlick.

“Their ability to pull and wall defenders down was the best we have seen this year.

Their backs do a nice job running low and hard.”

Later in the second quarter the offensive line started to break, allowing the Cardinals to start breaking through, pressuring Wickman into making tough choices left and right. The half ended at Cardinals 26, River Valley 0.

Not much more happened for the Blackhawks going forward, it seemed

like the Cardinals had the offensive line figured out, more quarterback hits on Wickman, and not much left in the run game anymore.

“We struggled to establish any kind of push up front against their defensive line that would allow us to run or throw the ball,” said Eastlick.

The defense for River Valley eventually made their first strike back at the Cardinals with Kameron Smith snagging a great interception in the late third quarter, sadly nothing came to fruition of that turnover.

Brodhead/Juda continued to dominate the Blackhawks all the rest of the way.

With around 4 minutes left in the 4 quarter and a quick quarterback switch to Jack Meyers, soon after the Cardinals second string, which were put in to give the starters some rest in the 4th, fell apart.

Meyers managed to air out a long pass to Landon Alt and he just did the rest, running in for a touchdown and making the final score at the end 7-39, Brodhead/ Juda Cardinals win in a heartbreaking loss for the River Valley Blackhawks team.

“We will continue to work on being fundamentally sound and improving every practice. It’s one game and we still have room to improve,” said Eastlick.

This brought River Valley their second loss of the season, both of the losses coming from teams that are currently ranked in the top 40 teams in the state of Wisconsin, including all divisions. Have faith though Blackhawk fans, on Friday the

Photo by Mike McDermott, Sports Contributor Landon Radtke moves to tackle a Cardinal on defense during the Homecoming game against Broadhead/Juda. football team takes on the Prairie Du Chien Blackhawks in the head to head battle of the Blackhawks, away at Prairie Du Chien!

“PDC will be a physical team on both sides of the ball. They have good athletes that are well coached,” said Eastlick.

Kalen Scott is a Valley Sentinel circulation/photojournalism intern and 2021 RV alumnus, having played football all four years of his high school career. He is currently attending UW-Platteville for History Education.

RV Varsity Girls Volleyball wins in games against Lancaster and Richland Center Mariah Hill, RVHS Girls Volleyball Head Coach River Valley Volleyball hosted Lancaster last Tuesday, and Richland Center for their homecoming match on Thursday this past week. The Blackhawks took both matches to improve to 4-2 in conference.

Last Tuesday we swept the Flying Arrows in 3. We had a solid match and did some good things and worked hard on our side of the net.

Leaders for the Blackhawks were Morgan Brickl with 13 kills, 5 ace serves and 10 digs. Kate Hanson with 14 assists and Brooke Anderson with 12.

On Thursday, the Hawks had a big match up. We started the second round of conference play and hosted rival Richland Center. It was our Homecoming match and Promise

Parker night. The gym was packed, the crowd excitement was next level. We played our best volleyball to date. The whole team put everything into this match.

We played with so much heart, fire, excitement, and confidence. I was beyond proud of this team. We lost the first set to the Hornets, but once we took charge of the 2nd set and came out on top 27-25, I knew we were going to win.

Leaders for River Valley were Anabelle Willoughby with 14 kills, Morgan Brickl and Katie Hahn each with 10.

Kate Hanson had 4 ace serves. Katie Hahn led in block kills with 6. Kate Hanson had 21 assists and Brooke Anderson had 16. Brickl and Willoughby both led in digs with 17 each.

Photo by Janeen Anderson Number 3, Junior Lydia Weiss goes up for an offensive attack against Lancaster last Tuesday night.

Boys Soccer pulls off win against RC after tough week Photo contributed by Cory Schmidt, RV Boys Soccer Head Coach The River Valley High School Varsity Boys Soccer team won Tuesday at RC 1-0. The goal was scored by Ben Whitaker with the assist by Aiden Schmidt.

“It was a fun and heated affair,” said Cory Schmidt, RVHS Boys Soccer Head Coach.

Pictured is Sophomore midfielder Kin Thao.

School activities this week Volleyball: Middle School RVHS - New Gym Thursday, Sept. 30, 4:00 p.m.

Football/Cheer: Varsity Game Prairie du Chien HS Friday, Oct. 1, 7:00 p.m.

Football: JV Game RV Football Stadium Monday, Oct. 4, 5:30 p.m.

Girls Swimming Baraboo Middle School Thursday, Sept. 30, 6:00 p.m.

Cross Country: Middle School UW-Platteville Saturday, Oct. 2, 8:00 a.m.

Volleyball: Middle School River Valley High School Tuesday, Oct. 5, 4:00 p.m.

Soccer: Boys JV Game Lodi High School Thursday, Sept. 30, 5:00 p.m..

Cross Country: Platteville Invite UW-Platteville Saturday, Oct. 2, 8:15 a.m

Football: 8th Grade RV Football Stadium Tuesday, Oct. 5, 5:30 p.m.

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game Lodi High School Thursday, Sept. 30, 6:45 p.m..

Trap Team SG Rod and Gun Club Sunday, Oct. 3, 10:00 a.m.

Football: 7th Grade RV Football Stadium Tuesday, Oct. 5, 7:00 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls JV2 Platteville HS North Gym Tuesday, Oct. 5, 5:45 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls JV Platteville HS South Gym Tuesday, Oct. 5, 5:45 p.m.

Volleyball: Girls Varsity Platteville HS South Gym Tuesday, Oct. 5, 7:15 p.m.

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game Platteville High School Tuesday, Oct. 5, 5:00 p.m.

Soccer: Boys JV Game Platteville High School Tuesday, Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m.

Outdoors/recreation

Page 12 WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

An Outdoorsman’s Journal

Mark Walters, Contributor

An Active Bear Hunt Hello friends, Last week I helped hunting and fishing guide Joe Flater with his bear hunters.

Basically Dave Schmitt and I of Adams were grunt labor; as in stand movers, bear trackers, draggers, and skinners.

There is a ton to write about, so I have to be brief.

Thursday, Sept 16th High 78, Low 51

Most of “Musky Joe’s” operation takes place in the area where the Flambeau and Chippewa Rivers meet in Rusk County. This year there would be five hunters and yesterday was opening day and no bear were harvested, but one small one was passed up by 24-yearold Mitch Dess who is a teacher and also a football coach at South Milwaukee High School.

Tonight, Joe received the call every guide wants to get, Tracy Martin who was sitting with her boyfriend James Ward, had taken a shot and it was all hands on deck for tracking a bear in the dark.

Tracy and James are from Boscobel, as are their good friends Stewart and Heather Updike. A part of bear hunting that many people may not be aware of is that it is a family/friend type of sport

and Tracy certainly had some quality support.

So, we have spent two hours in a beautiful forest tracking in the dark and keep losing blood. It is midnight and the decision is made to call Jeff Ewers of Sheldon who is a good friend of Joe’s.

Jeff is a dog hunter (runs dogs for bears), and he shows up with his 11-year-old Plott hound named Rosco!

This story is super cool because we were going to lose the bear, Rosco is near the end of his life, and it was very cool to observe Jeff and Rosco slowly but steadily track down what would end up being a beautiful 250-pound dressed sow. Our very happy crew of 8 was done skinning at 3:00 a.m and after supper it was 4:30.

Friday, September 17th High 81, Low 48

I became friends with Jeff Dess a few years back when he was bear hunting with Joe. This year he is sitting with his son Mitchell and today Mitchell harvested his first bear, which was a 375-pound dressed boar. This father/son team stays at Flater’s Resort, as do many of the hunters, so we get to spend a lot of time together and it really is a great experience. Mitchell was a wide receiver for UW Whitewater from 2015 to 2018 and from what I hear his dad was a heck of a football player as well.

Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor Tracy Martin of Boscobel with her first black bear.

Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor Mitch Dess’s first black bear was a brute!

Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor First time bear hunter twelve year old Joel Weeks of Cadott harvested this black bear while sitting with his dad Eric Weeks.

An interesting side story on Mitch’s bear. A month ago, in this same area, a friend of Joe’s hit what he described as a very large bear with his truck, he rolled it and the bear vanished into a cornfield.

Mitch’s bear was totally healthy but had a wound on its right shoulder the size of a basketball and its entire right side was bruised. The damage was well healed but had to have hurt like H E double toothpicks.

Another one of Joe’s hunters is Peter Rubish, who is in his mid 30’s and a construction worker out of Platteville.

Pete had a great attitude, hunted geese in the morning and, after Joe moved him to a different stand, harvested his first bear In closing, our youngest hunter was Joel Weeks who is 12 and from Cadott.

Joel was on his first black bear hunt, is a sixth grader, and on the Cadott Middle School football team. I was very

impressed with the respect this boy had in every sentence he spoke and how accomplished he is for his age.

On Sunday night while sitting with his dad, Eric Weeks, Joel harvested his first bear, which was a 200-pound male, and — my friends — that is what I call a great bear hunt for everyone involved.

I have run bear baits for ten out of the last eleven years and took this year off due to no one in my gang having tags.

Next year one of us will get one and I can’t wait.

Respect what you harvest!

—Sunset

Want to read more?

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

My name is Tripp Stroud.

Stroud I’m running to be your next State Senator.

In small town Wisconsin, where I grew up, people didn’t think of each other as Republican or Democrat. We didn’t cheer for the football team at Homecoming just because of who the coaches voted for. When the town flooded, we didn’t fill sandbags for our neighbors because they were Republicans or Democrats. No, we did these things because we took pride in our town and in taking care of each other.

It should be the same way in the State Capitol. We’ve had 10 years of extreme partisanship. Let’s try small town values for a change. Wisconsin values. There’s no telling how much good we can do when we stop making everything so political and start looking at each other as friends and neighbors again.

Sincerely, Paid for by Tripp Stroud’s Friends and Neighbors PO Box 512, Spring Green, WI 53588

Join Jo J oin m me e!

Saturday, 10/2 9:30 A.M. Richland Center Krouskop Park

We're rallying to show teachers, staff, school boards, and healthcare workers that the community has their back in the fight against COVID.