Spring Green, Wisconsin
Thursday, May 19, 2022 | Vol. 3, No. 13 FREE, Single-Copy
Inside this edition
Plain looks to change Main Street parking
Editorial Cartoon: Commentary on CAFOs
What’s in season at the farmers market?
Pages 1, 5
Page 4
Page 11
Plain board discusses Main Street parking changes, recreation program Adeline Holte, Editorial Intern The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Plain was held on Wednesday, May 11. Among some of the topics discussed was possible action to change Main Street parking to parallel only, as well as the seasonal opening of the pool and the recreation program.
Main Street Parking
A large portion of the meeting was devoted to the discussion on the possibility of change to the current parking on Main Street. It was recommended by the Streets Committee to change all parking on the street from diagonal, or angle, to parallel. Many businesses along Main Street, including The Peoples Community Bank, Sam’s Place, and Roarin’ 20s registered opposition to the change, as
it would eliminate some parking spaces which they believe could potentially harm business. Some of the concerns and opposition discussed included worry that not all people are able to parallel park, that eliminating parking spaces could hinder new businesses on the street, such as Roarin’ 20s and that people may begin to park in neighboring residential areas , which may make homeowners unhappy. Board member Kelly Yanke said she is concerned for emergency vehicles potentially struggling to get past parked vehicles with the current diagonal parking situation and also stated that they had recently seen two cars parked three feet from the curb, further endangering drivers by parking too far into the street. Board member Wade Neubauer stated that with the concern of people not being able to properly and safely parallel park, that those who have
Conserve Sauk Film Festival: 2023 festival call for entries Justine Bula, Sauk Co. Education Coordinator The next Conserve Sauk Film Festival will be held in November of 2023 and the organizers of the festival are looking for films to include in the official lineup for the 2023 festival. Help bring awareness to important conservation topics through film by submitting a film or creating a film for the 2023 Conserve Sauk Film Festival. Films submitted for the 2023 festival should address one of the following topic areas such as agriculture, geology, forestry, land use, wildlife, water, recreation, human-nature experience, and conservation history. Films should address an issue, challenge, best management practice,
important resource, significant history, or historical figure associated either directly or indirectly, with the environment of Sauk County. Films that meet these requirements can be submitted for review by the steering committee to be included in the official 2023 festival lineup. Please submit films no later than 11:59 PM (CDT) on Saturday, April 1, 2023, via Film Freeway www.filmfreeway. com/ConserveSaukFilmFestival or email Justine Bula at justine.bula@ saukcountywi.gov. There will not be any film contest for 2023 and no cash prizes or awards will be given out. Recognition for participation as an official selection of the festival will be provided and participants will be invited to attend and
trouble should: “maybe work on it,” stating that the ability to parallel park is a part of drivers education. Neubauer stated that he does not want to put the safety of the public underneath someone’s ability to parallel park. He also stated that with the concern of small or new businesses losing customers due to the change in parking, he feels that if the business is worth going to then where you park probably would not be that big of a hurdle. Village President Raymond Ring stated that he can’t argue with Neubauer’s comments about an individual’s ability to parallel park but said that there are people who are challenged with the task. Neubauer commented that he is open to options on the proposed layout, but that the lane of travel cannot be maintained if there are cars parked on that stretch. Yanke also noted that the proposed
parking stalls would be larger than a normal parallel parking stall. Ring suggested potentially installing signs stating that no large trucks can park in the diagonal parking stalls because the size could be a potential hazard. Board member Merry Lynn Riek expressed agreement with the no truck parking signs. Also stated by Plain and Spring Green Police Chief, Mike Stoddard, was that cars not fully pulled up to the curb are illegally parked. He stated that he sees this all the time, claiming that it is partially because of spoilers underneath the car. Though, if an accident was caused because a car had not been fully pulled up to the curb, that car would be a part of the accident report because it was not legally parked. Stoddard also reminded the board to take their constituents' opinions into consideration. He stated that at the end
speak at their film’s screening. The Conserve Sauk Film Festival is an event created to highlight, celebrate, and promote the creation of environmentally themed films that relate directly or indirectly to Sauk County and its residents. The festival offers an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the natural beauty and resources of the area, celebrate our conservation successes, reflect upon our relationship to the environment, address challenges that we face, consider how we can be part of the solution, and connect as a county and a community over our shared world. We hope to inspire creative thought, discussion, and potential solutions to these challenges by coming together through this project.
This project began in 2019 and is a collaboration effort between the Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library, the Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Department, UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County, the Sauk County Conservation Network, the International Crane Foundation, and the Nature Conservancy. The 2023 Conserve Sauk Film Festival will be free and open to the public. Screenings of films will be followed by facilitated discussions on the topics and themes presented in the films, led by local experts. For more information about the Conserve Sauk Film Festival, visit the event website at www. conservesaukfilmfest.org
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