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It’s your paper! Friday, October 9, 2020 • Vol. 7, No. 8 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1

City of Fitchburg

Inside

Alders agree to relocate polling location Verona Road location only valid for November election

To Illinois, rain or shine Page 2

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Sports

Photos by Emilie Heidemann

Elena Wimer, 6, and her little brother, Malcolm, 3, enjoy some autumn doughnuts.

A day at the market

Crusaders cruise back to state Page 12

Schools School taxes likely on the rise for 2020-21 Page 15 5 students receive National Merit Semifinalist honors Page 16

he Fitchburg Farmers Market is entering its final month. That was likely evidenced by the Halloween attire, pumpkins and fall vegetables lining the tables underneath the Agora Pavilion Thursday, Oct. 1. Patrons wearing masks harvested their bounties while kids ran around eating doughnuts and cookies. One vendor sold Halloween-themed yarn. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie. heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Inside More photos from the farmers market. Page 11

Business

Third time’s the charm. After bringing up relocating the District 1 polling place at every Common Council meeting since late August, alders changed the polling location for the Nov. 3 presidential election at their Tuesday, Sept. 22, meeting. It will now be at the site of Little John’s pay-what-you-can restaurant, currently the empty A-1 Furniture store at 5302 Verona Road. District 1 Alds. Dorothy Krause and Joe Maldonado have been insistent on relocating the district’s polling place from its current location at Fire Station No. 1 on Marketplace Drive, which is outside of the district and requires residents to cross one or two busy thoroughfares to get there. “We have been proactive, and our partners have been proactive – let’s honor the work that they’ve put in to be able to make this happen,” Maldonado said. “Timing isn’t an excuse if we’ve been the reason that there’s been a delay.” Alders voted 6-2 to approve the new polling location. Alds. Sarah Schroeder (Dist. 3) and Tom Clauder (D-4) voted against, citing issues like Little John’s not having the lease signed by the time of the vote, and not having internet currently working in the building. While Little John’s representative Adam Haen reassured alders that the lease would be signed within the week and internet service would be running within two, neither felt comfortable approving the move. The majority of the other alders all spoke

Turn to Election/Page 9

Peppers that would pack a punch to any dish showcase radiant reds, greens and oranges.

Mayor’s budget: Little wiggle room Fitchburg Farms, LLC starts e-commerce store Page 19

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

The City of Fitchburg had the largest percentage growth of any municipality in Dane County last year, but even that won’t provide much flexibility in the 2021

operating budget. That tight budget is partially a result of increased debt taken on by the city for large construction projects. The two biggest, Fish Hatchery Road and McKee Road, eats up a large portion of the levy increase the city can take advantage of, mayor Aaron Richardson wrote in the introductory letter to the annual mayor’s budget, which he released Sept. 21. Richardson’s proposed 2021 operating budget, which alders will review over the next several weeks,

lists five commitments he considers the most important and pushes back seven projects alders had moved up over the summer in the city’s capital improvement plan. He wrote that the city doesn’t have the capacity to fund them. The resulting mayor’s budget would provide funding for only a fraction of department requests for staffing for a second year in a row. In his letter, Richardson notes the upcoming challenges the city

Turn to Budget/Page 9

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

The building set to house Little John’s pay-what-you-can restaurant and formerly an A-1 Furniture store, will be the polling location for the City of Fitchburg’s District 1. The Common Council approved the relocation of the polling place at its Tuesday, Sept. 22 meeting, away from the previous Fire Station No. 1 location on Marketplace Drive. 151

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ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

To Illinois, rain or shine Fitchburg bikers set out for overnight journey JUSTIN LOEWEN Star correspondent

Despite steady rainfall, participants of this year’s “Pick Me Up at the Border!” bike ride set out from

Fitchburg for an overnight journey to the Illinois border on Friday, Sept. 11. A s B i k e F i t c h b u r g ’s primary fundraiser, the round-trip ride began at Race Day Events headquarters and stretched across 80 miles to Illinois, though riders could also choose a 50-mile journey to Monticello or a 25-mile trip to Belleville.

From left, Fitchburg Mayor Aaron Richardson visits with “Pick Me Up at the Border!” chairperson Thad Schumacher.

Photos by Justin Loewen

“Pick Me Up at the Border!” bike ride participants gather for a group photo at Race Day Events headquarters in Fitchburg prior to the start of the event on Friday, Sept. 11. From left, Bike Fitchburg vice president and co-founder Jennifer Ullman helps Marc Shaer of Madison sign up for ride.

Bike Fitchburg president and co-founder Matthew Jones addresses participants of the bike ride before the group set out.

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October 9, 2020

Dane County

Alliant COVID testing times changing New hours as site is now open Tuesday through Saturday through 2020 SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

Starting Monday, Oct. 5, Alliant Energy Center COVID-19 community test site hours will change, with it now closed on Mondays. The site will remain open Tuesday through Saturday until the end of the year. It also has new hours — noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The site is closed on Sundays and Mondays. “Based on demand, we know this site is a valuable resource for our community, particularly for those who don’t have health insurance, our essential workers, and for our communities of color, who are so disproportionately affected by this virus,” Ken Van Horn, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Public Health Madison and Dane County, said in a news release. The change in hours coincides with a large decrease in staffing from the Wisconsin National Guard, who have been providing the majority of help at the site, alongside PHMDC. The health authority will now be staffing the majority of the site. “We’re sorry to see the National Guard go, but are incredibly grateful for their herculean effort in providing over 192,000 tests at the Alliant Energy Center site since it opened in May,” he said in the release. Wait times at the testing site might see moderate increases with the decreased hours of operation, but Van Horn said the site will continue to provide about 10,000 tests per week. “This keeps us well above the critical testing metric that we closely watch to detect active i n f e c t i o n a n d p r eve n t COVID-19 transmission,” he said in the release.

Since the test site opened in May, an average of 1,643 people have been tested per day, according to the release. Van Horn said since early July the center has had 5,985 positive tests, of which around 1 in 5 were asymptomatic. “They were out and about in our community and able to spread the virus without feeling sick at all themselves,” he said in the news release. “This is one of the reasons we feel it is important to keep the site running through the end of the year.”

Test details

The free testing is done in the center’s New Holland Pavilion and is available to those 5 years and older who may arrive by car, bike or on foot. No appointment is necessary, though pre-registration is available in English, Spanish and Hmong and encouraged to get through the site as quickly as possible. Translation is available in Spanish and Hmong. No identification is needed and immigration status is not asked. Free transportation is available by calling the Public Health Transportation Line at (608) 243-0420. Test results are provided via email or phone call within 3-7 business days. The test is not an antibody test and does not indicate if someone has had COVID-19 in the past. According to PHMDC, it is very important to limit contact with others until test results are received, especially if someone has been exposed to COVID-19 or has symptoms like fever, cough, or sore throat. If a test result is negative, it means the person did not have COVID-19 at that moment, but does not mean they cannot get COVID in the future. People are asked to follow PHMDC recommendations to stay home as much as possible and keep up with prevention measures known to prevent the spread of the virus. For more information and answers to questions about the community testing site, visit publichealthmdc.com/coronavirustesting.

PHMDC test recommendations People who have had close contact (within 6 feet for about 15 minutes) with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. People with COVID-19 symptoms. People who have regular exposure to a large number of people (people who work in grocery stores). People who work closely with high-risk populations (healthcare workers, people who work with prisoners, people who work in long-term care facilities).

Fitchburg Star

Parisi releases ‘deeply challenging’ budget 2021 proposal includes 4% levy increase; no wage cuts or furloughs SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

Citing the greatest financial losses Dane County government has experienced in nearly a decade, county executive Joe Parisi introduced his 2021 budget proposal last week that includes a 4% levy increase. It now moves to the county board for discussion and a vote next month. The proposed 2021 operating budget of $615.5 million and capital budget of $71.7 million, with a levy increase of 4.09%, would increase county taxes on the average home by around $30. It also includes $1

Photo by Justin Loewen

County executive Joe Parisi called housing affordability “one of the greatest challenges communities in Dane County will face as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.” million for a new isolation room at the Badger Prairie Health Care Center. Parisi spoke at Dane County’s Emergency Management Office in Blooming Grove on Thursday, Oct. 1, laying out the county’s plans to address the ongoing COVID-19

pandemic, while prioritizing human services, equity, renewable energy and conservation. “This budget was deeply challenging, in the midst of what has been an incredibly difficult year for all of us, at every level,” he said in a Thursday, Oct. 1 county

news release. “Because we have built upon our legacy year after year with innovative efforts to support mental health in our schools and community, protected hundreds of new acres each year for families to recreate, and meet families where they are at with critical supports, we are better prepared to face the full throes of this global catastrophe.” County sales tax collections are on track to end the year down around $12 million, Parisi said, with revenues from county entities like the Henry Vilas Zoo and Alliant Energy Center having also decreased. He said the budget offsets those short-term losses through use of the county’s rainy day fund, which “will sustain county government services largely as the community knows them for 2021.” There are no acrossthe-board wage reductions or furloughs in the budget.

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October 9, 2020

Opinion

Fitchburg Star

ConnectFitchburg.com

Community Voices

Scarcity of young oaks is a cause for concern W henever possible this time of year, I make the five-minute drive from my house down Fish Hatchery Road to Gorman Wayside Park and stroll up the gentle incline from the parking lot to the crest of the restored savanna remnant. From there, I savor the autumnal hues of goldenrods, sunflowers and asters still in bloom and stare with awe at the massive, chiseled trunks of white and bur oaks well beyond 100 years old. Although less eye-catching than that display of color and brawn, the park’s feature that draws most of my attention each visit is the juxtaposition of a stand of young, healthy bur oaks scattered around the standing skeleton of an ancient white oak. Devoid of leaves and bark, the tree has a ghastly, medieval appearance that I find hard to look at for long. Invariably, my focus quickly shifts to the youthful vigor of the bur oaks close by. Their presence, along with an assortment of other healthy young oaks dispersed throughout the park, guarantees a promising future there for these

beloved trees. But this is not the case elsewhere throughout much of the city. We have protected several majestic, old oaks in Hecht other parks, and well-intentioned residents have done the same on private property. But little has been done to safeguard the younger generations that will replace them once they die. We routinely lay waste to young, small oaks with chainsaws and bulldozers to make room for development, and too often we raise the white flag to the hordes of invasive species that obliterate their habitat. Oaks live longer than any other native tree – bur and white oaks often for 200 years or more. But our reverence for and sentimental attachment to stately old oaks should be coupled with scrupulous protection of young generations of oaks. If not, we will continue our slow but steady path toward

See something wrong? The Fitchburg Star does not sweep errors under the rug. If you see something you know or even think is in error, please contact editor Jim Ferolie at 845-9559 or at fitchburgstar@wcinet.com so we can get it right.

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landscapes largely barren of healthy oaks, with only vestiges in a few “living museums,” like Gorman Wayside Park. We have a moral obligation to upcoming generations who will live and work here to reverse course, to act as responsible stewards of younger oaks with as much fervor as we do the older ones. Foremost among the reasons for doing so is that upcoming generations who will live and work here deserve a livable city with as much, if not more, life-enriching intrinsic beauty as we currently enjoy. Oaks provide us with ample amounts of that. The breadth of their leafy summer canopies, stout framework of rugged branches, imposing bulk of their trunks and amber hues of their acorns infuse city landscapes with year-round visual splendor. We delight in watching the myriad wildlife that feed on acorns and the eye-catching birds that gorge on the smorgasbord of insects that nibble oak leaves. Future generations, however, stand to lose much more than intrinsic beauty if we continue on

a path toward leaving them with nothing more than a few token living museums of oaks. Also at stake for them are some underappreciated but crucial services that large oaks provide us with. The first service that comes to mind is their indispensable role in helping us to combat climate change. All trees naturally fight climate change as their leaves suck up carbon dioxide, the most lethal greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere during the day. Oaks, though, suck up more than do other types of trees in our landscapes because they grow broader crowns packed with more leaf surface area. Cutting down 10 small oaks to expand a parking lot might seem like a harmless act. But that robs generations 50 years from now of precious ammunition to battle climate change. Another essential service that oaks, like all trees, provide us with is stormwater runoff control. Their larger sizes allow them to outperform other types of trees growing in city landscapes. In full leaf, their expansive

crowns intercept more stormwater than do the less spacious crowns of all other trees. No other tree grows deeper taproots or denser lateral root networks than those of oaks. This means the soil around oaks soaks up more stormwater than that around any other tree. We should take heed of two other services trees provide that are often mentioned alongside stormwater runoff control – groundwater recharge and erosion control – as reasons to protect young oaks for future generations. Other services large oaks provide toward our quality of life include air pollution abatement, increased property values, summertime heat moderation, reduced air conditioning and heating costs and enhancements to public parks and open spaces. Continuing our wholesale destruction of young oaks clearly plunders more from future generations them than intrinsic beauty. Jeremy Hecht is a member of Fitchburg’s Tree Advisory Board.

Community Voices

The stigma of COVID-19, judgment from others is holding us all back

n late August, as we were trudging toward our sixth month of covering COVID-19, we got a call from an upset restaurant owner. He was annoyed because one of our reporters had asked about his restaurant closing because of a second positive COVID-19 case on his staff. He felt he was doing the right thing by closing his dining room, and yet, the Verona Press was still calling to ask about it. In this pandemic, our role as reporters has changed from one of telling the story of our community to helping keep it safe. And it has come with some resistance – to some, it might feel we’ve become the tattletales, rather than the history keepers. I suspect part of that might be the side effect of us living in the midst of a pandemic that is highly stigmatized. It’s not just about whether or not you’ve gotten sick, but also whether you’ve chosen to do things that were once ordinary and celebrated – go to a restaurant, see family members, host a party – but now some consider disregard for human life. The circumstances we have been forced to live in are not the fault of everyday Americans. Like it or not, the federal government has shown incredible contempt for its citizens when Congress keeps shooting down aid that comes in the form of our own tax dollars. Our leaders think either the amount of aid isn’t enough or that giving people $600 a week will cause them to permanently sit at home. To pile on, we have a president who said in a recorded interview he prefers to downplay the effects of the pandemic to avoid panic even after he has gotten sick, without acknowledging the fact that he got better health care, with a team of a dozen doctors and every treatment they could throw at him, than anyone else has in this country. But over 210,000 Americans are dead, and there still appears to be no nationwide strategy. The moral decisions of what to do

during a pandemic should never have fallen on the shoulders of individuals, school districts or county governments. But that’s where we’re at. Wethal With the spread of COVID-19 so strongly tied to our individual morals, there’s a real fear of how you will be perceived if you contract the illness or if you spread it. Depending on whom you tell, saying that you had COVID-19 will elicit a response of, “Hey, I’m really sorry to hear that, hope you’re feeling OK,” or “You sorta deserved after you threw that party, don’t you think?” Human nature then takes over. Rather than telling people you were infected, you might conceal it for fear of retribution. Ultimately, fear of the stigma keeps us more sick than healthy. That’s likely exactly what the restaurant owner feared when we called him in August – if the Verona Press runs something about my restaurant having to close for a COVID-19 case, what does that say about my ability to run a restaurant that is safe? And I’m sure that’s similar to what some parents in Washington and Ozaukee counties thought last week when they sent their kids to class in more than two dozen schools despite having a known case of COVID-19 in their household. Either they didn’t care about the implications for other people or there’s a sense of personal shame they didn’t want to confront. Having a stigma around receiving a COVID-19 positive test – and almost having it double as a diagnosis of a bad character – is driving us deeper into this illness. It makes it shameful to quarantine or close a business temporarily, when that’s what everyone should be doing without a second thought. Shame surrounding an illness is

It’s not just about whether or not you’ve gotten sick, but also whether you’ve chosen to do things that were once ordinary and celebrated – go to a restaurant, see family members, host a party – but now some consider disregard for human life. not new. In the 1980s, as AIDS was tearing through communities, it was treated as a moral failing. People who had HIV or AIDS were told that they deserved to get sick because they had made bad lifestyle choices, and they were isolated by family members, health care workers and their community because of a disease. That resistance ended up leading to more death and suffering than should have been permissible. The consequences for both COVID-19 and AIDS are much higher than spreading a common cold or the flu, and precautions should be taken to reduce the spread of any illness, regardless of what lasting effects it leaves. That means we all should wear a mask everywhere you go outside of your own home. We should be conscious of how close we are to other people and follow the current public health advice. In the meantime, until we can collectively become more empathetic toward one another and reduce the stigma of a positive COVID-19 test, we are going to continue to see people continue to deliberately disobey the public health guidance, hide their positive test results or have general disregard for others. And that’s not going to make any of us healthier. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

Opinion

ConnectFitchburg.com

October 9, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Community Voices

Help your child manage back-to-school stress

ven in a normal year, the back-to-school transition can be stressful. There’s less daylight and movement outside, more sitting, fewer hours of sleep and schedules get busier. This year has piled a lot more stress on kids. That includes changes around going to school with masks and distancing, along with homeschooling, whether that’s virtual or a hybrid. If your child can’t keep up with this added stress, they’ll switch to processing the world through the more primitive, older part of the brain that focuses on survival and defense. When the brain is locked in this survival mode, it can trigger negative behaviors and learning

challenges. Any new negative behaviors linked to the school year start should be addressed first by helping the brain switch back into safeKonopacki ty. Some of these behaviors can seem like a regression in their normal emotions, ability to process, do math, comprehend or follow multi-step instructions. When we see these negative behaviors, it’s easy to assume that our child has access to their entire brain, including the higher centers of reason and logic (the frontal lobes). We think they’re

making a conscious choice in that moment and choosing to be naughty, disrespectful or lazy. But when the brain is highjacked by stress, your child is reacting instead of choosing. Until the brain switches out of stress, trying to reason with them or give consequences will get you limited results. There are simple things you can do to help your child’s brain switch from survival back into safety, which will allow a lot of these behaviors to fade into the background. One is to set clear expectations for how the day and week will go. Predictability of routines makes kids feel safe. Another is to pay extra attention to healthy foods. Minimize

sugary treats and decrease processed foods, as both can activate stress centers in the brain. Also, encourage regular movement breaks and get creative. I’ve heard of some kids standing on a wobble board while they listen to a lecture to help stimulate and wake up their brain and body. For younger kids, if there’s added stress with in-person schooling, schedule a visit to the classroom when no one is there. Give them time to ask questions and move around with their trusted adult (you!). Try drawing pictures to explain what happens if someone gets sick. Visual processing can make a concept more real for young kids and can work better

than trying to talk them out of being scared. You can also lay out clothes the night before. This helps them feel certain about what the next day will bring. Create an afterschool plan they can count on and look forward to. If you start to see behaviors as a window into understanding your child’s brain, it can help. When the brain has its needs for safety met, behaviors more easily change and can be sustained without a struggle. Dr. Laura Konopacki is the owner of Body Wave chiropractic in Fitchburg, and she has training in pediatrics and functional neurology.

Letters to the editor

Who will benefit from Meijer? Vote “Yes” on MMSD referenda With six City of Fitchburg alders approving the proposed Meijer development at two previous Common Council meetings, it seems likely that another large supermarket will grace the junction of McKee and Fitchrona Roads. In an area currently saturated with large stores that lack involvement in the community, it remains to be seen if Meijer will purposefully engage with the surrounding Jamestown neighborhood or follow its predecessors in merely attracting “drive-by” traffic. Oftentimes, big box stores include community engagement in their list of goals but fail to go beyond providing charity and philanthropic gestures. This is not to say that charity is bad, not at all. But charity should not be a substitute for truly understanding how to best serve the community in which a store is housed. Let us not forget that this site was included in the Anton Drive Redevelopment Plan adopted by the council in 2017, a plan that includes community revitalization and improving the lives of low to middle income residents in its list of goals. How will the city and Meijer ensure that these goals are met? Engaging with

local organizations aiming to transform the lives of under-represented people would be a good start. For example, by engaging with the Latino Academy of Workforce Development, Meijer would support employing bilingual, culturally competent adults in Dane County. By partnering with Operation Fresh Start, Meijer could help provide disconnected Dane County youth a path towards self-sufficiency. By supplying Little John’s Restaurant with food that would otherwise be thrown away, Meijer could support an organization dedicated to employing veterans and transforming perishables into affordable, quality meals. As a Jamestown neighborhood resident, I believe that intentional, purpose-driven collaboration between Meijer representatives, city officials, and community members can lead to a better involvement of Meijer in the community. Let’s be sure we hold them accountable. Call on your alder and email council (council&mayor@fitchburgwi.gov) today! Katie Tredinnick Fitchburg

It’s time to unite against hate As a resident of Fitchburg and a pastor serving the Memorial United Church of Christ, the article posted on Channel 3000, “Handwritten signs that say ‘White Power’ and ‘KKK’ placed at Fitchburg Homes, police say,” Sunday, September 6 made me pause. The sermon I had prepared for that morning, Love Summed Up, was rooted on words from the apostle Paul, “The commandments… are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Romans 13:9). This is not the first-time hateful messages have been found along Lacy Road in Fitchburg. Our church is located on Lacy Road, and a few weeks ago (July 21) I arrived at our church to find a sign placed near the sidewalk close to our We Are Many United Against Hate (UAH) signs and rainbow flag. The small red and white sign pointed towards the church with the words “wrong way” written on it. Memorial UCC is an Open and Affirming (ONA) congregation within the UCC, welcoming all persons into Christian fellowship explicitly welcoming to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. One of the community partnerships we have is with We Are

Many United Against Hate. I write today because sharing our stories is an important step in getting to know each other, building relationships, and beginning the process of healing in these divisive times. Remaining silent is not an option. The time is now — and it is past the time — for our communities to have caring conversations around systemic injustices and false ideologies of white supremacy, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia. As a congregation whose mission statement is “reaching out in ever-widening circles,” we are continually looking for ways in which we can engage in respectful and compassionate dialogue with our community. I invite community and faith leaders in Fitchburg to join with me in addressing the economic and racial disparities which contribute to the divisions our city is experiencing. Showing up for our neighbors and telling our stories is a vital step. In these challenging days love always overcomes fear. Rev. Kris Gorton Fitchburg

One of the many reasons my husband and I moved to the Madison area 16 years ago was because of the quality of the Madison School District. We wanted to send our kids to public schools. We live in a Fitchburg area that covers the Madison School District. Both of my kids graduated from Leopold, Cherokee and West High Schools. They had a great time and they got an excellent education and currently they are attending college. The West High School building is almost 90 years old, and it is in a very bad shape, as well as the rest of the other high schools’ buildings. Earlier this summer, the Madison Board of Education voted to put two referenda questions on the November ballot. The first authorizes increased spending limits for the district. The second approves major renovations to the district’s four high schools, while also building a new elementary school on the south side of Madison. Both referendum proposals are critical for working families in the Madison school area and deserve our support. Over the past year, MMSD and the Board of Education have been both thoughtful and deliberative in collecting feedback and input from the community to decide whether to move forward with these efforts. They have listened, and changed course when needed, to make sure that these referenda are aligned with the needs of the community. The facilities referendum will invest $317 million dollars into renovating Madison’s four main high schools. The projects will focus on

creating 21st learning environments for our students, invest in renewable energy and make sure that our kids are thriving in safe and suitable environments. The operating referendum, a $33M package, will allow the district to recruit and retain the best educators and staff in the state, while also spending critical resources on equity programs to address historic inequities that exist in our schools and community. We know that now more than ever, MMSD must be focused on ensuring the best education for all our students. I believe that these referenda will ensure a bright and successful future for our students and communities, including, of course, our Fitchburg’s children. Of course, I recognize that asking people to choose to increase their taxes is never easy. Doing so during an economic and public health crisis is even harder. Yet, I believe that these two measures together represent an investment in the future of Madison’s public schools and our Fitchburg community that cannot be delayed. Madison and Fitchburg have a proud tradition of strong support for our public schools and now, more than ever, our students, staff and schools need us to be there for them during this unprecedented time. Please vote “Yes” to the referenda. Julia Arata-Fratta Fitchburg

THANK YOU TO OUR DEAR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS! The Sotis family wants to extend a giant and heartfelt THANK YOU to the many neighbors and friends who have showed such love and care for us during a very sad time. You know who you are and there are too many of you to name, but we will always be grateful for the cards and notes, the candle grotto, the flowers and plants, the donations to tri4schools and Blessed Sacrament, the meals, the planning and hosting of the post-Mass gathering, etc. A friend sent me a page on “the lesson of loss”, and here are key excerpts that reflect our feelings: “The arms of my friends console me, the love of my family surrounds me... their sympathy is a lovely pool in which I see goodness and beauty, and in it the ache of my heart becomes bearable and will, I know, one day heal... your love, God, must be even more great, and I feel your kind hand upon me and your promises fulfilled through the touch of theirs.” In closing, as Bill said to us, "Hey everybody, I love you all!" Gratefully, Lisa, Maia, and Andrew

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October 9, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

Fitchburg bars, restaurants offer delivery, carryout Unified Newspaper Group has compiled a listing of restaurants still serving Fitchburg throughout the COVID-19 crisis. We have attempted to be as thorough as possible, but situations were still changing as of our print deadline, and not all businesses were available when we attempted contact. All listings are as of Wednesday, Oct. 7. We advise you contact the following establishments for the most up-to-date hours and availability. Please email ungbusiness@ wcinet.com if you’d like to be added to this list or to make an update to your listing.

Available: Carryout, curbside, Jimmy John’s delivery Available: Pickup, no-contact H o u r s : 1 1  a . m . t o 9  p . m . , delivery 4-9 p.m. Saturdays, 4-8:30 p.m. Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays (Fish Hatchery); 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (McKee) Dairy Queen Grill & Chill Available: Carryout, no-contact Laredo’s delivery Available: Carryout, no-contact Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. delivery, dine-in Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Enrique’s Grill Available: Carryout Liliana’s Restaurant Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Available: Curbside pickup, delivery The Flying Hound Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., MonAvailable: Carryout day-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 10 a.m. to Funk’s Pub 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., SunAvailable: Carryout day Hours: 3-8 p.m. Thursday-SatBarriques Little Caesars Pizza Available: Curbside pickup, urday Available: Carryout, delivery delivery, outdoor seating Glass Nickel Pizza Co. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. MonHours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Available: Carryout, no-contact day-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. delivery Friday-Sunday Benvenuto’s Italian Grill Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Available: Carryout, curbside Sunday-Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to Me And Julio pickup, no-contact delivery Available: Carryout, delivery, 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. dine-in The Great Dane Pub Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., MonBuffalo Wild Wings Available: Carryout, delivery day-Saturday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Available: Pickup, delivery, Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday dine-in Haveli Indian Restaurant Mod Pizza Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Available: Carryout Available: Carryout, curbside, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Hours: 5-9 p.m. delivery Cream Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Available: Curbside, delivery, Hy-Vee Market Grille Moo-Yah Available: Carryout outdoor seating Available: Carryout, curbside, Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., MonHours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. delivery day-Saturday Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Curry In The Box

Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m. to Hours: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 9 p.m., Sunday Saturday

Monkeyshines Bar and Grill

Available: Curbside pickup, delivery Food hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Starbucks

Noodles And Company

Surya Cafe

Available: Drive-through Hours: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Available: Curbside, delivery, Availability: Carryout, outdoor dine-in dining Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Hours: 4-6 p.m. Monday-Sunday

Oasis Café

Tapatios

Available: Carryout, delivery, Available: Carryout, delivery, dine-in dine-in Hours: 4-8 p.m. Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thai Noodles Available: Carryout, delivery Saturday Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. MonPancheros day-Saturday; 1-9 p.m., Sunday Available: Carryout, delivery Thirsty Goat Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Available: Carryout, delivery Pancake Café Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Available: Carryout, dine-in Toppers Pizza Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Available: Carryout, contactless Panera Bread delivery Available: Carryout, curbside, Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. delivery, dine-in Sunday-Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. Hours: 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday

Quivey’s Grove

Yahara Bay Distillery Availability: Carryout Available: Curbside Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monand 4-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to day-Friday; noon to 4 p.m. Saturday 9 p.m. Friday Rolling Pin Bake Shop

Available: Carryout, curbside, dine-in

Closed:

Atomic Koi Cocktail Lounge Tuscany Grill

Coming up Fitchburg Farmers Market

The Fitchburg Farmers Market will continue Thursdays through the rest of this month from 3-6 p.m. at the Agora Pavilion, 5500 E. Cheryl Pkwy. Visitors should follow guidelines outlined in the Forward Dane plan, including wearing masks while browsing the market. Staff strongly recommend pre-ordering for pickup. Walnut and bakery pre-orders must be submitted by 4 p.m. Wednesdays. For information, call 277-2592. A display home in the Fall 2020 Parade of Homes, which is set for Oct. 16-18 and 23-25.

Parade of Homes comes to Fitchburg If you’re looking for ideas to help remodel your home or are just interested in what some new houses are like, Parade of Homes is coming to Fitchburg. The Fall Parade of Homes runs from 2-8 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays on Oct. 16-18 and 23-25. The open houses will be at 5940 Astor Dr. and 2869 Endive Dr. The cost for general admission is $10. Admission for seniors and children 6-17 years old is $5. Tickets can be purchased

online at madisonfallparadeofhomes.com. The Seminole Centre Court location accepts cash only, according to the news release. The homes are unoccupied, but are staged for participants. The Madison Area Builders Association, which organizes the event, is requiring masks, limited capacities, daily cleaning and limited touching of household items. The event provides an opportunity to see homes at different

price points and locations over the course of two weekends, according to a MABA news release. Communities featured this year are: Cross Plains, DeForest, Fitchburg, Lake Kegonsa, Lake Waubesa, Lake Wisconsin, Madison, Middleton, Oregon, Sun Prairie and Waunakee. For more information, visit madisonfallparadeofhomes.com -Mackenzie Krumme

4-H art contest accepting entries through Nov. 1 The Wiconsin 4-H Foundation has kicked off a contest that challenges all 4-H members to explore their creativity, according to a news release. The foundation’s “Celebrates the Arts” contest is open to any state member, the release states, with cash prizes totaling nearly $1,000. The foundation will hold the contest virtually, with the photos of all entries submitted electronically. Entries are being accepted now through, Nov. 1. The contest is broken into eight categories, including drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, paper, fabric, wood or any other media. The foundation will choose a winner in each category with a Best of Show honor given to the top entry. Art pieces category winners design will be purchased by the foundation for $100. The Best of Show

If You Go What: “Celebrate the Arts” contest When: Entries accepted through Nov. 1 Where: wis4hfoundation.org Info: wis4hfoundation.org/events/celebrate-the-arts entry receiving an additional $150. Winners will be notified over email by Nov. 20. For official contest rules and requirements and how to submit photos of artwork, visit wis4hfoundation.org/events/celebrate-the-arts. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet.com.

Used book sale

The Friends of the Fitchburg Library Used Book sale will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at 5530 Lacy Road. For information, call 729-1760.

Watershed Explorers Series: Butterflies and Bees

The next event in the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association’s Watershed Explorer series invites people to observe butterflies and bees in a native prairie and grassland habitats and create a pollinator garden. The event will be held from 10-11:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 17 and begins at City Hall, 5520 Lacy Rd. The outing will be led by Susan Sandford, strategic engagement coordinator for Dane County and Theresa Nelson, stormwater engineer for Dane County and a volunteer in the Plant Dane program. The Friends of Dane County Parks Foundation fund this series through a grant. Interested individuals must register by visiting uppersugar.org/events/butterflies-bees. Physical distancing and masks are required to attend and participate.

clinic from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 5510 Lacy Road. Participants are encouraged to fill out an intake form prior to attending the clinic. You can pick up a form at the senior center from the front desk between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday or fill one out online. For more information, call 2704290.

‘I Love a Mystery’ Book Club

The senior center’s “I Love a Mystery” Book Club” will meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, over Zoom. The group will discuss mystery author Dick Francis, and his collaboration with his son, Felix, and the first solo book by Felix. The collaboration is titled “Dead Head” and Felix’s book is “Gamble.” For information, call 270-4290.

Women, trans and femme mountain biking group

The Midwest Ms.Fits Mountain Biking Brigade meets up on the fourth Friday of the month at Quarry Ridge Recreational Area, 2740 Fitchrona Rd., for a socially distant mountain bike ride. The next ride will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23. This ride is open to women, trans and femme-identifying individuals ages 18 and older. All participants are expected to follow Dane County Health Department guidelines and will need a current Dane County trail pass. For information, visit facebook.com/msfitmtbmidwest.

REACH Book Club

The senior center REACH book club is set to have a meeting at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, over Zoom. The group will discuss “Where Drive-thru flu clinic the Crawdads Sing” by Della The Fitchburg Senior Center is Owens, according to the senior partnering with Fitchburg Family center newsletter. Pharmacy and the Fire DepartFor information, call 270-4290. ment to provide a drive-thru flu

ConnectFitchburg.com

October 9, 2020

Fitchburg Star

City of Fitchburg

Officials offer tips and tricks for safe Halloween City to carry out trickor-treating with safety protocols in place JOE HALLEY Star correspondent

With Halloween coming up, the City of Fitchburg recommends that all participants follow the safety procedures that Public Health of Madison and Dane County have suggested. The plan is for trick-or-treating to take place from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Deputy Chief Matthew Laha said the police department will carry out the holiday procedures as usual by adding more patrols to monitor the city and keep everyone safe. To help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, Laha urges participants to follow the guidelines

available on the city’s website. “Wear a mask even if you’re outside,” he said. “Try and maintain six feet from one another and everything can run smoothly.” Some tips on the city’s website include to only trick-or-treat with people you know, try to only trickor-treat in your own neighborhood to avoid spreading COVID-19, wear a mask, remain six feet apart from other groups and bring hand sanitizer. Tips for handing out candy per the city’s website include setting your candy bowl outside to ensure trickor-treaters remain a safe distance apart, wash hands often if handing out candy, wear gloves if handing out candy and try to put a barrier in front of you and the trick or treaters. Other tips to follow include trickor-treaters letting the candy sit for a day or two before eating any of it. “The biggest thing is with COVID is it usually takes a day or two for it

If You Go What: Trick-or-Treating When: 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: Throughout Fitchburg Info: fitchburgwi.gov

to die off on surfaces,’’ he said. “So if you’re a parent, you may want to set-aside a couple of pieces of candy so they can enjoy some that night.” Laha also insisted on avoiding Halloween parties this year in order to avoid the numbers of COVID cases to increase. “This can be done safely, it just has to be done right,” Laha said. For more information about safety and procedures, visit hallowFile photo by Neal Patten een2020.org or fitchburgwi.gov/civ- Hudson Curless, dressed as a shark, and Hadley Curless trick-or-treat on icalerts.aspx?aid=1630 Halloween night.

48% of registered voters Telling a story with fabric request absentee ballot KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Nearly half of Fitchburg’s registered voters have already requested an absentee ballot through the mail. City clerk Tracy Oldenburg provided an election update during the Common Council’s Tuesday, Sept. 22 meeting, stating 8,448 people out of the city’s 17,640 registered voters have put in requests to receive their absentee ballots by mail, as of Sunday, Sept. 20. That doesn’t include the requests that Oldenburg said she anticipates getting over the next 39 days until the election, which is around 75 a day. There is also 10 days of in-person absentee voting that brings in around 200 voters a day. If her predictions hold true, it would add nearly 5,000

ballots to the request count as of Sept. 20, bringing the number of absentee ballots to around 13,500. That would leave around a quarter of the remaining registered electorate to come to the polls in person on Nov. 3. Under Oldenburg’s prediction, the number of absentees would be around the same number of people who voted in the state gubernatorial election in 2018, with 13,588 people voting, or just over 81%. It would also bring the number of absentee ballots in 2020 close to the number of overall votes cast by city residents in the Nov. 8, 2016 presidential election, where 14,011 people, or 75% of the electorate. The number of absentee ballots already requested for 2020 outpaces either of those November elections – 6,618 absentee ballots were either mailed out or completed early in 2016, and 4,546 in 2018. Districts 2 and 4 both had the highest percentage of absentee ballot requests as of Sept. 20 for the 2020 election

Oak Bank donates $21,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Dane County EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Oak Bank has donated $21,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dane County, according to a news release. The funds will support local students and their families with food, school supplies and access to technology “during this unprecedented time,” the news release states. The donation comes from Oak Bank’s Community

Giving fund and the Federal Home loan Bank of Chicago’s Targeted Impact Fund. The latter fund provides bank members with grants to support relief efforts for populations hit hardest by COVID-19, the release states. “We knew exactly what needed to be done with the grant money,” Oak Bank CEO Bob Gorsuch said in the release. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet. com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

– respectively, 2,663 and 2,576 ballots. That equals 54% turnout for District 2, and 49% for District 4. District 3 was solidly in the middle, with 1,985 voters, and District 1 had 1,224 requests out of its nearly 3,000 voters, or 41%. Those numbers follow the turnout trend in the city for the April 2016 and 2020 elections, as well as the November 2016 and 2018 elections – Districts 2 and 4 tend to lead with the highest percentages of voter turnout, while District 1 often lags behind the highest turnout by at around 10 percentage points, if not a larger margin.

JOE HALLEY Star correspondent

For some, quilting is a way to provide clothing or decor around the house; others may do it to pass the time. For Fitchburg resident Dee Van Driel, she quilts for show. Van Driel featured her piece entitled “Black and White and Red all over” in the virtual 16th annual Great Wisconsin Quilt Show from Sept. 10-12. The public can view Van Driel’s quilt, along

with all the contestant entries, for free by visiting quiltshow.com. The w e b s i t e t a ke s v i s i t o r s on a virtual and interactive walk-through of the exhibits. Included on the website is access to more detailed information of Van Driel’s quilt and interviews with the creator of the quilts that includes a story behind their work and high resolution photos. Van Driel said her quilt has a unique story to tell as it features different pieces or “blocks” from other quilters in a club she participates in. She’s been involved in the show since its inception in 2005 and said the story of the quilt is the most vital part to each one she makes.

Photo submitted

Dee Van Driel featured her piece entitled “Black and White and Red all over” in the virtual 16th annual Great Wisconsin Quilt Show from Sept. 10-12.

“When I send in my registration form for the show they tell you to tell (them) about your quilt in 50 words or less,”Van Driel said. “Yeah, not happening.”

Oak Bank Donates $21,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Dane County Donation supports local students and their families during the pandemic.

Fitchburg, WI – Oak Bank donates $21,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County to provide support to local students and their families with food, school supplies, and access to technology during this unprecedented time. The donation is a combination of Oak Bank’s Community Giving Fund and Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s (FHLB Chicago) Targeted Impact Fund. The FHLB Chicago Targeted Impact Fund provides bank members with grants to support relief efforts for the populations hit hardest by COVID-19 as well as to promote equity and opportunity for communities of color. “We knew exactly what needed to be done with the grant money. It should be given to a valued resource in our community that could use the funds to make a real and immediate difference,” said Bob Gorsuch, Oak Bank CEO. “The Boys and Girls Club of Dane County is a lifeline to so many. We are honored to play a small role in helping to make our community a better place.” “We are grateful for businesses, like Oak Bank, that show our community support by helping us to provide for young people with resources like face masks, nutritious food, emotional support, and necessary supplies for virtual learning. Especially now during this pandemic and the social unrest happening locally and throughout our country,” said Michael Johnson, Boys and Girls Club of Dane County President & CEO. Visit oakbankonline.com to learn more. 5951 McKee Road, Suite 100 Fitchburg, WI | 608.441.6000

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Estimated number of absentees would rival overall 2018 turnout

Fitchburg resident’s quilt featured in state-wide show

October 9, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

City of Fitchburg

Consultants present three options for Lake Barney Solutions involve lowering the lake to different heights KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Photo by Jim Ferolie

When Lake Barney, a glacial kettle with no natural outflow, floods, it tends to create standing water to the south. With a high water table and a restricted outflow because of the Rotary Bike Trail, the water often has nowhere to go.

of these three options,” flat because of the area’s very flat ditch,” he said. 30 in the city of Fitchburg, topography, Hayden said, Hayden said. Hayden said. For the 944’ and will require regular Reclaiming the land and 945’ options, the numMitigation options The benefits for bring- ber of acres that could be maintenance to reduce sedThe three options will iment build-up and vegeta- ing the lake down to a usable hasn’t been calcurequire the city to balance tion growth. The water the lower level is more than lated yet. the benefit to the area, with Cusick Parkway culvert just reducing flooding. Tom Thayer, who has potential cost of creating would run into sits at 940’ Guy said that aspects spent close to $100,000 to the outlet and ditch, as well above sea level, giving the such as landowner peace run pumps and place flood as its maintenance. water just between 2-5’ of of mind and protection barriers up on his property The first option would downward slope in any of cost, as well as devalua- to keep Lake Barney away keep the lake level 942’ the options. tion of property, would not from his home for at least above sea level, the level Hayden explained that be included in that poten- a year and a half, said he at which it sat in 2017, as the ditch would be more tial annual benefit number, has lost all income from well as in previous years functional if it was steep- but were important to con- his 40 acres of farmland based on historical aeri- er – meaning water would sider. surrounding his house “There’s not always a because of the flooding. al photographs from the travel more efficiently out 20th century, and parts of of a 945’ outlet than a 942’ dollar value you can put Thayer was able to find on certain things,” she someone who was willthe last 20 years, when the one. lake was not overcapacity. “Not saying it would be said. ing to farm the land for With a lower lake height, no cost this year, just so When it was at 942’, the steep enough to be mainlake would fluctuate with tenance-free, but it would at 942’, 71 acres of farm- that some crops might get high levels during periods be more functional than the able land would be able to taken off of it and reduce of heavy rains or snowmelt be used again, including but would return back to normal, Hayden said. The second would bring the lake down to 944’ feet, leaving less room for flood storage in the event of significant rainfall. It would keep Lake Barney larger than its historical size of 32 acres, but would shrink it from where it sits now. The final option would be to bring the lake down to 945’ feet, which would minimize the lake level slightly but leave the area prone to overflowing. “My unique knowlege and experience along with my exclusive First Weber If the lake were brought multi-media Front Runner marketing tools and technologies are b a c k d ow n t o 9 4 2 ’ , i t would have benefits on moving my property buyers and sellers forward with ease!” groundwater management surrounding the lake during periods of heavy FIRST WEBER IS rain, with the map of land —#1 in Wisconsin showing those benefits get REALTOR® smaller with the 944’ and for 13 consecutive years 945’ options, Hayden said. Source: SCWMLS, CWMLS, RANW, Metro MLS, GNMLS, “ We k n o w t h a t c a n Multiple Listing Service market share by company, all reduce flooding and allow properties types, ranked by volume and closed transaction these lands to be more sides, January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. usable,” he said. “With this concept, it’s not just First Weber’s West Madison Office: water right at the surface former Mayor 2985 Triverton Pike Dr. Ste. 200, … even if we’re not seeing of Fitchburg Fitchburg, WI 53711 wetlands and ponds due to groundwater, we still know it’s having an effect on the usability of the land.” The ditch that is put in between Lake Barney and Cusick Parkway will be

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To mitigate Lake Barney flooding – and to prevent more – the City of Fitchburg will need to install infrastructure to keep the water moving downstream. That was the message presented to alders at the Wednesday, Sept. 23, Committee of the Whole meeting, where Emmons and Olivier Resources, Inc. water resources engineer Nicholas Hayden provided three solutions to keep water moving out of the L a ke B a r n ey a r e a a n d return it to a more manageable height. Lake Barney, which sits near the top of the Badfish Creek Watershed, has grown from a 32-acre body 33 years ago to around 800 acres during times of heavy rains – caused by climate change, Hayden said – and has continued to cause problems for Fitchburg and Oregon residents. In addition to the individual costs that are in the hundreds of thousands to keep the water at bay, the glacial kettle has also put pressure on the water table, causing fields to flood and drowning out the roots of trees that predate the Revolutionary War. The lake reached a peak height of 949’ above sea level in 2019, seven feet higher than it has been historically based on aerial photographs. And after years of flooding, figuring out how to drain the water safely without disrupting the areas downstream continues to be complicated because of who owns what land surrounding it. The affected areas include jurisdictions of Fitchburg and the town and village of Oregon, as well as protected federal Fish and Wildlife land managed by the state Department of Natural Resources and farmland owned by the state Department of Corrections. All three solutions have the same core elements, Hayden told the council — creating an outlet to control lake elevation and how quickly water is released from the lake, and a ditch flowing to the east along the Rotary Bike Trail to Cusick Parkway to bring water downstream into the Village of Oregon. City environmental engineer Claudia Guy said the next step in the process is conducting a cost-benefit analysis for each option to examine the upfront costs for design and construction and the annual cost for maintenance, in comparison to the annual benefit each level would provide. It is expected to be completed around November. “The goal is to find a balance between the costs, benefits and long-term maintenance obligations

the maintenance he would have to put into it himself. “We’ve lost all of our woodlands,” Thayer told the council. “This is something serious for all the people in the south Fitchbu rg a r e a , a n d a l l t h e farmers, which need help d e s p e r a t e l y i n t o d a y ’s economy.” John Freiburger, who lives across the street from Thayer and Lake Barney, and has spent tens of thousands to take down trees, said that in his conversations with the state DNR, s t a ff a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n bringing the lake’s water level back down to 942’ so that birds can nest in the area again. Frieburger also told the council that he believed that the state Department of Corrections, which also owns land near Lake Barney would be interested in assisting with the maintenance of the ditch because it has the equipment to do it. He added that the Village of Oregon’s bike trail, even with little rain in July, still has 16 inches of water over it and the village has been unsuccessful in attempting to negotiate a new location for it. “Therefore, there is a significant value – between $400,000 and $1 million – for the restoration of the lake level where the existing trail can be used,” Freiburger said. “The last thing we’d want to do is come in at a 945’ lake level and have six inches of water over a bike trail on the south side of the lake – it wouldn’t make a lot of sense.” Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

ConnectFitchburg.com

October 9, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Budget: For alders who a want to add projects, they are to submit proposals by Oct. 15 Continued from page 1 will face when parts of the Town of Madison are annexed in October 2022, when it’s scheduled for dissolution. He also predicts revenue for the city will decrease in 2021 through recreation program fees because of COVID-19 uncertainty – stating that if the public health emergency continues into next year, adjustments will need to be made to account for loss of revenue. “We chose to budget this way to allow flexibility to continue recreational programming if it can be done in a safe way, as well as to avoid concerns with our (expenditure restraint program) calculations in future budgets,” he wrote. “ With no end in sight to this pandemic, it is important we continue to be judicious with our budget because of the unknown impacts a long-term pandemic may cause.” With so little room to move, any amendments to Richardson’s proposal alders want to make might need to be at the expense of something else in the budget. Amendments are due Thursday afternoon, Oct. 15, two days after the mayor’s budget goes to a public hearing at 7: 30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13. Alders will hold a general discussion of them at the Oct. 28 Committee of the Whole meeting. That all leads up to a Nov. 10 public hearing, after which alders will

vote on the amendments, and then the resulting budget. Among the items his proposal funds are about $78,000 of departments’ $640,000 in requests for added staffing, an emphasis on no mass furloughs or wage freezes and bringing FACTv, which is paid for cable fees that have been steadily declining, into the city’s overall operating budget. Richardson wrote in the letter that FACTv has been running at a deficit for years as a result of those decreasing cable fees and the increased costs to provide the services. “FACTv is critical to our democracy because it connects our community to our government,” he said. “ Rather than reducing the level of service provided by FACTv, this proposed budget includes property tax funding to subsidize the operating budget of FACTv.” Staffing requests his proposal leaves out include the restoration of a fire department division chief, an additional firefighter and reclassifying three firefighters to lieutenants; a code inspector; and restoring a part-time horticulturist for the parks department. Projects or equipment like the teen center, fleet vehicles, the Verona Road-area teen center and a new drone to be shared by multiple departments. His budget keeps the construction of the Neighborhood Hub in the Fish Hatchery Road corridor but removes

File by Kimberly Wethal

The outside of Fitchburg City Hall. operating costs because the development of the park and its final design will determine the operating costs in the future. State limitations on levy increases provide for an additional $842,000 for the city to work with this year. That increase is determined by the city’s new construction, calculated for the 2019 assessment year at 4.9%, more than double the county average of 2.11% and three times the state

average at 1.6%. Other limiting factors for this year’s budget include a drop in state transportation aids of between 5-10% because of decreasing gas tax revenues – a direct result of less gas being purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decrease is expected to be offset by an increase in the city’s six-year average transportation-related expenditures, which are being driven higher by the Fish

Hatchery and McKee roads projects. The city is also expected to experience a decrease of about $100,000 in municipal court penalties and fees – also affected by COVID-19 – as people are being given fewer tickets and some are unable to pay them because of financial hardship. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

Election: Polling place changed on third attempt in two months to move it away from fire station Continued from page 1 in favor of moving the polling location as a way of reducing voter disenfranchisement for what many alders called a “high-stakes” election. Ald. Shannon Strassman (D-3) was the only alder who stayed quiet during the discussion before voting in favor. The polling location would only be valid for the Nov. 3 election, as of the vote last night. Both Haen and business partner Dave Heide, as well as the current owner of the building, had provided the city permission to use it for the November election, but beyond that, permission must be given again from the lease holder. The council had tried to change the polling place during the Aug. 25 and Sept. 8 meetings, to no avail. The first attempt was not allowed

to pass because the measure proposed by Krause to move the polling place to Redeemer City Church did not include the required budget amendment. Another hiccup in that initial plan to move the polling location was that the city and alders had not worked on it together – only after the resolution was proposed did city staff and election officials go look at Redeemer City’s space, which was found to not be large enough for the amount of social distancing required at a polling location during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second attempt, brought forward at the Sept. 8 meeting, would have split the District 1 polling location into two and would have had residents east of Verona Road share with City of Madison residents at the Boys and

Girls Club of Dane County, but county election officials shot the proposal down, stating staff needed months in advance to plan for the logistics of a split polling location, rather than just weeks. Prior to the discussion at the Sept. 22 meeting, city clerk Tracy Oldenburg laid out some of the concerns she had with the location, which included lease and internet issues, as well as creating voter confusion over a changed polling place. Oldenburg said she was in favor of waiting until the city received updated

information from the 2020 Census and did its redistricting before changing the polling place. “I’m very concerned about the fact that we’re only talking about the November election, and we’re talking about the November election with 39, 40 some-days prior to it taking place,” she said. Maldonado said that the discussion about polling locations has been going on since June, when it was proposed to consolidate polling locations for the August primary election due to a lack of poll

workers. It turned out that consolidation wasn’t necessary after people stepped up to work at the polls, but at that time, Maldonado said, alders had voiced support for changing the polling place in November. “We have had a lot of time to be able to work on this,” he said. “I think we could have done this in a lot more timely of a fashion, seeking out these places early, and very soon, after the actual discussion.” Ald. Gabriella Gerhardt (D-2) said that despite the challenges posed by the

location at Little John’s, it was more important to reduce voter disenfranchisement. “I’m very confident we can work through any of these logistical issues,” she said. “Maybe this isn’t convenient to change, and maybe it’s not the perfect scenario. But if we do not change this, what we’re doing is we’re guaranteeing that people will be disenfranchised.” Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@ wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

Fitchburg Community Flu Shot Drive Thru Clinic Wednesday October 21st

9am to 11am Seniors 11am to 1pm City Employees and families 1pm to 4pm Anyone who needs a flu shot. Sponsored by Fitchburg Family Pharmacy Fitchburg Senior Center Fitchburg Fire Department Click on Drive Thru Clinic / Fill Out Form

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October 9, 2020

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Fitchburg Star

Library expands curbside pickup, adds new services EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

The Fitchburg Public Library has added new services and expanded its curbside pickup hours. To schedule a time to pick up materials, patrons are

encouraged to call 729-1790 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, an email news release states. The hours for scheduled pick ups are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday

and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, according to the release. New services include online library card applications, grab bags, printing, Amazon Kindles and Rokus. To apply for a library card online, patrons are to

complete a form and a library staff member will contact them within a few days, the release states. Grab bags are an option for patrons who wish for librarians to pick out items available on shelves based on their interests. They can

submit an online form for kids or adults, and must allow 72 hours for requests to be processed, the release states. Additionally, Kindles and Rokus are now available for checkout, according to the release. Patrons can request

one during curbside calling hours and are encouraged to check the library’s list of titles available on Kindles. Both devices can be returned to the library’s drive-up book drop. For more information about any of the above offerings, call 729-1790.

Ask the Fitchburg

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Q. What Can I Do If My Loved One Has Arthritis?

Q. Can Physical Therapy help with relieving my back pain? A. Absolutely! Back pain affects millions of people every year in the United States.

Comprehensive Therapy Services 1049 N. Edge Trail • Prairie Oaks (608) 845-2100 • Verona, WI 53593 • www.stellarrehab.com

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There are multiple reasons that a person might experience back pain, yet the end result typically is a combination of muscle and soft tissue tension, joint-related inflammation, poor postural alignment and nerve impingement. Physical Therapy is commonly one of the first prescriptions that a physician will order to treat back pain. Medications and pain relievers can be helpful to reduce symptoms, yet rarely correct the main issue that is causing pain. Physical Therapy is at least, if not more, effective Susan Armstrong, MPT at reducing pain than even the strongest, most addictive group of pain medications Physical Therapist – opioids. As opioid abuse is becoming a local and national epidemic, health care practitioners are looking for safe and effective, alternate options for pain relief. #ChoosePT is a program promoted by the American Physical Therapy Association to increase awareness of effective options for treatment of chronic pain conditions. If you have chronic pain and are looking for natural options for pain relief, contact Stellar Rehab at 608-845-2100 or www.stellarrehab.com for more information.

A. One in five adults suffers from arthritis, and the majority of these are elders. For those that live with arthritis every day, the symptoms can be a barrier to doing the hobbies they love. But with management strategies and lifestyle changes, many seniors find that they can continue the activities that bring them hope, purpose and joy. Education and awareness are critical – seniors that may have arthritis, or have already been diagnosed, should engage their care team to develop management strategies .A care plan for arthritis can minimize the impact of the disease on a senior’s life, and Comfort Keepers can provide support for a management program. James Rudolph Our caregivers remind clients to take medication, provide transportation to President & CEO scheduled appointments, and support physician-prescribed exercise regimens and diets. As part of an individualized care plan, caregivers can also help with activities like cooking, cleaning and physical care. Our goal is to see that clients have the means to find the joy and happiness in each day, regardless of age or acuity. To learn more about our in-home care services, contact your local Comfort Keepers at (608) 442-1898 579 D’onofrio Dr., #10, Madison, WI 53719

(608) 442-1898 • comfortkeepers.com/Madison

MORTGAGE BANKING

CREMATION SERVICES

Q. Do interest rates affect your mortgage?

Q. I am looking into pre-need cremation planning right now. I want to take as much of this burden and cost away from my kids as I possibly can. Does the cremation society have urns available and are death certificates and medical examiner charges also covered? A. Yes yes yes! We can include all the necessary items in your Pre Plan so your family will have NO FINANCIAL burdens at time of death.

Kathleen C. Aiken

Cremation Society

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CHIROPRACTOR

DENTIST

Q. Let’s talk about avoiding some workplace habits that can

I’m getting severe pain in my wrist and hand. Is this carpal tunnel syndrome? Is there anything besides surgery that can help if it is?

damage your teeth.

102 N. Franklin Street • Verona, WI 53593 (608) 848-1800 • unwinchiropractic.com

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There are actually many different compression syndromes that can cause pain or numbness in the hands and wrists. Once we make a proper diagnosis we can treat your pain, without surgery, utilizing a Jill Unwin, Lee Unwin, four-step approach. First, we would assess your ergonomics at work DC, CCEP BCMT, CSCS or at home so that you could make immediate corrections to your environment which is helpful in preventing the situation from getting worse or reoccurring. Second, we would assess and adjust any subluxations of the spine and extremity. Correcting the subluxation is essential in restoring function to the nerve, muscle and joint area. Third, we would begin massage treatment of the arm and wrist to reduce adhesions and maintain flexibility of the wrist flexors and extensors. Lastly, we would prescribe exercises that could be done at work or at home to maintain strength and flexibility. With these four simple steps you can typically avoid having to resort to surgery and you come away with the knowledge and ability to prevent it from happening again.

VETERINARIAN

Drs. Kate & John Schacherl, D.D.S.

A. While working, many of us engage in behaviors that become everyday habits. Some of these habits may damage your teeth. Here’s a quick reminder on some habits that are harmful to smiles. Chewing on Pencils or Pens: Nibbling on the end of a pen or pencil (usually subconsciously) is a habit that can harm your teeth. The tough texture of writing utensils can break or crack teeth, causing pain that may require restorative care. Instead, consider keeping a small bag of healthy veggies handy to satisfy your need to nibble on something. All-Day Snacking: As we eat, the bacteria in our mouths break down the food particles left behind and produce acid as a byproduct. This acid eats away at protective tooth enamel and leads to decay. When we snack throughout the workday, it leaves teeth constantly exposed to this acid, especially if we don’t brush in between snacks, and it increases our chance of cavities. Using Teeth as Tools: Need to open a package that’s sealed a little too tight? Or maybe you need help ripping some tape to secure a box you’re sending off. Whatever you do, don’t use your teeth as tools. Using teeth to rip, tear, or hold objects can chip your teeth and wear away at enamel, leaving teeth exposed to decay.

(608) 845-6127

105 N. Main St., Verona • MainStreetDentists.com

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REALTOR

Unpredictable weather combined with inadequate protection creates ample opportunity for parasites to reproduce and find our animals when we least expect it. It’s often thought below-freezing temperatures kills all the fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes (the source of heartworms) around and reliably provides a few months without risk of infection. THIS IS FALSE. These are small but hardy creatures, and all three have strategies for surviving the cold—which can include overwintering in your cozy, humidity-controlled home. Any increase in temperature, especially the unseasonal ones (e.g. extended warmth through fall, an early thaw in spring), may cue the critters to begin their reproductive life cycles and the feast upon your pets. By preventing this feeding activity, we prevent the transmission of the disease-causing agents the parasites may carry. Be vigilant in monitoring your pets for fleas, ticks, and mosquitos and remember that any you DO see represents a much smaller number than the ones you DON’T. An annual supply of flea/tick and heartworm preventatives provide another tool to help maintain and protect the overall health of your fuzzy family members, and there are often monetary incentives to buy them in bulk. Visit your local veterinarian today and learn which preventatives will work best for you and your pets.

1350 S. Fish Hatchery Road Oregon, WI 53575

Q. As a Seller, how do I maximize the value of my home? A. There are several simple and inexpensive steps you can take as a Seller to maximize your home value. The first seems like a “no brainer” and that is to declutter your home. As a Buyer, one of the biggest turnoffs when looking at a potential home is walking into a home that feels cluttered and dirty. It is also important to stage your home by moving or removing furniture to make your home look bigger and open blinds to let in natural light. Curb Appeal is another way to maximize value because it is the first thing that Buyers see when touring your home. Cleaning windows, maintaining well-kept Shawn Pfaff landscaping and a adding fresh coat of paint on the front door goes a long way too. You will want to refine the flaws in your home such as replacing missing or damaged roof tiles, fixing nicks and painting dirty walls or re-sodding your lawn will help in maximizing your home’s value. Lastly, it is important to work with an experienced Realtor that knows your neighborhood and how to sell your home. As a Fitchburg Realtor, please contact me at pfaffs@firstweber.com to discuss ways to maximize the value of your home.

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If you would like to join our Ask the Professional Section, contact Donna Larson at 845-9559 to find out how!

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Q. With Winter being just around the corner, how important is it to continue using monthly preventatives on my pets? A. As anyone in Wisconsin knows, the weather is fickle and does whatever it wants to, seemingly at random. And therein lies the problem.

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A. High interest rates bring higher monthly payments and increase the overall interest you’ll pay over the life of your loan. A low interest rate saves you money in both the short and long term. Of course, just like you can’t time the stock market, it’s nearly impossible to time your home purchase with the best interest rates. The past five years have held some of the most affordable interest rates ever. It may be hard to time your home purchase with the best interest rates, but there are things you can do to get a lower rate. For example, a benefit of the 15-year, fixed mortgage is that it has a lower interest rate than a 30-year, fixed mortgage. Sometimes a bigger down payment can also help you get a better interest rate.

To apply online, go to: associatedbank.com/kaiken

Jodi Johnston • 1-608-438-7437 email: jjohnston_4@charter.net www.cremationsocietyofmadison.com Affordable, Simple & Dignified

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ConnectFitchburg.com

October 9, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Fitchburg Farmers Market

Halloween decor has come to the Fitchburg Farmers Market for its last month of operation for the year.

Patrons choose from a wide selection of vegetables.

Photos by Emilie Heidemann

A patron samples some apples.

Patrons can select from vibrant bouguets of flowers at the market.

Pumpkins line the tables.

Memorial United Church of Christ FINDING SPIRITUAL HEALTH DURING the PANDEMIC - online opportunities Contemplative Prayer: 6:30 pm, 1st Monday of each month Spiritual Health Series: 6:30 pm on Tuesdays, join us for yoga, meditation, and energy work. No experience necessary!

Farmers Market FITCHBURG CENTER

Worship with us at 9:30 a.m. via Facebook or Zoom

See our website for details

5705 Lacy Road, Fitchburg 273-1008 • www.memorialucc.org

Get Connected

Find updates and links right away.

Search for us on Facebook as “Fitchburg Star” and then LIKE us.

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Pet Blessing Service: 9:30 am, Sunday Oct. 11

Thursday, May – October | 3 - 6 p.m. 5511 E CHERYL PARKWAY, FITCHBURG

Market Vendors Set Up Every Thursday! Offering Fresh Produce, Baked Goods, Meats (Lamb; Goat; Beef), Eggs, Cheese, Walnuts, Flowers, Hanging Baskets, Soaps, Fiber, Organic Options, and More.

Shop the Market where we have safe Social Distancing implemented or Preorder for Pickup at FITCHBURGMARKET.COM

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Sports

Friday, October 9, 2020

The

Fitchburg Star For more sports coverage, visit: ConnectFitchburg.com

Mark Nesbitt, sports editor 845-9559 x237 • ungsportseditor@wcinet.com Fax: 845-9550

Edgewood girls golf

West girls swimming

Crusaders cruise back to state Sullivan,

Schick land Div. I offers

Edgewood captures sectional title with four players in top 10 MARK NESBITT Sports editor

The Madison Edgewood girls golf team moved one step closer to three-peating as WIAA Division 2 stature champions. The Crusaders have won 15 state titles since 2001. Edgewood shot a 341 to roll to a Division 2 Arcadia sectional championship on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Drugan’s Castle Mound in Holmen. The Crusaders were coming off a regional title on Wednesday, Sept. 31, shooting a 382 at Prairie du Chien Country Club to win a seven-team regional tournament, rolling to a 13-stroke victory over runner-up Wisconsin Dells.

MARK NESBITT Sports editor

Madison West senior standout swimmers Bridget Sullivan and Natalie Schick have revealed their decisions on where they plan to swim in college. Sullivan will attend the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and Schick will attend Rutgers, they announced on collegeswimming. com Both were WIAA Division 1 state qualifiers last year as the Regents took eighth at state as a team with 128 points. Sullivan finished eighth in the 50-yard freestyle at the state meet Nov. 3 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Natatorium last year. Her time of (24.23) in the 50 free was .6 seconds away from a medal. She added a 14th-place finish in the 100 freestyle and was a member of the 200 free relay team’s seventh-place finish, and a member of the 400 free relay team’s 10th-place finish. On collegeswimming.com, Sullivan said, “I’m super excited to announce my commitment to continue my academic and swimming career with Nevada-Las Vegas. Thank you to all of my family, friends and coaches who

Arcadia sectional

The Crusaders showed off a talented pool of depth en route to winning the Division 2 Arcadia sectional to qualify for state as a team for the fourth straight year. Edgewood senior Caitlyn Hegenbarth shot a 6-over-par 77 to take second place in the sectional at Drugan’s Castle Mound in Holmen. Hegenbarth finished just one shot away from individual sectional champion Maya Heckmann. Edgewood placed four golfers in the top 10 to outdistance Lakeside Lutheran for the team title 341363. The top two teams advance to state Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 12 and 13, at Blackwolf Run in Haven. Edgewood senior Grace Jaeger took third (82) and sophomore Sarah Nakada tied for seventh (90) with Wisconsin Dells’ Kayla Gray and East Troy’s Andrea Smith. Edgewood junior Allyssa Thao carded a 92 to finish in a four-way tie for 10th.

Turn to Crusaders/Page 14

Turn to Swimming/Page 14 File photo

“Edgewood senior Grace Jaeger sinks a putt in a match last season. Jaeger finished third at the WIAA Division 2 Arcadia sectional on Tuesday, Oct. 6 in Holmen.”

Smith commits to Upper Iowa

Edgewood football

Edgewood suffers first loss of season, 33-0 Crusaders offense struggles at Baraboo, team drops to 1-1 JOE HALLEY For the Star

MARK NESBITT Sports editor

scoring when Jackson Trudgeon completed a 45-yard flea flicker to Ben Newton. After turnover on downs, Edgewood never seemed to find a rhythm on offense as Baraboo took control of the game. Edgewood finished the game with -14 rushing yards to go along with 139 passing yards for a total of 125 yards. Junior Jackson Trudgeon led the team in passing with a completion percentage of 52.9% completing 9 of 17 passes 128 yards. Newton was the leading wideout with four receptions for 61 yards and a long of 45 yards.

After a thrilling season-opening win over Watertown, Madison Edgewood suffered their first loss of the season to host Baraboo (2-0) 33-0 Friday, Oct. 2. Madison Edgewood (1-1) will travel to Portage (1-1) on Friday, Oct. 8. Portage suffered a loss to Watertown last week. The Crusaders were coming off a Edgewood 17, Watertown 14 17-14 win over Watertown in the season Edgewood quarterback Joe Hartliopener on Friday, Sept. 25. eb connected with Ben Newton on a Edgewood is playing all of its games on the road because of COVID-19 41-yard touchdown pass to lead the Crusaders to a comeback win in the searestrictions in Dane County. son opener on Friday, Sept. 25. Baraboo 33, Edgewood 0 Hartlieb then tossed a two-point Edgewood fell behind early in the Turn to First loss/Page 14 game 14-0 and had their best chance of

West football

Photo by Joe Halley

Edgewood junior Jackson Trudgeon throws a 45-yard flea flicker to Ben Newton in a 33-0 loss to Baraboo on Friday, Oct. 2.

Madison West senior defens ive l i n e m a n S a m m y S m i t h announced on Twitter on Tuesday, Sept. 8, that he is orally committing to play football at Upper Iowa University, a NCAA Division II program in Fayette, Iowa. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound defensive end/linebacker was a first-team Big Eight All-Conference defensive end last season. He racked up 73 total tackles, four tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery last season for the Regents. West finished 4-6 and made a run to the Division 1 playoffs, where they lost a Level 1 game to Madison Memorial, 42-6. Smith Tweeted: “So blessed to announce my verbal commitment to further my academic and athletic career at Upper Iowa

Turn to Smith/Page 14

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October 9, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Cross country

Aidan Manning pushing to stay in top form Verona Area High School junior sets a PR by six seconds MARK NESBITT Sports editor Photo submitted

Mighty Musky

Fitchburg alderman Tom Clauder caught this 37-inch tiger muskellunge on Pelican Lake in Oneida County on Thursday, July 16. The former Fitchburg mayor released the fish.

Verona football

Quartet of players make watch list Verona will kick off football season in spring 2021 MARK NESBITT Sports editor

File photo

Verona senior defensive linemen James Rae (89) and Tyler LaHam (53) tackle Middleton running back Kallion Buckner last season. Both Rae and LaHam were named to the Tim Krumrie preseason watch list for the state’s top senior defensive lineman by Wissports.net.

do think a lot of my team- award for the entire team.” mates opened up opportuniThe backfield duo of ties for us. We are extreme- Acker and Stier provided ly honored. Just to hear Turn to Verona/Page 14 that we are on the list is an

File photo

Verona’s Aidan Manning (left) tries to pass Onalaska’s Aidan Robinson near the finish line Saturday, Sept. 7, in the Verona Invitational. Manning finished 13th with a time of 16:58.9. won the race with a time of 15:49.8, finishing 18 seconds ahead of runner-up Owen Bosley from Mequon Homestead. Manning is coming off a season in which he qualified for the WIAA Division 1 state cross country meet at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. He took 40th (16:36.4) at the state meet last year and had the third-best sophomore time.

He came on strong late in the season and also finished seventh with a time of 16:37 to earn first-team all-conference honors. The Big Eight Conference announced on July 21 that league competitions and conference champions will not be crowned this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, many schools in the Big Eight

Turn to Manning/Page 14

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Four Verona Area High School football players were named to the Wissports.net senior football awards preseason watch list for this season. Jackson Acker and Graham Stier were named to the Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch preseason watch list for the state’s top senior running back. Two other Wildcats made the preseason list for the Tim Krumrie award — Tyler LaHam and James Rae. “We couldn’t be there without our coaches and teammates,” LaHam said. “I

Ve r o n a A r e a H i g h School junior Aidan Manning finished third at the Ranger XC High School boys 5,000-meter race on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Manning ran the course in 16 minutes, 9 seconds, in a field of 134 runners that included some top area prep competitors. The non-WIAA sanctioned non-school exhibition was open to runners who are in season and those whose teams are waiting for the alternative spring season. “It was great to get back out there and race again,” said Manning, who found out about the race from the Badger Track Club and Verona boys cross country coach Randy Marks. “My goal was to get better than my PR (16:15). Manning has been running on his own and with a couple of teammates, but not having fall team practices for cross country has left a void without training with the team. “It’s really exciting to see what I can do without really being motivated until now,” he said. Madison Edgewood senior Leo Richardson

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October 9, 2020

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Fitchburg Star

Verona: Wildcats finished tied for second in league last year

Sectional top 10 Name Maya Heckmann Caitlyn Hegenbarth Grace Jaeger Brianna Kirsch Morgan Cooley Hallie Tulip Sarah Nakada Kayla Gray Andrea Smith Allyssa Thao Whitney Sonsalla Kaylea Affeld

Continued from page 13

Crusaders: Also win regional Continued from page 12

File photo

Verona senior Graham Stier (6) is one of two Wildcat running backs to be named to the Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch preseason watch list for the state’s top senior running back by Wissports.net. commit, had a breakout season as a defensive end and rush linebacker for the Wildcats last season, racking up 81 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and eight sacks. LaHam visited six Division I schools, including Western Michigan, Iowa State, Southern Illinois, and Illinois State before committing to St. Thomas. After visiting St. Thomas in July, he announced his commitment on Twitter. “When I first met the coaching staff I learned about their long tradition of family even after 40 years of playing, I really appreciated that,” he said. “It just felt like home. I knew that is what I wanted.” St. Thomas is making the jump to Division I next season during LaHam’s freshman season. “It’s always been a dream since I was a little kid to go Division I,” LaHam said.

Manning: Aiming for top 10 Continued from page 13 like Verona are pushing the fall season back to spring 2021. “My expectation for this year is top 10 at state, compete for the top positions and be in that top pack,” Manning said. Eight of the 10 Big Eight Conference members are in Dane County, which is still in a modified version of the Forward Dane reopening plan. A statewide facemask order is still in effect. Most

Smith: Was an all-region pick as a defensive end last year

sporting events are still prohibited in the county, with indoor gatherings limited to 10 people or less and outdoor gatherings 25 or less. There also will be a quick turnaround between the alternative fall season this spring and the track season. Manning is welcoming the challenge. “It should be challenging and fun to have a long stretch of season in the spring,” he said. “I think our coaches will have us ready for that stretch to peak.”

Continued from page 12

First loss: Took early 9-0 lead Continued from page 12 conversion pass to sophomore Matt Garcia. Hartleib completed 15 of 25 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown. Trudgeon had eight receptions for 73 yards. Edgewood’s Sam Kelstinski booted a 43-yard field goal midway through t h e fi r s t q u a r t e r. T h e

C r u s a d e r s ’ n ex t s c o r e was set up by senior Brett Krenke who blocked a punt late in the first quarter. On a trick play, Newton tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Harlieb on an option pass with 10:28 left in the second to extend the Crusaders’ lead to 9-0. After the Goslings rallied, that set the stage for Hartlieb’s game-winner.

University! I want to thank God, my parents, my family, friends, teammates and coaches for everything they have done for me to get here.” Smith was an all-region pick as a defensive end by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association. The Regents return five first and second-team all-conference players this season. Besides Smith, senior Matt McLain is back at linebacker after earning first-team all-conference honors last season. Second-team all-conference players returning for the Regents are junior Michael Horvath (offensive line), senior running back Nazier Jones and senior defensive lineman Hans Bryan.

Prairie du Chien régional The Crusaders shot a team total of 382 at Prairie du Chien Country Club to win a seven-team regional tournament, rolling to a 13-stroke victory over

runner-up Wisconsin Dells on Wednesday, Sept. 31. Hegenbarth earned medalist honors, shooting a 14-over-par 86 to beat runner-up Heckmann of Lakeside by two strokes. Jaeger shot 93 to finish fourth, two strokes behind thirdplace finisher Kayla Gray of Wisconsin Dells.

Swimming: Schick looks ahead Continued from page 12 supported me throughout the years. Can’t wait to be a part of such an amazing team.” Schick finished ninth at state in the 100 butterfly and 11th in the 100 backstroke after winning a sectional title in the event last season. She was a member of the Regents’ seventh-place 200 medley relay team that finished

in (1:47.61), .45 seconds away from a medal. Schick said on collegeswimming.com, “I a m b ey o n d ex c i t e d t o announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Rutgers University! The strong academics combined with such an amazing team makes Rutgers the perfect fit for me. I can’t wait to be a Scarlet Knight!!”

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Madison West defensive end Sammy Smith (9) and defensive lineman Eric Horein (50) sack Janesville Craig quarterback Ben Coulter. Smith orally committed to Upper Iowa University.

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“I just wanted the best fit. It’s (Division I) definitely a plus. It was not my final decision.” As a defensive end last year, Rae had 36 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks. The senior defensive lineman award is named after Krumrie, a former Mondovi and University of Wisconsin athlete who would go on to star in the NFL for 12 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, including two Pro Bowl appearances. “It’s a major accomplishment for me,” Rae said. “It’s great recognition of our team to get to that point.” Rae said with COVID-19 pushing the season back, it has given players more time to prepare for the season. “I’m excited for the upcoming football season in the spring,” he said. “I’m just very hopeful it will happen.”

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a lethal one-two punch last year for a wing-T offense that averaged 40.3 points and 241 rushing yards per game. Acker, a University of Wisconsin-Madison commit, rushed for 929 yards, 11 touchdowns and averaged 116 yards rushing per game last year, while Stier rushed for 422 yards and six touchdowns last season. “I think it’s an honor for sure,” Stier said. “It’s awesome to see both Jackson and me on the list.” It wasn’t without some adversity. Stier is coming back from a broken hand and Acker is fully recovered from a fractured fourth metatarsal injury in his foot that kept both out of Verona’s 51-28 loss to Sun Prairie in a WIAA Division 1 Level 1 playoff game last year. “It was excruciating,” Stier said of watching the rematch in the playoffs against Sun Prairie. “It was hard to sit on the sideline and watch. To have our chance to play against Sun Prairie with all of our senior teammates was tough.” The Wildcats finished the season 7-3 and tied for second in the Big Eight Conference behind champion Madison Memorial. “I feel honored knowing I’m one of those people,” Acker said. “Hopefully, I can show people how good I really am if we have a season.” Hirsch, who played for the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan before starring at end in the NFL for 12 seasons with the Chicago Rockets and Los Angeles Rams, is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Having three other players on the preseason watch list shows the depth the Wildcats have at some positions. “I think it shows how versatile we can be,” Acker said. “James and I can play both ways.” LaHam, a Division III University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota

School Score Lakeside Lutheran 76 Edgewood 77 Edgewood 82 Lancaster 88 Lancaster 88 Arcadia/Independence 89 Edgewood 90 Wisconsin Dells 90 East Troy 90 Edgewood 92 Arcadia/Independence 92 Lakeside Lutheran 92

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October 9, 2020

Fitchburg Star

A new learning environment JUSTIN LOEWEN Star correspondent

Some Forest Edge Elementary School students arrived for their first day of in-person learning Monday, Sept. 14, at their new building. Public Health Madison and Dane County allows in-person instruction for

K-2 students, as well as students with a disability or in an Individualized Education Program. Superintendent Leslie Bergstrom told the Observer last month the plan is to keep the students in “really small groups” for short sessions to get them used to physical distancing, hygiene standards and wearing masks.

From left, Forest Edge Elementary School paraprofessional Jessica West leads a second grader into the building for the first day of in-person classes on Monday, Sept. 14.

Forest Edge Elementary School first grader Natalie Foelker is ready for the start of school.

Photos by Justin Loewen

Forest Edge Elementary School first grader Colton Larson departs the school bus.

From left, Forest Edge Elementary School Principal Kerri Modjeski leads first grader Reina Kruger into the building for the first day of in-person classes on Monday, Sept. 14.

Forest Edge Elementary School staff members escort kindergartener Michael Herman into the building for the first day of in-person classes.

School taxes likely on posts” and reported threats involving Oregon High the rise for 2020-21 School students. Oregon School District electors approved a tax Oregon students rate of $11.52 (per $1,000 named National Merit of assessed property value) and a total levy of Semifinalists $31,378,799 at the annual meeting and public budget hearing on Monday, Sept. 28. The tax rate is up from last year’s $11.20.

OSD investigating social media posts

Just months after the school board approved a new anti-hate speech policy that includes online activity, Oregon School District officials are investigating “racially offensive

OHS seniors Phoebe Jeske, Liesel Odden and Arik Zintel and homeschooled Oregon resident S t a cy A n d e r s o n w e r e named semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program last month. They join nearly 16,000 finalists from around the country who will compete for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $30 million.

Administrator shuffle at OSD this fall

T h i s s u m m e r, O S D hired RCI principal Darci Jarstad-Krueger as assistant director of curriculum, with former RCI associate principal Cyndi Olander taking over at RCI. When Brooklyn Elementary School principal Kerri Modjeski was chosen last year to lead the new Forest Edge Elementary School, she was succeeded by former BKE intern Anna Seidenstricker. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruelle@wcinet.com.

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From right, Forest Edge Elementary School teacher Dawn Clemment welcomes a first grader to the first day of in-person classes.

October 9, 2020

Schools

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Verona Area School District

Grades 3-12 will wait for in-person

Notebook: ‘Plus’ options will start in small groups

District will follow PHMDC reopening recommendations

VASD medical advisory panel

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

The Verona Area School District plans to follow county guidelines before bringing students in grades 3-12 back to school. The district’s medical advisory panel has suggested that administration follow the county’s recommended metrics despite a court injunction last month preventing the county from enforcing them. Those metrics from Public Health Madison Dane County set the bar at an average of no more than 39 new daily average cases for 14 days to allow grades 3-5 to return to class, and 19 or lower for grades 6-12, and each of those must be sustained for four weeks. As of Oct. 1, that number was 139. Dr. Mark Wirtz, a family medicine doctor with UW Health and a member of the district’s medical advisory panel, said the metrics are based on the population of Dane County. He said districts in the county are lucky to have a public health agency to turn to. Wirtz also discouraged looking at census tract data to determine whether it’s safe to reopen, because Verona, like many other districts in the county, is part of a larger metropolitan area that has people moving among communities on a daily basis. “I’ll be frank, I’m tired of this pandemic, and saddened by all the things it has cost our community,” he said. “But we still find ourselves in the middle of a terrible pandemic that’s currently spreading rapidly and widely in our community … we are blessed to have the staff at PHMDC working to deliver those metrics for us, as opposed to having to create them ourselves.” While administrators had some good news for the board – the start of limited in-person options as part of its “Virtual+” plan discussed in June, the realization of how much lower the average daily case numbers needed to be to bring students back left some board

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

From right, Verona Area International School kindergartener Alexandra Kean waves goodbye to her family as director Ann Princl prepares to help Kean find her teacher on the front lawn in front of the building.The first day of school was Tuesday, Sept. 8, a week later than initially planned to give staff more time for professional development. members frustrated and emotional. New daily cases of COVID-19 in Dane County are not as high as they were in mid-September, when positive tests from a significant number of University of Wisconsin-Madison students contributed to an alltime high number of new cases that reached 487 on Sept. 9. But that’s nowhere close to where the county’s outlined metrics would need the rate of transmission to be to bring older students back. The county last had an average of 39 cases a day in mid-June, and the last time its average was 19 new cases or fewer was early June. Those numbers are based on the county’s population, and the number of cases per 100,000 people. Before bringing students back, the district will also need to consider its ability to staff buildings, especially in the case of a potential outbreak that requires quarantining, transportation costs and sanitizing of buildings and facilities, superintendent Dean Gorrell told the board. When the county meets those metrics, VASD plans to bring grades 3-5 back in a similar way to how their K-2 counterparts are doing in-person learning. Students who opted for the phased-in plan will go for half-days four days a week. Grades 6-12 would more closely follow the blended learning model the district pitched to the board in mid-June, in which students

would be separated into eight cohorts, and then half of the cohorts would attend school at the same time, two days a week, with the other three days as virtual learning. The district would hold no in-person learning on Wednesdays, which would be cleaning day. Regardless of the metrics, the district is required to make a “good faith effort” to social distance students, a requirement unaffected by the state Supreme Court’s enjoinment of Order No. 9 in September. E a c h T h u r s d a y, t h e medical advisory board will look at the county’s COVID-19 snapshots to evaluate whether students can be brought back. In the meantime, district staff will again survey parents with students in grades 3-5 who chose the phased return option to gauge their interest in sending their students back. That will help the district determine transportation and staffing needs, Gorrell said. Board member Meredith Stier Christensen, holding back tears, said it was devastating to look at the metrics and realize students aren’t going to be able to go back to in-person learning any time soon. “As a parent, the metrics are hard to wrap your mind around – as a parent of a senior, I can’t tell you right now that my heart’s not breaking, because it is, and it’s probably breaking hearts across our district right now,” she said. “I do

• UW Health family medicine doctors Mark Wirtz and Paul Hunter • District nurses Anne Iverson and Ann Juzwik • District mental health coordinator Suzie Sainvilmar • Attorney for the district Lori Lubinsky • Superintendent Dean Gorrell • Assistant superintendents Laurie Burgos and Emmett Durtschi come back to the fact that our district has operated within PHMDC guidelines from the beginning, and within those guidelines, we have found some very creative and out-of-the-box ways to educate our youngest learners, and did so in a way that was setting a path for other districts in the county.” Board member Carolyn Jahnke asked the board if there were other metrics the district could consider when deciding to bring students back. Jahnke has expressed frustration over PHMDC’s requirements and guidelines in previous meetings and suggested the district strongly consider other data that indicates damage done to academic learning, such as student attendance and progress, when deciding whether to bring students back to school. “I’m wondering why, in our risk assessment, if there was a risk assessment, when we are looking at physical health, mental health, academic learning, all of those pieces of a student, why we are choosing to let the physical be the main outweighing factor of doing what everyone says is best for our students,” she said. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com

Photo submitted

New Century School students learn in their new-to-them building on the first day of school, Tuesday, Sept. 8. KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Verona Area School District staff will start offering “plus” supplemental options for students starting no later than Monday, Nov. 9. In a presentation on the reopening plan to the Verona Area Board of Education on Monday, Oct. 5, superintendent Dean Gorrell said opportunities will include counseling and hands-on class activities for small groups such as welding or certified nursing assistant clinicals. Those will start for the second quarter of the school year, he said. Those “plus options” will be optional for students, are

not a replacement for core instruction and will not be graded. The small groups will be limited by capacity requirements outlined by Public Health Madison and Dane County, which limit indoor activities to 10 students at one time and outdoor activities to 25. Not all “plus” opportunities will be offered right away, Gorrell said. He added that students who are the most vulnerable will be the first to be offered supplemental support. Those include students who are homeless, are English language learners, are not connecting virtually or struggling academically or are not engaging with staff.

VASD news in brief 5 students receive National Merit Semifinalist honors

VAHS seniors Nathan Arbogash, Surya Blasiole, Taylor Kalish, Jackson Puent and Benjamin Wellnitz were named semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program last month They join nearly 16,000 finalists from around the country who will compete for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $30 million.

Community focus groups planned for Oct. 6-7

District officials held focus groups about what qualities and expertise will be sought for with the next Verona Area School District superintendent on Tuesday, Oct. 6, and Wednesday, Oct. 7. Superintendent search consultants Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates planned to facilitate the virtual focus groups over Zoom.

Sugar Creek PTO hosts drive-in movie

Sugar Creek Elementary School families were able to come together while staying apart for a drive-in movie in the school parking lot on Friday, Sept. 25. Hosted by the Sugar Creek PTO, which provided pretzels and water, two free showings of “Trolls: World Tour” were held, each limited to 50 vehicles.

Parisi urges schools to follow health recommendations

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi strongly encouraged schools to continue following county public health recommendations after the Wisconsin Supreme Court temporarily blocked part of a county health order. Last month, the court temporarily blocked part of a county health order which prohibited students in grades 3-12 from receiving in-person education.

Madison Metropolitan School District

Two referendum questions featured in Nov. 3 election KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

When Madison Metropolitan School District voters fill out their ballots for the Nov. 3 election, they’ll be greeted by two questions for the district’s latest referendum. Those two questions and how electors vote on them will play a large role in the future of the school district’s ability to spend money on capital projects to renovate aging schools and build a

new one. They would also allow the district to exceed the spending limits for the operating budget to support the projects. Combined, the capital projects referendum, at $317 million, and operating budget referendum, at $33 million, make up one of the largest school referendums in state history. The capital referendum, which is the longer and more descriptive question on the ballot, is for a variety of projects that would renovate the four aging neighborhood high schools and build

a new elementary school in the Rimrock Road neighborhood just north of the City of Fitchburg’s border on the eastern side. It would also allow the district to remodel the Hoyt School building, located a few blocks south of University Avenue near West High, to relocate Capital High. Some of the renovations to the neighborhood high schools include sustainability projects, such as window and door replacements, roofing improvements, asbestos and lead abatement and additional solar

panels on the roof of each of the schools, according to a Feb. 26 Capital Times story. Each high school would get around $70 million in renovations. The operating referendum would allow the district to surpass the revenue limits on its annual budget by $33 million, spread out over four years. The amount would increase each year, with $6 million for the 2020-21 school year, $8 million for 2021-22, $9 million for 202223 and $10 million for 2023-24. The operating referendum will

be used to pay staff and keep equity programs, according to a Oct. 2 story from the Capital Times. If both voters approve the referendum questions, property owners would see an increase of $59 per $100,000 in value for the first year, the Capital Times story states, with an increase to $151 per $100,000 by 2023-24. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

October 9, 2020 - Fitchburg Star 17

City Hall - Main Line Administration Assessing Building Inspections City Clerk Economic Development

270-4200 270-4213 270-4235 270-4240 270-4210 270-4246

FACTv Finance Fire Department FitchRona Human Resources Library Municipal Court

270-4225 270-4251 278-2980 275-7148 270-4211 729-1760 270-4224

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IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING HOURS FOR NOVEMBER 3, 2020 GENERAL ELECTION In-person absentee voting will be in the Oak Hall Room of the Fitchburg Community Center, 5510 Lacy Road. Hours for absentee voting for the November 3, 2020 General Election will be available: •Tuesday, October 20, 2020 through Friday, October 23, 2020 (M - F) 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. •Saturday, October 24, 2020, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. •Monday, October 26, 2020 through October 29, 2020 (M-Thur.) 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

•Friday, October 30, 2020, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - this is the LAST day to vote in-person absentee. Please be sure to bring your photo ID and you may bring your own black ball point pen to mark your ballot. We do request that you wear a mask. Visit https://bit.ly/33dzLOy for additional voting information.

FALL BRUSH & YARD WASTE COLLECTION Brush Collection Weeks of 10/12 and 11/9 • Yard Waste, along with Brush Collection, Weeks of 10/26 and 11/23. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3ih7UkL

REMINDER: BE “SALT-WISE” This winter, it only takes 1 teaspoon of salt to permanently pollute 5 gallons of water to a level that is toxic for freshwater ecosystems. 1. Avoid compacting snow (example: shovel before driving over snow). 2. The more snow you remove manually, the less salt you’ll need to use, and the more effective the salt will be. 3. If you use salt, scatter so there is space between the grains, as shown. A coffee mug of salt

is enough to treat a 20-foot driveway or about 10 sidewalk squares. 4. When pavement temperatures drop below 15 degrees, salt won’t work; don’t use it.

UPCOMING PUBLIC HEARINGS ON 2021 PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET •October 13, 2020, 7:30 p.m. at City Hall and/or virtually regarding the Mayor’s proposed 2021 Operating Budget. •November 10, 2020, 7:30 p.m. at City Hall and/or virtually regarding Council

proposed amendments to the 2021 Operating Budget. To access the Mayor’s Proposed 2021 Operating Budget and other financial records and reports, visit https://bit. ly/3490Xxe

MEDICARE PART D OPEN ENROLLMENT GIVES OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE MONEY Open enrollment for 2021 Medicare Part D plans is October 15 – December 7, 2020. This is the time that Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in Part D plans can review their plan to determine if it will still be the most cost-effective in 2021. Because insurance companies can change their premiums, deductibles and co-pays, switching to a different plan may result in extra money in your pocket! Another way to save money on prescription drugs is the Extra Help program. Extra Help reduces your drug costs

by decreasing premiums, deductibles and co-pays for medications based on your income and assets. If you are single and your annual income is less than $19,140, and your assets are below $14,610, you may qualify for Extra Help. Appointments to review your plan and/or apply for Extra Help are available beginning October 15, 2020. Appointments can be conducted in-person or via Zoom. To make an appointment, call the Fitchburg Senior Center at 608-270-4290 and ask to speak with a Social Worker.

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Fitchburg Star

Solar farm gets Affordable housing project OK’d state approval Dane County

County spending $1.25 million on 126units in Nine Springs

To increase the amount of affordable housing in the area, Dane County plans to spend $4.45 million on five projects, including a 126-unit complex in Fitchburg. The county allocated $1.25 million to Oshkosh-based Northpointe Development for The Limerick, to be located in the Nine Springs Neighborhood. All units, which meet the legal definition of affordable, will include 50 one-bedroom, 50 two-bedroom and 26 three-bedrooms units. According to a Sept. 18 county news release, seven units will be affordable at 30%, 69 units will

be affordable at 50%, and 50 units will be affordable at 70-80% of the county median income. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development defines an “affordable dwelling” as one that a household can obtain for 30 percent or less of its income. Also, 100 units will be targeted toward seniors, and 26 units will be targeted toward families. Other projects set for funding this year include $154,858 for an 11-unit project in Madison and $1.15 million for a 79-unit project in Verona. In the news release, county executive Joe Parisi called housing affordability “one of the greatest challenges communities in Dane County will face as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.” “Now more than ever, it’s critically important we focus on partnerships like

these to create more affordable housing in our community,” he said. “The county’s support for these projects is an important step in our ongoing work to make affordable housing more accessible.” The projects will be paid for through the Dane County Affordable Housing Development Fund, created in 2015 to establish a source of funding to assist in building affordable housing. The county has awarded over $15.8 million to affordable housing projects, with a 51-49 percent split between projects inside and outside Madison. To date, 1,550 units have been created, with 1,374 (87.5%) considered affordable, according to the news release. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruelle@ wcinet.com.

Energy generation to start in 2021 KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

City of Fitchburg

Two ballot drop-offs will be offered in October Events will be held at Huege-Jamestown, McKee Farms parks KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Fitchburg residents will have two opportunities to drop off their ballots for the Nov. 3 at city parks in October. On Saturdays, Oct. 17 and 24, city clerk staff will be at Huegel-Jamestown Park and McKee Farms Park, respectively, for residents to drop off their absentee

ballots. Both days will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Residents can also bring their absentee ballots to City Hall, 5520 Lacy Road, any time between when they receive their ballot, and 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, or they can be mailed back. Residents who complete their ballots within a week of the November election should consider dropping them off, rather than sending them through the mail, to ensure that their votes are counted. Absentee ballots can be requested by calling the clerk’s office at 270-4200, or by registering at myvote.wi.gov. To receive an absentee ballot, residents must show proof of a state ID like

they would at the polls; for ballots to be counted, there must also be a witness signature with the full address printed on the envelope. If a resident needs a ride to drop off their absentee ballot or to vote, needs a witness for their ballot or needs help with the voter registration process, they can call the Dane County Voter ID Coalition at 285-2141. If people leave their name, phone number and municipality, the coalition will return their call in 24 hours. For information, call the clerk’s office at 270-4200. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

Police investigating body discovered in park Fitchburg police and the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating the identity and cause of death of a man found dead at Hatchery Hill Park on Wednesday afternoon. Around 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept.

9, officers responded to a call to the park, 3035 Cahill Main, for an adult male who was not breathing and did not have a pulse, a Fitchburg Police Department news release states. The preliminary investigation indicates he had been deceased

for some time before being found. There is not believed to be any danger to the public, according to the news release. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott. delaruelle@wcinet.com.

The state Public Service Commission has granted Madison Gas and Electric approval to construct its solar array project just south of Lacy Road. MGE announced the approval in a news release Oct. 1, stating the project will start being constructed this year on 180 acres of farmland on either side of Seminole Highway ow n e d b y t h e O ’ B r i e n fa m i l y, w h o i s l e a s i n g it to MGE for 30 years. E n e rg y f r o m t h e s o l a r panels is expected to start to be generated by 2021. The solar farm project would generate 20 megawatts of energy, which is enough to power 6,300 homes, or the equivalent of about half of Fitchburg. MGE president and CEO Jeff Keebler said in the release that producing locally sourced clean energy is important to the company and its partners, which are purchasing energy generated by the arrays. “Partnerships like this one advance shared energy goals and help MGE achieve net-zero carbon electricity for all of our customers by 2050,” Keebler said. The City of Fitchburg is one of those partners t h a t w i l l b e r e c e iv i n g 500 kilowatts of energy from the project, which is twice as much as the

Common Council initially approved. MGE allocated additional energy to the city from a second 250-kilowatt array on the solar farm after another of the utility’s partners requested to receive less. That will allow Fitchburg to meet its goal of having 25% of its energy needs met by renewable energy by 2025. The energy generated by the project will bring the city to around 33%. Other partners that will receive energy from the project include the U n iv e r s i t y o f Wi s c o n sin-Madison, the state Department of Admini s t r a t i o n , P r o m ega a n d Willy Street Co-op, the release states. O n c e bu i l t , t h e s o l a r array will be the largest i n D a n e C o u n t y. O t h e r solar farms in Dane County include a 6-megawatt solar farm at Morey Field Airport in Middleton and a 9 MW setup at the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison. Epic’s 2 MW field on its 900-acre Verona campus was the biggest in the state when it was completed in 2012. Large solar farms around the state include a 150-megawatt project in Two Rivers near Lake Michigan north of Milwaukee and a 300-megawatt solar farm in Iowa County that together create enough power for 1% o f Wi s c o n s i n ’s h o u s e holds. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

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Fitchburg Star

‘Greener on the Inside’ Four Winds Farm undergoes restoration EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

For some, the grass is greener on the “other side” – but for one Fitchburg business, the “inside” is where the green is coming from. For Fitchburg Farms LLC, the grass is “Greener on the Inside” — the name of the business’s new e-commerce store for indoor gardeners. Fitchburg Farms accountant and chief financial officer April Smith told the Star the company launched its “Greener on the Inside” e-commerce store in mid-September to keep income steady year-round. When winter comes, the physical Fitchburg Farms store closes, Smith said, so adding the e-commerce store is a way for customers to access products from home. “The garden center is a seasonal deal,” she said. Smith added that the shop is great for customers who plan on staying home to protect themselves from COVID-19, or are looking to take up indoor gardening as a way to still enjoy nature and keep occupied. Greener on the Inside, led by Smith and Tyler Nauta, son of owner Mike Nauta, sends out plant orders from a shipping area inside the Fitchburg Farms space. The business plans to ship orders across the nation, Smith said, and has already received 30 orders in the first week of its launch. The e-commerce store mainly sells plants that don’t require a lot of sunlight to survive the shipping process,

Open house set for Oct. 31 SARA SCHOENBORN Star correspondent

Photo by Emilie Heidemann

Fitchburg Farms LLC CFO and accountant April Smith helped found the Greener on the Inside e-commerce store with owner Mike Nauta’s son, Tyler.

Greener on the Inside 819-6693 greenerontheinside.com Nauta said. Those mainly include succulents, pothos and ferns so far, he said. The Greener on the Inside website also has an educational component, teaching customers how to build mini terrariums, grow fresh herbs growing in the kitchen and decorate an indoor space with miniature houseplants. Smith said they modeled the Greener in the Inside shop after The Sill, a New York-based store which sells similar products. Nauta and Smith said keeping plants safe during the delivery process has been an interesting challenge.

“It depends on the size of the plant,” Smith said. “We weigh out each plant and (measure) its height. From there, we take into consideration how delicate it is.” The biggest obstacle is making sure the packaging doesn’t touch the plant’s leaves. Smith said staff anchor the plant with hot glue inside a grow pot in a box, which allows it to move freely. Employees also pack moss on top of the soil to keep the plant void of moisture. Smith and Nauta both said there are benefits for people who keep plants in their homes – in addition to having a sustainable hobby, some plants like ferns help purify the air around its environment. “We are bringing the passion of a local business to a wider audience,” he said.

Business in brief Securities America, Inc. hires new employee

told the Star his new paywhat-you-can restaurant, Little John’s will be opening in the Fitchburg community. Heide’s business partner Adam Haen said at the most recent Fitchburg Common Council meeting it should be located at 5302 Verona Road, the former A-1 Furniture store.

Douglass Belt is Securities America, Inc.’s newest employee at its financial services office Legacy Advisor Network, 2970 Chapel Valley Road #101. Belt, according to a news release, specializes in small business and retirement planning. He also Dane Buy helps clients with 401(k) Local awards rollovers, college planning, Dane Buy Local is tax saving investments and expected to host its “Virincome strategies during tual Local Biz Awards” at retirement, the release 7 p.m. Oct. 15. states. The event is set to recognize and celebrate Little John’s to open local businesses for their in Fitchburg “ i n s p i r a t i o n , i nvo l v e Chef Dave Heide has ment, achievement and

leadership in their neighborhood and communities,” a Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce newsletter states. Anyone who wishes to attend the virtual event can purchase tickets at danebuylocal.com/events/ biz-awards-2020.

“It all started because I had one little horse.” And so began the transformation of what is now known as Four Winds Farm, 1913 S. Fish Hatchery Road. Upon completion, the farm will serve as an agricultural community center, hosting a variety of agricultural-related activities and events. Four Winds Farm is set to host an open house on Saturday, Oct. 31, which will include self-guided walking tours of the farm, tours of the barn, artisan vendor displays and complimentary apple cider and snacks. Updates can be found on the farm’s Facebook page. “We have had a lot of requests,’’ owner and operator Mary Ann McKenzie said. “It is tugging at people’s heartstrings. There’s a longing and need in the community.” She owns Beomor Farm, 1785 S. Fish Hatchery Road. When the opportunity came to purchase “the farm next door,” she jumped at the chance. “I thought because of its access to Fitchburg and Madison and because I get so much enjoyment being out on the farm, that it was the perfect spot to try to be a liaison between people who live in the city, and agriculture and nature,” Mary Ann said. The owners began renovations in the fall of 2019, removing buildings, including a number of smaller out buildings and the original homestead. The dairy barn itself was structurally impressive, Mary Ann said, noting it had “withstood the test of time.” To make more room in the farm’s lower level, they raised the loft nearly 21

Photo by Sara Schoenborn

Four Winds Farm is located on 1913 S. Fish Hatchery Road. The farm is set to host an open house Oct. 31.

Four Winds Farm 1913 S. Fish Hatchery Road • 444-2973 facebook.com /FourWindsFarmFitchburg inches and added structural insulated panels to protect the original interior from Wisconsin’s weather. Inside, the farm will feature a small library, highlighting Marry Ann’s personal collection of ecological, agricultural and conservation books, among others. It will have two long trestle tables to serve as a meeting space for small groups or for group introductions prior to venturing outside to explore the grounds. There are two parts to the kitchen – a working kitchen in the rear, complete with a commercial dishwasher and freezer, and a demonstration kitchen in the front. The demonstration kitchen can host cooking classes and small events for around 25 people. A large, open-concept loft upstairs will host larger meetings and events up to nearly 300 people. Food service at the barn will require catering from the outside, Mary Ann said. The highlight of the kitchen is a Finnish soapstone fireplace, which she said could be used for baking bread.

A spacious patio outside will include a pizza oven for pizza nights, sourcing local ingredients such as flour, cheese, bacon and other ingredients. Next to the patio will be a “closeup kitchen garden” and on the other side, a “chicken garden,” where the chickens can forage in the pastures, Mary Ann said. The landscape comprises cover crops, trees and decorative plants. Future plans include a demonstration orchard and possibly a vegetable garden. A 1974 Wolf Hops Harvester is housed in the building adjacent to the parking lot, to strip, dry and bale the farm’s crop before it is transported to the Wisconsin Hops Exchange. Mary Ann serves as a member of co-op’s board of directors. The farm’s name reflects the essence of the place and the Mary Ann’s goals for the future. “Life comes at you from all four directions,” Mary Ann said. “I want people to know how good nature is for you. We want this farm to be great for the land and great for people to be on the land.”

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