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It’s your paper! Friday, November 13, 2020 • Vol. 7, No. 9 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1

City of Fitchburg

Teen center won’t be in 2021 budget

Fitchburg celebrates Halloween

Compromise plan fails on mayoral tiebreaker

Page 2

Community

Girl with rare genetic disorder communicates with eye gaze device Page 7

Business Promega tests wastewater in the Village of Oregon Page 12

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Photos by Kimberly Wethal

From left, Ald. Tom Clauder (Dist. 4), veteran Marc Jones, committee member Mike Croft and veteran Eldon McLaury took at the newly installed monument during the Veterans Memorial Park committee meeting on Monday, Nov. 9.

‘A project in motion’ Committee makes progress on city veterans memorial park

KIMBERLY WETHAL

Did You Know?

Unified Newspaper Group

Sports

Boys cross country: Richardson commits to Badgers Page 14

Schools Panel will bring more info to board Page 17 Plans in place for middle, high school return Page 19

ecades ago, Fitchburg residents and armed forces veterans Marc Jones and Eldon McLaury got a letter stating that “their friends and neighbors” invited them to serve their country. “I said to my dad, ‘which ones?’” Jones said as he recollected briefly on his time in the service after a Fitchburg Memorial Park meeting on Monday, Nov. 9, as he sat a few hundred feet from a new monument. While it was actually the government alerting them they’d been drafted to serve, both Jones and McLaury, and a citybased committee of other veterans and Fitchburg residents, are hoping that their current “friends and neighbors” are appreciative of the sacrifices made by veterans while serving their country. “We’ll never erase what happened to those folks

Ald. Tom Clauder (Dist. 4) speaks to committee members during the committee meeting. – at least we can maybe pacify it a little bit,” McLaury said. They’re hoping to do that through the expansion of the Fitchburg Veterans Memorial, located at the existing Gorman Wayside Park on Fish Hatchery Road, where a monument to fallen Civil War, World War I and Vietnam veterans already stands. The new monument is the result of fundraising, which the committee now hopes to do more of so

that other monuments can be added to the park, Ald. Tom Clauder (Dist. 4) said. Clauder, a former mayor and police chief who has been leading the effort since the group started in 2018, is not a veteran himself, but said he wants to see more recognition for those who served within Fitchburg. He told the Star last month that the newest addition to the park had been installed at the front

The original monument, which takes the shape of a soldier leaning down in mourning, was dedicated to Fitchburg resident Robert J. Schley, 23, who died in Vietnam in 1967. Schley was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for saving the lives of other soldiers.

There apparently won’t be a teen center in the Jamestown neighborhood in 2021. The Common Council said no to the purchase of a vacant building for that use, something alders had previously agreed to in approving the city’s capital improvement plan over the summer, but Mayor Aaron Richardson had left out of his budget proposal. The council, on a mayoral tiebreaker, also rejected several amendments proposed by District 1 Ald. Joe Maldonado that would have funded its operations. The discussion was the most time consuming part of a six-hour budget meeting that included dozens of spoken and written public comments in favor of the proposal and 29 alder amendments to Richardson’s budget overall. Fifteen of those amendments passed, including funding for a study for a teen center, with the cumulative effect increasing the budget by $161,796, to within $531 of the state-mandated levy limit. T h e fi n a l bu d g e t i n c l u d e s $78,000 in additional staffing from 2020, split among two positions, and a 2% cost of living adjustment, as well as $10.2 million in capital expenses in 2021, including $6.4 million to rebuild part of South Syene Road and $1.7 million to rebuild part of Lacy Road west of Seminole Highway. Richardson’s proposal, unveiled in September, had called the budget a tight one, owing to increased debt services, the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to rein in taxes. It had proposed a city property tax rate of $6.73 per $1,000 of assessed value before the council’s additions on Tuesday night. The resulting impact had yet to be calculated by the end of the meeting.

Teen center fails

of the park: A monument that recognizes the six branches of military service. “We wanted that to be the cornerstone piece so

Alders had debated the teen center since June, when they voted to add it to the capital improvement plan at Maldonado’s request. The 2017 Anton Drive Redevelopment Plan had outlined a need for such a center, stating that community

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Turn to Budget/Page 11 151

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November 13, 2020

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Fitchburg Star

City of Fitchburg

Trick-or-treaters hunt for candy throughout Fitchburg Halloween in Fitchburg represented something of a return to normalcy for area kids as they excitedly set out for trick-ortreating in the city on Saturday, Oct. 31. The community’s candy stockpile was doled out through socially-distanced methods and in many cases was meticulously sorted into sealed bags. — Justin Loewen

Disguised as a gigantic bone, Cooper Lake, 9, of Fitchburg falls prey to Brady Lake, 12, during trick-or-treating.

Photos by Justin Loewen

From left, Odis, 2, Kim, Issac, 5, and Paul Schwoerer of Fitchburg head to the next house during trick-or-treating in Fitchburg on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Dressed as Black Panther, Elijah Blitz, 10, of Fitchburg selects a bag of candy.

From left, Dot, 2, and Joanne Mueller work to keep Fitchburg trick-or-treaters supplied with candy using a socially-distanced delivery method.

From left, Zac, 4, and Peyton Wolczewski, 7, of Fitchburg return from a household after adding to their candy total.

Dressed as Batgirl, Robin Meiller, 8, of Fitchburg recoils from touching the contents of a Halloween mystery box during private festivities in Fitchburg.

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November 13, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Bixler named new 911 Center director Luis Bixler has been selected as the new director for the Dane County Department of Public Safety Communications (911), where he formerly worked as a supervisor. County executive Joe Parisi announced the hiring in a Wed. Oct. 28 county news release. His first official day will be Nov. 22. During his time as public safety communications supervisor for the Dane County 911 Center, Bixler coordinated dispatch and call taking personnel in appropriate responses to public requests for emergency assistance for fire, police and medical assistance. The 911 Center dispatches 68 Dane County police, fire, and emergency medical services agencies and receives over 400,000 calls per year, according to the news release. In 2009, Bixler was named 911 Telecommunicator of the Year for the State of Wisconsin by the Association of Public Safety Communications O ffi c i a l s a n d N a t i o n a l Emergency Number Association. He also served as Secretary for the Wisconsin Association of Public Safety Communications

Officials and as Public Safety Communications Center liaison to the Madison Police Bixler Department, according to the news release. Parisi said Bixler has “unmatched experience in the field of public safety communications and a true drive to give back to his community.” “We are excited to welcome Luis back to the Dane County family as the new director of our 911 Center,” he said in the news release. “I look forward to working with Luis in this new role and know he will serve our 911 Center well.” Bixler’s story begins in Mexico, where he lived for five years before immigrating to the United States with his family. When he turned 17, he obtained his US citizenship and joined the US Army, later earning a Master of Business Administration degree from the U n ive r s i t y o f Wi s c o n sin-Madison, according to the news release. He and his family reside in Madison. “I am extremely excited to be a part of the Dane County Public Safety Communications team

and look forward towards building an inclusive culture with feedback from the staff, stakeholders, and

community,” Bixler said in the news release.. “I am very grateful to County Executive Parisi and his

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November 13, 2020

Opinion

Fitchburg Star

Community voices

ConnectFitchburg.com

Letter to the editor

Make holiday sweets fun Adapting during COVID times and balanced for kids

ow that Halloween is beyond us, parents may be thinking they successfully navigated the candy-crazed holiday with their kids — sugar highs and all — and can let out a sigh of relief. For better or worse, though, the season of sweets and candy is just getting started. While there may be fewer parties and opportunities for kids to be bombarded with sugar this year, there’s no denying it’s still everywhere this time of year, from cookies and pies to candy-filled stockings. The first thought many parents have is to find ways to limit or restrict these sweet treats from their kids or to throw them out while the kids aren’t looking. Rather than restricting these foods — which only makes kids (and us, for that matter) want them that much more — it’s more helpful to find a balance. It’ll teach your kids how to be an intuitive eater who can approach sweet foods in a healthy way. Here are some ways to navigate the holiday season with your kids and all the candy and sweets that they’re about to encounter: On a day when you know more sweet foods or candy will be available, continue to serve balanced and scheduled snacks and meals. Our kids are better at listening to their bodies than we are, so if they’re not hungry, they’re less likely to overeat on the candy. Regularly check in with your toddler or younger kids to see how their tummies feel when they ask for more. Do their stomachs feel full or satisfied? Maybe their stomachs still feel like it needs some more. Your child’s job in the feeding process is to decide whether or not they’re going to eat and how much they choose to eat — that holds true for all foods, including candy! But we can always help them out by asking them to do a quick check-in. They may say their stomachs aren’t full yet and our job is to trust them that they’re learning how much their bodies need. Designate a time when you’ll be offering sweets to your child. While your child gets to decide how much to eat when the sweets are available, parents’ job in the feeding process is deciding when it’s offered. It’s helpful to think ahead for that day and plan out when or if sweets will be served. This way, when your child asks for a cookie, you’re prepared to follow your plan and can give a time for when the sweet will be offered. This

helps your child know they’ll be able to have the cookie, but you stay in control of when it’s given. The best thing you can do is to lead by example when it comes to approaching sweets in a healthy way. Whether Hoerr good or bad, our kids pick up on a lot! To help your kids listen to how their bodies feel, a simple comment like, “I’m not hungry, so I’m not going to have any right now,” can help neutralize the food and show that we enjoy foods much more when we’re actually hungry. When you say, “I can’t eat this, I’m on a diet,” it shows your kids that there are “good” and “bad” foods; your kids may think they’re actually “bad” for liking the foods or that they also should go on a diet. These comments can negatively affect your kids’ relationship with food. Refrain from restricting how much candy or sweets your child eats once you’ve allowed it for that snack or eating occasion. Avoiding or restricting candy and sweets all together usually backfires. Doing this elevates the candy and puts it on a pedestal above all other foods. It becomes more desirable and is seen as something that should be liked more than other foods. We want our kids to learn that all foods can fit into a balanced lifestyle. Reassure them that the candy will still be there tomorrow and you’ll be offering it again. When we don’t restrict foods and our kids can trust that sweets won’t be taken away, it’s surprising how much better they are than us at being able to eat a few bites of pie and leave the rest. It’s only when we start to restrict foods that they lose the ability to be intuitive eaters. This holiday season, enjoy all the foods that the season has to offer with your kids and find a balance that works for your family! Kara Hoerr, MS, RDN, CD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Kara Hoerr Nutrition. Visit karahoerrnutrition.com, email kara@karahoerrnutrition.com or call 6204461. This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

I flew to Florida last month and didn’t see a single smile at the Dane County Regional Airport or on the flight from Madison. It was wonderful. Every employee and traveler wore a mask. Later, at the Charlotte and Miami airports, I saw many faces and several very well-protected chins and necks. Suddenly my own mask did not feel like adequate protection and being in the airport was more stressful than sitting on a plane. Some airlines have taken steps to improve safety. They’ve added boarding groups with fewer people in each. All passengers and crew must wear a mask throughout the entire flight, except when eating or drinking; all food and beverage service is suspended. That was comforting since it meant there wouldn’t be an entire plane filled with mask-free passengers simultaneously snacking on free pretzels and sodas. Along with the usual departure and landing instructions and checks for seatbelts, seatbacks, tray tables and carry-on items, passengers were also checked for wearing masks properly. Only one passenger had to be reminded to wear his mask in flight; his second reminder included the warning he would not be able to fly on the airline in the future if he had to be asked again. After the plane landed, taxied to the gate and the seat belt sign was turned off, I expected the usual swarm of people to immediately pop up out of their seats and stand in the aisle. Instead, the flight attendant announced a new deplaning policy. Passengers must wait in their seats and leave row by row. Beyond the obvious benefit of preventing people from hovering over their fellow passengers while standing in the aisle to get off the plane, it was

also more efficient, and the process seemed calmer. The simple act of a flight attendant facing the cockpit and placing her hands at the headrests of each deplaning row as she walked backward achieved

compliance. I sure hope this process improvement outlasts COVID-19. Colleen Chase Fitchburg

Friday, November 12, 2020 • Vol. 7, No. 9 Periodical Postage Paid, Verona, WI and additional offices. Published monthly on Friday by the Unified Newspaper Group, A Division of Woodward Communications, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send Address Corrections to The Fitchburg Star, 133 Enterprise Drive, Verona, WI 53593.

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November 13, 2020

Fitchburg Star

City launching investigation into administrator’s conduct Incident report: Patrick Marsh allegedly hit, injured person during argument KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

The City of Fitchburg is investigating the conduct of city administrator Patrick Marsh after he was arrested last month in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Marsh was charged with criminal counts of third-degree assault and battery, disorderly conduct and public intoxication after allegedly getting into a fight at a Myrtle Beach restaurant over refusing to wear a mask and complaining about a long wait for a table. According to a police incident report requested by the Star on Oct. xx and provided by police Monday, Nov. 9, Marsh was arrested at Damon’s restaurant

and bar on Friday, Oct. 23. Myrtle Beach police responde d t o a fi g h t i n process and took Marsh to the jail that night after Marsh talking with witnesses and a victim who told them he had received a cut on his forehead during the fight. Police records indicated Marsh was released the next day after posting $1,186 in bond. Marsh was back in Wisconsin the next week, and was present at the Tuesday, Oct. 26, Common Council meeting, attending virtually from his city office through Zoom. Marsh did not speak much during the meeting. Marsh told the Star on Nov. 10 he was looking forward to seeing the charges be resolved. “I would say that I’m confident in the process,” he wrote in an email. Fitchburg Mayor Aaron Richardson told the Star that day t h e c i t y ’s h u m a n r e s o u r c e s

d e p a r t m e n t w i l l i nve s t i g a t e Marsh’s conduct. According to an updated agenda for the Personnel committee, Marsh’s conduct will be discussed during its Nov. 11 meeting. According to the incident report, witnesses told police Marsh came through the front door of Damon’s and had been advised of a 35-40 minute wait, and was asked to wear a mask in compliance with the city’s ordinance. Marsh allegedly said he did not have to wear a mask and became frustrated with the wait time and yelled expletives at staff. Marsh then attempted to go to the bar portion of the restaurant and was turned away, according to the incident report, because the restaurant was only conducting tableside service. He became angry again, the incident report states, and began to yell at a hostess. One witness told officers the hostess had come to him upset over Marsh’s tone, so the witness asked Marsh to leave the

establishment, which he refused, the incident report states. As the witness attempted to get other people to help remove him from the restaurant, Marsh started to punch someone, it stated. The altercation allegedly ended between Marsh, the witness and the victim when other patrons and staff intervened. The alleged victim denied EMS care. Richardson told the Star he has asked the human resources department to create a code of conduct standard for city employees that would advise the city on how to proceed if a city official should be criminally charged. “I think that’s something that we want … especially for the management, and actually, also for the council and the mayor,” Richardson said. “I think all of us should have something in there about expectations if something happens.” The only city employees subject to a code of conduct are in the police and fire departments.

The codes outline required and prohibited behaviors and prohibit staff from striking or physically or verbally assaulting another person while representing the city unless required to protect themselves from an attack. Other departments, such as the library, have codes of conduct, but those apply to how patrons and residents should behave while using the services. Marsh will need to return to South Carolina for the charges on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Based on South Carolina statutes, not s h ow i n g u p f o r c o u r t d a t e s would result in being held in contempt of court or being deemed guilty in a defendant’s absence. “Right now, we are waiting to see what plays out,” Richardson said of the charges. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

Fall election

Record voter turnout in Fitchburg 86% of all registered voters cast ballots KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

From left, poll worker Maryanne Heard helps check in a voter at District 1’s polling place at Little John’s on Verona Road. came to the district’s new polling place on Nov. 3, which alders moved to site that Little John’s restaurant moved into this fall. Fitchburg voters overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidates in the Nov. 3 election. By a margin of 4-1, Fitchburg voters supported former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris in the presidential race against incumbents Donald J. Trump and Mike Pence. While that was the highest percentage of support for Democratic candidates on the ballot, other races never dipped below 70% of voters in favor of them. All of the candidates Fitchburg supported – other than the race for president, which as of Nov. 6 had yet to be officially called because of high numbers of absentee ballots in other states – won their elections. For the House of Representatives’ Seat 2, Fitchbu r g vo t e r s s u p p o r t e d Democratic incumbent Mark Pocan with 78% of the vote. He defeated Republican challenger Peter Theron with 69.7% of votes across south-central Wisconsin. Democratic candidates for state Senate and

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

From left, poll workers Erik Moen and Andrea Scott work together to prepare absentee ballots to be tabulated on Election Day, Nov. 3, at District 1’s polling place at Little John’s on Verona Road. The city had around 86% overall voter turnout for the election. Assembly saw similar margins. Melissa Sargent won 77.6% of the vote against Republican opponent Scott Barker for the 16th Senate District, and incumbent Jimmy Anderson took 77.5% of the vote against Libertarian challenger Phil Anderson, who was running as a Republican and is not related, in the race for 47th Assembly District. The race for the 80th A s s e m b l y D i s t r i c t wa s slightly closer, with Fitchbu rg vo t e r s s u p p o r t i n g Democratic incumbent Sondy Pope with 72.3% of their votes in her race against Republican challenger Chase Binnie. Fitchburg voters also overwhelmingly supported the Madison Metropolitan School District’s two referendums. A little more than 70% of voters said yes to allowing the district to overstep its budgetary revenue cap, and 74.8% approved a $317 million for renovations in each of

the district’s four neighborhood high schools, and to build a new elementary school off of Rimrock Road, just north of the Fitchburg border.

Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

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District 2’s turnout of 63%. District 1 had a new polling place for the Nov. 3 election, moved back into the Jamestown neighborhood after the closing of the fire station in the area caused the city to move it nearly a mile away from some of the district’s most western-located residents. District 4 turnout was a few tenths shy of 90%, and District 2 was not far behind, at 88.6%. The number of absentee ballots cast broke its own record, as did the number of people who showed up to participate in in-person absentee voting. On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the first day of in-person absentee voting, 511 people completed ballots. The percentage of absentees – 13,009 in total, or 78.4% – dipped slightly from both the April and August 2020 elections. In April, 83% of ballots were absentee, as the COVID-19 pandemic was just starting to make its way into Wisconsin, and in August, it was at 82.2%. District 2 had the highest percentage of absentees (84.8%), followed by District 3 (75.1%) and District 4 (80.6%). District 1 had 68.6% of its votes absentee; a total of 855 people

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City of Fitchburg voters were determined to take part in the Nov. 3 presidential election. They broke records for voter turnout, especially in District 1, which has consistently lagged behind other districts in previous elections. Fitchburg votes also broke records for the number of absentee and total votes and percentage of registered voters. According to unofficial vote tallies published on Wednesday, Nov. 4, the city recorded 86% turnout – 16,588 votes cast out of 19,290 registered voters. That’s more than in the 2016 presidential election, in which 14,011 people participated, and more than in the November 2018 gubernatorial race, where 13,588 people voted. The turnout also outpaces November 2016 by percentage, which had 75% turnout, and November 2018, which had 81.1% turnout. The results are considered unofficial because they haven’t been certified by the state, a process that occurs during every election that is expected to start next week. District 1’s voter turnout was 81.8%. The close turnout with another one of the city’s districts (District 3 was also 81.8%) is a reversal of a long-standing trend for District 1, where often, voter turnout lags behind by as much as 15% of that seen in others. That discrepancy was present in the April 2020 presidential primary election, in which District 1’s turnout, at 48.6%, was far from

November 13, 2020

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Fitchburg Star

Fitchburg Public Library

What to read in November Bored during the COVID-19 pandem- understand why humans were destroyed, ic? Why not become a bookworm? before a bounty hunter reveals harrowing The Fitchburg Public Library has put truths. together a list of reading recommenda‘A Study in Scarlet Women’ tions for the month of November. This list was assembled by adult and by Sherry Thomas This take on the Sherlock Holmes technical services manager Tegan Karow. character features Charlotte Holmes, ‘Killing Fog’ by Jeff Wheeler society outcast and brilliant investigaSet in a vast coastal land that resem- tive mind. The first in a series. Bringing bles a climate-warmed Alaska, the Grave Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore Kingdom Series imagines an immersive Annabelle Archer is one of the first world where the use of magic summons women attending Oxford, and is also a poisonous fog, political intrigue reigns, participating in the women’s suffrage and dragons roam the skies. Enter Bing- movement, charged with bringing Duke mei, an unlikely heroine. Orphaned, of Montgomery Sebastian Devereux to unassuming, and marked by a chance their cause. of birth that her countrymen think of as a “sickness,” Bingmei rises to her call- ‘The Word is Murder’ ing on the whispers of an ancient myth, by Anthony Horowitz beginning a cinematic tale that’s both a Anthony Horowitz is both author and coming-of-age story and an epic adven- character in this clever mystery. He has ture. been called upon to write a book featuring former detective Hawthorne, but ends ‘Hearts of Oak’ by up serving as investigative sidekick, too.

Eddie Robson

Hearts of Oak is a delightful science fiction adventure. The buildings grow. And the city expands. And the people of the land are starting to behave abnormally. Or perhaps they’ve always behaved that way, and it’s normality that’s at fault.

‘The Last Human’ by Zack Jordan

Hiding her feared human identity while living among hundreds of alien species roaming the corridors of Watertower Station, a lone survivor struggles to

family member must find solace in their own separate way, until one dazzling truth brings them back together. But as the Moone family confront the past, they also journey toward a future that none of them could have predicted. Except perhaps Maeve herself.

‘The Last Place You Look’ by Kristen Lepionka

First in a series starring private investigator Roxane Weary. Roxane has been hired by the sister of a death-row inmate, convicted in the murders of his high school girlfriend’s parents after her disappearance. There are only weeks left until his scheduled execution, so the clock is ticking for Roxane to find out if the wrong person was convicted.

‘The Vanished Queen’ by Lisbeth Campbell

Joining a resistance group to overthrow the king who successfully framed her father for the queen’s disappearance, Anza finds unexpected support from the ‘The Dazzling Truth’ kingdom’s prince, who navigates dangerby Helen Cullen ous court politics to secure freedom for In the courtyards of Trinity College, their people. Dublin, in 1978, aspiring actress Maeve meets pottery student Murtagh Moone. ‘A Pale Light in the As their relationship progresses, mar- Black’ by K. B. Wagers riage and motherhood come in quick K. B. Wagers brings us the rollicking succession, but for Maeve, with the joy first entry in a unique science fiction of children also comes the struggle to series that introduces the Near-Earth hold on to the truest parts of herself. Orbital Guard—NeoG—a military force Decades later, on a small Irish island, the patrolling and protecting space inspired Moone family are poised for celebration by the real-life mission of the U.S. Coast but instead are struck by tragedy. Each Guard.

Red Cross to host two blood drives in Fitchburg JOE HALLEY

If You Go

Star correspondent

The American Red Cross is holding two blood drives later this month. T h e d r ive s w i l l t a k e place from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at 2625 Research Park Dr., and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 5935 Astor Dr. R e d C r o s s s t a ff w i l l implement the following in order to keep a safe environment, according to an event flyer: • Checking temperatures of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy • Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process • Following social distancing between donors including entry, donation and refreshment areas • Ensuring face masks or coverings are worn by both staff and donors • Routinely disinfecting

What: American Red Cross Blood Drive When: 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 Where: 2625 Research Park Dr.; 5935 Astor Dr. Info: (800)733-2767 or redcrossblood.org

surfaces, equipment and donor-touched areas • Wearing gloves, and changing gloves often • Using sterile collection sets and an aseptic scrub for every donatio A ny o n e w h o d o n a t e s on Nov. 25 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, courtesy of Suburban Propane. To m a ke a n a p p o i n t ment, please call 800-7332767 or visit redcrossblood.org.

Virtual church services in Fitchburg

Coming up

The Star has compiled a list of scheduled virtual church services amid the COVID-19 pandemic. If your church is hosting an online event and would like to be included in this listing, please send any pertinent information to ungcalendar@wcinet.com. The listing will run intermittently as space and time allows, and was last updated Tuesday, Nov. 10.

From 1-3 p.m. Thursdays until Dec. 10, the public can virtually participate in an “Aging Mastery Starter Kit.” The kit, in partnership with the National Council on Aging and facilitated by University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health students, is set to discuss the six dimensions of aging well with participants. Space is limited, so registration is required. There will be no class the week of Thanksgiving. For information, call (608) 270-4290.

All Saints Lutheran Church All Saints Lutheran Church, 2951 Chapel Valley Road, hosts virtual services at 9 a.m. Sundays accessible on Youtube and Facebook. Pastor Kristin Woelk delivers each service. For more information, call 276-7729 or visit allsaints-madison.org.

Apostolic Faith Church Apostolic Faith Church, 2001 Harley Dr., hosts virtual services at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sundays accessible over apostolicfaithmadison.org. For more information, email cschleicher@afpastor.org.

Blackhawk Church Blackhawk Church, 9620 Brader Way, hosts virtual services at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays. There are also services for kids accessible at blackhawkchurch.org/connect/kidsstudents/kids/online. Videos are geared

toward first and second graders and are around 20-30 minutes long. Regular services are accessible at blackhawkchurch. org, the church’s YouTube page and Facebook page. Those last around one hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. For more information, 828-4200 or visit the church’s website.

City on a Hill City on a Hill, 2924 Fish Hatchery Road, hosts virtual services at 10 a.m. Sundays accessible at live.cityonahill.co. The church’s worship team and pastors deliver each service and invite the public to join in each week. For more information, call 650-5422.

Chapel Valley Church

Chapel Valley Church, a mobile church, hosts virtual services at 10 a.m. Sundays on Youtube, Facebook, and chapelvalley. org The church’s worship team and Pastors Jeremiah and Suzie Genin invite the public to join in every Sunday. For more information email info@ chapelvalley.org or call 515-8855.

The Church at Christ Memorial The Church at Christ Memorial, 2833 Raritan Road, hosts virtual services at 9 a.m. Sundays at livelifetogether.com/ livestream or facebook.com/livelifetogether.

Pastor Jeff Meyer and Matt Wipperman deliver services each week on the live stream. For more information, call 271-2811 or visit livelifetogether.com.

Memorial United Church of Christ Memorial United Church of Christ, 5705 Lacy Road, hosts virtual services at 9:30 a.m. Sundays. The services are accessible over Zoom or on the church’s Facebook page. To access a Zoom service, visit memorialucc. org and follow the link. For more information, visit memorialucc.org.

Living Water Community Church Living Water Community Church virtual services can be found at livingwatercommunitychurchinc.com. Services are led by Pastors Cat and Jeff Smith. For more information, email jeffncathyr1@gmail.com.

Redeemer City Church Redeemer City Church, 5356 King James Way, posts its sermons, which take place Sundays at 10 a.m., online at redeemercitychurch.org/sermons. Services are also filmed live for the Redeemer City Church YouTube channel. For more information, visit the redeemercitychurch.org.

Shop With A Cop seeking monetary donations NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

The 20th annual Shop with a Cop will be a little different this year because of COVID-19 — there won’t be shopping with the cops. Instead of in-person shopping trips with kids, law enforcement officials from City of Fitchburg, Village of Oregon, City of Madison, Town of Madison, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, City of Middleton, University of Wisconsin, City of Monona, Village of Waunakee, Village of Maple Bluff, Village

of Shorewood Hills, Village of DeForest, Village of Blue Mounds, Village of Cross Plains, and Wisconsin State Capitol Police are set to purchase, wrap and deliver gifts to family’s homes on their own. Officers will spend $300 on each family for a combination of gifts and necessities, according to a news release. Shop with a Cop is seeking donations before the end of November to support shopping in December, the release states. The officers are expected to work with school districts and human service agencies to identify families in need, according to the release.

Contributions can be mailed to: Dane County Sheriff’s Office, ATTN: Shop With A Cop (Hayley Collins), 115 W. Doty St., Madison, WI 53793. Checks can be made payable to: Shop With A Cop — Dane County, Inc. All donations to the program are tax deductible. While donations received by the end of this month will go to support children this year, the public can make contributions year-round. For more information, call Deputy Hayley Collins at (608) 576-5931. Neal Patten, community reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com.

Mastering aging

Tai Chi classes

At 9 a.m. every Thursday until Dec. 17, people can participate in Tai Chi classes in the senior center’s Oak Hall Room, 5510 Lacy Road. Attendees will receive a call prior to each class to keep the participation limit to 12 people. Masks are required. For information, call (608) 270-4290.

In-house foot care

If you need your toenails trimmed, you can attend a foot care day on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at the senior center. Call (608) 270-4290 to schedule an appointment.

‘Talk with Santa’

Kids are set to virtually converse with Santa Clause at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. The event replaces the Children’s Holiday Party, which has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents can reserve their child’s spot by signing them up on https://bit.ly/32t0UME. FACTv is slated to broadcast the event live on channels AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, Spectrum Channel 965 and TDS Channel 7, so everyone can participate. For information, visit fitchburgwi.gov.

REACH book club

The senior center REACH book club is expected to host a virtual meeting at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10. The group will discuss “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” by Jenny Lawson. For information, call 270-4290.

A tour of holiday lights

The Fitchburg community is hosting a Holiday Light Tour from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. The city will compile a master map of all participating homes in the tour. Each will be assigned a number that will be visible for tour voters. The home with the most votes — and the brightest holiday decor — will receive a gift certificate to a local Fitchburg business. To participate, email administration@fitchburgwi.gov with your interest and address by 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16. For information, visit fitchburgwi.gov.

ConnectFitchburg.com

November 13, 2020

It’s all in the eyes Girl with rare genetic disorder communicates using electronic device Unified Newspaper Group

NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

Photo submitted

Annabelle Duffy received her diagnosis when she was 9 months old, mother Lindsay Duffy (left) told the Star.

But the Duffys adapted, putting Annabelle into speech therapy until she was 3 years old. She still needed support, however, and that’s when the family discovered the Waisman Center, which referred Annabelle to Communication Aids and Systems to look for devices that would give her the voice she has today. “We consider her an emerging communicator,” Lindsay said of her daughter’s use of the Dynabox. “She’s definitely still learning the device.” For example, while Annabelle is able to make requests, her family is working with her on her sentence structure. “You can tell that she is proud of herself,” Lindsay said. “(The device) has helped us get to know her a lot better.” Overall, PTHS is characterized by developmental delays, lack of speech and distinctive facial features, according to pitthopkins.org. Considered to be an Autism Spectrum Disorder, its overall prevalence is unknown, but scientists estimate it affects around 1 in 34,000 to 1 in 41,000 people, the website states. Lindsay said she knows of four other families in Wisconsin who have a loved one with the condition. So as Annabelle received her diagnosis four years ago, Lindsay said she felt fortunate to have had doctors who pushed for the right kinds of tests. “Other families have gone a long time (without one),” she said.

‘Alphabeticorns, oppossumcorns,’ oh my! Fitchburg artist creates, sells coloring book with daughter

Fitchburg artist Narra Cox finds inspiration for her pottery from the greens in her garden – hostas, collards and rhubarb. The leaves sometimes inspire the shape of her clay creations, other times providing textures. Cox moved to Fitchburg just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Wisconsin, and said she’s still settling in and in the process of setting up a studio. Cox hopes to expand her small business, Garden Harvest Pottery. To gain exposure, she is a Cox member of 14 South Artists and her stoneware pottery has been selected for display at the annual Firefly Coffeehouse Gallery Art Show. The show is happening now through Tuesday, Dec. 29 at Firefly Coffeehouse and Artisan Cheese, 114 N. Main St. in Oregon. Her art will join pieces by artists from Oregon, Brooklyn, Verona, Stoughton, Edgerton, Madison, and Mount Horeb. Cox said she designs her pottery to be “functional” and enjoyed on a day to day basis. She makes soap dishes, mugs, bowls, vases, serving platters for brownies and cookies or cheese and crackers. Some of her works are shaped like leaves, others become textured when she presses leaves into the clay. She glazes them in natural colors. She’s been a member of 14 South for a little over a year and a half or and said she finds there to be “a great sense of community among the different artists.” She formerly served as

Photo submitted

A leaf platter by Fitchburg artist Narra Cox.

If You Go What: 14 South Artists annual art show When: Through Tuesday, Dec. 29 Where: Firefly Coffeehouse & Artisan Cheese, 114 N. Main St. Info: 14southartists.com

Garden Harvest Pottery facebook.com/GardenHarvestPottery NarraSmithCox@yahoo.com president of the Madison Potters Guild. Cox looks forward to continuing her craft in Fitchburg. “I’m recently retired and entering the next stage of life. I view Fitchburg as a great place to keep working on my pottery,” she said. “Fitchburg has commitment to parks, prairie and green space and that resonates with the ideas of my pottery – art and nature.” For information, visit 14southartists.com.

Make Christmas even more magical for your little ones with a

Personalized Letter from Santa

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MOLLY CARMICHAEL

Each letter is personalized, so order one for each child in the family. All letters are printed on Holiday stationery and will be postmarked North Pole, Alaska.

Star correspondent

Please fill out the form below (1 completed form per child) and send with your payment to: Fitchburg Star, Attn: Letters to Santa, PO Box 930427, Verona, WI 53593. Orders with payment must be received by Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Letters will be mailed in time for Christmas. Child’s First Name __________________________ Boy / Girl Age ________ Child’s Last Name _________________________________________________ Photo submitted

Child’s Mailing Address ____________________________________________

Artist Christy Grace and her daugher, Eliana.

City ________________________________________________________

her daughter, helping her with virtual schooling. She said she needed to restructure the way she makes art, so that’s how the coloring book concept was born. And so the book’s concept spawned out of a nighttime tradition between Christy and her daughter, after Eliana moved into her own room. To make her feel less nervous about the change, Christy began conceptualizing Eliana imaginary animals with Eliana before bed, telling her they would protect her. Eliana would then “put” the animal on decorative branches and paper birds that hang above her bed to watch over her while she slept. It soon became that Eliana asked for a new animal every night, Christy said. Over the past few months, the animals had started to take on some variation of a unicorn. A “toadicorn” and a “platypusicorn” are just some of the creatures the mother and daughter conjured up that can be seen brought to life on the pages of the coloring book. “We were trying to find a way to bring about the peace and silliness that we felt at night into the world, because it’s kind of a challenging world right now,” Grace said.

State____________________________ Zip _______________________ First Name of Sibling(s) (Please Specify Boy or Girl) _________________ Boy / Girl ________________________ Boy / Girl _______________________ Boy / Girl ________________________ Boy / Girl _______________________ Boy / Girl Name & Type of Pet(s) _____________________________________________ Snack Child Leaves for Santa _______________________________________ Gift Child Wants __________________________________________________ Something child has accomplished during last year ______________________ ________________________________________________________________ Letter Requested by (Name) ________________________________________ Relationship to Child ______________________________________________ Daytime Telephone ______________________________________________

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18 67

*Letters will include as much information above as possible.

For artist and Fitchburg resident Christy Grace, drawing mythical animals, such as an “opossumicorn,” was a way for her to work with her daughter and try to create steady income from home. Those drawings turned into a coloring book, titled “Alphabeticorns” — a collaboration between Grace and her five year old, Eliana that features an alphabetized series of horned animals. The book’s theme is based on Eliana’s bedtime routine, where her mother conceptualizes creatures to protect her at night, Christy told the Star. The book showcases 27 creatures with fun facts and discussion questions about each animal. Grace said it can be purchased by pledging at least $15 to her Kickstarter: “Alphabeticorns! The Coloring Book” which runs until Thursday, Nov. 19. Eventually, the books will be available on Christy’s website and Etsy shop, “ArtofChristy.” Grace is hoping the book will provide sustainable income for herself and her family. As of Tuesday, Nov. 10, the Kickstarter campaign has 100 backers and just over onethird of it’s $21,500 goal. For now Christy’s priority is to get the Kickstarter campaign fully funded to cover costs such as shipping, processing fees and the work that went into creating the designs. The books are expected to deliver to campaign supporters before Christmas, she said. Before COVID-19 reached Wisconsin, Christy said she would attend public art shows and markets to showcase her work, which includes paintings and jewelry often inspired by nature. Since then, Christy has had to rely on virtual means to sell her art, one of those being her Etsy shop, which features custom orders. But Christy said there isn’t a lot of time to satisfy the orders, since she is home all day with

Fitchburg potter selected for 14 South art show Narra Cox’s pottery on display through Dec. 29

EMILIE HEIDEMANN

The eyes are the windows to the soul, or so the saying goes. For Fitchburg resident Lindsay Duffy’s 5 year old daughter, the eyes are also the primary mode of communication. Annabelle Duffy has a rare genetic condition known as Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, which renders her incapable of speaking. But because of an eye gaze device called a Toby Dynabox, Annabelle is still able to express her wants and needs, Lindsay told the Star. The family was able to obtain the device two years ago through the Waisman Center, a Madison-based clinic that helps children with disabilities. The Dynabox is a 12-inch screen that has to be positioned close enough to Annabelle to detect her eye movements. At the bottom of the screen is a sensor that follows Annabelle’s gaze. When Annebelle focuses on an icon on her screen’s “home page,” Lindsay said, it verbalizes the associated word or phrase that indicates Annabelle’s desire, like if she is hungry or wants to rest. When Annabelle was 4 months old, Lindsay noticed her daughter’s eyes crossing. So she took Annabelle to an ophthalmologist to strengthen them, but not a lot changed. And Annabelle wouldn’t use her hands much to play, instead balling them up into fists, which seemed unusual to Lindsay. The next step was taking a 9 month old Annabelle to a neurologist, who conducted a microarray genetic test, which investigates possible causes of developmental and behavioral conditions like PTHS. The neurologist noticed a deletion of a specific gene in one of Annabelle’s chromosomes, a key marker of the syndrome, Lindsay said. “It was hard to take,” she said of hearing her daughter’s diagnosis for the first time. “Annabelle is our first child … we have an 8 month old, as well.”

Fitchburg Star

November 13, 2020

City of Fitchburg

Huntley-Cooper, KL Engineering mayoral award recipients JOE HALLEY Star correspondent

Former Fitchburg mayor, Frances Huntley-Cooper, Fitchburg business KL Engineering and the city’s planning and zoning department have received mayoral awards from current Mayor Aaron Richardson. The award recognizes each recipient for their leadership, service to the community and the example they’ve set for others, according to an email release sent to the Star Sunday Oct. 29. Richardson started the awards program in 2019 to recognize community members, businesses and staff that make Fitchburg a great place to live and work, he said in the release. In the release, Richardson commends Frances Huntley Cooper for her many accomplishments as a local government official. She was the first woman mayor of Fitchburg, and the first black mayor in Wisconsin. Huntley-Cooper has also worked with the board of Madison College and was a founding

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Fitchburg Star

member that served four years as the president of the Madison branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Kim Lobdell, another longtime Fitchburg resident, is the owner of KL Engineering, which opened in 1991. Lobdell is a current member of the city’s board of public works and has been active with the Fitchburg chamber while having served on the Plan Commission. The planning and zoning department team comprises Sonja Kruesel, Wade Thompson, Lisa McNabola and Phil Grupe. The team also includes two neighborhood navigators, Carmen Torres-Kinerk and Elizabeth Prado. They are being recognized for their work on the city’s Comprehensive Development Plan, which is set to shape how Fitchburg will grow in the next 20 years. “All three award winners are trailblazers and leaders in their field,” Richardson said in a Nov. 10 email to the Star. “Fitchburg is lucky to have all of (them) in our city.”

City alder joins Overture Center Board As treasurer, Arata-Fratta hopes to bring more arts and culture to Fitchburg EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

As of last month, City of Fitchburg alder and certified accountant Julia Arata-Fratta is Madison’s Overture Center Foundation Board treasurer. Arata-Fratta told the Star she will help bring more culture and arts to Fitchburg through her new role, and ensure the Overture Center for the Arts continues to stay afloat financially through the pandemic. The board consists of 25 members, with nine executive leaders who are “well-respected” individuals from Madison and Dane County “representing a wide spectrum of civic and expertise,” according to an Overture Center news release. Members meet monthly to oversee operations and ensure the “legal and moral” health of the organization, the release states. Arata-Fratta recalled the August

phone conversation she had with the foundation board president, asking her to be the treasurer. They told her, “I think you will be a great fit,” she remembered. Arata-Fratta “I feel honored,” Arata-Fratta said of her official appointment to the organization in September. She said she and her fellow board members are posed with a unique financial challenge amid COVID-19. That involves innovating to keep the center entertaining its audiences and patrons during a time that live concerts and theatre performances remain on pause. But Arata-Fratta said “the Overture Center has been very diligent in the past to create a reserve for rainy days.” The Center has received art grants and is planning virtual broadway shows, she said. Arata-Fratta said her financial, civic and cultural background helped prepare her for the treasurer position. She is a business and accounting manager for Wegner CPAs and

Consultants, according to her resume. And Arata-Fratta has been a Fitchburg alder since April 2015, chairing the finance committee and economic development authority. So by becoming more involved with organizations around Madison and Dane County, including the Overture Center, Arata-Fratta said she’s hoping to fill in an overall art and culture gap in the city — especially during the health crisis. The specifics of that goal have yet to be determined, she said. She has also served on the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Dane County, as president of its Board of Directors from 2011-2015 and as its treasurer from 2007-2010. That role helped Arata-Fratta familiarize herself with Overture Center for the Arts staff, as the Latino Chamber held an art fair there six years ago. “It gave me the opportunity to understand (the Overture) community,” Arata-Fratta said, being an immigrant herself who came to the United States 25 years ago. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie. heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Fitchburg-Oregon Girl Scout Troop learns about democracy JOE HALLEY Star correspondent

All three of the United States’ female secretaries of state have one thing in common – at one point during their childhood, they were earning patches as a Girl Scout. Girl Scout Troop 7806 – although just a group of nine second graders – are earning their democracy badges in honor of the upcoming Nov. 3, 2020, presidential election. While it might not come in handy in a few decades in the highest office in the presidential cabinet, the girls will have a better understanding of government, co-troop leader Courtney Saxler told the Star. To earn the badge, Saxler said the girls will have to demonstrate an understanding of both local and state governments, while also having knowledge about the three branches of the federal government. Saxler and her co-leader Sarah Duellman said they have gotten creative to put together activities to tailor these subjects to the interests of the girls to earn the badge, while also having troop members get a little taste of voting and the democratic process as well. “We had another troop mom that made a ballot for the girls,” Saxler said. “They can vote for their favorite color, favorite food and things like that.” To give the troop members a better understanding of local government, Saxler and Duellman brought together an “all-star line-up,” they said, to present on the importance of government to the Scout troop later this month. The presentation will be held over a Zoom

meeting, and will feature Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, state assembly Rep. Sondy Pope (D-Mount Horeb), Judge Chris Taylor and state Supreme Court Justice Jill Karofsky. Troop members will have a chance to ask the elected officials questions, such as the reasons they got into government, getting to know their background and inspirational stories they have from being in government, Duellman said. Saxler and Duellman both said they wanted the Troop members to learn that their voice matters, even when they’re young, and that it’s okay to question things. Saxler said she’s excited to hear from Barnes because of his excellent presentation skills and the experiences he has that might be different from what Troop members experience. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the girls to see a young Black man in this position who I think has been a good voice for younger people,” she said. Other than trying to earn badges, Troop members have also been working on “journeys” – which are longer, more detailed oriented things the girls work on, that often involves getting four or more badges. The girls will get to vote on which journeys they go when they have their own “election” day. Saxler and Duellman both said being in Girl Scouts is beneficial to every child involved in their troop, as they learn life lessons and develop friendships that will stick with them as they grow up. “We are in ‘planting seed’ mode in these young minds and just exposing them to so many things,” Duellman said.

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November 13, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Fitchburg Public Library

Library starts kindergarten reading program The Fitchburg Public Library is offering a free reading program for kids beginning school for the first time. The program, titled “1000 Books Before Kindergarten,” is

designed to help children from birth through age 6 learn how to read. Exposing kids to a wide variety of stories will give them “an even greater advantage, including the chance to hear new words and

concepts,” the Fitchburg Public Library website states. Parents or guardians can help their kids begin their reading journey by signing up for the program on the website. They will

receive a folder to keep track of their books, the website states. Anytime a child reads or listens to an entire book, they can color in a dinosaur footprint for each story read. Reading logs to keep

track of books can be found on the library’s website. After kids read 1,000 books, they are eligible to receive a prize. For more information, call visit fitchburg.gov.

Ask the Fitchburg

VETERINARIAN

A. Even though it’s Fall, and Winter is just around the corner, it is still a good time

to sell your home because it continues to be a “seller’s market” in Fitchburg due to strong buyer demand and a dearth of active listings on the market. Since Labor Day in Fitchburg, more than 60 single family homes have sold with an average time on the market of just more than 30 days, and currently, there are less than 50 active single family homes on the market. I expect 2021 will continue to be very favorable for sellers due to a continued low amount of inventory and heavy competition Shawn Pfaff among buyers. If now is not quite yet the time for you to sell, I strongly recommend that you still contact a Realtor yet this Fall/Winter to get ready to list your home in January or February (and not wait until March or April) to take advantage of the market to get the best price for their home. As a Fitchburg Realtor, I can provide you with a no obligation market appraisal of your home. I look forward to hearing from you soon at pfaffs@firstweber.com.

Degenerative Myelopathy, helping with anxiety and seizures. Acupuncture is one method of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM). It is quite beneficial in an integrative approach. There are times when Western Veterinary Medicine (WVM), which focuses on control to treat diseases, has exhausted their resources for helping your pet, but Acupuncture and TCVM can help. TCVM believes in bringing back balance to the body since when there is disease, it is due to an imbalance. One way to restore the balance is through acupuncture, which uses the body's own natural chemistries and nerve bundles to help restore the imbalance. One example is a dog with joint pain that can not tolerate non-steroidal medication of WVM, acupuncture can help balance and decrease the pain. Reach out to your local veterinarian to see how integrative medicine uses the strengths of both WVM and TCVM to help your beloved pets.

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Q. What Does Comfort Keepers Do for elders?

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elder care themselves in a senior loved one’s home or their own home, or they arrange for a professional elder care provider, or a combination of the two. With the American senior citizen population on a trajectory to double to 89 million by 2050, options for elder care are on the rise. In-home elder care: This option is quickly gaining ground as a growing number of seniors clearly voice their preference to live in the comfort of their own home as they age. In-home elder care offers the flexibility of choosing the specific home care services they need to maintain independence and achieve a high quality of life. In-home elder care providers include home health care agencies, which provide a combination of skilled nursing and health care services and nonmedical services James Rudolph provided by aides, and home care agencies, which provide exclusively nonmedical, President & CEO supportive care. Home care offers personal care services, such as assistance with hygiene and mobility, as well as companionship services that include conversation, light housekeeping and meal preparation. In-home elder care providers partner with families helping them provide quality care for their loved ones. Comfort Keepers has been providing these services to greater Dane County for nearly 20 years and would be pleased to work with you and your loved one. Call for a free-in-home assessment.

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I have a small tear of my meniscus and my knee is very painful. Is there anything that Physical Therapy can do to decrease the pain while it is healing?

A. Physicians often send patients to Physical Therapy when there is a slight tear of the meniscus rather than opting for a surgical repair. Some people think that Physical Therapy involves only exercise. Strengthening and stretching exercises can be extremely beneficial during PT sessions, but there are many other types of treatment that will decrease inflammation and pain, promote tissue healing and repair, and improve mobility while protecting the injured joint during the healing Susan Armstrong, MPT process. Infrared light, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, myofascial release, lymphatic drainage and the use of kinesiotape would be likely choices to promote an Physical Therapist optimum healing environment in the joint capsule. Once the pain and inflammation are decreased, the range of motion and strength will also be addressed. A home exercise program with self-help instructions would be provided and progressed as tolerated. This program would be appropriate for a variety of injuries to soft tissue, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and muscle. Contact Stellar Rehab at www. stellarrehab.com to find out how the above will provide faster healing and recovery from this painful injury. Comprehensive Therapy Services 1049 N. Edge Trail • Prairie Oaks (608) 845-2100 • Verona, WI 53593 • www.stellarrehab.com

CREMATION SERVICES

Q. What are mortgage points? A. Mortgage points, or discount points, are a way to prepay interest to get a lower

Kathleen C. Aiken

interest rate on your mortgage. Each mortgage point equals 1% of your home’s value. That means if you’re getting a $250,000 loan and have two discount points, you’ll pay $5,000. In most cases, a point can reduce your interest rate by one-eighth to one-quarter of a percent. I don’t recommend discount points because of how long it takes to break even on that cost. In most cases, you’ll sell your house or could even pay it off before you recoup the money you paid up front in points. Skip the points and focus on putting as much money into your down payment as you can.

Q. I helped my neighbor have her husband cremated with the Cremation Society of Madison. She had to sign a form AUTHORIZING his cremation. Why was that form needed?? A. Great question. ALL cremations have to be AUTHORIZED in Wisconsin. If you are married your spouse can Authorize your cremation. If you are widowed or single you should Authorize a friend or family member to sign for your cremation. This form is Free and Jodi would be happy to send it to you and explain how to fill it out.

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DENTIST

Q. There are a few teeth in my mouth with exposed roots. I

don’t like how they look, and they have become sensitive to hot and cold foods. What are my options?

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November 13, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

Dane County

Verona Area School District

New solar farm would provide 100% of county energy needs

Board president starts Leadership Council

Project would allow county to produce more electricity than it uses A proposed partnership with Alliant Energy to build a 140-acre solar farm could help Dane County reach its goal of having 100% of its energy from renewable sources. On Thursday, Nov. 5, county executive Joe Parisi announced plans to develop around 140 acres of county-owned land in the Town of Cottage Grove into a large-scale solar farm. The solar project would be the county’s largest yet, and bring it to its goal of being 100% renewable – producing more clean energy than the electricity it consumes at county-owned facilities, according to a Nov. 5 news release. A resolution to approve the lease to Alliant Energy for the development of the solar installation was introduced to the Dane County Board at last week’s meeting, and is expected to be approved in the coming weeks, according to the news release. Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said the installation will “create local clean energy jobs and help combat climate change.” “Achieving this milestone is a win-win, benefiting both the environment and Dane County taxpayers for many years to come,” he said in the news release.

On the Web To view an interactive “Clean Energy” map showcasing Dane County’s projects, visit

daneclimateaction.org

Group will examine ways to address COVID-19, racism KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

This 16.5 MW solar farm will include over 55,000 solar panels and produce more than 25,000 MWh of renewable electricity per year; enough to power 3,000 Dane County homes. The renewable electricity generated will reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions produced by over 3,800 vehicles, or the burning of 20,000,000 pounds of coal per year, according to the news release. Pending board approval, the county will lease the 140-acre property to Alliant Energy. Once the project is completed, Alliant Energy will take the power generated from the project for its customers. Dane County will obtain the Renewable Energy Credits from the site, which will offset the county’s greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions and help achieve its goals under the Climate Action Plan. The project is expected to be nearly double the size of the soon-to-be constructed solar facility at the Dane County Regional Airport — a nine-megawatt project that will be the largest solar farm in Dane County.

Virtual Parade of Homes set to begin Nov. 16 The Madison Area Builders Association will host a free Virtual Parade of Homes this month, featuring 22 homes from a dozen Dane County communities, including What: Fall Virtual Parade of Homes Fitchburg. When: Starts Monday, Nov. 16 The Fall Virtual Parade of Homes is set to launch Monday, Nov. 16, at MadiWhere: MadisonFallParadeofHomes.com/ sonFallParadeofHomes.com/virtual and virtual will feature homes ranging in price from Info: MadisonFallParadeofHomes.com $350,000 to $1.2 million, according to a Nov. 10 association news release. The event will include 360-degree, self-guided virtual tours, photos and ven- Verona and Waunakee. For information, visit madisonfallpador information for each home. Communities featured in the Parade of Homes radeofhomes.com include: Cross Plains, DeForest, Lake Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Kegonsa, Lake Waubesa, Lake Wisconsin, Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruelle@ Madison, Middleton, Oregon, Sun Prairie, wcinet.com.

If You Go

School board president Noah Roberts has wanted to start a leadership council to address inequity within the Verona Area School District since when he was first elected in 2016. But with the challenges and equity gaps being experienced by district families in 2020, as COVID-19 struggles and system racism are in the forefront of people’s minds, Roberts said addressing disRoberts parities through the forming of a leadership council can’t wait. “Right now, many, many of our students and families are really struggling,” he told the Press. “The reality is that this should have been done years or decades ago – we are realDiaz ly coming toward a reckoning with what has been a lack of action.” Roberts formed the Leadership Council earlier this month, with the goal to bring together governmental representatives and nonprofit and Bare business leaders to create partnerships and foster collective action to address COVID-19 and systemic racism. The invitation letter was sent to around two dozen people, he said, with City of Verona mayor Luke Diaz, Fitchburg mayor Aaron Richardson and Verona-area Dane County board supervisor Mike Bare agreeing to join. In the letter, Roberts said that the council’s focus must be on coordinating efforts to provide support to those students and families most at risk. Whether students are able to learn in the district’s classrooms for partial

days or are doing all-virtual learning, the pandemic is taking a toll on families of color, Spanish-speaking families and those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, he wrote. Additionally, Roberts said it is “well past the time” for the community to develop action plans for addressing systemic racism. He told the Press he expects to start the meetings on a monthly basis in November. He plans to start the first meeting by talking about the district’s plan to address equity issues, and look to other entities to see how those issues are being addressed and to brainstorm how the entities could form partnerships to address disparities together. It would then be up to each entity to go back and implement solutions to support district students and families in whatever capacity it can, Roberts said. “It takes a village to raise a child,” he said. “Certainly the school district plays a central role in that, but we know that it takes all of us to really make sure that we’re supporting our most at-risk and vulnerable students.” Diaz wrote in an email to the Press that he thinks the Leadership Council brings forth a new opportunity for the city and the school district to better collaborate with the community. “Both the issues that Noah brings up are not easy issues and will require local cooperation to address,” he wrote. “But these are issues that we should absolutely be working on.” Bare said that he’s hoping that with a better alignment of government entities, the community can strengthen its responses to COVID-19 hardships and systemic racism. Some of the specific steps Bare said he would like to see coordination on includes creating affordable, stable housing, high-quality health and mental health care and free public education, from Pre-K to college. “These are such big challenges that working together makes perfect sense,” Bare wrote in an email to the Press. “Many inequities we see in education result from factors outside of the four walls of our excellent Verona Area schools, so every level of government should be focused on these problems.”

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November 13, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Veterans: Committee will add more monuments as money is fundraised for the park Continued from page 1 when you (get) there, you say, ‘Oh, I know what this is – it’s obviously for our veterans,’” Clauder said. The path going around the park, and the concrete the new monument sits on, was donated by a Vietnam veteran who wishes to remain anonymous, Clauder said, but wanted to see recognition for veterans. The committee is planning additional monuments to recognize the individual branches in the park, Clauder said, as the path around the 18-acre space takes people around in a circle leading back to the new monument. Prior to launching the committee, Clauder said he reached out to family members of the Gorman family who donated the land to the city to ensure they were in support of the idea of expanding the original statute to a memorial that encompasses the entire park. As the committee raises more funds, it’ll add more to the park, Clauder said. The committee is also looking to eliminate a tripping hazard on the southern side of the park by taking out the curb in front of the path, making it more accessible to those who require walkers or wheelchairs to move around. Clauder said the concept for the

How to donate The committee is currently accepting donations for its Fitchburg Veterans Memorial project. Donors are allowed to state that they’d like to remain anonymous or donate in the name of another person. For those interested in donating to the Fitchburg Veterans Memorial, send check or cash to: Fitchburg Veterans Memorial c /o Oak Bank, Attn: Stephanie East 5951 McKee Road, Suite 100 Fitchburg, WI 54719 park isn’t finished, while there are aspects that the committee wants to see, the concept develops over time based on feedback from the group. “It’s a project in motion,” he said. Jones said that his brother, who served in Vietnam, received “horrible” treatment as he returned home in San Francisco after he was honorably discharged. Jones said he’s hoping that a memorial for veterans can change public perception and increase appreciation for service members. Vietnam veterans like Jones’ were often subjected to poor treatment upon arrival home as the 9-year war – which at that point

was the longest U.S. conflict before the Afghanistan conflict – grew unpopular with the American people. Adding to it was the Pentagon Papers first published by the New York Times in 1971 that showed that the U.S. government had enlarged the scope of its actions in the Vietnam War, which contributed to the public’s disdain for the war. Jones’ brother paid the price of the public’s disillusionment with the war, as well as other costs he dealt with for his entire life, Jones said, including PTSD that his brother only started to open up about later in his life, despite having what

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

From left, veteran Marc Jones, committee member Mike Croft, Ald. Tom Clauder (Dist. 4) and veteran Eldon McLaury stand around the newly installed monument during the Veterans Memorial Park committee meeting on Monday, Nov. 9. he saw in war haunt him since he returned home. “That’s really what’s driving me … (my brother) suffered silently,” he said. “It’s something we as a society need to do to honor our vets – they give a lot.” Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

How to participate Veterans are invited to participate in the Veterans Memorial Committee. The committee meets each month at 1 p.m. on the second Monday at City Hall, 5520 Lacy Road.

Budget: Alders approve bringing back cable TV services to fire station, senior center meeting spaces are encouraged, along with more affordable housing and a walkable neighborhood. The city is in the midst of a larger project for the same purpose on the north side, a $5 million plan to build a Neighborhood Hub near Leopold Elementary School, in District 2. That’s scheduled for 2022 construction. The Jamestown neighborhood, like much of District 1, has the largest population of residents who are socioeconomically challenged in the city, and is one of the areas outlined in the city’s Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative to bring resources into the community. Fellow District 1 Ald. Dorothy Krause also supported plans for the center, as did both District 2 alders, but alders in Districts 3 and 4 – the southern and eastern parts of the city – voted against. At one point, Maldonado attempted to place a contingency on the teen center’s purchase to make it more palatable to alders – that the city wouldn’t make the purchase of the former “Roughin’ it in Style” building along Anton Drive until it had buy-in from tenants and other community partners to help the city pay for it. But he had to settle for a reworked and reduced plan for a $40,000 community engagement study, which passed on a 5-3 vote, with Alds. Sarah Schroeder (D-3), Shannon Strassman (D-3) and Tom Clauder (D-4) all voting against. The study, originally estimated at $50,000, will have a city commitment of $25,000, with Maldonado donating his $5,000 council salary for 2021 and planning to fundraise another $10,000, for a total of $40,000. Some alders who voted

against the teen center said they were hesitant to approve the purchase of a building listed at almost $1.4 million without a community engagement study already in the works or finished. “I am in support of the project; it’s just that I’m extremely frustrated at this point – it seems like we’ve been all over the board and in every direction,” Ald. Randy Udell (D-4) said. “This is a huge risk, dollar-wise, not from the human standpoint … I’ve expressed that we need to move forward in a similar way that the (Leopold) Hub came around.” Maldonado pushed his fellow council members to consider making an investment in people – specifically, the teenagers who live in District 1 – and fund a project he said would ultimately save the city money down the road. “By investing in our young people, we are investing in public safety – we are investing on the front end rather than on the back end,” he said. Prior to the vote, Krause expressed her frustration with the other alders, stating District 1 was again being ignored. She led a drawn-out battle this summer and fall to ensure residents of the area had a nearby polling place after the King James Way fire station was shut down two years ago. That closure put an end to a volunteer after-school program, and Tuesday, she said there’s significant need for teens to have other places to go, as crime being committed by teenagers has been a persistent county-wide trend for multiple years. Krause added that administrators in the Verona Area School District, which encapsulates District 1, had expressed concerns about

students struggling in the virtual-only format that’s been required as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The whole teen center is geared around stopping, as much as we can, of the safety concerns of residents by helping to redirect kids into better pathways,” she said.

Other amendments

Amendments to the budget that passed included additional funding for the city clerk’s department, as there’s an expectation that more staff time and additional costs will be coming

in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic that has prompted voters to cast absentee ballots, and reinstated cable services for the fire station and senior center. A l d e r s a l s o vo t e d t o create a Hybrid and Electric Vehicle fund to allow the city to transfer any unused funds from the gasoline budget to a fund that the city would use to buy eco-friendly vehicles. They also approved stormwater-based amendments that would plant native plants with deep roots to help

mitigate flooding and a monitoring station in Swan Creek to track water flow. Some amendments, such as adding a part-time building code inspector and delaying designs for the Seminole Highway and Lacy Road intersection and nearby storm ponds, were withdrawn from consideration. Others failed, or passed as amended to become cost-neutral. Alders said no to the reclassification of three firefighters to lieutenants, something the department has asked for

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multiple years in a row. Udell’s amendment to add a pedestrian crossing signal on Seminole Highway was turned into a project that would have no additional cost to the city in 2021 by having public works make it more visible, and have Udell bring the project back for next year’s Capital Improvement Process. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

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Continued from page 1

November 13, 2020

Business

Fitchburg Star

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Pandemic worsens state’s ‘child care desert’ Some Fitchburg facilities report lower enrollment rates, costly supplies EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Wisconsin child care providers, deemed an essential business under state Safer at Home orders last spring, remain in a tough financial spot amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Facilities, including some in the City of Fitchburg, continue to operate at reduced capacity, or have closed altogether, leaving beleaguered workers without daycare for their toddlers, preschoolers and even some elementary school children. Almost a year into the health crisis, the industry still faces personal protective equipment shortages, fears of rising COVID-19 cases inside facilities and revenue shortfalls. And not all parents or guardians can afford tuition costs. Jessi Gunderson, director of Pooh Bear Childcare, 5961 Schumann Dr., told the Star the business goes through high amounts of personal protective equipment, including gloves and masks. And Sirosh Masood, owner of Rise High Learning Academy, 6200 Nesbitt Road, said the school had to close down for two months starting in March, which was a “major” revenue setback. The state was already a “child care desert” before the pandemic, Wisconsin Family Childcare Association president Leah Zastoupil said. She said pre-COVID-19, the number of children needing daycare surpassed available spots at facilities by 54%. Mid-pandemic, that percentage has increased to 65%. In March, she said 39% of Wisconsin’s 4,500 child care

Photo submitted

Owner of Rise High Learning Academy, Sirosh Masood, checks the temperature of students before they enter the building for the day. facilities closed. “As of now, we are still seeing 20% that are still closed,” she said. Those circumstances have remained for providers, regardless of financial and educational support they’ve received from the county, state and nation. Community Coordinated Child Care partnered with Dane County to award $3.5 million to programs in spring. The group continues to offer virtual training opportunities for caregivers. When the state allocated $51 million to support child care providers last May, a Wisconsin Policy Forum report states programs used

up 90% of that aid by June. Similarly, the federal government doled out $50 billion to facilities in April through the CARES Act. By April, struggling child care facilities statewide used up 61% of those funds, according to Wisconsin Early Childhood Association data. Fitchburg schools like Pooh Bear and Rise High still report revenue losses because of lower enrollment rates, closures and personal protective equipment expenses. This time last year, Gunderson said Pooh Bear had 110 kids to care for. That number is now down to 80-90, and comprises elementary school aged children who do virtual

learning and have parents who can’t work from home. “Virtual learning is easier for older kids … younger not so much,” she said. Rise High has seen decreased enrollment since closing in March, Masood said. Some parents and guardians Rise High serves have lost their jobs and “don’t feel comfortable” taking their kids to daycare amid COVID-19. “Things have been pretty slow since then,” she said. By contrast, Gunderson said Pooh Bear closed for two weeks when the pandemic reached Fitchburg, reopening April 6. Pooh Bear

was also able to receive money from the federal Paycheck Protection Program to keep its employees on payroll, whereas Rise High had some of its staff quit, Masood said. Both providers have implemented health and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. No one is allowed in either building besides kids and staff. But before they may enter, staff check temperatures. Employees sanitize “everything,” even the toys children play with, Gunderson said. Everyone but kids five and under wear a mask, per state health orders. If there is a positive COVID-19 case at one of the schools, staff notify parents immediately. They subsequently deep clean the space the person likely came in contact with the disease, and everyone who interacted with them must isolate for two weeks. But all those protocols are carried out with personal protective equipment each business buys out of pocket. Gunderson said where a box of gloves used to last a few weeks, it now lasts only one. “Masks are also a hot commodity,” she said. Pooh Bear has additionally invested in its own infrared temperature gauges. Rise High also pays for its own personal protective equipment, but Masood said the business buys supplies in bulk, helping to reduce that cost. “We need to be open and our teachers need to be protected,” Gunderson said of the overall necessity of child care programs amid COVID-19. “Without a daycare center, some people can’t go to work.” “We are essential,” she added. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie. heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Understanding COVID-19 with wastewater Promega collects samples from Village of Oregon in study

There is one small disad- a picture of how COVID-19 vantage, however, and that is impacting thousands of is standardizing the testing patients in a town or city. process, as not all wastewater Email Emilie Heidemann at plants use the same waste colemilie.heidemann@wcinet. lection and filtration systems. com or follow her on Twitter But Moorji said using just at @HeidemannEmilie. one wastewater test provides

EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Fitchburg-based biotech company Promega has begun testing wastewater samples from the Village of Oregon for the SARS-CoV-2 virus — the culprit behind COVID-19. The purpose is to understand the overall prevalence of COVID-19 in any given population, Sameer Mooji, Promega director of applied markets told the Observer. Testing may last several months, but he said the longer it goes on, the more knowledge scientists are set to gain. Starting in late October, researchers have been collecting the samples once a week from the village’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. Moorji explained the study is for internal research, meant to strengthen wastewater sampling tools Promega has already developed. Because the tools are so relevant and needed during the pandemic, he said getting help from local wastewater treatment plants is critical. The practice isn’t new and has been used for other viruses, but it has the potential to give public health authorities a leg up in implementing the

Photo submitted

Promega is studying wastewater for its COVID-19 prevalence in the Village of Oregon. right safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already claimed over 230,000 lives in the U.S. since March. Oregon graciously obliged Promega’s request to participate in the study for that reason, he said. There are three tools at play in the entire wastewater testing “workflow,” Moorji said, after the collector who goes to Oregon’s Wastewater Treatment plant scoops unfiltered water in a plastic jar. Once that is done, scientists first concentrate the virus inside the sample. “You can imagine the virus is dispersed,” Moorji said, calling it a needle in the

Promega 2800 Woods Hollow Road #5399 274-4330 promega.com haystack. The next step is to extract the SARS-CoV-2 virus, or its nucleic acid, and the final task is amplifying the virus’s genes to confirm its detection. That process comes with a few advantages, and one slight limitation, Moorji said. One advantage is that testing creates a “leading indicator” of what’s to come in a

town, city or state — a prediction that cases are about to peak even if people are asymptomatic. That proves more efficient than testing a member of the public who is already showing illness symptoms, or for antibodies after they’ve recovered, Moorji said. He said people start shedding the virus in their waste soon after they are infected, even though it takes 14 days to display COVID-19 symptoms. And a significant proportion of people only get tested for COVID-19 once they’ve had a known exposure to the disease, or they are visibly coughing and have a fever.

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Business

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November 13, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Little John’s finds a space in Fitchburg Restaurant set to follow pay-what-you-can model EMILIE HEIDEMANN

Coming in 2021 Little John’s 5302 Verona Road

Unified Newspaper Group

A nonprofit restaurant with a paywhat-you-can model has found a space in Fitchburg after five years of preparation. Chef Dave Heide told the Star that Little John’s, named after his youngest son, will be located at 5302 Verona Road — the former A-1 Furniture & Mattress store. Heide signed the lease last month for the 25,000 square foot building, which has room for a commissary kitchen. It will also house a program to hire veterans as kitchen staff, a menu made entirely of surplus grocery store food and a business concept that allows patrons to pay only what they are able. Heide said the model follows that of One World, Everybody Eats, a nonprofit that supports around 50 pay-whatyou-can establishments in the United States and England. The nearly $5 million effort to launch the business comes just after Heide closed his Oregon restaurant, Charlie’s on Main, last month

because of COVID-19. It was there he hosted a pop-up kickoff party for Little John’s in March 2019 to bring awareness to the nonprofit’s premise of achieving food sustainability and accessibility. The health crvisis has amplified Heide’s desire to pursue those goals, he said, as more people struggle to put food on the table amid the pandemic and economic downturn. He is attempting to raise $3.3 million to cover the cost of purchasing the Verona Road space, as his lease includes a guaranteed option to buy. Heide said he and staff are still finalizing the details for covering the remaining $1.7 million, but he told the Wisconsin State Journal Oct. 18 he’s pursuing CARES act money, along with state and local grants. The Little John’s concept is mostly self-sustaining, Heide said, as he’s working with a Madison grocery store and the Wisconsin Department of Veteran’s Affairs to help cover associated costs.

File photo by Emilie Heidemann

Little John’s took over the kitchen of Charlie’s on Main Feb. 20, with founder Dave Heide, above, and volunteer chefs like John Kraak, below left, cooking the food. Using grocery store excess from Metcalfe’s Market is set to cover food expenses, and the pay-whatyou-can concept for patrons covers building costs. Veterans will cover kitchen staffing needs, and the rest of the staff is set to be volunteer-based. Veterans Affairs would reimburse Little John’s for the first six months of employment, Heide explained.

This would allow the veterans to receive six months of culinary education at $15 an hour, with the hope they would transition into another restaurant or get into Madison Area Technical College for its programs. Attendees of the March 2019 launch party got to see this concept in action with pay-what-you-can menu items and drinks prepared by

Sue’s Hallmark Shop may close Business houses Fitchburg’s only post office EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

The City of Fitchburg may lose its only United States Postal Service location by the end of an already tumultuous year. It is housed inside Sue’s Hallmark Shop, a business whose own struggles have been amplified by the COVID-19 health and economic crisis. While owner John Policello said he has paid rent through the month of November, he’s not sure what this winter may hold for the 3000 Cahill Main cards and gifts shop and post office. His lease for the building is up, and he said he’s taking it one month at a time. Policello has run the shop since 1998, when he contracted to run the post office location and hire its employees. If both

entities don’t “substantially increase their output” Policello said he will resign from his contract position, and close Sue’s Hallmark come winter. Overall, the United States Postal Service and Hallmark Cards, Inc. have endured significant financial losses since the pandemic began. Sue’s Hallmark closed for 12 weeks starting in March, with Hallmark Cards, Inc. announcing pay cuts and furloughs in April. And the self-funded USPS continues to experience budget shortfalls with increased mail volumes as government subsidies decrease year by year — and as COVID-19 rages on. Conditions likely won’t improve, Policello said, in an industry that was already seeing a decline in customers preferring the brick and mortar store experience over online shopping — and the competition the USPS sees from companies like Amazon and FedEx. He said he recalled a different scene back in the late

Sue’s Hallmark Shop 3000 Cahill Main, Suite 116 (608) 273-3565 stores.hallmark.com 1990s, and in 1984 when he owned a Middleton Sue’s Hallmark location that closed four years ago. There were more personal interactions between customers and employees, he said. You could see the smiles on their faces as they picked out a card to deliver to a loved one. Or maybe they wanted to show their support to someone who was grieving, getting married or celebrating an anniversary or holiday. “You don’t see much of that anymore,” he said. “It is just the way things are.

COVID-19 has changed things for everybody.” It hurts more than you think it would, Policello said, of potentially closing down. Since Sue’s Hallmark reopened, the shop has followed all the proper health protocols. There is plexiglass by registers and other areas where customers and staff conduct business. Everyone wears a mask and the amount of people who can enter Sue’s Hallmark is limited. Yet with COVID-19 cases continuing to rise in Wisconsin, Policello said that increases the potential of closing down the shop, which doesn’t bode well for the post office. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @ HeidemannEmilie.

volunteer veteran chefs in the former Charlie’s on Main speakeasy. Menu items included cauliflower steak, roasted vegetable pasta, turkey chowder, cucumber avocado soup and chocolate bread pudding for dessert. Heide said patrons might see similar menu items once Little John’s opens, but it would change every week. To accommodate proposed services and staff, the Little John’s design concept includes the 6,000 square foot commissary kitchen, which Heide said would provide space to get food to Dane County’s homeless and other communities in need. It also features a 1,500 square foot space to train the veterans, 1,500 for the restaurant, 4,000 for community rooms and 1,200 to process meat. Heide said while a business like Little John’s is needed to help those who are grappling with food insecurity during COVID-19, the project remains in its infancy. But he said he’s going to open no matter what happens. “I just want to make sure people are taken care of,” he said Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie. heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Business in brief

now resides in Madison with her family — which includes a dog F i t c h b u r g ’ s O a k and cat — according to Bank has hired a new the release. mortgage loan proces- New senior sor. S t a c e y B o e l t e r , apartments according to a bank The HighLine Senior news release, will now A p a r t m e n t c o m p l e x b e u n d e r w r i t i n g a n d is now open at 2001 p r o c e s s i n g m o r t ga g e Traceway Drive. loans for clients that The HighLine is a are purchasing a home, 5 5 + a p a r t m e n t c o m or refinancing an exist- munity that offers an ing loan to take advan- ideal location close to t a g e o f c u r r e n t l ow Madison’s metro area, interest rates. according to a FitchT h e r e l e a s e s t a t e s burg Chamber of ComBoelter will help cus- merce email newsletter. tomers “pursue the The complex sets a d r e a m ” o f ow n i n g a new standard for senior home with a caring living, the release states, featuring a modapproach. She graduated from ern and industrial exteNormandale Commu- rior and interior. For information, connity College in Bloomington, Minnesota, and tact (608) 236-3176.

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The

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

Sports

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

Prep sports

Girls tennis

Big Eight cancels winter sports

Deang’s last dance ends in repeat gold Edgewood senior becomes first repeat state champion in program MARK NESBITT

MARK NESBITT

Sports editor

Before competing in the WIAA Division 2 state tennis tournament, Madison Edgewood senior Baluck Deang watched the movie, “The Last Dance” to give her all the motivation she needed. Deang (13-1) said she thought a day before the state meet that finishing second or third place entered into her mind as her prep tennis career neared an end. That’s until she watched the movie on former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan. “I had to have that Michael Jordan mentality,” Deang said. “That is what I needed.” Deang, at No. 1 singles, defeated previously unbeaten Appleton Xavier senior Erika Curtin 6-3, 7-5 to repeat as the Division 2 state champion Oct. 18, at Sports Core in Kohler. “It felt like a relief; like a weight was lifted off my shoulder,” she said. “I went into

Big Eight Conference league winter sports competitions have been canceled for 2020-21, and no conference champions will be crowned because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference, which includes Verona Area High School and Madison West High School, announced the decision Monday, Oct. 19, in a joint statement from athletic directors. It follows a similar announcement from the nearby Badger Conference on Oct. 16. The decision does not prevent member schools from participating in non conference competitions, though none can be hosted in Dane County under existing health department orders. “All schools will be supported in their local decisions and may have the option to schedule non-conference competitions in any sports,” the Big Eight statement reads. “As each district allows, in-person practices, games and workouts may be allowed to occur as adopted by member schools and following public health recommendations.” The WIAA plans to conduct winter sports and has sent out health guidelines for winter sports, which are boys and girls basketball, gymnastics, boys and girls ice hockey, boys swimming and diving and wrestling. According to the statement, the Big Eight will collaborate on best practices for offering virtual and small group coaching opportunities and provide ways to engage students by providing mental, emotional, leadership, and fitness support. The conference will also expand work around social justice during the 2020-21 school year by introducing a Big 8 YouTube channel which will be home to conference activities and resources.

VAHS

The Verona Area School District will not offer winter sports until COVID-19 metrics have been met for Dane County, athletic director Joel Zimba wrote in an Oct. 19 news release. He said the district is following Public Health Madison and Dane County reopening metrics regarding the in-person return-to-school. “Our return-to-athletics will coincide with our return to school,” Zimba wrote. “We will not have winter sports unless/until they return in-person.” If PHMDC reopening

Turn to Big Eight/Page 15

Submitted photo

Madison Edgewood senior Baluck Deang holds up the bracket along with Edgewood coach Alex Mory after repeating as the No. 1 singles WIAA Division 2 state champion.

this year working hard playing my best to win it. I set high standards. I wanted to carry it (state title) over.” Deang became Edgewood’s first girls singles champion last year and now is the girls program’s first repeat winner. After breezing to a win in the first set over Curtin (14-1), Deang trailed 5-3 in the second set. Deang said she had to move her feet and think about how much work she put into the season. She battled back and won the final four games. She opened the state tournament with a first-round bye as the top seed. She defeated Watertown Luther Prep’s Alethia Schmidt 6-0, 6-0 in the second round. In the quarterfinals, Deang cruised past Racine St. Catherine’s/Racine Lutheran senior Kate Smith 6-0, 6-2. She then outlasted Catholic Memorial senior Lauren Carson 6-4, 6-4 in a semifinal match. The Crusaders also qualified for the state team tournament. Waukesha Catholic Memorial knocked off Edgewood 5-2 in a

Turn to Tennis/Page 16

Swimming

teDuits commits to Wisconsin She will be third sibling to swim for Badgers MARK NESBITT Sports editor

Madison Edgewood junior Anna teDuits verbally committed to swim for the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Oct. 13, starting in the 2022-23 season. As a sophomore last year, the Fitchburg resident helped Edgewood win its fifth straight Division 2 state championship at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium. She was part of three of Edgewood’s five individual state titles. teDuits captured the state title in the 200-yard

individual medley with a time of 2 minutes, 6.28 seconds. She was also a member of the Crusaders’ 200 medley relay team with Maeve O’Driscoll, Abby Reid and Izzy Enz that won with a state-record time of 1:44.51. She teamed with Enz, Reed and Dee Dee Walker to capture gold in the 400 free relay (3:29.54). teDuits also took third in the 1 0 0 b a c k s t r o ke ( 5 5 . 9 7 seconds). “I watched my brother Drew go to their program and I wanted to follow in his footsteps,” teDuits said. “I will get to join my brother (Truman) and get to swim with him for two years. I’m very grateful for the opportunity they gave me. I’ve always File photo wanted to swim there.” Madison Edgewood junior Anna teDuits verbally committed to swim at the University of Turn to Swimming/Page 16 Wisconsin-Madison starting in the 2022-23 season.

Boys cross country

Richardson to run for Badgers Edgewood senior won Division 2 state title MARK NESBITT Sports editor

Nine days after winning a WIAA Division 2 state cross country championship, Madison Edgewood senior Leo Richardson verbally committed to run cross country and track at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Richardson verbally committed to the Badgers on Monday, Nov. 9. The three-time Division 2 state

qualifier. “I have looked up to UW-Madison for a while,” Richardson said. “There are a lot of great people on the team I look up to. I think it’s a great opportunity to run at Madison.” Richardson dominated the field in the WIAA Division 2 state cross country meet at Colby High School, winning a state title with a time of 15 minutes, 47 seconds. It was more than 44 seconds ahead of runner-up Hunter Krepline of Brillion in the 5,000-meter race. Because of COVID-19 considerations, each of the WIAA’s three enrollment divisions ran at a

separate site, with boys and girls divided into three “sessions” each. Richardson ran in the first of three Division 2 boys sessions. He and his family got back in the car and returned to Madison. Richardson bolted to the lead in the first 50 yards of his race. His first mile (4:54) was one of his top splits of the season. He finished about 10 seconds off his best time that came the week before in the sectional (15:37). “I had to focus more on running against the clock than people,” he said. “My goal was to go out there and leave it all out there and not have any regrets.”

File photo

Madison Edgewood senior Leo Richardson, the WIAA Division 2 state champion, verbally committed to run cross country and track at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Monday, Nov. 9.

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November 13, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Prep sports

Badger Conference cancels winter sports Madison Edgewood still plans to play nonconference season MARK NESBITT Sports editor

Badger Conference league winter sports competitions have been canceled for 2020-21, and no conference champions will be crowned because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference, which includes Oregon High School, announced the decision Friday, Oct. 16, in an email. It does not prevent member schools from participating in nonconference competitions, though none can be held in Dane County under existing health department guidelines. Oregon School District has suspended all high school and middle school winter sports competitions until allowed by Public Health Madison and D a n e C o u n t y, O H S a t h l e t i c director Mike Carr wrote in an Oct. 16 letter to parents of OHS students. Madison Edgewood Athletic Director Chris Zwettler said the school plans to play a winter sports season, with most games and competitions on the road. The Badger Conference comprises 16 schools in seven different counties, including Dane County, which has been hit hard by COVID-19. Following PHMDC guidance, conference administrators have agreed conference competitions cannot take place during the winter season, Carr said. The WIAA plans to conduct winter sports and has issued health guidelines for winter sports, which include boys and girls basketball, gymnastics, boys and girls ice hockey, boys swimming and diving and wrestling. The conference acknowledged in its Oct. 16 statement there will likely be different plans throughout the conference and state, depending on the spread of the virus and local health department guidance. “We understand the need to be flexible, adaptable, and use creative thinking as we move f o r wa r d a n d a p p r e c i a t e t h e understanding of our school

File photo

Oregon’s Jenna Statz goes up for a shot down low in a game against Fort Atkinson last year. Badger Conference athletic directors announced Oct. 16 that they were going to cancel league competitions this winter because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We realize that our current communities as we continue to work together to navigate the situation is not easy for any of COVID-19 situation,” the state- us and has been extremely chalment read. lenging for our students, parents, and coaches,” he wrote. Oregon Carr said the district is workIn the letter, Carr wrote that ing with high school coaches the health and safety of stu- to provide small group in-perdent-athletes, coaches and com- son activities that will meet the munities is the top priority. He county’s requirements. High said OHS student-athletes in school winter sports coaches winter sports are still encour- also will continue to provide aged to continue to register and virtual learning team activities submit paperwork so they can as they did in the fall. participate when the county The district is working with gives the go-ahead.”

middle school partners on the possibility of shifting middle school practices and games to later in the school year, he said.

Edgewood

The Edgewood Board of Trustees approved a plan for the high school to have a winter sports season. Zwettler said the board gave the school a green light to play winter sports to try to simulate the fall sports season the Crusaders were granted. The first winter sports practices for girls

basketball, boys hockey and girls hockey and gymnastics start Nov. 16. Practices for boys basketball, wrestling and boys swimming starts Nov. 23. Zwettler, who also serves as the boys basketball head coach, said he’s not sure what facilities will be available for practices, since they will have to be conducted in small groups to meet county health guidelines. Edgewood will remain in virtual learning through the first semester, he said.

Big Eight: No in-person coaching but virtual training that follow contact rules allowed Continued from page 14 metrics are not met before winter sport start dates, coaches can share virtual individual training activities with students, he said, including training workouts like stretching, flexibility, warm-up, speed, strength and conditioning on a virtual platform following WIAA coaching guidelines.

Madison West

File photo

Verona Area/Mount Horeb’s Ben Wellnitz swims the 500-yard freestyle at the WIAA Division 1 state meet last year. The Big Eight Conference canceled the winter sports season.

Madison Metropolitan School District Athletic Director Jeremy Schlitz, who also serves as the Big Eight Conference secretary, wrote in an Oct. 19 email to the Press that Madison schools would n o t o ff e r w i n t e r s p o r t in-person coaching during

the virtual school model. He said the district wouldn’t encourage students to gather or train together outside of school grounds through Jan. 24. However, virtual individualized training activities like stretching, flexibility, and warm-up routines, strength and speed training, conditioning, and mental preparation/sport psychology resources are allowed, as long as they follow WIAA coaching contact rules. “We hope to return to education-based athletic programs with additional guidance from local public health and to allow for the best opportunity to prepare for safe return to our facilities,” Schlitz wrote.

November 13, 2020

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Fitchburg Star

Prep sports

Crusaders withdraw from state volleyball tourney MARK NESBITT Sports editor

Madison Edgewood junior Ally Barth delivers a serve in a match. The Crusaders made a run to the WIAA Division 2 state tournament but had to withdraw because of Public Health Madison and Dane County restrictions.

Tennis: Edgewood picked up victories at No. 1 singles, doubles Continued from page 14 Division 2 state semifinal Oct. 25, at Sports Core in Kohler. Edgewood (3-4) was able to get victories at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles before Catholic Memorial (12-9) swept all the lower flights. Deang, at No. 1 singles, rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Shannon Kutcher, the alternate, in the No. 1 singles spot. Kutcher was playing for Carson who missed the match because of an injury in the third-place match at individual state. At No. 1 doubles, Edgewood sophomore Samantha Buchner and junior Maeve Shanahan rolled to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Catholic Memorial’s Emily Dorow and Jeslyn Singson. “My goal was to win one state title,” Deang said of her prep career. “I never thought I would get two.”

File photo

Citing Dane County health protocols, Madison Edgewood voluntarily withdrew from the WIAA Division 2 state volleyball tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 3. In a statement, school officials didn’t specify whether it was COVID-19 related, but alluded to county health guidelines. “It is with a heavy heart that due to unforeseen circumstances in these unprecedented times, Edgewood girls volleyball will not be able to attend and participate in the WIAA state tournament,” the statement read. “While we are sad for our student-athletes who earned the right to compete for a state championship, we must adhere to public health protocols.” Edgewood (14-1), the No. 2 ranked team in Division 2, knocked off Platteville 25-13, 25-9, 25-13 in a sectional championship on Saturday, Oct. 31, in Lake Mills to qualify for state for the first time since 2013. The Crusaders were one of 16 teams in the Division 2 postseason field. The Crusaders received a No. 2 seed at state and were scheduled to play Lakeside Lutheran in a Division 2 state semifinal at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. Instead, the WIAA announced Platteville will take Edgewood’s spot in the tournament. The Crusaders closed the season as one of the hottest teams in the state, reeling off eight straight wins and dropping just one set to Sauk Prairie in a four-set win over the Division 1 state qualifying Eagles on Oct. 13. “Tuesday was probably the most emotional day I have had in my AD profession and being a dad and a coach,” Edgewood athletic director Chris Zwettler said. “There were a lot of tears shed by everyone, but our girls handled it with integrity and class. We will shine through this.” The WIAA verified the state tournament change in a release: “According to Board of Control

approved COVID-19 pandemic accommodations, Platteville — the most recently defeated opponent — will replace Edgewood on the Division 2 bracket, without reseeding.” Edgewood and Marshall are the only two Dane County high schools that played a volleyball season in the fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on tight COVID-19 Public Health Madison Dane County guidelines, county schools were barred from having more than 10 players gather at a time for practice.

Sectional final Edgewood 3, Platteville 0

When senior Marquette University commit Ella Foti injured her ankle in the first set, the Crusaders didn’t miss a beat and rolled past Platteville in a sectional final on Oct. 31. The Crusaders were led by 6-1 junior Natalie Ring, a Marquette recruit who had match-high 10 kills and seven service aces. The Crusaders opened a 17-4 lead in the first set and were ahead 18-7 when Foti injured her ankle. She was able to return for the second set. Edgewood scored 10 consecutive points in taking a 23-4 advantage in the second set. Foti totaled 20 assists, while being spelled at setter by senior Michelle Schmitt and junior Kayla Buelling. Ally Barth, a 6-1 junior, contributed a match-high six blocks, while junior libero Lauren Hazelett helped the Crusaders’ defense stave off any comeback bid by the Hillmen with 12 digs.

Sectional semifinal Edgewood 3, Wautoma 0

The Crusaders rode the power of their hitters to a sweep of Wautoma in a Division 2 sectional semifinal in Lake Mills. Foti dished out 23 assists, added six digs and posted three service aces, while Ring racked up a team-high 13 kills for Edgewood, who toppled the Hornets, 25-17, 25-14, 25-6.

Girls golf

Crusaders finish third at state championship MARK NESBITT Sports editor

The Madison Edgewood girls golf team’s quest to win a third straight WIAA Division 2 state championship came up short as the Crusaders finished third Oct. 13 at Blackwolf Run in Haven. Edgewood shot a two-round team score of 580, one stroke away from runner-up The Prairie School and 20 strokes away from state champion Prescott. It marked the 22nd time in the past 23 years the Crusaders

have qualified for state, which has included 15 state titles since 2001. The first day of the state tournament on Oct. 12 was shortened to nine holes because of a rain delay.

Sophomore Sarah Nakada carded a 149 to tie Kadyn Peely of the Prairie School for 19th place. Edgewood freshman Jacklyn Thao tied St. Croix Central’s Jenna Wehausen for 23rd (155).

State meet

The Crusaders dominated the field, rolling to a Division 2 Arcadia sectional championship on Oct. 7, at Drugan’s Castle Mound in Holmen. Edgewood shot a 341, which was 22 strokes ahead of runner-up Lakeside Lutheran. Hegenbarth carded a 6-over-par

Edgewood senior Grace Jaeger tied Prescott’s Rhi Stutz, Freedom’s Callie Berg and Lakeside Luterhan’s Maya Heckmann for sixth place with a two-day score of 18-over-par 134. Edgewood senior Caitlyn Hegenbarth took 14th at 36-over-par 144.

Sectional

77 to take second place to lead the Crusaders. She was just one shot away from sectional champion Heckmann. Jaeger finished third place (82) and Nakada tied Wisconsin Dells senior Kalya Gray and East Troy’s Andrea Smith for seventh (90). Edgewood junior Allyssa Thao rounded out the top four for the Crusaders, tying Lakeside Lutheran junior Kaylea Affeld, Wisconsin Dells senior Gracie Walker and Arcadia/Independence’s Whitney Sonsalla for 10th (92).

Swimming: teDuits continues swim training every day despite pandemic Continued from page 14 Two years ago as a freshman, teDuits finished second in the backstroke and fifth in the individual medley as the Crusaders again won the Division 2 title. She was part of the team’s winning 400 freestyle relay and was on the second-place 200 medley relay. Anna’s brother Truman teDuits was a standout swimmer at

Edgewood and is a freshman at UW on the men’s swimming and diving team. Older brother Drew teDuits was an NCAA champion at UW and another older brother, Payton teDuits swam at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Anna teDuits plans to major in early childhood education. Badger Conference athletic directors announced the cancellation of the fall sports season July 30, because of the COVID-19

pandemic. She has spent the past couple of months at her family’s home in St. George, Utah. She has been competing swim training every day. She has more access to swim facilities for even more practice time. “I can practice 10 days there a week instead of five,” she said. Anna started swimming at 5 years old in the All-City League and joined the Badger Aquatics

swim club two years later. Now she’s looking forward to helping the Crusaders, but she understands there may not be a state meet at the end of the season this year. “We will have a strong team,” she said. “There may not be a state meet this year and we are sad. We know we will have our senior year to win another state championship.”

Verona Schools

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November 13, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Verona Area School District

Panel will bring more info to board No vote taken on reopening after 700 public comments advocate both sides KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Verona Area School District administrators need to provide more information about how they are making decisions on school reopening plans, several school board members agreed during a marathon discussion Monday, Nov. 2. While administrators have advocated for following Dane County COVID-19 metrics for its phased return to in-person learning, at least three board members have pushed for the district to set its own standards and to consider the negative impact of virtual learning on some students. There was no vote, but administrators agreed to bring more information about reopening processes in the future. The legal environment in the state and county have been shifting continuously since the state declared a public health emergency March 13. As a result, school districts have been at times on their own to decide when and how to bring students back, and the rift within Verona’s board appears to be growing. On Oct. 28, four board members – Carolyn Jahnke, Tom Duerst, Amy Almond and Kalyanna Williams – proposed expanding the medical advisory panel to address concerns beyond containing the spread of COVID-19, such as mental health, student engagement and attendance. They also

proposed expanding in-person learning for the second semester, though the board agenda did not specify when board members wanted to see students back. That resulted in 700 public comments totaling 130 pages in the board packet, the majority of which were in favor of keeping the existing standards to ensure student and staff safety. And it left Jahnke and school board president Noah Roberts defending their respective actions over the previous several days at the beginning of the meeting. Jahnke said she had added to the agenda and signed a letter asking for students to be back in school because the district is not making enough progress deciding when and how that will happen. Roberts said he posted the draft agenda two days earlier than usual to increase public awareness of the discussion. Some board members suggested to assistant superintendents Laurie Burgos and Emmett Durtschi they had been excluded from information, particularly the medical advisory panel’s recommendations. Burgos and Durstchi, who were filling in for absent superintendent Dean Gorrell, told the board they would take that to heart and bring the feedback to the panel. Jahnke had questioned the panel’s relevance to reopening schools and repeated similar questions she’d asked in prior meetings, including why administrators were not taking a more holistic approach to student health. Jahnke, who has been vocal about her displeasure with Public Health Madison and Dane County’s school reopening metrics and the lack of an in-person option, was one of two people to

vote against the district’s phased reopening plan in July. “What are the metrics we’re going to look at that talk about our students as a whole, that look at their mental health and we go, ‘We’ve got a problem?’” she said. “I’m curious who’s accountable for that?” Burgos said staff at each of the schools are identifying students most in need of assistance with mental health, or academics and engagement, and those are the ones first invited to the district’s “plus” opportunities, which began earlier that day at some schools. Almond said she’d like to exclude positive case data from University of Wisconsin-Madison students, but attorney for the district Lori Lubinsky advised that they shouldn’t just pick and choose what data they want to listen to, nor should they omit from the county’s weekly snapshots in order to match what their opinions are with reopening. “Our data is our data – we can’t change it,” Lubinsky added. Board members also pressed the district on the next steps to bring students back to school for in-person learning. Burgos said the administration would take multiple aspects into consideration, including the number of new daily COVID-19 cases and operational requirements such as staffing and transportation. While the district plans to send out a survey to families to gauge their interests in either phased reopening or all virtual learning for the second semester, Burgos said sending it out now would be too early. “We learned that lesson earlier this summer when we surveyed families in late June or early July,” she said. “Their responses

changed drastically by August between the grades of 3-12, that is a big change to the agenda,” when we re-surveyed them.” he said. “I felt it was necessary to Rallying support provide the general public with as The high number of public much notice as possible.” comments was fueled by parents on either end of the reopening Desire for independence spectrum, and most appeared to Some board members said have been organized by one of they felt the medical advisory two advocacy groups. panel should not be beholden to One website, actionnetwork. opinions of the school board or org, helped garner 572 public administration. comments in favor of followBoard member Meredith Stier ing the metrics set by PHMDC. Christensen said while she’s not a A Facebook group titled “Bring fan of the reopening metrics recKids Back Verona Area Schools” ommended by PHMDC because helped bring in 112 comments in it feels unattainable based on the favor of reopening sooner than number of active cases, her opinplanned. ion shouldn’t dictate medical Roberts, who has consistent- guidance. ly argued for following PHMDC “If we had evidence that supguidance on reopening, published ported a change, I’d like it to the Nov. 2 draft agenda Wednes- come from independent experts, day, Oct. 28, on his board mem- rather than my own personal ber Facebook page. That was opinions,” she said. “Keeping the same day that parents in the independence was actually criti“Bring Kids Back” group had a cal.” celebratory post about getting the Jahnke disagreed, saying the items added to the agenda. panel should be a board commitRoberts also posted Nov. 2 that tee subject to public meetings he would plan to hold multiple laws, and can have broader reprelistening sessions in the com- sentation than just the two doctors ing weeks on the issue. Jahnke selected by Gorrell and adminisaccused Roberts of creating pan- trative staff. ic by suggesting board members Lubinsky defended Gorrell in wanted to see a change immedi- his absence and said he didn’t just ately, rather than in the second pick medical professionals for the semester. advisory panel that would con“After looking through your firm what he wanted to hear. She social media, in two years you’ve added the district has a contract never posted on a topic before with UW Health family mediwe’ve had the conversation,” cine Mark Wirtz and Paul Hunter Jahnke said to Roberts. that pays them hourly for their Roberts said wanted to make medical advice, and that allows sure people had plenty of time the district to take no liability to submit comments to the board because UW’s malpractice insurprior to the meeting, because it ance covers them. had not been discussed at all in Email reporter Kimberly Wethal earlier meetings. at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com “In a matter of five to six days, and follow her on Twitter @kimrequesting potential action on berly_wethal. sending additional students in

VASD news in brief

Madison Metropolitan School District

Superintendent asks county to support student mental health

Capital projects, operating budget referendums receive approval

Dane County will start a work group focused on supporting school districts with meeting student mental health needs. Its formation comes after VASD superintendent Dean Gorrell reached out to the county asking how districts could partner with them to address mental health needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Board member Williams holds virtual meet and greet In a format that has become quintessentially 2020, the newest member of the Verona Area School Board introduced herself to the community virtually last week. Board member Kalyanna Williams hosted a Facebook Live from the district’s page on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

Deadline to apply for holiday gifts Nov. 20 VASD families interested in assistance with providing Christmas magic to children can donate to a holiday gift fund. The deadline for applying is 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, and can be done by registering in an online form.

Stoner Prairie hosts ‘Pumpkin Palooza’ More than two dozen pumpkins faced the judgement of Stoner Prairie students and families Oct. 29 during “Pumpkin Palooza.” Families participated in a drive-thru, looking at decorated pumpkins set up on tables and announcing their favorites before getting a goody bag to take home.

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Madison Metropolitan School District will renovate its four neighborhood high schools and move forward with plans for a new elementary school off Rimrock Road after voters overwhelmingly supported its two referendum questions in the Nov. 3 election. According to unofficial election results posted on the county’s election tracking website on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 75% of voters said yes to both referendums. Combined, the capital projects referendum, at $317 million, and operating budget referendum, at $33 million, are now the largest successful set of school referendums in state history. The capital projects referendum was approved at a slightly higher percentage, with 79.6%, or 125,842 of voters voting yes. The operating budget referendum had a few thousand less people vote to approve it, with 121,002 voters voting yes, or 76.4%. In a news release posted on the “Yes2InvestMSN” Facebook page, co-chairs

of the advocacy campaign said they were grateful to the district’s voters for choosing to invest in its students. “The work does not end here,” the Facebook post reads. “We encourage everyone who cares about the future of our community to get involved with our local schools through the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools and, alongside our new superintendent Dr. Carlton Jenkins, help us continue to shape a Madison that uplifts all its residents.” The capital referendum, which was 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 will 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 202122, $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 an

Oct. 2 story from the Capital Times. 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.

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Parks & Forestry Planning/Zoning Police Public Works Recreation/Community Center Senior Center Utilities

270-4288 270-4258 270-4300 270-4260 270-4285 270-4290 270-4270

5520 Lacy Road, Fitchburg, WI 53711 • www.fitchburgwi.gov

THE SENIOR CENTER IS PROGRAMMING! Even though most onsite programs are currently on hold, that doesn’t mean they are not continuing. If you are interested in any of the following, reach out to David at 270-4292 for more information on how you can get involved: Aerobics with Felicia, Yoga with Kurt, Caregiver Support, Book

Clubs, Men’s Group,Virtual Bingo, Tai Chi, Coffee Chat and more! Did you know that the Senior Center offers onsite foot care? Call 270-4290 to find out how you can sign up. Meals on Wheels continues, call Mandi at 270-4293 for more information.

FINAL ROUND OF LEAF & BRUSH COLLECTION FOR FITCHBURG RESIDENTS NOVEMBER 23-27 Place your leaves, brush and other yard waste at the curb by Monday at 6:30 a.m. of the collection week. This is the final collection round for 2020. For information on yard waste bagging methods and curbside brush placement, visit www.fitchburgwi.gov/2568/ Brush-Yard-Waste

QUARTERLY RECYCLING REMINDERS Fitchburg has unlimited curbside recycling. Simply place overflow recyclables in a clear plastic bag next to your recycling cart when you set it out by the curb. It is not necessary to bag the recyclables in your cart. In fact, processing them is easier if you don’t. However, if you chose to bag them, use a clear plastic bag. Anything in other than a clear plastic bag will be processed as trash! Please keep your recyclables dry by keeping the lid on your recycling cart

closed. Rain-soaked paper and cardboard affects its ability to be recycled. Flatten cardboard before putting it in your recycling cart. Place your recycling cart and refuse cart curbside, either in your driveway or in the terrace. Do not place them in the street where they can interfere with vehicle traffic, street sweeping and snow removal. Recycling answers: http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/146/Refuse-Recycling

Spread the joy of the holidays with your neighbors and visitors to Fitchburg with our HOLIDAY LIGHT TOUR event. Decorate your home (businesses can participate too!) with your brightest & best holiday lights for all to enjoy! A master map will be compiled showing the streets of participating homes and businesses. Then on December 19th, between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. the viewing of the magic in Fitchburg happens! We’ll create a Facebook event page with the master map and a link for

people to vote for their favorite holiday home display. Participating homes will be assigned a number that will need to be visible to voters. The home with the most votes will receive a gift certificate to Hop Haus Brewing Company, Fitchburg, courtesy of Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce. To participate, email administration@ fitchburgwi.gov with your interest.Your address will be added to the master list and voting ballot. All participating addresses need to be submitted by 8:00 a.m. on December 16th.

RECYCLE OLD HOLIDAY LIGHTS Recycle old holiday light strings that no longer work at Fitchburg City Hall. A special cart is now available 24 hours/ day in the City Hall Lobby, 5520 Lacy Road. Fitchburg residents can drop off non-working holiday light strings and extension cords for recycling. Residents must remove any bulbs larger than marble-size and recycle those separately.

SIGN UP FOR GREEN FITCHBURG E-BLASTS Want to stay informed on sustainable suggestions, issues and area events? Sign up for Green Fitchburg e-blasts. Scroll down the page at http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/list.aspx until you find Green Fitchburg and follow the instructions from there. Fitchburg does not share email addresses.

Porcelain berry is a highly invasive climbing vine in the grape family. This ornamental plant from east Asia looks very similar to native and cultivated grapevine in summer and fall but poses a significant threat to trees and other plants. Help prevent porcelain berry from spreading in Wisconsin. Report its location to Invasive.Species@Wisconsin.gov and take action to control it on your property. adno=181359

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Oregon schools

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November 13, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Oregon School District

Optimism for reopening despite COVID spike New public health guidelines could be less restrictive for schools SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

With the spread of COVID-19 around Dane County continuing to accelerate, it would hardly seem the time to be optimistic about bringing more students back to school. Yet that was the message at the Oregon School District board meeting Monday, Nov. 9, where superintendent Leslie Bergstrom provided some bad news on rising COVID cases, but also some hope that a return to classes might be sooner than later – with a suggestion county guidelines might

OSD COVID-19 data update — Nov. 6 Positive staff cases at school Positive student cases at school Staff in quarantine Students in quarantine Students online due to classroom closure change. The 14-day county average of positive COVID-19 cases – a main metric for Public Health Madison and Dane County – continues to rise, she said, up to 277 as of Nov. 6. To bring students in grades 3-5 back to school, that number must be 39 or fewer for four straight weeks; 19 or fewer for grades 6-12. The news isn’t any better closer to home, where according to county

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data, Brooklyn is now second in number of cases per 10,000 people. “When you look at numbers like that, of course you would ask yourself, ‘Then why in the world is K-2 still in person?’” Bergstrom said. The answer, she said, is a continued response from PHMDC that “indicates very good news for phasing in other grades.” “With K-2 open in several districts, we’re not seeing the transmission

coming from that environment,” Bergstrom said. “There is emerging science related to transmission, and Public Health does plan to update guidelines, including guidelines for schools, so that is an exciting update. “That’s very encouraging when you’re thinking about extending in-person instruction to other grades.” Still, until the COVID-19 curve starts to flatten, getting more kids back to school will remain a challenge, Bergstrom said. “We would be much more likely to have a change in metics from public health after we have reached some period of stabilization, but the trajectory is significant,” she said. “What we can do right now is proactively prepare and we are.” From talking with PHMDC staff, Bergstrom said it’s clear that when additional students do return to

schools, that will require more staff for the school district, and the district is now recruiting and hiring substitute teachers and paraprofessionals to fill in when teachers are sick or in quarantine. Bergstrom said since Sept. 1, around 70 staff members have had to quarantine, including an undisclosed number of positive cases, and 13 students who attended in-person classes have tested positive. “Many are able to teach from home when quarantined, but we would need an adult in the classroom for supervision,” she said. “We’re getting as creative as possible with the utilization of the adults in our buildings already, and we plan to have more on staff to help us as we phase in more grades.” Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott. delaruelle@wcinet.com.

Grades 7-12 return may be far off Timing will depend on turnaround in COVID-19 daily cases SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

It might be weeks or even months before more students and staff can return to their buildings, but Oregon School District administrators are preparing for that day. The district is preparing plans for a phased return to in-person school for grades 7-12 that would bring the district’s middle and high school students back in two cohorts, with one group returning for two in-person half-days a week. The district would use a hybrid “flipped” model, with instruction provided virtually and face time with teachers used later to answer questions and check in on projects. At the Monday, Oct. 12, school board meeting, district superintendent Leslie Bergstrom said the model was chosen out of three possibilities by school leadership teams after considerable study. “We started in the summer and we have continued to hone in on what we want to do, because we want it to be the best, we don’t want it to be good enough,” she said. “We’ve used the

last month to visit schools, talk to other educators and ensure our selection really was the best one possible.” District officials also examined a “livestream” model where online students watch class in real time, with their in-person colleagues and teachers in the classroom. Oregon Middle School principal Shannon Anderson said many schools around the state are using the model, which has advantages of being realtime and efficient for teachers, who can instruct in-person and virtual students at the same time. The downside is that technology challenges can limit virtual students, who would likely need a second staff member to work with them. “And that’s a barrier for us, because we don’t have two adults for every room,” she said. “For the kids who were online learners, (teachers) can’t connect with those kids as easily.” A third option to outsource online education to a paid company was briefly considered but soon dismissed. “We want our Oregon online students, no matter the grade, to have the curriculum created by our teachers and delivered by our teachers,” Bergstrom said. Ultimately, the flipped model “had the highest ceiling” for a program that best served in-person and virtual learners, Oregon High School principal Jim Pliner said. New instruction would be delivered through a video lecture

screencast, slides, podcasts or other readings, he said, with classroom time used for reteaching, discussion, lab work and other support as needed. “(It) gives us an opportunity to utilize that time with more flexibility when we’re with students … rather than cramming content in during that teaching time,” Pliner said. “(We’re) really focusing on student wellness, their learning, and monitoring their progress on the essential learning standards we have.”

Oregon Middle School The main group of students in the phased restart program — around three-quarters of the total — will be split in two cohorts to help with social distancing, with online students comprising a third cohort. Students will not use lockers, and the same precautions K-2 students are using will be in place, including regular hand cleaning, wearing masks, keeping a 6-foot distance and sanitizing surfaces. Students would come to school for in-person learning in core subjects from 8:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., meeting in smaller, socially distanced groups, and receiving a take-home lunch for the rest of the day, which would be virtual. Group A would attend the half-day classes Mondays and Thursdays, with Group B on Tuesdays and Fridays. Group C would remain virtual, with 1-2 p.m. set aside four days a week for

on-screen interaction with teachers and a small group of peers to provide feedback. Wednesdays would remain virtual for all students. Students in quarantine can join the C Group during that time, Anderson said.

Oregon High School The schedule at OHS is designed to be very similar to the middle school’s structure, with students attending in-person classes from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. before receiving a take-home lunch and spending the rest of the afternoon in virtual learning, including live sessions. Group A would attend Mondays and Thursdays, with Group B on Tuesdays and Fridays and Group C remaining virtual. Wednesdays would remain virtual for all students. Pliner said there would be many social-emotional benefits for students returning to school, even if it’s just parttime at first. “We miss our kids, we miss our staff, and we want to get back in person, but being back in person doesn’t automatically guarantee the instructional experience will improve,” he said. “What it means is it gives us an opportunity to have some of those social and emotional supports, and being in the presence of kids and having students interact, as well as teachers.” Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott. delaruelle@wcinet.com.

OSD news in brief School district taxes will remain steady

COVID contact tracing keeping staff busy

The Oregon School District’s financial situation has remained stable over the past year. On Oct. 26, the school board approved a levy of $31,207,114 and a mill rate of $11.19 (per $1,000 of property value), meaning the owner of a $200,000 home will pay around $2,238 in school taxes.

As the number of active C OV I D - 1 9 c a s e s h ave ramped up in the Dane County area in the past few weeks, so has contact tracing of possible cases by Oregon School District staff. To date, the district has investigated more than 100 cases, with human resources director Jina Jonen handling staff and school nurses contact tracing for students.

Parisi, district leaders announce student mental health work group Dane County will start a work group focused on supporting school districts with meeting student mental health needs. The group will comprise representatives from the Oregon School District and other Dane County school districts, county executive Joe Parisi and staff from Public Health Madison and Dane County.

Art teachers create paint pallets for students When OSD K-6 grade art teachers found out their order of student paint supplies would be delayed until February, they quickly found a solution. The teachers gathered leftover paint supplies, cut up small scraps of cardboard and made more than 2,000 ‘paint palettes’ to be sent home in art kits for students next month

SASD in brief Student survey The district is sending out student experience and “well check” surveys to students in grades 5-12 this week, with some social-emotional and health and wellness questions, superintendent Leslie Bergstrom told the school board. “We think it’s really important to hear our student voice in their current experience as well as how they’re feeling and what they may be needing more of from the school district,” she said.

Hope squad Bergstrom said Oregon High School has started a “Hope Squad” to focus on student mental health. The “Hope Squad” comprises students chosen by peers to receive training on how to listen to the fellow students when they are struggling, “particularly with self-harm thoughts, and how to refer them to professionals who can help them.” Advisory lessons are coming up at the high school to let students know about the group.

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