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The early phases

Inside

Promega researches COVID-19 immunity response tests EMILIE HEIDEMANN

Planting hope (and trees)

Unified Newspaper Group

Page 2 70% have responded to Census Page 3

Home & Garden Photos by Neal Patten

Thirsty Goat employee Freddie Schulz waits with a food order outside the restaurant.

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Sports WIAA cancels spring sports competition Page B1

Schools

Families adapt to stay-at-home schooling Page B8

Ever since the state ordered all non-essential businesses to shut down March 25 to curb the spread of COVID-19, there’s been a debate over what is essential. Tanya Laiter argues her business, Rolling Pin Bake Shop, is essential because of her comforting food. That’s one reason the Fitchburg bakery at 2935 S. Fish Hatchery Road has remained open. “We are a community bakery, the owner said. “I feel like I am helping my community by providing essential foods like breads and desserts. Sometimes you are sitting at home and you have to have brownies or breads. You need your sweets.” Even before the Safer at Home order, most businesses had been forced to adapt to new conditions since a March 17 order limited gatherings to under 10 people. It’s been especially complicated for restaurants, cafes and bars. Many switched to carryout only business, some have closed altogether, and others have adjusted week to week to keep their employees working. Quivey’s Grove, 6261 Nesbitt Road, remained open for two full weeks after the order was issued.

Carla Williams and son Malik keep their physical distance while picking up sweet treats from Rolling Pin Bake Shop. Then it shut down, then reopened. Caleb Percevecz, one of the managers, told the Star everything was going perfectly fine at first, but as the spread of the virus progressed, there was concern customers would congregate while waiting for orders – which would lead to gatherings of 10 or more – especially during Friday fish fries. And Quivey’s, like so many other establishments that have adapted to a new way of doing business, was simply not built to do an all carryout business, Percevecz said, as part of its appeal is the ambience of the rustic barn and stone house it operates in.

“It’s really hard to figure out the best way to do it,” he said. “It’s definitely been hurting us, but luckily we have 40 years under our belt and really great owners who have put the work in to make sure we have a strong foundation.” One universal sentiment among food- and drink-based establishments has been the difficulty of weathering the pandemic financially over the course of several weeks. At Barriques, 5957 McKee Road, for example, its core business is its coffee and cafe food, but most of what it’s been selling

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As the novel coronavirus has made its way around the planet, so too has the effort to understand how the disease spreads and who develops immunity to it. Companies both here at home and globally are racing to achieve that understanding. One of those is Promega, which is in the early research phases of evaluating COVID-19 immune response tests, senior communications specialist Karen Burkhartzmeyer told the Star. As part of that evaluation, the Fitchburg biotech business is seeking participants who have previously contracted SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to be involved in an antibody study. Promega staff will test each participant for disease antibodies using tube samples of their blood — a test known as a serological assay. Promega’s chief medical officer, Ashley Anderson, wrote in an April 8 blog post that such testing, already carried out by laboratories around the country and world, suggests there might be far more people who have had the disease than previously thought. That could have profound implications for how governments and businesses will continue to respond to COVID-19 in the coming months. “The need for reliable virus detection methods is central to the global response to COVID-19,” Anderson wrote. “The test results not only inform health decisions for individual patients, but they also help us build projections of how the virus will spread, which can in turn influence policy decisions.”

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May 8, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

The Fischers of Fitchburg pat the mulch in place for the tree they planted at Oak Meadow park.

Planting some hope (and trees)

Jodie Johnson digs a hole for one of the many trees in the park to start its long life.

From left, Cole, Levi, Jodie and Jake Johnson plant a tree together.

Photos by Emilie Heidemann

The neighborhood surrounding Oak Meadow park spearheaded an effort to plant eight trees there Saturday, April 28. With the help of city staff, the neighborhood’s association worked out a plan to host the planting with social distancing protocols in mind. Jake Johnson, Fitchburg resident and event organizer, told the Star he put the planting together to bring a little hope to a world amid a pandemic. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

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May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

70% of Fitchburg residents have responded to Census

Spring election

Census schedule adjusted for COVID-19 RENEE HICKMAN Unified Newspaper Group

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Charles Craig looks over a voter’s passport as their voter ID on election day, held on April 7, at City of Fitchburg’s District 3 polling place in the Community Center.

Almost 70% of Fitchburg residents have responded to the 2020 Census, but efforts to collect the remaining forms will be delayed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 69.7% of residents in Fitchburg had responded either online or by mail as of Tuesday, May 5. That’s slightly lower than Dane County’s 71.1% rate of response but higher

than the state average of 64.8%. The federal government announced in April that some of its operations would be delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including Census workers knocking on doors to collect Census forms from those who have not responded yet. According to the U.S. Census Bureau website, the original schedule had Census workers interviewing households in person from May 13 through July 31. Those activities will now be taking place from Aug. 11 through Oct. 31. Wade Thompson, the city’s community development planner said that according to Fitchburg’s Census representative, “It sounds like there will

be ‘door to door’ follow up by the Census Bureau in August to those city residences that haven’t self-responded by that date.” In the meantime, Thompson said he planned to restart meetings of the city’s Complete Count Commitee, formed to help increase Census responses in Fitchburg, in June. Though some Census field operations have had their schedules adjusted, residents still can respond to the Census online at my2020census.gov, by phone at (844) 330-2020 or by completing and returning the forms sent through the mail. Renee Hickman can be contacted at renee.hickman@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @ReneeNHickman

83% of all 3 seats turn over on council votes cast were absentee Maldonado, Gerhardt, Udell win first terms; Strassman wins first race

City sees 56.6% turnout overall KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

A little more than half of Fitchburg residents voted in the April 7 election – the overwhelming majority via absentee ballots. Final election results released after votes were tabulated on Monday, April 13, show that F i t c h bu r g s a w 5 6 . 6 % turnout across the city, with 9,441 ballots cast. Of those ballots, 7,866 were completed as absentee – or 83%. Those numbers changed slightly from what was reported last week, because voters were able to get their absentee ballots sent in until 4 p.m. April 13. A s o f 1 : 3 0  p . m . Wednesday, April 8, City clerk Tracy Oldenburg said out of 8,966 ballots counted, 7,392 of those – 89.4% – were absentee ballots. As of 5 p.m. April 2, Oldenburg said she and city staff processed 8,226 absentee ballots. At polling places on Tu e s d a y, A p r i l 7 , n o m o r e t h a n 5 0 0 vo t e r s walked into any one location. District 4 had the most in-person voters, with 492 ballots cast, and second highest number of absentee ballots. Districts 1, 2 and 3 all had numbers in the 300s for in-person voting, with

those votes making up no more than a quarter of all ballots. More voters partici pated in the April 7 election than in 2019, when 6,621 people cast votes; however, this election’s turnout was smaller than the number of participants in the April 2016 election, the last time a presidential primary was held. Approximately 8% less votes were counted in this year’s election, compared to April 2016, when 10,284 ballots were cast. Some of Fitchburg’s districts saw decreases in voter numbers. District 4 saw an increase, going from 2,852 votes in 2016 to 2,944 this week. District 1 saw the largest decrease of just under 500 votes. Residents from District 1 cast 1,359 votes this week, in comparison to 1,760 in April 2016. Both Districts 2 and 3 saw decreases of between 300-400 votes in 2020 from 2016, respectively. Results from election day weren’t made available until April 13. A Supreme Court decision from the day before the election ruled that as long as absentee ballots were postmarked by April 7, they were eligible to be counted if they were delivered to clerks by 4 p.m. April 13. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

Fitchburg voting numbers as of 1:30 p.m. April 14 District No. of absentee No. of in-person Total votes 1 1,031 328 1,359 2 2,659 374 3,033 3 1,724 381 2,105 4 2,452 492 2,944

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

All four of the candidates who ran for election to Fitchburg’s Common Council for the first time this spring won – even though one is an incumbent. Joe Maldonado, Gabriella Gerhardt and Randy Udell won the seats in Districts 1, 2 and 4, respectively, after results of the April 7 election were tabulated Monday, April 13. Ald. Shannon Strassman (Dist. 3)

Maldonado

Gerhardt

was formally elected to her seat for the first time, as well, after being appointed to the seat in Udell August 2019 when a former alder vacated it. The result means incumbent Ald. Dan Bahr (D-2) won’t be coming back, after Gerhardt beat Bahr 1,767927. Bahr, the council

Madison police investigate car crash death EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

The death of a Fitchburg man as a result of a March 19 car crash in the City of Madison is being investigated by the Madison Police Department and Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office. Justin Wixon, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which

took place Sunday, April 19, on the 4800 block of Hayes Road, according to a DCME news release Monday, April 20. The office completed the autopsy on Wixon on Sunday, March 19, the results confirmed his death resulted from injuries sustained in the crash. The release states additional testing is underway and the death remains under investigation.

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president, was running for his third term. Two other incumbents – Alds. Anne Scott (D-1) and Janell Rice (D-4) – will not be back. Both already had decided they’d be saying goodbye, after they filed non-candidacy paperwork last fall. The District 1 election was decided by a 2-1 margin, as Maldonado defeated Dave Herbst 824-412. The Districts 3 and 4 races were much closer. Strassman defeated Dave Carlson in District 3 1,045-690,

and coming out on top of what initially was a threeway race before a primary in February, Randy Udell defeated Scott Lehmann 1,417-1,143. Mayor Aaron Richardson ran unopposed for a three-year term after one year in office, the result of a change in Fitchburg’s election schedule. It was also the first time in four elections the incumbent mayor was not ousted. The newly elected alders will be sworn in at the April 28 council meeting.

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May 8, 2020

Opinion

Fitchburg Star

ConnectFitchburg.com

As we recover from COVID-19, CSA is a great option during COVID disruption we can do it sustainably Letters to the editor

I’m a Fitchburg resident who has really enjoyed going to the Fitchburg Farmers’ Market over the years. I appreciate being able to get fresh produce from local farmers during the growing season. I realize a lot of routines upon which we’ve relied have been disrupted, and may be disrupted for some time. Who knows if we’ll even have a farmers’ market this year. When I began to realize that we would have to hunker down for a while, I contacted one of the Fitchburg farmers market vendors in order to join his farm’s CSA. I knew that regardless of what happens during the growing season I would be

guaranteed a share of the produce from the farm. So without waiting to see what’s left in the grocery store I’d have a share of fresh and local food for 20 weeks. I bought a share for my family and another share for loved ones across town. If you are a farmers market lover like me, are growing weary of wondering what will be left on your supermarket shelves, or would like to support local farmers, a CSA would be a great option. CSA’s are a bargain and they assure that local farmers can stay in business. Wendy Nelson City of Fitchburg

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

Friday, May 8, 2020 • Vol. 7, No. 3 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.

Office Location: 133 Enterprise Drive, Verona, WI 53593 Phone: 608-845-9559 • FAX: 608-845-9550 e-mail: ungeditor@wcinet.com Circulation customer service: (608) 845-9559

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General Manager Lee Borkowski lborkowski@wcinet.com Sales Manager Kathy Neumeister kathy.neumeister@wcinet.com Display Advertising Donna Larson veronasales@wcinet.com Catherine Stang stoughtonsales@wcinet.com Classified advertisements ungclassified@wcinet.com Legal advertisements unglegals@wcinet.com Circulation ungcirculation@wcinet.com News Jim Ferolie fitchburgstar@wcinet.com Sports Adam Feiner ungsportseditor@wcinet.com Business news Emilie Heidemann ungbusiness@wcinet.com Community news Emilie Heidemann communityreporter@wcinet.com Reporters Kimberly Wethal, Mark Nesbitt, Mackenzie Krumme, Neal Patten, Scott De Laruelle, Renee Hickman

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rises have a way of exposing certain things that in better times we prefer to sweep under the rug. One of the things made abundantly clear by the COVID-19 pandemic is just how far we remain from building a truly sustainable society. Our environmental impact is well documented, from fishery depletion and resource over-extraction to climate change and habitat loss. But we are falling short on economic and social issues as well, and this pandemic has only worsened that problem. Our most vulnerable neighbors are more likely to be facing unemployment or working in a job that doesn’t allow them to practice safe distancing. They also more frequently struggle with access to quality medical care; are often exposed to greater levels of air pollution; and, according to a Harvard study released in April, are also experiencing worse outcomes from COVID 19. You might think of sustainability as focusing only on environmental issues, but that’s only part of it. It’s also about understanding that environmental improvements are most effective when we include economic health and social equity as related goals. As we look to recover from this virus and recession, we have an opportunity to think about how we can make structural changes that create greater

equity and reduce the number of people who bear the brunt of economic and environmental inequality. Fitchburg has prioritized these concepts through its Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative, seeking to improve access to city resources and economic opportunity in locations that have been historically underserved. There are other gaps we could address. As celebrated author, poet, and activist Sonya Renee Taylor recently said, we won’t be going back to normal after we recover from the current crisis. “Normal never was,” she said. “Our pre-corona existence was not normal other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection … We should not long to return, my friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.” We have to consider what “normal” we might want to return to. It could be a world where we consume more than the earth can sustain while many still suffer from a lack of necessities and basic comforts. Or

instead, it could be a world where we prioritize sharing and concern for one another. It could be one where healthy ecosystems and farms supply us with enough food and resources for everyone without being depleted and where the concept of “marginalized communities” has no meaning. Where the most important metrics have to do with equity, opportunity and overall global health, rather than monetary figures that are indifferent to the well-being of people. It has become evident in recent months that major changes must be made if we are to create more opportunities and greater equity for all our neighbors. We look forward to recovering from both a global pandemic and an economic recession. Let’s start making positive changes now so our new “normal” better protects us from future crises and offers shared growth for all. We can support groups working to lift up those hit hardest by this crisis, ensure our communities are rebuilding with equity and fairness in mind and encourage our leaders to pursue sustainability in its fullest meaning. By rebuilding with that vision in mind, we might just create exactly the kind of “better world” we’ve been dreaming about for generations. Phil Grupe is a sustainability specialist for the City of Fitchburg.

Healthy Living

Plant-based lifestyle can be approachable

oing plant-based in our diet is what kale chips and quinoa were 10 years ago. It’s a hot topic and seems to be popping up everywhere. Even fast-food chains are introducing plant-based burgers as a way to appeal to the growing number of people attempting to follow a plant-forward diet. Whether it’s for environmental concerns or motivated by health, there is apparent benefit to eating a more plant-based diet. Raising, harvesting, processing, packaging, and shipping all the food we eat in the world – plants and animals alike – requires a lot of valuable resources that result in planet-warming greenhouse gases. Meat and dairy (specifically beef, lamb and cheese) are the largest contributors, while plant-based foods usually have a smaller impact. It’s no secret that eating more plants – including veggies, fruit, whole grains, beans and nuts – has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and several other chronic diseases. This is a result of the beneficial fiber, micronutrients and antioxidants prevalent in these foods. But it doesn’t mean you have to completely eliminate dairy and meat from your plate altogether. Even small, gradual changes can lead to a big difference over time. At the start of the New Year, I also made the goal for my family to eat more plant-based meals. But I knew it wouldn’t be reasonable or doable to give up meat entirely or turn up my nose to all things dairy. I live in Wisconsin, after all. Jumping head first into an all plant-based diet can work for some, but for many, it becomes just another diet in disguise. Completely restricting certain foods can lead to strong cravings and a sense of deprivation. This often results in overeating later and a “throw in the towel” mentality. Instead, I find it more helpful to find one or two small changes that work for you right now, then slowly

incorporate more as you feel ready. This sets you up for sustainable success. Whether you commit to a smaller portion of meat at each meal or Hoerr decide to initiate Meatless Mondays, one thing we can all agree on is that prioritizing more vegetables, fruit, and whole grains into our day is beneficial to our health. Rather than focusing on taking away meat from your diet, think about what you can add in. This mindset shift will make it easier to keep making small, doable changes. Kara Hoerr, MS, RDN, CD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Kara Hoerr Nutrition. To learn more, visit www.karahoerrnutrition.com, email Kara at kara@ karahoerrnutrition.com, or call 608620-4461. This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice. Strategies for plant-based success Have the vegetables be the star In the United States, we typically think of the large steak that takes up the entire plate to be the star of the show. Rather than eliminate the steak, have a large salad with pieces of steak added to it. Or, instead of a meat-based chili or soup, reduce the amount of meat and add in an extra can of beans. The flavor of the meat is still there, but the portion is reduced. Choose lean sources of protein You may not be ready to give up meat entirely, but maybe you’re comfortable swapping the kind of meat you choose to have on a regular basis. Red meats and cheese have a higher carbon footprint and health risks than other meats if eaten in large amounts. Instead, add fish, chicken or eggs to your menu more often and enjoy red meat on occasion.

Make substitutions to favorite recipes Swap the beef or chicken in your tacos for black beans and seasoned quinoa. To your favorite curry, use a couple cans of chickpeas and cauliflower. If you love salads at lunch, add some thawed edamame or roasted chickpeas for extra crunch. Focus on foods you enjoy Rather than forcing yourself to eat something you feel like you should be eating (maybe it’s tofu or that unidentifiable meatless patty), think about the foods you’re currently eating that you may not have thought of as plant-based. Your avocado toast, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, hummus and veggies, and pasta with tomato sauce are all vegetarian options. Choose to have these on a more consistent basis. Find whole food plant-based sources With the term plant-based going mainstream, that also means that companies are capitalizing on the growing market. It’s easy to go to the freezer section and find plant-based alternatives to chicken nuggets, burger patties, ground meat and deli meat. While these don’t contain meat, they aren’t automatically healthy choices. These items can be highly processed and may be high in sodium, preservatives or added sugar, counteracting the benefit of the plant-based protein in the first place. If you truly love these products, choose to eat them mindfully and on occasion. Otherwise, there are several other naturally found plant-based proteins to choose from. 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 620-4461. This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Solutions still wait on Lake Barney flooding

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Town of Oregon resident John Brown lost around half of the income he could have pulled in from his cropland last fall because of standing water on his property. To make matters worse, he paid $2,500 to raise the floor of his garage to prevent water from pushing up through the concrete, adding to the around $20,000 he had already spent to fill in four feet of his basement to prevent water seepage. “Pretty much all of us in the area got hit real hard,” he told the Observer. “It’s been a nightmare.” While area residents like Brown await long-term solutions, the Village of Oregon and the City of Fitchburg are taking steps to either help find those answers or be ready with better stormwater management infrastructure when it comes time to drain the area. Fitchburg has commissioned a stormwater management study aiming to produce concepts to reduce flooding in the area. That study, to be conducted by Emmons and Olivier Resources, Inc., will seek at least two ways to mitigate the flooding. In the Village of Oregon, improvements to culverts and stormwater infrastructure are being planned. But both Brown and Fitchburg resident John Freiburger said they feel state Department of Natural Resources representatives have put up more barricades for draining the water than solutions. Lake Barney, which sits near the top of the Badfish Creek Watershed, has grown from a 32-acre body 33 years ago to around 800 acres during times of heavy rains and has continued to cause problems for Fitchburg and Oregon residents. In addition to the individual costs to keep the water at bay, the glacial kettle has also put pressure on the water table, causing fields to flood and drowning out the roots of trees that predate the Revolutionary War. And after years of flooding, figuring out how to drain the water safely without disrupting the areas downstream continues to be complicated because of who owns what land surrounding it, and where. “The land itself is not the challenging part,” DNR water regulation engineer Uriah Monday said. “It’s the inclusion of all of the interested parties along the way.” The affected areas include jurisdictions of Fitchburg and the town and village of Oregon, as well as protected federal Fish and Wildlife land

managed by the state Department of Natural Resources and farmland owned by the state Department of Corrections. Village of Oregon public works director Jeff Rau said the village wants to be ready whenever the lake water is drained out and comes downstream into the northern part of the village. Flooding in the area has caused Netherwood Road to close down multiple times in the last two-and-a-half years, causing water issues for people living around Lerner Park. “Everything from Lake Barney comes down to the head of Lerner Park at Cusick (Parkway) and really has nowhere to go,” he said. Rau said the village is planning to create a channel running from Netherwood Road to the Oregon portion of the Badfish Creek and is looking at new outlets for the pond and culverts for Cusick Parkway to improve drainage. Monday said he understands the frustration of residents but the department’s role is not to come up with solutions. Rather, he and water regulation and zoning specialist Weston Matthews are part of the conversation to offer guidance and make sure any solutions brought forward by the group of municipalities and homeowners are able to be carried out and meet environmental standards. “It’s been good to sit in and listen to some of the ideas that the different entities have for solving the problem,” he said. “It seems like people have been exploring different routes, different ways to do this, whether it’s going to be a straight-shot ditch or it’s going to be what I would call waterway enhancements.” Some residents had hoped to alleviate some of the issues this year by reducing the height of the lake by creating a ditch, but that plan hit snags because of the cost to residents. Freiburger said the hope was to be able to knock two feet off of the lake level, which sits at around 948 feet above sea level, or about six and a half feet too high. But the DNR has asked residents to pay for a survey of the surrounding wetlands, and Freiburger said the agency might ask for as much as $720,000 for remediation of the area, which he called “absolutely ridiculous.” As a result, he said it’s still possible nothing gets done this year and residents will have to turn to the municipalities for help. Freiburger said other state entities, such as Fish and Wildlife and Corrections, are taking a different role in the process by offering solutions and are wanting to get the land back to a point where it’s sustainable for crops and animal habitats. “(The ditch) would help a great deal,” Freiburger said. “Our major problem is the DNR.”

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We’ve all been through a lot this past month and know there will be challenges ahead. But with great members, an amazing community and incredibly dedicated employees, we know we’ll get through it. If you have a question or there’s any way we can be of assistance, get in touch.

WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER AND HERE TO HELP.

SummitCreditUnion.com | 800-236-5560 | 608-243-5000 *Interest will continue to accrue during the 90-day no payment period.

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City to fund study on stormwater management in the area to handle future drainage

May 8, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

Online church and worship services Library offering curbside NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

The Star reached out to Fitchburg churches for the latest information regarding online services and worship. Contact neal.patten@wcinet. com to be added to this list.

All Saints Lutheran Church

are continuing to meet virtually Men’s Bible Study and connect weekly to discuss 7 a.m. Wednesdays and FriGod’s Word and how it applies days to daily lives. If you would like (via Zoom) more information about how Contemplative Life Group to connect with one of these 6:30 p.m. Thursdays groups, email Amy Meyer at (via Zoom) ameyer@livelifetogether.com. For information, visit gslcwi. com.

City on a Hill

Sunday Worship Services, Memorial United 10 a.m. at live.cityonahill.co Church of Christ Other virtual events can be Online worship Sunday Weekly worship, prayer found at cityonahill.co/events. and Bible study opportunities mornings beginning at 9 a.m. Visit allsaints-madison.org include: Good Shepherd to find links to Facebook and Worship on Sunday mornYouTube as well as worship Lutheran Church ings at 10 a.m. via both Zoom materials. and Facebook Live Worship Contemplative Prayer, 10:30 a.m. Sundays The Church Monday evenings 6:307p.m. Wednesdays at Christ Memorial (via YouTube and Facebook 7:15 p.m. via Zoom Scripture and Scones, Bible Virtual Worship at 9 a.m. on Live) study, Wednesday mornPodcast Chat Sundays ings 8-9 am. and Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Mondays • 222sdays at noon on Tuesevenings 6:30-7:30 p.m. via (via Zoom) days Wine and Word (Women’s Zoom To join, visit livelifetogether. To to join any of the events Bible Study) com on Zoom, email the church at 8 p.m. Tuesdays Small group communities at the Church called lifeGroup memorialucc@gmail.com. (via Zoom)

Redeemer City Church Stream online at 10 a.m. on Sundays. Worship lyrics and Youtube link can be found at redeemercitychurch.org/sunday-worship

St. Ignatius Orthodox Church Livestreamed (on Facebook) Great Vespers every Saturday at 5 p.m. On Sundays, Matins at 9 a.m., and Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Other weekday services/events can be accessed by viewing the online calendar at saintignatiuschurch.org/calendar.

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church Mass is live streamed on Saturdays at 5:15pm on its YouTube and Facebook page For more information, visit stmariagoretti.org/news/coronavirus-updates-current-liturgical-schedule.

pick-up for patrons NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

The Fitchburg Public Library has partially resumed operations by offering curbside pick-up of materials. The curbside pick-up is only for materials already available at the Fitchburg library. Inter-library loans remain suspended until further notice. Patrons will be able to request five items per library card and will be limited to using a maximum of three library cards per family. Patrons may schedule one pick-up per week and are limited to only scheduling pick-up times one week in advance. To schedule a pick-up,

City of Fitchburg

City in brief

8 orgs receive $68K in HNI funding

No contractors at recycling site

Workforce development, youth mentoring groups top grant requests KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Eight Madison-area organizations will receive grant funding from the city to do outreach work in three of Fitchburg’s underserved neighborhoods. The Common Council unanimously approved $68,000 in grant funding at its Tuesday, April 28, meeting as part of its Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative program. Of those funds, grants for workforce development had the largest percentage of the funding, with youth mentoring being the second highest. Other grant categories include support for abuse survivors, youth and adult education, food insecurity and support for the senior population. Those grants will go toward outreach in three Fitchburg neighborhoods that have lacked resources for residents – the Verona Road West and the Belmar/ Renaissance on the Park neighborhoods in District 1 and the North Fish Hatchery Road neighborhood, which is predominantly in District 3. Ald. Gabriella Gerhardt (Dist. 2) said she was impressed with the diverse group of funding applicants.

“I love seeing the array of different services that the organizations provide the community,” she said. “I was very impressed with what I saw and very pleased with the potential impact that this is going to have on the city.” The eligibility rules for HNI grants changed last year after a concern with a potential First Amendment violation arose. The Freedom from Religion Foundation accused Chapel Valley Church of violating separation of church and state by proselytizing at social gatherings that were supported by a $10,000 HNI grant and meant to be secular in nature. As a result, the city changed eligibility requirements to state that any religious organization would not use the funds for advancement of religion, either directly or indirectly. It also barred school districts from applying. Ten organizations applied for a combined $79,120 in funding this year, with Dane Arts deemed ineligible because its personnel costs exceeded the requirement for funding. Tri4Schools received no funding for a youth biking, running and strength conditioning club meant to serve the North Fish Hatchery Road area because the club didn’t solve an issue with immediacy. Three organizations – Badger Prairie Needs Network, Latino Academy of Workforce Development and Unidos – will receive the maximum award of $10,000. BPNN plans to use the grant to partially fund expanded access to its

current pantry, located on East Verona Avenue in Verona, and place a new pantry in the Verona Road West neighborhood. Latino Academy of Workforce Development plans to use the grant to offer CDL training and certifications, as well as computer skills training. Unidos, which provides support to sexual and domestic abuse survivors, plans to use the grant to provide free bilingual and bicultural support to its clients, a quarter of whom live in the city. Four organizations – Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, Catholic Multicultural Center, NewBridge Madison, Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County – received grants worth $9,000. The Boys and Girls Club of Dane County plans to use the grant for youth and adult education with outreach on healthy dental habits, and Catholic Multicultural Center plans to use its grant for workforce development by providing job-training in the culinary industry. NewBridge Madison, Inc., will use its grant to support Latinx senior citizens who are taking care of their grandchildren, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County will increase its recruitment of “Bigs” to match them with “Littles” who have been on waiting lists. Girls on the Run also received a $2,000 grant. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

Memorial United Church of Christ

Contemplative Prayer Mondays at 6:30pm adno=153734

Weekly Bible study (Scripture & Scones)

273-1008 • www.memorialucc.org

Alders gave city attorney Valerie Zisman approval to add the city’s name t o a n a m i c u s c u riae brief supporting

As your newly elected city councilman, I will work towards a future that is sustainable and ensures that we see results for the money we invest in our community.

Sundays at 10am

5705 Lacy Road, Fitchburg

City joins brief supporting gov

TO THE PEOPLE OF FITCHBURG

Worship with us online

See our website for details

Contractors will not be allowed to use the city’s recycling dropoff site. The Common Council approved the ban at its Tuesday, April 28 meeting. Public works staff requested the change after noticing the site was being used to drop off commercial amounts of drop-off waste. In a memo to the Common Council, staff stated it doesn’t have the capacity to verify if contractors are dropping off yard waste on behalf of a Fitchburg resident, or if waste is coming from other projects from around the county. Residents will still be able to use the drop-off site.

the governor’s right to extend “Safer at Home” for the entire state. Republican legislators are suing Gov. Tony Evers over his extension of the “Safer at Home” order, claiming his emerg e n cy p ow e r s e n d May 12, 60 days after a state of emergency was declared because of the spread of COVID-19. The amicus brief, which has other cities, including Madison and Milwaukee signing on to it, doesn’t say cities support the “Safer at Home” order, but instead states the governor should have the authority to extend public health restrictions for the entire state. If the governor is not given the authority to extend the public health restrictions for the entire state, Zisman explained, cities would instead be guided by county health departments, creating a patchwork of different regulations throughout the state.

THANK YO T OU

Jesus has left the building and so have we!

Wednesdays at 8am and 6:30pm

patrons must call 608729-1790 during the following times: 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays 1-4 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays The library will not be checking its voicemails, so if patrons are unable to reach staff, they are encouraged to call again. The hours for pick-up are: 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays 2-4 p.m., Thursdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays Material returns will not be accepted during pick-up hours. Neal Patten, community reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@ wcinet.com

Randy Udell

City Councilman Dis.4

Stay updated at:

www.randyudellforcitycouncil.com Paid for by Comittee to Elect Randy Udell

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ConnectFitchburg.com

May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Fitchburg bars, cafes Senior Center offering some online programming and restaurants offering to-go, delivery NEAL PATTEN

Unified Newspaper Group

NEAL PATTEN

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Unified Newspaper Group

Mod Pizza

Please email ungbusiness@wcinet.com if you’d like to be added to this list.

Available: Carryout, curbside, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The senior center is providing Fitchburg seniors several ways to stay active from the comfort of their home.

At fitchburgwi.gov/621/ Senior-Center, visitors can access classes including aerobics, functional fitness and yoga. Additionally, volunteer coordinator and nutrition site manager Mandi Miller and social worker Amy

Jordan will continue their “What’s Happening at the Fitchburg Senior Center?” YouTube series, despite the center being closed until further notice. Neal Patten, community reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com

Moo-Yah

Barriques

Available: Carryout, curbside, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday

Available: Curbside pickup Hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Benvenuto’s Italian Grill Available: Carry out, curbside pickup, delivery Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Buffalo Wild Wings

Noodles And Company Available: Curbside, delivery Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday-Saturday

Oasis Café

Available: Pickup, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Available: Carryout, curbside, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday-Friday; 4-9 p.m., Saturday; 4-8:30 p.m., Sunday

Dairy Queen

Pancheros Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday

Pancake Café

Available: Drive-through Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday

Curry In The Box

Librarians providing youth programming via Facebook The Fitchburg librarians have started offering online programming called “Youth Services @ Home,” which began May 4. The librarians will be posting new video storytimes, read-a-louds, and craft demos on the Fitchburg Public Library Facebook page weekdays at 9 a.m.

The daily schedule is as follows: Mondays: Preschool Storytime, ReadA-Loud Tuesdays: Craft Demo Wednesdays: Craft Demo, Read-ALoud Thursdays: Lapsit Storytime Fridays: Craft Demo, Read-A-Loud Visit facebook.com/fitchburglibrary to access the video programming. Neal Patten, community reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com

Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Flying Hound Available: Pickup, delivery Hours: noon to 8 p.m. Saturday-Thursday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday

Funk’s Pub Available: Carryout Hours: 3-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday

Glass Nickel Pizza Co. Available: Carryout, contactless delivery Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday

The Great Dane Pub

Panera Bread Available: Carryout, curbside, delivery Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday

Rolling Pin Bake Shop Available: Carryout, curbside Hours: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday

Starbucks

Available: Drive-through Hours: 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tapatios Thai Noodles

Haveli Indian Restaurant

Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Monday (closed Tuesdays)

Available: Carryout Hours: 5-9 p.m.

Hy-Vee Market Grille

Thirsty Goat

Available: Carryout Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Jimmy John’s Available: Pickup, delivery Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Fish Hatchery); 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (McKee)

Liliana’s Restaurant

Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 3-7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; 3-8 p.m., Saturday

Toppers Pizza Yahara Bay Distillery

Little Caesars Pizza

Closed:

Me And Julio Available: Carryout, delivery

Fitchburg’s librarians have curated a list of online resources for children and adults to access while remaining safe at home. At fitchburgwi.gov/2635/ COVID-19-Information, visitors will find links to “boredom busters” and “learning online.” Boredom busters provides a list of librarian-approved websites offering free yoga and mindfulness activities, comic book making and activity sheets, recipes and cooking, dance classes, a star map of the night sky, Broadway plays and musicals that can be watched at home, a panda cam, virtual tours of museums and national parks and authors reading books live. The boredom busters page also provides links to OverDrive, Wisconsin’s digital library, which offers thousands of ebooks and audiobooks; Transparent

Language Online, which offers lessons and course materials for learning over 100 languages and Ancestry Library, which for a limited time is available to access for genealogy research. There is also a link to watch past story times from Fitchburg Library on-demand, via Fitchburg Access Community Television. The learning online link leads to educational games, talks and videos from librarian-approved websites including PBS Kids, Scholastic, TED Talks, Highlights Kids, National Geographic Kids, TIME for Kids and NASA Kids’ Club. Other websites at the online learning link will provide typing, digital literacy and coding lessons; virtual field trips; games and activities to help kids learn about trees from the Arbor Day Foundation and free K-12 math resources from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, among others. Neal Patten, community reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com

Available: Carryout, contactless delivery Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Available: Curbside pickup, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Sunday

NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 4-8 p.m.

Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Librarians curate online educational materials

Available: Curbside Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday Atomic Koi Cocktail Lounge Laredos Monkeyshines Bar And Grill Quivey’s Grove Surya Cafe Tuscany Grill

ATTENTION LANDLORDS Dane County Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program:

Call to learn more:more: 262-619-1634. CallLennetta LorenaBowens Johnson to learn 920-396-0112. Social Services LSS Lutheran of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc.

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8 Fitchburg Star - May 8, 2020

Ask the Fitchburg

MORTGAGE BANKING

DENTIST

Q. Is Main Street Dentists Open During Covid-19? A. During Covid-19, we’re here to safely take care of our patients’

(608) 845-6127

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

Kathleen C. Aiken

To apply online, go to: associatedbank.com/kaiken 117 King St. • Stoughton, WI 53589 608-873-6755 kathy.aiken@associatedbank.com

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dental emergencies – just as we’ve been doing for the past 6 weeks. And especially during Covid-19, our top priority is to keep our patients and clinicians healthy by following CDC/OSHA infection control protocols. Between patient appointments, our treatment rooms are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to kill bacteria, viruses, and blood-borne pathogens. What’s a “dental emergency?” Drs. Kate & John Dental emergencies include bleeding or pain in the mouth or around teeth, tooth Schacherl, D.D.S. or gum infections, knocked out teeth, and swelling of the mouth or face. If you have dental pain and are concerned about whether your situation is a dental emergency, give us a call. Whether through an in-office appointment, phone conversation, or FaceTime exchange, we’ll do our best to address your concern.

Q. What is a forbearance plan if I have an existing mortgage? A. A mortgage forbearance agreement is an agreement made between a mortgage lender and delinquent borrower in which the lender agrees not to exercise its legal right to foreclose on a mortgage and the borrower agrees to a mortgage plan that will, over a certain time period, bring the borrower current on his or her payments. For a specific period of time, it can provide a short-term mortgage payment relief until you are in a better financial situation.

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PHYSICAL THERAPY

REALTOR

Q. Can I buy or sell a home this Spring during COVID-19?

to provide excellent care in our clinics. Stellar’s clinics are sanitized daily and after each appointment, each employee is screened and records temperatures daily and maintains the highest level of precautions to ensure staff and clients are safe during their visit. Each client is also screened and their temperature is taken/recorded prior to any visit. Then, you will receive the excellent care that you need for your shoulder within a safe environment. However, we also understand that this is not an option for everyone and/or some clients do not feel Susan Armstrong, MPT comfortable leaving their homes. In that situation, Stellar Rehab can continue to follow those same precautions AND come to you! We can provide in-home nursing and therapy services through our Physical Therapist partnerships, can assist with obtaining the proper physician referral, verify insurance coverage, and arranging times that are convenient with your schedule, providing options for treatment and self-help instructions. If you are in need of in-home nursing and/or therapy services, let us help!

(608) 628-3275

2985 Triverton Pike Dr., Ste. 200, Fitchburg, WI 53711 pfaffs@firstweber.com • www.shawnpfaff.firstweber.com

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

CREMATION SERVICES

CHIROPRACTOR

Q. I’m working from home and everything hurts; do you have suggestions on how to set up my home office?

A. Try these tips to help ease the stress on your posture that comes from makeshift

home offices: Place your laptop or monitor high enough so that your eyes are looking straight ahead or slightly downward. To avoid eyestrain on your laptop, consider attaching an HDMI cable to your TV to create the ultimate elevated monitor. If possible, Jill Unwin, Lee Unwin, bring your office chair home. If this isn’t feasible look for a supportive chair, avoid DC, CCEP BCMT, CSCS your couch or recliner. When seated, pull your shoulders back to avoid rounding your posture. When in the correct position, your arms from the shoulders through the elbows to the hands should form a 90-degree angle. Your elbows through your hands should also remain level. If you are using a laptop as your home computer I strongly suggest purchasing an external keyboard to help achieve this position. When in the seated position your torso, hips and knees should form 90-degree angles. Avoid sitting for longer than 30-minutes, get up, move around and stretch frequently. My last posture cue is this; think of someone pulling your hair from the top, you will immediately find yourself sitting in the correct position. If you continue to have issues please give us a call, we are open and here to help.

Q. Can I SAFELY make PRE-ARRANGED cremation plans during this COVID Crisis? A. ABSOLUTELY! • Jodi, your local professional, is available by phone to discuss prices and plans. • During this trying time, we can complete plans via phone, email and USPS mail or fax. • Call JODI TODAY AT 608 438 7437 to discuss safe options.

We have been serving Wisconsin families for over 83 years

Cremation Society Jodi Johnston • 1-608-438-7437 E-Mail: jjohnston_4@charter.net

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

Affordable, Simple & Dignified www.cremationsocietyofmadison.com

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SENIOR CARE

Q. Can I still receive my needed home visits from Comfort Keepers during Covid-19?

A. The Novel Corona virus is the ubiquitous word in recent days as the growth of

this virus rises around the world. Comfort Keepers is dedicated to compassionate and healthy care and has been actively monitoring the progression of the virus and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

We believe that home remains the safest place for you or your loved one, as indications show that the virus is spread more quickly in larger group or public settings. Possible exposure will remain the lowest for those who are able to stay in their homes with limited outside contact. For this reason, we feel fortunate to be able to provide care that can keep people at home and limit their exposure through personalized care and support. James Rudolph President & CEO

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VETERINARIAN

Q. : I heard on the news that there have now been reports of dogs and even cats contracting COVID-19, do I need to be worried about my own pets getting it, too? And how would I know if they did?

Within the family of coronaviruses there are multiple strains that will infect dogs and cats, and it appears that COVID-19 is among them based on some reports the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have listed on their website (cdc.gov). It may be helpful to know that most of these cases involved pet owners that were COVID-19 positive and were unable to quarantine away from their pets. At this point, COVID-19 is understood to primarily spread from person to person, and not from pets to people. Though few, these reports deserve our attention. Pet owners can be proactive and extend social distancing toward their own and others’ pets. If you or a loved one are ill and cannot quarantine away from your pets, consider letting them take a vacation with a friend or family member for at least two weeks. Dogs aren’t aware of all the potential hazards they come into contact with, so avoid letting dogs (that don’t live together) interact with other dogs or people. That also means avoiding petting a stranger’s dog, too, even the cute ones. Not much is known for how COVID-19 infects animals, and testing them won’t be the priority, so be alert to any strange signs your pets might have like coughing, nasal discharge, not eating or drinking, lethargy, or just “being off.” You know your pets best, but respiratory issues are worth having examined. Call ahead and make an appointment with your local veterinarian and be sure to mention whether they may have encountered the virus. Wash your hands and stay safe!

1350 S. Fish Hatchery Road Oregon, WI 53575

We are following updates and procedures from the CDC, State Department of Health, local and county authorities, the Home Care Association of America, and other agencies and resources.

(608) 835-0551

We are vigilant about our need to help protect our staff and clients from illness be it the flu, COVID-19, or any other communicable disease. The following are some of the protocols and procedures we have in place. • Our staff is trained in infectious disease control. • Our caregivers should not care for those who exhibit signs of or have been tested positive for the virus as a safekeeping measure for themselves and for their other clients and families. • Our caregivers have an established protocol to stay home if they are ill with any sickness so as to not infect any of our clients or their family members. • Our staff follows hygiene procedures directed by the CDC, including vigorous and frequent handwashing with soap and water, use of sanitizing gels (with 70% alcohol level or higher), use of disinfectant wipes to frequently wipe down surfaces, proper coughing and sneezing techniques, disposal of any items that may have virus or bacteria, and much more. • If any of our staff or their clients should show signs of COVID-19, we will report, isolate and quarantine, as necessary, abiding by national and local guidelines. • Rest assured your loved ones will always be safe with Comfort Keepers.

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Stellar Rehab has been honored to provide 16+ years of the highest quality services to those in our communities. We will help you to find the correct solution for your health care needs. Contact us at 608-845-2100 or info@stellarrehab.com for more information.

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A. There is no doubt that conditions have changed due to COVID-19, but the local real estate market in Fitchburg remains strong. I am currently working with several clients who have decided to buy or sell since the Governor’s Stay at Home order went in effect in late March and is now extended to May 26th. During these extraordinary times, Buyers and Sellers can be active in the market through exclusive showings and video open houses combined with timely and strategic Shawn Pfaff internet research and marketing. That is why now more than ever it is important to work with a Realtor who understands the current conditions of the local market and has the technological and creative skills and uses COVID-19 precautions to still be successful. And of course, safety and public health comes first during these times! Please visit shawnpfaff.firstweber.com to discuss ways to strategically buy or sell a home.

Q. I am having significant pain in my shoulder from an injury. Can I come to Stellar Rehab? A. Yes, Stellar Rehabilitation is open, following all Federal, State, Local and Company guidelines

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ADVERTISING Q. You’re an expert in your line of work interested in joining our Ask a Professional page. What should you do?

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A. It’s simple, just call Donna Larson at (608) 845-9559. We can fill you in on all the details. Don’t miss out on this valuable piece of advertising that runs every month in the Fitchburg Star and Great Dane Shopping News.

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133 Enterprise Dr. • Verona, WI 53593 • (608) 845-9559 connectfitchburg.com

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Fitchburg Star & Great Dane Shopping News

579 D’onofrio Dr., #10, Madison, WI 53719

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

ConnectFitchburg.com

May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

A 2020 special section by

Miller & Sons Your Home & Garden Headquarters!

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from our Greenhouse! • Many Varieties of Bedding Plants and Shrubs • Roses • Bagged Potting Soils • Vegetable and Flower Seeds 210 S. Main St. Verona, WI • (608) 845-6478 Monday - Sunday 6:30am - 9:00pm

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May 8, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

Tips When planTing shade Trees WILLIAMS CUSTOM K ITCHENS HANDCRAFTED CABINETRY

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Beautiful landscaping can add instant curb appeal to a property. But beauty isn’t the only thing that makes idyllic landscaping attractive to homeowners. Some landscaping features, such as shade trees, save homeowners money while adding aesthetic appeal. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that shading is the most cost-effective way to reduce solar heat gain in a home. Shading also cuts air conditioning costs, which tend to be expensive in areas with warm, humid climates. In fact, the DOE notes that well-planned landscapes can reduce unshaded homes’ air conditioning costs by anywhere from 15 to 50 percent. When planting shade trees, one of the first decisions homeowners will need to make is which type of tree, deciduous or evergreen, they want to plant. Deciduous trees are those that seasonally shed their leaves, while evergreens are trees that keep their leaves throughout the year. Deciduous trees can help keep homes cool in the summer by blocking sun, and those same trees can be beneficial in winter after they shed their leaves by letting the sun in and keeping homes warm. But evergreens also can be beneficial in winter by blocking wind, potentially preventing cold air from making its way into a home through cracks in walls or around windows. When planting shade trees, techniques vary depending on which type of tree homeowners ultimately choose to plant. Planting deciduous trees The DOE says that deciduous trees that are between six and eight feet tall when planted will begin shading the windows of a home within a year of being planted. Depending on the species of the plant and the home, those same deciduous trees may begin shading the roof within five to 10 years of being planted. When planting deciduous trees, homeowners should keep these tips in mind. • Plant trees to the south of the home. When planted to the south of the home, deciduous trees can screen between 70 and 90 percent of the summer sun while still allowing residents to feel summer breezes. • Consider sun angles. Homeowners who want to shade their homes from low afternoon sun angles should plant trees with crowns that are lower to the ground on the west side of their homes. • Cool air before it reaches your home. Shrubs and groundcover plants can be planted to cool air before it reaches a home. Evergreen trees Planting evergreens to block wind is known as “windbreaking,” which lowers the wind chill near a home. Wind also can be used to cool a home in summer. But these benefits can only be realized when evergreens are strategically planted. • Location, location, location: The DOE advises planting evergreen trees to the north and northwest of the home to stop wind. In addition, to get the most bang for your windbreaking buck, the distance between the home and windbreak should be two to five times the height of the mature tree. •Plant trees on either side of the house. Planting trees on either side of the house will direct cooling winds toward the home in the summer. Shade trees can help homeowners reduce their energy bills, making them valuable and attractive additions to any landscape.

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May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

AffordAble feAtures to Consider When revAmping Your KitChen

estimate would bust your budget, examine the current layout of the existing cabinets. If the layout is fine but the cabinets need work, you can give them a whole new look by refinishing them. If the cabinets must go, stock units or semi-custom cabinets can provide a new look without busting the budget. Kitchen remodels can be expensive. But there are many affordable ways to Metro Creative Service revamp a kitchen.

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Kitchens are popular gathering spots in many homes. That popularity is reflected in various ways, including how many homeowners choose to remodel their kitchens. A recent report from the home renovation and design resource Houzz found that kitchens were the most popular room to renovate. Homeowners considering kitchen remodels should know that the Houzz report also indicated that spending on kitchen remodels increased by 27 percent in 2018. Homeowners concerned by the cost of remodeling a kitchen should know that there are ways to give kitchens a whole new feel without breaking the bank. Appliances Consumer Reports notes that luxury home buyers expect high-end features, including professional ranges and built-in refrigerators that match the surrounding cabinetry. However, many mainstream brands offer “faux pro” features that can equal more expensive alternatives. Consumer Reports even notes that many budget-friendly faux pro appliances outperformed their high-end counterparts in terms of reliability. Countertops Countertops tend to capture the eye’s attention when walking into a kitchen. Outdated and/or damaged countertops grab that attention for all the wrong reasons, while updated countertops made from today’s most popular materials provide that wow factor homeowners seek. If granite is a must-have, Consumer Reports notes that homeowners can save substantial amounts of money by choosing granite from remnants at the stone yard. If marble is your ideal countertop, save money by choosing a domestic product as opposed to one imported from overseas. Cabinets Custom-built cabinets may be a dream, but they tend to be a very expensive one. Such cabinets are designed to adhere to the dimensions of the kitchen, and Consumer Reports notes that they can cost tens of thousands of dollars. If that

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Business

Fitchburg Star

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Business partnership remains intact EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

When Patricia Wooldridge’s young son took piano lessons through Oregon’s Academy of Sound, she observed his newfound passion for music. That sparked an idea for the Mariposa Learning Center director — bringing the two businesses together to teach children music. Seeing how her son now flourishes as a pianist, she wanted to bring that same enthusiasm to her students up to 9 years old. Wooldridge said younger children, like her son was when he started, are in the most critical stages of development, rendering them extra capable of absorbing creative disciplines like music and language. “We didn’t know he had this passion for playing an instrument,” she said. “We were given a piano from our neighbor. He got really interested and we got him the lessons.” The nationally accredited center Mariposa Learning Center is known for its emphasis on Spanish and the arts, Wooldridge said, and Academy of Sound is locally known for its offering of private music lessons. Wo o l d r i d g e o r i g i n a l l y approached Erin Chisman, Academy of Sound owner, last winter and found they had similar philosophies about how youngsters learn, the same love for Spanish and a strong enthusiasm for music. “It was like a perfect match,” Chisman said. “I couldn’t have imagined it being more cohesive. We hit it off immediately.” The idea turned into a business partnership. How that partnership fares however, is contingent upon a rapidly evolving and uncertain health crisis – one that has already shuttered businesses across the

Mariposa Learning Center (New facility) 4870 Brassica Road, Fitchburg (Current facility) 720 Nygaard St., Stoughton 205-6677 mariposalearning.com

Academy of Sound 408 N. Bergamont Blvd. 371-9030 academyofsound.org globe, Wooldridge said. The Mariposa Learning Center’s current facility is located at 720 Nygaard St. in Stoughton. The hope is that come June 15, Mariposa Learning Center will move into its new building currently under construction on 4870 Brassica Road, Fitchburg, right in front of the Oregon School District’s Forest Edge Elementary School. The new facility features a space for Mariposa students to create music to their heart’s content with Academy of Sound music expertise. Wooldridge said Mariposa Learning Center has outgrown its Stoughton-based facility. The Fitchburg building will offer more amenities for students, in addition to the music room equipped with instruments like pianos, brass and others. “We originally thought we would expand and have multiple locations,” she said. “With the size of the location in Fitchburg, it would make it hard for me to focus on two different sites.” Fitchburg’s center will include an art studio, a natural playground and a garden.

Coronavirus disrupts sale of Quivey’s Grove NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

Deirdre Garton had been hoping to retire this spring, 40 years after her late husband founded Quivey’s Grove. But that plan, like so many others, has been put on the back burner while the world waits for the coronavirus pandemic to subside. She and co-owner Craig Kuenning had announced their intention to sell the restaurant at 6261 Nesbitt Road in December 2019. Garton cited her age as the primary factor for wanting to sell, as she is ready to retire. The spread of the coronavirus that led to a statewide Safer at Home order in March has made the sale less of a priority, however. “Quite frankly, that’s all on pause because we need to focus on dealing with coronavirus and the impact on business and all, so the sale has moved down a step

or two on focus.” she said. “Our focus is on customer and employee safety.” Garton said a promising buyer had yet to emerge during the first few months the restaurant was on the market. “A couple nibbles, but nothing that was anything for us to move forward on,” she said. The restaurant remained open for carryout orders during the first two weeks of the safer at home order but closed the first week of April. Carryout service will resume sometime next week, but Garton had no idea when the dining room would reopen. “It’s so unpredictable. It’d be great if we could open June 1, something like that, but obviously there’s no guarantees at all,” Garton said. “It all depends on so many things we have no control over, but we do feel we can do more in the takeout arena for now.” Neal Patten can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com.

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Academy of Sound owner Erin Chisman and Mariposa Learning Center director Patricia Wooldridge have teamed up to bring music lessons to Mariposa’s young students.

“We were given a piano from our neighbor. He got really interested and we got him the lessons.” Patricia Woolridge, director of Mariposa Learning Center Efforts to merge the two businesses together were seamless, Wooldridge said. She has high hopes everything will come together just as effortlessly. So plans were set in motion — the two owners joined forces and made sure there was a spot for Mariposa Learning Center students to be exposed to music at an early age. Exactly how that end result will

be achieved is a waiting game, both owners said. Mariposa Learning Center is deemed an essential child care facility under Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” orders, which he extended to May 26 last week. The center already has its enrollment numbers for summer and autumn, Wooldridge said. “We still have plenty of people who are essential workers who have somewhere to send their children to,” she said. But, Wooldridge said the school has cut its staff by 50% while the illness spreads. As for Academy of Sound, Chisman said the business has adapted well to offering virtual music lessons to its students. The academy had to close its building,

which meant a decrease in foot traffic in its shop. Chisman said the Academy hasn’t lost any students of its own. “I’m shocked,” she said. Both owners said as the pandemic evolves, so too will their bu s i n e s s p a r t n e r s h i p . B o t h expressed no indication it will be falling through anytime soon — they just have to continue to plan as developments come up. “We have very supportive families,” Wooldridge added. “We have high hopes that we will get through this. We are doing much better than I thought we would be.” Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

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Business

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May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Here to help: Chamber evolves role amid uncertain health crisis EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Normally, the Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce hosts expos, networking parties and community events to promote local business multiple times a month. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the chamber has to evolve how it serves the area. Executive director Angela Kinderman told the Star it’s taken on the amplified role of information dissemination – if a business owner has an inquiry, they can give the chamber a call any time or check out its website. Staff have also made their cell phone numbers available to businesses. Chamber staff also reach out to check in with local business owners, Kinderman said — resulting in over 400 phone calls being made over the last few months, but most going to voicemail. In turn, Kinderman and her staff have worked to inform the Fitchburg community about which businesses have deals, which restaurants have carryout and delivery options which industries are still hiring in an uncertain job market – even looking into how recovery efforts might look as Wisconsin starts to open up

again. The Chamber has also prioritized communications that Fitchburg’s hospitality industry remains mostly intact, even though they’ve generally been hit hard. She said Country Inn & Suites, Hawthorn Suites, Staybridge Suites and Wyndham Garden remain open for business. “There are still those necessary situations where customers need accommodations for business travel,” Kinderman said. “It’s important people know these hotels are open.” She said the Chamber is also acting as a conduit to state and federal legislatures – if a business has a concern, staff have communicated that to government officials. But Kinderman said businesses are some of the best innovators and adaptors, who will continue to evolve their models as the pandemic moves forward — a lot to a virtual platform. She said the Chamber is already in talks with its board members about putting a recovery team together — “sooner rather than later,” Kinderman added. The team will look at obstacles preventing businesses from opening their doors, and how it could bring more tourism into a city whose revenue relies on large events – how to

make the public feel safe about that tourism. Fitchburg is home to numerous events that pull in thousands of people, some of which have already been postponed or cancelled, such as Festa Italia and Kids Building Wisconsin. More information and links to resources can be found via FACTv programming, on social media and on the Chamber website. Staff updates the links regularly, Kinderman said. Links are categorized under three tabs, including “Employee & Employer Resources,” “Community Resources” and “Updates on Service Adjustments.” The first tab includes financial resources for grants, loans and other forms of assistance. The second lists references for city, senior and food resources. The third details which restaurants, gyms and personal care businesses have either closed, changed their hours or adapted their service offerings. If a business or member of the public has an inquiry, they can call 2888284 or visit fitchburgchamber.com. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie. heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Sustaining: Food industry providing essential eats Continued from page 1 during the shutdown is alcohol, co-owner Matt Waygendt told the Star. “It’s pretty tough,” he said. “Still, just the cafe part of what we’ve been doing would be enough to keep doors open.” Caroline Clanton, who owns the Thirsty Goat, 3040 Cahill Main, along with two Fitchburg hotels, said she doesn’t know how long the restaurant will survive under the current model. “With the amount of money we’ll lose, how long can we continue to do this?” she said. “Nobody is getting this money back.”

Financial obstacles

Despite Laiter’s cheery outlook, she said the Rolling Pin is experiencing financial struggles, too, bringing in one-third of its prior sale numbers. “A couple weeks ago we were shocked. Usually people are sitting, eating or standing in line, chatting. Now there’s one customer per half an hour,” Laiter said. “It’s picking up, but not fast, it’s difficult, but we are doing it.” At Barriques, the reception has been good, even if the volume of business varies day to day, Waygendt said. On days when alcohol purchases are higher, Barriques might reach 40%-50% of one of its normal, pre-coronavirus days in sales. But even reaching just 25% of what would have been a normal day’s sales volume generates enough profit to sustain payroll, he said. Like many establishments, the Thirsty Goat thrives on large gatherings. It would serve athletes and spectators of spring sports such as wrestling and youth basketball, Clanton said. On a regular Friday before the restrictions, the restaurant would do $15,000 in sales. Now, it’s down to $9,000. Clanton said she believes it was down $100,000 overall for March, and she is looking ahead to graduation and Mother’s Day as potentially significant profit losses. Quivey’s co-owner Deirdre Garton said the federal Paycheck

Protection Programs has helped keep her business afloat. “Luckily we got a PPP loan to pay staff. Our goal is to move very carefully and slowly as we reopen, for customer and employee safety,” she said.

Making adjustments

Every business that’s stayed open or reopened has been forced to adapt somehow. Barriques began the “Safer at Home” order by closing for two weeks, and when it reopened the first week of April, it limited its food and drink menu offered while offering alcoholic beverages for carryout, mostly through a mobile ordering site it already had in place for a while. Weygandt said the current menu is only 10% of the regular offerings, most of it drinks. The Thirsty Goat has found it challenging to meet pre-arranged pickup times, like having a broasted chicken, brisket and buns ready for 6 p.m. pickup. It’s also found carryout containers to be a strain. Clanton said not only is the business spending more on packaging containers, vendors such as Gordon Food Service have been out of some items, such as brown paper bags, for over a month. She had to turn to online purveyors like Amazon, where she’s found a purchase limit for some items. And now, with so many carryout orders, employees have learned to write what every item is on top of the containers, Clanton said. At the Rolling Pin, Laiter has been offering lunch and breakfast to go along with her bakery staples. She said her 20 different soups have been popular, and the support of her regular customers has kept things going. Quivey’s is still sending out weekly emails to its mailing list to keep people updated on changes while also offering up tidbits like the recipe for its popular dishes, such as parmesan potatoes. Percevecz said the restaurant has received lots of emails and messages on Facebook and Instagram, from people seeking to show support by reaching out to a favorite bartender or provide the

staff with donations. “Lucky for us, we have a huge customer and follower base and they’ll stick and return when this all passes and we can all gather,” said.

Safe and clean

Another challenge for businesses of all types has been keeping people safe while working. Clanton said six or seven people are still working at The Thirsty Goat, four of them in the kitchen. She has been talking to the employees on a regular basis to make sure everyone has been self-quarantined when not working. But limiting exposure to customers has been difficult. On Fridays during fish fries, there might be 20-30 cars in line, Clanton said, and people kept getting out of their cars to try to collect their orders. So she asked customers in a Facebook post to stay in their vehicles, don’t try to come in and don’t touch the restaurant door. Laiter said that Rolling Pin offers contactless curbside pickup, leaving products on a table after customers pay ahead. Employees serve everything with gloves and change those gloves after every transaction. “They know we are very clean and sanitize everything well and follow the CDC rules,” she said. “Those coming in are staying six feet apart.” Barriques has a similar contactless pickup. Still, Weygandt said that if an employee feels unsafe, accommodations will be made. “If someone gets to the point they feel uncomfortable, it’s fine and we’ll make necessary adjustments,” Weygant said. “Everyone has some anxiety right now. But also, being in a familiar environment and being able to work removes some other anxieties of being at home.” Laiter said she is just grateful to have kept operating. “It’s very interesting how everything’s changed,” she said. “We’re not closing down. You live and learn.” Neal Patten, community reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@ wcinet.com.

Promega is in the early research phases of evaluating COVID-19 immune response tests.

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Promega: Collaboration among scientists, researchers key Continued from page 1 While that’s possible, he said there is much to be learned about how long people remain immune to COVID-19. “Widespread deployment of this type of test would help us predict whether the infection rate will increase or decrease in a given area, baked on the percentage of the population that is immune to the virus,” he wrote.

Decoding the science

Anderson wrote that serological assays provide promising research tools amid an uncertain health crisis. He said they can address what diagnostic, or Polymerase Chain Reaction-based, tests haven’t – finding out which patients contracted and recovered from COVID-19 based on the presence of antibodies in their blood. “PCR-based tests were developed and deployed to detect the virus in patients in hospitals,” Anderson wrote. “Those tests have been crucial to monitoring infection rates and informing patient treatment, but at this point they have fallen short of providing an overall picture of the pandemic.” That’s because thousands of individuals have gone untested because they either have mild to undetectable symptoms or they simply don’t have access, he said. “Since PCR-based methods can only tell us if the virus is active in the patient at the time of the sample, and offer no information about whether a patient was (previously) infected, we currently have no way to determine how many of these unconfirmed cases exist, or which patients have recovered,” Anderson wrote. She said viruses like SARSCoV-2 carry a special spike protein allowing them to enter host cells. To attack the infection, the body’s immune

system produces antibodies that bind to the protein and activate other immune cells to destroy the virus. These antibodies remain even after the infection is gone, and exactly how long they remain is still being studied. “If a serological assay detects the antibodies specific to a given virus, we can conclude that the patient has been infected in the past,” he wrote.

More widespread than thought

Serological assays have seemed to suggest thus far that more people are contracting COVID-19 then previously thought — their symptoms are so mild they are almost undetectable, if at all. For example, a study by both the University of Southern California and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health showed the actual number of infections in the county may be as high as 55 times the current number of confirmed positive cases in the area. After administering antibody tests to 900 people, researchers estimate as many as 442,000 people throughout the county – out of a population of around 8 million – had the virus as of April 9, ABC News reported on April 20. If more research suggests the above, that means the disease is likely less lethal than current case fatality rates predict — with around 3 million confirmed cases worldwide and 200,000 deaths, that would roughly come out to 6%. But whatever the outcome, Anderson said continued collaboration among scientists and researchers is key to solving the COVID-19 health crisis. “We are in this fight together,” he wrote. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet. com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Promega seeks antibody test participants ‌EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group ‌

Promega is searching for participants to help it evaluate a test of the immune s y s t e m ’s r e s p o n s e t o COVID-19. The Fitchburg biotech company is hoping to identify antibodies in people who have previously contracted the coronavirus, which causes the illness. To qualify, according to a Facebook post, a person must have had a positive test and have recovered from the illness. The post states the study

will involve coming to the Promega campus, where staff will draw a few tubes of blood. Participants will need to provide written proof or sign a release of their positive test results from their healthcare provider in advance of being included in the study. According to the post, participants will be provided with a gift card. All participants must be at least 18 years old. For information or to enroll in the study, call Dr. Poncho Meisenheimer at 210-5888 or email ponchomeisenheimer@promega. com.

16 Fitchburg Star - May 8, 2020

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Adam Feiner, sports editor

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

Sports

Spring seasons canceled WIAA BOC follows lead of governor’s directive in making the decision ADAM FEINER Sports editor

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association stated throughout its process of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic that it would continue to be in alliance with the directives issued by Gov. Tony Evers in relation to the closure or reopening of schools. When Evers extended the “Safer at Home” order to May 26, he ordered all public and private K-12 schools to remain closed for the remainder of the 20192020 school year. The possibility of WIAA spring sports looked bleak. On Tuesday, April 21, the WIAA Board of Control made the decision all spring athletes, coaches, athletic directors and fans feared. The Board of Control voted 10-1 to cancel all 2020 spring sports competitions and spring state tournament series.

The decision impacts baseball, softball, boys golf, girls soccer, boys tennis and boys and girls track and field. “In (Evers’) press conference, I think it was made abundantly clear that spring sports are canceled until June 30,” WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson said. “We don’t want to lose sight of that fact or confuse that fact in any of our conversations.” The chance of spring sports competitions took a big hit April 10, when the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced its extension to cancel campus events through June 30. UW’s decision eliminated the possibility of conducting WIAA state tournaments scheduled at campus venues. The events impacted by the closure included the boys individual and team tennis tournaments scheduled at Madison’s Nielsen Tennis Stadium on June 4-6 and June 12-13, respectfully; the boys golf championship at Verona’s University Ridge Golf Course on June 15-16; and the softball tournament at Madison’s Goodman Diamond on June 11-13.

Friday, May 8, 2020

The

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

Prep sports

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Verona’s Jackson Acker finished second in the discus with a throw of 171 feet, 5 inches at the 2019 Division 1 state track and field meet. He will not have a chance to defend his silver medal as a junior after the WIAA canceled all 2020 spring sports competitions and state tournament series. The WIAA stated its officials worked on contingency plans for the spring sports season. Some schools began practice before Evers’ first executive order, but all interscholastic training, practices, scrimmages and contests were suspended. Dr. Kevin Walter, who works for the Children’s Hospital of

Wisconsin and has been a member of the WIAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee since 2006, advised the Board of Control. He provided the Board with information about where the state is in controlling the outbreak and made recommendations for spring and fall sports. Walter suggested a possible

grace period for sports physicals in the future, and said, “it is too early to make any decisions about fall sports. He also said it is easier to socially distance and control the spread of COVID-19 in golf compared to other spring sports, but the WIAA clarified

Turn to WIAA/Page 3

Prep sports

All options exhausted after thorough search WIAA talked to IHSAA regarding spring competitions during a possible summer season ADAM FEINER Sports editor

As the coronavirus pandemic swept across the country, the executive directors of each high school athletic association started to reach out to one another with updates regarding the cancellation of high school seasons and state tournaments. Dave Anderson, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, kept in close contact with his counterpart in Iowa, Tom Keating. High school baseball and softball teams in Iowa play their seasons in the summer, an idea the WIAA considered for all of its sanctioned spring sports. Ultimately, the WIAA Board of Control voted to cancel spring sports competition at its April 21

and that information was passed to the respective Boards of Control,” said Dennis Birr, the President of the WIAA Board of Control. “We looked into every possible option before the meeting.” The WIAA boys basketball state series reached the sectional final round before the remainder of the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. The Division 3 and 4 girls basketball state semifinals were played, but the championship games and the Division 1, 2 and 5 state tournaments were canceled. Iowa finished its state tournaments on March 13, when games were played in front of almost no fans at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Spring sports were canceled as of April 17 by the Iowa High Photo by Mark Nesbitt School Athletic Association. Verona’s Jacob Kisting pitches against Madison West in a Big Eight Summer sports are suspended, Conference game last season. The WIAA sponsored baseball as a but not canceled. A decision on summer sport from 1965 to 2018. summer sports will be made by June 1, which is the first day of meeting. The decision impact- boys and girls track and field. practice for both baseball and ed baseball, softball, boys golf, “There was constant commu- softball. girls soccer, boys tennis and nication by the executive staffs The WIAA sponsored baseball

as a summer sport from 1965 to 2018, after which it was dropped because of only 44 participating schools. WIAA Assistant Director Tom Shafranski is responsible for the administration for the sports of golf, hockey, swimming and diving and tennis. He supported Anderson’s recommendation to allow for unrestricted coaching contact in the summer for spring sports, provided coaches include graduating seniors. The WIAA Board of Control voted to expand out-of-season coaching to 30 unrestricted contact days for spring sports athletes, pending local health guidelines. Virtual coaching can continue through June 30 (or when state order would allow) before the 30 contact days would begin. “We would be open to providing a season of some form if (Gov. Tony Evers’ executive) orders allowed for some type of competition and for schools to organize,” Shafranski said. “We’d like to do that, but public safety is going to come first.”

May 8, 2020

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Fitchburg Star

Community sports

IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin postponed until September ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Athletes looking to swim, bike and run their way through the Madison area will have to wait to do so until the fall. On Thursday, April 30, the IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin triathlon was officially postponed until September due to concerns over the coronavirus. The event, which was originally scheduled for June 14, will now be held in conjunction with the 2020 IRONMAN Wisconsin triathlon. “In what has been a continually evolving and challenging time globally, we recognize that this may come as a disappointment but look forward to providing athletes with an exceptional race experience in the future,” organizers said in a post on the event’s website. The decision to postpone the event is in accordance with safety guidelines from Public Health Madison Dane County. Any athlete who already registered for the race will receive an email with more information about the postponement. An Ironman 70.3 race is half the distance of a traditional Ironman triathlon and includes a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and 13.1mile half marathon run. The 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin will offer 40 qualifying slots to the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Taupō, New Zealand and 40 slots to the 2021 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It will also offer 25 bonus qualifying slots for Women for Tri to the 2020 World Championship. Email wisconsin70.3@ironman. com with any additional questions.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Tara Sheetz (middle) leads a pack of competitors up a hill in Verona during the 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin. This year’s triathlon has been postponed until September because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Professional golf

Coronavirus cancels Am Fam Championship American Family Insurance, Stricker Foundation to donate $2.8M ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

The American Family Insurance Championship at University Ridge Golf Course in Verona was canceled Thursday, April 16, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament was scheduled to take place June 5-7.

The American Family Insurance Championship at University Ridge Golf Course in Verona has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was announced by American Family Insurance in a release on Thursday, April 16, the same day Gov. Tony Evers’ extended the “Safer at Home” order until May 26. There were discussions about moving the PGA Tour Champions event from its original weekend of June 5-7. The tour provided additional dates for the tournament in June, July and August, but logistical issues due to COVID-19 made rescheduling a challenge for all parties involved. Steve Stricker’s Foundation and American Family Insurance will still make $2.8 million in donations to local charities and COVID-19 relief efforts in the state. According to a release from American Family Insurance, the company will shift and combine its title sponsorship money with the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation to distribute $1 million to the American Family Children’s Hospital/UW Hospitals, and $800,000 to south central and southeastern organizations that have supported the foundation. The other $1 million will be donated to COVID-19 relief organizations. One of the roadblocks in hosting the tournament this year came when the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced that all of its athletic facilities would be closed until June 30. The decision to cancel the tournament came despite other local golf courses receiving the go-ahead to reopen with restrictions. The tournament is slated for June 11-13, 2021 at University Ridge.

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May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Women’s basketball

Former Edgewood star transfers from Stanford to UW ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Estella Moschkau turned a senior season for the ages into a slew of accolades and a scholarship to one of the best women’s basketball programs in the country. After three years of limited opportunities at Stanford, the former Edgewood star is coming home. On April 14, Moschkau announced on Twitter that she will play her senior season as a

graduate transfer at the University of Wisconsin. Her decision came exactly a week after she announced she was entering the NCAA transfer portal. She is taking 22 credits to complete her requirements to graduate from Stanford this summer. Moschkau was the 2016-17 Gatorade Wisconsin Girls Basketball Player of the Year and shared the honor of 2017 Wisconsin Miss Basketball with Kenosha St. Joseph standout Sidney Cooks, who went on to Michigan State. The former Crusader became

the state’s third Miss Basketball to attend Stanford, following in the footsteps of Racine Park alum Sonja Henning (1987) and HudMoschkau son alum Martha Richards (1988). The 6-foot1 guard was a three-time team captain at Edgewood, four-time first team all-Badger South Conference selection and first team all-state honoree as a junior and

WIAA: Officials worked on alternative options Continued from page 1 high school golf teams could not begin practice with courses opening up statewide Friday, April 24. Anderson recommended the Board of Control cancel the spring sports season, but allow for unrestricted coaching contact in the summer for spring sports, provided coaches include the current year’s seniors. His motion passed, as the Board also voted to expand out-of-season coaching to 30 unrestricted contact days for spring sports athletes, pending local health guidelines. Spring coaches will have 30 unrestricted contact days with their spring athletes, provided they include graduating seniors. Virtual coaching can continue through June 30 (or when state order would allow) before the 30 contact days would begin. Fall and winter sports contact days are not changed or impacted. Acclimatization rules must still be followed and

senior. She is the school’s all-time leader in points and blocks. Moschkau averaged 19.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 4.1 blocks per game as a junior, helping Edgewood to the Division 3 state semifinals. Her averages dropped slightly as a senior – 18.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.6 blocks – but the Crusaders broke through to win the D3 state title with a 25-3 record. Moschkau was ranked as the No. 41 prospect in the nation by ESPN HoopGurlz coming

Youth soccer

WYSA cancels spring season MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Oregon goalkeeper Melia Moyer (right) makes a leaping save on a corner kick in the 2019 Division 2 state championship game. The Panthers will not have a chance to defend their state title after the WIAA canceled all 2020 spring sports competitions and state tournament series. contact must follow Gov. Evers’ orders. “We are not opposed to spring sport coaches continuing contact with their athletes,” Anderson said. “They are technically in-season until the season is over.”

T h e Wi s c o n s i n A t h l e t ic Directors Association is continuing to conduct statewide surveys about a variety of issues, including paying spring coaches and changes made to grading and graduation dates.

out of Edgewood, but averaged 0.8 points in 68 games for Stanford. She posted a career-best 1.3 points per game last season and made 15 of 27 career 3-point attempts. Before her junior season, Moschkau represented Stanford at the 2019 USA Basketball Women’s 3x3 National Championship in Las Vegas, advancing to the quarterfinals playing alongside Lacie Hull, Lexie Hull and Anna Wilson. Wisconsin has not had a winning season since 2010-11. The

The biggest question for the Verona Area Soccer Club was how to handle registration fees for the Madison Area Youth Soccer Association after the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association canceled the spring season. MAYSA announced the cancellation of its spring activities on Thursday, April 30, including local league play, sanctioned tournaments and in-person club training through the end of June. According to a news release, the association suspended spring activities on March 12. The decision to cancel the season was based on Gov. Tony Evers’ updated “Safer at Home” order that extends until May 26 and “Badger Bounce Back” guidelines and advice from medical professionals. Jon Longley, president of the Verona Area Soccer Club, said partial registration fee refunds are not finalized yet because they are waiting on the WYSA and MAYSA. There are about 500 players in the Verona Area Soccer Club.

Longley said all MAYSA clubs use the same software program for registration and the program can give families a credit for the fall. If a return to play is made possible during the summer and the timing does not interfere with fall activities, WYSA will administer abbreviated local leagues. According to WYSA, tryouts for teams up to age 19 and younger will begin July 13, and the uniform offer date for players up to 19 and younger is set for noon on July 21. Tryouts for the fall season typically take place in late May or early June. Players would then have to order uniforms. “Assuming they deem it safe to return to play and we can do these tryouts, the offers (team designations) would be quick,” Longley said. Longley said Verona coach es have had contact with their teams virtually and offered training drills for players to do in their backyard. U.S. Soccer Coaching Education courses and referee program events have been canceled through June 30.

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Fitchburg Star

Madison wheel tax charged on some Fitchburg registrations

City of Fitchburg

Those who are charged $40 fee can get it rescinded MARK NESBITT Unified Newspaper Group

The outside of Fitchburg City Hall.

File by Kimberly Wethal

South Fish Hatch parcels back to low density Comp plan amendment comes after years of battle with plan commission, lawsuit KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

After years of bickering between the Common Council and Plan Commission and a lawsuit from citizens over the zoning of land on South Fish Hatchery Road, the city will allow only single-family housing development on it. The council voted Tuesday, April 14, to rezone the two parcels, at 2546 and 2556 South Fish Hatchery Road, back to low density residential, by a vote of 5-3. The council also removed the option of industrial-commercial zoning on the parcel, counter to the Plan Commission’s recommendation. Alds. Dorothy Krause (D-1), Anne Scott (D-1) and Julia Arata-Fratta (D-2) disagreed with removing the option for industrial-commercial zoning and voted against an amendment to remove it. The council had postponed the rezoning decision in December so officials and residents could do more research on what kinds of development could be allowed on the parcels based on an industrial-commercial zoning. The council included a condition that any development would not be allowed to have traffic exit onto Fish Hatchery Road. Any development must have exits on Nobel or Research Park drives. The Plan Commission had recommended that condition because of traffic concerns, which had been central to arguments last year against allowing a senior living apartment development. Ald. Sarah Schroeder (D-3) said she lives in the area and experiences the traffic issues first hand on a regular basis. She added that she felt the Plan Commission had good insight to add the condition for exit options. “Traffic safety is definitely a concern, and just even how this zoning came to be is a concern,” she said.

Before March, the council and Plan Commission had been required to agree on any comprehensive plan amendments, which kept the fate of these properties in limbo. The city’s update to the comprehensive plan changed that, with language that asserts the council has the sole right to approve changes. Frustrated citizens encouraged the council to add the wording after two separate instances in which the council and commission disagreed over zoning, one with the North Stoner Prairie neighborhood near Lacy Road and Seminole Highway and the other over the Fish Hatchery parcels. The Fish Hatchery parcels had been the subject of a lawsuit from nearby residents David and Cheryl Strassman after former mayor Jason Gonzalez violated open meetings laws by putting a senior housing development for the land back on the council agenda without holding a public hearing after the development was denied. A Dane County Circuit Court judge ruled in December the council’s denial of the development signaled the end of the process, so any additional conversations required the process to start over. Before the vote, Arata-Fratta said even if the council were to keep the Industrial-Commercial designation, it would still have the right to approve or deny proposals alders don’t like. “I think traffic will also be an issue even with low density,” she said. “I want to vote to provide flexibility to this lot for future development, as it’s surrounded by commercial lots. I think it makes sense to keep that language.” Krause warned that if a commercial development is not one of the options for the parcels, the land will stay in limbo because the current owner is not willing to do single-family housing developments. She argued that putting single-family homes around industrial commercial properties is not allowed in the city’s SmartCode zoning and is not the correct way to plan a city. “This is a difficult (situation) because it’s a neighborhood against purposes that others, including the land owners, want to use the land for,” Krause said.

When longtime Fitchburg resident Anne Scott went to renew her vehicle registration in March she got sticker shock – charged $68 more than last year. “I was surprised,” Scott said. “That was really expensive.” Scott, at the time an alder representing District 1, looked closer at her license plate renewal registration fee and noticed she had been charged $40 for a Madison wheel tax even though she lives in Fitchburg. The increase also included a $28 fee for a Dane County wheel tax. Infuriated, she brought it up at the next Common Council meeting to warn other residents to watch their bills. Eventually, she got the $40 deducted by calling the state Department of Transportation, she told the Star in April. She offered to send a copy of her property tax bill but was told that wouldn’t be necessary. “I was not going to pay it,” she said. Ken Hannes, another Fitchburg resident, told the Star he was also charged $40 for the Madison tax, and

he also fixed the problem by calling the DOT. “They rescinded my $40 charge, and noted in my account that my vehicles are not in Madison for future renewals,” he wrote in an email. The Madison Common Council approved the $40 wheel tax Oct. 29, 2019, and it became effective Feb. 1. It’s among 28 municipalities in the state that have enacted a wheel tax fee, and it’s the largest. In addition, there are 12 counties that charge a wheel tax, with Dane County at $28 and Milwaukee County the highest, at $30. The DOT collects wheel tax fees for counties, cities, towns and villages. It keeps 17 cents of each application and then mails the rest to the proper municipality. Fitchburg Mayor Aaron Richardson said the City of Fitchburg has no plan to implement a wheel tax, and he advised anyone who gets the Madison wheel tax when they renew their vehicle registration to contact the DOT. As for why it’s happening, Dorothy Krause, a five-term Fitchburg alder representing District 1, has a theory. She said since ZIP codes were granted before the Town of Fitchburg became a city in 1983, many residents have Madison-area ZIP codes and that may be why they are being charged the wheel tax.

Where to call If you get charged the Madison wheel tax, contact the Department of Transportation at (608) 2647447. Or log in online at https:// wisconsindot.gov “We are having the same problem with the Air BnB’s (bed and breakfast businesses),” Krause said. “If the Air BnB’s host an event in Fitchburg and people from Fitchburg stay there, they are being charged a 10% room tax that they are having to send it to Madison.” That fits with Scott’s experience. Scott has lived in her same Fitchburg home for 36 years. When she first moved there, she told the Star, she used Madison as her address in her vehicle registration, as Fitchburg doesn’t have a Post Office. So when she, like other Fitchburg residents renewed their vehicle registration, the address was pulled from her previous vehicle registration. Hannes suggested Fitchburg residents watch carefully when they renew their registration. “If they have a large increase in their renewal, this could be the reason,” he wrote.

Full-time firefighters to get 96 hours of emergency sick leave Council debated giving police officers, other emergency personnel same amount

Council approves federal FFCRA law

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

City of Fitchburg Any full-time Fitchburg firefighter who is diagnosed with COVID-19 and must isolate at home will get 96 hours of emergency sick leave. The Common Council unanimously passed the sick leave measure at its Tuesday, April 14, meeting after two debates on the topic – whether how much sick leave all city first responders receive, and whether they all get the same amount of hours. Alders decided all other full-time first responders who are city employees – police, dispatchers, public works maintenance workers, IT support staff and the city administrator – will get 72 hours of leave, with any differences needing to be made up by using accrued personal sick time. Hours will expire at the end of the year if not used. Fitch-Rona EMS, which is governed by a three-municipality district, already had established 96 hours of emergency sick leave. The city’s original proposal had been to provide 72 hours of sick leave for emergency personnel. Alders denied an additional amendment to provide police with 96 hours by a 5-3 vote. Human resources manager Sarah Olson told the council she started with 72 hours because she was looking for a number that got close to 80, divisible by firefighters’ daily 24-hour shifts. The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires employers to provide two weeks’ worth of sick leave for employees who contract COVID-19 and must quarantine due to exposure or care for a sick family member. However, with demand for emergency first responders and health care workers higher than ever during the

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Station No. 3 is the Fitchburg Fire Department’s newest addition, predominantly serving the eastern side of the city. pandemic, both types of workers are exempt. Olson said the city wanted to “go above and beyond” the federal requirements by providing emergency sick leave for its first responders, who are working with the public on a daily basis and therefore are at a higher risk for contracting COVID-19. “Our emergency responders are extremely important to the city – they’re out there on the front lines,” she said. “We wanted to provide a benefit to those emergency responders.” The proposal of 72 hours drew criticism from the Fire Fighters Local 311 union and fire department chief Joe Pulvermacher, who all asked for an additional 24 hours to be added. Having only 72 hours would require firefighters to dip into their sick leave at a rate that other city employees wouldn’t, firefighter Jason Ladwig told the council. Ladwig, the union representative to Local 311, said because full-time staff work 53 hours a week, getting 96 hours of emergency sick leave would mean firefighters still need to use 10 hours of personal sick leave to finish out two weeks. Having only 72 would require them to use 34 hours of sick leave. Full-time Fitchburg police officers, meanwhile, work 75 hours every two weeks, so the 72-hour proposal would only require them to use three hours of their accrued sick pay. Local 311 president Mahlon Mitchell told the council a firefighter’s first job is saving lives – and that they

City of Fitchburg employees – who are not classified as emergency personnel – will receive 80 hours of paid emergency sick time leave. The Common Council was required to ratify the emergency sick leave as a part of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. can’t protect others if they aren’t able to properly protect themselves. “Hopefully, none of them have to use this emergency sick leave at all,” he said. “All we’re asking is something real simple, and that is to be treated like everyone else … and that is two weeks off. Alders quickly agreed on the 96 hours, but they debated whether other first responders should receive the same amount. Ald. Tom Clauder (Dist. 4), a former police officer, argued the fastest way to cause a morale problem is to have staff start comparing their benefits to one another, especially if others receive less. With police, fire and EMS all working together on calls, they should receive the same amount of emergency sick leave hours, Clauder said. Ald. Dorothy Krause (D-1) was quick to point out that while giving everyone 96 hours of emergency sick leave would be a form of equality, it wouldn’t be an equitable decision. She argued that an equitable way to provide sick leave would be to do it based on whatever a city employee normally worked during a two-week period, instead of by hours. Providing 96 hours for all emergency responders would give other emergency personnel more than two weeks of paid leave and leave firefighters short. “We don’t want to just give everyone the same amount; that does not bring about equity,” she said.

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May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

City of Fitchburg

Enforcing ‘Safer at Home’ is learning curve for police Officers take educational approach before citations KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Activities like going to work, patronizing city parks and playing basketball and soccer used to be commonplace and often encouraged. For now, under the state’s “Safer at Home” order, those are the kind of activities City of Fitchburg police officers warn against.

Chief Chad Brecklin said the department’s officers haven’t had to issue any citations as of April 23, but have fielded between 15 and 20 complaints since “Safer at Home” went into effect on March 25. “We’ve been taking an educational approach to it,” he said. “It’s certainly not our intent to use enforcement as a primary means to gain compliance in these situations. “We reserve that enforcement piece really for repeat violations, or such egregious violations of the order that almost necessitate

immediate enforcement,” Brecklin added. Brecklin said there’s been a handful of landlord-related complaints as well, which he said was a moving target for the first few weeks after the order took effect as to whether services or businesses were essential. “As time has gone on here, a lot of those questions have been clarified, and I think for the most part, there’s been good compliance across the board, whether it’s businesses, landlords or the public at large,” he said. Brecklin said enforcing “Safer

at Home” was a challenge for the department early on because of its learning curve for officers. There aren’t any other laws like it that police have ever had to enforce, Brecklin added, so part of that adjustment period was waiting for the state to give clearer instructions on what was allowed and not allowed, and what businesses were deemed essential. Some of the learning curve was determining where the police’s responsibility in the enforcement started and ended, and what should be dealt with by Public

Health Madison and Dane County, and what needed the city attorney to step in, Brecklin said. “You have the challenge of figuring out what is our role in this process, how is our role defined and what are the resources … and guidance that we’re being provided to carry out those roles,” he said. “We had to figure it out, so to speak, and determine where our resources will be placed from a priority basis. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

Arata-Fratta elected Council president KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Photo courtesy Parade of Homes

Fitchburg’s Fahey Fields neighborhood will be one of those featured in next month’s Parade of Homes, set for June 19-28 around Dane County.

70th Parade of Homes still a go Annual event includes Fitchburg neighborhood; set for June 19-28 The 70th Annual Parade of Homes, including a Fitchburg neighborhood, will go on as scheduled next month “after thoughtful consideration,” the Madison Area Builders Association (MABA) announced Thursday, April 30. The event, set for June 19-28, will feature 21 homes across five neighborhoods in Dane County, including Fitchburg’s Fahey Fields. In a news release, MABA said the group recognizes the current situation facing the local community and is making health and safety for builders, staff, and attendees an “utmost priority.” “MABA and the Parade of Homes will be monitoring the changing dynamic of the Stay-At-Home Order and will ensure precautions

are in place to focus on providing a safe and enjoyable event that fully complies with the mandates of health officials,” read the news release. “It is our hope that the current health crisis improves to a point that does not mandate the closure of the Parade of Homes.” Planned hours are 4-8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The hour of 4-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday is reserved for attendees who are elderly or have underlying health conditions. “Our goal is to provide a safe and exciting environment for people to attend once we’ve reached the benchmarks set for reopening the state through the Badger Back Bounce Plan,” read the news release. For information, visit madisonparadeofhomes. com. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruelle@wcinet.com.

Ald. Julia Arata-Fratta (Dist. 2) has been elected as the City of Fitchburg Common Council’s new president. Confirmed in a unanimous vote during an o rga n i z a t i o n a l m e e t i n g Tuesday, April 21, she succeeds former District 2 alder Dan Bahr as president. He left the Council this month after he lost a re-election bid for a third term. Arata-Fratta was nominated by fellow District 2 Ald. Gabriella Gerhardt, as well as by Ald. Shannon Strassman (D-3). N o r m a l l y t h e vo t i n g process for Council president is done anonymously, but with five alders opting to join through video conferencing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Arata-Fratta was instead confirmed with a voice vote. Arata-Fratta told fellow alders and city staff that she ran for Council president because she believes she has proven herself to be a responsible and community focused leader in her five years as a part of the governing body. “Fitchburg is a diverse, vibrant and growing city that needs leaders with integrity who will work together, treat other people’s opinions and perspectives with respect and also reflect the population they represent,” she said. “I will be a strong leader who has the knowledge

On the Web

closed through August as a new structure Our Fitchburg Star reporters are passion- will be built as a part of the McKee Road ate about giving you reliable news every construction. day, but not all of that can always fit into a monthly print publication. Please check Madison man arrested ConnectFitchburg.com, as well as our in stabbing incident Facebook and Twitter pages, for additional A Madison man has been arrested after news online. he is believed to have stabbed another man on Tuesday morning. Dane County Housing Authority

authorized to operate in city

Charter school cleared to operate

Fitchburg’s Common Council unani- in Index Road building mously authorized the Dane County HousThe Common Council unanimousing Authority to operate within city boundly approved the rezoning of a property at aries at its Tuesday, April 28, meeting. 2823 Index Road for the Milestone DemBadger State Trail bridge will close ocratic School. That will allow the charter The Badger State Trail bridge will be school to operate there in September.

and experience necessary to work collaboratively on the important issues facing Fitchburg, and who understands the characteristics and composition of our community.” The April 21 meeting was also the first for the Council’s three new alders, Gerhardt, Joe Maldonado (D-1) and Randy Udell (D-4). With the new members, Arata-Fratta and mayor Aaron Richardson appointed alders to their committees for the year. Arata-Fratta appointed standing committee members, placing Ald. Sarah Schroeder on the public safety committee as chair

“Fitchburg is a diverse, vibrant and growing city that needs leaders with integrity who will work together, treat other people’s opinions and perspectives with respect and also reflect the population they represent.” Ald. Julia Arata-Fratta and Strassman and Maldonado as members. For the Personnel committee, she appointed Ald. Dorothy Krause (D-1) as chair and Gerhardt and Ald. Tom Clauder (D-4) as members. For the Finance

OFFER ON PERENNIALS

committee, Arata-Fratta appointed herself as the chair, with Udell and Gerhardt as members. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

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Three alders sworn in to the Council

May 8, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Verona schools

Verona Area School District

District mulls postponing graduation, virtual ceremony

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Graduates toss their caps in the air during the Verona Area High School graduation ceremony on Sunday, June 9, at Epic.

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Verona Area High School staff are still hoping they can hold in-person graduating ceremonies for the Class of 2020, but they plan to ask students and families about it first. Principal Pam Hammen told the school board at its Monday, April 20, meeting the last week of July is the latest possible date graduation could be held. Board members Deborah Biddle and Carolyn Jahnke said while it isn’t likely any option will work for all of its more than 400 graduating seniors, it would be better to ask students and families what they would prefer. “I just think it would be valuable to have their input in it; it may make them feel a little bit better to know their thoughts around graduation should proceed, or could proceed, is valued,” Biddle said. Doing an in-person graduation the weekend school ends is impossible for the district because of restrictions put in place by the state to limit the spread of COVID-19. Construction throughout the district in preparation for the opening of its new high school led the district to move up the end of the school year to May 29, three weeks earlier than usual. But with Gov. Tony Evers and state Department of Health Services secretary-designee Andrea Palm extending the “Safer at Home” order until at least May 26 to try to slow the spread of COVID-19, keeping the original graduation ceremony with thousands expected in attendance four days later on May 30 is not an option, Hammen

said. “Really, we were left with two options,” she said. “I think that our families and students really appreciate and enjoy having a face-to-face graduation ceremony, if at all possible.” Other school districts in Dane County have changed their ceremonies because of COVID-19. Middleton-Cross Plains School District will attempt to schedule its ceremony for late July, and Madison Metropolitan School District canceled its in-person ceremonies, many of which are held at the Kohl Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which has closed its campus to essential personnel only. Hammen suggested Saturday, July 25, as a possible date, noting that some graduated seniors leave for their post-secondary institutions in the beginning of August because of extracurricular groups they’re involved in, she said. For others, that option still might be too late, Hammen admitted. Some students will be leaving after the school year is over to start basic training in the U.S. Armed Forces or are moving out of the area. And there’s no guarantee that even if the district moves forward with in-person graduation ceremonies in late July, that Epic, which has been the host since 2008, will even allow the district to hold the event on its campus. If that’s the case, Hammen said, administrators would look at holding it on the football field, with a rain date of Sunday, July 26. As an alternative, Hammen floated the idea of a “virtual” graduation ceremony, where speeches from herself, Dean Gorrell and the Class of 2020 speakers would be filmed, and then photos would be shown of each graduating senior.

Other board members suggested a drive-in graduation ceremony, in which students would physically attend in cars and listen on a radio frequency, much like a drive-in movie theater. Forgoing any recognition at all didn’t seem like an option for Hammen or anyone on the board. “I think we all agree that it’s really important to provide an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate our seniors and their accomplishments,” she said. “I think that’s especially true this year because seniors have been disappointed; there were many things they were looking forward to that they haven’t been able to participate in.” Regardless of when and how graduation ceremonies take place, Hammen asked the school board to certify the student’s diplomas prior to June 1 so that students who are going on to attend post-secondary institutions can still request a finalized version of their transcript. Usually, school board members announce that certification during graduation ceremonies. Board member Kristina Navarro-Haffner brought up the drive-thru idea, saying social distancing would be maintained despite hundreds or thousands of people being in attendance. “The idea I’m seeing with higher ed doing it that way is at least in a car, you don’t have to limit the numbers and worry that there’s just too

much density of people in a small space,” she said. Hammen said she had seen that style graduation ceremony on social media, but with the lack of an outdoor theater and a large class of graduating seniors, she wasn’t sure how that would work. “I get it in theory, I just don’t know how that’s really engaging or memorable,” Hammen said. Board member Meredith Stier Christensen thanked Hammen for working to come up with other options for a graduation ceremony to recognize students. “This is such a tough time, for all of our students, and all of our staff, but for seniors especially, there’s so much loss,” she said. “A delayed date isn’t a certainty, but I do like the option of having it. This is just so hard all the way around.” Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@ wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

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District to allow videoconferences between teachers, students KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Verona Area School District’s virtual classrooms got a little bit bigger this week. As of Friday, May 1, the district is allowing teachers to videoconference with students via the Google Hangouts Meet app linked to district email accounts. Assistant superintendent of academic services Laurie Burgos said videoconferencing is another extension of both the brick-and-mortar and virtual classrooms. Previously, administrators decided against using videoconferencing between teachers and students to give the district’s IT staff time to research the technology’s safety. There were a lot of reports in the news media of videoconferencing platforms not being as secure as promised, or cases of people “Zoom bombing” calls they weren’t invited to, Burgos told the Press Friday. The district also wanted to develop a flexible learning plan, she said, knowing that all students might not be available for videoconferencing at the same time of day, based on their schedule or access to the internet. “We wanted to focus on asynchronous learning, knowing that not all of our students have access, or even students who do have access, with everybody at home, competing for bandwidth,” Burgos said. “It’s really hard to be able to guarantee that anyone can be online at any particular time.” The videoconferencing calls

aren’t meant to replace the virtual teaching that’s going on, she said, rather they are meant to help educators answer student questions, prompt discussions or check in with them about social emotional topics. “We really asked our staff to focus on the social emotional aspect and the benefits of being able to have that live interaction with kids to check in with them and see how they’re doing, be a friendly face and keep the connection and the relationship going,” Burgos said. The district’s Google Hangout videoconferencing has limitations, though. Staff are not allowed to use a videoconference to talk to students one-onone, nor are students allowed to use a call to talk to other students without a teacher present. Families also have the ability to opt their children out of participating in any videoconference calls, and those calls cannot be recorded. And while administrators are uncertain what the future holds with extended school closures or impacts from COVID-19, Burgos said allowing teachers to start using videoconferencing expands the district’s options for virtual education in the future. “The exciting part about opening this up right now is that it will give us some really good experiences to draw from, in thinking about any kind of virtual learning that we might have to do in the future,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll be back in school sooner than later, and we’re anxious for that to happen – in the meantime, it’s good to just improve our virtual learning practices.”

What’s online for VASD a safe distance and see all of VAIS fundraising driveway decorations and committee encourages their signs. support of businesses Verona Area International Board selects superSchool’s fundraising commit- intendent search firm tee is encouraging families to participate in “Take Out Tuesdays” through mid-August, as restaurants see declining revenue because of COVID-19.

NCS teachers travel to all students’ homes

New Century School teachers Lee Lohr and Heidi Konop spent an afternoon visiting all of their fourth and fifth grade students within the district. The trip took three and a half hours to wave at students from

Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates will conduct a nationwide search for candidates to succeed current district superintendent Dean Gorrell, who announced in January that he plans to retire in June 2021.

Teachers to receive 3.55% wage increase

Verona Area School District educators will get their largest increase in pay since Act 10 was signed nearly a decade ago.

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Oregon schools

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What’s online for OSD ever to help feed those in need.

seniors are scheduled to walk across the gymnasium dais on Sunday, June 13. Whether restrictions preventing large gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted by then is unknown, but OSD officials are still hoping for the best with graduation and summer school.

For the second straight year, the district received the “Best Communities for Music Education” designation from The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation for outstanding commitment to music education.

OSD wins national music education Oregon High School award

With more and more families in financial distress due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Friends of the Oregon School District (FOSD) are doing more than

Fitchburg Star

Oregon School District

District officials still hoping for OHS graduation ceremony

FOSD seeking donations to meet growing demand

May 8, 2020

OMS using pass/ no pass for 2nd semester grades Oregon Middle School students in grades 7-8 will be on a pass/no pass grading system for the second semester, the Oregon School District announced. Students earning a passing grade will receive course credits.

Zach returns as board president Board leader since 2016 said he doesn’t plan to run next year SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

The Oregon school board voted unanimously Monday, April 27, to have Steve Zach lead the group for another year. It’ll be Zach’s last year as board president, he said, as he doesn’t plan to run again next spring. A 1 9 7 3 O r eg o n H i g h School graduate, Zach has been elected to the board since 1999, and has been its president since a narrow 4-3 victory over previous president Charles Uphoff in 2016. The news that he didn’t plan to return in 2021 wasn’t particularly surprising,

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

as Zach had signaled in the past year or so his time leading the board was winding down. Zach At Mond a y n i g h t ’s annual board reorganizational meeting, he thanked fellow members for their confidence and said he looks forward to the next year, the final one of his most recent three-year term. “I really look forward to working with the board f o r a n o t h e r y e a r, a n d I’m excited to welcome (newly elected members) Heather (Garrison) and Kevin (Mehring) to the board,” Zach said. “We’ve had a great past several years … working through a lot of issues, and this

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is going to be an exciting year as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Former treasurer Tim LeBrun will succeed Troy Pankratz as vice-president after he was the only person nominated – by Pankratz. Krista Flanagan will remain the clerk, while Pankratz will succeed LeBrun as treasurer. Zach congratulated

LeBrun on his new role as vice-president. “My intent is to involve you significantly in terms of leadership roles with the board as we work through a transition from Dr. (Brian) Busler to Dr. (Leslie) Bergstrom,” he said. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruelle@wcinet.com.

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City Hall remains closed to the public. If you need assistance with pet licensing or other services offered by the Clerk’s Department, you may call 270-4200.

SERVE THE CITIZENS OF FITCHBURG Are you interested in serving the citizens of Fitchburg by participating on a city committee or commission? We are currently accepting mayoral appointment applications for vacancies on CEDA and Zoning Board of Appeals. Applications will remain on file after a vacancy is filled, for two years. Visit https://bit.ly/2YwROgt to complete & submit the application online.

FITCHBURG RECREATION SUMMER PROGRAM WAITLISTS Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty of when recreation programs will resume, Fitchburg Recreation has moved all registrations for summer programs to waitlists. Please go through the same steps as registering online to

get placed on a program waitlist and note there is NO fee to get placed on a waitlist. Once we know a program will run, we will give priority registrations to those on the waiting lists and contact you regarding payment.

GARBAGE & RECYCLING REQUEST

Thanks for celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with us, however you were able! If you’re interested in hearing more about green events around Fitchburg and other sustainability-related updates, you can go to the

City of Fitchburg home page and look for the Notify Me icon. Use that tool to sign up for Green Fitchburg e-mail updates that come out on a near-monthly basis to learn about various sustainability topics.

UPCOMING CURBSIDE BRUSH & YARD WASTE COLLECTIONS • May 4-8 – brush only • May 18-22 – brush & yard waste • June 8-12 – brush only • June 8-12 – brush only • June 29-July 3 – brush only • July 20-24 – brush only

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soap, body wash, paper towels etc. They will also accept monetary d onations. Please call 270-4290 for more details. The social workers are available for questions about housing, durable medical equipment loan, utility assistance, Medicare, essential daily activities, and more. Please do not hesitate to call the social workers. You can reach Amy Jordan at 270-4295, or Sarah Folkers at 270-4294.

In order to protect the health of our employees and residents during the pandemic, please bag your trash and recycling securely prior to placing it in your carts (use clear bags for recycling). This will help reduce fly-away trash and recyclables during collection on windy days.

The City of Fitchburg Memorial Day program has been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID19) public health emergency. “Although we won’t be able to gather together this year, we hope

Visit the Senior Center webpage to participate in online classes of Aerobics, Functional Fitness, Yoga with Kurt, Easy Yoga Plus, Tai Chi with Khiang, Boost Your Bones with Felicia and more. Visit: http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/621/ Senior-Center The Senior Center is happy to accept donations of food and essentials to distribute to older adults in need: toilet paper, laundry

the community will still join us in remembering the sacrifices of our beloved veterans and our fallen brothers and sisters this Memorial Day,” Mayor Richardson said.

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• August 10-14 – brush only Brush & yard waste will be picked up between Monday and Saturday, but not necessarily on your refuse collection day. To ensure pick up, please have your brush & yard waste at the curb by 6:30 a.m. the Monday of the collection week. If you feel your brush was missed or have questions regarding pickup, please contact Pellitteri at 608-257-

4285. Actual collection dates may depend on weather. For more information, visit http://www. adno=150405 fitchburgwi.gov/2568/Brush-Yard-Waste

May 8, 2020

Oregon schools

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Oregon School District

Families adapt to new schedules Schooling at home has affected students, parents differently SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

The sudden transition from “normal” schooling to the virtual variety has come with growing pains for some families not used to having kids at home. But after a month of distance learning – with around another month to go – families are adapting their routines and making the best out of this unprecedented situation. For parents of kids at multiple grade levels, that can be all the more challenging. Parent Vicki Wolter has children at Brooklyn Elementary, Oregon Middle School and Oregon High School. She said while online learning has gone very well for her older kids, her youngest, a second-grader, is having some issues with the new routine, including too many distractions at home. “This is a very big change for him, he does better in the classroom,” Wolter emailed the Observer. “He moves a little slower to do his homework in hopes that I will let him go play instead of school.” She said her other children, a fourth grader, seventh grader and freshman, are more settled, even though they’d rather be able to be with their friends. “They just get up and just do

their homework,” Wolter said. “My daughter, who is in seventh grade, complains they are given too (little) talk time with her friends or Snapchat, (but) if they have had questions, the teachers are there for them. “I don’t have any horror stories to tell,” she added. “I think that the school district is doing a great job.” Lisa Koehler and her husband, D.G., have an eighth grader, fifth grader and second grader doing at-home schooling, and she said it’s been a “very trying” experience so far. “I am getting into the ‘new routine of helping the kids get through remote lesson plans, keeping cooped-up kids occupied and fed – all while attempting to keep my game face on at work,” she wrote in an email to the Observer. “I have days where I feel lucky to be at home and have this time not to rush around, and then I have days when I stress all day long.” While Koehler said things aren’t necessarily getting any less chaotic for the family, they have settled into an interesting pattern. “Every day, I have a daily check in with my seven co-workers, and as soon as it hits 9 a.m., it’s meeting time and my children seem to come into the room,” she wrote. “I am very glad I have a mute button readily available.” Koehler said since her children have missed out on a lot of spring sports, she’s glad they can at least go outside and play catch.

Photo submitted

Lisa Koehler sent the Observer this screen shot of a recent homeschooling moment with her children (from left), Charlotte, 7, Kendrick 13, and Jacoby 10. “My daughter has been lucky to participate in virtual dance,” she wrote. “We hike, ride bikes, walk.” Karen Kritsch, who has a freshman and senior at OHS, said it was important for her to make sure they had new support and organizational systems in place right away, like scheduling due dates. “They had to pull out their daily planners that were idle in their backpacks,” she told the Observer in an email.

Now a few weeks into the routine, Kritsch wrote that they are getting into the swing of things, and handle the online adjustment “very well.” “They find they are in charge of their day,” she wrote. “There is basketball and snacks for breaks.” Kritsch said the OHS teachers have been supportive, even though hands-on classes like metalworking are a bit different now. “They are great, asking how are you as well as supporting the topic

of the day,” she said. “Perhaps at times with the music or tech ed, there is perhaps a lack of fullest outcome, but this is to be expected during this time.” And through all the recent changes, Kritsch said maybe everyone has found some value in virtual learning that can be applied in the future. “This quite possibly has created an opportunity for public school to think of a hybrid model of online and classroom education,” she said.

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Directions from Stoughton: Take 138 toward Oregon. Go past Eugster’s Farm Market, one mile and turn right on Sunrise Rd. Go one more mile then turn left on Town Line Rd. Continue on to Sand Hill Rd. (approximately one mile) and turn right. Directions from Fitchburg: Take Fish Hatchery Road south to Netherwood Road. Turn left and go through Oregon past Walgreen’s to a left on Sand Hill Road. Directions from Verona: Take Cty. M to Fish Hatchery Rd. Turn right and go to Netherwood Road. Turn left at Netherwood Rd. through Oregon past Walgreen’s to a left on Sand Hill Rd.

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