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It’s your paper! Friday, May 10, 2019 • Vol. 6, No. 3 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1

Inside

Construction season begins

Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative

2019 work includes Promega, senior housing, pair of roundabouts SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group

Chapel Valley Church egg hunt Page 2 County board questionnaires Page 13

Business

Photo by Scott Girard

Carmen Torres-Kinerk, left, and Elizabeth Prado are the City of Fitchburg’s Neighborhood Navigators for the North Fish Hatchery Road corridor. The part-time city employee positions are funded through a grant from Dane County.

Lioness Fitness opens in Fitchburg Page 15

Sports

Acker sets discus record Page B1

Schools Shifts in OMS staff after resignation Page B11

Building a bridge

Neighborhood Navigators aim to connect people with resources SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group

Until mid-March, neither Carmen Torres-Kinerk nor Elizabeth Prado had heard of Joining Forces for Families or that the nonprofit was located across from Leopold Elementary School on Fitchburg’s border with Madison. Now, it’s their job to tell other people all about JFF – and any other organization or resource in the community available to help those struggling with bills, finding a job or keeping their children busy. The pair are Neighborhood Navigators for the North Fish Hatchery Road corridor, employed part-time through a Dane County grant. “We’re learning a lot,” Torres-Kinerk said. “I’m really blown away at all of the resources that are available. “I’ve never been in a community that I’ve seen that.” The county’s $19,562 in funding is related to the “Early Childhood Zone” surrounding Leopold, an area where a group of Dane County service providers helps

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neighborhood families with young kids. The positions are new this year and offer 14 hours per week at $12.50 per hour to conduct outreach and connect residents to their city government. City community development planner Wade Thompson said the county has funded navigators in other areas, and it was an idea city staff had been considering for the past couple of years. When the county suggested starting the program in Fitchburg, city staff jumped at the chance. “They approached us, said, ‘We have $20,000 to pay two navigators for a year to do neighborhood work, would you guys be interested?’” Thompson said. “Of course we said yeah.” Prado is originally from Mexico, and has lived in the Fitchburg area for four years after coming to the United States 14 years ago. Torres-Kinerk moved here about a year ago after living on the west coast. So far, the pair has tried to get the word out at meetings hosted by JFF, Leopold school, City of Madison Neighborhood Resource Teams and county-run nonprofit

Centro Hispano, “trying to find a place where neighborhood residents frequent quite a bit,” Thompson said. Prado knows the importance of finding resources like afterschool programming because she has two children, one of whom attends Leopold. She also understands they need productive activities – as do rest of the kids in the neighborhood. “They can have something to do, and they need that in my neighborhood,” she said. “(I want people) to feel comfortable so they can know I’m there to help with anything that I can do for them.” Thompson, who is overseeing the program, said the two “don’t need to be the resource, they just need to know who the resource is.” He said government can be intimidating for people who don’t know what services are available or how it functions. Getting over that hurdle and increasing engagement will be key this summer, Thompson said, as the city considers plans for a “neighborhood hub” near the

Turn to Navigators/Page 12

Orange barrels, cranes and bulldozers have come out of hibernation as construction season has begun around Fitchburg. Projects planned for this year, along with the yearslong one on Verona Road, include street resurfacing on Whalen Road and in the Wildwood South neighborhood, adding a roundabout at the Nesbitt-Fitchrona intersection, new Promega facilities, senior apartments and the first housing coming to a long-planned neighborhood on the city’s far east side. The work at Terravessa, near the Lacy Road-Hwy. 14 interchange, includes construction of an elementary school, the first for the Oregon School District in the City of Fitchburg. Not too far from that development, Promega has cranes up constructing its new $190 million research and design facility, and on North Fish Hatchery Road there is already early work on a new 160-unit senior housing building. All of it adds up to plenty of action this summer, with much of the construction expected to begin in midMay or mid-June, lasting as long as mid-September. Anyone interested in updates can sign up for Notify Me notices at fitchburgwi.gov. People who live near roads that will undergo work will receive a door hanger about two weeks prior to construction.

Road resurfacing One of the most significant projects this year is Whalen Road resurfacing, along with a section that will add four-foot shoulders. That will require a detour of about four weeks, according to a Jan. 31 presentation on the project. Eleven of the 19 other projects are slated for the Wildwood South neighborhood, according to a map provided by former city public works director Lisa Coleman. The work there and on the other urban streets planned for construction will replace curb and gutter, pulverize and remove enough asphalt to create the necessary slop, adjust boxes and manhole frames and fix any defective storm sewer or utility components. Roads will remain open to traffic during construction, though if a concrete driveway is being repaired, it might be up to one week

Turn to Construction/Page 16

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An Easter experience Chapel Valley held its Easter Experience 2019 at Huegel Jamestown Park Saturday, April 20. Children and their parents turned out to the event to engage in Easter egg hunts and other activities. The egg hunts in particular were a frenzy of youngsters racing to gather as much candy as they could. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Photos by Emilie Heidemann

At right, youngsters race to find Easter eggs at the Chapel Valley Easter Experience 2019.

At left, Camila Hammerly, 4, Fitchburg, opens her Easter egg hunt finds, revealing the candy inside.

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Benjamin Flores, 2, Madison, jumps inside of the bouncy house at the Chapel Valley Easter Experience held at Huegel Jamestown Park.

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May 10, 2019

Fitchburg Star

Fitchburg Days

City of Fitchburg

S. Fish Hatchery Fitchburg Days comes to an end senior housing proposal denied Public safety committee denies sound permit for May event

Developer’s lawyer hints at potential lawsuit SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group

F i t c h bu rg ’s C o m m o n Council voted against a proposed 68-unit senior housing project on Tuesday, April 23, a week after the Plan Commission recommended denial. The project for 2556 S. Fish Hatchery Road originally came forward almost a year ago and was initially denied at that time amid concerns about traffic and access to amenities. In October, it reappeared on the council agenda after Mayor Jason Gonzalez and two alders agreed to reconsider, and it passed at that time – an action that has led to a lawsuit from a pair of residents alleging the action violated open meetings laws. There could be another lawsuit after Tuesday’s 4-3 denial, as the developer’s attorney, Jessica Polakowski, said denial of the project would have “disparate impacts,” or discriminate against minorities, and cited Supreme Court rulings that litigation can be based on such impacts regardless of intent. The plan featured one 60-unit building and two four-unit townhomes on a single three-acre parcel. Developer Jacob Klein had initially proposed one 73-unit building, but the idea was similar enough city staff determined the project could continue without restarting entirely. It had earned a preliminary approval last October. That approval, for a general implementation plan, sets the zoning, which provides a developer with some legal entitlements to build. The step in front of council Tuesday was the specific implementation plan, and Polakowski said

not approving an SIP after approving a GIP is unusual. “I along with my client have some serious concerns about the process the city has engaged in,” Polakowski said. “To the best of my knowledge and research, the City of Fitchburg has never rejected an SIP that was consistent with and timely submitted after the GIP.” Alds. Dan Bahr (Dist. 2) and Dan Carpenter (D-3) told Polakowski they disagreed with her characterization, specifically the “disparate impacts” allegation, with Bahr saying the developer was “just unhappy” the city wasn’t supporting the project. “I don’t buy anything you said,” Bahr told her. Carpenter, who has been against the project since it was initially proposed, missed the October vote when it was reconsidered but pointed out alders had conditioned future approval on adding a second driveway to the facility in addition to the one connecting to Fish Hatchery Road. “I still don’t see that driveway,” Carpenter said. “When we’re told he did what he was asked to do, that’s just not true.” Instead of the second driveway, which requires a property acquisition Klein has said is not yet feasible, the project widened the driveway and would have prevented left turns out. Residents have repeatedly stated in public comments that traffic in that two-lane stretch of Fish Hatchery Road moves too fast and is too dangerous for seniors. They have also pointed out that amenities like grocery stores, a pharmacy and a bus stop are too far to walk to and would be especially challenging during winter months. Many alders and residents have said they liked the idea of the project but felt it was simply the wrong location.

SCOTT GIRARD

Unified Newspaper Group

Fitchburg Days will not happen this year, and its organizer said the annual event won’t return. T h e f e s t iva l , w h i c h began in its current form i n 1 9 9 9 , h a s r e c e ive d criticism in recent years from elected officials each time it sought a permit to host amplified music and serve alcohol. This year, Fitchburg’s Public Safety committee acted on some of that criticism Tuesday, April 23, denying the sound permit request for the event. It had been planned to run May 17-19. Jay Allen, the president of the nonprofit that has been running the festival and a former mayor and alder, told t h e c o u n - Allen cil later Tuesday that meant there could be no festival and therefore not to approve the liquor license request. Allen, who has battled with alders over the criticisms repeatedly since 2015, lamented that he had “already committed to about $14,000 in contracts for this event” and had agreed to a set of parameters from the Fitchburg Police Department. “You won’t have this issue to deal with ever again,” he said, adding that

Photo by Alexander Cramer

Brothers Maqsot Hayat, 7 in blue shirt, and Mustafa, 4, ride the merry-go-round of trucks at Fitchburg Days. he did not want to answer questions. The parameters from the police department included closing the midway rides and carnival at 7 p.m. and adding police personnel, all at a cost to the festival, FPD chief Chad Brecklin told alders Tuesday. The carnival unexpectedly closed early last year on Friday night after a major fight broke out, which Ald. Julia Arata-Fratta (Dist. 2) cited as an example of how the event has “worsened in the last couple of years.” “It shouldn’t be a surp r i s e f o r t h e o rga n i z er, because we told him last year all of our concerns,” she said. “He never approached us to tell us

what he has done.” Ald. Anne Scott (D-1), who sits on the Public Safety Committee, told the council finance director Misty Dodge had suggested asking for a $5,400 deposit up front from the festival organizers. Ald. Dan Carpenter (D-3) said Allen told them he couldn’t pay that, as the festival makes its money as it goes along. “Not being able to have that deposit up front, too, is kind of a concern,” Carpenter said. In 2015, after the rest of the Fitchburg Days committee stepped down and Allen appointed new members, alders questioned the long-term viability of the festival. The criticism intensified after

It’s like having a banker in the family. Fitchburg is our home. We live here. We work here. We are your neighbors.

Allen was late on a payment to the city later that summer. That year was the first Fitchburg Days without fireworks, and the permit approvals each year since were contentious. At that time, a separate group began considering a new festival, but nothing ever came to fruition. Arata-Fratta and Ald. Dan Bahr (D-2) said Tuesday they hope to see some sort of festival in the future, but they wanted to give it a year to reset. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.

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The proposal for 2556 S. Fish Hatchery Road changed from a single, 73-unit senior housing building to a 60-unit building with two, four-unit cottage-style buildings across the parking lot.

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May 10, 2019

Opinion

Fitchburg Star

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Letters to the editor

Community Voices

Job growth has slowed

If you have an ash tree to save, act now

The Trump administration’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a healthy 263,000 new jobs added to the economy in April as Donald Trump announced “best economy ever.” But, to put this number in perspective, job growth under the Trump administration’s first 27 months in office actually added 16,852 fewer new jobs per month than were added to the economy in Barack Obama’s last 27 months in office. The source? Donald Trump’s Department of Labor-Bureau of Labor Statistics. This comparatively lackluster job growth is despite a trillion-dollar tax cut that has largely benefited the very wealthy and corporations, even as wage growth has lagged, and the 4.19 percent increase in wages from March 2018 to 2019 is still well below the average 6.2

percent increase from 1960 to 2019. Income inequality is at the highest level since 1929. The Business Insider, not exactly a radical left publication, reported nearly 50 million Americans are living in poverty and that number has been growing. Whitewater, Wisconsin made The Business Insider’s list of the poorest towns in America with 38.2 percent of the town’s population living at or below the poverty line. The stock market’s increase in the Dow Jones average per month under Barack Obama was 2.27 percent. So far Donald Trump’s average increase per month .74 percent. Best economy ever? Not really, we can and have done better. Charles Uphoff 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.

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he past couple of years, I have seen a steady increase in the number of ash trees in Fitchburg with green flagging wrapped around their trunks. That indicates they are being professionally treated to protect against the ash tree killing emerald ash borer beetle (EAB). These property owners acted before EAB found their ashes. They hired a certified arborist to administer a trunk-injection insecHecht ticide every other spring that will keep their ashes armored with a sure-fire defense against the EAB onslaught spreading throughout the city. I have also seen a rapid increase in the number of ash trees infested with EAB and near death. EAB, first detected in the city in May 2017, is now an inescapable fact of life. This voracious, invasive insect will attack and kill any untreated ash, regardless of its size, age, health or location. A large, mature healthy ash in a homeowner’s yard in an isolated subdivision is just as susceptible as is a small, young struggling ash in a busy parking lot. Nobody will get lucky. There is universal scientific and professional agreement on that. If you have an ash, the

time is now to decide whether you want to save it or remove it. The result of waiting too long is not a pleasant sight. For example, in one parking lot of a local business I frequent, every ash tree is infested and near death. In the yard of a condominium complex in my neighborhood, three large infested ashes will soon be dead. Waiting also can be expensive. The property manager at the condos hired someone earlier in the year to take a chain saw to the dead upper branches on each tree, but all three are still infested. If these trees are not removed, costing hundreds or more each, they soon will be hazards to residents and buildings. The good news is ashes make up an estimated 10-15 percent of the trees on private property in the city, so there is a good chance you do not have one. The University of Wisconsin-Extension’s emerald ash borer website has an easy-to-follow visual guide on ash identification. If you want to save it but put off treatment, you are gambling. EAB insecticides work best when used in mid- to late-spring. Treatment is most effective if administered preemptively, before EAB infests your ash. Insecticides will not reverse any damage EAB has already inflicted. Once EAB gains the upper hand, even the most effective insecticide, available only to those with a special state license, will not

rescue an ash. To make an informed, cost-effective decision on the fate of your ash, contact a certified arborist listed on the Wisconsin Arborist Association website. Avoid contacting a franchise landscape company. Their staffs lack the specialized knowledge an arborist has to assess whether your ash is a good candidate for treatment. An arborist will spot the defects that rule out treatment that an untrained eye might miss. This could include whether it is already too infested, has been poorly pruned or even was planted too deeply. Treatment is a long-term financial commitment, and costs vary mostly by trunk circumference. A green or white ash with a 48-inch trunk (at chest height) will cost about $180 every other year, and one with a 16-inch trunk about $60. EAB numbers in the city and surrounding areas will remain high for at least a decade. Once EAB begins to subside, treatment intervals can stretch beyond every other year. Even if you decide to remove your ash, it is still best to do so now before EAB finds and kills it, especially if it is large. A large, dead ash will cost significantly more to cut down than a large, live one. A professional can safely climb a live ash and efficiently saw it down. A dead one is loaded with extremely brittle, unstable wood and requires the added cost of a truck with

a hydraulic bucket to lift a worker with a chain saw, extra time to navigate around dangerous wood and extra time to clean up the mess of shattered wood on the ground. Do-it-yourself EAB insecticides are available. But treating your ash is not a good DIY project. The trunk-injection insecticide available only to those with special state licensure has consistently outperformed all DIY insecticides in side-by-side scientific field tests. And since all DIY insecticides are applied to the soil, either in liquid or granular form, they will not work in unfavorable soil conditions. Most ashes on private property in Fitchburg are in homeowners’ yards. But some are scattered on business properties and condominium, apartment and other residential grounds. Request that your employer, property manager or landlord identify whether ashes are present. Those with untreated ashes on their property who neglect to take action are headed for problems. EAB already has or very shortly will attack and kill these trees. Larger ones with dead branches pose hazards to people and property. I have seen enough infested, dying ash trees across the city that I now double check for one wherever I park my car. Jeremy Hecht is a member of Fitchburg’s Tree Advisory Board.

To move forward, we need to be together

itchburg is a unique community. We are the only community in the state with three separate school districts. Of the more than 13,000 Plaff acres of land in our city limits, about 11,000 are farmland. We are one of the most diverse communities in the state, with more than 30 percent of us being African-American and Hispanic. We are also one of the fastest-growing communities, with a population of now more than 28,000 residents living in our urban core, suburban neighborhoods and on family farms. We are the only community located directly between one of the fastest-growing companies in Wisconsin – Epic – and a world leading university and the state Capitol. These characteristics pose challenges by themselves, and having four mayors leading our city in the past four years makes it even more so. To move forward and make the most of what we have, we need to come together and focus on

Fitchburg-centered issues. We need to avoid the natural inclination to be divided by where we send our kids to school, where we live in our city, where we came from and how we feel about the debates at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C. During my two terms as mayor (2011-15), I was fortunate enough to partner with numerous residents, past mayors, community and city leaders and staff to open our new library and splash pad park. Both were the result of years of work by Fitchburg-based organizations like the Friends of the Fitchburg Library and the Optimists Club. Each garnered support for important legacy-building amenities that would benefit our growing and disparate community for generations to come. We also worked to create a faith-based and nonprofit group that met quarterly at different locations throughout our city. These gatherings allowed members of those sectors to meet with city officials to discuss ways we could collaboratively bring all parts of our community together as one. We also saw the Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce partner with the Fitchburg Senior Center and ultimately take over the Concerts in the Park

series nearly five years ago, creating what has become our “go to events” of the summer. The key to the success of those endeavors was that it was individual residents who cared about their community and who took the lead in moving those projects and efforts forward, and that made it easier for elected leaders, like myself and others at the time, to follow along. Our new mayor and council need to find ways to bring our community together, but their success in doing that also relies on what direction we choose as a community to go. We can easily divide ourselves because of our differences or our unwillingness to give back to our community. If we choose that direction, we most likely will see continued electoral instability and a murky future. We can instead work together on community legacy-building issues, such as through partnerships that support our businesses and neighborhoods along Verona Road and North Fish Hatchery Road during the ongoing and upcoming construction. We can continue our efforts to become greener by fully embracing our commitment to sustainability. We should

continue partnering with law enforcement to make our community even safer, further demonstrating our shared values of tolerance and inclusion. We also need to come together to enact a comprehensive growth plan that continues our commitment to cohesive neighborhoods by empowering residents – no matter whether they are homeowners or renters. We need to make sure this plan provides a framework for responsible economic growth that welcomes businesses and development that shares our community’s values all while maintaining our strong commitment to fiscal responsibility. Webster’s defines a community as “people with common interests living in a particular area.” In Fitchburg, our differences can easily divide us. It is now more important than ever that we put aside our differences and come together with our common “Fitchburg-centered” interests to move our community forward. Shawn Pfaff is Fitchburg’s last two-term mayor, vice president of the Fitchburg Lions Club and a trustee on the Madison College board. He lives in Seminole Forest with his wife, Monica, and their dog, Macy.

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May 10, 2019

Fitchburg Star

Healthy Neighborhood Initiative

Church, educational golf, Latino orgs among grant recipients SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group

Seven of the nine recommended recipients of the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative grants this year are nonprofits new to the program. The HNI Grant Review Committee made its recommendation Wednesday, April 10, mostly following staff recommendations for the $68,000. The committee moved $5,000 in funding from the River Food Pantry to Badger Prairie Needs Network and a bike program at Sugar Creek Elementary School. The mayor, city administrator and city finance director make the final approval on funding based on those recommendations. The nonprofits the committee recommended for funding are: Badger Prairie Needs Network, $7,500; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, $5,000; Chapel Valley Church, $10,000; First Tee, $10,000; Independent Living, $5,000; Latino Academy of Workforce Development, $10,000; Latino Chamber of Commerce, $10,000; Verona Area High School, $8,000; Sugar Creek Elementary

School, $2,500. BPNN and the Latino Academy of Workforce Development have both received grant funding in the past. City staff had recommended $5,000 to River Food Pantry, but committee members decided the pantry on Madison’s north side was too far away, even if many of its users are from Fitchburg, as it claimed in its application. Instead they wanted to provide more to a pantry closer to Fitchburg in BPNN, which in its application said it is working on opening a location in Fitchburg through a partnership with Redeemer City Church on King James Way. BPNN, headquartered in the City of Verona, serves the Verona Area School District, which includes the west side of Fitchburg. The rest of the money staff recommended for the River Food Pantry would be directed to Sugar Creek for a bike program. One staff concern in not recommending it initially was that the school’s attendance area doesn’t cover the city, though with half of the Two Way Immersion program housed there, some Fitchburg residents attend. Committee members lamented that Trails to Success, a program run through Chavez Elementary School that reaches children in the High Ridge Trail area for afterschool programming,

would not receive funding this year after being funded the past two cycles. Thompson explained the staff’s recommended denial by noting personnel costs are not eligible under the HNI program’s rules, and that’s what the Trails application was for. “She understood that the application she was putting together wasn’t eligible,” Thompson said. “They’re a model partner; they’re the kind of partner we want to continue to support.” He said he hopes to change that rule before next year, and the committee members agreed that was a good idea. They considered recommending making an exception, but decided that wouldn’t be fair. “They’ve done phenomenal work, and I would definitely wish they applied moving forward,” said committee member Nate Pharmer-Eden. “And I hope that on our end, we’ll be able to figure out the personnel side of things and we’ll be able to move forward amicably.”

and the committee recommend approval. The funds would support programming aimed at increasing civil engagement, recreation for kids and entrepreneurship. Chapel Valley would hold four social gatherings at a park in the Verona Road West neighborhood to “build community and address issues such as food insecurity and workforce development,” according to a city staff summary. The First Tee, which runs programming at Nine Springs Golf Course on North Fish Hatchery Road, would expand its after school and summer educational and recreational programming for students in the neighborhood. The funds at the Latino Academy of Workforce Development would help develop and support leadership training for residents in the North Fish Hatchery Road area, “to increase

project-focused neighborhood civic engagement,” according to the staff summary. The Latino chamber plans to expand an enterprise program for Latino entrepreneurs and help with training and coaching.

Less than requested The other five organizations recommended for funding all would receive less than their request. Independent Living would come the closest to receiving its full $5,690 request, recommended for $5,000 of funding. The nonprofit would “develop an evening senior Meals on Wheels program, to include a safety check and general check-in,” according to the staff summary. Verona Area High School would expand its college-preparedness programming for students with the $8,000 its recommended to receive, $2,000 short of its request. BPNN would receive the

next-highest of the group, using the funds to expand access to its food pantry, do more outreach to the community and support food-related educational events it hosts. The pantry had requested $10,000, and could still receive it if the Sugar Creek bike program is deemed ineligible. That program, recommended at $2,500 from a $6,500 request, would expand the school’s bike riding training program. Part of the money would buy a storage shed to keep the bikes in, according to its application. Finally, Big Brothers Big Sisters was recommended for $5,000 of funding, about half of its $9,548 request. The funds would increase recruitment of “Bigs” and speed up the process of waiting for “Littles” who have not had a match yet.

$10K awardees Four of the nine organizations chosen were recommended to receive the maximum $10,000 in a grant from the city. Chapel Valley Church, The First Tee, Latino Academy of Workforce Development and the Latino Chamber of Commerce each requested the full amount, and both city staff

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Police to participate in ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign City of Fitchburg police will pay special attention to motorists and passengers with unbuckled seatbelts from May 20 to June 2. The department will be participating in a state-wide “Click It or Ticket” campaign, led by the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Safety, to increase motorist compliance with traffic safety laws, according to the DOT’s website. Fitchburg police will be

partnering with 10 other law enforcement agencies in Dane County during the two-week-long campaign to conduct joint seatbelt traffic enforcements, a release from the department said. The department’s release said that Wisconsin motorists are buckling their seat belts 90 percent of the time, up from 74 percent in 2009, but that’s not enough. “The reason we enforce Wi s c o n s i n ’s m a n d a t o ry safety belt law is not to

write citations – but to save lives and prevent needless injuries,” the department’s release reads. “Consider for a moment that the 10 percent of Wisconsin motorists who fail to buckle up account for nearly half of the drivers and passengers killed in traffic crashes each year.” For more information on the campaign, call the department at 290-4300.

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Fitchburg Star

Festa Italia returns May 31 through June 2 McKee Farms Park will be transformed into a miniature Italy during the first weekend of June. Festa Italia, an annual celebration of Italian heritage and culture, will start on Friday, May 31, and finish Sunday, June 2, at the park, located at 2930 Chapel Valley Road. The weekend offers the opportunity to eat pasta, play bocce ball, view cooking demonstrations and hear live music. There will also be activities for children, including face painting and field games both days, and two magic show presentations by Wayne the Wizard on Saturday. Festa Italia opens at 4:30 p.m. Friday, with a pasta dinner, a

bocce ball match between the Fitchburg Fire Department and City Hall employees and live music from Gerri DiMaggio and World Jazz Unit, and the Eddie Butts Band. On Saturday, the festival opens at 11 a.m. and will feature cooking demonstrations, a pasta-eating contest from 1:302:15 p.m. and performances from the Italian Folk Dancers of Madison, Jim Giacalone on the accordion, the Sicilian Serenaders, and the bands Something To Do and VO5. On Sunday, the festival begins with a Mass in the Culture Tent at 10 a.m., followed by a doubles bocce tournament and live music by Joe Scalissi and Xavi

If You Go What: Festa Italia When: May 31 through June 2 Where: McKee Farms Park, 2930 Chapel Valley Road Cost: $3 per day, children 12-and-under free Info: iwcmadison.com Lynn. The festival costs $3 per day, and children under 12 are admitFile photo by Kimberly Wethal ted for free. For more information, or to Lilyana Zanesco, 8, of Madison, is determined to finish her bowl of spaghetti view the full schedule, visit iwc- – even after the pasta-eating contest had ended and the other contestants had left the table during the 2018 event. madison.com.

Calendar of events ‌Friday, May 10‌

• 7:30-9:30 p.m., Free Live Music: Ryan Mauer, Yahara Bay Distillers, 6250 Nesbitt Road, fitchburgchamber.com‌

‌Saturday, May 11‌

• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Kids Building Wisconsin, McKee Farms Park, 2930 Chapel Valley Road, kidsbuildingwi.org‌ • 11 a.m. to noon, Mother’s Day crafts (ages 2-5), library, 7291762‌

‌Monday, May 13‌

• 10-11 a.m., Preschool Art! (ages 2-5), library, 729-1762‌ • 6-7 p.m., “Strong is the New Pretty” (ages 9-12), library, 7291762‌

‌Wednesday, May 15‌

• 11 a.m., Fitchburg Singers performance: “Country Music of the 50’s,” senior center, 2704290‌

‌Thursday, May 16‌

• 10 a.m. to noon, Wellness checks with the nurse, senior center, 270-4290‌ • 10:30 a.m., Motor development storytime, library, 7291762‌ • 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Farmers Market, Agora Pavilion, 5500 E. Cheryl Pkwy., 277-2592‌ • 6-6:35 p.m., UNBookclub (ages 9-12), library, 729-1762‌

‌Friday, May 17‌

• 7:30-9:30 p.m., Free Live Music: Nick Venturella, Yahara Bay Distillers, 6250 Nesbitt Road, fitchburgchamber.com‌

‌Saturday, May 18‌

tic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” library, 729-1762‌

‌Monday, May 20‌

‌Thursday, June 6‌

729-1763 ‌

‌Thursday, May 30‌

• 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Farmers • 10-10:45 a.m., Madison Ballet: Market, Agora Pavilion, 5500 E. “Movement in Your World” ballet Cheryl Parkway, 277-2592‌ lesson (ages 3-6), library, 729‌Friday, May 31‌ 1762‌ • 4:30-11 p.m., Festa Italia ‌Tuesday, May 21‌ heritage festival ($3 per day), • 5-6:20 p.m., Read to a dog McKee Farms Park, 2930 (grades K-5, registration Chapel Valley Road, iwcmadirequired), library, 729-1762‌ son.com‌ • 6:30-7:30 p.m., Adult craft • 7:30-9:30 p.m., Free Live evening, library, 729-1763‌ Music: The Mascot Theory, Yahara Bay Distillers, 6250 ‌Wednesday, May 22‌ Nesbitt Road, fitchburgchamber. • 7-8 p.m., Privacy and security com‌ online seminar, library, 729‌Saturday, June 1‌ 1763‌ • 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Festa ‌Thursday, May 23‌ Italia heritage festival ($3 per • 10 a.m. to noon, Wellness day), McKee Farms Park, 2930 checks with the nurse, senior Chapel Valley Road, iwcmadicenter, 270-4290‌ son.com‌ • 1 p.m., Downsizing seminar, ‌Sunday, June 2‌ senior center, 270-4290‌ • 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Festa Italia • 1:30 p.m., I Love a Mystery heritage festival ($3 per day), Book club: “The Last Mile” by McKee Farms Park, 2930 David Baldacci, senior center, Chapel Valley Road, iwcmadi270-4290‌ son.com‌ • 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Farmers Market, Agora Pavilion, 5500 E. ‌Monday, June 3‌ Cheryl Parkway, 277-2592‌ • 6-7 p.m., Wind chime design art session (ages 9-12, registra‌Friday, May 24‌ tion required), library, 729-1762‌ • Noon, “Brat Fest” lunch delivery (registration required), ‌Tuesday, June 4‌ senior center, 270-4290‌ • 7:45-9 a.m., Fitchburg Busi• 7:30-9:30 p.m., Free Live ness Before Nine – “The EcoMusic: Old Farm Dog, Yahara nomic Power of the Millennial Bay Distillers, 6250 Nesbitt Wave,” Hawthorn Suites, 5421 Road, fitchburgchamber.com‌ Caddis Bend, fitchburgchamber. com‌ ‌Monday, May 27‌ • 12:15 p.m., City of Fitchburg Memorial Day Observance, Fitchburg Fire Department No. 2, 2931 Marketplace Drive, fitchburgwi.gov‌

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Brat Fest Pre-Party, Yahara Bay Distillers, 6250 Nesbitt Road, fitchburgc‌‌Wednesday, May 29‌ hamber.com‌ • 7-8 p.m., Knit Club, library, • 2-4 p.m., Teen Movie: “Fantas-

‌Wednesday, June 5‌

• 10-11 a.m., Father’s Day toddler art (ages 1-3), library, 7291762‌ • 7-8 p.m., 3D printing basics (registration required), library, 729-1763‌

Memorial United Church of Christ Love Of Neighbor, Love Of Children, Love Of Creation

5705 Lacy Road, Fitchburg

273-1008 • www.memorialucc.org

‌Friday, June 7‌

• 11 a.m. to noon, Space Storytime (recommended for ages 2-5), library, 729-1762‌

‌Saturday, June 8‌

• 1-3 p.m., LEGOs at the library (ages 5-12), library, 729-1762‌ • 2:30-4:30 p.m., Movies in Space: “Passengers” (rated PG-13, 116 minutes), library, 729-1763‌

• 3-4 p.m., DIY solar ovens (ages 5-12, registration required), library, 729-1762‌

‌Monday, June 17‌

• 4-5 p.m., Universe of STEAM: Science (ages 5-12), library, 729-1762‌ • 6-9 p.m., Concerts at McKee, McKee Farms Park, 2930 Chapel Valley Road, fitchburgchamber.com‌

‌Tuesday, June 18‌

• 6:30-7:30 p.m., Adult craft evening, library, 7291763‌

‌Wednesday, June 19‌

• 10-11 a.m., Wednesday Morning Book Discussion: “Kindred” by Octavia Butler, library, 7291763‌ • 10-11 a.m., Toddler art: Gravity (ages 1-3), library, 729-1762‌ • 6-7 p.m., Space camp (ages 5-12), library, 729-1762‌

‌Thursday, June 20‌

‌Wednesday, June 12‌

• 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Farmers Market, Agora Pavilion, 5500 E. Cheryl Parkway, 277-2592‌ • 6-7 p.m., (Sweet) Treat Yourself (ages 13-17), library, 7291762‌

‌Thursday, June 13‌

• 10:30-11:30 a.m., Silly stories and play time (ages 2-5), library, 729-1762‌ • 3-4 p.m., Ice cream taste test (ages 5-12), library, 729-1762‌

• 11 a.m. to noon, Preschool picnic (ages 2-5), library, 7291762‌ • 6-6:30 p.m., Family pajama storytime (ages 2-5), library, 729-1762‌

‌Friday, June 21‌

• 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Farmers Market, Agora Pavilion, 5500 E. Cheryl Parkway, 277-2592‌

‌Friday, June 14‌

• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Blast off crafts (all ages), library, 7291762‌ • 11 a.m. to noon, Magic of Glen Gerard show, library, 7291762‌

‌Saturday, June 15‌

‌Saturday, June 22‌

• 3-4 p.m., Yard games (ages 13-17), library, 729-1762‌

‌Thursday, June 27‌

• 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Farmers Market, Agora Pavilion, 5500 E. Cheryl Parkway, 277-2592‌

• 10:30-11:30 a.m., Giant Jenga (ages 5-12), library, 729-1762‌

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• 10 a.m. to noon, Senior farmers market voucher distribution, senior center, 270-4290‌ • 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., A Good Yarn Book Club: “Dear Life” by Alice Munro, library, 729-1763‌ • 3-6 p.m., Fitchburg Farmers Market, Agora Pavilion, 5500 E. Cheryl Parkway, 277-2592‌ • 4-5:30 p.m., Kids Movie: “Secret Life of Pets” (rated PG), library, 729-1762‌

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Kids Building WI Kids will get to shadow construction workers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 11, at McKee Farms Park, 2930 Chapel Valley Road. D i ff e r e n t c o m p a n i e s from the construction industry will be in attendance. The event is geared for children ages 3-12. For information, kidsbuildingwi.org.

Mother’s Day crafts Children can show Mom how much they care about her on her special day by making her a present during a crafting session at the library. The crafting session will be held from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 11, and is recommended for children ages 2-5. For more information, call 729-1762.

Strong is the New Pretty Both girls and boys are invited to the “Strong is the New Pretty” event from 6-7 p.m. Monday, May 13, at the library. T h e eve n t , b a s e d o n Kate T. Parker’s book of the same name, will give children insight on what it means to be pretty – whether that’s pretty confident, pretty kind or pretty creative. Children will also make a positive self-talk bracelet. The event is recommended for children ages 9-12. For information, call 729-1762.

1950’s Country music performance The Fitchburg Singers will perform their 2019 program “Country Music of the 50’s” at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, at the senior center. The senior center will be recognizing seniors 90 and older during lunch that follows the program. Registration for the meal is required. For information, call 270-4290.

Brat Fest pre-party Join city hall employees, law enforcement and local businesses from the cities of Fitchburg and Verona for a Brat Fest pre-party from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at Yahara Bay Distillers, 6259 Nesbitt Road. The two cities will compete against one another in a human foosball tournament. Grilled brats will be available for purchase for $5. For information, visit fitchburgchamber.com.

Ballet lesson Children ages 3-6 can learn ballet from Madison ballet dancers from 10-10:45 a.m. Monday, May 20, at the library. The Madison Ballet dancers will lead children in a short activity, and complete the session by teaching children to dance along with a musical poem. For information, call 729-1762.

clothes that can get messy make a Jenga tower withor to bring smocks. out knocking it down at the Learn about how to keep For information, call library. your information private 729-1762. From 10:30-11:30 a.m. and secure will using the Saturday, June 15, children internet with a seminar Voucher distribution ages 5-12 can play Giant from 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, The senior center will be Jenga with friends. May 22, at the library. For information, call distributing vouchers worth Topics will include pass- $25 to purchase food at 729-1762. words, internet browser farmers markets and roadinformation and how to side stands throughout the DIY solar ovens avoid phishing and scams. state from 10 a.m. to noon Learn how to make a Registration is required. Thursday, June 6. solar oven from 3-4 p.m. For information, call Vouchers will be given Saturday, June 15, at the 729-1763. out on a first-come, first- library. served basis to seniors who Children ages 5-12 will Brat Fest live in Dane County and make solar ovens and test Enjoy Brat Fest without are at least 60 years of age. them out, sunlight permitleaving Fitchburg by havThe income limit for the ting. ing a brat and chips for vouchers is $23,170 for a Anyone ages 8 or younglunch on Friday, May 24, one-person household and er will need a caregiver to at the senior center. $31,284 for two people. assist them with the creMetcalfe’s Market will For information, call ation of the solar oven. deliver food to the senior 270-4290. Registration is required. center for a dine-in only For information, call lunch. The senior center Preschool picnic 72-1762. needs 60 orders to ensure The library will be hostdelivery of the food. ing a preschool picnic from Space camp Registration is required 11 a.m. to noon WednesChildren ages 5-12 can and the lunch is free due to day, June 12. suit up for an evening of donations. The picnic will be held “space camp” from 6-7 For information, call o n t h e o u t d o o r p a t i o , p.m. Wednesday, June 19, 270-4290. weather permitting. at the library. Audio versions of chilThe event is part of the Wind chimes d r e n ’s b o o k s w i l l b e summer reading program’s Children ages 9-12 can played, and chalk will be theme of “outer space.” learn how to design a wind provided. For information, call chime from 6-7 p.m. MonFor information, call 729-1762. day, June 3, at the library. 729-1762. Yard games The wind chimes will be made of upcycled materi- Summer reading crafts Teens can stop by the als. Celebrate the start of the library from 3-4 p.m. SatFor information, call summer reading program urday, June 22, for a sum729-1762. with blast off crafts from mer barbeque and yard a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, games on the patio. Business Before Nine 10 June 14, at the library. The library will offer Join the Fitchburg Children in the reading yard games like cornhole Chamber at its monthly program can receive their and ladder toss, and hot “Business Before Nine” reading folders and earn dogs. professional development prizes for reading during For information, call and networking series from the craft session. 729-1762. 7:45-9 a.m. Tuesday, June For information, call 4, at Hawthorn Suites, 729-1762. 5421 Caddis Bend. This month’s series will Giant Jenga be about how the millenSee how tall you can nial generation plays a key role in growing the economy, and how businesses can learn to recruit and retain employees in their 20s and 30s. A light breakfast buffet will be served. The event is free for chamber members and $25 for nonmembers. For information, visit fitchburgchamber.com.

Fitchburg Star

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Father’s Day crafts Toddlers ages 1-3 can make a present for Father’s Day from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, June 5, at the library. Caregivers are encouraged to dress children in

Photo by Emilie Heidemann

Kids race to find Easter Eggs at the Cottontail Classic egg hunt after the race.

Cottontail Classic 2019 Not only did the Cottontail Classic, which took place on Saturday, April 20, at McGaw Park, drew more than just competitors in the race. Youngsters also raced, after the 5k and 10k races, to find as many Easter eggs as they could in a series of hunts.

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Fitchburg Star

City of Fitchburg

Veterans Memorial plans move forward

North Stoner zoning back to Plan

Committee has draft design, plans to bring to Council KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Ald. Tom Clauder (Dist. 4) said he thinks the city can do more for its veterans. Each year, he said, he s e e s G o r m a n Wa y s i d e Ve t e r a n ’s P a r k , 2 3 7 7 Fish Hatchery Road, get cleaned up for Memorial Day, but then it gets left alone until when the last Monday in May rolls around the following year. “It seems like on Memorial Day in Fitchburg, we spruce up the park and we get it ready for Memorial Day,” he said. “We should do this year-round, not just once … we make it (nice) for the day we have Memorial Day, but then we forget about it.” He and a committee of a half-dozen or more fellow veterans have been working on an idea to expand the park, and their draft design has been seen by the Parks Commission and will soon come before the Common Council. The council wouldn’t necessarily take action on the veterans memorial

If You Go What: Veterans Memorial committee meeting When: 1 p.m. Monday, May 13 Where: City Hall, 5520 Lacy Road Info: tom.clauder@ fitchburgwi.gov

park plans, Clauder said, but he wanted alders to be aware of the process. Scott Endl, city parks director, said his department and the Commission have shown favor for the initiative, and his department is always looking for ways to improve the city’s parks. “They like the idea,” Endl said. “They’re fully supportive of Tom and what his group are proposing to do at Gorman Wayside.” Clauder, a former City of Fitchburg mayor and police officer, said the draft design represents all of the branches of the military, and would allow the statue that currently sits on the property to remain within the park addition. The draft proposal shows a monument honoring all branches of service

Delayed until June to ensure full commission

How to participate

SCOTT GIRARD

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

Unified Newspaper Group

Fitchburg alders are hoping the fourth time is the charm in finding an agreement with the Plan Commission over the North Stoner Prairie neighborhood’s future. Plans for the southeast corner of the Seminole-Lacy intersection have drawn criticism from area residents for more than a year, and in recent months, the Common Council and commission could not agree on how much density should be allowed. Commissioners have repeatedly voted to allow high-density of up to 16 units per acre while alders have stuck to a more restrictive zoning classification. The council voted 5-2 Tuesday to send a proposed comprehensive plan amendment back to the commission. It will wait for the June agenda to ensure there is a full complement of commissioners. The zoning in the neighborhood plan approved more than five years ago limited it to six units per acre, but a quiet change to allow unlimited density in 2017 drew the ire of neighbors, who complained they were not properly notified. Developer Chris Ehlers eventually came forward with an apartment proposal in 2018 the council rejected. Some city leaders have wanted to change the zoning back since, while others have wanted to leave flexibility for the developer to come up with creative proposals, explaining they

adjacent to the current statue of a soldier kneeling, and then walking paths that would branch off in a circle leading to additional monuments. Clauder said the group is still debating the plans, but one idea is to include a quiet space meant for reflection. The park might also include military equipment like a tank or a helicopter, Clauder said, because one of the veterans on the committee has connections to receive it. “I think it’s good for the city,” he said. “We don’t have anything like this.” Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

MARC JONES For Dane County Board, District 33

• I am a lifelong Fitchburg Resident. • I am married with 4 children & 8 grandchildren.

been its strongest advocates since. Appointments to the two remaining open seats will be made by Mayor Aaron Richardson but must receive council approval. “I do expect the new plan commissioners will go along with this,” Bahr said. “We’re going to appoint people, they’re going to carry out the will of the people.” That sort of wording b o t h e r e d A l d . D o r o t hy Krause (D-1). “I have a major concern in tying peoples’ hands, in telling people, ‘This is how we expect you to vote, this is what we expect you to do,’” she said. “I don’t think we’re supposed to do that to the Plan Commission. “I feel like that turns into bullying at some point,” Krause added. Krause also shared the idea that alders represent “the entire city,” not just constituents in their personal districts – adding she wasn’t commenting on “this individual decision,” but rather “an attitude that says it is the residents that get the final word on what is going to happen in the city.” “It’s really spooky to me to say that the residents’ word is the last word and that is how we shall vote,” Krause said. “That downplays all the education, the staff and the money that we pour into paying our staff and everything else.” That drew reactions from Carpenter and Bahr. Bahr got applause from the audience when he told Krause, “It’s their city, Dorothy.” “We had an election, we had a debate about density in Fitchburg,” he added. “Voters responded in resounding fashion.” Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.

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ABOUT ME

My name is Marc Jones and I am running for Dane County Board, District 33, which includes a lot of the City of Fitchburg. This seat is now vacant and the special election will be JUNE 4TH 2019. I am asking for your vote.

can deny projects if they don’t get the support of neighbors. That led to multiple 4-4 ties last year, with then-Mayor Jason Gonzalez often breaking the tie to send the change back to the Plan Commission. In each case, the council asked the commission to limit the allowed density to between five and nine units per acre. The city attorney and L e a g u e o f Wi s c o n s i n Municipalities both have offered opinions that the two bodies must agree on the amendments, despite a sentence in the City of Fitchburg’s ordinances that states the council may make its own amendments. “This language does not alter my conclusion,” wrote LWM legal counsel Claire Silverman. “Where state statutes set forth a specific procedure for enacting and amending a comprehensive plan, a municipality cannot modify the statutory procedure by including language inconsistent with that scheme within its plan.” Ald. Dan Carpenter (Dist. 3) pointed to a different memo from the Wisconsin Legislative Council, a body he worked with as a legislative aide, that differed. “It’s the exact opposite of what we have been told for almost a year; that concerns me,” Carpenter said. Regardless, there’s reason for optimism among the alders and residents who have pushed for the medium density zoning limits. Three seats on the Plan Commission have turned over since it was last considered, with two appointments still to be made and Ald. Tom Clauder (D-4) taking over the aldermanic representative seat. Clauder, Carpenter and Ald. Dan Bahr (D-2) were the three that introduced the amendment to return the parcel to medium density zoning, and they have

• I am a Small Business Owner. • I am a Fitchburg Farmer. I own and operate our family farm, taking over from my dad 46 years ago. • I own and operate a construction company in Fitchburg, and have since 1983. • I worked for AT&T for 31 years. QUALIFICATIONS & COMMUNITY SERVICE • I have served on the Fitchburg Township Board, serving at the time when Fitchburg became a city. I have served on the Fitchburg City Council, and Fitchburg Ag & Rural Committee. • I was Union President for CWA Local 4630 in Madison, and served on CWA national committees. • I am currently on the Board of Directors for Heartland Credit Union, serving for 19 years. Heartland Credit Union serves the Madison & Southern Wisconsin area. IMPORTANT ISSUES TAXES. How do we keep them affordable? FARM RULES. Most of the land in Dane County is rural, and most of the county board members are not farmers and do not have a farming background. Manure Management vs Farm Survival – we must keep our lakes and water clean, but still allow farms to operate. FLOODING. How do we help flooding victims and plan to handle more water, which appears to be coming faster and more often than in the past? EXPO/COLOSSEUM EXPANSION. What is the best way to expand and use the Expo Center going forward? JAIL EXPANSION. How do we expand the jail at a cost we can afford? What other options could we use, and will they help? MENTAL HEALTH. How do we help the mentally challenged without overburdening the tax bills we all face? COUNTY BUDGET. We need to provide the great services that Dane County is known for, but at a cost that we can all live with.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR OUR DISTRICT WILL BE HELD JUNE 4TH. PLEASE HELP ME GET OUT THE VOTE. I AM ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON JUNE 4TH. THANK YOU, AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE ON JUNE 4TH.

Counting their treasure

Please Contact Me at 608-695-3497 or Email mjosyene@gmail.com with Questions.

Jack Hughes, 7, opens up Easter eggs with his mother Sarah during the Fitchburg Lions Club’s Easter Egg hunt on Saturday, April 20, at McKee Farms Park.

Authorized and paid for by Marc A. Jones, 2266 S. Syene Rd., Fitchburg, WI 53711

ConnectFitchburg.com

May 10, 2019

Fitchburg businesses assemble for expo On Thursday, April 11, the Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo attracted community businesses to the Wyndham Garden Hotel. In the hotel’s crowded ballroom, attendees

Fitchburg Star

Photo by Justin Loewen

From right, Kelly Shumate spins a wheel at Summit Credit Union’s booth as Casey June waits for the result during the Fitchburg Chamber Business Expo at the Wyndham Garden Hotel on April 11.

swapped business cards and traded stories about their respective occupations, with their booth displays consuming every available space at the exhibition. - Justin Loewen

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VETERINARIAN

Q. I am getting a lot of pain in my neck when I am

riding my bike. Would chiropractic or massage help with this? A. Whether you are riding a recreational bike, road bike, or tri bike the neck is forced into a position that puts pressure on the posterior portion of the cervical spine. Jill Unwin, Lee Unwin, This position also forces the neck to remain in a state of DC, CCEP BCMT, CSCS continued contraction that can cause joint and muscle soreness. Chiropractic adjustments will help maintain healthy joint mobility and function. This will help alleviate pain and will prolong your years of cycling. Therapeutic massage will help reduce muscle soreness and reduce any restrictions in the neck caused by that continued contraction. Along with regular chiropractic and massage, exercises would be recommended to help increase strength and mobility in your neck and upper back.

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CREMATION SERVICES

ask? The funeral home has to wait for the medical examiner to issue a permit to cremate and the Doctor has to sign the death certificate.

Q. Do I have to come pick up the remains/ ashes? A. There are two choices: you can pick up the remains in the local Madison area, or you can have them

mailed to you via USPS. However, there is a small charge to mail them to a location inside the USA. Remains cannot be mailed outside of the USA.

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MORTGAGE BANKING

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

REALTOR

Q. What strategies should be used when house hunting? A. House hunters need to know what their priorities and ‘must haves’ are in finding

their new house. Be sure to balance your heart - like it’s charming house - with your head - where three bedrooms, two baths are must. Another successful strategy is to walk through a potential house with an open mind. If the house gives you an overall good feeling, you need to determine that even though you do not like the current colors of the walls or the landscaping, you can still see yourself living in the house after you make those simple, aesthetic changes. Also, know the size of the furniture Shawn Pfaff your bringing with you and be sure to remember the floor plan of the house you just walked through because you cannot change its floor plan. As your Fitchburg Realtor, please contact me at pfaffs@firstweber.com, so I can help you find the home of your dreams.

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SENIOR CARE

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Q. Why Choose Care At Home? A. Home healthcare is a wonderful choice for any loving family member who is in the process of

Q. My friend is replacing all of her silver filings. Is this really necessary? A. Personal story. Dr. John’s brother is allergic to mercury. Many years ago, Dr.

Home healthcare allows the senior to stay in the comfort and stress free environment of their home. With Comfort Keepers®, our caregivers ask the senior “Would you like to help me cook dinner? Where are you recipe books? What’s your favorite meal?” The senior is able to be part of their own care, which helps them feel involved and useful as well as develop a bond with their care taker.

John looked for an alternative to silver fillings because of his brother’s allergy. At that time, non-metal, tooth-colored resin filling materials had just become available. Dr. John began to use them for his brother and all of his patients at Main Street Dentists. All fillings placed at Main Street Dentists since 1997 have been resin fillings. Resins are aesthetically pleasing and a beautiful cosmetic alternative to metal fillings. When you smile, no one knows whether you have any fillings, because resin fillings blend completely with your natural teeth. As patients need their old silver fillings replaced, we use tooth colored resins for all replacement fillings, just as we have for more than 20 years. The choice of replacing all of your silver fillings at the same time is a purely personal one.

searching for a provider to assist with the health, safety and personal well being of an elderly loved one. When searching for a permanent residence for a senior, there is no better choice than where the elderly loved-one is most comfortable: their own home. There are many qualities that make home healthcare a much better choice than that of a retirement or nursing home. Stephen Rudolph FACHE, CSA

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Q. Should I get a 15 year or 30 year mortgage? A. Not only will a 15 year mortgage allow you to pay off your home faster, but shorter-term loans generally come with lower interest rates. On the other hand, a 30 year loan will produce the lowest payment, and allow you to afford more “house.” It’s also worth noting that we offer loans with other durations, such as 10, 20 or 25 years.

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number of infected pets in the Midwest is on a dramatic increase. In the early stage of the worm’s lifecycle, microfilaria are transmitted into the pet via mosquito bites. As the worms become adults, they grow to large sizes inside the heart and vessels, leading to heart failure and other complications. Killing adult worms already in the heart can be very risky for your pet. It is much safer to prevent infection by giving a monthly preventative medicine that kills the microfilaria found in the blood stream before they can become adults. A simple blood test for your dogs and cats each year will screen for infections of heartworm disease.

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Q. What are Heartworms? A. Heartworms are a parasite that infect the heart and blood vessels of dogs and cats. The

Q. How long will my loved ones wait to have cremated remains returned to them? A. Great question! On average remains are ready for pick up in 10 to 14 business days. Why so long you

May 10, 2019

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

‘It makes us a destination’ Friends of Fitchburg Library fund ‘discovery’ tables for children’s area EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Before the purchase of three “discovery” tables for the Fitchburg Public Library children’s area, it wasn’t quite as accommodating a place for youngsters to play. The Friends of the Fitchburg Library paid $13,000 for the tables, transforming an area that formerly had bean bags, puzzles and puppets into a space that enhances early childhood literacy, Tim Powers, Youth Services manager told the Star. A couple of youngsters, with smiles on their faces, instantly took to the tables when their parents brought them in to see them for the first time on Monday, May 6. Two girls, Charlotte and Lucy Schultz, ages 2 and 4, of Verona, played quietly a table with LED lights. A Fitchburg youngster, Nori Reeder, age 4, took to a table across from them and entertained herself with what looked like toy trucks. Library Director Wendy Rauson said the tables serve as a space for children to use their imagination and share ideas, which encourages creativity and builds communication skills. Powers added that’s what enhances early literacy, as play is a “crucial” part of any child’s development. According to manufacturer 3branch’s website, the fixtures offer “secure and open” storage, are long-lasting and resilient and come with various

Lucy and Charlotte Schultz, ages 4 and 2, of Verona, play at the LED light table in the children’s area of the Fitchburg Public Library. tops. One table in the children’s area had an LED lightbox top. The two others had reversible activity tops, which are two-sided and include Legos, Tinker Toys, train tracks and a flat surface. T h e d i s c ove r y t a b l e s purchase came as part of the library’s strategic plan, Rauson said. “The goal was making the most of (the library’s) spaces,” she said. Nancy Arnold, Friends of the Fitchburg Library Board president, said the board also received

feedback from the community about jazzing up the children’s area in particular. “It was cool that from the strategic plan, the community wanted this too,” she added. “It just aligned beautifully.” And so came the need for a lot of “hunting and research,” Rauson said. Library staff looked for something sturdy to put in the children’s area, Rauson said, that could withstand years of use. Once they found 3branch and their discovery table designs,

Powers gave a presentation to the Friends, who liked the idea. The Friends have three used book sales per year to help raise funds for the library, which Arnold said bring in around $3,000 on average per sale, and the daily book sales bring in another $1,500 annually. She said the Friends also host a couple of fundraisers every few years. “That, in addition to our book sales, daily sales, donations — it built up,” Arnold said. Rauson, Arnold and

P ow e r s s a i d t h e y ’v e received positive feedback from Fitchburg community members about the new addition to the children’s area, which was widely anticipated in the community. “ We w a n t t o b e a resource for all ages,” she said. “(Having the tables) makes us a destination.” Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@ wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Photos by Emilie Heidemann

Coming up The next Friends of the Fitchburg Library used book sale will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, June 21, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at the Fitchburg Public Library.

TAKE A CHANCE AT

Casino Night Thursday, May 30th, 2019 6:00PM - 8:30PM - in the Small Dining Room

The Friends of the Fitchburg Library funded a recent $13,000 purchase of ‘discovery’ tables for the library children’s area.

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Nori Reeder, 4, Fitchburg, plays at one of the ‘discovery’ tables.

ConnectFitchburg.com

May 10, 2019

Fitchburg Star

Redeemer City Church finds its home KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

After four-and-a-half years, Redeemer City Church finally has a place to call its own. “It’s a great space,” Nate Hobert, one of the congregation’s two pastors, said. On April 14, the church held its first service at its new-to-them building at 5356 King James Way, former home of a design company, after being hosted at Chavez Elementary since

its inception in 2015. When the church began renovating the building last summer, Hobert said, they were taking out 10-foot walls from sample kitchens leftover from the previous tenant. The goal for the space is for church services on Sundays and to host spiritual groups throughout the week, and then share it with other entities through partnerships to help serve the community, Hobert said. They’ve got the room for it, Hobert said, with the 11,000-square-foot space providing plenty of space for Hobert and his co-pastor Casey Johnson

Redeemer City Church 5356 King James Way Church services: 10 a.m. Sunday redeemercitychurch.org to design the facility with the needs of community groups in mind. “ W h a t ’s r e a l l y s w e e t about this whole transition, is that since day one, this has always been our vision,” he said. “As we gather, we’re in the scriptures looking at this God and what He’s about, but as we gather in small groups each week, we’re trying to

live it out in different ways. “Moving into this facility is the next step into what we’ve always been about,” Hobert added. The church is partnering with the Verona Area School District, with after-school activities for C o u n t r y Vi ew E l e m e n tary School students in the works, the Fitchburg Library, Badger Prairie

Needs Network, where a room in the church’s new space will be dedicated to a pantry, and “flex offices” for social workers who need a space as they assist nearby residents. The church has built those partnerships over the first years of its congregation, but having the new space has enabled it to further serve the community, Hobert said. “It’s been built with that whole mindset of, ‘How can the space not just serve our congregation, but how does it also serve the community?’” he said. Hobert said they’re still developing other programming and partnerships with

community programs could look like. The King James Way neighborhood is part of the Dane County Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative, which provided a grant to BPNN to help open the pantry inside the church. Hobert said he hopes to pursue similar partnerships to provide community services. “We want to just serve and learn and love well,” he said. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

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May 10, 2019

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

Navigators: Torres-Kinerk ‘hopeful’ program will help foster strong community connections Continued from page 1 Nine Springs Golf Course area. He said “traditional engagement” strategies typically don’t get the type of feedback the city wants. “These guys being at a grassroots level, I think they’ll really engage with the neighborhood and get us good feedback on what that hub might look like and then hopefully produce some plans that really reflect neighborhood desires,” Thompson said. Torres-Kinerk is hopeful that the program will also create connections within the community and create a place where people look out for each other. “Everything is rush, rush, and everything is so me, me, me; it’s nice to be part of something that mayPhoto by Scott Girard be can help bring people Elizabeth Prado, left, and Carmen Torres-Kinerk are the City of Fitchburg’s North Fish Hatchery Road Neighborhood Navigatogether again,” Torres-Kinerk said. “We’ve lost that, tors, new positions funded through a Dane County grant. The pair will work to help inform residents about resources like Joining Forces for Families, which has an office across from Leopold Elementary School. I think.” Prado, who lives in the care, mobility, healthy life- a larger impoverished popPrado and Torres-Kinerk Making connections plan to gather pamphlets for Coho Street area near Leo- styles and healthy land- ulation and those home to Health programs like free area organizations and have pold, has a simple goal for scapes. more people of color. clinic visits are something the information ready to her community: “Be togethIt’s focused on three “I think this could real“everybody can use,” Tor- present as they come across er.” n e i g h b o r h o o d s : Ve r o n a ly be a model for our other res-Kinerk pointed out. Road West, Belmar/Renais- neighborhoods,” Thompson someone with a question. But not everybody knows In the process, Torres-Kin- Healthy sance on the Park – both said. how to access them or that erk said, she hopes to make neighborhoods near Verona Road on the That would require ongothey even exist. That’s connections herself. city’s west side – and North ing funding, which has not The navigator program Fish Hatchery Road. So yet been discussed. But if where she and Prado hope “I wanted to get to know to reach residents who my community a little bit is the next step in the city’s far, the program has pro- the program is successful could benefit from pre- better,” Torres-Kinerk said. Healthy Neighborhoods Ini- vided grants to nonprofits in improving outcomes in ventative measures before “And get more involved. tiative, which began three that work in those neigh- the pillar areas, Thompson s o m e t h i n g b e c o m e s a n Being from bigger cities, years ago and is still in a borhoods, but Thompson is is hopeful they can work emergency, whether it’s I did not have very much pilot stage. hopeful the navigators pro- toward that in the future. The initiative has six pil- gram can be a next step in a medical issue or one of involvement in where I’ve “What you’re talking lars: education, life skills, housing or childcare. lived before.” helping neighborhoods with about is this idea of building community,” Thompson said. “As we talk about our broader initiative, that’s Apartments for “Active” really what it’s premised Seniors 55+ on is building this sense of community and togetherSENIOR APARTMENTS Full/Part Time Positions Available ness.” Drive Locally andWages Support your Community SPACIOUS 2 BEDROOMS •Excellent Badger BusTraining Offers: •Paid • 2,100 sq., $1950 / mo. Contact Scott Girard at • $150 Sign-On Bonus for Van Drivers •CDL Program ungreporter@wcinet.com • 1,300 sq., $1350 / mo. • $500 Sign-On Bonus for (If Qualiﬁed School Bus Drivers •Signing Bonus Applicable) and follow him on Twitter Contact Robert Keller Rent includes HEAT, • Paid Training and Available Bonus to get in your CDL •Positions @sgirard9. C: 608-577-2451 Madison and Verona • Full and Part-Time Positions Available garage & storage locker. Apply in Person: 5501 Femrite Drive Madison, WI

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Fitchburg Star

Join Our Team!

Dane County Board

• Resident Assistants • Activity Assistant

Special election to fill Fitchburg seat June 4 Dane County will hold a special election on Tuesday, June 4, to fill three open seats on the County Board of Supervisors, including District 33, which covers most of Fitchburg. Ann DeGarmo and Marc A. Jones will vie to represent the district, which includes

city wards 7-8 and 12-19. Jenni Dye represented District 33 for seven years before she resigned in January to take a job as Gov. Tony Evers’ policy director. According to a news release last month from County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan, the elections were

prompted by the “unusual number of mid-term openings” on the board with three resignations. DeGarmo is a first-time political candidate, while this is the third political race in the past few years for Jones. In February 2017, he lost a primary for

Marc A. Jones Age: 69 Family: Four children; eight grandchildren Originally from: Fitchburg Lived in area since: 1950 Education: High School, some leadership courses at O h i o S t a t e Jones University Occupation: Retired AT&T after 31 years in line construction; owner/operator since 1983 of the Jones Construction Co. Political experience: I served on the Fitchburg Town Board during incorporation; served on the Fitchburg City Council; I now serve on the Fitchburg Agriculture & Rural Affairs committee. Other notable affiliations: I serve on the Board of Directors for Heartland Credit Union, and was Union President for CWA

Local 4630 for AT&T, servYes, we should contining on national committees ue to look at environmental investments, we need to Questions look at the costs, and look Why are you running for grants, and programs that can expand where it for County Board? The majority of the land makes sense, and we can in Dane County is rural, but afford. How should the county there are few, if any, farmers serving on the County work with towns on zonBoard. I feel I can give a ing issues? The county should work voice of common sense and try to keep our taxes as low with all towns (and cities as we can and still be fair to also) on zoning. The county has had the expertise for all that I will represent. What issues are most many years. Is the county doing important to you? Keeping taxes fair, flood- enough to replace aging ing and how to deal with roads? No, the county is not faster and more frequent large rains, expo center doing enough to replace expansion, how to expand aging roads, but it all goes the jail at a cost that we back to costs. (You personcan all live with, new farm ally can drive a new car, but manure rules and how can you have to make the paywe keep our waters clean ments to keep the car, same without driving farmers off with roads.) What are the most their lands. Should the county con- important issues facing tinue to prioritize envi- Dane County in the next ronmental investments two years? Taxes, cost of governlike expanding the Falk Wells Sugar River Wild- ment and every issue I have above. life area?

Ann DeGarmo Age: 27 Family: Fiance, Sam; two cats, Muff and Chip Originally from: Union Grove Lived in area since: 2017 Education: B.A. Political Science – UWMadison, 2014 Occupation: Policy Initiatives DeGarmo Analyst, Secretary’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Revenue Political experience: I am an experienced campaign manager and organizer. I have over 11 cycles of local and state legislative campaign experience. Through my previous job, I helped develop programming for a day-long conference for progressive local elected officials across Wisconsin to network, learn, and bring the best of Wisconsin home. I was also a legislative aide for Milwaukee Democrat, Rep. Christine Sinicki. Other notable affiliations: Big Sister – Dane County Big Brothers Big S i s t e r s ( s ev e n y e a r s ) ; Raleigh’s Hillside Farm Core Group Member (five years)

Questions Why are you running for County Board? The Dane County Board distributes over $600 million annually. A large portion of that money goes to providing critical support to families through health and human services. I’m running because county government has a stake in providing opportunity to families in our community. What issues are most important to you? My focus for service on the County Board will be to invest in infrastructure, address problems related to climate change and support our kids and seniors. I also intend to be a collaborative partner with the city and school districts to find efficiencies and be a more effective advocate. Should the county continue to prioritize environmental investments like expanding the Falk Wells Sugar River Wildlife area? Yes. Investments in our environment are investments in our future. They provide opportunities to learn, explore, and relax as well as help offset the effects of climate change. By investing in areas like

this we are also taking steps to protect our community from damaging floods. How should the county work with towns on zoning issues? The county should listen to and collaborate with town elected officials and residents as often as possible to determine the needs and desires of the community before making decisions on town zoning. Is the county doing enough to replace aging roads? Due to funding cuts at the state level, local governments across Wisconsin have been left without options to replace aging roads. I believe the county has done its best within the parameters set by the state. That said, we can continue to find innovative solutions to get the job done. What are the most important issues facing Dane County in the next two years? Fixing our roads, proactively fighting the effects of climate change, ensuring that all Dane County residents have access to mental healthcare and addressing the racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system.

Fitchburg mayor, and this February, Jones lost a primary for Fitchburg’s District 4, Seat 8 aldermanic seat.

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May 10, 2019

OWNERSHIP

Sports Editor Unified Newspaper Group is looking to fill our sports editor position for the first time in more than 15 years. We are seeking a dynamic, energetic sports journalist who can lead the evolution of our sports coverage to match modern readers’ needs. It will take someone who knows how to produce and coach good writing and photography and will enjoy getting to know people in four different suburban communities. There is some room to tailor the job to fit your particular strengths, but it will involve some of everything – reporting, designing pages, community outreach, social media, planning and organization, as well as supervising and collaborating with our assistant sports editor. If you have a missing piece in your resume, don’t worry, we’re all about teaching, with top-notch mentoring on every aspect of the newspaper operation. Our newspapers cover five high schools, so the ability to manage your time wisely, make community contacts to secure submitted information and learn quickly is essential. Much of the work is evenings and weekends. Unified Newspaper Group prints three award-winning hyperlocal weekly news publications in Stoughton, Oregon and Verona and one monthly newspaper in Fitchburg, along with a quarterly regional magazine, and we have a culture and a staff structure you won’t find anywhere else. Constant learning and collaboration is our focus, from our interns to our editors, and good people stick around. We look for real journalists who like telling stories through words, photos and design. Experience with photography, InDesign and managing websites and social media is important, but none are as important as being able to own our coverage, adapt it to our readers’ needs and defend it to parents and grandparents who are highly invested in their kids. Photo equipment and a laptop are provided. We stay on top of technology here. The job is salaried, with health, dental, vision and paid vacations. The company is part of Woodward Community Media, a division of Woodward Communications Inc., an employee-owned company based in Dubuque, Iowa. Apply online by May 15, 2019 and include a cover letter, your best reporting work and any design or photography samples you have.

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14 Fitchburg Star - May 10, 2019

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

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

5520 Lacy Road, Fitchburg, WI 53711 • www.fitchburgwi.gov adno=66736

TIPS FOR PROPER DISPOSAL OF INVASIVE PLANTS Spring is a time for renewal and new beginnings. As leaves unfold & flowers start to bloom, it’s time to keep an eye out for invasive species. Garlic mustard, (shown in the photo), can be identified by its heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges. During this time of year, they are seen with small clusters of white flowers. Invasive plants like garlic mustard should be removed

& sealed in plastic bags & sent to the landfill. Small bags should be placed in your green refuse cart and large bags can be disposed of at the Fitchburg Recycling Drop off site (2373 S. Fish Hatchery Rd) in the dumpster marked ‘yard waste bags, invasive plants and empty oil containers’. For more information on invasive species, visit www. fitchburgwi.gov/821/Invasive-Species.

CURBSIDE BRUSH COLLECTION SCHEDULE May 6-10, May 20-24, June 10-14, July 22-26, August 26-30, September 9-13, September 23-27, October 7-11, October 21-25, November 11-15, November 25-29. Residents must have their brush placed at the curb by 6:30

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am on Monday of the collection week. Actual collection dates depend on weather & are not necessarily picked up on refuse collection day. For more information, see http://www.fitchburgwi. gov/205/Brush-Collection

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MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE The public is invited to attend the City’s Memorial Day Observance on Monday, May 27th at Fitchburg Fire Station #2, 2931 Marketplace Drive at 12:15 pm. This year’s guest speaker is Alder Janell Rice. The Oregon-Brooklyn VFW Post 10272 and BrooklynOregon American Legion Post

160 will preside over the observance. At 1:30 pm the Fitchburg Fire Dept. Honor Guard will lay a wreath at the Bob Schley Memorial at Gorman Wayside Park, 2377 S. Fish Hatchery Road, in honor of the men & women who have sacrificed their lives while serving our country.

MCKEE FARMS PARK SPLASH PAD OPENING The Splash Pad at McKee Farms Park is scheduled to open for the season on Saturday, May 25th. This is a popular destination for children of all ages, and is open

daily through Labor Day from 10 am to 8 pm. The splash pad is free & is located at 2930 Chapel Valley Road. Watch for updates on the City’s Facebook page!

@FitchburgWI

RECREATION DEPARTMENT Go to www.fitchburgwi.gov/recreation and click on “View Activities” to see our list of programs for this summer!

Babysitter Training

Camp McKee

This class, offered in cooperation with the American Red Cross, will provide youth who are planning to babysit with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely, and responsibly give care for children and infants. This training will help participants to develop leadership skills; learn how to develop a babysitting business, keep themselves and others safe and help children behave; and learn about basic childcare and basic first aid. • Ages – 11-16 • Day/Time – Tuesday, June 18, 9:00am-4:30 pm • Location – Fitchburg Community Center • Fee - $105

Children will have days filled with games, art, crafts, music, sports and Fun!!! We have created an attentive, stress-free environment in which kids can try new things and meet new friends. We will come up with a new theme each week and have a blast! • Ages – 4-6 years old • Days/Times – Session 1: Mon-Fri June 17-July 12, 9:30-11:30am Session 2: Mon-Fri July 15-August 7, 9:30-11:30am • Location – McKee Farms Park Shelter • Fee – $90 a session

Explore Bowhunting

Do you have a crafty young artist in your home? In this program kids will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of arts and crafts, try them out, and explore them with creative freedom. Sign your child up for Crafty Kids to let their creativity flourish in a fun and friendly space. Supplies will be provided but your children are welcome to bring additional supplies to add to their art experience. • Ages – 5-12 years old • Day/Time – Thursdays, June 13th – August 29th from 10-11am • Location – Huegel-Jamestown Park • Fee - $180

Explore Bowhunting encompasses outdoor skills used not only to bowhunt, but also for anyone seeking a better understanding of the natural world. Explore Bowhunting is the perfect complement to the Archery Program and Hunter Education program that we have in Wisconsin. Students will learn a variety of skills that will not only help them become better hunters but develop an overall appreciation for wildlife and nature. • Ages – 11-17 • Day/Time – Tuesdays, July 16-August 6, 9:30-11:30am • Location – Fitchburg Community Center • Fee - $80

Dodgeball

This is not an organized league. Each week we will meet and pick new teams and play different variations of dodgeball. Get your friends together for this popular activity. Grade refers to the 19/20 School Year. • Grades 2nd-4th and 5th-8th • Day/Time – Tuesdays, June 18-July 30, Afternoons • Location – Savanna Oaks School • Fee - $25

Volleyball Clinics

This summer we are offering three different clinics to improve your game.There will be a Hitting/ Blocking Clinic, Passing/Setting Clinic, and a Serving Clinic. The participants will have numerous opportunities to participate in practice drills and enjoy skill-based games. Additionally, strength and cardio-vascular conditioning will be emphasized throughout the camp. The goal of this program is to increase the athlete’s volleyball abilities, prepare them to compete at the next level, and instill fervor for the sport. • Grades – 6th-9th • Days/Times – Tue-Thur., July 30-August 1, H/B – 6pm, P/S – 3pm, Serving – 4pm • Location – Savanna Oaks Gym • Fee - $50 each clinic

Lacrosse Open Sessions

We will meet on the following Wednesday nights and form teams for full field games of men’s lacrosse. Meeting dates are June 19, July 10, 24, & August 7. • Ages – 14-17 Year Old Group and Adults Only Group • Days/Times – Wednesdays, 6-8pm, Dates (See Online) • Location – McGaw Park Lacrosse Field • Fee - $30 fee or $10 drop-in

Half-Day Camps

These Monday-Thursday weekly camps have a new theme each week. The camps offered this year are Aloha Summer,Young Scientists, H2WHOA, Nature Explorers, Spy School, Discovery Days, and Best of the Best! • Ages – 6-11 years old • Days/Times – Mon-Thur., throughout the Summer, 1-4pm • Location – McKee Farms Park Shelter • Fee - $50 each camp

Crafty Kids

Game Makers Club

Is your child interested in playing with other children and learning how to make games, build creatively, and use their imagination in a new way? This is a great opportunity for your child to also learn skills in team work, communication, understanding perspective, and making friends. Led by a Recreational Therapist from CI Pediatric Therapy Center, this program is going to be extremely fun and even developmentally beneficial. Join CI at Huegel-Jamestown Park this summer to let your child’s imagination run wild. • Ages – 5-12 years old • Day/Time – Thursdays, June 13th – August 29th from 9-10am • Location – Huegel-Jamestown Park • Fee - $180

Tennis Lessons

This is a youth instructional tennis program designed for all abilities. Instructors are skilled college and high school tennis players. Tennis balls will be provided, however participants need to bring their own racquet • Classes – Lessons for ages 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-12, and 13-16 years old • Days/Times – Mondays and Wednesdays – Session 1: June 17-July 10 and Session 2: July 15-August 7 • Location – McKee Farms Park Tennis Courts • Fee – Session 1: $32 Session 2: $32

Open Flag Football

Do you love football? The Rec Dept. is organizing an open flag football program for kids entering grades 1-3 and 4-6. This isn’t an organized league. There will be football skill instruction for the first part of the class, then we will play a game. New teams will be picked each week and FUN is the main objective. • Classes – 1st - 3rd Grade and 4th - 6th Grade • Days/Times – Fridays, June 21-August 2, 9:30 am (1st-3rd), 10:30 am (4th-6th) • Location – Tower Hill Park • Fee - $30

Zumba

Come join the party! Zumba Fitness includes Latin rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia and Reggae.This is a fun and enjoyable workout where you will surely burn calories. Classes on Tuesdays are 5-6 p.m. and Saturdays are 9:30-10:30 am. • Ages – Adults • Days/Times – Tuesdays and Saturdays, May 21-July 13 • Location – Fitchburg Community Center • Fee - $68 for full session, $40 for 1x a week, $6 drop-in fee

Business

ConnectFitchburg.com

May 10, 2019

Fitchburg Star

Empowering mothers

Lioness Fitness moves into new Fitchburg facility

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Lioness Fitness owner Kim Krueger never dreamed she’d own a gym – or even wanted to. But that changed after Krueger’s first son, now 7, was born, and she began to do workouts to try to prevent a persistent situation from getting worse. Krueger “I was overweight growing up, and it was always something I struggled with,” she said. “I guess after I had my first son I assumed that it was going to get worse. I was going to gain all this weight and not be able to lose it, and this was just going to be my life now.” Krueger, now a mother of three, with a 4-year-old son and a 1-and-a-half year-old daughter rounding out her family, said she when she started having kids, it forced her to take a look at her habits and lifestyle. She began working out at Princeton Club with a strong emphasis in weightlifting, and was later hired as a coach there before she started her own personal training business in 2016 out of a gym studio in Verona. She opened the Fitchburg facility at 5957 McKee Rd Suite 101B on Jan. 1 because she needed a larger space for her 40 clients. Krueger started Lioness Fitness because of a lack of exercise programs for women who are in the child-rearing stages of their lives, Krueger said, whether it be pre- or post-natal, or just needing to stay energized to keep up with their children all day. It’s grown to become a community for the women involved, Krueger said, many of whom hang out outside of class and are going through similar experiences. As one of the four trainers at Lioness Fitness, Krueger encourages women to focus on no- to low-impact weight lifting exercises like squats or lunges that won’t do further damage to their bodies after they’ve experienced the changes that pregnancy and motherhood brings. “We’re still using heavy weights, and you can progress all the way up to something as challenging as what you would have done before pregnancy,” she said. “It’s easy for people to modify their workout to them, and that’s what we really encourage. We want to empower people to do what their body needs them to do on a particular day, even.”

‘A life sentence’ Prior to getting into weightlifting and training, Krueger feared she would never lose the weight she gained from pregnancy. But to her surprise, she said, she lost all the pregnancy weight and got to “an even better place” health-wise than she was before having kids. “I was like, ‘Hey, maybe this isn’t a life sentence once you have a baby, you’re doomed to this body and this

Photos by Kimberly Wethal

Erin Kresbsbach, of Verona, does lunges with a bar holding 40 pounds of weight during a workout session at Lioness Fitness on Thursday, March 28.

Lioness Fitness Lioness Fitness 5957 McKee Rd Suite 101B 284-8574 lioness-fitness.com life forever.’ I wanted to sort of share that with the world.” After starting to lift weights, she decided to try for her personal trainer’s license “out of curiosity,” even though she didn’t have any definite plans on how she might use it. That direction became clear after giving birth to her second son, when she realized the trainings she was doing with small groups at the Princeton Club weren’t suited for people like her: a postpartum mother who now had a toddler and a newborn. “I was like, ‘This isn’t really appropriate for pre-natal and post-natal,” she said. “So I wanted to put something together that would be appropriate for moms as they’re going through pre-natal, postpartum, getting pregnant again, postpartum again.” Pregnancy affects the body’s movements during and after the child is born, she said, as women learn to move differently while carrying children and find they can’t work out at the same intensity after giving birth that they may have been able to do before. Women who go through pregnancy may have had no problems doing high-intensity workouts prior to having a child, Krueger explained, but after birth, their bodies can no longer safely handle that style of workout right away. “I think the challenge is

From left, Stacy Regehr’s children Julian, 6, and Zoey, 9, all of Madison, stretch with her after a workout session. that after you have a baby and are cleared for exercise, you’re really excited to dive back into it and go hard right away,” she said. “You can’t really go at that level, you have to ease back into it, and you have new challenges you’re not prepared for.”

A small start Her group started small, Krueger said, as a “community exercise playdate” for women with young babies, who stayed within eyesight of their mothers while they completed their weightlifting workouts. Krueger said as Lioness Fitness grew – and as the kids did, too – she added child care services so her clients could concentrate on their workouts. She soon found herself adding equipment as mothers wanted to continue to push toward their fitness goals. Krueger moved the business one more time in Verona to another gym’s facility before bringing it to Fitchburg where it has its own

space. The space now allows 12 people to work out at once, just enough so that Krueger and other trainers can have one-on-one time with clients to assist them with their posture, as well as give them advice on how to complete each workout. The stations set up in Lioness Fitness are staggered based on difficulty and what a woman’s body might need that day, Krueger said, and part of her job is telling women that it’s okay to take it easy if they need it. “I will go around and tell people to go down, too, if I can tell that their form is being compromised, or they’re going heavier than they should be,” she said. “A lot of people need that. They need to be told to go down because they will work beyond their level.” In addition to weightlifting trainings, Lioness Fitness also offers yoga, and Krueger hopes to introduce two online programs, one focusing on nutrition and another

Rachel Cunningham, of Madison, lifts weights while kneeling on a bench during a workout session. detailing a home workout mothers can complete simply by using resistance bands. Krueger and some other women also planned to start a running club to train for the Madison Twilight 5K and 10K on May 25, held downtown just as the sun begins to set. One of the most important parts of Lioness Fitness’ impact on its clients’ lives has nothing to do with strength or muscle toning, Krueger said – rather, it provides women who are all in the same stage of life with a community they can rely on to understand what they’re

going through. “That is the absolute most important thing,” she said. “Everyone is really close and are hanging out outside of class. A lot of people have said about the gym too, is that they’ve made so many friends and are basically coming to hang out with their friends and work out, with the workout being the secondary part.” Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

May 10, 2019

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

Construction: Central Park Place to extend over railroad tracks, Lacy, Coleman roads Continued from page 1 before anyone can drive on the new concrete, according to the January presentation. Central Park Place in the Uptown area will also be extended over the railroad tracks and eventually connect with Lacy Road, Coleman wrote in an email.

Verona Road Both directions of traffic on Verona Road have already seen a major shift this spring. By the end of summer, those shifts will have allowed crews to expand it to three lanes in each direction and complete the bridges at the County Hwy. PD and Williamsburg Way intersections. The intersections at both have already been altered and will remain so for much of construction season. At Williamsburg Way and Verona Road, no left turns are allowed in any direction, with frontage roads required to travel certain directions. At McKee and Verona roads, the traffic signal timing has changed and there is a new central set of stop lights for traffic on McKee. Nightly lane closures will be required at times, and the speed limit has been reduced for portions of the road. While construction will continue into next year, traffic should be near the final patterns by the end of this year’s construction season.

overhaul will begin on the Nesbitt-Fitchrona intersection, and by the end of the year, traffic will travel around a roundabout instead of the current four-way stop. During construction, which will take place from mid-June to December, a detour will be provided using Maple Grove Drive and McKee Road, according to an email from transportation project engineer Bill Balke. “We are working with Cindy Jaggi with the Verona Road Business Coalition to provide outreach and local signage direction for local business in the area regarding construction updates,” he wrote. The East Cheryl Parkway roundabout at the intersection with Fahey Glen will also be under construction this summer to add a connection between East Cheryl and Lacy Road. Balke said the intersection would be closed for around two months starting “in June sometime” while talking about the project in a recent FACTv interview. In the meantime, traffic will detour to Lacy Road. “It’ll be similar to when Lacy Road was under construction where we flipped all the traffic onto Easy Cheryl, this’ll be just the reverse of that,” he said. The project will also add a new sidewalk to Swan Creek and a midblock crossing near the Promega campus.

Business projects

There will be work from new and existing companies in the city this Roundabouts year. The largest project already A pair of roundabout projects will close intersections this sum- underway is at Promega, which is constructing a 270,000-squaremer. Later this month, a major foot research and design facility, 4,800-square-foot utility plant and

two new floors of parking on East Cheryl Parkway. Construction began after a July groundbreaking last year, with cranes visible from Fish Hatchery Road and along East Cheryl Parkway. Soon enough, the biotech company will have a second major project underway when it begins work late this spring on a 158,276 square foot component manufacturing center south of Sub Zero Parkway and north of Lacy Road. Across Sub Zero Parkway, Sub Zero will construct a 322,834 square foot office and manufacturing facility, with work starting late this spring or early summer. Racy Day Events plans to build a 12,988 square foot headquarters building south of Sub Zero Parkway and east of the Badger State Trail. A company new to the city broke ground last year on the 10,000-square-foot Phoenix Neutron Imaging Center near the Lacy Road and Hwy. 14 corridor. The company will also build a 50,000-square-foot headquarters just north of the imaging facility. A two story, 7,449 square foot commercial space with 19 units of apartments will build nearby in Uptown, on the north side of East Cheryl Parkway and east of the railroad tracks. UW Credit Union already has its two story, 13,050 square foot office building on North Fish Hatchery Road under construction. In the Verona Road area, the Goldfish Swim School and Dwellings Interior Design and Home Furnishings are the planned tenants in a single building under construction in Orchard Pointe, while Certco is building a 21,000 square foot fleet services facility.

Residential development

Resurfacing projects

New subdivisions are beginning and some existing ones are ready to grow. On the city’s east side, the Terravessa development broke ground last year and will continue construction its mix of housing types – single-family, apartments and condos – throughout 2019, with some lots expected to be available soon. As part of that development, OSD is building an approximately 130,000-square-foot elementary school that will include several playgrounds, three inner courtyards and a butterfly garden. It is planned to open in fall 2020. Fahey Fields will add more than 180 single family units off of Nobel Drive in its second phase, as well. Fahey Fields, Quarry Vista, Uptown Crossing and the Stoner Prairie subdivisions all have single family lots available, while Quarry Vista and Uptown Crossing also feature apartments and other styles of housing. The Quarry Vista Park is also expected to get an outdoor gazebo and a new playground structure, which will also be built at Briarwood Park. Habitat for Humanity is continuing construction in the Renaissance in the Park subdivision west of Seminole Highway, with 36 single family sites planned. Multifamily housing options include the Lacy Woods condominiums under construction north of Lacy Road and west of South Syene Road, with 30 units in single story duplexes available when work is complete. On the city’s northeast side, a 160-unit senior housing complex broke ground earlier this year at the

Ryland Street Pennwall Street Penwall Circle Placid Street Norwich Street Modernaire Street Tudor Drive Pennington Circle Cambrian Circle Concord Drive Stanbrook Street Osmundsen Road Whalen Road Wildwood South Court Country Vineyard Court Seminole Highway path Persimmons path McGaw Park path Techlands Park path intersection of North Fish Hatchery Road and Traceway Drive. Crews have begun foundation work, and the building is expected to be completed in March 2020. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.

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HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 8:30AM-7:30PM; SATURDAY 8:30AM-6PM; SUNDAY 9AM-5PM 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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Jeremy Jones, sports editor

845-9559 x226 • ungsportseditor@wcinet.com

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

Sports

Verona boys track and field

Friday, May 10, 2019

The

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

Edgewood boys golf

Crusaders aim for Badger South title MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Verona’s Jackson Acker won the discus with a throw of 173 feet, 8 inches at the Spartan Invitational on Friday at Mansfield Stadium. With the throw, Acker broke former Verona standout Luke Sullivan’s sophomore school record (170-3).

Record-setter

MARK NESBITT

Assistant sports editor

Jackson Acker wasn’t born when former Verona standout Luke Sullivan set a sophomore discus record 27 years ago and later went on to win two national championships. Acker can etch his name into the record book alongside some elite company after he unleashed a throw of 173 feet, 8 inches to smash Sullivan’s sophomore discus record by 3 feet, 5 inches on Friday, May 3, at the Spartan Invitational at Mansfield Stadium. The mark moved Acker to second-best in the state

on the Wisconsin Track and Field Honor Roll. Sullivan was a three-time WIAA Division 1 state champion who went on to become a two-time national champion for the Wildcats. “It’s amazing,” Acker said. “It’s something I have been chasing. It makes it much better to know the person who held that record won nationals and went on to do great things.” Verona won four events to clip Stevens Point for the invite championship 103-101. Neenah took third (100). The Wildcats snapped Stevens Point’s two-year run as champions. Senior Max Herkert

won the pole vault (14-6) and took third in the high jump (6-0) en route to being named the most outstanding field event performer. “Conference is the only one we will attempt at winning,” coach Joff Pedretti said. “At regionals the goal isn’t to win. The goal is to qualify guys who can place at the state meet and sectionals is the same thing.” Acker brought the crowd around the discus to a roar with his record-setting throw. He has used his power and strength to help him with his pivot turns and spring off his left leg. Acker said his goal this season is reaching 180-0.

“That is definitely something that could get me placed at state,” he said. “Not that my current throws couldn’t. I feel like it’s a realistic goal.” Acker was throwing 1400 earlier in the season and has now eclipsed 170 feet. “I’ve fine-tuned the little things and coaches have been able to help me a lot,” he said. “They have been able to help me with things I wouldn’t have even known to do. It has made a big difference.” Senior Jayden Joe-Wright won the 100 (11.24) and Acker took third (11.45). Joe-Wright was coming off

Turn to Track/Page 4

Madison West baseball

Baldwin a driving force for Regents MARK NESBITT

Assistant sports editor

Madison West senior Drake Baldwin has been a two-sport star with the Regents in his career. In the winter, he led the West boys hockey team to a 16-6-2 finish. He scored the state’s second-most goals (46) and had 24 assists en route to being named the Big Eight Conference Player of the Year and first-team all-conference. But being on the diamond is his true passion. He excels as a power hitter and a nimble catcher whom opposing teams don’t challenge by stealing against often. Baldwin, a Missouri State University commit, has led West into connection in the Big Eight. The Regents (103 overall, 9-2 Big Eight) trail

Janesville Craig, ranked second in the Division 1 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association state poll, by two games. “I want to finish this off strong and all of my focus is on this year,” Baldwin said. “It will be fun to keep playing baseball.” Baldwin said he selected Missouri State because of the connection he made with coaches and players. “It just felt like home,” he said. West lost to Craig 7-2 in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal last year. B a l d w i n e a r n e d s e cond-team all-conference honors as a junior last year, when he batted .344 with one home run and 12 RBIs. He also stole nine bases. Baldwin hit Photo by Mark Nesbitt .328 as a sophomore when Madison West senior Drake Baldwin steals second base and Turn to Baldwin/Page 2 takes third when a throw sails into center field.

Madison Edgewood, the two-time defending WIAA Division 2 state champion, is looking like the favorite to three-peat. The Crusaders have won every Badger South Conference mini meet and are poised to win a conference championship on Tuesday, May 14, at the House on the Rock Golf Course in Spring Green. “Going into the conference tournament with a young team we have had our ups and downs, but I think we are trending in the right direction,” Edgewood coach Joe Ring said. “Hopefully, we can peak from conference until the end of the state tournament.” Ring said the experience against the competition at the Stanley Morgan Invitational on Thursday, May 2, at University Ridge, the site of the state tournament, helps. “To experience that competition on this course we know we have to play our best to beat those teams,” Ring said.

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Madison Edgewood’s Karl Gilmore watches a tee shot on No. 16 during the Morgan Stanley Invitational on Thursday at University Ridge.

Watertown Edgewood had the top four players in the Badger South Conference mini meet on Monday, May 6, at the Watertown Country Club. The Crusaders shot a 295 to win the meet ahead of runner-up Oregon (33). James Gilmore led the Crusaders with a 2-over-par 72. Karl Gilmore carded a

3-over-par 73.

Erin Hills

Led by Karl Gilmore’s even-par 72 and James Gilmore’s 74, Madison Edgewood shot a four-player total of 302 on Saturday, May 4, to win the 17-team Division 2 bracket at Erin Hills.

Morgan Stanley Invite Edgewood and Middleton both shot a 310 to tie for first on Thursday, May 2, in the Morgan Stanley Invitational at University Ridge. The two teams played two playoff holes and the Cardinals edged the Crusaders for the team title. It snapped Edgewood’s twoyear run as champions of the tournament. The morning rain and wet course proved to be a challenge for some golfers trying to read the greens. Edgewood’s James Gilmore shot a 1-over-par 73 to earn individual medalist.

Oregon girls soccer

Panthers’ showdown with Crusaders set MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Badger South

The inside track to winning the Badger South Team Wins Losses Conference championship Edgewood 5 0 is on the line when Oregon hosts Madison Edge- Oregon 4 0 wood at 7 p.m. on Friday Milton 3 1 at Huntoon Field. 2 Oregon (8-0 overall, 4-0 Monona Grove 3 Badger South), ranked No. Watertown 2 1 2 in the Division 2 Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Asso- Stoughton 0 5 ciation state poll, has post- Monroe 0 5 ed eight straight shutouts. “Our girls put more standards, goals and pressure on themselves than we do each other.” Both the Panthers and as coaches,” coach Nelson Brownell said. “We are Edgewood (10-1-1, 5-0 not full potential, which is Badger South) are unbeaten a scary thought. We will continue to keep pushing Turn to Soccer/Page 3

May 10, 2019

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

Volleyball

Verona softball

Verona baseball

Armstrong commits to play at Penn

JEREMY JONES

No. 3 Waunakee

One step closer to title Wildcats upset Sports editor

MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Verona junior Jordan Armstrong announced on Twitter that she will attend the University of Pennsylvania for volleyball. A s a Armstrong setter for the Wildcats, Armstrong helped Verona advance to the sectional for the second straight year. Armstrong is excited to continue her volleyball career in the Ivy League after next season. She Tweeted, “So super excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Pennsylvania!! I would like to thank my teammates, coaches, family, and friends for their endless support that I have received throughout this journey!! Go Quakers”

Baldwin: On to Missouri Continued from page 1 he earned all-conference honorable mention honors. T h e R eg e n t s s w e p t both games from Verona this season. “Beating them twice will pretty much guarantee we are seeded ahead of them in the playoffs,” he said.

Verona senior Meghan Anderson tossed a no-hitter and struck out seven to lead the Wildcats to a 2-0 win over Sun Prairie on Tuesday, May 7, in a Big Eight Conference clash. T h e Ve r o n a s o f t b a l l team moved one step closer to winning a conference championship after knocking off Sun Prairie. Verona (13-2 overall, 11-0 Big Eight) has a twogame lead on the Cardinals. Anderson broke the Verona Area High School strikeout record in the 43-foot era with six strikeouts over the first two innings Tuesday, April 23, against Janesville Parker. Anderson now has more than 450 Ks, breaking the previous record of 435 held by Emma Ray. “That record says a lot about Meghan and how hard she works year-round,” Todd Anderson said. “To throw those kind of pitches and to strike out those kinds of numbers, is incredible. But the numbers don’t tell the full story about how competitive she is and the kind of team player she has become.”

MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Junior Kasie Keyes hits a two-run home run to left in the Wildcats’ 9-8 loss to Freeport on Saturday in the Monroe tournament.

doubles to lead the Wildcats to a 9-4 win over Janesville Craig on Friday in Janesville. Ve r o n a s c o r e d t w i c e in the bottom of the first inning and four more times in the third on the way to the victory. Craig scored three runs in the top of the fifth, but the Wildcats responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning and held off the Cougars from there. McChensey also went 2-for-3 for the Wildcats. Anderson pitched a comVerona 2, Sun Prairie 0 plete game to get the win. Anderson was up to the She gave up four runs on test in a pitchers’ duel, nine hits and struck out five. posting a no-hitter to lead Verona 8, Middleton 0 the Wildcats over the CarOn Thursday, May 2, and dinals. It’s the second time this the Wildcats provided plenseason Verona has defeated ty of offense behind her, defending WIAA Division pounding 11 hits for an 8-0 1 state champion Sun Prai- drubbing at Firefighter’s Park in Middleton. rie. Anderson threw a comSenior Molly McChesney had two hits and junior plete-game, two-hitter. She struck out 16. Kasie Keyes had one RBI. Katie Pederson singled Verona 9, Craig 4 home the game’s first run in Keyes and Alyssa Bostley the top of the first. Verona each went 2-for-3 with two tacked on two more in the

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The Wildcats went 1-2 Saturday, April 20, in Monroe with a pair of losses to teams from Illinois. “The goal is to compete,” coach Todd Anderson said. “We did that. You want to leave with a win if you can. We are still trying to find out what we are made of. We wanted to come here to play some good teams and get the bats going.”

Freeport 9, Verona 8 Keyes gave Verona a short-lived lead in the top of the sixth, but Freeport rallied for a 9-8 victory in the bottom of the inning. Keyes crushed a 2-run

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second, one in third, three in the fourth and one in the fifth. Molly McChesney had an RBI single, while Alina Yazek grounded out and Alyssa Bostley doubled in the three-run fourth. Olivia Hebert (2-for2) doubled in the second inning.

Verona hired Ed Singleton as its new boys basketball coach on Wednesday, May 1, athletic director Mark Kyrka said. Singleton replaces Jevin Budde, who was 16-30 in two seasons at Verona after taking over for longtime coach Alan Buss. In March, Kryka said Budde stepped down. Singleton served as a freshman coach at Madison La Follette last year and helped with the varsity program. Verona went 7-16 overall last season and 6-12 in the Big Eight for an eighth-place finish in the 10-team league. The Wildcats lost a WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal 50-38 to Sun Prairie. The Cardinals advanced to the state tournament and finished as the runner-up.

Verona got some clutch hitting with runners in scoring position and used a four-run fifth inning to upset previously No. 1-ranked Waunakee 8-5 on Monday, May 6. “We got the timely hits we had been lacking,” coach Brad D’Orazio said. “I think it shows if we play well we can be competitive and play with anybody.” The Wildcats snapped an eight-game losing streak after splitting a doubleheader with Madison Memorial Thursday, May 2. Verona committed 17 errors during the losing streak. The Wildcats (7-9 overall, 5-8 Big Eight) faced a challenge on Saturday, May 4, against Janesville Craig, ranked third in the Division 1 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association state poll. Verona lost a 6-2 to the Cougars, who lead the Big Eight at 11-0. Craig moved into second in the state rankings this week and Waunakee dropped to third. D’Orazio said the Wildcats’ pitching helped the team return to the win column. “The starting pitching has turned into our strong suit,” D’Orazio said. The Wildcats kept the momentum going and slugged their way to an 11-1 road win over La Follette on Tuesday, May 7, in Madison. It was the second time this season Verona has lost to Craig. “We hit the ball well,” D’Orazio said. “We had some defensive miscues that cost us. Against a team that good, you have to play error-free.”

Big Eight) jumped out to a 3-1 lead after three innings. West tossed three innings, gave up four runs and struck out two. Taylor went 2-for-3 with a triple. Verona senior pitcher Connor Grossnickle pitched four innings and gave up two runs.

Memorial 7, Verona 1 (8 inn.) Verona 5, Memorial 1 Verona split a doubleheader against Madison Memorial on Thursday at Stampfl Field. Klawiter pitched 7 1/3 innings in game one and gave up one run and struck out 11, and the teams entered extra innings tied at 1. The Spartans had a sixrun eighth inning to seal the victory. The Wildcats committed three errors in the game. In the second game of the twinbill, Rae went 2-for-3 to lead the Wildcats to a 5-1 win over the Spartans. Brazeau also went 2-for3 for the Wildcats, which rallied from a one-run deficit with a three-run fourth. Ducharme drove in two runs. Michael Fischer had a bunt single to drive in a run in the fourth. Ducharme then delivered a two-out single.

Sun Prairie 7, Verona 0

Sophomore pitcher Jacob Kisting pitched five innings, gave up one run and struck out seven. Kisting took the mound Thursday, two days after the Cardinals knocked around Wildcats’ ace Reagan Klawiter. D’Orazio talked to Kisting about keeping the ball down against the Cardinals. Sun Prairie took advantage of some walks and pounded Verona 11, out 11 hits to roll 7-0. Kisting pitched 3 1/3 La Follette 1 innings and gave up four Verona pounded out 14 runs and struck out one. hits and pounded La Follette The lone hit for the Wild11-1 on Tuesday, May 7, at cats was a double by Taylor. Warner Park in Madison. Senior Sam Pederson Madison West 2, had two hits and two RBIs. Verona 1 (9 inn). Senior Brooks Brazeau Kisting and West’s Jusdrove in three runs. B o t h s e n i o r R e a ga n tin Grosse were locked in a Klawiter and sophomore pitchers’ duel on Thursday, April 18, at Stampfl Field. James Rae had two hits. But four errors led to two Verona 8, Waunakee 5 unearned runs and were the Freshman Nick West had Wildcats’ undoing in a 2-1 a two-run single and senior loss to the Regents in nine Klawiter had a two-run dou- innings. An error on a grounder ble in the fifth inning on Monday to lift Verona to an to third in the ninth allowed the game-winning run to 8-5 win over Waunakee. Rae crushed a home run, score. Verona had given up their sophomore Ryan Taylor had two hits and West finished first run in the eighth, after Madison West senior catchwith two RBIs. Joe Ducharme pitched er Drake Baldwin singled to four innings and gave up center with one out. He then stole second and took third two runs to get the win. on a throw that went into Janesville Craig 6, center field. West’s Cooper Treichel Verona 2 delivered an RBI single to The Wildcats had six hits, score Baldwin to give the but couldn’t pull off a late Regents a 1-0 lead. rally and lost to Big Eight The Wildcats’ only run leader Janesville Craig came in the bottom of the 6-2 on Saturday, May 4, at eighth when they scored on Stampfl Field. a dropped fly ball by the The Cougars (13-1, 11-0 Regents in center field.

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May 10, 2019

Fitchburg Star

Oregon boys golf

Panthers take second in Ashenfelter Invite MARK NESBITT

Madison Edgewood (295). Senior Sam Schroeder carded an 80 and senior The Oregon boys golf Justin Yaun finished with team had four in the top a 92. 15 to finish second in the Ashentelter invite Division 2 field at the John Schroeder shot an Ashenfelter Invitational 11-over-par 83 to take 10th on Saturday, May 4, at the place on Saturday at the Riverside Golf Course in John Ashenfelter InvitaJanesville. tional in Janesville. That came after the PanO r eg o n fi n i s h e d s e c thers took sixth at the Mor- ond after shooting a 338, gan Stanley Invitational on which was 22 shots behind Thursday, May 2, at Uni- Division 2 team champion versity Ridge. Edgerton (316). “We didn’t play as well Klus tied Grafton’s Danas we would have wished,” ny Schmitz and the Prairie s e n i o r J o h n K l u s s a i d School’s Jake Reynolds for after the Morgan Stan- 11th after shooting an 84. ley Invitational. “Some of Kapalczynski carded an 85 these teams will be in our to tie for 14th and senior regional and sectional. It Justin Yaun tied for 15th was nice to get our feet wet with an 86. and play against them.” Edgerton’s Kyle Wille shot an even-par 72 to take Watertown medalist honors. Both junior Zach Kapalczynski and Klus shot a Morgan Stanley 9-over-par 79 to tie for invite fifth on Monday in a BadKlus shot a 9-over-par ger Conference mini meet at the Watertown Country 81 on Thursday, May 2, at the Morgan Stanley InvitaClub. The Panthers shot a 330 tional at University Ridge to finish second behind in Madison. Assistant sports editor

‘I think we’re starting to get some of the winter rust off now, but it’s taken longer than I had hoped.’

- coach Sara Mess “I felt I played better than the score,” Klus said. “I really struggled putting. I’m happy with it. “It definitely could have been better. I’m usually solid with my putting, but I couldn’t find the speed.” Klus said he had a few three-putts that he should have finished as two-putts. “They were rolling pretty fast and I didn’t think they would be that fast,” he said. Schroeder carded an 82 and Kapalczynski finished with an 85. Yaun rounded out the top four for the Panthers with an 86.

Milton conference Every golfer on the

Oregon boys golf team shot in the 70s on Monday, April 29, and the Panthers finished second in a Badger Conference meet at the Oak Ridge Golf Course in Milton. It was a big turnaround from the La Crosse Country Club Invitational on Friday, April 25, where the Panthers finished 12th with a 359. “This season has been difficult to get any sort of rhythm with all the rain and snow we’ve had, and this week doesn’t look to be much better,” coach Sara Mess said. “I think we’re starting to get some of the winter rust off now, but it’s taken longer than I had hoped.” Schroeder shot a 4-overpar 74 to lead the Panthers to a second-place finish on Monday in a conference mini meet in Milton. Oregon shot a season-best 305, which was behind champion Edgewood (293), the two-time Photo by Mark Nesbitt defending WIAA Division Oregon senior Sam Schroeder looks to sink a putt on No. 18 during the Morgan Stanley Invitational on Thursday, May 2, 2 state champion. at University Ridge.

Soccer: Rothwell sisters provide test in Badger South showdown on Friday A rainy and windy night didn’t slow down the Panthers, as they seized control with four goals in the first half. Cox scored on an assist by Kluck at 7:12. Junior defender Brooklyn Kane had a goal on a pass from junior Hanna Rohrer at 11:33. About one minute later, Hanson scored on an assist by Hughes. Fanning had a goal on an assist by sophomore forward Bri Sauer at 22:41 to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead at the half.

Continued from page 1

Senior forward Macie Cox and Hanson both scored two goals to power the Oregon girls soccer team to an 8-0 win over

Oregon hosts Madison Edgewood at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Oregon senior midfielder Maddy Swartzmiller (4) looks to beat Mount Horeb’s Erin Hutchison to the ball in the second half of the Panthers’ 8-0 win over the Vikings on Saturday. Mount Horeb on Saturday, May 4, at Huntoon Field. Senior Maddy Swartzmiller struck first for the Panthers on an assist by senior Katie Eisele at 8 minutes, 19 seconds. About one minute later, Cox had her first goal off a direct kick by Cassie Kluck to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead. The Panthers put the game away with five second-half goals. Junior goalkeeper Melia Moyer had one save.

Oregon 7, Monona Grove 0 Fanning had two goals on Friday, May 3, to lead the Panthers to a 5-0 road win over Monona Grove. Junior forward Katilyn Schrimpf scored at 20:50 and Swartzmiller’s goal at 41:30 gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead at the half. Aidan Hampton added a

goal at 60:11 and Fanning capped the scoring with her second goal on an assist by junior Lauren Denu.

Oregon 7, Burlington 0 Senior forward Ella Hughes scored three goals to lead the Panthers to a 7-0 nonconference win over Burlington Friday, April 26, at Huntoon Field, as Oregon scored five times in the second half to seal the victory. Junior forward Avary Fanning finished with two goals and two assists.

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soccer team in a 13-0 bashing of Monroe on Thursday, April 18, at Huntoon Field. Junior forward Avary Fanning scored three goals to lead the Panthers The Panthers had 10 difOregon 13, Monroe 0 ferent goal scorers as they A season of streaks con- erupted for 11 first-half goals. tinued for the Oregon girls Oregon scored four goals in the first eight minutes.

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in the conference. “It will definitely be our toughest game yet,” Brownell said. “It will be a dogfight.” The Crusaders are averaging 4.9 goals per game, led by sisters Jordyn Rockwell and Hailey Rothwell. The Rothwell sisters have combined for 27 goals. Hailey Rothwell is the scoring leader with 16 goals and four assists. Jordyn Rothwell has 11 goals and four assists this season. The Crusaders will test a Panthers’ defense that has eight straight shutouts. “They will probably be the first two to put a lot of stress on our back line,” Brownell said. “To see how we respond to that will be good.” The Panthers clipped the Crusaders 2-0 last year to force a conference co-championship between the two teams. “I’m sure they have a lot of fire coming into that game,” Brownell said. “It’s definitely a game our girls are looking forward to and I’m sure they are too.” Oregon senior Ashley Hanson wants the team to maintain a business-type approach after rolling to an 8-0 win over Mount Horeb on Saturday, May 4, at Huntoon Field. “I think we should play every game like it’s a state final,” Hanson said. “We are all coming in playing as hard as we can whatever game, conference or not.”

May 10, 2019

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Fitchburg Star

Major League Baseball

‘Born to be a catcher’ Verona grad Rortvedt chasing dream with Twins MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Photo submitted

Verona Area High School grad Ben Rortvedt is chasing his dream of the major leagues, and plays for the Minnesota Twin’s Class-A Advanced Minor League affiliate in Fort Myers, Florida.

D’Orazio said. “I’ve never seen anyone work harder at anything than Ben worked at baseball.” Rortvedt has taken up yoga since being drafted, and Ruth said one of Rortvedt’s greatest assets is his flexibility he has built. “In the new era of catching you are required to use different stances to catch and he has that flexibility,” Ruth said. D’Orazio said after Rortvedt’s junior season at Verona, Major League scouts started calling. Rortvedt credits D’Orazio for helping develop him into the player he has become. He recalls D’Orazio giving him the opportunity to call pitches in his junior and senior seasons at Verona. One valuable lesson he learned from D’Orazio still stays with him with the Twins. “Don’t be too hard on yourself because it’s just a game. Instincts and discipline It’s a job for me now, but it’s Ruth noticed Rortvedt’s still a game.” instincts early on. Ticket to spring “He’s tough, has a great motor and loves to play the training game every day,” Ruth said. Rortvedt was considered a “He has a great arm, and he long shot to make the Twins’ has the strength to hit.” 25-man roster, but he joined It’s the same instincts the team in spring training, he showcased at Verona in playing eight games. becoming a Division I recruit. He hit .250 (2-for-8) with Verona baseball coach Brad a double. But for him, it was D’Orazio said Rortvedt is the about much more than his best player he has seen and game performance in the coached at the high school majors. level. “All I wanted to do was “Ben’s biggest strengths take in that experience, soak were not his physical abilities, it up and learn from the older but his amazing work ethic,” guys,” he said. “Everything is

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Bus rides and meal tickets Playing minor league baseball has its perks, but it’s not as glamorous as a high school teenager might think. As a member on the Fort Myers Miracle, Rortvedt plays in the Florida State League. The team attends away games on a bus. Rortvedt said the longest bus ride is 4 1/2 hours to Daytona Beach. “You just deal with it,”

Focused on Twins In the offseason during the winter, Rortvedt said some players work other jobs or take college courses. Rortvedt has not attended college courses the past three years, as many of his peers have. He said he’s keeping college as a backup plan. With the Miracle, Rortvedt has thrown out 70 percent (7 of 10) runners trying to steal on him in the first 17 games. He is hitting .246 with two home runs and nine RBIs. Rortvedt said since being drafted by the Twins, he has made his biggest improvements in game calling and his hitting approach. “I know each pitcher’s strength and how it matches up with the hitter,” he said. It’s a similar trait he displayed at Verona. “Pitchers felt very confident with Ben behind the plate with his ability to call pitches and block any pitches that were in the dirt,” D’Orazio said. He has adjusted his swing with an effort to make more contact. Going up to the plate with a hitting approach is something he learned from D’Orazio. “I came into the fall trying to add consistency to my swing,” Rortvedt said. “I tried to make my swing more repeatable. At the end of the day, it’s your job to not miss your pitch.” He’s hoping to reach ClassAA by the end of the season.

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a lot more glorified. There are a lot of big names and faces you are seeing and playing against.” Every practice, pre-game batting cage session and meal is structured, he said. He worked on developing his catching fundamentals, including framing pitches and learning the strengths of different pitchers. “I took away how each player went about their business,” Rortvedt said. Rortvedt was cut from the spring training roster and reassigned to the Miracle. His path to the Major League is not assured, but Ruth likes Rortvedt’s willingness to be a student of the game. Ruth said Rortvedt wants to be involved in the action and working before games with pitchers on the game-plan for attacking hitters. “If he was playing right field and only getting two balls hit to him a game, he would be bored,” Ruth said.

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The home for Ben Rortvedt for now is Fort Myers, Florida, where long bus rides, muggy days wearing catcher’s gear and a $25 a day food allowance are the norm. Welcome to Rortvedt’s experience playing for the Fort Myers Miracle, the Minnesota Twins’ Class-A Advanced minor league affiliate in the Florida State League. “Everything I heard about the minor leagues, and how tough and not glorious it is has lived up to what I was told,” Rortvedt said. Rortvedt, 21, a Verona Area High School alumnus, was a 2016 second-round pick of the Twins. He was a non-roster invitee to spring training with the Twins this season and played in eight games. He is in his third season of Class A ball and is still chasing his dream of reaching the major leagues. According to Baseball America, Rortvedt is ranked No. 19 as a prospect. Mike Ruth, the Twins’ Midwest scouting supervisor who scouted and helped sign Rortvedt, noticed his catcher instincts and his tendencies to dissect pitchers and hitters. “He was born to be a catcher,” Ruth said. “I’m a big believer that catching is in your DNA. You can maybe learn to play third base or right field. You are born to be a catcher.” Rortvedt has become a participant and advocate for using yoga to develop his mobility. He has adjusted his swing to make more contact. Despite being a University of Arkansas recruit, Rortvedt has no plans of attending college yet. “I’m going to play baseball as long as they let me,” he said. “Baseball is Plan A.”

Rortvedt said. “You get used to it.” Finding time to get enough rest can be a challenge. He tries to maintain the same game-day ritual. “I try to make the game the center of my day,” he said. Rortvedt usually gets to bed at 3 or 4 a.m. after a game and a post-game meal. He will get up about noon and then eat a meal with the team’s $25 a day allowance. Rortvedt will then head to the field for batting practice, fielding practice and a pre-game meeting with the pitchers. While many players add weight during the season, Rortvedt has a bigger challenge. With the summer heat, the Florida State League can take a toll on a catcher. “I tend to lose a lot of weight during the season,” he said of catching in warm weather. “I try to eat everything I can to keep the weight on.” Rortvedt said he and most players in the minors make about $1,600 a month. Players receive a $25 allowance for one meal per day. The Fort Myers Miracle serve a pregame meal and a meal after every game.

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Verona senior Jayden Joe-Wright, right, won the 100-meter dash on Friday at the Spartan Invitational with a time of 11.24 seconds at Mansfield Stadium.

Track: Verona wins four events at Spartan Invitational Continued from page 1 a right hamstring injury that cost him about three weeks. “It was my first open 100 of the year,” JoeWright said. “It wasn’t my best time, but it felt good to come out and run coming back from an injury.” Joe-Wright said his goal is to break the school record and run a 10.75 by the state meet. The throwers’ 4x100 relay team of senior Ben Vandervest, senior Dylan Bourne, Michael Guy and Derek Argall finished first with a time of 50.21. The Wildcats had two

of the top three in the high jump. Senior Jatavion Hawkins tied a personal-best by clearing 6-4 to match Racine Horlick senior Darin Folsom. Hawkins took second, losing out on a tiebreaker, and added a third-place finish in the long jump (20-5). “I just wanted to PR and have some more fun with more competition,” Hawkins said of the high jump. He had three attempts at 6-5 where the upper half of his body was over the bar, but he was clipping it with his knees and feet. “I need to drive my knee more,” he said. “I know what I need to work on.”

Wildcats: Anderson tosses nohitter to stymie Sun Prairie Continued from page 2 ho m e r u n t o g ive t h e Wildcats an 8-7 lead. “When I saw it go over the fence, I just had a big smile on my face,” Keyes said. “I was just hoping I would not miss the bases.” When she reached home plate, her teammates fell to the ground like they were hit by a bowling ball and kicked up their feet. “I was not expecting that,” Keyes said. “I know they have been talking about doing home run celebrations. I thought one of them fell and they were all on the ground. It was so crazy.” Freeport senior Taylor Murray, a University of Illinois commit, didn’t pitch, but she did plenty of damage against the Wildcats. Murray went 3-for-3 with two home runs, three RBIs, including a go-ahead two-run home run to left in the bottom of the sixth that helped the Pretzels rally. Todd Anderson said, “We considered intentionally walking Murray” with runners on first and third base with no outs in the sixth. Instead, he trusted Meghan Anderson and the team’s defense to make a play. “They have a bunch of good hitters who can square up the ball,” Anderson said. “We are trying to find out what we are made of. We wanted her to attack and see if we can play defense. She just got a hold of one. We tell them all the time, sometimes the hitters do their jobs, too.” Both teams combined to hit four home runs and

rack up 25 hits. The Wildcats had 14 hits off two Freeport pitchers. Keyes went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Senior Molly McChesney finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored and junior Alina Yazek was 3-for-4.

Orangeville 8, Verona 1 Verona outhit Oran geville 6-4 at Twining Parker but fell 8-1. The Wildcats surrendered four runs in the top of the first inning. Payton Meier (3-for-3) and Emily George singled and Kristen Frautschy walked to plate runs. Alyssa Bostley got the start in the girls for Verona and allowed eight runs on four hits. She struck out nine. Bostley also led Verona at the plate, going 2-for-3.

Verona 12, Tomahawk 0 (6 inn.) Jocelyn Hancock tossed four innings and gave up two hits Saturday to lead Verona to a 12-0 win over Tomahawk in six innings at Twining Park. Anderson closed out the game, allowing one hit in two innings. No other stats were available as the Press went to print Tuesday evening.

Verona 11, Parker 3 S y d n e y To m a n , McChesney and Keyes each went 2-for-3 at the plate Tuesday as Verona pounded Janesville Parker 11-3 at home. Toman and McChesney each had three RBIs.

May 10, 2019 - Fitchburg Star 5

Canines for comfort

Therapy dogs provide support from hospitals to universities This year’s therapy dog visits include the Natatorium Gymnasium and the UW School of Engineering, according to the Dogs on Call website, but College Library remains one of the most popular destinations for the canines. “It’s probably our biggest university event,” Smith said.

JUSTIN LOEWEN Hub correspondent

Throughout Dane County, the sight of a therapy dog takes on different meanings for different people. For attendees of the Oregon Area Senior Center, they are visitors, while at the Fitchburg Public Library, they are opportunities for teaching literacy skills. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, the canines are a reprieve from college stressors, while at Stoughton Hospital, they make patients’ and doctors’ days a little brighter. With the founding of the first therapy dog organization in 1976, Therapy Dogs International, people around the world have reaped the health benefits of animal-assisted therapy from the presence of man’s best friend. Therapy dogs have been found to bring improvements to cardiovascular, psychological and cognitive health, according to research observations of the American Heart Association, the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services and the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Diseases & Other Dementias. In 1990, the Delta Society, now known as Pet Partners, introduced the first therapy animal certification, which became the foundation of animal-assisted therapy training, according to the Pet Partners website. Dog handlers now use certifications of Pet Partners or similar programs to bring the comfort of therapy dogs across Dane County.

Page-turning pooches

Photo by Justin Loewen

Merrlyn Schofield’s therapy dog Bitsie visits with Carol Damson at the Oregon Area Senior Center on April 22. Even hospital staff took according to the Wisconsin Stoughton Hospital, par- a very calm and sweet temticularly its medical surgery perament,” Connell wrote breaks from clerical work Alumni Association webfloor and geriatric psychia- in an email, and after find- to the witness the therapy site. try ward, receives routine ing an interest in animal-as- dog in action. Therapy animals first Though Connell must appeared on campus at visits from therapy animals. sisted therapy last year, she A L a b r a d o r r e t r i eve r looked into becoming a volunteer outside of her U W ’s C o l l eg e L i b r a r y regular psychiatry work to in Helen C. White Hall from Wisconsin-based non- therapy team with Dahlia. profit Dogs on Call Inc. She trained and certified make these visits, she main- through Dogs on Call. and a golden retriever and Dahlia through Pet Part- tained Dahlia’s presence is “We started with just a a goldendoodle from the ners in December and start- a “helpful tool in conjunc- couple dogs outside and American Kennel Club’s ed bringing her around the tion with other therapies then we had a couple more Canine Good Citizen Pro- hospital. and treatments.” inside,” Dogs on Call ani“The most memorable “ S h e h a s p r ov i d e d a mal handler Karen Smith gram appear often, geriatric psychiatry activity director and special moments for calming and comforting said. “I think we brought Jennifer Erb said, but the me are very simple, such effect during times of pain, as many as 12 or 15 dogs to most interesting of the hos- as seeing a big smile cross agitation, anxiety or confu- Helen C. White.” pital visitors may be a sev- someone’s face when they sion,” Connell said. The canines resonated en-year-old black lab mix pet Dahlia or even see her such with students that the Sit, stay, study walk in the room,” Connell named Dahlia. program soon spread to the About once a week, Dahl- said. Canine-assisted therapy residence halls and then ia pays a visit to Stoughton During a recent visit has proven to be a success- throughout the rest of camHospital. to the hospital’s geriatric ful remedy for the pressures pus. Dr. Amy Connell, a mem- psychiatry ward, Dahlia of student loans, impending Every year, the appearber of the hospital’s geri- changed the mood of each due dates and final exams ance of therapy animals at atric psychiatry team, said room she entered. Tail wag- on college campuses. UW-Madison signals the Dog doctor she adopted Dahlia from ging uncontrollably, Dahlia A t t h e U n ive r s i t y o f end of the semester, a time Hospital visits represent a rescue when she was wandered from patient to Wisconsin-Madison, ther- when student anxiety levels some of the most important around six months old. patient, leaving each person apy dogs began visiting are high with final exams work for therapy dogs. Dahlia “has always had with a smile. for stress relief in 2009, and projects.

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Therapy dogs possess an ability to listen attentively, an ideal trait for helping kids practice their reading skills. Once a month, the Fitchburg Public Library brings in therapy dogs from Dogs on Call for children to read for. In the library’s storytime room, kids have the opportunity to recite short stories to dogs that sit patiently next to them. Originally a single-dog event, high demand for the library activity led to the addition of a second therapy dog. Both dogs feature four 20 minute sign-up slots, Smith said. All Dogs on Call animals at Fitchburg Public Library events are certified reading dogs, with more recently trained canines certified through the Pet Partners Read With Me program. Before Read With Me was introduced in September 2016, Dogs On Call certified its dogs through the Reading Education Assistance Dogs program of Intermountain Therapy Animals, a nonprofit based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Many of Dogs on Call’s older therapy animals retain this certification. The R.E.A.D. program was the “first comprehensive literacy program built around the appeal of reading to dogs” when it began

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Therapy: Dogs help reduce stress and anxiety among people of all ages center stops fill the itineraries of therapy dogs. in 1999, according to the As part of its adult day Intermountain Therapy Ani- program, the Oregon Area mals website. Senior Center welcomes a therapy dog every Monday Young in dog years and Wednesday. Helping all ages, senior

Continued from page 5

“The participants love to pet and interact with the dogs,” senior center assistant director Anne Stone wrote in an email. Therapy dog Bitsie, a shih tzu Yorkshire terrier

Photo by Justin Loewen

Dr. Amy Connell and her certified therapy dog Dahlia visit with patients of Stoughton Hospital's geriatric psychiatry ward on April 18.

mix, energized a group of seniors during a recent morning visit to the center. This was the first senior visit of the day for Bitsie and her handler Merrlyn Schoville, with a nursing home

up next. “The old people enjoy seeing an animal,” Schoville said, making note of Bitsie’s friendly temperament. The visits are not just for

the seniors, either. “They like to see (Bitsie) and she likes them,” Schoville said. “She likes to be scratched and they like to scratch her.”

From right, Regan Gernetzke, 7, reads “Dennis the Menace and Ruff” to Zombie, a therapy dog of Dogs on Call, who is sitting next to his handler Karen Smith at the Fitchburg Public Library on April 16.

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Providing animals with a ‘second chance’ Foster parents give what shelters cannot

joy that comes from bringing animals into a home, it doesn’t come without hardships. “Not all the animals that I’ve taken in have been house-broken – that is definitely a challenge,” Hart said. “Another thing is if the foster has a much higher energy level and need for exercise than is ideal for our home – obviously I’m going to do extra things to make sure that dog is healthy and happy … but that can be really time-consuming.” Often, DCHS sees “foster fails” with their volunteers, DeGroot said, where an animal placed in the care of a foster family doesn’t come back because they can’t bear to give them up. “It’s hard not to fall in love,” she said. “It’s a lot of hard work and dedication on their part, opening up their homes, bringing in this animal who needs extra care and attention ... they’re bringing them into their families and their lives.” Hart said it’s “always really difficult” to give up her foster animals. “One of the things that I keep is all of those memories,” she said. “I have pictures of all of those animals, and a lot of those adoptive families allow me to follow them on Facebook, so that just makes it super rewarding.”

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Sheila Hart gets to relive the joy of bringing home a new pet for the first time every few months. As a foster parent for animals for the Dane County Humane Society, Hart takes in animals that she sees are in need of a “second chance.” “I think a lot of families can identify with the experience of going to the shelter to pick up your family’s first pet,” she said. “I get to go through that feeling every time I bring a foster into our house.” DCHS has been working with foster parents since it started more than 100 years ago, public relations coordinator Marissa DeGroot said. The society worked with 150 foster families in 2018, with 582 animals being cared for throughout the year, she said. Many of those animals need medical attention that goes beyond what DCHS volunteers and staff can provide in-shelter, or the shelter environment is too stressful for them in comparison to a home-like space, she added. “The original humane society actually started as volunteers fostering animals in their own homes

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Edith, a Shih Tzu mix, was turned into the Dane County Humane Society as a stray. Both of her eyes had to be removed due to a severe infection. until they were able to get animals that have to come transition into learning the she would foster when the first DCHS location,” here, we know it’s not the intricacies of fostering pets she began volunteering DeGroot said. “It’s a real- ideal situation for a lot of and what it means to bring for DCHS. Hart said she then saw an opportunity to an animal home. ly vital program for us animals.” Foster families go Hart, who started fos- become a better resource because while in the shelter environment, we do our through an application pro- tering dogs more than 10 for families by learning best to make it a low-stress, cess, which starts with a years ago when she lived in about fostering different happy environment for training on volunteering the state of Oregon, broad- types of animals. She said while there’s for the shelter. They then ened the range of animals

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Pet talk: Feral kittens can make ‘purr’ fect pets Feral cats may look cute and cuddly, but they are a lot different than a typical house cat. While feral cats are considered wild animals and prefer to live their lives outdoors, their kittens can be rescued from the streets and put into loving homes. Feral cats have never been socialized to humans. In fact, feral cats are generally afraid of people and may even run away if approached, according to Megan Arroyo, a veterinary student at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Because feral cats live their entire lives independent from humans, they might not be spayed or neutered by a veterinarian. This can lead to an overpopulation of feral cats, as well as kittens being born in unsafe areas. However, local animal shelters, veterinarians, and other programs may be able to help prevent the overpopulation of feral cats by giving kittens born to feral cats a good home. “If you find a potentially feral cat with a litter of kittens, one of the best places to start is by contacting your local animal shelter or animal control,” Arroyo said. “They should be able

to help you to decide the most appropriate action to take, which is often trapping the mom and the kittens so that the mom can be spayed and the kittens socialized and placed in homes.” A properly socialized kitten is exposed to humans and other species, such as dogs, between the ages of 2 to 7 weeks, Arroyo said. Once they are weaned from their mother, at around 4 to 6 weeks, kittens can socialize even more in a foster home or their permanent home. “Socialization is basically what it sounds like—you want to expose the kitten to experiences you would like it to be comfortable with as an adult, such as gentle handling and petting,” Arroyo said. Socialization is beneficial because it gives kittens a better chance at finding a loving home that can provide veterinary care, which can help significantly increase the kitten’s lifespan, Arroyo said. Since adult feral cats prefer to live out their life in the wild, the mother feral cat will typically be re-released after she is spayed and her kittens are weaned. “This allows her to live out her life where she is happiest, but keeps her from

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If feral kittens are socialized and introduced to humans, it reduces overpopuatlion of the feline species in the long run, since the kittens are able to find forever homes. contributing to the feral cat reward is knowing that you M e d i c i n e & B i o m e d i - Suggestions for future topcal Sciences, Texas A&M ics may be directed to edipopulation,” Arroyo said. saved a life. University. Stories can tor@cvm.tamu.edu. There are many benefits of rescuing kittens born to Pet Talk is a service of be viewed on the web at feral cats, but the biggest the College of Veterinary vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk.

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Improving your pet’s allergy symptoms organization is generally unable to help with. “It’s very, very difficult for us to accommodate,” she said. “We do not know exactly what breeds of dogs or cats are coming in.” That makes it impossible to “guarantee anything” for people looking for a new allergy friendly pet. DeGroot stressed they encourage people to come in and talk about their allergies and that the society tries to refer them to possible answers. Among those are breed-specific rescues, she said, which can give people

more certainty about what they’re bringing home and how they will react. The DCHS website also encourages people with pets to “understand your pet allergies,” including potential outside causes for the allergy. “For example, you may assume that you are allergic to your beloved dog, only to find out through an allergy test that you’re actually allergic to a specific tree pollen that got on his fur during a walk together, and that’s actually what’s bothering you,” the website states.

Strategies for pet pain management One of the most difficult parts of being a pet owner is knowing how to best care for pets that are in pain. As pets age, it is important to make sure they are living each day happy and painfree. Animals with illnesses or injuries often try to hide their pain, so pet owners should always watch for any changes in their pets’ behavior. If you suspect your pet is hurting, the first thing you should do is to take it to a veterinarian, who can determine the best plan for pain management. There are many options for managing pain, both long-term and short-term, that can help keep pets feeling good, despite health problems. Dr. Daniel Eckman, a veterinarian at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, has advice for pet owners when working with a veterinarian to choose the best pain management approach for their pet. “The best strategy for pain management in pets is to identify the source, type, and severity of pain present,” he said. “This will allow you to tailor an individual plan for the pet.” Eckman said he tends t o d eve l o p m u l t i m o d a l approaches, in which he

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combines medications, physical modalities and other forms of therapy, including laser and shockwave therapy. Physical modalities include treatments such as acupuncture, heat and cold therapy, electrical stimulation, stretching and massage. According to Eckman, physical rehabilitation is beneficial for the majority of pets in pain, especially those that are weak or have restricted movement. He explained that physical rehabilitation can help these pets become stronger and more active, which can help to reduce pain. Eckman said he does not often prescribe natural products for pain relief because they could have negative interactions with other medications that the pet is being given. It is important to tell your veterinarian which natural products you are giving your pet. “We also do not know exact doses for some of the natural products that are used, as safety and efficacy studies have not been performed on many of them,” he added. “The one product we use most frequently is fatty acid supplementation, as it helps to reduce inflammatory mediators in the joints of arthritic pets.”

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Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu. edu/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm. tamu.edu.

creating an allergy free zone in the home, use HEPA air cleaners, bathe a pet weekly, look at other potential allergy causes and try treatments like immunotherapy. According to the ACAAI website, there are no hypoallergenic cats or dogs – even those breeds that “have a reputation” as hypoallergenic like poodles and Portuguese water dogs. “A t r u l y a l l e rg y - f r e e breed does not exist,” the website states. “A 2011 study compared dust samples from homes with dog breeds reported to be

hypoallergenic and those of homes with other dogs. The levels of dog allergen in homes with “hypoallergenic” dogs did not differ from the levels in homes with other breeds. If the symptoms are too much, the AAFA has another suggestion. “Another option is to choose pets that do not have fur or feathers,” the AAFA website states. “Fish, snakes or turtles are some choices.” - Scott Girard

Pet profile Claudia

Owner’s name: Casey Shilling Residence: Fitchburg Pet’s name: Claudia Pet’s age: 6 years and 2 months old What kind of pet? Black lab How long have you had your pet? Five years and 11 months What makes your pet special? When she arrived to the Dane County Humane Society from Arkansas, she had something visibly wrong with her arm and before we could adopt her, we had to review the X-rays with an orthopedic veterinarian. He said that she would need corrective bone surgery to fix her arm since someone had broken her arm on purpose when she was just a little puppy, and it had never healed properly. She had surgery when she was just over one year old and ended up with an external fixator for a few months and weekly trips to the vet for check-ups and her left arm is now 5cm shorter than her right arm, but she’s as good as new. Funny or cute story? When Claudia was a puppy, she was going through a bit of a chewing phase. We left her alone for a while and came back home to learn just how many feathers there really are in a down throw pillow.

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For pets dealing with long-term pain management, such as from chronic diseases, Eckman says there are many options that may help. “As the pain persists or worsens over time, more layers of medications or types of treatments may be needed to continue to address the pain,” he explained. He said opiate medications are not typically recommended for long-term therapy, as they can cause negative side effects. However, they can be used for short periods of time if pain flares up above normal levels. Although it may be heartbreaking to see a pet in pain, it is important to not give up hope. There are many options for reducing or even eliminating pain, and a veterinarian can help you find the best option for your pet’s unique needs.

Allergy symptoms can show up in a variety of ways, including sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, coughing, shortness of breath, itchy eyes or a skin rash, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) website. They most often are a reaction to pet dander that pets leave around the home. As long as the allergy isn’t life threatening – the DCHS website suggests going to a doctor to find out – there are five other steps to take that could help with “miserable” symptoms:

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Up to 30 percent of people in the United States are allergic to dogs or cats, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s website. That can mean plenty of pet owners visiting the Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) to drop off a new family pet after discovering they have an allergy. DCHS public relations coordinator Marissa DeGroot said that happens “fairly often,” and they also get people who come in to ask if they have allergy friendly dogs or cats to bring back home – something the

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View all of our animals and detailed descriptions at Giveshelter.org DCHS Main Shelter • 5132 Voges Rd., Madison, WI 53718 • 838-0413 *Some animals may have already been adopted by the time of print.

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Schools

ConnectFitchburg.com

May 10, 2019

Fitchburg Star

Verona Area School District

Board wants more boundary map data Diversity statistics, achievement gap impacts among questions KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Verona Area school board members want to see more diversity data related to the three elementary school attendance boundary map options before they make a decision. The full school board reviewed the options for the first time at a work session on the morning of Saturday, May 4. Board members had questions for consultants about how each boundary map would impact the achievement gap for students of color, where TwoWay Immersion students were located throughout the district and how boundary lines might change with the addition of a potential fifth elementary school in the next decade. None of the board members were vocally in favor or against any of the three plans during the meeting. They are expected to continue reviewing the maps at upcoming meetings, and have discussed holding public outreach meetings before making a decision. The three maps forwarded to the board were selected by the Attendance Area Advisory Committee, a 29-person group made up of VASD parents and community members. Each one received more than 50 percent support at the AAAC’s last meeting on April 24. The district conducted two listening sessions in April before that meeting, where student diversity and neighborhood unity topped the list of boundary criteria that mattered to VASD families in attendance. Consultant Mark Roffers went over each option for board members during the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, explaining each plan’s potential impacts on diversity, building capacity and transportation costs. The remaining options are: • A1, which is generally similar to today’s maps and mostly unifies the Verona Road-area neighborhoods; • D1, which would have Sugar Creek and Country View partner, with one serving grades K-2 and the other 3-5 and keeps the Two Way Immersion program housed entirely at SC and Glacier Edge, but increases busing costs by 20 percent; • E, also generally similar to today’s maps, but it purposely sends Country View over capacity in anticipation of building another elementary school before 2025, which would require a referendum. Each of the boundary options are similar in

diversity percentages for students of color and socioeconomic status. Whichever option is chosen, the boundary changes will go into effect for the 2020-21 academic year when the new Verona Area High School opens. Badger Ridge Middle School will shift south to occupy the current high school building, and Sugar Creek Elementary School will move a mile to the north to the BRMS building. Board member Kristina Navarro-Haffner said the district should be cautious about trying to solve the district’s equity prob- Navarro-Haffner lems through boundary shifts. Navarro-Haffner said she was worried that if children were moved around in the district to try to close equity gaps, it might have an adverse effect on their academic performance. As Navarro-Haffner attended AAAC meetings, she said she noticed some committee members saw the boundary process as a way they could help solve equity issues. “My question as a board member is, ‘Wait, is this the right mechanism for solving this?’” she said. “Is the right solution to move kids around, or is the right solution really to move resources around? … Looking at the whole school district, it seems to be much more effective to move the resources and not disrupt the kids.”

More maps Board members asked for some of the new information to be presented overlaid on a map to help make it clear how it matches up with boundary proposals. Navarro-Haffner asked Roffers to map out which students who are academically behind their peers would be moving under new attendance boundaries. “How would we, through this process, try our best to not disrupt the kids who already comprise those kids in the achievement gap?” she asked. “We recognize that every transition and every disruption may work against us in terms of closing that gap.” Navarro-Haffner also emphasized that the solution to equity problems might be reallocating district resources to sites with students who have a higher level of need, such as Country View Elementary School, which has onefourth of VASD children who are in “transition” and without a permanent home, a statistic superintendent Dean Gorrell noted during the meeting. The district plans to shift its funding models to an

equity-based system, in which schools will receive funding for programming a n d s t a ffi n g b a s e d o n the needs of the students attending, rather than just looking at the number of students. Roffers pointed out during the work session that the boundary maps are not good indicators of where children in rental households will attend school – under some options, students could move across the street or a few blocks away, only to find themselves in a different elementary school. B o a r d m e m b e r To m Duerst also asked Roffers to map where students who participate in the Two-Way Immersion program are located throughout the district. The request was driven by Duerst’s curiosity about whether diversity was being satisfied at a classroom level for students, and how much of the diversity at Glacier Edge was driven by the Two-Way Immersion program.

Future development Maintaining diversity will get harder if a fifth elementary school is brought online, Roffers told the board. If approved in a future referendum in the coming years, the school could be built on the former Herfel property, south of the Hwy. 18-151 bypass in the Town of Verona, that the district purchased after a successful 2015 referendum. It also could be built somewhere to the north of the existing schools, where the next block of growth is anticipated. With much of the new housing growth happening in “affluent” neighborhoods, and not much in the way of low- and moderate-income housing in the city’s plans, Roffers said it would be hard to achieve equal levels of diversity, especially in socioeconomic terms, in a new school unless the housing patterns see “significant” change. Board member Meredith Stier Christensen said the growth patterns are a “function of our district” that the board is going to have to deal with in the future. She expressed concern that the district would eventually end up breaking up some of the northern neighborhoods of Fitchburg, where a larger percentage of students of color and low socioeconomic status live, in order to achieve a balance of diversity at a fifth elementary. “That’s where I’m concerned that we’re putting all of the pressure on a neighborhood that’s already isolated,” she said. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

A work in progress

VASD High School tour May 2019 Verona Area School District officials look out at the landscape outside of the building during a tour of the new high school construction site on Saturday, May 4.

Oregon School District

OMS staff shuffled after resignation SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

The last thing Oregon School District superintendent Brian Busler was expecting to do this school year was shuffle administrators around to cover for a resignation. But that’s how it turned out a few weeks into the school y e a r, a f t e r then-newly hired Oregon Middle School associate principal Jaye Barbeau Busler told Busler and OMS principal Shannon Anderson “he didn’t like being a principal” and resigned, leaving the superintendent in a bit of a scramble. “I’ve seen this happen before,” Busler wrote in an email to the Star last week. “I was disappointed since we all saw promise in him. It turned out an associate principal position wasn’t the right fit for him, and sometimes people don’t know that until they give it a try.” But there wasn’t much time to ponder what could have been, with students needing attention at the middle school. Busler decided to move Brooklyn Elementary School administrative intern Darci Krueger to fill the vacancy at OMS for the rest of the school year, as she had middle school experience in her previous job in the Janesville School District. To fill her spot, former BKE teacher and administrative intern Jess Holman, who

had moved back to the Oregon area, agreed to fill in at Brooklyn for Krueger for the rest of the year. As the school year winds to a close, Busler said the “unexpected transition really went well” and the educational impacts were “limited.” “We are fortunate to have a strong administrative team with vast experience, which allowed us to make a seamless transition,” he said. “Students really liked Jaye, and were sorry to see him go. The students are also quick to learn their new teachers or administrators, and they welcomed Darci to her new role at OMS, and the BKE students knew Jess, so this was also a smooth transition.” Barbeau, who now works in real estate for Madison’s Realty Executives, emailed the Star last week that he’s also working as a consultant for the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a “pilot project as a curriculum developer.” “My love and passion for education continues,” he wrote. “I enjoyed my time in Oregon. As I said to the staff members of OMS when I left, the school has an excellent leader and a dedicated staff. I appreciative of the district’s support.” Last week, the district moved ahead with more permanent plans for the schools’ administrative staff, with Rome Corners Intermediate principal Jason Zurawik returning to his former position as OMS associate principal, and Krueger returning to Brooklyn Elementary School as an associate principal on July 1. Busler said Zurawik

talked to him about returning earlier this year to find a better balance of family and life. “I said, ‘Your timing is good, are you interested in returning to OMS?’” Zurawik Busler said. “He said yes and we are happy to have him back at OMS.” Busler said he has a “high level” of confidence in Zurawik as a principal, and respects his decision to return to an associate role for the time being. “There is a difference between the role of the principal and associate principal in terms of overall responsibility,” he said. “The school principal jobs are demanding and there is limited ‘offtime.’ Jason was successful as a school principal in our district and (his previous district of) Wauwatosa and I anticipate he will hit a great stride returning to OMS.” Zurawik told the Star on Monday that he typed up a whole page to read to his staff to announce the move, but ended up just talking from the heart. “It was very emotional for me to tell staff I wasn’t going to be coming back,” he said. “It’s to have family balance – my kids are getting older. This is my next step, and once the kids are in a spot where they don’t need me the way they do now, I’ll review where I’m at and hopefully get back to leading a building again.”

What’s online

Read this and more schools stories at ConnectFitchburg.com:

Students sign construction beam that will be in new VAHS Verona Area High School students added a piece of their legacy to the new high school building that will open in fall 2020.

Zach, school board praise Busler in annual review After nearly 13 years as Oregon School District superintendent, Brian Busler has gained a reputation as a strong leader who has helped build a thriving, respected district.

Send it in! Is something exciting happening at your child’s school? A cool new program or fun afterschool event? We’d love to cover it, or have you submit photos and information! You can submit it on our website at ConnectFitchburg.com or email communityreporter@ wcinet.com. Questions? Call 845-9559.

12 Fitchburg Star - May 10, 2019

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