Thursday, February 7, 2019 • Vol. 134, No. 32 • Oregon, WI • ConnectOregonWI.com • $1.25
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Oregon Observer The
Oregon School District
Survey focuses on sports Task force’s goal is equity in youth athletics SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group
If you’re a parent or student in the Oregon School District, keep an eye on the mailbox. A survey intended to make area youth sports and athletics more equitable and accessible is on the way. The survey, issued by the district Youth Sports and Athletics Task Force, is following through on the first of the group’s three recommendations
approved last fall by the school board. The goal is to “better understand participation and non-participation in sports, access, equity and opportunities (or lack thereof), to benchmark participation numbers and determine goals for the future,” according to the task force. The survey, estimated to take 5-10 minutes, was sent Feb. 6 to all OSD families, as well as students in grades 4-12, district director of communications Erika Mundinger told the Observer in an email. The survey will be open through 5 p.m. Feb. 20 to give people “plenty of
Turn to Survey/Page 8
Sleep Inn and Suites, which opened in Oregon Dec. 31, 2018, features 40 double-queen bedrooms.
New hotel opens on Park St. Official grand opening is still the in works, manager says
EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group
Seeking the governor’s reprieve Superintendents ask Evers to waive recent ‘cold days’ SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group
While the district has canceled one more than the three planned “snow days” set aside for the 2018-19 school year, administrators are hoping classes will not be extended into the summer break. OSD superintendent Brian Busler said superintendents from Dane County schools will be sending a joint letter asking the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and Gov. Tony Evers to waive the hours of instruction rule for two of the three inclement weather days last week. “The request will be for the two extremely cold days, not the typical snow days,” Busler wrote in an
email to the Observer. Busler said this is the first time county school superintendents have asked the governor to grant such a request. If approved, the two days would not count against the school calendar, and the district would h ave o n e “ s n ow d a y ” remaining before time off would be rescheduled for June. But in a Feb. 5 news release, DPI announced they do not anticipate approving waivers for last week’s weather cancelations. School was canceled due to snow or low temperatures on four days so far – Jan. 23, 28, 30 and 31. The state requires at least 1,137 hours of instruction for grades 7 through 12, and at least 1,050 for grades 1 through 6. It also used to require a specific number of days, but now only requires those instructional hours.
Photo by Emilie Heidemann
A “taste of Oregon hospitality” opened its doors – partially – on Dec. 31, 2018. Sleep Inn & Suites, located at 1120 Park St., has so far opened its first floor rooms, as the second and third floor rooms, pool and elevator are still
receiving final touches. General manager Paul Harms said after elevator and pool state inspections are completed later this week, the second and third floor rooms should be open to patrons. In the meantime, Harms said hotel staff is in the process of planning a grand opening party. “We want the public to come out
and experience the hotel, ”Harms told the Observer Feb. 1. Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce members held a meeting in the hotel community room and received a tour of the building Jan. 24. The room, filled with tables and three booths, has photos of Oregon’s
Turn to Sleep/Page 7
New ice arena owners are in for the ‘grind’ Longtime managers Clemens, Cowan buy it from nonprofit ALEXANDER CRAMER Unified Newspaper Group
Christmas came early for Ben Cowan and Larry Clemens, depending how you look at it. On Dec. 20, the pair signed the papers to purchase the Oregon Ice Arena, then headed into work like it was a normal Thursday. But it wasn’t. “That was a nerve-wracki n g d a y, s i g n i n g o u r lives away for an ice arena,” Cowan remembers.
“Basically, if something would happen to it, I would be paying the bank back forever.” Taking a break from leading a young goalie through drills, with the sound of slapshots and pucks hitting pads echoing through the arena, Clemens said owning the arena “doesn’t feel very different” day to day than managing it did. “Other than one year, we’ve run (the arena) since it opened 10 years ago,” Clemens said. After nearly a decade of managing the arena between them, Clemens and co-owner Ben Cowan
Turn to Ice/Page 16
Photo by Alexander Cramer
New Ice Arena owners Ben Cowan, left, and Larry Clemens.
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