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Thursday, May 3, 2018 • Vol. 133, No. 44 • Oregon, WI • ConnectOregonWI.com • $1.25
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112 Janesville Street, Oregon, WI 53575 Phone: 835-8276 • Fax: 835-8277 Mon., Fri. & Sat. appointment only Tues. & Thurs. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Wed. 12 p.m.-6 p.m.,
Arbor Day at Anderson Closing in
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Oregon Observer The
Oregon School District
ALEXANDER CRAMER Unified Newspaper Group
on a fall referendum
A group of 76 sixth-graders from Rome Corners Intermediate school went to Anderson Farm County Park on Friday, April 27, to celebrate Arbor Day. The kids learned what it’s like to be an arborist from Dane County Parks staff and representatives from nearby Arbor Systems. There were five stations ranged around the park, including opportunities to plant and climb trees. Arborist Kyle Lippart, who works for Arbor Systems, told the Observer that they normally do six or seven events around Dane County in the warmer months. He hopes the kids learn a respect for arbor culture. “It’s good to get to kids at this stage and spark curiosity,” Lippart said. “Trees are something you take care of. They need care throughout their lives.”
More focus groups this month could help set scope
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After more than a year of work by a district growth t a s k f o r c e a n d s eve r a l months of work sessions, the Oregon school board is positioned to vote later this month on going to referendum – probably in November – to fund two new schools. It’s holding three more focus groups over the next nine days, and those will lead up to a special board meeting set for Monday, May 21. At that meeting, the board will evaluate all information gathered, including community input. District superintendent Brian Busler
Inside More photos from Arbor Day events Page 7 Photo by Alexander Cramer
Maisie Patterson gets a kick out of swinging through the air during an Arbor Day event for RCI sixth-graders at Anderson Park Friday, April 27.
Hall calls for Harlow Longtime OCA head honored by Wisconsin Community Media BILL LIVICK
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as the Tin Man water tower, Oregon High School and the red brick headquarters of Gorman and Company. Other clips show lots of smiling kids and people marching in Summer Fest parades, riding on village bike paths, building Habitat for Humanity homes and kids scaling a climbing wall.
Passing on knowledge It’s fitting that Harlow and Olsen should be recognized with Wisconsin Community Media awards in the same year. He developed an interest in videography through his experience as a student volunteer with OCA
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The Library Board has chosen its next library director from among three finalists. Board president Brian Busler t o l d t h e Way Observer in an email Monday the board had selected Jennifer Endres Way as its top choice and is in the process of reviewing her
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background and references. Way is the director of the Ruth Culver Community Library in Prairie du Sac, a post she’s held since 2004. After an initial interview, she was called back to meet with library staff and then met with the full library board April 23. The board is “not very far from offering this person the job” Village Board representative Jeanne Carpenter told the Observer last week. Busler wrote that the board expects to announce the decision at its May 9 meeting. The board anticipates the new director will begin
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Oregon Community Access Media is celebrating two top awards announced last week by Wisconsin Community Media. Former coordinator Liz Harlow, who retired in 2016 after 31 years with the organization, will be inducted into the Wisconsin Community Media Hall of Fame, and videographer Tim Olsen has won a Top Excellence Award for his program, “Welcome Home to Oregon.” The pair will be honored at a May 10 ceremony in Oshkosh. Harlow was chosen by the WCM
Board of Directors for her “great leadership and devotion to the mission of public, education, and government access television,” WCM executive director Mary Cardona wrote in announcing the awards. A part-time coordinator at OCA Media her entire career, Harlow is the 11th person inducted into the WCM Hall of Fame. It was established in 2008. Olsen made his three-minute video, which can be seen on the homepage at ocamedia.com, last year. It introduces the Village of Oregon in a montage that includes clips from dozens of videos and features some iconic structures in the village, such
said the board might select the “best option for moving forward at this meeting or shortly thereafter.” The four options being considered all include building two new schools within the kindergarten to
Library has ‘top choice’ for director Board plans May 9 announcement
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What: Oregon School District focus groups When: 1 and 6 p.m. Thursday, May 3; 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 12 Where: District office, 123 E. Grove St. (1 p.m. May 3); RCI cafeteria (6:30 p.m. May 3 and Saturday, May 12) Info: 835-4003 or bsb@ OregonSD.org