Thursday, July 25, 2019 • Vol. 135, No. 4 • Oregon, WI • ConnectOregonWI.com • $1.25
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Oregon Observer The
Town of Rutland
Violent sex offender to be placed Supervised release program limits, monitors movement outside home AMBER LEVENHAGEN Unified Newspaper Group
Photo by Emilie Heidemann
Safety officials from around Dane County gathered at Oregon Middle School last week for an active shooter training. They underwent training for different scenarios, including what to do when there is a casualty.
Emergency preparation Last week, safety officials from around Dane County gathered at Oregon Middle School to conduct active shooter trainings. Police officers and Emergency Medical Technician staff from Verona, McFarland, Stoughton and Oregon all participated. Lt. Jennifer Pagenkopf of the
Oregon Police Department told the Observer they went through different scenarios to practice now to best communicate and be prepared for real incidents, including what to do when there is a casualty or when someone is injured.
Inside
More photos of the safety training exercise Page 12
– Emilie Heidemann
Application ‘on a whim’ leads OHS senior to possible career Claire Michels builds sets for Fireside Dinner Theatre productions in Ft. Atkinson EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group
What started as just a whim has turned into a possible career path for Claire Michels. Michels, who’ll be a senior this fall at Oregon High School, embarked on a theatre internship opportunity through the University of Wisconsin-Parkside earlier this summer. She “applied on a whim” for the chance to work as a technical assistant for UW-Parkside’s Klopcic Scene Shop and for an internship with Children’s Theatre of Madison. Michels was chosen for both, but decided to accept the UW-Parkside/Fireside
internship opportunity. During the course of the internship, which lasted from June 17 to July 15, Michels built sets for Fireside Dinner Theatre productions, based out of Fort Atkinson. She and other students also took part in a “rigorous” program to handle “set Michels and prop construction, painting and installation in a professional setting,” according to a UW-Parkside news release. The show she helped build sets and props for was the production of “Annie the Musical.” According to the news release, the interns built the set “overnight” at the Fireside on Sunday, July 14. Michels said she and her fellow interns were also enrolled in an independent study
in technical theatre through the university arts department. Having little knowledge of how to build sets before this opportunity, Michels said she learned how to use different types of saws, drills and other tools. “Additionally, she picked up on essential crafting and safety skills needed for this line of work,” the release states. “On top of that, she’s gained other skills she didn’t expect, such as learning how to live away from home, with roommates and how to collaborate with other interns on making the set.” She said was on her lunch break at school when she “got the call” that she was accepted. Michels was so elated, she could hardly contain her excitement. Michels said working with a professional theatre company
A violent sex offender will be moved into a home in the Town of Rutland “on or before” Aug. 15, the state Department of Health Services confirmed Monday. Neighbors of the home where the patient will be housed, 3482 Hwy. 138, notified the Town Board of the placement last month. The neighbors told the board at its June 4 meeting they were notified by local law enforcement officials
when an officer knocked on their door and told them about the move. The move is through a supervised release program facilitated by DHS and Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center, which is one of two secure treatment centers operated by the Division of Care and Treatment Services in Wisconsin. A 2016 state law prohibits local units of government from barring such placements, which are by default in the same counties where the offenders lived prior to being committed for treatment. In general, patients on supervised release face much stricter limitations than other released sex offenders, according to the
Turn to Offender/Page 10
Village of Oregon
Three businesses fail alcohol checks All have been asked to appear before village board
with the Oregon Village Board on July 15, and trustees agreed to ask the owners or managers of the violating businesses, Ace’s Main Tap, Mulligan’s Bar AMBER LEVENHAGEN and Grill and SeÑor Peppers, to discuss the vioUnified Newspaper Group lations and their plans for Three businesses have improvement at the next failed alcohol compliance regular board meeting, Aug. checks, two for the second 5. “We’re seeing all three time in a year. Police chief Brian Uhl Turn to Alcohol/Page 3 shared the information
Inside
Turn to Internship/Page 5
People You Should Know Pages 8-9
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