Stoughton
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Courier Hub The
Thursday, September 12, 2019 • Vol. 138, No. 8 • Stoughton, WI • ConnectStoughton.com • $1.25 shopsaintvinnys.com &
Vinnys-Stoughton
Downtown construction piles up Road closures were challenging, mostly went well, businesses say MACKENZIE KRUMME Unified Newspaper Group
Late summer road construction projects on four downtown streets brought better roads but challenging disruptions for businesses and residents. Even for places downtown that didn’t have construction directly in front of their buildings, like the Stoughton Senior Center, transportation was difficult during the Aug. 19-30 shutdown of five blocks of West Main Street. Combined with torn-up roads on Jackson Street, Lincoln Avenue and Monroe Street – Lincoln Avenue and Jackson Street
going past their initially planned deadline by a month – some businesses found their traffic much reduced. The Main Street construction, which some bu s i n e s s ow n e r s w e r e u n aw a r e o f u n t i l t w o weeks before it began, finished on time, even with an unexpected expansion, city planning and development director Rodney Scheel said. At one point, three underground crews and a utility crew were working on the five-block radius simultaneously. However, with the pressure to finish Main Street construction on time, the Monroe Street construction was delayed. “I felt that we succeeded in trying to minimize the duration of time (on the Main Street proje c t ) bu t a c k n ow l e d g e that there were certainly
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Stoughton Area School District
Photo by Mackenzie Krumme
Richard Schollmeyer fishes another portion of boiled cod out of the pots to serve during the fish boil at West Koshkonong Church Friday, Sept. 6. To his right, Kent Peterson is known as the “boil master.”
Norwegian cuisine
West Koshkonong Church served up traditional Norwegian fare during the annual Fish Boil on Friday, Sept. 6. The menu includes traditionally cooked all you can eat boiled cod, red potatoes, carrots and onions, coleslaw, bread and lefse. Norwegian treats like krumkake, rosettes and sandbakkels were also served along with milk and coffee.
There were three seating times with room for 160 guests during each round. This year’s proceeds were donated to Koshkonong Prairie Historical Society, Free Health Clinic in Stoughton and the Personal Essentials Pantry.
Inside More photos from the West Koshkonong Church fish boil Page 16
– Mackenzie Krumme
Native symbol issue prompts questions of district advocacy $575K of tuition and fees paid for SHS students
SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group
While a trending issue opposing the use of Native American wording and images wouldn’t affect Stoughton schools, it’s raised a broader question about what sort of political discussions the school board should get involved in. The Stoughton Area school board spent more than an hour on the topic Sept. 3 deciding to
continue the discussion next week at its 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 meeting. Board members encouraged the public to weigh in, prior to an expected board vote later that evening. The resolution presented earlier in the month had been forwarded by SASD board member Kathleen Hoppe, and it claims that state and public schools’ u s e o f N a t ive A m e r i can mascots, logos and nicknames “undermine the educational experiences of members of all communities” and teach children that it is acceptable to engage in culturally abusive behavior and
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Courier Hub
Quinn and Verna Smet scholarship given to 26 students since 1994 MACKENZIE KRUMME Unified Newspaper Group
During the spring scholarship awards ceremony, Stoughton High School students wait anxiously to see who won the anticipated Quinn and Verna Smet Scholarship. Given annually since 1994, the scholarship has awarded 26 students roughly $575,000, providing full tuition and fees to a Stoughton High School student
‘You see jaws drop and eyebrows raise. It is that without the right tools. You need a good education pretty dramatic.’ to be able to take care of – Verna Smet who excelled in school, but wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford tuition. During that ceremony, the scholarship is often accepted with smiles and tears. John and Cindy Smet, of the Smet Foundation, started the scholarship in honor of John’s parents, Quinn and Verna Smet. Quinn was a substitute teacher at Stoughton High School for about 12 years and the family emphasized the importance of higher education. Of the six Smet siblings, all have undergraduate
yourself.” The SHS scholarship committee chooses the student who receives the award. Recipients don’t apply; rather, it is a surprise announcement at the end of the annual awards ceremony. A speaker announces the scholarships one by one, starting off with the smaller amounts building to the large scholarships. The Quinn and Verna Smet scholarship is always one of the last given. “You see jaws drop and eyebrows raise,” Verna said. “It is pretty dramatic.”
degrees and five have masters degrees. Cindy and John have had successful investment careers, they told the Hub last week, and are happy to give these scholarships to relieve the financial burden of higher education. They believe education is the path to self-reliance and independence. “I believe that there is so much dignity in taking care of yourself and your family,” Cindy said. “We expect people to do that, but we can’t expect people to do Turn to Scholarship/Page 13
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