Thursday, June 21, 2018 • Vol. 54, No. 5 • Verona, WI • Hometown USA • ConnectVerona.com • $1.25
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Verona Press The
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New VAHS
Second pool, turf decisions by Sept. 1 Bids on building, road will determine SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
A second pool and turf fields at the new Verona Area High School are still possibilities, but school board members hoping to include them need to see low bids on the rest of the project. An update from staff with contractor Findorff and architect Epstein Uhen Architects to school board members Monday night indicated a decision on those amenities would be needed by Sept. 1. The projects, at a cost of more than $7 million, were cited as items that might have to be cut during some tense negotiations over the past year with the City of Verona over costs for an entry road to the site and area intersection improvements. Findorff project manager Aaron Zutz told the board the construction budget is about $1.6 million over on the $182 million project,
Bids timeline June 27: Final construction documents Late July: Bids due Early August: Review bids Mid August: Tabulated bids Sept. 1: Decision on alternatives of second pool, turf “Basically 1 percent from where we want to be.” “One percent is an excellent place to be,” Zutz said. “That gets us pretty much right where we want to be right now.” That includes the second pool and artificial turf on the soccer and football fields, but those – being bid as “alternatives” to give the board flexibility – would likely be the first cuts if the construction budget needs to be trimmed after bids come in, expected in mid-August.
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Verona Area School District
Feather denial sparks graduation policy review her mortarboard last week, her mother has claimed. While school district officials acknowledged the incident and apologized, they said her late request SCOTT GIRARD put them in a difficult spot. I n a Fa c e b o o k p o s t Unified Newspaper Group written the Monday after A graduating senior was graduation, Kristy Bac“bullied” by Verona Area cam shared the experience High School faculty into of her daughter, Ariana. removing a Native AmerTurn to Feather/Page 3 ican cultural symbol from
Administrators ‘sorry,’ say request made on short notice
The
Verona Press
Babysitter Kendra Sanderfoot pours turns the inflatable water slide into a slip-and-slide for Eli Heilman, 8.
Photo by Kimberly Wethal
Staying cool at the beach As temperatures topped 90 degrees at the end of last week, one way people chose to stay cool was going to Fireman’s Park Beach.
Music on Main returns for second year Attendees will be able to bring in alcoholic beverages
‘It’s just a win-win all the way around.’
KIMBERLY WETHAL
– Le Jordan, Verona Area Chamber of Commerce executive director
Unified Newspaper Group
Verona Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Le Jordan wants the Music on Main concerts to feel like more of an “experience,” rather than just sitting in a park. As a result, the Music on Main concerts, which returns for its second year, will permit attendees to carry in their own adult beverages to the concerts, Jordan said. “Based on the Concerts on the Square and other events like that, where people can bring picnics and a bottle of wine to share, that’s one of the ways people like to enjoy a Friday night,” she said. “We felt like bringing in adult beverages just made it more of an experience, and the better
experience you can give people, the more they enjoy events.” Alcohol will not be allowed to leave the park, and there will be people enforcing the city ordinances that prohibit open intoxicants. “As long as everyone consumes it right there in the park, it’s good,” she said. “Certainly, the first year is on a trial basis to see how it goes.” The concerts, held every other Friday at Hometown Junction Park, 101 W. Railroad St., began last year as a way to bring traffic downtown while Main Street was under construction, letting people know businesses were still open.
If You Go What: Music on Main concerts When: 5-8 p.m. June 29, July 13, July 27 and Aug. 10 Where: Hometown Junction Park, 101 W. Railroad St. Info: veronawi.com Jordan said she thinks that the goal was accomplished – people often discovered new businesses along the downtown that they didn’t know were there – but they also appreciated having an event to attend that was both family friendly and free. “It’s just a win-win all the way around,” she said. The concerts had a smaller attendance last year– around 40 people floated in and out of the event
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