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Thursday, December 27, 2018 • Vol. 54, No. 32 • Verona, WI • Hometown USA • ConnectVerona.com • $1.25

Stories of the Year 2018

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New maps get mixed reaction Single-site TWI, K-2/3-5 pair presented to committee SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group

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The new Verona Area High School has much of its core area staged as of mid-November. Construction will continue through the winter to ensure the school opens for the 2020-21 school year.

Changes trickle down Schools prepare for major shift, city deals with turnover It’s nothing new in Verona to have plenty that’s new. Change was again a major theme around the community in 2018, as the top stories voted on by the Press staff show, even without some of the major developments that had been anticipated when the year began. At the top, of course, was the high school project. The result of a $182 million referendum, it has taken over what seems have been a responsibility in Verona for years – having a crane on the city’s west

side. Construction crews have made progress on the building that still has a year and a half to finish, but it’s already easy to see the shape of a high school. Epic construction has slowed – a story that came in tied for 10th on our list – but Findorff got to continue basing a large workforce in Verona until at least August 2020. The next couple stories on our list couldn’t be separated, but both stuck with the theme of change. The

Turn to 2018/Page 12

Stories of 2018 1. High school construction starts amid dispute over road 2. (tie) Road construction everywhere 2. (tie) Changing of the guard in the city 4. Flooding overtakes roads, drowns cars 5. Planning new school boundaries begins 6. BPNN expands building, service area 7. Fire department firestorm 8. (tie) Car thefts become a problem 8. (tie) Matts House gets completed 10. (tie) Epic growth slows 10. (tie) Bennin wins state swimming titles 10. (tie) ICE detains area residents

‘Smart way to give back’ V-Fitt volunteer instructor steps down after 10 years

ago, he didn’t have a plan for how long he’d do it. Now, as 2018 comes SCOTT GIRARD to an end, the volunteer “multifunctional fitness Unified Newspaper Group class” instructor has When Jude Sullivan began giving taught his last class as early-morning fitness classes to Vero- part of the V-Fitt prona Area School District staff a decade gram after 10 years of The

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Food drive bests 20K-pound goal SCOTT GIRARD

three-day-a-week classes at 5:45 a.m. “It just happens that it’s a nice round number, 10 years,” Sullivan told the Press. “That was just kind of more of an accident than anything else.” Sullivan runs a fitness business with his wife and said wellness is “part of Sullivan

The “creative” options for new school attendance boundaries drove home the same point other maps had two weeks earlier: Something’s got to give. On Dec. 19, consultant Mark Roffers presented Options C and D to a committee tasked with evaluating and eventually recommending new attendance areas when the new Verona Area High School opens in 2020 and other schools shuffle around in the remaining spaces. The 29-person Attendance Area Advisory Committee had gotten permission from the school board two days earlier to evaluate the maps Roffers created, ones that would require policy changes such as splitting programs or grades to different sites. But even as the new maps

appeared to solve some problems, others would be created. “There will be some things that an option will cover well and other things that that same option will not cover well at all,” superintendent Dean Gorrell said at the committee’s fifth meeting. “There’s no way to get around that.” The committee had looked at Options A and B at its Dec. 5 meeting, and both had problems meeting the criteria the board set, including student diversity and affecting the least number of students possible. Option C would move the entire Two Way Immersion program to Sugar Creek Elementary School – which itself is moving to the existing Badger Ridge Middle School Campus. It would expand the program by adding sections at the kindergarten level each year and keeping those increased sections as students grow. While it could bring some programming advantages of collaboration for

The Verona Area High School food drive surpassed its goal for the first time in adviser Megan Wenn’s 11 years leading the effort. The drive, which ended with a seventh and final collection Wednesday, Dec. 19, collected more

than 20,000 pounds of food to donate to Badger Prairie Needs Network. The group also collected $987.29 in money to donate. “This set of kids was goal-driven moreso than I’ve ever seen,” Wenn said. VAHS senior Lindsey Hollar, one of seven student coordinators for the

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December 27, 2018

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An assistant fire chief who was the subject of two separate conduct investigations this year has resigned, citing “almost no support” from the Verona mayor and Common Council and “unending character assassination” by a union secretary. Don Catenacci, who also has been the fire chief at Wind Lake in Racine County since September, tendered his resignation Dec. 17 with a hardcopy letter in the mailbox of Mayor Luke Diaz, effective that day. As of Dec. 22, the Oregon Police Department was investigating a complaint alleging physical abuse by him. Previous Giver allegations of unprofessional behavior against Catenacci earlier this year led to a report compiling a variety of Catenacci complaints about the culture and leadership of Verona’s department and a performance-improvement plan for chief Joe Giver that was delivered in October. A month later, the union representing several members of that department, Fire Fighters Local 311, called for both men to resign after seeing the report. That led to two closed-door discussions of the Common Council, on Nov. 19 and 26, but no further action. The behavior Catenacci was initially accused of included rubbing the heads of other bald people, comments and questions about homosexuality and undesired touching of people’s faces. A report the city commissioned in July from the Riesling Group consultants indicated people working at the fire station generally found his behavior unprofessional but not threatening. On Dec. 5, however, the union forwarded two more complaints about Catenacci to the city, this time detailing two separate alleged physical assaults from 2016 against the same firefighter. Catenacci did not answer a call Dec. 23 to his cell phone. Diaz told the Press the city asked the Oregon PD to investigate to avoid conflicts of interest and that the detective on the case had been expected to complete that investigation within days. Diaz said he had withheld making any public comment on the charges until the investigation was complete. He said Catenacci’s resignation was a surprise especially because of the timing and how it drew extra

Early June: Firefighter disciplined for November incident June 5: Union sends letter complaining of unequal treatment July: City commissions investigation of assistant chief Don Catenacci Sept. 25: Report presented to city Oct. 10: Mayor, fire chief agree on improvement plan Nov. 13: Union calls for chief, Catenacci to resign, citing report Nov. 14: Union says plan won’t work, promises to file formal complaint Dec. 5: Union forwards assault complaint to city Dec. 17: Catenacci resigns attention to concerns about his workplace behavior. “He didn’t come talk to anybody (about his intention to quit),” Diaz said. Catenacci’s letter blamed the culture issues on two unnamed “longtime” members of the department and said the problems existed long before he or Giver joined the department. “The ironic part is I had several people, including past members, all tell me not to become a member of the Verona Fire Department,” it said. “The problem is not new to Chief Giver and the reputation that the problem has given the Verona Fire Department should be an embarrassment to the entire community.” Giver has been chief here since 2009. Catenacci was promoted to assistant chief from a full-time position in 2016. Catenacci’s letter also complained nobody in city government contacted him to hear his side of the story. Diaz said it was more appropriate to leave that to “professionals.” “I’m not a detective. There was an Oregon police detective doing that,” he said. “I don’t know what having the mayor or alders running around the fire department would accomplish.” The union stated Nov. 14 it planned to file a formal complaint with the Police and Fire Commission against both Catenacci and Giver, whom it said knew about Catenacci’s behavior and failed to act. But two weeks later, the PFC reported no complaint had yet been filed, and Dec. 22, Diaz told the Press he was unaware of any yet. The Riesling report resulted from an informal union complaint after Giver disciplined a union member with a suspension several months after an alleged incident. Within days after Giver delivered the penalty, union secretary Ted Higgins wrote to the mayor, fire chief and others June 5, calling it

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The Verona Area High School food drive team poses with their last delivery to Badger Prairie Needs Network, which put them over the 20,000-pound goal they had set. She credited the students who are “motivated to do good just to do good,” as well as the staff and administration at the high school for supporting the effort. “It’s always a different group of staff members that step up every year,” she said. Kasieta said the food drive coordinators’ “parents are doing something really right.” “These kids, they get that they were helping feed people,” she said. “When I heard them talking, what I heard them talking about was the need and how they

were so committed to feeding families.” The chance for students t o h e l p p r ov i d e “ b a r e necessities” in their own community is special, Wenn added, especially with the district’s focus on equity and the importance of everyone having those basic needs met. “Every single ounce of that food is going back into our community,” Wenn said. “I just feel blessed that I’m a part of it.”

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unequal treatment in light of Catenacci’s behavior. While investigating the alleged incidents, the Riesling investigator, Dale Burke, found common concerns among the 28 people he interviewed about cultural and leadership issues at the department. They included lack of accountability and lack of discipline, lack of follow-through on personnel issues, ineffective, inconsistent and autocratic leadership, favoritism and retaliation. Burke presented that report and the companion compilation of complaints Sept. 25, and Diaz said Giver agreed to a performance improvement plan Oct. 10. Higgins and several firefighters the Press spoke with acknowledged some of the issues raised existed even before Giver took over the department. But Giver and the union have had troubles from the start, especially after he was carried over from the Verona Joint Fire District’s department to the city department when it converted in 2014. He was not asked to interview for the job then but wanted to hold open hiring for all of his subordinates. Diaz and current District 4 Ald. Heather Reekie were among four alders at the time who voted against providing money for recruitment when the Police and Fire Commission attempted to hold the interviews during the transition. Eventually, a union lawsuit prevailed, and all but one full-time member of the fire department were brought on in a settlement between the city and union. Giver has had one performance evaluation in his nine years in Verona, performed by the fire district in 2011. Obtained by the Press this month, it listed several concerns with handling personnel, some of which mirror complaints raised in the Riesling report, such as not holding people accountable, delaying action on requests and having difficulty with morale and recruitment.

drive, said it was “very exciting” for the group to reach their goal for the first time in her four years here. “It was kind of emotional,” Hollar said. The group this year decided to go without the “kickoff” event of past years, which featured students sitting in the Performing Arts Center watching skits and learning about the need for food in the community. Instead, they distributed information directly via classrooms and focused their energy on collecting. T h ey a l s o g o t m a ny donations through “supermarket sweeps” at Miller and Son’s, with students standing near the entrance and handing out sheets of paper with items needed, and asking shoppers to add a couple items to their cart. Wenn said a store like Millers allowing that “doesn’t happen everywhere,” and was key to the group’s success. Badger Prairie Needs Network executive director Marcia Kasieta told the Press those sweeps were a “smart” way to get everyone in the “amazing community” involved, and it also helped ensure they didn’t have to worry about expiring food. “What’s wonderful about that approach is every single bit of food we brought in is fresh,” Kasieta said. “Everything is just like it was purchased right from the store, which gives us so much flexibility.” The first week of collection in October featured some good signs for the group, as they collected a record 2,014 pounds of food, according to a VAHS Facebook post. But the group “always starts strong,” Wenn said, and keeping the momentum going had been a challenge. This year’s group kept it up, though, especially with the time spent at the supermarket. Wenn said the drive featured a last-minute bonus, as well. A teacher out on maternity leave has a relative at a corn producer in Janesville who donated around 2,000 pounds on the final collection day.

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Embattled assistant chief resigns amid investigation

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December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

Opinion

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Letters to the editor policy Unified Newspaper Group is proud to offer a venue for public debate and welcomes letters to the editor, provided they comply with our guidelines. Letters should be no longer than 400 words. They should also contain contact information – the writer’s full name, address, and phone number – so that the paper may confirm authorship. Unsigned or anonymous letters will not be printed under any circumstances. The editorial staff of Unified Newspaper Group reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and appropriateness. Letters with libelous or obscene content will not be printed. Unified Newspaper Group generally only accepts letters from writers with ties to our circulation area. Letters to the editor should be of general public interest. Letters that are strictly personal – lost pets, for example – will not be printed. Letters that recount personal experiences, good or bad, with individual businesses will not be printed unless there is an overwhelming and compelling public interest to do so. Letters that urge readers to patronize specific businesses or specific religious faiths will not be printed, either. “Thank-you” letters can be printed under limited circumstances, provided they do not contain material that should instead be placed as an advertisement and reflect public, rather than promotional interests. Unified Newspaper Group encourages lively public debate on issues, but it reserves the right to limit the number of exchanges between individual letter writers to ensure all writers have a chance to have their voices heard. This policy will be printed from time to time in an abbreviated form here and will be posted in its entirety on our websites.

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Exchange brings novelty, nostalgia to Thanksgiving I t was darn chilly getting off that bus. Chillier than I expected or remembered for this time of year. Thankfully, my parents were waiting for me and had brought a winter jacket for me, knowing I wouldn’t fully acclimate for a few days. I don’t normally come home for extended periods in November, however this time I’d brought an exchange group of high school students with me from Costa Rica. They’d stay with local Dresser families, visit schools and experience Wisconsin for a few weeks. If I was having problems, these kids had to be hopeless. It’s one thing to come from Costa Rica, but their region brings out the extremes. Just for them to get to the airport is nearly six hours and they can almost get to Panama City faster. Only a few miles from the border with Panama, this region is low-lying, hot, humid, and full of rainforests, farms, and minimal population. They were going to get a shock to their system from more than just the weather. They were in for experiences all across the board. And so was I. After spending the first night with their host families, I was interested to hear their reactions. There was the usual, “Wow, the family is so friendly.” or “The dog is so funny.” and of course the “It’s so cold!” but there is always something that uniquely draws their attention. The most interesting comments I heard referenced having a lower-door freezer and the astounding dishwasher. Freezers do exist in Costa Rica, but they are almost always upper door freezers, whereas unless you are upper, upper class, or an expatriate, a dishwasher is a complete luxury.

They were amazed at its simplicity and the fact that you “don’t even get your hands wet.” I silently chuckled to myself hearing those comments as I had never really noticed those differences before. I then overheard one student saying he had been really cold at night. I asked him if he had enough blankets and he said he wasn’t given any. Hmm, that couldn’t be right. I decided to follow up with the family, and they were just as puzzled. They said the bed had various sheets and blankets all tucked in. All tucked in. All tucked in. That was it. The student had never thought to untuck the comforter and sleep under it. After I thought about it, it made complete sense. I know where I live in Costa Rica, I rarely need more than a light sheet to cover up with at night, and that is mostly to keep the mosquitoes off. I also know that bedrooms are more focal points of homes in Costa Rica. It’s not uncommon to walk into a home and have a bedroom right off the entrance. Because of this they will put comforters on the bed to dress it up and then at night sleep on top of it with a light sheet. That’s exactly what happened and is why the student never bothered to untuck the bed! Don’t get me wrong, these students were modern. This was not like the Amish coming to the big city. I’m sure they dominated their hosts in Snapchats per capita and could overwhelm absolutely anyone at the mall, especially since they happened to be in town for Black Friday. In addition to that utterly American event, this group also got to experience Thanksgiving, a holiday that has no Costa Rican equivalent. Due to school schedules, we had never been able to exchange during a holiday, and this is what families (and I) enjoyed the most. Having those extra days off really gave them a chance to get to know their student and

was highly emphasized in their feedback. The opportunity to sleep in, take in sporting events and visit family was an intended consequence families took full advantage of. They shared tons of Thanksgiving family photos, Badger football/hockey games, cheesehead modeling and the world’s largest snowman you can make with an inch of snow. It was also a bit of a homecoming for me. Thanks to the exchange students and their host families, I was excited to experience Thanksgiving as well. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was home for Thanksgiving (probably 10-plus years), and there were more than a few relatives surprised to see me. I’m also rarely home for Christmas, so when I do visit, it’s typically not when people get together. On my mom’s side, we were only missing my sister and cousin, which is probably the closest we’ve gotten in a long time to having everyone together. It’s no small feat when we span states, countries, and continents apart. In all, I spent almost a month at home, which really only felt like two weeks. I could never quite shake the cold, I made a half-hearted attempt at raking leaves (if there is snow on the ground, that’s just embarrassing) and we narrowly missed a major snowstorm getting out of Chicago. Maybe November isn’t what it used to be, or maybe I’ve forgotten what it’s like, but hearing the stories from the families and exchange students brought a lot of novelty to the visit and provoked a lot of nostalgia. There might not be as much nostalgia for my next visit in late January, but there is already a winter jacket in my suitcase, and I look forward to the exchange students providing the novelty. Dustin Dresser is a 2004 Verona Area High School graduate living in Costa Rica.

ConnectVerona.com

December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

Country View students perform for Lunch Theater Country View Elementary School students performed various this week for Lunch Theater Friday. Some students told jokes and others showed off their dance moves. It was a spectacle for the students and teachers in the crowd who were enjoying their lunch. – Emilie Heidemann and Justin Loewen

Photos by Emilie Heidemann

Above, third-graders Cameron Teig and Caroline Soukup carry out their holiday comedic act for the audience. At left, third-grader Ollie Tennyson tells some jokes for the lunch crowd.

Photo by Justin Loewen

Third-grader Kaleyah Ashford dances to a Drake song.

V-Fitt: Dozens of VASD staff have participated in early-morning fitness program my DNA,” so working with others on it “seemed like a smart way to give back to the community,” he said. It began with a plan he “hatched” with longtime Verona Area High School teacher and coach Dave Richardson to work with staff on wellness over a summer. With some help from another instructor, they had 45 or 50 people there that year, Sullivan recalled. “It just kind of evolved from there, where it became a little bit more formalized,” he said. “It just kind of fell on me to hold the structure of it.” Laurie Tackett, the VASD wellness coordinator for V-Fitt, said in an email it “will be extremely difficult to try and replace this class as he draws people who are not interested, or unable to participate, in the class structures that are so popular

today.” “Jude has created such a unique program focusing on the function of movement,” Tackett wrote. “Also, Jude’s wealth of knowledge in the area of exercise and fitness, as well as his low-key personality, will be impossible to replicate.” That low-key personality was evident when he questioned whether his retirement from the program was worth a story to the Press, and he said multiple times he owed his program’s success to many people, especially his wife, Kris. “I could not have done it without her,” he said, describing them as a “tag team.” He said his class focused on he and all of the attendees “helping each other.” “I’m not a guru, I’m not a guy on the pedestal,” he said. “It’s how are we helping each other? If you’re learning, you should be teaching

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the next new person.” The class averaged about 15 to 17 people over the summer and 10 to 15 during the school year, despite the early hour. “Coming in at 5:45 in the morning is not the most comfortable thing,” he said. “That’s a rare breed of person that wants to do that.” He worked to have his program “meet people where they’re at,” and create a “failure-free” atmosphere, while being “intentional with what we’re doing,” training “movements” instead of muscles, he said. “Our bodies are designed

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to do more than just to walk straight ahead,” he said. “That’s kind of what our default is as we become grown adults.” He was appreciative that people showed such an interest in that. “I would just kind of show up, turn on the lights and unlock the door,” he said. “If people didn’t show up, what do you have? There’s really nothing there if people aren’t willing to put in the time.” Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.

What is V-Fitt? V-Fitt is the Verona Area School District’s fitness program for staff. Last year, the program collaborated with the Verona Recreation Department to open its classes to the community for a fee. Wellness coordinator Laurie Tackett wrote in an email that she was “happy that we have found a way to engage the community in a portion of the program.” “I love that we are trying to address the needs and concerns of our VASD staff in regard to their overall health and wellness,” she wrote. For information on V-Fitt, visit vasd-vfitt.com.

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Coming up

Churches

Family fort day Families are invited to spend an afternoon at the library building a cozy fort they can sit in and read together from 1:30-3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27. Some sheets, lightweight blankets and clips will be provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own. S’mores will be provided. For information, call 845-7180.

Virtual reality tours The senior center will be conducting Rendever virtual reality tours from 10:30-11:15 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 28. The tour “locations” cannot be confirmed in advance, but feature different places around the world. Participation is limited to six people at a time. For information, call 845-7471.

New Years celebration The senior center will host a New Years celebration from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28. To n y R o c k e r , a n E l v i s

impersonator, will perform at the holiday at 6 p.m. celebration, with Elvis’ favorite For information, call 845-7180. snacks being served. A countdown to the New Year will Health screenings be held right before 7 p.m. Fitch-Rona EMS and Capitol For information, call 845-7471. Physical Therapy will be conducting health screenings from 10-11 a.m. ‘80s Night at the Brewery Wednesday, Jan. 2, at the library. Fitch-Rona paramedics will proThe Wisconsin Brewing Company is hosting an ‘80s Night at their vide blood pressure and blood sugbrewery on 1079 American Way ar screenings, and Capitol Physical from 7-11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29. Therapy will test for fall risk and There is no coverage charge for provide tips on preventing injuries. the event. DJ’s Todd and Scottie will No appointment is necessary. play hits from the 80s throughout For information, call 845-7180. the night. Attire from the ‘80s is encouraged Child development story but not required. Carry-in food is time welcomed, but carry-in drinks are The library will host a develnot. opment story time for children of For information, call 848-1079. all ages and their caregivers from 10:30-11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 3. NYE library party Parents can learn how to enhance Visit the library for a fami- their child’s language skills through ly-friendly New Years dance par- reading. There will also be an ty from 11:15 to noon Monday, opportunity to ask questions about December 31. children’s development. There will be crafts, dancing and The story time will be led by therrefreshments designed for children apists from CI Pediatric Therapy ags 0-8. Centers. The library will close for the For information, call 845-7180.

Community calendar Thursday, December 27

• 1:30-3 p.m., Family fort day, library, 845-7180 • 4-5:30 p.m., Teen gaming, library, 845-7180

Friday, December 28

• 10-11:30 a.m., Young and the Restless playtime (ages 0-5), library, 845-7180 • 12:30 p.m., Movie matinee: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” senior center, 845-7471 • 1:30-3 p.m., Family Movie: “Incredibles 2” (rated PG), library, 845-7471 • 5-7 p.m., New Years Celebration with Elvis Presley, senior center, 845-7471 • 6:30-8:30 p.m., Scott Stieber and Don Myers music performance, Fisher King Winery, 1105 Laser St.,

ings, library, 845-7180

497-1056

Saturday, December 29

• 7-11 p.m., ‘80s Night at the Brewery, Wisconsin Brewing Company, 1079 American Way, 848-1079

Monday, December 31

• 11:15 a.m. to noon, Noon New Year’s Eve dance party (ages 0-8), library, 845-7180 • 6 p.m., Library closed for New Year’s Eve

Thursday, January 3

• 10:30-11 a.m., Child development storytime: Snow!, library, 845-7180 • 4 p.m., Anime and Manga club (grades 6-12), library, 845-7180

Friday, January 4

• 9:15-9:45 a.m., Sensory friendly storytime (ages 3-5), library, 8457180 • 10-11 a.m., Young and the Restless playtime (ages 0-5), library, Tuesday, January 1 845-7180 Library closed • 10:30-11:15 a.m., Rendever virWednesday, January 2 tual reality tour (registration limited to six participants), senior center, • 9 a.m. to noon, Decoration take 845-7471 down party, senior center, 8457471 • 12:30 p.m., Movie Matinee: Dog • 10-11 a.m., Blood pressure, blood Days, senior center, 845-7471 sugar and fall prevention screen-

What’s on VHAT-98 Thursday, Dec. 27 7 a.m. – Quilts of Valor at Senior Center 8 a.m.- Zumba Gold 9 a.m. – - Daily Exercise 10 a.m. – - Happy Hour Trio at Senior Center 2 p.m. – - Zumba Gold 3 p.m. – - Daily Exercise 4 p.m. – My Two Elaines at Senior Center 5 p.m. – Accordian Music at Senior Center 6 p.m. – - Salem Church Service 7 p.m. – - UW Geology at Senior Center 8 p.m. – - Daily Exercise 9 p.m. – Laura Ingalls Wilder at Senior Center 10 p.m. – Library History at the Historical Society Friday, Dec. 28 7 a.m. – My Two Elaines at Senior Center 1 p.m. – - Laura Ingalls Wilder at Senior Center 3 p.m. – Vintage Verona Sports 4 p.m. – Accordian Music at Senior Center 5:30 p.m. – - 2017 Wildcats Football 8:30 p.m. – - Vintage Verona Sports 10 p.m. – - Quilts of Valor at Senior Center 11 p.m. – Happy Hour Trio at Senior Center Saturday, Dec. 29 8 a.m. – - Common Council from 12-10-18 11 a.m. – - Vintage Verona

Sports 1 p.m. – - 2017 Wildcats Football 4:30 p.m. – Library History at the Historical Society 6 p.m. – Common Council from 12-10-18 9 p.m. – - Vintage Verona Sports 10 p.m. – - Library History at the Historical Society 11 p.m. – - Happy Hour Trio at Senior Center Sunday, Dec. 30 7 a.m. – - Hindu Cultural Hour 9 a.m. – Resurrection Church 10 a.m. – - Salem Church Service Noon - Common Council from 12-10-18 3 p.m. – - Vintage Verona Sports 4:30 p.m. – - Library History at the Historical Society 6 p.m. – Common Council from 12-10-18 9 p.m. – - Vintage Verona Sports 10 p.m. – Library History at the Historical Society 11 p.m. – - Happy Hour Trio at Senior Center Monday, Dec. 31 7 a.m. – My Two Elaines at Senior Center 1 p.m. – - Laura Ingalls Wilder at Senior Center 3 p.m. – - Vintage Verona Sports 4 p.m. – - Accordian Music at Senior Center

5 p.m. – - 2017 Wildcats Football 9 p.m. – - Hindu Cultural Hour 10 p.m. – Quilts of Valor at Senior Center 11 p.m. – Happy Hour Trio at Senior Center Tuesday, Jan. 1 7 a.m. – Quilts of Valor at Senior Center 10 a.m.- Zumba Gold 9 a.m. – - Daily Exercise 10 a.m. – - Happy Hour Trio at Senior Center 2 p.m.- Zumba Gold 3 p.m. – - Daily Exercise 4 p.m. – My Two Elaines at Senior Center 5 p.m. – Accordian Music at Senior Center 6 p.m. – - Resurrection Church 8 p.m. – - UW Geology at Senior Center 9 p.m. – - Laura Ingalls Wilder at Senior Center 10 p.m. – - Library History at the Historical Society Wednesday, Jan. 2 7 a.m. – My Two Elaines at Senior Center 1 p.m. – - Laura Ingalls Wilder at Senior Center 3 p.m. – Vintage Verona Sports 5 p.m. – Common Council from 12-10-18 7 p.m. – - Capital City Band 8 p.m. – Vintage Verona Sports 10 p.m. – - Quilts of Valor at Senior Center

11 p.m. – Happy Hour Trio at Senior Center Thursday, Jan. 3 7 a.m. – Quilts of Valor at Senior Center 8 a.m.- Zumba Gold 9 a.m. – - Daily Exercise 10 a.m. – Happy Hour Trio at Senior Center 2 p.m. – - Zumba Gold 3 p.m. – - Daily Exercise 4 p.m. – My Two Elaines at Senior Center 5 p.m. – Accordian Music at Senior Center 6 p.m. – - Salem Church Service 7 p.m. – - UW Geology at Senior Center 8 p.m. – - Daily Exercise 9 p.m. – Laura Ingalls Wilder at Senior Center 10 p.m. – Library History at the Historical Society

All Saints Lutheran Church 2951 Chapel Valley Rd., Fitchburg (608) 276-7729 allsaints-madison.org Interim Pastor Sunday: 8:30 & 10:45 a.m.

Paoli Sunday: 9 & 11 a.m., St. Andrew, Verona Daily Mass, Tuesday-Saturday: 8 a.m., St. Andrew, Verona

Memorial UCC 5705 Lacy Rd., Fitchburg (608) 273-1008 memorialucc.org Interim Pastor Laura Crow Sunday: 9:30 a.m.

St. James Lutheran Church ELCA 427 S. Main St., Verona (608) 845-6922 stjamesverona.org Pastors Kurt M. Billings and Peter Narum Office Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8 a.m.-noon Wednesday Saturday Worship: 5 p.m. Sunday Worship: 8:30 and 10:45 a.m.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church ELCA (608) 271-6633 Madison: Raymond Road & Whitney Way, Madison Sunday: 8:30 & 10 a.m.. Verona: Corner of Hwy. PD & Nine Mound Road, Verona Sunday: 9 & 10:30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Salem United Church of Christ 502 Mark Dr., Verona (608) 845-7315 salemchurchverona.org Rev. Dr. Mark E. Yurs, Pastor Laura Kolden, Associate in Ministry Sunday Worship: 9 a.m. Fellowship Hour: 10:15 a.m.

Damascus Road Church – West The Verona Senior Center 108 Paoli St., Verona (608) 819-6451 info@damascusroadchurch.com, damascusroadonline.org Pastor Justin Burge Sunday: 10 a.m.

Springdale Lutheran Church ELCA 2752 Town Hall Rd. (off Hwy ID), Mount Horeb (608) 437-3493 springdalelutheran.org Pastor Jeff Jacobs Sunday: 8:45 a.m. with communion

Memorial Baptist Church 201 S. Main St., Verona (608) 845-7125 MBCverona.org Lead Pastor Jeremy Scott Sunday: 10:15 a.m.

Sugar River United Methodist Church 415 W. Verona Ave., Verona (608) 845-5855 sugar.river@sugarriverumc.org, sugarriverumc.org Pastor Gary Holmes 9 & 10:30 a.m. contemporary worship. Sunday School available during worship. Refreshments and fellowship are between services.

The Church in Fitchburg 2833 Raritan Rd., Fitchburg (608) 271-2811 livelifetogether.com Sunday: 8 & 10:45 a.m.

Redeemer Bible Fellowship 130 N. Franklin St., Verona (608) 848-1836 redeemerbiblefellowship.org Pastor Dwight R. Wise Sunday: 10 a.m. family worship Resurrection Lutheran Church – WELS 6705 Wesner Rd., Verona (608) 848-4965 rlcverona.org Pastors Nathan Strutz and Andrew Ewings, and Assistant Pastor Jordan Uhlhorn Thursday: 6:30 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. St. Christopher Catholic Parish St. Andrew Church 301 N. Main St., Verona St. William Church 1371 Hwy. PB, Paoli (608) 845-6613 stchristopherverona.com Fr. John Sasse, pastor Saturday: 5 p.m., St. Andrew, Verona Sunday: 7:30 a.m., St. William,

West Madison Bible Church 2920 Hwy. M, Verona (608) 845-9518 wmbiblechurch.org Pastor Dan Kukasky Jr. Sunday Worship: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School: 10:45 a.m. Zwingli United Church of Christ Hwy. 92 & G, Mount Vernon (608) 832-6677 Pastor Brad Brookins Sunday: 10:15 a.m. Zwingli United Church of Christ Hwy. 69 & PB, Paoli (608) 255-1278 paoliucc.com Pastor Rich Pleva Sunday: 9:30 a.m. family worship

New Beginnings The New Year is a good time for a fresh start. The month of January was named for Janus,the two-faced Roman god who could look forward and backwards at the same time because he had two faces which looked in opposite directions. The ability to simultaneously look back over the previous year or years while looking forward to where we want to go is an important life skill. Many of us make plans to diet or get into better physical shape. Some of us look at our finances and make plans to save more money for retirement or for our children’s college expenses. These are worthwhile goals, but we should also think about the condition of our souls and our spiritual welfare. How might we improve our inner, spiritual life, and our relationship with God? Consider improving your prayer life by adding to your daily prayers. If you don’t pray every day, you are missing an opportunity to start and end your day in the presence of God. If you pray every morning, consider adding a prayer before bedtime, or adding morning prayers if you usually pray at bedtime. Consider adding some serious Biblestudy to your life. Finally, consider doing some form of penance. Penance, in its most basic form, is simply contrite repentance, a sincere turning away from sin. It requires us to be genuinely sorry for our sins, and to make a serious effort to amend our lives. Turning away from our old ways and looking forward to a new and better life is perhaps the most appropriate symbolism of the two-faced God Janus. – Christopher Simon

Support groups • AA Meeting, senior center, Thursdays at 1 p.m. • Caregivers Support Group, senior center, first and third Tuesday, 10 a.m. • Healthy Lifestyles Group meeting, senior center, second Thursday from 10:30 a.m. • Parkinson’s Group, senior center, third Friday at 10 a.m.

430 E. Verona Ave. 845-2010

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The Craig’s Cake Shop signature frosting consists of white frosting with chocolate shavings.

December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

Photos submitted

The Romanowich family poses with a “signature” Craig’s Cake Shop cake. From left is Maddy, Mabel, Andy, Elisa and Warren.

‘Come in hungry’

Craig’s Cake Shop on West Verona Avenue under new ownership Unified Newspaper Group

New owners Andy and Elisa Romanowich bought Craig’s Cake Shop, 604 W. Verona Ave, recently and have a lot of ideas for how to keep its traditions, and add their own touches. “We’re both very passionate about this,” Elisa told the Observer. “It was an opportunity that came at the right time and we had owning a business on the radar for several years,” Andy added. The self-proclaimed “cake lovers and foodies” saw Craig’s as a business rooted in custom, a business that had a following and was a well-established brand in Verona. They also saw a lot of potential for expansion “down the road” and bought the shop officially Nov. 4. The couple alluded to providing more to-go options for customers, like offering ready-made cupcakes, expanding Craig’s advertising base and hosting events where folks can decorate their own cakes, and possibly opening a second location.

The right fit Elisa, also the new Craig’s Cake Shop manager, is a former high school teacher who used to work for an organic food company. Andy has retained his full-time occupation as a portfolio manager, where he analyzes businesses from various industries. “There’s a lot of knowledge to be leveraged from that,” he said. “Even though t h i s bu s i n e s s i s m u c h smaller, the core essence of what makes a business grow doesn’t necessarily change with scale. The more research we did about (the

shop), the more we liked it.” The couple also has kids who are now all in school, so there has been a lot of newfound freetime. But that doesn’t mean the kids don’t have the same “entrepreneurial spirit.” “Sweets are a favorite of our family,” Elisa said. Another big influence for purchasing the business was the “top notch” team, including one cake decorator who’s been at Craig’s for nearly a decade. Andy and Elisa couldn’t say enough about their team — the “phenomenal” way they are able to conceptualize wedding cake designs, how they seamlessly blend flavors together, and the sheer amount of effort it takes. They cited the team as the reason the shop was voted Wisconsin Bride magazine’s Best Cakes each year since 2010.

like chocolate, of course. The decorators use only butter cream, which makes the cakes very filling — another tradition the co-owners would like to uphold. And a classic Craig’s cake is two layers of cake with a layer of mousse in between. Elisa said customers can parable to coconut trim- choose any flavor commings, except they taste binations imaginable

And Craig’s Cake Shop, according to its website, offers design options for all occasions from floral and three-dimensional to graphic. Elisa said one wedding 604 W. Verona Ave. cake could take an entire 848-6331 week, depending on what craigscakeshop.com the couple wants. Fridays are usually when the decorators come in to make the final shavings visually comproduct.

Craig’s Cake Shop

Consultation to table The cake shop is known around Verona for it’s “signature” frosting — a whipped white frosting with chocolate shavings, Elisa said. The couple showed the Observer some examples of the Craig’s cake in a display by the front door. The displays are called “dummy cakes” Elisa said. The frosting was indeed white, the

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during an initial consultation, which can be done in-person, over the phone or online. The shop also has a “tasting room” where visitors sample different cakes on a platter and choose their favorites. It’s no wonder Elisa said to “Come in hungry.”

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2020-21 VASD Schools

Elementary (grades K-5) Middle (grades 6-8)

24 132

20 23

Sunset Dr

34 Δ

Purcel Rd

0.5

1 Mile

OPTION C

Elementary A�endance Area Adjustments1

December 19, 2018 Sources: Dane County, Verona Area School District, MDRoffers Consulting

Schaller Rd

Paoli Rd

Option D

Student diversity

Note: The maps presented to the committee are preliminary, and among more options to be presented in the coming months. It’s expected more work will be done on any maps the committee offers general support for. The school board will make the final decision next year based on the committee’s recommendations. 2020-21 VASD Schools

Elementary (grades K-5) Middle (grades 6-8) High (grades 9-12)

Highways

VASD Neighborhood Boundaries

Dairy Ridge Rd

Local Roads

46 0

Attendance Area

Sugar River Rd

37 11

Riverside Rd

Valley Rd

DRAFT

Pa o

Δ 60 48

103

Δ 59

Δ 17 48

 22

42 Δ

ga r

23 157

 21

24 132

 20

25 20

100

13 0

Savanna Oaks MS 89

Lacy Rd



29 1

209

19  Adams Rd



28 19



Sunset Dr

31  Purcel Rd

151

27 

Glacier Edge ES Whalen Rd

 Riv er

Grandview Rd

1 Su

Δ sbi� Rd Δ

132

44 103 43

Verona Area HS

Chavez ES (MMSD)

Sugar Creek ES

Ave Verona

*K-5 TWI would continue to be housed at Sugar Creek and Glacier Edge in this option

58 Δ 131

11 18

Δ 61

Cross Country Rd

151

162

McKee Rd

Country View ES 57 56

Badger Ridge MS VASD Charter Schools

Partial Attendance Area Change Related to Paired Schools

# K-5 2025 Projected Enrollment²

55 Δ

116

54 103

121

151

 Complete Change from 2018-19

Surface Water

193

Maple Grove Dr

7Δ

52 14

VASD Boundary Vacant VASD Owned Land

School Free/ English Students Reduced Lunch Language Learners of Color CV 26% 12% 40% GE 13% 3% 17% SP 18% 13% 26% SC 44% 46% 56%

Country View Rd

Student diversity

k Oa

Stoner Prairie Elementary

Enrollment projections

Δ 50

Country View/Sugar Creek Elementary K-2/3-5 Pair*

3 72

a Sh

School Attendance Areas

2 108

Glacier Edge Elementary

School 2020 2025 2030 Capacity CV 426 514 574* 536 GE 462* 455* 436* 427 SP 531* 713* 867* 489 SC 654 742* 802* 723 *building would be over capacity

School Free/ English Students Reduced Lunch Language Learners of Color CV 26% 12% 40% GE 13% 3% 17% SP 18% 13% 26% SC 44% 46% 56%

Timber Ln

Transportation efficiency: 67 percent attend closest school Minimize students impacted: 14 percent of students change attendance areas, plus changes for some K-2/3-5 students Contiguous areas: One clear contiguity break Neighborhood unity: Improved somewhat, but splits Cathedral Point and Scenic Ridge Elementary to middle school feeders: Stoner Prairie and Glacier Edge students to Savanna Oaks, Sugar Creek, Country View and TWI students to Badger Ridge

1 This map represents one of several potential alternatives for how the VASD’s elementary attendance areas could be adjusted starting in the 2020-21 school year. It is a draft intended for discussion among the Attendance Area Advisory Committee. This map is NOT a final proposal for attendance area adjustments. This map is also based on an assumption of no policy or enrollment changes at the District’s charter schools. 2 Presented enrollment statistics represents total VASD resident enrollment for each neighborhood, including in charter schools and the TWI program.

Hwy

School 2020 2025 2030 Capacity CV 564* 670* 785* 536 GE 484* 530* 594* 427 SP 534* 578* 653* 489 SC 491 647 647 723 *building would be over capacity

Adams Rd

Seminole

Riv er

Hwy

Anto n Dr

ga r

Enrollment projections

19 Δ

209

Δ 29

urg

25 20

28 Su

Anto n Dr

Glacier Edge ES Whalen Rd

103

21 61

Fitc

Grandview Rd

23 157

Fitchrona Rd

N Main St

26 38

Riverside Rd

Savanna Oaks MS 89

Lacy Rd

N Main St

Locust Dr

22 22

42 Δ

41 Δ 3

Valley Rd

Sugar River Rd

DRAFT

151

40 Δ

Pa oli

100

13 0

Verona Area HS

sbi�

Ave Verona

39 Δ

McKee Rd

11 18 d Ne

Transportation efficiency: 53 percent would attend closest school, not including Two Way Immersion Minimize students impacted: 35 percent of non-TWI students would change attendance areas, plus about 200 students from GE to SC for TWI Contiguous areas: Each area is contiguous Neighborhood unity: Improved, other than TWI/non-TWI neighbors Elementary to middle school feeders: Would have to consider balancing diversity with handling capacity at Savanna Oaks

Seminole

151

# K-5 2025 Projected Enrollment² *In this option, K-5 TWI would be consolidated at Sugar Creek, and that school would no longer house non-TWI students.

Cross Country Rd

151

131 Sugar Creek TWI ES 59 29 Badger Ridge MS Δ VASD Charter Schools 17 Δ 44 103 43 45 Δ

Local Roads

Δ Change from 2018/19 Attendance Area

Country View ES 57 56

Chavez ES (MMSD)

132

urg

7 Dairy Ridge Rd

VASD Neighborhood Boundaries

Locust Dr

Highways

121

193

Northern Lights Rd

54 103

Maple Grove Dr

Country View Rd

VASD Boundary

Surface Water

116

Sugar Creek Elementary (District-wide TWI Area)*

Vacant VASD Owned Land

162

Fitc

Fitchrona Rd

Timber Ln

Stoner Prairie Elementary

50 8

Glacier Edge Elementary

L ak

Country View Elementary

Option C

3 72

yO ad Sh

School Attendance Areas

2 Δ 108

High (grades 9-12)

li S

December 27, 2018

Northern Lights Rd

33 

0.5

1 Mile

OPTION D

Elementary A�endance Area Adjustments1

December 19, 2018 Sources: Dane County, Verona Area School District, MDRoffers Consulting

Schaller Rd

Paoli Rd

1 This map represents one of several potential alternatives for how the VASD’s elementary attendance areas could be adjusted starting in the 2020-21 school year. It is a draft intended for discussion among the Attendance Area Advisory Committee. This map is NOT a final proposal for attendance area adjustments. This map also assumes no changes in current policies related to the District’s charter schools or two-way immersion (TWI) program. 2 Presented enrollment statistics represents total VASD resident enrollment for each neighborhood, including in charter schools and the TWI program.

Boundary: Committee will recommend up to three maps to school board by late spring Continued from page 1 teachers, for example, it also creates a challenge with spreading ethnic, socioeconomic and linguistic diversity throughout the district. Option D looked to solve that diversity problem by having Country View and Sugar Creek elementaries “partner,” with one becoming grades K-2 and the other 3-5. TWI would remain split under this scenario, but all of the four elementary schools would have students of color in the 30 to 40 percent range, according to projections. That was by far the most balanced of the four options presented so far. Based on tables reporting their discussion on the proposals, Option D measured the best against the eight criteria set out against the board, and it was the only one so far to get everyone to agree it meets the “student diversity” criteria. The response to Option C was much more mixed among tables. But some school board members expressed discomfort with both of the policy changes that would be required when they discussed the concepts Dec. 17. The committee is set to look at one or two more options at its Jan. 8 meeting, and after that, it’s expected to begin refining whichever option or options it likes most of those presented. The committee will recommend up to three maps to

the school board, which is expected to make a decision in late March or early April – before any new member would be seated after the election, Gorrell said Wednesday, to avoid dropping someone into what could be a contentious and complex decision. The Dec. 19 meeting appeared to feature early signs of that contention, as about five members of the public were in attendance to listen to the conversation, and one complained multiple times about the idea of shifting the Scenic Ridge and Cathedral Point neighborhoods to Stoner Prairie, which would happen in Option C. The woman and some committee members later during discussions noted that the same neighborhoods were temporarily moved three years ago to solve a space crunch at Glacier Edge Elementary School.

Option C One of the key features of moving the TWI program entirely to Sugar Creek is using the school’s larger capacity – more than 700 – to expand the program. Instead of the four sections per grade level, it could move to six under the plan. But phasing it in would leave extra capacity at that school for a few years – leaving the others surpassing their capacity almost immediately. Expansion would also require the program to move to something more like a 60-40 split between

native English speakers and English learners, rather than the 50-50 the district aims for now. Some committee members were also concerned that if the program moved entirely to SC, some families would drop out and instead attend their neighborhood school if it were closer. But the bigger concern was the challenge of diversity. Under the option, Sugar Creek would be at 56 percent students of color, Country View at 40 percent, Stoner Prairie at 26 percent and Glacier Edge at 17 percent — with some neighborhoods specifically moved there by Roffers to increase that number. He also pointed out that siting TWI at only one school would disrupt some continuity in the schools neighboring students attend, but that would be present no matter what map they choose. “There’s going to be a lot of TWI, non-TWI neighbors that are always going to attend a different school,” Roffers said. The map would also have about 35 percent of students changing attendance areas, not including the TWI students at Glacier Edge, and move the Cathedral Point and Scenic Ridge neighborhoods to Stoner Prairie. All three of the non-TWI elementaries would be over capacity as of the 2020 change.

to the unbalanced demographics in Option C. “For many of you, Option C didn’t pass the test of diversity,” Roffers said in introducing it, while adding, “Perfect balance is not going to happen.” Option D would partner Country View and Sugar Creek, with one of them serving K-2 students and the other accommodating the same kids in grades 3-5. The TWI program would still be housed K-5 at both Glacier Edge and Sugar Creek. The idea would both take advantage of a large area of common walking zones for those two schools so geographically close to each other, while also keeping demographics “relatively close,” and “closer than today,” Roffers said. Sugar Creek would again have the highest percentage of students of color at 39. Glacier Edge would have 35 percent, Stoner Prairie 33 percent and Country View 32 percent. About 14 percent of students would change attendance areas under this option, though it would add a transition for students between grades 2 and 3 for those in the SC/CV attendance area. That option would have both Glacier Edge and Stoner Prairie over capacity beginning in 2020, with Sugar Creek joining them in Option D 2025. Just like any other plan that’s Option D was a direct contrast

been presented, it made it clear that a new elementary school will be needed in the next decade if projections hold up. The school district already owns land for an elementary school on the south side of the city, and planning for a large subdivision on the north side might leave room for a school. That said, Roffers and board members have made it clear they don’t want to assume that in this stage of planning, since building any new schools would require voter approval in a referendum. “Each of the options has a problem emerging in the early- to mid-2020s that there’s not enough school capacity for the kids,” Roffers said. “It’s very hard to assume that 51 percent of the voters will approve a new school, because it’s not in my hands, it’s not in the board’s hands even.” But Option D seemed to satisfy most of the criteria for groups, with a few exceptions – some weren’t sure it would be efficient in transportation or building usage, for example. Some committee members also asked whether Glacier Edge and Stoner Prairie could be paired in a similar way, but Roffers said the “logic of it didn’t seem quite as strong” given their geographic distance. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.

ConnectVerona.com Jeremy Jones, sports editor

845-9559 x226 • ungsportseditor@wcinet.com

Mark Nesbitt, assistant sports editor 845-9559 x237 • sportsreporter@wcinet.com Fax: 845-9550

Sports

December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

Thursday, December 27, 2018

The

Verona Press For more sports coverage, visit: ConnectVerona.com

Boys hockey

Perfect at halfway point

Player of the Week Dec. 19-25

Keryluk’s hat trick powers Wildcats past Regents JEREMY JONES Sports editor

Junior forward Mack Keryluk scored a hat trick and sophomore Kaden Grant stopped 29 shots on goal Saturday as the top-ranked Verona boys hockey team beat Madison West 4-2. “We wanted to win this game,” coach Joel Marshall said. “We’re undefeated through the first half of the conference season and in the driver’s seat.” The Wildcats, who improved to 7-0-0 (9-0-2 overall) through the first half of the Big Eight season, had their lead cut to one twice inside Verona Ice Arena before icing the game midway through the third period. Linemates Cale Rufenacht and Walker Haessig moved the puck around the zone before Keryluk found a loose puck and buried the insurance power-play goal in the slot. Keryluk opened the scoring four minutes into the first period, just throwing a shot on net. The puck went off Keryluk’s stick and off a Regent defenseman. Keryluk got around the West goalie Ian Hedican and got just enough on the puck to push it across the goal line as he was taken down. Ten minutes later, Keryluk saw the short side of the net open off the rush and ripped a 4-on-4 goal to the corner, which put the Wildcats up 2-0. “It was just a turnover on the blue, and I took advantage of my opportunity,” he said. “We eat up those BLTs (blue-line turnovers) in Verona.” The state’s leading goal-scorer a year ago, senior forward Drake Baldwin scored a second period goal and set up a Regent power-play goal in the third. Each goal cut the Wildcats’ lead in half. West (7-3-1, 5-3-0) took a late penalty and was unable to pull Hedican until 47 seconds left.

Name: Cael Wozniak Grade: Freshman Sport: Wrestling Highlight: Wozniak pinned Cade Femrite in 3 minutes, 23 seconds at 138-pounds Thursday. Verona dropped the nonconference dual 36-30 to Sugar River.

Photo by Jeremy Jones

Sophomore forward Leo Renlund splits Madison West’s Devin Huie (18) and Drake Baldwin (9) in the second period of Saturay’s 4-2 Big Eight win.

Big Eight Team Verona Sun Prairie Madison West Memorial Middleton Janesville Beloit La Follette/East

“The first period was probably our best period of hockey structurally this season,” Marshall said. “The second period, we lost it with some penalties and our composure.” Verona had to play the final 20 minutes without arguably one of its top two defensemen,

Wins Losses Ties Points 7 0 0 14 7 1 0 14 5 3 0 10 3 4 0 6 3 4 0 6 2 5 0 4 2 5 0 4 0 7 0 0

when Cade Binger was assessed two-minute minors for slashing and unsportsmanlike conduct. He also received a 10-minute game misconduct, which was his fifth penalty of the game. The Wildcats were already short along the blue line, with defenseman Nate Jurrens coming

back from injury, and the ensuing four-minute penalty kill led to West’s first goal.

Titletown Showdown Verona travels to Cornerstone Community Center in Ashwaubenon Dec. 27-29 for the Titletown Showdown. The tournament features five of the top 10 teams in the state and two honorable mentions. S e c o n d - r a n k e d U n iv e r s i t y School of Milwaukee (6-1-0), fourth-ranked Notre Dame (3-13), ninth-ranked Wausau West (5-2-0), 10th-ranked Neenah/ Hortonville/Menasha (5-2-0) and honorable mentions Eau Claire Memorial (5-3-1) and Madison Edgewood (9-1-0) are all participating. “My expectation is to go in there and win the whole tournament,” Keryluk said. “I really feel

Turn to Verona/Page 11

Honorable mention: Rayna Briggs (girls basketball) scored a game-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers in the Wildcats’ 65-49 loss to Middleton. Mack Keryluk (boys hockey) scored a hat trick in a 4-2 win over Big Eight rival Madison West on Saturday. Alina Yazek (girls hockey) scored her first goal of the season Saturday in a 2-1 win over the Icebergs girls hockey co-op.

Girls hockey

Metro Lynx slip by Icebergs MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Like any artist, Metro Lynx junior forward Alina Yazek isn’t always satisfied with her team’s work on the ice. Yazek and the Lynx would be happy Saturday after she scored her first goal of the season to help the Metro Lynx hang on for a 2-1 win over the

Turn to Lynx/Page 11

Boys tennis

Tennison commits to Marquette JEREMY JONES Sports editor

Senior Will Tennison has one more season left to continue rewriting the record book for the Verona boys tennis team. A three-time state qualifier, Tennison was the first player in program history to finish in the top eight at the WIAA Division 1 individual state tournament. He accomplished that in each of his first three seasons, including a personal-best fourth place as a sophomore. He also became the first Wildcat to sign a DI National Letter of Intent in November and will play collegiately at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Tennison said his recruitment was based mainly on his USTA performance and that he has been playing on the USTA tour pretty

much his whole life. “That’s how you get out there and make a name for yourself,” he said. “I think somewhere between (age) 8 and 10, I played in my first tournament.” Tennison’s father, Joel, runs Hitters SportsPlex and was a DI recruit himself, at Western Illinois in Macomb. Will Tennison, who took a bit of a break to focus on his game during the recruitment process, said he wasn’t sure what his national rank is right now. The senior took only one official visit, to Milwaukee. “Marquette was really the first school that I went for, and that’s what I got, so I was happy with that,” he said. “I like the campus, coach is great, and I liked all the guys on the team.” Marquette reached the opening

round of the NCAA championships in Urbana, Ill., last year, falling to No. 9 Illinois (22-7). “It’s a very competitive program,” Tennison said. “They won the Big East last year. I’ll just be fighting for my spot next year.” As a college player, he will also get the opportunity to play singles and doubles. Tennison had to withdraw from the individual and state team tournaments last year due to a shoulder injury. He said he is more motivated than he’s ever been in his life. “I am just putting in the work and I think it will all payoff in the end,” Tennison said. “Obviously, an individual state title would be my ultimate goal. “I’m always going to be working toward that, but most importantly I want to get the team back to team state.”

Photo by Jeremy Jones

Will Tennison signed his National Letter of Intent last month to play tennis at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

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Girls basketball

Verona can’t overcome Middleton’s zone, size Big Eight

What’s next

Assistant sports editor

A short-handed Verona girls basketball team struggled to adjust to Middleton’s smothering 1-3-1 zone and its new starting lineup Thursday. The result was a 65-49 Big Eight Conference loss to the Cardinals. The Wildcats (5-4 overall, 4-3 conference) played without two starters – senior Bre Penn and sophomore Kyiah Penn, for what coach Angie Murphy called “a violation of team rules.” Murphy said the Penns would be back at some point this season, but she didn’t give a timetable for their return. “We were within striking distance the whole game,” Murphy said. “We battled and played hard. I was proud of the way we played. I’m not

Verona travels to Waunakee at 3:15 p.m. Dec. 27 to play the Divine Savior Holy Angels. disappointed with how we played.” Verona junior guard Rayna Briggs was the driving force for the Wildcats’ offense, scoring a game-high 25 points and drilling five 3-pointers. “Definitely losing the Penn girls, we had to obviously step up,” Briggs said. “I couldn’t do anything without my teammates, so a shout out to them.” Briggs said the team installed some new offensive and defensive plays this week for Middleton.

Team Wins Losses Middleton 6 1 Memorial 6 1 Sun Prairie 5 1 Madison East 4 2 La Follette 4 2 Verona 4 3 Janesville Craig 2 4 Beloit 1 5 Madison West 0 6 Janesville Parker 0 7 “They are a good team,” she said. “It’s always a competition with them. I think we ran those new plays well for just learning them. Our goal is to get better every game.” Middleton, which is in a jumbled tie atop the

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conference, used its size advantage with 6-foot 2 junior Sitori Tanin, 5-11 senior Hannah Flottmeyer and 5-11 junior Karina Bursac. And the Cardinals’ extended 1-3-1 zone took the Wildcats’ out of their offensive rhythm in the first half. “They are just huge,” Murphy said. “With their size, it’s tough when they are in that 1-3-1.” Verona freshman Aalyiah Smith, who scored a gamehigh 39 points in a two-point loss to Madison Memorial last week, shot 1-for-8 and was limited to two points in the first half as Middleton ran out to a 30-21 lead. She caught fire in the second half, going 6-for-10 and added 18 points on 7-for-18 shooting. Smith found the openings, penetrating the Cardinals’ 1-31 zone, Murphy said, “it’s just that we didn’t finish.” Briggs’ shooting kept the Wildcats in the game in the first half, scoring 15 points. “That’s the best game she has played at both ends of the floor all season,” Murphy said. Several times when it appeared the Cardinals would

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Verona sophomore Katie Pederson shoots a jumper over Middleton’s Kendall Roquet on Thursday. run away with the game in the second half, the Wildcats answered. Briggs knocked down a 3-pointer to slice the Cardinals’ lead to 37-29 with 13 minutes 24 seconds left. Moments later, Coleman hit a 3 to push Middleton’s lead back to 44-31. Smith buried a 3-pointer and scored on a layup to cut the Cardinals lead to 45-37 with 8:41 left. Five seconds later, she picked up her fourth and fouled out. The Cardinals responded with a 12-3 run culminating in Tanin’s layup to give

Middleton its biggest lead at 57-40 with 5:10 to go. Tanin scored a team-high 18 points for the Cardinals. Flottmeyer posted a double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds). Middleton junior Evie Coleman drilled a 3-pointer and Flottmeyer hit one free throw to give the Cardinals’ their biggest lead of the first half 30-18 with 1:41 left. “It’s hard to keep them off the boards with their size,” Murphy said. “We knew that was going to be tough. We have to try to get better inside position.”

Wrestling

Cats fall to six points shy in nonconference dual MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

The Verona wrestling team posted three pins, but were clipped by Sugar River 36-30 Thursday in a nonconference dual meet at

Today? Tomorrow? Years from now? The truth is,

home. The Wildcats got pins from sophomore Ben Grandau (126 pounds) and freshmen Logan Neuroth (132) and Cael Wozniak (138). Verona went 3-5 in the eight matches that were wrestled and freshman Ashton LaBerge (113) and

junior Caden Page (170) got wins on forfeits. The Wildcats dropped to 1-4 overall after the loss. Grandau beat Sugar River’s Matthew Loshaw by a fall in 2 minutes, 50 seconds. Neuroth pinned the Raiders’ Avery Lettman in 1:02.

Turn to Wrestling/Page 11

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Verona: Cats to face biggest test yet after Christmas Continued from page 9 like we can take advantage of what a great team we have this year.” Keryluk acknowledged what a tournament win would mean for top-ranked Verona. “It would be absolutely huge,” he said. “It’s a bunch of top 10 ranked teams up there, if we come out of that tournament with the title, I think it would be spectacular. Verona opens the tournament 2:30 p.m. Dec. 27 against Eau Claire Memorial. Marshall expects three

Photo by Jeremy Jones

Junior forward Cale Rufenacht tries to score against Madison West goaltender Ian Hedican on a third period breakaway Saturday.

Lynx: Girls skate to their second win in Badger Conference Continued from page 9

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Metro Lynx freshman forward Ruby Dykstra (7) battles Icebergs freshman forward Shannon Gibbons (11) for the puck near the board in the second period of the Lynx’s 2-1 win Saturday at the Madison Ice Arena. Dykstra scored her first career goal in the second period.

What’s next The Metro Lynx will host Horthland Pines at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27 in the Culver Cup at the Madison Ice Arena. were turned away by Metro Lynx senior goaltender Gwen Parker to preserve the lead. “Our goaltender is always on,” Yazek said of Parker. “A lot of times those breakways

are goals for most teams. She was quick to shut them down.” Iceberg sophomore forward Izzy Newton scored a slapshot goal with 1:13 left in the third period to cut the Lynx lead in half. Parker had 22 saves for the Metro Lynx. Icebergs junior Cora Zimmerman got her first start as a varsity goaltender and had 25 saves. “Gwen was great in the net when we needed her,” McKersie said. “We gave up some costly breakways and she stopped every one of them. That really helped propel our win tonight.”

The Metro Lynx will face Northland Pines in the Culver Cup on Thursday, Dec. 28. “I think tonight’s win is a great catapult for us going into break,” McKersie said. “We have been working really hard and playing really well. We just don’t have many victories to show for it.”

Verona travels to Cornerstone Community Center in Ashwaubenon for the Titletown Showdown from Dec. 27-29. tough games in three days no matter how the bracket shakes out after Eau Claire Memorial. “Any tournament, it’s hard to play in over break,” he said. “The better team doesn’t always win.”

Legals STATE OF WISCONSIN, CIRCUIT COURT, DANE COUNTY, NOTICE TO CREDITORS (INFORMAL ADMINISTRATION) IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CHANDINI DAVID, D.O.D. 10//27/2018 Case No. 18PR894 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: 1. An application for Informal Administration was filed. 2. The decedent, with date of birth August 21, 1985 and date of death October 27, 2018, was domiciled in Dane County, State of Wisconsin, with a mailing address of 225 Sunshine Lane, Verona, WI 53593. 3. All interested persons waived notice. 4. The deadline for filing a claim against the decedent’s estate is March 8, 2019. 5. A claim may be filed at the Dane County Courthouse, 215 S. Hamilton Street, Madison, Wisconsin, Room 1005. Signed by Danell Behrens Deputy Probate Registrar December 4, 2018 Terese M. Hansen Hansen Law Office 111 E. Verona Ave. Verona, WI 53593 608-772-3939 Bar Number: 1000988 Published: December 13, 20 and 27, 2018 WNAXLP *** NOTICE The Verona Plan Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, January 7, 2019 at 6:30 PM at Verona City Hall, 111 Lincoln Street, for the following proposals: 1) Kettle Creek North subdivision replat. Lands located within the Kettle Creek North subdivision that were previously dedicated to the public for park purposes and public right-of-way are proposed to be replatted in order to accommodate a stormwater management facility, a realignment of public right-ofway, and other land for park purposes. 2) Zoning map amendment. Multiple parcels located within the Kettle Creek North Plat will be rezoned from their current classifications. Certain land will be rezoned from Neighborhood Residential to Public Institutional, while other land will be rezoned from Public Institutional to Neighborhood Residential. The proposed zoning map amendment will allow for the realignment of previously platted public right-of-way, for land dedicated to the public for park purposes to be realigned within the subdivision, to allow for the construction of single-family homes, and to allow for the construction of a stormwater management facility. Interested persons may comment on these planning and zoning matters during the public hearings at the January 7th Plan Commission meeting. The Plan Commission will make recommendations for these matters, which will then be re-

viewed by the Common Council for final decisions on Monday, January 14th. Contact Adam Sayre, Director of Planning and Development, at 608-8489941 for more information on these items or to receive copies of the submittals. Maps showing the location of the affected properties may be viewed at City Hall or may be obtained once the applicable copying fee has been paid to the City. Ellen Clark, City Clerk Published: December 13, 20 and 27, 2018 WNAXLP *** NOTICE The Verona Plan Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, January 7, 2019 at 6:30 PM at Verona City Hall, 111 Lincoln Street, for the following proposal: 1) Conditional Use Permit amendment to the Epic Systems Corporation Group Development to allow for the construction of greenhouse buildings to be located at 1979 Milky Way. Interested persons may comment on this planning and zoning matter during the public hearings at the January 7th Plan Commission meeting. The Plan Commission will make a recommendation for this matter, which will then be reviewed by the Common Council for a final decision on Monday, January 14th. Contact Adam Sayre, Director of Planning and Development, at 608-8489941 for more information on this item or to receive copies of the submittal. Maps showing the location of the affected properties may be viewed at City Hall or may be obtained once the applicable copying fee has been paid to the City. Ellen Clark, City Clerk Published: December 20 and 27, 2018 WNAXLP *** NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an application for a Class “B” Fermented Malt Beverages and “Class C” Wine License for the period from February 1 through June 30, 2019 has been filed with the City Clerk, CITY OF VERONA, by Mr. Brews Taphouse Verona LLC, 611 Hometown Circle, Verona, WI 53593, Danial L. Johnson, Agent. Anyone having an objection to the granting of such license shall file that objection with the City Clerk, City of Verona, 111 Lincoln Street, before January 11, 2019 during regular office hours of 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday. Ellen Clark, City Clerk City of Verona Published: December 27, 2018 WNAXLP ***

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Wrestling: Cats fall to Belleville

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Cael Wozniak stuck Femrite in 3:23. The Wildcats will compete in the Bi-State Classic Dec. 28-29 at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse.

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Icebergs in a Badger Conference game at Madison Ice Arena. Yazek rushed up the ice and scored a short-handed goal 8 minutes, 41 seconds into the first period that Icebergs goaltender Cora Zimmerman got a piece of, but it slipped behind her. It gave the Lynx an early lead they would never relinquish. “Scoring that first goal felt great,” Yazek said. “I wanted to make sure it passed onto my teammates and make sure we all got that energy.” Metro Lynx freshman forward Ruby Dykstra followed with the game-winning goal 5:26 into the second period. It was Dykstra’s first career goal. “She went hard to the net and picked up a rebound,” coach Mike McKersie said. “That really gave us a jumpstart.” The Metro Lynx (3-6 overall, 2-3 conference) were coming off a 4-1 loss to Rock County on Dec. 18 at the Janesville Ice Arena. The Lynx gave up two goals in the second and third period of that game. “We definitely needed the win after that loss to Rock County,” Yazek said. “We need to get our spirits up in the locker room and on the ice. I really felt we needed that especially going into the Culver Cup” The Icebergs had two breakaway opportunities but

What’s next

December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

ConnectVerona.com

2018: Big changes in city government as five of eight council seats switch hands Continued from page 1 City of Verona got a new mayor for the first time since 2006 and five new members of the Common Council, but it was impossible for drivers around the city to ignore the changes to traffic patterns and roadways as construction was nearly a constant on at least one major roadway in the area. Number four on our list was an event that had less to do with long-term change than an apparent change in Mother Nature’s mood for a night, as serious flooding overtook the Dane County area. While Verona avoided the worst of it, cars were stalled in the waters here and required emergency responders to perform a few rescues throughout the night. The school district returns to the list at No. 5, as it began its discussions to change attendance area boundaries for the 2020-21 school year and beyond. The decisions to come, which will inevitably include change for some families, will have a longterm effect on the schools’ demographics and populations. Badger Prairie Needs Network is also changing in a way that should help it reach more patrons within and beyond Verona, as it began a regional partnership that required an expansion and new cooler room. Down the road from BPNN, the Matts House reopened after renovations with a tenant – the Purple Goose – and what officials hope is an attraction to downtown Verona. Our No. 8 story is about something that hasn’t changed enough for the city and has become a topic of focus – the fire department’s workplace environment, something that led the union to call for the chief to resign. Car thefts around Dane C o u n t y a n d i n Ve r o n a ticked up this year, many carried out by juveniles. Police continued to provide tips to residents throughout the year on how to prevent the thefts. The final two items on our list tied with Epic’s slowdown. One was a stress-filled weekend for Latino families, as immigrations enforcement officials arrested 20 in Dane County, including family members of students in the school district. The other was success at state for Verona Area athletes, headlined by Grace Bennin in swimming. That left items like a former Verona superintendent’s election to governor, new principals and changes to middle school grading only able to be honorable mentions.

1. Construction of high school, road debate When voters approved an April 2017 referendum to fund a new Verona Area High School, 2018 seemed like a year that would be full of construction and anticipation. While there was plenty of both this year, to be sure,

Submitted by Shari Ferolie

Luke Diaz, right, joins Katie Kohl, left, and Kate Cronin at an election party at the Draft House on April 3, 2018. All three won and said they will emphasize better communication in their upcoming terms. the school plan continued to dominate headlines throughout 2018 for other reasons. Most notably, the district continued a long dispute with the City of Verona over who should pay for what roads and where they would be located. That led the school board to consider reducing some of the amenities it had planned – including a second pool – to cut costs. But the board also looked at design changes in response to concerns about the safety of the building that had hallways lined with glass into classrooms. Each decision had a sense of urgency, given the district’s tight timeline to make a fall 2020 opening. That date, and the need to determine whether they had the budget for a second pool at the high school and artificial turf on sports fields, led to concerns among the board members. They pushed the city for a decision on a second access road to the site and funding agreement and then explored an alternate access point after coming to that deal. Many of the negotiations, which had seemed settled in January but came back up as late as September, took place behind closed doors among staff or during closed sessions at meetings. The few in open sessions revealed deep frustration on both sides, with school board members lamenting the lack of a “partnership” in the discussions and city officials accusing the district of wanting exceptions to an unrealistic degree. The eventual solution had the city contribute $4.5 million to road construction in return for the Sugar Creek Elementary School site “as is” while also requiring the district to improve various intersections in the area of the high school. It was not what the board had hoped for – but it included the second pool and turf. The access road, originally planned to come from Paoli Street, will now come from South Nine Mound Road, as the district paid $1.7 million to Russell and Vicki Swiggum to acquire the right-of-way through their land to the road. City officials preferred the Paoli Street location because of its value in keeping traffic out of the middle of the city, but the higher overall cost – including giving up more of the forest next to the bypass

for development – made it unpalatable for the board. Inside the school, the eventual solution was praised as a “balance” between maintaining the natural light environment and the safety others had asked for. The changes were were mostly made for emergency situations like an active shooter, altering floor-to-ceiling glass walls throughout much of the school within two months of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla. That glass stayed in many classrooms, but the new plan adds access to neighboring classrooms without a view into the main corridor. That would allow students to evacuate there if needed. Proponents of the initial design had suggested it would help help control behavior issues and improve accountability throughout the year by helping teachers to see into the hallway. But there were also concerns about student privacy when there are meetings with teachers, as well as the feeling of being unable to escape in an emergency. At the end of the year, anyone who drove by the site on U.S. Hwy. 18-151 or West Verona Avenue can see it’s the school district’s new prize has made significant progress — and is starting to look like an actual school. – Scott Girard

2. (tie) Changing of the guard We knew heading into the April elections there would be a new mayor in Verona for the first time in 12 years, but the extent of the changes at Verona City Center ran even deeper. By the time Christine Posey was appointed as an alder to take over for departing council president Elizabeth Doyle in District 1, five of eight seats on the Common Council had turned over in a matter of five months – two from election losses, two from people moving out of the city and one from Luke Diaz’s promotion to mayor. Diaz set to work immediately rethinking processes and styles from his predecessor, Jon Hochkammer, who tended to defer to the will of the council unless he felt strongly about a particular issue. Diaz reshuffled committees in April, redefined the process for appointing

Photo by Jim Ferolie

A view of the County Hwy. M project in early September 2018 shows work from Prairie Oaks Drive looking north, including a tunnel at County Hwy. PD. alders for open seats in May, reshuffled committees again when Doyle left in June, and got directly involved in a union complaint about fire department leadership in July. The new mayor and the council made several moves this year that would have been highly unlikely years before. They made a midyear change in the budget for a hire (of a human resources coordinator), created an antidiscrimination ordinance and legalized the raising of chickens in residents’ backyards. The new council also passed a policy to funnel more taxpayer money into paying down debt. That practice had been discussed in prior years, but it was never practiced with as much gusto as this year, when the city squeezed its budget tighter than usual by not taking out any debt to pay for routine road repairs, which are close to $1 million a year. Even before his election to mayor, Diaz and some alders began pushing for more transparency, with the most notable example being the increasingly hard stance in the negotiations with the school district. They also encouraged the city attorney to essentially plead his case and give summaries when a closed session was recommended. Diaz defeated former school board president Dennis Beres 2,273-1,379 but said he was “shocked” he

won. Both alders who joined him at his election night party defeated longtime incumbents, with Kate Cronin defeating Brad Stiner, who had never been challenged in his 22 years on the council, in District 3, and Katie Kohl defeating Jack Linder in District 2. The new council got slightly younger and clearly more feminine, as now six of the eight members are women. There were three women on the council from April 2017 until April 2018, two from 2013 to 2017 and zero in the decade before that. – Jim Ferolie

2. (tie) All the road construction Road construction dominated how Verona drivers got around in 2018. Two roads were closed for weeks at a time and the biggest commuter routes both went through lane switches and showdowns all year. The city and town of Verona chose some of it – most notably the bicycle and pedestrian projects and the bridge reconstruction on Old PB but also rebuilds of downtown streets – and that complicated most of the summer and a few weeks in the fall. But Verona drivers also got caught up in two bigger projects, the construction on Hwy. M north of Cross Country and the continued Verona

Road project, both of which altered traffic patterns right to the end and will continue next year. The $50 million County Hwys. M and PD project, a federally supported joint project of the cities of Verona and Madison, Dane County, moved into Stage 2 this year. Much of the work was below the surface, involving the replacement of water and sewer mains and entire road reconstruction. But drivers watched as a tunnel was slowly constructed, then the intersection moved to a bridge over that tunnel. D u r i n g t h e s u m m e r, bridge reconstruction work on Old PB detoured drivers to the southern part of Hwy. M, then it switched places, with four bike and ped projects later closing that stretch and forcing drivers to Old PB. The bike and ped projects put in sidewalks, walking paths and intersection medians to help pedestrians cross the highway – especially to and from the subdivisions south of the U.S. 18-151 bypass. Downtown streets, including Park Lane and Shuman and Harriet streets, were also redone in 2018, creating some minor inconvenience, as were both the library and the senior center parking lots and part of East Verona Avenue. – Kimberly Wethal

Turn to 2018/Page 13

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December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

2018: First responders performed three rescues during August floods, BPNN expands Continued from page 12

4. Flooding overtakes roads, drowns cars Verona had weathered big storms before, but when an 11-inch downpour in August added to an already wet spring and summer, the resulting flooding wreaked havoc all over the city and town. Standing water and overfilled rivers, streams and drainage areas destroyed crops, drowned cars, damaged basements and forced travelers to drive around several roads. Police and other first responders had to perform three separate water rescues from people who were trapped in their vehicles. While Verona’s damage was nothing like that of Cross Plains, Black Earth and Mazomanie, which got up to 15 inches and had roads crumbling into the water, some areas took several days to return to normal. Throughout Dane County, damages were estimated at $150 million from the Aug. 20-21 downpour, bringing a statewide declaration of emergency. In the town, every road that crossed a waterway was blocked that morning of Aug. 21, including White Crossing Road, which was deep enough to completely hide a submerged vehicle. The closing of parts of Hwy. 69 and, further south, County Hwy. PB, created commuter traffic chaos. It took more than a week for the waters to recede from County Hwy. G enough to allow travel there again. Trees fell into public areas in some places and at least three homes were damaged. In the city, Neff Park was underwater for days, the Badger Mill Creek was roaring nearly up to the covered bridge and several homes near that area had flooded basements. Others had trouble to a lesser extent along Edwards Street, Bruce Street, Prairie Way and Meister Drive, for a total of 17 affected homes. Most of the rest of the damage was superficial, with debris piling up in drainage areas, stormwater filters getting blocked and some road shoulders eroding a bit. All over the county, flooding destroyed crops, causing all area food pantries to run short of fresh vegetables they had been counting on from the late-summer harvest. – Jim Ferolie

5. Planning new school boundaries The school district set up what will be a significant and challenging decision in the year ahead – planning new attendance area boundaries that will decide what children attend which schools. To give families time to prepare for changes, the board set a goal of deciding by next spring. That included determining seven priorities and establishing a 29-person committee to offer community input and recommend the boundaries. The first maps were presented in December, at the committee’s fourth meeting, and they saw more maps two weeks later. It became immediately clear that whatever maps they choose, the seven criteria the board set out cannot all be satisfied. With about 500 students coming from the northeast portion of the district without a school nearby, transportation will be complicated no matter what. And with that area housing many of the poorest, the nonwhite and English Language Learners in the district, the new boundaries will have to prioritize either the “student

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

The renovated upstairs of the Matts House on the corner of Main Street and Verona Avenue.

Photo by Jim Ferolie

Onlookers check out floodwaters rising to where the Paoli Road bridge would be after it’s completed after record rainfall Monday and Tuesday Aug. 20-21. diversity” or the “keep neighborhoods together” criteria. The challenge of how to ensure socioeconomic, racial and linguistic diversity throughout the schools had been debated at the school board earlier in the year. An initial goal of seeking “balanced demographics” at schools was changed to a more general support of diversity at schools, with that item put at the top of the seven-item list. The idea was to take the burden of ensuring balance away from those students who were already considered socioeconomically disadvantaged. That burden can include long bus rides and a lack of neighborhood continuity when areas are split up to balance individual school sites. The committee is expected to deliver up to three options to the board next year for the final decision. – Scott Girard

6. BPNN expands in more ways than one Badger Prairie Needs Network did some growing this year. In addition to a 576-foot warehouse and a 1,000-foot cooler and freezer that was built onto the facility’s western side this fall, the food agency also expanded its local and regional reach. Prior to this year, BPNN serviced only the residents within the Verona Area School District, but expanded to serve the entirety of the Verona ZIP code. The warehouse addition will allow the food agency to turn over more product for an increased population, executive director Marcia Kasieta told the Press earlier this year. The cooler and freezer space serves a much wider population,

however; the additional space will allow them to be the linchpin in the “Kitchen to Table” initiative, which will place rescued, repackaged food in the hands of those who are food insecure throughout southern Wisconsin. The “Kitchen to Table” initiative is a partnership between BPNN, Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin, Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin, UW Health Clinics, Epic and CUNA Mutual. The partnership allows food agencies to collect prepared food from cafeterias and bring it back to BPNN’s commercial kitchen, where it will be repackaged and stored in the coolers or freezers, Kasieta said. “We’re the only food pantry that’s got a commercial kitchen like we have,” she said. “We’re the only place that can actually package this food.” From there, CAC or Second Harvest, as well as the food pantries they serve, can come to BPNN to collect food to be distributed out to more than a dozen counties in southern Wisconsin. The majority of the people who deal with food insecurity are working, Kasieta said, with around 65 percent of the households having employment income. It’s those households that need the prepared meals the most, she said. “A huge percentage are working, and generally more than one job,” Kasieta said. “Having prepared food in family size containers that you can just take home and store for a bit in the freezer or thaw in the refrigerator, and then prepare it for a meal at night, allows you room to sit with your child and do homework, or have

a family meal and not stress out erected by city pioneer Josiah H.B. about having to cook after being Matts around 1848. The longtime so tired.” fixture on the corner of Verona Avenue and Main Street had seen – Kimberly Wethal a variety of businesses come and go on the property since Matts’ 7. Firestorm at fire son sold the house – including a flower shop, tutoring business, gas department station and car dealership, as well A conflict between a union and as apartments for much of its existhe Verona Fire Department lead- tence. But by the 1990s, the buildership turned up a slew of coming had fallen into disrepair. plaints about the culture within When the city bought it in the department and put its chief 2015, it came close to voting to on the hot seat. destroy it, as the cost estimate to After Fire Fighters Local 311 make it usable for commercial or responded to a firefighter’s dis- retail purposes was as much as ciplinary action in June with a $1 million. A group of local rescomplaint of unequal treatment, idents persuaded city leaders to the city paid for an independent instead stabilize the building and investigator to look into the matter. wait a few months before making The report revealed some truth to any major decisions. the claims that an assistant chief The following spring, local hishad been guilty of unprofession- toric renovation specialist Troy al behavior – such as unwant- Rost stepped in to purchase the ed touching and inappropriate building for $1 with the stipulacomments – but it also turned up tion he restore it. And after more a variety of concerns from the than a year of painstaking renovamore than two dozen people inter- tion work by the Town of Verona viewed, issues that apparently had resident and associates, his new been simmering for years. tenant opened it on Oct. 13. Among the charges were unreHalley Jones moved her 13-yearsponsive leadership, insubordina- old clothing, accessory and gift tion, inconsistent application of shop, The Purple Goose, from West policies, favoritism, retaliatory Verona Avenue to the first floor of management, intimidation, lack the house, and Brickhouse Studios of accountability and union inter- on the second floor will feature ference. space for classes and events. Two weeks after the report was delivered to the city, on Oct. – Scott De Laruelle 10, chief Joe Giver agreed to a six-month improvement plan to 8. (tie) Vehicle thefts on the improve the workplace environment. A month later, the union rise Thefts from cars, and of cars, forwarded the list of complaints to regional media and called for Giv- continued to be a problem in er and an assistant chief to resign. 2018. This led to some closed-sesIn addition to dealing with a sion discussions by the Common similar amount of thefts of and Council and a public statement from vehicles as the previous year that the department’s issues were – a countywide trend that netted not considered to be a threat to 100 thefts from or of vehicles in safety. And Dec. 17, the assistant Verona from January to August chief, Don Catenacci, did resign – Verona police also were called amid a second investigation, say- in to help other municipalities, ing the council and mayor gave namely Dane County Sheriff ’s him “almost no support.” deputies and the city of Fitchburg Publicly, the union scoffed police department, due to their about the city’s plan for the chief, proximity to U.S. Hwy. 18-151, and privately, current and for- Madison and Fitchburg. Thefts from cars have been mer firefighters told the Press the problems had existed for many an issue for officers longer than years, even before Giver was thefts of cars, Lt. David Dresser hired in 2009, but were never told the Press in September, but solved. After talking it over, some in the past few years, police have alders expressed hope that expos- seen more incidents of stolen ing long-standing issues could cars, some taken in broad daylight help resolve them and make the from private properties with the department better for it. owners onsite. It’s a significant increase from – Jim Ferolie four years ago, where the department investigated a total of two 8. (tie) Matts House gets a thefts of vehicles in 2014. “What’s been new to us over new life the last few years, is the stealing Around 170 years after it was of the car,” he said. “In the past, built and three years since it was we’ve had theft from autos occur, saved by a determined group of but they’ve never stolen a car – or residents and city leaders, the very rarely stolen a car. Matts House is open for business. “Now, that’s what they’re The building, believed to be the oldest still standing in Verona, was Turn to 2018/Page 14

December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

ConnectVerona.com

2018: ICE officials detain area residents Continued from page 13 targeting. They want to steal a car … they have this joyriding mentality.” Through examining arrest patterns, police have determined the thefts are being carried out by organized groups of people, but their behavior is so unpredictable as to when and where they’ll steal a vehicle from Photo by Mark Nesbitt that it’s been a challenge for officers to prevent crim- Verona Area/Mount Horeb senior Grace Bennin won a inal activity. third straight WIAA Division – Kimberly Wethal 1 state championship in the 100-yard breaststroke in a 10 (tie). ICE detains state record time of 1 minute, 0.65 seconds. people in the district

with a time of 1:59.93) and the 200 medley relay. She also teamed with juniors Sara Stewart, Josie McCartney and freshman Kenzie Zuehl to capture the state title in the 200 medley relay (1:43.34). “It was special being at the top of the podium with some of my best friends, training partners and people who have pushed me in practice to be the person I am today,” Bennin said. The Wildcats’ 200 freestyle relay team of freshman Tola Klabough, Kenzie and Kaitlyn Zuehl and Bennin finished as the state runner-up (1:35.61) just behind Middleton (1:34.24).

What at first seemed like a quiet weekend in Dane County ended up being full of questions for area Latino families as reports spread of immigration officials detaining some undocumented immigrants. A news release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Sept. 25, the day after the action ended, said officials arrested 20 people in Dane County and 83 across Wisconsin during a four-day “enforcement sting.” Those 20 included “parents or family members of Verona Area School District students,” according to a news release at the time from the district, and someone from the Parkview Lane area here in Verona. While area departments were not notified directly, ICE agents requested a Verona Police Department officer stand by while they carried out one warrant, though there was no answer when they knocked. VPD chief Bernie Coughlin told the Press that ICE had called the county’s 911 communications center Friday morning, the day before its presence in Verona began, while Fitchburg Police Department chief Chad Brecklin said the department had not been contacted by ICE ahead of its presence there. Coughlin called that “totally permissible” but added, “Technically, they notified

us, but it would have been preferred they make a call to us directly.”

Senior Grace Bennin will go down in the Verona Area/ Mount Horeb girls swimming record books as one of the most decorated swimmers in the history of the program. Bennin finished her illustrious prep swimming career Saturday, Nov. 10, with three more state titles for a total of eight career gold medals. She is second only to Verona alumna Beata Nelson,a 12-time state champion who is now a junior swimmer at the University of Wisconsin. Bennin, a University of Minnesota recruit, won her third-straight WIAA Division 1 championship in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1 minute, 0.65 seconds, crushing the previous mark by 1.2 seconds at the UW Natatorium. “I was not expecting to go that fast,” Bennin said of her record. “I just looked up and I saw it (time) flashing, and then the tears came.” Bennin’s effort helped lead the Wildcats to fourth place as a team, with 169 points, one point behind third-place Sun Prairie. She also won gold in the 200 individual medley (breaking Nelson’s threeyear-old school record to

as chief administrative officer Steve Dickmann put it. That marks the first time in 15 years Epic stopped putting up new buildings in Verona. It’s also the first sustained period in perhaps three decades that the company has had enough offices to accommodate its workforce, which has leveled off at 9,400 – 15 times as many employees as it had when the company agreed to move here. This fall, Epic put the finishing touches on its Storybook Campus nearly three years after it earned city approval, though it has buildings planned in that area for the next time it decides to expand its workforce. Dickmann said the company will continue to plan five to seven years out, but from here on out, it will try to stay ahead of its needs, rather than constantly playing catch-up. “In the ideal world, if we would build one building a year, or one building every other year, that’s more sane,” he told the Press in July. “When you’re trying to build two campuses simultaneously, it taxes everybody’s resources.”

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10 . (tie) Epic – Scott Girard construction slows A year ago, Epic sent the 10. (tie) Bennin gets 3 cranes away. This year, they more golds “caught up” on construction,

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Honorable mentions Former superintendent becomes governor He once held the top seat in the Verona Area School District from 1988-1992. Starting on Jan. 7, former superintendent Tony Evers will hold the highest post in the state of Wisconsin. Evers won his gubernatorial bid on Tuesday, Nov. 6 over incumbent Scott Walker, who was running for a third term. The superintendent of schools for the Department of Public Instruction since 2009, Evers led Verona through a period of growth. During that time, the district created a strategic plan “that will affect the way local students learn well into the 21st century,” Mark Peterson, editor of the Press, wrote in 1992. Evers left the district in 1992 to become the agency administrator for Cooperative Educational Service Agency No. 6 in Oshkosh. Those who knew Evers during his tenure in Verona said he was “down-toEarth” and “composed.” “It’s going to be tough to see him go,” then-Verona Area High School principal Terry Downen told the Press when Evers announced his resignation. “There are few people I have met in my educational career whom I can truly say I admire. Tony Evers is certainly at the top of that list.”

Welcome sign stolen For a brief period this summer, any welcome given to people entering Verona on its northern side had to be given verbally. T h e “ We l c o m e t o Ve r o n a ” s i g n l o c a t e d North Main Street and Cross Country Road at was reported missing in August. In an unfortunate twist of irony, that missing sign was found smashed into pieces on the side of the road in the Town of Springdale two hours after the new sign was installed in October. The new sign was HP PHOTOSMART 6300 All-in-One Printer. Copy, scan, print, fax and photos. Prints great photos and works well. Comes with 3 HP black cartridges, and 1 of each color cartridges. $100, Call or text 608-575-5984. SEASONED SPLIT OAK, Hardwood. Volume discount. Will deliver. 608-6091181

Pets FOR SALE: 2 Pomeranian male pups, $500 each, 7 blue heeler border collie cross, $250 each. 608-778-1529. RED & Blue Heeler puppies for sale. Both parents on site. $100 each. David Miller, 2815 Wren Lane, Fennimore, WI. 53809. GOLDEN RETRIEVER puppies, AKC, shots, dewormed, dew claws removed, microchipped and vet checked. 608574-6204.

Wanted WE BUY Junk Cars and Trucks.We sell used parts. Monday thru Friday 8am-5:30pm. Newville Auto Salvage, 279 Hwy 59 Edgerton, 608-884-3114

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in the Classifieds! 835-6677 or

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Photo by Kimberly Wethal

The new “Welcome to Verona” sign at the corner of North Main Street and Cross Country Road. The original sign was stolen in August and was found, smashed, by Dane County Sheriff’s deputies on the side of the road in the Town of Springdale two hours after the new sign was installed.

ordered by the city for opportunities to improve $9,500. their work through more in-depth feedback. Two new principals Some parents at SOMS Two Verona Area schools questioned its effectivegot new leadership this ness years ago when it was implemented there, and the year. At Stoner Prairie Ele- district at various times mentary School, Tammy added letter grades back, Thompson Kapp took over equating them with some for Mike Pisani, who left of the standards recognized after five years amid some in the new system. But for complaints from parents the system now in place and staff. Kapp previous- at both middle schools, ly had been a principal in which was piloted in the the Madison Metropolitan math department at BRMS last year, letter grades were School District. At Badger Ridge Mid- ditched altogether. dle School, a more familiar face took over: longtime Sugar Creek Verona Area High School Commons dangles b a s ke t b a l l c o a c h A l a n More than two years Buss. Buss stepped in for after a local developer Mike Murphy, who moved brought plans to redevelback to the high school to op a long-dormant part of be an assistant principal, a West Verona Avenue, the position he had held before project has yet to start, leading BRMS starting in with financing and a deal 2014. with the city for up to $9 million in taxpayer assisMiddle schools tance still in the works. change grading The plan would tear Years after parents com- down a former truck stop, plained to board mem- a vehicle repair shop, a bers about a grading sys- car wash and several small tem change at Savanna apartment buildings and Oaks Middle School, the put in downtown-style “standards-based” system apartments – nearly 300 spread to Badger Ridge of them – atop retail buildings next to a hotel. It got this year, as well. T h e s y s t e m , w h i c h its most recent approval in doesn’t include tradition- November and could start al letter grades, is aimed in April if the developer a t r e c o g n i z i n g p r o g - and city can agree to terms. ress and giving students Livestock DAIRY CATTLE AUCTION TAH LIVESTOCK WINSLOW, IL FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD, 2018 1:00 PM EARLY CONSIGNMENTS SO FAR: 10 TOP SHELF 2-YEAR-OLD FRESH HOLSTEIN HEIFERS, UP AND ROLLING. ONE CONSIGNMENT OF PARLOR FREESTALL COWS WITH RECORDS. PENDING: 10 STANCHION BROKE FRESH HEIFERS AND COWS FROM AN OVERSTOCKED DAIRY. CHECK OUR WEBSITE WWW. TAHLIVESTOCK.COM. FOR FURTHER UPDATES CLOSER TO SALE DAY. 1 CLOSE JERSEY HEIFER, 1 OB JERSEY HEIFER 600#, 2 REG HOLSTEIN HEIFERS 350#, 6 HOLSTEIN OPEN HEIFERS 400#-600#, 12 HOLSTEIN OPEN HEIFERS AND 2 SHORTBRED HOLSTEIN, HEIFERS FROM ONE DAIRY. WEIGH 775#. ALL AI SIRED. NICE KIND. ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT TERRY AT 815367-5581 BARN OR 815-291-5604 CELL. WE BUY CATTLE ON A PRIVATE, DAILY BASIS. PLEASE CALL IN YOUR CONSIGNMENTS FOR EARLY ADVERTISING ON OUR WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE!! THANKS TO ALL OUR LOYAL CONSIGNORS AND BUYERS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR BUSINESS!! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING ALL YOUR DAIRY CATTLE NEEDS IN 2019!! CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE IS Noon Friday for The Great Dane and Noon Monday for the Verona Press unless changed because of holiday work schedules. Call now to place your ad, 873-6671 or 8356677.

WANTED: BLACK Hided feeder calves and yearlings for the PAPA Alliance Annual Sales to be held at the Bloomington Livestock Exchange in Bloomington, WI onJanuary 4. Red Angus are also welcome. No dairydairy cross. For information call Greg May at 608-574-0719 or BLE 608-9942020.

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Rentals EVANSVILLE 2 Bed-1 bath, 1 car garage. Appliances- WasherDryer included.No smoking-pets.$780month +utilities. Available 1-1-19. 1-year lease +deposit required. 608-444-9173. GREENWOOD APARTMENTS. Apartments for Seniors 55+, currently has 1 & 2 bedroom units available starting at $795 per month, includes heat, water, and sewer. 608-835-6717 Located at: 139 Wolf St., Oregon, WI 53575 STOUGHTON- 525 W South St, Upper. No Pets-Smoking. Heat included, stove and refrigerator. $800mo. References. 1st and last months rent. 608-219-4531or 608-577-0749.

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December 27, 2018

The Verona Press

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CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE IS Noon Friday for The Great Dane and Noon Monday for the Verona Press unless changed because of holiday work schedules. Call now to place your ad, 873-6671 or 835-6677. THEY SAY people don’t read those little ads, but YOU read this one, didn’t you? Call now to place your ad, 8736671 or 835-6677.

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Interested in learning more about our publications? Visit us at uniﬁednewsgroup.com. Apply online as shown below. Please include your resume and a cover letter.

To be successful in this leadership role, the director will possess a high level of “people skills”, problem solving and analytical skills, the ability to think strategically, a drive to succeed and a keen focus on employee development and customer satisfaction. Above average ability to communicate at all levels and knowledge of leadership, participatory management, team dynamics and group process techniques are essential.

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WELL-BEING

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RESPECT

Woodward Printing Services (WPS) is looking for a Director of Printing & Packaging Operations in Platteville, Wisconsin. WPS provides a wide variety of services from prepress & press to bindery, mailing & delivery, and guarantees customer satisfaction. The Director of Printing & Packing Operations is a key leadership role who will oversee pre-press, printing, packaging, mailing and delivery operations. The director will ensure a culture of safety, ownership, innovation, teamwork and open-book management as well as drive strategies that result in efficiencies, cost savings and optimal performance. The director will champion the organization’s efforts to achieve company objectives, strategic plans and customer satisfaction.

16 The Verona Press - December 27, 2018

Share your smiles in

Kids & Pets Today Send us a fun photo of your child or pet to be published in the Verona Press on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

• Selfies • Kids with Pets • Kids with Food • Any Fun Photo!!!

Voting on facebook

Verona Press

Like your favorite photo on facebook to vote from Wednesday, January 16, 2019 thru Thursday, January 24, 2019. The top vote-getter will be announced in the Verona Press on Thursday, January 31, 2019. The top 3 vote-getters will win a prize! Children and Pets of all ages accepted

Let’s have some fun!! To enter: Complete and return the form along with a your photo, or visit our website at www.ConnectVerona.com! Must be received by Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Please print clearly. One entry per child. One form per child.

Mail to: Kids & Pets Today 133 Enterprise Dr., PO Box 930427, Verona, WI 53593 Or enter online at www.ConnectVerona.com and click on “Submit an Item.” Child or Pet’s Name _____________________________________________________________________ Child’s Age (please indicate months or years)________________________

Please check one:

❏ Male ❏ Female

Parents’ Names (for contact purposes only)__________________________________________________________ Phone (for contact purposes only)________________________City ______________________________________ This photo submission constitutes permission to publish. If submitting your photo(s) electronically, please be sure the photo resolution is at least 150 DPI. Photos must be received by Tuesday, January 15, 2019 to be published. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you would like your photo returned.

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Photo taken by (only if a professional photo) _________________________________________________________