Spring Green, Wisconsin
Thursday, May 16, 2024 | Vol. 5, No. 10 FREE, Single-Copy
Inside this edition
Arena village president shuts down trustee nominations
2024 Best of the River Valley Reader Poll nominations open
Movie & Film: ‘Hundreds of Beavers’
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Page 10
Arena Village Board deals with on-going public safety issues, debates unilateral powers of village president
Board accepts police department resignation as village president shuts down open nominations to fill vacant board seat Alex Prochaska, Editorial Intern At the May 7 regular meeting of the Village of Arena Board, the board accepted the resignations of Chief Nicholas Stroik, Sergeant Wyatt Miller, Officer Stephanie Benish and K9 Cougar—who made up the entirety of the Arena Police Department—approved
two temporary agreements for public safety services and debated powers of the village president.
Future of Public Safety Services
On April 20, the Arena Police Department announced their resignations effective May 8, while leaving open the possibility that the board could refuse to accept the resignations and instead opt to negotiate with them at the May 7 regular board meeting. The officers went from full-time to part-time
in Nov. 2023, citing lack of benefits and disrespect from the board—and then accepted positions with the Iowa County Sheriff’s Department, while remaining part-time for Arena. Trustees BeccaRaven Uminowicz and Matthew Schroeder expressed their desire to retain Stroik and Miller. Trustee Brittany Carney doubted the soundness of such a proposal, given the small number of part-time hours worked by Stroik and Miller and the superior pay and benefits offered to Iowa County
officers. “I don't know how we go backwards at this point,” said Carney. “I'm not necessarily saying I'm for getting rid of the police officers or the police department. But where do we move forward from here is my question? They have full time jobs [with the Iowa County Sheriff’s Department]. I doubt we can pay better than Iowa County. So I'm just not sure what that looks like. And if we
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Travel Wisconsin launches 'Here’s to Being Here' campaign highlighting Spring Green Taylor Scott, Managing Editor The Wisconsin Department of Tourism/Travel Wisconsin has introduced the "Here’s to Being Here" travel series, showcasing unique experiences throughout the state. This series complements the 2024 summer advertising campaign, "Here’s to Those Who Wisconsin," which highlights the state's top summer attractions. Spring Green is prominently featured in the new series. The promotional video, available at youtube.com/ watch?v=CaCtYY6dxCA, highlights activities such as hiking at Tower Hill State Park, exploring Taliesin and attending performances at the American Players Theatre. Other attractions include Wild Hills Winery, The Sh*tty Barn and Homecoming Restaurant. According to a Travel Wisconsin spokesperson, the series aims to showcase the variety of activities visitors can enjoy in the Spring Green area. "We’re excited to highlight all the fun activities visitors can discover in the Spring Green area through our newly launched travel series 'Here’s to Being Here,'" said the spokesperson. The "Here’s to Being Here" campaign,
Photo via Travel Wisconsin The "Here's to Being Here" Travel Wisconsin video featuring Spring Green. QR code inlaid to watch. launched on May 13, aims to inspire travelers through immersive storytelling. The series features multiple locations across Wisconsin, including Madison, Stevens Point, and Milwaukee. More destinations will be introduced throughout the year, showcasing both autumn and winter activities. A spokesperson for Travel Wisconsin added that the "Here’s to Being Here'"series is designed to showcase
unique experiences and shared moments of joy that travelers can have in Wisconsin. The series uses immersive storytelling to help travelers envision themselves experiencing the wonders of the state, encouraging them to create their own itineraries. By placing the traveler’s experience at the forefront, the first-person narrative technique captivates audiences and inspires them to plan memorable vacations. The campaign is designed to resonate
with the target audience, who value authentic and real-life experiences and seek destinations with a variety of activities and options. Locations for the series were selected to promote tourism across the state and provide viewers with an immersive experience of Wisconsin's diverse attractions. Season one features Madison, Spring Green, Stevens Point, and Milwaukee, with more destinations to be showcased throughout the year, including autumn and winter adventures. This series complements Travel Wisconsin's "Here’s to Those Who Wisconsin" summer advertising campaign, which includes a 30-second commercial on various platforms. The summer campaign promotes iconic Wisconsin activities such as visiting waterparks, enjoying supper clubs, and exploring outdoor recreation. It aims to enhance tourism by emphasizing shared experiences and the state's unique attractions. For planning a trip to Spring Green, Travel Wisconsin says more information can be found at https://bit.ly/4b9imXz. For more information about Wisconsin's tourism initiatives, visit www.TravelWisconsin.com.