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It’s your paper! Friday, July 10, 2020 • Vol. 7, No. 5 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1

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Kathy Bartels 608-235-2927

KBartels@StarkHomes.com

City of Fitchburg

Inside

City rolls back reopening

Meijer eyeing Fitchburg Page 3 Polling places will stay the same Page 3

Public use contingent on low COVID-19 case numbers KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Photos by Neal Patten

Lead Pastor Daniel Owen shows that Blackhawk is “one church, three locations.” Fitchburg is the third location for the church, which is also located in Madison and Middleton.

Filling the void

Page 7

Sports

Turn to Reopening/Page 18

With pandemic halting services, Blackhawk Church creating partnerships NEAL PATTEN

WIAA BOC busy in June meeting Page 10

Schools MMSD ends SRO contract Page 16

Business

Businesses adapt to Phase 2 Page 19

Unified Newspaper Group

New bar, restaurant restrictions during ‘critical time’ in COVID-19 spread

hen Blackhawk Church opened its 42,000 square foot facility in December, providing space as a community resource was a part of its plans. But its leaders found unexpected ways to bring those plans to fruition after the spread of coronavirus forced churches and congregations to close. The building, which can seat over 750 people during gatherings at 5935 Astor Drive, is closed for church services until Dane County reaches at least Phase 3 in its Forward Dane plan, but it’s been open to a Red Cross blood drive and YMCA child care services, and lead pastor Daniel Owen said he’s also petitioning to have it be a polling site for the November elections. “We wanted to find ways to use the facility, not just let it sit empty,” Owen said. “We hate having an empty building.” Exactly three months after the church held a Dec. 15 soft opening in the building, it closed – on March 15 – and has no immediate plans to reopen. Pastor Owen told

Forward Dane heads backward SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

The auditorium at Blackhawk Church can seat over 600 people. He said when large concerts the Star in January he had been looking forward to the massive and sporting events are allowed space being used for more than to return is when Blackhawk will consider hosting mass gatherjust Blackhawk Church services. Since then, Owen said he and ings again. That could be several other church leadership decided months or more. “We want to be really considerthat while churches were allowed to reopen with certain amount of ate of different people and possicapacity restraints under the first ble health conditions. We’re erring two phases of the Forward Dane on the side of caution and protectplan – 25% and 50% respective- ing and caring for people. We want ly – Blackhawk’s reopening was to give them the best and safest going to be toward the tail end of experience,” Owen said. that.

The party’s over, Dane County. With COVID-19 cases again on the rise — and young people gathering at bars identified as a main cause — new county orders starting Thursday will limit bars and restaurants to indoor capacity levels not seen since mid-May. Barely two weeks after moving from Phase 1 to 2 in its Forward Dane reopening plan, Public Health Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) announced new restrictions in a news release Wednesday, July 1, to limit the spread of COVID-19. Outdoor gatherings are once again limited to 25 (not including employees), which is down from 100, with indoor gatherings limited to 10, down from 50. Restaurants will return to a 25% indoor seating capacity, down from 50%. And while socially distanced outdoor seating is allowed at bars, they are only allowed to offer

Turn to Blackhawk/Page 17

Turn to Backward/Page 18 151

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Fitchburg Star

Senior center hosts drive-thru Fitchburg Senior Center patrons were able to enjoy food from Fitchburg-based coffee cafe Oasis without leaving their cars on Wednesday, June 17. The senior center hosted a drive-thru pick-up, where seniors didn’t get out of their cars, but had food delivered to them and had the ability to talk with senior center staff about their needs, or just to say hello. The senior center is planning to do four food drive-thru events on the Wednesdays in July: Donuts and coffee on July 8, Milk and cookies on July 15, Dilly bars on July 22 and popcorn and soda on July 29. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and Photos by Kimberly Wethal follow her on Twitter @kimber- Director Jill McHone speaks with a senior citizen while he waits for his food during a drive-thru meal pick-up on Wednesday, June 17, at the ly_wethal. Fitchburg Senior Center front doors. The food was provided through a partnership with Oasis Cafe, located just south of the city’s civic campus.

Social worker Amy Jordan delivers food while carrying a net used to collect money.

Volunteer program and nutrition site manager Mandi Miller waves and greets senior citizens as they pull up to the building.

Assistant director David Hill delivers food to seniors by putting it in their passenger seat during a drive-thru meal pick-up on Wednesday, June 17, at the Fitchburg Senior Center front doors.

Settle down. We’ll take it from here. Take advantage of historically low home loan rates! Assistant director David Hill grabs food out of coolers.

We have a home loan expert who can help! Oak Bank’s Senior Vice President of Mortgage Banking, Carrie Montgomery has years of experience and has processed and closed enough

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July 10, 2020

Fitchburg Star

City of Fitchburg

All four polling places will stay for August primary KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Going into the Tuesday, June 23, Common Council meeting, city clerk Tracy Oldenburg planned to ask alders to vote down a request she had made two weeks before. After an hourlong debate over polling locations, alders agreed to do so, voting unanimously to keep all four polling places the same for the August election. Earlier in June, Oldenburg had proposed that the city condense the current four polling places into one for the Tuesday, Aug. 11, primary election because of a lack of available poll workers. But that changed within two weeks – by the June 23 meeting, she had 68 workers available, up from the 44 people willing to work when she brought the resolution to the council, closer to the city’s ideal number of 77 people to work the polling locations. “Part of the election process is to prepare for all scenarios – COVID-19 has added a new scenario, and up until this year, scheduling people to work at the polls has not been an issue,” she said. “We would prefer to have all polling locations up and running – this will help with social distancing, as well as not creating voter confusion as to where your polling location has changed.” Before Oldenburg announced the increase of poll workers, almost 30 people either came to the meeting in person to speak, or wrote in about their disapproval of the plan, which turned into a conversation about equitable access to voting in the city. Fitchburg resident Jen Shoepke told alders any resolution that would result in the condensing of polling places was worrisome for her because it would disenfranchise voters. “To reduce four down to one, to even have that on the table, is really concerning to me,” she said. “Not

only creating confusion around your location, not only setting up a dangerous precedent for what could happen with future elections such as a very large and important election in November, there’s access to polling locations … if it eliminates one voice, I don’t think it’s worth it.” Ald. Dorothy Krause (Dist. 1) proposed an amendment to the resolution that would move the District 1 polling place to Redeemer City Church west of Verona Road, which was met with opposition from alders and city staff. Oldenburg told the council she would not have time to see the facility prior to the deadline for when polling locations have to be finalized, and many alders expressed desire to reduce voter confusion. “Redeemer City Church, as they were planning it, planned it very specifically to be for the community, and they planned it to request that it be a polling place,” Krause said. “Both Verona Road and McKee Road are huge barriers to many, many people.” Council rejected the amendment, by a 5-3 vote. All four of the polling places in Fitchburg are outside each district’s respective boundaries. Some are more egregious than others – District 2’s polling location, at Fire Station No. 1 on Lacy Road, is just across the street from the border, while District 1’s polling location is across two major thoroughfares, both of which are under construction. District 1 has a large socioeconomically challenged population, and many do not have access to a vehicle or a bus route to get to the polling place at Fire Station No. 2 on Marketplace Drive. The polling place for District 1 used to be in the King James Way fire station, but the city had to reassign it after it vacated the building and it was sold to a private owner. Alders proposed other locations for the District 1 polling location during the discussion, including the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, which is unusable because anyone who is a registered sex offender

Meijer proposes Fitchburg location KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

A busy intersection on the western edge of Fitchburg could eventually get a fourth grocery store. Meijer, a Michigan-based grocery store chain, is planning to build a 159,264 square foot grocery store, along with a 3,376 square foot convenience store and gas station, at the corner of Fitchrona and McKee Roads. The store would sit directly across from Target and Hy-Vee, and just west of an Aldi. This is the second Meijer store proposed in the Dane County area this week. According to a June 29 article from the Wisconsin State Journal, Meijer is planning to build a 200,000 square foot store along Hwy. 151 near the Prairie Lakes development that has been developed over the last 15 years. The proposed Fitchburg Meijer location would be a 24-hour location, and include an outdoor garden center, a pharmacy with a drive-through and a liquor department, according to a development plan submitted to

the city. No timetable for the development has been submitted, city planner Sonja Kruessel said, adding that Meijer representatives told the city that they don’t commit to a timeline until developments are further along. The development plan will first go to the Plan Commission at its July 21 meeting, which will make a recommendation to the Common Council. On the 16.92-acre property, there would also be room for an additional store, which is included in the Meijer development plan. The property is owned by Wingra Real Estate, as are the lots surrounding the proposed development to the north and to the east, where the Wingra Stone concrete company sits. The entire area is within the Anton Drive Redevelopment Plan, which was approved by the Common Council in March 2017. In the land use plan, the area north of the proposed Meijer parcel along Fitchrona Road would be redeveloped into medium and high-density housing, with room for retail or commercial space mixed in.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Charles Craig’s station gets wiped down, as did many of the other surfaces, on election day, held on April 7, at City of Fitchburg’s District 4 polling place in the Community Center.

How to help

Increasing poll worker pay

To sign up to be a poll worker, contact Tracy Oldenburg by calling 270-4210 or emailing tracy.oldenburg@fitchburgwi. gov.

The City of Fitchburg is considering providing poll workers hazard pay for the upcoming August and November elections. The proposal would temporarily increase the hourly pay for poll workers from $8 per hour to $15 because of the increased risk of contracting COVID-19 while working. The increase would be covered by emergency funds already approved by the city. The Common Council referred the proposal out to the finance and personnel committees for discussion, and it will likely come back to the council in late July.

cannot step foot onto the property. While Oldenburg discouraged alders from changing the polling place to a location other than Fire Station No. 2 for August, she said she’d be willing to consider moving the polling place for the November presidential election. Other alders were in favor of waiting until the federal 2020 Census is complete and redistricting is done in 2021, that will account for the annexation of the Town of Madison in 2022. At that time, mayor Aaron Richardson said, the city can expect to add two polling locations, bringing the total up to six. Alds. Julia Arata-Fratta (D-2),

Gabriella Gerhardt (D-2), Sarah Shroeder (D-3) and Shannon Strassman (D-3) all suggested they preferred waiting to add additional polling stations and adjust current locations until the redistricting is done, saying it would reduce voter confusion in where their polling place is. They all stated support for having a location closer to residents in District 1 near Verona Road for the November election.

“We know we are going to add more polling stations after we have the Census and after the annexation of the town, and we’re going to have a better idea of how and where there are going to be the new polling stations,” Arata-Fratta said. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

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City has enough poll workers to staff election

July 10, 2020

Opinion

Fitchburg Star

Letter to the editor

Support Sargent for 16th district We continue to live in a critical time filled with both danger and opportunity. Ironically, just as the pandemic is separating us, the ruthless murder of George Floyd is galvanizing a broader civic unity. Right now, it matters more than ever who we elect. We must choose candidates who have demonstrated records of bold, activist work on issues that matter to black, brown, and white constituents. We must elect leaders who lift up and value the voices of marginalized people, gathering solutions from a rich, representative mix of ideas. I am supporting Melissa Sargent for the 16th State Senate District not because of what she says, but because of who she is and what she does. Having grown up with both white and brown siblings, Melissa’s passion for social justice is grounded in love of family. She has fought tirelessly for progressive reforms. Always working through a lens that addresses disparities and inequities, Melissa works to lift up working families with affordable housing, to raise Wisconsin’s minimum wage, to shape an economy that benefits everyone, and to

restore workers’ rights. She works for affordable, quality physical and mental healthcare for all. She supports improved public transportation, infrastructure, innovation, entrepreneurship, and small businesses. Melissa looks ahead for Wisconsin, protecting natural resources, investing in public and post-secondary education, and supporting common sense legalization of cannabis. These are issues that impact us all. Because Melissa has strengthened Dane County by being an advocate for the betterment of all people during her time as a state representative, I have no doubt that she will continue her excellent work in the Wisconsin State Senate. We need elected officials like Melissa that we can count on to do the right thing and work tirelessly to make the life saving changes we most need. She has the heart, the mind, and the energy to continue fighting for what is right. Melissa truly works for all of us. I urge you to cast your vote for Melissa Sargent for Wisconsin’s 16th State Senate District. Frances HuntleyCooper City of Fitchburg

Friday, July 10, 2020 • Vol. 7, No. 5 Periodical Postage Paid, Verona, WI and additional offices. Published monthly on Friday by the Unified Newspaper Group, A Division of Woodward Communications, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send Address Corrections to The Fitchburg Star, 133 Enterprise Drive, Verona, WI 53593.

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Community Voices

Boosting tree cover would benefit all

econds into checking the Fitchburg NextDoor website in mid-May, I noticed a post titled, “Trees Removed by Construction.” I nervously clicked on the link, alarmed that I didn’t know what trees the post was referring to. The trees were several statuesque black locusts, a nasty invasive species, along the Seminole Highway side of the detention pond at its intersection with McKee Road that had been cleared by construction to make room for traffic-lane additions. The post and majority of replies expressed understandable indignation at the visual scar left by clearcutting trees 60 feet tall. Some derided the city for not giving advance notice and leaving condominium residents on the east side of the pond with a gaping view of Seminole traffic. Other replies countered that the lane additions were necessary to minimize rush-hour congestion at a busy city intersection and that the city held advance public meetings and posted construction plans and updates on its website. Among them was one from a longtime resident who had lost his view of the Capitol to development over the years. His reply ended with the cliche, “You win some and you lose some.” The winners in this case – traffic flow at the Seminole-McKee intersection and public safety –favored tree removal. Widening that intersection will reduce the rush-hour congestion that emergency vehicles have to maneuver through. But other times, tree preservation should be the winner. The city’s 2020 comprehensive plan, adopted in March, aims to increase urban tree-canopy coverage to 30 percent. That’s the covered percentage, as viewed from above, and it was last measured at 23 percent in

2012. Serious strides toward this goal can be made if our elected leaders acknowledge that trees, especially the native species, provide much more Hecht benefits beyond visual beauty. The first one that comes to mind is stormwater runoff reduction – at millions of gallons per year. Rain continues to pour down in buckets: 2019 was the wettest year on record in the Madison area and 2020 has shown no signs of letting up. Increasing canopy cover, of course, will not turn down the faucet. But doing so can save taxpayers money on controlling runoff. Trees are our first line of defense in downpours. In full leaf, a large red oak can intercept more than 1,200 gallons of rainfall per season; a hackberry more than 5,000. Their roots hit the brakes on stormwater again by sucking what they can into the ground. These barriers cut the volumes and speeds of runoff and sediment loads headed toward detention basins. These reductions convert to smaller detention basins and less dredging and maintenance – all savings for taxpayers. Trees provide another crucial first line of defense – against summertime heat waves. On hot summer days, unshaded roads, parking lots and buildings can heat up 50-90 degrees higher than air temperatures. Asphalt, concrete and conventional construction materials reflect far less of the sun’s energy than do trees. By mid-afternoon that stored heat begins to dissipate and air temperature begins to climb. Add some shade, and urban hardscape surface temperatures plummet,

as much as 45 degrees on parking lot asphalt. Trees supplement that cooling power with another when heat whisks away the water vapor released with oxygen by their leaves during photosynthesis. Tapping back the heat vent by increasing canopy cover will not matter to urban residents most of the year. But for some, more tree cover could make a welcome difference. When summer heat increases, so do trips to emergency rooms for infants, young children, the elderly and others susceptible to heat exhaustion and stroke. Summertime heat also worsens life for people with asthma. Pollutants in vehicle exhaust and power plant emissions – boosted by electrical demand for air conditioners – mix faster to form ground-level ozone, a major irritant of lung airways. Other health benefits scientist continue to uncover from more prolific tree canopies include decreased levels of stress hormones and increased white blood cell counts in people who spent as little as half an hour in wooded urban parks. Studies have also found links to increased concentration, impulse control and standardized test scores in children. Experiments have measured higher attention rates between groups of children with ADHD and ADD who walk through wooded parks compared with those who walk through downtown areas. With adequate funding, the city will continue to plant street and park trees that new development makes room for. But such trees must grow for several years for their canopies to reach sizes that can keep pace with new streets and rooftops. Tree preservation, then, must win when it rightfully should. Jeremy Hecht is a member of Fitchburg’s Tree Advisory Board.

Think ahead before grocery store visit

love a good deal. I’m especially in my element when I’m at the grocery store. If there’s a way to stretch a dollar, whether that’s by finding a sale item or by simply purchasing something that’s in season, I’m likely to find it. Often, it’s thought that eating on a budget means sacrificing flavor or even health. The fresh produce, the lean cuts of meats and the foods in the “healthy” section can appear to be more expensive than the budget-friendly foods, typically found in the center aisles. However, that’s not always the case. Whether you choose organic strawberries or a bag of potato chips, both can add up quickly. I firmly believe it doesn’t have to be either/or. We can enjoy flavor, find nourishing and satisfying foods, and stick within our budget. While everyone always enjoys a good two-for-one deal, especially during the pandemic, many of us are trying to spend less and save more. Add trying to limit the number of times you’re going to the grocery store in a week for safety reasons, it can seem a little overwhelming and downright challenging to stay within budget. I use and recommend some simple strategies to individuals and families who are looking to limit grocery store visits while also sticking to a budget. Those include getting more out of the meat you buy, finding alternate sources of protein, buying dry beans rather than canned, buying items that are in season and putting together a meal plan. One way to stretch the meat you buy a little bit further is to add ground beef to a pasta, stir fry or curry, rather than turning ground beef into hamburgers. To help the meat go even further, add in chopped

mushrooms, cauliflower or a can of beans to add bulk to the recipe. It’ll also give you some additional fiber and nutrients that can help keep you satisfied longer. Hoerr Another is to buy a whole chicken instead of individual chicken breasts or thighs. Buying a whole chicken is more cost effective than buying chicken breasts, which, per pound, are costlier. Roast the chicken in the oven and use it multiple ways throughout the week or freeze for later. A simple roast chicken can be turned into shredded chicken tacos, barbeque chicken sandwiches, chicken noodle soup and even chicken salads for lunch. Protein sources tend to make up the bulk of grocery budgets. Think of inexpensive protein sources you can purchase to have on hand between grocery visits. Peanut butter, beans and eggs are all great protein sources that be used a variety of ways. Top a sweet potato with black beans, salsa and an over-easy egg for a balanced and filling meal. When you buy beans, a one-pound dry bag can cost less than a single can and makes a lot more. I was skeptical of making this switch at first (canned beans are already so inexpensive and easy), but the taste is far superior when you cook the beans at home. It can be intimidating to start if you haven’t cooked dry beans before, but it’s pretty straightforward, especially if you have an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Store what you don’t need in the freezer.

Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, but when you’re wanting fresh produce, look for items that are in season. These will often be lower priced and also taste better. Bananas, which are a year-round inexpensive fruit, can be purchased in higher quantities. When the bananas start to get too ripe, slice and freeze them to have for a refreshing snack later. The best way to prevent unnecessary trips to the grocery store and to stop you from those expensive impulse purchases at the store is to create a rough meal plan before you head to the store. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but think of simple meals you want to make for the upcoming week. This ensures you have the staples you need to make meals for the week ahead rather than random ingredients you don’t know what to do with when you get home. Finally, buy individual ingredients to make things homemade when you can. A box of macaroni and cheese seems inexpensive, but if you purchase a box of pasta and a block of cheese to make your own, the meal will make several more servings and stretch much further. Eating on a budget doesn’t have to be unhealthy, bland, or boring. With a little advanced planning and creativity, delicious and balanced meals can be enjoyed. Kara Hoerr, MS, RDN, CD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Kara Hoerr Nutrition. Visit karahoerrnutrition.com, email kara@ karahoerrnutrition.com or call 6204461. This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

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July 10, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Dane County

See something wrong?

County will move to Phase 2

The Fitchburg Star does not sweep errors under the rug. If you see something you know or even think is in error, please contact editor Jim Ferolie at 8459559 or at fitchburgstar@wcinet.com so we can get it right.

Restaurants, businesses will be able to operate at half capacity

Oregon CE & Rec Welcomes David Daniel & American Players Theatre this July!

KIMBERLY WETHAL

Potency of Poetry: A Four-Part Series Tuesdays: July 14 - August 4, 6pm - 7pm via Zoom

Unified Newspaper Group

Businesses will be able to operate at 50% capacity, and playgrounds and splash pads will be allowed to open as the county enters Phase 2 of its Forward Dane plan Monday, June 15. In Fitchburg, this means playgrounds, basketball courts and ball diamonds can now open, according to the City of Fitchburg website. It states, however, people should still maintain social distancing protocols, avoid crowds and wash their hands. The playgrounds will not be sanitized regularly, the website states, and restrooms are slated to open June 22. Public Health Madison and Dane County announced Friday, June 12, in a news release that the county would enter Phase 2, after analyzing two weeks of health data starting Tuesday, May 26, when Phase 1 went into effect. Phase 1 allowed businesses to operate at 25% capacity, but kept certain amenities like playgrounds and splash pads closed. To move to Phase 2, the data collected from the last two weeks needed to be compared to nine health benchmarks, which included epidemiology criteria that counted the number and percentage of positive COVID-19 cases per day. Under Phase 2, epidemiology metrics cannot have a “red” rating, and out of all nine benchmarks, more than half of them had to be rated as “green.”

Join APT’s Education Director and actor, David Daniel, as he takes you on a fun and engaging exploration of poetry, yes poetry, you’ll investigate the who, what, when, where, why, and how of poetry. Series Fee: $36 OR $10 per session Session 1: Potency of Poetry -What is Poetry? Tuesday, July 14 Where did poetry come from? What do we think of it today? Our host dips and weaves through history as we try to figure out what exactly poetry is and what it’s used for. Session 2: Potency of Poetry - What Does Poetry Look Like? (Part One) Tuesday, July 21 Poems that grow? Poems in shapes? Poems in made up languages? Can a computer write a poem? Join us as we wrestle with the questions: “What is poetry?” and “What does it like?” Session 3: Potency of Poetry - What Does Poetry Look Like? (Part Two) Tuesday, July 28 What’s the shortest poem in the world? How many words does a poem have to have? Can you find a poem by changing channels? Can math be poetry? Session 4: Potency of Poetry - The Final Frontier Tuesday, August 4 We’ve wrestled with it, we’ve looked at it, we’ve searched for it in street signs and we’ve read it backwards. This time join us for dogs, cats, rage, the meaning of life, grandparents, justice, and the exquisite ache of a first crush as this session is just about listening to poetry.

Photo by Emilie Heidemann

Bryce Farley, 2, Oregon, swings on a swing at the Kids Crossing playground at McKee Farms Park. Six of the benchmarks were green as of Friday, June 12, and the remaining three are yellow, the release said. Under Phase 2, businesses will be able to open at 50% capacity, and park courts and fields are allowed to open with physical distancing. Playgrounds and splash pads will also be allowed to open, and indoor gatherings are allowed to have 50 or fewer people, with outdoor gatherings allowed 100 or fewer. School buildings will also be allowed to operate under Phase 2, but the decision on whether to conduct in-person instruction has been left largely up to each district. Public Health Madison and Dane County staff are closely watching the trend of

average daily cases, the release said. Since May 21, the county has seen its average number of daily new cases increase from eight to 16, which puts the county closer to being in the “red” on that metric. “Businesses and workplaces are reopening with required measures to help contain the spread of disease, but COVID-19 is very much still in our community,” Janel Heinrich, director of Public Health Madison and Dane County, said in the release. “We need our community to remain vigilant and careful as we move to new phases so we don’t see a spike in cases.” Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

Behind the Scenes: Shakespeare’s As You Like It Wednesday, July 29, 6:00pm - 7:00pm via Zoom

During this workshop we’ll take an in-depth look at a scene from APT’s recent PBS WI’s reading of As You Like It. We’ll watch a few “scenes”, discuss the actors’ experiences in this new medium and then answer your questions. Spoilers aplenty! $10

To register, please visit oregonsd.org/Community Don’t forget to check out all the other Community Ed classes coming up soon!

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vot e

Community voices

Voting is your right; let the council hear that from you enforced, and regular cleaning will happen. 3. Weigh in on my upcoming resolution to provide hazard pay for poll workers. This will be considered on at 7:30 p.m. July 21. 4. Fill out your CenGerhardt sus survey. Once Census numbers are in hand, Fitchburg will begin a redistricting process. This is the opportunity for the city to add polling places and consider moving them to better locations. 5. Apply to be on the future redistricting committee or any city committee. Any resident can apply at any time. 6. Submit public comments about why voting is important to you and how the city can make it easier for you. Or submit public comments on absolutely anything you feel passionate about. You have so much power on the local level. There are eight alders, two represent you on council, and we do not get very many emails from our constituents. Each comment you send makes an impact. Every time you speak at council, you will be heard. I for one am listening intently. We have so much to work on- voting rights, climate change, public transportation, racial equity, community development, and we need you. You can stay up to date on council happenings at gabriellagerhardt.com and by signing up for my e-newsletter. You can reach me at gabriella.gerhardt@ fitchburgwi.gov. Gabriella Gerhardt represents District 2, Seat 4 on the Fitchburg Common Council.

vo t e D e m o c r a t

M elissa Agar d Sargent A fo r wisco ns i n state s enate f

SUPPORTED BY: CONGRESSMA A N MARK POCAN

FORMER LT. GOVERNOR BARBARA LAWTON DANE COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOE PARISI FORMER DANE COUNTY EXECUTIVE KATHLEEN FALK DANE COUNTY SHERIFF DAVE MAHONEY DANE CO OUNTY TREASURER ADAM GALLAGHER DANE E COUNTY CLERK SCOTT MCDONELL MADISON MAYOR SATYA RHODES-CONWAY M ONONA MAYOR MARY O’CONNOR S TOUGHTON MAYOR TIM SWADLEY FORMER MADISON MAYOR PAUL SOGLIN FORMER FITCHBURG MAYOR STEVE ARNOLD FORMER R FITCHBURG MAYOR FRANCES HUNTLEY-COOPER FORMER MIDDLETON MAYOR JUDY KAROFSKY

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REP. SHELIA STUBBS REP. LISA SUBECK REP. DIANNE HESSELBEIN “CHIEF” CHARLES TUBBS & MANY MORE!

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS & LABOR UNIONS m e l i s s as a r g e n t 4 s e n a t e @ m e l i s s a 4 s e na t e PROVEN, COM MPASSIONATE, AND EFFECTIV V E L E A D E R S HI P

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Voting is power. This past April, many Wisconsinites realized how easy it is to lose that power through how an election is administered. Many more have always known this. The pandemic has created new barriers that didn’t exist before, primarily through a shortage of poll workers willing to work. But barriers have always existed. Fitchburg woke up in June. Resolution R-118-20 failed to pass, but it had proposed consolidating all four of Fitchburg’s polling places into just one for the August election due to a shortage of poll workers. So many realized that this would mean disenfranchising voters in Fitchburg. This would be unacceptable even if one person loses their fundamental right. The outpouring of public comments in opposition to the resolution was inspiring, and it confirmed something I already knew – this is a passionate community that will fight for the rights of their neighbors. Hearing the public testimony was the best 40 minutes I have spent in council chambers to date. But there is more work to do. Here are some actions you can take in regards to voting. 1. Request an absentee ballot at myvote.wi.gov. Choose to vote by mail to keep the numbers down on Election Day. Remember to upload of a picture of your photo ID (not a selfie). 2. If you are able, apply to be a poll worker. Fitchburg is still short on poll workers for August, and it will be even more of a problem in November. Personal protective equipment will be provided to poll workers, social distancing will be

a august au 11 th

July 10, 2020

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Fitchburg Star

Bars, cafes and restaurants offering to-go, delivery, or dine-in Haveli Indian Restaurant

dine-in Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Hy-Vee Market Grille

Pancheros

Available: Carryout Hours: 5-9 p.m.

Available: Carryout Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday-Saturday

Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Pancake Café

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Available: Carryout, dine-in Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Available: Pickup, no-contact delivery Panera Bread Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Fish Available: Carryout, curbside, Hatchery); 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. delivery, dine-in (McKee) Hours: 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Jimmy John’s

Laredo’s

Quivey’s Grove

Available: Carryout, no-contact Availability: Carryout delivery, dine-in Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 4-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and SatBarriques urday; 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday Available: Curbside pickup, deliv- Liliana’s Restaurant ery, outdoor seating Available: Curbside pickup, deliv- Rolling Pin Bake Shop Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. ery Available: Carryout, curbside, dineHours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mon- in Benvenuto’s Italian Grill Hours: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. MonAvailable: Carryout, curbside pick- day-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. day-Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Satup, no-contact delivery and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday urday Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Buffalo Wild Wings

Little Caesars Pizza

Available: Pickup, delivery, dine-in Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Curry In The Box

Available: Carryout, delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Sunday

Starbucks

Available: Drive-through Hours: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Surya Cafe

Availability: Carryout, outdoor dinAvailable: Carryout, curbside, Me And Julio ing delivery Available: Carryout, delivery, dineHours: 4-6 p.m. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday-Friday; 4-9 p.m., Saturday; in Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mon- Tapatios 4-8:30 p.m., Sunday Available: Carryout, delivery, dineday-Saturday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunin starting June 30 Dairy Queen Grill & Chill day Hours: 4-8 p.m. Available: Carryout, no-contact Mod Pizza delivery Available: Carryout, curbside, Thai Noodles Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Available: Carryout, delivery delivery Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. MonEnrique’s Grill Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. day-Saturday; 1-9 p.m., Sunday Available: Carryout Moo-Yah Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Available: Carryout, curbside, Thirsty Goat Available: Carryout, delivery The Flying Hound delivery Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Available: Carryout Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., MonFood hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. day-Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun- Toppers Pizza day Available: Carryout, contactless Funk’s Pub delivery Monkeyshines Bar and Grill Available: Carryout Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. SunHours: 3-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday Available: Curbside pickup, delivday-Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. ery Glass Nickel Pizza Co. Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. SaturFood hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Available: Carryout, no-contact day Noodles And Company delivery Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. SunAvailable: Curbside, delivery, dine- Yahara Bay Distillery Available: Curbside day-Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. in Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. MonFriday-Saturday Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday-Friday; noon to 4 p.m. Saturday day-Sunday The Great Dane Pub Closed: Oasis Café Atomic Koi Cocktail Lounge Available: Carryout, delivery Tuscany Grill Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Available: Carryout, delivery,

Fitchburg library postpones planned July 6 reopening

NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

release, curbside pickup remains only for materials already available at the library. Patrons may request five items per library card, one family may possess up to three of those. Materials may be picked up only on the same day patrons request them, the release states.

To schedule a pickup,

The Fitchburg Public Library has expanded its patrons can call 729curbside pickup service in 1790 during the followplace of reopening July 6 due ing times: to a steep increase of Dane • Noon to 5 p.m., Mondays County COVID-19 cases. • 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays According to a news

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Staff expands curbside pickup services due to uptick in Dane County COVID-19 cases

This photo of Town of Oregon resident John Brown in his compressed basement led off the Fitchburg Star’s coverage in August 2019 of stormwater problems on its south side.

Flood story wins national award A story about the effect of flooding and the difficulty of containing it in the area around Lake Barney has won an award from a national newspaper association. “Under Pressure,” by Unified Newspaper Group reporter Kimberly Wethal, took third place in the category of Best Original Writing — News Article in the 2020 Association of Free Community Papers’ Best of the Best Awards. T h e s t o r y, w h i c h appeared in both the Fitchburg Star and its sister newspaper, the Oregon Observer, also won two awards in the Wisconsin Newspaper Association contest, which the Star is not eligible for as a free publication distributed to all of Fitchburg. The AFCP award was judged against other publications with 25 percent or more editorial content (in contrast with shoppers). The awards, which covered the calendar year

2019, were announced June 24 in a virtual presentation. Wethal’s story involved exhaustive research into problems residents of the village and town of Oregon and the City of Fitchburg were having with flooding around Lake Barney and the difficulty of finding solutions with seven different governmental units involved. Shortly after the publication of that story in August 2019, Wethal was promoted to a role that included handling coverage of Fitchburg government. She followed up the piece with a story about flooding on the other side of the city – near Goose Lake – in March. The Star took second place in general excellence – the AFCP’s signature category – in 2017, and it won five awards in 2016 and four in 2015. The Star began publication in its current format in 2014.

Propane grill causes fire at Fitchburg duplex Firefighters extinguish fire within minutes A propane grill is suspected to be the cause of a deck fire at a Fitchburg duplex on Monday afternoon. According to a news release from the City of Fitchburg Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched to a structure fire on the 2600 block of Norwich Street around 3:30 p.m. July 6. Firefi g h t e r s w e r e a b l e t o

extinguish the fire within a few minutes of arriving, and confirmed the fire had not spread into the building by looking at the interior of the building with a thermal camera, the release stated. All residents were able to get out of the home safely with no injuries and no structural damage was done to the building. Fire departments from the cities of Verona and Madison and the Town of Madison, and Fitchburg police provided aid. – Kimberly Wethal

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Unified Newspaper Group has compiled a listing of restaurants still serving Fitchburg throughout the COVID-19 crisis. We have attempted to be as thorough as possible, but situations were still changing as of our print deadline, and not all businesses were available when we attempted contact. All listings are as of Monday, July 6. We advise you contact the following establishments for the most up-todate hours and availability. Please email ungbusiness@wcinet. com if you’d like to be added to this list or to make an update to your listing.

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July 10, 2020

‘What I’ve Learned’ New book details son’s battle with alcoholism, addiction

League of Women Voters focusing efforts on apartments Volunteers ‘adopt’ buildings to register voters

NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

A Fitchburg author’s decades-long battle saving her son from his drug and alcohol addictions is the heart of her new book published in March. Dawn Proctor, in “Heartbreaking… when Your Child Is an Addict,” tells the story of her son Colin Proctor who had a skateboarding accident when he was 12. That accident landed him in the hospital, where Proctor first learned why the incident occurred. Colin had been blackout drunk, doctors told Proctor her. That came as a shock, she said, as it had been his first time drinking as far as she was aware. “Heartbreaking… when Your Child Is an Addict,” follows Colin’s journey to recovery through the age of 30. In that time, Colin’s addiction expanded beyond alcohol, and he started dealing drugs, Dawn said. That led to gang violence, where members circled Dawn’s house and threw bricks through her windows.They also broke Colin’s jaw, Dawn said, so badly he had to have his mouth wired shut. Colin also faced repeated encounters with law enforcement. Dawn is not only a writer, but also an artist, and illustrated the cover of the book using pieces of letters she got from her son while he was in prison due to crimes related to his alcoholism. She has used Colin’s story to advocate for prison reform and educate others about overcoming addiction. And she continues to help her son with his struggles. “The information that I had learned, the experiences I had, if it helped even one person feel understood, it would all be worth it,” Dawn said of the impetus to write the book. “I really wanted to help parents in similar situations.” Dawn, a recovering alcoholic herself who has been sober for 33 years, said she has come to the conclusion that there is really nothing a parent can do if their child is an addict unless the child wants to help themselves. “Once my son was born, I knew I had the right to screw up my life, but I didn’t have the right to screw up his,” she said. “I became determined to become sober. I was committed and highly motivated because I was afraid I would lose him.” Proctor said that alcoholism is typically the result of a genetic predisposition and a triggering event. She said her first husband, Colin’s biological father, was a drug addict and dealer and went to jail, and Colin followed in his exact footsteps. “You can inform children that they are predisposed and will not be able to use alcohol recreationally like others,” she said. “Once you find out your child is addicted, it becomes a soupy mess – arrest, drug treatment, arrest, drug treatment, the cycle goes on and on.” How Colin followed in his father’s footsteps was evidenced in getting involved in drug

Fitchburg Star

NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

dealing, which began to directly affect his mother’s life, Dawn said. “He started to deal drugs – which is not unusual – but the only problem with that, he did most of the drugs he was supposed to sell. He became in debt and became paranoid,” she said. The gang he belonged to circled her house and synchronized throwing bricks through all the windows of the house at once. In another instance, the gang broke Colin’s jaw and videotaped it, and he had to have his jaw wired shut for six weeks. “He just about went crazy because he was trying to get high, so he was running around panicked trying to remove the wires,” Dawn said. Still, Dawn said she is determined to use her son’s story to make a positive impact on others who have faced struggles similar to his. She said that she finds there’s still a stigma to having a drug addict or alcoholic in your family that people don’t talk about it except to close friends and family. “Alcohol is so socially accepted in society people don’t realize how damaging it is. People don’t talk about it, that’s a problem,” she said. “Addiction is a terminal disease. A lot of us know people who’ve died from drinking or drinking-related causes. Frankly, I want to see more family members come forward and ask for help.” Proctor has sent copies of the book to police officers, social workers and school counselors, hoping to inform anyone interested in learning more about teenage addiction and provide them with resources. “The story of all the institutions and people I encountered along the way of a 20-year saga of trying to save my son’s life from the disease of addiction, that was my biggest motivation to write this book,” Proctor said. “I wanted to walk people through what turned out to be an addicted child and say ‘look what I am going through,’ it has a reverberation, like the ripples in a pond.” Neal Patten, Community Reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com.

The Dane County League of Women Voters has organized a new project to help reach out to an underserved population: apartment renters and dwellers. Volunteers will help inform residents of apartment complexes about voter registration and requesting absentee ballots. They will “adopt” apartment complexes to work closely with property managers to get voting information into the hands of residents. JoAnn Boushon, volunteer coordinator for the project, said it launched in fall 2019, and there are now 35 adopters and 375 apartments identified in the county, including eight adopters and 45 apartments in Fitchburg. She said it was born out of challenges league members have faced attempting voter outreach at apartment buildings, which are typically locked. Another important reason, Boushon said, is to focus voter registration efforts at apartments is that apartment dwellers move more frequently than homeowners and every time they move, they need to re-register to vote. Depending upon the building and the relationship with the manager, the league reaches out to residents in various ways, she said. Sometimes managers will email the league’s voting information to residents in the apartment complexes. Other times, league volunteers are allowed inside to hang posters in doorways or elevators and on bulletin boards. Boushon said the league is very careful about following changes to voting rules, updating materials every week. “While we’re not the only group doing this type of voter outreach, the LWV produces very accurate and up to date info,” she said. “I’m biased, but I would say we’re more up to date than any other organization. We plan to put out new information each month, based on the point of time in the election cycle, information that is time sensitive.” The league turns that information into materials such as bookmarks that contain information on voter registration and requesting absentee ballots. “We get it to an easy, concise to understand format,” Boushon said. “We put a lot of time and effort in to make sure information is as accurate and easily understood as possible.” She said the league would like to have small voter registration events, outside leasing offices at apartment complexes or in a lobby or community room, with a couple volunteers helping residents with the registration process.

Photo submitted

The League of Women Voters of Dane County will set up voter registration tables at apartment complexes once social distancing ends.

The league held several of those events earlier this year. But given COVID-19 and social distancing, she’s not sure if those will happen over this summer. She’s hoping they will, but league members are not working one on one with residents at this time. Despite being a project of the League of Women Voters, not all apartment adopters are women and league members – some friends and family of members are helping as well. Boushon emphasized that the project, like the league, is meant to be nonpartisan. Anyone who wishes to become an adopter must agree not to use the role for partisan purposes now or into the future. The project’s goals are to register apartment residents to vote or to help them request absentee ballots – not to support a particular political party or candidate. Even with adopters taking on upwards of five apartments at a time, many are still available to be adopted. Boushon said she hopes to double the number of volunteer adopters by October. She said the types of people the project serves is becoming more diverse as the project grows, including crossing language barriers. “We’re trying hard to get a cross-section of neighborhoods and communities – people both within the league and outside have opened doors,” she said. “We need confidants within communities of every kind.” She said that managers can help adopters sort through what information is vital for a complex and what can be set aside for being too dense for those particular residents. “Providing the information that people really need in an appropriate way rarely means language – it seldom means language – it means the content of our information has to be a good match for them,” she said. “We need to understand what residents need at that time. Some communities may need certain information more than others.” Neal Patten can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com.

‌NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group‌

Dawn Proctor’s past with her son has helped her to empathize with the growing unrest over police brutality across the country that stemmed from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “I have this experience to compare it to — Colin was visiting me, he was on probation, there was a knock on my door, four fully outfitted sheriffs complete with guns and batons were there looking for Colin and put handcuffs on him right in the living room, which was something I had not seen before,” she said. It turned out Colin had missed a phone call with his probation officer, which was a parole violation. “It was a show of force that was completely unnecessary in relation to the problem,” she said. “I believe from my experience that there is an

overreaction that takes place. The fact that someone is using or high should not be factored into how that person is treated. I asked them ‘do you really need to send four sheriffs?’ and they said they said ‘we usually send more.’” She acknowledged the police are overworked and stretched too thin to deal with social issues, but said training should be put into place to diffuse rather than escalate situations. The recent death of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, who was killed at the hands of a police officer for becoming agitated while drunk, resonates with Dawn. “Would I have wanted my son killed because he was drunk?,” she asked “There needs to be a whole new education for officers. They are not being trained to deal with people who are high or doped up. They have no experience, no training, police departments are unable and do not have the

resources to treat addicts. She now spends some of her time in retirement lobbying legislators for prison reform and for re-allocating funds towards treatment. “We need to build criminal treatment institutions in societies – right now for addicts your future is jails or death,” she said. “There is nowhere to send people who have drug or alcohol addiction, nowhere people can go for indefinite help. 75% of people in jail are there for drug-related crimes.” She is excited by calls for rethinking the role of police in communities. “I’m so glad this is happening, this wave, there’s so many related issues,” she said. “It’s going to require a big financial reworking on the local, state and federal level to end privately run prisons, but I feel the energy and it’s encouraging.” Neal Patten can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com.

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Advocating for prison reform, treatment

July 10, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

County requires face Consultants: Goose Lake masks starting Monday drainage is like ‘traffic jam’ City of Fitchburg

People over the age of 5 in Dane County will be required to wear face coverings indoors, starting 8 a.m. Monday, July 13, unless they are at home. The July 7 Public Health of Madison and Dane County order, will have to wear a face mask that covers their nose and mouth when in any building where the other people are not part of the same household. This is the first requirement like this in the county, and is due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, according to the order. The order applies to public transportation, businesses, health care settings and waiting in line to enter a building. The order also requires individuals to wear face coverings when in someone else’s home. Individuals with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a face covering are exempt from

the order. Children who are between the ages of 2 and 4 are strongly encouraged to wear masks, and masks for those under the age of 2 are discouraged. The order discourages people from policing other people who are not wearing masks. “The following order should not be used as justification to harass or harm another person who is either wearing or not wearing a face covering. People should assume others have valid reasons for wearing or not wearing a face covering,” the release states. The order allows people to remove their face masks in limited circumstances, which includes eating or drinking, communicating with an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing, or a service that requires face mask removal, according to the order. -Mackenzie Krumme

Balke aims to be ‘public servant’ as permanent director NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

Fitchburg has a new public works director for the fifth time in five years. But this time, the new director is not so new. Bill Balke had served as interim public works director twice before, and had been asked to step into the role before predecessor Mike Bisbach was hired. But in June, after Bisbach announced his resignation for a job in the private sector, Balke accepted the permanent position. Balke is responsible for assessing how to improve or maintain city infrastructure while long-range planning for future development. He previously had been an environmental engineer and then a transportation engineer for the city since 2017, and oversaw road construction projects like Lacy Road and Hwy. MM, as well as the in-progress Fahey Fields development. He called it an additional layer of problem solving and said he looks forward to serving the needs of Fitchburg residents. “I really am passionate about people – making connections with everyone – getting perspectives on different issues,” Balke told the Star. “It’s really a joy working with the public and the challenges presented. I am a public servant and my job is to serve, really.” Balke said one of his goals will be to connect people to the places they want to go in a more efficient manner. He’ll be looking at roadways needing additional pedestrian or bicycle paths to get people around Fitchburg more safely and making physical connections between businesses and recreation areas. “We have a great parks system we’d like to connect up to have people walk or bike to and a lot of great businesses people could walk or bike to, connecting people with places they want to go,” he said. Despite starting in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Balke said it’s been “almost business as usual” around in public works. He said the maintenance and public works staff have been working full time, donning personal protective equipment when necessary. He

acknowledged one of the challenges has been making sure he has enough staff on board to keep construction going forward, but also keeping workers safe. The public works department has seen several turnovers in the role of director in recent years. Cory Horton had served in the position for over three years before leaving in December 2017. Lisa Coleman filled the role from July 2018 through March 2019. Michael Bisbach took her place as director from July last year but left this May. Balke has been a municipal engineer throughout Wisconsin since 1992, but it’s been in several different sectors, including transportation, development and stormwater. Balke started his career in Beloit as a transportation engineer, before moving to Eau Claire, where he oversaw subdivisions and new developments. He spent time in Sheboygan’s public works department designing a response to record rainfalls and flooding before becoming director of public works for Bellevue for nine years. Balke then moved to Fitchburg in 2017 to take the position of environmental engineer for around 10 months and first served as interim public works director during the transition from Horton to Coleman. He then became a senior transportation engineer for the city before becoming interim director of public works yet again. Balke said he likes the variety of projects that are done under the umbrella of a public works department. “I’ve had lots of experiences in lots of cities around the state,” he said. “It’s a pretty broad base I bring to the table; I’ll help out with a lot of things.” In his downtime, Balke said he enjoys being out in his yard, quietly working on landscaping and trimming weeds. “I love to help out family with different projects since I’m always helping everyone else out,” he said. “I am a helper. I love helping out people where I can. “That’s why this job fits me – helping out the council, my staff, the community – that’s my role in life.”

Culverts, land topography poses challenges KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Traffic jams are not new to Fitchburg, but consultants have found there’s one bottleneck – in the Goose Lake watershed – that is responsible for flooding and road closures on Fitchrona Road. During a public information meeting held on Thursday, July 2, consultants Ann-Marie Kirsch and Amber Lefers from AE2S, who were hired this spring to examine water flow in Goose Lake, explained that flow out of Goose Lake is limited by roadblocks downstream such as culverts that are too small or uneven topography levels. “Water really kind of acts like a traffic jam,” Kirsch explained. “Going down the Beltline, everything’s fine, everything’s fine, and then you see the orange lights up ahead … once the cars get past that restriction, the crash or the person pulled over, the cars can accelerate downstream, so to speak. “Once there’s an impediment like an undersized culvert or jam in the system, the water truly backs up,” she added. Goose Lake, Fitchrona Road and the area surrounding it near the 18-151 overpass have experienced flooding from the lake for the last two decades. Most recently, the city closed the road due to high water the same week the city reopened the Nesbitt-Fitchrona Road intersection with a new roundabout in October 2019. In 2018, record rainfalls caused the road to be closed twice in August. Goose Lake is a glacial kettle, so while it’s still a part of a watershed, it has

no natural outlets for water to flow out. Evaporation or infiltration into the ground are the only two ways for water to leave the lake, outside of the two culverts on the lake’s western side. Water flows into Goose Lake from developed land in the northeast that sits at a higher elevation than the lake, Kirsch said, but as it attempts to flow out, the elevation of the land increases three different times. The initial path of exit for water out of Goose Lake is at a high elevation, and the two culverts help drain it into the wetland area. But the small size of those culverts are considered roadblocks because the amount of water being through them is not enough to drain excess water out of the lake, which is a similar case for the other two culverts in water stream along Hwy. 18-151. One is a 30-inch culvert under the highway from the 1990s through which the water flows in a ditch alongside the retention pond between the highway and Nesbitt Road. But it doesn’t fully join the Badger Mill Creek until it reaches a box culvert a few hundred feet down. It’s also a challenge for the water to get out of the ditch into the box culvert, Kirsch said, as the elevation of the ditch dips a few feet before it reaches the culvert, which is much higher than the ditch. Possible solutions could

mean making the culvert under Hwy. 18-151 larger to allow for more water to flow, or adding a new culvert closer to the Badger Mill Creek so that the water doesn’t have to take such a long route to get into the rest of the watershed, Kirsch said. In any solution, the culverts on the western edge of Goose Lake will also need to be replaced with larger ones. Any changes to the floodplain will require approval from FEMA, and if any land is disturbed in terms of an acre or more, the state Department of Natural Resources will need to sign off on it, Kirsch said. Additionally, any work done in the right-of-way along Hwy. 18-151 will require a permit from the Department of Transportation. Any solutions will also need to be coordinated with Dane County Parks, which has land that sits downstream. The city is limited in what it can do to solve flooding with Fitchrona Road itself– federal regulations prevent it from being raised under the 18-151 overpass, and the state Department of Transportation isn’t planning to do maintenance on the bridge for another 25 years, according to the request for proposals. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly.wethal@ wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @kimberly_wethal.

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ConnectFitchburg.com

July 10, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Testing kick off Tuesday, July, 7. The goal of the three week campaign is to get 5,000 people of color tested for the virus. Volunteers and staff will travMACKENZIE KRUMME el around the county and be in a different Unified Newspaper Group location twice per week. The testing is being held in partnership The Boys and Girls Club of Dane County held its free COVID-19 test- with Public Health Madison and Dane ing kick off at the Fitchburg location on County and Madison365.

Boys and Girls Club holds three week COVID testing campaign

People getting a COVID-19 test were able to walk or drive up at the testing kick off campaign. Free tests will be given for three weeks at various locations throughout Dane County.

The Boys and Girls Club of Dane County is offering free COVID-19 testing throughout the county for three weeks.

Photos submitted

People with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County give COVID-19 tests at 4619 Jenewein Road on July 7, 2020. The goal of the free testing is to get 5,000 people of color tested.

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Sports

Friday, July 10, 2020

The

Fitchburg Star For more sports coverage, visit: ConnectFitchburg.com

Adam Feiner, sports editor

845-9559 x226 • ungsportseditor@wcinet.com

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

Prep sports

Times of change for WIAA Board of Control approves measures impacting multiple sports ADAM FEINER Sports editor

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control on Wednesday, June 24, reviewed and acted on coaches committee recommendations impacting winter sports and other rule and budget considerations in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following school closures in March due to the pandemic, the Board voted unanimously to allow a school option to defer academic eligibility grade requirements for all students until the first grading period of the 2020-21 school year. Another Board decision in response to COVID-19 extends the window one week to use the coaches’ five unrestricted contact days for this summer only. This allows 11-player football coaches unrestricted contact through Aug. 1. Following the cancellation of the 2020 state basketball tournaments and all spring sports, the Board approved a number of Executive Staff recommendations to increase revenue and contain expenditures in 2020-21. All regional, sectional and state tournament ticket prices will be increased $1. State tournament school mileage reimbursements for team and individual travel will decrease 50 cents per mile

Photo by Todd K. Olson

Verona goaltender Kaden Grant (center) makes a save in traffic against Madison West in 2019. The Wildcats played a combined three overtimes in their two state games last season. The WIAA Board of Control passed three recommendations at its June meeting, including one with changes to overtime. for 2020-21 only, and the regional and sectional host revenue sharing percentage will be decreased by 5% for one year only. Arguably the most momentous news to come out of the meeting was the Board’s decision to sanction a girls individual state wrestling tournament starting in 2022. Girls and boys will be permitted to wrestle each other during the regular season, but the state tournament series will be gender exclusive. The Board unanimously passed the measure 10-0 just a day after the WIAA Advisory Council voted 13-2 to not add girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport in 2020-21.

Beginning in 2021, Trackwrestling.com will be used to randomly place sectional champions on the state individual tournament brackets in all divisions, with the second- and third-place sectional finishers placed on the opposite half of the bracket. For boys and girls basketball, the Board unanimously approved implementing a computerized seeding system for the state tournament series. The system will be developed by the WIAA with the goal to have it available in 2021 and no later than 2022. In hockey, the Board unanimously approved retaining a two-division state tournament series indefinitely. Also approved

was a recommendation for the boys hockey state tournament to involve the head coaches of qualifying teams for both divisions to determine seeds for each division beginning in 2021. Changes to hockey’s overtime will also be implemented next season. There will be an eight-minute, sudden victory overtime period followed by a five-minute threeon-three period during the regular season. If no winner is determined after the two overtime periods, the game is recorded as a tie. In a tie following regulation during the postseason, an eight-minute sudden victory overtime period will be played.

If no victor is determined, the ice will be resurfaced followed by a 17-minute sudden victory overtime period. If a winner is still not determined, a five-minute, four-on-four sudden victory period will be played, and then a five-minute, three-on-three sudden victory period if necessary. If a winner remains undecided, a 17-minute, three-on-three sudden victory period will be played after a resurfacing of the ice. The Board unanimously denied two other hockey recommendations. One proposed to split the boys’ two divisions to a 50/50 split based on enrollment. Currently, the 32 smallest enrollments are Division 2, and the remaining are D1. The other proposal was to require four-member officiating crews for all sectional final and state tournament games. Three gymnastics recommendations received unanimous approval. One eliminates the language “multi-school meets involving four or more teams may stop the warm-up time for bar and vault changes” from the regulations. Another alters the admissions policy for sectionals and the team state tournament to provide free admissions for a maximum 15 individuals on a team to include competitors, alternates, coaches, managers and other team personnel. The third adds the language to add a safety zone mat, in compliance with NFHS vault rules, to the list of equipment required to host a sectional meet.

Prep sports

WIAA outlines resumption of summer athletic activities ADAM FEINER Sports editor

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association released guidance and recommendations for high schools across the state to resume summertime athletic activities that began July 1. The guidelines were produced and reviewed by the collaborative efforts and contributions of the doctors on the WIAA Sports Medical Advisory Committee, the WIAA Executive Staff, t h e Wi s c o n s i n D e p a r t ment of Health Services, the Department of Public Instruction and the office of Gov. Tony Evers. The WIAA postponed all athletic participation following Evers’ executive order on March 13 that closed all public and private schools on March 18. A month later, the WIAA Board of Control voted to cancel the 2020 spring sports season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Within what has been a rapidly changing and

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Verona’s Cole Zoromski (right) makes a block during a kickoff drill on the first day of practice last August. The WIAA released recommendations for the resumption of summertime athletic activities on July 1. evo l v i n g e nv i r o n m e n t , we’ve done our best to r e s e a r c h , ex a m i n e a n d assemble the best advice we could identify,” WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson said in a June 18 release obtained by the Star. “This mission and responsibility is larger than just sports.” Each individual school’s district administrator has the authority to decide if athletic activities may resume in compliance

with local and state health department directives. The guidelines address the resumption of summer training programs, team practices, competitions, transportation to and from events, disinfection of facilities and equipment and social distancing requirements. Any athletic activity must be voluntary and may not be mandated or applied toward team or program selection. “Prioritizing the health

and safety of all students and staff must remain the focus of each WIAA member school,” the release stated. “The WIAA believes it is essential to the physical and mental well-being of student-athletes in grades 6-12 to return to organized physical activity and build team relationships with their peers and coaches.” School administrators must provide supervision at competitions to make sure WIAA and health department guidelines are followed. “This will likely remain in place until a cure, vaccine or very effective treatment is readily available, or so-called ‘herd immunity’ is confidently reached,” the document stated. Any athlete with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher is required to stay home, as is anyone with one or more of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection. All athletes and coaches should have their temperature checked prior to an event. The WIAA also

recommended schools designate a coach to be responsible for responding to COVID-19 concerns. Athletes are encouraged to wear face coverings or masks and must be allowed to do so if they wish, even during competitions. Each athlete is required to bring his/her own water bottle and not share it with others. Hydration stations may not be used. Athletes, coaches and officials are required to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer, especially after touching frequently used items or surfaces. Any type of handshake or similar contact should not be allowed. Adequate cleaning and disinfection schedules should be created and implemented for all athletic facilities. Prior to an individual or group entering a facility, hard surfaces within that facility should be cleaned and disinfected. Balls, equipment and other frequently used items and surfaces should be

disinfected at least daily, but between uses when possible. Weight training equipment should be wiped down with disinfectant before and after use. Benches and other athletic pads having holes with exposed foam should be covered. The WIAA also recommended coaches modify practices so athletes work in small groups that remain together. On teams with large rosters, like football, coaches are asked to consider holding multiple practice sessions to keep groups small. Nonessential visitors, spectators and volunteers should be limited, and travel outside the local community should be severely limited. All teams should also have a heat acclimatization program in place. The program should include proper hydration, a slow progression in activity level, adjustments to workouts as heat and humidity increase and close monitoring and a prompt response to developing problems.

ConnectFitchburg.com

July 10, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Basketball

WBCA All-Star Games canceled ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Photos by Mark Nesbitt

Verona’s Rayna Briggs (left) goes up for a layup against Madison West last season.

The Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association announced Friday, June 26, that its annual All-Star Games have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The five girls games were going to be played Aug. 5, and the boys games were scheduled to be played the following day. JustAgame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells was scheduled to host the games. “The safety of players, coaches, fans, referees and staff is our utmost concern and priority,” Jerry Petitgoue, the executive director of WBCA Charities, Inc., said in a release obtained by the Press. “We realize that this is disappointing to the players, parents, coaches and fans, but we have a number of reasons for our decision other than safety, including ability for those in restricted areas to travel and exposure for students who are going to college and may need to quarantine prior to leaving.” Rayna Briggs and Kaitlyn Schrimpf were scheduled to participate. Briggs – a 2020 Verona Area High School graduate – was selected to play in the Division 1 girls game as a member of the South team. The first team all-conference honoree averaged a team-high 12.9 points per game and was the Wildcats’ top rebounder last season.

Oregon’s Kaitlyn Schrimpf (left) goes up for a layup over Beaver Dam’s Jada Donaldson in the first-place game of last season’s Badger Challenge. Both players were selected to play in the WBCA’s All-Star Games, but the event has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She led Verona to an 11-12 record and a fifth-place finish (9-9) in the Big Eight. Schrimpf – a 2020 Oregon High School graduate – was selected to play in the Division 2 girls game as a member of the South team. The first team all-conference honoree averaged 11.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 steals per game and helped Oregon (21-5) to a Badger South title and its first state tournament appearance in 40 years.

Each athlete selected to participate in the AllStar Games raised money through donations for the Midwest Athletes against Childhood Cancer Fund. The MACC Fund was launched by former Milwaukee Bucks player Jon McGlocklin in 1976. McGlocklin started the fund in honor of longtime Bucks broadcaster Eddie Doucette, whose son was diagnosed with childhood cancer at the age of 2.

Baseball

OHS grad creates mental skills training site, podcast ADAM FEINER Sports editor

As podcasts have become more popular in mainstream culture, so too has looking at the game of baseball through a mental perspective. Earlier this year, Eddie Saucedo decided to take advantage of both truths in an effort to improve on the diamond. The 2020 Oregon High School graduate is the founder of 1houghtForce, LLC and the “1houghtForce Podcast” on Spotify. He started the podcast in January, and created Twitter and Instagram accounts for 1houghtforce soon after. “I was always online trying to find tips from the mental side of the game, so I thought I should start my own site,” Saucedo said. “I feel like I have insights people would benefit from, and I’ve been able to learn more by talking to professionals.” Saucedo has built his brand by talking with professional coaches and former players. Among the notables are Justin Su’a (Mental Performance Coach for the Tampa Bay

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Oregon’s Eddie Saucedo lines a double into right field during a 2019 nonconference game against Beloit Memorial. He was named second team all-Badger South Conference as a junior. Rays), Perry Hill (first Baserunning Coordinator New York Yankees) and b a s e a n d i n fi e l d c o a c h for the Boston Red Sox), Michael McKenry (played for the Seattle Mariners), Matt Talarico (baserun- seven MLB seasons for D a r r e n F e n s t e r ( M i n o r ning coordinator and rov- the Rockies, Pirates and L e a g u e O u t f i e l d a n d ing hitting coach for the Cardinals and is currently

a studio analyst on the Pirates’ pregame and postgame shows). Through conversations a n d h i s ow n r e s e a r c h , Saucedo models his mental approach after three pillars: controlling what you can control, identifying mental game traps (batting average versus hard contact rate) and knowing who you are as a person. Saucedo does 5-10 minutes of meditation when he wakes up each day, followed by 5-15 minutes of visualization. “Slowly doing meditation and visualization is big. Those are so important to mastering the mental game,” he said. “When you really focus, your brain can’t tell the difference between what’s reality and what’s in your mind.” Saucedo previously played infield for the GRB Rays out of Windsor, but is playing this summer with the Logan Royals – a collegiate summer team based in Logan, Utah. “I was looking online for a place to play and got in touch with the manager,” he said. “He said I’d have a spot if I wanted.” A second team all-Badger South Conference shortstop in 2019, Saucedo

Photo submitted

Recent Oregon High School graduate Eddie Saucedo started 1houghtForce, LLC earlier this year. The company specializes in mental skills training for baseball players.

is preparing for a position change at the collegiate level. The 6-foot, 180-pounder looked at various colleges at different levels, but picked Madison College because he’d have an opportunity to pursue catching. “I’ve played infield for most of my life, so I feel like catching will really increase my value as a player,” he said. “Hopefully that will get me more looks at the next level, wherever that might be. “My main goal is to get better every day at executing my process. As long as I do that, I know I’ll be in a good spot.”

July 10, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

College sports

McCorkles eager for return to action ADAM FEINER AND MARK NESBITT Sports editors

The COVID-19 pandemic ended the collegiate seasons of Taylor and Ellen McCorkle, but both are back in the area working on their respective crafts. Taylor McCorkle is a rising senior and member of the women’s golf team at Division I North Dakota State. Ellen McCorkle is a rising junior and member of the women’s basketball team at Division II Lindenwood University.

Mental-led approach leads McCorkle to new heights

Photo courtesy North Dakota State Athletics

North Dakota State’s Taylor McCorkle tees off in a practice round at Fargo Country Club in Fargo, North Dakota. The 2017 Oregon High School graduate has led the Bison in stroke average the last two seasons and currently ranks third During her prep days, Tay- in school history in career stroke average (76.24). lor McCorkle often found herself atop or high up lea“I’m lucky I come from a summer. She twice qualified derboards because of her good family that’s been real- for the National Junior PGA strength and natural ability. ly helpful,” Taylor McCork- Championship and was the Now, the 2017 Oregon le said. “I rely on my dad a Wisconsin Junior PGA PlayHigh School graduate is lot. He’s been really good in er of the Year in 2016 after navigating golf courses by helping me with course man- winning the league’s premier executing shots that are agement and strategy, and tournament. thoughtfully planned out. I’ve been able to learn what A runner-up finish at the Once focused more on pow- works and what doesn’t work 2017 Wisconsin Junior PGA er, McCorkle has benefited in women’s college golf from Championship helped jumpfrom improved iron play and my older sister.” start her collegiate career. an improved short game in McCorkle was a four-year McCorkle was second on her first three years at North varsity letterwinner and a the team and ninth in The Dakota State University. three-time all-Badger South Summit League with a 76.23 “I’ve focused a lot on Conference performer and stroke average in 31 rounds course strategy and where all-state honoree at Oregon. as a freshman at NDSU. She to place the ball,” she said. She was the conference play- recorded four top-10 finishes “Throughout high school and er of the year as a senior, in 11 events and was named my freshman year, I wanted when she shot 2-under par to the All-Tournament Team to hit driver every hole and 70 to earn medalist honors after tying for fourth at the be as aggressive as possible, at regionals before finish- league tournament. McCorkle was voted secand I figured out that wasn’t ing runner-up at sectionals. The team captain tied for ond-team all-conference the best way to play.” McCorkle has also relied 11th individually at the 2016 after a breakout sophomore on family experience to WIAA Division 1 state tour- campaign. She led the Bison improve her game. Her father nament while helping the in stroke average (76.28) Bill played golf at Wiscon- Panthers take fifth as a team. and recorded three top-5 finMcCorkle gained the ishes and four top-10’s. Her sin, and her older sister Morgan played at Division III attention of college recruit- first collegiate win came at ers through her play in the Iowa’s Diane Thompson powerhouse St. Thomas.

Invitational, and she set school records for lowest single round (65) and tworound score (141) en route to medalist honors at Southern Utah’s Lady Thunderbird Invitational. McCorkle once again led the Bison in stroke average (76.2) over 15 rounds as a junior. She currently ranks third in school history in career stroke average (76.24). North Dakota State competed in six events before the NCAA announced March 12 that all remaining winter and spring championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bison had five tournaments wiped out, including the Summit League Championship scheduled for April 26-28.

McCorkle prepping for bigger role at Lindenwood

For months, Ellen McCorkle hasn’t been able to get in a gym to work on her jump shot with teammates. McCorkle – a 2018 Oregon High School graduate – has been in Oregon with her family during the “Safer at Home” order. She’s been working on her shot at parks in her hometown, and is looking forward to being back on campus in St. Charles, Missouri. “I’m so excited to see all of my teammates and friends,” she said. “I can’t wait to get back on a basketball court inside.” The Lions went 19-9 last season and finished third (14-6) in their inaugural season in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Lindenwood joined the GLVC last

Photo courtesy Lindenwood Athletics

Former Oregon star Ellen McCorkle averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 23 games last season for Division II Lindenwood University.

year after seven years in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The eighth-seeded Lions were scheduled to play top-seeded Drury in the Midwest Regional of the D-II Tournament, but the NCAA canceled all remaining winter and spring championships on March 12. “I was upset,” McCorkle said. “We were all disappointed because we didn’t get a chance to show what we could do. We had scouted them and I think we had a good chance of beating them the third time playing them.” The 6-foot-3 McCorkle has been completing Zoom training workouts with an assistant coach from Lindenwood. Most of her workouts are based on shooting drills and weightlifting. “In high school, I was able to shoot over a lot of people,” she said. “In college, I have had to learn to play through people and finish better.”

McCorkle averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 23 games as a sophomore. She shot 36.5% (19-for-52) from 3-point range. “I have really worked on my 3-point shot,” she said. “I got in the gym (last year) and got more reps at them for muscle memory. In high school, I passed a lot of those shots up. My coach now is telling me to take it.” McCorkle was a first team all-Badger South Conference selection her junior and senior year at Oregon. She said two of the biggest adjustments of playing at the Division II level are the physicality and speed of the game. “Estella Moschkau (Edgewood graduate who transferred to the University of Wisconsin from Stanford) and McKenna Warnock (Monona Grove graduate at Iowa) were both great players in the conference,” McCorkle said. “Now, (in college) all of the girls are like that and have a high basketball IQ.” McCorkle scored a careerhigh 16 points and drilled four 3s in a win at McKendree on Feb. 15. She had seven points and five rebounds in the Lions’ final game of the season – a 89-67 loss to Drury in the GLVC Tournament semifinals. With the graduation of several seniors, McCorkle is preparing to carry a heavier load. She could be in the starting mix as a junior. “No spot is guaranteed,” she said. “I would like to think I have worked hard enough to earn a spot. During the quarantine, I did a lot of running because that was the one thing I could do to stay in shape.”

Softball

Photo submitted

Verona Fastpitch Club’s 10U and 12U teams won first place Sunday, June 28, at the Rays Beaver Classic Softball Tournament in Reedsburg. Contact the VFC Wildcats for 2021 tryout information at vfcwildcats@gmail.com or online at www.vfcwildcats.org.

ConnectFitchburg.com

July 10, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Additional workforce housing planned for west side KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

The Plan Commission will review changes to a plan to build affordable housing on the city’s far west side. J.T. Klein, the developer for the Limestone Ridge Apartments

project will bring forward a revised version of its zoning application, increasing the number of workforce housing units, with rent calculated below the market rate, at the corner of Fitchrona Road and Limestone Lane from 109 to 116 and eliminating a building with 24 market-rate apartments. The

Common Council had approved the original plan in March 2019. The 116-unit apartment building would be built on a 3.78-acre parcel directly south of Hy-Vee and Target. According to a plan document submitted to the city, the anticipated start date for the apartments is October 2020, with leasing

available in September 2021. The building would feature 78 one-bedroom units, 21 two-bedroom units and 17 three-bedroom units. Rents would be “affordable” by county and federal standards, with renters making 30-60% of the county’s median income. According to a 2019 Dane

County Housing Needs study, the average household income at the end of 2017 was $72,268, more than $6,000 higher than in 2010. J.T. Klein has already received $2 million in affordable housing subsidies from Dane County’s Affordable Housing Development Fund for the project.

Ask the Fitchburg

MORTGAGE BANKING

VETERINARIAN

Q. What happens after you get preapproved for a home mortgage loan?

Q. : I’m interested in establishing care for my animals at a new veterinary clinic, what information or things do I need to bring with me?

A. Think of establishing veterinary care with a new vet like it would be to meet with a new physician for yourself, you need to come

prepared. Before your appointment, make sure to contact your previous veterinary clinic and have them send all your pet’s prior history and records to the new one, and then call the new clinic to confirm receipt of the records. This will give the new veterinarian and technicians a chance to familiarize themselves with your pet before meeting them and will make the first appointment much more comfortable and safer for everyone. Know which vaccinations your pet has had and will need to have updated, not every vaccine is the same at every clinic. If your pet is on any medications have a detailed list with the prescription information or bring the medication with you to the appointment. Collect a fecal sample for your pet either the night before the appointment (and store it in the refrigerator) or the morning of, especially if your pet is experiencing gastrointestinal upset. Be familiar with the brand of food and the amount you feed your pet every day, as well as if their appetite and drinking habits have changed. Know what kinds of preventatives you use to fight fleas, ticks, and heartworms, and whether you need more—it’s important to maintain continuous protection! And finally, come with a list of questions and concerns you have for your vet. A little preparedness can go a long way for the health and care of your animal, schedule an appointment with your local veterinarian today.

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PHYSICAL THERAPY

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Q. Is Selling my Home this Summer a Good Idea?

Q. I have a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy and have heard about a treatment A. Many patients are diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy and are treated solely with medication. There are, however, additional options for treatment of this condition that can be provided by skilled therapists. Infrared (photo) light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that is used to assist the body’s ability to heal tissue. Hemoglobin is bound to red blood cells in the circulatory system. When infrared light (photo energy) is introduced, the hemoglobin detaches from the red blood cell, producing the by-product of nitric oxide. Susan Armstrong, MPT Nitric oxide is a free-radical molecule known for initiating healing through an ability to Physical Therapist create new blood vessels (angiogenesis), synthesis of collagen and fibril realignment, scar modification, and pain interpretation. Infrared therapy is used to help heal most joint pain/ disorders, diabetic and other peripheral neuropathies, arthritis, fibromyalgia, neck and back pain, tendonitis, bursitis, torn rotator cuff muscles and many more disorders. Locally, Stellar Rehab is one of the only clinics with this method of treatment available. Visit www. stellarrehab.com or call 845-2100 to find out more information on infrared therapy. Comprehensive Therapy Services 1049 N. Edge Trail • Prairie Oaks (608) 845-2100 • Verona, WI 53593 • www.stellarrehab.com

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A. One of the most popular times to sell a house is during the summer months. People may be taking advantage of their kids being out of school, curb appeal is at its peak since flowers are blooming and trees are full of leaves, and more people are simply outside. As a Fitchburg Realtor, I have been working with several clients over the past few months in helping them successfully sell their home. My Sellers have asked me for assistance determining the most up to date and accurate price for their home. I prepare their home and get it on the market, develop a comprehensive marketing plan for their home that Shawn Pfaff effectively utilizes social media, virtual showings and negotiating on their behalf when an offer (or in many cases, multiple offers) are received. Selling your home this summer with an experienced Realtor can be advantageous especially due to the overall lack of listings in Fitchburg. Please contact me at pfaffs@firstweber.com to get started. Please visit shawnpfaff.firstweber.com to discuss ways to strategically buy or sell a home.

SENIOR CARE

Q. My dental hygienist recommended a water flosser at my last appointment. Are these a good idea?

A. Brushing your teeth twice a day is an effective way of removing plaque from the surfaces of your teeth. But brushing alone will not get rid of the food particles that are stuck between the teeth or below the gum line. That’s why dentists recommend flossing to remove those bits of food that your toothbrush can’t reach. Traditional flossing involves using a thin piece of waxy string that passes between your teeth and scrapes the sides of each tooth, removing trapped food particles. Water flossers, like the Waterpik, spray water between the teeth to clear away trapped food. A study in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry found that people who used a water flosser had a 74.4 percent reduction in plaque as compared to 57.5 percent among those who used string floss, and that water flossing also results in a greater reduction in gingivitis and gum bleeding compared with string flossing. A water flosser is an inexpensive home care device that can help assure healthy teeth and gums.

With two decades of experience providing unparalleled in-home care to clients and their families both locally and nationwide, Comfort Keepers is celebrating another momentous recognition by Newsweek as “America’s Best Customer Service” in the category of Home Care Services for Seniors and Disabled (two years in a row since the award’s inception). Our approach to customer service and in-home care is to find ways to inspire joy and hope among all of our clients and their families – helping to make their lives brighter, safer and more enjoyable from the comfort of home. As a result, we have found ways to provide seniors or those with declining health with the opportunity to live happy, fulfilling and independent lives. This positive approach to caregiving can help transform a life for the better, create a lasting friendship and ultimately elevate the human spirit. “We are so honored to be named on the prestigious 2020 Newsweek List for ‘America’s Best Customer Service’,” said James Rudolph, CEO, Comfort Keepers of Dane County. “When your business is touching the lives and hearts of so many people, service always has to be the first priority each and every day. We have a commitment to our clients to deliver quality care in a way that inspires joy and enrichment, while also delivering a promise to families that their loved ones are cared for properly in the safety of their own home.”

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CHIROPRACTOR

Did Comfort Keepers Celebrate Recognition from Newsweek and twenty years of Outstanding Customer Service?

Jim Rudolph President & CEO

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CREMATION SERVICES

Q. Can I see a chiropractor if I’m pregnant? A. Absolutely! Keeping your spine free of

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July 10, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Oregon schools

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Land buy will house school forest Area near new elementary school to include environmental center SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

When teachers in the Oregon School District want students to experience the variety of nature in forests and prairies, they soon won’t have to travel far. District electors approved the purchase of two parcels of land adjacent to the new Forest Edge Elementary School in Fitchburg at a special Oregon School Board meeting Monday, June 29. The socially distanced meeting was held in the Oregon High School lobby, with a handful of people attending. Due to legal requirements, anyone who wished to vote had to attend in person. The first parcel – 20.4 acres adjacent to FES at the cost of $450,000 – is planned for a school forest. The other 16.7 acres, which includes a residence at 3016 County MM, cost $335,000 and is expected to be converted into an environmental learning station. The first parcel was part of the 2016 referendum budget, and the second was covered by leftover contingency expenses from that referendum. District deputy superintendent Leslie Bergstrom, set to succeed Brian Busler as superintendent on July 1, said the purchases were the result of two years of planning related to the district’s long-term vision for outdoor learning and environmental education. “It’s not difficult to imagine the hands-on learning experiences that can take place in a school forest that contains both old growth forest and prairie, and a natural water source,” she said. “This is a learning opportunity for pre-K through 12, (and) it won’t just benefit students in the school now, it will benefit students perhaps for generations.” Begstrom said the purchases are in line with the district’s 2018 policy on environmental sustainability in the district. She backed that up by reading a brief excerpt at the meeting: “The Oregon school district believes it is critical for the future of our planet to develop learners who are ecologically literate and environmentally responsible citizens and stewards.” Bergstrom said the district had been looking at the property on County Hwy. MM “for quite a while,” and when it recently went into foreclosure, the district purchased it for less than the assessed value, which is $358,100, according to county’s land information website. The 2,400 square foot residence includes a “great room” on the first floor that she said can accommodate four elementary school classes “in a post-social distancing era.” A driveway off Hwy. MM allows for easy bus access to the property, she said. School board president Steve Zach said some work will be needed to turn it into an environmental center, and that was not included in the price. “We are working on private donations to secure that, and we’ve got a strong commitment to that already,” he said. “The board is already contemplating a process (to) set up a foundation through the district to fund ongoing operations.”

“It’s not difficult to imagine the hands-on learning experiences that can take place in a school forest that contains both old growth forest and prairie, and a natural water source.” District deputy superintend Lislie Bergstrom

Graphic submitted

This graphic from the Oregon School District shows the additional land adjacent to Forest Edge Elementary School approved for purchase by district electors on Monday, June 29.

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Oregon School District officials plan on converting this house on newly acquired property on 3016 County MM, adjacent to the new Forest Edge Elementary School, into an environmental center for district students.

OSD news in brief School year ends but graduation waits for Class of 2020

is nothing like what Oregon High at home. So all their belongings School seniors had expected.Their have been waiting at school ever time in the district is over, and they since. all are moving on to the next phase For much of the year, Oregon High of their lives during some historic Student teaching during School students, staff, families and and challenging times. schools shutdown friends had circled Sunday, June 14, As a student teacher, you never on their calendars for the graduation Students pick up belongings know what you’ll end up learning. of the Class of 2020. For now, that is left at school since March Certainly, Megan Dewane will have all still on hold. When students left their Oregon some interesting stories to tell her classrooms on Friday, March 13, future students about her experiOHS seniors moving on The 2019-20 school year start- they didn’t anticipate the remainder ences teaching amid the COVID-19 ed off like any other, but the end of the school year being conducted school shutdown.

Oregon schools

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July 10, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Superintendent reelin’ in the years Busler led district through growth, challenging times since 2006

Catching up with the Governor

SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

Busler was business manager at the Verona Area School District in 1988, working for the-superintendent Tony Evers when he was recruited to the Sun

Prairie School District by superintendent Al Rosenthal. Busler worked there as deputy superintendent for 10 years for Rosenthal, whom he termed a “tremendous mentor” who saw a glimpse of a potential future even he didn’t. “He constantly told me I was going to be a superintendent some day – an idea I initially rejected,” Busler said. “He tossed enough challenging projects at me with a smile and then supported and lifted me up when that project maybe didn’t go as well as it should have, but constantly encouraged me to grow and develop.” Ten years later, Rosenthal’s prediction came true, when Busler was promoted to superintendent in Sun Prairie, where he worked until the superintendent position in Oregon opened up in 2006. The OSD has seen significant growth and transformation in Busler’s 14 years, which included a turbulent middle section, working through the effects of the Act 10 legislation approved by state legislators in 2010 and impacting teacher relations. After a failed $33 million referendum in 2012, Busler shepherded a successful $54.6 million capital projects referendum in 2014, followed by a $1.5 million recurring teacher compensation referendum in 2016 and a $47 million referendum in 2018 to fund, in part, a new elementary school. Through it all, he said his greatest memory will be the students, staff, families and community members he’s gotten to know, particularly the educators he’s hired. “Everyone has the same (teaching) license, but not everyone has the same heart and mindset,” he said. What I’ve always looked for is a heart and a mindset that’s kind and interested in supporting our students. And, by and large, we have attracted and retained top teachers and support staff that have (that).”

Focus on ‘True North’

Kerri Modjeski, who is wrapping up her final year at Brooklyn Elementary School to become principal at the new Forest Edge Elementary School in Fitchburg, said Busler found a balance

of letting his principals lead while having a “grounding presence.” She recalled the first time the two met, during a “wild and wacky game” with her third-grade class on the first day of school. “At the silliest of moments, Brian came by to introduce himself, and I was certain he would write me off as a wild card,” Modjeski emailed the Observer. “(But) he joined in the game and laughed with the kids. It was then that I knew OSD had a superintendent that was grounded in what’s real – students.” District in-house counsel and director of human resources Jina Jonen called Busler an “incredible leader, educator, mentor and boss,” with a consistent theme of doing what’s best for kids. “It was his ‘true north’ in every decision,” she wrote the Observer in an email. Deputy superintendent Leslie Bergstrom said she will fondly remember the compass-style pins Busler was known to hand out at administrators’ meetings, as a visual reminder to remember “true north” in making decisions, of which she said she probably has a “few dozen.” “While we all would laugh when we received yet another pin, those pins represent something that is meaningful to all of us,” she wrote the Observer in an email. “A

leader who never wavers on Oregon students as the center of our work creates a team of people who never waver.”

Teaching and trout fishing

Fo r n e a r l y 3 0 y e a r s , Busler has taught – part time, of course – graduate-level courses for aspiring educators at a variety of area colleges and universities. In the fall, he’ll return to Edgewood College to continue working with students in the doctoral program there, as well as some Master’s degree students. “Once the teaching bug is in you, it continues,” he said. “It’s a flexible schedule on my end, and it’s important to me to help contribute and develop future generations of leaders.” And while he’s hoping to preside over some sort of in-person ceremony for this year’s OHS graduates, he also has his sights on the wily trout of Montana’s famed Madison River, as he’ll be spending some time with his family at and around Yellowstone National Park in September. The area is home to some of the most prized trout streams in North America, where Busler hopes to try his luck. “We’ll see if some of those flies that I’ve tied can convince a trout into biting,” he said.

The new ‘Dr. B’ in charge Long-time OSD educator and current deputy superintendent Leslie Bergstrom will succeed Brian Busler as superintendent on Wednesday, July 1, a move announced in January. She started her career as a teacher at Madison East High School before joining the OSD in 2003, serving in a variety of teaching and administrative roles, including Oregon High School associate principal, Rome Corners Intermediate School principal and district director of learning and student achievement. “Oh my goodness, Dr. Bergstrom is just simply a superstar,” he said. “When I met her as an associate principal, I remember joking with her, ‘Oh someday, you’re going to be a superintendent,’ and she just smiled. “She knows how to engage parents, community members, staff and students, and she will be an amazing leader for the Oregon school district for years to come,” Busler added.

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The trail to Oregon

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Long-time Oregon School District superintendent Brian Busler’s last day on the job is June 30, as he’s retiring after leading the district since 2006. He’s shown here last week at the building site of the new Forest Edge Elementary School in Fitchburg.

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If Brian Busler had to pick out a bumper sticker to sum up his soon-to-be realized retirement, he’d have a tough choice – “I’d rather be fishing” or “I’d rather be teaching.” Turns out the long-time leader of the Oregon School District gets to do a bit of both, starting July 1. A nice, long fishing trip probably isn’t the worst idea after a hectic, unforgettable past few months of his tenure, which began in 2006 and has seen tremendous growth and changes. Busler told the Observer last week he’s hoping lessons were learned, as he looked back on his time in Oregon, and what’s ahead, including part-time teaching at Edgewood College and a long-awaited trip west for some fly fishing. “You never could have predicted this as the end of this chapter in my life,” he said. “Because we’re a learning institution, we can always learn from it. It reminded us of the importance of personal connection in the teaching and learning process, and also to be flexible and patient, and to be problem solvers and work together.” Busler, who is in charge of hundreds of district teachers and support staff, said he couldn’t have been prouder how they handled the abrupt change from in-person to virtual school in a matter of days back in March. “One day we were in session, the next day we ended up closed for the school year,” he said. “Teachers, by their very nature, are very student-centered and are caring and supportive of their students, and this was very hard on them and on their students who love to see their teachers.” District officials postponed the long-scheduled OHS graduation set for June 14 until July 26, with hopes of holding some sort of in-person ceremony before the now-alumi go their separate ways. Busler said it’s been “very, very odd” ending the school year without that traditional ceremony and even worse, it’s happened to a group he’s watched grow up since they arrived as kindergarteners. “It’s one of the pinnacles in life in public schools; students earning the right to walk across the stage with their high school diploma,” he said. “It is a ‘mountaintop high’ experience for them, and as educators, also for us. “This is their opportunity to have that experience and because of the health pandemic, we can’t provide that.”

When you announce your retirement, sometimes old friends and colleagues come out of the woodwork to pass along congratulations. Sometimes, they call from the governor’s office. A few days after he announced his retirement last fall, OSD superintendent Brian Busler got a call from an old friend and boss – Gov. Tony Evers, who was superintendent of the Verona Area School District when Busler was its business manager. Actually, it was from one of Evers’ staffers. “They said, ‘In two days at 10 o’clock, Governor Evers is going to give you a call,’ and I thought, ‘well, that’s interesting,” Busler said. Two days later, right on schedule, an unknown number called – again, one of Evers’ staffers, who chatted with Busler for a few minutes before handing the phone over to the governor. “Then it was like the clock turned back in time to the 1980s, and we had a very nice visit,” Busler recalled. “I said, ‘This is the easiest call you get to make today.’” Busler said while it “does feel sort of odd” addressing as “governor” a friend he’s long used to calling “Tony,” it’s well deserved. “I have such a high respect and regard for the work he’s done in public education, from superintendent to our state superintendent and now serving as our governor,” Busler said. “He’s a person with great heart, he’s very wise and he will take care of families and children, and he’s done that throughout his career.”

July 10, 2020

Schools

Fitchburg Star

Madison Metropolitan School District

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Verona Area School District

District changes course on reopening, Search for superintendent prepares for five-day in-person education narrowed to 2

Unified Newspaper Group

The Madison Metropolitan School District has two finalists for the role of superintendent. According to a Cap Times story from Thursday, June 25, Carol Kelley and Carlton Jenkins, from Illinois and Minnesota, respectively, will interview with the Madison Metropolitan Board of Education during the week of June 29. Board president Gloria Reyes wrote in a news release announcing the two candidates the district was fortunate to have an “impressive” pool of highly qualified candidates to choose from. “With a focus on how candidates aligned with the Leadership Profile, the Board was able to select two phenomenal finalists, both with deep roots in education and instruction,” Reyes wrote. This is the district’s second time around with a superintendent search. Matthew Gutierrez, who was selected in the first search, rescinded his acceptance in March after COVID-19 created challenges for his school district in Sequin, Texas, that made him reconsider his departure. Jane Belmore has been the interim superintendent of MMSD since Jennifer Cheatham announced her departure last August,

Board votes to take police officers out of schools KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Members of the Madison Metropolitan Board of Education have unanimously agreed to terminate the district’s School Resource Program contract with the Madison Police Department. The vote, held on Monday, June 29, removes police officers from the district’s four comprehensive high schools immediately, according to a Capital Times story. When the board approved the contract last June, it was done on a 4-3 vote, with current board members Ananda Mirilli, Nicki Vander Meulen and Ali Muldrow voting against it. Board member Cris Carusi and board president

Gloria Reyes, a former police officer, changed their vote from the year prior, according to the Capital Times story. City of Madison mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway has voiced support for ending the SRO contract with the district, and 12 of 20 of the city’s alders have sponsored the resolution to end it, the Capital Times story reported. The Common Council is expected to review the resolution July 14. Activists, including the Freedom Inc. Youth Squad, have been petitioning the school board for years to remove police from Madison’s high schools. Police have had a presence in the district’s four high schools since the 1990s.

KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

District changes course on reopening, prepares for five-day in-person education As district staff “took the temperature” of its families with a survey about how the schools could reopen in September, they found there was a feverish desire to return students to school five days a week. Those survey results prompted the district to consider a different means of reopening. Instead of planning for a blended model – being in-person two days a week and being virtual the rest of the time – staff told the Verona Area Board of Education at its Monday, July 6, meeting it was also planning for a scenario that would bring K-12 students back all five days on a proposed start date of Wednesday, Sept. 8. The board didn’t take any action on the plan Monday night, and the fiveday-a-week option for K-12 (and four days a week for Pre-K students) might

Julie Musgrove selected as Stoner Prairie principal Hire has experience with PBIS, social emotional learning KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group

Julie Musgrove has been hired to be Stoner Prairie Elementar y ’s n ew principal. The Verona Area Board of Education approved Musgrove a contract for her at its Monday, July 6, meeting. Musgrove, who has worked in the School District of Milton for the past six years as an associate principal, will succeed Tammy Thompson-Kapp. Thompson-Kapp announced her resignation in June after accepting an

VASD in brief VAHS seniors saluted with parade

Education to end its PoliceSchool Liaison Officer program at Verona Area High VAHS Class of 2020 School. graduates from the neighb o r h o o d s s u r r o u n d i n g Substitute terminated Glacier Edge Elementary over ‘racially School were given a parade on June 14. Students lined insensitive’ language The Verona Area School up as parents and family District has fired a substimembers drove by while honking, blowing bubbles tute employee for expressing opinions staff consider and tossing out popsicles. District hires director of to be racially insensitive. The staff member made elementary education Verona Area School Dis- comments considered to trict has hired a Director of be racially insensitive on a local television station’s Elementary Education. The Verona Area Board social media page. of Education approved a contract for Angela Lew- PAR Concrete, Inc. is-Hawkins at its Monday, • Driveways June 15, meeting. • Floors Petition to remove • Patios police from VAHS • Sidewalks

administrative job outside of the district. Musgrove has worked as a dean of students and a teacher in third and fourth grade and early childhood and Pre-K classrooms, according to a biography provided to the board. She brings a “strong background” in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports – a protocol the school district adopted several years ago – as well as trauma-sensitive schools and social emotional learning, the biography reads. “We are just absolutely delighted to have this strong, strong leader join our team,” assistant superintendent for academic services Laurie Burgos told the board. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

circulates

A petition is circulating on Change.org urging the Verona Area Board of

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we can bring more children back to school, or if we were to require it as a district.” Under the plan presented Monday, masks would be strongly encouraged for staff and students in the buildings, but not required. Of the families who responded to the survey, 83% said they would be comfortable with their children wearing a mask during the school day if they were requested; 92% said yes if masks were required. Families whose children are in choice programs like Two-Way Immersion or the district’s three charter school options would have less of a choice, because of staff limitations. They would need to either attend school in-person or drop out of the program for a year and instead follow the district’s virtual learning program. Some classes could be offered for high school students that would be a hybrid between in-person learning and online. That option was based on feedback received from families who thought their children had a strong end to the spring semester while doing virtual learning during the school closure, Burgos said. Around 80% of high school families responded that their children would be interested in a blended model for some of their classes.

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KIMBERLY WETHAL

when she resigned to take a position at Harvard in its education department. During the second search, the district received 33 applications, according to the Cap Times story, from which Kelley and Jenkins were selected. Kelley, who has been in education for 25 years, is currently the superintendent at Oak Park Elementary School District 97 in Illinois. Previously, she was the superintendent of Branch Township School District in New Jersey, the Cap Times story stated, as well as past roles in other districts including the director of curriculum and instruction, an elementary school principal, a middle school assistant principal and a classroom teacher. Jenkins, who has held positions in Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan, currently serves as the superintendent for the Robbinsdale School District in New Hope, Minnesota. In addition to his time as a superintendent, Jenkins has held titles including chief academic officer, principal, assistant principal and physical education/health teacher. In addition to being interviewed by the board, the candidates will participate in a virtual “Day in the District,” which will allow for each candidate to meet students, staff and families online. Feedback will be provided to the board on the candidates from the virtual “Day in the District” sessions, of which have yet to be determined, to aid in the board’s decision.

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Candidates come from neighboring states

not be the final plan. Board members plan to meet in a special meeting Monday, July 13, to further discuss what reopening might look like. The proposed plan had some exceptions and caveats, including that any families who don’t feel comfortable sending their children to school – between 10-12% of survey respondents – can keep them home and choose a virtual learning only option. It also would require any children who are transported to school on the bus to wear a mask because of the lack of air circulation. Of the 3,300 households in the district, 2,500 English-speaking families submitted responses, as did 200 Spanish-speaking families, assistant superintendent of academic services Laurie Burgos told the board. The survey asked families about their level of comfort in having their children go back to school in-person compared with a virtual only option, as well as the hygiene and mask protocols they would like to see. “What that tells us is that families, first of all, were really needing to get some information from us, and wanting to share their feelings about reopening for the fall,” she said. “We wanted to take the temperature of our community in terms of how do families feel about if we were to recommend that their child wear a mask so

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Majority of families surveyed want their children in school

ConnectFitchburg.com

July 10, 2020

Blackhawk: New, 42,000 square foot building closed three months after opening in December Continued from page 1

Building partnerships

Before COVID-19, Blackhawk had planned to provide space to local schools. Aldo Leopold Elementary School was set to perform the Disney musical “Aladdin Kids” at the church in March instead of in its typical location – the school’s cafeteria. Savanna Oaks Middle School also had plans to use a gathering space in the building. But the pandemic changed all that. Such a large facility going mostly unused except by its four full-time staff members didn’t sit well with leadership, who wanted to continue to use the space even if members couldn’t meet on Sundays. That’s why they were “really excited” YMCA of Dane County approached the church for a partnership, Owen said. YMCA was interested in providing a daycare service for the children of essential workers. Owen said Blackhawk Church was approached because there were a lot of area schools not allowing people in, so some of the YMCA’s longstanding relationships were no longer working out because of COVID-19. Owen said the leadership went through church policies and felt the partnership was a good fit. “We set up the building so kids can do programming in the rooms and parking lot and eat lunch. Parents drop them off and then come get them after their work shift,” Owen said. The building was also used for a blood drive to aid in the ongoing fight against coronavirus. Owen said that Blackhawk Church and Savanna Oaks had a long history of partnership. Up until the week before the Astor Drive facility opened in December, Fitchburg church members met at the middle school for six and a half years, setting up and tearing down for Sunday services every week. Owen said that the set up and tear down was hard, with a crew arriving at 6 a.m. on Sundays and not leaving until 1 p.m.

17 A growing church

Fitchburg Star

‌NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group‌

Photos by Neal Patten

The child care facility at Blackhawk Church.

Staying in touch

While the move to online services and group studies has gone well, Owen said it’s not the same as meeting in-person. “The rhythm of singing songs together and seeing each other – that was a rhythm that added to members’ lives. While it’s been very good, online service is not creating the same rhythm,” he said. Some of the online groups are actually seeing steadier attendance during the pandemic, Owen said. He attributes that to people having few alternative places to be and also not having hurdles to attendance such as driving. Some of the online study groups, which would have taken a summer break in May if meeting in person, are now still meeting online over summer. To keep in touch with members, Owen said, the church has gone “old school,” calling people on the phone, rather than relying on the internet. “We were really focused on our people not feeling forgotten,” he

The lobby of Blackhawk Church. said. “Keeping relationships, maintaining community even if we can’t be in the same building – that was really important to us.” Owen said he wanted to make sure members struggling with job loss and isolation knew they were not going through it alone. “People were feeling isolated, like,

‘Hey does anyone remember who I am?’ Part of the reason we did phone calls to check in on their families was to let them know we know who they are,” Owen said. “Part of a community is to go through things together.” Neal Patten can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com.

Hospitality and family literally were built into the foundation of Blackhawk Church. For its first couple years, in the 1960s, the church’s founders gathered in a Madison living room. Fitchburg is the third location for the congregation, which also has churches in Middleton and downtown Madison. Prior to building the Astor Drive location, Fitchburg members met at Savanna Oaks Middle School, where the congregation grew from 200 to 600 members, averaging around 400 a week at the Sunday services. The land where the Fitchburg church was built last year belonged for generations to the Dunn family. The stones from a limestone barn that was torn down to make way for it were repurposed into columns and incorporated into a backsplash inside the new building. “Bill (Dunn) was happy they were on the land,” Owen said. “He loved the farm, but can’t farm anymore. He wanted the land to be used, so this was a positive thing to him.” Owen said Dunn told him the church’s gathering place was the same one where the Dunn family gathered for its meals. And he and c h u r c h r e p r e s e n t a t ive s broke ground together, got coffee and shared stories about the land. Dunn also came to the first service at the new church. “Bill is a part of the story here, it’s cool he has been part of this,” Owen said. Neal Patten can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet. com.

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July 10, 2020

ConnectFitchburg.com

Fitchburg Star

Reopening: Safety is the No. 1 priority for city Continued from page 1 True to their word, city staff reversed course and announced July 2 that city facilities, including city hall, the senior center and community center, the library and the popular McKee Farms Park splash pad, will stay closed for now. “ Ke e p i n g e m p l o y e e s and residents safe is the No. 1 priority for the city,” the announcement read. City Hall, the senior center and the community center were to be open from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday during the reopening stage, but will continue to be closed. City Hall continues to be open for public meetings, though room capacity is r eg u l a t e d t o 1 0 p e o p l e apiece in the chambers and overflow rooms. All reservations for the Community Center or park shelters have been

Backward: Bars limited to indoor carry-out, distanced outdoor seating Continued from page 1

canceled, and the splash pad will stay closed. Senior center staff will continue to work in the office and will take oneon-one appointments, made in advance, for senior citizens who need assistance. The library, which had been planning to be open f o r e i g h t h o u r s a d a y, instead opted to expand its same-day curbside pickup from eight hours a week to 40. The times each day will vary, and people are encouraged to check the library’s website for specific times and material reservations. People are encouraged to use online services as m u c h a s p o s s i b l e . Fo r information, call 270-4200 or visit the city’s website at fitchburgwi.gov. Email reporter Kimberly Wethal at kimberly. wethal@wcinet.com and follow her on Twitter @ kimberly_wethal.

carryout services. The new orders will go into effect at 8 a.m. Thursday, July 2, and be in place until further notice, according to the news release. Other businesses and public facilities will remain in Phase 2 protocols. PHMDC director Janel Heinrich said the department is “using data and science to determine what actions are necessary across Dane County to slow the spread of the disease.” “This is a critical time for Dane County to minimize the spread of COVID-19, keep people healthy, and maintain a level of transmission that is manageable by healthcare and public health systems,” she said the release. The county had moved from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of the Forward Dane plan on June 15, but PHMDC officials said rising posiHeinrich tive tests for COVID-19 and discovered concentrations of trouble spots made the changes necessary to protect public health. According to PHMDC, from June 20-26, there were 482 positive tests for COVID-19 — the highest of any seven-day period — with nearly half reporting attending a recent gathering, party or

City Hall - Main Line Administration Assessing Building Inspections City Clerk Economic Development

270-4200 270-4213 270-4235 270-4240 270-4210 270-4246

New restrictions for restaurants, bars At restaurants, limit indoor dine-in capacity to 25% of approved seating capacity levels. Space tables and chairs to ensure at least six feet physical distancing between customers who are not members of the same household or living unit. Limit each table to six customers who are members of the same household or living unit. Customers may enter bars only for the purposes of ordering, pickup, and payment of food or beverage or while meeting with people outside their household. Nearly two thirds involved people in their 20s, and more than a third reported visiting a bar, representing the largest time and location-bound clusters of the epidemic so far, according to the news release. “Bars and mass gatherings create particularly challenging environments for the COVID-19 pandemic,” Heinrich said. “Physical movement within the

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270-4225 270-4251 278-2980 275-7148 270-4211 729-1760 270-4224

in transit. Outdoor seating is allowed. Space tables and chairs to ensure at least six feet physical distancing between customers who are not members of the same household or living unit. Limit each table to six customers who are members of the same household or living unit. In restaurants, maintain at least six feet between each stool for customers that are not members of the same household or living unit.

On the Web Find out more at

publichealth mcd.com establishment, duration of time spent in the establishment, and the degree of social mixing within individuals and groups are all greater in bars than in other businesses.”

Parks & Forestry Planning/Zoning Police Public Works Recreation/Community Center Senior Center Utilities

270-4288 270-4258 270-4300 270-4260 270-4285 270-4290 270-4270

5520 Lacy Road, Fitchburg, WI 53711 • www.fitchburgwi.gov

WHERE CAN I RECYCLE ___________? Check out Fitchburg’s 2020 Recycling Guide for the answer! Visit https://bit.ly/38g0pHw

FISH HATCHERY ROAD CONSTRUCTION Stay up to date with the road construction on Fish Hatchery Road by visiting the project website at https://www.fitchburgwi.gov/2626/FHR-Recon. You can also follow the Fitchburg Transportation Projects Facebook page for additional information at @FitchburgWITransportationProjects

EXTRA CARDBOARD & OTHER RECYCLABLES? Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the city has seen a spike in usage of the cardboard containers at the Recycling Drop-off Site. Often, the containers are overflowing. We are looking into the possibility of adding new containers; however, additional containers would cost more tax dollars, so we’d like to remind folks that we have Unlimited Curbside Recycling available! To take advantage of unlimited curbside recycling, simply place your recyclables into clear

plastic bags (up to 32-gallon and no more than 50 pounds) and place the bags next to your recycling cart on pickup day. Additional recyclables will be collected at no additional charge. Pro tip: Break down your cardboard boxes and place them in your cart so you don’t need to bag them. Then, you can bag your other recyclables if they don’t fit in the cart!

CITY FACILITIES UPDATE City buildings remain closed to the public due to COVID-19. Residents should continue to contact departments/staff via email and phone, and utilize online services as much as possible. For more information on how to conduct services virtually, visit the City’s website at www.fitchburgwi.gov and hover over “Government” to select the department you wish to contact. You may also utilize the self-serve table, which has been located in the vestibule of City Hall over the past few months. Residents can call City Hall at (608) 270-4200 to learn more about procedures and/ or make an appointment, if necessary. Residents may also contact departments directly. On Monday, July 6th, the Fitchburg Library will expand to Same Day Curbside Pickup. This will take the library from 8 hours of pickup per

week to 40 hours. Please visit https://bit.ly/2VDySdR to learn more about this expanded service. The Senior Center remains closed to the public but staff is in the office and are taking one on one appointments if assistance is needed. Please call the Senior Center to schedule a time. Residents may call the Center at (608) 270-4290 to talk to staff and make an appointment. Due to restrictions in place by Dane County, the Splash Pad remains closed. No reservations are being taken for park shelters or Community Center rentals. Keeping employees and residents safe is the number-one priority for the City. Please note, information regarding the City’s facilities, events, services, and meetings is subject to change.

POLL WORKERS & ELECTION INSPECTORS NEEDED The City of Fitchburg is looking for Election Inspectors/Poll Workers to facilitate the right to vote and maintain order at the polls on Election Day. Election Officials ensure that our elections are open, fair, impartial, and trusted. Election workers are appointed for two-year terms and typically work 2 to 4 elections per year. Some safety precautions we are implementing on Election Day to keep our election inspectors and voters safe: • All Election Inspectors will be provided with masks and gloves. • Markers will be on the floor to indicate a 6 ft. distance. • Voters can enter the polling location when a marker becomes available. • Hand sanitizer will be provided for voters when they enter and leave the polling location. • Staff will be designated to cleaning all voting booths and pens after each use.

• Voters are strongly encouraged to bring their own ballpoint blue or black pen to mark their ballot (no felt tip pens or markers). • Booths will be distanced 6 ft. apart. • Stylus and Badger Book screens will be cleaned. • Kleenex is available to use when handling the stylus, and should be disposed of in the trash receptacle available at check-in stations. Visit https://bit.ly/2VuCU8c to learn more and apply!

SENIOR CENTER DRIVE-THRU’S July 15 – Milk & Cookies, 9:30-10:30 a.m. July 22 – Dilly Bars, 10:30-11:30 a.m. July 29 – Pop & Popcorn, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. First come, First Served • Suggested Donation $2/person The Fitchburg Senior Center Friends are encouraging you to stay safe when you leave home. When you drive up to the Senior Center to pick up your treat, you will have the option to purchase a handmade cloth mask, which were made by Friends board members. A suggested donation of $5 goes to support the Senior Center. adno=158975

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED The Fitchburg Senior Center is in need of volunteers to deliver meals to the homes of seniors during the week. Please contact Mandi Miller, Volunteer Coordinator, at 608-270-4290 for more information.

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July 10, 2020

Fitchburg Star

Food for change Luna’s Groceries supports customers during COVID-19 pandemic, BLM

Luna’s Groceries 2010 Red Arrow Trail 285-5422 lunasgroceries.com

EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Cosa Boutique merchandise buyer Becky Lotto wipes down the front desk.

Photos by Emilie Heidemann

Businesses adapting to Phase 2 of Forward Dane Some establishments stay closed, some operate at 50% capacity EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Regardless of how badly chef Dave Heide wants to open Lilliana’s Restaurant for dine-in, he’s holding back. The reason for this, Heide told the Star, is b e c a u s e C OV I D - 1 9 i s still spreading. The illness is surging in states such as Florida, California and Arizona, some of which are seeing new case records being broken each day. H e a c k n ow l e d g e d i f more people were taking recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization “seriously” – wearing masks in public for example – Liliana’s indoor space would be open. So for now, it’ll be only online ordering and curbside pick-up at Lilliana’s, Heide said. “I don’t feel safe having (customers) in my building right now,” he explained. H e i d e ’s d e c i s i o n t o not offer dine-in services comes as many businesses are operating at 50% capacity as outlined in Phase 2 of the county’s Forward Dane reopening plan, which began Monday, June 15. P h a s e 2 a l s o a l l ow s playgrounds and splash pads to open. Indoor gatherings are capped at 50 or fewer; outdoor at 100 or fewer. The county’s decision to move into Phase 2 came from analyzing two weeks of health data starting on May 26 and comparing it to nine health benchmarks, including

To ensure social distancing, Cosa Boutique has some clothing racks placed outside.

Hand sanitizer and masks are placed at the entrance of Cosa Boutique for customers to keep COVID-19 free. epidemiology criteria counting the number and percentage of COVID-19 cases. According to Public Health Madison and Dane County, since May 21, the county has seen its average number of daily new cases increase from eight to 16. Some businesses that have reopened include Cosa Boutique and Kneaded Relief Day Spa, which both have protocols in place to reduce the chance customers and employees contract COVID-19 while in the store. Barriques offers outdoor seating, but has not yet opened its dine-in area, according to the business’ Facebook page. Becky Lotto, Cosa

Boutique merchandise buyer, told the Star the business is open for in-person shoppers, but there are limitations customers must follow. Lotto said masks are required, and only two households are allowed in the boutique at one time. Employees sanitize clothing using a steamer and an ultraviolet light, and monitor the store to make sure customers remain six feet apart, she said. Lotto said curbside pickup and delivery services are available for anyone who’s not ready to come into the store yet. The boutique also offers one-onone personalized shopping appointments, she said. She said she doesn’t have any concerns that

operating at 50% capacity will have an impact on boutique sales, since the business is used to only having a few shoppers in the space. Nichol Harvey, owner of Kneaded Relief Day Spa and Wellness, told the Star the business is limiting its massage services to 75 minutes. The spa also isn’t offering any couples services as of yet, she said. Harvey said she had to research what its protocols would be for reopening, as she saw there wasn’t a lot of guidance at the state and federal level for spas and other businesses who hire independent contractors, such as tattoo parlors and salons. S e r v i c e p r ov i d e r s a t Kneaded Relief wear masks, sanitize treatment rooms and are allowed breaks after every service, she said. They, as well as guests, have their temperatures checked before entering the spa. Guests also have the option of waiting in the car for a service and are asked to wash their hands and wear spa sandals around the space. The Fitchburg Barriques l o c a t i o n , 5 9 5 7 M c Ke e Road, continues to offer curbside pickup and delivery services and now has outdoor seating for customers. The coffee shop is not yet offering dine-in services. Heide said as a business owner it’s “financially smart” to open his restaurant – but as a human being, he feels he has to do everything he can to prevent others from falling ill to COVID-19. “I will sleep better at night knowing I did the right thing,” Heide said. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@ wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

Around 18 months ago, Luna’s Groceries equipped the Allied Drive/Dunn’s Marsh neighborhood with fresh food options. It’s an area that had been without a grocery store since 2009 until Luna’s opened in January 2019. Now, amid a health, economic and social justice crisis, the grocer’s role in serving Allied Drive/Dunn’s Marsh has been amplified, owner Mariam Maldonano told the Star. What she once called a neighborhood of many “flavors” and colors is part of a national population that has been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent racial tensions. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Black people are hospitalized at a rate five times higher than their white counterparts, and Latinos at a rate of four times as of June 12. M a l d o n a d o n ow s e e s Luna’s – named after her grandfather – as a hub for “education, policy change, health equity and economic justice,” she told the Star in an email. She said, for example, the 2,240 Square foot grocer is a strong advocate of the Black Lives Matter movement. “Our entire staff and residents have lived experiences with systems that have caused harm to them and in some cases caused death to their loved ones,” Maldonado wrote. To s u p p o r t t h e B L M cause, Luna’s Groceries has promoted its voices through

a “Coffee at Luna’s” community table series. It buys from minority-led organizations featuring minority products. “We remain committed to playing our role while partnering with others who support our mission,” Maldonado wrote. “We unequivocally believe that Black Lives Matter and are here for our Black residents and neighbors and support the youth and community-based organizations that are pushing for systemic change.” Luna’s Groceries staff has also helped educate customers about how to remain healthy during the pandemic, Maldonado said. The 2,240 square-foot grocer keeps its guests informed about COVID-19 through posted materials in both Spanish and English, Maldonado said, along with social media updates and even interviews with health professionals about the latest COVID-19 developments. The business plans in the next few years to amplify its role in another way – by building a store in another food desert, at 1402 S. Park St. Luna’s Groceries would anchor a $41.3 million development of the vacant Madison-owned Truman Olson property with a 24,000 square-foot-space, according to a Jan. 17 Wisconsin State Journal story. “We did not anticipate expanding so soon,” Maldonado wrote. “There will be a clear need for food access in South Madison.”

Photo by Emiilie Heidemann

Allied Drive/Dunn’s Marsh neighborhood resident Marlien Arguela browses the aisles of Luna’s Groceries Monday, April 8, 2019.

Business in brief Fitchburg Pharmacy closes Due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, Fitchburg Family Pharmacy has returned to only offering delivery and curbside pickup services. The pharmacy made the announcement on June 29 on its Facebook page. “Please let us know what you need and we will bring it out to your care or your home,” the post reads.

Park Bank rebuilds Park Bank will soon begin construction on its new Fish Hatchery Road branch. As of June 17, an email release states, the 2802 Fish Hatchery Road location will close until the new one is completed in 2021.

20 Fitchburg Star - July 10, 2020

Grill Up A Delicious Steak!

Miller & Sons has delicious meat for a great cookout! Grill some up today! Quality meats, produce, deli, spirits and so much more!

Store Hours: 6:30am - 9:00pm Monday thru Sunday

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