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1/30/20 Oregon Observer

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Thursday, January 30, 2020 • Vol. 135, No. 31 • Oregon, WI • ConnectOregonWI.com • $1.25

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Chief Uhl leaves for Ashwaubenon Village Board had complaints about his performance last year EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Brian Uhl is leaving his Village of Oregon police chief job next month. Uhl, who has been chief since August 2015, accepted a job as Ashwuabenon’s director of public safety, according to a story in the Press Times. He will begin his new role Monday, Feb. 17. In a Friday, Jan. 24, Vill a g e o f O r eg o n P o l i c e Department Facebook

post, Uhl announced his resignation as the chief, saying he had also let the Village of OreUhl g o n k n o w. He said his last day will be Thursday, Feb. 13. Uhl said in the Press Times story he is excited about the new position – he will be in charge of Ashwaubenon’s police, fire and emergency medical services departments. The story stated he was one of two finalists for the job – the other was Ed Janke, the Village of Howard’s public safety

Turn to Uhl/Page 12

Oregon High School senior Adam Yates works with Findorff carpenter Andrew Miller as they work on Forest Edge Elementary School, Oregon School District’s K-6 site being built in Fitchburg for the start of fall 2020.

From classroom to construction OHS’ Yates learns trades first-hand at new Forest Edge site Unified Newspaper Group

A

dam Yates will never attend Forest Edge Elementary School, although he’s already spent much of this school year there. The Oregon High School senior has been working part time on the site of the district’s newest school since summer through the Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship program and

the OSD’s partnership with J.H. Findorff and Son construction. There, he is getting on-site job training and working alongside professionals in different trade industries. In the past six months, he’s worked alongside professionals, getting on-the-job training in a variety of projects, from pouring concrete to wiring electrical systems. Later this year, as the building reaches completion, he’ll get involved in roofing and

wall framing. The work environment is the perfect teacher for getting students used to approaching challenges, effectively communicating and collaborating with teams, OHS technology and engineering teacher Chris Prahl told the Observer. “We try to work with a handful of students every year and partner them

Turn to Yates/Page 12

Dane County

Anderson Park removes unsafe trees, invasive bushes Dane County Parks to replace with species native to area EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Dane County Parks staff have removed unsafe silver maples and invasive bushes from Anderson Farm County Park lands to move the dog park project forward. Roe Parker, Anderson Park Friends, Inc. president, told the

Observer a bike trail connecting the 40-acre dog park with South Main Street in Oregon will give residents easy access to the space. The trail will go through the Arthur Scholts Memorial Woods, located in the park property, and continue parallel to Union Road until it reaches the dog park, he said. To replace the downed trees, the county is planning to put in native trees and shrubs along the bike path – the species for which DCP and APF are still determining, Parker

Open enrollment to dip Local growth prompts reduction in out-of-district seats SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

With a district growing so quickly it’s become challenging to predict, Oregon School District officials are reducing open enrollment seats to students outside the district. The seats allotted for the 2020-21 school year are smaller than previous years, 643 for residents, 99 for non-residents. The nonresident spots in particular have dropped significantly since hovering between 171 and 221 most of the past decade. District superintendent

Brian Busler noted how quickly the district is growing from within. Even since the official state count in late September, he said, the district has gained more than 20 students. Figuring out a number was particularly challenging this year, district in-house counsel and human resources director Jina Jonen said. Jonen, who gave the recommendations on enrollment numbers, said that’s because of the amount of new homes going up around the district, particularly in the Terravessa development in Fitchburg, where the new elementary school is being built. She also pointed out there is a bottleneck at Oregon

Turn to Enrollment/Page 5

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Dane County Parks have removed unsafe silver Turn to Trees/Page 3 maples from Anderson Farm County Park.

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Oregon Area Senior Center

Breakfast favorites

Dozens of people attended the Oregon Area Senior Center pancake breakfast and bake sale Sunday, Jan. 26.

Alberto Rodriguez, Oregon, and son Lucas, 1, eat breakfast together.

Preschool play

Oregon School District

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

MACKENZIE KRUMME Unified Newspaper Group

Students honored at annual event honoring civil rights leader Students from Oregon High School, Oregon Middle School and Rome Corners Intermediate School were among nearly 200 from Dane County recognized Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Urban League of Greater Madison’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Recognition Breakfast. The annual event, held at Edgewood High School in Madison, celebrates students’ academic achievement, extracurricular involvement and service to their community. It’s highlighted by the presentation of Outstanding Young Person Awards to nearly 200 middle and high school students, including 14 from the Oregon School District. From OHS: Ahron Pope, Aiyona Calvin, Carlie Monroe, Cearah Egwuonwu, Isabella Egwuonwu, Grace Cooper, Karlotta Williams and Kaye Hawkins; from OMS: Aziyah Baker, Elizabeth Vieaux, Jada Oparie-Addoh and William Jungers; and from RCI: Gadise Kodernusz and Yair Ortega Ruis. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruelle@ wcinet.com.

Photos by Emilie Heidemann

Preschoolers filled the Netherwood Knoll Elementary School gym on Friday night. The open gym is a monthly event where children are able to be active and run around even in the cold winter months. Each month has a different theme such as parachutes, open play and creating streamers. Next month the theme is “going on a bear hunt,” where organizers build an obstacle course. It will take place 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. Contact Mackenzie Krumme at mackenzie. krumme@wcinet.com.

Photos submitted

OHS students Kaye Hawkins, Carlie Monroe, Grace Cooper and Aiyonna Calvin were among 14 OSD students honored Jan. 19 at the Urban League of Greater Madison’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Recognition Breakfast.

Photos by Mackenzie Krumme

Heidi Kunde reads to her daughter Henley Kunde, 3, during preschool open gym at Netherwood Knoll Elementary School on Friday, Jan. 24.

Henley Kunde, 3, balances on the circle beam. Aurora Murphy, 2, throws the bright green balloon in the air to a staff member.

RCI students Yair Ortega Ruiz and Gadise Kobernusz were honored.

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Dozens of people attended the Oregon Area Senior Center pancake breakfast and bake sale Sunday, Jan. 26. Attendees purchased delectable pastries and sampled all the breakfast fixings including sausage, pancakes, eggs and orange juice. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.


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January 30, 2020

Trees: Some species are major problem for forests Continued from page 1 said. That planting will start later this year, Parker said, or in early 2021. When finished, Parker said the bike trail will be enclosed in a corridor of native species. “Our strategy is to plant native understory trees and shrubs … in the coming years you’ll see an increasing diversity of plants in the woods and supporting birds, bees and insects,” he said. While preparing the roadbed for the trail earlier in January, Parker said the public raised concerns about trees being removed from the Memorial Woods and along Union Road. The silver maples of trees in the area were rotting and considered unsafe, Parker said. The county did a study on the health of the trees prior to their removal, Parker added. “Core samples were taken of the interior parts of the trees,” he said. “It was only a matter of time before they would need to come down. Many of the trees also had traces of metal in them, Parker said. “This means some grinding and cutting tasks can’t be done,” he said. “In addition, utility cables are buried directly underneath some of them.” In addition to trees, staff has been removing invasive species of buckthorn from the

Memorial Woods for four years. Parker called it a “buckthorn war” – staff burned 20 small brush piles and other invasive bushes, like honeysuckle. Invasive species like buckthorn and honeysuckle bushes are major problems for forests because of their aggressive nature and their ability to stunt the growth of native trees, Parker said. “They take away needed water and have so much vegetation they inhibit needed airflow and sunlight.” Parker added that winter is one of the safest times of the year to burn brush because of the snow cover. The county finds ways to reuse portions of trees that can be salvaged after removal, Parker said. He said when the county finds quality wood from removals, it gets milled and turned into shelters, benches and kiosks in parks around the area. A lot of the wood also gets chipped and used on hiking trails. “When we find hollow trees, like the silver maples along Union Road, they become enrichment for (animal habitats) at Henry Vilas Zoo,” he said. Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie.

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Community fundraising for the Jaycee Park West renovation project has reached $253,000 – just over halfway to the goal of $500,000. Fundraising efforts for the $4 million in park improvements started in September 2019. The village will cover the remaining $3.5 million for the project, Oregon Village Board Trustee Randy Glysch told the Observer. Glysch said if the community – including all involved sports groups – meets the $500,000 goal by mid-2020, project construction for the first phase could begin in 2021. Glysch said reaching that threshold is feasible, considering how much people have helped. “(The community) has really come together as one,” he said. “I think it will happen.” The first phase of construction will involve grading and preparing the Jaycee Park site with utilities and parking, which will cost the village $1.5 million. The latest renovation design includes four baseball and softball fields, two full size playing fields, 12 pickleball courts, a concession stand, restrooms, a storage building, new playground equipment, new walking paths and more parking spaces. Flooding during significant rainfalls has been a problem in Jaycee Park in the past, so the two playing fields will have drainage mechanisms. Specific groups fundraising for Jaycee Park include youth soccer, pickleball, lacrosse, rugby, youth baseball, youth softball and flag football. Glysch said also includes the Oregon Community Resource Network, Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce and the village. Oregon Youth Softball and Baseball presented checks for $20,000 and $60,000, respectively, at a Monday, Dec. 2, village board meeting for the project. Previous notable donations include $100,000 from Oregon Community Bank, 12,000 from the Oregon-Brooklyn VFW Post 10272 and $5,000 from Mike and Karin Victorson. Glysch said he is also

How to help To donate to the project, mail checks payable to “Jaycee Park West Project” to Village Hall, 117 Spring St. More information about sponsorship options can be found at oregonsportspark.org/parkinfo, as well as promotional apparel and walkway pavers for sale. People can purchase an 8 by 6 paver for $150, or a larger 8 by 13 one for $295, and donors can choose what they want it to say. looking for organizations who offer grants, but hasn’t found anything specific yet. To fundraise, Glysch said the sports groups have handed out informational pamphlets about the project to members and have information on their websites. Local businesses have also started coupon programs in partnership with the Chamber – Glysch said that encouraged a local businessperson to donate $20,000 to the project. If more community members and businesses want to help Jaycee Park reach its goal, Glysch said there are many opportunities to do so. An informational pamphlet about project fundraising stated there are various options for naming rights – from putting one’s name on the backside of bleachers, a sponsor wall or on commemorative bricks, with sponsorship amounts ranging from $25,000 to $300,000. More information about sponsorship options can be

On the Web Visit oregonsportspark.org to learn how to donate to Jaycee Park West.

found at oregonsportspark.org/ parkinfo, as well as promotional apparel and walkway pavers for sale. People can purchase an 8 by 6 paver for $150, or a larger 8 by 13 one for $295, and can choose what they want it to say. To donate to the project or for paver orders, mail checks payable to “Jaycee Park West Project” to Village Hall, 117 Spring St.

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The Dane County Board of Supervisors has a new leader and Sharon Corrigan has a new job – at least an interim one – after she announced her resignation from the board at its Thursday, Jan. 23, meeting. Analiese Eicher of District 3 will succeed Corrigan for the remainder of the term, which is through the elections in April and subsequent board reorganization. The morning after Corrigan’s announcement, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced she had been chosen as interim director of the Alliant Energy Center. Corrigan, a member of the board for the past 10 years and chair for the past six, had announced last year she would not seek re-election this spring. “This position is both an opportunity to continue to work on the redevelopment of the Alliant Energy Center and an obligation to continue to serve our valued clients and the community,” she said in a Friday, Jan. 24, county news release. “I look forward to guiding the work of the Alliant Energy Center as the county seeks new leadership for the campus.” She succeeds Mark Clarke, who resigned as the center’s director Friday, Jan. 10, and will serve as interim director through May 15 as the county conducts a nationwide search to permanently fill the position, according to the release. Parisi called Corrigan, who is set to begin her new job Tuesday, Jan. 28, a champion of the campus and efforts to redevelop the grounds. “Sharon’s leadership as County Board Chair and advocacy for the Alliant Energy Center to be a vibrant economic development destination across this state and region make her the right choice for this position,” he said in the release.

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“Sharon will help oversee the critical design and planning work needed for the potential expansion of the exhibition hall, and I look forward to continuing our work together in this new capacity.” Corrigan’s resignation resulted in a brief swap of positions based on county ordinances. Initially, first vice chair Sup. Paul Nelson (D-9) became chair, and Eicher, the second vice chair, became first vice chair. On Monday, Nelson resigned as chair, citing the fact that he has only weeks left on his final term on the board. “My primary reason for declining to serve as chair is a belief that the succeeding chair be someone with an eye on the board’s future, someone who will continue to serve as a board member after the April elections,” Nelson wrote in a county news release. Eicher represents District 3 in Sun Prairie and is completing her second term on the board. She first served in the 2010-12 term, representing District 5 in downtown Madison. She is unopposed in the April supervisory election. “I appreciate how thoughtful Supervisor Nelson has been in weighing what is best for this body in a time of transition,” she said in the news release “I think we all may be reeling a bit from the pace of leadership changes in the past several days.” The Corrigan resigned, Nelson thanked her for her service on the board and leadership. “Her ability to set priorities, move projects forward, work collaboratively and engage supervisors and the public in the policy work of the county has been an invaluable asset and is a model of effectiveness for future leadership to emulate,” he wrote. Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruelle@wcinet.com.

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Corrigan resigns from board

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Opinion

Oregon Observer

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Letters to the editor

Fluoride water program needs to be halted In 1950, under pressure from the State Board of Health, the Oregon Village Board authorized the addition of fluoride to the water supply. This policy is both obsolete and dangerous. It’s time to end fluoridation. A study published in the January 2020 edition of Environmental International reported that formula-fed infants living in fluoridated areas had significantly lower IQs. This adds to the August 2019 milestone research, funded by the National Institute of Health and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics. It found an association between high levels of fluoride exposure in pregnancy and lower IQ scores in kids age 3-4. Moreover, they found fluoride’s toxicity equal to lead in its ability to lower children’s IQ’s. The data were so strong that the editor of JAMA Pediatrics said he would not want his wife to drink fluoridated water if she was pregnant. They’re just two of 64 human IQ studies, out of 72 total, that have linked fluoride ingestion to lower IQ’s in children. Based on these and other studies, in October 2019, the U.S. National Toxicology Program review concluded, “fluoride is presumed

to be a cognitive neurodevelopmental hazard to humans.” The report is still in draft form and under review, but the evidence is so compelling that the authors do not foresee their statement changing. Some scientists and pediatricians are now warning pregnant women to avoid fluoridated tap water. Fluoridation advocates say that there’s still no absolute proof that fluoridation is harming children’s brains. But this is backwards thinking. The Precautionary Principle asks us to take preventive action in the face of uncertainty and shift the burden of proof to the proponents of fluoride water treatment. Better safe than sorry. We should explore alternatives to this risky program, engage the public, and increase their participation in making healthcare decisions. Ingesting fluoride allows it to permeate the brain where it can cause harm. Adding it to municipal water is high risk for pregnant women and formula-fed infants. It’s time for Oregon to protect human health (and save money while doing it) by halting the water fluoridation program. Kimberly Smith Village of Oregon

To Our Readers

Website subscription model will provide sustainability

I Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020 • Vol. 135, No. 31 USPS No. 411-300

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f you’ve been around Oregon very long, you know we have been, too. The history of our newspaper goes back more than a century, making sure that you stay up to date on important information about your neighbors, that you know what community events are happening and that someone is keeping an eye on your local governments. We strive to produce quality journalism that you can view anywhere – in your weekly subscription, or on our website where you can take our reporting on the go. But, as anyone in the business world might tell you, that journalism – whether it’s being done on the sidelines of a football game, at a local government meeting or at a community festival – is not free. Over the past decade, there’s been a massive shift in how people access this news. Some prefer to read on paper, while others like prefer their phones or computers, and the Internet and smartphones have changed everything. That includes the business model newspaper staffs need to adopt in order to survive, and it means most news can no longer be provided on the Internet for free. So in the coming weeks, the three websites for our weekly community newspapers will institute a paywall. This means aside from some important breaking news, submitted items and stories that are being

covered regionally, readers will need a subscription. Print subscribers will get access to the websites with their $48 annual subscription, but for everyone else, the online subscription will cost $5 per month for access to all three of our weekly publications – the Verona Press, Oregon Observer and Stoughton Courier Hub. We’ll have more information about the timing of this and other details in an announcement in the next few weeks. While you might be able to get some news about your area free on other sites, media organizations with larger coverage areas lack the time and resources to dive deep into many stories important to your community. The news we bring you is all local. Our reporters don’t cover anything at the state, national or international level unless we have a local connection as an angle. All of our stories have a direct impact on the Oregon area. We are often the only public voice in your village board and school board meetings. We tell the stories of your neighbor, your community’s businesses, your child’s scout troop. Those community stories matter as much to the fabric of Oregon as anything. Over the coming weeks, you can expect to see improvements to our coverage on the Internet, most notably the posting of stories before they are in print. Online subscribers will enjoy additional content, including

opinion columns, police reports, weekly upcoming event listings and history. There will be more daily content available, and online subscribers will have access to our e-edition – a PDF version of the weekly paper – before it hits the newsstands. For decades, there was only one way to bring news to people in small communities. We connected people by putting information into print and distributing it through carriers or the mail. But the job of a newspaper staff isn’t really about putting words on a printed page, it’s about keeping the community engaged. Now there are many ways people prefer to get their news, and the subscriber model will help keep bringing it to them how they want it in the long term. A monthly membership will cost less than two gallons of milk, about the same as a half-dozen donuts and a little more than a Happy Meal at McDonald’s. Today, many of us listen to music online by paying for Spotify Premium or Apple Music. Catching up on your favorite TV show often means a subscription to Netflix or Hulu. We as a society pay for all of those services because we realize they have value in our lives. It’s the same for your local newspaper. That’s the price for being engaged citizens who know and care about what happens to and in their community. For $5 a month, that’s not bad.

Letters to the editor policy Unified Newspaper Group is proud to offer a venue for public debate and welcomes letters to the editor, provided they comply with our guidelines. Letters should be no longer than 400 words. They should also contain contact information – the writer’s full name, address, and phone number – so that the paper may confirm authorship. Unsigned or anonymous letters will not be printed under any circumstances. The editorial staff of Unified

Newspaper Group reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and appropriateness. Letters with libelous or obscene content will not be printed. Unified Newspaper Group generally only accepts letters from writers with ties to our circulation area. Letters to the editor should be of general public interest. Letters that are strictly personal – lost pets, for example – will not be printed. Letters that recount personal experiences, good or

bad, with individual businesses will not be printed unless there is an overwhelming and compelling public interest to do so. Letters that urge readers to patronize specific businesses or specific religious faiths will not be printed, either. “Thank-you” letters can be printed under limited circumstances, provided they do not contain material that should instead be placed as an advertisement and reflect public, rather than promotional interests.


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OMS Madrigal Dinner returns Registration for annual medieval event due Jan. 31 Unified Newspaper Group

The annual Oregon Middle School Madrigal Dinner is returning for the 18th year. Ticket orders are due by Friday, Jan. 31, and no tickets will be available to purchase at the door. In medieval era- appropriate costumes, middle schoolers serenade family and friends as they enjoy a five-course meal. All parts are auditioned and include jester, king, queen, royal thespians, royal court singers and servants, and musicians. The shows are set for 6 : 3 0  p . m . F r i d a y, F e b. 7, and Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Oregon Middle School, 601 Pleasant Oak Dr. The cost is $16 for general admission and $14 for seniors, students and staff.

Photo by Amber Levenhagen

Jester Arik Zintel reads the dinner etiquette rules during the OMS Madrigal dinner in February 2017. To purchase tickets, visit rci-omschoirs.weebly. com. Fo r i n f o r m a t i o n , c a l l Becca Landay at (920) 860-7143 or email lan dayr@yahoo.com. Contact Mackenzie Krumme at mackenzie. krumme@wcinet.com.

If You Go What: OMS Madrigal Dinner When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8 Where: Oregon Middle School, 601 Pleasant Oak Dr. Price: The cost is $16 for general admission and $14 for seniors, students and staff

Enrollment: District referendum for middle school expected Continued from page 1 Middle School, which is at capacity. That means even though there is room at lower grades with the opening of Forest Edge Elementary School in Fitchburg (a K-6 building) , there isn’t at OMS. The district is expecting to bring a referendum to build a new middle school to its voters in the next few years. “Without a new middle school, we’re very tight there,” she said. “We don’t want to be a closed district; we want to have some space for open enrollment, but

OSD open enrollment (2013-current) School year Resident growth spaces Open enrollment spaces 2013-2014 426 182 2014-15 462 221 2015-16 467 194 2016-17 401 179 2017-18 738 171 2018-19 1.052 110 2019-20 643 99 we tried to be conservative with so many things (construction) happening this spring. We know our resident growth is going to be greater than it has been in the past, but we don’t know

OSD in brief Start/end time group continues work The Oregon School District school start and end time work group, comprising district administrators, staff and parents, was scheduled to meet Tuesday, Jan. 28, to further discuss new K-6 attendance boundaries for next school year. The group is scheduled to meet

what grades.” dropped to 99 from 110 last T h e o p e n e n r o l l m e n t year, and a recent high of numbers the board approved 221 in 2014-15. mark the lowest level in resEmail Unified Newspaper idential seats available since Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruel401 in the 2016-17 school le@wcinet.com. year. Non-resident seats

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PiYo People can take part in PiYo classes, an exercise program that is a blend of pilates and yoga, on Monday evenings. From 6-6:45 p.m. at the Brooklyn Community Building, 102 N. Rutland Ave., attendees can participate in a low-impact workout that strengthens and sculpts the body and enhances flexibility. Cost is $7. Freestyle Karate Collective Learn martial arts in a safe, collaborative, interactive and playful environment. From 7-9 p.m. Monday evenings at the Brooklyn Community Building, 102 N. Rutland Ave., attendees (or “karatekas”) can develop both knowledge of karate techniques and also relieve stress from daily life. For ages 13 and up. Cost is $7. WERQ® Workout by dancing to pop, rock and hip hop music with this class. From 6:45-7:45 p.m. Tuesday evenings at the Brooklyn Community Building, 102 N. Rutland Ave., get a dose of cardio exercise through this fiercely fun fitness course. Cost is $7. Yoga Slow Flow Combine physical exercises and mental meditation with this Yoga Slow Flow class. From 6-7 p.m. Wednesday evenings at the Brooklyn Community Building, 102 N. Rutland Ave., people can learn breathing and exercise techniques to strengthen muscles and relieve stress. Cost is $7. Punch cards for multiple classes are also available. A six punch is $30 and a 10 punch is $45.

Oregon classes three times in February before likely board meeting for a discussion and presenting recommendations to the vote, but Monday’s work session was school board at its Feb. 24 meeting. needed to wade through some details first. Anti-hate policy update “We were knee-deep in looking at Before the regularly scheduled particular language, which did not meeting Monday night, board mem- facilitate itself particularly to a meetbers worked as a Committee of the ing setting,” he said. “As we move Whole on an anti-hate speech policy forward with consideration of that in the district handbook. policy, we will be bringing that online Board president Steve Zach said so people can hear us talk substantivethe policy will be brought to a future ly about that.”

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might be interested in, send it to us and we’ll use it if we can. Please include contact information, what’s happening in the photo and the names of people pictured. You can submit it on our website at

ConnectOregonWI.com, email to editor Jim Ferolie at ungeditor@wcinet.com or drop off a electronic media at our office at 156 N. Main St. Questions? Call 835-6677.

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Oregon Observer

Play Crew In this Monday afternoon playgroup, children will learn through books, social play, movement and sensory activities. From 1:15-2:45 p.m., on Mondays from Jan. 27 through March 16, at Netherwood Knoll Elementary, 276 Soden Drive, kids ages 3-5 are welcome to participate. The class will have morning and afternoon sessions. Cost is $10. Storytime Artists Young learners can discover the world around them by playing, exploring and creating. This class will take

place from 11 a.m. to noon Mondays from Jan. 27 through Feb. 24, at NKE. Students will begin with a story and then do an art project related to that story. They will also build confidence, improve their fine motor skills and make some new friends in the process. Cost is $27. Wonderful Wizardly Wands This class is calling all Harry Potter and wizard fans. From 3:20-4:20 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at NKE and Prairie View Elementary, 300 Soden Drive, participants can use a variety of materials to make their own wand. If time permits, they will also make scrolls. Cost is $22. Pom Pom Pals & Other Creations Join in on Pom Pom Pals and Other Creations from 3:20-5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, at both NKE and PVE. Attendees will embellish their pom pom to make cuddly critters, designs or games. People are welcome to attend one or both sessions. The activity is recommended for grades 1-8. Cost is $17. Strengthening Families Strengthening Families attendees will help prepare parents and children for the teen years – and how to handle frustration and develop peer resistance skills. From 5:30-8 p.m., Wednesdays from Jan. 29 through March 4, parents and kids grades 5-8 can come to Rome Corners Intermediate School, 1111 S. Perry Pkwy., for this class. Parents will learn how to establish rules, set limits and show love and support. Registration is required. No charge. K n i t t i n g a Po n c h o , Cape or Wrap Participants of this knitting course can take their skills to the next level. From 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from Feb. 4-25, people ages 18 and over can make garments for themselves or someone else. You are able to choose from different patterns and you’ll learn how to read knitting patterns, measure gauge, create designs with yarn overs and overs stitches, use materials to produce drape and fix mistakes. Students should know knitting basics. Cost is $48.

The family of Sue Knudson wishes to express our deepest appreciation for the support and messages of sympathy during this difficult time. We especially want to thank Pastor Paul Markquart, Rabbi Jonathan Biatch, J.L. Richards and Gunderson Funeral Home. ~ Jeff Knudson, Dick & Helen Schoebel Family, Wayne & Mary Knudson Family adno=137808


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January 30, 2020

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Coming up

Churches

‘Meet Libby’

Adults are welcome 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, to learn how to use “Libby,” an audiobook and e-book service though the library, to check out materials remotely. Participants should bring their own device. Registration is required. Library staff will teach patrons how to download and navigate the Libby app, browse and borrow e-Books and audiobooks on a mobile device, place a hold on popular titles and return a digital title before the due date. For information, contact kripley@ oregonlibrary.org.

Decoding dyslexia

Parents of children struggling with dyslexia are invited to attend a support group from noon to 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 1, at Firefly Coffeehouse and Artisan Cheese, 114 N. Main St. The conversation will be hosted by the Dane County chapter of Decoding Dyslexia, a national parent-led organization of families, educators and specialists who empower families. The organization also informs legislators about the best practices to

identify, educate and support students struggling with dyslexia and other language-based disabilities in schools. For more information, visit decodingdyslexiawi.org.

‘First Monday’

Noelle Powers, local author of “Forest Through the Trees,” will discuss her new book at noon Monday, Feb. 3, at the United Methodist Church, 103 N. Alpine Pkwy. The monthly presentation includes a potluck lunch that is set to be served at 11 a.m. The presentation is put on by members of the Oregon Area Historical Society. The conversation targets adults 50 years and older, and everyone is encouraged to bring a dish to pass. For information, call the church at 835-3755.

All interested in photography, no matter your skill level are welcome. Topics for February’s meeting include “camera sensors,” “full-frame vs crop,” two presentations by members (one on a trip to Iceland and another as a world traveler) and the popular “photographic feedback” segment. For information, visit oregonwisconsinphotographygroup.com

Open mic night

The Oregon Area Progressives will host an open mic night with special guest, Megwyn Sanders-Andrews, to discuss disability representation and disability as a creative asset. The open mic night will take place from 6-8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7, at Firefly Coffeehouse and Artisan Cheese, 114 N. Main St. The public is invited to attend this event and donations for the Oregon/ Photography group The Oregon Wisconsin Photogra- Brooklyn Food Pantry will be “gratephy Group will hold their monthly fully” accepted. For information visit, oremeeting 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the Oregon Public Library. gonareaprogressives.org.

Community calendar Thursday, Jan. 30

• 4-7 p.m., Food distribution and collection, Oregon Area Food Pantry, 107 N. Alpine Pkwy., oregonfoodpantry@ hotmail.com • 6-7 p.m., Meet Libby, library, 8353656 • 6 p.m., 2020-2021 4-K Orientation meeting, Prairie View Elementary, 300 Soden Drive, 835-5801

Friday, Jan. 31

• 6 p.m., Stuffed Animal Sleepover, library, 835-3656

Saturday, Feb. 1

• 10 a.m., Breakfast club storytime, library, 835-3656 • Noon, Decoding Dyslexia, Firefly Coffeehouse, 114 N. Main St., decodingdyslexiawi.org • 1 p.m., Pizza and Paint for Teens, library, 835-3656

Sunday, Feb. 2

• 5 p.m., Ballroom Dancing ($10), Brooklyn Community Building, 102 N. Rutland Ave., 455-4201

Monday, Feb. 3

•11 a.m., First Monday, “Forest

Through the Trees” author presentation, United Methodist Church, 103 N. Alpine Pkwy., 835-3755

Tuesday, Feb. 4

• 9-11 a.m., Food distribution and collection, Oregon Area Food Pantry, 107 N. Alpine Pkwy., oregonfoodpantry@ hotmail.com • 6 p.m., Oregon photography group meeting, library, oregonwisconsinphotographygroup.com

Wednesday, Feb. 5

• 1 p.m., Movie matinee: “Downton Abbey”, senior center, 835-5801

Thursday, Feb. 6

• 9:30 a.m., Memory Cafe (first Thursday), Sienna Crest Corporate Offices, 845 Market St., 835-5801 • 6:30 p.m., Optimist Meeting, Oregon Youth Center,110 N Oak St., oregon-brooklynoptimist.org

Community cable listings Village of Oregon Cable Access TV channels: WOW #983 & ORE #984 Phone: 291-0148 • Email: oregoncableaccess@charter.net Website: ocamedia.com • Facebook: ocamediawi New programs daily at 1 p.m. and repeats at 4, 7 and 10 p.m. and 1, 4, 7 and 10 a.m.

Thursday, Jan. 30 WOW: Senior Center Presentation: Monkey Business (May 23, 2018) ORE: OHS Boys Hockey vs Stoughton (Jan. 21) AIRS Friday, Jan. 31 WOW: Village Board Meeting (Jan. 20) ORE: OHS Wrestling vs Sugar River (Jan. 21) Saturday, Feb. 1 WOW: Movie: Made for Each Other (1939) ORE: LIVE: OHS Girls Basketball vs Monroe Sunday, Feb. 2 WOW: St John’s Lutheran Church Service ORE: OHS Boys Hockey vs Stoughton (Jan. 21) Monday, Feb. 3 WOW: LIVE: Village Board Meeting

Friday, Feb. 7

• 4 p.m. Teen advisory board, library, 835-3656 • 5 p.m., Anime Club, library, 835-3656 • 6-8 p.m., Open Mic Music Night, Firefly Coffeehouse and Artisan

ORE: RCI 5th and 6th Grade Band Concert (Jan. 21) Tuesday, Feb. 4 WOW: Sounds of Summer: Time Travelers (July 23) ORE: LIVE: OHS Boys Hockey vs Monona Grove Wednesday, Feb. 5 WOW: Oregon Progressives (Jan. 6) ORE: Library Presentation: Memoir Writing (Jan. 23) Thursday, Feb. 6 WOW: Senior Center: Gateway: Coming to America with Philip Martin ORE: OHS Wrestling vs Monroe (Jan. 24)

All Saints Lutheran Church 2951 Chapel Valley Rd., Fitchburg (608) 276-7729 Interim pastor SUNDAY 8:30 a.m. classic service 10:45 a.m. new song service Brooklyn Lutheran Church 101 Second Street, Brooklyn (608) 455-3852 Pastor Rebecca Ninke SUNDAY 9 a.m. Holy Communion 10 a.m. Fellowship Community of Life Lutheran Church PO Box 233, Oregon (608) 286-3121, office@ communityoflife.us Pastor Jim McCoid SUNDAY 8:45 a.m. Education Hour, 10 a.m. Worship at 1111 S. Perry Parkway, Oregon Brooklyn Community United Methodist Church 201 Church Street, Brooklyn (608) 455-3344 Pastor George Kaminski SUNDAY 9 a.m. Worship (Nov.-April) 10:30 a.m. Worship (May-Oct.)

Cheese conference room, 114 N. Main St., 835-6238 • 6:30 p.m., Madrigal Dinner, Oregon Middle School, 601 Pleasant Oak Dr., 835-4800 • 8:30 a.m. — 4:30 p.m.,Valentine’s Day songs with Bruce Edwin lunch reservation, senior center, 835-5801

Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church 143 Washington Street, Oregon (608) 835-3554 Pastor Jeffrey Hendrix SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Worship Holy Communion 2nd & last Sundays

Saturday, Feb. 8

First Presbyterian Church 408 N. Bergamont Blvd. (north of CC), Oregon, WI (608) 835-3082 - fpcoregonwi. org Pastor Kathleen Owens SUNDAY 10 a.m. Service 10:15 a.m. Sunday School 11 a.m. Fellowship 11:15 a.m. Adult Education

• 8-11 a.m., Anderson Park work days, Anderson Farm County Park, 914 Union Road, andersonparkfriends.org. • 1 p.m., “Please send hats” author visit, library, 835-3656 • 6:30 p.m., Free family movie night, 408 N. Bergamont Blvd., First Presbyterian Church, 835-3082 • 6:30 p.m., Madrigal Dinner, Oregon Middle School, 601 Pleasant Oak Dr., 835-4800 • 7 p.m., Card Party with the Oregon Headliners 4-H Club, Holy Mother of Consolation Catholic Church, 651 N. Main St., 669-0516 Sunday, Feb. 9 • 3-6 p.m., Bluegrass and country jams, 135 S. Main St., Ziggy’s Barbeque Smokehouse and Ice Cream Parlor, 835-3697

Senior center Monday, Feb. 3 Enchilada Casserole Spanish Rice Pinto Beans MO – Bean and Cheese Burrito NCS – SF Pudding Tuesday, Feb. 4 Brat on a White Bun Stewed Tomatoes Green Beans MO – Veggie Dog NCS – Spiced Apple Slices Wednesday, Feb. 5 Chicken Strips BBQ Sauce Roasted Brussels Sprouts Coleslaw MO – Black Bean Burger NCS – SF Cookies Thursday, Feb. 6 My Meal, My Way Lunch at Ziggy’s Smokehouse and Ice Cream Parlor! Drop in between 11:30 AM and 12:45 PM Friday, Feb. 7 Roasted Turkey in Gravy Rice Pilaf Creamed Corn Cranberry Sauce MO – Veggie Chicken in Gravy NCS – SF Pudding SO — Tuna Salad

Monday, Feb. 3 Morning: Diabetic Foot Care 9:00 CLUB 10:30 StrongWomen 1:00 Weight Loss Support 1:30 Bridge 1:45 Balance Class Tuesday, Feb. 4 8:30 Zumba Gold Advanced 9:30 Ride to Food Pantry 10:45 Parkinson’s Exercise 12:30 Sheepshead Wednesday, Feb. 5 Morning: Foot Care 9:00 CLUB 10:00 Shopping in Madison 10:30 Book Club 10:30 Dominoes 12:15 Shopping at Pick-N-Save 1:00 Movie: “Downton Abbey” Thursday, Feb. 6 8:30 Zumba Gold Advanced 9:00 Pool Players 9:30 Memory Café at Sienna Crest Corp. Office 9:45 Zumba Gold 10:30 StrongWomen 12:30 Mahjongg Friday, Feb. 7 9:00 CLUB 9:00 Gentle Yoga 9:30 Blood Pressure 10:45 Balance Class 11:45 Shopping at Bill’s

Memorial UCC 5705 Lacy Road, Fitchburg (608) 273-1008, memorialucc. org Pastor Kristin Gorton SUNDAY 8:15 and 10 a.m.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church ECLA

Central Campus: Raymond Road and Whitney Way SATURDAY - 5 p.m. Worship SUNDAY - 8:15, 9:30 and 10:45 a.m. Worship West Campus: Corner of Hwy. PD and Nine Mound Road, Verona SUNDAY - 9 & 10:15 a.m., 6 p.m. Worship (608) 271-6633 Hillcrest Bible Church

752 E. Netherwood, Oregon David Bartosik, Lead Pastor (608) 835-7972, www.hbclife.com SUNDAY 8:30 a.m. worship at the Hillcrest Campus and 10:15 a.m. worship with Children’s ministries, birth – 4th grade Holy Mother of Consolation Catholic Church

651 N. Main Street, Oregon Pastor: Fr. Gary Wankerl (608) 835-5763 holymotherchurch.weconnect.com SATURDAY: 5 p.m. Worship SUNDAY: 8 and 10:15 a.m. Worship People’s United Methodist Church 103 North Alpine Parkway, Oregon Pastor Jason Mahnke

(608) 835-3755, www.peoplesumc.org

Communion is the 1st & 3rd weekend SATURDAY - 5 p.m. Worship SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Worship and Sunday school; 10:30 a.m. Worship St. John’s Lutheran Church

625 E. Netherwood, Oregon Pastor Paul Markquart (Lead) (608) 291-4311 SATURDAY - 5 p.m. Worship SUNDAY - 8, 10:30 a.m. Worship Vineyard Community Church

Oregon Community Bank & Trust, 105 S. Alpine Parkway, Oregon Bob Groth, Pastor (608) 513-3435, welcometovineyard.com SUNDAY - 10 a.m. Worship

Zwingli United Church of Christ – Paoli

At the intersection of Hwy. 69 & PB Pastor Rich Pleva paoliucc.com, (608) 225-1278 SUNDAY - 9:30 a.m. Family worship

Support groups • Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, First Presbyterian Church, every Monday and Friday at 7 p.m. • Relationship & Divorce Support Group, State Bank of Cross Plains, every other Monday at 6:30 p.m. • Navigating Life Elder Support Group, People’s United Methodist Church, 103 N. Alpine Pkwy., every first Monday at 7 p.m.

Science and Religion

Did you know that the man who first formulated the Big Bang theory was a Jesuit priest? Georges Lemaitre was a Jesuit-trained mathematician, astronomer and physicist who surmised that the recession of nearby galaxies could be explained by an expanding universe, and went on to develop what he called the theory of the primeval atom (later referred to as the “Big Bang” theory). Lemaitre postulated that if we extrapolate backwards from the observable fact of an expanding universe we come to a point in the distant past when the entire mass of the universe was concentrated in a single point, the “primeval atom,” as it were, from which time and space as we know them came into existence. Lemaitre believed that this event was essentially the creation of the physical universe, and although Lemaitre wasn’t prone to mixing scientific and religious explanations, he didn’t see any conflict here. Gregor Mendel, the man who is usually considered the father of modern Genetics, was an Augustinian friar. His work with pea plants established many of the rules of heredity, giving us the terms “recessive” and “dominant”with respect to inherited traits. Mendel’s work is important because it explains an important mechanism by which species change over time. Religion is sometimes seen as the benighted cousin of ignorance and superstition, but in reality, truth is one. There is only conflict if we insist on reading ancient religious texts as scientific treatises, which they were never intended to be. -Christopher Simon


Adam Feiner, sports editor

845-9559 x226 • ungsportseditor@wcinet.com

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

Oregon races past Portage

Sports

Thursday, January 30, 2020

The Oregon Observer For more sports coverage, visit: ConnectOregonWI.com

Boys basketball

Auto racing

MIS part of new HSRA ADAM FEINER Sports editor

MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Sophomore forward Bryce Kerns and the Oregon boys basketball team were up for the challenge in the seventh-place game of the Badger Challenge. The Panthers used a huge run over the final stretch to beat Portage 62-43 on Friday, Jan. 24, at Edgewood High School. Oregon outscored the Warriors 29-9 in the final 13 minutes to pull away, as Kerns knocked down three 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 15 points. “Coming off the bench is new to me, but I like it,” Kerns said. “I bring the same energy. We brought the energy, we had to rebound and compete.” Junior guard Ben Statz gave the Panthers a spark, scoring all nine of his points in the second-half surge. “He can provide ball pressure, he competes and plays really hard defensively,” Oregon coach Chris Siebert said of Statz. “He really takes coaching. I think his mental confidence has taken a really big jump, but he still has a lot of room to grow.” Oregon (6-7, 2-5 Badger South) turned several of Portage’s 11 turnovers in the second half into points in transition. “Our defense sparks everything for our team,” Siebert said. “It’s really changed in the last few weeks and our kids have seen when our defensive energy is higher, more shots go in for us. It’s kind of contagious.” Senior Brett Walker made a layup to give the Warriors a 34-33 lead with 13:36 left, but the Panthers responded. Kerns and junior point guard Erik Victorson made layups, and Statz drilled a 3 to give the Panthers a 42-36 lead with 10:07 left. Kerns hit a 3 and Statz knocked down a jumper to extend the Panthers’ lead to 49-34. Junior Ryan McCorkle and Statz added layups to give Oregon a 53-38 lead with 5:20 to go. Vi c t o r s o n s c o r e d 1 4 p o i n t s a n d

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Oregon sophomore Bryce Kerns shoots a 3-pointer against Portage in the seventh-place Badger Challenge game on Friday, Jan. 24, at Edgewood High School. He scored a gamehigh 15 points in the Panthers’ 62-43 win. McCorkle added 10 points. “He just simplifies things and keeps the game easy,” SIebert said of McCorkle. “He knows what he can do. He picks things up really quickly.” The Panthers started 1-for-9 shooting and trailed 6-2. That all changed when Kerns checked in and hit 5 of 6 shots for 10 points in the first half. “We have been really hard on Bryce this

year,” Siebert said. “There are days where he is frustrated. He takes coaching really well, keeps on competing and shows up everyday wanting to get better.” Kerns and Victorson hit back-to-back 3s to give Oregon a 21-16 lead with 4:40 left in the first half. Despite two fouls, Victorson finished with nine points in the first half to help the Panthers to a 31-24 lead at halftime.

Boys hockey

Panthers’ offense clicking amid winning streak ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Sophomore Joe Roemer, freshman Kyle Rohrer and junior Adam Franken wreaked havoc offensively in Oregon’s home game against rival Stoughton. All three forwards recorded a hat trick in the Panthers’ 12-3 rout of the Vikings on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Oregon Ice Arena. Roemer also dished out three assists for a six-point night, and Rohrer added an assist. “We got pucks deep and worked it into the corners,” Franken said. “We realized early that we had more skill on offense than Stoughton did defensively, so we used that to our advantage. We moved the puck really well, got shots on net and converted.” The Panthers came back to beat Madison West 3-1 on Saturday, Jan. 25, at Madison Ice Arena.

7

Photo by Adam Feiner

Oregon freshman forward Kyle Rohrer breaks away from the Stoughton defense during the third period Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Oregon Ice Arena. He recorded four points (three goals, one assist) in the Panthers’ 12-3 win. their winning streak to four with a period, but Oregon’s Laszlo Oro- forward Colton Eyers.

Oregon 3, Madison West 1 nonconference road win over the sz tied it with a power-play goal

2:34 into the second period off The Panthers (8-7-1, 5-3 Bad- Regents. ger South Conference) pushed West led 1-0 after the first assists from Rohrer and senior

Franken netted the go-ahead

Turn to Offense/Page 9

Two Wisconsin racing facilities announced Thursday, Jan. 23, the formation of a new High School Racing Association (HSRA). This new association is a combined effort between Madison International Speedway and the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway. The speedways’ goal goal is to provide youth an economic entry into stock car racing. The HSRA will feature high-school-aged drivers in competition throughout the summer months. Other racing facilities are expected to join the association as the 2020 season progresses. “This is something that we have been working on for quite some time,” HSRA co-founder Chuck Deery said in a release obtained by the Observer/Courier Hub. “We have seen the potential in this style of racing through our Street Stock and 6shooter classes, not only at our tracks but tracks throughout the country. This division gives teenagers a fun and inexpensive way to become involved in auto racing. “The number of youths involved in E-sports such as iracing is tremendous. This is a way to get them further involved in the sport they love.” Deery added that the goal is to add tracks throughout North America into the program and continue to grow the HSRA’s reach each season. The HSRA will feature American Production six-cylinder sedans with various safety enhancements. The driver’s high school colors and mascot must be incorporated into the paint scheme of the car’s roof at a minimum. Students entering their freshman year of high school, current high school students and those just graduated from high school, with a minimum age of 14 and maximum age of 19, will be eligible to compete. Anyone under the age of 18 wishing to enter the pit garage area will need to have a completed Minor’s Release form on file at each track they wish to attend. A complete set of rules and regulations can be found on the official HSRA website at www.highschoolracing.org. State champions will be crowned in each participating state. The driver’s six-best feature event finishes in the state they compete in will be used to determine the final standings. In the event of a tie, the finishing order at the regional event will be used to determine the state champion. Host facilities may or may not choose to crown a track champion. Drivers choosing to become members of the HSRA ($20 annual membership fee) will not be charged a pit admission fee at any HSRA-sanctioned event. Any student who possesses a valid school ID and wishes to work with a car will be admitted into the pit area at the lowest rate offered each night, usually matching what a racing Member is paying ($20-$25). Pit admission age varies from track to track. HSRA events will take place on both dirt and asphalt oval racing tracks, no larger than a quarter of a mile in length, from June through the weekend prior to Labor Day weekend. Each track can host up to six regular-season events per season, not counting regional or national events. Racing facilities interested in hosting HSRA events are encouraged to contact Gregg McKarns at gm@misracing.com. Madison International Speedway is set to host HSRA events on the following Fridays: June 5, June 19, July 17, July 31 and Aug. 21. La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem is set to host HSRA events on the following dates: Saturday, June 13, Thursday, July 2, Saturday, July 11, Saturday, July 18, Saturday, Aug. 8, and the Midwest Regionals on Saturday, Sept. 5. Drivers must have participated in three HSRA events in the calendar year to qualify for the Midwest Regionals. The regional events are expected to move locations annually.


8

January 30, 2020

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Oregon Observer

Boys swimming

Upperclassmen lead Panthers past Goslings ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Senior Blake Anderson and junior Connor Braatz each won two individual events to help Oregon even up its record in Badger South Conference duals. The Panthers edged Watertown 89-81 at home Tuesday, Jan. 21, improving their record to 3-3 in conference competition. Anderson won the 100- (1:00.11) and 200-meter freestyle (2:19.61). Braatz won the 200 individual medley (2:40.66) by 15.7 seconds and edged Watertown’s Shaun McCloskey by .1 seconds in the 100 butterfly (1:09.11). Freshman Mason Konopacki won the 100 backstroke (1:12.16) Photos by Adam Feiner by 7:44 seconds. He also finished Oregon senior Blake Anderson won the 200-meter freestyle with a time of 2:19.61 in a dual against Watertown on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Oregon .17 seconds behind Watertown’s Swimming Pool. Nathan Williams in the 50 free Oregon Oregon (27.94). junior junior Sophomore Blake Pankratz won Connor George the 400 free (4:55.71) by 12.63 secBraatz Wiedemann onds. won the swims the All three of the Panthers’ relay 200-meter second teams finished second. individual leg of the Anderson, Konopacki, Pankratz medley 200-meter and junior George Wiedemann with a medley started the dual with a time of time of relay. 2:09.93 in the 200 medley relay. 2:40.66. B r a a t z , Wi e d e m a n n , a n d juniors Forest Garty and Ronaldo Lopez-Vega raced to a time of 1:59.39 in the 200 free relay. Anderson, Konopacki, senior Nathan Sorensen and sophomore Riley Fahey recorded a time of 4:22.93 in the 400 free relay. Wiedemann also placed second in the 100 breaststroke (1:26.96).

Girls basketball

Oregon stomps Milton, Elkhorn MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

The Oregon girls basketball team kept its hot streak going with a pair of wins last week. The Panthers (11-4, 7-1 Badger South Conference) rolled to a 71-45 home win over Milton on Thursday, Jan. 23, two days after a 61-29 nonconference road win over Elkhorn.

Oregon 71, Milton 45

Senior point guard Izzie Peterson scored a game-high 19 points and had six assists for the Panthers, who led 37-24 at the half. Oregon made nine 3-pointers, with two each from Peterson, Liz Uhl and Kaitlyn Schrimpf.

Uhl scored 16 points and junior Emily Statz added 11 points. Schrimpf pitched in eight. Junior Megan Bloyer chipped in seven points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. The Panthers shot 48.2% (27-for-56) from the field.

WE KEEP YOU ENGAGED

Oregon 61, Elkhorn 29

The Panthers used pressure defense to cruise past the Elks, who finished with more turnovers (36) than points. Schrimpf recorded game highs in points (19) and steals (5). Uhl scored 14 points and Peterson chipped in eight. Oregon shot 43.1% (25-for-58) from the field and limited Elkhorn to 28.1% shooting (9-for-32).

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9

Wrestling

Oregon trio wins weekend tournament titles ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Oregon’s Lexi Verhage, Michael Schliem and Owen Heiser won titles Saturday, Jan. 25, at two separate tournaments. The Panthers were coming off a 39-34 home loss to Badger South Conference foe Monroe a day previous. Oregon started its busy week with a 58-12 home win over Sugar River on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Wisconsin High School Girls Championship

Verhage won the 182-pound title with a 2-0 record Saturday at Wausau West High School. She pinned Arrowhead’s Kate Riege in 1:34 and won by injury default over Riege in the championship match. Oregon’s Kelly Janssens placed eight at 145 with a 2-3 record. She pinned Greenfield’s Lala Torres in 44 seconds to start the tournament and bounced back from a loss with a pin of Two Rivers’ McKenna Meyer in 37 seconds, but lost her final two matches. Ashlynd Schnelle-Hughes (152) lost both of her matches. Oregon tied for 33rd out of 59 teams with 14 points. Milwaukee Reagan won the team title with 73.5 points.

Monroe Invite

The Oregon boys team placed fourth out of 11 teams with 165.5 points Saturday, as Schliem (138) and Heiser (145) finished atop the podium. Schliem won all three of his matches by first-period pin. He finished off Monroe’s Jace Amacher in 47 seconds, Cuba City/Southwestern’s Jackson Soja in 56 seconds and Belmont/Platteville’s Tanner Paulson in 1:05. Heiser received a bye into the semifinals, then pinned Monroe’s Dakota Wickstrum in 2:52 and Big Foot/Williams Bay’s Raul Rojas in 1:14. The Panthers’ Seth Niday (152) placed second with a 2-1 record. He pinned Cuba City/Southwestern’s Colin Blackbourn in 5:27 and Whitewater’s David Cushman in 57 seconds before being pinned

Photo by Adam Feiner

Oregon sophomore Cooper King (top) pins Sugar River’s Patrick Samon in 22 seconds during their 170-pound match Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Oregon High School. The Panthers won the dual 58-12. by Orfordville-Parkview’s Korben Brown in the championship match. Dakota Brown (120), Brandon Liddle (126) and Karl Brooks (170) each went 3-1 and ended up third. Brown won by 10-0 major decision over Orfordville-Parkview’s Ian Suer, then bounced back from a quarterfinal loss with a 14-4 major decision over Beloit Memorial’s Edwin Mora. He won by injury default over Whitewater’s Brian Porcaro in the third-place match. Liddle won by 15-0 technical fall over Darlington/Black Hawk’s Cashton Hauser, but lost 7-6 to Belmont/Platteville’s Dylan Taber in the semifinals. He won by 12-0 major decision over Cuba City/Southwestern’s Lucas Blackbourn and pinned Hauser at the 2:59 mark of the thirdplace match. Brooks beat Whitewater’s Denver Isbell 2-1, then bounced back from a semifinal loss with a 7-0 win over Belmont/Platteville’s Payton Nielsen and a pin of Isbell at the 4:34 mark of the third-place match. Cooper King (160) and Nate Hall (195) each went 2-2 and placed fourth. Both wrestlers won their first

and third matches. King beat Lake Mills’ Caleb Quest 7-2 and pinned Belmont/Platteville’s Shannon Gill-Mast in 1:38. Hall won by 10-1 major decision over Lake Mills’ Jordan Tindell and pinned Orfordville-Parkview’s Travis Pulaski in 55 seconds. Ryan Payne (106) and Ramiro Ramos (113) also went 2-2 and finished fifth. Both wrestlers won their second and fourth matches. Payne pinned Belmont/Platteville’s Navaeh Koch in 1:30 and Darlington/Black Hawk’s Ike Meylor in 2:17. Ramos pinned Belmont/Platteville’s Caden Lindholm in 4:30 and Clinton’s Taylor Beaudin in 1:44. Tyler Wald (182) started his day with a pin of Big Foot/Williams Bay’s Malachi Frederick in 5:32 before losing his final two matches. Thomas Lyon (132) lost both of his matches The host Cheesemakers won the team title with 191 points.

competition with a loss to the Cheesemakers. Schliem (138) pinned Amacher in 51 seconds, Hall (220) pinned Isaac Bunker in 1:44, King (170) pinned Jaden Clark in 2:17, Liddle (126) pinned Zach Roper in 2:54 and Heiser (145) pinned Wickstrum in 4:59. Oregon’s John Ruth (152) won by 10-0 major decision over Max Patterson. Niday bumped up to 160 and lost 3-2 against Patrick Rielly. Brooks (182) and Wald (195) both bumped up a weight class and lost by major decision. Brown (120) also lost by major decision. Payne (106), Ramos (113) and Lyon (132) lost by pin. Oregon forfeited at 285.

Oregon 58, Sugar River 12

Even though Oregon High School was not in session on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Panthers wrestling team was hard at work preparing for a busy week. Monroe 39, Oregon 34 Oregon won six of the seven conThe Panthers dropped to 2-4 over- tested matches, and four Panthers all and 1-4 in Badger South dual ended their bouts with first-period

pins. “We went individual-by-individual and drilled the living daylight out of a few things,” Oregon coach Ned Lease said. “It was so nice to see what we did the night before translate to the dual.” King (170) was the quickest to win his match, as he pinned Patrick Samon in 22 seconds. Heiser (145) kicked off the dual with a pin of Brycen Shcuhmacher in 49 seconds, and Liddle (126) had Oregon’s final win with a pin of Brian Hollis in 52 seconds. Hall (220) pinned Hunter Olson in 1:02. Ramos (113) scored 12 of the last 15 points before pinning Nathan Balderas in 3:10. Niday (152) built a big lead early, and avoided being pinned at the end of the second period en route to a 13-5 major decision over Robert Chenoweth. Brown (120), Ruth (160), Wald (182) and Verhage (195) received forfeit victories for the Panthers. The Raiders received a forfeit victory at 138, and both teams forfeited at 106 and 285. Oregon’s Alex Vieaux (132) lost by pin.

Offense: Trio of forwards keys Panthers’ rout of rival Vikings Continued from page 7 goal with 2:20 left in the second off an assist from junior forward Trey McKee. Junior defenseman Spencer Buskager capped the scoring with a goal 3:16 into the third period off an assist from senior forward Brody Barlow. Oregon finished 1-for-6 on the power play and was outshot 30-25, but the Panthers killed all four of their penalties. Junior goaltender Colton Dailey made 29 saves in the win.

Oregon 12, Stoughton 3

Photo by Adam Feiner

Oregon junior Colton Dailey (left) hands the puck to an official during the second period against Stoughton on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Oregon Ice Arena. He made 34 saves in the Panthers’ 12-3 win.

The Panthers won their third straight conference game in dominant fashion against the Vikings. “The guys are starting to buy into what we want,” Oregon coach Larry Clemens said. “We’re starting to see who we can be. We’re really starting to work with that belief.” Roemer started the scoring 6:11 into the game off an assist from Buskager. Franken

netted his first goal with 3:33 left in the first off assists from Roemer and senior forward Ben Wiedholz to make it 2-0. Rohrer scored his first goal 20 seconds into the second period off assists from Eyers and freshman forward Jacob Cameron. Roemer scored 44 seconds later off a pass from Eyers to double the lead. Stoughton cut it to 4-1 with 9:55 left in the second when Brody Hlavacek scored on the power play off assists from James Hanson and Jared Bauer. Senior defenseman Parker Schmidt quickly regained the momentum for Oregon with a goal 17 seconds later off assists from Cameron and freshman forward Simon Dosher. Franken made it 6-1 with 2:40 left in the second off an assist from sophomore defenseman Kaden Peterson. The Vikings responded 10 seconds later when Nolen Custer scored off a pass from Zayne Zeichert. Stoughton couldn’t recover after Wiedholz scored seven seconds before the second

intermission off assists from Schmidt and Roemer. Rohrer scored 4:29 into the third period off assists from Cameron and Dosher. Roemer completed his hat trick on the power play with 10:52 remaining off assists from Rohrer and senior defenseman Nick Brien, and Rohrer scored for the third time a little more than a minute later. Franken completed his hat trick on the power play with 5:28 left off a pass from Roemer. Barlow capped the Panthers’ scoring with 2:13 left off a pass from McKee. Bauer scored on the power play with 17 seconds left off assists from Hanson and Zeichert. Oregon outshot Stoughton 44-37, went 2-for-3 on the power play and killed six of eight penalties. Dailey finished with 34 saves in the win. “We’ve been getting good performances out of Dailey,” Clemens said. “When he’s been good, we’ve been able to build confidence going the other way.”


10

January 30, 2020

ConnectOregonWI.com

Oregon Observer

Girls hockey

Youth hockey

Icebergs unable to snap cold spell MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

The Icebergs girls hockey co-op was shut out in a pair of games last week. The Icebergs lost a Badger South Conference road game to Viroqua 5-0 on Saturday, Jan. 25, at Viroqua Community Arena. The co-op was coming off a 7-0 home loss to the Rock County Fury a day previous at Mandt Community Center in Stoughton.

Viroqua 5, Icebergs 0

The Icebergs (3-13-2, 2-6-1 Badger) outshot the Blackhawks 33-24, but couldn’t find the back of the net. Viroqua broke the game open with three goals in the second period, including two by Rachel Simonson. Icebergs goaltender Aven Gruner made 19 saves.

Rock County 7, Icebergs 0

The Icebergs couldn’t keep pace with the Fury, who broke the game open with four goals in the third period. Rock County’s Haley Knauf scored off an assist from Alyssa Knauf with 1:15 left in the first period. Claudia Boehlke made it 2-0 with 4:09 left in the second period. Anika Einbeck scored ion the power play 1:02 later off assists from Knauf and Sara Lorke. The Fury outshot the Icebergs 38-20. Gruner and Abby Seybold had 19 and 12 saves, respectively.

Legals ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS PROJECT: 2020 SANITARY SEWER AND MANHOLE REHABILITATION OWNER: VILLAGE OF OREGON, 117 SPRING STREET, OREGON, WI 53575 CONTRACTS AND BID DEADLINE: Sealed bids for a single contract for lining existing sanitary sewers will be received by the Village of Oregon in the Village office until 2:00 P.M., local time on February 6, 2020. The bids will be publicly opened and read aloud immediately thereafter in the Village Hall meeting room. The contract will include cleaning, televising, grouting and lining 8-inch, 10inch, and 12-inch diameter vitrified clay tile sanitary sewer and grouting and sealing existing manholes. 8800 lineal feet of cleaning and televising sanitary sewer 2300 lineal feet of grouting and lining 8 to 12-inch sanitary sewer 23 each of sealing sanitary sewer manholes The quantities are subject to change without notice prior to document distribution. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS: The Contract Documents, consisting of Advertisement for Bids, Instructions to Bidders, Bidder’s Proof of Responsibility, Bid Proposal Form, Affidavit of Organization and Authority, Bid Bond (in the amount of 5% of the maximum amount of the bid), Notice of Award Form, Agreement Form, Notice to Proceed Form, Performance/Payment Bond (100%), Certificate of Insurance, General Conditions, Supplementary Conditions, Technical Specifications, Drawings and Addenda (if any) may be examined at the following locations: Village of Oregon, 117 Spring Street, Oregon, WI 53575 Town & Country Engineering, Inc., 2912 Marketplace Drive, Suite 103, Madison, WI 53719 Copies of the Contract Documents and the Construction Plans may be obtained at the office of Town & Country Engineering, Inc., 2912 Marketplace Drive, Suite 103, Madison, WI 53719. There is a $40 non-refundable copying and distribution charge for these documents. Electronic bidding documents are available on-line at Questcdn.com, Project No. 6211524 for $30. QUALIFICATIONS: Bidders must be pre-qualified with the Village of Oregon within the last year or must be pre-qualified for this work 5 days prior to the bid deadline in accordance with Section 66.0903 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Each bidder must deposit, with his bid, security in the amount of 5% of the maximum bid amount. Bidders must be experienced in municipal pipeline and structure rehabilitation. RIGHTS RESERVED: The Village of Oregon reserve the right to reject any and all bids and to waive informalities in any bid. Published by the authority of: Jeff Rau, Director of Public Works Published: January 23 and 30, 2020 WNAXLP *** ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS PROJECT: 2020 STREET RESURFACING AND MAINTENANCE OWNER: VILLAGE OF OREGON, 117 SPRING STREET, OREGON, WI 53575 CONTRACTS AND BID DEADLINE: Sealed bids for a single contract

Photo submitted

The Oregon Youth Hockey PeeWee B team members and coaches celebrate after winning the Black River Falls Tournament on Sunday, Jan. 19. They are (front) Keaton Walker, (kneeling from left) Cam Whyte, Hunter Bavery, Simon Niemcek, Andrew Cameron, Tim Grice, (standing from left) Coach Jens Lee, Zach Holland, Henry Rothering, Knudt Lee, Desmond Kingsley, Coach Ben Rothering, Alex Hoefer and Will Jungers.

Oregon PeeWee teams bring home hardware ADAM FEINER Sports editor

The Oregon Youth Hockey PeeWee B team shut out three opponents en route to winning the Black River Falls Tournament on

for street asphalt pavement construction and a single contract for asphalt pavement maintenance will be received by the Village of Oregon until 2:00 p.m., local time on February 6, 2020. The bids will be publicly opened and read aloud immediately thereafter in the Village Hall meeting room. Contract A consists of the following approximate quantities: Street Milling, 25,000 square yards Hot-Mix Asphalt Pavement, 3,400 tons Contract B consists of the following approximate quantities: Crack filling and sealcoating, 95,000 square yards Appurtenances to the above construction items, such as traffic control are included, but are not listed above. The quantities are subject to change without notice prior to document distribution. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS: The Contract Documents, consisting of Advertisement for Bids, Instructions to Bidders, Bidder’s Proof of Responsibility, Bid Proposal Form, Affidavit of Organization and Authority, Bid Bond (in the amount of 5% of the maximum amount of the bid), Notice of Award Form, Agreement Form, Notice to Proceed Form, Performance/Payment Bond (100%), Certificate of Insurance, General Conditions, Supplementary Conditions, Technical Specifications, Drawings and Addenda (if any) may be examined at the following locations: Village of Oregon, 117 Spring Street, Oregon, WI 53575 Town & Country Engineering, Inc., 2912 Marketplace Drive, Suite 103, Madison, WI 53719 Copies of the Contract Documents and the Construction Plans may be obtained at the office of Town & Country Engineering, Inc., 2912 Marketplace Drive, Suite 103, Madison, WI 53719. There is a $40 non-refundable copying and distribution charge for these documents. Electronic bidding documents are available on-line at Questcdn.com, Contract A’s Project No. 6419806 and Contract B’s Project No. 6419822 for $30 each. QUALIFICATIONS: Bidders must be pre-qualified with the Village of Oregon within the last year or must be pre-qualified for this work 5 days prior to the bid deadline in accordance with Section 66.0903 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Each bidder must deposit, with his bid, security in the amount of 5% of the maximum bid amount. Bidders must be experienced in municipal asphalt pavement construction and maintenance. RIGHTS RESERVED: The Village of Oregon reserve the right to reject any and all bids and to waive informalities in any bid. Published by the authority of: Jeff Rau, Director of Public Works Published: January 23 and 30, 2020 WNAXLP *** ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS PROJECT: 2020 STREET & UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS PARK STREET AND JANESVILLE STREET OWNER: VILLAGE OF OREGON, 117 SPRING STREET, OREGON, WI 53575 CONTRACTS AND BID DEADLINE: Sealed bids for a single contract for sanitary sewer, water main and storm sewer construction, street excavation and base course construction, street

Sunday, Jan. 19. The Panthers blanked Sun Prairie 5-0 in the championship game after wins over Menominee (10-0) and Black River Falls (8-0) on Saturday, Jan. 18. Three members of the PeeWee B team earned individual awards.

asphalt pavement construction, and for curb & gutter and sidewalk construction will be received by the Village of Oregon until 10:00 A.M., local time on February 7, 2020. The bids will be publicly opened and read aloud immediately thereafter in the Village Board meeting room at the Village Hall. The contract consists of the following approximate quantities: 8-inch PVC Sanitary Sewer, 850 lineal feet 6 and 12-inch D.I. Water Main, 2,000 lineal feet Storm Sewer, 200 lineal feet Street Reconstruction, 10,500 square yards 30-inch Concrete Curb & Gutter, 3,800 lineal feet 4-inch and 6-inch Concrete Sidewalk, 24,000 square feet Grass Restoration, 2,500 square yards Hot-Mix Asphalt Pavement, 2,800 tons 8-ft wide Hot-Mix Asphalt Pavement Path, 800 lineal feet Appurtenances to the above construction items, such as service laterals and manholes are included, but are not listed above. The quantities are subject to change without notice prior to document distribution. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS: The Contract Documents, consisting of Advertisement for Bids, Instructions to Bidders, Bidder’s Proof of Responsibility, Bid Proposal Form, Affidavit of Organization and Authority, Bid Bond (in the amount of 5% of the maximum amount of the bid), Notice of Award Form, Agreement Form, Notice to Proceed Form, Performance/Payment Bond (100%), Certificate of Insurance, General Conditions, Supplementary Conditions, Technical Specifications, Drawings and Addenda (if any) may be examined at the following locations: Village of Oregon, 117 Spring Street, Oregon, WI 53575 Town & Country Engineering, Inc., 2912 Marketplace Drive, Suite 103, Madison, WI 53719 Copies of the Contract Documents and the Construction Plans may be obtained at the office of Town & Country Engineering, Inc., 2912 Marketplace Drive, Suite 103, Madison, WI 53719. There is a $30 non-refundable copying and distribution charge for these documents. Electronic bidding documents are available on-line at Questcdn.com, Project No. 6663912 for $30. QUALIFICATIONS: Bidders must be pre-qualified with the Village of Oregon within the last year or must be pre-qualified for this work 5 days prior to the bid deadline in accordance with Section 66.0903 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Each bidder must deposit, with his bid, security in the amount of 5% of the maximum bid amount. Bidders must be experienced in municipal pipeline and street construction. RIGHTS RESERVED: The Village of Oregon reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive informalities in any bid. Published by the authority of: Jeff Rau, Director of Public Works Published: January 23 and 30, 2020 WNAXLP ***

Alex Hoefer had a “hat trick” (three goals in a game), Tim Grice was named “playmaker” for three assists in a game and Keaton Walker was a member of the “zero club” (no goals allowed in a game). The Oregon PeeWee A team placed second after a 10-6 loss to

ORDINANCE NO. 20-01 VILLAGE OF OREGON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 9.26 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR THE VILLAGE OF OREGON, DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN ORDINANCE 1. The Village Board of the Village of Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin, does ordain that Section 9.26(1) of the Code of Ordinances for the Village of Oregon is amended to read as follows: 9.26 (1) STATUTES ADOPTED. The following Wisconsin Statutes are adopted by reference and incorporated herein, as amended. The penalties for violations of these statutes shall be as provided by state law. 125.07(1) Procure for/Give Alcohol to a Minor; 125.07(3) Permit Minors to Loiter in Licensed Premises; 125.07 (4) Underage Alcohol Violations; 125.085 (3) Falsification of Identification by Underage Person; 125.09 Possession of Alcohol Beverages on School Grounds or at School Related Activities; 938.343 Disposition of Juvenile Adjudged to have Violated a Civil Law or Ordinance; 937.344 Disposition: Certain Intoxicating Liquor, Beer and Drug Violations; 938.355(6)(d) Sanctions for Violation of an Order; 961.573(2) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia by Underage Person; 961.574(2) Manufacture or Delivery of Drug Paraphernalia by Underage Person; 961.575(2) Delivery of Drug Paraphernalia by Underage Person. 2. This ordinance shall take effect upon passage and publication pursuant to law. The above ordinance was duly adopted by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of the elected members of the Village Board of the Village of Oregon at a regular meeting held on January 20, 2020. APPROVED: By: /s/_____________________________ Jeanne Carpenter, Village President ATTEST: By: /s/_____________________________ Peggy S. K. Haag, Village Clerk First Reading: January 20, 2020 Second Reading: January 20, 2020 Approved: January 20, 2020 Published: January 20, 2020 WNAXLP *** ORDINANCE NO. 20-02 VILLAGE OF OREGON DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 17-206(8)(J) OF THE VILLAGE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO HOME OCCUPATIONS RECITALS 1. On January 9, 2020, the Village Plan Commission conducted a public hearing on the changes to Section 17206(8)(j) set forth below, and recommended that those changes be adopted. 2. On January 20, 2020, the Village Board considered this Ordinance. ORDINANCE NOW THEREFORE the Village Board of the Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin adopts the following ordinance: Section 1. The recitals set forth above are material to and are incorporat-

Black River Falls in the championship game. The Panthers defeated Menominee (9-1) and Monroe (112). Drew Jochmann and James Sherven each recorded a hat trick, and Parker Rottier received the “playmaker” award.

ed in this ordinance as if set forth in full. Section 2. Section 17-206(8)(j) is amended as follows: (j) Home Occupation Description: It is the intent of this Section to provide a means to accommodate a small home-based family or professional business without the necessity of a rezoning from a residential to a business district. Approval of an expansion of a home occupation at a future time beyond the limitations of this Section is not to be anticipated; relocation of the business to an area that is appropriately zoned may be necessary. Home occupations are economic activities performed within any single-family detached residence which comply with the following requirements. Examples include personal and professional services, and handicrafts, which comply with all of the following requirements: 1. Regulations: a. The home occupation shall be conducted only within the enclosed area of the dwelling unit or an attached garage. b. There shall be no exterior alterations which change the character thereof as a dwelling and/or exterior evidence of the home occupation other than those signs permitted in the district. c. No storage or display of materials, goods, supplies, or equipment related to the operation of the home occupation shall be visible outside any structures located on the premises. d. No home occupation use shall create smoke, odor, glare, noise, dust, vibration, fire hazard, small electrical interference or any other nuisance not normally associated with the average residential use in the district. e. Only one (1) sign may be used to indicate the type of occupation or business. Such sign shall not be illuminated and shall not exceed three (3) square feet. f. The use shall not involve the use of commercial vehicles for more than occasional delivery of materials to or from the premises. g. A permitted home occupation is restricted to a service-oriented business prohibiting the mass production of items or products or the sale of items or products on the premises. Examples of service-oriented businesses are, but are not limited to, computer programming, accounting, insurance agency and computer-based consulting and clerical services. h. A permitted home occupation shall not occupy more than thirty percent (30%) of the floor area of the dwelling. i. Persons employed by a permitted home occupation shall be limited to the resident family members and no more than one non-resident employee. j. Under no circumstances shall a vehicle repair or body work business qualify as a home occupation. k. The Plan Commission may approve home occupations in residential districts which do not meet standards a. through j., above, as conditional uses subject to the following: 1) The types and number of equipment or machinery used on the conditional use site may be restricted by the Plan Commission. Section 3. This ordinance shall be effective upon passage and publication or posting pursuant to law. The above and foregoing ordinance was duly adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Oregon at its meeting held on January 20, 2020, by a vote of 7 in fa-

vor, 0 opposed, and 0 not voting.

By: /s/_____________________________ Jeanne Carpenter, Village President ATTEST: By: /s/_____________________________ Peggy S. K. Haag, Village Clerk First Reading: January 20, 2020 Second Reading: January 20, 2020 Approved: January 20, 2020 Published: January 20, 2020 WNAXLP *** ORDINANCE NO. 20-03 VILLAGE OF OREGON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 7.02 AND 9.18 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR THE VILLAGE OF OREGON, DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN RECITALS A. The Village of Oregon wishes to prohibit parking in front of mailboxes, and to allow towing of vehicles that violate any Village parking ordinance. B. The Village of Oregon also wishes to clarify the hours during which the public may use its public parks and greenways. NOW, THEREFORE, the Village Board of the Village of Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin, does ordain as follows: ORDINANCE 1. Section 7.02(12) of the Code of Ordinances for the Village of Oregon is amended to read: (12) MAILBOXES. No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle within seven feet of a mailbox between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. 2. Section 7.02(13) of the Code of Ordinances for the Village of Oregon is created to read: (13) REMOVAL OF ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLES. Any vehicle found parked, stopped or left standing in violation of this chapter or any official sign, may be removed at the direction of a police officer to a location where parking is permitted or to a location designated for that purpose by the Village Board. The owner of the vehicle shall be responsible to pay the expense of such removal and storage, and any person in whose custody such vehicle is may retain custody until any such charges are paid. 3. Section 9.18 (2) of the Code of Ordinances for the Village of Oregon is amended to read: (2) No person other than an officer or agent of the Village shall be present in any Village park or greenway between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., except during a Village approved event. 4. This ordinance shall take effect upon passage and publication pursuant to law. The above ordinance was duly adopted by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of the elected members of the Village Board of the Village of Oregon at a regular meeting held on January 20, 2020. By: /s/_____________________________ Jeanne Carpenter, Village President ATTEST: By: /s/_____________________________ Peggy S. K. Haag, Village Clerk First Reading: January 20, 2020 Second Reading: January 20, 2020 Approved: January 20, 2020 Published: January 20, 2020 WNAXLP


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Automotive JEEP 2011 Wrangler, Only 51,000 miles - exterior and interior in excellent condition! 4 WD, 2 door, white, with remote start! Custom wheelsrims with 3.5" lift & 2.5" spacers. Custom grill and new running boards. $17,250. Call or text 563-258-1335. JEEP 2011 Wrangler, Only 51,000 miles - exterior and interior in excellent condition! 4 WD, 2 door, white, with remote start! Custom wheelsrims with 3.5" lift & 2.5" spacers. Custom grill and new running boards. $17,250 - Call or text 563-258-1335.

Help Wanted DELIVERY DRIVER/Customer Service: Small Wholesale Greenhouse/Nursery business is looking for a delivery driver/customer service agent to deliver products to customers across south central and southern Wisconsin. Candidates must possess a clean driving record and the ability to be professional at all times. Driver will assist in loading and unloading their own truck. When not making deliveries, this person will assist with production tasks in the greenhouse and field. This is a seasonal position (February-December) with vacation and holiday pay and a generous employee discount. Has the potential to be full-time, year-round for the right person. Send resumes to betty@northparishgardens.com or mail to North Parish Gardens Nursery & Greenhouses, 967 Storytown Road, Brooklyn, WI 53521. EXCLUSIVELY ROSES is seeking drivers for Valentine’s Day deliveries February 11th, 12th and 13th. Routes go to Chicagoland. $200-Route+Gas. Drivers must use their own vehicle. STRICTLY LIMITED to minivans and cargo vans. Apply at www.erifloral. com. To call us, dial 608-877-8879.

FINANCE MANAGER: Small Wholesale Greenhouse/Nursery business is looking for a full-time/parttime Finance Manager to handle all aspects of accounting, finances, and human resources. Position is full-time March-September and part-time October-February. There is flexibility in the work schedule, so this is a perfect opportunity for someone looking for a part-time, non-traditional job. Must be able to manage cash flow of a seasonal business. Essential duties include: Manage APAR, general ledger. Prepare bank reconciliations, payroll and all reports required by law. Gather information and work with tax accountant for federal and state income tax returns. Pay payroll and other required taxes. Perform benefits administration. A full job description will be provided upon request or in an interview. Send resumes to betty@ northparishgardens.com or mail to North Parish Gardens Nursery & Greenhouses, 967 Storytown Road, Brooklyn, WI 53521. IN-HOME CAREGIVERS. Full Spectrum Health Services needs you! Hourly shifts, light housekeeping, meal prep, laundry, shopping and showering. Flexible hours. Applications accepted by calling 608237-3550 or online at fshcare.com. JOIN EXCLUSIVELY ROSES in Valentine’s Day bouquet production February 1st-10th in a bright, energetic working environment! We offer flexible shifts, days, evenings and weekends. Up to $16-Hour. Apply at www. erifloral.com. To call us, dial 608-8778879. OWNER OPERATOR to lease on, pulling hopper bottom. Local and or OTR. Must have own truck and trailer. 608-723-7197.

Services OFFICE CLEANING in Stoughton Mon-Fri 5pm. Visit our website: www. capitalcityclean.com or call our office 608-831-8850. A&B ENTERPRISES Light Construction Remodeling No job too small 608-835-7791 RECOVER PAINTING currently offering winter discounts on painting, drywall and carpeting. Recover urges you to join in the fight against cancer, as a portion of every job is donated to cancer research. Free estimates, fully insured, over 20 years of experience. Call 608-270-0440. SNOW PLOWING Residential & Commercial Fully Insured. 608-873-7038 or 608-669-0025

Machinery

Pets

2019 BOBCAT skid steer T450, 200 hrs. with Harley rake and split bucket. $70,000. 608-778-6816.

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BORDER COLLIE and Great Pyrenees cross puppies, $100 obo. No Sunday sales please. Reuben Bontrager, 8679 Slabtown Rd, Lancaster, WI 53813. GOLDEN RETRIEVER puppies, AKC, shots, de-wormed, dew claws removed, micro-chipped and vet checked. 608-574-6204. License #267233.

Antiques BUYING US Gold & Silver Coins and Collectibles. Call 608-988-6406 Rick Miles Coin. COLUMBUS ANTIQUE MALL &CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MUSEUM “Wisconsin’s Largest Antique Mall!” Customer Appreciation Week 20% off February 3-9 Enter daily 8am-4pm 78,000SF 200 Dealers in 400 Booths Third floor furniture, locked cases Location: 239 Whitney St Columbus, WI 53925 920-623-1992 www.columbusantiquemall.com

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Oregon Observer

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January 30, 2020

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January 30, 2020

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Oregon Observer

Yates: Learning a variety of skills through school to work program Continued from page 1 up with someone to do a schoolto-work opportunity so they get some of that career experience and see if they like it or not,” he said. “Because school and work are different.” As a junior, Yates was in his home construction class last year, and this year, he has gotten a rare chance to work on a stateof-the-art commercial building, not to mention a future school in the district. “We’ve never had that opportunity,” Prahl said. “It was nice to partner up with Findorff for Adam’s placement so he can have that experience. With Findorff being a commercial general constructor, he has a lot of opportunities to try all the trades instead of just one.” Yates, whose two brothers and a cousin took Prahl’s home construction course, said he’s leaning toward being an electrician like his older brother, Matt. Still, he said it’s been helpful to experience a wide variety of jobs and tasks. “I started out in the summer with carpentry and doing concrete forms, and as the school year started, I was working with

15 students take the home construction class, with around a half-dozen working on schoolto-career projects the rest of the day. “It’s great to work with local business and contractors to give students those work experiences and career exploration and to have them pursue what they might be interested in and get used to that to see if it’s something they really want to do,” he said. “If it’s not what they thought, then they can change course still before they graduate.” Either way, it’s a helpful step for students to take, and it’s knowledge and skills they’ll know for a lifetime, Prahl said, regardless of their career path. “Some may go into the trades, some just develop great mechanical or homeowner-type skills, some go on to a four-year college, maybe in construction manPhoto by Kimberly Wethal agement,” he continued. “Some just go on and just take the probOregon High School senior Adam Yates works with Findorff carpenter Andrew Miller (not pictured) as they work on Forest Edge Elementary School, Oregon School District’s K-6 site being built in Fitchburg for the start lem solving and social skills and of fall 2020. leadership and use them for a different major.” a plumber for about three weeks, guys,” he said. “It’s sure differ- of new, different things; I’ve got Email Unified Newspaper Group electricians for two or three ent from the (OHS construction to do a lot of different stuff.” reporter Scott De Laruelle at weeks, then the heating and air house). It’s exposed me to a lot Prahl said each year, around scott.delaruelle@wcinet.com.

Uhl: Prior police chief took sudden leave of absence, was charged with tax evasion in 2014 Continued from page 1 director. “It has truly been my honor to serve (the community) these past four and a half years,” Uhl told the Observer in a Tuesday, Jan. 28, email. “ Uhl came under village scrutiny in November for his on-the-job conduct, including his manner in dealing with citizens, public comments about negotiations with the school board over an agreement to staff an officer in the school and the stop of a minor in September. Since village president Jeanne Carpenter outlined those concerns in a statement last fall, he has met at least once with a community group that was critical of his handling of incidents and created a plan to address those concerns. The Facebook post outlines how the department was struggling when Uhl started his position back in 2015. He said under his supervision, the once “troubled” OPD has become one of 36 departments in the state to attain accreditation. It also said the news media reported the story before the decision to leave was final and that the job here turned out not to be a good fit. U h l ’s Fa c e b o o k p o s t said he is leaving OPD in a “much better place” than when he arrived, which appears to be an allusion to myriad policies and procedures he and his staff updated and controversies that preceded his arrival, including a state Department of Justice investigation into tax evasion charges by the previous chief. W h e n U h l wa s h i r e d in 2015, the village was under an interim chief, Dale Burke, who had been brought 15 months earlier to help with the sudden

leave of absence of the previous chief, Doug Pettit. While under medical leave, Pettit retired under the cloud of an investigation that resulted in the 39-year OPD veteran being charged with two felony counts of tax evasion and being denounced by village officials for practices he allegedly engaged in while serving as chief. Pettit, at the time the longest-serving police chief in the state at just under 30 years, was charged in December 2014 with two counts of felony tax evasion but succumbed to gastric cancer the same month Uhl was sworn in. Five months later, the department’s second in command, Lt. Karey Clark, died reportedly of natural causes and later was investigated over prescription drugs and cash that had gone missing from an evidence room he controlled. In his early days as chief, Uhl told the Observer in 2017, he discovered some policies that had not been

updated since the 1980s. In addition to updating hundreds of policies over the next two years to improve the professionalism of the department and its image, he also had it change its logo and badges. He wrote in the post he thought when he moved his family to the community, Oregon would be their home for “many, many years to come.” “Unfortunately, it has become obvious that this isn’t the right fit and the negative effects on my family and me are just too great of a cost to remain in my position here,” Uhl said. “My integrity and my desire to do what is right are things I am not willing to compromise on” He said while he understands it can be easy to be critical of a police officer, people should “take a minute to realize you don’t always have the complete picture.” “Also please keep in mind that they are human,” Uhl said. “Your negative

words can have devastating effects far beyond what you can even begin to imagine.” A vast majority of post commenters thanked the chief for his service in Oregon and wished him well in

his next chapter. officers),” Uhl wrote. “Because of the hard Email Emilie Heidemann work of the members of at emilie.heidemann@ the Oregon Police Departwcinet.com or follow her ment, this community can on Twitter at @HeidemannEmilie. and should be very proud of every single one of (the

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