1/3/19 Stoughton Courier Hub

Stoughton

Thursday, January 3, 2019 • Vol. 137, No. 24 • Stoughton, WI • ConnectStoughton.com • $1.25

Stoughton Area School District

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Stories to watch in 2019

Big decisions for Stoughton Riverfront, KPW, downtown projects could advance; Will Trailers stay?

Photo by Amber Levenhagen

Shannon Boyd, a Stoughton High School sophomore, works on a coaster for a project she submitted to a state Fab Lab competition.

State of a-maze-ment SHS student’s design vies for Wisconsin Fab Lab honors

Unified Newspaper Group

Shannon Boyd has already learned one of science’s great lessons – sometimes it’s an accident that spurs the greatest discoveries.

And if the Stoughton High School sophomore ends up winning the state Fab Lab competition next month, she

can thank the mistake of taking a flyer this semester on what she thought was a “fabrics” course. She hasn’t looked back since.

“I saw the 3D printers and that giant ShopBot, and I thought, ‘Well, there’s something you wouldn’t think is used to make jewelry,’” Boyd told the Hub. “I thought I’d be designing clothes and making jewelry (but) I’m

so happy this isn’t sewing.”

Instead, Boyd is now representing the school in a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) competition between 14 digital fabrication laboratories in the state, with a clever design and a real chance to finish on top.

Turn to Fab/Page 7

Moms raise more than $44K for SASD eating,” Kotlowski ‘There are children who fall through the gaps, without said. these children do not qualify for free and Pressing forward, over the next seven years, the reduced meals and may go without eating.’

‘Chip in for Meals’ fund supports lunch program

– Chris Kotlowski

AMBER LEVENHAGEN Unified Newspaper Group

In 2011, when Chris Kotlowski heard from her son there was a student who didn’t go to class because he didn’t have lunch or supplies, she knew something needed to be done.

“I heard of this boy who needed help, so we wanted to raise money to donate

to the school district to use toward anyone in need,” the mother of three said.

Kotlowski and her friend Monique Olson rallied a group together locally, and within two weeks raised $1,300 through a golf outing fundraiser. After that first year, the two met with

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Stoughton Area School District officials to “learn more about the challenge that they face in meeting the needs of our students.”

“We learned that there are children who fall through the gaps, these children do not qualify for free and reduced meals and may go

two raised over $44,000 to benefit the Chip in for Meals program that helps buy lunch for students who need that extra help. The fundraisers have changed over the last few years, with this year’s “Gobble Wobble” Thanksgiving day relay raising over $2,000, all of which goes directly into the Stoughton Area School District’s meal fund.

But what remains is the

Turn to Meals/Page 2

1. Riverfront, Riverfront, Riverfront 2. KPW homes, nearby growth 3. Whitewater Park 4. City/school committee to present recommendations 5. City’s expansion into bank building 6. Stoughton Trailers expansion, potential move decline.

New development at KPW for several dozen homes could start this summer, with developers looking for government appoval this spring.

The city plans to try again for the million-dollar whitewater park grant, which it missed out on last year but is confident it will hear good news this

Turn to 2019/Page 10

Seeking some help Committee hopes to hire consultant on growth questions SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

Since they started more than a year ago on a search to find ways to bring and keep more young people to Stoughton, a committee of city and school district elected officials have used a recent UW study as a guide.

Now, they’re hoping to hire one of its main researchers to help them in their task.

Last month, members from the ad hoc committee comprised of members of the City Council,

Stoughton Area School District and Chamber of Commerce met with Randy Stoecker, lead researcher on the 2018 UW study “Gaining and Maintaining Young People in Rural Wisconsin Communities,” as well as Amanda Hoffman. As a graduate student, Hoffman conducted most of the interviews with people in dozens of communities.

Now working professionally, she’s interested in working with the group on a similar study on Stoughton, something committee co-chair Jonathon Coughlin told the Hub Friday is a “major step forward” for the group’s efforts.

“We found a potential

Turn to Growth/Page 3

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Stated simply, news in 2019 around Stoughton could be dominated by debate over new developments and old buildings.

With projects proposed along the Yahara riverfront, Kettle Park West and downtown, Stoughton’s future could begin to take shape later this year. Also, the fate of several older structures, such as the blacksmith shop, former Stoughton High School “1892” building and the riverside former power plant could be decided.

Growth will likely be a topic throughout the year.

A joint city-school board c o m m i t t e e w i l l l i ke l y make recommendations to both bodies this spring on ways to attract and retain young families, with a goal to help the district stop its recent enrollment

Stories to watch 2019

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January 3, 2019

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Photo submitted

The Gobble Wobble, a Thanksgiving Day fundraiser, raised over $2,000 this year for the Chip in for Meals fund. The fund supports lunches for children in the Stoughton Area School District who would not otherwise be able to eat during the school day.

Meals: Percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch is on the rise Continued from page 1

How to qualify

need, which continues to grow.

By the numbers W h i l e t h e d i s t r i c t ’s enrollment is declining, the percentage of students who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program is increasing. The program increased every year between 2000 and 2010, when it hit 20 percent of students.

In 2017, of the district’s 2,893 students enrolled, 783 – more than one in four – participated in the free and reduced lunch program, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction The 27 percent represents the highest ever at SASD, and is up nearly 86 students, or 4 percent, from the previous year, even with fewer overall students in the district.

Kotlowski explained that there are multiple factors that affect a student’s eligibility outside of the qualifiers established by the district and state- parents may not know they qualify or could be embarrassed to admit they need help, or students may not reach out to the school to talk about the situation.

“Most parents, if they have kids in schools and aren’t struggling, we assume our kids are off to school and they had a good breakfast and they are going to have a good day,” Kotlowski said. “But what’s difficult to think about is the kids that go to school with no breakfast and get

Photo submitted

The Gobble Wobble, a Thanksgiving Day fundraiser, raised over $2,000 this year for the Chip in for Meals fund. The fund supports lunches for children in the Stoughton Area School District who would not otherwise be able to eat during the school day. minimal lunch and they’re hungry- how can they get through the day?”

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Filling the gap Kotlowski said as the fundraisers have grown, the money now supports more than lunches, with some going to help supply the “whole needs of the child” in The Angel Project. A $50 donation can help purchase things such as a month of lunches, morning milk, cold weather or gym

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How to help To help support the Chip in for Meals or Angel’s Project, call the Stoughton Area School District administrative office at 877-5000. Checks should be made payable to the Stoughton Area School District and include in the memo which program the donation should support. 100 percent of funds go directly to the programs. apparel, eyeglasses, instrument rentals, course fees, extracurricular activities or even yearbooks.

“We’ve gotten gift cards for different places in the past, but we decided that a percentage would go to the meal fund and the other would go to the social workers for whatever they deemed fit for the kids,” she said.

Kotlowski said the Angel

Project is a way to keep the community engaged in raising funds throughout the year, instead of relying on the annual Thanksgiving event. Shei said she hopes to grow those fundraisers into a more interactive event, with increased presence from students, whether it’s student groups and organizations or band members for entertainment.

The Stoughton Area School District has guidelines for who is eligible for free and reduced lunches. Applications can be completed online at stoughton.k12.wi.us/Departments/FoodService.

Other information can be found on the district website, stoughton.k12. wi.us – search for “Food Service.” Call the district office at 877-5000 for more information.

All children in households receiving benefits from FoodShare, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)], or W-2 cash benefits are eligible for free meals.

Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.

Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.

Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.

Children may qualify to receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is at or below the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.

“There is so much good going on, people really do help people, and I’m grateful for our community because it really is an awesome small town,” she said. “The community and business (sponsors) are so supportive and I’m so thankful.”

Contact Amber Levenhagen at amber.levenhagen@ wcinet.com.

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‘Off Stage Left’ Senior center hosts opera program AMBER LEVENHAGEN Unified Newspaper Group

The Stoughton Area Senior Center will host a program about the history of one man’s experience with opera houses.

Scott Holderer will reflect on his myriad opera house positions during the program, which runs from 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 9.

Holderer has worked for dozens of companies, including The Santa Fe Opera, Dallas Opera, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Miami Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Opera/Columbus and Spoleto Opera in Spoleto, Italy, according to a news release from the senior center.

The program will cover

If You Go What: A Personal Journey in Opera Where: Stoughton Senior Center, 248 W. Main St. When: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9 Info: 873-8585

composers and stories that have inspired him as well as the importance of opera in its historic and cultural context. He particularly enjoys Tales of Hoffman, Madame Butterfly and Der Rosenkavalier.

For information about the program, call 8738585 or visit stoughtonseniorcenter.com.

Contact Amber Levenhagen at amber.levenhagen@wcinet.com.

Photo by Amber Levenhagen

Some of the quilts that had been on display at Livsreise.

Dane County

Livsreise hosts special exhibit Dunn gets $200K Unified Newspaper Group

Nestled amongst the numerous exhibits and displays at Livsreise, guests can check out a special winter exhibit that’s open through February.

“The Immigrant TrunkHopes and Dreams Headed for America” gives guests a chance to take a peek at what early immigrants brought with them to America. The trunks served as “a secure vessel for transporting valued family possessions,” including clothing, family heirlooms and jewelry.

Sometimes, shipping line workers glued a large label onto the trunk as a record of the travel across the Atlantic, the description explains, while others carried hand luggage, some of

If You Go What: Special winter exhibit: The Immigrant Trunk Where: Livsreise, 277 W. Main St. When: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, through Feb. 28 Info: Livsreise.org

which were bentwood boxes called “tine.” Those held clothing and valuables like a small Bible or catechism book.

The trunks vary in size- if traveling alone, an immigrant’s trunk was smaller and made of simple materials like pine. They were often designed simply, with perhaps on owner’s name or

About Livsreise

for pier work

Livsreise is a Norwegian Heritage Center that displays and features cultural heritage exhibits and shared stories of individual immigrants, hosting a rotating assortment of exhibits and displays highlighting Norwegian heritage and arts organizations. It’s connected to the Vesterheim National Norwegian American Museum and is home to a genealogy center that operates in cooperation with Norwegian American Genealogical Center/Naeseth Library.

For information, visit livsreise.org or call 873-7567.

initials inscribed.

The exhibit is open with the regular hours of the heritage center and will be on display through the end of February.

The other continuing exhibit, “Pieces of Self: Identity and Norwegian American Quilts,” is still open. Part of a national

Project designed to ease removing sediment around Yahara Bridge

traveling exhibit, it shares the ways Norwegian-Ameri c a n q u i l t m a k e r s h ave expressed their gender, family, community, religious and ethnic identities through quilts.

Contact Amber Levenhagen at amber.levenhagen@ wcinet.com.

Growth: Enrollment declines affect state funding partner to help us make sure we do a good job on those interviews,” he said. “I feel very lucky she was available. We have the help of the two people who did a significant amount of this research across the state, so I think that’s pretty cool.”

The district has been facing declining enrollment in the past decade, affecting state funding.

The project is part of the committee’s search to find “actionable suggestions” to present to the Council and school board this spring on how

to attract and retain young families.

The next step, Coughlin said, is asking those two bodies for funding to hire Hoffman to help the committee conduct interviews and compile the results.

“If we can secure her help, I have full confidence the information we get out of this whole thing will be solid for the community,” Coughlin said The committee is looking to talk with young people in the 18-40 age range living in Stoughton about what they like about the area, and what other young people might like.

Coughlin said he expects they will

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take the rest of this month and “sometime into February” to do some marketing and find people to participate in the interviews. He said their goal is to conduct the “bulk” of the interviews by the end of March to give time to compile the results to bring to the school board and Council in May. For more information on the project or to be interviewed, email Coughlin at jon.coughlin@stoughton.k12.wi.us Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott. delaruelle@wcinet.com.

608-795-9948

Email Unified Newspaper Group reporter Scott De Laruelle at scott.delaruelle@wcinet.com.

If you have a photo of an event or just a slice of life you think the community might be interested in, send it to us and we’ll use it if we can. You can submit it on our website at ConnectStoughton.com or email to editor Jim Ferolie at stoughtoneditor@wcinet.com.

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The Town of Dunn will get $200,000 in funding from Dane County to extend the pier depth of the Yahara Bridge to improve water flow there.

County Executive Joe Parisi announced the new funding on Friday, Dec. 28 for the bridge project in the Town of Dunn, which he said will make it easier to remove sediment and improve water flow.

The funding will “comp l e m e n t t h e c o u n t y ’s 2019 budget priority to m a x i m i z e w a t e r f l ow management following the extensive flooding that took place this summer,” according to a news release from Parisi’s office. He said the project will “move us in the right direction to better manage water flow.”

“This investment will

help Dane County’s infrastructure keep up with the solutions we develop to manage our changing climate,” he said.

By extending the depth of the pier, the county will be able to dredge around the bridge and remove sediment that is impeding water flow in the in the Yahara River, which connects Lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Kegonsa in the Yahara Chain. Currently, it is estimated that it takes two inches of rain over two weeks to leave the Yahara Lakes system, according to the news release.

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January 3, 2019

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Opinion

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Letters to the editor

Shakespeare’s modern relevance Okay, students, open your books to Shakespeare’s Lear, Act I Scene 1. Pay attention: The story is familiar. The tragic premise is an old man’s insistence of the alteration of the realm and the delegation of his royal power, that his underlings compete with each other in the extravagant expression of their loyalty and love for him. Some, sensibly, realistically, refuse to join in this ridiculous game and resign in protest.

Unhappy that we are, they say we cannot heave our hearts into our mouths: We are loyal to your power according to our oaths; no more nor less.

Lear, angry at this response, asks them to mend their behavior a little for the sake of show (which they refused to do). Then the old man, in his rage, banishes his lawyer and, heretofore, the most loyal of his retainers.

Lear expects a continuance of his royal privileges but, little by little, has his retainers and therefore his power stripped from him. Great numbers of his resign or are fired or betray him.

He is left alone, raging against nature itself in his twitters for the plight he finds himself in. He becomes an unaccommodated man, stripped of power, naked in a hostile country, advised his naked clowns, a madman in a

storm, fantastically garlanded and reduced to eating snared cheeseburgers raw.

If Lear does not know what has happened to him, the audience does. We know every terrible step of the way what has happened to the old Ruler.

Where old men should be wise, venerated and die in proper sequence, he is old and a fool.

He suffers abuse and rejection by his people. We watch this.

The pity and terror of it. We know.

When the story is done, we are not only purged, but somehow uplifted.

Because the royal house is invaded from the outside, and adults fill the room.

But for Lear it is too late.

The course of a corrupt life is revealed. All has failed him. He is told but does not hear: Thou shouldst not have been old before thou hadst been wise.

We have seen the emptiness and the pointlessness of a ruler’s rage, his threats and knowing he could have ruled in a prosperous kingdom had he not acted like a damned old fool. An upwelling of compassion occurs for him.

The Old Man is defeated.

But the nation will survive.

Steven Fortney City of Stoughton

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Community Voices

The past shows us but doesn’t control our future W hen I was a senior in high school, I was very uncertain about what I was going to do and where I was going the following year.

But because I knew that God had been with me in the past, I felt safe assuming God would be with me in my future. Because I knew my family loved me, l felt safe that no matter what, they would still love me in the future.

I made both these predictions with confidence because I knew they had been true in the past and in the present.

Budnar They gave me strength to face the things I could not predict, the uncertainties of what was to come.

Even though I struggled with my confidence at times, reminding myself of where I had come from gave me the confidence to continue on to my destination in becoming a priest.

As the New Year begins, we don’t know what it will hold for us.

But we do know what the year we just left was like, and all the years that we have lived through.

The better we know our personal history, the better we know ourselves, the better we are at predicting whether we can accomplish what we set out to do.

After high school, I decided to enter the seminary and study for the Catholic priesthood. It only took a year before I looked at myself and I looked at what it took to be a priest. I said I cannot do it. I

don’t have what it takes.

My spiritual adviser reminded me that when I was in first grade, I did not have what it takes to graduate from high school; all I needed to do was to keep learning.

When I considered this advice I realized, like in the past, as I learned what I needed to learn and I changed in my life what I needed to change, I could look into the future and say I can do it again. I can learn. I can change. I can have hope.

This gave me courage and inspiration to continue in the path God was directing me.

By the time the ordination came, I was not as ready as I would have liked to be, but I knew that I could still learn, I could still change. I knew I could do it in the future because I had done it in the past.

We do not have to be limited by our past. Having a bad past life does not doom a person to carry that into the future.

I know a person who had a difficult childhood, someone who who had a father who did not pay attention to him except when he did something wrong. He learned that if he wanted attention from his dad he could get it by misbehaving at school, getting bad grades and not doing his chores.

But he put a lot of effort into learning to be a good father. He denied his impulses from the past that told him he was bad.

After he got married and had children, he asked his spouse to correct him if she didn’t hear him saying good things to their children. He asked her to speak up if he failed to ask them about school or take an interest in what they

were doing.

Sometimes, he would get defensive. Sometimes, he ignored his children, Sometimes, he lost patience, but he was determined to see that his children were not raise like he was raised. He made mistakes, but he learned and he changed.

In the end, he became a very good father and knew his children were good. He did not carry his past into the future, but created a new one.

Sometimes we can have confidence that what worked in the past will carry us into the future. Other times, we can chose not to carry forward what was harmful in our past.

So while I don’t know what the future has in store for me, thanks to God, when I look into the New Year, I don’t look into it with fear of the unknown, I look into it with hope.

I know that while I am influenced by my past, I am not controlled by it. I look into the New Year with hope for all the good that can happen, all the love that can grow. I predict with a lot of confidence that I will enjoy the life God has given me, that somehow everything will work out for the good, that I will continue to learn and continue to change for the better.

This attitude improves my life and makes the world a better place to live for everyone.

The Rev. Randy Budnar is the parish priest at St. Ann Catholic Church in Stoughton.

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.

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

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Stoughton History January

100 Years ago - 1909 • Wilbur Wright, the American aviator, beat all previous flight records yesterday afternoon with a magnificent flight that lasted two hours and eight minutes. He covered a distance of 73 miles.

• What was probably the largest tobacco delivery in the vicinity of Deerfield was made to J. Johnson of Edgerton. It comprised more than 80,000 pounds, and represents close to $8,000 in value.

• Ole Trulson, 70, dropped dead in the meat market at the O.K. Store Saturday afternoon from paralysis of the heart. Trulson had been in failing health for the past two years and underwent an operation some time ago.

• The business of the Senate consumed less than an hour.

A motion by Senator Gore of Oklahoma, to print the inaugural address and proclamation of emancipation of President Lincoln in celebration of the centennial year of Lincoln’s birth, brought Mr. Bailey of Texas to his feet with objection to printing the proclamation of emancipation.

Further discussion was stopped by a reference of the entire matter to committee.

• Earl Townsend was arrested on complaint of Rev. J.J. Lee of Our Saviours Church for working his force of men on Sunday in filling the ice house. It seemed necessary for Mr. Townsend to do this in order to keep the channel open where the ice floated down a distance nearly half a mile. The channel had been cut at large expense, and the time an opportune one for filling the ice house.

We have failed in our rounds to find a person who approves of the reverend gentleman; we believe him to be “penny wise and pound foolish.”

70 Years ago - 1949 • Stoughton’s baby population

showed a considerable increase in the past year over the preceding year, according to the unofficial tabulation compiled by the Courier Hub staff. Babies born in Stoughton area couples in 1948 totaled 322, compared to 254 in 1947, or an increase of 68.

• City real estate will continue to hold firm through 1949, due to less available rental space cause by pulling down structures to save taxes, provide parking spaces, etc.

There is also a disinclination to build new city property in view of the present high costs.

• The Stoughton Canning Plant has been operating in Stoughton for more than six seasons. It started with 10 vineries and now has 13. Since starting, it has experienced some excellent growing seasons.

• President Truman has accepted the resignation of ailing George Marshall as Secretary of State, and appointed 55-year-old Dean Acheson as his successor.

• The state department has accused Russians of undermining the United Nations and driving free nations into forming a North Atlantic Security Alliance. The department blames these developments on Soviet obstructionist policies.

• Oklahoma’s Charles (Bud) Wilkinson won’t say yes or no to whether he will become the University of Wisconsin’s new head football coach.

much as three hours.

• Three volunteer firemen retired from the local department at the start of the year after a combined total of 62 years of service.

Retiring are Alvin Udstuen, Richard Grefsheim and Elmer Gullickson. Replacing the three retiring firemen are four new firemen who attended their first meeting Monday evening. They are Norris Fosdahl, Norman Venden, Jerry King and Seamon Moe, Jr. • In an attempt to halt the problem of drug abuse by Stoughton students, the school board Monday night passed a resolution allowing school officials to search storage lockers. The new policy states that “lockers and other places of storage are offered to students and staff as a convenience, but control and regulation of these facilities remains with the Board of Education and its appointed authorities.

• The heavy snowfall that Stoughton has had so far this winter has been a welcome sight for the members of the Stoughton Ski Club. The youngsters began putting their 50-foot ski jump, which was completed early in December, to good use of Christmas vacation as they prepared for the annual ski jump tournament which the club is sponsoring on Feb. 2.

• Stoughton’s fire department is extremely happy today - the new snorkel arrived shortly before noon. According to fire depart50 Years ago - 1969 ment officials, a representative • It was welcome news last of the manufacturing firm will night – the thermometer finally remain in Stoughton until Sunday got back to zero. In the meantime, night. the frigid weather, with temperatures hovering around 15 degrees 30 Years ago - 1989 below zero, caused some of the • A county committee’s holdnewer cars to stall. The bitter up of zoning changes at Impact breezes, icy streets and strand- Speedway will not affect the ed motorists also over-taxed the application by investors to the service stations and garages, as State Racing Board for a license distress calls were backed up as for a proposed greyhound track

there. But county approval of the changes will be needed before the track can operate, even if the state grants a license. The Rutland Town board, two weeks ago, gave conditional approval to zoning changes needed to develop a proposed $13 million greyhound racing track.

• Members of the Stoughton Board of Education would like to meet with officials from Stoughton and Dunkirk before making their recommendation on a new school site. But amid warnings that the decision had better be made soon, they may not get there.

• What would Dunkirk township be like without Roger Olson as town chair? We’ll find out this spring. The veteran of 30-plus years will not seek re-election, it was learned Tuesday night at the Dunkirk Town caucus.

• Farmers have had their fair share of bad news the past year, but the tobacco growers aren’t complaining. Their price is up by 25 percent. Tobacco markets opened Jan. 10 at $1.15 a pound, but with few willing sellers at that rate, prices quickly rose to $1.25 a pound. That’s the highest rate since 1981.

• A second area veteran town chair is stepping aside. Irv Quam, a fixture on the Pleasant Springs Town Board for more than 30 years, did not seek re-election at that township’s caucus Tuesday night. He joins Roger Olson of Dunkirk is leaving the local political scene.

10 Years ago - 2009 • Members of two Stoughton families walked away with some very precious gifts Christmas Eve - their lives. Shortly before 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 24, Stoughton fire, EMS and police units responded to a report of an explosion and structure fire at a duplex

at the intersection of W. Main and King streets. Stoughton deputy fire chief Scott Wegner said upon arrival, firefighters encountered “heavy fire conditions” at one unit of the duplex, a unit that has mostly collapsed due to the explosion and whose debris was now feeding a raging natural gasline fueled fire.

• Families and ice fanatics had fun at the Mandt Center ice rink New Year’s Eve as the Stoughton Youth Hockey Association hosted its third-annual “Skate Into the New Year,” an event in which kids and adults brought the new year in together.

• Diminutive in physical statue but a giant in terms of providing leadership to this city for the greater part of the past two decades, Mayor Helen Johnson announced her resignation, effective Jan. 23. Johnson, whose term is not up until April 2010, said she was resigning early to spend more time with her family. The mayor’s husband and adult daughter are both facing health issues and the 72-year-old Johnson said she wants to focus on them.

• Jim Griffin, current Stoughton Common Council president and a nearly nine-year council veteran, was selected Monday by his fellow alderpersons to serve out the 14-plus months remaining in the term of Mayor Helen Johnson.

Griffin was selected for the post on an 8-4 vote near the conclusion of a special meeting held to discuss the procedure for filling the pending mayoral vacancy.

• Tuesday, Jan. 27, the Stoughton Area School District launched its “new and improved” website, a redesign nearly two years in the making. According to Bob Smiley, technology director, “We were simply at a point where technology had advanced and (enhancing the site) was the next logical step.”

POLICE REPORTS

November 2 Officers referred a 15-yearold boy to juvenile court for battery following a fight between youths near Kegonsa Elementary School.

Officers arrested a 26-yearold man on a charge of second offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic stop on Main Street.

November 11 Officers arrested a 48-yearold man for battery and disorderly conduct following a domestic disturbance on 5th St. Officers arrested a 31-yearNovember 10 old woman for disorderly Officers arrested a 21-year- conduct following a disturold woman and a 29-year-old bance on Kenilworth Court. man for possession of THC with intent to deliver and possession of cocaine following an officer checking on a suspicious vehicle in a residential area on Academy St. Officers referred charges on a 28-year-old man for vioNovember 5 Officers arrested a 17-yearold boy for disorderly conduct following a domestic disturbance on Prospect St.

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Officers arrested a 39-yearold man for possession of drug paraphernalia and a probation hold following a report of a subject passed out in a business bathroom.

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November 4 Officers arrested a 40-yearold man and a 33-year-old man, both for negligent handling of burning materials (arson), following at least two dumpsters that were set on fire in an alley downtown on Main Street. Both subjects claimed that they were intoxicated at the time of the incidents.

Officers arrested an 18-year-old man for contributing to the delinquency of November 1 a minor, criminal damage to Officers arrested a 31-year- property (party to a crime), old man for disorderly con- and disorderly conduct while duct following a domestic disturbance on Marie Drive.

armed following an incident in the Walmart parking lot. The suspect had allegedly pointed a weapon at another subject that he was having a conflict with. The weapon turned out to be a facsimile handgun.

The victim’s vehicle was also damaged in the incident and a 16-year-old boy was referred to juvenile court for criminal damage to property.

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November 3 Officers arrested a 32-yearold man on a probation hold following a traffic stop on Hwy. 51 where the subject had alcohol in his system in violation of his probation.

Officers arrested a 53-yearold man for disorderly conduct following a domestic disturbance on Lincoln Ave.

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The Stoughton Police Department logged 2,105 incidents for November. Cases of interest for the month were; nine intoxicated driver arrests, two intoxicated persons, five drug incidents, three burglaries, 14 thefts, five frauds, seven domestic disturbances, 24 disturbances, 11 disorderly conducts, 30 traffic crashes, 51 EMS assists, 13 alarms, 13 juvenile incidents, 37 911 calls, two warrant arrests, five threats, 13 animal complaints and officers responded to 23 suspicious activity calls. Officers also logged 43 check persons, 43 check properties, 72 assist cases, 33 criminal charges, 10 ordinance violations and 43 traffic arrests from 62 traffic stops.

The following were identified as significant cases:

6

January 3, 2019

Stoughton Courier Hub

ConnectStoughton.com

Coming up

Community calendar

Yahara River Hootenanny

DeeDee Bouzek.

Tickets are $12 and can be purVisit the Yahara River Grocery chased at showtix4u.com.

Cooperative, 229 E. Main St., for their monthly Yahara River Hoo- Faith stories tenanny, a song-sharing circle for St. Ann’s Parish will continue musicians and singers, from 10 its “Our Faith Stories” series with a.m. to noon on the first Saturdays a discussion at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, of the month through November.

Jan. 6, in St. Ann’s Church’s Healy The event is open to all ages, Hall, 323 N. Van Buren St. abilities and acoustic instruments Each month, the parish asks with sheet music generally pro- parishioners to share how they see vided. The Hootenanny embraces God working in their lives. This all styles of music, including folk, month, Mike Donahue and Jim bluegrass, old time, country, ethnic, Cisle will discuss the experience blues and rock. During the sum- they shared with the people of mer, the group sometimes moves Catarina, Guatemala, where they across Main Street and plays at the visited earlier this year.

Stoughton Community Farmers For information, call 873-7633.

Market on Forrest Street.

For information, visit facebook. Teen yoga com/YaharaRiverHoot.

Stoughton Yoga will offer a Teen Tuesdays series from Jan. 8 to Feb. Musical performance 5 at the studio, 123 E. Main St. All Aligning Stars Theater will per- classes run from 4-4:45 p.m. form “Band Geeks! The Musical” Instructed by Kelly Petrie, the at 7 p.m. January 3-5 at the Stough- series is designed for teens ages 12 ton Village Players Theater, 255 E. and up. They will learn yoga and Main St. mindfulness techniques. Yoga mats The performance follows the will be provided and no prior yoga Cuyahoga High School marching experiences is necessary. A donaband, which has a dwindling bud- tion of $10, for the entire series, is get and a handful of members, as requested. new members navigate relationRegistration is required and can ships and peer pressure. be done by emailing info@stoughThe performance is directed by tonyoga.org.

Baha’i Faith

For information: Alfred Skerpan, 877-0911 or Gail and Greg Gagnon, 873-9225 us.bahai.org Stoughton study classes.

Bible Baptist Church

2095 Hwy. W, Utica 873-7077 • 423-3033 Sunday: 10 a.m. - Worship; 6 p.m. - Worship

Christ Lutheran Church

Covenant Lutheran Church

1525 N. Van Buren St., Stoughton • 873-7494 covlutheran@gmail.com • covluth.org Saturday: 5:30 p.m. Worship Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Worship, 10:30 a.m. Fellowship

Ezra Church

515 E. Main St., Stoughton • 834-9050 ezrachurch.com Sunday: 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

First Lutheran Church

700 Hwy. B, Stoughton 873-9353 • e-mail: office@clcstoughton.org Sunday: 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., Worship, 9:10 a.m. Family Express and Sunday School

310 E. Washington, Stoughton 873-7761 • flcstoughton.com Sunday: 8:30 and 10 a.m. Worship

Christ the King Community Church

Fulton Church

401 W. Main St., Stoughton • 877-0303 christthekingcc.org Sunday: 10 a.m. - Worship

Christian Assembly Church

1844 Williams Drive, Stoughton • 873-9106 Saturday: 6 p.m. Worship Sunday: 10 a.m. Worship

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

825 S. Van Buren, Stoughton 877-0439 • Missionaries 957-3930 Sunday: 9 a.m. Sunday school and Primary

Cooksville Lutheran Church

221 Kings Lynn Rd. Stoughton, WI 53589 (608) 873-8888

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11927 W. Church St., Evansville 882-4408 Pastor Karla Brekke Sunday: 10 a.m. Worship and Sunday School

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873-4590

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1358 Hwy 51, Stoughton Pete Gunderson Mike Smits • Dale Holzhuter Martha Paton, Administrative Manager Sara Paton Barkenhagen, Administrative Assistant Paul Selbo, Funeral Assistant Alyssa Halverson, Funeral Dir. Apprentice

www.gundersonfh.com

9209 Fulton St., Edgerton 884-8512 • fultonchurch.org Sunday: 8 and 10:30 a.m. Worship Services Coffee Fellowship: 9:10 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Varsity (High Schoolers): 12-3 p.m.

AWANA (age 2-middle school): 3-5 p.m.

Good Shepherd By The Lake Lutheran Church

1860 Hwy. 51 at Lake Kegonsa, Stoughton 873-5924 Sunday Worship: 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Education hour for all ages: 9:15 a.m.

Adult Bible Study: 9:15-9:45 a.m.

LakeView Church

2200 Lincoln Ave., Stoughton 873-9838 • lakevc.org Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Worship

Coin collectors A coin collecting program will be held at the senior center starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8.

Bill Barreau will lead the series of discussions. He’s a member of the State of Wisconsin American Numismatic Association and Madison Area Coin Club. He collects coins, paper money, Depression scripts and foreign money.

For information, call 873-8585.

Movie night T h e S o n s o f N o r wa y M a n d t Lodge, 317 S. Page St., will host a movie night starting at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 9.

The movie, “The Kings Choice,” lasts a little more than two hours.

Snacks will be available before and during the movie.

For information, contact Darlene Arneson at arnesonfamily5@gmail. com or 873-7209.

Pancake Party Learn how to make pancakes from scratch at the library at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10.

There will be toppings to embellish the treats. The activity is for teens in grades six and up and no registration is needed.

For information, call 873-6281.

‌Thursday, January 3‌

• 1-2:30 p.m., Yahara Strummers ukulele group, senior center, 206-5288‌ • 3:30 p.m., Teen advisory board meeting, library, 8736281‌ • 7 p.m., Aligning Stars Theater presents “Band Geeks! The Musical” ($12), Stoughton Village Players Theater, 255 E. Main St., showtix4u.com‌

‌Friday, January 4‌

• 1 p.m., First Friday movie: “Rampage,” senior center, 873-8585‌ • 7 p.m., Aligning Stars Theater presents “Band Geeks! The Musical” ($12), Stoughton Village Players Theater, 255 E. Main St., showtix4u.com‌

‌Saturday, January 5‌

• 9:15-11:15 a.m., Stoughton Area Dems and Progressives meeting, library, stoughtondems.org‌ • 7 p.m., Aligning Stars Theater presents “Band Geeks! The Musical” ($12), Stoughton Village Players Theater, 255 E. Main St., showtix4u.com‌

‌Sunday, January 6‌

• 6:30 p.m., Our Faith Stories, St. Ann Catholic Church, 323 N. Van Buren St., 873-7633‌

‌Tuesday, January 8‌

• 9:30-11:30 a.m., Memory Cafe, Stoughton Hospital, 900 Ridge St., 873-8585‌ • 10-11 a.m., Coin collectors, senior center, 873-8585‌ • 10:30-11:30 a.m., Guide to downsizing class (registration requested), senior center, 873-8585‌ • 11 a.m., Commission on Aging, senior center, 8738585‌ • 1 p.m., Color and conversation group (reservation required), senior center, 873-8585‌

‌Wednesday, January 9‌

Seventh Day Baptist Church of Albion

616 Albion Rd., Edgerton 561-7450 • albionsdb@gmail.com forministry.com/USWISDBGCASD1 Worship Saturday 11- Sabbath School 10

Stoughton Baptist Church

Corner of Williams Dr. & Cty. B, Stoughton 873-6517 Sunday: 10:30 a.m., 6 p.m. Worship

St. Ann Catholic Church

323 N. Van Buren St., Stoughton 873-6448 • 873-7633 Weekday Mass: Nazareth House and St. Ann’s Church Weekend Mass: Saturday - 5:15 p.m.; Sunday - 8 and 10:30 a.m.

United Methodist of Stoughton 525 Lincoln Avenue, Stoughton stoughtonmethodist.org Stoughtonumc@Wisconsinumc.org Sunday: 8 a.m.; 10 a.m. - Full Worship

United Pentecostal Church of Stoughton

1501 E. Main St., Stoughton • 608-205-6444 Pastor Rich Thomas • rthomas@cgcmadison.org Sunday Worship: 10 a.m., Thursday Bible Study: 7 p.m.

West Koshkonong Lutheran Church 1911 Koshkonong, Stoughton Sunday: 10:30 a.m. - Worship

• 10-11 a.m., January birthday party, senior center, 873-8585‌ • 1-2 p.m., Off Stage Left: A Personal Journey in Opera, senior center, 873-8585‌ • 7 p.m., Movie night, Sons of Norway Mandt Lodge, 317 S. Page St., 873-7209‌

‌Thursday, January 10‌ • 3:45-5 p.m., Pancake party for teens (grades 6 and up), library, 873-6281‌ • 6:30 p.m., Thursdays with Murder book club: Martin Walker Bruno Chief of Police series, library, 873-6281‌

Food pantries City of Stoughton Food Pantry The City of Stoughton Food Pantry, 520 S. Fourth St., is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

It will also be open from 4-6 p.m. Thursday evenings and the first Saturday of the month from 9-11 a.m.

SUMC Food Pantry The Stoughton United Methodist Church Food Pantry, 525 Lincoln Ave., is open from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesdays. It will also be located from 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays.

Personal Essentials Pantry The Personal Essentials Pantry (PEP), 343 E. Main St., is open from 1-5 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each Month. The pantry will be closed on holidays and if SASD is closed due to weather.

Western Koshkonong Lutheran Church 2633 Church St., Cottage Grove Sunday: 9:30 a.m. worship 11 a.m. Bible study

Telling the Truth We live in an age where some justify lies by calling them “alternative facts” and where people accept a sophomoric relativism which says that one is entitled to believe whatever one wishes, even when one is believing blatant falsehoods.The fact that people can believe things which are easily shown to be false only illustrates how naïve and gullible we can be.This inability to distinguish truth from falsehood is something which we see most clearly in children.Young children will believe almost anything (e.g.,the tooth fairy,the Easter bunny, and Santa Claus, to name just a few). As children get older, we expect them to discern truth from falsehood, and to tell the truth. Some parents question the wisdom of lying to children about such things as Santa Claus, as it sends several questionable messages. As children grow out of the naivete of early childhood, we teach them to be critical and discerning,f or example, telling them not to trust strangers, and requiring them to tell the truth at all times. Like the little boy who cried wolf, we have trouble trusting those who have repeatedly deceived us.We are not relativists in our everyday life, knowing that there is an objective truth about factual matters. And while it may be wise to suspend judgement on some issues until the facts are better known, we should not deceive ourselves into believing that there are alternative versions of reality. Truth is one.

– Christopher Simon

Support groups Diabetic Support Group • 6 p.m., second Monday, Stoughton Hospital, 8732356

Low Vision Support • 1-2:30 p.m., third Thursday, senior center, 8738585

Dementia Caregivers • 2 p.m., second Thursday, senior center, 873-8585

Parkinson’s Group • 1:30-2:30 p.m., fourth Wednesday, senior center, 873-8585

Crohn’s/Colitis/IBD Support Group • 5:30 p.m., third Wednesday, Stoughton Hospital, 873-7928

Multiple Sclerosis Group • 10-11:30 a.m., second Tuesday, senior center, 873-8585

Grief Support Groups • 2 p.m., third Wednesday, senior center, 873-8585

Submit your community calendar and coming up items online:

ConnectStoughton.com ungcalendar@wcinet.com

ConnectStoughton.com

January 3, 2019

Stoughton Courier Hub

7

Fab: Student’s Fab Lab project could be among the 10 teams chosen for semifinals this month Continued from page 1

Boyd said she first got the idea for making a handheld “maze ball”-type game at the Fab Lab earlier in the year, but “kind of forgot about it” until Fab Lab advisor Mike Connor asked if she wanted to create something for a contest.

The maze idea immediately came to mind, but when she heard it had to be a coaster, that didn’t initially strike her creative fancy.

“I said, ‘You’re kidding – all these amazing machines and you want to make a coaster? Coasters are boring,’” Boyd said. “‘He said, ‘It needs to be a coaster.’ “‘Well, then I can do a coaster that’s also a ball maze.’”

The finished product is visually impressive – and functional – showing cheese-producing counties in the state, while challenging the player to “visit” them as they travel all around Wisconsin – without falling in the hole, of course.

“So now when you’re done drinking, you can play a game on your coaster,” Boyd said.

Connor said Boyd went from “prototype to a finished product” in about five weeks.

“What really impresses me she took something that kind of a simple idea – just

All the schools who were invited to compete were past recipients of WEDC’s Fab Labs Grant Program, which “supports handson science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education by assisting public school districts with equipment purchases for instructional and educational purposes in fab labs,” according to a WEDC news release. Since the program’s inception, WEDC has awarded nearly $1.6 million in grants.

“And I think she already won, because she’s so so proud of it and so confident,” he said. “It builds your confidence.”

Boyd thinks so, too, and is also having so much fun this semester, she’s already made a New Year’s resoPhotos by Amber Levenhagen lution, and is enrolled in Shannon Boyd, a Stoughton High School sophomore, shows the final product of her submission to a state Fab Lab competi- another Fab Lab course for spring semester, working on tion while in front of a whiteboard she used to outline her initial ideas. individual projects. said it helped to have a with people,” she said.

This time, she’s enrolling Fab Lab class period to get With results due in a few on purpose. some work done, though weeks, hopes are high, as she had still had to man- Connor said everyone at Email Unified Newspaper age her other projects in the Fab Lab Stoughton believes Group reporter Scott De course as she worked right Boyd will win the competiLaruelle at scott.delaruelup until the deadline. le@wcinet.com. tion.

“I wanted to make sure everything was just right, but I also knew I had a Celebrating 28 Years in Business! project to turn in, and it worked,” she said. “I WISCONSIN MONUMENT & VAULT CO. thought it was really cool 159 W. Main St. • 873-5513 — wow, I just did this. This Serving Stoughton since 1989. is fun.”

And as impressive as Photo by Amber Levenhagen the finished product is for Boyd, it’s even moreso, The project gets the finishing touches added. considering she was the a ball with a bunch of holes results. It was a painstak- sole member of her team, on a disc – and you make it ing process, with “at least” unlike most other schools. and then you make it bet- eight design modifications, But the numbers never ter,” he said. “It’s that inte- not counting the continuous phased her a bit.

Pete Gunderson • Mike Smits • Dale Holzhuter grative design process of tweaking up until the dead“I guess it’s kind of easy Sara Paton Barkenhagen • Martha Paton • Alyssa Halverson problem-solving and taking line. to work with yourself,” she those digital tools from the “It was like, work up said. “I didn’t even know • Personalized Life Celebration Services virtual world and bringing until the bell, and then the there were teams until the • Cremation Services & Options it to the physical world. bell rang,” she said. “You week before I turned it in.”

• Traditional Burial Services “And making something have to test everything and • Green Burials • Veteran Services into a game … all the stu- then you have to fix what’s Facing the judges? dents in the Fab Lab wanted wrong. I tried to use a lot of Later this month, 10 • Stoughton - 1358 Hwy. 51 N to play it.” cardboard, so I’m not wast- teams will be chosen for 608.873.4590 ing a lot of material.” the semifinal round, which Part work, part fun To reach that finished includes personally “pitch• OREGON - 1150 Park St. While the lab is chock product, Boyd spent “I have ing” their idea to a group 608-835-3515 full of tools and technology, no idea how many” hours of judges, something Boyd Boyd kept it relatively sim- on the project, which she said she’s a bit nervous www.gundersonfh.com ple, putting her ideas into worked on at least an hour about, but mainly excited.

Abode Illustrator and using a day from October through “I like sharing my ideas a laser cutter to shape the the end of December. She adno=39277

‘Can do’

WEDC Fab Lab Grant Program

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In the competition, new this year, students at more than 40 schools with Fab Labs that received WEDC grants were tasked to use their school’s labs to design and create gifts – a set of drink coasters – to be given to by state officials as gifts to dignitaries. Designs were to include “Wisconsin,” as well as elements representing the state’s economic, cultural, historic or other attributes, according to a WEDC news release, with a deadline of Dec. 31.

Later this month, 10 semi finalists will be selected to pitch their ideas to judges, who will select two winning designs. According to the news release, the governor, lieutenant governor and other state officials “frequently meet with senior officials from foreign governments and international businesses, in which gift-giving is part of the standard protocol.”

Dale Smith

He was born on July 29, 1925, in Luck, the son of Ray and Ruby (Dakins) Smith.

Dale joined the Navy out of high school and served four years.

Upon returning home, Dale met Pat Lieser, the love of his life. They married on June 7, 1947, in Ladysmith, where Dale began working for Schultz Brothers Variety Store.

Dale Smith He worked for the company for 43 years and retired as a district supervisor.

Dale W. Smith, age 93, Upon retirement, Dale and passed away on Monday, Pat became snowbirds, Dec. 24, 2018, surrounded wintering in Florida for by loved ones.

11 years. Dale enjoyed

woodworking, telling jokes and stories and ex p l o r i n g t h e c o u n t r y side while taking long drives with his family. He is survived by his children, Mike (Linda) Smith, Barb Smith-Palinkas, Kathy Smith, Jean (Carlos) Smith-Andrade, Bev Smith (Cathy) and Chris SmithKeenan; 10 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. As Dale often said, he had a wonderful family and “there’s not a lemon in the bunch.”

He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Pat; his son, Mark; parents; and sister, Joyce Moreau.

A graveside service and interment will be held at St. Ann Cemetery, Stoughton, in the summer of 2019.

M e m o r i a l s i n D a l e ’s name may be made to St. Ann Catholic Church. We want to thank Dr. Kresge, the St. Ann Eucharistic Ministry Program, the staff at Stoughton Meadows and Agrace HospiceCare for their support and care.

Online condolences may be made at gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Stoughton Funeral & Cremation Care 1358 Hwy. 51 North at Jackson St. (608) 873-4590

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Obituary

8

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Courier Hub For more sports coverage, visit: ConnectStoughton.com

Sports

Jeremy Jones, sports editor

845-9559 x226 • ungsportseditor@wcinet.com

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

Boys hockey

Iced over the holidays

Girls hockey

JEREMY JONES

Icebergs finish 2-1 in Rhinelander

​Sports editor

JEREMY JONES

Vikings go 0-3 at Cheeseburger Classic

Junior forward Brody Hlavacek scored all four goals for the Stoughton boys hockey team over the weekend as it went 0-3 at the Monk’s Cheeseburger Classic in Wisconsin Dells.

The Vikings fell to the Reedsburg/Wisconsin Dells and La Crosse Aquinas/Holmen co-ops in the first two rounds, which set up a second showdown with sectional rival Greendale.

Coach Doug Kraft said the Vikings tried some different combinations to get ready for the second half of the season, some by design and some by necessity.

“That was a big reason for our disjointed play,” he said. “All of us are looking forward to the back half of the schedule, where things get exciting.”

Senior goaltender Carter Hellenbrand did what he could to keep Stoughton in the games.

“Carter’s been on a roll,” Kraft said. “He’s really accepted the role of being the primary goaltender.

He has kept us in games, sometimes single-handedly.”

The Vikings (4-9-0 overall, 2-20 Badger South) were without senior forward Nolan Stapelfeldt (4 goals, 8 assists) for the tournament.

R/WD 4, Stoughton 0 Hellenbrand had double-digit saves in every period of a 4-0 loss to the host Reedsburg/Wisconsin Dells co-op Thursday, Dec. 28, including 17 in the second period as the Vikings were outshot 48-13 inside Poppy Waterman Ice Arena.

It marked the first shutout of the season for the Vikwwwwings.

“Carter had a couple of very acrobatic saves there in the third period,’ Kraft said. “The game was pretty much out of reach, but he was still laying it on the line for his teammates.”

Perfect throughout the first and third periods, Hellenbrand and the Vikings’ defense allowed all four goals to Reedsburg/Wisconsin Dells (7-2-1) in the second period.

R/WD scored the first three goals, three minutes apart in the first seven minutes of the period.

“We can’t count on having 13 shots on goal and winning games,” Kraft said. “For the first time this

​Sports editor

The Icebergs girls hockey co-op made its annual trek to the Hodag tournament inside Rhinelander Ice Arena over Christmas break and won two of three games.

The girls dominated the Medford Raiders on Dec. 27 and then split a pair of onegoal games Dec. 28 and 29 inside Rhinelander Ice Arena.

They improved to 4-9-0 overall with the victories.

Icebergs 11, Medford 4 Photo by Jeremy Jones

Defenseman Jack Sanford battles Jonathan Zobel for the puck Thursday, Dec. 27 in Wisconsin Dells.

What’s next Stoughton travels to Monroe (4-6, 1-4) at 7 p.m. Friday. year, we weren’t able to get that first goal. It just piled on, and the pressure mounts. It becomes hard to score.”

Kraft said he had felt like the team was coming together before the break.

“A lot of that is on me,” he said.

“The boys had a nice, long break for Christmas. We didn’t get them back working quick enough going into a three-game tournament.”

Defenseman Jonathan Zobel scored the first goal for R/WD four-and-half-minutes into the second period on the power play. Forward Danny Ely was credited with the primary assist, centering the pass from behind the goal line to the front of the net.

Forward Ben Jones scored at 6:19 and forward Derek Pawlak added a second goal one minute later to extend R/WD’s lead to 3-0.

Zobel capped the scoring 14:40 into the period with a second power-play goal.

Kraft watched film on R/WD and thought Stoughton would have some odd-man situations.

“They were shutting down our breakout pretty well. That can get in player’s head,” he said.

the slot. He tried to go to the 5 hole, but Aquinas goaltender Jack Coleman made the initial save and HlaTeam Wins Losses vacek banged in his own rebound.

Wink, who had all four Avalanche goals, capped his hat trick 11:05 Edgewood 6 0 into the second period to push the Oregon 4 1 Aquinas/Holmen advantage back to two goals, 3-1.

Monona Grove 2 2 Stoughton 2 2 Hlavacek added a power-play goal early in the third period. Junior McFarland 1 3 forward Jared Bauer made a cross ice pass to Hlavacek, who skated Milton 0 3 to the top of the left circle and let a Monroe 0 4 snapshot go.

Badger South

Aquinas 4, Stoughton 2 Stoughton quickly found itself down a pair of goals Friday against La Crosse Aquinas/Holmen and lost 4-2.

Hlavacek and Aquinas forward Ryan Wink, the state’s leading scorer, scored all six goals.

Wink capitalized twice in under three minutes in the first period as the Avalanche held off the Vikings, 4-2. Wink had all four goals for Aquinas.

Hlavacek helped Stoughton pull within a goal twice, scoring 5:16 into the first period and again 2:52 into the third, but Aquinas/Holmen answered each time.

Trailing 2-0 in the first period, Hlavacek quickly caught junior defenseman Jack Trotter’s pass and headed up ice to cut the lead to 2-1.

Hlavacek slipped the puck through the legs of an Avalanche defenseman and picked it back up in

Greendale 6, Stoughton 2 Hlavacek once again scored all the goals in Stoughton’s 6-2 loss Saturday to the Greendale Ice Force.

It was the first win of the season for Greendale, which had lost 7-2 to Stoughton on Nov. 23 in the second game of the season.

Luke Davitz scored a pair of goals for the Ice Force. Ian Rybarik had a goal and three assists, and Rob Anderson had a goal and assist.

Greendale scored the only two goals in the first period and extended its lead to 4-0 through the first 12 minutes of the second. Hlavacek scored a short-handed goal in the final three-and-a-half minutes of the second. He later cut the lead in half in first four-and-a-half minutes of the third.

The Ice Force closed out the win with a goal from Davitz and Jordan Quellette in the final 13 minutes.

Wrestling

Vikings get into Bi-States, win tournament JEREMY JONES ​Sports editor

A blizzard last weekend in Fargo set the Stoughton wrestling team scrambling to find another tournament. The Vikings were one of 88 teams slated to compete in the Rumble on the Red tournament Dec. 28-29. Treacherous travel conditions forced Stoughton and 30 other teams to stay close to home.

Stoughton got into the 37th annual Bi-State Classic tournament in La Crosse instead. Viking

What’s next Stoughton travels to Kaukauna for the Cheesehead Invitational Jan. 4-5.

freshman Nicola Rivera, junior Braeden Whitehead, seniors Hunter Lewis and Cade Spilde each brought home individual titles.

Their finishes helped the topranked Vikings win the tournament

with 356 points. Stratford (299.5) and Stillwater, Minn. (280.5) rounded out the top three.

Rivera (106 pounds) and Lewis (145) each improved to 24-0 on the season in La Crosse. Whitehead added the 132 title and Spilde secured gold at 160.

The second-ranked wrestler in the state as a freshman at 113, Rivera dropped down a weight and beat Remington Bontreger of Lancaster, ranked No. 1 in Division 3, by fall in 2 minutes, 28 seconds to win the 106-pound title. Rivera had falls in falls in all five of his

matches to cruise to the title.

Whitehead (17-1), the topranked wrestler in Division 1 at 132 pounds, won a 12-7 decision in the championship match against Lodi’s Garrett Moll, ranked second in D2. The Stoughton junior had a fall in round one and the quarterfinals and major decisions in rounds two and three. He best Kielser Carlson 10-3 in the semifinals.

Lewis (24-0), who had his head cut open in a Dec. 22 Badger State Invitational semifinal match, bested

Turn to Vikings/Page 9

The Icebergs scored six goals in the first period Thursday to open the Hodag tournament with an 11-4 blowout of Medford.

Junior forward Paige Nelson scored three goals and assisted on another. Junior forward Brynn Weaver added two goals and an assist and sophomore forward Hannah Weber scored twice. Nelson had a short-handed goal in the second period and sophomore forward Izzy Newton capped the win with a power-play goal in the third.

Freshman forward Niomi Friedlander scored her first career goal in the first period. Forward Emily Schafer scored twice.

Iceberg junior goaltender Cora Zimmerman and sophomore Abby Seybold combined to stop 8 of 12 shots on goal. Zimmerman made seven saves on nine shots and Seybold stopped 1 of 3.

Viroqua 4, Icebergs 3 Sophomore Shannon Gibbons, Weaver and Newton each scored Friday but the Icebergs saw Viroqua rally for a 4-3 win. It was the second time the Icebergs dropped a one-goal game to their Badger Conference rivals, falling 3-2 on Nov. 27 in Viroqua.

Zimmerman and Seybold split time in goal. Zimmerman stopped all 11 shots she saw, while Seybold stopped nine of 13 over the final 25:30.

Icebergs 4, Northern Edge 3 The Icebergs’ offense outshot the Northern Edge 63-13 on Saturday but struggled to get the puck past goaltender Alicia Turunen.

Junior forward Aeryn Olson scored the game-winner, beating Turunen, who had 59 saves, with one minute remaining in regulation.

Seybold stopped 10 of 13 shots.

What’s next The Icebergs travel to Onalaska for a 7 p.m. game Friday.

ConnectStoughton.com

January 3, 2019

Stoughton Courier Hub

9

Boys basketball

Vikings run by Blackhawks in conference game MARK NESBITT

What’s next

Assistant sports editor

Stoughton hosts Oregon at 7:15 p.m. Saturday.

Badger South Team Wins Losses Stoughton 5 0 Oregon 4 1 Monroe 3 2 Edgewood 2 3 Watertown 2 3 Fort Atk. 0 4 Milton 0 4 loss.”

Lake Mills 66, Stoughton 61 Photo by Jeremy Jones

Reece Sproul (10) battles for a second half rebound Dec. 21 against Fort Atkinson. Stoughton won the Badger South Conference game 54-35.

Girls basketball

Cold spell dooms Stoughton against Arrowhead MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

After shooting to a tie atop the Badger South the first half of the season, the Stoughton girls basketball team faced two nonconference tests against Arrowhead and Appleton West last week.

The Vikings (8-3 overall, 5-1 conference) lost each road game, the latest loss to the Warhawks on Dec. 28 came at the Middleton Cardinal Showcase. That loss came on the heels of a loss to Appleton West on Dec. 21.

Arrowhead (7-3), a WIAA Division 1 state semifinalist last year, is the Classic 8 Conference co-leader along with Mukwonago, ranked No. 2 in the Wissports.net Division 1 coaches’ poll.

“I thought we competed,” coach Brad Pickett said.

“They are a really big and physical team.”

Arrowhead 55, Stoughton 30 Stoughton went through a second-half cold spell Friday as Arrowhead pulled away for a 55-30 win over the Vikings at the Middleton Cardinal Showcase tournament.

The Vikings were limited to just two field goals in the second half and were outscored 28-12. One came on junior guard Megan Marggi’s 3-pointer, who led Stoughton with nine points off the bench.

“A lot of it had to do with their defense,” Pickett said.

“We are a team that relies

Badger South Team Stoughton Monona Grove Watertown Monroe Oregon Milton Madison Edgewood Fort Atkinson

What’s next Stoughton hosts Watertown at 7:15 p.m. Friday. on penetration. When we got into the lane they ran into 6-1 and 6-2 and with our smaller guards we struggled to find the basket.”

The Warhawks were led by 6-1 junior Elise Whitmoyer who scored a game-high 13 points. Arrowhead played without 6-2 junior Madeline Walsh, an Alabama-Birmingham recruit.

Stoughton senior guard Alex Ashworth made one of two free throws with 8 minutes, 40 seconds left and Arrowhead answered with a 12-0 run to open up a 55-25 lead with 3:57 to go.

The Vikings were within 21-18 with 3:26 left before halftime before the Warhawks scored six unanswered points to take a nine-point leas.

Senior guard Peighton

Wins Losses 5 1 5 1 5 1 4 2 2 4 2 4 1 5 0 6 Trieloff added six points and senior guard Emma Kissling pitched in five points.

Appleton West 59, Stoughton 45 Stoughton faced a road test Dec. 21 against Appleton West and struggled defending the 3-point line in a 59-45 loss.

Appleton West’s junior Christie Fortune erupted for a game-high 27 points and knocked down seven 3-pointers.

Trieloff scored a team-high 18 points and buried four

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Stock Book

into turnovers.

“Our defense turned them over, and it turned into some offensive opport u n i t i e s ,” We b e r s a i d .

“Adam had a really nice first half, and that propelled us.”

Junior Jack Nelson

added 12 points, and senior Drew Anderson added 11.

The win came after the Vikings lost to La Crosse Central 87-35.

“I think we played hard,” Weber said. “It was a little sloppy, but they did a good job of coming back after a

Stoughton saw nonconference Lake Mills knock down 12 three-pointers Saturday and lost to the L-Cats 66-61 on the road.

The Vikings had a balanced scoring attack, with Hobson knocking in a team-high 22 points, including four 3s.

Nelson added 16 points and Anderson had 13.

Vikings: Rivera, Lewis keep rolling at Bi-States Continued from page 8 West Salem/Bangor’s Dalton Schrams in the Bi-State 138-pound championship match. A North Carolina State recruit, Lewis won Saturday’s title over Schrams, ranked sixth in D2, with a fall in 3:45. Lewis had four falls to setup a semifinal match against Stillwater’s Trey Kruse, which he won 8-0.

Spilde (21-3) won the 160 title with a 9-5 decis i o n ove r S t i l l w a t e r ’s Anthony Tuttle. The senior opened the tournament with a pair of falls and major decisions, and he beat Luxemburg-Casco’s Colton Worachek, ranked eighth in D2, with a 5-2 decision in the semifinals.

Second-ranked Luke Mechler (25-2) finished third at 145, winning a 5-2 decision over Marshfield’s Cade Pearce. The win came six matches after Mechler dropped a 16-9 decision to Pearce, ranked fifth at 152, in the third round.

Second-ranked Gavin Model (23-2) also placed third at 152. Model fell

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3-1 to Marshfield’s Nolan Hertel, ranked third at 160, in the semifinals. He fought back to best Hastings’ Mac Wilson by fall in 2:01 in the consolation championship. Model closed out the tournament with a 5-0 decision over Oconto Falls Clayton Whiting, ranked third in D3, in the thirdplace match.

Top eight finishes Brooks Empey (215) lost a 6-3 decision to Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/ Melrose-Mindoro’s Bryce Burns in the quarterfinals.

He added two more consolation wins by fall before dropping a 6-1 decision to Viroqua’s Tyler Hannah in the consolation semifinals.

Empey was once again bested by Burns in the fifth-place match, 3-1.

Alex Wicks (11-7) placed eighth at 113 pounds.

Cheesehead invite S t o u g h t o n t r ave l s t o Kaukauna High School on Jan. 4-5 for the Cheesehead Invitational. The tournament features several of the top ranked teams in Midwest.

Besides the defending state champion Vikings, the tournament featured, Kaukauna ranked fourth in D1, Waterford (D1 honorable mention), Freedom (No. 1 in D2), Wrightstown (second in D2), Two Rivers (ninth in D2) and Fennimore (third in D3).

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nice to have some more 3-pointers Friday to lead practice time to prepare for Stoughton to a 54-35 win over Fort Atkinson. the rest of our schedule.”

The Vikings jumped out Stoughton 54, to a 35-19 lead at the half.

Hobson scored 17 points Fort Atkinson 35 in the first half, and the Hobson scored a game- Vi k i n g s c a p i t a l i z e d o n high 20 points and hit two forcing the Blackhawks

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It didn’t take the Stoughton boys basketball team long to bounce back after a 52-point loss Tuesday, Dec. 18, to La Crosse Central, the state’s No. 2 ranked team in Division 2.

The Vikings dominated Fort Atkinson from start to finish Friday Dec. 21 in a home win to remain on top of the Badger South.

Stoughton (7-3 overall, 5-0 conference) lost to nonconference Lake Mills on Saturday, Dec. 22.

Junior guard Adam Hobson has scored 20 points or more in four of the past five games. The Vikings are 6-2 in their last eight games.

“He (Adam) has the ability to score in multiple ways,” coach Nolan Weber said. “He can make the 3, but he can also hit the midrange jumper and take it to the rim. That is what makes him tough to guard.”

Stoughton has 13 days before its next game Jan. 5, when the Vikings host Oregon in a conference first-place tilt.

“We haven’t got to practice much with 10 games before Christmas,” Weber said. “It’s been a busy schedule. I think it will be

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10

January 3, 2019

Stoughton Courier Hub

ConnectStoughton.com

2019: Riverfront redevelopment area construction plans could be settled later this year Continued from page 1 October.

Through all the development, though, it could be the possible loss of the Stoughton Trailers headquarters that turns out to be the biggest story. Looking to expand its headquarters, the long-time Stoughton fixture has yet to announce plans to renovate its facility here or possibly move elsewhere.

1. Riverfront, Riverfront, Riverfront If the 2018 riverfront redevelopment news was mostly about demolition, accidental and otherwise, this year’s could be about plans for the site coming into focus.

That could setting the stage for construction as early as 2020.

This time next year, city leaders hope to have a relationship with a developer, a good idea of what the mostly clear site will look like a few years from now and ownership of two more parcels that are part of the plan.

They’ll also hope to know whether the whitewater park has received a million-dollar grant for its construction in its second attempt.

It’s also possible people will be able to enjoy extensive new trails in Mandt Park and even to the riverfront site itself, with a pedestrian bridge connecting the two.

Ald. Regina Hirsch (Dist.

3), a member of the city’s Redevelopment Authority, which owns the riverfront site, called 2019 “the year of planning.”

Several projects around the riverfront site are occurring more or less as the same time and may affect one another, like the proposed whitewater park changing the kind of trails that would go along the river or the kind of businesses that might move in to the

riverfront development, for example.

In 2019, the city is expecting to adopt a master plan for Mandt Park, directly across the river from the riverfront site, and beginning engineering work for the proposed whitewater park between the two.

The Mandt plan calls for a pedestrian bridge to link trails in the two spaces. The RDA has money set aside in 2019 for engineering and trail work, which chair Roger Springman said he’d like to see occur in late summer or fall.

The whitewater park, a planned tourist destination that would allow paddlers to test their mettle on manmade obstacles and rapids, will try once again to get a large matching grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, with the answer expected in October. City officials reported Stoughton’s application was close last year.

In its plans, the RDA hopes to include the Fourth Street site that houses the former power plant and public works buildings and is negotiating with the city about transferring ownership of that land. There’s been discussion about whether the power plant, which has been floated as a possible location for a tavern or restaurant overlooking the whitewater park, is worth preserving as a historic site. There’s also concern about the cost of cleaning up the site that has long housed Stoughton’s heavy machinery.

Historical significance was at the heart of the decision to attempt to save the century-old blacksmith shop building on the riverfront site, but after a portion of it collapsed in an October storm, the RDA took a different route toward getting input from developers.

The old power plant on Fourth Street is in the planned riverfront redevelopment area.

This year, it is casting a wider net by asking for a less-intensive response: Rather than soliciting a request for proposals (RFP), which requires a firm to invest more time and money into preparing detailed plans, the RDA is working on a “request for expressions of interest,” or RFEI. The RDA’s consultant, Gary Becker, said when La Crosse made a similar switch, it went from three responses to about 70.

The hope is to have responses ready in early spring and narrow down a few with interviews and negotiations over the summer before sending out an RFP, with a goal of breaking ground in 2020.

Photo by Amber Levenhagen

Charrette attendees were able to put stickers on what ideas they prefered while discussing the riverfront redevelopment.

Turn to 2019/Page 11

Legals PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The City of Stoughton Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, January 14, 2019 at 6:00 o’clock p.m., or as soon after as the matter may be heard, in the Council Chambers, Public Safety Building, 321 South Fourth Street, Second Floor, Stoughton, Wisconsin, 53589, to consider a proposed Conditional Use Permit Application by Mackensey Gervasi, for a Group Daycare and Preschool at 1940 Jackson Street, Stoughton, Wisconsin. The properties at 1940 Jackson Street are owned

by TESNOW LIVING TR, and are more fully described as follows: Parcel Number: 281/0511-063-1334-7 Legal Description: HILL-OLSON ADDN TO HILLCREST LOT 184 Parcel Number: 281/0511-063-1345-4 Legal Description: HILL-OLSON ADDN TO HILLCREST LOT 185 Additional information including a location map can be found at: http:// stoughtoncitydocs.com/planning-commission/ For questions regarding this notice please contact Michael Stacey, Zoning Administrator at 608-646-0421 Michael P Stacey Zoning Administrator Published December 27, 2018 and January 3, 2019 WNAXLP *** STATE OF WISCONSIN, CIRCUIT COURT, DANE COUNTY, NOTICE TO CREDITORS (INFORMAL ADMINISTRATION) IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ANITA L. STAATS Case No. 2018PR914 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: 1. An application for Informal Administration was filed.

2. The decedent, with date of birth March 13, 1938 and date of death October 26, 2018, was domiciled in Dane County, State of Wisconsin, with a mailing address of 814 Jackson St., Stoughton, WI 53589.

3. All interested persons waived notice.

4. The deadline for filing a claim against the decedent’s estate is March 15, 2019.

5. A claim may be filed at the Dane County Courthouse, 215 S. Hamilton Street, Madison, Wisconsin, Room 1005.

Electronically signed by Danell Behrens Deputy Probate Registrar December 11, 2018 Attorney Karla Chase QBS Law S.C. 130A Park Avenue Beaver Dame, WI 53916 (920) 885-9266 Bar Number: 1025604 Published: December 20, 27, 2018 and January 3, 2019 WNAXLP

*** STATE OF WISCONSIN, CIRCUIT COURT, DANE COUNTY, NOTICE SETTING TIME TO HEAR APPLICATION AND DEADLINE FOR FILING CLAIMS (INFORMAL ADMINISTRATION) IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD D. OBRECHT Case No. 2018PR924 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: 1. An application for Informal Administration was filed.

2. The decedent, with date of birth June 18, 1939 and date of death November 18, 2018, was domiciled in Dane County, State of Wisconsin, with a mailing address of 1811 Johnson Street, Stoughton, WI 53589.

3. The application will be heard at the Dane County Courthouse, Madison,

Wisconsin, Room 1005, before the presiding Probate Registrar, on January 24, 2019 at 7:45 a.m.

You do not need to appear unless you object. The application may be granted if there is no objection.

4. The deadline for filing a claim against the decedent’s estate is March 22, 2019.

5. A claim may be filed at the Dane County Courthouse, Madison, Wisconsin, Room 1005.

6. This publication is notice to any persons whose names or addresses are unknown.

If you require reasonable accommodations due to a disability to participate in the court process, please call 608266-4311 at least 10 working days prior to the scheduled court date. Please note that the court does not provide transpor-

tation.

Electronically signed by Danell Behrens Deputy Probate Registrar December 13, 2018 Attorney Iris M. Christenson 2924 Marketplace Drive, Ste. 102 Fitchburg, WI 53719 (608) 273-8609 Bar Number: 1011619 Published: December 20 and 27, 2018 and January 3, 2019 WNAXLP ***

CITY OF STOUGHTON NOTICE OF BUDGET AMENDMENT By a unanimous vote of the City Council on December 11, 2018, the Council approved the following amendments to the 2018 Budget. The overall fiscal impact is a posi�ve $39,428.

2018 ORIGINAL BUDGET

DESCRIPTION GENERAL FUND REVENUES ESTIMATED REVENUES GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS FINANCE DIRECTOR HIGHWAY & STREET MAINT/CONST YOUTH CENTER IT/MEDIA SERVICES TRANSFER TO OTHER FUNDS ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS GENERAL FUND NET OF REVENUES/APPROPRIATIONS

$

2018 AMENDED BUDGET

13,414,038 $

$ CHANGE

13,087,691 $

501,656 1,106,302 185,891 290,355 1,392,308 9,937,526 -

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

EMS TRUCK FUND REVENUES

$

10,160

$

25,160 $

15,000

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS FUND APPROPRIATIONS

$

-

$

150,000 $

150,000

CONSTRUCTION FUND REVENUES CONSTRUCTION FUND APPROPRIATIONS CONSTRUCTION FUND NET OF REVENUES/APPROPRIATIONS

$ $ $

$ $ $

8,450,000 $ 2,775,403 $ 5,674,597 $

NET OF REVENUES/APPROPRIATIONS - ALL FUNDS

$

15,424,422 $

15,463,850 $

8,300,000 2,789,128 5,510,872

551,656 1,120,302 194,841 300,355 972,308 9,937,526 10,703

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

(326,347)

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

Published: January 3, 2019 WNAXLP

Photo by Scott De Laruelle

50,000 14,000 8,950 10,000 (420,000) 10,703

150,000 (13,725) 163,725 39,428

Honorable mentions Big year for ‘historic’ buildings Once again, it’s worth watching whether there’s decisive action on buildings some consider to be historic – the 1892 high school and the blacksmith shop.

With other city and school district priorities, it’s been largely status quo for years at the 1892 building, the former Stoughton High School that has served for the last quarter-century or more as a storage area for the Stoughton Area School District, where officials have neither long-term plans nor funds for the structure.

As for the blacksmith shop, its neighboring buildings were demolished in 2018, leaving the century-old building virtually alone on the riverfront slab before an October windstorm knocked down a significant portion of it.

Preservationists want to make sure the historic soul of the building isn’t compromised.

New $8M public works building The city’s Public Works Department will have new digs in 2019, moving into an $8 million facility early in the new year.

The 83,000-square-foot complex includes three buildings on 13 acres on County Hwy. A near the intersection with Racetrack Road the city bought in 2013.

It will replace a century-old building on Fourth Street that is deteriorating and is too small to meet the public works department’s needs, city officials have said.

The move is planned to start Wednesday, Jan. 2 and the goal is “to be fully operational out of the new building by Jan. 14,” public works director Brett Hebert told the Hub.

Murder suspect could return for trial Ted Bruno, charged with the 2017 murder of a Stoughton man, could return for a trial this year after being found not competent in October.

Bruno was committed to no less than 12 months in a mental health facility. If his competency is restored, he would return for a trial in Dane County court. The first doctor’s report to court is scheduled for Jan. 31.

He faces life in prison without parole if convicted.

ConnectStoughton.com

January 3, 2019

Stoughton Courier Hub

11

2019: Next phase of Kettle Park West development planned to continue in the summer Continued from page 10 The RDA also has to decide whether to control the site as a master developer, to hire a master developer or to dole out parcels to be developed individually. That process and evaluating the various proposals could provide insight and help build a relationship with developers to ensure all parties are on the same page.

– Alexander Cramer

2. Kettle Park West homes and nearby growth The first homes in the west-side Kettle Park West development could break ground as soon as late summer.

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aiming to have the first section of the second phase of KPW approved in 2019, including about 45 homes, and to reduce the risk of running into political obstacles, it’s keeping the requests for taxpayer funding to a minimum, FDG development manager Dennis Steinkraus told city leaders last year.

The development is already on track to have Kettle Park Senior Living open this summer. The 100 units will be split between independent and assisted-living apartments and a memory-care wing.

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Turn to 2019/Page 12 the areas of the development.

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12

January 3, 2019

Stoughton Courier Hub

ConnectStoughton.com

2019: Stoughton Trailers expansion, city move into bank building expected headlines this year Continued from page 11 a 10,700-square-foot convention center had been approved in 2016, then again in January of 2018 after its permit expired, and construction was planned to begin last May and finish March 2019.

That would have joined a half-dozen other businesses on the site, many of which opened in 2018 like Dunkin’ Donuts and McFarland State Bank, but Steinkraus told the Hub in December the project is “on hold.”

After getting feedback from the Planning Commission in December, FDG would need bring a revision back – likely with changes to its park structure – before there is more intensive planning.

S t e i n k r a u s s a i d h e ’d like to see Phase 2B start in August, with 45 single-family home lots priced from $270,000-$350,000.

One obstacle for the past two years has been the connection of a street west of the new Walmart Supercenter, called Oak Opening Drive, to Hwy. 138. It requires state permission, which Steinkraus said has been granted, and could be costly.

Steinkraus did not offer a timeline of when the intersection of Oak Opening Drive and Hwy. 138 would be built, nor who would pay for it. FDG recently bought land south of 138 south of this intersection, and tax-increment financing was used for the commercial phase of the development, mostly to improve the Hwy. 51-138 intersection.

A DOT official told the Hub the agreement calls for that intersection to be constructed after the intersection on the north side of KPW where Deer Point Road hits Hwy. 51.

– Alexander Cramer

3. Whitewater park, dam and trails A proposed whitewater park on the Yahara River missed out on a million-dollar grant in 2018, but the city plans to try again in 2019.

Parks and Recreation director Dan Glynn has high hopes, having been given a list of work by the Department of Natural Resources the city would need to do to get the project closer to shovel-ready.

The $1.1 million would cover half the project’s

The estimated cost to build a whitewater park on the Yahara River is $2.2 million.

Photo by Amber Levenhagen

Stoughton Trailers is considering an expansion, but might relocate if it does not receive taxpayer assistance. cost, with the city footing the bill for the other half.

If successful, the city could start building the park as soon as 2021. And so far, it’s planning to build it either way.

A whitewater park is sort of like a skate park for paddlers, with man-made obstacles creating rapids for people to navigate in a channel off the river’s main path. It’s considered a tourist destination and would be an novel amenity for the riverfront redevelopment and Mandt Park, with only one other such park existing in the state.

Big questions for 2019 include whether to remove the Stoughton Dam and how expensive it will be to remediate potentially contaminated soil. Separate grant money is available for both projects, Glynn said, and had estimated the

worst-case soil remediation cost would be under $100,000. In a recent phone call, however, Glynn said he’d learned certain contaminants might have to be trucked out of state, and “it’s hard to say what those costs would be.”

O n G l y n n ’s r e c o m mendation, the Common Council earmarked money in 2019 to test the river’s sediment. Glynn has also said the DNR looks positively on the city committing funds to the project, possibly increasing the likelihood the grant will be approved.

The dam is far more expensive, with estimates for removing it starting just above $400,000. Every two years, the DNR offers a $400,000 dam-removal grant the city could next receive in 2020.

In 2019, Glynn is

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preparing for the work the DNR suggested: Phase 1, sediment sampling; phase 2, a hydraulic and hydrologic study of the Yahara River with both dam-in and dam-out scenarios; and phase 3, a dam-removal feasibility study.

The first two phases set the stage for the third and are necessary for both the whitewater park and the decision whether to remove the dam. It sets up a potential timeline of 2019 for engineering work and decision-making, 2020 to apply for the dam-removal study, and 2021 for possible dam removal and installation of water features.

That’s the same set of steps used for the whitewater park in Manchester, Iowa, the region’s closest comparison to what Stoughton is planning.

Another whitewater park exists in Wausau, but the DNR didn’t help fund it in this manner and is being cautious with its grant money, Glynn said. If the grant is not used for two years, it would return to the state’s general fund, not the DNR’s grant fund, adding to the agency’s desire to see shovel-ready projects, a DNR representative told the Hub.

last year narrowing its topic to growth; specifically attracting and retaining young families with schoolaged children.

The group is now conducting a case study to find out what attracts and keeps young people in a small, rural Wisconsin city like Stoughton, including setting up interviews in the coming weeks with young people in the area about what they like about Stoughton, and what they believe other young people like. Once those results are evaluated, the committee’s plan is to have “actionable suggestions” to present to the Council and school board in May, committee co-chair Jonathon Coughlin told the Hub last month.

“We want to provide information that doesn’t just get compiled and shelved,” he said. “That’s a concern at our committee level and at the community level that maybe in the past, some of our bodies have grabbed too much data and then not found a way to really push that data toward a policy.”

– Alexander Cramer

The city accepted McFarland State Bank’s offer to donate its downtown building late last year, but in 2019, city officials have to figure out what to do with it.

There have been several plans offered, with the goal to free up space in City Hall and possibly improve o ff e r i n g s a t t h e O p e r a House.

Mayor Tim Swadley told the Hub in late December the city has “done an internal study for staff placement and minor renovations (to the building)” and the move would likely wait until after April’s elections to avoid confusion for voters.

“The idea is to move as many people from City Hall that services the public over there because we feel that building is more customer friendly than City

4. City/school committee to present recommendations Looking to help the Stoughton Area School District slow its recent enrollment decline, a committee comprised of school board and City Council members is looking to make serious progress in the coming months in findings ways to bring young families to the area.

And to keep them here.

Since state funding is directly tied to enrollment, the decline over the past decade has stressed the district’s budget and capabilities. The city and school district formed the ad hoc committee in July 2017 to find common issues they could address, and it spent

– Scott De Laruelle

5. City expansion into bank building

Hall,” Swadley said.

S t a ff m o v i n g t o t h e Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired building just a couple blocks away would alleviate some cramped office spaces, including for those at the Stoughton Opera House, which operates on City Hall’s upper floors.

Among other benefits, Swadley said, the move could bring in more revenue from Opera House shows. With more room to operate, the venue might be able to sell concessions or more merchandise, for example. And Ald. Denise Duranczyk (Dist. 1) has pushed for it to generate more revenue and lessen its cost to the city, which will contribute $170,000 to its budget in 2019.

Duranczyk had asked the Opera House to prepare a five-year business plan to look at ways to increase revenue, and Swadley told the Hub the Stoughton Opera House Friends Association has offered to pay for the plan.

The city has earmarked $100,000 in capital i m p r ove m e n t s p l a n f o r the former bank building in 2019, which it offered in “as-is” condition, originally intending for it to be torn down. Much of that money will be used to increase energy efficiency, Swadley said.

The bank was operating in the branch before it moved to its new location in Kettle Park West late last year.

– Alexander Cramer

6. Stoughton Trailers expansion, potential move T h e p o t e n t i a l ex p a nsion or renovation of the Stoughton Trailers headquarters could become a big story in 2019.

Without some taxpayer assistance, the business that has called Stoughton home for decades has suggested it might decamp for another city.

The company hasn’t announced whether it will renovate its existing headquarters at 416 S. Academy St., find another location within the city or build in another community.

Over the summer, STI asked the city for $8.2 million in tax-increment financing to help build a new headquarters, a move i t b eg a n d i s c u s s i n g i n 2017. The city sent back a counteroffer in August, and Mayor Tim Swadley told the Hub it hasn’t heard anything since, other than STI’s lawyer acknowledging the firm had received the offer.

STI has said it’s considering Evansville or Brodhead for a potential relocation site, and it has purchased land in Brodhead for future development. If it relocates, it would probably do small renovations to the current site in Stoughton as a short-term fix, but that building could need major work soon, according to the TIF application.

– Alexander Cramer