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The
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City of Stoughton
Ripp chosen as new fire chief Stoughton EMS squad leader selected from group of five finalists RENEE HICKMAN Unified Newspaper Group
Photo by Mackenzie Krumme
From left:v Basil Sadler, age 89, Gil Helland, age 63, and Joyce Tikalsky, age 71, assist patrons of the Stoughton Area Senior Center with technology questions on Thursday, Jan. 30. The trio has more than a century of combined technology experience.
Tech whiz trio
Three senior citizens empower ‘The Greatest Generation’ to embrace new technology MACKENZIE KRUMME Unified Newspaper Group
At age 89, Basil Sadler still has the first computer he purchased in 1977, a Radio Shack Model 1. Joyce Tikalsky, now 71, designed the City of Stoughton’s first website in 1996 after 20 years as a webmaster.
And Gil Helland, age 63, once owned his own business dedicated to helping people understand technology. Meet the Stoughton Area Senior Center’s technology whizzes. Each week, the volunteer trio helps patrons of the senior center break through
fear and embrace technology. People can get individual attention with their device and ask about specific problems with functions such as uploading photos or using Facebook. They can also attend group classes to learn about Google searches and scams. The trio’s intentions, however, move beyond a single computer question or restoration of a word
document. The group defies stereotypes that seniors are too old to learn new tricks. The three grew up in an era without smartphones or Wi-Fi, but today, they get excited about the newest technology and modern devices, Tikalsky said. Seniors who are in need of troubleshooting help but are afraid to
Turn to Tech/Page 12
Stoughton High student born to race Fundraiser to help SHS freshman join track team on Feb. 23 MARIAN VINEY Special to the Hub
A Stoughton High School freshman could participate on the school’s track team this spring and you can help make it happen. Viking Brew Pub, 211 E. Main St. is hosting a Paul’s Party cheese raffle to raise funds to purchase a
track racing wheelchair and throwing stand for ninth grade student Ella Phillips from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. Phillips 23. Kathie Natzke, one of the raffle organizers and co founder of Paul’s Party, said the first paddle will be sold at 2 p.m., with the first round of drawings at 2:10 p.m. The raffle will be held in rounds with a round scheduled every 10 to 15
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minutes. Paddles cost $2 each with a few larger rounds thrown in for fun and more prizes. E l l a ’s f a m i l y s e e m s grateful for the community support and for the opportunity for Ella to participate in track with her friends. “This is something she wouldn’t have been able to do without the financial support and encouragement from organizers of Paul’s Party and from his family and friends,” Lynn Phillips, Ella’s mom said. Ella, born with brain
lung thyroid syndrome and as a result of her disability, uses a walker. “The walker isn’t allowed on the track,” Kathie said. “When Ella was told about the opportunity to try a racing wheelchair she was thrilled and excited to compete on the high school’s track team.” When she was in middle school, Ella used a race runner on the track, which is a combination of bike and walker. “The problem with the
Turn to Party /Page 5
The Stoughton Fire D e p a r t m e n t h a s s e l e c ted Josh Ripp as its new chief. Ripp is a squad leader with Stoughton Area EMS and has been a volunteer with SFD for close to five years, city human resources director Amy Jo Gillingham told the Hub in an email. Gillingham wrote that Ripp was previously a fire chief for seven years with the Maple Bluff Fire Department and has worked in state departments such as the Department of Justice, the Department of Military Affairs and the Office of Emergency Communications.
Ripp was selected from a group of five finalists, Gillingham wrote. The other four were interim SFD chief Mark Miller, a deputy chief/fire marshall; Michael Olson, a captain at SFD; Nick Hempel, a fire chief in Dona Ana County, New Mexico; and Jason Russ, the deputy chief of operations at the Edgerton Fire Protection District. As of Jan. 7, the city had received at least 22 applications for the position. Miller has been serving as interim chief since the Jan. 2 retirement of former chief Scott Wegner. Wegner served with the Stoughton Fire Department for 38 years, with the last five as chief after his predecessor, Marty Lamers, retired in 2015. Lamers was the city’s first full-time paid fire chief. Renee Hickman can be contacted at renee.hickman@ wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @ReneeNHickman
Stoughton Area School District
Study brings ideas, questions Contradictions emerge about diversity, young families, housing SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group
For the past several years, Stoughton Area School District officials have hoped to learn how to attract and retain young families to Stoughton, with the idea of increasing enrollment and ensuring financial sustainability. Monday night, they got 146 pages worth in a new study that offers ideas, but also raises new questions
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on the area’s diversity, housing and means to connect with a younger demographic. The school board-sponsored study, “Gaining and Maintaining Young Adults and Young Families in Stoughton, Wisconsin,” was conducted by UW-Extension researcher Amanda Jane Hoffman in collaboration with the district. She had worked with lead researcher Randy Stoecker last year on a larger scale project, “Gaining and Maintaining Young People in Rural Wisconsin Communities.” Stoecker presented his findings to
Turn to Study/Page 12 Sandy Quam Branch Manager NMLS #1100193
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