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Thursday, November 7, 2019 • Vol. 55, No. 25 • Verona, WI • Hometown USA • ConnectVerona.com • $1.25
Kathy Bartels
New VAHS
Campus might close for underclass Security concerns, more space, improved food choices among factors KIMBERLY WETHAL Unified Newspaper Group
Photo by Mark Nesbitt
Verona senior Eliot Popkewitz (6) holds up the Division 1 Sun Prairie Sectional championship plaque as he celebrates with teammates Owen Gibson (1), Jacob Wing (20), Jorge Lagunes (17) and Alan De Los Santos after the Wildcats’ 1-0 win over Madison West on Saturday, Nov. 2.
First trip to state Inside Read the full story Page 9
MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor
The Verona Area High School boys soccer team punched its ticket to the Division 1 state tournament with a 1-0 win over Madison West in the Sun Prairie Sectional championship game at Madison College’s Goodman Pitch on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Verona senior Eliot Popkewitz scored in the 88th minute to lift the Wildcats to their first state appearance in program history. It marked the second time this season the Big Eight Conference champion Wildcats have beat the Regents.
Verona (19-1-2) earned the top seed at the state tournament and will play fourth-seeded Kenosha Tremper in the semifinals at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee. Second-seeded Eau Claire Memorial will take on third-seeded Neenah in the other state semifinal. “These senior boys have the heart and the spirit,” Verona coach Chris Handrick said. “They deserve it. I would expect our boys to want to continue to take care of every step along the way. They want that state championship for Verona.”
Some new wheels for cool meals Group uses grant money for refrigerated van NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group
The Badger Prairie Needs Network has purchased its first vehicle, through a $51,500 grant from the Walmart Foundation, which will allow them to
effectively transport unused food from local food donors. BPNN was one of 13 food banks nationally chosen to receive funding from hundreds of applicants. The funds had to be used to build food bank volunteer and agency capacity, according to a Walmart Foundation news release. BPNN used the money to purchase a refrigerated van to help collect food from area grocery and convenience The
Verona Press
stores that provide close-to-expiration foods such as meats, produce and dairy products. Before purchasing the van, volunteers used 36 personal vehicles to collect food, presenting a concern for food safety in unrefrigerated vehicles. Last year, around 200,000 pounds of food collected required immediate refrigeration, preventing BPNN from collecting
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Inside The Verona Main Street Trick or Treat 2019 in photos Page 2
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Verona boys soccer team faces Kenosha Tremper on Friday
There’ll be a lot of “new” f o r Ve r o n a A r e a H i g h School students at the start of the 2020-21 school year. District officials are hoping to add to that a new lunch policy that would restrict which grade levels could Hammen leave campus during lunchtime. Under a proposal brought to the school board Monday night by VAHS principal Pam Hammen and district school security coordinator Corey Saffold, only juniors and seniors would be allowed to take advantage of an open campus lunch. Freshmen and sophomores won’t be permitted to leave the school premises. “If we’re going to make a rule like this, this seems like a perfect time,” Hammen said. Hammen pointed out that students will face many
new procedures, including parking, where to enter and using collaborative spaces. “I think it would be harder for us to move into the school, and then a year later make the move (to change lunch),” she said. Currently, VAHS has open lunch for all grade levels, partly driven by the school being overcrowded; having students leave for lunch frees up space. Juniors and seniors have an additional privilege, with an option twice a week to take an hour-long “double lunch” and skip their A+ session. B u t a t t h e n ew h i g h school, overcrowding won’t be a problem, Hammen said, as the main atrium will be able to comfortably fit 1,000 students during each of the two lunch periods. She said creating a limited open campus lunch would remedy some of the issues being had with students, where students from other districts are coming to VAHS to fight, students are holding “fight clubs” in Harriet Park or are going off-campus to smoke marijuana and coming back to classes under the influence. VA H S a d m i n i s t r a t o r s have also received complaints about how students are conducting themselves