Valley Sentinel - 01-13-2021

Inside this edition

Bald Eagle watching virtually Page 5

Boys BBall takes on Lancaster, PDC Page 6

Spring Green, Wisconsin

An Outdoorsman’s Journal Page 8

Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 Vol. 2, No. 2 Free, Single-Copy

Arena Fire Department hosts Red Cross Blood Drive Plain to receive grant funds Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-Chief

Photos by Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-Chief Top: Red Cross Nurse Emma Cannon, left, swabs the Scott Heimerdinger’s arm after he gives blood Jan. 6 at the blood drive held at the Arena Fire Department. Bottom: Scenes from the Red Cross Blood Drive in Arena last week, with multiple stations set up for blood donations.

Donors were given temperature checks and hand sanitizer upon entry and required to wear masks.

The village of Plain was approved last week for $500 in grant funds from Sauk County, which will be used toward the cost of Strassenfest, the annual event planned for Oct. 2 this year.

Village President Ray Ring said the grant will help to offset some of the costs associated with the festival, as the village is working towards returning to its original Bavarian roots with traditional events.

“The Village of Plain is actively pursuing re-establishing some of the traditions, aesthetics and charm of its Bavarian roots, thus as part holding Strassenfest. Strassenfest (Bavarian meaning Street Festival) is a family focused event held annually in October,” said Ring.

The event is set to have both traditional American and Bavarian food and beverages, traditional cultural clothing and displays, a silent auction with prizes donated by local businesses and a scavenger hunt.

“This event provides an opportunity for people coming from outside the area to experience the charm of our Village as a place to relax, enjoy the beauty of country surroundings, escape the hustle and bustle of the city while still being close enough to travel there to work or personal needs and desires,” said Ring. “It’s also an opportunity for local businesses to set up booths and display their goods and services.”

The grant funds were approved at the Jan. 6 Extension, Education Arts and Culture Committee meeting. The Good Idea Grants through the county are funds designed to encourage creativity and historic preservation throughout the county. Up to $500 is given in grant funds.

“I’m pleased to see Sauk County’s smaller communities participate in the county’s arts, humanities and historic preservation grants,” said Sauk County Supervisor Bryant Hazard, of Baraboo.

Hazard is the Chairman for the Extension, Education, Arts and Culture Committee.

Village of Spring Green pondering structural changes Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-Chief The village of Spring Green could see some restructuring and new positions as they work to alleviate workload stress for the clerk and office staff.

At a special meeting Jan. 6, the village board discussed plans from Village Clerk Wendy Crary to create a Utility Clerk position, that would be responsible for administrative work and billing for the municipal water and sewer

services.

The position would complete billing and receipting for almost 900 water and sewer accounts the village services, along with administrative work for the public works department.

Currently, Crary and office staff are responsible for these duties, in addition to Clerk and Treasurer duties, which has caused additional working hours and stress for the staff.

With the additional position, Crary would continue to oversee accounting for the utility services, and perform reporting and auditing work.

The board also discussed creating a Village Administrator position, with the idea that Crary would hold the title of Clerk, Treasurer and Village Administrator, and be performing duties for all three jobs, according to Trustee Robin Reid.

Reid said Crary is largely already performing the duties for three positions.

This would simply make it official.

According to the meeting minutes, Reid commented the village would have been in serious trouble throughout the COVID-19 pandemic without Crary.

During public comment, village resident Damian Barta spoke to Crary’s

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opinion/editorial

WednesdaY, Jan. 13, 2021

EDITORIAL

Let’s not mince words, that was insurrection, we should condemn it, here’s what we can learn from it Do you hear the people sing?

Singing a song of angry men?

Just kidding… but not really.

Having at least one History minor on our editorial board requires us to differentiate between the anti-monarchist insurrection of Parisian republicans (little ‘r’) in 1832 (as beautifully adapted in song by Les Misérables) and what happened last Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. And indeed, what happened? Coup d’etat, mob, riot and more were all used to describe the deadly events that happened last week when fringe supporters of President Donald J. Trump stormed the Capitol building. However, the consensus among scholars of history seem to have settled on something between a failed self-coup to retain power and an insurrection — with self-coup being the better scholarly description, and insurrection coming out ahead as the more colloquially easier term to refer to it as.

But back to those ...angry men...

— we’re not going to get into the weeds regarding the actions taken Wednesday or “stopping the steal.” The election wasn’t stolen from them, but that doesn’t mean

something wasn’t. For many, the dignity of the feeling that you have the ability to affect change and have a say in how you are governed is the bare minimum needed to stave off a feeling of helplessness when it comes to your place in society and how best to find your place in it.

Like it or not, President Trump’s brand of populism spoke to a large group of people that felt disaffected and disillusioned, that felt like their contributions to society didn’t matter and that it was impossible to get ahead.

These people aren’t cultists, they’re our friends, neighbors and family members. There is a reason politics are so polarized right now, and it’s because people on all sides of the political spectrum feel this sense of being disenfranchised, frustrated and fed up. It’s reported that Ashli Babbitt, the 35-year-old Air Force veteran from Southern California who was killed after storming the Capitol last week, was an Obama voter who became disillusioned over time after facing financial and other difficulties. She then found Trumpism, which for her became a gateway to dangerous Q-Anon conspiracy theories with no basis in fact.

In the past week, we’ve heard many politicians appealing to unity, speaking about coming out of these events stronger. This is an

admirable endeavor and surely comes from a good place. However, without structural change addressing why vast numbers of people are struggling or feeling disillusioned in the first place, those sentiments just reinforce the status quo or, at best, hearken back to a false dichotomy of things returning to how they “used to be” versus “now”.

Neither the status quo or the “good old days” fixes the problem, people still remain disillusioned. People can be pushed to the fringes when they are subject to extraordinary difficulties, derision or they feel like their input isn’t valued in the “mainstream,” whether it be in a discourse of ideas or in their service to their community.

There was much discussion this week regarding Twitter, Facebook and alternatives such as Parler, after President Trump was banned from several social media services that we’ve come to view as forums for all sorts of speech. It’s unmistakable that there are spaces where hate speech thrives, but perhaps we need to ask why it’s thriving?

There’s a difference between social media giants deciding that incitements to violence are no longer welcome and very personally deriding your uncle for his political views, however colorful they may be. Do we really think the solution is attacking and attempting

to silence him personally? Cutting him off and disillusioning him even more?

Ridicule the idea, not the person.

Our newsroom has a print of a Thomas Jefferson quote that we look to whenever we’re tempted to shy away from a controversial editorial: “Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.”

We need to break down the walls of the echo chambers, hear the ridiculous ideas, the unintelligible propositions, and then instead of attacking the proponent personally or even debating an idea that cannot be reasonably debated, maybe start by asking why someone feels the way they do? What factors in life and our society led them to feel that way? What would it take to change that?

We can’t allow disagreements to paralyze us or drive us into disparate camps. Let’s reasonably and with open minds discuss the things we disagree on, find the things we agree on, and affect positive change where we can.

What’s that maybe, probably bastardized Benjamin Franklin quote about having a republic, if we can keep it?

Excerpts from Gov. Tony Evers’ 2021 State of the State Address Below are excerpts from Gov. Tony Evers’ 2021 State of the State address, that was given virtually Jan. 12. The excerpts were released by the governors office. The address can be viewed on Evers’ Facebook page and YouTube channel.

[N]ot with us tonight are the more than 5,000 Wisconsinites who have died due to COVID-19. They were firefighters, healthcare workers, nuns, educators, entrepreneurs, community pillars, students, veterans, volunteers, bird watchers, card players, and Packers, Brewers, and Bucks fans. They were moms and dads, brothers and sisters, friends, and coworkers, and they are loved and missed by many.

So, tonight, I’d like to dedicate this address to those who we’ve lost this year and the families—the sons and daughters, moms and dads, grandparents and grandkids, friends, and neighbors left behind—who, on top of everything else this past year, have had to mourn the loss of someone they love.

And I’d ask you to join me briefly in a moment of silence to honor the lives of these Wisconsinites we lost to COVID-19.

As I stood before you and delivered my second state of the state address last

year, the world and our state looked much different than it does now. We were coming off a successful year making a down payment on our priorities like fully funding our public schools, fixing our crumbling roads and bridges, and making healthcare more accessible and affordable. We put $330 million in general school aids—the largest in more than a decade—and funded a $97-million increase for special education—the largest ever. We provided more than $465 million in new funding for our local roads, highways, and transit aids.

And even though my efforts to expand healthcare were rejected by Republicans in the Legislature, we made critical investments in improving mental health treatment, supporting our direct care workforce, and increasing funding for our rural healthcare providers.

So, we began 2020 with our sights set high. We were announcing a threepronged plan to address our dairy crisis and support rural communities across our state. We were looking ahead to redistricting on the horizon, creating the People’s Maps Commission to draw our state’s next maps after the 2020 Census and ensure that people choose their elected officials,

not the other way around. We were pushing to return to our state’s commitment to two-thirds funding for our kids and our schools, and we were going to increase aid to our most rural school districts while providing $130 million toward reducing property taxes through equalization aid.

Then things changed overnight.

When I delivered my last state of the state address, no one could have predicted the rest of the year would go quite like it did.

What we now know about 2020 is that it was among the most unrelenting years many of us have ever experienced.

I said then that the year would challenge the depth of our empathy and the strength of our selflessness—and it did, but in more and different ways than we could have ever imagined.

We were grateful to be able to invest nearly $2 billion in our state’s response. We distributed more than 26 million pieces of PPE and sanitizing supplies to hospitals, long-term care facilities, veteran’s homes, and frontline workers. We provided more than $379.1 million to help stabilize our economy and support nearly 53,000 of our small businesses, more than 15,000 farms, and our lodging, hospitality, and tourism

industries. We invested more than $200 million in helping communities across Wisconsin recover, but we know we have a long way to go to get our economy back on track. And unfortunately, many of the challenges of 2020 will no doubt carry into this new year.

Now, make no mistake: I do not underestimate the challenges that this new year may bring, or the grief we’re still grappling with, the ramifications we’ve yet to fully realize, the new problems that may arise still this year.

But as sure as we will face struggles, we will take them on together. We’ve made it through a difficult year, folks. While it was discouraging, we aren’t defeated. While it was trying, we’re tough.

Wisconsin, we’ve never been known for being timid, and we’re sure not going to start today. Our people, our state, and our democracy have withstood tests before, and we will again answer the call to go forward unphased.

By the numbers 9 - “folks” 0 - “holy mackerel’s” *In the entire address

A look at Wisconsin local municipal caucuses amidst a pandemic

By Anya van Wagtendonk, Wisconsin Watch Every January across Wisconsin, some towns and villages hold timehonored, in-person caucuses to nominate candidates for local offices. Residents gather in town or village halls, schools and other community spaces to vote, orally or on slips of paper, for candidates in races for positions such as supervisor, treasurer and clerk. It’s a practice guided by state law and rooted in tradition. But after the COVID-19 outbreak brought upheaval to the state’s 2020 primary and general elections, the unique structure of January caucuses now raises questions about balancing inclusion and transparency with safety concerns. Fearing that her local caucus would become a superspreader event, Celeste Koeberl and her husband, John Gostovich, began emailing and calling officials in their town of Hudson to request the opportunity to participate remotely. The community of about 9,000 people along the St. Croix River is about 30 miles east of Minneapolis.

Koeberl, 66, and Gostovich, 72, argued that their advanced ages and underlying health conditions, as well as a disability that Gostovich has, would force them to choose between exercising their right to vote and protecting their health.

“All we’re trying to do is make our local government electoral process open to the people who are supposed to be able to participate in it, so that we can do that without threats to our health, and to our very lives,” Koeberl told Wisconsin Watch in an interview.

Town officials relocated the caucus, held Monday, from the town hall to the high school to offer more space for physical distancing but declined to offer a remote participation option.

So Koeberl filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission, and then — recognizing that the state agency would not act before the scheduled caucus — filed a request for an emergency injunction in St. Croix County Circuit Court on Dec. 30 to halt the event.

In the court filing, Koeberl stated that

the absence of a remote participation option would violate the couple’s constitutional and civil voting rights and her husband’s disability protections. Koeberl made the argument herself — virtually — before Judge Scott J. Nordstrand.

On Monday morning, hours before the scheduled caucus, Nordstrand ruled against the couple. The town caucus went ahead as planned that evening. Across the state, dozens and perhaps hundreds of other such events are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Hands-on democracy Some, but not all, of Wisconsin’s 1,249 towns and 412 villages hold caucuses in lieu of primaries for local offices. (The municipality may conduct a primary as well, for other state and county offices, and certain local positions excluded from the caucus process.)

Joe Ruth, legal counsel for the Wisconsin Towns Association, said his group does not track the exact number of January caucuses. Nor does the Wisconsin Elections Commission, according to

spokesman Reid Magney. State law outlines the procedures, requiring municipalities to hold the events between Jan. 2 and 21, with a “preference” for Jan. 21.

Candidates nominated during the caucus will end up on a later spring ballot. Town board chairpersons or village presidents preside over the caucuses, unless they are seeking their own nomination. In that case, they must call for someone else to conduct the caucus, according to a manual issued by the Elections Commision in December.

The nominations are made either through acclamation from the floor or a secret ballot vote on paper. The method is announced in advance, to allow time for objections.

These requirements make pivoting to a virtual setting challenging, Paul Mahler, the attorney for the Hudson town officials, said during Monday’s court hearing. Conducting a vote by video, he said, would “fundamentally change the

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Without guidance, many municipalities erring on the side of in-person caucuses Continued from page 2

process.” In their Elections Commission complaint and in court filings, Koeberl and Gostovich argued that such a pivot is both necessary and possible, because their town is already accustomed to holding public meetings by teleconferencing.

Post-holiday caucus decried The couple, who have lived in the town of Hudson since 1993, allege that Hudson Town Clerk Vicki Shaw and board Chairman Don Jordan acted “contrary to law and in abuse of their discretion” by holding the caucus inside Hudson High School during a pandemic.

They argued that the setting put older people and people with disabilities — which Koeberl estimated to be more than 3,000 people, or almost one-third of Hudson’s population — at particular risk of becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. Speaking to Wisconsin Watch, Koeberl called the caucus timing particularly dangerous, since more people may have contracted the virus during holiday celebrations.

The complaint states that without public health measures in place, the caucus is effectively inaccessible to people with disabilities, such as Gostovich, and therefore in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A St. Croix County health advisory, last updated in June, states that indoor gatherings should not exceed 10 people. Federal guidance early in the pandemic recommended that people over 60 and those with serious health conditions stay home and avoid gatherings with people outside their household.

More recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that older adults are at elevated risk for severe reactions to the virus.

All of this, the complaint states, amounts to a violation of the couple’s rights. And unlike November’s election, which offered absentee voting options to people who could not, or chose not to,

vote in person, a caucus held exclusively in person offers no safe alternative, Koeberl argued. Koeberl also raised the issue with the St. Croix County district attorney, she said; on Dec. 29, that office declined to take up the case.

Public meeting or electoral activity?

Wisconsin’s towns are uniquely structured to function as a direct democracy in which electors can make decisions such as setting the property tax rate, said Ruth of the Wisconsin Towns Association. And caucuses are part of that.

“There’s just that feeling that it is that direct participation, that it’s the people doing it themselves,” Ruth said.

“People just like coming together … and do that in that old style, of how things used to be, way back when.” Villages, although structured more like cities, may also hold caucuses. But the problem that Koeberl and Gostovich encountered derives from a caucus’ structure.

These gatherings contain aspects of a public meeting — and thereby subject to laws requiring meetings to be open and transparent — and an electoral activity, governed by voting rights’ laws.

Even experts and those who run caucuses disagree about whether the gatherings are more akin to an election or a meeting. The Wisconsin Elections Commission — the state agency tasked with overseeing election activity — does not have guidance on how to categorize these events.

“I don’t have the answer to that question,” said Magney. “That is one we have to address.”

Nordstrand, the judge hearing the case, said a caucus could not be conflated with other types of elections and was likely not protected under the federal Voting Rights Act. “This is a meeting, at which there is an election, of sorts, occurring,” he said.

During the pandemic, guidance about how to safely conduct open meetings

and rules for election activities are not always aligned. For example, while a statewide mask mandate is in effect until Jan. 19, which would apply during public meetings, voters in November were not required to wear masks when they cast their ballots, because state election officials found that this was a new “qualification” for voters, which only the Legislature may approve. A March Wisconsin Department of Justice advisory on holding open meetings during the pandemic addresses the need to accommodate citizens for whom virtual meetings are less accessible, such as those without internet access or who are deaf.

But it does not address how to make in-person meetings open to those unable to attend in person. Wendy Helgeson, president of the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association, which represents the officials who administer caucuses, believes the events ought to function like a standard public meeting.

“I think that however municipalities are choosing to hold those — board meetings and Sanitary District meetings or whatever else — I’m sure that they are going to hold this caucus in the same manner,” she said. And communities that have continued to hold in-person public meetings throughout the pandemic have offered other ways for the public to participate, such as calling in during the meeting or submitting a comment in advance, she said.

“I think that this year, with everything, most municipalities have had to come up with some sort of accommodation to allow for that transparency,” she said.

Confusion reigns But Helgeson noted the unique nature of caucuses, saying she did not know if the mask mandate would be in effect, given that it is an “election matter.”

Magney said the state election agency advises that caucuses “should follow public health guidelines to prevent the spread of

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PO Box 144 Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588 USA (608) 588-6694 editor@valleysentinelnews.com valleysentinelnews.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Emilie Conlon Creative Director Morgan Marlenga Managing Editor Quincy Aston-Lott Legal Editor Gerry Strang, esq.

the virus.”

The state’s open meetings law requires that “all meetings of all state and local governmental bodies shall be publicly held in places reasonably accessible to members of the public and shall be open to all citizens at all times unless otherwise expressly provided by law.”

But a caucus functions somewhere at the intersection of a public meeting and an electoral activity, Ruth said. “The caucus isn’t really a meeting of a body of the government. It’s really of the people itself, of the electors,” he said. “Now, with that said, it certainly still must be open to the public and all of those (open meeting) requirements.”

According to Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, failing to provide accommodations violates the state’s open meetings law. But, he said, when it comes to caucuses, the question is not as clear as no case about this issue has yet been taken up by courts.

“Honestly, I think you can pretty much follow common sense on this one, that ‘reasonable accommodation’ should mean that you don’t have to attend in-person during a pandemic. And if they’re not providing that, they’re in violation of the law,” he said.

During Monday’s court hearing, Mahler argued the town had made accommodations by moving the caucus to a larger space, establishing social distancing among tables, placing plexiglass protectors around them, requiring masks and distributing other personal protection equipment. Those accommodations, he argued, made the event more accessible to people with disabilities and those with COVID-19 safety concerns.

Ruth said other towns have moved their caucuses into the town shop, where road equipment is stored, or to the fire

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Editorial Policy

On certain topics in areas of great community interest, the editors of the Valley Sentinel may take positions they believe best represent and serve the interests of the community. Any opinions or positions taken by the editorial board are separate and distinct in labeling and substance from the community journalism that appears in the rest of the publication and does not affect the integrity

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Est. 2020 igne conflatum “Forged in Fire”

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WednesdaY, Jan. 13, 2021

Outdoors/recreation/Community/ Opinion

Arena village board fills vacant seat, finalizes EMS contract Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-Chief

The village of Arena met for its regular board meeting Jan. 5, where the board appointed a former board member to fill a newly vacant seat and continued discussions for funding solutions for the joint Fire and EMS program.

The board voted to appoint former Board Member Charles Burch to fill the vacant board seat left by William Hanson, who resigned last month.

Burch’s term would end in April of this year.

Trustee Paul Pustina questioned if there were other applicants for the appointment. Village President Kate Reimann acknowledged there was another candidate, who did not fill out paperwork to be on the April ballot prior to the deadline.

The other interested party was Matthew Schroder, who served as Village President prior to Reimann.

Reimann said she offered Schroder an opportunity to join the plan commission, but Schroder declined.

“I asked him if he would like to join the plan commission, it’s kind of a step off the board. He did not want to do that,” said Reimann.

Burch was a former member of the board, but failed to seek re-election on the official ballot in April 2020, so he was named as a write-in candidate on the ballot. Burch has also submitted paperwork to seek election in the upcoming 2021 April election.

“He’s submitted paperwork to get on the ballot, so I am appointing him,” said Reimann. It’s not clear under what authority Reimann was appointing Burch, as statute states that the board as a whole makes appointments to fill vacancies.

Pustina raised concerns over both candidates not being equally considered for appointment, and Reimann reiterated that she chose to appoint Burch because he filed paperwork for reelection this year, while the other candidate failed to do so.

The motion to appoint Burch was

In other news Lone Rock Community Discussions The village of Lone Rock, along with the Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, are hosting public meetings for community input regarding the village’s upcoming comprehensive plan.

There will be five open house style meetings between Jan. 14 and Feb. 11, where community members can attend anytime between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., or via Zoom from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The first meeting will be held Jan. 14 at the Lone Rock Community Library, E Liberty Street.

Police and Fire first responders to receive COVID-19 vaccine The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Jan. 11 that Police and Fire first responders will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Jan. 18. This step begins the move towards phase 1B in the distribution plan.

County Health Departments will be responsible for the coordination of vaccines for police and fire personnel.

Wisconsin National Guard Mobilized On Jan. 11, Gov. Tony Evers authorized the mobilization of the state National Guard to assist Capitol Police in Madison in anticipation of civil unrest surrounding the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden.

The Guard will be mobilized to support the Capitol Police and local authorities, and will consist of troops from the Wisconsin National Guard Reaction Forces, which consists of small numbers of troops trained to respond to short notice requests for support.

Elk Management Plan Open For Public Comment

The DNR is accepting public input on an update to the state’s elk management plan through Jan. 23.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now accepting public input on an update to the state’s elk management plan through Jan. 23, 2021.

The management plan outlines objectives and strategies to guide elk management in the state through 2030. Review the proposed plan and view a summary presentation at www. dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/elk.

Those who wish to provide comment may do so by emailing elkplan@wisconsin.gov or by mail: Wisconsin DNR, Attn: Scott Roepke, 910 Highway 54E, Black River Falls, WI 54615.

“The restoration of elk to Wisconsin is a

tremendous conservation success story.

We’re looking forward to implementing the approaches identified in this draft update to the elk management plan with the input and support of the public,” said Scott Roepke, DNR Wildlife Biologist. “The management plan emphasizes a science-based approach to managing our state’s elk population and will also address diverse issues from tourism potential to agricultural damage.”

Once widespread here and across North America, elk were eliminated from Wisconsin in the 1880s due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss. More than 130 years later, they once again live in Wisconsin’s central and northern forest regions.

passed unanimously.

Burch’s appointed term will end in April of this year.

The board also discussed the agreement they have with the township of Arena to fund the joint Fire and EMS program for both the village and township.

Due to a failed referendum on the November ballot, the village is unable to fund its 42% of the shared funding for the services. After making 2021 budget cuts, the board approved in November to provide 27% of the portion it is responsible for.

According to discussion at the meeting, the Fire Board planned to cut the staff budget to cover the remaining funding. The original agreement budgeted for three, full time EMTs, and the proposed change would allow funding for two full time EMTs. Reimann said the Fire Board indicated the Fire and EMS program are able to function with two EMTs, as they are currently.

The village board voted to eliminate the third full time position, and provide approximately $35,000 to fund its 27% portion for one year. The agreement only applies to this year, and will expire Dec. 31, 2021 when it will be revisited on a yearly basis.

Other action or discussion at the meeting included: —Approving a 2021 contract with the Iowa County Humane Society, and appointing police chief Nick Stroik as the municipal representative for the humane society.

—Appointing trustee Tami Erspamer to the Plan Commission as a village trustee representative.

—Appointing Charles Burch to the Public Works Committee —Approving a schedule change for Public Works Superintendent Mike Schmidt to accommodate accrued vacation.

Spring Green Village Board formulating plan for Village Administrator position Continued from page 1 on-going performance.

“I just want to say that I love the way all of you interact and that it sounds like Wendy is a treasure for the village,” said Barta.

Resident Ed Lilla agreed with comments regarding Crary’s performance, and supported the proposed positions.

“I want to reiterate Damian’s comments and I attend primarily out of

concern, but I am relieved to hear the proposed changed for the village,” said Lilla.

The village board did not take any action on the positions at the meeting, but did advise the Personnel Committee to create a plan for making and implementing the positions. The committee will bring forth a proposed plan and job descriptions at an upcoming meeting.

Municipal caucuses during COVID-19 Continued from page 3

station, to provide additional space and ventilation. That’s the case in the town of Clinton, a community a community of fewer than 2,000 people southeast of La Crosse, said Town Clerk Sandy Schweiger. That caucus has been relocated from the town hall and into the town shop to better space out chairs. Officials will request participants to wear masks, and they will make hand sanitizer available at the Jan. 16 caucus, she said.

Still, she wonders how many elderly residents may stay home because of the pandemic. In Spring Green, a town of fewer than 2,000 people in Sauk County, Clerk Vicki Terpstra said she could not find definitive legal guidance on whether a caucus could be held virtually. So the event will be on Jan. 16 in the town hall garage, which is large, allowing for distancing and better airflow.

“Many people have voiced concerns about participating in in-person events due to the surge in COVID infections,” she wrote in an email. “However, others have voiced a desire to hold town electors meetings in-person.” Terpstra said officials at the event will “strongly suggest” participants wear a mask and provide a mask for those who arrive without one.

Unique rules, little guidance Certain transparency requirements of public meetings also apply to caucuses, but other issues are left to the discretion of municipal officials. For example, the caucuses must be announced five or more days in advance, and publicized in the same way as any other public meeting. Like an election, only qualified voters — U.S. citizens over the age of 18 who have lived in the municipality for more than 28 days — may participate.

And participants are not subject to Wisconsin’s voter ID law, but they may be required to present identification if asked, according to Elections Commission guidance. They also need not be registered to vote — another quirk in the caucus system.

Those requirements would make it difficult to hold a caucus virtually, Ruth said.

“How would you ensure that, whoever is speaking … that they are a qualified elector of the town?” he said. “There’s this difficulty in the integrity of who’s voting” — with the exception of towns where “everybody knows each other.”

Monday’s caucus in Hudson was ultimately a quick, straightforward affair.

But, like so many issues that arose in this election cycle, Wisconsin law has been tested by once-in-a-lifetime public health emergency. Koeberl and Gostovich’s complaint and court challenge could spark an effort to clarify the law around this important right.

“The primary issue here that it’s easy to lose sight of is a really important fundamental right: the right to vote; the right to participate and choose who’s going to represent us in our government,” Koeberl said. “We need to preserve that even if people choose not to exercise it. That is something that we cannot just give up.”

The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

Community/Outdoors/recreation

WednesdaY, Jan. 13, 2021

Page 5

Annual Bald Eagle viewing will be held virtually this year Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin’s longest-running bald eagle watching extravaganza is going virtual for 2021, with programming available throughout January and February. Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Sauk Prairie area’s Bald Eagle Watching Days will be livestreamed. Bald eagle lovers will be able to see their favorite parts of this annual event from the comfort and safety of their own home during its 35th year.

“Eagle Days in 2021 will be COVID appropriate,” said Jeb Barzen, President of the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council (FBEC). FBEC is a co-sponsor of the event with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Sauk Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce and Tripp Heritage Museum.

“Our planned virtual programming will feature the release of a rehabilitated bald eagle to the wild, a live raptor show and many more of your favorite events and presentations,” Barzen said.

“We’ll provide experts to answer your questions and show eagle watchers how they can safely visit the area and see the birds themselves using our new self-guided tour.”

The links and schedule for all programming can be found on the FBEC website, www.ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org.

Programming is a mix of live-streamed and pre-recorded events beginning at 1 p.m. on Jan. 16 and 23 and February 6 and 20. Some highlights of each week include: Jan. 16, 2021 – Watch a pre-recorded

release of a rehabilitated bald eagle to the wild by Marge Gibson, executive director of the Raptor Education Group, Inc., followed by a live question and answer session. This week will also feature a presentation of “Eagles in Native American Culture” by Art Shegonee, a member of the Menominee and Potawatomi tribes in Wisconsin.

Jan. 23, 2021 - A live raptor show will feature Schlitz Audubon Nature Center raptors and trainers and a behind-thescenes video of bald eagles getting bathed, fed and flight time. You can also learn insights from Barzen, a wildlife biologist, on “Wintering Ecology of Eagles in the Lower Wisconsin Riverway.” And don’t miss the story of Old Abe, a Civil War military mascot.

Feb. 6, 2021 – Ever wondered why bald eagles choose the Lower Wisconsin Riverway for their winter home? Learn more about this from Barzen, a wildlife biologist, along with encore presentations of material from previous weeks.

Biologist, along with encore presentations of material from previous weeks.

Feb. 20, 2021 –Tune in for an encore presentation of the Schlitz Audubon raptor show and a live animal show with naturalist and educator David Stokes featuring animals that live with eagles. And don’t miss out on additional insights from Barzen on the eagle viewing season and recent roost count data.

“The shift from in-person to virtual events means people can view the events and presentations throughout January and February, instead of just

in one weekend,” said Sumner Matteson, an Avian Ecologist for the DNR and event planning team member.

Those looking to see eagles in the wild can also visit the Sauk Prairie area on their own during those months. A self-guided tour using mobile devices is available on the FBEC website and guides people to prime viewing spots along the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway.

“We’re excited to offer people in Wisconsin and elsewhere a chance to enjoy Bald Eagle Watching Days in a new way and at their leisure in 2021,” Matteson said. The event brings Bald Eagles’ Dramatic Comeback To Life.

Bald Eagle Watching Days started in 1987 to highlight the growing comeback of bald eagles since their listing in the 1970s as an endangered species.

The national ban on the pesticide DDT, added protections under state and federal endangered species laws, cleaned up rivers and public support of nest monitoring and protection efforts allowed bald eagles to fly off the state endangered species list in 1997 and the federal list a decade later.

Bald eagle populations in Wisconsin have grown from 108 occupied nests in 1973 to nearly 1,700 in 2019, affording fantastic viewing opportunities as eagles from northern Wisconsin, Canada, northern Michigan and Minnesota move south in search of new nesting territories.

In winter, the raptors typically congregate along open water areas on the Wisconsin, Mississippi and Fox rivers.

Their growing presence in these areas

Photo by Natural Heritage Conservation has turned the sites into birdwatching destinations and inspired many community events, including the Sauk Prairie area’s Bald Eagle Watching Days.

“The comeback of bald eagles in Wisconsin is an amazing story, and we’re excited to help bring this story alive for people again,” Barzen said. “Converting Eagle Days to a virtual event has been a leap into the unknown for us but one that the broad conservation community, including DNR, FBEC, the chamber, Tripp Museum and the Sauk Prairie business community, came together and met exceedingly well.”

COVID-19 Testing Information Sauk County Mondays from 11am to 1pm at Spring Green Fire/EMS 2 Step Online Registration & Appointment REQUIRED: www.springgreenems.com Tuesdays from 8am to 12pm at Reedsburg Ambulance Service Online Registration REQUIRED: www.register.covidconnect.wi.gov *Note: Even if you have previously registered via covidconnect site, you must re-register each time you are tested.*

Wednesday from 4:30pm to 8pm at Merrimac Fire & Rescue Appointments REQUIRED: Call (608) 393-3205 2 Step Online Registration & Appointment REQUIRED: 1. Complete questionnaire at www.register.covidconnect.wi.gov 2. Call (608) 643-7603 to schedule appointment. Call MondayFriday 8am-4pm *Note: Even if you have previously registered via covidconnect site, you must re-register each time you are tested. Enter the car line from Water St to Lincoln Ave, then follow the yellow directional signs to check in station located at 55 Prairie Ave. Vehicles with more than one person in them are welcome but each person MUST have pre-registered and have scheduled an appointment.*

Fridays from 8am to 12pm at Circus World Parking Lot (testing conducted by Baraboo Fire & EMS Online Registration only. Unable to accept phone calls 2 Step Online Registration & Appointment REQUIRED: www. forms.gle/uXHPPe86hiosRHbN8

Iowa County Testing will continue in 2021 on Thursdays, alternating between Iowa and Lafayette Counties, from 11am-1pm, weather dependent.

The following week’s test site will be in Iowa County on Thursday, January 14th, 2021 from 11am – 1pm at the Health and Human Services Center located at 303 West Chapel Street in Dodgeville.

Richland County

Tests will be available on a FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVE basis.

The Richland Hospital continues to offer COVID-19 drive-thru testing from 11am to 4pm Monday-Friday for hospital & clinic patients displaying COVID-19 symptoms or to those that have a confirmed exposure.

January 14th from 9am to 3pm at Richland County Fairgrounds January 18th from 9am to 12pm at Richland County Fairgrounds January 20th from 9am to 3pm at UW-Platteville RichlandClassroom Building st January 21 from 9am to 3pm at Richland County Fairgrounds January 25th from 9am to 12pm at Richland County Fairgrounds January 28th from 9am to 3pm at Richland County Fairgrounds

Page 6

Sports

WednesdaY, Jan. 13, 2021

RV boys fall to Lancaster 72-69 in overtime Mike McDermott, Contributor In a normal year it would be surprising to play a team with six more games played than their opponent. In the 2020-21 season, it’s just one of many unusual circumstances surrounding high school athletics. Lancaster came to River Valley last Tuesday night with a record of 10-2, going against the 2-2 Blackhawks. The Arrows early strategy of pressing full-court did not rattle the Hawks, who ran off to an early 11-4 lead, with several easy buckets coming off the press break. Zach Gloudeman and Preston Hying did the heavy lifting early, hurting Lancaster with close range shots. Press or no press, it looked like the red-hot Blackhawks were going to have an easy night. An 11-0 run put the home team up 22-9 and the Tyler Nachreiner/Will Bailey sharpshooting duo would stretch the lead further as RV broke out to a sixteen point lead with 5:00 left in the half. At the rate they were going, it looked as though the Blackhawks might hit 50 by half, and they came into this contest averaging 55 a game.

Free throws and close range shots kept the Arrows in this game, as the halftime scoreboard showed RV with a 46-33 lead.

Lancaster could easily have trailed by 20 at the half, so they had to feel good about only being down 13. Sometimes

Photo by Mike McDermott, Contributor River Valley boys showcasing their impressive defensive skills against Lancaster at the Jan. 5 game. momentum shifts from one team to the other on a dramatic play; other times it comes as a slow drip. After an early basket by Nachreiner and a corner three from Landen Alt, Valley still held a comfortable 51-37 lead. This is where the slow drip started. Five turnovers in the first four minutes of the 2nd half, combined with Lancaster’s ability to get shots close to the basket, let the Arrows back into the game as they went on an 11-3 run to cut the score to 51-44.

Bailey’s trey and a free throw bumped the lead back up to 11 points, but Lancaster responded with nine straight

points and suddenly Valley was clinging to a 55-53 advantage. Both teams traded baskets for the next few minutes, but down the stretch free throws made the difference for the visitors.

Cole Raisbeck did most of the damage from the charity stripe as Lancaster scored their last eight points of regulation from the line, pulling even at 65-65 with 22 seconds remaining. The Blackhawks had a couple of chances to hit a game winner but were unable to get off a good shot. Overtime!

DJ Kelley hit a three early in the extra period - just the 2nd three of the game

for Lancaster - and that would be the final margin of victory as the Arrows took down the Blackhawks 72-69.

Certainly a disappointing outcome for RV after a blazing first half, but again, this was just the 5th game played by the Blackhawks here in early January.

They will have a chance to show what they learned from this as they continue the home stand Friday night vs. Prairie du Chien. The Hawks have to be encouraged by the balanced scoring attack. Gloudeman led the way with 15, followed by Bailey and Nachriener with 14 apiece, Hying had 13, and Landen Alt dropped 10 points.

RV boys bounce back against Prairie du Chien Mike McDermott, Contributor Chances are the RV boys had a bad taste in their mouths after losing to Lancaster in overtime Tuesday night.

Their play early in the Friday night contest with Prairie du Chien ensured they would wash that bad taste away in short order. The RV Blackhawks came out with a high degree of intensity and

focus, rolling to a 24-11 halftime lead.

There would be no letdown in the second half of this one, as the hometown five kept PDC down the entire night, posting a 53-36 win. Tyler Nachreiner (18 points) and Zach Gloudeman (15 points) took care of the bulk of River Valley’s scoring, helping Coach Thatcher’s team move to 3-2 in SWC play.

Photos by Mike McDermott, Contributor Right: Blackhawk player No. 14, Preston Hying, goes in for another basket.

Below: Luke Kannenberg, Blackhawk No. 34, defends inbounds pass from Prairie du Chien.

Activities this week Freshmen Boys Basketball Platteville High School 6 p.m. Jan. 14

Freshmen Girls Basketball River Valley High School new gym 6 p.m. Jan. 14

Wrestling River Valley High School new gym 6 p.m. Jan. 15

JV Boys Basketball Platteville High School 7 p.m. Jan. 14

JV Girls Basketball Richland Center High School 6 p.m. Jan. 15

JV Boys Basketball Mineral Point High School 1 p.m. Jan. 16

Varsity Boys Basketball Platteville High School 7:30 p.m. Jan. 14

Varsity Girls Basketball Richland Center High School 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15

Varsity Boys Basketball Mineral Point High School 2:30 p.m. Jan. 16

Community

WednesdaY, Jan. 13, 2020

Page 7

COVID-19 Dashboard Wisconsin Summary Cases as of 1/12/2021

511,136 17.5% Positive Cases

+19,795 from 1/5

82.5%

2,409,580 Negative +39,095 from 1/5 Cases

5,211 Deaths +232 from 1/5

Richland County

Iowa County

9,910 +108 from Negative 1/5 Cases

1,174 Positive Cases 12.8%

+54 from 1/5

1,731 Positive Cases

87.2%

+0 from 1/5

Sauk County 12.8% 87.2%

31 Deaths

4,766 Positive +193 from 1/5 Cases

32,414 Negative +362 from 1/5 Cases

8 Deaths

+0 from 1/5

Total cases since 3/15/2020

13 Deaths

7,988 Negative +59 from 1/5 Cases

+32 from 1/5

River Valley School District Cases as of 1/12/2021

Please note, case numbers reflect the River Valley School District as a geographical area, not as and entity

+2 from 1/5

Vaccine Summary Statistics 607,650

Allocated

Updated: 1/12/2021

373,100 Shipped

163,371

Administered

Pfizer Vaccines Administered 104,806 Moderna Vaccines Administered 58,564 Graphic by Whitney Back

Data From: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm

Cases per zip code Cases as of 1/12/2021

“The good stuff.”

Page 8

Outdoors/recreation

WednesdaY, Jan. 13, 2021

An Outdoorsman’s Journal

Mark Walters, Contributor

Christmas Break on the Big River Hello friends, This week I am writing about a winter camping and ice fishing trip that I went on with my 19-year-old daughter, Selina Walters. We headed over to Buffalo City, which is about 35-miles north of LaCrosse on the Mississippi River and hiked in a short way, pulling Otter sleds loaded with gear to our destination.

Monday, December 28th

High 25, low 18 Selina has just finished her first semester of her sophomore year studying fisheries and aquatic sciences at UW Stevens Point and it is very cool to see that she is still into winter camping and ice fishing, especially since our golden retrievers Fire and Ruby were with us.

When we hit the ice there were five fishermen that were all jigging for panfish and not catching much at all.

My plan was to put out two tip-ups a piece for northern pike and one tipdown each with a crappie minnow on it for panfish.

We had a few round trips and a lot of camp to build with about two hours of daylight left. Our living quarters would be my 12x8 Eskimo “Fatshack” and it literally is a cabin on the ice. The Fatshack pops up like a turkey blind, is insulated and

after we run two propane lights, set up a table a cookstove and two cots, life is perfect.

We had zero action but still had nearly 48 hours left on the ice and were confident our luck would change.

Tuesday, December 29th

High 27, low 22 Jigging for panfish as well the tipdowns was only yielding small perch and so we made the executive decision to go with all tip-ups and try to catch a big gator or at least a few medium sized gator/northern pike. I always find it amusing when people tell me that they will not mess with northern pike because they are too slimy, or actually the real reason being too bony. By the time I was 12 I knew how to Y bone this fine-eating fish and it truly is one of the best eating fish that Wisconsin has to offer in my opinion.

This morning Selina iced our first fish, which was a 29-inch pike and that put a big smile on our faces.

I have been winter camping every year with Selina since she was two and time sure has changed our situation. It used to be that she was part of the gear that I pulled onto the ice, I set up camp by myself and did all the cooking.

These days she can pull as much gear as I can, knows how to set up camp and this morning cooked steaks from the buck she killed in November along with eggs that we harvested from our chickens.

Photos by Mark Walters, Contributor Left: Selina Walters holding up an impressive catch of two Northern Pike.

Bottom: Walter’s daughter shown walking back to the fishing shack with her catch.

Photo by Mark Walters, Contributor Mark Walter’s daughter, Selina cooking in the fishing shack.

What I really find to be very positive about our relationship is that no matter how slow our hunting or fishing experience may be we never run out of things to talk about and literally every moment is positive.

In closing on that subject, Selina loves the pups and they constantly amuse each other. Ruby always wants to play fetch and her mother likes to sleep, be petted, and observe.

The forecasters were predicting a big snowstorm for today and we found that exciting but in reality, it was mostly wind and plenty of it along with maybe two inches of snow. All night long the ratchet straps and ice anchors were tested by a constant 20-mile per hour wind, they held, and our camp did not blow away.

Wednesday, December 30th

High 22, low 17 The description for today’s conditions on the ice would be brutal, constant wind and blowing snow. Yesterday

Lower Wisconsin River Ice Fishing Report for 1/11/2021

Capt. John Bomkamp 231 Carbil Rd. Muscoda, WI 53573

The bite last week slowed down, typical for mid January. The bite window each day is short, but if you put in the time, fish can be caught.

We iced some decent blue gills, along with a few perch and crappies fishing various jigs tipped with wax worms or spikes. Bass and northerns on tip ups fished with shiners. The ice where we fished measured 8 plus inches. As always, use caution when accessing the ice as some of the shorelines can be bad. The weather is great, so get out and enjoy the great outdoors!

I kept moving tip-ups and looking for a honey hole and this morning that paid off. We had one area that was about a hundred-yard walk that kept having a flag go up and over the course of the day Selina caught a limit of beautiful gators. Our good friend Jeff Moll gave Selina a freezer, and with her buck, fish, and a lot of homegrown food we will work together to minimalize the grocery store as much as is realistic.

As far as this trip, it was blast and hopefully they won’t end until I am dust in the wind!

—Sunset

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