Valley Sentinel - 04-4-2024

The road to the record books starts here.

Stay in school! Make the most of your education.

performance and top speed at the Bonneville International Speedway, located near Wendover, Utah. Because the track is nearly a mile above sea level, air density is lower, causing engines with old-style carburetors to run too rich, reducing their power. The salt surface provides less traction than pavement, and a bike’s age and restoration status at the time it’s run could also affect overall

Keeping these things in mind on race day, Ilminen strategized by keeping the bike in fourth gear for the entirety of the timed run. Ilminen’s bike is powered by an air-cooled, four-cylinder engine running on octane pump gas. To prevent prohibited fuel additives from being used, bikes competing in the pump gas category are fueled on the salt flats at the event under event officials’ supervision. As Ilminen sped across the track, he

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Sauk Prairie Healthcare no longer in-network for some area patients as hopital, Anthem are at odds over costs

Gary Ilminen, AMA National Motorcycle Land Speed Champion 2014

Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief

Bonneville Salt Flats, Wendover, UT. Record still stands 10 years later.

80.102 mph, 350cc Production Classic Division, 1974 Honda CB350F

As of April 1, area Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance holders will no longer receive in-network treatment when their current plan year ends at Sauk Prairie Healthcare Hospitals and Clinics, after the health system and insurance company could not come to an agreement to continue providing covered services.

This contract termination will affect roughly 2,700 patients, or approximately 7% of Sauk Prairie’s patient population, according to the healthcare system.

Member of the Hurley School District Class of 1973.

This termination will also affect patients who visit Sauk Prairie Healthcare’s Plain and River Valley Spring Green clinics.

While patients will no longer be able visit Sauk Prairie Healthcare clinics or hospitals for routine care services

Clean water, local food a collaborative effort

Jim Massey, Contributed

Members of a pair of groups in the Spring Green area believe they have something special in their midst, and they want others to discover and appreciate it as much as they do.

The Lowery Creek Watershed Initiative

and Savor the River Valley, partnerships with different but somewhat compatible missions, are reaching out to area residents and visitors in an attempt to help farmers and food producers within the region.

They are planning a Farm and Food Tour, monthly field events and a farm-to-table

after their plan year ends, members can still utilize Sauk Prairie facilities for in-network emergency treatment, as Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield considers any emergency treatment as in-network.

Sauk Prairie Healthcare is urging patients to call the number provided on their insurance cards to determine how their plans are affected. This includes Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare supplement plan holders.

dinner at the Hilltop, near Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin, to bring producers and consumers together.

The Lowery Creek Watershed Initiative’s mission is to protect and nurture soil and water quality, natural areas, viewsheds and cultural resources in the Lowery Creek

“This is very disruptive and stressful to patients. We believe that it would only be right for Anthem to allow enrollees to stay with their providers through the end of their benefit year,” said Amy Ryan, a spokesperson for Sauk Prairie

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Watershed. The watershed is an area in Iowa County that includes land east and west of Lowery Creek from about 10 miles south of Spring Green to the Wisconsin River.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

I want to give your readers and our patients an update to my last letter.

Anthem (renamed Elevance) chose to terminate our contract, forcing Sauk Prairie Healthcare to be out-of-network for about 2,700 area residents. (Note: Prairie Clinic continues to be in-network with Anthem.) Despite our sincere efforts to negotiate a fair contract, Anthem remained steadfast in their position which didn’t adequately consider the rising costs of supplies, medicine, and compensating our valued team members — all critical to providing high-value care for all our patients.

Our offer to Anthem was fair and rea-

Dear Editor, Denial, the Last Frontier.

As a kid growing up, I believed Alaska was the last frontier. Either through some cereal box or other contest I was given a deed for one square foot of Alaska. I felt like I had been given a piece of heaven. In 1969 the last frontier ( space) was conquered with our landing on the moon. Years later the vastness of our oceans became the final last frontier. Recently, I have come to another undiscovered frontier. This frontier is attack-

On the cover

“Cabin” (2023) Screenprint, by John Himmelfarb

When we saw one of John Himmelfarb's recent works, we asked if he minded us saying it was reminiscent of a mix of Dr. Seuss meets "The Beatles: Yellow Submarine" (1969 film), in the absolute best way possible?

Himmelfarb, an artist with studios near Spring Green and Chicago, said he didn't mind at all.

"The Cabin Fever image revisits an approach I took to my paintings in the early 1970's, with some reference to Pop Art," said Himmelfarb.

Cabin is part of his "Drama" series and is meant to lift viewers out of the grays of winter and into spring.

"Cabin is the only print I've done as part of my Drama Series. Most of the Drama paintings were done at my Wyoming Valley studio," said Himmelfarb.

"Gabe Hoare, master printer at Hoofprint Workshop Chicago, used Golden Open Acrylics for many of the 10 colors, resulting in a print that you'd think was a painting!"

The image...is printed on Cranes Lettra 100% Rag Paper, 25 5/8" x 34 3/8." Edition: 50."

You can arrange to purchase the print by emailing John at johnhimmelfarb@gmail.com. ($800 plus taxes and/ or shipping) and you can see the rest of his Drama series at: t.ly/22vow

To Himmelfarb he says he's usually recognized as the guy that makes the truck sculptures and said he appreciates all the help he gets from area residents and businesses in his works.

sonable, focused on keeping costs as low as possible to provide the level of care our patients deserve. I’ll leave it to your readers to decide whether Anthem’s motivation is truly to help lower health care costs or rather to enrich its shareholders. This outcome is not what we desired. Our commitment lies with you — our patients and community. For us, it’s personal. Unlike Anthem, we’re here with you, shopping in the same stores, sending our kids to the same schools, cheering for the same teams. And it pains us that we can’t be an in-network provider for you and your family.

Anthem glibly tells its enrollees to simply choose a new provider from their net-

ing the very fabric of our civilization and if it is not properly handled, I see the end to everything that is good and proper. The frontier, the enemy knocking at our back door is DENIAL. Denial is defined as ignoring reality, or any particular statement or allegation not seen as being true. Harmful denial is closing our eyes to what is true, what is true to reality, the experts and common sense. Examples of truthful denials are running rampant in our world and especially in our country today.

• The Holocaust

• Global warming

• Hatred running rampant in our country for Asians and Blacks

• Unhealthy weight gain among our youth

Dear Editor,

What an interesting time we are living in. We have Eric Hovde, a Californian, coming here to run for the Senate. He is spending millions on TV and radio ads, all saying what a wonderful, caring, generous man he is.

I wonder three things - since he has done all the “caring” things in CA that his wife says he has done, why doesn’t he run for office in CA? Does he think CA voters are too smart to vote for him, so he will come to

Dear Editor,

An oath is a solemn promise regarding one's future action or behavior. Our Pledge of Allegiance commits us to our country and Constitution that unites and protects us.

All military recruits pledged “The Oath of Enlistment”:

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and

work. But we know the reality is much more disruptive to our patients’ lives.

To us these are real people, not just insurance plan member numbers — from busy parents who can no longer use our Urgent Care for unexpected immediate needs to the young mom who must find a new pediatrician. Or think about the senior who’s been with the same doctor for decades and isn’t comfortable driving out of town. Then there’s the out-of-area patient who chose us for our outstanding reputation and now must cancel their surgery and related appointments, which means they also won’t be visiting local businesses.

It’s incredibly stressful for patients

• Pesticide runoff ruining our water supply

• Materialism, militarism, and consumerism

Watching our local newscasters today we try to giggle our way through pain. Denying our crime problem, our drinking problem, our drug problem, our fears of death, our denial of election results, our mistrust for the educated and denying common sense will just set us all adrift.

We all are challenged to be more authentic, more open, more honest with ourselves. Overcoming our denials will take a lot of work, a lot of self-perspective, a lot of reading, a lot of meditating or praying and a willingness to let go of our self-destructive prejudices.

WI where he thinks the voters are not very smart? Does he think it’s easier to buy our votes than it would be in CA?

Second- If Hovde wants to represent WI that badly, why didn’t he run against Rep. Van Orden? He would for sure have won the nomination against DVO, because Van Orden has shown how he is a bully and uncouth and not fit for the job.

Third - he says he will donate all of his salary back to WI. Now, that’s rich. He really does think Wisconsinites are dumb. This

the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

Congressional winners, swear the following oath: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which

when their insurance plan’s in-network provider suddenly disappears midyear.

The fact that Anthem terminated with us, doesn’t mean it’s okay for them to discontinue your in-network access to Sauk Prairie Healthcare before the end of your plan year.

Thank you for your trust and understanding during this challenging time. Please know we haven’t given up. We will work diligently to try to reach an agreement with Anthem in the future that gives you value and prioritizes your well-being.

Shawn Lerch CEO, Sauk Prairie Healthcare

I will turn 83 this month. My Bjork-Shiley aorta heart valve has long extended its life by twenty some years , and death is sooner than later. Because of my faith I do not fear death, nor should anyone else, however I fear if our persistent denials about our past and our present continues our waters will no longer sustain life, our air will be useless and if gone unchecked civil war will come with a vengeance to our country.

Denial is our last frontier and may we all have the courage, the wisdom, and the faith to conquer our misguided thinking.

Peace to all

Dennis Siebert Sylvan Township, Wisconsin

billionaire, this man who owns banks and forecloses on mortgages, this man thinks we don’t know that not only would his salary be a pittance of what he makes just in interest, how he doesn’t need the money, and we know that if he donates the salary back to WI he will be able to DEDUCT it on his taxes. Win-win for him….lose-lose for us. Vote blue.

Barbara Voyce Lone Rock, Wisconsin

I am about to enter. So help me God. These pledges to defend our Country and Constitution are clear. Representative Van Orden has taken each of these oaths. Despite that, he participated in the 1-6-2021 insurrection. He frequently votes against critical bills and puts our nation at financial and military risk. He recently heckled President Biden at the State-of-the-Union Address. He lacks decorum, respect, and good judgment. It’s time for change!

Lee D. Van Landuyt Hillsboro, Wisconsin

Constitutional amendments pass setting new limits on elections officials

Wisconsin voters cast their first ballots in the 2024 presidential race April 2 and approved two constitutional amendments on election administration, while weighing in on contests for local offices, judges, school board seats and school funding measures in communities across the state.

With 90% of ballots counted, 54% of voters approved a ban in the Wisconsin Constitution on private grants to help offset the cost of election administration, and 58% approved an amendment stipulating that only election officials “designated by law” can handle tasks relating to election administration.

A closely watched “uninstructed” vote in the Democratic presidential primary, intended to send a message to President Joe Biden, exceeded organizers’ goal.

A heavy downpour across the state in

the morning turned into a snowstorm in the afternoon, creating forbidding conditions for people traveling to the polls throughout the day.

Presidential primaries

Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump each won their party’s presidential preference primary, with the Associated Press calling both races within 15 minutes after the polls closed at 8 p.m. Both had already amassed enough delegates to secure their nominations.

Groups that oppose Israel’s war in Gaza — and the Biden administration’s support for it — launched a grassroots effort in Wisconsin to try to garner 20,682 “uninstructed” votes in the Democratic primary. That goal — the same number of votes that separated Biden from Trump in the 2020 presidential election — was meant to demonstrate to Biden that he

must change course or risk losing the general election.

“Uninstructed” delegates attend the Democratic convention without committing to support a candidate. Organizers, who ran similar campaigns in Hawaii, Michigan and Minnesota, demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel. With 88% of ballots counted the organizers hit more than twice their goal, garnering at least 46,000 votes — 8.5% of the Democratic primary votes cast. The “uninstructed” campaigns were particularly strong in Dane and Milwaukee counties, where reports circulated on social media of groups putting up signs calling for that choice near polling places. It’s unclear whether those voters will abandon Biden in the general election,

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Wisconsin Examiner

OPINION/EDITORIAL

Public Education — Part 14: I HATE Tests

Beverly Pestel, Columnist

The right to an education at the government’s expense may be one of the most important rights given to us by the Founding Fathers. It was a while in coming and, arguably, it has never lived up to their aspirations. Following the progression and development of public education, however, allows us to understand where we’ve been, and where we may be going. More importantly, analyzing it carefully may be critical to ensuring a prosperous future for all of us. So, here we go...

Taking a bit of a turn here looking into

what happens inside the classroom. I encourage teachers to share your stories as well…just send them into editor@valleysentinelnews.com.

When I finished graduate school, I promised myself that I would never, ever, ever take another test. I hate them. I don’t even like competitive games anymore, they just dredge up feelings of anxiety, feelings of not being up to the task. I went back to grad school after teaching for 5 years. The first exam I had to take there was in organic chemistry. I studied, and I was as ready as I could get. The professor set the tests down in front of us upside down and when all were distributed, he told us to turn them over and begin.

I turned mine over and read the questions on the first page – had no clue how

to answer them. At that point my hands began to shake. Second page – same thing. Third page – same thing. Fourth page – well, you get the picture. By now I was shaking all over.

I turned the test over, closed my eyes, and tried to calm myself down. When I started again, a few things that I had studied started coming back to me, I think I got a “B” on that exam. Did I tell you that I HATE exams? I should tell you that I wasn’t a kid when this happened, I was thirty years old.

There are circumstances in life where assessment is necessary, but are high-pressure written exams the only way to do it? In some cases it may be, but really, should that include standardized tests for 4th graders, or 8th graders, or even 12th graders? Do we really need to do this to kids? Do we really need tests at all? Is that the best we can do for assessment?

I have a friend and colleague who taught high school and when I told her I was thinking of writing this column her response was, “If it weren’t for college/university admissions, parents, and administrators we wouldn’t need tests and grades at least in K-12. The teacher knows and the students know if they are learning...Besides tests are temporal. People learn at different rates.”

She reminded me of the elementary science curriculum we wrote for K-5 after we both retired. We included no worksheets and no exams. Instead, we used statements of standards to indicate what the students should be able to articulate and what skills they should be able to demonstrate if they had learned the material. We provided teachers with a checklist of these statements. We suggested that as the lessons were taught and as students talked and interacted with one another teachers could listen to hear students say these things, and if they did – checkmark, assessment done. If they didn’t hear it spontaneously, they could ask questions as the lesson proceeded and if students could answer those questions – checkmark, assess-

ment done. No need for a test. No need to impose the pressure of test day, no need to create that anxiety. No red marks on a paper. We don’t need to do that to kids.

As a college professor, I eventually stopped giving closed-books tests, I don’t care what is stored in short-term memory, I care about long-term understanding of concepts. I gave open-book group exams one week and the following week an open-book individual exam. If the point of an exam can’t be facilitating learning at the same time as assessing that learning, then let’s just concede failure. If all we are evaluating is short-term memorizing, what is the point?

Because I sometimes taught very large sections, I seldom found an alternative to written exams. I did do some experimenting, however, for several years with laboratory grades. I allowed students to form groups of four. They were given several question to study for a week. On test day they came into my office where one of those questions was selected by a cast of the die. They were then given 10 minutes to go out in the hallway and discuss the answer. When they returned to my office another cast of the die determined who would answer for the group. All four got the same grade. If on the first round of this the weakest member was chosen to answer, the group made sure that person was ready the next time. I also let them know that if that did not happen again, that first grade would be thrown out. Fair is fair when learning is the objective. (I got this idea, by the way, from my partner, Bill who taught high school science.)

I often found myself teaching one section of a multi-section course where colleagues insisted on giving common multiple choice tests – mostly for convenience, of course. I spent hours trying to write multiple choice questions that evaluated understanding rather than memorization. That is HARD. So I understand the enormously difficult task of trying to write multiple choice test questions that actually measure something of

value. When I submitted these questions to a standardized test for college-level general chemistry they were never used. When tested, less than 30% of the students got them right, that is below the cut-off for a question that differentiates students on these types of exams, so they are thrown out. So much for testing for actual proficiency.

With all the negatives involved with writing and evaluating any kind of test along with the dubious significance of high-stakes standardized tests, maybe it’s time to admit failure – ours, not the students – and throw them out. We learned how to fly to the moon, cure cancer, and create AI that can write amazing stories – mostly by people who are the products of our public schools - certainly we can figure out a better way to try to assess learning without labeling too many students and teachers as losers. I also wonder how many of these creative and productive adults occasionally tested poorly as kids and were labeled as never being able to amount to much. Other methods of assessment have been proposed from time to time, but they never seem to get off the ground. I can’t tell you why. I have theories but no documented research to back them up. OK, I’ve gotten that out of my system, it was kind of cathartic. Now, back to the research to see what the scholars in the field have to say about assessment. I’m anxious to see if anything has improved on this front since I retired. I’ll let you know if I find anything of note.

I’m also anxious to hear what teachers out there have to say about assessment – or anything else about your classroom. Hearing from those of you who deal with this every day would be valuable. Let me hear from you.

Beverly is a retired professor. She lives in a remodeled farmhouse and tends 40 acres of woodland in Richland County. When not in the woods she spends her time reading, writing and enjoying the beauty of the Driftless Area. Beverly may be contacted at bpestel@msn.com.

River Valley School District

Iowa County Richland County Sauk County

Beverly Pestel

Driftless Dark Skies: Three Words (April 2024)

John Heasley, Contributed

International Dark Sky Week (April 2-8) is a worldwide celebration of the dark and natural night. This month, I would like to indulge my fascination with words from my previous careers as an English teacher and as a research assistant with the Dictionary of American Regional English and offer three words for your consideration.

NOCTALGIA “sky grief”. Aparna Venkatesan and John Barentine proposed this term in a letter to the journal Science last year “for the accelerating loss of the home environment of our shared skies, a disappearance felt globally.” It is what we feel when we see light pollution spreading year by year. When we remember how “there once was a sky full of stars.” When we learn how the children born today will find it challenging to see the Milky Way and will have far fewer stars to wish upon. When we confront more and more studies showing the health risks of artificial light at night. When we discover the harm being done to the ecosystem of our one home as circadian rhythms are disrupted, pollinators confused, plant cycles altered, and migratory patterns disturbed. “Our diminishing ability to view the nighttime sky due to rapidly rising human-made light pollution is part of the palpable keening of all that is passing each day.”

NYCTOPHOBIA “fear of the dark”.

This one runs deep in the human psyche. Through our stories and our language, we pass on from generation to generation that night is dangerous. And we try to banish it by turning night into day with more and more artificial light. We equate light with safety and reason and virtue and civilization. Yet we cannot find the evidence that more light is making us safer and reducing crime. We do find evidence that light that is harsh and unshielded and misdirected does make it harder to see at night. And we deny ourselves and our children the chance to discover that we are pretty good at seeing in the dark once our eyes adapt, that we can navigate the dark safely, and that there is a world full of wonder and awe to be discovered in the natural night.

NOCTCAELADOR “love of the night”. Psychologist William E. Kelly introduced this word twenty years ago to describe an "emotional attachment to, or adoration of, the night sky". Humans have been skywatchers for thousands of generations. It’s only in the last few that we have disconnected ourselves. Watching the cycles of Sun, Moon, and stars, we learned to tell time and create calendars. We looked up at the stars, created constellations, and filled the night sky with the stories that would pass on our experiences and wisdom to the next generation. By studying the stars, we learned how they

Clean water, local food a collaborative effort

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The watershed project is coordinated by the Driftless Area Land Conservancy. Barb Barzen, community conservation specialist for the organization, said promoting agriculture and food producers and processors in the region makes perfect sense for the group.

“In our initial meetings as a watershed group we decided we wanted to be more oriented toward community building than some other watershed groups might be,” Barzen said. “Many watershed groups are focused technically on water quality, land management practices and getting

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farmers to sign up for NRCS programs. In our group most everybody is already doing really cool stuff on the ground, so it’s more about getting together and encouraging each other and kind of building a brand.”

Mike Degen, the natural landscape coordinator for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation at Taliesin near Spring Green, lives in the watershed and coordinates field activities for the Lowery Creek Watershed Initiative. He said the group has always been interested in celebrating small-scale agriculture that fits well in the Driftless Area.

“It’s a unique place that has drawn unique

are born, live, and die and how we are part of an ecosystem that extends far beyond our planet. We can regain what we have lost. International Dark Sky Week is a time to take a look at the artificial light we use and make it smarter. Responsible outdoor lighting is useful, targeted, low level, controlled, and warm-colored. But more importantly, International Dark Sky Week is a time to head out and to Discover the Night together. There are wonderful places to enjoy starry skies all along the Lower WI Riverway. We will only conserve for ourselves and descendants what we know

people,” he said. “It goes way back to Frank Lloyd Wright, American Players Theatre and House on the Rock – we really just felt the area was something worth celebrating, preserving and nurturing. We gathered a group of like-minded people and said, ‘Let’s be deliberate about the life we live here and see if we can enhance it and set a good example of what it means to live in a community like this.’ ”

The watershed group decided to make water quality one of its measuring sticks of success, setting up nine water quality monitoring sites within the watershed and enlisting about 15 volunteers to do

Constitutional amendments pass setting new limits on elections officials where Wisconsin, a closely divided swing state, is sure to play a pivotal role.

Trump holds Green Bay rally

As voters went to the polls, Trump flew into Green Bay for a campaign rally on Tuesday evening, where he was cheered by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters who braved the winter storm to line up outside the KI Convention Center for the event.

Trump spent much of his speech warning of an “invasion” of immigrants “ruining your way of life,” including in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He denounced Biden and “the open-borders Democrats,” and reiterated his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, saying of Biden, “the only thing he’s good at is cheating on elections.” He also claimed that, had he been president for the last four years, Russia would not have invaded Ukraine “and we would not have had October 7 in Israel. I can guarantee you that.”

As Trump was speaking, a $50 million ad campaign launched on TV and digital media in Green Bay and Grand Rapids, Michigan, Trump’s second stop of the night, featuring former Trump supporters who have turned against him. The campaign, organized by Republicans Against Trump, emphasized the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and dangers to democracy posed by Trump.

Constitutional amendments

The two constitutional amendments on election administration were sought

by Republicans in the Legislature who objected to a $350 million donation by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to the nonprofit Center for Tech and Civic Life, to help cover the costs of administering elections, including in Wisconsin, during the pandemic in 2020.

The donation, derisively nicknamed “Zuckerbucks” by election deniers, fueled unfounded conspiracy theories claiming that election interference led to Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential race.

Question 1 on the ballot asked voters, “Shall section 7 (1) of article III of the constitution be created to provide that private donations and grants may not be applied for, accepted, expended, or used in connection with the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum?”

Question 2 on the ballot asked voters, “Shall section 7 (2) of article III of the constitution be created to provide that only election officials designated by law may perform tasks in the conduct of primaries, elections, and referendums?”

Apart from the amendment language, Wisconsin law already sets strict standards for election officials, who must be approved by municipalities and chosen from lists of nominees submitted by both major political parties, must be registered voters in their districts, and may not be candidates for office or related to any candidate for office.

Conservative groups, including the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and Election Integrity for Wisconsin, supported both measures, while pro-

democracy groups, including Common Cause and Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, opposed them.

The funding amendment “removes a tool that clerks have used to run safe, lawful and successful elections in our state, particularly in 2020,” said Dan Lenz, a staff attorney at Law Forward, a progressive nonprofit law firm focused on voting rights and democracy.

The amendment’s supporters rejected appeals by Democratic lawmakers to make additional appropriations for election administration, and the Republican majority on the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance Committee eliminated a budget proposal from Gov. Tony Evers to increase funding for the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

“We know that funding is something that many clerks need,” Lenz said. “Our elections are not fully funded, and they should be.”

In the absence of more state funding and now blocked from resources outside the state, election administration clerks will head into the 2024 presidential election handicapped, he said.

“This isn’t going to be accompanied by increased funding for elections,” Lenz said. “The Legislature has gone home, they don’t have a floor session, and it doesn’t appear that they have an interest in filling whatever gaps in terms of our election administration are caused” by the passage of the amendments. “Clerks are going to be left to deal with the consequences.”

Republican lawmakers drafted and

and what we love.

John Heasley is an astronomy educator and stargazer who enjoys connecting people with the cosmos. He volunteers with NASA/JPL as a Solar System Ambassador , with the International Dark-Sky Association as an Advocate, and the International Astronomical Union as a Dark Sky Ambassador. For more information about stargazing in southwest WI, like Driftless Stargazing LLC on Facebook and find out whenever there’s something awesome happening in the skies.

monthly sampling. They also began having conversations with organizers of Savor the River Valley to see if there was something they could do together to promote agriculture in the region.

Patti Peltier, a co-founder of Savor the River Valley with Stef Morrill Kerckhoff of River Valley Commons, said the Savor group began discussions with people who were entrepreneurs in the area to determine what could be done to promote the vitality of the community. Several entrepreneurs in the area operated food continued on page 11

passed both proposed constitutional amendments after Evers vetoed legislation they had passed to the same effect.

“A lot of this comes down to our current gerrymandered Legislature trying to get around the governor in order to exert its political goals in a way that it’s not able to do through the legislative process,” said Lenz. “That’s not what constitutional amendments are for.”

In proposing the second question about who performs election tasks, lawmakers made references to an outside consultant who had worked with the city of Green Bay as it planned for the November 2020 election.

In a fact-check article published in March 2022, the Associated Press reported that claims spread over social media that Green Bay had turned the keys to its election counting facility over to the consultant were not supported.

Citing an April 2021 report from Green Bay City Attorney Vanessa Chavez, the AP reported that the consultant “never actually handled the keys or counted ballots,” but that his role was limited to making recommendations on the election logistics and operations.

“Election officials in our municipalities ran the elections” in 2020, Lenz said.

“Everyone who looked at it has said it was done lawfully.”

The amendment “is a solution in search of a problem,” he said, but could still have “chilling effects” as municipalities grapple with the challenges of election administration.

Arena Village Board reveals hours police have worked, debate rages over police budget, services

The Arena Village Board of Trustees held a special meeting March 27 “to confer with [Arena police officers] Chief [Nick] Stroik and Sgt. [Wyatt] Miller concerning future compensation and work performance duties.” This is the second so far in a string of special meetings where the Board has discussed the Village’s police force, after its officers resigned from full time positions last fall, citing low morale, inadequate benefits and disrespect from Board members as reasons for changing their status.

Stroik requested the meeting’s closed session be an open session at the beginning of the meeting. Municipal Attorney Paul Johnson said it was Stroik’s right and he didn’t have a problem with the open session. There was still no public comment, despite the Board’s motion last meeting which said the Board would hold another session with the same format.

In addition to Stroik and Miller, officer Stephanie Benisch was also in attendance.

After hearing from the public on this issue at a meeting two weeks ago, the Board at this meeting decided to create a survey, which would include a cost-analysis of different options, to find out what Arena residents want from their police department. The meeting took place amid ongoing debate about the Arena Police Department’s budget and services.

Since November 2023, when Stroik announced he and Miller would be going from full-time to part-time, it had not been public knowledge how many hours there is an on-duty police officer in Arena — however Tami Erspamer, a village trustee, revealed at the meeting the exact number of hours each officer has been working for Arena each two-week pay period in 2024.

From Jan. 14 to March 23, Miller averaged 23.25 hours worked in Arena per week, Stroik less than three hours, and Benisch less than one hour.

The Board asked Stroik for a specific schedule of the days and times the police would be on duty. Stroik said it would be unwise to reveal exact days and times, because potential criminals could use the information to commit crime when no officer is on duty.

When pressed by the Board, Stroik confirmed the officers have evening and weekend shifts in Arena, which are typically six to 12 hours long. He also said the officers plan to increase their day-

time on-duty hours. However, Stroik did not specify exact days and times, and did not guarantee the hours would be consistent, because he, Miller and Benisch have full-time jobs with the Iowa County Sheriff’s Department.

The Board questioned Stroik on the number of hours he and other officers spent doing administrative work for the village. The Board questioned if so much administrative work was necessary, when the officers’ time might be better spent patrolling the village.

Stroik said the administrative hours he and other officers work are important and necessary, and include such tasks as fulfilling public records requests, signing criminal complaints at the District Attorney’s office, processing and transferring evidence to the Madison crime lab, writing grants, returning resident phone calls and emails and attending village board meetings when asked.

The Board suggested the officers might burn out from working full-time for Iowa County and part-time for Arena.

In response, Miller said he chooses and wants to work full-time and part-time, and that he is capable of doing so.

“I'm working seven days a week. I handle investigations here and on my job with the sheriff's office. Every day that I'm not working in the sheriff's office, I'm putting in a minimum of eight hours here. So how much I work here is because I'm choosing to work here because I like to work here. I want to continue to work here,” said Miller. “I have a K9 with me. He's a vital part of my job. He's a vital part of this community. He's a vital part of the county. There are nights when the county has absolutely no K9 working and I'm the only one.”

“So I will continue to put forward hours

on my days off. And, again, respectfully: I'm not going to work myself to the point where I'm getting burnt out. I know when I would get to the point where I'm getting burnt out. And I would let you know, and I'm sure a discussion would be had at that point,” said Miller.

Benisch reacted strongly to the Board’s suggestion officers might get burnt out.

“You all said the same thing to me when I was working as an EMT and as a police officer for this village. We are a different caliber of person. We’re doing just fine. We know when to back off,” said Benisch. “So respectfully, it’s not a matter of can’t, because we absolutely can work full-time plus. And it will go on for a long duration as long as that’s what’s continuing to work for everybody collectively.”

At a resident-held meeting of Arena Community Team (ACT) March 26, residents disagreed whether all police services were necessary, whether police services were wisely budgeted for and what the entirety of the department’s services even entailed.

Bill Prochaska (no immediate relation to the author), an Arena resident, questioned whether Arena should own and pay for a K9 when, according to the research his wife Stacie Prochaska had done, there were zero Wisconsin villages the size of Arena with a K9.

Another resident at the ACT meeting responded to Bill Prochaska and claimed Arena’s K9 makes the village money, because Arena is paid when it lends the dog’s services to other municipalities.

Bill Prochaska also questioned the necessity of the Arena Police Department’s drone. Resident Paul Pustina said the drone has helped rescue people on the river.

“Was it our responsibility to?” said Bill

Prochaska, referring to the use of Arena’s drone in river rescues. “I'm not saying that we shouldn't use it if we have it, but how did we ever budget money for this?

When somebody like Spring Green—it's a heck of a lot closer to the river in some places—they don't have one.”

Kristin Shea, a Village Board trustee, claimed Arena’s drone is the second that has been purchased.

“What happened was Nick [Stroik] had crashed the first drone that we had and bought the second drone without telling us and then asked us to foot the bill for part of it,” said Shea.

Valley Sentinel reached out to Stroik with questions about the police schedule, the services they provide and the village’s K9 and drone. Stroik has not answered at the time of print.

Another concern raised at the ACT meeting was drug activity in Arena and beyond.

“Drugs are an issue in Arena,” said Pustina. “There was a drug bust two weeks ago in Arena.”

“He had meth,” Pustina continued. “He was wanted for bail jumping. He had meth and other stuff. And he was headed to a village residence. The drugs are here. I mean, drugs: they're everywhere. And they are in Arena.”

While some residents were skeptical of the Arena Police Department’s services and budget, other residents were outspoken in their support.

“I feel pretty damn good about our police officers. When they go by the house, I appreciate that. And living on the corner, on the weekend—you see these outof-towners come through. Blowing that stop sign on Village Edge [Road]. I see it all the time. We need our police. I don't care if y'all disagree with me. We need those officers to patrol this town, keep us safe. I feel safe with them here. I think they're great officers. I've had no problem with any of them. I can't speak enough for them,” said Don Helt, a resident of Arena.

Following the April 2 spring elections, unofficial results show that trustee Melissa Bandell will be retaining her position, joined by residents BeccaRaven Uminowicz and Matthew Schroeder. Shea and Erspamer elected not to run for re-election.

The next ACT meeting is on Tuesday, April 30 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Arena VFW (514 Willow St, Arena).

The next Arena Village Board meeting is on Tuesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. in the Arena Village Hall (345 West St, Arena).

Lone Rock resident’s motorcycle national land speed record stands for an impressive ten years

continued from page 1

heard the “high-pitched Honda Howl”, a sound he describes as “pure magic”, and reveled in the success of his strategy. Looking back on the experience, he notes how he felt a sense of history out on the flats.

“I started thinking about that, that I am actually here where these other guys who wrote their names in the history of motorsports did it too…it’s a really cool feeling,” said Ilminen.

He goes on to talk about Burt Munro, a motorcycle racer from New Zealand who set a record at Bonneville in 1967, with vivid detail and clear enthusiasm. Ilminen attributes his drive to motorcycle racing to role models like Munro, which created a childhood dream of achieving a record like this. With that childhood dream beating reverently in his chest, Ilminen barreled toward fulfilling that dream at roughly 80 mph.

After completing the first run, Ilminen headed off the track, got his timing slip and hopped back on for the return run, with a plan to use just the same strategy.

Ending his return run with an average of 79.994 mph and an overall average of 80.102 mph, Gary Ilminen had done just what he had intended to do when he stepped foot on the salt that year, and four years prior at the 2010 Bub Motorcycle Speed Trials, and when he was 14, bent over Cycle World and Hot Rod magazines. He set an AMA National Motorcycle Land Speed Record that still stands today.

For Ilminen, this meant a dream, once so potent, and then seemingly forgotten, had finally been placed upon the mantle, and his inner child could rest easy.

Big happenings in a small community are not coincidence or chance — they are a result of hard work, compassion and empathy, and there is often much to be learned from them. Ilminen believes that this record serves to show the community that, “No matter what the dream is, no matter the age of the dreamer—it can be made true.”

While Ilminen now describes himself as a more conservative racer than even a decade ago when he was determined to set a record, his wife Jacci, the lady

behind the scenes, characterizes him as driven and focused.

Ilminen hopes to make another record attempt sometime in the future in the 500cc Production Classic class, riding a 1973 Honda CB500K2 when its restoration is complete..

Ilminen has also competed in 500cc class competition at Bonneville in 2009 and 2012 aboard a 1984 Honda VF500C, running the bike in the Production engine and chassis class. That machine is powered by a liquid-cooled, doubleoverhead cam V-4 engine. In the 2009 event, Ilminen reached a speed of 104.536 mph, missing the class record by 7.5 mph.

Despite the vivid memory they hold, Utah’s salt flats aren’t just a racing ground for Ilminen. From his involvement in the Bonneville trials, he learned the salt is being diminished in alarming amounts—from once covering a vast 96,000 acres to now as little as 30,000 acres. Much of this loss can be attributed to potash and salt mining. Ilminen recounts catching a glimpse of one such building dedicated to the

endeavor.

“We saw this huge building out in the middle of nowhere, but on top of this tower is the emblem of the Morton Salt Company: the little girl with the umbrella and the salt spilling,” said Ilminen. “A lot of people don’t realize that salt occurs naturally. And that kind of thing is where we get our table salt from.”

Ilminen has sent contributions to the Save the Salt Coalition, where efforts are being made to work with the Utah state government and potash and salt mining companies to restore the salt flats through methods like brine pumping. Ilminen is originally from Hurley, Wisconsin and holds degrees in Mechanical Design and Nursing. He retired from his career as a Registered Nurse after 37 years and from his career as an EMT/Paramedic after ten years. Today, he is a freelance Associate Editor for Ultimate Motorcycling magazine. The story of Ilminen’s four trips to the Bonneville Salt Flats to compete in motorcycle land speed racing can be found in his book, “The Unlikely 1.”

Alex Prochaska, Editorial Intern

Photo by Alex Prochaska The Arena Police Department speaks to the Arena Village Board at their special meeting March 27.

Events for April 4 - April 18

Thursday, April 4

COmmunitycalendar

COmmunitycalendar

The Community Calendar is curated and designed by Julianna Williams. Events are subject to change, always check ahead for up-to-date information on any events you are interested in.

Monday, April 8

Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green ruralremedy.com Make some space to move, breathe and grow a little. All are welcome. Classes will be adapted for the group that attends. More info and registration details online.

Storytime 10:30 AM Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com Join us every Thursday for storytime!

SESSION FULL: WORKSHOP — Explore the World of Watercolor 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Watercolor classes designed for beginner and advanced beginner artists wishing to explore and improve their watercolor painting techniques. This class is full.

Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green springgreengeneralstore.com The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

Tech Drop-In 2:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org Whether you're grappling with setting up email accounts, navigating social media platforms, or troubleshooting software issues, knowledgeable volunteers or library staff will be on hand to lend a helping hand.

Family Poetry Workshop

5:30 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Join Librarian Kate Franzmann to kick off National Poetry Month! Explore different types of poetry and learn about ways to create your own. Experiment with rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, and a few other tricks to craft great poems. Snacks will be provided and you are welcome to bring your own as well. This event is designed with a focus on school-aged children, but everyone is more than welcome to participate. Registration required.

Inaugural Itty Bitty Art Committee Community Art Gathering

6:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green For more info look up Wander Provisions on Facebook We will supply the 3"x4" "canvases" and a range of different art supplies. Come out, grab a drink, eat a cheese board, and create with your friends and neighbors for a great cause. Have kids that want to participate? April 13th at the Spring Green Community Library from 10-12.

Bingo at Arthur’s Supper Club 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Arthur’s Supper Club, E4885 US-14, Spring Green arthurssupperclub.com FREE 18+ Every Thursday evening until May Arthur’s plays 7 games of Bingo. Bingo is FREE, food and beverages available. Prizes for the winner of each game, donated by area businesses.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jefferson St. Spring Green ninasdepartmentstore.com Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

Friday, April 5

St. Luke Fish Fry 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM St. Luke Catholic Church - Plain,1240 Nachreiner Avenue, Plain stlukecatholicchurchplain.com Stop by for our fish fry! Carry out available.

Evening with Cindy Haq: Climate Change, Health, and Equity 7:30 PM Spring Green Dojo, 6743 Sneed Creek Rd, Spring Green Look up Chosei Zen on Facebook for more info Please RSVP: patriciadgreene@gmail.com Creating a Sustainable Future for the Next Generation. Cindy Haq has devoted her life to advocacy, education, and compassion. Cindy dreams of a future where community and health systems work together to achieve health for all.

Saturday, April 6

Heck’s Vendor/Flea Market 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Heck’s Farm Market, 7266 US Highway 14, Wyoming For more info look up Heck’s Farm Market on Facebook Various types of vendors to shop every Saturday and Sunday. Vendors must contact Heck’s Farm Market for free registration.

Spring Green Winter Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market offering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning.

LIVE MUSIC: Dark of the Moon Contra-Band 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green 608-5880-707, karin@springgreengeneralstore.com, SpringGreenGeneralStore.com No cover; donations to the musicians gratefully accepted . Dark of the Moon is a women’s band that plays traditional music from a variety of other countries including the British Isles, and Scandanavia. They specialize in music for contradancing, such as jigs ans reels. They also plays waltzes, polkas, bluegrass, cajun, and other traditional music.

LIVE MUSIC: Erin Krebs Quintet 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Tickets $10 in advance / $15 at the door From sultry Jazz to Blues and Soul, Erin's electrifying performances captivate audiences with her genuine passion and zest for life. Erin often works with her partner, guitarist Jeff Johnston, whos musical fluency perfectly complements Erin's diverse repertoire and unique songwriting style.

Sunday, April 7

Heck’s Vendor/Flea Market 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Heck’s Farm Market, 7266 US Highway 14, Wyoming For more info look up Heck’s Farm Market on Facebook

Various types of vendors to shop every Saturday and Sunday. Vendors must contact Heck’s Farm Market for free registration.

Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Radiant Spirit Retreats Yoga, S7163 County Rd G, Hill Point ruralremedy.com

Make some space to move, breathe and grow a little. All are welcome. Classes will be adapted for the group that attends. More info and registration details online.

LIVE MUSIC: Driftless Bluegrass Band 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green 608-5880-707, springgreengeneralstore.com, karin@springgreengeneralstore.com No cover; donations to the musicians gratefully accepted Vets on Frets play folk, country, pop and rock favorites from the 60’s and 70’s. They have passed on thousands of dollars raised from theri performances to charities and support groups for veterans and their families.

Lego Builders 4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain kraemerlibrary.org Join us for Lego Builders Club each month for a fun challenge or to free build your own masterpiece! Open to all ages. Children under 6 must have adult at program. We will be meeting in the library's community room.

Tuesday, April 9

Onto Greener Pastures with Rotational Grazing of Cover Crops 12:00 PM - 1:20 PM Virtual event sandcountyfoundation.org Learn all about the rotational grazing of cover crops project thatmembers of SSWIG have been participating in with the Sand County Foundation at this free webinar.

Movies, Munchies and More: Line Dancing 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Free beginner class, no experience needed. From the popular classics to the very latest favorites. Take it one step at a time! Discover why people love line dancing!

Spring Storytime 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain kraemerlibrary.org Story time includes stories and songs followed by a fun themed craft and activity.

Scam and Frauds! Protect Yourself! 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Spring Green Community Center, 117 S Washington Street, Spring Green sgacc@springgreen.com . This hour-long presentation will go over how to know and recognize scammers and be alert for fraud. The Royal Bank team will be presenting the following: Current fraud scams and trends in and around the community, Tips on how to keep you and your loved ones safe, Tools and resources to prevent, identify & recover from fraud scams.

Yoga with Rural Remedy 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green ruralremedy.com Make some space to move, breathe and grow a little. All are welcome. Classes will be adapted for the group that attends. More info and registration details online.

Wednesday, April 10

All Ages Storytime 10:30 AM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Throughout the month of March we'll be sharing books, songs and activities. All ages welcome.

Thursday, April 11

Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green ruralremedy.com Make some space to move, breathe and grow a little. All are welcome. Classes will be adapted for the group that attends. More info and registration details online.

Storytime 10:30 AM Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com Join us every Thursday for storytime!

Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green springgreengeneralstore.com The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

Tech Help 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com rvbroadband.org/techhelp Come on in with any devices or technology you need help with! No appoiontment necessary.

Learn how to use Narcan Nasal Spray to reverse an opiod overdose 3:00 PM4:00 PM 137 South Albany Street, Spring Green Questions? Call Hannah Erdman 608-963-8467 . The Sauk County Public Health Department is hosting a free in-person Narcan Nasal Spray Training in the Cafe at the Spring Green General Store.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jefferson St. Spring Green ninasdepartmentstore.com Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

Saturday, April 13

Heck’s Vendor/Flea Market 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Heck’s Farm Market, 7266 US Highway 14, Wyoming For more info look up Heck’s Farm Market on Facebook

Various types of vendors to shop every Saturday and Sunday. Vendors must contact Heck’s Farm Market for free registration.

Spring Green Winter Farmers Market 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green Spring Green Farmers Market Is a year-round outdoor market offering seasonal produce, local meats, baked goods and many other wonderful items. Held outside the Spring Green Community Public Library every Saturday morning.

Brewhaha Pop Up10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 South Albany Street, Spring Green Questions? Call Hannah Erdman 608-963-8467 Taste and learn all about Spring Green's own Brewhaha coffee (we recently switched our Coffee service in the Cafe to Brewhaha, and are selling their 12 oz bags) with Matt Snow.

Itty Bitty Art Committee Community Art Gathering 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green For more info look up

Wander Provisions on Facebook Kid friendly event. We will supply the 3"x4" "canvases" and a range of different art supplies.

LIVE MUSIC: Horace Greene 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com Tickets $10 in advance/$15 at the door Horace Greene is an indie rock band from Wisconsin. The music of Horace Greene is mellow yet danceable, teasing elements of disco and psychedelia all while retaining its rock n roll spirit. At the heart of the sound, their lyrics are soul-stirring and sincere, navigating themes of loneliness, love, and the human condition.

Sunday, April 14

Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Radiant Spirit Retreats Yoga, S7163 County Rd G, Hill Point ruralremedy.com Make some space to move, breathe and grow a little. All are welcome. Classes will be adapted for the group that attends. More info and registration details online.

Events for April 4 - April 18

Sunday,

River Valley Spring Arts & Craft Swap 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM 214 Broadway Street, Lone Rock rivervalleyarts.org

Looking for an easy, fun and free way to freshen up your home during spring cleaning season? Stop by the River Valley Spring Art & Craft Swap. Bring any arts and crafts that you no longer love and swap them for something new. Think drawings, paintings, sculpture, carvings, textiles, crafts, etc. This first ever swap is a great opportunity to spruce up your home for spring!

LIVE MUSIC: Peatsmoke featuring Charles Boheme 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green 608-5880-707, springgreengeneralstore.com, karin@springgreengeneralstore.com Porch-settin' three-piece folk, roots, blues. Like a machine shed in your cup. The original bogrocking spectacle.

Spring Green Friends of the Library Chocolate Lab 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM The Round Barn, E4830 US-14, Spring Green ninasdepartmentstore.com Tickets are $20 Join the Friends of the Spring Green Community Library for their fourth chemistry-themed chocolate tasting event. You can choose to attend in-person, or you can choose a curbside pickup ticket. The curbside pickup option provides a sampling of several of the chocolate offerings in a carryout box. Tickets can be purchased in Spring Green at the Spring Green Community Library, The General Store, and Nina's.

Monday, April 15

Homeschool Hangout 1:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org Join other area homeschoolers for a fun morning of play and learning as we explore spring through some seasonal activities. All ages welcome. Feel free to bring a snack to share.

A Night of Words 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green slowpokelounge.com An open mic. Friends sharing words. Watch. Listen. Speak. Share. Maybe you have a favorite poem, or passage from a book you’d like to share. Or maybe you write your own and are ready to share it with the rest of us. Maybe you just want to tell a story. Or maybe you just want to listen. It’s all good. Let’s hang out and share words together. Poetry. Stories. Original work and old favorites. This and that. A Night of Words.

Tuesday, April 16

Movies, Munchies and More: Ireland - A Colorful Tour of the Emerald Isle 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com . In this presentation, Joe Fahey will share his experiences traveling in Ireland, the Emerald Isle. This fun and informative pictorial presentation will discuss some of the key points of Irish culture, both past and present. Of course, no Irish discourse would be complete without visiting a few pubs.

EVENT FULL: Make a Terrarium 3:30 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Create a beautiful miniature garden to welcome spring! We'll provide habitat, plants and small decorations. Feel free to bring any tiny decorations or embellishments you might want to add!

Spring Storytime 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain kraemerlibrary.org Story time includes stories and songs followed by a fun themed craft and activity.

Yarn Rocks! 5:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Come to the Library on the first and third Tuesday of the month to meet fellow knitters in the community; come for help (beginner to mid-level knitting help available); come to learn new skills or brush up on current skills; come to get out of the house for a few hours; come for the health benefits (recent research out of Denmark demonstrated the overall health benefits of craft work, including knitting and crocheting). Join when you can. Tell your knitting/ crocheting friends to join as welll.

Yoga with Rural Remedy 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green ruralremedy.com

Make some space to move, breathe and grow a little. All are welcome. Classes will be adapted for the group that attends. More info and registration details online.

Library Trivia 7:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org Are you up for the challenge? Come by yourself or bring a team of up to 4 teens or adults to see if you can beat the Spring Green Community Library's Trivia. Themes will change with each session. Bragging rights to the winners!

Wednesday, April 17

All Ages Storytime 10:30 AM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Throughout the month of April we'll be sharing books, songs and activities. All ages welcome. Is your child active, noisy or "fidgety"? No worries! It's okay if your kiddo needs to wiggle and giggle to enjoy their time at story hour! April themes will include poetry to celebrate National Poetry Month, and Rain to celebrate April showers!

Poetry Slam 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, Children’s Area, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Celebrate Poetry Month with an evening of spoken word. Come share poems, a short story or other creative spoken expression. Share an original piece, a favorite author's work, or just enjoy listening. We promise a welcoming setting with engaging words and refreshments for all. Possible bonus: Students from River Valley High School classes have been invited and may, as in previous years, share pieces they've been working on!

Thursday, April 18

Yoga with Rural Remedy 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 WI-23 Trunk, Spring Green ruralremedy.com Make some space to move, breathe and grow a little. All are welcome. Classes will be adapted for the group that attends. More info and registration details online.

Storytime 10:30 AM . Lone Rock Community Library, 234 N Broadway St, Lone Rock lonerocklibrary.wordpress.com Join us every Thursday for storytime!

SESSION FULL: WORKSHOP — Explore the World of Watercolor 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green springgreenlibrary.com Watercolor classes designed for beginner and advanced beginner artists wishing to explore and improve their watercolor painting techniques. The classes will be held Thursdays, February 15-April 4 from 1-4pm. This class is full.

Stitch and Bitch 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green springgreengeneralstore.com The Spring Green General Store’s Stitch and Bitch handwork group meets Thursday afternoons weekly. All are welcome.

Family Fun Night! 5:00 PM Plain Kraemer Library, 910 Main St., Plain kraemerlibrary.org Join us for Family Fun Nights at the Library! Each month we will have a fun themed activity for families to drop in to do. Join us for pizza and a movie! Families can sign up at the front desk or call 608-546-4201. Kids under 6 must be with an adult.

Bingo at Arthur’s Supper Club 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Arthur’s Supper Club, E4885 US-14, Spring Green arthurssupperclub.com FREE 18+ Every Thursday evening until May Arthur’s plays 7 games of Bingo. Bingo is FREE, food and beverages available. Prizes for the winner of each game, donated by area businesses.

Knit Night at Nina’s 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Nina’s Department Store, 143 E. Jefferson St. Spring Green ninasdepartmentstore.com Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. All knitters and crocheters are welcome. Store closed after 5:30 pm.

CIVICS & SERVICES CALENDAR

This calendar is a place listing (for free) the typical meeting dates for area governmental bodies, and Please email us with these meetings, or use the form on our Community Calendar page — let's build community together: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

April 8:

Wildlife Forever ATV Club 6:30 PM Arena VFW, 514 Willow St, Arena For more info look up Wildlife Forever ATV Club on Facebook

April 9:

Lone Rock Lions Informational Meeting 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Lone Rock Community Building, 214 Broadway St., Lone Rock

Arena Village Board Meeting 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM . Village Hall, 345 West Street, Arena villageofarena.net

Village of Lone Rock Board Meeting 7:00 PM villageoflonerock.com Village Hall, 314 E Forest St, Lone Rock See full agenda online

April 10:

Friends of the Library Book Collection 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Commmunity Room, Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green springgreenlibrary.org The Friends of the Spring Green Community Library will accept donations of gently used books, DVDs, and CDs for resale. Donations of no more than four boxes are preferred. Proceeds from book sales help support library programs and other amenities. Damaged books, encyclopedias, textbooks, and instruction manuals are not accepted, and the Friends reserve the right to limit the quantity of items accepted and/or refuse donations that do not meet library needs.

Plain - Setback Variance Public Hearing 6:15 PM 510 Main Street, Plain villageofplain.com

Plain - Special Assessment Public Hearing 6:30 PM 510 Main Street, Plain villageofplain.com

Plain Village Board Meeting 7:00 PM 510 Main Street, Plain villageofplain.com

Village of Spring Green Board Meeting 7:00 PM In person and virtual event 154 N. Lexington Street, Spring Green vi.springgreen.wi.gov

April 15:

Arena Historians Meeting 6:30 PM Grandma Mary's (Brisbane Hall), 175 US Hwy 14, Arena For more information look up Arena Historians on Facebook Representatives from the Arena Food Pantry will be joining us to tell the story of its origins and discuss its operations and how they serve area families in need. We will also be sharing memories of Arena native Sam Robb, who recently passed away at the age of 76.

The Community Calendar is curated and designed by Julianna Williams. Events are subject to change, always check ahead for up-to-date information on any events you are interested in.

We have the infrastructure set up for most of these areas, we're just in need of manpower from passionate community members. We offer a private collaborative office and bi-weekly staff meetings to guide you. There are so many more things we want to do and are always up for new ideas. We can be and do so much more with your support. This is YOUR paper, we are what the community makes us.

Some time ago, we announced the soft launch of a semi-regular to regular literary section we've been inspired by other literary compilations to call Lexington & Jefferson

As the pivotal intersection of our community, we envision this as a place that celebrates the cross-section of arts in our greater community.

We envision it as a place of curated and submitted prose, poetry and more that showcase the talents of our community.

What is Lexington & Jefferson?

Each edition we receive submissions of artwork, poetry, prose and other musings that we have trouble placing in the paper on their own and often have to simply hold or regrettably turn down.

We hope this becomes a welcome place for them.

This space will grow and change, as all things do, and we welcome talented individuals, organizations, authors, experts and artists to help curate this section. We are beginning to actively seek to publish an

annual literary journal. If interested, please reach out.

We may also use this space for arts & culture news and submitted musings that don't quite fit within the bounds of a traditional column, profile or letter to the editor.

Get involved: If you're interested in submitting, curating or have ideas, please do not hesitate at all to submit them to us at: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

Lexington & Jefferson

LITERARY + ARTS & CULTURE SECTION

Musings from the End of the Rainbow

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Dear Arcadia friends,

The day we’ve been waiting three months to arrive is finally here! Well, it will be here on April 5 when we fling open the doors and welcome you back into the store. We are so excited for you to see this beautiful space - it looks like the Arcadia you loved before but even better. While the bookstore is opening Friday, the café is not quite ready. We promise you’ll be able to enjoy a latte and cookie very soon!

--Nancy

Take a journey with me to the end of the Rainbow. I grew up at the end of Rainbow Road, a beautiful and magical place in a River Valley, just outside of a

Sauk Prairie Healthcare no longer in-network for some area patients as hopital, Anthem are at odds over costs

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Healthcare. “However, Anthem is neither required nor chooses to do so.”

Ryan says certain patients can apply for a Continuity of Care option, which has to be approved by Anthem, but would allow the patient in-network provider benefits for an additional 90 days.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield policy holders can utilize the Find Care tool at www.athem.com to search for local doctors and hospitals that accept their insurance plan.

Additionally, area patients can find in-network care facilities, providers and hospitals through Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital in Portage, UW Health University Hospital in Madison, UnityPoint Health — Meriter in Madison, Reedsburg Area Medical Center and SSM Health St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo. It’s unclear as to which organization chose to end the agreement, as both say it was the other.

PDF Ad for Valley Sentinel 1/8 page H

A Sauk Prairie Healthcare spokesperson said Anthem terminated the existing agreement, after both parties were unable to come to an agreement on reimbursement levels, saying that Anthem’s first and final offer were below the hospital's cost increases.

The health system’s final offer before the contract ended reflected an estimated 4-5% overall increase to reimbursement.

The health system also claims Anthem was requiring increased burdens that added cost, without considering patient needs and decreasing costs.

“The fair and reasonable increase we asked for is needed to retain team members and keep healthcare in the local community. And keeping it local is a reinvestment in the community. How is Anthem investing in our community?

They’re not,” said Ryan. “Anthem is focused on creating maximum value for their shareholders while penalizing patients.”

The health system said over the two months of negotiations on this issue, their offer has continued to decrease, but anthem’s did not.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Spokesperson, Mike Bowman, claims Sauk Prairie Healthcare chose to leave the network, when the insurance company would not agree to significantly increase healthcare costs for its members, employers and families in Sauk County.

“It is concerning that Sauk Prairie leadership would choose to leave our care provider network,” said Bowman.

“Despite our ongoing commitment

and repeated attempts to reach a new agreement and meet Sauk Prairie’s demands…they have rejected all offers and remain steadfast in their efforts to significantly increase local health care costs for Anthem members, employers and families in the County.”

Bowman says the insurance provider’s offers included reasonable and fair reimbursement terms for services at their facilities that are in line with those accepted by other health systems, but Sauk Prairie rejected all offers.

The March 31 contract end date was the product of an extension to negotiations, as the original contract between the two organizations was set to expire Dec. 31, 2023.

Ryan says the two organizations negotiated for six months prior to the original end date in December, and agreed to extend the negotiations to March, as they neared an agreement.

“Despite us moving further in their direction, they did not budge from their position over the final two months of negotiations,” said Ryan.

Prior to the March 31 date, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said they offered an additional extension to the existing contract, but Bowman said the health system rejected that offer.

Ryan says Sauk Prairie Healthcare has experienced down-to-the-wire negotiation before, but this is the first time it has not been able to come to a mutual agreement.

helpful in this transition.

"I am deeply troubled by Anthem's decision to terminate our agreement, as it has caused significant disruption and stress for both patients and their care teams. Many patients have relied on our hospital clinics for generations, and now find themselves unable to access their trusted providers. The emotional toll on both our team and our patients is palpable,” said Shawn Lerch, CEO of Sauk Prairie Healthcare. “It's disheartening to see Anthem disregard the longstanding relationships between patients and their healthcare providers, especially in rural areas where alternative options may be limited. As healthcare professionals, our primary focus is on the well-being of our patients, and it's disappointing that Anthem's actions seem to disregard the importance of local access to healthcare. Instead, Anthem has chosen shareholder profits over the health and wellness needs of our neighbors, friends, and community members.”

Sauk Prairie Healthcare says it is committed to future good faith negotiations to reach a new agreement that supports the needs of area patients and the health system’s team.

Bowman, Anthem’s spokesperson, said the company is committed to protecting affordability for its customers, “and we hope Sauk Prairie shares that commitment.”

Spring

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The financial implications of using out-of-network providers can vary by plan, so members should contact the insurance provider to determine those costs. Additionally Sauk Prairie Healthcare can provide price estimates prior to scheduling appointments.

The health system says they’ve heard from many patients and community members that they are anxious and confused in navigating what their healthcare options are, and have expressed that Anthem has not been

In addition to a variety of letters, emails and signs posted in physical locations, Sauk Prairie has held two Medicare information sessions, and is reviewing its financial assistance policy for all patients in an effort to assist patients with high out-of-pocket costs.

The health system has contacted, and will continue to contact Anthem patients with appointments scheduled to inform them of the loss of coverage.

Additionally the health system has set up a helpline specifically for Anthem patients to navigate this situation, which can be reached at (608) 643-4111.

Employment Bonus, prorated based on FTE!

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*Certified Nursing Assistants – part-time positions available in our Nursing & Rehab Center day, evening and night shifts available, $3,000 Employment Bonus included!

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*Grant Writing Coordinator – half time position

To find out more detailed information about all open positions and to apply, go to our website at www.uplandhillshealth.org

Upland Hills Health

800 Compassion Way Dodgeville, WI 53533

Reflections from Lost Horizon Farm — Cows to Remember

Each edition, retired dairy farmer Barb Garvoille brings her musings on dairy farm life from her own years of experience on Lost Horizon Farm with her late husband Vince “Mr. Farmer” Garvoille. This mooving memoir focuses on 19802000, join Barb as she rises with the herd.

There were 40 or more calves born every year on Lost Horizon Farm with, on average, about 50% of those being heifer calves. Some of the calves acquired names because of their newborn attributes, like Zephyr who ran like the wind as a calf or Quiet, the calf who never made a sound. They grew to join the ranks of productive but otherwise unremarkable members of the herd. Other cow names bring a flicker of recognition because of the females in their line; for example, the African line of Samburu, Amboseli and Congo or the State line of Ohio, Ravenna and Akron. Of the many calves that became milking cows, there are only a few whose uniqueness made them truly unforgettable.

Neeva

Howard, the Jew (he proudly introduced himself in this way to people.), was a cattle jockey. He would buy a few cows, load them onto his small straight truck, and drive from farm to farm in hopes of making a sale. Neeva, one of the foundation cows for Lost Horizon Farm's herd, was a Holstein purchased from Howard. She was a good looking young animal, but, as was later discovered, totally blind in one eye. As long as a person remembered to always speak to her before you approached her blind side, she was fine. She found her way to her own stanchion and was so docile a person never even had to lock her in. She would remain in her place until she detected the other cows moving to go outdoors. Neeva stayed in the herd a long time. Her daughters carried her calm disposition, they were good milkers, and they were all born sighted.

Red

Red was a Red and White Holstein. The name written in the calf identification book for her was Misty, but Red was what we called her. She committed filicide once and would have done it again. She was in the barnyard when her first calf was born. Following its delivery, she got up and proceeded to bunt it into the air and then stomp on it until it was dead.

After that, we made certain that every time she calved, she remained in her stanchion in the barn. Each time when her newborn was placed in front of her, she would try to come through her stanchion to do harm; she would bellow in a particularly unpleasant and threatening tone and would bunt and actually try to bite at the calf. Usually cows are the epitome of motherhood, but that was certainly not the case with Red. At the time we pulled away Scarlet, one of her heifer newborns with the brightest of red markings, Mr. Farmer couldn't help but remark: "Better red than dead."

Annabelle

Annabelle was absolutely the hardest cow to get a nose lead in. All she needed was a visual of the dreaded device! She would push her nose onto the stanchion curbing and hold it there with all her might. If a person succeeded in getting her to move her nose, she would throw her head from side to side so fast and so powerfully that it was almost impossible to get anywhere near her nose. Just thinking about having to get a nose lead in Annabelle’s nostrils was enough to strike fear into a person. Even the veterinarian made a not so nice verbal remark about our Annabelle Because Annabelle was a short legged animal, her udder was closer to the ground than most cows. An opportunistic barn cat

saw this as advantageous and would lick at her teats to stimulate milk flow. This spelled the demise of the cow because prematurely letting down her milk and dripping that “white gold” led Annabelle to develop a case of incurable chronic

mastitis.

Ingenue

Of all the cows we remember, Ingenue was the most beautiful. She had a dishshaped head not unlike an Arabian horse and appealingly large eyes with long eyelashes. Even with a large, barrel-like midsection, the mark of an excellent milk cow, she carried herself in a stylish way. If there had been a fashion runway for cows, Ingenue would have been on it!

During her second lactation, Ingenue was unwell. The veterinarian had been out to examine her on numerous occasions and could not pinpoint an illness. Because her condition continued to deteriorate, the veterinarian decided to perform an exploratory surgery. This invasive procedure also failed to show anything definitive. The veterinarian had done nothing medically except open and close her up, but Ingenue improved dramatically. It was nothing short of an astounding recovery! So it was that Ingenue, from then on known as our miracle cow, lived a healthy and highly productive life on the farm.

Ernie

Ernie was a second generation HolsteinBrown Swiss/Guernsey cross cow. (Mr. Farmer's maternal grandfather had loved the Guernsey breed and had milked nothing but purebreds during his lengthy career as a dairyman.) Our veterinarian had only one comment about breeding cows to Guernsey bulls. It was something he had heard in vet school: "The only good Guernsey is a dead Guernsey."

Our Ernie was somewhat of a disappointment to Mr. Farmer because she ate voraciously but gave precious little milk in return. She was the only cow for whom our family composed a song. Sung to the tune of “Frosty, the Snowman," its verses were:

She was the main character in quite a farm commotion.

Mr. Farmer had set up an aluminum ladder by the old tile silo to gain access to rungs that started about 10 feet up from its base. He had needed to climb the silo to check the silo pipe. The pipe had plugged up with silage, and there was a lot of spilled silage in and around the blower by that silo. When the cattle were turned out into the barnyard, Havana must have poked her head between the ladder's rungs to eat some of the spilled silage. When she pulled herself backward, the ladder became stuck over her head. The new wide head gear spooked her, and she frightened the rest of the herd. Havana took off running, and

the rest of the cows took off after her. Only Havana, because of her unwieldy load, could not keep up; she had started her running at the front of the herd and ended up running behind her herd mates as they raced in circles around and around our heifer building.

Barb has called Lost Horizon Farm, just north of Spring Green, her home for the past 44 years. She is fond of all creatures (including snakes). Her joy stems from being able to be outdoors every day observing and treasuring the plant and animal life on her small piece of this planet. She loved milking cows and is proud to have been a dairy farmer.

"Ernie the Guernsey was a very special cow. She loved her hay so we've heard some say, She could eat a whole hay mow." The veterinarian's quip about the Guernsey breed turned out to be apropos to our experience with that portion of Ernie’s lineage. Mr. Farmer had pushed the barnyard manure into a huge pile in the barnyard and was prepared to load it out after milking and chores one morning. Cows at turnout time had ignored it; that is all except Ernie. From dragging her udder through the manure pile as she slogged through it, she developed an aggressive case of mastitis and had to be shipped for slaughter as soon as her course of antibiotics allowed. Her career as a milking cow on Lost Horizon Farm was very, very brief.

Havana

Havana was the counterpoint to lngenue. She was probably the ugliest of all the cows we ever owned. It was her narrow and pinched face that made her unattractive.

Barb Garvoille, Columnist

Barb Garvoille

Photo contributed by Barb Garvoille Red was a calf killer

The Sauk County Gardener

Cover Crops for the Home Garden

“No piece of steel can benefit the soil like roots from a good cover crop.”

—Steve Groff

The first time I heard about cover crops was in school when we were studying the dust bowl. Farmers learned to use cover crops when they wanted a field to remain fallow, but didn’t want the wind and rain to erode the topsoil. I didn’t consider growing cover crops until my husband started beekeeping and was looking for plants that would provide late season nectar and pollen for bees. That’s when he discovered buckwheat, available in both white and ruby red blooms, and adored by bees. Bonus – it’s also an amazing cover crop and extremely beneficial in one’s garden as it will choke out weeds and break up compacted soil. That’s all I needed to know to get hooked on the benefits of cover crops.

Cover crops are fast-growing plants, typically legumes and grasses (but not always), that are planted in fallow plots often times in late summer so they can

be killed by winter weather and finally turned under the soil the following spring. However, cover crops can be planted just about any time during the growing season. There are numerous reasons to plant cover crops in your home garden. If you have an inground garden plot, they can help eliminate or reduce soil compaction caused by foot traffic when planting, weeding, and harvesting. They can increase the soil’s organic matter and nutrients and earthworms’ and helpful microorganisms’ activity. Some provide habitat and pollen and nectar for beneficial insects. This helps reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers. Others smother weeds or have allelopathic properties that inhibit weed seed germination. You’ll also find some are edible and very attractive. There are numerous cover crops, but some are better suited for the home garden than others. The best ones: (1) produce only modest amounts of plant material to cut back and turn under; (2) are annual species versus perennial species; (3) have readily available seed; (3) are easily established; (4) can easily be worked into

Frost-Tolerant Vegetables You Can Plant Now

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”

—Margaret Atwood

This past weekend, I had a caprese salad that left me longing for heirloom tomatoes. Although it was well prepared, the tomatoes were simply lacking in flavor. Each year, I strive to extend my growing season, with most of my efforts focused on the fall so I can continue to enjoy fresh tomatoes well into November. I’m still working to extend my growing season on the “spring side” of the season. I want to extend my spring growing season so I can enjoy more of my coolweather crops earlier and longer. I’m talking about crops like lettuce, arugula, spinach, bok choy, radishes, and more. With a little planning (and using my greenhouse), I can extend my season from early March through November instead of just during our standard gardening season – mid-May to mid-September/ early October. This season is essentially

determined by when we can expect our average last spring hard (or killing) frost and average first hard fall frost. I find the one from UW Madison Extension to be pretty reliable - https://hort.extension. wisc.edu/articles/maps/. Also, as our spring has been a bit unusual this year, I’ll be keeping an eye on the 10-day forecast, especially if I plan to transplant any seedlings into the garden.

For tender annuals, it’s important to not plant before your area’s last expected hard frost. However, there are numerous coolseason vegetables that can be planted early or before your average last spring frost. These vegetables grow better when the weather is cooler, and the days are shorter. Many of these cool-season crops can tolerate a light frost; some a hard frost. A light frost is when the nighttime temperature is between 28-32 degrees F, whereas a hard frost is when the nighttime temps dip below 28 degrees F.

By planting these cool-weather crops early, you can enjoy them longer before they bolt. (Bolting is the process of the

Clean water, local food a collaborative effort

continued from page 4

businesses, so they came up with the idea of “food tourism” as a way to bring people into the area and increase revenue for farmers and other food businesses.

“We have Taliesin, we have APT, we have the river, we have a lot of people who come here,” Peltier said. “We need to feed them. Everybody we talked to said this is something they could get behind.”

The Savor group, founded in 2021, now has more than 40 members. They are farmers, food processors, food retailers and restaurants that are loosely confined within the communities of Spring Green, Plain, Lone Rock and Arena.

Peltier said there is no membership fee to be involved in the organization and they have created a “collaborative model” to pool resources and promote all the activities happening within the region.

“Things within the watershed, things that relate to farming, food and the land –they’re all so interconnected,” Peltier said. “We have a lot of people in our area who are concerned about growing wholesome food and we want to bring more visibility to those businesses. We discovered it wasn’t just outsiders who didn’t know about these things, it was also local people who didn’t know all of the things that were going on. “We started running some classes that would highlight our members – to teach

the soil; and (5) are unlikely to create an insect, weed, or disease problem for other crops.

Here are few good examples of cover crops for the home garden. Buckwheat (mentioned earlier) is a tender annual broadleaf crop. It germinates readily, is fast growing, and flowers about 30 days after planting.

Oats are fast growing, cool-season grass with roots that help hold the soil and add organic matter. They can be planted in early spring or fall. Frequently they are planted with legumes (ie. peas) to fix nitrogen in the soil. It will winter kill in our area if it’s not allowed to reseed. You can also eat the peas.

Berseem clover and crimson clover are fast-growing annual legumes that can fix nitrogen if they are inoculated prior to planting. Mow them prior to flowering to manage the amount of plant matter they produce. If allowed to flower, they are both very attractive to pollinators.

Soybeans are another legume that fixes nitrogen in the soil. Choose an edamame variety and you also have an edible crop

plant sending up a flower stalk and then plants become bitter tasting.) Planting them earlier allows them plenty of time to grow and produce a crop during the cooler growing season. Cilantro, lettuce, arugula, and spinach are crops that will quickly bolt when it gets hot.

For some cool crops, you can also use succession planning to get a constant supply of fresh produce once the plants are ready for harvesting. Think peas and radishes - I prefer to have a steady supply of them versus needing to harvest them all at once. I mean, really, how many radishes can you eat in a week? No judgement here, but if you end up with a ton of radishes all at once, they are delicious as a roasted vegetable.

Approximately 4 weeks before the expected last frost (mid-April), the following vegetables can be planted early. Direct sow arugula, beets, carrots, cilantro, dill, kohlrabi, peas, radishes, potatoes, lettuce, spinach, turnips, and various other greens. Transplant bok choy (or direct seed), broccoli, kale, leeks,

as well.

Oilseed radishes are an edible crop used to break up deep soil compaction. If they are turned under just before flowering, the decomposition helps control soilborne pests, such as nematodes.

Prior to planting, answer three questions:

(1) when are you planting? (2) do you need to replenish nitrogen? and (3) is your soil compacted? These questions will help you select the right cover crop to plant. Here are two common strategies for using cover crops in the home garden. (1) Plant cover after vegetables have been harvested. This offers better garden space efficiency, but slower soil improvement. If you grow ones that work as companion plants, you can grow them at the same time as your vegetables. (2) Plant cover crops in succession in a fallow section of your garden. This strategy is less space efficient, but offers more rapid soil improvement.

If your garden soil could use a little extra help this season, consider planting some cover crops. You might just be amazed at all the extra benefits as well.

onions, scallions, shallots, and perennial herbs.

About 2 weeks prior to the expected last frost (around April 29), do a succession planting of previously listed crops. You can also direct sow parsnips and start transplanting Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and fennel.

Finally, the week of the last frost date (approximately May 15), plant another succession planting and start planting your summer vegetables. Direct sow beans, cucumbers, and summer squash. You can also start transplanting basil, rosemary, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos as long as you keep an eye on the 10-day forecast. If a frost is predicted, hold off planting any summer vegetables. I’ll admit I tend to hold off until Memorial Day to transplant peppers and tomatoes, so I don’t have to worry about a very late killing frost.

With a little planning you can get a head start on the growing season and start enjoying some of those early crops even sooner.

people how to cook with local ingredients, for example – and that evolved into a Savor Winter School, where we had a dozen classes between November and March on the weekends to bring some cash flow into these businesses during the winter when the tourists are generally gone. And now we have this Farm and Food Tour, and we have 14 businesses that are doing something special on that day. We are so grateful to Iowa County for giving us a grant to help fund the tour.”

“We are helping build awareness of this unique community and the unique life we have going on here,” Degen said. Some of the farms and food businesses in the area that aren’t generally open for tours will be open during the April 20th event, including a local flour mill, a coffee roaster, a tortilla maker, a meat plant and a cheese factory.

For example, Meadowlark Farm and Mill near Ridgeway, which is just west of the Lowery Creek Watershed but part of the tour, generally wholesales its products and doesn’t have a retail outlet, so the tour will be an opportunity to see the operation behind the scenes. The same goes for Tortilleria Zepeda in Lone Rock, which makes thousands of corn tortillas every day and ships them to wholesale customers but doesn’t have a storefront. Peltier said many local residents don’t know about the availability of products from these

businesses and others within the region.

“I keep hearing that people in urban areas don’t know where their food comes – they’ve never been around a cow or a chicken,” Peltier said. “Some people are yearning to get in touch with that. We need to let them know we’re here. And we need to let local people know more about what’s here.”

She said collaboration between the watershed and Savor groups is still “very fresh,” but yet makes perfect sense.

“Together we can bring awareness to these local food producers who are marketing what they make,” she said. “We can help consumers become aware of the food that’s being grown around them and seek out where they can get it.”

Dick Cates, a well-known beef grazier from Spring Green, is active in both groups, along with his son, Eric. The Cates farm will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 20. The Cates farm, honored as a Leopold Conservation Award winner in 2013, has been the site of one of the watershed initiative’s water-quality monitors for the past six years.

The Cates family sells beef directly to consumers as well as to area restaurants and grocery stores, so they understand the importance of working together and making connections with consumers.

“These efforts are truly inspirational and are lifting the bar for our community,

working together for cleaner water and celebrating our farmers, restaurants, millers, bakers and tourism,” Dick said. “We feel we have something of great value worth sharing with rural communities far and wide.

“My family and our community have taken ownership of our future, and by doing so, we get to decide what our future looks like.”

Cates said he is especially proud of the improvements that have been made on their farm to Lowery Creek, which runs through their property in the middle of the watershed. The farm has 25 stream crossings among its 35 pastures. The creek has been classified as a Class 1 trout stream and is home to the highly valued heritage brook trout. The stream running through the Cates farm is now open for public fishing.

The Lowery Creek Watershed Initiative has a series of monthly workshops about land and water conservation topics called “Evenings Afield,” scheduled to start on May 2 and run through Oct. 17. For a listing and registration information visit www.driftlessconservancy.org/eveningsafield-registration.

The “Savor the River Valley Farm and Food Tour” will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. Information is available at www.savortherivervalley.org/ events.

Jeannie Manis, Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener

Jeannie Manis, Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener

An Outdoorsman’s Journal

Mark Walters, Columnist

Hello friends,

This week’s column is a go for it, try to catch some walleye out of a canoe, freeze my butt off and make it home kind of a story.

Tuesday, March 26th

High 36°, Low 22°

I was going to head to the Oconto River and fish walleye out of my canoe and all of a sudden I had a brain storm, why don’t I go to Nekoosa and fish walleye on the Wisconsin. Nekoosa is only 30 miles from my house, and I have not done anything in the area all winter, so that is what I did.

First I want to thank my good friends Jeff and Patti Rouse who recently gave me a 17-foot aluminum canoe. Mine is close to shot and could even be called suicidal so thanks Jeff and Patti.

The following was my plan as I geared up my new rig at Jim Freemen Memorial Boat Landing at Nekoosa. I was going to fish a variety of ways as in paddle trolling, jig and minnow while anchored, throwing crankbaits, and soaking a minnow on a floating jig. I had several conversations with fishermen at the landing and all reports did not include much fish catching.

I would have to paddle up river about 1.5 miles and I would be pulling 2 crankbaits as I started my journey at 3:30 this afternoon while wearing chest waders and lots of clothes as there was a stiff north wind blowing a steady snowfall. Here is to answer a question so many people ask me “ why don’t you use your War Eagle with the 90 hsp Yamaha?” Here is my answer, I get bored easily, have to be physical and enjoy living on the edge, there will be plenty of hours spent in the big boat.

I make it close to the dam, drop anchor, was wishing the weather was not so nasty, at least not this early in the adventure, put out a floating jig

with a fathead and start tossing a 3/8s ounce jig with a fathead. Ten minutes later it’s fish on with the jig and I landed a 21-inch walleye which in these waters gets released as there is a 20-to-28-inch slot. It was kind of cool for the first fish out of my new rig to be a slot. The first few hours of the evening it was steady fish catching for me with either the blue chrome Husky jerk or the floating jig offering plenty of activity and hour by hour the weather kept beating me up.

About dark my stepson Travis Dushek shows up in his boat and he tells me that his brother Joey would be arriving in a bit. Let me tell you about these kids that are now 30 and 32. They are excelling in life in all ways, and I do not know anyone that could out fish or hunt either of them. They grew up in a house where to put it simple, we hunted, fished, and camped as a way of life.

Long story short, Trav and Joe kicked butt tonight, fished till after midnight and both made it to work just after sunup the following morning. So, the boys leave and I am the only human on this part of the Wisconsin, it is 22 degrees, the wind is nonstop and my feet are beyond frozen. I had caught maybe 20 walleye of which they were either in the slot or under size and I was stuck on 4 legals. At 1:30 I was living in the moment as in my feet were not very functional, my balance after 10 hours in a canoe was not exceptional and I was in a lot of pain from kneeling for most of the experience.

I paddled back to my truck, did a warm up which took a full 30 minutes for any parts of my feet to tell me there was life and at sunrise started over.

I thrive on these challenges which goes back to the “why don’t you use your boat question” and I really had a challenge today as there was a lot more water coming down river today and it took my 2 hours of pulling hard on the paddle to make it close to the dam. There was only

one other boat on the water and the bite had virtually stopped, my belief is an 18inch rise in water level and a 25 degree drop in the temp all in 24 hours were the culprits.

I put another 7 hours in the canoe and did not have one thing happen as far as catching fish and that was all that I needed to know to realize that 30-miles away was a woodstove that could be fired up and a body that said please go home!

Challenge yourself, Sunset

He currently writes for around 60 newspapers. He hopes you enjoy reading about his adventures!

Photo contributed by Mark Walters

Though you cannot tell it in this picture taken after midnight on the Wisconsin River at Nekoosa, Walters was freezen his hiney off!

Walleye on the Wisconsin

Photo contributed by Mark Walters This canoe is a recent addition to Walters fleet.

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Wisconsin’s daily bag limit of walleye on most inland bodies of water goes from 5 to 3 on April 1st. Follow along the adventures of Mark Walters, a syndicated outdoor adventure columnist who lives in Necedah, Wisconsin. He began writing his column, An Outdoorsman’s Journal, in 1989. It includes hunting, fishing, lots of canoeing and backpacking.