Valley Sentinel - 07-14-2022

Spring Green, Wisconsin

Thursday, July 14, 2022 | Vol. 3, No. 17 FREE, Single-Copy

Inside this edition

APT announces new Managing Director

Community Calendar: Live music, exhibitions, lectures

New Series: Our Fragile Democracy

Pages 1, 10

Pages 6, 7

Page 3

Sara Young to be American Players Theatre's next managing director Jess Amend, American Players Theatre APT is pleased to announce that Director of Communications, Sara Young, has accepted the position of Managing Director, a role which will begin August 1, 2022, as outgoing Managing Director Carrie Van Hallgren departs. Ms. Van Hallgren announced in February of 2022 that she would be stepping away, and has recently accepted the position of Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Education at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville.

Sara Young APT Board President, Robert Zellers, said, “Following robust conversations, the Board of Directors unanimously and enthusiastically voted to hire Sara Young as APT's next Managing Director. We are confident that Sara is the right person for the job at this critical time in APT's history. Her strong work ethic, knowledge of the theater business, dedication to APT and support and understanding of the organization's strategic goals all factored in our decision. We are so pleased that Sara has accepted this position, and look forward to seeing all

that she’ll accomplish at the helm of administration.”

2022 marks Ms. Young’s 20th season with APT. She was hired for a special publications project in 2003, and moved into the newly created Director of Communications position in 2005.

Sara Young has a BA in Theater from the University of Northern Iowa. She started her career as a Stage Manager in Chicago and Milwaukee, and was Director of Marketing and Development at Madison Repertory Theatre before coming to APT. In addition to her work at APT, Sara serves on the River Valley School Board. She lives in Spring Green with her husband, John Christensen, and their son, Aaron.

Ms. Young said, “I am honored beyond measure to serve as APT’s Managing Director. This is a time of great promise, yet also holds some uncertainty as we continue to navigate and recover from the pandemic. I look forward to carrying on APT’s track record of strong financial planning and responsible growth, and to renew our commitment to the strategic initiatives set forth in the strategic plan that was adopted just before the pandemic. I’m especially eager to continue the work set out in APT’s AntiRacism Vision and Action Plan. And of course, I’m proud to partner with Brenda DeVita, supporting her vision as she and the company strive to bring the very best work to our audience.

Artistic Director Brenda DeVita said, “Sara is an incredible advocate for this theater. She has facilitated internal and external communications for two decades, and lives and breathes our mission. Our audience, staff and artists know and admire her. Sara is always the

continued on page 10

Artists commissioned for Wormfarm Institute’s Farm/Art DTour bringing public art to farm fields Site-responsive artworks will be installed along the fifty-mile route in rural Wisconsin, some working in collaboration with area farmers. The Farm/Art DTour is free and open to the public October 1-10, 2022 Katie Hasler Peissig, Wormfarm Institute Wormfarm Institute announced that seven artists have been commissioned to create new artworks for its biennial Farm/Art DTour excursion through rural

Sauk County, Wisconsin. The artists — Austen Camille, Rosalynn Gingerich, Sarah Kavage, Bill Mitchell, Denise Rolland Troyer, Christopher Sweet, and W. Scott Trimble — include both local and national artists who were selected by a jury from a pool of more than 100 applicants following a widespread

continued on page 10

Photo via Wormfarm From left to right: Rosalynn Gingerich, Denise Rolland Troyer, Austen Camille Weymueller, Bill Mitchell, W. Scott Trimble, Sarah Kavage, Christopher Sweet

Commentary/Opinion/Lte Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022 The (not so) Plain and Simple Correspondent: If Momma Ain't Happy Page 2

Katie Green, Columnist Having to wage the same battles repeatedly is enervating. I'm old as the hills, weary and discouraged, and with my idol, Ferdinand the Bull, I don't wish to fight. I only want to sit under a cork tree and smell the flowers.

I liken the Roe v. Wade debacle to wildfires that erupt from embers: they appear to be squelched but the capricious wind fans them active again, threatening homes and lives and exhausting people. I apologize for adding even two cents worth to this dreary subject but I have three grand-daughters, many friends with daughters and grand-daughters of child-bearing age, and deplore the erosion of their rights to privacy and the management of their God-given lives. So on goes the helmet and the flak vest and the slow, reluctant march to the barricades begins again. In the bad old days before Roe, my spouse and I moved to Connecticut, where we found to our dismay that it was illegal to purchase contraceptives.

I thought then, and still think, that preventing unwanted pregnancies to be the sane, self-preservational goal of an overpopulated world. How else to achieve healthy communities in balance with a livable planet?

En route to Madison from Plain the other day I spotted a bumper sticker which is as good a starting place for conversation as any: “If Momma Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy.” Polls have indicated that 61% of Americans or more approve of reserving family planning decisions, including abortion, to a woman and her family and physician, not government or strangers based on religious ideologies. They/ we think family planning is basic medical care. I'm suspicious of even requiring a physician to be involved, as it happens, after an outrageous experience when I was

a young woman and my assigned obstetrician was Catholic. In fact, much of the medical profession is dominated by Catholic hospitals and clinics, which can dictate arbitrary, unscientific approaches to treating female patients, and are often not trustworthy partners in decisions of such a private, individual and serious nature. Some estimate that this Court decision will change the number of abortions by less than 13%. Only the very poorest women will not be able to travel to friendly states, Canada, or elsewhere to obtain them, or order pills that end unwanted pregnancies should the need arise. Will extremists continue to agitate to monitor your mail, emails and whatever goes on in your bedroom? It remains to be seen if such shady practices will be allowed and punitive actions taken against women. Even spontaneous miscarriages are now suspect!

I figure you know the arguments pro and con already, and I can't add much to the yakety-yak. To ye figures in black robes on the bench, I find ridiculous what the majority cherry picks from 17th and 18th century norms on which to base 21st century law. In some places in the early days of our republic it was a terrible offense to do your laundry on Sunday, as one of my ancestresses found out to her sorrow. She'd been waiting weeks for a sunny day on which to hang her wash and was caught in the act and disciplined. I can imagine her thinking, “Lord, it would be nice to have clean, louse-free unmentionables to wear to church.” Church attendance was expected for both sexes, in some places obligatory, but only men had a voice. And some denominations were persecuted. Early Baptists, Catholics, Jews, and Quakers, for instance. Except among Quakers, women weren't allowed to teach or interpret the Bible, evangelize, or be deacons, let alone pastors. In some

rigid denominations such strictures continue the same today and only a certain stripe of Christianity is acceptable to the Court majority.

Separation of church and state certainly isn't a valued principle. I mutter to myself constantly, WWJS? [What Would Jesus Say?] And would the Founding Fathers really not have evolved in their views over time?

But attitudes do change suddenly – if you get your mistress pregnant, or it's

Katie Green your own teenaged daughter who is found to be “in a family way”, or your child who is born gay or transgender.

When I was employed by a court as a probation officer in Indiana, in my free time I helped with a school program for unwed mothers. Several well-known public figures in town opposed to abortion got in touch with me on the sly, asking where they could avail themselves of abortion services for their sweetiepies, clients, or family members. So I learned that personal pragmatism, as well as political games, not true conviction, drives many decisions.

Having said that, the job also taught me that there are as many codes of ethics and perceptions of the world as there are individuals. We are all busily cogitating and critiquing based

on inherited views from parents and one's social circle, or possibly rejecting those attitudes and forming new positions gained from moments of mental clarity that seem to illuminate Truth. No one-size ideology fits all.

As of this moment, how to arrive at a place of respectful compromise concerning family planning is a tall order when the sides are poles apart and there doesn't seem to be a middle ground.

I dread the further breakdown of civility as the issues heat up to the boiling point. In a market parking lot recently, an intemperate young man loudly showered me with inflammatory epithets, railing at the bumper stickers on our car (which reveal our choice of political candidates, among other things). He blamed the high price of gasoline on President Biden, not the true perpetrators — the fossil fuel industry and Congress in cahoots with it. As he pounded on my fender he even abused me for wearing a mask, although admitting he's had Covid three times.

His brain may have been addled by the virus, including the portion that frowns on threatening smaller, weaker old women, even in public places.

Should I be grateful that he didn't pull out a gun and shoot me? He was born innocent, a tiny fragment of divinity, but by now the divine is plastered over with layers of sludge. Sorry, sonny. I'm not eager to be the target of bullying, yet even with intimidation tactics such as yours, I'm not backing down. GrandMomma ain't happy.

Katie is an author that, until recently, lived in Plain that has been writing for fun and profit, mostly the former, since childhood. Her writing is self described as opinionated, but meant to be in the interests of a more loving, better functioning world for all. She may be reached at: greengal2@charter.net.

Your Right to Know — When transparency is treated with contempt Bill Lueders, Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Most of the time, public officials in Wisconsin obey the state’s openness

On the cover "Nate Jennings pitches against Ridgeway" (2022) Photo, by Aaron Jacobus

Aaron Jacobus captured this shot of Nate Jennings pitching for the Arena Aces Home Talent baseball team against Ridgeway July 9 in Arena.

The Aces are 5-3 as of press time.

The next two home games for the Aces are Thursday July 21 against Reedsburg and Thursday August 4 against Dodgeville, both at the Arena Community Park on Sharon Street at 7 p.m.

For more information, search 'Arena Home Talent Baseball' on Facebook.

For more area Home Talent coverage see page 9.

Submit your artwork or photography for cover consideration: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

laws. Sometimes, they need a little prodding from the courts. But the recent conduct of Robin Vos and Michael Gableman is something altogether new, and deeply disturbing.

Both Vos, the speaker of the state Assembly, and Gableman, whom Vos hired at taxpayer expense (more than $1 million and counting) to look for fraud in the 2020 election, have been cited for contempt of court regarding open records requests.

Vos, the architect of a failed 2015 attempt to gut the state’s open records law, was heldin contempt by Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie BaileyRihn, for failing to produce records as ordered or explain why he couldn’t.

He responded by lashing out at BaileyRihn, calling her “a liberal judge in

Dane County trying to make us look bad.” Bailey-Rihn later opted not to impose penalties for contempt, but Vos (read: taxpayers) might yet have to pay associated legal costs.

Bill Lueders

Similarly, Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington found Gableman’s Office of Special Counsel in contempt over its handling of records requests and referred the former justice to the Office of Lawyer Regulation for possible disciplinary action for his disgraceful conduct during a court proceeding.

Gableman sneeringly refused to answer questions from Christa Westerberg, an attorney representing American Oversight, a group seeking records regarding Gableman’s probe, and vice president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council.

Gableman’s conduct was “misogynistic” and “an affront to

continued on page 3

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Not too much a local issue Dear editor, Richland County has had a stagnant population and basically stagnant property values for many years.

However, it is located in one of the most scenic, hilly areas of the state with the Pine River and trout streams running through it and the Wisconsin River as its southern boundary. I love living here where I am an integral part of a diverse thinking community.

Our county, as well as many other small populated counties, is in financial trouble and having to make some major decisions. Recently, our state senator,

Howard Marklein, when asked to comment on the county, stated that the situation was a “local issue”.

State shared revenue to Richland County dropped 10% in shared revenue from 2001- 2021 from 1.36 million in 2001 to 1.22 million in 2021 and the consumer index shows that prices increased 43% between 2001 and 2021 and if Richland County’s state shared revenues had kept pace with inflation, the annual amount of state shared revenue for 2021 would have been 2.1 million.

We would not be in this deep trouble

if the state kept up with shared revenue for mandated programs, which they should since county government is considered a wing of the legislature.

The cuts that are being considered will greatly impact our quality of life as well as events and institutions that create economic development in the area.

I wish to publicly tell Senator Marklein, this is not a local issue but a state issue and he should start to care for his constituents.

Linda Gentes Richland County Supervisor Richland Center, Wisconsin

Commentary/OpInIon

Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022 Page 3

Our Fragile Democracy — Prelude Beverly Pestel, Columnist Again, it has happened yet again.

A column ready to go on a new series and then – another horrible, unimaginable event. The reports are chilling - not new, not even surprising anymore - just chilling, the kind of cold that sinks into your soul and makes you numb. Seven people killed while enjoying a 4th of July parade – obliterated by all accounts – by a high caliber, highcapacity weapon wielded by a young white man infected with a sickness of hate and violence. Nothing like this happens with this degree of frequency in any other developed country. What is it about our country, our form of government, our culture, that enables this carnage to occur time after time without any serious attempt to stop it?

…

This new series will address our democracy, a great experiment in allowing the people to rule. Our democracy begins with the admirable aspirations of our Founders to give us a government where citizens are given the right to choose the collective path to take within the confines of a Constitution and accompanying laws. A government that is still a work in progress, composed of strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. I intend to explore the history and current state of this government in future columns,

but first, several issues are screaming for attention.

It is hard to admit, but it must be admitted that “we the people” are allowing the carnage of gunrelated deaths to continue. In a democracy, the people rule, but only if and when we choose to wield that power. In 1787, the country agreed to be constrained by a Constitution.

But does our Constitution leave us helpless to address new threats brought about through technology and scientific progress?

The Founders knew about muskets.

Weapons that fired single-shot lead balls. Weapons that took minutes to reload. Now we have weapons that can fire multiple bullets in seconds.

Bullets that can pulverize the human body. Weapons that are available to people who, based on internet posts, intend to use them to murder as many people as they can as fast as they can.

Amendment II: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

Must we assume that allowing citizens to possess high caliber, high-capacity weapons was the intent of the 2nd Amendment? Are “we the people” destined to tolerate the existence of these weapons in the hands of angry and disturbed young men because of a one-sentence statement written over 240 years ago? Is our democracy that inflexible,

that fragile?

We have delegated much of our “people rule” power to elected representatives, but are those representatives immune to our

Beverly Pestel collective will? Once elected are they outside of our control? In a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll conducted in late May 2022, sixtyseven percent of voters support banning assault-style weapons. But still, we have no assault weapon ban.

Why do we vote for representatives over and over again regardless of whether they act in good faith based on the collective will of the voters?

If we allow that, are we putting our democracy and our future at risk? Are we complicit in the death of “people rule” by turning our power over to those who Alexander Hamilton described as: “… a certain class of men …[who] resist all changes which may hazard a diminution of the power…they hold…”?

At this point, it is impossible for the issue not to become partisan. After years of inaction, a gun reform bill was passed in Congress recently. That bill contained only a limited number of issues; it did not ban assault weapons. Fifty of fifty Democratic senators voted for the bill but only fifteen of fifty Republican senators did so. Of those Republican senators who voted for the bill, four are not running for reelection and only two are up for reelection this year. Where is the commitment of the remaining thirty-five Republican senators to honor…

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

In a recent Gallup poll, only 7% of Americans have confidence in Congress. “We the People” have a job to do.

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.

Your Right to Know — When transparency is treated with contempt continued from page 2 the judicial process and an insult to Atty. Westerberg,” Remington wrote in his contempt order. “The circus Gableman created in the courtroom destroyed any sense of decorum and irreparably damaged the public’s perception of the judicial process.”

Gableman is appealing the $2,000-per-day penalty as “grossly disproportionate to the violation.”

At a subsequent hearing in which he managed to maintain his composure, Gableman admitted that he has routinely destroyed records he considers not relevant to his investigation.

“Did I delete documents? Yes, I

did,” he told the court. These include his notes from trips he took on the taxpayer’s dime to Arizona to watch the widely ridiculed recount and to South Dakota to hear My Pillow founder Mike Lindell make baseless allegations of electoral fraud. (“I didn’t find anything that I could use during that seminar,” Gableman testified.)

Indiana attorney James Bopp Jr., representing Gableman’s Office of Special Counsel, argued in an April 8 letter that, absent a pending records request, there is no statutory requirement that records be preserved. But the Wisconsin Legislative Council, a nonpartisan service agency, had previously

determined that this office was required to retain these records.

That’s right: Bopp declared from his perch in Indiana that he knew more about Wisconsin’s rules than the state itself. Gableman attained the same level of hubris in contending to reporters, “If I had to keep every scrap of paper I would do nothing else. I would need a warehouse.”

Really? A warehouse? How many taxpayer-funded records has Gableman destroyed?

In fact, released records reveal, among other things, that the work for which Gableman was pocketing $11,000 per month (it has since been cut in half) was, in the estimation

Contact us

Your Right to Know is a monthly column distributed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council (wisfoic.org), a group dedicated to open government. Bill Lueders is the group’s president.

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of Judge Bailey-Rihn, “minimal.”

Gableman is now being sued again

by American Oversight, over his destruction of records.

Clearly, the state Legislature must do a better job of ensuring that those it hires are complying with their obligations under the state’s openness laws. And Robin Vos and Michael Gableman should be held accountable for treating these laws with contempt.

EDITORIAL

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS EDITION Legal Editor Gary Ernest Grass, esq.

Graphic Designer Julianna Williams

Commentary/Opinion Column Beverly Pestel Commentary/Opinion Column Katie Green

Have graphic design experience or interested in writing and becoming a community contributor? Let us know. Thank you to all of our contributors for believing in our community.

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Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022 Chris Hardie's 'Back Home' column

Commentary/OpInIon

Page 4

Eagle, owl centers worth a visit

Freedom is always evolving

Chris Hardie, Columnist located about an hour south of Wabasha Growing up on our Jackson County – and visited the International Owl Our recent observance of July 4 had me farm in the 1970s, a bald eagle sighting Center, a facility that was inspired by the pondering about the state of freedom in was something to behold. There were not National Eagle Center. We took in a very our country. many eagles left. informative program and saw several July 4, 1776 was the birth of American In 1974 there were only 107 active nests owls, classified as Strigiformes in the avian independence when the formal adoption in Wisconsin, which was only two years order of nocturnal birds. of the Declaration of Independence put after the U.S.. Environmental Protection The Houston center is located in a into words the concepts of democracy Agency banned the use of the pesticide downtown building, with plans underway and became the foundation of our DDT, which thinned eggshells of eagles. to build a new facility next to the aviaries freedom.

Nationwide the low point for eagles was where the owls live. The World Owl Surprisingly, the word freedom is not 1963 when there were only 417 nesting Conference will be held in Onalaska, WI in even mentioned in the Declaration pairs in the lower 48 states.

October 2023. of Independence, but could certainly Today there are more than 71,400 Both places are ideal locations to take capture the essence of this famous nesting pairs in the lower 48 and nearly children, who will not be bored by the sentence in the preamble: 317,000 individual eagles, according to interactive presentations. It’s fun for old “We hold these truths to be self-evident; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. So even guys like me too. that all men are created equal; that they though I see eagles often while driving While the recovery of the bald eagle are endowed by their Creator with certain around western Wisconsin, it still stirs my population has been inalienable rights; soul to see one in flight. a major conservation that among these are While I’m not aware of any nesting success, some species life, liberty and the of owls have declining locations on our farm, we see them pursuit of happiness; frequently. And we do have plenty of owls. populations due to that to secure these The stillness of the early morning is when habitat loss, land rights, governments you can hear the choruses of “Who cooks use and climate are instituted among for you? Who cooks for you-all,” which change. Threatened men, deriving their carried across the quiet morning. I’ve also species include the just powers from spotted great-horned owls over the years. northern spotted the consent of the I consider myself fortunate to be able governed.” owl, burrowing owls, to observe eagles and owls in nature. I’m pygmy owls and What is freedom? also fortunate enough to live within easy snowy owls.

One definition is driving distance of two great wildlife The barn owl “the quality or state Chris Hardie centers where you can also see the birds population has of being free; the close up. absence of necessity, declined with the loss The National Eagle Center in Wabasha, of drafy old barns and hay fields, meadows coercion, or constraint in choice or MN has just opened the first phase of a or pastures where meadow vole – their action.” renovation and expansion project. Work The freedoms defined in the Bill of primary food – flourish. There are fewer began in November to expand the eagle old barns today and many farms grow just Rights – the first 10 amendments to the care facilities and create new exhibit corn or soybeans, not vole habitat.

Constitution – are our freedom of speech, spaces, as well as creating a new program We learned our lesson with DDT freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, center where programs are held.

– I suspect that dichloro-diphenylfreedom to petition and the freedom to The center is beautifully situated on the trichloroethane was used on our land back keep and bear arms. banks of the Mississippi River and my in the 1950s. My brother and I found a bag Recent court rulings on abortion and wife Sherry and I recently visited to take of DDT cleaning out an old shed years ago. pollution standards have certainly put in a program and see the eagles under the concepts of freedom at the forefront Thankfully the eagles came back. But we the center’s care. Those eagles suffered seem to be a little slower in addressing of the national discussion. Pure and injuries that make them unlikely to land use and climate change impacting absolute freedom does not exist in a survive in the wild but they could live up owls and other animal species. nation governed by laws. to 40 years in captivity.

Mother Nature can be forgiving – if we President Dwight Eisenhower captured Last year we drove to Houston, MN – this idea when he said: “The general give her time. limits of your freedom are merely these: WE'RE LOOKING FOR INTERNS AND COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTORS that you do not trespass upon the equal rights of others.”

Looking for a challenge?

But how do we define those equal rights?

We are looking for interns/volunteers who want to be in the unique position to learn the nuts and For many farmers, those rights should bolts of a news media publication that started from the ground up. include the right to repair their own equipment. One attribute of nearly You will have the chance to make an impact at the ground level of a startup and see the effect of all farmers is their innate ability to fix your work and ideas carried out with a lot of flexibility, in an environment and creative culture you things. It’s ingrained into farmers as can help influence and create. much as the dirt that runs through their veins. Breakdowns -- particularly at the Available subject areas: most untimely moments -- were and are EDITORIAL/JOURNALISM GRAPHIC DESIGN/PAGE DESIGN/LAYOUT a part of farming.

SOCIAL MEDIA DISTRIBUTION/CIRCULATION/CRM MNGMT When a new piece of farm equipment Chris Hardie, Columnist

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

ADVERTISING/MARKETING

PODCASTING/AUDIO PRODUCTION

breaks down, major implement dealers have been requiring customers to call a dealership to send a service truck to the farm to identify the problem. The repair may even require a special tool only used by the dealerships.

The service call may not be available right away and can cost $150 or more per hour, costing farmers both time and money. And when crops are ready to be harvested, time is money on the farm.

This has resulted in “Right to Repair” legislation being introduced in many agriculture states and even at the federal level. Sen. Jon Tester, D-MT, has introduced the Agricultural Right to Repair Act that would guarantee farmers the right to repair their own equipment and end restrictions on the repair market.

But legislation is getting strong resistance from large businesses and has not gained traction.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order last July directing the Federal Trade Commission to make rules that will limit manufacturers’ ability to restrict independent repairs of their products.

Earlier this year farm organizations and consumer groups filed a complaint with the FTC aimed at forcing Deere & Co. – the largest farm equipment supplier in the U.S. – to provide access to software, parts and manuals.

Deere has not commented on the complaint, but the Association of Equipment Manufacturers – a trade group representing the agricultural and construction industries – says it supports farmers rights to maintain, diagnose and repair their equipment and is trying to find a solution.

Fixing equipment is one small piece of the big world of freedom, which enfolds a larger range of issues that impact many more people. That’s the messy part of a democracy. My definition of freedom may not match your definition. Lawsuits and legal challenges are necessary evil as we continue to watch freedom evolve.

But perhaps we can also listen to the words of Abraham Lincoln – who knew a little something about freedom – and remember: “Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.”

Chris Hardie spent more than 30 years as a reporter, editor and publisher.

He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and won dozens of state and national journalism awards. He is a former president of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. Contact him at chardie1963@gmail.com.

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Photo contributed by Chris Hardie Many farmers want the freedom to repair newer tractors and other farm equipment that need to be serviced by the implement dealer.

Commentary/Opinion/Regional

Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022 Page 5

‘Characteristic of sham democracies’: DNR board member refuses to step down after term. Others might follow.

Peter Cameron, The Badger Project After the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a Republican-appointed member of the state’s Natural Resources Board, Fred Prehn, can remain even though his term has expired, two other board members won’t say what they will do when their terms expire next year.

Prehn, a dentist and gun store owner in Wausau, is the fourth and decisive right-leaning vote on the 7-member board. Remaining on the board after his appointment, which ended officially in May of 2021, allows Republicans to keep control of the body and make decisions on environmental issues such as wolf hunt quotas and regulation of pollutants.

The ruling is the latest twist in Wisconsin’s ongoing political struggle between a Republican-majority state legislature, a right-leaning state Supreme Court and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

The precedent of not respecting expiring terms has many concerned.

“I hope the remaining three board members whose terms end in 2023 don’t follow (Prehn’s) example,” said Paul Heinen, a spokesman for Wisconsin’s Green Fire, a conservation group that has called for Prehn to step down.

Those board members, all appointed by former Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, are Greg Kazmierski, Bill Bruins and Terry Hilgenberg.

Reached by phone, Kazmierski said he hoped to be reappointed, but was noncommittal when asked if he would step down if his term ends without a reappointment, a likely situation if Evers is reelected this year.

“I’m not going to say one way or

Inflationary reality Senator Howard Marklein, (R-Spring Green) Inflation and rising costs are the most universal concerns I am hearing from residents of the 17th Senate District as I attend dairy breakfasts, picnics and community events this summer.

Everyone is worried about the rising costs of gas and groceries. Farmers are concerned about the rising costs for inputs such as fertilizer and raw materials. Businesses continue to struggle with supply chain disruptions and rising costs too.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation (WFBF) recently distributed an article that perfectly illustrates the strain on our pocketbooks. In Wisconsin, it costs approximately $69.74 to host a picnic for 10 people this summer. This is only $.06 more than the national average.

But this cost - $69.74 for 10 people to enjoy a summer cookout – is 17% more than it was last year! The article says that the cause of this significant increase is “a result of ongoing supply

the other,” he said. “I’ll look at the circumstances at the time.”

Also reached by phone, Bruins would not commit to stepping down when his term ends either.

“That’s a hypothetical and I’m not ready to answer that,” Bruins said. “My best answer is if you want something changed, it should be changed at the legislative level. That’s how I really feel about that.”

Hilgenberg did not respond to several messages.

“In my 40 years plus of following Wisconsin politics, I cannot remember a similar situation,” John Witte, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Wisconsin wrote in an email. “I see absolutely no democratic value in such actions. The heart of a democracy is peaceful, lawful replacement of leaders when votes go against them. Refusal to give way to the majority of electors is characteristic of sham democracies.”

In an email, Prehn said it was lawful for him to remain past the expiration of his term.

“For purely political reasons, Attorney General (Josh Kaul) and (Evers) decided to pursue this action against me,” he wrote. “What many don’t seem to understand is that this process requires a nomination from the governor and a confirmation by the (state) Senate. This is true for many, but not all appointments by the governor.

He knows this, and still refused to nominate someone who could get approved by the (state) Senate.”

Evers has attempted to place his choice for Prehn’s successor, Sandra Dee Naas, on the board. But the Republicancontrolled state Senate has refused to confirm many of Evers’ appointments,

and implement political district maps that skew heavily in their favor.

The state Supreme Court decision on Prehn, issued last week, also followed the same ideological lines. The four right-leaning justices voted Photo via Wisconsin Natural Resources Board YouTube to allow him to Fred Prehn at a Natural Resources Board meeting on Aug. 11, 2021. remain. The three and Senate Majority Leader Devin left-leaning justices disagreed.

LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) said in January “The majority’s absurd holding allows they would not confirm anymore for the Prehn’s six-year term on the Board of rest of 2022.

Natural Resources — which expired Emails show Prehn corresponded with over a year ago — to last for as long as LeMahieu about staying on the board Prehn wants it to, so long as he refuses past his term, according to a report to leave and the (state) Senate doesn’t from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. confirm a successor nominated by the Regardless of what happens in the governor,” Justice Rebecca Dallet wrote state Senate, Prehn could step down, in her dissent. but the state Supreme Court decision The Wisconsin Natural Resources severely restricts the governor’s ability Board sets policy for the Department to force him out, despite the expiration of Natural Resources and exercises of Prehn’s term. authority and responsibility in “Until his successor is nominated by accordance with state laws, according to the governor and confirmed by the its website. (state) Senate… Prehn may be removed Prehn noted in his email that he is not by the governor only for cause,” Chief the only Walker appointee to refuse to Justice Annette Ziegler wrote in her vacate a seat at term’s end. majority opinion. “This conclusion Three Republican-appointed members complies with the plain language of the 13-seat Wisconsin Technical of the Wisconsin Statutes and does College Board — Becky Levzow, Kelly not raise constitutional concerns.”

Tourdot and Mary Williams — have also Democrats are unlikely to win back the refused to leave their positions despite state Senate, which Republicans have their terms ending last year. controlled since 2011, anytime soon, experts say. Earlier this year, the rightThe Badger Project is a nonpartisan, leaning majority on the state Supreme citizen-supported journalism nonprofit Court allowed Republicans to draw in Wisconsin.

chain disruptions, inflation and the ongoing war in Ukraine.”

Inflation, or a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money, can become embedded in our minds and affect our decision-making,

asking for pay increases to compensate for increasing costs.

The State of Wisconsin is a major employer, as are school districts, local governments and other public entities throughout the state. With this concern in mind, I recently reached out to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) to seek information about how inflation may affect state finances. I am concerned about the costs we will face down the road, when we are working on the next state budget in spring 2023.

One of our largest expenses is K-12 education, including teacher salaries, which are based on the rate of inflation.

They have already increased 4.7% with an overall cost of $418 million more than the prior year. We know actual inflation is even more than that already, so in the next year ahead the increased costs for teacher salaries are going to be even higher.

Transportation infrastructure and building costs are also increasing exponentially. As roads are maintained, fixed or built, we are getting less road work for the same money as last year.

Senator Howard Marklein expectations and behavior. Many of us have already begun batching our errands and combining trips to save on gas. Some of us are eating out less or changing the groceries we buy. We are also starting to hear about employees

Building materials and labor are increasing too. We’re keeping projects on track, but our costs are significantly higher and we must manage our resources.

This is why I continue to object to sending a $150 check to every Wisconsinite from our state’s surplus.

I am glad that our state is in a very positive financial position and that we have a strong surplus right now. But I also know that we are going to need that surplus to manage our finances in the future. I believe that we will be thankful for our conservative approach when we are managing our state budget next spring and are facing tremendous inflationary increases.

Again, inflation and rising costs are the number one issue I am hearing about as I visit with residents of the 17th Senate District this summer. I am staying on top of this issue, studying our options and preparing to craft a state budget that responsibly and effectively addresses inflation. We must be smart and deliberate as we plan for the future with all of these factors in mind.

Homecoming (242 N Lexington St, Spring Green) recently announced that they were discontinuing Monday lunch service for the time being due to demand being “a little too slow”, while addressing an increase in demand during other service hours.

Homecoming said they hope to expand dinner service to include Thursdays soon.

Their current hours include lunch on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner on Friday, Saturday and Monday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 2p.m.

Homecoming is a locally focused wood-fired restaurant in the historic White School. More information can be found on their website at homecomingspringgreen.com Simply Rooted & Co. (334 E Daley St, Spring Green - the old Stage Stop) is celebrating their grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony on July 15 at 11 a.m.

They will have 50¢ off ice cream, a drawing and hosting a brat stand (B the Light is donating proceeds to the NICU and bereaved families at St. Mary's).

Simply Rooted is a home decor shop with a bit of elegance, style, character and comfort, mixed with modern farmhouse antiques and on-trend home decor and gifts.

For more information, contact Tami at simplyrootedhomedecor@gmail.com, call the shop at 608-588-0005 or visit their website at simplyrootedhomedecor.com.

Have major updates to your business? Moving? Opening? Re-opening? Offering something you don’t normally offer during your regular course of business or having a pop-up?

Please submit your updates for consideration as we try to flesh out what this will look like and how to best drive engagement for our business community: editor@valleysentinelnews.com Remember, marketing is an important part of any event and business budget. These updates don’t replace advertising, but we’re happy to offer them as a business community service.

Page 6

Community

Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022

COmmunitycalendar Events for July 15 - July 28 Friday, July 15 Sauk County Fair 9:00 AM - 12:30 AM . 700 Washington Ave, Baraboo . saukcountyfair.com . Exhibitor and Commercial buildings, Barns, Carnival, beer Garden. Check online for full schedule. Free walk-in gate, $5 Daily parking.

OUTDOOR LIVE MUSIC: Andy Braun at Wild Hills Winery 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Muscoda . andybraun.com . wildhillswinery.com .

Join Andy Braun for folk-rock favorites from the 50s on up! Johnny Cash, CCR, Beatles, Tom Petty, Eagles, Neil Young, Jimmy Buffett, and more. Andy will also feature original songs from his new album "Shameless Attempts".

Saturday, July 16 ART CLASS: A Day of Painting in Spring Green 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St. Spring Green . springgreengeneralstore.com . The first annual event is for all: newbies, “artists” and children. Enjoy a day outside while you get your plein air on. Fun prizes, Trail Snack Bags, kids’ workshop 12:30-3 p.m., and new friends. The fun begins at 7 a.m. with an award ceremony at 4 p.m. Register online at our website: $25 for adults, $5 for children.

Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . 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 Communitv Public Library every Saturdav morning. Pre-orders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMarket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact into.

Sauk County Fair 9:00 AM - 12:30 AM . 700 Washington Ave, Baraboo . saukcountyfair.com . Exhibitor and Commercial buildings, Barns, Carnival, beer Garden. Check online for full schedule. Free walk-in gate, $5 Daily parking.

ART WORKSHOP: Sumi-e Art and Spirituality Workshop 1 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM .

Arts Lab, 143 S. Washington Street, Spring Green . artslabspringgreen.org . Sumi-e is a Japanese technique that requires a decisive brushstroke to capture the essence of nature with black ink on rice paper. The technique will be taught by visiting Mexican arist Marialoli Torres. Paper and Ink will be provided and students will be offered links to purchase a Chinese or Japanese brush. Masking may be required depending the prevalence of Covid in the community. Registration Fee: Per session $45, Drop-in $50, all four sessions $170.

LIVE MUSIC: MYLES TALBOTT DYAD 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM . Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road, Spring Green . www.wiriversideresort.com . Join us for live music outside on the river stage! Drinks specials, great food and even better views!

LIVE MUSIC: Madtown Mannish Boys 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM . Witwen Park & Campground S9855 State Highway E, Witwen . madtownmannishboys.com . The Witwen Summer Concert Series will take place at the historic Witwen Campground, open the following Saturdays, July 23, and 30. This concert features Madtown Mannish Boys (Blues).Gates open at 4:30 pm; music begins at 6 pm and ends at 8 pm. Free parking on site,Beer is not served at Witwen, but carry-ins of adult beverages are allowed.

Please bring your own lawn chairs. Food will be available for purchase from Middleton BBQ. In addition, Cub Scout Pack 373 will offer popcorn, candy, soda and water for sale during the concerts.

SOLD OUT – LIVE MUSIC: Shitty Barn Session 264: The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band 7:00 PM . 506 E Madison St, Spring Green . shittybarnsessions.com .

Doors open at 6 . The new album from Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band was written by candlelight and then recorded using the best technology available... in the 1950s. But listeners won’t find another album as relevant, electrifying and timely as Dance Songs for Hard Times. Advance tickets sold out. That sald, tickets often come up that people can't use. Check website or socials for the latest detalls about ticket availability.

Sunday, July 17 Sauk County Fair 9:00 AM - 12:30 AM . 700 Washington Ave, Baraboo . saukcountyfair.com . Exhibitor and Commercial buildings, Barns, Carnival, beer Garden. Check online for full schedule. Free walk-in gate, $5 Daily parking.

APT: Sunday Salon 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM . Post House Garden, E. Jefferson St. Spring Green . americanplayers.org . A casual conversation with APT and Leadership about whatever is on your mind. Free event.

Sundays in July - An Embodied Heart: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Rural Bodies 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM . Unity Chapel, 6557 County Hwy T, Spring Green . unitychapel.org Head, Heart, and Hand Series #2 Speaker: Emily Benz. Join Emily for contemplative and active experiences around the heart-mind-body connection as central impetus for our walk in the world. Consider what sustains us and how presence drives possibility.

Please wear comfortable non-binding clothing for gently active practices.

LIVE MUSIC: Acoustic Jam 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green . 608-5880-707, karin@springgreengeneralstore.com, SpringGreenGeneralStore.com . Free event . All ages welcome! Acoustic Jams will be held on the third Saturday of each month. While the weather permits they'll be held on our back deck. Bring your instrument and play along or come to listen; all are welcome.

LIVE MUSIC: Don & Scott 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM . Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road, Spring Green . www.wiriversideresort.com . Join us for live music outside on the river stage! Drinks specials, great food and even better views!

LIVE MUSIC: Slowpoke Songwriters Round 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . Featuring James Travis, Payton Eilers, and Stacy Hanson. Tim Eddy curates this series of singer/songwriters from the Driftless Area. Support local artists by joining us for a night of original music with several songwriters, all on the stage together, sharing their music round robin style. No cover, but tips for artists are always welcome.

Monday, July 18 LIVE MUSIC: Janna Johnson Fuchs and Steve Brown @ Local Night Benefit 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM . The Shed, 123 N. Lexington St., Spring Green . For more info look up “The Shed” on Facebook . Benefitting the Spring Green Fire and EMS District. Food and Drinks served in the Garden. Come view the ladder truck, ambulance, and talk to the crews!

LIVE MUSIC: 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, July 19 cont.

Toddler Storytime 10:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green . (608) 588-2276 . Join your friends for a fun and interactive storytime!

You can expect songs, stories, rhymes, puppets, crafts, and more. Activities are geared toward children aged zero to two, but all are welcome!

Summer Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Join us on Tuesday mornings until August 9th for our Summer Storytimes. Programs are geared toward children ages 3-5, but siblings and friends are always welcome. All children must attend with an adult. For info contact Brittany at bsorg@kraemerlibrary.org. Open to all ages.

Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Popcorn and/or snacks included.

Travel the Galapagos Islands! 10:30 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green . (608) 588-2276 . Join Jean and Jeff Alt for an evening of travel as they share with us about their trip to the Galapagos Islands! This program is open to the public and everyone is welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

Open Play 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Children 6 and under along with their caregivers are welcome to come to the library for an open play time on Tuesdays. Meet up with friends old and new. Various toys and space for unstructured play provided. Think of it as a play-date where no one has to clean their house! Open to all ages. Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Popcorn and/or snacks included.

Interactive Family Movie 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Join us for a night of fun at the library as we show the newly release movie The Bad Guys! Open to all ages. Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Popcorn and ice cream float treats included. PG 1h 40m Rec Adult Softball Games 7:00 PM . Spring Green Municipal Park, Park Dr, Spring Green . Every Tuesday at the North Park. This is just a relaxing, for fun adult softball game to meet people, stay in good physical health, and to enjoy life. Bring your glove, a ball, bat if you have one, helmet if you desire, and an awesome personality. Hope to see you there. For more info search “RV Adult Rec Sports” on Facebook.

Wednesday, July 20 Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium 10:30 AM Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Attendance is LIMITED due to program restrictions. A capacity of 100 attendees will be enforced at the door. A fun, fact-filled kids program that breaks down common misconceptions about sharks, their environment, and how to help them. After the program, families can get a chance to touch a live shark in a mobile touch tank.

Summer Storytime 10:30 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green . (608) 588-2276 . Join your friends for a fun and interactive storytime.

You can expect songs, stories, rhymes, puppets, crafts, and more. Activities are geared toward three to six-year-olds, but all are welcome.

Free Family Flick 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . All ages are invited to a free, family- friendly flick at the library! This Week's showing will be of Free Willy.

BOOK CLUB: Arcadia Book Club discusses "Companion Piece" by Ali Smith 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM . Virtual Event . readinutopia.com/events . Award-winning author Ali Smith again lights a way for us through the nightmarish now with a provocative novel grounded both in the contemporary era and in the uncannily familiar era of the Black Plague. Companion Piece stands apart from her astonishing Seasonal Quartet, which remains discrete unto itself. But like Smith’s groundbreaking series, this new novel boldly captures the spirit of the times.

Thursday, July 21 Summer Storytime 10:30:00 AM 11:30:00 AM . 234 N. Broadway St, Lone Rock. . lonerocklbrary.wordpress.com . Join us at the Lone Rock library for summer story time and crafts! Activities will be geared toward ages 3-7, but all are welcome! First three Thursdays of the month from June 9th through August 18th.

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.

Summer Teen Time - DIY Sugar Scrub Craft! 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E Monroe St, Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.org . Join us for Teen events Thursdays in July! We will have supplies to make a sea salt and sugar scrub and more! Programs will be designed for middle and high school students.

LIVE MUSIC: Randy & Florence - Stars Entertainment @ Local Night 5:30 PM 7:00 PM . The Shed, 123 N. Lexington St., Spring Green . For more info look up “The Shed” on Facebook . Grills will be fired and beverages available, so come and enjoy the best that Midsummer has to offer in the lovely River Valley.

Wine & Yoga 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Muscoda . wildhillswinery.com . Come for the wine specials...stay for a peaceful and rejuvenating yoga session with certified instructor Lara Carpenter. All sessions are held outdoors in our vineyard. Yoga sessions are $10 cash only.

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.

Evenings Afield: Early Settlers - Transforming the Land 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM . Cates Family Farm, 5992 County Road T, Spring Green . driftlessconservancy.org . Join owners of a farm established in the 1860s as they trace the history of land use here from lead mining to wheat farming to dairy to today's diversified crops and pasture. Find clues to the past through an old stone wall, the soil profile, and much more.

Friday, July 22 LIVE MUSIC: The Sapsuckers 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Muscoda . wildhillswinery.com . We're so excited to welcome The Sapsuckers to Wild Hills Winery!

The Sapsuckers write and perform original country/Americana songs that blend humor, heartache, and honky-tonk. With an eclectic style that ranges from hillbilly roots to Nashvillepop, the songwriting team of Nikki Grossman and Joe Hart has developed a SOLD OUT – LIVE MUSIC: Shitty Barn Session 265: Boulevards // Izaak Opatz 7:00 PM . 506 E Madison St, Spring Green . shittybarnsessions.com . Doors open at 6 .

Jamil Rashad’s latest album as Boulevards, Electric Cowboy: Born in Carolina Mud, jubilantly mixes soul, country, jazz, hip-hop, indie rock, and every other style of music played in the Tarheel State, but the dominant sound is pure funk. The music is crammed with inventive, inverting grooves that are gritty, warm, and weird. Advance tickets sold out. That sald, tickets often come up that people can't use. Check website or socials for the latest detalls about ticket availability.

r

Community Events for July 23- July 28 Saturday, July 23 Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . 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 Communitv Public Library every Saturdav morning. Pre-orders are recommended. Visit our Facebook or Instagram page or email SGFarmersMarket@gmail.com for a list of participating vendors and their contact into.

ART WORKSHOP: Sumi-e Art and Spirituality Workshop 2 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM .

Arts Lab, 143 S. Washington Street, Spring Green . artslabspringgreen.org . Sumi-e is a Japanese technique that requires a decisive brushstroke to capture the essence of nature with black ink on rice paper. The technique will be taught by visiting Mexican arist Marialoli Torres. Paper and Ink will be provided and students will be offered links to purchase a Chinese or Japanese brush. Masking may be required. Registration Fee: Per session $45, Drop-in $50, all four sessions $170.

APT: Inside Out Tour 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM . American Players Theatre 5950 Golf Course Rd Spring Green . springgreen.com . $15 or free w APT insider cardGet a peek at APT’s inner workings during our popular two-hour walking tour of the grounds, costume shop, backstage areas and more. You'll see all that goes into making the productions you ultimately see on the Hill and in the Touchstone Theatre.

LIVE MUSIC: 3 SOULS 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM . Wisconsin Riverside Resort, S13220 Shifflet Road, Spring Green . www.wiriversideresort.com . Join us for live music outside on the river stage! Drinks specials, great food and even better views!

WORKSHOP: Explore Campfire Cooking 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM . Ducks in a Row Family Farm, 5737 County H, Arena . www.savortherivervalley.com . Registration is required.

The cost is $40. This is the first in a series of workshops presented by Savor the River Valley. Kyle Adams of Wander Provisions will share tips and tricks of cooking over a live campfire. Learn how to build a fire for effective heat distribution and several different techniques of how to roast, bake, and finesse your camping culinary skills. Kyle will also share some of her favorite tools of the trade as well as how to prepare and pack a better camping cooler. Workshop will include a live demo of fire building, interactive lessons, and cooking. Due to the nature of working with live fire, food will be prepared by the instructor with step by step instructions. Food will be provided to guests throughout the afternoon. Participants must be 12 or older.

LIVE MUSIC: The Honey Pies 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM . Witwen Park & Campground S9855 State Highway E, Witwen . madtownmannishboys.com . This concert features The Honey Pies (Traditional and Original Americana). Gates open at 4:30 pm; music begins at 6 pm and ends at 8 pm. Free parking on site,Beer is not served at Witwen, but carry-ins of adult beverages are allowed. Please bring your own lawn chairs. Food will be available for purchase from Bob's BBQ Emporium. In addition, Cub Scout Pack 373 will offer popcorn, candy, soda and water for sale during the concerts.

LIVE MUSIC: Don’t Mess with Cupid 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . Don't Mess With Cupid is an 8 Piece Soul group based out of Madison, Wisconsin, led by Kevin Willmott. They play Otis Redding, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Al Green Marvin Gaye and More. Bring your dancin' shoes. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.

Sunday, July 24 APT: Sunday Salon 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM . Post House Garden, E. Jefferson St. Spring Green . americanplayers.org . A casual conversation with APT and Leadership about whatever is on your mind. Free event.

Sundays in July - Grief & The Brain 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM . Unity Chapel, 6557 County Hwy T, Spring Green . unitychapel.org Head, Heart, and Hand Series #3 Speaker: Stef Morrill. We often think of grief as an emotional process, one primarily taking place in our heart and soul. But what is grief doing to your brain? Stef will share some of the science around grief and the brain, along with her personal experience after the death of her husband, Joshua, in 2019 Harrisburg School & Museum Open House 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM . Harrisburg One-Room School House, E7646 Cty Rd. B, Spring Green . voiceoftherivervalley.com . www.harrisburgtroyhistoricalsociety.com . Restored one-room school, veterans exhibit, farm equipment museum, area historical memorabilia.

EXHIBITION OPENING: Art in the Woods 5:00 PM . Throughout APT property, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green . americanplayers.org . FREE . The long-awaited Sophomore season of Art in the Woods is finally here, and we're kicking it off at John's Place!

The artists will be standing by their pieces around 5:15 to answer any questions you might have, and share insights on the process, the art and more. APT has always been a place where art and nature are inextricably linked.

Monday, July 25 Free Family Flick 1:00 PM - 2:45 PM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . All ages are invited to enjoy a free, family-friendly flick at the library! This Week's showing will be of FINDING DORY Friendly but forgetful blue tang Dory begins a search for her long-lost parents, and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way.

Children under 6 must have parent or caregiver present. Popcorn and beverage provided. PG 1h 37m.

LIVE MUSIC: Shawndell Marks Trio - Rural Musicians Forum Summer Concert Series 7:30 PM . Performing Arts Pavilion, 114 Bordhead St., Mazomanie . ruralmusiciansforum.org . Pop/Rock classics reimagined as soulful ballads.

Open Mic 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . slowpokelounge.com . Join us the fourth Monday of every month for an Open Mic, hosted by Dylan Harris. We’ve got the mics, the plug-ins, the piano - you bring the music! Whether you want to play solo, sing to a back up, or get the band together, this is the place. So come on out and show your stuff, or just support the folks on stage.

Either way, we’re making music together! No cover, but tips for our host are always welcome!

Tuesday, July 26 Toddler Storytime 10:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St. Spring Green . (608) 588-2276 . Join your friends for a fun and interactive storytime!

You can expect songs, stories, rhymes, puppets, crafts, and more. Activities are geared toward children aged zero to two, but all are welcome!

Summer Family Storytime 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Join us on Tuesday mornings until August 9th for our Summer Storytimes. Programs are geared toward children ages 3-5, but siblings and friends are always welcome. All children must attend with an adult. For info contact Brittany at bsorg@kraemerlibrary.org. Open to all ages.

Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Popcorn and/or snacks included.

Open Play 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Children 6 and under along with their caregivers are welcome to come to the library for an open play time on Tuesdays. Meet up with friends old and new. Various toys and space for unstructured play provided. Think of it as a play-date where no one has to clean their house! Open to all ages. Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Popcorn and/or snacks included.

Canning Basics Info Session 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM . Lone Rock Community Hall, 214 N. Broadway St, Lone Rock. . copatik@swls.org . Learn to preserve your own food at home! Perfect for those brand-new to canning or experienced food preservers wanting to update their skills & recipes.

Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022 Page 7 Tuesday, July 26 cont.

LIVE MUSIC: Free Senior Outreach Concert Featuring Trippers Lite Band 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM . Spring Green Community Center, 117 S. Washington St., Spring Green . springgreen.com . Come to Spring Green Community Center for a free concert with the Trippers Lite Band. The Trippers offer a large variety of music including folk, bluegrass, old country and gospel. This concert is free to seniors and caregivers as part of Folklore Village’s Senior Outreach Program.

Tutoring and Snack With Grandma Pat 6:00 PM -7:00 PM . 234 N. Broadway St, Lone Rock. . lonerocklbrary.wordpress.com . Open to River Valley k-2nd Graders who need extra help keeping up academically in the summer. Receive one-on one tutoring with local volunteers and a yummy snack!

Rec Adult Softball Games 7:00 PM . Spring Green Municipal Park, Park Dr, Spring Green . Every Tuesday at the North Park. This is just a relaxing, for fun adult softball game to meet people, stay in good physical health, and to enjoy life. Bring your glove, a ball, bat if you have one, helmet if you desire, and an awesome personality. Hope to see you there. For more info search “RV Adult Rec Sports” on Facebook.

Wednesday, July 27 Bubble Wonders 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . kraemerlibrary.org . Join Bubbleologist Geoff Akins as he explores the art and science of bubbles! Watch spellbound as he creates bubble caterpillars, ice cream cones, volcanoes, dancing bubbles, and so much more!

Summer Storytime 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM . Spring Green Preserve, Angelo Lane, Spring Green, . (608) 588-2276 .Join us for a story read by Ms. Grace and a nature walk afterwards to learn about the plants and animals in the area!

Morrill Lecture Series: Learning to Stay 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM . Arcadia Books,102 E Jefferson St, Spring Green . readinutopia.com .Held via Zoom & at Arcadia Books Join us for a community read and discussion of the book Learning to Stay by Erin Celello.

Free (though donations are appreciated!) We'll have a discussion with the author via Zoom. Arcadia Books will be a host site for the Zoom discussion if you don't want to do Zoom yourself.

LIVE MUSIC: Shitty Barn Session 266: Cerqua Rivera Orchestra7:00 PM . 506 E Madison St, Spring Green . shittybarnsessions.com . Doors open at 6 .Cerqua Rivera Orchestra, one-half of the dynamic and renowned Chicago- based company Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, debuts at the Sh*tty Barn with a mix of original work and covers.

THEATER: Talk Backs - The River Bride, and Sense and Sensibility 10:00 PM 11:00 PM . American Players Theater, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green . americanplayers.org . Free for ticketholders after the show to chat with the cast.

Thursday, July 28 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.

Summer Teen Time - Movie Night! 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E Monroe St, Spring Green . springgreenlibrary.org . Join us for Teen events! Programs will be designed for middle and high school students.

Wine & Yoga 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr., Muscoda . wildhillswinery.com . Come for the wine specials...stay for a peaceful and rejuvenating yoga session with certified instructor Lara Carpenter. All sessions are held outdoors in our vineyard. Yoga sessions are $10 cash only.

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.

LIVE MUSIC: Don Myer & Scott Steiber @ Local Night 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM . The Shed, 123 N. Lexington St., Spring Green . For more info look up “The Shed” on Facebook . Grills will be fired and beverages available, so come and enjoy the best that Midsummer has to offer in the lovely River Valley.

WHAT’S HANGINg ? ongoing art exhibitions

SACRED SPACES: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT X ANDREW PIELAGE Open Daily 9:00 AM 5:00 PM . Taliesin Preservation, Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, 5607 County Road C, Spring Green . taliesinpreservation.org . Meet the Photographer: Artist Speaker Salon: Andrew Pielage Sunday, August 7, 2022 5-7 PM at the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center. Registration Required.

Local Art at the Library: Sue Johnson and Paula Washow Hours Vary . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . Throughout July, Sue Johnson is exhibiting her paintings in the Community Room Gallery and Paula Washow is exhibiting her assemblage sculpture in the Glass Case Gallery at the Spring Green Community Library during regular library hours: Monday-Thursday: 10 AM - 7 PM .

Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM . Friday: 9 AM - 1 PM .

Art in the Woods Sunrise - Sunset . Throughout APT property, 5950 Golf Course Rd, Spring Green . americanplayers.org . FREE

Taliesin Preservation Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, 5607 County Road C, Spring Green. Open Daily 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. taliesinpreservation.org

ART IN THE WOODS APT PROPERTY JULY THROUGH OCTOBER

Local Art at the Library: Sue Johnson and Paula Washow Spring Green Community Library 230 E. Monroe St.

Spring Green

Open month of July

“The good stuff.”

Page 8

Community

Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022

COVID-19 Dashboard Wisconsin Summary Cases as of 7/13/2022

1,537,316 Positive Cases +21,254 from 6/29

13,175 Deaths +54 from 6/29

Updated: 7/13/2022

Vaccine Summary Statistics

covid case activity level

Updated: 7/13/2022

Updated: 7/13/2022 This map shows the current CDC COVID-19 Community Level for each county in Wisconsin. Community levels measure the impact of COVID-19 illness on health and health care systems in communities.

COVID-19 community levels can help communities and individuals make decisions based on their local context and their unique needs. Community vaccination coverage and other local information can also inform decision-making for health officials and individuals.

5,632,793

9,589,337

Pfizer doses administered

Total doses administered

1,195,728

2,068,828

Total boosters administered

Pfizer boosters administered

3,609,558

347,337

Moderna doses administered

Johnson & Johnson doses administered

847,400

25,700

Moderna boosters Johnson & Johnson administered boosters administered

Vaccine Data These two core measures are measures of herd immunity in Richland, Sauk and Iowa County.

We do not yet know what level of vaccination leads to herd immunity for COVID-19, or how current or future variants might affect herd immunity. We know based on other diseases that herd immunity is likely at least 60%, and if more transmissible variants become more common, that threshold may become higher, so the current target range is 60-90%. -Adapted from Madison Public Health and Dane County

county level weekly statistics Richland County 4,256Positive Cases

+66 from 6/29

51 Deaths

+0 from 6/29

Richland

Target Range

Sauk

59.9%

65.5%

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

Iowa County 5,890 Positive Cases

+82 from 6/29

30 Deaths

+0 from 6/29

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

62.7%

57.7%

Percent fully vaccinated

Percent fully vaccinated

Sauk County

Target Range

Iowa

17,780 Positive Cases

+237 from 6/29

138 Deaths

+0 from 6/29

Updated: 7/13/2022

Target Range

70.4% Percent with at least one vaccine dose

67.8% Percent fully vaccinated

Cases per zip code

Percent of Wisconsin residents ages 5-11 who have received at least one dose by county

Cases as of 7/13/2022

Updated: 7/13/2022

Lower %

Higher %

Richland County Ages 5-11

19.2%

Iowa County Ages 5-11

Percent of Wisconsin residents who have received at least one dose

32.7% Sauk County Ages 5-11

Ages

26.2% Dane County Ages 5-11

Graphic by juliAnna Williams

59.9%

Updated: 7/13/2022

5-11 12-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

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

28.5% 62.2% 61% 64.8% 69.6% 71.9% 78.3% 85.2%

SPoRtS/Community

Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022 Page 9

Home talent baseball Fifth inning plays key role in Plain A's blow out over Cazenovia The Plain Athletics Home Talent baseball team defeated Cazenovia 13-2 July 3 thanks to seven runs in the fifth inning. Plain A's's big inning was driven by singles by Foster Milanowski and Cole White and doubles by Brock Mahoney and Cole Mahoney.

In the first inning, Plain A's got their offense started when Plain A's scored on a stolen base during Zach Cady's at bat. Then Cady singled, driving in one.

Plain A's tallied seven runs in the fifth inning. Plain A's's big bats in the inning were led by singles by Milanowski and White and doubles by Mahoney and Mahoney.

Logan Morris got the win for Plain A's.

The pitcher allowed four hits and two runs over seven innings, striking out five.

Nathan Bauer took the loss for Cazenovia. The pitcher allowed ten hits and nine runs over five innings, striking out four.

Plain A's racked up 13 hits on the day.

Brock Mahoney, Cole Mahoney, and Milanowski all managed multiple hits for Plain A's. Brock Mahoney and Cole Mahoney each collected three hits to lead Plain A's.

Hunter Schmitt went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Cazenovia in hits.

Plain A's fall to Wisconsin Dells on walk-off The Plain Athletics Home Talent baseball team fell to Wisconsin Dells 4-3 on July 7 on the final play of the game. The game was tied at three with Wisconsin Dells batting in the bottom of the eleventh when Brock Turkington singled on a 0-2 count, scoring one run.

Plain A's lost despite out-hitting Wisconsin Dells 11 to ten.

Wisconsin Dells fired up the offense in the second inning. Corey Rosol hit into a fielder's choice, scoring one run.

Plain A's evened things up at three in the top of the fifth inning. Zach Cady's

sac fly scored one run for Plain A's.

Plain A's scored three runs in the fifth inning. The offensive firepower by Plain A's was led by Brock Mahoney and Cady, all sending runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.

Turkington earned the win for Wisconsin Dells. The ace allowed four hits and zero runs over four innings, striking out six and walking zero. Brendan Fitzpatrick threw three innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Brock Mahoney took the loss for Plain A's. The pitcher lasted two innings, allowing three hits and one

Photo by Tara Mahoney Jack Meixelsperger swings against Middleton July 9. run while striking out two and walking one.

Cady started the game for Plain A's.

Cady surrendered three runs on six hits over seven innings, striking out six Zach Zamzow started the game for Wisconsin Dells. The pitcher went four innings, allowing one run on five hits, striking out one and walking one Plain A's totaled 11 hits in the game.

Derek Bodendein, Mahoney, and Cole Mahoney all had multiple hits for Plain A's. Bodendein went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Plain A's in hits.

Wisconsin Dells had ten hits in the game. Mickey Fadness and Payton Steiner each had multiple hits for Wisconsin Dells. Fadness led Wisconsin Dells with three hits in five at bats.

striking out seven. Zempel threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Jared VanBramer took the loss for Plain A's. The righty went four innings, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out four.

Logan Morris started the game for Plain A's. Morris surrendered four runs on six hits over four innings, striking out one Middleton tallied three home runs on the day. Zempel went deep in the

second inning. Schmitt went for the long ball in the third and seventh innings.

Morris, Jewell, and Cole Mahoney all had one hit to lead Plain A's.

Middleton racked up 13 hits in the game. Bindl, Ross Hellenbrand, Schmitt, and Matt Zimmerman each managed multiple hits for Middleton.

Middleton was sure-handed and didn't commit a single error. Drew Farrell made the most plays with eight.

Early lead for Middleton seals fate for Plain A's The Plain Athletics Home Talent baseball team watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 9-0 loss to Middleton on July 9.

Middleton scored on a home run by Easton Zempel in the second inning, a sacrifice fly by Jacob Ross in the second inning, a single by Hunter Bindl in the second inning, and a home run by Brennan Schmitt in the third inning.

The Plain A's struggled to put runs

on the board and had a tough time defensively containing Middleton, giving up nine runs.

Middleton opened up scoring in the second inning, when Zempel hit a solo homer.

One bright spot for Plain A's was a double by Will Jewell in the first inning.

Brady Schmitt pitched Middleton to victory. Schmitt went seven innings, allowing zero runs on one hit and

Plain A's drop game to Cross Plains after late score The Plain Athletics lost the lead late in a 9-8 defeat to Cross Plains on July 10. The game was tied at six with Cross Plains batting in the bottom of the seventh when Will Doherty doubled on a 1-2 count, scoring two runs.

Plain A's collected ten hits and Cross Plains had 11 in the high-scoring affair.

Plain A's got on the board in the first inning when Will Jewell grounded out, scoring one run.

Tyler Pincombe was on the hill for Cross Plains. The pitcher allowed seven hits and six runs over four and twothirds innings, striking out three.

Daniel Yanke was on the pitcher's mound for Plain A's. Yanke went two innings, allowing one run on two hits.

Justin Yanke, Jared VanBramer, and Logan Morris each contributed in relief for Plain A's.

Plain A's racked up ten hits on the day.

Foster Milanowski, Brock Mahoney, Jack Meixelsperger, and Jewell all managed multiple hits for Plain A's.

Jewell, Meixelsperger, Mahoney, and Milanowski each collected two hits to lead Plain A's.

Cross Plains had 11 hits in the game.

Doherty and Josh Stumpf all had multiple hits for Cross Plains.

Powered by Narrative Science and GameChanger Media. Copyright. All rights reserved.

RVHS FOOTBALL RV athletics announces new football coaches "I'm excited to formally announce that Chadd Maxwell and Dan Machovec will be leading the 2022 River Valley Blackhawks Football Team as Co-Head Coaches.

Both Coach Machovec and Coach Maxwell have served as assistant coaches for many years under Coach Eastlick.

While sharing their vast knowledge of the game of football, Coach Machovec and Coach Maxwell have consistently made positive connections with the student-athletes they've coached and worked hard to create not just better football players, but better human beings.

Chadd and Dan are men of integrity with high football IQ's and I'm anxious to see them lead."

—Jaimie Hegland, Director of Activities and Academic Services, River Valley School District

Photo contributed by Jaimie Hegland

The Plain A’s are 2-7 on the year after the loss to Cross Plains.

The A’s play their next game vs. Cross Plains (5-5) at home July 16 at 1:00 p.m., with a game the next day at Middleton (11-0) on July 17 at 1:00 p.m. The A’s finish up their regular season with two games at home, the first on July 22 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Black Earth (6-4) and the last on July 24 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Waunakee (5-5).

arts

Page 10 Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022

Artists commissioned for Wormfarm Institute’s Farm/Art DTour bringing public art to farm fields - including Plain continued from page 1 call for proposals. Working in a range of media and artistic traditions, the artists will receive funding ranging from $5,000-$10,000 to create large-scale, site-responsive artworks which will be temporarily installed in working farm fields along the fifty-mile DTour route.

Some installations will be developed in partnership with area farmers and landowners, an example of Wormfarm’s longstanding tradition of creating crosssector collaboration to help build a more sustainable future for agriculture and the arts.

In addition to the commissioned artists, Wormfarm is working with several invited artists and collaborators.

Visitors can expect to experience roadside poetry, local food markets, pasture performances, educational Field Notes, “Mystery Spots” and more while traveling along the scenic and winding roads of Sauk County. The event is an invitation to rural and urban residents from across the region to come and engage with the land upon which we all depend. The DTour is free and open to the public from October 1-10, 2022.

Executive Director Donna Neuwirth stated, “We’re excited to see that the

Farm/Art DTour continues to resonate with new artists. At its core, the DTour promotes a sense of curiosity—about art, farming, nature, and each other.” Donna continued, “We’re thrilled to present work by this talented group whose work will trigger that curiosity.

Whether you’re a fellow rural resident or someone visiting from the city on a road trip, we invite you to come out and see for yourself how these artists explore the timeless connection between land and people. Along the way, you’ll discover the art of what farmers do everyday, and perhaps even more importantly, consider what they might do tomorrow.”

About the Farm/Art DTour

The Farm/Art DTour is a free, 50mile, self-guided drive punctuated by temporary artworks, pasture performances, local food markets and more. The 10-day event invites visitors to celebrate the contributions and possibilities of the rural landscape that is essential for a thriving region that values both its rural and urban parts. Since its inception in 2011, the DTour has become a beloved tradition that continues to grow in popularity among local folks, as well as visitors from the Central Midwest and beyond. It has also gained

CLASSIFIEDS Healthcare Employment Opportunities

*CRNA – full-time position, new scheduling program working 3 weeks on, 1 week off! Excellent compensation/benefits and incentive package! *Vice President of Finance/CFO – full-time executive financial management position. *Director of Marketing & Community Relations – full-time managerial position. *Director of Home Medical Services – full-time managerial position based in our Platteville office. *APP Hospitalist – seeking an APNP or PA to work weekends in our hospitalist role. *RN Float Nurse –.6 FTE Premium Pay Weekender position and a .75 FTE evening/night shift position.

Employment Bonus Eligible! *RN OB unit - .75 FTE evening/night shift position. $3,750 Employment Bonus Eligible! *Certified Nursing Assistants – part-time positions available in our Nursing & Rehab Center on day, evening and night shifts, $3,000 Employment Bonus included along with a competitive wage and benefits package for part or full time work! *Activities Supervisor - .8 FTE day shift position coordinating activities in our Skilled Nursing Facility. *Med Tech, MLT or CLS – 1.0 FTE p.m. shift position. *Imaging Technologist – premium pay Weekender Program with 2 -12 hour day/evening shifts! As well there is a 1.0 FTE p.m. shift position. Up to a $5,000 Employment Bonus, prorated based on FTE! *MRI Imaging Technologist - .5 to a 1.0 FTE day shift position. Up to a $5,000 Employment Bonus, prorated based on FTE! *Operating Room Technologist - .8 FTE day shift position. *Sleep Technologist - .6 FTE sleep tech position. *Insurance Billing Specialist – full-time day shift position. *Clinic CMA or LPN – .8 FTE day shift position for our Barneveld and Mt. Horeb clinics. *Clinic Registration Specialist – full-time day shift position in our Mineral Point and Dodgeville clinics. *Maintenance Technician – full-time day shift position. *Environmental Services Staff – full and part time p.m. and night shift positions. $1,000 Employment Bonus!

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

Seeking office space

national and international attention as a noteworthy example of creative placemaking and has attracted more than 200,000 visitors to Sauk County, generating a positive impact on the local economy. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 DTour still drew 18,000 visitors (down only 18% from 22,000 people in 2018) who supported over 100 artists and performers, and connected local farm stands, shops, restaurants, and cottage food entrepreneurs to new customers.

With social distancing already built in, the DTour was uniquely positioned to provide an economic boost to area businesses and support artists whose livelihoods were disproportionately affected—a contribution to Wisconsin’s hospitality and travel industry that was recognized in 2021 when Wormfarm was awarded the Governor’s Tourism Award for Arts, Culture, and Heritage.

Now in its ninth year, the event is again anticipated to attract over 20,000 visitors to the region over the ten-day period. In addition to the seven artwork commissions, other DTour highlights include: - Food Chain: A Marketplace of Food, Art & Ideas returns to Witwen Park, a historic gathering place and former church campground next to Honey Creek with an open-air Tabernacle from 1918. Visitors may enjoy local foods and fermented beverages from an array of popular vendors, as well as live music, an art shop, campfires, and more.

- Artist Tory Tepp is returning to expand his Sauk County ARK, an earthwork commissioned for the 2020 DTour and situated in a four-acre field of a new perennial grain called Kernza which the artist planted in collaboration with the hosting landowners. Tepp is also creating a new earthwork at the historic Witwen Park as a part of “4Ground: Midwest Land Art Biennial,” a multi-site exhibition organized by Franconia Sculpture Park, which will remain on view through the 2022 DTour.

- Minneapolis-based artist Christopher Lutter-Gardella is collaborating with community stakeholders in the Village of Plain (a DTour Trailhead) to build a 20foot tall farmer marionette representing the importance of agriculture to Sauk County’s culture and economy. The giant puppet will, alternately, be used in performances and be featured as a stationary artwork throughout the DTour.

- While the DTour has traditionally been presented as a part of Wormfarm’s Fermentation Fest, this year the agri/ cultural excursion stands on its own as the banner event this fall. Return visitors can still plan to enjoy the live culture convergence, including some fermented foods and beverages through pop-up

Flexible ideas for the space include a newsroom, co-working space for small businesses and entrepreneurs, local retail/consignment, local art exhibition/gallery space and (eventually) working collaboratively with area businesses to provide extended hours coffee and potentially grab-and-go food.

Please let us know if you have any vacant or soon-to-be vacant commercial space, know of any space, or have any creative ideas or partnership opportunities, by phone at 608-588-6694 or by email at editor@valleysentinelnews.com.

We also currently have publication racks available for businesses that would like them.

About the artists

Following a widespread call for proposals, Wormfarm received 109 applications—the largest and most diverse pool of candidates since the DTour began in 2011. Proposals were reviewed by a jury comprising regional and national arts professionals, past DTour artists, and members of Wormfarm staff. Eighteen artists working in a range of media and from eleven states across the country, as well as from Indonesia and Canada, were chosen as finalists and invited to an artist orientation where they traveled the DTour route, met with landowners, and were able to further refine their proposed idea for the site.

From this pool of finalists, seven artists were selected based on criteria such as artistic excellence, visual impact, site or community responsiveness, and the artist’s demonstrated ability to realize their proposed concept within the scope of the DTour. In selecting the winning artists, the jury was impressed by the breadth of ideas submitted and excited for the opportunity to support some artists experimenting with new methods or otherwise expanding their art practice through this project.

The 2022 Farm/Art DTour artists include: Occasionally residing in rural Texas, Austen Camille is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice investigates her itinerant state as it relates to land ecology, and is informed by and intertwined with her work as a builder and gardener. Camille seeks new relationships between built and natural environments in her work. Each site is encountered slowly and quietly, in all its complexity, in order to create work that is in conversation with its place.

Camille received her MFA in Painting at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in 2020. Alongside her studio practice, Camille also works to bring the visual arts into diverse and publicly accessible spaces.

Rosalynn Gingerich is a Chicagobased artist who creates site-specific installations and sculptural objects.

Her experimental art practice focuses on developing work for non-traditional spaces, while probing how spatial

continued on page 11

Sara Young to be American Players Theatre's next managing director continued from page 1

Valley Sentinel is seeking office space in the downtown area of Spring Green to move into before the end of the year.

fermentation experiences, performances, and panel discussions.

More details about the DTour— including how to see the performances, local attractions, and other activities— will be announced in the coming weeks. Prospective DTour visitors are encouraged to go to wormfarminstitute. org and sign up for the newsletter to receive periodic event updates and recommendations.

first to approach a new employee and offer her hand to welcome them to APT. She has been instrumental in ushering this organization through a difficult few years, in terms of fundraising, grant writing and general morale boosting.

She is a great friend, a tireless employee and the ideal candidate to take over administrative leadership as we continue to navigate the pandemic. I’m so happy to welcome her to this new position, and I can’t wait to see all the things we’ll accomplish with Sara in the lead.”

Ms. DeVita continued, saying, “I’d like to thank Carrie Van Hallgren for

her leadership through these past eight seasons, during which time she oversaw the $7 million fundraising campaign to support the reconstruction of the Hill Theatre. She was a constant and steady head to APT’s Administration. We’ll miss her, and wish her the best in her new role at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville.”

American Players Theatre’s 43rd season is currently underway, running through November 20 with nine plays in rotating repertory. Located near Spring Green, Wisconsin, the theater welcomes over 100,000 visitors each year and is one of the most popular classical theater companies in the country. More information at americanplayers.org.

Community/Outdoors

Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022 Page 11

The Sauk County Gardener When, how much, and how often to water Jeannie Manis, Wisconsin Certified Master Gardener

"To be able to walk out the door when you come home from a job and wander into the garden to do a bit of watering gives you time to be creative in your mind.”

- Mary Berry Last week I spent the holiday weekend in Missouri visiting family.

Having previously lived there, you’d think I’d remember that July is not the time to visit Missouri. It tends to be very hot and humid, causing me to call the state “Misery”, not Missouri. The weather was very hot and dry, making it very hard to do anything outdoors.

Upon our return, I was happy to see the rain gauge indicating we received an inch of rain while we were away, keeping my vegetable and flower gardens from suffering.

When traveling in the summer or your days are simply busy, you can’t always count on receiving enough rain

to thoroughly water your vegetables, flowers, trees and shrubs. Insufficient or inconsistent water can have a serious impact on plants. In the vegetable garden, you can experience smaller or no fruit, toughness, bitterness, bolting, wilting or simply dying.

Gardens need an inch of rain per week. You can use a rain gauge or follow weather reports to determine if your gardens received enough rain over the past week. If they haven’t, you’ll need to water. An inch of rain is a lot of water – if you have a 50 x 50foot garden or 100 square feet, you’ll need 62 gallons to get an inch of water.

If we receive rain, but not a full inch, you’ll have to supplement the missing amount.

Check your soil - if it’s dry two inches below the surface, you need to water.

Don’t wait for rain or the “perfect time” of the day to water. We had plants that were wilting this afternoon, so we watered them – even though

it was during the heat of the day. It ended up raining, but we didn’t bother checking the forecast; the plants needed water, so they got watered. If you have sandy soil, you may need to water twice a week. Clay or loamy soil should be okay being watered once a week.

It's recommended to water earlier in the day, giving plants time to move the water to the leaves before the heat of the day sets in. Water deeply and slowly at the base of the plants, avoiding the leaves, to help reduce foliar diseases and susceptibility to pests. It’s easy to underestimate the amount of water you’ve applied using a hose, so consider adding drip hoses or learn how to measure the water you use. Visit extension.umn.edu/waterwisely-start-your-own-backyard/ watering-vegetable-garden to learn how to measure water using just a clock and a bucket.

I just learned you could calculate the outside temperature by counting

cricket chirps. Count the number of chirps in 15 seconds and add 37 to calculate the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. The number should be approximately the outside temperature.

The Sauk County Master Gardeners Association’s 2022 Annual Garden Tour is only two weeks away – Saturday, July 30 from 9 am to 3 pm.

Visit Eventbrite.com and search for 2022 Annual Garden Tour to purchase $10 advance tickets. Day of event tickets are $15 and can be purchased onsite at either Baraboo Community Gardens or the Pioneer Log Village.

Don’t have computer access? Contact Extension at 608- 355-3250 and they can put you in touch with the Garden Tour staff to purchase a ticket.

If you have any gardening questions, please contact the Extension Sauk County by emailing to trripp@wisc.edu or calling the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250.

Artists commissioned for Wormfarm Institute’s Farm/Art DTour bringing public art to farm fields - including Plain continued from page 10 relationships impact perception.

Gingerich’s work has been featured in WTTW Chicago Tonight, Newcity Chicago, and Bad At Sports, among others. She is the recipient of grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the City of Chicago. Gingerich’s recent exhibitions include: The Residency Project, Pasadena, CA; Site: Brooklyn Gallery, NY; and Terrain Exhibitions, Chicago. Gingerich currently teaches at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago.

Christopher Sweet is a Native American artist born and raised in Wisconsin.

He is an enrolled member of the HoChunk Nation and is also a descendant of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota. Sweet developed an artistic practice at an early age and is mostly self-taught. He also studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Sante Fe, New Mexico. With an interest in both abstraction and realism, his vibrant paintings and large-scale murals often focus on Native American culture. In 2021, he and his wife opened Blue Bear Studio in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Sweet was recently selected to participate in the Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market and Festival in Indianapolis, one of the nation’s top

Native American art markets.

Bill Mitchell is an artist living and working in Lancaster, Wisconsin. His sculpture and site-specific installations utilize natural materials and explore systems, patterns, connections, and environment. Mitchell received his BFA and MFA from Northern Illinois University and also developed a career as a landscape designer and woodworker. He has exhibited work regionally and nationally in numerous group exhibitions, including the 2021 Terrain Biennial. His work was presented in a solo exhibition at the community-run Rountree Gallery in Platteville, Wisconsin where, since 2016, Mitchell has served as its President and Gallery Director. In 2020, he was commissioned by the Platteville Community Arboretum to install sculptures along the trail. Mitchell will participate in 4Ground: Midwest Land Art Biennial with an installation at Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center in Sandstone, Minnesota.

Sarah Kavage is a Seattle-based visual artist who creates public projects that call attention to land, ecology, and place.

Kavage was born into a family of DIYers, makers, and nature lovers in 1970s rural Ohio. She came to Seattle from NYC with a BFA and a sense of burnout from

waiting tables, seeking a new vocation through grad school in urban planning.

Urban planning unexpectedly turned her art practice inside out, away from studio work and towards outdoors and community. Much of her work since has taken place along Seattle’s Duwamish River. In 2021, Kavage built 16 functional ecological artworks as lead artist for Lenapehoking~Watershed, an ambitious project about the Delaware River watershed, with sites centered on Philadelphia and spanning 3 states. 3 Denise Rolland Troyer is a ceramic artist based in Indiana whose work focuses on various, persistent growth forms such as fungi, lichen, and mosses.

Troyer’s current research has led her to explore how fungi and fungal networks can beneficially affect the ecosystems in which they live. Her sculptural work speculates about how these growths may evolve in the future. Troyer is influenced by observations of natural treasures surrounding her home, as well as while traveling to other environments. While primarily working as a ceramicist, she is also Associate Faculty at Herron School of Art – Indiana University/Purdue University in Indianapolis.

W. Scott Trimble is an artist based in Seattle, whose work tends to straddle the worlds between architecture, art,

and the surrounding environment.

His practice has varied from highly interactive to stand-alone public art and his art forms have ranged from delicate and ephemeral (often using reclaimed and natural materials) to stately and more permanent installations. Trimble obtained an MFA in Sculpture from the University of Washington in 2003 and has created numerous site-specific works on the West Coast including Greg Kucera Gallery, Schneider Museum, Bumbershoot, and University of Washington. He has also participated in many artist residencies including Bemis, Anderson Ranch, and Sculpture Space, and received grants from the City of Seattle, and King County, Washington.

About Wormfarm Institute

Wormfarm Institute is a nonprofit organization working to build a sustainable future for agriculture and the arts by fostering vital links between people and the land. An evolving laboratory of the arts and ecology and fertile ground for creative work, Wormfarm explores the links between rural and urban communities within and beyond the food chain, creating opportunities for cross-sector collaboration. For more information, visit wormfarminstitute.org.

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Outdoors & Recreation

Page 12 Thursday, JuLy 14, 2022

An Outdoorsman’s Journal Mark Walters, Columnist

Icescape (1993) I am trying to do my best to deal with the loss of a beautiful person “Michelle Chiaro” who was my partner in life. This week’s column is one that I wrote almost thirty years ago after a 180 mile ice hike on Lake Superior. Thanks for your patience!

Hello friends, This is the third of a 4-part series.

I am writing on the experiences that happen while myself, along with golden retrievers, Star and Pearl, hike the Wisconsin shoreline of Lake Superior. Both Star and I are pulling sleds.

When completed, this will be roughly a 180-mile trip. Our starting point was Superior and our ending destination is Saxon Harbor near Hurley.

Sunday, March 6th High 40°, Low 18° I made camp last night on York Island. York Island is one of the 22 Apostle Islands and is about two miles off the mainland. My plan for the day was to take the day off and rest my body. The weather changed that plan this afternoon. About noon I was down at the lake getting some water from one of the many puddles on the top of the ice when I noticed open water where there wasn’t open water an hour earlier.

A strong west wind had been blowing since last night, the wind was along with the warm air taking out the ice at this part of the lake real fast. A mild panic took over. I took a quick look around and realized if I was going to get off this island without help, I was going to have to

Photo contributed by Mark Walters Star and Pearl, on their 1993 ice trek of Lake Superior. Star pulled her own sled and the following winter Pearl would on Lake Michigan.

do it soon. I broke camp and packed the sleds in record time. The mutts and I were about 100 yards off the island when we came to more open water.

My mild panic was getting stronger as I thought of sitting on the island for days before help came, or even worse, falling through the ice. I’m proud of the fact that I’m a brave man, but suddenly I feel very vulnerable, very alone.

With the mutts following, I kept searching for a way out. I finally realized I was going to have to take a two-foot jump across the open water while pulling my sled. My main concern was that the ice may break when I landed on the other side. With a 30-yard head start and an order for Star and Pearl to stay, I started running with my sled following 10 feet behind

me. All went well. I then told Star and Pearl to come, and they also made it across.

The next two miles or three hours we were jumping lead after lead.

When we finally made it to Raspberry Point, we were on a shoreline protected from the west wind and we came across much better ice. I put another three miles behind me and stopped for the night on a sand beach in Frog Bay. Completely blocked from the wind, I made a tarp shelter and cooked a pot of tea. After dark there was moose steak to eat and Northern Lights to watch. My day went from near panic to perfection. I have not been as scared as I was today since last fall when I fell from a tree while

bowhunting.

Monday, March 7th High 34°, Low 12° Yesterday’s strong west winds picked up more strength today and made hiking tough. There were times when I had to get as low to the ice as possible to really concentrate on every step just to go forward. There is no snow on the ice, so my ice spikes are the most valuable tool I have. When the wind is at our backs it blows our sleds ahead of us. When it is in our face, every step is bullwork.

Star did an excellent job of pulling her 80 pounds without a complaint. I made camp just south of Red Cliff. I found a deep snow drift and dug an 8x10 foot hole down to the ice.

Thursday, March 10 High 36°, Low 18° Our night hike went well until I came to an expansion crack that appeared to go all the way across the Chequamegon Bay. It had open water in the middle about a foot wide and bad ice for about five feet on each side of the water.

With my flashlight I figured out my newest challenge. A slight panic came back just like Sunday… All went well for man and beast. I decided I had had enough fun for one day and headed towards shore.

Right away I found an excellent rock wall with huge icicles hanging down from it. Then I found two rocks each about the size of a pickup and flat on top. One would be my bed and one would be my kitchen. High and dry on Lake Superior!

It’s a good life!

Sunset, Star and Pearl

Want to read more?

Check out previous weeks’ columns at www.outdoorsmansjournal.com Photo contributed by Mark Walters Mark Walters and his golden retriever Star with her 12-week old pup Pearl on their Lake Superior ice trek back in 1993.

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