Springfield Digesters On Schedule: Wexler To Leave Common Council

Wexler Springfield digesters on schedule to leave common council
VOL. 121, NO. 51 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013
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300,000 gallon manure spill at Waunakee facility wont delay Springfield project, according to Gundersen Lutheran
by MATT GEIGER
Times-Tribune
After a quarter century on the City of Middletons highest elected body, Jim Wexler opts not to seek another term
by MATT GEIGER Next year, residents in the City of Middletons fourth district will have a new representative on the common council for the first time in more than a quarter century. The current disWexler trict 4 alderman, Jim Wexler, who has sat on the council since 1988, said he has decided not to seek an unprecedented 14th term, leaving city government with a bright future. It seems like just yesterday that I was out collecting signatures to run for my first term on the Middleton Common Council, wrote Wexler in a statement sent to the Times-Tribune. Actually, yesterday was over twenty five years ago. See WEXLER, page 3
Times-Tribune
The company behind a $14 million, 22-acre manure digester project in the Town of Springfield says the project remains on track despite a recent spill at a nearby facility. The Springfield digesters, which are owned by LaCrosse-based Gundersen Lutheran Health System and were funded in part with $3.3 million from Dane County, are expected to be online by the end of this month. The spill occurred at a digester facility owned and operated by Clear Horizons, Inc. Both are part of the same Dane County Cow Power initiative, but Gundersen Lutheran representaSee MANURE, page 6
Jeff Rich, executive director of the Envision program, left, and Daniel Meccariello, US Biogas engineering general manager, right, examine an engine that will help run a new manure digester facility that straddles the border between the Town of Springfield and the City of Middleton.
Times-Tribune photo by Matt Geiger
Citizens again voice development concerns

by CAMERON BREN
Times-Tribune
For many adults, snowfall leads to grumbling, shoveling and slow commutes. For kids, snow means one thing: fun. Lucy Croasdale, above, was one of many students at Westside Christian School in the Town of Middleton to have a blast while sledding during Fridays recess. Westside Christian School is a ministry of St. Andrew Lutheran Church.
Its all downhill from here...

Local:
Meet Dr. Elizabeth Pritts. Page 8
The Middleton Plan Commission held a public hearing last week on a proposed conservation subdivision ordinance. Though the hearing was intended to be focused on the ordinance, many citizens voiced their views on the proposed Pleasant View Ridge development that prompted work on the ordinance. The ordinance would directly impact the development as it is a conservation subdivision by design. Many citizens expressed concerns over the planned septic tank and private well system that would be used at Pleasant View Ridge. Conservation subdivisions, unlike conventional subdivisions, build homes condensed into smaller areas to preserve more natural space. Homes have smaller yards while owners have access to shared natural lands. This design is touted by some planners as being more efficient for builders, more pleasing for homeowners, and valuable to the city. Whether these subdivisions use mu-
Charity director looks back at rst 9 months. Page 4
Pool:
Cardinal girls roll. Page 15
Sports:
Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Entertainment . . . . . . . . 14
Inside this issue:
See COMMISSION, page 21
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MIDDLETON TIMES-TRIBUNE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013
Local political group helped with Sandy Hook remembrance

Hundreds of residents gathered in Madison on Saturday, Dec. 14, to remember the 26 victims 20 firstgraders and six educators who were shot and killed on Dec. 14, 2012 by a lone gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The remembrance, organized in part by the Middleton Action Team, was held at the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Dr., starting at 1 p.m. Remembrances also took place in Milwaukee, Appleton, Lake Geneva and other Wisconsin cities. Churches throughout Wisconsin rang bells at 1:30 p.m. In Madison, 26 empty chairs symbolized those who perished in the horrific mass shooting. The Madison remembrance was sponsored by the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE), Moms Demand Action, and Dane County Organizing
Middleton golf course is a skiing hotspot
for Action teams. It is important that we remember the victims of Sandy Hook, both individually and as emblematic of the loss that gun violence brings to so many of our lives, said Rev. Jerry Hancock, a WAVE member.
Middleton (above), Rusk County and Black River Falls offer unique skiing adventures. For silent sports enthusiasts, crosscountry skiing is a winter must and Wisconsin has three not-to-be-missed hotspots.
Photo contributed
Starting in southern Wisconsin, just 10 minutes from the state capitol, is Middleton. Here, outdoor enthusiasts can experience an award-winning trail system for free at the Pleasant View Golf Course. Owned and operated by See SKIING, page 5
When Wexler first joined the council, Ronald Reagan was still president of the United States, the Soviet Union was still in existence, and the Exxon Valdez had not yet spilled more than 11 million gallons of oil into the ocean. The City of Middleton, with 4,000 fewer residents and considerably less development than it has today, was a very different community. Most working class people here had never even heard of Money magazine. Weve seen a lot of changes and a lot of improvements to our city in this time, too many to mention here, said Wexler. It has been my privilege to represent the residents of the 4th Aldermanic District for all of these years. When I first ran in 1988, I made the pledge to conscientiously represent my district and I have never lost sight of that promise. In all of this time, I only missed one council meeting and never missed a single meeting of any com-
WEXLER
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mittee that I served on. Wexler went on to say he is proud of his years of service. [I] believe that we have accomplished a great deal in the last twenty five years making Middleton an exceptional place to live, he said. We have formed some very strong partnerships between the city and the school district, business community, surrounding communities and vital service groups that have made a real difference in our quality of life, Wexler continued. I have really enjoyed being a part of this undertaking. The knowledge that our future looks so bright leads me to the conclusion that this would be an opportune time to retire from the Common Council. A Notification of Noncandidacy is being filed with our City Clerk. Wexler reflected that he achieved many of the goals he laid out in his first campaign. He served for ten years as
council president and for 21 years on the plan commission. He also chaired various committees including finance, personnel, license and ordinance, transportationand the emergency medical services commission. In recent years, Wexler on multiple occasions clashed with other city leaders about what he viewed as a diminishing role on influential committees. However, he struck a positive note in his farewell statement. I have never ceased to be amazed at the quality and loyalty of our citys employees and will leave office knowing that the city is in extremely qualified and capable hands, Wexler said. Elected public officials must never forget their responsibility to represent their constituents and I never have, he added. Being elected to thirteen terms has been an honor.
continued from page 1
A sweet tradition
Mount Horeb resident Dylan Judd cast a smile at another child waiting his turn to check out this massive gingerbread house at Clasens Bakery in the City of Middleton last week. The display is a holiday tradition, and shoppers of all ages frequently marvel at it.
MOM director: Now is a time for reflection

by AL RIPP It has been nine months since I joined the Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM) staff, and I have been reflecting on my time here so far and what inspired me to make such a significant life change. Transitioning from a lifetime of corporate work to my current position as Executive Director of a non-profit, I believe, was due to how I was raised. There have been many significant events during my lifetime that have allowed me to recognize these golden opportunities when they present themselves. I am the third youngest in a family of 10 kids. As a child, my siblings ranged from infants to young adults in their early twenties. As a parent myself, I now see having a family of that size as a significant challenge all in itself! Thinking back, I can now see that those were not easy times for my parents; yet we were fortunate because we always had food on the table, a roof over our head, and clothes for home and school. The clothing was usually hand-me-downs and there was always a garden and orExecutive director, MOM
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C HARITY
chard that provided a cellar full of canned fruits and vegetables. As I became older and watched my parents, I often wondered how they were able to do so much for the family and still have the time and energy to help others in the community. I remember the many stories my parents would tell of how they lived with my grandparents when they were first married and cared for my grandmother and grandfather for the last years of their lives. There were stories of how they helped two of my aunts with their young families after they lost their husbands in tragic accidents, or when a neighbor needed help because of a tragedy that happened within their family. The stories go on and on. What has always amazed me is that my parents always had the time and compassion to make sure that if there was a need, they would help in whatever way they could. I believe that is what ultimately brought me to MOM. Its the premise of family helping family and neighbors helping neighbors. I feel that if we are true to ourselves, we all have a responsibility to make this world a better place to live for those around us. With all of the negativity that we are constantly being bombarded with
from every direction, if we just look, we can see all of the Good that is happening, neighbor to neighbor. What I see and experience each and every day at MOM are the hundreds of people giving of their time, talents and gifts to care for their neighbors! I see is a dedicated Board and staff that have committed themselves to making a difference to those that need it most. I see the generosity of the people throughout the community rallying to make sure there is enough food and clothing for those that need it. I see people making sure that no one is hungry and that individuals and families in need are able to stay in their homes because we as a community through MOM - are there to provide a hand up when there is nowhere else to turn. I see a community of caring individuals making a positive difference in an individuals or familys life for that dayand for a lifetime. MOMs work in this community only happens because of you. We are inspired by all of the sharing happening around us! To every individual, group or business who gives of themselves to make this community a better place for all, we would like to Thank You from the thousands of people we have and continue to serve.
There have been many significant events during my lifetime that have allowed me to recognize these golden opportunities when they present themselves, says MOM director Al Ripp.
Photo contributed
Paul Carl Christianson born in MadisonJanuary 21, 1936 was the eldest son of Ruth and Carl Christianson. He passed away at homeonSeptember 12, 2013. He was laid to rest at Sunset Memorial Gardens.Aftergraduating from Madison West, he went on to UW for 2 years, then enlisted in the Army in 1958. During his military career he was stationedinKorea, Vietnam andGermany. He received the Meritorious Service medalupon his retirement in the City of Middleton for top-notch golfing in the warmer months, this scenic course gets groomed into some of the finest cross-country ski trails in the region during winter. The loops range from 0.5 to 2.3 miles long and are open seven days a week, weather permitting. The added bonus for skiers here is a clubhouse that becomes a warming house during winter weekends, with convenient equipment storage racks, delicious food and beverages guaranteed to defrost you after a long ski. In west central Wisconsins Jackson County, youll find another cross-country skiing hotspot: Millston, just 12 miles southeast of Black River Falls. Here, the picturesque Black River State Forest is home to seven loops and 24 miles of the finest cross-country ski trails in all the state. Long stretches of level landscape are ideal for the beginning skier and forested, hilly terrain will offer experts unforgettable scenic views. The trails are groomed for both skaters and traditional skiers. A little farther north in Rusk County,
Paul Carl Christianson
O BITUARY
1977.For the next 20 years hewas an engineering draftsmanatEd Kramer & Sons.He has lived in Middleton since 1979 and hasmany friendsattheVFW Post #8216 andThree Sisters Inn.An avid supporter of Middletons Annual Good Neighbor Festival and a regular donor to many charitable organizations, he leaves behind two brothers, 14 nieces and nephews, 10 grand-nieces and nephews and 10 great-grand nieces and nephews
The Dane County Sheriffs Office wants to remind citizens that ice can be very unpredictable and is never considered completely safe. For those who venture onto the ice, a life jacket or flotation suit, ice picks
Be careful on local lake ice
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and rope are recommended. When taking snowmobiles or ATVs on the water, they must be equipped with the proper flotation equipment. For a schedule of flotation inspections, go to www.danesheriff.com.
SKIIING
cross-country skiers have two outstanding choices for winter fun. Near Bruce, youll find the Blue Hills Trail System with 21 miles of fabulous cross-country trails looping through one of the states most beautiful landscapes. Skiers will find the Blue Hills are absolutely magical cloaked in snow, as they wind their way through the forest of red and white pines, balsam and hemlock. Skating and classical style skiing is accommodated here and the trails many loops and intersections allow skiers to go for long or short treks suitable for beginners and the more experienced. Just south of Ladysmith in Rusk County, skiers will delight in the Sisters Farm Trail system. Cross-country skiers of all levels can enjoy seven miles of spectacular trails along a wide bend of the scenic Flambeau River. Classic and skate-style skiers are welcome here. For more information on Middleton skiiing, log on to visitmiddleton.com.
CHURCH NOTES
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THE SPRINGFIELD DIGESTERS The Springfield project, which includes a set of three million-gallon digesters located on Ziegler Dairy Farm, broke ground in late May following votes of approval from both the county and the City of Middleton, which has extraterritorial zoning authority over
tives said the Springfield digesters ownership and design are completely independent of the Waunakee operation where the spill occurred. When the series of Cow Power manure digesters, funded in part by public money but to be built, owned and operated by an assortment of private partners, were rolled out in the recent years, politicians clamored over the top of one another to be associated with the public/private green energy initiatives. That enthusiasm cooled significantly when Clear Horizons facility located just north of Middleton in Waunakee spilled 300,000 gallons of manure onto the ground and, at least partially, into the watershed the entire facility was built to protect. Representatives from Gundersen Lutheran allowed the Times-Tribune to tour their site last week, highlighting safeguards they hope will ease public concerns about such facilities. The nearby spill, which dumped a mile-long trail of manure onto the ground, did appear to stall a third Cow Power digester being planned in the Town of Bristol. The county board quickly voted to send the zoning change and permit approvals of the new digester, to be operated by US Biogas, back to the Zoning and Land Regulation Committee (ZLR).
MANURE
the land. Supporters touted the project as a way to produce clean, renewable electricity and keep phosphorous, which is responsible for harmful algae blooms, out of area lakes. At the groundbreaking ceremony, county executive Joe Parisi, who has long backed the multi-faceted initiative aimed at public/private partnerships working to restore the health of area lakes, said the Gundersen Lutheran digesters would produce enough clean electricity to power 2,500 homes. Surrounded by county board supervisors, members of the Middleton City Council, and various other supporters, Parisi called it an exciting day for Dane County that was made possible through years of hard work and a historic partnership between government, the private sector, and local farmers. The digesters are designed to prevent phosphorus and some bacteria from running off farm fields into the Lake Mendota watershed and the Yahara chain of lakes. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) environmental assessment reported that the Springfield digesters would keep twice the amount of phosphorus from entering waters when compared to the first project in Waunakee, due to their proximity to the Pheasant Branch Creek just 500 feet away. The Springfield facility is designed to help Gundersen reach goals outlined in its Envision environmental stewardship program, which aims to achieve energy independence in 2014. The digester will account for approximately 14 percent of Gundersens energy reduction goal.
COMPARISONS UNFAIR? Jeff Rich, executive director of the Envision program, said the digestion process causes much of the phosphorous in waste to cling to the fibrous portions of the manure, allowing nutrient-rich liquid to be spread on area fields - fertilizing them without sending massive loads of phosphorous into the watershed. But thats not what happened on the night of Nov. 24, when a pipe at the Waunakee facility broke. County and state environmental regulators held a public hearing Monday, December 9 to answer questions about the spill. The hearing took place at the Waunakee Town Hall, 500 West Main Street in Waunakee. Rich said Gundersen Lutheran plans to learn from any mistakes made in Waunakee, but he added that he believes comparisons between the two Cow Power projects are unfair. We dont know all the specifics of what happened in Waunakee, he stated, pointing out that the Springfield project is helmed by a different team of owners, designers and engineers. Weve asked Dane County officials to let us know what they find out so we can double check our project, but our system design is going to be completely different anyway. It wouldnt be responsible, he added, for us to comment on their situation. See MANURE, page 7
Dane County is funneling $3.3 million in state funding to pay for a portion of the projects $14 million price tag.
An architectural rendering (top) shows what the Springfield digester facility will look like upon completion. Above, county executive Joe Parisi stands at the podium during the pojects groundbreaking ceremony earlier this year.
File photos
THE NUMBERS Gundersen Lutherans digester operation is expected to generate about 16 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. The electricity will be added to the Madison Gas and Electric (MG&E) grid. Because of the methane released by untreated manure, the digester will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The state DNR estimates that the facility,
HOW IT WORKS Leading a tour of the Springfield site in Friday mornings bitter cold, Rich, flanked by US Biogas engineering general manager Daniel Meccariello, detailed how three digester tanks, a hulking building through which raw manure enters the facility and processed manure will leave it, and a large containment lagoon will all function once complete. Some manure will be hauled in by trucks, and some will be piped in using underground lines that originate at a nearby farm. Upon entering the Springfield facility, manure, as well as some food waste, will enter a long, rectangular building beneath which large, underground storage tanks hold undigested material. The waste will be digested in three rounded tanks nearby, in which high temperatures will promote the aerobic activity essential to composting. The digestion process will generate large amounts of methane, which will be converted into electricity and fed into the regions power grid. From there, the solids and liquids will be separated using a centrifuge. The liquid will be returned to farmers, who traditionally dumped raw manure fertilizer onto their fields. The digested product will also contain far less pathogens, said Rich, and will be less likely to harm local fish populations. The solids will be placed in windrows, where they will be refined into compost for domestic uses. The facilitys ability to store manure will also prevent farmers from dumping fertilizer onto frozen fields during the winter months, said Parisi.
Representatives for Gundersen Lutheran indicated that a large concrete lagoon; berms; multiple level, pressure and flow sensors; an auto-alarm system and and piping housed within heated, permanent buildings could all help prevent a major spill. Spill containment is something weve given a lot of thought, Rich said.
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by treating manure and replacing coalfired electricity with renewable electricity, will reduce emissions by 22,000 tons per year equivalent to the CO2 emissions from over 4,000 cars. US Biogas is the digesters project developer. The Wisconsin-based construction management firm CG Schmidt, builders of Milwaukee Art Museums Calatrava addition and recently UW-Madisons new Union South, provided the design and are working on construction for the digester and surrounding facilities. We certainly believe in this and we believe its a positive for the state, Rich said. This is new technology, but its a good thing for Wisconsin. Dane County has 400 dairy farms, which equates to approximately 50,000 dairy cows. Dairy farming is a $550 million a year industry in the county, supporting 3,000 jobs, according to Parisis office. CITY, COUNTY ROLES Nearly three years ago Dane County was the first county in the state to construct a cow-powered manure digester, according to a press release issued by the county prior to the spill. Approximately 60 subcontractors and suppliers and 230 workers built the Waunakee cow power project. Assistant city planner Mark Opitz and Middleton ald. Susan West toured the Waunakee facility earlier this year while preparing a presentation on digesters for the Middleton Common Councils vote on the Springfield project. Ald. Gurdip Brar, during a brief discussion that night, asked about the possibility of a spill. He ultimately supported the Springfield digesters, along with the rest of the council. Several months later, at 11 p.m. on Nov. 24, a pipe broke at the Waunakee facility.
RESPONSE TO THE SPILL Kevin Connors, director of the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department, sent a lengthy memo on the impact and remediation of the Clear Horizon manure digester spill to county supervisor Pat Downing one week after the accident. We are cautiously optimistic that this manure spill will have little to no impact on water quality in Lake Mendota as preliminary data shows that only 30 pounds of phosphorus will reach the lake, wrote Connors. This
is based on data collected from a monitoring station downstream from where the spill occurred - data that was collected over the course of the three days that the spill was detectable in the water. According to Connors, a normal three-day level of phosphorus detected at this same testing station ranges between nine to 15 pounds. When it rains, these levels are significantly higher. For example, a 1.5-inch rain in March of 2013 resulted in 4,450 pounds of phosphorus registering at this monitoring station. When the snow melted on March 28, 29, and 30 this testing station registered 2,830 of phosphorus over the course of three days. While the spill was not discovered for several hours, it occurred a mile from the waterway and was contained shortly after reaching that waterway, so only a fraction of the manure spilled made it into a waterway, Connors wrote. He went on to say efforts to contain the spill were comprehensive, well executed and effective. While we are optimistic that this event will not impact lake water quality, we would be remiss not to view this as an opportunity to identify and mitigate risks to water quality, Connors wrote. Manure digesters potentially play a critical role in our overall effort to restore the Yahara watershed because they allow us to address phosphorus in cooperation with an important industry and community in our county. According to county data, in 2012 nearly 73,000 pounds of phosphorus processed at the Waunakee digester were exported from the watershed; since beginning operations three years ago, the Waunakee Community Digester owned and operated by Clear Horizons has processed more than an estimated 87,000,000 gallons of manure and converted it into green, home grown energy providing electricity for thousands of homes. Nevertheless, any system holding and processing manure will pose risks
A one-million gallon digester tank in the Town of Springfield, seen here during construction last week. It is one of three tanks at the facility. of failure and risks to water quality, Connors wrote. The department has impressed upon Clear Horizons that it must take steps to minimize those risks in order to advance our water quality efforts. nure in the water in the drainage ditch. On land, earthen berms and hay bales were used to stop the flow of manure. The waste was then cleaned up with vacuum tankers and septic haulers. The effort to clean out the onsite storm water basins also collected a significant portion of the manure. Most of the manure and material was returned to the digester, and some to the manure storage facility at the Ripp dairy farm. Clear Horizons indicated it would complete a formal spill report and submit it to the DNR, clean and restore the storm water swales and storm water outlet, and investigate causes of the pipe failure and address them. Clear Horizons could also be fined for the spill.
TIMELINE OF THE CLEANUP According to Connors, shortly after the leading edge of the manure first reached flowing water, a coordinated team of Clear Horizons staff, neighboring farmers, DNR staff, and Dane County installed two berms in the drainage ditch, stopping the flow of the manure-water mix and any furthering of the spill downstream. Once the berms were installed in the ditch on November 25, the manurewater mix was pumped into tankers and spread on multiple fields of the Tierney, Karls, and Ripp farms under the direction of LWRD and DNR staff. As pumping drained the ditch, groundwater would soon refill it. In all, over one million gallons of the manurewater mix was pumped out of the ditch. Water quality testing conducted by Clear Horizons on the morning of November 28 detected no remaining ma-
MOVING FORWARD Gundersen Lutheran expects the Springfield digesters to be online, pumping electricity to the grid, by the end of this month. We believe in this technology, said Rich. Wisconsin imports a lot of energy, and if we can produce clean energy here, and offset the use of coal, we believe thats a good thing.
In just two years, Boyett made real impact

PAGE 8 MIDDLETON TIMES-TRIBUNE
by KATHERINE PERRETH
Times-Tribune
During his stint lasting just over two years, Ted Boyett made a sizable impact on the Middleton Cross Plains Area Indoor Pool. Boyett resigned from his managerial position in September. Sending out a big thanks to everyone in Middleton, Boyett praised Middleton High School, the school district, pool, and custodial staffs, as well as students and administrators. I appreciated the opportunity over the last few years to associate with the best. Boyett called the pool one of the best kept recreational and fitness opportunity secrets in the Madison area.The quality is great and the value cant be beat. The goals set forth during his initial interviews with district officials have either been accomplished or are in process, he said. His responsibilities encompassed the overall operation of the pool, including budget, maintenance, programming, staffing, usage coordination, and marketing. Besides keeping the books in the black, Boyett expanded the diversity of programming and extended hours of operation. Springboard diving classes, school practices, synchronized swim-
ming, evening Fit Adult & Swim Technique (FAST), and a Masters Swimming program all grew, he said. In short, we Boyett filled the pool with quality activities that resulted in almost most doubling our deposits... Boyett said. Less was spent than was budgeted despite the increase in hours and programming, he said. Money follows quality/value not the other way around, Boyett noted, pointing out that the pool had garnered $116, 015 the year prior to his hire. His two years saw increased revenue to $175, 835, and $207,577, respectively. Boyett said the pool is currently on track for a similar increase this year. Boyett also spent time improving the nuts and bolts of the large facility. He implemented checks and corrections to better monitor water and air quality, he said. Disinfection enhancements made to the chemical and ultra violet settings led to approximately one-third cost reductions. Tweaking the electronic timing system also resulted in savings and fewer down times, he said. In fact, under his management the pool was never shut down
because of facility or water chemistry failure, he said. Attention to swimmer safety was another area of concern. Improvements included removing poles from the pool deck and suspending backstroke flags for swimmers, he said. In addition, all pool sponsored swimming lesson instructors, Masters Program coaches, boys swim team coaches and lifeguards kept lifeguard certifications current and on file, he said. The district has committed to have MHS aquatic education staff and girls swim team coaches do so, as well, he said. Boyett staffed to comply with State Health Department standards, setting a pool guard ratio to pool surface area and patron load, he said. (We) trained and certified staff members as pool operators, lifeguard instructors, and water fitness instructors through national organizations. First aid, lifeguard and swimming instructor courses received new training materials that benefitted the staff, school and the public, as well. Increased pool security was another arena that Boyett scrutinized. The installation of a new security system, including a window for the office and buzz-through doors, helped to cut off access from the pool to the school, he said. Other security changes are in the
works, and the locker rooms of students taking aquatic courses will be reconfigured for equal access to the pool without jeopardizing school security, he said. Funding is already in place for this, he said. Boyett was quick to point out the excellence of pool staff. The Middleton High School Physical Education Water Safety Instructor program, under the guidance of Julie Schlatter, is one of, if not the best, high school aquatic training programs in the country, he asserted. In addition, he praised the high school lifeguarding class and the water exercise classes open to the public. Boyett referred to himself as obsolete. He believes his management style helped enable staff to grow to their full potential, allowing him to concentrate on oversight and increasing programming. With few exceptions, he said, most of the duties of the manager could be dispersed among staff. This group of employees has what it takes to run the operation and there are great leaders among them, he concluded. But he noted the importance of a point person responsible for things such as the budget and payroll, and negotiating with outside groups. Boyett gave kudos to one such group, The
Mad City Aqua Stars. This synchronized swimming squad traveled to California last summer after qualifying for the first time for the national synchronized swimming championships. Boyett, an expert in the field, has worked in a number of states and even in Greece at various types of pool facilities: collegiate, k-12, and public. He noted his decision to leave Middleton for Rhode Island was difficult, as he has grandchildren in both locations. But he hearkened to the call of the sea, opting for the beaches and allure of saltwater scuba diving. On the Atlantic shoreline, Boyett said he would be contemplating retirement or his next adventure. Greece came before Middleton; what will be next?
Bird named Boyetts replacement

The Middleton-Cross Plains Area Indoor Pool has a new manager. Rachel Bird, a 2004 graduate of MHS, recently replaced Ted Boyett, who resigned to return to the East Coast where he had worked for much of his career. Bird has worked in a variety of roles for the YMCA of Dane County since July 2011, most recently as the organizations aquatics director. She also worked for more than 11 years for the Middleton Recreation Departmetn as a lifeguard, swim instructor and swim team coach. She has a bachelors degree from UW-Stevens Point in international studies, history and French. I am thrilled to be working for the District, Bird said. I have very much enjoyed seeing familiar faces around the building. The Middleton Pool is a beautiful facility, and Im honored to have been given the opportunity to manage our aquatic department. I am excited to offer high quality aquatic programs to our community, and train our lifeguards to be the some of the best in the Madison area. MHS athletic director Bob Joers is happy to have Bird on board. Rachel brings a fresh management style to our pool, she is a people person, great for our community using the pool, he said. Rachel has always been an organized hardworking leader, great for guiding our pool staff in aquatic programs. It will be fun having a Cardinal alumnus back in the pool.
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TER, time than this, to share my friends words. It is what the season is all about, calling our priorities into
Today, when I was scurrying through the Hilldale Mall on my way to the University Book Store, I saw a giving tree that made me stop in my tracks. It wasnt the usual request for toys or winter clothing for children. The requests posted were for a contribution toward dental care for people who could not afford it. It is a sign of our times. It is a sad sign that there are more and more people, not just the unemployed, but working people too, who cannot afford basic health and dental care. On the other hand, the requests were a positive sign, that when the chips are down, folks in the Madison area pull together to help one another. Im in awe of the work that Middleton Out-
Goodwill towards men
GEIGER
Return of the Nativity
reach Ministry, the Salvation Army and so many organizations do to help people meet their basic needs during difficult times. Im reminded of Its A Wonderful Life as I write this. Our hearts are warmed by the way folks pitch in to help Jimmy Stewart. Were also appalled by the manipulative tactics of the banker in the story. Why arent more of us appalled in real life, by what our Governor and others have done, to sabotage healthcare benefits. One of my friends, Jim McKnight wrote an inspired and informative editorial. The third paragraph shocked me. But, I debated whether or not I should share his letter during the week before Christmas. Then, in the midst of that mental debate the words, Goodwill Towards Men, came into my mind. I realized in that moment, that there is NO BET-
Governor Walker and the other Republican governors who have refused to participate in the first attempt to bring essential healthcare to all American citizens have the fate of thousands on their consciences. In a brazen disregard for the health and safety of over 70,000 Wisconsin citizens dropped from healthcare rolls, Walker has declined Federal money that would have covered them. From the beginning, Walker and the Republican right have chosen to obstruct the implementation of the program by refusing to set up a state health exchange that might negotiate lower rates from insurance companies, as our neighbor Minnesota has successfully done. (60% lower rates there according to UM School of Economic studies). issue came up, but also whenever his gargantuan hearing aids failed him and he wasnt sure what was going on in the conversation. When asked if he would pick up some toilet paper when he headed to the store later, he might assume a puzzled expression, smile as he accepted the fact that he couldnt decipher what had been asked of him, and offer a friendly, gentle pat on the back: Well, Jesus is the reason for the season. Each year, Mark would ask his children, his friends, and anyone who happened to meander into his line of sight, if they would like to help him set up his nativity display. While his deafness wasnt contagious, you would have thought it was whenever the subject was broached. People appeared to suddenly lose the ability to hear a man standing a few feet away. That, or they would suddenly develop superhuman hearing and run off in feigned response to some far-away call for help. So each year, as the holiday drew near, Mark would eventually do it by himself. Hed head into the garage, pushing aside deflated soccer balls and jars of jam that were boiled during the Ford administration, and haul out those religious figures. Through the years they grew dusty and scuffed, somehow without becoming any less gaudy. He would build the stable, carefully laying down the straw all around, placing each
Walkers brazen disregard for public health

Ostensibly, non-profit and non-partisan groups like ALEC, Club for Growth, and the Heritage Foundation have carpeted the country with millions of dollars of attack ads and scurrilous charges, sowing discontent with the program before it even began. This fall, the Koch Brothers even funded Uncle Sam parties of beer, blondes and bands at college football games, urging youth not to participate in the program (at a cost $750,000 per weekend -NYTimes) I think it is important to remember that back in 2009, House and Senate Republicans forced the current healthcare plan to include insurance companies in the mix and to allow states to have control over the implementation of the program..two of its biggest problems in keeping costs
question. Do we live as if goodwill matters? Do our decisions as individuals, voters and citizens perpetuate real
peace and goodwill towards men? So here it is!
down and in its actual implementation. What Republicans will also not acknowledge is that the current Obamacare program used the Republicans own 1995 Heritage Foundation blueprint for national healthcare (and the successful Massachusetts state program) in an effort to compromise on ideological differences and at least get some kind of healthcare in place for US citizens. So lets stop the posturing and try to imagine if you know any of the 70,000 of your fellow Wisconsin citizens who are now left without healthcare in the richest country in the world. - by Jim McKnight
Counter
by Matt Geiger, Editor
Every December in Alabama, wellintentioned Christians shout their faith to the world by placing garish, hollow plastic statues atop the bed of fallen pecans in the front yard. The colors vary, but they can all be described using prefixes like acid- and nuclear-. An acid-green Joseph prostrates himself next to a nuclearblue Mary, gazing with polyethylene eyes at two of the three canonical wise men in this well-known biblical scene. (There are two, rather than three, because one has always either been made off with by neighborhood hooligans, or destroyed by a heathen dog.) In really special nativity scenes, a searing-brown camel will stand nearby, motionlessly chewing her cud next to a neon-gray donkey. For reasons that I think are pretty clear in the preceding description, the nativity scene never really garnered
my affection in my early years. Primarily, I knew of these little displays as inoffensive, slightly comical little holiday sites that morons including both atheists and Christians alike seemed to enjoy fighting over whenever they wound up too close to a town hall or a school building. I was very different, in this regard and in many others, from the father of my college girlfriend. You may remember Mark, the fairly deaf engineer, with ears like those on a Mr. Potato Head toy, who was kind enough to let me spend many holidays with him in the American South. This round man (not fat, just round), who you met in a story I once wrote about Thanksgiving, loved his faith and therefore all things related to it, including plastic statues. His voice cracking with affability as it always did when he grew excited, he spent much of his time over the holidays reciting a single mantra: Jesus is the reason for the season. It was a phrase he said when the
A letter published December 12 accuses the City of Middleton Common Council of running out of excuses for decisions which have increased the mill rate. Since when does the Council need excuses for fiscal management over the years which has earned the City a bond rating of AA1, the secondbest bond rating possible? The author seems critical of the Citys borrowing for construction with resulting increases in mill rate, but he neither denies the need for the construction nor mentions the historically low interest rates for these loans. Money Magazine has judged Middleton to be one of the top ten cities under 50,000 population nationally in the four most recent biennial ratings. If
No excuses needed
we are to continue to have the high quality of life that we enjoy, our taxes may be higher than in many similarsized cities. As a homeowner in the City, I like what I get in return for the City taxes I pay. There is no free lunch.
L ETTERS
Lawrence Landwehr City of Middleton
It seems like just yesterday that I was out collecting signatures to run for my first term on the Middleton Common Council. Actually, yesterday was over twenty five years ago.
Best wishes from ald. Jim Wexler
Weve seen a lot of changes and a lot of improvements to our city in this time, too many to mention here. It has been my privilege to represent the residents of the 4th Aldermanic District for all of these years. When I first ran in 1988, I made the pledge to conscientiously represent my district and I have never lost sight of that promise. In all of this time, I only missed one Council meeting and never missed a single meeting of any committee that I served on. I am proud of my years of service on the Council and believe that we have accomplished a great deal in the last twenty five years making Middleton an exceptional place to live. We have formed some very strong partnerships between the city and the school district, business community, surrounding communities and vital
TO THE
E DITOR
piece carefully lest his little, plastic God be uncomfortable in his resting place. He would then connect several furlongs of extension cords together in an effort to test the capabilities of the little towns power grid. Every year, he embarked on this little ceremony at the center of some mystical stage. The family watched from inside the house, chuckling and shaking their heads as they glanced out the big window in the kitchen. They drank hot cocoa and ate freshlybaked cookies while he huffed and puffed and looked at the assembly instructions as if they were the Dead Sea Scrolls and he hadnt recently brushed up on his Aramaic. Those who drove by either smiled or swore, depending on their politics and religious convictions. Not lost on Mark was the idea that God smiled down from above, while somewhere below, the Devil shook his fist, gazing up at a man he would never have the pleasure of meeting. It was either heartwarming or deranged, or perhaps a bit of both, as are most things in this world. Especially around the holidays. One year, perhaps because I had accidentally contracted some of Marks holiday fervor, or perhaps just because when you are a 21-year-old college student spending day after day in a dry household where there are no R-rated movies to watch and no violent video games to play, there simply isnt much
to do, I came up with a crazy idea. I would help. I marched outside and proudly announced my benevolence to Mark. Im here to help, I said. Im still not sure if Mark actually heard me, because he just smiled, nodded, and handed me a massive ball of tangled Christmas lights. We worked together that year, trampling the grass into a muddy quagmire as we trod back and forth, round and round, making sure everything was just right. We didnt talk much. The only sounds were the periodic, puzzled huh? noises we made while trying to figure out the lights and various plastic pieces, the sniffling of our noses in the cold, and the occasional zooming of cars passing by. It didnt even matter when we were almost finished and suddenly remembered that there was no baby Jesus. The infant Deity had been abducted a year earlier, we recalled, probably by some teenagers who have long since settled into domestic banality today. It was a fine Nativity scene nonetheless, we decided. And Jesus presence was pretty strongly implied, even if he was nowhere to be seen. After all, Mark commented as we stood side by side and admired our work, He was the reason for the entire thing.
service groups that have made a real difference in our quality of life. I have really enjoyed being a part of this undertaking. The knowledge that our future looks so bright leads me to the conclusion that this would be an opportune time to retire from the Common Council. A Notification of Noncandidacy is being filed with our City Clerk. I have achieved many of the goals that I set when I was first elected. I have had the chance to serve ten years as Council President and for twenty one years on the Plan Commission. I have also chaired various committees including Finance, Personnel, License and Ordinance, Transportationand the Emergency Medical Services Commission. I have never ceased to be amazed at the quality and loyalty of our citys employees and will leave office knowing that the city is in extremely quali-
fied and capable hands. Elected public officials must never forget their responsibility to represent their constituents and I never have. Being elected to thirteen terms has been an honor. Perhaps the most persuasive reason of all for leaving is the anticipation of the retirement clock provided to retiring city officials by the Mayor. The minute I realized that I would likely be getting this award, I had no second thoughts and knew that my decision was indeed timely. Best Wishes for an enjoyable holiday season. Ald. Jim Wexler Middleton City Council Dist. 4
PAGE 10
Groundhog Day Blizzard It is important for all of us to prepare for the power of winter storms. Few of us will forget the Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011. Between January 31 and February 2, parts of the state had snowfall totals between 12 and 33 inches with wind gusts between 40 and 65 miles an hour. Schools and businesses closed and thousands heeded the warning to stay home in the near-paralyzing event. The coldest temperature in the winter of 2012-13 was -30 at Upson (Iron County) on February 4, 2013. Upson also had the most snow with 186.4 inches in the 2012-13 winter season, while Timmerman Field in Milwaukee had the least with only 25.6 inches. Most of the central and southern counties had 50 to 70 inches which was well above normal. Wisconsins all-time, lowest temperature is -55 F on February 2 and 4, 1996, near Couderay in Sawyer County. Readings of -30F or colder have been recorded in every month from November through April. Of course, brief readings in the 50s, 60s and 70s are possible during winter as well! Average annual snowfall ranges from 32 to 40 inches near the Illinois border to 135 to 168 inches in the Iron See WINTER, page 21
Governor Scott Walker recently declared November 4-8 as Winter Awareness Week in Wisconsin. The annual campaign, sponsored by Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), its ReadyWisconsin preparedness program and NOAAs National Weather Service (NWS), was to remind people to be prepared for winter conditions that could threaten their safety. The number one thing to do: make sure you have an emergency supply kit in your car it could save your life, says Brian Satula, Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator ReadyWisconsin will air Television and Radio Public Service Announcements in November, urging viewers and listeners to keep an emergency kit in their vehicles. Starting November 1st, Wisconsin residents can sign up for a chance to win a winter survival kit on the ReadyWisconsin website: readywisconsin.wi.gov. Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. For example, in the last five years Wisconsin has averaged 50,000 motor vehicle crashes during winter months. An average of 45 people are killed and more than 5,000 injured on icy or snow-covered roads. Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a danger. According to the Centers for Disease Control, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States, with more than 20,000 people visiting the emergency room and nearly 500 killed each year from overexposure to the gas. Now is the time to winterize your car and home, gather items for an emergency kit in your car, and make sure you have a NOAA Weather Radio with fresh batteries. Additional winter weather tips and how to put together a winter emergency kit are available at the ReadyWisconsin website (readywisconsin.wi.gov).
How to survive a Wisconsin winter
PAGE 13
MCO returns with special Monday show

PAGE 14 MIDDLETON TIMES-TRIBUNE
by MATT GEIGER
Times-Tribune
Orchestra continues to thrive in fourth year
An artist with great promise
An Evening with the Middleton Community Orchestra (MCO) and Soprano Emily Birsan will take place Monday, Dec. 23 at the Middleton Performing Arts Center, 2100 Bristol St. Birsan will sing four arias by Mozart, Strauss, Donizetti and Charpentier. She is in her final year of the Chicago Lyric Opera apprentice program and is on the brink of a stellar international career. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. The orchestra, which has been driven from the start by co-founders Larry Bevic and Mindy Taranto, continues to thrive. With strong involvement and increasingly widespread recognition, many have praised the group for bringing professional quality performances to the Middleton stage without losing the fun, easygoing attitude of a community group. One thing youll notice when you go to one of our shows is that people are smiling, Bevic stated. In some professional settings, youll see some musicians grimacing and trying to make it through. Not here. Taranto said the December 23 show is not a holiday concert, per se. It is one of our four regular concerts and we give it at holiday time so that families have a chance to hear great music close to the holidays, she explained. We are performing
Beethoven Symphony No. 6, the Pastoral Symphony and a few other short tuneful pieces. The Beethoven Symphony has been challenging to prepare and the MCO is having a great time rehearsing it. This will be Birsans third time sharing the stage with the MCO. Taranto said the young performer is on the brink of a major career. We are thrilled that she is coming back to sing with us for the third consecutive December concert,one day after she finishes a very busy Fall at Lyric, Taranto said. The orchestra enjoys its collaboration with her and grows from the experience of making music with such a wonderful musician. Come see her if you havent ever heard her sing, and if you have, youll know that you wont want to miss any opportunity to hear her perform. Taranto described MCO shows as musically satisfying experiences. We are half way through our fourth year and sound better than ever, she said. The orchestra has wonderful players who volunteer their time every week to rehearse and perform four concerts a year. We are lucky to have conductor Steve Kurr as our conductor and are grateful for the time and energy he devotes to [the] MCO. Tickets are $10 for general admission. The concerts are free of charge to retirement home residents and students of all ages. The show is supported by grants from Dane Arts and the Evjue Foundation, the charitable arm of The Capital Times.
An Evening with the Middleton Community Orchestra and Soprano Emily Birsan, above, will take place Monday, Dec. 23 at the Middleton Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available for purchase at Willy St. Co-op West and at the door on the night of the show. You can also call 608-212-8690 to reserve tickets in advance.
Photo contributed
Emily Birsan was praised by the Chicago Tribune for her fineness of expression... and by Isthmus as having a ...strong, clear, handsomely balanced and beautiful voice, and as ...an artist with a very great promise for the future. She was most recently heard on the main stage of the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Sandman in Humperdincks Hnsel und Gretel, Trainbearer in Strauss Elektra, and as the Page in Verdis Rigoletto. Equally at home on the concert stage, Birsan has performed as the soprano soloist in Schuberts Mass in Eb with the Grant Park Symphony, Bachs Matthus-Passion as well as a concert of Bach Cantatas No. 22 and 32 with the Madison Bach Musicians, and triumphed in A Mirror on Which to Dwell by Elliot Carter at the Ravinia Festival in July of 2013. Birsan received her Master of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madisons School of Music in 2010, where she performed the title roles in Massenets Thas, Handels Alcina and Donizettis Maria Stuarda. Birsan was awarded the Paul Collins Fellowship during her residency at the university. She also won the 2010 Rose M. Grundman Scholarship from the Civic and Arts Union League Competition, First Place in the 2007 Senior Womens Division of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition. She earned multiple award wins from 2008-2011 at the Upper Midwest Region of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
PAGE 15
Cardinals now face Verona in league showdown

by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
Middleton surges to top of Big 8
Perhaps these early games were simply the appetizers. If thats so, the main course comes Thursday night. Middletons girls basketball team rolled past Madison East, 71-40, last Tuesday, and toppled Madison West, 55-41, last Friday. The Cardinals improved to 4-0 in the Big Eight Conference and 4-1 overall. Middleton now hosts Verona which is tied for first in the league at 4-0 Thursday night at 7:30. Verona will be a good measuring stick for us, Middleton coach Jeff Kind said. They always play tough defense and take care of the ball and try to control tempo. We need to play a sound fundamental game against them and yet try to force the pace. They are long and athletic so well see. Kind has certainly liked what hes seen from his team since a seasonopening loss to top-ranked Oak Creek. Middleton enjoyed an easy win over the Purgolders last Tuesday. The Cardinals raced to a 23-7 lead after the first quarter and stretched that to 45-21 by halftime. Middleton led, 58-27 through three quarters and cruised home. Freshman point guard Bria Lemirande, making her first varsity appearance, led Middleton with 14
e just have to tie everything together in order to be a good team.
points. She was playing really well on the JV team and is a good defender, Kind said. Shes up to the challenge and fits into our rotation. Junior guard Elizabeth Norregard also scored 14 points, while senior forward Liz McMahon added 13 and senior guard Darby Raffel had 10. Middleton had a tougher time at Madison West Friday. But the Cardinals pulled away thanks to a 146 outburst in the fourth quarter. Sophomore guard Grace Douglas and McMahon both paced the Cardinals with 12 points. Junior forward Cole Jordee had six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter and Raffel added nine. Middleton led, 18-17, after the first quarter and stretched that to 3223 by halftime. West pulled within 41-35 through three quarters before the Cardinals gained some separation in the fourth quarter. There was some good and some not so good in both games, Kind said. We seem to be able to score pretty consistently and are keeping See GIRLS BB, page 20
Jeff Kind Middleton coach
Darby Raffel and Middletons girls basketball team are tied for first place in the Big Eight Conference.
Derek Rongstad a n d Middletons boys basketball team split a pair of games last week.
Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld
Boys basketball team splits a pair

by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
In search of consistency
Defense wins championships. Its one of the oldest clichs around. Its also stood the test of time for a reason. Middletons boys basketball team needed a refresher course in that lesson last week. The Cardinals allowed a seasonhigh point total and fell to host Janesville Parker, 79-70, in overtime, last Thursday. But Middleton picked up its defensive intensity Saturday night and toppled visiting Madison East, 66-54. The Cardinals are now 2-3 overall and in the Big Eight Conference. Hopefully well continue to create our identity at a high level of buying in, in terms of recognizing each others strengths on the court, playing
to those while we continue to develop our critical role players who love to contribute in any way that they can, Middleton coach Kevin Bavery said. Middletons loss at Parker was certainly one of its most surprising defeats in recent memory. The Vikings (2-4, 1-4) have finished last in the league for two straight seasons, but are an improved outfit this winter. And Middleton found that out the hard way. Vikings senior guard J.J. Scott led all scorers with 29 points, including 12 in overtime. Senior guard Adam Thompson added 19 for Parker. Cardinals senior forward Max Oelerich led three Cardinals in double figures with 19 points. Senior guard Luke Schafer added 14 and senior swingman Derek Rongstad had 12. We didnt underestimate them at all, Bavery said. They are extremely competitive and played very relaxed, while we seemed to feel the pressure as the game mounted. Parker led, 37-24, at halftime and 48-37 after three quarters before See BOYSBB, page 19
PAGE 16
Hockey Cards tie Janesville

by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
Fit to be tied
There was adversity everywhere. Players were out sick. Others going down with injuries. But Middletons hockey team responded well last Tuesday night. The short-handed Cardinals skated to a 3-3 tie with host Janesville. Middleton is now 3-0-1 in the Big Eight Conference and 4-2-1 overall. On the positive side we did a nice job of meeting the challenges thrown in our path, Middleton cocoach Steve Libert said. The team has responded in a positive manner in the face of difficult circumstances. On the negative side we still show a lack of understanding situations on the ice. Whether it is the time of game, time of shift or other circumstances we do not adjust well. Middleton did plenty of adjusting against the Bluebirds. Eddy Matush scored his first high goal on the second shift of the game, and then on the fifth shift he broke his collarbone. Taylor Dickert was out sick. Nolan Kouba (mono) and Dylan Wetzel (separated shoulder) were both out. Vaughn Kottler battled through an injury against Janesville, while Braxton Walby was injured late in the game. Still, the Cardinals held tough and got an important point. The team has been really playing hard, Libert said. But now that we are seven games in (one-third of the season) we need to strive towards getting better at recognizing different aspects of the game and play with better positional discipline. Matush got the Cardinals on the board with a pretty goal just 1:03 into the game. Daylon Reifsteck passed across the top of the slot to Matush, who waited as Janesville goalie Mike MacDougall came across. Matush then fired a shot to the top shelf, back to where the goalie came from. Janesville tied things at 6:44 of the first, then the Bluebirds got a power play goal with 10 seconds left in the second period for a 2-1 lead. We had multiple odd-man rushes, but it just was not clicking, Libert said of Middletons offense. A missed pass or mis-read caused most of our opportunities to fizzle out. Midway through the third period, Jordan Carey threw a puck to the slot. It bounced off another player and went in, tying things, 2-2. The Cardinals then took the lead with 3:48 remaining when Casey Harper scored off a one-timer from the left circle. Reifsteck got the assist. But Janesville tied things, 3-3, with just 2:02 remaining on a power play goal. Sadly we let them tie it up, Libert said. Neither team could convert in overtime and both sides left feeling they had unfinished business. Middleton goalie Zach Kasdorf finished with 25 saves, while
MacDougall had 15 for Janesville. When the other team has the puck we struggle to be effective, Libert said. We will need to be excellent in this area as we go through our series of games. On deck: Middleton hosted Madison East/La Follette Tuesday, then is at Kettle Moraine Friday at 6:45 p.m. The Cardinals then travel to Verona Saturday at 7 p.m. in a Big Eight showdown that will be Middletons final game until 2014. I watched Verona play last (week) and they are very, very good, Libert said. They will be the best team we have faced this year.
Dec. 10 JANESVILLE 3, MIDDLETON 3 (OT) Middleton ............ 1 0 2 0 3 Janesville ............. 1 1 1 0 3 First Period: MEddy Matush (Daylon Reifsteck, Brendan Sheehan), 1:03. JHarry Henschler (Connor Perkins), 6:44. Second Period: JSam Iverson (Perkins), pp, 16:50. Third Period: MJordan Carey, 7:50. M Casey Harper (Daylon Reifsteck), pp, 13:12. J Perkins, pp, 14:58. SavesZach Kasdorf (M) 25, Mike MacDougall (J) 15.
Dylan Wetzel and Middletons hockey team face Verona in an early-season showdown Saturday.
Middletons boys swimming team had a terrific week. The Cardinals cruised past both Madison La Follette and Janesville Parker in a triple dual Friday night. Middleton then took first place at the nine-team Janesville Parker Relays last Saturday. Another solid week, Middleton coach Luke Lengfeld said. The boys swam very well and took advantage of every opportunity they had. The highlight of the week was the Parker Relays. Middleton finished with 149 points and edged rival Madison West (136) for the title. Janesville Craig (90), Beloit Memorial (83) and Kenosha Tremper (79) rounded out the top five. Middleton had several first place finishes at the Parker Relays. Middletons 400 yard medley relay team of Hans Kunsch, Lex Patterson, Rory Slattery and Lars Haskins was first, while the Cardinals 800 yard freestyle relay team of Cooper Green, Josh Reddemann, Luke Delany and Peterson was also first. Middletons 300 yard backstroke relay team of Erick Grelle, Andrew Collier, Green and Kunsch was first. The Cardinals quartet of Reddemann, Haskins, Jacob Aegerter and Green also won the 500 yard freestyle. Middletons Evan Birschbach, Ethan Lengfeld, Jens Calderon and Slattery won the 300 yard breast relay. The Cardinals foursome of Kunsch, Lengfeld, Derek Pettit and James Mai won the 200 yard medley relay, while the 300 yard freestyle relay team of Delany, Aegerter, Pettit and Peterson was first. The Cardinals quartet of Reddemann, Birschbach, Harrison Bielski and Haskins was second in the 400 yard freestyle relay. Middletons 200 yard freestyle relay team of Bielski, Delany, Mai and Pettit was third. The 400 yard medley relay team of Aegerter, Bielski, Mai and Slattery was also third. The Janesville Invite is a fun meet, but a meet that gives the guys a lot of opportunities for getting another race in or getting some fast times, Luke Lengfeld said. Our biggest competition at this meet is Madison West.It was even a bigger opportunity (last) Saturday because we will be swimming them this week.We swam very welland took advantage of each and every opportunity we got. The Cardinals also took advantage during their triple dual win. Middleton defeated Madison La Follette, 136-33, and defeated Janesville Parker, 13436. Green, Peterson and Reddemann finished 1-2-3 in the 200 yard freestyle, while Aegerter, Slattery and Mai were first, second and third in the
Swimmers keep rolling

by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
Jacob Aegerter a n d Middleton s boys swimming t e a m enjoyed a terrific week.
TimesTribune photo by Mary Langenfeld
Wrestlers 11th at Tomah Scramble

by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
PAGE 17
200 yard IM. Haskins, Bielski and Pettit went 1-2-3 in the 50 yard freestyle, and Peterson, Pettit and Delany were first, second and third in the 100 yard fly. Kunsch, Green and Andrew Collier went 1-2-3 in the 100 yard backstroke, while Reddemann and Aegerter were first and second in the 500 yard freestyle. Slattery, Matthew Kim and Ethan Lengfeld went 1-2-3 in the 100 yard breaststroke, while Bielski and John Virnig were second and third, respectively, in the 100 yard freestyle. Middletons 200 yard medley relay team of Kunsch, Slattery, Aegerter and Haskins was first. The Cardinals quartet of Bielski, Kunsch, Peterson and Green was first in the 200 yard freestyle relay, while the foursome of Aegerter, Haskins, Peterson and Green won the 400 yard freestyle relay. Our times continued to get faster as the meet went on, Luke Lengfeld said. On deck: Middleton is at Madison West Friday at 5:30 p.m., then holds its Alumni Meet Saturday at 4 p.m. The Cardinals are then off
until Jan. 4, when they head to the Marquette Invite. The lasttwo weeks tookits toll on the guys with having five meets, Luke Lengfeld said. But its good to get the heavy meet section of our schedule out of the way.
Middletons wrestling team finished in 11th place at the 16-team Tomah Scramble last Saturday. Sean Benedict (8-1) was the star of the day for Middleton, finishing first in the heavyweight division. Benedict pinned Maustons Alex Nelson in 48 seconds, then pinned Royalls Landon Robertson in 4:32. Benedict followed that by pinning Tomahs Ryan Sutherland in 4:31 and defeating Caledonias Blake Mauss, 53. Finally, Benedict pinned Baraboos Jeremy Bowers in 1:43 to cap his perfect day. Nathan Dresen finished second at 160. Dresen pinned Harley Springborn of Viroqua in 1:52, then pinned Westbys Brock Leum in 3:43. Dresen defeated Caledonias Mitchell Schmitz, 8-4, lost to Lancasters
Trenton Cornell, 15-4, and pinned Tomahs Ben Linzmeier in 3:42. Middletons Lon Yeary (220) and Taggart Haase (182) were both fifth. Yeary received a bye, then dropped a 5-0 decision to Nick Rueth of Neillsville. Yeary then bounced back to pin Maustons Jimmy Seeley in 2:21, pinned Cashtons Brandon Klimek in 48 seconds and pinned Reedsburgs Noah Bauer in 1:56. Haase received a bye, then lost to Caledonias Alex Goergen, 7-0. Haase pinned Lodis Zack Steuck in 3:32, defeated Othayun Smith of Neillsville, 10-2,nd pinned Baraboos Ben Goodreau in 2:17. Terrence Self also placed seventh at 120 pounds, while Justin Swiersz (132) and Marino Alcorta (132) were both eighth. Chris Rogers finished first in the B Division at 126 pounds. Colton Best was third at 106B and Caleb Cymbalak was fifth at 195B.
PARKER RELAYS TEAM SCORES Middleton 149, Madison West 136, Janesville Craig 90, Beloit Memorial 83, Kenosha Tremper 79, Racine Case 71, Janesville Parker 71, Madison East 67, Hononegah 65. RELAY RESULTS 200 freestyle1. West, 1:35.63; 2. Craig, 1:37.75; 3. Middleton, 1:38.9. 400 medley1. Middleton, 3:49.94; 2. West, 3:55.84; 3. Hononegah, 4:01.61. 800 freestyle1. Middleton, 7:41.88; 2. West, 8:02.92; 3. Beloit Memorial, 8:22.45. 400 individual medley1. Tremper, 3:56.96; West, 3:58.77; 3. Middleton, 4:00.95. 300 backstroke1. Middleton, 2:48.09; 2. West, 2:49.66; 3. Craig, 2:56.84. 500 crescendo1. Middleton, 4:29.17; 2. West, 4:40.38; 3. Beloit Memorial, 4:50.92. 300 breaststroke1. Middleton, 3:14.11; 2. West, 3:14.53; 3. Bradford, 3:27.13. 400 freestyle1. West, 3:29.32; 2. Middleton, 3:31.74; 3. Parker, 3:39.16. 200 medley1. Middleton, 1:46.1; 2. West, 1L49.89; 3. Craig, 1:51.27. 300 butterfly 1. Middleton, 2:43.47; 2. West, 2:41.84; 3. Hononegah, 2:52.26.
Middleton picked for 4th in league

PAGE 18
IG
IGHT
ONFERENCE
IRLS
ASKETBALL
REVIEW
Editors Note: The following preview appeared on wissports.net.
Janesville Parker finished with a 17-1 record in the Big Eight to win the title. Verona took second with a 16-2 mark, Madison La Follette went 15-3, while Middleton also finished over .500 in conference play with a 12-6 record. In the playoffs, though, Sun Prairie was the last team standing. The Cardinals finished one win from the state tournament, falling to Mukwonago 53-38 in a Division 1 Sectional final. Janesville Parker also reached sectionals before losing to Mukwonago 44-30. Jenna Conom, Sr., Sun Prairie: Conom finished second on the team in scoring with 8.2 points per contest and received honorable-mention all-conference recognition as a junior. Amelia Grahn, Sr., Madison La Follette: Grahn averaged 15.7 points per game and was named second-team all-conference as a junior. Alison Hughes, Jr., Janesville Craig: As a sophomore, Hughes scored 10 points per contest and earned third-team all-conference honors. Alysha Justice, Sr., Madison East: Justice earned second-team allconference after averaging 18.3 points per contest last season. McCulloch, Jr., Morgan Janesville Parker: McCulloch was chosen as an honorable-mention allleague performer after averaging eight points per game as a sophomore. Liz McMahon, Sr., Middleton: McMahon averaged 16.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.9 steals per game on her way to receiving first-team allconference recognition. Ebony Nettles-Bey, Jr., Verona: Nettles-Bey transferred from Madison West where she averaged 16.6 points per game and received first-team allconference recognition. She is committed to UW-Milwaukee. Nicole Newman, Sr., Madison La Follette: Newman was named First Team All-Conference and Honorable Mention Division 1 WBCA All-State as a junior after averaging 18.1 points and 11.6 rebounds for the Lancers. She signed with Drake to play softball. Lexy Richardson, Sr., Verona: Richardson was second on the team in scoring with nine points per game and was named second-team all-conference as a junior. Paige Smith, Jr., Janesville Parker: Smith will move into a larger role for the Vikings this season after averaging 7.4 points per game as a sophomore. The Lancers return 10 letterwinners, including four starters from last years team that finished third in the conference. Seniors Nicole Newman and Amelia Grahn highlight the list of returners for the Lancers. Newman will miss at least the first month of the season after undergoing an unspecified surgery over the summer. The health of Newman will be the Lancers biggest question. Coach Liz Hrodey told WSN that they will look to their veteran players for leadership. We will need our younger players to step into roles this year, Hrodey said.
2012-13 Recap
Predicted Order of Finish

1) Madison La Follette 2) Janesville Parker 3) Verona 4) Middleton 5) Sun Prairie 6) Janesville Craig 7) Beloit Memorial 8) Madison Memorial 9) Madison West 10) Madison East
Look for Merissa Barber-Smith (64, Jr.) and sister Marcista (6-2, So.) to provide an inside presence while Newman is out. The Vikings won the conference title last season and should contend for the top spot again. Parker will need to replace their top two scorers from last years team in Ashley Hartwig and Dani Fugate, who combined to average 27 points per contest. Veteran coach Tom Klawitter, who owns a 536-108 career record and has guided the Vikings to three state titles, returns a very talented junior class. Klawitter told WSN that they will shoot the ball fairly decent, but a lack of height and depth are weaknesses. Morgan McCulloch finished third on the team in scoring with eight points per game but will most likely be out the early part of the season as she recovers from a torn ACL. Fellow juniors Paige Smith (7.4 ppg), Kathryn Dubanowich (5.9 ppg), and Jessica Thompson (4.8 ppg) will all take on larger roles for the Vikings this season. The Wildcats finished in second place last season with a 16-2 mark and should be in the mix for the title this season. The Wildcats return all-conference players in seniors Lexy Richardson (second-team) and Jenny La Croix (HM). Verona also added transfer Ebony Nettles-Bey who was named first-team all-conference as a sophomore. Verona will need to replace three players that averaged over 6 points per game, including Shannon Kant (6-1) who led the team in scoring last season. The Wildcats have won at least 10 conference games in each of the past seven seasons. The Cardinals went 12-6 in the conference last season and should remain competitive with the return of leading scorer Liz McMahon. Veteran coach Jeff Kind returns five other players that played significant minutes as part-time starters and regulars in their rotation last season. That list includes Anna Bunyan (6-0, Sr.) who was Middletons second leading rebounder, and Cole Jordee (6-0, Jr.) who contributed eight points per contest last season. Weve added several good athletes so we should have depth to continue an up-tempo game, noted Kind. Middleton is 338-160 during Kinds 21 years at Middleton, including eight trips to the state tournament. The Cardinals had an outstanding postseason run last season, reaching a Division 1 sectional final before falling to state runner-up Mukwonago. The Cardinals return four starters from last years team, but graduated McKayla Yentz who led them in scor-
Players to Watch
2) Janesville Parker
3) Verona
4) Middleton
1. Madison La Follette
Team Previews
ing and rebounding, and was also named the Big Eight Player of the Year. Coach John Olson told WSN that the Cardinals strengths will be young players who gained some valuable minutes last season. Weaknesses will be youth and size, along with a lack of depth at some key positions due to preseason injuries and transfers, Olson added. The Cardinals top returner is Jenna Conom who averaged eight points per contest as a junior. Other returning starters include Kestra Peterson (Sr., 5.3 ppg), Bailey Huser (Jr., 5 ppg), and April Hommerding (Jr., 2.6 ppg). Sun Prairie will need the returning starters to move into larger scoring roles in order to compete this season.
Grace Douglas and Middletons girls basketball team were picked for fourth place in the Big Eight. roles with the graduation of three starters. Juniors Aleyha Slatter and Sydney Cramer should step in and be key players for the Cougars.
5) Sun Prairie
The Cougars finished with a 9-9 record in the conference last season and should be competitive again this year. Craig returns six letterwinners from their 2012-13 team, including starters Alison Hughes (Jr.) and Alli Calkins (Sr.). Coach Kerry Storbakken said athleticism, quickness, speed and shooting are the Cougars strengths, while size and youth are weaknesses. Craig will need players that were in reserve roles last season to step into larger
6) Janesville Craig
The Purple Knights should see some improvement this season after finishing with a 4-14 record in the conference last season. The Knights return their top four scorers from last season, including Kea Whittington, who earned third-team all-conference recognition after leading the team in scoring with 12 points per game. Other key players include Sherriah Anderson (Jr.), Daijah Evans (Sr.), and Michelle Ellis (Sr.), who all contributed more than six points per contest last season. Beloit Memorial is in search of its first winning season since 2003-04. The Spartans might have a difficult time improving on their 4-14 record in the Big Eight this season. The Spartans will need to replace three starters from last year, including Bridget Jost and Marissa Hoyer, who were the teams top two scorers in 2012-13. Memorial will have a new head coach this season as Marques Flowers
7) Beloit Memorial
replaces Patrick Jost. Flowers told WSN that defense, athleticism, and speed are strengths, while inexperience and leadership are weaknesses. With a new head coach and a new style of play we will have a steep learning curve, Flowers added. Claire Franken (Jr.) and Amelia Fass (Sr.) return as starters for the Spartans. Kaitlin Worman (Sr.) and Mariah Ortega-Flowers (Jr.) will step into larger roles for Memorial this season.
9) Madison West
8) Madison Memorial
The Purgolders went winless in the Big Eight last season and might struggle again this year. Easts top player, Alysha Justice, is recovering from a torn ACL and might not return until January.
10) Madison East
The Regents might struggle this season after going 4-14 in the conference last year. The Regents top player from last season, Ebony Nettles-Bey, transferred to Verona. West does welcome back Shaquita Lee, who earned honorable mention all-conference recognition after averaging 11 points per game as a sophomore. Shelton Kingcade is the Regents new head coach, replacing Stacy Williams.
Middleton rallied. But the Vikings outscored the Cardinals, 18-9, in overtime to prevail. I think the kids got over the hump tonight, Parker coach Ryan Masterson said. You know, they built a lead, lost it and then came back and won in overtime. I couldnt be prouder of the kids. Middleton pressed the Vikings the entire game. And afterwards, Bavery was questioning that decision. Parker has some very savvy guard play, Bavery said. They had the ability to split traps and get to the rim throughout the night. I love to run and press by nature, but I should have gotten us out of it. I think we wore down and didnt have the energy to trap and rotate in overtime. Middleton senior forward Chris Little suffered a broken foot late in the game. Bavery said hes hopeful Little can return late in the season. Chris has worked as hard as anyone in the program, not only heading in to his senior year, but since he arrived as a freshman, Bavery said. No one will feel sorry for us as its a part of the game. Middleton rebounded with a stellar defensive effort against Madison East. It was the type of performance the Cardinals will need moving forward if they hope to get back in the Big Eight Conference race. We went old school in our defensive approach, getting back and anchoring in the half court and packing it a bit, Bavery said.Offensively we focused on quicker ball reversal, reading our cuts better, and tightening up our corner actions. We were very physical on the boards. Middleton did suffer another loss when senior forward Demond Hill left with a knee injury in the first minute of the game. His status is still unknown. But the Cardinals responded with arguably their best game of the year. Rongstad scored 16 points and added six rebounds, while Oelerich had 15 points and six rebounds. Schafer had 12 points and seven boards, and junior center Ian Hokanson who recently returned from a knee injury scored eight points. Senior forward Derek Rogeberg had six points and five rebounds, freshman C.J. Fermanich had four points, four rebounds and a blocked shot, and junior Andrew Gardner also had four rebounds and went three-offour from the line. Ian was a physical presence inside and handled the ball well against pressure, Bavery said. Hes only going to get better as he catches up with his conditioning and his knee gets closer to 100%. Rongstad and Oelerich each had six first quarter points as Middleton took a 17-10 lead. That duo, along
n BOYS BB
Sports briefs
Soccer fundraiser
PAGE 19
A fundraising effort is underway to build a pavilion for the soccer stadium at Firefighters Park. The preliminary plans call for a concession stand, ticket window, restrooms and space to display the accomplishments of our distinguished boys and girls soccer programs. Preliminary drawings are done and our fundraising efforts are moving forward. The goal is to raise $250,000 by May of 2014. One way to help is by purchasing an Engraved Brick to be placed in the new pavilion at Firefighters Soccer Stadium. There are three sizes available at corresponding levels of donation. The first is an 4x8 inch brick that accommodates three lines of text with a maximum of 12 characters per line. That costs $125. The second size is an 8x8 inch brick that accommodates six lines with a maximum of 12 characters per line. That costs $250. The third size is a 16x16 inch brick that accommodates eight lines with a maximum of 24 characters per line. That costs $500. For all general questions, or to purchase an engraved paver (brick), contact Ken Burghy at (608) 576-3426 or kburghy@gmail.com.
The Middleton Dance Team will teach participants a routine to be performed at halftime of the boys varsity basketball game on Jan. 4. Kids will be divided into different age groups and each group will learn and perform a different routine. The older the kids are, the more difficult the routine. Kids will play games, get pizza and fruit, and receive a T-shirt to wear and take home. Parents will also receive two tickets for admission into the game. More detailed information will be e-mailed to registered parents prior to the clinic. Registration is due Dec. 20. The cost is $30 per child and checks can be made payable to the MHS Dance Team. Any questions can be emailed to mhsdanceteamcoach@gmail.com. Middleton received the Sportsmanship Award in girls team tennis for the 2013 Fall State Championships. That marks the first time the Cardinals have received the award in girls tennis and the fourth time the school and community have been honored overall. The Cardinals were also selected for the award in boys tennis in 2007 and 2009, as well as in boys volleyball in 2009. Middleton won its first girls state tennis title in school history by defeating Eau Claire Memorial, 5-2, in the Division 1 title at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison in October.
Dance routine
Good sports
with Schafer, combined for 14 points in the second quarter as the Cardinals stretched their lead to 38-27. Middleton eventually stretched its advantage to 62-39 with just more than three minutes left and cruised home. We got a little sloppy closing out the game, Bavery said. East continued to play until the final horn. Its a good learning experience about playing for all 32 minutes regardless of the score. On deck: Middleton was at DeForest Tuesday night, then heads to Madison West Friday at 7:30 p.m. It doesnt get any easier, Bavery said. West is very solid and may have the best overall personnel in the league with size, quickness, depth, and an elite scorer.
Dec. 14 Middleton 66, Madison East 54
Derek Rogeberg and Middletons boys basketball team are at Madison West Friday.
Dec. 12 Janesville Parker 79, Middleton 70 (OT) Middleton 15 9 13 24 9 70 Janesville Parker .... 16 21 11 13 18 79 MIDDLETON Hill 7, Hokanson 3, Schafer 11, Rogeberg 8, Oelerich19, Herl 2, Zillner 2, Little 6, Rongstad 12. Totals: 22 20-24 70. JANESVILLE PARKER Scott 29, Thompson 19, Treinen 7, Cu. Osmond 11, Shepler 4, Benway 6, Con. Osmond 3. Totals: 27 16-23 79. Three-point goalsMiddleton 6 (Hill, Hokanson, Schafer, Oelerich 2, Rongstad) Parker 9 (Scott, Thompson 4, Treinen, Benway 2, Con. Osmond). Total foulsMiddleton 22, Parker 22. Fouled out Hill, Schafer.
Madison East .. 10 17 7 20 54 Middleton .. 17 21 12 16 66 MADISON EAST Branch 2, Burks 10, Deang 22, Irbe 4, Lackey 2, Millon 2, Seymour 12. Totals: 20 9-17 54. MIDDLETON Fermanich 4, Gardner 3, Hokanson 8, Joers 2, Oelerich 15, Rogeberg 6, Rongstad 16, Schafer 12. Totals: 22 20-36 66. Three-point goals: Middleton 2 (Hokanson, Rongstad); ME 5 (Burks 23, Deang 2, Seymour). Total fouls ME 23, Mi 18.
PAGE 20
Former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler (left) and Middleton Times-Tribune sports editor Rob Reischel (right) have co-authored a new book titled Packers Pride. The two will have a book signing at The University Book Store at Hilldale Mall Saturday from 1-3 p.m. Butler played for the Packers from 1990-2001, was named to four Pro Bowls, and was also named to the NFLs 1990s All-Decade Team. Butler helped the Packers win the 1996 Super Bowl and is the inventor of the Lambeau Leap. Reischel has won 12 awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. This is the sixth book hes authored. If anyone would like a signed copy of the book and cant attend the signing, send an email to robreischel@gmail.com.
Book signing
the pace to our liking, but we havent gotten everyone on the same page defensively yet neither in the half court nor the press. As a result were giving up more easy baskets than Id like to see. Still, Kind believes his team is making immense strides. And he hopes thats evident when the Cardinals meet Verona in an early-season showdown. I dont think were far away, but we have to improve, Kind said. Were getting scoring from a number of sources and are more consistent three-point shooters than we have been in awhile. That helps open it up for our posts and our drivers a little. We got a nice first varsity game from Bria Lemirande against East, Darby Raffel and Elizabeth Norregaard have been shooting well from the outside, Grace Douglas has been getting to the rim and Liz is starting to score a little more. Were getting good minutes from our post
n GIRLS BB
rotation. We just have to tie everything together in order to be a good team.

Dec. 13 Middleton 55, Madison West 41 Middleton ... 18 14 9 14 55 Madison West ... 17 6 12 6 41 MIDDLETON Bunyan 3, Douglas 12, Jordee 10, Lemirande 3, McMahon 12, Norregard 6, Raffel 9. Totals 20 9-23 55. MADISON WEST Alt 2, Bradfield 6, Lee 6, McGilligan 1, Minerath 8, Monette 5, Morris 13. Totals 18 4-12 41. Three-point goals M 6 (Raffel 3, Norregard, Douglas, Lemirande); MW 1 (Morris). Total fouls MW 16, M 18.
Dec. 7 Middleton 71, Madison East 40 Madison East .... 7 14 6 13 40 Middleton . 23 22 13 13 71 MIDDLETON Blair 6, Bunyan 2, Douglas 5, Jordee 6, Lemirande 14, McMahon 13, Meinholz 1, Norregard 14, Raffel 10. Totals 25 11-19 71. MADISON EAST James 10, Kruser 2, Larson 6, Ottelien 2, Rice 2, Robinson 4, White 14. Totals 14 12-19 40. Three-point goals M 9 (Norregard 4, Raffel 2, Blair 2, Douglas, Lemirande); ME 0. Total fouls ME 16, M 19.
Winter Driving In Wisconsin Plan your travels and check the latest weather reports to avoid a winter storm. You can find out the latest road conditions by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Transportation travel information website at www.511wi.gov
County snow-belt from Gurney to Hurley. The extremes are 31.9 inches in Beloit, Rock County to 167.5 inches in Hurley, Iron County, for the period of 1981-2010.
WINTER
PAGE 21
nicipal water and sewage systems or private wells and septic tanks depends on city planning. In recent years, county officials have made strong efforts to prevent developers from using septic tanks and private wells. They make the case these systems give way to sprawl, being free from the limitations of municipal infrastructure. This makes developers less likely to pursue in-fill or rebuilding which are both greener than new development - as it is often more costly. There are also concerns that septic tanks leak hazardous materials and chemicals into the watershed, in this case the nationally-renowned Black Earth Creek watershed. I feel it is shortsighted, Herb Garn, Middleton resident and professional hydrologist, said to the plan commission. Especially since concerns are not resolved about septic systems having a limited life expectancy, usually around 20 to 30 years, and knowing that about 75 percent of the soils in the development area are classified as having very limited suitability for septic adsorption fields. Garn also says he is puzzled the developer is planning to use septic and private wells when city water infrastructure already lies nearby. I fail to understand the need to approve the concept plan and subdivision ordinance since it allows private wells within city limits when public sewer and water could be available, Garn stated. City sewer and water presently extend to the golf course club house and West along US 14 to Pinehurst Drive. Mayor Kurt Sonnentag acknowledged Garns statements were accurate. From a city standpoint, if you are going to annex and develop property for the public good it should be on sewer and water, said Tim Roehl, a Town of Middleton supervisor. That is the whole purpose for annexing
COMMISSION
or by calling 511. It is also important to check and winterize your vehicles before the winter season begins. Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. Make sure your cars battery is in good shape cold temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of a battery by 50 percent. If expecting adverse weather during your trip, tell someone at both ends of your journey where you are going and the route you intend to take. Report lands and putting it within the city. The land on which Pleasant View Ridge would sit was located in the Town of Middleton until earlier this year, when the City of Middleton and the property owner agreed to annex it out of the town. Roehl suggested the ordinance would allow the city to approve Pleasant View Ridge and future subdivisions using septic and well. He noted this is not the norm in surrounding communities or the state. If the City of Middleton is going to move forward with conservation neighborhoods and doesnt adhere to the same standards that Town of Mid-
your safe arrival. Make certain that both parties have your cell phone number and license plate number before you start your trip. Here are some driving tips. Be gentle with both the accelerator and brake. Dont use cruise control in wintery conditions. Dont be overconfident in your four-wheel drive vehicle. You may get going quicker than others but you cant stop faster. Four-wheel drive vehicles can lose traction as quickly as two wheel drive. dleton neighborhoods do and Dane County standards ... because you have home rule and you will create this new ordinance, Roehl urged the commission, then I would think that surrounding municipalities that are a part of that same watershed might be hindered in some way shape or form. Larry Landwehr, Middleton resident, brought studies to the board that looked at infectious disease and viruses related to septic tanks and private wells. Acknowledging some conflicting viewpoints on whether these studies applied to Pleasant View Ridge, Landwehr suggested there needs to be more research and more experts
Carry a winter storm survival kit in the back seat of your vehicle (in case your trunk jams or is frozen shut) that includes: Blankets or sleeping bags Extra hats, socks and mittens Flashlight with extra batteries First-aid kit Shovel, booster cables and windshield scraper Water and high-calorie non-perishable food (raisins, candy bars, energy/protein bars) brought in. Jane Grabowski-Miller spoke on behalf of the developer Erdman Holdings, Inc. She said the company supports the ordinance. This is especially important for land located in an urban edge condition, Jane Grabowski-Miller said. It provides the city a tool for land development that is in a transition area between urban and rural. Erdman has not offered any comment on whether they would be willing to use municipal water and sewer.
Sand or cat litter to use for traction Cell phone adapter In the last five years, Wisconsin has averaged 50,000 motor vehicle crashes during the winter months when roads are covered with ice, snow or slush. On average, 45 people are killed and more than 5,000 injured in Wisconsin each winter season in accidents when roads are covered in ice, snow and slush. Many crashes are caused by driving too fast for current conditions. The public comments appeared to strain the minds of the commissioners. They voted to defer a decision until next months meeting. The commission did, however, decide to make a recommendation to the city council that they hire a private consultant for further investigation. The consultant would provide a range of services addressing the publics concerns, they said. The consultants costs should be covered by the developer, they added. continued from page 1
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S U B S C R I B E T O D AY !
NOTICES CHILD CARE VEHICLES
FOR SALE
REAL ESTATE
RENTALS HELP WANTED
SERVICES RENTALS
FOR SALE
REAL ESTATE
PAGE 23
When the going gets tough... the tough
ADVERTISE
PAGE 24
Advertising + Selling = CASH IN YOUR POCKET


Springfield Digesters On Schedule: Wexler To Leave Common Council

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Springfield Digesters On Schedule: Wexler To Leave Common Council

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Wexler Springfield digesters on schedule to leave common council

VOL. 121, NO. 51 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

SINGLE COPY PRICE: $1.25

Times-Tribune photo by Matt Geiger

Citizens again voice development concerns

Its all downhill from here...

Times-Tribune photo by Matt Geiger

Charity director looks back at rst 9 months. Page 4

Cardinal girls roll. Page 15

Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Entertainment . . . . . . . . 14

Inside this issue:

See COMMISSION, page 21

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Local political group helped with Sandy Hook remembrance

Middleton golf course is a skiing hotspot

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

continued from page 1

Times-Tribune photo by Matt Geiger

MOM director: Now is a time for reflection

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Paul Carl Christianson

Be careful on local lake ice

continued from page 2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

continued from page 1

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

continued from page 6

Times-Tribune photo by Matt Geiger

In just two years, Boyett made real impact

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Bird named Boyetts replacement

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Goodwill towards men

Walkers brazen disregard for public health

peace and goodwill towards men? So here it is!

by Matt Geiger, Editor

Best wishes from ald. Jim Wexler

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

How to survive a Wisconsin winter

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

MCO returns with special Monday show

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Orchestra continues to thrive in fourth year

An artist with great promise

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Cardinals now face Verona in league showdown

Middleton surges to top of Big 8

e just have to tie everything together in order to be a good team.

Jeff Kind Middleton coach

Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

Boys basketball team splits a pair

Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

Hockey Cards tie Janesville

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Swimmers keep rolling

Jacob Aegerter a n d Middleton s boys swimming t e a m enjoyed a terrific week.

TimesTribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

Wrestlers 11th at Tomah Scramble

Middleton picked for 4th in league

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013