MTT 8mg Final

VOL. 122, NO.
People, pets saved after a fire breaks out at local apartment

Six people rescued by the Middleton Fire Department after a Sunday blaze started on a stove and spread; Firefighters also had to put out a second fire, this time on Jonquil Court early Wednesday morning
by MATT GEIGER
Should inactive mining sites have to get a conditional use permit to operate again? The county executive thinks so, but towns are divided on the issue...
by MATT GEIGER
Times-Tribune
Town of Middleton opposes increased mining oversight
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014
SINGLE COPY PRICE: $1.25
www.MiddletonTimes.com
Imagine a long-slumbering mine, located on the edge of a residential neighborhood or nature conservancy, roaring to life one day without any review or recourse for those affected by
the operations noise, dust and traffic. That could happen in dozens of sites across Dane County, according to proponents of a zoning law change that would require dormant mines to obtain a permit before re-opening. The county is on the verge of approving an ordinance amendment that would bolster control over local mining sites. According to a county planning document, those mines are essentially unregulated right now. But the fate of the amendment, which has broad support from both the county board and county executive Joe Parisi, will ultimately be up to local towns, which have the power to decide See MINING, page 17
The City of Middleton has been the site of two serious fires in less than a week. The first, an apartment fire, broke out at 1234 Sweeney Drive in the City of Middleton early Sunday, causing local firefighters to rescue six people, seven cats and two dogs. Four of the humans were rescued from balconies, while the other two were removed from inside the burning apartment building. One firefighter was sent to the hospital for precautionary measures after being bitten by a cat. Some families were displaced by the blaze, and a team of Red Cross volunteer disaster responders met with them following the fire. Red Cross spoke to a family memSee FIRE, page 8
Times-Tribune
Debate over Harris, MEA union continues

by CAMERON BREN
Times-Tribune
Friday was Valentines Day, which meant stores selling chocolates or flowers were packed. Chocolaterie Stam, located on Deming Way in Greenway Station, sold both, helping keep countless Middletonians relationships happy. Pictured above, chocolate concierge Kathleen Dzimek prepares a special collection of sweets for customers.
Thats sweet
Times-Tribune photo by Matt Geiger
Three guest artists to share the MCO stage
Pioneer development slowly inches forward

by KEVIN MURPHY
Times-Tribune
More than a dozen parents and residents expressed concerns regarding Kromrey science teacher Andrew Harris reinstatement and the state of negotiations between the district and its teachers at the latest Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District board meeting. Harris was fired four years ago after
the district learned he had received and opened nude pictures and inappropriate jokes on his school email account. The incident sparked a broader investigation into the use of teacher email accounts, and the district found Harris was not alone: in the end, more than 40 teachers were subject to disciplinary or non-disciplinary measures. The most severe punitive action taken against any of the other teachers See SCHOOLBOARD, page 18
Photo contributed
The Middleton Community Orchestra's Winter Concert will take place Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Middleton Performing Arts Center, 2100 Bristol St. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door and at Willy St. Co-op West. Students may attend for free and can get tickets at the door on the night of the show. The concert will feature three guest artists: guest conductor Kevin McMahon, violinist Eleanor Bartsch and violist Danny Kim, pictured above. The program includes Mozart: Sinfonia concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol, and Brahms: Symphony No. 2.
Famers co-op is 85 and still going strong. Page 2
Local:
Glacier Creek Honor Roll students named. Page 5
School:
The Middleton Town Board Monday ordered the drafting of projected costs and revenues to develop 15 acres of open space south of town hall it calls Pioneer Lands. Board supervisor Bill Kolar said the financial information is the last piece of the puzzle, before putting the land sale question before town residents mostly likely at the April 8 annual meeting. The board asked town engineer Rod Zubella to complete the development pro forma by the March 3 board meeting so it would meet the advance notice
requirements to hold the election at the annual meeting. Development plans include 10 residential lots located along a cul-de-sac that would be an extension of Lewis Road north from Sauk Prairie Estates. Also, construction of an 80-stall parking lot, a 130-by-40-foot salt/equipment storage shed, and two lots, usage to be designated later; all which would be accessed from Pioneer Rd. The board first reviewed a recommendation from the park commission that opposed residential development on Pioneer Lands. Instead, at its Feb. 10 meeting the commission only supported constructing the parking lot and
MHS swimmers aim high. Page 9
Sports:
Entertainment . . . . . . . . . 6 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Classieds . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Inside this issue:
See PIONEER, page 4
Local co-op still thriving after 85 years

PAGE 2 MIDDLETON TIMES-TRIBUNE
B USINESS
by CAMERON BREN
Times-Tribune
In 1928 a group of farmers got together to establish the Middleton Farmers Co-op. Today, 85 years later, the operation is going strong while the number of cooperatives throughout the state dwindles. Around the time the Middleton Farmers Co-op was established, this type of business model was catching on in the state. Having a vested interest in a supplier appealed to the farming communities of Wisconsin. Co-op is a little different business philosophy, says David Rischmueller, who has been the general manger at the Middleton Farmers Co-op for over 20 years. Whatever money the company makes at the end of the year, that money goes back to the patrons in the form of a patronage. The more a member purchases from a co-op the more return they will see in their patronage. The specific calculation varies among individual co-ops, but the general mission is to share profits with member-customers. We dont take that money and put it in the bank. Rischmueller goes on, We take that and turn around and refund patrons based on their purchases. In the case of the Middleton Farmers Co-op, In the last while we have been [at] a three to five percent rebate. Joining a co-op may not seem like a CHURCH NOTES
Middleton Farmers Co-op is one of the most diverse businesses in Middleton. It offers everything from light bulbs to chicken feed thats mixed on site. way to get a quick rebate on ones purchases; its not meant to be. The terms may vary here also, but typically a member will receive their patronage payout annually. The payout however is not all in cash. The member will get a large percentage of the payout in patron equity. We pay 40 percent back in cash, Rischmueller explains, and the other 60 percent is in your name as patron equity. A member can get the equity in a couple different ways. Either in the form of an estate payment, if an individual passes away, or right now we are 11 years back in regards to paying that out. To see the full benefits of joining a co-op one must make more of a long term commitment. This is great for people who reside in a community for great lengths of their lives and want future security to come from establishments they helped sustain. A co-op also differs from other business in respect to management. The board of directors are elected by the patrons. I have a board of directors of five farmers, Rischmueller details, I meet with them on a monthly basis and we review the financials, we talk about purchases of assets and retirement of equity. The board members are all patrons and not employees so to avoid any conflict of interest. They basically set policy on where they see the co-op going; the vision that they have in regards to: What should we build next? What should we do next? Or what should we do differently? Rischmueller elaborates, They ultimately set policy, then it is up us the employees to act on that direction. Despite, or perhaps because of, the democratic nature and community oriented business model of the co-op, the last couple decades have seen fewer and fewer across the state. While there may seem to be a recent resurgence of the co-op model, overall the numbers have drastically decreased. Twenty years ago there were approximately 300 [farmer] co-ops in the state of Wisconsin, the general manager rues, by the end of this year between mergers and consolidating they anticipate that we may be down to about 50 co-ops. Other local farmers co-ops havent necessarily gone out of business, but rather have been absorbed by other larger co-ops. Through mergers and consolidations now you are looking at the mega co-ops. Rischmueller informs this has been the case with other nearby farmer co-ops, Premier, United, and Landmark Co-op are the three large co-ops in our area. How has Middleton Farmers Co-op remained independent? Development in Middleton has completely changed the scene since the co-ops first days in 1928. Rischmueller recalls, We were in down town Middleton on railroad property... right around 83 the city obtained all that land and we had to relocate. The business now sits on the edge of the city on Pleasant View Road. The foreman contends, while he loses farmers he hopes to gain residential costumers, It is kind of a double edged sword... Our true business cli-
Leo Ripp, above, has worked at the Middleton Farmers Co-op since he was a teenager. mate is farmer patrons, well you know what our trade territory is like... At the same time then we have a bigger consumer base to draw off of. Another factor that can help keep any business thriving is what
Times-Tribune photos by Matt Geiger
Rischmueller describes as Some true loyalty in our costumer base. They believe in what we are doing... and in the end we are patron owned. The people that have equity in this company are basically who own this company.
Increasing number of MHS grads head to UW-Madison

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 MIDDLETON TIMES-TRIBUNE PAGE 3
by KATHERINE PERRETH
Times-Tribune
Yale. Harvard. UW-Madison. The Middleton High School (MHS) graduating class of 2013 has students furthering their learning at each of these venerable institutions. Although, in the case of the first two, only one student each, while in the latter, many more. According to MHS school counselor Jessica Pellegrino, the trend for more Middleton graduates to attend UWMadison has been on the rise. Yet, word on the street continues to be that its nearly impossible to get in. Yes, [UW-Madison] is competitive, but the idea that you need a 3.9 [GPA] or higher and a 30-plus ACT is the new UW myth, Pellegrino stated. Thats not reality. The reality is that more students with 3.6 and 3.7 GPAs are being admitted directly rather than being waitlisted, she said. According to Naviance, a national software provider that compiles collegial statistics for partnering high schools, the UW-Madison average for admissions is 3.6 GPA and 28 ACT. Since 2007, MHS counselors have been tracking student college applications, acceptance, and actual attendance. The statistics show a gradual increase in all three for UW-Madison, but the attendance numbers arent entirely accurate, Pellegrino said. Our numbers are self-reported, Pellegrino explained. Students are not required to inform MHS of their posthigh school plans or if those plans change. In fact, some waitlisted students dont find out until after graduation whether or not they will be admitted to UW-Madison. Even without hard numbers, Pellegrino is confident that those admissions have increased, she said. Pellegrino attributes the rise to various factors, but in her opinion the most significant is the lack of class ranking. In 2007 MHS discontinued the practice of publishing that figure. Noting that competition is strong at MHS, Pellegrino said, One A minus bumped students out of the top 10 percent [of their class]. UW-Madisons admissions profile reveals class rank as 85th-96th percentile, she said. What weve seen is that once we dropped ranking, more of our students got in, she stated. Pellegrino concedes UW-Madison may argue with that, but she has heard the same has happened with other Wisconsin high schools, and
UW-Madison is a phenomenal school, MHS school counselor Jessica Pellegrino says. Its here in our backyard, theres a plethora of opportunity, and its more affordable. that more schools are dispensing with ranking, she said. Along with Madison high schools Memorial and West, Middleton is one of the top feeder schools for UWMadison, she said. Pellegrino suggests that another reason for the increase in admissions could be leniency caused by the historical success of our students. Pellegrino related that during junior year college counseling conferences, held in annually in the spring, parents are often surprised to learn the reality of UW-Madison admissions. Pellegrino uses those opportunities to disseminate information and dispel the myth. A general perception is that a 3.6 would never get into Madison, she said. Decades ago, it used to be, everybody can get in, and the pendulum has swung now to nobody gets in. Pellegrino credits the MHS English department with preparing students specifically for UW-Madison admission. In some classes, the UW application statement prompt is used as part of a class assignment, she said. However, students are allowed to substitute other college application prompts if they wish. How cool is that? Pellegrino said. You leave class with a polished essay. Pellegrino joins one class each semester to explain actual UW-Madison admission numbers. Middleton averages 3.8 [GPA] and a 29 ACT, she said, but weve got kids with lower GPAs and lower ACTs that got in, even directly. According to Pellegrino, even students below a 3.6 GPA and a 26 ACT could be between a waitlist and direct admit depending on the difficulty of classes taken at MHS. Ive got to give UW-Madison credit, Pellegrino noted. With 4050,000 applications, they do look at the classes each student has taken. Pellegrino explained that the level of rigor is taken into account, such as AP and honor courses, as well as the number of years in core classes. UW-Madison has been very clear for a long time that the fourth year of math has to happen, she said. And AP Stats is not considered math (at UW), even though select schools, such as Harvard and Yale recognize it as such. The reason, she said, is that the UW has a separate statistics department, not under the umbrella of mathematics. In addition to taking difficult core classes, extracurricular activities are important, Pellegrino said. Leadership roles and involvement are taken into account, but the number of activities shouldnt be the focus. What we have heard is not many, but consistent, she said. Quality over quantity. Consistency of commitment is key, whether in music, theatre, sports or clubs, she said. And paid work counts, too. For some kids, committing to working outside of school has to happen, she noted.
Times-Tribune photos by Katherine Perreth
Pellegrino stresses that senior year matters. What weve heard from every school is that its your year before college that counts, time to step up and say, Ive got to be ready for the following year. Taking rigorous courses senior year leads to higher retention and typically translates into stronger general education the next year, she said. But Pellegrino knows senior year is for fun, too. If a student wants to take a photography course, or senior release, do it, but make sure the rest of the schedule looks pretty rigorous. MHS counseling staff always encourages students to apply early, she said. The rolling admissions process is currently underway, and November 1 is the first deadline for early application to UW-Madison. Most of those students will know by the end of January, and some well before Winter Break, she said. The next deadline is February 1, with April notification. Any waitlisted students for either deadline will begin to hear in late spring and early summer, she said. After students have heard theyve been admitted to Madison, Pellegrino said she has the privilege of contributing to a lot of hard discussions in her office. Money is a frequently broached topic, Pellegrino said, as parents and students weigh value, pros/cons, and hidden costs students may not have on their radar screens, such as travel. One year at Notre Dame is $62,000. La Crosse costs that in total. Chapel Hill is tough to get into, with 80 percent by law coming from instate [North Carolina] and $40,000 per year, Pellegrino said. Thats two years at Madison. For those students pursuing higher education, not all opt for a four-year university. Pellegrino cited Madison College as an economical route to higher education, for students not ready to commit to a four-year experience, as well as for those who wish to take advantage of the Madison College/UW-Madison transfer program. Yet, Pellegrino stated the majority of Middleton grads consistently attend either UW system schools or Minnesota. Shes bullish on UW-Madison. UW-Madison is a phenomenal school, Pellegrino concluded. Its here in our backyard, theres a plethora of opportunity, and its more affordable.
Food or money: Which does pantry need most?

PAGE 4 MIDDLETON TIMES-TRIBUNE
by AL RIPP
I overheard a group of engaged local community members recently, discussing how to best help MOMs Food Pantry. Its an amazing thing to Ripp see the goodness of people, trying to determine how to make a real difference in a neighbors life. With so many different messages on what a Food Pantry needs most, it might be helpful to take a step back and explain some basic MOM food pantry operations. Staffed almost 100 percent by dedicated volunteers, people are working in the Food Pantry nearly every day of the week, during open hours as well as off. Trucks are unloaded, donations are sorted, and inventory is kept. Orders are made to non-profit food providers such as Second Harvest Food Bank and Community Action Coalition, whose trucks come to the Food Pantry several days a week. In their trucks is fresh produce that couldnt be sold at a store, as well as pallets of essential items and extras (think delicious Kettle Chips or frozen pizzas). Donations are accepted. Volunteers clean, maintain records, enter data, and make copies, in addition to helping Food Pantry guests make food selections. Food is weighed before it goes out the door and to the home of someone who struggles with hunger. Food Rescue volunteers travel nearly daily to area grocery stores who generously donate nearly expiring but still good food or excess that they want to go to a good home. These regular operations are the heart of MOMs food programs, but
Middleton Outreach Ministry
storage shed, and leaving the remainder of the tract for future town needs Park commission chair Mary Hoferle, said the construction costs could be funded by the future sale of the Eastwood property which is located along Elderberry at Schewe roads. On Monday, town chair Milo Breunig said the Eastwood property
PIONEER
several additional programs offer more help and opportunities. During the summer, volunteers coordinate and operate the Food Pantry Gardens which not only provides the freshest of produce for the Pantry shelves, but also teach volunteers and clients alike how to grow and care for a variety of fresh produce like tomatoes, squash, peppers and peas. Mobile Food Pantries bring food to two apartment complexes in the area, where people who have challenges with mobility live. The MOM truck, filled with food, is a beacon of hope to those who otherwise lack options for staying food secure. Volunteers fill the truck three times a month and create a mini-food pantry on location, helping guests choose food, and even bringing it up to their apartments as needed. During a single day, approximately 200 grocery bags of food head out the door to food insecure people living on nearby streets in your community. 43 percent of the people who eat this food are children. MOM has seen an increase in use of services, distributing more than 800,000 pounds (or 400 tons) of food in 2013, enough to fill 20 semi-trucks. This is up nearly 7 percent from 2012. So what kinds of donations to MOM most help meet the need? Should you donate food or make a financial donation? What actually helps the most? The answer is that both of those types of help are needed equally, and we couldnt operate the pantry most efficiently without one or the other. You may have heard from other area organizations that you can buy more with a financial donation than an individual can purchase directly from a store. It is true MOM pays a minimal service-fee per pound to purchase food from regionalized Food Banks (which isnt a food pantry itself, but instead a food distribution non-profit). Food Banks are tremendous resources to area Food Pantries, providing large
There is power in numbers...

How to start a food buyers club
Start a Food Buyers Club, a unique and highly-effective way to address hunger in our community. The concept is easily adapted for your group (such as book clubs, scout troops, church groups, & businesses) regardless of formality, size or dollar commitment. Here is how the model works: 1. 8-12 people agree to donate a standard amount per month. A per person donation of $25/month can quickly add up to a sizeable food donation, but smaller or larger amounts are also effective! 2. The funds are pooled and used to purchase items in highest demand for the MOM Food Pantry. An up-to-date most needed list is available at momhelps.org. Club leaders may also contact the MOM Food Pantry manager to determine what is in short supply but have a high demand. Perishable items such as butter, cheese, and yogurt are also among some of the most appreciated items. 3. Club leaders can work with local grocery stores to secure case prices on items and/or take advantage of sales. Purchasing items at low-cost grocery stores is also a good option. 4. Club Leaders can determine how best to gather funds from participants. Some groups may want to collect funds prior to shopping. For other groups, the Club leader could place the order or make the purchases and then inform club members of the exact amount they owe each month. 5. The Club leader delivers the items to the MOM pantry once/month. Those making the delivery can receive a tour of the Pantry, if interested. There are many ways this could be adapted to your group. For example, a group of families may rotate the monthly Club Leader so each family takes turn making the purchases with their children and making the delivery to the MOM Pantry. This model can work with any number of members and any monthly donation decided upon within the club. Join the Club! Learn more about the Pig Club of Gateway Church at momhelps.org. Together with Piggly Wiggly in Cross Plains, they have been successfully implementing this model since 2007! For more information on how you can get started, contact Cheri Farha, 826-3407, or cheri@momhelps.org. quantities of food that wouldnt often come as donations, such as pallets of bananas, potatoes, rice or cases of cereal and canned goods. Financial donations are needed to pay for Food Bank purchases and other bulk deals, and a dollar goes a very long way. Money is also needed to help pay a variety of operating cost including maintaining buildings and equipment that are required to run a food pantry along with minimal staff costs to oversee day to day operations. Then why do we need people to run food drives and bring us food? Purchased food only makes up about half of what we need to keep the shelves stocked. Items that we want to keep on our shelves to allow for an adequate and healthful selection of food are not
consistently available from Food Bank sources. Cereal, chips, and bananas go a long way, but nutritious staples such as peanut butter, canned fruit, and even flour and oil are also needed by people who fight hunger. Individual donations and food from Drives offer shoppers an amazing variety of foods, so that people can choose items that their family will enjoy and that their children will happily eat. How can your food donations go the farthest? MOM publishes a top ten list on our website that is updated monthly. It takes into account what we know we cant purchase from the Food Bank or otherwise hasnt come in from recent donations, as well as considering what is most popular with shoppers. Buying items off this list is a great way to make a huge impact. We also encourage people to start a Food Buyers Club where people go in together to purchase the items that are most needed and can be purchased in bulk and then delivered to the Food Pantry. So, does it really matter if you buy an extra jar of peanut butter and can of soup and drop it off at MOM or in a barrel at a local food drive? Absolutely! Every single can of vegetables or box of macaroni and cheese that comes through the door at MOM feeds someone. Without each can, each box, and each jar, a child has a little less to eat, or a senior feels a little less hopeful. One CAN make a difference. Whether its through buying an extra can of food at the grocery store this week, dropping your change in a Donation Jar or organizing a Canstruction Madison team, its a community effort that ends hunger. For more information on how you can get involved in a small or large way, join us at momhelps.org, or on social media on twitter, instagram, or facebook. Together, we CAN make a difference in this community! continued from page 1
should not sold piecemeal but as a whole and timed when interest matures on the 78-acre tract. The plan commission opposed at its Feb. 5 meeting any commercial use for the two lots fronting Pioneer Road. It advised the town board to get more information on costs to develop Pioneer Lands as proposed or just the parking
lot and storage shed. The board agreed it would no longer label the two lots for potential commercial use but instead as government or other use acceptable to Dane County and the city of Madison, per the agreement between the municipalities. The board heard from Joel Kurth on Monday, who cautioned against rushing the land sale election because he claimed too many residents are unaware of the project the board has been
discussing regularly for the past six months. Kurth also said the board should take a broader look at how to maximize its investment in Pioneer Lands beyond developing it. There is value in retaining the land for future town needs and that should be included in the calculation, he said. The town paid $1.5 million to purchase the 15-acre property in 2006. Greg Herrington told the board that
the wetlands delineated around Pioneer Lands should reflect the standing water he has observed in some places during April and May. Also, the back side of Fire Station #2, which is adjacent to Pioneer Lands, would need improving as it would be in view of houses built to the west, he said. Pioneer Lands has it backers on the town board. Although board supervisor Bill Kolar said it is up to the voters, he said there is no reason to hold the land for future park use as the town already has an abundance of park land. Breunig said the town currently has 2,900 square feet of open space for every town resident. Just to throw a park in there because we have room for it isnt proper planning, he said.
MIDDLETON TIMES-TRIBUNE
PAGE 5
Glacier Creek Middle School announces honors list

6th Grade Recognition Awards The sixth grade teachers at Glacier Creek Middle School use Standards Based Grading. The sixth grade recognition awards are determined by excellence in academics and/or excellence in habits of learning. The following students have demonstrated proficiency or advancement in all academic areas and/or proficiency or advancement with their habits of learning. An asterisk (*) denotes students who have demonstrated proficiency or advancement in both categories. Acker, Lauren R Ahuja, Aniket * Anagnostopoulos, Alexandra A Anderson, Julia G Baco, Laura I Bauerle, Megan J * Biwott, Ashley J Bodenstein, Cheyanne M Boehnen, Elizabeth M Bursac, Karina Butler, Graham D Carlson, Cian R Coffini, Alexander J * Davis, Ross I De Oliveira, Sophia C * Deptula, Cole M * Ehrhardt, Noah S * Fargen, Jacob D Folsom, Elizabeth M Fritz, Amber L Frusciante, Brian A Gattenby, Tanner J Gehrke Kallstromer, Alicia N Gehrke Kallstromer, Emelie S Gilles, Braedon D Graf, Katelyn C Grimm, Hunter E Hanson, Kaitlyn G Hellenbrand, Amanda L Hellenbrand, Jordan J Helt, Sydney L Hillebrand, Lexi M Hodson, Makenzie L * Hoferle, Peter J Hoffmann, Madelyn R Holland Jr., Stephen D Hovind, Alexander J Huber, Carson J Huff, Tyler W Hylbert, Julia L Isaacs, Sam G Jackson, Joelle N Jafari, Amirali * Jasinski, Micheline P Jens, Bryn E Johnson, Ashton S * Johnson, Brandon I Johnson, Paxton J Jones, Cecelia M Joslyn, Katherine M Kalscheur, Blake S Kjentvet, Jack C Knight, Kaitlin M Kriewaldt, Thomas M Kurth, Anna L Larsen, Samuel R Lawrence, Madelyn R LeRoy, Jackson T Lindblom, Cecilie V Livelli, Victoria M Maas, Katelyn M MacLean, Brad M Malcheski, Madelyn H Mallannagari, Sai Likhith R McGill, Megan C McLain, Natalie A Michaels, Allison L * Orza Param H Pao-Huang, Yao-Tian P Parthasarathy, Shruti Patterson, Katherine A Pertzborn-Jensen, David J Phaneuf, Ashlyn K Pientka, Jessica L Reed, Ashton E Reed, Payton M Revord, Nathaniel J Roach, Logan M Roesch, Amanda A Rogers, Ella R Rudolph, Samuel P Schlieckau, Roland J Schwartz, Megan J Siver, Megan A Sommers, Grace C Soni, Abhav * Srinivas, Anaka Steiner, Lauren E Steinmetz, Grace E Tanin, Sitori I * Teff, Drew M Thomas, Jada K Tischer, Ashleigh M Van Gilder, Hayden R Westerlund, Julian R Whritenour, Ryan M Wilson, Tyler G Wuebben, Jacob W Ystenes, Roman E 7th Grade Honor Roll * denotes 4.0 Aegerter, Hannah S * Albert, Ava H Allen, Andrew R * Ballweg, Allison R Barbian, Jennifer J Barrett, Alexis L * Bavishi, Sophia M Bender, Zakary J Bertz, Braeden N Bliss, Lydia S * Bogner, Alexandra L Bookstaff, Isaac R Boras, Jenna R Bote, Sophia M * Bruhn, Jamison W Burkard, Nathaniel J Byington, Taylor L Carr, Julia M Carrington, Dylan M * Casper, Ian T Chafe, Andrew S Chandler, Megan E Chrisler, Ashley M Datta, Meghna * DiMiceli, Sarah N Djamali, Sawm G * Drake, Lauren M Draves, Nicolas D * Ducke, Keegan N Dunn, Charlotte R * Engelien, Madeline F * Ernst, Hannah Y * Fagre, Benjamin A Faust, Colette E * Fermanich, Julia M Frinzi, Keller L * Garver, Cole A Gattenby, Tayla J * Gaxha, Gino L Gessler, Samuel R * Gold, Ryan D * Graham, Megan E Hanson, Jessica T Hellenbrand, Connor C Hinz, Emma M Hoferle, William J Holewinski, Cooper W * Hornung, Kelsey C Horst, Lauren N Houghton, Allison K * Hunt, James R Huntington, Madison L Jagoe, Abigail M Jensen, Lauren K Joswiak, Vincent H Kalsbeek, Colin N * Kalscheur, Tyler * Keebler, Anna M * Keebler, Emily S * Keenan, Kyra R * Keith, Moira R * Knoke, Elizabeth N Kostas, Georgios Kruchten, Shae-Lynn R Kuhn, Nina-Soleil C * Kurr, Veronica L LaBoda, Grace F * Laufenberg, Hannah E * Leach, Hannah K Leonard, Avery E Lepage, Matthew T Lewis, Caroline E Livelli, Olivia V Lund, Andrew F Mack, Cora R Maier, Eric M * Martin, Andrew J * Martin, Sophia L * May, Mallory M * McEllistrem, Aidan P * McIntyre, Jacob T McLain, Daniel W Meicher, Kevin F Metzger, Catherine K Neuser, Kyle R * Newman, Noah T * Olson, Paige E * Owens, Caitlynn R * Pansegrau, Elizabeth L Pierantozzi, Alexander J * Roenneburg, Owen L Rogers, Margaret F * Roll, Jon H Rough, Taylor R * Sabol, Karina R * Sanchez Guevara, Joanelle D Schlicht, Kyra A * Schollmeyer, Allison M Schwartz, David R * Sisk, Simon P Spahn, Courtney N Stewart, Erik R Stewart, Laura E * Sullivan, Sean P Thomley, Anna L * Thompson, Emma R Thompson, Jack A Tonnesen, Brittany A * Waldsmith, David O Wensing, Hannah K * Woldt, Samantha C Wood, Sarah K * Yang, Jason C * Zander, Victoria A * Zuengler, Hannah G * Czosek, Grace A Dahlk, Sarah K Dalrymple, Tucker J * De Oliveira, Nickolas C Delaney, Autumn M DeMartino, Sydney D * Djamali, Kian S * Draves, Michael L * Dresen, Jacob A Duecker, Emily A * Dunn, Haley R Essert, Holly K * Flad, Ashley L Friedle, Sydney M * Frusciante, James P * Fuerbringer, Amber L * Gali, Reshma Giroux, Mitchell B Goth, Jackson R Griffin, Lauren E Grosspietsch, Elizabeth A * Gundrum, Jordan R * Haberland-Ervin, Caroline L * Habhab, Dominic A Hartung, Galyn R Hartung, Grace F Helmuth, Jacob T Hippen, Caroline J * Hodson, Payton E * Holahan, Ashley M * Huang, Hao-Yu S * Huber, Rachel S * Hurd, Lauren C * Jones, John M Jonuzi, Gentiana B * Karls Niehaus, Aubrey L * Kaufman, Broderick A King, Samuel J * Kulie, Kathryn A Lamson, Owen M * Landucci, Leta M * Larson, Alyssa F Laufenberg, Emma C LeMonds, Raymond J * Lewis, Ryan D Matsumura, Claire A * McCue, Nicole R * Megan, Nareg A * Meinholz, Alyssa R Michaels, Nicholas A * Mikelsons, Samuel I * Mohammed, Anaz Moreau, Camille * Munoz, Marissa C * Neumann, Emma K * Parente, Jessica R * Patterson, Margaret M * Paul Rajamanickam, Britney S * Peterson, Bria C * Pinder, Devon K Pugliese, Ann L * Pytel, Nicole A Ragsdale, Cole A * Rawling, Nicholas J Reed, Morgan G * Roquitte, Samuel C Rossmiller, Leo R Sarbacker, Jordyn J Schoonveld, Erika J Sheehan, Maureen D * Sohail, Umer M Sprecher, Brock C Staples, Claire K * Sutter, Kyla J Tanin, Taviahna M * Tews, Jonathan W Tibbetts, Jack E Trinkl, Nathan R * Turski, Jennifer S Vandenburgt, Casey R Vandermause, Drake J Wahlgren, Allison M Weiler, Jack J Wempner, Casey N * White, Halle N * Wildes, Ethan R Wills, Aaron M Wilson, Jack K Winkler, Jordan J Woody, Rachel E * Zeimentz, Julia A * Zingg, Luke D 8th Grade Honorable Mention Diamond-Tumbush, Anna V Neidigh, Hannah E OSullivan, Keegan C Stenklyft, John W Tran, Tyler T Trepczyk, Jacob A
7th Grade Honorable Mention Ballweg, Austin S Ballweg, Connor J Berg, Raiden A Close, Samuel A Colon, Michelle L Culver, Mitchel A Dubas, Apsara R Grelle, Kevin W Hidrogo-Romero, Mirna Kowalski, Hailey A Licking, Makenna M Lincecum, Erin T Madoch, Michael W Molina, Eric R Mondi, Jack C Newman, Ellie L Nilles, Jaiden L Rawling, Gillian S Roberson, Rachel I Roberts, Rachael C Stahnke, Alexis C 8th Grade Honor Roll * denotes 4.0
Anglin, Miram E * Aumann, Olivia L Bakken, Mackenzie C * Basel, Alexis A * Blair, Carson H Brandle, Kaitlyn V Buss, Brianna L * Chiaverini, Nicholas M Cole, Felicity B Cowling, Kyle M
PAGE 6
Teen Events in March & April at the Middleton Public Library: Rock Bands & Divergent
Teen library events
Middleton High School will present William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (Feb. 20-22) at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for students/seniors and $7 for adults and may be purchased at the door. This lesser-produced Shakespearean comedy challenges its audience to look at those marginalized in our society; to question the norms that teach hatred, whether overt or subtle; and to consider the concepts of justice and mercy. Though written over 400 years ago, Middleton Dramas production of The Merchant of Venice is set in the 1930s, adding an interesting layer to the complicated relationships of Shakespeares characters. More than seventy MHS students have been involved in this production, from building sets to hanging lights to analyzing characters. Come support the local arts scene by attending the show this weekend. Above, Brighid Burkhalter (right, playing Portia) and Samuel Ropa (left, playing Bassanio).
Merchant of Venice starts tonight at PAC
Photo contributed
Teen bookworms might also enjoy our monthly Books and Brownies book discussion group. On Wednesday, April 9, 4-5 pm, join the library for a discussion of The Maze Runner, about a boy who wakes up in a box with no memories. A group of boys say they ar-
Fans of John and Hank Green are invited to stop by the library on Wednesday, March 12, 4-5 pm for a Nerdfighters program! Whether you love John Greens books or just want to see some of their hilarious videos, teens are invited to share the quirky amusement.
Are you a fan of the Divergent book series? The Library will be holding a Divergent program for teens on March 20, 7-8 pm. Take the test to see which faction you should belong to, then go on missions with your new faction members that involves trades and cooperation with the other factions.
Share your artistic flair

Community Canvases is a way of inviting you to share your artistic flair and show your community support in the first annual Middleton Community Art Project! All ages and all abilities are welcome to:
Questions or comments on any of the Librarys Teen programs? Please contact Rebecca at 608-827-7402.
Dont forget about the monthly Teen Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings! Our next meetings will be Monday, March 10, 4-5 pm and Monday, April 7, 4-5 pm. TAC counts as volunteer hours and suggests and plans teen programs as well as recommending changes and purchases for the Teen section of the library. The library would love to hear your opinions!
On Thursday, April 24, 6-8 pm, all ages are invited to come hear local Teen Bands CTRL, Ukulele Wednesday and The Shindigs in the lower level Archer Rooms. No cover fee. Please excuse any noise that may leak into the library this evening.
rived the same way and think that the maze beyond their compound holds the key to unlocking the mystery. Copies of the book and Kindles with downloaded titles available at the Help Desk as supply allows.
Purchase a canvas at the Middleton Public Library Create an original work on the 6 X 6 canvas
Return completed canvases to the Library by June 14
Community Canvases is presented by Middleton Public Arts Committee, Hubbard Art Center and Middleton Public Library.
Brochure and Participation Agreement Form are available at www.midlibrary.org/canvases.
Bid on the canvases at the Silent Auction in the fall and help support public art in Middleton
See the community mosaic created from the 200 canvases in the Stairwell Gallery at the Middleton Public Library
PAGE 7
GEIGER
I learned at a young age that breaking and entering in the dead of night is fine, as long as the person doing it is wearing a cheerful red hat. Santa Claus is exhibit A, but so is a little, Scandinavian creature called the Tomten, about whom my parents read me bedtime stories. This small, bearded, anachronistically tanned man crept though a snowhushed farm at night, meddling in the affairs of beasts and humans. He fed a bowl of porridge to a fox on the edge of the woods, filling the predators belly so it wouldnt slaughter any chickens. He tiptoed into the barn, making sure the cows were snug and secure. He whispered to the horses about summertime clover, and he piled extra straw in the dogs house. In one illustration, the little man, having sneaked into the house, stood at
Stranger Danger
Counter
by Matt Geiger, Editor
the foot of a bed, gazing thoughtfully at the adult humans who slumbered there. My parents told the story as if the Tomten, who wore a long, white beard and a peaked red cap, was some kind of hero. He was one of those little strangers who exist somewhere between deity and man, superstition and myth. The whole thing stood in stark contrast to the constant, harangue-like message I received from most adults. They were constantly warning of stranger danger and checking every hour, on the hour, to make sure I hadnt interacted with anyone new or interesting. Its really an odd message to send to young people this idea that everyone they dont yet know means to do them harm and today I suspect its responsible for a hefty portion of our wars. With that in mind, I think its glorious that something as simple as a red cap can transform a stranger from a terrifying nocturnal intruder into a welcomed guest. You must never speak to strangers,
teachers and friends parents told me, and any food you are offered likely contains poison. Every day, on the way home from school, I was under the impression there was a 50/50 chance I would be stolen by some deranged adult driving a van. Home offered welcome respite from this propaganda. The gravel roads, dense forests and vast fields felt safe. And all the animals seemed genuinely unconcerned for my safety, which made it easier to relax and play. And at home, we welcomed strangers. We even put out cookies and milk for Santa, who broke into our home annually. And every winter morning when I saw the chickens were still clucking and the cows were still contentedly chewing their cud, I knew to silently thank the little Tomten who I figured had played a role in keeping them that way. In the 300-year-old farmhouse where we lived, creaks and groans were commonplace. When I had sleepovers at friends houses, they shrieked and cringed in horror at unknown noises. Back home, we just smiled and figured it was some mythological creature, tip-toing through the dining room or across the roof. The woods, I imagined while tucked snuggly into bed at night, peering out the ice-frosted window to the murky tree line, were alive with strange little people who may or may not jimmy the lock or climb through an open window on any given devastating bill, and to its companion, Senate Bill 349. It comes to us from Senator Tom Tiffany, the same author of the open-pit mining bill. Senate bill 349 takes away all authority from local communities to monitor polluters and to hold them accountable. WLCV says it well. Citizens rely on their local authorities to be the first line of defense in protecting their air and water. This is especially true at a time when the states enforcement of public health and natural resource laws has declined dramatically. In recent years, enforcement actions against illegal polluters have dropped 55%, from an average of 516 notices per year to just 233 at the state level. Extreme political positions and posturing keep people, both voters and elected officials from hearing the truth and listening, really listening to each other. Expert geologists, groundwater specialists, other scientists and the people who have lived, first hand, with the loss of water from unregulated use went unheeded by the authors of the two bills that Ive written about in this article. Groundwater is not governed by arbitrary lines drawn between counties or other municipalities. It is non-partisan. I am so proud of Dale Schultz who was the key-note speaker at WLCVs lobby day. He is an exceptional Republican, who went against the pressure of his party to vote for the natural resources that Wisconsin citizens have the privilege to be stewards of. When Governor Walker said, early in his first term that, Wisconsin is open for business, we had no idea that our precious water resources would be for sale. If thats not bad enough, a Capitol insider told the folks from Middleton, that closed-door meetings were being held to continue efforts that would end the 127-year-old ruling that no more than 640 acres of land could be held by
night. There is so much in the world. So much information, so many people who look and act differently. So much food, so much drink. Even today, being afraid of any of it seems like such a waste of energy. Our culture encourages people to be afraid, yet many of the things we fear dont even really exist. People stare, transfixed, to their television screens while newscasters work them into a lather over exaggerated dangers. In most cases, the threats are no more real than Santa or the Tomten, yet adults insist on believing in them. I was reminded of this one recent summer when I was hanging out in my backyard. I was wearing a large, golden straw hat, and I was harvesting dandelion roots to make tea. Helping out, in their own little way, were a handful of chickens and my dog. This was when I lived on Main Street, and a young boy who was walking past with his mother came trotting over, intrigued by our little gathering. I was about to give him a hearty hello when a bellow shot out from behind him. STRANGER DANGER! STRANGER DANGER! his mother screeched as she pounced on her son and grabbed him roughly by the arm. Id like to reiterate that I was in the process of making my own dandelion tea, an activity that practically screams pacifism. That man, she said, glaring over at foreign interests. China was named as the main country that is knocking at Wisconsins door. Whether they are wanting the mineral rights or our precious farmland was uncertain. Selling our land and its resources is a bad idea no matter what. It is especially bad when you look at Chinas horrific environmental record. Think through the effects of the bills that I mentioned on their own. Combine them with the knowledge that Governor Walker and others following his agenda are still looking for ways to sell Wisconsin land to foreigners. What will it be like to live here if local communities are short of water? What will it be like if our air and water quality is compromised and we have no ability to hold polluters accountable?
me and dragging the child away, might want to hurt you. I felt bad for the little guy, considering the fact that his mom was actively correcting friendly, inquisitive behavior. As they stomped away, it occurred to me that I was partially to blame, however. Taking off my yellow, straw hat and pinching the brim with my green- and yellow-stained fingers, I realized it was the wrong color. I should start wearing more red hats, I thought. Then people wont be so scared. I thought back to a page in the book my parents read to me when I was a kid. The Tomten slinks into the room of two small children and stands, watching them sleep, for a long time. I actually believed he sometimes visited my room when I was sleeping back then, and somehow, despite so much propaganda to the contrary, the little stranger gave me comfort. He was a reminder that the world is very large, and very full of things we dont fully understand. And his help keeping us and the animals safe during long, cold winters was a reminder that no one can succeed alone, and we can all benefit from a little help from time to time. The alternative is to shut ourselves in and watch cable news, growing more and more afraid of one another. Which would you prefer? Between sessions at Conservation Lobby Day, I took a stroll to stretch my legs. On the other side of the wall from the room my next session was to be in, there was a meeting of the Governors Conference on Economic Development. There doesnt need to be a wall between conservation and economic development. We can work together, with safeguards for the land, water and air that support us all. Wisconsin needs you to spread the word about these bills. Let the Governor know how you feel about our precious resources. Read more about them at WLCVs website. There is a window in the church that I used to attend when I lived in Clintonville. It simply read, She hath done what she could. We all need to do what we can for Wisconsin, before its too late.
Id like to introduce you to the LIttle Plover River. Its a river sourced from freshwater springs in Central Wisconsin. The Little Plover flows into the Wisconsin River. It was a class A trout stream. I hope you noticed the word, was. The Little Plover never ran dry, even in drought years. That is, until in the 1970s, when the effects of high capacity wells, put in to irrigate the areas many potato farms, took its toll on the local groundwater. By 2006, the Little Plover ran at less than half of its former level. The unlimited amounts of water being pulled off by high capacity wells has put the Little Plover River on Americas top ten endangered rivers list. Thats not the only body of water in that area that is suffering. Several of the lakes in Waushara County have been affected by high capacity wells, too. Property value has plummeted because docks no longer reach into water. A high capacity well is one that has a pump capacity of over 100,000 gallons per day. When the wells in Central Wisconsin were permitted, there were very few requests for that level of groundwater use in our state. Now, because of frac-sand mining and the growth of mega-dairies in Wis-
Water, water everywhere?
All Manner of Things
consin, there are over 150 new applications for high capacity wells. Use of water by the potato industry is scant compared to the draws by these newcomers to Wisconsin. It didnt take many years before the draw on the Little Plover Rivers groundwater caused its demise. Those irrigation systems are nothing compared to the amounts of water that fracsand mining uses. Frac-sand mining uses between 450,000 and 2 MILLION gallons per day. Yes folks, you read that right! Instead of learning from the Little Plover and Lakes in Waushara County, Republican Senator Neal Kedzie sponsored Senate Bill 302. Its a horrible bill that will deplete our water in unfathomable quantities. As if that is not bad enough, the bill prohibits the DNR from considering the cumulative impacts of multiple water users when making decisions about our water supplies. As the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters puts it, the bill is death for Wisconsins water by 1,000 straws. Last week I met more people from Middleton. We were all attending Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters (WLCV) Lobby Day at Monona Terrace. After learning even more about the issues, we headed to the Capitol together to talk with our representatives, or their proxies, to urge them to oppose this bad groundwater bill. We all need water. 70% of all Wisconsin drinking water comes from groundwater. Small farms cannot compete with high capacity well-users. We all need to pay attention to this
by Deb Biechler
Biechler was right about the media

Thank you for publishing your thoughtful Opinion piece in the Feb. 13 issue. I totally concur that obtaining factual, balanced information through the media is becoming increasingly difficult, when MONEY so influences what is conveyed to the public. It is reassuring that the Middleton Times-Tribune values indiDear editor & Ms. Biechler:
Letter to the Editor
viduals enough to afford a forum, and this article, to remind all of us that we can and must make a difference as individuals. I hope if readers missed it, they will go back and find it. It is a very good read. Erica Christman Madison
PAGE 8
FIRE
continued from page 1
The Middleton Arts Committee is currently trying to raise money for the installation of a sculpture in the Parmenter Street roundabout. In the meantime, an unknown artist took action. Though temporary, the art was installed at no cost, observed arts committee member Rob Conhaim. City employee Abby Attoun took this picture after the city forester, Mark Wegner, hoisted her up in the municipal bucket truck he uses for tree pruning.
Anonymous artist beautifies Parmenter St. roundabout
Photo contributed
ber from each apartment to address the needs of the families. Sunday morning, Red Cross provided immediate emergency assistance in the form of food, clothing, and emergency lodging, for two families. Red Cross planned to provide additional assistance to the other units as needed. According to battalion chief Brad Subera, the fire, which started when grease ignited on top of a stove in one of the units, severely damaged at least one unit, as well as a hallway. The fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. This is a good time to remind people not to leave your food unattended while its cooking, said Subera. Subera said cluttered exits and passageways also hampered rescue efforts, reminding citizens to keep such areas clear, and to check their smoke detectors. Lessons learned [included the]
Middleton firefighters at the scene of a fire on Jonquil Court early Wednesday.
Photo contributed
need for smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, [that] apartments should clear their hallways of clutter so rescue attempts arent hindered and firefighter safety, how dangerous grease fires can be, and how families should have escape plans in place, including having their balcony cleared of snow so they can get out, agreed fire chief Aaron Harris. The second fire occured early on Wednesday of this week on the 5300 block of Jonquil Court. The blaze started as a car fire in the garage and spread to the house, according to Middleton Police. Harris said the garage was totally engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, and the home experienced heat and smoke damage. There were no serious injuries and an estimate of the damage was not available at press time.
Monday, Feb. 3 1:08 p.m. Theft, 6900 block of Century Ave. 3:30 p.m. Uniform control substance, follow-up, 1300 block of John Q Hammons Dr. 3:50 p.m. Domestic disturbance, 1700 block of Aurora St. 3:59 p.m. Domestic disturbance, assist citizen/motorist, 7300 block of Elmwood Ave. 6:28 p.m. Domestic disturbance, follow-up, 3400 block of Roma Ln. Tuesday, Feb. 4 11:44 a.m. Theft, 7600 block of Elmwood Ave. 11:46 a.m. Fraud, 6600 block of Columbus Dr. 5:21 p.m. Domestic disturbance, 3400 block of Roma Ln.
P OLICE B EAT
Thursday, Feb. 6 8:41 a.m. Accident w/injuries, University Ave. & Deming Way 10:27 a.m. Fraud, 2100 block of Pleasant View Rd. Friday, Feb. 7 9:45 a.m. Damage to property, 8300 block of Greenway Blvd. 11:32 a.m. Theft, 2100 block of Bristol St. 1:18 p.m. Damage to property, 2000 block of Allen Blvd. 2:58 a.m. Accident w/injuries, 6000 block of Century Ave.
Wednesday, Feb. 5 8:31 p.m. Fire, 5300 block of Mathews Rd.
Saturday, Feb. 8 8:54 a.m. Damage to property, 8300 block of Greenway Blvd. 11:24 a.m. Damage to property, 1300 block of John Q Hammons Dr. 8:04 p.m. Damage to property, 4800 block of Parmenter St. Sunday, Feb. 9 8:20 a.m. Theft, 2600 block of Pleasant View Rd. 5:27 p.m. Theft, 3600 block of Napoli Ln.
Monday, Feb. 10 2:27 a.m. Domestic disturbance, 6200 block of Maywood Ave.
Middletons aiming high

Swimmers gun for big showing
by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
BOYS STATE SWIMMING AND DIVING MEET
Follow Rob Reischel on Twitter at @robreischel
PAGE 9
For two straight years, Middletons boys swimming has gone to the WIAA Division 1 state swimming meet and left with a fourth place finish. When the Cardinals head back to the UW-Natatorium Saturday, they expect no slippage whatsoever. Middleton suffered some heavy losses after last season. But the Cardinals have turned in another ter-
Boys basketball teams rolls past Sun Prairie

by GREGG HAMMILL
For the Times-Tribune
Showing some real toughness

See SWIMMERS, page 15 Rory Slattery and Middletons boys swimming team will compete at the state meet Saturday. by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
rific year, and expect another strong showing at state. The state diving competition begins at 10 a.m. and the swimming championships start at 3 p.m. Our team goal would definitely be top four at state, Cardinals junior Rory Slattery said. Weve done it the last two years and I know we can do it again. Middleton senior Lars Haskins agreed. For our team, weve been fourth for the past two years and we would love to make it three years in a row, Haskins said. Everyones excited and focused for this Saturday. It should be
Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld
Loss to Verona left Middleton dazed, confused
After a disappointing blowout loss to Verona, there were some big questions surrounding the Middleton boys basketball team. Queries about things such as heart and toughness. Well, any such questions should be put to rest after Middleton, playing with a chip on its shoulder, put together perhaps its finest all-around effort of the season en route to a 54-33 Big Eight Conference victory over second-place Sun Prairie last Saturday night. Coach (Kevin) Bavery through the week was talking about how people outside the team were questioning our heart and I think we took offense to that, said senior forward Max Oelerich. We played with great intensity the whole game. Thats basically the only thing (Bavery) wrote on the board at the beginning of the game was heart and circled it and thats the key to the whole game. We really played with a lot of heart. Middleton improved to 11-9 overall and moved into a fourth-place tie with Janesville Craig in the Big Eight Conference at 9-8. Sun Prairie (13-8, 11-6) remained in second place. The performance came just two days after a 67-50 loss to Verona, Middletons largest deficit in a loss this season. Obviously the Verona game was such a negative game, the energy, the vibe, it wasnt pleasant in the locker See BOYS BB, page 16
Chris Little and Middletons boys basketball team routed Sun Prairie last Saturday night.
VERONA Time is winding down quickly. Head coach Kevin Bavery is begging, screaming and pleading for consistency. Yet its nowhere to be found. And last Thursday night, those inside Middletons boys basketball program were wondering if it could still be discovered at this extremely late date. The Cardinals had their most disappointing effort of the season in a 67-50 loss at Verona. Afterwards, Middleton senior standout Derek Rongstad piggy-backed Baverys plea, insisting time is precious, and the Cardinals bad habit of occasional off nights must end immediately. Some guys get it, and some guys might not, Rongstad said when asked about Middletons apparent lack of urgency. I love this game more than anything and its painful. Every loss hurts, and as we get later in the season it starts hurting more and more to know how close it is to being over. These are my friends since like Kindergarten. Its never going to be like this again. Some guys get it, but a lot of guys need to get it through their heads. Were almost out of time here. Bavery, one of the more mild-mannered and pleasant coaches youll ever meet, was just as blunt. If you cant go out there with a tremendous passion and energy, and youre going to get after each other and youre going to whine to officials and youre not going to embrace this whole thing, then turn your jersey in See VERONA, page 16
Hockey Cards win playoff opener

PAGE 10
by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
Bring on Madison West. Again. Middletons hockey team rolled past DeForest, 11-0, in a WIAA regional semifinal Tuesday night. The Cardinals will now meet Madison West in a regional final Thursday at Madison Ice Arena at 8 p.m. The Regents won both games against the Cardinals this season, including a 5-0 contest last Thursday. West also edged Middleton, 3-2, on Jan. 4. If Middleton upends West this time, it would advance to the sectional semifinals on Feb. 25 against either Madison Edgewood or Waunakee. Overall if are going to heat up for playoffs we have to stay out of the box, come together as a team, and really come out and not be afraid to succeed and just play hockey, Middleton interim coach Steffon Walby said. The Cardinals certainly did those things against DeForest. Senior forward Jordan Carey and sophomore forward Griffin Gussel both had two goals for the Cardinals. Middleton finished with a remarkable 78 shots on goal. Goalie Zach Kasdorf posted a shutout, but needed to make just four saves. Middleton now hopes its third meeting with West is a charm. Last weeks game certainly wasnt enjoyable for Middleton, as the Regents scored single goals in the first and second periods, then added three more goals in the third. Middleton finished the regular season 10-11-2 and in fourth place in the Big Eight Conference at 7-5-2. There really wasnt any one thing that went wrong with the team and West, Walby said. We got to into early penalty trouble and it wore our team down substantially. Now, Middleton will hope for a reversal of fortune Thursday night.
Feb. 13 Madison West 5, Middleton 0 Middleton .... 0 0 0 0 Madison West ..... 1 1 3 5 First period: MW Walker (Pretto, Balas),
Feb. 18 WIAA regional semifinals Madison West 5, Middleton 0 DeForest .............. 0 0 0 0 Middleton ...... 4 4 3 11 First period: Mi Gussel (Graf, Bunz), 10:18; Sheehan (Hylbert), 12:21; Miller (Sheehan), 12:45; Carey, 14:47. Second period: Mi Graf (Gussel, Rock); Kottler (Graf), 10:45; Harper, 10:51; Carey (Dickert), 10:57. Third period: Mi Gussel (Duff, Karwoski), 5:18; Hylbert (Kouba, Karwoski), 8:34; Dohmeier (Sheehan), 11:58. Saves: Mi (Kasdorf) 4; D (Suchomel) 67.
13:51. Second period: MW Paskus, 13:46. Third period: MW Walker (Balas), 2:23; Lentz (Epping, Messner), 9:01; Messner (Paskus, Lentz), 16:17. Saves: Mi (Wuesthofen) 29; MW (Joswiak) 20. Penalties: Mi 5-10, MW 8-16.
Taylor Dickert and Middletons hockey team won their playoff opener Tuesday night.
PAGE 11
Onward and upward

Shay Haase (top) won the 152-pound championship at the Middleton Regional last Saturday.
Middleton sends 12 wrestlers into sectionals

by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
Call them the Dynamic Dozen. Or perhaps the Terrific Twelve. Oh yeah, and also call them sectional participants. Middletons wrestlers enjoyed a terrific day at their own regional Saturday. The Cardinals finished second as a team and sent 12 of their 14 entries onto Saturdays Waunakee Sectional, which begins at 10 a.m. Im happy with that, Middleton coach Kent Weiler said of qualifying 12 individuals for sectionals. Every year we seem to get a few more through. Last year we had 10 and now were at 12. That makes us happy. Sauk Prairie won the meet with 248.5 points, while Middleton was second at 197.0. DeForest was third (180.0), followed by Waunakee (176.5), Madison West (115.0), Madison East (64.0) and Madison Memorial (3.0). The top four finishers at regionals advanced to sectionals. Only the top two finishers at sectionals move on to the state tournament, while runs from Feb. 27-March 1. Middletons Shay Haase (152 pounds) and Taggart Haase (170) both won regional championships. Justin Swiersz (120), Adan Ortiz (132), Brandon Best (145) and Nathan Dresen (160) all finished in second place. Colton Best (106), Chris Rogers (126), Edgar Ortiz (138) and Sean Benedict (heavyweight) all finished in third place, while Trevaun Turner (113) and Lon Yeary (195) notched fourth place finishes. Shay Haase received a first round bye, then pinned Waunakees Connor Reefe in 1:28 in the semifinals. In the title match, Shay Haase pinned DeForests Jared Endres in 1:37. Pin-pin. You cant complain about
that, Weiler said. Taggart Haase also received a first round bye, then pinned Sauk Prairies Chris Chrisler in 1:59 in the semifinals. In the title match, Taggart Haase pinned DeForests Nathan Kemp in 56 seconds. Definitely a good day for him, Weiler said. When Taggart is on, hes tough to be beat. Swiersz also received a bye in the quarterfinals, then pinned DeForests Greg Dubois in 3:42. In the championship match, though, Sauk Prairies Eddie Smith pinned Swiersz in 1:33. Adan Ortiz also received a quarterfinal bye, then lost to DeForests Will Gahnz, 8-3. Adan Ortiz battled back, though, and defeated Madison Wests Malcolm Clark, 6-2, in the third place match. Then in the fight for second, Adan Ortiz defeated Sauk Prairies Juan Elizondo, 3-1. Best received a bye, then defeated DeForests Alex Schodin, 5-2. Sauk Prairies Austin Powell then pinned Best in 3:06 in the title match. Dresen received a bye, then pinned Madison Wests Michael Jones in 1:41 in the semifinals. Dresen lost to Sauk Prairies Brandon Sprecher, 15-4, in the title match. But Dresen bounced
back and pinned Waunakees Alec Putnam in 1:24 in the second place match. Now, its on to sectionals where the intensity and the stakes will be off the charts. We are excited, Weiler said. Theyre excited. They know they have unfinished business.
It had been 50 days since Jeff Kind and Middletons girls basketball team felt this way. And after the Cardinals dropped their first game in more than seven weeks a 63-61 setback at Janesville Craig last Friday Kind was certain of one thing. This is not a good feeling, he said. The good news for Middleton is that it can still reach all of its goals this season. The Cardinals fell to 17-3 overall and 15-1 in the Big Eight Conference. Middleton leads second-place Verona (18-2, 14-2) by one game and can clinch at least a share of the conference title with a home win Thursday against Madison La Follette. Middleton which has won six of the last seven league titles can also still capture an outright conference title by winning its final two games. And Kind who heads to his postseason seeding meeting Sunday is still in the drivers seat for the No. 1 seed in his regional. I think were still fine on all of that stuff, said Kind, whose team had won 11 games in a row. But the biggest thing is well find out how we respond to a loss. Middletons last loss was to Oshkosh Lourdes on Dec. 26. But the Cougars (15-4, 12-4) played a spirited game from start to finish. Craig led, 42-28, after a red-hot shooting first half. The Cougars still maintained a 53-43 edge heading to the fourth quarter. And after Middleton took the lead three different times in the final two minutes, Craig answered. The Cougars Delaney Schoenenberger scored the eventual game-winning basket on a rebound basket with five seconds left. Middletons final play resulted in a turnover and the Cougars escaped. Freshman guard Alexis Thomas led Middleton with 11 points, while senior forward Liz McMahon added 10. Sophomore forward Grace Douglas and junior post Cole Jordee both scored nine points, while freshman guard Bria Lemirande had eight. Craigs Alison Hughes had 23 points and Schoenenberger scored 19. I dont think we played a bad game, Kind said. Weve certainly had better games. I just didnt think we closed it out after we finally took the lead. Getting the lead certainly wasnt easy. As Craig built its large halftime advantage, Kind contemplated taking off Middletons vaunted full court press because the Cardinals were giving up too many easy baskets. But Kind also knew the press could pay dividends later by wearing the Cougars out. The press was like a double edged sword, Kind said. The game was going the pace we wanted, but they were shooting lights-out. Craig eventually cooled off and missed its first 10 shots of the fourth quarter. That helped the Cardinals
Craig upends MHS girls Cardinals suffer B I G 8 first Big 8 loss standings
PAGE 12
by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
grab a 57-55 lead with two minutes left. I knew Middleton was going to make a run at some point, Craig coach Kerry Storbakken told the Janesville Gazette. They didnt come in here undefeated in our conference for no reason. Theyre too good of a team. But give our girls credit. They hung tough. Both teams did just that during a thrilling final two minutes. The Cardinals last lead came at 61-60 following a McMahon tip-in in the closing seconds. But Schoenenberger answered with her own rebound basket and a 62-61 Cougars advantage. Kind tried drawing up a final play for McMahon. But the pass was intercepted and the Cougars prevailed. Craig finished the game 20-of-24 from the free throw line, while Middleton was just 16-of-31. Hopefully theres things well learn from this, Kind said. Well find out. On deck: Middleton hosts Madison La Follette Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The Cardinals then conclude the regular season Feb. 27 with a 7:30 p.m. home game against Madison Memorial.
Janesville Craig 63, Middleton 61 Middleton .. 131515 18 61 Janesville Craig .... 17 25 11 10 63 MIDDLETON Lemirande 2-4-8; McMahon 5-0-10; Douglas 2-5-9; Jordee 3-3-9; Thomas 4-3-11; Raffel 1-0-2; Bunyan 3-0-6; Bergum, 0-1-1; Blair 2-0-5. Totals: 22 16-31 61. JANESVILLE CRAIG Hughes 7-8-23; Slatter 3-3-9; Calkins 0-2-2; Schoenenberger 7-419; Foster 2-3-7; Pierson 1-0-3. Totals: 20 20-24 63. Three-point goals Middleton 1 (Blair),
League Overall W L W L Middleton .......... 15 1 17 3 Verona .............. 14 2 18 2 Jnsville Craig ...... 12 4 15 4 Mad. La Follette .. 11 5 11 9 Jnsville Parker ..... 9 7 10 10 Sun Prairie .......... 7 9 7 13 Mad. Memorial ..... 5 11 5 13 Madison West ...... 4 12 5 14 Madison East ....... 2 14 3 16 Beloit Memorial .... 1 15 4 16
Emily Bergum and Middletons girls basketball team suffered their first Big Eight Conference loss of the season at Janesville Craig last Saturday.
Craig 3 (Pierson, Hughes, Schoenenberger). Total fouls Middleton 21, Craig 20. Fouled out Slatter.
1. Kimberly 2. Sheboygan North 3. Oak Creek 4. Superior 5. Arrowhead 6. Middleton 7. Verona 8. Chippewa Falls 9. DSHA 10. D.C. Everest
Wissports.net Division 1 poll
19-0 19-0 18-2 18-2 18-2 17-3 18-2 16-3 15-4 18-2
Gymnasts aiming high at Big 8 meet

by ROB REISCHEL
Times-Tribune
Their time to shine?

PAGE 13
Its been an up and down campaign for Middletons girls gymnastics team. A season filled with enough injuries to rival the Green Bay Packers. But with the postseason here, the Cardinals are returning to full health. And now, Middleton plans to make its move. The Cardinals will be at the Big Eight Conference meet Saturday. The event begins at 10 a.m. at Madison Memorial. Middleton has won the last two conference championships, and has every intention of making it a threepeat. I think our conference has been much more competitive than we have seen in previous years, Middleton third-year coach Kari Steck said. But I think that (we) thrive off of that competitiveness. It helps push the girls to work harder, learn new skills, and make their routines more difficult. The Big Eight has been much improved this season, and the Cardinals will certainly be challenged at the conference meet. Host Madison Memorial won the dual meet championship at 7-0, while Middleton finished second at 6-1. Several other schools have the potential to get in the title chase, as well. Middleton finished the dual meet portion of its season on a high last Thursday, with a 136-131 win over Sun Prairie. Middleton wasnt at its best, but was good enough to prevail. Many falls were counted on beam, Steck said. Middleton knows it will have to crank it up a notch to topple Madison Memorial and the rest of its Big Eight foes Saturday. But Steck knows her team is certainly capable. With a full and healthy roster, I think we have the potential to win conference, but the girls need to hit their routines to make it happen, she said. They have all been working so hard, and have added many new skills into their routines. So it will be exciting for them to compete on Saturday.
Middleton High School senior Caroline Keenan will attend the University of Illinois at Chicago to play Division 1 soccer next fall. Keenan is a three-year letterwinner for the Cardinals. Keenan helped Middleton reach the WIAA Division 1 state tournament last season. Shown with Keenan are her father, Colm, and mother Mary.
Keenan headed to UIC
Photo submitted
Katherine Marshall and Middletons girls gymnastics team will aim for a Big Eight Conference title on Saturday.
Leia Peterman, a senior at Middleton High School, will play Division 1 soccer next season at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Peterman received both athletic and academic scholarships and plans to major in Biology. Peterman was a first-team all-Big Eight Conference midfielder last season and helped the Cardinals reach the WIAA Division 1 state tournament. Peterman is shown here with her father, Craig, and mother Meg.
Peterman will play for IUPUI
Photo submitted
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The Middleton Cardinal Baseball team will have their 22nd annual Instructional Clinic on March 24-25 from 6-8 p.m. at the Middleton High School Fieldhouse. Registration forms can be downloaded from the MBSC website (www.mbscwi.com) or from Elementary and Middle School physical education teachers in the school district. The clinic includes instruction from Middleton coaches and players.
Baseball clinic
PORTS
Cardinal Skier Zach Whritenour was named boys Most Improved skier.
Middleton High School senior Delaney Foster has committed to run both cross country and track and field at the University of Wisconsin. Foster is a four-year letter winner in both sports at MHS and has earned first team all-Big Eight Conference honors the past three years in cross country. Foster has also helped her cross country team place fourth at state the past two years. Foster along with her mother, Susan, and father, David is shown here signing her national letter of intent.
Foster will be a Badger
Photo submitted
Jan. 28 Terri Scheel 583, Jane Resudek 566, Chery Theis 505, Sandy Statz 503, Janie Lange 503, Sharon Koski 498, Kristie Stapleton 495, Bonnie Coy 494, Cindy
Feb. 4 Patti Larson 608, Theresa Meisel 587, Jeanne Schrenk 559, Frayne Born 532, Cindy Hall 522, Janie Lange 521, Rosemary Lange 521, Mary Moody 516, Bonnie Coy 515, Janice Williams 495, Jane Resudek 488, Shelly Grinnell 464, Verelene Morris 464, Lyn Passini 458.
Middleton Ladies Feb. 11 Jeanne Schrenk 556, Mary Moody 506, Paula Brunner 490, Lyn Passini 467, Shelly Grinnell 466, Kristie Stapleton 459.
BOWLING
Sunday Neighbors Feb. 9 Kelly Capener 794 (247-279-268), Paul Hughes 660 (202-245-213), Jim Salzman 654 (238-215-201), Greg Fritz 647 (237-238), Gus Schlieckau 579 (201216), Kari Capener 566 (201), Marty Meinholz 559 (210), Dennis Masaki 550 (205), Steve Holznagel 547 (200), Mark Misenheimer 546 (214), Mike Kezer 543, Jim Campbell 540 (210), Tony Ziegler 519, Vana Smith-Steffen 511, Jeff Ballweg 490 (211), Cheryl Hitchins 490, Linda Schenk 486 (201), Cindy Hall 486, Elaine Ziegler 486, Sharon Kezer 473, Mavis Severson 471, Janet Meinholz 459, Dee Lunda 457.
Norman 478, Melissa Carlson 465, Verelene Morris 454, Cindy Hall 453.
The Middleton High School Ski and Snowboard teams completed the 2014 season with an impressive list of accomplishments and accolades. At the conference championships at Tryol Basin, the Cardinals boys ski and snowboard teams each finished first, while the girls snowboard team finished second and the girls ski team finished third. All four teams sent athletes to the State High School Alpine Ski & Snowboard Championships in LaCrosse. Athletes placing in the top 10 at the conference races included Jack Ronnie, Roger Waleffe, and Mitchell Oswald (boys ski), Clare Grimm and Olivia Krigbaum (girls ski), Scott Fabbri, Maxwell Lawrence and Sam Anderson (boys board) and Maggie Acker (girls board). Several Middleton boys skiers were named to the All Conference Team, including Jack Ronnie, Roger Waleffe, Brett Anderson and Mitchell Oswald.
Ski and snowboard results
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.
Soccer fundraiser
RIEFS
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.
McFarland High School is hosting a six-week baseball camp starting Feb. 22. McFarland head coach John Feldner will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy. Classes are available for players in grades 1-12 and are limited to six players per coach. Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and base running. Proceeds from the program benefit amateur baseball in McFarland. Space is limited. Registration is now under way. For more information, visit www.USBaseballAcademy.com, or call toll-free 866-622-4487.
Baseball camp in McFarland
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great! The Cardinals had another terrific performance at last Saturdays Middleton Sectional. The Cardinals finished third at arguably the states elite sectional. Madison Memorial won the sectional with 421 points, while Madison West (353.5), Middleton (327), Verona/Mount Horeb (251) and Sun Prairie (195.5) rounded out the top five. Middleton had 10 individual entries earn trips to state, as well as all three relay teams and diver Jack Zocher. The sectional went well, Middleton coach Luke Lengfeld said. Every guy on the team had best times. Several of our swimmers just missed state, as well, by one or two spots. Middletons 200 yard medley relay team of senior Hans Kunsch, Slattery, junior Lex Peterson and Haskins was third at sectionals and is now seeded third at state. The Cardinals 200 yard freestyle relay team of senior Cooper Green, senior James Mai, Kunsch and Haskins was third at sectionals (1:29.18) and is seeded eighth at state. And Middletons 400 yard freestyle relay team of Green, Mai, Peterson and sophomore Jacob Aegerter was fifth at sectionals (3:18.22) and is seeded 12th at state. Last year we finished in fourth place at state and this year the polls have been putting us at eighth place, Green said But I really believe we have the swimmers to be a top-five team at state. Kunsch is seeded third in the 100 yard backstroke after placing third at sectionals (53.31). Green is seeded
n SWIMMERS
continued from page 9 17th in that same event after taking fifth at sectionals (55.73). Green is also seeded 10th in the 200 yard freestyle (1:46.66) after finishing second at sectionals. Aegerter is seeded 19th in the 200 yard freestyle (1:48.07) after placing seventh at sectionals. My biggest goal this season is to get on the podium at state, Green said. As of now I am seeded best in the 200 free, but in the 100 backstroke, 200 free relay and 400 free relay there is a high possibility for improvement. Haskins is seeded seventh in the 50 yard freestyle (21.96) after placing second at sectionals. Id like to make the top six on the podium for the 50 and have our relays, especially our medley relays, have very high finishes, Haskins said. Peterson is seeded 12th in the 100 yard butterfly after finishing fourth at sectionals (53.46). Slattery was third at sectionals in the 100 yard breaststroke and is now seeded 13th at state (1:01.27). My individual goal at state is to drop about another second in my 100 breast, Slattery said. That would give me the Middleton team record, which I have been trying to get since the start of this season. Aegerter is seeded 14th in the 500 yard freestyle after finishing fifth at sectionals (4:52.84). Peterson is seeded 21st in that same event after placing seventh at sectionals (4:57.42). We want to see a few team records fall, especially the medley relay, 100 backstroke, and 100 breaststroke, Slattery said. My teammates and myself are very close, and with the atmosphere of state, I know well get them.
Hans Kunsch and Middletons boys swimming team have high hopes at Saturdays state meet.
PAGE 16
room afterwards, it wasnt pleasant in practice yesterday and we questioned some things with these guys, Bavery said. I had a couple guys come to me outside of practice and say, Hey coach what can I do? This is so important to me. If youre going to talk about how somebody responds to a poor performance this would be the way you would certainly draw it up. I could tell their pride was really hurt, people were really questioning their toughness, their heart, all that after our game against Verona. I dont care what age you are or how long youve been doing things, when that happens, it hurts. When your pride (is hurt) you better take it personal and our guys did. Freshman guard C.J. Fermanich liked the way the Cardinals bounced back. It felt really good how we did it because of what happened to us at Verona on Thursday and it was pretty much the reverse outcome of that, Fermanich said. We played great defense at the beginning and everybody was scoring and we were a welloiled machine on offense. Sun Prairie played without Marquette recruit Nick Noskowiak, who suffered a concussion in its game against Madison Memorial two days earlier. Going into the game we knew (Noskowiak) was questionable, Oelerich said. Coach reminded us that theyre a great team either way. If hes playing, great, and if hes not playing, great. If he would have been playing, obviously hes a great player and I feel like that might have changed how they played, but otherwise it didnt really change how we approached the game. So dominant was Middleton that the game was basically over by halftime. Senior Luke Schafer opened the game with a three-pointer and senior Derek Rongstad added a layup and
n BOYS BB
continued from page 9 now and well go forward with guys that want to do those things the last two weeks, Bavery said. If youre going to disrespect the game and the amazing privilege it is to even be a part of something like this, then well find some other guys that want to be part of this. Everything about Middletons trip to Verona was miserable. The Wildcats raced to leads of 8-0 and 15-1. Verona led, 30-14, at halftime and by 18 points in the third quarter. And when Middleton rallied back within 44-39 with five minutes left, Verona finished the game with a 23-11 blitz. Middleton fell to 10-9 overall and 8-8 in the Big Eight Conference, which left it in fifth place. Verona, which got a game-high 25 points from sophomore guard Cole Schmitz, improved to 10-10, 7-9. Ive been on some good teams and Ive been on some not so good teams, said Rongstad, who led Middleton with 19 points. But Ive never been on a team where the consistency is this horrible. I dont what it is. No one does, and thats what left Middleton befuddled as it left Verona. Middleton routed the Wildcats, 5539, back on Jan. 4. In that game, the Cardinals led by 24 points at halftime. In the rematch, the Wildcats led by 16 at the break a remarkable reversal of 40 points. We looked soft tonight, Bavery said afterwards. We looked like we didnt have any passion. It was just a lousy night all the way around. There wasnt much to get excited about.
n VERONA
three-pointer before Sun Prairie scored its first basket. Middleton closed the quarter with a 7-0 run and led 15-2. Just 48 hours earlier, Middleton trailed Verona, 15-1, late in the first quarter. After Sun Prairie closed to within 17-6 in the second quarter, Fermanich drilled a 3-pointer, senior Demond Hill scored underneath off a length-ofthe-court pass from Rongstad and Schafer nailed another 3-pointer just before the buzzer as Middleton led 256 at halftime. We just came out hungry, said Rongstad, who paced Middleton with a game-high 16 points. Defensively, Middleton limited Sun Prairie to 3-for-15 shooting (20 percent) in the half and forced 12 turnovers. We were really flying at shots, flying around on defense, Fermanich said. Everybody was helping and talking. We just worked together and it worked out. Added Rongstad: We wanted to challenge shots and limit second-shot opportunities. Seven shots and eight shots in a quarter is definitely minimizing their attempts and just making sure not everyone is getting an easy, uncontested shot. Rongstad, a UW-Milwaukee recruit, scored six points as Middleton led 38-18 after three quarters and the team converted 11-of-16 free throws
Middletons boys basketball team received the No. 3 seed in its regional. The Cardinals (11-9 overall, 9-8 in the Big Eight) will open the postseason Feb. 28 when they host sixthseeded Madison La Follette (10-11, 7-10) in a regional semifinal. Madison Memorial (18-3, 16-1), which clinched its 11th straight Big Eight Conference title, is the regionals No. 1 seed. Sun Prairie (13-8, 11-6) is the No. 2 seed, followed by
Cards seeded 3rd
down the stretch to put the game away. Oelerich pulled down eight rebounds, including seven in the first half, to help Middleton to a 36-22 rebounding edge. I took pride in (rebounding) because, the first game we played against Sun Prairie, (Shane) Walden and (JT) Ruffin killed us on the offensive boards, Oelerich said. Derek Rogeberg and I definitely took it as a challenge this coming game that we need to keep them off the glass and get as many rebounds as possible. Before the game, Bavery gave his team the green light to press Sun Prairie and the strategy worked. It just energizes us, Bavery said. That was a key to let these guys know before the game that we believe in you, were going to get after them, were going to get into our double-fist press, and mix in a couple other presses. We turned them over a couple times, but it sped them up and it got us playing with a lot of energy in the half-court as well. With the victory over Sun Prairie, the Cardinals have now beaten four conference teams they had previously lost to the first time around this season. The others are Madison La Follette, Beloit Memorial and Madison West. Middleton, which has yet to win three consecutive games this season, is hoping the victory over Sun Prairie
Middleton, Madison West (10-10, 88), Verona (11-10, 8-9), Madison La Follette, Oconomowoc (8-12, 5-8 in the Little Ten), Madison East (6-15, 4-13) and Watertown (6-14, 4-9 Little Ten). The regional finals will be held March 1. The sectional semifinals are March 6 in Verona and the sectional finals are March 8 in Burlington. by Rob Reischel
leads to an extended winning streak and carries over into the postseason. We wont be able to tell if weve turned that corner until a couple more games, but I truly believe the energy is that much higher, said Rongstad. Hopefully, with the playoffs so close, we can turn the corner now. Added Fermanich:Were going to remember what this one feels like and carry this one out through the rest of the season.
February 15 Middleton 54, Sun Prairie 33 Sun Prairie .................. 2 4 12 15 33
Demond Hill and Middletons boys basketball team had arguably their biggest win of the year last Saturday against Sun Prairie.
Middleton ......... 15 10 13 16 54 SUN PRAIRIE Malik Robinson 2-5 1-4 5, Michael Marchese 0-2 0-0 0, Sam Kerr 0-3 0-0 0, Shane Waldon 3-7 3-5 9, JT Ruffin 4-8 1-3 9, Nate Verstegen 0-0 0-0 0, Nate Oehrlein 1-2 1-1 3, Holden Buie 2-4 1-1 5, Hill 0-2 0-0 0, Noah Diaz 1-2 0-1 2, Connor Stanek 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-35 7-15 33. MIDDLETON Derek Rongstad 5-10 5-6 16, Luke Schafer 2-6 2-2 8, Derek Rogeberg 1-2 0-0 2, Max Oelerich 1-4 0-0 2, Chris Little 2-2 23 6, Ian Hokanson 0-1 0-0 0, CJ Fermanich 1-2 00 3, Brett Joers 1-1 2-2 4, Demond Hill 3-5 1-2 7, Cole Zillner 1-2 0-0 3, Jordan Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Ballweg 0-1 1-2 1, Nick Revord 0-0 0-0 0, Andrew Gardner 0-0 2-4 2. Totals 17-36 15-21 53. 3-point goals SP 0. M 4 (Schaefer 2, Fermanich, Zillner). Total fouls SP 16, M 19. Fouled out Marchese.
Thats for sure and from Middletons perspective, nothing was more dreadful than the start. Middleton turned the ball over on three of its first four possessions. And later in the first quarter, the Cardinals turned it over on four consecutive trips. Middleton shot just 1-of-12 in the first quarter (8.5%) and turned the ball over eight times in all. And when the period ended, Verona had a 15-3 lead, which left the Cardinals playing catch-up all night. My biggest mistake was after about a minute, maybe a minute-and-
Middleton boys basketball coach Kevin Bavery had a lot of questions about his team following their loss to Verona last Thursday. a-half in, I should have just grabbed five guys that looked hungry and ready to play and put them in, Bavery said. Essentially we were embarrassed the first four minutes of the game. Rongstad made back-to-back threepointers early in the second quarter to trim an 18-3 deficit to 18-9. But the Cardinals went the final 6:10 of the quarter without a field goal. That allowed Verona to finish the quarter with a 12-5 burst and grab a 30-14 lead at halftime. The Cardinals shot just 3-of-22 from the field (13.6%) in the first half, while the
Wildcats were 9-of-23 (39.1%). We just came out lethargic, said Rongstad, a UW-Milwaukee recruit. They wanted it a lot more than we did. We definitely didnt overlook them at all. The way weve been playing we know theres no gimmie games. Weve lost to teams that we should have been able to sleepwalk past. And weve beat teams that are probably a lot better than us. Theres really no rhyme or reason for it. Veronas lead was still 16 early in the fourth quarter, when Middleton showed some life. The Cardinals went on a 12-1 run and closed within 44-39 with 5:07 remaining. Senior Chris Little who recently returned from a foot injury that had sidelined him for much of the year started the fun with a three-pointer. A technical foul on Verona coach Alan Buss resulted in a pair of Rongstad free throws that made it 43-33. After a Wildcats free throw, Middleton senior guard Nick Revord banked in a three-point shot. Then senior guard Luke Schafer drained a three-pointer as the Cardinals closed within 44-39. I always thought we were going to go on a run and that we were going to win this game, Rongstad said. I never really gave up on us. We started that run, and after Nick made that three I was like, Here we go. Were turning it on. But the Wildcats answered with a 9-1 burst to make it 53-40 with 2:34 left. And Verona never flinched, making 18-of-21 fourth quarter free throws to kill any chance of a Middleton comeback. As a coach you just question everything right now, Bavery said.
B I G 8
League Overall W L W L Mad. Memorial ... 16 1 18 3 Sun Prairie ........ 11 6 13 8 Beloit Memorial .. 10 7 13 8 Middleton ........... 9 8 11 9 Jnsville Craig ....... 9 8 11 9 Mad. La Follette ... 7 8 10 9 Madison West ...... 8 8 10 10 Verona ................. 8 9 11 10 Madison East ....... 4 13 6 15 Jnsville Parker ..... 2 14 5 15
standings
Am I playing the right guys? Are we practicing too hard? Do we have tired legs? We should have been really fresh for this game, but we just werent physical. Im just stumped for answers right now. I really am.
Feb. 13 Verona 67, Middleton 50 Middleton ........ 3 11 13 23 50 Verona ....... 15 15 11 26 67 MIDDLETON Demond Hill 1-1 0-0 2, Luke Schafer 2-10 4-6 9, Derek Rogeberg 1-3 44 6, Max Oelerich 1-6 0-0 2, Derek Rongstad 619 3-4 19, Chris Little 1-2 2-4 5, Brett Joers 1-2 0-0 2, Nick Revord 1-2 0-0 3, Cole Zillner 1-2 00 2. Totals: 15-47 13-18 50. VERONA Cole Schmitz 6-10 9-10 25, Mitch Flora 4-6 5-5 14, Josh Tackett 2-4 4-4 8, Jake Toman 1-2 2-4 4, Will Kellerman 3-9 8-10 14, Garrett Grunke 0-1 0-0 0, Adam Stiner 1-1 00 2, Terrell Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Nick Federspiel 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 17-35 28-33 67. Three-point goals M 7 (Rongstad 4, Schafer, Revord, Little); V 5 (Schmitz 4, Flora). Total fouls M 25, V 17.
whether they want the increased oversight. The amendment would alter Section 10.21 of the countys current zoning ordinance, which deals with nonconforming land uses. The section lays out limitations and conditions that apply to the continuation of existing uses that do not conform to current ordinance standards - places where uses, such as mining, enjoy grandfathered status despite violating current zoning regulations. Most nonconforming uses lose their grandfathered status when they are discontinued for a year or longer. But there is one notable exception: mines. Registered nonconforming mineral extraction sites currently enjoy an exemption that allows them to become active again, without any county review, no matter how long they have sat dormant. County officials believe there are around 40 such sites in Dane County alone. This was a political decision made years ago, Parisi said of the exemption. The powers that be decided to take away residents input. Ordinance Amendment 26 would remove the exemption by deleting section 10.21(1)(d) from the county zoning ordinance. This is not a radical concept, Parisi said. Its just leveling the playing field. Parisi and the county board must approve Ordinance Amendment 26 for it to become effective, but if a majority of Dane Countys 34 towns go on record opposing the amendment, they can kill the proposal. County board supervisor Pat Downing (Dist. 30), who represents Mount Horeb and the surrounding areas, said he plans to support the amendment. It seems like it would bring us in line with how this is handled in the rest of the state, said Downing. My job is easy, he added, because three of the four towns I represent have already approved the amendment. The Town of Middleton was among a handful of communities to vote against the amendment. Middleton supervisor Tim Roehl said the amendment was drafted to deal with one complaint and would force
MINING
PAGE 17
quarry owners to open their sites once per year in an effort to avoid being designated as inactive. The Middleton Town Board voted unanimously against the amendment. It also suggested the creation of a stakeholders work group to resolve some of the issues around mining. A January 15 memo prepared by Majid Allan, senior planner for the county, called the amendment a sensible change. There are good reasons that mineral extraction is a conditional, rather than permitted, use in several of the countys zoning districts, Allan wrote. From a public policy standpoint, it is preferable that mineral extraction proposals undergo a thorough public review and approval procedure that can impose reasonable conditions designed to protect the public health, safety and welfare. The sensible change proposed by [Amendment] 26 would ensure that long inactive mineral extraction sites would have to obtain a conditional use permit and comply with current ordinance requirements in order to conduct any future extraction activities, Allan continued. County supervisor Sharon Corrigan (Dist. 26), who represents Middleton, is an enthusiastic supporter of the change. There are some mining sites that neighbors dont even know about, Corrigan stated. This just gives citizens a voice in the process. Corrigan emphasized that she believes the amendment is not an attempt by the county to overreach or infringe on local control. She also said that, pending the results of an upcoming public hearing on the matter, she expected the amendment to pass. I cant speak for all of my fellow supervisors, but most of what Ive heard from them so far is support, Corrigan stated. The Dane County Office of the Corporation Counsel weighed in on the amendment in a December 19 memo. In it, David R. Gault, assistant corporation counsel, indicated that the change would not violate a state law known as the diminishing asset rule. [Amendment] 26 would simply
bring Dane Countys zoning ordinance into conformation with the common law of nonconforming uses, Gault wrote. A nonconforming mineral extraction use would be deemed terminated if discontinued for more than one year. It is also important to note that adoption of [Amendment] 26 will not prohibit future mineral extraction on these sites, Gault continued. Future mineral extraction would simply require a conditional use permit in conformance with the ordinance. The countys rationale for the change is relatively simple. Since extraction activities are essentially unregulated at such sites, there is no enforcement mechanism to ensure that operations are done in a manner that respects the rights and interests of neighboring property owners and towns, according to Allan. As a result, significant disputes and neighborhood unrest can emerge and fester for years at great cost to a community when the potential impacts of mineral
A mining site near the corner of Balzer and Pheasant Branch roads is close to both the Pheasant Branch Conservancy and the Bishops Bay development. extraction operations are not addressed and preempted on the front end of an operation. Mineral extraction is a land use that can have major implications for neighbors, according to county officials. Not surprisingly, not every mining company was excited about the prospect of increased regulation. Ive reached out and the response has been varied, said Parisi. Some said they think its fair for everyone to follow the same rules, while others would prefer no regulation at all. Virtually unregulated blasting, unlimited hours of operation, unmitigated fugitive dust emissions, and costly road damage from heavy truck traffic can occur at non-conforming mineral extraction sites, Allan contended. County staff supports the proposed
Image contributed
The Zoning & Land Regulation (ZLR) Committee will hold a public hearing on the amendment at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the city-county building. The hearing will take place in room 354.
change to the ordinance, saying it would result in a more transparent process for mineral extraction operations and fewer neighbor complaints. As of press time this week, ten towns had voted in favor of Amendment 26. Five, including the Town of Middleton, voted against it. Those in support include Cross Plains, Rutland, Black Earth, Blooming Grove, Springdale, Montrose, Vermont, Dane, Dunn and Oregon, Those opposed are Bristol, Cottage Grove, Mazomanie, Middleton and Medina.
PAGE 18
was a 15-day suspension. The district maintains Harris case was more egregious, but the arbitrator hired to settle the dispute disagreed and found the district disciplined Harris, who at the time was vice-president of the local teachers union, in an unfair manner,
SCHOOLBOARD
continued from page 1 relative the others who were disciplined. The district appealed, but the arbitrators decision was upheld by a circuit and an appeals court. The district appealed the case to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, but that court refused hear the case. Comments were mixed at the Feb. 10 board meeting, however, a majority of the group urged the board to refrain from any negotiations with the union, the Middleton Education Association (MEA), despite the unions request to do so. I support your position not to enter into collective bargaining with this union, resident Howard Bregman said to the board. The union must understand how it looks to the parents as a result of this issue with Mr. Harris, and it is not good. Parent Cecile Druzba has a child in Harris class. Her student initially opted for a study hall in place of the science class Harris is teaching. After a couple weeks, however, the student joined the class. Druzba quoted her daughter saying, We cant stop thinking about that [the images and jokes Harris viewed], but he is a fine science teacher. I dont doubt that, said Druzba, but the fact is our board and our community needs to decide and we cant let a union decide what is right for our kids, because obviously they were not in it for our children. They were in it to protect the teacher that is part of the union. I would ask that the school board not agree to collective bargaining. They (MEA) present themselves as for our kids. Well, they had their chance to advocate for our kids. We spent four years fighting themthey fought for fairness for adults rather than good role models and safety for our children in the classroom, resident Kim Gordon stated. I personally find that disgusting, I support you refusal to negotiate with them. The union is not to blame, the teachers are not to blame for the situation we are in now, said Amy Kortbein, a Middleton realtor. The behavior of one individual does not represent our teachers as a whole, and to punish our teachers as a whole because of the deplorable behavior of one individual is not right. I ask that you show the teachers of this district the respect that they deserve. Despite the publicity the Harris case has brought to the district and union relations, negotiations have been an ongoing and separate issue for the board. Governor Walkers 2010 legislation, Act 10, outlaws collective bargaining for public unions. Two federal courts have upheld the law in its entirety while a county circuit judge has ruled it unconstitutional. The case is currently under appeal to the state Supreme Court with a ruling expected by June. The court battles have created ambiguity for negotiations between unions and school districts, however, in a statement released at the last board meeting, the district announced it will forego any negotiations. The board by unanimous vote has authorized me to notify the MEA that the district is requesting to delay the commencement of negotiations, superintendent Don Johnson wrote in a letter to Chris Bauman, MEA president. ... the district does not have explicit court authority to enter into a contract covering more than wages with the MEA. The letter was sent to MEA in October. It appears the district has staked out the decision and is essentially holding out for the Supreme Court ruling before moving forward with any negotiations, even on base wages, which is permitted under Act 10.
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VOL. 122, NO.

People, pets saved after a fire breaks out at local apartment

Town of Middleton opposes increased mining oversight

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

SINGLE COPY PRICE: $1.25

Debate over Harris, MEA union continues

Times-Tribune photo by Matt Geiger

Three guest artists to share the MCO stage

Pioneer development slowly inches forward

Famers co-op is 85 and still going strong. Page 2

Glacier Creek Honor Roll students named. Page 5

MHS swimmers aim high. Page 9

Entertainment . . . . . . . . . 6 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Classieds . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Inside this issue:

See PIONEER, page 4

Local co-op still thriving after 85 years

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Times-Tribune photos by Matt Geiger

Increasing number of MHS grads head to UW-Madison

Times-Tribune photos by Katherine Perreth

Food or money: Which does pantry need most?

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Middleton Outreach Ministry

There is power in numbers...

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Glacier Creek Middle School announces honors list

Teen library events

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Merchant of Venice starts tonight at PAC

Share your artistic flair

Return completed canvases to the Library by June 14

Brochure and Participation Agreement Form are available at www.midlibrary.org/canvases.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

by Matt Geiger, Editor

Water, water everywhere?

All Manner of Things

Biechler was right about the media

Letter to the Editor

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

continued from page 1

Anonymous artist beautifies Parmenter St. roundabout

Middleton firefighters at the scene of a fire on Jonquil Court early Wednesday.

Wednesday, Feb. 5 8:31 p.m. Fire, 5300 block of Mathews Rd.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Middletons aiming high

BOYS STATE SWIMMING AND DIVING MEET

Follow Rob Reischel on Twitter at @robreischel

Boys basketball teams rolls past Sun Prairie

Showing some real toughness

Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

Loss to Verona left Middleton dazed, confused

Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

Hockey Cards win playoff opener

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Onward and upward

Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

Middleton sends 12 wrestlers into sectionals

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Times-Tribune photo by Mary Langenfeld

Wissports.net Division 1 poll