May 2020

Fri
22
May
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Public Health Issues Order Moving Dane County to Reopening Phase 1

MADISON–Earlier this week, Public Health Madison & Dane County released Forward Dane, a phased reopening plan for Dane County during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, based on active monitoring of the data-based metrics outlined in the plan, an order has been issued that moves Dane County into Phase 1 of the reopening plan, effective May 26, 2020 at 8:00am.

“We released Forward Dane so everyone in the community could see the requirements that needed to be met for us to continue opening businesses, while still balancing the health and safety of our residents,” said Janel Heinrich, Director of Public Health Madison & Dane County.

“We are receiving hundreds of test results each day and have analyzed additional data from the community testing site at the Alliant Energy Center. We feel confident that our county can take the next step in the reopening process at this time,” continued Heinrich.

Phase 1 includes:

Thu
21
May
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David A. Wieckert, Professor Emeritus

MIDDLETON–David A. Wieckert, age 88, passed away on May 17, 2020. He was born on Aug. 7, 1931, the son of Walter Hans and Anita (Brockman) Wieckert of Appleton. David obtained a Ph.D. at the UW–Madison in 1963. The next 33 years were spent as a professor in the Dairy Science Department at the University of Wisconsin, where he taught 10,228 students.

On June 30, 1963, David married Joan (Engle) Wieckert in Abilene, KN. They met in 1952 when they traveled to Sweden and Denmark, respectively, as International 4-H Youth Exchanges. This interest in people of other nations continued for a lifetime of travel and entertaining internationals in their home.

Thu
21
May
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Mary Jo Matz

EDGERTON–Mary Jo Matz, age 86, of Edgerton, passed away on May 11, 2020, at home. She was born in Madison on February 11, 1934, the daughter of Vernie and Florence (Stormer) Miller. She married Donald A. Matz on March 21, 1953 at St. Luke Lutheran, Middleton. He preceded her in death on February 1, 2009. She enjoyed sewing, gardening and babysitting. She was well known to be stubborn “on occasion.” Her biggest passion in life was spending time with her family, especially her grandkids. She was a member of Central Lutheran Church.

Thu
21
May
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Masks

Now that businesses are starting to open back up in areas of the state, I want to ask you all to wear a mask in public.

I have been wearing a mask in public, for the most part, since March 18, the day I flew back from Colorado. No one was wearing a mask then. People looked at me strange and laughed at me, but I didn’t care. I was getting on a packed airplane for over three hours with strangers, some of whom were coughing and sneezing.

I see wearing a mask as a safety precaution. Not much different than wearing a condom to prevent HIV/AIDS. Before anyone has a hissy fit about my comparison, think about it. Most of you would not have sex with a stranger and not use a condom, so why would you want to have an unprotected respiratory exchange with someone who may be carrying the disease and not know.

Thu
21
May
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Dane County Announces Multi-Million Dollar Eviction Prevention Fund

DANE COUNTY–On May 18, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced a multi-million dollar effort to reduce evictions and improve access to housing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The public health crisis has brought more than 36,000 new filers to unemployment in Dane County, rendering thousands of those households unable to pay their rent due to job and income loss. The immediate needs to prevent eviction for those affected by the virus must be addressed. Dane County’s plan includes a $10 million eviction prevention fund, along with efforts to increase housing stability.

Thu
21
May
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Area Farmers Markets Make Adjustments in Response to COVID-19

SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN–Farmers markets are beginning to crop up are around the region, but with a few changes and restrictions in place to accommodate for safety in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Greenway Station Farmers Market Manager Cheryl Heck said the market has worked out ways to social distance, sanitize and keep people safe. She said plans are to tentatively open the market the first Thursday in June. 

The market, which Heck said has been in operation for about 20 years, has looked at placing vendors back to back with guests going around the outside perimeter of the market, or possible using a longer span of the parking lot, which is located on Greenway Boulevard on the south end of Greenway Station. Vendors will have masks and gloves and hand sanitizing stations. The market goers will also move in a one-way direction through the market.

In addition, Heck said items will be prepackaged or packaged for the customers. 

Thu
21
May
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Parisi Discusses County COVID-19 Response

DANE COUNTY–In a conference call with News Publishing Company editors, Dane County executive Joe Parisi gave an update of the county’s COVID-19 response.

He began by reminding that the Safer at Home order may have been overturned by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but Dane County is still implementing its own order. He said Public Health of Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) had put guidelines in place before the state order. The county had the first COVID-19 case in the state and the 12th in the country, with the first confirmed case on Feb. 5.

“That really kicked us into gear,” Parisi said.

When the state adopted its own order, the county followed those guidelines, and will continue to follow a similar order.

“Once the Supreme Court invalidated that order, we immediately reissued local orders,” he stated.

He said the county is working on increased testing and increasing staff numbers to do additional contact tracing.

Thu
21
May
Wed
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May
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MHS coaches share stories about Bob Joers

Bob Joers touched the lives of countless people in and around Middleton.

Joers, the athletic director at Middleton High School from 1995-2004 and again from 2011-2020, had a particularly strong relationship with many of the coaches in his department.

After Joers died on May 15 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, the Times-Tribune reached out to many of those coaches for thoughts about their former boss. Here’s a sample of what those coaches said about Joers.

The coaches are listed in alphabetical order.

 

Kevin Bavery, boys basketball

Mon
18
May
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Joers, White formed a special bond

They were both dealt hands that were absolutely nightmarish.

Perhaps the only positive in the ordeal is they could lean on each other, and in the process, formed a special friendship.

Ben White, Middleton’s boys volleyball coach and student activities coordinator, was diagnosed with lymphoma in Sept., 2019. Bob Joers, Middleton’s athletic director, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer one month later.

Over the next six months, the two men developed an unforgettable bond under the most trying of circumstances.

“Besides my family, Bob was my immediate support person, and I was his,” White said.

Unfortunately for White — and the entire community — that changed on May 15 when Joers lost his battle with cancer.

Stories flooded in how Joers touched so many lives in and around the area. But the relationship Joers and White built while battling cancer together was both inspirational and motivating.

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