Community

MADISON–The Madison Fire Department was called to an early morning blaze on Sept. 18 at Cowboy Jack’s, located on John Q. Hammons Dr. Calls were received at the Middleton Fire Company, which was also dispatched, but did not assist because Madison was on the scene. The restaurant lies on the border of Madison and Middleton.

Madison firefighters responded at 3:29 a.m. and fought the fire until about 7:15 in the morning when the last fire company left. 

“We were out there all day because of the investigation, and we had a couple of hot spots, so firefighters were called back to put them out,” said Cynthia Schuster, Public Information Officer for the Madison Fire Department. 

No determination has been made on the cause of the fire, but officials were hoping to have some answers by the end of the week. 

“It looks like a total loss, but ultimately that lies in the hands of the insurance company,” Schuster said.

CROSS PLAINS–A string of burglaries in the Glacier Ridge subdivision during the early morning hours of Sept. 16 are the latest in a rash of burglaries and car thefts that have plagued Dane and surrounding counties for more than two years. 

“There were two homes entered and both had the door leading from the garage into the house unlocked. There were also several vehicles entered throughout the neighborhood. Again the vehicles which were entered were also unlocked,” said Cross Plains Police Chief Tom Janssen. 

In one of the break-ins, thieves used a garage door open they found in an unlocked car to gain access to the home. 

“We continue to warn residents to lock vehicle doors and all windows and doors which lead into the house,” Janssen reminded.

MIDDLETON–Community members are invited to attend a public presentation on Sept. 17 from 12-1 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers (7426 Hubbard Ave.) Planning and design consultants from SEH and EUA will be sharing their draft space needs findings for Middleton' s future downtown community campus. This presentation concludes the first phase of the two-phase downtown community campus planning study. 

A second, brief public presentation and project update will be shared with the Middleton Common Council at their regularly scheduled meeting the evening which will begin at 7 p.m. 

For more information about the Community Campus Planning process, please visit: http://www.ci.middleton.wi.us/ccc

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–In another sign of the crumbling relationship between the Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy and the town board, the Friends group said it will withdraw from maintenance activities at the conservancy.

In an August 15 letter from the Friends to the Town of Middleton board, the volunteer group stated that:

“The Friends have had too many differences with the Town in recent years, and those differences have increased to a point where the Friends no longer wish to be involved with the physical maintenance of the property and the interaction with the Town that it requires.”

Instead, the Friends want to concentrate on the educational activities it has developed with the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD and the public at the 102-acre property on Old Sauk Rd.

DANE COUNTY–The Dane County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in a death investigation.

On Sept. 7, a decomposing, man’s body was found in the Town of Blooming Grove near some railroad tracks on Underdahl Rd., east of I-39. Deputies responded to a report of the body at 11:48 a.m., and detectives said it was clear the body had been there for an extended period of time. 

The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office is currently leading a death investigation and conducting an autopsy on the body of the unknown man. 

Anyone with information in this case is urged to come forward by calling the Dane County Tip Line at 608-284-6900.

MIDDLETON–Wayne Pferdehirt, a serving member of the Middleton Plan Commission, passed away in an accident Aug. 26 while hiking on the John Muir Trail in California. Pferdehirt indicated in social media posts that he planned to hike the entirety of the 240-mile trail in 21 days.

Pferdehirt was esteemed in his professional career field earning a master’s degree in Urban & Regional Planning from Northwestern University in 1975 and serving in the Army Corp of Engineers and as an Environmental Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory.

In 1991, Pferdehirt was recruited to the University of Wisconsin-Madison/UW-Extension to help establish the UW Solid & Hazardous Waste Education Center. In 1998, Pferdehirt became director of the online graduate engineering programs at UW-Madison. 

MIDDLETON–The solar array to be installed at the Middleton Municipal Airport is estimated to save the city of Middleton and the Middleton-Cross Plains School District a combined estimated $1.41 million during the next 30 years compared to rates from non-renewable energy sources, according to local officials.

The school district anticipates saving $28,381 in electricity costs during the first year the array is operational and $1.059 million by 2048, according to Perry Hibner, district spokesman.

“We are basing the savings on the current prices for electricity and fuels. If they go up, our savings should go up. If they go down, our savings would be less,” he wrote Tuesday in response to a reporter’s questions.

The city should save an estimated $353,000 during the next 30 years, said Abby Attoun, director of planning and community development.

MIDDLETON–Shaney Andler is not new to volunteering, and the Middleton special education teacher wanted to pass that on to high school students, so she started Bridge Volunteering last year, and serves as its president. Now the organization that is geared toward student with mental health issue, though open to all, will have a home.

Andler is opening a hub for volunteer projects that students can chose to help fulfill their required service hours. The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District requires that all student have 40 hours of service hours to graduate, with two kids of her own Andler found the requirement challenging to achieve. “

MIDDLETON–Middleton police in conjunction with Madison police arrested a man they say is responsible for an armed robbery in Middleton on Aug. 8.

Chris A. Hines, 60, of Middleton was arrested in Madison on Aug. 20 at his place of employment. Hines was identified as a suspect and taken into custody after physical evidence at the scene, Today’s Trends Salon at 6670 University Ave., was processed by authorities. When police confronted him at work, Hines admitted to the crime.

MADISON–The Public Service Commission Tuesday unanimously approved the third high-voltage transmission line to terminate at a substation in the Town of Middleton.

The three commissioners agreed that the 345-kilotvolt Cardinal-Hickory Creek (CHC) line, extending from Dubuque, IA, is needed to bring low-cost renewable power into Wisconsin.

“This project is not only worthy of (construction approval) but is the best option for a carbon-free energy portfolio in the future,” said Commissioner Mike Huebsch.

All three commissioners announced their approval minutes into the nearly three-hour meeting causing about one half of the audience to leave the crowded hearing room disappointed.

Chris Klopp, of the town of Cross Plains, stayed on as the commissioners worked their way through about three dozen questions to justify the $525 million line and its route.