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MIDDLETON–Parents and students took to streets on Dec. 21 calling for the school district to implement in-person learning for students in all grade levels beginning at the start of the second semester. About 50 people gathered at Middleton High School (MHS) and marched to the district administration building on South St. hours before the board voted on implementing a blended instruction model for all students.

An organizer of the march and parent of a student at MHS, Joel Moyer, said families want a commitment from the board that the district will implement in-person learning as soon as possible. Moyer says he supports getting kids back in schools even if that means only partially in a virtual/in-person blended instruction model, which the school district did approve for grades 4K-2 beginning Feb. 1.

DANE COUNTY–The Dane County Sheriff’s Office is urging people to stay off the ice. Although ice has been forming on area lakes throughout the week, the conditions are still unsafe for ice fishing and other activities.

Marine and Trail deputies, along with Madison Fire and Rescue, have responded to at least three calls already today to rescue individuals who have fallen through. One ice angler on Mudd Lake was able to get himself out of the water but lost all of his fishing gear.

It’s understandable that people are anxious to get outside and enjoy winter activities, but safety needs to be the top priority. If you do decide to take the gamble, make sure you are wearing a life jacket and that you have communicated with a friend or family member on your location.

Above all, remember that the ice is never 100 percent safe.

MIDDLETON–On Dec. 19 starting at 12 p.m., Middleton First Responders will escort Santa, himself, through the city. The small neighborhood parade using a route similar to the August first responder parade, will give kids a chance to see Santa during the pandemic, since in person Santa visits are limited this year.

Come out and wave to Santa and your local first responders as they travel through your neighborhood. The route will start and end at the police department, and travel in the direction of the arrow in the map. An interactive map can be found at https://bit.ly/MiddletonSantaParade, so you can see the exact route Santa will be taking.

Due to COVID 19 concerns, please follow social distancing and face covering recommendations.

MIDDLETON–Three Middleton businesses were among the 231 winners in the We’re All Innovating contest held by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Community CoWorks, Meg’s Masks and Regal Find all received funding as winners in the competition. 

Kristi Warriner, owner of Community CoWorks said she learned of the contest through multiple sources including the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and WWBIC Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC). “City of Middleton leaders and the Chamber also sent out press about the award.  Mike Davis at the city and Lisa Quam at the Chamber have been really fabulous about looking out for us,” Warriner said. 

MIDDLETON–Three Middleton businesses were among the 231 winners in the We’re All Innovating contest held by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Community CoWorks, Meg’s Masks and Regal Find all received funding as winners in the competition. 

Kristi Warriner, owner of Community CoWorks said she learned of the contest through multiple sources including the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and WWBIC Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC). “City of Middleton leaders and the Chamber also sent out press about the award.  Mike Davis at the city and Lisa Quam at the Chamber have been really fabulous about looking out for us,” Warriner said. 

Editor’s note: In a previous vaccine article published on Dec.10, Julie Willems Van Dijk’s name was misspelled. It is corrected in this story.

WISCONSIN–After FDA (Food and Drug Administration) emergency approval on Dec. 11, Pfizer began rolling out their COVID-19 vaccine immediately. Wisconsin, which is poised to receive 49,725 doses, started receiving the vaccine on Monday. The first 10,000 doses arrived in the afternoon.

MADISON–The buzz about the approval and release of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and later the Moderna vaccine, may leave many feeling a sting. The Pfizer vaccine, which is expected to be approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as early as next week, will see slow distribution and just under 50,000 doses for the state in its first shipment. 

In a video call in for reporters on Monday, Wisconsin Deputy Health Secretary at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Julie Willems Van Dyke and Dr. Stephanie Schauer, program director of the Wisconsin Immunization Program said that 49,725 doses of the vaccine, which requires deep freezing, will be in the first round. It is unknown how many will follow in the second round. 

MADISON–Local health organizations are calling on the public to be vigilant over the holidays in protecting themselves from COVID-19. Despite recent positive news about vaccine development, the general public is unlikely to receive vaccines until Spring of 2021 at the earliest.

Rather than calling your healthcare provider, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Wisconsin Department of Health Services websites below for answers to frequently asked questions about the vaccine. This helps reserve healthcare systems’ staffed phone lines for those calling with active symptoms and acute care needs.

DANE COUNTY–The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t stopped Christmas tree sellers from putting a little Ho, Ho, Ho into the holiday season.

Wanting their customers to feel safe while enjoying a traditional Yuletide experience, they’ve adopted public health guidelines for businesses and gatherings

“We got the hang of it during our fall season, our busy season,” said Chris Krisch, of Enchanted Valley Acres, 5047 Enchanted Valley Rd., Cross Plains.

The fall corn mazes and pumpkin patch gives way to cut-your-own and selecting pre-cut Fraser Fir, Balsam and other evergreen tree species beginning with a “soft opening” on Nov. 23, a few days before Thanksgiving.

Enchanted Valley’s employees wear masks for all customer contacts, receive daily health checks and frequently sanitize hay wagons, tables and other “high-touch” areas. Sanitizers are stationed throughout the farm.

MADISON–The Madison Police Department (MPD) is seeking help from the public in locating Carlos A. Wible, 37 of Middleton.

MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said a case detective has probable cause to arrest Wible for second degree sexual assault for an incident that allegedly occurred on Madison’s west side on Aug. 1.

Anyone with information as to Wible’s whereabouts is asked to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or online at P3Tips.com.