County

DANE COUNTY–Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) is supporting DHS-contracted private testing provider, Accelerated Labs, to open an additional mass testing clinic in Dane County to help meet the demand for testing with a sustainable solution amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. 

The walk-up clinic, located at the Alliant Energy Center, will open in three phases, beginning on Jan. 10, with a testing capacity of about 500-750 tests per day, five days a week. On Jan. 17, capacity will increase to 1,000 tests per day and will expand to weekends as soon as possible. It is not a drive through style clinic. Hours of operation will be 10:am-6 p.m.

“This addition will have a huge impact for folks who are anxious about getting a test right now,” said Ken Van Horn, testing director, PHMDC. “It will increase the total testing capacity in Dane County by 12.5 percent right away on week one, 25 percent on week two and 33 percent when weekends are added to the mix.”

CROSS PLAINS–A Cross Plains man has pleaded not guilty to multiple child sex offenses allegedly involving three Cross Plains minor girls.

Logan G. Schultz, 21, has been charged with:

• One count of repeated sexual assault of a child

• Two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child under 16 years old

• Three counts of exposing genitals

The offenses were alleged to have occurred between August 1, 2018 and July 11, 2020.

The charges total five felonies and one misdemeanor. If convicted on all counts, Schultz faces maximum penalties of 126 years and nine months in prison.

Not guilty pleas were entered in Schultz’s behalf on Dec. 6 and he was released on $10,000 cash bond with conditions including no contact with three individuals, identified only by initials, and their families.

According to the criminal complaint based on information gathered by Cross Plains and Madison police, and a Dane County Sheriff’s deputy:

CROSS PLAINS–The Cross Plains Village Board Monday “regretfully accepted” Village Administrator Bill Chang’s resignation as he will take a similar position with the Village of DeForest next month.

“I want to thank all of you (on the board), the community and all the staff for a wonderful time working here. There’s been some growing pains, but for the most part we’ve made it through them, and the village is pointing in the right direction,” Chang said.

Chang’s last day with the village will be Jan. 21.

Village President Jay Lengfeld said that Chang will be missed, and he valued his service to the village.

“We will miss you, but I must say that it’s been an absolute joy working with you and the village is better off than when you came on. I certainly appreciate your hard work and leadership and wish you the best at DeForest,” said Lengfeld.

Other trustees also thanked Chang for his service and wished him good luck in his new job.

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–The Town Board Monday renewed an offer to buy an out lot in the Stone Brook Estates for a storm water detention pond.

The $36,000 offer for approximately two acres generally has the same conditions that residents of the 66-lot north side subdivision rejected last year. However, this time it has the full backing of Homeowners Association (HOA) President Ed Pardon, who thanked the town board for the renewed offer.

“I think it would be an ideal resolution to what has been…a choppy three or four-year period, it seems like dealing with this issue,” he said during the virtual meeting.

The HOA board favors the offer and intends to recommend to the membership, said Pardon. He hopes it resolves the matter that has generated some stiff resistance and one candidacy to the town board.

CROSS PLAINS–Farmers in the Black Earth Creek Watershed, already using cover crops and contouring their fields, can make their soil conservation practices more effective by joining like-minded neighbors, said Dane County and Sand County Foundation conversationists.

It takes just five producers to organize and be recognized by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) as a farmer-led watershed group. Farmers with shared goals of improving soil health and water quality can find technical and financial assistance to achieve those goals, said Amy Piaget, a conservationist with the Dane County Land & Water Resources department.

State money, administered by the county has recently been boosted to $750,000 and is available to members of watershed organizations. Some programs provide money for cover crop seed and others help with equipment acquisition, she said.

DANE COUNTY–The Omicron variant has been detected in Dane County, Public Health of Madison Dane County (PHMDC) announced on Dec. 16. The agency is encouraging everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or get a booster if they’re eligible.

“As we work to learn more about the Omicron variant, including how easily it spreads, remember that the best protection against COVID-19, including the Omicron variant is for people ages 5 and older to get vaccinated,” said Janel Heinrich, Director of Public Health Madison & Dane County. “For those who are already vaccinated, this is the best time to bolster your immunity with a booster dose as soon as possible. Vaccination greatly reduces risk of severe illness or death.”

TOWN OF BERRY–Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dane County Executive Joseph Parisi and Janel Heinrich, Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) Director, were roundly criticized Monday by 100 or more unmasked persons who turned out in the Town of Berry to voice their opposition to the county’s mask order.

Packing the town hall and overflowing to an adjacent viewing area, ironically created a potential “Super Spreader” event where the indoor mask order was openly defied by all and encouraged by some attendees.

County Board Supervisors Jeff Weigand, of Marshall and Tim Rockwell, of Sun Prairie, organized the hearing to allow residents frustrated by being shut out of the decision to again extend the mask order, this time to Jan. 3.

MADISON–The Dane County Sheriff’s Office wants to inform citizens of a recent Tik Tok challenge circulating throughout the country. The post promotes rumors that there are threats of school violence. At this time, the sheriff’s department is not aware of any direct threats in Dane County and this is strictly a cautionary.

The sheriff’s office is asking parents and students to be vigilant and report any potential threat to the school in question. The sheriff’s office and other local law enforcement agencies are working closely with area school districts to address any concerns or potential threats. 

This information also serves as a good reminder for parents to monitor their child’s social media activity.

CROSS PLAINS–Garbage and recycling collection in Cross Plains will be switched from bags to wheeled carts beginning in January, according to a contract the village board approved on Nov.22.

The village is one of the last last area communities to continue using trash bags at the curb instead of carts, but costs and staffing shortages required Town & County Sanitation, Inc. of Boscobel, the village collection contractor, to make the change, Doug Enke, company owner told the board.

Enke said the changeover would occur in January, without setting an exact week, when the carts would begin to be dropped off at the 1,256 residences in the village.

Town & County will provide 95-gallons carts for garbage and recycling, residents should contact the company if they want a 65-gallon cart instead, Cross Plains Village Administrator Bill Chang said.

CROSS PLAINS–Owners of a $300,000 house will have their village taxes increase by $35 to $2,553 as the Cross Plains Village Board Monday adopted the 2022 budget and tax levy.

Tax bills are expected to be mailed out next month along with taxes imposed by the county, school district and technical college district.

The village’s mill rate increased by 1.35 percent to $8.51, up from $8.40 adopted in 2020. The increase is less than the rate of inflation while still giving employees a raise, Finance Director Bobbi Zander wrote in a memo to the village board.

On the spending side, the general fund budget which includes expenses for police, fire, public works, administration, and other village functions is $4.46 million, up by 1.42 percent from the 2021 budget. Employee wages and benefits increased by 3.93 percent lead by a 7.9 percent increase in health insurance costs.