Local

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Public Library is now offering expanded curbside pickup. Due to a variety of logistical factors, such as no inter-library delivery, building design, and staffing for social distancing, curbside pickup services are limited and vary by location www.scls.info/librariesbounceback.

Please see the below instructions for placing holds on Middleton owned materials and scheduling a pick-up time.  

Due Dates & Returns: July 1 is the updated and extended due date for all materials checked out from the Middleton Public Library. The library is asking that patrons hold on to the items they currently have checked out–all book drops remain closed at this time.

Hold Materials and Curbside Pickup: 

Color this spring scene and email it to us with your name and age and we will display it here on our webesite. 

Send your creations to timestribuneeditor@newspubinc.com. You can download the coloring page here, or look for it in the print edition of the TImes-Tribune!

MIDDLETON–The City of Middleton will be able to move forward with opening some services back up after Gov. Tony Evers slightly loosened restrictions on what can and cannot be open.

The Middleton Public Library and Pleasant View Golf Course will both be allowed to open with some restrictions. Neither can open before the original Safer at Home order runs out on April 24.

Jocelyne Sansing, director of the Middleton Public Library, said in the Good Neighbor Hub meeting last week that she is not yet sure what their opening plan will look like, and did not have a solid opening date at press time. The library will only be able to do curbside pickup.

“It will be a coordinated effort based on interpretation of the order, following a lot along the lines of restaurant curbside pickup,” she explained.

MADISON–An electric car parade has been planned in celebration of Earth Day on April 22. The parade will begin and end at Marshall Park in Madison, and is expected to kick off at 11: 30 a.m. and conclude at around 1 p.m.

The parade’s goal is to celebrate Earth Day, raise awareness of care for the environment, and promote electric vehicles, in a way that practices safe distancing during Covid-19. 

All EV and plug-in hybrids are welcome to participate in the event. 

Feel free to decorate with banners, posters, signs, flags, streamers, plants, flowers, balloons, shaving cream, tin cans, etc. Please make sure everything is well attached so we are not littering our beautiful green world or causing driving hazards. Also feel free to play music or make noise!

To add your vehicle or ask questions, contact Carol Phelps at: carolandp@yahoo.com 

MILWAUKEE–Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) have joined forces with the state’s leading antihunger organization, Hunger Task Force, to help provide relief to the growing numbers of underfed and unemployed by connecting milk to emergency food organizations throughout the state.

With the substantial support of the local individual donor community during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hunger Task Force will commit up to $1 million to the newly created Wisconsin Dairy Recovery Program. Wisconsin dairy farmers will be paid to supply milk to farmer-owned dairy cooperative Kemps, who will kick off the beginning phase of this week by processing thousands of gallons of milk at its Cedarburg, Wis. facility.

MADISON–On April 16, Gov. Tony Evers directed Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to extend the Safer at Home order from April 24,  to 8 a.m. to May 26, or until a superseding order is issued. The order implements some new measures to ensure safety and support the progress we've made in containing COVID-19, but also allows certain activities to start up again. 

“A few weeks ago, we had a pretty grim outlook for what COVID-19 could mean for our state, but because of the efforts of all of you, Safer at Home is working. That said, we aren't out of the woods just yet,” said Gov. Evers. “As I've said all along, we are going to rely on the science and public health experts to guide us through this challenge. So, as we extend Safer at Home, I need all of you to continue doing the good work you've been doing so we can keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe, and get through this storm together.”

DANE COUNTY–“Unprecedented.” “Historic.” “Unique.” Those are some of the words area bankers used to described the SBA (Small Business Administration), Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans available as part of the federal CARES Act.

Jim Tubbs, State Bank of Cross Plains (SBCP) President and CEO, and Ken Thompson, Capitol Bank (Capitol) President and CEO and chair-elect of the Wisconsin Bankers Association explained how the PPP loans work, and how business owners can potentially have 100 percent of the loan forgiven by the SBA.

The PPP loan process began on April 3 and banks have been busy assisting customers and processing the loans, which vary widely in amounts. The federal government set a cap at $350 billion for the program, with no limits as to how much a particular state can use.

These are some features that set the PPP loans apart. 

MIDDLETON–Deputy superintendent Sherri Cyra presented projected 2020-21 enrollment numbers to the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District Board of Directors Monday night, but warned that the estimate was very preliminary.

Cyra said that the school anticipates growth this year and based on last year’s numbers and current enrollment for next year, anticipates 100 new K-12 students in the district. 

She said this is usually the time when 4K and Kindergarten students are enrolling which may affect enrollment numbers.

“I don’t know if we’ll have face to face enrollment,” she added.

She said Sauk Trails enrollment was low, and included, “West Middleton with boundary changes go down in terms of enrollment and sections.”

Cyra said it may be necessary to do more outreach during the summer to get students enrolled. 

Board member Anne Bauer asked if Cyra expected to see “an uptick” in e-school next year since all students are using it now.

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–With the town’s annual meeting five days away, the Middleton Town Board and Stonebrook Estates residents have yet to reach an agreement on a storm water detention pond the board last month approved for construction.

Wisconsin towns can’t buy property without approval from its resident eligible voters, called electors, which is obtained at annual meetings. On April 21, the town will hold a virtual annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. when residents can call a toll-free phone number and participate.

An annual meeting’s agenda is set largely by the residents but the purchase of a 10.1 acre outlot from the Stonebrook Estates Homeowners Association is likely to make the list. 

DANE COUNTY–Middleton Mayor Gurdip Brar was elected to a second term last week in the Spring Election, will official results coming in April 13. 

In the heated Middleton mayoral race, Brar received 56.9 percent of the vote with opponent Kurt Paulsen pulling in 42.8 percent. 

Several close races played out around Dane County. In the Village of Cross Plains, voters were tasked with picking three trustees for the village board from a four field race. Incumbent Kevin Thusius pulled in the most votes with 26. 8 percent, fellow incumbent Bill Brosius got 25.1 percent, Michael Pomykalski received 22.6 percent and Cameron Bjorkland had 21.1 percent of the votes. Thusius, Brosius and Pomykalski will serve as trustees.

In the Springfield Town Board Supervisor IV incumbent Dan Dresen held on to his seat with 56.2 percent of the vote, beating out Pam Krill who got 43. 8 percent.