A Clear Mission Includes Volunteer Service and School Accountability
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MAKE FITCHBURG HOME! MORE SPACE! LESS MAINTENANCE! It’s your paper! Friday, February 12, 2016 • Vol. 2, No. 12 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1 608.277.1333 adno=450633-01 Inside First crime, Voter ID back in place for Feb. 16 second primary election Page 3 chance Schools Diversion program has staunch supporters, big State exam results show racial gaps detractors in VASD JACOB BIELANSKI Unified Newspaper Group Page 9 Sarah’s daughter had never got- ten in trouble until she reached high school. Sports At that point, Sarah (a Fitch- burg resident who asked her real name not be used) noticed her straight-A student was becom- ing increasingly withdrawn. It all Photo submitted came to a head when the teen was caught stealing $50, and mom felt Jimmy Anderson is the founder and president of Drive Clear, a nonprofit with a goal to prevent drunken driving and restore its compelled to call the police. victims. He lost his entire family and much of his mobility in an accident caused by a drunk driver in California in 2010. Jimmy From that point, Sarah’s daugh- and his wife, Ashley, made Fitchburg their new home after graduating from UW-Madison. The Andersons, shown on a walk with ter became a part of a system few their dogs Zorro and Lucy, share what life has been like for them in an online exclusive at ConnectFitchburg.com. within Fitchburg knew about. The city’s first-offenders pro- gram attempts to offer kids like her a chance to wipe the slate Panthers earn clean with an agreement that best finish at A clear mission includes volunteer service and school accountability. However, conference as Nonprofit aims to prevent, heal drunken driving damage the program uses the threat of runner-up high municipal fines to encourage SAMANTHA CHRISTIAN only did I owe it to other people, participation. Page 12 Unified Newspaper Group but I wanted to honor the memory That includes what were the of my family.” highest fines for marijuana pos- Wisconsinites tend to be “proud” session of any city in Dane Coun- of their drinking culture, but the Prevention efforts ty until last September, when the City sobering fact is that the Badger Jimmy Anderson shares the story of his Anderson understands how it feels issue drew considerable debate State has the highest rate of drunken accident and why he started his nonprofit: to be in a position of helplessness, so among city alders. driving in the nation. driveclear.org/jimmys-story he did not want his nonprofit to take But opinions vary widely on Ridiculous headlines about drink- a back seat in its mission. He knows whether Fitchburg’s use of high ing and driving in the state have it’s going to take more than just shar- fines for various violations to bol- surfaced online – and not on satiri- things he asked his wife about at ing stories and telling people not to ster the program – like the $500 cal news sites. In the last month the hospital was how her veterinary drink and drive. penalty Sarah’s daughter was alone, we’ve seen, “Wisconsin cou- school applications were going. Drive Clear sets itself apart from threatened with – are helpful or ple, too drunk to drive, give keys “I told her that this is a bump in the other drunken driving preven- harmful. Those same fines that First urban forestry to 9-year-old” and “Wisconsin jury road, and it’s a helluva bump,” he tion organizations by taking what can encourage participation in director retires rejects beer-battered fish as a DWI said. “But the road keeps going, and he calls a realistic approach. It first-offender programs to steer defense.” we gotta keep living, and we gotta provides tools – like Breathalyz- kids onto the right path could also As 29-year-old Fitchburg resident keep putting one foot in front of the ers – for people to make informed have disastrous implications for Page 18 Jimmy Anderson knows better than other and keep living our lives.” decisions before getting behind the those who decline the program, most, it’s a problem that affects As a quadriplegic, there are some wheel, as well as financial services some say. every community. It can also be things Anderson may never be able to help victims. “Often times those fines turn Business deadly. to do again. But there are no limits “We understand that, particularly into warrants, and those war- Nearly six years ago while visiting to what his mind can accomplish, in Wisconsin, we’re working with a rants turn into something worse,” his hometown in California, Ander- which he has demonstrated by fin- community that enjoys drinking, and explained Jerome Dillard, a Fitch- son lost his entire family and most ishing his law degree from Univer- I myself am not opposed to having burg resident who spent 11 years of his mobility in an instant. A drunk sity of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013 a beer from time to time,” Ander- total in prison and now helps driver blew through a stop sign and and launching a nonprofit in 2014. son said. “But what we want to do is inmates transition out of the Dane slammed into the vehicle that he, his Anderson is the founder and pres- teach people to drink responsibly.” County Jail. parents and younger brother were ident of Drive Clear, which is dedi- Drive Clear has partnered with Those involved in the program riding in on their way to dinner. cated to preventing drunken driving BACtrack to distribute high-tech say it’s invaluable, and Sarah is Days later, Anderson awoke from and restoring its victims, in part by Breathalyzers for free to as many among the parents of participants a coma to learn from his wife, Ash- distributing breath-alcohol testers people as possible. So far the non- who hope the program continues ley, that he was paralyzed and the and creating fundraisers. He also profit has handed out a few dozen to help teens in the community. SoHo grows from only survivor of the crash. talks to OWI offenders and students randomly at local bars, and depend- “That was the hardest thing “It was definitely a trying expe- after “mock crashes” at schools, ing on fundraising, Anderson said, – Suzie (Jones) was the only food cart rience to say the least,” he told the hoping the message sticks. he would like to get another 50 into resource that helped us,” Sarah Star. “I know that I had a story to tell, the Madison community. said tearfully of the court liaison Page 19 But Anderson didn’t want to and I know that I could use my story dwell on the past. One of the first to try to help others,” he said. “Not Turn to Drive Clear/Page 21 Turn to Offenders/Page 20 PRSRT STANDARD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID UNIFIED NEWSPAPER GROUP PRIMA - ELEVATED UPTOWN LIVING 608-441-9999 Opening Spring 2016 avanteproperties.com 5121 E. Cheryl Pkwy, Fitchburg adno=450632-01 2 February 12, 2016 The Fitchburg Star ConnectFitchburg.com Photos by Scott Girard Sammy Schroeder, 3, of Fitchburg, cuts a strip of paper to help fin- Be my valentine ish off a heart he made with his mother, Jenny. The Fitchburg Public Library offered area children the chance to get their Valentine’s Day decorations made well ahead of the Feb. 14 holiday at a craft-making event Monday, Feb. 8. Kids could make cards, hearts, butterfly suckers and owl pillow boxes, and each table was packed with parents and kids making whatever craft they could. On the web See more photos from the Valentine’s Day crafting event: ConnectFitchburg.com Leah Rivera, 3, of Fitchburg, can’t decide how to attach her googly-eyed sucker to her butterfly. Casimir Ristow, 2, reaches for more heart decorations for his card. OPENING SOON! 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Stage FunPlay Zone &Community Kids Camp Sponsor Ticket Sponsor Please call for Further information and Tours HealtHealthyhy KidsKids SponsorSponso Nursing Nook Sponsor Media Sponsor 303 S. Jefferson St., Verona, WI 608-845-6465 www.fourwindsmanor.com adno=447142-01 adno=445192-01 ConnectFitchburg.com February 12, 2016 The Fitchburg Star 3 Spring election Council cracks down on employee campaigning Voter ID gets test Tuesday An adjustment to city to review the ordinance, cit- code would make it a fire- ing concerns about the law’s aired information on FAC- able offense for city employ- constitutionality. State Supreme Court Tv about the new law, and ees and contractors to con- The latest ordinance only race on primary Acceptable IDs encouraged people to visit duct political campaigning allows for leniency if the The address on an ID does not need to be current. the state’s website, bringit. while on the clock. violator was forced to do ballot wisconsin.gov, for more The ordinance modifies the campaigning, provided For more information on how to get a state ID, information.