I’m alwI’May STILLs her HERE!e for you! It’s your paper! 27 years in VASD Housing Market Kathy Bartels Friday, June 11, 2021 • Vol. 8, No. 4 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1 608-235-2927 [email protected] adno=223164 Inside City of Fitchburg Encompass Health Staff no proposes rehab center longer require Page 3 masks in city buildings, spaces Mayor says while face coverings are encouraged, they will be optional City applies for EMILIE HEIDEMANN grants for The Hub Unified Newspaper Group City buildings and public spaces Page 8 have reopened again after just over a year of closures because of the Sports COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Benjamin Pierce And people are no longer required 4-year-old Ben Lynch plays at the splash pad in McKee Farms Park on Wednesday, June 2, in Fitchburg. to wear masks or practice social Boys golf distancing in city spaces, Mayor Crusaders roll back Aaron Richardson told the Star, per Public Health Madison and Dane to state Splash pad open again County lifting all health restrictions June 2. The McKee Farms Park Page 14 splash pad, City Hall, 5520 Lacy Summer is here. hot temperatures. Road; the Fitchburg Public Library, That’s evidenced by how splash pad at McKee Email Emilie Heidemann at emilie.heidemann@ 5530 Lacy Road; and Senior Cen- Schools Farms Park officially reopened on June 1. wcinet.com or follow her on Twitter at @Heide- ter, 5510 Lacy Road, are among the Kids and families can now engage in spaces again operational, he said. VASD moves water-related fun and take a break from the mannEmilie. So people can can now cool off graduation to morn- at the splash pad, Richardson said, and anticipate programming and ing of June 12 events coming back at the library City of Fitchburg and senior center. In-person gov- Page 17 ernment meetings at City Hall will soon resume, too, he said. Mask wearing in city buildings Business West Lacy Road design approved are at the discretion of individual members of the public and staff, Richardson said. And while the city has made no formal decision with buffered bike lanes regarding face coverings, he con- firmed staff are not asking people Alders focused on of the road from the edge of the “I’m well aware of entering Fitchburg spaces for vac- city at Fitchrona Road going cination cards if they choose not to safety of the road with east to Seminole Highway. safety and risks, and wear a mask. The $6 million project – for you assess risks. I think But there are signs recommend- reconstruction which the majority of funding ing masks for those who have not will come from Tax-Increment everyone I see out here yet had a shot. KIMBERLY WETHAL District No. 9 that includes could ride on that 4-foot And public safety officials like Unified Newspaper Group businesses along Seminole police officers, firemen, emergency Highway – is scheduled to start shoulder, and people medical technicians and building After a one-month delay, the in summer 2022 after being that aren’t as capable inspectors will still likely wear face AMC Entertainment delayed for a year, a reference City of Fitchburg Common would be over on the coverings, he said, since they enter reopens McKee Council has approved a west document from the city states. people’s homes more often. Lacy Road design that includes The council voted 7-1 in Road theater bike/ped path.” Around 56.7% of Dane County bike lanes and a two-foot buf- favor of an amended version residents are completely vaccinat- fer between traffic lanes. that added back in the multi- Alderman Dave Herbst, who voted ed as of June 2, according to data Page 23 use path and eliminated the The city will move for- against the measure, citing that he from the Wisconsin Department of grading on the southern side of ward with a Lacy Road recon- believed a pared-down design still Health Services. struction design that includes the road for a sidewalk during Agrace is promoted safety While the library is set to fully opening adult 10-foot wide traffic lanes, its Tuesday, May 25, meet- reopen this month, it will keep its 5-foot bike lanes and a 2-foot ing. Ald. Dave Herbst (Dist. curbside dropoff services for those daycare center buffer between them. The 1) voted against, citing that he to kill me every day,” Herbst, who don’t yet feel safe being inside design also includes a 2-foot believed a pared-down design who works as a utility engi- buildings, Richardson said. Page 23 curb and gutter and a 10-foot still promoted safety. neer, said. “I’m well aware of multi-use path on the north side “I’m around things that want Turn to Lacy/Page 21 Turn to Masks/Page 21 151 University of Wisconsin Downtown State Capitol MADISON Mineral Point Rd MONON University Research Lake PLACES Park Monona like no 12 14 18 151 OTHERMADISON FITCHBURG PD 5 UPTOWN 151 3 4 8 2 y Rd 1 6 7 sh Hatcher 1. Osprey 2. Raven 3. Vista 4. Prima Fi FITCHBURG TECHNOLOGY 14 D CAMPUS SUMMER AVAILABILITY! CONTACT US 120 E. Lakeside Street 5. Riva 6. Turnberry 7. Tralee 8. Kinsale Madison, WI 53715 www.avanteproperties.com (608) 294-4080 adno=223367 ConnectFitchburg.com 2 June 11, 2021 Fitchburg Star Remembering those lost to war Fitchbergers had the the Bob Schley Memorial lost to a war that day. chance to honor veterans at at Gorman Wayside Park, Email Emilie Heidemann at a Memorial Day ceremony located at 2377 Fish Hatch- emilie.heidemann@wcinet. May 31. ery Road. com or follow her on Twit- A small ceremony was Dozens came out to ter at @HeidemannEmilie. scheduled for 1 p.m. at remember loved ones they Two siblings of Bob Schley, for whom the memorial is named after at Gorman Park, lay a wreath to remember the fallen. Photos by Emilie Heidemann The Oregon-Brooklyn VFW Post 10272 stands at attention with the national, state and other Find Energy Savings Here. flags to honor fallen veterans during a Memorial Day ceremony. Partner with MGE to save energy. 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CHERYL PARKWAY, FITCHBURG FITCHBURGMARKET.COM 519 Commerce Dr in Madison allsaintsneighborhood.org Sponsored By: Woods Hollow Lions Club VRBC EAGLE School Strawberry Fest Kids Fest Pig Roast Fall Fest 608.827.2990 June 17th July 15th August 19th September 16th adno=227919 adno=216992 ConnectFitchburg.com June 11, 2021 Fitchburg Star 3 City of Fitchburg COVID-19 Encompass Health proposes rehabilitation center snapshot from May Proposed site is near embattled 17 through June 7 area where senior Starting in December, the state Department of Health housing was denied Services started releasing COVID-19 data for cities, villages and townships, as well as school districts and years earlier ZIP codes. The state Department of Health Services receives KIMBERLY WETHAL data from county health departments and hospitals that Unified Newspaper Group are uploaded into its electronic disease surveillance system by 9 a.m. the day of the report. At 2 p.m., the A proposal to build a department releases new information on its website. rehabilitation center off The Fitchburg Star has compiled the prevalence of of South Fish Hatchery COVID-19 in Fitchburg between Monday, May 17, and Road and Nobel Drive has Monday, June 8. The Star plans to keep running regular received positive feedback COVID-19 number updates to provide more informa- from both the Common tion to readers. Council and the nearby res- Cumulative cases are a representation of all cases idents, as multiple people reported since March 15, 2020. lauded it as a project that The data dashboard can be located at dhs.wisconsin. fits the area. gov/covid-19/data.htm. Encompass Health is Rendering courtesy Encompass Health — Kimberly Wethal looking to build its first Encompass Health is looking to build an in-patient rehabilitation center at the southeastern facility in Wisconsin at corner of South Fish Hatchery Road and Nobel Drive, with a planned groundbreaking of the southeastern corner spring to summer 2022 and a prospective grand opening of 2023. of South Fish Hatchery Fitchburg COVID-19 Road and Nobel Drive. It presentation provided to the would build the reha- neighboring residents and would include a one-sto- city states. bilitation facility in two businesses. In 2018 and numbers ry, 47,000-square-foot During its Tuesday, May phases, the first of which 2019, a set of adjacent land in-patient rehabilitation 25, meeting, the Common would include 40 private parcels to those owned by City of Fitchburg center that would offer Council granted Encom- rooms and the main lobby Encompass Health became physical, occupational and • Average no. of new daily cases within last seven pass Health a rezone of the area, with a groundbreak- controversial after residents speech-language therapy property, one of the first ing planned for spring or expressed displeasure over days: 0.71 services.