:ıPğIJįĉØPææÃæµ:ıPğIJįĉØPææÃæµ įōíĽğįĻřāįÀíßįĤPØįōíĽğįĻřāįÀíßįĤPØ It’s your paper! GeigerRealtors.com Friday, February 9, 2018 • Vol. 4, No. 12 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1 Jason Geiger (608) 277-2167 adno=553453-01 Inside Fitchburg Police Department 12 vehicle thefts so far in 2018 Page 3 Brecklin Schools is new OSD task force says new schools needed soon chief Page 8 Former Lt. began with department in 1999 Pisani to leave SCOTT GIRARD Stoner Prairie Unified Newspaper Group Page 9 Chad Brecklin wasn’t sur- prised by the range of emo- tions he felt when he got a Sports phone call Jan. 17 from the chair of the Police and Fire Commission informing him he’d been chosen for a promotion. Photo by Amber Levenhagen Sandra Thompson looks to her daughter, Evelyn, as they together finish gluing part of Evelyn’s Valentine’s Day craft. “Obvious- ly there’s excitement, and there’s Sweet hearts for sweethearts anticipation leading up The Fitchburg library’s storytime room to the phone Brecklin teDuits crowned Bad- quickly filled with families during the Valen- Inside call when tine’s Day craft activity on Feb. 2. you have a window of time ger South champ for Youngsters were able to make paper More photos from the Valentine’s crafts at the library where you’re expecting it,” Edgewood swimming heart crafts, including hats and puzzle Brecklin said. “Then you piece hearts, before leaving with a candy Page 10 kind of have that realiza- butterfly. tion of like, ‘Well there’s Page 17 a whole lot of work to do.’ Then there’s proba- Community bly a dash of apprehension More smiles: Dental clinic opens at BGC thrown in there, like, ‘What have I just gotten myself Clauder works HELU WANG resource, as well,” Okazaki into?’” Super Bowl security Unified Newspaper Group told the Star. “It’s a great Brecklin, who spoke with fit for both sides.” the Star on his eighth day Page 18 Michael Johnson The clinic, at 4619 Jene- as the chief of the Fitch- recalled how excited a wein Road, is the organi- burg Police Department, patient was on the opening zation’s second; the first said his first seven days in Business day of the new dental clinic is located in the Salvation the role since being sworn after she got her first teeth Army at 630 E. Washing- in Wednesday, Jan. 24, had cleaning in over 20 years. ton Ave., Madison. The gone well. Her’s and other patients’ staff – three full-time “I’m hoping to string joy is the Boys and Girls dentists, two hygienists together several more sev- Club of Dane County and about 50 volunteers en-day increments, if not CEO’s reward for nearly – serves more than 3,000 longer,” he added with a five years of work initiat- patients each year. So far, laugh. ing a dental clinic in the 50 patients have signed The 44-year-old former Allied Family Center loca- up at the Fitchburg clin- lieutenant has spent most of tion, where many children ic. Okazaki expects to see his career here in Fitchburg, have had limited access to about 1,500 patients in the first joining the department dental clinics because of near future. as a patrol officer in 1999 high cost. One of the clinic’s fea- after four years with the “It will improve the Photo by Helu Wang tures is providing afford- Oregon Police Department. number of days that kids The new clinic has three patient rooms and an X-ray able dental care to both He lives in New Glarus, are in schools,” Johnson machine, which is expected to serve over 1,500 patients in Medicaid and uninsured where he grew up, with his said. the near future. patients. Okazaki said wife and two children. Chalet Ski and Patio The clinic is a partner- although there are thou- The PFC chose him over ship with More Smiles Wisconsin, Fitchburg is assessment found a signif- sands of providers within fellow finalist Kelly Kent, reopens after storm Wisconsin, a nonprofit the right place to continue icant need in the commu- the area, only 30 percent a captain in the Oshkosh damage last fall organization offering low- offering services to under- nity. of dentists in Dane County Police Department. A third cost dental services. For served populations. “The community has a accept Medicaid patients. finalist, Eric Atkinson of Jeff Okazaki, executive Okazaki said More high need for dental care, The clinic fills the gap Page 23 Smiles Wisconsin’s and we can serve as a director of More Smiles Turn to Clinic/Page 20 Turn to Brecklin/Page 19 PRSRT STANDARD ECRWSS EXPERIENCE THE UPTOWN LIFESTYLE US POSTAGE PAID UNIFIED NEWSPAPER GROUP 608.441.9999 avanteproperties.com VISTA APARTMENTS OPENING SUMMER 2018 adno=553458-01 ConnectFitchburg.com 2 February 9, 2018 Fitchburg Star Fitchburg police chief Chad Brecklin, right, listens to Fitch- burg fire chief Joe Pulvermacher brief the crowd in the incident command post in fire station No. 1 on Lacy Road before the SIMCOM exercise began Feb. 7. Photos by Alexander Cramer Emergency personnel attempt to communicate with their counterparts during the SIMCOM exercise Feb. 7. The drill is designed to simulate the challenges of communicating during an emergency, in this case a simulated ice storm that had affected 600,000 people and knocked the power out to 150,000. Fitchburg hosts large-scale drill Forty agencies, including the Wis- other four branches – two in Fitch- communication equipment ranging consin National Guard and U.S. Coast burg, one each in Oregon, Verona and from high-tech, RV-sized mobile Guard, multiple municipal emergency Oshkosh – as the incident’s command communication trailers to civilian responders and aircraft congregated in post. The drill simulated a winter radio operators to simulate what it’s A U.S. Air National Guard Blackhawk helicopter takes part in Fitchburg on Wednesday, Feb. 7 for storm that left several inches of ice, like communicating in a disaster sit- the SIMCOM exercise Feb. 7. SIMCOM challenged 40 agen- the 11th annual SIMCOM exercise. affecting 600,000 people and knock- uation. cies and 225 personnel to communicate using improvised Fitchburg fire station No. 1 on Lacy ing out the power to 150,000. equipment during a simulated crisis situation. Road was in charge of directing the The exercise uses improvised – Alexander Cramer adno=558051-01 ConnectFitchburg.com February 9, 2018 Fitchburg Star 3 City of Fitchburg 12 cars stolen so far in 2018 or a confrontation with a home/vehi- Thefts took a steep rise cle owner.” Staffing after Labor Day, many Stolen vehicles The rise is part of a countywide trend, with Verona already experi- involve juvenile suspects 2016: 24 encing three vehicle thefts in 2018 2017: 67 and Madison had 57 in the month of SCOTT GIRARD 2018*: 12 January. The police department held a press conference Jan. 24 to high- restructure Unified Newspaper Group * through morning of Feb. 6 light the problem on behalf of the The City of Fitchburg has seen Dane County Chiefs of Police Asso- a sharp increase in car thefts that ciation. began around Labor Day last year A news release from the depart- “We’re not here to blame the vic- and has continued into the new year. ment said that “almost all of these tims, we’re here to educate the pub- approved As of the morning of Feb. 6, 12 cases have involved or show the lic and ask that you … take preven- cars had been stolen this year — markings of juvenile suspects.” tative measures and help us,” deputy “As the CEO of the city … 10 in January and two in February, “Also of concern are the fact chief Don Bates said at the press Zimmerman will be I’m charged with putting Fitchburg Police Department Sgt. some of these cases have involved conference. “Lock your vehicles, new assistant city forward the best product for Edward Hartwick told the Star in an burglaries in which suspects have keep your doors shut, and if you this council.” email. entered occupied homes overnight hear something, make sure you call administrator While it satisfied the That follows 67 car thefts last to take keys and then remove vehi- the jurisdiction you live in.” alders enough to receive year, 37 of which occurred after cles from garages,” the release said. SCOTT GIRARD unanimous approval, some Sept. 1, according to the depart- “The behaviors and actions of these Contact Scott Girard at ungreport- Unified Newspaper Group were still worried about the ment. That’s up 180 percent from juveniles in many of these cases [email protected] and follow him on perception, especially inter- the 24 stolen in 2016. could lead to disastrous consequenc- Twitter @sgirard9. A new internal staffing nally, of favoritism. es, whether it be a fatal traffic crash structure within the city “If I’m a city employee, will remove some duties I’m saying, ‘How come I from the city administrator. didn’t get a chance?’” said Members of the Com- Ald. Tom Clauder (D-4). mon Council unanimously Alds. Dorothy Krause approved the creation of a (D-1) and Julia Arata-Frat- Community and Economic ta (D-3) expressed similar Development Department concerns, though Clauder to bring together three pre- and Krause both specifical- viously separate depart- ly said they were comfort- ments, Jan. 23. As part of able with Zimmerman in that change, a position of that position. assistant city administrator/ “I think those are good director of community and moves, I just want to make economic development will sure we don’t have prob- oversee the planning and lems either internally or zoning, economic devel- people outside that com- ALL YOUR opment and public works plain that didn’t have a departments.