Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood Association

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Dunn's Marsh News, 1/4/13

Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News
                                                               January 4, 2014
The DMN e-News and an occasional hard copy DMN News are published by the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association (DMNA) on an “as-needed” schedule. The Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association, Inc. has been working to unite neighbors to solve mutual problems and promote fellowship among neighbors since 1973. Our neighborhood is in Madison & Fitchburg.
               President & News contact: Mary Mullen, mmullen@chorus.net 298-0843
               Website: http://www.dunnsmarsh.org
              On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dunns-Marsh-Neighborhood-Association/18765419350 <file://localhost/pages/Dunns-Marsh-Neighborhood-Association/18765419350>

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CALENDAR (Numbers refer to the articles that tell more. Red = DMNA events)

Sat., Jan. 4 - Feb. 28 - Sign up for Little League (Now taking 7-year-olds), #12
Thurs., Jan. 8, 7 pm - DMNA Council Meeting, Prairie UU Society, #3
Between Jan. 8 and Feb 13 - DMNA Committees will meet, #2
Thurs., Jan. 16 , 9 am - Edgewater Hotel construction recruitment, #13
Thurs., Feb. 13, 7 pm - DMNA Council Meeting, Prairie UU Society, #3
For other items with dates, see the Going Green articles, #10.#11
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Articles - 1/4/14 DMNA e-News

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
1 - Facebooking about Snow Plowing
2 - Ask Not What Your Neighborhood Can Do For You… (Attachment: “1 member form.jpg’)
3 - Next Council Meeting Is Thur., Jan. 8
4 - Those Mosaics Again - Please Consider Giving the Artist Your Opinion
           (Attachment: “2 Artist Questions w chart.doc”)
5 - Pictures Tell a Story
   (Attachments: “3 Dunn’s Marsh photo 1970.jpg” “4 north marsh proposals.jpg” “5 winter.jpg”)
5a - Neighborhood Voting Location Changed

                       VERONA ROAD
6 - Verona Road Project Construction Updates Done for the Winter
7 - Map Shows Verona Road Stage 1 Construction, 2014-2016 (Attachment: “’6 Construc 2014-16.jpg”)
8 - Exhibits / Docs Available from Verona Road Stage 2 Public Meeting

                        GOING GREEN
9 - MG & E Sponsors Outreach for Energy Savings to Allied Area
10 - Fitchburg Green (Land) and Blue (Water) E-News Blast #42
11 - What’s Permaculture? Intensive Training Offered

                        KID BASEBALL / SCAMS / JOBS/ HOUSEWORK FOR HEALTH
12 - West Madison Little League to Add 7-Year Olds to Baseball Program
13 - Job Recruitment Event for Edgewater Hotel Construction, Jan. 16
14 - Another Scam Alert
15 - Gardening, Housework May Help Boost Heart Health

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IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

1 - Facebooking about Snow Plowing

The following conversations took place on Facebook, starting about noon, Sunday, December 22, after a big snowfall. Actually it’s several conversations.

Resident #1 (Ann Marie Hughes), about noon: So, first big snowfall in Madison for me. When do they plow? I've lived in bigger cities and smaller ones and I've never experienced such disregard for the roads by the government before. I have some important appointments that weren't cancelled, is there any chance, you think, of the roads being plowed today?

Mary Mullen (MM), about 1 pm: I would have expected our main roads to have been plowed by now, but I just heard that Seminole Highway wasn't even plowed. Usually we get plowed by the afternoon of a big snowfall, but when we had a much bigger snowfall last year at this time, some more out-of-the-way residential streets like Britta Drive weren't plowed for several days, and even the snowplow got stuck. I would suggest that you contact our alder, Maurice Cheeks, 608-620-1994 or <district10@cityofmadison.com> or become his friend on FaceBook. If you do get a response from him, please let us all know what you learn. Thanks.

MM on DMNA Facebook page, a little later: Regarding snow plowing, here's what Alder Maurice Cheeks has to say about when the Madison portion of the Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood might be plowed out when I messaged him about unplowed streets here:

Thanks for bringing this to my attention Mary.

Residential streets that are not salted are only plowed when snow accumulations reach the 3" level AND the snow event has ended or has just about concluded. I don't know if they have made that call yet - but once they do, a full scale plowing of all 1708 lane miles of streets begins. This usually takes between 10-12 hours to complete.

If you think they have still missed parts of the neighborhood by this evening, please report it here & feel free to let me know that you had to submit something: https://www.cityofmadison.com/reportaproblem/snowremoval.cfm <file://localhost/reportaproblem/snowremoval.cfm>

Stay safe out there!

Alder Maurice Cheeks, about 2 pm:   Ann, I hope you make it safety to your appointments. As Mary said, feel free to reach out to me directly if you need to. Cheers!

Resident #1, about 2 pm: I'm on Sheffield, and Britta has a bus, so I guess I shouldn't expect much. So far, nothing. I should peek out and see if they did Seminole. I only heard something truck like once today.

Resident#1, about 3 pm: Looks like Seminole was plowed, if that's helpful to anyone. I am now really curious about the process about what roads they deal with after the primary roads are done, what neighborhoods, do they work overtime or call it quits after a shift and so on. Is it distance from the city center? The influence of the neighborhood? Squeaky wheels? Is there one central location for all the plows, or different garages and each area has their own? I know that doesn't change anything, but I'm always curious about the routine and decision making process of the places I live. The web page for snow removal is a wee bit helpful, but rather vague on the progress of residential streets.

Resident #1, about 3 pm: Also, this probably looks like a bunch of negativity, so I thought I would add that we absolutely love it here, love the neighborhood, and we are thrilled that we moved here! It's a great place to live.

Resident #1 , abour 4 pm: "Just looked, Sheffield is plowed!"

DMNA, about 6 pm: Yeah!

Non-resident, about 6 pm: Knowing the way local government has been starved since our new governor was elected, cuts have been made, meaning less money for snow removal and overtime pay for snowplow drivers. In my area of the state I've heard that changes have been made due to cuts. The roads aren't taken care of like they used to be. Not sure if any changes have been made in Madison though.

Resident #1, about 8 pm: Yeah, that governor made me a wee bit reluctant to move here, but the city was just too much of a draw, figured I could cope until the next election. Not sure how much state cuts would impact city workers. I have a lot to learn.

Non-resident #2: Whitney Way was plowed at 7AM. One of the benefits of living on a busy road.

Mary Mullen (MM): Milford Road [where I live] was plowed at 3:15 this afternoon. I saw Seminole was well-plowed about 2:15, so maybe the report that it wasn't plowed was either a false report or was from MUCH earlier. I didn't actually go down to check if Seminole was plowed. The Whenona/Crawford route was plowed this morning.

Resident #2 :    ______ called me at 1:30.   Seminole was not plowed at that time.   In fact, she said Danbury wasn't either.

MM: Thanks for the info, _____.

Resident #2, about 6 p.m.: Yep no problem and this guy that plowed our streets wasn't very good either, went up one side once and down our side twice which is good for us but need to keep both sides plowed for parking reasons.

Neighborhood businenessman, about 6 pm: Roads all the way to GreenBay are clear and driveable. My wife, son & his wife and friends are at the game.
                                                                        Conversations collected by Mary Mullen,
                                                                        mostly from the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association
                                                                        website www.dunnsmarsh.org <http://www.dunnsmarsh.org>

2 - Ask Not What Your Neighborhood Can Do For You… (Attachment: “1 member form.jpg’)

The national government may be stuck in partisan conflict, but the the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Council is not. We are an ambitious bunch that at the December meeting established SEVEN committees to carry out the work of the Neighborhood Association during the coming year. Still, without your help, our grand ideas probably won’t get done.

Therefore, ask not what your Neighborhood Council can do for you - ask what you can do for your (our) neighborhood. (You’ll recognize that the inspiration for this statement is from President Kennedy’s 1961 Inaugural Address.)

Even if you have never before volunteered in this or another neighborhood, your input and volunteer time will be very valuable in making Dunn’s Marsh the best neighborhood in the world to live in. The bonus is the satisfaction you will feel and the friendships you will make.

Each committee has a convener, the person who calls and chairs the first meeting. We ask that you - yes, YOU - consider joining one or more of these committees. Each will meet sometime before the Februay 6 Council meeting. For each topic you are interested in, please contact the listed person who will convene the first committee meeting.

Neighborhood Safety Committee
This committee will mainly deal with safety issues. That may mean law enforcement, but it could also include getting a Neighborhood Watch set up on various streets. It’s up to the commmittee to define safety and recommend how to improve our sense of security in the neighborhoood. Conveners are Heidi Figueroa, 332-6892, heidivette2003@yahoo.com <mailto:heidivette2003@yahoo.com> and Yannette Cole, 332-7003, yfcole@gmail.com <mailto:yfcole@gmail.com>

Social / Welcoming Committee
This committee will plan social events and welcome new people in the neighborhood. In past years the committee created binders full of neighborhood information to give to newcomers. The idea is to have fun while doing committee work. Convener is Thea Bach, 274-7730 or 239-9810, bachtown2@live.com <mailto:bachtown2@live.com>

Streets / Transportation Committee
Since we are in the midst of a multi-year road construction project - Verona Road and the Beltline - this committee will naturally put some focus on Verona Road issues.   Right now all is quiet, but mosaic art projects are in the works, and neighbors will need to be recruited to help build these mosaic creations. Streets within the neighborhood should also be considered. Are there some that desperately need repaving? Bus and bike transportation are also within the purview of this committee. Convener is Donna Sarafin, 273-0437, dksarafin@yahoo.com <mailto:dksarafin@yahoo.com>

Natural Environment Committee
This committee will deal with any issue related to the natural environment including Dunn’s Marsh and the problem of ash trees being attacked by the emerald ash borer. The natural environment of the neighborhood parks could also come under this committee as could maintenance of the rain garden in Marlborough Park and the plantings around the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood sign on the frontage road near Seminole Highway.   Convener is Rachel Potter, 280-0882, rachelpotter5@yahoo.com <mailto:rachelpotter5@yahoo.com>

Communication Committee
This committee is responsible for getting the word out to the neighborhood through the website, Facebook page, hard-copy flyers, and e-Newsletter. We especially need volunteers for three “jobs:” (1) updating the website which uses WordPress, (2) putting the contact list on an Excel document, and (3) delivering flyers a few times a year.   If you are a computer person or someone who loves to walk the neighborhood, this committee is for you. Convener is Mary Mullen, 298-0843, mmullen@chorus.net <mailto:mmullen@chorus.net>

Help the Homeless Committee
This year is the first time we’ve had a committee to focus on the homeless. The committee will study the issue of homeless people in the neighborhood and how to help them. Convener is Deacon Tony Williams, 608-398-8798 (must dial 608), adwilliams043@gmail.com <mailto:adwilliams043@gmail.com>

Fund-Raising Committee (Attachment: “1 member form.jpg”)
Although we have about $1,000 in our treasury, with an ambitious program, we could well use more. This committee will brainstorm ways to raise money for DMNA initiatives. This may be through increasing dues-paying membership in the DMNA or through special fund-raisers. Last year we spent more than we took in, and no organization can continue to do that for long. Expenditures have gone mostly for hard-copy flyers and for social events in the past few years. Convenor is Denise Williams, 213-6639, dwilliams1.love@gmail.com <mailto:dwilliams1.love@gmail.com> You can help right now without even joining the committee by sending in the attached membership form and (voluntary) dues of $10 per household. A larger donation is always welcome.                                                                                  by Mary Mullen

3 - Next Council Meeting Is Thur., Jan. 8

The next DMNA Council meeting will be held at 7 pm, Thursday, January 8, at 2010 Whenona Drive (Prairie UU Society). Residents as well as Council members are welcome, although only Council members can vote on motions. Routine business is planned for this meeting.

Residents planning to attend and who want the Council to take up a specific topic should contact Vice President Deacon Tony Williams to discuss that topic. E-mail him at adwilliams043@gmail.com <mailto:adwilliams043@gmail.com> or call him at 608-398-8798. You must punch in the area code to call Deacon Tony.

The DMNA Council meets the second Thursday of each month at Prairie.

4 - Those Mosaics Again - Please Consider Giving the Artist Your Opinion
           (Attachment: “2 Artist Questions w chart.doc”)

Mosaic artist Marcia Yapp, who is working with the Dunn’s Marsh Community to develop ideas for a mosaic that will go along the path to the bike/ped overpass of the Beltline, would very much like to hear from more people in the neighborhood.

Download the survey “Artist questions w chart.doc” and devote 10 or 15 minutes to telling her what you think. Those who do the survey or have shown up at previous meetings will have the most influence on how this mosaic looks. Please e-mail your commleted survey to: marcia_yapp@sbcglobal.net <mailto:marcia_yapp@sbcglobal.net>

The “.doc” survey will allow you to expand your remarks on a chart where Marcia would like to know your favorite places in the neighborhood, the colors and feelings you associate with those places, and the associated visual images. Marcia also would like to know what you feel are the strengths and challenges of this neighborhood, what gives you a sense of pride in our neighborhood, what you would like to communicate to those outside the neighborhood, and what makes you feel connected to the neighborhood.

If you are seeing this article on Facebok, the attachment may not show up. In that case, shoot me an e-mail asking for the “.doc” version: mmullen@chorus.net <mailto:mmullen@chorus.net>

No complaining if you don’t participate.   J
                                                                                                by Mary Mullen

5 - Pictures Tell a Story
   (Attachments: “Dunn’s Marsh photo 1970.jpg” “north marsh proposals.jpg” “winter.jpg”)

I suppose you never consciously wondered what the Belmar and Dunn’s Marsh part of the neighborhood
looked like from the air 43 years ago. Wonder or not, I’m sure you will be fascinated to see the aerial photo that was part of the PowerPoint presentation for the Watershed Master Plan for Nine Springs Creek.

Here’s a preview in words:

·      The Belmar streets - Jenewein, Sentinel Pass, Aztec Trail, Pawnee Pass, and Crescent - are laid   out between Apache and Red Arrow, but only a few homes are built.

·      Crescent Road only extends from Apache to Red Arrow Trail and has no houses, apartments, or condos built on it.

·      Although the roller rink - then a bowling alley - is at the top of the picture, there’s just a hayfield to the south between it and Jenewein Road.

·      No buildings at all lie west of Red Arrow Trail until the lines of apartments in the Allied subdivision.

The Nine Springs Creek Watershed Master Plan includes several proposed BMP (best management practice) improvements in the area both north and south of Cresent Road in the vicinity of Red Arrow Trail. “North marsh proposals.jpg” is a map that shows these suggested modifications. If you are interested in these improvements or marsh water quality, you’ll also want to join the Natural Environment Committee of the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhoood Association.

Finally, cold as it has been this winter, our neighborhood is beautiful. Thanks to a few photos, you can enjoy Marlborough Park, Dunn’s Marsh, the big cottonwood tree out near Verona Road, and some backyard wildlife with the simple click of your mouse. See it all on “winter.jpg.”
by Mary Mullen

5a - Neighborhood Voting Location Changed

Madison voters in the neighborhood will be voting at a different location starting with the February 8 election. The new location is right at the corner of the Verona frontage road and Red Arrow Trail, right across Red Arrow from the MacDonald’s parking lot.

You have to go a long way back to remember when this was a Pizza Hut.

The old location is the HeadStart building just up the hill from MacDonald’s (but on the other side of Red Arrow Trail.

The new location is right at the corner of the Verona frontage road and Red Arrow Trail, right across Red Arrow from the MacDonald’s parking lot. You have to go a long way back to remember when this was a Pizza Hut.

Fitchburg voters cast their ballots at Fitchburg Fire Station #2 on King James Way, a mile or so from the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood. This location has not changed.

-information from Chief Inspector at our polls, Sharon Flinn

VERONA ROAD

6 - Verona Road Project Construction Updates Done for the Winter

Although weekly construction updates related to the Verona Road project have ceased as of the December 13, 2013 final update, some work was still proceeding.

Below are some excerpts from the final report.

Verona Road work

Work along Verona west frontage roads will continue through December. Work will occur off the roadway with minimal traffic impacts, associated with trucking.
Building demolition will begin in mid-December on the apartments along the east side of Midvale Boulevard, just north of the westbound Beltline off ramp. Work will occur off the roadway with minimal traffic impacts, associated with trucking.

Seminole Highway and Sentinel Pass intersection

Completion pending installation of permanent traffic signals. Anticipated in January 2014.

Seminole Highway/Yuma Drive/Nakoma Road intersection

Completion pending installation of permanent traffic signals. Anticipated in January 2014.

County M and County PB intersection

Completion pending installation of permanent traffic signals. Anticipated in January 2014.

Stay involved and informed with the project website and project Facebook page <http://lists.wi.gov/t/882914/1837417/3202/0/ <http://lists.wi.gov/t/882914/1837417/3202/0/> > .
mostly from WisDOT websites related to Verona Road

7 - Map Shows Verona Road Stage 1 Construction, 2014-2016 (Attachment: “’6 Construc 2014-16.jpg”)

Here’s an easy way to see what construction is coming down the line along Verona Road and the Beltline during the coming three years.

Click on the attachment to see the 5 different locations where the big road-building machinery will be grinding away.

The first work, March to July 2014, will include:

·      Northbound Verona Road lanes constructed first
·      All traffic will be shifted to southbound lanes on Verona Road
·      Jug-handle intersection at Summit Road (Atticus Way) reconstructed
·      Roundabout constructed under Verona Road - just past Walgreens and before Red Arrow Trail (MacDonald’s)
·      Pedestrian underpass
                                                                                    by Mary Mullen

8 - Exhibits / Docs Available from Verona Road Public Meeting

As a few hardy people talked to Wisconsin Department of Transportation folks about Stage 2 of the Verona Road reconstruction project December 19, nature was doing a number outside Fitchburg’s Fire Station #2 on King James Way. Meeting-goers exited the building onto icy sidewalks. They had a lot of scraping to do on their windshields.

Regardless, they had learned a bit more about what’s coming down the pike when construction will eventually shift to the area between Raymond Road and Co. Hy. PD (McKee Road). You can too by reviewing the exhibits and handouts posted at <http://projects.511wi.gov/web/veronaroad-18-151/ <http://projects.511wi.gov/web/veronaroad-18-151/> >

While all of these locations are beyond the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood, people who use businesses adjacent to Verona Road beyond Raymond Road may want to look at the exhibits. They show different alternatives for the County PD instersection with Nesbitt Road/Kapec Road and the WilliamsburgWay/ Anton Drive intersection.

The McKee Road alternatives will affect getting onto Nesbitt Road from PD. Nesbitt gives access to the Monkeyshines bar, Jung’s Garden Store, the Fitchburg Veterinarian Hospital, and other businesses.   They also affect getting onto Kapec Road from Nesbitt. Kapec is just opposite Nesbittt.

All the alternatives prevent crossing PD from Nesbitt to go onto Kapec. Kapec is the road leading to Jamestown Way where Fitchburg Fire Station #2 is. This is where Fitchburg residents in our neighborhood vote.

Two alternatives are offered for the Williamsburg Way/Anton Drive intersection - a roundabout or a signal.

To see the maps posted as part of the website <http://projects.511wi.gov/web/veronaroad-18-151/ <http://projects.511wi.gov/web/veronaroad-18-151/> >, look for UPDATES [in red type] go to Exhibits. Then scroll down to Stage 2 - Proposed improvements. Click on County PD for those alternative and on Williamsburg Way for the other set.

As you look at the PD map, be aware that 18/151 is to the right (east) of what’s shown on the map and the highway runs parallel to Kapec/Nesbitt Road.

I believe these changes are several years in the future.
                                                                                                by Mary Mullen

GOING GREEN

9 - MG & E Sponsors Outreach for Energy Savings to Allied Area

Sina Davis, Selena Pettigrew, and others have been working with Allied area residents to promote energy savings and save money for MG&E customers.

Here is Sina’s report for outreach work done during the month of December.

Met with Ms. Stephanie & Selena on plans to outreach for January, and talked about the video and grant. Talked to Annetta at MGE about upcoming training and door-to-door outreach on saving energy.

Outreach at the Holiday Family Night, talking to residents about being part of our Energy Saving Workshop, our upcoming Solar Project, Power Time II Kick-Off Party in January and signing up some residents to be part of the our new projects on Allied Drive.

Selena and I met to look at the video, work on what we can add and the future of making more video. [The video features neighborhood people talking about the benefits of saving energy.]

Work on reconnecting with original partners and getting things ready for the Kick Off Party.

We have 6 residents ready to start the Energy Saving workshop in January.

Outreach door-to-door to residents about The Kick-Off in January, MGE Training, Solar Project. We are to be on the lookout for Allied Allies Cooperative.

Covered are 2402, 2406, 2410, 2414, 2418, 2422, 2426, 2430, 2434, 2438, 2442, 2446, 2221, 2230, 2201, 2202, 2210, 2218, 2122, 2118 Allied Drive and 4713, 4702, 4706 Thurston.
                                                                                                            from Sina Davis

P.S. - For more information, contact either Sina Davis, 886-5994, sinadavis703@yahoo.com <mailto:sinadavis703@yahoo.com> or Selena Pettigrew, 217-3639, selenapettigrew@gmail.com <mailto:selenapettigrew@gmail.com>

10 - Fitchburg Green (Land) and Blue (Water) E-News Blast #42

1. City of Fitchburg Receives Excellence in Recycling Award for Organics Pilot! – Last month, the City of Fitchburg received a Recycling Excellence Award from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for Fitchburg’s Organics Collection Pilot that began in 2012. ... Read More… <http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/documents/GreenE-NewsBlast42.pdf <http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/documents/GreenE-NewsBlast42.pdf> >   Fitchburg would like to thank Pellitteri Waste Systems as well as the residents who made this Pilot possible. For more information, please visit: www.fitchburgwi.gov/Organics <http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/Organics <http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/Organics> > or view the press release at: http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/meeting_minutes/files/PRESS_122013_CH.pdf <http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/meeting_minutes/files/PRESS_122013_CH.pdf>

2. Fitchburg Holiday Light String Recycling Available (Nov. 25, 2013 to Jan. 30, 2014) – Fitchburg staff and Surplus-IT are teaming up for the second year in a row to offer recycling of holiday light strings for Fitchburg residents. A special cart is available at the Fitchburg City Hall Lobby (5520 Lacy Road, Lobby is available 24 hrs/day) for Fitchburg residents to drop off non-working holiday light strings and extension cords for recycling. Residents must remove any bulbs larger than marble-size and recycle those separately at participating stores. Special thanks go to Lee Shinefield from Surplus-IT for providing recycling of the holiday light strings.

3. Holiday Recycling Guide in English and Spanish – Ever wanted a 1-page handy guide for finding out what types of holiday-related packaging, wrapping, are recyclable? Please visit: http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/departments/cityHall/publicWorks/solidWaste/documents/HolidayRecycleListBilingual.pdf <http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/departments/cityHall/publicWorks/solidWaste/documents/HolidayRecycleListBilingual.pdf> The second page is in Spanish, with special thanks to Felipe Avila and Vanessa Martinez. We’re currently working on ways to make this available throughout the Latino community, so if you have ideas, please contact felipe.avila@fitchburgwi.gov. We’re also considering translating the full 20-page Fitchburg Recycling Guide and would love to get some help with this.

4. Strong Towns Curbside Chat – January 23, 2014, 6:30pm - City of Fitchburg Public Library – Join Chuck Marohn in an intimate discussion regarding the future of Fitchburg’s neighborhoods. Chuck Marohn is an Engineer and Urban Planner, as well as author of Thoughts on Building Strong Towns, The Strong Towns Blog, and host of The Strong Towns Podcast. For more information on Chuck Marohn and Strong Towns, visit: http://www.strongtowns.org/ <http://www.strongtowns.org/> .

5. City of Fitchburg Water Conservation Campaign – The City of Fitchburg has made water conservation a top priority in 2014 and would like your help. Water conservation saves you money, but also protects our cherished supply of water and decreases energy usage. If we all reduced our indoor and outdoor water usage, we could have a dramatic impact. This winter, join the City of Fitchburg in preparing for Fix a Leak Week March 17-23 and the Wyland Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation April 1-30.

6. Fitchburg Green Thursday Event – Yahara Watershed Improvement Network (Yahara WINs) Update - Thurs., Feb. 6, 2014, 6:30pm – Fitchburg Public Library Meeting Rooms A & B - Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) Environmental Specialist Kathy Lake will be on hand to give an update on the great work being done on the Yahara WINs pilot project funded by the City of Fitchburg, MMSD and ~30 additional partners. Visit: http://www.madsewer.org/Programs-Initiatives/Yahara-WINs <http://www.madsewer.org/Programs-Initiatives/Yahara-WINs> for more details.

7. Middleton Green Thursday Event – Water Conservation & Rain Gardens - Thurs., Feb. 6, 2014, 7pm – Willy West Co-Op Community Room, 6825 University Ave., Middleton – Join Middleton staff and Sustainability Committee members in celebrating Middleton's Water Conservation Challenge contestants and winners, share water conservation tips, and hear from a rain garden expert on how to make yards more environmentally friendly.

If you'd like to subscribe to future Fitchburg_Green E-News and/or Organics updates, please:
    a. Visit: http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/mail_list/index.php <http://www.fitchburgwi.gov/mail_list/index.php>
    b. Check the box for "Fitchburg_Green" and/or “OrganicsCollection”,
    c. Enter your Email Address, and
    d. Click the "Subscribe" button

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments, and/or suggestions on future Green E-News topics.

Rick Eilertson, Environmental Engineer
City of Fitchburg, Public Works
608-270-4264 rick.eilertson@fitchburgwi.gov

11 - What’s Permaculture? Intensive Training Offered

Permaculture is a new way of looking at relating to the environment and growing food. The Madison area is lucky to be a hotbed of activity relating to permaculture including the Madison Area Permaculture Guild.

This year the Guild is offering a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC), with the training “open to anyone and everyone who has an interest in learning more about permaculture.” The 80-hour-plus training is geared to working adults, with one intensive weekend, several Saturdays, and the another intensive weekend. Class starts February 15 & 16 and ends June 7th & 8th. Payment plans are available.

Over half of the training hours involve participatory education, hands-on projects and local tours, so students shouldn’t plan on sitting in a classroom for very long!

For a hint about what permaculture is, here’s a list of the topics covered in the Permaculture Design Certificate Training:

Permaculture Design and Natural Systems
Soil Building and Ecosystems
Foraging and Wild Crafting
Fungi - food, soil and remediation
Water Harvesting, Management and Remediation
Plant Guilds and Forest Gardens
Natural Built Environment
Energy Systems
Invisible Systems, Social Permaculture and Community Building
Large and Small Scale Permaculture
Intensive Food Systems and Animals
Urban Permaculture Solutions
Biomimicry and Patterns
Participatory Education - our collective knowledge of all the students and instructors is greater than any one of us.

For more information, and to sign up, either see the website <http://madisonareapermacultureguild.org/pdc-training/ <http://madisonareapermacultureguild.org/pdc-training/> > or contact Jean Schneider, PDC Registration Coordinator, 608-513-0016.

Early registration deadline is January 13 and will result in a $50 reduction in the course fee. Registration is open until class is filled. 12 people were turned away last year because the course was full.

information from Madison Area Permaculture Guild’s Jean Schneider

KID BASEBALL / SCAMS / JOBS / HOUSEWORK FOR HEALTH

12 - West Madison Little League to Add 7-Year Olds to Baseball Program

West Madison Little League is making a major change in 2014 that will open up opportunities for many more west side youngsters to participate in Little League baseball next spring and summer. We need your help in spreading the word about this change to the families in your neighborhood

West Madison Little League (WMLL) has announced the addition of 7-year olds to its spring/summer baseball program for 2014. Players must be 7 years old by April 30, 2014, to qualify. Registration is online at www.wmll.org <http://www.wmll.org/ <http://www.wmll.org/> > starting Jan 4 through Feb 28, 2014.

Fees are $15 less for those who register by Feb 2 (Super Bowl Sunday). All 7-year olds will be paired with 8-year olds in WMLL's machine-pitch Atlantic league.

E-mail questions to info@wmll.org <mailto:info@wmll.org <mailto:info@wmll.org> >

WMLL is a 501c3 non-profit organization and our registration period runs from Jan 4 through Feb 28.
from West Madison Little League

13 - Job Recruitment Event for Edgewater Hotel Construction, Jan. 16

Calling all qualified, experienced construction workers or individuals pursuing a career in the construction industry to attend an informational recruitment event about job training and work readiness programs offered by WRTP/BIG STEP and The Building Trade Council of South Central Wisconsin.

The Building Trade Council represents bricklayers and allied crafts (tile setters), electricians, elevator constructors, heat & frost insulators, iron workers, laborers, operating engineers, operative plasterers and cement masons, painters and allied crafts (painters, drywall finishers, glazers), plumbers, roofers, sheet metal workers, sprinkler fitters and steamfitters.

THE EDGEWATER HOTEL PROJECT

9:00 AM THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014

LABOR TEMPLE 1602 S. PARK STREET MADISON 53715

ROOMS 201A, B & C

RSVP 414-342-9787

Please pass this information along to all interested parties.

                                                                                                from the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO

14 - Another Scam Alert

Someone is calling people stating they are with Madison Gas and Electric. They inform you your account is past due and you need to pay immediately to avoid disconnect. They want payment with a credit card. This is a scam. DO NOT give any personal information out over the telephone.

I contacted Madison Gas and Electric. They are aware of this scam.
#1 You should know if you are behind payment with your MG&E account.
#2 Madison Gas and Electric will not ask you for credit card payment. They will send you a final notice for a past due account and give you 10 days to work out a payment plan.

If you receive telephone calls like this, hang up and contact the police. Fitchburg Police -270-4300, Madison Police - 255-2345.

                                                                                    Officer Jay Wilson, Fitchburg Police

15 - Gardening, Housework May Help Boost Heart Health
                       Study of Swedish seniors found a reduced death risk of up to 30 percent
                                                            By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Activities such as gardening, do-it-yourself projects and housework may be as good as formal exercise when it comes to reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke, Swedish researchers say.

For people 60 and older, just keeping busy with daily activities can reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems by nearly 30 percent and even prolong life, they added.

Being on your feet and active cuts the time spent sitting around, pointed out lead researcher Elin Ekblom-Bak, of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences and the Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm.

"Sitting is mainly replacing time you spend in daily activity and vice versa," Ekblom-Bak said. A recent study found long periods of sitting actually increased the risk for diabetes , cardiovascular disease and death, she noted.

"The results of this study showed that activities of daily life are as important as regular intentional exercise for older adults for cardiovascular health and longevity," she said.

But that doesn't mean formal exercise isn't important. "We saw that those who exercised regularly and that also had a daily physically active life had the lowest risk of all," Ekblom-Bak explained.

The time people spend exercising, however, is only a small part of the day, which leaves a lot of time for daily activities or sitting, she added.

For the new study, researchers collected data on more than 3,800 men and women in Sweden who were born in 1937 and 1938. Participants were asked about their lifestyle, which included information on their diet, whether they smoked or drank alcohol, and how physically active they were.

The participants were also asked how often they took part in activities, such as gardening, do-it-yourself projects, car maintenance and blackberry picking over the past year. They were also asked about any exercise they did.

To see how heart-healthy they were, the researchers examined the participants and took blood samples to assess levels of fat and sugar. They also checked for high levels of blood-clotting factor, which is linked to a raised heart attack and stroke risk.

During more than 12 years of follow-up, 476 of the participants died from or experienced a first heart attack or stroke, and 383 died from other various causes.

People whose daily activities kept them moving reduced their risk of a heart attack or stroke by 27 percent and the risk of dying from any cause by 30 percent, compared to people who spent the least amount of time on their feet.
"Promoting daily life activities is as important as recommending regular exercise for older adults for cardiovascular health and longevity," Ekblom-Bak said.

"This is particularly important for older adults as they tend to spend a greater portion of their active day performing non-exercise physical activity, as they often find it difficult to achieve recommended exercise intensity levels," she said.

The report was published online Oct. 28 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Traditional notions of retirement often don't support continued physical activity at this stage of life, a U.S. expert said.

"It is almost expected that as we age, we move less," said Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist and exercise physiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City.

"Retirement, a patient told me, is for sitting around, resting and watching TV," she said. "Unfortunately, sedentary lifestyles now range across all ages with the same unhealthy results: increased risk for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and certain cancers."

The human body is designed to be moving a good portion of the day, Heller said. "The less one physically moves, the less they are able to move," she said.

Regular physical activities such as house cleaning, gardening, lawn care and climbing stairs help keep the body mobile and strong, Heller said.

"You can burn up to six times as much energy per minute when house cleaning as you do when you are sitting still. People of all ages need to be encouraged to get up off the couch and turn off the computer and TV and move," she said.

Heller said there are simple ways to add more physical activity into the day, such as the following:

Standing up when talking on the phone.
Marching in place when watching TV -- at least during the commercials.
Getting up from your desk every hour and doing jumping jacks, knee lifts or knee bends for three to five minutes.
Climbing a flight of stairs every few hours.
Vacuuming the house.
Mopping the floor.

Another expert described the physical fallout of being sedentary.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said sitting for too long may have adverse effects including burning fewer calories, and increasing insulin resistance and fats in the blood.

"Greater time spent in non-exercise physical activities can potentially counter these effects," Fonarow said. "These findings further emphasize the importance of decreasing sedentary time and encouraging everyday regular non-exercise physical activity to improve cardiovascular health."

Although the study found an association between being active around the house and reduced heart risk, it did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

Reprinted from https://www.webmdhealth.com/nl/nlv.aspx?id=81B7C6D1E52495A4&s=13828 <file://localhost/nl/nlv.aspx>

---- End of the 1/4/2014 DUNN’S MARSH NEIGHBORHOOD e-NEWS ---
Thanks for reading.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Dunn's Marsh e-News, Nov.25

Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News
                                                               November 25, 2013
The DMN e-News and an occasional hard copy DMN News are published by the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association (DMNA) on an “as-needed” schedule. The Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association, Inc. has been working to unite neighbors to solve mutual problems and promote fellowship among neighbors since 1973. Our neighborhood is in Madison & Fitchburg.
               President & News contact: Mary Mullen, mmullen@chorus.net 298-0843
               Website: http://www.dunnsmarsh.org
              On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dunns-Marsh-Neighborhood-Association/18765419350 <file://localhost/pages/Dunns-Marsh-Neighborhood-Association/18765419350>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Editor’s Note: No time to double proofread this, so please forgive any errors.

-------------------------------
ARTICLE LIST

           DATES & DEADLINES
1 - Free Thanksgiving Dinners, Thur., Nov. 28
2 - 2013-14 Bus Lines - Call for Poetry by Nov. 30, Kids and Adults
3 - Hints for Writing a Short Poem for Madison metro Bus Contest
4 - 5th Annual Arboretum Local Products Fair, Sun., Dec. 1
5 - Health Care Insurance for YOU! Heath Fair, Dec. 7
             (Attachments: “1 Heath Ins options.jpg” & “2 United Way Insurance Help.jpg”}
6 - Affordable Care Act Editorial from a Long-Ago Council Member Lucy Ebisch Gibson
7 - Public Meeting for Verona Road Project, Stage 2
8 - Learn about Accessory Dwelling Structures at Dec. 12 DMNA Council Meeting

           STRICTLY NEIGHBORHOOD
9 - DMNA Council Gains 4 New Members to Total 11 (Attachment: “3 Council members. jpg”)
10 - Getting to Know Each Other with Kiosk Project (Attachment: “4 pics kiosk.jpg”)
11 - DMNA Accomplishments - 2012-2013
12 - Confrontation with a Shovel Operator
13 - Former DMNA Council Member Chris Lowry Interviewed on NPR
14 - Former DMNA President Solare O’Brien-Brethorst Has Baby
15 - Community Gardens Thrive in Marlborough Park

           BIKES
16 - First Span of Cannonball Bridge at PD Goes Up
17 - Cannonball Bike Path Bridge over Beltline Opened October 24
18 - Future Cannonball Phases of Construction in the Works (Attachment: “3 Cannonball map11/22/13.jpg”)

           ENVIRONMENTAL
19 - Traffic Noise Affects Wildlife
20 - Madison Launches Household Battery Recycling
21 - Clean Lakes, Land, for Our Quality of Life

--------------------

DATES & DEADLINES

1 - Free Thanksgiving Dinners, Thur., Nov. 28

For a number of years a Thanksgiving dinner was provided in our neighborhood, but that isn’t happening this year.

However, there are several options outside the neighborhood to participate in a community meal, and two churches will eaven deliver a meal to you if you make a reservation by their deadline.

The following information is printed in the most recent issue of Isthmus.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 701 Raymond Road., 11 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.   (271-6633, if you have questions). This is across from the Meadowood Shopping Center. This is the closest location to our neighborhood.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 605 Spruce St., South Madison, noon on Thanksgiving Day. Homebound? They will deliver a Thanksgiving meal to you if you RSVP by noon on Monday, November 25, 251-8405.

First Congregational United Church of Christ, at Breeze Terrace/University Avenue, 12 noon to 3 p.m. Delivery is available if you call in by 4 p.m., Monday, November 25, 233-9751.

First United Methodist Church, downtown near the Square at 203 Wisconsin Avenue, 12 noon until 2 p.m., 256-9061

2 - 2013-14 Bus Lines - Call for Poetry by Nov. 30, Kids and Adults
            Submit in Verse: What's Your Madison? by Nov. 30

Area residents, middle and high school students, transit riders & writers: Metro Transit and Madison's Poets Laureate <http://www.cityofmadison.com/MAC/poet.cfm> invite you to send short poems, haiku, prose poems, or excerpts from longer poems, 3-5 lines total to the Bus Lines 2013-14 open call for poetry. The theme is "Write Your Madison." Help us see what you see and hear what you hear. Share your poetry stories about Madison with the thousands of daily passengers who share the bus with you every day for a year, as we cross the Isthmus making connections.

This year we're accepting video poems too, to be featured on Metro's website and YouTube channel. Video poems do not have a line or time limitation, so be creative!
Select poems will be chosen to appear on a variety of Metro materials, including bus flyers, transfer cards, Metro's website, and even on the exterior of the bus! Participants may even have a chance to read their poems at the June 29th Olbrich Gardens Poetry Invitational.

Featured poems will be chosen from the following categories:

Middle School Students
High School Students
Adults (18+)

Submission deadline is November 30, 2013. All submissions, including video poems, can be sent to mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com, or mailed to Metro Transit, Attn: Bus Lines, 1245 E. Washington Ave. Suite 201, Madison, WI 53703.

Students should include name; school, grade, and sponsoring adult if under 18; and best contact for both student AND adult: cell phone/ email, along with 1-3 poems. Adults entrants should include their name and full contact information with their poems.

Authors of selected poems grant Metro Transit permission to display poems in Metro promotional materials.

Reminder: We're interested in reading your version of Madison, and helping a large audience of readers of every age to read it too! Please be "family-friendly" - We're open to a wide range of emotion and experience, but poems with inappropriate language and/or adult content will not be chosen.

                            from <http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/poetry/>

3 - Hints for Writing a Short Poem for Madison metro Bus Contest

Writing extremely short poems is one of the hardest challenges for a writer. Here are some prompts to get you moving:

We’re looking for “local.” Include specific place names, details, local language. What are the images and experiences Madisonians would recognize! What are the images and experiences you wish we would recognize? Help us hear that.

Free write for fifteen minutes around the theme. After you have filled the time, and the page, read over what you have written. Highlight the three ideas or images that see most interesting and write your poem(s) using those.

Find an old poem or story that you never quite felt was finished. Grab a pair of scissors and cut it into sentences, or even parts of sentences. Start moving those pieces around and see if any new combination works. Even if it doesn’t, it may get your imagination going.

Find a long poem, pick out its strongest line, and make a new, short poem.

Contrasting images and ideas smashed together often make a poem jump off the page. A few vivid detaisl will go a long way in a short poem. So will a good, telling line of dialogue. word choice is really important in a short poem, as are strong, well-chosen verbs, and good titles, if you use one.

Remember that these are public poems. You may want to write about yourself, but you may want to try writing from the point of view of someone else: someone you know, someone you’ve read about, a fictional character, or your neighbor’s shoes, for example. Or you could write about someone historical, contemporary, or mad-up in the third person. In any case you should think about how your poem will speak to others.

                                                                        from www.cityofmadison.com/metro/poetry/ <http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/poetry/>

4 - 5th Annual Arboretum Local Products Fair, Sun., Dec. 1

'Tis the season to support the local economy, in a setting you love. Come to the Visitor Center on Sunday, December 1 from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. for this annual celebration and sale of local and sustainable arts, crafts and edibles.

The Arboretum will feature over 40 sustainable artists and vendors in a festive atmosphere. Come out to enjoy music and meet all of your holiday shopping needs. Free parking. Suggested $1 donation at the door. Buy Local this holiday season!
                                                                                    from UW Arboretum

5 - Health Care Insurance for YOU! Heath Fair, Dec. 7
             (Attachments: “1 Heath Ins options.jpg” & “2 United Way Insurance Help.jpg”}

Well, those health care websites haven’t worked out like they should have, but that doesn’t mean uninsured people should give up.    If you are uninsured, this is a must read for you. Information is from a flyer advertising a session at the Boys & Girls Club.

Also see the attachments which detail other places to go for help in filling out an application for Obamacare and other options including BadgerCare if you are below 100% of the poverty level. If these attachements are too blurry to read, call one of the people listed below for information on the yellow flyer and 2-1-1 for the United Way flyer.

Answer these questions first.

                       Are you 18-64 years old? YES!
            Do you have health insurance? Badgercare? NO!
                        You need to sign up for Obamacare!

Get quality health care you can afford. Choose a plan that is right for you and your family. You can’t be denied coverage, regardless of your health. Financial assistance is available.

A Health Fair is scheduled for Thursday, December 7, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club, 4619 Jenewin Road. Assistance will be provided to help you with your application under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

Please bring your Social Security number and income information such as employer infor, pay stubs, W2, latest tax return.

Need more information? Contact
Selena Pettigrew, 608-217-3639 selenapettigrew@gmail.com <mailto:selenapettigrew@gmail.com>
Gloria Farr, 608-334-6211, alliedwellness@gmail.com <mailto:alliedwellness@gmail.com>
                                                                                                by Mary Mullen

6 - Affordable Care Act Editorial from a Long-Ago Council Member Lucy Ebisch Gibson

[Editor’s note: Recently, I ran across a rant on Facebook from former DMNA Council member and lifetime DMNA member Lucy Ebisch Gibson.. She gave me permission to use it, warning me that she had also already sent it to the newspaper Lucy served on the Council from February 1976 through September 1981. She lives in a different Madison neighborhood now.]

This whole Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) hullaballoo seems like a tempest in a teapot to me. All the news networks throwing up their hands, and crying, “The website won’t work! The website won’t work!” How insane is our 21st century fixation on using the internet?!! There are phones, you know. You can call the ACA and sign up on paper. Here’s the info from the website:

“We can help you complete the entire application process from beginning to end with information you provide over the phone, including reviewing your options and helping you enroll in a plan. We can also answer questions as you fill out an online or paper application. We’re available 24/7. 1-800-318-2596 TTY: 1-855-889-4325”

I hear Medicare had some “glitches” when it started up. But they managed to sign up millions of people using index cards, heaven forfend! Index cards!

“Think outside the box,” people keep saying. How about “think outside the web”????
                                                                       by Lucy Ebisch Gibson, lifetime DMNA member

7 - Public Meeting for Verona Road Project, Stage 2

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will hold a public information meeting (PIM) to discuss the Verona Road project in Dane County. It will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 5:30 - 8 p.m., at the Fitchburg Public Library, 5530 Lacey Road, Fitchburg.

A formal 20 minute presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The PIM will focus on the Stage 2 portion of the project that extends between Raymond Road and County PD (McKee Road), and County PD between aproximately Hard Rock Road and Commerce Park Drive.

Discussion will include
·      the Verona Road/County PD interchange
·      the Verona Road/Williamsburg Way interchange
·      Aalternatives considered for the intersections on County PD between Fitchrona Road and Verona Road
·      the project schedule.

                                                                        from WisDOT flyer

8 - Learn about Accessory Dwelling Structures at Dec. 12 DMNA Council Meeting

At the second meeting of the new DMNA Council , on Thursday, December 12, the Design Coalition Institute will give a short presentation on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). ADUs are informally known as Granny Flats, Garage Apartments, Mother-in-Law Units, Multi-Generational Homes, and Back Yard Cottages.

The City of Madiosn recently updated its zoing codes to allow for ADUs.

The ADU presentation will be at 8 p.m., lasting about 20 minutes. The DMNA Council business meeting will precede this presentation. The Council business meeting starts at 7 p.m.

Residents are welcome to attend either or both parts of the Council meeting.

Residents who want the Council to discuss a particular topic should comment the president in advance of the December 12 meeting: Mary Mullen, 298-0843, or mmullen@chorus.net.

STRICTLY NEIGHBORHOOD

9 - DMNA Council Gains 4 New Members to Total 11 (Attachment: “3 Council members. jpg”)

After a year when the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Council dwindled to 5 members because of a death, 2 move-outs, and a drop-away, the Council is now almost to full capacity with 11 members.

At the October 10 Annunal Meeting, DMNA members choose 7 Council members, and at the November 14 Council meeting 4 additional residents rose to the challenge of joining them. Council member Thea Bach has vowed to find a final member who must come from the Allied area of the neighborhood.

Here are the 11 Council members who have volunteered to serve as the governing board of the DMNA until the next Annual Meeting which will be in September or October 2014.

Representing the Marlborough Area

Mary Mullen, President, 298-0843, mmullen@chorus.net
Thea Bach, Secretary, 274-7730 or 239-9810 (She has e-mail but seldom looks at it.)
Yannette Cole, Treasurer, 332-7003, yfcole@gmail.com
Heidi Figueroa, 332-6892, heidivette2003@yahoo.com

Representing the Crawford Area

Deacon Tony Williams, Vice President, (608) 398-8798 (must use area code), adwilliams043@gmail.com
Denise Williams, 213-6639, dwilliams1.love@gmail.com
Lucheia (Lucy) Blue, 274-4080
Selena Pettigrew, 217-3639, selenapettigrew@gmail.com

Representing the Belmar Hills area

Dorothy Krause, 271-7532, dorothyk@charter.net
Rachel Potter, 380-0882, rachelpotter5@yahoo.com
Karen Walters, 335-6747, karen.walters@outlook.com

For a map of the neighborhood showing these different areas, consult the DMNA website at www.dunnsmarsh.org

The Council is a much more diverse group this year. Two members are native Spanish speakers, bilingual in English. Four are African American. There’s also a range of ages and experience on the Council. Three have served several years on the Council while 8 are totally new. Still, most members have lived in the neighborhood for a while: the range is from a few months, 5 years, a decade and more, and up to 45 years. There’s also diversity in living arrangements. Four members live in apartments, one in a duplex, and six in single-family homes.

If you know anyone from the Allied area who would like to serve on the Council, please ask that person to call either Thea Bach or Mary Mullen.
by Mary Mullen

10 - Getting to Know Each Other with Kiosk Project (Attachment: “4 pics kiosk.jpg”)

“You know what it looks to me. Looks can be deceiving. Take time to look beneath the surface and see what we’re all about. Come out and get to know us. We represent love, pain, diversity, hope and achievement, development.”

These were the words of Valerie Williams, one of the volunteers who helped install the mosaic blocks under the information kiosk outside of Revival Ridge at the corner of Jenewein Road and Allied Drive. She had been looking at the tiles, seeing at first only a jumble of color, nothing more.

But as she looked, as we all looked, we could see a lot more. Here was a cheerful round sun with a face on it. There was a blue heart, and over there a red one. A rainbow poured over another. A whirlwind of many colors swirled on that one. A yelllow ribbon surrounded by deep purple glass adorned another, while a gray turtle with green flippers swam in blue water over there. A big red W bespoke that this is in Wisconsin, although others depicted palm trees and flowers. One that we placed centrally spoke for the aspirations of the maker: “WE ARE ONE.”

As Valerie noted, the tiles were only symbolic of what else was happening. We were a multi-racial group, and she was expressing a longing for community with people who now judge Allied Drive mainly by the negative publicity it gets. As a white woman, by default, I represented the many, many whites who might not have much contact with people on Allied Drive. Her words were a plea: Look beyond our color. Come over to Allied Drive and get to know us as people, people who love, people who may be in pain, people who are as diverse in personality as you, people who have hopes, people who achieve.

Friday, November 15, developed slowly. I had arrived around 10:20 a.m.to find a note from Christina Kantor, the head of the project. Could I find a wheelbarrow and rakes? I went back home to get them. Christina was a former UW intern who had worked with the ADMNA (Allied Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association) to get the grant that funded the kiosk and mosaic project. She soon returned with the load of 35 foot-square tiles and some bags of sand. They had been created by several community groups under her tutelage. They are similar to the mosaic tiles around the Marlborough Park community garden sandbox and water spigots.

As we unloaded the tiles from Christina’s van, Sina Davis, of Mothers in the Neighborhood, helped and then went searching for more people to volunteer on the project. She came up with the Coleman family which was the girls Shaundra, Carmen, Asia, and Felicia, available because school was out due to a teacher’s convention; Valerie Williams and Perry Coleman; and Timothy Collins and his fiancé Janie Thompkins. Selena Davis, ADMNA president and now also a DMNA Council member dropped by.

The Coleman girls raked leaves and then swept the sidewalk. Valerie Williams swept and Perry Coleman raked. Timothy Collins and I found place to dump wheelbarrow loads of dirt that had been left in piles by the contractor, and he continued to haul more loads. Janie Thompkins was a jack of all trades, sweeping, loading the wheelbarrows of dirt, and later, with the Coleman girls, tamping the pea gravel and sand and then sweeping the grout into the spaces between the tiles to ready it for a water bath. In the middle of this, Rachel Potter, new DMNA Council member, came to help out too. We were a dozen altogether.

It was the perfect day for this work - sunny and crisp with a pleasant breeze. After a few hours, as the job neared completion, I left. I felt totally refreshed not only because of the outdoor work in good weather, but because I had been rejuvenated by participating in a little of the love, pain, diversity, hope, and achievement of the people on Allied Drive.
                                                                                 by Mary Mullen

11 - DMNA Accomplishments - 2012-2013

This list of Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association accomplishments over the past year was prepared for the October 10 Annual Meeting. The DMNA hasn’t been lazy by any means.

1. Installed 2 Little Free Libraries, Whenona Drive and Lumley Road, 10/20/12

2. Successfully opposed eliminating Bus Route 18 loop on Allied, Crescent, & Red Arrow, April 2013

3. Sponsored many special presentations/events in & for the neighborhood.
·     10/25/12 - meeting on aesthetics related to Verona Road with Professor Carrie McAndrews
·     3/6/13 - presentations by Madison Alder candidate and MPD Community Liaison Officer
·     3/19/13 - special Marsh presentations by Fitchburg & Madison engineers
·     4/3/13 - on art projects related to Verona Rd.
·     5/1/13 - presentations by mosaic artists
·     5/30/13 - tour of neighborhood with mosaic artist Marcia Yapp
·     6/121/13 - Make Music Madison, outdoor music co-sponsored with Prairie UU Society
·     8/2/13 - Annual DMNA Neighborhood Picnic in Marlborough Park
·     8/22/13 - Visioning /Design session with mosaic artist Marcia Yapp

Make Music Madison and the annual picnic were most poputlar with over 60 attending each event.

4. Revised, printed and assembled 10 more binders with information about the neighborhood to distribute to new residents.
5. Neighborhood Sign - Submitted final report to the City of Madison and received grant money of $3,310.06, November 2012.

6. Published 12 issues of the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News, 4 shorter e-mail notices, and 3 hardcopy flyers delivered door-to-door.

7. Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association website went live in February 2013 www.dunnsmarsh.org <http://www.dunnsmarsh.org> after months of work starting in October 2012.

8. DMNA Neighborhood Council met 10 times.

9. Council members kept abreast of developments, participated in meetings or events, and called or wrote to city staff about neighborhood issues.
·     drug/neighborhood disturbance issues (mostly fall 2012 - Bob Hague, Jon Holmes)
·     Mountain bike park on county land south of Dunn’s Marsh (8/7/13 - Mary Mullen)
·     Verona Road project Public Information Meetings (11/13/12 - Donna Sarafin, Mary Mullen)
·     Beltline Study Public Information Meeting (9/18/13 - Dorothy Krause, Mary Mullen)
·     Art projects related to the Verona Road Project (Donna Sarafin, Mary Mullen, & others)
·     Dunn’s Marsh Cleanup and Apache Pond Rain Garden Dedication to David Martin (4/20/13)
·     Allied Task Force (DMNA President Bob Hague represents DMNA on the Task Force)
·     Allied Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association (Bob Hague & Dorothy Krause)

10. You fill in what might have been forgotten…

12 - Confrontation with a Shovel Operator

The guy in the cockpit of the big shovel on the top of the huge pile of asphalt chunks stopped his yellow machine that had been moving the asphalt and came loping awkwardly down the pile. He didn’t look happy.

“What are you taking pictures for?” he demanded. Are you from OSHA or INSHA?”

“Oh, no,” I said. “Nothing like that. I’m just from from the neighborhood.”

He calmed down and then in a slightly changed voice warned me not to enter the construction site. The site is the former commercial area along the Beltline frontage road, now torn down and serving as a storage area for concrete and asphalt that is being recycled for use in the Verona Road project.

“I’m just staying here on the curb” I said.

Would I want to go and mingle with huge front end loaders, caterpiller-tracked shovels, 50-foot long conveyors, trucks with tires taller than I am, one concrete-crushing machine, and another asphalt grinding machine? Especially when all were in operation?

No, I just like documenting the process, and I stay in the public right of way.

This is the second time my photo-taking has been questioned by construction workers. Two years ago the workers putting up the high voltage poles for ATC objected to my pictures of the work in progress.

What I’m wondering is, what do these guys have to fear? I assume they are doing the job right and my only motive is to show my neighborhood work in progress.

I take my photos anyway.
                                                                                    by Mary Mullen

13 - Former DMNA Council Member Chris Lowry Interviewed on NPR

Chris Lowry was a graduate student when he joined the DMNA Council in 2006. As a student of the interaction between ground (underground) water and surface water, his major interest in the neighborhood was Dunn’s Marsh. He and his wife Sarah were also involved in getting the rain garden in Marlborough Park. It was planted in June 2007.

Chris finished his degree and moved to the State University of New York at Buffalo where he is now a professor. His work there attraacted the interest of National Public Radio host Linda Wertheimer when he involved passersby in his research on stream flow. Basically, he stuck big rulers in the water and asked passing citizens to “text us the water level.”

Through the magic of technology, hear Christ explain his project or read the interview at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=203890657&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=share&utm_campaign

Is there a moral to this story? Well, consider other DMNA Council members who have gone on to more public roles.

David Wallner became a City of Madison Alder.   Ron Johnson, Carol Poole, amd Dorothy Krause all became Fitchburg Alders. John (Deke) Welter served on the governor’s …. David Martin served for decades on Fitchburg’s environmental committees.
                                                            by Mary Mullen

14 - Former DMNA President Solare O’Brien-Brethorst Has Baby
Former DMNA President Solare O’Brien-Brethorst gave birth to a darling baby girl, Phoebe Eileen Brethorst!   She arrived at 10:40 a.m., October 16, weighing 7 lbs. 5oz. and measuring 20 3/4 inches long.
Solare was president of the DMNA during the 2008-2009 year.   She and her husband Tanner Brethorst now live in the country between Madison and Wisconsin Dells. Tanner started and runs the Port Huron Brewing Company, Wisconsin Dells.
For more on the brewery, read the Isthmus article from 6/01/12 at http://www.thedailypage.com/eats/article.php?article=36908
If you are Solare’s Facebook friend, you can see a number of pictures of the new baby there.
                                                                                                by Mary Mullen

15 - Community Gardens Thrive in Marlborough Park
                                                            a feature article by Patty Stockdale

The day begins (Oct 26)

The late October Saturday morning is crisp. Starting out, you wonder if it will be too chilly for a t-shirt and a nylon jacket, but as the morning warms, so do the gardeners. What is important are work gloves to protect hands from coarse, rough vegetation.    It is the last work day of the garden season, and is time to clean up. This morning, forty people arrive over the next hour at the Marlborough Park Community Gardens (MPCG) to begin the fall clean up that will last into the early afternoon.

Community Action Coalition (CAC) Garden Specialist Micah Kloppenburg and community member and leader Angelica Muñoz direct the activities. Angelica has a clip board in her hands to track who shows up. Gardeners have a two-day volunteer component to their community garden obligation, in addition to keeping their garden areas productive and clear of weeds during the summer and fall growing season.

The tilled area is being cleared of corn stalks, tomatillo vines, and wooden stakes used to support tomatoes. Tomatillos are typically grown by the Latino gardeners. A number of non-Latino gardeners are growing tomatillos now to make the green sauce and salsa often served in the Mexican restaurants they frequent. When the work is done today, the tractor that plows in the spring will have no obstacles when the soil is tilled for the coming growing season.

Workers drag vines, stems, and stalks by hand or in wheel barrows to the mounting pile of plant debris and other organic material to compost over winter. Some chicken wire and more sturdy wire fencing, and many stakes for supporting tomatoes or netting for peas or green beans are pulled out and carried to the side of the plots. Eventually everything is carried to the common area for organizing and storage, or discard. Rolled fencing is stacked into low pyramids while stakes are sorted into lengths of small, medium, and long. The Hmong often use strong branches with netted string for their long green beans to wine around as they mature. These branches are stacked, as well, for next year’s use if they are not too brittle.

Perhaps, the most challenging work involves the hoses that snake through the pathways to permit gardeners to more easily water their plants. The hoses hook up to the 6 water hydrants along the edge to splitters where at least 5 hoses can begin. The hydrants are located between the 2 large plots, one 420 feet by 140 feet and the other 320 feet by 80 feet. Often there are many connections between the hose lengths to unscrew to drain the remaining water that can add weight and freeze in the winter. The hundreds of feet of hoses are awkward to pull by hand into coils, which is how they are stored in the central shared shed until the spring. Not so long ago, in 2004, there were just 3 hydrants from which gardeners filled their 5 gallon buckets to carry the nearly 40 pounds of water to their gardens, or else gardeners left the watering to the rain. And in the very early history of the garden there was not even one hydrant.

Community Action Coalition (CAC) facilitates

Community Action Coalition (CAC) is an important organization in Madison, WI. Begun in 1966, CAC supports multiple community services including food pantries, homeless and housing assistance, clothing centers and Koats for Kids, and the community gardens. Sometimes services cross over, as the community gardeners donate fresh vegetables to the food pantries during the growing season.

In all, CAC provides support to over 60 community gardens in Dane County of which 26 are in targeted higher poverty areas, as the Marlborough Park Community Gardens (MPCG) on the southwest side of Madison. Their website www.cacscw.org/gardens.php <http://www.cacscw.org/gardens.php> lists the areas of assistance that CAC provides gardens and include-- leadership development and organizing to help the gardeners grow as community leaders; outreach, information clearinghouse, and referrals for new gardeners; initial tilling, and assistance acquiring garden materials; translation for Hmong, Spanish, Khmer and English-speakers; liaison to city departments who provide services to gardens including land, wood chips, compost & water; conferences and workshops at the gardens; support for youth garden projects & gardeners with physical disabilities; and access to donated seeds and plants

Marlborough Park area

Marlborough Park is over 20 acres and is located on Madison’s southwest side, near the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, south of the beltline. There are many amenities that serve the neighborhood including baseball and soccer fields, playgrounds, a shelter for gatherings, paved paths for biking and walking, and the community gardens. The surrounding residents live on either side of the park with Marlborough neighborhood on the east side along Seminole Highway, and Belmar and Allied Drive neighborhoods on the west side along Verona Road. Both neighborhoods are home to diverse populations. The over 100 gardeners draw mostly from these neighborhoods with over half Latinos, 10% of Hmong and Asian origin, and remaining white.

Gardeners – the Flinn Family

Sharon and Pam Flinn are mother and daughter and residents in the Marlborough neighborhood for over 50 years. They came to garden at Marlborough Park 9 years ago when CAC assumed greater management of the garden. During their tenure, they watched the garden expand from the original plot of over 100 gardens to add a second plot of 65 gardens.

They are hard workers and grow many of the vegetables that they eat, like many of the other gardeners. They store as much as they can by canning and freezing to last until the next growing season. They have been so immersed in the production of their food for years that they cannot say what their savings are by growing their own vegetables. Before they grew vegetables at MPCG, they grew them in their backyard. The MPCG location is on a slight hill with little tree cover. The natural light is good for growing sun loving plants, as tomatoes, eggplants, beans, peas, squash, corn, kale, and spinach. The gardens allow any plants that the gardener can grow, but for Pam growing flowers is a waste of valuable space that she and her mother only use for growing vegetables.

When asked if the MPCG suits their needs, they respond with an enthusiastic yes, and that they pack their 2 garden plots, 20 by 20 feet each, with so many vegetables that they eat vegetables all summer and winter long. Pam says she runs green beans all around her gardens’ edges and was able to “put up” or freeze a bushel of beans. Additionally, they froze 2 bushels of tomatoes and canned 12 half gallon of dill pickles.

Sharon is in her early 70’s and has had hip surgery in the last 5 years. She often brings her folding chair and provides company to Pam as she plants seeds, hoes out weeds, cultivates the soil, and waters from the 55 gallon drum on the north side of the garden. Sharon loves her time in the garden and visits with everyone who passes. Maria Salgado and Marina Soto are her garden neighbors and Sharon often inquires about their health and their families. Some of her neighbors do not speak English, but greets them anyway in English and always has a warm smile.

Many of Madison’s community gardens are not tilled, and less than half of MPCG is tilled by a tractor that CAC rents. Most gardeners can keep their gardens from year to year, but only the no-till gardeners can get into them in early spring to plant. No-till gardeners can leave their fences and stakes up as well as their lawn chairs, paved walkways, birdhouses, and small play areas for children. The no-tilled areas allow perennials like kale, rhubarb, and asparagus to come back each year as well as the many volunteer plants that grow from seeds stored in the soil over winter, as tomatoes and sun flowers.

Gardeners – the Eleganti family

Raju “John” Eliganti lives with his wife and 2 young sons, Indy 5 and Kiren 3, in the Marlborough neighborhood. Four years ago, he started with a half a garden plot in the no-tilled area. Now he has 2 plots. When Raju was a boy living with his family in India, he remembers his mother as an expert gardener. She grew vegetables using an overhead trellis for easy picking as the vegetables became heavy and hung down. He was always surprised to see the vegetables hang from the trellis growing larger and becoming ready to eat for dinner.

Raju involves his sons, so they can learn, as he did as a youth, where vegetables come from and how they grow. They help to gather potatoes, for example.   Raju digs them from the soil, and then the boys pick them up and put them in the buckets.   The seed potatoes came from CAC which also provides seed packets of every possible vegetable and flower at spring registration. Raju’s sons come often to help their father and care for the garden and plants. They too are excited to see the tomatoes grow bigger.

Raju’s garden is near the common area where he can borrow wheel barrows, hoes, and spades, and where his sons can play in the large sand box and playground equipment. There is also a picnic table for meetings and socializing and an enclosed bulletin board to post garden rules and event announcements. For Raju, one of the important benefits of the community garden is coming to know the other gardeners who pass by to their gardens or who are attending one of the potlucks or community workdays.

The gardening season ends

When the gardening season ends in October, most gardeners are happy to put their gardens to bed. Many have invested a lot into preparing the gardens, cultivating the plants, and harvesting the vegetables and flowers. Once winter has come and gone, most gardeners are excited to get back out there to shake the ice and snow off their boots and start digging. Anyone interested in gardening in one of the community gardens can contact CAC through their website at www.cacscw.org/gardens.php <http://www.cacscw.org/gardens.php> .

                                                                   by Patty Stockdale

BIKES

16 - First Span of Cannonball Bridge at PD Goes Up
Last night one of the spans was lifted and put into place for the Military Ridge Trail Crossing of Highway PD at Verona Road. One more to go. Then paving. Soon we will be able to navigate this dangerous crossing in safety.
            (from Bill Hauda, Wisconsin Nonmontorized Recreation and Transportation Trails Council, on Bikies listserve, 11/21/13)

According to the info out of Fitchburg and DOT, second half will go up in December, and the bridge-to-be will be put to bed for the winter. The bridge itself is scheduled to be ready for use around Memorial Day and the Cannonball Path (from Dunn’s Marsh and parts east) leading to it should be paved in July.

Work has begun again on the Dawley bike hub at Dunn’s Marsh [in Dawley Park]. I’m not holding my breath of dates for that yet tho. Nice to see work happening again anyway.
            (From Dorothy Krause, Dane Co. Supervisor & Fitchburg Alder)



17 - Cannonball Bike Path Bridge over Beltline Opened October 24

The long-awaited Cannonball Path Phase 3 bridge over Beltline Highway, just west of Fish Hatchery Road is open for use as of October 24. This new, four-span arched bridge carries bicyclists and pedestrians over the Beltline and both the north and south frontage roads, providing a safe (and fun!) alternative to the Fish Hatchery Road interchange.

The bridge is also the key segment of the overall Cannonball Path project, which consists of more than four miles of paved shared-use (bicycle and pedestrian) path connecting neighborhoods in Fitchburg and Madison south of the Beltline with central Madison. Currently over 1.6 miles of path is paved, beginning at the Capital City Trail in Fitchburg and extending to the north Beltline frontage road.

Contracts are in place and work has begun on the remaining length, including a new bridge over McKee Road (CTH PD). When completed next year the path will connect to the Military Ridge State Trail, Capital City Trail, Badger Trail and the Southwest path. Plans are being developed for the northward extension to Fish Hatchery Road and ultimately to the Wingra Path.

Many have asked about a ribbon cutting. Nothing was planned for this year because of the uncertainty about the opening date and the lateness of the season. Next year we will be able to hold a big celebration, encompassing the full length of the project and recognizing the communities, governmental agencies, neighborhoods, citizens and builders who have contributed to this great new addition to the metro area’s bike and pedestrian network.

For more pictures,go to http://www.cityofmadison.com/bikemadison/planning/modal/CannonballBridgeOverBeltline.cfm <http://www.cityofmadison.com/bikemadison/planning/modal/CannonballBridgeOverBeltline.cfm>
For more information please contact Tony Fernandez in Engineering at afernandez@cityofmadison.com <mailto:afernandez@cityofmadison.com> .
                                                                        from City of Madison

18 - Future Cannonball Phases of Construction in the Works
                            (Attachment: “4 Cannonball map11/22/13.jpg”)

After years in planning and slow progress, Cannonball Path construction is speeding along like a ball shot out of a cannon.

In conversations with Tony Fernandez, City of Madison Engineering, we’ve learned that the trail will soon stretch from its western connection to the Military Ridge Trail to an eastern connection with Fish Hatchery Road, Park Street, and beyond.

Right now, the only paved portions are those labeled Phases 1 and 3 on the map. They extend from below Arbor Hills to the north side of the Beltline near Culvers. Phase 3 was completed by Madison this fall.

But in 2014 Fitchburg will pave more sections. One is the path section below the Arboretum. Another is the portion that runs between Dunn’s Marsh and Belmar Hills. Together they are Phase 2 on the map. In 2014, the path beyond the junction of the Southwest Path/Badger State Trail/Capital City Trail, near the foot of Allied Drive will also be paved This is Phase 4 and will carry the trail to the Military Ridge Trail across County Highway PD where an overpass is partially completed.

Two other articles detail the opening of the Cannonball bridge over the Beltline and the receent placing of half the bike bridge over PD just to the east of PD’s crossing of Highwy 18/151 (Verona Road).

Phase 5 is the section from the Cannonball Beltline bridge northeast to Fish Hatchery Road. On the map it is called “Planned Future Extension to Fish Hatchery Road.” Fernandez explained that that portion is in the 2014 City of Madison budget. This part of the path can’t be on the railroad right-of-way since trains still use the tracks.

Fernandez noted that Madison Engineering has now started preliminary work on Phase 6 that would take the path across Fish Hatchery Road and Park Street to connect to the Wingra Bike Path along Wingra Creek. On the map, Wingra Creek is a hroizontal dark line crosing Park Street just beyond the railroad. (You’ll have to study the map closely to see this.) Currently, Engineering is looking at properties and considering how to piece together the route.

Wow, things have really come far from when this entire route was an active rail line back in the 1960s and there were no bike throughways in the City of Madison and to outlying areas. How lucky we are to live in a time and place where bikeways are a priority. [These last 2 statements are editorial note, of course.]
                                                                                                            by Mary Mlullen

ENVIRONMENTAL

19 - Traffic Noise Affects Wildlife

Neighbor Connie Roderick forwarded a reference to a “Science Daily” article that notes that the negative effects of roads on wildlife are largely because of traffic noise.

The study was done by Boise State University. Researchers put speakers that played traffic noise in an area that had no road. They found that the wildlife declined by more than 25% when the noise was on compared to when it wasn’t blasting traffic sounds.

The research was conducted on a “phantom road on a ridge southeast from Lucky Peak, near the Idaho Bird Observatory’s field site.” Control sites showed no decrease.

To read the whole article, go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131106113841.htm

                                                                                                by Mary Mullen

20 - Madison Launches Household Battery Recycling

The City of Madison has started a drop off program for the recycling of household batteries. Madison residents can recycling their single use household batteries (A, AA, AAA, C, D, etc) by bringing them to the City’s two full service drop off sites as well as two Metcalf’s Market locations and the Williamson St. Co-op.

“At the urging of Mayor Paul Soglin, the Streets Division has been testing this program for the past year and a half,” Madison recycling coordinator George Dreckmann said. “We are now ready to commit to running the program on a permanent basis.”

Madison residents may recycle their household batteries at the following locations;

City of Madison Drop Off Site, 4602 Sycamore AV
City of Madison Drop Off Site, 1501 W. Badger RD
Metcalf’s Market, 726 N. Midvale BL (Hilldale Mall)
Metcalf’s Market, 7455 Mineral Point RD
Williamson St. Co-op, 1221 Williamson St

“Household battery recycling is expensive because there is not a lot of recyclable material in them,” Dreckmann stated. “It costs $1,300 per ton to get the old batteries recycled compared making them our most expensive program.”
Funds for the program come from savings realized from changes in the electronics recycling program.

The batteries are being handled by Universal Recycling Technologies, the City’s electronics processor.
For more information on the program residents can visit www.cityofmadison.com/streets , email gdreckmann@cityofmadison.com, or call the City Recycling office at 267-2626.
George Dreckman

21 - Clean Lakes, Land, for Our Quality of Life

                       A Column by Dane County Executive Joe Parisi

In Dane County we’re fortunate to enjoy an incredible quality of life – the county’s abundant lakes and natural spaces are big reasons why.

My 2014 budget makes the largest investment in lakes and lands in county history with bold solutions to reduce the amount of algae-causing phosphorus that enters and fouls our lakes and new partnerships to make our county parks better than ever.

Dane County’s farm families have made important contributions to the ongoing efforts to improve lake health. My budget expands on this strong partnership with additional resources for farmers to help us clean up our lakes.

A new $2 million “Phosphorus Reduction and Remediation Grant Program,” will allow for the acquisition and remediation of lands responsible for the highest percentage of phosphorus run-off in the Yahara System.

I also fund exciting new technology for our second Cow Power manure digester, nearing completion in the Town of Springfield, that will eliminate 100% of the phosphorus in the manure the facility processes.

And to help farmers address manure storage concerns during long, wet, winters and springs my budget also establishes a drop off site near the digester where farmers can safely dispose of their manure.

Your Dane County parks will also be better than ever with new shelters and trails, and additional resources for park upkeep. My budget creates the “Dane County Youth Conservation Corps,” a life-skill development partnership with Operation Fresh Start will put young people to work keeping county parks and their amenities clean, accessible, and family friendly.

I also create a new parks “Partnership and Outreach Coordinator” to build support for the county parks system and enhance the many free amenities we offer residents and visitors.

These investments in lakes and lands in my 2014 budget will help protect the many reasons why more than a half-million people love to call Dane County home.

                                                Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 843-8858

------end of the November 25, 2013 DUNN’S MARSH NEIGHBORHOOD e-NEWS ----
                                                Thanks for reading.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Seminole Bridge ribbon-cutting, more...

Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association e-Notice
11-14-13

Articles
1 - DMNA Council Meeting, Thur., Nov. 14, 7 pm
2 - Seminole Highway Bridge Ribbon Cutting, Thur., Nov., 14, 9-9:30 pm (Attachment 1 - pics)
3 - Help Lay Stepping Stones Around Allied News Kiosk, Fri., Nov., 15
4 - Fall Season Offers Many Photo Opportunities (Attachment 2 - pics)

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1 - DMNA Council Meeting, Thur., Nov. 14, 7 pm
The newly-elected 2013-2014 Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association Council will hold its first meeting on Thursday, November 14, 7 pm, at 2010 Whenona Drive (Prairie UU Society). The Council has 7 members but could accommodate 5 more members. Residents from the Belmar (Fitchburg) and Allied areas are particularly needed.
Anyone potentially interested in joining the Council is especially invited to attend this meeting which will include an orientation to the DMNA. New officers will be elected from among the Council members, and the Council will set up committees for the year.

2 - Seminole Highway Bridge Ribbon Cutting, Thur., Nov. 14, 9-9:30 pm (Attachment: “ 1 pics Verona Rd project.jpg”)

The Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association along with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the City of Madison, the City of Fitchburg, and many excited area residents are pleased to be able to officially open the Seminole Highway Bridge to traffic with a ribbon cutting at 9:00 PM on Thursday November 14th, 2013.

Residents that desire to be among the first to drive across the new bridge can park either on the north side on Warwick Way, or on the south side, along the west-bound Beltline Frontage Road.

                                                            Press release provided by Dorothy Krause

3 - Help Lay Stepping Stones at Allied News Kiosk, Fri., Nov. 15

Help is desperately needed to complete a small Allied community art/landscaping project before the snow flies, specifically on Friday, November 15.
The Allied Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association (ADMNA) got funding from the city last year to buy and put up a neighborhood kiosk (a message center) after Allied residents expressed an wish for better communication about neighborhood news & events. The sign has been erected on Allied Dr at Revival Ridge, (near the sidewalk in front of the courtyard.)
The ADMNA also had residents make stained glass mosaic stepping stones for landscaping under the sign. A professional contractor dug down, laid and prepped the substrate already, so we need to smooth the pea gravel and hand tamp it a bit, put down a layer of sand, then place the stones and then pour, sweep and hose down the sand between them. There are 36 12 x 12 stones.
I have never done anything like this before but I am estimating 3-4 hours max. I would love to have anyone with experience, and if a landscaper or other business person wants to pitch in, we will put a special thank you to them in the next ADMNA neighborhood newsletter. Call Chris at 236-2899 to discuss timing and other details. I will provide food and drink, tools and supplies.
                                                                                                from Christine Kantor

4 - Fall Season Offers Many Photo Opportunities (Attachment: “2 pics nature in the neighborhood.jpg” )

Late in October, nature put on some pleasant scenes.   See some of them on the attached collage.

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The DMN e-News and an occasional hard copy DMN News are published by the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association (DMNA) on an “as-needed” schedule. The Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association, Inc. has been working to unite neighbors to solve mutual problems and promote fellowship among neighbors since 1973. Our neighborhood is in Madison & Fitchburg.
               President, Bob Hague, bphague@tds.net   218-1760
               News contact, Mary Mullen, mmullen@chorus.net 298-0843
               Website: http://www.dunnsmarsh.org <http://www.dunnsmarsh.org>
               On Facebook: Just type Dunn’s Marsh into the Facebook search box or go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dunns-Marsh-Neighborhood-Association/18765419350 <file://localhost/pages/Dunns-Marsh-Neighborhood-Association/18765419350

--- End of the 11/14/13 Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association e-Notice ---