Letters to the Editor

Dear editor, Thank you River Valley residents. The Christmas lights are beautiful. Just drive around any neighborhood and see the Christmas cheer. In this time of isolation there is a wonderful reason to smile. Thanks to the Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce for promoting this event. Not all who have decorated their homes are part of the contest but this has encouraged more to do so. Thanks to Dick Powell for the amazing fireworks display. We sat by a warming fire and enjoyed the skies while partaking in our annual family soup supper (masks and socially distancing of course) in our own back yard. Tis the season. Barb Johnson Spring Green   Dear editor, I want to take this opportunity to thank the voters of the 51st assembly district for re-electing me to serve as their state representative. I’m very humbled to have won 49 of the 60 villages, townships, and cities I represent, and by my biggest margin since I was first elected to the assembly. Thank you for your support and your confidence in me to be your voice in Madison. I ran on being an independent Republican voice for the residents of southwest Wisconsin. Since I was elected in 2014, I have always strived to put the people of my district over politics. No matter how you voted, I hope you will take the time to reach out to my office and provide input on issues that matter most to you. When difficult decisions arise in Madison, I review messages sent to my office to gain a better understanding of where my constituents stand. While I cannot promise that we will always agree, your voice matters and I hope you will share it with me.  Email me at Rep.Novak@legis.wisconsin.gov or call (608) 266-7502. There is no doubt that our district and the state of Wisconsin have a difficult road ahead. We must work to manage COVID-19 and pass additional bipartisan relief that includes expansion of testing capabilities and ensures efficient distribution of a vaccine. Earlier this year, the governor and the legislature came together to pass bipartisan legislation to address the pandemic. I’m confident that we can do this once again. The pandemic has also shined a light on the challenges our rural communities continue to face. As work begins on the budget, I will advocate for additional investments in our rural schools, resources to care for our vulnerable and elderly populations, prioritizing of rural infrastructure projects, and expansion of high-speed internet access. Finally, I’m proud of the work we did on protecting water quality in our state as chairman of the Task Force on Water Quality and plan to build upon that progress this session. I cannot say enough about how we live in the most beautiful part of Wisconsin. Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to serve. Let’s get to work. Todd Novak Dodgeville   Dear editor, About every three hours in Wisconsin, someone is killed or injured in an alcohol-related crash. Drivers impaired by alcohol or other drugs pose a serious hazard to themselves, their passengers and everyone else along our roadways. Preliminary data indicates that so far in 2020, 166 fatal crashes occurred involving a suspected impaired driver – that’s already 31 more than in 2019. As part of our year-round public safety efforts, the Spring Green, Plain and Arena police departments will join law enforcement agencies across Wisconsin during the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” traffic campaign running through New Year‘s Day, 2021. This campaign is not about stopping, citing or arresting motorists, but is about saving lives and preventing tragedies.  Last year in Wisconsin, there were 6,058 alcohol-related crashes that injured 2,918 people and resulted in 140 deaths (about one-quarter of all traffic fatalities). We also must keep in mind that alcohol is not the only problem. We also see drivers that are impaired by illegal drugs, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications. Recent research indicates that due to the pandemic, drug and alcohol use is up and more crashes have resulted.  To help identify and remove impaired drivers from our roadways, Wisconsin has 5,223 law enforcement officers trained in ARIDE - Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement. Wisconsin also has 310 highly-trained Drug Recognition Experts - among the most in the nation. However, citizens also play a vital role. Never allow someone to drive impaired. If you see a driver that you suspect is impaired, call 911 and provide as much detail as you can. Protect yourself and your passengers by buckling up, watch your speed, be patient and alert. We want to thank you for your support throughout the year to help keep our streets and communities safe.  You can also call the River Valley Area Bar Buddies at 588-5591. The organization is dedicated to keeping the roadways safer by providing a safe ride home to intoxicated individuals. Let’s not add more tragedy to 2020. Officer Alex Ziemke Spring Green Police Department