You can feel it.
Spring is beginning to show itself all around New Glarus. Not in one dramatic moment, but in a myriad of small signs. The first thunderstorm of the season rolled through this past week, bringing with it the reminder that winter is losing its grip. Tulips are starting to push up through the soil. Daylight saving time arrived over the weekend, stretching the evenings just a little longer. And downtown feels a bit more alive on Saturdays and Sundays, with more shoppers, more movement, and more of that familiar energy returning to the streets.
Basketball season has come to an end, and now attention turns toward baseball, softball, and track and field. Along the highways, road construction pylons and equipment is already being stacked and staged — a sure sign that another Wisconsin summer construction season is on hand. Even the air feels different. There is mud, there is wind, there is uncertainty from one day to the next, but there is also change, and with it comes momentum.
That is part of what makes this time of year so distinct. Spring in New Glarus is not polished. It is not always warm. It does not arrive neatly. But it does announce itself in ways that longtime residents know well. And after a long winter, those signs are hard to miss.
We see it. You probably do too.
What We’re Working On
Tomorrow, we will publish an update on where repairs to Stewart Tunnel stand. The tunnel has been closed since 2019 because of loose and falling rock from the ceiling and side walls, and this update you won’t want to miss.
The Green County Board of Supervisors is exploring whether to allow large-scale solar farms in the county. Supervisors are scheduled to review a University of Wisconsin study on the subject tonight. We are taking a deeper look at what it could mean.
At least four high-profile businesses in New Glarus are for sale. Some are already known to much of the community. Others may come as a surprise. We are waiting until there is something official to report before sharing more.
The Village of New Glarus is moving forward with the purchase of a new squad car. We’ll have the details, along with a first look at what may be patrolling the streets of New Glarus soon.
As the community continues raising money for new pickleball courts, we are also looking at the bigger picture: why pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in America.
With St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, we also have a story about the history of the Irish, the second-most common ethnicity in the New Glarus area.
We are also working on the first issue of The Old Guard, our new monthly alumni newsletter. We recently uncovered a treasure trove of old issues and plan to share some of that content in every issue. If you are subscribed to it, look for it in the coming weeks.
Photo of the Week
What You May Have Missed
Todd Klassy
Todd Klassy
Todd Klassy
Stephen Eliasson
Todd Klassy
Something We Noticed
Some long-range population projections for New Glarus caught our attention recently. According to the Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission EMS study, using numbers from the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA), Belleville is projected to grow steadily from 2,491 in 2020 to 3,824 by 2050. Those numbers make sense. However, New Glarus is projected to move from 2,266 to 2,224 over that same period after some modest gains in between. Those numbers came as a surprise. Belleville’s growth trend is not hard to imagine, but we would have expected New Glarus to project higher as well. If those numbers prove true, many might agree that slower growth would be a good thing if we want to preserve what makes New Glarus special.
Editor’s Note
A few readers have told us they are being asked to log in to New Glarus 360 more often than expected, particularly when visiting from their cell phones. In many cases the issue is related to how links open from social media apps or certain browser settings that prevent the site from remembering your login. If you’ve experienced this, we may have identified the cause and a simple fix that should make the site easier to use. You can read more about what’s happening and how to resolve it here: https://www.newglarus360.com/why-some-readers-must-log-in-repeatedly/.
How to Reach Us
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Thanks for supporting local journalism and for helping us tell the story of New Glarus and the people who make this community what it is.
Todd Klassy
New Glarus 360