Every once in a while, someone suggests I’m the only one working behind the scenes on New Glarus 360. That is definitely not the case. Mindy Marty covers area town boards, Yvette Smith keeps tabs on Green County government and Monroe, Becky Degenhardt photographs local sports, and Sue Moen and Bruce Alan Hansen regularly share their photography. Kaia Morrison is our student correspondent at New Glarus High School, and Abie Burton keeps things running behind the scenes as our website developer. Many others offer advice, ideas and encouragement, too, and I am grateful to all of them.

There is always room for more people who believe local journalism matters. Right now, we especially need a photographer or two with some daytime availability who can occasionally head out when news happens. It is a paid opportunity with some nice perks, and you do not need to be a seasoned professional. If you are reliable, interested in the community and willing to learn, I can provide the tools and guidance to help you succeed.

If reporting, photography or another kind of contribution sounds interesting, I would be glad to hear from you.

Biggest Stories of the Week

What We’re Working On

The Highway 39 project near New Glarus is moving toward final design, bringing another major state highway project closer to construction. We’ll look at what is being planned, the anticipated timeline and what the work could mean for drivers and businesses in the area.

We’re checking back in on the New Glarus Hotel & Restaurant as renovation work continues ahead of its eventual reopening. We’ll have the latest on construction progress, plans for the property and what still needs to happen before the doors open again.

The Chalet Landhaus has introduced a Friday night fish fry buffet, adding a new option to the local dining scene. We’re talking with the chef about what’s on the menu, how the idea came together and what diners can expect.

With its permits approved, the new Trails Pizza is getting closer to reopening. We’ll share details on the new menu, the changes inside and when customers can expect to return.

The Glarner Pride Homecoming Fun Run/Walk is returning as part of New Glarus’ homecoming festivities. We’ll have the details on the event, its connection to the community and how runners and walkers can take part.

Oktoberfest is almost here, and we’re putting together our Top 10 Things to Do at New Glarus Oktoberfest. Whether you’re coming for the music, food, beer or Swiss traditions, we’ll help you make the most of the weekend.

It has been an impressive fall for New Glarus-area high school sports, and we’ll continue providing unrivaled coverage of the Glarner Knights, Sugar River teams and New Glarus student-athletes. Expect game stories, results, photos, milestones and the stories behind the performances.

Those distinctive bands of alternating crops were once a common sight across Green County. We’re asking what happened to strip cropping, what farmers use instead today and what those changes really mean for soil conservation and erosion control.

When Matterhorn Ice Cream Shop opened, its owners said they planned to remain open through the winter. We’re checking in to learn about their winter hours, seasonal offerings and plans for keeping an ice cream shop going when the snow starts flying.

Two New Glarus students have been named National Merit Semifinalists, placing them among a select group of high school students nationwide. We’ll introduce you to the students and explain what the recognition means.

Brenda’s Blumenladen is celebrating 30 years in business, and owner Brenda has agreed to sit down with us for an interview. We’ll look back at three decades of flowers, customers and community connections for one of downtown New Glarus’ longtime businesses.

We also have interviews scheduled with at least four other prominent New Glarus businesses. We want to go beyond announcements and storefronts to tell the stories of the people, history and ideas behind the businesses that help shape the community.

New Glarus is covered with Swiss words and phrases on buildings, signs and landmarks, but what do they actually mean? We’re translating them and explaining the stories and traditions behind some of the Swiss German you see around the village every day.

Photo of the Week

What You May Have Missed

Father and Son Bring New Glarus Roots to Fall Nationals

Long before the Green County Fall Nationals became one of the region’s biggest pulls, Mike Jelle was hooked on tractor pulling. This weekend, the New Glarus graduate will share the Monroe track with his son Tanner and their 1,900-horsepower machine.

New Glarus 360Todd Klassy

Inside the Old New Glarus Grade School

For nearly a century New Glarus children climbed its staircases, crowded its hallways, and learned penmanship, speed reading and elocution in classrooms beneath ceilings that seemed impossibly high. The former school was more than a building. It became a warehouse of community memories.

New Glarus 360Todd Klassy

Former New Glarus Restaurant Owner Honored at Quilt Show

Belleville resident Katherine “Kathy” Weaver, a former co-owner of the Town Edge Restaurant in New Glarus and a member of Green County Home and Community Education, received an Honorable Merit Award at the 2026 Great Wisconsin Quilt Show in Madison this week.

New Glarus 360Todd Klassy

From a New Glarus Farm to Fresno State

Nearly 2,000 miles from the dairy farm where he learned to work hard and help his neighbors, New Glarus High School graduate Garrett Klassy is leading Fresno State into the Pac-12 and a consequential new era in college athletics today.

New Glarus 360Todd Klassy

Green County Moves to Replace Election System

After repeated election-night transmission failures, Green County is preparing to leave Liberty Vote, formerly Dominion, and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new system designed to restore reliability and public confidence.

New Glarus 360Todd Klassy

Something We Noticed

It wasn’t all that long ago that the Driftless Area was something most people encountered in a geography lesson rather than on a travel wish list. Unlike much of the Upper Midwest, this corner of Wisconsin was largely bypassed by the last continental glaciers, leaving behind its steep ridges, winding valleys and a deeply carved landscape. For generations, that beauty was mostly appreciated by the people who lived here and those who wandered through. Now that is changing. National magazines and newspapers are writing about the Driftless. Travel writers are discovering it. Social media is filling with photos and videos of its roads, rivers, bluffs and small towns. What was once arguably one of Wisconsin’s best-kept secrets is becoming better known.

I have traveled across much of the United States and seen some extraordinary places — the mountains of Montana, the Louisiana delta, the Oregon coast and the White Mountains of New England among them. But there is something unmistakably beautiful about southwest Wisconsin. It is not dramatic in quite the same way. Its beauty sneaks up on you in the curve of a road, a farm tucked into a valley, morning fog along a creek or a ridge glowing in the evening sun. And as more people begin discovering the Driftless, New Glarus may increasingly find itself in an enviable position: not simply near the region, but standing at its front door.

Past Issues

Need to reference a past issue of Community Update? No problem. We’ve got you covered. Previous editions are easy to find, so whether you want to revisit a local story, catch up on something you missed, or go back and check a link, the archive is there when you need it.

How to Reach Us

Have a story idea, tip or announcement? Just reply to this email or submit a story idea at our website. We read every message. You can upload a photo, a file, or news tip by clicking on the button below. Or you can email us anytime at editor@newglarus360.com.

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