Tomorrow is Sept. 11. It is hard to believe 25 years have passed. The images from that day remain are burned into my memory, and the heartbreak has never completely faded. I thought about writing something more formal to commemorate the anniversary, but there will be countless remembrances published tomorrow, many written by people far better able to tell that story. So instead, I’ll leave you with one small memory of my own.
The Saturday after 9/11, a couple of friends and I decided to go to a New Glarus-Monticello football game. At the old field. None of us had been to a football game in years. We didn’t really talk about why we were going. It simply felt like something we needed to do. After a week when the world seemed to have changed overnight, there was comfort in sitting beneath the lights with former neighbors, friends, and others, sharing a heartbreak everyone understood and trying, if only for a few hours, to find our way back toward something normal. And there are few things more fundamentally Wisconsin, or more fundamentally American, than a community gathering on a Friday night to watch a high school football game.
This Friday, the Glarner Knights will take the field again, this time on the 25th anniversary of 9/11. None of the young men playing that night were alive when the attacks happened, and I hope none of them ever experience anything resembling what our country experienced that day.
So, at the risk of sounding a little sentimental or even a little jingoistic, I can think of no better way to mark this particular anniversary than by gathering together again. Go to the football game. New Glarus will host Darlington, the defending state champion, the No. 1-ranked team in the state and winner of 17 straight games. Our hometown boys may have something to say about all of that.
Those are plenty of reasons to be there. But perhaps the best reason is the same one that drew my friends and me to that old football field 25 years ago: community.
And that is something we can always use a little more of.
Biggest Stories of the Week
What We’re Working On
We’re revisiting concerns over Green County’s election equipment during this August’s primary election. County officials appear to have a plan to address the problems, and we’ll explain what they intend to do about it.
Several New Glarus-area businesses are in transition. One is preparing to change its name, another is nearing a reopening following an ownership change, and another is getting ready to hit the market — and we’ll have the details on all three.
From rural Wisconsin to one of the most prominent front offices in professional sports, the No. 2 official in the Green Bay Packers’ personnel department grew up just west of New Glarus. We sat down with him to talk about his remarkable path to 1265 Lombardi Avenue.
Long before smartphones became part of everyday life, Broadcast Communications was helping develop wireless telecommunications technology right here in New Glarus. We’re looking back at the company that once occupied the RPM Motors building and the role its work played in the evolution of wireless technology we still rely on today.
Work continues inside the New Glarus Hotel & Restaurant as the historic property moves closer to its eventual grand reopening. We’ll check in on the construction and remodeling progress and show you how the landmark is being transformed.
New Glarus has long played a role in Monroe’s Cheese Days celebration, held every two years just down the road. We’re looking back at the festival through a New Glarus lens and the people, businesses and traditions that connect the two communities.
We’re profiling Steve Donovan Film & Video, a New Glarus-area business producing impressive video work for clients near and far. We’ll introduce you to Steve Donovan, his work and the story behind his business.
Which county highway reigns supreme? We’re taking a decidedly tongue-in-cheek look at the Top 10 County Highways Near New Glarus, celebrating the letters, curves, scenery and peculiarities that make driving the countryside around here so much fun.
We’re sitting down with Green County Sheriff Cody Kanable for a wide-ranging interview about the department, law enforcement in a rural county and the responsibilities that come with serving as Green County’s top elected law enforcement official.
Those distinctive ribbons of alternating crops once helped define the Green County countryside. We’re asking what happened to strip cropping, why it has become less common and whether changes in farming practices mean anything for soil erosion and conservation today.
With the Town of York deciding to end its contract with New Glarus Area EMS, attention is turning to the Town of Primrose as it considers its own future EMS coverage. We’ll continue following the discussion as Primrose officials face increasing scrutiny over what comes next.
The 11th Avenue construction project is nearing completion, and once the dust settles, we plan to take a closer look at how the project went. We’ll examine what worked, what didn’t and what lessons could make future New Glarus construction projects easier on residents and businesses.
Two of the area’s biggest fall celebrations are almost here. We’ll have extensive coverage of New Glarus Oktoberfest and Monroe Cheese Days, including previews, photos, schedules, stories and everything you need to enjoy the festivities.
Wisconsin schools are losing students, but New Glarus appears to be bucking that broader trend. We’re digging into why enrollment in New Glarus is holding up differently and what may be attracting or keeping families in the district.
Photo of the Week
What You May Have Missed
Todd Klassy
Todd Klassy
Todd Klassy
Todd Klassy
Todd Klassy
Something We Noticed
I got to thinking this week, can someone in Wisconsin legally drive around in circles inside a roundabout as long they obey the law otherwise? So, I did a little research.
Believe it or not, Wisconsin law does not prohibit making a complete circuit of a roundabout or continuing around it if you miss your exit. There is no statutory “one lap only” rule.
However, deliberately circling repeatedly might become illegal if the driver impedes traffic, disregards lane markings, drives carelessly or creates a hazard. Police could cite the conduct under another traffic law depending on the circumstances.
So: Going around again because you missed your exit appears legal. Treating the roundabout like an endless game of Ring Around the Rosie may earn you a traffic stop.
Next week? Can a horse be a designated driver when under the influence of alcohol? j/k
Mobile Phone Users: Having Problems?
If you’ve noticed that you sometimes have to log back into New Glarus 360 when clicking a story link from Facebook, you’re not imagining things. Facebook opens links inside its own built-in browser instead of your phone’s normal browser, which means it doesn’t always recognize your saved login. In other words, blame Facebook. The easiest fix is to add New Glarus 360 directly to your phone’s home screen so you can open it like an app and stay logged in. Here's how so you never miss a thing:
Android (Chrome): Open NewGlarus360.com in Chrome → tap the three dots in the upper right corner → Add to Home Screen.
iPhone (Safari): Open NewGlarus360.com in Safari → tap the Share icon → Add to Home Screen.
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
