June 2019

After completing grad school at UW Madison in 1991 while working as a teacher McFarlane George Mavroulis says there was only one job listing that he cared to apply to.

“One came across for Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, even then the reputation of this district was off the charts,” Mavroulis says. “I figured I’d just send a resume to that one and then three interviews later I ended up getting hired.”

Mavroulis was hired as the principal of Elm Lawn Elementary in the summer of 1992 and worked there for 10 years which he considers the highlight of his life and his career. 

“It was fabulous, it was from 1992 to 2002,” he says. “That’s where my relationships began with students and family and staff.”

SPRINGFIELD–The Springfield Town Board had questions about the reclamation process and whether or not the land is grandfathered in as non-conforming for the planned expansion of the Meinholz Quarry owned by Yahara Materials on June 5. Homeowners near the quarry had some questions of their own. The special meeting, which had an item of revisiting a resolution on Dec. 18, 2018 concerning the reclamation, had a representative from Yahara, as well as their attorney, in attendance, trying to provide answers to both the board members and residents during the agenda item’s discussion. 

Town Chair Jim Pulvermacher told the crowd that after the December meeting, he thought the NR-130 permitting process for excavation had been stopped because the town had not heard anything else from Yahara. The item then came up on a City of Middleton agenda in late May.

MIDDLETON–Communicator in multiple languages, world traveler, partner of Howard Statz, and catcher of suspected law-breakers, Szeci (pronounced Zekey) has already led an adventurous life in his short 16 months on Earth. The German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix is also the newest member of the Middleton Police Department, and the first of his kind on the force.

“I’m his only handler, and I hope to get five to seven years working with him, as long as possible, before his body slows,” said Officer Statz of his 65-pound, rambunctious sidekick. Statz intentionally selected a smaller dog, he said, in case he must lift his partner. However, Szeci’s bobbed tail wasn’t for weight reduction—the pup had injured himself doing backflips in his Pennsylvania kennel, Statz explained. 

MADISON — Ian Connell walked about 100 feet, or so, through the bowels of Nielsen Tennis Stadium late last Friday night.

When Connell got to the end of the hallway, his entire Middleton tennis team was waiting to shower the Cardinals’ freshman with love.

Hugs. High fives. Yelling. Screaming.

The group produced all of the above.

“That was just amazing,” Connell said. “Best thing I ever felt.”

And certainly deserved.

Connell took part in arguably the most grueling, exhausting, intense match seen at the WIAA Division 1 boys state team tennis tournament in several years. And when it ended after nearly three hours, Connell’s 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (8) win over Arrowhead junior Cole Contardi lifted the Cardinals past the Warhwaks, 4-3, in a state quarterfinal match.