Local

At its June 23 meeting the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District gave preliminary approval to the budget for 2025-2026, approved the compensation plan for all employees except certified staff, and agreed to a request to allow the Good Neighbor Festival to use a portion of the school property. 

A Middleton woman is at the center of a chilling true crime saga stretching across multiple states and nearly a decade. The case involves fraud, a botched ricin poisoning, and the murder of a missing roommate—now the subject of an iHeartMedia podcast, What Happened to Talina Zarr.

The Middleton Law Enforcement Foundation (MiLEF) accomplished a major goal of providing the Middleton Police Department with a new Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) and two drones. At the Middleton Police Station on Thursday, MiLEF members and police officers gathered to celebrate the new equipment’s capabilities, and to formally recognize longtime supporter of the Middleton Police Department (MPD), Peggy Zimmerman.

Annual surveys of students, families and staff were reviewed and discussed at the June 9 meeting of the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District board of education. Other topics at the meeting were the food and nutrition update, compensation review for 2025-2026, and enrollment update including additional 4K open enrollment seats.

Public, council reaction mixed

With a combined 57 years of experience, City Planner Mark Opitz and Middleton EMS Chief Steven Wunsch said goodbye to the City of Middleton during the June 3 Middleton Common Council meeting by accepting proclamations in their honor.

MIDDLETON – While commercial electric powered aircraft is just getting off the ground, attention at Middleton Municipal Airport – Morey Field is turning to hosting electric vehicle charging stations. 

With new “administration” in the Village of Mazomanie—now that Natalie Beil is in charge after her dominant April election win—changes are coming to some of the more procedural and organizational aspects of things. Beil spoke with each trustee about the changes and announced them at the April 22nd meeting.

The Black Earth Fire Department snuffed out a fire in less than an hour after being called to a residence along Highway 78 in the Town of Mazomanie on June 11th. At 8:55 p.m. they got the call for an “echo level” structure fire—requiring the most immediate response and dispatch—and arrived on scene with ample help in tow.

 Middleton EMS Chief Steve Wunsch retired last Friday, June 13, and he leaves behind more than a legacy—he leaves behind a transformed emergency medical services system built on decades of innovation, grit, and relentless dedication.