Valley Sentinel

09/22/2026

It's a week filled with all sorts of activities for our Blackhawks. Don't miss your chance to join in on the Homecoming fun!

BLACKHAWKS ACTIVITIES | HOMECOMING WEEK, September 21 - 26

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏
🏈JV Football vs. Prairie du Chien, 5:30pm *HOME EVENT*

𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐
🏐Middle School Girls Volleyball @ Richland Center, 4:00pm
⚽JV Boys Soccer @ Platteville/Lancaster, 5:00pm
⚽Varsity Boys Soccer @ Platteville/Lancaster, 7:00pm
🏈Junior High Football vs. Prairie du Chien, 5:00pm *HOME EVENT*
🏐JV Volleyball @ Platteville, 5:30pm
🏐Varsity Volleyball @ Platteville, 7:00pm
🏊🏼‍♀️Girls Swimming @ Lodi Triple Dual, 6:00pm

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒
🎽Junior High Cross Country @ Dodgeville, 4:10pm
🏐JV Volleyball vs. Prairie du Chien, 4:45pm *HOME EVENT*
💙🧡Varsity Volleyball DIGGS FOR BRIGGS MATCH vs. Prairie du Chien, 6:15pm *HOME EVENT*
📣*HOMECOMING PEP RALLY TO FOLLOW VARSITY VOLLEYBALL*
⚽Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Prairie du Chien, 5:00pm *HOME EVENT*
⚽JV Boys Soccer vs. Prairie du Chien, 7:00pm *HOME EVENT*

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓 - NO SCHOOL
🐷RIVER VALLEY SCHOOL FAIR, 8:00am
🍬HOMECOMING PARADE, 3:00pm
🏈HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME vs. Platteville, 7:00pm *HOME EVENT*

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟔
🎉Homecoming Dance, 7:00pm

09/21/2026

09/17/2026

Fall applications due in 2 weeks!

09/17/2026

Send a message to learn more

09/17/2026

A Conversation About Rural EMS

Many of you are seeing posts on social media stating that an ambulance service was “unable to get a crew.” We understand why seeing that can be concerning or even frightening. You naturally start wondering, what happens if that's my family calling 911?

First, there is some important context that doesn't always make it into a scanner or social media post.

When one EMS service is unable to assemble a crew, our 911 dispatchers don't stop looking for help. They immediately begin working through neighboring services and other available resources to get help responding. Law enforcement, fire departments, first responders, mutual aid ambulances and other resources may also become part of that response.

But we also aren't going to pretend there isn't a problem.

This is something we are seeing more and more in our rural areas, and Iowa County is certainly not alone. A quick search of news and social media shows rural communities elsewhere are having the same difficult conversations about staffing ambulances and finding enough people to answer the call.

Many of our rural fire and EMS departments depend heavily on volunteers and part-time responders. These are people leaving their jobs, families, dinners, kids' activities and beds in the middle of the night because someone they may not even know needs help.

There are simply fewer people available to do it, and the calls don't stop coming, in fact they are increasing.

Our Sheriff's Office is also looking at additional medical training, equipment and capabilities we can safely put in the hands of our deputies because they are often among the first to arrive. That doesn't make a deputy an ambulance, nor should it. During emergencies we have had deputies or dispatchers delivering life-saving instructions or care for extended period of times.

So when you see one of these posts on social media, don't panic. Our dispatchers are still working behind the scenes to get resources coming. But don't ignore what those posts are telling us either.

We have to have some tough conversations ahead about the future of rural EMS. This isn't about pointing fingers at an ambulance service or the people volunteering their time. We support them 100 percent, but know they can't do it all. It's about recognizing the problem, supporting the people who are still answering the call, and figuring out together what comes next.

And if you've ever considered volunteering with your local fire or EMS department, maybe this is your sign to make that call.

Someday, the person waiting for help could be any one of us.

Sheriff Michael Peterson

09/09/2026

Wandering the Driftless: Locally Sourced Lemonade

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) thrives in the Driftless Area, known for its clusters and summer treat potential. Early settlers used its hollow stems for collecting maple sap. The plant's seeds signal the making of "sumac lemonade," a delightful drink rich in malic acid. Caution is advised for those allergic to cashews....

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) thrives in the Driftless Area, known for its clusters and summer treat potential. Early settlers used its hollow stems for collecting maple sap. The plant's seeds signal the making of "sumac lemonade," a delightful drink rich in malic acid. Caution is advised for those....

08/28/2026

Share your pictures of tonight’s eclipse from around the Spring Green area below.

(They’re probably better than ours, seen here in the Wyoming Valley south of Spring Green at just before 11:00 p.m.)

08/11/2026

Non‑profits in the River Valley area can now apply for arts‑focused grants through the Spring Green Arts & Crafts Fair. Submit your proposal by Sept. 25, 2026 to help bring more art, culture, and community impact to our area.

08/07/2026

The Timely Review: ‘The Chairs’

American Players Theatre's "The Chairs" is a surreal descent into absurdity, sparking a blend of horror and sympathy for two isolated characters teetering on insanity. Their bizarre coping mechanisms reveal the raw human need for connection. As they hallucinate an audience, the play urges us to confront our own unvoiced messages and existential regrets—compelling and unsettling....

American Players Theatre's "The Chairs" is a surreal descent into absurdity, sparking a blend of horror and sympathy for two isolated characters teetering on insanity. Their bizarre coping mechanisms reveal the raw human need for connection. As they hallucinate an audience, the play urges us to conf...