On July 18, 2026, the Arena community celebrated the annual Yolanda Peterson and Mary Jones Memorial Parade, featuring a parade along Sharon Street and a vibrant evening at Arena Community Park. Festivities included face painting, a BBQ, and a baseball game, culminating in a dazzling fireworks display, despite wildfire smoke.
The Lone Rock 4th of July Celebration Parade on July 4, 2026, attracted many spectators despite brief morning rain, as families celebrated Independence Day and the nation’s 250th anniversary. The festivities included a parade, food, live music, and a fireworks display at Fireman’s Park, culminating in a vibrant evening celebration.
The Wisconsin Election Commission ruled that the Village of Arena’s April 1, 2025, trustee ballot was unlawfully arranged due to former Clerk DaNean Naeger’s failure to conduct a required second drawing after the primary. The ruling followed election complaints and resolved one of several similar cases against Naeger, who resigned amidst the controversy.
Audit reached no conclusions, but shows potentially large errors in water bills.
During public comment at last month’s regular meeting of the Village of Arena Board of Trustees on March 7, board members were handed papers by former Village President Paul Pustina. Those papers contained an “Independent Accountant’s Report” covering current Arena Village Clerk/Treasurer DaNean Naeger’s tenure in Monticello. The report represents the findings of what Monticello Village Board minutes refer to as a forensic audit. Arena officials have stayed quiet since the meeting, but the current Monticello village president insists he saw no evidence of wrongdoing.
Blood drives are scheduled for Friday, January 6, 2023, in Spring Green and Arena, and Tuesday, February 7, 2023, in Lone Rock.
The top baby names for boys and girls born in 2022 have been announced by hospitals in the area.
‘There’s music everywhere but the Driftless is definitely magical for me’
A local artist from our very own River Valley area recently returned home after representing Wisconsin on the national stage as part of NBC’s “American Song Contest”. Jake’O performed an original song on the show last month and shared his inspiration and thoughts with us on the journey.
We’ve shared many times some of the quotes that grace the wall of our newsroom. We’ve definitely focused on the first, making things work and then making them work better. We’ve definitely focused on the second quote and we’ve called people and powers-that-be out where necessary. The third quote we haven’t covered enough because — frankly — in the moment or in retrospect, we don’t think we’ve been able to adequately taste life enough.
Valley Sentinel lends platform in print and online to foster community ideas
We are pleased to announce the (soft) launch of Valley Sentinel’s Impulse Initiative. It has always been our goal to build community and over the past year plus we’ve been talking to area residents every day about their wants, hopes and dreams for the community. We’ve asked many times in print what ideas you had for the community and how we go about doing them. This initiative is a culmination of those things.
A student from Hard Core Gymnastics in Arena held a lemonade stand fundraiser July 2 at the corner of Sharon Street and Village Edge Road in Arena.
Spring Green, WI – After a year hiatus, 4PeteSake’s Day In The Park returns to Spring Green’s North Park on Sunday, August 15th. What began in 2005 as an impassioned eff ort to help a 20-year-old cancer survivor has become a summer tradition and a symbol of the River Valley’s commitment to helping neighbors in need.
On recent hot summer days you may have seen Eli Saperstein and Dylan Perry sitting on the corner of Lexington and Jefferson Streets in Spring Green — or, rather, you may have heard them first. Equipped with five gallon buckets and drumsticks, both describe themselves as long time drummers.
Last Leaf Public House (134 W. Jefferson Street, Spring Green), in the former Freddy Valentine’s location, is now open 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. serving cocktails and appetizers for dinning inside the pub and on the patio.
Appetizers include hand cut fries, sweet potato fries, smoked salmon dip, chicken curried frites and chicken wings.
Menu options, hours and dining will increase sometime in mid-July.
Lone Rock saw its first Family Fun Fair this past weekend, with the idea behind the traditional carnival to bring fun attractions to the village in June, between events the village holds for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.
Arena faces two vacancies as another trustee resigns and as they settle a tax dispute that was previously taken up in court, during the Arena Village Board’s June 1 meeting.
It was a beautiful day to be outside and enjoy delicious food by Prem Meats, music, chatting with friends, making new friends and of course the free tastings! I enjoyed seeing people out enjoying themselves. We all need to have some fun in our lives!
The Spring Green Farmers Market kicked off its summer season on May 15 with fresh produce, plants, local goods and some folk music by Don Greenwood.
The River Valley School Board met May 13, welcoming a new member, took up changes to the school fair, the high school year book and elected officers.
Tortilleria Zepeda hosted an open house at it’s Lone Rock location Wednesday, which featured tours of the production facility, fresh tortillas and unconventional twists on traditional Mexican fare. The open house allowed members of the community to tour the facility where the Heidi and Julian Zepeda produce their authentic and organic nixtamal corn tortillas, and learn more about their unique process that differs from typical, mass produced corn tortilla manufacturing. The couple also uses locally grown ingredients. The open house offered samples of their original tortillas, dressed with serrano-avocado salsa and traditional tamales. The event also offered cocoa tortillas and dessert tamales with strawberries and cream cheese. Julian also offered a fermented mesa drink that is traditional to his home area of Mexico, called Tejuino. Currently, Heidi and Julian are planning to host different social events or host classes at the location, and are considering opening monthly to offer fresh tortillas and other options.
The River Valley High School spring sports season officially kicked off on April 19—with a later start and a shorter season than usual due to COVID-19.