---

One of the Wisconsin Badgers biggest fans was interviewed on NBC Channel 15 out of Madison last week talking about the Badgers basketball team and him heading to the "Final Four" in Texas - Chuck Halverson. He was a longtime cattle buyer who lived in Dodgeville and his first wife (the late) Shirley was co-owner in Shirl-Ann's Apparel in downtown Dodgeville. Chuck was a Badger football player a few years back and is retired in Madison with wife Marion. He was inducted into the Dodgeville High School Athletic Hall of Fame and has been a longtime Dodgeville booster and supports all kinds of events, especially the Dodgeville Area Scholarship Foundation.
*****
Speaking of the "Final Four", Chuck really got to see quite a game with the Badgers losing out in getting to the final game on Monday by missing a shot at the buzzer that would've won the game Saturday night. They really have nothing to be ashamed of with that loss to Kentucky, a team made of hand-picked freshmen who will probably all go NBA next year. They were bigger, faster and a more athletic team than the Badgers, but Bucky led most of the game and led up until a 3-pointer with 5.7 ticks left on the clock. On that 3-pointer, the Badger defense had Kentucky so baffled that the shot they took was probably a desperation one they had to take to beat the clock running out. It came from well beyond the college 3-point line and beyond the NBA line! That truly was a game one of the teams had to lose, but it was too bad that either one of them did have to lose! Oh, and Kentucky was the pre-season #1 ranked team in the NCAA and the Badgers weren't even ranked at that time.
*****
The Iowa County Cattlemans Association held its annual banquet Saturday night at the Dodger Bowl in Dodgeville with the program starting early due to the Badger game. I left after the program. I wonder how many of the people above were still around for the magic/comedy show by Lee Cole? Maybe he made them all disappear to the lounge area where the TVs were going with the game on!
*****
Sunday I hit the Iowa County Tech Rescue banquet that was held at the Quality Inn, Mineral Point. That is their big fundraiser for the year. They're a group of Iowa County fire chiefs, fire fighters and EMS people who assist in rescue when there is a call that is major and additional help and/or equipment is needed.
*****
The spring sports season was given a shot in the arm this past week when rain was received, but not enough to really soften the ground. It got rid of quite a bit of snow with the help of milder temperatures, some sun and wind. This week's forecast is for pretty mild temperatures and hopefully a lot of events have taken and will take place.
*****
Mineral Point's City-Wide Garage Sales are this weekend. Dodgeville's will be held the weekend following Easter. Also this weekend, if you need your car washed and detailed after this very "fun" winter, go to Collision Specialists in Livingston on Saturday and help support the Iowa-Grant High School Leo Club. There are also a lot of church suppers and feeds going on, so you won't have to go hungry for awhile!