If you are looking for something to do this weekend, and enjoy shopping and arts and crafts, this is a great activity to check out. This Saturday, March 5th, the Spring Arts and Crafts festival will be held at the Sparta High School and across the street at the elementary school from 9am until 4pm. I love this event as it has tables filling 3 gymnasiums and most of the halls of 2 schools.  You can find everything from Amish baked pies and cookies, chainsaw art, hand made clothes to original art.  You can get lost in the hallways!  If you like chocolate, check out the handmade chocolate lady by the entrance of the high school gym.  Yum!! There is also lunch available to benefit local charities.  I won't miss the bake sale to benefit the local cat rescue. Sparta High School is located on ... 03/02/2016

Views on alternate plant location aired by BILL GLEISS Democrat Editor An alternate site for a Sparta ethanol plant presents many disadvantages for the project, according to Jim Leverich of Sparta, a board member of Coulee Area Renewable Energy(CARE) which is awaiting a conditional use permit for construction.  The plant, to be located on Hardwood Road near Century Foods east of the city, needs the in-town location to take advantage of municipal sewer and water, rail service, a highway network and, of course, TIF money from the city.  A complaint about the ethanol endeavor is that adjacent property owners would be left with highly devalued property. But Leverich said attempts were made to purchase a number of buffer lands.   As for compromising aesthetics, the plant's administration bui... 03/06/2007