By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Kohl’s at Uptown Janesville (formerly the Janesville Mall) reopened on May 2 after having been evacuated on April 1 due to a fire that started in the bedding department. The police department concluded that the fire was set intentionally, with three juvenile suspects being arrested for arson and recklessly endangering safety. The suspects are a 17-year-old female, a 15 year old male, and an 11-year-old male, all Janesville residents.

A large portion of the store’s inventory was destroyed by smoke, or by water from the fire sprinklers or from firefighters. Removal and replacement of merchandise as well as repair of the building kept the retailer closed until it finally reopened on May 2. Regular hours have resumed: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Mall hours, however, are Monday – Saturday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. A “youth escort policy” is in effect at all times for the mall, requiring persons 17 years of age or younger to be accompanied by a parent or guardian 18 years or older.