Lynn Binnie

The Whippets came to race! The 200 Medley Relay (Foucault BA 28.69, Houwers BR 29.82, Zimdars FLY 26.67, Krebs FR 26.29) seeded 10th going into the race, won their heat and knocked three other teams out of the top heat!  The Whippets ended with a new School Record time of 1:51.47 and earned 6th place medals!

Ella Houwers backed up her lifetime best swim from last week by posting another 2:06 in the 200 Individual Medley earning 2nd place overall (2:06.99)!

Brianna Zimdars beat her own school record in the 100 Butterfly and finished 12th overall with a 1:00.16!

The Whippets continued to swim well in the second half of the meet.  Brianna Zimdars finished with a 5th place medal in the 500 Freestyle with a lifetime best time 5:18.20!

The 200 Freestyle Relay (Houwers 24.99, Foucault 24.89, Krebs 26.02, Zimdars 24.88) ended up in 7th place with a new school record 1:40.72.  Ella Houwers broke the 50 Freestyle record on the lead off leg of the relay. 

Finishing out the night, was Ella Houwers winning the 100 Breaststroke for the second year in a row!  Ella posted a lifetime best time 1:05.07 and broke her own school record!

Shout out to freshman Grace Foucault and Amber Krebs for their outstanding relay splits!

It was a great night to be a Whippet!

With health insurance coverage dates coming up, it is important for people to understand their needs and which plans are the best option for them and their families.

If you do not have insurance and are finding yourself confused about the process of enrolling in the Affordable Care Act, Fort HealthCare can help you. Choosing a plan is an important decision. Aside from getting the coverage you need, you will also be building relationships with health care providers to ensure a healthy future for you and your family.

Fort HealthCare has a Certified Application Specialist who can provide assistance to help individuals navigate their way through all options. If an individual calls 920-563-4443 they will be connected with a trained professional who can provide personalized help selecting plans that meet their individual needs. Whether you are re-enrolling or enrolling for the first time, Fort HealthCare’s Certified Application Specialist can help. Accounts can be established on the website: www.HealthCare.gov or by calling 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). Dozens of preventative services are covered fully by insurance plans, requiring no office visit co-pay.

Every health insurance plan in the Health Insurance Marketplace will offer basic health benefits, including doctor visits, preventative care, hospitalization and medications. The website allows visitors to compare plans based on price, benefits, quality and other features.

Open Enrollment in a 2020 Marketplace plan starts November 1, 2019

Last day to enroll in or change plans for coverage is December 15, 2019

(If you don’t enroll by the deadline, you can’t enroll in a health insurance plan for 2020 unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.)

Coverage for the 2020 calendar year begins on January 1, 2020.

For personal assistance, contact Fort HealthCare’s Certified Application Specialist at 920-563-4443.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released its annual report cards on all the districts and schools in the state on Tuesday, 11/13. The ratings are based on test scores, student growth, absenteeism, the district’s ability to close gaps among disparate groups of students, being on-track for graduation, and post-high school readiness. The Whitewater Unified School District as a whole achieved a score of 73, which was exactly the minimum score required in order to be considered to “exceed expectations.”

The scores assign the performance of a district/school into one of five categories:

83-100, significantly exceeds expectations.

73-82.9, exceeds expectations.

63-72.9, meets expectations

53-62.9, meets few expectations.

0-52.9, fails to meet expectations.

The schools achieved the following scores and recognitions in 2018-19, compared with 2017-18

Lakeview Elementary – Exceeds expectations – 80.6 (Last year, Significantly exceeds expectations – 89.1)

Lincoln Elementary – Exceeds expectations – 76 (Last year, Exceeds Expectations – 82.2)

Washington Elementary – Significantly exceeds expectations – 84 (Last year – Significantly exceeds – 91.2)

High School – Exceeds expectations – 74.6 (Last year – Meets expectations – 66.8)

Middle School – Meets expectations – 66.1 (Last year – Meets expectations – 65.4)

Other districts in the area achieved the following overall scores:

Delavan-Darien: 76.8

East Troy: 76.2

Edgerton: 76.5

Elkhorn: 78.8

Janesville: 64.2

Milton: 78.7

Scores in the Palmyra-Eagle School District, currently under consideration for closure:

Eagle Elementary 77.3

High School 77.2

Middle School 60.7

Palmyra Elementary 71.8

For a brief article in the Royal Purple by Jackson Mihm on the history of the Ice Age Trail, the benefits to Whitewater by being an Ice Age Community, and the goal of getting 10,000 children out on the trail, click here.

From a Janesville Gazette article picked up by the Bradenton (FL) Herald, 11/9/19

You’d think Jonathan Baker would have been California dreaming on a late October day.

After all, several acres of Baker’s hemp crop on a rural Whitewater hillside were in limbo. Baker was awaiting testing to learn whether a late October snowfall had damaged or destroyed hemp still in a field just east of the Koshkonong hills.

Baker, 29, moved back to Fort Atkinson this year after spending a decade in northern California, where he’d built a life as a cannabis activist and small-scale grower of legal cannabis strains for therapeutic use. Last week, Baker’s hemp near Whitewater was harvest ready. Then came the first breath of Wisconsin winter, about a month earlier than usual.

For the full article, click here: https://www.bradenton.com/news/business/article237002414.html

Did you know that Whitewater once had multiple grocery stores? Did you know that Whitewater
residents used to do their grocery shopping downtown? The Whitewater Historical Society is
hosting a panel-led discussion about Whitewater’s grocery stores back in the “good old days.”
Attendees will hear reminiscences from a panel of long-time Whitewater residents, but everyone
will be able to share their stories and memories of Whitewater grocery stores from the 1930s to
the ‘70s. And those of us whose memories aren’t so long will have a chance to learn about the
days when Whitewater wasn’t a one-grocery town.

The program will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2019 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at the Cravath
Lakefront Community Center at 341 S. Fremont Street, Whitewater, WI. Come reminisce with us – or learn what you missed! Free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Linda Robinson (262) 473-3298, or email us at
linrob73@gmail.com or whitewaterwihistoricalsociety@gmail.com

The League of Women Voters, Whitewater Area will hold the annual Holiday Dinner on Sunday, December 1, 2019. Please join us as we celebrate the honor bestowed on the winner of the 2019 Making Democracy Work award at the Holiday Dinner. This will be the 11^th year for the presentation of the award.

The winner of the award for Making Democracy Work is Kristine Zaballos, longtime Whitewater resident, who has been instrumental in making improvements in services provided for residents in need. In addition, Kristine is a founder of the City Market, a year-round effort to bring food and the community together!

The dinner will be held at 841 Brew House on Milwaukee Street. Cash Bar begins at 5:00 p.m. followed by dinner and entertainment; the presentation of the MDW award will be at 6:30 p.m. Reservations may be made using the registration form found in the November Newsletter of the League of Women Voters. Seating is limited so reserve early. Cost of the dinner is $20 per person. Access to the form can be found at the website of the local league: whitewaterlwv.org. Questions: please call 262-581-5411.

Come join us to celebrate the occasion with the 11^th award winning recipient of the Making Democracy Work award. The deadline for reservations is November 18, 2019. Mark your calendars for this upcoming event!