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Editor’s Note: The following was provided by The Whitewater Landmarks Commission.

The City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission has designated the Converse House at 161 N. Fremont Street, currently owned by John and Mary Seiser as a Local Landmark. The mission of the commission is the preservation of the city’s architecturally, culturally and historically significant properties.

The Converse House received the designation at a public hearing on December 8th. Located on Fremont Street, pioneer settler, Frederick J. Starin designed and built the single family residence for his daughter Margaret and her husband E.D. Converse. The building of the Italianate style house, believed to have begun in 1868 and completed in 1869 was designed as a rectangular, cream brick two story building. It is one of the few remaining examples of the Italianate style with arched openings in the city of Whitewater. A front porch was added to the home in the late 1880’s.

The present owners have recaptured the Victorian feeling with their exquisite decorating and collection of antiques typical of the time period.

The house is potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and is the 27th Local Landmark in the City of Whitewater.

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by Fort HealthCare.

Fort HealthCare is offering scholarships totaling over $25,000 for the 2023-24 academic year to students pursuing careers in healthcare. Scholarships are being offered by the Fort HealthCare Partners, Fort HealthCare Medical Staff and Fort Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Students interested in applying can complete an application online at www.FortHealthCare.com/scholarships. Applications can be submitted beginning December 5, 2022. Applications are due by March 1, 2023. Completing one application makes you eligible for each scholarship applicable to the degree you are pursuing.

Applicants must be residents, high school graduates from Cambridge, Fort Atkinson, Helenville, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Lake Mills, Palmyra, Sullivan, or Whitewater, or employees at Fort HealthCare. While grade point average is important, it is not always the primary consideration. Information about your community involvement/volunteer work is also requested. Additional criteria specific to each scholarship are listed below.

Fort HealthCare Partners Scholarships

Health Career Advancing Scholarships
Health Careers Advancing Education Scholarships are awarded to candidates who currently hold a degree or certification in a healthcare field and are now enrolled in a course of study that leads to an advanced degree in a healthcare field.

High School Student Applications
Scholarships are awarded to graduating high school students pursuing a career in the healthcare field.

Woody Finn Memorial Scholarship
In memory of Woody Finn, a long-time dedicated volunteer of Fort Memorial Hospital, a scholarship is awarded to a student pursuing a career in health care who serves regularly in a volunteer role.

For more information about the Partners scholarships call (920) 568-5276.

Fort Memorial Hospital Medical Staff Scholarship
The Fort Memorial Hospital Medical Staff sponsors several $1,000 to $3,000 scholarships totaling $10,000 in memory of Dr. Robert Handeyside. Graduating seniors, who reside or attend school in the Fort HealthCare service area (Cambridge, Fort Atkinson, Helenville, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Lake Mills, Palmyra, Sullivan, and Whitewater) and have chosen a career in the health field, are eligible for this scholarship.

For more information about Medical Staff Scholarships, call (920) 568-5194.

Fort Memorial Hospital Foundation Scholarships
Scott W. Hulstein Scholarship
The Scott W. Hulstein Scholarship was set up by his parents, Gerrit and Rebecca Hulstein, in his memory. A scholarship is awarded to a high school senior or an undergraduate currently enrolled at a college or technical school pursuing a degree in the health care field.

Cynthia McKinley Kolasinski Scholarship
Cynthia McKinley Kolasinski Scholarships will be awarded to students studying medicine or nursing at an accredited institution of higher learning. Per the trust established by Ms. Kolasinski, preference will be given to medical students beyond their second year and nursing students beyond their first year.

Estelle Stinson Chase & Peter A. Chase Scholarship
The Estelle Stinson Chase & Peter A. Chase Scholarship awards Fort HealthCare employees who are studying nursing (LPN, ADN, BSN Completion, MSN) at an accredited college or university. Consideration is given to the applicant’s service and involvement in the community and Fort HealthCare, excluding job related activities.

Dr. Donald and Barbara Williams Scholarship
This Scholarship was established by Dr. Donald and Barbara Williams in recognition of the important role Fort HealthCare employees play in providing excellent care for the people we serve. Applicants must be an employee in good standing at Fort HealthCare and pursuing education in a health care field.

Wanda L. Draeger Nursing Scholarship
This scholarship was established in memory of Wanda L. Draeger, RN, who was an OB nurse at Fort HealthCare for 45 years. Applicants must be currently enrolled and have completed at least one year in an accredited nursing school.

Arthur and Nancy Nesbitt Nursing Scholarship
This scholarship was established by Mr. and Mrs. Nesbitt in appreciation for the excellent care provided by Fort HealthCare’s nurses. Applicants must be employees of Fort HealthCare in good standing and enrolled in an accredited nursing program for the upcoming school year.

Florence Falk Nursing Scholarship
This scholarship was established in memory of Florence Falk, LPN, who was an OB nurse at Fort HealthCare for 50 years. Applicants must be an employee in good standing at Fort HealthCare or a graduate of a high school in Fort HealthCare’s primary service area (Cambridge, Fort Atkinson, Helenville, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Lake Mills, Palmyra, Sullivan, or Whitewater). Applicants must also be currently enrolled in an accredited nursing school and in their second year of nursing school or beyond.

For more information about Foundation scholarships email foundation@forthc.com.

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by Jefferson County Parks.

The Jefferson County Parks Department and its partners are proud to announce the second phase of the Interurban Trail in Watertown has finally been completed and opened to the public. On Friday, October 28th the final signs were placed along the trail, finishing touches were completed, and the trail closure signs were taken down. With both Phase I and Phase II completed, the Interurban Trail is now a full 7-miles long and ready for you to get out and explore.

The Interurban Trail Project was broken down into three phases for planning and budgeting purposes. Phase I starts at the Watertown Interurban Trail Trailhead facility near Humboldt Street, and runs 2.3 miles East to River Road. The Watertown Trailhead provides excellent parking, seasonal restrooms, and a bike repair station to tune up your bike. Phase I of the trail was completed earlier in the year and includes a 10’ wide paved trail and is highlighted by a three span recreation bridge over the Rock River.

Phase II of the project has been under construction for the last four months. This phase added an additional 4.7 miles of paved trail through rolling rural terrain in scenic Jefferson County. The Interurban Trail is now a full 7-mile ride from the trailhead to County Highway F just south of Ixonia. This second phase of the project was funded primarily through grants from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Stewardship Program.

Phase III of the project will extend from County Highway F East, and make a direct connection with the City of Oconomowoc and the lake Country Trail of Waukesha County. When completed, the Interurban Trail will be a full 11 miles. Jefferson County is again working with its partners on the fundraising, design, and engineering of Phase III of the project. We are currently fundraising for the project and anyone interested in donating can contact us at 920-674-7540 for more information.

As trail use has already been in high, we would like to remind all of our trial users to access the trail via the designated Watertown trailhead and review the posted rules and trail etiquette signage. We also ask all trail users to please respect our trail neighbors and abstain from parking along the road Right-of-Ways near the trail. Stay tuned for more updates on the progress of the final phase of the Interurban Trail project. Happy Trails everyone.

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Council.

The Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce recently helped one of Whitewater’s longest standing Edward Jones offices celebrate their expansion and move to a larger office location.

Michael Harenza, an Edward Jones Financial Advisor, has been serving the Whitewater community’s investment needs for almost 30 years. He recently moved his offices to 1204 E Bluff Rd in Whitewater giving him the opportunity to invite additional financial advisors to join him in helping Whitewater residents and businesses navigate their investment journeys. The new offices offer a beautiful and flexible space to host clients and provide financial services beyond the normal suite of offerings. Joining Michael in the new offices are financial advisors Josh Peterson and Heather Stelzer and Client Account Administrators Amy Scherrer and Theresa Thompson. This dynamic team is ready to guide their current and new clients through the landscape of financial security and freedom.

The Chamber and its ambassadors celebrated this move and expansion with an official ribbon cutting on November 1st. The sunny and warm fall morning provided a great opportunity to congratulate them on this momentous occasion and tour their wonderful new facility! The Chamber encourages anyone looking for someone to guide them on their investment needs to stop in and meet this amazing group. The Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to have partners like Edward Jones on our team!

For information about Chamber membership and the benefits of becoming a partner in Whitewater please contact Executive Director, Kellie Carper at (262) 473-4005 or by email at info@whitewaterchamber.com.

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.

The Autumn Art Nights will take place at the Community Engagement Center every Tuesday in November from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. This event is a free workshop that welcomes all ages, but it was designed with middle schoolers in mind. Also, these weekly sessions have an open studio format, but it is preferred for students to come for the whole session.