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Common Council: Lakes Drawdown Project Still Looking For Options

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The Whitewater Common Council continues to search for options regarding attempts to complete the dredging of its two downtown area lakes. Council members were told at the December 7 meeting that as many as four area contractors have been, or will soon be, engaged in discussions regarding how the project could proceed.

Bids to dredge the two lakes which have been nearly completely drawn down came in well above the reported project budget of $1.5 million last month. One bid was just under $2.5 million and another just over $3.8 million and the council voted to reject both bids.

Both the 70 acre Cravath Lake across from Whitewater’s City Hall and the 121 acre Trippe Lake on the city’s eastside have been drawn down over the past two years with the goal of making them cleaner and deeper. Trippe Lake at one time had an active swimming beach with a high dive and Cravath up until recently featured water ski shows. Over decades they have filled in with silt and been taken over by invasive plant species that make them unusable for recreational purposes.

City Parks and Recreation Director Eric Boettcher told Common Council members that some mowing and potential spraying of the remaining lakes’ weed beds may take place next week while they evaluate other alternatives which will include a controlled burn of the remaining plant species. (Please see the memo below for an update on the burn.)

The ultimate fate of the project remains an open question. Options range from doing nothing, a partial dredging, or simply allowing the lakes to fill back in without dredging. Common Council member Greg Majkrzak II (pronounced “my shock”) asked Boettcher to do a tally of expenses so far on the project and report back to the Common Council at their December 21 meeting.

In other business the Common Council rejected a city staff recommendation to use city funds for expanding to 32 feet the only 24 foot wide required driveway for an apartment project currently under construction on Tratt Street at Walton Drive. City Director of Public Works Brad Marquardt explained that long range plans call for a roadway connection from the UW Whitewater area west and south back to connect with Main Street will require the wider street and by the city agreeing to pay the difference in cost between 24 feet and 32 feet now while the driveway is under construction makes sense and ultimately saves city money.

The recommendation was opposed by a group of rental property owners who said the advance improvement amounted to a subsidy to the current project developers. City staff cited several similar, but not identical, cases of city participation in development infrastructure costs but a majority of Common Council members voted to reject the roadway expansion recommendation although ultimately all the members voted in favor of using city funds to extend the storm sewer and public water main to the edge of the property to facilitate eventual looping of the water main in the area as well as future development.

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Banner note: The following was posted on the City website on December 9.

December 9, 2021

Dear City of Whitewater residents,

Between December 13 to December 23, Field & Stream Restorations will conduct prescribed burns on the two lake beds, Trippe and Cravath.  The purpose of the burn is to prepare for the dredging that may occur in 2022 and the subsequent lake refilling.   Prescribed burning is an excellent tool for reducing above-ground biomass (plant material).  

We will start by creating burn breaks (unburnable strips on the ground) around the burn units.  In some cases this may involve mowing and raking vegetation to create nearly bare soil conditions.  We will examine the wind direction and speed to determine the best and safest ignition pattern.  

Field & Stream Restorations is insured and has burned hundreds of acres safely, and will do so at this site.  We employ nationally trained firefighters.  We will be equipped with several types of mobile water sources for fire suppression, including water backpacks , UTV’s, and ATV’s with mounted sprayers.   At no time should you ever feel that your residence is at risk.  We have examined the site and have determined that the necessary fire breaks can be created to burn safely.

For those who live near the lake, on the day of the burn we ask that you do the following for us:

  1. Close your windows and doors when not at home and the day of the burn so that smoke does not enter your home.
  2. Allow us to do our work uninterrupted; distractions to fire spotters create unnecessary risks.
  3. Approach us before you call the fire department.

For more information, call, text, or email Steve Banovetz, Senior Scientist, Field & Stream Restorations, 608-320-2338 or steveb@fs-restorations.com Please also visit the Field and Stream Restorations website. For additional questions, contact Parks and Recreation Director, Eric Boettcher 262-473-0122 or eboettcher@whitewater-wi.gov

Burn Map 12-08-21
This map is also available at this link.

Miller Earns 400th Win as UW-W Men’s Hoops Moves to 6-2

By Chris Lindeke, Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding, UW-W

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Miller Earns 400th Win as UW-W Men’s Hoops Moves to 6-2

Game Statistics: https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/uwwsports.com/documents/2021/12/8/1981908.pdf

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s basketball team used hot shooting and strong second-half defense Wednesday night to defeat host Lake Forest (Ill.) 91-58 and give head coach Pat Miller his 400th career win.

Miller becomes the third coach in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference history to reach the 400-win plateau, doing so in his 550th game. He is in his 21st season at the helm of the program and has led the Warhawks to two national championships during his tenure.

Miller’s .727 winning percentage is the fifth highest of any coach with 200 or more wins in league history. He entered the season ranked among the top 10 in Division III and among the top 30 in all NCAA divisions among active coaches in winning percentage. Miller is the 35th active coach to achieve the milestone.

The Warhawks (6-2 overall) shot 58.1 percent from the floor in the contest and held the Foresters to 41.8 percent shooting, including a 29.6 percent clip in the second half.

Gage Malensek led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 6-of-6 from 3-point range. He added a team-best seven assists.

Jack Brahm totaled 17 points and five rebounds, while Carter Capstran recorded 14 points, including 12 in the first half, to go along with six rebounds and two assists. Elijah Lambert collected 11 points and five rebounds, and Derek Gray finished with six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

UW-Whitewater committed a season-low six turnovers and led by as many as 37 points in the contest.

Lake Forest (3-8) held a slim lead for most of the first 15 minutes of action. The Warhawks registered a 22-7 run over the final six-plus minutes of the first half, taking the lead for good on Brahm’s dunk with 5:05 on the clock.

Brahm and Lambert drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to make it a seven-point game with 3:32 left in the period, and Capstran scored UW-W’s final six points of the half, pushing the advantage to 49-38 with a jumper in the waning moments.

UW-Whitewater’s lead ballooned to 20 points just under three minutes into the second half. The team’s 11-2 run out of the locker room included four points from Brahm and a 3-point play by Malensek.

The Warhawks pushed their advantage to 30 points at 80-50 with 9:15 remaining on a 3-pointer by Malensek. JT Hoytink scored all five of his points over a two-minute span to bring the lead to 89-52 with 6:10 on the clock.

UW-Whitewater returns to action Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. as it hosts Greenville (Ill.) at Kachel Gymnasium.

Obituary: Richard “Dick” Splinter, 81, of Fort Wayne, IN

Richard “Dick” Splinter, age 81, of Fort Wayne, passed away on December 1, 2021. He was born February 6, 1940 in Milton Township, WI, the son of Frank and Grace (Greenwood) Splinter. At the age of 17 Dick started working at General Motors in Janesville, WI. In 1986 two pivotal events occurred in his life: he transferred to the Fort Wayne General Motors Assembly plant where he would work until he retired with 49 years of dedicated service; and he would marry the love of his life, Sharon Grant, and spend the next 33 years building their life together until her passing in 2019.

Over the course of his life he found enjoyment dancing, traveling to the Outer Banks, bowling, visiting the casino, golfing, lifting weights, spending time with family, and listening to music while sitting outside with a drink in his hand. To Dick, life was about valuing the simple things that held little monetary value. To those that knew him, he was a trusted friend that would give you the shirt off his back. He will be missed, but his legacy will remain by all that knew and loved him.

Dick is survived by his children Rich (Deb) Splinter, Connie Collins, Dale (Kelly) Splinter, and Steve and Ron Splinter; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife; daughter Pilar Purnell; two brothers, Frank and Don; and three sisters, Francis Ingle, Lois Kerl, and Betty Aarstad.

Dick’s final request is that there will be no funeral service. He was at peace knowing that he would be reunited in the afterlife with his darling, Sharon. His ashes will be laid to rest at Hillside Cemetery in Whitewater, WI.

Obituary: Thomas Arthur Hardy, 82

Thomas Arthur Hardy, 82, of Whitewater, formerly of Nekoosa, passed away on December 6, 2021 at his home. He was born on November 17, 1939 son of the late Arthur M. and Lois J. (Huchthausen) Hardy in Nekoosa. He married Betty Joyce (Strooisma) Hardy on May 23, 1970 in Whitewater.

Thomas is survived by his son, Steven M. Hardy and daughter-in-law, Tamara L. (Cook) Hardy and brother, Terrance Hardy who he had a falling out with family in 1997.

Thomas had many accomplishments including two bachelor’s degrees, one in English and the other in Physics with a Math minor. After school, he joined the Air Force instead of waiting to be drafted for Vietnam. He enrolled in officer training before the draft started and spent a lot of time at Camp Douglas. He talked highly of his time spent in the Air Force and enjoyed talking with WWII veterans and flying on the C130s before his unit was transferred to Milwaukee. Following his time served in the Air Force, he worked in social services and had a working relationship with Tommy Thompson and was offered a job to work at the capital as a speech writer but turned it down so he could live in Whitewater so his wife could have a career working for the UW System in the Payroll Department. He became a landlord owning multiple houses and homes. He was also a commodities trader and worked with another fellow in New York on the New York Stock Exchange.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 13, 2021 at Dunlap Memorial Home in Fort Atkinson. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. on Monday at the memorial home until time of service. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Whitewater, alongside his wife, Betty Joyce Hardy.

www.DunlapMemorialHome.com

WUSD Orchestras Perform First Concert of the Season Thursday Night at 6:30

Editor’s Note: This information was provided by Christine Hayes of the Whitewater Unified School District.

The Whitewater Unified School District string program is back and they’re excited to present a concert Thursday, Dec. 9, at 6:30 p.m. in the Whitewater High School Auditorium.  Students in grades 4-12 will be featured.  The concert is directed by Ms. Patricia Nielsen and the concert is free of charge. Pictured below are students in the Middle school and beginning orchestras.

Obituary: Richard W. Marshall, 75

Richard W. Marshall, age 75, of Fort Atkinson, died on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison.

Richard was born on February 12, 1946, on the family farm in Whitewater, the son of Alan and Leona (Zanton) Marshall.  He served his country with the U.S. Army.  Richard had worked as a carpenter for the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.  He was a member of the 1st English Lutheran Church in Whitewater.  Richard volunteered at Fort Memorial Hospital in Fort Atkinson.

Richard was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather.  He was a skilled woodcrafter, an avid train enthusiast, and a passionate Packer and Brewer fan.

He is survived by his wife, Christine; their son, James (Eileen) Marshall, Portage;  two grandchildren, Christopher and Kayleigh Marshall;  other relatives and many friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Alan Robert Marshall.  

No services will be held.  Inurnment will be private at a later date.  The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage (www.pmmfh.com) is assisting the family.

Whippets Swim at Delavan-Darien

The Whippet Boys’ Swim Team traveled to Delavan-Darien to compete in a dual meet against the Comets on Tuesday, December 7.

Miles Nickelsburg, Zach Tomomitsu, Jack Hefty, Tyler Arnett

Tyler Arnett continues to race hard in the 500 Freestyle beating the competition by over a minute. He also swam in the 100 Backstroke, winning the race, and going a 1:13.07. He had an impressive relay split in the 400 Freestyle Relay, going a 57.59.

Jack Hefty was the lone swimmer in the 200 IM; with no competition to help push him, he put together a nice time of 2:42.27. He also continues to put another solid performance in the 100 Freestyle, going a 1:01.67, and winning the event. Jack had a nice relay split in the 200 Medley, doing the 50 Fly going 33.00.

Miles Nickelsburg, after swimming a nice relay split time in the Medley, had to immediately get out of the water and back onto the blocks to swim in the 200 Freestyle, where he put in a nice time of 3:09.90. Miles swam in the 100 Backstroke, going an impressive 1:38.27. Miles continues to improve his time in the 400 Freestyle Relay, going a 1:19.09 in the 100 Freestyle.

Zach Tomomitsu swam in the 50 Freestyle, going a 36.32, and put together a nice 100 Breaststroke time. Zach also continues to improve his relay split time in the 400 Freestyle Relay, going 1:31.71, a 2-second drop from Saturday’s time!

The Whippets ended the night with the most exciting race in the 400 Freestyle Relay, where each swimmer raced hard and ended up winning the event and out-touching the Comets by .45 seconds!

The Whippets are back in action on Tuesday, December 14, at 5:30 p.m. in Elkhorn.

Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Co-Head Boys’ Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org

Whippets Lose Nailbiter to Beloit Turner

The Whitewater Girls’ Basketball team played a conference game against Beloit Turner at home on Tuesday night, December 7.  It was another exciting game down to the last seconds. 

Danielle DePorter

The Whippets were leading by one in the first half, 17-16. Coming out in the second half, only one point was scored in the first four minutes, by Turner, tying the game up 17-17. Turner then went on an 8-point scoring run in the next 2 minutes.  

The Whippets battled back little by little, tying the game up 34-34 with 5 minutes remaining in the game. It was a battle to the end, but unfortunately, the Whippets came up short, losing 39-41. 

Danielle DePorter led the Whippets in scoring with 12 points and added 1 assist and 2 steals. Gwen Truesdale had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists, and 1 block. Kindyl Kilar added 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Mayte Navejas had 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. 

The Whippets play at home against Jefferson this Friday and will be honoring parents for all their support! 

Article Submitted by Kristen Lippens
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
klippens@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka

Gymnasts Take the Floor at Jefferson

The Whippet Gymnasts had an awesome first meet of the season last Friday, December 3, at Jefferson! Here are some highlights:

Halee Peters had a great performance, taking first place on beam (despite the tough competition) with an 8.75! She joined the 8.0 club on 2 other events as well, finishing 4th in the All-Around competition.

Brooklyn Griswold and Nola Coburn, both freshmen, showed lots of bravery and courage while competing high school gymnastics for the very first time! Nola did vault, beam, and was given a last-minute bar routine, all of which went very well. Brooklyn competed in bars, beam, and competed her new floor routine, remembering her choreography, and landing all of her tumbling passes.

Anna Ejnik came ready to go, also competing in the All-Around competition. She is a versatile gymnast and did very well with powerful tumbling and a confident beam routine.

Makayla Bazeley, a freshman, also performed very well for her first high school meet. She was confident in her dancing and floor routine, which is awesome to see in a first-year high school gymnast! Makayla competed in the All-Around and is definitely one to keep an eye on for the next 4 years!

Lexi Kuhnke stepped in right when we needed her, performing last-year’s floor routine on short notice. She did very well, including new tumbling passes. We can’t wait to see her compete more events in the near future!

Our next meet is this Saturday the 11th, at 10:00 a.m. at Janesville Craig. Go, Whippets!

Article and Photos Submitted by Shawnda Peters
Whitewater High School Head Gymnastics Coach
speters@wwusd.org

Walworth County: Critical Hospital Census Levels Related to COVID; Flu & GI Illnesses Also Up

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Walworth County Public Health.

Walworth County Health Officials: Hospital Bed Availability at Critical Levels

An emergency operations work group comprised of officials from Walworth County Public Health, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, Mercyhealth, and Advocate Aurora Health is asking the public to take appropriate COVID-19 safety precautions as local hospitals report a surge in emergency department (ED) patients and critically low ICU bed availability.

Mercyhealth Vice President Jeni Hallatt issued the following statement:

“Our hospitals are experiencing a high volume of inpatients, limiting hospital beds and putting a strain on resources. Due to these high volumes, overall bed availability is at critical levels.

When feeling ill, patients should contact their primary care provider. The public is also encouraged to utilize telehealth options. Patients who need to visit the ED should be prepared to face extended wait times due to our critical capacity.

To help control this critical situation, we are asking the public to help with COVID-19 safety measures, which include getting vaccinated, wearing a mask and socially distancing when appropriate.”

According to Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) data, Walworth County saw a 20-percent increase in hospital bed occupancy between November and December.

“Our hospitals have been at peak census for hospital status, medical-surgical, and ICU status for most of the past month,” says Walworth County Public Health Epidemiologist Rebecca Kraetz.

“A large contributing factor to this low bed availability is a critical staffing shortage in our hospitals, particularly in nurses and other critical healthcare personnel. In a recent DHS COVID update, it was discussed that there are not enough critical care personnel to account for the surge of patients we are seeing statewide. A certain number of staff are needed per bed, and there is not sufficient human resources available to add more beds.”

In addition to staffing challenges, a recent uptick in COVID hospitalizations is further complicating the situation. Currently, about one-third of emergency department visits are COVID-related. As of Dec. 5, COVID patients occupy 58 percent of the county’s ICU beds and 42 percent of inpatient beds.

“Like other health care providers in Wisconsin and Illinois, we’re seeing COVID-19 hospitalizations rise steadily,” says Chief Medical Officer Tedmond O’Reilly, MD, FAAFP, CPE, Advocate Aurora Burlington-Walworth Patient Service Area. “Over the past month, our COVID-19 inpatient census has more than doubled. The best way to prevent COVID-19 is to get vaccinated, and if it’s been long enough since your first shot(s), to get boosted. The vaccines are the most effective tool we have to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and deaths.”

Public Health is also seeing an increase in reports of non-COVID respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses. “This time of year we tend to see more seasonal viruses, such as influenza and viral gastroenteritis,” says Public Health Officer Erica Bergstrom. “So while COVID cases are going up, these other illnesses will also begin placing a higher burden on our health care system. That’s why it is so important to get vaccinated for COVID and flu, wash your hands, and stay home when you are sick.” 

For COVID-19 testing and vaccine information, please contact Walworth County Public Health at (262) 741-3200, email walcoph@co.walworth.wi.us, follow us on Facebook or visit us online at www.co.walworth.wi.us.