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(News release) WHITEWATER, WI., October 1, 2020 – As part of a new initiative to smash the stigma surrounding mental illness, UW-Whitewater’s Active Minds Organization will partner with UW-Whitewater Sustainability and Working for Whitewater’s Wellness, Inc. to plant tulips in the Campus Memory Garden as well as the Cravath Lakefront Park. In honor of the Yellow Tulip Project, the social distancing-style planting event will take place on October 9^th and 10^th.

Due to Covid-19, masks must be worn at all times and social distancing guidelines will be enforced. Registration is also required to participate in the Hope Garden Bulb Planting Ceremony, as the event is limited to 25 participants. Please sign up using the following link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ca4ae23a3fdc16-hope

This event is brought to Whitewater by the UW-W Active Minds Organization, UW-W Sustainability Office, Working for Whitewater’s Wellness Inc., the City of Whitewater, the Whitewater Unified School District, and Seeds of Hope. Stay updated on The Yellow Tulip Project by following @ytp_whitewater on Instagram.

The Yellow Tulip Project, founded by Julia Hansen, was created to combat the increasing rates of suicide through productive conversations, community interaction, and eradication of the stigma. The nonprofit organization partners with schools and publics to plant Hope Gardens to instill a sense of hope and happiness within communities. (theyellowtulipproject.org)

Yellow Tulips represent happiness and hope. After a long winter, tulips offer a reminder of perseverance and the renewal of spring. The flowers will be planted in the fall and bloom during the following spring season. Active Minds will plant three thousand yellow tulips with the purpose of bringing awareness to mental health and combatting suicide rates.

The UW-Whitewater Active Minds Organization dedicates their mission to creating conversation about mental health among America’s youth. UW-W Graduate Taylor Stevens explained, “Active Minds creates a safe space for myself and others on campus to express ourselves and feel safe.” Email activeminds@uww.edu or call 608-963-5721 to learn additional information. You can find more information here: https://activemindswhitewater.weebly.com/the-yellow-tulip-project.html

Facebook Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/7178545569131514/?event_time_id=7178545575798180

About W3: Working for Whitewater’s Wellness, Inc. (www.W3wellness.org)

W3, inspired by the Blue Zones Principles, envisions Whitewater to be a community where people live longer, happier, healthier lives. W3 facilitates programs and partnerships to affect sustainable improvements for everyone in our community.  W3’s strategic priorities focus on: Being Active, Eating Well, Healthy Minds and Connection.

About UW-W Sustainability: The UW-Whitewater Sustainability Office strives to improve the education and awareness of environmental sustainability issues in our academic curriculum, student life, campus operations, and local community. Educating the campus and communities we serve about the global challenges we face and the role sustainability solutions can play in addressing them, while pursuing tangible sustainability projects to improve campus operations, allows the UW-Whitewater Sustainability Office to help our university address the three values of sustainability (environmental stewardship, economic feasibility, and promotion of social justice) in meaningful ways.

Some Mental Health Resources

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text ‘Hello’ to 741-741

The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+: 1-866-488-7386

“Irresistible”(Comedy/Drama) Tuesday, October 13, 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Rated R (Language),1 hour, 41 minutes (2020). In a small northern Wisconsin town, retired Marine Colonel/farmer Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) becomes a national star when a YouTube video of his protest for undocumented migrant farm workers’ rights goes viral. Wanting to capitalize on this moment of liberal support in a Purple state, Democratic  strategist Gary Zimmer (Steve Carrell) taps him for the Democratic Party, to win back the district. One problem, Hastings is actually a Republican. Political fun in America’s Dairyland ensues. Written and directed by former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart. 

Masks are required and you must register for a seat either by calling (262-473-0535), emailing or going online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
October 5, 2020

This very lengthy article provides the following information:

• The text of Gov. Evers’ cautionary radio address on October 1
• A health alert from Jefferson County regarding a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases
• Updated data on case incidence and positivity in Walworth County and Whitewater. Walworth’s case incidence has significantly declined, in no small part due to declining cases at UW-W. However, with a 7-day case incidence of 25.9, the county is still considered to be “very high risk” under the Jefferson County model that WUSD is no longer using as guidance. Meanwhile, Jefferson County is currently reporting a 7-day case incidence rate of 36.8.
• WUSD’s current data, which indicates that since September 1 there have been nine positive cases among students and one staff member. In-person classes resumed fulltime for 4K – 5th grade on September 28; grades 6-12 are due to begin a hybrid model on October 12.
• UWWs current data, showing that last week there were only nineteen students and four staff with positive tests. In the previous four weeks there had been a total of 371 students and 15 others. No new positives were reported on October 5.
• Banner note: Per this state website, Rock and Walworth County both have “high” COVID activity levels, and Jefferson County has a “very high” level.
  
  

MADISON (Oct. 1) —​ Gov. Tony Evers today delivered the Democratic Radio Address encouraging Wisconsinites to take precautions to put the brakes on the pandemic and keep their family, friends, employees and co-workers, and neighbors safe. 

Hi, folks. Governor Tony Evers here. We are seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic, and right now, it’s not slowing down—it’s actually picking up speed. That’s why I issued a new statewide face coverings order to help us try and contain this virus and stop the spread. But folks, if we are going to get this virus under control, then wearing a mask is the absolute least we need you to do. We have got to put the brakes on this pandemic to keep our friends, family, employees and co-workers, and neighbors safe so that we can get through this pandemic together.

And yes, it starts by wearing a mask whenever you are out and about, but we also need folks to understand that wearing a mask is not a substitute for social distancing. If you are planning to host a backyard barbeque with your extended family or a group of friends, please reconsider. If you are planning an event for your community or organization, please host it virtually. If you want to get out and support a local restaurant, enjoy it outside while wearing a mask or grab it to go. Skip the play dates, dinner parties, family get-togethers, and work conferences, or any other gatherings with people you don’t live with for the time being. And of course, wear a mask whenever you are around others who are not members of your household.  

This virus is real and is devastating our communities and will continue to do so until we all get on the same team.
Let’s get through this together, Wisconsin, by staying apart. Thank you.

DAILY CASE INCIDENCE PER 100,000 PEOPLE – WALWORTH COUNTY

End Date	New cases/14 days	Incidence	New cases/7 days	Incidence
9/15	527	38.8	403	59.2
9/22	648	47.7	245	36
9/29	379	27.9	134	19.7
10/5	302	22.2	176	25.9

DAILY CASE INCIDENCE PER 100,00 PEOPLE – CITY OF WHITEWATER (WALWORTH COUNTY PORTION)

End Date	New cases/14 days	Incidence	New cases/7 days	Incidence
9/15	345	206.8	284	340.4
9/22	419	251.1	132	158.1
9/29	180	107.9	48	57.6
10/5	60	35.9	7	8.43*

TEST POSITIVITY RESULTS – CITY OF WHITEWATER (WALWORTH COUNTY PORTION)

End Date	# Tests Reported – 14 days	# Positive	Positivity %	# Tests Reported – 7 days	#Positive	Positivity %
8/22	216	27	12.5%	103	6	5.8%
8/29	240	19	7.9%	128	13	9.2%
9/7	421	77	18.3%	274	60	21.9%
9/20	958	404	42.2%	571	204	35.7%
9/29	663	180	27.1%	236	48	20.3%
10/5	379	60	15.8%	115	7	6.1%*

TEST POSITIVITY RESULTS – WALWORTH COUNTY

End Date	# Tests Reported – 14 days	#Positive	Positivity %	# Tests Reported – 7 days	# Positive	Positivity %	% of Those with Positive Results Who Reported being Asymptomatic	Total Deaths
8/22	2386	277	11.6%	1071	112	10.5%	11.4%	25
8/29	1972	210	10.6%	901	98	10.9%	11.1%	27
9/7	1953	228	11.7%	986	129	13.1%	10.9%	32
9/22	2689	648	24.1%	1249	245	19.6%	9.7%	34
9/29	2504	379	15.1%	1255	134	10.7%	9.75%	35
10/5	2189	302	13.8%	864	176	25.6%	?	35

WUSD is providing the following “COVID Tracking Data” on its website at this link.

COVID TRACKING DATA

On September 23, 2020 the WUSD School Board voted to suspend the utilization of a community level metric.

Below is the cumulative and daily average of close contact, symptomatic, COVID positive staff and students.

COVID Tracking Data	Cumulative	Daily Average
Number of Close Contact Staff	16	3
Number of Symptomatic Staff	17	1
Number of (+) Staff	1	1
Number of Staff Quarantined in total since Sept 1 (sum of above)	34
Number of Close Contact Students	41	14
Number of Symptomatic Students	38	11
Number of (+) Students	9	6
Number of Students Quarantined in total since Sept 1 (sum of above)	88
Total Number of Positive COVID Cases	10	7
Number of Days of School	22
Data from September 30 Updated 10/1/2020

UWW has established the following dashboard which provides useful information. It is found at this link.

COVID-19 Dashboard

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ever-changing situation and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater actively monitors and reviews a series of health, safety, and resource metrics to guide decision-making with regard to university operations. These metrics are considered in combination and consultation with recommendations and orders from the state and county health departments before any changes in operations are made.

Last Updated 10/5/2020 at 8:25 PM

COVID-19 cases reported to UW-Whitewater

	New reports – Week of Oct. 4 – Oct. 10	Previous week	Cumulative reports since March 2020
Students	0	19	393
Employees	0	4	15
Other	0	0	3
Unknown	0	0	1

Dashboard is updated on business days with available data. Numbers include cases reported through university-coordinated testing, as well as those reported through the COVID-19 Hotline, which may include testing that occurred off-campus through other health clinics/providers. Student employees are counted in the student numbers. The “Other” category is defined as any positive cases reported to UW-Whitewater who are neither students nor employees and may include visitors to the university, contractors or vendors, or others who have been to the university in person.  These numbers represent individuals who have had direct contact with the campuses.  Individuals who are working or attending solely in a remote manner and not living in University Housing are not included.

Regional Metrics

	University Health and Counseling Services (9/17-10/2)	Walworth County (9/16-9/29)	Rock County (9/16-9/29)	Jefferson County	Wisconsin (7-day average)
Percent Positive	30% (74/244*)	11.54%	13.13%	19.2%	17.1%
Time to complete contact tracing	100% of contacts are initiated within 48 hours**	84% of contacts are initiated within 48 hours	35% of contacts are initiated within 48 hours	Not Available	N/A
Healthcare system capacity level	No crisis management of care	No crisis management of care	No crisis management of care	Not Available	19% Available (Based on Immediate Bed Availability)
Total cases per 100,000	n/a	338.2	329.5	474.8	511.4

*UHCS percentage positive is based on PCR testing performed at the University Clinic site of students only.  Case totals are represented by (Total Positives/Total PCR Tests)

**To avoid duplication, UHCS actively partners with Walworth, Rock, and Jefferson Health Departments.  County Health Departments do tracing of positive cases and UHCS employees do tracing of contact cases. 

Previous 7 days of PCR Tests Administered

PCR* Test Date	# of PCR Tests Administered
9/24/20	8
9/25/20	11
9/28/20	6
9/29/20	4
9/30/20	12
10/1/20	7
10/2/20	11

*PCR testing is conducted on symptomatic individuals and individuals with positive Antigen testing results.

Total All PCR Tests	# of PCR Negative	# of PCR Positive	Percentage Positive
849	638	228	26.3%

Previous 7 days of Antigen Testing Administered

Antigen* Test Date	# of Antigen Tests Administered	# of Antigen Negative Results	# of Antigen Positive Results	Percentage Positive
9/24/20	26	26	0	0.0%
9/25/20	101	101	0	0.0%
9/28/20	73	71	2	2.8%
9/29/20	101	100	1	1.0%
9/30/20	93	89	4	4.5%
10/1/20	78	78	0	0.0%
10/2/20	86	85	1	1.2%
Total All Antigen Tests	1,419	1,370	49	3.6%

*Antigen testing is conducted on asymptomatic and random volunteers.

(UW-W Young Auditorium submission)

(Jefferson County Parks Dept. News Release) The Jefferson County Parks Department was awarded a grant from the Greater Watertown Area Health Foundation to install a Born Learning Trail. 

The Born Learning Trail is a series of 10 interactive signs that offer fun, active learning activities for young children and their families. It helps parents, caregivers and communities create quality engagement opportunities. 

The signs will be installed in both English and Spanish translations along the Glacial River Bike Trail in Jefferson. For nearby parking see the map below. (“Parking here” is in rather faint print.) The sign install will be just north of and very near the parking lot.

The project will be installed by local volunteers on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 @ 4:00 p.m. (weather permitting). The trail kits included hardware, and reinforced, full color metal signs as well as a series of stencils which will be used to create the fun interactive part of the project.  We would also like to thank the following local businesses for donating project supplies:

• Goyer Ace Hardware:
  • Paint (for asphalt surface)
  • Paint foam rollers & paint trays
• Lemke Fence:
  • 10 – 4×4 pre-treated posts

Anyone interested in helping to install the trail is encouraged to contact Mary Truman at 920-674-7260 or jeffcoparks@jeffersoncountywi.gov

Banner note: This article contains separate information from UW-W and Studio 84 regarding National Disability Employment Awareness Month.)

(UW-W Press Release) UW-Whitewater Hosts Forum to Support Inclusive Workplaces for Disabled Employees

In support of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, UW-Whitewater Working for Inclusion, Leadership and Learning (UW-WILL) is pleased to announce a three-day forum held virtually from Wednesday, October 14 through Friday, October 16, 2020.

A panel of experts will facilitate discussions and interactive sessions that will empower those with disabilities, both visible and hidden, to thrive in the workplace. Employers will gain insight into developing and implementing best practices around the recruitment and training of employees with disabilities to fulfill compliance regulations and provide supportive and inclusive work environments. Attendees will earn a certificate of completion of disability inclusion training and also receive access to an employment risk assessment tool and outcomes for complying with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).

All are welcome as this event is offered free of charge and open to the public. To register, visit https://www.uww.edu/ce/willforum. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Watson at watsone@uww.edu or 262-472-1533.

“Embracing the Wisconsin Idea, the WILL team at UW-Whitewater invites you to participate in this opportunity to support our employees, community members, businesses and lifelong learners to embrace equity and diversity for persons with disabilities in our state. The opportunity to enhance employment opportunities, support our businesses and economy is part of our passion and mission. We’re a partner in solving your business solutions, moving towards equity and compliance.” Elizabeth Watson, Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Interim Dean of Students, Primary Investigator and founder of Center for Inclusive Transition, Education and Employment.

The mission of Working for Inclusion, Leadership, and Learning (WILL) is to provide valuable resources for employers to develop strategies and tools to create more disability-friendly work environments, including self-assessments, training, and certifications. Customized services and resource consultations are offered in partnership with UW-WILL including assessment of needs, compliance review, training and professional development, and customized talent pipelines, development and implementation of best practices and policies. For more information, visit https://www.uww.edu/will.

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(Studio 84 Press Release, Oct. 5) Nationwide campaign takes place in October

Studio 84 announced its participation in National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. This year’s theme is “Increasing Access and Opportunity.” Studio 84 is a non profit art studio that specializes in the creative development of people with disabilities in the arts and is located in Whitewater.

The history of National Disability Employment Awareness Month traces back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1962, the word “physically” was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

“Ensuring that America’s workplaces continue to include and accommodate people with disabilities will be an important part of our economic rebound,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “Looking ahead, the Department will remain focused on the policies that led to a strong economy and record-low unemployment rates for persons with disabilities prior to the pandemic. A vigorous economic rebound and job growth will, alongside the Americans with Disabilities Act, increase access and opportunity for Americans with disabilities.”

Reflecting this year’s theme, throughout the month, Studio 84 will be educating the community on disability employment issues and its commitment to an inclusive work culture. 

“Studio 84 is proud to be a part of this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month,” said director of Studio 84 Deborah Blackwell. “We want to spread the important message that we value all perspectives, including those of individuals with disabilities.”

Employers and employees in all industries can learn more about how to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month and ways they can promote its messages — during October and throughout the year — by visiting www.dol.gov/NDEAM.

You can learn more about how Studio 84 supports artists with their integrated community employment programing.  They currently have five artists in various stages of their career development in the arts with a micro business. Visit www.studio84inc.org to learn more.

Carl Strait is a WUL Hometown Hero, and has been nominated “For putting himself in positions that are unsafe to keep others safe as a member of the Whitewater Fire Department and as both a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician.”

The nomination includes: “Carl is dedicated to serving his community and spends many nights waiting for the pager to go off to spring into action.  Carl works as a full-time Firefighter/EMT at another department but during this Pandemic, he spends a lot of his off time responding to 911 calls in Whitewater.  Carl is always seeking opportunities to serve his community more. On top of his duties for the Fire Department, he supports charity events such as the Fire & Iron Motorcycle Club Station 17 Burn Camp Ride and Whitewater Veterans of Foreign Wars events.”

Carl said, “I am honored to be recognized as a Hometown Hero for the city that I was born and raised in. I look forward to rushing to help the great citizens of Whitewater when they call for help for years to come.” 

WUL (Whitewater Unites Lives) is a locally-focused civil and human rights group that works to connect the people in our community and to create opportunities for all people to learn and support each other in our common humanity.   

 Anyone who would like to nominate a local hero of any age should send their nomination, with a short description, to whitewaterunites@gmail.com 

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

Though the first day enrollment count at UW-W reflected an approximate 7% decline from the tenth day in 2019, this year’s tenth day report showed an improvement to a 4% decline. Jeff Angileri, UW-W Director of Public Information, told the Banner that the 10th day total enrollment for both UW-W campuses was 11,842. Final enrollment will be reported later. The statistics for the past twelve years are shown below.

Interim Chancellor Greg Cook, speaking at a virtual town hall on October 1, indicated that enrollment was down approximately 500 students on the Whitewater campus, and 90 at Rock County. Per the information provided to the Banner, the total loss was 526 students. Dr. Cook stated that, considering the COVID-19 pandemic, the enrollment was “very good news.” All things considered, Cook said, enrollment going down only 4% “shows the confidence that the students, the parents and the people in the region have in the university and also in the city—in Janesville and here in Whitewater.”

The news indicates that this is the third consecutive year for an enrollment decline on the Whitewater campus, following at least seven years of generally increasing numbers.

Fall enrollment:
2009 – 11139
2010 – 11557
2011 – 11643
2012 – 12031
2013 – 12015
2014 – 12159
2015 – 12351
2016 – 12628
2017 – 12430
2018 – 12084 (Does not include Janesville campus)
2019 – 12368 (Includes Janesville campus; 10th day)
2020 – 11842 (Includes Janesville campus; 10th day)