At the March 3, 2020 Common Council meeting, retired Streets, Parks, and Forestry Superintendent Chuck Nass was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council. The award was presented by Dwayne Sperber, a member of the council from Delafield.
In making the nomination, Olivia Witthun, Forestry Specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, recognized the accomplishments of the city’s Urban Forestry Committee and the city’s forestry program during Chuck’s tenure, including developing and adopting an emerald ash borer plan. The plan identified the tree lawn and park ash trees that were deemed to be worth saving, and provided for appropriate treatment by city staff. Chuck attended the DNR’s Community Tree Management Institute and became an instructor, sharing his experiences. At various times Chuck also served the community as Fire Chief, served on the UW-W athletic board and the Whitewater Unified School District board. Chuck also implemented a solid relationship between forestry and engineering, commenting on street plans early in the process and incorporating tree planting, protection, etc. at an early enough stage to be effective. The nomination concluded, “Chuck handled the challenges and successes with aplomb.”
These days, by the way, Chuck continues to be active, driving for Van Galder Bus Company, and has often taken trips with UW-W athletic teams.
The results of the April 7 election will not be known until April 13, since absentee ballots that were postmarked by April 7 will still be counted if received by the 13th. Consequently election officials were barred from releasing the election day outcomes.
Michele Smith, Whitewater City Clerk, indicated to the Banner that there were a total of 1,870 ballots cast on election day, which includes over 1,200 absentee ballots out of the approximately 1,800 that were issued.
By comparison, for the 2016 Spring and Presidential Preference Election, a total of 4,553 ballots were cast, which included 516 absentees. Bear in mind that in that election there were two polling places, and a very large number of university students cast ballots at the UW-W polling place. Although some students are still residing locally, and a number of them voted together with some who are currently living elsewhere, the total student vote will certainly be dramatically reduced this time.
Whitewater citizens owe a debt of gratitude to the relatively small number of regular poll workers who felt they could serve under the circumstances, as well as to the city employees who agreed to fill in, together with the four National Guard members who assisted. A big thanks also to Michele Smith, who always puts in countless hours preparing for, overseeing, and reporting the results of our elections. However, the last minute twists and turns in the plans for this election combined with the efforts required to minimize health risks in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic made this election extraordinarily challenging. Finally, appreciation is expressed to Bill Smith, Michele’s husband, whom, she says, “always comes whenever I call,” dedicating many hours to each election, and that was particularly the case this time.
Jefferson County Trails remain open to the public for walking, hiking, biking, and other outdoor recreation. For the safety of all users we kindly remind all patrons to observe the recommended safety protocol while out.
Practicing Social Distancing—and Good Judgment—on Trails
Four members of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team were selected to the 2020 Division III All-American teams by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
Seniors Mike Tortorice (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel), Hazen Rice (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) and Jaritt Shinhoster (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Barrington) earned first team honors, while senior Ryder Sigler (Fredonia, Wis./Cedarburg) garnered second team accolades.
The quartet helped the Warhawks place second at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships and finish third at the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional Championships. All four qualified for the NCAA Championship, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The All-American teams, which usually consist of the top eight finishers in each weight class at the NCAA Championship, is based on each wrestler’s overall body of work through the regional tournaments.
Tortorice finishes his career as a three-time All-American. He was the top seed in the 125-pound bracket for the NCAA Championship with a 33-1 record. Tortorice claimed the WIAC championship for the third straight season and the Upper Midwest Regional title for the second consecutive year. He placed third in the nation in 2018 and finished as national runner-up in 2019.
Rice was set to be the No. 4 seed at the NCAA Championship after a strong senior campaign at 141 pounds. He finished the year with a 32-1 record, with his only loss coming in the Upper Midwest Regional final against Augsburg’s David Flynn, who was set to be the third seed. Rice closed his career as a two-time national qualifier, two-time regional champion and three-time conference champion.
Shinhoster enjoyed a dominant sophomore campaign, reaching the NCAA Championship for the second straight season at 174 pounds. Seeded fourth at the national tournament, Shinhoster finished the year with a 28-3 mark after winning the WIAC title and finishing as runner-up at the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional. He finished ninth in NCAA Division III with 18 pins.
Sigler broke through for his first NCAA Championship berth at 165 pounds after finishing as runner-up at the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional, including a major decision over two-time defending national champion Lucas Jeske of Augsburg in the regional semifinal to punch his ticket. He finished the year with a 23-13 record and placed third at the WIAC Championships.
Both Shinhoster and Sigler earned spots on the NWCA’s Division III Scholar All-America Team.
UW-Whitewater’s College of Arts and Communication begins its Safer At Home Stories with one about Teagan Collis, a senior majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Dance and Spanish. Collis had always wanted to study abroad and to accomplish that she began organizing her class schedule in her sophomore year to include a semester of study abroad and still graduate in four years. Last summer she applied to study abroad in Spain.
“One day I was studying for midterms in Spain and the next I was booking a flight home. Everything happens so quickly with this virus and we must take it seriously for the well-being of those around us. My heart goes out to everyone, because everyone has been affected by this in one way or another, ” shares Tegan Collis.
She began her study abroad semester at the University of Granada in January and was taking five classes, Spanish Grammar, Oral & Writing, Latin American Civilization & Culture, (the first three courses listed were taught in Spanish) Social & Demographic Changes in Spain, and the Arab World & the West (these two were taught in English). All of her classes are continuing online through May 22 as was previously planned. She explained, “It is much harder to learn a language online than in person, especially with a seven hour time difference, but my professors are working really hard to make it work.”
Due to the novel coronavirus outbreak in Spain her study abroad semester was cut short, as all study abroad students were required to return to the USA. One week prior to her departure to the USA a state of alarm was declared in Spain, which meant she was unable to leave her homestay residence. Teagan said, “It was hard spending my last week in Spain inside, but it was also nice to spend some quality time with my host family and roommate before leaving.”
During the 2 ½ months that she spent in Spain she was able to do some sightseeing which included exploring much of Granada, and seven different cities in Spain including two on the Spanish Island of Mallorca. She also visited Morocco which was her first visit to Africa.
This was Miss Collis’ last semester and thanks to the continuation of her online classes she will graduate in May. Amidst the doom and gloom of everyday news, she received some very good news since returning from Spain. She was accepted into graduate school at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA starting this fall, pursuing a master’s degree in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program for Dance/Movement Therapy.
Since returning home she has been self-isolating in her room at home with her feline companion. The time in isolation has been difficult, but worth it to keep her family from risk. She has used this time to study, prepare for her future in Cambridge, MA and to reflect on the time she spent in Spain. Collis shares, “I am definitely excited for the day when I can leave my house, but it has been fairly easy to communicate with everyone I needed to while in quarantine. A lot of friends have reached out to me after hearing what happened in Spain and to see how I’m doing. I even had one friend drop off brownies on my porch! Thankfully cell phones, social media, and Whatsapp have made it easy to stay connected with everyone, including my host family in Spain. I’m not taking any classes at UW-Whitewater right now, but I still feel connected to the campus due to university emails and updates from friends.”
For more information on UW-Whitewater College of Arts and Communication please visit us online at Facebook.com/UWWGreenhillCenter.
In a news release on April 3, Walworth County Health officials indicated that they have detected COVID-19 in “all major Walworth County communities.” It was stated that the county Division of Public Health is “either monitoring cases or conducting contact investigations in every Walworth County community.” According to the release, testing resources are being used for those who are “critically ill.” Consequently the total number of cases in the county “is no longer an accurate measure of the spread of COVID-19.”
In a telephone conversation with a Banner staff member on April 7, Carlo Nevicosi, Deputy Director of the Walworth County Department of Health & Human Services, confirmed that there are “confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19” in Whitewater. Mr. Nevicosi stated that he was not at that time authorized to release any further information regarding the nature of those cases. However, he did indicate that all identified individuals in the county have been “well behaved” in following the health department’s requests, and no legal quarantine orders have had to be issued. Contact tracing is also being conducted.
Carlo Nevicosi also confirmed that the county is in compliance with the Governor’s Emergency Order #19, which requires health departments to provide emergency dispatch centers with the addresses associated with persons who have tested positive for the virus. Dispatch centers are then responsible for conveying this information to first responders such as law enforcement, fire, and rescue personnel in order to protect their health and safety.
Nevicosi was pleased to report that so far there have been no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any of the long term care facilities in the county. Anyone in one of those residences who is symptomatic is being tested.
As of April 7 at 1:30 p.m., Walworth County had twenty-one laboratory confirmed cases with five of those persons currently hospitalized. Twelve of the twenty-one persons were considered to have recovered. No deaths have been reported.
Key Updates from Walworth County:
The weather is warming and people will be tempted to gather outside. Social distancing remains one of the best tools we have to slowing the spread of the virus. Please remember to:
Stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from other people
Do not gather in groups
Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings
Stay-at-home orders have the potential to exacerbate feelings of loneliness, depression and substance use. The Department of Health Services has launched the Resilient in Wisconsin Initiative to help Wisconsinites cope, stay connected and build resilience during this crisis. Data, resources, and evidence-based tools can be found here https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/resilient/index.htm.
The Department of Children and Families is connecting essential workforce families with available child care resources. To request child care, essential workforce families should fill out this form. Families can also search for available care at a publicly available map. Please submit your request as soon as possible to help child care centers determine whether to stay open to meet the local demand.
Fort HealthCare has been overwhelmed by the outreach of the community to want to help during this outbreak of COVID-19. We are continually monitoring supplies, and while we have all available personal protective equipment today, the situation may change. We do welcome donations of masks and other personal protective equipment, as well as hand sanitizer/wipes because the situation is transforming daily. We do request that they be new and in unopened packaging.
We have also been approached by several groups regarding homemade sewn masks and we will accept these for our limited visitors and as a secondary line of defense for the protective masks our staff is currently utilizing. Maggie Mielke of Tailor Made Studio in Fort Atkinson is using a pattern that is also being used for Froedtert Hospital (no elastic). She has started a Facebook group Mask Up Fort Health and she can be contacted at 920-563-3700.
Because we currently have a very limited visitor policy and do not want to jeopardize the safety of anyone, donations can be dropped at our front entrance at 611 Sherman Ave. East, Fort Atkinson. This spot has an overhang and is monitored by staff.
We are also asking that donations of food and other perishable items be directed to non-profits who serve our neighbors in need of support such as senior centers, food pantries, day cares, etc. Helping people to stay at home and meeting their basic needs is our best line of defense right now The thoughtfulness of the communities we serve is beyond words. We are so grateful for all of your support and the support for the various community agencies. Please continue to practice the “Safer at Home” conditions and as a community we will continue to work together to protect our citizens.
Kenneth Roger Heckert, 87, of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 6, 2020. Kenneth (Ken or Kenny as those who knew him would refer) was born to Elmer and Althea Heckert in Elkhorn, WI on December 23, 1932. He graduated from Antigo High School in 1951 and played semi-professional football for the Merrill Foxes for a few years and then enlisted in the Air Force. He is survived by his loving wife Janet (Jansen) of 62 years, sons Bret (Kris) of Smyrna, TN, Mark (Karen Phillips) of Elkhorn, WI, and Kevin (Sally) of Whitewater, WI. Aside from being a wonderful father to his sons, Ken was also an amazing Grandpa and Great Grandpa to Justin (Melissa), Kendyl and Kiersten Kreuziger, Logan (Whitney), Maverick, Troy, Emily, Allison, Meredith, Clare and Liam Heckert. Ken will also be survived by another Great Grandchild to be born in October. He is further survived by sisters Shirley Zalewski (Green Bay, WI) and Laura Fleming (South Beloit, IL), sister-in-law Mary (Tyke) Rice (Sun City, AZ) and brother-in-law Don (Darlene) Jansen (Whitewater, WI) and many loving nieces, nephews and extended family. Ken was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and brother Russell (Carol) Heckert and a sister-in-law and two brothers-in-law. He was a loving father, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to everyone. He was best known for his bright smile, funny jokes, old stories and infectious laugh. Ken loved sports, especially football and college basketball. He was an avid Green Bay Packer and Wisconsin Badger fan.
Ken proudly served
his country as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force. He
was an Air Traffic Controller with the AACS Squadron during the
Korean War. His last day of service was December 14, 1955 where he
left Otis Air Force Base, MA. He returned from active duty and met
his beautiful future wife. Ken and Janet were married on October 24,
1957 in Elkhorn where they raised their sons. Ken worked for A.O.
Smith Harvester in Elkhorn and the last few years of his career in
DeKalb, IL. He retired from AO Smith in 1991. In 2018, Ken had the
extreme privilege to be part of the Vets Roll project on a four day
bus trip. They visited numerous locations including the US Air Force
Museum, Korean War Memorial and then to Washington D.C.
When he wasn’t working, Ken enjoyed working on small engines, gardening, fishing, hunting, attending his sons’, grandchildrens’ and great grandchildrens’ many sporting events, school/church activities and the occasional round of golf with his buddies. He loved getting together with friends for breakfasts at Elizabeth’s Café (Delavan WI) and Friday fish fry’s at Tubby’s (Elkhorn WI) or card games at home. Ken could often be found on his homemade lawn roller around town rolling lawns and roto-tilling gardens in the spring. When he wasn’t using it as a lawn roller, Ken and Janet could be found in many local parades with the roller converted into the “Flintmobile” as Fred and Wilma Flintstone. He loved seeing the smiles on faces of people as they rolled down the parade route and hearing his “Yab-ba-dab-a-doo!” Ken was an active member of United Church of Christ (Elkhorn WI) where he faithfully served the Lord as a Church Trustee, maintenance and yard crew member along any other odd jobs. He enjoyed sitting outside in his lawn chair after a long day of work sipping on an ice cold Old Milwaukee, playing ball with his sons’ English Springer Spaniels, petting his Miniature Schnauzers over the years (Cricket, Holly and Lilly) and watching the birds. He enjoyed deer camp in Waupaca with his brother-in-law (Stan Zalewski), sons and nephews. He also enjoyed spending time in Readstown, WI on the back porch of friends Ray and Jeanine Hummel. This was one of his favorite places to have a cocktail or two and take in all of Mother Nature’s “million dollar views.” Ken was always there to help relatives and friends with household projects, fixing yard equipment and many other things. Ken was loved dearly by his family and friends and will be greatly missed.
Ken’s family would
like to give a special thank you to the staff at Vintage on the Pond
(Delavan WI) who cared dearly for Ken over the last few years and
especially during his final days. They would also like to thank
Pastor Scott McLeod, Dr. Fehling and the Cardiology teams of St.
Luke’s Hospital, Lakeland Hospital and Aurora Healthcare. He passed
away knowing he was loved by many. Also, the family would like to
extend their sincerest gratitude to Haase Lockwood Funeral Home and
Crematory for being very accommodating and understanding during this
difficult time. A Celebration of Life and Burial with military honors
will be held at a later date due to the Safer at Home orders.
Memorials can be made in Ken’s name to the Vets Roll project. Donations can be made online at www.vetsroll.org or via mail to: Vetsroll.org, c/o Finnegans’ RV, 1777 Gardner Street, South Beloit, IL 61080.
David Arthur McComb, 63, Whitewater, lost his life in an accident while doing what he loved; working on the farm while listening to music on his headphones.
David was born on October 2, 1956 in
Pittsburgh, PA to Arthur and Vera (Lynd) McComb. He served his
country in the United States Coast Guard and later received his
Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from Penn State University.
David married Barbara Jane Arnold on April 28, 1984 in Bethlehem,
PA. He and Barb moved to Whitewater in 1988 to live on the Lynd
family farm. David worked for Associated Spring Company in Milwaukee
for 23 years. Of the many projects he was involved in, the making of
springs for the Mars rover and the Webb Space Telescope were the
most notable. He and Barb owned and operated Amramp of SE Wisconsin
since 2016. David enjoyed running Amramp and helping others to
maintain their independence. He is remembered by his family for his
strong family values, smile, love of laughter and his quiet manner.
He was a wonderful example of father and husband to all the men in
the family.
He is survived by his wife of 36
years, Barb, Whitewater; children Tom McComb, Whitewater, Libby
McComb, Elkhorn; Brothers Donald McComb, Whitewater, Scott (Cathy)
McComb, Chugiak, Alaska, Jay (Kim) McComb, Hendersonville, TN, Mark
(Autumn) McComb, Whitewater; special friends Ken and Karen Foye
(Portsmouth, NH), Ken Latzko and Louise Rheem (Carmel,NY); 21 nieces
and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A private graveside service with
military honors will be held at Hillside Cemetery, Whitewater. A
celebration of David’s life will be held on the family farm later
in the fall. The family would like to thank the Walworth County
Sheriff’s Department and the City of Whitewater Rescue Squad for
their service.
He will be missed!
Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater is
assisting the family.
