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UW-Whitewater Continuing Education is pleased to announce the theme for the fall Fairhaven Lecture Series.  Eight lectures in the “Exploring Religion, Spirituality and Cultural Traditions Around the Globe” series will feature presentations by faculty from UW-Whitewater’s Whitewater and Rock County campuses on topics from common misconceptions of Islam and the experience of Mormonism to Hmong cultural traditions and human evolution from Buddhist and Christian perspectives. 

The Fairhaven Lecture Series is held 3 p.m. Mondays at Fairhaven Senior Services at 435 W. Starin Road in Whitewater. The dates, titles and presenters of the lectures for the fall 2019 series are:

September 30

Divine Ecstasy: Knowledge, Love and Unity in Sufism

Presented by Hala Ghoneim, associate professor, Languages and Literatures

October 7       

Living the Kingdom of God: The Origin and Experience of Mormonism in America

Presented by Michael Gueno, associate professor, Philosophy and Religious Studies

October 14     

Piety and Precarity: American Prayer Between the Wars

Presented by David Reinhart, lecturer, Philosophy and Religious Studies

October 21      

Unveiling Facts About Islam: Common Misconceptions, Western Media Representations and Stereotypes

Presented by Amal Ibrahim, assistant professor, Communication

October 28     

Tantra: Medieval Indian Technologies of Sex, Power, Magic and Enlightenment

Presented by Nathan McGovern, assistant professor, Philosophy and Religious Studies

November 4  

An Enduring Tradition: Hmong Cultural and Cosmological Beliefs and Practices

Presented by Nengher Vang, assistant professor, History

November 11  

Human Evolution and Religion: Exploring Christian and Buddhist Perspectives 

Presented by Richard Hanson, senior lecturer, Philosophy

November 18 

The Origins of Shia Islam

Presented by Molly Patterson, associate professor, History

For over 35 years, UW-Whitewater faculty and staff and community and business leaders have offered free presentations to thousands of people on topics ranging from art and current events to history and literature.

All lectures are free and open to the public and are held on Mondays at 3 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Fairhaven Senior Services, 435 West Starin Road, Whitewater. Street parking is adjacent to the building. Unable to attend? Links to videos of lectures, including those from prior series, can be found at http://www.uww.edu/ce/fairhaven. If you have a disability and desire accommodations, please advise us as early as possible. Requests are confidential. UW-Whitewater provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA requirements. Please contact Kari Borne at 262-472-1003 or bornek@uww.edu for further information.

(From The Daily Jefferson County Union)

Sensenbrenner finds unfriendly audience at Whitewater town hall

From the get-go, attendees at U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner’s town hall in meeting in Whitewater Sunday night were challenging him on issues that have dominated news cycles in recent months.

The meeting with the 5th District Republican congressman began with questions from multiple members of Moms Demand Action — an organization that fights for stricter regulation of guns. A large majority of people in attendance were members of the group.

The discussion then moved to potential proposals to fight climate change and finally ended with a very heated back-and-forth over a whistleblower complaint from the Intelligence Community Inspector General reportedly about President Donald Trump.

Click here for the full article in The Daily Jefferson County Union https://www.dailyunion.com/news/sensenbrenner-finds-unfriendly-audience-at-whitewater-town-hall/article_cacacdd2-a3f6-5c85-a0c1-8bf2bf05faf4.html

Across the United States, police officers, city leaders, researchers and everyday citizens rely on accurate and timely crime information in their efforts to make communities safer.

Law enforcement organizations track and submit their data to create “Uniform Crime Reports,” which are critical to identifying trends in criminal activity, creating effective policing strategies, and crafting public policy.

Now, as police departments across the country are abandoning an old reporting system and using a new and improved one, the FBI has tapped the police chief of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to help lead the way.

Matt Kiederlen is chairperson of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Systems Beyond 2021 Task Force. In addition to his role as chair, he is representing all of the nation’s university and campus police officers.

“It’s both an honor and a challenge,” he said. “Our task force is helping shape this new crime reporting system, making sure it works effectively for both people who contribute data to the reports and those who use and analyze the information for a variety of purposes.”

Kiederlen said the crime reports in this new system, known as the National Incident-Based Reporting System, will be updated more frequently than the old ones, and the information will be more detailed, giving users more timely and accurate information.

The old system will shut down Jan. 1, 2021, so it’s important everyone is ready and on the same page. Standardizing the definitions of crimes and making sure everyone gets trained on the new system are among the topics of discussion.

Kiederlen, who is chief of the campus named safest in Wisconsin, says his experience and participation on the taskforce benefits the university in several ways.

“At UW-Whitewater, we’re well ahead of the curve. Our department has the opportunity to see trends in crimes, best practices in reporting and new technology before many others in law enforcement,” he said. “I also teach a criminal investigation course and bring back what I learn into the classroom to inform students. They get to hear about the latest data and innovative police strategies before some chiefs of police across the country hear about them.”

In addition to the FBI, Kiederlen has also forged positive relationships with leaders of the most respected law enforcement organizations the world, including the City of New York Police Department.

“To be able to reach out and consult with law enforcement individuals of that caliber on a variety of issues – you can’t put a price tag on that.”

Anna-Lisa Cox, author

“Was Laura Ingalls Wilder White? Changing Perceptions of the Wisconsin Frontier”

Wednesday, Sep 25^th

3:30-4:30

UW-Whitewater University Center Room 261

This event is free and open to the public

Anna-Lisa Cox is an award-winning historian of race relations in nineteenth-century America. She is a fellow at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, and a recent Research Associate at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, where her original research underpinned two exhibits. Cox’s first book, A Stronger Kinship, was awarded the Michigan Notable Book Award and her most recent book, “The Bone and Sinew of the Land”: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and The Struggle for Equality was honored by the Smithsonian Magazine as one of the eight best history books of 2018. Booklist praised it for providing “a moving and necessary corrective to pioneer history” while Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. described it as “a revelation of primary historical research that is written with the beauty and empathic powers of a novel.” 

Due to frequent wet weather, utility staff was unable to complete smoke testing of the entire work area last week. Therefore, smoke testing will continue, as weather conditions allow, during the week of September 23rd. City staff will maintain daily communication with both the Police and Fire Departments to keep them aware of our progress.

Testing will be initiated through the opening of manholes in the streets and utility easements. This testing is being done to identify leaks, cracks or cross connections in the sanitary sewer. Notice will be provided to residential and business customers in advance of the testing. It is recommended that customers add one gallon of water to all drains prior to testing. Should smoke enter your home or business, please contact a member of the smoke testing crew working in your area.

Detailed information including a map of the area is available at https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/457/Smoke-Testing. The area generally includes everything from Main Street south to the city limits, from Cravath Lake west to Pleasant Street. Questions can be directed to the Wastewater Utility department Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at (262) 473-0560.

The City of Whitewater provides efficient and high quality services which support living, learning, playing and working in an exceptional community. Visit www.whitewater-wi.gov for community information and updates.

In recognition of National Public Lands Day, the Walworth/Jefferson County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance will sponsor a free 2-5-7-mile guided hike on September 28 as an introduction to Wisconsin’s 1200+ mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail.   Roughly following the southernmost edge of the last glaciation, this narrow primitive trail travels through some of the most dramatic and varied terrain in the state.  Participants can choose to hike two, five, or all seven miles from Esterly Road to the Oleson Pioneer Cabin, N9186 Duffin Road. 

Those hiking two or all seven miles will meet at 9:00 at the Esterly Road  Ice Age Trail parking lot for a varied and scenic two-mile hike along the eskers, ending at Highway 12.  After a short break, the two-mile hikers will be taken back to the starting point.

Hikers wishing to hike only five miles will assemble at the Highway 12 I.A.T. parking lot by 9:45 to join those hiking on to the historic Oleson cabin.  This section of trail features dramatic long-range views, a lake, and colorful prairies — followed by challenging hills, a pine woods, and a series of ponds and springs.  Snacks and water will be available both at the Highway 12 lot and at the Oleson cabin.  Participants who parked at Highway 12 will be driven back to their cars by chapter volunteers.

Guided I.A.T. exploration hikes for families with school-age children will leave from the cabin at 10:30, 11:30, and 12:30 to explore a wooded section of the Ice Age Trail about a mile in length.  Long pants and sturdy shoes are strongly recommended.  The historic Oleson cabin will be open to visitors between 10:30 and 1:30.  Parking is available along Duffin Road.  (Insider’s tip: to avoid roof and hood damage, do not park under the walnut trees!) 

For further information, please contact Ellen Davis at 262-740-1113.

Irvin L. Young Library Board of Trustees – Monday, September 16, 2019 at 6:30 PM; Irvin L. Young Memorial Library – More Information

Whitewater School Board Policy Review Committee – Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at 8:00 AM; Central Office of Whitewater Unified School District – More Information

Urban Forestry Committee – Monday, September 23, 2019 at 4:30 PM; Whitewater Municipal Building – More information

Whitewater School Board – Monday, September 23, 2019 at 7:00 PM; Central Office of Whitewater Unified School District – More Information

Board of Zoning Appeals – Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 6:00 PM; Whitewater Municipal Building – More information