News

Editor’s note: The following press release was issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting next month to discuss planned improvements to the WIS 106/County N intersection outside Fort Atkinson.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Town of Koshkonong Town Hall, located at W5609 Star School Road. WisDOT officials will be on hand to speak with the public and get feedback on the proposed improvements.

WisDOT intends to turn the intersection into a single-lane roundabout. Both State Highway 106 and County Highway N would be closed and detoured during the project. Work is set to begin in 2027.

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

Our final image in the historic houses in Whitewater series is another stereoscope taken around 1870. Perhaps overlooked at 522 W. Main St., the Sanger Marsh House is a fine example of an Italianate Style house built in 1861 by local builder Nelson Salisbury, who built several cream brick houses in a similar manner in Whitewater.

Sanger Marsh was a prominent businessman who helped found the First National Bank in Whitewater in 1863. This bank was the first public bank in the community and lasted until the 1930s, when it merged with the Citizens State Bank to become the First Citizens State Bank of Whitewater that we all know today.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(1657ST, Whitewater Historical Society)

Editor’s note: The following proclamation was issued by President Biden.

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on October 25, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, October 30, 2023. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
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Editor’s note: The following proclamation was issued by Gov. Evers.

Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #215 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Oct. 28, 2023, in honor of former Wisconsin State Rep. John Klenke, who passed away on Tues., Oct. 10, 2023, at the age of 65.

“Representative Klenke is remembered for his conviction, generosity, and dedication to serving his community,” said Gov. Evers. “In the wake of his passing, Kathy and I send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and former colleagues during this difficult time.”

Former Rep. Klenke was born and raised in Green Bay and graduated from the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in accounting and finance and UW-Milwaukee with a Master of Science in Taxation. He worked at Schneider National for over two decades, serving as the treasurer, vice president of corporate strategy, division president, and director of corporate tax. In 2010, Klenke was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly to represent the 88th Assembly District. During his time in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Klenke served on the Joint Committee on Finance and as vice-chairperson of the Energy and Utilities Committee. He was re-elected in 2012 and did not seek re-election in 2014.

Services for former Rep. Klenke will be held on Thurs., Oct. 26, 2023, with his burial subsequently occurring on Sat., Oct. 28, 2023.

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We’re celebrating having served the Whitewater and surrounding communities for an amazing 160 years and we want you to join us! Learn some bank history, look at old pictures, enjoy delicious birthday cake and cookies, and snag some fun giveaways. We’ll also have the Wisconsin Bankers Association President, Rose Oswald Poels here at 11:00 for a short presentation. PLUS! Be sure to sign up for some exciting Anniversary prizes.

Editor’s note: This announcement was shared by Christine Hayes, who writes, “A great event Sunday at the WAA. Throw on your Halloween garb and hear top Whitewater music legend Brian “Looper” Lucas and Kenny Jones – “Los Bromanceros” while taking in a fantastic Hallows art show.”

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from Roberta’s Art Gallery.

Experience the cultural display and celebrate the souls of loved ones at Roberta’s Art Gallery with “Ofrenda de Día de Muertos” by the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater’s Spanish Club and Latinos Unidos. This exhibit will begin Oct. 25 and will be on display until Nov. 3, open Monday through Friday.   

“Ofrenda de Día de Muertos” is a pop-up exhibit honoring Día de Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” in English. It is a happy, colorful display. This exhibit will feature an interactive altar, or “ofrenda,” where the Whitewater campus and community can write the name of a past loved one and leave behind significant items to welcome their departed family members and friends. Throughout Mexico, families create colorful celebrations of life involving small offerings and objects of remembrance to warmly invite the souls of the dead back to life’s celebrations.  

UW-Whitewater’s Spanish Club is a student organization that emphasizes the importance of the Spanish language and promotes a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture. Latinos Unidos is a student organization whose primary goal is to unite, support, and promote the educational purposes and appreciation of the Latinx culture on campus.  

Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center at 800 W. Main Street, Whitewater, Wis. The gallery collaborates with campus departments, student organizations, and community artists in coordinating and sponsoring exhibits. During the academic year, the gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday. Roberta’s Art Gallery is closed on Saturday and Sunday. 

At Roberta’s Art Gallery, we pride ourselves in providing free and open exhibits to the public, and attending certain events can earn students class credit. If you are interested in being featured in the gallery, please contact us for a proposal request. Reach us at ucart@uww.edu or 262-472-3193. Visit our website for any questions or inquiries, and follow our Instagram at uww_rag.  

Editor’s note: The following announcement was provided by Victoria Ghysels.

Maj. John A. Rutoski (Ret), formerly of Whitewater, WI, was recently inducted into the Minnesota Air National Guard’s Flight of Honor. The award recognizes personnel who have died in the line of duty, heroism, valor, or distinguished professional achievement and service.

Rutoski enlisted in the Air Force Reserves in 1977 and later transferred to the Air National Guard. After graduating from UW-Stout with a degree in engineering in 1982, he was selected for commissioning as a pilot. By 1986 he had become aircraft commander and flight instructor. Also in 1986, Rutoski was hired as a pilot for Northwest Airlines and changed his military position to assistant tactics officer. While in this role, he used his computer skills to develop a cutting-edge software program that streamlined the mobilization process used for Operational Readiness Inspections.

From August 1989 to February 1990, Rutoski deployed three times for the Desert Storm war effort as aircraft commander, flying out of airbases in Germany, England, and Turkey. As both tactical officer and instructor pilot, he saw the critical need for better aircrew training facilities and went about making that a possibility. Proficiency training was limited at his home station due to the intensity of commercial air traffic and new housing developments, so Rutoski turned to Camp Ripley, twenty air minutes away. Ripley had potential but needed runway lighting, instrument approach/landing equipment, and its drop zone required upgrades. It also would require crash/fire rescue services. So, he started talking up the requirements and potential solutions to those in charge. In 1991, Rutoski was designated as program manager for runway lighting. No funding? No problem for Rutoski, who later received the nickname of “Major Scrounge.” He found free equipment from closing airfields around the world and free civil engineers and labor from other units around the country. Not only was the runway lighting for both the paved and the assault strips complete, operational, and FAA certified, but he also had the lighting system tuned for Night Vision Goggles (NVG) on both.

Rutoski later saw the need for more upgrades, such as an instrument approach/landing system (ILS) that would allow Camp Ripley to be functional in all weather conditions. He procured a Tactical Air Navigation System and a Microwave Landing System (MLS) that upgraded his ILS. He also extended the 4900 ft. runway to 7000 ft for proficiency training of take offs and landings of C130s. Rutoski did this all on a shoestring budget and while progressing through his career as a pilot with Northwest and subsequently Delta Airlines. Rutoski retired from the military in 2000 and with the airlines in 2020. He is the first to give credit to the many who helped him build his vision, saying he couldn’t have done it all without their help.

Wanting to give back to the aviation community that gave him so much, Rutoski combined his knowledge of engineering, and semiconductor experience with his aviation expertise and started a nonprofit organization called Virtual Aviation of Minnesota (virtualaviationmn.com) to help the next generation of aviators since the cost of the progression through private pilot, instrument pilot, and Airline Transport Rating is in the multiple six figures. At his own expense, Rutoski built six highly capable flight simulators with full visuals, most for which he recently received full FAA certification. He has three simulators at his home, where he provides free simulator instruction to young people. This will help assure their success in training and reduce the expensive flight hours required for them to earn their licenses. He also has enlisted a cadre of seven of his former students who have succeeded in aviation to give back by providing free simulator instruction on his machines. Two such aviators began as flight attendants with Delta and in three years are now commercial airline pilots with Endeavor Air, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines.

As someone who obtained his pilots’ license on a dirt runway in Palmyra, WI, his dream is to place flight simulators in rural areas of the country where aviation training resources are far away.

Congratulations, Major Scrounge, on this well-deserved award.

According to the Rock County Public Works website, the closure for paving and culvert replacement on County Highway N, which extends from the western end of Walworth Street, is now expected to continue through October 31. Originally this project was planned to be completed by August 31, with the completion date subsequently being delayed to September 29, October 13, and most recently, October 20.

The Banner reached out to Duane M. Jorgenson, Jr., PE, Director of Public Works for Rock County, inquiring about the factors contributing to the delay as well as the likelihood of the project being completed by October 31. His response on October 25 is provided below.

“There are a variety of factors that have challenged us in getting CTH N completed as anticipated.  They are listed below in no particular order.

• Scheduling challenges due to funding approval delay early in the year
• Staffing challenges
• Challenges with through traffic trying to use a closed road
• Equipment breakdowns
• Challenges with acquiring material – Plant breakdowns
• Late season weather implications
• Loss of partial days due to excessive heat and air quality issues due to Canadian smoke.

All of these items combined, in conjunction with when they affected the project, have contributed to the delays with the project.  We have attempted to counter these items, to the extent we could, in an effort to get this project completed in a timely manner.

The remaining item to complete is the pavement marking.  This work has started, but the weather has posed problems in getting this completed.  With rain anticipated most of the rest of this week and cold temps anticipated next week, I am hopeful that we can find a window that is dry and warm enough to complete the work and can get it open by October 31, but it is hard to tell if this will happen or not.”

The following additional note was received later from Mr. Jorgenson:

“The centerline did get striped yesterday [Oct. 24.]  There was discussion about opening it up, however based on standard requirements of the Manual of Uniform Control Devices (MUTCD), with the volume of traffic we need to have the edge lines installed prior to opening.

These are tentatively planned for Saturday, but they will not be able to get all of it done due to the volume of paint needed is more than they can cover in a day this time of year.  They are looking to wrap up on Monday.  This is all weather dependent, but I am still hoping to be open on Monday or Tuesday next week.”

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Meanwhile, the state Department of Transportation website still projects that the Highway 12 reconstruction between Whitewater and Fort Atkinson is anticipated to be completed on November 3. Originally it was indicated that work might be continuing until sometime in December.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Esmoth from Pixabay.

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

Willie Hearn, age 69, of 370 N. Tratt St., #124 was convicted on October 24 of two felony and four misdemeanor counts arising from the robbery of the BP Station, 1138 W. Main Street in Whitewater on May 19, 2023. The felonies were Armed Robbery with Threat of Force and Possession of Cocaine/Coca (2nd+). The misdemeanors were two counts of Resisting or Obstructing an Officer, Disorderly Conduct, and Possess Drug Paraphernalia.

Judge David M. Reddy presided over the trial. Mackenzie Renner represented Hearn, and Attorney Andrew Herrmann, the State of Wisconsin. As the two day trial began, attorney Renner indicated that his client was willing to plead guilty to simple robbery, an offer that was not accepted.

According to Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, the 12 person jury deliberated for approximately an hour before returning guilty verdicts on all six charges.

The sentencing hearing was scheduled for December 20, 2023. The most serious charge, Armed Robbery with Threat of Force, is a Class C felony, which alone is punishable by up to 40 years of confinement, a $100,000 fine or both.

Editor’s note: Earlier reports on the Banner regarding this incident:

Whitewater Police Make Arrest in BP Station Robbery, May 19, 2023

Whitewater Resident Charged with Armed Robbery, May 22, 2023

My name is Brian Schanen, and I am announcing my intent to run for City of Whitewater Council District 4 in the Spring 2024 election.  The actions of certain members of the common council over the last few months have demonstrated that they are more interested in the interests of a few, over the interests of the hardworking taxpayers of Whitewater.  I have become alarmed by the actions of certain members of the council as they attempt to waste taxpayer dollars, and city employee time, to handle differences in personality versus the substantive issues facing our community.

Over the last year, because of the hard work of our city employees, Whitewater has seen more development than it had for many years prior including creation of the first strategic plan** in recent history and a 1.9 million dollar grant to increase affordable housing that is, by design, owner occupied. After the past week, it is clear that this progress has been in spite of council members, instead of in concert with. City employees should be commended for their hard work.

As I establish my campaign I will listen to the members of the community and what is important to you. It is long past due that the city council works for the community it serves.

The city sits on the brink of doing some incredible things. The attacks on the city manager, city employees, and city residents must stop, or we risk losing far more than just a city manager. Our reputation among neighboring communities will tumble, there will be more turnover, and City Council meetings will be far more divided. Additionally, the city’s budget still sits in a precarious position, and spending dollars we do not have, or have not budgeted, is a recipe for disaster.

I am running to celebrate the amazing things this city has, and its bright future. This means supporting our city employees, making sound, strategic and financial decisions, expanding our tax base to ease the burden on taxpayers, and being laser focused on implementing the city’s strategic plan.

When you see my name, Brian Schanen, on the ballot next spring, please vote for me.

**The Strategic Plan (Passed on June 6, 2023)

1.       Incentivize development of single-family homes
2.       Find ways to communicate without a newspaper (to a wide variety of constituents)
3.       Support a thriving business community.
4.       Improve and communicate recruitment and retention efforts.
5.       Prioritize expenditures with available resources.