News

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from Paul Kuenning, president and chief executive officer of Fairhaven Senior Services.

With the upcoming retirement on Friday, June 30th for current Marketing Director Tim Probst, I am happy to announce that the new director of marketing and community relations for Fairhaven is Brian Robinson. Brian is no stranger to Fairhaven as he is approaching his 9th year here and has created a solid leisure services program fostering many contacts throughout the surrounding communities and also at UW-Whitewater. His 18+ years working in senior living/healthcare and passion for what he does will be an asset that we look forward to tapping into with this new role. He will be overseeing the apartments, assisted living and Hearthstone levels.

Shannon Schoville will be the marketing manager for Prairie Village. Shannon has been with Fairhaven six months and shares her passion of adding to the culture of care throughout Fairhaven. She has experience with marketing and fundraising and we look forward to her adding that experience to Prairie Village. Each will also continue in their current roles, Brian as director of leisure services and Shannon as executive secretary.

Both Brian and Shannon will utilize the current Marketing Office together but can also be reached at their current office location. If needing to direct any calls related to marketing, we ask that they be sent to the Marketing Office phone at ext. 1143.

Brian Robinson may be reached at
Director of Marketing and Community Relations
robinsonb@fairhaven.org
262-473-2140 ext. 1143 Marketing Office

Shannon Schoville may be reached at:
Marketing Manager Prairie Village
schovilles@fairhaven.org
262-473-2140 ext. 1143 Marketing Office

We thank Tim for all he has done and added to the Fairhaven family and wish him the best in retirement.

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the Walworth County Health & Human Services Department.

On June 20, 2023, the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) confirmed a positive rabies test for a bat from Walworth County. This is the first rabid bat identified in the county this year. Human rabies is now rare in the United States; the last case of human rabies in Wisconsin occurred in 2010, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health
Services.

Rabies is a viral disease affecting the central nervous system. It is transmitted from infected
mammals to humans and is invariably fatal once symptoms appear. Human rabies is rare in the
United States, averaging about two to three cases per year. Although people typically acquire
rabies from the bite of an infected animal, the virus can also be transmitted by a claw scratch, or
by saliva from a rabid animal that comes in contact with an open wound or with a mucous
membrane.

For this reason, persons should be considered potentially exposed to rabies if they have had
physical contact with a bat and a bite or scratch cannot be ruled out. A common example of this
would be a cyclist who is struck by a bat while riding. Additionally, a bat that is found in the
same room as a person who cannot rule out physical contact with the animal may also constitute a potential rabies exposure. This would include a sleeping person, an unattended child or someone who is intoxicated.

Persons who sustain any animal bite or experience the type of bat exposures described above
should notify local law enforcement, humane society, family physician or health department as
soon as possible for evaluation as a possible rabies exposure.

Pet owners can help prevent rabies transmission by getting their dogs, cats, or ferrets vaccinated for rabies, even those that do not go outside. Indoor pets can still be exposed to rabid bats that find their way into living areas. Additionally, if an unvaccinated dog, cat, or ferret bites a person, the animal will be ordered into an isolation facility for a 10-day observation period—at the owner’s expense. Parents should also warn children to never handle a bat (or any other wild animal).

Keeping bats out of living areas can significantly reduce the potential for rabies exposure to
residents and their pets. Most bats enter homes and apartments through an open or loose fitting door or an attic, open unscreened window, unscreened chimney, or gaps in an outside wall, fascia, or soffit. Animal control professionals, pest control professionals and bat exclusion
professionals can be consulted to address these problems. Bat exclusion professionals, according
to Bat Conservation International, are insured and licensed in the states they serve and use
approved bat exclusion methods. For more information, visit their website at www.batcon.org.
Additional information about rabies can be obtained from the CDC’s website at
http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/ or from the Wisconsin Division of Public Health’s Rabies Fact Sheet, which can be viewed at www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p4/p42081.pdf.

For more information about bats, rabies control, reporting and treatment, please contact
Walworth County Public Health at (262) 741-3200.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the photo on the homepage by Ishan @seefromthesky on Unsplash.

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

As is shown below, the “purple” level of air quality is the second worst level, with index values between 201-300. Whitewater’s level on Tuesday, June 27 at 8 p.m. was 253. This poor air quality, as a result of the forest fires in Canada, is described as being very unhealthy. Everyone is encouraged to limit outdoor physical activity, and it is recommended that members of “sensitive groups” avoid all outdoor physical activity.

Source: https://fire.airnow.gov/

The following announcement was made by Brenda Jones, UW-W Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs, on June 26.

“University community,

I am pleased to announce that Trisha Barber has been named assistant vice chancellor for financial services. Trisha has been serving as both interim controller since 2020 and interim budget director since 2022. During that time, she has been instrumental in developing and refining the budget process to better reflect the true activities of the university. 

As assistant vice chancellor, Trisha will continue her role as primary budget officer and will provide oversight to the controller and financial services. By merging these two areas under her guidance, we will be able to provide a more comprehensive approach to developing and monitoring financial plans as we work toward eliminating our structural deficit. This new structure will result in a better management system for campus resources, allowing reinvestment back into the strategic priorities of the university. 

Please join me in congratulating Trisha on her new position.”

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

Upon hearing the news that the City of Whitewater did not have the resources to plant or water the several planter boxes in the downtown area, a group of local residents decided to help out by purchasing, donating some flower stock and doing the actual planting to make sure those flower boxes did not go empty this year.  

With the approval of Public Works Director, Brad Marquardt and Streets Superintendent, Brian Neumeister and a generous donation of gift cards from Walmart, to date, four flats of annuals have been planted in the four large boxes at Cravath Lakefront Center as well as bulbs that will put on a beautiful show of color all summer.  On Wednesday, May 10th,  the “pop-up volunteer garden club” worked on the large planter boxes at the Lakefront park as well as adding some bulbs to the boxes across from the SweetSpot.  The “crew” also began to clean up the area around the Birge Fountain on the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center grounds, planting the urns with flowers and pruning the rose bushes there.  

The first members of this group are Sherry and Al Stanek and Rick and Jeanine Fassl.  After a couple of phone calls by them, more help was found.  The Living Word Fellowship on Main Street is sponsoring the two large flower boxes in front of their church.  Fanatico’s and the SweetSpot are sponsoring the boxes in front of their restaurants.  Common Council member Dave Stone offered to keep the four boxes planted at the Lakefront Park watered for the duration of the summer.  And Tokyo Japanese Cuisine will keep the box in front of their restaurant watered this summer.  Bonnie Miller planted and donated a big beautiful pot of flowers outside of the Municipal Building and a hanging basket has also been spotted hanging on the light pole outside of K-9 Haircare!  The group was also contacted by Dawn Hunter who has planted the concrete planter located at the Prairie Tiller Mural! 

Thank you to these residents and businesses who are volunteering to help beautify areas around Whitewater for residents as well as the many visitors who come to our city!

Update, 6/27/23 @ 4:20 p.m.: Jeanine Fassl shared that “there is an additional group helping to water the four urns by the Birge Fountain in Library Park.  The Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity across from the fountain has three members: Owen Russell, Cole McIlroy, and Kendal Thomson who’ve agreed to keep those urns watered this summer.  This has truly been a community wide effort.”

Identification of photos:
First row of photos: Rick Fassl, Sherry Stanek, Al Stanek (L-R)
Photo in second row: Jeanine Fassl

William Hofmann of Whitewater has been named to the Dean’s List at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the spring semester of the 2022-23 academic year.

Hofmann, a sophomore majoring in advertising and public relations, was named to the Dean’s List for the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

More than 6,400 students at Nebraska were named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester.

Qualification for the Dean’s List varies among the eight undergraduate colleges and the Explore Center. Listed below are the minimum requirements for each entity and the name of its respective dean or director. All qualifying grade-point averages are based on a four-point scale and a minimum number of graded semester hours. Students can be on the Dean’s List for more than one college.

• College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 3.75; Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss.
• College of Architecture, 3.75; Dean Kevin G. Van Den Wymelenberg.
• College of Arts and Sciences, 3.7; Dean Mark E. Button.
• College of Business, 3.6; Dean Kathy Farrell.
• College of Education and Human Sciences, 3.75; Dean Sherri Jones.
• College of Engineering, 3.5; Dean Lance C. Perez.
• College of Journalism and Mass Communications, 3.7; Dean Shari Veil.
• Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, 3.7; Dean Andy Belser.
• Explore Center for undeclared, pre-engineering, pre-health and pre-law students, 3.6; Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Undergraduate Education Amy Goodburn.

According to the Lake Geneva Regional News, “Antonio Jermaine Statam, 36, of 300 block N Tratt St., Whitewater, has been charged with felony bail jumping and misdemeanor bail jumping. Whitewater police conducted a traffic stop on May 31 of the defendant, Statam, who at the time was on a probationary license and was required to have an ignition interlock device in his vehicle that he did not have in the car. His license was revoked due to a previous OWI charge.”

Statam’s initial appearance in Walworth County Circuit Court is scheduled for Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

This case has not been concluded. Unless a judgment of conviction is entered, the defendant is presumed innocent of all charges.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for PM2.5 which will remain in effect until noon Thursday, June 29th. This advisory affects all of southern and south central Wisconsin.

Smoke originating from Canadian wildfires will spread from north-to-south on Monday, June 26, impacting PM2.5 concentrations at the surface. We expect this situation to remain highly dynamic over the coming days and will adjust messaging as needed.

For Monday, June 26th, we expect the heaviest smoke impacts across the eastern half of the state, where the Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to be within the UNHEALTHY category but could reach the VERY UNHEALTHY category. People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and consider avoiding all 
physical outdoor activities; everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion and consider avoiding prolonged or heavy exertion.

At this time, we anticipate the eastern half of the state to see the heaviest surface smoke through the episode, with noon Tuesday through noon Wednesday currently appearing to be the timing of heaviest impact. The AQI will likely range from the UNHEALTHY to VERY UNHEALTHY categories, but we cannot rule out the possibility of the AQI reaching the HAZARDOUS category.

For more information on current air quality, please see: https://airquality.wi.gov

Griffin James, who graduated from Whitewater High School in 1999, has taken his music to new limits. When he studied piano with Esther Haight and Chris Johansen, or played euphonium with Christine Hayes and Don Deal–all reported to Griffin’s parents–Richard and Marcia James–that he had a gift. So he went on to meet his future father-in-law (his UW-Madison low-brass professor) and later get his master’s degree at Illinois State University. After directing bands in Bakersfield, California, and for Milwaukee’s Whitnall High School, Griffin and his wife Katie (also a music major) have found their home in Baraboo.

This weekend is Baraboo’s Big Top Parade. Tonight Griffin will be playing in the Circus Band on the Courthouse Square. Tomorrow night, he will put on his Lederhosen and lead his Polka Band–Big Griffy Jim’s Polka Dots–at the Al. Ringling Brewery. On Saturday, he will lead his high school band down main street with two elephants serving as the grand marshals.

Also, when Griffin was in high school, he auditioned for the Wisconsin Music Ambassadors–a group of select band students who traveled to Europe and gave concerts in several countries. Only July 6, Griffin and wife Katie–the choir director for the Wisconsin Dells Middle and High Schools–will join several other band leaders and conduct a mini camp at UW-Whitewater. They will be preparing The Wisconsin Music All Stars–80 select orchestra students–for performances in three of the six European countries that they will travel to July 9-28.

Griffin, who is president of Baraboo’s Theatre Guild, has also learned that he has been selected as the incoming Community Band Director. This is an appointment through UW-Sauk County. Griffin also recently joined the Madison Brass Band where he plays alto horn alongside his former high school band director–Don Deal.

The music continues as Griffin and Katie’s two sons play piano, saxophone, percussion, or euphonium–their parents’ main instrument. Canon and Reed will be accompanied by their Grandma–Marcia James, formerly of Whitewater–as they watch the Wisconsin All-Stars perform in Europe.

Editor’s note: Our thanks to Marcia James for submitting this article.