News

Editor’s note: This article and photos were provided courtesy of Liesl Schultz Hying.

Colorful picture books that document and share the journey of each season of the Lincoln Elementary Growing and Learning Garden are now in the Irvin. L Young Memorial Public Library in Whitewater. The books are on the top shelf in the Whitewater Room with the local youth collection.  In May, they will be a part of the gardening display in the library. 

The  garden books feature the students, families and community members tending to the school garden over the past eight years!  From the very first seeds planted in the spring, to sunflowers reaching high for the sky to harvesting and tasting tomatoes during recess in September, so much happens in a season of a school garden. 

2023 will be Season #9 for the Lincoln School Garden. This week, seeds that can endure the cooler soil and air temperatures will be planted in the school garden. Spinach, lettuce, radishes and more! Then by the end of May, students will be able to taste the food they planted and have tended to. 

School gardens encourage healthy eating, connect students to where food comes from, enrich school curriculum, build community and foster inquiry about the natural world around us. Life-long, healthy habits are being learned, hands-on, sensory-enriched learning is happening every day and having great pride for a project all happens in this garden and nature space.  

Big thank you to W3 -Working for Whitewater’s Wellness for funding these books for the public library. 

Two copies of each book are also in the Lincoln school library for students and staff to check out. These books were funded by the Lincoln Family Teacher Partnership group. 

Helping hands are always needed in the school garden. To get involved with the school garden project, please email LINCSgarden@gmail.com.

League of Women Voters -Whitewater Book Club Meeting #3: Central America’s Forgotten History: Revolution, Violence, and the Roots of Migration by Aviva Chomsky

Part III of our spring book club– Killing Hope of Central America’s Forgotten History will be discussed in person at our final book group meeting on Thursday, April 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Deb Gamble’s home, N7631 Pine Knoll Drive, Whitewater.

This final time together will also be an excellent occasion to discuss our comprehension of our new neighbors. We hope to see you and look forward to your ideas about a subject to pursue this summer. This event is open to the public; all are welcome.

You do not have to have read the book or have been to the two previous meetings to benefit from the discussion. We need your insight as well. Please call Deb at (262)853-1946 or shebagam@gmail.com if you have questions or need directions.

According to a press release from the UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, the following lecture has been canceled and will be rescheduled for next year. No reason was provided for the cancelation.

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Bojana Zoric Martinez will deliver the 2023 John Kenneth Kyle Lecture at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2023 in the Summers Auditorium in the UW-Whitewater University Center. The lecture will be preceded by a reception and refreshments at 5:00 p.m. This event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Ms. Martinez is the Director of the Bureau of Refugee Programs and the Wisconsin State Refugee Coordinator. She will address the impact of the combined dynamics of government policy and support, and nonprofit service provision and advocacy, on refugees in the United States. Ms. Martinez, herself a former refugee, brings both personal and professional insights to the discussion.

John Kenneth Kyle, a 1922 UW-Whitewater alumnus, established the lecture series to bring outstanding speakers with a strong connection to Wisconsin to the UW-Whitewater campus. This year, the lecture is co-sponsored by the Department of Politics, Government, and Law and the Institute for Nonprofit Management Studies to demonstrate the connections between policy and direct service, and how government and nonprofits work together.

The City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with the Urban Forestry Commission and the Arboretum at Starin Park (AASP) to host an Arbor Day celebration and the dedication of the Generac Welcome and Education Center on Friday, April 28, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.

The event will kick off with a welcome from John Weidl, Whitewater city manager, followed by Jim Nies with the Urban Forestry Commission, a representative with Generac, and Eric Boettcher with the Parks and Recreation Department. The ribbon cutting and photos will take place around 10:20 a.m. Refreshments and the Arbor Day event will follow.

Located at the south end of the park, the 14-by-18-foot pavilion provides a space for workshops and outdoor classroom activities. The educational programs will connect youth to nature and teach the fundamentals of stewardship and ecology.

As Jim Nies, Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) member and retired educator, shares, “The new Generac Welcome and Education Center will increasingly become the gateway to the Arboretum at Starin Park. Individual visits and a variety of educational activities will all start here.”

A special thank you to Generac Power Systems for their generosity in providing grant funds for the materials to build the pavilion and the volunteers who helped construct the welcome center structure.

John Weidl, Whitewater city manager, explains, “In many ways, trees are infrastructure too. They have a life cycle, they have maintenance and replacement cost, and they are critical to the health of any community. On behalf of Whitewater, I’d like to thank Generac and the Urban Forestry Commission for their efforts on this important project.”

The Arboretum at Starin Park is a project of the Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission, a permanent subcommittee of the Whitewater Parks and Recreation Department. The Arboretum at Starin Park aims to restore the beauty, health, and diversity of the woodlands in Starin Park, enhance its role as a vital natural sanctuary, and provide educational programs.

Eric Boettcher, Parks and Recreation Director, shares, “The Starin Park Arboretum continues to develop into something our community can be proud of. This latest addition is another enhancement that will keep visitors coming back to the park. Special thanks to Generac and the Urban Forestry Commission for the continued park enhancements.”

Editor’s Note: This information was provided by the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center.

USH 12 is closed between Whitewater and Fort Atkinson for major reconstruction until approximately the end of the year, and now there’s another detour in our immediate area: STH 89 will be closed for construction work from Willis Ray Road to County A in Richmond beginning on May 1, 2023. Local traffic will be permitted. Depending on the weather, the project is anticipated to be completed by mid-summer.

Since the WI Department of Transportation rules require a detour to be posted using U.S. or state highways, the detour would take some drivers considerably out of their way. County Line Road and County Road P run mostly parallel to Hwy 89 from Whitewater to Richmond.

Photos and article by Lynn Binnie

Editor’s note: The following announcement was provided by the UW System. As was previously announced on the Banner, Dr. Artanya M. Wesley, UW-Whitewater vice chancellor for student affairs, was one of three finalists for the UW-Platteville chancellor position.

Dr. Tammy K. Evetovich, interim chancellor since June 1, 2022, has been named the 15^th Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville.

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents on April 25 unanimously approved Evetovich’s appointment, following a recommendation made by a selection committee. Evetovich will assume the leadership post immediately.

Evetovich served as the provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs at UW-Platteville beginning in May 2020. During this time, she led the university’s transition to alternative learning methods due to the COVID-19 pandemic and initiated an academic strategic plan that guides the university as it continues to provide high-quality education. From February through April 2022, she held a concurrent role as interim vice chancellor for administrative Services. Prior to joining UW-Platteville, Evetovich served in two positions at Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb., as Dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences and, prior to that, department chair of the Department of Health Human Performance and Sport.

“Tammy’s commitment to and strong leadership at UW-Platteville will be key to its future success,” said Jay Rothman, UW System President. “As we seek to grow UW-Platteville and enhance the student experience, her background and expertise will serve the UW System well.”

“As a first-generation college graduate having built a career focused on students and around rural communities, this opportunity is especially important to me personally,” Evetovich said. “The work we do at UW-Platteville changes lives, and I look forward to working together with faculty, staff, students and the communities we serve to build UW-Platteville into the best university it can be.”

“Tammy’s enthusiasm for UW-Platteville is unmatched and her commitment and passion are remarkable.,” said Regent Cris Peterson, Chair of the Search and Screen Committee. “She learns and leads, while having a firm understanding of the challenges ahead. She was the best choice amongst a set of remarkable candidates.”

“The focus on student success and community engagement that Tammy brings as incoming chancellor will serve UW-Platteville well into the future,” said Dr. Christina Curras, Vice Chair of the Search and Screen Committee and Professor and Department Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “We look forward to working with her as chancellor.”

Evetovich earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree and Ph.D in exercise physiology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

President Rothman and the Special Regent Committee for the UW-Platteville Chancellor Search recommended Evetovich to the full Board of Regents. The Committee includes Regents Peterson, Scott Beightol, Mike Jones, Rodney Pasch, and Edmund Manydeeds III.

Whitewater Unified School District – Monday @ 6:00 p.m. (Closed session); 7:00 p.m. (Open session)
Whitewater High School Library
534 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin
6:00 p.m.
Agenda: to prepare for Whitewater Education Association negotiations and discuss negotiations of Whitewater Aquatic & Fitness Center agreements
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6:00 p.m. via Zoom Online
– URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86329887532?pwd=ZDE0Q2JNbmtTemc0QXp5ZlZWOUowQT09
– Passcode: 922027
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– Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
– Webinar ID: 863 2988 7532
– Passcode: 922027
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Closed Session
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7:00 p.m. via Zoom Online Open session
Agenda (Click on “meetings” in upper right corner)
– URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85253160304?pwd=eXprdkdXOVBSZVRnTmxWRlJwT3owdz09
– Passcode: 282228
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– Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
– Webinar ID: 852 5316 0304
– Passcode: 282228

City of Whitewater Board of Review – Tuesday, 6:30 – 8:30 pm.
City of Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room
Agenda

City of Whitewater Parks & Recreation Meeting – Wednesday @ 5:30 p.m.
Agenda
City of Whitewater Municipal Building
Cravath Lakefront Room- 2nd Floor
312 W. Whitewater St.
or
Virtual Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2219259222?pwd=MmZNc3VOK3lXeVZDTjVqQ25jd1h0UT09
Meeting ID: 221 925 9222
Passcode: 47589
or
Dial 1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 221 925 9222
Passcode: 47589

Affordable Housing Public Input Session “open house” – Thursday, 4:30 -6:30 p.m.

The City of Whitewater will host an Affordable Housing Public Input Session “open house” on April 27, 2023, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building Community Room, 312 W. Whitewater Street, Whitewater, WI. This two‐hour open house will allow any person interested in discussing, reviewing, or commenting on the policy to do so.

Editor’s note: In response to our inquiry, Weidl told the Banner that approximately the first 20 minutes “will be a presentation of how the fund was developed, an explanation of the draft policy, and a recap of some of the major feedback we’ve received to this point. That will be followed by an open house style event. We also intend to livestream and record the event.”

By Brienne Diebolt-Brown
Board of Directors
Vice President, Ownership & Outreach, Grants
Whitewater Grocery Co.

Whitewater Grocery Co. incorporated in 2017 after our only grocery store closed. Local leaders had numerous talks with corporate and family-owned grocery stores and came from those meetings with the message that Whitewater wasn’t worth the investment. And we knew we could prove them wrong!

We are thrilled that together we have drummed up enough excitement to entice Aldi to take another look at our wonderful city. It’s a win for our entire community! This wouldn’t have happened without all of our hard work and the investment of almost 900 store owners. It won’t stop us from continuing our efforts to create a community-owned grocery store that supports local vendors and farmers as well as the rest of Whitewater’s merchants. 

Our local leaders knew that the community could support a grocery store, and the Whitewater Grocery Co.’s board of directors did the research to find out how to do it. The GroCo’s mission has always been to bring fresh, affordable, and local food options to town. We have worked with national experts for six years to research the needs and the buying capacity of Whitewater. We have paid for four market studies as the retail market has changed. And, we recently received a $46,300 feasibility grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to solve the problem of Whitewater’s East Side USDA [U.S. Dept. of Agriculture] Food Desert. 

Back in February, the Community Development Authority (CDA) voted to buy land near downtown Whitewater with the intention of locating Whitewater Grocery Co. along with at least one other local business in a new building on that land. The city is still a partner in this endeavor. Developing this piece of land on the east side of downtown will wipe the USDA Food Desert designation off the map and create an anchor store to help revitalize downtown businesses. We are tentatively looking at June 2024 as the day we break ground. 

Whitewater Grocery Co. is continuing to work with the City of Whitewater, the CDA, and our own feasibility firm to bring that vision to life. In the last month, we updated our own market study with the addition of an Aldi, and the market looks good. There is plenty of room for an affordable corporate grocer (that does not specialize in local and organic) on the west side of town, and a locally-owned, affordable grocer that will sell natural and organic food (with a focus on local producers and great customer service) closer to the east side of town.

As the saying goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Whitewater is a vibrant community and we know our town will benefit from a centrally located grocer with a focus on local foods.

Be on the lookout for a call of support when the City of Whitewater announces their agenda to vote on TID [Tax Increment District] financing for our future store.