News

Iron Pour Returns to WI Makers Saturday

During the 2022 iron pour, members of the public scratch their designs on sand molds, which later were filled with molten iron. (Submitted photos from April 2022 event)
Members of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater “pour team” fill scratch molds with molten cast iron during the 2022 event at Wisconsin Makers.


Remember that Wisconsin Makers is hosting its sixth annual iron pour this Saturday, April 15.

The public is invited to this family-friendly event at the regional makerspace, located at 200 E. Clay St. in Whitewater.

Spectators are welcome to watch the “pour team” — Teresa “Tree” Lind, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater lecturer of art and design, and her students and alumni — melt cast iron in an outdoor furnace and then fill sand scratch molds with the liquid metal.

Those wishing to make their own casting may buy a scratch mold square to personalize with their design that day, starting at 9 a.m.

The per-person cost is $25 ($15 for Wisconsin Makers members). Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each scratch mold must be completed no later than 11:15 a.m.

After the sand mold is removed, cast-iron
squares cool down before grinding and heading
home with their creators.

At noon, Lind and her team will begin pouring the cast iron into the molds. They will present the completed castings to participants by mid-afternoon.

During the iron pour, brats will be available for $3, and chips and soda, for $1 each.

Wisconsin Makers is a nonprofit regional makerspace (community workshop) offering an affordable, collaborative and educational environment that inspires people of all ages to become innovators by unlocking their skills through continual experimentation and training. Work areas/equipment include: 3-D printing, laser engraving, machining, welding/fabrication, electronics, blacksmithing, woodworking, ceramics/pottery, jewelry making, arts/crafts, quilting/fabric arts, matting/framing and more.

It also is home to the Whitewater Art Club, which holds a free drawing class from 4:30 to 6 p.m. every Thursday. Taught by Michael Alvarez of Whitewater, the class is designed for all ages and abilities, and one need not have participated in past classes to attend.

For more information on the iron pour or scratch mold workshop, or to learn about the makerspace or memberships, visit Wisconsin Makers’ Facebook page at @wisconsinmakers or call Jewer at (630) 430-9498.

Motorcyclist Dies in Town of Sullivan Crash


According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded on April 12 at 6:25 p.m. to a two vehicle crash on State Highway 106 at Mehring Road in the Town of Sullivan. One vehicle is described as a motorcycle, but the type of the other vehicle is not identified in the news release.

The department indicated that their initial investigation found that when a vehicle traveling northbound on Mehring Road pulled out from the stop sign at STH 106 to go westbound it was hit by an eastbound motorcycle. Both drivers were traveling alone. The operator of the motorcycle sustained critical injuries and succumbed to those injuries at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle had minor injuries.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Rome and Sullivan Fire. Jefferson EMS and Jefferson County Emergency Communications for traffic control.

There was no indication of any citations being issued, and the names of the persons involved were not released. The incident is being investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Our Readers Share: Tom Ganser – Two Spring Surprises

Tom Ganser writes, “Totally unexpected but fun early spring surprises.  No. 1 would have been enough, but then seeing No. 2 on walk through campus with [my dog] Max was frosting on the cake.”

Easter Sunday, April 9 @ 4:30 p.m. – “Spring Surprise #1”
April 9, 5:30 p.m.
“Spring Surprise #2” – on UW-W Campus

Our thanks to Tom Ganser for sharing these beautiful spring surprises.

— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share.  Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com or click on “submit a story” near the top right of our homepage.  Thanks for thinking about this!

Appreciation of Young Artists at CAC During April

Appreciation of Young Artists at the CAC during April 2023

Students between the ages of 4-18 from the Whitewater Unified School District (WUSD) will be on display at the Cultural Arts Center (CAC)—402 W. Main St. Whitewater, WI –from April 13 to 30, 2023. Due to the vast number of pieces, the exhibition will be in-gallery only with a few quick overview camera shots on the Whitewater Arts Alliance website. The gallery hours are Thursdays thru Sundays, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

With new coordinators taking over the show, the Art Walk from last year will instead be a musical reception day with performances as follows:

  • 1:00 – 1:30 Lincoln World Drumming Ensemble – Christine Hayes, Teacher
  • 1:30-2:00 WUSD String Ensemble – Patricia Nielsen, Teacher
  • 2:00-2:30 WHS Choral Students – Karen Tordera, Teacher

Reception will be Saturday, April 15 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Light food and drinks will be provided.

The exhibition will include visual two-dimensional artwork by students from area schools. The teachers displaying the artwork are: Sara Brautigam (Lakeview), Sarah Heyer (Middle School), Crystal Gill (High School), Justin Mane (Washington), and Sara Sixel (Lincoln).

To learn more about this show as it updates, head over to the WAA’s webpage, https://www.whitewaterarts.org/wusd-exhibition-2023.

Stories of Walt Disney and His Designers: Unexpected Career Magic

UW-Whitewater welcomes Disney historian Todd James Pierce for a presentation on Walt Disney and the talented individuals who helped him realize his vision for Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Constructing the beloved theme parks in California and Florida was an enormous task. Walt Disney needed to build a team of people with certain skills and goals in order to achieve the visual storytelling he imagined for the attractions in the parks. In many cases that meant redirecting those he hired so they could find passions and talents they didn’t realize they had. Pierce will share some of the stories behind Walt Disney and his designers as they worked together to create the theme parks that are among the most magical places on Earth.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 | Two Locations
UW-W University Center, Room 275, Whitewater | 1:00 p.m.
Hedberg Public Library, 316 S. Main St., Janesville | 6:00 p.m.

Parking may be purchased through the Passport Pay by Space app – information is available here.
Visitor parking may also be purchased online or at the kiosk behind the Visitor Information Center. See this link for information.

Editor’s note: The above news release was received from UW-Whitewater.

Donkey Basketball Fundraiser for FFA was a Success

On March 9th, the Whitewater High School FFA brought back Donkey Basketball. The community came together to not only have a great time but for something even bigger. The event became a fundraiser for two students in the Whitewater School District. The communities from near and far came to support their families and rallied together to raise $1,000 for each family.

Left to right: FFA Officers: President Heidi Sherman, Treasurer Owen Heussner, Sentinel Sterling Truesdale, Reporter Katie Gillette, Secretary Emily Schmidt, Vice President Eloise Rohloff, and FFA Advisor Mr. Paul Majors. Accepting checks on behalf of the families are Whitewater High School staff members (L to R) Mrs. Chelsea Luebke and Mrs. Camden Harlan

Submitted by Whitewater FFA Reporter, Katie Gillette

Schimming Named District 6 Head Coach of the Year by WWCA

This past week Whitewater High School Wrestling Coach John Schimming was recognized by the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaching Association (WWCA) as District 6 Head Coach of the Year.

Words from Coach Paul Majors:
Coach Schimming has put together a program that emphasizes the total young person. Both young male and female wrestlers join the program because they want to give it a try. We truly believe they stay with the program because Whitewater High School Wrestling is all about developing not just the wrestler in youth but the whole person. Many times over the years, we’ve heard youth talk about how Coach Schimming has been the person in their lives who really went to bat for them and who is the closest thing to a father they’ve ever had. This year we had nearly 50 wrestlers in our program and that is amazing for a district with about 600 students in the high school. As someone who has volunteered in our program for nearly 20 years, I see firsthand some of the vast time and effort he puts into this program to serve youth. And I only see the part which occurs at school. I know there are countless other hours he dedicates to helping these youth succeed. His wife and kids even help with the program as well. 

Congratulations to Coach Schimming on a very well-deserved recognition.

Article and Image Submitted by Juan Gomez
Whitewater High School Assistant Wrestling Coach
jgomez@wwusd.org

ALDI Has Submitted Plans for a Grocery Store

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the City of Whitewater on April 11.

ALDI has submitted plans to the City of Whitewater for a 20,000 square foot grocery store on the west side.  

Since 1976, ALDI’s number one priority has been to deliver great quality food at the lowest possible prices. ALDI is committed to making a difference in the communities they serve by offering market-leading wages and benefits for employees, using environmentally friendly building materials and stores to promote sustainability, and giving back to the community through product and financial donations.  

The ALDI proposed location is the current site of Hawk Bowl and Hawk Apartments at 1380 and 1398 West Main Street. The property is zoned B-1 and does not need to be rezoned. The Pinnacle Engineering Group in Brookfield, which is working on behalf of ALDI, submitted plans for a grocery store on the site on April 10. 

Chris Bennett, Neighborhood Services Director, shares, “Bringing a grocery store into town is long overdue. It is exciting to see it finally happening in Whitewater. A devoted standalone grocery store will be an asset to the community.”  

The developer is proposing to demolish the existing structures, clean up the site, install stormwater and other utilities, and create two developable pads. The eastern pad will result in a 20,000 square foot ALDI store and, as proposed, the other developed pad on the west side will be retained by the original property owners for future development opportunities.  

The City of Whitewater’s Plan & Architectural Review Commission (PARC) will conduct site plan review at their next meeting on May 8, 2023, and render its verdict. The site plan review is the only procedural matter ALDI must go through to receive clearance to build. Chris Bennett, Neighborhood Services Director, further explains, “During site plan review members of the Plan Commission will examine the proposed building for architectural integrity – it looks good and as it should – and ensure that landscaping, traffic, lighting, parking, street access and other factors are in line with city ordinance.” 

Once PARC renders its verdict and accepts the ALDI design, then ALDI representatives will apply for building permits. Also, the City of Whitewater staff will begin working with the developer to outline an agreement to resolve the environmental contamination (asbestos) and redevelopment of the site. This agreement would then need to be vetted and approved by the Common Council, most likely in May or June.  

The internal review by city staff will continue throughout the building process, with engineers and public works personnel ensuring the building and site are constructed in compliance with the city code. The ALDI plans are available for review on the second floor of the municipal building at the Public Works/Neighborhood Services counter. 

John Weidl, Whitewater City Manager, shares, “Staff is unanimously supportive of this project for its immediate impact providing vital access to affordable food and long-term investment in the new tax base and jobs for the community.” 

Creating an Empowered University – Conversations with Dr. Freemann A. Hrabowski III – Wednesday

In collaboration with the Tommy Thompson Center on Public Leadership, UW-Whitewater is honored to welcome Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, former President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), to campus for a conversation about higher education and how university communities support academic success by cultivating an empowering institutional culture. Dr. Hrabowski is considered one of the nation’s most distinguished leaders in higher education. In 2012 he was selected by President Obama to chair the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. He has been named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.”

In 2022, Dr. Hrabowski was elected to the National Academy of Engineering and he was also named the inaugural ACE Centennial Fellow, to be served upon his retirement from UMBC. In addition, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) launched the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program ($1.5 billion) to help build a scientific workforce that more fully reflects our increasingly diverse country. In October 2022, he was named the inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture Speaker by Harvard University. The National Academy of Sciences Public Welfare Medal, the Academy’s most prestigious award, will be presented to him on April 30 for his extraordinary use of science for the public good.

Wednesday, April 12, 2023 | 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Young Auditorium – UW-Whitewater

Further information about the event is found here. https://www.uww.edu/ce/academiccommunityhrabowski
Live streaming will be available shortly before 3:00 p.m. Use the above link for information. This event will not be recorded.

Registration is not required for in-person attendance, but encouraged, Registrations accepted online until Wednesday, April 12, 2023. See the link above. Your registration ticket placed in your car front window will serve as a free parking pass in lots 1 or 2.

Parking may also be purchased through the Passport Pay by Space app – information is available here.
Visitor parking may also be purchased online or at the kiosk behind the Visitor Information Center. See this link for information.