News

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

Whitewater residents and visitors have already endured two construction-related highway closures this season, and this past week brought the announcement of yet another. Highway 12 from Whitewater to Fort Atkinson has been closed since March, and is not anticipated to reopen until close to the end of the year. Highway 89 to Richmond was shut down beginning May 1, with projected completion by midsummer; however, the beautifully resurfaced road has already reopened. Now the Rock County Public Works Department has announced that the portion of County Highway N which extends from the western end of Walworth Street will be closed beginning Wednesday, July 5 until August 31 for paving and culvert replacement.

It does remind one of the old adage, “Wisconsin has two seasons: winter and road construction.” One social media commenter was moved to adapt the old Eagles song, Hotel California, by saying, in Whitewater “you can check out but you can never leave.”

Shown above is the official detour to/from Whitewater, which is described as follows:
Eastbound USH 26 to STH 59 to STH 89 to USH 12
Westbound USH 12 to STH 89 to STH 59 to USH 26

Commuters who normally take County N to access I-39/90 to Madison will be relieved to find that the construction zone ends just east of STH 26, so they will be able to use the on/off ramps there in order to finally get on N for a short ride to Newville.

Regarding the east end of the construction zone, Duane Jorgenson, Rock County Director of Public Works, confirmed to The Banner that he expects that the intersection of N and County Line Road will remain open. Jorgenson also stated that local traffic will be maintained, sometimes with a single lane, for access to businesses and residences within the construction zone. The Postal Service has been appraised of the work, and it is anticipated that, perhaps with rare exception, mailboxes will still be accessible. Contact has also been made with the emergency services providers. Through traffic will not be permitted, and violators may be subject to being cited.

The following area students have been named to the Dean’s List at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for the spring semester of the 2022-23 academic year, ending May 2023.

Qualification for the Dean’s List is limited to students who have attained outstanding academic achievement. To be eligible, students must have earned not less than a 3.5 semester grade point average and carried a minimum of 12 credits. 

UW-La Crosse, founded in 1909, is one of the 13 four-year institutions in the University of Wisconsin System. UWL has more than 10,400 full and part-time students enrolled in 101 undergraduate, 28 graduate and two doctoral academic programs.

UW-La Crosse – www.uwlax.edu – is the state’s top-ranked public or private higher education institution by U.S. News & World Reports for master’s degree institutions and has been ranked among the top four Midwestern public institutions for more than a decade.

Students on the Dean’s List from the Whitewater area include:

Bryce Hibbs, Communication Studies Major: Organizational and Professional Communication Emphasis
 Josie Hintz, Finance Major
 Connor Sharlow, Radiologic Science Major: Radiation Therapy Emphasis
 Catherine Skindingsrude, Biology Major
 Celine Zahn, Therapeutic Recreation Major

City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda
Cravath Lake Front Room
312 Whitewater Street, Whitewater, WI 53190

Notice of the Whitewater Unified School District
Jul 01, 2023 – Members of the Whitewater Unified School District Board May Attend Social Events or District Sponsored Events and Activities Throughout the 2023-2024 School Year

Public notice is hereby given that some members of the Whitewater Unified School District Board may on occasion attend social events or district-sponsored events and activities in support of staff and students of the school district. No formal meeting of the Board will take place and no official action will be taken by the Board. A quorum of the Board may be present.

Further information may be found on the festival’s Facebook page.

The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) exhibition officially opens on Saturday, July 1. The photographs in the show will be displayed on the walls of the gallery and, concurrently, in an online virtual display that will appear on the WAA website.

An opening reception featuring the presentation of awards and discussion of the outstanding photographs will be held Sunday, July 2 at 1:00 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center–402 West Main Street–where light refreshments will be served. Voting for Viewer’s Choice will continue throughout the run of the exhibition and its winner will be announced Sunday, July 30.

Admission to the exhibition and its reception are free of charge, open to the public, and all are invited. The gallery is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. (Noon) to 4:00 p.m. and the website is open 24/7. The show runs from Saturday, July 1 through Sunday, July 30.

Current information, as well as a brief history on Fran Achen, can be found at
https://www.whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2023.

It’s time once again for #flashbackfriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This week’s image is a great photo of the 2002 Fourth of July parade taken by Dan Sable. This is a great four-horse hitch.

We hope you all come out for the 4th parade on Tuesday, and by the way, stop in to the Whitewater Historical Society’s depot museum. We have extra hours on Saturday (during the car show) 2-6, Sunday, 1-4, and Tuesday, the 4th from 11-3.

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

Photo from the Dan Sable Collection, Whitewater Historical Society.

Update 7/1/23 @ 11 a.m. – Photos by Tom Ganser of demolition added

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

The Whitewater Quick Lube and car wash that has been located for decades in front of Walmart has been demolished in preparation for the construction of a Starbucks.

Chris Bennett, city neighborhood services director, told The Banner that the city issued a demolition permit to the developer, Matt Herbeck, with that phase of the redevelopment moving forward while they wait for state-approved plans. At that time they can apply for a building permit. According to Bennett, Herbeck has expressed a desire to have blacktop in place by fall.

A previous Banner article provides more information about the development, including the Plan & Architectural Review Commission discussion regarding potential traffic impacts.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Public Library.

Click here to register.

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Household Sale
James Davis
860 Burr Oak Trail (near the intersection of Fremont St. & County U)
Prairie Village
Whitewater, WI 53190

Saturday, July 1st 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 2nd 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

*Numbers issued 1 hour prior to sale on Saturday and ½ hour prior to sale on Sunday*(Numbers are used to control number of people in the house.)

Glassware: Pyrex, Corning ware, Press Glass, Cut Glass, English Johnson Brothers Soup Tureen, Cranberry, Lead Crystal, Nikko 8 Place Setting Plus Serving Pieces – “Dena” Pattern – Microwaveable & Dishwasher Safe, Bavarian, Nippon, Limoges, Lenox

Furniture: Flex steel Sofa, Chair/Ottoman, Dining Table & 6 Chairs, Roll top Desk, End Tables, Bookcase, Hutch, Serving Cart, Reed Chair/Ottoman, Kitchen Cupboard, Entertainment Center, Table & Floor Lamps, Bauhaus Sofa, American Drew 5 Piece Bedroom Set/King Size Bed, Stiffel Lamp, Umbrella Stand

Household Items: C.L. Peterson Prints, George Sumner Prints, Jose F.M. Arentz Print, JVC Compact Disc Player, Step Stool, Small Kitchen Appliances, Small T.V., Linens, Local Whitewater Prints, Usual Kitchen Items

Garage & Outdoor Items: Shop Vac, Work Bench, Garden Tools, Patio Set/Umbrella, Lawn Chairs, Garden Cart, Hose Reel, Step Ladder, Wrought Iron Table & Bench, Handy Andy Work Bench, Storage Racks, and much much more

All Sales Final · No Refunds · Cash · Sold in “As Is” Condition
No Early Sales · Not Responsible for Accidents
Please bring help and tools for removing your items on the day of purchase – our staff is unable to lift or load items.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #206 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Fri., June 30, 2023, in honor of Private First Class Clinton P. Koloski, who lost his life conducting combat patrol near Obermuhlthal, France, during World War II and whose remains have been identified and returned to Wisconsin for burial. “We are glad to welcome Private First Class Koloski home so that he can finally be honored and laid to rest in his home state,” said Gov. Evers. “Private First Class Koloski gave his life in defense of the values and freedoms we hold most dear, and on behalf of the state, we are forever grateful for his service, selflessness, and sacrifice.” On January 14, 1945, United States Army Private First Class Clinton P. Koloski of City Point, assigned to Company A, 36th Engineer Combat Regiment, was killed conducting combat patrol near Obermuhlthal, France, during World War II. After the war, remains were recovered from the area where Private First Class Koloski was lost but could not be identified due to technology limitations at the time and were interred at Rhône American Cemetery in France. In 2006 and 2007, Private First Class Koloski’s identification tags were found near Obermuhlthal, and in 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency excavated the site but found no further remains, and the unknown remains interred at Rhône American Cemetery were later exhumed and identified as Private First Class Koloski’s.  Private First Class Clinton P. Koloski will be buried in Beloit on Fri., June 30, 2023.