News
Jefferson County Snowmobile Trails Opening on Sunday
Editor’s note: The following announcement was received from Jefferson County Parks. Future announcements this season regarding snowmobile trails will be posted in the sports section of the Banner.
All Jefferson County Snowmobile Trails will open at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow Sunday, January 29, 2023
This includes all County Trails – both north and south.
Some trails may be closed due to open water.
Plowed fields may be rough.
Please ride safely.
Please stay on the marked trails and obey all signage.
Please call the Snowmobile Alliance 24-hour Hotline at 920-699-SNOW (7669) daily for current information. Snowmobile trails in adjoining counties may be closed. Trail users should check with each county to determine trail status.
This Week’s City & School Board Meetings
Whitewater Unified School District School Board – Special Meeting – Monday @ 7:00 p.m.
Agenda (click on “meetings” in upper right corner): Create and Assign Members to WAC Negotiations Ad Hoc Committee, followed by closed session to discuss negotiations for Whitewater Aquatic & Fitness Center agreements
Whitewater Unified School District Central Office
William D. Kyle Board Room
419 South Elizabeth Street
7:00 p.m. via Zoom Online
– Passcode: 428869
- Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
- Webinar ID: 865 6734 6228
– Passcode: 428869
City of Whitewater Finance Committee – Tuesday @ 4:30 p.m.
Agenda includes conventional water case update
City of Whitewater Municipal Building
City Managers Conference Room – 2nd Floor
312 W. Whitewater St.
This is a blended meeting. Please join meeting in person or from your computer, tablet or
smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/124665565
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (571) 317-3112
Access Code: 124-665-565
City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda
Cravath Lakefront Room
312 Whitewater Street
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/759915245
You can also dial in using your phone.
1 (872) 240-3311
Access Code:
759-915-245
Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://meet.goto.com/install
Mind Over Matter: Healthy Bowels, Healthy Bladder Program
Editor’s note: The following news release was received from the ADRC of Walworth County.
ADRC of Walworth County Offers Mind over Matter Program Aimed at Reducing Incontinence in Women Over 50
Half of all women age 50 or older will experience incontinence at some point in
their lives. The Mind over Matter: Healthy Bowels, Healthy Bladder program, offered by the Walworth
County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), is a small group, community-based program
that has been proven to improve bladder symptoms for 71 percent of participants and bowel symptoms
for over 55 percent.
In three, two-hour sessions, held every other week for one month, Mind over Matter gives participants
strategies for reducing incontinence. This interactive workshop is led by a trained female facilitator and
is designed specifically for women ages 50 or older who live independently, have experienced
bladder/bowel issues, or are interested in preventing them. Participants can expect to leave with an
understanding of how muscles work and exercises that can reduce incontinence. Participants will build
confidence through goal setting and know when to seek the expertise of a health professional.
Mind over Matter will be held in the Kettle Moraine Trail room on Mondays, February 13 through
March 13, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Walworth County Health and Human Services Building, 1910
County Road NN, Elkhorn. The workshop has a suggested donation of $10.
For questions, or to register for the program, contact Chetney Blaszczyk RDN, CD at (262) 741-3309.
About the ADRC of Walworth County: The ADRC provides information and assistance to older and
disabled adults, their friends, family, caregivers, and the public. We can assist by evaluating your current
needs and providing options available to meet the needs of your situation. Learn more at
www.co.walworth.wi.us/376/Aging-Disability-Resource-Center.
Weather Service: 2-4″ more snow expected through Saturday night
According to a National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office release at 6:40 p.m. on Saturday, “Snow continues to stream in from the south and west bringing with it another round of accumulations. Snowfall rates around 0.5 to 1.0 inches per hour are expected at times with visibility of a mile or less. Snow will gradually end from west to east late tonight into Sunday morning.” Snow in the Whitewater area is still expected to end between 6-8 a.m. on Sunday.
Updated at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday
Sports Journalist Kevin Blackistone to Speak at UW-W Feb. 2 Regarding Documentary “Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting” Shown Feb. 1
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Arts and Communication.
The College of Arts and Communication at UW-Whitewater announces the residency of sports journalist Kevin Blackistone to take place Feb. 1 and 2 with events open to the public. Blackistone is a longtime national sports columnist now at The Washington Post, a panelist on ESPN’s “Around the Horn,” and a contributor to National Public Radio.
Join Kevin Blackistone, co-producer, for a free screening of “Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting” from 7 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1 in Young Auditorium. After the screening, stay for a Q&A with Mr. Blackistone. This documentary examines the movement that is ending the use of Native American names, logos, and mascots in the world of sports and beyond. The film features numerous activists and cultural commentators providing their perspectives and analyses, including award-winning columnist Suzan Shown Harjo, whose 50-year fight against the exploitation of American Indians in the sports world is used as a lens through which to investigate the history of this issue. Her work as a policy advocate, writer, curator, and human-rights activist against stereotypical Native mascots in sports, earned her a Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama.
From 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, Blackistone will draw on his extensive and storied career in sports journalism to shed light on the operations of race and racial identity in sports and the potential of athletes and sports consumers to impact much more than the game. This free lecture titled More than a Game: Racial Identity Politics and Sports is open to the public and will take place in room 275 of the James R. Connor University Center. There will be a Q&A with Blackistone following the lecture.
These events are sponsored by the UW-Whitewater College of Arts and Communication; Department of Communication; Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Support Programs; Intercollegiate Athletics; Native American Cultural Awareness Association; Native American Support Services; and PEACE (Peace, Education, Activism, through Creative Engagement).
Free tickets for the Feb. 1 film screening are available online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling 262-472-2222. No ticket is required for the Feb. 2 lecture. A parking pass is required to park on campus for the Feb. 2 event.
The College of Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater offers rigorous programs in music, theatre, dance, and the visual arts; internships; pre-professional opportunities in journalism, advertising, and applied communication; and innovative interdisciplinary studies. For more information visit uww.edu/coac.
Seniors in the Park Presents The Banshees of Inisherin
“The Banshees of Inisherin”
Tuesday, January 31, 1 p.m.
(Comedy/Drama) Rated R (Language)
1 hour, 54 minutes (2022)
On a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both. This film has been receiving many accolades for Best Actor, Supporting Actor, Screenplay and Best Film. Stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleason.
Artist Inspired by Harlem Renaissance Exhibit at Roberta’s Art Gallery
Editor’s Note: The following was provided the Roberta’s Art Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Experience works of art inspired by the unsung artists of the Harlem Renaissance with Jerry Jordan’s exhibit “Life in Light and Shadow” through February 16, with the reception on February 7. His artwork, which consists of oil on canvas, gives a different perspective of African Americans, outside of constant struggle and pain. Most of Jordan’s paintings are about freedom to be who you want to be, and they express how life is full of endless possibilities. Jordan is changing the representation of African Americans with his artwork in the realm of Contemporary Realism.
Jordan is an alumnus from UW-Whitewater with a bachelor’s degree in art and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in art education. While studying in college, Jordan noticed that African Americans were largely underrepresented in art, and after discovering the Harlem Renaissance, it gave Jordan the belief that he could be a successful artist. Jordan carries a sketchbook with him all the time. “I just never know when the inspiration will hit,” Jordan states, “A simple doodle could turn into an idea for a painting.”
Alongside his canvas paintings, Jordan is a muralist and children’s book illustrator. “Art is a part of who I am and it’s something that I always wanted to do all throughout my life,” Jordan states. “The paintings talk to me. I listen to them, and they tell me which way to go.” His murals are on display at the Madison College Goodman South Campus, at the American Family Insurance SPARK building, and at UW-Whitewater in the University Center. Jordan is currently working on illustrating three children’s books including, “Marching for the Vote: the Story of Ida B Wells and the Women’s March of 2013” by Dinah Johnson; “Unstoppable John,” a biography of Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis by Madison-based author Pat Zietlow Miller; and “Johnny Tunes and the Ganndy Dancers” by Pamela M. Tuck and Joel Tuck.
Join us for the exhibit reception on Tuesday, February 7 at 6 p.m. where we will have an artist meet-and-greet and an opportunity for audience questions. Light refreshments will be provided.
Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center at UW-Whitewater. The gallery collaborates with campus departments, student organizations and community artists in coordinating and sponsoring exhibits. In semester, hours are Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and closed Saturday and Sunday.
Roberta’s Art Gallery prides itself in all exhibits being free and open to the public. Attending certain events can earn students class credit. To be featured in Roberta’s Art Gallery, contact us for a proposal request. Reach us at ucart@uww.edu or (262) 472-3193 or visit our website for any questions or inquiries.
UW-W at Rock County Offers New Nursing Degree Program
People in southeastern Wisconsin will now have an opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing while remaining in the region.
A unique new program brings Edgewood College’s nursing program to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Rock County campus, complete with a full faculty, clinical coordination expertise, and an innovative curriculum that integrates classroom instruction with hands-on clinical and simulation experiences.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, set to launch with its initial cohort in the fall of 2023, is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Wisconsin Board of Nursing.
The program is also the product of years of looking at solutions to fill a gap in nursing education in the Rock County area.
“The area our campus serves is the largest region without a four-year nursing degree program in Wisconsin,” said Tricia Clasen, dean of the College of Integrated Studies at UW-Whitewater. “This program will allow students to study face-to-face without traveling out of the region to earn their degrees. I credit Interim Chancellor John Chenoweth, then serving as provost of UW-Whitewater, with seeing the value of this collaboration to our campus and to the community and green-lighting the program.”
A close collaboration with Edgewood College
Clasen worked to develop the program with Edgewood colleagues Quinn Mullikin, the associate dean for Graduate Nursing Programs in the School of Nursing, Business, and Health Science, and Rachel Icke, the director of graduate clinical practica and ADN-DNP programs.
“It is an incredible opportunity for Edgewood College’s Henry Predolin School of Nursing to partner with UW-Whitewater and UW-Whitewater at Rock County to bring a locally based, face-to-face bachelor’s degree in nursing program to the Janesville area,” said Mullikin. “This collaborative nursing program aligns with our mission to grow nursing as a profession by educating students to be knowledgeable, accountable, responsible, ethical, and culturally sensitive graduates who will become leaders in a changing and diverse healthcare environment.”
Both Mullikin and Icke are Elkhorn natives who know firsthand what impact the program could have on southeastern Wisconsin.
“We know that patient outcomes are better with BSN-prepared nurses,” said Icke, who works in partnership with Mullikin to coordinate the program at Edgewood. “We’ve worked hard to craft a program that allows students to stay in their communities and take advantage of the exceptional clinical opportunities available at area health care providers such as Mercyhealth, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital-Janesville, Beloit Memorial Hospital System and Rock County Public Health.”
Meeting the needs of Rock County hospitals
As Edgewood College and UW-Whitewater at Rock County partnered to develop the program, Icke reached out to colleagues at area healthcare institutions to gauge their interest in the BSN collaboration, receiving a positive response. One industry professional was Michele Demmin, system director of professional development, nursing education and programs at Mercyhealth in Janesville.
“This is a big deal for Mercyhealth,” said Demmin. “Both UW-Whitewater and Edgewood are well known and respected, and it’s exciting to see them come together to provide a local program for nursing. Right now we have three hospitals in Rock County and just one nursing program trying to staff them — the collaborative BSN program will provide additional highly trained nurses, and the entire community and region will benefit.”
As planning was underway, the program was tailored to best serve the needs of area nursing students. Classroom work will take place in three days — including two days of theoretical instruction on the Rock County campus and one day of clinical practice — allowing students to continue to work or care for family as needed. Both the theoretical instruction and the clinical practice will take place with Edgewood faculty.
“Importantly, that clinical instruction will be with nurse managers and educators at the hospitals where our graduates are likely to be hired at,” said Mullikin, citing the tendency for nursing graduates to continue to work in the area where they completed their studies.
The first class of future nurses will begin in fall 2023
Seven students are expected to make up the first cohort of the program, which will begin in the fall of 2023. The program is expected to grow in groups of seven, reflecting the number of students assigned to one faculty member at a clinical location, with the hopes of a cohort of 21 students in fall 2024 and an additional 21 students in spring 2025.
“To meet the fall 2023 needs of the initial cohort, Edgewood College is investing in the equipment and we are tailoring our current space to maximize this opportunity,” said Clasen. “To expand much beyond that and meet the program’s full potential, we hope to be able to one day provide a state-of-art lab that will allow us to grow the program and really serve the region’s needs.”
Students in the program first complete an Associate of Arts and Sciences with a pre-nursing emphasis at UW-Whitewater at Rock County and then apply for priority admission into Edgewood College’s School of Nursing, Rock County campus location. UW-Whitewater students who have already completed their AAS and have the required coursework will make up the program’s first cohort.
As of Jan. 18, Icke was excited to see three completed applications for the fall 2023 cohort. By the end of the day, all three of them had been accepted. One of those students is Karlye Smrecek, a liberal arts major from Edgerton who has been enrolled at UW-Whitewater at Rock County since 2021. She had always wanted to go into healthcare and become an R.N., and was working with an advisor on campus to consider her options when she heard about the new program from Clasen, who then connected her with Icke.
“It was a perfect moment,” said Smrecek. “They created the program right when I was ready to do it.”
The program will allow Smrecek to continue to live at home in Edgerton and work part time as a CNA in Stoughton as she studies. And, just as she already feels at home on the Rock County campus, the clinical environment will feel familiar too.
“I was born at Beloit Hospital and have been a patient at both Mercy and Dean,” said Smrecek, referring to the three hospitals the program will be partnering with. “And I picked nursing because I have doctors and nurses in my family — including my Aunt Annie, who used to bring me with her to Beloit Hospital to see what it’s like to be a nurse.”
Smrecek isn’t yet sure what she’d like to specialize in, but once she and her fellow nursing students graduate, they face a bright professional future.
Rock County nurses report an average salary of $83,720. In southeastern Wisconsin there are more than 1,500 vacancies, making nursing a high-demand field. Nationally, nursing job opportunities are expected to grow by nearly 200,000 — or 6% — in the coming decade.
For information on UW-Whitewater at Rock County’s nursing degree pathway, contact Dean Tricia Clasen at 608-898-5072 or clasenp@uww.edu. To apply to UW-Whitewater at Rock County, visit apply.wisconsin.edu/homepage.
Current UW-Whitewater or UW-Whitewater at Rock County students interested in applying to Edgewood College’s School of Nursing, Rock County campus location should contact collaborativenursing@edgewood.edu.
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Our Readers Share: Steve Watson – River Otters on Cravath Lake
Steve Watson writes, “Wednesday morning on my walk by Cravath Lake front, I noticed two otters getting their breakfast. I watched them for about 10 or 15 minutes till they moved upstream and out of sight. I think they were full.”
Our thanks to Steve Watson for sharing yet another interesting nature photo.
— 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!