(Whitewater Unified School District submission) On Monday, May 10, the WUSD School Board approved the following future athletic facilities upgrades: Turf Stadium Field; Turf Varsity Baseball Field; Turf Varsity Softball Field; Tennis Court (Mill/Pulverize and Replace); Track Resurfacing; and Contribution for Future Turf Replacement.
The Whitewater Unified School District will break ground on the future turf facilities on Monday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m. on the Whitewater High School Softball Field. Members of the School Board, District Administration, Coaches, and the general contractor, Midwest Sport and Turf Systems will be present to celebrate this event. The public is invited to attend the event.
The project is scheduled to be completed in stages throughout the summer and early fall of 2021. Superintendent, Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty said, “Our future facilities will be used with pride by our students and our community. This project will benefit our community for years to come. Thank you for your advocacy and support for the Whitewater Unified School District.”
Advertisement: Please see below for the auctions on Sunday, July 18: Household items auction @ 10 a.m. and Real estate auction (ranch style home) at 2:00 p.m. For complete listings of the household auction click here. For a more complete description of the house click here.
Rummage sale Saturday only 7/17 9-4 1236 Tower Hill Pass, Whitewater Many items to include sunglasses (coach and Kate spade), Purses( coach, grace adele), pampered chef, lia shopia, scentsy and lots more.
Walworth County Treasurer, Valerie Etzel, would like to remind all Walworth County property owners that the final installment of the 2020 real estate taxes is due to the Walworth County Treasurer by July 31, 2021. Include your payment stub(s) or indicate parcel number(s) that you are paying on your check or in a separate memo so we may apply your payment(s) correctly.
Please note: The building is open to the public but masks are required if not vaccinated. The following payment options are available to property owners:
In Person: Check, cash, money order at the Walworth County Treasurer’s office, 100 W. Walworth St, Elkhorn. Office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
By Mail: Checks or money orders may be mailed to the Walworth County Treasurer, PO Box 1001, Elkhorn, WI 53121. Your mail must receive a U.S. Postmark on or before July 31, 2021. If you would like a receipt(s) mailed to you, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with your payment.
Online: https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/ (Banner note: In order to pay online, you must lookup your property on this page, click on the parcel number, select “taxes,” and click on the “pay taxes” button on the bottom of the page.) Payments accepted via electronic check, debit card, or credit card. Convenience fees for online payments are as follows:
$.25 – electronic check (echeck)
$3.50 – debit card (flat convenience fee)
2.2% – credit card (fee is charged for total amount due)
Drop Box: Payments of checks or money orders may be placed in the drop box located at the center median of the parking lot on the north side of the building.
It is important that property owners meet the July 31st deadline. If you miss the deadline, the balance on your account will be considered delinquent and subject to interest and penalty of 1.5% per monthretroactive to February 1st (10.5 %).
Specific questions may be directed to the Walworth County Treasurer’s Office. (262)741-4251; email treasurer@co.walworth.wi.us
Jefferson County residents may apparently pay their property tax at this link. Those taxes are also due on July 31.
Tom Ganser shared this photo, which was taken at Cravath Lakefront Park on June 30 at a practice for 2021 Miss Whitewater participants. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen pink clouds like this,” Tom stated.
Our thanks to Tom Ganser for sharing another of his beautiful pictures.
— 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!
By Al Stanek Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Curt Patrick, 37, of 225 S. Maple Lane in Whitewater was arrested on June 25 and has been charged with three counts of delivery of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Patrick’s name may be familiar to area residents. He has been employed as the manager of a popular downtown Whitewater tavern that will be facing a two-month suspension of its liquor license. The suspension is the result of a Whitewater Alcohol Licensing Review Committee’s recent hearing regarding what Whitewater (WW) Police Chief Aaron Raap described as a “pattern and practice” that generated an unusually high number of police involvements. One of those police contacts was a highly publicized reported physical assault of a female tavern employee by a student athlete who is no longer enrolled at the university.
The charges against Mr. Patrick were the result of a June 24 search warrant of his home by the Walworth County Sheriff’s Drug Unit. Mr. Patrick was under investigation after three alleged sales of cocaine to a Sheriff’s Drug Unit informant in May. The drug sales reportedly occurred at undisclosed locations in Whitewater. Mr. Patrick was released on a signature bond, with a preliminary hearing in his case set for August 2.
It is unclear if Mr. Patrick is still employed as the manager of the college-oriented establishment known as Pumpers & Mitchell’s. The ‘Banner’ contacted the establishment’s licensee, Gregory Condos, about Patrick’s employment status but he provided only a “No comment” response. Visits to Pumpers & Mitchell’s Facebook page on Tuesday produced a “No Longer Available” response.
In other WW Police related news Chief Raap reports a significant increase in police calls to the general area of the Super 8 Motel that has been honoring vouchers for homeless individuals in Rock and Walworth County.
“We are seeing a marked increase in police calls in the area,” said Raap. “They include panhandling, theft, attempted fraud, domestic abuse, drug overdose and Operating While Impaired (OWI) charges.”
WW Police reported a total of 48 incidents in the area of the motel between May 1 and July 11 this year. That compared with only one incident in the same time period last year and only one incident in the area the year before.
Raap stressed that the motel operator is doing nothing illegal by accepting publicly funded vouchers for housing homeless individuals. Motels can reportedly choose to honor vouchers and can limit the number of vouchers that they honor according to Raap. He says his department estimates an average of between 20 and 30 homeless rooms are purchased every day at the eastside motel under its arrangement with Community Action.
The ‘Banner’ reached out to City Manager Cameron Clapper for a comment regarding the concerns with this situation, to which he responded, “The City is very sympathetic to the needs of those participating in the voucher program. It can mean the difference between life and death for some participants. We don’t want to impede the potential good that can come from a program like this. However, the extent of placements in our community is putting stress on our resources.”
“In response to the increased calls for service and concerns voiced by neighboring businesses and residents, we reached out to Super 8. Representatives from Super 8 as well as Community Action were readily available to meet with city staff and discuss our concerns. We are hopeful that, as a result of our meeting, business practices will be put in place at Super 8 that will resolve our concerns. We will continue to closely track the demand on public safety services as well as concerns voiced by residents.”
“If newly discussed measures do not resolve the current drain on law enforcement resources and restore a sense of security for residents and businesses in the area, we may need to address these issues via municipal ordinance,” Clapper concluded.
Congratulations to Jasmine Kilar for being Whitewater Unified School District’s Reading All Star this week!! Jasmine, we are honored to have you as our Reading All Star! Keep up your love of reading!
Update 7/13/21 – Although the scooters had been scheduled to deploy on July 6, Bird rep Michael Covato, told the Banner on July 12, “Our shipping provider experienced some delays due to the additional demand following relaxed Covid restrictions. We are currently in the process of expediting the shipment to ensure the scooters arrive as quickly as possible. While I do not have an exact date at this point in time, I believe it will be sometime next week.”
Update: Michael Cavato of Bird told the Banner that the cost for using the scooters will be $1 to unlock and 39 cents per minute. He stated, “Given the geographic size and layout of Whitewater, this means that scooters can be an extremely affordable, quick, environmentally friendly, and fun way to navigate the area. In addition, we frequently put out various promotions that we hope our riders keep an eye out for in the app to receive discounts.” Also note that shown below is reduced pricing for riders with certain qualifications.
The City of Whitewater is partnering with shared electric scooter company, Bird Rides to bring e-scooters to the city on a one-year pilot program contract. The scooters are available beginning July 6th through a mobile phone application and riders pay to use the scooter per minute, at no cost to the city.
“We are happy to welcome Bird to the City of Whitewater. We look forward to having the scooters available for all residents and visitors to get around town and think it will be a nice addition to the community,” said Cameron Clapper, Whitewater City Manager.
The company plans on offering scooters to help reduce carbon emissions, as well as traffic congestion on roadways. The scooters also offer residents without automobiles another transportation option. The electric scooters can be used on roads and in bike lanes with a maximum speed of 15 mph. Scooters must be parked out of the way of pedestrians and never blocking driveways. Riders are required to be 18 years or older to access the scooters. They are also encouraged to wear a helmet on every ride and required to obey all standard rules of the road.
To use the scooters, a renter will download the Bird app to their phone and create an account they will use for each ride. Using the map in the Bird app, riders will find the closest Bird. It can be reserved up to 30 minutes in advance. To start the ride, the renter will scan the Bird’s QR code with the app, hit the throttle on the right to go and pull the brakes to slow. After the ride, renters will use the kickstand to keep the Bird upright and park it away from public pathways in an approved parking spot found in the app. The rider will submit a picture of the scooter to ensure the ride is complete and the scooter is parked.
Riders will be able to use the Community Mode allowing anyone with a Bird account to report or provide feedback on vehicle-related issues such as poorly parked or damaged vehicles in their area. Riders will be asked to provide the Bird ID number and the specific issue they are experiencing, then a Bird team member will be assigned to correct the issue. Community Mode can be accessed by tapping the yield sign on the bottom left of the Bird map.
Bird advises riders to check the app for the most up-to-date vehicle charge information, service area locations, and pricing.
For more details on how to use a Bird scooter, visit https://www.bird.co/blog/how-to-bird- beginners-guide-shared-scooter-riding/.
“Having an additional option for transportation will be very helpful for many residents,” said Clapper. “This will also be a nice option for those who are visiting the city and want a new way of getting around and enjoying what our city has to offer.”
Bird offers the following programs that are available for all who qualify:
● Community Pricing- Bird’s Community Pricing Program offers a 50% discount to low-income riders, Pell grant recipients, select local nonprofit and community organizations, veterans, and senior citizens. It’s designed to be the most inclusive micro mobility discount program available anywhere. To sign up for the Community Pricing Program, download the Bird app, create an account, and email your proof of eligibility to access@bird.co. Visit https://www.bird.co/blog/need-know-bird-expanded-community- pricing-program/ for more details. ● Free Rides for Healthcare Workers and Emergency Personnel- Bird is proud to offer free rides to healthcare workers and emergency personnel. To sign up, simply email a copy of your medical identification card along with your name and phone number to together@bird.co. Eligible riders will receive two free 30-minute rides per day for as long as it takes to help our communities to recover from this global health crisis. Visit https://www.bird.co/blog/bird-providing-free-mobility-healthcare-workers- crisis/ for details. https://www.bird.co/es/contact-us/.
By Lynn Binnie Whitewater Banner staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Edmund Manydeeds III, President of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, on July 9 appointed a 19-member Search and Screen Committee to help identify the next UW System President. Tommy Thompson has served as Interim President since July, 2020, succeeding Ray Cross, who had served as President since 2014. The committee will be chaired by Regent Vice President Karen Walsh.
Corey Saffold
A “non-traditional” UW-Whitewater (UW-W) student, Corey Saffold, who is a Regent, was named as a member of the committee. Saffold is a senior majoring in criminology. Per his LinkedIn page, he is the Director of Safety and Security for the Verona Area School District. Prior to his role with the district, Saffold served as a City of Madison Police Officer for a decade.
Dr. Artanya Wesley
Also named to the committee is Dr. Artanya Wesley, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at UW-W since July 2019. Previously she served as Dean of Students beginning in 2016. Prior to arriving at UW-W, she served as Senior Academic Planner for Student Affairs at UW System Administration and Dean of Students at UW-Platteville. She has worked in higher education specifically in student affairs for the past 13 years.
Other members of the committee are:
Warren Anderson, Senior Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer, UW System
Robert Atwell, Regent
Rebecca Blank, Chancellor, UW-Madison
Amy Blumenfeld Bogost, Regent
Johannes Britz, Provost, UW-Milwaukee
Michael Falbo, Regent President Emeritus
Deborah Ford, Chancellor, UW-Parkside
Rob Manzke, Chief of Staff, Chancellor’s Office, UW-Stevens Point
Sabrina Mueller-Spitz, Associate Professor of Biology, UW Oshkosh
Geoffrey Peterson, Professor of Political Science and American Indian Studies, UW-Eau Claire
Dr. Ashok Rai, Regent
Glendali Rodriguez, Interim Provost, UW-Stout
Paul Shain, Vice Chair, Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, and President/CEO, Singlewire Software, LLC
Jon Shelton, Associate Professor, and Chair, Democracy and Justice Studies, UW-Green Bay
Dennis Shields, Chancellor, UW-Platteville
Olivia Woodmansee, Regent Emeritus and Student, UW-La Crosse
“President Thompson has reminded us of the power of the Wisconsin Idea,” said Manydeeds. “We saw this during the height of the pandemic, when we opened campuses to community testing and vaccinations. Our next president should keep that focus while meeting the many challenges ahead.”
“We are grateful for the leadership of President Thompson, who provided exemplary guidance during the pandemic and has positioned us for future success,“ Walsh said. “I’ve often said that the next UW System president is watching us, and our progress during Covid-19 will no doubt be noticed by potential candidates.”
According to a press release, the Committee is expected to convene in August, when Manydeeds will charge the Committee with its mission, review search procedures, and begin the national search. The Committee will schedule listening sessions at UW System’s 13 universities in September, when additional faculty, staff, and students will be invited to participate.
A subcommittee will review and suggest needed changes to the prospectus that was developed for the presidential search that fell apart in June, 2021 when the only finalist, University of Alaska System president Jim Johnsen, withdrew his name from consideration on the same day the search committee planned to meet and seemed likely to recommend his hiring to the Board of Regents. The search had been controversial from the start when the previous Board of Regents President, Drew Petersen, named no faculty or staff members to the search committee, a break from tradition. That committee had only nine members, six of whom were active or emeritus Regents in addition to two chancellors and a provost.
The Search and Screen Committee will engage the assistance of a national search firm to identify and screen candidates. The Committee will determine and interview candidates; a Special Regent Committee to review finalists will be appointed later in the fall. The successful candidate will require the approval of the full Board of Regents.
First United Methodist Church (photos courtesy of Tom Ganser)
(Local) Bresser Family was introduced at a worship service at Cravath Lakefront Park on July 3, 2011. (Henry, on left, a WHS ’20 grad!)
Susan Bresser receiving her WUL Hometown Hero Award
Pastor Susan Bresser has been appointed to First United Methodist Church in Waukesha beginning August 1.
Please join us at 9 a.m. at FUMC, 145 S. Prairie St., Whitewater, for worship and then stay for a reception, starting at about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 18.
We at First United Methodist Church have been privileged to have Pastor Susan for the past 10 years where she has worked hard for all of the Whitewater Area Regional Ministry.
You are also welcome to attend Pastor Susan’s final worship service, which will include a “Releasing Prayer,” on Sunday, July 25.
