News

MADISON, Wis., Aug. 6 —The University of Wisconsin System will employ a robust COVID-19 testing regimen during the fall 2020 semester, thanks to an allocation of approximately $32 million from the office of Gov. Tony Evers. The funding, originally delivered from the federal CARES Act, includes nearly $18 million for testing more than 350,000 students and $6 million for personal protective equipment associated with testing.

“Funding from the governor’s office and the federal government will help us provide the kind of testing we need at our universities when students return this fall,” said UW System President Tommy Thompson. “Students and families can be confident in this testing program.”

The testing program is another step being taken by the UW System to mitigate risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. The UW System Board of Regents has previously required that students, faculty, and staff will be required to wear facemasks in classrooms, residence halls, and other buildings.

The funding announced today enables the UW System to implement strong testing measures. 

Excluding UW-Madison, it will allow for:

• Testing of up to 34,000 students who show COVID-19 symptoms, similar to tests now being administered in medical and community settings. Approximately 28,000 tests will be distributed to universities and about 6,000 will be held in reserve by the UW System for future allocation.
• An additional 317,000 tests for students living in residence halls, given every two weeks with a rapid turnaround of results, and for close contacts of symptomatic students.
• Optional flu testing.
• Up to 52 staff located at the universities to assist with testing.

UW-Madison has already announced a testing plan, with $8 million allocated by the governor’s office. The plan announced today applies to the other 12 UW System universities.

Under the plan, testing would be conducted by university student health services offices and local health partners. Those local partners continue to be identified.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said this week that universities can welcome students back on campus so long as sufficient safety protocols and testing are in place.

“We have been following the guidance offered by my friend Dr. Fauci and other experts and believe we are on track for on-campus instruction,” Thompson said. “Our mask-wearing requirement will help prevent the spread of the virus while our testing program will help identify cases and help contain them.”

Thompson said universities are also working closely with their local public health departments to monitor trends in their communities and to discuss contact tracing. And he said the UW System continues to develop a case dashboard for public reporting of cases within the System.

submitted by Tom Ganser

Above are photos I took yesterday of Whitewater city workers on the project to apply hot asphalt to cracks in North Esterly Avenue.

Strikes me as a simple but nice example of a normal process in a very non-normal pandemic world.

Banner Staff would add that City of Whitewater Public Works crews have been sealing asphalt cracks in public lots and several streets recently as a part of the overall maintenance plan for city streets.

By Lisa Dawsey Smith
Whitewater Banner staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

During the week of August 17, the WI Department of Transportation contractors will be finishing up the improvements at Walworth Avenue and Highway 12. As a result, intermittently during the week, there will be lane closures for traffic on Walworth Ave. At times through traffic will be diverted into the left turn lanes. If you’re traveling that way, you will be able to follow your usual route; just proceed with caution.

In addition to the flashing yellow turn lights that were installed last year, there is now a solid yellow turn light in all four directions that seems to precede the green light for the oncoming traffic.

August 11, 2020

JANESVILLE, Wisconsin – The Badger Chordhawks Chorus announced today the sole recipient chosen for their $2,000 Vocal Scholarship.  Since 1955, the Badger Chordhawks Vocal Scholarship has helped countless area high school students make music a part of their college studies.  Recognizing notable academic achievement, a passion for music, and an intention to pursue this passion in college and beyond, past recipients of this award include a who’s who of musical professionals.

“Supporting our community, our young people – the future generation of music – it goes to the very core of who we are and what we do,” said Music Director Christopher A. Smith.  “As a professional musician and former recipient of the Vocal Scholarship myself, I can attest that it is rare but absolutely vital for local organizations to invest in that future generation of music.  I am very proud to be a Chordhawk!”

This year’s Badger Chordhawks Vocal Scholarship recipient is: Lauren Harkness.  Lauren started singing at a very early age and credits her grandmother, a “beautiful singer”, as one of her strongest musical influences.  Lauren has appeared in numerous local productions including, most recently, 42^nd Street with the School District of Janesville and 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with Whitewater High School.  In 2019, she received an ‘Outstanding Lead Performance’ Jerry Award from the Overture Center and subsequently was chosen to advance to the National High School Musical Theater Awards – one of only two Wisconsin high school students to receive this honor.  A graduating senior at Whitewater High School, she will be attending UW Milwaukee this fall, majoring in Versatile Voice.

“Lauren Harkness is a talented, young musician whose ideals, accomplishments, and goals exemplify everything we look for in a Vocal Scholarship recipient,” said Chordhawks’ President George Kiskunas.  “It’s fitting that this year’s Vocal Scholarship should be presented in front of a sign that reads ‘Make Good Decisions!’ because in selecting Ms. Harkness as the recipient, I believe we did.”

Over the past 60 plus years, the Badger Chordhawks Chorus has awarded tens of thousands of dollars in Vocal Scholarships.  Funding for the Badger Chordhawks Vocal Scholarship program is raised through ticket sales from Christmas with the Chordhawks – the chorus’s annual holiday-themed concert – and through private donations.

ABOUT THE BADGER CHORDHAWKS CHORUS

The Badger Chordhawks Chorus is an all-male vocal ensemble out of Rock County, Wisconsin.  We produce two major shows every year and also sing in many more concerts and performances throughout the community at large.  Our repertoire is vast and diverse and includes everything from pop standards and African-American spirituals to Renaissance part songs and of course, classic barbershop.  Members are selected through audition and hail from across the state.

Throughout its history, hundreds of men have sung with The Badger Chordhawks Chorus.  Our former and current guest artists include notable musicians and musical acts.  For the past 60+ years, the Chorus has awarded annual scholarships to graduating high school students, pursuing an education in music.

All men who love to sing have a standing invitation to check out our rehearsals, where every night is guest night: Mondays, 7-9pm, currently held remotely via Zoom.  For more information, please visit our website at www.badgerchordhawks.com or find us on Facebook @BadgerChordhawks.

By Alison Parkins
Associate Director of Public Relations
University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Joseph Creanza, a junior soil and crop science major at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, scored first place at the recent 2020 Student Research and Innovation Showcase for his project, “Plant Essential Oils as Natural and Safe Pesticides for the Control of Soybean White Mold Disease.” The event featured 15 students from across the UW System and was sponsored by WiSys, an independent, nonprofit organization that advances scientific research throughout the UW System by assisting with grants, patents and licensing processes. Creanza will receive a cash prize of $750.

According to Creanza’s background research, plant diseases cause up to 25% yield loss in the field, with an additional 10% post-harvest loss. While chemical application is the most common method to control plant diseases, it comes with drawbacks, including the high cost incurred by farmers on pesticide sprays, their environmental impacts and the rising threat of pesticide-resistant pathogenic strains.

While essential oils have been used for hundreds of years, they are most commonly associated with personal care or aroma therapy, but have also been used as antimicrobial agents. Creanza’s research aims to use essential oils as anti-fungal agents for the control of soybean white mold disease.

“Now is the time when sustainable ideas and innovation is really needed, and everyone is interested in the topic,” said Creanza, a native of Whitewater, Wisconsin. “People are usually surprised and interested when they hear about how essential oils can be used in sustainable plant disease management.”

Creanza focused his research on three stages: identifying the smallest concentration of essential oils that would inhibit fungal growth in culture plates, identifying the concentration of the oil with the least phytotoxicity to prevent detriment to the plant, and identifying essential oils that are highly effective in preventing and controlling the disease in plants. This work is a part of the research project funded by WiSys Technology Foundation as Applied Research Grant to Dr. Muthu Venkateshwaran, associate professor of crop physiology and molecular biology in the School of Agriculture (PI), and Dr. Raja Annamalai, associate professor of chemistry (Co-PI).

“The results have been really interesting and very encouraging, and we continue to move on with our research and hopefully develop marketable products,” said Creanza.

Creanza joined Venkateshwaran’s research group as freshman in fall 2018. Since then, he has been working on multiple research projects studying plant-microbe symbioses. His involvement in this most recent research project on sustainable plant disease management is part of UW-Platteville’s Summer Undergraduate Scholars Program, which offers students the opportunity to spend the summer engaged in research in their area of interest while mentored by a faculty member. Through the program, he has been able to work 40 hours a week in the lab, and said this hands-on experience is crucial in order to pursue graduate school, which he hopes to do in the area of plant breeding and biotechnology.

In addition to gaining this important research experience, Creanza said the project, and potential results, have a personal value to him as well.

“My inspiration for going into soil and crop science came from a lifetime of growing up on my family farm and working alongside my parents,” said Creanza. “One of the main reasons I chose to study agriculture is so I would be able to have my community and neighbors benefit from my knowledge. I really appreciate and value those principles of the UW System and Wisconsin Idea.”

To read more about the WiSys Student Research and Innovation Showcase, and view Creanza’s presentation, visit www.wisys.org/news-media/2020-student-research-innovation-showcase-winners-announced.  

MADISON – August 12 — Gov. Evers announced today that the State of Wisconsin Building Commission approved a total of approximately $65 million in key projects across the state. “From public safety improvements and building renovations to celebrating Wisconsin’s brewing heritage at Old World Wisconsin, I am glad the Building Commission approved these critical projects today in order to invest in needed repairs and upgrades across state properties,” said Gov. Evers.  Highlights of approvals include:

• Release of Building Trust Funds – Planning for preliminary design of the UW-W Winther Hall addition and renovation project
• Construction of three DNR Fire Response Ranger Station replacement projects to aid in public safety at Cornell, Gresham, and Blakc River Falls
• Grant release for the State’s contribution to the new addition of the LaCrosse Center
• Construction of the Old Brewery and Biergarten as the Brewing Experience building at Old World Wisconsin
• Construction of exterior envelope repairs at Mary Ann Cofrin Hall/Wood Hall at UW-Green Bay
• Design of the UW-Oshkosh Clow Hall renovation phase II project
• Construction of 15 maintenance and repair projects located at various locations in 11 counties across the state for the Depts. of Administration, Corrections, Health Services, Natural Resources, State Fair Park, and the UW-System.

The Building Commission is chaired by Gov. Evers and includes the following members:

• State Senator Janis Ringhand;
• State Senator Jerry Petrowski;
• State Senator Patrick Testin;
• State Representative Jill Billings; 
• State Representative Rob Swearingen;
• State Representative Mark Born; and
• Citizen member Summer Strand.