News

Remember to “spring forward” this Sunday morning. Once again in the past year there have been calls for eliminating daylight savings time. Polling shows that a majority of Americans detest the practice: 62% would prefer to end it, according to a March, 2023 poll by YouGov, but respondents were divided between those (50%) who would like to have permanent daylight time (DST) and those (31%) preferring permanent standard time. 

What’s the status of that Senate bill to end time changes? (From NPR)

In March 2022, the Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act. The intent behind the bill was to make daylight saving time permanent starting in the spring of 2023.

And at first, it looked as though it might become a reality. The Senate passed the bill through an expedited process and with unanimous consent — legislative rarities in this day and age.

But the bill wasn’t taken up in the House. Members cited higher priorities, like a budget deficit and the war in Ukraine, but there was also a growing chorus of criticism about the bill’s approach.

Every year since 2022, including 2025, the Sunshine Protection Act has been reintroduced. To be enacted it would have to pass both houses and be signed by the President.

So for now, the tradition remains intact.

The site called savestandardtime.com promotes making standard time permanent. It states, “Permanent Standard Time is the hon­est, nat­u­ral clock, set to the sun. Day­light Sav­ing Time is a false clock, designed to wake us an hour ear­lier than Stand­ard Time eve­ry day. Da­ta and his­to­ry show per­ma­nent Stand­ard Time is best for health, mood, safe­ty, ed­u­ca­tion, pro­duc­tiv­i­ty, wages, en­vi­ron­ment, and civ­il lib­er­ties. Ditch DST! Save Stand­ard Time!“

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As Daylight Savings begins, it is a perfect time to “spring ahead to safety” and tackle a few critical emergency preparedness updates for the coming spring season.

• Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: All residences are required to have both types of detectors on every level, including the basement, but not the attic or storage areas. Now is a good time to replace the batteries in your detectors and push the test buttons to be sure they’re working properly. Replace your detectors every five years.
• Emergency Go Bags: Be sure to have a basic emergency kit in your home with supplies, food and water to last you and your family for at least three days. Other items like a battery powered radio, flashlights, additional batteries, and first aid kit should also be included. For more information, please visit https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit
• Emergency NOAA Weather Radio: Spring brings the threat of tornadoes. Make sure you have an emergency weather radio. It’s like having a tornado siren in your home. When it goes off, go to a safe place. Remember, the outdoor warning sirens are only intended for people to hear outdoors.
• National Weather Service Wireless Emergency Alerts: Wireless Emergency Alerts are emergency messages sent by authorized government alerting authorities through your mobile carrier. Government partners include local and state public safety agencies, FEMA, the FCC, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Weather Service. No signup is required. Alerts are sent automatically to WEA-capable phones during an emergency. For more information, please visit https://www.weather.gov/wrn/wea

Two more Oscar nominees!

“A Real Pain”

Tuesday, March 11, 1 pm

(Comedy/Drama) Rated R (language); 1 hour, 30 minutes (2024)

On a Seniors tour to Poland to honor their grandmother, two mismatched cousins reunite, but their travel leads to misadventures for this familial “Odd Couple.” Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, Kieran Culkin; Oscar nominations for Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg (Best Original Screenplay). A fun and touching film. 

Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes our of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/

Hello, I am Wayne Redenius, a 5th generation Richmond resident, retired teacher, and partner of a owned and operated farm with my brother Carl. I am a 1978 graduate of WHS. During my high school years I was very active in the FFA organization participating in various activities and judging teams that competed at the state and national levels. Those activities provided me with numerous opportunities to travel nationally and develop leadership skills that I am extremely grateful for. My education continued at UW Platteville receiving a BS degree in Agriculture Education in 1982 and I also had the opportunity to serve as a graduate assistant there and earn a MS degree in 1983.

A teaching career began in the Agribusiness Department at Janesville Craig HS. While there I assisted two other department members in leveraging DPI approval of Ag. courses to meet the general Science requirement, wrote curriculum and restructured classes to a semester framework. That model and adaptations of the curriculum are still being used in many Ag. departments.

I enrolled in UW Whitewater Special Education courses in 1989, was hired by CESA 2, and subsequently became DPI certified in multiple areas of Special Ed and also Alternative Ed. For the next 27 years I instructed elementary and secondary students from a wide array of social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds; first at Rock County Adolescent Day Services and then at the Rock County Juvenile Detention Center. That position enabled me to work directly with Social Services, Juvenile Probation, Juvenile Corrections and numerous school districts in southeast Wisconsin. My teaching career ended after 32 total years of educational service.

During the years from 1999-2013 I also served as the Town of Richmond Chairman. Some of my duties included: oversight of daily operations, development of the town budget with the clerk, and collaboration with neighboring towns and Walworth County on land planning/zoning, fire, rescue, and other services. I am especially proud of the town board’s fiscal responsibility during those years. We were constantly planning for the future and never operated over the approved taxpayer budget and had zero debt.

I have attended various Whitewater School Board committee meetings and nearly all of the regular board meetings for the past two and a half years; listening and learning how the board and district operates as well as listening to issues and concerns of the residents. Communication, accountability, student achievement, transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the desire for a greater opportunity for community engagement are items that people want addressed, and which I would work towards.

Residents want to feel the district respects them. They want their and board member’s
issues/ concerns heard, discussed, and answered at open board meetings. Each board
member should feel equally important. The reason(s) why large numbers of parents are enrolling their children in neighboring schools needs to be openly discussed and corrective actions taken. This also holds true to the above average number of administrators, teachers, and support personnel leaving the district.

Curriculum and student achievement needs constant attention and evaluation. The district needs to use its limited resources in a responsible manner to improve not only academic results but better prepare students with adult life skills. This also entails balancing services and opportunities to students at all ability levels and areas of interest ranging from academics to vocational technical. We need to explore what is making neighboring districts successful and collaborate more extensively with UW Whitewater and the local Technical Colleges.

Fiscal responsibility is another area I would like to address. While past board spending cannot be revisited, residents are asking for greater involvement of the board members in development of the budget, planning for future capital improvements and maintenance, and to better communicate how and where their local school tax payments and the State and Federal aid payments the district receives are being spent. Why has the district’s Citizen Financial Advisory Committee been inactive and only met one time over the past five years? The current school facility referendum, city referendum, impact of potential housing developments, and
recent and future property reassessments in the Townships are all weighing heavily upon the community members.

I believe there is a wealth of talent, expertise, and willingness in the community to become more involved and supportive of the school system. We must all work together to restore the district to a level of educational excellence and athletic competitiveness which the community can be proud of. My work ethic, knowledge and experience in education, local government, and business ownership well qualify me to assist in this process. Please vote, Wayne Redenius, Whitewater School Board.

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This month we will celebrate a Whitewater institution–Fairhaven. Our first image is an aerial view of the Fairhaven complex when it was first built in 1962. The concept of an old age home that provided independent living grew after World War II. As early as the late 1940s, the Congregational Church Conference in Wisconsin began talking about building such a home. In February of 1960, the conference announced they would build an old age complex, known as Fairhaven, in Whitewater. Preliminary planning began in 1960-61 and formal construction began in 1962. In November, the first residents moved into the complex, which consisted of four one-story buildings and one four-story building.

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

(2128PC, Whitewater Historical Society)

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program that has previously been provided by accounting students from UW-Whitewater is not available this year. They indicate that it might resume next year.

The only nearby volunteer service that still has appointments available is offered through AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, which provides tax assistance to anyone, free of charge, with a focus on taxpayers who are over 50 and have low to moderate income. You don’t need to be an AARP member to use the service.  The closest location is at Elkhorn Matheson Memorial Library, 101 N. Wisconsin St. in Elkhorn. The service is also available at the Delavan public library. Appointments are required and may be made on Mondays and Tuesdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Call 262-723-2678 to make an appointment.

This site provides a list of documents that should be brought to an appointment.

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Do-It-Yourself (D-I-Y)

New free federal/state online program is available for those wishing to complete their own returns

Gov. Evers, DOR Announce Start of Tax Season, Encourage Wisconsinites to Use New Direct File Services

Wisconsin taxpayers can file their taxes online directly for free with WisTax and new Direct File programs

Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR), announced that the individual income tax filing season began on Mon., Jan. 27, 2025, and encouraged Wisconsin taxpayers to use the state’s WisTax and new federal Direct File services to file their state and federal income taxes online for free.  “We’re working to make sure filing your taxes is as easy and as accessible as possible, and through these programs, we’re giving hardworking folks the option to file securely, easily, and directly—hopefully saving folks time and money and giving them some peace of mind,” said Gov. Evers. “This year, we’re also thrilled to be providing nearly $73 million in annual tax relief to over 110,000 Wisconsin taxpayers thanks to our new expanded child care tax credit. So, don’t wait, Wisconsin! Check out our new direct file program and file your taxes securely and directly this tax season.” Last August, Gov. Evers, along with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and DOR, announced that Wisconsin would join the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct File program for filing season 2025, enabling eligible Wisconsin taxpayers to file their taxes online directly with the IRS for free. According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, the average taxpayer spends approximately 13 hours and $270 to prepare their taxes each year. Direct File simplifies that process, saving taxpayers time and money. Additionally, when Wisconsin families file their taxes this year, they will see additional tax relief thanks to legislation signed by Gov. Evers last March to expand the current child and dependent care tax credit from 50 percent to 100 percent of the federal credit. This will help reduce the tax burden for families struggling to afford the high cost of child care and care for adult dependents. Over 110,000 Wisconsin taxpayers will see an average benefit of over $656 per filer, totaling nearly $73 million in annual tax relief. Wisconsinites can check to see if they qualify for the expanded Wisconsin child and dependent care tax credit here. The Direct File program was made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration through the Inflation Reduction Act, a landmark piece of legislation that was passed by Democrats in 2022, including Sen. Baldwin, who championed the Inflation Reduction Act and has been a staunch advocate for launching Wisconsin’s Direct File program to give taxpayers a no cost filing option for their federal taxes. Launched as a pilot program in a dozen states in 2024, Direct File users claimed more than $90 million in refunds and saved an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees. The platform’s success and positive feedback encouraged the IRS to move forward with a rollout nationwide for the 2025 tax filing season. Direct File utilizes robust security measures to protect taxpayer information. Key security features include: Secure Data Transmission: Tax information is transmitted securely to the IRS using SSL 3.0 128-bit encryption. This creates as many combinations as the number of water molecules in 2.7 million Olympic-size swimming pools; Identity Verification: The program employs rigorous identify verification procedures to ensure the authenticity of filers. Direct File uses ID.me to help prevent identity theft and to protect taxpayer data; and Ongoing Security Monitoring: The IRS continuously monitors the system for any potential security threats. “We understand that tax information security is paramount,” said DOR Secretary David Casey. “The IRS has implemented strong safeguards to protect sensitive information throughout the Direct File process.” Eligible taxpayers can file using a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. For eligibility requirements and additional information, visit directfile.irs.gov and revenue.wi.gov. After completing their federal returns in Direct File, Wisconsin taxpayers will be taken to WisTax to complete their state taxes quickly and easily for free. WisTax offers a modern web-based experience that is intuitive, easy to use, and mobile-friendly. This free platform was created to simplify the tax filing process for Wisconsinites and eliminate burdensome costs. Should taxpayers encounter problems while filing, a knowledgeable DOR customer service representative will be available to answer questions and help troubleshoot the issue. In addition to the Direct File and WisTax, Wisconsinites have other options for filing their taxes, including: Tax Filing Software: Numerous software options are available, ranging from basic to advanced, offering varying levels of guidance and support; Tax Preparer: Enlisting the help of a qualified tax professional can be beneficial for those with complex tax situations or who prefer personalized assistance; and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA): Free tax preparation assistance is available to eligible taxpayers through the VITA program, which is offered by community organizations and IRS-certified volunteers. To locate a site near you, use the VITA/TCE Locator Tool or the AARP Site Locator Tool.  DOR’s Where’s My Refund tool is the quickest way for Wisconsinites to check their refund status, as it gives taxpayers instant access to the same information call center agents provide. To further assist taxpayers during this busy time, DOR’s Customer Service Call Center is extending hours in the weeks leading up to the filing deadline. Tax specialists will be available from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 1 to 3, April 7 to 10, and April 14 to 15 to accommodate taxpayers’ schedules. Individual tax filers are encouraged to visit the DOR website’s “Individuals” page, where they can find answers to common questions, forms and instructions, tax credit information, payment options, instructional videos, and other resources.

2025 Traffic Box Public Art Project CALL for ARTISTS!!! The City of Whitewater is calling on artists to help transform everyday infrastructure into vibrant works of public art through the 2025 Traffic Box Public Art Project, Artful Transformation. This exciting initiative will enhance the city’s Main Street from the Whitewater St. to Elizabeth St. intersections by turning eight traffic signal control boxes into unique, community-inspired pieces. The goal of Artful Transformation is to celebrate Whitewater’s identity, creativity, and community spirit while providing local and regional artists with a platform to showcase their talents. Through this project, the city aims to enrich public spaces with artwork that reflects Whitewater’s rich heritage, diverse culture, and bright vision for the future. Call for Artists: The City of Whitewater invites artists to submit proposals for original artwork to be displayed on traffic boxes throughout the downtown area. Selected artists will receive a stipend of up to $3,000 per box to cover materials and labor. Eligibility: The opportunity is open to individual artists or artist teams, with preference given to those with a strong connection to Whitewater. All selected artists must sign an artist agreement and a hold harmless release. Submission Requirements: Proposal Description: A concept statement outlining the vision, themes, and preferred traffic box locations. Visuals: Sketches or mock-ups of original artwork designed for all four sides and the top of the traffic box. Budget: An itemized breakdown of costs, including materials, labor, and contingency planning (up to $3,000 per traffic box). Resume or Bio: Information about the artist or team’s background and artistic experience. Portfolio: Up to three examples of past work. A Public Art Committee, composed of representatives from the Whitewater Arts Alliance, City Council, local artists, and other community leaders, will review all submissions. The selected designs will become part of the City of Whitewater’s public art collection, with credit given to the artists. Key Dates: Applications Open: February 12, 2025 Submission Deadline: April 16, 2025 Artist Selection Announced: May 7, 2025 (Notifications of winners will be announced on the City of Whitewater web site, via press release and sent to all local publications, and in an email to the selected artists.) Painting Period: June – August 2025 Celebration Ceremony: September 13, 2025, at 10 AM at the Bridge Fountain/Traffic Box area Please note that on September 13th the City will also be hosting Food Truck Festival at the Cravath Lakefront Park. Further, the Whitewater Arts Alliance will be hosting the Fabrics of our Community exhibit at the White Building at 11 AM. Artists interested in applying can find the application form online at www.whitewater-wi.gov/618/Public-Art-Projects or request a copy by contacting Taylor Zeinert, Economic Development Director, via email at tzeinert@whitewater-wi.gov or by phone at 262-473-0148. The City of Whitewater looks forward to seeing the community’s creative talents on display and invites artists to help turn the city’s traffic boxes into engaging, meaningful works of art.

Estate Sale
N7877 E Lakeshore Dr.
March 7 & 8; 9 am to 4 pm
Everything must go! Furniture, Dressers, Twin & Full size bed, treadmill, computer, canoe, tools and many kitchen items.

A Banner Service: Garage Sale Ads

As a result of a reader’s comment that it’s hard to find garage sales in Whitewater now that we no longer have a weekly shopper, the Banner staff agreed to begin a complimentary “consolidated” garage sale posting that will be published by Thursday morning for the upcoming weekend’s sales. This announcement will only be for garage/estate sales (a sale of miscellaneous household goods, often held in the garage or front yard of someone’s house) in the city and school district boundaries. We will not be accepting, for example, ads for cars or other items that are not part of a scheduled garage sale. There will be a limit of three times per year for a particular property. There is a charge for estate sales that are commercially hosted.

Those wishing to place a notice must send the information to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com by Wednesday at 6 p.m. You may include a brief description of the items that are for sale, the hours and days of the sale, and of course your address. A few photos may also be included if desired; we prefer jpg format if possible.

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Community Foundation.

The Whitewater Community Foundation is now accepting applications for Spring Community Action Grants.  Grants will be awarded to local non-profit organizations actively working to support the greater Whitewater community with educational, cultural, charitable and benevolent projects that will benefit and improve the community. 

Projects are expected to be accomplished within a specific period of time (generally not more than one year) and should be creative, innovative and address community needs.  Interested organizations can fill out an application at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gY51mjXwlRW3vKYr75UWyqL5By6Wgdb4/view The deadline for submitting applications is April 30, 2025.

Virginia Coburn, WCF Board Member who chairs the Community Action Grant Selection Committee, said, “I’m inspired by the number of local organizations sponsoring programs and projects to benefit the community.  The Foundation has given grants to The Community Space, Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House, First United Methodist Church, St. Patrick Catholic Church, Whitewater Rescue Squad and many more. I invite you to read the pages on our website to see if one of your projects is eligible for an action grant.”

Organizations interested in pursuing a Whitewater Community Foundation Action Grant should check out the Foundation website: https://whitewatercommunityfoundation.org/?s=Action+Grants
or contact Ginny Coburn at virginiacoburn@coburn.com for more information.

The Foundation continues to provide and host scholarships for Whitewater High School students and also offers fiscal sponsorship to organizations that are seeking 501(c) (3) status or require temporary pass-through funds for worthy community projects.

More information about the Whitewater Community Foundation can be found at https://whitewatercommunityfoundation.org/ and on Facebook. 

The Whitewater Community Foundation’s mission is to enhance quality of life in the Whitewater area via educational, cultural, charitable or benevolent expenditures.

On March 13, Whitewater has a chance to hear from a local community member who has seen dementia from both sides.  Randy Cruse was a caregiver for his wife and he is now an educator with the Alzheimer’s Association.  Randy will give a presentation on the Ten Warning Signs of Dementia on Thursday, March 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center.  Everyone is welcome.  Refreshments will be served.  

Randy’s talk will be interesting to all ages but especially to those age 40 to 50 which is when people typically find a loved one is in need of more help.   The presentation will distinguish typical age-related behaviors from true signs of a problem.  For example, age-related memory change that most of us experience includes forgetting names or appointments but remembering them later.  The brain is still able to “search its files,” find hints and logical connections to the type of information that needs to be brought forward.  This is different from signs that might indicate Alzheimer’s or related dementias. A degree of memory loss that disrupts daily life such as forgetting recently learned information, forgetting important dates or events, asking the same question repeatedly and depending on friends or family members for things they used to handle on their own.

All of us need occasional help using microwave settings, recording a TV show or help with an unfamiliar computer task.  That’s different from problems with daily tasks, getting lost driving to a familiar location, organizing a grocery list or remembering the rules of a familiar game.  Those could be an early sign of dementia.

You will learn about several other types of behavioral changes that indicate your loved one should be evaluated for Alzheimer’s.  These signs shouldn’t be ignored.  New drugs and lifestyle changes have helped many patients.  Knowledge about what the patient is feeling and going through can be invaluable to caregivers in navigating this new relationship.  The community is cordially invited to Randy’s informative presentation on March 13.

For more information:    https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs

https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/273/Seniors-In-the-Park

This article is submitted by Dementia Friendly Community Initiative, a program of Whitewater Seniors in the Park to help educate the community about dementia and to support patients and caregivers.  New committee members are very welcome!  Contact jjackson@whitewater-wi.gov or call Jennifer at 262 473 0535.