News

Various stretches of Milwaukee Street will be under construction through July 2020. The project will be completed in three stages.

Stage 1: Newcomb and Milwaukee Street Intersection Reconstruction

Stage 2: Milwaukee Street Reconstruction from Newcomb Street to Bluff Road Roundabout

Stage 3: WIS 59 Reconstruction from Bluff Road Roundabout to US 12

Current Construction Projects and Reports can be found on the City of Whitewater Web page:
https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/223/Current-Construction-Projects-Reports

Details of the work to be completed are as follows:

Newcomb Street to Clay Street – Concrete Reconstruction with parking

• New concrete pavement, 5′ sidewalks, on-road bike acc. (combined with parking)
• Replace storm sewer, sanitary and water
• Upgrade railroad crossing

Clay Street to Sunrise Lane – Concrete Reconstruction, No Parking

• New concrete pavement, 5′ sidewalks, on-road bike acc. (5′ lane)
• Remove parking

Sunrise Lane to Old County P – Concrete Reconstruction, No Parking

• Convert rural x-sect to Urban with curb and gutter and sidewalk
• New concrete pavement, 5′ sidewalk, on-road bike acc. (8′ lane)
• Storm water quality improvements – catch basins and grassed swale with rock ditch check

Old County P to US 12 – Resurface

• Mill 1″, pave 5″ new asphalt
• On-road bike acc. – widen paved shoulder to 6′

The Aging & Disability Resource Center will host the Rock County Caregiver Boot Camp on Saturday, April 06, 2019 from 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM at the Job Center, 1900 Center Avenue, Janesville. Cori Marsh, Dementia Care Specialist at the Aging & Disability Center and Bonnie Nuttkinson, Program & Advocacy Manager of South Central Wisconsin Chapter- Alzheimer’s Association will team up to provide education and support for families coping with the memory loss of a loved one.

The Boot Camp will cover topics such as what memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s is and what the diagnosis might mean, what you might expect, planning for the future, local resources and communication tips when dealing with difficult subjects such as driving, long term care or end of life concerns.

“It doesn’t matter where your loved one lives, what matters is families having the information they need to assist their loved one to the best of their ability. Our day will be packed with information, support and even some laughter,” says Marsh. She goes on to say that “over 3200 people have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia in Rock County, we want to offer education and support to those families and answer the questions they might have.”

The program is completely free and will include all the materials, snacks and lunch. Preregistration is required by April 3, 2019. Contact Cori Marsh at 608-741-3615 for more information or to register.

For more information please contact Cori Marsh at 608-741-3615 or marsh@co.rock.wi.us or visit
www.co.rock.wi.us/adrc.

The Whitewater Landmarks Commission recently designated the Territorial Oak Site at the northwest corner of Main and Franklin Streets as a Local Landmark.  The site includes a Bur Oak tree dating to 1800 or before that was used as the fixed point from which U.S. federal land surveyors platted the village of Whitewater in 1836.

Known as a survey or witness tree, it marks the site of Whitewater’s “point of beginning”.  In the April 30, 1987 edition of the Whitewater Register which commemorated Whitewater’s founding, a sesquicentennial celebration was held at the oak tree.  The newspaper reported that “when state surveyors made their measurements in Whitewater, the natural objects they used as a reference point were two bur oak trees at what is now the corner of Main and Franklin Streets.  A 12-inch circumference Territorial Oak was cut down in 1923 and a marble slab marker was erected there.  The second Territorial Bur Oak, which exists today, reportedly measured a circumference of 16- inches in the 1830’s and has grown to 11 feet in circumference today.  A marker and plaque located on the terrace with information about the Territorial Oak, was donated by the local volunteer fire department in 1962.

The tree has split in two and while it remains massive, one of the leaders had to be removed for the tree’s stability and safety for passersby on the sidewalk.  Currently, the tree is in decline and while it still produces leaves and acorns, the upper branches of the tree remain bare.  Local elementary school students have harvested the acorns and planted them producing young Bur Oak saplings that are the “grandchildren” of the Territorial Oak. 

The tree has been adopted as a symbol of the city.  It has been featured on the official city stationery and appears on the Whitewater mural located at Whitewater and Center Streets.  The Whitewater city  council nominated the Territorial Oak as an historic State of Wisconsin tree on February 1, 1981 adding to its significance.

The nomination of this site was prepared by local historian, Kori Oberle.  The Whitewater Landmarks Commission encourages its citizenry to consider nominating additional historic sites, buildings and residences for consideration as local landmarks.  The designation of the Territorial Oak Site as a Local Landmark is the 25^th Local Landmark to be recognized by the city of Whitewater.

Whitewater High School

534 S Elizabeth St

Whitewater, WI 53190

---

• Six weeks
• Begins 3 April  –  8 May
• Wednesdays
• 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm    
• Childcare is provided

To Register:

262-949-1408 Sarah Linn (Instructor)

414-418-8424 Jorge Islas Martínez

Sponsored by the Whitewater Unified School District

---

• Seis semanas
• Empieza 3 Abril  –  8 Mayo
• Miércoles
• 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm    
• Se ofrece cuidado para niños.

Para Registrarse:

262-949-1408 Sarah Linn (Instructor)

414-418-8424 Jorge Islas Martínez

Las clases son patrocinadas por el Distrito Educacional de Whitewater

The Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club is selling their Easter Lilies again this year, with orders due March 26. 100 percent of proceeds are dedicated to transportation needs for the Whitewater Schools’ English Language Learner (ELL) Summer Reading Program.  Each plant will have five or six large, beautiful, white blossoms.  All plants include decorative green pot covers and protective sleeves.  Orders of 1 to 25 plants are $12.00 each; orders of 26 to 50 plants are $10.50 each; and orders of 51 plants and over are $9.50 each.  Checks should be made payable to Whitewater Breakfast Kiwanis, P.O. Box 427, Whitewater, WI 53190. 

Individuals who wish to purchase lilies may contact Rick Norman 262-391-2228 or rick@normanww.com.  Orders will be available for pick up or delivery on Tuesday, April 16.  Orders may be picked up at the Whitewater Greenhouse, 301 County Road U, Whitewater, on April 16 between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. (at the far south end of the building).  Free delivery is available within the Whitewater city limits, and elsewhere for orders of over 60 plants.

“The Whitewater Breakfast Kiwanis Club distributes funds that help the children in our community.  All of the proceeds from this year’s lily sale will be used for the transportation needs for the Whitewater Schools’ ELL Summer Reading Program.  Thank you to everyone who supports Kiwanis and our community,” said Rick Norman, Chairperson of the Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club Easter Lilies sales.

Kiwanis thanks Jim Boyd and the Whitewater Greenhouse for assisting with the Easter Lilies.

The Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club is made up of dedicated volunteers who help children in the Whitewater community and the world, all with 100 percent of funds raised going directly to projects and zero to administrative costs.  Each year, the club distributes approximately $20,000, with over half going to the Whitewater Unified School District, including Ferradermis, ELL Summer School Transportation, shoes for students, Badger Boys State and Badger Girls State, and scholarships.  Kiwanis helped to build and maintain the Flowing Well Shelter, the shelter and accessible playground at Starin Park and Treyton’s Field of Dreams, the WHS football field lights and press box, as well as adopting a highway to clean up.  In addition, the group donates to the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club, the Friends of the Whitewater Aquatic Center Family Partnership Fund, the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House and more.

Funds are raised through annual Pancake Breakfasts that have been served continuously since the 1950s, the Discover Whitewater Series Half-Marathon Pancake Breakfast since it began, and yearly poinsettia and lily plant sales. More information can be found on the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Facebook page.

Congratulations to the fifteen 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade students that represented Whitewater Middle School at the Southern Lakes Advanced Learners Network Academic Bowl on March 18 in Fort Atkinson. Five school districts participated.

Whitewater Middle School did very well earning 2nd place overall with 678 points and only 6 points behind Fort Atkinson, the 1st place winner.  Waterloo took 3rd place followed by Jefferson and Johnson Creek.

The following Whitewater students earned special recognition:

In Language Arts –

• Henry Gehrenbeck – 1st place, 6th grade
• Keith Cameron – 3rd place, 8th grade

In Science –

• Peter Portwine – 1st place, 8th grade
• Marina Linos – 2nd place, 7th grade
• Alex Clarksen – 2nd place, 6th grade

In Social Studies –

• Quinn McCarthy – 1st place, 6th grade
• Emerson Ellenwood – 2nd place, 7th grade
• Henry Mortimer – 2nd place, 8th grade

In Math –

• Emma Clarksen – 1st place, 8th grade
• Jared Apgar – 2nd place , 7th grade
• Andrew O’Toole – 3rd place, 6th grade

Whitewater Team 1 (Silas Baker, Henry Gehrenbeck,  Henry Mortimer, Andrew O’Toole, Emma Weigel,) placed first in the Current Events portion of the competition.

Other Whitewater team members included: Zoe Olson and Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman

Congratulations to all of the participants for their contributions to the team’s overall success and a special thank you for doing a great job representing Whitewater and Whitewater Middle School.  Well done!