News

Editor’s note: The following announcement was posted on the City of Whitewater website on July 12.

As the City of Whitewater moves closer to the merger with WFD, Inc., the Command Staff has been named for the new City of Whitewater Fire and EMS Department.

Kelly Freeman has been named the Chief of the City of Whitewater Fire and EMS Department.  Kelly has served on WFD, Inc. since 2006.  He has held leadership positions as Lieutenant, Captain, and Assistant Chief.  He is a part time Fire I instructor at Gateway Technical College in Burlington .  Kelly also works as the Superintendent of the Streets/Parks/Forestry Division of the Department of Public Works for the City of Whitewater.

Ryan Dion will hold the position of 1^st Assistant Chief, Joe Uselding will hold the position of 2^ndAssistant Chief, and Ashley Vickers will be the Chief of EMS.  Ryan has served the department for 15 years and has held the position of Lieutenant and Captain.  Joe has served the department for 21 years and has held the position of Lieutenant, Captain and Assistant Chief.  Ashley has served the department for 13 years and has held the position of EMS Chief since 2021.

The Command Staff will continue to work with the City until the Integration is complete.  Mike Higgins, Chief of WFD, Inc., will continue in that position until the merger is completed.  He will stay on with WFD, Inc. until January, 2023, when he will retire from service.

Update: Changes in any position with the newly formed Whitewater Fire & EMS Dept. are effective the date of the merger. The positions announced on July 12 are nominations and will be presented to the Police & Fire Commission for confirmation.

According to an article on July 12 in the Lake Geneva Regional News, ”A man who was pulled out of Whitewater Lake on Monday afternoon has died, the Walworth County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed.

A boater found the man in the lake on Monday, July 11. The boater pulled him out and CPR was started, according to the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office.

The man, identified as Timothy M. Glander, 72, of the Whitewater Lake area, was transported to Mercyhealth Hospital in Janesville, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Captain Robert Hall of the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office said the incident remains under investigation. It was not immediately known what led to the man being found in the water, Hall said. It is not known if he died from drowning or an unrelated medical incident.”

Whitewater High School Class of 1965 reunion – June 25, 2022, at 841 Brew House in Whitewater

Photos by Tom Ganser (tganser33@gmail.com)

Top Row (left to right)

Dennis Socwell, Jim Pieper, Marty Peyer, Jeff Winn, Alan Berg, Linda (Schubert) Kollwelter, Dale Brown, John Milner, Maury Deaver

Second Row

Carol (Hitchcock) Geske, Charlotte (Pellman), Linda (Peardon), Veronica (Hewuse) Bakken, Barb (Harris) Kohlmetz, Carol (Wojdula) Cantando, Jo (Grant) Werner, Betty (Pattermann) Strese, Carole (Hepfinger) Lewis, Jim Holden

Third Row

Bryan Bishop, Bob Boynton, John Sobolewski, Kay (Wentworth) Robers, Mike Krebs, Ron Petak, John Grosskreutz, Bob Snell, David Rinn

Bottom Row

Kenny Hoof, Mary (Ludeman) Hoof, Judi Pizzichini, Chris (Thompson) Pitterle, Linda (Klitzke) Hoelzel, Donna (Nelson) Herman, Katy (Gudeyon) Klemp, Edna (Koele) Leason

MADISON, Wis.—The University of Wisconsin System issued these statements on Monday, July 11 after the announcement that UW-Madison Chancellor Emeritus Rebecca Blank has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer:

“Becky has contributed enormously to the success of UW-Madison and the University of Wisconsin System. We are grateful to have benefited from her leadership at UW-Madison. She is a champion for higher education and was positioned to finish her illustrious career at a university that was also close to her heart and home. While this is extraordinarily difficult news, anybody who knows Becky knows of her fight and resiliency. We will do whatever we can to support Becky through her treatment process and wish her the best as she begins treatment here at UW Health in Madison.” 
—Jay Rothman, President, University of Wisconsin System 

“We are greatly saddened to learn of Becky Blank’s diagnosis. She was an extraordinary leader here at UW-Madison whose passion and experience was poised to greatly benefit Northwestern University. Her voice and fierce advocacy for higher education is critical to all the work we do, and we will keep her in our thoughts during these trying personal times for her.” 
—Karen Walsh, President, University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents

Editor’s note: The following announcement was provided by the Walworth County Treasurer’s Office.

An article found at brownfieldagnews.com dated July 8 provided this hopeful report from Luke Goessling on the current state of farming in our area:

“A southern Wisconsin farmer says crops look good despite a dry stretch of weather.

Luke Goessling grows corn and soybeans in the Whitewater area, about 20 miles north of the Illinois border. He says, “I think the earlier planted corn is there but the later planted stuff might have got hurt a little bit more.”

Goessling tells Brownfield growers in his area had no trouble passing knee-high by the 4^th of July. “I would say 90% of everybody in our area all hit shoulder-high or better here for the 4^th of July.”

Goessling says the dry spell didn’t impact the soybeans as much as the corn, and he’s optimistic some timely August showers will help finish the beans.”

Editor’s note: The photo on the homepage is from brownfieldag.com