News

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Signs have now been installed at both of the Whitewater Kwik Trips that are under construction.

As the Banner previously reported, “Shari Meyer, Real Estate Administrative Coordinator at Kwik Trip’s headquarters in La Crosse, told the Banner on September 16 that “store #493,” the first of the company’s Whitewater stores, to be located at the roundabout on Elkhorn Road, is still on schedule to have its “soft opening” on December 9. Ribbon cutting/grand opening is planned for December 15. The second store, “#1065,” at Janesville Street and Highway 59, is expected to open on January 20, 2022, with ribbon cutting/grand opening scheduled for January 26.”

Our thanks to Dave Traxler for sharing another Kwik Trip photo with the Banner.

Our thanks to Lisa Dawsey Smith for these beautiful photos. She writes, “Photos are from this morning (Oct. 11) along Starin Road. Although it does feel a bit odd to still see earthworms about this time of year….I have always wondered why there wasn’t more traffic on that particularly wide path along Starin Road especially since it affords such lovely views.”

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Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the League of Women Voters – Whitewater area.

The League of Women Voters-Whitewater Area invites the public to attend a virtual presentation, “Drawing Power: The Consequences of Gerrymandering on Representation in the 2020s,” on Thursday, October 21, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. with Dr. Eric Loepp, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Dr. Loepp is a specialist in American political behavior, the newly-appointed Director of the UWW Learn Center, and a longtime friend of the League.  Eric will share with us his insights on the history of gerrymandering, the issues confronting us now, and what lies in store for us as political boundaries are redrawn for the first time in a decade.

This event will be virtual. To attend live, please join the webinar by using the URL: https://bit.ly/3FAJ5NB. Passcode: 055146. Or, join us by telephone: Dial (312) 626-6799, Webinar ID: 892 3274 3970, Passcode: 055146. This event will also be recorded and afterwards will be made available to the public.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area and like us on Facebook!

The image on the homepage, “illinois-4th-district-map-gerrymandering” by SBTL1 is marked with CC PDM 1.0.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Walworth County.

Walworth County OWI Court Marks Ten Years Since Inception: Intervention Program Helps Repeat OWI Offenders Maintain Drug- and Alcohol-Free Lives

Oct. 11, 2021, marks the 10-year anniversary of the Walworth County OWI Court (WCOC), a four-phase intervention program for adults who have pled guilty to third or fourth Operating While under the Influence penalties (OWIs) and are struggling with sobriety. The program arrives at this milestone with many notable successes behind it—to date, the OWI Court has 203 graduates and a recidivism rate of just 7%. Between 2020 and 2021, the program had 18 new admissions, 14 graduates, and a 90-percent completion rate.

For Alex, a 34-year-old from the Lake Geneva area, participating in the WCOC was an opportunity to start anew after years of drug- and alcohol-related run-ins with the law. “I knew I had a problem,” he says. “I knew I had to make life changes. And I had a lot to lose with the situation.” Now two-and-a-half years sober, Alex graduated from WCOC in 2020. He credits group therapy, a mandatory component of WCOC, as a big part of his success. “To be able to sit around with people of all ages and hear their experiences and share my experiences was really beneficial,” he says.

The WCOC’s mission is to reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic deaths and injuries in Walworth County, focus on the habitual problem of repeat OWIs, and reduce jail overcrowding. Given the statistics, its task is a critical one: The State of Wisconsin is the ninth highest state of drunken driving in the nation, with 159 drunk driving deaths in 2018 and 136 drunk driving deaths in 2019. According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, someone is injured or killed in an alcohol-related crash approximately every three hours.

“In Wisconsin, we see 6,000 alcohol-related crashes each year,” says Carlo Nevicosi, director, Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services. “We also have the United States’ largest percentage of binge drinkers. The personal and financial costs of this behavior to individuals, communities, and society are staggering. We chose to aggressively address the problem of drunk driving by eschewing the conventional response of escalating periods of incarceration.”

The WCOC tackles the social, economic, and behavioral factors at the root of repeat OWI offenses—factors that often go unaddressed when repeat offenders cycle back through the judicial system. Representatives from law enforcement, judicial agencies, educational institutions, and social-service organizations collaborate to provide controlled supervision and programs that support sobriety, mental health, and education.

“By all measures, OWI Court has been a huge success,” says Judge David Reddy, who was part of the team that helped organize the OWI Court. “In large part, this is due to the remarkable collaborative efforts of the team members. This community should be as proud of the program and the participants as I am. What started as an effort to reduce jail overcrowding has blossomed into a program that saves money and, more importantly, saves lives.”

Participants must apply to the program and meet certain eligibility criteria. The program requires frequent court appearances, random drug and alcohol testing, as well as group and/or individual counseling. The incentives to participate are many, including access to quality substance-abuse treatment; a large support system; the ability to complete their GEDs through a partnership with Gateway Technical College; reduced license revocations, fines, and jail sentences; and monetary savings.

Looking ahead, Walworth County recently applied for a treatment alternatives and diversion enhancement grant that, if awarded, would provide funding for court-required services as well as housing, transportation, and peer support.

About the Walworth County OWI Court: The mission of the Walworth County OWI Court (WCOC) is to enhance public safety and reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic deaths and injuries in Walworth County. By effectively partnering with government agencies and community resources, the WCOC will focus on the habitual problem of repeat OWI offenders. Learn more at https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/156/OWI-Court.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the UW System.

On Oct. 12, 1971, legislation signed days earlier by Gov. Patrick J. Lucey took effect that merged the state’s two systems of public four-year higher education. The legislation created the University of Wisconsin System under a single Board of Regents.

“For 50 years, the University of Wisconsin System has been our state’s greatest asset other than its people. We have educated millions of our residents, improving the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities,” said System President Tommy Thompson, whose undergraduate and law degrees are from UW-Madison. “We are Wisconsin’s economic engine. A thriving UW System means a thriving Wisconsin, and I am incredibly proud of the employees past and present who dedicate their careers to education and embodying the Wisconsin Idea by finding solutions for our most pressing problems.”

To mark the date, the UW System released a short video celebrating the anniversary.

The UW System will also highlight the anniversary in the coming weeks on its social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

“I knew that a UW System education was the key to my future, and my story is one that is found in villages, towns, and cities across Wisconsin,” said UW System Regent President Edmund Manydeeds III, who holds degrees from UW-Superior and UW-Madison. “Our public university system consistently provides a world-class education, advances research, and helps the people of Wisconsin.”

A tremendous academic, cultural, and economic resource for Wisconsin, the nation, and the world, the UW System is one of the largest systems of public higher education in the country, educating approximately 165.000 students each year, producing nearly 37,000 graduates annually, and employing 40,000 faculty and staff. It consists of two Research I universities, 11 comprehensive universities, 13 branch campuses, and a statewide extension network with offices in every county.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Per UW-Madison News, “Chancellor Rebecca Blank will leave the University of Wisconsin–Madison at the end of the 2021-22 academic year to assume the presidency of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill….Blank has served as chancellor since July 2013. Her tenure as chancellor is the longest since Irving Shain, who served for nearly a decade until his retirement in 1986. She has the second longest tenure of any current Big Ten public institution president or chancellor.”

UW System Regent President Edmund Manydeeds III made the following statement:

“Chancellor Blank is an extraordinary leader whose commitment to the Wisconsin Idea, including her efforts to expand the University’s outreach to every corner of the state, have UW-Madison well-positioned for success in the future. The impact of her leadership has been felt throughout the UW System and entire state, and she will be sorely missed. I appreciate that she will continue as chancellor through this academic year as we prepare for a transition and know she will continue her record of excellence at Northwestern.”

UW System President Tommy Thompson stated the following:

“The University of Wisconsin is one of the finest universities in the world, and Chancellor Blank’s tenacious advocacy and strong leadership have helped build on that legacy during her tenure. On behalf of the University of Wisconsin System, I want to thank her for her service to our state and wish her well at Northwestern.”

Gov. Tony Evers released the following statement:

“I want to thank Chancellor Blank for her service to our state, the UW System, and our flagship campus in Madison. Chancellor Blank is a distinguished leader and economist who has always been a fierce advocate for continuing UW-Madison’s proud tradition of excellence in research and innovation, especially in the midst of political headwinds and budget cuts during her time at the UW. I’m grateful for Chancellor Blank’s leadership during her near-decade as chancellor at UW-Madison, and I wish her all the best as president of Northwestern University.

“As we work to ensure our state’s continued economic recovery, supporting higher education and our UW System—including our campus in Madison—must be a top priority. I am confident the UW Board of Regents, in consultation with faculty, staff, and students, will select a chancellor who will be a strong voice for investing in our kids, continuing UW-Madison’s legacy as a top-tier research institution, and the pursuit of the Wisconsin Idea.”

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Arts Alliance.

For the month of October, the Whitewater Arts Alliance will be hosting a hybrid gallery and virtual exhibition on the WAA website, whitewaterarts.org, of work created by staff, faculty, students, and alumni of the Department of Art and Design. This hybrid exhibition will be on display virtually October 8th-31st, and in-gallery Friday through Sunday, 2-4 p.m. At this time, the City of Whitewater asks that all individuals wear a mask in the Cultural Arts Center regardless of vaccination status.

This exhibition helps to connect artists in Whitewater and display the talents from a variety of ages and skill levels. This show displays work from 8 artists with a total of 21 pieces, with a range in two-dimensional mediums including graphite, charcoal, ink, printed digital art, and three-dimensional pieces including ceramic and metal. The show features an award-winning piece by UW-Whitewater alumni Skylar J Gabel.

Some pieces in this show are haunting in nature to complement Whitewater’s first Storytelling festival on October 16th. Some audiences may find the content of some work disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.