News

UPDATE: Whitewater, Wis. April 13, 2020- After consultation with the National Weather Service (NWS), Wisconsin
Broadcasters Association, and partners in the Emergency Alert System (EAS) community, Wisconsin
Emergency Management (WEM) has determined that the April 16th live tornado drill alerts (triggering alerts on
weather radios, TV, radios and other devices) will not take place.

In place of the live drill, WEM will be coordinating with the NWS, emergency management partners, and
broadcasters to do a “virtual” tornado drill on social media at 1:45 pm on April 16th. Tornado and Severe
Weather Awareness Week information can be found at www.weather.gov/mkx

City of Whitewater Emergency Management Coordinator Todd Lindert indicates that there will be no siren
testing in Whitewater on April 16th. “City of Whitewater residents should take time to discuss their severe
weather safety plans and practice their shelter plans on April 16th”, says Lindert.

More tornado and severe weather information can be found on the City of Whitewater Emergency
Management web page at https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/200/Emergency-Management and Ready Wisconsin

• https://readywisconsin.wi.gov/be-informed/tornado/.

ORIGINAL POST FOLLOWS: Gov. Tony Evers has declared April 13-17 Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin, and ReadyWisconsin is encouraging everyone to take time this spring to talk about weather safety with their families. ReadyWisconsin, the National Weather Service and Wisconsin Broadcasters Association also encourage everyone in the state to participate in a Virtual Tornado Drill at 1:45 p.m. on April 16.

“It is essential that people take the time during this important week to ensure everyone living in their home knows what to do when a tornado warning or severe storm is in their area,” said Dr. Darrell L. Williams, Wisconsin Emergency Management administrator. “During Thursday’s Virtual Tornado Drill, we encourage them to spend a few minutes going over their plans and identifying where to seek shelter.”

Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes annually. During the 2019 season, the NWS confirmed 28 tornadoes touched down in the state of Wisconsin. Of those, 18 occurred during a three-day period in late July, downing countless trees and damaging homes and other buildings across the central portion of the state.

The state has already experienced its first tornado this year, when a storm in late March produced an EF-1 tornado that touched down in Grant County. The tornado did not cause any injuries, but it did damage a home and barn. It’s a reminder that, while spring and summer are the most active times for tornadoes in Wisconsin, they can happen at any time of year.

While most of Wisconsin has become familiar with the annual statewide tornado drill, the ongoing response to COVID-19 in the state means a break from tradition this year. Due to technical limitations, there will be no live test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) that triggers NOAA weather radios and messages on broadcast stations. Communities should rest assured that these systems are still regularly tested. This departure simply means there will be no coordinated statewide test this year.

While some communities may still choose to test their outdoor warning sirens on April 16, it is expected many will not be doing so. In place of those alerts, you can expect to see messages from ReadyWisconsin and its partners across social media, encouraging everyone to take the time to go over their plans and practice them during this virtual drill. Reminder for city residents: the tornado sirens are not intended to alert you when you are inside; their warning signal is to tell those who are outside to take cover.

You can find tips on creating a plan with your family at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov
You can also follow ReadyWisconsin on Facebook (https://facebook.com/ReadyWisconsin) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/ReadyWisconsin) for updates throughout the week and tips on emergency preparedness throughout the year!

Tyler Sailsbery, owner of The Black Sheep restaurant in Whitewater, WI, was awarded the first-ever WUL Hometown Hero Award on Friday for “generously nourishing our community with delicious donated meals during the COVID-19 Crisis.” 

Tyler has donated 2,550 meals during COVID-19, and plans to continue to help feed people in need as long as he is able to.

Tyler said, “I am humbled, grateful, and blessed to receive this award but also to support the community in this capacity, a community that has supported us and developed me through the years.  We owe a lot to our community, and this just felt like the right thing to do.  These are our friends, our peers—our neighbors.  I have always had a desire to feed people and, through that, foster meaningful experiences and relationships, and I am thankful that I have been able to continue to do so and to have a positive impact on so many lives.  A very large thank you goes out to my fantastic staff that has been able to help us adapt as a business to these turbulent times, as well as so many others who have donated their time, talents, and treasure for this cause.  Again I am honored and humbled by this award, and I am continually impressed by the resilience of our community. I am a small cog in a machine of people who dedicate themselves daily to make Whitewater better. Together we are stronger.”

WUL (Whitewater Unites Lives) is a locally-focused civil and human rights group that works to connect the people in our community and to create opportunities for all people to learn and support each other in our common humanity.  

Anyone who would like to nominate a local hero of any age, should send their nomination, with a short description, to whitewaterunites@gmail.com

Local bird watcher Carol McCormick says she was surprised to see the return of the American white pelicans on the drawn-down Trippe Lake, where they’ve been visiting briefly for the past few springs. She believes that they summer on Lake Koshkonong. The birds work as a group to drive fish.

The pelicans have a white stripe under their wings that is hardly visible except in flight. Carol says the birds are huge, which is confirmed by this excerpt from the interesting post on Wikipedia: “The American white pelican rivals the trumpeter swan, with a similar overall length, as the longest bird native to North America. Both very large and plump, it has an overall length of about 50–70 in (130–180 cm), courtesy of the huge beak which measures 11.3–15.2 in (290–390 mm) in males and 10.3–14.2 in (260–360 mm) in females. It has a wingspan of about 95–120 in (240–300 cm).^[3] The species also has the second largest average wingspan of any North American bird, after the California condor.”

The birds will probably be here for a few more days, and you could get a good view of them while you socially distance (aren’t you getting tired of that term) at the boat launch/shelter off Wisconsin Street.

The following students are members of the UW-Whitewater 2020 American Marketing Association chapter that received the title of International Chapter of the Year. The association has approximately 250 collegiate chapters across the United States.

Whitewater, WI: Jessica Pluemer, who is studying Marketing.

Whitewater, WI: Zuri Vazquez, who is studying Marketing.

Whitewater, WI: Demetrius Barnes, who is studying Accounting.

Whitewater, WI: Alec Nault, who is studying Marketing.

Whitewater, WI: Sam Wanezek, who is studying Marketing. Wanezek took first place in the AMA International Sales Competition and forth place in the Perfect Pitch Competition.

For more than 150 years, UW-Whitewater has provided students with the education and training to begin their careers with a solid foundation behind them. The UW-Whitewater is committed to the development of the individual, the growth of personal and professional integrity and respect for diversity and global perspectives. These are met by providing academic and co-curricular programs that emphasize the pursuit of knowledge and understanding and a commitment to service within a safe and secure environment.

Current suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): click here

“What’s the best material for a mask?” from the New York Times: click here

Although it is believed that a fabric mask may reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19, it does not take the place of staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance from other persons of at least 6′ when you must leave your home.

The information below is not a paid advertisement for Kari’s Sew Unique, but the Banner is not aware of anyplace else that is closeby offering mask kits. The store is located at 12524 E. County Rd N, Whitewater, WI (behind the Animal Medical Center.) Per their website, they are currently only available to take calls on Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. – noon. More information re: the masks is available there.

WisDOT further restricts in-person services at DMV service
centers beginning April 8 – Service centers to offer only essential services
by appointment; online services remain open.

To protect customers and employees from the spread of COVID-19, the Wisconsin
Department of Transportation is further restricting in-person service at all Division of
Motor Vehicles (DMV) Customer Service Centers on Wednesday, April 8, 2020. This
action furthers the limitation of face-to-face services that began on March 23, 2020.

Until further notice, the service centers will be closed to all in-person transactions except the
following services, which will be available by appointment only. To make an appointment for one of these essential services while the Safer at Home order is in place, call the DMV Communication Center at (608) 264-7447.

• Commercial Driver Licenses (CDL)
• Voters needing identification who need to use the Identification card Petition Process (IDPP)
• New Wisconsin residents who need a driver license or ID for voting
• Note: There are no in-person vehicle services.

Online services available at wisconsindmv.gov:

• All vehicle-related transactions (including renewing registration, titling a vehicle, etc.
• Obtaining a duplicate driver license
• Changing address
• Services can also be completed by mail or through third-party providers.
  

Other modifications DMV has in place to reduce in-person visits include:

• All driver license and CDL renewals are extended 60 days.
• All ID cards can be renewed online
• Emissions testing requirements have been deferred
• Registration renewals should still be completed by mail or online by the renewal date
• Non-CDL driver skills tests have been cancelled until further notice
• A robust online presence (wisconsindmv.gov) to assist with your other DMV needs
• DMV staff will continue to handle phone calls, process mailed-in applications, and assist
  with any other prioritized work on behalf of the state.
  
• For more information, contact:
  WisDOT Office of Public Affairs
  (608) 266-3581, opa.exec@dot.wi.gov

How to Mail and Ship Without Leaving the Safety of Your Home From Sherrie Benes, Whitewater Postmaster Order stamps and supplies, print postage, arrange pick-up

You don’t have to go to the Post Office to use many postal products and services. In fact, most simple tasks can be done from the convenience and safety of your home with or without a computer. Like purchasing stamps. Using your computer, you can go to the Postal Store on usps.com and select different stamp denominations. USPS will deliver them right to your home. No computer? No problem! Ask your local Post Office or carrier to bring you a Stamps by Mail order form, complete it and put it in your mailbox with a check. Again, USPS will bring you your stamps. What if you need to send a package? You can order free Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes, or other package supplies at usps.com. Again, USPS will deliver items to your address. And at usps.com, using Click-N-Ship, you can print a mailing label with the appropriate postage right from your computer. Need that package picked-up? Go to usps.com and schedule a free carrier pick-up. In your request, let your local Post Office know where they can find the package or packages and the carrier will retrieve them when he or she delivers your mail. USPS postal employees are working around the clock to ensure you get your important letters and packages. Skip the trip to the Post Office by ordering stamps, package supplies, and print package postage from your home. We’ll pick up your packages too. It’s the most effective type of social distancing around! The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.