News

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will hold all summer 2020 Warhawks SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising and Registration) programs virtually.

SOAR events are opportunities for incoming students to learn more about the university, connect with other new Warhawks, and engage in the academic advising process for course registration.

“While we will miss seeing our new Warhawks and their families in person, the health and safety of our students, staff and guests remains our top priority,” said Beth John, director of first year experience. “Our teams at both the Whitewater and Rock County campuses have worked to create a rich and engaging virtual experience as we welcome the next class of UW-Whitewater students.” 

Those who have already registered for SOAR will receive information via email regarding the virtual program and any next steps approximately 10 days prior to the date for which they registered.

“We’re committed to helping students and their families successfully navigate the transition to college,” said Marie Hornickel, assistant director of first year experience. “Incoming Warhawks will still have the opportunity to learn about and engage with various campus departments, from financial aid to housing – as well as have conversations with the Hawk Squad, our energetic team of student orientation leaders.”

The Warhawks SOAR events represent just one component of UW-Whitewater’s comprehensive orientation program, which continues in the fall with Warhawk Welcome and the New Student Seminar course.

For more information, contact the Office of First Year Experience at fye@uww.edu or 262-472-3205. 

Per Lake Geneva Regional News on April 17, the Walworth County Health Department indicated that a COVID-19 outbreak at Geneva Lake Manor in Lake Geneva has resulted in a public health order being issued. (Access to the Lake Geneva Regional News article is complimentary; simply click on the X in the box at the top of the page.)

Also, per the table below, the number of deaths from the virus in the county has climbed to five.

Per Walworth County Public Health (4/16): “Our number of lab confirmed cases has risen significantly since yesterday.  The large increase in cases is associated with an outbreak at a facility. All  impacted individuals have been contacted by public health and are currently being isolated.”

Banner Comment: Per the above comment, it appears that a single facility may have as many as 23 laboratory confirmed cases; however, per the department’s policy, no further information will be released. However, the map below from the WI DHS website has a large dot that indicates an unusually large number of cases in a census tract in Walworth County. Please note this disclaimer from the website: “The data within this map represents aggregated counts by Wisconsin counties and census tracts. The location of the symbols are placed at the geometric center of the geographic boundary to represent aggregated counts within that boundary. Map symbol locations do NOT represent physical locations of individual COVID-19 cases and should not be used for that purpose.” Clicking on the dot provides the following information: Census tract 16.02, Walworth County – Positive – 34, Negative – 51, Deaths – 2; last updated 4/16/20; population – 6,308. This link has a map that shows census tract 16.02 in the Lake Geneva area.

Update: 4/17/2020 – 1:15pm

Walworth County currently has 82 laboratory confirmed cases of the disease as of 4/16/2020.

Walworth County statistics of 4/15/2020.

Walworth County statistics of 4/14/2020

UPDATE: Audio file of Gov. Evers’ radio address regarding the extension.

UPDATE: Per a news conference at1:30 p.m. on 4/16:

• Twenty-nine labs in the state are now able to process COVID-19 tests, with a total capacity of over 7,000 daily.
• So far there have been 40,974 negative and 3,875 positive tests.
• There have been 1121 hospitalizations, representing a 28% hospitalization rate of those confirmed.
• 197 deaths – It is estimated that without the containment measures, there would have been 300-1400 more deaths.
• In order to move farther towards reopening the state, there needs to be 1) more testing, 2) contact tracing for all those with confirmed infections, 3) more PPE and more health care workers, and 4) continued daily scientific analysis.
• Wisconsin is working with the following states on regional plans, although each state will have the ability to customize to their situation: MN, IL, MI, OH, KY, IN.
• Lenders have approved 32,000 small business SBA loan applications totalling $7.2 billion. It was reported that the funds for the program have been exhausted, with Congress considering authorization of additional monies.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today directed Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to extend the Safer at Home order from April 24, 2020 to 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, 2020, or until a superseding order is issued. The order implements some new measures to ensure safety and support the progress we’ve made in containing COVID-19, but also allows certain activities to start up again. The order is available here. “A few weeks ago, we had a pretty grim outlook for what COVID-19 could mean for our state, but because of the efforts of all of you, Safer at Home is working. That said, we aren’t out of the woods just yet,” said Gov. Evers. “As I’ve said all along, we are going to rely on the science and public health experts to guide us through this challenge. So, as we extend Safer at Home, I need all of you to continue doing the good work you’ve been doing so we can keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe, and get through this storm together.”“Before we lift Safer at Home, the steps of testing and more robust public health measures must be in place,” explained Secretary-designee Palm. “These steps will help us reduce the risk of a second wave of the virus. If we open up too soon, we risk overwhelming our hospitals and requiring more drastic physical distancing measures again.”The extension of the Safer at Home order includes a few changes. Some changes allow more businesses and activities to open back up, while other changes help make businesses safer for employees and customers. The changes in this order include: Businesses and activities ramping up service and operations:

• Public libraries: Public libraries may now provide curb-side pick-up of books and other library materials. 
• Golf Courses: Golf courses may open again, with restrictions including scheduling and paying for tee times online or by phone only. Clubhouses and pro shops must remain closed.
• Non-essential Businesses: Non-essential businesses will now be able to do more things as Minimum Basic Operations, including deliveries, mailings, and curb-side pick-up. Non-essential businesses must notify workers of whether they are necessary for the Minimum Basic Operations.
• Arts and Crafts Stores: Arts and craft stores may offer expanded curb-side pick-up of materials necessary to make face masks or other personal protective equipment (PPE). 
• Aesthetic or Optional Exterior Work: Aesthetic or optional exterior lawn care or construction is now allowed under the extended order, so long as it can be done by one person.

Safe Business Practices:

• Safe Business Practices for Essential Businesses and Operations: Essential Businesses and Operations must increase cleaning and disinfection practices, ensure that only necessary workers are present, and adopt policies to prevent workers exposed to COVID-19 or symptomatic workers from coming to work.
• Safe Business Practices for Retailers that Essential Businesses and Operations: Retail stores that remain open to the public as Essential Businesses and Operations must limit the number of people in the store at one time, must provide proper spacing for people waiting to enter, and large stores must offer at least two hours per week of dedicated shopping time for vulnerable populations.
• Supply Chain: Essential Businesses and Operations that are essential because they supply, manufacture, or distribute goods and services to other Essential Businesses and Operations can only continue operations that are necessary to those businesses they supply. All other operations must continue as Minimum Basic Operations.

 Other changes include:

• Schools: Public and private K-12 schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
• Local parks and open space: Local health officials may close public parks and open spaces if it becomes too difficult to ensure social distancing or the areas are being mistreated.
• Travel: People are strongly encourage to stay close to home, not travel to second homes or cabins, and not to travel out-of-state if it is not necessary. 
• Tribal Nations: Tribal Nations are sovereign over their territory and can impose their own restrictions. Non-tribal members should be respectful of and avoid non-essential travel to Tribal territory. Local government must coordinate, collaborate, and share information with Tribal Nations.
• Duration: The changes in this order go into effect on April 24, 2020. The order will remain in effect until 8 a.m. on May 26, 2020.

If you have questions, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is available here for your review.The public should continue to follow simple steps to avoid exposure to the virus and prevent illness including: 

• Avoiding social gatherings with people of all ages (including playdates and sleepovers, parties, large family dinners, visitors in your home, non-essential workers in your house);
• Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and water; 
• Covering coughs and sneezes;
• Avoiding touching one’s face; and 
• Staying home. 

This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we encourage you and the public to frequently monitor the DHS website. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook, Twitter, or dhs.wi on Instagram. Additional information can be found on the CDC website. Read Emergency Order #28 – Safer at Home here.
Emergency Order #28 FAQs here.

Terrie Parenteau, a member of the First United Methodist Church in Whitewater, WI, was awarded the WUL Hometown Hero Award on Wednesday for “For her Dedication of Time, Talent and Treasure with the First United Methodist Church in Making Nutritious, Delicious Meals for the Entire Community during the COVID-19 Crisis and beyond.”

For many years, Terrie has been the lead provider of weekly meals for university students and community members via the church.  Terrie and church members organized Whitewater Responds in March to feed hungry people due to COVID-19. She and her team have provided over 2,000 packaged, homemade meals for all of those in need during the crisis. This includes college students, families, senior citizens, and first-responders.  

One day Terrie Parenteau looked in the mirror and said, “I am not ready to be this old yet, what can I do?” and that is when she began her missions to give back to the community through WeCare and University Free Lunch. When asked why she does this, Terrie responded, “Because I can and I enjoy giving to the community.” She is amazed by the community support! She believes that it takes many people not only in this time of crisis but the years of support when feeding Whitewater.  Terrie is truly an inspiration to the Whitewater community and the many people she has touched.

All who would like to donate to this program are welcome to mail donations to the First United Methodist Church, 145 S. Prairie St., and state that they would like to donate to this cause.

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 

A comparison of the 2016 Spring Primary/Presidential Preference Election with the same 2020 election is shown in the table below. The dramatically lower turnout this year (approximately 28.8% of pre-registered voters plus 108 same day registrants) was undoubtedly influenced by several factors, including: 1) UW-W in-person classes having been suspended, 2) In 2016 there were competitive Presidential races in both parties, and 3) The COVID-19 pandemic.

Per City Clerk Michele Smith, sadly, approximately 72 absentee ballots were found to be ineligible to be counted. This unusually high number was likely a result of many people voting absentee for the first time. 17 lacked the voter’s signature on the envelope, 40 had no witness signature/address, 7 were postmarked after April 7, and 8 were received after April 7 with no postmark.

Having reviewed the final reports, a few corrections are in order.

CORRECTION: THE VOTE TOTAL IN WALWORTH COUNTY DISTRICT 4, OF 704 TO 401 WAS CORRECT, BUT ALL VOTES WERE IN THE CITY. (Previous report:”The only local race that was contested was for Walworth County Supervisor, District 4, where incumbent Jerry Grant led Kerstan Roeven by 690 to 373 votes. Including township votes, Grant won by 704 to 401.”)

CORRECTION: THE BANNER OMITTED A SECOND CONTESTED WALWORTH COUNTY SUPERVISOR RACE, IN DISTRICT 3. Brian Holt received 203 votes, and Tim Brellenthin, 116. Holt was declared the winner over incumbent Brellenthin, with the county-wide vote being 1211 to 1143.

CORRECTION/ADDITION: A few percentages (designated by a *) in the tables below have been changed slightly. Additionally, the raw number votes for the Democratic presidential candidates receiving less than 2% have been added.

Results in the Democratic Presidential Preference Primary:

Wisconsin Supreme Court

Court of Appeals Judge, District 2

State Referendum (“Marsy’s Law”)

Common Council: Three incumbents were reelected without opposition: Jim Allen (at Large), Matthew Schulgit (District 2), and Lynn Binnie (District 4).

Whitewater Unified School Board: There were three open seats, with three candidates. Incumbents Casey Judd and Steven J. Ryan were reelected, and former Board member Thayer A. Coburn was returned to office.