News

A temporary power outage is currently affecting much of Downtown Whitewater.

According to the WE Energies Outage map, power is estimated to be restored at 8:30 AM.

For more information, check out the WE Energies Outage map.

Stressing the importance of offering nutritious meals to children during the summer months, the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater announces the sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program at the following camps: Upward Bound, Success in Math and Science, STEER, CAP I, CAP II, CAP III, ACT Prep-Residential, and ACT Prep-Commuter.

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Meals will be available at no separate charge to enrolled children who are 18 years of age and under and to persons over 18 years of age who are determined by a state or local public educational agency to be mentally or physically disabled and are also participating in a public or private non-profit school program during the regular school year.

The amount of reimbursement received by a Summer Food Service Program sponsor is based upon the household incomes of the enrolled children. Children who are members of households receiving Foodshare, FDPIR, W-2 (Wisconsin Works – Cash Benefits Only) benefits are automatically eligible to receive free meal benefits at eligible program sites.

The Summer Food Service Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

The City of Whitewater requests responses to an income survey from residents along Clay Street, between Dann Street and the round-a-bout, in order to apply for a sanitary sewer and water grant.

The Clay Street project scheduled for 2020 has multiple steps, one of which is replacing old sanitary sewer and water piping. With the assistance of residents living on Clay Street, the city may be able to apply for a grant to help lower costs of the project and avoid additional utility fees.

Residents are encouraged to fill out the income survey that was sent to them in March. This needs to be returned by April 17, 2019. The City wishes to thank the vast majority of individuals who have already taken the time to complete and return the survey.

Contact Public Works Director, Brad Marquardt at (262) 473-0139 or BMarquardt@whitewater-wi.gov to obtain an income survey if needed.

Area residents are invited to this family-friendly event at the regional makerspace, located at 200 E. Clay St. across from the American Legion in Whitewater. It will be held rain or shine, with inside activities in the event of cold or inclement weather.

The doors open at 9 a.m.

Spectators are welcome to watch the “pour team” — Teresa “Tree” Lind, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater lecturer of art and design, and her students melt cast iron in an outdoor furnace much the same way that the cavemen did 3,000 years ago. The only modern technology they will use is a leaf blower and, of course, modern safety gear. Once the iron is heated to 3,200 degrees, the team will fill sand scratch molds with molten metal.

At noon, Lind and her students will begin pouring the cast iron, and they will present the completed castings to participants at 2 p.m.

“This is an experience you won’t want to miss,” said Wisconsin Makers member Lynda Babcock, adding that past years’ iron pours each drew nearly 100 attendees. “Your iron mold sculpture will be a truly unique one-of-a-kind design of your own making.”

Persons wishing to create squares — which make great trivets, garden “stones” and decorative art — will be able to do so from 9 a.m. to noon on April 13.

In addition, they may attend a workshop from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 11, at the Whitewater makerspace.

People may sign up for the iron pour and purchase their scratch molds for the workshop at Wisconsin Makers via EventBrite at Facebook.com/WisconsinMakers. Each scratch mold costs $25 and includes the free workshop.

Also on Saturday, April 13, iron pour attendees will be able to take tours of Wisconsin Makers.

“We have many areas of interest to makers,” Babcock said. “Our metalworking area will be demonstrating both welding and a ‘foundry in a box.’

“There also will be an area to create ‘hardware art’ from a large pile of nuts, bolts and hardware for kids,” she said.

Brats will be available for $3, and chips and soda, for $1 each.

Wisconsin Makers is a nonprofit regional makerspace (community workshop) offering an affordable, collaborative and educational environment that inspires people of all ages to become innovators by unlocking their skills through continual experimentation and training. Work areas/equipment include: 3D printing, laser engraving, machining, welding/fabrication, electronics, blacksmithing, woodworking, ceramics/pottery, jewelry making, arts/crafts, quilting/fabric arts, matting/framing and much more.

For more information or to register for the iron pour workshop, or to learn about memberships, visit wisconsinmakers.org or its Facebook page at @wisconsinmakers; call (262) 753-6455; or email Lynda at wisconsinmakers@gmail.com.

The Whitewater Community Foundation is now accepting applications for its Spring Community Action Grants.

For the past three years, the WCF has awarded grants that encourage and support our local civic partners who create opportunities in Whitewater that will benefit all who live, work and play here.  Projects submitted should be for educational, cultural, charitable or benevolent purposes that address the needs of the community. Projects are expected to be accomplished within a specific period of time, generally not more than one year.

If your organization has a new project you need help with, we encourage you to apply.  Interested organizations can find more information and our application at http://www.whitewatercommunityfoundation.org/grants/

The deadline for applications is April 30, 2019.

The City of Whitewater ~ Department of Public Works will conduct a leaf and yard waste collection the week of Monday, April 15 – Thursday, April 18, and Monday, April 22 – Friday, April 26, 2019. Please place your bagged yard waste on the curb by Monday, April 15.

Yard waste must be bagged in the Bio-Bags given out in the fall by the City, or clear, transparent bags only. Yard waste will not be collected if not bagged properly or placed in nontransparent or black bags. In addition, the City does not have free bags for residents this time of year.

Brush will not be collected as part of the yard waste collection. Brush is chipped as a service to all City residents every Tuesday throughout the year. Residents requesting brush collection may call 473-0560 (before 7 a.m.) on the Tuesday morning you wish your brush to be chipped. Chipping is done free of charge for the first 10 minutes. After that, a fee of $30.00 is charged to the homeowner for each additional 10 minutes.

Yard Waste Ordinance

Notice: It is against city ordinance to deposit any yard waste debris on city streets or right of ways other than City of Whitewater designated days.

Questions

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Streets/Parks/Forestry Dept. at 262-473-0560.

Another year, another victory for Whitewater High School’s Ferradermis (FIRST Robotics team 6574). The team competed March 27th through the 30th at the Wisconsin Regional in Milwaukee, picking up a second consecutive victory on top of their 2018 success. This year Ferradermis had their best showing, ending the initial round of qualification matches at the #3 position in a pool of 54 competing teams from around the country (as well as a victor from another competition coming all the way from Auckland, New Zealand!). When it came down to picking the final teams to compete through the elimination rounds, the #1 and #2 teams joined together; forming a seemingly unbeatable alliance. This led to Ferradermis filling in the spot as the second ranked alliance captains, giving them the ability to choose other teams to join them. The team chose Paradigm Shift (team 1259 out of Pewaukee, Wisconsin) as their first pick to join them. The history between these two teams goes back to before Ferradermis’ creation, as a handful of Ferradermis’ core mentors were formerly members of Paradigm Shift. During the 2018 Wisconsin Regional, Paradigm Shift was the first rank alliance captain and picked Ferradermis as their own partner; this year Ferradermis had the opportunity to do the same in return. Teams 6574 and 1259 picked Oriole Assault (team 1091 out of Hartford, Wisconsin) to complete their alliance, and so began the elimination matches.

The alliance was undefeated through quarterfinals and semifinals, winning each 2-0. The whole event was shocked when the first ranked alliance was knocked out by the fourth seed (including 7498 of New Zealand); the alliance that Ferradermis, Paradigm Shift, and Oriole Assault would now need to defeat to secure a victory in finals. After an initial loss in finals, the prospects were uncertain for Ferradermis, but it became clear that a victory could be within reach. The team’s hopes were stoked after the second finals match was won, and the event was decided by a tiebreak match which ended as a decisive victory for Ferradermis’ second seed alliance. By winning the regional, just as in 2018, Ferradermis qualified for the FIRST Robotics Competition world championship in Detroit, Michigan from April 24th through April 27th. There they will go head-to-head with other winning robots created by teams from across the continent and the world. To be regional champions two out of their first three years of existence is an outstanding feat, and Ferradermis has demonstrated consistent growth ever since its creation. It has continued to bring together and strengthen its group of student members and adult mentors, and has its sights as high as ever for the future.

The team would like to thank their sponsors, parents, and fellow students for their ongoing support. There was an electric atmosphere in the stands in Milwaukee, energizing the team. You can watch any match from the event and get a feel for the intensity of the competition at https://www.thebluealliance.com/event/2019wimi. Thank you also to the Whitewater Fire Department for the amazing ride through the city upon our return on Saturday evening!

Ferradermis members are currently fundraising for their trip to Detroit with a goal of raising $20,000 in the next two weeks. Please consider supporting the team in one or more of the following ways:

• Rocky Rococo’s Pizza will be donating 20% of their sales to the team on Wednesday, April 10, from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm.
• Jessica’s Family Restaurant will be donating 10% of their sales to the team on Tuesday, April 16, from 6:00 am until 3:00 pm.
• Individuals may contribute through our fundraising page at http://www.ferradermis.org/support.php or by mailing a check to WHS in care of Ferradermis.

Article and Photos by Tom Ganser

Best way to fight an early bout with Spring Fever?

How about taking in a performance of Whitewater Middle School’s production of “Guys and Dolls, Jr.” on Apr. 11 and 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitewater High School Auditorium? It’s the perfect way to kick off the first month of spring.

General admission tickets are available at the WHS box office beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Apr. 11 show is a “pay what you can” night, with suggested donations of $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. Tickets for the Apr. 12 performance are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. Children five and under are free.

Set in New York City, “Guys and Dolls, Jr.” follows gambler, Nathan Detroit, as he tries to find the cash to set up the biggest crap game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck. Meanwhile, his girlfriend and nightclub performer, Adelaide, laments that they’ve been engaged for fourteen years without ever getting married. Nathan turns to fellow gambler, Sky Masterson, for the dough, but Sky ends up chasing the straight-laced missionary, Sarah Brown. “Guys and Dolls, Jr.” takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, but everyone eventually ends up right where they belong.

The production is directed by Liz Elliot, with the help of assistant directors, Calla Craze and Alyssa Orlowski; choreographer Lynn Lema; set and lighting designer Jim McCulloch; and sound designer Tony Hansen.

The cast of 49 includes Lilly Altreuter, Wyatt Anderson, Tyler Arnett, Brooke Bazeley, Katelyn Block, Keith Cameron, Caelyn Caputo, Afton Clapper, Caleb Clapper, Ayden Clark, Emma Clarksen, Alejandra Diaz, Molly Donner, Rose Fosda, Adalynn Frye, Henry Gehrenbeck, Sierra Gonzales, Alex Jones, Josh Kirley, Megan Kleeberger, Mikeala Klumb, Ilana Lothes, Alex Martin, Ben McCulloch, Myles Morse, Leah Newmann, Ava Nygren, Emily O’Donnell, Betzy Palomec, Chloe Prince, Meg Roselle, Amber Rossmiller, Lucas Scherer, Cole Schlicher, Jayden Sontag, Athena Soto, Skylar Staebler, Alex Sullivan, Claire Tourdot, Evie Troxel, Maria Verduzco, Willow Vogelzang, Anderson Waelchli, Emma Weigel, Marco Wence, Cosette Wildermuth, Morgan Zingsheim, Kelsy Zingsheim, and Xavier Zei.

WHS students putting their theatrical experience to work in this production include Audrey Mayer, Stephanie Ordaz, Emma Van Daele, Aldro Rodriguez, Carter Waelchli, and Sophie Walton.

The talented stage crew includes Ghati Binagi, Payton Bunger, Izzy Dieter, Emerson Dunham, Monica Juette, Abby Olson, Emily Schmidt, Heidi Sherman, and Isaac Straight.

Kat Dunham, a paraeducator serving the students of WUSD, often works behind the scenes – and far below the radar – in creating sets for the district’s annual theatrical productions – two for the high school, one for the middle school, and one for students from grade 6 to graduating seniors.

“In theatre, everyone sets aside their differences and works together toward a common goal of a quality show,” Kat commented. “You learn teamwork, acceptance, responsibility, reliability, and have a great time doing it. You become a solid team because if you don’t, the show fails.  When it succeeds, you get to be a part of something much bigger than yourself. That’s an amazing feeling that can’t be matched by anything else.”

David Stokes will be doing a program on Friday, April 12 from 10 – 11 am at the Roseman Gym, UW-Whitewater.

Through the use of songs, stories, movement, riddles, audio/visual and hands-on materials, students are actively engaged in learning. Live animals and animal artifacts are used when appropriate to enhance the learning.

David is a Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education Teacher of the Year and an “Aldo Leopold” award winner.

This show is for preschool, kindergarten, elementary-age Children, families and adults. School/center/childcare groups welcome!

Come share frogs, turtles, snakes and more in an engaging, fun way. Using live animals, songs, puppets, toys and 3-dimensional objects, we will have fun exploring the wonder of animals. This will be a primary experience, with an opportunity to touch and see and hear.

David Stokes has been creating exciting learning situations since 1974. He has presented at UW-Whitewater since 1986. David loves to share his humorous approach to nature study, animals, plants, and the earth.

Friday, April 12, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., Roseman Gym, UW-Whitewater
$5.00 per ticket • Register online: uww.edu/ce/camps/additional/ecc