News

Small Businesses Have Until Monday, June 7 @ 4:30 p.m. to Apply for WI Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant Program

Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address Encouraging Wisconsin Small Businesses to Apply for the Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant Program
 


MADISON (May 27) — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered the Democratic Radio Address on the Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant Program. The grants will provide up to $420 million in $5,000 grants to as many as 84,000 Wisconsin small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with annual gross revenue between $10,000 and $7 million. To apply for these grant funds, small businesses should visit revenue.wi.gov. Applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. Mon., June 7, 2021. 

Hello Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers here.

Wisconsin continues to be a national and regional leader in getting available vaccine in arms. With everyone 12 and older eligible to get the vaccine, we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and look ahead to our economic recovery.

Our Main Street businesses have been hit hard this past year. We know if we’re going to bounce back from COVID-19, we have to get support to small businesses across our state to help them get through this pandemic and make it to the other side.

In April, I announced we’d be using our American Rescue Plan Act funds to do just that. We announced our Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant program that will provide up to $420 million in grants to help as many as 84,000 small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

These businesses will receive $5,000 that can be used to restock shelves, catch up on bills, rehire and retain workers, and continue to help keep their customers, employees, and our communities safe as we work to bounce back together.

Applications for this program opened earlier this week and will be accepted through June 7th, so don’t wait! If you’re a small business owner in Wisconsin with an annual gross revenue between $10,000 and $7 million, head to revenue.wi.gov to apply today.

Thank you.

#Flashback Friday with the Historical Society: WHS Marching Band in the ’30s

In honor of the Whippets graduating this weekend, this week’s #FlashbackFriday features some Whitewater High School students of the past!

Shown here is a photo of the Whitewater High School Marching Band. It was most likely taken in the late 1930s. According to the Whitewater Register, the high school marching band was established as a separate group in 1935. It was comprised of members of both the “first” and “second” concert bands. This was due to so many of the concert band members also being members of the school football squad, making it difficult for them to participate in both groups on Friday nights.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society collections!
(4326P, Whitewater Historical Society)​

The Whitewater Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Whitewater and the surrounding area. Be sure to join us next week for more from the Society’s collections. Please “like” us on Facebook, and check out our website at whitewaterhistoricalsociety.org!​ 

Seniors in the Park Presents Nomadland – Tues., June 8

Nomadland (film) - Wikipedia

“Nomadland” – Tuesday, June 8, 1 p.m.
Drama; Rated R (Nudity, profanity)
1 hour, 47 minutes (2021)
A woman in her sixties, losing everything financially, embarks on a journey through the West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad. Oscar winner:Best Picture, Director, and Actress (Frances McDormand).

We are now able to seat 15 people. Please register in advance online, by email (dweberpal@whitewater-wi.gov), or phone (473-0535). Facial coverings are no longer required for those who are fully vaccinated..

See you at the movies!

Whitewater 4th of July Festival: Celebrating our Hometown Heroes

Whitewater Area 4th of July Festival: “Celebrating our Hometown Heroes” at Cravath Lakefront Park

The Whitewater 4th of July Committee has spent much of 2021 cautiously optimistic that this year we would be able to bring a normal festival back to the Whitewater community. We are pleased to announce that we have planned a variety of events for the community to come together to celebrate.

Family owned and operated Christman Family Amusements returns to the park with carnival rides, games, and food Thursday through Sunday, July 1-4. Multiple all you can ride wrist band session times are $20 and schedule times are listed on our website www.whitewater4th.com.

The Miss Whitewater Pageant is back and better than ever. 2021 marks our 10th year and we will be “Celebrating Our Hometown Heroes.” Do not miss out on your chance to win great prizes by purchasing raffle tickets sold by participants. This year’s monies will go to Pets for Vets, The WW Fire Dept., and to support the community funded Whitewater K-9 Unit. To find out more details on how to enter the pageant, contact pageant organizers via email at misswhitewaterpageant@yahoo.com.

Whitewater, Wisconsin’s 36th Annual Fourth of July Celebration Car Show. This year’s show theme is CELEBRATING OUR HOMETOWN HEROES, taking place Saturday afternoon, July 3 from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. There will be an awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. where cars selected by LOCAL HOMETOWN HEROES will have the opportunity to win HEROES’ CHOICE awards. Spectator admission is free. Vehicles entered into the show are $10 (day of show).

Saturday evening features the band Wunderlich which is prepared to rock the new amphitheater in the park with originals & covers from Metallica, Foo Fighters, Tool, 90s – today. Fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m.

Sunday’s adventures begin with the fastest one-mile race you will ever enjoy with the return of the Whippet City Mile. This year the 4th is on a Sunday so make note that race time is 11:45 a.m. Entry forms can be found here: http://www.whippetcitymile.com/

High noon marks the official start for the 4th of July parade hosted by the Whitewater Lions Club. Join friends and neighbors to enjoy the parade or download an entry form to participate in the parade here: (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16NchG4ejm6jDiDgZJJbCIvumkouS5VEl?usp=sharing) We cannot wait to celebrate this year’s grand marshals and all our hometown heroes.

The fun does not stop there; after the parade head down to the park to enjoy music by Steve Meisner.

Rounding out the festival, Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns, an 8-piece show band playing the best current and classic pop dance music will usher in a second night of fireworks at 10 p.m.

Because we opted to be cautiously optimistic, we still have some work to do in finalizing our lineup for food vendor participation, but we’ll update that on our website just as soon as we have those details in place!

As a committee and organization, our mission is to remember, respect, and celebrate our nation’s freedom and independence for our families, friends, community, and nation. We volunteer, organize, and work with other organizations and individuals to create an exciting celebration for the Whitewater community and surrounding areas. We hope that you will join us in celebrating and we’ll see you at the park!

Source: Whitewater 4th of July Committee press release

Local Students Named to UW-Madison Dean’s List

UW-MADISON ANNOUNCES SPRING DEAN’S LIST MADISON, Wis. (June 3, 2021) – The University of Wisconsin-Madison has recognized students named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the distinction. Most call the honor “dean’s list”, but some grant the “Dean’s Honor List” and “Dean’s High Honor List.” To view an online listing, visit http://registrar.wisc.edu/deans_list.htm. For questions or concerns about eligibility, please contact deanslist-registrar@em.wisc.edu 

Whitewater, WI

 Caroline Crowley, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List
 James Dedrick, College of Engineering, Dean’s Honor List
 Sophia Elworthy, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List
 Jaden Henneman, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Dean’s List
 Meghan Kehoe, School of Education, Dean’s List
 Ali Ketterhagen, School of Business, Dean’s List
 Nick Kuzoff, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List
 Milena Maroske, School of Education, Dean’s List
 Connor Steinke, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List

No Garage Sales Submitted, But An Advance Notice for Next Weekend

252 S Ardmor Dr,  Whitewater
(Next weekend) Friday, June 11, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday, June 12, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Oil Can Collection of Harley Davidson watches, kitchen bar stools, throw pillows, yarns, Christmas vintage glass bulbs, Christmas Collection of Barbie Ornaments, lights, roller blades, never worn ice skates, artist supplies, suitcases of all sizes, books, clothes and many other miscellaneous items.

A Banner Service – Garage Sale Ads

As a result of a reader’s comment that it’s hard to find garage sales in Whitewater now that we no longer have a weekly shopper, the Banner staff has agreed to begin a “consolidated” garage sale posting that will be published each Thursday morning for the upcoming weekend’s sales. This announcement will only be for garage sales (a sale of miscellaneous household goods, often held in the garage or front yard of someone’s house) in the city and school district boundaries. We will not be accepting, for example, ads for cars or other items that are not part of a scheduled garage sale. There will be a limit of three times per year for a particular property. Although we may eventually make a small charge for this service, initially it will be complimentary.

Those wishing to place a notice must send the information to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com by Wednesday at 6 p.m. You may include a brief description of the items that are for sale, the hours and days of the sale, and of course your address.

Whitewater Arts Alliance Presents the WRAP Show at the Cultural Arts Center in June

(WHITEWATER – June 4) The Whitewater Arts Alliance will be hosting the Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP) exhibit that features the works of non-professional Wisconsin artists at Whitewater’s Cultural Arts Center, 402 West Main Street, from June 4 through June 27. Visitors will be asked to participate in health and safety measures recommended by the CDC for COVID-19, to include wearing a mask if not fully vaccinated.

Artists from Wisconsin will be exhibiting art in a variety of media including 3D, acrylic, oil, and watercolor paintings, mixed media, and drawings. Artists and art-advocates alike are invited to view the exhibit free of charge. The exhibit will run from 2 to 4 p.m. beginning June 4th and running through June 27 Fridays through Sundays. The show can be viewed virtually from the Association of Wisconsin Artists website: https://awa-artwork.org/wrap/whitewater-2021-06-27/# or at Whitewater Arts Alliance’s website: https://www.whitewaterarts.org/wrap-2021

WRAP was established to encourage Wisconsin citizens with a serious interest in art – people who make art purely for the love of it, rather than for fame and fortune. The purpose of WRAP is to encourage nonprofessional artists to develop their abilities. The Wisconsin Regional Art Program consists of many artist workshop/exhibits that meet throughout the year statewide. Each one has a different artist demonstration or slide lecture and a different judge to lead the afternoon critique. Artists may enter as many Wisconsin Regional Art Workshops as they like. The program is run by the Association of Wisconsin Artists (AWA), formerly named WRAA.

Artists winning a State Exhibit Award are eligible to compete for monetary awards at the State Day in Madison. In order to enter the State Exhibit you must be a member of the Wisconsin Regional Arts Program – you can join the organization at any time before the state exhibit by going to wiscartists.org and click on the tab to register.

The first Rural Art Exhibit was held at the Memorial Union during Farm and Home Week in 1940. Under the guidance of John Stuart Curry, the exhibit grew rapidly, expanding from 30 nonprofessional artists in 1940 to over 100 by 1947. The energy and enthusiasm of Curry’s successor, Aaron Bohrod, the WRAP directors, James Schwalbach and Ken Kuemmerlein, and the help of the AWA have continued to make the exhibition and workshops cornerstones of activity for nonprofessional artists throughout the state.

WRAP is developed and administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Liberal Studies and the Arts. WRAP exhibits and workshops began in 1940 to encourage the creative growth of non-professional artists from rural areas.

Big thanks to our sponsor, First Citizens State Bank!

The mission of the Whitewater Arts Alliance is to promote the visual and performing arts through an alliance of artists, individuals, educational resources, and organizations to promote creativity and diversity that will serve to educate and enrich the lives of the residents of the Whitewater community and surrounding areas.

The image on the homepage, “Hello, I Am Zinnia,” is by Alexandra Doaga, oil on canvas, 18″ x 24″ x 1.5″

WW Common Council Meeting Goes Hybrid

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The Whitewater Common Council met in person for the first time in over a year on June 1st in what is being labelled as a “hybrid” option that includes both in-person attendance and participation via computer or telephone. The new option was not without some technical difficulties.

Live broadcast on local access cable was temporarily not available and audio for remote attendees was nearly indistinguishable at times but City Manager Cameron Clapper said that steps are being taken to make technical improvements. In a previous meeting several Council members offered the observation that during the pandemic restriction period citizen participation via phone or computer was greater than previous in-person attendance because it was more convenient.

COVID-19 pandemic impacts were still reflected in the Common Council agenda for Tuesday’s meeting as the City of Whitewater’s facial covering ordinance was officially repealed and City Finance Director Steve Hatton’s report on the city’s 2020 financial audit detailed the pandemic’s financial impacts to city operations last year.

Hatton told council members that the audit revealed what he described as a “clean” review of the City’s financial performance. Revenues were down from projections in most categories as the result of reduced income from licensing fees, Aquatic Center revenue and delayed implementation of increased water rates that were suspended to help soften the financial impact of COVID-19 on city residents and businesses. A federal “Routes to Recovery” grant of $268,000, however, helped balance the 2020 city budget, which resulted in a surplus of over $280,000. The audit also documented success in reducing city debt and increasing city reserves.

In other action the Common Council renewed city alcohol licenses including the much-publicized renewal for Pumpers & Mitchells with an agreement that requires improved management practices and suspends the tavern’s operations from September 1 through the Halloween holiday weekend. The suspension agreement came in response to a Whitewater Police Department review of the large amount of police activity tied to the college student-oriented establishment.

The Council also authorized entering into an agreement with a company offering to provide battery powered e-scooters that will be stationed at various locations around town. Adults will be able to use scooters after using a charge card to activate the device. A representative of “Bird Rides” indicated that the anticipated charge per ride would generally be in the range of $5 or less depending on the number of minutes rented. The agreement is subject to final negotiations between the company and city staff and can be terminated at the city’s request after a trial period.

The Council also took steps to fill the seat of second district representative Matthew Schulgit who recently graduated from UW-Whitewater and has moved on to medical school. The second district covers an area that extends to the western boundary of the city and to the north ends at the Jefferson County line. The southern and eastern edges are more difficult to define. This map shows the district (click on “layers,” “aldermanic districts,” in the upper right hand corner), but the City Clerk can answer questions. The position will be up for reelection next April. District residents who are interested in knowing more about what is required of someone filling the vacant position are asked to contact City Clerk Michele Smith at msmith@whitewater-wi.gov or 262-473-0102. Applications will be accepted for 30 days with interviews planned for the July 20 Common Council meeting.

Children’s craft kits available at the Whitewater Public Library each week during June 7 and 21 and July 6 and 19; Craft videos available online

(Whitewater Public Library submission) The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library offers a new craft for kids every other week! Just stop by the Library, grab your take-and-make craft kit, and follow along with the craft video! Videos can be found on their Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Children’s crafts are available the weeks of:
June 7 and 21
July 6 and 19