News

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

The Whitewater Common Council, in a special meeting on May 1, interviewed three candidates for an interim appointment as Municipal Judge: Art Coleman, Jonathan McDonell, and John William Nelson. Council members did not discuss their views regarding the interviews other than to express appreciation for the three candidates stepping forward. Nelson was chosen on a 4-3 vote, with Brienne Brown, Greg Marjkrzak, Brian Schanen, and Orin Smith voting in favor.

State statutes stipulate very minimal required qualifications for a municipal judge; of particular note, a judge need not be an attorney. According to the Wisconsin Court System website, approximately 50% of the over 200 municipal judges are attorneys. The judge must live in the municipality where they serve. Two of the applicants for the position, McDonell and Nelson, are attorneys. McDonell currently serves as city attorney as well as the city’s prosecutor in the municipal court. It was mentioned that if McDonell was appointed as judge the city would have to seek a different attorney for his current roles. Coleman, who has twice been an unsuccessful candidate on the ballot for municipal judge, retired last year from state service as a probation/parole agent, and indicated that in that role he had frequent appearances in courts. Nelson described himself as a trial attorney who most recently had resided in Georgia. He indicated that he felt that his relatively recent move to Whitewater would be a plus, as he would be less likely to be acquainted with individuals who might appear in court or their family members.

The appointment of an interim municipal judge was necessitated by the resignation, effective June 1, of Patrick Taylor, who will be moving to California to join his spouse, who is now employed there. Taylor is serving his second term as judge, with a term that expires in May 2027. The selection of a new judge was particularly expedited in order to facilitate a decision in time for the new judge to attend the Wisconsin Court System’s annual Municipal Judge Orientation Seminar, which Nelson told The Whitewater Banner he does plan to attend. Taylor, in addressing the Council, complimented them on their prompt appointment of the judge, and also passed on recommendations to the candidates on what he considered to be important philosophies and practices of running an effective court.

A special election to elect a judge to fulfill the remainder of Taylor’s term will be held as part of the presidential election in November. Both McDonell and Nelson expressed an intention to run in that election; Coleman indicated that he was undecided due to the possibility of having other employment by that time.

The Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the eagerly anticipated return of the 4th Annual Whitewater Storytelling Festival, taking place on May 3rd and 4th at the Cultural Arts Center (CAC) located at 402 W Main St, Whitewater.

The festival promises a charismatic lineup of storytelling, music, art, and family fun, showcasing talent from Chicago, Milwaukee, Kenosha, Whitewater, and beyond.

The festivities kick off on Friday, May 3rd at the CAC, with an Open Mic session from 6:00 PM to 7:45 PM emceed by Karen McCulloch of The Book Teller. This will be followed by live music performances by Nazario Chickpeazio and County Craic Irish Fiddling from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Saturday, May 4th, will feature a diverse array of events in Flat Iron Park outside the CAC beginning at 9:00 AM with children’s storytelling, followed by all-ages storytelling throughout the afternoon, emceed by Sarah Beth Nelson. From 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, attendees can enjoy a watercolor demonstration and the opening reception for Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Wisconsin Regional Artists Program exhibit. The day concludes with a performance by Marco Wence at 4:00 PM. Storytellers offer “multi-cultural, interactive programs,” “magical wordplay,” “social/emotional skill building,” and a “history of large cities of the United States and other historical events in our history.” One storyteller comes with 83 Moth Slam wins!

The festival will also feature a vibrant vendor market from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM with 14 different vendors sharing products with stories to tell. Come shop jewelry, skincare, authors, baked goods, dresses, and interact with Ferradermis’ robot!

WHAT A VENDOR MARKET we’ll have during the 4th Annual Whitewater Storytelling Festival 2024 May 4th from 10-2p. We’ll see you all at 402 W Main St!

Here’s the lineup:

Buddha Belly Pizza (stone-fired sourdough pizza) – 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Aunt Mable’s (burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, hand pies) 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Pat Hall (author & creator of Ukrainian hand-painted eggs)

Eileen Troemel Author

SpoookyNook (chainmaille jewelry)

Authors Melody Calder, and Sandra & Wren Tentler

ReVamp Nutrition (shake samples and other goodies)

Jackie’s Small Batch Bakery (yummy baked goods)

RedTail Massage & Wellness LLC (providing chair massages!)

Blue Sage Massage (providing chair massages!)

Ferradermis (check out their robot!)

Zuri’s Furry Friends (Build-A-Bear!)

Owl Be There (hand-crafted clay jewelry with a portion of the proceeds going toward mental health organizations)

Ice Age Trail (Monty the Mammoth & trail info!)

Mo-bility (body butters)

Heather’s Custom Tailoring & Dress Boutique

For families, there will be an abundance of activities including yard games, chalk fun, a take and make craft by Irvin L Young Memorial Library, a story walk around the park, a Maypole, an instrument petting zoo, and a chance to meet Monty the Mammoth from the Ice Age Trail Alliance – Walworth and Jefferson County Chapter.

Attendees of all ages will have the opportunity to enjoy 15-minute chair massages and sift through crates of free books generously donated by The Community Space.

In case of inclement weather, all Saturday activities will move inside the CAC.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsors for their support: First Citizens State Bank, Nelson’s Bus Service, The Sweet Spot Cafe, Whitewater Cinemas, Culvers, The Vinery Stained Glass Studio, Fort Community Credit Union, The Book Teller, and the Whitewater Arts Alliance.

Join us for a weekend celebrating the magic of storytelling. Don’t miss out on this celebration of culture, creativity, and community!

For more information visit www.whitewaterchamber.com/whitewater-storytelling-festival/ or contact dwwchamber@gmail.com with questions.

About the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce:

The Whitewater Chamber of Commerce serves the area’s local businesses through business education, referrals, advocacy, and networking opportunities. The Chamber also strives to bring business owners and the community together through events and promotions. Our membership of businesses and individuals is dedicated to showcasing Whitewater as the perfect place to live, learn, work, play, and dream.

“Zone of Interest”

Wednesday, May 8, 1 pm

(Drama/History) Rated PG-13; 1 hour, 45 minutes (2024). Languages: German, Polish, Yiddish. Shown with English subtitles. 

Our annual Summer “art film” series returns with the Academy Award winner for Best International Film. Summer, 1943. The commandant of Auschwitz and his wife and children live a life of leisure next door to the death camp in Poland. As the War winds on, he is under Reich pressure to increase the numbers of The Final Solution…

Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes our of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/

Gov. Evers Orders the Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Firefighters of Wisconsin Who Have Given Their Lives in the Line of Duty

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #222 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Sun., May 5, 2024, as a mark of respect for the firefighters of Wisconsin who have given their lives in the line of duty. “Our firefighters are brave and dedicated individuals who show up for us and our communities on some of our worst days and in dangerous situations to help keep us safe, sacrificing their health and safety when they do,” said Gov. Evers. “Today and throughout the year, it is important for us as Wisconsinites to pay our respects to firefighters who’ve lost their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, as well as to the loved ones who miss them and mourn their loss every day. During National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, Kathy and I join Wisconsinites in honoring the memories of all those we have lost and remember them for their lives of service and sacrifice.” Executive Order #222 orders the flags to be flown at half-staff on Sun., May 5, 2024, in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service during National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. Previously, National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend had been held in October, but in 2023, it was moved from October to May by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.  On Sat., Sept. 28, 2024, the Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial in Wisconsin Rapids will hold the Final Alarm Ceremony honoring the memory of members of Wisconsin’s fire services who have given their lives in the line of duty. Executive Order #222 also orders the flags to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Sept. 28, 2024, in honor of that occasion.  Finally, in Wisconsin, Wis. Stat. 995.225(1) designates each week annually during which October 9 falls as Fire Prevention Week and the Saturday at the end of Fire Prevention Week as Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day. To that end, Executive Order ### orders the flags be lowered on Sat., Oct. 12, 2024, in honor of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day during Fire Prevention Week.   Executive Order #222 will be in effect from sunrise to sunset on Sun., May 5, 2024, Sat., Sept. 28, 2024, and Sat., Oct. 12, 2024, and is available here.

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

For the month of May, we are featuring photos from the Scholl collection of glass plate images, all taken between 1895-1910. To start, we are offering this “rooftop” image of the west end of Center Street in Whitewater’s downtown. The block with houses at the left of the photo is the block where the First Citizens State Bank is now located. But, note in1900the distance the Starin Park Water Tower.

Join us next week for another vintage Scholl image.

(2827GP, Whitewater Historical Society)

Well over 40 student and community volunteers beat the rain last Friday to join the Whitewater Creek Coalition at their Make a Difference Day clean up events! Spirits were high as we collected trash at Whitewater Creek Nature Area and Brewery Hill Park, kicking off our summer restoration efforts. Countless thanks to the UW Whitewater students, the Whitewater Rotary Club, Thompson Handyman Services, the Whitewater Whippets Cross-Country Team, and Emmanuel Anglican Church of Whitewater for their generous donations to make this event a success! If you’d like to hear more about the Whitewater Creek Coalition’s efforts to restore our local stream, visit us at the Tuesday Market, join us for our weekly Wednesday work days starting in May, or email us at wwcreekcoalition@gmail.com See you at the creek! 

UNIVERSITY GARDENS TRANSFORMS INTO KETTLE RIDGE

Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corp. (WHPC) and its partners have completed a significant rehabilitation of 108 apartments at 370 N Tratt St. in Whitewater. This property was formerly known as University Gardens and is now called Kettle Ridge. WHPC contracts with ACC Management Group to professionally manage the property. Friede & Associates served as the General Contractor for the project, and Dimension IV was the project architect.

The project provided nearly $7 million of improvements to make the apartments contemporary, sustainable, and accessible while both beautifying and adding amenities to the expansive grounds.

The redevelopment included new roofs, new windows, new mechanicals, new corridor lighting, and new corridor flooring. Interior improvements included new kitchen cabinets and countertops, stainless steel appliances, windows, bathroom vanities, flooring, and paint. A photovoltaic system, playground, bike racks, and outdoor gathering spaces for adults, kids, and pets were installed as part of the redevelopment, and upgrades to the security camera systems and site landscaping were made. Three apartments were reconfigured to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. The project is Wisconsin Green Built Home certified.

Kettle Ridge is proudly managed by ACC Management Group, Inc. ACC currently operates thousands of apartments throughout Wisconsin’s major markets and Illinois. Headquartered in Oshkosh, WI, ACC’s exceptional team of multi-family leaders has a proven track record of excellence in management of market-rate and affordable housing with various state and federal programs including, Section 42 Tax Credit, Section 8, RAD, and Section 515.

Only a few newly renovated apartments are still available. Kettle Ridge proudly participates in the affordable housing program, as rents are income based.
To apply at Kettle Ridge please contact the leasing office at:
370 N. Tratt St.
Whitewater, WI 53190
kettleridge@accmanagementgroup.com
262-473-7087

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by ACC Management Group, Inc.

This past Sunday a fun and charming “Ladies and Young Ladies Tea” was held at Whitewater’s beautiful Bassett house. Highlights included the elegant table settings and many colorful hats. Attendees played tea party games while enjoying delicious sandwiches and pastries served by women from the Delta Zeta Sorority.

The Whitewater Federation of Women’s Clubs puts on the annual event to raise funds for the preservation of the historic Bassett House. The next fundraiser for the group is a Spring Concert to be held at the end of May. For more information, please visit the website: www.bassetthousewww.org.

Photos courtesy Tom Ganser.

Five Whitewater High School Choir students performed at Prairie Village in Whitewater on Monday, April 22nd. The students sang art songs as well as musical theater selections. Singers included Meridyth Cashion, Charlotte Hajewski, Brooke Mason, Lauren Rollette, and Alex Sullivan. Congratulations on a fine performance! 

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

Every year in the United States, more than 300 children are saved by car seats when installed and used correctly. Walworth County Health and Human Services and the City of Whitewater Fire Department have joined forces to host a car seat check event that will help parents and guardians ensure the safety of their children.

During the event, parents and guardians can have their car seats inspected for proper installation and to ensure that it is appropriate for their child’s age and size. This free opportunity will give them access to a child passenger safety technician who will provide education and resources.

Don’t miss this event on Friday, May 10, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the City of Whitewater Fire Department, 312 W. Whitewater St. Appointments are encouraged, visit www.bit.ly/3SDX8Jn and click on “tickets,” or call (262) 741-3200 to schedule. Se habla español.