News

By Lisa Dawsey Smith
Whitewater Banner staff
whitewaterbanner.com

At its regular meeting on September 1 the Common Council supported drafting of an ordinance that would temporarily limit the size of gatherings due to the pandemic, but the members at a special meeting on September 9 indicated they would decline to adopt the proposed ordinance by a straw poll of 5-1. The Aldermanic District 5 seat is currently open, with McKinley Palmer having resigned effective September 1 due to moving out of the district. Lynn Binnie was the only member who expressed support for the ordinance, which would have limited essentially social outside gatherings to no more than 25 non-household members, and inside gatherings to 10 non-household persons. Additionally there was a provision that would limit capacity of bars to 50% of their legal limit, and restaurants to 75%. As part of the introduction to the proposed ordinance, Binnie indicated that the Walworth County portion of the city had reached what he described as an alarming 24.9% fourteen day COVID-19 positivity rate. Acknowledging that the vast majority of the 105 positive tests during that period would have been for UW-W students, he expressed concern that this level of infection is very likely to start transmitting to “permanent” residents.

In the 2-3/4 hour meeting the Council heard varied comments ranging from support of the ordinance, support of the concept but with reservations about the proposed ordinance, and full disagreement with any effort to regulate gathering size.

Curt Patrick, co-owner/operator of Pumpers & Mitchell’s had sent a lengthy email to the members opposing in particular the provision that would have limited the capacity of bars. “You can’t tell college students they can’t party, you just can’t. They take it as a challenge…If you tell students of legal drinking age that they are not welcome in local taverns, they WILL do so elsewhere, and in large numbers,” Mr. Patrick stated in his email.

Several citizens, including at least two students, one of whom stated he was currently infected with COVID-19, spoke in general support of the ordinance, indicating that they were very disturbed by the large yard parties that they had observed since students returned to the university.

A number of commenters faulted UW-W for not having communicated effectively with students and landlords before move-in. While acknowledging that the university could have done more, Interim Chancellor Greg Cook spoke in favor of the ordinance. Near the end of the meeting Dr. Cook shared that UW-Madison had just announced that, as a result of their spiking positive tests, all classes were going to be held virtually for the next two weeks. “To be honest with you, we’re not far behind, and it’s going to have an impact on the city,” Cook stated. “…I actually fear it’s probably too late. We should have done this over a month ago.”

Ultimately the Council directed staff to meet as soon as possible with stakeholders, including UW-W officials and student representatives, restaurant and bar operators, and landlords in an attempt to reach consensus on any measures that could be taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Subscribers to The Gazette may also read an article by reporter Jonah Beleckis.

RIPON, WI (Ripon College Submission)– Lydia Wiley Deal class of 2021 from Whitewater, Wisconsin was given the William Harley Barber Award (Physics) during the Spring 2020 Awards Convocation celebration. Wiley Deal is majoring in Music and Physics. The parents of Wiley Deal are Don and Cheryl Deal of Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Ripon College, founded in 1851, is Wisconsin’s best-value private college and a national leader in liberal arts education, devoted to ensuring every student realizes their unique potential. Ninety-six percent of alumni are employed, in graduate school or student-teaching within six months. In recognition of its academic excellence, the college was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 1953, placing it among a select group of the nation’s top colleges. Ripon has the highest earning graduates in Wisconsin, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard. Ripon ranks first in Wisconsin and third in the Midwest on Washington Monthly’s list of “Best Bang for the Buck” colleges. The College has the highest minority graduation rate in the nation. Ripon is consistently recognized as a “Best Value” and “Best 383 College” by The Princeton Review and a Top Tier National Liberal Arts College by U.S. News & World Report. For more information about Ripon College, visit ripon.edu.

(Fort Community Credit Union Submission) Fort Community Credit Union (FCCU) is proud to announce the celebration of the credit union’s 80th anniversary. FCCU began growing roots in Southeastern Wisconsin in 1940 when employees of Moe Light, in Fort Atkinson, pooled their paychecks together to begin the credit union. In 1980, the name Fort Community Credit Union was adopted and became community chartered. Over the years FCCU has expanded their services to members living or working in Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Rock, Walworth and Waukesha counties.  With locations in Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Watertown and Whitewater, FCCU serves over 22,000 members and currently holds $298 million in assets.

“Over the last 80 years, we’ve changed our name, expanded our branches, and diversified our services, but our commitment to our members and the communities we serve has never changed,” said Sue Johnson, President and CEO of FCCU. “While we’re excited to celebrate our history, the growth of our organization, and the ongoing impact we have on our communities, this celebration is really about our members.  Recognition of this milestone goes out to them.”

About FCCU: Established in 1940, Fort Community Credit Union (FCCU) is a member-owned financial cooperative open to anyone living or working in Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Rock, Walworth or Waukesha counties. Fort Community holds $298 million in assets and has more than 22,000 members. For more information about FCCU and the products and services they offer, visit fortcommunity.com or call (920) 563-7305.

MADISON, Wis., Sept. 3—University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson today unveiled enrollment figures from the first day of the fall semester that suggest a vast majority of students have responded positively to the return of on-campus instruction.

A total of nearly 126,000 students enrolled at the 10 universities that began on-campus instruction Sept. 2. The numbers are preliminary and unofficial. Including estimates for the other three universities and expected registration additions across all universities after the first day of classes, UW System is estimating 165,897 students for fall 2020.

The UW System does not typically release enrollment figures from the first day of instruction but is doing so because of widespread interest in campus activities during the fall 2020 semester amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The figures suggest the potential for a modest decline of roughly 1 percent in enrollment compared to 2019, although 2020 enrollment remains subject to change given the fluid nature of the pandemic.

Thompson said the data demonstrate the value of a UW System education.

“The enrollment numbers show students are eager to return to campus and resume or begin their studies,” Thompson said. “The on-campus experience is the right thing for the University of Wisconsin, and our students agree.”

The 10 UW System universities that began instruction Sept. 2 and their Day 1 enrollment counts are UW-Eau Claire (10,932), UW-Green Bay (7,251), UW-Madison (44,010), UW-Milwaukee (23,637), UW-Parkside (4,337), UW-Platteville (7,548), UW-River Falls (5,717), UW-Stevens Point (8,110), UW-Superior (2,500), and UW-Whitewater (11,513).

First-day enrollment makes up about 95 percent of the enrollment in a given semester, with another five percent enrolling after the first day. These first-day 2020 enrollment figures should not be compared to final enrollment figures from 2019.

UW-La Crosse, UW Oshkosh, and UW-Stout begin instruction next week. Official enrollment figures will be collected later in September, verified, and released at a later date.

“These enrollment numbers are very encouraging,” said Andrew S. Petersen, president of the Board of Regents. “I want to thank our students for having faith in us and our faculty and staff for their hard work over the summer and what we know will be an unconventional semester.”

System universities are delivering education in three ways: in-person, online, and a hybrid of the two.

President Thompson had previously announced a COVID-19 testing program, excluding UW-Madison, that includes 34,000 tests for symptomatic students and 317,000 additional tests for students living in residence halls to detect possible spread of the virus. By Sept. 2, the UW System had received and begun to distribute 44,000 tests and 36 testing machines. UW System anticipates receiving approximately 20,000 tests weekly for use in the residence halls.

UW-W may be an outlier: Per the historical record of fall enrollment shown below, it appears that UW-W may be experiencing a more significant decline than the 1% projected average decline in the UW System. Though not an apples-to-apples comparison, this year’s first day count versus the tenth day count last fall reflects an approximate 7% decline.

Fall enrollment:
2009 – 11139
2010 – 11557
2011 – 11643
2012 – 12031
2013 – 12015
2014 – 12159
2015 – 12351
2016 – 12628
2017 – 12430
2018 – 12084 (Does not include Janesville campus)
2019 – 12368 (Includes Janesville campus; 10th day, preliminary number)
2020 – 11513 (Includes Janesville campus; 1st day, preliminary number)

WHITEWATER (Discover Whitewater Series Submission) – The Discover Whitewater Series (DWS): Half Marathon and 5K is in need of volunteers for their annual race on Sunday, September 20, 2020.  

Volunteering for DWS is a great way to get involved in the Whitewater community. There are all sorts of positions still available, such as water stations, parking, post-race nutrition stations, and much more.  

Can’t make it Sunday? The DWS could use volunteers Friday and Saturday, too. Friday and Saturday will consist mostly of packet pickup and set-up for the race.  

The DWS team is also looking for people to walk behind the races. This position entails following the last of the runners and volunteers for this position must be able to complete the entirety of whichever race they sign up to walk behind.  

All volunteers receive a free t-shirt, a sandwich courtesy of Aladdin Food Services and access to the virtual goodie bags. 

“Volunteering for the Discover Whitewater Series is a great way to give back to the community,” said Race Director Dawson Miller. “And that’s what this race has always been about: giving back to the community while still running a purely athletic event.” 

This year more than ever, safety is a huge priority for the entire DWS team. We ask that all volunteers social distance from each other as much as possible and to wear masks the entire time they are at the event. Gloves and hand sanitizer will be distributed to all relevant areas as well.  

Volunteers will also be asked to not attend if they have any COVID related symptoms or have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID in the last 14 days. For a full look at our safety rules and regulations, check out https://runwhitewater.com/StillRunning.  

Secure your volunteer position at http://RunWhitewater.com/Volunteer. See you on race day! 

About the DWS 

The goal of the DWS is to promote the City of Whitewater and highlight its greatest features, while keeping everyone in the community active. All the proceeds from the race are donated to five local non-profit partners: Bethel House (which provides interim housing for homeless families), Whitewater LEADS, Working for Whitewater’s Wellness (W3), Whitewater Unified School District and the J-Hawk Aquatic Club. The DWS partners with the city, business community, university and the school district to make this a tremendous event that benefits all who participate. For more information about the race visit www.runwhitewater.com. 

September 9, 2020

At a 2-3/4 hour special meeting on Wednesday evening, a straw poll of Common Council members of 5-1 indicated a lack of interest in adopting a pandemic-related ordinance limiting the size of gatherings that they had requested to be drafted at the September 1 regular meeting. A full report will be posted by Saturday. Meanwhile, subscribers to The Gazette may read a report titled ‘It’s Probably Too Late.’ Head of UW-W gives prognosis for fall term amid virus.” by Jonah Beleckis here.

(Whitewater Public Library Submission) The League of Women Voter’s-Whitewater Area is pleased to provide the general public with practical voting information leading up to November 3rd General Election. Learn how to register to vote, how to request an absentee ballot, and where to submit that ballot. From the League, “Let us help you sort through these options. You don’t want to miss this. Voting is essential to our democracy. Your vote is your voice.”

Visit the Irvin L. Young Library’s Facebook page or YouTube channel to view live programs and past events. If you can’t watch “Voting Basics” on Tues., 9/15 at 4 p.m. live, you can view it any time before the election on either of these sites.

(Whitewater Unites Lives Submission) Steve and Judy Malone are WUL Hometown Heroes, and have been nominated “For volunteering for years at the Whitewater Community Food Pantry by picking up, delivering and unloading donations, driving as far as Milton and Elkhorn.”

The nomination includes:  “Steve has also been a faithful board member. Steve and Judy are active members of the Lions Club which donates to the food pantry.”

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 

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

A primary measure of the spread of COVID-19 in a community is the positivity rate, which is generally calculated as the percentage of people with positive results out of all of the test results that have been reported in the past 7 or 14 days. The Whitewater Unified School District Board has indicated that, based on advice from the Jefferson County epidemiologist, in order for fulltime in-person classes to resume, the blended 14-day positivity rate for Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties should be less than 8% and continue on a downward trajectory for 14 days. Some school districts have used a target of 5%.

The tables below show both the 14 and 7 day test results for the city and Walworth County. (Only the Walworth County portion of Whitewater can be computed, as the census tract for the Jefferson County portion of the city extends as far as Palmyra.) A dramatic increase in the number of positive test results, as well as the positivity rate, is noted in the city. Although it was inevitable that an increase would occur with the return of the UW-W students, the rate of increase is concerning.

It is also notable that the COVID-19 related deaths in Walworth County have increased from 26 to 32 in the past two weeks. The Banner received the following reply from the county public health team in response to our inquiry about this rapid increase: “In the past two weeks, the Walworth County Division of Public Health has reported 6 additional deaths, bringing the county’s death total to 32. Five of the 6 deaths occured in healthcare settings of either hospitals or long term care facilities. Walworth County had their youngest death thus far, of an individual in their upper 50s. The other five individuals were over the age of 65. All six individuals had significant underlying health conditions. These deaths highlight how devastating COVID-19 can be for individuals with underlying medical conditions and remain a reminder for our community to protect those who may be at risk for severe complications from this disease.”

COVID-19 TEST RESULTS – CITY OF WHITEWATER (WALWORTH COUNTY PORTION)

End Date	# Tests Reported – 14 days	# Positive	Positivity %	# Tests Reported – 7 days	#Positive	Positivity %
8/22	216	27	12.5%	103	6	5.8%
8/29	240	19	7.9%	128	13	9.2%
9/7	421	77	18.3%	274	60	21.9%

COVID-19 TEST RESULTS – WALWORTH COUNTY

End Date	# Tests Reported – 14 days	#Positive	Positivity %	# Tests Reported – 7 days	# Positive	Positivity %	% of Those with Positive Results Who Reported being Asymptomatic	Total Deaths
8/22	2386	277	11.6%	1071	112	10.5%	11.4%	25
8/29	1972	210	10.6%	901	98	10.9%	11.1%	27
9/7	1953	228	11.7%	986	129	13.1%	10.9%	32

UWW has established the following dashboard which provides useful information. It is found at this link.

COVID-19 Dashboard

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ever-changing situation and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater actively monitors and reviews a series of health, safety, and resource metrics to guide decision-making with regard to university operations. These metrics are considered in combination and consultation with recommendations and orders from the state and county health departments before any changes in operations are made.

Note that the Warhawk Dashboard has not been updated since Friday morning, whereas the statistics above are through Monday.

Last Updated 9/4/2020 at 11:06 AM

COVID-19 cases reported to UW-Whitewater

	New reports – Week of Aug. 30-Sept. 5	Previous week	Cumulative reports since March 2020
Students	22	6	35
Employees	1	3	7
Other	0	0	0

Dashboard is updated daily with available data. Numbers include cases reported through university-coordinated testing, as well as those reported through the COVID-19 Hotline, which may include testing that occurred off-campus through other health clinics/providers. Student employees are counted in the student numbers. The “Other” category is defined as any positive cases reported to UW-Whitewater who are neither students nor employees and may include visitors to the university, contractors or vendors, or others who have been to the university in person.  These numbers represent individuals who have had direct contact with the campuses.  Individuals who are working or attending solely in a remote manner and not living in University Housing are not included.

Regional Metrics

	University Health and Counseling Services (8/21-9/3)	Walworth County (8/18-8/31)	Rock County (8/19-9/1)	Jefferson County	Wisconsin (7-day average)
Percent Positive	6% (9 of 142*)	9.81%	6.7%	11.8%	8.7%
Time to complete contact tracing	N/A	96% of contacts are initiated within 48 hours	78% of contacts are initiated within 48 hours	Not Available	N/A
Healthcare system capacity level	No crisis management of care	No crisis management of care	No crisis management of care	Not Available	20% Available (Based on Immediate Bed Availability)
Total cases per 100,000	n/a	190	130	220	170

*UHCS percentage positive is based on PCR testing performed at the University Clinic site of students only.

Additional UW-Whitewater metrics

Capacity for isolating/quarantining individuals on campus

100 of 113 rooms available

The university is also monitoring the current PPE supply and supply chain, staffing levels across both campuses, and compliance of university safety protocols.