Recent Home (and other property) Sales

Source: Wisconsin Dept. of Revenue – Arms length sales recorded in January, 2021

206 E. Cravath St.$137.400
1344 W. Walworth Ave.248,500
1004 E. Main St.149,000
380 Eagle Court390,000
597 Walton Dr.183,000
951 W. Charles St.169,000
226 S. Summit St.65,000
321 Indian Mound Pkwy226,000
806 E. Main St.94,900

Local Students Named to UW-Stout Dean’s List – Revised with additional student

MENOMONIE, Wis.  (January 25, 2021) – The following students from the area have been named to the University of Wisconsin-Stout Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester.

The award, formerly known as the Chancellor’s Award, is presented to students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or above.

UW-Stout, Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, has 46 undergraduate majors and 24 graduate programs, including one doctoral degree. UW-Stout, established in 1891, prides itself on the success of its students in the workplace, with an employment rate above 98% for recent graduates. The university was awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2001.

Enrollment was 7,970 in the fall.

UW-Stout is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes.

HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, CLASS YEAR, MAJOR

Whitewater, WI

 Zach Gross, Senior, BS Computer Science
 Bennett Miles, Sophomore, BS applied mathematics and computer science
 Luke Rule, Sophomore, BS Digital Mktg Technology

Michael Hilliger, Entertainment Design & Game Design & Development-Art (Added by UW-Stout on Feb. 2)

Local student named to the fall 2020 Dean’s List at Aurora University

(Aurora University submission) Aurora University has named Cherie Meinen of Whitewater, WI, to the Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester. Meinen is majoring in Bachelor of Social Work. The Dean’s List recognizes full-time undergraduate students who have earned a 3.6 GPA or higher. Meinen was recognized with high honors this semester, having earned a perfect 4.0.

Aurora University is a four-year, private, nonprofit, fully accredited higher education institution offering students an excellent education while maintaining one of the lowest private school tuition rates in Illinois. Our campus is nestled in a tree-lined neighborhood in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois, and located approximately 45 miles from Chicago. The university serves approximately 6,200 undergraduate and graduate students across more than 50 majors and programs. AU leadership, faculty, and staff are committed to the success of our students, offering strong academic support programs and learning opportunities that prepare students for success beyond graduation. The university is also committed to giving back to the city we live and work in by offering educational and cultural programming that enriches the larger community. Our dedication to the transformative power of learning inspires all to discover what matters and build a life around it.

Our Readers Share Carol McCormick: Frosty fog early morning over Trippe Lake on Groundhog Day; Will he see his shadow?

Carol McCormick writes, “Frosty fog early morning over Trippe Lake on Groundhog Day. Will he see his shadow or not? An early spring would be refreshing.” 

Our thanks to Carol McCormick for submitting this timely photo.

— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share.  Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com or click on “submit a story” near the top right of our homepage.  Thanks for thinking about this!

Irvin L. Young Library presents three-week virtual series, starting today: Beers, Brewers and Bootleggers

(Whitewater Public Library submission) The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library presents: Beers, Brewers and Bootleggers, a three-week virtual series on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. Please register for this Zoom series at whitewaterlibrary.org. Invitations are sent out an hour before the program starts.

2/2/2021 Beer Barons on Geneva Lake and their Milwaukee Neighbors

Introduce yourself to the six beer barons of Geneva Lake and the four major brewers in Milwaukee. Learn the difference between ale and lager beer as well as the basics of brewing beer in the 19th century in this illustrated presentation. You’ll also hear about how the brewers responded to prohibition.

2/9/2021 From Temperance to Prohibition

Discover our early struggle over “the devil’s drink”…from the Mayflower to Walworth County Temperance Societies and early laws.  Meet the big three local advocates.  All a prelude to the “great noble experiment” of 1919 to 1933. What will Prohibition bring—besides a disrespect for the law?

2/16/2021 Welcome to Prohibition

“Better than no alcohol at all” … we learn to cope with the new 18th constitutional amendment…speakeasies, bootleggers, rival gangs, blind pigs, moonshine, cocktails, near-beer and home brewing.  How Alcoholics Anonymous and Mothers Against Drunk Driving influence how we think…and drink.

Speaker: Michael Rehberg
Michael Rehberg is Lead Interpreter at Black Point Estate & Gardens, the Wisconsin Historical Society’s historic house museum in Lake Geneva. He gives presentations that bring history into the community. Rehberg is a year-round resident of Walworth County, with a home on the south shore of Lake Como. He earned his BA and MBA degrees from UW-Madison and earned a Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership from UW-Parkside. Rehberg was the project manager for developing Lake Geneva’s walking tours, in collaboration with the Geneva Lake Museum and Lake Geneva Historic Preservation Commission. He is active in local history, genealogy, and historic preservation groups.

UW-Whitewater Department of Music invites you to Be Instrumental

(University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Arts and Communication, Department of Music, submission) The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Music began a campaign in December inviting the public to donate their used instruments to the “Be Instrumental” campaign. The campaign comes as a partnership with the White House of Music and has a direct impact on each music education student. The initiative was designed to continue the outstanding preparation of the nationally-recognized Music Education program at UW-Whitewater.

To date, the department has received a myriad of donations, but is still looking for instruments. “The donations we have received to date are incredibly generous, but we are still in need,” says Mike Dugan, Chair of the Department of Music. “As a music educator, you have to be able to teach a variety of instruments to students. In the midst of this financially challenging year for businesses, we aren’t sourcing the same instrument donations we have in the past. We decided it was time to lean on and into our community to help our students. At this point, we are still seeking both monetary donations and instrument donations. Our department is still looking for Trombones; Alto Saxophone; Clarinet; Violin; Cello; String Bass; Oboe; Cornet/Trumpet; Horn; Bassoon, and Percussion Practice Pads and Stands.”

In partnership with the White House of Music, there are two options to engage in this unique program, listed below. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.

Donate Your Used Instrument

Donate your slightly used instrument and receive a letter verifying the donation as a gift. If your instrument needs slight repairs to get it into proper playing condition, the department hopes you may be able to make those repairs prior to donation. If repairs are unable to be made, the instrument would be examined for an appraisal of value. To make a donation, visit: https://www.uww.edu/cac/music/be-instrumental

Purchase an Instrument or Contribute Towards the Purchase of an Instrument

Purchase or donate through the White House of Music and a student-line instrument will be supplied to the UW-Whitewater Department of Music. White House will keep all donations segregated so any dollar amount donated can accumulate to the dollar value needed for a purchase. In addition, Chris White, President and CEO of White House of Music and 1993 UW-Whitewater alum, will add to this offer a full year of free service for any instrument purchased and donated to the Be Instrumental initiative.  A win-win offer we hope you will find enticing!  Follow this link to see a list of instruments we need with a donation tab to White House of Music: https://white-house-of-music-inc-uww.square.site/

“Our community is so supportive of the work we do – from attending concerts to their monetary donations and we hope they will take part in this campaign so Whitewater can continue its long tradition of being one of the best universities for Music Education,” says Dugan. If you are interested in making a donation, please visit the website at: https://www.uww.edu/cac/music/be-instrumental. For questions or more information, please contact uwwmusic@uww.edu.

Police Called for Domestic Disturbance; Dog Found Beaten to Death (Updated)

(From the Whitewater Police Dept. Facebook page) · At approximately noon on Thursday, January 28th, city police officers were summoned to a domestic disturbance in the 400 block of N. Tratt St. The officers immediately responded, separated involved persons and found a dog which had been beaten to death. The officers arrested the suspect (24-year-old Tyrone Williams). Williams has been charged by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office with several misdemeanors – including Disorderly Conduct, Domestic Abuse, Criminal Damage to Property and Intentionally Mistreating an Animal.

Banner notes: 1) Per Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, the defendant’s address is 467 N Tratt St #8. The usual disclaimer is provided: “This case has not been concluded. Unless a judgment of conviction is entered, the defendant is presumed innocent of all charges.” 2) Per a comment made by the police department on the Facebook page, “We sought a felony charge. The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office made the charging decisions.”

Update – Feb. 3 – Click here for an article in The Gazette.

WMS & WHS Now Offering “Homegrown” Virtual Instruction; 84% of WUSD Students Receiving In-person or Virtual Instruction from Whitewater Teachers

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
January 31, 2021

Highlights of the January 25 regular meeting of the Whitewater Unified School District include the following.

Students returned to in-person instruction on January 18. Middle School and High School students not wishing to return to in-person classes are now offered the opportunity to be instructed virtually by WUSD teachers. District Administrator Caroline Pate-Hefty reported:
78% of elementary school students have returned to the classroom.
73% of middle school students have returned to the classroom, and an additional 19% are participating in the “in-house” virtual model.
69% of high school students are back to in-person instruction, plus 18% in the “in-house” virtual model.
The Banner calculated that this equates to approximately 84% of the district students being instructed by WUSD teachers.

There were 45 contributions totalling $4975 to assist a district family whose home was destroyed by fire.

The board voted unanimously, with some reservation, to change the title for the chief executive officer of the district from District Administrator to District Superintendent. Research had indicated that the titles District Administrator and District Superintendent are used interchangably in the state, although the state licensure is for superintendent. Member Jim Stewart indicated that the title superintendent had been used in the district in the 1960’s. Caroline Pate-Hefty mused that this means that she is now the first female superintendent to serve WUSD.

Per the table below, district enrollment declined from 1808 to 1747 from September, 2020 to January, 2021, a net loss of 61 students. Almost all of the loss was at the middle and high school levels. Presumably the primary cause for the decline was students open enrolling to other districts that were offering in-person instruction during the first semester of the school year.

Per the table below, total enrollment in the district from September, 2019 to September, 2020 declined by 158 students. Combined with the loss of 61 students between September, 2020 and January, 2021, the decline of over 200 students apparently may result in a decline in State funding of over $1,000,000.


Roberta’s Art Gallery Hosts Winter Digital Photo Contest; Seeks Photographers to Share their Creativity

You can visit https://www.uww.edu/uc/things-to-do/robertas-art-gallery#warhawk-winter-photo-contest  for information and a list of contest rules. Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center (UC) at UW-Whitewater. The gallery hosts multiple exhibits and workshops each semester by collaborating with the artists–both locally and regionally. Many of our events will be held virtually this semester.  For questions or further information, contact Roberta’s Art Gallery at (262) 472-3193 or ucart@uww.edu or visit  https://www.uww.edu/uc/things-to-do/robertas-art-gallery.
 
Thank you for your interest in the UW-Whitewater Warhawk Winter Digital Photo Contest! Please note that by submitting photos you are consenting to possibly having these photos shared publicly and being associated with you for awarding purposes. We can’t wait to see the sights and scenes you’ve created and captured!

(University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Roberta’s Art Gallery submission) Photos by Kim Adams (they will not be included in the contest.)