UPDATE: (City of Whitewater News Release) Whitewater local cable TV station 990 is currently experiencing technical issues with audio. You may view all recorded programs at https://vimeo.com/cityofwhitewater. We will also share our programs on our Twitter and Facebook pages. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to find a solution.
We will share the Vimeo video of the WHS virtual graduation ceremony on our social media and place it on our website as well so people can find it here. We will also rebroadcast the ceremony on cable and will announce the date once we figure out the sound issue on the station.
By Lynn Binnie Whitewater Banner staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
On the beautiful Sunday morning of June 7, approximately 320 people of all ages responded to the request of Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL) to join the countless people around the world who are calling for change. An invitation from Mary Sue Reutebuch of WUL stated, “We are looking forward to sharing the March for Racial Unity with all of you. Our effort here is to unify ourselves as a community and walk in solidarity for all people who suffer under racial injustice. The heartwrenching, infurtiating, pointless, death of George Floyd has certainly stunned our nation and WUL is called to move. Our movement forward is that of a peaceful march together.”
As the group gathered at the Cravath Lakefront Park, many mentioned how difficult it was to recognize other persons, as virtually everyone was following the request to wear a mask and to maintain distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Marjorie Stoneman called for a moment of silence for those who have lost their lives unjustly. As the marchers proceeded down Whitewater Street to Main Street and assembled at the Birge Fountain, many drivers expressed their support with friendly honks and cheers. At the park Christine Hayes, accompanied by her guitar, sang several appropriate songs including “We Shall Overcome.” City Manager Cameron Clapper thanked the crowd for everyone’s participation and expressed the hope for respect and justice for all of humanity.
The crowd setting off across Whitewater Street to begin the march
Many marchers carried signs with powerful messages
“I understand that I will never understand. However, I stand.”
Christine Hayes
The Birge Fountain was a beautiful setting for the heartfelt demonstration
City Manager Cameron Clapper addressing the crowd
One of the youngest marchers. May his generation be the first to know a country where all are treated equally.
WHITEWATER (iButtonLink Press Release) – iButtonLink, located in the Whitewater Innovation Center, is joining the battle against COVID-19 with its award of a coveted NASA license to produce quick-to-market ventilators for use during the pandemic.
“We have a rare opportunity to use our custom product engineering skills to save lives,” says Rob Olson, president of iButtonLink. “This is one way we are trying to help fight this pandemic.”
Ventilator photo from iButtonLink
iButtonLink is one of just eight U.S. manufacturers selected out of nearly 100 applicants by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to make a new ventilator tailored for COVID-19 patients. Licensed by Caltech, which operates JPL for NASA, the VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally) ventilator is designed to be built quickly at a low cost and using fewer parts than a traditional ventilator. The idea is to produce simple ventilators quickly in order to free up traditional ventilators for use on patients with the most severe COVID-19 symptoms.
While JPL normally builds spacecraft, NASA put its engineers to work to quickly build a prototype in response to the pandemic, which they achieved in just 37 days in March and April. The plans then were offered to manufacturers via a registration process to quickly release the product to market.
iButtonLink’s in-house, quick-response design and manufacturing capabilities, designed for rapid custom sensor development and production, enable quick commercialization and production of the ventilators. The company normally designs and manufactures sensor networks for the global community, specializing in sensor solutions. All iButtonLink products are designed and assembled in the Whitewater facility to ensure quality and performance to customer specifications.
Potential customers for the VITAL ventilators include the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
About iButtonLink: Founded in 2003, iButtonLink specializes in the creation of custom sensor solutions for businesses worldwide. Applications range from sensing temperature in large data centers to deploying solutions in the arctic tundra that survive the fiercest of weather.
WHITEWATER, WI (UW-Whitewater Press Release)– The following local students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater completed the Professional Development Program offered by the College of Business and Economics.
– Whitewater, WI: Demetrius Barnes, majoring in Accounting.
– Whitewater, WI: Kara Bennett, majoring in economics.
– Whitewater, WI: Kelly Mandry, majoring in Supply Chain and Operations Management.
– Whitewater, WI: Joyce Mendoza, majoring in accounting.
– Whitewater, WI: Nicole Zajakowski, majoring in marketing.
A total of 57 business majors completed the program, which has been designed to help ensure undergraduate business majors graduate with the career readiness competencies that employers value. The experience includes a series of co-curricular activities that build communication, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, digital technology, intercultural fluency and career management skills.
The Banner is celebrating the WHS Class of 2020 with a scrolling display of their pictures at the bottom of our homepage. They are shown in alphabetical order by first name. For at least once in their school career, many of the students with last names towards the end of the alphabet will hopefully be moving forward! Congratulations graduates, and best wishes for your next steps.
Until June 15, WHS will be offering an “Our Town” shirt using the school logo to show local support during these challenging times. The shirt is not specific to any sport or organization; it just shows our support for Whitewater!
Three dollars of every sale will go to the Whitewater Unified School District Family Emergency Fund.
The sale is open now and will run through June 15th. Sales are done completely online, and the shirts are delivered directly to your house.
Let’s help out the Family Emergency Fund, and show our support for Whitewater!
Use the following link to place your order. Both youth and adult sizes are available. Adult sizes are available in short sleeve or long sleeve versions. https://www.bsnteamsports.com/shop/WWOURTOWN
MADISON (Office of the Governor Press Release) – Gov. Tony Evers announced on June 1 three new appointments to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents. The governor has appointed Amy Bogost, Corey Saffold, and Kyle Weatherly. These appointments are effective immediately and replace three former appointees whose terms expired on May 1 of this year.
“Just like the rest of our state, the UW System is facing some unprecedented challenges as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and its financial and academic impacts on our campuses,” said Gov. Evers. “I am confident in these three regents and their ability to tackle the challenges ahead of us and ensure the continued success of not only the System, but of the Wisconsin Idea.”
Regent Bogost received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin— Madison before continuing on to earn her law degree. Bogost has most recently focused her practice on ensuring justice for survivors of sexual violence, establishing trainings for attorneys to help aid survivors of sexual assault on campuses and has worked with high schools, colleges, and tribal colleges on the implementation of Title IX procedures.
Regent Saffold is one of two UW System students on the Board of Regents, serving as the non-traditional student representation. In addition to attending the University of Wisconsin—Whitewater, where he studies Criminology, Saffold serves as a Security Coordinator in the Verona Area School District.
Regent Corey Saffold
Regent Weatherly is the CEO and Co-Founder of Frontdesk, one of the largest and fastest-growing home-sharing companies in the United States, and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin— Madison where he received his MPA in Public Management.
(Whitewater – Whitewater Unites Lives) Lisa Dawsey Smith is this week’s WUL Hometown Hero, “For her incredible leadership through Downtown Whitewater, Inc. and the Chamber of Commerce, for spending hours each week participating in national and state organization e-conference calls to learn about the latest news and programs for small business owners, for gathering what she learns to share with local businesses, and because of those efforts for having likely saved businesses and farms in our community.”
Lisa Dawsey Smith
Lisa said, “My hope is that everyone in our community has the opportunity to feel that they are seen and valued as a hometown hero because whenever a community finds itself in the midst of the unprecedented, the unknown and certainly sometimes even the just plain awful the most important key to not just surviving but thriving is how a community comes together. Keep showing up and finding ways to be the awesome people that you are and know that I’m just one person who happens to be thankful every day that I get to wake up as part of this community.”
Lisa and her husband Garrett live in Whitewater with their two daughters.
Hometown Hero Award Lisa Dawsey Smith
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
COMMUNITY ACTION GRANTS (Whitewater Community Foundation Press Release) – Seven local organizations received grants of $3,025 each totaling $21,175 from the Whitewater Community Foundation (WCF) from their Community Action Grant Fund. The Board of Directors would like to congratulate the good works happening in Whitewater through the efforts of volunteers of the following organizations: The Community Space, the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House, First United Methodist Church, St. Patrick Catholic Church, New Beginnings APFV and the Whitewater Rescue Squad. All of these worthy organizations contribute to the safety and well-being of the community in different ways, assisting families that are struggling to meet even the most basic needs. On March 24, WCF set up a special COVID‑19 Relief Fund intended to support local non‑profits and government agencies that spend their funds helping those affected by the pandemic. A second round of grants will be given from this fund. People can donate on the website at www.whitewatercommunityfoundation.org or by sending a check to WCF at P.O. Box 428, Whitewater, WI 53190. WCF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax‑deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Irvin L. Young Memorial Library invites community members to contribute to a community oral history project. Participants are invited to express moments of daily experience which have challenged them or uplifted their spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic. For information on how to participate contact Torrie Thomas. tthomas@whitewater-wi.gov
