News

Anna-Lisa Cox, author

“Was Laura Ingalls Wilder White? Changing Perceptions of the Wisconsin Frontier”

Wednesday, Sep 25^th

3:30-4:30

UW-Whitewater University Center Room 261

This event is free and open to the public

Anna-Lisa Cox is an award-winning historian of race relations in nineteenth-century America. She is a fellow at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, and a recent Research Associate at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, where her original research underpinned two exhibits. Cox’s first book, A Stronger Kinship, was awarded the Michigan Notable Book Award and her most recent book, “The Bone and Sinew of the Land”: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and The Struggle for Equality was honored by the Smithsonian Magazine as one of the eight best history books of 2018. Booklist praised it for providing “a moving and necessary corrective to pioneer history” while Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. described it as “a revelation of primary historical research that is written with the beauty and empathic powers of a novel.” 

Due to frequent wet weather, utility staff was unable to complete smoke testing of the entire work area last week. Therefore, smoke testing will continue, as weather conditions allow, during the week of September 23rd. City staff will maintain daily communication with both the Police and Fire Departments to keep them aware of our progress.

Testing will be initiated through the opening of manholes in the streets and utility easements. This testing is being done to identify leaks, cracks or cross connections in the sanitary sewer. Notice will be provided to residential and business customers in advance of the testing. It is recommended that customers add one gallon of water to all drains prior to testing. Should smoke enter your home or business, please contact a member of the smoke testing crew working in your area.

Detailed information including a map of the area is available at https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/457/Smoke-Testing. The area generally includes everything from Main Street south to the city limits, from Cravath Lake west to Pleasant Street. Questions can be directed to the Wastewater Utility department Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at (262) 473-0560.

The City of Whitewater provides efficient and high quality services which support living, learning, playing and working in an exceptional community. Visit www.whitewater-wi.gov for community information and updates.

In recognition of National Public Lands Day, the Walworth/Jefferson County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance will sponsor a free 2-5-7-mile guided hike on September 28 as an introduction to Wisconsin’s 1200+ mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail.   Roughly following the southernmost edge of the last glaciation, this narrow primitive trail travels through some of the most dramatic and varied terrain in the state.  Participants can choose to hike two, five, or all seven miles from Esterly Road to the Oleson Pioneer Cabin, N9186 Duffin Road. 

Those hiking two or all seven miles will meet at 9:00 at the Esterly Road  Ice Age Trail parking lot for a varied and scenic two-mile hike along the eskers, ending at Highway 12.  After a short break, the two-mile hikers will be taken back to the starting point.

Hikers wishing to hike only five miles will assemble at the Highway 12 I.A.T. parking lot by 9:45 to join those hiking on to the historic Oleson cabin.  This section of trail features dramatic long-range views, a lake, and colorful prairies — followed by challenging hills, a pine woods, and a series of ponds and springs.  Snacks and water will be available both at the Highway 12 lot and at the Oleson cabin.  Participants who parked at Highway 12 will be driven back to their cars by chapter volunteers.

Guided I.A.T. exploration hikes for families with school-age children will leave from the cabin at 10:30, 11:30, and 12:30 to explore a wooded section of the Ice Age Trail about a mile in length.  Long pants and sturdy shoes are strongly recommended.  The historic Oleson cabin will be open to visitors between 10:30 and 1:30.  Parking is available along Duffin Road.  (Insider’s tip: to avoid roof and hood damage, do not park under the walnut trees!) 

For further information, please contact Ellen Davis at 262-740-1113.

Irvin L. Young Library Board of Trustees – Monday, September 16, 2019 at 6:30 PM; Irvin L. Young Memorial Library – More Information

Whitewater School Board Policy Review Committee – Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at 8:00 AM; Central Office of Whitewater Unified School District – More Information

Urban Forestry Committee – Monday, September 23, 2019 at 4:30 PM; Whitewater Municipal Building – More information

Whitewater School Board – Monday, September 23, 2019 at 7:00 PM; Central Office of Whitewater Unified School District – More Information

Board of Zoning Appeals – Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 6:00 PM; Whitewater Municipal Building – More information

Jersey Mike’s Subs has a strong commitment to supporting charities and organizations.

On Wednesday, September 25, the Whitewater Jersey Mike’s restaurant will be celebrating their “Halfway to Our…Day of Giving” by donating 50% of sales to the Whippet Booster Club. Throughout the day, Jersey Mike’s will be generously supporting the Whippet Booster Club which in turn provides direct support to our Whippet athletic programs.

Please consider stopping by Jersey Mike’s for lunch or dinner on September 25, as your visit will positively impact our student-athletes and coaches.

The Whitewater Whippet Booster Club

Preliminary 10th-day enrollment data show that the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has 12,368 students enrolled for the 2019-20 academic year. UW-Whitewater welcomed its highly engaged and diverse student body at both campuses on Sept. 3.

“Our students recognize not only our great value but the high-quality education we offer along with excellent student support,” Chancellor Dwight C. Watson said. “Our graduate and online programs continue to see growth, with an increase in students this year. Our online programs are ranked in the top 10 in the nation.”

“Last year, we saw a record senior class graduate from UW-Whitewater, with 2,923 students receiving degrees – but this success also means that our overall university enrollment is somewhat lower now than in previous years.”

Across both campuses, faculty and staff are engaged in measures to increase opportunities for more students to enroll at UW-Whitewater. As a result, visits to the UW-Whitewater campus during the summer months increased by more than 600 people. Interest in Preview Days, tours and other traditional fall events for prospective students continues to build as well.

“The increase in visits is a good indication that people are interested in all that UW-Whitewater has to offer in terms of academics and co-curricular activities,” Watson said. “We believe those who visit UW-Whitewater will experience a campus with highly engaged and welcoming faculty and staff who deeply care about student success. The fact that our campus is located in a beautiful and supportive community helps as well.”

Currently, 73 UW-Whitewater at Rock County students live in the UW-Whitewater campus residence halls and are able to use a free shuttle system to get back and forth.

“The Rock County students who are choosing to live on the Whitewater campus are experiencing a full range of university experiences. We are pleased to be able to offer these services to all of our students no matter where they take their classes.”

For the third consecutive year, UW-Whitewater has been named among the Colleges of Distinction — a national honor that recognizes campuses for exceptional teaching and dedication to student success. Colleges of Distinction’s selection process consists of a review of each institution’s freshman experience and retention efforts alongside its general education programs, alumni success, strategic plan, student satisfaction, and more.

“UW-Whitewater is deeply committed to student success. For more than 150 years we have transformed lives, and we will continue to be a critical part of the community, region and beyond,” Watson said.

Final enrollment numbers will be available from UW System in late fall.

The Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club will be serving their delicious pancakes and Jones Sausages on Sunday, September 22, 2019 from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Whitewater High School Cafeteria in partnership with the Greater Whitewater Committee’s Discover Whitewater Half Marathon. 

Tickets for the breakfast are available at First Citizen’s State Bank, PremierBank, and the Whitewater Chamber of Commerce.  They can also be purchased from any Whitewater Kiwanian.  Tickets are $6 at the Whitewater High School cafeteria the day of the event (with pre-school children FREE).

Kiwanis provides breakfast tickets for the runners which are included in each runner’s registration packet. Kiwanis will have coffee available for runners as they come in to pick up materials on September 22. 

Lorrie Koppein, president of the Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club, said, “We are delighted to partner with the Half Marathon, and look forward to another great breakfast.”

Sunday, September 22 will feature the Greater Whitewater Committee’s 7th Annual Discover Whitewater Series: Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay, 5K and W3 Fit Kid Shuffle. The Greater Whitewater Committee, Inc. (GWC) launched the Inaugural Discover Whitewater Series in 2013. The GWC is an organization made up of local businesses; its goal is to educate, advocate, and develop ideas that make Whitewater a destination of choice to visit and live. More information about the Discover Whitewater Series can be found at http://runwhitewater.com.  The pancake breakfast will be served at the high school for anyone in the community who wishes to attend, including event participants and their families, volunteers and community members.

Jeff Knight, Executive Director of Discover Whitewater, said, “The runners love the pancake breakfast and the Kiwanis make the entire DWS event so special. We appreciate everything that the Kiwanis do, not only on race day, but throughout the year.”

Kiwanis thanks all of the sponsors that help make the breakfast possible with donations of products and services, including:  City of Whitewater Parks & Recreation, PremierBank, First Citizens State Bank, Dalee Water Conditioning, D.L.K. Enterprises Inc., Jessica’s Family Restaurant, Jones Dairy Farm, Milton Propane Inc., Second Salem Brewing Company, Studio 84, Gus’ Pizza, Whitewater Manufacturing, and Winchester True Value.

The Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at Whitewater High School will be served from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  Due to race logistics, attendees will need to use different entrances to get to the breakfast at different times.  From    6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., breakfast attendees can enter the high school property via Elizabeth Street. From 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., breakfast attendees will need to park on side streets and walk to the high school.  From 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., breakfast attendees can enter the high school property via Indian Mound Parkway to Walworth to the high school west entrance. 

The Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club is made up of dedicated volunteers who help both the Whitewater community and the world, all with 100 percent of funds going directly to projects and zero to administrative costs.  Last year, the club distributed more than $20,000, with over half going to the Whitewater Unified School District, including Ferradermis, summer school transportation, shoes for students, Badger Boys State and Badger Girls State, and scholarships.  Kiwanis helped to build and maintain the Flowing Well Shelter, the shelter at Starin Park and Treyton’s Field of Dreams, the WHS football field lights and press box, as well as adopting a highway to clean up.  In addition, the group donates to Camp Wawbeek, the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club, the Friends of the Whitewater Aquatic Center Family Partnership Fund, the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House and more.

Funds are raised through annual Pancake Breakfasts that have been served continuously since the 1950s, the Discover Whitewater Series Half-Marathon Pancake Breakfast since it began, and yearly poinsettia and lily plant sales. More information can be found on the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Facebook page.

Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club meetings are at Jessica’s Family Restaurant on Main Street on the 1^st & 3^rd Tuesday mornings from 7:00-8:00 a.m. and evening meeting on the 5^th Tuesday of the month with five Tuesdays.  If anyone is interested in learning more about Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club, they are welcome to call Lorrie Koppien at 608-695-6366, Jerry Grant at 262-473-2214, or Irene Potocki at 262-374-0826.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

Moms Demand Action – Whitewater is holding a meeting for members and supporters on Sunday, September 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center. Newcomers are welcome. Attendees will socialize, take part in training, and then cross the street to Whitewater Municipal Building to take part in the Town Hall of Representative James Sensenbrenner which begins at 7:00 p.m.  Participants should wear red or orange to show their support for gun violence prevention.

Moms Demand Action-Whitewater is a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots organization that fights for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence. We pass stronger gun laws and work to close the loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our families. We work in our communities and with business leaders to encourage a culture of responsible gun ownership. We know that gun violence is preventable, and we’re committed to doing what it takes to keep families safe.

We support common-sense legislation including requiring criminal background checks on all gun sales, and red flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of those who are a danger to themselves or others.

Jenny Rule, Local Group Lead for Moms Demand Action-Whitewater, encourages newcomers to join the organization. “When people learn what we stand for, they want to stand with us – regardless of their politics or whether they are gun owners or non-gun owners. The epidemic of gun violence has gone on long enough. Moms Demand Action will teach you how to fight for positive change. We hope you will join us to learn more on September 22.” 

A busy weekend lies ahead of our community as hundreds of runners young and old discover Whitewater as participants and volunteers of this year’s Discover Whitewater Series Race, Sunday, Sept. 22! With that in mind please remember that all community members are welcome to support the Whitewater Kiwanis at their pancake breakfast 6:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Whitewater High School but also note key road closures along the race route may necessitate changes in your regular travel through the city and can be found here. 
Find more information about the Discover Whitewater Series and the community organizations that benefit from this annual event here.

Ferradermis traveled to Milwaukee on Saturday, September 14, to compete in Robofest at the Milwaukee Maker Faire, an off-season competition for the 2019 Destination Deep Space game with 18 other teams from around southeast Wisconsin.

The competition gave Ferradermis and other teams a chance to try out new drivers in preparation for the 2020 season. The team played 7 qualification matches with randomly assigned alliances after which they were ranked 2nd out of the 19 teams.

With the first pick of alliance selections for the playoffs, Team 930, the Mukwonago BEARS, who were ranked 1st, invited Ferradermis to join their alliance. This power alliance of the #1 and #2 teams then had the final pick of alliance selections and asked Team 7619, The IllumiBOTi, from Manitowoc, a rookie team this past year, to join them.

The alliance received a bye in the quarterfinals, and then faced off against an alliance with their old friends Team 1259, Paradigm Shift, from Pewaukee. Each round of the playoffs is the best two out of three, and the Ferradermis alliance moved through the semi-finals with two straight victories. However, in the last match of the semi-finals, the joint for the collection arm (the part of the robot that picks up cargo balls) failed, and the team had no time to make the needed repairs before finals. Enter lots of duct tape and a brand new strategy for gathering cargo balls during game play! Gracious professionalism is a huge part of FIRST Robotics, and Ferradermis would like to thank Paradigm for sending representatives to the Ferradermis pit to try and help fix the robot just moments after Ferradermis’ alliance had knocked them out of the playoffs.

The team was able to quickly adapt to the new functionality of their robot, and the alliance went on to win the finals in a thrilling third match tie-breaker that was decided by a mere 3 points, the value of placing one cargo ball.