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Today is Saturday, October 10, 2026
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Safepro Technologies, a Whitewater-based safety technology company, has secured a second loan from the Whitewater Community Development Authority (CDA), positioning the startup to bring its flagship safety product to market.
The funding marks a significant milestone for Safepro Technologies, which has been developing a groundbreaking solution designed to enhance safety across a range of industries. The additional support from the Whitewater CDA will enable the company to expand manufacturing and bring their product to more markets.”
“We are grateful for the continued support from the Whitewater CDA,” said Paul Eckert, CEO of Safepro Technologies. “This second loan is a vote of confidence in both our technology and our mission. With these funds, we’re ready to move from development to commercialization, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.”
The Whitewater CDA has been instrumental in supporting local innovation and entrepreneurship. The decision to approve a second loan for Safepro Technologies underscores the CDA’s commitment to nurturing high-potential startups.
“Safepro Technologies represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking, high-impact business we aim to support,” said Thayer Coburn, Vice-Chairman of the Whitewater CDA. “Their technology has the potential to improve safety standards nationwide, and we’re proud to help them take this next step.”
For more information about Safepro Technologies visit, https://safeprotechnologies.com/.
Editor’s note: The above press release was received from the City of Whitewater.
A copper tooling workshop will take place Monday, Aug. 18, at Wisconsin Makers, 200 E. Clay St., Whitewater.
Leani Schoor will teach the class from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees will make a 6×10-inch copper-tooled picture to take home. Bring an idea, photo or drawing for inspiration. Materials and tools will be provided.
The fee is $20. Payment may be made at the workshop, which is geared toward ages 10 and up.
Register by calling Schoor at (608) 421-4078 or emailing her at leanischoor@gmail.com.
Schorr earned her Bachelor of Science degree in art education and master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She taught art at Jefferson High School for 38 years.
The owner of Studio 2154 in Madison, Schorr teaches wet and needle felting, beadwork, glass fusing, cement yard art, ceramics, copper enameling, metal work and quilting.
Schorr welcomes suggestions for “Mondays@Makers” classes. “If there is a skill in the arts you are interested in learning, please let us now and we will see what we can do to help you on your journey,” Schoor said.
Located at the corner of East Clay and Wisconsin streets in Whitewater, Wisconsin Makers is a makerspace that creates an affordable, collaborative and educational environment that inspires people of all ages to becoming innovators by unlocking their skills through continual training. It has members from Jefferson, Walworth, Rock, Dane and Waukesha counties and beyond, and all have access to the workshops around the clock.
The facility houses machine, welding/fabrication, electronics, automotive, 3-D printing, laser engraving and woodworking shops. It also offers pottery, ceramics, metal art, quilting, fabric arts, matting/framing and more.
The building is accessible and has off-street parking, Wi-Fi, and many other amenities.
For more information about the makerspace or workshops, contact Chris Spangler at (920) 728-2960.
Update: 8/10/25 @ 8;20 a.m. – Due to very heavy rain in the Milwaukee area, many roads are flooded, and the State Fair has been canceled for today, which was to be its final day.
WISN TV announced on Saturday evening that someone was injured by a lightning strike on the Carlin Hiking Trail near Palmyra.
The Wisconsin State Fair closed early due to flooding, as did the Thomas Rhett “Better in Boots” show at Alpine Valley Music Theater
The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office announced the following on Saturday at 8:26 p.m.
- The Flood Watch has been expanded into the rest of southeast Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee metro area, through early Monday morning.
- Very heavy rainfall is expected with rounds of storms this evening into Sunday, and again early Monday morning.
- There will be a risk for flooding and flash flooding, especially where multiple rounds of storms move over the same area.
- Rises on area rivers are likely.
Editor’s note: The photo on the homepage is from 511WI.
Updated 8/10/25 @ 11 p.m. to add WUSD Policy Review Committee meeting.
Whitewater Unified School District Policy Review Committee – Monday @ 3:00 p.m.
Whitewater Unified School District Central Office
419 South Elizabeth Street
Agenda includes School Resource Officer policy
City of Whitewater Plan & Architectural Review – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes Discussion and possible approval of a Conditional Use Permit for more than 1 wall sign for
Fanatico’s located at 162 W Main Street and Discussion and possible approved of a site plan for the Police Department Evidence
Storage Building to be located at 109 County Road U. Parcel # 292-0515-3313-000.
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room, 312 West Whitewater St.
*In Person and Virtual
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or
telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/540200189
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 540-200-189
United States: +1 (224) 501-3412
Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://meet.goto.com/install
City of Whitewater Public Works Committee – Tuesday @ 5:15 p.m.
Agenda includes Discussion and Possible Action regarding Request for Proposal for City Engineering
Services.
Cravath Lakefront Room, 2nd floor, 312 W. Whitewater St.
*In Person and Virtual
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.
Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84170103284?pwd=91zoWLLZqr39PD7bxi8AhYGCvs2cWo.1
Telephone: +1 (312) 626-6799 US (Chicago) (Houston)
Webinar ID: 841 7010 3284
Passcode:
601871
City of Whitewater Equal Opportunities Commission – Wednesday @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda includes A discussion regarding the potential consolidation of the Community Involvement and
Cable TV Commission with the Equal Opportunities Commission, based on their overlapping goals and shared areas of focus.
City of Whitewater- Virtual Meeting
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.
Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85616156375?pwd=mF60j9lsa0Yea5aJAIoaWSkMqSoitl.1
Phone one-tap: +13052241968,,85616156375#,,,,*670357# US
Join via audio: +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Webinar ID: 856 1615 6375
Passcode: 670357
City of Whitewater Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Commission – Thursday @ 5:30 p.m.
The agenda has not yet been posted as of August 10.
City of Whitewater Community Stars Gala – Friday @ 5:00 p.m.
This notice is given to inform the Public that the City of Whitewater is hosting the Community Stars Gala.
The information follows:
When: Friday, August 15, 2025 from 5:00 pm- 8:00 pm
Where: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, University Center-Hamilton Room, 190 Hamilton Green Way, Whitewater, WI
A quorum of the Common Council and/or Committee members may be present. This notice is given to
inform the public that no formal action will be taken at this training.
Editor’s note: The following excerpts are from an article dated August 7, 2025 by Tamia Fowlkes and Natalie Eilbert in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The full article may be viewed here or here.
Four Wisconsin nursing homes put into receivership, have racked up 384 violations
Four Wisconsin nursing homes with a litany of health care quality concerns have been put in court-ordered receivership as of July 31, the result of dire financial strains.
Until recently, the four homes — Silver Springs Health Care Center in Glendale, Heritage Square Health Care Center in Greenfield, Riverdale Health Care Center in Muscoda and Fort Atkinson Health Care Center in Fort Atkinson — were managed by Bedrock Healthcare.
The Milwaukee-based company manages 10 nursing homes across Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida.
In that time period, state health inspectors cited the four Wisconsin facilities that are entering receivership 384 times for deficiencies, including violations related to the death of one resident and the alleged sexual assault of another, according to CMS data.
Of the citations, 282 were triggered by complaints and the rest were the result of standard health inspections.
The four facilities owe more than $2.6 million dollars in rent and backpay to vendors, according to court records and CMS data.
Judges can order financially distressed nursing homes into receivership and appoint a neutral third party to take over management and file regular reports to the courts. Receivers are typically paid at the same rate as the previous operators, according to state statute.
Attorneys for Bedrock Healthcare argue the court’s decision to order the nursing homes into receivership was hasty and unnecessary. In court filings, they said the company was in negotiation with the state to address owed bed taxes and assessments.
Benny Waknin, Bedrock’s director of operations, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Bedrock was hired to operate the four facilities after they were previously placed into receivership in 2019….
According to Waknin, Bedrock turned down an offer in October 2024 to continue managing the nursing homes. But after the homes were unable to find a new operator, Bedrock continued to operate the facilities for seven more months, “maintaining the high standards of service and compassion that define our approach.”
Waknin also disputed Bedrock’s role, both in terms of debt and the quality of resident care…
Still, the Wisconsin nursing homes have accumulated around $900,000 in federal health or fire safety fines as of January, according to a recent CMS report….
Fort Atkinson Care Center faced some of the most severe complaints among Bedrock-operated facilities over the past year.
The 87-bed center houses around 34 residents daily. From August 2022 to April 2025, the facility accrued more than $270,000 in federal fines due to serious health or fire safety citations.
In January, the facility was cited for “immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety” after a resident with a history of seizures was left without consistent monitoring. Nursing staff failed to establish a seizure care plan and no one on staff requested or picked up prescribed seizure medication, inspectors found.
After several incidents, the resident continued to have seizures and eventually was transferred to the emergency room. The resident entered a coma and died, the inspection report detailed….
Tamia Fowlkes is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at tfowlkes@gannett.com.
Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com or view her X (Twitter) profile at @natalie_eilbert.
Editor’s note: The image on the homepage is from the Fort Atkinson Health Care Center website.
Current ratings and survey [inspection] reports for Fort Atkinson Health Care Center are “not available” on the Medicare.gov website. However, this page from ProPublica appears to have current information.
Medicare.gov does have current ratings for other area skilled nursing facilities. The overall rating is on a scale of one to five stars, with five being the highest. Medicare ratings are only one of many factors to consider when choosing a facility.
Milton head coach Kurt Mussey hands off the 2024 WIAA Division 1 state softball runner-up trophy to senior pitcher Gwen Baker. Mussey is stepping down at Milton, to take a position to coach hitters at UW-Whitewater. ANTHONY WAHL/SPECIAL FOR THE GAZETTE
Editor’s note: The following are excerpts from an article by Matt Ellis published on August 8, 2025 in The Gazette.
MILTON — After nearly a decade of coaching the Milton High softball team, Kurt Mussey will join the UW-Whitewater softball coaching staff as an assistant coach, where he will primarily help with hitting.
While it wasn’t easy for the 1986 Milton graduate, he made the decision Monday.
Mussey served as the Red Hawks’ head coach for five seasons, prior to that he was an assistant coach for five years.
“It was really, really hard.” Mussey said. “Harder than I anticipated to be honest.”
Mussey also coached youth and club teams in Milton. Because of that he saw his players grow into young adults…..
Now, as a member of the Warhawks’ coaching staff, he’ll have the chance to help the program secure its first national championship. Whitewater finished as NCAA Division III runners-up in 1987 and 2008. It is also a 15-time regular season champion of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and a 13-time WIAC Tournament winner.
“It’s exciting to be able to join such a successful program,” Mussey said. “I’m excited to learn and help where I can. It’s a nationally recognized program with an amazing coaching staff. I feel fortunate to be a part of it.”
Haven’t gotten a chance to donate to the school supply drive yet?
There is still time! Donations are accepted through Monday, August 11th.
You can drop off the supplies at the following locations: Starin Park Community Building, Associated Bank- Whitewater, The Community Space [open 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. on Saturday], Second floor of the Municipal Building, and the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center!
Some things that the children may need:
– Crayons
– Markers
– Colored pencils
– Folders
-1″ binder
– Wide ruled notebooks
– Pencils
– Bottle of glue
“The Amateur”
Tuesday, August 12, 1 pm
(Spy/Action/Thriller)
Rated PG-13. 2 hours, 2 minutes. (2025)
After his life is turned upside down when his wife (Rachel Brosnahan) is killed in a London terrorist attack, a brilliant, introverted CIA decoder (Rami Malek) takes matters into his own hands when his supervisors (Laurence Fishburne) refuse to take action. An exciting deadly chase ensues across many European locales.
Obituaries
Sally A. Schutte, age 73, of Whitewater, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on September 21, 2026, while at Hearthstone Memory Care in Whitewater. Sally was born on November 6, 1952, to Roy and Elsie (Rohloff) Haas. Sally married William Schutte in the spring of 2003. Sally grew up on the family farm in the Town of Hebron and graduated from Jefferson High School. She dedicated nearly her entire career to Fort HealthCare, where her hard work and versatility shone through various roles. Over the years, she served in housekeeping and medical records, Center for Dermatology. Sally … Read more
Zachariah “Zach” Schoenke, 41, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. He was born April 4, 1985, to Keith W. Schoenke and Kathleen Schoenke in Fort Atkinson, WI. He grew up and graduated from Whitewater High School in 2003. Zach worked various jobs over the years but was currently working at Cracker Barrel in Janesville. He was a big Packers Fan and liked to play fantasy football. He enjoyed reading, cooking, and watching horror shows. Zach fiercely loved his son, Lincoln, his sisters, Cami and Cary, his mom and stepdad, and his aunt Robin. He will be dearly … Read more
Carla Winn, 82, died September 5, 2026. Funeral Service will be at 12:00 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at East Heights United Methodist Church, 4407 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67218, followed by a burial at 2:00 PM at White Chapel Memorial Garden 1806 N Oliver Ave. Carla is preceded in death by her parents, Vivian Dwight and Wilma Lois Krehbiel; and sister, Jennifer Krehbiel. She is survived by husband, Stephen; daughter, Ashley (Clint) Gagel, of Overland Park; siblings, Paul (Kay) Krehbiel, of Socorro, NM, Lynn (Bill) Oetting, of Wichita, Ellen (John) Querner, of Wichita, Teresa Woodson, of Lawrence, KS, … Read more
Susan Miller Celebration of Life There will be a gathering of friends and acquaintances at Susan’s Farm Store to celebrate Susan’s life on Saturday, September 19th from 2-5 p.m. at N6623 Lake Lorraine Rd., Delavan, Wisconsin
Our loving mother, JoAnn E Harrop, age 95, passed away on September 11, 2026. Our sorrow is deep, but we are filled with gratitude for the many years we had with her. Even as her mind was failing, she remained strong and appreciative of all who cared for her. JoAnn was born on January 13, 1931, daughter to Fred Braun and Evelyn Braun {Storck). She was raised in Whitewater, Wisconsin by her grandparents, Otto and Edith Storck. She attended Whitewater High School and helped at the Storck tavern where she met her husband Earl C. Harrop. They married on November … Read more
Russell O. Johnson “Russ,” 88, passed away on September 4, 2026 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Russell was born on July 12, 1938, in Janesville, Wisconsin. Russ grew up in Janesville, and after high school he joined the Air Force on May 1, 1958, serving as an aircraft mechanic until June 12, 1962. He then worked at Parker Pen in Janesville for a time, where he met his future wife, Avis. After marrying Avis Mason in April 1964, Russ worked for Gillman Manufacturing for a time, then began a career at Dana until its closing in 1980. In 1981, Russ started working … Read more
Marcia Zingg, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, businesswoman, and friend, passed away peacefully on September 1, 2026, at the age of 75. Marcia will be remembered for her unwavering love, remarkable strength, generous spirit, and lifelong devotion to her family. She shared 40 wonderful years of marriage with her husband, Jeffrey Zingg, who considered her not only his wife but also his best friend, business partner, and the love of his life. Together, Marcia and Jeffrey built a successful life rooted in perseverance, hard work, laughter, and love. As entrepreneurs in Whitewater, Wisconsin, they owned and managed new car franchises and … Read more
Amanda Jean Hunter was born to Ralph and Malinda (Thomas) Hunter of Whitewater, Wisconsin, on October 6, 1976. She passed away on August 4, in Fort Worth, Texas, where she lived with her family. Amanda passed peacefully in the hospital, surrounded by her loved ones. Amanda was a kind-hearted free spirit with an unmistakable hippie warmth. Generosity, spontaneity, a quick wit, a macabre sense of humor, and an open heart were traits that she embraced. She was a tireless champion of those in need, an innate characteristic that became among the best of her qualities. She proved to be a … Read more
Ellen Eichmiller, 82, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Ellen was born on September 10, 1943, in Monroe, Wisconsin, to Chester “Guy” and Irene (née Holmen) Steig. She married the love of her life, Paul Eichmiller, on December 7, 1963, and together they made their home in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Ellen spent much of her working life as a secretary at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where she formed many lasting friendships and memories. Ellen cherished her family and friends and treasured the time she spent with those closest to her. She was known for her love of … Read more
Janet Quinn, age 71, of Jefferson passed away on Thursday, August 20th. Janet was born on December 22nd, 1954 in St. Joseph, MI to Robert Mounsey and Edith Christison Mounsey. She was a granddaughter to Herbert Bragg Mounsey, Charlotte Mounsey, and Ester Christison West. She married Michael Durden in 1979 and later married Eury Quinn Jr. (J.R.) in 1988. Janet grew up in Benton Harbor, MI, and subsequently lived in New York and Arkansas before moving to Wisconsin in 2016. She was a dedicated caregiver to her disabled Mother, and worked as a custodian for various employers over the years. … Read more
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