News & Events

(WHITEWATER – January 10) On February 1st, 2021, the Whitewater Arts Alliance will be presenting a gallery exhibition of work created by Mark Lawrence McPhail. This exhibit will be on display through February 28th in the Cultural Arts Center located at 402 W Main St Whitewater. The gallery will be open Fridays-Sundays, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in accordance with our COVID-19 safety precautions. Fridays the gallery is open for high-risk individuals only (those 65 years or older or with pre-existing conditions), and all are welcome on Saturdays and Sundays.

“More than a Village” is a photographic exhibition that documents the work of the Akola Project (formerly the Uganda American Partnership Organization–UAPO). During 2009, Mark served on the Board of the UAPO and traveled with the organization to Northern Uganda, where he worked with a local refugee community on several development projects. He documented the experience during his visit through explanatory photographs of the work being done, and portraits of the people served by the organization.

An artist’s statement provided by Mark Lawrence McPhail:

“This collection of images offers a commentary on the well-known Yoruba proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In Africa, a continent underdeveloped and exploited for centuries, it takes more than a village to serve and support children displaced from their homes and families by war, conflict, and environmental disruptions. It takes people of conscience, compassion, and generosity to truly raise a child. In working with the Akola Project, an organization that seeks to serve and support the least, the lost, and the left behind, I had the opportunity to document and observe the power of people of conscience to serve as an extended family for children who had lost the families into which they were born.

The Akola Project, founded by Brittany Merrill Underwood as the Uganda American Partnership Organization (UPAO), employs hundreds of women in Dallas and Uganda to make jewelry, selling their designs at exclusive stores including Neiman Marcus. In 2009, UAPO traveled to refugee camps in Northern Uganda to assist with several development projects and work with women in their communities to build sustainable businesses. These images tell the story of the kindness, compassion, and commitment of the UAPO volunteers, and the hope, appreciation, and joy clearly captured in the eyes, expressions, and smiles of the children they served. For a short period of time, both had the opportunity to experience what it means to be part of a human family that transcends differences of geography, class, and culture.

This is a story that needs to be told in a time when division, conflict, and disease seem to have undermined our collective capacity for empathy, kindness, and generosity. At a time when cruelty and indifference seem to have crippled our politics, and threatened the wealth and health of nations, perhaps those of us who too often take for granted the privileges we enjoy might learn from children for whom such privileges are a distant dream. In Uganda, I discovered that when our privilege is tempered by compassion and motivated by a spiritually inspired commitment to serving others, we will raise children who can help us realize and appreciate the dreams of democracy, freedom, and equality to which we aspire. As these images indicate, it may take more than a village to raise a child, and yet it might well be the children who teach us the simple lessons of life that define our humanity, and remind us of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King’s recognition that ‘We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
January 20, 2021

The Whitewater Common Council took several steps to fast-track replacement of the 131 year old Starin Park Water Tower at their January 19 regular meeting. A recent city water systems study identified the replacement as a high priority. Replacement is expected to cost just under $3 million and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2022.

The 1889 built structure, often referred to as “Witches’ Tower” by nearby UW-Whitewater students, was designated as a local landmark in 2016 by the Whitewater Landmarks Commission. A ‘Wisconsin Historical Markers’ article refers to it as the second oldest operating municipal water tower in the state. Its 180,000 gallons of water is part of the city’s reserve and helps maintain adequate water system pressure for city businesses and residents. It is expected to be replaced by at least a 500,000 gallon structure on the city’s southwest side.

The project has been fast-tracked primarily because of the availability of roughly $800,000 of City Community Development Authority (CDA) funding which is being used to soften the cost of city borrowing for the project. The CDA funds have become available because of the close out of a federal Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program. The project must begin construction by the end of this year and be completed by the end of 2022 to qualify for use of RLF close-out funds. City Public Works officials and an outside engineering consultant indicated that the timeline is reasonable but aggressive. It will require acquisition of a minimum one-acre parcel of privately owned land.

The City Public Works Committee considered as many as five high ground potential sites on the southwest side in the general vicinity of the Walworth Avenue area west of the High School. A southwest side location is expected to better balance city water pressure on the west side of town. The Public Works Committee serving as the project’s Citizens’ Participation Plan Committee solicited comments from area residents and held a public input session on January 12. Over 20 residents commented on the potential location with the consensus that it should not be too close to existing residential areas.

An engineering study was conducted which considered the pros and cons of several locations. The Common Council decided to move forward on a site in the general area of the City’s Well #9 which is just south of the STH 12 bypass. The area is accessible by a currently blockaded road that leads to a bridge over STH 12 often referred to as “the bridge to nowhere.”

Other Common Council actions taken on January 19^th included the adoption of a revised City Sign Ordinance that is intended to be more user friendly to businesses and non-profit organizations and to bring the City’s Sign Ordinance up to modern practices standards required by a US Supreme Court Ruling. Council also had an initial review of the City Manager’s 2020 Annual Report, 2021 Management Plan, and the City Manager’s Annual Performance Evaluation, approved a liquor license for Taqueria La Estrella (formerly Las Chicas), amended sewer cross connection ordinances, approved the first reading of amendments to city committee member term limit ordinances and approved a 2021 Memorandum of Understanding with Downtown Whitewater, Inc.

UW-La Crosse has announced its Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester, recognizing academic excellence. Qualification for the Dean’s List is limited to students who have attained outstanding academic achievement. To be eligible, students must have earned not less than a 3.5 semester grade point average and have carried a minimum of 12 semester credits.

The following students are from Whitewater:
Tom James Stockton Duval – Public Health and Community Health Education Major
Josef William Gmur – International Business Major
Josie Hintz – Exercise and Sport Science Major: Exercise Science – Pre-professional Track
Thomas Edward McManaway – Recreation Management Major: Generalist Emphasis
Brady William Meudt – Biology Major
Julia Marie Nelson – Management Major
Jacob Daniel Riemer – Public Health and Community Health Education Major
Hayden James West – Undeclared Major – CASSH

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
January 11, 2021

In December the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, for the first time, started providing COVID-19 data for each municipality and school district in the state. This is particularly helpful for Whitewater, as the previous information that was enumerated by census tract did not isolate the portion of the city that is located in Jefferson County. The statistics for the seven days ending January 11 reflect a reversal of the progress that had been made in the past two weeks. Twenty-five new cases were diagnosed, compared with eleven in the previous week.

The city’s rate per 100,000 population is still the lowest among the cities/counties shown on the chart below; however, it must be noted that with many of the UW-W students still being at home, Whitewater’s current population is overstated for this purpose.

In response to a request for an update regarding COVID-19 testing and reporting at UW-W, Jeff Angileri, Director of Public Information, indicated that as of December 18 there had been 12,466 “surge” tests conducted. Further information has not yet been provided.

Twenty-eight deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported in the city, an increase of three from last week; thirty-one have been reported in the school district. It is believed that the majority of the deaths that have been reported in the city have taken place in senior residences.

New daily confirmed cases reported as an average over the last 7 days and rate per 100,000 population:

City of Whitewater	Average new daily cases	Rate per 100,000 population
12/5	7.14	48.4
12/12	10.57	71.6
12/21	4.29	29.1
12/28	3.00	20.3
1/4	1.57	10.6
1/11	3.57	24.2
Whitewater Unified School District
12/5	9.29	46.1
12/12	13.14	65.2
12/21	5.00	23.4
12/28	4.57	22.7
1/4	3.00	14.9
1/11	5.00	24.8

Rates per 100,000 population for selected municipalities based on past 7 days as of 1/4

	12/12	12/21	12/28	1/4	1/11
Madison	35.1	25.8	24.3	27.9	38.9
Jefferson	39.4	43.1	46.6	55.6	53.9
Palmyra	49.5	40.9	24.8	57.6	24.8
Fort Atkinson	50.6	52.9	25.3	50.6	50.6
Jefferson County	53	42.2	33.4	45.4	52.0
Entire state of WI	65	61.4*	51.3**	40.1***	38.5 ****
Milton	66.5	17.9	20.4	89.7	69.2
Walworth County	67.5	49.4	31.9	34.4	50.3
Milwaukee	67.8	53.4	30.1	34.5	43.7
Rock County	67.8	50.1	33.5	40.4	45.9
Whitewater	71.6	29.1	20.3	10.6	24.2
Elkhorn	73.6	56.2	33.2	27.4	46.1
Janesville	78	60.4	34.8	35.0	41.9
Cambridge	80	45.6	0	45.6	56.8

Area Students Named to Fall 2020 Dean’s List at Ripon College

(Ripon College press release) (01/05/2021)– Ripon College has announced its Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester, recognizing academic excellence. To qualify for the Dean’s List at Ripon College, students must achieve a 3.40 grade point average or higher on a 4.00 scale and complete at least 12 credits of regular letter-graded work.

Clarice Bergman of Whitewater, Wisconsin is majoring in English and Politics and Government with a minor in Communication.

Madeline Kuhl of Whitewater, Wisconsin is majoring in Finance with a minor in Economics.

Lydia Wiley Deal of Whitewater, Wisconsin is majoring in Music and Physics .

Jacob Zuehlke of Whitewater, Wisconsin is majoring in Music and Business Management .

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.

(Whitewater Fire Dept. Facebook page) On Tuesday January 5th at approximately 1 p.m., the WFD was dispatched to a report of a garage on fire in the 500 block of South Franklin St. First arriving units found the detached garage to be fully involved and immediately worked to protect a vehicle in the driveway. Crews were on scene for about an hour and a half. The cause is suspected to be heating related. The garage and contents were a complete loss.