News & Events

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The Walworth County Health & Human Services Department stated in its January 13 weekly report, “It is possible that the next few weeks will be very difficult across many sectors as the COVID-19 case surge overlaps with potential increases in influenza and other respiratory illnesses. Remember, stay home if you are sick, wash your hands regularly, and cover your cough.“

• The county’s COVID-19 transmission level this week more than doubled to 1735 cases per 100,000 from 686 cases per 100,000 last week. This is the highest level of the pandemic. As a result the county is now in the CDC’s critically high transmission level. All 72 counties in the state are at the critically high level, driven by the Omicron variant.
• Hospital capacity is at unsustainable levels, with only 4.4% of ICU beds available.
• 23.5% of tests are positive, an all time high.
• Experts estimate that the state will reach its peak in cases within the next one to two weeks.
• Influenza cases are on the increase. Cases of “flurona,” a simultaneous flu and COVID infection, are being diagnosed. It’s not too late to get a flu shot. Public Health is hosting a special free flu vaccine clinic on Thursday, January 20 from 4-6 p.m at 1910 County Road NN, Elkhorn. The clinic is open to all community members, age six months and older. Vaccines will be available while supplies last.

Testing is still available at UW-Whitewater

Free, fast COVID-19 tests available to anyone 5 years or older

To receive a rapid-results test – available in about 15 minutes – register first at wihealthconnect.com. Those who test positive through the rapid-results test are urged to get a confirmatory PCR test.

Individuals do not have to be experiencing symptoms or be a close contact of someone with COVID-19 to get a test, nor do they need to live in the community where the testing site is located.

Whitewater campus

Monday and Wednesday, Esker Hall, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday, Esker Hall, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free parking is available in lot 4, with overflow in lots 18 and 19

Testing is also available by reservation at the Whitewater Walgreens.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Division of Motor Vehicles on January 12.

Recognizing the current elevated health risks to drivers 60 and over, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is extending renewal deadlines for this age group.

Licensed drivers who are 60 and over and who have a license scheduled to expire in January, February or March 2022, will now have until March 31, 2022 to visit a DMV to renew with no late fee.

Driver records are automatically updated, and the new expiration date will be visible to law enforcement. Customers can check the status of the license, including the adjusted expiration date, at wisconsindmv.gov/status.

Appointments for a driver license renewal can be scheduled online (wisconsindmv.gov/DLGuide). Applications can also be completed online and submitted electronically. Questions are quickly answered by email or phone.

To make in-person customer visits safer, and reduce the time in the DMV lobby, DMV Customer Services Centers are using safety protocols that include cleaning throughout the day and arranging space to provide safe social distancing.

In-person visits at DMV Customer Services Centers are only available for:

• Driver license renewals and original products
• ID to vote
• New residents to obtain identification

​All DMV vehicle transactions can be done online (wisconsindmv.gov).

Online driver license renewal an option for ages under 65

Drivers ages 18 to 64, who are U.S. citizens with an unrestricted driver license, and who have not had a change in medical conditions, and who do not need an original REAL ID, may renew their driver license online (wisconsindmv.gov/renewDL).

Traditionally, DMV customers only needed to visit a DMV once every eight years to take a new photo and renew their driver license. Now, online driver license renewal is available through a pilot program which began in May 2020 which allows 16 years to pass between visits.

For more information, contact:

WisDOT Office of Public Affairs
(608) 266-3581, opa.exec@dot.wi.gov

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The majority of Whitewater’s primarily volunteer fire department voted to issue a letter of intent to integrate both Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as City of Whitewater functions at a public meeting held Thursday, January 6.

The initiative would require a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) jointly agreed upon by both bodies and would likely increase the current annual Fire and EMS operating budget of roughly $1 million. Current funding sources include City of Whitewater contributions averaging nearly $250,000 a year, funding from contracts with surrounding townships and community fundraising activities.

The Whitewater area, like nearly every small Wisconsin community, is experiencing difficulties providing EMS and fire services as the number of volunteers and trained medical technicians is decreasing while the number of EMS calls is rising in light of an aging population and a worldwide pandemic. The independent local fire department reports 300 to 400 fire calls and over 1500 rescue calls per year. Whitewater has had a volunteer fire department since 1871.

The Whitewater Fire Department Incorporated (WFD, Inc.) provides fire and EMS services to the City of Whitewater as well as the Jefferson County Townships of Koshkonong and Cold Spring, the Walworth County Township of Richmond and the Rock County Townships of Lima Center and Johnstown. It was announced at Thursday’s meeting that Johnstown has indicated their intent to contract with the City of Janesville in the future.

A recently released statewide study titled ‘IN NEED OF RESUSCITATION’ concludes that “Wisconsin’s fire and EMS agencies face looming challenges. The ability of communities to provide an appropriate level of fire and emergency services is in jeopardy and may soon necessitate an emergency response of its own.”
The multiyear study was conducted by the independent Wisconsin Policy Forum (WPF). It indicates that over 92% of state fire departments are volunteer or “mostly volunteer” operations.

WFD Inc. currently provides EMS services with a combination of well trained volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and part-time on-premise EMTs. They are currently advertising to fill several paid “on premise” EMT positions whose wage rate will increase to $22 per hour from the previous $18 per hour rate. Lower rates for volunteers were also increased at Thursday’s meeting. “We are in a very competitive field,” said EMS Assistant Fire Chief Ashley Vickers.

Current on premise EMTs, who work primarily weekdays and supplement paid on-call EMTs, average between 24 and 36 hours per week according to the fire department’s recruitment materials. WFD, Inc. has also offered training and UW tuition scholarships to UW-Whitewater students willing to sign up for a minimum 12 hour per week commitment.

The WI Policy Forum (WPF) study, however, references a state EMS Association report that “even with higher rates of pay staffing shortages are a problem at most departments.” The study points out that Wisconsin local governments’ reliance on “Shared Revenue” compounds the problem. The State of Wisconsin shares portions of various state revenue sources with local governments and those portions have been “lagging,” according to the WPF report while the percentage of municipal and town government spending devoted to Fire/Ambulance is starting to trend down. State imposed limits on local property taxes penalize communities for increasing spending beyond a fixed percent over the previous year.

The WPF report points out that long-term solutions that could ultimately result in changes to service areas will require careful planning that “could take years to effectuate.” “In the shorter term,” the report concludes that “….greater financial assistance from the state or adjustments to financial constraints on local governments could be helpful.”

City and WFD, Inc. leaders have been conducting closed session negotiations for months. The next step in the process will be a Whitewater Common Council discussion of the issue likely to take place at the January 18th council meeting.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the City of Whitewater.

Efforts to increase the number of native tree species in Whitewater’s Starin Park
and identify them with information about their value and natural interrelationship will be getting a financial jumpstart
with the recent award of a $25,000 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry Grant to the City
of Whitewater.

Whitewater is one of 47 Wisconsin communities to qualify for the funds and awarded a grant as part of an effort to
replace large amounts of city trees lost due to Emerald Ash Borer and natural attrition. Trees are essential to
maintaining a critical balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Tree leaves pull in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen as a
by-product of photosynthesis. This goal of the grant is to help educate the community about the trees that would best
thrive in Whitewater and to promote planting and growing such trees to increase the tree canopy within the city.

The DNR Urban Forestry Grant will reimburse up to $25,000 of city and volunteer efforts to plant and maintain new
trees and shrubs within the nearly 35-acre park that borders the UW-Whitewater campus. The grant is designed to help
city private property owners to understand the critical role of trees in converting carbon dioxide into oxygen.

The initial Whitewater project is to establish an arboretum, or outside museum of trees and shrubs, to provide
educational opportunities for children and adults by identifying and preserving a diverse network of native and imported
trees and plants.

The concept of the Arboretum at Starin Park was initiated by Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) member
and retired educator Jim Nies. The UFC is a permanent subcommittee of the City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation
Board that makes recommendations concerning the care of all trees and shrubs planted in the city.

Nies estimates that there are currently as many as 50 declining trees in Starin Park that will soon need to be
replaced. It is estimated that the park currently contains roughly 650 trees.

Whitewater City Forester, Brian Neumeister, estimates the park has lost over 20 trees in the past three years. The UFC
desires to plant 150 native trees and species in the next year to replace dying trees or those that needed to be removed.

The city supported volunteer group is establishing partnerships with UW-W, the Whitewater Unified School District, the
Starin Park Neighborhood Association and several other interested businesses and individuals.

A local fund-raising effort to cover the initial cost of purchasing trees and shrubs and producing educational materials
has generated nearly $15,000 in contributions from the Coburn Company, First Citizens State Bank, the Historic Starin
Park Neighborhood, the Whitewater Community Foundation and many individuals.

Recently, the UFC placed 30 informational tree tags identifying common trees at Starin Park. Expanded tree tagging will
continue for existing trees and new plantings. Plans for in-depth information of each tree will be available in the future
on PlantsMap, a digital program. The UFC’s early efforts have recently resulted in formal accreditation of the Arboretum
at Starin Park by the international arboretum accreditation agency ArbNet.

To learn more or donate to the arboretum, join the UFC or participate in the project, contact Parks and Recreation
Director, Eric Boettcher at (262) 473-0122 or EBoettcher@whitewater-wi.gov.

The 65th Annual National Honor Society Induction Ceremony took place at Whitewater High School on Wednesday evening, December 1 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium.  Seventeen new juniors and seniors were inducted as members to honor their outstanding qualities of leadership, character, scholarship, and service to school and community.  These students worked extremely hard to achieve at the highest level in high school and are inspirational role models for their peers.  

The National Honor Society was established at Whitewater High School in 1956 to inspire enthusiasm for scholarship, stimulate a desire to render service, promote worthy leadership, and encourage the development of character in high school students. NHS has become a prestigious organization ranking high among college admission officers, scholarship committees, high school faculty & administrators, students, parents, and residents of our community.  For many, selection as a member of the National Honor Society is the pinnacle of achievement in school.  This honor, recognized throughout the nation, is both the public recognition of outstanding accomplishments and the private commitment to continued excellence on the part of each new member. 

The 2021-2022 National Honor Society Photo Story was published as a YouTube Video and can be found at this location:  https://youtu.be/Ha4rFgKhh-0

For more information about the Whitewater High School National Honor Society and how to become a member, please see the following website:  https://www.whs.wwusd.org/page/2541

Congratulations to the new members of the Whitewater High School National Honor Society!

New Senior Members (2)

Shane Kinson

Haley Street

New Junior Members (15)

Tyler Arnett

Afton Clapper

Kindyl Kilar

Cali Kopecky

Jake Kuhlow

Alexandra Martin

Courtney Meyer

Aileen Perez-Aguilar

Jenna Pope

Ashlynn Prah

Skylar Staebler

Josephine Treder

Karime Velazquez

Maria Verduzco

Caleigh Yang

Senior National Honor Society Members Inducted in 2020 (11)

Olive Coburn

Joslynn Collick

Arno Crowley

Carter Friend

Brock Grosinske

Nikita Hartzheim – Secretary

Cooper Hammond

Savannah Hill – Vice President

Avery Hintz

Audrey Mayer – Treasurer

Sophia Walton – President

Link to Induction Ceremony Pictures: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VSVQlXs3436badgS1QETCbpdQu847eJO?usp=sharing

Photography by Kevin Alvarado, Emmi Hagedorn, Ray Shaunda Harris, and Reagen Mullin.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Many City of Whitewater property owners undoubtedly noticed an unusually high increase in the school district portion of the property tax bill that they received early in December. Ben Prather, Director of Business Services for the Whitewater Unified School District, drafted the letter that is shown below in order to address this concern. Prather noted to the Banner that, “Of all the municipalities within our levy the city of Whitewater saw the largest increase in property value (13.75%) and the Walworth County portion of the city experienced the largest change in share of the levy (.49%).”

Editor’s Note: This information was provided by the City of Whitewater.

The City of Whitewater – Department of Public Works will deliver sand on Monday, December 20, 2021.
Residents who wish to receive a quantity of sand for placement on public sidewalks during the winter months are asked to have a sturdy container at the curbside by 7:00 a.m. on Monday, December 20. City officials stress that a cardboard box is not considered a sturdy container.

If there is a snowstorm or some other unpredictable occurrence that prevents delivery that week, the sand will be delivered as soon as weather permits. As a reminder, the owner, occupant, and person in charge of any building or lot fronting upon or adjoining any sidewalk shall remove all snow and ice from the sidewalk no later than twenty-four hours after a snow or ice event. When any ice is so formed on any sidewalk that it cannot be removed, then the responsible party shall keep the same sprinkled with salt or sand.

For additional questions or concerns, contact the Streets Department 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.

Editor’s Note: The below photos were provided by Tom Ganser.

Please enjoy the below photos from the Whitewater Unified School District Winter Strings Concert on December 9 at the Whitewater High School Auditorium.