Good Ideas

Beautiful Whitewater, City, Education, Good Ideas, School District, Science/Nature

Science Night in Whitewater

by JOHN ADAMS • 03/20/2014 • 2 Comments

Diet Coke & Mentos from John Adams on Vimeo. Last night was Science Night in Whitewater, and many hundreds from the city turned out to see dozens of displays and exhibits. My family had a fine time, and I’d say that Science Night (held periodically but infrequently) is one of our favorite public events in…

Education, Good Ideas, School District

Rube Goldberg Machines

by JOHN ADAMS • 11/22/2013 • 1 Comment

From Lincoln Inquiry Charter School, there’s a recently-released video of students building Rube Goldberg machines. In their clever work, one finds true innovation: LINCS Rube Goldberg 2013 – Short Version from Whitewater Community TV on Vimeo.

Business, City, Free Markets, Good Ideas, Hip & Prosperous, Local Government, New Whitewater, Planning

The Planning Commission Meeting for 11.11.13

by JOHN ADAMS • 11/12/2013 • 1 Comment

Whitewater’s Planning Commission met last night, and among the topics was consideration of re-zoning and a conditional use permit for Casual Joe’s, a new restaurant, tavern, and distillery to operate at 319 W. James Street (at the site of a long-unused commercial building, the former Fort Auto Body). On 4-3 votes, a majority of…

Beautiful Whitewater, Charity, Food, Good Ideas

Whitewater’s Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast

by JOHN ADAMS • 09/23/2013 • 2 Comments

My youngest and I went to Sunday’s Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at the high school. We had a great time. Light, perfectly-prepared pancakes, the very size of a pan, with link sausages, syrup, butter, and one’s choice of coffee, juice, or water. For a small price, one could order extra sausage, too, as we did. Once…

Beautiful Whitewater, Good Ideas, Health, Sports

Scenes from the Discover Whitewater Races, 9.22.2013

by JOHN ADAMS • 09/22/2013 • Comments

Agriculture, Good Ideas

The Creative, Cheesy Solution to Icy Roads

by JOHN ADAMS • 09/14/2013 • Comments

Here’s a creative way to make use of Wisconsin’s prodigious cheese production:

Beautiful Whitewater, City, Good Ideas, New Whitewater

Join Downtown Whitewater’s August Downtown Cleanup, Saturday, August 24th from 8 AM to Noon

by JOHN ADAMS • 08/21/2013 • Comments

Here’s your chance to be part of a group that’s keeping Whitewater beautiful — Join Downtown Whitewater for its August Downtown Cleanup to welcome UWW students and their families back to town When: Saturday, August 24th from 8 am to Noon. Where: Meet at Discover Whitewater (150 West Main Street). We’ll be sweeping the streets…

Beautiful Whitewater, City, Good Ideas, Sports

The Field of Dreams Begins Construction

by JOHN ADAMS • 08/17/2013 • Comments

Groundbreaking for the Treyton Kilar Field of Dreams in Whitewater took place Friday afternoon. That makes August 16, 2013 a particularly good day for our city. For a fine description of the groundbreaking in detail, with pictures from the ceremony, please see The Wisconsin Happy Farm‘s post on the event. That post includes photos of…

Beautiful Whitewater, City, Development, Good Ideas, Hip & Prosperous, New Whitewater, Planning

Tidying the Town

by JOHN ADAMS • 08/14/2013 • Comments

A new school year begins, and thousands of students on whom the economy of this city depends are returning to Whitewater. Volunteers, as they’ve done previously, will help tidy up the town. These volunteers have, I think, held similar clean-up efforts in June and July. It’s a fine idea. (I’ve not been part of those…

Beautiful Whitewater, City, Good Ideas, Local Government, Weather

Walk the City

by JOHN ADAMS • 03/19/2013 • Comments

Spring will arrive soon. Whitewater, Wisconsin is a small town. Even more conveniently, it’s a small town with an easily-walked, accessible downtown, west-side business district, and compact neighborhoods. In a time of warmer weather, there will be fitting opportunities to explore the city on foot. Whitewater’s full-time leaders – and especially her city manager —…

Business, Film, Good Ideas

The Innovator

by JOHN ADAMS • 02/19/2013 • Comments

The Innovator from Cineastas on Vimeo. Mike Friton is a freelance shoemaker, weaver, paper sculptor and innovator with over 30 years of experience at Nike. His innovations are responsible for many elements of athletic footwear that people wear today. Each of his crafts informs one another and he is constantly exploring the fringes of his…

City, Good Ideas, Hip & Prosperous, Local Government

Model practices are the new exceptional

by JOHN ADAMS • 01/09/2013 • Comments

The signs that welcome visitors to Whitewater assure newcomers that we are an exceptional community. It’s an odd slogan for a city: exceptional needn’t mean better. One can be exceptionally talented, for example, but exceptionally narrow and stodgy, too. The slogan was meant, no doubt, to imply good qualities, but it’s a measure of our…

Animals, Beautiful Whitewater, City, Good Ideas, Hip & Prosperous, Liberty, Local Government

The Backyard Chicken Trend

by JOHN ADAMS • 01/08/2013 • Comments

We’re not alone among communities recently allowing urban chickens. A good and smart friend sent along news of Beloit’s urban chicken ordinance, now in effect in that city. She noted in her message that backyard chickens are a positive trend, and she’s right. (For a prior post on this topic, see Common Council Session of…

Animals, Beautiful Whitewater, City, Good Ideas, Hip & Prosperous, Laws/Regulations, Liberty, Local Government, New Whitewater

Common Council Session of 12.18.12: Backyard Chickens

by JOHN ADAMS • 12/19/2012 • Comments

Here’s my fourth post on last night’s meeting. Approved unanimously, and waived from a second reading, Whitewater now has a backyard chicken ordinance. Not just an ordinance, but a fine, model one of which we should be proud. This is a good idea, that’s come to Whitewater through the hard work of a thoughtful resident.…