Despite injuries, the Packers face tough postseason challenges in Philadelphia. Dr. David Chao joins the show to break down their latest injury updates.
As arctic air moved over the warmer open waters of Geneva Lake, waves of fog rolled in at Williams Bay Beach on Jan. 15, 2024, creating this scenic winter scene. As the sometimes dense fog moved ashore and crystalized at Williams Bay, it left a thick coating of picturesque hoarfrost on trees lining the lakeshore at Edgewater Park, Williams Bay Beach, Carlson Park and Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy among other locales. Unseasonably warm weather in the late fall and early winter left Geneva Lake with open water conditions as frigid sub-zero temperatures moved into the area following a Jan. 12-13 major winter storm that blanketed much of the area, including 13 inches of snow in Elkhorn, 13.5 inches in Burlington and more than 15 inches at Williams Bay.
Willliams Bay-based Dancing Dudes, LLC is currently developing the Bay Life Building, seen here as an artist's concept, on a long-vacant 0.31-acre commercial land parcel at 1 E. Geneva St. in downtown Williams Bay. On Jan. 15, the Williams Bay Village Board approved Resolution R-03-2024, authorizing the village to submit an application on behalf of Dancing Dudes to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. for a $250,000 Community Development Investment program grant in support of the redevelopment project. A spring groundbreaking was held. Once completed, the Bay Life Building will house the relocated operations off two popular downtown businesses, Green Grocer & Deli and Clear Waters Salon & Med Spa.
In a show of support for the Williams Bay School District and its Tuesday, April 2 referendum, the grassroots Friends of Williams Bay Schools’ “Vote Yes” referendum committee hosted a March 20 art installation of 612 pinwheels in the vacant lot at West Geneva Street (State Hwy. 67) and Walworth Avenue in downtown Williams Bay. Each pinwheel represented one student attending Williams Bay School District schools.
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Chicago-based Topography Hospitality, LLC, a new boutique hospitality company, announced Jan. 9, 2024 that it had entered into a contract to purchase the satellite George Williams College campus of Aurora University, 350 Constance Blvd. in Williams Bay. Topography proposes repositioning the historic 137-acre site overlooking Geneva Lake as The Preserve at Williams Bay, which would include a 90-acre nature preserve, a retreat center and amphitheater, and a luxurious country inn. Topography has also expressed its commitment to reviving George Williams College’s popular Music by the Lake outdoor summer concert series, held annually from June-August at the campus’ lakeside Ferro Pavilion.
A standing-room-only crowd estimated at more than 400 Williams Bay residents filled the Williams Bay High School lecture center and spilled out into the commons on Monday, Dec. 9 as the Williams Bay Village Board and Williams Bay Plan Commission held a marathon 5-hour joint meeting and public hearing on an application by Chicago-based Topography Hospitality, LLC for proposed map and text amendments to the 2023 Williams Bay Comprehensive Land Use Plan that would pave the way for Topography to possibly purchase and redevelop Aurora University’s 137-acre George Williams College campus at 350 Constance Blvd. Public comment, which ran from 8:43-11:24 p.m., saw Williams Bay residents offer views both for and against the proposed Comprehensive Plan changes and Topography’s proposed boutique resort development. The meeting concluded at 1 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, with the Plan Commission casting a split 5-2 vote to recommend village board approval. Trustees cast a split 6-1 vote to approve a first reading of the proposed amendments.
Site model aerial view of Constance Woods, LLC’s proposed Women’s Leadership Center campus on an undeveloped 8.63-acre lakefront site overlooking Geneva Lake at 327 W. Constance Blvd. in Williams Bay.
A festive ceremonial groundbreaking was held July 19 for the Women’s Leadership Center development at 333 W. Constance Blvd., Williams Bay. Pictured, from left, are Pepper Construction Group Project Director Anthony Alleman; OLIN Design Studio Partner Susan Weiler; Blue Stem Design, Inc. President Peter Vargulich; Women’s Leadership Center President and Founder Ann M. Drake; Studio Gang Design Principal and Partner Juliane Wolf; Williams Bay Village Board Trustee Lowell Wright; and Williams Bay Village President Bill Duncan.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOs
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Grades 4K-8 Geneva Joint No. 4 School District (Woods School), N2575 Snake Rd. in the Town of Geneva, led Walworth County’s 14 public school districts with a 91.1 score on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s school and district accountability report cards for the 2022-23 school year, placing in the top five star “significantly exceeds expectations” achievement category.
The Fontana Film Club at Fontana Elementary School on March 8-9 hosted the world premier of its inaugural 28-minute feature film, the monster horror adventure comedy “Klay Kong."
Following a failed four-year, $11 million operational referendum in February, the Burlington Area School District (BASD) Board of Education cast a unanimous March 11 vote to close Lyons Center Elementary School, 1622 Mill St. in the town of Lyons, at the end of the 2023-2024 school year as part of district cost-cutting efforts to pare a $4.8 million budget deficit. Lyons Center School, with 162 students and 40 staff, was the district’s only school in Walworth County. The board and district will consider selling or leasing the building, which sits on a 7.2-acre site adjacent to Riverview Park. The school, which traces its history back to the April 1845 founding of Lyons Center District No. 2, became part of BASD in 1966.
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Designed for play in all four Wisconsin seasons, Copenhagen, Denmark-based Monstrum’s abstracted supernova playground, proposed for installation at historic Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, takes the form of a 7,000-square-foot, multi-level playground rising 26 feet in the air.
Making its debut on April 15, 2024, one of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s newest Rustic Road designations is Rustic Road 126 in the Town of East Troy in Walworth County. Rustic Road 126, encompassing a 4-mile route along portions of Bell School Road and Hillburn Mill Road off State Hwy. 20, includes sweeping agricultural vistas, preserved farms, and woodlots among other scenic features, including Honey Creek and circa-1953 Bell School No. 7. Pictured is the Frank and Colleen Henningfeld Farm at N8175 Bell School Rd., the last dairy farm in the Town of East Troy.
Walworth-based Kikkoman Foods, Inc., a subsidiary of Noda, Chiba, Japan-based Kikkoman Corp., the world’s leading manufacturer of naturally brewed soy sauce, held a June 12 groundbreaking ceremony in Jefferson to kick off Kikkoman’s planned $800 million in Wisconsin facility investments. The company’s plans include an expansion of Kikkoman Foods’ 51-year-old flagship Walworth County headquarters manufacturing plant in the Town of Walworth and the development of a new 240,000 square foot production facility on a 100-acre site along the newly-designated Kikkoman Way at county seat Jefferson in neighboring Jefferson County. Pictured at the groundbreaking, from left, are City of Jefferson Mayor Dale Opperman, Kikkoman Corp. Honorary Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board Yuzaburo Mogi, and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.
A June 7 groundbreaking ceremony was held for a 2-phase Emergency Department expansion and modernization project at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center in Elkhorn. Pictured, from left, are John Zuleger, Vice President, Operations, Aurora Health Care; Devin White, JP Cullen & Sons, Inc.; Deanna Stodola and David Mikos, Anderson Mikos Architects; Shannon Metoxen, JP Cullen & Sons, Inc.; Karen McKenzie, Director, Design & Construction, Aurora Health Care; Adrienne Schultz, Chief Nursing Officer, Aurora Lakeland and Aurora Burlington; Brian Holt, Walworth County Supervisor District 3; Derek D’Auria, Executive Director, Walworth County Economic Development Alliance; Ania Horner, President, Aurora Lakeland and Aurora Burlington; Cary Chorney, Anderson Mikos Architects, and Dr. Ted O’Reilly, Chief Medical Officer, Aurora Health Care.
In the wake of a Saturday, June 22 EF-1 tornado, large-scale electrical utility repair and replacement work by Alliant Energy continued Monday, June 24 along Theatre Road in Williams Bay.
The emergence and discovery of Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) at Big Foot Beach State Park and Lake Geneva Beach on Geneva Lake in late August spurred the precautionary temporary closure of all public beaches around Geneva Lake.
“Z” is for zebra, the ride of choice for three-year-old Emersyn Rabe of Walworth, as she enjoys North American Midway Entertainment’s twirling midway merry-go-round on Aug. 28 at opening day of the 2024 Walworth County Fair.
At the Fairest of the Fair Finals at the Walworth County Fairgrounds on Aug. 28, 2024, Elkhorn resident Kloie Potts (center) was named the Walworth County Fair's incoming 2025 Fairest of the Fair. Potts, a junior at UW-Stout majoring in family and consumer sciences education, will succeed sitting 2024 Fairest of the Fair Josie Vance (left), of Elkhorn. Potts will be the 59th Walworth County Fairest of the Fair. Retaining her role as Walworth County Fair Royalty for another year will be Elkhorn resident Leslie Reinke (right).
During a lull in business serving up lemonade and corn dogs at his Sharonne’s Concessions mobile food stand on Aug. 28, 12-year proprietor Phillip Laws, of Belvidere, Ill., enjoys a quiet moment people-watching on opening day of the 2024 Walworth County Fair.
Faith Christian School will be sending off its first-ever international missions team during a Jan. 17-23, 2025 high school ministry service trip to the Dominican Republic through Spartanbug, S.C.-based Mission Emanuel. Pictured front row, from left, are Admissions and Marketing Director Jessica Viss, Spanish teacher Jenny Tartaglia, Nadie Rabe, Jenelle Girard, Amelia Gebbink, Jocelyn Nicia, Jianna Tartaglia, Advancemence Director Jason Gebbink and Whitney Turner. Pictured back row, from left, are Grady Ballard, Jake Wilson, Benjamin Grajek, Jasmin Turner, Landon Viss, Josh Kempka, Caleb Tartaglia, Andy Valadez, Dylan Johnson, Lincoln Shereos and Keith Gorsline. Founded in 1981, Faith Christian School is a Grades PreK-12 private, non-denominational Protestant school in Williams Bay.
Stars, Stripes & Fair Delights: Opening Day of 2024 Walworth County Fair
"Aye, Calypso, the places you've been to, the things that you've shown us, the stories you tell..."
From Jimmy Buffett to Bob Marley, from Harry Belafonte and calypso classics to jazz standards, the Milwaukee-based Caribbean Eclipse Steel Drum Band played a wide variety of musical styles as they performed Aug. 28 at the Peggy Park Stage during the 2024 Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn.
Eric Johnson
"One dollar bid, now two, now two, will ya give me two?"
“One dollar bid, now two, now two, will ya give me two?” In his trademark rhythmic auction chant, veteran auctioneer Gary Finley, of Walworth, presides over fundraising basket and pie auctions at the Aug. 28 Faiirest of the Fair Finals at the 2024 Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn.
Eric Johnson
'Racing Stripes'
“Z” is for zebra, the ride of choice for three-year-old Emersyn Rabe of Walworth, as she enjoys North American Midway Entertainment’s twirling midway merry-go-round on Aug. 28 at opening day of the 2024 Walworth County Fair.
Eric Johnson
'Roll out the barrel..."
Chicago musician Jakob Stutz entertains on the accordion as part of The Phenix Band's opening day Oktoberfest-styled German music concert on the Walworth County Fairgrounds' Peggy's Park Stage.
Eric Johnson
A critical eye
DeForest resident Judy Herlacher closely examines an entry’s visual appeal as she judges bundt cakes in Aug. 28 opening day food competitions at the 2024 Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn. The bundt cakes were judged on multiple criteria including aroma, taste, texture and visual appeal.
Eric Johnson
All ears
Attending the Walworth County Fair is a longtime tradition for friends Janet Mitchell (left) of Franklin, and Marilyn Allen (right) of Elkhorn, seen here Aug. 28 enjoying ears of roast sweet corn. Mitchell and Allen have been friends since high school as Class of 1965 alumni of Greendale High School.
Eric Johnson
Bronco busting
Rice’s Pro Rodeo, sponsored by Jack Leiser Painting, was the featured grandstand entertainment act at the Aug. 28 opening day of the 2024 Walworth County Fair at the fairgrounds in county seat Elkhorn, providing thrills and chills for spectators, including the bareback riding action seen here. Based in Medford and a member of the International Professional Rodeo Association, Rice’s is a full service professional bull riding and rodeo company, staging shows in six states.
Eric Johnson
Corn crib
Two-year-old Daxton Walsh, of Elkhorn, made a fun and creative rainfall of dried corn kernels through his fingers on Aug. 28 as he played in the sandbox-styled “Corn Crib” in the Barnyard Adventure Tent at the 2024 Walworth County Fair.
Eric Johnson
Dark skies, bright lights
The bright lights of North American Midway Entertainment’s carnival midway colorfully illuminate the Walworth County Fairgrounds in county seat Elkhorn on Wednesday, Aug. 28, opening day of the 2024 Walworth County Fair. Marking its 175th year during its 6-day Aug. 28-Sept. 2 run, the Walworth County Fair is one of the oldest and largest county fairs in Wisconsin. Farmland, Ind.-based North American Midway Entertainment is the world’s largest traveling amusement company, serving more than 15 million fairgoers in 20 U.S. states and 4 Canadian provincesi, including 13 of the top 50 fairs in North America.
Eric Johnson
Fairest of the Fair
At the Fairest of the Fair Finals at the Walworth County Fairgrounds on Aug. 28, 2024, Elkhorn resident Kloie Potts (center) was named the Walworth County Fair's incoming 2025 Fairest of the Fair. Potts, a junior at UW-Stout majoring in family and consumer sciences education, will succeed sitting 2024 Fairest of the Fair Josie Vance (left), of Elkhorn. Potts will be the 59th Walworth County Fairest of the Fair. Retaining her role as Walworth County Fair Royalty for another year will be Elkhorn resident Leslie Reinke (right).
Eric Johnson
Junior Swine competition - 3rd Place
Eleven-year-old Sally Polyock, of Zenda in the Town of Linn, competes in the Junior Swine competition on Aug. 28 at the Walworth County Fair, exhibiting her Berkshire hog. Earning third place honors in the competition, Polyock is a member of the Walworth-based Big Foot Pioneers 4-H Club.
Eric Johnson
People watching
During a lull in business serving up lemonade and corn dogs at his Sharonne’s Concessions mobile food stand on Aug. 28, 12-year proprietor Phillip Laws, of Belvidere, Ill., enjoys a quiet moment people-watching on opening day of the 2024 Walworth County Fair.
Eric Johnson
Rising star
Independent country music recording artist Lara Bell, of McHenry, Ill., entertained Aug. 28 in the Duesterbeck’s Brew Haus Music Hall on the Walworth County Fairgrounds in county seat Elkhorn, one of many entertainers that headlined the 175th Walworth County Fair during its 6-day Aug. 28-Sept. 2 run.
Eric Johnson
Service with a smile
It was service with a smile on Aug. 28 at the 175th Walworth County Fair as Elkhorn resident Joe Koloski served up homemade cream puffs at the St. Patrick Catholic Church Knights of Columbus Council 3464 fundraising cream puff and eclair stand at the fairgrounds.
Eric Johnson
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Farmer Nick
Farm-themed fun for the whole family was led by Farmer Nick in the Barnyard Adventure area at the Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn, featuring Nick's Kids Show and the new Barnyard Adventure Show.
Eric Johnson
Junior Swine competition - 2nd Place
Eight-year-old Logan Roherty of Darien, a member of the Ridge Prairie 4-H Club, competes in the Junior Swine competition on Aug. 28 at the 175th Walworth County Fair. Seen here exhibiting his Berkshire hog, Roherty earned second place honors.
Eric Johnson
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Workin' at the cow wash
Fourteen-year-old Natalie Yates of Darien, a member of the Sugar Creek 4-H Club, washes her Simmental cross-bred beef cattle on opening day of the Walworth County Fair on Aug. 28
Eric Johnson
Many hands make light work
Many hands make light work of early morning cow-washing chores at the Walworth County Fairground in Elkorn on opening day, Aug. 28. Pitching together, from left, are nine-year-old Will Kaver of Delavan, nine-year-old friend Leona Goes of Delavan, and Kaver’s cousin, nine-year-old Charlotte Choyce of Elkhorn. The youngsters are seen washing “Liberty,” a spring Holstein heifer calf from Kaver Farms in Walworth.
Eric Johnson
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How sweet it is
Katelyn Wagner, of Jackson in Washington County, judges cupcake entries on Aug. 28 at the 2024 Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn. The 175th Walworth County Fair drew more than 18,000 entries in a variety of competition categories ranging from quilts to cows and everthing in between. The cupcakes were judged by Wagner on multiple criteria including aroma, taste, texture and visual appeal.
Eric Johnson
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Dog obedience competitions
Kylie Hirschy (right) of Eagle in Waukesha County judges 10-year-old Raelynn Koteliszczak of Sharon and her Australian Shepherd, Daffodil “Daffi,” during Aug. 28 Pre-Novice B dog obedience competitions in the Activity Center at the 2024 Walworth County Fair. Koteliszczak is a member of the Ridge Prairie 4-H Club.
Eric Johnson
Karen Shook entertains at Duesterbeck Brew Haus Music Hall
Illinois soul rocker musician Karen Shook was among the opening day headliners at the 2024 Walworth County Fair on Aug. 28, seen here performing at the Duesterbeck Brew Haus Music Hall at the fairgrounds in Elkhorn. Born on Chicago's south side, Shook's roots are planted in blues and soul and her performances range across a variety of genres from heart-opening original songs to hundreds of feel-good cover songs from Johnny Cash to Bob Marley and Dolly Parton to The Beatles.
Eric Johnson
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"Farmer Wally Worth"
Walworth County Fair mascot “Farmer Wally Worth” greets opening day Walworth County Fair crowds as he rides on a parade float on the 99-acre Walworth County Fairgrounds in Elkhorn. According to creator Eileen Walsh Grzenia, a Walworth County Fair Board director, Farmer Wally Worth enjoys cultivating fun facts about agriculture and the Fairgrounds, frequently planting and nurturing fair smiles. A busy guy, Farmer Wally Worth loves being a part of the Fairgrounds family.
Eric Johnson
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Something to crow about
Cassidy Schultz, 18, of Genoa City, holds her Wheaton American rooster, Bert, as she awaits judging at the 2024 Walworth County Fair on Aug. 28. A member of the Flamethrowers 4-H, Wheeler is a Class of 2024 graduate of Badger High School in Lake Geneva. Wheeler is attending the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, studying for a degree in veterinary science.
Eric Johnson
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Opening day crowd
One of the oldest and largest county fairs in Wisconsin, the Walworth County Fair draws large crowds to the 99-acre Walworth County Fairgrounds in county seat Elkhorn, where fair attendees could choose from a wide variety of food options. Established in 1849, the Walworth County Fair celebrated its 175th anniversary during its 6-day Aug. 28-Sept. 2 run.
Eric Johnson
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Ribbon-cutting ceremony
Wielding oversized scissors as guest dignitaries look on, veteran longtime Walworth County Fairgrounds employees Rita Jasurda (center left) and Dianne Kegley (center right) prepare to ceremonially cut the red-ribbon opening the 2024 Walworth County Fair at the fairgrounds in county seat Elkhorn on Aug. 28. The 6-day fair, held Aug. 28-Sept. 2, celebrated its landmark 175th anniversary this year.
Eric Johnson
Stars and stripes
Flag-waving patriotism was on display Aug. 28 at the 175th Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn as Rice’s Pro Rodeo got underway as the evening’s featured grandstand entertainment. Based in Medford and a member of the International Professional Rodeo Association, Rice’s is a full service professional bull riding and rodeo company, staging shows in six states.
Eric Johnson
Cock-a-doodle-doo
The 175th Walworth County Fair at the Walworth County Fairgrounds in county seat Elkhorn featured more than 18,000 exhibit entries during its 6-day Aug. 28-Sept. 2 run. Entries in fair competitions ran the gamut from quilts to cows, including this crowing rooster displayed in the fairgrounds' poultry barn. The rooster was exhibited by Nolan Edwards of the Sugar Creek 4-H Club.
Eric Johnson
Barnyard Bin storytime
Among the opening day activities for youngsters at the 175th Walworth County Fair on Aug. 28 was an 11 a.m. storytime in the Barnyard Adventure area's Barnyard Bin, featuring 2024 Fairest of the Fair Josie Vance (left) and 2024 Fair Royalty Leslie Reinke (right).
Eric Johnson
Farm tractors on display at 2024 Walworth County Fair
With deep agricultural roots dating back 175 years, the Walworth County Agricultural Society's Walworth County Fair in county seat Elkhorn features a variety of agricultural displays, including a tractor show featuring a variety of vintage farm tractors. Pictured here, from left, are a 1953 International Harvester Farmall H owned and restored by Ben Reed of the Big Foot Pioneers 4-H Club, and a 1949 Minneapolis-Moline Zau, owned and restored by Wayne Edwards of Elkhorn.
Eric Johnson
1947 Massey-Harris 30 tractor
With deep agricultural roots dating back 175 years, the Walworth County Agricultural Society's Walworth County Fair in county seat Elkhorn features a variety of agricultural displays, including a tractor show featuring this vintage 1947 Massey-Harris 30 farm tractor.
Despite injuries, the Packers face tough postseason challenges in Philadelphia. Dr. David Chao joins the show to break down their latest injur…
In a show of support for the Williams Bay School District and its Tuesday, April 2 referendum, the grassroots Friends of Williams Bay Schools’ “Vote Yes” referendum committee hosted a March 20 art installation of 612 pinwheels in the vacant lot at West Geneva Street (State Hwy. 67) and Walworth Avenue in downtown Williams Bay. Each pinwheel represented one student attending Williams Bay School District schools.
Chicago-based Topography Hospitality, LLC, a new boutique hospitality company, announced Jan. 9, 2024 that it had entered into a contract to purchase the satellite George Williams College campus of Aurora University, 350 Constance Blvd. in Williams Bay. Topography proposes repositioning the historic 137-acre site overlooking Geneva Lake as The Preserve at Williams Bay, which would include a 90-acre nature preserve, a retreat center and amphitheater, and a luxurious country inn. Topography has also expressed its commitment to reviving George Williams College’s popular Music by the Lake outdoor summer concert series, held annually from June-August at the campus’ lakeside Ferro Pavilion.
A standing-room-only crowd estimated at more than 400 Williams Bay residents filled the Williams Bay High School lecture center and spilled out into the commons on Monday, Dec. 9 as the Williams Bay Village Board and Williams Bay Plan Commission held a marathon 5-hour joint meeting and public hearing on an application by Chicago-based Topography Hospitality, LLC for proposed map and text amendments to the 2023 Williams Bay Comprehensive Land Use Plan that would pave the way for Topography to possibly purchase and redevelop Aurora University’s 137-acre George Williams College campus at 350 Constance Blvd. Public comment, which ran from 8:43-11:24 p.m., saw Williams Bay residents offer views both for and against the proposed Comprehensive Plan changes and Topography’s proposed boutique resort development. The meeting concluded at 1 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, with the Plan Commission casting a split 5-2 vote to recommend village board approval. Trustees cast a split 6-1 vote to approve a first reading of the proposed amendments.
A festive ceremonial groundbreaking was held July 19 for the Women’s Leadership Center development at 333 W. Constance Blvd., Williams Bay. Pictured, from left, are Pepper Construction Group Project Director Anthony Alleman; OLIN Design Studio Partner Susan Weiler; Blue Stem Design, Inc. President Peter Vargulich; Women’s Leadership Center President and Founder Ann M. Drake; Studio Gang Design Principal and Partner Juliane Wolf; Williams Bay Village Board Trustee Lowell Wright; and Williams Bay Village President Bill Duncan.
Site model aerial view of Constance Woods, LLC’s proposed Women’s Leadership Center campus on an undeveloped 8.63-acre lakefront site overlooking Geneva Lake at 327 W. Constance Blvd. in Williams Bay.
Grades 4K-8 Geneva Joint No. 4 School District (Woods School), N2575 Snake Rd. in the Town of Geneva, led Walworth County’s 14 public school districts with a 91.1 score on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s school and district accountability report cards for the 2022-23 school year, placing in the top five star “significantly exceeds expectations” achievement category.
Willliams Bay-based Dancing Dudes, LLC is currently developing the Bay Life Building, seen here as an artist's concept, on a long-vacant 0.31-acre commercial land parcel at 1 E. Geneva St. in downtown Williams Bay. On Jan. 15, the Williams Bay Village Board approved Resolution R-03-2024, authorizing the village to submit an application on behalf of Dancing Dudes to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. for a $250,000 Community Development Investment program grant in support of the redevelopment project. A spring groundbreaking was held. Once completed, the Bay Life Building will house the relocated operations off two popular downtown businesses, Green Grocer & Deli and Clear Waters Salon & Med Spa.
The Fontana Film Club at Fontana Elementary School on March 8-9 hosted the world premier of its inaugural 28-minute feature film, the monster horror adventure comedy “Klay Kong."
Designed for play in all four Wisconsin seasons, Copenhagen, Denmark-based Monstrum’s abstracted supernova playground, proposed for installation at historic Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, takes the form of a 7,000-square-foot, multi-level playground rising 26 feet in the air.
Following a failed four-year, $11 million operational referendum in February, the Burlington Area School District (BASD) Board of Education cast a unanimous March 11 vote to close Lyons Center Elementary School, 1622 Mill St. in the town of Lyons, at the end of the 2023-2024 school year as part of district cost-cutting efforts to pare a $4.8 million budget deficit. Lyons Center School, with 162 students and 40 staff, was the district’s only school in Walworth County. The board and district will consider selling or leasing the building, which sits on a 7.2-acre site adjacent to Riverview Park. The school, which traces its history back to the April 1845 founding of Lyons Center District No. 2, became part of BASD in 1966.
Making its debut on April 15, 2024, one of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s newest Rustic Road designations is Rustic Road 126 in the Town of East Troy in Walworth County. Rustic Road 126, encompassing a 4-mile route along portions of Bell School Road and Hillburn Mill Road off State Hwy. 20, includes sweeping agricultural vistas, preserved farms, and woodlots among other scenic features, including Honey Creek and circa-1953 Bell School No. 7. Pictured is the Frank and Colleen Henningfeld Farm at N8175 Bell School Rd., the last dairy farm in the Town of East Troy.
In the wake of a Saturday, June 22 EF-1 tornado, large-scale electrical utility repair and replacement work by Alliant Energy continued Monday, June 24 along Theatre Road in Williams Bay.
A June 7 groundbreaking ceremony was held for a 2-phase Emergency Department expansion and modernization project at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center in Elkhorn. Pictured, from left, are John Zuleger, Vice President, Operations, Aurora Health Care; Devin White, JP Cullen & Sons, Inc.; Deanna Stodola and David Mikos, Anderson Mikos Architects; Shannon Metoxen, JP Cullen & Sons, Inc.; Karen McKenzie, Director, Design & Construction, Aurora Health Care; Adrienne Schultz, Chief Nursing Officer, Aurora Lakeland and Aurora Burlington; Brian Holt, Walworth County Supervisor District 3; Derek D’Auria, Executive Director, Walworth County Economic Development Alliance; Ania Horner, President, Aurora Lakeland and Aurora Burlington; Cary Chorney, Anderson Mikos Architects, and Dr. Ted O’Reilly, Chief Medical Officer, Aurora Health Care.
Walworth-based Kikkoman Foods, Inc., a subsidiary of Noda, Chiba, Japan-based Kikkoman Corp., the world’s leading manufacturer of naturally brewed soy sauce, held a June 12 groundbreaking ceremony in Jefferson to kick off Kikkoman’s planned $800 million in Wisconsin facility investments. The company’s plans include an expansion of Kikkoman Foods’ 51-year-old flagship Walworth County headquarters manufacturing plant in the Town of Walworth and the development of a new 240,000 square foot production facility on a 100-acre site along the newly-designated Kikkoman Way at county seat Jefferson in neighboring Jefferson County. Pictured at the groundbreaking, from left, are City of Jefferson Mayor Dale Opperman, Kikkoman Corp. Honorary Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board Yuzaburo Mogi, and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.
The emergence and discovery of Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) at Big Foot Beach State Park and Lake Geneva Beach on Geneva Lake in late August spurred the precautionary temporary closure of all public beaches around Geneva Lake.
At the Fairest of the Fair Finals at the Walworth County Fairgrounds on Aug. 28, 2024, Elkhorn resident Kloie Potts (center) was named the Walworth County Fair's incoming 2025 Fairest of the Fair. Potts, a junior at UW-Stout majoring in family and consumer sciences education, will succeed sitting 2024 Fairest of the Fair Josie Vance (left), of Elkhorn. Potts will be the 59th Walworth County Fairest of the Fair. Retaining her role as Walworth County Fair Royalty for another year will be Elkhorn resident Leslie Reinke (right).
“Z” is for zebra, the ride of choice for three-year-old Emersyn Rabe of Walworth, as she enjoys North American Midway Entertainment’s twirling midway merry-go-round on Aug. 28 at opening day of the 2024 Walworth County Fair.
Faith Christian School will be sending off its first-ever international missions team during a Jan. 17-23, 2025 high school ministry service trip to the Dominican Republic through Spartanbug, S.C.-based Mission Emanuel. Pictured front row, from left, are Admissions and Marketing Director Jessica Viss, Spanish teacher Jenny Tartaglia, Nadie Rabe, Jenelle Girard, Amelia Gebbink, Jocelyn Nicia, Jianna Tartaglia, Advancemence Director Jason Gebbink and Whitney Turner. Pictured back row, from left, are Grady Ballard, Jake Wilson, Benjamin Grajek, Jasmin Turner, Landon Viss, Josh Kempka, Caleb Tartaglia, Andy Valadez, Dylan Johnson, Lincoln Shereos and Keith Gorsline. Founded in 1981, Faith Christian School is a Grades PreK-12 private, non-denominational Protestant school in Williams Bay.
During a lull in business serving up lemonade and corn dogs at his Sharonne’s Concessions mobile food stand on Aug. 28, 12-year proprietor Phillip Laws, of Belvidere, Ill., enjoys a quiet moment people-watching on opening day of the 2024 Walworth County Fair.
