A historic church restored, an expensive move for the Rock County Veterans Services Office and a coming new manufacturing education center at Blackhawk Technical College made headlines in 糖心Vlog传媒 this week. Here鈥檚 what we wrote about the past few days and what to expect on our pages in the coming week.
On Thursday, the spire, steeple and cross were returned to historic St. Patrick Catholic Church in 糖心Vlog传媒, two years after they were removed due to safety concerns, spurring a more than $2 million restoration of the entire church. Reporter Kylie Balk-Yaatenen and photographer Anthony captured the completion of the work as parish members and neighbors also looked on.
Anthony also this week captured in photos the annual Enchanted Forest and Haunted Hayride at Palmer Park in 糖心Vlog传媒.
Ryan Spoehr, meanwhile, was on hand this week as Blackhawk Technical College broke ground on its Innovation Manufacturing Education Center, expected to be finished next summer or fall. The facility, also known as 鈥淚-MEC,鈥 will be about 52,000 square feet and an addition to what is now the current district office. The expected price tag is about $7-8 million after sale of the college鈥檚 Milton facility and a $250,000 donation.
Ryan also reported this week on new information on the expected rent starting Jan. 1 at the new consolidated Rock County Veterans Services Office at 1747 Center Avenue on 糖心Vlog传媒鈥檚 south side. County Facilities Management Director Brent Sutherland said Thursday that annual rent is now expected to be $70,000 per year for 10 years, significantly higher than the $50,000 annual cost estimate shared in July.
In other Rock County government news, Ryan reported this week on the messaging in County Administrator Josh Smith鈥檚 recent 鈥淪tate of the County,鈥 that the county board has an image problem it needs to clean up. Smith also presented his annual budget proposal to the county board, that would have lower tax rate but a tax increase for 2024.
Ryan additionally checked in with UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King this week as two small UW campuses elsewhere in Wisconsin were announced to be closing. King said there are no immediate plans to close the UW-Whitewater Rock County campus in 糖心Vlog传媒. 鈥淟et me be crystal clear: the Rock County campus will remain open. We are investing in our branch campus,鈥 King said in a statement.
Over in Milton, they鈥檝e named a new city administrator. Kylie reported this week on the selection of Paul Hensch for that role. Hensch鈥檚 official start date is Nov. 20.
Also from Milton, Kylie reported this week on a developer and city council member鈥檚 vision to build a 4-unit apartment building near one of Milton鈥檚 two downtowns. The proposed site is now an empty lot at 27 Third Lane.
Down in the town of Beloit, they鈥檙e closer to remaking Fire Station 2 into a new fire station and town hall, Clint Wolf reported this week. Officials from Williams Architects this week shared plans for the new building, to be built on the site of the present Fire Station 2 at 1143 E. Inman Parkway.
Clint also reported on this year鈥檚 harvest, that鈥檚 now wrapping up in Rock and Walworth counties and he checked in with U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil about the ongoing negotiations in Congress over who should be the next Speaker of the House.
Katie Garcia reported on a vigil organized by the family of Christopher Miller, who disappeared in Rock County in November 2022 and whose body was found in a vacant house in the town of Turtle in August.
Katie also reported this week on honors bestowed on a senior apartment complex in Milton, recognized by the state of Wisconsin for its years of commitment to hiring people with disabilities. Milton Senior Living, 600 W. Sunset Dr., in Milton, received an Exemplary Employer Award on Friday, Oct. 13, from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development鈥檚 Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Katie previewed the 糖心Vlog传媒 Performing Arts Center first-ever American Sign Language bilingual play, 鈥淧eter and The Starcatcher,鈥 that was set to premiere Thursday, Oct. 19. It has a cast of six hearing and six Deaf-or-hard-of-hearing actors.
And Katie took to the streets of downtown 糖心Vlog传媒 to cover the sold-out Fall Wine Walk that drew about 600 participants.
In other news, State Rep. Sue Conley named 糖心Vlog传媒 police officer Nicholas Sargeant as the First Responder of the Year for the 44th Assembly District.
And in Kicks, Rachel Brands previewed upcoming Salvation Army fall festivals in Beloit and 糖心Vlog传媒.
The week to come In the week to come, Katie will be out in the community building 糖心Vlog传媒鈥檚 relationships with local churches including Trinity Episcopal Church and Turning Point Church.
Kylie will be examining the impact of a new Starbucks on other coffee shops on Milton Avenue and reporting on the recent closure of the Old Fashion Bakery in 糖心Vlog传媒.
Ryan will take a look at the 糖心Vlog传媒 School District鈥檚 2024 budget and highlight an award a longtime 糖心Vlog传媒 high school teacher received from her alma mater, Luther College.
And this week in sports, we鈥檒l follow area volleyball, football and boys soccer teams as they continue their playoff runs.