Evansville, WI Local News and More

Colony Brands to shutter Janesville packaging facility

Hello, Rock County! Here are your top Wednesday headlines: As the warm season begins to shift to a chillier time, board members of the BID say that the downtown's Designated Outdoor Refreshment area, or DORA, was successful. The business improvement district looks to submit the outdoor cocktail pilot program it started this year for a permanent ordinance. Just outside the Kohl's store at Uptown Janesville mall, you'll find a tortoise and a hare. You'll find a glowing frozen lake. And you'll find an animatronic dragon "melting" a glasslike section of carpet with his flaming breath. It's your job to putt a neon-colored golf ball through all those obstacles en route to breaking par. Colony Brands plans to permanently close its Janesville operations facility by next March, consolidating its food gift packing operations at an existing facility in Sun Prairie. The Monroe-based company disclosed the planned closure of its facility at 200 W. Venture Dr., in an Oct. 30 notice filed with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Milton High School will debut its fall musical "Mary Poppins," based on the Disney classic, this Friday at 7 p.m. at the Jon Platts Performing Arts Center. There are subsequent showings planned for

Janesville, WI · 1d

WJFW-TV

Cheapest gas stations in Janesville

Stacker compiled a list of the cheapest gas stations in Janesville using data from Gas Buddy. Gas stations are ranked by the lowest regular fuel price.

GazetteXtra

Morning Bloom a new breakfast restaurant in the former Sweet Berry location to open

JANESVILLE— A new brunch restaurant, Morning Bloom, is preparing to open in the former Pearl of the Orient and Sweet Berry location, bringing another breakfast and brunch option to the area after Sweet Berry closed just three months after opening. The Alcohol licensing committee Tuesday morning, the committee unanimously recommended a positive approval to the city council for the restaurant's license. Bardil Ahmedi, the new restaurant owner, is opening a similar restaurant that will operate every day from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. The building at 2701 Milton Ave. housed Pearl of the Orient from late 2022 until early 2024. Rio Brazilian Steakhouse then planned to move into space, but backed out last year. Former owner Tommy Nguyen’s mother Xinh Le owned Sweet Berry. His mom has been the landlord for a building that houses Riverside Family restaurant in Rockford, Ill. Last year, Le had the idea to open a restaurant of her own in Janesville, and the idea blossomed from there. After purchasing the building, they repainted its exterior, repaved the parking lot, cleaned inside and constructed a bakery area that will serve as a mini-café serving items such as pastries, coffee and tea. In October the restaurant abruptly

Janesville, WI · 1d

captimes.com

Farewell, Rutabaga, after 50 years of serving Madison paddlers

The Cap Times is an independent newsroom serving Madison and Wisconsin. Sign up for the Morning Update to receive news in your inbox each morning. Soft, woodsy music flutters through the air as customers inside Rutabaga Paddlesports take a last look through outdoor gear stickered with neon 30% off labels. A credit card reader beeps with approval to accept a purchase of just over $1,000. Raindrops pepper across the store’s large garage-style glass doors, and cars whiz past on Rimrock Road in Fitchburg.

Madison, WI · 1d

Yahoo!

Wisconsin man arrested for 5th OWI, other charges following traffic stop

BELOIT, Wis. (WFRV) - One Wisconsin man is now in custody on several potential charges, including his 5th OWI offense following a traffic stop on Tuesday. According to a release from the Beloit Police Department, one man was stopped by police on Tuesday near the 1900 block of South Afton Road.

Beloit, WI · 1d

racinecountyeye.com

Mount Pleasant man charged with hit-and-run after pedestrian struck on Ohio Street in Racine

RACINE, Wis. — A 35-year-old Mount Pleasant man is charged with felony hit-and-run after a pedestrian was struck by a minivan while crossing Ohio Street near Byrd Avenue in Racine early Nov. 4, according to a criminal complaint filed Nov. 5 in Racine County Circuit Court. Jorge J. Govea...

Racine, WI · 1d

fastfoodclub.com

Wisconsin Has 7 Old-School Bowling Alley Bars Where The Friday Fish Fry Is Surprisingly Good

In Wisconsin, Friday night means fish, and some of the best plates come from places where you can also pick up a spare. Bowling alley bars have quietly been serving the fish fry for years, often with bigger portions and lower prices than you might expect. This list covers seven...

Door County, WI · 2d

GazetteXtra

City of Janesvillle could turn to operating referendum to float 2028 budget

Hello, Rock County! Here are your top Tuesday headlines: Voters will see another referendum on the April 2027 ballot — but not for development on the GM/JATCO site. Instead, it will be to help fund city operations for the 2028 budget. Kylie Balk-Yaatenen reports from Janesville City Hall. Local nonprofit group Faire Market Institute, a cottage industry led by manager Alicia Klos, is launching The Janesville Mall Holiday Market at Uptown Janesville, the official name for the mall's new winter market. A proposed resolution going before a Rock County Board committee on Wednesday would allow Rock Haven, the county-owned nursing home, to accept referrals for residents outside of Rock County . Rock Haven only allows referrals for care from residents in Rock County. Do you have a story you'd like the Gazette to follow? Let us know with an email to The Gazette's City Editor, Neil Johnson at neil@gazettextra.com!

Rock County, WI · 2d

GazetteXtra

Rock County aims to ease nursing home subsidies by opening Rock Haven to residents outside county

JANESVILLE – Natalie Rolling-Edlebeck acknowledges that opening up Rock Haven to out-of-county nursing home residents could come at a cost, but she's not yet sure how much. Rolling-Edlebeck's reason behind a shift to accepting out-of-county and even out-of-state residents is to try to create maximum use Rock Haven's 120 beds. Right now, the nursing unit can staff for 112 beds, a formula based on available nurses and the needs of patients now at Rock Haven. But a low tide in residents creates a capacity and staffing cycle that limits the amount Rock Haven can get reimbursed for residents, how many nurses it can hire, and how it can offset operating costs — all factors that drive a subsidy that the county said in its last budget wound up being $750,000. That's down from Rock Haven being more than $2 million underwater in recent past years, in part because Medicaid reimbursements have increased in Wisconsin. But officials argue the ceiling for Rock Haven, which is county run, is low because of how it operates. Rock Haven is one of 10 skilled-care nursing homes in Rock County, but of those 10, Rock Haven is the only one that does not allow out-of-county

Rock County, WI · 1d

familyvacationsus.com

8 Wisconsin Pizza Joints Where Thin, Tavern-Cut Squares Keep Families Coming Back

One pizza parlor on this list has been serving thin-crust pies since 1921. That’s over a century of cutting pizza into little squares instead of wedges. I love that detail. It means great-grandparents and great-grandkids could argue over the same corner pieces. In Wisconsin, tavern-cut squares are a family...

Wisconsin · 1d

GazetteXtra

Norovirus closes Consolidated Elementary doors until at least Nov. 16

JANESVILLE — The Milton School District closed one of its elementary schools for the rest of the week because of a norovirus outbreak. Norovirus is more commonly known as the stomach flu. Late Wednesday, the district announced the closure of Consolidated Elementary because “more than 35%” of its student population had been sickened by norovirus. The District decided on this course of action after consultation with District Nurse Melissa Forrett and the Rock County Health Department. No other schools have been affected yet, according to the district. The district plans to open the school Monday. Superintendent Jeremy Bilhorn said that at the start of Wednesday, there were 30 students who were absent from the illness. Throughout the day, that number continued to climb as more students were sickened with the norovirus and were sent home. Bilhorn could not confirm the exact total at the end of the school day. “We noticed the numbers rose pretty high today,” Bilhorn said. The district will monitor reported absences at other schools and any ahead of Monday at Consolidated. “The idea is to take in account student safety, and best practice and guidance from our county health department,” Bilhorn said. Consolidated Elementary, the district’s

Janesville, WI · 18h

fitchburgstar.com

Oregon School District joins social media lawsuit

At its Monday, Nov. 9 meeting, the Oregon School District Board of Education unanimously voted to join the class action lawsuit against social media companies because of the effects these platforms have on students’ mental health. There is a nationwide movement to have a class action against various social...

Oregon, WI · 23h

GazetteXtra

Football: Four area athletes announced to WFCA All-Region Teams

The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association revealed its 2026 All-Region Teams this week, and a total of four athletes from area high schools were amongst those recognized. Janesville Craig’s Keyon’Dre Thornton and Malachi Schoonover, Evansville’s Harker Larsen and Edgerton’s Eli Kittleson each received spots on the list of the WFCA’s All-Region honorees. There are a total of eight regions at the 11-player level, four Large School regions and four Small School regions. Schoonover and Thornton were both honored in Region 4 of the Large Division, while Larsen and Kittleson were members of Region 4 of the Small Division. Thornton wrapped up his senior season for the Cougars by having a career year, logging team-highs in receptions (54) and receiving yards (865) while tying for the team best in touchdowns with nine. Thornton averaged six catches, 96.1 receiving yards and one TD per game over the course of the season. WR2 for Craig also made his way onto the All-Region list, as Schoonover finished right behind or equal to Thornton in every stat category. The junior wideout brought in 45 receptions for 855 yards and nine TDs this season, averaging five catches for 95 yards and a score per game. Evansville’s Larsen

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Rock Haven may provide care to non-Rock County residents

JANESVILLE — Rock Haven may open its beds to non-Rock County residents. Rock County’s Health Services Committee will see a resolution Wednesday to allow Rock Haven to accept out-of-Rock County referrals and residents into its care. Right now, Rock Haven is only open to residents of the county. Rock Haven is a Rock County-owned nursing home. If the committee OKs the resolution, it still needs approval from the full County Board, which could come as soon as Thursday. If ultimately approved by the board, it is unknown when Rock Haven would be opened up to non-Rock County residents. The county would need to establish, through an official policy, whether to allow residents from throughout Wisconsin and parts of Illinois, or just the counties immediately surrounding its current home turf. Rock Haven administrator Natalie Rolling-Edlebeck told The Gazette the nursing home receives referrals from outside Rock County “all the time.” There are 2-3 referrals from other counties on a daily basis. Many come from Dane and Green counties, with some from Walworth County. In the first week of November, there was even a referral out of Tennessee. “That’s potential revenue coming if we can meet the needs,” Rolling-Edlebeck said. While it

Rock County, WI · 2d

Main Street Dollars

Families have two years after a veteran’s burial to claim VA’s $1,032 burial allowance for a non-service-connected death

The Department of Veterans Affairs pays a $1,032 burial allowance and a $1,032 plot allowance for veterans who died on or after Oct. 1, 2026, and families of a veteran whose death was not service-connected have two years after the burial to file. The amounts went up from $1,002 for deaths in the year that […]

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Girls basketball preview: Crimson Tide set to roll out new-look squad

EDGERTON — While the Edgerton Crimson Tide lost several key seniors, two of whom were multi-year starters and are set to play Division III college basketball, head coach Chris Jenny still has plenty of returning players to be excited about this season. Claudia Jenny, a senior point guard who’s gained attention from college programs, headlines the returning talent. Jenny is coming off a season in which she averaged 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals per game. She also was named to the All-Rock Valley-Rock First Team. “Anytime you can start with a four-year starter at point guard and two-time all-state player, you’re in a pretty good starting spot,” Coach Jenny said. In previous seasons, Jenny could get the ball down low to Gracee Langer or find sharp shooter Marti Rebman on the perimeter. Langer took her talents to UW-Whitewater and Rebman will be suiting up for Edgewood College. The senior duo combined for about 27 points a night last season and played integral roles in Edgerton’s 25 wins in 2025-26. Without their scoring prowess, Coach Jenny feels his daughter Claudia will play a different role this season as she looks to create more of her own shots.

Edgerton, WI · 1d

wisfarmer.com

She didn't want to be another strawberry farmer. So she's planting pawpaws

BRODHEAD, Wis. – U-pick farms have been popular throughout Wisconsin for years. Families have headed out to the farms and returned home after picking fresh strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins and other fruits and vegetables. One farm scheduled to open its doors next year in southern Wisconsin’s Green County isn’t focusing...

Brodhead, WI · 1d

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DORA had a successful 6 months of operation

JANESVILLE —As the warm season begins to shift to a chillier time, board members of Janesville’s downtown Business Improvement District say that the downtown’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment area, or DORA, was successful. The BID looks to submit the outdoor cocktail pilot program it started this year for consideration as a permanent ordinance. This May, the City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that established the boundaries of the DORA, where people would be permitted to drink alcohol outdoors along downtown sidewalks. The only change made in the BID’s updated ordinance proposal was to the operational hours of the DORA, crimping its hours from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. 7 days a week, to noon-10 p.m. every day. The DORA boundaries, according to a map provided by the organizers, encompass most of the central downtown area, also known as downtown’s entertainment district. The map shows highlighted streets that would be part of the DORA area, including North and South Main streets; East and West Milwaukee streets; parts of North Franklin and South Jackson streets; and blocks of West Court and River streets along the riverfront. The DORA also encompasses the town square where the farmers market and other public events are held. At Tuesday

Janesville, WI · 1d

Channel3000com News 3 Now

More than $348K raised for Janesville homeless center

JANESVILLE, Wis. — The House of Mercy Charity Ball raised more than $348,000 on Oct. 10 to benefit the House of Mercy Homeless Center and its residents.

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Uptown Janesville lands winter market through new management agreement

JANESVILLE — The Uptown Janesville mall lost its winter market when the Janesville Farmers Market opted this fall to move its over-winter spot to the downtown YMCA — but a new group is working to cultivate a new market at Uptown Janesville. Local nonprofit group Faire Market Institute, a cottage industry led by manager Alicia Klos, is operating The Janesville Mall Holiday Market at Uptown Janesville, the official name for the mall’s new winter market. The Uptown Janesville Holiday Market kicks off Saturday, Nov. 14. It’s specifically scheduled this year on weekends that are opposite the Janesville Farmers Market’s downtown market at the YMCA. “We didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. We wanted to go opposite their weekends,” Klos said. The Janesville Farmers Market had operated out of the mall for the last several years, but the group this year signed a contract to lease space for its winter market at the former Janesville Boys & Girls Club space at the YMCA off West Court Street. This year, Klos took over volunteer management of Milton’s Community Day Market. That’s a Friday night vendor and food market held on Milton’s east side once a month. Klos said many farmers market