The Bassett House Ladies and Young Ladies Tea Party is Back!

At long last, the Bassett House Ladies and Young Ladies Tea Party is Back!

The Whitewater Federation of Women’s Clubs (WFWC) is thrilled to announce that its Ladies and Young Ladies Tea Party is back after the long COVID hiatus. The tea will be held on Sunday, April 30, 2023, at Whitewater’s historic Bassett House. We will have two seatings. First Seating from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., and Second Seating from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. All ladies over six years old are welcome. Delicious refreshments, tea, and lemonade will be served in the charming ambiance of one of Whitewater’s loveliest old homes. This is a wonderful spring tradition that you won’t want to miss.

All proceeds will go to help preserve the Bassett House, one of Whitewater’s oldest and most historic homes.

Ticket prices are $30 for an adult and a child; $10 for additional children; and $25 for a single adult. Make checks out to the WFWC and mail them to Linda Robinson at 957 W. Highland Street/Whitewater, WI 53190. Alternatively, you may use Venmo: Whitewater Federation. In either case, please indicate the number of adults attending, the number of children attending, and First or Second Seating. Space is limited, so buy your tickets soon. The ticket purchase deadline is April 17.

All proceeds will go to the Bassett House Preservation Fund, which the WFWC will use to ensure the preservation of the Bassett House. The Bassett House is located at 708 W. Main Street in Whitewater.

For more information, contact Linda Robinson at linrob73@gmail.com

The Library Presents Let’s Talk Tomatoes

 

Master Gardener, Ruth Flescher, will be at the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m. to present “Let’s Talk Tomatoes.” The public is invited to attend and learn about how to choose tomato varieties and grow them successfully from transplant until the season is done.   

The presentation will be held in the library’s Community Room located at 431 W. Center Street in Whitewater. There is no cost or registration. For additional information, visit the library’s website at www.whitewaterlibrary.org or call 262-473-0530.  

WHS Band, Choir & Bell Choir Students Performed at District Solo/Ensemble Festival

Mel Prince
Dante Baker
Bell Choir
Chord of the Rings
Music Masters Ensemble

Whitewater High School Band, Choir, and Bell Choir Students performed at the Wisconsin School Music Association’s District Solo/Ensemble Festival at East Troy High School on March 11.  Students performed for a judge, and then received comments and a rating. Congratulations to students who will be advancing to State at UW-Whitewater in April! 

Dante Baker – Marimba Solo
Anders Clarksen – Alto Sax Solo
Isabelle Dieter – Tenor Sax Solo
Taiya Kolb – Alto Sax Solo
Alex Martin – Bari Sax Solo
Kay Mikos – Bari Sax Solo
Brooke Mason – Alto Solo
Marina Linos – Alto Solo
Skylar Staebler – Vocal Jazz Improvisation Solo 
Anderson Waelchli – Vocal Jazz Improvisation Solo
Ayden Clark and Anderson Waelchli – Vocal Duet
Skylar Staebler – Musical Theatre
Anderson Waelchli – Musical Theatre

Music Masters Ensemble (Brooke Mason, Alex Clarksen, Meridyth Cashion,  Payton Bunger, Anders Clarksen,  Marina Linos, Joshua Kirley, Skylar Staebler, Anderson Waelchli, Alex Sullivan, Lauren Rollette) – Madrigal Ensemble 

Music Masters Ensemble (Brooke Mason, Alex Clarksen, Meridyth Cashion,  Payton Bunger, Anders Clarksen,  Marina Linos, Joshua Kirley, Skylar Staebler, Anderson Waelchli, Alex Sullivan, Lauren Rollette) – Mixed Vocal Jazz Ensemble

Chord of the Rings (Matt Zingsheim, Alex Clarksen, Sam Nickelsburg, Payton Bunger, David Enns, Joshua Kirley, Anderson Waelchli) –  Contemporary A Cappella 

Photo credits: Sam Averill and Karen Tordera
Article submitted by Karen Tordera

Local Resident Named to MSOE Honors List

Nicole Sedmak from Whitewater was named to the Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Honors List for the 2023 Winter Quarter. Sedmak is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

Undergraduate students who have earned a GPA of 3.20 or higher (out of 4.0) for this quarter are on the Honors List.

Milwaukee School of Engineering (www.msoe.edu) is the university of choice for those seeking an inclusive community of experiential learners driven to solve the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. The independent, non-profit university has about 2,700 students and was founded in 1903. MSOE offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, business and nursing. Faculty are student-focused experts who bring real-world experience into the classroom. This approach to learning makes students ready now as well as prepared for the future. Longstanding partnerships with business and industry leaders enable students to learn alongside professional mentors, and challenge them to go beyond what’s possible. MSOE graduates are leaders of character, responsible professionals, passionate learners and value creators.

Local Group is Forming a Save the Pool Committee for the WFAC and has a Change of Meeting Venue

Editor’s note: The following announcement was received from Jeffery Knight.

Cheri Zimdars, Guy Ledwell, Jeff Knight, and Geoff Hale are forming a Save the Pool Committee for the Whitewater Fitness and Aquatic Center (WFAC) to educate the public on its exceptional value and commitment to fitness and health in the Whitewater community.  

Take a look at the Banner’s article, “City and School District are on Different Pages as Aquatic & Fitness Center Negotiations Commence,” to understand why we are concerned about saving our beloved Whitewater Fitness and Aquatic Center. This group is hoping to expedite the completion of a new agreement, educate the public on this issue, and help in any way they can to continue its operations. 

In light of this, the Save the Pool Committee will be hosting an organizational meeting on Wednesday, April 5th, 2023 at 6 p.m. The group has changed venues for this meeting and it will now be held at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center, 341 S. Fremont Street.  Additionally, there will be “Save the Aquatic Center” signs distributed at the meeting for those interested in expressing their support.

To remain connected to the public and continue its mission, the Save the Pool Committee has created a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SavethePoolCommitteeWW/. If you wish to support this cause, the group encourages you to follow and share the Facebook page for updates and further information on this issue.

If you would like to learn more on how you can join the Save the Pool Committee, please contact Cheri Zimdars: zimdars@hotmail.com/(608) 449-5150, Guy Ledwellledwellguy@gmail.com/(262) 649-7040, Jeff Knight:  jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com/(920) 728-0662, or Geoff Haleghale@hometops.com/(920) 723-2387.  

WHS Student Selected for WI Senate Scholar Program

Skylar Staebler

WHS student selected for the Wisconsin Senate Scholar program from the 11th Senate District

Whitewater High School is proud to announce that Skylar Staebler from Whitewater High School represented the 11th State Senate District at last week’s 2023 Wisconsin Senate Scholar program session.

One student from each of Wisconsin’s 33 Senate Districts participates in this intensive, week-long program at the State Capitol in January, February, and March sessions. Skylar, daughter of Keith and Tammy Staebler of Whitewater, participated in the March 12-17 session.

Senate Scholars with the Senate Majority Leader
Senate Scholars at the Governor’s Mansion

The Senate Scholar program has a rigorous curriculum. First, the students get to participate actively in many facets of the legislative process. Next, they meet with legislative support agencies, the Governor’s staff, a Supreme Court Justice, the media, lobbyists, and University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty members. The students then put their knowledge into action. Scholars staff the session under the direction of the Senate Sergeant at Arms’ office when the Senate is on the floor. The week’s events culminate in a Senate Scholar committee hearing on a bill that the students have drafted.

Ms. Staebler would like to thank WI State Senator Stephen Nass (R-Whitewater), his staff, and the Whitewater American Legion for supporting this outstanding program.

Skylar is an active member of the National Honor Society, the WHS Drama Club, Model United Nations, Forensics, the Kindness Club, and the Student Council. On top of this, she participates in wrestling and track. Congratulations, Skylar! We are so very proud of you!

Respectfully Submitted by Mr. Greg Stewart, Whitewater High School

Local Resident Named to Ripon College Dean’s List

Ripon College has announced its Dean’s List for the Fall 2022 semester recognizing academic excellence. To qualify for the Dean’s List at Ripon College, students must achieve a 3.40 grade point average or higher on a 4.00 scale and complete at least 12 credits of regular letter-graded works.

Heather Charter, a class of 2025 student from Whitewater, Wisconsin was named to the Fall 2022 Dean’s List. Charter is majoring in Business Management .

Ripon College, founded in 1851, prepares students of diverse interests for lives of productive, socially responsible citizenship. Ripon’s liberal arts and sciences curriculum and residential campus create an intimate learning community in which students experience a richly personalized education. In recognition of its academic excellence, the college was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 1953, placing it among a select group of the nation’s top colleges. Visit ripon.edu.

Seniors in the Park Presents Women Talking

“Women Talking”

Tuesday, March 28, 1 p.m. 

(Drama) Rated PG-13; 1 hour 44 minutes (2022)

A group of Mennonite women who have been victims of sexual assault by a sect of men in their small Bolivian colony, come together after years of silence to form a secret council to discuss their options and ultimately their decision to seek their own justice. Based on the novel, this film received Oscar nominations for Best Film and Screenplay. Its stars include Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Frances McDormand and Ben Wishhaw. .

Update: Winter Weather Warning Extended to Jefferson & Rock Counties; Shovel smart with wet snow

Update: 3/25/23 @ 12:30 a.m.: A correction has been made to reflect that NWS on Friday afternoon issued a Winter Weather WARNING (more significant than the advisory originally stated in our headline). At this time the warning has been extended to Jefferson and Rock Counties. Additionally, the probability for over 8″ of snow in Whitewater was reduced from 38% to 26%.

According to the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Office (NWS) at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Walworth County is under a Winter Weather Warning effective from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday due to the anticipated heavy, wet snow from early Saturday morning into Saturday afternoon. The warning is also in effect for Waukesha, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties. NWS states that “the combination of the heavy, wet snow and stronger north to northwest winds will cause concerns for tree damage and power outages, especially across southeast Wisconsin. (NWS considers Whitewater to be in South Central Wisconsin.) The weather service acknowledges that, “There remains some uncertainty with the location of the higher-end snowfall amounts, as they may still shift a little to the north or south.”

Caution is advised for travel during the peak snowfall rates, mainly between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturday, especially on secondary and untreated surfaces.

NWS estimates a 54% probability that the Whitewater area will receive 6-8″ of snow, and a 26% probability of over 8″ of snow.