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By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Turnout was unexpectedly high for a spring primary in the city and surrounding towns that are part of the Whitewater Unified School District. It seems clear that the very competitive Supreme Court race combined with the very large field of engaged candidates for school board generated more than average interest. There were 1495 voters in the city, 215 of whom were in the Jefferson County portion and 1280 in Walworth County. Unofficial results are shown below. Voters were allowed to cast their ballot for up to three candidates. The six candidates with the highest votes, indicated by an asterisk, will advance to the general election on April 4.

Candidate	Walworth	Jefferson	Rock	Total
Stephanie Hicks*	731	111	79	921
Christy Linse*	710	116	78	904
Thayer Coburn*	690	126	65	881
Joseph Kromholz*	629	107	47	783
Lisa Huempfner*	609	98	64	771
Chuck Mills*	514	107	47	668
Will Dammeir	322	50	28	400
John Truesdale	291	51	22	364
Daniel Dern	273	39	18	330
Michael Bergman	212	44	30	286
Brian Schanen	230	25	17	272
Nathan Vander Pas (withdrew from active candidacy)	52	10	7	69
Total votes cast	5282	885	502	6669

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club.

Notice of Tour – Whitewater Aquatic & Fitness Center Committee – Monday @ 5:00 p.m.
Whitewater Aquatic & Fitness Center
580 S. Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin
This Notice is given to inform the Public that members of the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center Committee, consisting of members of both the Common Council and the Whitewater Unified School District, will be meeting for the purpose of touring the aquatic and fitness center facility. This is to inform the public that the Committee will be meeting, but there is no official action planned to be taken, and this notice is merely given to inform the public of the assembly of the Committee.

City of Whitewater Parks & Recreation Board – Wednesday @ 5:30 p.m. CANCELLED

Notice of possible quorum – Thursday 4-6 p.m.

This Notice is given to inform the Public that the City of Whitewater is hosting a presentation from Whitewater’s
Immigration Attorney, providing general information that would be beneficial to City staff members and community members.
The presentation will take place from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 23, and will be held in the City of Whitewater Municipal Building, Community Room, 312 W. Whitewater Street, Whitewater, WI. It is possible that a quorum of the Common Council or other City Boards and Commissions will be present. This notice is given to inform the public that there will be no formal action taken at this meeting, and attendance at the meeting would be for the purpose of information gathering purposes.

City of Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission – Thursday @ 4:30 p.m.
Agenda
Cravath Lakefront Room 2nd Floor
312 W. Whitewater St.
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/968318445
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code:
968-318-445
1 (571) 317-3112
Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://meet.goto.com/install

City of Whitewater Common Council – THURSDAY @ 6:30 p.m.
Agenda includes ordinance allowing ATV/UTV use on city streets, possible issuance of Class B alcohol license, water rate increase implementation, Starin Park water tower structural analysis report, and telecommuting policy.
City of Whitewater Municipal Building – Community Room
312 W. Whitewater St.
This will be an in person AND a virtual meeting.
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join via computer, smart phone, or telephone.
Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89174124171?pwd=eG9weHpkajk3dmlYSDA5SzlGSHFNZz09
Passcode: 329583
Or Telephone:
1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 891 7412 4171
Passcode: 329583

The City of Whitewater Parks & Recreation Department will host Freeze Fest at Cravath Lakefront Park on Saturday, March 18th 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Freeze Fest will feature a chili-cook off, Polar Plunge, live music, hot cocoa, and more!

‘Freezin’ for a Reason’ returns to Cravath Lakefront Park for the first time since 2020! “We are excited to have our Freeze Fest back after a 2-year absence. Whether you are there to take the plunge to raise money for Special Olympics, or partake in the Chili Cook-off, it is always great to see everyone enjoying the event,” said Eric Boettcher, Parks and Recreation Director. “This year’s event is in March rather than February, making it possibly a touch warmer for everyone. Regardless, I hope you come down to Cravath Lakefront Park to enjoy this fun event.”

The Polar Plunge will help raise funds for Special Olympics Wisconsin Athletes (SOWI). Whitewater plungers raised $54,000 in 2019 and $67,056 in 2020. Whitewater is one of eight locations participating statewide. The Polar Plunge aims to raise $200,000 for athletes of Special Olympics Wisconsin. Polar Plunge participants will plunge into the icy water of our 18,000-gallon pool. Registration runs from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Polar Plunge will follow the 11:00 a.m. opening ceremony. To register for the Polar Plunge, visit https://polarplungewi.org/locations/whitewater/

The Chili Cook-Off serving begins at 11:00 a.m. and judging will take place at 11:30 a.m. in the Polar Plunge warming tent. The cook-off is limited to the first 12 entries. First place will win bragging rights, a traveling trophy, and gift certificates. The runner-up will win gift certificates. There will also be a People’s Choice Chili winner and an award for the best decorated table. Proceeds will be split between the Special Olympics Wisconsin Athletes and Seniors in the Park. To register for the Chili Cook-Off go to https://whitewater.recdesk.com/Community/Program?category=2 Class #6224.11Class #6224.11, call 262-473-0535 or email jfrench@whitewater-wi.gov. There is no entry fee.

“Freeze Fest is a great opportunity to bring our community together while supporting a great cause. Whether you would like to take the plunge, taste the chili, or stop by the event, we hope you will join us,” said John Weidl, Whitewater city manager.

For more information about the event, please visit www.wwparks.org

Albert’s Dog Lounge Dog Rescue in rural Whitewater to Benefit From Screening at Whitewater Cinemas

The Year of the Dog, a poignant story about two strays, a loner alcoholic struggling to maintain sobriety and a rescue dog with an unusual athletic gift, opens for a minimum two-week run at Whitewater Cinemas on February 24. It’s an independent feature film that’s being shown in several film festivals in the U.S. and Canada.

“5% of the ticket sale net profits will be donated to Albert’s Dog Lounge Dog Rescue,” says Rob Grabow, one of the film’s producers. Grabow, who was also the film’s writer, co-director, and lead actor, marveled at how spontaneous this amazing husky was in scene after scene. “The true star of the film is the scene-stealing Caleb, a Siberian Husky rescue, who had been shuffled between multiple foster homes and animal shelters, because he had been described as ‘too much dog’ or ‘too energetic.’ The producers agreed that it was important to support and champion a local animal shelter since it was clear that what others saw as
Caleb’s imperfections—his high energy, his playfulness, his stubbornness—are precisely what make Caleb special and why he was able to carry so much of this film.” In fact, many dogs featured in the film are also rescues. “Caleb’s story” says Grabow, “exemplifies how finding purpose and making connections can heal.”

Before casting Caleb to play the lead canine role of Yup’ik, the film’s producers had visited several animal shelters and rescues in their search for a very special husky-like dog. It was Jon Van Dyke, a veteran exotic and domestic animal trainer with more than 35 years’ experience, who ultimately discovered Caleb, then a 9-month- old, pure-bred Siberian Husky who had recently been adopted by Cathy and Gregg Pittman, owners of Performing Animal Troupe, based in Palmdale, CA. When Grabow saw a video of Caleb, he knew immediately he had found his star. In 6 short weeks, Van Dyke got Caleb screen ready using only positive reinforcement training.

Filmed exclusively on location in Montana, The Year of the Dog, features an accomplished cast of film and television actors including two prominent Indigenous actors: Jon Proudstar (veteran of 43 films and short-listed for Emmy consideration for his performance as Leon in Reservation Dogs) and Lakota actor Michael Spears (Dances with Wolves, Reservation Dogs, and 1923), an incredible group of military veterans in both cast and crew roles including Army Veteran, Darwin Lumbattis, Navy Veteran, Jeff Medley, and Air Force Veteran, Don Andrews, as well as a glorious array of dogs from California, Colorado, Montana, and Michigan.

Grabow, who hails from Livingston, MT adds that, “It’s a ‘made in Montana film’ but the movie’s themes are universal: alcoholism and recovery, healing through connection, the remarkable love of a dog, and the struggle to repair damaged relationships when we’ve hit rock bottom.”

The Year of the Dog (PG-13, some strong language, thematic elements; 1 hour 35 minutes) is co-directed by Michael Peterson, Andrew McGinn, and Rob Grabow. Watch the exclusive release of The Year of the Dog Official Theatrical Trailer on Apple Trailers here.

The Royal Purple, the UW-Whitewater student produced newspaper, is currently accepting votes for its 7th annual Best of Whitewater awards. Since their ad indicates that the annual list is voted by the Whitewater and UW-W community, it’s evident that they welcome the larger community to join the campus community in voting. The ballot is available here. The “polls” are open until March 1, and the results are to be displayed in an online edition starting Monday, March 6.

The following students who consider Whitewater to be their home are among UW-Whitewater’s 2023 Greek chapter presidents.

Montserrat Cuevas, who is studying Spanish, has been elected president of Alpha Phi Gamma National Sorority, Inc

Conner Young, who is studying Legal Studies, has been elected president of Lambda Chi Alpha

Ranging from one member to more than 80, the 25 Greek chapters at UW-Whitewater stem from a rich history and are affiliated with national, international and local organizations. While the individual goals of each chapter are different, the overall mission of the presidents of the chapters is largely centered around service, engagement and commitment to their members and campus.

“Being a president of any organization is an important role,” says Jacob Foulker, program specialist – Greek community and service. “In the Greek community, they play a vital role in the operations and oversight of their chapter. A president of a fraternity or sorority chapter is a leader on campus. These individuals manage an organization with upwards of 60+ members. They oversee everything from finances, to recruitment, to social activities along with other executive board members.”

When a student joins a fraternity or sorority, they meet other young professionals looking to develop long-lasting relationships on campus. By joining a Greek organization, students have the ability to meet and network with individuals nationally through conventions, conferences and other campus and national events. On average, members of fraternities and sororities have a higher GPA, higher retention rates and higher graduation rates.

“Going Greek is a great way to get involved and give back to the community. 95% of the community service done by UW-Whitewater students comes from members of the Greek Community. Greek students have provided thousands of community service hours annually, and raised more than $20,000 toward local and national philanthropies in 2022. Chapters also provide many opportunities for students to lead and learn by doing. The role of a Greek president is an example of one of those positions. They are necessary to foster the type of dedication and commitment needed for Greeks to complete the amazing work their organizations accomplish,” Foulker said.

All members of the Greek community are responsible for representing not only their fraternity or sorority but UW-Whitewater as a whole every day. For more information on the presidents of the Greek chapters or the Greek community at UW-Whitewater visit reach out to Jacob Foulker at FoulkerJA10@uww.edu.

Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February; Presidents’ Day 2023 will occur on Monday, February 20. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present. (From history.com)

According to Kay Robers, manager of The Community Space, their policy is to follow any weather closings that are called by the Whitewater Unified School District.

For any readers who may not be familiar with The Community Space, it is located at 834 E. Milwaukee Street in Whitewater. It’s open to all, without any restrictions, who may be looking for food, clothing, furniture, housewares, etc. There is no cost, as everything they have has been donated. Their hours are Tuesday 8:30-11 a.m., Wednesday 3:30-7 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. To drop off donations, please come during the open hours, drive around the back, and ring the bell.