It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
How did people exist without air conditioning at the turn of the 20th century? This photo suggests one way: sitting on the porch and/or lawn. Note the woman reading a book and the rocking chairs on the porch and the lawn. This photo is from the Scholl collection of glass plate negatives from the c.1900 era.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(3777GP, Whitewater Historical Society)
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued a statewide “unhealthy” air quality advisory from Thursday at noon until Friday, August 1 at noon, stating that “Canadian wildfire smoke will continue to impact Wisconsin`s surface air quality over the next several days. Widespread Unhealthy (Red) AQI for PM2.5 [particulate matter] is expected across Wisconsin on Thursday, with NowCast AQI values in the Very Unhealthy (Purple) category possible.
Sensitive groups: Consider rescheduling or moving all activities inside. Go inside if you have symptoms.
People with asthma: Follow your asthma action plan and keep quick-relief medicine handy.
People with heart disease: Symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue may indicate a serious problem. If you have any of these, contact your health care provider.
Everyone else: Keep outdoor activities shorter and less intense. Go inside if you have symptoms.
Conditions are expected to slowly improve beginning Friday. However, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Orange) to Unhealthy (Red) AQI will remain possible through the weekend. Conditions will be reevaluated on a day-to-day basis through the weekend, including updates to the forecast and any associated Air Quality Advisories.
Jefferson County Land and Water Department invites nature lovers of all ages to Snapshot Day, a search for aquatic invasive species (AIS) on Saturday, August 9, 2025 at Rock River Landing Park (629 N Elizabeth Ave, Jefferson, WI 53549) from 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Snapshot Day is a statewide effort to protect Wisconsin’s streams, lakes, and wetlands by monitoring designated sites for invasive plants and animals that may threaten the state’s wildlife and water ecosystems.
Snapshot Day is coordinated in partnership by the UW-Madison Division of Extension, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Citizen Lake Monitoring Network. Information collected during the event will provide the Wisconsin DNR with data to help them tailor response efforts accordingly for each site. Volunteer efforts are crucial to the success of this endeavor.
More and more people want to know how they can help protect the local lakes, rivers and streams they love. As said by Dawn Nelesen, 2023 Snapshot Day Volunteer, “Gathering samples of invasive species on Snapshot Day is a great way to give the Wisconsin DNR a heads up on invasive species that may have recently arrived at particular lakes and rivers. With this information, gathered by volunteers like me all across the state, the DNR can hopefully get out in front of the problem and reduce their impact—I think that’s very important”.
This will be the 9th time Jefferson County Land and Water has hosted Snapshot Day, working alongside over 20 other conservation organizations to prevent the spread of invasive species across Wisconsin.
Volunteers will search for invasive species at critical monitoring sites. Any potential invasive species will be verified and cataloged with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to help tailor species removal and conservation plans accordingly.
This event requires no prior experience and training is provided. Snapshot Day is free and open to volunteers of all ages but is recommended for ages 8 and up. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
REGISTRATION:
Register and see all event details at:
Aquatic Invasive Species Snapshot Day – 2025 – Water Action Volunteers
Advance registration is requested to help site leaders build monitoring plans but will remain open until August 8.
Written by Kristine Zaballos | Photos by Craig Schreiner and Kyle Winter
For the ninth consecutive year, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has been named among the Colleges of Distinction, a national honor that recognizes campuses for exceptional teaching and dedication to student success. UW-Whitewater is one of just five public universities in the state to receive this distinction.
For the second year in a row, UW-Whitewater has been awarded the international badge, and is the only public university other than UW-Madison in the state to earn this distinction. To be recognized, UW-Whitewater must be seen as a university that goes above and beyond to support international students, demonstrating their dedication to helping students from around the world not only adjust — but truly thrive.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for the educational experience international students are having at UW-Whitewater. Small classes, approachable professors, welcoming community — these are just some of the things that allow international students to experience the best of what UWW and the US have to offer,” said John McGuigan, director of the Center for Global Education. “And just as our Warhawks can learn and grow through studying overseas, they benefit as well from working side-by-side with students from around the world. International students bring such a wide range of experiences and perspectives to the classroom and campus. They add real vitality to the campus and local community.”
UW-Whitewater is also the only university among the Universities of Wisconsin to earn a badge in military support, recognizing an institution’s efforts to support and cultivate the skills that military students bring to the classroom while helping them achieve their personal and professional goals. Among the resources and support services recognized by the badge are the university’s Veterans, Military Service and Family Members Lounge, two full-time veterans support staff members, an active Chancellor’s Committee on Veterans and Military Student Success and a dedicated website of resources for students.
The international and military support badges round out existing badges that highlight UW-Whitewater’s excellence in business, education, equity and inclusion and as a public institution in Wisconsin. And it continues to be the only college in the Universities of Wisconsin to earn the career development badge and one of just two universities in the state to be awarded the affordability badge.
To be named a College of Distinction, UW-Whitewater demonstrates continued excellence in undergraduate education in such factors as student engagement, teaching excellence, outcomes-based learning, and community involvement. This evaluation process differs from those of popular college rankings publications, whose formulas grade institutions based on factors like faculty salaries, endowment size, and peer opinion.
The Colleges of Distinction selection process consists of a review of each institution’s freshman experience and retention efforts alongside its general education programs, alumni success, strategic plan, student satisfaction, and other criteria. Schools are accepted on the basis that they adhere to the four distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, successful outcomes and vibrant community.
Distinction 1: Engaged students
Distinction 2: Great teaching
Distinction 3: Vibrant communities
Distinction 4: Successful outcomes
Editor’s note: For additional information regarding the persons depicted in the photos above, please click here.
The Young Performing Arts Center at UW-W is expected to announce its ’25-26 season soon, but the first show already sold out, resulting in the addition of an additional performance. Wisconsin native comedian Charlie Berens is returning, “with brand new material” in a show called Working it All Out, on Friday, September 12. The 7:00 p.m. show sold out long ago, but as of noon on July 30, 233 tickets are still available on the website for the 9:30 p.m. show. Seats are priced at $45-50. The ticket office is closed until late August, but in case of questions a message may be left for the staff at (262) 472-2222.
Editor’s note: The following is from the Young website.
CHARLIE BERENS is a comedian, New York Times Best Selling Author, Emmy-winning journalist, musician and creator of the Manitowoc Minute. The Wisconsin native has been featured on Comedy Central, Fox, CBS, Funny or Die, TBS, Variety, MTV News and more. He creates weekly content for his various social platforms and has amassed over 7.5 million followers.
Charlie began his career working for MTV News’ Choose or Lose. After that he worked in front and behind the camera for emerging YouTube news channels. In 2012, Tribune Media tapped Charlie to host the comedic news show Nightcap. In 2013 he won an Emmy for “The Cost of Water” while reporting for KDAF.
In 2017, Charlie began hosting his weekly comedic online news show, the Manitowoc Minute. Since then, Charlie’s been creating Midwest-focused sketch comedy videos on his social media platforms. He’s also traveled the country with three sold out stand-up comedy tours.
In 2020, Charlie paired up with Horseshoes & Hand Grenades alum Adam Greul to release the music/comedy album, Unthawed. The album, which is a mixture of bluegrass, country and Charlie’s comedy, hit #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and #6 on the Bluegrass Comedy chart.
Charlie’s first book, The Midwest Survival Guide, was released in November of 2021 by William Morrow/Harper Collins and immediately became a New York Times Best Seller! Charlie is currently on his third stand-up tour in support of the book’s release. His Midwest Survival Guide Tour sold over 150,000 tickets!
Charlie hosts the Cripescast podcast where he interviews musicians, artists, comedians, creators and more to talk about their story and connections to the Midwest. Guests have included Jeff Foxworthy, Nate Bargatze and Roy Wood, Jr.
Studio 84 is pleased to announce that Second Saturdays are back! Every second Saturday of the month Studio 84 will open its doors to the community with a new and exciting artistic adventure. We are extremely grateful to the Geneva Lake Women’s Association for their grant, making Second Saturdays possible again.
Second Saturdays provides the opportunity to drop in, hang out and participate in a fun artistic activity as a family, group or individual at no cost. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to provide any assistance needed and at the end you’ll be able to take your new art piece home with you!
Studio 84 is a non-profit art studio, gallery and store located at 121 W. Center St. in downtown Whitewater. Our mission is to provide fully accessible opportunities in the arts to enrich people’s lives. Our regular weekday programming provides individual guidance and instruction to people of all ages and abilities for a cost. We are privileged to be able to provide this free opportunity to create art together as a community thanks to the generosity of the Geneva Lake Women’s Association.
An adult must accompany kids under the age of twelve. Anyone with special needs may also be required to have a guardian or caregiver present depending on their needs.
You can learn more about Studio 84 at our webstite www.studio84inc.org , Facebook @ Studio84, Inc. or Instagram @ studio84inc
“The Greatest Beer Run Ever”
Friday, August 1, 1 p.m.
(Adventure/War Drama/True Story)
Rated R(language); 2 hours, 6 minutes (2022).
Join us Friday afternoon, August 1 at 1 pm to celebrate International Beer Day worldwide!
An anonymous donor will provide the PBR and pretzels!! This is a true story of a friend who delivers beer to his buddies in combat during the Vietnam War. Yes, it really did happen!! Stars Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, and Bill Murray.
Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes out of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/
Editor’s note: Updated on 7/29/25 @ 3:40 p.m. to revise and add on to the paragraph below, per the submitter.
Whitewater’s 2025 4th of July Festival was all about celebrating the freedom our families, friends and community enjoy All Year Round. Congratulations to this year’s parade winners and a massive thank you to Whitewater Lions Club, First Citizens State Bank and the Friends of the Fourth donors for putting on a spectacular parade!!! A huge shout out to Lisa Dawsey Smith for her hard work and excellent organizational skills for making the 4th of July weekend a success!
Editor’s note: The homepage photo of Whippets Football is courtesy of Tom Ganser. Article submitted courtesy of Donna Segraves.
