News

Updated 7/2/25 @ 8:45 p.m. to add the push-in for the new fire truck on Friday.

Join us for Whitewater’s Annual 4th of July Celebration — happening July 3rd–6th at the Cravath Lakefront!

It’s a tradition generations strong — where family, friends, and neighbors come together to celebrate Independence Day with:

TWO nights of fireworks

A family-owned carnival with rides, games, funnel cakes, & more!

Food & beer served up by local churches and civic groups

Live music at the Frawley Ampitheatre

A massive 4th of July parade full of hometown spirit

And don’t forget there’s also: Miss Whitewater Pageant, Karaoke, Car Show, AND family day complete with camel rides!

There’s something for everyone, and **you’re invited** to be part of the celebration!

4th of July Festival Quick Tips from the questions we get most often:

– Festival opens Thursday. Full schedule on Website – www.whitewater4th.com or at the bottom of this article

– Festival is cash only. Yup it’s true, plan ahead.

– Wrist band sessions are on the festival schedule and only at specific times not throughout the entire event.

– All food vendors south of the railroad tracks are local organizations – this is a fundraiser for them. Please support them as much and as often as you can. [Food and beverages from the community groups require tickets that are purchased from the festival booths. Those tickets may not be used for the carnival rides and food.]

– Fireworks are 10 pm 7/4, 7/5. If for any reason there are weather changes the ONLY place to stay informed is the Whitewater 4th of July Festival Facebook page, we are a water launch and a metal platform + explosives + lightning don’t mix.

– The festival (outside of family owned and operated carnival) is volunteer run; please be kind and thankful for the tremendous amount of time these folks invest in this event to celebrate with their friends and neighbors.

– The parade is 7/4 at 10 am. Preceded by the Whippet City Mile at 9:45. Road closure is a firm 9:30 am.

– Road closures around the festival on Whitewater St run through 7/7. Thanks for your patience.

– Helping hands make light work. The festival is always seeking volunteers and donor support. Connect with us down at the ticket booths or by email whitewater4th@gmail.com

– Thank the city streets crews when you see them. They are also working as hard as our volunteers, and we are so thankful for their partnership.

Last but not least, be patient with our social media page, we try to answer comments but once we’re on-site that is our primary focus.

Have an absolutely amazing holiday week, be safe, hydrate, and have fun! PS we really won’t mind if you share this post to help remind your friends!

Festival Schedule

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Session: 5-9 PM, $25 each wrist band
Family Day Sponsored by Generac 4-7 PM
Karaoke at Frawley Ampitheater: 4-6 PM
Miss Whitewater Pageant at Frawley Ampitheater: 6:30 PM
Civic Organization Food Vendors: 4-11 PM

Friday, July 4

Whippet City Mile: 9:45 AM along parade route
4th of July Parade: 10 AM
Civic Organization Food Vendors: 10 AM to 11 PM
Push-in ceremony for new fire engine – Noon at the Fire Department (holding off till 12:30 if the parade is still underway)
Christman Family Amusements: 12-4 PM Wrist band Session
Live Music at Frawley Amphitheater:
After the Parade – enjoy one of the bands in the parade on stage!
2 PM Jeff Winard Polka Party
5 PM Rural Route 3
8 PM Stetsin and Lace
Fireworks: 10 PM

Saturday, July 5

Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Sessions: 12-4 pm, 5-9 pm – $25 
40th Annual Car Show 2-6 PM
Civic Organization Food Vendors: Noon to 11 PM
Live Music at the Frawley Ampitheater:
12-1:30 PM Brian Matteson
2 PM Sawyer Road
5 PM Gebel Girls
8 PM Brightside
Fireworks 10 PM

Sunday, July 6

Carnival Only – Last chance for rides and a wrist band session!
Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Special: 12 to 4 PM, $25 each

Editor’s note: This article is based on the festival’s Facebook page and website.

The editor was on vacation for ten days recently, and the Banner is most appreciative of our longtime volunteer staffers keeping the “presses” running so capably during this time. Laura Masbruch had her eye on the very active inbox while formatting and publishing the posts. Dee Hoglund provided support. Thank you, Laura and Dee, for your dedicated work throughout the years, and especially for taking on this additional responsibility.

Lisa Dawsey Smith, Whitewater 4th of July Festival Event Organizer, told The Whitewater Banner that due to the forecast of possible storms this evening, the fireworks show may begin earlier than the 10 p.m. scheduled time. “If there’s lightning in the area, and we get a break in the weather, the show might be launched as early as 9 p.m. I’d recommend that spectators arrive by 9 to ensure that they don’t miss the show.” By the way, one person who saw last night’s show said that she has seen many of our shows, and this was “the best I’ve ever seen here.”

More than 2,000 students graduated from the Spring Semester from Des Moines Area Community College’s (DMACC’s) Ankeny, Boone, Carroll, Newton, Urban and West Campuses.

Those recognized from your area include:

–Brian Coffey, Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding and Production MIG Welding, Whitewater

About DMACC
DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College) is one of America’s top-rated two-year institutions of higher learning. DMACC is dedicated to changing lives by offering an accessible, affordable and outstanding educational experience to students from across Iowa and the nation. Situated in one of the country’s most vibrant regions, DMACC is proud to welcome students of all ages, backgrounds and beliefs to a welcoming and friendly College community. DMACC offers 10 career pathways, which encompass more than 220 credit and non-credit programs, degrees and certificates available to students. Each year, DMACC serves more than 55,000 students, annually across the College’s six campuses and seven learning centers and through DMACC Online. Students from every state in the nation and 41 countries now attend DMACC. DMACC’s talented graduates excel in the workforce and in life.

By Laura Masbruch
Math and Computer Science Teacher
Team Administrator FRC Team #6574
Whitewater High School

During the 2024-2025 school year, Whitewater High School is proud to announce that 61 students earned a total of 64 industry certifications in various areas of career and technical education. This group included 3 freshmen, 12 sophomores, 21 juniors, and 25 members of the Class of 2025. Congratulations to Aylin Acevedo Cuevas, Payton Brautigam, and Alexa Wildenberg for each earning 2 certifications. The number of students earning certifications through Whitewater High School coursework is up from 4 in 2021-2022, 36 in 2022-2023, and 40 in 2023-2024.

Certifications Earned in 2024-2025:

• ASE – Automotive Service Excellence – 14 students
  • Westley Carlson, Liam Evans, Ethan Gillihan, Logan Kienbaum, Jimmy Kinson, Anakin Knudsen, Zoe Olson, Isaac Straight, Josmar Zuniga Ortiz, Edrick Camacho Rivera, Kevin Gonzalez, Lawson Reynolds, Edward Rohloff, Casey Schlicher
• ITS – Information Technology Specialist: HTML/CSS – 1 student, Java – 5 students, Python – 1 student
  • Lucinda DiFiore, Ace Hudec, Matthew Carollo, Colby Long, Silas Long, Joshua Nygren, Emilie Bruns
• CNA – Certified Nurse Aide – 14 students
  • Payton Brautigam, Adalynn Frye, Ariadna Gonzalez Cervantes, Charlotte Hajewski, Delaney Hammack, Alexandria Kaczoroski, Gabrielle Kirley, Savannah O’Neal, Odette Romero Bustos, Aimee Servin, Rebecca Sortino, Athena Soto Olmos, Stephanie Walters, Alexa Wildenberg
• ACCT – Assistant Childcare Teacher – 16 students
  • Aylin Acevedo Cuevas, Hailee Ambrose, Kiani Aranda, Payton Brautigam, Lucy Davis, Jackie Franco, Ella Gennetta, Jennifer Gosh, Emily Henderson, Kaia Jones, Zoe Kohl, Mia Mendez Espineira, Amun Norris, Gisselle Perez, Ontaya Shepard, Brianna Valdez
• Childcare Group Essentials – 3 students
  • Aylin Acevedo Cuevas, Nina Heim, Alexandra Valadez
• MOS – Microsoft Office Specialist – 10 students earned at least 2 of these certifications
  • Isabel Aranda, Tyler Babcock, Liliana Cichon, Brooklyn Griswold, Maddison LaHaie, Ruth Lopez Lopez, Emily Schmidt, Lucille Troxel, Alexa Wildenberg, Andrew Zimmermann

The Career and Technical Education Incentive Grant program incentivizes Wisconsin school districts to offer high-quality career and technical education programs to meet workforce needs in key industries facing shortages of qualified entry level workers. District incentive grants provide up to $1,000 per recent graduate earning a certification from the approved certifications list. Student completion awards of $500 per eligible certification are available for students earning specific certifications. Students receive their financial awards from the state within a year after graduation.

With great pride, the Whitewater Unified School District celebrates the incredible opportunities our students have and the outstanding achievements they continue to reach. Through innovative programs focused on career awareness, exploration, and preparation, we’re empowering the leaders of tomorrow. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated WUSD staff, community members, and business partners for your unwavering support in shaping the future workforce.

For questions about Career and Technical Education [CTE] programs at Whitewater High School, reach out to new CTE Coordinator Michael Rick at ricmi01@wwusd.org.

The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office is predicting that rain and storms will develop and move through our area starting tonight and ending late Friday morning. Tonight, isolated strong storms are possible with main hazards of small hail and gusty wind. Friday morning, heavy rain and lightning will be the main concerns.

Hot and humid conditions are anticipated through the weekend with high temperatures and high indices in the upper 80s to upper 90s. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.

Whitewater Fire/EMS would like to invite the public to a “Push-In Ceremony” to commemorate placing their newly delivered fire engine into service for our community. According to firerescue1.com, “The ceremony dates back to the days of horse-drawn equipment when members had to push the equipment into the bay. Beginning in the 1800s, after crews returned from a call on horse-drawn equipment, the animals were unable to back into the station, requiring members to detach the horses and push the equipment into the bay. Over time, with the invention and adoption of motorized apparatus, the need to manually move the equipment was gone. However, the legacy of the push-in was secured. Now, in honor of those early crews, many fire departments hold a push-in ceremony when taking delivery of a new apparatus, often inviting community members to celebrate the exciting moment their tax dollars helped make possible.”

The event will occur at the Whitewater Fire Department, 312 W. Whitewater St., following the annual Whitewater 4th of July parade. Asst. Chief Ryan Dion told The Whitewater Banner that the department is shooting for noon, as an estimate for when the parade will end. However, if the parade is still underway, they’d hold off as long as 12:30. The “extra” time would be filled with Q&A and tours. There will be brief remarks by department staff, followed by a fire service tradition known as a Push-In, where members of the community are invited to help us “push” the new apparatus into the bay. Following the event, the department will offer fire station tours, as well as question and answer opportunities as emergency call volume will allow.

Dion provided The Banner with the following information regarding the truck.
“The new truck is a 2024 made by E-One.  This new pumper features a 1750 gallon per minute pump, and a 1000 gallon on-board water tank. We will be moving a model year 1996 HME pumper into reserve status.  For the time being, it will remain in the fleet, but not in front line service. The intent is to fully decommission and sell that 1996 HME in the not-too-distant future. However, prior to doing so, we want to ensure we do not degrade our fire protection class rating. It’s a rather complex process (the rating criteria) but suffice it to say one of the big components is apparatus, and how much water we can move with our pumpers. We certainly don’t want a negative delta to occur in our rating. We are actively engaged in fleet management tasks at the present time. (You may have seen one of our other pieces of apparatus recently posted for sale.) We want to make fiscally responsible decisions while simultaneously setting our firefighters up for success and give our community the level of protection they expect and deserve.  So, for the time being, the 1996 will remain in the fleet, but as a reserve engine.

This truck was actually ordered in summer of 2022, and was delivered in March of 2025.  Former [Late] Chief Higgins started the process (drawing, bid, etc.) on this truck in early 2022.  Sadly, this lead time is pretty normal industry wide at the moment.  Fire apparatus are years out for production time.  Our initial staffing referendum was in fall of 2022, with a complement of full-time personnel starting in March of 2023.  With that being said, we had not created an equipment fund when this truck was ordered.  The cost of the apparatus was $875,000. … WFD Inc (the former fire department) funded 25% of this truck with monies that existed in that account, and the City funded the rest. 

Our next large replacement will be our ladder truck.  Our 1990 Grumman Aerial Cat has been due for replacement as well.  This truck was purchased as Department of Defense surplus from the Gulf War.  I believe it arrived in Whitewater in 1991.  It will be replaced with a new E-One tower ladder at the end of 2025/early 2026. This truck was purchased at the same time as the new engine that just arrived.  We actually signed both contracts at the same time.  By placing two orders for apparatus, we saved a significant amount of money.  Think of that “buy in bulk” concept.  This decision was made knowing both trucks needed replacement.  A higher up-front cost was incurred, but it saved considerably downstream.”

Editor’s note: The photo on the homepage is from the Ross Township Fire Department.

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

Update 7/5/25 @ 11 a.m. – Regarding the threat of storms tonight, David Lofy of the Madison Scouts told the Banner that the show is still a “go,” and any decision to postpone/cancel would probably not be made until the last minute. If, however, a decision is made earlier, it would be announced on the Madison Scouts’ social media, including Facebook.

For many years now, Drum Corps International [DCI] has brought one of their competitions to Perkins Stadium, 910 W Schwager Drive, and this year is no exception. On Saturday, July 5, The Whitewater Classic will bring 13 drum and bugle corps to our city for a stunning evening. Whitewater holds a special place in DCI’s history, as our stadium was the host for their first competition decades ago. The musical performances are top-notch, and the choreography can be very creative. One Fairhaven resident who attended a previous event commented along these lines at the end of a very long and very warm evening, “I enjoyed this more than anything else I’ve attended in this area. In New York City (where she lived for most of her career), my husband and I attended the opera, the orchestra, the ballet, and the like — but I’ve never seen anything like this. It was like ballet on a football field!”

Update 7/5/25 @ 10 a.m. to add information regarding free tickets that have been issued to high school band students:The Madison Scouts are excited to announce that over 1300 Wisconsin area high school band students will be attending The Whitewater Classic with free tickets provided by a grant program through Forward Performing Arts.

“One of our clearly stated mission objectives is service to the marching arts community in the state of Wisconsin,” stated Programs Director David Lofy. “This is the third year we are running this free ticket program and the number of participants has doubled. The chance to see a DCI event with some of the highest caliber groups is an incredibly valuable experience for these young musicians and performers. We hope it provides them some inspiration to take back to their own local band programs.”

“We are again excited to provide Wisconsin high school band students the opportunity to see a Drum Corps International event live and in person,” said Executive Director Chris Komnick. “We reached out to all the band directors in Wisconsin and provided them access to free tickets. We are expecting over 1300 band students and educators to attend The Whitewater Classic as our guests!”

Saturday evening’s schedule is as follows. The show follows the schedule very tightly. The corps with an asterisk, beginning with Crossmen, are the “World Class” ones, which are competing for the DCI World Championship.

5:00 PM	Gates Open
6:00 PM	Black Star DrumLine – Madison, WI
6:30 PM	Welcome & National Anthem
6:40 PM	Sound of Sun Prairie – Sun Prairie, WI
6:50 PM	Eclipse – Indianapolis, IN
7:02 PM	Columbus Saints – Columbus, OH [All age corps]
7:20 PM	Colt Cadets – Dubuque, IA
7:38 PM	River City Rhythm – Anoka, MN
7:56 PM	Crossmen – San Antonio, TX *
8:14 PM	Troopers – Casper, WY *
8:32 PM	The Cavaliers – Rosemont, IL *
8:50 PM	Intermission
9:08 PM	Colts – Dubuque, IA *
9:26 PM	Blue Stars – La Crosse, WI *
9:44 PM	Phantom Regiment – Rockford, IL *
10:02 PM	Bluecoats – Canton, OH * [2024 DCI World Champions]
10:20 PM	Madison Scouts – Madison, WI *
10:27 PM	Scores announced

Tickets may be purchased in advance online for $30-60 plus a $6.95 processing fee per ticket. The website indicates that ticket prices will increase at the gate; however, we do not have details. General admission tickets, which are for the sections on the outer sections of the stands, have previously been sold at a lower price. Those tickets are not available in advance.

Accessible Seating is located in the front row of all sections. Children under three do not need a ticket as long as they are sitting on a lap and not taking up another seat.

Parking:
Spectator Parking – Parking passes ($15) are required in order to park at UW-Whitewater. You can only purchase a parking pass by visiting University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Parking website here. First, accept the terms of service and then click on Whitewater Classic – DCI. You will need to provide your license plate number and vehicle description. Your parking pass will appear as a confirmation email that you can present to the attendant when you arrive, either via your smartphone or printed copy. Attendants will not be taking cash.

Concessions: Concessions will be available behind the stadium.
Souvenirs: The DCI Festival Marketplace will be located behind the grandstand.

The Madison Scouts are excited to announce that over 1300 Wisconsin area high school band students will be attending The Whitewater Classic with free tickets provided by a grant program through Forward Performing Arts.

“One of our clearly stated mission objectives is service to the marching arts community in the state of Wisconsin,” stated Programs Director David Lofy. “This is the third year we are running this free ticket program and the number of participants has doubled. The chance to see a DCI event with some of the highest caliber groups is an incredibly valuable experience for these young musicians and performers. We hope it provides them some inspiration to take back to their own local band programs.”

“We are again excited to provide Wisconsin high school band students the opportunity to see a Drum Corps International event live and in person,” said Executive Director Chris Komnick. “We reached out to all the band directors in Wisconsin and provided them access to free tickets. We are expecting over 1300 band students and educators to attend The Whitewater Classic as our guests!”

UW-Platteville announces Chancellor’s List

Updated 7/3/25 @ 10:30 a.m. to add the student who was named to the Chancellor’s List.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announced its Chancellor’s List, honoring those with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average for the Spring 2025 semester.

Students from this area who earned the 4.0 grade-point average include:

Whitewater, WI

 Eloise Rohloff, Dairy Science BS

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announces its Dean’s List, honoring those full-time students who earned a grade-point average of 3.75 and above in the spring 2025 semester.

Students from this area on the Dean’s List include: 

Whitewater, WI

 Courtney Meyer, Management BBA
 Eloise Rohloff, Dairy Science BS
 Samantha Sullivan, Industrial and Systems Eng BS

Wisconsin visitors and residents alike know that the Fourth-of-July is Wisconsin’s busiest and best boating holiday. It’s also a great time to remember that whether you’re paddling, fishing, jet skiing or boating, you can help protect lakes and rivers from aquatic invasive species. During the annual Clean Boats, Clean Waters Landing Blitz, June 30 – July 13, watercraft inspectors will be at boat launches to remind you that the power to protect our water resources is shared by all of us who love Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers. Several landings in Jefferson County are included in this effort including on Lake Ripley and Rock Lake.

Wisconsin’s AIS program launched the first Landing Blitz campaign in 2008 and, thanks to the energy and commitment of our Clean Boats, Clean Waters participants, the outreach event was a great success! Fellow water-rich states took notice. In 2018, the event became a collaborative education effort among all the Great Lakes states and provinces.

For those who use social media, you can help spread the word about the importance of aquatic invasive species prevention by posting photos and messages using #CleanBoatsCleanWaters.

Invasive plants and animals, like Eurasian watermilfoil, spiny water fleas, and zebra mussels, can spread easily by hitching a ride on boats and other equipment, including trailers. They can also hide in the water in livewells, bait and fish buckets, and motors, so it’s important to drain them and to pull the plugs to drain your boat. Because many invasive species can also be hidden in mud, it’s vital to clean off anchors. Always take the following simple steps before leaving a boat landing:

 Inspect boats, trailers and equipment for attached aquatic plants or animals.
 Remove all attached plants or animals
 Drain all water from boats, motors, livewells and other equipment
 Never move live fish away from a waterbody
 Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash
 Buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer
 Only use leftover minnows when either 1) fishing with them on the same body of water or 2) on other waters if no lake/river water or other fish have been added to the container.

Jefferson County Land and Water Conservation Department
Courthouse, 311 S Center Avenue, Room 113
Jefferson, WI 53549-1701
920-674-7110

Following these steps also helps boaters comply with Wisconsin state law, which prohibits the transport of aquatic invasive species. To learn more about invasive species and their impacts to Wisconsin’s waters and economy, visit DNR.wi.gov and search “Invasive Species.”

Editor’s note: The above press release was received from Jefferson County Land and Water Conservation Department.