News

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

Eight towns are located within the Whitewater Unified School District, and all of them had elections for town board supervisor and town clerk on April 4. In nearly all cases there was only one candidate for each position. There were, however, two cases where there were no candidates on the ballot and one race where a recount has been requested.

Walworth County

Town of Richmond: Running for the Town Board Supervisor 2 office were Susan Miller, the incumbent, and Michael Bergman. Miller received 288 votes, and Bergman, 287. Ironically there was one write-in vote, so if that person had voted differently the vote could have been tied. Town Clerk Brian Hayes confirmed to the Banner that Bergman has filed for a hand recount, which will occur on Friday, April 7 at 2:30 p.m. at the town hall, W9046 County Road A. The recount is open to the public.

All other offices were uncontested, with the following persons being elected: the incumbent Chair Jeffrey Karbash, incumbent Supervisor Dave Overbeek, incumbent Clerk Brian Hayes, and incumbent Treasurer Ann Seaver.

Town of Sugar Creek: No one was on the ballot for the Supervisor #1 office. Town Clerk Diane Boyd told the Banner that Jamie Morin was a registered write-in candidate who received the most votes (21) and will accept the position. Diane Boyd, who did not file to retain the position of clerk, received the most votes (13). Boyd indicates that “no decision has been made on the Town Clerk position.”

All other offices were uncontested, with the following persons being elected: Chair David C. Robers, incumbent Supervisor #2 David Clarbour, and incumbent Treasurer Sharri L. Loveless.

Town of LaGrange: No positions were contested, with the following all being reelected as supervisors: Donald Sukala, Mark Bromley, and John Anderson.

Town of Whitewater: The incumbent Chair Lowell C. Hagen garnered 378 votes versus 136 for Bernard Labovitch. Incumbent Robert Strand and newcomer Jonathan Tanis faced no opposition for supervisor.

Jefferson County

Town of Cold Spring: All positions were uncontested, resulting in the reelection of all of the following: Chair Steve Hoffmann, Supervisors Byron E. Freeman and Marisa Piper, Clerk Lisa Griep, and Treasurer Crystal Hoffmann.

Town of Koshkonong: George Jaeckel received 702 votes versus 523 votes for incumbent Walt Christensen for a supervisor office. Unopposed for chair was Kimberly Cheney. Incumbent Supervisor Jim Brandenburg was also unopposed.

Rock County

Town of Johnstown: Running unopposed for chair was incumbent Robert Mawhinney. Running unopposed for supervisor was incumbent Brad Mair and Scott Fleming. Also unopposed for clerk was incumbent Mary Mawhinney and for treasurer, incumbent Patsy A. Weber.

Town of Lima: Theresa Boston bested Lee Taylor for supervisor by a vote of 176 to 164. Unopposed were Dave Kyle for chair and Dave Burkett for supervisor, as well as Pam Hookstead for clerk and Lisa Hanauska for treasurer.

Brookdale Manor experienced a fire in the early hours of March 30^th. We are grateful to report all residents were safely evacuated.

In those early hours, we saw the very best of our community and would like to extend our gratitude to a few groups for assisting our residents through this situation:

To the Whitewater Fire Department for an incredible response time and containment of the fire to the smallest possible area of the building, allowing the vast majority of our residents to return home the same day—and to the Whitewater Police Department for having officers on-site within just a few minutes of the alarm activation to assist in evacuation efforts. Police officers further assisted in transporting disabled residents to evacuation points.

To McDonald’s for opening their dining area early for evacuated residents to keep them from the cold weather.

And, to the Whitewater Walmart for a swift food and drink donation as residents were gathered in our community area for much of the morning.

We are thankful to be in this community full of so many willing to assist at these times. On behalf of grateful residents, Brookdale Manor, and DLK Enterprises, thank you to all.

THE CHAPEL WHITEWATER – 445 N. WARNER RD.

Good Friday Service | April 7
7:00 p.m.  (Nursery will be available)

Easter Service | April 9
10:00 a.m.  (Chapel Kids will be available for infants through 5th grade)

Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Badgerland Council has decided to extend this year’s cookie sale one more week due to so many troops still having inventory, including Whitewater.

Whitewater Troop 7639 still has all nine flavors available, including gluten free, and will be selling at Whitewater Walmart Friday 4/7 from 12-6 p.m.

Thanks to our generous community, our troop has sold over 12,000 boxes, a troop record! We have also collected over 400 boxes for our Cookie Share program, which will be distributed by individual Girl Scouts to many local organizations including The Community Space, Humane Society of Jefferson Co, Paddy’s Paws, Lincoln Elementary Staff as well as 12 other organizations.

If you would like to donate to our Cookie Share program, or would like to purchase some cookies for local delivery, please contact troop co-leader Sarah Hoots, hootyhoots@yahoo.com

Thank you for supporting Girl Scouts!

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

Editor’s note: Additions to this article at 12:25 a.m. on Wednesday include the names of the towns that are covered by the school district and the composition of the upcoming board. An update at 6:50 a.m. added the results of the unopposed Common Council elections.

Voting was fairly brisk in the City of Whitewater on Tuesday, with 2559 votes cast, representing an approximate 40% turnout. Most voters experienced very little delay in obtaining their ballot, although there were times when some experienced a wait of approximately fifteen minutes. 6042 citizens were registered prior to the election, and there were approximately 200 same-day registrations.

Based on the unofficial results, it appears that all three open seats on the Whitewater Unified School Board will be filled with newcomers. Incumbents Casey Judd and Steve Ryan chose not to run for reelection. Thayer Coburn, board president, was the top vote getter in the City of Whitewater, but the picture changed when the towns’ results were added, and he appears to have come in fourth by a very tight margin. The district covers the towns of Whitewater, LaGrange, Richmond and Sugar Creek in Walworth County, the towns of Cold Spring and Koshkonong in Jefferson County, and the towns of Johnstown and Lima in Rock County.

It is expected that five out of the seven board members will now be females. Members with continuing terms are Miguel Aranda, Larry Kachel, Jennifer Kienbaum, and Maryann Zimmerman.

Incumbent Municipal Judge Patrick Taylor coasted to a very comfortable margin over contender Art Coleman.

The three open Common Council seats all had unopposed races, with Lisa Dawsey Smith being reelected to an at-large position, David Stone being elected to represent District 1, and Neil Hicks being elected in District 5.

In the only statewide race, aside from referendums, Janet Protasiewicz was declared the winner of a Supreme Court seat with approximately 55% of the vote over Daniel Kelly. The margin was much more pronounced in Whitewater, particularly with student voters likely leaning towards Protasiewicz, who garnered 69% of the local vote. There were just over 1500 “undervotes” in the school board election, the equivalent of approximately 500 voters not casting votes in that race.

Locally, however, the favorable votes for the referendums were rather similar to the statewide vote, respectively: 62%, 60%, and 72%. Approximately 900 voters failed to cast a ballot on those issues.

Whitewater Unified School District board member

Candidate	Jefferson County	Rock County	Walworth County	Total
Hicks*	332	198	1845	2375
Linse*	325	192	1602	2119
Huempfner*	285	119	1548	1952
Coburn	257	137	1532	1926
Kromholz	241	98	1316	1655
Mills	216	127	1259	1602

City of Whitewater Municipal Judge

Taylor*	1494
Cole	789

The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) invites amateur and professional photographers to submit their photography for consideration in the 14th Annual Fran Achen Juried Photography Exhibition.

The exhibition will be held during the month of July, 2023 at the WAA’s Cultural Arts Center Gallery. The Cultural Arts Center is located at 402 W. Main Street, next to the Birge Fountain, in downtown Whitewater, Wisconsin. The photographs in the show will be displayed on the walls of the gallery and, concurrently, in an online virtual exhibit that will appear at the WAA website.

All are welcome to enter. Submissions must be received no later than Wednesday, May 31 and must include 1) a completed entry form, 2) entry fee of $35 ($30 for current WAA members), and 3) emailed digital copies of entered photos. The entry includes submission of up to four photographs. Complete information, along with the online entry form, key dates, and rules is located at www.whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2023

An opening reception featuring the presentation of awards will be held Sunday, July 2 at 1:00 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center where refreshments will be served. Voting for Viewer Choice will continue throughout the run of the exhibit and its winner will be announced Sunday, July 30.

Jeff McDonald, the exhibition’s chair and a longtime WAA board member, said, “The Fran Achen exhibition is an annual highlight. Fran Achen was a revered member of the community and an exceptional photographer. His collection of images continues to inspire. This exhibit, named in his honor, is an excellent opportunity to showcase the outstanding work created by both established and aspiring area artists. The participation and support of many skilled photographers from all over southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois is greatly appreciated and is the reason for this program’s continued success. Each year brings a new crop of inspired work.”

Admission to the exhibition and its reception are free of charge, open to the public, and all are invited. The gallery is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. (Noon) to 4:00 p.m. and the website is open 24/7. The show runs from Saturday, July 1 through Sunday, July 30.

The Whitewater Arts Alliance believes art plays a significant role in transforming the cultural fabric. It brings people together, fosters dialogue and reflection, and creates a sense of pride and ownership.

St. John’s Lutheran Church, 116 South Church Street in Whitewater, welcomes the community to join in upcoming worship services. On Good Friday, April 7 there is a service at 1:00 p.m. “Voices of Good Friday” views the crucifixion of Jesus from the viewpoint of several people involved in the day’s events, from the Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross to Joseph and Nicodemus, who performed the burial. Easter Sunday, April 9 celebrates the resurrection of Jesus with festival worship at 9:00 a.m. Come to sing the praises of the risen Savior!

Steve Watson writes,
“This came to me while at Gulf Shores. 

Spring Break Gulf Shores bound
Escape Wisconsin winter 
Beach sand burn and peel

It started in the early 60’s with a few families from Whitewater going to Gulf Shores during Spring Break. The migration hasn’t stopped for the last 60 plus years. Whitewater families continue the Spring migration south for the white sand beaches and to get away from Wisconsin winter. I know many of you have fond memories of your time spent in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I know my family does. 

Here’s photos from 2023.”

Our thanks to Rachel Watson and Steve Watson for sharing these beautiful photos.

— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share.  Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com or click on “submit a story” near the top right of our homepage.  Thanks for thinking about this!

Editor’s note: The following additions were made on 4/5/23 at 5:10 p.m.: 1) Special WUSD School Board meeting added for Thursday, and 2) Additions made to City of Whitewater Common Council agenda: includes reconvening to open session after closed session.

City of Whitewater Equal Opportunities Commission – Monday @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda includes Memo Concerning the Hate – Bias Reporting Form and Procedures
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/174192213
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 174-192-213
United States: 1 (224) 501-3412
Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://meet.goto.com/install

City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes City-owned Local Landmarks: ongoing assessment of condition, maintenance/repair needs, plans, etc.
Cravath Lakefront Room
312 Whitewater Street
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/925662597
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 925-662-597
United States: 1 (872) 240-3212

Whitewater Unified School District School Board – Special Meeting – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m. (Closed Session); 7:00 p.m. (Open Session)
Whitewater High School Library
534 South Elizabeth Street6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m. via Zoom Online

• URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87972248099?pwd=TnpvQ3lWMDMwTmZIaEVKSk82b01ydz09

– Passcode: 092603

• Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
• Webinar ID: 879 7224 8099

– Passcode: 092603

Closed Session Agenda: to discuss and consider a specific student’s transportation request.

7:00 p.m. via Zoom Online – Open Session
Agenda (click on “meetings” in upper right corner) includes Whitewater Aquatic & Fitness Center Negotiations Ad Hoc Committee: Affirmative Statements

• URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82951085777?pwd=RjZZbVdaTDJtWUQ0TXU2NnFZT0E1QT09

– Passcode: 192798

• Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
• Webinar ID: 829 5108 5777

– Passcode: 192798

City of Whitewater Common Council – Thursday @ 6:30 p.m.
Agenda includes action on requests for Class “A” Beer & Liquor Licenses to sell beer & liquor for off-premises consumption, update on Cable TV PEG channel / Spectrum and closed session, negotiation of Aquatic & Fitness Center agreement with school district and Contract negotiation with Whitewater Professional Police Association. Revised agenda indicates that the meeting will reconvene for possible action related to the Aquatic & Fitness Center agreement with the school district.
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/82803356629?pwd=U3A3VWxNNmFDMlRGeVk3bnpZZUl4QT
09
Passcode: 771691
Or Telephone:
US: 1 929 205 6099
Webinar ID: 828 0335 6629
Passcode: 771691

From the website:

We’ve been working since 2009 to grow local and healthy produce in an open space that enables residents to plant, grow and maintain their own garden plots.

30 plots are available to the public with the idea of bringing together community members of all ages and cultures in the Whitewater area.

Water is provided by the City of Whitewater and is available for registered members.

The main water source is located on the property with additional hoses throughout the plots.

There is also a locked shed filled with everything you need to tend to your plot.

The Plots at WWCG are reserved for residents of Whitewater, WI.

Beginning March 15th 2023, returning gardeners in good standing may submit their application for the 2023 season with a Deadline of April 1st.

Payment will be taken after April 1st and after application is accepted.

Beginning April 10th, 2023, new gardeners may submit their application for a garden plot on a first-come, first-served basis.