News

City is Awarded High Flyer Bird City Status for ’25


By Sherry Stanek
Urban Forestry Commission

City of Whitewater is Awarded High Flyer Bird City Status For 2025

Whitewater’s Urban Forestry Commission [UFC] wants to share with residents that our city has once again been awarded High Flyer Bird City Status! This is a high honor for our city. Each year, UFC holds various educational opportunities for city residents to educate us all on the importance of birds, their roles in the environment and each of our roles in protecting them and helping them to thrive! They are so much more than beautiful!

Be sure to stop by one of the Purple Martin communities at Minieska Park, Clay Street Nature Park or Starin Park and watch these delightful birds swoop and eat insects as they rear their young. And please join us at Whitewater Middle School this fall to watch the Chimney Swifts gang up to migrate south. Help us count the literally hundreds of these birds as they gather at this very important nesting site! Thank you to WMS! Take part in Backyard Bird Counts as citizen scientists and get to know this important part of our world.

The following communication was received from the Bird City Wisconsin program director.

Dear City of Whitewater,
On behalf of myself and Bird City Wisconsin’s Steering Committee, I would like to congratulate the City of Whitewater on achieving High Flyer status in the Bird City Wisconsin program. Bird City communities are at the forefront of efforts to forge a statewide coalition of citizens and public officials who recognize that birds are more than beautiful – they are significant. Bird City
Wisconsin truly appreciates both all that you do to green your community as well as all of the effort that you put into demonstrating all of your community’s actions to us during the renewal process. ~ Kelsey Bell, Program Director

About Bird City
Bird City Wisconsin was created in 2009 and began recognizing communities the following year. The program recognizes municipalities for the conservation and education activities that they undertake to make their communities healthy for birds… and people. Bird City Wisconsin is the first Bird City program and served as the model for the Western Hemisphere-wide Bird City
Network, of which Bird City Wisconsin is a founding member. To be recognized as a Bird City, a community must take actions across four categories (Habitat, Threat Reduction, Education & Engagement, and Sustainability) and officially recognize and celebrate World Migratory Bird Day. Bird City also offers High Flyer recognition for those communities that truly go above and
beyond in their conservation and education programs. To become a High Flyer, a community must meet additional, and more involved, criteria.

Local Student Graduates from Belhaven University

JACKSON, MS — Congratulations to Justin Kilchenmann, on their recent graduation from Belhaven University. Kilchenmann, from Whitewater, WI, graduated with a Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies degree.

Kilchenmann was among more than 400 students who received degrees from Belhaven University during the Spring 2025 commencement.

Belhaven University is a private Christian university with over 4000 students, located in Jackson, Mississippi. For more information, visit www.belhaven.edu.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by Belhaven University.

Rainbow Community Care Awarded a Top Workplaces Award

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Names Rainbow Community Care a Winner of The Southeast Wisconsin Top Workplaces 2025 Award

Rainbow Community Care is pleased to announce that its organization has been honored with a prestigious Southeastern Wisconsin 2025 Top Workplaces Award by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“Earning a Top Workplaces Award is a significant achievement for a local, independent, and non-profit organization like Rainbow, especially since it reflects genuine input from our employees,” said Carol Brown, RN, Rainbow Community Care President & CEO. “Our ability to serve the rural areas of Dodge and Jefferson counties so effectively for many years has only been possible because of our amazing team. The fact that 90 of our 116 staff took the time to tell us how we’re doing is quite humbling, and I’m thankful.”

Winners are determined based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by Energage, LLC, an employee engagement technology company. The confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and
various themes, including feelings of respect and support, opportunities for growth/development, and empowerment to take initiative, to name a few.

“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re
allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.”

Top Workplaces celebrate companies and organizations across three categories: small, mid-size, and large, employing as few as 50 to over 500 individuals, that foster positive work cultures.

ABOUT RAINBOW COMMUNITY CARE
Founded by volunteers in 1990, Rainbow Community Care is a local, independent, and non-profit provider of services that supports patients and families throughout the entire journey with aging and serious illness. Highly regarded for excellence in hospice care, palliative care, advance care planning, grief support, parish nursing, and volunteer programs, we care for people living in their homes, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes in rural South-Central Wisconsin as well as the Rainbow Hospice Care Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek.

Memorial Day in Whitewater; Flags to Half-staff

Final arrangements have been made for Memorial Day activities to be held on Monday, May 26th in Whitewater and hosted by American Legion Post 173 and VFW Post 5470.

At 6:00 AM members of the American Legion and anyone who wants to help will gather at the American Legion, 292 S. Wisconsin St., Whitewater to place American Flags along Main Street.

The parade will form at the Hearthstone Memory Care at Fairhaven parking lot [426 W. North Street] at 10:00 AM and will march off promptly at 10:30 AM concluding at the Downtown Whitewater Armory.

In case of inclement weather, the parade will be canceled but the program will be held at the Armory beginning at 11:00 AM. 

Leading the parade will be the color guard of William Graham Post 173 American Legion.
The Whitewater High School Band and the Whitewater Middle School Band will provide music for the parade.
Featured in the parade will be guest speaker Air Force Senior Master Sergeant and American Legion Post 173 Vice-Commander Jessica Kienbaum.  Also participating will be American Legion and VFW scholarship winners, Badger Boys and Girls State attendees, the American Legion Americanism award and the American Legion Outstanding Athlete award recipient.  Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Whitewater Youth Soccer, and other youth organizations are invited to participate.

Editor’s note: The above announcement was provided by Steve Smith.

Gov. Evers Orders Flags to Half-Staff for Memorial Day
 
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #263 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Mon., May 26, 2025, as the state and nation recognize Memorial Day to honor and remember the nation’s fallen heroes, as well as the family members and loved ones they left behind.

“As we honor Memorial Day, we solemnly pay tribute to service members throughout our nation’s history who have given their lives in service of the freedoms, principles, and values we hold dear,” said Gov. Evers. “These service members selflessly sacrificed their lives for this country, and we share a duty and a responsibility to protect and defend all those who have protected and defended us. On Memorial Day, in Wisconsin and across America, we are called upon to remember, reflect on, and honor our nation’s fallen heroes who paid the ultimate price and the loved ones, friends, and colleagues who miss them and cherish their memory every day.”

Executive Order #263 will be in effect from sunrise to 12 p.m., as is customary, on Mon., May 26, 2025, and is available here.
 

City Trash Collection Delayed Till Friday Due to Holiday

NOTICE: John’s Disposal will be closed on Monday, May 26, 2025, in observance of Memorial Day.
Please note the following route change:

  • Thursday’s route is delayed to Friday

    Residents may contact John’s Disposal directly by calling (262) 473-4700 or by emailing
    office@johnsdisposal.com. You may also view their website at
    https://www.johnsdisposal.com.

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the City of Whitewater.

Warhawk Baseball Advances to NCAA DIII World Series after Decisive Game against UW-Oshkosh

Return to Eastlake: Warhawk Baseball Advances to NCAA World Series after Decisive Game against UW-Oshkosh

Titans force third game, but UWW answers back with a 10-0 shutout to clinch their spot in the DIII World Series for the second consecutive season

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team will make their return to Eastlake, Ohio after an all-around showcase in a decisive third game against UW-Oshkosh in the NCAA Division III Super Regional in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

The Titans (35-16) forced a decisive third game, after opening the day with a 5-2 victory, but the Warhawks shut-out the Titans in the decision, allowing their bats to get to work with 10 runs on 17 hits. 

To open the day, it was a must win for the Titans in the best-of-three series as the Warhawks took the opening game with a dominant 14-1 win, yesterday. Read more…

The Titans got out to an early start on defense, stranding the Warhawks on the corners at the top of the first. UW-Oshkosh was the designated home team per NCAA policy in both games of the day. The momentum shifted into the bottom of the frame as UWO took an early 3-0 lead with an RBI-single and 2-run homer in the first inning.

Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) closed the gap with a 2-out RBI single in the third, but UW-Oshkosh would make back up the run immediately with a sacrifice in the bottom of the inning.

The Warhawks had eight hits in the early game, but nothing was together. That changed in the 6th, when three consecutive singles ended with an RBI for Darryl Jackson (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King). That run cut the lead to just two, where it held until the bottom 8th.

UW-Oshkosh added an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th with a small ball rally. UW-Whitewater couldn’t make up the deficit with their last three outs, setting the stage for the decisive third game at Prucha Field. 

The Warhawks batted first again in the third game, and it didn’t take long to get the bats going. The second inning began with three straight singles to load the bases for UWW. However, UW-Oshkosh managed to escape only allowing one run on a sacrifice fly from Jackson. 

Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) tacked on another run, hitting his first home run of the day in the top of the 3rd. Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) followed it up in the next frame, with his own no-doubter to left field. McVay’s jack scored two, but the Warhawks continued to rally in the top of the fourth. Thies and Frank each hit doubles that bounced high off the outfield wall to score two more as the UWW lead increased to 6-0.

Logan Eisenbarth (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) continued to deal on the mound, putting down nine batters straight. The offense added on two more to help him and the defense out, a sacrifice fly from Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) in the 5th and Andy Thies’s (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) second home run of the game in the 6th.

In the top of the 7th, the Titans got through three outs without allowing a run for the first time since the first inning. Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) changed that in the top of the 8th with just one swing, hitting the 100th home run of the season for the Warhawk crew. 

Eisenbarth was relieved in the eighth and made his way to the dugout under a standing ovation from the Warhawk faithful. Jack Hagen (San Clemente, Cal./San Clemente) picked up where he left off, keeping the Titans shut out in the final two innings of work. 

Thies added an insurance run in the top of the ninth, going from second to home on a dropped-third-strike wild pitch. 

UW-Oshkosh grabbed their only extra-base-hit of the game in the bottom of the ninth, but a fly out to Scolan in left field secured the Warhawks’ spot in the NCAA Division III World Series for the second consecutive season.

Eisenbarth earned the win on the mound, going 7.0 innings without allowing a run and only three hits. The junior fanned six batters on the way to his 8th victory of the season.

The Warhawks will await word from the NCAA on the seeding for the NCAA World Series. Information will be released via www.ncaa.com/sports/baseball/d3 in the coming days. For the most up-to-date news and stories, visit uwwsports.com or download the Warhawk Athletics App. 

Editor’s note: The above article was posted to the UW-Whitewater website.

This Week’s City & School Board Meetings

City of Whitewater Finance Committee = Tuesday @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda includes Discussion and Direction on the Future of the City’s Shared Ride Transportation Program.
Whitewater Municipal Building Cravath Lakefront
Conference Room, 312 West Whitewater St.,
Whitewater, WI 53190 *In Person and Virtual
Tuesday, May 27, 2025 – 5:00 PM
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar 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/86897950397
Editor’s note: As of 5/25 the agenda does not include a call-in number.

Whitewater Unified School District Policy Review Board – Tuesday @ 6:40 p.m.
Agenda: animals in classroom for educational purposes
Whitewater High School Library
435 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin

Whitewater Unified School District School Board – Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m.
Agenda [click on “meetings” in upper right corner] includes Resolution Establishing Parameters for the Sale of Not to Exceed $15,000,000 General Obligation Promissory Notes, B. Approval of JP Cullen as Construction Management Company for Referendum-related work C. Approval of Building Solutions as District Owner’s Representative for Referendum-related work.
D. Proposal to recruit and retain qualified multilingual educators


Whitewater High School Library
534 South Elizabeth Street

URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84293137868?
pwd=NDQvcHdVa0p1MFVqbHVuZU9OTHhQZz09

– Passcode: 978535

  • Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
  • Webinar ID: 842 9313 7868

– Passcode: 978535

Closed Session to select the final candidate and possible consideration of
contractual terms of employment/contract for the new superintendent.

Open Session via Zoom Online

– Passcode: 256839

  • Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
  • Webinar ID: 873 5115 2199

– Passcode: 256839

2025 WHITEWATER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT RETIREMENT CELEBRATION – Thursday @ 4:00 p.m.
Whitewater School Board members will be attending the 2025 Whitewater Unified School District Retirement Celebration at Willow Brook Golf Course on Thursday, May 29, 2025 beginning at 4:00 pm. A quorum of the School Board may be present; however, the Board will not be conducting any business during the event.

City of Whitewater Police & Fire Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes Department Updates to include: Public Safety Referendum Passage, Spring Splash
Overview, PD Evidence/Training Garage, Removal of Public Comment on Social Media and
an Update on the School Resource Officer (SRO) Agreement and CLOSED SESSION, followed by open session, to interview patrol officer candidates.
Municipal Building Community Room,
312 West Whitewater St.
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.
Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Police and Fire Commission Meeting
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/597366141
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 597-366-141
United States: +1 (224) 501-3412

Seniors in the Park Presents “A Complete Unknown”

“A Complete Unknown”

Tuesday, May 27, 1 pm

(Biography/Period Drama/Music)

Rated R (language); 2 hours, 21 minutes (2024). 

19 year old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan‘s (Timothee’ Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer from bars, to concert halls, to top of the charts. His mystique captures the attention of icons like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and Johnny Cash. Nominated for eight Oscars; winner for Best Actor (Chalamet) Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG-AFTRA). 

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 our 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/