News

Congratulations to the WHS Forensics Team for advancing to the state competition for public speaking. All 8 team members qualified in their individual categories at the District 11 competition in Evansville, Monday night. 

Members include Makayla Bazeley and Carley Boudreau for expository speaking, Grace Coleman in solo monologue, humorous, Lucy Davis and Skyler Hogan in poetry, Maya Davis for oratory, Emily Schmidt in special occasion presentation, and Atreya Wilson for impromptu speech. The state tournament will take place in Madison on April 12. Congratulations to all!

Article and Top Photo Courtesy of Jim McCulloch
Whitewater High School Forensics Coach
jMcCulloch@wwusd.org
Additional Photo Courtesy of Tom Ganser

The WHS Math Team traveled to Delavan-Darien High School on March 11th to compete in the Rock Valley Conference Math Meet. The Whippets landed in 5th place overall, with sophomore Cyrus Hudec winning 10th place in the individual JV standings and senior Andrew O’Toole winning 1st place among all Varsity competitors. 

Congratulations to all of our great Mathletes on a job well done!

Article and Photos Submitted by Eric Kendall
Whitewater High School Math Team Advisor
mkendall@wwusd.org

Congratulations to the Whitewater High School Battle of the Books team, “The Final Brain Cell,” comprised of Vivian Harris, Virginia Nelson, and Letty Trautman, who finished 3rd in the state of Wisconsin!

In a local playoff for who would represent the school in the state competition, the “Book Bashers” team of Emilie Bruns, Nina Heim, and Caitlin Alford fell to “The Final Brain Cell” by one point.

46 schools competed at the state level this year. Each team had to read 20 books and be prepared to answer questions on them to achieve this awesome level!

Article and Photos Courtesy of Kathy Retzke
Whitewater Unified School District Library Media Specialist
kretzke@wwusd.org

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Internet Crimes
Against Children (ICAC) Task Force today announced that Samuel Pieper, a former correctional officer for the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, was charged on Friday, March 7 with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of trafficking
of a child. [According to Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, Mr. Pieper, age 40, resides at 161 S. Maple Lane, Whitewater. Cash bond was set and signed at $250,000.]

On March 6, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mr. Pieper’s residence. The warrant was the result of tips provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) involving suspected exploitation of children where money amounts were being transferred to suspected minors in exchange for videos or images in June and July of 2024. Mr. Pieper was taken into custody at the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Pieper was booked in the Walworth County Jail and transported to the Rock County Jail. Mr. Pieper resigned his position as a correctional officer at the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office on March 6, 2025. As in any criminal proceeding, Mr. Pieper is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

There are no known local victims at this time. If you or anyone you know may have any information to assist in this investigation, please call the ICAC Task Force at (608) 266-1671.

This investigation is being led by the ICAC Task Force at DOJ and is being prosecuted by the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office. The investigation is assisted by the Whitewater Police Department, Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, and Wisconsin DOJ Crime Response Specialists.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department.

League of Women Voters Book Club Discussion, Part II

The League of Women Voters of Whitewater Area’s Book Club is pleased to announce the second of three discussions of the book James: A Novel by Percival Everett, on Thursday, March 20, starting at 6:30 PM.  The discussion will be held at The Book Teller, 171 W Main Street, in Whitewater, where copies of the book are still available. Call 262-269-9101 to hold a copy.

The 2024 National Book Award winner and finalist for the Booker Prize, James: A Novel by Percival Everett, is a re-imaging of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. The League invites anyone in Walworth and Jefferson counties to join us in the discussions of the book.

Thank you to all who joined us for the Whitewater League’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) book discussion last month covering Part I of Percival Everett’s James: A Novel. Whitewater High School reading teacher, Tara McKenzie-Peotter, led seventeen of us through a stimulating conversation that provided new insights into the pre-Civil War South.  It is not too late to join our next discussion on March 20 to continue the examination of Part II with Greg Stewart, Whitewater High School history teacher, with an emphasis on the teaching of this historical period through concepts such as cake walks, minstrel shows and slave narratives.

Part III discussion will be held Thursday, April 17 at 6:30 pm led by UW-Whitewater professor Dr. Tamara Lindsey, with an emphasis on topics such as emancipation, liberation, freedom, and social construction theory.

Please call Deb Gamble at 262-853-1946 with any questions. The League of Women Voters-Whitewater Area welcomes all community members to join us in these meaningful discussions.

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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Nearly 400 people supported the Whitewater Breakfast Kiwanis Club’s annual pancake breakfast on March 8.

Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club thanks everyone for a terrific pancake-day fundraiser on Saturday.  Thanks to everyone who attended and donated to Kiwanis, to all of the businesses that contributed, and to all of the wonderful volunteers.

“We are grateful to everyone in our community who helped to make the Pancake Day a success!  Every year we love to see people enjoying our pancakes and Jones sausages.  The camaraderie and friendship in Whitewater is amazing, and people are so generous with donations that help us help children,” said Corey Davis, Co-President of the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club.

“We are so grateful to our volunteers of all ages who helped to plan, set up, serve pancakes, clean up and more.  We couldn’t do this without them,” said Penny Ardelt, chair of the breakfast.

Whitewater Kiwanis is a group of dedicated volunteers who help both children of the Whitewater community and the world. The club raised funds to make possible the recent installation of the city’s first piece of inclusive playground equipment, a We-Go-Round, in Starin Park.  Annual donations are also made to provide shoes and winter clothes for students, as well as support for organizations such as the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House, The Community Space, and the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club.

If you have an interest in helping youth in Whitewater, you can check out Whitewater Kiwanis on Facebook and join our Club by contacting Corey Davis at coreydavis77@yahoo.com

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.

Thanks to Tom Ganser for most of the photos.

Join us for an Open House of our BRAND-NEW 2nd Floor Advanced Assisted Living! Wednesday, March 12th from 4:30-6:30 pm come on over to get the first look at this new space and living option at Fairhaven. Private tours for our 3rd and 4th Floors will also be available. We are excited to show this floor off to all….see you Wednesday Night!

City of Whitewater Plan & Architectural Review – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes PUBLIC HEARING FOR REVIEW AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL Consideration to Approve and Recommend to Common Council a change in the District Zoning Map to Rezone Parcel # 292-0515-3233-008 at 500 N Tratt St. from AT (Agricultural Transition District) to R-3 (Multi-Family Residence District) and /WUP 00359 from R-3 (Multi-Family Residence District) to AT (Agricultural Transition District.)
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room, 312 West Whitewater St.
*In Person and Virtual
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/749292677
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 749-292-677
United States: +1 (646) 749-3122
Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://meet.goto.com/install

City of Whitewater Public Works Committee – Tuesday @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda includes Discussion and Possible Action regarding the addition of a right turn only lane on southbound Prairie Street at Main Street, and Discussion and Possible Action regarding reducing parking and adding a sitting area at Parking Lot C. [This lot is adjacent to the mural.]
Cravath Lakefront Room, 2nd floor, 312 W. Whitewater St.
*In Person and Virtual
AGENDA
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/83198282604?pwd=cDdLWjUvTTRqRUQ4UVcwQWcrcW1BUT09
Telephone:
+1 (312) 626-6799 US
Webinar ID: 859 3695 9081
Passcode:
019093

City of Whitewater Referendum Public Information Session regarding Police and Fire/EMS Referendum – Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m.
Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84951123016?pwd=8O0n8A40XtonGgFeh3FFOqWL0n2pZn.1
Webinar ID: 849 5112 3016
Passcode:322958
Phone one-tap:
+13092053325,,84951123016#,,,,322958# US +13126266799,,84951123016#,,,,322958# US
Join via audio:
+1 312 626 6799 US
Where: City of Whitewater Municipal Building, 2nd floor Cravath Lakefront
Conference Room, 312 W. Whitewater St.

City of Whitewater Public Information Session on Trippe & Cravath Lakes by City Staff and the Lakes Advisory Committee – Wednesday @ 11:30 a.m.
Starin Park Community Building, 504 W Starin Rd

City of Whitewater Referendum Public Information Session regarding Police and Fire/EMS Referendum – Thursday @ 1:00 p.m.
Where: Starin Park Senior Center, 504 W Starin Rd.

Sessions will provide public an opportunity to hear from Police, Fire, City officials and ask questions

The City of Whitewater announced it will host three more public information sessions regarding the upcoming police and fire/EMS referendum that will appear on spring election ballots on April 1, 2025. The meeting this Tuesday will be hosted both in-person and virtually. The other meetings will be in-person only.

“The City of Whitewater has identified a need to add additional, full-time personnel to its Police and Fire departments,” said City Manager, John Wiedl. “These information sessions will allow us to share information and communicate the need for increased funding and additional Police and Fire staff with the greater Whitewater community.” 

To accommodate as many City of Whitewater residents as possible, informational sessions will be held on three different days at a variety of locations:

Tuesday, March 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Whitewater Municipal Building – 312 W Whitewater St.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar!

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84951123016?pwd=8O0n8A40XtonGgFeh3FFOqWL0n2pZn.1

Passcode:322958

Phone one-tap:
+13092053325,,84951123016#,,,,*322958# US
+13126266799,,84951123016#,,,,*322958# US

Join via audio:
+1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 849 5112 3016
Passcode: 322958

• Thursday, March 13 at 1:00 p.m. at the Whitewater Senior Center – 504 W Starin Rd. 
• Monday, March 17 at 9:30 a.m. at the Whitewater University Innovation Center – 1221 Innovation Dr.

Spanish interpretation will be available at all information sessions. Recordings of the February 18 and March 11 information sessions will be published on the City’s website, and will include Spanish captions.

Information sessions will include a presentation, along with an opportunity for a “question and answer” discussion for residents with City Manager John Wiedl, Police Chief Dan Meyer, Fire & EMS Chief Kelly Freeman, and Assistant Fire & EMS Chief Ryan Dion.

More information about the upcoming referendum is available on the City’s website https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/615/Police-and-Fire-EMS-Referendum.

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