News

Editor’s note: This announcement was shared by FFA alumni member Patty Harmon.

“Blitz”

Tuesday, February 25, 1 PM

(History/Drama/Action)

Rated PG-13; 2 hours (2024). 

The dramatic and hair raising stories of a group of Londoners during the German blitzkrieg bombing campaign of the British capital during World War II. Starring Saorise Ronan, Harris Dickinson. 

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/

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

Here is another of our mid-20th century photos of Whitewater businesses. This image shows the Moksnes Manufacturing Company in 1955. Built of concrete blocks, the Moksnes building still stands today on East Milwaukee Street, part of the Coperion complex. The Moksnes company produced lawn rakes, milk and egg coolers, and printing equipment in the mid-20th century.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(6079P, Whitewater Historical Society)

A 12-person jury trial for the man accused of 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide in the August 30, 2024 death of 21-year-old UW-Whitewater gymnast Kara Welsh is scheduled to begin on December 15. The trial is expected to last seven days.

Chad T. Richards, 23, who was also a UW-W student, appeared in court by video at a hearing on February 18 at which time the trial was scheduled. Richards continues to be held in the Walworth County Jail on a $1,000,000 cash bond.

Richards and Welsh were in a relationship at the time of the shooting. According to the complaint, the two got into an argument. Richards claimed that Welsh grabbed the gun first and he took it away from her, then shot her because he feared for his life.

If found guilty, Richards would face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Editor’s note: Earlier stories in the Banner regarding this matter may be found here, here, and here.

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

Congratulations to the following students who were recognized on the 1st Semester Whitewater Middle School Honor Roll. Those students with an asterisk had all A’s!

Whitewater Girl Scout Troop 7639 will begin selling Girl Scout Cookies Saturday 2/22! 

This is our main fundraiser, and funds our entire year of activities, including monthly outings, meetings, service projects, and our annual camping and waterpark trip! 

Cookies are $6/box and all proceeds stay in our local Madison area council. This is the last year for Toast-Yays, which means we expect to roll out a new flavor next year!

We will be selling every weekend at Whitewater Walmart and will be at Sweet Spot Cafe [226 W. Whitewater St.] every other Tuesday evening. Please follow our troop Facebook page for our up-to-date booth schedule.

We also offer free local delivery in Whitewater. Simply order online and one of our Girl Scouts will connect with you to deliver. https://digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/troop7639c467 (link will go live 2/22)

Thank you for supporting Girl Scouts!

Editor’s note: The above announcement was provided by Sarah Hoots.

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

There was only one race on the city ballot on February 18, and the turnout was low. 324 people voted absentee, and 424, in-person, for a total of 748. Only 78 people, nearly all students, cast their ballot at the university polling place. It was a dramatic change from the presidential election, when some patient citizens waited more than three hours to vote.

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction primary featured three candidates, with incumbent Jill Underly and Brittany Kinser moving forward to the April 1 election. That election will also include candidates for State Supreme Court, Whitewater Common Council and Whitewater Unified School District School Board. As shown in the table below, city voters supported Underly at a higher percentage than the statewide outcome.

Candidate	Statewide vote	City vote
Jeff Wright	27.1%	24.7%
Brittany Kinser	35.3%	30.1%
Jill Underly	37.6%	45.1%

Town of Richmond

Town Supervisor 1
Paul J. McGraw 144 – Advances to April ballot (Neither candidate is an incumbent)
Joe Staller 123 – Advances to April ballot
Carl Redenius 50
Rob Chelminiak 16

Town Supervisor 2
Rob Chelminiak 181 – Advances to April ballot (Neither candidate is an incumbent)
Larry Gard 91 – Advances to April ballot
Donald R. Sparks 52

Results shown are unofficial, subject to Board of Canvass.

Housing Development Priorities in Whitewater

To the Residents of Whitewater,

The City of Whitewater is committed to fostering a housing market that supports residents at every stage of life—from young professionals and growing families to retirees looking to stay in the community. Our 2024-2028 Strategic Goals emphasize expanding family-style housing options to accommodate workforce demand, homeownership opportunities, and long-term community stability.

As part of this strategy:

• Single-family housing development remains a core priority, ensuring that families and long-term residents have paths to homeownership.
• We recognize the need for diverse housing choices—including townhomes, duplexes, and other family-oriented units—to provide options that support Whitewater’s workforce and aging population.
• Beyond the multi-family projects already approved or in progress, the city is not actively soliciting, reviewing, or pursuing additional large-scale multi-family developments at this time.

To ensure a thoughtful, data-driven approach, the city continues to collaborate with regional and statewide experts, including county economic development professionals to housing specialists from the University of Wisconsin system to assess housing needs and align development efforts with best practices.

As housing and economic development remain important topics in our community, we encourage residents to rely on verified, publicly available sources for the most accurate and up- to-date information. The City of Whitewater provides comprehensive, fact-based resources on our official website—ensuring transparency and accountability. While opinions will always be part of the conversation, we believe public policy is best guided by recognized data and informed analysis, rather than yard signs or messaging from special interest groups.

Our focus is on creating a balanced housing market that supports economic growth, housing affordability, and a high quality of life. We welcome continued collaboration with community members, businesses, and development partners to ensure Whitewater remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

For accurate information on the city’s housing initiatives, please visit www.whitewater-wi.gov or contact the Economic Development Department at 262-473-0148.

Taylor Zeinert
Economic Development Director
City of Whitewater

College of Arts and Communication, Department of Theatre/Dance

The College of Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater announces its productions of “The Maid Turned Mistress” by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi and “Dido and Aeneas” by Henry Purcell. This exclusive double feature will run in Barnett Theatre on select days from Feb. 21 – March 1. Tickets are on sale for the performances and can be purchased in person at Ticket Services, online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. The Barnett Theatre and UW-Whitewater Ticket Services are located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190. 

Delight in the witty and charming tale of love and deception, followed by an emotional journey through ancient Carthage’s timeless romance. Witness two masterpieces in one night with musical direction by Robert Gehrenbeck, choreography by Barbara Grubel and staging by Bruce Cohen. The talented UW-Whitewater students and area community members showcase the incredible range of human emotion through exquisite music and unforgettable performances. 

Pergolesi’s “The Maid Turned Mistress” puts us in the life of Uberto, an old rich bachelor living with his servant, Serpina, who has become the dictator of the house. Annoyed with Serpina, Uberto begins to search for a suitable woman to marry and finally takes revenge on Serpina’s increasingly dominating character. Serpina, eager to become the mistress of the house, will stop at nothing to become Uberto’s chosen wife in this whirlwind of jealousy, love and sneaky plots. This opera premiered in 1733 in Naples as a comic interlude between the acts of a longer, serious opera. The latter soon fell into obscurity, but Maid was a huge success, taking Europe by storm. The UW-Whitewater performance uses a witty English translation by Donald Pippin, the founder of Pocket Opera Company in San Francisco.

In Purcell’s masterpiece, “Dido and Aeneas,” experience the timeless tale of love and betrayal. Let the hauntingly beautiful arias and powerful choruses transport you to the ancient world of Carthage. Immerse yourself in the tragic romance of Queen Dido and the Trojan hero Aeneas, brought to life by a stunning cast and mesmerizing orchestration. This unforgettable display of passion, drama and music has captivated audiences for over three centuries. In the original Roman accounts of the story, the gods are responsible for Dido and Aeneas’ woes, but in this retelling by dramatist Nahum Tate, the gods have been replaced by witches stirring up trouble, much like the “weird sisters” in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In Purcell’s music, courtly dances are never far from the surface, whether joyful, tragic or grotesque.

When asked about his experience directing these operas, Gehrenbeck had this to say, “It has been a joy to see this glorious music come to life in Barbara Grubel’s imaginative choreography, Bruce Cohen’s insightful (and often hilarious) staging, and in the commitment and talent of all the designers, cast, crew, and orchestra.” In reference to “Dido and Aeneas,” Cohen added, “Often wrenching and beautiful vocals fill this mythological space, all made sublime through Robert Gehrenbeck’ s exacting, musical direction. The world of our play, throne rooms, sailing ships and eldritch caves are summoned into being courtesy of Barbara Grubel’s choreographic brilliance. I am thankful to have both exceptional artists as collaborative partners.”

Showtimes for “The Maid Turned Mistress” and “Dido and Aeneas”:

• Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
• Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. (Half price matinee)
• Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
• March 1 at 2 p.m.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the beauty and drama of these operatic gems in Barnett Theatre Feb. 21 – March 1. Get your tickets today in person, online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. Admission is $20 for adults, $18 for those age 65+, and $14.50 for those under age 18. There is a $2 surcharge for tickets purchased at the door at the time of the event. The Barnett Theatre and UW-Whitewater Ticket Services are located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190. Ticket Services hours are Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. when classes are in session.

UWs President Jay Rothman appoints John Chenoweth as interim chancellor of UW-River Falls

Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman today announced the appointment of John Chenoweth as interim chancellor of UW-River Falls.

Chenoweth, currently the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs of UW-Whitewater, replaces Michael V. Martin. The appointment is effective on March 1, 2025.

“John is a seasoned leader who has built strong relationships at our universities that will enable him to hit the ground running at UW-River Falls,” Rothman said. “I expect him to lead UW-River Falls well into the future, and position UW-River Falls to best leverage the opportunities of the community and region.”

Rothman thanked Martin for his service as interim chancellor for the past several months.

“Mike stepped in at a critical time for UW-River Falls, and I’m grateful for his service,” Rothman said. “He has initiated a vision for UW-River Falls that I believe John will build upon.”

“As I noted when I temporarily took over the helm of the institution, UW-River Falls is a great regional comprehensive university that is at an inflection point,” said Martin. “I am grateful that UWs President Rothman has identified a qualified leader who will be able to dedicate a longer-term focus to ensuring UWRF achieves all that it has in front of it.”

Rothman said he anticipates that Chenoweth will serve as interim chancellor for an extended period. Interim appointments can be for up to three years.

“UW-River Falls is an excellent university with an unwavering dedication to student success. It is an honor and privilege to be trusted with the responsibility of serving as interim chancellor,” said Chenoweth. “To the Falcon community — students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends — I am excited to join UW-River Falls and look forward to collaborating as we move the university forward.”

Chenoweth has served as UW-Whitewater provost since July 1, 2021. He oversees five academic colleges across two campuses — Arts and Communication, Business and Economics, Education and Professional Studies, Integrated Studies, and Letters and Sciences — as well as the School of Graduate Studies, Continuing Education, and 25 other offices that are focused on providing high-quality learning experiences for students. Previously, he was dean of the UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, the largest AACSB-accredited business school in Wisconsin. A tenured faculty member in the Department of Information Technology and Supply Chain Management, Chenoweth arrived at UW-Whitewater in 2002. He earned his Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy analysis from East Tennessee State University, a master’s degree in computer science from the University of South Dakota, and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Augustana University.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by Universities of Wisconsin.