News

The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office has issued a Cold Weather Advisory for the third consecutive day, midnight Tuesday until 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Updated 2/17/25 @ 1:33 p.m.: Absentee ballots must be received by Tuesday at 8 p.m. Voters wishing to deliver an absentee ballot on Tuesday must bring it to the Community Room on the first floor of the Municipal Building, 312 W. Whitewater St.

The primary that will be held this Tuesday, February 16 for the spring election has a very short ballot in the city of Whitewater: three candidates will be vying for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Voters may cast a ballot for one of the following:
Jeff Wright
Brittany Kinser
Jill Underly (Incumbent)

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. A photo ID is required. Same-day registration is available. Proof of residence is required, and the voter must have lived in the residence for at least the previous 28 days.

Anyone may enter their address at this website to confirm the races on their ballot and their polling place. The city will have two polling places, the Downtown Armory and the University Center on the UW-Whitewater campus. Town of Richmond residents may find their ballot at this website.

Candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction were given the opportunity to respond to several questions; two of the candidates responded. Their responses may be found on this website when your address is entered and the race is chosen.

Town of Richmond
Richmond residents will have two additional races on their ballot: a primary for two Town Board Supervisor seats.

Supervisor 1 (Vote for one)
Joe Staller
Rob Chelminiak
Paul J. McGraw
Carl Redenius

Supervisor 2 (Vote for one)
Donald R. Sparks
Rob Chelminiak
Larry Gard

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics Becomes a Member of EFMD, a Global Leader in Business Education Excellence

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics has been named a full member of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), one of the world’s most prestigious networks of business schools. The college is one of only 27 in the United States to achieve this distinction, further solidifying its reputation as Wisconsin’s preeminent business school.

Membership in EFMD is a recognition of the College of Business and Economics’ commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and the delivery of a transformative educational experience. This milestone represents a significant achievement in the college’s mission to provide students with a world-class education that prepares them to excel in a global business environment.

 “For more than 110 years, our faculty and staff in the College of Business and Economics have worked to create one of the best business schools in the world, right here in southeast Wisconsin,” said John Chenoweth, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “We’re proud to be recognized by EFMD Global as an international leader in providing exceptional business education. This membership will further enhance the opportunities our students have as they become the next generation of innovative, talented, ethical business professionals.”

EFMD is recognized internationally for its rigorous standards in business education and its role in fostering collaboration and innovation across its extensive global network. Membership underscores the college’s adherence to these high standards and its dedication to continuous improvement in teaching, research, and industry engagement.

“This recognition reflects the exceptional efforts of our faculty, staff, and students in maintaining the highest standards of academic and professional excellence,” said Dean Paul Ambrose. “Being part of EFMD connects us to a distinguished global network, allowing us to further enhance our programs, expand opportunities for our students, and drive regional engagement.”

For students, EFMD membership represents access to a learning environment defined by rigor, relevance, and a commitment to preparing them for the challenges of a rapidly changing business landscape. It also opens doors to unparalleled opportunities for international collaboration, professional development, and connections with leading business schools and corporate partners worldwide.

“We are honored to join this distinguished community of institutions,” said Ambrose. “Membership in EFMD not only validates the exceptional quality of education at UW-Whitewater but also aligns with our mission to shape the future of business by developing innovative leaders.”

As Wisconsin’s largest business school, the College of Business and Economics is dedicated to fostering student success, advancing the regional economy, and contributing to global business knowledge. EFMD membership strengthens the college’s ability to deliver on these goals while positioning it as a leader in the international business education community.

For more information about the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, visit www.uww.edu/cobe or email cobe@uww.edu.

About the College of Business and Economics

The college ranked No. 1 in the state in the 2025 U.S. News and World Report review of online programs. UW-Whitewater is home to Wisconsin’s top-ranked single school in the following categories:

• Best Online MBA
• Best Online Business Graduate Program
• Best Online Business Undergraduate Program
• Best Online MBA Program for Veterans
• Best Online Business Graduate Program for Veterans

The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office indicates that “Bitterly cold temperatures and wind chills will continue through mid-week.”

Consequently, the office has issued another Cold Weather Advisory (formerly called a Wind Chill Advisory) in effect from 9 p.m. on Monday until noon on Tuesday for wind chills of 24 to 29 below zero.

Currently it appears that the wind chill values will be moderating slightly for Wednesday a.m., with a prediction of 18 to 23 degrees below zero.

The Whitewater Unified School District’s policy is to cancel/delay school when the weather service issues an Extreme Cold Watch or Warning, which signifies an expectation that sustained wind chills will reach or exceed 30 degrees below zero. Tuesday morning’s forecast currently falls just short of that benchmark.

Clerk of Circuit Court Warns Walworth County Residents of Jury Duty Scam

Walworth County Clerk of Circuit Court Michele Jacobs is alerting residents about a telephone scam that recently defrauded a local woman of $2,000.

The woman reported that she was contacted by an individual claiming to be a Walworth County Sheriff’s Deputy. The caller falsely stated that she had failed to report for jury service and needed to pay a $2,000 fine immediately to avoid arrest. The scammers then instructed her to wire them money. After she complied, they called again, claiming they spoke with the clerk, confirmed that her fine had increased, and demanded additional funds.

“These calls are fraudulent and should be ignored,” said Jacobs. “The Clerk of Circuit Court’s office will never call and demand immediate payment for a jury duty-related fine. Official jury summonses and failure-to-appear notices are sent via first-class mail. Court officials and officers do not make phone calls to threaten arrest or demand payments.”

Residents who receive such calls and are unsure of their legitimacy should hang up immediately and contact the Clerk of Circuit Court’s office at 262-741-7012.

Individuals summoned for jury duty first receive a questionnaire by U.S. mail, followed by a summons with instructions on how and when to report. Those who fail to complete and return their questionnaire, or who fail to appear for jury duty, will receive a written notification of their failure to comply, which may include notification of a hearing scheduled before a judge. But they will never receive a phone call demanding money. The Clerk of Circuit Court’s office may issue a fine for failure to appear, but notification will always be sent via an official letter.

For more information about the Clerk of Circuit Court’s office and the Walworth County Circuit Court system, visit https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/151/Clerk-of-Circuit-Court

Update 2/17 @ 12:35 p.m. – First Citizens State Bank is open on Monday. Associated Bank and PremierBank are closed for the holiday.

Monday, February 17 is a federal holiday; consequently, there will be no mail delivery. Some banks will also be closed.

From Wikipedia:

Presidents’ Day, officially Washington’s Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and was the first U.S. president.^[1]

The day is an official state holiday in most states, with names including Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day, President’s Day, Presidents Day, and Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthday.^[2] The various states use 15 different names. Depending upon the specific law, the state holiday may officially celebrate Washington alone, Washington and Abraham Lincoln, or some other combination of U.S. presidents (such as Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who was born in April).^[2]

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 (N.S.). Washington’s Birthday was celebrated on this date from 1879 until 1970. To give federal employees a three-day weekend, in 1968 the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved it to the third Monday in February.^[3] The day soon became known as Presidents(‘) Day^[4] (the presence and placement of the apostrophe varies) and provides an occasion to remember all the U.S. presidents, to honor Abraham Lincoln‘s and Washington’s birthdays together, or any single president of choice.^[2]

As many states and cities followed suit, some states that had been celebrating Lincoln’s birthday on February 12 combined the two into Presidents Day. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, preserved the Union, abolished slavery, bolstered the federal government, and modernized the U.S. economy.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay.

The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office has issued a Cold Weather Advisory beginning at midnight tonight (Sunday) until 11 am Monday for wind chill values of 17 below to 27 below zero. They indicate “Artic air invades southern WI tonight on northwest winds and remains over the area into the middle of the week.” They add that another Cold Weather Advisory will probably be added for Monday evening through Tuesday morning.  

Photos courtesy of Tom Ganser

The Whitewater High School Players will be performing “The Good Doctor” in the James M. Stewart Auditorium at WHS on Feb. 27 & 28 and Mar. 1 at 7 p.m., and Mar. 2 at 2 p.m.

General seating tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students. For more information call the box office at 262-472-8178.

Written by Neil Simon, “The Good Doctor” is charming, hilarious, sad, and touching. It consists of a series of short plays, based on short stories by Russian author Anton Chekhov. The scenes, when experienced one after another, give you a strong sense of Chekhov’s take on the human condition, embellished by Simon’s wit and pithy dialogue. The Writer is the one unifying element in the scenes, introducing and commenting on them. The audience meets a variety of characters, all of whom are immediately relatable and strikingly human.

Under the direction of Jim McCulloch, the cast includes Ian Agen, Deven Bawden, Alex Clarksen, Belle Cohen, Payton Comfort, Esterban Diaz-Gallegos, Joseph Falcon-Kienbaum, Haley Keltesch, Ameera Lin, Sam Nickelsburg, Sophia Noonan, Kia Peterson, Julian Rennels, Taylor Speerbrecher, Ava Van Daele, and Willow Vogelzang.

Members of the stage crew under the guidance of Kat Dunham include Caitlin Alford, Emerson Dunham, Calli Hartzheim, Taiya Kolb, Kara Long, Miles Nickelsburg, Ava Nygren, Joshua Nygren, Lucille Troxel and Samantha Van Daele.

Prior to the start of “The Good Doctor,” Tom Ganser’s photos of the WHS Players productions of “Cinderella” (2022), “A Murder is Announced” (2023), and “Our Town” (2024) will be shown.