News

Due to the severe winter storm that affected our area Monday, John’s Disposal suspended collection
services for the day to ensure the safety of both drivers and the public.

All collection routes will be delayed by one day. Therefore, Thursday’s route will be picked up on Friday.
This adjustment allows their team to safely make up for the missed service day while ensuring all
residents receive collection within the week.

Please leave your carts at the curb until your collection has been completed.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as John’s Disposal works through the effects of the
storm. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact John’s Disposal at 262-473-4700.

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

Elizabeth Matson and Jim Winship will be telling stories at The Wright House on March 21 at 7pm.

A performing storyteller since 1987, Elizabeth Matson grew up in her mother’s Children’s Theatre Company and read her way through the fairy tale section of her childhood public library. She is a spinner of tales, weaving magic into her original performances of fairy, folk, personal, and family history tales. Elizabeth brings stories to life with her expressions, movement, and voice. She offers performances, workshops, and story coaching for all ages. She is the co-author, with Stuart Stotts, of The Bookcase Ghost: A Storyteller’s Collection of Wisconsin Ghost Stories (Midwest Traditions, 1996). She holds a MA in Folklore and MS in Library Science. She coaches her library’s teen storytelling troupe, has performed at the Whitewater (WI) Storytelling Festival, and performs virtually with 4 Women Telling.

Jim Winship has been a college professor for over three decades, a Professor of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and also a Fulbright Scholar in Colombia and El Salvador. He has performed as a professional storyteller and has been conducting workshops on digital storytelling since 2009. Jim left full-time employment at UW-W in 2016 to have the time to devote to fully engaging with training opportunities and story-based work. Jim has been trained by StoryCenter in Berkeley, California, the organization that pioneered digital storytelling. He creates digital stories and has conducted five three-day workshops in which college faculty and professional staff members each created their own digital stories. He has facilitated students in creating digital stories both at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater — including a series of stories on race, ethnicity and power — and at the University of Cartagena, Colombia.

Register on Eventbrite: https://matsonwinship.eventbrite.com

The Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) will offer the AARP Driver Safety Class on April 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services, 1910 County Road NN in Elkhorn.

This class is a great refresher on driving techniques and rules of the road and provides a proven method for seniors to evaluate their driving and make necessary changes to remain safe. In addition, most insurance companies offer a discount for up to three years for completion of the course. The cost is $20 for AARP members and $25 for non-members. 

For questions or to register for the program, contact Chetney Blaszczyk at 262-741-3157.

About the ADRC of Walworth County: The ADRC provides information and assistance to older and disabled adults, their friends, family, caregivers, and the public. We can assist by evaluating your current needs and providing options available to meet the needs of your personal situation.

Editor’s Note: The above was provided by Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC).

Whitewater Unified School District [WUSD] will be closed on Monday, March 16, 2026, due to a Winter Storm Warning that is tracking heavy snow that will impact travel during school hours.  All before and after-school athletics and activities for Monday will also be canceled. 

UW-Whitewater: No in-person classes, events or activities at Whitewater and Rock County campuses on Monday, March 16, 2026.

WUSD School Board meeting will be held virtually.
6:00 p.m. via Zoom Online
URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85788115969?pwd=inx7iakfakvjCzvZa3k5WKmiIy70td.1
– Passcode: 386809
Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
Webinar ID: 857 8811 5969

The felting workshop slated for Monday, March 16, at Wisconsin Makers in Whitewater has been canceled due to the anticipated snowstorm. It will be rescheduled for a later date.For more information, contact instructor Leani Schoor at (608) 421-4078 or leanischoor@gmail.com. Located at the corner of East Clay and Wisconsin streets in Whitewater, Wisconsin Makers is a makerspace or community workshop.

The Whitewater Public Library is closed on Monday, March 16, due to weather. Online resources are always available at whitewaterlibrary.org. In addition, the Library Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. is postponed. Date/time TBA. 

The City of Whitewater Municipal building will have limited staff, Monday, March 16, 2026, due to the weather. If you were planning to visit the Municipal building tomorrow, many of the services available in person can be completed online. We encourage residents to visit www.whitewater-wi.gov to access payments, permits, and other city services from the safety of your home.We anticipate reopening Tuesday, March 17th, 2026.

Due to weather, the Senior Center will be closed on Monday 3/16. Please be safe and we will see you on Tuesday.

Palmyra-Eagle Schools are closed on Monday.

The Whitewater Aquatic & Fitness Center will delay opening this morning. Planned opening time: 9:00 AM. We will continue monitoring conditions and will post another update here on our Facebook page at 8:00 AM if anything changes. Thank you for your understanding as we prioritize the safety of our members and staff. Please travel safely this morning!

All SSM Health Dean Medical Group primary care clinic locations are closed. Express Virtual Care is available from 6:00 am – 10:00 pm for minor and moderate illness or injury at ssmhealth.com/visitnow

Associated Bank has an 11am opening today.
Premier has a 12 pm opening.
UW Credit Union is closed.

Local students named to Marquette University’s fall 2025 Dean’s List 

The following students have been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2025 semester at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

To make the Dean’s List, students must have earned at least 12 credits for the fall 2025 semester and have no disqualifying grades. The GPA threshold varies by college — for the College of Education and the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, undergraduate students must have at least a 3.7 to be named to the Dean’s List.  

The undergraduate GPA requirement is 3.5 for the following colleges: the Diederich College of Communication, the College of Business Administration, the College of Health Sciences, the Opus College of Engineering and the College of Nursing. All other programs have a 3.75 GPA minimum. 

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university that draws over 8,000 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate and professional students from nearly all states and more than 60 countries. In addition to its nationally recognized academic programs, Marquette is known for its service learning programs and internships as students are challenged to use what they learn to make a difference in the world. Find out more about Marquette at marquette.edu. 

Whitewater, WI

 Maddie Arnett, Doctorate, Occupational Therapy
 Emerson Maliszewski, Bachelor of Science, Nursing

Following is a message from the City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation Department:

The Whitewater Parks & Recreation Department is excited to announce that we will be overseeing the 2026 Whitewater 4th of July Parade, and we would love to invite you to participate!

The City would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Whitewater Lions Club for their many years of service and dedication in organizing the parade and helping make this event a highlight of the summer season.

The parade will take place on Saturday, July 4, 2026, beginning at 10:00 AM. This year’s celebration will be especially meaningful as communities across the country celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary. We are looking forward to making this milestone celebration an unforgettable event for our community.

We hope you will consider joining us to help make the parade bigger, more festive, and more memorable than ever. Whether through a float, vehicle, marching group, performance, or other creative display, your participation will help bring excitement and patriotic spirit to this historic celebration.

The parade registration form is below. [Note: A printable copy of the form may be found here.] Additional details regarding parade lineup and staging will be shared in June. 

If you are interested in participating or would like to receive more information, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Whitewater, our community, and America’s 250th Anniversary in a truly amazing way.

Updated 3/15/26 @ 10:30 p.m. to add the above image.

At 7:21 p.m. on Sunday the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office [NWS] issued a Blizzard Warning effective until 4 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026. This warning is effective for all of southern Wisconsin.

The NWS warning includes the following statements: “After a brief break in precipitation, expecting heavy snow at rates to 1″/hr at times to work from west to east tonight. Northerly winds of 40 to 45 MPH combined with high snow rates will lead to blizzard conditions with visibilities less than 1/4 mile. Snow accumulations of 5 to 10 inches expected.

* IMPACTS…Travel could be very difficult. Widespread blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions are expected to impact the Monday morning commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous.”

As of 3 p.m. on Sunday, the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office extended the Winter Storm Warning in our area from Jefferson and Rock Counties into Walworth County. The estimated snow total for the Whitewater area is 3-6″. The snow is initially anticipated to be heavy and wet, eventually transitioning into drier, light snow. Wind gusts will be picking up overnight and into Monday morning, causing potential reduced visibility.

Dairy farmers in the region are invited to join UW-Madison Division of Extension educators for an educational workshop on Friday March 27, from 9 AM to 3 PM. The workshop will be held at UW Madison Extension Jefferson County office, 864 Collins Rd, Jefferson, WI 53549.

This program is specifically designed to bridge the gap between agronomy and animal nutrition for dairy farmers and consultants. This workshop will cover a range of critical topics, including:

• Feeding strategies for non-BMR corn silage
• The use of short corn to meet corn silage production goals
• Feeding and agronomic considerations for high oleic soybeans
• Agronomic Considerations with High Oleic Soybeans
• And more!

The workshop features Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, Assistant professor & Extension Specialist – Ruminant nutrition from UW Madison department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Dr. Harkirat Kaur, Assistant Professor Extension Specialist in Corn Production Systems from UW Madison department of Plant and Agroecosystems Sciences, Katelyn Goldsmith, Statewide Dairy Outreach Specialist UW Madison Extension,  Josh Kamps, Regional Crops & Soils educator from Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties, Eric Pille, Sales Agronomist, The DeLong Company, and Alison Pfau, Bilingual Regional Dairy educator from Dane, Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties.

The cost of attending is $30, which includes lunch and all workshop materials.

Registration: Pre-registration is required by March 23.

Register here: https://go.wisc.edu/F2FW

For more information please contact:

• Alison Pfau – Bilingual Regional Dairy Educator (alison.pfau@wisc.edu) 608-220-4770
• Josh Kamps – Regional Crops & Soils Educator (Joshua.kamps@wisc.edu) 608-673-0680

Editor’s Note: The above was provided by UW-Madison Division of Extension Dairy and Crops & Soils.

On Wednesday, March 11, two of our Youth Apprenticeship [YA] students had the privilege of attending the 11th Annual YA Day at the Capitol — and what an incredible experience it was!

Our students had the opportunity to meet with representatives and senators to advocate for continued support of the Youth Apprenticeship program. Two Whitewater High School students shared their journeys and the impact this program has had on their lives. One is currently a CNA at Mercyhealth, and the other is working as a Teacher’s Aide at Lincoln Elementary School.

This event was a wonderful opportunity for students to build their social capital, share their stories, and advocate for a program that is making a real difference. Along the way, they also had the chance to meet Governor Tony Evers and speak with State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly!

A huge thank you to Mike Rick, CTE Coordinator for WUSD, Tom Martin at CESA 3, and Katie Graf at Gateway Technical College for making this opportunity possible. We also appreciate Representative Tip McGuire, the staff of Senator Van Wanggaard, and Representative Angelina Cruz for taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with our students. Special thanks to Dr. Jill Underly for chatting with our students and taking a photo.

Seeing our students shine like this is a reminder of the incredible things youth can achieve when given meaningful opportunities.

Article and Photos Submitted by Mike Rick
Whitewater Unified School District Career and Technical Education Coordinator
ricmi01@wwusd.org