News

Kevin Wood of Michigan will give his portrayal of Lincoln on Thursday, July 16 from 10:00 am-11:30 am in the air-conditioned Cultural Arts Center, 402 W. Main Street.  A brief Q & A will be a part of the program.  Light refreshments will also be served.

Additionally, we have an E-Flat Tenor Horn on display as part of the “Heritage 250: A Living Legacy” exhibition.  This horn was played at the Lincoln-Douglas debate in 1858.  Members of the 1st Brigade Band will be on hand during the program to share information about the horn.

Whitewater High School Class of 1986 40th Reunion

Mark your calendars! Friday, July 31st: Casual gatherings at Staller’s Winery and/or Second Salem

Saturday, August 1st: Golf, Walking through Whitewater, WHS tour, and Reunion Dinner

We’re excited to invite you to this fun-filled weekend with casual gatherings and the more formal reunion dinner. Please fill out this form (https://forms.gle/jFf2EAsCb5gJG13VA) by Wednesday, July 15th, so we can reserve a spot for you at dinner.

Join us for one, two, or all of the events. We look forward to reconnecting and catching up with everyone.

Purchase a Class of ’86 T-shirt for $20.00

For more information, please contact Carey (Mach) Fero @ cmfero@yahoo.com or Lisa (LoBono) Hyland @ lisahyland@sbcglobal.net

City of Whitewater Invites Residents to Shape the Community’s Future Through Community Survey

The City of Whitewater is inviting residents to help shape the community’s future by participating in the 2026 City of Whitewater Community Survey.

Beginning this week, randomly selected households will receive a survey by mail asking for feedback on City services, community priorities, and future planning initiatives. The survey is being conducted by ETC Institute, an independent research firm, and is designed to provide statistically valid results that will help guide future City planning, budgeting, and investment decisions.

The survey includes questions on a variety of topics, including public safety, streets and infrastructure, utilities, parks and recreation, housing, economic development, communication, and overall quality of life in Whitewater. The information collected will help City leaders better understand residents’ priorities and identify opportunities for improvement.

“Resident feedback is one of the most valuable tools we have as we plan for Whitewater’s future,” said City Manager John Weidl. “Whether you’ve lived here for decades or are new to our community, your perspective helps us make informed decisions that reflect the needs and priorities of our residents.”

The survey takes approximately 10–15 minutes to complete. Randomly selected households may return the completed paper survey using the enclosed postage -paid envelope or complete the survey online using the information included in their mailing. All responses will remain confidential and will only be reported in summary form.

Following the initial mailing period, the City will make the online survey available to all Whitewater residents who wish to participate . Residents completing the public online survey will be asked to provide their address to verify residency.

Responses from the randomly selected households will be used to produce the survey’s statistically valid results. Responses submitted by residents outside the random sample will be analyzed and reported separately. If enough responses are received from the broader community, ETC Institute will provide a comparison between the statistically valid sample and the community-wide responses, allowing City leaders to identify any similarities or differences in resident perspectives.

Residents who complete the survey will also have the opportunity to enter a drawing to win a $500 prepaid Visa gift card.

The City encourages every resident who receives a survey to participate. Later this summer, all residents will also have the opportunity to share their thoughts through the public online survey.

The survey results will be presented to the Whitewater Common Council and City staff and will help guide future planning, budgeting, and policy decisions.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage from Image by andibreit from Pixabay.

Friends of Studio 84,
The summer is a busy and exciting season here at Studio 84. The artists are creating, growing and having fun. We are meeting lots of new people and sharing the mission of Studio 84 as we travel to markets and events. Our summer fundraising event takes us to the golf course and we hope that you will support the studio and our event.

Golf “Fore”Art
Friday, August 14, 2026 from 8:00 am-4:00 pm

Spring Creek Golf Center
4787 Yandry Road
Whitewater, WI
920-563-4499

If you don’t play golf, come out and visit! Studio 84 artists will have new products for sale. There will also be free art activities available for everyone to enjoy. You can also support the studio with a donation and then spin the prize wheel to see what you win!

How can you help us continue to provide arts opportunities to all?
 Make a monetary donation to be a sponsor.
$ 1,000 Event Sponsors
$ 500 Driving Range and Putting Green Sponsors
$ 250 Hole Sponsors
All sponsors will receive a Studio 84 tote bag with surprise gifts from studio artists. There will also be signage on the course the day of the event and appreciation to sponsors given on Studio 84’s social media and in the studio.

 Donate items for the prize wheel table.
 Call Spring Creek and schedule a tee time with your friends.
 Share information about Golf “Fore” Art with your family,
friends, and neighbors.
 Visit Studio 84 at the studio, or an event.

Your interest and support of Studio 84 is greatly appreciated.

Creatively yours,
Lynnette Gmur, Director

Per the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office as of 2 p.m. on Monday:

A Heat Advisory is now in place across all of southern Wisconsin from Tuesday at 12 PM to Wednesday at 8 PM CDT.

• Hottest conditions are expected between 12-8 PM each day, with some relief occurring during the overnight hours 
• Tuesday: air temperatures in the mid 90s, with heat indices in the upper 90s to low 100s
• Wednesday: air temperatures in the low to mid 90s, with heat indices in the upper 90s to potentially low 100s

While currently expected to stay below Heat Advisory thresholds, elevated heat and humidity will likely linger into Thursday & Friday.

• Thursday: air temperatures in the low 90s with heat indices in the mid-upper 90s
• Friday: air temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s with heat indices in the low-mid 90s

Vulnerable groups and those spending prolonged periods of time outdoors should take heat precautions through this week.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by geralt from Pixabay.

“Get Out of This Wicked Heat!!!”

Seniors in the Park invites you to get out of the wicked heat today, for good, for a cool Tuesday afternoon, as the Witches of the North and West battle for good in their final conclusion. 

Projectionist Mark is back and will have cool treats for the audience! Tuesday, July 14 @ 1 p.m.

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 $15 and non-residents is $20. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes out 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/ 

Due to copyright issues, Seniors in the Park is no longer able to publicly announce the movie titles being shown.  If you wish to find out each month’s titles that Projectionist Mark Dorn has selected, you may call Seniors in the Park at 262-473-0535. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 

More than 1,850 students graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at 2026 spring commencement ceremonies, held May 16 at Kachel Fieldhouse in Whitewater and May 19 at the Wells Cultural Center on the Rock County campus in Janesville.

The following students from your area earned degrees from UW-Whitewater at a spring commencement ceremony:

Whitewater, WI 53190: Aidan Allamian graduated with the following degree: Physical Education – BSE

Whitewater, WI 53190: Mae Anderson graduated with the following degree: School Psychology – MSE

Whitewater, WI 53190: Mariana Aranda graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Finance – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Matthew Baier graduated with the following degree: Instructional Design and Learning Technology – MS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Chelsea Baker graduated with the following degree: Psychology – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Grace Baker graduated with the following degree: Liberal Arts – AA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Jace Bezzo graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Environmental Science – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Landen Bley graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Finance – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Joey Boettcher graduated with the following degree: General Business – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Alyssa Brazouski graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Finance – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Jack Brown graduated with the following degree: Marketing – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Lucas Castro-Huempfner graduated with the following degree: Psychology – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Chibu Chioma graduated with the following degree: Finance – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Daven Cooper graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: English Literature & Language Arts Education – BSE

Whitewater, WI 53190: Gil Dennis graduated with the following degree: Liberal Arts – AA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Andrew Eiken graduated with the following degree: Economics – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Sarah Felland graduated with the following degree: Chemistry – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Ashton Ford graduated with the following degree: Computer Science – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Brandt Garcia graduated with the following degree: Information Technology – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Andrea Gentry graduated with the following degree: Criminology – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Ashton Gillespie graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Management – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Elizabeth Gomez graduated with the following degree: Biology – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Brock Grosinske graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Finance – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Sophia Guedj graduated with the following degree: Applied Arts and Sciences – BAAS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Blake Haggerty graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Finance – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Jake Hintz graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Marketing – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Kat Hunt graduated with the following degree: Social Work – MSW

Whitewater, WI 53190: Cameron Huntley graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: History – BSE

Whitewater, WI 53190: Bryce Joel graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Marketing – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Megan Kasper graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Elementary Middle Education – BSE

Whitewater, WI 53190: Devin Kelly graduated with the following degree: Finance – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Taylor Koehler graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Criminology – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Issac Leal graduated with the following degree: Data Analytics – MS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Sydney Lehman graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: General Business – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Krystal Leon graduated with the following degree: Counseling – MS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Hunter Lochner graduated with the following degree: Management – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Payton Lowe graduated Summa Cum Laude with the following degree: Operations and Supply Chain Management – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Cayden Maag graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Computer Science – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Connor Macy graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Marketing – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Morgin Marks graduated with the following degree: Marketing – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Thomas McCulloch graduated with the following degree: Cybersecurity – MS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Jordan Miller graduated with the following degree: Marketing – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Morgan Miller graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Psychology – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Jack Mollner graduated with the following degree: Marketing – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Matthew Moore graduated with the following degree: Communication – BA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Madelyn Morgan graduated with the following degree: Marketing – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Olivia Nanni graduated Summa Cum Laude with the following degree: Human Resource Management – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Ari Peters graduated with the following degree: Counseling – MS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Renee Rittmeyer graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Human Resource Management – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Katherine Sainsbury graduated Summa Cum Laude with the following degree: Elementary Education – BSE

Whitewater, WI 53190: Sabrina Schmidt graduated with the following degree: Associate of Arts and Science – AAS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Savannah Schmieder graduated with the following degree: Social Work – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Jason Schrader graduated with the following degree: Counseling – MS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Connor Sharlow graduated Summa Cum Laude with the following degree: Communication Sciences and Disorders – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Juan Silva graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Accounting – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Tristin Trevino graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Occupational Safety – BS

Whitewater, WI 53190: Ryan Westerman graduated with the following degree: General Business – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Jaelyne White graduated with the following degree: Higher Education Leadership – MSE

Whitewater, WI 53190: Nick Yellick graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Operations and Supply Chain Management – BBA

Whitewater, WI 53190: Peter Zimdars graduated with the following degree: Finance – BBA

Degrees were conferred to more than 1,730 May and August graduates on May 16 at Kachel Fieldhouse inside the Williams Center in Whitewater. Included in the graduates earning degrees were 109 students who are veterans, 12 international students and 204 nontraditional undergraduate students, defined as undergraduate students who are 25 years of age or older. In addition, 154 self-identified students with disabilities received degrees.

A total of 116 students earning associate degrees were recognized May 19 at the Wells Cultural Center on the Rock County campus in Janesville.

A total of 215 students participated in the university’s Hired Before Graduation campaign, which celebrates students who landed a job, earned a job promotion, were accepted to graduate school, or started their own business before commencement.

Editor’s note: It is likely that the majority of these students have not been long-term Whitewater residents. They have, however, been registered with the university with Whitewater addresses.

Photo credit: UW-Whitewater/Craig Schreiner

Al Stanek caught this photo of twin fawns as it was approaching dusk.

Our thanks to Al Stanek for sharing this sweet photo.

— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share. Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com. Thanks for thinking about this!

Residents who were planning to watch the 4th of July parade from home were disappointed that the livestream was not available. Sam Jurgilanis of the city media services department told The Banner that the livestream was not forgotten but was not possible due to unavoidable circumstances. He apologized for the inconvenience and confusion. Sam indicated that as soon as the editing is completed the video will be posted to YouTube first before it airs on the TV station. The weekly programming lineup for channel 990 is posted on Facebook, so Sam indicates that “if you’re ever wondering what’s coming up, that’s the best place to check.”