Add some sparkle to the start of spring by taking in a performance of Walt Disney’s “Dare to Dream JR” musical revue by the Whitewater Middle School Players in the James M. Stewart Auditorium at Whitewater High School on April 9 and 10 at 7 p.m. and April 11 at 2 p.m.
Tickets (April 9 – Pay What You Can, April 10 and 11 – $5 students, $10 adults) are available an hour before the performances. Also, 30 minutes before the performances, Tom Ganser’s photos from the WMS productions of “Seussical” (2023), “Far Fetched Fairytales” (2024), and “Annie” (2025) will be shown.
The show is based on four important Walt Disney principles for a fulfilling life that are more important today than ever before. First, Think. Second, Dream. Third, Believe. And Finally, Dare.
Editor’s note: Photos and copy courtesy of Tom Ganser.
By Lynn Binnie Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
The following are unofficial April 7 election results for the competitive area races based on reports from Jefferson, Rock and Walworth Counties. All results are subject to review by the local Boards of Canvassers.
City of Whitewater Common Council
Councilmember at Large Orin Smith 1081 Aubrey Thompson 861
Councilmember, District 2 Gavin Kelleher 190 Sean Liebherr 46
Councilmember, District 4 Chuck Mills 210 Brian Schanen 375
Town of Lima
Town Board Supervisor 4 Lee Taylor 158 Brandon Pattermann 101
Town of Richmond
Town Board Supervisor 3 Tim Baker 358 Larry Gard 243
Town Board Supervisor 4 Mike Bergman 289 William Lange 283
Whitewater Unified School District School Board (3 will be elected) Stephanie Hicks 2044 Lisa Huempfner 2053 Terri Jones 1849 Christy Linse 1707
State Race Justice of the Supreme Court – Chris Taylor is projected to win, with nearly 60% of the vote.
Editor’s note: The following announcement was posted to the City of Beloit website on April 7. John Weidl has served as Whitewater’s city manager since November 2022 after serving as the interim manager for three months. Beloit’s population is approximately 36,000, while our city’s population is about 16,000. The latter number, of course, includes many UW-Whitewater students.
Beloit City Council Announces City Manager Finalists
The Beloit City Council has selected two candidates to advance in the search for the next City Manager. Both candidates will appear in a community forum next week.
The community forum is scheduled for 6pm Monday, April 13, at Beloit Public Library, 605 Eclipse Blvd. The city anticipates that the event will be livestreamed and recorded.
The candidates are:
Daniel Ortiz Hernandez: Ortiz Hernandez has been in municipal management for 13 years. He currently serves as assistant city manager in Ennis, Texas, where he helps lead more than 240 employees across 12 departments with a combined budget of $74 million; he started in this role in 2024. He has previously served as city administrator in Kimball, Nebraska, and city manager in Wasco, California, and Webster City, Iowa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University and a Master of Public Administration with an Urban Management concentration from Arizona State University. He is an ICMA Credentialed Manager and a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard Kennedy School.
John Weidl: Weidl has been in municipal management for 15 years and has served in the U.S. Air Force. He currently serves as city manager in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where he oversees 140 employees and a combined budget of $24 million. He has previously served as village administrator and economic development director in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, and as city administrator, clerk-treasurer, and director of public works in Princeton, Wisconsin. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Northern Illinois University and is an ICMA Credentialed Manager, Certified Economic Developer, and Certified Public Manager. He is currently completing his Doctor of Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Following the community forum, the candidates will participate in additional interviews on Tuesday, April 14. The City Council is expected to make a final selection by Monday, April 20.
The City Council invites the public to submit questions for the candidates for the community forum to publiccomment@beloitwi.gov. Questions should be submitted no later than April 11, 2026. Not all submitted questions will be asked. The City Council reserves the right to select, combine, or adapt submitted questions to address key themes, and may ask additional questions of its own.
The FIRST Robotics Seven Rivers Wisconsin District Event took place at the La Crosse Center from Thursday, April 2 – Saturday, April 4, featuring 33 high school teams from Wisconsin as well as a visiting team from Indiana. Ferradermis competed hard, going 9-2 in qualification matches and ranking 5th at the end of qualifications. The team played 12 total qualification matches but only earned ranking points for 11 of them because of a red card disqualification when our robot accidentally knocked over another robot during a match.
During alliance selections, Ferradermis moved up to become the captain of the #4 seeded alliance and invited Team 171 The Cheese Curd Herd from Platteville and Team 8782 TroBotics from New Auburn to join them for the playoffs. After victories over the #5 seed and #1 seed, Ferradermis was bumped to the lower portion of the double-elimination bracket by the #3 seed. They then lost their rematch with the #1 seeded alliance, the eventual champions, to end their weekend in third place overall.
Points earned from this competition combined with the previous competition at Lakeland College qualified the team to compete in the State Championship Event at Brookfield East High School from April 17-19. It is at the end of this event, that it will be determined which Wisconsin teams will represent the state in Houston for the World Championships.
Team members traveling to La Crosse included Chacha Binagi, Rae Breisath, Emilie Bruns, Asher Downs, Erison Dreksler, Georgia Esch, Alex Fletcher, Mason Genung, Vivian Harris, Nina Heim, Cooper Housel, Ace Hudec, Jayden Kehrer, Colby Long, Carson Miller, Preston Miller, Al Nelson, Sam Raupp, Julian Rennells, Johan Servin, Owen Taylor, Letty Trautman, Elora Wildermuth-Breitzman, Paxton Wilson, and Mily Zeferino-Hernandez.
In addition to competing on the field, several members volunteered to take shifts at the safety glass station, and seven students joined the team choir to perform the national anthem during opening ceremonies. Eight members served as team ambassadors, giving tours to VIPs. Students also rotated through scouting shifts, and the Impact Team presented for the judges. Team members staffed the team pit throughout the event, working on the robot between matches, talking with judges, and selecting the recipients of their pit awards. Safety Captain Nina Heim received the Safety All-Star Award based on nominations from other teams.
On the way to the event, students experienced a UW La Crosse campus tour, visited the Mississippi Valley Archeology Center as a tribute to this season’s archeology theme, stopped at the Dahl Auto Museum, and spent a couple of hours bowling, a team tradition.
Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor lmasbruch@wwusd.org
The following press release was issued by the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents on April 7.
MADISON, Wis.—The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System has unanimously voted to make a change in leadership of the system, with current President Jay Rothman’s tenure ending immediately.
The Board is grateful for President Rothman’s service and recognizes the meaningful work undertaken during his tenure. Under his leadership, the Universities of Wisconsin took important and often difficult steps to address longstanding structural deficits, putting individual universities on sounder financial footing for the future. He worked hard to bring the best to the campuses, students, faculty, and staff. Those efforts and that dedication are acknowledged and appreciated. However, despite these accomplishments, based on the annual performance review and subsequent discussions, the Board has lost confidence in President Rothman’s ability to lead the UWs moving forward. View a copy of yesterday’s statement providing additional details. [See below.]
Universities of Wisconsin Vice President for University Relations Chris Patton will serve as Acting Executive-in-Charge Prior to Appointment of Interim President.
The Board has immediately moved forward in its work to identify the successor. Further details regarding that process will be shared in the coming weeks.
The Universities of Wisconsin have incredible students, faculty, and staff and serve as an economic engine for the state of Wisconsin. The UWs work will continue unabated during this transition, and the remarkable accomplishments and work of the 13 universities will continue.
STATEMENT Universities of Wisconsin Regents President Amy B. Bogost April 6, 2024
The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents takes its fiduciary responsibility seriously and acts in the best interests of our students, faculty, staff, and the people of Wisconsin. Under Board policy, the Board President is tasked to conduct an annual performance review of the System President. The Board President met with a wide variety of individuals and stakeholders including, Regents, Chancellors and other members of the Universities of Wisconsin communities. Regent leadership then shared the results of that review with President Rothman. This process consisted of multiple meetings with the full Board of Regents, including direct conversations and clear feedback regarding leadership expectations.
President Rothman was not without notice, nor was this process sudden. The Board has engaged with President Rothman in good-faith discussions over the past several months. This does not diminish the President’s many contributions, which we acknowledge and greatly appreciate. As an at-will employee of the Board of Regents, the System President serves at the pleasure of the Board, which bears the responsibility of determining whether its chosen leader continues to hold its confidence. This governance structure is standard practice, and it exists to ensure that we remain accountable to the public we are honored to serve.
At a time of profound change in higher education, this decision is about the future. The Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities, and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce, and communities across all 72 counties.
The Board will meet on April 7, 2026, at 5:00pm to consider next steps with that responsibility firmly in mind.
Polls will be open on Tuesday, April 7 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. A photo ID is required. Same-day registration is available. Proof of residence is required for registration, and the voter must have lived in the residence for at least the previous 28 days.
Anyone may enter their address at this websiteto 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. There will be no charge for parking at the university in lots 12 or 12A.
All city residents will have the following contested races on their ballot: Justice of the Supreme Court Whitewater Unified School District School Board Members (four candidates for three seats) City of Whitewater Council Member At Large
City residents in Districts 2 and 4 also have a contested race for Common Council member.
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.
This Easter, we’re seeing what happens when a community begins to come together around something meaningful.
Across Walworth County, real progress is underway.
Whitewater: A Strong Start
Excavation began this past week at 214 E. Main Street in Whitewater [shown above], marking the first visible step toward two new workforce homes for local families. To recognize this moment, we invite you to join us for a ground blessing: Thursday, April 9 at 4:30 p.m. 214 E. Main Street, Whitewater. If you’d like to attend, RSVP here.
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Habitat for Humanity Walworth County.
On May 1st you can give a little bit of joy to someone special. The Whitewater Lions Club is hosting their annual May Day Basket fundraiser. For $5 your recipient will receive a paper basket containing a paper flower and assorted candy. The order form is in Google Docs, address below; please fill out one form per delivery address. Orders due by 4/25, and are limited to addresses in the Whitewater School District. Orders will be delivered on Friday May 1 approximately between 7-8 am.
Earlier this year, students enrolled in automotive courses completed a series of ASE certification exams, marking an important milestone in their technical education.
Not Pictured: Rae Breisath, Aaron Aranda Porras, Dayne Lohmeier, Carter Lein, Preston Miller, and Lucas Klein.
In the Auto Service Fundamentals course, students had the opportunity to take the ASE A5 Brakes exam. Those who successfully passed earned their first ASE credential—Entry-Level ASE Certification—a nationally recognized industry qualification. Meanwhile, Auto II students completed the Manual Transmission certification exam, further advancing their technical expertise.
Preparation for these assessments involved a comprehensive blend of classroom instruction and hands-on experience. Students engaged with ASE-aligned curriculum, exploring key concepts in brake systems and manual transmissions. Lessons covered topics such as identifying signs of brake failure, measuring and diagnosing brake pad wear, flaring brake lines, and repairing both disc and drum brake systems. Students also learned to recognize and address issues such as air in brake lines.
Throughout the unit, emphasis was placed on building technical vocabulary and reinforcing theoretical knowledge. Students then applied these concepts in the shop through practical lab work designed to develop real-world skills.
To further support exam readiness, students participated in daily review exercises using ASE-style questions. These “bell ringer” activities encouraged critical thinking, as each question was carefully analyzed to help students understand its intent and evaluate possible answers. Through guided discussion and deductive reasoning, students developed the test-taking strategies necessary for success on industry certification exams.
Autos instructor Justin Buntrock had the highest number of students pass and highest percentage of success so far in his nine years of teaching! He is very excited for these students and proud of what they achieved. Even the large majority of students who didn’t pass only missed it by 1 or 2 questions, which is very impressive!
Auto 1 students earning their certification: Nolvin Alvarez, Cristian Juan Aranda, Micah Dvorak, Aubrey Fuoco, Lucas Klein, Carter Lien, Quinton O’Toole, Fransisco Alcala, Rae Breisath, Emmanual Cansino-Pena, Mason Dvorak, Aaron Garcia, Preston Miller, Cooper O’Neal.
Auto II students earning their certification: Westley Carlson, Logan Duesterbeck, Jhonny Escobar, Jimmy Kinson, Dayne Lohmeier.
Advanced Auto Student earning his certification: Aaron Aranda Porras.
Article and Photo Submitted by Justin Buntrock Whitewater High School Automotive Teacher jbuntrock@wwusd.org
The Whitewater Arts Alliance invites the community to an evening of food, fun, and friendly competition at BINGO a la Mostaccioli on Friday, April 10, 2026, from 6 pm-9 pm, with doors opening at 5 pm. The event will be held at Berry Hall (which is accessible and has an elevator) at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1225 W. Main Street in Whitewater.
Guests will enjoy a delicious homemade dinner featuring their choice of meat or vegetarian mostaccioli, along with garlic bread, salads, desserts, and refreshments—all included with the price of admission. Specialty mocktails and additional refreshments will be available for purchase throughout the evening.
Admission is $20 per person and includes one BINGO sheet for each of the 10 rounds, one cash raffle ticket, dinner, and refreshments. Cash is preferred and checks as well as Mastercard and Visa are accepted.
All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Whitewater Arts Alliance, supporting local arts programming and cultural events in the community. The Alliance extends its sincere thanks to the generous sponsors who are helping make this event possible, including The Blue Opal • Countryside Jeweler • Culver’s • Edward Jones • First English Lutheran Church • The Dentist • The Duck Inn •Fanatico • JM Carpets • Dawn Aiello Klocek • McCullough’s LTC Pharmacy • Pet Supplies Plus • Revamp Nutrition • Rock County Honda • Rosa’s Pizza • Superior Plumbing.
Community members are encouraged to gather friends and join in the fun for a lively evening of BINGO, great prizes, and wonderful food—all while supporting the arts in Whitewater.
For more information, contact: Kim Adams, Gallery Director,
