News

Editor’s note: This announcement was provided by Walworth County. Residents of the city are welcome to participate whether they live in Walworth or Jefferson County.

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

Next week on Thursday, July 2, the Whitewater Arts Alliance, along with the Whitewater Historical Society, the Whitewater Landmarks Commission, and the Walworth County Historical Society will open an exhibit that celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This exhibit is called “Whitewater Heritage 250: Living Democracy” and celebrates how the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights have affected events in Whitewater’s history.

One of the ideals of these documents is “Rule by the People,” and this was physically expressed in 1899-1900 with the construction of Whitewater’s first substantial City Hall, the home of local government. This view is from December of 1899 and shows the building under construction.

Come see the exhibit at the Arts Alliance, July 2-July 26, Thursdays-Sundays 12:00-4:00 p.m., including July 4.

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

(1984P, Whitewater Historical Society)

Whitewater High School students will soon have expanded access to robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence through the new Generac Innovation Center. The lab is being made available through a partnership between Generac and the Whitewater Unified School District. It will support hands-on learning in engineering, manufacturing, and computer science.

“By providing students hands-on experience with industry-standard robotics and automation, Generac is strengthening STEM career readiness and creating opportunities for students,” said Generac Community Programs Manager Kelly Skindzelewski. “We are proud to power up education and inspire the next generation through this partnership.”

The Generac Innovation Center is part of the district’s career and technical education renovation and expansion project at WHS, made possible through the spring 2025 community referendum. The center will connect classroom learning to workplace applications and help students develop skills needed for manufacturing and engineering careers. Students will see a direct connection between their classroom learning and local industry, reinforcing career pathways and helping them develop relevant, job-ready skills.

The Generac Foundation is providing a $200,000 donation to help secure equipment for the center, which is expected to be completed by September. The sponsorship will fund FANUC ER-4iA fenceless industrial robots and Niryo Ned 2 robotic arm systems with vacuum pumps, conveyors, and vision systems. It will also feature a robotics lab and a dedicated area for robotics activities and practice space for the school’s FIRST robotics team.

“Partnerships like this create opportunities that schools cannot provide alone,” said WUSD Career and Technical Education Coordinator Michael Rick. “This investment is not just in equipment or a facility. It is also an investment in our students, their futures, and the continued growth of the Whitewater community.”

Generac has a manufacturing facility in Whitewater that employs more than 800 people.

“The Generac Innovation Center represents a generational investment in our students,” said WHS Principal Brent Mansky. “By mirroring today’s industrial environments, we are preparing students for their first jobs and for lifelong careers in rapidly evolving fields.”

About Generac

Generac is a total energy solutions company that empowers people to use energy on their own terms. Founded in 1959, Generac is a leading global designer, manufacturer, and provider of a wide range of energy technology solutions. The company provides power generation equipment, energy storage systems, energy management devices & solutions, and other power products and services serving the residential, commercial, data center, telecom, rental, and industrial markets. Generac introduced the first affordable backup generator and later created the automatic home standby generator category. The company’s broad portfolio of energy technology offerings for homes and businesses enables its mission to “Power a Smarter World” and lead the evolution to more resilient, efficient, and innovative energy solutions.

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Generac.

Rummage sale at 1645 Mound View Place Whitewater, WI 53190
Thursday June 25, 2026 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Friday June 26, 2026 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Saturday June 27, 2026 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Runners are once again encouraged to preregister for this year’s Whippet City Mile. The one-mile race will begin approximately ten minutes before the start of the 4th of July parade and will be led by the usual array of Harley Davidson motorcycles. Bib numbers can be picked up prior to the race at the registration table on Prince Street. The course will follow its usual path beginning on Prince Street, turning right onto Main, and then it’s “Katie bar the door” as runners begin their descent into Whitewater’s downtown area (7/10 of a mile downhill), finishing on the corner of Main and Whitewater Street. The race is free and runners are encouraged to dress in their most patriotic gear to celebrate 250 years of independence. See you there! 

Entrants are encouraged to pre-register by printing and mailing this form as soon as possible. As always, on-site registration will be available.

Adult Mental Health First Aid for Wisconsin Agriculture Community – July 28 & 29

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension is offering a virtual education program to help the Wisconsin agriculture community identify and respond to a variety of behavioral health challenges.  The next virtual Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) for the agriculture community is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, July 28-29, 2026, from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. via the Zoom platform. 

What to expect: Participants are required to attend both virtual sessions. Pre-registration and approximately two hours of self-paced, online pre-work is required to participate in the July 28-29 training. Register for free at go.wisc.edu/11mr82. 

Nearly one in five adults lives with a mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Research shows that suicide rates are higher within the rural and agriculture communities. The stigma of mental health challenges and thoughts of suicide is prevalent in our rural and farming communities. Mental Health First Aid helps community members better understand how they can support their friends, family members, and neighbors and help break the stigma around mental health. 

Just as CPR teaches you how to help someone having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid instructs how to help someone experiencing a mental health challenge including, but not limited to, depression and anxiety symptoms, panic attacks and substance misuse, as well as someone thinking about suicide. The program gives participants the skills, confidence and resources to provide initial support and be able to respond in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Mental Health First Aid is a program that teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of these challenges.  

The instructors for this training are two UW-Madison Division of Extension Educators: Joy Kirkpatrick, Farm Succession Outreach Specialist and Beverly Doll, Grant County Human Development & Relationships Educator. If you have questions about the training, please contact either joy.kirkpatrick@wisc.edu, 608-263-3485 or beverly.doll@wisc.edu, 608-723-2125. 

To register for this free program, go to go.wisc.edu/11mr82.

Funding for these training programs is provided by the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center USDA/NIFA award number 2025-70028-4537.  

Rock River Community Clinic (RRCC) recently completed their $2 million capital campaign
after just over a year of fundraising efforts.

The Wisconsin State Building Commission recently awarded RRCC $330,000 through the Non-
State Grant Program, helping reach the finish line.

The 2025-2026 “Moving Upstream” Campaign consisted of:
● Opening a new integrated medical, dental & behavioral client site in the first floor of the
Fort HealthCare Johnson Creek clinic to expand and integrate patient care services
● Renovating the existing medical clinic in Whitewater to expand into the empty lower suite
for administrative and business offices, creating additional space to support the
continued growth of medical services.
● Relocating and renovating the Watertown medical clinic to the empty Medical Clinic
building on the Watertown Regional Medical Center campus
“Because of this incredible support, we’ll be able to serve more patients while reducing barriers
to accessing care,” said Dr. Olivia Nichols, CEO/Executive Director of Rock River Community
Clinic. “Medical, dental, and behavioral health services will operate together in our new
Johnson Creek clinic, a milestone made possible by this campaign and the generosity of our
community.”

By integrating patient services, RRCC will minimize overhead costs and maximize patient
access to affordable services. By late summer, RRCC plans to transform the Watertown clinic
into an outpatient behavioral health center. With these expansions, RRCC projects to serve
6,800 patients annually by 2028, totaling an estimated 23,000 visits.

Caption (from left to right): The lobby of the new Johnson Creek integrated care clinic, the
renovated Whitewater clinic, and the exterior of the new Watertown clinic.

RRCC will host a public open house of the Johnson Creek clinic later this summer, offering
community members an opportunity to tour the clinic and learn more about RRCC’s mission to
provide quality, comprehensive health care for all.

To learn more about Rock River Community Clinic, visit RockRiverCommunityClinic.com/, or
contact Dr. Nichols at director@rockrivercommunityclinic.org or 262.472.6839.

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Rock River Community Clinic (RRCC) is a community health center that provides
comprehensive and cost-effective health care services to ensure all community members have
access to the care they need.

At RRCC, all community members are welcome and accepted, regardless of ability to pay, with
discounted prices for patients who are uninsured or underinsured (high deductible plans).
RRCC also provides care coordination services to help patients overcome barriers to accessing
healthcare (e.g., transportation), and helps to coordinate referrals. Bilingual staff (Spanish &
English) are available to support patients and their families. By increasing access to health care
services, offering care at affordable costs, and assisting with healthcare navigation, RRCC
works to create a healthier, more equitable, community. For clinic hours and directions, visit
www.rockrivercommunityclinic.org

In addition to all the ways our city will celebrate our Nation’s 250^th Birthday, there will be a 40th Anniversary REDEDICATION of the Starin Park War Memorial on 7/4/26 after the PARADE at 1 pm.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

It was erected in early 1986 and dedicated July 4,1986. This Memorial recognizes our Whitewater veterans who paid the ultimate price for our freedom; 25 died in World War II, 2 died in the Korean War, and 4 died in the Vietnam War.  All these men lived in the Whitewater Unified School District.