News

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 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. 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. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclIWXHrn8bk676ZwPx9m_IvA_h7X1EFFxigH88pl7HBwPJfg/viewform?usp=dialog

Earlier this year, students enrolled in automotive courses completed a series of ASE certification exams, marking an important milestone in their technical education.

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

Friday, April 10, 2026, 6 pm-9 pm

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,

Whitewater Arts Alliance

Phone: 608-201-2151

Email: wwartsalliance@gmail.com

Website: whitewaterarts.org

Cultural Arts Center, 402 West Main Street

Gallery Hours: Thursdays-Sundays, 12pm-4pm

UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey A. King recently announced that three finalists have been chosen for the position of Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The position is currently held on an interim basis by Robin Fox.

The candidates are as follows. To view further information on the candidates and the open forums that will take place beginning on Tuesday both in-person and online, click here.

Andrae Marak, Ph.D.
Professor of History and Political Science, Roosevelt University

Andrae Marak Curriculum Vitae

Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Open Forum: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Hyland Hall Timmerman Auditorium or Webex

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Kathryn Zuckweiler, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Dean of the Graduate School, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Kathryn Zuckweiler Curriculum Vitae

Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Open Forum: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Hyland Hall Timmerman Auditorium or Webex

-_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pieter deHart, Ph.D.
Associate Provost for Research, Dean of Graduate Studies, Minnesota State University-Mankato

Pieter deHart Curriculum Vitae

Thursday, April 9, 2026
Open Forum: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Hyland Hall Timmerman Auditorium or Webex

The “road closed” signs have gone up on Highway 59 and Janesville Street. If you’re looking to get to Kwik Trip on that corner, or one of the several other businesses located in that immediate area, that won’t be a problem. No through traffic is allowed, meaning that anyone driving past that area and the Rock/Walworth County line must be traveling to a home or business in that area or risk being ticketed.

The official detour takes Walworth Avenue/County N all the way to Highway 26. Many residents already take Rock/Walworth County Line Road to Highway 59 on their way to Milton or Janesville. That option is still available. Alternatively, to get to Janesville one may take Highway 89 to Richmond and travel west on County A to Janesville.

As was announced previously on The Banner, this closure is only the first of three phases of this summer’s road construction, as shown below.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has announced a roadway improvement project affecting portions of State Highway 59 and State Highway 89 in and near Whitewater.

Construction is expected to begin April 1, 2026, and is anticipated to be completed by the end of June, early July, 2026, weather permitting. The project will occur in three stages.

Stage 1:
Highway 59 from the Rock/Walworth County line to Janesville Street

• Curb and gutter replacement
• Sidewalk and pedestrian ramp upgrades
• Milling existing pavement and installing new asphalt
  Traffic will be detoured using County Highway N and Highway 26.
  
  Stage 2:
  Highway 59 from Janesville Street to US 12 and Highway 89 from US 12 to Wills Ray Road
• Milling existing pavement
• Installing new asphalt
  Traffic will remain open with flagging operations.
  
  Stage 3:
  Highway 59 from the Rock/Walworth County line to Janesville Street
• High-friction surface treatment
  Traffic will again be detoured using County Highway N and Highway 26.
  Electronic message boards will be placed one week prior to closures to alert motorists. Please slow down and use extra caution when traveling through construction zones.
  Thank you for your patience during these roadway improvements.

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Brad Marquardt, city director of public works.

Editor’s note: The following announcement was posted on the Whitewater Fire & EMS Facebook page. 

BIG Announcement: Out with the old and in with the new! 

The Whitewater Fire & EMS has retired its 35‑year‑old ladder truck and introduced a safer, modern replacement.

The old truck was well beyond recommended service life and nearly failed its last inspection. This upgrade was necessary to remain NFPA [National Fire Protection Association] compliant. The new truck is officially in service, ensuring our crews can continue protecting the community safely and effectively.

Watch the full video:

Easter,^{[nb 1]} also called Pascha^{[nb 2]} (Aramaic, Greek, Latin) or Resurrection Sunday,^{[nb 3]} is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD.^[12][13] It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.

Easter and its related holidays are moveable feasts, not falling on a fixed date; its date is computed based on a lunisolar calendar (solar year plus Moon phase) similar to the Hebrew calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established only two rules, namely independence from the Hebrew calendar and worldwide uniformity. No details for the computation were specified; these were worked out in practice, a process that took centuries and generated a number of controversies. It has come to be the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March.^[18] Even if calculated on the basis of the more accurate Gregorian calendar, the date of that full moon sometimes differs from that of the astronomical first full moon after the March equinox.^[19]

The earliest date on which [Western] Easter Sunday can occur is March 22. This was the case in the year 1818, and it will not happen again until the year 2285.

The latest date it can fall on is April 25. The last time Easter Sunday fell on April 25 was in 1943, and the next occurrence will be in 2038.

[From Wikipedia]