News

Whitewater Unified School District Superintendent Samuel Karns will host a community listening session on Wednesday, February 11.

The “Conversation with Karns” event will take place from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center. It will give community members an opportunity to learn more about the district’s future, ask questions, and share input on key initiatives shaping Whitewater schools.

Topics of discussion will include the district’s strategic plan launch and opportunities for community involvement, 4K enrollment, and the 7 Mindsets framework.

The event will also feature special guest Araceli Wence, community crisis liaison from Walworth County Health and Human Services serving in Whitewater, who will participate in the conversation and share information about mental health resources.

“We believe strong schools are built through meaningful relationships and open communication with our community,” Superintendent Karns said. “This event gives us a chance to listen, share where we are headed as a district, and work together to support a better future for all students.”

No registration is required to attend. Community members are encouraged to participate and engage in the discussion.

More information about the Whitewater Unified School District is available at www.wwusd.org.

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WUSD Invita a la Comunidad a una Conversación con el Superintendente Samuel Karns

El Superintendente del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Whitewater (WUSD), Samuel Karns, organizará una sesión comunitaria de escucha el miércoles 11 de febrero. Interpretación en español disponible.

El evento, titulado “Conversación con Karns”, se llevará a cabo de 12:00 p.m. a 2:00 p.m. en el Centro Comunitario Cravath Lakefront. Será una oportunidad para que los miembros de la comunidad conozcan más sobre el futuro del distrito, hagan preguntas y compartan sus opiniones sobre iniciativas clave que están dando forma a las escuelas de Whitewater.

Los temas de conversación incluirán el lanzamiento del plan estratégico del distrito, oportunidades de
participación comunitaria, inscripciones para 4K y el marco de trabajo 7 Mentalidades.

El evento contará también con la participación especial de Araceli Wence, enlace comunitaria de crisis del condado de Walworth Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos sirviendo en, quien compartirá recursos disponibles sobre salud mental.

“Creemos que las escuelas sólidas se construyen a través de relaciones significativas y una comunicación abierta con nuestra comunidad,” dijo el Superintendente Karns. “Este evento nos brinda la oportunidad de escuchar, compartir hacia dónde vamos como distrito y trabajar juntos por un mejor futuro para todos los estudiantes.”

No se requiere inscripción para asistir. Se alienta a los miembros de la comunidad a participar activamente en la conversación.

Más información sobre el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Whitewater está disponible en www.wwusd.org.

“The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”
Wednesday, February 11, 1 pm
(Classic Musical/Romance/Drama)
Rated G; 1 hour 31 minutes (1964).

Our early Valentine to you, is this French classic romance film. In this tale of reciprocated love, a young woman (Catherine Deneuvre) separated from her lover by war, faces a life-altering decision. This is a love story told entirely in song (no dialogue). It will be shown in its original French language with English subtitles. The musical score by Michel Legrand is most memorable. (Bring your Kleenex). 

We will have complimentary Valentine’s chocolates for the audience. 

Alexis Boston joins First Citizens State Bank

Nate Parrish, President of First Citizens State Bank, is pleased to announce that Alexis Boston has joined the Bank as a Loan Officer at the Whitewater Main Office, located at 207 W Main Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Alexis is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness. She is committed to giving back to the community and being actively involved in clubs and organizations. She is the current Vice President of the Milton FFA Alumni as well as a previous Ambassador for the Milton Chamber of Commerce and served as Co-Chair for the Young Professionals Council for the South-Central Wisconsin Builders Association.

In making the announcement, Nate Parrish said, “We are excited to welcome Alexis to our lending team focusing on agriculture, mortgage, and small business. Her fresh perspective, paired with her dedication to personalized service, will be a great asset to all of our customers and the communities we serve.”

In her spare time, Alexis enjoys traveling, sports, hunting, and fishing. She also loves making memories with her family and friends.

Alexis commented, “Developing trustworthy and meaningful relationships with customers is essential in banking. I’m eager to continue my banking career and follow this philosophy in a locally rooted and people-focused institution while offering a range of loan solutions to support our customers’ goals.”

First Citizens State Bank, locally owned and operated since 1863, is committed to serving the communities in which we live, work, and do business. We are proud of the partnerships we have established with organizations, businesses and individuals in Southeastern Wisconsin. First Citizens State Bank has Full-service offices in Whitewater, East Troy and Palmyra. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

This year, WHS students attended MUNUC (Model United Nations of the University of Chicago), one of the largest and most prestigious Model UN conferences in the country.

Over the course of the conference, students represented countries and debated real-world global issues. Participants practiced public speaking, collaboration, research, and problem-solving while working with students from schools across the nation. We are so proud of our students and teachers who took the time to attend and participate in the conference.

Article and Photos Submitted by Liberty Cunningham
Whitewater High School Co-Model UN Advisor
cunli01@wwusd.org

Steve Watson writes, “I was watching a mink work the shoreline. It was jumping in and out of the creek, when it finally caught a fish. As it was swimming away, this bird started diving on the mink to steal its catch. The bird was unsuccessful. I think the bird is a red shouldered hawk.

From the skate park bridge.”

Our thanks to Steve Watson for a great photographic story.

— 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!

March 18–19, 2026
Madison, Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. – Mastitis is the dairy industry’s most costly disease, directly impacting milk quality, cow health, and farm profits. To address this, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension developed the “Milk Quality from the Udder World” certification program. This initiative empowers on-farm trainers with the practical skills and communication tools
needed to lead teams in consistent, best-practice milking routines.

This certification is designed for farm owners, parlor managers, and supervisors, as well as professionals who support dairy farms, including consultants, field representatives, veterinarians, and educators. All program content, workshops, and training materials are available in English and Spanish.

Participants learn how to:
 Explain the “why” behind each step of the milking routine.
 Coach teams to work calmly and consistently.
 Communicate clearly and provide effective feedback.
 Apply research-based strategies to prevent mastitis.

To earn the certification, participants must complete two required components:

1. Self-paced online course (approximately 2 hours)
   The online course must be completed before attending the workshop. It includes five interactive modules covering milk quality, udder anatomy and function, and best practices for maintaining healthy udder.
2. One-day, in-person workshop (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
   The in-person workshop focuses on hands-on practice and trainer skill development. Participants strengthen their ability to train others, communicate expectations, and support consistent milking routines.
   
   To register, visit: https://go.wisc.edu/mquwevents [Note: it appears that the “join course waitlist” notification that may appear does not apply to this course. Simply choose the English or Spanish option for the Madison course.]
   The cost of the certification program is $95.
   Questions may also be directed to: Carolina Pinzón | Bilingual Dairy Outreach Specialist
   carolina.pinzon@wisc.edu | Phone number: (608) 890-2961.

Whitewater Unified School District Legislative Breakfast – Monday @ 8:30 a.m.
Whitewater High School Library, 534 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin

City of Whitewater Plan & Architectural Review Commission – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes discussion and possible approval of site plans for Whitewater Middle School and Whitewater High School.
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room, 312 West Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI 53190
*In Person and Virtual
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup
join/19%3ameeting_OGZmYzY1MGQtMGMyZC00ODk0LThjNjMtN2E4ODI0YWY1MjFk%40thread.v2/0?c
ontext=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22d015a1a7-4cf9-4719-99d9
1d1ae1176df0%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f5acfe74-3d75-4308-82ab-7f3bcc83e42a%22%7d
Dial in by phone
+1 929-229-5663,,299820176# United States
Phone conference ID: 299 820 176#

City of Whitewater Public Works Committee – Tuesday @ 5:15 p.m.
Agenda
*City Manager Conference Room, 2nd Floor, 312 W. Whitewater St.
Whitewater, WI 53190
*In Person and Virtual
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.
Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/24177860254201?p=bnsA2fzLIXRaM8zrRS
Telephone:
Webinar ID:
Passcode:
Phone conference ID:
+1 929-229-5663,,141894801#
241 778 602 542 01
mE3bb259
141 894 801#

Whitewater Forward Community Round Table – Tuesday @ 6:00 – 7:30 pm.
Starin Park Community Building
504 W Starin Road

City of Whitewater Comprehensive Plan Work Group – Wednesday @ 4:00 -5::00 p.m.
Whitewater Municipal Building Cravath Lakefront Conference Room, 312 West Whitewater St. 2nd Floor

City of Whitewater Equal Opportunity Commission – Wednesday @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda
Whitewater Municipal Building City Manager’s Conference Room, 312 West Whitewater St.,
*In Person and Virtual
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.
Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/23178167906802?p=oUV5gATh5sOYeqDuSo
Dial in by phone
+1 929-229-5663,,157153435# United States,
Phone conference ID: 157 153 435#

Learn How AI Agents are Redefining How Organizations Operate  UWM’s Free AI Webinar: Tuesday, February 10, Noon-1 pm

Milwaukee, WI – Don’t miss this free AI learning opportunity! Join UW-Milwaukee’s School of Continuing Education for a free AI webinar — From Chatbots to Agents: AI’s Future in the Workplace — Tuesday, Feb 10 from noon-1 pm.  AI agents are changing the game.  Join us for a free webinar that breaks down: What AI agents really are (no tech jargon!)   • Why they’re revolutionizing business operations     • Real-world use cases in sales, HR, IT, finance & more     • How to avoid common implementation pitfalls   Event Details:  What: From Chatbots to Agents: AI’s Future in the Workplace   When: Tuesday, February 10, Noon-1 pm  [Editor’s note: The press release indicated that February 10 is Wednesday. We are assuming that the event is actually on Tuesday, which is Feb. 10.]  Where: Livestreaming online    Cost: Free   Registration: RSVP online at https://bit.ly/4qOYBMF  Reserve your spot today!   About UWM’s School of Continuing Education      The UWM School of Continuing Education is the largest provider of professional development in southeastern Wisconsin, delivering over 1,000 programs to more than 15,000 participants each year. As part of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which is recognized as one of the nation’s top research universities, Continuing Education offers individual courses, certificate programs, events, and conferences, as well as personal enrichment learning opportunities for all ages. Our conference center, complete with classrooms, computer labs and livestream capabilities, is in downtown Milwaukee.

Edgerton Hospital & Health Services hosting 2026 Community Health Needs Assessment

Over the next few months, Edgerton Hospital and Health Services will be working with other area community leaders to update the Rock County, WI 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Today we are requesting Rock County community members’ input regarding current healthcare delivery and unmet resident needs.

The goal of this assessment update is to understand progress from past community health needs assessments conducted in 2023, 2020 and 2017, while collecting up-to-date community health perceptions and ideas. VVV Consultants LLC, an independent research firm from Olathe, KS has been retained to conduct this countywide research.

A brief community survey has been developed to accomplish this work. *Note: The CHNA survey link can be accessed by visiting EHHS website. You may also utilize the QR code below.

All community residents and business leaders are encouraged to complete this online survey by February 16th, 2026. In addition, a CHNA Town Hall meeting to discuss the survey findings and identify unmet needs will be held on Thursday, March 26th for dinner from 5 pm-6:30 pm. More info to come soon! Thank you in advance for your time and support!

If you have any questions regarding CHNA activities, please call (608) 884-3441

“One Battle After Another” 
Tuesday, February 10, 1 pm
(Action/Dark Comedy/Political Thriller/Drama)
Rated R (Language, violence); 2 hours, 41 minutes (2025).

Washed-up revolutionary Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off the grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his evil nemesis, Colonel Stephen J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) resurfaces after 16 years, and Willa goes missing, Bob, the former radical, scrambles to find her, now father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past. The film also stars Regina Hall and Benito del Toro. This film and its diverse cast have received many nominations and awards.  “One Battle” has 13 Oscar Nominations.