News

Editor’s note: This announcement was submitted by Pam Brotzman and Alicia Zamora.

We will be holding a candlelight vigil for the baby that was found on Saturday, bringing the community together so we can show we care about what happened. Please bring your own candle as we are not sure what we will have.

Saturday, March 11, 7:00 p.m. – Twin Oaks Park, 755 N. Tratt Street, Whitewater, WI.

Editor’s note: A story about the incident on March 4 may be found here.

 The Whitewater Community Foundation is now accepting applications for Spring Community Action Grants.  Grants will be awarded to local non-profit organizations actively working to support the greater Whitewater community.  Please spread the word to groups working to effect positive change in the Whitewater area. Qualified projects should be intended for educational, cultural, charitable or benevolent purposes that will benefit and improve the greater Whitewater community.  Projects are expected to be accomplished within a specific period of time (generally not more than one year) and should be creative, innovative and address community needs.  We look forward to working with leaders who are striving to make our community a greater place to live, work, and learn.

Interested organizations can find more information and fill out an application at WCFGrantApplication.pdf  The deadline for submitting applications is April 30, 2023.

About WCF: The Whitewater Community Foundation’s mission is to “Enhance the quality of life in the Whitewater area via educational, cultural, charitable or benevolent expenditures” through scholarships and community action grants. Donations can be made by sending a check made payable to Whitewater Community Foundation to P.O. Box 428, Whitewater, WI, 53190, or donate online at whitewatercommunityfoundation.org by hitting the “Donate” button on top of the contact page. For tax purposes, the Whitewater Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Corporation. 

To: City of Whitewater
From: John Weidl, City Manager
Date: March 7, 2023
RE: Facts about the City and Irvin L. Young Memorial Library

Hello. I would like to share several facts about the City of Whitewater and the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library that cannot be disputed.

The City of Whitewater’s vision statement reads: Building upon our rich history, we will continue to be a welcoming, safe, and dynamic community. We will embrace the cultural and educational opportunities that the presence of a thriving University and an increasingly diverse population offers.

That is a fact and cannot be disputed.

Further, the City of Whitewater’s mission is to provide efficient and high-quality services which support living, learning, playing, and working in an exceptional community.

That is also a fact and cannot be disputed.

Culture is the customs, arts, social institutions, and collective achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.

That definition is a fact and cannot be disputed. I hope you see where I am going with this.

Community is a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. Such as the scientific community, the business community, the student community, AND the LGBTQ+ community.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends, colleagues, and anyone reading this message, our community’s esteemed and trusted library director, Stacey, and her knowledgeable and inclusive staff ARE providing high quality services that provide cultural and educational opportunities for our increasingly diverse population – promoting living, learning, playing, working, and participating in our exceptional community.

Those are facts and they/them cannot and will not be disputed.

Best, – JSW

By Angela Kelm
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will be in the national spotlight this week as multiple programs compete in national and regional events. UW-Whitewater wrestling and track and field will be represented at national championship meets. The Warhawk men’s and women’s basketball teams have both advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Meanwhile, gymnastics continues their season at the WIAC/NCGA West Regional this weekend and women’s bowling will compete in USBC Sectionals. 

WARHAWK WRESTLING
UW-Whitewater will be represented by three wrestlers at the 2023 national championships March 10-11 in Roanoke, Virginia. Freshman Dominik Mallinder (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) has been impressive in his first collegiate campaign at 133 pounds. Mallinder, the 2023 WIAC champion and NCAA Upper Midwest Regional champion, boasts a 27-14 record this season. 

Jaritt Shinhoster (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Barrington) will look to defend his 2022 national title at 184 pounds this week. The senior won his second consecutive regional title in one of the most dominating performances in history — four matches, four pins, just 6:11 of action. Heading to nationals for the third time in his career, Shinhoster is 25-2 on the season. 

At 149 pounds, Jake Burford (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) will take to the mat for UW-Whitewater. The senior claimed the 2023 WIAC crown in his weight class before finishing as the runner-up at regionals. Burford holds a season mark of 27-6.

2023 NCAA DIII Wrestling | March 10-11 | Berglund Center | Roanoke, Va. | Tickets | Live Results

WARHAWK TRACK AND FIELD
UW-Whitewater will be represented by eight Warhawks at the 2023 National Championship meet in Birmingham, Alabama slated for March 10-11. Sophomore Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) is the favorite in the 5,000 and will also compete in the 3,000-meter run, going in as the third seed. Fellow sophomore Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) will join Patzka in the 5,000. 

Junior Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) goes into the championship meet seeded tenth in the mile. Sophomore Marlon Cystrunk (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) is seeded 14th in the 60-meter hurdles. 

Sophomore Tina Shelton’s (Janesville, Wis./Parker) speed will be on display as she will represent the Warhawks in the 60-meter dash. Her seed time is just one-hundredth behind the Division III leader. She is also seeded 13th. 

In the field events, Gracie Holland (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) is the favorite in the women’s pole vault with the top height in Division III this season. Meanwhile, two Warhawks are featured in the triple jump field. Sophomore Shelvin Garrett is seeded ninth and senior Brayden Zettle (Monroe, Wis./Monroe) is 11th. 

2023 NCAA DIII Championships | March 10-11 | Birmingham CrossPlex | Birmingham, Ala. | Tickets | Live Results

MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Warhawk men’s basketball team will compete in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament Friday in Ashland, Virginia on the campus of Randolph Macon. UW-Whitewater will take on Johns Hopkins at 3 pm. The winner advances to the Elite 8, also hosted by Randolph Macon, to be played Saturday, March 11. 

NCAA DIII Bracket | March 10 | Hosted by Randolph Macon in Ashland, Va. | Tickets | Live Video | Live Stats

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The UW-Whitewater women’s basketball has advanced to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinal for the second consecutive season. The Warhawks will head to the campus of Smith College in Northampton, Mass. for Sweet 16 action against Trinity (Conn.) Friday, March 10. Tipoff is slated for 5 pm Central. The winner will advance to the Elite 8, also hosted by Smith, on Saturday. 

NCAA DIII Bracket | March 10 | Hosted by Smith in Northampton, Mass. | Tickets Sold at Venue (opens one hour before game time) | Live Video | Live Stats

GYMNASTICS
The Warhawks will compete in the 2023 WIAC/NCGA West Regional hosted by UW-Oshkosh in Oshkosh, Wis. Saturday, March 11. The meet is slated to start at 2 pm.

No online ticket sales will be available for this event. Fans can purchase tickets at the Kolf Center ticket window (cash only) starting at 12:30 on March 11. 

Championship Webpage | March 11 | Kolf Center | Oshkosh, Wis. | Live Video

WOMEN’S BOWLING
The Warhawk women’s bowling continues their 2022-23 campaign at USBC Sectionals March 11-12 in Dallas, Texas. 

USBC Sectionals | March 11-12 | USA Bowl | Dallas, Texas

Coverage links will be updated on uwwsports.com as they become available. Visit uwwsports.com for the latest information on each event. 

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the Greater Whitewater Committee.

The Greater Whitewater Committee (GWC) is set to host State Representative Evan Goyke as guest speaker at its upcoming monthly meeting in March. Representative Goyke, who is the Ranking Assembly Democrat of the Joint Committee on Finance, will be presenting the GWC with an overview of the state budget.

The GWC’s upcoming monthly meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 9th at 7 a.m. at 841 Brewhouse: 841 E Milwaukee St, Whitewater, WI 53190. State Representative Evan Goyke will be providing an in-depth presentation on the state budget, and will also be opening up the floor to discussion and further questions. The public is welcome to attend. An RSVP to Jeffery Knight at 920-728-0662 is requested. 

“We are so excited to hear another voice from the Joint Committee on Finance”, said GWC President Jeffery Knight. “Representative Goyke has intricate knowledge and information to share on this year’s state budget.” 

Representative Goyke is originally from the Madison area, and attended Marquette University Law School. He previously served as an attorney in the Office of Wisconsin State Public Defender, and as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Marquette. Goyke currently serves on the following committees: Joint Committee on Finance, Joint Legislative Council, Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions, Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties, and Committee on Corrections. To learn more on Representative Goyke visit, https://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/18/goyke. 

 About the GWC 

The GWC is an action-oriented group committed to working with citizens, elected officials, and policy makers to identify, craft, and implement a pro-business agenda. Its goals are to advance the economic, educational, and social policies required to energize and secure the Whitewater area’s economic future, as well as protect Whitewater’s quality of life.

Editor’s note: The following press release was provided by the UW-W Department of Music.

Come enjoy an evening of fabulous musical beauty and virtuosity by three UW-Whitewater faculty members on Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. UW-Whitewater Piano Trio will perform Johannes Brahms’ third piano trio in C minor Op. 101 which is a profound and moving masterpiece that is even more powerful when heard in a live performance. The program will also contain arrangements of some of Franz Liszt’s “Vallee D’Oberman.”

On Friday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. the Jazz I Ensemble will keep the month moving with music ranging from the jazz greats to student compositions in a variety of styles.

The Whitewater Symphony Orchestra will perform next in the Young Auditorium on Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. 

To continue this year’s Music Mosaics series, the Department of Music will feature the woodwind faculty on Thursday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. Included in this concert are Christian Ellenwood, clarinet, Matthew Sintchak, saxophone, and guest artists. All proceeds from the Music Mosaics series go directly towards scholarships for Department of Music students. 

To complete the featured March events, the Chamber Singers & Vocal Jazz ensemble have a very special concert on Sunday, March 19 at 4:00 p.m. Conducted by Robert Gehrenbeck and Sharri VanAlstine, Chamber Singers will premiere “We Are On Native Land,” a choral land-acknowledgment statement by Mohican composer Brent Michael Davids, with guest American Indian performers. Also on the program is “A Lover’s Journey, settings of James Joyce and William Shakespeare’’ by Minnesota composer Libby Larsen. Larsen will be the featured guest composer at UW-Whitewater’s inaugural SpringFest festival for high school musicians, coming up on May 20.

Don’t miss the many featured concerts happening this March in the Greenhill Center of the Arts.   

Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.: UW-Whitewater Piano Trio – Adults, $10; Age 65+, $8; Under 18, $8

Friday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m.: Jazz I Ensemble – Adults, $10; Age 65+, $8; Under 18, $8

Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.: Whitewater Symphony Orchestra (Young Auditorium) – Adults, $10; Age 65+, $8; Under 18, $8

Thursday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m.: Music Mosaics: Faculty Woodwind – Adults, $14; Age 65+, $12; Under 18, $8

Sunday, March 19 at 4 p.m.: Chamber Singers & Vocal Jazz – Adults, $10; Age 65+, $8; Under 18, $8

Beyond the many ticketed events happening this month in the Department of Music, there are a multitude of free events including student recitals, ensembles, and studios. For a full lineup of events, please visit uww.edu/coac/events. 

All music events are in the Light Recital Hall in the Greenhill Center of the Arts, located at 950 West Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190, unless specified otherwise. Tickets are available in advance and can be purchased online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling 262-472-2222. There is a $2.00 surcharge if purchased at the door at the time of the event. 

On Thursday, March 2nd, all WHS Band and Choir students kicked off Music In Our Schools Month by performing in the Whitewater High School Chamber Music Festival. Student performances ranged from solos to small ensembles. Each event was performed for a clinician who then worked with the students, giving constructive criticism to help them improve as musicians. Choral students sang for Dr. Sharri VanAlstine and Mr. Brian Leeper and were accompanied by Ms. Kathy Schereck, Dr. Sarah Read Gehrenbeck, and Mrs. Karen Tordera.  Band students played for Ms. Bianca Kue, Mr. Justin Steger, Mr. Dylan Ovanin, and Mr. Tim Hummel. This event was organized by WHS Band Director, Mr. Sam Averill and WHS Choir Director, Mrs. Karen Tordera. 

Thank you to all family and friends who attended. A special thank you to Whitewater Music Parents Association for providing the dinner for all clinicians, accompanists, and directors as well as snacks for all of the student performers!!! Your support is appreciated!!

Editor’s note: Photos and text provided courtesy of Karen Tordera.