News

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Steve Smith, Adjutant and Memorial Day planner, Whitewater American Legion.

William Graham Post 173 of the American Legion in Whitewater is sponsoring the Memorial Day activities in the city.

On Thursday, May 26^th at 5:00 p.m. Post 173 will gather in the center of Hillside Cemetery to decorate the veterans’ graves at the cemetery.  All community members are invited to participate.  Post 173 will provide the flags.

Plans for the parade and ceremonies at the Whitewater Armory are well underway.

The parade will form in the First Citizens State Bank parking lot at 10:00 a.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30th.  Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and other interested groups are encouraged to participate in the parade.

More information will be published later. 

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club.

The Whitewater Police Department is participating in a program, Kiwanis “Cops ‘N Kids,” that promotes literacy and community trust in law enforcement with the goal of getting free books into the hands and homes of children.  Each quarter, the officers read to children.  This week the event was held at Washington Elementary on May 17 when officers read to first grade students.

Acting Chief Daniel Meyer, who was on hand to read, said, “Reading is a great way for our officers to connect to our youngest residents.  Our officers are all pleased to participate in this program.”

Patrick Taylor, President of the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club, said, “Kiwanis is excited to see another opportunity where children can have direct contact with the police through books and the joy of reading.”

Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club is made up of dedicated volunteers who help children in the Whitewater community and the world, all with funds raised going directly to projects helping improve the lives of children in the community and the world.  Each year, the club distributes approximately $20,000, with over half going to the Whitewater Unified School District, including shoes and scholarships.  Kiwanis helped to build the Flowing Well Shelter, the shelter at Starin Park and Treyton’s Field of Dreams, the WHS football field lights and press box, as well as adopting a highway to clean up.  In addition, the group donates to the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club, the Friends of the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center Family Partnership Fund, the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House, Camp Wawbeek, and more.

More information can be found on the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Facebook page. If you are interested in joining the club, helping the children and having fun at the same time, contact us!

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Knight Public Affairs, LLC.

The Discover Whitewater Series (DWS): Half Marathon, 5K, and W3 Fit Kid Shuffle is eager to announce that Whitewater Manufacturing will once again be featured as a title sponsor of this community event! Whitewater Manufacturing has been a long standing sponsor of the DWS since its inaugural race in 2013.

The DWS 10th anniversary race is scheduled for Sunday, September 18th, 2022. With growing support from local businesses, the DWS can continue to thrive as a premier athletic event for the City of Whitewater.

Whitewater Manufacturing is a fourth-generation, family-owned company. Their team works effortlessly to ensure complete, accurate, and instantaneous results for their customers. Whitewater Manufacturing’s services include welding, assembly, engineering, turning & milling, inspection, supply chain management, and more. They value hard work and strive to satisfy Whitewater’s needs with efficiency, which is what makes them such an excellent sponsor to the DWS.

Through this sponsorship, the DWS team is able to provide runners with incredible opportunities such as free childcare, age group awards, a post-race community celebration and more. The race course is even designed as a way to highlight Whitewater’s best features, including locations like the Whitewater Manufacturing plant.

“The DWS team is always so appreciative of Whitewater Manufacturing’s title sponsorship,” said GWC Chairman, Larry Kachel. “They have supported us for 10 years now and are always so wonderful to work with.”

As the DWS team continues to prepare for an unforgettable 10th anniversary race, it is so grateful to sponsors like Whitewater Manufacturing. With their help, this race is able to give back to the City of Whitewater by promoting local businesses and donating to its charity partners. To register for the DWS, learn more about race weekend, and connect with sponsors, visit
https://RunWhitewater.com/.

Editor’s note: The following announcement was received from the UW System.

Edmund Manydeeds III, President of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, and Michael J. Falbo, interim President of the UW System, on May 18 appointed a 12-member Search and Screen Committee to help identify the next UW-Whitewater chancellor.

Regent Amy Blumenfeld Bogost will chair the Search and Screen Committee. Lynn Gilbertson, Associate Professor and Department Chair in the College of Education and Professional Studies, will be vice chair. Other members of the committee are:

• Tanja Anderson, Campus Administrative Specialist, Rock County Campus
• Hector Colón, Regent
• Ciera Edwards, Associate Director, University Bookstore
• Lynn Gardinier, Community/Alumni Representative
• Kimberly Nath, Associate Professor, College of Letters and Sciences
• Praveen Parboteeah, Professor, College of Business and Economics
• Ashok Rai, Regent
• Davin Stavroplos, Student
• Jill Underly, Regent
• Kyle Weatherly, Regent

“This is a critically important search,” said Manydeeds. “The students, faculty and staff of UW-Whitewater have been resilient and dedicated, and they deserve stable leadership,”

The Search and Screen Committee is expected to convene in the coming weeks, when Manydeeds will charge the committee with its mission and review search procedures. The national search is expected to officially begin July 1.  A team of staff from UW System Human Resources, the Office of the Board of Regents, and the executive search firm of Isaacson, Miller will assist the committee throughout this search process.

The committee will determine and interview candidates. A Special Regent Committee will review candidates forwarded by the Search and Screen Committee. The Special Regent Committee will include regents Bogost, Colón, Rai, Underly, and Weatherly and will be chaired by Bogost.

The successful candidate will require the approval of the full Board of Regents.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services.

The Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services has an urgent need for volunteer guardians. Volunteer guardians are court-appointed decision makers for adults with mental incapacities. Guardians advocate for their wards’ best interests. 

“Guardians play a vital role in our communities in helping those who can no longer help themselves,” says Walworth County Volunteer Services Director Colleen Lesniak. “The individuals in need do not have family or friends that can be of assistance. Our volunteer guardians fill that critical role of making important health care and financial decisions to ensure these individuals’ needs are being met.”

While the hours are flexible and can vary, volunteers should expect to spend about five hours per month helping their clients. Typical responsibilities include working with professionals to make decisions for their wards, giving formal approval of care and services, advocating for and protecting their rights, visiting at least once per month, and making applications for services and financial benefits on their behalf. There is a monthly stipend available for volunteers. No formal experience is necessary; simply an interest in helping others. Volunteers must be at least 21-years-old and have a valid driver’s license. 

For more information on the program or to complete a volunteer application, please contact Colleen Lesniak at Walworth County Volunteer Services at 262-741-4223 or email clesniak@co.walworth.wi.us. Or find the application online at https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/609/How-to-Apply.  

Editor’s note: Our apologies that the deadline for the United Way position is this Friday. We received this announcement about a week ago and didn’t prioritize it as soon as we should have.

For more details about our United Way:

Board of Directors: https://uwjnwc.com/who-we-are/board-staff/
Annual report: https://uwjnwc.com/who-we-are/annual-report/
Partner agencies: https://uwjnwc.com/who-we-help/partner-agencies/
Pillar grant participants: https://uwjnwc.com/who-we-help/pillar-grant-projects/
Equity statements: https://uwjnwc.com/who-we-are/equity-statements/

Editor’s note: The following notice was received from Jefferson County Administration.

Recently residents of Jefferson County have been subject to a telephone scam claiming that a warrant has been issued for failure to appear for jury duty at the Jefferson County Circuit Court. The caller identifies himself as a Sergeant with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and indicates that the “juror” can either report to the Sheriff’s Department for a signature test; transfer funds or turn themselves in to serve between 14 to 21 days jail.

This scam is well developed in that the callers are using the names of actual Court Officials and Law Enforcement Staff with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. In addition, the caller is provided with phone number to return the call indicating that it is the non-emergency number and that number goes into an involved voicemail system that indicates that it is the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

Residents should be advised neither the Jefferson County Clerk of Circuit Courts Office nor the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department contacts residents by telephone or email in an effort to collect funds for allegations of missed jury service. A fine will never be imposed until after an individual has appeared in court and been given the opportunity to explain the failure to appear.

If you receive such a call or email, do not make any payment but rather contact the Clerk of Circuit Courts Office at (920) 674-7496 to provide information about the communication.