News

2022 Marks the 80th Anniversary of the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce

Editor’s Note: This information was provided by the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce is happy to announce that they are celebrating their 80th Anniversary in 2022. The Chamber was incorporated in March of 1942 and is an organization dedicated to helping Whitewater Area businesses and the community thrive.

After two years of postponed, canceled, and abbreviated events and activities they are hopeful to make 2022 a year of celebration and community.

They are kicking off the year with Conversations & Cocoa on Monday, January 31st. The Chamber is inviting its partners, local business owners & staff, and residents to stop into the Discover Whitewater offices in downtown Whitewater between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm that day to take a mid-winter break and chat about our community. Visitors to the office on January 31st can also participate in the Chamber’s “Love Local” February campaign by filling out a love letter heart for their favorite local business/organization. The Chamber will deliver these “love letters” on Valentine’s Day.

In April the Whitewater Chamber will be hosting their Annual Awards & Celebration Dinner and will be commemorating 80 years of serving businesses and the community. Details about this event will be released in February along with invitations and registration materials. Current, former, and prospective Chamber members are encouraged to attend and help celebrate this milestone anniversary. The Chamber would also like to invite the community to share any photos, documents, or mementos they might have regarding the Chamber’s activities over the past eight decades for a timeline project. Items can be dropped off in the Discover Whitewater offices at 150 W Main Street in downtown Whitewater or emailed to info@whitewaterchamber.com.


Many great things are planned for 2022! For more information about Chamber events or anything Chamber-related please be sure to visit their website at https://www.whitewaterchamber.com/, follow them on Facebook, or contact Kellie Carper, Exec. Director at (262) 473-4005.

Walworth County: COVID-19 Transmission Rate Has Tripled in Last Two Weeks

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The Walworth County Health & Human Services Department stated in its January 20 weekly report that the county remains in the CDC’s critically high COVID-19 transmission level, along with all other WI counties. The transmission level this week increased to 2226.86 cases per 100,000. Last week’s rate was 1735, and the previous week was “only 686.” Consequently the level has more than tripled in two weeks. Per the CDC website, Jefferson County (2021 cases/100,000) and Rock County (2421 cases/100,000) are in similar situations.

Walworth County statistics as of January 20 can be viewed here. Although it has been indicated that, on average, the Omicron variant of the virus which is now dominating the state is less serious than Delta was, only an average of 7.7% of ICU beds in the county are available. Editor’s note: The ICU availability was initially reported as .077%. It has been corrected on 2/15/22.

Information on testing sites, including at UW-Whitewater, may be found here. As was previously announced on the Banner, the federal government is now mailing four at-home COVID-19 test kits to any residence upon request.

Lakes Drawdown Update

Editor’s note: The following information regarding the work being performed on Cravath and Trippe Lakes was provided by the City of Whitewater.

Work Schedule for week of January 17-21

  • Monday & Tuesday 7am – 7pm
  • Wednesday – Friday morning 24 hours
  • Friday work to finish by 7pm

Prep Week! This week the contractor will be setting the stage for dredging. This includes laying out the wood matting as well as skinning off the snow and vegetation to allow for more frost to set into the lake bed. Our contractor will be working through the night Wednesday and Thursday to remove as much snow and vegetation from the lake bed surface. The colder temperatures through the later part of the week and weekend will allow for frost to work its way down creating a good base to work on. This will reduce the amount of matting needed to perform the project.

Fair Courts End Gerrymandering Rally on Friday

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition.

“Fair Courts End Gerrymandering” Rally at Whitewater

In-person rally with grassroots advocates and speakers

A local, bipartisan coalition of area residents will host a rally calling for Fair Maps in Wisconsin at Clocktower Triangle in Whitewater on Friday, January 21st at noon.

The rally will begin with a welcome from the SE Region Fair Maps Coalition followed by other speakers. Volunteers will continue the rally after our speakers in order to engage the public on this issue.

“Our goal is to let the Supreme Court know that we, the people of Wisconsin, are watching and we expect them to act in a nonpartisan manner, in the best interest of the people, not politicians, in deciding fair district maps for the next decade,” said Carlene Bechen, Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition Organizer.

This local rally is one of more than a dozen taking place simultaneously across the state, organized by the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition.

Second Kwik Trip Opens Today (Thurs.)

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Whitewater’s second Kwik Trip, located at the corner of Janesville Street and Hwy 89, opens on January 20 at 5 a.m. The store’s product and service lines are essentially the same as the one that opened at the roundabout in December. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 26 at 11 a.m.

Editor’s note: The image on the homepage is not of this Kwik Trip, but the style is very similar.

The Discover Whitewater Series to host Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast for Runners once again!

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

The Discover Whitewater Series (DWS): Half Marathon and 5K has committed to partnering with the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club once again for its tenth anniversary race on September 18th, 2022.

This coming year, the DWS team is excited to celebrate its achievements over the past decade. Not only is the DWS hosting new events, but they will also be bringing back some of the favorites from years past. 

The DWS’ partnership with the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club has provided one of the most loved events to date. The Kiwanis pancake breakfast offers a FREE meal for all of the DWS race participants and volunteers. Family and friends can also enjoy this breakfast before the races as tickets will be available at the door for $6 a piece.

“The Kiwanis pancake breakfast is truly one of my favorite additions we’ve had over the past 10 years,” said DWS Executive Director Jeffery Knight. “It’s a great way to give families quality time together on race day and the community just loves it. I can’t wait to see our new participants enjoy their free breakfasts!” 

The Kiwanis pancake breakfast will be from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the day of the race. Located conveniently right next to the race course, the breakfast will be available in the cafeteria of Whitewater’s high school.  

The Kiwanis Breakfast Club makes one of the most delicious breakfast meals in the area, and the DWS team is so grateful to partner with them again in the coming year. This exciting community event is what the DWS is all about, showcasing all that Whitewater has to offer. 

To register for the DWS visit https://RunWhitewater.com/Register. For more information about the DWS, contact Jeffery Knight at jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com or 920.728.0662. 

About the DWS

The goal of the DWS is to promote the City of Whitewater and highlight its greatest features. The DWS partners with the city, business community, university and the school district to make this a tremendous event that benefits all who participate. For more information about the race visit runwhitewater.com. For general race inquiries, email info@runwhitewater.com.

Young Auditorium Event Canceled: Florentine Opera’s Hansel & Gretel

Editor’s note: The following information was received from the Young Auditorium.

Event Cancelled –  Florentine Opera’s Hansel & Gretel at Young Auditorium

Originally scheduled for Sunday, January 23rd, Young Auditorium regrets to inform our customers that this weekend’s presentation of Florentine Opera’s Hansel & Gretel has been cancelled.  Young Auditorium is currently in the process of issuing full refunds for all ticket purchasers.

The Community Space is Closed Till Tues., Jan. 25

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by The Community Space.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

For those who may not be acquainted with The Community Space, it is located at 834 E. Milwaukee Street in Whitewater. It is a welcoming, free community service offering food, clothing, furniture, and many other types of items with no strings attached. Donations are appreciated. Click here for their website.

The photo on the homepage is from The Community Space website.

Whitewater Residents on Southern New Hampshire University’s President’s List

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by Southern New Hampshire University.

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) congratulates the following students on being named to the Fall 2021 President’s List:

Jack Foust of Whitewater

Maria Kulick of Whitewater

Michelle Czlapinski of Whitewater

Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.700 and above are named to the President’s List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits; undergraduate day students must earn 12 credits in the fall or spring semester, and online students must earn 12 credits in either EW1 & EW2, EW3 & EW4, or EW5 & EW6.

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit institution with an 89-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Now serving more than 160,000 learners worldwide, SNHU offers approximately 200 accredited undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, available online and on its 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH. Recognized as the “Most Innovative” regional university by U.S. News & World Report and one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, SNHU is committed to expanding access to high quality, affordable pathways that meet the needs of each learner. Learn more at www.snhu.edu.