Whitewater Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program is in full swing! Bookworms and aspiring bookworms of every age are invited to read books, win prizes, and attend fun, FREE events. Here is next week’s lineup for children, teens, and adults:
Bhangra in India: A Lively Farm Dance Adventure Monday, July 13th 4:00-5:00 PM Ages 6-11 Join a magical journey of the dances and stories of India. Explore an Indian farm in the state of Punjab to discover the fascinating tales and learn the very popular Bhangra Harvest Dance!
Stuffed Animal Taxidermy Tuesday, July 14th 3:00-4:30 PM Ages 12-18 Registration required. Stuffies make great wall trophies! All supplies provided for you to turn a beloved stuffie into a proud display.
Storytime Wednesday, July 8 th 9:30 AM Ages 0-5 Stories, songs, and general silliness with Miss Deana! No registration required. If you have any questions, please contact Deana Rolfsmeyer at (262) 458-2788 or drolfsmeyer@whitewater-wi.gov
Tie-Dye Catapult Thursday, July 16th 11:00-12:00 PM Library parking lot All ages Bring your own T-shirt to tie-dye with the help of the Whitewater Police Department and our trusty catapult.
Editor’s note: Unfortunately, the Line Dancing event’s registrations have already reached full capacity. Anyone who registers now will be placed on the waitlist.
Free Line Dancing Class at the Library
Community members are invited visit the library and join instructor Terri Dellamaria for a dance class that will engage the brain and body
This event will be held in Meeting Room 1 of Whitewater Public Library at 431 W. Center St. in Whitewater on Thursday, July 16 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM
Editor’s note: Shawn Eichorst began his athletics career as Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater (1999-2003), where he graduated from in 1990 with a degree in business. He was an all-conference defensive back and three-time football letterwinner for the Warhawks. This article has been copied from uwbadgers.com. Additional information about Eichorst, including a video of him introducing himself, may be viewed there.
Updated 7/5/26 @ 9:30 p.m. Here’s a Badgernotes article “Why Wisconsin chose Shawn Eichorst to lead Badger athletics”
Veteran college athletics administrator Shawn Eichorst appointed University of Wisconsin Director of Athletics – Wisconsin Badgers
MADISON, Wis. – A proven and respected college sports executive, attorney and former collegiate athlete, Shawn Eichorst has been appointed as the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Director of Athletics, UW-Madison interim Chancellor Eric M. Wilcots announced today [July 1].
A native of Lone Rock, Wisconsin, and a graduate of UW-Whitewater where he played football, Eichorst returns to Wisconsin after serving as the Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Texas at Austin and as the Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska and at the University of Miami. From 2006-2011, he served in several executive leadership roles within Wisconsin Athletics.
“We began this process seeking to identify a new leader who would build on our excellence and continue to elevate our program for the future in the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics,” said Wilcots.
“We have found that person in Shawn Eichorst, who brings incredible experience, a history of innovation and success at the highest level, and a commitment to student-athletes’ welfare. The fact that he is a native of Wisconsin, and understands our university and state, is a tremendous bonus.”
“It is truly an honor to return home to the State of Wisconsin and to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a place and an institution that has meant so much to me and to our family for many years,” said Eichorst.
“Wisconsin represents everything that is great about higher education and college athletics—academic and competitive excellence, integrity, and a commitment to serving others. I am deeply grateful to interim Chancellor Wilcots and to the search committee for the confidence and trust that they have placed in me and in my vision for the future of Wisconsin Athletics.”
“Athletics is at its best when it advances the entire university enterprise and fulfills its mission for our student-athletes. That principle will guide every decision we make as we work together to serve our student-athletes, strengthen this remarkable institution, and represent the people of Wisconsin with pride,” said Eichorst.
Eichorst joined UT-Austin in 2018, where he has provided executive oversight for the department’s core business and operational functions, including day to day administration, football program, strategic planning, fiscal management, business operations and analytics, human resources, policy development, legal affairs, capital planning and construction, facilities and maintenance, game operations, fan services, and information technology, among other responsibilities.
During his tenure, UT-Austin produced sustained competitive excellence, as it re-emerged as a national power in football, earning College Football Playoff Semifinal berths in 2023 and 2024. The Longhorns won 87 Conference Championships; 17 NCAA Championships; 15 NCAA Runner-Up finishes; 56 top-5 NCAA finishes; and 79 top-10 NCAA finishes; they have captured the Learfield Directors’ Cup (best all-around athletics program) for the fifth time in the last six years and won 14 SEC titles in their first two years of membership in the conference – a league best. Texas earned three-straight Women’s Capital One Cup titles (best all-around women’s athletics program) from 2021-2024; won 87 Conference Championships; 17 NCAA Championships (Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Women’s Rowing, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Golf, Softball, Women’s Outdoor Track & Field, Men’s Indoor Track & Field); 15 NCAA Runner-Up finishes; 56 top-5 NCAA finishes; and 79 top-10 NCAA finishes.
Over the last six years, 16 of 21 programs have achieved NCAA top-3 finishes, including: two NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four appearances (2025 & 2026); five NCAA Women’s Basketball Elite Eight appearances (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026); one Men’s NCAA Basketball Elite Eight appearance (2023); four MCWS Baseball appearances (2018, 2021, 2022, 2026); and four WCWS Softball appearances (2022, 2024, 2025, 2026).
At Texas, Eichorst led and facilitated the department’s facility master planning, overseeing more than $1.335 billion in capital projects across planning, design, construction, renovation, and operations and successfully implemented numerous creative revenue generation strategies. He guided and assisted with the strategic planning, governance, and operational structure of the department’s Student-Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness program, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, competitive positioning, and within the regulatory framework established under the House settlement.
Eichorst played a key role in the strategic planning, negotiation, and execution of the department’s transition from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference. He supported cross-functional coordination, competitive and financial modeling, operational readiness, and stakeholder engagement to ensure a seamless and strategically advantageous move for the institution.
“Shawn is an incredible leader and even better person, and I’m so happy he is getting the opportunity to return home,” said UT-Austin Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte. “We were very fortunate that he joined us eight years ago. Shawn brought tremendous passion, dedication and vision to his role and helped our athletics department achieve record-setting success both athletically and academically.”
Prior to Texas, Eichorst served as Director of Athletics at both the University of Miami (2011-2012) and the University of Nebraska (2012-2017).
During his tenure at Miami he delivered broad-based competitive success, highlighted by the hiring of Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga, who led Miami to the NIT second round in year one and to the ACC regular-season and tournament championships and the NCAA Sweet 16 in year two.
During Eichorst’s tenure at Nebraska, the department achieved sustained success across competitive performance, academics, financial stewardship, facilities development, student-athlete support, and national governance leadership. Nebraska teams won three NCAA Team National Championships and 14 Big Ten Conference titles. During his tenure, 13 teams advanced to NCAA post-season competition, with six finishing in the national top 10. Student-athletes captured three individual NCAA Championships and 55 Big Ten individual titles, reinforcing Nebraska’s broad-based athletic success across multiple sports. In total, 28 teams finished in the Top 10, 63 teams qualified for NCAA post-season play, 120 student- athletes earned Athletic All-America honors, 24 student-athletes earned Academic All-America honors, and one earned the prestigious NCAA Top 10 Award. The football program participated in bowl games in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Eichorst helped strengthen the department’s academic profile, delivering the highest student-athlete outcomes in school history. In 2016–17, every Nebraska team achieved an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 977 or higher, and the department recorded a Graduation Success Rate of 88%, its fourth consecutive all-time high. Student-athletes posted a record cumulative GPA of 3.218, marking the fifth straight year above 3.100.
He enhanced the student-athlete development and performance infrastructure, expanding resources across academics, facilities, athletic medicine, mental health, life skills, nutrition, sports psychology, strength and conditioning, travel, apparel, footwear, equipment, and marketing. Eichorst also strengthened the holistic development model and enhanced academic, athletic and life-skills preparedness across all programs.
Eichorst also pioneered innovative student-athlete development initiatives, becoming one of the first athletics departments nationally to provide four-year, full cost-of-attendance scholarships across all 24 sports. He launched the MacBook Pro laptop program to enhance academic resource access and learning and created the first-of-its-kind Post-Eligibility Opportunities (PEO) program, offering up to $7,500 for graduates to pursue internships, study abroad, or graduate/professional school. He also established the department’s first Service Abroad program, providing global engagement and cultural-competency experiences in Guatemala (2015), the Dominican Republic (2016), and Nicaragua (2017).
He grew revenue and fundraising, made significant improvement in the facilities, operated the department without university subsidies while eliminating long-term debt service obligations, enhanced campus partnerships, strengthened donor and alumni engagement, and maintained a strong culture of integrity and compliance.
Eichorst worked in Wisconsin Athletics between 2006-2011, rising to the position of Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer, managing the department’s day-to-day operations, including legal affairs, risk management, strategic planning, government relations, academic services, and compliance. He served as the sport administrator for Men’s Basketball and acted as the primary liaison to the Chancellor’s Office, the Athletic Board, the NCAA, and the Big Ten Conference, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and regulatory expectations.
Wisconsin appeared in a football bowl game and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament each year of his tenure. UW was the only institution in Division I to participate in a bowl game and in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament every season from 2002-03 to 2010-11, reflecting exceptional program stability and competitive consistency.
“Shawn brings the perfect combination of understanding what it means to be successful at Wisconsin while adding experience and wisdom from other top collegiate programs,” said Men’s Basketball Coach Greg Gard, who worked closely with Eichorst while he oversaw the program. “He’s extremely bright and a man of great integrity and passion. He’ll be able to hit the ground running in Madison and guide us into the future of collegiate athletics.”
Over his career in athletics, he has been selected to serve on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee, the NCAA Division I Competition Committee, the NCAA Division I Football Recruiting Ad-Hoc Working Group (Co-Chair), NCAA Division I Football Oversight Camps/Clinics Subcommittee (Chair), NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, and the Rose Bowl Management Committee.
Eichorst began his athletics career as Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater (1999-2003), where he graduated from in 1990 with a degree in business. He was an all-conference defensive back and three-time football letterwinner for the Warhawks.
Eichorst also holds a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School, where he taught sports law as an adjunct professor while also practicing law.
Wilcots expressed his appreciation for Marcus Sedberry, who stepped into the role of Interim Athletic Director following the departure of former Athletic Director Chris McIntosh, providing a steady and seasoned hand during a time of transition.
Throughout the search process, he was advised by a nine-member search committee, chaired by Lauren Bishop, an associate professor in the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work and one of the university’s Faculty Athletics Representatives to the Big Ten Conference and NCAA. The search committee included a current student-athlete, former varsity letterwinners, distinguished alumni, and senior university and athletic department leadership.
“Our process was comprehensive and deliberate. We heard directly from coaches, student-athletes, staff, and alumni through listening sessions, and that input shaped our search from the start,” said Bishop. “We were impressed by the quality of candidates interested in leading our athletics program. Ultimately, Shawn stood out as the right person to lead the Badgers during this transformational era in college athletics.”
The Director of Athletics will report directly to Wilcots; serve on his executive committee; and provide oversight for all aspects of the university’s varsity athletic programs, with a strong emphasis on student-athlete health, wellbeing, academic success, finance and facilities, fundraising, and excellence in competition.
Eichorst will be formally introduced at an upcoming event at Camp Randall Stadium.
Bio • Education: B.B.A. (Magna Cum Laude), Wisconsin-Whitewater (1990) • Juris Doctor, Marquette University Law School (1995) • Family: Kristin (wife); three children (Jack, Joseph and Bennett)
MENOMONIE, Wis. – The following students from the area have been named to the University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic Dean’s List for the spring 2026 semester.
The award is presented to students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or above.
UW-Stout Polytechnic offers more than 70 industry-aligned undergraduate and graduate degrees and 40 professional certificate programs. Established in 1891, the university prides itself on the success of its students in the workplace, with more than 1,000 national internship placements and an employment rate of 99% for recent graduates. UW-Stout Polytechnic is a top-rated Military Friendly and Best for Vets institution, a DOE Green Ribbon recipient for sustainability, and the only four-year institution in the U.S. to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic is distinguished by applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences to prepare students for success in engineering, technology, design, management and other fields. It is one of the 13 Universities of Wisconsin.
Whitewater Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program is in full swing! Bookworms and aspiring bookworms of every age are invited to read books, win prizes, and attend fun, FREE events. Here is next week’s lineup for children and teens:
Junk Journaling Tuesday, July 7th 3:00-4:30 PM Ages 12-18 Registration required Turn trash into treasure and record your adventures with a junk journal! All supplies provided. Storytime
Wednesday, July 8 th 9:30 AM Ages 0-5 Stories, songs, and general silliness with Miss Deana! No registration required. If you have any questions, please contact Deana Rolfsmeyer at (262) 458-2788 or drolfsmeyer@whitewater-wi.gov
Flowerpot Painting Thursday, July 9th 3:30-4:30 PM Ages 6-11 Registration required Decorate a pot for your next plant! All supplies provided.
Enjoy the 1st Brigade Band and some lunch for a nice afternoon out. More than 30 volunteers bring Civil War-era brass band music to life using authentic antique instruments and period uniforms. History you can hear! Music hosted by Whitewater Arts Alliance. Annie’s Burger town food truck will be at the event for a lunch option.
Registration is appreciated so we have enough volunteers to assist everyone. Call Seniors in the Park at 262-473-0535 or email JJackson@whitewater-wi.gov by July 6.
Construction Expected to Begin on July 9 in the Town of LaGrange
Walworth County will start a pavement rehabilitation project on County Highway H (CTH-H) from U.S. Highway 12 (U.S. 12) to Young Road in the Town of LaGrange. This 3.2-mile project includes the following work:
Replacement of most cross culverts and driveway culverts
Installing new curb and gutter at intersection corners
Asphalt pavement milling and pulverizing
Gravel base repairs as necessary
Construction of a new asphalt pavement surface and gravel shoulders
New signage and pavement markings.
What to Expect
Starting on or about July 9, 2026, CTH-H will be closed to through traffic from U.S. 12 to Young Road with a marked detour using State Highway 67, County Highway S (Waukesha County), and State Highway 59. CTH-H will remain open to local traffic. Access will be maintained for emergency services, postal delivery, garbage collection, and school buses.
Although open to local traffic, the road surface may change during construction until paving operations begin, so drivers should pay attention to signs and stay alert as they travel through the work zone. Please drive slowly and watch for workers.
Intermittent, daytime-only full closures of the roadway to install cross culverts will be necessary. During this time, local traffic access through the work zone will not be possible. The roadway will reopen to two-way local traffic at the end of each day.
Watch for message signboards for more specific information as it becomes available. The estimated completion date is October 30, 2026.
During construction, questions or concerns can be directed to the County’s Project Engineer, David Hemmerich of Baxter & Woodman, Inc, at 815-444-3207, dhemmerich@baxterwoodman.com, or Walworth County Engineer Joe Kroll, 262-741-3441, jkroll@co.walworth.wi.us
Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by Walworth County.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency are conducting a joint investigation into a fatal boating incident that occurred on Friday, July 3, 2026, on the waters of Geneva Lake.
On the afternoon of Friday, July 3, 2026, a sudden and severe storm moved across the area, rapidly producing hazardous boating conditions. A privately owned recreational motorboat carrying ten occupants—six adults and four children—attempted to navigate to safety as weather conditions deteriorated. While underway, the vessel was overwhelmed by severe wind and waves, took on water, capsized, and subsequently sank.
Emergency responders initiated rescue operations. Six adults and one child were successfully rescued from the water. Responders were advised that three children remained missing. Following an intensive search, the three missing children were located and recovered from the lake.
Lifesaving measures were administered immediately at the scene and continued by emergency medical personnel during transit to local medical facilities. Despite these exhaustive efforts, all three children were later pronounced deceased. Officials confirmed that all four children on board were wearing life jackets at the time of the incident.
The Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency and the Wisconsin DNR, extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy.
We also want to recognize the extraordinary, immediate efforts of the City of Lake Geneva Police Department, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, City of Lake Geneva Fire Department, the Village of Fontana Fire Department, the Water Safety Patrol, the Walworth County Medical Examiner’s Office and all first responders who risked their own safety in an attempt to save lives today.
The circumstances surrounding the capsizing remain under active investigation. The identities of those involved are being withheld at this time pending formal family notifications.
This incident serves as a reminder of how quickly severe weather can develop on area waterways. We strongly urge all boaters to closely monitor weather forecasts, remain vigilant of changing atmospheric conditions, and seek safe harbor immediately when threatening weather approaches.
No further information is available for release at this time.
Press Release from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department
On Friday, July 3, 2026, at approximately 11:54 a.m., a severe storm front with strong straight-line winds traveled through the southern portion of Walworth County, resulting in 769 calls to 911 for service by law enforcement, fire, EMS, and public works. We also received an additional 268 non-emergency calls.
The Walworth County Sheriff’s Office called in all off-duty deputies and requested mutual aid from Rock, Jefferson, and Kenosha County Sheriff’s Offices, along with Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the City of Whitewater and Delavan Police Departments.
Deputies and officers responded to a structure fire and a barn collapse in the Town of Darien that required a technical rescue of an 83-year-old male, who was transported to a local hospital with unknown injuries.
In the Town of Sharon, a silo collapsed, trapping two individuals, who were rescued and transported to a local hospital.
On US Highway 12 near Maclean Road, a semi-truck trailer was blown over on its side. The driver was not injured.
A vehicle became entangled in power lines, which trapped the driver for several hours in the Town of Walworth. No injuries were sustained.
During this time, hundreds of trees and power lines were reported down throughout the area. Many roads remained blocked and unpassable at the time of this news release.
Walworth County Department of Public Works (DPW), along with multiple municipal DPWs, are working to remove trees and debris and open roadways.
A massive power outage occurred due to the storm, and Alliant Energy is working to restore power to the area. It is unknown when power will be restored.
While we continue to work on this incident, we hope everyone has a safe Independence Day weekend.
Prairie Village, Fairhaven’s independent-living community, is again displaying almost 500 American flags to honor veterans on this Independence Day. This tradition started four years ago when Lee Murray, a Korean War veteran and Prairie Village resident, wanted to do something to honor the veterans in his community. He purchased 144 flags and he and a team of residents placed them along the streets in Prairie Village for the Independence Day holiday. Since that time the number of flags displayed each year has grown. This year, for the first time, 24 special flags are being displayed at the homes of veterans and spouses of deceased veterans in Prairie Village. Lee has since passed, but the tradition he started in Prairie Village in 2023 will live on.
The 4th of July Parade will step off Saturday, rain or shine, promptly at 10 a.m., preceded by the Whippet City Mile at 9:45. Road closures will begin at 9:30, so plan ahead. The start will be delayed in case of lightning or other severe weather conditions. Any update will be posted to the department’s website or Facebook page. We hope you enjoy watching the parade as it progresses from Prince Street east down Main Street making the turn onto Whitewater Street from Main and ending at Cravath Lakefront Park at Fremont St. The Lightning F-35 flyover is at 10:50; the jets will be flying as low as they can safely do so, entering the parade route from the east (Whitewater and Main) headed west towards ALDI.
If it is not raining the parade will be livestreamed on Spectrum and TDS on channel 990 and on Youtube under Whitewater Community TV. It will also be replayed on channels 990.
Kevin Boehm, city Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities, told The Banner “We are doing things a little different this year and assigning spaces in the parade. The hope is to eliminate the people feeling they have to line up at 6 am to get a good spot in the parade. Anyone not registered will be allowed to park on Highland St., Peck St., and Charles St. coming in from S. Whiton St. Staff will be at the entrances to each street to assist parade entrants. There will be NO access for participants to be dropped off on Highland Street or Prince Street. Only vehicles that are participating in the parade will be permitted to enter the designated lineup streets. We ask for everyone to be patient, and we will have a spectacular time and parade.”
Award winners will be posted on the ticket booth windows at the festival shortly after the parade concludes. The results will also be shared with the Whitewater Banner and published on the Whitewater Parks & Recreation social media pages as soon as possible.
Downtown Whitewater, Inc. continues to lead the 4th of July Festival. The city’s only role is coordinating the parade this year. Much appreciation to the Lion Club for their many years of service to the community by organizing prior parades. .
