News

Kay Robers was recognized as the Outstanding Senior Citizen of Walworth County for 2019 at the Walworth County Fair on August 29th.

Kay was one of the founders of the “Clothes Closet” which was housed at the Congregational United Church of Christ. In 2018 it was moved and expanded to become “The Community Space” a free source for clothing, household items and a food bank for everyone no matter where they live or their circumstances in life. The Community Space is located in the former Coburn Building at 834 E. Milwaukee St. in Whitewater.

For years, even before her retirement, Kay has invested her time to serve others through many acts of personal service as well as utilizing her organizational skills to infect others with her philosophy of service. There is no job too small or too large to receive Kay’s energy. 

The Whitewater High School Class of 1979 held their 40th Reunion on August 17, 2019, at Willow Brook Golf Course.

Photos Courtesy of Tom Ganser

Kian Sonn works at the Whitewater Food Pantry and makes a yearly donation. This year he wanted to buy local and bought from a local Farmer. 

On Thursday morning, August 29, Kian got a ride to work from John and Ethan Hookstead and delivered 67 lbs of one-pound packages of chopped beef direct from the John, Kelly, and Ethan Hookstead Farm in Lima Center.

The Hookstead Farm sells fresh, locally grown, nicely marbled Black Angus Beef raised in a non-confined environment on Momma’s milk, grass, hay, and corn.  There are no hormones; the beef is antibiotic free, and is fresh and full of flavor. 

The Ice Age Trail Alliance is sponsoring a free Fall Wildflower Hike on Saturday, September 7, at 9:00 a.m. This is really is not a hike for exercise, but one meant for those with wildflower ID books and cameras.

Meet at the Hwy. 12 Ice Age Trail parking lot (just east of Sweno Road), and then carpool to the trail with the most wildflowers.

Bring your field guide books, cameras, hats, water, and a snack. The hike could be as long as 3 1/2 miles — muddy trails possible!

We hope to see both blue and cream gentians, a great variety of asters, goldenrods, and sunflowers — plus coneflowers, lobelia, ladies’ tresses orchids, grass of Parnassus, rattlesnake master, and more.

This event is sponsored by the Ice Age Trail Alliance, Walworth/Jefferson County Chapter. Contact:  Ellen Davis at 262-740-1113.

Willie Whippet recently presented a donation for the Whitewater Police Department K9 Unit to Chief Aaron Raap.

The donation is from proceeds from the WHS 50th reunion of the Class of 1969.

Present were Capt Adam VanderSteeg, class members Jerry Miles and Dan Kelleher, Willie Whippet, Chief Aaron Raap, and Deputy Chief Daniel Meyer.

The K9 unit is ‘Funded by the people of Whitewater for the people of Whitewater.’

The LAST At Your Request film of the Summer!

Winner of the AARP Movies for Grownups Best Foreign Film Award. A taut, twisty Danish detective story: a dial 911 police dispatcher answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman…and is suddenly disconnected. With a phone as his only tool, it’s a race against time to search for and save the endangered woman. A riveting, harrowing,  and haunting film shown in Danish, with English subtitles.

When: Wednesday, September 4, 12:30 p.m.

Where: Seniors in the Park

Movie Information: Rated R (Language); Crime/Drama/Thriller ; 1 hour, 25 minutes (2018)

The September exhibition, “Meet the Board,” will be an executive board member and gallery manager highlight show with artists and displays of dedicated art-enthusiast board members from the Whitewater Arts Alliance. This exhibition replaces “The Road Less Traveled” show, and will have 10 participants including: Sylvia Linton, Taylor McDarison, Megan Matthews, Jeff McDonald, Robert Mertens, Christine Hayes, Daniela Porras, Michael Dugan, Jason Miklik, Marilyn Fuerstenberg, and Mary Nevicosi.  

The Cultural Arts Center will be closed August 29 to September 1 in preparation for this show, which will run September 5 to September 29.  There will be a reception to meet the Whitewater Arts Alliance Board of Directors on Sunday September 15 from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Whitewater Arts Alliance Board Member Megan Matthews said, “This is a wonderful opportunity to give people an insight into our Board members, and the different perspectives and skills they bring to the organization.  I hope people will be able to stop by and get to know us better!”

The mission of the Whitewater Arts Alliance is to promote the visual and performing arts through an alliance of artists, individuals, educational resources, and organizations to promote creativity and diversity that will serve to educate and enrich the lives of the residents of the Whitewater community and surrounding areas.

The City of Whitewater Office of Emergency Management is adding three new outdoor warning sirens during the week this week. The city’s provider, Emergency Communication Services, will be installing the new sirens. One siren will be located on Coburn Hill, the second will be located near the corner of Florence Street and Tratt Street and the third is scheduled to be installed on Burr Oak Trail near Fremont Road. During the installation process, each of the sirens will be tested with about a 10-15 second sounding of the siren. The sirens are designed to provide overlap coverage to the city’s existing, aging siren system. The goal is to replace the existing system with the newer system without losing coverage. The new sirens will have battery back-up for times when and if the city loses power. The current sirens will remain in place and functional until they are no longer economical to maintain.

“Outdoor warning systems such as these sirens are designed only to alert those who are outside that something dangerous is approaching; they are not intended to provide coverage inside buildings,” says Todd Lindert, Whitewater Emergency Management Coordinator. “When a siren is sounded it means that something lifethreatening is happening and you should go indoors and get more information.” Whitewater’s Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service recommends a National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Emergency Weather Alert Radio for use indoors. A NOAA Weather Radio is like a smoke detector for severe weather; it will wake a person up when a warning is issued for their area to take appropriate action. Contact Todd Lindert at 262-473-0570 or TLindert@whitewater-wi.gov for questions.