Community members are invited to a free guided journaling workshop led by local writer Katy Daixon Wimer. Enjoy reflective journaling prompts and inspiring, lively conversation. Get to know your mind, body, and spirit through writing prompts and oracle cards so you can move towards greater clarity and a deeper sense of self. Bring your own journal or a small one will be provided. Please bring your own pen or favorite writing implement.
Due to library construction, this event will be held at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center at 341 S. Fremont St. in Whitewater on Thursday, December 4 at 6:00-7:30 p.m. This program is for adults. Teens are welcome with a participating adult. Registration is required as space is limited. Visit whitewaterlibrary.org/events to register in advance. You may also email sfrench@whitewater-wi.gov or call 262-458-2782 to register, or with any questions.
Whitewater Unified School District Policy Review Committee – Monday @ 4:30 p.m. Whitewater Unified School District Central Office 419 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin
Whitewater Unified School District Board Governance Workshop – Monday @ 6:00 p.m. Whitewater Unified School District Central Office 419 S. Elizabeth Street Whitewater, WI 53190
City of Whitewater Common Council – Tuesday @ 6:00 p.m. Agenda includes public hearing regarding 2026-2027 City of Whitewater Budget and first reading of Ordinance 2025-O-30 an Ordinance to Amend Section 1.28.020 Access to Exterior Property Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room, 312 West Whitewater St. *In Person and Virtual Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/27662257587781?p=Qkz979CTOrCvXvbead Editor’s note: City staff indicates that the “teams” product does not provide a phone number to access the meeting. Citizens may dial (262) 473-0108 to listen to the meeting or to make a comment via the phone in the Community Room.
2025 TIF [Tax Increment Financing] Joint Review Board – Wednesday @ 3:00 p.m. Agenda includes Review Annual PE-300 Reports and performance and status of the City’s active Tax Incremental Districts as required by Wis. Stat. § 66.1105(4m)(f). Whitewater Municipal Building City Manager’s Conference Room 2nd Floor, 312 West Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI 53190 *In Person and Virtual Wednesday, December 03, 2025 – 3:00 PM Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82938304198?pwd=IcMJBLehYU6jXCatkgjkRCMBzfwwEX.1 Passcode:989714 Join via audio: +1 312 626 6799 US Webinar ID: 829 3830 4198 Passcode: 989714
City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Wednesday @ 6:00 p.m. Agenda includes Update and discussion regarding Starin Park Water Tower and Update and possible action regarding the current condition of the Birge Fountain. Cravath Lakefront room 2nd floor 312 West Whitewater St *In Person and Virtual Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/21004329372178?p=vErVBqanXnYQ5cCxCQ Editor’s note: City staff indicates that the “Teams” product does not provide a phone number to access the meeting. Citizens may dial (262) 473-0107 to listen to the meeting or to make a comment via the phone in the Cravath Lakefront Room.
The City of Whitewater – Department of Public Works will deliver sand on Monday, December 1, 2025. Key Details:
Residents who want sand for use on public sidewalks during winter should: o Place a sturdy container (not a cardboard box) at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on Monday, December 1.
If weather or other conditions prevent delivery that week, sand will be delivered as soon as weather permits.
Reminder: Per City Ordinance 12.20.020, the owner, occupant, and person in charge of any building or lot fronting upon or adjoining any sidewalk shall remove all snow and ice from the sidewalk no later than twenty-four hours after a snow or ice event. The full ordinance can be found at this link.
For questions, contact the Department of Public Works at (262) 473-0560.
Brian Neumeister Superintendent – Streets/Parks/Stormwater Utility
Blake Haggerty hauls in a touchdown catch (Olivia Zinanni)
In nearly whiteout conditions at Perkins Stadium Saturday, the UW-Whitewater football team fell to DePauw 26-23 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship.
The snow started early this morning and only got heavier as the game went on. UWW’s hard-working field crew had plows out before the game and a contingent of shovelers clearing lines at nearly every break in play.
The Tigers, with the top rush defense in Division III, limited the Warhawks to just 20 yards on the ground, but UWW picked up 221 yards in the passing game. However, it was penalties that proved costly for UW-Whitewater. The Warhawks were flagged for eight penalties for over 100 yards in the contest. DePauw posted 357 yards of total offense including 175 on the ground.
After a scoreless first, the Tigers broke the stalemate with a three-yard rush up the middle for the score. The kick sailed through the uprights for a 7-0 Tiger lead. The Warhawks responded on the next drive. After picking up a first down on three consecutive runs, UWW went to the air — Justin Klinkner dropped back and lofted a ball deep down the middle of the field. Blake Haggerty hauled in the over-the-shoulder catch in stride at the 11 and waltzed into the endzone. Seth Adams hit the point after to tie the game 7-7.
DePauw put together a long drive to set up a Matthew Berry 21-yard field goal with just seconds before halftime. The Warhawks took a knee with just two seconds on the clock to head into the locker room trailing 7-10.
The UW-Whitewater defense provided a spark on the other side of the break. On DePauw’s first drive of the second half, Karsten Libby jumped a passing lane on third down for the pick-six. Libby reined in the interception at the 29 and took it to the house with the extra point giving UW-Whitewater its first lead, 14-10.
The Tigers reclaimed the advantage on the next drive. DePauw hit paydirt on a Ballentine to Ballentine connection from 12-yards out. The extra point made it 14-17 DePauw with less than eight to go in the third.
Adams capitalized on a long drive for the Warhawks, splitting the uprights from 40 yards out to knot the game at 17 as the clocked ticked down to the end of the third quarter.
The offenses kept rolling despite the deteriorating field conditions as the Tigers scored on their next drive. This time the DePauw quarterback lofted a ball to the back pylon. UWW’s defensive back had great coverage, but the receiver tipped the ball and ended up hauling in the catch as he fell to the ground near the sideline, his back clearly out-of-bounds. The side judge was moving toward the play, looking to the back judge to check for a foot down and inbounds. After a second, the back judge threw up his hands to signal a touchdown. Noah Moris got a mitt on the point after attempt, knocking it to the ground near the line of scrimmage. With the failed point after, DePauw led 17-23 with under 12 minutes to go.
The Tigers capitalized on a three-and-out for UWW with another field goal, this time from 24-yards out for a 26-17 lead.
UW-Whitewater responded once again. Klinkner hit Ethan Mitchell on a pass up the middle for 20 yards. Two plays later, Klinkner launched a deep ball to the far hash marks. Jacques Brooks showcased his prowess on the tip drill as the DePauw defender got a hand on the ball, tipping it up for Brooks to pull it down at the Tiger 18 and scamper in for the 45-yard score. The kick was no good as UWW narrowed the gap to three, 23-26 with less than five to play.
The Warhawk defense came up with a huge stop on third down, standing up the Tiger running back at the line of scrimmage to force a punt and get the UWW offense back on the field. The DePauw punt sailed out-of-bounds at the Warhawk 35 as the offense came on with 2:15 left.
A pass interference had the Warhawks at the 50 and another Klinkner to Brooks completion saw UWW into Tiger territory. DePauw stopped the UW-Whitewater drive in its tracks with an interception with less than two to play to seal the game.
Klinkner completed 16 of 22 for 221 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. Haggerty and Vasey each hauled in five catches combining for over 100 yards. Defensively, Ethan Gallagher paced UWW with 11 tackles including a tackle for a loss. Efrein Ramirez joined Gallagher in double figures with 10 tackles. Libby had a phenomenal game with eight tackles, a sack for a loss of two, a pick-six and a pass breakup.
The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office is maintaining the Winter Storm Warning until Sunday at 6 a.m. They continue to estimate that the Whitewater area will receive a total of 9-12 inches of snow and are warning that travel conditions will be deteriorating as drifting occurs and roads become more slippery. Peak blowing snow potential on Sunday is expected to be between4 AM & 4 PM.
Nearly all Social Security recipients are enrolled in Medicare B, for which they have the premium automatically deducted from their monthly Social Security payment. The Medicare B monthly premium in 2026 will exceed $200 for the first time, as it rises 9.7% to $202.90, an increase of $17.90. It’s the largest percentage increase since 2022, when the premium jumped by 15%.
The Part B deductible — the amount seniors must pay out of pocket before their coverage kicks in— is also rising about 10%, jumping to $283 next year from this year’s $257.
The Social Security Administration set next year’s cost-of-living increase at 2.8%, which will boost the average Social Security check by $56 to about $2,071 per month.
The Medicare Part B premium hike will consume about a third of next year’s average COLA [cost of living adjustment] effectively lowering the rate to 1.9% — far below the current inflation rate of 3%. People with lower monthly benefits could even see an effective COLA of zero, according to the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM). The law specifies that the Medicare B premium increase cannot cause a recipient’s Social Security payment to decrease.
A workshop titled “Introduction to Making Handmade Books” will take place Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Wisconsin Makers, 200 E. Clay Street in Whitewater. The two-hour class begins at 7 p.m.
Attendees will learn how to make their own blank notebook using historic bookbinding techniques.
They will make two blank books: a very simple folded booklet with hand sewn signature binding and a casebound blank notebook of one or two signatures, as time permits.
Participants will learn basic paper folding and assembly of signatures into a codex, longstitch binding using needle and waxed linen thread, using bookbinding glue to make a casebound book cover, and using bookcloth to create a sewn longstitch spine binding for their casebound notebook.
All materials will be provided. Attendees may bring their own decorative paper if they want to use it for the notebooks; otherwise, decorative paper samples will be on hand.
Class will begin with a short overview of handmade books, the history of bookbinding and looking at samples of various types of books.
The fee for the class is $20, payable to the instructor, Arthur Durkee.
Durkee is an interdisciplinary artist whose work ranges across book arts, photography, music, poetry, letterpress, printmaking, video, installation, and teaching. He makes artist’s books using all these and more.
To sign up for the bookbinding class, please confirm either Durkee via phone or text at (608) 332-3653 (preferred) or Al Jewer via phone or text at (630) 430-9498.
Attendance is limited to 10 students.
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Felting Workshop
A felting workshop will take place Monday, Dec. 1, in Whitewater. It is set for 5 to 8 p.m. at Wisconsin Makers, 200 E. Clay St.
Attendees — beginners to advanced felters — may work on needle or wet felting or both.
The fee is $20, materials included. Payment may be made at the class.
Register by calling instructor Leani Schoor at (608) 421-4078 or emailing her at leanischoor@gmail.com.
Having earned her Bachelor of Science degree in art education and master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Schoor taught art at Jefferson High School for 38 years. The owner of Studio 2154 in Madison, she teaches wet and needle felting, beadwork, glass fusing, cement yard art, ceramics, copper enameling, metal work and quilting.
Located at the corner of East Clay and Wisconsin streets in Whitewater, Wisconsin Makers is a makerspace or community workshop. For more information, contact Chris Spangler at (920) 728-2960.
Editor’s note: We are grateful for you, our reader, and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. We’d also like to express our appreciation to the many individuals and organizations that provide event announcements, Readers Share submissions, obituaries, etc. for us to share with the greater Whitewater community.
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia. It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and of the preceding year. Similarly named festival holidays occur in Germany and Japan. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and around the same part of the year in other places. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well.
Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among most religions after harvests and at other times of the year. The Thanksgiving holiday’s history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation. It also has aspects of a harvest festival, even though the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated.
