News

Moody’s Ratings has assigned an Aa3 rating to the Whitewater Unified School District’s planned $13.6 million issuance of general obligation promissory notes.

Moody’s also maintained the district’s Aa3 issuer rating and Aa3 rating on its outstanding general obligation unlimited tax bonds. Following the sale, WUSD will have approximately $34 million in outstanding general obligation unlimited tax debt.

Promissory notes are a type of short-term borrowing used by school districts to finance projects and manage capital needs. According to Moody’s, the rating reflects WUSD’s growing local economy, stable enrollment, adequate reserves, and modest debt levels.

“This strong credit rating reflects our commitment to responsible financial management and long-term planning,” said Superintendent Samuel Karns. “We are proud to maintain a high rating from Moody’s while continuing to invest in our schools and support the educational needs of our students and community.”

Moody’s noted that WUSD benefits from its location, approximately 50 miles from both Madison and Milwaukee, as well as the presence of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, which plays a significant role in supporting local economic activity.

The agency also reported that the district’s tax base continues to grow, driven by recent residential and commercial development. New housing construction and population growth are expected to help maintain stable enrollment.

Financial indicators remain solid, with the district’s available fund balance ratio at 18 percent and its net cash ratio at 14 percent in Fiscal Year 2025. The district projects balanced general fund operations in the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years.

To learn more about WUSD’s rating, visit https://ratings.moodys.com/ratings-news/460247.

Walworth County Public Works manages about 400 miles of county highways, striving to keep them clean and beautiful. To help maintain our roads and eliminate litter, Public Works invites individuals, families, businesses, and civic organizations to participate in the Adopt-a-Highway program. 

This volunteer program allows groups and individuals to “adopt” a stretch of roadway—two miles or less—by cleaning up litter at least three times per season. 

If residents are interested in getting involved, there are several highway segments available for adoption on County Highways A, B, C, D, DD, ES, K, M, O, and X.  

Walworth County urges drivers to stay alert, watch for Adopt-A-Highway volunteers, and slow down around them. 

For more information about Adopt-A-Highway or to adopt a section, please contact Walworth County Public Works at 262-741-3114, option 1. 

Editor’s Note: The above was provided by Walworth County.

On Saturday, March 14th, Whitewater High School’s music department sent 74 events to District Solo and Ensemble with 28 events qualifying for the state competition that will be hosted by UW Whitewater on April 25th. Congratulations to every single performer for representing our school district well and sharing your musical talent. We wish good luck to our future state performers. 

Article and Photos Submitted by MacKenzie Gehrke
Whitewater High School Vocal Music Instructor
gehma01@wwusd.org

Due to the severe winter storm that affected our area Monday, John’s Disposal suspended collection
services for the day to ensure the safety of both drivers and the public.

All collection routes will be delayed by one day. Therefore, Thursday’s route will be picked up on Friday.
This adjustment allows their team to safely make up for the missed service day while ensuring all
residents receive collection within the week.

Please leave your carts at the curb until your collection has been completed.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as John’s Disposal works through the effects of the
storm. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact John’s Disposal at 262-473-4700.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the City of Whitewater.

Elizabeth Matson and Jim Winship will be telling stories at The Wright House on March 21 at 7pm.

A performing storyteller since 1987, Elizabeth Matson grew up in her mother’s Children’s Theatre Company and read her way through the fairy tale section of her childhood public library. She is a spinner of tales, weaving magic into her original performances of fairy, folk, personal, and family history tales. Elizabeth brings stories to life with her expressions, movement, and voice. She offers performances, workshops, and story coaching for all ages. She is the co-author, with Stuart Stotts, of The Bookcase Ghost: A Storyteller’s Collection of Wisconsin Ghost Stories (Midwest Traditions, 1996). She holds a MA in Folklore and MS in Library Science. She coaches her library’s teen storytelling troupe, has performed at the Whitewater (WI) Storytelling Festival, and performs virtually with 4 Women Telling.

Jim Winship has been a college professor for over three decades, a Professor of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and also a Fulbright Scholar in Colombia and El Salvador. He has performed as a professional storyteller and has been conducting workshops on digital storytelling since 2009. Jim left full-time employment at UW-W in 2016 to have the time to devote to fully engaging with training opportunities and story-based work. Jim has been trained by StoryCenter in Berkeley, California, the organization that pioneered digital storytelling. He creates digital stories and has conducted five three-day workshops in which college faculty and professional staff members each created their own digital stories. He has facilitated students in creating digital stories both at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater — including a series of stories on race, ethnicity and power — and at the University of Cartagena, Colombia.

Register on Eventbrite: https://matsonwinship.eventbrite.com

The Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) will offer the AARP Driver Safety Class on April 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services, 1910 County Road NN in Elkhorn.

This class is a great refresher on driving techniques and rules of the road and provides a proven method for seniors to evaluate their driving and make necessary changes to remain safe. In addition, most insurance companies offer a discount for up to three years for completion of the course. The cost is $20 for AARP members and $25 for non-members. 

For questions or to register for the program, contact Chetney Blaszczyk at 262-741-3157.

About the ADRC of Walworth County: The ADRC provides information and assistance to older and disabled adults, their friends, family, caregivers, and the public. We can assist by evaluating your current needs and providing options available to meet the needs of your personal situation.

Editor’s Note: The above was provided by Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC).

Whitewater Unified School District [WUSD] will be closed on Monday, March 16, 2026, due to a Winter Storm Warning that is tracking heavy snow that will impact travel during school hours.  All before and after-school athletics and activities for Monday will also be canceled. 

UW-Whitewater: No in-person classes, events or activities at Whitewater and Rock County campuses on Monday, March 16, 2026.

WUSD School Board meeting will be held virtually.
6:00 p.m. via Zoom Online
URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85788115969?pwd=inx7iakfakvjCzvZa3k5WKmiIy70td.1
– Passcode: 386809
Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
Webinar ID: 857 8811 5969

The felting workshop slated for Monday, March 16, at Wisconsin Makers in Whitewater has been canceled due to the anticipated snowstorm. It will be rescheduled for a later date.For more information, contact instructor Leani Schoor at (608) 421-4078 or leanischoor@gmail.com. Located at the corner of East Clay and Wisconsin streets in Whitewater, Wisconsin Makers is a makerspace or community workshop.

The Whitewater Public Library is closed on Monday, March 16, due to weather. Online resources are always available at whitewaterlibrary.org. In addition, the Library Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. is postponed. Date/time TBA. 

The City of Whitewater Municipal building will have limited staff, Monday, March 16, 2026, due to the weather. If you were planning to visit the Municipal building tomorrow, many of the services available in person can be completed online. We encourage residents to visit www.whitewater-wi.gov to access payments, permits, and other city services from the safety of your home.We anticipate reopening Tuesday, March 17th, 2026.

Due to weather, the Senior Center will be closed on Monday 3/16. Please be safe and we will see you on Tuesday.

Palmyra-Eagle Schools are closed on Monday.

The Whitewater Aquatic & Fitness Center will delay opening this morning. Planned opening time: 9:00 AM. We will continue monitoring conditions and will post another update here on our Facebook page at 8:00 AM if anything changes. Thank you for your understanding as we prioritize the safety of our members and staff. Please travel safely this morning!

All SSM Health Dean Medical Group primary care clinic locations are closed. Express Virtual Care is available from 6:00 am – 10:00 pm for minor and moderate illness or injury at ssmhealth.com/visitnow

Associated Bank has an 11am opening today.
Premier has a 12 pm opening.
UW Credit Union is closed.

Local students named to Marquette University’s fall 2025 Dean’s List 

The following students have been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2025 semester at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

To make the Dean’s List, students must have earned at least 12 credits for the fall 2025 semester and have no disqualifying grades. The GPA threshold varies by college — for the College of Education and the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, undergraduate students must have at least a 3.7 to be named to the Dean’s List.  

The undergraduate GPA requirement is 3.5 for the following colleges: the Diederich College of Communication, the College of Business Administration, the College of Health Sciences, the Opus College of Engineering and the College of Nursing. All other programs have a 3.75 GPA minimum. 

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university that draws over 8,000 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate and professional students from nearly all states and more than 60 countries. In addition to its nationally recognized academic programs, Marquette is known for its service learning programs and internships as students are challenged to use what they learn to make a difference in the world. Find out more about Marquette at marquette.edu. 

Whitewater, WI

 Maddie Arnett, Doctorate, Occupational Therapy
 Emerson Maliszewski, Bachelor of Science, Nursing

Following is a message from the City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation Department:

The Whitewater Parks & Recreation Department is excited to announce that we will be overseeing the 2026 Whitewater 4th of July Parade, and we would love to invite you to participate!

The City would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Whitewater Lions Club for their many years of service and dedication in organizing the parade and helping make this event a highlight of the summer season.

The parade will take place on Saturday, July 4, 2026, beginning at 10:00 AM. This year’s celebration will be especially meaningful as communities across the country celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary. We are looking forward to making this milestone celebration an unforgettable event for our community.

We hope you will consider joining us to help make the parade bigger, more festive, and more memorable than ever. Whether through a float, vehicle, marching group, performance, or other creative display, your participation will help bring excitement and patriotic spirit to this historic celebration.

The parade registration form is below. [Note: A printable copy of the form may be found here.] Additional details regarding parade lineup and staging will be shared in June. 

If you are interested in participating or would like to receive more information, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Whitewater, our community, and America’s 250th Anniversary in a truly amazing way.

Updated 3/15/26 @ 10:30 p.m. to add the above image.

At 7:21 p.m. on Sunday the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office [NWS] issued a Blizzard Warning effective until 4 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026. This warning is effective for all of southern Wisconsin.

The NWS warning includes the following statements: “After a brief break in precipitation, expecting heavy snow at rates to 1″/hr at times to work from west to east tonight. Northerly winds of 40 to 45 MPH combined with high snow rates will lead to blizzard conditions with visibilities less than 1/4 mile. Snow accumulations of 5 to 10 inches expected.

* IMPACTS…Travel could be very difficult. Widespread blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions are expected to impact the Monday morning commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous.”