News

Editor’s note: Al Stanek, who is completing his second term on the County Board, told The Banner that he is encouraging others who show an interest to attend this meeting. Though he has enjoyed his service and feels he has made some significant contributions, Al indicated that he is willing to serve again only if there are no other qualified candidates. Whitewater has two seats, Stanek’s (D-4) and another (D-3) that includes portions of the east and south sides of the city along with various towns currently held by Brian Holt. The deadline for filing nomination papers is January 6, 2026.

Walworth County to Hold Informational Workshop for Interested Residents and Potential County Board Supervisor Candidates

County Administrator Mark Luberda will hold an informational meeting for interested residents and potential County Board Supervisor candidates who would like to learn
more about the duties and responsibilities of County Board Supervisors. The meeting will take place:

• Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 6 p.m.
  County Board Room 114, Walworth County Government Center
  100 W. Walworth Street, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
  
  The workshop will provide an overview of Walworth County government and the
  responsibilities and time commitment generally required of County Board Supervisors. The 90- minute class will provide an overview of what an individual could expect while serving on the Board. This will include outlining the wide range of services provided by County government, summarizing the County’s budget, highlighting some of the legal rules under which Supervisors must operate, addressing the relationship between the County Board and other elected and appointed officials, reviewing the committee structure, and discussing typical time commitments.

If you’re interested in running for County Board Supervisor, County Clerk Susi Pike will be available with nomination packets and can assist you in completing them.

For more information or to register, please contact County Administration at (262) 741-4357 or email countyadministration@co.walworth.wi.us.

The district maps on the county website may be viewed here.

The Whitewater Arts Alliance is happy to announce a series of three festive ornament-making workshops this December, designed to bring creativity and connection to three unique community groups. Participants will craft whimsical Santa ornaments made from paintbrushes, transforming everyday tools into joyful holiday keepsakes. Each workshop will feature the same ornament project, with all supplies provided and several helping hands on site to support attendees.

The first workshop will be held on Wednesday, December 10, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center for English as a Second Language (ESL) students.

The second will take place on Thursday, December 11, from 1 pm-2:30 pm. at the Cultural Arts Center for members of the Whitewater Dementia Friendly Initiative.

The final session will be hosted for the residents at Mulberry Glen on Friday, December 12, from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.

“These workshops reflect the Alliance’s commitment to inclusive, joyful art experiences,” said Gallery Director, Kim Adams “We’re thrilled to offer a welcoming workshop where creativity can flourish across generations and backgrounds.”

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will celebrate the achievements of its graduates at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 13, as proud families and friends gather for the 2025 December commencement ceremony.

Approximately 888 students will be earning their degrees, including undergraduates from the College of Arts and Communication, the College of Business and Economics, the College of Education and Professional Studies, the College of Integrated Studies, and the College of Letters and Sciences, and students earning a master’s degree or doctorate from the School of Graduate Studies.

The ceremony, about two hours long and presided over by Chancellor Corey A. King, will be held at Kachel Fieldhouse in the Williams Center.

This year’s commencement speaker is Mark Perry, a San Francisco business leader whose father, Harold Perry, graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1933 and returned in 1958 to serve as commencement speaker. When Harold Perry retired in 1974, the family established the Harold M. Perry and Margaret A. Perry Scholarship Fund at UW-Whitewater. Recently, the family established the Harold M. Perry ’33 and Margaret A. Perry Endowed Faculty Chair, a $2 million gift in 2024 that provides resources to a selected UW-Whitewater faculty member or members to address complex issues, develop long-term solutions and positively impact Wisconsin’s economy.

The student speaker is Samuel Bardales, from Gurnee, Illinois, who is earning a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, secondary education licensure, and a minor in business law. On campus, he joined myriad student organizations and served in multiple leadership roles. Early on, he joined the Leadership Involvement Team for Wells Residence Hall and became deeply involved with Whitewater Student Government. He also was involved in Whitewater Cru and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Bardales hopes to work as a math teacher after graduation and later further his education.

82 percent of the graduating students come from Wisconsin, and 25 states and seven countries other than the United States are represented in the graduating class.

The graduating class includes nine international students, 69 military veterans and 154 nontraditional students, defined as undergraduate students who are 25 years of age or older. In addition, 77 self-identified students with disabilities will receive degrees.

A total of 56 graduating students participated in the university’s Hired Before Graduation campaign, which celebrates students who landed a job, earned acceptance to graduate school or started their own business before commencement. That represents an increase of 27% over the December 2024 class.

Commencement will be broadcast live online by UWW-TV, the university television station. Access to the livestream will be posted on our commencement webpage.

Stop by Studio 84 this Saturday, December 13th from 10 am-2 pm for Second Saturdays at Studio 84 located in downtown Whitewater at 121 W. Center Street. This month’s activity is Christmas card making! All materials and supplies are provided free of charge!

Studio 84 is a non-profit art studio, gallery and store. Our mission is to provide fully accessible opportunities in the arts to enrich people’s lives. Our regular weekday programming provides individual guidance and instruction to people of all ages and abilities for a cost. We are privileged to be able to provide this free opportunity to create art together as a community thanks to the generosity of the Geneva Lake Women’s Association.
 
An adult must accompany kids under the age of twelve at Second Saturdays. Anyone with special needs may also be required to have a guardian or caregiver present depending on their needs.

You can learn more about Studio 84 at our webstite www.studio84inc.org , Facebook @
Studio84, Inc. or Instagram @ studio84inc

Whitewater Unified School District has a 2-hour delay. Per our policy, the morning Early Childhood and 4K classes are cancelled. The full-day 4K and afternoon 4K classes will continue to be held. We apologize for the late notice, but for our students’ safety, there was one last-minute drive around the area, and it has gotten worse within the hour. Some of the townships have encouraged the bus company to hold off due to the roads.

Whitewater High School Schedule:

The League of Women Voters Whitewater Area is honored to announce that Whitewater resident Tom Ganser has been selected to receive the League’s 2025 Making Democracy Work award for documenting democracy in action as a photographer. Through photography, Tom tells a diverse, multigenerational story of civic pride and action. Tom provides his services to the community at no charge, documenting crucial community events such as town hall meetings, local elections, Unity Walks, and League of Women Voters-sponsored events. The League’s Making Democracy Work Award recognizes citizens who strive to make their community a safer and fairer place in which to live. 

A public reception celebrating Tom’s commitment to diversity and civic action will be held Sunday, December 14, 2 PM – 4 PM, at the Prairie Village Community Center, located at Prairie Village on Burr Oak Trail just south of County U in Whitewater.  Refreshments will be served. 

Please join us on December 14th in honoring Tom. Tom taught English for 10 years at Custer High School in Milwaukee and served for 20 years as Associate Director and Director of the Office of Field Experiences in the College of Education and Professional Studies at UW-Whitewater and as Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. He directed the Beginning Teacher Assistance Program and served on the Whitewater Unified School District for four years. Tom serves on the Finance Committee for First United Methodist Church. He has contributed to the Whitewater Register, the Whitewater Banner, the Daily Jefferson County Union, and Fort Atkinson Online. 

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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area and like us on Facebook!

Wednesday, December 10th is Whitewater High School’s annual Winter Gala concert and fundraiser. We would love to see a big crowd out to support our talented musicians. There will be a raffle basket auction to help raise funds for the music booster club. Support of the community in the raffle is greatly appreciated.

If you are unable to attend in person but want to join us virtually, here is the link (please scroll down.)

Orders must be placed by Wednesday, December 10. Unsold baskets will be available for onsite purchase, while supplies last, at First Citizens State Bank’s downtown lobby beginning the afternoon of Wednesday, December 17. 

Over the weekend, Whitewater High School’s Model UN team participated in the Model UN Conference at Arrowhead High School. Students spent the day debating global issues and collaborating with delegates from other schools. Their strong preparation, professionalism, and teamwork were evident in every committee.

We are incredibly proud of our Model UN students for their dedication and outstanding performance. Congratulations to all members on a successful event!

Article and Photos Submitted by Liberty Cunningham and Greg Stewart
WHS Model UN Advisors
cunli01@wwusd.org

Updated 12/9/25 @ 9:15 p.m. with the link to the video.

A Whitewater program will be featured on Monday, December 8 on the WDJT Channel 58 News at 10 p.m. One of the regular diners from the community had reached out to the Milwaukee station to suggest that the University/Community Lunch that is offered at First United Methodist Church would be an interesting feature for Natalie Shepherd’s “Everyday Heroes.” Shepherd, the evening anchor, recently visited the lunch to see it for herself.

Lunch Coordinator Terrie Parenteau indicates that about 250 meals a week are currently being provided. Four to six volunteers assist Parenteau with preparing and serving the meals, not to mention additional church members who contribute food from home. The program is in its 25th year, having pivoted to take-out meals five days a week during the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost 20,000 meals were provided during that time.

Students and community members are welcome at the free lunch, which is served throughout the school year on Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The last lunch for the semester will be served on December 9, with the first lunch in 2026 being served on January 27.

Written by Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com