News

The Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association (WPRA) has named Jefferson County Parks Director Kevin Wiesmann its 2025 Park Section Outstanding Professional of the Year. Wiesmann received his award during a reception at the WPRA Annual Conference & Trade Show on February 5 in Wisconsin Dells.

The Outstanding Professional of the Year Award recognizes parks professionals with seven or more years of experience who excel in their mission to promote the benefits of parks and whose actions hold true to the WPRA mission statement: “So everyone can play.”

“Kevin leads a talented, dedicated Parks Department staff that ensures residents and visiting guests enjoy all that our parks have to offer throughout Wisconsin’s four seasons,” said Michael Luckey, Jefferson County Administrator. “Our parks aid in preserving the rural heritage of Jefferson County, which is central to our way of life and a point of community pride.”

Wiesmann oversees an extensive collection of outdoor recreational amenities, including 22 County Parks, more than 1,300 acres of parkland, facilities, and flood-mitigation properties, popular trails for bicyclists, hikers, snowmobilers, and cross-country ski enthusiasts, and an acclaimed Dog Park. His team has developed key relationships with volunteer teams and “Friends of” groups, resulting in more than 400 hours of volunteer work and investments of more than $300,000 in the Jefferson County Parks Endowment Fund, per the 2025 Parks Department Annual Report.

In 2026, Wiesmann is leading an update of his team’s Parks & Outdoor Recreation Plan (PORP), which will inform parks development in Jefferson County for the next five years. “We are excited to interact with our Parks fans to hear what they value most about our County Parks and get feedback for making these special places even better for all visitors,” said Luckey. “With Kevin’s guidance, I’m certain our plan update will provide thoughtful stewardship and great ideas for future park spaces.”

For more about Jefferson County Parks: https://parks.jeffersoncountywi.gov/

The following students are members of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s production of “The Prom.” The production, directed by Robyn Accetta and produced by special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide of New York, New York, will run Feb. 20-28 at Barnett Theatre in UW-Whitewater’s Greenhill Center of the Arts

Whitewater, WI 53190: Olivia Mauritz, who is studying Art, is a member of the Cast, serving in the role of Ensemble/Understudy Kaylee.

Whitewater, WI 53190: Alex Martin, who is studying Music, is a member of the Pit Orchestra, serving in the role of alto saxophone.

Tickets are on sale for the performances and can be purchased in person at the Greenhill Center of the Arts, online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. There is a $2 surcharge for tickets purchased at the door at the time of the event. Barnett Theatre is located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190. For additional information about the UW-Whitewater Department of Theatre/Dance visit uww.edu/theatre.

About “The Prom”

“The Prom,” directed by Robyn Accetta, is a vibrant, feel-good musical that brings together an impactful story of queer love, Broadway glitz and small-town grit in a story bursting with humor, heart, and humanity. Full of show-stopping songs and powerful moments, this production celebrates redemption, transformation, and the joy of being seen. Whether you’re here for the laughs, the love, or the glitter – there’s a place for you at “The Prom.” Produced by special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide of New York, New York.

Editor’s note: Additional information regarding performances of “The Prom” may be found in this Banner article.

2-15-26

Sunday, February 15: Steve Watson writes, “Two pair of swans by the scenic overlook this morning. One pair decided to find better accommodations and took flight.”

Monday morning and two are still here. Apparently they’re comfortable here, at least for now.

Our thanks to Steve Watson for making the rounds of the lakes with a watchful eye and camera and sharing the results generously with us.

“Bugonia”
Tuesday, February 24, 1 pm
(Dark Comedy/Satire/Science Fiction)
Rated R (violence, language); 1 hour, 58 minutes (2025). 

Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major corporation, convinced she is an alien being from another galaxy intent on destroying Earth. Many awards nominations for Best Picture, Actress (Emma Stone) and Actor (Jesse Plemons). 

Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $15 and non-residents is $20. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes out of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/ 

Ben Ogden (Left) and Gus Schumacher celebrate their silver medals. Photo credit: Nat Herz, Alaska Public Media

Gus Schumacher, an Anchorage skier and grandson of the late Rollie Cooper and the late Nancy Cooper, won a silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy on February 19. He teamed up with his longtime friend, Vermont skier Ben Ogden in the men’s team sprint event. One reporter stated, “Anchorage cross-country skiing superstar Gus Schumacher was nearly perfect racing the anchor leg Wednesday in the team sprint event.” The duo secured only the second men’s cross-country skiing medal for the U.S. in 50 years, after Ogden’s silver medal in the individual sprint earlier in the Games.

Media reports may be found at the links shown below.

Anchorage’s Schumacher earns silver in cross-country team sprint – Alaska Public Media

Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher’s Olympic silver medal was forged with friendship – NBC

‘These guys are for real’: Kikkan Randall on what Olympic silver means for Gus Schumacher and Alaska – KTVF in Alaska

Alaska in the medals, as Schumacher strikes silver at Italy Olympics – Alaska Public Media – includes an interview with Schumacher

Gus’s official Olympics page

Gus Schumacher: Meet the Athlete – NBC

Gus Schumacher (skier) – Wikipedia

The Winter 2026 season marked a significant milestone for WHS Esports, highlighted by the successful introduction of Marvel Rivals into our competitive rotation.

Student-athletes embraced the opportunity to compete with their favorite MCU characters while representing WHS against top programs across the state. Competition featured three distinct game modes: Convoy, requiring precise payload coordination; Domination, a high-intensity king-of-the-hill format; and Convergence, a hybrid mode demanding advanced strategy, adaptability, and teamwork.

In our inaugural Marvel Rivals season, the team finished with a 3–4 regular season record, earning the 6th seed in the division and securing a berth in the state playoff bracket—an impressive accomplishment for a first-year title.

This season also marked the debut of Assistant Esports Coach Mr. Gavin Van Epps, who joined the program in his first year as an educator. Entrusted with leading the Marvel Rivals roster, he demonstrated exceptional leadership, organization, and competitive focus. His energetic and student-centered approach fostered both performance growth and sustained player engagement throughout the season.

While Mr. Justin Buntrock directed the Varsity and JV Fortnite programs, the success and competitive momentum of Marvel Rivals stands as a testament to Coach Van Epps’ leadership and the dedication of our student-athletes.

We commend our players and coaching staff for a strong inaugural campaign and look forward to building on this foundation in the seasons ahead.

Article and Photo Submitted by Justin Buntrock
Whitewater High School Head eSports Coach
jbuntrock@wwusd.org

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It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, one of the most solemn times in the Christian calendar. Here is a view of one of Whitewater’s long-time churches, the First English Lutheran Church. But, this post card is labeled the Norwegian Lutheran Church, not the First English Lutheran Church. This is because the post card was probably produced before 1937 when the congregation officially changed its name. In the mid-19th century, Norwegian immigrants founded the local Norwegian Lutheran Church on the east side of Whitewater. In 1908 the congregation relocated to this building, the old Baptist Church, originally built in 1886-1887. In the early 20th century, services began to be held in English, and by 1937, the church dropped its affiliation as a Norwegian Lutheran church.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(5523PC, Whitewater Historical Society)

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announced his retirement effective with the end of the current session in a speech on the Assembly floor on the last in-person day on February 19th. He stated that he suffered a heart attack last year and took it as a sign from God to retire. Vos, age 57, (R-Rochester) was first elected to the Assembly in 2004 and has served as Speaker since 2013. During his tenure, he became one of the most powerful figures in state government and the longest-serving Assembly Speaker on record.

Per Wikipedia:

“Vos attended the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where he studied political science and public relations. While at Whitewater, he roomed with Reince Priebus, who later became chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, chairman of the Republican National Committee, and White House chief of staff. In 1989, Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson appointed Vos as a student representative on the University of Wisconsin board of regents. Vos graduated in 1991.^[7]

After graduation, Vos worked as a legislative assistant to state representatives Jim Ladwig and Bonnie Ladwig…..Vos has an ownership stake of $4.8 million in rental properties in Whitewater, Wisconsin.” [Per the Walworth County property tax site, Ladwig & Vos, Inc. owns over twenty residential properties in the city.]

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Gov. Tony Evers issued the following statement on February 19 regarding the retirement announcement.

Gov. Evers Releases Statement Regarding Speaker Vos’ Retirement

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today released the following statement regarding Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ (R-Rochester) retirement announcement: “The Speaker’s retirement marks the end of an era in Wisconsin politics, and I’m grateful to have served as governor during Speaker Vos’ tenure. Although we’ve disagreed more often than we didn’t, I respect his candor, his ability to navigate complex policies and conversations, and his unrivaled passion for politics. “I’m also incredibly proud of the bipartisan work we’ve been able to do together these past seven years. We passed the first bipartisan budget in decades last year that made historic investments in our kids and public education. We worked together to find compromise and provide the first increase in state support for our local communities in over a decade. We kept the Brewers in Milwaukee for generations of new Wisconsinites, provided billions in tax relief for middle-class families, made one of the largest investments in affordable housing in state history, and increased key investments for the first time in a generation, from special education to funding to fix our roads and bridges. And those are just some of the highlights. “I wish the Speaker well in his retirement and hope he and his wife, Michelle, enjoy this new chapter together. Robin’s one-of-a-kind, so I wish whoever becomes the next Assembly Speaker well. They’ll no doubt have their work cut out for them. Being in public service is challenging and can be thankless work, most especially when you’re responsible for getting things done. I understand that better than most. For your sacrifices and your service over the years, thank you, Mr. Speaker.”

Update 2/29/26 @ 5:00 p.m. – The agenda, which includes the virtual access link, may be viewed here.

The Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Committee invites residents to comment on a proposed Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) amendment to the existing County Zoning Ordinance during its public hearing at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 19 at the Jefferson County Courthouse (Room C2063) or via Microsoft Teams teleconference.

The County is exploring this amendment because it has potential to contribute to two pillars within the Jefferson County Strategic Plan: diverse housing opportunities and intentional economic growth. ADUs support diverse housing opportunities by enabling the addition of new housing units that broaden the variety, size, and cost of local housing options. They enable intentional economic growth by adding housing units quickly on developed land, with no impact on farmland or undeveloped spaces.

ADUs provide flexibility and efficiency that many existing housing options lack. Homeowners may opt to build an ADU to facilitate multi-generational family living on the same lot, or they may rent an ADU to supplement their income while providing additional affordable housing.

The amendment contains several safeguards designed to maintain quality of life for current residents:

• Lot size restrictions: ADUs can only be built on standard, conforming lots
• Lots must contain enough space for two parking stalls per dwelling unit
• Septic/sanitary district requirements: Septic systems must be approved to serve the total number of bedrooms (main residence and ADU); all homes in sanitary districts must receive approval before permitting
• The property owner must live onsite (in the main residence or the ADU)

After this public hearing, the Planning and Zoning Committee will consider the ADU amendment at its Planning and Zoning Committee meeting on February 23 and may recommend action by the Jefferson County Board at its March 10 meeting.

For more information about Jefferson County, visit https://www.jeffersoncountywi.gov.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by Jefferson County on February 18.

The following students are serving on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee for the 2025-26 year:

Whitewater, WI 53190: Orin Smith, who is studying Higher Education Leadership MSE, is the Vice Chair and College of Graduate Studies Representative.

Whitewater, WI 53190: Olivia Nanni, who is studying Human Resource Management, is the College of Business and Economics representative.

The Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee (SUFAC) is made up of student representatives from across campus that allocate fees to student organizations and campus departments. SUFAC appropriates budgets to fund more than 100 activities, programs, and student organizations on campus.

“Representatives come from each academic college and Whitewater Student Government. Students gain decision-making skills, policy development and implementation, and the management of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Kim Clarksen, an advisor to SUFAC. “Their goal is focused on providing access to funds that assist students in having meaningful educational experiences while maintaining affordable fees for all students.”

Clarksen assists the committee in applying policy and understanding the nuances of the groups requesting funds. She also supervises the budget interns that work alongside the committee, helping groups to spend their allocated dollars.

Students can reach out to the dean of their colleges and/or to the Whitewater Student Government to express interest in serving. For more information, visit uww.edu/sufac or send questions to sufac@uww.edu.

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.