The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library’s Expansion and Renovation Project will enter Phase Three in June. During Phase Three, the existing library space will be renovated. The last day that the library will be open to the public is Saturday, May 31. The library will be closed June 1 – 22. Only online services will be available during this time.
Curbside service will begin on Monday, June 23. Patrons may place holds and pick them up at the library. Staff will be working in the building, but the public will not be able to enter the building as it will be an active construction zone.
The library’s Summer Reading Program runs June 9 – August 1. There will be many free, fun events happening during this time. Due to construction, many of the events will be hosted off-site. Reading logs can be picked up with library curbside service or at any library event.
Completion of the library’s building project is projected for November 2025. Thank you to everyone in the community for your patience as we work to build your new library spaces!
The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is located at 431 W. Center Street in Whitewater. Complete details, updates, online services, and the library events calendar can be found at whitewaterlibrary.org. Call the library at 262-473-0530 with questions.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball on Saturday, May 17 became the first team to clinch their spot in the 2025 NCAA Super Regional after defeating host-school Adrian College, 4-1, in the regional final.
Editor’s note: As was announced in a previous Banner article, Warhawk Softball is also heading to a Super Regional.
The Warhawks took an early 4-1 lead & then pitched 7.0 innings of shut-out baseball for the win over the Bulldogs. UWW will play the winner of UW-Oshkosh/UChicago in the Super Regional round. (Editor’s note: The Warhawks will be playing Oshkosh, as they beat UChicago 10-2.)
The Warhawks got off to a quick start, hitting a lead-off single in the first three innings. UWW had the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the second, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) to open the scoring.
Adrian was able to tie the game up in the top of the third with their own sacrifice fly. However, the Warhawks juiced the bases back up in the bottom of the frame. With three outs to work with, Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) hit a two-RBI single followed by another RBI from Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) to give the Warhawks a 4-1 advantage after three complete.
Ben Lee (Amherst, Wis./Amherst) kept things moving defensively for the Warhawks, only allowing three hits in the next four innings. The Warhawk offense were held in check by Adrian as well, not able to string any hits together like the beginning of the game. But with the defense working on their end, UWW kept the 4-1 lead heading into the seventh inning stretch.
Ethan Wickman (Spring Green, Wis./River Valley) came in for Lee in the 8th, striking out two and allowing only one base runner with the walk to maintain the lead.
Down to their final three outs, the Bulldogs went to their pinch hitters to keep their shot alive. Wickman notched another two outs, but Adrian loaded the bases to bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
Jack Hagen (San Clemente, Cal./San Clemente) got the call on the mound for the final out, which he only needed four pitches for, forcing a weak ground ball to third base. Hopper stepped on the bag to secure the victory and send the Warhawks to the Super Regional for the second consecutive season.
The Warhawks will play the winner of the Gustavus Adolphus regional, taking on either UW-Oshkosh or UChicago. Check uwwsports.com/sports/baseball for more information. (Editor’s note: The Warhawks will be playing Oshkosh on Friday, May 23, as they beat UChicago 10-2. Location and time to be announced.)
William Graham Post 173 of the American Legion in Whitewater is sponsoring the Memorial Day activities in the city.
On Thursday, May 22nd at 5:30 PM members of American Legion Post 173 will gather in the center of Hillside Cemetery to decorate the veterans’ graves at the cemetery. Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H clubs and all other community members are invited to participate. Post 173 will provide the flags.
Plans for the parade and ceremonies at the Whitewater Armory are well underway. The parade will form in the Hearthstone Memory Care Residence by Fairhaven parking lot at 10:00 AM on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26th . Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and other interested groups are encouraged to participate in the parade.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, age 69, has been elected as pope. Born in Chicago, he is the first American-born man to serve in this role, and the first for whom English is his native language. An Augustinian, Prevost has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo the 13th was the first pope in the 20th century.
On Tuesday, May 06, 2025, at approximately 5:22 PM, the following events involving a Walworth County Sheriff’s Patrol Deputy occurred in the City of Delavan, located in Walworth County.
Deputy Chorneyko was operating his marked patrol squad, Eastbound on Hwy 50 to the West of the intersection of County Hwy F, North, in a routine, non-emergent manner. Deputy Chorneyko observed a red truck operating Westbound on Hwy 50, coming at him head-on.
This vehicle appeared to be attempting to pass other westbound vehicles in a marked no- passing zone. Deputy Chorneyko tried to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision with the red truck but was unsuccessful and subsequently sideswiped by the truck. Deputy Chorneyko’s squad became inoperable and came to rest in the roadway, with extensive damage and airbag deployment. The red truck continued westbound and sideswiped another eastbound vehicle, which was originally two vehicles behind Deputy Chorneyko’s squad. The red truck then collided head-on with a third vehicle immediately behind the second vehicle that had been struck. All vehicles remained on-scene and were inoperable as a result of the crash.
A Good Samaritan immediately stopped and assisted Deputy Chorneyko, who required assistance in getting out of the squad, due to the extensive driver’s side damage. Upon exiting his squad, Deputy Chorneyko was advised by other Good Samaritans who were stopping to assist that the red truck was on fire and the driver was trapped. Deputy Chorneyko immediately went to the aid of the driver and sole occupant of the red truck, who had just hit him. There was no fire, but the driver was trapped in the wrecked vehicle and needed medical attention.
Law enforcement from the City and Town of Delavan Police Departments and the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office were arriving and provided first aid to the injured drivers and sole occupants from the other two vehicles. All injuries from this crash were non-life-threatening.
Highway 50 between Northshore Drive and Hwy F, North, was closed for an extended period of time while the Wisconsin State Patrol conducted a traffic crash investigation. The City of Delavan Police Department remains the lead agency and point of contact for this incident.
A medical emergency by the driver of the red truck is believed to be a significant contributing factor to these events.
The community’s willingness to stop and assist our injured Deputy and other drivers in this crash did not go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated. We extend our sincere thanks to the citizens involved, the City of Delavan Police and Fire Department, the Town of Delavan Police and Fire Department, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
Come hear music the way it was meant to be shared! The second concert in the Bassett House Spring Concert Series will be held on Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 1:00 P.M. at the Bassett House, located at 708 W. Main Street in Whitewater. We will hear performances by the talented string students of Leanne Kelso of the UW-Whitewater Music Department. Tickets are $30 and may be purchased at the door.
The concert will be followed by a wine and cheese reception.
The Bassett House, one of the oldest buildings in Whitewater, is one of our city’s historical treasures. And hearing live music in this charming environment is simply magical! Moreover, not only does this concert promise to be a delightful experience, but all proceeds will go to help complete a major multi-stage restoration of the Bassett House.
So come treat yourself to a unique and enchanting musical experience — and make a contribution to an important piece of Whitewater’s heritage at the same time.
Whitewater Unified School District School Board – Regular Meeting – Monday @ 5:15 – CLOSED SESSION agenda pertains to discussion of employee leave of absence, employee sick days, SRO agreement and contract negotiation, nonrenewals, and negotiations.
Whitewater High School Library 534 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin 5:15 p.m. ———————————————– 5:15 p.m. via Zoom Online – URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82193883769?pwd=3i3xKyt1rS0HePeIu7d71txvFVA8xO.1 – Passcode: 234962 ———————————————– – Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799 – Webinar ID: 821 9388 3769 – Passcode: 234962 ———————————————– Closed Session ———————————————– 7:00 p.m. via Zoom Online – OPEN SESSION
City of Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission – Monday @ 5:30 p.m. Agenda includes report on tree sale. 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://us02web.zoom.us/j/84880316529?pwd=PbAibfdQfgddmJzOil86ztpVNW38Eq.1 Meeting ID: 848 8031 6529 Passcode: 686860 Editor’s note: The phone number has not yet been provided; hopefully it will be added to the agenda – see link above.
City of Whitewater Public Arts Commission – Thursday @ 5:00 p.m. Editor’s note: The agenda has not yet been provided as of 4/27/25.
By Lynn Binnie Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
As was previously reported on The Banner, Whitewater Unified School District Superintendent Caroline Pate-Hefty has submitted her resignation effective June 30. There has been little community participation in the initial focus groups from which the Whitewater Unified School District School Board is seeking input as they pursue the search for a new district superintendent. Reportedly the initial in-person meeting on April 22, which was poorly advertised, was attended by only three persons. There were only nine participants in the Zoom meeting on April 24, during which, Scott Winch, a representative from the search firm, indicated that there were approximately 200 responses to a survey. He also stated that there have already been about 20 applicants for the position. Applications may be received through April 30. The first round of interviews will take place on May 12-13, with final interviews scheduled for May 22. Parents and community members will have an opportunity to meet and interact with the candidates on May 22 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Further information will be forthcoming.
Persons who may be unable to participate in one of the focus groups are welcome to submit comments to Winch at scottwinch@hyasearch.com.
The following was provided by WUSD. WUSD Moves Forward with Superintendent Search
The Whitewater Unified School District School Board has engaged executive search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) to lead the search for the district’s next superintendent.
As part of the search process, HYA will facilitate a series of focus groups. These sessions are designed to gather input from students, staff, families, community members, and local organizations. The feedback collected will help shape the profile for the district’s next leader.
Below are the dates, times, and locations of the community sessions: ● Friday, April 25, 12:00-12:45 p.m. for Businesses, Civic Groups, Parents, and Community Members. Virtual Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/91902953403?pwd=OBRWLQJn7fhON4gPdwKnZZnkKWxGuF.1 Meeting ID: 919 0295 3403 Passcode: 908035 ● Wednesday, April 30, 6:00-6:45 p.m. for Businesses, Civic Groups, Parents, and Community Members in-person at Whitewater High School Library, 534 S. Elizabeth Street, 2nd Floor, Whitewater, WI
All focus groups will address the same set of questions, including: ● What are the strengths of the Whitewater Unified School District that the next superintendent can build upon? ● What are the challenges facing the Whitewater Unified School District that the next superintendent should be aware of, or that you would like to see addressed? ● What characteristics or traits are you looking for in your new superintendent? ● Is there anything else you would like to share with us regarding the Whitewater Unified School District? ● HYA will be recruiting potential superintendent candidates for this position. Is there anyone that you can think of who might be a good fit as your new superintendent that we should contact? If so, please share or email us his/her name and contact information.
The school board and HYA will use the input gathered from these conversations to guide the recruitment and selection of superintendent candidates in the coming weeks.
The Making of Our Planet with Dan Tapster – Sunday, April 27 @ 3:00 p.m.
From the Emmy® Award-winning team behind Netflix’s “Our Planet” series, comes a new natural history speaker series: Our Planet Live. Brought to you by Silverback Films and Producer esk [esk is an independent creative producer based in Edinburgh, Scotland] in association with Netflix, Our Planet Live is a new and immersive live show featuring behind-the-scenes stories from the explorers, filmmakers, scientists, and adventurers that created some of the most eye-catching footage of our planet.
Step into the breathtaking world of Life on Our Planet in this special big-screen talk, featuring highlights from the acclaimed Netflix documentary, with expert insights, and behind-the-scenes footage from eight-time Emmy-nominated series showrunner, Dan Tapster.
With a background in natural history filmmaking at the BBC and a decade leading the TV sensation MythBusters, Dan brings a unique blend of scientific storytelling and cinematic innovation. During his time with Silverback, the renowned studio behind The Hunt and David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, he has overseen the fusion of advanced visual effects with stunning wildlife cinematography, bringing Earth’s 4-billion-year evolutionary saga to life like never before.
At The Making of Our Planet, join Dan for an exclusive look into this ambitious project – from the science behind Earth’s previous extinction events to the groundbreaking techniques used to recreate prehistoric creatures and landscapes – followed by a live Q&A.
At a time when the natural world faces unprecedented challenges, this is a rare chance to explore Earth’s history of resilience and discuss the importance of conservation and a sustainable future.
The Young Performing Arts Center is located at 930 W. Main St., Whitewater, on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus. Free parking is available in lots 1 and 2 [frankly, lot 2 is more convenient.] Tickets may be purchased online here for $48 or at the Ticket Services office, 800 W. Main Street. They are open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Tickets purchased at the door are subject to a $2 per ticket surcharge.
The National Honor Society at Whitewater High School celebrated National Student Leadership Week by hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive on April 16! 49 units of blood were collected which have the potential of saving over 145 lives. They exceeded their goal of collecting 45 units and earned an $800 scholarship from the Red Cross.
NHS would like to thank all of the students, teachers and community members who participated and made this day a success! They would also like to thank the following businesses for donating pizza for the event: Dominos, Toppers, Rocky Rococo, and Rosa’s Pizza and Culver’s for donating coupons for a free pint of ice cream. A great time was had by all!
Editor’s note: This announcement was provided byPamela Sonmor-Wintz.
