News & Events

The First United Methodist Church of Whitewater is excited to welcome Janan Najeeb and Dr. Rachel Buff to our Draw the Circle Wide Lecture Series.

The public is invited to the Draw the Circle Wide Lecture Series to hear Janan Najeeb and Dr. Rachel Buff on Sunday, April 21 at the First United Methodist Church sanctuary, 145 S. Prairie St., Whitewater, WI 53190. From 1:00 – 2:30 adults and youth alike are invited to their presentation, “Ending the Genocide: Towards a Shared Future for Palestinians and Jews,” as they examine the current and historical struggles for hope, healing and justice in Israel and Palestine. Following a question-and-answer opportunity a reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall.

Janan Najeeb is a Palestinian American Muslim and founded the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition in 1994. A well-known tireless justice activist, Najeeb is a noted go-to resource for media, academic institutions, and interfaith organizations. Dr. Buff is Chair of the History Department at UW-Milwaukee and a founding member of Milwaukee Jewish Voice for Peace.

Najeeb is the convener of the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine (which includes more than 60 organizations), of which Dr. Buff is co-chair of its Executive Committee. Together, they will bring us timely insights to educate and enlighten us on the work of diverse communities toward a permanent ceasefire and resolution to years of hostility and occupation.

The First United Methodist Church’s Draw the Circle Wide series works to bring engaging programs focusing on social justice issues of interest to the Whitewater community.

By Sherry Stanek

We are now less than one week away from the Third Whitewater Community Tree Sale to be held at Starin Park from April 26, Arbor Day, through April 28th. We will once again have an assortment of native trees and shrubs that you won’t easily find in one place anywhere nearby. This sale is first come, first served so please go to www.arbatstarin.org and check out what will be available, make your list and get there early. Cash and checks will be accepted at the sale. 

Because of this sale, and all of you, more than 600 trees will have been planted in our community since our first sale in 2022! And that doesn’t count the 200 plus that were planted at the Arboretum at Starin Park! Absolutely AMAZING! Think of that for a minute; that’s more than 800 trees! We need every single one of them to help combat the climate change that we are experiencing!

When emerald ash borer showed up in our town, we lost 600 trees on public land and countless others throughout the city on private land. This sale has helped to replace these lost trees with trees that are native to this area and that will do very well here. Thank you so much for your continued support. It is making a difference!

If you would like to serve on the Urban Forestry Commission, or to volunteer for any of our projects, please contact Kevin Boehm, Whitewater Parks & Recreation Director and let him know. We would love to have you!

Carol McCormick writes, “Wednesday afternoon, April 10, a very big snapping turtle strolling across our lawn headed for Trippe Lake. Back shell appears to be a little over a foot. Was not going to get a tape to verify! They are really ugly. Welcome Spring!”

Our thanks to Carol McCormick for sharing her recent spotting.

— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share.  Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com. Thanks for thinking about this!

“A Haunting in Venice”

Tuesday, April 23, 1 pm

(Mystery/Drama) Rated PG-13. 

1 hour, 43 minutes (2023)

Agatha Christie’s celebrated sleuth Hercules Poirot, now retired and living in self imposed exile in Venice, reluctantly attends a Halloween séance in a “haunted” palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, Poirot is, once again, on the hunt.

Kenneth Branagh, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh star. 

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 $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes our 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/

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. Here is a turn-of-the-twentieth-century photo of Whitewater’s new luxury hotel, the Walworth Hotel, opened in January of 1891. Today, it is known as the Landmark Building with the Ground Zero bar.

The Walworth Hotel had a banquet room and served gourmet meals on holidays and was the most up-to-date place to stay during the early 1900s. Hotels like these soon became obsolete, as increasingly good roads in the 1920s allowed visitors to come to the city for day trips rather than extended stays. But, during its heyday at the turn of the twentieth century, the Walworth was “THE” place to stay in town.

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

(3078PC, Whitewater Historical Society)

NOTICE: The Water Utility will begin its semi-annual water main and hydrant flushing program on Monday, April 22, through Friday, May 3.

Flushing of water mains is necessary to test the hydrants to make sure adequate flow and pressure is available. It also confirms the fire hydrants and valves are operating correctly. In addition, it enhances water quality by removing sediment from the pipes in order to maintain water clarity and quality in the distribution pipes.

Occasionally, water becomes discolored after hydrant flushing. If this happens turn on an outside spigot or a cold water tap, in the lowest level of your home, for a few minutes until the water clears. If it doesn’t clear the first time, wait a few minutes and run the water again. You may want to wait until the crew has left the area and the water settles down before running your water tap.
Additionally, caution should be exercised in washing of white clothing. Discoloration of water due to flushing WILL stain white clothing. Therefore, you should avoid washing clothes until the water clears.

If the Water Utility crew experiences more repairs than expected throughout the two weeks, flushing may continue into the following week. Thank you for your patience and understanding during water main and hydrant flushing.

Jim Bergner, Superintendent
Water Utility
jbergner@whitewater-wi.gov
(262) 473-0560

Editor’s Note:  The following interview was done by Marjorie Stoneman on behalf of Whitewater Unites Lives.

Jose Cano’s parents came to the U.S. from Guadalajara, Mexico when he was five years old.  Now 40 years old, Jose has been working to become a United States citizen.  Currently, he is in the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and must register often to keep his driver’s license and permit to work.  And work he does.

Jose works full-time as an automotive technician in Delavan, volunteers full-time for the Delavan Fire Department, and is raising five children with his wife in Delavan.  But his American journey began in Whitewater.

When Jose came to the United States with his grandfather and parents at age five, he did not know English.  The family lived at the Twin Oaks Trailer Court and Jose attended Washington Elementary School, where he learned English. 

When he was in Middle School the family moved to Delavan to join a church there.  His grandfather, parents and siblings have all since become United States citizens.  Jose, though, continues in limbo through the DACA program.

After high school, he wanted to become a Marine, but because of his legal status, he was unable to.  Now, he says, he is so grateful that his children are United States citizens and can be whatever they want to be.

“It’s frustrating that we get our hopes up and then we get pushed to the ‘back burner.’  It is very stressful,” he said of the DACA program.

Yet he has a giving, caring, warm, friendly disposition, and is raising his family to be helpers.  He tells his eldest son, “If you see someone in need, do what you can to help.” Not long ago Jose received a Life Saving Medal for “Ten Successful Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Saves” in connection with his volunteer service with the Delavan Fire Department.

But Jose has taken his caring nature beyond Wisconsin borders.

In 2014 he and his family drove to Arkansas to help the families devastated by a tornado that killed 16 people.  He, his wife and son filled up their minivan with supplies and delivered them.  He remembers his son taking his own toys and giving them freely on his own to a family that lost everything.

In 2017, he and several co-workers, with the contribution of a truck from Kunes, delivered supplies to help victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.  He was so grateful to the Delavan community members who helped fill the truck with donations.  He said it was eye-opening to see how the community responded to help a different community – to help a human cause. 

“Working together we can accomplish good in society, regardless of color, background, or where you are from,” said Jose.  “I wish it was more like that every day, where people value and respect each other regardless of color.”

Jose also donates his spare time to help local people as a board member of the Open Arms Free Clinic and as a member of Voces de la Frontera.  In Whitewater, he was one of the first to join the recently-formed Immigrant Support Coalition.  He is pleased about the group, and thankful that “people see us as human – they don’t just see where we are from or the color of our skin, but they look at us a human beings.” He is glad to be a part of the group because Whitewater is his childhood home.

Jose is also grateful that Whitewater Police Chief Dan Meyer is supportive of driver’s licenses for all people in Wisconsin, regardless of legal status.  He says many people need to go to Illinois to be trained to drive and receive a driver’s license, but that is not always practical for families.  He says making sure that all drivers are trained and get insurance is a necessity and a safety issue.

WUL (Whitewater Unites Lives) is a locally-focused civil and human rights group that works to connect the people in our community and to create opportunities for all people to learn and support each other in our common humanity.