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The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of the League of Women Voters Whitewater Area will hold the first of three Book Club discussions on our fall book selection, American Madness: Fighting for Patients in a Broken Mental Health System
by Alice Feller, M.D., on Thursday evening, September 18, 6:15PM-7:45 PM, at The Book Teller, 171 W Main Street, in Whitewater.
The book explores the complex realities of mental health care in the United States. Our discussion on September 18th will cover the introduction through Chapter 4. SAVE THE DATES – additional discussions will be held on October 9 (Chapters 5 – 9) and
November 13 (Chapters 10 – Epilogue) at the same time and location.
ACQUIRE THE BOOK TODAY! A limited supply of books are available at The Book Teller (call 262-269-9109 to hold a copy to purchase) and local libraries. You can also order the book from Amazon.
The LWV Book Club was formed to help our members and friends engage in meaningful discussions of current notable books dealing with public policy issues of interest to the League. You do not need to be a member of the League to participate
and refreshments will be served. For questions or further information please contact Dwight C. Watson, dwight.watsondcw@gmail.com, or Deb Gamble, shebagam@gmail.com
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!
“Beat the Devil”
Wednesday, September 17, 1 pm
(Action/Adventure/Comedy)
Rated PG; 1 hour, 29 minutes (1953).
Our final Wednesday art/foreign film of the season.
Written by Truman Capote, directed by John Huston, and bankrolled by Humphrey Bogart’s Santana Productions company, this is a droll satire of the Maltese Falcon, and was Huston’s and Bogart’s sixth and last collaboration. On their way to Africa, a group of rogues and swindlers hope to get rich by outsmarting each other in their chase for uranium. Filmed on location in Italy, this film has become a Bogart cult classic. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lorre and Robert Morley.
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 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/
On Saturday, September 20th from 8 am to 10 am, the City of Whitewater, Rock River Stormwater Group, Protect Wisconsin Waterways, and University of Wisconsin Whitewater students will host a river clean-up event in conjunction with waterway clean-up efforts across the Rock River watershed. The local waterway clean-up event also coincides with the start of the second annual statewide Wisconsin Stormwater Week and National Clean Up Day. The City of Whitewater clean-up will start at Cravath Lakefront Park. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up online and meet at this location at 8 am on Saturday, September 20th.
Community members are invited to join the clean-up efforts to pick up trash and help revitalize Cravath Lake, Trippe Lake, and Whitewater Creek in Whitewater, which feed into the Rock River. Community members or groups interested in volunteering for the clean-up event can learn more details and register online at Protect Wisconsin Waterways Clean Up.
The September 20th event will be the seventh annual clean-up organized by the Rock River Stormwater Group and marketing students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater as part of its Protect Wisconsin Waterways campaign. Last year’s clean-up events included over 290 volunteers across multiple communities within the Rock River watershed. This year’s clean-up events will take place in similar locations spanning from Beloit to Monroe, including Beloit (two locations), Janesville, Milton, Fort Atkinson, Whitewater, Beaver Dam, Waupun, and Monroe. In the past, volunteers have removed basic trash like plastic bottles to the more exotic – rubber tires, a boot, TV, and a parks and recreation barrier from area waterways. The September 20th clean-up events will serve as a local kickoff to Wisconsin Stormwater Week, a statewide initiative focused on raising awareness about stormwater runoff and how Wisconsin residents can make a difference to reduce the environmental toll of stormwater runoff pollution.
About The Rock River Stormwater Group: The Rock River Stormwater Group includes fifteen municipalities within the Rock River Basin stretching from Waupun, WI to Beloit, WI along with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the City of Monroe. The group launched the Protect Wisconsin Waterways campaign in January 2017 with help from Creative Marketing Unlimited, a student-run marketing consulting group affiliated with the UW-Whitewater American Marketing Association chapter. The Protect Wisconsin Waterways campaign is part of the Rock River Stormwater Group’s public outreach efforts to educate the public and improve stormwater practices in the Rock River watershed. Wisconsin’s communities are interconnected through the waterways, so what happens in Waupun on the Rock River ends up affecting each municipality down the river. Recognizing this, the Rock River Stormwater Group advocated that community members pay attention to how their day-to-day activities such as cleaning up pet waste, keeping grass clippings out of the street, and minimizing fertilizers and salt use can make a difference in our area waterways. UW-Whitewater students representing Protect Wisconsin Waterways have attended community events to raise awareness and will use the clean-up events on September 20th to kick off the school year and Wisconsin Stormwater Week while making a difference.
The Rock River is a 284-mile river that encompasses many communities and has become a staple of Wisconsin’s waterway system. The September 20th event is an important group effort to revitalize the Rock River and will help leave a positive footprint on our environment. Protect Wisconsin Waterways will be partnering with the Wisconsin Stormwater Collaborative, a group of 200+ stormwater collaboratives, municipalities, and nonprofits from across the state, to promote the second annual Wisconsin Stormwater Week. The City of Whitewater as part of its involvement in the Rock River Stormwater Group identified the clean-up event as the perfect way to combine common interests in protecting Wisconsin’s natural resources that we value so much.
For more information on the event, visit https://protectwiwaterways.org/
About Stormwater Runoff Pollution: Stormwater runoff impacts our rivers, lakes, and drinking water. With every rain event, pollutants like fertilizers, soil, pet waste, oil, leaves, and other organic material get washed into our surface waters. These pollutants cause excessive weed and algae growth in our waters, harmful algae blooms, sedimentation, and many other problems.
For Additional Information Contact:
Brad Marquardt
Director of Public Works
(262) 473-0139
Bmarquardt@whitewater-wi.gov
Olivia Nanni
Protect Wisconsin Waterways Account Executive Creative Marketing Unlimited UW-Whitewater Student
815-543-6062
NanniOB02@uww.edu
Dr. Andy Dahl
Chair of Marketing Department
Faculty Advisor, Creative Marketing Unlimited UW-Whitewater
262-472-6950
Dahlaj18@uww.edu
September 17th marks the anniversary of the signing of the US Constitution. Each year, special events are planned commemorating this significant day in our country’s history.
This year, the Whitewater Neighborhood Action Team is hosting a non-partisan Constitution 101 event at the Prairie Village Community Center, 913 Burr Oak Trail, Whitewater, 5:30pm – 8:00pm.
The event will include a constitution expert as a guest speaker, some Constitution knowledge with small group discussion and some good food to share in community.
See the brochure for more details and scan the QR code to register. Reservations are limited so be sure to register now to save your seat.
Information Provided By Sue Chandler
MANCHESTER, NH – Kaatje Gunnink of Whitewater has been named to Southern New Hampshire University‘s (SNHU) Summer 2025 President’s List. The summer terms run from May to August.
Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.700 and above for the reporting term are named to the President’s List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term or paired 8-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring, and summer.
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with a 92-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Now serving more than 200,000 learners worldwide, SNHU offers approximately 200 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, available online and on its 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH. Recognized as one of the “Most Innovative” regional universities by U.S. News & World Report and one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, SNHU is committed to expanding access to high quality, affordable pathways that meet the needs of each learner.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This week’s image is a road sign for the Whitewater Garage, operated by E M. Drewry and Walter Gnatzig. Some research into this business shows that Drewry and Gnatzig formed a partnership in 1918 and operated the Whitewater Garage together until Gnatzig’s death in 1931. The Whitewater garage was a long-time Buick car dealership and garage business in 20th century Whitewater. This sign was probably erected in the 1920s, probably along Highway 12, which at that time was one of the early improved highways in the area.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(3776P, Whitewater Historical Society)
UW-Whitewater to Host Public Lectures in Whitewater and Janesville
Faculty from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will present a series of lectures this fall exploring the theme “Standing the Test of Time.”
For more than 40 years, UW-Whitewater’s Continuing Education has hosted lectures in the Fairhaven Lecture Series in Whitewater. The Cedar Crest Lecture Series in Janesville started in 2020.
Lectures focus on timely themes such as elections, international events, inclusivity, and the economy. Many residents at Fairhaven — which partners with several university departments for resident engagement — are proud alums or emeriti faculty of UW-Whitewater.
This fall, presenters will explore a wide variety of topics from the transition of power in the U.S. to learning leadership from dogs. Faculty from all five colleges from both of UWW’s campuses will present. One lecture will also include several student researchers.
Lectures are free and open to the public. Free parking is available at both locations and registration is not required for either series.
The Fairhaven Lecture Series is based in Olm Fellowship Hall at Fairhaven Senior Services, 435 West Starin Road, Whitewater. They are held on Mondays at 3 p.m. and are open to all. Visit our website for lecture descriptions
The Cedar Crest Lecture Series will take place in the Clubhouse at Cedar Crest, Inc., 1702 South River Road, Janesville, and are held on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. More information is available at our website.
Patrons needing accommodations should contact UW-Whitewater Continuing Education (at least two weeks before the date of the lecture). Requests are confidential. UW-Whitewater provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA.
Please contact Kari Borne at bornek@uww.edu or 262-472-1003 for further information.
Lectures scheduled for the Fairhaven Lecture Series include:
September 15
Rooted in Tradition, Leading the Future: UW–Whitewater’s Journey in Teacher Education
Lana Collet-Klingenberg, Dean, College of Education and Professional Studies
September 22
September 29
How are They Holding Up?: The Status of Great Books in a Chaotic (Western) World
Mark Zunac, Associate Professor, Literature, Writing and Film
October 6
Where the Music Comes From: The Vocal Music of Wisconsin Composer Lee Hoiby
Rachel Wood, Associate Professor, Music
October 13
Handing the Country to Your Opponents: A Look at the Transition of Power in the US Since 1788
David McKay, Senior Lecturer, History
October 20
The Enduring Fortitude of Disability Advocacy: Standing the Test of Time
Courtney Wilt, Assistant Professor, Special Education
Bella Zeit, Odin Ehrets, and Breanne Lessard, Student Researchers
October 27
World War II Balloon-Borne Propaganda
Karl Brown, Associate Professor, History
November 3
The Legacy of UW-Whitewater’s Lucy Baker
Jennifer Motszko, Head of Archives & Library Associate Director
Lectures planned for the Cedar Crest Lecture Series include:
September 9
Rock Steady: How the Rock County Campus Adapts to Meet the Needs of Students and Community
Patricia Clasen, Assistant Vice Chancellor, UW-Whitewater at Rock County and Dean, College of Integrated Studies
September 16
Women and the American Philanthropic Tradition
Ruth Hansen, Associate Professor, Management
September 23
Learning Leadership from Dogs : How Hounds, Toys, Terriers and Other Breed Help Us Become Effective Leaders
Aditya Simha, Professor, Management
October 7
Handing the Country to Your Opponents: A Look at the Transition of Power in the US Since 1788
David McKay, Senior Lecturer, History
October 14
Where the Music Comes From: The Vocal Music of Wisconsin Composer Lee Hoiby
Rachel Wood, Associate Professor, Music
About the School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s School of Graduate Studies Continuing Education empowers those outside the traditional undergraduate classroom through accessible and flexible educational opportunities. Since 1964, the School of Graduate Studies has added dozens of master’s degree programs and master’s certificates in a wide range of subjects as well as a Doctor of Business Administration in 2014. Camps and Conferences hosts summer camps, day clinics, and competitions, allowing 10,000+ annual participants to work with award-winning coaches and directors, use state-of-the-art facilities, and experience campus life. Through hands-on, relevant and engaging programs, Continuing Education meets the evolving personal and professional needs of adult learners by connecting our talented faculty and staff with communities in the region.
Obituaries
Lawrence “Larry” C. Hartung, a proud Marine Veteran of the Vietnam War, and longtime resident of Fort Atkinson, WI, passed away peacefully at his home on May 1, 2026. Larry was born June 7th, 1949, to Levon and Charles Hartung in Chicago, IL. Larry enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1968 and served 3 consecutive tours in the Vietnam War. During this time, he became pen pals with his future wife, Candy, via a connection through his father. In 1970, he came home on leave to marry Candy. They celebrated 55 years of marriage on October 31st, 2025. During … Read more
Leo E. Wurzer, 65, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at his home. Leo was born on April 15, 1961 in Kenosha, Wisconsin to Cyril and Shirley (McNeil) Wurzer. He grew up between Pleasant Prairie and Antigo, spending his childhood summers on his uncle’s farm where he discovered his love for all things tractors. Although he never had a farm of his own, he was able to partially fulfill his dream by working as a driver for Robin’s Trucking in Whitewater, WI in his last days and collecting miniature Tonka toys. He began his career … Read more
Lois Cummings, 99, of Fond du Lac, WI (formerly of Janesville, WI, Fort Atkinson, WI, Fountain Hills, AZ, and Green Valley, AZ) passed away peacefully on May 5, 2026 at the Meadows Senior Residence in Fond du Lac surrounded by family. Lois was born on February 17, 1927 in Fort Atkinson to Edward and Clarice (Roseth) Stevens. The middle child of 9 children, she attended Fort Atkinson schools and graduated in 1944. On September 11, 1948 Lois married Grant Cummings at Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Delavan, WI. Together they had 3 children, Gary, Colleen (Tom) Sabel, and Patty (Paul) … Read more
Come celebrate William Kincaid’s Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 30th at 1 pm at Trippe Lake Park Pavillion in Whitewater. He truly enjoyed gatherings where his favorite foods and music could be enjoyed with some of his closest friends and family. We will honor him by carrying on one of his favorite traditions. Please bring your own beverages and chairs. There is limited seating. See you all there!
Gladys Jean (Riley) Hildebrandt, age 89, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 23, 2026. Gladys was born on December 26, 1936, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Theresa Egnoski Riley. She was married to Walter Sobolik Sr., and later married James A. Hildebrandt in 1976. Gladys was a hardworking woman who spent her life caring for others. She worked in school kitchens, restaurants, factories, and cleaning services. She concluded her working career as a full-time nanny. In that role, she lovingly cared for Andrew, Daniel, and Kaitlyn Drzewiecki, who became part of her chosen family. Gladys is survived by her sons, Wally … Read more
WHITEWATER – Nan Rowley died on April 15, 2026, at the age of 90. She was born on September 4, 1935, in a little house on the prairie in the Town of Johnstown, Wisconsin, the daughter of Wayne L. Wilbur and Florence (McQuillen) Wilbur. Nan attended primary schools in the towns of Johnstown and Richmond and in the City of Whitewater. Nan graduated with honors from Whitewater City High School. On June 19, 1954, Nancy and Ken Rowley were united in marriage in Whitewater and went to live on the Rowley family farm in Richmond. Over the years, Nan served … Read more
Marion H. Gorniak (nee Pfeiffer), 74, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2026. She was born on October 24, 1951, to the late Harvey and Loraine (nee Drifke) Pfeiffer in Fort Atkinson, WI. On June 2, 1969, she was united in marriage to Alan Gorniak. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, and cooking, especially her rhubarb pies. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends and will be missed by all who knew her. Those Marion leaves behind to cherish her memory include her husband, Alan Gorniak; stepson, Alan Bauer; sister, Sue Ann Schultz, other relatives and friends. … Read more
Ruth Irene (Phelps) Justis, 88, of Appleton City, Missouri, passed away Friday morning, April 10, 2026, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg, MO, with her family by her side. Ruth was born June 3, 1937 in Janesville, Wisconsin, to Charles and Ada Mae (Maly) Phelps. She joined the Marine Corps in 1956. During her time there, she met and married her husband, Forest Wayne “Wayne” Justis in 1957. They shared 62 years of marriage and to this union, 2 children, Charles and Dorene, were born. Ruth grew up in Whitewater, WI., the oldest of three children. Ruth graduated from … Read more
Dorothy C. Kau, age 101, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at Fort Memorial Hospital. Dorothy was born on March 18, 1925 in Eagle on the family farm, the daughter of John and Katherine (Faestel) VonRueden. Dorothy was a 1942 graduate of Palmyra High School. On May 21, 1949, Dorothy was united in marriage to Alvin E. Kau at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Eagle and the Lord blessed their union with 8 children. Alvin and Dorothy enjoyed 50 years of marriage together until Alvin’s death in the year 2000. Dorothy enjoyed being a farm … Read more
Dorothy E. McCracken, 95, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, in Sarasota, Florida. Born on April 14, 1930, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Carl and Joyce Meyer, Dorothy grew up in Whitewater and graduated from Whitewater High School. She then worked for a photographer and hand painted his first colored portraits, until she got married. She and her first husband, Bernard Wafle, owned and operated a 179-acre dairy farm in Helenville, Wisconsin, for 25 years before relocating to Ocala, Florida, in 1979. Dorothy later married Earl McCracken, in Ocala, Fl. She also shared a special companionship later in life with … Read more
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