News & Events

Editor’s note: The following announcement was posted on Downtown Whitewater’s Facebook page on Friday morning:

Join us downtown for holiday festivities on this first day of December. It’s parade day, and while mother nature has kept us on the edge of our seats for days, the risk of rain diminishes after 4 pm so we’re ready to have some fun! Dress warmly and join us downtown today. Recapping the various things happening:

– 4 – 5:30 PM visit with Santa at First Citizens State Bank
– 5:15 PM until they run out, take and make crafts and goody bag pickups at the corner of Main and 1st Street
– 5:30 PM while you await the parade, join us by our offices at 150 W Main St to warm your hands and s’more by the fire
– 6 PM Parade time! Best viewing areas will be the 100 and 200 block of West Main Street downtown
– Immediately after the parade join us by the mill pond dam at the interesection of Main and Whitewater for carolers, check out the Park and Whitewater Parks & Recreation pallet tree installation and enjoy the lighting of the tree.

Don’t forget to pop into one of our downtown business for holiday shopping before or after the parade, and warm up with a tasty dinner at one of our incredible restaurants. #dinedowntown #downtownwhitewater #smalltownholiday #lovewhereyoulive

Thank you again to our continued generous sponsor Generac Power Systems Inc. for their investment in this event and the broader community of Whitewater.

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Join us for a magical evening at the Downtown Whitewater’s Annual Parade of Lights- Powered by Generac on Friday, December 1st at 6 p.m.!

If you can’t make the parade, don’t worry; the Media Services Office will be live-streaming it on Vimeo from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. Be ready to be amazed by the dazzling lights and festive floats that will light up the streets. After the parade will be the Tree Lighting Ceremony in the grass area just west of the Main Street bridge.

Update: Taylor Zeinert, City of Whitewater Chief of Staff, indicates that the parade will not be livestreamed to Channel 990 due to a signal issue with the equipment.

See above the parade route in green, the detour route in black and the red is the staging area for participants.

Bring your loved ones and get into the holiday spirit! Don’t miss out on this enchanting celebration. See you there!

#HolidayLightsParade #FestiveFun #GetIntoTheSpirit #Whitewater #WhitewaterWI

Not to worry, we’re watching the weather forecast closely. We don’t mind a few flurries on parade day; it just adds to the ambiance of the season. Rain potential is what we keep a very close eye on, so that some of our youngest parade viewers and participants aren’t out in weather not suitable for their safety. We’ll update you if the forecast becomes unfavorable for the parade and tree lighting. That announcement would be made by 9 a.m. on parade day. Thanks for hanging out on the edge of your seat with us as Wisconsin weather is ….well Wisconsin weather. #lovewhereyoulive

Guess who’s coming to the bank! It’s Santa! Come take your picture and share some refreshments with the jolly ol’ man himself. He’ll be in the lobby at the First Citizens State Bank main office on Friday, December 1st from 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (before the 6 p.m. parade). Plus – bring Santa a letter (print from here or pick up at the bank) and they’ll have a random drawing for Culver’s Gift Cards. They’ll also be accepting non-perishable food items for the Whitewater Food Pantry. Happy Holidays!

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. Christmas Decorations are up around the town and this week we celebrate with a photo from 2003 of only part of the large “Dickens’ Village” that was on display that year at Fairhaven. This photo is from long time historical society member Dan Sable, who is now a resident at Fairhaven.

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

(Photo from the Dan Sable Collection, Whitewater Historical Society)

Zachary M. Lemmer, age 34, of 158 W. Whitewater St., B, Whitewater, was charged in Walworth County Circuit Court on November 19 with Child Abuse-Intentionally Cause Harm, a Class H Felony. Bond was set at $5,000. Lemmer remains in custody. Class H felonies carry with them a maximum penalty of 6 years in prison, $10,000.00 in fines, or both.

Travis Arlyn Brown, age 35, of W7209 Kettle Moraine Dr., Whitewater, was charged in Walworth County Circuit Court on November 1 with Hit and Run – Involve Death, a Class D felony. According to Fox6 News, prosecutors say that Brown hit and killed Noe Rendon Jr., age 59, near his Delavan home at about 9:40 p.m. on November 14, 2020. Per Fox6 News, “According to the complaint, Brown reported a crash to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation on Nov. 20, 2020 – six days after Rendon’s death. He said he ‘hit a deer’ in Burnett County – more than 300 miles northwest of Delavan. Insurance records showed where Brown had his truck serviced, and investigators obtained pictures from that business. The pictures showed the damage to Brown’s truck before it was repaired. Investigators showed those pictures to a Wisconsin State Patrol crash reconstruction expert, per the complaint, who determined the damage was “not consistent” with a truck hitting a deer but ‘was consistent’ with the truck hitting a pedestrian.”

“The Delavan police chief told FOX6 News the department referred charges to the district attorney’s office in June 2021. FOX6 reached out to the district attorney’s office about the delay in those charges being filed, but did not hear back by Wednesday’s deadline.”

Brown was released on $100,000 cash bond on November 9. The penalty for a Class D felony is up to 25 years in state prison, a maximum fine of $100,000, or both imprisonment and a fine.

Editor’s note: A charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage from Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The city’s curbside leaf pickup ended on Friday, November 17. If there are still bags at curbside, it is likely because they were put out later, or that they are not in the biobags or clear bags that are required for pickup.

Leaf bags that are left outside for the winter will not be picked up by the city crew in the spring. Residents who have leaves which they still wish to be composted have the option of bringing their leaves to the city garage, 150 E. Starin Rd., where two dumpsters are provided, from 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. through Friday, December 1. Although the sign there says that bags must be emptied into the dumpster, biobags do not need to be emptied.

The dumpsters are for leaves and other yard waste only. Yard waste is defined as leaves, weeds, grass clippings, and yard and garden debris. The only bags that may be placed in the dumpster are the biobags or transparent bags. Black bags must be emptied into the dumpster. Brush is not to be placed in the dumpster.

Residents requesting brush collection should call 473-0560 by 5 a.m. on Tuesday to make an appointment for pick up on Tuesdays.

On Sunday, December 17th, the Whitewater High School Music Masters Ensemble will present their Music Masters Showcase. The event will take place in the Whitewater High School MPR and will include solos and small ensemble performances, as well as songs sung by the entire Music Masters Ensemble. The event will begin at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 and include reserved seating for the performance and refreshments. Advanced ticket purchase is necessary for this event and should be purchased by December 8th. Tickets will not be sold at the door. See any Music Masters Ensemble member, their director Karen Tordera, or the Whitewater High School Office for tickets. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Tordera at ktordera@wwusd.org .