News & Events

KENOSHA, WI – Carthage College recognizes Alexander Clarksen from Whitewater for their academic achievement and being named to the Fall 2025 Dean’s List.

Dean’s List honors are accorded to Carthage students who achieve a minimum 3.5 grade-point average while carrying at least 12 letter-graded credits in a given semester.

About Carthage

Carthage College is breaking records with its largest enrollment ever. Founded in 1847, Carthage blends the best liberal arts traditions with innovative programs that shape careers, hands-on learning that fuels discovery, and faculty mentorship that drives student success – all on a stunning Lake Michigan campus in Kenosha, Wisconsin, midway between Chicago and Milwaukee.

Grow with us: www.carthage.edu

Rainbow Community Care is pleased to announce the successful completion of a year-long, intensive strategic planning endeavor designed to strengthen its organizational leadership and future planning capabilities. Funded by a $30,000 Capacity Building Grant from the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation (GWCHF), the initiative has positioned Rainbow to provide more sustainable, aligned, and effective care across the community for decades to come.

The program, known as the “Visionary Community Leaders Initiative: Steering Rainbow’s Future in Community Wellness,” was focused on shifting the organization from making reactive decisions to adopting a clear, proactive strategy. Senior leadership
spent the last year working with experts from InVantage Consulting to develop a new Strategic Vision & Execution Plan (SVEP)—a comprehensive, long-term roadmap guiding all operations, from care delivery to community partnerships.

For the patients and families of rural South-Central Wisconsin, this means Rainbow Community Care is now better equipped to handle the changing health care industry landscape. Key outcomes include:
 Clarity on Core Values: Rainbow refined its organizational values, creating a consistent cultural foundation for all staff, ensuring every interaction is aligned with the mission.
 Proactive Planning: The leadership team adopted a disciplined approach to goal setting, using new digital tools to track progress and hold departments accountable to the shared vision.
 Stronger Governance: The Board of Directors now uses a “governing dashboard,” providing them with clear, timely data for better oversight and support of the executive team.

“This grant gave us the structure and shared language we needed to operate with unity and clarity,” said Carol M. Brown, President & CEO of Rainbow Community Care. “It has empowered our leaders to lead with greater confidence and our Board to govern with sharper insight. We are moving forward with a clear, shared roadmap that ensures we can meet the growing needs of our community for years to come.”

The initiative’s success was confirmed in June 2025 with the Board of Directors’ formal approval of the new Strategic Vision & Execution Plan. Rainbow Community Care extends its sincere gratitude to the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation for its vital investment in the organization’s strategic planning capability. This framework will have a lasting impact on Rainbow’s ability to serve local patients and families live well throughout aging, illness, and loss.

ABOUT RAINBOW COMMUNITY CARE
Founded by volunteers in 1990, Rainbow Community Care is a local, independent, and non-profit provider of services that supports patients and families throughout the entire journey with aging and serious illness. Highly regarded for excellence in hospice care, palliative care, advance care planning, grief support, parish nursing, and volunteer programs, we care for people living in their homes, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes in rural South-Central Wisconsin as well as the Rainbow Hospice Care Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek.

Editor’s note: The above press release was received from Rainbow Community Care.

On Saturday, January 10, some of Whitewater High School’s HOSA-Future Health Professionals members participated in the “live zoom” of regional competition in an event area of their choice. Several of our HOSA students competed in December in Round 1 which consisted of an online test, and then on Saturday some of the events had a Round 2 that was required. Later on in January we will find out if any of our students advanced to the State HOSA competition that will be held in Wisconsin Dells in April. Good luck to all of our Whippet competitors. 

Competing on Saturday were Alexis Wildenberg and Charlotte Hajewski in CPR/First Aid; Cyrus Hudec, Mady Stevens, and Maddie Taylor in Biomedical Debate; Karlee Villegas-Korbel in Sports Medicine, and Alondra Verduzco in Sports Medicine.

The HOSA organization is new at Whitewater High School this fall and is intended for students pursuing a career in a health profession. HOSA students are advised by Ms. Lynn Weilbrenner.

Article and Photos Submitted by Lynn Weilbrenner
Whitewater High School HOSA Advisor
lweilbrenner@wwusd.org

City of Whitewater Plan & Architectural Review Commission – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes rezoning of all city parks to Institutional, Discussion and possible recommendation to Common Council Childcare Ordinance, Discussion and possible recommendation to Common Council the creation of a Razing Buildings Ordinance, Discussion and possible recommendation to Common Council regarding creation of a permit expiration ordinance, Discussion and possible recommendation to Common Council regarding increasing number of wall signs permitted on a business.
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room,
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.
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/22371977662228?p=BW6FGKLsfJMvgKRJnw
Dial in by phone
+1 929-229-5663,,159349400#
Phone conference ID: 159 349 400#

Innovation Center Advisory Panel – Tuesday @ 8:30 a.m.
The agenda has not been posted as of 1/11.

City of Whitewater Public Works Committee – Tuesday @ 5:15 p.m.
Agenda includes public art on electric boxes
Cravath Lakefront Room, 2nd Floor
312 W. Whitewater St.
*In Person and Virtual
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/23709701252747?p=Qu1V1zSretC3jVdM2R
Telephone: +1 929-229-5663 US
Webinar ID: 237 097 012 527 47
Passcode: oM6CS3vz
Phone conference ID: 761 487 627

City of Whitewater Community Development Authority Board of Directors – Thursday @ 5:30 p.m.
Agenda includes Pre-3 TIF Request: Review and Discussion [open session, followed by closed session, followed by another open session]; Community Engagement Center discussion in closed session, followed by open session.
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room,
312 West Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI 53190
*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://us06web.zoom.us/j/83198282604?pwd=cDdLWjUvTTRqRUQ4UVcwQWcrcW1BUT09
Telephone: +1 (312) 626-6799
Webinar ID: 831 9828 2604
Passcode: 137945

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office on Friday identified a man who died Thursday morning, January 8 after a crash with a semi-truck east of Beaver Dam. Justin Dean, 33, of Whitewater was pronounced dead at the scene of a crash along County Highway A near Prospect Road in the Town of Burnett.

According to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Dean was reportedly driving erratically along County Highway A when he hit a semi, head-on. The driver of the semi, a 38-year-old Burnett man, was not hurt. The crash remains under investigation.

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As part of its ongoing Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) program, the City of Whitewater Community Development Department recently met with leadership from PremierBank – Whitewater to discuss collaboration opportunities and better understand how the bank is serving local residents and businesses.

Mason Becker, Community Development Director, and Karin Silvius of the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce met with Melissa Overdahl, Branch Manager, and Joel Kohl, Vice President & Loan Officer, at PremierBank’s Whitewater branch. The discussion focused on PremierBank’s range of personal and commercial banking services, lending products available to the community, and ways the City and PremierBank could partner more closely in the future.

PremierBank shared its strong commitment to Whitewater and noted that the Whitewater branch currently employs seven staff members, including bilingual team members who help serve the Latino community. The bank offers personal banking services for both residential and commercial customers and maintains dedicated lending funds to support local needs. “We have the resources to meet the full range of financial needs for residents in the Whitewater area, from everyday deposit products like checking and savings accounts, to competitive loan options for small businesses, consumers, and homebuyers. What truly sets us apart though is that we are a community bank, with local ownership, where all decisions are made locally, allowing us to respond quickly, and tailor solutions to our customers’ needs. We pay local taxes and reinvest in the Whitewater area through philanthropy, including donations to local nonprofit organizations,” said Kohl.

During the visit, PremierBank expressed interest in exploring partnerships that could help address housing affordability and homeownership opportunities, particularly for first-time homeowners. Workforce topics were also discussed, with the bank indicating that its current staffing needs are being met and that it frequently employs UW –Whitewater students. The PremierBank team also shared interest in expanding internship opportunities for high school students and highlighted its ability to provide advancement opportunities, which has contributed to strong employee retention. “The BRE program is about listening first and building long-term relationships,” said Becker. “PremierBank is clearly invested in Whitewater’s future, and conversations like this help identify ways we can align local resources, housing initiatives, and business support tools to strengthen the community.”

The City of Whitewater’s Community Development Department will continue BRE visits throughout 2026, meeting with local businesses including manufacturers, financial institutions, and other organizations to identify opportunities, address challenges, and support sustainable economic growth within the City of Whitewater.