News & Events

City of Whitewater Announces Hiring of Mason Becker

The City of Whitewater is pleased to announce the hiring of Mason Becker as the new Economic Development Director, who brings extensive municipal
leadership and development experience to his new role.

Becker’s professional background includes substantial expertise in owner-occupied
housing development projects, subdivision planning, Tax Increment District (TID)
management, and downtown redevelopment. Notably, he led negotiations and finalized a development agreement for the Rock River Ridge subdivision, adding nearly 200 new housing units in the City of Watertown.

Becker also served as Executive Director of the Watertown Redevelopment Authority and chaired the Main Street Task Force, helping to guide planning efforts in preparation for the 2028 Main Street reconstruction project.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Becker has a strong record of public
service. He served five terms on the Fort Atkinson City Council, including multiple years as Council President. During his tenure, he played a key role in forming the city’s Economic Development Commission and guided land acquisition and annexation efforts to support new housing opportunities.

Becker is a proud graduate of UW-Whitewater and holds a Master of Public
Administration from UW-Oshkosh.

Editor’s note: In his new role Becker is following former Watertown Mayor Emily McFarland, who served for the past several months as Whitewater’s interim economic development director. An article in the Daily Jefferson County Union on August 14 provides further background on him. Becker indicated that McFarland was his direct supervisor in Watertown for over two years. He also mentioned that his commute from Fort Atkinson will be cut in half, and since his wife happens to work at UW-Whitewater, they might be able to catch lunch together occasionally.

Becker reflected that “Rock River ridge was a major milestone for the community. We were able to pull together three different developers all offering different housing-product types. We were able to move that forward by working with the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation. I think that is going to be an incredibly transformative housing project for the entire city.”

“You have to have a clear vision for what your city is going to be,” he said. “It’s bringing together key stakeholders to bring forward that vision for what you want your community to be in the future. I’m proud of how we’ve been able to engage with different stakeholders during my time serving the community….”

Becker will be introduced to the Community Development Authority Board of Directors at their regular meeting this Thursday.

Sheriff Travis Maze and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce its efforts to obtain an Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K-9, made possible through the generous support of local donor Mabel Schumacher. This new addition to our team signifies a major step forward in enhancing our investigative capabilities.

Once acquired, the ESD K-9 will be trained to detect electronic storage devices such as USB drives, SD cards, cell phones, and other forms of digital media. These items are often pivotal in investigations related to Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), cybercrime, stalking, fraud, narcotics, and various other crimes with a digital crime nexus. In addition to its role in evidence detection, the ESD K-9 will also be utilized for community educational programs and serve as emotional support for child victims of sexual and physical abuse, offering comfort during some of their most vulnerable moments.

With technology’s growing role in modern crimes, this K-9 will become an invaluable tool in uncovering evidence that might otherwise remain hidden. Our office has previously collaborated with other agencies utilizing their ESD K-9s and has recognized the immense value of having one dedicated to Jefferson County. We are incredibly grateful to Mabel Schumacher for recognizing this need and generously supporting the launch of our ESD program.

We anticipate integrating the ESD K-9 into the Jefferson County Detective Division by the spring of 2026, following the handler’s completion of a specialized two-week training course. By then, the K-9 will have undergone extensive training and will be fully certified in electronic storage detection.

This advancement places Jefferson County at the forefront of law enforcement innovation within the state. Currently, there are only seven certified ESD K-9s in the State of Wisconsin, with one soon approaching retirement. This canine will be the first of its kind in Jefferson County, setting a precedent in our investigative efforts.

Beyond being an asset to our agency, this K-9 represents a significant resource for our entire community. Thanks to this remarkable donation, our personnel will be better equipped to pursue justice in the digital age and to educate and protect our children from predators. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office looks forward to introducing this ESD K-9 to the citizens of Jefferson County in the near future.

Editor’s note: Whitewater Police Chief Dan Meyer, responding to this news release, told The Banner “That’s great to hear we’ll have that resource close by. “

Mark Dorn writes, “Here are two pics from 6:58 p.m.  [August 18] The two scenes are just north of the Village at Trippe Lake condos (just south of Eastward Apartments, Clay Street). 

I checked my rain gauge at 7:59 pm. 2.5” thus far.”

Our thanks to Mark Dorn for sharing this newsworthy photo and report. According to several city residents who have rain gauges, our total precipitation over the past nine days is about 10″. The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office reports that from August 10 through Sunday, August 17 the Wastewater Treatment Plant recorded 8.11″.

Who’s ready for the LAST Concert of the season in The Cravath Lakefront Park? Piper Road Spring Band [PRSB] is always one of the most popular concerts; the group is in its 52nd year! There are always some folks on the “dance floor” when this bluegrass group is playing. PRSB consists of Randal Harrison Hoecherl (fiddle), Bob Mason (mandolin), Barry “Blacky” Riese (guitar),  Mark Hembree (bass), and Billy “Kangaroo” (washboard).

FREE Concerts will start at 6 pm! City Market 4-7 pm. ALL at Cravath Lakefront Park.

There is a limited amount of seating on benches next to the parking lot. Bring a chair or blanket, and, if you wish, bring supper or pick it up from the City Market vendors.

Steve Watson writes, “Lighting strike over Whitewater, 8-16-25,  2055 hours.”

Our thanks to Steve Watson for sharing this incredible photo.

— 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!

Riding with Angels announces their 4th Annual Open House and Fundraiser!

On August 23rd, 2025 from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. the community is invited to experience all that Riding with Angels has to offer and see the farm in action. Riding with Angels’ mission is twofold. First, Riding with Angels rescues horses in dire situations, nursing them back to health and providing a safe environment for them to thrive again. Second, Riding with Angels uses these rescued horses to provide a youth horsemanship program to youth facing adversity or challenges. The youth horsemanship program focuses primarily on youth 7 to 18 who might not otherwise get a chance to experience the healing wonder of working with horses.

The event will have rescue horse spotlights along with horse demonstrations including dressage, liberty, obstacles and jumping. We’ll have games, roping demonstrations, live music and a silent auction. Children of all ages will enjoy “painting a horse,” kids’ crafts, pony rides and a petting zoo. We’ll also have food and drinks. Event attendees will also be able to talk with some of the young people who have participated in our youth horsemanship program to hear about their experiences.

“It’s been nearly 25 years since we began our journey in Palmyra and we’re thrilled to be celebrating with our community this summer” says Marianne Schulz, Riding with Angels’ Director. It’s with your support that we can continue helping these amazing creatures and provide a youth horsemanship program. In doing so, we provide a place for horses and youth to foster hope and healing.

Riding with Angels’ address is W691 CTH-CI, Palmyra, WI 53156. Check out our website at https://www.ridingwithangelswi.org

You can also connect with the Riding with Angels on Facebook and YouTube @ RIDINGWITHANGELS