News & Events

Electronics Recycling Event
Saturday, May 17, 2025
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

(The event will end if the truck is full before 12:00 p.m., so come early) Editor’s note: This is always a very popular event, and the truck has usually filled quickly.

LOT B, 312 W. Whitewater St. (across from the Train Depot at Cravath Lakefront)

All TV’s – $20
Old tube CRT computer monitors – $10
Microwaves – $5
Exercise equipment – $5
Other items accepted: computers, laptops, monitors, servers, tablets, switches, UPS batteries,
printers, shredders, phones, keyboards/mice, hard drives, circuit boards, wires/cables, stereos,
VCRs, DVD Players, stereos, power tools, gaming systems, cameras, test equipment,
appliances, metal, and much more…
Cash and checks Only…NO credit cards will be accepted!!

Editor’s note: The above press release was received from the City of Whitewater Department of Public Works.

Written by Dave Fidlin | Photos by Craig Schreiner and Martinez Milton

Over the past four decades, longtime Whitewater residents Richard “Dick” and Roni Telfer have made an imprint on the community in numerous ways. The importance of education has been one of the common threads that has tied together their professional and personal endeavors.

In 1985, Dick Telfer began 30 years of professional service to UW-Whitewater, culminating in his role as chancellor from 2007 to 2015 before his retirement. Roni Telfer’s contributions in education included leadership roles in the community and an instructional technology position with UW-Whitewater. 

“We decided nearly 40 years ago we wanted to live in this community,” the former chancellor said. “If we’re going to live in the community, we want to take part in whatever goes on.”

Thinking back to her foundational experiences of establishing roots in Whitewater with her husband, Roni Telfer said one overarching goal was top-of-mind and carefully cultivated over the years.

“When Dick took the chancellor position, we made a conscious decision that we were going to try to pull the community and the campus closer together,” she said. “We were going to try to encourage the folks on the campus to be engaged in the community, and the community to be engaged with the campus.”

The couple’s assorted contributions on and off the UW-Whitewater campus are significant and enduring — for which they have been named the recipient of the 2025 S.A. White Award, which is presented to non-alumni for significant philanthropic contributions to the university. The award was presented at the Founders Day Celebration on April 26.

The establishment of the Whitewater University Innovation Center, a multi-tenant facility within the city’s technology park, is among the milestones that took place during his oversight of UW-Whitewater and is an example of the campus-city collaborative partnerships that flourished as a result.

“It really was a joint effort between the city and the campus,” Telfer said of the center’s creation. “The idea behind the effort was, ‘Can we do this together?’ It’s difficult to do it separately. We wanted to marshal our folks. We have talented individuals on the university side who put a lot of time and effort into it. We also had equally talented individuals on the city side, with important contributions from many.”

While they both hail from Michigan and have lived in other areas within the Midwest, they said they were happy to call Whitewater home. His career in education began as a high school teacher in Indiana and Wisconsin — including time in Elkhorn. Her 37-year career in education included teaching in public schools in Michigan, Indiana, Kansas, and Wisconsin and serving as an administrator in Beloit and Whitewater.

After Dick received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1984, they departed for Kansas for one year before returning to the familiar southeastern Wisconsin terrain — he began his first role at UW-Whitewater as a faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

He gradually moved into part-time administrative roles, in graduate studies and as a department chair. He moved into administration full-time in 1997, in the next decade serving as vice chancellor and provost before being named interim chancellor in 2007.  

Reflecting on the pivotal moment in the mid-1980s that began his tenure with UW-Whitewater, Telfer said there were a number of attractive and notable features of campus that remain hallmarks today.

“It’s the right-sized place for many people,” he said. “It’s not too big, and it’s not too small. You have faculty who are really interested in working with the students. I think it’s a supportive atmosphere for many people. They feel supported.”

UW-Whitewater’s commitment to the core tenets of inclusivity is embodied in a number of ways, Roni Telfer said. One such example has been the campus’ long-standing commitment to serving people of all abilities. The men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball programs, the Center for Students with Disabilities and the Warhawks’ representation in the Paralympics are among the outward demonstrations of this commitment.

She reflected on an informal gathering years ago, when she and Dick had faculty to their home. In this particular instance, members of the biology department were over, discussing a forthcoming trip to Yellowstone National Park.

“We got to discussing a situation where there were a couple of students in a class who were in wheelchairs and how the instructor said he would have loved to have found a way to get them out there,” she said. “They did wind up doing an excursion out there. They made arrangements to make it accessible.”

He said he is especially appreciative of UW-Whitewater’s merit-based King/Chávez Scholars Program, a program that he helped launch, which helps prepare first-generation students with the transition from high school to a college setting. 

“If you’re from a background with family members who haven’t gone to college, you need to learn how to do college,” he said. “In order to do that, it’s helpful to have people who can help you understand that.”

Since they retired, they have remained active in UW-Whitewater and the broader community. They have served on boards and contributed their time and talent to a number of local organizations, including the Whitewater Arts Alliance, Whitewater Community Foundation, the Fort Memorial Hospital Foundation and Fort Memorial Hospital Governing Board. Dick Telfer joined the UW-Whitewater Foundation Board of Directors, where he serves as a strong supporter and advocate.

He singles out the couple’s involvement in Bethel House, a community effort organized by local church members who help provide transitional housing for people in need. As he sees it, providing stability through one of life’s most essential needs at times of difficulty increases the likelihood of success.    

With friends, the couple has established the Richard and Veronica Telfer Fellowship Program, which provides support for a faculty member and curriculum development in the College of Education and Professional Studies, and the Telfer Incentive Program, for the support of a second faculty member. They have provided financial support to numerous programs at UW-Whitewater, including the College of Education and Professional Studies, the College of Arts and Communication and the Young Auditorium, Hyland Hall, Athletics, and Wheelchair Basketball.  

“If you are given something, you need to give back.”  

Editor’s note: This article appeared on UW-Whitewater’s website.

The Wisconsin Makers Inc hosted our 9th Spring Iron Pour on April 12.   Teresa “Tree” Lind is the UWW Metal Arts instructor, and her students and alumni fire the forge and melt iron and about 50 people scratch sand mold and make metal Art.  

A video of the pouring may be found below.

Editor’s note: This report was submitted courtesy of Ron Binning.

According to a press release from the Whitewater Police Department, “On Friday, April 25, 2025, the Whitewater Police Department arrested six adult males for a variety of crimes and municipal ordinance violations. These arrests were part of a human trafficking operation targeting criminal activity in the Whitewater area. The six individuals arrested ranged between 24 to 57 years of age. Each of the six subjects was confined in the Walworth County Jail and referred to either the Whitewater Municipal Court and/or the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office on one or more of the following charges:

 Six (6) counts of Prostitution
 One (1) count of Operating while Intoxicated 4th offense
 One (1) count of felony possession of THC
 One (1) count of municipal possession of THC
 Six (6) counts of disorderly conduct
 One (1) count of misdemeanor bail jumping
 Four (4) counts of felony bail jumping
 Three (3) counts of possession of drug paraphernalia
 One (1) count of possession of cocaine
 One (1) count of failure to install an ignition interlock device
 One (1) count of possession of fentanyl

Our agency worked closely with our law enforcement partners to address the growing problem of human trafficking in our
area. This issue affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Victims are often coerced, manipulated, or forced into
situations where they lose their freedom and are subjected to unimaginable abuse. The Whitewater Police Department
recognizes the profound impact this crime has on individuals and families and continues to work diligently to identify,
rescue, and support victims while holding perpetrators accountable.

The Whitewater Police Department would like to thank the City of Delavan Police Department, City of Lake Geneva Police
Department, UW-Whitewater Police Department and Walworth County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this
investigation. It is noted that this case has not been concluded. Unless a judgment of conviction is entered, the
defendants are presumed innocent of all charges.”

Editor’s note: This announcement was provided by the League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area, which adds that they are also unable to accept book donations.

By Lacey Reichwald

As the last hymn echoed off the sanctuary walls, the members of Whitewater’s Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) paused to take it all in — the 185 years behind them, the sense of community they shared, and the chance to build something lasting beyond the church doors.

Closing the church had been a hard decision. Like many congregations across the country, they faced a smaller group gathering each Sunday and an aging building that was too expensive to maintain. The idea of closing had come up over the years — sometimes quietly, sometimes more directly — but this time, everyone understood it was time. The congregation voted to disband and sell the property. One longtime member said, “My head knew it was right. But my heart hurt.” Another added, “It’s not the best — but it’s all good.”

Even through the sadness, one thing was clear: the church had always been more than a building. From its earliest days, it served the wider community, hosting city meetings, college graduations, and even basketball games. It helped launch Bethel House, which provides temporary housing for families in crisis, and the Clothes Closet, a precursor to today’s Community Space. Its kitchen turned out free weekly spaghetti dinners that fed college students and longtime residents alike.

That legacy shaped what came next. With the building sold, the congregation turned their attention to how the church’s remaining funds could be used to carry on its mission. “Anytime there’s change or closure, emotions run high,” one member said. “But these conversations about what to do with the church’s money sparked real thinking. And they helped us get through the emotional part, knowing we could still have an impact beyond the closing.”

Months before the final service, members gathered in the Fellowship Hall to decide what to do next. They filled the walls with the names of local charities and community groups, then voted with bright sticky dots to determine where the church’s final gifts would go.

The mood in the room was surprisingly upbeat. With a mix of reflection and purpose, members were energized by the chance to give one last gift together. When the votes were tallied, two organizations stood out: Fairhaven, a senior living community with deep ties to many members, and Bethel House, whose work had long been supported by the church.

But the giving didn’t stop there. Wanting to honor each member’s voice and recognize that the church’s resources had come from those very members over the years, the congregation designated $1,000 for each active member to direct toward a cause of their choice.

Some directed their funds to the Community Space, a center that offers free food, clothing, furniture, and essentials to anyone in need. Others supported the Whitewater Arts Alliance, which promotes local artists and cultural programming, or the Whitewater Community Foundation, which provides scholarships and supports community projects. Still others looked farther afield, as in one member’s gift to a Haitian relief organization. Each gift reflected personal convictions, rooted in the shared values of service and compassion.

The sale itself came quickly. A former Whitewater resident, confirmed in the church 40 years before, purchased the building and promised to preserve key parts of its mission. The Bethel House office remains. The community dinners continue. The kitchen, bustling with volunteers and laughter, will still feed the town.

On the last Sunday in April, the congregation gathered one final time. Pinned to the big bulletin board, alongside church newsletters and fading flyers, were bright thank-you notes from the groups they had supported. Members stopped to read them, smiling at the evidence that their final gifts were already making a difference.

Many members of Whitewater’s UCC have found new church homes in the surrounding area, while others have found their sense of community in different ways. All agreed that the church was never just a building anyway—it was a shared spirit of worship and giving. As the pastor said in his closing sermon, “You don’t need a pastor and these four walls to do what is right.”

The church may have closed its doors, but the work and the spirit behind them live on.

By Fletcher Crone
Co-founder of the Whitewater Creek Coalition

The forecasted rain decided to hold off on Friday morning as over 30 volunteers worked to protect and preserve Whitewater Creek. The creek-which has its headwaters in the kettle moraine hills to the south of Whitewater-flows through downtown and to the north, eventually joining up with the Bark River. Along its journey, the creek suffers from ills such as littering and lack of Native habitat.

Volunteers from the Whitewater Creek Coalition led students from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on their aptly named “Make a Difference Day,” as they sought to tackle those issues. 

At Whitewater Creek Nature Area, they were able to collect a half-dozen bags of trash, and two bags of metal recycling, along with tires and construction materials. Whitewater Creek Coalition treasurer Aubrey Thompson noted that “volunteers left with giant smiles” from such a successful cleanup.

Meanwhile, volunteers at Brewery Hill Park in downtown Whitewater planted dozens of Native species along the creek, building on the invasive species removal work of prior volunteers. Plants included Wild Bergamot, Goldenrod, Brown Eyed Susan, and many other bird, pollinator, and wildlife friendly flowers and shrubs. 

The Whitewater Creek Coalition organizes regular clean-ups, invasive species removal events, and supports education and awareness to ensure a healthy and resilient Whitewater Creek ecosystem. Those interested in learning more or getting involved can contact them via Facebook or Instagram.

NOTICE: The Water Utility will begin its semi-annual water main and hydrant flushing program on Monday, April 28, through Friday, May 9, 2025.

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.

Josh Hyndman, Superintendent
Water Utility
jhyndman@whitewater-wi.gov
(262) 473-0560