News & Events

Young children and their caregivers are invited to “Music & Art Wonder Club,” a fun, free event sponsored by the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on Saturday, April 19 at 3:30-4:30 p.m. Participants will explore a world instrument petting zoo, create an upcycled process art project, and engage in a whimsical music and movement program with instrument and movement props.

Due to library construction, this event will take place at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center located at 341 S. Fremont Street in Whitewater. It is best for ages 3-8, but all ages are welcome. There is no cost or registration.

The class is taught by Noelle Larson, a Board-Certified Music Therapist, graduate of Whitewater High School and Berklee College of Music, and the owner of Circle of Song Music Therapy, LLC. Noelle has a passion for helping clients and participants to “Connect, Thrive, and Come Alive Through Music,” strengthen family relationships, learn adaptive coping strategies, and experience wonder and joy through the delight of participating in live music making.

Contact Sarah French with questions or accommodation requests at sfrench@whitewater-wi.gov or 262-473-0530.

Please join A’lani Ross for her Senior Voice Recital to be held Wednesday, April 30, at 7:00 pm, in the James M. Stewart Auditorium at Whitewater High School. A’lani will be accompanied by Lori Heidenreich.

Whitewater Middle School students recently took part in a day of exploration
as the school launched a new STEAM Lab, which opened at the beginning of the semester.

The lab, focused on science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math, will serve as a
collaborative space for innovative, hands-on learning. The space has already supported the
school’s FIRST Robotics and FIRST LEGO League teams and will now become a resource for all
WMS students.

On March 19, 6th graders had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on lab experience led by
District Technology Integrator Ashley Deininger and Teacher Natalie Germundson. Using LEGO
Essentials kits, students were challenged to design an accessible bus and program it to
stop at a designated location, allowing for wheelchair access.

“It was wonderful to see students engaged in a hands-on activity, working collaboratively and
excited about their learning,” said Deininger. “I am looking forward to watching this space continue
to grow and inspire students to explore and discover new skills using technology.”

Through the STEAM Lab, WMS will provide students with opportunities to learn new skills while
building their critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork abilities. It’s one way to prepare
students for the opportunities and challenges of the future, including in high school, college, and
careers.

Submission deadline is Wednesday, April 16

2025 Traffic Box Public Art Project CALL for ARTISTS!!! The City of Whitewater is calling on artists to help transform everyday infrastructure into vibrant works of public art through the 2025 Traffic Box Public Art Project, Artful Transformation. This exciting initiative will enhance the city’s Main Street from the Whitewater St. to Elizabeth St. intersections by turning eight traffic signal control boxes into unique, community-inspired pieces. The goal of Artful Transformation is to celebrate Whitewater’s identity, creativity, and community spirit while providing local and regional artists with a platform to showcase their talents. Through this project, the city aims to enrich public spaces with artwork that reflects Whitewater’s rich heritage, diverse culture, and bright vision for the future. Call for Artists: The City of Whitewater invites artists to submit proposals for original artwork to be displayed on traffic boxes throughout the downtown area. Selected artists will receive a stipend of up to $3,000 per box to cover materials and labor. Eligibility: The opportunity is open to individual artists or artist teams, with preference given to those with a strong connection to Whitewater. All selected artists must sign an artist agreement and a hold harmless release. Submission Requirements: Proposal Description: A concept statement outlining the vision, themes, and preferred traffic box locations. Visuals: Sketches or mock-ups of original artwork designed for all four sides and the top of the traffic box. Budget: An itemized breakdown of costs, including materials, labor, and contingency planning (up to $3,000 per traffic box). Resume or Bio: Information about the artist or team’s background and artistic experience. Portfolio: Up to three examples of past work. A Public Art Committee, composed of representatives from the Whitewater Arts Alliance, City Council, local artists, and other community leaders, will review all submissions. The selected designs will become part of the City of Whitewater’s public art collection, with credit given to the artists. Key Dates: Applications Open: February 12, 2025 Submission Deadline: April 16, 2025 Artist Selection Announced: May 7, 2025 (Notifications of winners will be announced on the City of Whitewater web site, via press release and sent to all local publications, and in an email to the selected artists.) Painting Period: June – August 2025 Celebration Ceremony: September 13, 2025, at 10 AM at the Bridge Fountain/Traffic Box area Please note that on September 13th the City will also be hosting Food Truck Festival at the Cravath Lakefront Park. Further, the Whitewater Arts Alliance will be hosting the Fabrics of our Community exhibit at the White Building at 11 AM. Artists interested in applying can find the application form online at www.whitewater-wi.gov/618/Public-Art-Projects or request a copy by contacting Taylor Zeinert, Economic Development Director, via email at tzeinert@whitewater-wi.gov or by phone at 262-473-0148. The City of Whitewater looks forward to seeing the community’s creative talents on display and invites artists to help turn the city’s traffic boxes into engaging, meaningful works of art.

Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel.

• Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
  • Beginning May 7, 2025, if you plan to use your state-issued ID or license to fly within the U.S., make sure it is REAL ID compliant. Wisconsin licenses that qualify have a star in the upper right corner. This requirement also applies to visits to certain federal facilities such as military bases.
• OTHER ACCEPTABLE ID’S:
• State-Issued Drivers License or State-Issued ID
• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs).
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation worker identification credential
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
• Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

A weapon permit is not an acceptable form of identification. A temporary driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification.

Expired ID

TSA currently accepts expired ID up to a year after expiration, for the above listed forms of identification. DHS has extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline to May 7, 2025. Learn more about REAL ID on TSA’s REAL ID webpage.

Children

TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the United States. Contact the airline for questions regarding specific ID requirements for travelers under 18.

Don’t Have Your Acceptable ID?

In the event you arrive at the airport without acceptable identification (whether lost, stolen, or otherwise), you may still be allowed to fly.

The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name and current address to confirm your identity. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening.

You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if you choose to not provide acceptable identification, you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process, or your identity cannot be confirmed.

TSA recommends individuals without acceptable identification arrive at least three hours in advance of their flight time.

Names With Suffixes

TSA accepts variations on suffixes on boarding passes and ID. Suffixes are not required on boarding passes. If there is a suffix on the boarding pass, and there is not one on the ID or vice versa, that is considered an acceptable variation.

If your identity cannot be verified, you will not be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint.

Written by Dave Fidlin | Photos by Craig Schreiner

After an intensive three-year review process, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Police Department received accreditation from a national program considered the gold standard within the profession.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, or CALEA, has officially recognized the UW-Whitewater Police Department with its accreditation. It is one of only four departments in Wisconsin to hold the accreditation, and one of just two within the Universities of Wisconsin — the other being UW-Madison.

While law enforcement agencies have a number of different accreditation options available, UW-Whitewater Police Chief Matt Kiederlen said CALEA is considered the gold standard because of the depths involved in achieving such a certification, which included putting the campus’ law enforcement officers through a battery of tests to ensure policies and procedures are being followed.

Kiederlen said the quest for CALEA accreditation has been years in the making and that credit goes to the department’s small but dedicated command staff who roll up their sleeves each day to ensure UW-Whitewater’s campus is safe, secure and a welcoming place for people from all backgrounds to grow personally and academically.

“Accreditation, in my opinion, sets the department up for success,” Kiederlen said. “It gives us a nationally recognized set of standards that we can comply with and we will strive to uphold. It’s a way for us to test what we’re doing against what is considered the gold standards are, in terms of how you do things. It sets me — or any chief or executive, however you want to look at it — up for success.”

In the world of academia, Kiederlen said accreditation is a concept that is easily understood. The processes and standards the UW-Whitewater Police Department went through are similar to those a college or university undergoes for its academic programs.

“In a higher education environment, every college, everything that is done from setting up the classes to teaching, are evaluated by an outside organization that says, ‘You’re doing this right.’” Kiederlen said. “It’s the same thing for us.”

“The intensive nature of CALEA’s accreditation process is one reason it is considered such a high-caliber standard within law enforcement.

CALEA’s 21-member Board of Commissioners tests command staff on the policies and procedures on the agency’s books and conducts interviews with a sampling of university staff and students, as well as community members, to gauge the department’s effectiveness. Input from other nearby law enforcement agencies also is a part of the review process.

“Each community with CALEA-accredited agencies should feel confident that their public safety organization is going above and beyond and operating under the highest standards in public safety,” CALEA President Marlon Lynch said.

Kiederlen considers achieving the CALEA accreditation to be a professional milestone.

“This is a career goal, and the fact that we achieved this is outstanding,” Kiederlen said. “For me, as the chief, I take a huge amount of pride that we have achieved this, knowing that this little department of 16 sworn officers has put itself in a place where it can deliver the best quality of service that we possibly can.”

“Achieving the accreditation is a worthy moment of celebration for the members of the UW-Whitewater Police Department, but the process of maintaining the designation will be continuous.

“It’s not just, ‘Once, and you’re done.’ They’re looking at those policies, and they’re looking for what are called ‘proofs,’” Kiederlen said. “They want to know that we are abiding by those policies. It’s a complete upgrade. It literally affects the daily processes of the department to ensure that you’re doing it as best as you possibly can.”

Kiederlen said he takes pride in knowing the police department has a strong foundation, heading into the future.

“I wanted to set up the department for continued success.”

City of Whitewater Plan & Architectural Review – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes addition of definition for family daycare home and addition to that use in most districts, and Discussion and possible recommendation to Common Council update of the Landscaping Guidelines.
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.
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/568749461
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 568-749-461
United States: +1 (646) 749-3122
Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://meet.goto.com/install

City of Whitewater Common Council – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m.
UW Whitewater, University Center, 190 Hamilton
Green Way, 2nd Floor, RM 259
Agenda includes Swearing In of Newly Elected Council Members. Aldermanic District 1 Michael Smith;
Aldermanic District 3, Steven Sahyun; Aldermanic District 5, Neil Hicks; Councilmember At
Large- Patrick Singer; Presentation by Josh Schoemann, Washington County Executive, about Next Generation
Housing in Washington County, Professor Kurt Paulsen, Professor at UW- Madison, responses to questions during the
housing presentation.; Greg Johnson, Municipal Advisor at Elhers, response to questions had on housing
presentation; first reading of Ordinance 2025-O-11 An Ordinance creating section 2.62.060 Public Comment during
Common Council and Committee Meetings; Discussion and Possible Action regarding Whitewater Solar’s Joint Development
Agreement- City and Townships
*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/87340133072?pwd=4ZtuqDaebM80Sz976LBWtC9BH59iLP.1
Telephone: +1 (312) 626-6799
Webinar ID: 873 4013 3072
Passcode:878627

City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation Board – Wednesday @ 5:30 p.m.
Agenda includes Discussion and Possible Action to approve SEWRPC Aquatic Plant Management Plan for
Cravath and Trippe Lakes; Discussion re: parks and open space plan.
Cravath Lakefront room 2nd floor 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.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82926194352?pwd=FIFh0KXzqzrvJtHx1qd9mLPZwN0Khb.1
Meeting ID: 829 2619 4352
Passcode: 313703
Dial 1 312 626 6799 US

City of Whitewater Community Development Authority – Thursday @ 5:30 p.m.
The agenda has not yet been posted as of 4/13/25.