News & Events

On August 17th, the Whitewater Unified School District School Board will continue their considerations on whether to place an operational referendum question on the November 3rd ballot.

The board is proactively considering options as the district’s current $4,400,000 operational referendum authority to exceed the revenue limit will expire at the end of the 2026-27 school year.

The board has discussed the possibility of renewing the operational referendum during public meetings over the past several months, including a June 22nd meeting focused on the district’s financial outlook and a special meeting on August 10th to review potential referendum scenarios. At its August 10th meeting, the board reviewed four potential operational referendum scenarios, each covering four years beginning with the 2027-28 school year:

1. Renewing the current $4.4 million authority,
2. A $5 million per year request, an increase of $600,000 over the current authority.
3. A $6 million per year request, $1,600,000 over current authority, and
4. A $7 million per year request, representing an increase of $2,600,000 over current
   authority.
   
   The board also reviewed budget forecasts, planned expenditure reductions, and estimated
   property tax impacts associated with each scenario. To date, no final decision has been made
   about whether a referendum will appear on the November ballot or, if so, the amount of the
   proposed referendum.
   
   In the absence of additional operating referendum support, current budget forecasts represent
   an approximate $6,900,000 deficit in the 2027-28 school year with the current $4,400,000
   authority expiring.
   
   The discussion comes as WUSD faces rising operating costs and state revenue that has not
   kept pace with those expenses.
   
   At the same time, the district is planning additional spending reductions as part of its efforts to
   manage its financial outlook. Current budget assumptions include $500,000 in reductions for
   2026-27 and another $500,000 in 2027-28, totaling $1 million in reductions over two years.
   

“We have been discussing our financial situation and the possibility of an operational referendum publicly for several months, and there is still an important decision for the school board to make,” said Superintendent Samuel Karns. “Our goal throughout this process is to provide clear, factual information about the district’s financial needs, the options being considered, and their potential impact. If the board decides to move forward with a referendum, we will continue providing information and hold informational sessions for community members to ask questions.”

The board also reviewed the estimated property tax impact associated with each scenario, which is listed below in the table.

The board will give further consideration of the financial position of the district and potential operating referendum scenarios at their special meeting on August 17th. If the school board finds consensus regarding their position on this matter, district administration will work with the district’s legal counsel to prepare the respective resolutions for board consideration and action at their regular meeting on August 24th. Any such adopted operating referendum would then be advanced to the November 3rd election ballot.

If the board approves a referendum question for the November ballot, WUSD will provide additional information about the proposal and its financial impact. The district also plans to offer opportunities for residents to ask questions and participate in discussions in the months leading up to the election.

Walworth County has announced the restoration of the historic Log Cabin located on the Walworth County Fairgrounds, a landmark built in 1936 to commemorate the county’s centennial.

Constructed by the Old Settlers Club, the Log Cabin stands as a testament to the determination and pride of local residents. Although initial fundraising fell short, schoolchildren throughout Walworth County donated nickels and pennies to ensure the cabin’s completion.

Over the decades, the Log Cabin has hosted numerous community groups and exhibits. The Geneva Lake Historical Society displayed 100‑year‑old regional artifacts, Boy Scouts used the building as part of their programming, and County Extension Homemakers organized educational demonstrations there for many years. Today, the structure remains a beloved symbol of the region’s pioneering roots.

Restoration for the Semiquincentennial

In early 2026, the America’s 250th Anniversary Celebrations Committee, comprised of Walworth County Board Supervisors, staff, and a representative from the Walworth County Historical Society, identified a need to restore the Log Cabin. The committee recommended a comprehensive restoration addressing the cabin’s foundation, structural elements, windows, and doors to preserve the building for future generations.

The Walworth County Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages the fairgrounds, received a bid of $38,000 for the full restoration. Of that amount, the Society committed $10,000, and the America’s 250th Committee agreed to allocate $28,000. In March 2026, the Walworth County Board of Supervisors approved the request, authorizing the committee to move forward with the project.

Ribbon Cutting

Restoration work was completed in early August, ensuring that the Log Cabin will look its best for the Walworth County Fair, September 2 through 7, 2026. A rededication ceremony and ribbon cutting will be held on the opening day of the fair, September 2, 2026, at 11 a.m. Walworth County welcomes residents and visitors to experience this 90-year-old local landmark.

In addition to the log cabin restoration, Walworth County will honor the semiquincentennial with a daylong event at the Walworth County Fair on September 3. The Walworth County Salutes America 250 event will feature a patriotic ceremony honoring local Purple Heart and Silver Star recipients, stirring music, and a Revolutionary War re-enactor bringing history to life. Visitors to Walworth County’s America 250 Tent on the park green will be treated to historical displays, educational giveaways, coupons for free America 250 ice cream from the Walworth County Farm Bureau (for the first 500 visitors), and family-friendly activities. This special day will conclude with a patriotic drone show at 9 p.m. Find all the details at www.co.walworth.wi.us/1285/America-250. Fair tickets and information are available at www.walworthcountyfairgrounds.com.

Photos:

Update 8/12/26 @ 9:25 p.m. – Francesa Hong has conceded the race and indicated she will be supporting David Crowley.

Various media are reporting that Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley beat State representative Francesca Hong in an upset win after being locked in a very tight battle on Tuesday night. The Associated Press called the race for Crowley shortly after 2:30 a.m. with Crowley leading Hong by 39.78% versus 39.37% of the vote, a difference of only 3,211 votes.

Polls had consistently shown Hong with a sizable lead; however, the race was difficult to call, with three candidates having dropped out. Additionally, Crowley had been out of the race for just over a week, and many voters had described themselves as undecided just days before the election.

A recount is possible if Hong requests one. State law allows for a recount if the margin is less than 1%, and the campaign is not charged for the expenses if the margin is less than .25%. The results will not be final until next week when boards of canvassers meet.

Unofficial results:
Crowley 313,321
Hong 310,110
Roys 59,013
Brennan 36,981
Rodriguez 32,505
Barnes 32,239
Hughes 3,234

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

The city of Whitewater’s polling place at the Armory had fairly steady traffic on Tuesday, with 975 ballots cast. The Banner does not yet have the results of the absentee ballots, which are counted at the Municipal Building in what is known as “Central Count.” Consequently, the results below only show the in-person votes.

There was one relatively brief glitch: in mid-morning the Walworth County tabulator, the machine that counts the ballots, started having difficulty reading some of the ballots. It was indicated that the problem might have been related to high humidity resulting from the outside environment. Ultimately, as the problem escalated, it was determined that an alternate machine needed to be put into service. The switch was completed quickly, with all results from the first machine transferring to the replacement, and that machine functioned well.

As of midnight on Tuesday, it was uncertain who the Democratic candidate for governor will be, with Francesa Hong and David Crowley in a very tight race. Tom Tiffany will be the Republican candidate, and David Varnam will be their candidate for lt. governor.

Whitewater resident Miguel Aranda was strongly favored in the city for the Democratic nomination for U.S. House District 1, and he came in second in Walworth County. Mitchell Berman was declared the nominee.

Party Preference

	Jefferson County	Walworth County	Total
Republican	39	187	226
Democrat	95	571	666

Republican Primary

Governor

	City/Jefferson	City/Walworth	Total	Walworth Co.
Tiffany	37	187	224	10133
Manske	2	5	7	400

Lt. Governor

	City/Jefferson Co.	City/Walworth Co.	Total	Walworth Co.
Varnam	28	90	118	5179
Martin	9	80	89	4137

Secretary of State

	City/Jefferson Co.	City/Walworth Co.	Total	Walworth Co.
Schroeder	19	70	89	4462
Pollnow	11	49	60	2633
Werner	6	19	25	1213
Myer	2	26	28	950

Democratic Primary

Governor

	City/Jefferson	City/Walworth	Total	Walworth Co.
Hong	49	320	369	3569
Crowley	35	209	244	3900
Roys	10	59	69	793
Brennan	3	16	19	390

In Walworth County, candidates who dropped out received these votes:
Rodriguez – 427, Barnes – 394, Hughes – 45

State Treasurer

	City/Jefferson	City/Walworth	Total	Walworth Co.
Xiong (State Winner)	41	319	360	4266
Helmenstine	42	191	233	3862

U.S. House District 1

	City/Jefferson	City/Walworth	Total	Walworth Co.
Berman		120		2895
Aranda		348		1780
Burgelis		36		1571
Santos		61		1318

Steve Watson writes “Look hoo I saw on the Trippe Lake path on one of my morning walkabouts.”

Our thanks to Steve Watson for sharing another of his great nature photos.

— 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!

The Bassett House, a cherished local landmark in the city of Whitewater, commemorated the 100th anniversary of its ownership by the Whitewater Federation of Women’s Clubs (WFWC) on June 14, 2026.

Photos courtesy of Tom Ganser