News & Events

WHS Class of 1959 – 65th Class Reunion – Sept. 21, 2024 – at The Real MacCoys – photos by Tom Ganser (tganser33@gmail.com)

Top Row – Don Kiernan, Karen (Hapke) Schneider, Mary (Taft) Althaus, Patti (Charles) Brabazon, Fred Lowton

Third Row – Carmen (Peyer) Marsh, Bill Fuerstenburg, Mary Beth (Pior) Pidcock, Nancy (Defries) Sebranek, Rosella (Schultz) Reichardt

Second Row – Bonnie (Uglow) Stanley, Donna (Bigelow) Lewis, Eileen (Snyder) Brown, Sylvia (Fadness) Gleiter, Necia (Meyer) Schinke

Bottom Row – Kathy (Graham) Sturzl, Carol (Phelps) Cobb, Eileen (Schoppe) Dempsey, Marie (Frodl) Glass, Ed Hamilton

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater Unites Lives.

The teachers, childcare workers and volunteers for the ESL Program are WUL Hometown Heroes, and were nominated by Jim Winship, “For educating hundreds of English-language learners, which benefits their families and the Whitewater community.”

Jim said, “The success of the Whitewater Community ESL Program, which has educated hundreds of English-language learners and benefited their families and the Whitewater community has been made possible through the efforts of the Program’s teachers, childcare workers, and volunteers. For this reason, I am nominating these individuals as Whitewater Unites Lives Hometown Heroes.”

Jorge Islas-Martinez, the co-founder of the Program, when told that the Program staff and volunteers were receiving this award, said: “This award reflects the heart and soul of the Whitewater Community ESL Program, where trust, respect, unity, collaboration, and passion ignite the journey of learning and growth.”

WUL (Whitewater Unites Lives) is a locally-focused civil and human rights group that works to connect the people in our community and to create opportunities for all people to learn and support each other in our common humanity.   

Anyone who would like to nominate a local hero of any age should send their nomination, with a short description, to whitewaterunites@gmail.com 

Mark your calendars! Join us on Thursday, October 3rd, from 1 PM to 3 PM at the Whitewater Innovation Center, located at 1221 Innovation Drive in the Whitewater Business/Tech Park.

Wisconsin Brain Injury Awareness is excited to host Thomas Hapka, a UW-Whitewater graduate, author, and traumatic brain injury survivor. Hapka will discuss his book, Life Beyond Brain Injury: A Survivor’s Guide, and share details of his inspiring journey, as well as integrative and natural methods for recovery.

This event also celebrates Disabled Authors Day, an awareness day established by disability advocates to honor individuals with disabilities who have triumphed over adversity to create impactful works of literature.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired! The event is free and open to the public. Join us! 

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City of Whitewater Common Council – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m.
Agenda includes Discussion and Possible Action regarding the Approval of Proposed Scope of Services for
Phase Two of the Comprehensive Lakes Management Plan for Cravath and Trippe Lakes
with Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, Second reading of Ordinance 2024-O-14 an ordinance revising the Junk Ordinance-Municipal Code Enforcement
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.
Please click the link below to join:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86815762064?pwd=UgA9OJtGu72RjnQrIlYiAsAaQcY21a.1
Telephone: +1 (312) 626-6799 US
Webinar ID: 868 1576 2064
Passcode: 066564

Notice given that a quorum of Common Council and/or board members may be present for the following:
Together for Healthy Lakes Summit – Wednesday @ 5:00 p.m. (No formal action will be taken.)
841 Brewhouse, 841 E Milwaukee St.

Notice given that a quorum of Common Council and/or board members may be present for the following:
Home Buyer’s Educational Event Thursday @ 6:00 p.m. (No formal action will be taken.)
Community Engagement Center, 1260 W Main St.

Notice given that a quorum of Common Council and/or board members may be present for the following:
Run for Trey – Sunday @ 10:00 a.m. (No formal action will be taken.)
Treyton’s Field of Dreams
504 W Starin Rd

Shop early because IT Services cannot reserve items. All sales are on a first-come, first-served basis. [On the first day of the spring sale, when the doors opened there was already a very long line waiting to be gradually admitted.]

Payment forms accepted: credit, debit, Purple Points, cash, or check. For the quickest checkout, bring cash. Receipts will be provided for all purchases.

These devices are for personal use only and will not be supported by UW-Whitewater. All devices are sold as-is and may not be returned or used at UW-Whitewater for any reason.

Individuals with tax-exempt status should bring a physical copy of their signed tax exemption form to process tax-exempt purchases.

*The Early Access program has been discontinued; all hours are open to the public.

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by UW-W IT Services.

The federal government is again offering four free COVID-19 at-home tests as the U.S. enters the respiratory virus season with high levels of the virus already circulating. The test kits may be ordered now from COVIDTests.gov, with shipping by the postal service to begin on September 30.

This is the seventh time that free tests have been offered. The US Department of Health and Human Services indicates that over 900 million free tests have been delivered through the program.

“Reopening this popular program is the latest step by the administration to ensure that over-the-counter COVID-19 tests are available to all who want them this fall and winter,” HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell said in a statement. “Before you visit with your family and friends this holiday season, take a quick test and help keep them safe from COVID-19.”

If you were exposed to COVID, when should you test? If you were exposed but feel fine, you should wait a few days to test, since it can take time for the virus to build up in your body. The F.D.A. recommends that those who stay symptom-free take at least three tests total. Each time, wait 48 hours before you take another test. Take a test right away if you develop symptoms like sneezing, coughing, a sore throat, fatigue, head and body aches, nausea and vomiting. If that test is negative, take another two days later.

Persons who are blind/low vision or who have low dexterity may order special tests that have features that make them more accessible. Information on these tests is available here.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] recommends that anyone who tests positive stay home and away from others until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours.

New Vaccines are Available

Vaccines that are designed to help protect against the COVID-19 variants that are currently in circulation are available now at local pharmacies. CDC recommends that everyone age six months and above receive the vaccine.

This year, there are multiple options available; mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer were updated to target KP.2, one of the so-called FLiRT variants that have been dominant in the US since May. Those vaccines are for people 6 months and older. A more traditional protein vaccine from Novavax is also available, but it targets JN.1, a variant that is still circulating but less prominently than a few months ago. The Novavax vaccine is approved only for those ages 12 and up.

Tracy Hameau has been named the new Director of Jefferson County Emergency Management. She succeeds Donna Haugom, who retired after 32 years of service with the county. Hameau’s first official day in the new position was Monday, August 26^th.

Hameau most recently served as La Crosse County Emergency Management Director. Prior to that, she spent five years as the Deputy Director for Sauk County Emergency Management. Throughout her career, Hameau has been involved in Emergency Operations Center activations and disaster response events. She is a seasoned emergency management practitioner with experience in all phases of emergency management and boasts a public safety background in 911 Communications.

“We are excited to have Tracy in Jefferson County to lead our Emergency Management Department,” said Ben Wehmeier, Jefferson County Administrator. “Aside from possessing the qualifications and expertise for the job, Tracy has a proven track record of working with all necessary parties to prepare for and respond to a crisis. In Tracy, we have a team builder with excellent communication skills and relationships that are critical when faced with emergency-related events.”

Hameau is one of the few emergency managers in Wisconsin to be certified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Basic Academy program, and currently is the only emergency manager in the state to be selected to attend the FEMA Advanced Academy in the coming year. In addition, she has passed her certification through Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and is a Certified Emergency Manager.

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to be working here in Jefferson County,” Hameau stated. “It is a pleasure to serve our citizens, visitors, and other stakeholders within Jefferson County preparing for all – hazards, incidents, and events. I look forward to continuing a successful emergency management program working with the whole Jefferson County community.”