News & Events

The Whitewater Grocery Co-Op will hold a special meeting for owner-members on Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the Whitewater Library, 431 W. Center St. The meeting will include updates from the Board of Directors on the organization’s activities, finances, and future planning, while providing members an opportunity to help shape the co-op’s next
steps.

The meeting comes at a pivotal time for the organization. Since forming in 2017 after Whitewater lost its only grocery store, the volunteer-led co-op has grown to more than 900 owner-members and has spent nearly a decade exploring opportunities to establish a community-owned grocery store.

During that time, the organization navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluated more than 30 potential locations, pursued multiple development opportunities, and worked with community partners, grocery development experts, and the City of Whitewater to determine the most viable path forward.

The opening of ALDI in 2024 addressed part of Whitewater’s grocery needs, but co-op leaders say community discussions have continued about access to a broader range of grocery options. A 2026 Community Development Authority market study also identified additional grocery opportunities within the city.

At the same time, grocery cooperatives across the country have experienced significant changes. Inflation, higher construction costs, labor shortages, and shifts in consumer shopping habits have prompted many cooperatives to rethink traditional store models. National grocery organizations such as the Food Co-op Initiative have also begun revising development resources to reflect these new realities.

Most recently, the announcement that Anderson Ashton, Inc. intends to develop a Piggly Wiggly grocery store alongside an early childhood education and childcare center on Whitewater’s east side prompted the Co-op Board to reassess its long-term direction.

“The grocery landscape in Whitewater has changed considerably since our organization was founded,” said Vice President Brienne Brown. “We believe it’s important that the future direction of the Co-op be guided by the people who own it. This meeting is an opportunity for members to help determine what role a community-owned grocery cooperative should play in Whitewater moving forward.”

In addition to the August 12 owner-member meeting, the board plans to host community listening sessions later this year to gather broader public input about the future of a cooperative grocery model in Whitewater.

All owner-members are encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion.

The Discover Whitewater Series (DWS): Half Marathon, 5k Team Event, Fit Kid Shuffle, and 5k is excited to announce a new addition to this year’s race day experience: complimentary beer for participants 21 and older following the Half Marathon and 5K! 

“Bring back BEER at the end of the race!! BEER in the pavilion! BEER!” said an anonymous 2025 participant on the post-race survey. In fact, the DWS team shared that beer was one of the most requested items! 

“The decision to include beer at the finish line comes after reviewing participant feedback such as this,” said Executive Board Member and Course Marshall, Jeff Miller. “And, now that the course runs on University grounds, regulations allow us to serve alcohol on-site!”

As the DWS continues to enhance the race experience, organizers took that feedback and responded by partnering with 841 Brewhouse to make the request a reality! Owner Jim Burns has donated a generous amount of their brewed beer, allowing participants 21 and older to enjoy a complimentary post-race beverage. 

Following the race, participants are invited to continue the festivities at 841 Brewhouse, the official host of the DWS post-race celebration. In addition to receiving a complimentary beer at the finish line, participants will also receive free drink coupons for soda, wine, or beer to redeem at 841 Brewhouse. 

“We’re always looking for ways to improve the DWS, and one of the best ways to do that is by listening to our runners,” said Jeffery Knight, Executive Director of the DWS. “Thanks to Jim Burns and 841 Brewhouse, we can make that happen.”

About the DWS

The goal of the DWS is to promote the City of Whitewater and highlight its greatest features, while keeping everyone in the community active. All the proceeds from the race are donated to five local non-profit partners: Bethel House,  J-Hawk Aquatic Club, Whitewater LEADS, Whitewater Foundation-Athletics, and the Whitewater Unified School District Program. The DWS partners with the city, business community, university and the school district to make this a tremendous event that benefits all who participate. For more information about the race visit www.runwhitewater.com.

For further details, please contact Jeffery Knight, Executive Director at 920.728.0662 or jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com.

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the Discover Whitewater Series.

Mukwonago High School played host to 29 robots fielded by 25 Wisconsin high school FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams for the 5^th annual Mukwonago Robotics Offseason Competition (MROC) on July 25 and 26. This was a great opportunity for our recent graduates Chacha Binagi and Erison Dreksler to squeeze in one last competition while some of our incoming freshmen – Espen Heim, Horatio Nelson, and Nels Brown – got their first taste of an FRC competition.

The event host, FRC Team 930 from Mukwonago High School, does a fantastic job of putting together two packed days of opportunities for students to learn and grow. Saturday began with three tracks of workshops hosted by area teams where students could learn about everything from business to CAD to data on last season’s robots. Vivian Harris, Mason Genung, and Erison Dreksler represented Ferradermis by presenting on, “Volunteering and Mentoring with FLL and FTC Programs.” Charlotte Trautman and Alex Nelson took care of dropping off two backpacks full of school supply donations from team members for the MROC School Supply Drive before taking up residence in the pit to wait for judges. Students also had the opportunity to volunteer for interviews at the MROC Live Desk, broadcasting on the livestream between matches. Day one of the event ended with mentor matches where the students and mentors swapped roles, pizza, ice cream sundaes, and a team social with some intense dodgeball and yard games.

The Ferradermis robot performed very well during its 10 qualification matches, ending qualifications with an 8-2 record and ranking #4 out of 29. During two qualification matches, the robot became disabled on the field and was unable to finish the match – once when the battery cable snapped off and once when an errant game piece landed on the emergency stop button in the drive station, but the students never quit working and pushing forward. In another match, Ferradermis worked with the eventual #1 seed BadgerBots from Middleton to set the high score for qualifications with 467 points. The robot was led onto the field by Driver Mason Genung, Operator Erison Dreksler, and Human Player Vivian Harris with Espen Heim and Paxton Wilson taking turns as Technician. The pit was staffed throughout the event by Preston and Carson Miller. Matches were filmed by Eli Gonsior so that the drive team could review the footage immediately after each match.

Alliance selections saw the 1^st and 3^rd ranked teams quickly join forces. #2 ranked Hilltoppers from Milwaukee then invited Ferradermis to join their second seeded playoff alliance. Zoey Ambrose took the microphone to represent the team and accepted the invitation from Hilltoppers. An invitation was then issued to Team 6643 Walnuts and Bolts from Racine to join the alliance. Eventually, the alliance needed to call in a backup robot to fill in for Hilltoppers while they fixed their intake system. The backup role was filled by the second robot fielded by BEAST from Brookfield East, operating as Team 9991.

The Ferradermis alliance breezed through the first two rounds of the double-elimination playoffs before falling to the #1 seed and dropping into the lower half of the bracket. A solid victory over the #3 seed then set up a rematch in the finals with the #1 seed. The Ferradermis supporters in the stands, including team members Mily Zeferino-Hernandez, Asher Downs, Julian Rennells, and Cooper Housel were intense throughout!

FRC Finals are a best-of-3 playoff that begins with a formal handshake between the two alliances. By this point, the remaining robots had all experienced major issues, and many were struggling to score points on the field. The Ferradermis pit crew pulled off quick repairs to the intake system over and over again between matches. The first finals match ended with a 207-122 Ferradermis victory. The second match was much closer, leaving the crowd hanging for over five minutes before the final score was announced, but the Ferradermis alliance pulled off an exciting 185-177 victory to secure the event win.  

The Whitewater community will have several fall opportunities to learn about WUSD robotics programming for grades 4-12. The team will be at the Whitewater City Market on August 4, Whippet Welcome on August 6, and the Whitewater Public Library on September 19. New members are welcome to join this fall, with the annual parent meeting scheduled for September 30. Parents and students can reach out to Laura Masbruch at lmasbruch@wwusd.org with questions about joining.

The team will participate in one other offseason competition at SHOUT, hosted at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in Milwaukee, on October 17 while they await the announcement of the new game and the beginning of the new season in January. Ferradermis will host an FLL Regional Tournament at Whitewater High School on November 14 followed by an FTC Qualifier (Whitewater RoboRage) on December 19.

Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor
lmasbruch@wwusd.org

Walworth County Treasurer Valerie Etzel reminds residents that the final installment of 2025 real estate taxes is due to the Walworth County Treasurer by July 31, 2026.

The following payment options are available to property owners:

1. In Person: Residents may pay with a check, cash, or money order at the Walworth County Treasurer’s office, 100 W. Walworth Street, Elkhorn. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
2. By Mail: Checks or money orders may be mailed to the Walworth County Treasurer, PO Box 1001, Elkhorn, WI 53121. Mail must receive a U.S. postmark on or before July 31, 2026. To receive a receipt, residents are asked to enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope with their payment. Editor’s note: If you are sending your check by mail, it’s strongly suggested that you take it into the post office and ask for the local postmark. It’s the only way you can ensure it’s postmarked that day – and if you put it in your mailbox or a drop box on July 31 it will not be postmarked that day.
3. Online: Residents can pay online at www.co.walworth.wi.us by selecting the Property Taxes quick button on the home page. Payments are accepted via electronic check, debit card, or credit card. Convenience fees for online payments are as follows:
   o $1.00 – electronic check (eCheck)
   • o 1.5% – debit card or 2.2% – credit card
4. Drop Box: Payments by checks or money orders may be placed in the drop box located at the northwest end of the median in the Government Center parking lot, 100 W. Walworth St, Elkhorn.
   
   If paying by mail or drop box, residents should include payment stubs or indicate their parcel numbers on their checks or in a separate memo so the Treasurer’s Office may apply their payments correctly.
   
   Property owners who miss the July 31 deadline will be considered delinquent, and the balance on their account will be subject to interest and a penalty of 1.5% per month retroactive to February 1 (10.5%).
   
   Questions may be directed to the Walworth County Treasurer’s Office at (262) 741- 4251 or treasurer@co.walworth.wi.us.

Don’t be blue! Come and sing along!

Command Performance! Encore! 

At the request of many, Seniors in the Park will again be presenting the film about the Milwaukee-based Neil Diamond cover song duo, Thunder and Lightning, starring Hugh Jackman and (Oscar Nominated Best Actress) Kate Hudson. It’s rated PG-13 and runs 2 hours, 12 minutes. 

Tuesday, July 28, 1 pm

Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $15 and non-residents is $20. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes out of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/ 

Due to copyright issues, Seniors in the Park is no longer able to publicly announce the movie titles being shown.  If you wish to find out each month’s titles that Projectionist Mark Dorn has selected, you may call Seniors in the Park at 262-473-0535. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 

A 29-year-old male tree trimming worker died of an apparent lightning strike on Whitewater’s west side on Monday, July 27.

Per a news release from Whitewater Fire and EMS, at 9:56 a.m. a report was received of a person stuck in a tree with a possible electrocution injury in the 400 block of South Elizabeth Street. Fire department personnel responded to the scene within approximately five minutes and found an unresponsive victim suspended about sixty feet high in a tree in a back lot of W. Laurel Street. The supervisor of the WE Energies’ contracted crew that was clearing trees in the area reported that there was a “loud bang and a flash” and they believed the tree had been struck by lightning. A weather system was moving through the city at the time of the 911 call, and there was no evidence immediately available on scene to suggest that the worker contacted energized electrical lines.

An attempt was made using Whitewater Tower Ladder 121 to reach the victim; however, due to the setback of the tree from the road, crews were unable to reach the victim. Members of the tree trimming crew then ascended the tree and lowered the victim (who was wearing a safety harness) to the ground to an EMS crew. The victim was pronounced dead on the scene. The identity of the individual is being withheld until notification to next of kin can be made.

The Walworth County Medical Examiner and the City of Whitewater Police Department will conduct the death investigation.

Mutual aid was requested from the City of Delavan Fire Department for a ladder. Truck 254 responded and was released by command a short time after arriving on scene.

The Third Annual Unity Walk will be Saturday, September 12 at 10 a.m. (rescheduled from July due to heat and air quality concerns) starting at the Whitewater Armory.  All are welcome to enjoy live music, visit tabling community organizations, and hear speeches about unity at this nonpartisan, inclusive community event.  Unity signs will be available to carry from the Armory to the Cultural Arts Center and back. The Unity Walk, a Symbol of Civility, offers all residents from all backgrounds an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to bringing Whitewater together as one human family.  

Following is the Program:

Opening Ceremony at Whitewater Armory

Gathering Music – Instrumental Group

Visit tables of 15 Community Organizations

Proclamation – John Weidl, City Manager

Presentation of Colors – Elkhorn Scout Troop 234

Pledge of Allegiance

National Anthems of America and Ukraine

Unity Speakers at the Armory

Jorge Islas Martinez, Whitewater Immigrant Support Coalition

Rev. Clarissa Martinelli, First United Methodist Church 

Walk to the Cultural Arts Center (near the Birge Fountain)

Unity Talks at the Cultural Arts Center

Camden Harlan, Whitewater Pride

Pastor Joseph O’Donnell, First English Lutheran Church

Visit Cultural Arts Center

Return to Armory

Visit tables of Community Organizations

Many sponsors and community organizations are sponsoring the Unity Walk: Whitewater Immigrant Support Coalition, Be Kind Whitewater, Whitewater Arts Alliance, Whitewater Unites Lives, Whitewater Pride, First English Lutheran Church, First United Methodist Church, Whitewater Police Department, Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club, Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission, The Book Teller, Whitewater Unified School District, Fort Community Credit Union, The Coburn Company, Inc., Whitewater Islamic Center, Moms Demand Action-Whitewater, and League of Women Voters of Whitewater Area.

For more information about the Unity Walk, please contact Bill Chandler at 414-630-3598.