News & Events

(WHITEWATER – Whitewater Arts Alliance Press Release) – The second of three Savory Sounds Concerts to take place at the Cultural Arts Center on 402 West Main Street on Thursday, July 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. will feature harpist Lauren Hayes. All concerts will be outside at the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center. In case of rain, the concerts will be live-streamed.

La Piazza Pizzeria, 162 West Main Street, will provide lunches with pre-orders.  Attendees should call 262-458-2727 to pre-order lunches for pick up prior to the concert.

Chicago-based harpist Lauren Hayes is an avid orchestral, chamber, and solo musician, frequently performing with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Chicago Composers Orchestra, and as an Associate in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.  In addition to performing, she maintains a large private teaching studio and volunteers with the non-profit Sharing Notes. Hayes holds a PD in Orchestral Studies from Roosevelt University (2019), a MA in Harp with Distinction from the London Royal Academy of Music (2016), and a BM in Harp Performance from the University of Arizona (2014).  Lauren Hayes was born and raised in Whitewater.

The comet Neowise will be visible in Whitewater’s northwestern sky in the hours after sunset until July 23. Around 10:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, the Donnelly Sahyun family were just able to make out the comet from the hill over Trippe Lake park. It was about one fist above the downtown lights and two fists below the Big Dipper. To the naked eye it looked like a faint blur, but a better view was available through binoculars secured to a camera tripod. If you live in the countryside and have an unobstructed, northwestern, dark sky view, you may see it even more clearly. We recommend the experience! 

Our thanks to the Donnelly Sahyun family for this first-hand report.

Link to NASA Neowise information: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/how-to-see-comet-neowise. There you’ll learn that the comet was just discovered on March 27, 2020 by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission, not to be seen again for another 6,800 years.

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL, Minn. (July 17, 2020) – The following students have been named to the 2020 spring semester Dean’s List at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the university announced today.

To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must complete 12 or more letter-graded credits while attaining a 3.66 grade point average.

John Downs, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering

Whitewater, Wis. July 17, 2020 – On Monday, July 20, 2020, the Department of Public Works will begin crack sealing in various locations around the City. No parking signs will be posted in these areas as crews progress through the list. There will be no parking allowed between 6:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, when posted. Work is expected to be completed in two to three weeks.

Group #1

Lot A
Lot B (including 2nd Street from Whitewater St south)
Lot C
Lot D
Lot E
Lot F
Lot G
Lot H
Lot I

Group #2

Bluff Road (Round-a-bout to Howard Rd)
Howard Road (Bluff Road north)
Greenway Court
Executive Drive

Group #3

N. Esterly Avenue
N. Franklin Street (Main St to Starin Rd)
Starin Road (Tratt St to Park St)
Starin Park parking lots (2)
Starin Park park roads
Highland Street (Summit St to Elizabeth St)

Group #4
Black River Court
Bloomingfield Drive (Tratt Street to west)
Blue Mounds Drive
Tower Hill Pass
Stonefield Lane
Peninsula Lane

Per The Hill and various other media outlets, “Walmart announced on Wednesday it will require shoppers to wear a face covering starting on July 20 in all stores and clubs across the U.S.

Walmart noted that currently about 65 percent of its more than 5,000 stores and clubs are located in areas where there is some form of government mandate on face coverings. The new policy is in place to help bring consistency, the company said.

“While we’re certainly not the first business to require face coverings, we know this is a simple step everyone can take for their safety and the safety of others in our facilities,” Dacona Smith, Walmart U.S. chief operating officer, and Lance de la Rosa, Sam’s Club chief operating officer, wrote in a press release.

Walmart created a health ambassador position for each store and will station them near the entrance of stores, along with clear signage, to remind people without a mask of the policy. The ambassadors will receive special training and be identifiable by black polo shirts.”

For the complete story in The Hill, please click here.

AURORA, Ill. (July 13, 2020) – Aurora University has named Cherie Meinen of Whitewater, WI, to the Dean’s List for the spring 2020 semester. Meinen is a Junior majoring in Bachelor of Soc Work. The Dean’s List recognizes full-time undergraduate students who have earned a 3.6 GPA or higher.

Aurora University is a four-year, private, nonprofit, fully accredited higher education institution offering students an excellent education while maintaining one of the lowest private school tuition rates in Illinois. Our campus is nestled in a tree-lined neighborhood in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois, and located approximately 45 miles from Chicago. The university serves approximately 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students across more than 50 majors and programs. AU leadership, faculty, and staff are committed to the success of our students, offering strong academic support programs and learning opportunities that prepare students for success beyond graduation. The university is also committed to giving back to the city we live and work in by offering educational and cultural programming that enriches the larger community. Our dedication to the transformative power of learning inspires all to discover what matters and build a life around it.

The following persons were either recently charged in Walworth County Circuit Court or recently made their initial court appearance.

Melvin B. Brown, Jr., 27, 147 N Fraternity Lane #8, has been charged with strangulation/suffocation, two counts of disorderly conduct, and misdemeanor battery in an alleged domestic violence incident. If convicted, he faces up to seven years and three months in prison and $22,000 in fines.

Adam Isaac Cooper, 37, 340 N Newcomb St # B3, has been charged with bail jumping for allegedly driving a vehicle in violation of a court order. If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Garrett K. Mandel, 39, 257 N Prairie St, has been charged with possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Gerald M. Wilcox, 56, 349 Amber Dr, has been charged with operating under the influence – fourth offense and operating with a prohibited blood alcohol content – fourth offense. If convicted, he faces up to 12 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (July 9, 2020) – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville awarded diplomas to nearly 1,000 students from its three campuses for the spring and summer of 2020.

A total of 942 students from UW-Platteville, UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County and UW-Platteville Richland earned either their bachelor’s or associate degrees. Because of COVID-19, no ceremonies were held in May, but will be rescheduled at a later date.

UW-Platteville, founded in 1866, has been named the best public institution in Wisconsin for annual return on investment for the fifth consecutive year by Payscale and the best value in the state.

For more information on the university, located in Southwest Wisconsin, visit uwplatt.edu.

Students from this area who graduated, with their hometown, major(s), degree and campus, include:

HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, DEGREE(S), CAMPUS

Whitewater, WI

 Emily Heckert, Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, UW-Platteville