News & Events

Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is excited to announce that our long-anticipated expansion and renovation project is set to begin on September 9, 2024. This project will enhance our facilities and provide our patrons with an improved library experience.

Important Dates and Access Information:

• Construction Start Date: September 9, 2024
• Library Closure: September 16 to Mid-October 2024
• Parking Lot Access: No access from September 9, 2024 until completion of project, anticipated in October, 2025. Only street parking will be available. The lot will be used for the placement of construction trailers and materials. A fence will be erected to secure the area and ensure the safety of our community members.
• A temporary entrance is being constructed on Center Street, next to the Whitewater Room that has the stained glass.

During the initial construction period, the library building will be closed to both staff and patrons beginning on September 16, with a planned reopening in mid-October. Miron, the construction company overseeing the project, has indicated that the work will conclude by October 11, 2024. However, to ensure flexibility and account for any unforeseen delays, we are advising the public that the closure may extend through mid-October.

During the closure patrons may obtain materials from other system libraries through the library website; simply specify an alternate pickup library, such as Dwight Foster Public Library (Fort Atkinson), Powers Memorial Library (Palmyra) or Jefferson Public Library. If a patron already has items on hold there are two choices: 1) Change the pick-up location to another library, if hoping to obtain the item before mid-October, or 2) Leave the hold as is. It will be suspended and when the library reopens the hold will again become active without losing their place in the queue.

Stock up: All items that are being checked out now are being given a due date of October 21 in case the closure is longer than expected. This also applies to items that have been requested from another library in our system.

Groundbreaking will be held on Wednesday, October 2 at 5 p.m. with speeches at 5:15. Cake and beverages will be served.

Contribution pledges: Soon everyone who still has an outstanding pledge will be receiving a reminder letter. If a donor is able to fulfill a pledge earlier than was committed this will help the city to minimize the amount of funds that may have to be borrowed in order to make the construction payments.

We are committed to keeping our community informed and will provide ongoing updates through our website and social media platforms. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to enhance our library facilities.

Editor’s note: This article was written by Lynn Binnie with considerable assistance from the library director, Diane Jaroch.

The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) is proud to present “El Color de Mi Amor” (The Color of My Love), an exhibition of acrylic paintings by local artists Enrique Esquipula and Rhonda Kolander. The exhibition will be held from September 5 to September 29, 2024 at the WAA Gallery, 402 W Main St, Whitewater, WI. Gallery exhibit hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12-4 p.m. (The gallery is closed outside of gallery exhibit hours except for special events and is also closed when no show is currently running.)

The Opening Reception is scheduled for Sunday, September 8, 2024 from 2 pm-4 pm. Attendees will have the chance to meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments while exploring the vibrant artwork on display.

In addition to the exhibition, Rhonda Kolander will be leading an Acrylic Painting Workshop on Thursday, September 26, from 5 pm-7 pm at the Cultural Arts Gallery located at 402 West Main, Whitewater. The workshop is open to all skill levels, with a fee of $35 that includes all materials.

About the Artists:

Enrique Esquipula

Enrique Esquipula has lived in Whitewater for the past 15 years and began painting 8 years ago. Encouraged by his wife, Rhonda, Enrique discovered a passion for art that he had left behind as a child. He has since honed his skills, learning various techniques in oils, acrylics, and watercolor. Enrique’s work has earned recognition, including the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s “Poster of the Year” award in 2010-2011 for his painting “Trees.” To date, he has sold 72 paintings.

Rhonda Kolander

Rhonda Kolander moved to Whitewater in 1996 and has nurtured her love for art since middle school. With formal training in portrait drawing, airbrushing, and oil painting, Rhonda also holds an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Communications and a Digital Photography Certificate from Gateway Technical College. Her creative talents extend to mandalas, kaleidoscope art, and other crafts. Rhonda has exhibited her work in various local galleries and currently coordinates The TeaLuxGallery. She is passionate about sharing her love for art with others and hopes to offer drawing and painting classes in the future.

As partners in life and art, Enrique and Rhonda often exhibit their work together, sharing their mutual love for creativity.

The exhibition is free and open to all.

Registration may be submitted here.

Be sure to join the FFA Alumni on Friday, September 6, 2024 between 5:00 and 7:00 pm for their annual cookout at Whitewater High School prior to the football game against McFarland.

They will be providing both drive-through and dine-in options outside the greenhouse across from the football stadium.

The cost is $10 for a pork loin or hot dog plate which is served with chips, a cookie, and a beverage.

Everyone is welcome!

Parents and guardians of Whitewater High School students are invited to join us for an Open House on Wednesday, September 11, from 4:00 – 7:30!

Check out the Open House Website to learn about what options will be available for parents. Do you just want to meet your student’s teachers? Are you interested in getting help with the paperwork for early college credit? Do you want to learn more about what’s new at WHS this year? You can do these things and more at our open house! We hope to see you there!

Please reach out to Principal Brent Mansky at bmansky@wwusd.org with any questions.

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

The Whitewater Police Department has identified the suspect in the fatal shooting of UW-Whitewater student Kara Welsh, age 21, as Chad T. Richards, age 23, of Loves Park, Illinois. According to the press release, “The department forwarded the following charges to the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office: First-Degree Intentional Homicide (Wis. Stat. 940.01(a)), Endangering Safety by the Use of a Dangerous Weapon (Wis. Stat. 941.20(1)(c)), and Disorderly Conduct while Armed (Wis. Stat. 947.01). It is noted that this case has not been concluded. Unless a judgement of conviction is entered, the arrestee/defendant is presumed innocent of all charges.” Richards is scheduled to appear in the Walworth County Courthouse this afternoon.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater online directory includes the name of a Chad Richards as a senior communications major in the College of Arts and Communication. The athletics site includes Chad Richards of Loves Park on the 2021-22 wrestling roster.

Update 9/3/24 @ 11:45 a.m. – Per WISN Channel 12’s app, “Friends tell 12 News they were dating, and the man was helping her move into her apartment.”

Update 9/3/24 @ 8:30 p.m. – According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel [MJS] and various other media, Judge Estee Scholtz left Richards’ bond at $1,000,000, “citing the violent nature of the offense and the flight risk. She also ordered Richards to not set foot on campus, but permitted him to stay in contact with the school only electronically and by phone. Walworth County District Attorney Zeke Weidenfeld pushed for Richards to not have any contact with the university.” Richards’ initial appearance is scheduled for Friday.

MJS further stated, “During the brief hearing, Kaeli Welsh described her older sister as “the light of my life,” whom she tried to pattern herself after. “She was the strongest person I know, both physically and mentally,” Welsh said through tears. “She had so much more to give the world than gymnastics…It was an honor and a privilege to grow up around her.”

Earlier Banner stories on this incident may be found here:
https://whitewaterbanner.com/victim-in-fatal-shooting-identified-suspect-arrested/
https://whitewaterbanner.com/whitewater-police-man-in-custody-after-apparent-homicide-of-21-year-old-woman/

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

Jorge Islas Martinez could have been saving lives as a doctor in Mexico, but instead, he brought his extraordinary talents to the United States, where he saves lives both figuratively and literally.

In Whitewater, Jorge has transformed the lives of more than 2,500 people by teaching them English, empowering them to fully engage and thrive in our community. His heroic actions extend beyond the classroom; he once performed the Heimlich maneuver to save a woman choking in Illinois.

Jorge’s remarkable service has been recognized with numerous awards. He received the Citizen’s Award from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, which praised him for going “beyond the call of duty” to save a life. On behalf of the citizens of McHenry County, the Sheriff’s Office commended him for a “JOB WELL DONE.”

In Whitewater, Jorge earned the WUL Hometown Hero Award for his unwavering dedication to the Latino community. “Jorge Islas is a real hero in our community.  He has served the Latino community over most of his lifetime in this area and offers English classes not for profit, but out of a deep need to help the Latino community.”  For this selfless work and his broader contributions, he was recognized in the past as an Outstanding Community Member by the University Student Organization, Latinos Unidos.

In 2005, he was honored with the “50 Who Matter” award by the Janesville Gazette. Recently, he also received an accolade from Voces de La Frontera for his commitment to promoting education and civil rights.

Jorge is a beacon of hope in Whitewater, known for his tireless efforts to support immigrants who call this city home. Born in Mexico City, Jorge’s journey led him to Whitewater, where he has lived for 31 years. His dedication was further acknowledged when he was nominated in two categories at the Community Stars Gala: Community Champion and Difference Maker.

Jorge’s path to success was not without challenges. He crossed the U.S. border as an immigrant, facing numerous hardships from farming to landscaping. One of his first jobs was weeding an onion patch without any prior experience, and he humorously recalls pulling up the wrong plants. Despite initial struggles with unfamiliar equipment and being taken advantage of, Jorge’s experiences taught him the crucial importance of learning English to communicate effectively and advocate for himself.

“As an immigrant, I have learned to confront different challenges firsthand,” Jorge says. “I understand what it feels like to be here without legal status or knowing the language.”

Now a proud U.S. citizen, Jorge’s story serves as a testament to perseverance and success. He has worked as an interpreter for the Public Health Department of Walworth County, excelled at Arrow Financial Services in Whitewater, served as a court interpreter for McHenry County, and currently works for the Public Defender’s Office of Rock and Walworth counties.

Jorge firmly believes, “Every single human has a right to succeed, regardless of their legal status or language proficiency.” His passion for teaching English stems from a lifelong love for the language. As a child, he asked his father to take him to the airport not to see planes, but to hear people speaking different languages.

In addition to teaching ESL classes in Whitewater, Jorge serves as the Bilingual Liaison for the Whitewater Unified School District. Outside of work, he is dedicated to supporting families in need through the Immigrant Support Coalition, which he recently founded. The coalition meets monthly to ensure newcomers feel welcomed and to foster trust, respect, and effective communication.

Jorge reflects, “People immigrate to the U.S. for work, to earn money, and to support their families. My goal is to assist immigrants on their journey and help them achieve their dreams.”

Grateful for the opportunity to live in Whitewater, Jorge expresses, “I am blessed to know people who welcome me with open hearts and doors, allowing me to continue helping others.”

Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL) 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.