News & Events

Update 1/24/24 @ 10:10 a.m. – The weather service has extended the dense fog advisory for our area to noon. Fog may limit visibility to one quarter mile or less at times.

According to the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office, a Dense Fog Advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. on Tuesday through 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Areas of dense fog will limit visibility to one quarter mile or less at times. Together with the dense fog, some light rain/drizzle is expected during the Wednesday morning commute. With temperatures hovering around freezing, there is the possibility of a glaze of ice once again on Wednesday morning.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Joe from Pixabay.

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

According to an article on wpr.org and various other news outlets, four people dressed in red and black created a disturbance on Sunday evening, January 21 near the Knilans residence hall. They bellowed racist remarks, including, “We are everywhere. There will be blood, blood, blood,” and a swastika was projected on a wall of the building. Students were in the process of returning to campus, with classes resuming on Monday after the winter break. Campus police responded at approximately 5:40 p.m. and did not find the people. It is believed that they are not UW-Whitewater students but rather may be part of a group that has caused similar disturbances on other campuses.

According to The Hill, “The incident follows a large increase in antisemitic activity on college campuses since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. Between Oct. 7 and 23, 312 antisemitic incidents were reported in the U.S., according to the Anti-Defamation League. In the same time period in 2022, only 64 antisemitic incidents were reported.”

Chancellor Corey A. King posted the following message to the university community:

Message from Chancellor King

Dear students, faculty and staff,

On Sunday, Jan. 21, at around 5:40 p.m., UW-Whitewater police received reports of four people outside of Knilans residence hall chanting racist words, lighting what appeared to be road flares and displaying antisemitic symbols.

Police quickly responded to the scene. The group had already left the area, confirmed by video surveillance, and no further sightings were reported. We have no reason to believe there is any current threat to safety on campus. The actions of the individuals are consistent with a group that has been visiting other campuses, and has no affiliation with UW-Whitewater whatsoever. In an abundance of caution, we have increased police patrol on campus.  

The actions of the group last night are abhorrent and go against our core values. At UW-Whitewater, we strive to create a safe community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. We take pride in our Warhawk family. We reject hate in all its forms.

I know this incident is disturbing and has impacted members of our university community. Please know that counseling services are available to you….Warhawks, look out for one another — especially individuals who may have felt especially targeted by this event. 

Anyone with information about the incident last night is asked to contact University Police at police@uww.edu or 262-472-4660. We will continue to remain vigilant and inform you if there are any developments. I want to reassure everyone of our ongoing commitment to safety. UW-Whitewater Police are on campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. In an emergency situation, please call 911. Any campus member can arrange to have an officer walk with them on campus by calling the non-emergency line, 262-472-4660.

On this first day of the new semester, I ask all of us to reaffirm our commitment to our core values and not let the actions of an outside group that seeks to incite hate, division and fear take us off course. I am confident that we will have ongoing campus conversations in this space. I welcome these conversations as we continue to create an inclusive community. Let’s support each other the Warhawk way.

Corey A. King
Chancellor

Come learn about the U.S. National Parks with Mike Oswald, creator of three U.S. National Park guidebooks (plus a journal!). He hopes you’ll bring your National Park travel dreams and/or stories to have an interactive conversation about these cherished public lands. Along the way, he’ll share photos and stories—from hollering at a grizzly in Glacier National Park to trying to sleep in the middle of a turf war between the crabs and rats of Dry Tortugas’ Jefferson Key—from his tours across the country.

Mike Oswald has been exploring and writing about the U.S. National Parks since 2008. Over the course of hundreds of national park visits, he’s hiked, paddled, and pedaled thousands of miles across America’s most treasured lands. He loves watching prairie dogs, making natural tripods, and sharing a smile with fellow park enthusiasts as they enjoy a beautiful day in a beautiful place. His goal is to help others make the most of their national park trips.

Join us on Tuesday, January 22 at 6:00 p.m. to learn about the U.S. National Parks with Mike Oswald! Bring your National Park travel dreams and/or stories! There is no cost or registration.

Mina Truesdale of Whitewater, was named to the Dean’s Honor List at Cedarville University for Fall 2023. This recognition requires the student to obtain a 3.75 GPA or higher for the semester and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 5,456 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation, and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and high student engagement ranking. For more information about Cedarville University, visit www.cedarville.edu.

Editor’s comment: The following press release was received from the Office of the Governor.

Gov. Tony Evers on January 22 announced his appointment of Kathleen Kostock to serve as Walworth County Register of Deeds. The appointment fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Michele Jacobs, effective December 10, 2023. Kostock will serve for the remainder of the unexpired term ending January 5, 2025.

“Kathleen Kostock’s background in public service makes her well-qualified to carry out the duties as register of deeds for Walworth County,” said Gov. Evers. “She will lead the office and serve the people of Walworth County well in this role.”

Kostock has been a resident of Walworth County for over 24 years and currently serves as a member of the Elkhorn Area School Board.

“I am pleased to accept the appointment of Walworth County Register of Deeds and look forward to continuing the outstanding work of my predecessor Michele Jacobs and her team,” said Kostock. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve the citizens of Walworth County and maintain the high level of professionalism and customer service to which you’ve become accustomed. Thank you to my family, friends, and colleagues for your continued encouragement.”

Update 1/23/24 @ 9 a.m. – Many roads and sidewalks in town are very icy. Travel is actually much more difficult than yesterday in many areas.

Update 1/23/24 @ 6:30 a.m. – As of 4:30 a.m., the National Weather Service indicates that they are still expecting a wintry mix of freezing rain, snow and rain today. However, warmer surface temperatures are reducing the chance of ice in the Whitewater area from about 60% to about 10%. Fog and freezing fog has developed in some areas.

[Previous announcement] According to the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office, “Wintry precipitation starts late tonight and continues through Tuesday, with all precipitation types possible. Freezing rain with ice accumulations of a glaze to 0.1″ possible along with some light snow late tonight into Tuesday morning, which will likely impact the Tuesday morning commute.”

Slippery roads are likely, especially during the Tuesday morning commute time.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Bonnie Kolarik from Pixabay.