News & Events

Community members are invited to join writer Chris Welch, who will present on “The Tactics of Writing Horror Fiction.” Afterwards, he will show how those tactics were used in his story “The Water Tower Witch of Whitewater,” which was published this year in the anthology A Wisconsin Harvest of Horror. His story is about three university students and their perceptions of Whitewater’s dark legends while being menaced by the most dreadful legend, Whitewater’s infamous witch.

This event will be held in Meeting Room 2 of Whitewater Public Library at 431 W. Center St. in Whitewater on Thursday, June 18 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM

This program is for adults. Registration is preferred. Visit whitewaterlibrary.org/events to register in advance. You may also email hswanson@whitewater-wi.gov or call 262-473-0113 to register, or with any questions.

This 4^th of July, we have the honor of celebrating America’s 250^th Anniversary, and we want to make it truly unforgettable- by recognizing the people who make our freedom possible

We are inviting Veterans and Active-Duty Military to be part of the Whitewater 4^th of July Parade as our honored Grand Marshals. 

• Proudly represent your branch
• Wear your uniform ( if you’d like!)
• All branches welcome
• Active Duty and Veterans Invited

This is more than a parade – it’s a chance for our community to come together and recognize the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of those who have served our country. 

If you have served, we would be honored to have you join us.  If you know someone who has served, please encourage them to participate.

State Senator Mark Spreitzer (D – Beloit) has kicked off his re-election campaign for a second term representing Wisconsin’s 15th State Senate District, which includes most of Rock County and the Whitewater area in Walworth and Jefferson Counties. Spreitzer turned in more than 1,000 signatures from district residents to have his name officially placed on the ballot.

“It has been an honor to serve the people of the 15th District in the State Senate,” said Sen. Spreitzer. “I am proud to kick off my re-election campaign with the support of friends, neighbors, and constituents. 

“From every corner of the district, we have worked hard to get the signatures needed for ballot access. I thank the more than 100 volunteers across the 15th District who helped our re-election team to secure a place on the November ballot.

“I am proud of the work we have done together to move our state forward, but I know that there is much more to be done. We need to tackle high prices by lowering the costs of childcare, healthcare, higher education, and housing. We should empower local communities to solve their most pressing challenges. We must stop the endless referendum cycle by investing in our local public schools so students get the education they deserve. We need to reduce the burden of property taxes and keep retirement affordable and accessible.

“We will hold big tech companies accountable by regulating data centers, stopping rising utility rates, and protecting our air and water. We have to prepare for a future shaped by AI and other new technologies, and we need legislators ready to meet this moment and protect our communities.

“I’m running for re-election to take on the difficult, complicated issues others won’t. As your State Senator, I will work to find common ground where I can, and to stand strong for the people and communities I represent when it’s right.”

Senator Spreitzer serves as the State Senator for the 15th District in the Wisconsin State Senate. He was first elected to the Senate in 2022, when he succeeded then-Sen. Janis Ringhand following her retirement. Senator Spreitzer serves in Democratic leadership as the Senate Democratic Caucus Chair. Prior to serving in the Senate, Senator Spreitzer served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and served as Beloit City Council President. Before entering elected office, Spreitzer worked for his alma mater, Beloit College. He lives with his husband Philip Gorman in Beloit. Learn more at MarkForWI.com.

Editor’s note: The Banner is pleased to publish campaign announcements for candidates running for our area state and federal legislative district offices. There is a limit of one submission per candidate for each primary election and general election. Announcements may be submitted to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com.

The City of Whitewater is pleased to share that a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Stonehaven Development housing project will be held on Wednesday, June 17, at 2:00 PM. The groundbreaking is open to the public and will be held at 1222 E Bluff Rd, site of the upcoming project.

This new construction infill housing project will be the site of 14 new owner-occupied, single-family homes, helping to address a significant need for new housing stock in the City of Whitewater.

“This project has been a long time coming, and we are pleased to celebrate this groundbreaking along with the developers, Tim and Amanda Vandeville,” said Mason Becker, Community Development Director. “Not only does this project help address a need for more housing stock that is suitable for retaining young talent, families, and renters seeking ownership opportunities, the price points will be more attainable than most new construction housing we are seeing in our area. This is an example of our proactive and collaborative approach to addressing this issue in our city.”

It is expected that formal construction on the project will begin in the later part of June. The developer has already ordered the first four home builds from Wisconsin Homes, a company that offers a factory-built modular housing product that helps reduce both construction overhead and the price to the home buyer.

“This project is about more than building houses,” said Tim Vandeville Jr. of Stonehaven Development. “It’s about creating a path to homeownership for working families and showing that communities can be proactive and creative when solving the housing shortage. We’re grateful for the City of Whitewater’s partnership and excited to get started.”

Price points on the new homes are targeted at $330,000, with a maximum price of $350,000, per the development agreement between the City of Whitewater and Stonehaven Development. Each home will include three bedrooms, two bathrooms, poured concrete basements and driveways, and furnished appliances.

Whitewater Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Program is in full swing! Bookworms and
aspiring bookworms of every age are invited to read books, win prizes, and attend fun, FREE
events. Here is the week two lineup for children and teens:

Make Your Own Playdough
Monday, June 15th 
4:00-5:00 PM
Ages 6-11
Registration preferred
Transform common household supplies into your own playdough to take home.

Teen Terrariums
Tuesday, June 16th
3:00-4:30 PM
Ages 12-18
Registration required
We provide the supplies, you provide the green thumb.  Build a living terrarium with us!

Storytime
Wednesday, June 17th
9:30 a.m.  
Storytime
Ages 0-5
Join Miss Deana for stories, songs, and general silliness!

Seed Art
Thursday, June 18th
3:30-4:30 PM
Meeting Room 1
Ages 6-11
Registration preferred
Make a work of art with seeds and canvas!

If you have any questions, please contact Deana Rolfsmeyer at (262) 458-2788 or
drolfsmeyer@whitewater-wi.gov

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced that Samuel Pieper, a former correctional officer for the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, who previously pled guilty to two counts of Trafficking a Child, has been sentenced by a Walworth County judge to 10 years initial confinement and 10 years of extended supervision.

On March 6, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mr. Pieper’s residence [in Whitewater]. The warrant was the result of tips provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) involving suspected exploitation of children where money amounts were being transferred to suspected minors in exchange for videos or images in June and July of 2024. Mr. Pieper was taken into custody at the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Pieper was booked into the Walworth County Jail and transported to the Rock County Jail for housing. Mr. Pieper resigned his position as a correctional officer at the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office on March 6, 2025.

The ICAC Task Force at DOJ investigated this case and was assisted by the Whitewater Police Department, Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, and Wisconsin DOJ Crime Response Specialists. The Walworth County District Attorney prosecuted this case.

Editor’s note: This press release was submitted to the Whitewater Banner. The original Banner article on the charges being filed against Pieper may be viewed here.

 Nate Parrish, President & CEO of First Citizens State Bank, is pleased to announce that Mark Olm of Olm & Associates has joined First Citizens State Bank’s Board of Directors.

With more than four decades of legal experience and community involvement in the Whitewater community, Mark has built a distinguished career serving individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout the region. Since moving to Whitewater with his family in 1988, he has remained actively engaged in the community through his work with numerous charitable organizations. 

A graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Political Science in 1976, he received his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. in 1979. He practiced law in Lake Geneva for nine years before establishing Olm & Associates in Whitewater, where he spent 37 years providing legal counsel in the areas of real estate, banking matters, small business representation, and estate planning. In addition to his legal practice, he served as a part-time instructor at Marquette University Law School for five years. He retired from private practice on December 31, 2024. 

In making the announcement, Nate Parrish said, “We are excited to welcome Mark to First Citizens State Bank’s Board of Directors. Mark’s extensive legal experience, deep ties to the Whitewater community and years of service on the bank’s Trust Committee have provided valuable insight and perspective. We look forward to the contributions he will make as a member of our Board.” 

Mark commented, “With First Citizens’ long history of being a community-oriented bank with exceptional leadership, I am both humbled and excited to be asked to serve on the Board of Directors. During these times when it is difficult to be able to call and talk to a human, it is particularly gratifying to work with an organization that values personal relationships with its customers.” 

First Citizens State Bank, locally owned and operated since 1863, is committed to serving the communities in which we live, work, and do business. The bank takes pride in building lasting partnerships with organizations, businesses, and individuals throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. First Citizens State Bank has full-service offices in Whitewater, East Troy and Palmyra. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – This past spring, Emilie McLeod of Whitewater, WI, graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. McLeod earned a Master of Science degree in Psychology.

McLeod was one of 3,166 students to graduate from Marquette in May. The university celebrated its 145th Commencement with a series of events, including Graduate Recognition Ceremonies at Fiserv Forum and a Baccalaureate Mass on campus.

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university that draws over 8,000 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate and professional students from nearly all states and more than 60 countries. In addition to its nationally recognized academic programs, Marquette is known for its service learning programs and internships as students are challenged to use what they learn to make a difference in the world. Find out more about Marquette at marquette.edu.