News & Events

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

Kristen Gamble Monday is a WUL Hometown Hero, “For bringing the gift and beauty of art to people of all ages and abilities, and for contributing to worthy causes at the same time.”

WUL (Whitewater Unites Lives) 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.   

Anyone who would like to nominate a local hero of any age should send their nomination, with a short description, to whitewaterunites@gmail.com 

There is no mail delivery on Monday, June 19 due to the celebration of Juneteenth. Per Wikipedia,
“Juneteenth (officially Juneteenth National Independence Day) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslavedAfrican Americans. Deriving its name from combiningJune and nineteenth, it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order by Major General Gordon Grangerproclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865 (two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamationwas issued).^[7] Originating in Galveston, Juneteenth has since been observed annually in various parts of the United States, often broadly celebrating African-American culture. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law after the efforts of Lula Briggs Galloway, Opal Lee, and others.”

Irvin L. Young Library Board of Trustees – Monday @ 6:30 p.m.
431 W. Center St.
Agenda includes update on capital campaign
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89929656951?pwd=dmd4QkppL2FDMXA5WURjcy8rZ0dHdz09
Meeting ID: 899 2965 6951
Passcode: EzXQ7vJz
To join by phone:
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdOOtERhEl
Meeting ID and passcode shown above

City of Whitewater Common Council – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m.
Agenda includes Aquatic & Fitness Center update, library update, fire related ordinances, discussion regarding fireworks display permits, discussion regarding mobile home park permits, discussion regarding policy and procedure for reviewing the city manager
City of Whitewater Municipal Building – Community Room 312 W Whitewater St.
This will be an IN PERSON and a VIRTUAL MEETING. (not in person).
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join us via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please use the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87910417411?pwd=QW5OcUxBWGgvM2htSldOZ045Q3p6UT09
Passcode: 240258
Or phone:
312 626 6799 US
Webinar ID: 879 1041 7411
Passcode: 240258

WUSD STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT – Wed. & Thurs.
Whitewater School Board Members will be attending Whitewater Unified School District 2023-2028 Strategic Planning Retreat at Whitewater High School on Wednesday, June 21 and Thursday, June 22, 2023 beginning at 9:00 a.m. A quorum of the School Board will be present; however, the Board will not be conducting any business during the event.

Paul Jhona writes, “Hello, a little over a month ago the Banner published a wonderful photo of the Starin Park Water Tower at Sunrise! This is my DJI Drone photo of the same Water Tower at Sunset ! Enjoy !” Paul Jhona  AKA “A Bird’s View”

Our thanks to “A Bird’s View” for sharing another great drone photo with us.

— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share.  Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com or click on “submit a story” near the top right of our homepage.  Thanks for thinking about this!

Chad Tjugum, a sophomore in the entrepreneurship program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics has been awarded a $15,000 fourth place in the Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge e-Fest to fund a business venture called Rarities Market.

Tjugum, along with his co-creator Damian Tobias of St. Francis University, presented the winning business plan at e-Fest under the guidance of Dr. William Dougan, professor of management at Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics.

“Rarities Market stood out to our online judges as a ‘must-see’ team for the 2023 e-Fest Finals,” said Jennifer Gessner, Program Manager, e-Fest and Schulze School Programs.   Out of 110 online submissions and nearly 300 students participating from 67 universities, Rarities Market made it to the prestigious Top 25 Finals in Minneapolis, MN. Rarities Market achieved exceptional success at e-Fest, garnering recognition and awards for their outstanding performance.

e-Fest is a business competition that is designed to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit and foster innovation among young students. e-Fest challenges participants to think beyond the ordinary and create creative solutions to real-world problems.

Dr. William Dougan, management professor and faculty advisor for the student CEO group at UW-Whitewater had this to say: “Chad’s impressive performance beat competitors from schools like Dartmouth, Brown, Ohio State, and Auburn. This is the quality of students that we have at the College of Business and Economics—this is why we are Wisconsin’s largest business school. The CEO opportunities at UW-Whitewater, and our rigorous management programs are proven time and again to produce champions like Chad Tjugum. Chad is an impressive leader with a bright future ahead of him. We look forward to following his success well into the future.”

The success of the Rarities Market is not just an accomplishment of the students’ venture; it also reflects on the dedication and expertise of William Dougan and how he has guided and nurtured the team. The success of the team is instilled by the excellent educational environment and opportunities the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater provides for its students. 

“Throughout e-Fest, Chad and Damian exhibited an unwavering commitment to their venture, resourcefulness, and a deep understanding of business strategies. They showcased remarkable problem-solving abilities and a strong aptitude for critical thinking, effectively addressing complex challenges with creative solutions. Moreover, their professionalism, resilience, and gratitude for the opportunity were much appreciated by our team,” stated Jennifer Gessner.

Kikkoman Foods Foundation Inc. has pledged to give $2 million to the UWM Foundation to support construction of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences’ research vessel Maggi Sue. This will be the most advanced research vessel ever designed for the Great Lakes. The gift was made in honor of the 50th anniversary of Kikkoman Foods in Wisconsin.“ The Kikkoman Foods Foundation has been a strong supporter of UWM for decades, and this gift underscores their steadfast dedication to the work being done by our faculty, staff and students,” UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said. “The health, prosperity and quality of life in our region depends on the health of the Great Lakes. This gift advances our efforts to deploy a state-of-the-art vessel across the Great Lakes to inform our strategies for safeguarding our most precious resource: fresh water. ”Kikkoman Foods’ plant in Walworth, Wis., is the highest-producing soy sauce facility in the world. In addition to this $2 million gift in support of UWM, the Kikkoman Foods Foundation simultaneously gave $3 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Agricultural & Life Sciences. Both gifts encourage research related to the natural resources Kikkoman relies on in the company’s production of soy sauce. “Kikkoman is pleased to invest in a state that has become a second home to our company,” said Yuzaburo Mogi, honorary chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Kikkoman Corp. “We believe that for a company to thrive over the long run, coexistence and co-prosperity with society, and especially the local community, are essential. The time-honored traditional brewing process for soy sauce uses just four simple ingredients: water, soybeans, wheat and salt. Through the donations to these two leading research programs, we’re providing meaningful benefit to the region, and world, by helping to ensure the sustainability of agricultural systems and natural resources that contribute to producing soy sauce into the future. ”In appreciation of this gift from Kikkoman Foods Foundation, UWM will name one level of the R/V Maggi Sue the Kikkoman Freshwater Research Deck. The vessel will be a fully functional 24-7 scientific platform with precision navigation; GPS controlled dynamic positioning; fully equipped modern laboratories with environmental chambers to mimic any lake environment; modular “pod” labs that can be lifted onto her decks when specialized equipment is required; and sensors capable of collecting real-time data while in transit. Overnight accommodations for 18 scientists and crew will allow for long-range missions and interdisciplinary teams of scientists dedicated to real-time collaboration and discovery. Beyond UWM, the Maggi Sue will serve as a key research and instructional asset for the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin – a collective of all 13 UW System campuses and their water programs – as well as the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, which is a partnership of a dozen research universities across the Great Lakes basin and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. The vessel will also serve as a floating classroom for graduate, undergraduate and K-12 students, as well as teachers, promoting greater understanding of water sciences while encouraging interest in science, technology, engineering and math. UWM’s fundraising campaign for the vessel is in its final phase, according to UWM Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Joan Nesbitt. “This gift brings our total raised to over $15 million, which is two-thirds of our goal to construct and endow the operation of the Maggi Sue,” she said. “Kikkoman’s gift helps us get closer to the finish line and is a crucial investment in sustaining UWM’s work to protect our freshwater systems.”    The current gift builds on a $1 million commitment Kikkoman made in 2013 to advance research at the School of Freshwater Sciences through state-of-the-art technologies. “I am so grateful to our friends at the Kikkoman Foods Foundation for their generosity and vision,” School of Freshwater Sciences Dean Rebecca Klaper said. “This gift will bring us one step closer to constructing our innovative research vessel, with which we can continue to learn about and protect the important ecosystem of the Great Lakes and our supply of clean, fresh water. ”For more information about supporting the Maggi Sue or UWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences, please contact Eric Leaf at leafe@uwm.edu or 414-382-1769.

About UWM The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has an ambitious mission as both a top-tier research university and an access institution, striving to ensure that students have equitable opportunities to earn a college degree. UWM educates a diverse student body of more than 23,000 students from 88 countries. About 39% of its undergraduates are first-generation college students. Its unique and top-rated programs include Wisconsin’s only accredited schools of architecture and public health, the only North American school dedicated solely to freshwater sciences and a film program ranked among the top 50 in the world. It has the largest and top-rated online education program in Wisconsin. UW-Milwaukee partners with leading companies to conduct joint research, promote entrepreneurship, provide student internships and serve as an economic engine for southeastern Wisconsin. The Princeton Review named UW-Milwaukee a 2023 “Best Midwestern” university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews.  About the UWM FoundationSince 1974, the UWM Foundation has endeavored to advance the mission of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee through requests of philanthropic gifts to support students, faculty, campus programming and the community. The foundation manages a portfolio currently valued at approximately $225 million and distributes these funds to the university pursuant to donor wishes. The foundation has three affiliate organizations: the UWM Real Estate Foundation, which develops and manages property for the benefit of the campus and its students; the UWM Research Foundation, which fosters a culture of innovation through a growing portfolio of patents and license/option agreements; and the UWM Alumni Association, which maintains a network of more than 200,000 alumni living in 110 countries.About the School of Freshwater SciencesUWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences is dedicated to improving our health, economy and quality of life by providing the talent, tools and techniques to understand and manage our most precious natural resource – water. Located on the Milwaukee Harbor, the school is the largest water-focused academic research institution on the Great Lakes and has the only research vessel operating year-round on Lake Michigan. Its scientists and students advance understanding of the largest freshwater system on Earth, as well as urban rivers, storm and wastewater infrastructure, groundwater and inland lakes, aquaculture and fisheries, water robotics, and human and environmental health. The school pairs a rigorous, science-based curriculum with hands-on field work, applied research experiences, and community engagement. The School of Freshwater Sciences offers PhDs, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in freshwater sciences and atmospheric science and educates more than 100 students annually.

Residents of Mulberry Glen Senior Living Community enjoyed a road trip to the Simple Life Country Store, an Amish style bulk food natural and organic product store located in rural Fort Atkinson. Road trips are planned by Kaeli Matula, Activities Director, who is pictured standing in the middle of the group. Residents are able to participate in shopping excursions, adult life-long learning journeys and social entertainment opportunities in and around the Whitewater area.