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The City of Whitewater and the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce recently conducted a Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) visit with leadership from First Citizens State Bank’s Main Office to discuss the bank’s continued role in supporting local economic growth and community development.
The visit was conducted by Mason Becker, Community Development Director for the City of Whitewater, and Karin Silvius, Executive Director of the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce. They met with Jim Caldwell, Chairman of the Board, and Darcy Rallo, Chief Human Resources Officer for First Citizens State Bank.
With a history dating back to 1863 , First Citizens State Bank has maintained a longstanding presence in Whitewater and remains one of the community’s key financial institutions. Over the years, the bank has supported local businesses, homeowners, nonprofit organizations, and economic development initiatives throughout the region.
During the discussion, participants reviewed current economic conditions, workforce and staffing challenges facing employers, opportunities to encourage continued business growth in Whitewater, and the importance of ongoing collaboration among local businesses, educational institutions, municipal leaders, and community organizations.
“First Citizens State Bank has been an important community partner in Whitewater for generations,” said Mason Becker, Community Development Director. “Conversations like these are critical to understanding the needs of our employers and identifying ways we can continue strengthening Whitewater’s business environment and workforce pipeline.”
Karin Silvius emphasized the value of maintaining strong communication between the business community and local leadership.
“Our BRE visits are an important tool for relationship building and problem -solving,” said Silvius. “First Citizens State Bank has a deep commitment to Whitewater, and we appreciate their willingness to share insight on the opportunities and challenges facing employers today.”
Jim Caldwell highlighted the bank’s long -term investment in the community and the importance of collaborative partnerships.
“Whitewater has always been a strong and resilient community,” said Caldwell. “We appreciate the opportunity to work alongside the City and the Chamber to support local businesses, attract talent, and help ensure continued economic vitality. It’s critically important that we all keep working together to move Whitewater forward.”
Darcy Rallo noted that workforce development remains a key topic for employers across industries.
“Like many organizations, we continue to focus on attracting and retaining talented employees,” said Rallo. “It’s encouraging to have proactive discussions with community partners about how we can collectively support workforce development and create opportunities for future growth.”
The City of Whitewater and the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce regularly conduct BRE visits with local employers as part of ongoing efforts to support business retention, expansion, and economic development throughout the community.
For further information on the BRE Program, contact:
City of Whitewater Community Development Department
Attn: Mason Becker, Community Development Director
312 W. Whitewater Street
Whitewater, WI 53190
Phone: (262) 473 -0148
Email: mbecker@whitewater-wi.gov
Website: www.whitewater-wi.gov
Whitewater YES for Education formed back in 2004 to help support the passage of school district referendums. The group is intentionally and necessarily nonpartisan and not political. Whitewater YES works to keep folks aware of all the positive things happening in our school district. For example, the group maintains a Whitewater YES Facebook Page.
As part of this effort to continue a drumbeat of positivity, this weekend Whitewater YES is putting up bilingual “We Love Whitewater Public Schools” yard signs around the community to celebrate the end of the school year and show support for our teachers, staff, and students. The signs will stay up until Sunday, June 7. The response to this effort during back-to-school time was really positive!
We are hoping this effort brings people together and shows hardworking district staff and proud students that the community cares and supports them.
If you would like to request a yard sign, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/ZqM 5uj ECnCR juNe 9. (There are limited quantities available). If you’ve requested signs in the past, there is no need to complete the form again!
Editor’s Note: The above was provided by Whitewater YES for Education.
Bluff Creek Culvert Project to Begin May 18
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with Walworth County, will remove an abandoned railroad box culvert over Bluff Creek located on the west side of County Highway P, roughly 1.75 miles south of U.S. Highway 12 in the Town of Whitewater.
What to Expect
Beginning May 18, County Highway P will be closed between Kettle Moraine Drive and Reliance Road. The road will be entirely shut down at Bluff Creek for approximately 90 days. Emergency services, postal deliveries, and garbage collection should use local roads and alternate routes.
A signed detour will utilize County Highway O between County Highway A and U.S. Highway 12 for non-local traffic. Local residents are encouraged to use all available alternative routes.
Keep an eye out for message signboards for more specific information as it becomes available. The work is anticipated to be completed by the end of July.
Who to Contact
All questions or concerns can be directed to the Wisconsin DNR’s Project Manager, Mike Stone, at 608-444-3207 or via email at michael.stone@wisconsin.gov.
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Walworth County.
CORRECTION: This drive is not being held at the Whitewater Public Library but rather at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center. The library apologized for the mix-up.
The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center on Friday, May 15 between 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. It is open to the public.
Give the gift of life—donate blood and make a real difference in your community. Appointments are encouraged, walk-ins welcome. Appointments may be made here.
The Whitewater High School class of 1981-“ish” is holding a 45th reunion this summer. We also welcome alumni from nearby WHS class years (e.g., ’80, ’81, ’82). Registration is required (details below).
The reunion will be on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 7 PM to close, an informal, come-as-you-are event at Willow Brook Golf Course in Whitewater. We booked the facility with full access to the lounge area and a cash bar. ‘70s & ‘80s music will keep the reunion vibe going throughout the evening. Good news: we are keeping the $40 per-person registration fee (the same as the 40th reunion!), which covers facility costs, staff, appetizers, gratuities, and taxes.
Interested in golfing earlier that day? Contact Cort Hartmann for details (email: cohart1962@gmail.com; text/call: 920-728-5396).
This is a great opportunity to mingle with your fellow Whippets. We hope to see you there!
Registration & Payment Instructions:
DEADLINE to register and pay ($40 per person): May 30th.
To register, email Whippets1981@gmail.com and provide:
Your full name (include your birth name too, if different), your WHS class year, the number of attendees you are paying for along with their full names (and any connection they may also have with WHS) and indicate the method of payment you will be using.
Payment Options –To pay by check: Make your check payable to “Martha Lundin” and send it to her at 2832 Woodridge Court, Waukesha, WI 53188. To pay using the Venmo app: @Martha-Lundin-2
If you have any questions about payment, text or call Martha at 262-527-5159.
Refund Deadline:
Martha must be notified by July 10th to receive a refund if you need to cancel.
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division III Baseball Committee has announced the 64 teams that will compete in the 2026 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.
Four teams will compete at each of the 16 regional sites from Friday-Sunday, May 15-17. Regionals will use a double-elimination format. Forty-one conference champions qualified automatically.
Winners of the sixteen regional tournaments will qualify for eight, best-of-three series at the super regionals, Friday-Saturday, May 22-23. The eight super regional winners will then qualify for the pool play double-elimination championship at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake, Ohio, Friday-Thursday, May 29-June 4, 2026.
UW-W is an automatic qualifier after having clinched the WIAC Championship last weekend over La Crosse. That team will be the only other WIAC competitor in the 64-team field. Wisconsin-Whitewater is the reigning DIII baseball champion, after beating Messiah 21-5 in 2025.
UW-Whitewater will host the first round of the competition beginning this Friday, May 15. In the first game UW-W (41-4) will face Macalester (29-15) at 11 a.m. at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.
UWW defeats UW-La Crosse Twice on Championship Saturday
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team claimed its third straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship after defeating UW-La Crosse in back-to-back games on Saturday. The 10th title in program history gives the Warhawks the WIAC automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament.
The Warhawks needed two wins over the Eagles after battling through the elimination bracket to reach the championship on Saturday.
Jackson Spring (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) got UWW out to a strong start, scoring the first run in game one with an inside-the-park home run. Spring’s hit took a large bounce over the center fielder’s head, allowing the Warhawk shortstop to touch all four with the ball in play.
UW-La Crosse was able to retake the lead in the bottom of the second, with four runs in the frame. But in the top of the third, Leyten Bowers (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) had the equalizer with a three-run homer to even the score.
The Eagles tacked on another in the 4th, but Spring kicked off another rally for the Warhawks with a 2-RBI single. Keli Grennier (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) followed up with an RBI single of his own to put the Warhawks up 7-5.
The Warhawks kept staying just a run ahead of the Eagles, matching the scores heading into the final innings of play.
With an 8-7 lead heading into the 9th inning, Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) came through for the Warhawks with two outs. A 2-RBI single from McVay added on insurance. Wyatt Jensen (Luck, Wis./Luck) added an RBI single to put the Warhawks up 11-7 with just three outs remaining for the Eagles.
Theo Zeidler (Suamico, Wis./Bay Port) pitched the final two innings, collecting three strikeouts on his way to the save. Benjy Tucker (Alpharetta, Ga./Mount Pisgah) picked up the win, going 1.2 innings of relief without allowing a single run.
In the second game, the Warhawks had their work cut out early, with UW-La Crosse taking a 3-0 lead after an inning & a half. Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) got the Warhawks on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the second.
After a scoreless inning, McVay was the hero again, hitting his second home run of the game to knot the game up at 3-a-piece.
Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) hit in a runner from a fielder’s choice, but the Eagles’ error trying to turn the double play allowed Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) to move up to bases to put the Warhawks up by two.
UW-La Crosse tied the game back up with two runs in the top of the 5th, but the lead didn’t last long, with another two-run inning for the Warhawks. Wyatt Jensen (Luck, Wis./Luck) hit in one run, with another scoring on an error from La Crosse.
Maintaining just a two-run lead, the Warhawks found themselves in a jam with bases loaded & no one out. UWW turned a double-play, but the Eagles scored a run on the play to cut the margin to just a run.
The Warhawks were able to re-extend the margin to three runs in the 7th, with Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) hitting an RBI single. Evan Olson (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) cleaned Holland off the bags with a two-out triple to put the Warhawks up 9-6.
In the 8th inning, the Warhawks tacked on two more runs to push the lead to five. Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) & Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) rallied back-to-back RBI singles with two outs to give the UWW insurance runs.
In the top of the 9th, UW-La Crosse threatened a comeback with a three-run homer to cut the lead to just two. Jackson Koenig (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) closed the door, striking out the final two batters to clinch the Warhawks’ victory.
Benjy Tucker (Alpharetta, Ga./Mount Pisgah) was also granted the win in the second game, pitching 1.1 innings of relief, allowing just a single hit. Tucker finished the day 2-0 on the mound.
With the two wins, the Warhawks clinch the WIAC AQ bid and will await word from the NCAA on their NCAA Tournament opponent. The selection show is scheduled for Monday, May 11.
Editor’s note: This article was posted to the UW-Whitewater Athletics page.
Obituaries
Sally A. Schutte, age 73, of Whitewater, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on September 21, 2026, while at Hearthstone Memory Care in Whitewater. Sally was born on November 6, 1952, to Roy and Elsie (Rohloff) Haas. Sally married William Schutte in the spring of 2003. Sally grew up on the family farm in the Town of Hebron and graduated from Jefferson High School. She dedicated nearly her entire career to Fort HealthCare, where her hard work and versatility shone through various roles. Over the years, she served in housekeeping and medical records, Center for Dermatology. Sally … Read more
Zachariah “Zach” Schoenke, 41, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. He was born April 4, 1985, to Keith W. Schoenke and Kathleen Schoenke in Fort Atkinson, WI. He grew up and graduated from Whitewater High School in 2003. Zach worked various jobs over the years but was currently working at Cracker Barrel in Janesville. He was a big Packers Fan and liked to play fantasy football. He enjoyed reading, cooking, and watching horror shows. Zach fiercely loved his son, Lincoln, his sisters, Cami and Cary, his mom and stepdad, and his aunt Robin. He will be dearly … Read more
Carla Winn, 82, died September 5, 2026. Funeral Service will be at 12:00 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at East Heights United Methodist Church, 4407 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67218, followed by a burial at 2:00 PM at White Chapel Memorial Garden 1806 N Oliver Ave. Carla is preceded in death by her parents, Vivian Dwight and Wilma Lois Krehbiel; and sister, Jennifer Krehbiel. She is survived by husband, Stephen; daughter, Ashley (Clint) Gagel, of Overland Park; siblings, Paul (Kay) Krehbiel, of Socorro, NM, Lynn (Bill) Oetting, of Wichita, Ellen (John) Querner, of Wichita, Teresa Woodson, of Lawrence, KS, … Read more
Susan Miller Celebration of Life There will be a gathering of friends and acquaintances at Susan’s Farm Store to celebrate Susan’s life on Saturday, September 19th from 2-5 p.m. at N6623 Lake Lorraine Rd., Delavan, Wisconsin
Our loving mother, JoAnn E Harrop, age 95, passed away on September 11, 2026. Our sorrow is deep, but we are filled with gratitude for the many years we had with her. Even as her mind was failing, she remained strong and appreciative of all who cared for her. JoAnn was born on January 13, 1931, daughter to Fred Braun and Evelyn Braun {Storck). She was raised in Whitewater, Wisconsin by her grandparents, Otto and Edith Storck. She attended Whitewater High School and helped at the Storck tavern where she met her husband Earl C. Harrop. They married on November … Read more
Russell O. Johnson “Russ,” 88, passed away on September 4, 2026 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Russell was born on July 12, 1938, in Janesville, Wisconsin. Russ grew up in Janesville, and after high school he joined the Air Force on May 1, 1958, serving as an aircraft mechanic until June 12, 1962. He then worked at Parker Pen in Janesville for a time, where he met his future wife, Avis. After marrying Avis Mason in April 1964, Russ worked for Gillman Manufacturing for a time, then began a career at Dana until its closing in 1980. In 1981, Russ started working … Read more
Marcia Zingg, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, businesswoman, and friend, passed away peacefully on September 1, 2026, at the age of 75. Marcia will be remembered for her unwavering love, remarkable strength, generous spirit, and lifelong devotion to her family. She shared 40 wonderful years of marriage with her husband, Jeffrey Zingg, who considered her not only his wife but also his best friend, business partner, and the love of his life. Together, Marcia and Jeffrey built a successful life rooted in perseverance, hard work, laughter, and love. As entrepreneurs in Whitewater, Wisconsin, they owned and managed new car franchises and … Read more
Amanda Jean Hunter was born to Ralph and Malinda (Thomas) Hunter of Whitewater, Wisconsin, on October 6, 1976. She passed away on August 4, in Fort Worth, Texas, where she lived with her family. Amanda passed peacefully in the hospital, surrounded by her loved ones. Amanda was a kind-hearted free spirit with an unmistakable hippie warmth. Generosity, spontaneity, a quick wit, a macabre sense of humor, and an open heart were traits that she embraced. She was a tireless champion of those in need, an innate characteristic that became among the best of her qualities. She proved to be a … Read more
Ellen Eichmiller, 82, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Ellen was born on September 10, 1943, in Monroe, Wisconsin, to Chester “Guy” and Irene (née Holmen) Steig. She married the love of her life, Paul Eichmiller, on December 7, 1963, and together they made their home in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Ellen spent much of her working life as a secretary at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where she formed many lasting friendships and memories. Ellen cherished her family and friends and treasured the time she spent with those closest to her. She was known for her love of … Read more
Janet Quinn, age 71, of Jefferson passed away on Thursday, August 20th. Janet was born on December 22nd, 1954 in St. Joseph, MI to Robert Mounsey and Edith Christison Mounsey. She was a granddaughter to Herbert Bragg Mounsey, Charlotte Mounsey, and Ester Christison West. She married Michael Durden in 1979 and later married Eury Quinn Jr. (J.R.) in 1988. Janet grew up in Benton Harbor, MI, and subsequently lived in New York and Arkansas before moving to Wisconsin in 2016. She was a dedicated caregiver to her disabled Mother, and worked as a custodian for various employers over the years. … Read more
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