Special Projects

Through the cornfields and dairy farms, saturated with the smell of grass, wheat and fertilizer, lies Whitewater, Wisconsin, the epitome of a rural Wisconsin farm town that the Potawatomi tribe used to call “Minnieska.” Whitewater features one main road, the classically named “Main St.” that is lined with old-time shops with peeling paint and small-town […]

The effects of inflation in the year have been a burden to many low-income individuals and families. A Whitewater donation center allows people in need to grab necessities despite their backgrounds. Samantha Calderon was at the Whitewater Community Space. This project was created through a journalism class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Journalism, Advertising and […]

In January, the small city of Whitewater made headlines, being pulled into the national debate about immigration. This came after Whitewater Police Chief Dan Meyer and City Manager John Weidl sent a letter to several federal and state officials in December requesting additional resources to respond to population change from an influx of Nicaraguan and […]

As you drive down Main Street of the small, college town Whitewater Wis. four large flags blowing in the wind posted on Mills Automotive shop might catch your attention. An American flag, a flag that reads “Jesus, the way – truth – life,” an Israel flag and a back-the-badge flag, all fly high on the […]

Seventy-seven-year-old Kay Rober, Co-Founder and Site Manager at Whitewater’s Community Space, is a small-town Mother Teresa. Soft spoken but passionate, Rober is the heart and soul of all that goes on at the Community Space. The collection of stories Rober told laid out her mission to serve the whole Whitewater community, especially those who are […]

Wisconsin has always been a state known for beer and cheese, and it has many unheard-of cities and towns. Whitewater is one of Wisconsin’s small towns with some history. Wisconsinites realize it as a school town; it has a history, from how the school began to when it was founded. Whitewater, Wisconsin, is a small […]

The City of Whitewater’s poverty rate is three times higher than the state average, at 32.5% according to 2022 US Census Bureau data. While news coverage surrounding the city in recent months has focused on immigration, it is not the only factor contributing to the cities poverty rate. Every year, about 11,000 students attend UW-Whitewater […]

This project was created through a journalism class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Journalism, Advertising and Media Studies Department. This work was made possible through the support of MPC Endowment Ltd., the philanthropic affiliate of the Milwaukee Press Club.

Yuri Ostria es de Hidalgo, México y tiene cinco años viviendo en la ciudad de Whitewater, Wis. Actualmente trabaja en la tienda Guanajuato Produce. Ella más que nadie sabe cómo es vivir en los EEUU sin los mismos recursos que sus vecinos anglosajones o hablantes nativos del inglés. “La gente hispana siempre ha sufrido esa […]

Rick Rupprecht and Becky Ludeman from St. Patrick Catholic Church at Whitewater share their personal experiences with the migrant surge and how their parish is affected. Rupprecht is the Director of Faith Formation and Ludeman is the Parish Secretary. Samantha Calderon, Sonia Spitz and Elizabeth Lintonen have the story. This project was created through a […]

Whitewater’s 15,000 residents have seen between 800 and 1,000 South American immigrants land in the area since 2022, according to letters from Whitewater Police Chief Daniel Meyer and Senator Tammy Balwin. The migrants, in their numbers, are finding an increasingly limited selection of places to stay and accessible resources upon arrival. Many are finding homes […]