Mauricio Castaneda, a Whitewater tax preparer, was charged with theft, five counts of filing false Wisconsin income tax returns and five counts of filing false claims for credit. Castaneda was charged in Walworth County on August 21, 2023.
According to the criminal complaint, Castaneda allegedly filed returns for customers at El Nevado Taxes [239 E. Milwaukee St.] in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Some customers filed under Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) which are issued and used by individuals who are required to have a tax identification number but do not have a Social Security number. Customers received refunds for Wisconsin income taxes withheld. Later, Castaneda allegedly filed fraudulent returns that used different identification numbers, but the customers’ same W-2 wage statements that were previously used to receive refunds. Castaneda also allegedly added fictitious spouses and claimed credits to increase the tax refunds. Castaneda received the refund checks in the mail and deposited them into his bank account. Castaneda allegedly filed 340 false returns attempting to defraud the state of Wisconsin of approximately $331,656.
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue prevented refunds from being issued for 307 fraudulent returns. However, Castaneda received refunds on 33 returns, for a loss of $33,356. If convicted on all counts, Castaneda may be imprisoned up to 70 years, face fines up to $125,000, or both, and assessed the cost of prosecution. An assistant attorney general from the Criminal Litigation Unit in the Wisconsin Department of Justice is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue Office of Criminal Investigation.
Castaneda is presumed innocent. An initial appearance is scheduled in Walworth County Circuit Court for September 19, 2023, at 1:15 p.m.
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue Office of Criminal Investigation investigates individuals and businesses suspected of committing tax crimes and seeks criminal prosecution for those crimes.
To report tax fraud, go to www.revenue.wi.gov and click the “Report tax fraud” link under Quick Links.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
This is the last in our series of business transition photos taken by George Scharfenberg in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. In this case, it is the going out of business sale for the Gift Hutch in 2000.
Many retail businesses have come and gone in downtown Whitewater, but this gift store was one of the longest businesses of the 20th century. Helen Ridge established the store as Helen’s Gift Shop in 1962 and ran the business until 1973, when new owners purchased the business and renamed it the “Gift Hutch.” They operated the store until going out of business in 2000. That’s almost 40 years.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(Photo from the George Scharfenberg collection, Whitewater Historical Society)
After more than 50 years of worship, fellowship, and benevolence, the membership of Community of Christ the Servant (CCS) has voted to disband the congregation. The difficult decision followed the passing of Mike Obinger, who had served as the church’s pastor since November 1987.
Arising from the political turmoil of the time, the church was founded on October 3, 1971 as a new non-denominational Christian fellowship. It brought together people of many faiths, including Congregational, Quaker, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist and others.
Founding members sought a new type of church with less emphasis on fundamentalism and ritual and more emphasis on relating the ancient truths of Scripture and Sacrament to living in current times. Being a Christian community through fellowship, discussion, study, involvement, and benevolence was a hallmark of CCS throughout its history.
Community of Christ the Servant especially was dedicated to serving those in need. Its bylaws mandated that fully 25 percent of all church income be donated to well-vetted local, national and international causes. Over the past 52 years, countless organizations at all levels have benefited from CCS’s generosity. At their last meeting, members of CCS voted to disperse the church’s remaining assets to Bethel House, Whitewater Food Pantry, Whitewater Community Space, Salvation Army, Planned Parenthood, Habitat for Humanity, Heifer International, Doctors Without Borders, the UN’s International Children’s Fund, and the Carter Center.
Editor’s note: The above announcement was provided by Community of Christ the Servant. The image is of a CCS banner designed and made by CCS Quilters.
A few items to note: Indian Motorcycle Misc. Clothes/Hats/Jackets/Tailpipes/Parts/Decor/Etc. Disney Hallmark Pandora Amber Jewelry Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed Bobbleheads Yard Tools Power Tools Garage Misc. Grill Kitchen/Bathroom Misc. Furniture Antique Telephones Artwork
Terms & Conditions
S&H Estate Sales & Service Rules:
Please Park respectfully. Do NOT park in front of mailboxes or driveways. The side of the street in front of the house is NO Parking.
If you don’t feel good, we ask that you kindly refrain from coming to this sale. The safety of our customers and staff is our highest priority.
We will be abiding by our limited amount of people allowed in the house and garage at one time. (NO MORE THAN 20/30 AT A TIME). This is due to the size of the house and the amount of items in it. If you are waiting outside in line, we ask that you dress according to weather conditions. You may experience longer wait times (one person in = one person out, whether you came with another person or not). WE DO NOT DO LISTS!
Numbers will be out at 8 am on Thursday and Friday (We open at 9). First Come, First Served on Saturday. Please line up by the front door.
Please remember you are a guest in someone’s home. Please wipe your feet! No pets allowed (except for service animals). The old adage of “you break it, you buy it” will apply. Our staff is NOT able to lift/carry/haul your purchases, so PLEASE arrange for pick-up and help of whatever you plan on buying, especially large appliances and furniture. In fairness to all customers we will NOT give out price information in advance. The address will be published one day before the sale.
Terms and Conditions: Cash & Local Checks are accepted. A $30 charge will apply for NSF. Credit Cards will be accepted based on internet reception and a 3% fee will apply. (All Check transactions will require a signature & phone number.) Taxes are required to be collected at a 5.5% rate, per State law. S&H is Not Responsible for Accidents. All Items are Sold AS IS, NO REFUNDS/RETURNS/EXCHANGES. Please check your purchases thoroughly before buying. All Sales are FINAL. There will be a Limited Number of Pink Estate Sale signs located in the vicinity to direct you to this house.
Thank you for your understanding and patience. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
From the Whippet Athletics Facebook page: The Whippets started the season off with a big win in front of a great home crowd. Final score 26-14!! #1Family #Thestandard
From the Daily Jefferson County Union:
Nate Black leads Whitewater’s football team to 26-14 season-opening victory over Big Foot
WHITEWATER — Senior Nate Black scored three touchdowns as Whitewater’s football program ushered in the Samuel Bartlett era in style by earning a 26-14 home victory over Big Foot at WHS on Friday in nonconference play.
The win marks Whitewater’s first on its new turf playing field and the program’s first non-forfeit win since a season-opening home win over Big Foot in 2021.
“It was amazing and very special for the kids,” Bartlett said of the win. “With the turf field being relatively new, it’s their first win on that turf field at home. A lot of our guys feeling that victory broke down and were overcome with emotion because it was such a monumental moment for them.
“It was special. I told them to make sure they enjoy that first win because we are going to be working to get a lot more this year.”
At its August 14 meeting, the Whitewater Unified School District Board unanimously voted to rename the Whitewater High School auditorium after the late James Stewart.
Stewart served on the School Board for nearly 27 years, from 1981 to 2002 and again from 2016 until his passing on November 26, 2021. During his service to the district, he was board president and treasurer—each for six years—and vice president for two years.
“Jim was a dedicated public servant and a true champion for public education,” said WUSD Superintendent Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty. “His unwavering commitment to our district and his passion for education have shaped our educational community. The James M. Stewart Auditorium will serve as a tribute to his service and will carry on his legacy for many years to come.”
Stewart’s commitment to serving others extended well beyond his role on the Board of Education. Following his graduation from UW-Madison in 1959, he served in the military for 20 years, touring in France, Vietnam, and South Korea before moving to the ROTC program at UW-Whitewater. Additionally, he served the people of Wisconsin as state assemblyman for the 32nd district and the community of Whitewater as a member of the Common Council and the Whitewater Police and Fire Commission.
Stewart’s legacy also includes an instrumental role in founding the Whitewater Banner, an essential source of local news and information for the Whitewater community since its inception in 2006. The website has played a crucial role in connecting the community.
Stewart’s memory and service will remain an integral part of WUSD, and the James M. Stewart Auditorium will serve as an ongoing testament to his enduring legacy.
According to the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office: Heat index values are expected to be slightly lower, but still dangerous. Values of around 105 degrees are expected for southern and south central Wisconsin, with values around 100 degrees for central. An Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect for south central and southeastern Wisconsin.
David Neal Triebold (DT), 85, passed away after a brief illness on August 14, 2023. DT lived and died in the comfort and beauty of the hilltop home he built and decorated, on Engel Road in Whitewater. David was born in Illinois on April 21, 1938, to Frederic and Mildred (Stecher) Triebold, and was the youngest of seven children.
The Triebold family moved to Whitewater WI in 1949, purchasing the Engel Road farm from Leslie Engel, the man who would eventually become DT’s father-in-law. David enlisted in the Army National Guard, proudly serving until his Honorable Discharge in September 1962. He married Laura Millis Engel (Lollie) on October 26, 1963. Jointly, DT and Lollie purchased the family farm, subsequently adding surrounding farms to their acreage. Together, they raised three daughters: Kathleen Ann, Kristine Ruth, and Karla Jane.
David was a farmer his entire life. He began as a dairy farmer, but as that discipline began to take a toll on his body, he transitioned into cash crop farming, raising corn and soybeans. With the unproductive land, he developed subdivisions with the idea that their borders be left natural, encouraging the formation of wildlife bridges. In addition to farming, he was a master at buying houses, gutting them, remodeling them, and renting them out. He was a jack of all trades and a master of many.
DT taught his three girls many life lessons, molding them into strong independent women of which he was very proud. He encouraged and supported his daughters’ obsession with horses, which, truly in his mind, was just a way to keep them close to home and away from trouble. It was a successful lesson. It was also important to him that each of the three knew how to change a tire; how to change their own oil, whether it be in a car, truck, or tractor; how to stack a straight mow of hay; how to drive any piece of equipment on the farm; how to nickel and dime a starter out of a Case 400 tractor; how to turn a wrench without busting a knuckle while tearing the engine out of a Case 2470 TK; how to pick rocks while chugging a warm beer; how to swim; how to work the soil, plant the seeds, harvest the bounty, and market the crop; how to cook a mean beef tenderloin; how to enjoy a Friday night fish fry with friends and family; how to dance the polka; and finally, how to smile and say “Thank You.”
During his life, David was known as an impulsive risk taker, as well as an independent thinker. When he was a youth, and was told by his mother to stop using his new welder and come in for supper, his response was “Catch me if you can!” When told he couldn’t do something, his response was, “Watch me!” When given directions to take a right-hand turn or a Ralphie, he’d take a left or a Louie. His life’s mantras were, “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.”; “Do you know where to find sympathy? It’s in the dictionary between s** and syphilis.”; and, when discussing a project or dream, he’d say, “Make history of it.”
Dave and Laura indulged in their love of adventure and travel, both domestically and internationally. Their destinations included most of the 50 states, the Caribbean, Central America, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Thailand, and Russia. For the past 20 years, Torremolinos, Spain became a favorite wintertime destination. DT had a gift for striking up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, sparking friendships with people from around the world. Many new lifelong friends were invited to visit and share his home, where he would introduce them to the varied and unique treasures which he obsessively collected from around the globe. DT enjoyed reliving the stories of how he’d haggled and bartered for these fine objects. He was an anomaly who loved shopping.
David was preceded in death by his wife Laura in 2021; his parents; his sisters: Dorothy, Aileen, and Shirley; his brothers Frederic (Fritz) and Richard. He is survived by his three daughters Kathleen (Jeff) Markham, Kristine (Phil) Welter, and Karla (Jeff) Mortara; grandchildren Jeremiah (Jess) Markham, Josephine (Wyatt) Bennett, Kristina, Alexandra, Keira, and Andrew Mortara; brother Donald Triebold; sister-in-law Judy Triebold, as well as many other cherished family members and friends.
In DT’s honor, a traditional “Triebold Farms Party” will be held in the Summer of 2024. It will be reminiscent of all the summer parties and weddings that he loved to host on the farm.
Studio 84, a nonprofit art studio located in Whitewater, WI is doing a most unusual fundraiser. It’s an Escape Room with the theme of….well….what else….an art gallery! After all Studio 84 is an art studio, so it seems rather fitting.
One half of Studio 84’s space will be transformed into an art gallery called Musee Gallerie 84. The director, Benjamin Kelly, will play the part of the exhibit’s curator Monsieur Claude Restes and founder Deborah Blackwell transforms into Mademoiselle Deborah Noir Bien. A curator, for those unfamiliar with the term, is an art gallery’s key person that organizes an exhibit. The curator and team are the ones who do the research, gather resources, secure the art and organize the details of an exhibit.
Set with the theme of an art gallery, the ‘exhibit’ Life and Death Through the Artist’s Eyes will be sure to bring on chills and make you put your thinking caps on to solve the clues in order to escape this rather creepy exhibit. Director Ben Kelly states, “Since it will be during the month of October (aka Halloween month) we went with a creepy/scary/horror feeling.”
No knowledge about art or even interest in art is required to visit this gallery because it’s more about the escape than anything else. Once inside an escape room the goal is to escape as the team of up to ten participants are ‘locked’ inside and need to decipher clues to obtain the code that unlocks the door. All within the one-hour time period.
The Escape Room runs October 1 – 31, 2023 and tickets are on sale now. You can purchase a ticket for yourself and become part of a team of others during the same day/time. Or sign up with one friend or as a group of ten friends. Each time slot has a maximum of ten people with a minimum of five. Team members must work together to solve the clues for the code. Tickets are $30 each.
Studio 84’s founder Deborah Blackwell said, “Ben and I have been working on this for a few years now, not because it took that long, but we had plans to open in 2020 and then the pandemic hit and we had many delays afterwards as our focus was getting the Studio back to pre-pandemic operational mode again. We lost so many of our students and people just weren’t ready for such group events. We felt 2023 was the year and people were ready. So, we kicked into high gear to finish up the details of it. We are truly excited to have this come to fruition.”
All proceeds from the event will support Studio 84’s programing in the arts for people with disabilities and the community. They offer daytime studio time for all ages and all abilities. Kelly states, “We understand the needs of those with disabilities and so have a focus with them and provide experiences that support their individual needs to help them become successful and discover their artistic, creative side, but know that you don’t have to have a disability to sign up for studio time; we are open to all ages and all abilities.”
Due to projected heat, advisories, and potential burning of kiddos’ hands climbing on some items, the Big Rig Gig for Thursday, Aug 24th is cancelled. Thank you so much for your support and yearly dedication. This event will not be rescheduled; see you in 2024.
Editor’s note: The above announcement was received from the City of Whitewater Parks & Recreation Department.
