Archives

Ryan Callahan named UW-Whitewater director of intercollegiate athletics

Ryan Callahan waves.

Chancellor Dwight C. Watson announced the appointment of Ryan Callahan as the next director of intercollegiate athletics at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

“Ryan was selected because of his experiences as a former Warhawk athlete, coach and budget manager,” said Watson. “He was endorsed 100% percent by all of the coaches and athletic personnel. His commitment to UW-Whitewater was evident in his interviews as he focused on students’ academic and athletic excellence. He wants them to be champions in the classroom and in the various athletic venues.”

Callahan has served as interim director of athletics since May 2019, following the departure of former Athletic Director Todd Garzarelli, after serving as assistant director for two years. As interim director, he has managed a budget of approximately $5 million while guiding the department’s coaches and staff in the marketing, promotion and advancement of championship-caliber athletic programs. Projects that were planned or took place under his tenure include the building of the new tennis locker room and expansion project ($300,000), the Perkins Stadium turf replacement project, starting in May of 2021 ($979,000), and securing a $500,000 gift for women’s athletics and wrestling from an individual donor. Critically, Callahan also led the athletic department and recreational sports through the COVID-19 pandemic, working with each group and partners across campus to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and students as facilities were re-opened.

Callahan will assume the role of athletic director on July 1, 2021.

“I am humbled and honored to lead Warhawk Athletics,” said Callahan. “We have some of the best staff and student-athletes, and I am eager to continue our Powered By Tradition mantra.”

Callahan, who earned a BSE in elementary/middle school education and a minor in coaching in 2004 and an M.S. in curriculum and instruction in 2009, pitched for the Warhawk baseball team from 2001 and 2004 and went on to play for the San Francisco Giants and the Minnesota Twins. He was inducted into the Warhawk Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. He lives in Janesville with his family.

Watson thanked Greg Cook, interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Brenda Volk, head coach of the UW-Whitewater softball program, for their able leadership of the search and screen committee.

Electronics Recycling Event – This Saturday

City of Whitewater
Electronics Recycling Event
on Saturday, May 22, 2021
from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

LOT B (Across from Train Depot and Cravath Lakefront)

Items accepted: Computers, Laptops, Monitors, Printers, Circuit Boards, Servers, Modems, Scanners, Hard Drives, Cables, Keyboards, Mice, Power Cords/Wires, metal, and much more….

All Electronics, TV’s, Stereos, VCR’s, DVD’s, Power Tools, Gaming Systems, Cameras, Exercise Equipment, Telephones and much more…

All appliances (with or without freon)

Items the recycling company charges for:

All TV’s – $20
Old Tube CRT Computer Monitors – $10
Microwaves – $5
Exercise Equipment – $5

(Items we do not accept: Household Batteries, Light Bulbs)

Cash and Checks Only…NO Credit Cards will be Accepted!!

Thank you to all who donated to Tilla’s Next Ride!

Pam Brotzman and her family would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to everyone who donated items for the rummage sale, or brought baked goods for the lemonade stand and food sale. They also would like to thank everyone for showing their support of Tilla’s Next Ride.

Pam said, “Thanks to all of you we raised $1,560.00 for Tilla’s Next Ride.”

Roscoe J. Harrison, 94, of Whitewater passed away on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at Fairhaven Senior Services

Roscoe J. Harrison, 94, of Whitewater passed away on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at Fairhaven Senior Services in Whitewater.

Roscoe was born on April 12, 1927 in Marion, Ohio to Roscoe and Rosetta (Gibbs) Harrison.
After graduating high school, Roscoe enlisted in the United States Navy as a seaman first class. On October 22, 1949, Roscoe married the love of his life, Josephine, in West Allis. He enjoyed a successful career working for AT&T as an instructor for commercial phone systems.

Roscoe was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Atkinson.

Roscoe is survived by his son, Martin (Eileen); grandsons, Kendall (Jessica) and Nathan (Stephanie) Harrison; great-grandchildren, Spencer, Cole, Kai, Nina and Julian Harrison.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roscoe and Rosetta; Wife, Josephine; daughter, Gale Ann.

Funeral Services will take place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at Nitardy Funeral Home, 1008 Madison Ave., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. A visitation will take place from 10 a.m. until the time of service. The service can be attended virtually at https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/7902565423. A burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Atkinson.

The family would like to give special thanks to Fairhaven Senior Services and Rainbow Hospice of Jefferson County for their exceptional care for Roscoe. Memorials, if desired, can be made to Fairhaven Senior Services, or Rainbow Hospice.

Online condolences can be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com.

Track Hosts Second Triangular, Athletes Finding Their Best Events

Article Submitted by Mark Maas
Whitewater High School Head Track Coach
mmaas@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka

We were very happy with the way the Whippets competed Tuesday night, May 18, in the rain. We had season bests in a lot of events. Right now we are doing a lot of experimenting, trying to put kids in different events to find their strengths.

Crystal Chan

We found a hurdler tonight for the girls. Crystal Chan has only been doing the hurdles for a few days, and she won the 300’s and took second in the high hurdles. She is just figuring it out.

Avery Caputo took nearly 11 seconds off his time in the 400 wheelchair race.  

We also had a lot of personal bests in the sprints. That was great to see.

The pieces of the puzzle are starting to take shape. Our kids are working hard and staying focused on end of the year goals.

  • Brock Grosinske
  • Catherine Skindingsrude
  • Cooper Hammond

UW-W Football Reveals 2021 Schedule

By Chris Lindeke
Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

UW-Whitewater Football Reveals 2021 Schedule

2021 UW-Whitewater Football Schedule

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team has announced its 2021 schedule, which kicks off Saturday, Sept. 4, at Perkins Stadium against Carthage.

The Warhawks will play six home games and four away games this fall. Information on renewing and purchasing season tickets and parking will be announced after July 1. Fan protocols, including tailgating policies, will be released in the weeks leading up to the start of the season.

UW-W’s three-game non-conference slate begins against Carthage, which competes in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and finished with a 4-6 record in 2019. The Firebirds defeated North Park (Ill.) and Millikin (Ill.) during the spring season. UW-Whitewater will recognize its 2021 senior class prior to kickoff.

The Warhawks travel to Salisbury (Md.) for a non-conference game on Sept. 11. The Sea Gulls reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs in 2019 after earning the New Jersey Athletic Conference championship. They defeated Wesley and Christopher Newport in contests this past spring.

UW-Whitewater closes the non-conference schedule Sept. 18 by hosting Berry (Ga.), a 2019 NCAA qualifier out of the Southern Athletic Association. The Vikings finished 9-2 that season and were unbeaten in four 2021 spring games.

Following a bye week, the Warhawks begin the WIAC schedule Oct. 2 at home against UW-Stout for Alumni Day at Perkins Stadium. The team hosts UW-Platteville one week later during UW-W’s annual Family Fest.

After road trips to UW-Oshkosh (Oct. 16) and UW-River Falls (Oct. 23), UW-Whitewater returns to Perkins Stadium Oct. 30 for Homecoming 2021 and Hall of Fame Day against UW-Eau Claire. The Warhawks welcome UW-La Crosse to Whitewater one week later for Shriners Day and Military Appreciation Day.

UW-W closes the regular season Nov. 13 at UW-Stevens Point.

The Warhawks posted a 13-2 record in 2019, claiming a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a 6-1 league mark and finishing as national runner-up after reaching the Stagg Bowl (NCAA Division III national championship game) for the 10th time in program history.

City Mask Mandate and Virtual Meeting Requirement Removed

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The City of Whitewater’s COVID-19 Face Covering Ordinance and a policy requiring that all city meetings be held electronically have been eliminated by Common Council action.

The ordinance requiring that a mask covering both the nose and mouth be worn in all buildings open to the public within the city limits went into effect on August 1 of last year and lasted for nearly ten months. The mask mandate had recently been extended to June 30 of this year. The local repeal comes on the heels of similar actions by Milwaukee, Madison and other Wisconsin cities and counties. Whitewater was one of the first half dozen Wisconsin communities to enact a mask mandate according to a July 20, 2020 Associated Press (AP) article.

The City of Whitewater policy requiring that all public meetings be held without the physical attendance of participants and observers was also repealed, effective June 1, at the May 18 Common Council meeting. So-called “virtual meetings” were held with participants taking part either by phone or via computer technology in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Common Council was reviewing the virtual meeting policy monthly.

Several Council members offered the observation that virtual meetings appeared to have increased the “attendance” at many city meetings and advocated for a future policy of offering a hybrid model featuring both in-person and virtual attendance at city meetings.

City Manager Cameron Clapper recommended that initially the hybrid model be offered only for Common Council, Plan Commission and Community Development Authority (CDA) meetings. Clapper offered that, “The City, like other organizations, is facing staff shortages along with equipment challenges making the hybrid model difficult to offer for all city meetings.” Ironically, the May 18 meeting which would normally be broadcast live to local cable subscribers was missed due to an equipment failure. Meetings are video recorded and available to view on the city website.

Two citizens took advantage of the opportunity to make comments on the issues electronically. Karen Kachel advocated for the ordinance and policy change and Anne Hartwick, a Library Board member, urged the city to find a way to offer the hybrid option for all city meetings. She pointed out that the “virtual” attendance option not only makes it more convenient for citizens to take part but that it might allow residents to volunteer for committee assignments who might otherwise be hesitant about their ability to regularly attend in person.

Changes in city mask mandate policy are apparently in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) easing of indoor mask wearing as reported by the AP last week. The CDC is now recommending that fully COVID-19 vaccinated people can be allowed “… to stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings” according to the AP article. The CDC decision was reportedly made after review of a study indicating reduced risk for fully vaccinated individuals.

The CDC revised guidance still calls for mask wearing in crowded indoor settings and several Whitewater Common Council members indicated that they would continue to wear masks when deemed appropriate. Both CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and President Joe Biden said that people who are not fully vaccinated should continue to wear masks indoors, according to the May 14 AP article. Walworth County reports that 37.7% of County residents have been at least partially vaccinated as of May 17. COVID-19 has been responsible for over 600,000 US deaths including nearly 8000 Wisconsin residents and over 150 Walworth and 130 Jefferson County residents according the National COVID-19 Database.

Eric Moyse, 38, of Whitewater, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2021 at the Rainbow Hospice Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek

Eric Moyse, 38, of Whitewater, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2021 at the Rainbow Hospice Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin.

Eric was born on January 24, 1983 to Douglas E. Moyse and Irma I. Moyse. Growing up in Cold Spring, WI, Eric enjoyed his youth spending countless hours swimming in the pool with his childhood friends and playing with his pets.

Eric attended Washington Grade School in Whitewater and took an early liking to music which he continued throughout his childhood years, through high school, playing in both the marching band and pep band. He made a lot of friends through his years of band and cherished those friendships for years to come. Academics always seemed to come easy to Eric; he enjoyed learning very much, graduating with honors in 2001 from Whitewater High School.

Eric was interested in many things, among them would be, spending time outdoors, fishing, camping, walking trails, foraging for mushrooms and metal detecting with one of his best friends, Tim Luebke.

He enjoyed playing video games with many of his closest friends and brother, Lance. He also spent a lot of his time reading and enjoyed all things Trivia related.

Eric is survived by his Mother, Irma Moyse; Brothers, Lance and Ryan Moyse (Tanya); aunts and uncles, Richard Moyse (Bonnie), Fred Alvarado (Sandi), Carmen Alvarado Wagie (Dale), Rachel Alvarado Hellen; along with loving cousins and other family, friends and his beloved cat, Walter.

He is preceded in death by his Father, Douglas Moyse; paternal grandparents, Earle and Alice (Talbert) Moyse; Maternal Grandparents, Federico and Josefina (Vasquez) Alvarado; and Uncle, Duane Moyse.

Please check back for updated service information, as the family is still finalizing arrangements.

The family would like to give special thanks to all those providing care for Eric through Rainbow Hospice. The care provided was exceptional for both Eric and Family. We will be forever grateful for their assistance.

Nitardy funeral home is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences can be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com

Steven Emmet Parrish, 68, Whitewater, formerly of Tomah, passed away at home on Monday, May 17, 2021 surrounded by his family

Steven Emmet Parrish, 68, Whitewater, formerly of Tomah, WI passed away at home on Monday, May 17, 2021 surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with lung cancer..

Steve was born on January 4, 1953 in Milwaukee, WI to Lorenzo and Joyce (Doyle) Parrish. He graduated from Royall High School in Elroy, WI in 1971. He then went on to make a lifelong career in maintenance engineering and retired 5 years ago.

Steve lived a simple life and found joy in spending time with his loved ones. He loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was also a Wisconsin sports enthusiast. He loved to watch the Badgers, Bucks and Brewers, but believed that there was no greater team than the Green Bay Packers.

One of his greatest qualities was his relationship with his grandchildren. He was affectionately known as “Gramps” by them and their friends. He was a hands-on grandpa and spent as much time with them as he could. He was truly up for anything. This would include fishing trips, rooting them on at sporting events, playing video games, board games, puzzles, going strawberry picking, dying Easter eggs, carving pumpkins, attending music concerts, State Fair trips and even attending a Comic-Con event.

He will be remembered for his great love of family, his gentle soul, a tireless devotion to his grandchildren, a witty sense of humor, and a lifestyle of simplicity.

He is survived by his children: Nate (Molly) Parrish, Whitewater, Christopher Parrish, Milwaukee; grandchildren Bryce and Maci Parrish; siblings Vikki Parrish, Madison, Gail (Walter) Spodeck, Shallimar, FL, SueAnne (Bill Rudy) Parrish, Louisville, KY, Wanda Elliott, Tomah, WI, Jan Parrish, Hoonah, AK, Scott Parrish, Winston-Salem, NC, Tracy Parrish, Tomah, WI, Jill (Marc Gabrielson) Noel, Onalaska, WI. He is preceded in death by his mother Joyce Chase and step-father LaVerne Chase, father Lorenzo Parrish.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 28, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Nitardy Funeral Home 550 N. Newcomb St. Whitewater, WI 53190. A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 27, 2021 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the funeral home and on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. As an expression of sympathy you may wish to consider memorials to Rainbow Hospice or to the UW Carbone Cancer Center. Online condolences may be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com

Whippets Claim #4 Spot on Packers Plays of the Month

Article Submitted by Jason Bleck
Whitewater High School Head Football Coach
jbleck@wwusd.org

Great throw, great catch, great blocking, great play to be a part of! Check it out! Play #4 of the Packers High School Plays of the Month for April belongs to the Whippets!

Huge shoutout to the best NFL team out there, the Green Bay Packers, for their $500 donation to our football team for making the Top 5 plays of the month!  

This was actually a pretty extensive selection process. Of all the plays that were submitted, they narrowed it down to 10, where then a panel of 20 Packers employees voted on their favorites, and the Top 5 plays that received the most votes made the cut! I’m very proud of our team for such an awesome play!