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Carole Ellen Oker, age 80, was called home by the Lord on April 28, 2021

Carole Ellen Oker, age 80, was called home by the Lord on April 28, 2021. Carole was married to her devoted husband Don for 60 years after a 6-year courtship. They raised two wonderful children: Kimberly Schauder (Brandt) and Marc (Jessica) Oker. She loved her grandchildren: Emily Schauder, Samantha Oker, Sydney Oker, Steven Lorenzo and Alyssa Lorenzo. She was born in Chicago, IL to Francis and Regina (nee Osadnik) Leavy on April 6, 1941. Carole was preceded in death by her brother James and sister Sharon.

A service will be held on Saturday June 12, 2021 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1225 West Main Street, Whitewater, WI: 10:00 a.m. visitation; 10:30 a.m. dedication presentation; and 11 am Mass with Father Mark Niehaus officiating. 

Please join family and friends after the service at 841 Brewhouse – Whitewater Room, 841 E. Milwaukee Street, Whitewater.

Road Work Underway on WIS 20 Between WIS 67 and Townline Road

(Walworth County Public Works press release) Governor Evers signed a $1.5-million contract to improve WIS 20, between WIS 67 and Townline Road in Walworth County. Work is scheduled to begin the week of May 10, 2021.

“Walworth County is thrilled with increased state investment in local infrastructure,” says Walworth County Public Works Director Richard Hough. “With increased road work by the state and local authorities comes an increased chance for a tragic accident. Drivers are advised to please slow down and follow signs and signals in and around public works projects.”

During construction, WIS 20 will remain open to traffic with the use of flagging operations.
Construction is anticipated to be completed in late summer 2021. The schedule is dependent on favorable weather conditions and construction progress.

Payne and Dolan Inc., is the prime contractor for the project and will implement the following: 
•       Milling and base patching
•       New asphalt pavement
•       Pavement marking
•       Signing
•       High friction surface treatment

For more information, visit the project website at: https://projects.511wi.gov/20wal/ or visit the region’s 511 website: https://projects.511wi.gov/region/southeast.

The image on the home page, “Road work ahead” by coofdy is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Big Garage Sale Weekend Coming Up – Deadline for Free Ads is Wed. p.m.

May 14-16 promises to be a big garage sale weekend due to the Daily Jefferson County Union’s publicity. Anyone wishing to promote a sale on The Banner should submit their information by Wednesday at 8 p.m.

A New Banner Service – Garage Sale Ads

As a result of a reader’s comment that it’s hard to find garage sales in Whitewater now that we no longer have a weekly shopper, last year the Banner staff agreed to begin a “consolidated” garage sale posting that will be published each Thursday morning for the upcoming weekend’s sales. This announcement will only be for garage sales (a sale of miscellaneous household goods, often held in the garage or front yard of someone’s house) in the city and school district boundaries. We will not be accepting, for example, ads for cars or other items that are not part of a scheduled garage sale. There will be a limit of three times per year for a particular property. Although we may eventually make a small charge for this service, initially it will be complimentary.

Those wishing to place a notice must send the information to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com by Wednesday at 8 p.m. You may include a brief description of the items that are for sale, the hours and days of the sale, and of course your address.

Zahn Wraps Up High School Cross Country Career at State

Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka

Senior Trenten Zahn competed for the final time as a Whippet CC runner at the WIAA Division 1 State Cross Country Meet in Janesville on Saturday. Trenten started around the mid 50’s for placing and was able to move his way up into 50th place as the race completed. He competed with grit and determination in a loaded field. His time of 17:26.5 was his second-best time of the season. Trenten’s journey through cross country has been very interesting.  As a state qualifier in his sophomore year, he didn’t have a chance to compete at sectionals as a junior due to an auto accident. When Covid hit, there was a very real possibility that he would never run in a Whitewater CC uniform again. Competing in the alternate fall sports season has been a tremendous opportunity for him and his teammates and one to be admired for how he fought his way back to the highest level.

Trenten finishes his career having competed in two state meets, earned three First Team Rock Valley recognitions, one Second Team RVC recognition, and multiple place winner awards from invitationals in his career. He is a strong student-athlete as well as he earned academic all-state honors his Sophomore year and well on his way to getting his second from this season once the paperwork is filed. Trenten leaves the program as a strong leader, a respected opponent, and a great teammate.

Whitewater Teachers and Staff are Hometown Heroes

(WUL submission) Whitewater Unified School District Teachers and Staff are WUL Hometown Heroes, “For their dedication, caring and talents as they provide a safe and caring learning environment so that all students can learn and grow to their full potential.”

Pictured above are the teachers and staff from Whitewater High School (W), Whitewater Middle School (W), Lakeview Elementary (U), Lincoln Elementary (L) and Washington Elementary (D)

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.   

Teachers and staff from Whitewater High School
Teachers and staff from Whitewater Middle School
Teachers and staff from Lakeview Elementary School
Teachers and staff from Lincoln Elementary School
Teachers and staff from Washington Elementary School

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

#FlashbackFriday from the Historical Society: Green Shutters Tea Room

Happy #FlashbackFriday and Mothers’ Day from the Whitewater Historical Society!

Pictured here is the Green Shutters tea room & restaurant, which would have been a perfect spot to celebrate a Mother’s Day of the past. While all were welcome, the establishment especially catered to women. Located on the corner of Main and Franklin Streets, it was one of the most popular local restaurants of the twentieth century and it first opened in May 1927, operating during the warmer months every year until about 1984. Mercy Clinic – Whitewater now occupies the building. This undated image depicts one of the interior dining areas.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society collections!
(2291P, Whitewater Historical Society)

The Whitewater Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Whitewater and the surrounding area. Be sure to join us next week for more from the Society’s collections. Please “like” us on Facebook, and check out our website at whitewaterhistoricalsociety.org!​ 

Condon Continues to Lead Whippet Golfers

Article and Photos Submitted By Leif Knudsen
Whitewater High School Head Golf Coach
leifknudsen@sbcglobal.net

On Tuesday, May 4, the Whippet Golfers traveled to Edgerton. Jaden Condon was low for Whitewater with a 47. The team finished 4th out of 9.

Thursday, May 6, the Whippets participated in a two-person team event. Jaden Condon and Dane Hillmer finished 5th overall with a score of 81, and the team finished 4th overall out of 9.

No. 8 UW-Whitewater Baseball Caps Strong Weekend With Win

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

Sunday, May 9, 2021

No. 8 UW-Whitewater Baseball Caps Strong Weekend With Win

Box Score

The No. 8 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team posted its 11th straight victory and scored double-digit runs for the seventh straight contest Sunday in an 18-2 win against Finlandia (Mich.) in a non-conference game at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.

The Warhawks (30-4 overall) tallied 21 hits in the affair and broke the game open with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Right fielder Taylor White was one of three UW-W batters with three hits in the contest. He finished 3-for-4 with two triples, two runs scored and two runs batted in. Third baseman Peter Turelli collected three hits, one run scored and one RBI, and first baseman Nick Paget was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Outfielder Eric Hughes totaled three hits, two runs scored and one RBI, while second baseman Jason Abatto recorded three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Centerfielder Jacob DeMeyer finished with two hits, three runs scored and one RBI, and shortstop Austin Wessel registered two hits, one run scored and three RBIs.

Starting pitcher Kade Lancour moved to 1-1 on the year with the win, striking out 10 batters over five innings of work. Jim Jarecki tossed a pair of hitless, scoreless innings to finish out the game.

UW-Whitewater, which holds a one-game lead in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings, visits UW-Eau Claire Wednesday for a league doubleheader. First pitch in Eau Claire is slated for 1 p.m.

Great Wisconsin Birdathon 2021

On Sunday, May 16th local birder Lesley Haven and her team will be attempting to identify as many Wisconsin bird species as possible in one 24-hour period to raise funds for the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin’s Great Wisconsin Birdathon, which provides “critical support for high priority bird conservation projects that benefit Wisconsin’s birds throughout their lifecycles.”

Our goal is to bird from dawn until dusk, hit spots in four counties, & share our love for birds and wildlife along the way. All of our data will be submitted to Ebird, an online database collecting real-time bird observations used to further research and conservation efforts.

If you’d like to know more or how to support us, here’s the link to our team page:
https://go.dojiggy.io/wibirdathon/whatsthat

Anyone who contributes will be automatically entered into a raffle to win a high-quality Sandhill Crane print as a thank you!

(Lesley Haven submission)

UW-Whitewater Men Second, Women Eighth at WIAC Outdoor Championships

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

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Results

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s and women’s track and field teams completed competition Saturday at the two-day Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships presented by Culver’s in River Falls, Wis.

The Warhawk men placed second at the meet for the fifth time in the last six years, totaling 130 points. The women finished eighth with 26 points.

For the women, Abigail Missiaen placed fourth in the heptathlon with 4,368 points. She started the weekend Friday by finishing as runner-up in the javelin throw.

Maddie Keifer posted a mark of 37-01.25 (11.31 meters) in the triple jump to earn a spot on the podium with a sixth-place finish.

The 4×400-meter relay team of Katie McNamara, Abby Giese, Paige Fassbender and Sarah Niehueser finished seventh in 4:08.44.

On the men’s side, David Fassbender picked up his second conference title of the weekend, winning the 5,000-meter run in 14:48.41 just one day after finishing first in the 10,000-meter run. Josh Krystosek placed first in the high jump for his first career conference championship with a height of 6-08.00 (2.03 meters).

Fassbender was joined by two others on the podium in the 5K, including Christian Patzka, who ran a career-best 14:55.22 for an All-WIAC finish of second place. Gunner Schlender placed fourth with a time of 15:03.32.

Lucas Skaaland led a group of three Warhawks on the podium in the triple jump, finishing second with a personal record distance of 48-06.75 (14.80 meters), good for fourth in NCAA Division III. Shelvin Garrett placed sixth with his mark of 46-04.75 (14.14 meters), and Curtis Pfeil scored in his second event of the weekend with an eighth-place finish at 46-04.00 (14.12 meters).

Justin Krause also garnered all-conference accolades with his runner-up finish in the 1,500-meter run. He crossed the finish line in 3:55.15.

The 4×100-meter relay team of Thomas Kelly, Dwayne Ford, Victor Rinaldi and Garrett placed second in 41.27 seconds. Ford also collected an all-conference honor in the 100-meter dash with his time of 10.75, good for third place. He later placed sixth in the 200-meter dash in 22.10 seconds.

Brian Kuehl and Landon Keefover finished fourth in their respective individual events. Kuehl posted a time of 1:55.36, while Keefover registered a 15.16 in the 110-meter hurdles.

Other individual scorers included Quinn Halversen, who finished fifth in the high jump with his height of 6-04.00 (1.93 meters), and Luke Zanis, who placed eighth in the 400-meter dash in 50.15 seconds. Zanis was also part of the 4×400-meter relay team that included Will Kaashagen, Oren Henderson-Zintz and Zach Miller. The group finished fifth in 3:20.08.

Following the completion of the meet, Ty Jahnke of the men’s team and Hope Mylin of the women’s team were announced as UW-Whitewater’s representatives on the WIAC Larry Zirgibel All-Sportsmanship Team.

The Warhawks host the John Kruchoski Open next Saturday, May 15, at Rex Foster Track.

See below for UW-Whitewater’s top finishers and top-eight placers in each event.

Women

400-Meter Dash: Katie McNamara – 1;01.15, 13th

800-Meter Run: Paige Fassbender – 2:22.36, 12th

1,500-Meter Run: Ari De La Cerda – 4:59.16, 14th

10,000-Meter Run: Jill Cavanaugh – 41:20.89, 14th

100-Meter Hurdles: Hope Mylin – 16.87, 21st

3,000-Meter Steeplechase: Ari De La Cerda – 11:50.76, 9th

4×400-Meter Relay: McNamara/Giese/Fassbender/Niehueser – 4:08.44, 7th

Pole Vault: Gracie Holland – 12-02.75 (3.73 meters), 2nd

Long Jump: Shelby Nickels – 17-06.00 (5.33 meters), 9th

Triple Jump: Maddie Keifer – 37-01.25 (11.31 meters), 6th

Shot Put: Morgan Huntley – 38-01.50 (11.62 meters), 18th

Javelin Throw: Abigail Missiaen – 126-00 (38.42 meters), 2nd

Heptathlon: Abigail Missiaen – 4,368, 4th

Men

100-Meter Dash: Dwayne Ford – 10.75, 3rd

200-Meter Dash: Dwayne Ford – 22.10, 6th (21.87 in prelims)

400-Meter Dash: Luke Zanis – 50.15, 8th (49.68 in prelims)

800-Meter Run: Brian Kuehl – 1:55.36, 4th

1,500-Meter Run: Justin Krause – 3:55.15, 2nd

5,000-Meter Run: David Fassbender – 14:48.41, 1st; Christian Patzka – 14:55.22, 2nd; Gunner Schlender – 15:03.32, 4th

10,000-Meter Run: David Fassbender – 30:02.44, 1st; Kyle Neuroth – 31:09.74, 5th

110-Meter Hurdles: Landon Keefover – 15.16, 4th (15.14 in prelims)

400-Meter Hurdles: Brody Lippens – 59.30, 13th

3,000-Meter Steeplechase: Christian Patzka – 9:17.92, 2nd; Nate Fox – 9:29.05, 7th

4×100-Meter Relay: Kelly/Ford/Rinaldi/Garrett – 41.27, 2nd

4×400-Meter Relay: Kaashagen/Henderson-Zintz/Miller/Zanis – 3:20.08, 5th

High Jump: Josh Krystosek – 6-08.00 (2.03 meters), 1st; Quinn Halversen – 6-04.00 (1.93 meters), 5th

Pole Vault: Adam Schommer – 15-09.00 (4.80 meters), 2nd

Long Jump: Griffin Gawenda – 22-10.50 (6.97 meters), 3rd

Triple Jump: Lucas Skaaland – 48-06.75 (14.80 meters), 2nd; Shelvin Garrett – 46-04.75 (14.14 meters), 6th; Curtis Pfeil – 46-04.00 (14.12 meters), 8th

Discus Throw: Tommy Morton – 142-06 (43.43 meters), 14th

Shot Put: Daustin Martin – 47-08.50 (14.54 meters), 9th

Hammer Throw: Daustin Martin – 171-06 (52.28 meters), 10th

Javelin Throw: Curtis Pfeil – 170-09 (52.06 meters), 6th