News

Local Students Graduate from UW-La Crosse & UW-Oshkosh

LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 19, 2022) – The following area students completed degree requirements at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in May. The 112th Annual Spring Commencement was held at the La Crosse Center Sunday, May 15.        UW-La Crosse, founded in 1909, is one of the 13 four-year institutions in the University of Wisconsin System. UWL has more than 10,400 full and part-time students enrolled in 101 undergraduate, 28 graduate and two doctoral academic programs.       UW-La Crosse – www.uwlax.edu – is the state’s top-ranked public higher education institution by U.S. News & World Reports for master’s degree institutions and has been ranked among the top Midwestern public institutions for more than a decade.        Students earning degrees in May include: 

Whitewater, WI

 Brady Meudt, Bachelor of Science, Biology Major, Highest Honors

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OSHKOSH, Wis. (July 20, 2022) – The UW Oshkosh 148th spring commencement -with a pair of ceremonies May 14-recognized the accomplishments of students from all three of its campuses (Fond du Lac, Fox Cities, Oshkosh). Nearly 1,500 students earned bachelor’s, master’s, associate and doctoral degrees, and joined the ranks of more than 100,000 UWO alumni.   

Whitewater, WI

 Hannah F. Allen, College of Letters and Science, Associate of Arts and Science
 Michael A. Fernandez, College of Letters and Science, Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering Technology

Eli Crogan, UW-W Men’s Basketball Coach 1970-74, Passes Away

Eli Crogan (Source: pn-fn.com)

Per an article in the July 18 Watertown Daily Times, Eli Crogan, [who coached men’s basketball at UW-W from 1970-74], and whose Hall of Fame coaching career for boys basketball included 22 seasons at Watertown High School, passed away at the age of 87 on Saturday.

Crogan suffered a stroke on Tuesday and died from complications according to his son, Craig.

His coaching career spanned 42 seasons and included several schools: Soldiers Grove (now North Crawford), Fennimore, Watertown, the men’s team at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Wayland Academy. His teams won 562 games and lost 320. This included 15 conference championships, 13 regional championships, two sectional championships and three trips to the state tournaments.

He was inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1996. 

Worker Killed in Palmyra Construction Site Accident; Update: Victim Identified

Editor’s note: The following announcement is from the Village of Palmyra Public Safety Department website.

On July 20, 2022 at 1137 Palmyra Public Safety Department was dispatched to a 911 call reporting an accident on a construction site in the 100 Block of Violet Street in the Village of Palmyra. The caller reported that a worker had fallen from a scaffold onto a metal stake. Upon arrival at 1142, Public Safety Officers found the worker stuck on the metal stake. The worker was pulseless and not breathing. The metal stake was cut and lifesaving measures were attempted. The worker was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jefferson County Medical Examiner. The area of Violet St was closed for several hours due to the incident. This incident remains under the investigation of Palmyra Public Safety Department, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and Jefferson County Medical Examiner. Palmyra Public Safety Department is not identifying the worker or the company until notification of next of kin.

Update: Per WISN, Palmyra police identified the worker on July 22 as Steven Alvarado, 64, of Fort Atkinson. He was working for Crete’s Here from Fort Atkinson.

Savory Sounds Family Concert: Ken Lonnquist & Friends – Thursday

The Whitewater Arts Alliance presents Ken Lonnquist & Friends, as part of its Savory Sounds concert series, this Thursday, July 21 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. The concert is at the Cultural Arts Center, Birge Fountain, 402 W. Main Street. Attendees may bring their own lunch or purchase lunch from the day’s vendor, Rocky Rococo.

Ken Lonnquist & Friends


    Ken’s a prolific songwriter and enthusiastic performer.  Much like folk legends Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, he sings for adults and children, addresses wide-ranging topics and mixes humor, sensitivity and joy in every show.

    His ‘GREEN’ songs are widely known and loved.  He toured across North America as The Minstrel for the Environment.   His vast, varied repertoire and performance skills allow him to adapt to any audience or setting.

    “Ken Lonnquist is one hell of a good songwriter and singer.”

    ~ Pete Seeger

    ”You are a treasure in the realm of music for children. Kids love your songs – they are fresh, relevant, musically sound, imaginative. Your work runs circles around the likes of children’s music gurus such as Raffi.”

    ~ Twila Bergeron, Music Teacher, 

        Fox Point, WI

    “The highlight of Environment Week Canada!  Enough energy to jump-start all of Ontario!”

    ~ Pat Potter, Toronto Environment Festival​

    Celebrating nature,  delighting kids, touching hearts and spirits… you’ll love Ken Lonnquist.

​

Whitewater Arts Alliance Board Member and Chair of Savory Sounds, Christine Hayes, says:

“Welcome to a phenomenal free lunch concert series filled with music for all! Sit by the beautiful Birge Fountain as you listen. Buy or bag your lunch and bring a chair or blanket. Come rain or shine. These are musical opportunities you won’t want to miss, supported by our local financial institutions and businesses. There is parking available across the street at First Lutheran Church or on side streets.”

After enjoying the music and lunch, attendees are also invited to explore the exhibits inside the Cultural Arts Center. July features photography by the community to honor the late Fran Achen with the 13th Annual Fran Achen Photography Competition.

Warhawks Football Moving to 105.9 FM “The Hog”

Editor’s note: The following press release was provided by Big Radio.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Intercollegiate Athletics signed a two-year agreement with Big Radio to air Warhawks football games on 105.9 FM The Hog in Janesville beginning with the 2022 season.

“We are thrilled to partner with Big Radio and 105.9 The Hog to bring Warhawk fans audio coverage of all football games for the next two years,” UW-W Director of Athletics Ryan Callahan said. “UW-Whitewater football is a staple of our campus community, and we believe this collaboration will enhance the profile of the university and bring fans high-quality coverage of this nationally-renowned program.”

All home and away games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons will air live on 105.9 The Hog, which airs in Southern Wisconsin with coverage as far north as Madison and as far south as Rockford, Ill.

Game broadcasts will also be available online at 1059thehog.com and on the Big Radio App, which is available for download on Apple and Google Play devices.

“At Big Radio our commitment to local sports in our communities is unmatched,” Big Radio CEO Ben Thompson said. “We are thrilled to be the new home of UW-Whitewater football and further expand our commitment to sports.”

Josh Golberg (Source: WCLO.com)

Big Radio Sports Director Josh Golberg, a UW-Whitewater graduate, will handle play-by-play duties and will be joined on the broadcast by color analyst Bill O’Leary, a linebacker for the Warhawks from 1970-71. O’Leary served as head football coach at both Janesville Craig and Milton.

“Getting the opportunity to broadcast games for one of the top Division III programs in the country as an alumnus is thrilling on both a professional and personal level,” Golberg said. “Bill and I will try to bring as much energy, knowledge and entertainment as we can in support of the Warhawks.”

UW-Whitewater, a six-time NCAA Division III national champion, begins the 2022 season Sept. 3 at St. John’s (Minn.). The team’s home opener is scheduled for Sept. 10 against Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) for a rematch of last season’s national semifinal.

Interim Economic Development Director Named Beaver Dam City Administrator

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

According to a July 19 article in Daily Dodge, Nathan Thiel, who was introduced as city of Whitewater interim Economic Development Director on June 8, was approved on July 18 by the Beaver Dam common council to be hired as its city administrator. Other finalists included Walworth County Director of Public Works Richard Hough. The council approved the creation of the City Administrator position in September, while expecting to phase out the Director of Administration position and reducing the mayor from full-time to part-time.

Thiel was hired for the interim Whitewater position following the departure of Economic Development Director Cathy Anderson. He had most recently served as village administrator in Pleasant Prairie.

In other city staff news, Neighborhood Services Director Chris Bennett was not selected for the Village Administrator position for which he had applied in Union Grove. According to a June 28 article in The Journal Times, the village selected Kerry Bennett, who has been serving as village treasurer for the past three years, as well as interim village administrator for the past few months. Kerry Bennett is not related to Chris Bennett.

Longtime UW-Whitewater Supporter Tom Lange Passes Away

Tom Lange graphic July 2022

Editor’s note: The following announcement was received on July 19 from the UW-W Athletic Department.

Tom Lange, a longtime volunteer, contributor and fan for teams at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, passed away last week of natural causes at the age of 85.

Funeral arrangements are currently pending.

Lange, a 1997 Warhawk Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, contributed significantly to the success of UW-W athletics programs for nearly half a century as a public address announcer, booster club officer and volunteer.

“Tom Lange is a Warhawk,” UW-Whitewater Director of Athletics Ryan Callahan said. “He touched countless lives over his 40-plus years working with our athletic staff and teams, pouring his time and resources into our programs while asking for nothing in return.

“I am grateful to have personally known him for the last 20 years and will remember our numerous interactions and the laughs we shared the most. I know countless alumni and friends feel the pain of this loss, but I know that Tom lived a full and happy life in this community. We are lucky to have had him on our team for the last four decades and will miss him dearly.”

Most recently, Lange served as public address announcer for the UW-W wrestling and baseball teams. He also previously volunteered for men’s and women’s basketball games and for freshman football games and was an active member of the Quarterback Club and Tip-Off Club as a longtime Whitewater resident.

Lange attended countless athletics events over the last 45 years and was one of the Warhawks’ biggest supporters.

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“Tom’s legacy lives in all of us that were truly blessed to call him our friend. His passion for the Warhawks was second to none. That passion is why we are ‘Powered By Tradition.’” – Head Football Coach Kevin Bullis

“Tommy ‘The Kid’ Lange was a unique figure in Warhawk Athletics who enhanced the student-athlete experience through his daily endeavors and his announcing. Tommy built many long-lasting and meaningful relationships with athletes and coaches. His presence, laughter and one-liners will be missed by Warhawk Wrestling and the athletics department.” – Head Wrestling Coach Matt Zwaschka

Ferradermis Leads Winning Alliance at Lakeshore Invite, Invites Public to Mukwonago on July 24

A small group of Whitewater High School students, Elijah Grall, Jazmin Cederberg, Peter Portwine, Emerson Dunham, Andrew O’Toole, Andrew Zimmermann, Payton Bunger, and Mel Prince, fielded two robots at the Lakeshore Invitational in Manitowoc on Saturday, July 16, and Ferradermis’ in-season competition robot (wearing #6574) brought home a blue banner as the captain of the winning alliance.

The second Ferradermis robot (wearing #9574) is the team’s off-season project bot allowing the team to implement a swerve drive for the first time and experiment with some alternative designs for mechanisms. Fielding a second bot also allows more students to get experience as members of a drive team. In one qualification match, #6574 and #9574 faced off against each other, and in another, they were able to play on the same randomly assigned alliance.

Ferradermis Playing on Opposing Alliances
Ferradermis Robots Joining Together on the Same Alliance

After a hard-fought day of competition with and against 15 total robots, Ferradermis became the captain of the #3-seeded playoff alliance and asked Team #930 the Mukwonago Bears and Team #7768 The Iron Hill Automatons from Iron River, Michigan to join our alliance. The Ferradermis-led alliance defeated the #2-seeded alliance 2-0 in a best of three series, and then faced the #1-seeded alliance captained by 2202 BEAST Robotics from Brookfield, winner of two in-season regional events, in the best of three finals. The Ferradermis alliance won the first match and then dropped the second but came back strong to take the third with all three of our alliance robots climbing to secure the win.

The winning climb

Ferradermis will next take the field at Mukwonago High School on Sunday, July 24, for MROC – the Mukwonago Robotics Off-Season Competition. This event is free and open to the public and would be a great way for sponsors and potential new team members to see the robots in action and talk with current team members and mentors. Opening ceremonies begin at 8:45 a.m., and the event will run until mid to late afternoon.  It should be a great day of competition with 20 robots representing teams from Wisconsin and Illinois, including five teams that won regional championships during the season. If you get a chance, consider stopping in for an hour or two.

Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer
lmasbruch@wwusd.org

Local Students Graduate from UW-Platteville

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (July 18, 2022) -The University of Wisconsin-Platteville awarded diplomas to more than 800 students from its three campuses for the spring of 2022.  Founded in 1866, UW-Platteville is located in Southwest Wisconsin and has branch campuses in Richland Center and Baraboo. UW-Platteville is ranked the best public institution in Wisconsin for value by Payscale. For more information on the university, visit www.uwplatt.edu. Students from this area who graduated include: 

Whitewater, WI

 Joseph Creanza, Soil & Crop Science, UW-Platteville
 Alexa DuClos, Forensic Investigation and Chemistry, UW-Platteville

Walworth County ADRC will SPARK a Conversation About Lewy Body Dementia

Capturing the Spark of Robin Williams - An Online SPARK Viewing - Lewy Body Dementia Association

Editor’s note: The following announcement was provided by the Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center.

The Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) will
host SPARK, a Lewy Body Dementia event on Friday, August 5th from 9 to 11 a.m. The morning
will be highlighted by a viewing of SPARK, a documentary about actor Robin Williams and his
battle with Lewy body dementia. Following the film, a panel of experts will share their experiences
and offer a Q & A opportunity.

“Lewy Body Dementia is the third most common form of dementia, yet is largely unknown to the
general public because the signs and symptoms resemble those of other forms of dementia,” says
ADRC Dementia Care Specialist Jake Sawyers. “Robin Williams was a beloved actor and the
agonizing journey he and his wife experienced is a story that will resonate with those who have
walked a similar path. SPARK shines a light on Lewy Body Dementia and raises awareness of the
disease, which is often overshadowed by the more common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s
disease.”

The SPARK event will be held at the Walworth County Health and Human Services building,
1910 County Road NN, Elkhorn. RSVPs are highly recommended by calling (262) 741-3273.

About the Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center: The ADRC provides
information and assistance to older and disabled adults, their friends, family, caregivers, and the
public. We can assist by evaluating your current needs and providing options available to meet the
needs of your personal situation.