For over ten years, I have been showing films at Seniors in the Park, thanks to Deb Weberpal. Deb and I hope we have selected films that have not only entertained, but also enlightened you. We have prided ourselves on showing films that are current, contemporary, and, at times, controversial. We welcome Jennifer to our Seniors in the Park Bijou. As the they say in the business, “The Show Must Go On!” Sincerely, Mark Dorn
“Parallel Mothers” Tuesday, April 26, 1 p.m. (Drama); Rated R (sexuality); 2 hours, 3 minutes; (2021); Spoken Language: Spanish; Will be shown with English subtitles. The story of two mothers who give birth the same day: one is exultant, the other, an adolescent, is scared, repentant and traumatized. Nominations for Best Actress (Penelope Cruz), director (Pedro Almodovar) and Best Foreign Film.
By Al Stanek Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Over 30 people braved often punishing cold winds and driving rain Friday, April 22 to celebrate the launching of an effort to create an arboretum within Whitewater’s Starin Park. An arboretum is a open air museum of plants and trees that recognizes the importance of the interrelationship of man and the natural environment. The Earth Day celebration continues Saturday with a tree sale and will continue next weekend in honor of Arbor Day. A tree sale with native varieties priced as low as $30 continues while supplies last, Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m., Friday the 29th from 1 to 6 p.m., and Saturday the 30th from 10 a.m. until noon at the lower shelter in Starin Park. The purpose of this sale is to get native, high quality, air pruned trees into the city’s tree canopy where they will thrive. There also will be educational activities for children and adults next Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Thomas Hapka.
B-Lazy Bar & Grill, located at 7922 S. Loomis Road in Wind Lake, will be hosting a benefit for Life Beyond Brain Injury on Sunday, April 24 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The organization was created by students from UW-Whitewater to raise awareness about brain injuries and raise funds to assist local brain injury survivor Thomas Hapka with his ongoing medical needs.
The event at B-Lazy Bar & Grill is open to the public and will feature prize raffles, 50/50 cash raffles, and a live musical performance by Reverend Jerry K. at 1 p.m. There will be a ‘celebrity bartender’ activity with all tips from noon to 4 p.m. going to the cause. B-Lazy Bar & Grill will also donate 10% of sales for the day to Life Beyond Brain Injury.
Those wishing to learn about Hapka’s story or how they can help are invited to visit lifebeyondbraininjury.org for more information.
On Saturday, April 23rd, Whitewater Unified School District will be honoring the late Coach Tim Hering by naming the Varsity Softball Field in his name.
Tim Hering
Tim Hering started the girls’ softball program in the 1978-79 school year. He coached for 27 years until retiring from softball in 2005. Hering accumulated over 300 wins during his career and was inducted into the WFSCA Hall-of-Fame in 2017.
The Whitewater Softball Team plays a doubleheader against Brodhead that day starting at 10:00 a.m. The field naming ceremony will take place right after the first game (somewhere around 11:30). Please come and join us for this special occasion. Refreshments will be provided after the ceremony.
Article Submitted by Ron Sdano Whitewater High School Head Softball Coach rsdano@wwusd.org Photo from Whitewater High School Aqualba (yearbook)
Editor’s note: The following information was received from a political candidate announcing that he is running for office. Any other candidate wishing to seek a political office in the Whitewater area is encouraged to provide information to be published in The Banner.
State Representative Don Vruwink (D-Milton), issued the following statement regarding the recent redistricting decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court:
“While I am disheartened by the recent redistricting decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court and Wisconsin Supreme Court, I recognize the courts have made their rulings and it is time for us all to move forward because there is so much work to do after the November elections and beyond. Representing voters in the 43rd Assembly District has been a great honor, and I have enjoyed getting to know so many hard-working, thoughtful, and community-minded people on both sides of the aisle over the past six years.”
“With the recent Supreme Court decision, my hometown of Milton is now in the 33rd Assembly District, and after taking some time for personal reflection, having conversations with my wife Beth, and hearing from so many people in the new parts of this district encouraging me to seek a term in a new district, I have decided to seek another term in the Assembly.”
“Serving my community and being a champion for constituents is a pleasure and privilege. From teaching students and serving on the school board, to coaching high school athletes and serving in the State Assembly, I bring a unique passion and perspective to the State Capitol that puts people and our community first. I am very excited to launch my campaign to be the next State Representative from the 33rd Assembly District, and I look forward to introducing myself to voters, hearing what matters most to them, and earning their trust as I seek another term.”
Representative Vruwink currently sits on the Committee on Agriculture, Committee on Education, Committee on Tourism, and is the Ranking Member on the Committee on Rural Development. In addition to serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Representative Vruwink gives back to the community as a substitute teacher and umpire for recreational baseball and softball. Prior to being elected to the State Assembly in 2016, Representative Vruwink taught History at Milton High School and coached basketball, football and softball. He has also served on the Milton City Council and Milton School Board.
The 33rd District will be representing the Jefferson County portion of Whitewater, as well as Milton, Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Palmyra, N. Janesville, Harmony Twp.
Editor’s note: Don Vruwink told the Banner that he has enjoyed representing the entire city of Whitewater, and regrets that due to redistricting, if re-elected he will only represent those living in Jefferson County. He stated, however, that he would plan to continue to show interest to the greater community.
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department.
The Walworth County District Attorney’s Office on Monday, April 18 on behalf of the Walworth County Drug Enforcement Unit and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-ATF Milwaukee Office, filed criminal complaints against 11 individuals for conspiring to deliver over 500 grams of Methamphetamine, a Class C Felony.
The conspiracy timeframe lasted for approximately 11 months, coming to a conclusion in August, 2021.
The suspects involved in this case are:
Kenneth Chadwick, age 54 (Phoenix, AZ)
Krystal Gehrke, age 36 (Racine, WI)
Shauna Gonzalez Garza, age 35 (Burlington, WI)
Jillian Leighton, age 38 (Burlington, WI)
Michelle Lyons, age 43 (Lake Geneva, WI)
Sean Mason, age 44 (Elkhorn, WI)
Christopher F. McFadden, age 35 (Waterford, WI)
Joshua Potter, age 33, (215 N. Queen St., Whitewater, WI)
Thomas Schultz, age 33 (Elkhorn, WI)
Frederick Taylor, age 46 (Burlington, WI)
Brian Tidwell, age 37 (Elkhorn, WI)
The alleged involvement of these individuals ranges from street level dealing to transporting large amounts of methamphetamine from Arizona to various locations in Southeastern Wisconsin, including Walworth County.
The investigation involved conducting controlled buys, monitoring calls, writing subpoenas and search warrants, conducting surveillance, and obtaining statements from associates and co-conspirators.
“This investigation is an example of what is achieved when dedicated investigators from many law enforcement agencies work together across jurisdictions with a common goal to keep our communities safe,” said Sheriff Kurt Picknell.
Assisting the Walworth County Drug Enforcement Unit and ATF- Milwaukee in this investigation, ATF- Flagstaff, Arizona; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Milwaukee Office, United States Postal Inspectors, Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, Racine County Sheriff’s Office, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, City of Burlington Police Department, City of Lake Geneva Police Department, City of Elkhorn Police Department and the Village of East Troy Police Department.
Editor’s note: Joshua Potter’s address is shown as it appears on wcca.wicourts.gov.
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL.)
As London subway trains approach each station, riders are warned to “Mind the gap!” The warning alerts riders to the space between the train and the subway platform, so that they won’t trip on their way off the train.
As the calendar carries us toward summer 2022, we must mind a different gap. The school lunch program is the main nutritional support for many of our Whitewater children. For seven weeks this summer, these lunch programs will not be operating. Without a program to provide lunches during that time, children will go hungry.
Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL) uses community support to meet this need. For the past few years WUL has gathered donations of cash and food. Its volunteers acquired groceries, sorted them into bags, and delivered the food. It involved a lot of material handling and physical effort.
We’re simplifying the program this year. WUL is working to raise $10,000 in cash donations. The Whitewater United Church of Christ will receive and manage the money for WUL. The money will fund the purchase of gift cards that the Whitewater Unified School District will distribute to the families to buy groceries. There will be two distributions, one for the June-July break in schooling, and one for the month of August.
Every dollar WUL receives will be used to feed people who need your help. Please send personal, church or organizational donations to:
UCC Congregational Church ATTN: Renea 133 S. Franklin Street Whitewater WI 53190
Please write “Mind the Gap” on the memo line.
If you have questions about this program or want additional information, please call:
Mary Sue Reutebuch (608) 931-9844
Rosalinda Martinez (920) 222-0749
Marjorie Stoneman (414) 861-4126
Mark Bromley (608) 732-7880
Thank you, Whitewater Unites Lives
Mind the Gap (Atención al hueco)
Cuando los trenes del metro de Londres se acercan a cada estación, se advierte a los viajeros “¡Cuidado con el hueco!”. La advertencia avisa a los viajeros del espacio que hay entre el tren y la plataforma del metro, para que no tropiecen al bajar del tren.
A medida que el calendario nos lleva hacia el verano de 2022, debemos prestar atención a otro espacio. El programa de almuerzos escolares es el principal apoyo nutricional para muchos de nuestros niños de Whitewater. Durante siete semanas de este verano, estos programas de almuerzo no van a operar. Sin un programa que proporcione almuerzos durante ese tiempo, los niños pasarán hambre.
Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL) utiliza el apoyo de la comunidad para responder a esta necesidad. Durante los últimos años, WUL ha recaudado donaciones de dinero y alimentos. Sus voluntarios adquirían los alimentos, los organizaban en bolsas y los entregaban. Esto requería mucha mano de obra y esfuerzo físico.
Este año estamos simplificando el programa. WUL está trabajando para recaudar 10,000 dólares en donaciones en efectivo. La Iglesia Whitewater United recibirá y administrará el dinero para WUL. El dinero financiará la compra de tarjetas de regalo que el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Whitewater distribuirá a las familias para comprar alimentos. Habrá dos distribuciones, una para el receso escolar de junio-julio y otra para el mes de agosto.
Cada dólar que reciba WUL se utilizará para alimentar a personas que necesitan su ayuda. Por favor, envíe sus donaciones personales, de la iglesia o de la organización a:
UCC Congregational Church ATTN: Renea 133 S. Franklin Street Whitewater WI 53190 Por favor, escriba “Mind the Gap” en la línea de memo.
Si tiene preguntas sobre este programa o desea información adicional, llame por teléfono: Mary Sue Reutebuch (608) 931-9844
Miriam with “Little Oscar” at her father’s meat market
The Chapter Story – Chapter 3: “Daddy’s Daughter” – Miriam Debereiner
By Sherrie Benes Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Acknowledgement: “I would dedicate my story to my mama and daddy, who spoiled me with many great pleasures while growing up!”
Introduction: I hope you can feel the vibrant, humorous personality this lady shared with me, while you read her story! The stage was her calling, if only she hadn’t listened to her heart…enjoy!
Ten years after the birth of their first daughter Arlene, Frank and Irma Richter were blessed with another beautiful daughter on August 16, 1931, whom they named Miriam.
… “I didn’t notice if we were considered well off. I just knew daddy had a good meat market business, that was very well known! It was called WH McNitt & Company, Central Market-Frank Richter. Do you know where the large fish that hangs on Main Street in Fort Atkinson is?” she asked. “That was the building where my daddy’s meat market used to be!”
“I never went without, and I admit I was a spoiled child! But I think I was spoiled because I was the one known to have ‘the talent’” she said.
When Miriam was 5 years old, she attended dance lessons, along with tap, toe and ballet. One day, the teacher heard her humming to the song and asked her to come over to sing. “Well, I couldn’t read the words yet, so they’d tell me the words and I just started singing!”
This was soon to be, just the beginning of her recognized talent!
At around seven years old, young Miriam started singing with the Fort Atkinson City Band, with concerts being held at Barry Park. “I can remember one time, which was very exciting, when everyone wanted my autograph!” Laughing she added, “I signed a lot of ice cream sticks that day!”
During the war (WWll), she found herself helping out more at the meat market, due to the men who had left to serve our country. She fondly recalled how after school she would go to the market and how she got to use the “big old cash register.”
“Daddy had to put a box up to it, just so I could reach it! All it did was add up the items, it didn’t tell you how much change to make. You had to know your math!” She also recalled her favorite job while helping her mama and daddy during this time, “I loved raking the sawdust on the floor!” she said excitedly! “Some people would drop money and they couldn’t find it in all that sawdust. So, if I found any while raking, I got to keep it for myself!”
When she got older, she then got the important job of helping to ‘scrape the block.’ “That’s where daddy would cut up the big slabs of meat,” she explained.
She talked about how these slabs of meat would come in, and they would have to weigh them on a big meat scale. “Did I tell you my daddy’s nickname? He was called Fat Frank! He was a big man! He was probably 5’9″ and weighed 350 pounds. He used to use that old meat scale to weigh himself!” Reminiscing she added softly, “but boy could he polka…”
When it came time for Miriam to get her driver’s license, most of the police officers might have thought she already had one, because you would often find her driving her daddy’s big boat (Oldsmobile) around town! But when it came time to take her actual driver’s test, she said, “I think my daddy’s car confused the officer who was giving me the test! My daddy’s car was a ‘Hydra-Matic’ and it was the first one in the state of Wisconsin, so he didn’t know much about those kinds of vehicles!” (Needless to say, Miriam only had to drive down the street and back, before the officer told her she had passed!)
When cheerleading tryouts began, she was excited to participate! “But when the music teacher found out,” she said, “that teacher came right down to the tryouts, and took me out! She said I wasn’t going to wreck my voice that way, and that was the end of that!”
After graduating high school, Miriam’s daddy wanted her to go on to school, so she enrolled in Milton College. By this time, she had fallen in love with her high school sweetheart who had gone into the Army. She planned on going for a music major, but after one year, she decided to take temporary leave, to work and save for her wedding. During this leave, the Milton College came to her and offered her a full music scholarship. She was honored to think that this was the first ever music scholarship being offered, but she turned it down…
“Why did you turn it down Miriam?” I had to ask. “Besides being terribly in love,” she said with drama, “I would’ve had to have been a music teacher or a performer. To be a performer, you gotta have PASSION!!”
“But you do!!” I exclaimed. She replied laughing, “Oh, not that way!!”
Her life went on to see many more “adjustments” as she would call it. She traveled to Germany to meet up with her husband in the Army, where she lived with a German family for 1 ½ years. She also found herself moving around a lot when returning to the states. “When we lived in Green Bay for a while, we had some great times that I can recall! I’m a huge Packers fan, and we attended quite a few games! But back then, at the old stadium, you got dressed up for the football games! You wore dresses, nylons, and heels, the whole outfit!”
She also told of the after-game parties they and their friends would host. “A few Packer players would even show up! I remember Paul Horning, he was always called the ‘Party Boy,’ but we never asked for autographs. It would have been demeaning!”
She then recalled the Ice Bowl, “Yep, I was there! But we of course didn’t know it would be referenced as the Ice Bowl!” She told of how bad the weather was, and coming from Fort Atkinson, they had to ‘drive like maniacs’ to make the game! “We only missed the kickoff! We wore as many layers as we could, but we didn’t have the fancy clothing or heat warmers like they have today! I sat with my boots on Styrofoam throughout the game, but when it was time to leave, I couldn’t get up! I couldn’t feel my feet! They had to help me out because I couldn’t walk!” Astonished, I asked, “did you stay until the end?”
With a swing of her fist in the air, she set me straight! “Well of course!! I’m a Packer backer to this day!” (…along with calling her ‘vibrant’ in my introduction, I should’ve added ‘spunky’!)
For approximately 20 years of her life, Miriam lived in Whitewater and worked part of these years at the Sentry Foods store. She was a checker at this time, which she thoroughly enjoyed! But after the owner sold and a new person took over, she explained it as being a ‘mellofahess’! Ignorantly I asked her, “is that German?”
Laughing, she whispered, “no, that means hell of a mess! I was never allowed to swear or use naughty words when I was younger, although I do my fair share now!”
After working 10 years at Sentry, she moved on to work in the accounting department at the UW Whitewater. Here, she worked for another 10 years before retiring to spend time with her late husband John, building their home.
After her husband’s passing, Miriam decided to sell their home that they lovingly built together and move back to Whitewater. At 90 years old, she has settled back in the Whitewater community and even has thoughts of joining the Aquatic Center, because of her love of swimming!
In closing out our wonderful conversation that morning, Miriam said something that I thought summed up her life very well….
“My life has been full of adjustments, constant adjustments. You just have to make the best of everything….”
Our thanks to Miriam Debereiner for sharing her story in our feature “Chapter Story.” Also, for the use of the picture of “Little Oscar” with her young self, at her father’s meat market! (This picture can also be seen at Pick n Save in Fort Atkinson, she stated.)
If you know of anyone that would like to share their story, or your own, please contact me at sherbenes@gmail.com. I would love to meet you! Sherrie
Our thanks also, to the sponsor of this Chapter Story!
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Ripon College.
The Ripon College Jazz Ensemble will present their spring concert Friday, April 22. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Demmer Recital Hall, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts. Admission is free and open to the public.
The 18-member ensemble, which features Ripon College students as well as Ripon faculty and staff and area community members, will present a wide variety of jazz music spanning almost 100 years. It also will be the last Jazz Ensemble concert for three of the group’s seniors: Jacob Zuehlke of Whitewater, Wisconsin, will be featured on Gil Evans’ arrangement of Léo Delibes “The Maids of Cadiz,” from the classic Miles Davis album “Miles Ahead”; and Lydia Wiley Deal of Whitewater, Wisconsin, and Allison Slowiak of Kiel, Wisconsin, will be featured on Kenny Wheeler’s “Gentle Piece.”
The concert also will feature the world premiere of “For Everyone,” composed and arranged by ensemble director Paul Dietrich, adjunct instructor of music.
Other pieces will be selected from “Across the Track Blues,” composed and arranged by Duke Ellington; “Boom-Boom,” composed and arranged by Bob Brookmeyer; “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” composed by Charles Mingus, arranged by Sy Johnson; “A Hymn for Her,” composed and arranged by Fred Sturm; and “Well, You Needn’t,” composed by Thelonious Monk, arranged by Joe Clark.
