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Sheriff Fell is pleased to announce that the Rock County Sheriff’s Office will offer our second and final 2024 ATV Safety Education Course on February 6, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., and February 17, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., at the Rock County
Fairgrounds – Craig Center, 1301 Craig Ave, Janesville, WI 53545. Students will need to attend both sessions to graduate.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, is required to complete an ATV Safety Education Course in order to legally operate an ATV or UTV in areas open to the public within the State of Wisconsin. It is recommended that participants are at least 12 years of
age or turn 12 shortly after the class.
ATV Safety Education Course
Session 1: Tues., February 6, from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. @ Rock Co. Fairgrounds – Craig Center
Session 2: Sat., February 17, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. @ Rock Co. Fairgrounds – Craig Center
Registration is now open. Complete the online enrollment form to reserve a seat.
https://www.co.rock.wi.us/departments/sheriff-s-office/recreational-patrol/atv-education
Class size is limited to thirty (30) students. Upon submission of the registration form, the submitter will see an onscreen confirmation message with course information.
The course fee of $10 per student will be collected at the first session. If the student is under 18 years old, a parent/guardian will need to attend the first session with the student. Students will receive course materials at the first session. Please direct any
questions to Deputy Trevor Lund at trevor.lund@co.rock.wi.us.
Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Rock County Sheriff’s Department.
On Saturday morning, January 20, the varsity wrestlers traveled to Monroe to participate in the Monroe Invitational. This year the event featured 15 teams as some teams joined after having their tournament canceled from last weekend’s snow storm. The added teams were some very strong teams, one featuring three returning state champions and another that is going to be in a battle for a regional title in a strong regional in southwest Wisconsin. This was an outstanding test for the Whippet Wrestlers to help analyze where they are as we are three weeks from the tournament series.
The tournament was a tale of contrasting rounds for the team. They started out extremely strong losing only one match, followed by round two where the team only won two of its matches as they ran into some extremely tough opponents in the quarter finals. After a tough round, the coaching staff was concerned on how the team would respond, but they did great, winning all but two of the matches again. One of those wins put Sebastian Cuellar (165) into the finals after a big pin in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, based on the format of the brackets, the only way a wrestler can place in the top 4 is by making the semi-finals. Besides Cuellar, those that won in the 3rd round all put themselves into the 5th place match.
The final round was another tough round for the Whippets. Cuellar lost a tough match to a young man from Belleville who is having a very strong year, putting Cuellar as runner up at 165 pounds. Junior (Vicente) Soto at heavyweight wrestled extremely well all day finishing with the bronze medal. On the 5th place mat, the Whippets saw Jasen Porras (113), Jarvis Porcaro (120), and Traysen Thomason (144) all secure victories and reach the podium. Cuellar, Soto, Porras, Porcaro, and Thomason all finished the day an impressive 4-1. Finishing the day 3-2 and in 6th place were Connor Friend (132), Odair Porras (150), JJ Gonzalez (157), Jesus Barajas (175), and Payton Lyon (190).
The team race was very close with the top two teams; Janesville Parker edged Belleville by one point! Whitewater finished in 6th place with 143 points. The two teams immediately ahead of Whitewater had 144 points. Looking back on the day, had the Whippets picked up just one more win they would have finished in 4th place. Of course, as a coach it hurts to be so close to the top four as a team. However, based on the quality of competition of the tournament, the coaching staff is happy with the performance of the team.
The Whippets are next in action on Thursday, January 25th, when they travel to compete against a strong Oregon team.
Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Whitewater (2-12) fell to Evansville (2-12) in boys’ basketball at Whitewater High School on Thursday night, January 25, by a score of 65-50.
Evansville was led in scoring by Mason Brown with 16 points off the bench. Whitewater was led by sophomore Casey Lyon with 16 points. Evansville’s freshman Karter Tway had 12 points in the second half.
Next up for the Whippets is Milwaukee Reagan. Whitewater plays at JustAgame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells on Saturday. JV1 and JV2 tip at 2:30 p.m., and Varsity is scheduled to start at 4:10 p.m.
Article Submitted by Mike McCabe
Whitewater High School Head Boys’ Basketball Coach
mccmi01@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
By Chris Lindeke
Marketing and Communications Manager
University Marketing and Communications
Web story: https://www.uww.edu/news/archive/2024-01-special-olympics
For the second consecutive year, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will welcome Special Olympics Wisconsin athletes and coaches to campus for the State Summer Games. The event is scheduled to take place June 6-8, 2024, and will include competition in track and field, cornhole, powerlifting, tennis and soccer.
In 2023, thousands of athletes, coaches and spectators were on campus for the Summer Games as the university welcomed a record number of visitors for camps and other events.
“We warmly welcome Special Olympics Wisconsin back to campus for the State Summer Games this June,” said Corey A. King, UW-Whitewater chancellor. “Our staff will work tirelessly to ensure that all athletes, coaches and fans enjoy a uniquely satisfying experience while they are on campus. As Warhawks, we embrace high-quality, high-energy events like this and pride ourselves on providing a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment. We are excited to watch these athletes compete.”
“We are thrilled to return to UW-Whitewater for our 2024 Summer Games,” said Chad Hershner, president and CEO of Special Olympics Wisconsin. “UW-Whitewater and the entire Whitewater community are truly collaborative hosts, and we are looking forward to having all community members join us for the games and experience the games alongside our incredible athletes.”
All events for the 2024 State Summer Games will take place on the UW-Whitewater campus.
Healthy Athletes disciplines will also be featured throughout the Summer Games. Health Promotion, a discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes that focuses on healthy living, healthy lifestyle choices and nation-specific health issues, will take place on Friday, June 7. The program offers screenings for bone density, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI).
The Opening Eyes program, which will also take place on June 7, provides Special Olympics athletes with high-quality vision and eye health screenings, prescription eyewear and sports goggles and improved education and training for eye care professionals and optometry students so they are better able to meet the unique needs of this marginalized group.
Special Smiles, which provides comprehensive oral health care information including free dental screenings and instructions on correct brushing and flossing techniques to Special Olympics athletes, will take place Saturday, June 8.
The Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation and Golisano Foundation, CDC, support the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes initiative.
Additional information about other events and programs taking place during the games is forthcoming. Volunteers for the 2024 State Summer Games are needed, and signup will be available on SpecialOlympicsWisconsin.org. Or, contact volunteer@specialolympicswisconsin.org if you are interested.
If you have a disability and require accommodations, please advise us as soon as possible. Requests are confidential. UW-Whitewater provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA. Please contact Morgan Anderson at andersml@uww.edu or 262-472-1095 for further information.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
This is the last of our winter images of downtown Whitewater. It was taken in front of the Van Voorhees 1890 addition to the Armory block and the Julius Johnson Block (buildings with the bay windows). Henry Van Voorhees built the Armory Block (200-206 W. Whitewater St.) in 1887, then built the two-storefront addition in 1890. Johnson’s one-storefront building was also constructed in 1890. The bay windows were typical details of late 19th century commercial buildings and help make this building group one of the most elegant in Whitewater’s downtown.
Join us next week for more historic images from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(3727P, Whitewater Historical Society)
By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information
La Crosse, Wis. – The No. 4 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team suffered its first loss of the 2023-24 campaign Wednesday – 77-66 at UW-La Crosse.
Box Score
The game was tight until the fourth when the Eagles’ offense took flight. UW-La Crosse shot 60-percent (6-10) from the floor and 71-percent (5-7) from three-point range to pull away in the final 10 minutes of action.
The Warhawks battled back from an early seven-point deficit to knot the game by the end of the first quarter. UW-Whitewater went on a 6-0 run with Aleah Grundahl registering an old-fashioned three-point play followed by a Kacie Carollo triple that brought the score to 17-17 at the end of the first.
UWW claimed the lead, 27-25, midway through the second quarter on a Maggie Trautsch coast-to-coast layin following a steal. Another Trautsch layup at the 1:47 mark gave UW-Whitewater its largest lead, 35-29. The Eagles hit a jumper and a three-pointer to cut the lead to one, but Katie Hildebrandt capitalized on a second chance opportunity to send UWW into the intermission with a 37-34 lead.
The third quarter was a roller coaster of a period with three ties and five lead changes. By the end, UW-La Crosse had flipped the three-point advantage in their favor.
The Warhawks trailed by just two at the halfway mark of the fourth before the Eagles really started to heat up from the floor. Following the final media timeout of the game, UWL hit 4-5 of their shots from the floor, including three from long range, and hit all of their free throw opportunities to keep UWW at bay.
Grundahl and Carollo combined for 52 points in the game. Grundahl had a double-double in hand by halftime and ended with 27 points, bolstered by 9-10 from the free throw line, and 12 rebounds. Carollo chipped in 25 points on 8-16 from the floor, 4-8 from beyond the arc and 5-6 from the charity stripe. She added six boards and five assists.
The now 17-1 Warhawks maintain position on top of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings with a 6-1 league mark. UWW opens the second round through the WIAC with UW-Oshkosh Saturday, January 27 in Kachel Gym.
The community is invited to join the Winter Reading Challenge at the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library. All ages are welcome to participate. Stop by the library and pick up a bookmark anytime between January 22-March 1. Fill in a circle for every 30 minutes you read or listen to a book. When all of the circles are filled, return to the library and claim your goodie bag. All entries will go into a grand prize drawing for a snow tube.
The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is located at 431 W. Center Street in Whitewater. Contact the library at 262-473-0530 with questions.
Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Irvin L. Young Library.
Obituaries
Janet Irene Heckert, age 87, passed away peacefully on July 25, 2024 in Delavan, Wisconsin. Born on November 1, 1936, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, she was the daughter of Gladys and Henry Jansen. Janet was preceded in death by her loving husband Kenneth Heckert and her brothers Sonny and Paul and sister Darlene. Janet was a graduate of Elkhorn High School in 1955. On October 24, 1957, she married the love of her life, Kenneth Heckert, at Elkhorn Baptist Church in their hometown of Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Janet worked for many years as a seamstress, but her true passion was as a … Read more
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Obituary: Fred Chester Traxler, 78 Fred was born in Whitewater, Wisconsin on October 23, 1945, son of Chester and Elva (Klug) Traxler. He was born to eternal life at Ascension St. Francis Place in Milwaukee on June 1, 2024. Fred was a 1964 graduate of Whitewater High School. In his younger days Fred enjoyed bowling and polka dancing–and was very good at both. He was very competitive, especially when pitching horseshoes with his Dad, brothers, and cousin Sid. He was always ready for a card game, and was also a big fan of the Packers and Brewers. Fred is preceded … Read more
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Harry Oliver Dempsey passed away peacefully and among family in Elkhorn, WI on July 24, 2024 at the age of 80. Born on May 21, 1944 to William and Norma (Shober) Dempsey, Harry grew up on the family farm in Whitewater. In his younger years, Harry enjoyed hunting and fishing, a passion that he later passed on to his own children. All his life he could often be found in his shop, building or fixing something – from a child’s toy to lawn mowers, cars, and tractors. His passion for self-sufficiency extended to his large garden whose abundance he happily … Read more
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SHIRLEY A. KNUTESON, age 85, of Whitewater, died Thursday, June 27, 2024 at Glenwood at Mulberry Campus in Whitewater. She was born to Hugo and Helen (Wilson) Ferge of Elkhorn, WI. She attended school in Walworth High School, graduating in 1956. Shirley worked at Sterlingworth in Elkhorn and then Fairhaven Nursing Home prior to retirement. As a young woman, she loved roller skating, had a love for animals, especially her dogs and horses on the farm. She was a loyal Brewer and Packer fan. Her diverse family was her pride and joy. Shirley is survived by her six children Jerry … Read more
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A celebration of life for Dave Triebold will be held July 27 at Triebold Farms, with festivities beginning around 11:30 am. A rememberance service will take place at 12:30 pm. A pig roast will follow, and the pool will be open. The family encourages you to stay through the evening for a bonfire as well. Contact Kris (262)949-5474 or Kath (414)412-4385 with questions.
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James Paul Fisher, 86, known by friends as JP or Jay, passed away on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at UW Hospital, Madison, with his immediate family by his side. His body finally surrendered to a heart attack after battling heart and kidney ailments for many years. Born in Fond du lac, Wisconsin, on October 25, 1937, to Lorraine and James Fisher, JP was a resident of Elkhorn and then Whitewater, Wisconsin. At age 2 JP was diagnosed with polio. Through daily therapy administered by his mother and grandmother, he overcame this life threatening virus, and with a prognosis of limited … Read more
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Shirley M. Messier, 86, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on July 8, 2024. Shirley was born to Erwin and Leona Reese on May 20, 1938, in Farmington, Wisconsin. Shirley (“Shirttail”) attended the local country school, then set out on her own, taking a job doing factory work. On August 24, 1957, she married Blaine Messier in Jefferson, Wisconsin. They had three daughters, Michele (Shelly), Terry, and Karen. Shirley spent many years being a working wife and mother, finally retiring from Polymer Technologies / MacLean Fogg in Whitewater. Shirley loved country music and spent her retirement years going to George Jones … Read more
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Patricia Ann ParrBorn 7/20/42Departed to Heaven 5/10/23 About herself, Patricia often said “I love life, I love God, He always has taken care of me, and He always will”. Patricia died peacefully at Angels Grace Hospice in Oconomowoc, after a long and courageously fought season of declining health. Patricia was born in Beaver Dam, to a lovely family, which included her older brother Dennis and not too long after, her lifetime best friend and little sister Mary. They grew up on an idyllic “Gentlemen’s Farm” outside of Jefferson, with horses and many animals. Her parents, Floyd and Kathryn owned the … Read more
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Marjorie Alice “GG” Roloff, 89, passed away Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at Golden Years in Lake Geneva, WI. She was born July 31, 1934, to Fred and Martha (Arndt) Papcke, in Whitewater, WI, the fifth of eleven children. GG attended South Heart Prairie School, across the road from the family’s home farm. She is a Whitewater High School graduate. On April 19, 1953, she married her high school sweetheart, Eric. She worked a variety of jobs over the years. Her most memorable of those being the local canning factory and as a crossing guard. After retiring, she and Eric would … Read more
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Marilyn Mae Fuerstenberg, 81 of Whitewater, WI., passed away on June 27, 2024, at Agrace Hospice in Janesville, WI. Marilyn was born May 27, 1943, in Geneva Township, to Raymond and Doris Kilpin. Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, her two younger brothers, Mike and Donny Kilpin. Marilyn married William (Bill) Fuerstenberg on September 21, 1963. Bill and Marilyn lived in Whitewater. Together they raised three children, taking the family on yearly vacations and camping trips throughout the years. Marilyn worked for Walworth County Health and Social Services as a Child Protection Social Worker. She dedicated 25 years … Read more
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