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Today is Tuesday, June 16, 2026
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A beautiful bench was dedicated at Trippe Lake Park to the memory of James “Jim” Allen on November 6, 2025. About forty community members gathered at dusk to give tribute to Jim’s legacy of service to the city. The location was fitting, as his passions included the parks and the lakes, and he had served on the recently formed Lakes Advisory Committee. Candles lit the path to the bench, which is located a short distance from the lower shelter.
This memorial bench will serve as a lasting tribute to Jim’s spirit — a place to pause, reflect, and enjoy the beauty of the lakes he loved.
Jim Allen served on the Whitewater Common Council for 15 years, including a number of terms as president. His obituary may be viewed here. Nancy Des Jardin, Jim’s mother, said that “he loved this city, lived in this city, worked here, and learned to swim in this lake!” Other speakers, also pictured below, testified to the devotion that Jim had to the city,
Whitewater Unified School District School Board – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda (Click on “meetings” in upper right corner) includes WUSD Library Plan Review, Elementary Scorecard Presentation 25-26, E. 25-26 District Report Card, and Overview Referendum Update
Whitewater High School Library
534 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin
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6:00 p.m. via Zoom Online
– URL: https: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83362071024?pwd=bWxo3q7Ifa6PCLfRbxbNrC0p9wEeSf.1
– Passcode: 439146
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– Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
– Webinar ID: 833 6207 1024
– Passcode: 439146
City of Whitewater Finance Committee – Tuesday @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda includes Discussion and possible action to recommend employee bonuses for 2025
Cravath Lakefront room 2nd floor 312 West Whitewater St
*In Person and Virtual
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83198282604?pwd=cDdLWjUvTTRqRUQ4UVcwQWcrcW1BUT09
Telephone: +1 (312) 626-6799 US
Webinar ID: 831 9828 2604
Passcode: 137945
RACINE, Wis. (WSAW/Gray News) – “A newborn was safely surrendered in a Safe Haven Baby Box for the first time in Wisconsin state history.
According to officials, the baby was placed in the Safe Haven Baby Box at a fire department in Racine on Oct. 16.
Division Chief Joshua Weber said in the release obtained by the Racine County Eye that the infant was in good health and immediately cared for by on-duty firefighters.
The baby was taken to the hospital for an evaluation and then placed in the custody of Child Protective Services….
Officials say the National Safe Haven Crisis Line has assisted in more than 175 handoff surrenders and 66 baby box surrenders nationwide.”
Editor’s note: As was announced in a Whitewater Banner article, a baby box was installed in the Whitewater Fire Department building in June of 2025.
According to State Statute 48.195, a parent can leave their unharmed newborn, under 72 hours old, anonymously and without fear of prosecution in a newborn infant safety device, or with a law enforcement officer, EMS provider, or hospital staff member. This life-saving resource allows a parent in crisis to legally accomplish this surrender anonymously. The Safe Haven Baby Box is equipped with alarm systems and climate control to ensure a rapid response from trained personnel and the health and safety of the surrendered infant.
If you are a parent in crisis, you can call or text 1-866-99BABY1 to reach the National Safe Haven Crisis Line.
The new Born Learning Trail at Starin Park will be unveiled on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 11 a.m. The trail, a collaboration between the UW-Whitewater Children’s Center, the City of Whitewater Department of Parks and Recreation, Whitewater Public Library, Whitewater LEADS and the Whitewater Community Foundation, is a celebration of early literacy and connecting with the community and the natural world around us. Signs along the trail, which runs one third of a mile, depict interactive activities in both English and Spanish that young learners can do with their caregivers. More activities will later be painted on the sidewalks and asphalt paths that form the trail.
[The national United Way organization is the sponsor of the learning trails, and their website indicates “The Born Learning Trail is a series of 10 interactive signs that offer fun, active learning activities for young children and their families. It helps parents, caregivers and communities create quality engagement opportunities when out on a stroll or visiting a local playground.”]
Congratulations to all who brought this project to Whitewater!
“What’s Cooking?”
Tuesday, November 25, 1 pm
(Comedy/Drama/Romance)
Rated PG-13; 1 hour, 49 minutes (2000).
Several families of different ethnicity (Latino, Asian, Black, Jewish, and White) gather together for Thanksgiving dinner, with much humor, drama, and love. Starring Joan Chen, Juliana Margulies, Mercedes Ruehl, Alfre Woodard, and Dennis Haysbert.
Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes out of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/
Jefferson County Sheriff Travis Maze is proud to announce the addition of its newest canine, Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Kingsley. Kingsley has been officially assigned to Detective Ryan Viney, who will oversee her training, deployment, and daily care.
K9 Kingsley joins the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office with a critical mission: to assist investigators in the fight against Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). As an ESD-certified canine, Kingsley possesses specialized skills to detect hidden electronic storage devices – such as flash drives, micro-SD cards, and other digital media – that may contain evidence vital to protecting children and supporting criminal investigations. Her keen abilities will significantly enhance the Sheriff’s Office’s capability to locate and secure digital evidence that might
otherwise go undiscovered.
The acquisition of K9 Kingsley was made possible through the extraordinary generosity of community member Mabel Schumacher. Her support not only enabled the Sheriff’s Office to expand its K9 program, but also directly contributes to safeguarding children across Jefferson County and beyond.
We are deeply grateful to Ms. Schumacher for making this addition to our team possible.
K9 Kingsley will be an invaluable asset in our ongoing efforts to investigate crimes against children and bring offenders to justice.
Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.
Bloomington, Ill. – The 2025 campaign for UW-Whitewater volleyball came to a close in the second round of the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship Friday evening. The Warhawks fell to Calvin in four sets 27-29, 25-12, 23-25, 18-25.
The Warhawks got on top early with a kill from Abbie Dix followed by back-to-back aces from Kyanne Wusterbarth. A Calvin miscue made it 4-0 UWW. The Knights responded eventually tying the set 8-8. The teams traded small runs with Calvin grabbing their first lead 14-15. Head Coach Stacy Boudreau called her first timeout of the set one point later.
On the other side of the break, the Knights were able to build a three-point margin, 15-18, when the Warhawks put together a 5-1 run to reclaim the lead 20-19 and force a Knight timeout. Dix and Gaby DiMotto registered kills while Kylee Altendorf and Aubrie Krzus added aces in the run that was capped by an Amanda Hillmann and Emily Lego block.
The squads traded points out of the timeout until Emma Bludgen hammered down a kill to give UWW a 23-22 advantage and force Calvin’s second timeout of the set. The Knights got the first two points out of the break to push set point as Coach Boudreau signaled for timeout. Bludgen tipped over the block for a kill to knot the set 24-24. After multiple set points, a deep Knight serve had the Warhawk bench calling out, but the line judge signaling in for the 27-29 final.
UW-Whitewater responded in a big way, absolutely dominating set two for a 25-12 win. The Warhawks had their way offensively pounding down 14 kills with a team attack percentage of .387 in the set. Three blocks and three aces bolstered UWW in the set and swung all of the momentum to the Warhawks.
Set three was much like the first – a back-and-forth battle with the teams trading leads, but the Knights coming out on top 23-25.
UWW struggled to rebound offensively as the Knight defense picked up in the final set. Calvin tallied eight total blocks in set four, leading to the 25-18 final score.
Dix paced the UWW offense and defense at the net with 13 kills and 6 blocks. Bludgen joined Dix in double digits with 10 kills adding 10 digs, 3 aces and a block. Krzus registered 35 assists and tallied 8 kills and 4 blocks.
UWW caps their season with a 26-8 record after making the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 36th time in program history.
Obituaries
Patricia “Pat” Lynn Bailey, age 70, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2026 with her daughter by her side. Pat was born February 21, 1956 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to John and Ruth (Hudock) Prentice. After a brief time in Ann Arbor, the Prentice family moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin, where Pat grew up as part of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater community, where her father served as University Registrar. Pat attended the University School and later graduated from UW Whitewater with a degree in Elementary Education. Although she did not pursue teaching, she built a meaningful career in Human … Read more
Gemelino Paris Esperante, 83, long time resident of Whitewater, passed away on Thursday, June 4th, 2026. He was born on January 10, 1943, to his late father and mother, Evaristo and Carmen in Spain. In 1973 he moved to the United States as a sheep herder. On August 21, 1981, he was united in marriage to Cyndie Esperante in Colorado. Gemelino also worked in Mining and construction for many years. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, raising sheep and growing things in his garden, and flowers. He will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife … Read more
Mary Ann Warner died peacefully on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at Crestridge Assisted Living in Dodgeville. Her physical heart failed, but her actual, loving heart never did. Ann was born June 28, 1939 to Mary and Charles Kearns in Iowa. She moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin and graduated with many dear friends in the class of 1957. Ann married John Warner on September 19, 1959. They lived in Whitewater, Sturgis Michigan, and finally settled in Janesville where they built a beautiful life and raised their family. Together, they ran a business, traveled, played cards, and enjoyed their lives. When they became … Read more
Patricia Ann Jacobson (Bureau), age 81, of Whitewater, WI, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI. Born on September 2, 1944, in Marquette, MI, to the late Donald and Margaret Bureau, Pat grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She graduated from Graveraet High School, attended Michigan State University, and later earned her bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University. Pat dedicated her professional life to shaping young minds, working as an elementary and junior high school teacher in both Flint, MI, and Whitewater, WI. At the heart of Pat’s life was a beautiful, … Read more
In loving memory of Lois Lauritzen, age 92, who passed away on June 1, 2026 at Lakewood Memory Care in Brookfield. Lois led an active life full of devotion to family and friends. Born July 14th, 1933 in Silvis, IL, daughter of Harry and Elsie Wilson, she grew up in the Quad Cities with older brother Harry Wilson Jr. Lois graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL with a degree in physical education. She met her husband Paul Lauritzen on the college tennis team. Their marriage on June 12th, 1955 lasted 59 years until Paul’s death on September 26th, … Read more
Donald Walter Triebold passed on to his eternal home on May 21, 2026. Don was born on April 23, 1935, in Evanston, IL, to the late Frederick W. and Mildred (nee Stecher) Triebold. Through his teen years, Don lived and worked on the family’s dairy farm, where he developed a life-long work ethic. His first eight years of education were in a one-room country schoolhouse, in which all eight grades were taught by one teacher. He graduated from Whitewater City High School in 1953 and then graduated from UW Whitewater in 1958 with a degree in Business Education. He continued his education, and earned a Master’s … Read more
William Kincaid Davis, age 84, passed away on Tuesday, May 19 at Agrace Hospice Center in Fitchburg. He was born on November 1, 1941, in Madison, Indiana, the second son of Salvation Army Officers Agnes (Dixon) and William C. Davis. He attended several schools in Indiana and Illinois, including University of Illinois Experimental High School (Champaign), and graduated from Galesburg High School in 1958. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UW-Eau Claire in 1964 and his master’s degree from UW-Whitewater in 1972. He had an expansive career in education, beginning as an English teacher in Whitehall, Thornton Township (IL) and … Read more
Magdalene “Maggie” Stetter (nee Fritz), 79, of Whitewater, Wisconsin passed from this life onto the next on Monday, May 4, 2026. She was born on January 16, 1947, to the late John and Mary (Presser) Fritz in St. Stefan, Austria. Maggie immigrated from Austria with her parents and brother, became a US citizen, and grew up and attended school in West Allis, WI and then graduated with a teaching degree from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Maggie served as a substitute, English, and German language teacher in the Whitewater, Elkhorn, Delavan, and Palmyra schools and at Divine Word Seminary. Maggie … Read more
Lawrence “Larry” C. Hartung, a proud Marine Veteran of the Vietnam War, and longtime resident of Fort Atkinson, WI, passed away peacefully at his home on May 1, 2026. Larry was born June 7th, 1949, to Levon and Charles Hartung in Chicago, IL. Larry enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1968 and served 3 consecutive tours in the Vietnam War. During this time, he became pen pals with his future wife, Candy, via a connection through his father. In 1970, he came home on leave to marry Candy. They celebrated 55 years of marriage on October 31st, 2025. During … Read more
Leo E. Wurzer, 65, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at his home. Leo was born on April 15, 1961 in Kenosha, Wisconsin to Cyril and Shirley (McNeil) Wurzer. He grew up between Pleasant Prairie and Antigo, spending his childhood summers on his uncle’s farm where he discovered his love for all things tractors. Although he never had a farm of his own, he was able to partially fulfill his dream by working as a driver for Robin’s Trucking in Whitewater, WI in his last days and collecting miniature Tonka toys. He began his career … Read more
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