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The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team will be represented by four Warhawks at the 2025 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship in Providence, Rhode Island this week.
Championship Information:
Date: March 14-15, 2025
Host: Johnson & Wales University
Location: Amica Mutual Pavilion (AMP) in Providence, Rhode Island
Schedule (all times Eastern): Friday Sessions – 10am & 6 pm; Saturday Sessions – 10 am & 7 pm
Live Coverage: Track Wrestling Hub
The League of Women Voters Whitewater Area will hold a Candidate Forum for Whitewater Unified School District school board candidates on Saturday, March 15, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM, in the City of Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room, 312 W Whitewater Street.
There are four candidates running for two open seats on the school board. The candidates are Miguel Aranda (incumbent), Jennifer Kienbaum (incumbent), Nick Baldwin, and Wayne Redenius. All four candidates accepted the League’s invitation to attend the forum. League board member Ellen Penwell will serve as moderator.
The League sponsors candidate forums for the benefit of YOU, the voter. At the forum, you will be asked to write your questions on cards distributed by the League. Questions are reviewed by question checkers, who sort them by topic and check for redundancy, before forwarding them to the moderator. We do not accept questions targeted to specific candidates. Questions prepared by the League board will be used only if there are not enough questions provided by residents in attendance at the forum.
Bring your family, friends and neighbors! Be an active participant in our democracy!
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area and like us on Facebook.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
This week’s image in our Fairhaven series is a view of what can only be called a “mid-century modern” style lounge at Fairhaven, first built in 1962 and dedicated in September of 1963. The modern architecture of the facility was lauded at the time. Fairhaven initially cost almost $2,000,000 to build and consisted of six different types of apartments, all with kitchenettes along with lounges, dining rooms and other facilities. Also included was an “infirmary” that later was defined as a skilled nursing facility, or nursing home. But, the primary focus of Fairhaven, as it still remains today, was to provide an active, but safe, lifestyle for elderly residents.
Join us next week for more history of Fairhaven from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(4453PC, Whitewater Historical Society)
Greetings!
My name is Mike Smith, and I humbly ask for your vote in the upcoming election for Alderman in the 1st Aldermanic District. (the east end of the city).
I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and attended Michigan Technological University. I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1995. My career has focused on mechanical system design and plastics. I currently hold a position as Senior Mechanical Engineer at GE Healthcare in Pewaukee. I am very fortunate to love my job. I am also currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Theology from Covenant Theological Seminary.
I am the proud father of two Whitewater Middle School students, Melody & Eric. Both are active in several extracurricular activities. I am appreciative of the availability of these activities by the school district, local area clubs and the Park and Rec Department. I am honored to be involved as both a volunteer and coach in several youth sports clubs.
Whitewater has been my family’s home since 2011. I am proud to serve on the Planning and Architectural Committee for the City of Whitewater. I regularly attend City Council and School Board meetings. Outside of coaching, parenting, practicing my faith and performing my civic responsibilities, I can be found walking my dogs around our small town and its once picturesque Cravath & Trippe Lakes. Finally, I am the author of “Discerning Whitewater”, a blog about local issues affecting Whitewater. DW has been a strong medium for my voice and the voice of others to be heard.
Ultimately, my city property taxes going up 50% over the last three years has driven me to run for Alderman.
The housing issue has gotten much attention over the last six months. The $5.1M TIF subsidy given by the city to the 128-unit apartment on the east side of town has gotten much deserved scrutiny.
TIF can be very helpful with the development of businesses. Businesses will, in return, create jobs and tax revenue rather quickly. Unfortunately, the city’s focus on apartments restricts the opportunity to use TIF money to bring in businesses and jobs. It’s like maxing out a credit card with nothing to show for it, and the taxpayers will be paying the bill for a very long time (seventeen years in the case of the 128-unit apartment).
I want to see the focus shift to making the quality of life significantly better in Whitewater. Whitewater can have a downtown area that competes with Delavan, Elkhorn, Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, and other neighboring communities.
I also want to see quality of life improve with cost-effective fixes to Cravath and Trippe Lakes.
I absolutely love this community. I very much want to be part of the leadership that improves the quality of life in such a way that every citizen sees it and feels it.
I hope to get your vote on April 1st. I will strive to be a candidate of integrity. One that will not look for the easy answer, but the correct one. It is with great conviction that I wish to be of service to this community.
If you want to chat, whether you are on the east side of town or not, give me a call. I would love to hear from you.
Respectfully,
-Michael Smith
262.366.0467
mike@mspd-llc.net
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club.
The Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club is holding an Easter Lilies fundraiser again this year to raise funds to help children. Each lily plant is $20 and will be available for pick up on Friday, April 11 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 145 South Prairie in Whitewater. Deliveries can also be requested. Anyone interested in ordering the plants should contact Al Stanek at (608) 320-9781 or any Kiwanian. Orders are due by March 21.
Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Co-President Corey Davis said, “We hope everyone will spring into action to order these beautiful lilies and help out children at the same time. Spring is just around the corner, and these lilies will brighten your day as well as the days of the children Kiwanis helps.”
Whitewater Kiwanis is a group of dedicated volunteers who help both children of the Whitewater community and the world. The club raised funds to make possible the installation of the city’s first piece of inclusive playground equipment, a We-Go-Round, in Starin Park. Annual donations are also made to provide shoes and winter clothes for students, as well as support for organizations such as the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House, The Community Space, and the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club.
If you have an interest in helping youth in Whitewater, you can check out Whitewater Kiwanis on Facebook and join our Club by contacting Corey Davis at coreydavis77@yahoo.com
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
Ferradermis is headed to Houston for the FIRST Championships!
Wednesday morning, as part of FIRST’s new qualification protocols for Champs, the Whitewater High School FIRST Robotics Competition Team Ferradermis received an invitation to compete in Houston based on their rankings in the regional pool! Ferradermis performed very well on and off the field at the Lake Superior Regional two weeks ago, winning the event and the Team Sustainability Award, and was ranked #78 in the world out of the 754 teams that had competed in the first two weeks of global regional events. Some of those 754 teams received automatic bids at their event or were pre-qualified from last year, but all teams were ranked based on points earned at their event(s). Points were based on a team’s ranking after qualification rounds, their position in the alliance selections, their alliance’s performance in the playoffs, and team awards won. As of Wednesday, Ferradermis was the 25th highest ranked team in the world in the pool without an automatic bid, and Wednesday morning, FIRST extended invitations to 26 teams from that pool.
108 FRC teams from around the world have now secured a spot at FIRST Championships. With four more weeks of competitions, that number will eventually grow to 600 (out of 3,715 teams competing globally this year), and Ferradermis can’t wait to be part of that excitement!
Ferradermis will compete in two additional regional events before the trip to Houston. The public is invited to attend the Phantom Lakes Regional at Mukwonago High School on March 28 or 29 or the Wisconsin Regional at State Fair Park in West Allis on April 5 or 6. Both events are free and open to the public, and they make great fun family entertainment!
Ferradermis will now go into fundraising mode for the Houston trip, with a need to raise an additional $30,000 to take 30+ people to Houston for 6 days. If you would like to show your financial support to the team, donations can be made online at https://www.ferradermis.org/, or checks made out to WHS can be mailed in care of Laura Masbruch to Whitewater High School, 534 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, WI 53190.
Article and Photo Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor
lmasbruch@wwusd.org
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team will head to Pennsylvania for Sweet 16 action hosted by Scranton University this week. The Warhawks are set to face league-foe UW-Stout on Friday.
SECTIONAL INFORMATION
Dates: March 14-15, 2025
Host: Scranton University in Scranton, PA
Venue: John Long Center, 1030 Ridge Row, Scranton, PA
Watch Live on NCAA Champs Pass
Follow Live via Scranton’s Live Stats Page
Tickets: Cash only on day of game; No advance sales available (doors will open one hour before the first game)
SECTIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday – Sweet 16 Game One: UW-Whitewater (24-6) vs. UW-Stout (21-7), 4:30 PM CT
Friday – Sweet 16 Game Two: Johns Hopkins (24-4) vs. Scranton (28-1), 7 PM CT
Saturday – Elite 8: Winner of Game One vs. Winner of Game Two, 7 PM CT
HOW WE GOT HERE
The Warhawks won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title for the fourth time in program history to claim the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament. UW-Whitewater is amid their 23rd national tournament appearance in program history and ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament run. UWW hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament defeating Principia 75-53 in the opener. The Warhawks punched their ticket to the Sweet 16 with a thrilling 50-49 win over UW-La Crosse in round two.
HISTORY vs. SECTIONAL TEAMS
This is the fourth meeting between these two WIAC squads this season. The Blue Devils won the two regular season meetings, 80-67 and 76-65. The Warhawks took the WIAC semifinal matchup played on the road 69-63. UWW leads the all-time series against UW-Stout 32-19.
This is the second meeting between two WIAC institutions in the Sweet 16 in NCAA championship history. In 2014, the Warhawks defeated UW-Oshkosh 69-57 to advance to the Elite 8.
An Elite 8 game between the Warhawks and Johns Hopkins or Scranton would be the first meeting between the two teams.
SWEET 16 HISTORY
The Warhawks are in the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive season and seventh under Head Coach Keri Carollo. The most recent Sweet 16 win for UWW was a 72-61 win over Hope College last season.
This is UW-Stout’s fourth Sweet 16 appearance (2024, 2006, 2005) in program history. The Blue Devils are 0-3 heading into Friday’s contest.
COACH CAROLLO IN THE POSTSEASON
Coach Carollo has led UW-Whitewater to the NCAA Tournament 16 times in her 23 seasons at the helm for the Warhawks. Under her leadership, UWW is 31-15 in the postseason with six Sweet 16 appearances, five trips to the Elite 8, four Final Fours, a pair of third-place finishes (2008, 2014) and two national runners-up (2013, 2022). Overall, Coach Carollo is 463-178 – a win percentage of 72.2 – in her tenure at UW-Whitewater. She holds the most wins among active coaches in the WIAC.
RECORDS, MILESTONES, HONORS
The Warhawks set a number of records, reached a few milestones and added multiple honors throughout the 2024-25 campaign so far. Senior guard Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater), the league’s Player of the Year this season and All-Defensive Team pick, broke the conference record for career three’s. She broke the UWW record for career rebounds (a record that had stood for 41 years) and three-pointers in a season. In her final game in Kachel Gym last week, Carollo set one more record in a fitting way — wearing jersey #13, she registered 13 points and 13 rebounds to break the program record for career double-doubles. Carollo, also named the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete for Women’s Basketball, is just two points away from breaking the single season scoring record at UW-Whitewater.
Joining Carollo on the All-WIAC teams were seniors Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) (Honorable Mention) and Olivia Zuege (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) (All-Sportsmanship).
Senior Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) hit a major milestone this season, scoring her 1,000th point to become the 20th Warhawk in program history to reach the mark.
On Saturday, March 8th, students from Whitewater High School participated in the Wisconsin School Music Association [WSMA] District Solo/Ensemble Festival at Jefferson High School. Students performed in both instrumental and vocal events throughout the day. Congratulations to all WHS students who performed! Special congratulations to the WHS students who received at 1* rating in one or more events which qualifies them for the WSMA State Solo/Ensemble Festival which will be held on April 26 on the UW-Whitewater campus. We wish you all the best!
Dante Baker – Marimba Solo
Isabella Cohen, Jay Downs, Taiya Kolb, and Xavier Ortiz – Saxophone Quartet
Ben Crone – Marimba Solo
Esteban Diaz-Gallegos – Alto Saxophone Solo
Lucy Troxel – Clarinet Solo
Sami Van Daele – Marimba Solo
Willow Vogelzang – Flute Solo
A’lani Ross – Musical Theater & Alto Solo
Charlotte Hajewski – Musical Theater & Soprano Solo
Samuel Nickelsburg – Musical Theater & Tenor Solo
Ava Van Daele – Musical Theater & Alto Solo
Alexander Clarksen – Musical Theater & Tenor Solo
Willow Vogelzang – Musical Theater & Soprano Solo
Ian Agen – Musical Theater & Tenor Solo
Chacha Binagi – Baritone Solo
Ameera Lin – Alto Solo
Payton Bunger – Baritone Solo
Alex Clarksen & Alex Sullivan – Tenor/Soprano Duet
Vivian Harris – Alto Solo
Ava Van Daele & A’lani Ross – Soprano/Alto Duet
Alex Sullivan – Soprano Solo
Ava Van Daele – Alto Solo
Chord of the Rings members Ian Agen, Chacha Binagi, Alex Clarksen, Esteban Diaz-Gallegos, David Enns, Samuel Nickelsburg, Josh Nygren (Cruz Aranda)- Contemporary A Cappella
Music Masters Ensemble members Chacha Binagi, Payton Bunger, Ayden Clark, Alex Clarksen, Isabella Cohen, David Enns, Charlotte Hajewski, Samuel Nickelsburg Harry Ritchie, A’lani Ross, Alex Sullivan, Ava Van Daele, Willow Vogelzang (Hayleigh Pond) – Madrigal Ensemble
Music Masters Ensemble members Chacha Binagi, Payton Bunger, Ayden Clark, Alex Clarksen, Isabella Cohen, David Enns, Charlotte Hajewski, Samuel Nickelsburg Harry Ritchie, A’lani Ross, Alex Sullivan, Ava Van Daele, Willow Vogelzang (Hayleigh Pond) – Vocal Jazz Ensemble
Article and Photos Submitted by Sam Averill
Whitewater High School Band Director
saverill@wwusd.org
Obituaries
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
Lois Cummings, 99, of Fond du Lac, WI (formerly of Janesville, WI, Fort Atkinson, WI, Fountain Hills, AZ, and Green Valley, AZ) passed away peacefully on May 5, 2026 at the Meadows Senior Residence in Fond du Lac surrounded by family. Lois was born on February 17, 1927 in Fort Atkinson to Edward and Clarice (Roseth) Stevens. The middle child of 9 children, she attended Fort Atkinson schools and graduated in 1944. On September 11, 1948 Lois married Grant Cummings at Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Delavan, WI. Together they had 3 children, Gary, Colleen (Tom) Sabel, and Patty (Paul) … Read more
Come celebrate William Kincaid’s Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 30th at 1 pm at Trippe Lake Park Pavillion in Whitewater. He truly enjoyed gatherings where his favorite foods and music could be enjoyed with some of his closest friends and family. We will honor him by carrying on one of his favorite traditions. Please bring your own beverages and chairs. There is limited seating. See you all there!
Gladys Jean (Riley) Hildebrandt, age 89, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 23, 2026. Gladys was born on December 26, 1936, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Theresa Egnoski Riley. She was married to Walter Sobolik Sr., and later married James A. Hildebrandt in 1976. Gladys was a hardworking woman who spent her life caring for others. She worked in school kitchens, restaurants, factories, and cleaning services. She concluded her working career as a full-time nanny. In that role, she lovingly cared for Andrew, Daniel, and Kaitlyn Drzewiecki, who became part of her chosen family. Gladys is survived by her sons, Wally … Read more
WHITEWATER – Nan Rowley died on April 15, 2026, at the age of 90. She was born on September 4, 1935, in a little house on the prairie in the Town of Johnstown, Wisconsin, the daughter of Wayne L. Wilbur and Florence (McQuillen) Wilbur. Nan attended primary schools in the towns of Johnstown and Richmond and in the City of Whitewater. Nan graduated with honors from Whitewater City High School. On June 19, 1954, Nancy and Ken Rowley were united in marriage in Whitewater and went to live on the Rowley family farm in Richmond. Over the years, Nan served … Read more
Marion H. Gorniak (nee Pfeiffer), 74, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2026. She was born on October 24, 1951, to the late Harvey and Loraine (nee Drifke) Pfeiffer in Fort Atkinson, WI. On June 2, 1969, she was united in marriage to Alan Gorniak. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, and cooking, especially her rhubarb pies. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends and will be missed by all who knew her. Those Marion leaves behind to cherish her memory include her husband, Alan Gorniak; stepson, Alan Bauer; sister, Sue Ann Schultz, other relatives and friends. … Read more
Ruth Irene (Phelps) Justis, 88, of Appleton City, Missouri, passed away Friday morning, April 10, 2026, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg, MO, with her family by her side. Ruth was born June 3, 1937 in Janesville, Wisconsin, to Charles and Ada Mae (Maly) Phelps. She joined the Marine Corps in 1956. During her time there, she met and married her husband, Forest Wayne “Wayne” Justis in 1957. They shared 62 years of marriage and to this union, 2 children, Charles and Dorene, were born. Ruth grew up in Whitewater, WI., the oldest of three children. Ruth graduated from … Read more
Dorothy C. Kau, age 101, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at Fort Memorial Hospital. Dorothy was born on March 18, 1925 in Eagle on the family farm, the daughter of John and Katherine (Faestel) VonRueden. Dorothy was a 1942 graduate of Palmyra High School. On May 21, 1949, Dorothy was united in marriage to Alvin E. Kau at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Eagle and the Lord blessed their union with 8 children. Alvin and Dorothy enjoyed 50 years of marriage together until Alvin’s death in the year 2000. Dorothy enjoyed being a farm … Read more
Dorothy E. McCracken, 95, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, in Sarasota, Florida. Born on April 14, 1930, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Carl and Joyce Meyer, Dorothy grew up in Whitewater and graduated from Whitewater High School. She then worked for a photographer and hand painted his first colored portraits, until she got married. She and her first husband, Bernard Wafle, owned and operated a 179-acre dairy farm in Helenville, Wisconsin, for 25 years before relocating to Ocala, Florida, in 1979. Dorothy later married Earl McCracken, in Ocala, Fl. She also shared a special companionship later in life with … Read more
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