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Today is Thursday, May 14, 2026
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Includes free spotter training by the National Weather Service
Madison College is partnering with the MidWest Severe Storm Tracking/Response Center to host the 2025 Dark Skies Storm Seminar on Saturday, March 8 at Madison College Truax Campus, 1701 Wright St., Room D1630, Madison, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
This event aims to educate attendees about severe storms, hazards, research, and public safety while enhancing community preparedness and awareness.
Participants will include a distinguished lineup of experts and organizations such as Madison College, University of Wisconsin, Dane County Emergency Management, Team Rubicon, Dane/Iowa County WI ARES/RACES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service), MidWest Severe Storm Tracking/Response Center, WISC TV, Four Lakes Amateur Radio Club, along with storm chaser and photojournalist, Tim Snopek.
The National Weather Service (NWS) will also conduct a complimentary Spotter Class. Attendees will learn key reporting techniques for severe weather to the NWS in an engaging two-hour session.
Join us for this informative and vital event to enhance our community’s preparedness against severe weather! The public is welcome. There is no cost and advance registration is not required.
For more information about the event and the schedule, please visit the Dark Skies Severe Weather Seminar webpage.
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Madison College. The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay.
Alex Martin, a Music major at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater from Whitewater, WI, will perform as part of the university’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall, the world-famous venue in New York City, on Tuesday, March 11, at 8 p.m.
Martin plays baritone saxophone for the group.
The concert is part of the 2025 New York Wind Band Festival, presented by World Projects Corporation. Other groups of musicians scheduled to perform include the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts String Orchestra and the Santa Rosa High School Symphonic Band.
The Symphonic Wind Ensemble previously played at Carnegie Hall in 2013 and 2020.
The group is raising funds to cover costs associated with travel. Tax deductible donations can be made here.
The ensemble, under the direction of longtime professor of music Glenn C. Hayes, is a select wind band performing a variety of concert band repertoire. All students are required to audition for the group.
Students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater have performed at other famous venues around the world. The Warhawk Marching Band, also directed by Hayes, has performed 12 times at Lambeau Field – most recently in 2023. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble played at the Symphony Center for the 2014 Chicago International Music Festival. UW-Whitewater groups have also performed at venues in Germany, Poland, and England.
Tickets are available for purchase at carnegiehall.org.
Those unable to attend the concert in New York may hear the program at The Young, 930 W. Main Street, Whitewater on Sunday, March 2. Details may be found here.
UW-Whitewater’s Department of Music is housed in the College of Arts and Communication. To learn more, visit uww.edu/music.
The UW-Whitewater women’s basketball team claimed their spot in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship with a 69-63 win at UW-Stout Thursday night. The box score and other details may be found here.
With the win, the Warhawks advance to face UW-Oshkosh for the WIAC Tournament title and the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship. The game is slated for a 3 PM tipoff in Oshkosh on Saturday. Here’s the link for the livestream.
Johnson Fieldhouse has been a notoriously tough place for the Warhawks to play, so UWW knew the WIAC Semifinal would be a battle, but they were up for the challenge. Showcasing strength through adversity, UW-Whitewater battled through foul trouble throughout much of the game. In the end, it was the free throw line that sealed the Warhawk win.
In the first half, UW-Stout held the advantage in the foul and free throw columns. After the first 20 minutes of action, four Warhawks had been whistled for multiple fouls. The Blue Devils were a perfect 9-9 from the line while UWW was just 4-6 off of the five UWS fouls.
Still, the Warhawks held the lead, although a narrow one, 31-30. Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) bolstered the first half of play with 20 points in 20 minutes with nine rebounds.
On the other side of the intermission, the margin remained at three or less until late in the third. With Carollo on the bench in foul trouble, UW-Whitewater pressed forward putting together a 7-0 run to take a 48-41 lead, the largest of the game. The Blue Devils tallied the final bucket of the third on a jumper to narrow the gap to four heading into the fourth. However, UW-Whitewater now had four players with at least three fouls with just 10 minutes left to play.
The home squad whittled away at the margin eventually knotting the game 57-57 with 2:47 left. Coming out of a UWW timeout, Carollo hit a layup off a Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) assist. On the other end, Raegan Sorenson drew a shooting foul and hit one of two.
After a few missed shots on both ends, Carollo hauled in a defensive board and went coast-to-coast with a wide open left-handed layin that gave UWW a 61-58 lead with 1:22 remaining.
On UW-Stout’s next possession a jumper hit the back of the rim and bounced straight up. Carollo went up for the rebound and appeared to have possession as a Blue Devil reached in and tried to wrestle it away. Two officials blew their whistles at the same time – one signaling for a foul, the other for a jump. The pair came together to discuss and determined it was a jump ball as UWS retained possession on their offensive end.
Carollo contested the shot on the ensuing possession, but was whistled for the foul – her fifth – with 51 seconds left. UW-Stout made both from the free throw line to narrow the gap to one, 61-60.
The Warhawks called timeout and advanced the ball to their offensive end. The inbound found its way into Maggie Trautsch’s (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) hands near the top of the key. She pump faked and drove to her left using a pair of strong dribbles to create space before pulling up and draining a jumper from the elbow to give UWW a 63-60 lead with 27.3 seconds on the clock.
The Blue Devils advanced the ball on a timeout and went to Sorenson – their main offensive threat. Hildebrandt was tough on the glass forcing a jump ball on the rebound with the possession arrow favoring UW-Whitewater.
This time the Warhawks chose not to advance the ball. Instead Renee Rittmeyer (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) took the ball under the Blue Devil basket. Her inbound pass was intended for Bri McCurdy (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls) but the sophomore guard was fouled and went to the line with 18.7 left. McCurdy hit both to extend the lead to five, 65-60.
Once again, UW-Stout called timeout and advanced the ball. The inbound went directly to their shooter Lexi Wagner in front of the Blue Devil bench. She threw up an off balance shot, but Sorenson grabbed the rebound and hit the put back and the free throw for an old-fashioned three-point play.
The Warhawks used their final timeout to advance the ball with 15 seconds on the clock. Mia Gillis (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel Catholic) found McCurdy in the backcourt on the inbounds. She was immediately fouled and the sophomore went back to the line for a pair of huge free throws in the two point game. McCurdy hit both to push the lead to four, 67-63 with 13.9 to go.
After UW-Stout’s final timeout advanced the ball to near their bench, the Blue Devil inbound pass was launched to the far side of the court. The desperation three was no good, but there was a Warhawk foul whistled on the rebound. The Blue Devils missed the first, then the second, and then the putback chance before McCurdy hauled in the rebound.
McCurdy was fouled and sealed it with two more to remain perfect from the free throw line – not just for the game, but for the season. After hitting all eight of her chances from the charity stripe to seal the win Thursday, McCurdy is 23-23 on the season from the line.
Carollo led UWW with a double-double posting 26 points and 13 boards. Hildebrandt added 13 points and a team-high three assists. McCurdy ended up with 11 bolstered by the eight free throws while pacing the Warhawks in the steals column with four. Trautsch rounded out the double digit scorers with 10 on the night.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
The last of our mid-20th century images of Whitewater businesses is this 1955 view of the Whitewater Manufacturing Company, at that time located on North Jefferson Street. This company was incorporated in 1943 and moved to this location in 1945. Over the years, the company expanded their operations as a foundry and machine shop. In 1962, the company had 150 employees making items primarily for the automobile and agricultural equipment industries.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(6078P, Whitewater Historical Society)
Ripon College has announced its Dean’s List for the Fall 2024 semester recognizing academic excellence. To qualify for the Dean’s List at Ripon College, students must achieve a 3.40 grade point average or higher on a 4.00 scale and complete at least 12 credits of regular letter-graded works.
Heather Charter, a Senior from Whitewater, WI was named to the Fall 2024 Dean’s List. Charter’s major(s) is/are Business Management, Economics. Minor: Philosophy
Founded in 1851, Ripon College is a private liberal arts and science institution nestled in Ripon, Wisconsin. Ripon College is dedicated to delivering personalized education through a diverse array of undergraduate programs and extracurricular opportunities, ensuring students enjoy a well-rounded college experience. Ripon College enrolls more than 700 students with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1. The college’s picturesque, historic campus and vibrant community provide a supportive environment where students can thrive academically and personally.
Update 2/28/25 @ 5:30 p.m. – The forum will be livestreamed to our cable channel (Spectrum 990) and YouTube channel; here is the link to the livestream https://www.youtube.com/live/9I3i3lMcQdU?si=iYRS4Y74fVjNVbvO
Whitewater Common Council Candidate Forum on March 1
The League of Women Voters Whitewater Area will hold a Candidate Forum for City of Whitewater Common Council candidates on Saturday, March 1, 10:00 am-11:30 am, in the City of Whitewater Community Room, 312 W Whitewater Street.
Mike Smith and J Christopher Wilt are in a contested race for the Common Council Aldermanic District 1 seat. Both candidates will be in attendance at the forum. Uncontested candidates, who will also be present at the forum, are Steven Sahyun (AD3) and Patrick Singer (At Large Seat). Neil Hicks, running unopposed in AD5, will not be attending. League board member Lynn Binnie 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 and neighbors! Be an active participant in our democracy! And please mark your calendar for a WUSD School Board Candidate Forum, to be held on Saturday, March 15, 10 am – 11:30 am.
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.
Updated 2/27/25 @ 4:45 p.m. to add the photo below.
The Whitewater High School Players will be performing “The Good Doctor” in the James M. Stewart Auditorium at WHS on Feb. 27 & 28 and Mar. 1 at 7 p.m., and Mar. 2 at 2 p.m. General seating tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students. For more information call the box office at 262-472-8178.
Written by Neil Simon, “The Good Doctor” is charming, hilarious, sad, and touching. It consists of a series of short plays, based on short stories by Russian author Anton Chekhov. The scenes, when experienced one after another, give you a strong sense of Chekhov’s take on the human condition, embellished by Simon’s wit and pithy dialogue. The Writer is the one unifying element in the scenes, introducing and commenting on them. The audience meets a variety of characters, all of whom are immediately relatable and strikingly human.
The photo above is of “The Writer,” and the photos below are of the eight stories that are depicted in the play. All are from the final dress rehearsal, courtesy of Tom Ganser.
The Whitewater Arts Alliance will host “From Whitewater to the World: The Etchings of Léon Rene Pescheret” from February 27 to March 30, 2025, at the Cultural Arts Center, 402 W. Main St., Whitewater. The exhibition features the work of Léon Rene Pescheret (1892–1971), a British-born American printmaker known for his color and monochrome etchings of Gothic cathedrals in Europe, world’s fairs, northern Wisconsin woods, and the former “State Teachers College” (now UW-Whitewater). Pescheret set up his studio in Whitewater, Wisconsin in 1936 and worked there for over 30 years, producing prints that appealed to local and international viewers.
The exhibit is curated by Ashley Dimmig, PhD, a WAA Board member and the Crossman Gallery Director and Art History Lecturer at UW-Whitewater’s Department of Art and Design. She earned her PhD in Art History from the University of Michigan in 2019 and oversees the gallery, curates exhibitions, and teaches art history.
The exhibition features prints loaned by private collectors Ed Hale, Pat Blackmer, and Dan Richardson, alongside works from the Crossman Gallery at UW-Whitewater. Together, these pieces show Pescheret’s ability to turn diverse landscapes and cultural moments into detailed etchings. This exhibition presents nearly 80 of his prints, a mere slice of his vast body of work, shedding light on the depth and breadth of his career. Pescheret’s philosophy of creating affordable prints stemmed from his belief that art should be accessible to everyday people, not just wealthy collectors.
Join us for an opening reception and panel discussion with the curator and the collectors on Saturday, March 8, 2025, from 12 pm-3 pm at the Cultural Arts Center, 402 W. Main St., Whitewater. Attendees will enjoy light refreshments and hear insights from collectors about Pescheret’s enduring impact. This event is free and open to the public.
About Whitewater Arts Alliance:
The Whitewater Arts Alliance, Inc. is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and developing the arts as an essential and integral part of the community.
Whitewater Arts Alliance / Cultural Arts Center
402 West Main Street
Whitewater, WI, 53190
Phone: 608-201-2151
Email: wwartsalliance@gmail.com
Website: whitewaterarts.org
Facebook: facebook.com/wwartsalliance
Gallery Exhibit Hours
Thursdays: 12-4 pm
Fridays: 12-4 pm
Saturdays: 12-4 pm
Sundays: 12-4 pm
Please Note: The gallery is closed outside of Gallery Exhibit Hours except for special events and is also closed when no show is currently running.
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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