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| Wisconsin among first states to launch both Home Energy Rebate programs under Inflation Reduction Act Rebates for low- and moderate-income households will help save energy and money when switching to energy-efficient home upgrades and appliances Gov. Tony Evers, together with Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) Chairperson Summer Strand, on December 19 announced the launch of the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) Program. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Wisconsin was awarded $74.5 million for the HEAR Program, which provides instant discounts to low- and moderate-income households for installing energy-efficient appliances and aims to lower costs for working families by helping households save on energy bills. “We’re incredibly excited about this program, which is designed to lower costs for working families and helping Wisconsinites save on their monthly energy bills,” said Gov. Evers. “Eligible households are going to be able to get discounts for installing energy efficient appliances while also allowing folks to have a little breathing room in their monthly household budgets. This is great news for folks across our state, and we’re excited to be among the first states in the country to launch this program.” In August 2022, President Biden signed the IRA, which included $8.8 billion for the Home Energy Rebate programs. Wisconsin was allocated $149 million under the federal formula to administer two Home Energy Rebate programs: the Home Efficiency Rebate (HOMES) Program, announced in August, and the HEAR program, as announced today. While the HEAR program is focused on helping families install energy-efficient appliances, the HOMES Program provides rebates to households undertaking whole-home, energy-saving improvements, such as heating and cooling systems. Wisconsin was the first state in the nation to launch the HOMES program and is one of the first states in the country to launch both IRA programs. Overall, individual households could save hundreds of dollars on monthly energy bills and save thousands of dollars on energy-efficient home upgrades by participating in the Home Energy Rebate programs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), these energy-saving measures will save American households up to $1 billion annually in energy costs and support an estimated 50,000 U.S. jobs in residential construction, manufacturing, and other sectors. “Due to Gov. Evers’ leadership and the widespread support of our industry partners and engaged stakeholders, Wisconsin continues to lead in the deployment and implementation of these exciting new Home Energy Rebate programs,” said PSC Chairperson Strand. “We have already achieved tremendous success with the registration of new contractors and the delivery of rebates to Wisconsin households undertaking upgrades to make their homes more energy efficient. We are very excited to continue this momentum with the official launch of the HEAR Program, which will help even more people save energy and money through the purchase and installation of energy-efficient appliances and equipment.” Wisconsin’s launch of the Home Energy Rebate programs are part of the nationwide initiative under the IRA to provide $8.8 billion in federal funding for states, territories, and Tribal Nations to lower energy costs and increase efficiency by making it cheaper to install cost-saving measures in homes, such as heat pumps, electrical panels, and insulation. While Wisconsin ranks 24th in the nation for total energy costs per capita, according to the DOE, many Americans spend a large portion of their monthly income on heating, cooling, and powering their homes—with some of the lowest-income families spending upwards of 30 percent of their income on energy bills. “From getting extensive public input on program design to being among the first handful of states to launch both rebate programs, Wisconsin continues to be exceptional,” said Keishaa Austin, Principal Deputy Director of DOE’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs. “With today’s launch of the HEAR program, Wisconsin will provide even more savings to those with the greatest need, enabling thousands of households to afford energy-saving upgrades.” WISCONSIN’S HEAR PROGRAM The Wisconsin HEAR program will launch in two phases. In the newly launched phase, registered contractors can offer discounts for certain appliances and projects that require installation, including electric heat pumps and electric wiring and panel upgrades. Rebates will be available in 2025 for insulation and air sealing that require contractor installation. In the second phase, launching in 2025, eligible customers will receive instant rebates for appliances, such as electric clothes dryers, electric stoves, and insulation bought at stores or through a contractor. Qualified new or existing single- and multi-family homes are eligible to participate. Households may receive rebates for more than one type of appliance and project under the HEAR Program, but the maximum amount a single household can receive is $14,000 total in rebate dollars. Total rebates will range between 100 percent of total project costs up to $14,000 for households making less than 80 percent of their area median income (AMI) and 50 percent of total project costs up to $14,000 for households making between 80 percent and 150 percent of their AMI. Wisconsinites can check the AMI for their county and household size using the 2024 Income Eligibility Household Limits Calculator. More information about HEAR savings and eligibility is available here. In most cases, a home assessment is not needed to receive a rebate through the HEAR program. Eligible appliances and equipment include electric heat pumps, electric stoves, insulation, and electrical panel and wiring upgrades. Heat pump technology is an option for high-efficiency home heating and cooling and works well even in negative temperatures during Wisconsin’s extremely cold winters. More information about heat pump technology can be found on the Focus on Energy website. WISCONSIN’S HOMES PROGRAM Under the HOMES Program, $74.8 million was made available to support whole-home energy efficiency improvements, including insulation, air sealing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades. All Wisconsin households are eligible for HOMES, including existing multi-family buildings. Interested households can currently verify their eligibility status and locate an IRA Registered Contractor who will guide them through the program. More information about HOMES rebates and eligibility is available here. The launch of the Home Energy Rebate programs has been successful and, to date, includes:193 registered contractors;1,298 customers approved for income-qualified rebates; and97 HOMES program project applications received. The HOMES and HEAR rebates are administered by Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s existing statewide energy efficiency program. Utilizing Focus on Energy’s existing statewide framework for delivering energy efficiency programs and rebates uniquely positions Wisconsin to deliver HOMES and HEAR rebates to households across the state expeditiously and effectively. Focus on Energy will continue to manage and maintain its existing programs separately to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance. Focus on Energy created the Residential Rebate Finder to help households find available rebates and incentives by answering several simple questions. Visit the Residential Rebate Finder at FocusonEnergy.com/get-started. More information about the Home Energy Rebate programs is also available here. |
As part of National Rural Health Day, Fort HealthCare has announced we have earned a 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Outcomes. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards recognize top quartile performance (i.e., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in Quality, Outcomes and/or Patient Perspective.
“We’re honored to receive this award for excellence in outcomes,” said Michael Anderson, MD, President & CEO of Fort HealthCare. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team in providing exceptional care and improving the health of our community. It’s rewarding to see our efforts make a real difference, and we’re proud to celebrate this achievement.”
The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, a comprehensive and objective framework for assessing how rural hospitals are performing. INDEX benchmarks are relied upon by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health to measure performance across multiple areas impacting hospital operations and finance.
“The Performance Leadership Awards capture the commitment, diligence, and innovation with which America’s rural hospitals approach the delivery of care within their communities,” said Troy Brown, Network Consultant, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “It’s a tremendous honor to be able to recognize the efforts of this year’s award winners and celebrate their achievement as part of National Rural Health Day.”
Editor’s note: The above press release was received from Fort HealthCare.
Four City of Whitewater Common Council seats are up for election on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. If necessary, a primary will be held on February 18 to narrow down each race to two candidates. The two-year term for council member begins on Tuesday, April 18, 2025. The Council regularly meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Members are expected to review the agenda packet prior to the meetings. They also serve on one or more committees, many of which meet on a monthly basis. The salary is $300 per month.
Here is the status of candidate filings, per deputy city clerk Tiffany Albright, as of December 27 at 4 p.m.:
Council member AD 1
Mike Smith, 327 E. Clay Street, #29, has taken out nomination papers.
J. Christopher Wilt, 334 Parkside Drive, has taken out nomination papers.
The incumbent, Patrick Singer, has filed a notice of noncandidacy.
Council member AD 3
Steven Sahyun, 250 N. Franklin Street, has submitted his nomination papers.
The incumbent, Brienne Brown, has filed a notice of noncandidacy.
Council member AD 5
The incumbent, Neil Hicks, 1254 Tower Hill Pass, has filed his nomination papers.
Council member at Large
Patrick Singer, 263 Amber Drive, has taken out nomination papers.
The incumbent, Lisa Dawsey Smith, has filed a notice of noncandidacy.
Information concerning aldermanic (council) district boundaries may be obtained from City Clerk Heather Boehm, 312 W. Whitewater St., 262-473-0102, hboehm@whitewater-wi.gov. There is also a map on the city website that shows the districts; however, it is a bit difficult to decipher. Choose “VotingWardsAldDist-Aldermanic Districts,” and the districts will be shown in the large numbers.
The first day to circulate nomination papers was December 1, 2024, and the deadline for filing nomination papers and required documents is 5:00 p.m., on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, in the office of the city clerk. Candidates for an at-large seat must collect a minimum of 50 signatures on nomination papers; a candidate wishing to represent a district must obtain a minimum of 20 signatures.
Photo on homepage and text by Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
The City of Whitewater – Department of Public Works will collect Christmas trees on Tuesday, January 7, and Tuesday, January 14, 2025. Please place your tree on the terrace by 6:00 a.m. on these dates. Residents who wish to have a tree picked up after the above scheduled dates must call the Department of Public Works at 473-0560 before 12:00 noon on Monday, the day before Tuesday’s collection.
Trees that have been flocked or contain wire will not be collected by the city. Please place these trees, on your terrace, for collection by John’s Disposal on the second Thursday of the month, your bulk pick up day.
For additional questions or concerns contact the Department of Public Works at (262) 473-0560. For other requests visit https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/RequestTracker.aspx.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. The Whitewater Historical Society wishes everyone a Happy New Year via this early 20th century post card. This card is similar in style to the Christmas one we featured last week, so it was probably produced during the 1910s. We will see you in 2025 with more from the image collections of the Whitewater Historical Society.
(Whitewater Historical Society, holiday post card collection)
The University of Mount Union of Alliance, Ohio advanced to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl by beating Johns Hopkins 45-37 on December 21. The Stagg Bowl is the annual championship game for D-III football, and this will be the Purple Raiders 23rd appearance. Since 1993 they have won the title 13 times.
Mount Union will face North Central (IL). It’s the fifth consecutive year for North Central to play in the title game. The Cardinals have won two titles, including in 2022 against Mount Union. The bowl is being played this year at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas. With a capacity of over 20,000, the stadium is the home of a major league soccer team as well as a national women’s soccer league team. The game will air on ESPN at 7:03 p.m. on Sunday, January 5.
The University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Warhawks have won the Stagg Bowl six times: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014. They were runner-ups in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2019. Mount Union was their opponent in every game except for 2019, when they were beaten by North Central.
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 to January 1 each year.
[From Wikipedia) American Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 during the aftermath of the Watts riots[2] as a specifically African-American holiday.[3][4] Karenga said his goal was to “give blacks an alternative to the existing holiday of Christmas and give blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society.”[5] For Karenga, a major figure in the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s, the creation of such holidays also underscored the essential premise that “you must have a cultural revolution before the violent revolution. The cultural revolution gives identity, purpose, and direction.”[6]
According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning “first fruits”.[7] First fruits festivals exist in Southern Africa, celebrated in December/January with the southern solstice, and Karenga was partly inspired by an account he read of the Zulu festival Umkhosi Wokweshwama.[8] It was decided to spell the holiday’s name with an additional “a” so that it would have a symbolic seven letters.[9]
During the early years of Kwanzaa, Karenga said it was meant to be an alternative to Christmas. He believed Jesus was psychotic and Christianity was a “White” religion that Black people should shun.[10] As Kwanzaa gained mainstream adherents, Karenga altered his position so practicing Christians would not be alienated, stating in the 1997 book Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture that “Kwanzaa was not created to give people an alternative to their own religion or religious holiday.”[11] Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to observing Christmas.[12]
After its initial creation in California, Kwanzaa spread outside the United States.[13]
Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba – the seven principles of African Heritage). They were developed in 1965, a year before Kwanzaa itself. These seven principles comprise Kawaida, a Swahili word meaning “common.”
Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles, as follows:[14]
- Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and to solve them together.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
- Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
- Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
- Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Joy to the world! Wishing you a peaceful and pleasant day. Thanks for reading the Banner.
Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the above image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.
Obituaries
Marion Jauch Burrows (Feb. 2, 1930 – June 5, 2026) Her sparkling eyes, warm laugh, and generous ways were gifts Marion brought into this world, touching family members and friends alike over the ninety-six years of her life. She was born and raised in Lombard, IL, and in the course of her life lived with her husband and growing family in Abilene, TX, St. David’s, PA, Arkadelphia, AR, Ada, OK, and Colorado Springs, CO, before settling in Whitewater, WI, in 1965. Generosity of heart, compassion toward those in need in and beyond her community, and an unwavering commitment to fairness … Read more
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
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