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Whitewater beat Jefferson 43-40 in overtime in a Rock Valley Conference girls’ basketball game on Thursday, December 19. The game was a game of runs as both teams went on multiple scoring runs all night long.
Jefferson jumped out to an early double digit lead before Whitewater cut the halftime deficit to 15-21. Whitewater came out of the second half on a 7-0 run to go up 22-21 but the lead was short lived. Jefferson followed that run with an 8-0 run of their own to make it 29-22. To return the favor, Whitewater went on another 12-0 run to take a 34-29 lead with a few minutes remaining. Whitewater had a shot to win the game at the end but Jefferson blocked the potential game winning shot.
In overtime, Jefferson scored the first basket but that was the only basket they would get in the extra period. Whitewater hung on to win a well fought game by both teams.
Article Submitted by Mike Dowden
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
dowmi01@wwusd.org
Fairhaven Senior Services is excited to announce that we have received our Occupancy License for our 3rd and 4th Floor Assisted Living! We appreciate everyone’s patience during the past year plus and can’t wait to turn the next page on the story of Fairhaven Senior Services. Residents will start to move onto our 4th Floor on Wednesday, January 8th and we are targeting for 3rd Floor to be on Tuesday, January 14th. Rooms are starting to fill up. For more information or to set up a tour, please reach out to Brian Robinson- Director of Marketing, Community Relations and Leisure Services at 262-473-2140 or by e-mail robinsonb@fairhaven.org. Again, we are extremely excited to announce this amazing news.
Editor’s note: This announcement was received from Fairhaven Senior Services.
City of Whitewater Introduces Colby the C.O.W. – Your Multilingual Virtual Assistant
The City of Whitewater is proud to announce the launch of its newest digital tool, Colby the C.O.W. (Chatbot of Whitewater), a chatbot designed to assist residents, visitors, and businesses with a wide range of inquiries. Colby is not just any chatbot—it’s a multilingual virtual assistant capable of answering questions in 82 different languages, ensuring accessibility and inclusion for all members of our diverse community.
“We’re excited to introduce Colby the C.O.W. as part of our commitment to improving communication and service delivery,” said Becky Magestro, Chief of Staff. “Colby is here 24/7 to provide quick, reliable answers to questions about city services, events, permits, and more. Plus, its multilingual capabilities make it an invaluable resource for our residents and visitors from all over the world.”
What Can Colby Do? Colby the C.O.W. is equipped to:
- Answer questions about city services such as garbage collection, utility bills, and parks and recreation programs.
- Provide information about upcoming events and city meetings.
- Guide users through the process of obtaining permits, licenses, and other city documentation.
- Offer details about local attractions, resources, and community programs.
- Communicate in 82 different languages, making city information accessible to non-English speakers.
How to Access Colby the C.O.W.
Colby is available on the City of Whitewater’s official website at www.whitewater-wi.gov. Simply click the chatbot icon located on the homepage to start a conversation. Users can type their questions or select from a list of common topics to get immediate assistance.
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La ciudad de Whitewater Presenta Colby the C.O.W. – Su Asistente Virtual Multilingüe
La ciudad de Whitewater se enorgullece en anunciar el lanzamiento de su nueva herramienta digital, Colby the C.O.W. (Chatbot of Whitewater), un chatbot diseñado para ayudar a los residentes, visitantes y empresas con una amplia gama de consultas. Colby no es un chatbot cualquiera, es un asistente virtual multilingüe capaz de responder preguntas en 82 idiomas diferentes, lo que garantiza la accesibilidad y la inclusión de todos los miembros de nuestra diversa comunidad.
“Estamos muy contentos de presentar Colby the C.O.W. como parte de nuestro compromiso de mejorar la comunicación y la prestación de servicios”, dijo Becky Magestro, Jefa de Personal. “Colby está aquí las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana
para brindar respuestas rápidas y confiables a preguntas sobre servicios de la ciudad, eventos, permisos y más. Además, sus capacidades multilingües lo convierten en un recurso invaluable para nuestros residentes y visitantes de todo el mundo”.
¿Qué puede hacer Colby? Colby el C.O.W. está equipado para:
- Responder preguntas sobre los servicios de la ciudad, como la recolección de basura, las facturas de servicios públicos y los programas de parques y recreación.
- Proporcionar información sobre los próximos eventos y reuniones de la ciudad.
- Guiar a los usuarios a través del proceso de obtención de permisos, licencias y otra documentación de la ciudad.
- Ofrecer detalles sobre atracciones locales, recursos y programas comunitarios.
- Comunícate en 82 idiomas diferentes, haciendo que la información de la ciudad sea accesible para personas que no hablan inglés.
Cómo acceder a Colby el C.O.W.
Colby está disponible en el sitio web oficial de la ciudad de Whitewater en www.whitewater-wi.gov. Simplemente haga clic en el icono del chatbot ubicado en la página de inicio para iniciar una conversación. Los usuarios pueden escribir sus preguntas o seleccionar de una lista de temas comunes para obtener asistencia inmediata.
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL.)
Ross Walton is a WUL Hometown Hero, and he was nominated by Madeline Kanas, “For always giving hours of his time, energy, and resources to help out fellow community members and businesses.”
Madeline said, “As a Whitewater native, Ross has always given back to his community. He has worked alongside the City of Whitewater and UW-Whitewater to enhance what our community has to offer. Those who know him personally, know he will drop everything to help others. He has been the first on scene to a few of the fires at John’s Disposal. Ross is very humble and likes to stay out of the spotlight, but I feel it’s time to publicly acknowledge all he does for our community.”
WUL (Whitewater Unites Lives) is a locally-focused civil and human rights group that works to connect the people in our community and to create opportunities for all people to learn and support each other in our common humanity.
Anyone who would like to nominate a local hero of any age should send their nomination, with a short description, to whitewaterunites@gmail.com
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. The Whitewater Historical Society wishes everyone a Merry Christmas via this greeting postcard from 1917 sent to Clara Williams of Whitewater. Many think that the modern image of Santa came from the Coca Cola advertisements in the 1930s, but this 1917 card shows that modern Santa was already illustrated in the early 20th century.
(Whitewater Historical Society, greeting post card collection)
The Whitewater Whippets were blown out and run out of the gym by the Monona Grove Silver Eagles on Monday night in boys’ basketball. The final score was 82-42. Whitewater started off the game strong with an opening three pointer by senior Marcos Sagrero. The Whippets were tied with the Silver Eagles at 14-14 early in the first half, but Monona Grove applied pressure on defense and attacked the open court to build a 51-20 lead at halftime.
WHS was led in scoring by Marcos Sagrero with 13 points, and Matthew Carollo added 11. Leading scorer Austen Luchette was one of four Silver Eagles in double figures. He had 19 points.
Monona Grove is 3-1, and the Whippets fall to 1-4. Whitewater High School goes to East Troy on Friday night and then plays in the Win Parkinson Tournament at Milwaukee Bradley Tech on Saturday.
Article by Michael McCabe
Whitewater High School Head Boys’ Basketball Coach
mccmi01@wwusd.org
On Tuesday, December 17th the Whippet Boys’ Swim Team competed against Burlington Co-op. The Whippets beat Burlington by a score of 95 to 72. There were quite a few best times and some first-time swims for a few swimmers.
The 200 Freestylers took a clean sweep of 1st thru 3rd. Cruz Aranda went a best time of 1:55.80. Mateo Bazeley and Andrew O’Toole both had great times for their first time swimming the event!
Miles Nickelsburg and Myles Morse battled it out in the 200 IM; this was a first time swim in this event for the two of them. Both put up good times and we’re looking forward to watching them drop throughout the season.
In the 50 Freestyle, all swimmers went season best times! Jack Hefty went a 24.92, Wyatt Esch went a 27.39, Sam Nickelsburg had a 2 second drop going a 30.73, and Angel Kilar went a 34.32!
All swimmers in the 100 Butterfly also went season best times! Cruz Aranda went a 1:00.64. With this time, it now puts him 7th on the Whippet Top 10 List! Langdon Coburn dropped 2 seconds to go a time of 1:02.57, and Sam Nickelsburg also dropped 2 seconds to go a time of 1:13.99.
Angel Kilar dropped 3 seconds in the 100 Freestyle and is officially under the 1:20 mark by going a time of 1:19.77. David Enns also swam a season best time by going a 1:06.59.
Myles Morse dropped 4 seconds in his 500 Freestyle to go a time of 5:59.38. Wyatt Esch dropped nearly 13 seconds off his time going a time of 6:41.78.
Jack Hefty dropped 2 seconds in the 100 Breaststroke to go a time of 1:16.66.
The Whippets are back in action on Thursday, December 19th at home against Jefferson/Cambridge! Swimming starts at 5:30pm; come out and cheer on the boys!
Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
ReynoldsSM07@uww.edu
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
At its December 17 meeting the City of Whitewater Common Council declined to adopt the part-time closure of Starin Road that was recommended by the Public Works Committee. Out of concern for pedestrian safety, University staff had requested approval to erect an electronic gate which would close the portion of Starin Road from Warhawk Drive to the street to the east of the bookstore. It was suggested that the closure occur on Monday through Friday during the university’s fall and spring terms, possibly from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
After a period of public comment and Council debate that lasted for approximately an hour, it was decided to implement the following traffic calming measures through the spring semester:
- Install a yet-to-be determined number of stop signs within the area of concern, [which it appears might extend to Prince Street and Starin Road.]
- Reduce the speed limit to 15 miles per hour from the current 25.
- Install temporary speed humps (which are usually not as high as a speed bump and are longer).
It was decided that the Council will review the outcome of this trial in its second meeting in June, with the expectation that if it is not deemed to be successful in improving pedestrian safety, they would consider moving forward with what might be described as a part-time closure. There was interest expressed in the possibility of a somewhat shorter daily closure, focusing on the heavier pedestrian traffic periods. Though there was ultimately unanimous approval of the motion, Council members Greg Majkrzak and Orin Smith had favored moving ahead with the Public Works Committee’s recommendation as soon as possible.
Public comment on the original recommendation began with a rather lengthy, impassioned presentation in favor of the closure by Brenda Jones, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administrative Affairs. It was her view that the drivers who would be most affected by the closure are university employees and students. She disagreed with stereotypes of large numbers of students being distracted by using their phones while crossing the street. She did not feel that the concerns from police, fire and EMS that the closure would significantly delay emergency responses, as those personnel could be provided with electronic access.
Comments from students, other community members, and council members about the original proposal were very mixed. Council member Brown spoke about the increasing popularity of “green zones” for pedestrians in university campus properties. A number of comments were made about hazardous street crossings for public school students. Douglas A. Bradley III, Whitewater Student Government president, spoke in favor of the proposal, stating that he feels more safe crossing Main Street than Starin Road. Jani Kau Mortensen, who retired from the university as a shuttle driver, spoke against the proposal, feeling that it would put all the responsibility on drivers. She indicated a need to correct an urban legend that if a student is hit by a vehicle, they get their college expenses covered. Jeff Knight indicated that when the Starin Road extension was planned there was an extensive traffic study conducted, and he feels it is time for another. Larry Kachel felt that there should be an answer to the concerns “with less pain,” suggesting various approaches, including those that ultimately were part of the alternative plan offered by Council member Hicks.
Editor’s note: A previous Banner article regarding this matter, including reference to city staff comments, may be found here.
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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