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Whitewater beat Monroe 55-26 on Senior Night for girls’ basketball.
Whitewater jumped out to an early lead but Monroe made a push to cut the Whippets’ lead to 24-20 at halftime. Whitewater’s defense took over as the Whippets outscored the Cheesemakers 31-6 in the second half.
All four seniors combined for 42 of Whitewater’s 55 points.
Whitewater closes the regular season at East Troy (on Monday) and at Jefferson (next Thursday). Seeding information for the WIAA tournament will be posted Sunday afternoon.
Article Submitted by Mike Dowden
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
dowmi01@wwusd.org
Editor’s Note: The following interview was done by Marjorie Stoneman on behalf of Whitewater Unites Lives.
Fabian Lopez, owner of Five Star Lopez, has lived in Whitewater for 32 years and said, “I love this place. I love the U.S.A.”
Born in Mexico, he came to the United States for a better life. He enjoys the fresh air, which is a refreshing change from the pollution in Mexico. “You can breathe like you are in the woods,” he said.
Before he came to the U.S. Fabian took English classes in Mexico. He then continued to learn English through the ESL program taught by Jorge Islas-Martinez.
He worked for a while at Generac while he was building his car repair business. He worked all day, and often until 10 p.m., to support his family and build up his business, Five Star Lopez.
He owns Five Star Lopez on 113 East Main Street in Whitewater, where they service car motors, transmissions, electrical, tires, brakes, mufflers and suspension. “We do everything,” he said.
“It is important to me to make customers happy. I like my customers,” said Lopez.
He says some customers just tell him to do whatever needs to be done, because they have a lot of trust in him. He always wants to make sure to provide quotes and make sure that customers are aware of the cost and details. “We have good customers so we want to do it the right way. We help people when they need it,” he said.
Fabian’s son Darryl is opening another car repair location on 265 South Wisconsin Street in Whitewater. Fabian is also considering opening a shop in a nearby town in order to help more people.
“We are lucky because we have good customers who put good reviews on Google,” he said.
Registration for the annual FBLA Royal Ball is open!
Royal Ball is a semi-formal dance for 4K through 5th graders to be held on Friday, March 7 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. The cost is $15, and children must be accompanied by an adult.
Use this link to register.
Information Submitted by Baron West
Whitewater High School FBLA Advisor
bwest@wwusd.org
Placing second in the Prepared FFA Speaking competition held recently at Whitewater High School is Whitewater FFA member, Emily Schmidt. Emily is receiving her plaque from Section 10 State FFA Sentinel, Allyssa Schauer.
Emily will go on to compete at the Sectional competition on April 2nd at East Troy High School for the chance to compete at the State level in June.
Article and Photo Submitted by Paul Majors
Whitewater High School FFA Advisor
pmajors@wwusd.org
BaristaCats Cafe and Sanctuary for Wayward Cats invites the community to a heartwarming event celebrating the joy that our feline friends bring into our lives. Join us on February 13 and 14 from 1 to 6 PM for a special experience filled with love, companionship, and of course, cats!
For a $5 donation, you will receive a personalized Pawlentine from one of our adorable coolcats. These charming tokens of affection make the perfect gift for loved ones or a cherished keepsake. As a special treat, each participant will also receive a delicious snack to share (with the kitties), generously provided by our friends at Fussie Cat.
BaristaCats Cafe and Sanctuary is more than just a café—it’s a place to relax, destress, and connect with both friendly faces and our resident kitties. We are committed to providing a welcoming and safe environment for all who visit.
Cats – Community – Coffee
Reservations are required [for which there is an additional cost besides the $5 for the Pawlentine] and space is limited, so be sure to secure your spot in advance. To book your tickets, visit https://baristacatscafe.org/reservations. Before your visit, please review our Pawlor Rules and Frequently Asked Questions to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Join BaristaCats in spreading love this Valentine’s season with the purr-fect celebration at BaristaCats Cafe!
Submitted by Downtown Whitewater, Inc.
Updated 2/13/25 at 2:35 p.m. – Location of the discussion changed.
“JAMES: A NOVEL” -League of Women Voters Book Club Discussion, Part I
The League of Women Voters of Whitewater Area’s Book Club is pleased to announce the first of three discussions of the book James: A Novel by Percival Everett, on Tuesday, February 18th, starting at 6:30 PM. The discussion will be held at The Book Teller, 171 W Main Street in Whitewater. [Please note the change of location.]
Tara McKenzie-Peotter, Whitewater High School teacher, will lead the discussion
including such topics as comparing the text to Huckleberry Finn and the historical and contemporary use of the “n” word.
The book James: A Novel, is a re-imaging of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. The powerful, thought-provoking novel is written in three parts and we will be discussing each part separately.
Mark your calendars for the following two discussions:
Part II: Thursday, March 20 @ 6:30 pm – Greg Stewart, Whitewater High School teacher, will continue the book discussion with emphasis on the teaching of historical time frames and concepts such as cake walks, minstrels, slave narratives, and the Civil War.
Part III: Thursday, April 17 @ 6:30 pm – UW-Whitewater professor, Dr. Tamara
Lindsey, will lead the final session with an emphasis on topics such as emancipation, liberation, freedom and social construction theory that suggests reality and knowledge are shaped by societal agreements and shared assumptions.
A limited supply of books is available at The Book Teller. Call 262-269-9109 to hold a copy. For questions or further information please call Deb Gamble at 262-953-1946.
We invite all in the Whitewater community to join us in the discussions of the book of which The New York Times writes “below the packed dirt floor of Everett’s moral sensibility, James is an intensely imagined human being.” Let’s delve into that world together.
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.
UW-Whitewater announces 2024 winter graduates
More than 800 students graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at winter commencement, held Dec. 14, 2024, at Kachel Fieldhouse in the Williams Center.
The following students from your coverage area earned degrees from the UW-Whitewater at winter commencement:
Editor’s note: It is likely that many of these graduates came to UW-W from other areas, but in the university records they have listed Whitewater as their home.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Marijke Arreola graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Biology – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Sydney Christianson graduated with the following degree: Social Work – MSW.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Adam Coleman graduated with the following degree: Marketing – BBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Amber Cornille graduated with the following degree: Women’s and Gender Studies – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Matt DeMichiel graduated with the following degree: General Business – BBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Elizabeth Dempich graduated with the following degree: Applied Arts and Sciences – BAAS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Christian Derenne graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: History – BSE.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Kianna Doerr graduated with the following degree: Women’s and Gender Studies – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Derya Fathroen graduated with the following degree: Computer Science – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: George Fedorov graduated with the following degree: Integrated Science – Business – BBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Cooper Gosse graduated with the following degree: Management – BBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Adam Groth graduated with the following degree: History – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Bianca Housworth graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Psychology – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Amarion Isbell graduated with the following degree: Psychology – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Sarah Keller graduated with the following degree: Music – BM.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Devon Knowles graduated Summa Cum Laude with the following degree: Social Work – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Issac Leal graduated with the following degree: Liberal Studies – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Demetrius Lewis graduated with the following degree: Communication – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Haley Lindquist graduated with the following degree: Geography – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Alissa LoCicero-Geraths graduated with the following degree: Criminology – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Scott Luebke graduated with the following degree: Integrated Science – Business – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Kyra Maly graduated with the following degree: Liberal Arts – AA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Thomas McCulloch graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Cybersecurity – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Samantha Meister graduated Summa Cum Laude with the following degree: General Business – BBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Colton Meuret graduated with the following degree: Mathematics – BSE.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Inger Miles graduated with the following degree: Special Education – MSE.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Destiny Mitchell graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Early Childhood Education – BSE.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Ben Nelson graduated with the following degree: History – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Joyce Ngwe graduated with the following degree: Business Administration – MBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Raquel Ortiz graduated with the following degree: Elementary Education – BSE.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Yasmin Palomec-Garcia graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Criminology – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Alex Phelan graduated with the following degree: Computer Science – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Maria Rodriguez graduated with the following degree: Business Administration – MBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Evelyn Rozenkvit graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Accounting – BBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Camila Salazar Delgado graduated with the following degree: Psychology – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Lex Schuhmacher graduated with the following degree: History – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Eddie Slattery graduated with the following degree: Finance – BBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Odessa Sonn graduated with the following degree: Communication – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Trevor Spragg graduated with the following degree: Marketing – BBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Meena Subedi graduated with the following degree: Business Administration – DBA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Jonce Tolley graduated with the following degree: Liberal Studies With a Minor – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Kaitlyn Van Wyhe graduated Summa Cum Laude with the following degree: English – BA.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Dayna Wendelberger graduated Cum Laude with the following degree: Elementary Education – BSE.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Dakota Wolf graduated with the following degree: Computer Science – BS.
Whitewater, WI 53190: Wenshou Wu graduated Magna Cum Laude with the following degree: Art – BA.
Approximately 633 students crossed the stage to receive their degrees at the ceremony, held at Kachel Fieldhouse in the Williams Center.
The 815-member graduating class included three international students, 58 military veterans and 138 nontraditional students, defined as undergraduate students who are 25 years of age or older. In addition, 80 self-identified students with disabilities received degrees.
A total of 47 students participated in the university’s Hired Before Graduation campaign, which celebrates students who landed a job, earned a job promotion, were accepted to graduate school, or started their own business before commencement.
Obituaries
Sally A. Schutte, age 73, of Whitewater, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on September 21, 2026, while at Hearthstone Memory Care in Whitewater. Sally was born on November 6, 1952, to Roy and Elsie (Rohloff) Haas. Sally married William Schutte in the spring of 2003. Sally grew up on the family farm in the Town of Hebron and graduated from Jefferson High School. She dedicated nearly her entire career to Fort HealthCare, where her hard work and versatility shone through various roles. Over the years, she served in housekeeping and medical records, Center for Dermatology. Sally … Read more
Zachariah “Zach” Schoenke, 41, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. He was born April 4, 1985, to Keith W. Schoenke and Kathleen Schoenke in Fort Atkinson, WI. He grew up and graduated from Whitewater High School in 2003. Zach worked various jobs over the years but was currently working at Cracker Barrel in Janesville. He was a big Packers Fan and liked to play fantasy football. He enjoyed reading, cooking, and watching horror shows. Zach fiercely loved his son, Lincoln, his sisters, Cami and Cary, his mom and stepdad, and his aunt Robin. He will be dearly … Read more
Carla Winn, 82, died September 5, 2026. Funeral Service will be at 12:00 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at East Heights United Methodist Church, 4407 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67218, followed by a burial at 2:00 PM at White Chapel Memorial Garden 1806 N Oliver Ave. Carla is preceded in death by her parents, Vivian Dwight and Wilma Lois Krehbiel; and sister, Jennifer Krehbiel. She is survived by husband, Stephen; daughter, Ashley (Clint) Gagel, of Overland Park; siblings, Paul (Kay) Krehbiel, of Socorro, NM, Lynn (Bill) Oetting, of Wichita, Ellen (John) Querner, of Wichita, Teresa Woodson, of Lawrence, KS, … Read more
Susan Miller Celebration of Life There will be a gathering of friends and acquaintances at Susan’s Farm Store to celebrate Susan’s life on Saturday, September 19th from 2-5 p.m. at N6623 Lake Lorraine Rd., Delavan, Wisconsin
Our loving mother, JoAnn E Harrop, age 95, passed away on September 11, 2026. Our sorrow is deep, but we are filled with gratitude for the many years we had with her. Even as her mind was failing, she remained strong and appreciative of all who cared for her. JoAnn was born on January 13, 1931, daughter to Fred Braun and Evelyn Braun {Storck). She was raised in Whitewater, Wisconsin by her grandparents, Otto and Edith Storck. She attended Whitewater High School and helped at the Storck tavern where she met her husband Earl C. Harrop. They married on November … Read more
Russell O. Johnson “Russ,” 88, passed away on September 4, 2026 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Russell was born on July 12, 1938, in Janesville, Wisconsin. Russ grew up in Janesville, and after high school he joined the Air Force on May 1, 1958, serving as an aircraft mechanic until June 12, 1962. He then worked at Parker Pen in Janesville for a time, where he met his future wife, Avis. After marrying Avis Mason in April 1964, Russ worked for Gillman Manufacturing for a time, then began a career at Dana until its closing in 1980. In 1981, Russ started working … Read more
Marcia Zingg, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, businesswoman, and friend, passed away peacefully on September 1, 2026, at the age of 75. Marcia will be remembered for her unwavering love, remarkable strength, generous spirit, and lifelong devotion to her family. She shared 40 wonderful years of marriage with her husband, Jeffrey Zingg, who considered her not only his wife but also his best friend, business partner, and the love of his life. Together, Marcia and Jeffrey built a successful life rooted in perseverance, hard work, laughter, and love. As entrepreneurs in Whitewater, Wisconsin, they owned and managed new car franchises and … Read more
Amanda Jean Hunter was born to Ralph and Malinda (Thomas) Hunter of Whitewater, Wisconsin, on October 6, 1976. She passed away on August 4, in Fort Worth, Texas, where she lived with her family. Amanda passed peacefully in the hospital, surrounded by her loved ones. Amanda was a kind-hearted free spirit with an unmistakable hippie warmth. Generosity, spontaneity, a quick wit, a macabre sense of humor, and an open heart were traits that she embraced. She was a tireless champion of those in need, an innate characteristic that became among the best of her qualities. She proved to be a … Read more
Ellen Eichmiller, 82, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Ellen was born on September 10, 1943, in Monroe, Wisconsin, to Chester “Guy” and Irene (née Holmen) Steig. She married the love of her life, Paul Eichmiller, on December 7, 1963, and together they made their home in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Ellen spent much of her working life as a secretary at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where she formed many lasting friendships and memories. Ellen cherished her family and friends and treasured the time she spent with those closest to her. She was known for her love of … Read more
Janet Quinn, age 71, of Jefferson passed away on Thursday, August 20th. Janet was born on December 22nd, 1954 in St. Joseph, MI to Robert Mounsey and Edith Christison Mounsey. She was a granddaughter to Herbert Bragg Mounsey, Charlotte Mounsey, and Ester Christison West. She married Michael Durden in 1979 and later married Eury Quinn Jr. (J.R.) in 1988. Janet grew up in Benton Harbor, MI, and subsequently lived in New York and Arkansas before moving to Wisconsin in 2016. She was a dedicated caregiver to her disabled Mother, and worked as a custodian for various employers over the years. … Read more
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