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UW-W Fall Sports – Football, Cross Country, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Volleyball – Canceled per Yesterday’s WIAC Decision (UPDATED)

July 28, 2020

Message from Chancellor Watson on Fall Athletics

Dear Warhawks,

On Monday, I, along with the other chancellors in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), held a meeting to vote on conference competition for the Fall of 2020. The decision was made that there will be no conference competition and championships for the 2020-2021 academic year for football, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country. Universities will retain the autonomy to establish practice opportunities within the limitations stipulated by the NCAA throughout the 2020-21 academic year.

A decision on the future winter sports will be made at a later date.

Please find WIAC Commissioner Danielle Harris’ statement here.

The WIAC Chancellors all agreed that keeping our student athletes and our coaches and staff safe is what matters most. The health and safety of our community members is the first of our guiding principles at UW-Whitewater, and this decision falls in line with those principles.

The WIAC member chancellors did not believe it was prudent to continue competition if we could not test student athletes regularly. The close contact of these sports makes it extremely difficult to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The WIAC member universities simply do not have the capacity to test student athletes, coaches and staff with enough regularity to keep them safe during practice and competition.

I know this is disappointing news for many on our campus and beyond. The Warhawk fan base is national, and it simply won’t feel like fall without our teams in action. I join the legions who are saddened by this news. Yet, it is the right decision.

Our student athletes will have questions, and Athletic Director Ryan Callahan and the coaches will be available to answer them.  

Athletic Director Callahan and our talented team of coaches will work hard to engage our student athletes in safe activities that allow them to continue to build relationships with team members and continue to develop as athletes. Athletics is planning a student athlete town hall on Aug. 6. Additional information will be communicated as it is made available.

This decision may have you questioning our return-to-campus plans. Please understand that athletic competition is much different than a classroom situation, where face coverings can be used and social distancing can be maintained. We continue our efforts to mitigate potential exposure on campus for our students, faculty and staff. This decision does not impact those efforts, and we will to return to classes as planned on Sept. 2, 2020.

Warhawk Athletics is powered by tradition and has a storied history of excellence that will not change because of this decision. There is a sense of loss that accompanies this decision, but nothing can change the pride that we have for Warhawk Athletics.

Sincerely,
Dr. Dwight C. Watson
Chancellor

Additional Press Release from UW-W:

The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has released its “Return to Play” plan for the 2020-21 academic year.

The WIAC has canceled conference seasons and championships in football, women’s soccer, volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country. Institutions will be permitted to conduct practices/training sessions within the limitations stipulated by the NCAA throughout the 2020-21 academic year.

League discussions will continue regarding plans to conduct a predetermined, limited number of contests against outside competition in football, women’s soccer and volleyball during the 2021 spring semester.

The WIAC has suspended competition for women’s tennis and golf. Conference seasons and championships in those sports will be moved to the spring semester. Institutions will be permitted to conduct practices within the limitations stipulated by the NCAA during the fall semester.

“I am proud of the conference and our fellow member institutions for putting together a plan to return to play as soon and as safely as possible,” Interim Athletic Director Ryan Callahan said. “While I’m disappointed that our teams won’t be able to compete this fall, I’m confident in the abilities of our head coaches and support staff to create an atmosphere of learning and growth with our teams through other opportunities during the fall semester.

“As has been the case throughout this process, the health and well-being of our student-athletes and staff will be at the forefront of discussions moving forward.”

A decision on the winter sports season will be determined at a later date.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will post a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page no later than Tuesday, August 4.

A virtual Town Hall Meeting with department administrators will take place Thursday, August 6, at a time to be determined. It will be announced on uwwsports.com and the Warhawks’ social media channels.

To submit a question to the UW-Whitewater athletic department, click here.

Upcoming Virtual City Meetings: Week of July 27 -July 31 (UPDATE: WUSD Bd on Wed.)

July 27, 2020
City of Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission - via go to meeting online or by phone: +1 (872) 240-3212
Access Code: 470-050-157 -Monday at 4:30 p.m. -  - More information 
Whitewater United School District School Board - via Zoom online - Passcode: 346754 or by phone: 1-312-626-6799- Webinar ID: 852 2829 6363- Passcode: 346754 -Includes fall instruction plan, unaudited financial statements for 2019-20 year.  More information - click on "meetings" in upper right corner.  Monday at 7:00 p.m.
City of Whitewater Finance Committee - via go to meeting online       Phone: 1 (646) 749-3122  Access Code: 803-626-381 - includes budget calendar, routes to recovery grant funding.  More information - Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.  
Whitewater Unified School District School Board - via zoom online -   Passcode 734493 Phone: 1-312-626-6799- Webinar ID: 856 4731 5478 - Passcode: 734493- Includes unaudited financial statements for 2019-20 fiscal year. More information -  click on "meetings" in upper right corner. Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.  (Note:  Closed session begins at 6:15 p.m. - for separate login info click on "more information" above.)

Flags at Half-Staff on Saturday in honor of recently identified Korean War Soldier; No Whitewater Connection, but 70 years after his death!

July 25, 2020
 
MADISON – July 24, 2020 — Gov. Tony Evers announced today that the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin will be flown at half-staff on July 25, 2020, in honor a recently identified Korean War Soldier whose remains have been returned to Wisconsin for burial.

Army Cpl. Francis J. Rochon of Superior will be buried with full military honors on Saturday, July 25, in Foxboro, Wisconsin, after the Department of Defense positively identified his remains 70 years after his death.

“This is a great yet somber day,” said Gov. Evers.  “We humbly remember Cpl. Rochon’s brave sacrifice to our nation and offer our condolences to his family as they now find closure after so many years and lay Cpl. Rochon to rest eternally in his home state and community.”

Rochon was a member of the 2nd Infantry Division.  He was reported missing in action on Sept. 1, 1950, after fierce fighting near Changnyeong, South Korea. The Army officially declared Rochon deceased on Dec. 31, 1953, and declared his remains non-recoverable Jan. 16, 1956.

Rochon’s unidentified remains were buried at a cemetery in South Korea in January 1951 and reinterred in 1956 to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.  He was disinterred in 2018 for possible identification by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

To identify Rochon’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Rochon will be buried at Summit Cemetery in Foxboro.  His military awards include the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.

Executive Order #81 is available here.

VA Wheelchair Games Go Virtual, Wisconsinites Come Out on Top, including LeToi Adams of Whitewater

July 23, 2020

WHITEWATER, Wisc., (SPECTRUM NEWS) — The national VA wheelchair games recently came to a close with quite a few Wisconsinites placing in their events.

The national wheelchair games had to turn virtual this year due to coronavirus. This means that participants had to record their event from home and send it in to be judged. LeToi Adams, an Army veteran from Whitewater says it was quite an adjustment but she wouldn’t miss the games for anything.

Click here for the complete article in Spectrum News.

Increasing Community Spread of COVID-19 Causes Irvin L. Young Library to Close Again After Fri., 7/24; Curbside Pickup Available

July 22, 2020

Due to the increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases, the Irvin L. Young Library will be closing its doors again on Friday, July 24 at 5:30 p.m. Curbside pickup will resume on Monday, July 27. Please see the information below.

Savory Sounds Concert on July 23 Features Lauren Hayes

July 20, 2020

(WHITEWATER – Whitewater Arts Alliance Press Release) – The second of three Savory Sounds Concerts to take place at the Cultural Arts Center on 402 West Main Street on Thursday, July 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. will feature harpist Lauren Hayes. All concerts will be outside at the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center. In case of rain, the concerts will be live-streamed.

La Piazza Pizzeria, 162 West Main Street, will provide lunches with pre-orders.  Attendees should call 262-458-2727 to pre-order lunches for pick up prior to the concert.

Chicago-based harpist Lauren Hayes is an avid orchestral, chamber, and solo musician, frequently performing with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Chicago Composers Orchestra, and as an Associate in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.  In addition to performing, she maintains a large private teaching studio and volunteers with the non-profit Sharing Notes. Hayes holds a PD in Orchestral Studies from Roosevelt University (2019), a MA in Harp with Distinction from the London Royal Academy of Music (2016), and a BM in Harp Performance from the University of Arizona (2014).  Lauren Hayes was born and raised in Whitewater.

Lauren Hayes

The Donnelly Sahyun Family Says: “Go Out And See the Comet!”

July 17, 2020
Comet Neowise Visits Whitewater, Next Appearance in 6,800 Years
 
Photo by Leif Sahyun, using his iPhone held up to the eyepiece of the binoculars:

The comet Neowise will be visible in Whitewater’s northwestern sky in the hours after sunset until July 23. Around 10:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, the Donnelly Sahyun family were just able to make out the comet from the hill over Trippe Lake park. It was about one fist above the downtown lights and two fists below the Big Dipper. To the naked eye it looked like a faint blur, but a better view was available through binoculars secured to a camera tripod. If you live in the countryside and have an unobstructed, northwestern, dark sky view, you may see it even more clearly. We recommend the experience! 

Our thanks to the Donnelly Sahyun family for this first-hand report.

Link to NASA Neowise information: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/how-to-see-comet-neowise. There you’ll learn that the comet was just discovered on March 27, 2020 by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission, not to be seen again for another 6,800 years.

Local Resident Named to University of Minnesota Twin Cities Dean’s List

July 17, 2020

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL, Minn. (July 17, 2020) – The following students have been named to the 2020 spring semester Dean’s List at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the university announced today.

To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must complete 12 or more letter-graded credits while attaining a 3.66 grade point average.

John Downs, Senior, College of Sci and Engineering

Obituaries

Celebration of Life: Dave Triebold

A celebration of life for Dave Triebold will be held July 27 at Triebold Farms, with festivities beginning around 11:30 am. A rememberance service will take place at 12:30 pm. A pig roast will follow, and the pool will be open. The family encourages you to stay through the evening for a bonfire as well. Contact Kris (262)949-5474 or Kath (414)412-4385 with questions.

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Celebration of Life: James Paul Fisher, 86

James Paul Fisher, 86, known by friends as JP or Jay, passed away on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at UW Hospital, Madison, with his immediate family by his side. His body finally surrendered to a heart attack after battling heart and kidney ailments for many years. Born in Fond du lac, Wisconsin, on October 25, 1937, to Lorraine and James Fisher, JP was a resident of Elkhorn and then Whitewater, Wisconsin. At age 2 JP was diagnosed with polio. Through daily therapy administered by his mother and grandmother, he overcame this life threatening virus, and with a prognosis of limited … Read more

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Obituary: Shirley M.  Messier, 86

Shirley M. Messier, 86, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on July 8, 2024. Shirley was born to Erwin and Leona Reese on May 20, 1938, in Farmington, Wisconsin. Shirley (“Shirttail”) attended the local country school, then set out on her own, taking a job doing factory work. On August 24, 1957, she married Blaine Messier in Jefferson, Wisconsin. They had three daughters, Michele (Shelly), Terry, and Karen. Shirley spent many years being a working wife and mother, finally retiring from Polymer Technologies / MacLean Fogg in Whitewater. Shirley loved country music and spent her retirement years going to George Jones … Read more

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Celebration of Life: Patricia Parr

Patricia Ann ParrBorn 7/20/42Departed to Heaven 5/10/23 About herself, Patricia often said “I love life, I love God, He always has taken care of me, and He always will”. Patricia died peacefully at Angels Grace Hospice in Oconomowoc, after a long and courageously fought season of declining health. Patricia was born in Beaver Dam, to a lovely family, which included her older brother Dennis and not too long after, her lifetime best friend and little sister Mary. They grew up on an idyllic “Gentlemen’s Farm” outside of Jefferson, with horses and many animals. Her parents, Floyd and Kathryn owned the … Read more

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Obituary: Margorie Alice “GG” Roloff, 89

Marjorie Alice “GG” Roloff, 89, passed away Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at Golden Years in Lake Geneva, WI. She was born July 31, 1934, to Fred and Martha (Arndt) Papcke, in Whitewater, WI, the fifth of eleven children. GG attended South Heart Prairie School, across the road from the family’s home farm. She is a Whitewater High School graduate. On April 19, 1953, she married her high school sweetheart, Eric. She worked a variety of jobs over the years. Her most memorable of those being the local canning factory and as a crossing guard. After retiring, she and Eric would … Read more

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Obituary: Marilyn Mae Fuerstenberg, 81 (UPDATED)

Marilyn Mae Fuerstenberg, 81 of Whitewater, WI., passed away on June 27, 2024, at Agrace Hospice in Janesville, WI. Marilyn was born May 27, 1943, in Geneva Township, to Raymond and Doris Kilpin. Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, her two younger brothers, Mike and Donny Kilpin. Marilyn married William (Bill) Fuerstenberg on September 21, 1963. Bill and Marilyn lived in Whitewater. Together they raised three children, taking the family on yearly vacations and camping trips throughout the years. Marilyn worked for Walworth County Health and Social Services as a Child Protection Social Worker. She dedicated 25 years … Read more

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Obituary: Jerome Francis Burke, 76

Jerome Francis Burke, age 76, of Whitewater, WI, passed away unexpectedly following a brief illness on June 27, 2024. Jerry was born in Evanston, IL on May 13, 1948 to Stephen and Catherine Burke. He grew up in Glenview, IL, where he graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grade School and then Loyola Academy (Wilmette). Those early days spawned treasured, lifelong friendships. He went on to graduate from St. Joseph’s College (IN) with a BA in Economics, and it was there thathe met his beloved wife, Eileen. They married shortly after graduation and were blessed to share their lives … Read more

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Obituary: Angelica E. Vicente Santa Cruz, 59, of Delaware / Obituario

Angelica E. Vicente Santa Cruz passed away Sunday, June 30th in home beside family and friends in Milford, Delaware from a long battle with cancer. Angelica E. Vicente Santa Cruz was born on February 24, 1965. She was the daughter of Doña Carmen Santa Cruz Valdez and Don Luis Vicente León, who allowed her to share a life of family union with her four brothers: Braulio, Carmen Rosa, Edgar and Juan. She was born in Lima-Peru and grew up in the Ventanilla district of the constitutional province of Callao of Peru. She completed her primary studies at the La Merced … Read more

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Obituary: Lowell V. Youngs, 87

Lowell V. Youngs, 87, of Whitewater passed away on Monday, June 24, 2024 in Madison. Lowell was born on September 4, 1936 in Wyoming to Isaac and Violet (Doble) Youngs.  He grew up in the very small town of Veteran, Wyoming, where he was one of nine students in his graduating class.  After graduating, Lowell attended the University of Colorado, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in 1958.  Lowell was drafted into the US Army in 1960 and selected to be in the Army Band, where he gladly carried a clarinet instead of a gun.  He was … Read more

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Obituary: Robert Karl Webb, 97

Robert Karl Webb passed away peacefully with his loving wife Adrienne by his side on June 14, 2024, at Hearthstone Memory Care in Whitewater, WI.  Dr. Webb was born in Trenton, Missouri on September 29, 1926, to parents Karl and Esther (Kull) Webb. During World War II, he served in the Navy aboard the USS Pennsylvania and was honorably discharged in 1946. He received his undergraduate and doctorate degrees in music from the University of Illinois in Urbana. Dr. Webb was a composer and taught in the public schools of Moberly, Missouri, and was the director of the Hobart, Indiana … Read more

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