Early City Motto "The Banner Inland City of the Midwest"
The Banner has been serving Whitewater, Wisconsin since August 1, 2006
Today is Wednesday, May 13, 2026
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It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
Memorial Day is on Monday, a day to honor those who gave their lives in war. Cemeteries have always played a large role in Memorial Day celebrations. This is a turn-of-the-20th-century view of Hillside Cemetery, one of the glass plates in the Scholl Collection.
Happy Memorial Day on Monday!
(3595GP, Whitewater Historical Society)
On Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the contractor for the Vanderlip Pumping Station [wastewater] project will start work on Carriage Drive, between Fraternity Lane and Tratt Street, to install sanitary force main. Carriage Drive will be closed to thru traffic, but open to local residents; however, the intersection with Tratt Street will remain open.
Beginning Monday, June 10, 2024, Tratt Street, between Starin Road and Carriage Drive, will be closed to thru traffic for water main, sanitary sewer, and force main work. Curb & gutter spot repairs, pedestrian ramp ADA improvements, and new asphalt are also part of this project. The Starin Road and Tratt Street intersection will be closed to traffic. Traffic will be detoured using CTH U to CTH D, STH 59/Newcomb Street and Main/Milwaukee Streets. Tratt Street is anticipated to reopen August 9, 2024.
Brad Marquardt
Director of Public Works
262-473-0139
bmarquardt@whitewater-wi.gov
For other requests, visit https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/RequestTracker.aspx.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources indicates that the storms on May 21 “caused tree damage and downed power lines at many state properties across Wisconsin. Staff will be out assessing damage and clearing downed trees. If you see them, please give them space. Please use caution while recreating at state parks, forests, trails, recreation areas and wildlife areas in the coming days and report any property damage or downed trees to the local property office. At this time, please avoid Blue Mound State Park due to more widespread storm damage and downed powerlines. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we get things cleaned up.”
W8205 Nature Drive, Whitewater, Wisconsin
HUGE LIFE SIMPLIFYING GARAGE SALE
Friday- May 24: 8-1.
Saturday- May 25: 9-12
Golf bag cart
Duck blind, goose and duck motion decoys
Brushed nickel vanity lights/ 4 ceiling fan/lights/shower head and wand
Portable table saw/ drill press
Oak vanity mirrors (3) + Additional mirrors
Pottery Barn queen duvet set
Women’s L 3/4 length leather coat in excellent condition
High quality household and home decor items.
Vintage Hurricane lamp
447 S. Woodland Drive
Moving Sale, Everything must go.
Friday May 24 and Saturday May 25 8 am – 4 pm
Collectables: Colored Glass Decor, Department 56 Dickens Village Series, Rae Dunn Pottery and Holiday Collections, Longaberger Baskets and Pottery
Everyday Items: Kitchen Items, Games, Crafts, Tools, Table and Chairs, Cabinet, more added every day.
W4370 County Rd U
Whitewater
Rummage Sale
Thursday 8:00 am-4:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am-2:00 pm
Packer jackets and caps
Household items
Small kitchen appliances
Collectibles
Seasonal items
And much more!
On Monday, May 20, the Whitewater Boys’ Tennis Team competed in the subsectional tournament at East Troy. The 1 doubles team of Emerson Ellenwood and Yovanni Rojas-Reyes defeated Big Foot 6-2 6-2 and will now face Edgewood for an opportunity to participate in the state tournament. The 3 doubles team of Hugo Portales and Emmanuel Mbifi defeated Jefferson 6-1 6-4 and then pulled through in the 3rd set to defeat Edgerton 6-4 1-6 10-5. They will now also play Edgewood in the semifinals of sectionals on Wednesday, May 22.
Article and Photo Courtesy of Baron West
Whitewater High School Head Tennis Coach
bwest@wwusd.org
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Whitewater Wrap & Ship, located at 116 E. Main Street, recently announced that it will be closing its doors, with the last day for domestic shipments being Friday, May 24. The following is the announcement that was posted to their Facebook page by Lori Tanis. When a question was posed on Facebook as to whether they were planning to sell the business, the response was that they have no plans as of now, but, “if someone is wanting to have a conversation about it, we are willing to sit down with them.”
Please see the bottom of this post for alternative shipping services in Whitewater and beyond.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing the closure of our store. We wanted to express our gratitude for the support over the last 4 years from this community.
It is due to many reasons including the explosive growth of the business and many personal reasons that growth affects, our family has made the difficult choice to close our doors. This decision was not made lightly and everyone involved with the store running is in complete agreement the decision is best for all of us personally.
Everyone here at Whitewater Wrap & Ship wants to take the opportunity to thank you for your loyalty and patronage. It has been an honor to serve this community and we are beyond grateful for the relationships we have built with our customers. Your support as we took the risk to open during the early COVID lockdown and the following time as we navigated the growth and changes that came through the shipping industry.
With this closure we are committed to helping the community through the transition to closure. As we close, anyone shipping a package will have the support provided until the packages arrive. Our last day shipping internationally is May 17th. For domestic it will be May 24th. Even though our doors are closed, I will personally be reachable via phone or email for any follow up or issues.
Even though we are closing the shipping store, Kelsey and I are still providing apparel services. We will be updating our contact information for that in the coming weeks.
As we close this chapter, we encourage you to continue supporting our local businesses. Your support is vital in sustaining the local economy and preserving the unique character of our community. We look forward to all the growth and changes that are coming to Whitewater!
Once again we thank you for your support and we are grateful to have been a part of this community. We will cherish the memories, friendships, and connections we have made. Thank you for your understanding and support.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Alternative shipping services
Unfortunately with the closing of Whitewater Wrap & Ship (WWS), there will be no business in the city providing the full range of services that they have offered. For one, as their name implies, customers have been able to rely on the business to provide an envelope or box and to prepare same for mailing. Additionally, WWS has represented and provided pricing for DHL, FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Going forward the Banner is not aware that any business will provide “wrapping” service; further, it appears that existing businesses ship through only one carrier. A significant challenge with using FedEx or UPS is that many people probably don’t have a scale, or at least one that’s sure to be accurate to the pound. WWS and True Value Hardware provided a scale, but that service will apparently only be available at the Post Office now.
Advance Auto Parts, 1184 W. Main Street
Only UPS shipping
Drop off: Customer must bring the package labeled and prepaid. They are not able to work from a QR code. Parcels are typically picked up between 3-4 p.m., Mon. – Fri. (There is also a UPS drop box outside Associated Bank.)
Pick up: Those wishing to have parcels delivered to the store rather than to their home may have parcels addressed with their name care of the store. When residents are not home to accept a UPS delivery that requires a signature the driver will leave a note asking for them to pick up the package at this store.
United States Post Office, 213 W. Center Strett
Only USPS shipping. Envelopes and boxes are available for sale.
Walgreens, 1041 W. Main Street
Only FedEx shipping
Drop off: Customer must bring the package labeled and prepaid. For retail returns, they prefer that the customer have the label, but with the QR code they can usually provide one. FedEx picks up ground parcels Mon-Fri at 3 p.m., express parcels at 12 and 3 p.m.
The Shipping Depot
58 W. Market St., Elkhorn (Next to Taste of China)
Offers “wrapping” service, sells envelopes and boxes. Will provide a label for an Amazon return with QR code for $1.
Ships by DHL (international), FedEx, UPS, USPS.
Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The UPS Store
2811 Milton Ave., Janesville
Offers “wrapping” service, sells envelopes and boxes. Will provide a label for an Amazon return with QR code (as of a few months ago, no charge for the label.)
Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Editor’s note: Any readers having further information about mailing services is requested to email us at whitewaterbanner@gmail.com so that we may update this information.
The Bassett House Spring Concert Series continues on Sunday, May 26 at 1:00 pm with a concert of vocal music presented by UW-Whitewater faculty Bob and Sarah Gehrenbeck, joined by special guests Nahuel Recoba, Molly Wanless, and Angela Bleke. The three guest singers are former UW-W voice majors who have worked closely with the Gehrenbecks in the past, who have each made their mark on the local music scene and beyond. Recoba recently made his professional debut at The Fireside in Fiddler on the Roof; Wanless will be starting a Masters program in vocal performance at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in the fall, and Bleke recently moved back to Wisconsin after completing a Masters at the University of Louisiana.
The program will consist of classical and musical theatre songs sung in German, Italian, and English, including art songs by Robert Schumann, Gioachino Rossini, and Charles Ives, along with selections from My Fair Lady, Pirates of Penzance, Les Misérables, and Anastasia. A unique feature of the event will be an audience sing-along of Memorial-Day themed music, based on a song by American composer Charles Ives called “The Things our Fathers Loved.”
The concert is a fundraiser sponsored by the Whitewater Federation of Women’s Clubs, with all proceeds going toward the preservation of the historic Bassett House, 708 W. Main St, Whitewater.
The two Gehrenbecks have been a musical duo for 25 years since they first met during a performance of a Bach cantata during their graduate school days at Indiana University (Sarah was the organist, and Bob, the baritone soloist). Since that time, they presented additional recitals together in Indiana and Illinois, and portions of recitals in Whitewater, but the upcoming Bassett House concert will be their first joint recital since the birth of their musically talented sons, Henry and Theo. Both Sarah and Bob hold doctorates in music from Indiana University and both also earned degrees at Boston University prior to their paths finally crossing in Indiana. Sarah is currently music director and organist at First English Lutheran Church in Whitewater, and instructor of piano, organ, and harpsichord; staff accompanist, and vocal coach, at UW-W. Bob is director of choral activities at UW-W and artistic director of the Wisconsin Chamber Choir, based in Madison. In addition to their main pursuits as pianist/organist/coach (Sarah) and conductor (Bob), both are also trained singers, having studied once upon a time with the same teacher, Mary Ann Hart, former chair of the Voice Department at Indiana University.
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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