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Today is Monday, June 22, 2026
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A staple of campus and the local community for nearly half a century, the Children’s Center at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has been named as a 2024 recipient of the Academic Staff Excellence Award from the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents.
UW-Whitewater’s Children’s Center addresses a critical need in the area as Whitewater is considered a childcare desert — the city does not have enough local, accredited childcare to accommodate working families. It offers year-round, full-day care for children aged 3 months to 6 years and provides a learner-centered, collaborative early care and educational environment for children, families, educators and pre-service teachers, working with numerous departments on campus to provide a high level of care.
“The Children’s Center’s commitment to academic partnerships goes beyond traditional disciplines, with collaborations in sustainability, nutrition education, music, art, and library services,” Chancellor Corey A. King said. “This multifaceted approach enhances the educational experience for university students while addressing the diverse needs of the community.”
In the announcement released by the Board of Regents, the board echoed the center’s benefit to UW-Whitewater, which produces the most licensed teachers in the state and offers respected programs in related disciplines such as school counseling and literacy.
“The program has built and strengthened partnerships across campus since its opening in 1974. A longstanding partnership with the communication sciences and disorders program involves graduate students providing services that include screening, prevention, assessment, and treatment for speech, literacy, and language needs. This collaboration not only benefits the children at the center but also offers vital clinical experiences for speech-language pathology graduate students.”
Following a Reggio-Emilia-inspired practice, which emphasizes learning by teachers alongside their students with a focus on experiential learning in relationship-driven environments, the Children’s Center also holds itself to the state’s highest standards as a Department of Children and Families (DCF) license holder and a YoungStar accredited school.
The center employs a looping model, where teachers stay with the same group of children for multiple grade levels to build strong relationships, bonds and continuity.
The Children’s Center has built and sustained mutually beneficial partnerships with the university’s early childhood education, communication sciences and disorders, special education, and kinesiology programs, and with the sustainability and camps and conferences offices. Students within those programs receive hands-on learning experiences that are critical for their development in their major and for pinpointing what they want to do after graduation.
Chelsea Newman, director and lead teacher at the Children’s Center, places a high value on the relationships built between teachers and children as well as the collaborations between the center and these campus groups.
“It really enriches the environment that we’re able to provide here at the center not only for our kids, but also for the students,” Newman said.
The center continues to build on those campus partnerships, recently working with Warhawk Athletics to have student-athletes play with the children on the playground just outside of the Roseman Building, where the classrooms are located. Newman and her team, working with the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, have also reinstated literacy groups in the 4K classroom for the first time since the onset of the COVID pandemic.
A total of 64 percent of Children’s Center enrollees are children of university employees, and more than 6,000 placement hours are provided annually for students completing fieldwork and in student teaching in the early childhood program.
“It means the world to me and our family that our son can be on campus with me,” said Nicole Weber, academic advisor in the College of Education and Professional Studies. “The development and growth opportunities that are awarded to the kiddos in the center are beyond what I imagined. The teachers in our classrooms have assisted our son in building his confidence, imaginative nature, and, of course, his adventurous side. None of this would be possible without having a center like this one in my workplace.”
The center’s impact extends beyond campus. Students from Whitewater High School fulfill their child development course requirements at the site. Graduate students from other institutions seeking an early childhood license are placed at the center.
During the 2023-24 academic year, the center addressed family needs by adding school-age childcare when Whitewater schools are not in session and a drop-in site in the University Center for children ages 2-12.
The drop-in site is supported by the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant. Newman said grants and state funding have been critical in supporting the center’s initiatives and staff, some of whom don’t receive enough compensation to send their own children to the center, as well as the families who utilize the center’s services.
“I feel like funding has to be given in order to make it more feasible for families to afford,” Newman said. “Otherwise, it’s just that never-ending cycle of, ‘How are we going to afford this?’ I know we have a family here who pays almost $30,000 for three kids. If we want people to stay in the workforce, something’s got to give for our families.”
Newman and her team are hopeful that future funding can support other opportunities, including expanding infant and toddler spaces to meet high demand and working with the library on campus to create family study rooms with toys and other furnishings provided by the Children’s Center.
“We’re really trying to think outside of the box of what more we can do for the greater campus community who maybe doesn’t necessarily utilize us — thinking about how else we could help them succeed,” Newman said.
The Children’s Center will celebrate its 50th anniversary this fall. For Newman — who earned her BSE in elementary education and early childhood licensure at UW-Whitewater and will receive her MSE in Early Childhood Education Policy this August and who has been a lead teacher for the last 12 years — this milestone is a testament to the value it holds both on campus and in the local community.
“By doing more research on all the things we’ve accomplished in the last 50 years, we’ve continued to grow not only within the center and what we offer here, but grow within our partnerships with campus and the community,” Newman said.
The relationships she’s built throughout her time at UW-Whitewater — and those her department continues to build — become apparent each time she leaves the Roseman Building.
“We’re able to collaborate and meet different professors or academic staff and build on those connections,” Newman said. “I feel like whenever we go for walks, every year, it’s more people that I’m able to say hi to.”
The Board of Regents Academic Staff Excellence Award recognizes the excellent and invaluable service provided by non-instructional administrative and professional academic staff throughout the Universities of Wisconsin.
The Children’s Center will receive $7,500 for professional and/or program development activities and be recognized Friday, June 7, during the Board of Regents meeting at UW-Milwaukee.
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation indicates that US Hwy 12 will be closed, beginning on Thursday, June 6 and continuing until sometime in the fall, for road construction between WIS 20 and the US 12 bypass at Elkhorn. Resident and business access will be maintained; however, the crossing over the Sugar Creek (Between County A and County ES) will be closed for the duration of the bridge work.
Aside from resurfacing of the highway, a major change will be the installation of traffic lights at the intersection of County ES (commonly known as Abell’s Corners.)
As shown on the map above, the official detour uses WIS 20 to East Troy, I-43 and WIS 67 for access between Whitewater and Elkhorn. However, most drivers wishing to get to Elkhorn would find it much more efficient to use an alternate route upon leaving Whitewater, such as:
In La Grange, turn right on Hwy H, which takes a brief jog in Tibbets. (Turn left and then a quick right to continue on H.)
Fairly soon you arrive at Holton Manor, where you turn right onto Church Street. At West 3rd Avenue turn left and in a couple of blocks you’ll be at Wisconsin Street, the “main drag” in Elkhorn.
Join State Archaeologist Amy L. Rosebrough of the Wisconsin Historical Society for a special celebration of Whitewater’s effigy mound preserve! A guided tour of this amazing 1000-year-old site will be offered, along with a chance to see and touch artifacts from the time that the mounds were built. Surprises may even be in store! This kid-friendly tour will begin at 10:30 AM on Saturday, June 8 at the preserve entrance at the intersection of Indian Mound Parkway and Wildwood Road in Whitewater. Some walking on grassy trails will be required; comfortable shoes are recommended.
Game of Streaks, Warhawks unable to overcome 10-0 run from the Cougars
By Broderick Frye
Asst. Sports Information Director
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball fell to Misericordia [PA] in Game 1 of the NCAA DIII Championship Series. The Cougars scored 10 unanswered runs starting in the 2nd inning, and the Warhawks were unable to match. The Cougars picked up the 12-9 victory to take a 1-0 series lead.
The Warhawks struck first, with Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) smashing a ball to left field, scoring the first two runs of the game.
With a 2-0 lead, the Warhawks felt in control, but Misericordia put up a 5-run 2nd inning to take the lead.
After holding the Warhawk offense in check, Misericordia collected another 5-run inning in the bottom of the 4th, taking a 10-2 lead.
The Warhawks ended the 10-0 run with a six run top of 5th. Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) got things started with a two-run home run. Cootway scored after an Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) single & Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) made it to first on a dropped third strike to keep the inning going.
Bennett Frazer (Oconto, Wis./Oconto) continued the scoring with a sacrifice fly, sending Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) home. Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) added the final run with a RBI double down the left field line.
Misercordia added another another run to extend the lead back up to three runs. Cootway closed it back down to two with an RBI single in the top of the 8th.
The Cougars added another insurance run, making it three runs or three outs in the top of the ninth for the Warhawks. The Warhawks were unable to get runners on, with Misericordia picking up the 12-9 win.
The Warhawks will look to fight back on Thursday, June 4th. The first game is set to begin at 11:00 AM EDT [10 AM CDT] with a third possible game to follow if the Warhawks win.
On the evening of June 8, storyteller Elizabeth Matson will be performing Coat and Boots at Whitewater’s charming Wright House. She describes this show as: A cycle of stories about a woman of middling years in an old coat and worn-out boots and her adventures through revisioned tellings of traditional folk tales.
Elizabeth works at the Hedberg Public Library as the Head of Youth Services. She has started a Teen Storytelling Troupe at her library and a peer storytelling coaching group with other Wisconsin storytellers in her area.
Register to attend Coat and Boots on Eventbrite: coatboots.eventbrite.com
Scheduled from July 3rd through July 6th, this year’s 4th of July Festival promises four days of family-friendly fun, patriotic pride, and memorable moments. As part of our festivities, we are inviting individuals, businesses, and organizations to contribute to the success of our event through donations and sponsorships. Your support helps us continue the tradition of providing an unforgettable experience for our community.
In addition to seeking financial support, we are extending invitations for participation in our Fourth of July parade. Whether you’re a local business, a community group, or an enthusiastic individual, we welcome your application to join us in this vibrant procession through the heart of Whitewater. Applications to prior participants have been mailed; all participants are invited to utilize our online registration form available on the festival website or return paper registration forms via the address listed on the form.
We are always on the lookout for dedicated volunteers who share our passion for community and are eager to lend a helping hand. Whether you can assist before, during, or after the festival, your contribution will play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation and success of this community event. Please reach out to us via email at whitewater4th@gmail.com
Make your plans now to enjoy as many of the scheduled events as possible:
Wednesday, July 3
Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Session: 5-9 PM, $25 each wrist band
Miss Whitewater Pageant at Frawley Amphitheater: 5 PM – 27 contestants registered!
Civic Organization Food Vendors: 5 to 11 PM
Karaoke at Frawley Amphitheater: 8 to 10 PM
Thursday, July 4
Christman Family Amusements: No wristband sessions on 4th of July
Whippet City Mile: 9:45 AM along parade route
4th of July Parade: 10 AM
Civic Organization Food Vendors: 10 AM to 11 PM
Live Music at Frawley Amphitheater:
Polka band 2 pm sponsored by the American Legion Post 173
Sam Rodewald 5 PM to 7 PM
U2 Hype / U2 tribute band 8 PM to post fireworks
Fireworks: 10 PM
Friday, July 5
Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Session: 5 PM to 9 PM
Civic Organization Food Vendors: 4 PM to 11 PM
Live Music at Frawley Amphitheater:
Cactus Brothers 5 to 7 PM sponsored by TDS
TFK 8 pm to 10:30 PM
Family Day Powered by Generac: Free petting zoo, pony rides, camel rides 4 to 8 pm
Saturday, July 6
Christman Family Amusements Wrist Band Special: 12 to 4 PM, $25 each
Civic Food Vendors: 11 AM to 11 PM
4th of July Car Show 2 PM to 6 PM, 301 W Whitewater Street
Live Music at Frawley Amphitheater:
Jerry Armstrong & Blast to the Past 3 PM to 5 PM
Cead Mile Failte (Irish Music) 5 to 7 PM
Phil 8 PM to after Fireworks
Fireworks 10 PM
To stay updated on festival news and events, including the parade lineup and schedule, you can visit our website.
“We are excited to continue the legacy of this long-standing community event and gathering with our community over this holiday weekend,” says Katie Lehman, Volunteer Coordinator for the Whitewater Fourth of July Festival. “Together, with the support of our generous donors, enthusiastic participants, and dedicated volunteers, we look forward to making this year’s celebration the best one yet.”
For more information on how you can get involved, donate, sponsor, participate in the parade, or volunteer, please visit www.whitewater4th.com or contact us at whitewater4th@gmail.com.
About Whitewater’s Fourth of July Festival: The Whitewater Fourth of July Festival is an annual celebration that brings together residents, visitors, and businesses to commemorate Independence Day with a variety of activities, entertainment, and community spirit. Established many years ago, the festival has become a cherished tradition, symbolizing unity, patriotism, and the vibrant spirit of Whitewater.
Editor’s note: The above announcement was provided by the Whitewater 4th of July Festival Committee.
By Broderick Frye
Asst. Sports Information Director
Warhawks Advance to 2024 Championship Series with 5-2 Win
Holland’s 8th-inning home run broke up the tie to lead the Warhawks to victory.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team takes Monday’s game two over Salve Regina, 5-2. With the win, the Warhawks advanced to the NCAA DIII Championship Series against Misericordia. A best of three game series will decide the 2024 DIII Baseball National Champion.
In the game against Salve Regina, a quick three-and-out bottom of the first gave the Warhawks some momentum heading into the second inning. Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) led the inning off with a double and Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) hit him in two batters latter to open up the scoring for the Warhawks.
The Seahawks tied it back up after a solo home run from Tyler Cannoe. In the top of the third, Bennett Frazer (Oconto, Wis./Oconto) led off with a double, but the Slave Regina defense got out of the inning, stranding him on second.
The Warhawks responded right back defensively, with a three-up-three-down to get out of the third inning.
The Warhawks regained the lead in the top of the fourth, with Paden hitting his second double of the night, scoring Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles). But Salve Regina tied it right back, with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.
The game remained tied 2-2 for the next three innings, with neither team able to put together a rally. Max Huseboe (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) came in to relief Jack Hagen (San Clemente, Cal./San Clemente) in the bottom of the 7th, taking the Salve Regina side down in order for his first inning.
In the top of the 8th, Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) got the momentum back on the Warhawks’ side. Holland sent a lead-off homer the opposite way to finally break the tie and putting the Warhawks up 3-2.
After Holland’s homer, the Warhawks tallied three straight singles from Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port), Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran), and Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) adding another run to their lead.
In response, the Seahawks got a runner on first, but the Warhawk defense kept them off the board. The Warhawks tallied on an insurance run in the Top of the 9th. After video review, Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) was called safe on a single that scored Frazer, giving UWW a 5-2 lead.
With another 3-run cushion, Salve Regina had three outs left to make up the runs. Logan Eisenbarth (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) came in as the closer for the bottom of the ninth. Eisenbarth fanned the first two batters, but the next two runners made it on base. With two outs and the tying run on the plate, the Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) secured the final out, claiming the victory for the Warhawks.
Huseboe earned the win on the mound and Eisenbarth was awarded the save as the Warhawks advance to the NCAA Championship Series for the first time since 2014.
The Warhawks will take on Misericordia in a best of three-game series. Due to weather, the first game, [which was scheduled to be played on Wednesday,] will be on Tuesday, June 4th at 7 PM EDT/6 PM CDT. The second game will remain on Thursday, June 6th at 11 AM EDT/10 AM CDT with the third game to follow if needed.
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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