Early City Motto "The Banner Inland City of the Midwest"
The Banner has been serving Whitewater, Wisconsin since August 1, 2006
Today is Monday, October 12, 2026
News & Events
To add an event, click here to go to the Community Calendar. Then, click on Submit Event.
Helpful Links
Search our Archives
To search our archives, enter a search term in the search box, then press enter to search.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. For the last summer image from the Scholl collection of glass plate negatives from c.1900 we offer this salute to Labor Day coming up on Monday. Here is a group of men working in a Whitewater area quarry. It may be the one off of Franklin Street, or elsewhere in the area, but it illustrates how hard some c.1900 jobs were. Many of you may remember the 1960s song, “I Fought the Law,” that starts “Breaking rocks in the hot sun. . .” Well, that is what these men appear to be doing. Fortunately, most labor is not as physically demanding today, but all labor is valuable, and we salute all workers on Labor Day!
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(3765GP, Whitewater Historical Society)
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Book Buddies.
Dr. Seuss once wrote, “The more that you read, the more things you will know; the more things that you learn, the more places you’ll go!”
Book Buddies, a fun after-school reading program for all children in the Whitewater community, is back for its 4th straight year! Book Buddies will again be meeting every Monday afternoon from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at First English Lutheran Church (401 W. Main Street) starting September 16 and running through December 2, 2024.
Book Buddies pairs a caring adult with a child in grades Kindergarten through Grade 5. After snacks and a short program, “buddies” read books together working on skills and discussing what they read. Authors, such as Linda Teed, story-tellers like Whitewater’s own Jim Winship, and other guests including Officer Justin Stuppy and his police dog, Tilla, plan to visit our group sharing their unique insights on the importance of reading.
AND EVERYTHING IS FREE! There is no cost for a child to participate and all participants receive a FREE Tee-shirt and a FREE bookbag filled with a new book and other surprises. Snacks are also provided. Books in Spanish and Spanish-speaking helpers are also available.
Book Buddies is extremely grateful to the Whitewater Community Foundation for the Community Action Grant we recently received. Thrivent and the Women of the ELCA at First English Lutheran Church have also financially supported the Book Buddies program.
So, come and join the fun! If you know of a child who would like to participate, contact Barb Penington at bookbuds1@gmail.com or call 262-215-9061 with the child’s name, grade in school, and phone number. Deadline for registrations is Friday, Sept. 13!
The Whitewater High School Girls’ Tennis team traveled to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin for a non-conference dual against Wayland Academy on Thursday, August 29. The Whippets ended the night with a 6-1 dual win.
Article and Photo Courtesy of Greg Stewart
Whitewater High School Assistant Tennis Coach
gstewart@wwusd.org
The Whitewater Whippet Boys’ Soccer Team invites all Whitewater youth to join them on Thursday, September 5th, at 7:00 PM, for the 2nd annual WHS Boys’ Soccer Youth Night.
Talen Jourdan (Left) is one of six Whitewater alumni on the U.S. men’s team in Paris; Christine Schwab with her Olympic gold medal in wheelchair basketball from Rio 2016 (Craig Schreiner/UW-Whitewater)
An article by Ben Pickman in The Athletic (a New York Times publication) on August 28 was titled “Welcome to UW-Whitewater, the bedrock of the U.S. Paralympic wheelchair basketball teams.” Excerpts of the story, which is behind a paywall, are shown below.
“The scuff and skid marks help tell the story. Of collisions, of wheelchairs tipping over, of abrupt stops, pivots, and turns. The banners on the walls around the court’s perimeter serve as a complement to those tales — of a World Championships in Amsterdam, of a Parapan-Am Games in Toronto, of the 2012 London Paralympics, of the three women’s and 14 men’s collegiate national titles.
From the outside, the Roseman Building…looks like another indistinguishable administrative hall….But “Roseman,” as its inhabitants call it, is home to some of the best wheelchair basketball players in the United States….It is one of the most understated venues used by high-level athletes.
…As the Paralympic Games get underway in Paris, the core of the U.S. wheelchair basketball program has roots in the school and the Roseman Building.
Of the 12 members on Team USA men’s wheelchair basketball squad, six are alumni of UW-Whitewater, the most of any university. The women’s team has two players, and one alternate, who competed collegiately at UW-Whitewater…Two alums will play for Germany and another is on the Netherlands roster.
That a university with Division III athletics, and a student body of around 11,000 (more than 1,300 of which have disabilities) became a leader in the wheelchair basketball space stems from serendipity.
In the early 1970s, only a few programs provided services to students with disabilities across America. Less than a half-dozen had wheelchair basketball teams.
John Truesdale was working for Wisconsin’s division of vocational rehabilitation when UW-Whitewater received grant money to support students with disabilities. Shortly after, he was brought into the university to address campus accessibility needs, eventually starting the school’s disabled student services office — which then served around 10 students — and its adaptive recreation program.
Truesdale played stand-up basketball recreationally throughout his youth but had no prior coaching experience. Nevertheless, he took over the sideline duties…. A group of non-disabled students practiced with them because they liked the competition. “I really didn’t know anything,” Truesdale said. “It wasn’t anything that I did as much as it was students and staff buying into it because they saw the need.”
The existence of the program was a starting point.
Shortly after the program’s launch, the university rewrote its mission statement and committed to developing and providing services for students with disabilities. Its intentions were clear. Buy-in followed. “Interest spread throughout the entire campus,” Truesdale says. “It was somewhat unique.” Nowadays, more than 12 percent of Whitewater students use the services offered by the center for students with disabilities on campus.
…..Talen Jourdan represents this generation. Jourdan is from nearby Deerfield. He didn’t know much about the program’s history when he enrolled. But he does now. And on top of the tales of those before him, he appreciates that the men’s team has their own locker room, space for chairs, and a weight room.
Jourdan’s hands are full of calluses and his forearms have countless scars because he uses them to help brake. The marks have been worth it. This spring, he learned he had made his first Paralympic team.
While the U.S. women are looking to win their first gold since 2016, the men are seeking a third consecutive title and to complete the first Paralympic three-peat in men’s wheelchair basketball. “It would mean a lot to everybody,” says Jourdan, who graduated from Whitewater in May…“I love playing at Whitewater because everybody knows about wheelchair basketball and the success the program’s had.”
A comment made by a reader of The Athletic:
Bruce G.
Thanks for the great article celebrating UW-Whitewater. Both of our boys swam at UWW but went to wheelchair basketball games and had their players come to their meets. I remember watching wheelchair basketball games during tournaments UWW would host and being in awe of the athletes. Our experience at UWW was all athletes from all the sports fully supported each other.
When are the U.S. wheelchair basketball teams in action?
Men’s fixtures
- Aug 29: vs Spain (10am ET) US 66 / Spain 56
- Aug 31: vs Netherlands (9 am CDT) — US 60 / Netherlands 34
- Sep 1: vs Australia (3.30am CDT) — “Digital only”
- Sep 3: quarterfinals (Begin 6:45 am CDT)
Sep 5: semifinals; Sep 7: bronze medal match and gold medal match
Women’s fixtures
- Aug 30: vs Germany (9 am CDT) US 73 / Germany 44
- Aug 31: vs Netherlands (11.15 am CDT) – Netherlands 69 / US 56
- Sep 2: vs Japan (6.45 am CDT) – Broadcast on USA
- Sep 4: quarterfinals; Sep 6: semifinals; Sep 8: bronze medal match and gold medal match
How do I watch the Games?
Live coverage of the opening ceremony will be shown on USA Network at 12pm CDT. Then on every sporting day, starting on Thursday, August 29, USA Network will provide coverage of the most exciting events, including live finals. Streaming service Peacock will also broadcast around 1,500 hours across all 22 sports throughout the 12-day event, including the hugely popular ‘Gold Zone’ whip-around show.
NBC will have three primetime windows: Friday, August 30 at 8pm CDT; Sunday, September 1 at 6pm CDT; and Friday, September 6 at 8 pm CDT, while CNBC will present live action each weekend. NBCParalympics.com will have the most up-to-date listings and information for viewers in the States.
The Paralympics YouTube channel will also provide live coverage, replays, highlights, creator content and athlete features.
A comment made by a reader of The Athletic:
Bruce G.
Thanks for the great article celebrating UW-Whitewater. Both of our boys swam at UWW but went to wheelchair basketball games and had their players come to their meets. I remember watching wheelchair basketball games during tournaments UWW would host and being in awe of the athletes. Our experience at UWW was all athletes from all the sports fully supported each other.
| Person | Team | Role | At UW-W |
| Jake Williams | USA Men | Player | Former student athlete |
| AJ Fitzpatrick | USA Men | Player | Current student athlete |
| Talen Jourdan | USA Men | Player | Former student athlete |
| John Boie | USA Men | Player | Former student athlete; Current academic advisor |
| Nate Hinze | USA Men | Player | Former student athlete |
| Jeromie Meyer | USA Men | Player | Former student athlete |
| Becca Murray | USA Women | Player | Former student athlete |
| Lindsey Zurbrugg | USA Women | Player | Former student athlete |
| Christine Schwab | USA Women | Head coach | Former women’s coach; Manager Learning Communities Program |
| Desiree Miller | USA Women | Asst coach | Former student athlete |
| Sammy White | Australia Men | Player | Former student athlete |
| Mareike Miller | Germany Women | Player | Former student athlete |
| Vanessa Erskine | Germany Women | Player | Former student athlete |
| Mariska Beijer | Netherlands Women | Player | Former student athlete |
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
A press release dated August 28 from the Marcus & Millichap commercial real estate brokerage firm indicates that the Whitewater Plaza retail strip property at 1139 W. Main Street has sold for $3,615,000. M&M’s Chicago Oak Brook office had the exclusive listing to market the 1.88 acre property with a 24,211 square foot building. It was indicated that the property is currently 94% occupied, with tenants such as Jimmy John’s, Anytime Fitness, Cozumel Restaurant and Beijing Buffet. Sarah Grace Pugh, public relations specialist for Marcus & Millichap, told The Banner that she was unable to disclose the name of the buyer.
According to the Walworth County website, the tax bill for 2023 was sent to PNL WHITEWATER LLC in Dallas, TX. The estimated fair market value was $2,847,400.
| Gov. Evers Order Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Former State Rep. James Soletski |
| MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #237 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Thurs., Aug. 29, 2024, in honor of former Wisconsin State Rep. James Soletski, who passed away on Tues., Aug. 20, 2024, at the age of 75. “A lifelong Wisconsinite, Representative Soletski was dedicated to serving others and the greater Green Bay area,” said Gov. Evers. “Kathy and I send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and neighbors during this time of mourning.” Former Rep. Soletski grew up in New Franken and was a graduate of Preble High School and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In 2006, after a career of more than 20 years in the energy industry, Rep. Soletski was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, where he served for two terms representing the 88th Assembly District. During his time in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Rep. Soletski served as chairperson of the Energy and Utilities Committee, as well as vice-chairperson of the Elections and Campaign Reform Committee and the Consumer Protection Committee. Services for former Rep. Soletski will be held on Thurs., Aug. 29, 2024, in Green Bay. |
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
Other Recent Posts
Click on the title to view the post. To open the post in a new tab, press Ctrl (Cmd on a Mac) while clicking on the title.
