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The Banner has been serving Whitewater, Wisconsin since August 1, 2006
Today is Monday, October 12, 2026
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Richard Ehrenberg writes, “Native, Summer, prairie flowers are in bloom and they put on a good show this time of year in my back yard. The flowers include Brown-Eyed Susan, Purple Cone flowers, Woodland Sunflowers, Cut-Leaved Coneflowers, Daisy Fleabane, Ox-Eyed False Sunflowers, Beebalm, and Summer Garden Phlox. In addition, Fireflies are still lighting up the backyard evenings, although in reduced numbers as they come to the end of this stage of life. They will now begin laying their eggs on the undisturbed soil of the prairie, under leaf and plant mulch in order to begin the next stage of their life cycle.
I invite Whitewater residents to stop by and take a self-guided tour of our back yard so you too can enjoy these wildflowers of Southeastern Wisconsin. The address is 505 East Clay St. on the East side of town. A sign to that affect will be posted by the city sidewalk.
The Jefferson County Fair Park Committee is asking interested community members to apply for a position on the Fair Advisory Board. This body, created last year, serves in a purely advisory capacity. Its purpose is to preserve and improve the annual Jefferson County Fair by reviewing related policies and making recommendations to the Jefferson County Fair Park Committee to enhance the planning, development, and execution of the County Fair.
In its first year, the Fair Advisory Board was invaluable in gathering community feedback to put on a successful 2024 County Fair. The Board meets between 10 and 15 times per year, with two-year terms that expire on August 31st. The Board can have a maximum of 20 members, with its membership currently sitting at 13. The Fair Park Committee will make the final selection at its September 12th meeting based on relevant experience, with every effort made to find individuals who represent a cross-
section of local stakeholders.
Applications can be found on www.jcfairpark.com in the “About Us” section of the Fair Park. https://cdn.saffire.com/files.ashx?t=fg&rid=JeffersonCountyWI&f=Fair_Advisory_Board_Application_-_Printable.pdf
Completed applications are due to RRoberts@jeffersoncountywi.gov by September 6th.
Editor’s note: The following individuals have been charged with one or more felonies in Walworth County Court. Please note that these charges, which are still open, have been filed between February and July, 2024. Typically the Banner has posted such charges on a more timely basis. These cases have not been concluded. Unless a judgment of conviction is entered, the defendants are presumed innocent of all charges.
Brian L Jaskolski, 58, W6628 Hwy 12, Whitewater, has been charged with misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money.
Amanda T McCracken, 36, N7554 Ridge Rd, Whitewater, has been charged with Bribery of Public Official.
Gage D. Fritz, 18, of W9245 Stader Road, has been charged with two counts of felony bail jumping.
Abraham Cervantes Vasquez, 38, of 1227 E Bluff Rd, #102, Whitewater, has been charged with six counts of manufacturing/delivering cocaine; one count of possession with intent to deliver cocaine; and one count possession with intent to deliver Tetrahydrocannabinols (THC).
Rafael R Mendoza-Ramirez, 39, of 903 E. Clay St., Whitewater, has been charged with two counts of felony bail jumping.
Alan H Bauer, 47, of 170 N. Esterly Ave., Whitewater, has been charged with possession of narcotic drugs, second and subsequent offense.
Robert L. Duclos, 48, of 400 S Rice St, #28, Whitewater, has been charged with retail theft – alter price, repeater; felony bail jumping, repeater.
Rosa H Agurcia Calderon, 39, of 127 S. Cottage St., #B, Whitewater, has been charged with Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money.
Marco A Avila, 19, of 755 N. Tratt Street #124, Whitewater, has been charged with Vehicle Operator Flee/Elude Officer.
Matthew Robert Escamilla, 25, of 557 W Whitewater St., Whitewater, has been charged with three counts of felony bail jumping, repeater.
Herti Nadir Martinez Quintanilla, 20, of 291 N Fraternity Ln #219, Whitewater, has been charged with possession of child pornography and three counts of bail jumping – felony.
Melvin B Brown, 31, of 147 N Fraternity La, #1, Whitewater, has been charged with Substantial Battery-Intend Bodily Harm.
Maycoll J Molina Fernandez, 29, of 734 E. Main St., Whitewater, has been charged with Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money and bail jumping – felony.
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
The construction project that commenced on July 8 on the U.S. Highway 12 “bypass” between the Walworth/Rock County line and Cox Road has been completed, and the detour signage was removed by early afternoon on Saturday, August 10. The work consisted of repaving the shoulders and adding rumble strips both in the center and sides of the highway.
Only one major detour remains in the city, that being Fremont Road from Starin Road to Whitewater Creek. The original anticipated completion date for that project was September 1.
The 1974 class of Whitewater High School announces that we will hold our 50th class reunion at the Fuzzy Pig, N8660 Clover Valley Rd. Whitewater, on Saturday Sept. 14th, at 5:00 pm. Cost is $20 at the door. Please help spread the word. Please RSVP by Sept. 2nd.
Contacts:
Mark Mead 920-728-2988
Bill Knilans bifcontractingwis@gmail.com
Ben Killips 414-708-6927 benkillips@yahoo.com
Join us for Lutherdale’s largest annual fundraiser! Generous support from donors & bidders makes it possible for campers to experience God’s love in a powerful way. This outdoor event will have craft and fabric sales, gift gallery, baked goods, silent auction bidding, and a LIVE quilt auction. Checks and cash are preferred for payment of auction items.
N7891 US-12, Elkhorn
Steve Watson writes, “I’m curious, is this great blue heron using nightcrawlers or wax worms?”
Our thanks to Steve Watson for sharing another of his great wildlife photos.
— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share. Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com. Thanks for thinking about this!
“In the Land of Saints and Sinners”
Tuesday, August 13, 1 p.m.
(Crime/Action/Thriller)
Rated R (Language/Violence) 1 hour, 46 minutes (2024).
It’s 1974, during “The Troubles.” A disillusioned hit man (Liam Neeson) comes out of retirement for one last job, when an IRA bomber on the run arrives in his sleepy Irish village. Totally filmed on location: an absolutely beautiful depiction of Irish locales, people, music and culture. Liam Neeson considers this one of his best film roles, ever.
Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes our of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/
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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