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Today is Monday, October 12, 2026
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It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
This month we are featuring summertime images from the Scholl glass negative collection, taken between 1890 and 1910. We start with a summer view of a picnic, probably around 1900. Several views of this old farmstead are in the collection, and it appears to be abandoned and in a state of disrepair. Perhaps the people in the photo are the owners who no longer inhabit the farmstead. In any event, note the hats on all of the people except one. They are “boaters,” a type of hat very popular for summer in the early 1900s. Even the women are wearing versions of this popular style.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(3753GP, Whitewater Historical Society)
For 30 years, Bethel House has provided support to Whitewater community members who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of losing their housing.
To help celebrate the organization’s milestone, SSM Health recently donated $1,000 in support of its mission. The gift helped to jumpstart the organization’s celebratory campaign to raise at least $3,000 by seeking $30+ donations.
“Bethel House is 100% locally funded and receives no financial assistance from the state or federal government,” said SSM Health Community Health Director Megan Timm. “SSM Health is proud to help support the great work they are doing in Walworth and Jefferson counties.”
Bethel House provided over $6,000 in financial assistance to 17 families from January-March 2024. They were able to stop four evictions from taking place and kept nine kids in their homes and schools.
“Of these impacted families, 64% were single-parent households, and two-thirds of the families had at least one person working full-time in the household,” Timm said. “This really shows that we are currently in an environment where many families are struggling to make ends meet.”
Last year, Bethel House provided nearly $23,000 to assist 80 local families with emergency assistance. In addition, Bethel House has a transitional housing program for families who are trying to establish stable housing.
“We are so humbled by the generous investment SSM Health made towards our efforts to keep local children and families housed. Support from community partners who believe in our mission is critical to our ability to provide our crucial services to families who need us,” said Bethel House Executive Director Megan Hartwick. “We’re so thankful to the whole team at SSM Health for their understanding of the importance of supporting families with stable housing.”
To learn more about Bethel House or to contribute to its 30-year celebration campaign, visit http://www.bethelhouseinc.org/.
Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by SSM Health.
Get ready to listen to the instrumental ensemble Bonzo Squad! Thursday night, August 1, they will be at the Cravath Lakefront park for Concerts in the Park starting at 7:00 pm. Admission is free and for all ages.
Update: Rain won’t keep this group away! We will still have the concert, but, it will be inside the Cravath Lakefront Community Building.
Listen to some of their work before tonight by heading to: https://bonzosquad.com/listen
Bonzo Squad
Bonzo Squad is an instrumental jazz ensemble based in Chicago IL, with a focus on presenting fun, eclectic music with a high level of musicianship. The group consists of Bonzo himself, born Corbin Andrick, who plays the flute and the saxophones. Completing the line up are Andrew Lawrence on keyboards, Andrew Vogt on bass, and Zack Marks on drumset. The band formed in 2014 through playing a weekly residency at Lilly’s in Chicago.
In 2017, they released their first, self-titled album, which received a coveted 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine. The track “Lemons” was added to Spotify’s popular “The State of Jazz” playlist. In 2019, Bonzo Squad released their sophomore record,
“There’s Always Tomorrow.” They also moved their residency from Lilly’s to the Arrogant Frog, and finally to aliveOne, where they are still performing live every Thursday night.
Bonzo Squad kept active during the Covid-19 pandemic, producing a series of virtual livestreams on Facebook and YouTube. They released the live album “Live At aliveOne” in 2020, and were nominated by the Chicago Reader as one of the best jazz bands in
Chicago, in their 2020 best of poll.
In addition to their weekly residency at aliveOne, Bonzo Squad has produced tribute shows to Stevie Wonder and Vulfpeck through the Jazz Record Art Collective in Chicago, IL. They have also presented numerous educational clinics at High Schools,
both in person and virtually.
[From Bonzo’s website]
Editor’s note: The following press release was issued by the Rock County Sheriff’s Department on July 30, 2024. Previous Banner articles regarding this crash were published on April 14, April 17, and April 22.
Original Release
On 04/13/2024, at approximately 1204 hours, Rock County Deputies, Jefferson County Deputies, Whitewater Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol along with several fire / EMS agencies responded to a three-vehicle crash at Highway 12 and East County Line Road in Lima Township, Rock County. An adult male and two adult females were declared deceased at the scene of the
crash. A third adult female passed away days later from injuries sustained from crash.
Updated Release
The Rock County Sheriff’s Office concluded its investigation and on 07/29/24, Lexus D. Boedecker, 24, Elkhorn, Wisconsin, was arrested on four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle – controlled substance, one count of operating with a detectable amount of a controlled substance, two counts of injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle-controlled substance. Boedecker was taken into custody with the assistance of the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office. Boedecker was transported to the Rock County Jail and has a future court date of 08/26/24 at 1:00 P.M.
“Pursuant to the directive of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicity, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.”
There is also a posting at the Archdiocese of Milwaukee website.
Editor’s note: The above announcement was provided by the St. Patrick Catholic Parish.
UW-La Crosse announces May 2024 graduates
The following area students completed degree requirements at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in May.
UW-La Crosse, founded in 1909, is one of 13 four-year institutions that comprise the Universities of Wisconsin. UWL has more than 10,400 full and part-time students enrolled in 101 undergraduate, 28 graduate and two doctoral academic programs.
UW-La Crosse, a top-ranked national university, is the No. 1 public university in Wisconsin with fewer than 25,000 students. See more at www.uwlax.edu
Students earning degrees in May include:
HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, DEGREE, MAJOR(S), HONORS (if listed)
Whitewater, WI
Bryce Hibbs, Bachelor of Science, Communication Studies Major: Organizational and Professional Communication Emphasis, Honors
Josie Hintz, Bachelor of Science, Finance Major; Business Analytics Major, Highest Honors
A trio of Whitewater High School students, Chacha Binagi, Erison Dreksler, and Rae Breisath spent the week from July 21-26 at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) for the MSOE Explore Summit for Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Students.
Each day, the students attended two class sessions on different areas of engineering that can be studied at MSOE, participating in lectures and projects. Areas covered included chemical/biomolecular engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science/software engineering, computer engineering, civil engineering, architectural engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. During one of the workshops, students built their own miniature robots.
In the evenings, students participated in fun activities including a comedy show and bingo. They also participated in a field trip to learn about cybersecurity.
Each student received a $1000 scholarship from MSOE renewable for four years should they choose to attend that university. All three will be juniors at Whitewater High School this fall and are members of the Ferradermis FIRST Robotics Team. They qualified to attend the free summit as students enrolled in the PLTW Introduction to Engineering course at WHS last year.
Article Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School PLTW Teacher and Robotics Advisor
lmasbruch@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Tori Breisath
Fall Whippet athletes and their parents/guardians will have a mandatory player/parent meeting in the high school auditorium at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, July 30. At 6:00, Athletic Director Mr. Justin Crandall will share updated sports guidelines for the fall. Immediately following the large group session, players and parents will transition to sport specific meetings. For more information, contact the Whippet Athletic Department office at 262-472-8105.
Start dates for fall sports at Whitewater High School:
- Football – August 6
- Girls’ Tennis – August 13
- Girls’ Swimming – August 13
- Cross Country – August 19
- Girls’ Volleyball – August 19
- Boys’ Soccer – August 19
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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