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Local Students Named to Marquette University Dean’s List

March 16, 2026

Local students named to Marquette University’s fall 2025 Dean’s List 

The following students have been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2025 semester at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

To make the Dean’s List, students must have earned at least 12 credits for the fall 2025 semester and have no disqualifying grades. The GPA threshold varies by college — for the College of Education and the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, undergraduate students must have at least a 3.7 to be named to the Dean’s List.  

The undergraduate GPA requirement is 3.5 for the following colleges: the Diederich College of Communication, the College of Business Administration, the College of Health Sciences, the Opus College of Engineering and the College of Nursing. All other programs have a 3.75 GPA minimum. 

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university that draws over 8,000 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate and professional students from nearly all states and more than 60 countries. In addition to its nationally recognized academic programs, Marquette is known for its service learning programs and internships as students are challenged to use what they learn to make a difference in the world. Find out more about Marquette at marquette.edu

Whitewater, WI

 Maddie Arnett, Doctorate, Occupational Therapy
 Emerson Maliszewski, Bachelor of Science, Nursing

City of Whitewater Parks and Rec Invitation for the 4th of July Parade

March 15, 2026

Following is a message from the City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation Department:

The Whitewater Parks & Recreation Department is excited to announce that we will be overseeing the 2026 Whitewater 4th of July Parade, and we would love to invite you to participate!

The City would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Whitewater Lions Club for their many years of service and dedication in organizing the parade and helping make this event a highlight of the summer season.

The parade will take place on Saturday, July 4, 2026, beginning at 10:00 AM. This year’s celebration will be especially meaningful as communities across the country celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary. We are looking forward to making this milestone celebration an unforgettable event for our community.

We hope you will consider joining us to help make the parade bigger, more festive, and more memorable than ever. Whether through a float, vehicle, marching group, performance, or other creative display, your participation will help bring excitement and patriotic spirit to this historic celebration.

The parade registration form is below. [Note: A printable copy of the form may be found here.] Additional details regarding parade lineup and staging will be shared in June. 

If you are interested in participating or would like to receive more information, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Whitewater, our community, and America’s 250th Anniversary in a truly amazing way.

Track & Field: Vargas Claims All-America Honors in the 60

March 15, 2026

Birmingham, Ala. — Sam Vargas (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) represented UW-Whitewater on the second day of the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday, March 14.

Vargas finished eighth in the 60-meter dash with a clocking of 6.80 to secure his first All-America honor indoors. The sophomore is the eighth Warhawk to earn All-America honors in the 60-meter dash and holds three-time All-America honors in his career. 

Editor’s note: The above announcement is from the UW-W website.

UW-W Wrestling Placed 16th in Top 16 at NCAA D-III Championship

March 15, 2026

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa–Two teams from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) finished in the top 16 following two days of competition at the NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championship that was held at Alliant Energy Powerhouse. In addition, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Tanner Gerber won the 165-pound title.
 
UW-La Crosse placed second with 68 points, while UW-Whitewater was 16th with 31.5. Wartburg College (Iowa) won its 17th national title with 110 points, while Augsburg University (Minn.) was third with 67.5, New York University fourth with 65.5 and The College of New Jersey fifth with 58.5.
 
Additional WIAC team finishes included: UW-Eau Claire placed 29th with 15.5 points and UW-Stevens Point tied for 41st with 6.5 points. A total of 61 teams earned points at the national championship that was hosted by the American Rivers Conference.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Tanner Gerber emerged with the 165-pound championship after a 4-0 decision over Andrew Supers of Baldwin Wallace University (Ohio). Gerber is the first national champion at 165 pounds in program history.
 
The following wrestlers from the WIAC received All-America accolades for finishing in the top eight of their weight class:

125 pounds–Izzy Balsiger (UW-Eau Claire-Eighth)
133 pounds–Wyatt Unser (UW-Eau Claire-Seventh)
149 pounds–Dominik Mallinder (UW-Whitewater-Second)
157 pounds–Joe Penchi (UW-La Crosse-Seventh)
165 pounds–Tanner Gerber (UW-La Crosse-Champion); Brayden Peet (UW-Whitewater-Fourth
174 pounds–Noah Leisgang (UW-La Crosse-Sixth)
184 pounds–Robert Flege (UW-La Crosse-Fifth); Easton Hull (UW-Stevens Point-Seventh)
285 pounds–Markos Mihalopoulos (UW-La Crosse-Sixth)

Editor’s note: This announcement is from the WIAC website.

Blizzard Warning Effective Until 4 p.m. Monday [Updated]

March 15, 2026

Updated 3/15/26 @ 10:30 p.m. to add the above image.

At 7:21 p.m. on Sunday the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office [NWS] issued a Blizzard Warning effective until 4 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026. This warning is effective for all of southern Wisconsin.

The NWS warning includes the following statements: “After a brief break in precipitation, expecting heavy snow at rates to 1″/hr at times to work from west to east tonight. Northerly winds of 40 to 45 MPH combined with high snow rates will lead to blizzard conditions with visibilities less than 1/4 mile. Snow accumulations of 5 to 10 inches expected.


* IMPACTS…Travel could be very difficult. Widespread blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions are expected to impact the Monday morning commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous.”

Walworth Co. Finally Joins Jefferson Co. with Winter Storm Warning Until 4 p.m. Monday

March 15, 2026

As of 3 p.m. on Sunday, the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office extended the Winter Storm Warning in our area from Jefferson and Rock Counties into Walworth County. The estimated snow total for the Whitewater area is 3-6″. The snow is initially anticipated to be heavy and wet, eventually transitioning into drier, light snow. Wind gusts will be picking up overnight and into Monday morning, causing potential reduced visibility.

Workshop in Jefferson for Dairy Farmers: “Agronomy & Nutrition Considerations for Corn and Soybean”

March 14, 2026

Dairy farmers in the region are invited to join UW-Madison Division of Extension educators for an educational workshop on Friday March 27, from 9 AM to 3 PM. The workshop will be held at UW Madison Extension Jefferson County office, 864 Collins Rd, Jefferson, WI 53549.

This program is specifically designed to bridge the gap between agronomy and animal nutrition for dairy farmers and consultants. This workshop will cover a range of critical topics, including:

  • Feeding strategies for non-BMR corn silage
  • The use of short corn to meet corn silage production goals
  • Feeding and agronomic considerations for high oleic soybeans
  • Agronomic Considerations with High Oleic Soybeans
  • And more!

The workshop features Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, Assistant professor & Extension Specialist – Ruminant nutrition from UW Madison department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Dr. Harkirat Kaur, Assistant Professor Extension Specialist in Corn Production Systems from UW Madison department of Plant and Agroecosystems Sciences, Katelyn Goldsmith, Statewide Dairy Outreach Specialist UW Madison Extension,  Josh Kamps, Regional Crops & Soils educator from Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties, Eric Pille, Sales Agronomist, The DeLong Company, and Alison Pfau, Bilingual Regional Dairy educator from Dane, Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties.

The cost of attending is $30, which includes lunch and all workshop materials.

Registration: Pre-registration is required by March 23.

Register here: https://go.wisc.edu/F2FW

For more information please contact:

Editor’s Note: The above was provided by UW-Madison Division of Extension Dairy and Crops & Soils.

Students Advocate for Youth Apprenticeship Program at State Capitol

March 14, 2026

On Wednesday, March 11, two of our Youth Apprenticeship [YA] students had the privilege of attending the 11th Annual YA Day at the Capitol — and what an incredible experience it was!

Our students had the opportunity to meet with representatives and senators to advocate for continued support of the Youth Apprenticeship program. Two Whitewater High School students shared their journeys and the impact this program has had on their lives. One is currently a CNA at Mercyhealth, and the other is working as a Teacher’s Aide at Lincoln Elementary School.

This event was a wonderful opportunity for students to build their social capital, share their stories, and advocate for a program that is making a real difference. Along the way, they also had the chance to meet Governor Tony Evers and speak with State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly!

A huge thank you to Mike Rick, CTE Coordinator for WUSD, Tom Martin at CESA 3, and Katie Graf at Gateway Technical College for making this opportunity possible. We also appreciate Representative Tip McGuire, the staff of Senator Van Wanggaard, and Representative Angelina Cruz for taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with our students. Special thanks to Dr. Jill Underly for chatting with our students and taking a photo.

Seeing our students shine like this is a reminder of the incredible things youth can achieve when given meaningful opportunities.

Article and Photos Submitted by Mike Rick
Whitewater Unified School District Career and Technical Education Coordinator
ricmi01@wwusd.org 

Obituaries

Obituary: Patricia “Pat” Bailey, 70, of Woodbury, MN

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

Obituary: Gemelino Paris Esperante, 83

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

Obituary: Mary Ann Warner, 86, of Dodgeville

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

Obituary: Patricia Jacobson, 81

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

Obituary: Lois Lauritzen, 92, of Brookfield

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

Obituary: Donald Walter Triebold, 91

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

Obituary: William Kincaid Davis, 84, of Evansville

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

Obituary: Magdalene “Maggie” Stetter (nee Fritz), 79

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

Obituary: Lawrence “Larry” C. Hartung, 76, of Fort Atkinson

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

Obituary: Leo E. Wurzer, 65, of Eagle

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