Early City Motto "The Banner Inland City of the Midwest"
The Banner has been serving Whitewater, Wisconsin since August 1, 2006

Today is Thursday, March 28, 2024

News & Events

WHITEWATER WEATHER

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.

Kim Adams Named Gallery Director for Whitewater Arts Alliance

January 7, 2024


Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the Whitewater Arts Alliance.

Kim Adams has accepted the position as Gallery Director for the Whitewater Arts Alliance. As a lifelong learner and advocate for the arts, she believes that creativity resides in everyone.
She enjoys teaching, brainstorming, and collaborating with diverse individuals and teams. With 35 years in higher education, including 32 years at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, she retired as Assistant Director of the James R. Connor University Center in June 2021.

One of the standout achievements in Kim’s career has been her instrumental role in developing and supervising The Center Art Gallery and Roberta’s Art Gallery. Her
collaborative efforts with the UW-W Art Department, alongside engagement with student artists, local, regional, national, and international talents, have been pivotal in fostering a vibrant artistic community. Kim has also been actively involved with local organizations such as the Whitewater Arts Alliance, Studio 84, Fairhaven Senior Services, Optimist International, Association of College Unions International and the Whitewater Unified School District, among others.

Kim’s impact extends beyond gallery curation and collaboration. She played a crucial role in the development of the permanent art collection at the UC, orchestrating collaborative projects that bridged the gap between professional artists and students. Her commitment to education and outreach is further exemplified by her involvement in coordinating camps and research during the summer and serving as the Community Outreach Specialist for the
Chancellor’s Office in the fall.

As a charter member and three-time president of the UW-Whitewater/Community
Optimist Club, Kim chaired Optimist Trivia Night for seven years, raising nearly $90,000. She served as advisor for the UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club, led service-learning trips, and taught leadership courses during a good portion of her service career. Kim, an eternal optimist, is a creative problem solver and collaborative leader. She resides in Whitewater with her life partner Angie Alesci and enjoys Wisconsin sports, boating, gardening, photography, crafting, singing in her church choir, and exploring the outdoors.

Greater Whitewater Comm. Hosts Asst. Vice Chancellor for Enrollment & Retention

January 7, 2024

The Greater Whitewater Committee (GWC) is set to host Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Retention, Jackie Briggs, as guest speaker at its upcoming monthly meeting in January. Briggs will be discussing UW-Whitewater’s efforts in enrollment and retention. 

The GWC’s upcoming monthly meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 11th at 7 a.m. at 841 Brewhouse: 841 E Milwaukee St, Whitewater, WI 53190. The public is welcome to attend this meeting, so that they may get a chance to learn more about the future of the University. If interested in attending, RSVP is required. To reserve your spot, contact Jeff Knight at jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com or 920.728.0662 by Wednesday, January 10th. 

“We are excited to hear about the efforts in retention and enrollment at the University,” said GWC President, Jeff Knight, “UW-Whitewater’s success is one of GWC’s top priorities.” 

Assistant Vice Chancellor, Jackie Briggs, has been in this position since May, 2023. Previously, Briggs served as Director of Admissions since 2017 at UW-W, prior to that was the Assistant Director of Admissions at UW-La Crosse. She has more than 16 years of recruitment and retention experience in higher education. 

Additionally, Jackie received her Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Communication and Psychology from UW-Whitewater along with her Master’s Degree in College Student Counseling and Personnel Services from Bowling Green State University. 

About the GWC The GWC is an action-oriented group committed to working with citizens, elected officials, and policy makers to identify, craft, and implement a pro-business agenda. Its goals are to advance the economic, educational, and social policies required to energize and secure the Whitewater area’s economic future, as well as protect Whitewater’s quality of life.

Tuesday Closings: WUSD, Srs in Park Movie, Community Space, Library, Municipal Bldg.

January 7, 2024

Whitewater Unified School District will be closed on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 due to a Winter Storm Warning that is tracking heavy snow that will impact travel during school hours.  All before and after-school athletics and activities for Tuesday will also be canceled. Fort Atkinson schools are also closed.

Mark Dorn indicates that the movie at Seniors in the Park will be rescheduled.

Kay Robers indicates that the Community Space will be closed.

All city buildings will be closed, including the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library.

Any further weather closing announcements will be added to this page.

Update: Senior dining sites will be closed.

Ferradermis Members Kick Off New Season

January 6, 2024

Kickoff for the 2024 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Season, “Crescendo,” took place on Saturday, January 6, with a worldwide release of the requirements for a new music-themed game. Twenty-one members of Whitewater High School’s FRC Team Ferradermis traveled to Mukwonago High School for a kickoff event hosted by Team 930, the Mukwonago Bears. They were joined by Team 8701 Graffiti from Greendale, Team 6421 WarriorBots from Muskego, Team 8002 The Knack from Hartland, Team 5148 New Berlin Blitz, and rookie team 9760 from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Milwaukee.

Twenty-one members of Ferradermis traveled to the Season Kickoff Event in Mukwonago

Kickoff events started with a series of workshops where students could learn about team/task organization, programming, prototyping, FIRST Wisconsin leadership opportunities, CAD, and more. At 11:00 a.m., all participating teams gathered together to watch the worldwide broadcast that would reveal the much-teased game via a game animation. To watch the animation and learn about the game, visit https://youtu.be/9keeDyFxzY4. After a pizza break, teams worked to break down the 150-page rule book individually and then by teaming up with representatives from all of the other participating teams.

The single game piece this year is a 14” diameter orange foam ring, known as a “note” because of its likeness to a musical whole note. The robot must interact with a variety of field elements including the “speaker,” the “amp,” the “stage,” and the “source.” Robots will collect notes from the source and deliver them to the amp and the speaker. The amp has lights controlled by the human player that can signal point scoring in the speaker is amplified for a certain amount of time based on the number of notes in the amp. There are also opportunities for the two alliances playing against each other to use coopertition to reduce the total number of notes needed to earn ranking points. [Coopertition means that teams help and cooperate with each other, even as they compete.] Situations that incorporate coopertition and cooperation are named “melody” and “ensemble” to keep with the music theme. During the end game, the human player will have an opportunity to make a half-court ring-toss that will help increase point values for tasks in the end game.

Ferradermis members returned to the high school for the remainder of the afternoon on Saturday to discuss their approach to start the season and to start setting specific goals for what their robot will do. They will now begin meeting 20-30 hours per week after school and on weekends to design, manufacture, assemble, wire, program, and test their new robot. They will put their bot on the field for the first time in a scrimmage at Sussex-Hamilton High School on Sunday, February 18, and need to be fully ready for competition before the end of February.

Ferradermis is scheduled to compete in three regional events this year, with each event lasting four days and consisting of 50-60 high school teams. They will be at the Northern Lights Regional in Duluth from February 28 – March 3, at the Wisconsin Regional in Milwaukee from March 14-17, and at the Midwest Regional in Chicago over Spring Break from March 27-30. The team is particularly excited for the Chicago event as it will host teams from 6 countries (Panama, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Canada, the US, and Mexico) and 10 states including Hawaii, California, New York, and Florida. Four teams from each regional will advance to Championships in Houston, Texas in mid-April.

The public is invited to learn more about the team at their Open House at Whitewater High School on Saturday, February 3, between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer
lmasbruch@wwusd.org

Wisconsin Goes to the Big Fair Presentation: 130th anniversary of World’s Fair in Chicago

January 6, 2024

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library.

Community members are invited to a presentation by Carol McLernon celebrating the 130th anniversary of the World’s Fair in Chicago, which will be held at the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on Tuesday, January 9 at 5:30 p.m.  

Attendees will learn about Wisconsin’s building at the fair, new foods that were introduced and famous people who attended. Those from Wisconsin included Harry Houdini and Frank Lloyd Wright.  

Jennifer Motzko, Head of Archives at UW-Whitewater’s Andersen Library, will also have Exposition items from their collection on display. There is no cost or registration to attend this presentation. The library is located at 431 W. Center St. in Whitewater. 

Whippets Down Deerfield in Non-Conference Action

January 6, 2024

The Whitewater Whippet Girls’ Basketball Team was able to get a few key stops to end the game and close out a five-point win, 46-41, when they hosted Deerfield on Friday, January 5.

Whitewater built a six-point halftime lead and pushed it to double digits for a few possessions midway through the second half. Deerfield would not go away and took a one-point lead with just over four minutes to play, but Whitewater finished the game on a 13-7 run to secure the win.

Danielle DePorter led the Whippets with 18 points.

The Whitewater Youth Basketball Club Girls’ 5th/6th Team played at halftime, and the 7th/8th girls’ team was all in attendance. This combined with a fantastic pit band performance and a great performance by the poms team fed into an awesome, loud crowd. The girls’ team appreciates all in attendance.

Whitewater returns to conference action as the Whippets host Big Foot on Tuesday, January 9, and Edgerton on Friday, January 12.

Article Submitted by Mike Dowden
Whitewater High School Head Basketball Coach
dowmi01@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka

City to President Biden: We need help related to recent immigrant influx

January 5, 2024

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

At the December 19 Common Council meeting, Police Chief Daniel Meyer requested feedback regarding a letter he had drafted to be sent to President Biden regarding the need for more resources for the Police Department and other areas in order to continue effectively serving the entire population of the city. Those residents now include an estimated 800-1000 persons who have immigrated here from Central and South America in the past two years.

The council members endorsed the draft while also suggesting a few additional points they thought might be included in the letter. Ultimately City Manager John Weidl suggested that Meyer be allowed to send his letter with minimal changes, while committing that Weidl would be happy to draft an additional letter through which the council might communicate its own concerns. Council members, endorsing this proposal, requested that the chief’s letter also be sent to a number of federal and state officials. They also felt that in addition to the chief it should also be signed by the city manager and the council members. The letter, a copy of which is included at the end of this article, was sent on December 28. In addition to the president, it was also sent to Vice President Harris, DHS Secretary Mayorkas, Governor Evers, Lieutenant Governor Rodriguez, US Senator Baldwin, US Senator Johnson, US Representative Steil, US Representative Fitzgerald, WI Senator Nass, WI Representative Peterson, WI Representative Schutt, and WI Representative Vos.

State and national media picked up the story, and among the inaccurate comments being made in some outlets and on social media are references to busloads of people being “dumped” in Whitewater.

The Banner inquired whether the police chief and city manager would care to provide any comments in response to this concern. Their comments are below.

Police Chief Daniel Meyer: “I would like to make it absolutely clear that this is an apolitical issue for us. It’s unfortunate that certain media outlets have chosen to use the letter as political ammunition. The purpose of the letter is to obtain financial support for services that the Whitewater community is in critical need of. It is a simple fact that we are not currently providing the Whitewater community with the degree of service that our residents are accustomed to. Our proactive law enforcement statistics show that. That needs to change for the sake of both long-time residents, as well as individuals who have recently moved here from Central America. We are in no way working to divide this community. We want to make positive change so that we can all continue to move forward in a safe and welcoming city.”

City Manager John Weidl: “The City of Whitewater is experiencing population growth, necessitating a shift in the allocation of city resources to address the evolving needs of the community. This includes ensuring access to safe housing, education registration, library services, and other essential public amenities. Additionally, it is crucial to adapt our public safety strategies to effectively serve newcomers, enhancing communication between officers and residents, aiding in obtaining necessary identification, and providing support to integrate them as active, contributing members of the community.

It is important to emphasize that the intention of this letter is not to cast a negative light on any part of our community. Instead, it is a call for additional resources to enable the City to more effectively serve all community members.”

Editor’s note: We appreciate having permission to use the image on the homepage by Pexels from Pixabay.

Trio Selected to Represent WHS at Badger Girls’ State

January 5, 2024

Congratulations to A’lani Ross, Calli Grosinske, and Maddison LaHaie for being selected to represent Whitewater High School at Badger Girls State in 2024! 

A’lani Ross, Calli Grosinske, and Maddison LaHaie

Badger Girls State is a program designed to develop leadership skills in high school students and train future stateswomen in the science of government. The program will be held at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh from June 16-21. Participants are chosen for their interest in the American government and their outstanding qualities of leadership, character, cooperativeness, dependability, and participation in extracurricular activities.

Thank you to the Whitewater American Legion for sponsoring our awesome delegates again this year! Congratulations!

Article and Photo Submitted by Pamela Sonmor-Wintz
Whitewater High School Counselor
psonmorwintz@wwusd.org

Obituaries

Obituary: Ed McManaway, 89

Ed McManaway passed peacefully on March 18, 2024. He was born on January 13, 1935 to Everett and Inez McManaway of Wheeling, Illinois as the seventh of eight children. He married the love of his life, Betty Guge on February 16, 1957. In the months following their wedding, the two of them had quite the adventures. The week after their wedding they drove to California for Ed’s Army heavy vehicle training for 6 weeks. Upon finishing his training, they had less than a week to drive back to Chicago so he could catch a flight to begin his 18 months … Read more

Read More

Obituary: Donald O.C. Klitzke, 85

Donald O.C. Klitzke, age 85, lifelong resident of Whitewater, passed away on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at Milestone Senior Living in Stoughton, WI. He was born on January 21, 1939, to the late Herman O. C. Klitzke and Doris E. (Wescott) Klitzke. In his earlier years he helped his parents on the family farm in Lima Township, was a milk hauler and later worked for Foremost in Whitewater and Arrow Products in Elkhorn. Over the years, he attended many farm auctions and he continued to have a passion for older farm tractors and equipment. He enjoyed playing euchre with his … Read more

Read More

Obituary: Juliette L. Horner, 13

It is with our heavy hearts, that we share the passing of Juliette L. Horner, 13, of Whitewater. She was a precious young girl who attended Whitewater Middle School as a 7th grader. She always came to school with a smile on her face, looking forward to seeing her friends. Juliette was involved in clubs, choir, and she enjoyed playing her flute in band. Juliette also enjoyed gaming and socializing with her friends. She excelled in creativity through building Legos, knitting, origami, and drawing. Juliette’s perfect summer day would consist of: Having a family cookout, spending hours swimming in the … Read more

Read More

Obituary: Mary Jean Sorensen, 75 (Updated with arrangements)

Mary Jean Sorensen, 75, Whitewater passed away peacefully on Monday, March 11, 2024, at Fairhaven Senior Living in Whitewater. Mary was born on May 1, 1948, in Elkhorn, WI to Glenn and Doris (Christiansen) Morgan. She grew up in rural Darien, WI, where she attended a one-room schoolhouse through elementary school and enjoyed many creative adventures with her cousins and four siblings. She looked forward to occasional rides along with her father on his milk truck route and developed a lasting love of flower gardens from her mother, along with an aptitude for preserving massive quantities of homegrown apples and … Read more

Read More

Obituary: Charlotte L. Seiler, 98

Charlotte L. Seiler, 98, passed away Saturday, March 9, 2024 at Fairhaven Assisted Living Facility (Hearthstone) in Whitewater, WI. She was born August 4, 1925 in Evanston, Illinois to Dorthea G. and Raymond C. Taylor.  She moved to Libertyville, Illinois in 1933.  Char graduated from Libertyville High School in 1943. She met her husband, Maynard H (Si) Seiler, Sr. when they were in high school and were married in 1945. They remained married for 41 years until his death in 1986. While living in Libertyville, she was a member of St. Lawrence Episcopal Church, which will be her final resting … Read more

Read More

Obituary: Sandra Madsen, 84

Sandy passed away peacefully at home on Monday, March 04, 2024. She was born in Fond du Lac, WI on May 24, 1939, to James and Lorraine Fisher. Sandy graduated from Whitewater City High School in 1957 and received her Operators license from Wisconsin College of Beauty in 1959.  She worked as a hairdresser until her retirement. She married Irv Madsen at 1st English Lutheran Church in Whitewater on August 6, 1960. Sandy loved bowling, golfing, playing cards with friends, volunteering at church, the Thrift Shoppe, delivering Meals on Wheels, Women’s Federation and the Jayceette’s. She is survived by her … Read more

Read More

Obituary: Carmen A. Catania, 85

Carmen A. Catania passed away peacefully at home on February 29, (Leap Day) 2024. During his short time in hospice care, he was visited by many neighbors and friends. Carmen was born in Milwaukee, WI, on February 19, 1939, the first child of Jacob J. and Hazel A. Catania. He is predeceased by his sister, Marianna Heinz, and is survived by his brothers, John (Beth) and Joseph (Peggy) Catania; his beloved sons, Mario (wife, Amy and son, Dylan) and Anthony (wife, Terri and children, Joshua, Niki, and Samuel). He also leaves behind his devoted wife Mary Lou, and stepdaughter, Melissa … Read more

Read More

Obituary: JoAnn Bickle (Frye), 63, of Fort Atkinson

JoAnn Bickle (Frye), 63, of Fort Atkinson passed away peacefully on February 29th in her home after courageously battling cancer for two years, with the help of Rainbow Hospice and her family by her side. JoAnn was the youngest daughter of Donald and Betty Frye. Preceded in death by her parents, in-laws (Wayne and Norma Bickle), and sisters (Sarah and Donna). JoAnn graduated from Fort Atkinson High School and married her high school sweetheart Mark Bickle. This past December they celebrated 40 years of marriage. Mark and JoAnn made Fort Atkinson their home, raising their family here. JoAnn’s proudest accomplishment … Read more

Read More

Obituary: Daryl Dean Pieper, 80

Daryl Dean Pieper, 80, of Whitewater passed away on February 28, 2024 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Daryl was born on October 6, 1943 in Fort Atkinson to Melvin and Fern (Meinert) Pieper.  He grew up in Whitewater and was active in baseball, basketball, and excelled in football.  Daryl also sang in the choir and played in the school band.  He received the Spade and Spoon award in his junior year.  Daryl graduated Whitewater High School as the class president, homecoming king, and student council president.  He also received All Conference award for football both junior and … Read more

Read More

Obituary: Amanda R. Pohle, 33

Amanda R. Pohle, 33 of Whitewater passed away peacefully yet unexpectedly at her home on February 5th, 2024.  She was born in Mukwonago on September 1st, 1990, (Labor day that year) to Karen Pohle and Paul “P.J.” Heytens. Amanda lived in Mukwonago with mother and at the age of 2 years old moved to West Allis where she was raised by her mother & Stepdad Scott Kaboskey until she became an adult. When she was 16 she moved to West Bend where she graduated from West Bend-West High School. After graduation she & her family moved to Waukesha where she … Read more

Read More