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Get ready to embark on a captivating journey of words, wonder, and tales at the much-anticipated Whitewater Storytelling Festival. This enchanting event is set to take place on Saturday, September 23, from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM at Cravath Lakefront Park, where stories come alive and imaginations run wild.
The Whitewater Storytelling Festival promises an entertaining day for attendees of all ages, with fourteen talented storytellers and musicians for the young and young-at-heart. From children’s stories and interactive activities that will spark the creativity of the little ones, to all-ages storytelling sessions that will captivate audiences of every generation, this festival truly has something for everyone.
But that’s not all! Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a diverse vendor market showcasing unique products that carry their very own stories, adding a touch of narrative charm to your shopping experience. The festival grounds will come alive with the melodies of live music from renaissance musician, Nazario Chickpeazio, with belly dancer, Èowyn, and the traditional Irish tunes of Cead Mile Failte.
Indulge in delicious eats and treats from a variety of food trucks serving both lunch and dinner. Then, as the sun sets, gather around the inviting glow of the campfire for tales sure to give you a spook and also warm your heart.
Above all, the Whitewater Storytelling Festival is a celebration of the magic of storytellers. This event celebrates their craft, their dedication, and their ability to transport us to worlds beyond our own.
Mark your calendars for the Whitewater Storytelling Festival on Saturday, September 23, from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, at Cravath Lakefront Park. This is a FREE family-friendly event offering an opportunity to be immersed in stories.
For updates and sneak peeks:
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Website: www.whitewaterchamber.com/whitewater-storytelling-festival
About the Whitewater Storytelling Festival
The Whitewater Storytelling Festival is an annual event dedicated to celebrating the art of storytelling in all its forms. From children’s stories to campfire tales, the festival aims to honor the tradition of storytelling while embracing new narratives and voices. With a vibrant vendor market, live music, and engaging activities, the festival is a testament to the enduring power of stories to inspire, entertain, and connect.
Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. The three-day weekend it falls on is called Labor Day Weekend.
Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. “Labor Day” was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states in the U.S. officially celebrated Labor Day.
Canada’s Labour Day is also celebrated on the first Monday of September. More than 80 countries celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1, the ancient European holiday of May Day. May Day was chosen by the Second International of socialist and communist parties to commemorate the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on May 4, 1886.
Source: Wikipedia
The Banner appreciates the use on the homepage of the image by ilham arief from Pixabay.
Whitewater headed to West Allis to compete in the 52nd annual Bulldog Invite hosted by West Allis Central on Friday, September 1st at McCarty Park. Under sunny skies with temperatures around 80 degrees and a mild breeze, the Whippets performed very well rubbing elbows with schools much larger than ours. Nearly all the athletes ran faster than they did a week ago at Alumni!
In the girls’ varsity race, the team was once again led by Mady Hefty who started a little back in the field but sliced her way to a 25th place finish with a season best time of 21:51 and finished with a medal. Athena Soto, Carley Boudreau, and Nola Coburn packed up nicely gaining confidence together, and rolled through the course to finish in 45th, 47th, and 48th places, respectively. Their times were 22:42, and a tie at 22:57 for both Carley and Nola in a battle to the finish line. Lauren Buehler and Silvia Harris ran solid races to finish in 82nd and 83rd. They stopped the clock at 25:38 and 25:42. Isabella rounded out the 7 varsity runners by placing 98th in 27:28. Overall the team finished 10th out of 14 complete teams. The JV team was led by Sami Van Daele to place 50th in 26:39. The JV team placed 8th overall out of 14 complete teams.
The boys’ race featured Jack Hefty sharing the lead with another runner for much of the race before both boys were overtaken by the eventual winner. Jack blitzed to the finish to outkick his opponent and place 2nd overall with a time of 16:54. Nate Holden placed 10th in 17:36. Xavier Zei came across as the team’s third runner to take 21st in a time of 18:28. Miles Nickelsburg rounded out the medalist for the team by placing 29th in 18:46. Quincy Boudreau came across the line in 68th with a time of 20:11 for a big improvement from last week. The final varsity runner was Onyx Thompson in 87th with a time of 20:50. The varsity team placed 3rd overall with 17th complete teams. In the JV race, Andrew O’Toole led the team with a top 10 finish to take 9th with a time of 20:02. Wyatt Esch secured a medal by placing in the top 30 with a new personal best of 20:52 and placed 24th. The JV team finished in 7th with 18 complete teams in this event.
The team will take a week off from racing next week to get some good practices in before lacing up their spikes again to compete in the Marshall Invite on Tuesday, September 12th.
Full results can be found here: http://milesplit.live/meets/563696
Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Jeff Hefty
The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is starting a new program, Baby Play Date, for children ages 0 to 24 months and their caregivers. Read books, sing songs and rhymes, and participate in playtime perfect for baby’s development! Babies will build social and literacy skills, vocabulary, and more. The group will meet every other Thursday at 9:30 a.m. starting on September 7. There is no cost or registration and older siblings are welcome to attend.
The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is located at 431 W. Center Street in Whitewater. Contact Sarah French with questions at sfrench@whitewater-wi.gov or 262-458-2782. For a full listing of the library’s events, visit whitewaterlibrary.org.
City of Whitewater Common Council – Tuesday @ 6:30
Municipal building, 312 W. Whitewater St.
Agenda includes first reading of ordinance concerning short-term rentals, convenient cash businesses, right of entry for inspection, building & maintenance code and dwelling standards; second reading of revision to portions of the zoning code dealing with code enforcement, building standards and penalties.
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84471937728?pwd=YlFVWFRCdnZEcnplSlRDZ0xHUmRWZz09
Or dial
+1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 844 7193 7728 Passcode: 529326
City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
Municipal Building, Cravath Lakefront Room
Agenda
Please click on this link to join the webinar.
No. 11 Warhawk Football Picks Up Thrilling Win at No. 19 John Carroll
Editor’s note: This was Jace Rindahl’s first game as UW-W’s head coach.
By Angela Kelm
UW-W Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
The No. 11 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team opened the 2023 campaign with a thrilling 27-23 comeback win over No. 19 John Carroll in University Heights, Ohio Saturday afternoon.
The Warhawks started the opening drive from their own 25 after a touchback and moved the ball to the John Carroll 38 over the next eight plays. That’s where the drive stalled and UWW turned the ball over on downs.
The Blue Streaks capitalized marching down the field and capping a seven-play drive with a 32-yard passing touchdown to take the early lead. After a missed extra point, JCU led 6-0 at the 9:15 mark. That score held well into the second quarter.
Parker Breunig jumped a passing lane for the interception midway through the second to give the ball back to Alec Ogden and the Warhawk offense. He found Tommy Coates for seven yards on the first play before UWW went to the ground game. The tandem of AlijahMaher-Parr and Tamir Thomas from the backfield drove the Warhawks down to the JCU 11. A 42-yard scamper by Maher-Parr bolstered the drive and helped set up a 28-yard field goal from Jeff Isotalo-McGuire to make it 6-3.
John Carroll responded, using a 50-yard run to open the next drive to set up a touchdown to take a 13-3 lead into the intermission. On the other side of the break, the offenses were on display.
The Warhawks pulled closer with their first drive of the second half. Ogden spread the ball around hitting Drake Martin twice for 13 yards, then Coates for 12, then Nick Wind for 12 before dropping a perfect pass into the hands of Steven Hein for the 37-yard score. Isotalo-McGuire hit the extra point to pull UWW within three, 13-10.
The Blue Streaks pushed the lead back to six, 16-10 with a field goal in the ensuing drive, but the Warhawk offense was clicking and took their first lead in the game in their next possession.
The big play of the drive was a 46-yard rush on 3rd-and-1 from Ogden as he crossed the goal line for the touchdown. Isotalo-McGuire’s extra point gave UWW the lead 17-16 with 6:19 on the clock in the third.
The fourth quarter saw the offenses continue to surge as Isotalo-McGuire hit another field goal, this one from 24 yards out just two plays into the final period to make it 20-16 UWW.
John Carroll put together an extended 10-play scoring drive in their next possession. A short four-yard pass was the one that hit paydirt for the Blue Streaks as JCU reclaimed the lead 23-20 with 8:47 remaining.
The John Carroll defense stiffened and forced a punt after just 1:47 ticked off the clock. The Warhawk defense responded in kind forcing a three-and-out to give the ball back to the offense. The JCU punt went out of bounds at the UWW 15 as the Warhawk offense took over with 4:45 left.
UW-Whitewater put together one of their best drives of the day in their next possession. Ogden found Hein for nine yards to open the drive before Thomas went off the right side of the line for six more and a first down. Coates hauled in an 18-yard catch from Ogden to take the Warhawks near midfield. On 3rd-and-10, the Ogden-Coates connection was clutch again to keep the drive going with a 14-yard strike.
Thomas took the next two carries up the middle for 15 yards. After no gain on the next play, Ogden hit Hein for 11-yards and another first down at the JCU12. Maher-Parr picked up one more yard before Ogden went back to the air.
The first-year Warhawk took the snap out of the shotgun, surveyed and picked Wind as his target drifting deep into the left side of the endzone. The high-arced pass narrowly made it over the outstretched arms of the Blue Streak defensive back as he leapt in an attempt to tip the ball away. Wind had to make an acrobatic catch as he nearly laid out to get his right hand on the ball, tipping it up as he gained footing before hauling in the catch with both hands just inside the pylon at the back of the endzone. The 11-yard strike and extra point gave UWW the 27-23 lead with just 39 seconds remaining.
John Carroll tried to manage the clock after gaining a first down, but Thomas Wojnowski sealed the game for UW-Whitewater with an interception at the JCU 46 with just five ticks of the clock left.
Staying true to the rich tradition of Warhawk football – UWW pounded the rock with 232 rushing yards compared to 175 for JCU. UWW gained 276 through the air for a total of 508 yards of offense.
Maher-Parr was the leading rusher for the Warhawks with 94 yards on 13 attempts. Thomas gained 80 on 15 carries in the game. Ogden was 23-41 for 230 yards and two passing touchdowns without tossing an interception. On the ground, he added 55 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Coates was Ogden’s favorite target with 9 receptions for 77 yards. Hein hauled in six catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Hawk Heffner led the Warhawks with eight total tackles. Lucas Sadler, Trey Castella and Roy Panthier all got into the backfield to record tackles for loss while Wojnowski and Breunig led the secondary with a pair of interceptions.
The 2023 Whippet Girls’ Swim season has officially started. The Whippets competed at Conference Relays at Badger on Thursday, August 31. And let us be the first to tell you…these girls sure made a splash!
Georgia Esch, Atreya Wilson, Lucy Davis, and Zoe Zei competed in the 200 Medley where they swam some impressive splits. We are looking forward to them swimming even faster times this season!
We had some new Whippet swimmers compete in their first ever high school swim meet. We were excited to cheer on Adalynn Frye, Payton Peacock, Zoe Zei, and Marijose Verduzco. It was awesome to see them take everything they’ve learned in practice and apply it in a meet!
The Whippets took on the 1000 Freestyle Crescendo with a lineup of Maggie Maas, Charlotte Hajewski, Emerson Dunham, and Makayla Bazeley. They took home some new hardware of a 3rd place finish! The same group placed 2nd in the 100 Backstroke Relay with a time of 4:53.66. Maggie Maas had an impressive split of 1:15.89, and that was with no goggles. Makayla Bazeley’s lead off split was quick enough to put her second all-time on the Whippet Top 10 list!
Two Whippet Relays faced off against one another in the 400 Freestyle Relay. We saw noticeable time improvements from our practice meet to now. Some noticeable splits would include Payton Peacock (23 second drop), Sanibel Fox-Simes (7 second drop), Zoe Zei (21 second drop), Adalynn Frye (22 second drop), and Atreya Wilson (9 second drop).
We are so excited to see what the rest of the season holds for each of our Whippet Swimmers!
Article and Photos Courtesy of Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org
Due to the Labor Day holiday, John’s Disposal will not be picking up garbage/recycling in the city until Friday this week.
Obituaries
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
Lois Cummings, 99, of Fond du Lac, WI (formerly of Janesville, WI, Fort Atkinson, WI, Fountain Hills, AZ, and Green Valley, AZ) passed away peacefully on May 5, 2026 at the Meadows Senior Residence in Fond du Lac surrounded by family. Lois was born on February 17, 1927 in Fort Atkinson to Edward and Clarice (Roseth) Stevens. The middle child of 9 children, she attended Fort Atkinson schools and graduated in 1944. On September 11, 1948 Lois married Grant Cummings at Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Delavan, WI. Together they had 3 children, Gary, Colleen (Tom) Sabel, and Patty (Paul) … Read more
Come celebrate William Kincaid’s Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 30th at 1 pm at Trippe Lake Park Pavillion in Whitewater. He truly enjoyed gatherings where his favorite foods and music could be enjoyed with some of his closest friends and family. We will honor him by carrying on one of his favorite traditions. Please bring your own beverages and chairs. There is limited seating. See you all there!
Gladys Jean (Riley) Hildebrandt, age 89, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 23, 2026. Gladys was born on December 26, 1936, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Theresa Egnoski Riley. She was married to Walter Sobolik Sr., and later married James A. Hildebrandt in 1976. Gladys was a hardworking woman who spent her life caring for others. She worked in school kitchens, restaurants, factories, and cleaning services. She concluded her working career as a full-time nanny. In that role, she lovingly cared for Andrew, Daniel, and Kaitlyn Drzewiecki, who became part of her chosen family. Gladys is survived by her sons, Wally … Read more
WHITEWATER – Nan Rowley died on April 15, 2026, at the age of 90. She was born on September 4, 1935, in a little house on the prairie in the Town of Johnstown, Wisconsin, the daughter of Wayne L. Wilbur and Florence (McQuillen) Wilbur. Nan attended primary schools in the towns of Johnstown and Richmond and in the City of Whitewater. Nan graduated with honors from Whitewater City High School. On June 19, 1954, Nancy and Ken Rowley were united in marriage in Whitewater and went to live on the Rowley family farm in Richmond. Over the years, Nan served … Read more
Marion H. Gorniak (nee Pfeiffer), 74, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2026. She was born on October 24, 1951, to the late Harvey and Loraine (nee Drifke) Pfeiffer in Fort Atkinson, WI. On June 2, 1969, she was united in marriage to Alan Gorniak. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, and cooking, especially her rhubarb pies. She especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends and will be missed by all who knew her. Those Marion leaves behind to cherish her memory include her husband, Alan Gorniak; stepson, Alan Bauer; sister, Sue Ann Schultz, other relatives and friends. … Read more
Ruth Irene (Phelps) Justis, 88, of Appleton City, Missouri, passed away Friday morning, April 10, 2026, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg, MO, with her family by her side. Ruth was born June 3, 1937 in Janesville, Wisconsin, to Charles and Ada Mae (Maly) Phelps. She joined the Marine Corps in 1956. During her time there, she met and married her husband, Forest Wayne “Wayne” Justis in 1957. They shared 62 years of marriage and to this union, 2 children, Charles and Dorene, were born. Ruth grew up in Whitewater, WI., the oldest of three children. Ruth graduated from … Read more
Dorothy C. Kau, age 101, of Eagle, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at Fort Memorial Hospital. Dorothy was born on March 18, 1925 in Eagle on the family farm, the daughter of John and Katherine (Faestel) VonRueden. Dorothy was a 1942 graduate of Palmyra High School. On May 21, 1949, Dorothy was united in marriage to Alvin E. Kau at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Eagle and the Lord blessed their union with 8 children. Alvin and Dorothy enjoyed 50 years of marriage together until Alvin’s death in the year 2000. Dorothy enjoyed being a farm … Read more
Dorothy E. McCracken, 95, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, in Sarasota, Florida. Born on April 14, 1930, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, to Carl and Joyce Meyer, Dorothy grew up in Whitewater and graduated from Whitewater High School. She then worked for a photographer and hand painted his first colored portraits, until she got married. She and her first husband, Bernard Wafle, owned and operated a 179-acre dairy farm in Helenville, Wisconsin, for 25 years before relocating to Ocala, Florida, in 1979. Dorothy later married Earl McCracken, in Ocala, Fl. She also shared a special companionship later in life with … Read more
Carol Ann Seebruch, 88 of Whitewater passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 3, 2026. Carol was born July 12, 1937 in Chicago IL to William and Ann Borovec. She married Marvin Seebruch on June 9, 1984. Carol and Marvin enjoyed traveling the United States making it to 48 of the 50 states. She also enjoyed her time with the Red Hat Ladies. She loved taking pictures of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Carol is survived by her three children; Bill Anderson of Fort Atkinson, WI, Terri Laban of Whitewater, WI, and Donna (Mike) Jones of Crivitz, WI. She … Read more
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