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Today is Monday, June 22, 2026
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Carthage College congratulates Andrew Schmidt of Whitewater, WI, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.
About 620 members of the Carthage Class of 2023 took part in Commencement festivities May 26-28. After the formal degree conferral on Friday evening, individual graduates and their guests took part in an extended procession and ceremonial stage walk at assigned times on Saturday and Sunday.
ABOUT CARTHAGE
Carthage College is raising expectations for a private college experience. It blends the best liberal arts traditions with desirable degree programs, transformative learning opportunities, personal attention from distinguished faculty, and a focus on career development, which makes its graduates competitive in the workforce. Founded in 1847, Carthage is located on an idyllic shore of Lake Michigan in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in the thriving corridor between Milwaukee and Chicago. Grow with Carthage: www.carthage.edu
Mark Dorn writes, “At 5:20 a.m. Thursday morning, a visitor to the Village at Trippe Lake pondered: where’s the lake..?”
Our thanks to Mark Dorn for sharing this great photo with us.
— 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 or click on “submit a story” near the top right of our homepage. Thanks for thinking about this!
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced its 58th Hall of Fame Class.
Former student-athletes Brent Allen ’07 (football), Dan Hytinen ’09 (track and field), Rebekah Nelson Johnson ’08 (volleyball), Jessica Kohlman (track and field), Kate LaZotte Langfeldt ’08 (volleyball), Andre McKoy (men’s basketball), Derek Stanley ’18 (football and track and field) and Ann Kingsnorth Zessin ’05 (gymnastics) will be inducted.
Longtime UW-Whitewater Athletic Administrator Bob Lanza will be inducted under the category of staff/coach, and Warhawk supporter Tim Patterson will be inducted for his distinguished service to the institution.
All 10 individuals will be recognized for their contributions to Warhawk Athletics as part of the UW-Whitewater football team’s game against UW-Platteville on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. Inductees will be part of the Homecoming Parade, which begins at 10 a.m., and be honored at halftime of the football game and at the annual Hall of Fame banquet, which begins following the contest at 4:30 p.m. at the University Center’s Hamilton Room.
More information on the Hall of Fame Banquet, including registration, will be posted in August.
For more information on each inductee including photos and short biographies, please visit https://uwwsports.com/news/2023/6/27/general-uw-whitewater-athletics-reveals-2023-hall-of-fame-class.aspx
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Whitewater residents and visitors have already endured two construction-related highway closures this season, and this past week brought the announcement of yet another. Highway 12 from Whitewater to Fort Atkinson has been closed since March, and is not anticipated to reopen until close to the end of the year. Highway 89 to Richmond was shut down beginning May 1, with projected completion by midsummer; however, the beautifully resurfaced road has already reopened. Now the Rock County Public Works Department has announced that the portion of County Highway N which extends from the western end of Walworth Street will be closed beginning Wednesday, July 5 until August 31 for paving and culvert replacement.
It does remind one of the old adage, “Wisconsin has two seasons: winter and road construction.” One social media commenter was moved to adapt the old Eagles song, Hotel California, by saying, in Whitewater “you can check out but you can never leave.”
Shown above is the official detour to/from Whitewater, which is described as follows:
Eastbound USH 26 to STH 59 to STH 89 to USH 12
Westbound USH 12 to STH 89 to STH 59 to USH 26
Commuters who normally take County N to access I-39/90 to Madison will be relieved to find that the construction zone ends just east of STH 26, so they will be able to use the on/off ramps there in order to finally get on N for a short ride to Newville.
Regarding the east end of the construction zone, Duane Jorgenson, Rock County Director of Public Works, confirmed to The Banner that he expects that the intersection of N and County Line Road will remain open. Jorgenson also stated that local traffic will be maintained, sometimes with a single lane, for access to businesses and residences within the construction zone. The Postal Service has been appraised of the work, and it is anticipated that, perhaps with rare exception, mailboxes will still be accessible. Contact has also been made with the emergency services providers. Through traffic will not be permitted, and violators may be subject to being cited.
The following area students have been named to the Dean’s List at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for the spring semester of the 2022-23 academic year, ending May 2023.
Qualification for the Dean’s List is limited to students who have attained outstanding academic achievement. To be eligible, students must have earned not less than a 3.5 semester grade point average and carried a minimum of 12 credits.
UW-La Crosse, founded in 1909, is one of the 13 four-year institutions in the University of Wisconsin System. 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 – www.uwlax.edu – is the state’s top-ranked public or private higher education institution by U.S. News & World Reports for master’s degree institutions and has been ranked among the top four Midwestern public institutions for more than a decade.
Students on the Dean’s List from the Whitewater area include:
Bryce Hibbs, Communication Studies Major: Organizational and Professional Communication Emphasis
Josie Hintz, Finance Major
Connor Sharlow, Radiologic Science Major: Radiation Therapy Emphasis
Catherine Skindingsrude, Biology Major
Celine Zahn, Therapeutic Recreation Major
City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda
Cravath Lake Front Room
312 Whitewater Street, Whitewater, WI 53190
Notice of the Whitewater Unified School District
Jul 01, 2023 – Members of the Whitewater Unified School District Board May Attend Social Events or District Sponsored Events and Activities Throughout the 2023-2024 School Year
Public notice is hereby given that some members of the Whitewater Unified School District Board may on occasion attend social events or district-sponsored events and activities in support of staff and students of the school district. No formal meeting of the Board will take place and no official action will be taken by the Board. A quorum of the Board may be present.
Further information may be found on the festival’s Facebook page.
The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) exhibition officially opens on Saturday, July 1. The photographs in the show will be displayed on the walls of the gallery and, concurrently, in an online virtual display that will appear on the WAA website.
An opening reception featuring the presentation of awards and discussion of the outstanding photographs will be held Sunday, July 2 at 1:00 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center–402 West Main Street–where light refreshments will be served. Voting for Viewer’s Choice will continue throughout the run of the exhibition and its winner will be announced Sunday, July 30.
Admission to the exhibition and its reception are free of charge, open to the public, and all are invited. The gallery is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. (Noon) to 4:00 p.m. and the website is open 24/7. The show runs from Saturday, July 1 through Sunday, July 30.
Current information, as well as a brief history on Fran Achen, can be found at
https://www.whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2023.
Obituaries
Marion Jauch Burrows (Feb. 2, 1930 – June 5, 2026) Her sparkling eyes, warm laugh, and generous ways were gifts Marion brought into this world, touching family members and friends alike over the ninety-six years of her life. She was born and raised in Lombard, IL, and in the course of her life lived with her husband and growing family in Abilene, TX, St. David’s, PA, Arkadelphia, AR, Ada, OK, and Colorado Springs, CO, before settling in Whitewater, WI, in 1965. Generosity of heart, compassion toward those in need in and beyond her community, and an unwavering commitment to fairness … Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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