Early City Motto "The Banner Inland City of the Midwest"
The Banner has been serving Whitewater, Wisconsin since August 1, 2006
Today is Monday, June 22, 2026
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Walkers may register at the following link. If you don’t plan to walk you may still contribute at https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/event/whitewaterwi – Click on “donate” at the top of the page.
Editor’s note: The following information was submitted by Washington Elementary PATT.
September 20th-23rd Washington PATT (Parents and Teachers Together) invited community members to play with students during lunch recess. It is always hard to tell if the adults or students are having more fun!
Monday was Big Rig Day; there was a chopper, a combine, a tractor and grain cart, a dump truck, a semi, a backhoe, a street sweeper, a Humvee, and a MTV. Thank you to JC Kow Farms, Reu Farms, TVL Trucking, City of Whitewater DPW, and the National Guard-Whitewater Armory for providing equipment for the Big day and answering awesome questions from our students.
Tuesday the Whitewater Fire Department and Flight for Life visited. WFD assisted Flight for Life with the landing on our school lawn. WFD also brought a fire truck and ambulance for students to see. The flight crew and fire department members provided an experience that will never be forgotten. The students cheered as the helicopter came in for landing. As the flight took off the pilot turned the helicopter toward the school to wave goodbye! Thank you Whitewater Fire Department and Flight for Life of Waukesha for the awesome experience for our students!
Wednesday was Football Day! Members of the UW-Whitewater Football team and Whitewater High School Football played with students at recess. They got in on all the fun, four square, swinging; they played football and basketball too! Each year the students love to play with the football players. Thank you to the Warhawk and Whippet Football Teams!
Thursday rounded out our Pick a Day Come and Play week with the Whitewater Police Department. This is always a great opportunity for students to have a fun experience with officers. They get to see the inside of the police vehicles and play with officers on the playground. The officers love it just as much as the students! Thank you to Whitewater Police Department for this awesome experience.
In the 81st running of the Janesville Midwest Cross Country Invitational, the Whitewater Whippets were treated to some great racing conditions and supreme competition. Whitewater is one of the smallest schools in the meet but found great value in rubbing elbows with some of the Midwest’s best athletes and walked away with many new personal bests.
Caelyn Caputo 
Jack Hefty
The girls’ team was led by junior Caelyn Caputo who ran 23:09 and was the team’s top finisher for the first time this season. Caelyn has really shown strong growth and solid racing confidence as the season moves along. Another junior, Emma Weigel, also dug deep and was the team’s second runner and ran 23:17, cutting nearly a full minute off her best time this season. Gwen Truesdale started out quite fast but battled hard and was just a few strides behind Emma at the finish and nearly equaling her best time from earlier this season. Freshman Nola Coburn raced with no fear and just slaughtered the race course to cut almost two minutes off her previous season best, drawing herself much closer to the front pack of Whippets. Evie Troxel competed as the team’s 7th runner in varsity and found herself with a new PR by 14 seconds as well. The girls’ varsity program finished in 34th out of 35 complete teams.
In the JV field, senior Olive Coburn debuted with a solid time of 25:33, and freshman Lucy Troxel benefitted from Olive’s return as she latched onto her in the race and was pulled to a huge new personal best of 25:55, which is 1:40 faster than her previous best. Freshman Sami Van Daele also enjoyed the benefits of working hard and continuing to challenge herself and was rewarded with a new personal best of 26:45, which is 40 seconds faster than her previous best.
The boys’ team was once again led by Jack Hefty who finished in 77th with a new personal best of 17:05. In this incredibly loaded field, it is important to note that Jack was the 3rd best freshman in the varsity field. Cooper Hammond got out to a hot pace that will pay off in the future but was a tad much for his legs to maintain, but he was still able to come away with his second best time of the year so far. Nate Holden returned to solid form after some illness and was the team’s 3rd runner back on track where he was a few weeks ago and better races to come. The varsity team finished in 36th out of 44 complete teams.
The JV team came away with some incredible time drops in their own stellar racing. Notably, senior Casey Schilling cut over two minutes off his time and looks better than ever in a Whippet uniform. Xavier Zei didn’t want to let Casey have all the fun and ran with him and hauled in a new personal best by over three and a half minutes! Lastly, Alex Clarksen looked his best as well and cut close to three minutes off his best time.
The Whippets head into next week with two meets on the slate. First will be the Jefferson Invite on Tuesday on the golf course in town followed by the Stoughton Invite on Saturday at Stoughton High School.
Full Results: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/201008/results
Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Congratulations Judy Harms! On Saturday, September 25th, Judy was inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Hall of Fame. Former UW-Whitewater Men’s Basketball coach and fellow inductee, David Vander Meulen, presented Judy with her award.
Judy was a huge asset to the Whippet family as Head Girls’ Basketball coach for 18 seasons (2000-2018). During her career, the Whippet Girls’ Basketball Team earned 5 conference championships, 4 regional titles and one sectional title leading to a state title in 2015. Additionally, Judy was named the Division 2 WBCA All-Star team head coach in 2009, WBCA High School Coach of the Year in 2015, and earned the WBCA Coaches Achievement Award in 2017.
What an incredible honor for an outstanding, dedicated coach!
Article and Photos Submitted by Kristen Lippens
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
klippens@wwusd.org
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by UW-Madison Extension Walworth County.
Have you thought about joining the 4-H program, but felt you didn’t know enough about it?
Walworth County 4-H is offering you an opportunity to get your questions answered and see if 4-H is a
good fit for your family!
Explore 4-H Night is set for Tues., October 5th , from 6-8 p.m. at the Walworth County Fairgrounds
Activity Center, Elkhorn. This fun, open house style event will offer parents and children the opportunity
to sample 4-H through a variety of hands-on activities related to a number of projects such as arts and
crafts, foods, horticulture, wildlife, and more! You’ll meet some new animal friends, including cavies,
poultry, cats, and even a horse! You can even test your aim and learn all about 4-H shooting sports
opportunities at SHOOTING SPORTS ALLEY! Along the way, you’ll meet youth and adults who are
already a part of the 4-H program. They can fill you in about 4-H fun, friends, projects, meetings, and
more!
Participation is absolutely free! Pre-registration is not required, but, the first 15 families who do
pre-register by October 4 at 5 p.m. will receive a special participation prize at the door. For more
information, or to register, call the Walworth County UW-Extension Office at 262-741-4951 or email
deborah.harris@wisc.edu. The event location is in the SE corner of the fairgrounds. A Spanish language
interpreter will be present throughout the event.
4-H is a Positive Youth Development program of UW-Madison Division of Extension.
Participation is open to all youth in grades 5K through 13. 4-H clubs meet monthly to talk business, do
activities, plan community service efforts, and enjoy member talks and demonstrations. 4-H members
work with their project leaders and families to pursue and complete their individual projects. There are
79 project areas available from which to choose. Learn more about Walworth County 4-H at
https://walworth.extension.wisc.edu/. The new 4-H program year is starting now, so this is the perfect
time to join in the fun! Enrollment is open!
An EEO Affirmative Action employer, UW-Madison Division of Extension provides equal
opportunities in employment and programming including Title VI, Title IX and the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in Explore 4-
H Night or the program overall, call 262-741-4951.
Welcome back to #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society! Pictured here is a train wreck that most likely occurred on the outskirts of Whitewater on September 30, 1901. An event like this would have been the talk of the town, as evidenced by the amount of people watching the clean up process undertaken by Chicago, Milwaukee, & Saint Paul railroad crews. Interestingly enough, in the 1890s through the 1930s, train wrecks were purposely staged for public entertainment and proved to be rather popular spectacles throughout the country.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society collections!
(2984GP, Whitewater Historical Society)
The Whitewater Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Whitewater and the surrounding area. Be sure to join us next week for more from the Society’s collections. Please “like” us on Facebook, and check out our website at whitewaterhistoricalsociety.org!
Are you in 5th through 8th grade? Do you know someone who is and enjoys history and writing?
This year, to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Nov. 11, the American History Essay contest for grades 5-8 focuses on the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The essay topic is, “Imagine you had a brother who lost his life on the battlefields of France during WWI. You and your family attended the Nov. 11, 1921, dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, DC. Describe what this meant to you and your family. Why is it important to remember those who gave their lives to serve our nation? “ The length is 300-600 words for 5th grade and 600-1,000 words for grades 6-8.
For those in high school, a “Patriots of the American Revolution Essay Contest” is being offered . The topic this year is, “ Select a figure from the American Revolution era (1773-1783). Discuss how he or she influenced the course of the American Revolution, who he or she was and his/her contribution to the founding of a new nation. “ Your figure may be any person, whether a well-known figure or an everyday man, woman or child who supported the American Revolution in ways large or small. The word length for this essay is 800-1200 words.
Please contact Vicki Schicker of the Fort Atkinson-Eli Pierce DAR Chapter (Schicker@hotmail.com) for further guidelines, information or with questions about the contest. The deadline for entering an essay this year is December 17th. Prizes are awarded at the Chapter, State, Division and National levels.
These contests are open to all students in public, private or parochial schools as well as those who are home schooled.
By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Whitewater resident Caryl Yasko was recently commissioned to restore the bicentennial mural “The Stonecutters” which she painted in the Village of Lemont, Illinois in 1975. Per the village Facebook page, “After week one of the restoration, the colors are starting to POP! Caryl Yasko and team, Harrison Halaska and Ingrid Kallick are working on the mural most weekdays beginning in early afternoon. Rob Moriarty joins them early evenings, and they all work on the mural as long as daylight allows. Stop by and watch them restore this beautiful mural on the Digs on Canal building at 316 Canal Street in Budnik Plaza – don’t be shy – go right on up to the front of the mural and watch them at work. Be sure to leave a note on the paper pad located on the side of the scaffolding. Caryl would LOVE to HEAR for YOU! ”
Yasko is particularly known in Whitewater for the Prairie Tillers mural she painted on the east exterior wall of 119 W. Center Street in 1980. (See last image below.) Per Community Built Organization, “Caryl Yasko has been a leading figure in the American Public Art Movement for more than forty years. She is well published internationally. She was a founding artist in the Chicago Mural Group and taught mural techniques at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and many colleges and universities, mostly in the Midwest. She developed a concrete fresco technique and a line-drawing system for public participation. Caryl’s works include building filigree windmills and prairie, 60′ foot poles with airplane beacon, and colorful murals in all situations and locations, often with a cast of thousands in the spirit of public participation.”
Caryl Yasko pictured with her team 
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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