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Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the J-Hawk Aquatic Club.
The J-Hawk Aquatic Club would like to thank our sponsors and participants for making a difference in the lives of our youth in Whitewater and surrounding communities. The J-Hawk Aquatic Club (501(c)3) provides both swim lessons and competitive swimming. It is the mission of the J-Hawks to be able to provide this programming to all youth. No child is ever turned away due to financial constraints. For youth on free or reduced lunches in their district, they receive free or reduced lessons or competitive swimming respectively.
By hosting runs such as the Summer Sizzler and a Run Into Fall 10K/5K in October, along with the Earlybird and Latebird Triathlons, we are able to hire instructors and coaches to make this mission possible.
On July 10, 2021, the J-Hawks hosted a 10k Run and 5K Run/Walk. 77 participants took part.
The J-Hawks would like to thank the City of Whitewater, Fairhaven Senior Living, Whitewater Register, Whitewater Banner, sponsors, and those who donated for making a difference.
Congratulations to our overall male and female runners: 10K Overall Male: Connor Hackett 35:38.1; 10K Overall Female: Heidi Mane: 44:16.1; 5K Overall Male: Cameron Lenz: 19:16.8; 5K Overall Female: Mychelle Ehlei 19:53.1.
Full results can be found at https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/Whitewater/JHawk5KRunWalk
For additional information on the J-Hawk Aquatic Club go to www.j-hawks.org
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by UW-Whitewater.
Becca Murray, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater alumna and national champion women’s wheelchair basketball athlete, was named Best Athlete with a Disability in Women’s Sports at the 2021 ESPY Awards at Pier 17 in New York City on July 10.
Murray was picked from four finalists, all of them Paralympians: Sam Bosco, cycling; Oksana Masters, Nordic and cycling; and Leanne Smith, swimming.
“I guess I never took myself to be one of those athletes,” said Murray of other wheelchair basketball athletes who have been ESPY nominees. “So I was super excited to find out I was nominated.”
The ESPY Award is presented by the American broadcast television network ABC, and previously by ESPN, to recognize individual and team athletic achievements and other sports-related performances. Nominees in other sports categories in 2021 included Simone Biles, Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, Naomi Osaka, Phil Mickelson and LaMelo Ball.
After a tumultuous year for sports, catharsis was in the air and a sense of purpose in the speeches at the 2021 ESPYs. Like many nominees, Murray did not travel to the event and instead posted a 19-second video on the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Facebook page thanking her wheelchair basketball “family.”
“Being good at basketball gets your name out there, but I’ve always wanted to be that athlete who brought their teammates along with them,” said Murray, several days after the awards ceremony. “That makes the difference between a good basketball player and a player who is remembered.”
The quiet athlete from Germantown came to UW-Whitewater as a freshman in 2008, already a member of Team USA, which had gold-medaled that September at the Paralympic Games in Beijing. Murray, a special education major, became a cornerstone of a newly established women’s wheelchair basketball team at the university.
The UW-Whitewater men’s wheelchair basketball team had sprung from the university’s mission to serve students with disabilities, established in the 1970s. By the early 2000s, the men’s program was enjoying both national respect and support from the campus and community, propelled first by former Head Coach Tracy Chynoweth. It was time to expand the wheelchair basketball franchise to a women’s team.
What followed was a remarkable team-building effort that resulted in three straight collegiate women’s wheelchair basketball national championships, international competitions and, for Murray, two more Paralympic Games including a gold medal in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro. Through those years, the UW-Whitewater wheelchair basketball program added athletes from the U.S. and around the world, attracted by the reputation of its program, and talent developed in summer camps on campus. By 2014, UW-Whitewater was the national capital of collegiate wheelchair basketball when both the women’s and men’s teams won national titles under Head Coaches Dan Price and Opie Lade, respectively.
“I have tons of role models,” said Murray, laughing when asked to cite only one. “I couldn’t name them all. That Whitewater family is where a lot of that came from. Opie has always been a big influence, like a brother. Tracy Chynoweth is the reason I got to play at Whitewater. He asked me to help start a team. I’m forever grateful to him for starting that women’s team.”
As a player for the Warhawks, Murray was patient, unflappable and as essential to the team as the hub is to a wheel. Her individual statistics confounded one coach, who noticed she posted higher percentages in games, where she had real opponents, than in practices, where she did not. Murray didn’t fold under pressure — she got better. One close friend, another Warhawk athlete, at first felt intimidated by all of that talent, which surprises Murray.
“It is funny when I hear those stories because I don’t see myself as intimidating,” she said. “No one is better than another person. And so I take the time when people approach me and want to talk. And they see I’m just a down-to-earth person.”
Murray, who graduated in 2014, works as a clinical assistant at Rogers Behavioral Health in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. For the 2021 Paralympic Games held in Tokyo Aug. 25-Sept. 5, she plans to take a two-week vacation just to view the live broadcasts of Team USA, which will likely air in the middle of the night, local time.
In the fall she will return to basketball, playing for the Division 1 Milwaukee Bucks men’s wheelchair basketball team and the women’s counterpart, the Lady Bucks. Retired from playing basketball on the world stage, she recently bought a condo in New Berlin to be closer to the Whitewater campus, where both Bucks teams practice at the Roseman Building. The move also brings her closer to Edgerton, where her friends AJ Messmer, a former wheelchair basketball athlete who just succeeded Lade as head coach, and Lydia Messmer, a former teammate and women’s assistant coach, have their home. It would never do to be too far from your family.
“I enjoyed my time at UW-Whitewater and being a part of that wheelchair basketball family,” said Murray. “There was something special about that team. There are always your highs and lows. But we would always pull together, and that would make us stronger.”
The following information was provided by the City Market.
Hey — it’s almost market day! We’ll be at the Depot 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, with a full array of summer produce. Tomatoes and corn are just starting, so shop early if you want to pick some up! This week we’ll be celebrating Taco Tuesday by welcoming family-owned and-run Mama Maria’s to the market.
MUSIC: Keith Minikel
CRAFT BEER: Kolsch, rhubarb IPA, amber, raspberry ginger sour
FOOD CARTS: Mama Maria’s, Yang House of Rolls
OUT THIS WEEK: Fremont Sweets, Mr. P’s Grilled Cheese, Sunny Brook Farm
HERE THIS WEEK:
Amanda Miller Baking ● a variety of sweet treats, always made from scratch & with love!
Books and Art by Kimberly Vogel ● Wisconsin fiction author & illustrator of characters, animals
Bowers Lake Coffee ● locally roasted and brewed organic coffee & coffee beans 
Caroline’s Cupboard ● beets, green beans, kale, zucchini, onions, wildflowers
Clark Family Farms ● lion’s mane mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms, pink oyster mushrooms, blue oyster mushrooms, microgreens;
Creek Farm LLC ● local lavender farm bringing you handcrafted products made in small batches at the farm
FunLooping ● a fun & nerd-oriented collection of pendants, keychains, jewelry, figurines & assortment of miscellanies
Helena’s Plant Closet & Whitewater Egg Delivery ● eggs, air plants & houseplants
Johnson Family Produce ● fresh asparagus
Kettle Moraine Honey ● local honey, beeswax products, scented soaps
Komboocho Brewing ● quality kombucha using organic & local ingredients. Rotating flavors available.
Kristie’s Creative Kitchen ● jams, jellies, pickled items
Mama Maria’s ● breakfast burrito, tortas, quesadillas, tacos, empanadas (beef and potato, tinga), sopes, homemade pico de gallo
Margie Hammerl ● eggs, Black Angus beef, lamb, chicken 
Mudders Dream ● wheel-thrown & handbuilt functional & sculptural pottery
My Farm ● spinach, eggs, fresh lamb, fresh beef, greens mix New Beginnings APFV ● comprehensive, compassionate support & services to people affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking
Pops Kettle Corn ● State Fair-ribbon-winning gourmet popcorn in flavors like Birthday Cake, Muskego Mix, Dragon Breath and Brandy Old-fashioned
Rushing Springs Farm ● locally grown fresh vegetables
Seeds of Hope ● plants & annual flower baskets grown by individuals with developmental disabilities
Soap of the Earth ● local, handcrafted soaps & lotions
Stepani’s Spot ● garden preserves, baked goods, salsa, mustards, sauces
Studio 84 ● a variety of products, including notecards and mugs, created by a nonprofit art studio, gallery and store that fosters the creative & vocational development of people with disabilities
Sunshine Cookies ● bright, festive & colorful hand-decorated sugar cookies
Taproot Designs ● unique wooden home decor from repurposed wood
Theresa Lynn Costuming & Quilting ● comfortable face masks in all sorts of colors, sizes, including kid sizes
Tilla’s Next Ride ● K-9 fundraising support
Toad Cottage Creations ● handmade candles with a hint of nature
Urban Forestry Commission ● information
Vang C & C Farms ● local produce
The Vegetable Stand ● local produce
W3 ● promoting healthy eating through Power of Produce, activities for kids, health/wellness related handouts
Whitewater Dems ● information
Whitewater Grocery Co ● your (future) friendly neighborhood grocer, supporting fresh and local products
Wild Cherry Creations ● seasonal & home decor, wine glasses, coffee cups
Wood Street Bakery ● mocha chip scones; white chocolate cherry scones; organic kernel bread, sourdough bread, cranberry walnut bread & multigrain bread; assorted granolas: cranberry almond, silly nut nut, cinnamon apple walnut, dark chocolate cherry, Hawaiian delight
Yang House of Rolls ● Thai egg rolls, curries, local produceYoung
Young Auditorium ● promoting the venue’s 2021-22 in-person and BroadwayHD subscription offerings
Zo-Sharp ● knife-sharpening on site
Our Whippet volleyball team was recognized by the Marines and The American Volleyball Coaches Association for academic excellence this past spring! Super proud of all their hard work in the classroom and on the court!
Team Members were:
CC Alexander, Lexi Juoni, Avery Hintz, Amanda Tovar, Kiyla Kopecky, Kindyl Kilar, Emme Bullis, Cora Linos, Caleigh Yang and Cali Kopecky!
Editor’s note: the following information has been provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.
Congratulations to Lucy Davis for being Whitewater Unified School District’s Reading All Star this week!! Lucy, we are honored to have you as our Reading All Star! Keep up your love of reading!
Our thanks to Steve Watson for sharing these beautiful pictures. Steve writes, “Sunday, July 9. This lone pelican on Trippe Lake by the swimmin hole. Only stayed one day. I watched it for about 20 minutes, then I moved on. It was gone by the next morning.”
— 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!
Whitewater United FC formerly known as Whitewater Youth Soccer Club (WYSC) would like to invite kids from four years old through the 8th grade to join the 2021-2022 soccer season. Registration is now open until July 31 for Recreational and Select (*If you received an offer letter.) For more information or to register please check out https://www.whitewatersoccer.com/
The Whitewater United FC Soccer Club is the local soccer club for children ages 4 to 14 in the Whitewater area. The club is volunteer-run and season are played in the fall and spring. Our home fields are at Moraine View Park.
The image on the homepage, “Soccer Ball” by faungg’s photos is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Editor’s note: the following information has been provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.
Congratulations to Maya Davis for being Whitewater Unified School District’s Reading All Star this week!! Maya, we are honored to have you as our Reading All Star! Keep up your love of reading!
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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