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Today is Thursday, October 8, 2026
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The Whippet Volleyball Season came to an end Thursday night when they lost (7-25, 12-25, 10-25) to McFarland that is the #1 seed in the region and the #3 seed in the state for Division 2.
Whitewater finished the 2021 season 14-16 overall and 5-4 in the Rock Valley Conference for a 4th place finish.
Stats Leaders for the night:
Kills: Kindyl Kilar-7
Assists: Avery Hintz-7
Digs: Caleigh Yang-8
Article Submitted by Kathy Bullis
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
kbullis@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob and Peter Mischka
By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
The City of Whitewater’s project to combat unsightly vegetation growth on Cravath and Trippe Lakes will be accomplished almost entirely without the use of herbicides to knockdown the green areas that nearly encompass the remaining lake beds as the result of a two-year drawdown of the two bodies of water.
The announcement came from Parks and Recreation Director Eric Boettcher at the October 19 City Common Council meeting. The existing green areas will instead be mowed using six-foot wide commercial mowing blades drawn by an all-terrain vehicle, belt-driven traction vehicle and a commercial tractor. The work will be done by the same outside contractor that had been hired to spray the herbicide and is scheduled to begin the week of October 25. It will take place where the shoreline allows and may still require some minimal spraying according to Boettcher.
The use of herbicides had generated opposition from some city residents although the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approved chemical treatment was deemed to be safe. The change in plans will not likely add additional costs to the project according to Boettcher who explained that the change in methodology was required by the unusually dry conditions in September and early October that resulted in vegetation going to seed earlier than normal.
The Cravath and Trippe Lakes Drawdown and Dredge Project began in July of 2019. It took two years and the use of siphons in Trippe Lake to accomplish the drawdown. A controlled burn of the remaining mowed vegetation is scheduled to take place in November. The actual dredging phase of the project is scheduled to begin in January of next year. Both lakes are scheduled to be refilled in spring.
The project is similar in nature to other Wisconsin communities’ lake improvement efforts designed to improve water quality and depth, reduce aquatic vegetation, and eliminate invasive aquatic plant species. Lakes project updates are routinely posted on the City of Whitewater’s website at www.whitewater-wi.gov.
In other business the Common Council scheduled a special meeting for October 26th to continue renegotiations with the Whitewater Fire Department regarding their contract for services with the City. The Common Council also reluctantly agreed to a settlement with Walmart related to an excessive property assessment claim. The agreement calls for the 2021 assessment to not exceed $5,300,000. The current assessment is $5,657,300 and the property owner’s opinion of value was $4,500,000. Reduction in total property tax (all jurisdictions) is $8092 with the city’s share $2347. City Attorney Wally McDonnell advised that trying to resolve the issue in court would cost much more in legal fees than the amount of tax revenue lost. This is the second time that Walmart has filed suit alleging excessive assessment.
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Knight Public Affairs, LLC.
The Discover Whitewater Series (DWS): Half Marathon, 5K and W3 Fit Kid Shuffle held its ninth annual race banquet on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at Willow Brook Golf Course. Gathered for a night of celebration were race sponsors, team leaders, volunteers and five local charities. “The purpose of DWS is to support Whitewater by giving back to organizations that are devoted to helping this community,” DWS Executive Director Jeffery Knight said. “It’s always great to see so many members of the Whitewater community come together for this event.”
During the banquet, DWS presented $5,000 to each of the five charities, totaling $25,000. These five charities are: Working for Whitewater’s Wellness, Bethel House, Whitewater Unified School District, Whitewater LEADS and J-Hawk Aquatic Club. Beyond the DWS donations, there was an additional $740 directly donated from anonymous individuals to the charities of their choosing on the DWS website. Over the last nine years, the DWS has been able to raise a total of $229,500. “It really is incredible to witness the amount of work that goes into the DWS,” GWC Chairman Larry Kachel said. “The number of local sponsors, volunteers and community members who come together to help out is inspiring.”
This year’s DWS saw the return of the W3 Fit Kid Shuffle, the post-race awards ceremony, and open registration all the way up until race day. The DWS would like to thank everyone who came together to make this ninth year a success. Next year, the tenth annual DWS will take place on Sunday, September 18, 2021. Planning has already begun to make the DWS’s tenth anniversary race an extraordinary event. Keep an eye out for a special black Friday registration deal.
“The Lost City of Z” – October 26, 1 p.m. – (Biography/Drama/Adventure) 2 hours, 21 minutes; Rated PG-13 (2016)
A true-life adventure about British explorer Major Percival Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam), who disappeared while searching for a mysterious indigenous city in the Amazon, in the 1920’s. This is a thrilling, thoughtful, hauntingly beautiful film that you will not soon forget. Also stars Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Franco Nero, and Tom Holland.
Rummage sale
329 E Cravath Street
Saturday/Sunday, October 23/24
9:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Lots of bargains. Household items, some clothes, furniture, and outdoor Disney Christmas items. Stop and find some bargains.
Editor’s note: The following information was submitted by Rita Hookstead.
Heather (Hookstead) Melloch, WHS ‘13 graduate, and Jon Zimdars, WHS ’15
graduate, completed Ironman Wisconsin on Sunday, September 12.
Ironman Wisconsin offers a challenging course beginning with the swim (2.4 miles) in
Lake Monona. As athletes exit the water, they run up the helix at the Monona
Terrace to get their bikes (112 miles). The bike consists of two challenging loops
loaded with many hills. Once off the bikes, athletes headed out on to a 2 loop run
(26.2 miles – full marathon).
Heather and Jon were close to each other throughout the day. Jon, a former
Whitewater High School and Kenyon College swimmer, started with the first group
of athletes in the water and Heather, a former Whitewater High School basketball
player, started approximately five minutes later. By the end of the bike, they were
separated by a mere eight minutes. Once on the run course, they closed the gap and finished within one minute of each other.
Congratulations to both athletes. Both finished in the top 22% of all athletes.
Splits for the day were:
Heather – 416th out of 1954 Athletes
Jon: 444th out of 1954 Athletes
Swim: 1:12.00 Swim: 1:03.:05
Bike: 6:55:46 Bike: 7:07:07
Run: 4:04.35 Run: 4:12:50
Total Time: 12:32:50 Overall: 12:38:22
Banner note: Our thanks to Rita Hookstead for submitting this interesting article.
The Whippets travel to McFarland Thursday, October 21st, to take on the Spartans in the second round of WIAA Volleyball Regionals. The game is slated for 7:00 p.m., and masks are required to be worn by all.
The Whippets swept Big Foot Tuesday, October 19th, in front of a large and loud Whitewater cheering section to claim a 3-0 first round victory (25-21, 26-24, 25-20).
Stat Leaders for the night were as follows:
Aces: Avery Hintz, Cali Kopecky, and Kindyl Kilar each had 2
Kills: Kindyl Kilar with 18, and Cali Kopecky and Savanna Hill both with 4
Blocks: Jenna Pope with 2
Digs: Cali Kopecky with 15, Kindyl Kilar with 10, and Avery Hintz with 9
Article Submitted by Kathy Bullis
Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach
kbullis@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Peter Mischka
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library.
Join UK travel/relocation consultant and former UK resident Claire Evans for a delightful culinary tour of the UK inspired by “The Great British Baking Show” television series, aired on PBS. Learn about making a proper cup of tea, regional specialties, their origins, and the particular parts of the UK they hail from. As it’s soon the holidays, she’ll focus on festive baking in particular. She’ll translate the trickiest parts of British recipes for Americans so you can try them in your own kitchen. Pick up useful travel tips as well, just in case you’d like to create your own tour!
Claire Evans started her love of most things British as she and her mother watched countless episodes of “Are You Being Served,” “Fawlty Towers,” and “The Vicar of Dibley” on PBS. She went on to study abroad in London and, against the odds, she married a Brit she met in Peoria, Illinois. They moved to England, where they lived for a number of years. Outside of her work for a legal advice charity, Claire became a student of historical sights, pub dining, and tea shops. Her business, Tea with Claire, grew from friends asking for travel and relocation advice.
Wednesday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. This is a Zoom event so registration is required to obtain the Zoom link an hour before the program begins. Please register on our website at: whitewaterlibrary.org.
Obituaries
Sally A. Schutte, age 73, of Whitewater, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on September 21, 2026, while at Hearthstone Memory Care in Whitewater. Sally was born on November 6, 1952, to Roy and Elsie (Rohloff) Haas. Sally married William Schutte in the spring of 2003. Sally grew up on the family farm in the Town of Hebron and graduated from Jefferson High School. She dedicated nearly her entire career to Fort HealthCare, where her hard work and versatility shone through various roles. Over the years, she served in housekeeping and medical records, Center for Dermatology. Sally … Read more
Zachariah “Zach” Schoenke, 41, of Whitewater passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. He was born April 4, 1985, to Keith W. Schoenke and Kathleen Schoenke in Fort Atkinson, WI. He grew up and graduated from Whitewater High School in 2003. Zach worked various jobs over the years but was currently working at Cracker Barrel in Janesville. He was a big Packers Fan and liked to play fantasy football. He enjoyed reading, cooking, and watching horror shows. Zach fiercely loved his son, Lincoln, his sisters, Cami and Cary, his mom and stepdad, and his aunt Robin. He will be dearly … Read more
Carla Winn, 82, died September 5, 2026. Funeral Service will be at 12:00 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at East Heights United Methodist Church, 4407 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67218, followed by a burial at 2:00 PM at White Chapel Memorial Garden 1806 N Oliver Ave. Carla is preceded in death by her parents, Vivian Dwight and Wilma Lois Krehbiel; and sister, Jennifer Krehbiel. She is survived by husband, Stephen; daughter, Ashley (Clint) Gagel, of Overland Park; siblings, Paul (Kay) Krehbiel, of Socorro, NM, Lynn (Bill) Oetting, of Wichita, Ellen (John) Querner, of Wichita, Teresa Woodson, of Lawrence, KS, … Read more
Susan Miller Celebration of Life There will be a gathering of friends and acquaintances at Susan’s Farm Store to celebrate Susan’s life on Saturday, September 19th from 2-5 p.m. at N6623 Lake Lorraine Rd., Delavan, Wisconsin
Our loving mother, JoAnn E Harrop, age 95, passed away on September 11, 2026. Our sorrow is deep, but we are filled with gratitude for the many years we had with her. Even as her mind was failing, she remained strong and appreciative of all who cared for her. JoAnn was born on January 13, 1931, daughter to Fred Braun and Evelyn Braun {Storck). She was raised in Whitewater, Wisconsin by her grandparents, Otto and Edith Storck. She attended Whitewater High School and helped at the Storck tavern where she met her husband Earl C. Harrop. They married on November … Read more
Russell O. Johnson “Russ,” 88, passed away on September 4, 2026 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Russell was born on July 12, 1938, in Janesville, Wisconsin. Russ grew up in Janesville, and after high school he joined the Air Force on May 1, 1958, serving as an aircraft mechanic until June 12, 1962. He then worked at Parker Pen in Janesville for a time, where he met his future wife, Avis. After marrying Avis Mason in April 1964, Russ worked for Gillman Manufacturing for a time, then began a career at Dana until its closing in 1980. In 1981, Russ started working … Read more
Marcia Zingg, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, businesswoman, and friend, passed away peacefully on September 1, 2026, at the age of 75. Marcia will be remembered for her unwavering love, remarkable strength, generous spirit, and lifelong devotion to her family. She shared 40 wonderful years of marriage with her husband, Jeffrey Zingg, who considered her not only his wife but also his best friend, business partner, and the love of his life. Together, Marcia and Jeffrey built a successful life rooted in perseverance, hard work, laughter, and love. As entrepreneurs in Whitewater, Wisconsin, they owned and managed new car franchises and … Read more
Amanda Jean Hunter was born to Ralph and Malinda (Thomas) Hunter of Whitewater, Wisconsin, on October 6, 1976. She passed away on August 4, in Fort Worth, Texas, where she lived with her family. Amanda passed peacefully in the hospital, surrounded by her loved ones. Amanda was a kind-hearted free spirit with an unmistakable hippie warmth. Generosity, spontaneity, a quick wit, a macabre sense of humor, and an open heart were traits that she embraced. She was a tireless champion of those in need, an innate characteristic that became among the best of her qualities. She proved to be a … Read more
Ellen Eichmiller, 82, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Ellen was born on September 10, 1943, in Monroe, Wisconsin, to Chester “Guy” and Irene (née Holmen) Steig. She married the love of her life, Paul Eichmiller, on December 7, 1963, and together they made their home in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Ellen spent much of her working life as a secretary at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where she formed many lasting friendships and memories. Ellen cherished her family and friends and treasured the time she spent with those closest to her. She was known for her love of … Read more
Janet Quinn, age 71, of Jefferson passed away on Thursday, August 20th. Janet was born on December 22nd, 1954 in St. Joseph, MI to Robert Mounsey and Edith Christison Mounsey. She was a granddaughter to Herbert Bragg Mounsey, Charlotte Mounsey, and Ester Christison West. She married Michael Durden in 1979 and later married Eury Quinn Jr. (J.R.) in 1988. Janet grew up in Benton Harbor, MI, and subsequently lived in New York and Arkansas before moving to Wisconsin in 2016. She was a dedicated caregiver to her disabled Mother, and worked as a custodian for various employers over the years. … Read more
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