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The Banner has been serving Whitewater, Wisconsin since August 1, 2006
Today is Tuesday, May 12, 2026
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The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office has issued a Cold Weather Advisory for both Jefferson and Walworth Counties beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday and continuing until 10 a.m. on Sunday. Per the third image below, the wind chill in our area is anticipated to be as low as -27 degrees F.
Bitter cold conditions will still exist Sunday night into Monday morning, but wind chills will generally be “only” between -10F and -20F.
A list of warming sites may be found here.
For anyone who is in need of a place to keep warm, there are unfortunately very few shelters in the area that have been posted as being available other than during business hours on the weekend.
In an urgent situation, 24/7:
– 211 is an information and referral phone number
– City of Whitewater Police: (262) 473-0555 option 4 or 312 W. Whitewater St.
– Walworth County Health & Human Services: 262-741-3200
– Jefferson County Health & Human Services: 920-674-3105
Walworth County provides a list of libraries that can serve as shelters. None are open on Sundays. Whitewater’s Public Library, 431 W. Center Street, is open Friday until 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Daily Jefferson County Union has published a list of warming centers in Jefferson County. The only location that is indicated to be open on Sunday is the Watertown Public Library, 100 S. Water St., Sunday 12 – 4 p.m.
Rock County has the most extensive list of warming sites, with the following introduction:
When forecasted temperatures, real temperatures, or wind chills drop below zero degrees in Rock County, WI, these locations shall automatically authorize use as a warming site during their normal business hours only. These daytime site locations will not extend or alter their hours so citizens should plan accordingly. Warming sites may close without notification and are not obligated to participate. Citizens are responsible for their own belongings. Food and water are not provided. Overnight warming sites will only open during a county emergency activation.
Warming sites are activated overnight when temperatures drop below 0 degrees. The overnight warming sites will be open tonight (12/10) and every evening through Monday morning (12/15).
Uptown Janesville (formerly the Janesville Mall) is open on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
The Milton Public Library, 430 High Street, is open Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by S K from Pixabay.
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”
Tuesday, December 16, 1 pm
(Holiday/Comedy/Family)
Rated PG; 1 hour, 39 minutes (2024).
From the creator of the TV series “The Chosen.”
Nobody is ready for the mayhem and surprises that ensue when six of the worst youngsters disrupt a small town’s yearly Christmas performance.
Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes out of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/
Editor’s note: The following announcement was posted on December 12 on the Whitewater Fire & EMS Facebook page.
It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Firefighter/Paramedic Daria Deibele.
Daria began her career with the Whitewater Fire Department in March of 2025, following her dreams and expanding her deep love for EMS into her role as a full-time Firefighter/Paramedic. From the moment she joined our family, her positive attitude, bubbly personality, and unwavering passion for the job defined the amazing person she was—both in and out of uniform.
Daria brought light into every room and strength into every call. Her dedication to serving others, her kindness, and her heartfelt compassion touched countless lives. Her generosity was evident in all she did—from donating 730 items to the City’s Food Drive to baking homemade treats for the crews, gestures that meant so much and reflected her deep care for those around her. The impact she made on our department, and on each of us who had the honor of working beside her, is immeasurable.
This is a tremendous loss for our department and our community. The void left by her passing will be difficult to overcome, but her spirit, her laughter, and her legacy of service will remain with us always.
Out of respect for the family’s wishes, this announcement was delayed until arrangements were made. We ask that you hold Daria’s family, friends, and loved ones in your thoughts during this incredibly difficult time.
Rest easy, Daria. We’ll take it from here.
Visitation/Funeral Information:
Saturday, January 10th
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church
401 S. Owen Drive
Madison, WI 53711
Visitation 9am – 11am
Mass 11am
In lieu of memorials, a Memorial Fund has been established by the City of Whitewater and the Whitewater Fire Department in honor of Daria Deibele.
Memorial contributions may be sent to:
City of Whitewater / Whitewater Fire Department
312 W. Whitewater Street
Whitewater, WI 53190
Please note “Daria Deibele Memorial” in the memo line
Updated on 12/12/25 @ 1 p.m. to correct the Cold Weather Advisory information for Friday night.
The City of Whitewater is dissected by the Jefferson and Walworth County lines, which results in a mixed message for tonight’s Cold Weather Advisory. Technically the Jefferson County portion of the city will be under the Advisory, but the Walworth County portion won’t be under that Advisory until Saturday night! In any case, it will be very cold.
The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office has issued a Cold Weather Advisory that includes Walworth County from 7 p.m. on Saturday until 10 a.m. Sunday. Jefferson County, though, has a Cold Weather Advisory beginning Friday from midnight Friday until 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Highs on Saturday and Sunday are anticipated to be in the single digits. Wind chills for the Whitewater area are projected to be about -17 degrees F on Friday night and -25 degrees F on Saturday night.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. At this time, you are probably starting to receive Christmas cards, and today, many of these are popular family photo cards. Here is a family photo that is similar to those you are receiving today. It is the Waldi family, taken around 1915. J. A. H. Waldi was the manager of the McAlister Dry Goods store in downtown Whitewater (where Main Street Shops is now located). His wife, Beatrice is probably the seated woman and one of the other women is probably daughter Margaret, who, according to the 1912 Whitewater City Directory, is living with the couple on Fremont Street.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(1951STU, Whitewater Historical Society)
Ferradermis hosted 24 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics teams, including the Whitewater Middle School Iron Dragons, for a competition at Whitewater High School on Sunday, December 7. Approximately 250 middle and high school students competed throughout the day, meeting with judges and putting their robots to the test on the field.
Team 8680 Kraken-Pinion from Homestead High School placed 1st overall, winning both the Inspire Award and the overall robot competition. The WMS Iron Dragons, coached by Kerry Ramsden, ranked 14th in robot qualification matches and 18th overall when award points were included.
This year’s FTC game shares the same archeology-based theme as FIRST Lego League and the high school FIRST Robotics Competition. In the FTC game, robots need to collect artifacts (green and purple wiffle balls) and load them into the classifier in a particular pattern in order to achieve maximum points. The pattern required is randomized at the beginning of each match, and robots can use vision to decode the motif and determine the pattern required. FTC robots must fit in an 18” cube and play on a 12’ square field. During the first 30 seconds of each match, the robots are programmed to operate autonomously, and for the remaining 2 minutes, the robots are under the control of a student drive team.
FTC teams play in 2 or 3 qualifying competitions each season, and the WMS Iron Dragons will compete again on February 8 at the Skirmish of Brookfield.
All FIRST Robotics events are run by volunteers, and it takes about 90 volunteers to host events such as the Whitewater FLL Challenge Regional and Whitewater FTC Qualifier held at Whitewater High School this fall. There are both technical and non-technical volunteer roles available. If you are interested in volunteering at a future robotics event or working with the district teams as a volunteer, please reach out to Laura Masbruch at lmasbruch@wwusd.org.
Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor
lmasbruch@wwusd.org
Obituaries
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
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
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