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Today is Tuesday, May 12, 2026
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RACINE, Wis. (WSAW/Gray News) – “A newborn was safely surrendered in a Safe Haven Baby Box for the first time in Wisconsin state history.
According to officials, the baby was placed in the Safe Haven Baby Box at a fire department in Racine on Oct. 16.
Division Chief Joshua Weber said in the release obtained by the Racine County Eye that the infant was in good health and immediately cared for by on-duty firefighters.
The baby was taken to the hospital for an evaluation and then placed in the custody of Child Protective Services….
Officials say the National Safe Haven Crisis Line has assisted in more than 175 handoff surrenders and 66 baby box surrenders nationwide.”
Editor’s note: As was announced in a Whitewater Banner article, a baby box was installed in the Whitewater Fire Department building in June of 2025.
According to State Statute 48.195, a parent can leave their unharmed newborn, under 72 hours old, anonymously and without fear of prosecution in a newborn infant safety device, or with a law enforcement officer, EMS provider, or hospital staff member. This life-saving resource allows a parent in crisis to legally accomplish this surrender anonymously. The Safe Haven Baby Box is equipped with alarm systems and climate control to ensure a rapid response from trained personnel and the health and safety of the surrendered infant.
If you are a parent in crisis, you can call or text 1-866-99BABY1 to reach the National Safe Haven Crisis Line.
The new Born Learning Trail at Starin Park will be unveiled on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 11 a.m. The trail, a collaboration between the UW-Whitewater Children’s Center, the City of Whitewater Department of Parks and Recreation, Whitewater Public Library, Whitewater LEADS and the Whitewater Community Foundation, is a celebration of early literacy and connecting with the community and the natural world around us. Signs along the trail, which runs one third of a mile, depict interactive activities in both English and Spanish that young learners can do with their caregivers. More activities will later be painted on the sidewalks and asphalt paths that form the trail.
[The national United Way organization is the sponsor of the learning trails, and their website indicates “The Born Learning Trail is a series of 10 interactive signs that offer fun, active learning activities for young children and their families. It helps parents, caregivers and communities create quality engagement opportunities when out on a stroll or visiting a local playground.”]
Congratulations to all who brought this project to Whitewater!
“What’s Cooking?”
Tuesday, November 25, 1 pm
(Comedy/Drama/Romance)
Rated PG-13; 1 hour, 49 minutes (2000).
Several families of different ethnicity (Latino, Asian, Black, Jewish, and White) gather together for Thanksgiving dinner, with much humor, drama, and love. Starring Joan Chen, Juliana Margulies, Mercedes Ruehl, Alfre Woodard, and Dennis Haysbert.
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/
Jefferson County Sheriff Travis Maze is proud to announce the addition of its newest canine, Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Kingsley. Kingsley has been officially assigned to Detective Ryan Viney, who will oversee her training, deployment, and daily care.
K9 Kingsley joins the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office with a critical mission: to assist investigators in the fight against Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). As an ESD-certified canine, Kingsley possesses specialized skills to detect hidden electronic storage devices – such as flash drives, micro-SD cards, and other digital media – that may contain evidence vital to protecting children and supporting criminal investigations. Her keen abilities will significantly enhance the Sheriff’s Office’s capability to locate and secure digital evidence that might
otherwise go undiscovered.
The acquisition of K9 Kingsley was made possible through the extraordinary generosity of community member Mabel Schumacher. Her support not only enabled the Sheriff’s Office to expand its K9 program, but also directly contributes to safeguarding children across Jefferson County and beyond.
We are deeply grateful to Ms. Schumacher for making this addition to our team possible.
K9 Kingsley will be an invaluable asset in our ongoing efforts to investigate crimes against children and bring offenders to justice.
Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.
Bloomington, Ill. – The 2025 campaign for UW-Whitewater volleyball came to a close in the second round of the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship Friday evening. The Warhawks fell to Calvin in four sets 27-29, 25-12, 23-25, 18-25.
The Warhawks got on top early with a kill from Abbie Dix followed by back-to-back aces from Kyanne Wusterbarth. A Calvin miscue made it 4-0 UWW. The Knights responded eventually tying the set 8-8. The teams traded small runs with Calvin grabbing their first lead 14-15. Head Coach Stacy Boudreau called her first timeout of the set one point later.
On the other side of the break, the Knights were able to build a three-point margin, 15-18, when the Warhawks put together a 5-1 run to reclaim the lead 20-19 and force a Knight timeout. Dix and Gaby DiMotto registered kills while Kylee Altendorf and Aubrie Krzus added aces in the run that was capped by an Amanda Hillmann and Emily Lego block.
The squads traded points out of the timeout until Emma Bludgen hammered down a kill to give UWW a 23-22 advantage and force Calvin’s second timeout of the set. The Knights got the first two points out of the break to push set point as Coach Boudreau signaled for timeout. Bludgen tipped over the block for a kill to knot the set 24-24. After multiple set points, a deep Knight serve had the Warhawk bench calling out, but the line judge signaling in for the 27-29 final.
UW-Whitewater responded in a big way, absolutely dominating set two for a 25-12 win. The Warhawks had their way offensively pounding down 14 kills with a team attack percentage of .387 in the set. Three blocks and three aces bolstered UWW in the set and swung all of the momentum to the Warhawks.
Set three was much like the first – a back-and-forth battle with the teams trading leads, but the Knights coming out on top 23-25.
UWW struggled to rebound offensively as the Knight defense picked up in the final set. Calvin tallied eight total blocks in set four, leading to the 25-18 final score.
Dix paced the UWW offense and defense at the net with 13 kills and 6 blocks. Bludgen joined Dix in double digits with 10 kills adding 10 digs, 3 aces and a block. Krzus registered 35 assists and tallied 8 kills and 4 blocks.
UWW caps their season with a 26-8 record after making the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 36th time in program history.
The UW-Whitewater men’s wheelchair basketball team welcomes the top teams from around the nation this weekend for its annual home tournament this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22, at the Williams Center Fieldhouse, 907 Schwager Drive. The Warhawks host games Friday at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and Saturday at 8 a.m. and noon. [The public is welcome. There was no admission charge on Friday, so it appears that the same would apply on Saturday.]
Editor’s note: This announcement is from the UW-Whitewater Facebook page.
Bloomington, Ill. — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team swept Coe 3-0(25-21, 25-11, 25-15) in the First Round of the NCAA Division III Championship Thursday morning. With the win, the Warhawks advance to face either Hanover or Calvin in the NCAA Regional Semifinal scheduled for Friday at 4:30 PM at the Shirk Center.
UW-Whitewater led the majority of the first set using a four-point, mid-set run to take a 15-11 lead. Emma Bludgen assisted on a pair of blocks while Abbie Dix hammered down a kill to bolster the run. The Warhawks held at least a two-point advantage the rest of the way.
Emily Lego and Dix had a phenomenal start to the match. The right side – middle duo each hit .417 to combine for 11 of UWW’s 14 kills in set one. Lego led the way with six while Dix added a pair of blocks.
UWW ran away with set two 25-11 paced by an efficient offensive attack — UW-Whitewater hit .464 as a team in the set. This time it was the outsides, Bludgen and Gaby DiMotto, with half of the Warhawk kills in the set. Delaney Ward came in late in the set and pounded down a pair of kills for the Warhawks’ final points of the set.
Five consecutive kills for UWW in set three opened up a 15-10 Warhawk lead and forced a Kohawk timeout. After another run of kills from Dix, Aubrie Krzus and Amanda Hillmann, UWW’s lead grew to 21-12 as Coe called their final timeout of the match. UW-Whitewater never looked back, closing out the set and the match to punch their ticket to the semifinal.
UW-Whitewater’s offense was efficient hitting .371 bolstered by a .500 attack percentage in the third set. UWW tallied just eight attack errors in the entire match. Lego hit .417 in the match with 12 kills. Dix had her way at the net hammering down 11 kills without a single attack error (.524 attack percentage) while adding five blocks.
Krzus ran the offense setting up Warhawk hitters for 33 assists, adding five kills and four blocks. Defensively, Kylee Altendorf and Natalie Lawton shared team-high dig honors with 11 each.
Friday’s semifinal match marks the fifth consecutive NCAA Second Round appearance for the Warhawks.
Columbus beat Whitewater 63-24 in a non-conference girls’ basketball game on Thursday, November 20. Whitewater was led by Paige Kollwelter with seven points, while Emery Kachel and Alondra Verduzco had six each. Columbus was led by three girls in double digits. The Whippets will travel to Orfordville to play a varsity only game against the Parkview Vikings at 6:30 pm Friday night.
Information Submitted by Mike Dowden
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
dowmi01@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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