Early City Motto "The Banner Inland City of the Midwest"
The Banner has been serving Whitewater, Wisconsin since August 1, 2006
Today is Thursday, January 9, 2025
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Willow Brook Golf Course will be hosting a Christmas party for their last Fish Fry of the year! A toy and food drive will be hosted with opportunity to win a variety of gift baskets.
Be sure to wear your Christmas Spirit!
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club.
The Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club thanks everyone in Whitewater for purchasing poinsettias this holiday to raise funds to help children.
Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Co-President Corey Davis said, “We were delighted to be able to sell florist-quality poinsettias again this year, with the funds helping children in our community and the world as well as brightening your holidays.”
Special thanks go to Kiwanian Albert Stanek for leading the sales and distribution, as well as the First United Methodist Church for hosting the plant delivery and staging area.
Whitewater Kiwanis is a group of dedicated volunteers who help both children of the Whitewater community and the world. Over the past several years the club raised funds to make possible the recent installation of the city’s first piece of inclusive playground equipment, a We-Go-Round, in Starin Park. Annual donations are also made to provide shoes and winter clothes for students, as well as support for organizations such as the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House, The Community Space, and the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club.
If you have an interest in helping youth in Whitewater, you can check out Whitewater Kiwanis on Facebook and join our Club by contacting Corey Davis at davisc@uww.edu.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from Thursday at 6 a.m. until Friday at 6 a.m. Technically the advisory only applies to the Jefferson County portion of the city, but the forecast for the city in general is for 2-4″ of snow. The system is anticipated to arrive in our area between 9-11 a.m. on Thursday.
According to the weather service, “Light to moderate snow will overspread southern WI Thursday morning from west to east. The snow will remain fairly steady north of Madison and Milwaukee through Thursday night and into Friday morning, while the snow may be intermittent from Madison to Milwaukee and south to the IL border for Thursday morning into the early afternoon, then steadier snow later in the day and night….Only minor blowing and drifting snow is expected with this storm.”
New Berlin West beat Whitewater 72-31 in girls’ basketball action on Tuesday, December 17. After the game started 12-12, West went on a 23-4 run to close the first half with a halftime score of 35-16.
Freshman Emery Kachel led the Whippet scoring with 12 points, including three 3-pointers.
Article Submitted by Mike Dowden
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
dowmi01@wwusd.org
Karmyn Diane Meissner, 70 years of age, of Janesville, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on December 9th, 2024.
Karmyn was born on May 1st, 1954, in Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin to Alex and Elizabeth (Culton) Meissner. Karmyn was an avid animal lover wanting to take in any animal she saw. She loved horses and had a few throughout her life along with many other dogs, cats, birds, and the occasional squirrel. She was a lover of history and mysteries and was most interested in the Egyptian culture, as well as shipwrecks like the Titanic.
Karmyn is survived by her brother, Murf (Vicki) Luebke, stepbrother, Dennis (Debbie) Rosenthal, and stepsister Rie (Chuck) Manley; her 3 children: Jason Robertson (Portia Diamond), Justin Robertson (Theresa Gleesing), and Billie Jo Hartin (Rick Crest); her grandchildren: Destiny (Chris) Howell, Alyssa Hartin (Maurice Young), Noah Hartin, Ashlie Urban, Teagan Robertson, and Brooke Robertson. Also her 4 great-grandchildren along with many nieces and nephews.
Karmyn was preceded in death by her mother, Elizabeth (Culton) Meissner, her father, Alex Meissner, and her stepmother Mary (Rosenthal) Meissner, as well as her sister Cindy (Jerry) DeMott.
No services will be held at her request. All Faiths Funeral and Cremation Services of Janesville is assisting the family.
All Faiths Funeral and Cremation Services
Janesville, Wisconsin
(608) 754-8700
The Whitewater High School automotive program recently received a generous donation of a used tire machine and tire balancer from Burtness Chevrolet of Whitewater, valued at approximately $2,000. The equipment, delivered just before the Thanksgiving break, will enhance hands-on learning by providing students with real-world experience in tire installation and balancing—essential skills in automotive maintenance.
“This donation is a game-changer for our program,” said Justin Buntrock, WHS automotive teacher. “Having access to professional-grade equipment allows our students to work with industry-standard tools, better preparing them for careers in the automotive field. We are incredibly thankful to Burtness Chevrolet and the Burtness family for their generosity and dedication to student success.”
The donation highlights Burtness Chevrolet’s ongoing commitment to supporting education and workforce development in Whitewater.
WHS offers career-focused educational opportunities through partnerships with local businesses. The automotive program is open to students grades 9 through 12, with courses including Small Engines, Auto Service Fundamentals, Auto Tech 2, Advanced Automotive, and Consumer Home & Auto.
For more information about the WHS automotive program or to explore partnership opportunities, please contact Justin Buntrock at 262-472-8173 or jbuntrock@wwusd.org.
Editor’s note: The above press release was received from the Whitewater Unified School District.
The following alert was posted to the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
Over the last several days, our agency has taken reports of individuals who received messages on their computers about a data breach or being infected with a virus. The individuals were provided a phone number to call and spoke with subjects purporting to be from tech support and/or financial institutions. The individuals allowed remote access to their computer and/or were directed to withdraw cash from their accounts which was subsequently turned over to a male courier who came to their houses.
We ask that you to be mindful of this scam occurring in the area. If you receive a notification on your device about a virus or data breach:
DO NOT respond by calling the number listed on the screen
DO NOT allow remote access to your device
DO NOT withdraw cash at the request of someone you don’t know or trust
If you have experienced similar incidents recently, please feel free to contact your local law enforcement agency to make a report and seek further guidance. Thank you!
Obituaries
William J. “Bill” West, 75, of Whitewater passed away on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 at Fort Memorial Hospital in Fort Atkinson. Bill was born on September 8, 1949 to John and Bessie (Sutherland) West in Fort Atkinson. He worked at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater for twelve years. Bill enjoyed watching the Packers and NASCAR. He is survived by his girlfriend, Sandy Hahn; and many friends and family. A memorial visitation will take place on Thursday, January 16, 2025 from 11 AM until 1 PM at Nitardy Funeral Home, 550 N. Newcomb St., Whitewater, WI 53190. Inurnment will take … Read more
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David Harold Baker Jr., beloved husband, father, stepfather, son, and brother, passed away on December 16, 2024, in Portland, Oregon, at the age of 61. Born on August 10, 1963, in Beaufort, South Carolina, David was the firstborn child of David Baker Sr. and the late Betty Jean Baker (née Wickham) while his father served in the United States Marine Corps. David spent his early years in Wyoming, where the family lived until his parents divorced. In 1976, David moved to Oregon with his father, and he graduated from high school in 1982. Shortly after, he moved to Wisconsin to … Read more
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Allen C. Hicks, 85 of Whitewater passed away on Saturday, January 4th, 2025 at Huntington Memory Care in Janesville. Al, the oldest of seven boys, was born on July 5th, 1939, in Belvidere, Illinois to Walt and Laura (Keller) Hicks. A few years later, the family bought a dairy farm in Whitewater and became very active in the Whitewater community. There was always work to be done or something to be repaired on the farm which led to Al’s lifelong love of tinkering. He was very active in high school sports which continued on into his adult years playing in … Read more
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Jeanette Ila Hansen, 91, Whitewater passed away on December 24, 2024 at Rainbow Hospice Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek, WI, having lived independently almost all her later life. Jeanette was born on May 12, 1933 in Whitewater, WI to Alvin and Maybell (Maasz) Cox. She married Norman Hansen on November 2, 1950 and they were married for 59 years. Jeanette enjoyed fishing, reading, indoor gardening, collecting dolls, and cooking; and she made many beautiful items with crocheting, knitting, and sewing. She was generous and seemed to have a good word to say about almost everyone she met. She especially loved … Read more
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Isaac Richard Unger left the field on Christmas Day, and is now at peace. He was born in Whitewater, WI on April 1st, 1993 to Paul and Mary Jo (née Peiffer) Unger. Isaac was born ten days late on a silly holiday, and lived his life as such–never rushed, and with a lighthearted sense of humor. Isaac graduated from Madison East High School in 2011, and then attended UW-River Falls from 2011-2016, where he studied English and philosophy. Isaac was a sports lover, not only as a spectator, but as a participant. Isaac grew up playing soccer, basketball (Badger Sporting … Read more
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John George Mack passed away into eternal glory on December 24th, 2024. John was born December 1, 1963, in Fort Atkinson, WI to Ronald and Mary Alice (Hanson) Mack of Whitewater. John was a 1982 Whitewater High School graduate. In 1983 just out of high school John started his first wood company selling wholesale through all the major gift markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York. At the time his clients included 8 out of the 10 retail chains and several thousand independent stores nationwide. John had so many wonderful customers and associates. As the wholesale gift market shifted to cheaper overseas … Read more
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Clifford Maynard Witte, age 103, of Whitewater, WI completed his earthly journey on December 24, 2024 in his home surrounded by his loving family. Clifford was born on September 13, 1921 on a farm in Mount Horeb, WI, and was the third child of Ella and Eli Witte. Clifford served his country by joining the Navy in 1942 during WWII, and served alongside his two brothers. Later he used the GI bill to attend Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, IA. There he met the love of his life, Beulah (Billie) Ohrberg, and they married on Nov 7, 1946. Shortly after … Read more
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Mary Ann Burkhardt, 79, passed away December 24, 2024, at Edgerton Hospital, surrounded by loved ones following a brief illness. Mary was born on September 14, 1945, in Chicago, IL, to Raymond and Helen (Pasternak) Burkhardt. She attended elementary school in Chicago and Good Counsel Catholic Girls High School, before her family moved to Whitewater where she graduated from WHS in 1963. She worked at Gus’s Pizza Palace, Whitewater Products, and finally, Jones Dairy Farm until her retirement 33 years later. She enjoyed bowling, snowmobiling, boating, golf, riding her motorcycle, and playing softball for the Long Branch Saloon. She was … Read more
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Jean Lucile Zuill, 98, of Whitewater passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at Hearthstone Memory Care. Jean was born on April 20, 1926 in the Town of Lima to Howard and Florence (VanDuser) Hunt. Along with her brother Van, she grew up on their family farm in Lima. She graduated from Whitewater High School in 1944. For a short time, Jean worked at the Parker Pen Company in Janesville. She married David “Dave” Zuill on August 9, 1947 in Whitewater. Upon marriage and having their two daughters, Janet and Mary, Jean undertook the meaningful job of mother and homemaker. … Read more
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Helen Ruth Delaney, 94, of Whitewater, WI, passed away peacefully into the arms of her Heavenly Father on Friday, December 20, 2024. She was born in Bellwood, West Virginia on August 8, 1930, daughter of Henderson C. and Bertha J. (Skaggs) Hamby. She attended Leedwood High School in West Virginia. She attended Cornell University in New York studying economics and business. On April 8, 1978, Helen married Laurence W. Delaney in Rockton, IL. Helen retired as the Manager of a Hallmark gift shop in Greenville SC and previously managed the Stop ‘N Go in Whitewater, WI. Helen was a member … Read more
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