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Today is Wednesday, November 27, 2024

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Whitewater Unites Lives to Mind the Gap This Summer

June 1, 2024

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater Unites Lives.

Whitewater school district families in need will benefit from generous donations from the community. Donations have been accepted at the UCC Congregational Church for the Mind the Gap program for Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL). The goal of $13,000 has been exceeded, thanks to our generous community. Walmart gift cards are being purchased through the Scrip program at the First United Methodist Church and will be distributed twice this summer to families in need to purchase lunch food for their children. The goal of the program is to help families when school is not in session. The Whitewater Unified School District provides lunches during the summer school as well as the regular school year so the goal is to help families when school is not in session.

Thank you to all of the donors who made this possible!  For more information please contact whitewateruniteslives@gmail.com.

This Week’s City Meetings

June 1, 2024

City of Whitewater Equal Opportunities Commission – Monday @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda includes Combination of Disability Right Committee and Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room,
312 West Whitewater St.
*In Person and Virtual
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/761866341
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 761-866-341
United States: +1 (571) 317-3122
Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://meet.goto.com/install

City of Whitewater Police & Fire Commission Meeting – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room,
312 West Whitewater St.
*In Person and Virtual
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.
Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/709264645
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 709-264-645
United States: +1 (224) 501-3412

City of Whitewater Common Council Meeting – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m.
Agenda includes assessment process update, second reading of Ordinance allowing Board of Absentee Canvassers (Allowing Central Count for Absentee Ballots), Discussion and Possible Action regarding bids for mechanical dredging of Cravath &
Trippe Lake Cattails, and Discussion and Possible Action regarding Spring Splash Task Force.
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room,
312 West Whitewater St.
*In Person and Virtual
Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.
Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please click the link below to join:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85112050058?pwd=Ap6zAO3aekhYc5DclWWBSSqnm7QyhA.4vOxz75RGIe5615n
Telephone: +1 (312) 626-6799
Webinar ID: 851 1205 0058
Passcode: 019249

City of Whitewater Alcohol Licensing Commission – Thursday @ 5:30 p.m.
The agenda has not been published as of June 2.

City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
The agenda has not been published as of June 2.

Warhawks Bounce Back Quickly, open NCAA WS with an 11-3 Win

June 1, 2024

Warhawks were down 3-0, but score 11 unanswered over the next 8 innings

By Broderick P. Frye
Asst. Sports Information Director

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater opened up the 2024 NCAA World Series Tournament with a 11-3 win over Randolph-Macon. After allowing three runs in the first inning, the Warhawks scored 11 unanswered runs to take the win. 

The Warhawks found themselves down early after a base-clearing double put Randolph-Macon on the board first. But the Warhawks responded right back with a 3-run play to tie things back up.

After a scoreless second [Randolph-Macon] inning, the Warhawks really showed off their offensive prowess with a 6-run second frame. Capping off the inning was a lengthy home run trot from Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine). Hopper sent a ball deep to left center, and after a video review, the hit was ruled a home run, putting the Warhawks up 9-3.

As the Warhawks started to get their footing on defense, a three-up-three-down in the third and fourth kept the Yellowjackets off the board. A Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) single added the Warhawks’ 10th unanswered run in the bottom of the third.

Randolph-Macon slowed the Warhawks down in the fourth, with a quick three-&-out for the Warhawks first scoreless inning. However, the Warhawk defense did the exact same.

With Cade Berendt (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) rolling on the mound in the sixth inning, Scolan sent another home run to left field to put the Warhawks up 11-3.

An inning later, Max Huseboe (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) came in for relief and picked up right where Berendt left off, only allowing one base runner in his two innings of relief. 

The Warhawks closed things out in the first game with an 11-3 win over Randolph-Macon.

With the win, the Warhawks advanced to play Salve Regina in the Winner’s Bracket. First pitch is scheduled for 8 PM ET [7 PM in Whitewater] in Eastlake.

Day One State Track Recap

June 1, 2024

In beautiful La Crosse, Wisconsin, athletes from the Whitewater Track and Field program competed their guts out at the highest level with several athletes advancing to Saturday’s final day of competition.

Traysen Thomason started things off in the 100m dash with an incredible start out of the blocks and placed 2nd in his run, running 11.16 into a headwind. Combining the heats qualified Traysen into the final seeded fifth.

Next up was the girls’ 4x200m relay. The quartet of A’lani Ross, Sydney Schilt, Calli Grosinske, and Athena Soto ran their second fastest of the season to stop the clock in 1:49.02. They placed 14th overall and will not advance into Saturday’s final.

Ethan Dugan breezed through his 400m prelim in 49.01 to win his heat and is the second fastest seed going into Saturday’s final.

The final event was the boys’ 4x400m relay. The team of Ethan Dugan, Quincy Boudreau, Jack Hefty, and Nate Holden debuted a different relay order and strategy in the prelim. It paid off as the team handed off in first place at every exchange and was clear of the chaos that can sometimes clutter up the exchanges in this event. They placed third in their heat and advanced to the finals as the fourth seed. Their time of 3:24.38 is the fifth fastest time ever run in program history, and just shy of a full second from being school record holders. They will get another chance to give it their all Saturday in the final.

Jack Hefty will also compete on day two in the 1600 where he looks to defend his state title from one year ago in the same event.

Go, Whippets!

Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Track and Field Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org

St. Patrick’s High School Mission Trip Fundraiser

May 31, 2024

Seniors in the Park Presents Past Lives

May 31, 2024

“Past Lives”

Wednesday, June 5, 1 pm

(Drama/Romance)

Rated PG-13, 1 hour, 45 minutes. (2023)

Language: Korean  Subtitles: English

Did you ever have a very close boyfriend or girlfriend and became separated by a move…but still remembered them and thought of them, over the years..? In our monthly art film, two deeply connected Korean childhood friends are torn apart. 20 years later, they are reunited for one week to ponder the meaning of life, love and destiny. A pensive, thoughtful film which was nominated for 

Best Motion Picture, Screenplay and Actress. 

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 our 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/

#FlashbackFriday with the Historical Society: Horse & Buggy c.1900

May 31, 2024


It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

Five posts in May mean a bonus image from the Scholl Collection of glass plate negatives taken around 1900. This week’s image is of “modern” transportation at the time, a horse and buggy. The young woman is dressed in her best c.1900 blouse and skirt with a fashionable women’s “boater” style hat, a popular hat style for men and women of the period.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(3579GP, Whitewater Historical Society)

WUSD Celebrates Successful First Year with New Science of Reading Instructional Practices

May 31, 2024

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.

The Whitewater Unified School District (WUSD) reports positive outcomes from student assessment data tied to the new Science of Reading (SOR) instructional practice, a research-based model for early literacy instruction.

Spring outcomes data shows that the district moved from 31.6% of students K-5 performing at or above grade level in the Fall before implementation to now 53.6% of students performing at or above grade level in the Spring. From fall to spring WUSD also saw a decrease of 22% in students reading below grade level benchmark. This work was intentional and required extensive planning, professional development, and commitment from the educators, Literacy Coaches, principals, and the Department of Teaching and Learning, all in consultation with Schools Cubed to implement new practices that reach all students. The new practices were all implemented while going through a process to select next year’s SOR-aligned curriculum ahead of the requirements for Act 20 in the state of Wisconsin. In short, this is just the beginning. 

The data comes from the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessment, which measures children’s foundational skills, including fluency and comprehension. “We are thrilled to see such a positive impact on our students’ literacy development in such a short period,” said Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty, Superintendent. “Science of Reading has proven to be a transformative approach, and these early indicators suggest we are on the right path to achieving our goal of improved literacy outcomes. I can’t credit the amazing staff of WUSD highly enough with this work!”

SOR is grounded in decades of cognitive science research and was introduced to provide a more effective approach to teaching reading. This strategic initiative aims to equip students with essential reading skills, ensuring they are well-prepared for academic success and lifelong learning.

To learn more about WUSD’s literacy programming and alignment with the Science of Reading, please visit https://www.wwusd.org/page/science-of-reading.

Obituaries

Obituary: Richard Allen Splitter, 80, of MO

Richard Allen Splitter, age 80, of Blue Eye, Missouri, passed away November 12, 2024. He entered this life on June 16, 1944, the son of Edward and Berniece (Craig) Splitter in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Richard proudly served our country in the United States Navy for two terms. During his time in the service, he was able to get his master’s degree in engineering from California State University of Long Beach. During his working years, Richard was an engineer for different aerospace companies. He retired to Blue Eye, Missouri, and thoroughly enjoyed lake life. Richard appreciated the outdoors and loved hiking, fishing, … Read more

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Obituary: Edward W. Hamilton, 83, of Davenport, IA

Edward W. HamiltonApril 3,1941 – October 26, 2024 Edward “Edjo” Wickman Hamilton, 83, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at home.  Ed was born in Evanston, Illinois and moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin with his family when he was eight years old.  He attended Whitewater High School and then graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater with a bachelor of science degree.  He also served two years in the army.  He moved to Davenport, Iowa in 1971 and worked at John Deere Davenport Works until he retired in 2001.  Then he followed a dream, moved back to Whitewater and … Read more

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Obituary: Verne Paul Schrank, 94

Verne Paul Schrank was born on March 9, 1930 at home on the family farm in Lima Township, Rock County, to Arthur and Marie (Witte) Schrank.  He attended the Sturtevant one room school which closed when he graduated in 1944. He attended Whitewater High School and graduated in 1948. Verne farmed with his parents until 1967 when he moved to Whitewater and worked for the Whitewater Unified School District as a custodian – courier for 27 years. Verne served on various boards at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, as well as playing on the dartball team for many years. Verne … Read more

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Obituary: Janine Marie (Dickerson) Weiss, 94

After a long full life, Janine Marie (Dickerson) Weiss was called home to the Lord. Janine was born on April Fool’s Day, 1930 in Milwaukee. She grew up enjoying Trolleys, dancing and school with her sisters, Donna Domagalski, Marcyl Howel, Karen Moczynski and her parents, Glenn and Lucille Dickerson. In 1950, she married Frederic Weiss in a little church in Three Lakes WI. Shortly after, the first of 5 kids was born with the next 2 shortly after. Denice Lucille (Edward DeGroot), David Arthur, and Dana Lynn (Stephen Lind). After a breather Debra Beth (Alyn Jones) and Donna Raye (Dale … Read more

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Obituary: Raymond Miles, 96

Raymond Miles, 96, Whitewater, passed away on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at Our House Senior Living in Whitewater. Raymond was born on February 10, 1928, in Elkhorn, WI to Rueben and Norma Miles. He served in the US Army. On June 18, 1955, Raymond married Waverly Sutherland in Whitewater, WI. He enjoyed a long and successful career as a Livestock Dealer. In retirement, he cherished time spent with his family and remained informed on the farming community. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Waverly of Whitewater, sons Eddie of Madison and Todd (Barbara) Miles of Sarasota FL, … Read more

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Obituary: Connie Jean Sukowski

Connie Jean Sukowski embarked on her next big adventure on the evening of Friday, November 8, 2024. Connie enjoyed decades of adventures with friends and family. She spent 36 years teaching 2nd and 3rd grade students in the Palmyra Eagle School District, working alongside many cherished colleagues and friends. Connie and her husband, Patrick Theodore Sukowski, shared 55 and a half years of marriage. Together they raised four children: Peter, Allan, Ann and Kevin Sukowski. She took great joy in watching her five grandchildren grow into amazing adults: Sonora Sukowski, Brianne Hebbe, Jared Gundrum-Sukowski, Nolan Causey, and Lore Lai Schimmel. … Read more

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Nancy Lou Hallock Cooper, 88

Nancy Lou Hallock Cooper passed away November 8, 2024 due to complications of lungcancer. Nancy was born on April 20, 1936 in Springfield,  MA to Howard and Barbara (Corliss) Hallock. As a child, Nancy spent every summer in her beloved Piermont, NH where she and her brothers “helped” the local farmer with his chores, including riding in the truck with the milk cans every morning.  She enjoyed swimming in the local brooks, picking berries, going to the nearby library, visiting with cousins, and playing croquet every evening.  As she grew older, she spent time as a camper and then a camp … Read more

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Obituary: James Robert Trier (Jimbo), 89

James Robert Trier (Jimbo), passed away on November 10, 2024, at the age of 89. Born on December 22, 1934, in New Holstein, WI, to George and Frances Trier. He spent his later years residing in Whitewater, WI. Jim began his teaching career as a high school mathematics teacher and then dedicated 55 years of his life to education as a mathematics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He was the chairman of the faculty senate as well. He had a passion for math and an engaging teaching style, which made him a student favorite. He was known for telling … Read more

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Memorial Celebration: Martin Jack Martinelli, 64

Editor’s note: Martin Martinelli’s obituary may be found here.

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Obituary: Juan Manuel “Manny” Rodriguez, 56

Juan Manuel “Manny” Rodriguez, 56, of Whitewater, WI, passed away on Oct 31, 2024. He was born in Fort Atkinson, WI, on November 14, 1967 to Ponciano and Blanca Rodriguez. He graduated from Whitewater High School and continued his education at Gateway, earning a degree in marketing. He had a love for helping people and worked in healthcare for over 30 years as a CNA.  He enjoyed shooting darts with his lifelong friends: Robert Bramley, Brian Quass, and Todd Piper.  To know Manny, you knew he had a love for his Washington Redskins, now known as the Commanders.  He loved to play … Read more

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