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Articles by Ky McCombe
Nature is calming medicine
My preparations for the upcoming gun deer season took me on a walk through the woods the other day. While my purpose was to prepare my deer stand, I also needed the walk for therapeutic reasons. A busy work schedule and non- stop political ads and news had put my brain into overload mode. I needed to unplug. Nature provides the release that can’t be found by scrolling through endless social media feeds. The noise of nature quiets my soul.
Prepping for Your Thanksgiving Meal: Seasonal Staples Fresh From America’s Dairyland
Thanksgiving is almost here, and there’s much to be thankful for, especially our homegrown Wisconsin foods. This Thanksgiving season, we’re sharing where you can find all the seasonal staples, from homemade pies and fresh cranberries to the finest turkey in the state. You will be thanking us later… The sweetest staple of Thanksgiving is undoubtedly the indulgent pies.
New campus office centralizes student services
UW-Whitewater students are bound to have questions about their college experience, and many different offices on campus seek to provide answers. However, some students may have different questions for different offices. Other students may not know what office will be able to assist them with their questions. Both scenarios can be very frustrating. The One Stop office seeks to relieve these frustrations.
Veterans Week honors Warhawk students
The UW-Whitewater Veteran Affairs office, headed by Veteran Coordinators Kris McMenamin and Amy Moore, hosted a series of Veteran’s Week celebrations from Nov. 11 to 15 in order to raise awareness and foster community. The week started off with a ceremony on Monday, including a speech by Chancellor Corey King, which recognized the achievements of veterans in the campus community. Later, the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America performed in the Greenhill Center of the Arts.
Bling at Rock - Royal Purple
The URock Chamber Orchestra at UW-Whitewater’s Rock County campus held a concert with musical pieces from Mozart, Franz Lehár, Joseph Haydn and Karl Jenkins. Audiences were pleased with the dedication of the performers and conductor Jeff Suarez, with a variety of musical pieces along with a solo performance by soprano Katie Swanson as she sang “Vilja – Lied” from Lahár’s opera “The Merry Widow.” Suarez dedicated this concert to two members of the orchestra, John Wasserstrass and Ian Nie.
Volleyball wins third-consecutive conference title
With the regular season wrapped up, the third-seeded UW-Whitewater volleyball team geared up for the 2024 WIAC Volleyball Tournament, searching for their third-consecutive title in one of Division III volleyball’s most competitive conferences. After starting the tournament at home with a sweep against sixth-seeded UW-Stout, the Warhawks took down second-seeded UW-Stevens Point and first-seeded UW-Oshkosh on the road to capture their third-consecutive WIAC title.
Swim participates in Hour of Power
The Legacy of Ted Mullin and the Hour of Power Ted Mullin was a swimmer at Carleton College in Minnesota who died of a rare soft tissue cancer known as sarcoma. The Hour of Power swimming event was created in his honor in 2006 and has been held every year since.
National take a hike day in Whitewater
To Celebrate National Take a Hike and Go a for a Ride Day that falls on November 22nd, we at Royal Purple took to the trails, rode our bikes, and wanted to give you a fresh look at Whitewater’s trails this November. A group of Whitewater students taking a break mid hike, Nov 17, 2024.
Trump's winning recipe in Wisconsin
Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 on his way to beating Hillary Clinton. Then he lost Wisconsin in 2020 as Joe Biden won back the “Blue Wall.”’ And now in 2024 Trump won back Wisconsin over Kamala Harris on his way to a victorious comeback. How did he do it, despite continued erosion of the Republican vote in the WOW counties of Washington, Ozaukee and Waukesha around Milwaukee? Part of the recipe was taking a bigger share of the vote in rural Wisconsin .
A Special Holiday Feature: Wisconsin’s Must-Visit Markets & Fan-Favorite Gifts
It’s about time to start loading up your sleigh for the holiday season! This special holiday feature includes a list of Wisconsin’s must-visit markets and fan-favorite gifts for your friends and family.
Union petitions spike in Wisconsin
The number of annual union petitions in the state has more than doubled in recent years, suggesting interest in unionization is on the rise even as the share of Wisconsin workers in unions has fallen substantially. Wisconsin had a total of 47 union petitions filed with the National Labor Relations Board in fiscal year 2024, which ran from Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024. That marked a 114% increase since fiscal year 2021, when 22 petitions were filed.
Ho-Chunk come home, with big investment
Call it a homecoming. Before there were European settlers arrived in south central Wisconsin. Before the first cabins were raised. Before the first plow turned the soil. Before a state line artificially divided the land. The Ho-Chunk people were here. And now they are here again to invest more than $400 million in a Beloit entertainment complex just north of that state line.
A convenient polling place
With Election Day looming, many students are planning to cast their votes and make their voices heard. While finding nearby polling places can be difficult, UW-Whitewater students have an option on campus. The University Center will be the site of on-campus voting on Election Day. This change will be beneficial to students who may not have the time or transportation to find a polling place. Orin Smith is the Whitewater Student Government’s Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Homecoming hits the mark
Every year, the Whitewater community eagerly anticipates the culmination of its Homecoming festivities, which take place in late October and early November. This vibrant week serves as a testament to the spirit of camaraderie and engagement among students, faculty, and various organizations, ensuring that there is ample opportunity for participation across diverse interests and backgrounds.
Ready for takeoff
The Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) branch at UW-Whitewater brought in a Blackhawk helicopter on the campus’ intramural fields on Tuesday, Oct. 29, with students and community members joining to see the military aircraft. The Army ROTC held the event to bring more awareness to their program, awareness to the Wisconsin Army National Guard and the return of UW-Whitewater alum and Wisconsin Army National Guard Capt. Meredith L. Porter.
A night and a group to remember
Successful Senior Night Every year, the Warhawk volleyball team holds its senior night. Eight Warhawks played their final regular season match at Kris Russell Volleyball Arena on Wednesday night. Graduate students Jenna Weinfurt, Alayna Jansky, Jaedynn Evans, Ava Rebarchik, Hannah Proctor and seniors Payton Keupers, Ally Warburton and Ally Longden were all recognized pregame and given loud ovations for their time and effort poured into UW-Whitewater volleyball.
Tennis building a fortune
If you called UW-Whitewater’s women’s tennis team a “dynasty,” nobody would bat an eye. Heck, if you look hard enough, you might find a picture of them in the dictionary. But that’s not how they view themselves. Not by circumstances, but by choice. “The only thing we mention about the streak is that, at the beginning of the season, we’re not gonna mention the streak,” head coach Frank Barnes said.
Dry weather speeds fall harvest
As we march through the end of October, the harvest season is earlier and going full throttle in farm country, thanks mainly to a long stretch of dry weather. It’s a busy time of year, with tractors, combines, grain trucks and gravity boxes criss-crossing the roads and fields. As of Oct. 15, farmers in Wisconsin had 26% of the corn grain crop harvested, 10 days ahead of last year and nine days ahead of the five-year average.
Must visit pumpkin patches in Wisconsin
It’s fall in Wisconsin, and what better way to celebrate the season than visiting a pumpkin patch? We’re taking you through each region of Wisconsin and letting you in on 5 of the best pumpkin patches across the state. Southeast Wisconsin – Schuster’s Farm – Deerfield, WI We’re starting with a fan favorite, Schuster’s Farm in Deerfield, Wisconsin! Schuster’s offers a plethora of fall activities on the weekdays and weekends ranging from pumpkin picking and haunted hayrides to fall festivals.
Elementary school “walks” for school supplies
Communities are some of the tightest groups of people. They rally around each other to help one another when it is necessary. One topic communities rally around are the schools. They will support the schools no matter what, to give their kids the education they need. One way communities help the schools is through fundraisers, which help get schools the necessary tools to educate in the classrooms.
Election preview
Election season is right around the corner. The election has the two major parties both gearing up for highly competitive races in the presidential and state elections. With the election set for Nov. 5, the political outlook is taking shape, and several key issues are emerging as crucial points for voters. Here is a breakdown of what will be appearing on the ballot in the Whitewater community. President Former President Donald Trump is the Republican nominee, despite ongoing legal challenges.
Scottish soccer star
From Scotland to Whitewater, freshman forward Jenna Laidlaw’s journey to the United States was made possible by hard work and determination. Laidlaw came from the northeastern part of Scotland. She grew up in Aberdeen, two hours north of Edinburgh. Laidlaw played 10 years of soccer in Scotland, as well as doing dance and gymnastics. In Scotland, the ideal soccer field size is 118 yards long by 70 yards wide. Whereas in the U.S. the ideal size is 120 yards long by 75 yards wide.
Whitewater's fall artistry - Royal Purple
Fall leaves photo story October 27, 2024 Every autumn, the landscape of Whitewater transforms into a vibrant tapestry, showcasing the rich hues of fall foliage. The leaves display a spectrum of colors, including deep reds, bright oranges, warm yellows, soft greens, and earthy browns, all of which contribute to a stunning visual experience.
Thank a farmer for your food and freedom
Autumn brings crisp cool air and a burst of color as Mother Nature stages her big annual show. It also brings the farm harvest season, which is the topic for today. Big machines move across the ground in rural America, bringing millions of bushels of grain to market. Drivers along nearby interstate highways see the clouds of crop dust rising toward the sky.
Top 6 Sausage Stops Across the State: A Savory Special for National Sausage Month
In this savory special, you’re in for a tasty tour like never before! As America’s Dairyland, cheese and all things dairy goodness are in our name. But did you know we also pack a mean and meaty punch? We bring the cheese AND its perfect pairing–sausage! As you indulge in National Sausage Month, stop by our top six sausage stops across the State.
Battle of the Bands
A day when high school marching bands are performing to earn awards, get critiques and march on the same field as the Warhawk Marching Band. Excitement spreads before they take the field at Perkins Stadium and perform the drill that they have been learning for months to perfect. Leaving the field with a sense of accomplishment no matter how they have performed.
UW-Whitewater Police unveil safety report
UW-Whitewater’s campus police department has published the most recent safety and security data in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASFR). Viewable online, the document contains statistical information about criminal offenses from both the Whitewater and Rock County campuses. The crime statistics show the number of reported offenses that occurred in 2023, with the previous two years’ data appearing for comparison purposes.
Warhawks talk politics with Wisconsin senators
With the 2024 presidential election right around the corner, UW-Whitewater’s College Republicans and College Democrats clubs organized visits from Wisconsin Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin. For most Warhawks, this will be the first presidential election in which they are able to cast a vote, making it important for students to tune in. Sen. Baldwin visited Whitewater’s campus on Tuesday, Oct. 1 and was accompanied by Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Pumpkins go out with a smash!
October 20, 2024 This October, the Resident Hall Association (R.H.A.) organized an engaging event titled “Halloween Havoc.” This event provided an opportunity for students, faculty, and Resident Advisors (RAs) to express and alleviate their frustrations in a constructive manner by participating in pumpkin smashing activities. Participants were provided with pumpkins and were required to sign a waiver form to ensure safety during the event.
The jazz behind the scenes
A night full of creativity, fun, and joy; the music surrounding the audience as the musicians on stage tell the stories of each tune through their instruments. The improvisations make the audience wonder how they can come up with such complex yet beautiful melodies. You may think they are born with this talent, but that is far from the truth. When planning a program Dr. Michael Hackett states not everything is planned right away.
Proposed prison turned nature preserve
A question asked by many college students far and near is, where can I go to clear my head after a stressful day? Some may say you could go to the library or the gym, but for UW-Whitewater there’s another often overlooked option. Located on the northeastern border of campus near Wells Residence Hall is UW-Whitewater’s very own nature preserve.
Celebrating student artists in Crossman Gallery
The Juried Student Art Exhibition has been a yearly tradition at UW-Whitewater’s Crossman Gallery for the last few decades. At the beginning of each school year, the gallery asks students no matter their year in school or their major to submit their art work where it will be judged and put on display inside the gallery located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts. On Oct. 17 the gallery held the reception and awards ceremony.
Volleyball stunned Wednesday, turns around later
Warhawks stunned by UW-Stevens Point The UW-Stevens Point Pointers came into the Kris Russell Volleyball Gymnasium and upset No. 5 UW-Whitewater in five sets. The Pointers jumped out on a 10-2 run to start the match, but the Warhawks would respond with a 9-3 run with the Pointers then leading 13-11. Both teams then played great complementary volleyball and went back and forth with Stevens Point leading 20-18.
Bowling is just a chaotic puzzle
With students playing pool and bowling where the USBC Intercollegiate men’s bowling club and women’s NCAA bowling team practice, Warhawk Alley can be a hectic place. It’s that energy that new women’s bowling head coach Becca Hagerman relates to. Sure it’s chaotic, but it’s all good energy flowing through the bowling team that Hagerman leads as she learns to be a coach.
Spring blooms in October
As a longtime suffering and now recovering journalist, I’m a self-professed word nerd. Words are my friends and finding the right one gives me the same feeling as finding a winning lottery ticket. So it was like a triple word score in Scrabble when I discovered that our spring lilacs are remontant – they are flowering for a second time in one growing season.
Celebrate National Arts & Humanities Month: 4 Must-Visit Arts & Culture Hotspots in Wisconsin
This October, in celebration of National Arts & Humanities Month, travel to Wisconsin’s vibrant arts & culture hotspots! We’re featuring our list of four must-visits–Chazen Museum of Art, Door County Maritime Museum, Cedarburg Artists Guild, and Cambridge Wood-Fired Pottery. Each location is loaded with creative and cultural brilliance.
Volleyball sweeps North Park
The No. 5 UW-Whitewater volleyball team played its most complete game of the season, beating the No. 21 North Park Vikings Saturday night in a ranked non-conference battle in three sets. The Warhawks got out to a hot start leading 12-1 in the first set and never looked back, winning the set 25-11. The Warhawks dominated up front doing most of their damage by beating North Park in the kills category 17-7. The second set was more of the same as the Warhawks led 10-2.
Soccer falls to UW-La Crosse
UW-Whitewater women’s soccer lost 5-0 to the UW-La Crosse Eagles at home Saturday, Oct. 12 in a brisk afternoon WIAC matchup. The game started off with an hour and a half weather delay, pushing the original 2 p.m. start time to 3:35 p.m. featuring a downpour of rain and a lightning-filled sky over Fiskum Field. “It certainly made things difficult to manage in terms of staying engaged before kickoff and the delay we went through,” head coach Dan Montanye said.
Freshmen phenoms
The nucleus is the powerhouse of the cell. In the world of UW-Whitewater women’s tennis, this year’s freshmen class holds the DNA necessary to build upon the program’s sustained dominance. The freshmen bring an electric tandem to their new-found home in Whitewater, described as, “a good nucleus for the next four years,” by head coach Frank Barnes.
Partnering in the push for change
The Whitewater Student Government has called the Career Services Department to action regarding desired reforms. Career Services has responded to this call to action and will be assembling a student advisory board as requested by WSG. WSG has been hard at work pushing to make these changes reality. The changes they are looking for from Career Services would help serve students as they prepare for post-graduation life.
Voting registration efforts at UW-Whitewater
Tuesday, Nov. 5, is less than a month away, but it is not just an ordinary Tuesday. It is Election Day. Like many campuses around the country, UW-Whitewater is making efforts to increase the number of voters on campus. To achieve this goal, it is starting at the beginning of the voting process: registration. Registration sounds simple in theory, but there is more to it than meets the eye. UWW Chair of the College Democrats Evelyn Schmidt highlights the laws regarding voter registration in Wisconsin.
Little Red Schoolhouse undergoing restoration
The Little Red Schoolhouse is receiving much needed care. Squirrels, raccoons, bees and other critters were infesting the building so action was needed to help preserve the aging building. According to Facilities Planning & Management Director Brian Zobel the building had “fallen into disrepair” so after examining it they decided to take action. Extermination was needed due to all the animals and bugs that had created nests in the structure.
An empowering sport
A sport that is a mix of soccer and football, making sure you keep possession of the ball in your hand as you’re running down the soccer field. Teammates and crowds cheering for you, then you get tackled to the ground. Although it may seem intimidating at first, rugby is a sport for anyone who has an interest in it.
Crowd work and karaoke
UW-Whitewater’s UC Live welcomed Alabama native, Trey Mack to their stage in the Down Under Thursday, Oct. 10 at the University Center. Mack is a unique comedian who mixes traditional joke telling with singing and heartfelt storytelling. You might recognize him from Kevin Hart’s show, Hart in the City, or Mack’s own comedy special on Amazon Prime. “This is why I like country music. Everything is affordable with country music.
Get turned up for Bingo!
Photo Story October 13, 2024 Sure, you’ve heard of Bingo. But have you ever heard of DJ Bingo? It’s a fun take on the classic game of Bingo, where the DJ will play a song in a category, and if that song is on your Bingo sheet, then you cross off that space. On Friday, Oct. 11 2024, this exciting game was enjoyed by lots of students eager to earn themselves some sweet free prizes. Tags:
Last-minute summer projects
There’s always a sense of urgency to get outdoor chores completed when the calendar turns to fall. These are tasks that could have been done anytime earlier in the summer but since I am a natural procrastinator they get delayed. But when October stares you in the face and some of the chores are weather dependent, I go from loosening in the bullpen to trying to save the season.
Nursing home sale shows why transparency matters
On Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Sauk County Board voted to spend $40,500 to buy a sheriff’s department vehicle to replace one totaled in a July incident. The resolution printed on the agenda included details of the incident, the car dealer and a fiscal note explaining that the money would come from insurance accounts. This display of transparency happened one week to the day after the same county board approved contracts to sell the county-owned nursing home to a private entity.
Golf wins eighth consecutive WIAC title
UW-Whitewater women’s golf won the 2024 WIAC Women’s Golf Championship Tournament in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, with a score of 94-over-par. The Warhawks were led by Kallie Lux, Haley Myers, Ellie Johnson, Payton Schmidt who all placed in the top 10 individually. Friday was the first day of the tournament and the Warhawks wasted no time taking the lead right away shooting a 27-over-par on the day. Payton Schmidt led the Warhawks shooting a 4-over on the day.
Volleyball victorious on Dig Panici Night
The Legacy Behind Dig Panici Night and Lisa Panici Warhawk volleyball hosts Dig Panici Night annually to honor the late Lisa Panici, a former outside hitter for the Warhawks. Just months into her first year of college, Panici was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. Following a long fought battle with the disease, she died in December 2012. “It shows the impact that Lisa had on the program when she was here,” head coach Stacy Boudreau said.
Pride Rally brings sense of safety and belonging
Loud music, laughter and community filled the air at Cravath Lakefront Park during the annual Whitewater Pride Rally Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Seeing all the people being able to relax and be themselves is really nice,” said Jennifer Cooper, a volunteer for the rally. “I think it’s incredibly important for people to understand that there are people within their community that exist in the same space as them so that they feel safe and there are people who support them.
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