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Tomahawk, Merrill Schools Make Friday Cancellation Decisions Early

Published on 01/22/2026 under News Schools in Lincoln County will closed on Friday, and the extreme cold is to blame. With dangerously cold temperatures in the forecast overnight Thursday and throughout the day Friday, both the Tomahawk and Merrill School Districts made an early decision to close their campuses for Friday. By making the call early, it allows parents or caretakers to make alternative arrangements ahead of time rather than waiting until the morning of school. When it comes to cold, school officials have to consider a number of factors including the transportation of students, both waiting for buses and time spent on the bus. Most Northwoods districts build a few extra days into the school calendar in anticipation of some weather-related cancellations during the school year. We expect the cancellations list to grow as Friday approaches. It's also a good idea to check ahead for any activities, events, and appointments on Friday for potential closures and cancellations. Stay tuned to WJJQ for updates.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News People across the region will be spending the day Thursday preparing for the impending stretch of dangerous cold in the forecast. A local bird rescue is reminding people to fill up their feeders. The folks over at the Raptor Education Group offered a few tips to help our feathered friends find some food over the next few days. They note that it is important to feed birds easily digestible food, typically found in a good wild bird seed mixture. REGI specifically highlighted black sunflower seeds and safflower seeds which are a good source of nutrients and fat, essential in below-zero weather. And for birds like woodpeckers and nuthatches suet is an excellent option. They added that you may want to consider bringing suet inside overnight to keep it softer and readily available to the birds. As for foods to avoid, while common, they advise against corn. Low in nutrients, they note that corn is nearly impossible for birds to digest in cold temperatures. And keep an eye out for birds that appear injured. If you one, they recommend using a towel to place it in a cardboard box and bringing it inside. Then contact REGI or a nearby animal rescue for further steps.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News Lawmakers in Madison are working to find common ground on PFAS investments which could be good news for communities around the state including here in the Northwoods. On Wednesday, Governor Evers expressed optimism on a deal to release $125 million in PFAS funding that was actually approved in the previous 2023-25 budget. In laying out his 2026 legislative agenda, Gov. Evers cited PFAS legislation as an opportunity for bipartisan work and compromise. Approximately $80 million would allocated to a Community grant program to assist local governments in combating and remediating PFAS contamination. Here in Tomahawk, the city has been taking steps to build a PFAs treatment plant, but that facility carries a price tag of approximately $6.2 million. City leaders have been reviewing options to help pay for the project in what is expected to be an increasingly competitive process to secure funding in the coming years through grants or low-interest loans.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News Coming off of the DNR's free weekend, Lincoln County will be offering a similar opportunity to enjoy a hidden gem at no cost in early February. Lincoln County Forestry, Land, and Parks announced that they will be bringing back their Free Trail Pass Weekend for the Underdown Recreation Area. It is currently scheduled for the weekend of February 7 and 8. This will include opportunities to check out the park's cross-country ski, fat-tire bike, and snowshoe trails without the typically required pass, saving users $25. (Winter passes are $25; year-long passes are $35) After a couple of mild winters, the silent sports have been enjoying a snow-filled start to winter. Underdown features more than 20 miles of groomed ski trails, along with cleared snowshoe and bike paths. We'll offer up a reminder as that date draws closer.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News Northcentral Technical College (NTC) has been named as one of the top training colleges in North America. NTC is one of only 11 colleges to receive this recognition from the Learning Resources Network. According to the announcement, the award honors the work of NTC's Workforce Training + Professional Development team including their collaboration with local employers. NTC's Workforce Training and Professional Development team designs and delivers customized training for businesses across the region. Programs are offered onsite at employer locations or at NTC campuses in Wausau, Antigo, Wittenberg, Phillips, Medford and Spencer. Dr. Brad Gast, Dean of Workforce Training and Professional Development at NTC called it an honor to be recognized. He says, "Each year, we have the privilege to serve more than 900 businesses and over 10,000 professionals. We are committed to delivering high quality, responsive solutions that help organizations strengthen performance, adapt to change, and remain competitive in a global economy." This marks the third time in six years that NTC has received this honor.

Published on 01/21/2026 under News Business leaders and other stakeholders from the Tomahawk area recently got together for a wide-ranging discussion this past week. The Tomahawk Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted a roundtable conversation covering pressing economic and workforce issues impacting local businesses and the broader community. In addition to locals, the discussions were moderated by Kurt Bauer, president of the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Tomahawk Chamber Director Charis Lau said, "This roundtable created an important space for employers to openly share challenges and solutions." Among the topics they covered are business costs and tariffs; workforce demographics, attraction and retention; and even housing and childcare. Lau said, "This groups' discussion brought a lot of insight to better understand what is impacting our businesses today. From here we can work collectively to strengthen our workforce and community for the future." They plan to use insights from these discussions to help inform future planning efforts, advocacy priorities, and initiatives aimed at supporting economic growth, workforce development, and community sustainability in the Tomahawk area. They also hope to have continued conversations to ensure local voices are heard and to help position the region for long-term success.

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Sports Headlines

Hatchet Boys Swimming Team Beats Medford

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports The Hatchet boys' swimmers notched another Great Northern Conference dual victory at the Hatchet Pool Tuesday night, defeating Medford, 72-56. Tomahawk placed first seven total events. Connor Germano placed first in the 50 yard and 100 yard freestyle relays. Dane Dekiep placed first in the 100 yard butterfly relay. The Hatchets also got first-place finishes in the 200 yard medley and 400 yard freestyle relays. Tomahawk's dual record now stands at 3-7 on the season. The Hatchets will have a double dual in Medford with the host and Lakeland coming up on Monday. Events begin at 5:30.

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's hockey squad got another victory in Great Northern Conference play Tuesday night, shutting out Waupaca at SARA Park, 6-0. Tomahawk got on the board twice in the first period, as Breck Stromberg scored on assists from Beau Stromberg and Cole Peterson. The second goal came from Jett Reilly, and was assisted by Jake Albert and Brayden Lamer. Tomahawk outshot Waupaca 20 to three in the first. Tomahawk Senior Jonah Dickens had both goals in the second period, scoring at the 11:56 mark and the 10:13 mark. The first Dickens goal was assisted by Jett Reilly and the second by Brayden Lamer. Tomahawk would add two more goals in the third, Lamer scored a power play goal with assists to Jett Reilly and Colin Black. Cole Peterson closed out the scoring and Mason Jaecks and Beau Stromberg got assists. The Hatchets outshot Waupaca 64-8 in the victory and Hudson Seymour got the shutout. The win by Tomahawk puts them at 15-3 on the season and 8-0 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back in action Saturday afternoon at SARA Park against Baldwin-Woodville. The game will be broadcast by Alex Koch and Zach Garner on Northwoods 92.5 WJJQ. The Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pregame Show begins at 1:35. Opening faceoff is at 2:00.

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports The Hatchet girls' wrestlers had a career highlight take place at the Tomahawk Scramble Tuesday night. Senior wrestler Kylie Peissig notched her 100th career win pinning Wausau East state qualifier Aleeah Lee at 107 pounds. Tomahawk got out to a slow start, but finished the scramble on a high note with multiple wrestlers winning two out of three matches. The Hatchet girls are back in action Friday with an Invite at St. Croix Falls. Events begin at 4:00.

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's girls' basketball squad would suffer a tough non-conference loss at Suring Tuesday night, 56-42. The Hatchets were unable to get balanced scoring from their starters despite a dominant individual performance from Freya Alberg. The Senior Center put in a season-high 25 points in the loss. Anita Ziert finished with 11 points. The loss drops Tomahawk to 9-6 on the season. The Hatchets are back home for a Great Northern Conference showdown against Antigo Friday night. Tip is at 7:15.

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports The Hatchet boys' basketball squad would lose their sixth straight game Tuesday night, getting dominated by Crandon, 66-23. Tomahawk would struggle to put points on the board once again, failing to crack 30 points for the sixth time this season. The Hatchets' record falls to 2-12 on the year. Tomahawk is back in action Friday for a Great Northern Conference showdown against Antigo. Tip is at 7:15.

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