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Oneida County Health Dept. Introducing Water Testing at Popular Swim Spots

Published on 06/09/2026 under News A dip in the lake can be refreshing on a hot summer day. Up in Oneida County the Health Department is making sure some popular swimming spots are safe. The Oneida County Health Department will be conducting weekly water quality testing at popular swimming areas during the summer months. This includes Buck Lake and Boom Lake Beaches in Rhinelander, Torpy Park in Minocqua, Sugar Camp Lake in Sugar Camp, and Maple Lake Beach in Three Lakes. The goal is to help families and beach-goers make informed choices by identifying when E. coli bacteria levels become temporarily elevated, which can lead to illness. Staff will also monitor the beaches for general cleanliness and blue-green algae blooms. To inform the public, they'll use a stoplight color system: green-go ahead; yellow-caution; red-stay out. Samples will typically be collected on Mondays and Tuesdays, which allows time for a follow-up test if bacteria levels come back high. Weekly results will be posted on the Oneida County Health Department's website and Facebook page, and updated signs will be placed directly at the beaches. Testing begins this week.

Published on 06/09/2026 under News Several animals were killed and a barn was completely destroyed following a fire in Lincoln County early Monday morning. According to the Pine River Fire Department, crews were dispatched to a farm on Highway 64 just before 6:00 a.m. for a report of a barn fully engulfed in flames. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke and fire showing from all sides of the structure, and the roof had already collapsed. While crews brought the blaze under control within 15 minutes, they remained on the scene for another two hours to extinguish hot spots and conduct overhaul operations. The property owner told investigators that the barn housed small animals, including rabbits, turkeys, and chickens. While some chickens managed to escape, officials confirmed that most of the animals inside were lost to the fire. Due to the extensive damage, investigators were unable to determine an exact cause. However, the property owner reported that a heat lamp had been in use the night before the fire broke out.

Published on 06/09/2026 under News As fundraising efforts continue for Tomahawk's planned downtown historical marker, supporters will have a unique opportunity to mix local history with a few ghost stories. Tomahawk Main Street and the Tomahawk Area Historical Society are hosting their "Let's Get Spooky" fundraiser at Bootleggers Lodge. This is the second of three planned events designed to fund the downtown historical marker and an additional educational signage project. Main Street Director Jennifer Turkiewicz said this event builds on the success of the organizations' recent Ghost Walk, which explored paranormal tales connected to downtown buildings. This time, the event heads north to the popular Lake Nokomis restaurant, where presenters will discuss the history of the building, the business, and the region's bootlegging past. Adding to the evening's theme, members of the Wausau Paranormal Research Society will be on hand to discuss reported hauntings and unexplained activity at the establishment. Turkiewicz says, "A lot of folks talk about the hauntings and the things that take place at Bootleggers...We're going to see if we can maybe capture some of those moments." In addition to the local history and paranormal investigations, attendees can enjoy moonshine-themed refreshments, snacks, tarot card readings, and souvenir photos provided by Vicky's Photoshop. The ultimate goal of the partnership between Tomahawk Main Street and the Historical Society is to install a permanent historical marker in the downtown boulevard near the intersection of Wisconsin and Tomahawk Avenues, alongside educational signage highlighting some of the district's history. You can find full details for tonight's event listed in the WJJQ Community Calendar.

Published on 06/09/2026 under News Another successful spring turkey season highlights the impressive, long-term comeback of the wild turkey in Wisconsin. According to harvest data released by the Department of Natural Resources this week, hunters registered approximately 48,000 turkeys during the recently completed spring season. That total is roughly 8.6% above the five-year average. This spring also marked 50 years since wild turkeys were successfully reintroduced to Wisconsin, which led to the first hunt seven years later. Today, the DNR says the state's turkey populations remain highly stable, and the birds can be found in all 72 counties. DNR gamebird biologist Taylor Finger called the reintroduction of wild turkeys a remarkable success. He noted that recent mild winters, above-average nesting and brood rearing have led to a healthy turkey population with trends indicating stable-to-increasing numbers across most of the state." Hunter participation also remained steady. Just over 235,000 tags were issued for the spring season, resulting in an approximate 20% success rate for tag holders, slightly lower than last year but in line with the past several seasons. While the spring hunt is by far the most popular, Wisconsin also offers a fall turkey season, though it typically draws fewer participants.

Published on 06/09/2026 under News One person is dead and three others are injured following a two-vehicle crash in Price County over the weekend. According to the Price County Sheriff's Office, dispatchers received several 911 calls just before 1:00 p.m. Sunday reporting a collision at the intersection of Highway 111 and County Highway J in the Town of Harmony, southwest of Phillips. Deputies say the driver of a van involved in the crash, a 74-year-old Kennan woman, died from her injuries. Her name has not yet been released. The three occupants of the second vehicle, an SUV, were transported from the scene with serious injuries. There is no current update on their conditions. No further details regarding the cause of the crash have been released, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Published on 06/08/2026 under News Tomahawk's signature Fourth of July celebration is less than a month away, and preparations for Powwow Days are entering the home stretch. As in years past, the Tomahawk Lions Club is counting on strong community support to make the event a success. Leading the fundraising charge is longtime Lion Kevin Wickstrom, who has spent the past several weeks making his annual rounds to local businesses. He recently stopped by the WJJQ studios to share an update on this year's efforts. Putting on the annual celebration is no small undertaking. Wickstrom noted that costs have climbed to approximately $25,000, driven largely by the rising price of fireworks. While the Lions Club's fundraising events and efforts offset some of these expenses, donations from local businesses and individuals remain essential. By the time Independence Day arrives, Wickstrom estimates he will have visited roughly 230 donors and logged hundreds of miles. Despite current economic challenges, he says community support has remained remarkably strong. In fact, he noted that some businesses have been even more generous this year. He joked, "A lot of people are expecting me when I walk through the door and already have a check ready." Powwow Days features a full slate of activities, including running races, a parade, a water ski show, and the traditional fireworks display. Because July 4th falls on a Saturday this year, organizers expect the holiday weekend to draw even larger crowds than usual to the Tomahawk area. As the countdown continues, Wickstrom emphasized that the community's willingness to step up remains one of Tomahawk's greatest strengths. He says, "I just appreciate all the businesses and individuals that donate to the cause. The support is tremendous." How to Donate: For those who have not yet been contacted but would like to contribute to Powwow Days, Wickstrom encourages them to reach out directly by calling or texting him at 715-437-0548.

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Sports Headlines

Gibeault Places 3rd in 400 meter dash

Published on 06/06/2026 under Sports In the WIAA Division 2 State Track & Field Meet at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse this weekend. Elise Gibeault and Ellie Micke competed in three separate events. Gibeault's top finish came in the 400 meter dash, placing third with a time of 56.7 seconds. Gibeault would finish 2.26 seconds behind state champion Harper Sheehan of Hayward. In her final event, the Hatchet Junior would set a brand new school record in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.38 seconds, a full second behind Sheehan. As for Micke, her season would end in the High Jump Preliminaries. Micke would finish tied for 12th with Martin Luther's Dynasty Fancher. This concludes the Tomahawk Track & Field Season.

Published on 06/03/2026 under Sports The Hatchet golfing season would end in the WIAA Division 2 Sectional Meet at Spooner Wednesday, placing ninth at the Spooner Golf Club. Tomahawk would finish with a 345, 13 strokes behind St. Croix Central. The top Hatchet golfer in the Sectional meet was Jake Albert, who placed 28th overall with an 82. Rounding out the top three were Rocco Carew with an 83 and Oliver Childers with an 87. Jaxon Kaiser finish with a 93 and Brayden Lamer finished with 100. This concludes the Tomahawk golfing season.

Published on 05/29/2026 under Sports Junior Athlete Elise Gibeault and Sophomore Athlete Ellie Micke would become the only Hatchets to qualify for the WIAA Division 2 State Track & Field Meet at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse next weekend. Gibeault would finish second in both the 200 and 400 meter dashes. Gibeault would re-set personal bests and school records in both events. The Junior finished with a run of 25.74 seconds in the 200 meter dash and a run of 56.39 seconds in the 400 meter dash. Gibeault would place behind only Hayward's Harper Sheehan in both events. As for Micke, she was the last qualifier in the field in the High Jump. Micke tied for the 4th spot in the sectional and would advance by way of tiebreaker. Micke's leap in the High Jump was 5'3". Gibeault and Micke will compete in the WIAA Division 2 State Meet in La Crosse Friday. Field Events begin at 3:00 PM. Running events begin at 3:30 PM.

Published on 05/28/2026 under Sports Despite coming back from down four runs in the fifth inning, Tomahawk's baseball squad would fall in extra innings in the WIAA Division 3 Regional Quarterfinal at Tyler Kahle Memorial Field to the Crandon Cardinals, 8-5. The Hatchets trailed 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning before tying the game up behind two-run hits from Nick Arndt and Max Larson. After the Hatchets stranded the winning run on third in the seventh, Crandon rolled off three runs off Hatchet pitcher Logan Norman to take the lead. Tomahawk would bring the tying run to the plate, but Arndt flew out to center to end the game and the season. Arndt finished two for five with a triple and two RBIs. Max Larson finished one for five with a double and two RBIs. Despite pitching five scoreless innings and retiring ten straight, Norman absorbed the loss on the mound. The Hatchets finish the 2026 season with a 9-11 record and a 7-7 Great Northern Conference record. Tomahawk graduates Norman, Arndt, Jonah Dickens, Wally Horabik, Colton Seslar, and Brody Hilgendorf.

Published on 05/27/2026 under Sports The Marawood Conference Champion Prentice Golf Team won the WIAA Regional Championship on Tuesday at the Inshalla Country Club. The Bucs set a school scoring record with a 297. Ladysmith finished 30 strokes behind Prentice. Eliah Harding led the way with an even par 70, Matti Heikkinen shot a 74, Hagan Isaacson a 76, Evan Lord a 78 and Jackson Isaacson shot a 79. Prentice will compete in the WIAA Sectional Meet on Tuesday at Big Fish Golf Club in Hayward. The first tee times are at 9:00 am.

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