Update: Carbon Monoxide Identified as Cause of Crandon School Illnesses; Campus Closed through April 2
Published on 03/18/2024 under News Officials believe carbon monoxide was the source of an illness outbreak at the Crandon School Complex last week. As a result, the campus will be closed through the rest of the month. In a news release over the weekend, the School District of Crandon confirmed the illnesses were the result of elevated levels carbon monoxide connected to a mechanical issue with a furnace. The investigation began last Thursday afternoon when several students and staff members showed symptoms including lightheadedness, rapid heartbeat, and a shortness of breath. The buildings were evacuated and responders began to investigate. During that time approximately 39 patients were seen, including several EMS workers. Classes were canceled the following day. Over the weekend the district extended that closure through April 2. That includes next week's spring break. District Administrator Kirby Schultz says they are not only making necessary repairs to the furnace, but also undergoing a comprehensive cleaning of the facility including an inspection and maintenance of all HVAC components to ensure optimal performance and eliminate any potential sources of contamination. Schultz says, "Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff remains our utmost priority." In the coming days, the district says they will schedule time when students and staff can retrieve any belongings.
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Tomahawk School District Planning Spring 'School Perceptions' Survey; Encourage Parent Participation
Published on 03/18/2024 under News Coming up next month, the Tomahawk School District will be seeking input from families by way of an annual survey. District Administrator Wendell Quesinberry covered the topic during his monthly visit to WJJQ morning conversation. The spring questionnaire is distributed to students, staff members, and district families in April. The goal is to provide raw data which helps guide strategic planning as well as recommendations and decisions for the district. Quesinberry noted that it was a past practice that was revitalized last year. He says they received a good data set from both staff and students, but he wanted to see the family participation increase. The district works with the firm School Perceptions to provide unbiased questions and data collection. Quesinberry says the survey will take about 5-10 minutes to complete and those few minutes provide valuable information to the district. He encouraged families to watch for the email link early next month and take the time to fill it out.
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DOT Hosting March 25 Informational Meeting on Hwy 51 Construction Work in Minocqua
Published on 03/18/2024 under News Road construction season is rapidly approaching, and the Department of Transportation has been sharing information on a variety of upcoming projects. The DoT will hold a construction information meeting for a Highway 51 project in Minocqua starting next month. The project involves work on Highway 51 between Manitou Park and the Minocqua Lake bridge. At that meeting, next Monday, March 25, staff will go over various construction details including staging, schedule and traffic impact. The meeting will be held at the Waters of Minocqua at 5pm. As for the construction timeline, the project is scheduled to begin April 1. They hope to finish by mid-July.
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Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Looking to Identify Victims in Merrill Mailbox Vandalism
Published on 03/18/2024 under News The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is looking to identify victims after a string of vandalized mailboxes. According to the Sheriff's Office, they have been investigating a large number of damaged mailboxes in the Town of Merrill area. They said the suspects have been identified (and it is not believe the behavior will continue). Deputies have been attempting to contact those victimized, but believe there are quite a few left to be identified. Anyone whose mailbox was recently damaged is asked to contact the Lincoln County Dispatch Center at 715-536-6272 and leave your name, address, and phone number for follow up. The Sheriff's Office says Deputy Vogel will be continuing her investigation and will attempt to contact any additional victims in the coming days.
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Nearly Two Dozen THS Forensics Participants Qualify for State
Published on 03/18/2024 under News The Tomahawk High School Forensics team will be well represented at the State Competition next month.  Nearly two dozen students earned a trip to state including three seniors who qualified each year. Those four-timers include Murphy Koth, Maggie Lashua, and AJ Schertz. As for the rest of the team, they are: Julia McGovern, Jayden Dellinger, Kambyl Mattke, Aubrey Graeber, Delilah Sutton, Cedar Hoffman, Madeline Long, Sadie Ruder, Payton Loka, Mariah Sparbel, Landon Plantenberg, Tamara Stenberg, Alena Cerkas, Xan Sutton, Trey Morrison, Arawen Alberg, Izzy Lee, Phoebe Hrdina, Sarah Kallerud and Galen Schmidt The team has a month to prepare, as the State Festival is April 19 at UW-Madison.
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DNR: Bonus Tags for Spring Turkey Season Being Sold this Week
Published on 03/18/2024 under News Turkey hunters seeking additional tags and those who missed the drawing for the upcoming spring turkey season have another opportunity. The DNR is selling 2024 bonus authorizations for the spring turkey season this week. The spring turkey season is comprised of seven zones; with six, week-long periods. The initial tags were awarded through a drawing in December. According to the DNR, just over 100,000 bonus turkey harvest authorizations are available in zones 1-5, and zone 7. All available permits for zones 6 in northern western Wisconsin have been issued. This week, tags will be made available on a daily basis starting with Zone 1 on Monday and wrapping up on Friday with authorizations for Zone 5 and 7. Each morning, at 9:45am, customers can enter a queue on the DNR's Go Wild online portal. The turkey season begins with a youth weekend on April 13 and 14. The regular season begins the following week.
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Updated Snowmobile Trail Funding Bill Authored by Local Lawmakers Signed by Governor
Published on 03/15/2024 under News Snowmobile Clubs will be eligible for additional funding after a bill authored by Northwoods legislators became law. Governor Evers signed more than a dozen bills yesterday included 2023 Wisconsin Act 110. Among the Authors were Representatives Calvin Callahan and Rob Swearingen and Senator Mary Felzkowski. According to the authors, the bill changes how the DNR uses revenue generated by snowmobilers through registration fees, trails passes, and gas taxes to reimburse local governments and snowmobile clubs for eligible trail maintenance expenses. Under prior rules, clubs were eligible to receive $300 per mile in the initial payment, and up to an additional three times the per-mile payment for expenses over the initial payment. Act 110 raises the per-mile reimbursement cap to five times the initial payment, or up to $1,500... Upon the signing, Rep. Callahan released a statement saying, "Snowmobiling is a huge tourism generator and economic engine in Wisconsin." He added, "We must ensure folks are able to access the funds needed to maintain the state's more than 25,000 miles of snowmobile trails"
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Langlade County Supervisor Recognized for Service on Board of Health
Published on 03/15/2024 under News For nearly six decades Bob Benishek has served the Langlade County Board of Supervisors including a lengthy stint on their Board of Health. This week Bob was honored for his many years of service. Benishek received the "Partners in Public Health Recognition" by the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Wednesday during his last Board of Health meeting. Northern Region Director Angela Nimsgern was on-hand to present the honor. The award recognized Benishek for his fifty-eight years of "leadership and dedicated service to Langlade County and the state in protecting the health of the public and promoting everyone living their best life."
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Officials Encourage Responsible St. Patrick's Day Celebration
Published on 03/15/2024 under News With St. Patrick's Day falling on a weekend, law enforcement agencies are reminding those celebrating to do so safely. A holiday known for green beer and other libations, officials anticipate additional revelers, with the potential for an increase in impaired driving. Officials note, "St. Patrick's Day and other celebrations have the potential to be the deadliest times on the roads if people aren't making smart decisions." For those heading out, they're asking people to plan ahead, be responsible and never get behind the wheel impaired. That includes designating a sober driver, make sure everyone is wearing a safety belt and watch your speed. Even sober drivers should use a little extra caution and keep an eye out for any pedestrians who may have had too much to drink.
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Groundwater Awareness Week: Getting Private Wells Tested
Published on 03/15/2024 under News While water plays a key role in business and recreation in Wisconsin, high quality H20 is crucial to our drinking water supply. All week long interested partners including health departments and environmental agencies are celebrating National Groundwater Awareness Week. We heard from both the Lincoln and Oneida County Health Departments who have been encouraging property owners make a plan to test their private wells on a routine basis. Statistics show more than 70% of Wisconsinites utilize ground water for drinking, with one in three utilizing a private well. Both the Lincoln and Oneida County Health Departments do offer water lab testing for various contaminants including bacteria and nitrates. You can contact the Health Department to learn more. There is a small fee to cover testing costs.
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Oneida County Humane Society Remains in Round of 16 for March Muttness Fundraiser
Published on 03/15/2024 under News As the Badgers and Marquette begin post season play, a local animal shelter is locked up in their own battle.  As we previously covered, the Oneida County Humane Society is participating in a bracket-style tournament of their own known as March Muttness. The lone Wisconsin entry is currently in the 'Snuggly 16,' where the Oneida County Shelter is matched up with the Indiana-based HELP the Animals Shelter. The current collection period runs through Saturday evening, and the two entries just $30 apart.  Through the first two rounds of the bracket, the entire field has raised nearly $18,000. This isn't the first time the Oneida County Humane Society has competed; they reached the championship round in 2022.  For those that would like to contribute, we'll include the link in the online version of the story. You can visit the Oneida County Humane Society Facebook Page.
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Lincoln County Economic Development Committee Hosting Lincoln County Summit
Published on 03/14/2024 under News Succession is the theme of a brand new event taking place in Lincoln County the next few days. With a focus on county growth and the future, the Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation is hosting their inaugural Lincoln County Summit on March 14 and 15. The plan is to bring together business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and community stakeholders from across the region to discuss and strategize the future of economic growth and leadership within the county. As the new executive director of the LCEDC, Elsa Duranceau is guiding the process. She stopped by the WJJQ studios this past week to talk a bit about her position, as well as a preview of the Summit. She says, "We believe that focusing on succession planning is key to sustaining economic growth and building a strong foundation for the next generation of leaders in Lincoln County." The two day event will focus on a number of topics including volunteerism, childcare, broadband, tourism, and the workforce. The event will also feature various exhibitors, giving attendees the opportunity to learn about the latest tools, resources, and services available to support their operations. Mark O'Connell, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Counties Association has been named keynote speaker. The Summit got underway a bit earlier Thursday morning in Merrill. It'll continue through Friday afternoon, wrapping up with a career/volunteer Expo.
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DoT Announces Summer Highway 8 Project in Oneida County (Town of Pelican)
Published on 03/14/2024 under News Road construction season is right around the corner, and the Department of Transportation is announcing the timeline on some upcoming projects in the Northwoods. Crews will continue their work on Highway 8 in the Rhinelander area, just east of the city. On Wednesday, the DoT announced that Governor Evers signed the contract for work on Highway 8 between Wisconsin 17 North and County Road P in the Town of Pelican. Musson Brothers will be the prime contractor on the $3.2 million project. Crews will replacing the driving surface, along with some other improvements such as centerline rumble strips. The project will be completed in phases with some lane closures and detours at times. We'll share those updates during construction. The project is currently slated to begin in May and is expected to run into October.
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DNR Publishes Updated Fishing Regulations Guide for Upcoming Season
Published on 03/14/2024 under News The 2024-25 Wisconsin Fishing season begins April 1, and with it comes some new rules. Ahead of the new season, the DNR has published their updated fishing regulations guide. With a few weeks before they are enacted, officials note its a good time for anglers to review opening dates as well as bag limits and size limits on the waters they fish. In announcing the latest digital guide, the DNR also highlighted a few of the most notable changes. That includes a statewide daily bag limit of three walleye or sauger on all inland waters. Many anglers here in the Northwoods have already seen these lower bag limits on area lakes. Musky hunters on the Wisconsin River between Lake DuBay dam and the Dam in Merrill should note a new 50 inch minimum for muskellunge. Earlier this week we talked about the updated rules for fishing tournament organizers. And many lake-specific bag limits and/or size limits have also been updated. Those are also included in the guide. A digital version is available on the DNR website. Anglers over the age of 16 can also begin to purchase their annual fishing licenses.
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National Forest Temporarily Closes Trails for Spring Thaw
Published on 03/14/2024 under News Those looking to hit the trails in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest are asked to hold off during the seasonal transition. As we shift from winter to spring, forest officials have announced the temporary closure of trails and routes for ATV's, UTVs, equestrian and bikes. Recreation Program Manager Karen Katz explained, "With less snow this winter and warm temperatures thawing soils, recreational trails are soft, muddy and vulnerable to substantial rutting." She notes that protecting the recreation trails now minimizes the need for summer closures to repair damaged segments. The closure is expected to last through the month of April.
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