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Fatal Motorcycle Crash on Hwy 51 near Tomahawk Published on 06/19/2017 under News

Officials have released additional information on a fatal crash that occurred near Tomahawk over the weekend.

That crash occurred Saturday evening at just after 5 pm on Highway 51 south of County L in the town of Nokomis. The Oneida County Sheriff's Office says the collision involved a motorcycle and an automobile.

The operator of the motorcycle died as a result of the accident. He has now been identified as Kevin Chiapuzio of Ironwood, Michigan. He was 47 years old.

A second individual was transported to an area hospital. That person's condition was not updated.

The crash remains under investigation.

In Other News

New Peregrine Falcon Chicks Names Inspired by Wisconsin Olympians; Voting Underway

Published on 04/25/2024 under News Over the years, Wisconsin has produced a number of memorable Olympians. The peregrine falcon chicks hatched at Wisconsin Public Service and We Energies facilities will be named in their honor. There are currently 11 peregrine falcon eggs across the various power facilities. Once hatched, the chicks will be banded and named through a themed public vote. To celebrate the upcoming summer games, each of the potential names are inspired by Wisconsin Olympians. Just a few examples of the more than two dozen options: Birdie Blair in honor of 5 time gold medalist and Wisconsin resident Bonnie Blair-Cruikshank; Curly for Madison's sibling curlers Becca and Matt Hamilton; Miracle for the Wisconsinites Mark Johnson and Bob Suter on the 1980 men's hockey team; and Oarlock in honor of bronze-medal rower Megan Kalmoe of St. Croix Falls. Voting is underway and will continue through May 9 on their website. The website also has links to the nesting box webcams. Over the years, more than 400 of the once-endangered peregrine falcons have hatched at the WPS and WE Energies facilities.

Published on 04/25/2024 under News There are millions of trees in the Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest. Staffers are busy preparing for an another Arbor Day celebration with some special events. Coming up on Friday afternoon, local, state, and federal foresters will host a free public program at the USDA Forest Service office in Rhinelander. We heard from some of the organizers who offered a sneak preview of tomorrow's event, highlighted by a tree planting ceremony. It's part of an initiative to replace some of the ash trees removed due to the invasive emerald ash borer. The new trees, 3 year old white pines, were grown from seed at a Forest Service nursery. That will be followed by some interpretive activities for people of all ages to learn about the importance of trees and some of the ways that people can establish more trees in their communities. That includes some family friendly activities featuring Woodsy the Owl. The Arbor Day celebration gets underway Friday at 1pm. To register for the program, please e-mail Veronica Hinke: Veronica.Hinke@usda.gov or call (815) 386-0711. Photo by Doug Sippl / USDA Forest Service, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest: A newly planted white pine tree from the USDA Forest Service J.W. Toumey Nursery settles into the ground and will soon take root. The public is invited to be part of a very special tree re-planting initiative on Arbor Day, April 26, 2024, at the USDA Forest Service office in Rhinelander.

Published on 04/25/2024 under Sports The Hatchet golf squad finished sixth out of 14 teams at Rolling Oaks Golf Course in Barron Wednesday. Tomahawk finished with a total score of 342. Owen Dickrell had the lowest score of the day for Tomahawk, finishing eighth overall with a score of 77. All Hatchet golfers finished with a score below triple-digits. Sawyer Hanna finished 18th overall with a score of 82. The Hatchets will have their next Great Northern Conference meet of the season Friday at Black River Golf Course in Medford.

Published on 04/24/2024 under News The Lincoln County government could soon be getting a new website domain and email addresses that are simplified and more secure. The County currently uses the co.lincoln.wi.us. Under a resolution approved by the county board last week, they'll transition to lincolncountywi.gov. The '.gov' addresses are exclusive to US government agencies and organizations. Ahead of the vote, IT Director Travis Spoehr provided a brief overview. He noted the change is something they've talked about in the past. Now the application and registration of .gov domains have been waived for counties and local municipalities. According to the resolution, the Wisconsin Elections Commission will make .gov a requirement for electron elections communications. Some Northwoods counties have already made that transition including Oneida and Vilas Counties. As for the specific domain name, Spoehr noted that they needed to include the 'wi' because there are 36 other Lincoln Counties around the country. They'll continue to maintain the current domain at this time to make a staggered migration. A specific timeline wasn't provided.

Published on 04/24/2024 under News Utility bills in the Northwoods could be up slightly starting next year. Wisconsin Public Service shared that they have filed a request with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to set the electricity and natural gas rates for the next two years. According to the release, the proposal would result in an increase of $11-12 a month for a typical electric bill, while natural gas customers would see an increase of $3-4. Even with the potential increase, WPS noted that bills would remain below the national average. The release says a majority of the filing is to recover costs of new power plants the PSCW has already approved. They also continue to focus on three key priorities: reducing customer outages, building the infrastructure needed to support jobs plus economic growth in Wisconsin, and meeting new EPA environmental rules. An update to the filing with more specific information on the impact for each group of customers. The company says they will also provide this information to customers through a bill insert and on wisconsinpublicservice.com. The PSC will review the proposal later this year, and the new rates, if approved, would take effect in January.

Published on 04/24/2024 under News A plump pine warbler and a Rotund ruby-crowned kinglet are among feathered friends competing in a statewide contest to celebrate healthy birds and migration. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin is celebrating their first-ever Fat Bird Week. The Foundation notes that 'a fat bird is a healthy bird' and it 'celebrates and spotlights the amazing journey our migratory birds make to get back to Wisconsin.' Eight bird photos were selected in the bracket style tournament decided by fan vote. The foundation was inspired by the organizers of the popular Fat Bear Week in Alaska which celebrates bears bulking up for winter hibernation. Conservation biologist Ryan Brady notes that some species of bird will actually double their weight ahead of their twice annual migration. He says, "Fat is fuel in the world of bird migration." They did clarify that while many people call birds "fat," they are often referring to is the fluffiness of the feathers. While the contest is all in good fun, it also serves as inspiration to create a more bird-friendly back yard. Brady says to think native plants which will provide nutrition via fruits, seeds, nectar, and even drawing in bugs. The 'Fat Bird Week' winner will be announced during next Tuesday's webinar "Four Ways to keep Wisconsin's Birds Fat and Healthy." For more information

Published on 04/24/2024 under News For years, Oneida County has offered a teen court program through the municipal court system which provides an alternative for first time youth offenders. The program is currently seeking high school age students to serve as panelists in the program. Panelists interview the offending juvenile and their parents. They assign sanctions designed to help the youth avoid making similar decisions, while allowing the offender to move forward without a juvenile record. Sharon Krause, works with the program through her role as Community Youth Development Educator with the Oneida County UW-Extension. She says serving can be beneficial to the student panelists as well, building communication and leadership skills. It also exposes them to careers in law, government policy, social work and counseling. She says "High school students who wish to become panelists need to have good listening skills, work well as part of a team, and be trustworthy with confidential information." Teen panelists should live in Oneida County (or Vilas County and attend Lakeland Union) The deadline is apply is May 1. For more information about Oneida County Teen Court and panelist application materials, please visit https://oneida.extension.wisc.edu/positive-youth-development/teencourt/ or contact Sharon Krause at sharon.krause@wisc.edu or (608) 381-2661.

Published on 04/24/2024 under News A team of Nicolet cosmetology students earned high marks at an industry event earlier this week. On Monday, Raven Carufel and Axle Jacobs, along with student model Isabella Hulsey attended America's Beauty Show in Chicago. The trio took part in the student team competition where they scored a third place finish in the cyberpunk fantasy category. The teams had an hour to craft an intricate hairstyle and makeup look demonstrating their creativity and technique. Instructor Marie Stott said, "Raven, Axle, and Isabella demonstrated their talent, dedication, and teamwork throughout this competition. Their success is a testament to their hard work and education at Nicolet College." The judging panel included industry professionals as well as social media influencers. For Jacobs specifically, it was a successful April. Earlier this month, we reported Jacobs competed and won the Wisconsin Skills USA barber competition and qualified for nationals. -Photo provided by Nicolet College

Published on 04/24/2024 under News Road Construction announcements are coming frequently. People can learn more about an upcoming project on Rhinelander's north side. The Department of Transportation announced a construction information meeting ahead of work on Highway 17 between Stevens Street and Pollyana Road. The contractor and project staff will share construction details, staging, schedule, traffic impacts and other information. That meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, April 30 at 1pm at Rhinelander City Hall.

Published on 04/24/2024 under Sports Tomahawk's softball squad notched a convincing Great Northern Conference win Tuesday with a 12-1, five-inning victory over Rhinelander at Hatchet Field. The Hatchets got on starting pitcher Kelsey Winter early, scoring eight runs in the first. Tomahawk got three shutout innings pitched from sophomore Sophie Olsen. The Hatchets also showed great pateince at the plate, issuing eight walks. The win improves Tomahawk to 7-6 on the season and 2-3 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets will have another GNC showdown Thursday at Mosinee. First pitch is at 5:00 that afternoon.

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