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League of Women Voters Volunteers Helping High School Students Register to Vote Published on 05/21/2025 under News

A local organization is making sure that the next generation of voters are able to cast a ballot in the next election.

The League of Women Voters of the Northwoods has been visiting high schools in Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas County in recent days to help eligible students to register to vote. They've already visited Tomahawk, Lakeland, and Rhinelander High Schools, with Northland Pines on the schedule later this week.

The group says "High schools are an ideal setting to help students build civic habits that lead to lifelong participation in elections. Many students have never been inside a polling place or seen the voting process in action. These visits give students a valuable preview of what to expect on Election Day."

The volunteers will guide 18 year old students through the registration process. Most choose the online option through myvote.wi.gov which provides a number of voting resources. The students can also use a traditional paper registration if they choose.

In Other News

Life Jackets Important Part of Boat Safety

Published on 05/22/2025 under News With each passing weekend, Wisconsin lakes and rivers are getting busier. Officials are encouraging people to remember their life jackets when heading onto the water. It's actually National Safe Boating Week. DNR Boating Law Administrator Darren Kuhn called life jackets the best piece of safety equipment on the boat. State law requires that all vessels have at least one wearable life jacket for each person on board. That includes not only motorized boats, but also kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards as well. Kuhn noted a lack of life jackets remains one of the most common violations they find. Jennifer Doering, an Aspirus Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant echoed that message. She says, "It's important that we all have life jackets available, not just sitting nearby, but ready to use and preferably already on." Doering adding a couple additional safety tips for water safety when it comes to swimming. Supervise children closely while swimming; check water depths before jumping or diving, and avoid alcohol during swimming activities.

Published on 05/22/2025 under News For more than four decades, the Tomahawk School District has hosted a patriotic program each spring. Today marks the return of the Red White and Blue Day assembly, now in its 42nd year. The program includes performances and music from elementary age students, along with the high school band and choir.As the name implies, the students are encouraged to wear the colors of the flag today. Organizers have called an excellent experience and a great opportunity for the students to get to interact with our area veterans. This year's theme is America the Beautiful-Finding the Sunshine. The program is inspired by the book 'Good Golden Sun' by Brendan Wenzel. The program will be held at 1:30 in the school Fieldhouse.

Published on 05/22/2025 under News An Eagle River teen is being recognized for his efforts to engage in and protect Wisconsin's Natural Resources Tommy Burr becomes the inaugural recipient of the Youth Conservation Congress (YCC) Delegate of the Year. It is part of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress's ongoing mission to acknowledge the exemplary leadership and hard work of individuals committed to sustaining Wisconsin's outdoor legacy for future generations. Burr is currently wrapping up his junior year at Northland Pines. He has been part of the YCC since 2019 after being introduced by to the program by Jim and Carol Heffner. The two have been involved with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress for years including as delegates. Burr called YCC an amazing experience. He says, "It has taught me more about Wisconsin's natural resources and, most importantly, how to respect and use them wisely." One example of his efforts was spending a day at a sturgeon registration station working with fisheries biologists during the recent season to gather data from the harvested fish. He's also been a leader in working with other youth delegates such as organizing fishing trips during last summer's YCC program. Kyle Zenz, DNR Youth Conservation Congress coordinator. He says, "Tommy truly embodies the spirit of the YCC. His passion for conservation and respect for Wisconsin's natural resources are evident in everything he does. We are proud to have him as a representative of the YCC."-Photo provided by Wisconsin DNR-

Published on 05/22/2025 under News State lawmaker have been busy crafting the next state biennial budget, but that process is also taking place at the county level as well. At their meeting Tuesday, the Lincoln County Board went over the timeline for their work on next year's spending plan. Finance Committee Chair Julie DePasse gave a brief overview to her fellow supervisors. Unlike the two year state budget, the Lincoln County budget is set each year. The county works within levy limits established by the state and tied to variables such as net new construction. In recent year's that's been approximately 1% growth. With costs rising faster than the levy, its led to a challenging process in recent years. DePasse highlighted some of those concerns including health insurance costs and the capital improvements fun. The future of Pine Crest remains an important piece of the budget puzzle as well. As for the timeline, they've got about 5 months to go. Work typically begins with department heads submitting an initial proposal to the Finance Committee for review by June. The full County Board is set to receive the first version of the preliminary budget in July. They aim to present a final budget at the October Board meeting and approve the budget in November.

Published on 05/22/2025 under News Local health departments are joining the chorus of tick awareness. While we all enjoy calling the Northwoods home, so too do several tick species. May is Lyme disease awareness month, but the tiny ticks can transmit other life changing illness. While getting a tick is inevitable, people can take steps to minimize exposure, seek prompt treatment, and help research. Linda Conlon, with the Oneida County Health Department says, "We want residents and visitors to enjoy the beautiful Northwoods safely." She added, "Taking steps to prevent tick bites and participating in research helps protect not just yourself, but the entire community." We've previously covered some of those precautions such as wearing long sleeves and pants, tucked into socks. Light colors make ticks easier to spot. And it's important to do a tick check after being outdoors. If you find an embedded tick, Conlon recommends removing it with fine-tipped tweezers, gently pulling it straight out. Avoid squeezing the tick when doing so. The Health Department also encouraged participation in Year 2 of the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute's Tick Inventory project. The Health Department has some of the collection kits at their Rhinelander office.

Published on 05/22/2025 under News The State awarded nearly a million in grants to school districts to help purchase cutting-edge, classroom equipment. Several local schools were among the recipients. Overall the Department of Workforce Development awarded $980,000 in Fast Forward grants to eighteen school districts around the state. The goal is to prepare students for quality careers and address the state's skilled labor shortage. The program has expanded beyond manufacturing equipment to also include fields such as dental and biomedical lab equipment and industrial robotics. Among the recipients: Elcho High School will use $19,000 to purchase a welding cart with accessories, a belt sander, tool chest, and a metal lathe.Hurley received nearly $12,000 to purchase Finishing Solutions (GFS) Open Faced Spray Booth, new exhaust filters, and an Ingersol Rand Air Compressor.And Mosinee received one of the largest grants, approximately $54,000 to purchase a Robotic Welder and Arc Max Elite CNC Plasma System.In addition to exposing the students to this equipment, it will also open up doors for potential youth apprenticeship and internship opportunities, along with dual enrollment credits, industry certificates and technical endorsements. DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek says, "By providing training in industries where skilled workers are in short supply, school districts are connecting students with stable careers and strengthening our state's workforce now and into the future."

Published on 05/21/2025 under News Before they receive their diplomas this weekend, the Tomahawk graduating class is giving back to the community. Throughout the day, the THS seniors are set to participate in their annual Community Service Day. The project has become a pre-graduation tradition that began with the Class of 2016. Over the past decade, the students have tackled a number of projects in the Tomahawk community such as outdoor maintenance at the Senior Center, city park clean-ups, volunteering at senior living facilities, and assisting with preparations with Memorial Day ceremonies. The students will are splitting up and will be assigned to work with various community groups and organizations like Tomahawk Main Street to tackle projects that need a helping hand. The Senior Service Day has been described as a way for the students to give back and offer a thank you to the community's support during their learning years. It's also part of a busy week for those soon-to-be graduates. They've got their Senior Awards night this evening, then on Friday they'll cross the stage for the THS Commencement. We'll have our annual graduation preview coming up on Friday.

Published on 05/21/2025 under News We regularly mention the Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation, but many people aren't sure what the group does. In the coming weeks, the LCEDC will be holding a pair of informational sessions for business leaders in the county where they'll talk a bit about their efforts. The conversations have been dubbed 'Coffee and Commerce.' Executive Director Sara Guild says they're hoping to talk about how the Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation supports local business growth and collaborates with other economic partners, along with the benefits of actively investing in their mission. They're teaming up with the Park City Credit Union locations in Tomahawk and Merrill to host the conversations. The first session is coming up Thursday morning in Tomahawk from 8-9am. The event is free, but they'd appreciate registration by calling or emailing. We'll include that info in the online version of the story. The Merrill event will be held June 9.

Published on 05/21/2025 under News Memorial Day weekend typically kicks off the summer travel season, and officials are encouraging motorists to stay safe on area roadways. Here in the Northwoods, many folks use the long weekend to open up cabins and launch boats for the summer season. The means some extra cargo and trailers being transported. Officials are reminding drivers to ensure both are properly secured before hitting the road. Not only does this prevent items from being lost, it also protects those in vehicles following.For those with a trailer, check the tires and the lights, especially if the trailer has been sitting during the winter months.Ensure the ball and hitch are the same size and latched securely.Remember to use the safety chains as well, crisscrossing them underneath the trailer tongue.Securing any loose items being transported in boats, on trailers, or truck beds.In addition to trailer safety, the regular rules of the road apply as well, that means observing speed limits, wearing seat belts and avoiding distracts behind the wheel. As we previously covered, the annual Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement and campaign launched this week.

Published on 05/21/2025 under News A Minocqua man is being honored for his efforts to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. The Wisconsin Invasive Species Council highlighted sixteen individuals and one group with their 2025 Invasive Species Action Awards. According to the DNR, that includes Kenneth Frauenhoffer of Minocqua. According to the announcement, Frauenhoffer has shown impressive leadership skills as the coordinator for the Clean Boats, Clean Waters efforts on Fence Lake in Vilas County. He educates staff, volunteers, boaters and landowners about aquatic invasive species such as Eurasian water milfoil and spiny water flea. Frauenhoffer and the other honorees have been invited to Wisconsin's 21st annual Invasive Species Action Awards event, a ceremony next month. Each winner will receive a plaque and a thank-you from the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council.

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