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Several Northwoods Dogs in Running for WPS Canine Spokesperson

Published on 07/20/2026 under News Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) has officially opened public voting for its third annual safe digging competition, seeking its next canine spokesperson. The contest pairs cute pups with an important message: reminding residents to call Diggers Hotline at least three days before starting any home project that involves digging. The winning "ambassadog" will be featured on social media and billboards promoting Diggers Hotline as safe, free, and required by law. Back in 2024, Arlo, an Aussiedoodle from Tomahawk, became the first spokes-dog, followed by Pearl from Schofield last year. With Pearl's term coming to a close, WPS put out a call for a new batch of pup-ular candidates. Out of dozens of submissions, a pack of 10 finalists was selected, including three local Northwoods favorites:Luna (Merrill): An 11-month-old who loves digging at the beach almost as much as she loves cuddling up for family movie nights.Maisie (Rhinelander): A sweet 1-year-old golden retriever famous for unearthing yard rocks and playing fetch.Ruby (Tomahawk): A playful 1-year-old water lover who balances her digging hobby with outdoor bird-watching.Voting is open to everyone at the WPS website through next Monday, July 27. The winner will be announced on August 11 (8/11) a reference to 811, the national number to call before you dig.

Published on 07/20/2026 under News The Kwahamots skied their way back onto the podium after a strong performance at the Wisconsin State Show Ski Championships over the weekend. Competing at the 60th annual state championships on Lake Wazeecha in Wisconsin Rapids, the Kwahamots finished third in the Division 3 team competition. The top three teams separated themselves from the rest of the field in a tight battle, with the Chain Skiers of Waupaca claiming the state title and Crivitz's Twin Bridge Ski Team taking second. The Tomahawk-based team was led by Ryan Koth, who was recognized as the Division 3 Most Valuable Male performer. A true Swiss Army knife, Koth excelled in wakeboarding, hydrofoil, jumping, and barefooting. The Kwahamots also posted the top score in the barefoot category. This podium finish marks the fourth time in the past five years that the Kwahamots have placed among the top three at the state championships, continuing their run as one of Wisconsin's premier show ski clubs. The four-day event featured teams from across the state competing in individual events prior to the team competition, where performances were judged across a dozen categories—including showmanship, difficulty, boat driving, and overall entertainment. After a successful trip on the road, the team returns home to Kwahamot Bay to resume their schedule of three weekly shows through Labor Day.

Published on 07/20/2026 under News Wildfire smoke put the brakes on a Northwoods aviation tradition on Sunday. The 28th annual AirVenture Cup Race, which serves as the unofficial kickoff to EAA AirVenture week in Oshkosh, was postponed after thick smoke created poor flying conditions across much of Wisconsin. Pilots spent Sunday at the Wausau Downtown Airport receiving periodic weather updates while organizers monitored air quality and visibility in hopes of getting the race underway. Instead, competitors were asked to report back to the airport at 7 a.m. Monday, with organizers tentatively planning a 9 a.m. start, weather permitting. The AirVenture Cup typically attracts more than 100 pilots for a roughly 400-mile sky race from Wausau through northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula before returning to the Northwoods. Tomahawk and Merrill serve as the final two checkpoints on the course. Following the race, most pilots will head to Oshkosh for the start of EAA AirVenture, one of the world's largest aviation gatherings.

Published on 07/20/2026 under News The investigation into a suspected drug overdose death in Eagle River has expanded, with authorities making an arrest and executing a search warrant. Eagle River Police say a suspect was taken into custody Thursday by the Portage County Sheriff's Department after a traffic stop connected to the investigation. Earlier that afternoon, investigators from multiple agencies executed a search warrant at a residence in the Town of Lac du Flambeau. Two people were also taken into custody at the residence, but police say those arrests were unrelated to the overdose investigation. The investigation began after officers responded to a report of an unresponsive person at an Eagle River residence shortly after 2:15 a.m. Tuesday. Despite life-saving efforts, the 37-year-old victim died at the scene. Officials say the investigation remains active, and no additional information is being released at this time.

Published on 07/20/2026 under News Northcentral Technical College has been selected to join a national effort to expand Registered Apprenticeship programs into nontraditional careers. NTC was one of just 11 schools across the country chosen for the Association of Community College Trustees' Scaling Apprenticeship at Community Colleges project. The college says the selection recognizes its strong employer partnerships and workforce training experience. Through the program, NTC will receive technical assistance and planning resources as it works to become a Registered Apprenticeship Program sponsor. The goal is to create new paid apprenticeship opportunities in high-demand fields while helping employers develop long-term workforce pipelines. College officials say they expect to submit new apprenticeship standards and begin enrolling apprentices in approved nontraditional career pathways by the end of the project.

Published on 07/20/2026 under News A traffic safety upgrade in Oneida County is paying off. According to new data released by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, total crashes dropped by roughly 42% at the intersection of US 8 and WIS 47 near Rhinelander after it was converted from a traditional traffic signal into a roundabout. In the six years leading up to the roundabout's construction, the intersection saw 40 total crashes. In the six years following the transformation, that number dropped to 23. Beyond simply preventing collisions, roundabouts also reduce crash severity. The design causes drivers to slow down and largely eliminates T-bone and head-on collisions. WisDOT highlighted the US 8 and WIS 47 junction as a prime example of data-driven engineering that improves commuter safety while keeping traffic moving smoothly.

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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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