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Tomahawk Finance Committee Holds Brainstorming Session, Eyeing April 2027 Levy Referendum

Published on 09/03/2026 under News Tomahawk city leaders are retooling their strategy for a possible spring levy referendum. Members of the Tomahawk Finance Committee held a special meeting Wednesday night to brainstorm strategies for winning over voters if they make another funding request. In April 2026, the City Council asked residents to increase the base levy by 20%—a boost of up to $276,000. Voters rejected the proposal, with 56% opposing the increase. Because the deadline to place a measure on the upcoming November ballot has passed, the committee is targeting the April spring election instead. They have not yet finalized the referendum question or dollar amount. Much of the session Wednesday centered on outreach, education, and messaging. Acknowledging that number-heavy spreadsheets can overwhelm voters, the committee plans to highlight tangible impacts. Moving forward, they will detail the exact municipal services at risk after years of cumulative budget cuts. This could be snow plow policies, reduced times for the splash pad, the yard waste site, and Fall Ride expenditures. Finance Chair Mickey Loka emphasized that city leaders must do a better job of making their case, stating that they need to "sell our need" and take the facts directly to the public. To ensure the message lands, the city is preparing a multi-pronged outreach strategy combining public informational sessions, online updates, traditional media coverage, and even door-to-door visits by local alders. A successful vote next spring would not affect the city's bottom line until the 2028 fiscal year. In the meantime, committee members will ramp up work on the 2027 budget over the coming weeks.

Published on 09/03/2026 under News Vilas County's trail network continues to expand, thanks to new grant funding for a major local project. The Town of Cloverland, west of Eagle River, secured nearly $1.3 million through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to launch the River Trail project. (additional information on the trail project) Phase 1 will construct a 1.9-mile multi-use, off-road paved trail stretching from Old Highway 70 Road to Wilderness Trail, complete with wayfinding and bike route signage. This segment will connect to the St. Germain Trail and the popular 55-mile Heart of Vilas Bike Trail System. The effort is a partnership between the City of Eagle River, the Towns of Cloverland and St. Germain, and the Great Headwaters Trails Foundation, which committed nearly $500,000 to cover required local matching funds, engineering design work, and project administration. With funding secured, local leaders are ready to advance Phase 1, though a project timeline was not immediately available. When fully complete across future phases, the proposed 10-mile River Trail will connect Eagle River to St. Germain and link up with the Three Eagle Trail. The River Trail segment is one of 49 bicycle and pedestrian projects receiving funding through this TAP grant cycle.

Published on 09/03/2026 under News Riders heading out on ATVs or UTVs this holiday weekend should be on their best behavior. As part of the state's "Think Smart Before You Start" safety campaign, Department of Natural Resources wardens are joining forces with county recreation deputies to increase patrols along local trails and routes. Their goal is to crack down on risky driving while providing operators with safety tips. The effort comes during a dangerous year on Wisconsin trails, with 31 fatal ATV/UTV crashes reported statewide. DNR Lt. Jake Holsclaw noted that crash numbers have been trending in the wrong direction. "A large percentage of injury and fatal crashes involve riders not wearing helmets or seatbelts, operating without completing a safety course, or driving with some level of impairment." During the weekend patrol, wardens and deputies will be actively looking for operating while intoxicated (OWI), speeding, careless operation, and violations of helmet and seatbelt laws. While the extra enforcement is focused on the holiday weekend, officials hope the message inspires safe driving habits year-round.

Published on 09/03/2026 under News Officials expect heavy holiday travel this weekend and are encouraging motorists to follow the rules of the road. Labor Day weekend traditionally marks the final travel weekend of the summer. Traffic is expected to be heavy at times as drivers head north to enjoy the long weekend or close up their cabins for the season. Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Krstina Boardman says, "Labor Day weekend is a time to make memories and enjoy one last summer adventure." That means making safety part of the plan, whether you are traveling near or far. Officials remind drivers to stay safe by giving emergency responders plenty of room, eliminating distractions behind the wheel, driving sober, and allowing extra travel time when passing through construction zones. To keep traffic moving, the DOT plans to pause most road construction projects over the holiday weekend. However, motorists should still expect occasional lane closures or reduced speed limits in work zones. Drivers hoping to avoid peak traffic should plan around typical holiday weekend flow: northbound traffic is expected to be heaviest late Friday afternoon into the evening, while southbound traffic will remain steady throughout the day on Monday. At a state average of $3.81 per gallon, travelers will pay nearly a dollar more per gallon than last year, when prices hovered around $2.99. Additionally, law enforcement agencies will continue their annual "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign through the end of the holiday weekend.

Published on 09/03/2026 under News A weekend rollover crash in Lincoln County resulted in the OWI arrest of an Edgar man. According to this week's Lincoln County Sheriff's Office report, deputies responded Saturday to a single-vehicle crash with injuries on County Highway J. Upon arrival, deputies located an unoccupied vehicle. A preliminary investigation indicated the vehicle was traveling northbound when the driver misjudged a curve, entered the inside ditch, and rolled the vehicle. Deputies later learned that the driver and a passenger had been transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. After contacting the driver at the hospital, deputies placed him under arrest for first-offense OWI, going armed while intoxicated, and a probation violation. Upon release from the hospital, he was transported to the Lincoln County Jail Other notes from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report… Deputies made one other weekend OWI arrest. It involved a Merrill man, who was allegedly passed out behind the wheel while his vehicle was in the lane of traffic at the intersection of County Roads K and Q. The number of vehicle versus deer crashes was steady with another 5 this past week on Lincoln County Roadways.

Published on 09/03/2026 under News The Vilas County Health Department has issued a temporary health advisory for Big Arbor Vitae Lake Beach due to an active blue-green algae bloom. Wednesday's advisory impacts the beach located on the northeast shoreline of Big Arbor Vitae Lake off Buckhorn Road. Health Department staff are working alongside the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to assess water conditions and post advisory signage at the beach and nearby public access points. Blue-green algae occurs naturally in most Wisconsin bodies of water, but high temperatures and late-summer conditions frequently trigger blooms. Calm winds allow the algae to float to the surface and accumulate along downwind shores, though higher winds and wave action will eventually break up and disperse the floating scum Ingesting contaminated water during recreational activities is the primary cause of algae-related illness. Pets can also be affected. While public health agencies like the Vilas County Health Department monitor some popular swimming areas, it is generally up to the public to check most lakes and rivers and avoid waters where blue-green algae is present.

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Sports Headlines

Tomahawk Volleyball Stumbles Into 2026

Published on 08/29/2026 under Sports The Hatchet volleyball squad stumbled out of the gate to begin 2026, going 1-5 in their opening matches at the Just A Game Fieldhouse Friendship Tournament in the Wisconsin Dells over the weekend. Tomahawk went 0-4 Friday, losing to Wausau West, Wisconsin Dells, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau, and Oshkosh North. Saturday, the Hatchets started the day with getting swept by Cashton. The Hatchets would leave the Dells with a victory after sweeping Rio. Tomahawk begins Great Northern Conference play Thursday night at Medford. Tune in for the broadcast on the WJJQ app, online at wjjq.com, and on Northwoods 92.5 WJJQ. The Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Prematch Show will begin at 6:35 with opening serve at 7:00. Matt Theiler and Alex Koch will be in the broadcast booth from Medford Thursday night.

Published on 08/28/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's football squad's offensive struggles would continue Friday night as they would lose at Charger Field to Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 23-6. The Hatchets would fail to crack 100 yards rushing for the second consecutive game. Tomahawk would allow 305 yards on the ground to the Chargers, including 171 in the second half. Max Larson led the way for the Hatchets with 99 yards and an 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The Hatchets would force three turnovers, but mustered only six points off of those takeaways. Tomahawk falls to 0-2 on the season and will begin Great Northern Conference Play against Wausau East next Friday. Tune in for the broadcast on the WJJQ App, online at wjjq.com, and on Northwoods 92.5 WJJQ with the Fehrman Orthodontics Kickoff Cabin at 6:15 and kickoff at 7:00. Keith Hanse and Alex Koch will be in the broadcast booth from Hatchet Field next week. Other Northwoods Week 2 Football Scores: 11-Player Football: New London 13, Antigo 0 Shawano 16, Lakeland 15 Onalaska 20, Medford 0 Merrill 27, Crandon 14 Menasha 46, Mosinee 20 Ashland 26, Northland Pines 23 Rhinelander 49, Hayward 12 La Crosse Logan 37, Wausau East 0 Colby 33, Abbotsford 13 8-Player Football: Chequamegon 58, Cornell 30 Hurley 20, Laona-Wabeno 14 (OT) Ironwood (MI) 52, Florence 15 Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas 47, Goodman-Pembine 6 De Soto 62, Rib Lake 26 Gilman 50, Athens 0

Published on 08/27/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's Cross Country Squads began 2026 with top ten finishes at the Hodag Invitational in Rhinelander Thursday morning. The Hatchet girls placed third overall, finishing just 12 points behind meet champion Lakeland. The top Hatchet finisher was Charlee Lund, who placed third overall with a time of 21:28. The other top 10 finisher for the Hatchet girls was Elise Gibeault, placing ninth with a time of 22:29. As for the Hatchet Boys, Tomahawk would finish seventh overall. DC Everest would take the Hodag Invitational Boys Title. The top Hatchet finishers came from Connor Zorn and Jordyn Carew. Zorn placed 33rd with a time of 20:11. Carew placed 34th with a time of 20:12. The next meet for Tomahawk will be next Thursday, hosted by Marathon. Events begin at 4:30. Top Team Finishes from the Hodag Invite: Girls: Lakeland – 1st Rhinelander – 2nd Tomahawk – 3rd Three Lakes/Phelps – 4th Merrill – 6th Boys: Lakeland – 2nd Rhinelander – 3rd Northland Pines – 5th Laona-Wabeno – 6th Tomahawk – 7th Crandon – 8th Goodman-Pembine – 9th

Published on 08/21/2026 under Sports The Hatchet Football squad opened up 2026 with a whimper at Hatchet Field Friday night, losing to the Luther Knights, 27-6. Tomahawk responded Luther's opening-drive touchdown with a two-yard run from Max Larson. However, the Hatchets would fail to find the end zone after the first quarter. Luther countered with two scores in the second quarter, including one right after a muffed punt with two minutes left. As a team, Tomahawk rushed for 136 yards on 43 carries. Hudson Evans led the way in rushing with 46 yards on seven carries. Larson had 44 yards to go with his lone score. The Hatchets lose their first season opener since 2023 to drop to 0-1 on the season. Tomahawk will go on the road for the first time next week as they head to Wittenberg-Birnamwood. Tune in for the broadcast on the WJJQ App, online at wjjq.com, and on Northwoods 92.5 WJJQ with the Fehrman Orthodontics Kickoff Cabin at 6:15 and kickoff at 7:00. Alex Koch and Jon Long will be in the broadcast booth from Charger Field in Wittenberg. Other Week 1 Northwoods Football Scores: 11-Player Football: Northland Pines 14, Antigo 8 Lakeland 42, Hayward 14 Holmen 21, Medford 14 La Crosse Central 46, Merrill 16 Stratford 31, Mosinee 0 Rhinelander 20, Ashland 7 Wausau East 28, Shawano 0 Nekoosa 38, Crandon 0 Abbotsford 21, Markesan 8 8-Player Football: Athens 30, Niagara 8 Three Lakes/Phelps 28, Florence 12 Mellen/Butternut/Mercer 64, Prentice 28 Laona-Wabeno 12, Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas 6 Elcho/White Lake 22, Goodman-Pembine 6

Published on 08/20/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's girls swimmers opened up their season with a 13th-place finish at the Fun In the Sun Outdoor Relays in Merrill Thursday evening. The Hatchets competed in five different relays in the event. Tomahawk placed ninth in the 500 freestyle relay, swam by Aubrey Tollefson, Sloane Eisenman, Kaylee Roberts, and Kami Gabrich. The Hatchets placed 12th in the 200 Butterfly Relay, swam by Tollefson, Gabrich, Roberts, and Kortney Busterud. Tomahawk's highest finish in the meet was eighth in the 200 Backstroke Relay. The Hatchets then capped off the night with a tenth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke. Tomahawk will have a couple of weeks off before their next meet, which will be a home double dual with Great Northern Conference foes Lakeland and Mosinee September 3rd.

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