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Latest Discover Wisconsin Segment Highlights Scary Stories of Lincoln County

Published on 09/08/2026 under News Halloween is still a few weeks away, but a new video short is shining a light on some of Lincoln County's haunted history. As part of an ongoing partnership with Discover Wisconsin, Lincoln County is first location featured in a new series titled "Dare to Discover-Paranormal Wisconsin." Host Andrea Boehlke recently visited the Merrill area to explore three local ghost stories passed down through generations. The segment highlights the chilling tale of Jenny Hill, the spooky history of the former Haunted Sawmill, and the legend of the headless horseman of the Merrill School Forest, Heinrich 'Boomdecker' Becker. During her trip, Boehlke also takes a look at popular seasonal fall activities in the region. Over the years, Lincoln County and Discover Wisconsin have teamed up to spotlight local people, places, and events, including a dog-sledding production that took home a regional Emmy Award last year. The latest episode was released over the weekend on the Discover Wisconsin YouTube channel, and a link is available in the online version of this story.

Published on 09/08/2026 under News September is National Preparedness Month, and the Lincoln County Emergency Management team is encouraging residents take action. This year's theme, "Americans Stand Ready," focuses on ensuring people have the knowledge, plans, supplies, and skills needed to protect themselves and their loved ones when the unexpected strikes. Emergency Management Director Tyler Verhasselt and his team are sharing 21 practical preparedness actions throughout the month, one for every weekday in September. Designed to help residents better understand local risks, prepare their households, and strengthen community resilience, some tasks take just a few minutes, while others may take some long term planning. In week one, the team has encouraged residents to sign up for Lincoln County's newly launched Emergency Alerts system, identify common household hazards, and start open conversations about emergency plans at home. You can follow along with daily updates, tips, and activities on the Lincoln County Emergency Management Facebook page. We'll also have more coverage on preparedness as the month goes on.

Published on 09/08/2026 under News Kids across the Northwoods have returned to campus, and now some older learners are heading back to class as well. Nicolet College is launching its popular Learning in Retirement (LIR) program on Wednesday with a Fall Kickoff and orientation on campus. Proving that learning never retires, the annual program gives adults ages 50 and older the chance to try new hobbies, explore fresh topics, and make new friends. Described as "learning for the pure pleasure of learning," there are no grades, tests, or required attendance. The program currently boasts a membership of more than 250 active learners. This fall semester features over 30 classes and excursions spanning a wide range of topics, including art, health, food, and nature. A few highlights on the upcoming schedule include a local presentation by "Ed the Diver," a culinary history class on "Foods from the Great Gatsby Era," and an expert-led session on local loon rescues. An annual membership costs $50 and covers LIR classes for both the fall semester and the entire academic year. The course catalog and registration details are available on the Nicolet College website.

Published on 09/08/2026 under News Northwoods locals gave summer travelers a warm send-off on Labor Day, carrying on a decades-old tradition to thank departing visitors. Positioned along the Highway 51 corridor through Minocqua, Hazelhurst, and Woodruff, residents gathered to wave at southbound seasonal community members and tourists heading home. Often referred to as the "Wave Line" or "Wave Parade," the simple gesture serves as an annual token of gratitude for the visitors who fuel the region's economy. According to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, in Oneida County, visitor economic impact reached a record $408 million last year. What originally began as an informal gathering has evolved into a cherished tradition. At landmark spots like Whitman's, locals have been lining the roadside to wave goodbye to summer for over half a century.

Published on 09/08/2026 under News Wisconsin's deer season officially kicks off this Saturday with the opening of the archery and crossbow hunt, and state safety officials are urging hunters to take extra precautions before climbing up into the trees. Surveys from the Department of Natural Resources show that one in four bowhunters has experienced a fall or near-fall from an elevated stand. Despite those odds, less than half say they wear a safety harness while climbing. The DNR says simple habits can save lives: inspect your gear and your stand before every hunt, keep three points of contact while climbing, and always use a haul line to raise and lower your bow or firearm. Officials also warn hunters to avoid setting up stands in ash trees, which may be weakened and structurally unsafe due to emerald ash borer damage. The Treestand Manufacturers Association offers a free 15-minute safety refresher online. The archery season runs from Saturday through early January.

Published on 09/08/2026 under News After a summer break, a road construction project is scheduled to resume this week. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced that crews will return to Minocqua to resume work on Highway 51 between Front Street and the Lake Minocqua Bridge. Work on the project originally started this spring and paused in early June to accommodate the summer tourism season. Now they are getting back to work. According to the announcement, they've got about six weeks left with a target completion date on October 20. Single-lane closures will be in effect through downtown Minocqua during active construction. Crews do plan one more temporary pause. They'll remove traffic controls for the annual Beef-A-Rama celebration the weekend of Sept. 26.(A full list of state project updates can be found on the DoT website)As for ongoing road construction impacting local traffic, according to the weekly Department of Transportation report... In Lincoln County, Highway 17 remains closed to through traffic between Highway 64 and Big Hay Meadow Creek for a two phase project. Crews will be working on the paving project during the fall construction season, pause for the winter, and then resume next spring. The posted detour uses Highways 64, 51, and 8. Local access to homes and businesses along the construction corridor will be maintained. In Lincoln County, WIS 107 remains closed to through traffic between Wilderness Drive and County S as crews continue culvert work and roadway restoration. The project is scheduled to continue through mid-October. In Oneida County, paving work continues on U.S. 8 between WIS 47 and WIS 17 North in the Rhinelander area. This segment of Highway 8 remains closed and detoured. This project is in it's final few weeks. In Oneida County, crews continue asphalt paving on U.S. 45 between U.S. 8 and WIS 32 near Three Lakes. Motorists should expect single-lane closures controlled by flaggers. Work is expected into early-October.

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Sports Headlines

Another Slow Start Dooms Hatchet Football in GNC Opener

Published on 09/04/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's football squad would fail to shake off another slow start in their Great Northern Conference opener Friday night at Hatchet Field, losing to Wausau East, 23-14. The Hatchets were able to move the ball for three out of the four quarters against Wausau East. Unfortunately, Tomahawk was unable to overcome an early 16-0 deficit behind two first-half touchdowns from the Lumberjacks' Xander Klein. The Hatchets rushed for a season-high 183 yards on 40 carries. Max Larson led the way with 69 yards and a touchdown. Henry Nieman finished with a receiving touchdown and an interception. Tomahawk falls to 0-3 on the season and 0-1 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back at Hatchet Field next week to welcome Antigo. The Fehrman Orthodontics Kickoff Cabin begins at 6:15 and kickoff is at 7:00. Alex Koch and Jon Long will be in the broadcast booth. Other Northwoods Football Scores: 11-Player Football: Coleman 28, Northland Pines 16 Marathon 19, Crandon 0 Mosinee 33, Antigo 14 Merrill 42, Lakeland 13 Medford 62, Rhinelander 20 Regis 42, Abbotsford 0 8-Player Football: Suring 56, Goodman-Pembine 6 Hurley 22, Phillips 6 Laona-Wabeno 44, Rib Lake 6 Three Lakes/Phelps 64, Chequamegon 0

Published on 09/03/2026 under Sports The Hatchet female swimmers went 0-2 in their home double dual with Mosinee and Lakeland Thursday night. Tomahawk would fall to Lakeland, 134-27 and to Mosinee, 80-57. The top finish for Tomahawk came in the 400 yard freestyle as the team of Kaylee Roberts, Kurtney Busterud, Kami Gabrich, and Aubrey Tollefson placed second with a time of 4:42. Kaylee Roberts placed third in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:17.14. Tollefson placed third in the 100 yard breaststroke with a time of 1:25.63. The Hatchets will have their next double dual next Thursday in Colby with the host and Rhinelander. Events begin at 5:30.

Published on 09/03/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's volleyball squad would fight tooth and nail, but come up short at Raider Hall in Medford Thursday night, losing, 25-16, 25-23, 26-24. The Hatchets would build leads in Games Two and Three, but Medford relied on the heavy hitters of Taylor Klingbeil and Kayla Baumgartner to come back and get the victory. Lauren Reibe finished with six kills and six aces in the victory. Lexi Palmer and Shelby Borowski combined for 19 of Tomahawk's 21 assists. The loss drops Tomahawk to 1-6 on the season and 0-1 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back on the court Saturday for the next invite at DC Everest. Their first match will be at 9:00 against Edgar.

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

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