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Food for Kidz Packing Event Fills More than 245,000 Meals

Published on 10/17/2025 under News Northwoods volunteers packed nearly a quarter of a million meals to address food insecurity during an annual event in Minocqua last weekend. Community partners and hundreds of volunteers gathered at Lakeland High School last Saturday for the 17th annual Food for Kidz. The cafeteria was stocked full of food, not for serving, but packing for those in need. With this year's effort now behind them, organizers took a moment to reflect, thank those who participated, and shared some impressive totals. Working in two 2-hour shifts, they were able to package more than 245,000 meals. That's just below last year's all-time high. It was thanks to the 530 volunteers who filled a double assembly line. This included Northwoods Lion's Clubs, businesses, churches, and those simply looking to give back. The packaged meals are being distributed to a number of local food pantries and after school back pack programs with additional meals going to areas of need both in the United States and developing nations.

Published on 10/17/2025 under News Rooks and pawns, knights and kings were on display in Antigo over the weekend. The Antigo Community Chess Club partnered with the Wisconsin Scholastic Chess Federation to offer an all-day tournament. While the competitors faced-off on the chess board, they also teamed up for a good cause. The theme of this year's tournament was "Checkmate to End Homelessness." Players, families, and spectators were all encouraged to bring donations for William House of Hope, Antigo's local homeless shelter. Shelter board president Nicole Barron said, "Witnessing the enthusiasm of the youth at Saturday's chess tournament was truly inspiring. Their energy, combined with their commitment to giving back, fills us with hope. Colin Hansen, a teacher and chess club advisor at Edgar said, "It was great to see so many talented young kids from different schools come together for one cause." There was also some chess to be played on the afternoon. In the end Tate Gabriel of Antigo and Alexandra Wanta of Plover finished first in their respective divisions, with Edgar and Mosinee the team winners.

Published on 10/17/2025 under News A ribbon-cutting was held Thursday to mark the grand opening of a new multi-use path along Highway 8 in Forest County. State, local, and tribal officials, including Governor Evers and Forest County Potawatomi Tribal Chair Brooks Boyd Sr, were among those attending the celebration. The new path offers travelers an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors with an improved walking and biking trail, which also includes a one-mile ATV trail, and benches and four kiosks as information centers to engage travelers. It also provides important, alternative transportation to Potawatomi facilities including their cultural center, library and museum. The multi-use path is adjacent to a segment of Highway 8 between Crandon and Laona which is currently under reconstruction, and is scheduled for completions next month. Governor Evers says, "We are ensuring community members can safely take a stroll or bike ride and enjoy the great outdoors, drivers have a safer, smoother ride to work, school, or appointments, and companies will have a more reliable route to transport goods and service." The Forest County Potawatomi Community received state and federal grants to revitalize the area and enhance connectivity for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Published on 10/17/2025 under News Student actors from schools around the Northwoods will be performing in Tomahawk this weekend. Tomahawk High School is hosting the fall one-act play, District competition on Saturday. The host Hatchets will perform, "Epic Adventures in a Rinky-Dink Art Museum" by Ken Preuss. It's described as a character driven comedy about a class of creative writing students on a field trip to a small town art museum where they battle boredom by pursuing mysteries, romances, and other assorted adventures. The cast and crew are looking to continue an impressive run of success for THS by earning a 10th consecutive trip to the state festival. Performances are free and open to the public. The Districts begin at 9am with schools participating on the hour. Tomahawk is scheduled to perform at 11am. Note the time change from the original announcement. Other Schools participating include Crandon, Northland Pines, and Oconto Falls starting at 9am.

Published on 10/17/2025 under News A relatively dry stretch of late summer and early fall has resulted in a growing area of Northern Wisconsin nearing drought conditions. The US Drought Monitor's latest weekly report, released Thursday shows most of the Northwoods classified as abnormally dry, the first stage on their 5 part scale. This includes all of Lincoln, Oneida, Price, and Langlade Counties, along with the southern half of Vilas County. With these expanding dry conditions, officials are warning about the risk of wildfire, especially at a time when people may consider burning leaves and other yard debris. Instead, they encourage people to utilize alternative means of disposal such as composting or community yard waste locations.

Published on 10/17/2025 under News A bill approved in Madison could help with a shortage of first responders in the Northwoods and around the state. The legislation establishes a reimbursement program to offset the costs of tuition and classroom materials for those pursing an education in emergency medical service at a Wisconsin Technical College. Students can apply for reimbursement funds once they complete their certification or license. The goal is to remove financial barriers for students to enter the field of EMS. Many agencies in the Northwoods have had difficulty in filling first responder positions. This bill also provides grants to technical colleges in Wisconsin to support and expand student enrollment access to EMS programs. A third part of this bill includes grant funding for a Live 911 pilot program ($100,000 allocated) to enhance dispatch awareness and coordination by enabling real-time video and multimedia communications between public safety answering points and individuals who call for emergency services. The bill cleared the Senate earlier this year, the Assembly this week. It now heads to the Governor for consideration.

Published on 10/17/2025 under News Another weekend, and another round of new hunting and trapping opportunities open in Wisconsin this weekend. Saturday marks the start of the state's pheasant season. Ahead of, and throughout the season, the DNR actually boosts the bird population. They plan to stock approximately 75,000 birds from the state game farm to around 80 statewide properties. There is a special daily bag limit of one rooster per day over the upcoming opening weekend. Then on Monday, the daily bag limit increases to two roosters per day for the duration of the season which runs through January 4. The 8th Wisconsin elk season also opens tomorrow for a select few hunters. Just 13 tags are being awarded from a pool of more than 26,000 applicants. This is also the first year with antlerless harvest opportunities. Saturday also marks the opening date for many trapping seasons in the Northern zone that includes mink, muskrat, and fisher, along with state opening for fox, bobcat, and coyote. No matter your target, hunters and trappers are encouraged to go over rules and regulations before heading out.

Published on 10/16/2025 under News There's no snow in the forecast, but area snowmobile clubs are already preparing for the upcoming season. The Northwoods is home to some of the best trails in the state, but maintaining them is year-round work. Coming up this weekend, the Northwoods Riders and Northwoods Passage Snowmobile Clubs will be holding their annual trail brushing and maintenance day. With hundreds of miles of trails north of Tomahawk, they're looking for a few volunteers to lend a helping hand. On Saturday, they'll be heading out onto the trails to clear away brush growth and remove any downed trees, branches, or other obstructions that have popped up since the trails closed last winter. And the clean-up is not just for club members... organizers note it's a good way for any riders to learn more about the local clubs do and all of the work that goes into maintaining the trail system. Once the work is completed, they'll return to the garage for a small 'thank you' gathering with food refreshments and music. They'll be meeting at the Northwoods Riders Garage on County L in Nokomis at 9am Saturday morning to hand out assignments. They encourage volunteers to bring along any tools that may be handy including saws, loppers, gloves, safety glasses, and even an ATV/UTV.

Published on 10/16/2025 under News An Antigo Police Officer was recognized at the state capital for her service to the community. Earlier this week, the state Assembly presented First Responder of the Year awards to firefighters, law enforcement, and EMS who best exemplifies community service, selflessness, and dedication. State Representative Calvin Callahan presented the 35th district honor to Antigo Police Officer Julie Powell. Callahan said, "Officer Powell's dedication and commitment to keeping the people of the City of Antigo safe can't be overstated. It's easy to see the positive impact she has on others, her department, and her community." They also highlighted one particular response last June when Powell helped negotiate the safe release of two children and surrender of a suspect in a hostage situation. Powell has more than a decade of experience in Langalde County, beginning her career with the Sheriff's Department before moving to the Antigo Police Department. As we shared yesterday, Vilas County Sheriff Joe Fath was selected as the First Responder of the Year in the 34th Assembly District. In addition to to recognizing individuals, both houses of the state legislature passed a resolution declaring October 14 as First Responders Appreciation Day in Wisconsin. Photo: Rep. Calvin Callahan and Senate President Mary Felzkowski pictured with Officer Julie Powell

Published on 10/16/2025 under News Some lucky people across the Northwoods were greeted with 'the power of flower.' Trig's staffers spent Wednesday making it a bit brighter with by offering free flowers to random people. The Northwoods grocer, through their Floral Department, brought back their annual "Petal It Forward". Throughout the day, their associates hit the streets handing out bouquets of fall flowers to unsuspecting strangers. Not only did the recipients get some flowers to keep for themselves, they received a second bouquet to "Petal It Forward" and give to another person. The Tomahawk team made a number of stops in the business districts and around the community including a visit here to WJJQ. The same was taking place throughout other Northwoods communities that Trig's serves. This local effort is part of a larger nationwide movement started by the Society of American Florists to reduce stress and make people happy through the power of flowers. This is the ninth year Trig's participated.

Published on 10/16/2025 under News As waterfront property owners are removing their docks, lifts, and boats for the season; they are encouraged to check for aquatic invasive species. Fall removal of this equipment provides an opportunity for inspection and cleaning. That can help keep waterways free from invaders like the zebra and quagga mussels by identifying, reporting, and removing them. These invasive mussels can attach themselves to solid structures like docks, rafts, and boat lifts that have spent the summer underwater. People are encouraged to be aware of any new discoveries of AIS on waterways. They recommending snapping a photo, collecting a sample, and sharing that information with the DNR or your local aquatic invasive species coordinator. It's also a good opportunity to wipe down and drain boats and trailers before putting them into storage to prevent AIS from hibernating over the winter.

Published on 10/16/2025 under News School districts around the state can begin finalizing their budgets after the state confirmed general aid funding for the school year. Each September, when the Tomahawk School District preliminary budget is approved, it is with the caveat that they used a few estimates and placeholders for figures like state general aid and enrollment. Each July, the Department of Public Instruction releases estimates of general aid, then certify the figures in mid-October. Those certified numbers were released Wednesday, without any major changes locally. Like the preliminary estimate, the Tomahawk School District will see general aid from the state drop by about 24%, a $490,000 cut. With that decrease in mind, the district was able to under-levy, or spend below that maximum amount allowed. By doing so they were able to offset most of the general aid cut by the state. The district also confirmed the district enrollment via the count on the third Friday of the school year. Those numbers are incorporated into a three year average. The district is down about 30 students when compared to last school year. With the final numbers in line with the estimates, the District will easily plug them into their spending plan. The School Board will likely schedule a special meeting in the coming days to formally approve the budget.

Published on 10/15/2025 under News A retiring Northwoods Sheriff was among first responders recognized by state lawmakers on Tuesday. The State Assembly announced the recipients of their First Responder of the Year Awards which including Vilas County Sheriff Joseph Fath. Representative Rob Swearingen and State Senator Mary Felzkowski present Sheriff Fath with the honor for the 34th district during a ceremony at the state capital in Madison. Earlier this year, Fath announced his plans to retire in December after 44 years with the Vilas County Sheriff's Office. He began as a patrol deputy in 1981, working his way through the ranks to Sheriff, a position he's held since 2013. Rep. Swearingen said, "For more than four decades, (Sheriff Fath) has been a steady hand and a respected leader in our community. His commitment to the safety and well-being of Vilas County residents has set the standard for law enforcement across the Northwoods." The "First Responder of the Year" award was established in 2019 to recognize Wisconsin's firefighters, law enforcement, and EMS who demonstrate exceptional service and selflessness. Each state representative selects one honoree from their district based on community nominations, highlighting those who go above and beyond in their duties.

Published on 10/15/2025 under News The Tomahawk School District is moving closer to a finalized budget for the current school year. Each fall, the Tomahawk School District presents and approves a preliminary spending plan. That initial budget uses some estimates for figures like state aid and school enrollment which aren't finalized until after the school year begins. Those numbers are starting to come in and Administrator Wendell Quesinberry provided the board with an update last night. The enrollment is calculated on the 3rd Friday of the school year using a formula that also incorporates factors such as open enrollment and pre-k. Tomahawk's enrollment this year is approximately 1,070; down about 30 students from last year. Those numbers are factored into a three year rolling average. Quesinberry noted this isn't a trend specific to Tomahawk, but around the state. As for the general state aid, those numbers are expected to be released Wednesday. DPI estimates released in July indicated an approximately $500,000 loss for Tomahawk. With these numbers being finalized, Quesinberry says they'll be able to plug them into the budget in short order. The School Board will likely reconvene later this month to approve the final budget. A few other quick notes from last night's meeting… • Quesinberry highlighted several generous donations towards the district's lunch fund and the Elementary Families in Need Program. • The district continues to discuss an updated agreement with WaWui for the hockey team's use of the SARA Park Ice arena and details such as ice rental, event workers, and admission. • The board heard another update on the Community Education program in its second full year.

Published on 10/15/2025 under News Local officials are hoping to use a wastewater leak in Tomahawk this summer as a learning experience to improve inter-agency communications. The Lincoln County Emergency Planning Committee met Wednesday, among the agenda items, a wastewater leak in Tomahawk earlier this year. Back on August 7, the crews identified a force main break near the plant which leaked approximately 6 million gallons of waste water. While the leak was isolated almost immediately and repaired the following day, it had likely been occurring for sometime in the more-than-80 year old pipe. The topic was discussed at the August City of Tomahawk Public Works meeting and September City Council meeting. Lincoln County Emergency Planning Committee invited officials from the state, county, and city to attend their meeting yesterday afternoon to further discuss the situation. Attendees included Tomahawk Mayor Steve Taskay, alderman Will Garske, and waterwater lead Rich Theimer. After walking through the timeline of the leak and response, the city officials also discussed steps to improve monitoring, safeguards, and response protocols. The conversation among stakeholders also took a broader approach on improving communication in the future between appropriate agencies to establish a whole-community approach to emergency response. _____The Lincoln County Emergency Planning Committee will be discussing a waste water leak in Tomahawk over the summer. As we covered back in August, the City of Tomahawk Board of Public Works discussed a force main break which leaked approximately 6 million gallons of waste water near County Road S and Military Road. The leak was identified on August 7, though had likely been occurring for some time prior. Crews were able to isolate the leak in the more-than-80 year old pipe within a few hours and repaired it the following day. The department worked with the DNR on testing in the area and in notifying nearby property owners who may have been impacted. The Lincoln County Emergency Planning Committee first discussed the incident and response at their September meeting where they expressed concern over communications between the various entities involved, as well as the public. According to the minutes of that meeting, the Committee intended to invite the city, county, and state officials to their next meeting. Among groups they identified: City of Tomahawk, Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin DHS, Lincoln County Health Department, Lincoln County Land Services, and Lincoln County Corporation Council. That meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 2:30pm at the Lincoln County Service Center.

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