WJJQ Radio

Story Details

Hatchet Boys Cross Country Team Wins GNC Title Published on 10/21/2019 under Sports

On Saturday the Hatchets traveled to Gartzke XC Ski Trails near Antigo for the Great Northern Conference Cross-Country Championships. For the first time in over a decade (since 2008), the Hatchet varsity boys sits atop the Great Northern Conference by capturing the title as they edged a solid improving Lakeland team by a 51-54, 3-point margin. The varsity girl's race found three state-ranked teams in a tight battle, separated by only 7 points when the dust settled, defending state champion Medford-40 pts, followed by Lakeland-45 pts and the lady Hatchets with 47 pts placed a close 3rd. The Boys JV squad won the boys GNC title and the Girls JV finished 3rd.

Earning All-Conference medalist honors for the Hatchets were: Haley Voermans-Dean, Noah Buckwalter, Drew Bolder, Kate Reilly, Emily Lacina, Garron Albrent, and Macey Mann. Haley earned All-Conference 1st Team status for the 4th straight year, as she placed 3rd overall. Noah Buckwalter also earned AllConference 1st Team status with his 3rd place finish in the varsity boys race. Drew Bolder and Kate Reilly both placed 7th completing the Hatchet first team All-Conference honorees. Emily Lacina (8th), Garron Albrent (12th), and Macey Mann (14th) earned 2nd Team All-Conference status by virtue of their placement at the GNC event.

Other Hatchet varsity finishers were: Trey Baalke (15th), Meagan Berg and Arden Ziert (16th), Alex Norman (17th), Keaton Jed (21st), Greta Tjugum (28th), and Serena Reinke (34th).

Varsity results: BV-THS-51, Lake-54, Med-73, Mos-78, Rhine-95, NPHS-179, Ant-Inc GV-Med-40, Lake-45, THS-47, Mos-92, Rhine-129, NPHS-190, Ant-Inc

Junior Ethan Liebnitz topped the field in the final GNC event of the day as he won the Boys JV title, leading the field from start to finish. Helping propel the Boys JV to their 2nd straight JV title were: Hunter Borchardt-4th, Jack Lacina-7th, Reed Zedler-8th, Brady Tjugum-11th, Matt Johnson-15th, Taje Casey-20th, Trey Miler-32nd, John Mark Hawley-34th, and Henry Calhoun-35th.

The 4th place girls JV squad was led by Tiana Gerstenberger as she finished 11th overall. Other Tomahawk girls JV placers were: Neenah Fuste-14th, Gillian Buckwalter-16th, Ava Dragosh-20th, Geena Wanta-21st, Autumn Peissig-24th, and Yumo Zhang-33rd.

JV results: BJV-THS-31, Lake-34, Rhine-56, NPHS-Inc, Med-Inc GJV-Med-49, Lake-49, Mos-51, THS-82, Rhine-106

Next race for the Hatchets is on Saturday as Tomahawk hosts the WIAA Division 2 Northeastern Wisconsin Sectional race. The meet gets underway at 11:00 a.m. with the girls varsity race. The top 2 teams and the top five non-qualifying team members advance to the state meet the following weekend in Wisconsin Rapids.

In Other News

Brantwood Group Preparing for St. Urho Day Celebration

Published on 03/20/2026 under News While many people celebrated St. Patrick's Day this week, one Northwoods group is embracing their ties to Finland. Preparation is underway in Brantwood for their annual Saint Urho Day celebration. The tongue-in-cheek holiday isn't part of traditional Finnish lore. It was actually created in the 1950's, and tells of the legend of Saint Urho. He is said to have freed Finland's grape crops from invading grasshoppers on March 16. The Knox Creek Heritage Center is one of the groups that participates each year. Their organization is dedicated to preserving the heritage of the Scandinavian pioneers that settled the Northwoods. Coming up on Saturday they'll be serving a soup buffet with traditional Finnish foods. The event will double as the group's annual meeting. The Knox Creek St. Urho Day celebration will take place Saturday at the Brantwood Community Center starting at noon.

Published on 03/20/2026 under News As spring cleaning gets underway, there's a chance to clear out old electronics responsibly. Good News Project is hosting a Global Recycling Day event on Saturday. The event encourages residents to safely dispose of unwanted electronics...anything with a cord or battery including computers, phones, TVs and even small appliances like air conditioners and dehumidifiers. Christine Daniels, Executive Director says, "Many people don't realize that their unused electronics hold materials that can be reused." The event helps keep harmful e-waste out of landfills while allowing valuable materials to be recycling. The nonprofit adds that holding the event on a Saturday makes it easier for more people to take part while tackling their spring cleaning. More information is available through the Good News Project. Fees will be charged by weight and type of item. The recycling will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Good News Project on North 5th Street

Published on 03/19/2026 under News Despite the recent winter weather, Friday is the first day of spring. Coming up this afternoon members of the Tomahawk community are looking to spread a little 'Sunshine in the Street'. Now in it's tenth year, Sunshine in the Street is a simple concept with a goal of bringing a positive impact to the community on or around the first day of spring. During today's lunch break (12:30-1:30pm), people are encouraged to head to the sidewalks carrying signs decorated with words of encouragement. Sunshine in the Street started in 2017 as an idea from the late Dr. Bobbi Voermans and the staff at Hometown Chiropractic hoping to spread positive messages, motivation, and sunshine to the community. That idea has now become a tradition that continues each year. The staff at Hometown Chiropractic again encourage people to ring in spring with sunshine, signs, and smiles. It's not unusual for participants to receive waves, shouts of encouragement, or a honk of a horn. People can also tag photos on social media to spread the message online as well.

Published on 03/19/2026 under News Fresh off the Oscars, another awards celebration is shining a spotlight a little closer to home...this time on Wisconsin's downtown districts. Wisconsin Main Street is hosting its 35th annual awards ceremony this evening, and Tomahawk Main Street will be well represented. With around two dozen categories, the awards celebrate the achievements of downtown and historic district revitalization, business growth, building renovations, and community events. Tomahawk Main Street has produced a number of winners over the years. They have eight nominations for the upcoming awards. They include: Best Placemaking Project: Andy Gorestski - Welcome Sculpture RestorationBest Event – Main Street Memories ChristmasBest Marketing Campaign – Sideways Wine & Craft BeerBusiness of the Year – Crossbridge Community BankBest Total Building Transformation – Rae's Barbershop and Walker's General StoreBest Interior Renovation – Locks and LoaderCommunity Champion 'Volunteer of the Year' – The Rainmakers (who water the downtown flower baskets)This year's awards ceremony will take place down in Wausau at the Grand Theater. A good luck to the local nominees, and we'll announce any local winners.

Published on 03/19/2026 under News The spring elections are are a little more that two weeks away. In addition to local races, voters in the city of Tomahawk will decide on a levy referendum. Ahead of the vote, city leaders have been hosting a series of informational sessions to explain why they are seeking the additional funding. The final session is scheduled to take place this evening. As we've previously covered, the state largely restricts the ability of municipalities to increase their tax levy without voter approval. The Tomahawk City Council is looking for a 20% increase to the base levy going forward, approximately $276,000. If approved, it would result in an increase of around $75 for a $100,000 property. The first two sessions, held earlier this month, included city council members as well as department heads who discussed cuts they've made in recent years to balance the budget, as well as services that could be impacted in the future. This evening's session is scheduled for 6pm at SARA Park. The election will take place April 7.

Published on 03/19/2026 under News Lincoln County is tipping its hat to a classic piece of American television. At their meeting Tuesday, The Lincoln County Board approved a resolution recognizing the 70th anniversary of The Lawrence Welk Show, which ran from 1955-1982. The resolution honors the long-running, family-friendly program for its impact on American culture, highlighting its mix of musical styles and its role in bringing audiences together across generations. The resolution was provided after a request during public comment at the February meeting. Scott Wheeler, of Tallahassee, Florida is the man behind the effort. He made the pitch to Lincoln County Board during public comment at the February meeting. It's part of a larger effort by Wheeler to recognize the show nationally and preserve the show's legacy. During the brief discussion, several supervisors acknowledged it was a nice gesture, but questioned the relevance to Lincoln County. Ultimately, the resolution was approved.

Published on 03/19/2026 under News The American Red Cross is urging Wisconsin residents to consider donating blood following recent winter storms that disrupted collections across the state. Officials say more than 30 blood drives were canceled due to severe weather, resulting in over 1,000 missed blood and platelet donations. The storms also created challenges in transporting blood supplies. Officials say a single donation can help save lives and is especially critical following weather-related disruptions. As an added incentive, those who donate during the month of March will receive a 15-dollar Amazon gift card. The Red Cross says donors of all blood types are needed and encourages people to schedule an appointment.

Published on 03/19/2026 under News Winter weather played a role in a structure fire response in Oneida County Monday. According to the Pine Lake Fire Department, responders were paged to a reported chimney fire on Spafford Road in the Town of Stella. While en route, crews were forced to reroute after part of Spring Road was found to be impassable due to drifting snow. Upon arrival, smoke was seen coming from the chimney and roof, as the fire extended beyond the chimney origin. Despite delays caused by road conditions, firefighter were able to contain the fire to the chimney and surrounding attic area. Crews remained on scene for about two hours. Additional assistance came from multiple agencies, including Pelican Lake firefighters, the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, ambulance crews, and Wisconsin Public Service. No injuries were reported. As we previously covered, Merrill Firefighters also dealt with winter challenges during a structure fire over the weekend.

Published on 03/18/2026 under News There are plenty of great burgers in the Tomahawk area. Now, a friendly competition is back to determine the best of the best. The Tomahawk STAR Foundation has announced the return of its popular "Best Burger in Paradise." Board members Kathy Rankin and Jackie Leonard stopped by the WJJQ studios this past week to talk about this year's culinary competition. While bragging rights are on the line, Best Burger in Paradise also serves as one of two major fundraisers for the foundation, along with the STAR Splash. Over the years, the organization has raised and redistributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to local nonprofits and community groups. They say it's a win-win-win, offering a chance to support a good cause, explore local restaurants, and enjoy a great meal. There will be a new champion this year, as back-to-back winner B's Landing is taking the year off. The six competitors include Billy Bob's, Nachos, Stars and Stripes, Winding Trail, 10 Point Bar and Grill, and Castaways. Organizers say the smaller field should make it easier for participants to visit every location. The card costs 25 dollars. In past years, it featured a buy-one-get-one deal. This year, it's a "spend ten" promotion for the burger, which they said can be covered by a drink and appetizer. The contest is also starting earlier this year to beat the summer tourism rush. Burgers will be served from April 1st through June 30th. Cards are available now at participating restaurants, as well as Trig's, the Tomahawk Chamber, and here at WJJQ. The STAR Foundation has additional information on their website.

Published on 03/18/2026 under News Northern Wisconsin could see a major economic boost following Tuesday's action in the State Senate. In what was the final scheduled floor session of the year, lawmakers approved more than 90 bills, including several priorities from Senate President Mary Felzkowski. The local legislator released a statement following the session. She specifically highlighted the Forestry Revitalization Act, which would create tax incentives for a proposed new Northwoods facility producing sustainable aviation fuel using woody biomass. Supporters say the project could bring billions in economic impact while also improving forest health at a time when traditional wood markets have been declining. While the proposed facility would be built in Hayward, Felzkowski said, "The entire Northwoods will benefit from this investment: truckers, restaurants, loggers, trades workers, direct plant employees, and everyone in between. Northern Wisconsin needs this, and I'm glad my colleagues agreed." The Senate also approved a measure to release $132 million to help communities dealing with PFAS contamination—an issue affecting several Northwoods communities, including the City of Tomahawk, which is exploring building a PFAS treatment facility and applying for state assistance. Other bills passed include protections for hospital price transparency, a proposal to restrict certain purchases under FoodShare, and a plan to exempt overtime wages from state income tax. In her statement, Felzkowski called it a "great day for Wisconsinites," saying lawmakers took "action on issues that impact our constituents every day." The bills previously approved by the Assembly will next head to Governor Evers for consideration.

+ Read More