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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

Deer Activity on the Rise; Motorists Reminded to be on the Lookout

Published on 11/02/2026 under News It's that time of year when deer become more active, and safety officials are reminding motorists to use extra caution on the road. While hunters love seeing a big buck cross their path in the field, hitting one behind the wheel is a different story. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, deer-vehicle crashes spike sharply during the fall as days shorten and bucks pursue potential mates. WisDOT statistics show there were more than 17,000 deer-vehicle crashes in the state last year, with about a third occurring in October and November. Locally, deer collisions are also climbing. Over the past four weeks alone, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office reported more than 60 deer-related crashes on county roadways. Safety officials remind drivers to buckle up, slow down, and scan the road ahead—particularly at dawn and dusk when deer are most active. Because deer often travel in groups, seeing one cross the road usually means others are close behind. If a collision is unavoidable, experts recommend braking firmly while remaining in your lane. Swerving should be avoided, as it can cause you to lose control, leave the roadway, or collide with oncoming traffic, leading to a far more severe crash. If you do strike a deer, safely pull off to the shoulder, turn on your hazard lights, and remain in your vehicle while waiting for assistance to arrive.

Published on 11/02/2026 under News Multiple people were injured Thursday evening after a fleeing driver struck a deputy squad and a civilian car in Lincoln County. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, dispatch received multiple calls shortly after 7:00 p.m. regarding a wrong-way driver traveling southbound in the northbound lane of Highway 51, heading from Oneida County into Lincoln County. A deputy located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver failed to pull over despite the patrol car's emergency lights and siren being activated. Rather than conducting a PIT maneuver, out of concern for safety, a patrol lieutenant maneuvered his squad into the path of the oncoming vehicle. The suspect's vehicle struck the occupied patrol car as well as a civilian vehicle. Both the driver of the civilian car and the patrol lieutenant sustained suspected injuries in the crash. The suspect, identified as 80-year-old Rory Hofmann of Grafton, Wisconsin, was taken into custody on numerous charges including second-offense OWI causing injury, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and fleeing or failing to stop. He's scheduled for an initial appearance in court today. The Wisconsin State Patrol is handling the investigation.

Published on 11/02/2026 under News A teenager charged in connection with an altercation at Lincoln Hills that led to the death of a staff member was sentenced to three years in prison. Javarius Hurd returned to Lincoln County Circuit Court on Friday for his sentencing hearing. Earlier in the week, a jury returned a split verdict following a six-day trial into the 2024 death of Corey Proulx at the juvenile correctional facility. While Hurd was acquitted of the most serious charge—reckless homicide—he was convicted of one count of battery by a prisoner. At Friday's hearing, the judge sentenced Hurd to three years in prison, followed by three years of extended supervision. He was also ordered to have no contact with Lincoln Hills or the other counselor involved in the incident. Hurd was granted 858 days of credit for time already served.

Published on 11/02/2026 under News If you grew up in the Northwoods, chances are you've taken a field trip to Trees for Tomorrow. To make sure future students get that same opportunity, the Eagle River center is launching a new fundraising drive." Trees For Tomorrow announced its year-end initiative, titled TFT4All: Fueling Our Growth. The nonprofit is seeking to raise 250 thousand dollars to fund student scholarships and offset rising operational costs for visiting K-12 school districts. To help reach that goal, a group of donors has established an 85 thousand dollar matching challenge, doubling all contributions dollar-for-dollar through the end of the year. For more than 80 years, the Eagle River campus has hosted field-based science programs, serving roughly 14 thousand youth and adults annually. Center leadership notes that tight school budgets and increasing expenses have made financial support critical for families relying on scholarship assistance for field trips. Organizers say funds raised will directly cover student program fees, maintain campus infrastructure, and upgrade gear used for outdoor conservation science.

Published on 11/02/2026 under News Wisconsin Public Service employees continue to give back to community organizations thanks to their on-the-job safety. The latest contribution goes to a well-known organization that helps fufill dreams for sick children...Wisconsin Make-A-Wish. The $5,000 donation is part of the WPS Safety Charity Challenge. It's a company-wide initiative to encourage employees to live and work safely while positively impacting their local communities. Each quarter, employees who meet safety goals are able to select an organization or program to receive a contribution from the WPS Foundation. Last year alone, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin granted wishes for more than 400 children across the state, and over the years more than 9,000 wishes.

Published on 11/02/2026 under News Severe weather in Wisconsin changes with the seasons, and the National Weather Service is offering an opportunity to learn more about winter storms before the snow begins to fall. The NWS office in Green Bay is rolling out specialized winter sessions of their SKYWARN Storm Spotter classes in the coming weeks. These upcoming classes will focus on winter-specific hazards, including severe snow events, subzero cold weather warnings, and other winter conditions that directly impact Northwoods residents. Storm spotters provide a critical link to NWS meteorologists by serving as an extra set of eyes on the ground during severe weather events. The agency also provides courses in the spring. There are four class opportunities in November and one in December, with the first session scheduled for tomorrow evening. Because each session covers roughly the same material, participants only need to attend one. The online classes are free and open to the public. Registration links are available on our website.

Published on 11/02/2026 under Sports At the WIAA Division 2 State Cross Country Meet in Wisconsin Rapids, The two Tomahawk female qualifiers placed in the top 100. Senior Elise Gibeault ended her high school cross country career placing 40th. Gibeault finished with a time of 20:12. As for Sophomore Charlee Lund, she placed 95th in her second straight state appearance. Lund clocked in with a time of 21:14. This concludes the Tomahawk Cross Country Season.

Published on 10/30/2026 under News Fall Fest is returning to downtown Tomahawk this Saturday, and organizers are preparing for a major Halloween weekend turnout. In addition to offering family fun, the event provides a welcome boost to local business owners. While Fall Fest is free for attendees, local shop owners invest significant off-hours time and purchase their own candy and decorations. Tomahawk Main Street Director Jennifer Turkiewicz highlights that this investment pays off by introducing new customers to local storefronts. "The exposure for our businesses and giving them that opportunity to shine really is why we keep doing these events," Turkiewicz said. It is not just out-of-town visitors discovering these downtown shops; Turkiewicz notes it is common for local residents to discover stores they do not normally visit. Because Fall Fest falls directly on Halloween this year, Turkiewicz expects an extra surge in foot traffic as families incorporate downtown festivities into citywide trick-or-treating. The event typically draws between 600 and 1,000 people. Turkiewicz encourages everyone to come down and enjoy the fun, festive atmosphere, noting that family-themed costumes are one of her favorite parts of the day. Full schedules and details on participating businesses can be found on the Tomahawk Main Street Facebook page.

Published on 10/30/2026 under News Students at Tomahawk High School are getting a real-world look at the skilled trades, swapping traditional classroom time for heavy machinery and hands-on concrete work. Members of the school's Technology Education program recently visited the CASE Construction Equipment Proving Grounds right here in Tomahawk. Students got behind the controls of bulldozers, tractor loaders, and excavators, gaining a firsthand look at the equipment, technology, and career pathways available in the construction industry. Back on campus, students applied their skills to pour a brand-new sidewalk in front of the high school, gaining practical experience in concrete preparation, placement, and finishing. It's a project they will be reminded of every time they enter the building. School district officials say these hands-on experiences highlight the immense value of technical education and the importance of connecting students with local industry partners. By completing real-world projects alongside local businesses, students leave with practical skills and a clearer path toward careers in the skilled trades.

Published on 10/30/2026 under News Downtown Rhinelander has a brand-new, colorful backdrop celebrating local pride, and leaders say it's only the first step in a broader push to revamp the area's visual landscape. The Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce officially unveiled the completed "Greetings from Rhinelander" mural at 2 North Brown Street earlier this week. Commissioned by the Chamber and painted by artist Alixandra Jade, the project aims to build community identity, drive foot traffic downtown, and create a signature photo spot for residents and visitors alike. Beyond painting the wall, Jade also spent time working with local high school art students. Chamber officials view the new artwork as a catalyst for economic vitality and local connection, and they're already looking to keep the momentum going with plans for additional public art installations across Rhinelander in 2027.

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