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Cancellations & Closings Due to Covid-19 Published on 04/05/2020 under News

Covid-19 has caused cancellations in the Northwoods area. Stay up-to-date with our listings:

Tomahawk Schools and St. Mary's School are now closed until further notice.

The Tomahawk Public Library will be suspending all operations and cancelling all programs and events.

T.B. SCOTT Free Library in Merrill is closed until further notice.

The Rhinelander District Library will be closed until further notice.

The Demmer Library in Three Lakes will closed until further notice.

The WIAA announces all school spring sports activities are postponed until further notice.

Tomahawk City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice.

Merrill City Hall will be closed to public walk-ins.

Tomahawk Senior Center will be closed to non-essential public gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus among our most vulnerable population. This closure is until further notice.

The YMCA of the Northwoods will temporarily suspend all operations outside of licensed child care.

The Oneida County Sheriff's Office lobby will not be open to the public and there will no longer be video visitation in the front lobby vestibule.

The Tomahawk Police Department is closing their lobby to walk-ins until further notice. They are also temporarily discontinuing drug take backs and syringe disposal.

The Merrill / Tomahawk Municipal Court Clerk's Office is closed to walk-in business until further notice.

The Town of Bradley town hall is closed to the public until further notice.

The Town of King Recycling Site is closed until further notice.

The Kinship House in Tomahawk is closed until further notice.

The Tomahawk Chamber of Commerce will closed until further notice. They will be checking email and voicemail.

All public Masses are cancelled at St. Mary - Tomahawk, St. Augustine - Harrison and St. Francis - Pier Willow. Please refer to St. Mary's website to read the most recent letter from the Bishop.

Grace Lutheran Church has cancelled all services, soup meals and events until further notice. Their worship services can be streamed on Sunday at 9:00 am. The link is at www.gracelutherantomahawk.org

The Tomahawk and Spirit United Methodist Churches are cancelling services until further notice.

St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Tomahawk is cancelling all regular scheduled services, activities and events until further notice.

Redeemer Ev. Lutheran Church has cancelled all services until further notice.

Northland Bible Church has cancelled all worship services until further notice. Visit the church's website for further information.

Northwoods Vineyard Church has cancelled all worship services until further notices. Services are available on their website.

All masses at Holy Family Catholic Church in Woodruff are cancelled until further notice.

Eagle Summit Healing Rooms are temporarily closed and the Thursday evening prayer sessions will continue as soon as possible.

The Wednesday Night Cribbage at VFW Post is Tomahawk is cancelled until Fall.

St. Mary's Thrift Cellar of Tomahawk is now closed until further notice. No donations will be accepted.

The Tomahawk Community Thrift Shop will not be accepting donations and will be closed until further notice.

The Merrill-Go-Round has suspended transit services until further notice.

All dance classes at the Terry Bucaro Dance Studio are cancelled until further notice.

All StrongBodies Classes in Tomahawk and Merrill are cancelled until further notice.

The Monday evening Yoga Class held at the Corpus Christi Center in Tomahawk are cancelled until further notice.

The Open Arms Community Soup Kitchen at the Corpus Christi Center on Tuesdays is cancelled until further notice.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Sites Service Suspended Until Further Notice in Marathon, Lincoln, Portage, Wood, Taylor and Langlade counties.

Effective immediately, the Oneida County Veterans Service Office is suspending service on the Oneida County DAV van that takes veterans to medical appointments at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, MI until further notice.

All events that were scheduled in April at the Rock Garden Tavern and FoFS Studio at the Wisconsin Concrete Park have been cancelled.

The City of Merrill Park and Recreation Department has cancelled their Easter Egg Hunt that was scheduled for April 11.

The annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Nokomis Fire Department has been cancelled.

St. Paul Lutheran Church has cancelled the free Community Easter Dinner that was scheduled for Sunday, April 12 at Rodeway Inn & Suites in Tomahawk.

The Tomahawk Cornhole League Meeting that was scheduled for April 16 at Lisa's Pub & Grub has been postponed.

The Tomahawk Area Interfaith Volunteers Spring Event, "Magical Night of Comedy for a Cause" that was scheduled for April 18 has been cancelled.

The Tomahawk Food Pantry Meeting scheduled for April 27 has been cancelled.

The Knight Owls snowmobile club fundraiser originally scheduled for May 2 at Inshalla Country Club has been rescheduled to November 7.

The Journeys Half Marathon in Eagle River on May 9 has been cancelled.

The Tomahawk Chamber of Commerce has postponed the Taste of Tomahawk to Saturday, May 16.

The Red, White and Blue Day program that was scheduled for May 21 at the Tomahawk School District Fieldhouse has been cancelled.

In Other News

One Dead, Two Injured in SUV/UTV Crash near Tomahawk

Published on 08/18/2026 under News An 82-year-old Tomahawk woman has died following a two-vehicle crash involving a UTV and an SUV on Monday evening in Lincoln County. Emergency responders were dispatched to the intersection of U.S. Highway 8 and County Road CC in the Town of Wilson at approximately 6:07 p.m. on August 17 after receiving a 911 call reporting a collision with multiple injuries. According to preliminary findings from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, the UTV was attempting to cross Highway 8 when it was struck by a westbound SUV. The driver of the UTV was transported by ambulance to the hospital, and later died from her injuries. Her name is being withheld pending family notification. A 79-year-old passenger on the UTV was also taken to the hospital by ambulance with injuries and is expected to recover. The driver of the SUV, a 40-year-old woman, sustained injuries in the crash and was transported to the hospital via private vehicle. She is also expected to recover. The crash remains under active investigation.

Published on 08/18/2026 under News The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help following a serious hit-and-run crash early Sunday morning in the Town of Merrill. At approximately 2:00 a.m., deputies responded to the area of County Highway K and Lake Pesobic Road after a man was found lying in the roadway with a head injury. The victim had little memory of the incident and was unable to provide a description of the vehicle. He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Investigators determined the man was walking along the west side of County Highway K when he was struck by a southbound vehicle. Based on evidence recovered at the scene, deputies believe the suspect vehicle may be a truck with damage to its passenger-side mirror. The Sheriff's Office noted a couple of additional details from the investigation. A nearby Flock automated license plate camera was non-operational at the time due to previous vandalism. Additionally, while deputies located a second person along the roadside, that individual was determined to be an intoxicated pedestrian unrelated to the crash. Anyone who witnessed the incident, has information about the vehicle, or was driving through the area between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. Sunday is asked to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.

Published on 08/18/2026 under News State Highway 17 will remain closed as transportation officials prepare to launch a pavement replacement project earlier than originally scheduled. According to Lincoln County Highway Commissioner Jason Lemmer, the road's rapid deterioration prompted the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to move the timeline forward. Keeping the highway closed now was determined to be the most cost-effective decision given the road conditions. Crews previously completed work to replace the Barnes Creek Bridge along the route earlier this summer. According to Lemmer, a new detour route will be posted shortly, while the official construction start date has not yet been announced. Highway 17 remains completely closed to traffic. The local highway department will continue to provide updates as construction schedules are finalized, and we'll of course share that information. The newly announced pavement project will extend into next year.

Published on 08/18/2026 under News With the new school year quickly approaching, a new list of unusual mascots has been released—and the Rhinelander Hodag is once again in the spotlight. Selected from more than 24,000 high schools nationwide, the Rhinelander Hodags landed at No. 7 on a new list of the Top 50 Most Interesting U.S. High School Nicknames. The rankings were compiled by high school nickname expert David Winder, author of Where Are the Fighting Giraffes: A Guide to the Ordinary, Odd and Outrageous Nicknames of U.S. High Schools. Winder says he created the list to celebrate the local stories behind unique team names, noting that "the best ones make people ask a question, tell a story, or immediately picture the place they represent." This is familiar territory for the Hodag, which regularly finds itself near the top of national lists celebrating unique, legendary, and downright strange mascots. The Hodags finished ahead of several other unusual contenders, including the Fluvanna County Flying Flucos, the Maryville Spoofhounds, the Yuma Criminals, the Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms, and the Mount Clemens Battling Bathers.

Published on 08/18/2026 under News A speeding motorcyclist received an unexpected educational lesson on proper firearm protocol during a recent traffic stop. The incident began last week when a deputy clocked a motorcycle traveling 91 mph in a 55 mph zone near the intersection of County Highways Q and K in the Town of Scott. According to the Sheriff's Office, after coming to a stop, the driver reached down and removed a handgun from his holster. The deputy immediately ordered the man to drop the weapon, and he complied without further incident. When questioned about his actions, the driver explained he had previously been advised to disarm himself if he was ever pulled over by law enforcement. The deputy took the opportunity to explain proper protocol for legal firearm owners during a traffic stop to ensure safety for both the driver and the officer. The Sheriff's Office emphasizes that drivers should never reach for a firearm during a stop. Instead, drivers are advised to keep their hands clearly visible, immediately notify the officer of the weapon's location, and wait for further instructions. The driver was ultimately issued citations for speeding and other traffic violations.

Published on 08/18/2026 under News Extremely dry conditions helped fuel a field fire near Eagle River Monday evening. The Eagle River Area Fire Department was called out around 5 p.m. after a combine sparked a fire in dry, cut hay. The fire spread quickly through the field. The department worked alongside the Eagle River DNR Wildland Firefighting Crew and farm workers. Crews were able to get the flames under control. A department drone equipped with thermal imaging was also used to help locate any remaining hotspots from above.

Published on 08/18/2026 under News A Northwoods attraction is teaming up with a local nonprofit this evening, using a pirate-themed fundraiser to tackle childhood food insecurity in Vilas and Oneida counties. Pirates Hideaway in Eagle River is hosting the "Pirates FOR Kids" event from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., donating proceeds to the organization Feed Our Rural Kids, or FORK. Organizers say the goal is simple: helping the nonprofit protect what they call the community's "real treasure," its youth. Ticket sales from Captain Steve's pirate ship cruises on the Eagle River Chain, as well as a portion of food and drink sales, will directly fund meal programs for area children. The event features live music, food sales, and raffles. All funds raised will support FORK's nutrition initiatives across the Northland Pines, Three Lakes, and Phelps school districts.

Published on 08/18/2026 under News Each summer, the city of Merrill celebrates its local area and all it has to offer with a special community gathering. On Tuesday evening, the annual Merrill Community Night Out returns for its 14th year. The event is inspired by the nationwide National Night Out initiative, the later date is due to timing with the Lincoln County Fair. Organizers note the event gives residents a chance to learn more about local services while meeting the people who make those programs possible. As in years past, a lengthy list of local professionals and organizations are scheduled to attend. Local First Responders will be on site to give kids an up-close look at emergency equipment. Other scheduled participants include Merrill-Go-Round transit, Northcentral Technical College, the T.B. Scott Free Library, and Lincoln County Crime Stoppers. The event will be held at the Merrill Festival Grounds inside the Expo Center from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Featuring food, activities, and live entertainment, organizers encourage residents to bring the whole family out.

Published on 08/17/2026 under News A teenager sustained life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Tomahawk late last week. The incident occurred late Thursday morning near SARA Park. According to reports, the teen was walking in a group when she was hit by a vehicle. She was transported to a nearby hospital before being airlifted to another facility for additional treatment. Court records indicate that a 17-year-old female driver is facing multiple charges including reckless injury and recklessly endangering safety. She made an initial court appearance on Friday, where bond was set at $5,000. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for August 24.

Published on 08/17/2026 under News Voter participation in Lincoln County increased slightly during last week's Fall Primary, both in total votes cast and the percentage of registered voters who participated. According to preliminary results, turnout reached 41%, up from 39% in the 2024 fall primary. A total of 7,360 ballots were cast, an increase over the roughly 6,500 cast in 2024. Voter turnout was likely driven by several high-profile primary contests on both the Republican and Democratic side. The breakdown included approximately 4,200 Republican ballots, 2,600 Democratic ballots, and 10 ballots cast for third-party candidates, including the Green, Constitution, and Libertarian parties. Lincoln County results mirrored overall totals in most top-of-ticket races: Tom Tiffany-Republican Governor nomination; David Crowley-Democratic Governor nomination; and Michael Alfonso-Republican 7th congressional district nomination. There was an exception in the 7th congressional district Democratic nomination. While Ginger Murray received the most in Lincoln County, Fred Clark scored more votes district-wide to win the nomination. Voter turnout typically increases in the Fall General Election, the first Tuesday in November.

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