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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

Northwoods Communities Observe Memorial Day Monday

Published on 05/25/2026 under News It is Memorial Day and local groups and communities will honor those who gave their lives in service to the country. While many are enjoying camping and cookouts today, local veteran groups want people to also remember the reason for Memorial Day. That's honor, mourn, and pay tribute the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The origins of the holiday date back to the 1860's and began with states observing those fallen during the Civil War. The current designation of Memorial Day on the last Monday of May was established in 1971. Here in the Northwoods, the practice of marking the graves of veterans has been completed. Tomahawk Main Street continued their tradition of hanging Honor Banners on downtown light poles. It all leads up to the observance ceremonies around the area. We've got other programs listed in the WJJQ Community Calendar. Here in Tomahawk, the community program will be held at Veteran's Memorial Park with a Time of Reflection at 9am and the program at 9:30am. Merrill and Rhinelander programs both get underway at 10:30. The Merrill program at the City Cemetery Veterans Memorial; Rhinelander's at the High School Performing Arts Center. And Northwoods National Cemetery in Harshaw will host a ceremony at 2:30pm.

Published on 05/25/2026 under News The Tomahawk High School Class of 2026 received their diplomas Friday evening. But first, they took a literal walk down memory lane. As part of the annual graduation festivities, the Tomahawk School District continued the Graduate Celebration Walk. For most THS students, their educational years are spent on the same campus and under one shared roof, K-12. On their final day of class, the soon-to-be graduates, in cap and gown, took part in a mini-parade through the entire campus where they were celebrated by staff and students in the elementary, middle and high schools. Students who attended St. Marys made their way across town to visit that school. The Walk was established a few years ago as a way to promote the camaraderie and progress these students have made, while, allowing them an opportunity to inspire younger students and even reconnect with past teachers and staff members who have contributed to their educational journey. Speaking of Friday night's THS graduation, that ceremony was recorded and is now available for viewing on the Tomahawk School District YouTube channel.

Published on 05/25/2026 under News Four people were taken into custody following a high speed chase in Rhinelander after officers responded to gun shots. According to the Rhinelander Police Department, officers were called to Hodag Park Friday afternoon at shortly before 2pm for reports of several males firing a gun over Boom Lake. Police say the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle, leading officers on multiple pursuits through the city and surrounding highways. Authorities say officers temporarily ended the chase several times in the interest of public safety as the vehicle traveled through downtown Rhinelander and other populated areas. During the pursuit, police report shots were fired from the suspect vehicle at law enforcement officers. The chase continued east on Highway 8, where officers eventually used a PIT maneuver near Beaver Creek Road to stop the vehicle. Four suspects were taken into custody without incident. Their names were not immediately released. The investigation remains ongoing.

Published on 05/25/2026 under News An investigation is underway into an officer-involved shooting death in Forest County. According to the Wisconsin DOJ- Division of Criminal Investigation, officers from the Crandon Police Department, the Forest County Sheriff's Office, and DNR responded Saturday afternoon to reports of an active shooter at a housing complex on Indian Settlement Road in the Town of Nashville, located on the tribal lands of the Sokaogon Chippewa Community. Investigators say the suspect fired a weapon toward nearby homes and responding officers. During the encounter, two Crandon police officers and a DNR conservation warden returned fire, striking the suspect. Life-saving measures were attempted, but the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers or members of the public were injured. Officials say there were officer body cams and squad dash cams. A rifle was later recovered at the scene. The officers involved have been placed on standard administrative leave. The DOJ-DCI is handling the investigation.

Published on 05/25/2026 under News After crowded roads Friday evening, officials are anticipating another busy travel day Monday following the long holiday weekend. While the Northwoods traffic may be better spaced Monday than the late Friday rush, southbound traffic is still expected to be heavy at times. Drivers are encouraged to slow down, buckle up, and avoid distractions. It may also save motorists some time by checking out alternative routes or traveling at non-peak hours. To accommodate the holiday traffic, the Department of Transportation has paused most of their road construction projects for the long weekend. That includes temporarily reopening many of the work zones that have been closed in recent weeks. This includes Highway 51 north of Tomahawk and in Minocqua. Those projects are expected to resume on Tuesday morning.

Published on 05/25/2026 under News As ATV and UTV riders hit the trails for Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding riders to put safety first. The DNR says Wisconsin has already seen 14 ATV and UTV fatalities this year, including nine on public roadways. Officials say many serious crashes involve riders not wearing helmets or seatbelts. The DNR is also reminding riders about new ATV and UTV regulations taking effect June 1, including a requirement that all UTV operators and passengers wear seatbelts. DNR Off-Highway Vehicle Administrator Lt. Jacob Holsclaw says helmets and seatbelts have been proven to reduce serious injuries and save lives, especially when used together. Officials also warn that speed, alcohol, and careless driving continue to be leading causes of crashes. Two thirds of fatal crashes have occurred on public roads. Riders are also encouraged to check that trails and road routes are open before heading out and to follow all posted traffic laws and safety regulations. • When traveling on routes, operate in single file on the extreme right side of the traffic lane. • Keep headlights on at all times. • Follow speed limits and regulatory signs. • Use directionals or hand signals.

Published on 05/22/2026 under News Memorial Day weekend in Tomahawk means the return of the Main Street Memories Car Show. Originally started by a local car club, the event was later taken over by Tomahawk Main Street, which has continued the tradition while introducing small changes to keep the show fresh and exciting. As we previewed Thursday, this year's show is dedicated to founder and longtime participant Swede Jorgensen. Main Street Director Jennifer Turkiewicz took some time out from preparations to discuss the 32nd edition of the Car Show. She was quick to credit the many volunteers, participants, and attendees who have helped make the show a success over the past three decades. Last year's event featured more than 325 vehicles, which Turkiewicz admitted made for a tight fit. While many car shows are in fields or parking lots, Tomahawk's offers a scenic setting in the historic downtown district.. Turkiewicz added that vehicle owners also appreciate the paved streets, which help keep their chrome polished and clean. Turkiewicz said they traditionally have a big age range, referring to both the people and the cars. And because the Main Street Memories Car Show doesn't group by class or era, you might find a 1935 Ford could be parked next to a brand-new Corvette. In addition to traditional classics, the show has also featured TV- or movie-inspired vehicles such as the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, the Batmobile, the "Dukes of Hazzard" General Lee, and Jurassic Park Jeep. Turkiewicz says the show is very family-friendly and gives visitors the chance to admire unique vehicles, learn more about them, and meet owners who enjoy sharing the stories behind their cars. And while the vehicles are the main attraction, Turkiewicz says there's plenty for non-car enthusiasts to enjoy as well. The event also includes a craft fair, vendors, kids activities and entertainment complementing the downtown restaurants and shops. The Main Street Memories Car Show takes place Sunday throughout the Tomahawk Main Street District, rain or shine.

Published on 05/22/2026 under News Another group of Tomahawk High School students have reached a milestone in their educational journey...it's time for graduation. Ninety Three THS seniors will cross the stage this evening to receive their diplomas. It the culmination of a busy few weeks for the soon-to-be-graduates. They've finished finals, attended their senior class trip, held senior awards night, and completed a community service project. It's all led to the final day of class and tonight's commencement ceremony. Learning a bit about the Class of 2026: their motto is "Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up."; class song is 'Hey Ya' by OutKast as their class song. Midnight blue and the hydrangea are the class color and class flower respectively. Michael Samundsen was named the 2026 Valedictorian with Edwin Riese as Salutatorian.. Each is expected to address their fellow graduates during this evening's program. Rounding out the Top 10, students graduating with honors include: Freya Alberg, Faith Derleth, Ethan Gibeault, Emma Hoff, Logan Norman, Nathan Norman, Sophie Olsen and Galen Schmidt. As for tonight's graduation ceremony, tickets are not required. Doors open at 6pm, the program begins at 7pm. While the ceremony won't be live-streamed, the district says it will be recorded and posted to the their YouTube channel.

Published on 05/22/2026 under News Northwoods motorists may want to tap the brakes this weekend as you may be watched from above. The Wisconsin State Patrol announced upcoming aerial enforcement plans which will include Highway 51 in Oneida County on Friday. According to the announcement, it's much easier for troopers to spot drivers who are speeding or driving aggressively from the air. When a pilot observes a violation, they communicate with ground-based units to initiate a traffic stop. The Wisconsin State Patrol says that the aerial enforcement missions are publicly announced to improve public safety through voluntary compliance rather than to simply stop drivers and handing out citations. The eye in the sky has been used in various regions around the state throughout this week.

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