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Cancellations & Closings Due to Covid-19 Published on 05/03/2020 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 for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.

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 cancelled for the 2020 season.

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.

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.

Lincoln County's Summer ATV trails will remain closed until further notice and will not open on May 1.

Lincoln County's Underdown Horseback riding and biking trails will be closed until further notice and will not open May 1.

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

The Tomahawk Chamber of Commerce has cancelled the Taste of Tomahawk that was scheduled for Saturday, May 16.

The Wisconsin River Pro Rodeo has been cancelled for June 12 through June 14, 2020.

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

The Pow Wow Days Fourth of July Festivities in Tomahawk have been cancelled.

In Other News

Winter Weather Awareness Week: Vehicle Emergency Kits

Published on 11/19/2025 under News From a vehicle slide-off to a dead battery, most Wisconsin motorists will become stranded at some point. That's why it's important to carry a winter emergency kit in your vehicle. It's Winter Weather Awareness Week in the state of Wisconsin and today we're looking about some useful items you should keep in your vehicle during the winter months to remain safe and comfortable until you're back on the road. The cold can put a strain on your battery, so it's a good idea to keep a set of jumper cables in the car. Portable jumping units are also handy. If you have one, make sure it is fully charged and check regularly during the winter months. Ready Wisconsin also recommends a tow rope, a small shovel, and either sand or kitty litter to provide traction if you become stuck. Sometimes you'll simply have to wait for help, that's when items like an extra set of winter clothing, blankets, snacks, a cell charger, flashlights, and a battery operated radio are useful. Ready Wisconsin and Lincoln County Emergency Management have a full list of items to consider on their website.

Published on 11/19/2025 under News The state has awarded funding to help communities improve their drinking water quality. That includes several recipients here in the Northwoods. Governor Evers and the DNR jointly announced the latest funding from the Safe Drinking Water Loan program. The program provides a combination of low-interest loans and principal forgiveness for drinking water infrastructure projects. Yesterday's announcement allocated more than $282 million shared by 74 Wisconsin municipalities. Locally, the City of Rhinelander received funding for a new well construction; the Village of Weston for their PFAS treatment. Both Prentice and Phillips received funds for water main projects. The City of Tomahawk has been exploring an application for this program in 2026 to help fund a planned PFAS treatment facility. In Tuesday's announcement, Governor Evers said, "While there is still more work to do, I am incredibly proud of our work to fight PFAS, help private well owners replace their contaminated wells, and replace lead service lines statewide, and these funds bring us one step closer to meeting our goal of ensuring every Wisconsinite has access to clean, safe water." Since the project was introduced in 1998, around $1.5 billion in assistance has been provided to Wisconsin municipalities.

Published on 11/19/2025 under News With the gun deer hunt just a few days away, the DNR is reminding hunters to dress for safety by wearing the appropriate gear for visibility. A state law requiring blaze orange in the field is among factors attributed to a drop in hunting related accidents. In addition to the more traditional blaze orange, a 2016 Wisconsin law allows the use of fluorescent pink, as well. According to the DNR, state law requires at least 50% coverage of orange or pink from the waist up. They note that includes any hats or hoods. Even if you're not hunting, the DNR still encourages other outdoor recreationists to sport blaze orange or pink to ensure safety for everyone enjoying Wisconsin's natural resources. And it's also a good idea for any pets to have a high visibility vest as well to avoid any accidents.

Published on 11/19/2025 under News Tomahawk Middle School has a new way for students to get books outside of school hours to read. The goal of a Little Free Library is to remove barriers to reading by providing access to books 24/7. The take-a-book, leave-a-book libraries have been popping up in neighborhoods, parks, businesses and other locations. Now Tomahawk Middle School unveiled the district's first Little Free Library on campus. The project was actually the work of last year's TMS Student Council. The district says at the beginning of last year, the student council began brainstorming ways to fund a Little Free Library which they hope will benefit students on nights and weekends when the school doors aren't open for book checkout at the traditional library. The students used fundraisers including penny wars to help purchase the library unit, while a grant covered the cost of new books to stock the mini-library. It's now available for use near the Middle School.

Published on 11/19/2025 under News Thanksgiving is one week away, and a new survey shows prices in Wisconsin are up from last year and also above the national average. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau released their annual Marketbasket survey. Each year, they take an informal look at the prices of 15 popular food items commonly used to prepare a Thanksgiving meal. This includes everything from turkey and cranberries to butter and rolls. A sampling of stores around the state, without sales or promotions, are used to get an average. This year's average for a ten person meal in Wisconsin came in at $61.84, an increase of $3.88 or 2.1%. Among the biggest jumps was in the cost of a turkey. They noted that the highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to have an impact on turkey prices. Wisconsin Farm Bureau Spokesperson Cassie Sonnentag notes the costs of farming have also been on the rise in areas including labor, fertilizer and transport. She says, "When grocery prices rise, it's easy to assume farmers benefit, but that's not the reality." Sonnentag added, "Choosing Wisconsin-grown products is one way to keep your dollars working locally while supporting the farmers growing your food." For those looking to save a few dollars, experts recommend shopping around for deals, consider store brands or cooking from scratch. You can also reassess your menu and skip some of the less popular items, and take up guest offers to bring a dish to pass or their own beverages.

Published on 11/19/2025 under News A popular southern-fried chicken chain has opened its doors in the Northwoods. On Tuesday the Lac du Flambeau Business Development Corporation hosted a ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration for a new Popeye's location in Minocqua. It comes after a summer of renovations to the former Burger King Restaurant. CEO, Larry Turner called it more than a restaurant opening, noting it is their first off-reservation venture. He says, "It represents growth, opportunity, and another step forward in strengthening the Tribe's economic future." The opening ceremony included a Tribal prayer, remarks from Tribal leaders and songs from Tomahawk Circle drum group. Previously, the closest Popeye's restaurants to the Northwoods were located in the Fox Valley.

Published on 11/18/2025 under News While homelessness is often seen as a big city problem, shelters here in the Northwoods see steady use throughout the year. This week and the month are dedicated to Homelessness Awareness. The Tomahawk Community is served by Our Sister's House, which is celebrating the 10th anniversary after opening in October 2015. For those unfamiliar, Our Sister's House is a 10 bed temporary housing shelter. They often describe their mission as 'help up rather than a hand out.' In addition to providing a place to stay for up to 90 days, they also provide a number of other resources to get people back on their feet. This can include assistance in a job search, locating permanent housing, counseling, insurance, or even securing a cell phone which is often necessary for job seekers. The shelter is operated primarily through grants, fundraising, and the generosity of community donations whether supplies or monetary contributions. As part of awareness month, the local shelter will host a special screening of Americans with No Address. Premiering earlier this year, the documentary that takes a deep look into the topic of homelessness in the United States from a number of angles. The screening will be held at the Corpus Christi Center starting at 5:45. People can come down early to enjoy supper at the Open Arms Community Meal at 5pm.

Published on 11/18/2025 under News A roadside worker was struck by a vehicle in Lincoln County this past week. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report, that incident happened last Monday in the Town of Somo. Deputies were initially paged to Highway 8 at Meyer Road for a car versus pedestrian crash with injuries. Based on their preliminary investigation, a utility crew was parked on the shoulder of the road while working on fiber-optic cable. The driver, a 27 year old Ladysmith man, told the deputy he slowed down, but was unable to move over due to oncoming traffic. As the vehicle passed through the work zone, it struck a worker. The worker initially turned down an ambulance, but was later transported to an area hospital by private vehicle for an ankle injury. The report did not indicate if they driver was cited._____ *One other note from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report, the number of vehicle versus deer collisions remains elevated with another 26 reported on Lincoln County roadways.

Published on 11/18/2025 under News Cold temperatures can be uncomfortable and snow events inconvenient; but winter weather can also be dangerous. Local and state officials are teaming up to share information as part of Wisconsin Winter Awareness Week. Ready Wisconsin shared some data on the dangers of extreme cold. Around the state last winter, there were nearly 1,400 emergency calls and about the same number of ER visits related to the cold. Among the most common dangers are hypothermia and frost bite. But these conditions can often be avoided or greatly reduced by paying attention to weather forecasts and staying prepared. A few other tips they offered when the temperatures drop: Try to limit time outside. Dress for the weather by layering and making sure to cover exposed skin. It's also a good idea to check on vulnerable friends, family, and neighbors. Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Tyler Verhasselt says, "Lincoln County has always been at its best when we look out for one another." He says, "When temperatures drop, we see just how quickly cold weather can escalate into a real emergency for our residents. Preparation is one of the most effective tools we have."

Published on 11/18/2025 under News The Tomahawk High School One Act Play is state-bound at the end of the week. In the lead up to their final competition, the students will be offering performances during the school day for their fellow classmates, along with a community performance this evening. This fall, THS is performing the character driven comedy, "Epic Adventures in a Rinky-Dink Art Museum" by Ken Preuss. It follows a group of creative writing students on a field trip to a small-town museum where they battle boredom by pursuing mysteries romance and other adventures. At the end of the week, the cast and crew will head to UW-Stevens Point for the state festival. This is the tenth consecutive year Tomahawk has sent the One-Act Play to the competition. For those who'd like a sneak peak, the community performance will be at 7pm in the auditorium. Admission is a free will donation to support the drama department.

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