WJJQ Radio

Story Details

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

Spring Election Determines Local, Non-Partisan Races: Tomahawk Preview

Published on 04/07/2026 under News It's Election Day in the state of Wisconsin, with voters heading to the polls on a variety of races and questions. Atop the ballot is the lone statewide race. Chris Taylor and Maria Lazar are vying to become Supreme Court Justice. But the spring election also includes non-partisan local races like school boards, town boards, city councils and mayoral races. Here in the City of Tomahawk, voters will elect a new mayor for the first time in a decade. Current mayor Steve Taskay isn't seeking re-election, with first-time candidates Jeff Koth and Michael 'Hob' Habeck facing off. For City Council, due to partial term appointments, there are actually five seats, but just three candidates running. The remaining two will be decided by write-in. As we previewed Monday, the City of Tomahawk is also asking to increase the tax levy. The Tomahawk School Board features two candidates for three seats. A write-in will determine the seat representing the city of Tomahawk. The Lincoln County Board uses an alternate year cycle, and all 22 supervisor seats will be up for election today. Tomahawk isn't the only community with a closely watched mayoral race here in the Northwoods. In Merrill, incumbent Steve Hass is facing a challenge from former mayor Derek Woellner. And in Rhinelander, current mayor Kris Hanus is running against city council member Thomas Barnett. Ballots will differ based on where you live. Visit myvote.wi.gov and enter your address to preview your specific ballot.

Published on 04/07/2026 under News Several Northwoods students will be in Madison, competing in a two-day professional skills competition. The Alliant Energy Center and Madison Area Technical College are co-hosting the 53rd edition of the Skills USA, Wisconsin State Leadership and Skills Conference. The participants qualified through regional competitions earlier this year. In all, more than 1,700 Wisconsin students were invited to participate representing middle school, high school, and technical colleges. This includes students from Tomahawk, Rhinelander, Merrill and NTC. The students will compete in one of more than 75 events based on career-ready fields ranging from aviation maintenance and culinary arts to masonry and video news production. All contests are judged by experts and professionals in each field. The state winners will qualify for the National competition which will be held in Atlanta in June. Wisconsin SkillsUSA was founded in 1973 and continues to grow, with 166 chapters around the state.

Published on 04/07/2026 under News A man injured in a UTV crash last month has died due to his injuries. According to the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, Paul Vedder of Hazelhurst died. The 58 year old was initially hospitalized after being involved in a UTV accident back on March 23. Responders were notified of a UTV on the edge of Lake Kaubashine in the Town of Hazelhurst. The call indicated the machine was still running, but no signs of the operator. Upon arrival, responders located Vedder trapped underneath the UTV. The 58 year old was airlifted to a hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. In an update provided by the Sheriff's Office Monday, Vedder died as a result of his injuries. The DNR continues to investigate. There have been seven other fatal ATV/UTV crashes in Wisconsin this year.

Published on 04/07/2026 under News If you're itching to get outside and start spring yard work in the Northwoods, experts say you might swap the rakes for a little patience. According to the DNR, dozens of beneficial insects are still overwintering right now, tucked away in hollow plant stems, leaf litter, and even underground. Rushing into yard cleanup too early could disrupt their life cycle just as they're getting ready to emerge. Instead, experts recommend leaving some areas of your garden natural through early spring. Holding off on raking leaves and trimming stems, at least until overnight temperatures consistently reach about 50 degrees, can help protect native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. For those who do need to tidy up, the DNR suggests leaving behind a few inches of plant stems. Those "stem stubble" areas can serve as nesting spots for native bees. And when it finally comes time for planting, consider native species. It's these simple steps that can make a big difference, helping support pollinators that play a key role in Northwoods ecosystems.

Published on 04/07/2026 under News The past few weeks have shown a good example of Wisconsin's ever changing weather. The National Weather Service is offering another opportunity to learn more, while also playing a key role in citizen reporting. The National Weather Service Green Bay is offering 2026 Skywarn storm spotter training with five virtual sessions available in April. The free training is open to anyone across northern Wisconsin and will focus on severe weather safety and the basics of storm spotting—teaching participants how to safely identify and report things like large hail, damaging winds, and possible tornadoes. Officials say trained spotters play a critical role, providing real-time ground reports that help meteorologists issue more accurate warnings and keep communities safe. Each class is around an hour and a half, and attendees only need to participate in one. More information and registration details can be found on the National Weather Service Green Bay website.

Published on 04/07/2026 under News An Antigo man is in custody following a vehicle pursuit over the weekend that ended in Lincoln County. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's report, deputies were advised by the Marathon County Sheriff's Office of a chase in progress. They said the suspect was traveling north on Highway 51 into Lincoln County. LISO deputies were able to deploy tire deflation devices, disabling the vehicle. A short distance later, the suspect, Patrick Finnegan of Antigo, stopped his vehicle, but allegedly began walking away. A police K9 was deployed to help take Finnegan into custody. According to court records, he is charged with tampering with a GPS tracking device, fleeing and officer, and bail jumping in Marathon County Court.

Published on 04/07/2026 under News Formal charges have been filed against a Lincoln County man arrested following an investigation into possessing child pornography. According to court records, Patrick Gryskiewicz, made an initial appearance in Lincoln County Court Monday. The 58 year old is facing 10 counts of possessing child pornography. Gryskiewicz was arrested last week after deputies investigated a tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. They traced CSAM activity to an IP address connected to his home. A search warrant was executed at the home, where deputies reported recovering multiple child sexual abuse materials. At Monday's hearing, bond was set at $100,000. An adjourned initial appearance was scheduled for May 6.

Published on 04/06/2026 under News The spring elections are coming up Tuesday. In addition to local races, voters in the city of Tomahawk will decide on a levy referendum. After several consecutive years of difficult decisions to balance their budget, the Tomahawk City Council placed the spending request on the spring ballot. The City is seeking a 20% increase to the base levy, which amounts to approximately $276,000. If approved, it would result in an increase of $75 for a $100,000 property. The state largely restricts the ability of municipalities to increase their tax levy without voter approval. Ahead of the vote, city leaders hosted three public informational sessions in an effort to educate voters on why they are seeking the additional fund. They noted that costs have outpaced levy growth, while also discussing potential cuts if the referendum is not approved. While referendum questions have been common for school districts around the state, more municipalities are turning to them in recent years. Voters in the Town of Minocqua approved a referendum in 2024. As for Tomahawk, voters will ultimately decide on a ballot that will also feature a mayor, city council, school board and county board races. We'll have a ballot preview on election day.

Published on 04/06/2026 under News The Oneida County Health Department is inviting the community to take action and prioritize their well-being as part of National Public Health Week. This year's theme, "Ready. Set. Action!" highlights the importance of small, everyday steps that can lead to healthier communities. Public health officials say their work goes far beyond clinics and hospitals, focusing on preventing illness, promoting healthy lifestyles, and ensuring safe environments for everyone. From restaurant safety and vaccinations to emergency preparedness and health education, public health efforts play a role in daily life across Oneida County. To mark the week, the Oneida County Health Department is hosting a variety of events and activities highlighted by a pop-up clinic on Wednesday (at the YMCA of the Northwoods) where they will offer services like free blood pressure screenings, mental health assessments, and heart-healthy snacks. They've also partnered with some local coffee shops to offer specialty drinks this week, they'll post online trivia and a virtual scavenger hunt, and some free goodie bags Friday at the Health Department. Officials say the goal is simple: encourage people to take small, meaningful steps to help build a stronger, more connected community.

Published on 04/06/2026 under News Hunters and landowners across northern Wisconsin have a couple of opportunities to weigh in on how the state manages its deer herd. The DNR is teaming up with local Citizen Deer Advisory Councils to gather public feedback ahead of the 2026 deer season. Input will help shape decisions on harvest quotas, season structure and other key management tools. State wildlife officials say this process allows for more localized decision-making. Each deer management unit has its own advisory council, which meets annually to review herd data, including harvest numbers and winter conditions. The Northern Forest Zone will be working with the updated, habitat-based management units, which replaced the county-based system. The first opportunity for public input opened over the weekend via the online feedback. That period runs through Sunday April 12. Then, the last two weeks of April, each CDAC will hold a local meeting where attendees can review data, discuss herd health and share concerns. Final recommendations will be presented to the Natural Resources Board in June for approval ahead of the fall hunting season.

+ Read More