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Hatchet Cross Country Teams Finish Their Seasons at State Meet Published on 11/02/2020 under Sports

On a windy Saturday the Hatchet Cross-Country team finished their season at the State Division 2 Championships at Colby High School in the second session of the day on their school grounds. The girls won their grouping of four teams and improved upon last year's finish as they placed 8th of 12 teams while senior Noah Buckwalter, an individual qualifier for the Hatchet boys also improved (some 20 places) with his 45

th place in the 114-runner D2 state field.

In the first race of session two, Tomahawk freshman Rachael Reilly put herself in a nice position early and worked her way into a top ten finish (9th) in her session and placed 27th overall (13th in the team scoring) in a time of 20:30 over the 5000 meter course. Sophomore Greta Tjugum ran strong through her entire race placing 13th in session two 43rd overall (24th in the team scoring) in 21:08. Junior Kate Reilly was the next Hatchet to the finish tape with her 19th place effort in session two, (62nd overall/36th in the team scoring) in a time of 21:40. Sophomore Morgan Hansmann and junior Emily Lacina were the final scoring Hatchets placing 22nd and 23rd in session two (73rd and 75th overall & 45th and 47th in the team scoring) in times of 22:08 and 22:10 respectively. Junior Macey Mann became an important displacer as

she finished 25th in session 2 (85th overall and 56th in the team scoring) in a time of 22:25. Also, getting great state-level experience in her first state championship race was junior Ava Dragosh (110th overall, 80th team)-23:47.

This was the lady Hatchets second consecutive trip to State and 17th team appearance since 1993.

The Tomahawk boys were represented at State by senior Noah Buckwalter. In his final Cross-Country race as a Hatchet, Noah was in the top ten in session two early on and sat 14th after two miles. His 17:45 clocking was good for a 15th place finish in session two
and 45th place overall in the 114-runner field.

In Other News

Hatchet Hockey Team Opens Season with Two Wins

Published on 12/01/2025 under Sports In their first games of the 2025-26 season, Tomahawk's hockey team went 2-0 at Amery over the weekend. The Hatchets started off the season with a 4-2 win over Amery in a rematch of the WIAA Division 2 State Championship from last season. The Hatchets scored the first goal of the game on an early power play from Jett Reilly; assisted by Brayden Lamer and Jake Albert. Amery would score two goals late in the first and led 2-1. The Hatchets scored the only goal in the second period, Jett Reilly on a breakaway assisted by Rex Reilly and the game was tied 2-2 after two. The third period would see the Hatchets score an early goal by Landyn Seymour on assists from Jett Reilly and Jonah Dickens. The Hatchets would add another power play in the middle of the third, when Jett Reilly completed his hat trick, assists went to Rex Reilly and Jake Albert. Hudson Seymour had 15 saves for Tomahawk as they outshot the Warriors 54-17. Then on Saturday Tomahawk faced the WSFLG Blizzard and Tomahawk wins 5-2. Neither team would light the lamp in the first period. The scoring opened for Tomahawk early in the second, when Jake Albert scored on assists from Beau Stromberg and Caiden Reichelt. Albert would add his second goal of the game four minutes later, when he scored from the point on an assist from Jett Reilly. The Blizzards would add two late goals and the game was tied 2-2 after two periods. Tomahawk blew the game open in the third, as Jonah Dickens scored two goals, the first assisted by Jett Reilly and the second by Caiden Reichelt and Brayden Lamer. Jett Reilly added the fifth Hatchet goal, assisted by Dickens and Breck Stromberg. Tomahawk outshot WSFLG 33-20, as Hudson Seymour had 18 saves for the Hatchets. Tomahawk begins Great Northern Conference play Tuesday night in Minocqua against Lakeland, the puck drops at 7:00 pm.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News With Thanksgiving now behind us, the Tomahawk Community is wasting little time in transitioning to Christmas. Coming up Saturday, the community is hosting the annual Kick Off to Christmas, the first of several weekends of festive activities over the holiday season. The events are organized by Tomahawk Hometown Christmas. The group of volunteers set out a few years ago to revitalize the holiday festivities of yesteryear. They noted that Hometown Christmas has become an event the entire community has embraced and looks forward to each year. Among the highlights on Saturday are visits with Santa, horse-drawn wagon rides, and the lighting of the Christmas tree at the end of Main Street at 5pm. They've also brought in some partners: the Historical Society will host a Vintage Christmas at the Museum and their will be evening activities at SARA Park including ice skating. The upcoming weekend is just an appetizer for the companion Hometown Christmas and Main Street Memories Christmas celebrations on December 12 which includes the parade, live window displays and caroling. You can visit the Hometown Christmas Facebook page for a full rundown of activities, locations, and times.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News While there are deals aplenty from big box stores today for Black Friday, a promotion focused on local businesses is in store for tomorrow. That campaign is known as Shop Small Saturday, which launched back in 2010 encouraging people to check out locally-owned businesses. In Tomahawk, shops throughout the North 4th and Main Street corridors will offer deals to get Christmas shopping underway. Earlier this week I spoke with Tomahawk Main Street Director Jennifer Turkiewicz. Turkiewicz notes that shopping local has many benefits. For the shopper, it offers more unique and personal selections. She says, "These business owners are taking the time to hand pick the items they carry... You're going to find some really neat gifts ideas that you may not have thought about available right here in Tomahawk." Of course, 'Shopping Small' offers a better chance of money staying in the community as well. Turkiewicz says an estimated $0.78 of every dollar spent at a locally-owned business stays local. Those dollars also multiply as local business owners spend locally as well. And while the focus is on local, Shop Small is a nationwide campaign. American Express has joined in the effort. Turkiewicz says the Amex Shop Small Grants Program will provide an initial $5 million to fund 250 grants of $20,000 each to eligible small business owners across the country. Every eligible purchase at a small business made on an Amex card tomorrow will add a dollar to the grant pool. Here in Tomahawk, businesses combine their shop local campaigns with this weekend's Kickoff to Christmas. Some of the shops will have expanded hours, sales and new merchandise to kick off the holiday shopping season.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News Earlier this year the Minocqua community welcomed a Major League Fishing event. That collaboration was recently recognized with a state award. The Minocqua Area Visitors' Bureau shared that they have been awarded the Outstanding Partnership (Budget Under $1.5 Million) honor at the 2025 Destinations Wisconsin Fall Conference. Krystal Westfahl, President and CEO of the Visitors' Bureau said, "We're honored to be recognized for work that will have a lasting impact on tourism, conservation, and community pride." She added, "Bringing Major League Fishing here wasn't just about hosting an event; it was about showcasing our thriving fishery, supporting our local economy, and inspiring our next generation. In the announcement, they highlighted the outreach with local elementary and middle schools. While they were in the Northwoods, the anglers led more than 500 students in lessons and interactive activities on topics like sustainable fishing and techniques, environmental conservation, and even outdoor industry careers. They also hoped to highlight the areas lakes, vibrant outdoor culture and growing sports-tourism sector. And the numbers are impressive. During the tournament, streaming and highlights generated more than 600,000 video views along with more than 5 million social media impressions. And that viewership will continue to grow. The tournament will be broadcast on The Outdoor Channel early next year as six, two hour episodes.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News A Minocqua man has been convicted of federal charges connected to an investment scheme. According to the US Attorney's Office from the Western District of Wisconsin, Cory Kromray pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges at a hearing earlier this month. The news release states that Kromray used social media to entice investors by falsely portraying himself as a successful trader in stocks, crypto and foreign currency markets. This included posting pictures of lavish vacations, luxury items, and exotic sports cars. Instead of investing money as promised, investigators said Kromray often used investor money to pay his personal expenses. He also provided some investors with false information about the success of their investments. Investors lost more than $800,000 as a result of Kromray's conduct. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and the maximum penalty for money laundering is 10 years in prison. Kromray will also be ordered to pay restitution. Sentencing is scheduled February 5.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News A Lac du Flambeau Tribal member will a special guest during a historic broadcast of an NHL hockey game this afternoon. Celebrating Native American Heritage Day, the Minnesota Wild will be host the first-ever Ojibwe language broadcast of an NHL game. Among the three broadcasters to be featured is LDF tribal member James "Ginoonde" Buckholtz. While only a high school senior, he is also a graduate of the Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language School. The game will be called by respected language speakers Gordon "Maajiigoneyaash" Jourdain, Ph.D.; Chato "Ombishkebines" Gonzalez; along with Buckholtz. It's being done in partnership with Grand Casino, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network (MIIN), a Minnesota-based nonprofit that works to strengthen and expand Anishinaabe language revitalization. In promoting the broadcast on their Facebook page, the Lac du Flambeau Tribe posted, "This is a huge accomplishment and a powerful example of language revitalization in action...helping bring our language, culture, and pride to a major platform..." Matt Majka, Chief Executive Officer of the Minnesota Wild said in a news release, "We're proud to help expand access to the game we all love and to support the preservation and vitality of the Ojibwe language for generations to come." This special broadcast is produced by FanDuel Sports Network and will be an option on their streaming app. The game is at 2:30 against the Colorado Avalanche. -Photo provided by Minnesota Wild

Published on 11/28/2025 under News Update: Utility crews continue their efforts to restore power across far northern Wisconsin following a mid-week snow storm. Snow totals were mostly between one and two feet for Vilas and Iron County of Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Some isolated areas recorded more than 30 inches. That left thousands in the dark ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, and some remain without power. Crews have been working around the clock and in an update posted Thursday, Wisconsin Public Service said they have already restored power to more than 22,000 customers. As of Friday morning, there were still approximately 400 outages remaining, primarily in Vilas County. Meanwhile Xcel Energy which serves the Northwestern portions of the region listed approximately 4,000 outages as of Friday morning, primarily in Iron and Vilas Counties. _____ (Thursday, November 27) Our first winter storm of the season led to travel challenges and power outages across the Northwoods. While the snow system has mostly moved out of the area, it left behind some impressive snow totals in Northern Wisconsin. Here in Tomahawk, we received a manageable 2-4 inches of snowfall. Across northern Vilas and Iron Counties, totals in the teens were common. According to the National Weather Service, Gile in Iron County was at 33 inches and counting this morning. Nearby Hurley was at 30 inches. Before transitioning to snow, we had rain which left slick spots on roads for what is traditionally one of the busiest travel days of the Thanksgiving holiday. We did receive a few reports of vehicle slide-offs and minor collisions, along with slowed traffic. The snow, coupled with gusty winds, also led to power outages. Wisconsin Public Service crews worked throughout Wednesday and into Thursday morning restoring more than 20,000 customers. As of 9am there were approximately 1,800 outages, primarily in Vilas and Door Counties. According to an update posted Wednesday evening, WPS anticipated all power restored Thursday. This isn't the first time we've dealt with snow and power outages on Thanksgiving in recent years. Looking back in the WJJQ archives, we received a foot of snow in Tomahawk on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2019.

Published on 11/27/2025 under News Volunteers around the Northwoods are spending a portion of their Thanksgiving holiday making sure that others in their community enjoy a holiday meal with some company. Here in Tomahawk, St. Mary's is once again organizing the Community Thanksgiving Luncheon. It's an annual tradition that allows community members to enjoy their meal with family and friends. Volunteers have spent the past few days prepping for the feast which includes turkey and all of the fixings. They are back in the kitchen early this morning for the final touches and getting the meals ready to serve. Organizers note the meal is a way to give back to the community, while also providing an opportunity for those who may otherwise spend Thanksgiving alone. They're hosting the free meal at the Corpus Christi Center from 11am to 1pm. Another crew of volunteers will spend the morning delivering prepared meals for those unable to travel. The sign-up deadline for the delivery has already passed.

Published on 11/27/2025 under News Thanksgiving marks the start of the winter holiday season and family gatherings mean plenty of food will be prepared. Health officials are reminding holiday hosts to remember food safety. No matter your menu, food safety rules remain the same and are focused on four areas of focus: clean, separate, cook, and chill. First keep everything in your kitchen clean. Wash your hands before and after handling food and frequently during preparation. In addition to your hands, keep utensils, cutting boards, knives and counter-tops clean. Separate foods to avoid cross contamination. This is especially true for proteins like eggs, meat, and poultry. A good tip is to keep separate cutting boards for food that will be cooked and food that is served raw. As for Cook, make sure that food reaches the proper internal temperature. For a turkey, the FDA recommends 165 degrees in the innermost portion of the thigh. Speaking of food temperatures, the health department highlighted the 'danger zone.' Always keep hot food hot, above 135 degrees; and keep cold food cold, below 41 degrees. Bacteria grow more easily in the temperatures between. Try to get any leftovers refrigerated within two hours. The USDA says properly-stored Thanksgiving leftovers prepared today should be good through Monday.

Published on 11/27/2025 under News A pair of first responders from the Northwoods were among thousands who recently attended the EMS World Expo. The conference is described as one of the nation's largest gatherings of emergency medical services professionals, offering extensive education, hands-on workshops, and networking focused on pre-hospital care, emergency medicine, and patient transport. Thanks to Aspirus Howard Young and the Walter Olson Medical Staff Education Fund, Brady Geiss and Jackey Postuchow were able to attend the 2025 Expo in Indianapolis. Geiss is a paramedic with the Aspirus MedEvac team based in Woodruff. He said, "I look forward to sharing what I learned at the Expo with other EMS providers throughout our region to help strengthen emergency care in rural communities." Postuchow, an EMT also volunteers with Plum Lake Ambulance Service and St. Germain Fire/Rescue and Boulder Junction Volunteer Fire Department. She says, "Volunteering in rural EMS is both rewarding and challenging." She added, "The EMS World Expo provided valuable knowledge that I can bring back to strengthen training, improve care, and inspire the next generation of EMS providers in northern Wisconsin." Lori Knitt, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Aspirus Health North Division. "We are proud of Brady and Jackey for their dedication to learning and for their commitment to improving emergency medical care for the communities we serve." She says, "The Walter Olson Fund is a wonderful example of how community generosity continues to strengthen health care across the Northwoods."-Photo provided by Aspirus

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