WJJQ Radio

Story Details

Coach Hernandez of Tomahawk Named Packer Coach of the Week Published on 11/06/2020 under Sports

The Packers have announced that Sam Hernandez of Tomahawk High School in Tomahawk, Wis., has been named the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week.

Hernandez, in his second year as head coach of the Hatchets, has his team at 2-4 overall this season and 2-3 in Northwoods Conference play. The Hatchets look to even their conference record Friday, Nov. 6, as they close out their regular season against Coleman High School.

Since taking over the team this past year, Hernandez's impact has been felt not only on the football field, but on the whole community. From helping elderly people move to new homes, assisting community members who need help with their yard work, and volunteering at the local Kinship of Tomahawk, the team continues to pursue a variety of ways to help others in need. Not only has giving back been beneficial to the community, but it has also been uplifting for the players.

"I think for a lot of them, it gives them a sense of pride and a sense of doing something for others," said Hernandez. "And as a football program, we want people to come sit in the stands and watch us play, and we feed off of that. So this is an opportunity for us to provide a platform for these kids to do good things for others without anything in return. If we can send the players out into life after high school with that skillset of doing good things to be good people, then that is a great lesson for them to take."

Hernandez graduated from Marshall High School in Marshall, Wis., in 2004. Throughout high school, he participated in football, basketball and baseball. He played nose tackle, running back and kicker under head coach Mike Zimmerman. Following high school, he went on to graduate from UW-Whitewater in 2009. In addition to coaching other high school sports, Hernandez's football coaching career began as an assistant coach for Lake Mills High School in 2008. He went on to coach at Johnson Creek High School in 2013, before being named the head coach of the Hatchets in 2019.

To Hernandez, the Coach of the Week Award speaks to the work being done by the program on and off the field.

"This award is really an award for the kids, the program and my coaching staff. I'm just one person as part of a bigger group. I'm so honored to have our program and have our kids be recognized for this because they do work hard. We've struggled in terms of wins over the last couple of years, but the kids work hard, the coaching staff works hard every week, and we do work in the community and outside of the football field. To see those kids get recognized with other programs around the state, is a really cool opportunity for this program and highlights the really good things that we are doing."

Hernandez and his staff oversee a program of 43 players with 33 suiting up for varsity games. His assistant staff includes Andy Peissig, Jeremy Zimmerman, Aaron Evans, Dave Long, Jon Long, Nick Schertz and Steven Shrigley. In addition to being the head coach, Hernandez is also an English teacher at the high school. Hernandez and his wife, Ashley, have three sons, Derek, Brett and Vaughn.

About the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week Program:

The Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week program supports football outreach efforts by giving high school coaches the recognition they deserve. Nominations can be submitted by 10 a.m. every Monday to Ryan Fencl, Packers football outreach specialist, at coachoftheweek@packers.com. All nominations should include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award. This year, because some schools have postponed their football seasons to the spring due to COVID-19, the Packers are seeking coaches to be nominated regardless of their teams' on-field performance or whether they are playing in the fall or spring. Rather, the nominee could be honored for how they have turned programs around, how the team has impacted the community, or how the coach impacts the players and their families.

In Other News

Friends of Council Grounds Unveils New Park Pass Sales Kiosk

Published on 02/18/2026 under News Council Grounds is a hidden gem here in the Northwoods. And now park-goers have a more convenient option to purchase their park passes. Friends of Council Grounds, a volunteer group who support, assist, and promote the state park property here in Lincoln County, recently unveiled a brand-new, electronic park pass sales kiosk. The kiosk offers both daily passes and the year-long passes for residents, seniors, and non-residents. The convenience allows purchase outside of park office hours, or having to deal with mailing or online purchases. The funding to purchase the kiosk came from two sources. The Friends group was awarded a Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant. The Friends matched with money raised through merchandise sales, watercraft rental fees, and sales of firewood harvested and processed by their Wood Team volunteers. Council Grounds near Merrill is approximately 500 acres, located right along the Wisconsin River.

Published on 02/18/2026 under News At their meeting Tuesday, the Lincoln County Board approved future compensation packages for three elected offices. The positions impacted by the resolution include the Clerk of Courts, the Coroner, and the Sheriff. The compensation is for the years 2027-2030 and features a 3% annual increase. Ahead of the vote, Board Chair Jesse Boyd noted that, based on preliminary numbers from other counties, the Lincoln County Sheriff position would be below the state average. It ranges from $98,000 next year to $107,000 in 2030. Ultimately, no changes were made to the initial resolution, which was approved unanimously. This process to set compensation must be completed prior to the earliest time nomination papers can be filed. These positions will all appear on the November ballot. Elected Office2027202820292030Clerk of Courts $75,7777.66$78,050.99$80,392.52$82,804.29Sheriff$98,424.89$101,377.64$104,418.97$107,551.54Coroner (1,040 Hours)$33,143.90$34,138.21$35,162.36$36,217.23

Published on 02/18/2026 under News When it comes to an emergency, every second counts...and that includes the time before professionals arrive on the scene. As part of February being National Heart month, the American Red Cross is encouraging people participate in lifesaving skills courses such as First Aid, CPR and AED use. The training equips participants with the knowledge and skills to better identify and respond to heart-related emergencies. Statistics show more than 300,000 people experience cardiac arrest outside of hospitals each year, yet only about one-third of adults say they feel confident and ready to act. Kathryn Halvorsen, executive director of the North Central Wisconsin chapter of the American Red Cross says, "Learning first aid and CPR skills may make a lifesaving difference for your child, family member, or even a stranger." Across the Wisconsin Region, nearly 19,000 people were trained in lifesaving skills last year through the Red Cross last year.The Red Cross has options for both in-person and online classes across more than a dozen categories. You can visit their website for more information.

Published on 02/18/2026 under News Family and patients who are receiving care for trauma injuries at Marshfield Medical Center have a new place to call their temporary home. Cattails Cottage opened this past week. It is an 11‑room lodging facility that provides safe, temporary housing for families of trauma patients and seriously injured patients receiving acute care at Marshfield Clinic. Rooms are offered at no cost on a first‑come, first‑served basis for eligible patients and families who live more than 40 miles from Marshfield. Staffed hours are 8am to 5pm Monday-Friday with 24/7 key‑card access for guests. Linens, kitchen supplies and laundry facilities are provided. Marshfield Medical Center President Bob Chaloner said, "Cattails Cottage is an invaluable support for patients and their families as they receive care in Marshfield. Having easy access to treatment with a no-cost lodging option removes one burden during this challenging time." It was converted from housing for oncology patients. Back in 2024, that service was relocated to Cattails Place across the street. Marshfield Clinic Foundation used donor funds and community support to renovate and make necessary facility improvements.

Published on 02/18/2026 under News Northcentral Technical College has received federal funding to expand a program aimed at recruiting new first responders. NTC announced the school has been awarded $3.2 million through the 'Consolidated Appropriations Act' at the request of Senator Tammy Baldwin. The funding will support the North Central Wisconsin Firefighter/Paramedic Apprenticeship Program. NTC President Jeannie Worden said, "This investment builds on years of collaborative work to create meaningful, career-ready pathways in public safety." The 18-month program will immerse apprentices in the full scope of firefighter/paramedic work through a structured combination of classroom instruction and supervised, real-world experience, while allowing them to earn a wage and complete their education. Each cohort will include nine apprentices. Wausau Fire Chief Jeremy Kopp called the federal investment is a major step forward for public safety in our region…" He added, "Programs like this help ensure we are building a strong, well-trained pipeline of firefighter/paramedics who are prepared to serve our community from day one."

Published on 02/18/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's Hockey squad would dominate in the WIAA Division 1 Regional Semifinal Tuesday night at Hobbs Municipal Ice Center in Eau Claire Tuesday night, defeating Eau Claire North, 7-1. The Hatchets won by peppering Husky Goalie Carson Ivey, notching 48 total shots. Five different Hatchets would put goals on the board. Brayden Lamer and Landyn Seymour would each notch two goals on the night. Jett Reilly would finish with one goal and five assists. Jonah Dickens would have a goal and two assists on the night. The win improves Tomahawk's record to 22-3 on the season. The Hatchets will head back out on the road Thursday night for the WIAA Division 1 Regional Final at #1 Hudson. Tune in for the broadcast on Northwoods 92.5 WJJQ with the Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pregame Show at 6:35 and opening faceoff at 7:00 from the Hudson Civic Sports Center.

Published on 02/18/2026 under Sports The Hatchet boys' basketball squad would suffer their 14th straight defeat Tuesday night, as well as their 12th straight Great Northern Conference defeat to Antigo, 82-61. The loss drops Tomahawk to 2-20 on the season and 0-12 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets will go back on the road Friday night for another GNC showdown at Mosinee. Tip is at 7:15.

Published on 02/17/2026 under News It won't be long before road construction season returns to the Northwoods. A Highway 51 project near Tomahawk this spring will require a temporary detour. The WisDoT announced that US 51 between US Highway 8 and Oneida County L will be closed and detoured this spring. The official detour route will use US 8 and WIS 47. Construction is scheduled to begin in April, and they plan to re-open this segment prior to Memorial Day weekend. The work will continue after that date, but Highway 51 will be open with some lane closures. All lanes will be open for weekend traffic during this second phase. This project involves repairing concrete pavement, resurfacing the asphalt and bridge repairs. More information will be available closer to the start of construction in April. Project information website. They note this project is not associated with the proposed roundabout at US 51 and County K/Swamp Lake Road in Oneida County planned in 2027.

Published on 02/17/2026 under News Those heading out onto the ice at this time of year should use caution. A rescue was performed in Lincoln County. According to the Merrill Fire Department, responders were paged to Council Grounds on the Wisconsin River just below the Alexander Hydro Dam. The call came in at shortly before 11am Monday morning. The caller indicated a man had fallen through the ice, he was able to get out but was stranded on a nearby island. Firefighters used a Rapid Deployment Craft (RDC) to reach the man and bring him back to shore safely. His sled & ice shanty were also recovered. Members of the Merrill PD & Lincoln County Sheriff also assisted on scene. With above average temperatures over the past week, ice conditions on many Northwoods waterways have been changing. Caution is advised, and remember that no ice is 100% safe.

Published on 02/17/2026 under News With a stretch of mild weather, snowmobile trail closures are expanding. Here in Lincoln County, the Forestry, Land and Parks Department announced that trails in zones 2, 3, and 4 are closed as of yesterday. At this time, the trails in zone 1 and the Hiawatha will remain open. For those trails, they warned that riders can expect rough segments, icy stretches, and potential bare spots due to the warm weather and sun. In the announcement, Recreation Forester Nick Behrens says, "We kindly ask riders to follow all "TRAIL CLOSED" signs, stay on marked routes, and respect private property. He added, "Our trail system exists thanks to the generosity of local landowners, and your cooperation helps keep these trails open for everyone to enjoy."

+ Read More