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Tomahawk Elementary Returning to 5 Day In-person Learning Published on 02/19/2021 under News

The Tomahawk School District is making some changes to their upcoming calendar.

The district announced that starting next week(February 22), elementary-aged students will be returning to a normal 5 day in-person school week. This means that students will be back on campus on Fridays for the first time in nearly a year.

In a letter to parents, the district wrote, "The numbers at school have improved to the point we believe we are able to start making plans for a gradual transition to additional days for in-person learning for all students." The district has a Covid tracker. As of Thursday, there were 25 students or staff listed in quarantine, with no active covid cases.

The upper level will continue with their hybrid model for the time being. The district is currently developing a plan for middle and high school age students. These grade levels have additional challenges such as the passing time between classes. According to the update, they are eyeing either a 4 or 5 day week the starting in April.

The district is also launching a survey allowing parents and students to weigh in on the re-opening process.

As has been the case throughout the pandemic, the schedule is subject to change.

In Other News

Tomahawk Celebrates the Fourth with Powwow Days

Published on 07/04/2025 under News The Fourth of July in Tomahawk marks the return of a decades-long tradition known as Powwow Days. There's no shortage of activities throughout the day, and organizers have long said, "If you can't find something to do, you probably aren't looking very hard." The Tomahawk Lion's Club oversees the annual festivities. We were recently joined by Lion Kevin Koth to talk about everything that goes into organizing such a big event in a small town. While the Lion's do much of the planning and legwork, Koth was quick to thank the many businesses and individuals who provide donations and volunteer to make Powwow Days a success year after year. The ever-popular Lion's Chicken Luncheon is an excellent example. They aren't cooking on backyard grills. Instead they construct a temporary cooking pit each year. That build took place yesterday. It's typically 45 feet long, four feet wide, and just as high. This allows them to turnout hundreds of tasty birds for the event. The cook actually begins at daybreak to accommodate the lunch rush. As for other highlights of the day, there's the Powwow Days 5k, 10k, and fun run and children's games this morning. The annual Parade runs down Main Street at 1pm, of course WJJQ will have our play-by-play for those who can't make it downtown. And the Fire Department will follow with their water displays. The Kwahamots will offer a special holiday show. Once the sun goes down, the fireworks go up. We've got all those events in the WJJQ Community Calendar.

Published on 07/04/2025 under News Before the parades, cookouts, and fireworks, Tomahawk Fourth of July celebrations kicks off with the annual PowWow Days 5k, 10k and Fun Run. For nearly fifty years, these races have become an annual tradition for runners in the Northwoods. We heard from race organizer Connor Ahrens earlier this week. He says they already had more than 600 runners signed up during pre-registration. The 5k is the most popular, but they should have more than 100 runners in each category. While most are from the Northwoods, dozens of states will be represented from Alaska to Florida. And participants are anywhere from 2-3 years old for the youth races up to runners in their 80s.The race features a number of past champions, as well as current and former Hatchets runners. While some are seeking top times and personal bests, others are simply getting in a holiday workout while having plenty of fun. Stars and stripes; red, white and blue are the most common racing attire. Those races will take place out of Memorial Park this morning.

Published on 07/04/2025 under News Fireworks and the Fourth go hand and hand, but officials are reminding people of the dangers. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, on average more than 100 fireworks-related injuries result in ER visits each year. A quarter of those visits were children under 18. And it's not just the fireworks that go boom...Dr. Eric Maki is an emergency physician at Aspirus. He says the most common fireworks injuries they treat are burns, and that sparklers are one of the main culprits. He acknowledged that sparklers are fun and everyone including kids enjoys them, but he noted that they also burn at an extremely high temperature. And after a sparkler has burned out, the stick remains hot and a burn risk. Ready Wisconsin teamed with local emergency management to offer up their annual fireworks safety tips.First and foremost, obey local laws and permitting requirementsNever allow children to play with or ignite fireworksFind a smooth, flat surface; have readily available water; and make sure onlookers are a safe distanceLight fireworks one at a time; don't attempt to reignite a dud.Properly discard cooled fireworks after a soak in some waterThe safest advice, however, is to simply leave the fireworks to the professionals and attend a community show.

Published on 07/04/2025 under News While we may enjoy the fireworks, our four legged friends generally do not. Statistics show that more pets go missing on and around July 4th than any other time of the year. Many of these cases involve dogs that run off because they're frightened by fireworks. We heard from the Lincoln County Humane Society ahead of the holiday. They provided some tips to ensure your pet doesn't end up at their shelter over the next few days. First, before the action picks up, ensure your dog has a collar and an ID with up-to-date information. Vacationers or seasonal residents may want to pick up an extra collar and write down your Northwoods contact information. In the afternoon, they recommend a long walk to tire out your pup. Once fireworks start, your dog will be most comfortable at home in a safe and familiar environment. To make it more accommodating, they recommend closing windows and lowering blinds. A TV, radio, or background noise may provide some comfort. And make sure your pup has plenty of water and toys to keep them occupied.

Published on 07/04/2025 under News Law enforcement officials will be hitting waterways across the state over the extended holiday weekend to make sure that boaters are sober. Launched in 2009, Operation Dry Water is an enforcement and education event dedicated to increasing public awareness about sober boat operation. April Dombrowski, director of the DNR's Recreational Safety and Outdoor Skills Bureau says, "We want everyone to enjoy Wisconsin's beautiful waterways this holiday weekend, but safety must come first." DNR staff will team up with local law enforcement for increased water patrols. In addition to sober driving, they'll also educate operators on other boat safety including life jacket use. And as we told you earlier this week, there's a separate campaign focused on aquatic invasive species happening with the Clean Boats, Clean Waters volunteers at boat landing around around the state.

Published on 07/04/2025 under News Some new peregrine falcons have taken to the skies of Northern Wisconsin. The chicks born at Wisconsin Public Service's Weston Power Plant this spring have flown the nest for the first time. In recent days, Flaps, Hercules and Lee have all taken their first flights. In the coming days, they'll be learning how to hunt prey and mastering their flying skills before leaving the nest for good. All 12 of the falcon chicks born at WPS and We Energies power plants this spring were given names in honor of the companies' "founding feathers" — legendary peregrine falcons from years past. This year's class of chicks brings the total number of peregrines hatched, named and banded at WPS and We Energies power plants to 465 since recovery efforts began in 1992 — that's almost 20% of all peregrine falcons born in the state of Wisconsin.

Published on 07/03/2025 under News Like a proud parent, Crossbridge Community Bank is helping Tomahawk Kinship leave their nest. Crossbridge recently made a $25,000 donation to the Kinship fundraising efforts as they look to move into a larger space. The local bank has been a part of the youth mentorship program since it was founded nearly three decades ago. The fledgling organization used a bank suite as one of the first offices. They reunited in 2013, becoming neighbors with a bank-owned home transformed into their KinsHouse. But as the Kinship mission has grown and evolved, they began to look for a bigger home. Earlier this year, they found their future home a few blocks down Main Street at the former Bradley Bank building. That kicked off a fundraising effort. In announcing their donation, Crossbridge President PJ Childers says, "We have always believed in the vision of Kinship and their purpose of mentoring and supporting area youth. We have been strong supporters and advocates of Kinship as they have evolved over the years, and we will continue to do so." Crossbridge CEO Mark Zulliger also serves on the Kinship Board of Directors. He says, "The downtown building will give the Kinship kids and volunteers more room to continue to expand the organization's offerings." As we've previously covered, Kinship recently reached their phase 1 goal allowing them to purchase the building. Their continued fundraising is focused the next step, retrofitting the space to accommodate their needs. People can follow along on the Kinship relocation efforts through their dedicated Facebook page.

Published on 07/03/2025 under News Over the past few years, Antigo Visual Arts has been on a mission to support local artists while making a more attractive community. Just in time for the Fourth holiday, they've unveiled a new lake-themed mural. The mural is the work of two local artists, 83 year old Beatie Gmeiner and 90 year old Pat Packard. The two actually met 35 years ago at a painting class, with their shared love of art connecting them. Now they've been able to share their talents with the community as well. The piece features a lake scene centered on a bald eagle overlooking other common wildlife around a lake including trees and cattails, ducks, a jumping fish and even a sunning turtle. The theme was inspired by a photograph captured by another local artist Barb Blahnik. The mural was actually painted in four sections at the AVA Art Center. This past week, the 4x8 foot panels were installed on the outside wall of the Marathon Express Mart. Angie Close, serves as chair of the Antigo Public Art committee and is also director of Langlade County Economic Development. She says, "This mural is more than just art on a wall—it's a vibrant expression of community pride, creativity, and the stories that shape us." Antigo Visual Arts has taken on a number of community projects include other murals as well as their recycled bottle cap artwork.

Published on 07/03/2025 under News With the rush of holiday and summer travel expected over the next few days, and officials are encouraging motorists to stay safe on area roadways and that includes those towing trailers. Many folks will be heading north with boats, ATVs/UTVs and campers. Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan is reminding drivers to ensure trailers and cargo are properly secured before hitting the road. Not only does this prevent items from being lost, it also protects those in vehicles following. A few quick remindersCheck the trailer tires and the lights; ensure the ball and hitch are the same size and latched securely; and use the safety chainsWhen loading, make sure the weight is properly distributed to prevent swaying and fish tailing by putting heaviest items in the front of the trailer.And secure any loose items being transported in boats, trailers or truck bed to ensure they don't fly out. In addition to trailer safety, Carnahan also noted the regular rules of the road apply as well, that means observing speed limits, wearing seat belts and avoiding distracts behind the wheel.

Published on 07/03/2025 under News Because of the chaotic nature of an emergency, we don't always get to know the first responders on the scene. But one local agency is helping the public get to know their team a little better through some video conversations. The Merrill Fire Department recently partnered with Merrill Community Media to produce a 'Get to Know Us' segment. They sat down with five members of the Merrill Fire Department including Brenden Leder, Daylan Enkers, Paul Peterson, Kendall Nelson, and David Graveen. The firefighters and EMTs were asked questions including why they pursued this career?, why they chose Merrill?, and they also had a chance to share a message to the community. The 8 minute video was recently posted the Department's YouTube channel, and shared on their social media accounts.

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