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'Raise Your Voice' Walk Promotes Mental Health in Merrill Published on 05/03/2021 under News

Based on turnout, a new mental health walk in Merrill can be deemed a success.

On Sunday afternoon, the Merrill Raise Your Voice Club hosted their first annual Raise Your Voice awareness walk. The student-run organization has a goal of ending stigma around mental health, advocate for change, share resources and support others.

Yesterday's walk coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month. Participants were able to choose one of two lengths, 1 mile or 2.5 miles with segments lined with painted rocks and chalked sidewalks carrying inspirational messages. In addition to the event T-Shirts, participants were given informational packets on mental health.

Merrill businesses even got involved allowing students to paint their windows with mental health themed messages.

The turnout even surprised the organizers with more than 200 walkers. Proceeds from the walk will go towards Tyler's Playground, a play area along the Riverbend Trail named in honor of a student who died by suicide.

In addition to the walk, the students are also planning on bringing other awareness efforts to campus this week.

In Other News

Lincoln County Board Election Features 17 Incumbents Running Unopposed

Published on 01/07/2026 under News Three competitive races, an open seat, and a pair of former supervisors seeking re-election highlight this year's Lincoln County Board ballot. Tuesday was the deadline for candidates to appear on the spring ballot. Voters will decide on local races such as county boards, town boards, city councils, and school boards. Of the 22-member Lincoln County Board, 17 supervisors filed their candidacy paperwork and will run unopposed. Two new candidates will run unopposed after current supervisors chose not to seek re-election. This includes: District 4, Derek Woellner did not file paperwork, newcomer Scott Pergolski did. *Because Woellner did not file non-candidacy paperwork, the deadline has been extended to Friday. In the 9th district, Christine Vorpagel is not seeking reelection. The man she defeated two years ago, Don Friske is looking to take back the seat. In District 18, Ken Wickham did not seek re-election, and Andy Tomaszewski filed for the seat. Among competitive races, in District 2, current supervisor Lori Anderson-Malm filed non-candidacy. Newcomers Mark Bares and Scott Doerr will compete for the seat. In the 10th district, current Board Chair Jesse Boyd will face Joshua Oxborrow; in the 17th district, former supervisor Don Nelson is looking to get back on the board, challenging current board member James Meunier. And finally, in the 13th district, Alan Bishop chose not to seek re-election, and no candidate filed meaning the race will come down to a write-in. DistrictCandidateCandidateNote1Bill Bialecki (incumbent) 2Mark BaresScott DoerrIncumbent Lori Anderson Malm not running3Elizabeth McCrank (inc) 4Scott Pergolski Incumbent Derek Woellner not running; Nomination period extended5Andrew Zelinski (inc) 6Norbert Ashbeck (inc) 7Don Dunphy (inc) 8Laurie Thiel (inc) 9Don Fiske Incumbent Christine Vorpagel not running10Jesse Boyd (inc)Joshua Oxborrow 11Randy Detert (inc) 12Julie Depasse (inc) 13Write-In Incumbent Alan Bishop not running, no candidates filed14Marguerite Lyskawa (inc) 15Marty Lemke(inc) 16Dana Miller(inc) 17James Meunier(inc)Don Nelson 18Andrew Tomaszewski Incumbent Ken Wickham not running19Joseph Dorava(inc) 20Angela Cummings(inc) 21Eugene Simon(inc) 22Greg Hartwig(inc)

Published on 01/07/2026 under News The City of Tomahawk has been exploring a PFAs treatment facility. As part of the planning process, the city, working with MSA Professional Services, solicited bids for geo-technical exploration and engineering work. Last week, the Board of Public Works recommend a service contract; last night the City Council approved the contract with American Engineering Testing Inc. The City received two bids which were just $5 apart. At $7,280, AET was the low bid. The city has worked with the Wausau-area firm previously. The Council approved the bid with minimal discussion. The contract includes four borings of varying depths; an assessment of existing conditions and recommendations for utility construction, foundation design, and best practices. Back in the fall of 2023, routing testing for PFAs in the Tomahawk water system came back elevated. The proposed treatment facility would filter out these forever chemicals. The price tag is approximately $6.2 million, and the city is pursing funding through the state Clean Drinking Water program. _____ A few other quick notes from a relatively short meeting...Following Committee updates and a presentation from the Lincoln County Economic Development director Sara Guild, there were just two other action items on the agenda. The Council approved the transfer of two liquor licenses due to ownership changes. The Council approved the special event application for the annual Friends of Lake Mohawksin Fire and Ice Bonfire.

Published on 01/07/2026 under News First responders and road crews were kept busy throughout the day Tuesday. A winter rain fell, quickly freezing on the cold pavement leaving roads to resemble skating rinks. This led to numerous traffic incidents starting in central Wisconsin during the morning hours and gradually shifting in the afternoon hours including Tomahawk. During a mid-day update, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office noted calls for vehicle slide-offs and collisions were coming in faster than they could respond. At one point, they said they responded to more than two dozen traffic incidents during a two hour period. They did not provide any details on specific crashes. As for the Highway Departments, they were regularly out salting, sanding and scraping primary roads. Here in Tomahawk, city crews actually had to deal with flooding areas. The Public Works Department spent the afternoon clearing out catch basins to drain the excess water. Fortunately, those crews will have a chance to recover with few driving difficulties reported during the Wednesday morning commute.

Published on 01/07/2026 under News Each spring, the Wisconsin Conservation Congress offers an opportunity for people to weigh in on various topics related to the state's natural resources. The WCC is an independent organization made up of citizens. Their efforts help advise the DNR and Natural Resources Board. One way do they do so is their annual spring hearing. The survey gauges public opinion on a wide range to topics. Just a few recent examples include wake boat regulations, the use of lead ammunition, and underwater cameras as fishing aids. Starting this week, and over the next month, the WCC will accept resolution proposals from the public. Among the criteria for the resolutions: they must be of statewide impact; they must be practical, achievable, and reasonable; and they must be within the mission and vision of the WCC.People are allowed to submit up to two resolutions and can work with their WCC County Chair for guidance. The DNR has a WCC website with additional information. As for the spring surveys, those will take place in mid-April.

Published on 01/06/2026 under News Poor conditions mean the Eagle River Ice Castle will have to wait another year. Each year, the Eagle River Fire Department and their team of volunteers build the giant ice structure out of ice blocks taken from Silver Lake. They typically need 14 inches of ice for the build, however they only 10.5-11 inches. This led to their decision Monday to cancel the Ice Castle for 2026. They noted, that rain and snow last weekend was a set back. While they were eventually able to clear off the ice, able, it left behind a rough, uneven and brittle layer on top. Coupled with a warm-up in the forecast this week, they don't anticipate ice conditions will improve enough to produce the approximately 2,500 ice blocks to build. The Eagle River Ice Castle is a tradition that dates back to the 1930's, and has received widespread interest in the age of social media selfies and pictures. The build, however, has been sporadic recently. Last winter was just the second time in the past eight years that they've been able to build.

Published on 01/06/2026 under News A home in the town of Pine River was destroyed in a fire Monday morning. According to the Pine River Fire Department, responders were initially called to the home on Oak Ridge Avenue in the 5am hour. The homeowner reported smoke in the kitchen. Upon arrival, a deputy and firefighters weren't able to find smoke or flames. They cleared the scene after searching the home and a scan with their thermal imaging camera. A few hours later, at around 9:15am, the homeowner called 911 again after observing flames. Crews returned, and a mutual aid call was made for neighboring agencies. They worked to contain the fire, but it spread quickly through the attic. In addition to neighboring fire departments, the Lincoln County Highway Department brought in their clam truck in order to expose hidden fire pockets in the roof. Chief Lofink offered thanks to their partners during the response. Despite their efforts, the home was declared a total loss. All occupants and pets were able to evacuate. The Salvation Army is assisting the family. The report did not immediately identify a cause of fire. -Photo provided by Pine River Fire Department

Published on 01/06/2026 under News A Mosinee man was arrested following an investigation into a vehicle crash and burglary in Lincoln County. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report, deputies were called to County T in the Town of Somo for a vehicle in the ditch. The reporting party also indicated the occupant of the vehicle had broken into a building on his property. Deputies made contact with the 60 year old suspect, who initially denied the break-in. Deputies, however, located fresh foot prints in the snow which led the building where they found signs of forced entry. The deputy also located items allegedly taken from the building laying around the suspect's vehicle. As a result the man was taken into custody for burglary, criminal damage to property, bail jumping, and resisting/obstructing and officer.

Published on 01/06/2026 under News While incidents of blastomycosis are typically in the warmer months, the illness will be a topic of conversation this evening. Blastomycosis or 'blasto' is caused by a fungus that naturally occurs in areas with moist soil and decaying wood and leaves. Past data has shown Lincoln County has a higher than average rate of infection. Coming up this evening in Merrill, Emma Jaeger and John Snyder from the Medical College of Wisconsin, will host a presentation on Blastomycosis. It's part of the "Physician in the Community" project to educate health care providers and the community on Blasto specific to the region. According to the announcement, they plan to discuss key signs and symptoms, local data, geographical impact, and ways to improve outcomes in the community. They'll also have an opportunity for questions and people to share personal experiences following the presentation. The TB Scott Free Library in Merrill will be hosting the conversation at 6pm this evening.

Published on 01/06/2026 under News Most snowmobile trails in Lincoln County are now open. On Monday, the Lincoln County Forestry, Land, and Parks Department announced trails in Zone 4 are now open, joining zones 1,2,and 3 which had previously opened. In the announcement, the department also highlighted the work of local snowmobile clubs, noting they have dedicated significant time and effort to brushing, signing, and grooming the trails. They added, "We encourage riders to thank these volunteers, consider joining a club, and support these organizations through active participation. Without the ongoing work of these clubs, our trail network would not be possible."

Published on 01/06/2026 under News The Lincoln County Humane Society has received an influx of cats and kittens over the weekend. According to their latest update, they had taken in 34 new cats and kittens from a household over the weekend, and they anticipate several more over the next few days. Fortunately they noted, the new felines are healthy and adjusting well. In anticipation, they put out a call over the weekend for help from the community with donations of cat litter and kitten chow and were grateful to everyone who contributed. Every challenge we face at LCHS is easier because of the incredible people that care so much about the animals. To help alleviate the crowding, they will be having some adoption specials for cats that had already been at the Humane Society and also encouraged those considering fostering to reach out. Their final request is to remind everyone, if you see something that doesn't seem "quite right," always report it.

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