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Hatchets Sports Recap - Thursday Published on 05/14/2021 under Sports

SOFTBALL:

The Tomahawk Varsity Softball Team scored 9 runs in the first inning, 3 runs in the second inning, and 8 runs in the third inning to blow by the Lakeland T-Birds on Thursday night 20-4 in 3 innings. Maddie Marino went 4 for 4 with two doubles and two singles. Mackenzie Scholz held the T-Birds scoreless in the second and third innings after giving up 4 runs in the first inning. The Hatchets have won 3 games in a row.

The Hatchets will play in the Monroe Invite this weekend, with the first game starting at 9:00am on Saturday morning.

The Hatchets JV Softball Team beat Marathon 24-14 on Thursday night.

TRACK AND FIELD:

The Tomahawk Girls and Boys Track and Field Teams competed in the Rhinelander Invite on Thursday afternoon. The Girls placed 3rd out of 7 teams, and the Boys finished 6th out of 7 teams.

GIRLS FIRST PLACE FINISHERS:

4x800m Relay - Morgan Hansmann, Rachael Reilly, Robin Schmidt, Macey Mann

3200m Run - Rachael Reilly

BOYS FIRST PLACE FINISHERS:

4x800m Relay - Drew Bolder, Hunter Borchardt, Alex Norman, Noah Buckwalter

800m Run - Drew Bolder

Pole Vault - Ethan Liebnitz

GOLF:

The Hatchet JV Golfers competed in a nine hole GNC Meet at Riverview Golf Course on Thursday afternoon. The JV Golfers placed 6th out 8 teams. Owen Dickrel led the Hatchets with a score of 43. Gavyn Palmer shot a 57 and Taje Casey shot a 59.

In Other News

Tomahawk Chamber Presents Annual Chamber Awards

Published on 02/02/2026 under News At their annual awards celebration this weekend, the Tomahawk Regional Chamber of Commerce recognized another group of individuals that have contributed their time and talents to the community. The Chamber honors those who have made the Tomahawk area a better place to live, work, and play. And in this community, there is never a shortage of candidates. The Ambassador Award is presented to an individual, organization or business who presents the community in a positive light. It was awarded to Tomahawk Music on the River. They're the group behind the free, weekly concert series in Memorial Park during the summer. Next, the Spirit Award, was presented to Chris Bembinster, a long-term volunteer with WaWui and SARA Park. A new award this year, Small Business of the Year, was voted on by the community. We, at WJJQ Radio, were grateful to accept this award. The final award of the evening was for Lifetime Achievement. It was presented to Patti Hilgendorf. Hilgendorf is the long-time director of the youth mentor program known as Tomahawk Kinship. A congratulations go out to all of this year's recipients.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News A family was displaced following a fire in Vilas County over the weekend. Responders were called to a house fire on Trails End Road in Land O'Lakes at shortly before 1am Sunday morning. The initial report indicated a fire originating in the chimney that was spreading to the roof. Firefighters were unable to save the home, it was considered a total loss. The occupants were able to safely evacuate and no injuries were reported. The fire remains under investigation.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News Those visiting the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest this spring or summer may be asked to complete a short survey and/or interview. The National Visitor Use Monitoring survey is conducted every five years, and this year the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is on the schedule. According to the announcement, the surveys will be conducted at recreation sites and along forest service roads in the forest. Contract employees will wear bright orange vests and there will be signs saying "Traffic Survey Ahead." Questions may include where in the CNNF you visited and how long, along with satisfaction of the visit. Some participants may also be asked to complete a supplemental survey on recreation spending to measure the economic impact on local communities. Surveys are voluntary and all responses are confidential; and last about ten minutes. Surveys will be conducted through Sept. 30, 2026.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News Bob Ross became a household name by painting happy little trees. Now a virtual race in his honor will be returning to Wisconsin to benefit trees in state parks and other properties. The DNR recently announced that the 'Happy Little 5k' will be offered in Wisconsin once again the spring. It's part of a larger event that began in Michigan in 2019 in partnership with Bob Ross, Inc. The program continues to expand each year, with more than 10,000 participants joining the 2025 event. Participants can now choose from 17 states to represent, including Wisconsin. Ross was known for his calming voice and passion for creating scenic landscape paintings on his instructional show on PBS, the Joy of Painting. Ross often referred to 'happy little trees' in his paintings inspiring the name of the race. It is a virtual 5k, so participants can pick their own routes. The race period falls in April, around the week of Earth Day and Arbor Day. By selecting to represent Wisconsin in the race, a portion of the registration fee will go towards tree planting and forest health efforts in Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas. Participants will also receive a shirt, virtual bib number and medal. Registration is now open, we'll include a link.

Published on 02/02/2026 under News Campers in Vilas County will have a new way to book their sites. The County Forestry, Recreation, and Land Department has launched a new campground website and reservation system. The website has been available for a few days now, and as of Monday morning, the campsite reservation system is active as well. According to Vilas County Parks and Recreation Supervisor Todd Bierman, This site will be the gateway for camping information on the Vilas County Forest and will be the connecting piece for making reservations..." In addition to the reservation system, Each campground has a page with information, photos, and reviews. People can visit the website at vilascountyrec.com.

Published on 01/30/2026 under News The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about the reappearance of a 'missed jury duty' scam. Over the past few days, the Sheriff's Office, along with the Clerk of Courts Office, have received reports or questions from residents who have been contacted by these scammers. The caller states that an individual missed grand jury duty on January 12. Investigators believe they are using a specific date to make the call appear more realistic and urgent. The scammers are masking the number to appear local with a 715 area code (715-814-3041 specifically). When calling that number back, even the voicemail message claims to be the Sheriff's Office even though the number is not affiliated. In the warning, the Sheriff's Office reminds residents to be vigilant, never share personal or financial information. They note that most of their official business is conducted in-person, they may occasionally attempt contact by phone. If you are suspicious of an unsolicited phone call, hang up and call back using a known number. The Sheriff's Office says they will understand the situation.

Published on 01/30/2026 under News It's shaping up to be a great snowmobiling weekend here in the Northwoods. Riders will be sharing the trails with law enforcement for a safety campaign. The DNR and their partners will be bringing back a Sled Safe education and enforcement. Wardens will be sharing snowmobile safety tips with riders, while also keeping an eye out for operators who may be impaired or causing safety problems for themselves and others. There have been six fatal snowmobile crashes in Wisconsin this year. DNR off-highway vehicle administrator Lt. Jacob Holsclaw says, "I can't stress enough how important it is for snowmobile operators to be safe, responsible and sober." A few other safety tips riders may receive: Always operate within the limits of your skills, visibility and snowmobile. Be mindful at road crossings. Stay on marked trails. The Sled Safe outreach is scheduled each of the next two weekends (Jan. 30-Feb. 1 and again on Feb. 6-8) They hope the safety message stays with snowmobilers throughout the riding season.

Published on 01/30/2026 under News Among the concerns with our recent cold spell is frozen pipes. That's especially true for farmers and their livestock. Thankfully some firefighters in Lincoln County were able to help out when the latest bout of cold weather temporarily cut off water supply at a farm earlier this week. The Pine River Fire Department conducted the unusual rescue on Wednesday morning. They explained that a farmer reached out for assistance after his water lines froze, leaving his cows temporarily without fresh water. Firefighters went to the scene and filled up a number of water containers. A neighboring farmer loaned some additional water tanks to get the farmer, and his thirsty cows, by until the water could be restored.

Published on 01/30/2026 under News As part of Salt Awareness Week, we've been talking about reducing the amount of salt being used to treat roadways, driveways, and sidewalks. While the messaging is to protect the environment and infrastructure, sometimes salt isn't the most effective choice. Saltwise Wisconsin is a partner in the campaign and provided a lesson and some data on the science behind the salt. Road salt, or sodium chloride, works by lowering the freezing point of water. This causes the melting even in temperatures below 32 degrees. But the further the temperature drops, the more salt is needed, eventually losing effectiveness. Research has shown that at 30 degrees, one pound of salt will melt 45 pounds of ice in 5 minutes. At 15 degrees, that same pound of ice will only melt 4 pounds of ice in an hour. As we told you earlier this week, a teaspoon of salt is enough to contaminate five gallons of fresh water. There are some additional salt compounds like calcium chloride; that work in colder conditions. These are typically more expensive, and the characteristics that increase melting effectiveness, also increase the corrosive impacts. So when temperatures dip below 20 degrees, sand is often the best solution to simply increase traction.

Published on 01/30/2026 under News The DNR is asking people enjoying some winter recreation to be on the look for and report any black bear dens they come across. It's all part of an ongoing black bear reproduction study. Researchers are studying population estimates, as well as the impacts of human food sources and bear reproduction. Black bear cubs are typically born in late January or early February, and dens are often found during this time because people can hear the cubs squeaking, grunting or humming, usually while they are nursing. People can submit den sightings to the DNR. They are asked to include: GPS coordinates of the den, a photo with surroundings, a description, and any signs of bear activity. Once identified, researchers will monitor dens for cubs to gather data on the litter, while also potentially attaching GPS to the mother bears. This is the fifth year of the study, which was featured in an episode of PBS Wisconsin's "Wisconsin Life" series this fall. Reporting information is available on the DNR website. Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR: Bear den survey participants wear protective gear and keep vulnerable cubs warm while DNR staff members fit a GPS collar on the mother bear during den surveys. /

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