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WPS Works With Law Enforcement, Social Media To Educate on Scams Published on 10/22/2021 under News

Wisconsin Public Service partnered with law enforcement groups Thursday to educate customers on scammers.

Over the years, WPS customers have lost thousands of dollars in utility scams. This campaign comes at a time of year when these scams tend to pick up, coinciding with the state's energy disconnection moratorium in November.

On Thursday, WPS worked with police and sheriff departments in their Northwoods service area to share warning signs on social media.

Spokesman Matt Cullen says the goal was to flood newsfeeds with this important safety information.

We've frequently reported on the red flags included in the campaign.

A few examples include:

•Remember that scammers have equipment that changes the name and number appearing on caller ID.

•Scammers will use urgency, threatening to shut off power immediately unless a payment is made.

•They'll also demand that payment from non-traditional sources like prepaid debit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency and third-party apps.

If you are suspicious of a call hang-up. You can call the hotline listed on your bill to verify any outstanding payments.

In Other News

Fatal Crash in Lincoln County Sunday

Published on 11/27/2023 under News One person is dead following a weekend crash near Tomahawk. According to a news release from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, a vehicle was located off of County Road S in Skanawan Creek in the Town of Bradley Sunday evening. The driver was located and pronounced dead at the scene. No information on that individual has been provided at this time. Based on the preliminary investigation, they believe the vehicle was traveling north at the time it left the roadway. It wasn't immediately clear what time the crash occurred. The cause of the crash remains under investigation at this time.

Published on 11/27/2023 under News Lincoln County will be joining into an award winning marketing campaign that showcases the county through it's people and places. That campaign is known as Uniquely Wisconsin, similar to the more popular and well-known Discover Wisconsin series. Through video, social media, and podcasts, they highlight the stories of the people, culture and history of a location to help promote economic development and tourism. At their November meeting, the Lincoln County Supervisors heard a brief presentation from Uniquely Wisconsin's Josh Osterman and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann. Ostermann teased a new feature on Price County as an example of this creative story telling. Rather than focusing on snowmobiling specifically, one of the Price County pieces tells the story of a group of volunteers who have maintained their trail system for more than a half century, which in turn will promote the popular sport by putting a face and personality on the topic. (YouTube link) It was a similar technique for the feature at Stoney Acres in Marathon County which recently received a regional Emmy award. As of the November meeting, there were 13 Wisconsin counties in the campaign through two seasons. There is a cost of $60,000 to create, produce, and market the videos and associated campaigns. Lincoln County will utilize American Rescue Plan Act or ARPA funds that had already been earmarked for marketing the county. These types of projects have been a main focus of ARPA spending in Lincoln County which has invested in trails, campgrounds, and parks. It's in pursuit of growing the visitor base and tourism mirroring the new county vision: Lincoln County: Where the Northwoods Start and Your Adventure Begins. As for the timeline on this Uniquely Wisconsin project, Osterman says they'll spend the next couple of months planning the topics. Filming will follow, with a goal of releasing the videos in late summer or early fall.

Published on 11/27/2023 under News Fire stations around the Northwoods have become a bit more festive in recent days. It's all part of the annual 'Keep the Wreath Green' campaign. During the holiday season, participating fire stations hang wreaths outfitted with green bulbs. When the individual agency responds to a fire, they change one of the green bulbs to a red one. The wreath serves as a visual reminder of the fire risks over the holiday season. Here in Lincoln County, both the Tomahawk and Merrill Fire Departments put up their wreaths over the weekend. In addition to the traditional green bulbs, the Merrill wreath has two additional bulbs with special meaning, one white and one blue. The white bulb represents fallen firefighters, while the blue bulb signifies fallen law enforcement. For Merrill, the Department had their first 'red' bulb from a chimney fire on Sunday. As for fire safety over the holidays, a few tips, keep your Christmas tree watered and be careful not to overload electrical outlets. Keep an eye on food cooking, and avoid open flames and candles near flammable materials. Most of the wreaths will remain up through New Year's, hopefully remaining green during that time. Photo: The Tomahawk (left) and Merrill (right) Fire Departments have hung their annual 'Keep the Wreath Green' wreaths for the holiday season.

Published on 11/27/2023 under News Throughout the summer, nearly the entire state experienced drought conditions. While it impacted many crops, this year's Christmas trees shouldn't be among them. Greg Hann, with the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association says, "The growing season has been tough for the small trees, but those aren't the ones we're (currently) harvesting." Most Christmas trees harvested for home use are between eight and ten years old, which Hann says typically do fine in drought years. He also noted that many of the state's growers have also adapted to drier conditions in recent years by installing watering systems. Wisconsin is home to more than 850 Christmas tree farms, which the association highlights on their website with a 'Find a Real Tree' interactive map. More than 700,000 evergreens are harvested in Wisconsin each fall, ranking fifth in the nation. Beyond the local economic impact of Christmas Tree Farms, a sustainable harvest also produces oxygen, absorbs carbon dioxide and other gases, and provides habitat for native Wisconsin wildlife.

Published on 11/27/2023 under News After Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday, today marks the third in a holiday shopping trio...Cyber Monday. The Better Business Bureau is reminding online consumers to shop safe and shop smart. Over the years, more and more consumers have shifted to online shopping for at least a portion of their holiday purchases. The Bureau says a little bit of extra research can held avoid these Grinches and their holiday scams. Watch for misleading advertisements, lookalike websites, and untrustworthy sellers. A few quick tips BBB offered... keep your antivirus software up-to-date, be wary of unsolicited offers and those that appear 'too good to be true.' Check shipping and return policies, and read the fine print before you buy. Finally, keep a paper trail and monitor your statements through the holiday season.

Published on 11/27/2023 under News The Northwoods Children's Museum in Eagle River has a new leader. Danielle Larsen was recently named as the new executive director of the museum. In the announcement, the board of directors noted that the Rhinelander native has a seven-year background in non-profit administration and leadership experience with the YMCA. As a mother of two, Larsen is already quite familiar with the museum. She says, "My kids and I used to come here to play, and now I am appreciating the organization through a new lens." She added, "I'm excited for this opportunity and incredibly grateful to be in this position. When you combine hardworking people who have passion, intelligence, grit, integrity, and a genuine love for others, great things happen, and that is the foundation this team brings with them every day." Prior to joining the Northwoods Children's Museum, Larsen was the Neighborhood Centers Senior Director for the YMCA of the North, in Minneapolis. Before that role, she held the Membership and Marketing Director position at the YMCA of the Northwoods. Board president Leah Van Zile says, "We are excited to have Danielle on board and we look forward to the skills and experience she brings with her." Shea dded, "We welcome her enthusiasm and leadership as we continue to expand the museum's outreach."

Published on 11/27/2023 under News Unemployment estimates here in the Northwoods continue small movements, dropping in the month of October. The Department of Workforce Development recently released jobs estimates from last month. Across the state, the month to month figures dropped in 71 of the state's 72 counties. Taking a look at the local numbers, here in Lincoln County, the rate fell from 3.1 percent in September to 2.8 percent in October. Oneida County's went from 3 percent to 2.8 percent. Both counties were up slightly from October of last year. Up in Vilas County, the estimate went from 3.2 percent in September to 3.1 percent in October, matching October of last year.

Published on 11/27/2023 under Sports Tomahawk's hockey squad opened up the 2023-24 season with an impressive victory in the opening game of the Amery Tournament on Friday, shutting out St. Paul Johnson 9-0. The Hatchets got three points from three different players. Austin Lamer led the way for the Hatchets with three goals and two assists. Jonah Dickens had four points and an assist, while Landyn Seymour had a goal and two assists. The Hatchets start their season off at 1-0. On Saturday, Tomahawk lost to Amery by the final of 5-2. Tomahawk will have their season opener at SARA Park on Tuesday against Merrill/East at 7:00 pm.

Published on 11/24/2023 under News With Thanksgiving now behind us, the Tomahawk Community is wasting little time in transitioning to Christmas. That all starts with Saturday's Kick Off to Christmas, a full day of festive activities in Downtown Tomahawk. The events are organized by Tomahawk Hometown Christmas. The group set out a few years ago to revitalize the Tomahawk holiday festivities of years past. They've been fine tuning the two companion events over the years including tomorrows Kick-Off and the main Hometown Christmas on December 8. The theme of this year is 'Christmas Around the World.' Ahead of the event, we heard a quick preview from the organizers. They'll be offering up photos with Santa at City Hall throughout the day, along with some downtown wagon rides. That all leads up to the lighting ceremony for the Community Christmas Tree in the boulevard at the east end of Main Street. Santa will once again make his way down Wisconsin Avenue for the ceremony starting at 5pm. The upcoming weekend activities are just an appetizer for the larger Hometown Christmas celebration on December 8 which includes the parade, live window displays and caroling. We'll provide additional details as that date approaches.

Published on 11/24/2023 under News A downtown Tomahawk restaurant impacted by a fire could be serving up food again, and sooner than expected. It has only been three weeks since that early morning fire struck Tomahawk's Main Street. It affected Nachos Mexican Grill, Century 21, and the upstairs apartments. Behind the scenes, there has been some developments which could see Nacho's re-opened at a temporary location just down the road. While some businesses are more suited for a quick relocation, others need more dedicated space. That's especially true of a restaurants. In a bit of good timing amid the tragedy, after nearly 25 years, Bambino's is planning on wrapping up their brick and mortar operation due to retirement. Now the two restaurateurs have reached an agreement to turn the traditionally Italian eatery Mexican for a short time. In an update via their Facebook Page, Nacho's posted, "very soon we will open our doors, we hope to see you all there." They'll continue to provide updates including an opening day once set. He also indicated plans to rebuild their restaurant. As for Bambino's they'll be around for another week, and as Randy shared on the WJJQ airwaves, he plans to keep operating his popular Food Truck going forward.

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