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Hatchet Cross Country Team Sending One to State Published on 10/24/2022 under Sports

On Saturday, Tomahawk made the trek to Skyline Golf Course in Black River Falls, WI, to compete at the site of WIAA Division 2 Sectional Cross-Country Meet. The weather was absolutely perfect with an unnoticeable breeze with temperatures around 60 degrees at the hilly Skyline Golf Course. A total of 17 teams faced the Hatchets for the right to advance to Wisconsin Rapids next weekend for the WIAA State

Championships.

Kicking off the day's races were the girls, who ran the challenging course taking 3rd place. Missing out on going to state by one team. All was not bleak however as Rachael Reilly again earned her spot to compete individually at the WIAA State Meet as she led the team placing 4th overall in a time of 20:58. Continuing Tomahawk's legacy of being represented at the state meet making it the 28th time in a row (28 qualifying teams and 17 individual qualifiers). Rachael began the race in 6th place and made decisive moves to pace one runner each mile putting her amongst the elite girls of the sectional meet. The Hatchet ladies valiant effort was rounded out by teammates: sophomore Alli Palmer (16th-21:54), junior

Halle Derleth (21st-22:19), senior Morgan Hansmann (24th-22:41), junior Kambyl Mattke (30th-23:03), junior Robin Schmidt (34th-23:18), and senior Serena Reinke (57th-26:19). There were 89 finishers in the girls race.

Once again Medford won the meet with a score of 31 points followed by West Salem with 55 points and Tomahawk with 91 points. This completes the 2022 girls team season with a record of 90 teams beaten and 12 teams defeated by.

The Noon boys race would find the Hatchets squaring off against some of the finest Division 2 teams in the state. The tight race was won by Mauston with 72 points, followed by the other state qualifying team, West Salem with 78 points. The Hatchet boys would finish in 9th place with 208 points out of the 17 teams competing. The Hatchet boys were led by junior Presley Gutbrod who began the race in 34th place and managed to finish in 21st with a time of 18:33. The squad was completed with: junior Owen Dickrell (38th-19:14), Sam Zastrow (41st-19:20), senior Ty Anthes (48th-19:29), junior Brett Borchardt (60th-20:06), sophomore Jacob Riemer (84th-21:37), and senior Taje Casey (90th-22:14). A total of 111

athletes finished the boys sectional race. This wraps up the 2022 boys team season with a record of 74 teams beaten and 27 teams defeated by.

The Great Northern Conference will be well represented in Wisconsin Rapids next weekend. Along with the girls from Medford the boys from Lakeland also qualified (out of the Oconto Falls Sectional). Individual boys state qualifiers from Rhinelander, Antigo, Medford and girl's athletes from Mosinee, Tomahawk, and Northland Pines will be competing.

Next Saturday Rachael Reilly will represent Tomahawk at the WIAA State Cross-Country Championships at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. The Division II girls race begins at 12:40 pm.

In Other News

City of Tomahawk Eyes Temporary Fix to Deteriorating Somo Avenue

Published on 04/29/2026 under News Somo Avenue in Tomahawk is one of the roughest stretches of road in the city. While officials await a long-term fix, the city is teaming up with the county on a temporary solution. And that could come next month. At Tuesday's meeting, the Board of Public Works approved a plan to wedge the top layer of asphalt and apply an overlay on Somo Avenue between the 4-way stop and Tomahawk Avenue. A previous overlay began to peel, leaving behind large potholes that are difficult to fill and maintain. This project is intended as a temporary measure for that four-block segment, expected to last around 5 years. The State of Wisconsin has tentatively scheduled a full reconstruction of Somo Avenue, which doubles as State Rd. 86 for the year 2030. Street Lead Nick Rosenmeier briefly discussed the plan ahead of the vote. Repairs are tentatively scheduled for the week before Memorial Day weekend, and Rosenmeier anticipates a closure of that four block stretch for two to three days. The Board discussed project logistics, including the temporary detour and ensuring access for the police department. Ultimately, the project was approved unanimously. _____ A few other quick notes from Tuesday's lengthy Public Works meeting… The Board approved an updated request from Tomahawk Main Street for their downtown historical marker in the boulevard outside the Bradley mural on the side of Walker's General Store. Tomahawk Main Street also requested permission to pursue a streetscape redesign project. We'll have a bit more on those efforts in the coming days. The Board continues to discuss ongoing issues with lift station at the Esker Heights subdivision due to flushing of improper materials. The city is exploring various options including advisories and service call surcharges. They are reaching out to neighboring communities to see how they have addressed similar issues. The board also approved routine maintenance to paint the city's fire hydrants. They will be painted red and include industry standard indicators marking water flow rates. Street Lead Nick Rosenmeier clarified for people inquiring about street sweeping delays. They have been awaiting a repair part that was initially back-ordered, then incorrectly sized. He hoped to have the street sweeper up and running this week.

Published on 04/29/2026 under News Expecting parents and families with little ones will have a chance to gather helpful resources, ask questions, and connect with local experts at an upcoming community event in Tomahawk. The Lincoln County Health Department and their partners are hosting the 4th annual Lincoln County Community Baby Shower Wednesdayafternoon. Organizers say the free, come-and-go event is designed for families expecting a baby, as well as parents, caregivers, and family members of children up to 18 months old. They note that kids are welcome as well. Public Health Educator Lexi Buntrock says, "We are excited to be able to offer this one-stop-shop experience again that connects expecting families, and those with young children, with local resources and education." The baby shower will feature a wide range of local agencies and services, offering information on topics such as safe sleep practices, child development, nutrition, mental health, and early literacy. They'll have demonstrations like CPR and car seat checks. Buntrock says, "We are excited to welcome back many of our returning agencies and resources, as well as introduce some new ones this year. Thanks to a grant from the Tomahawk Community Thrift Shop, they have a limited number of care packages with baby essentials and educational materials. Buntrock says, "We frequently see families returning to the event annually..." No registration is required. They'll be set up at St. Mary's Corpus Christi Center in Tomahawk this afternoon from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Published on 04/29/2026 under News Students at Tomahawk Middle School are stepping out of the classroom and into the community for a day of service. The annual Community Service Day will send middle school students across the greater Tomahawk area to take part in a wide range of service projects like cleaning up grounds, reading to younger students, helping at nursing homes and assisting community organizations. A new addition this year includes a fundraiser at the Trig's Brat Hut from 11 am to 2 pm, where students will serve lunch to raise money for the Salvation Army Backpack Program which offers snacks and food vouchers for students dealing with food insecurity. Ahead of the effort, we spoke with Middle School Principal Stacey Bolder. She says the day is about more than just volunteering it's about building pride, connections, and lifelong values. She noted, "By the time a student leave Tomahawk Middle School in eighth grade, you know they're going to have done quite a bit of community service, something that we want to instill in (our students). Community members are encouraged to stop by the brat stand to support the cause and see the students' efforts in action.

Published on 04/29/2026 under News Officials have provided some additional details into a fatal incident following a traffic stop near Tomahawk late last week. That incident happened Friday, at shortly before 5pm on Highway 51 north of County A. The initial report indicated a state trooper conducted a traffic stop, the driver drove away, and suffered a fatal, self-inflicted injury. In an update provided by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, they identified the subject as 36 year old Wade Johnson of Minocqua. They clarified the initial traffic stop was for an equipment violation. After briefly stopping for the trooper, they said Johnson fled in the vehicle, traveled an approximately quarter mile, entered the ditch before the vehicle came to rest. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene of a self-inflicted injury. According to the update, life saving measures were not attempted due to the extend of injuries. The Sheriff's Office said no law enforcement officers fired their weapons, and no officers injured during the incident.

Published on 04/29/2026 under News Earlier this month the DNR and Wisconsin Conservation Congress invited people to weigh in on all things outdoors, and thousands of people responded. The results of 2026 of the survey have now been posted. Just over 6,800 people responded to the questionnaire either in person after attending the spring hearing, or online. That's actually down slightly from last year. Conservation Congress Chair Rob Bohmann says, "It is wonderful to see the public invested in this important process and it tells us how much they value resource management in Wisconsin," The survey included around 45 yes/no questions on a variety of topics. For example, people overwhelming supported designating the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly as the state insect, but overwhelming opposed requiring registration of non-motorized watercrafts like kayaks and paddleboards. The results of these surveys are advisory, however they are presented at the Conservation Congress annual meeting and will be sent to the DNR and Natural Resources Board. The results are also available on the DNR website.

Published on 04/29/2026 under News One seat remains open on the Merrill School Board after the winner of a write-in declined the position. The Merrill Board of Education had three seats on the April ballot, but just two candidates. That left the final spot to be determined by write-in. The winner of the write-in was Lin Kautza, however she officially declined the nomination ahead of this week's deadline. In a letter to Superintendent Shannon Murray, Kautza expressed gratitude to the voters. She noted that while education has been her life's work, after conversations and consideration, she ultimately would decline. The next steps for the district is to fill the vacancy by appointment. Board members are scheduled to meet on May 6 to determine the process.

Published on 04/29/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's softball squad hung on for a key non-conference victory Tuesday night on the road, edging out the Athens Blue Jays, 6-5. The Hatchets took a four-run lead into the bottom of the seventh before Athens cut the deficit to one. However, pitcher Camryn Kraklow would slam the door shut on a complete game victory. Kraklow gave up just one earned run and struck out eight. Autumn Merrigan had an RBI double. Ella Peissig finished two for four with an RBI. The win puts Tomahawk at 5-7 on the season and 3-5 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets return to their home field for a GNC showdown Thursday evening against Rhinelander. Alex Koch and Matt Theiler will have the broadcast with the Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pregame Show at 4:35 and first pitch at 5:00 on Sports Talk 810 AM/97.7 FM WJJQ.

Published on 04/29/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's golf squad took fourth in their second Great Northern Conference meet of the season at Inshalla Country Club. Tomahawk finished with a 343, eight strokes behind Mosinee and three ahead of Merrill. The Top Hatchet golfer was Jake Albert, who placed seventh overall with an 81. Albert's scored tied Rhinelander's Blake Petroff. Jaxon Kaiser finished tied with Lakeland's Jaydan Schilling for tenth with an 83. Tomahawk's next GNC Meet is at Northwoods Golf Club in Rhinelander Friday. Tee-off is at 3:00.

Published on 04/29/2026 under Sports The Hatchet baseball squad had a rough day in the field Tuesday night in Eagle River, losing to Northland Pines, 6-1. The Hatchets committed five errors on the day, which allowed the Eagles to score two unearned runs. Offensively, Tomahawk mustered just one run on three hits. The lone run was scored on a third-inning two-run double from Wally Horabik. The Hatchet senior finished two for three. The loss drops Tomahawk to 4-4 on the season and 4-2 in Great Northern Conference play. Tomahawk will take on conference leader Rhinelander at TK Field Thursday afternoon. First pitch is at 4:00.

Published on 04/28/2026 under News Business leaders, entrepreneurs, and community members are gathering today to focus on strengthening small business and economic growth in Lincoln County. The Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation is hosting its 2026 Economic Summit, themed "Energizing the Small Business Spirit." The summit is designed to bring together regional partners and local businesses to share ideas, build connections, and explore strategies for success. LCEDC Executive Director Sara Guild anticipated more than 100 people would take part. The morning session features updates on regional economic trends, a keynote on innovation in rural communities, and a panel discussion with local business owners. A statewide perspective on economic conditions will also be shared. Following some networking and lunch, the afternoon sessions are focused on practical tools for small businesses, including financing partnerships, marketing strategies, and community engagement. The day wraps up with a closing presentation by Mike Hobbs, a rural entrepreneur and community development advocate. He'll be highlighting how small-town businesses can drive broader community growth. This is the third year for the Lincoln County Economic Summit, which alternates locations between Tomahawk and Merrill. This year, they're back in Merrill.

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