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Lincoln County Sheriff's Report: Thursday Snow Causes Slide-Offs Published on 01/24/2023 under News

It was a relatively quiet week for the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report...

With a snow/ice mix covering the roads on Thursday and Friday, deputies responded to four separate crashes during a four hour window. Three occurred on Highway 51, a fourth on Highway 8. According to the summary, each of the four crashes involved a single vehicle; three were roll-overs. Fortunately no injuries were reported. One driver was temporarily trapped in his vehicle and had to be freed.

A 26 year old Wausau man is facing numerous charges following a traffic stop in the Town of Scott on Saturday. A patrol deputy initially stopped the vehicle after a complaint about the man's driving behavior. During the stop, the deputy observed signs of drug impairment. The man was eventually arrested for 3rd offense OWI, possession of a controlled substance, and operating after revocation. The man also had outstanding warrants for arrest from Marathon and Waupaca Counties.

A traffic stop for speeding resulted in a 1st offense OWI for a 26 year old Tomahawk man. That stop happened on Highway 51 in the Town of Pine River on Sunday.

Speaking of Lincoln County Roadways, the number of reported deer strikes was down slightly with just five being reported this past week.

In Other News

Hatchet Golf Team Wins Marathon Invite

Published on 05/05/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's Golf squad took a meet championship for the first time this season, placing first in the Marathon Invite Monday. The Hatchets as a team finished with a 340, five strokes ahead of the host. Oliver Childers took the individual meet title, finishing with a 78. Rounding out the top five overall were Jaxon Kaiser and Jake Albert, each with an 83. The Hatchets hit the course again Tuesday for a Great Northern Conference Meet at Bass Lake Country Club in Antigo. Tee-off is at 3:00.

Published on 05/05/2026 under Sports Tomahawk Baseball broke their three-game losing streak with a dominating non-conference victory at Tyler Kahle Memorial Field Monday, defeating Prentice, 12-6. The Hatchets scored in every inning and took advantage of eight Buccaneer errors to claim the victory. Despite not registering any hits, Wally Horabik and Cash Olsen combined for five RBIs. Jonah Dickens picked up the win on the mound, allowing just three runs on three hits while striking out eight in six innings of work. The win puts Tomahawk at 5-7 on the season and 4-5 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back at TK Field Tuesday for a GNC showdown with Mosinee. Tune in for the broadcast on Sports Talk 810 AM/97.7 FM WJJQ. Alex Koch and Keith Hanse will be in the broadcast booth with the Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pregame Show at 4:35 and first pitch at 5:00.

Published on 05/05/2026 under Sports The Hatchet softball squad held on for a non-conference victory down in Wausau Monday evening, defeat Wausau East, 6-5, in eight innings. Despite committing four errors, the Hatchets were able to come up with key hits in the eighth inning to pull out their seventh victory of the season. Anita Ziert went two for four with two runs scored. The winning run was a sacrifice fly from Averi Petta, scoring Anita Ziert. The win puts Tomahawk at 7-7 on the season and 4-5 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back on the diamond Tuesday afternoon at Mosinee. First pitch is at 5:00.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News One person is dead following a UTV crash in Oneida County over the weekend. According to the Sheriff's Office, that crash happened Saturday at around 5:30 on a trail in the Town of Enterprise. Responders were pages to a segment near Bowman Road. The preliminary investigation showed the UTV left the trail and struck a tree while negotiating a turn. The operator sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been identified as 70 year old David R. McMillen of Salem, Wis. A passenger was treated for minor injuries on the scene. The DNR is completing the accident report. This is the 13th fatal ATV/UTV crash in Wisconsin this year, the second in Oneida County.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News Trout fishing on the Prairie River in Lincoln County may fly under the radar, but a new video short highlights the premier trout stream and a local fly fisherman. As part of Lincoln County's ongoing partnership with Discover Wisconsin, they have released a series of videos highlighting the people, places and events that make Lincoln County special. The latest episode, a 4.5 minute mini, focuses on local trout fishing along the scenic blue ribbon waters on the Prairie River. Like many of these videos, it showcases a place through the story of the people. This video is narrated by Joe Krznarich, a Merrill flyfisherman. The second part of the video even enters his home workshop where he ties his own flies by hand, proving it's as much art as it is sport. Over the years, video segments featuring Lincoln County have been produced on a number of topics including local trails, unique events, and even dog-sledding, the latter of which earned a regional Emmy Award last fall. The video is available on the Discover Wisconsin YouTube Channel. We'll include a link in the online version of the story.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News If you're a frequent flyer, you're bound to run into a travel delay at some point. Unfortunately for the 55th edition of the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, the veterans had to wait an extra day to visit Washington, DC. The local chapter of the Honor Flight network was set to make their first mission of the new year on Monday. But after a lengthy delay, the yesterday's flight was eventually postponed. According to the announcement, they were worked to reschedule the flight for Tuesday with local accommodations for the veterans and guardians. The mission featured an expected 91 veterans including 86 Vietnam era veterans and 4 vets from Korea and a 100 year old WWII vet. The local chapter was founded back in 2010. Following today's flight, the 55th overall, the Northern Wisconsin Chapter of the Honor Flight will have transported more than 5,300 veterans to the Nation's capital.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News The Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin has launched a new webpage to support tornado recovery efforts, while also announcing an impressive milestone in fundraising for the cause. The Tornado Relief webpage provides a central place for impacted residents to apply for emergency assistance, access resources, and track updates as recovery continues. Foundation President Tim Parker says the site is designed to make help more accessible while keeping the community informed during the transition from immediate response to long-term recovery. It's been a little more than two weeks since the EF3 tornado touched down in Ringle. The Community Foundation has served as a central hub for people looking for ways to support those impacted by the storms. According to yesterday's update, more than 700 donors have now contributed over $250,000. The Emergency Relief Fund aims to assist individuals and families facing urgent needs like housing instability and basic living expenses. A five-member review committee will meet weekly to evaluate applications and distribute funding as quickly and fairly as possible. Residents can apply online or by submitting a paper application, with funds often paid directly to vendors when possible.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News A child is recovering after being struck by a Wausau city bus Monday morning. According to the Wausau Police Department, responders were called to a vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash involving a Metro Ride bus at the intersection of South 12th Avenue and Callon Street. Based on their preliminary investigation, during school drop-off, a child ran into the roadway after exiting a vehicle. The child was struck by an oncoming Metro Ride bus. EMTs provided immediate care on the scene, and the child was transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. According to the news release, the Wausau School district is actively providing services to students. The Marathon County Sheriff's Office is conducting the investigation because a city agency, Metro Ride, was involved. Both parties are cooperating with the investigation.

Published on 05/05/2026 under News While Wisconsin has started to green up, fire danger remains elevated across much of the state. On Monday, the DNR suspended burning permits for 43 counties, while most of the state was listed in either high or very high fire danger. There were 20 wildfires reported around the state Monday including one in Lincoln County, two in Oneida County, and three in Price County. According to the DNR, spring is the most critical fire season in Wisconsin. The DNR is at full staffing and preparedness across the state to respond to any incidents. Fire risk is increased by ongoing dry vegetation, low humidity, warmer temperatures and breezy conditions. They note even a few days between precipitation can dry out grasses, pine needles and leaf litter, creating hazardous conditions. They note that people can help by using caution and avoiding activities that may cause a spark.

Published on 05/04/2026 under News Several partners in Lincoln County are looking to improve mental health by encouraging interactions in the community. The Social Connection Challenge is a joint effort of Healthy Minds for Lincoln County Coalition, Lincoln County Health Dept, and Aspirus. During the month of May, they're encouraging community members to prioritize social connection by limiting screen time; reaching out to friends, family and neighbors; seeking opportunities to help others; and finding ways to get involved in the community. Kristin Bath with the Health Department says they're excited to bring back the Social Connection Challenge for a second year. She added, "We hope this challenge provides a fun way for families, friends and our community to take part in activities that bring us together and are good for our mental health." The Challenge includes 50 suggested activities, and participants are asked to complete 15 to be entered into a prize drawing. Just a few examples include: completing a random act of kindness; attend a summer concert; join a community education class; or volunteer in your community. Online forms can be completed on the Health Department website or picked up in their office in Merrill. They will also be available in Merrill and Tomahawk at the local Libraries and Chambers. The deadline is June 5.

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