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Tomahawk Bantam Team Advances to WAHA State Tourney Published on 02/27/2023 under Sports

The Tomahawk Hockey Association Bantam Team has advanced to the WAHA 3A State Hockey Championships on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday March 5 at Reedsburg Area Community Arena.

Tomahawk is the top seed in the eight team tournament and will open play against Waupaca on Saturday at 11:30 am. The winner will play the winner of the Sauk Prairie / Waupun game. That semi-final match-up is at 8:15 pm Saturday night.

The top half of the bracket has Ashland against Black River Falls and Somerset against Reedsburg/Wisconsin Dells.

The consolation, fifth, third and championship games will be played on Sunday at 8:00 am, 10:00 am, Noon and 2:00 pm.

In Other News

Tomahawk to 'Kick Off to Christmas' Saturday

Published on 11/28/2025 under News With Thanksgiving now behind us, the Tomahawk Community is wasting little time in transitioning to Christmas. Coming up Saturday, the community is hosting the annual Kick Off to Christmas, the first of several weekends of festive activities over the holiday season. The events are organized by Tomahawk Hometown Christmas. The group of volunteers set out a few years ago to revitalize the holiday festivities of yesteryear. They noted that Hometown Christmas has become an event the entire community has embraced and looks forward to each year. Among the highlights on Saturday are visits with Santa, horse-drawn wagon rides, and the lighting of the Christmas tree at the end of Main Street at 5pm. They've also brought in some partners: the Historical Society will host a Vintage Christmas at the Museum and their will be evening activities at SARA Park including ice skating. The upcoming weekend is just an appetizer for the companion Hometown Christmas and Main Street Memories Christmas celebrations on December 12 which includes the parade, live window displays and caroling. You can visit the Hometown Christmas Facebook page for a full rundown of activities, locations, and times.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News While there are deals aplenty from big box stores today for Black Friday, a promotion focused on local businesses is in store for tomorrow. That campaign is known as Shop Small Saturday, which launched back in 2010 encouraging people to check out locally-owned businesses. In Tomahawk, shops throughout the North 4th and Main Street corridors will offer deals to get Christmas shopping underway. Earlier this week I spoke with Tomahawk Main Street Director Jennifer Turkiewicz. Turkiewicz notes that shopping local has many benefits. For the shopper, it offers more unique and personal selections. She says, "These business owners are taking the time to hand pick the items they carry... You're going to find some really neat gifts ideas that you may not have thought about available right here in Tomahawk." Of course, 'Shopping Small' offers a better chance of money staying in the community as well. Turkiewicz says an estimated $0.78 of every dollar spent at a locally-owned business stays local. Those dollars also multiply as local business owners spend locally as well. And while the focus is on local, Shop Small is a nationwide campaign. American Express has joined in the effort. Turkiewicz says the Amex Shop Small Grants Program will provide an initial $5 million to fund 250 grants of $20,000 each to eligible small business owners across the country. Every eligible purchase at a small business made on an Amex card tomorrow will add a dollar to the grant pool. Here in Tomahawk, businesses combine their shop local campaigns with this weekend's Kickoff to Christmas. Some of the shops will have expanded hours, sales and new merchandise to kick off the holiday shopping season.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News Earlier this year the Minocqua community welcomed a Major League Fishing event. That collaboration was recently recognized with a state award. The Minocqua Area Visitors' Bureau shared that they have been awarded the Outstanding Partnership (Budget Under $1.5 Million) honor at the 2025 Destinations Wisconsin Fall Conference. Krystal Westfahl, President and CEO of the Visitors' Bureau said, "We're honored to be recognized for work that will have a lasting impact on tourism, conservation, and community pride." She added, "Bringing Major League Fishing here wasn't just about hosting an event; it was about showcasing our thriving fishery, supporting our local economy, and inspiring our next generation. In the announcement, they highlighted the outreach with local elementary and middle schools. While they were in the Northwoods, the anglers led more than 500 students in lessons and interactive activities on topics like sustainable fishing and techniques, environmental conservation, and even outdoor industry careers. They also hoped to highlight the areas lakes, vibrant outdoor culture and growing sports-tourism sector. And the numbers are impressive. During the tournament, streaming and highlights generated more than 600,000 video views along with more than 5 million social media impressions. And that viewership will continue to grow. The tournament will be broadcast on The Outdoor Channel early next year as six, two hour episodes.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News A Minocqua man has been convicted of federal charges connected to an investment scheme. According to the US Attorney's Office from the Western District of Wisconsin, Cory Kromray pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges at a hearing earlier this month. The news release states that Kromray used social media to entice investors by falsely portraying himself as a successful trader in stocks, crypto and foreign currency markets. This included posting pictures of lavish vacations, luxury items, and exotic sports cars. Instead of investing money as promised, investigators said Kromray often used investor money to pay his personal expenses. He also provided some investors with false information about the success of their investments. Investors lost more than $800,000 as a result of Kromray's conduct. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and the maximum penalty for money laundering is 10 years in prison. Kromray will also be ordered to pay restitution. Sentencing is scheduled February 5.

Published on 11/28/2025 under News A Lac du Flambeau Tribal member will a special guest during a historic broadcast of an NHL hockey game this afternoon. Celebrating Native American Heritage Day, the Minnesota Wild will be host the first-ever Ojibwe language broadcast of an NHL game. Among the three broadcasters to be featured is LDF tribal member James "Ginoonde" Buckholtz. While only a high school senior, he is also a graduate of the Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language School. The game will be called by respected language speakers Gordon "Maajiigoneyaash" Jourdain, Ph.D.; Chato "Ombishkebines" Gonzalez; along with Buckholtz. It's being done in partnership with Grand Casino, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network (MIIN), a Minnesota-based nonprofit that works to strengthen and expand Anishinaabe language revitalization. In promoting the broadcast on their Facebook page, the Lac du Flambeau Tribe posted, "This is a huge accomplishment and a powerful example of language revitalization in action...helping bring our language, culture, and pride to a major platform..." Matt Majka, Chief Executive Officer of the Minnesota Wild said in a news release, "We're proud to help expand access to the game we all love and to support the preservation and vitality of the Ojibwe language for generations to come." This special broadcast is produced by FanDuel Sports Network and will be an option on their streaming app. The game is at 2:30 against the Colorado Avalanche. -Photo provided by Minnesota Wild

Published on 11/28/2025 under News Update: Utility crews continue their efforts to restore power across far northern Wisconsin following a mid-week snow storm. Snow totals were mostly between one and two feet for Vilas and Iron County of Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Some isolated areas recorded more than 30 inches. That left thousands in the dark ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, and some remain without power. Crews have been working around the clock and in an update posted Thursday, Wisconsin Public Service said they have already restored power to more than 22,000 customers. As of Friday morning, there were still approximately 400 outages remaining, primarily in Vilas County. Meanwhile Xcel Energy which serves the Northwestern portions of the region listed approximately 4,000 outages as of Friday morning, primarily in Iron and Vilas Counties. _____ (Thursday, November 27) Our first winter storm of the season led to travel challenges and power outages across the Northwoods. While the snow system has mostly moved out of the area, it left behind some impressive snow totals in Northern Wisconsin. Here in Tomahawk, we received a manageable 2-4 inches of snowfall. Across northern Vilas and Iron Counties, totals in the teens were common. According to the National Weather Service, Gile in Iron County was at 33 inches and counting this morning. Nearby Hurley was at 30 inches. Before transitioning to snow, we had rain which left slick spots on roads for what is traditionally one of the busiest travel days of the Thanksgiving holiday. We did receive a few reports of vehicle slide-offs and minor collisions, along with slowed traffic. The snow, coupled with gusty winds, also led to power outages. Wisconsin Public Service crews worked throughout Wednesday and into Thursday morning restoring more than 20,000 customers. As of 9am there were approximately 1,800 outages, primarily in Vilas and Door Counties. According to an update posted Wednesday evening, WPS anticipated all power restored Thursday. This isn't the first time we've dealt with snow and power outages on Thanksgiving in recent years. Looking back in the WJJQ archives, we received a foot of snow in Tomahawk on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2019.

Published on 11/27/2025 under News Volunteers around the Northwoods are spending a portion of their Thanksgiving holiday making sure that others in their community enjoy a holiday meal with some company. Here in Tomahawk, St. Mary's is once again organizing the Community Thanksgiving Luncheon. It's an annual tradition that allows community members to enjoy their meal with family and friends. Volunteers have spent the past few days prepping for the feast which includes turkey and all of the fixings. They are back in the kitchen early this morning for the final touches and getting the meals ready to serve. Organizers note the meal is a way to give back to the community, while also providing an opportunity for those who may otherwise spend Thanksgiving alone. They're hosting the free meal at the Corpus Christi Center from 11am to 1pm. Another crew of volunteers will spend the morning delivering prepared meals for those unable to travel. The sign-up deadline for the delivery has already passed.

Published on 11/27/2025 under News Thanksgiving marks the start of the winter holiday season and family gatherings mean plenty of food will be prepared. Health officials are reminding holiday hosts to remember food safety. No matter your menu, food safety rules remain the same and are focused on four areas of focus: clean, separate, cook, and chill. First keep everything in your kitchen clean. Wash your hands before and after handling food and frequently during preparation. In addition to your hands, keep utensils, cutting boards, knives and counter-tops clean. Separate foods to avoid cross contamination. This is especially true for proteins like eggs, meat, and poultry. A good tip is to keep separate cutting boards for food that will be cooked and food that is served raw. As for Cook, make sure that food reaches the proper internal temperature. For a turkey, the FDA recommends 165 degrees in the innermost portion of the thigh. Speaking of food temperatures, the health department highlighted the 'danger zone.' Always keep hot food hot, above 135 degrees; and keep cold food cold, below 41 degrees. Bacteria grow more easily in the temperatures between. Try to get any leftovers refrigerated within two hours. The USDA says properly-stored Thanksgiving leftovers prepared today should be good through Monday.

Published on 11/27/2025 under News A pair of first responders from the Northwoods were among thousands who recently attended the EMS World Expo. The conference is described as one of the nation's largest gatherings of emergency medical services professionals, offering extensive education, hands-on workshops, and networking focused on pre-hospital care, emergency medicine, and patient transport. Thanks to Aspirus Howard Young and the Walter Olson Medical Staff Education Fund, Brady Geiss and Jackey Postuchow were able to attend the 2025 Expo in Indianapolis. Geiss is a paramedic with the Aspirus MedEvac team based in Woodruff. He said, "I look forward to sharing what I learned at the Expo with other EMS providers throughout our region to help strengthen emergency care in rural communities." Postuchow, an EMT also volunteers with Plum Lake Ambulance Service and St. Germain Fire/Rescue and Boulder Junction Volunteer Fire Department. She says, "Volunteering in rural EMS is both rewarding and challenging." She added, "The EMS World Expo provided valuable knowledge that I can bring back to strengthen training, improve care, and inspire the next generation of EMS providers in northern Wisconsin." Lori Knitt, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Aspirus Health North Division. "We are proud of Brady and Jackey for their dedication to learning and for their commitment to improving emergency medical care for the communities we serve." She says, "The Walter Olson Fund is a wonderful example of how community generosity continues to strengthen health care across the Northwoods."-Photo provided by Aspirus

Published on 11/27/2025 under News Today is traditionally one of the busiest days in the kitchen, unfortunately it's also one of the busiest for firefighters. Before those meals are prepared local fire fighters are encouraging safety so everyone can enjoy their holiday feast. According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the number one day for home fires, three times the daily average. That's followed by Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. The three upcoming holidays have similar traditions with family gatherings around large meals. Lorraine Carli with the NFPA says, "Thanksgiving is a hectic holiday with multiple dishes cooking and baking at the same time, and along with guests, entertaining, and other distractions, it can be easy to lose sight of what's on the stove or in the oven." Carli added, "With all these factors at play, it's no surprise that we consistently see a dramatic spike in home cooking fires on Thanksgiving." They also offered up a few reminders to remember in the kitchen... Unattended cooking is the leading cause of these fires, so make sure to keep a close eye on food on the stove, oven, or grill. Take advantage of slow cookers, and smart devices to simplify meal prep.Try to limit the amount of people and pets in the kitchen to those preparing the meal.Keep flammable items like hot pads, wooden or plastic utensils and food packaging away from the burners, and pan handles should be turned towards the middle or the back of the stove.Make sure you have a working smoke detector and keep a kitchen fire extinguisher handy.

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