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Update: Victim Identified in Fatal Weekend Snowmobile Accident near Tomahawk Published on 03/01/2023 under News
Officials have released the name of the victim in a fatal weekend snowmobile crash near Tomahawk.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 71 year old Kevin Peterson of Tripoli. As we previously reported, Peterson was last seen on Friday evening, when he was riding his snowmobile in the area. Search teams were led to Somo Lake in the Town of Wilson where they found snowmobile tracks leading to a section of open water. Responders were able to locate and recover Peterson's body Monday afternoon.

This was the third snowmobile-related death in the Northwoods this weekend. While it was the first fatal snowmobile crash in Lincoln County this riding season, it was the 14th in the state of Wisconsin.

In Other News

Tomahawk Community Theater Returns with “Murder on the Orient Express”

Published on 10/31/2025 under News A local theater group is returning to the stage this weekend with a murder mystery classic. The Tomahawk Community Theater will be offering up two performances of their latest production, the Agatha Christie whodunit, 'Murder on the Orient Express.' We recently spoke with Ken Lusty who is pulling double duty as actor and director and Tomahawk Community Theater co-founder Terry Bucaro, who's also helping with the crew. Without offering too many spoilers, the adaptation finds detective Hercule Poirot aboard an early 19th century European train investigating the death of one of the travelers when everyone aboard is a suspect. This will be the fourth production for TCT. They've been rehearsing since back in August. The cast and crew will feature many faces and voices that will be familiar to the community including past performers as well as veterans from the Tomahawk High School Drama Department and even the Tomahawk Community Theater Youth program. Lusty says the actors have been doing a really good job of bringing their characters to life. He also highlighted the train set design and 1930's era costumes which he described as phenomenal. They'll be back at the Tomahawk School Auditorium for a Saturday evening show at 6pm and a Sunday matinee at 2. Tickets can be purchased online through 5pm today. Links are available on their website and Facebook page. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door. They also encourage people to bring along a non-perishable food item to help stock the local food pantry.

Published on 10/31/2025 under News It's Halloween, and children across the Northwoods will be hitting the streets in the search of tasty treats. Both state and local safety officials are encouraging parents to ensure the day is safe for everyone involved. First and foremost, officials say to "know before you go." In other words, know the dates and times your community trick or treating takes place and stick to them. Some communities like Tomahawk host their community Trick or Treating on Halloween, while others may host theirs tomorrow, the Saturday closest to October 31. As far as safety goes: Make sure kids are supervised appropriate for their age. Officials recommend children under 12 have a responsible adult. Regardless of age, children should trick or treat with a group whether friends, family, or neighbors. And ensure someone knows where you're going and when you plan to return.When it comes to costumes, avoid flammable materials. Masks shouldn't block vision, and skip any long trailing fabrics that can be a tripping hazard.Utilize flashlights or glow sticks and reflective tape to ensure drivers can see you.And of course, for drivers, use extra caution when on the roads today. There is likely to be an increase in foot traffic in your community especially this afternoon and evening.(A reminder the City of Tomahawk and the Tomahawk Chamber will team up for their second annual Trunk or Treat event in Washington Square near the Dream Park from 4pm to 6pm. While trick-or-treating hours are 4pm to 7pm.

Published on 10/31/2025 under News Daylight savings comes to an end this weekend. When setting your clock back, local emergency officials are encouraging people to check home safety. In addition to enjoy an extra hour of rest Sunday morning, it's time once again to check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, around 500 people are treated for carbon monoxide poisoning in Wisconsin emergency rooms each year. This typically occurs during the winter months with furnaces and home heating. In addition to checking batteries, make sure the units are in-date. Carbon monoxide detectors are typically good for five years, while smoke alarms are recommended for 10 years. Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Greg Engle says, "When clocks change twice a year, it's the perfect time to check and refresh preparedness measures that keep us safe. He added, "This seasonal shift allows us a moment to make sure we are ready for the unexpected, from house fires to power outages." Engle also offered a reminder to check home emergency kits this weekend. Look for expired products or items that may have been borrowed and need to be replaced.

Published on 10/31/2025 under News A local bird rescue facility has some new wheels thanks to a generous contribution. While known for their rehabilitation efforts, the Raptor Education Group Inc. or REGI also offers educational outreach as well. They recently shared that they were able to purchase a new van thanks to generous grants from the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin and the James Dutton Foundation to purchase a new van. The Community Foundation serves local non-profits while the James E Dutton Foundation donates to organizations that benefit wildlife, the environment, or that provide environmental education to the public. REGI said in the announcement, "Our old van had seen better days, especially during the harsh Wisconsin winters…" They called the new van a game-changer. They said, "It enables us to safely and efficiently reach even more communities across Wisconsin, ensuring that our dedicated staff and beloved education birds can continue to inspire and educate safely, all year round." This year the educational outreach at REGI has already surpassed their goal of reaching 10,000 people. They said, "...with this new van, we're thrilled to continue expanding our programs throughout 2025 and beyond."

Published on 10/31/2025 under News Throughout the month of October, we've been talking about Breast Cancer Awareness. That can be a comprehensive screening that includes both regular mammograms and self-exams at home. Hannah Grawey, APNP, a family medicine nurse practitioner with Aspirus Health. She says, "A lot of women catch their breast cancer before a mammogram does. Especially for women in their 30s who are not yet at the age threshold for regular mammograms, self-breast exam is going to be your best friend." Dr. Cecilia Stroede added that while most women are aware of feeling for a lump or pea sized abnormality, she says other breast cancers manifest as more of a textural difference rather than a defined mass. In addition to monthly self-checks at home, all women aged 40 and older are urged to get a yearly mammogram, which can detect abnormalities early. Stroede added, "There is a definite benefit in finding smaller things at an earlier point."

Published on 10/31/2025 under News With FoodShare benefits being delayed starting this weekend, local agencies are looking to assist those impacted. The lapse in FoodShare payments by the federal government during the shutdown is expected to affect around 700,000 people in Wisconsin. According to the Oneida County Health Department, these benefits assist approximately 3,300 Oneida County residents, more than a third of which are children. It's a similar number here in Lincoln County. Those local partners provided a little bit of guidance. For current people receiving assistance, any benefits still on the Quest Card can still be spent. They said that local food pantries are here to help, though starting in November, some food pantries may require registration verification. They also encourage people to consider helping their neighbors. This can include donating food, money, or time to your local pantry, or consider organizing food drives at your local school, business, community group or church. The Lakeland Pantry has already announced a community-wide food drive for next weekend where they will team up with their area fire departments to serve as drop off locations and recruiting students from Lakeland High School to lend a hand.

Published on 10/30/2025 under News The Wisconsin Department of Transportation brought back a campaign encouraging seat belt use and an end to distracted driving. That campaign is known as "Buckle Up, Phone Down." According to DoT data, distracted driving factored into more than 9,000 crashes around the state. One of the leading causes of distracted driving is cell phone use. DoT Secretary Kristina Boardman says, We know folks are busy and technology touches many aspects of our lives but behind the wheel is not the place to reply to a text or read an email." Boardman added,"The number of distracted driving crashes and crashes with unbelted drivers in our state is unacceptable. The DoT compares texting for five seconds at 55 miles per hour to driving the length of a football field blindfolded. Cell phone use behind the wheel actually involves three types of distracted driving: -Taking eyes off the road -Taking your hands off the wheel -Taking your mind off driving. The Buckle Up, Phones Down initiative is borrowed from a number of other states, the campaign first launched in Missouri in 2017.

Published on 10/30/2025 under News The Tomahawk School District will be hosting a seasonal and educational event this evening. The Community Education Program is hosting the second annual Halloween Luminary Trail in the school forest. They're teaming up with UW-Stevens Point's Treehaven. Families are encouraged to stop down and walk through a portion of the school forest trails, which will be lighted. To get into the spirit they said costumes are encouraged, but it isn't a haunted trail. They'll feature environmental education stations with kids activities like a nature touch table and hands-on spooky specimen identification. A non-perishable food item will serve as admission, the food donations will go to stock the Kinship pantry. Otherwise it's $2 per person or $5 for a family. There was a date change from the original announcement. To accommodate the Hatchet football game playoffs, the Luminary Trail was moved to Thursday evening. It's from 5-9pm, participants can park in the High School Parking Lot.

Published on 10/30/2025 under News Wednesday was World Stroke Day, and Aspirus encourages people to learn the symptoms. That's where the BE FAST checklist comes in. The letters stand for Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm Speech and Time. Symptoms will vary, but common signs include sudden changes in balance and movement; impaired vision; numbness or weakness in the face and other extremities like arms; and difficulty in communication. If someone is experiencing these symptoms it's Time to call 911. Fast treatment is essential, as the amount of time the brain is deprived of oxygen determines the extent of the damage. Aspirus says, "Stroke care begins the moment a patient arrives at the Emergency Department. Our teams are trained to act fast, perform imaging, and start treatment immediately." High blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking are the four major risk factors for stroke, though a stroke can impact anyone. According to the CDC, someone experiences a stroke in the United States every 40 seconds.

Published on 10/30/2025 under News It was an average bear harvest in 2025, with particularly strong numbers here in the Northwoods. The DNR announced the preliminary results of the season which ended earlier month. Hunters harvested just over of 3,700 bear this year, down from last year's highly productive season. This year's total was on par with the 5-year average, but slightly below what the agency anticipated. Natural food sources and weather may have played a role in season success. DNR large carnivore specialist Randy Johnson says an abundant acorn crop might have reduced the effectiveness of baiting. There were also stretches of both above and below average temperatures which can impact bear activity. There were approximately 13,000 tags issued for the season, and statewide, hunters saw a 28% success rate. Here in the Northwoods, much better numbers were reported. Highways 51 and 64 serve as boundary lines creating zones A and B, which had 69% and 52% success rate respectively. In the announcement, the DNR also reminds hunters of the Dec. 10 application deadline for next season. ZoneHarvest TargetPreliminary HarvestLicenses Issued Hunter SuccessA1,0751,1611,68069%B9008411,61052%C7506613,75018%D1,1009063,75025%E2001282,0006%F50275005%Statewide4,0753,72413,11028%

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