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Hatchet Volleyball Defeats Medford in GNC Matchup Published on 09/29/2023 under Sports

The Hatchet Volleyball Squad got back in the win column with a victory over Medford, exacting revenge on the Raiders three games to one.

Tomahawk's record now improves to 15-15 on the season and now 6-2 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets will wrap up their regular season Tuesday night for a road Great Northern Conference match at Rhinelander.

The Fehrman Orthodontics Coaches' Show begins at 6:40 and first serve at 7:00 with Keith Hanse and I in the broadcast booth at Rhinelander.

In Other News

Eagle River FD Monitoring Conditions for Ice Castle

Published on 01/01/2026 under News While we have had a good bit of snow in recent weeks, chilly temperatures are needed for the return of a popular tourist attraction up in Eagle River. The Eagle River Ice Castle tradition dates all the way back to the 1930's. When conditions allow, the Eagle River Fire Department and their team of volunteers build a massive castle out of ice blocks taken from Silver Lake. In a typical year, around 2,500 of these frozen bricks are are hand placed into the castle walls. The Eagle River Fire Department provided another update on the ice thickness on Silver Lake earlier this week. They found approximately 10 inches of ice thickness, but they need around 14 inches for the castle to happen. Unfortunately, the slush and snow atop the ice makes it difficult to remove the insulating snow to speed up the ice-making process. According to the update, the build team will reevaluate next week to make a decision. The build has been sporadic in recent years due to varying ice conditions. They were able to build an ice castle in 2025.

Published on 01/01/2026 under News Volunteers continue to play a key role in the development of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, and those crews were busy in 2025. The Ice Age Trail spans an impressive 1,200 miles including a stretch through Taylor, Lincoln, Langlade, and Marathon Counties. That takes a lot of work to help develop and maintain the attraction, with much of the manpower provided by volunteers. In their year-end wrap up, the Ice Age Trail Alliance provided a summary. They received a helping hand from 940 volunteers, who logged more than 25,000 service hours. According to the organization, they completed ten organized trail building events. Trail program manager Dave Caliebe said, "Long-contemplated projects finally became reality." Back in June, they had two, multi-day volunteer opportunities in Langlade County which helped open a brand-new trail segment: Antigo Heights. Other projects around the state included trail work, kiosks, bridges, boardwalks, along with invasive species control and native plant seed collection.

Published on 01/01/2026 under News We're in the giving season, and Northwoods food pantries will benefit from donations from Park City Credit Union. Ahead of the Christmas holiday, Park City Cares Foundation divvied up $4,000 to five area food pantries serving Tomahawk, Nokomis, Rhinelander, Lakeland and Merrill. The donations will allow these food pantries to restock their shelves following the holidays and at a time when they've seen a steady increase in use. Melissa Wrycha, President of the Park City Cares Foundation, said, "...we believe in standing alongside our neighbors during times of need. Supporting these essential resources is at the heart of our mission to strengthen and uplift the communities we serve." Monetary donations provide pantries with the flexibility to purchase items that fit the needs of their community. Park City also made a donation to these pantries ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Published on 01/01/2026 under News The City of Tomahawk has been exploring a PFAs treatment facility. As part of the planning process, the city, working with MSA Professional Services, solicited bids for geotechnical exploration and engineering work. At their meeting Tuesday evening, the Board of Public Works recommended a service contract. The work which includes four borings of varying depths; an assessment of existing conditions and recommendations for utility construction, foundation design, and best practices. The City received two bids, which came within $5 of each other. The Board recommended the lower bid with American Engineering Testing Inc. out of Wausau for $7,280. The item is back on the agenda for next week's City Council meeting. Back in the fall of 2023, routing testing for PFAs in the Tomahawk water system came back elevated. The proposed treatment facility would filter these forever chemicals from the water. The price tag is approximately $6.2 million, and the city is pursing funding through the state Clean Drinking Water program.

Published on 01/01/2026 under News The Lights of the Northwoods in Rhinelander has quickly become a holiday tradition. While initially an event around the Christmas holiday, it's now a month-long spectacle. And organizers also welcome in the New Year with a bang. The annual celebration concludes this evening with a special New Year's Day fireworks show. Throughout December, Hodag Park has been decorated with hundreds of thousands of holiday lights and displays. Visitors can either drive or walk through the park to take in the festive atmosphere. They've also been busy supporting local food pantries and community organizations via donations. There is one last chance to check out the lights with a shortened path today. That's to accommodate the fireworks which are scheduled to begin at 7pm. They do recommend arriving early so that everyone can get parked and settled in before the show begins.

Published on 12/31/2025 under Sports On Tuesday, the Hatchet Hockey Team played their final game of the Neenah Holiday Tournament and defeated Middleton 9-2. The Cardinals scored the first goal of the game, with Tomahawk responding and scoring three goals to end the period and lead 3-1. Brayden Lamer had two of the goals in the first and Jonah Dickens added the other. Assisting on the Lamer goals was Caiden Reichelt, Cold Peterson and Beau Stromberg. The Hatchets would open the second period scoring with two quick power play goals from Jake Albert. The first came 00:52 seconds into the period and was assisted by Lamer and Jett Reilly. Albert's second came 00:46 second later, assisted by Jett Reilly and Tomahawk led 5-1. Jett Reilly would add the third goal of the second, assisted by Lamer and Dickens and Tomahawk led 6-1 after two. Middleton would cut the lead to 6-2, before Tomahawk responded with three goals to close the scoring. Lamer scored his third of the night, assisted by Dickens and Rex Reilly. Jett Reilly got his second of the game 00:22 seconds later on an assist from Dickens and Dickens scored in the closing minutes of the period on a short handed goal. Hudson Seymour had 16 saves for Tomahawk. The Hatchets are now 8-2 overall and will host Antigo on Tuesday night at SARA Park Arena.

Published on 12/31/2025 under News It's continued good news for snowmobile riders here in the Northwoods, as trail opening announcements continue. The latest includes northern Lincoln County. Over the past few days, the Northwoods has received upwards of a foot of new snow. Local snowmobile clubs have taken advantage, busy preparing these trails to open. This includes not only panning and grooming, but also removing debris and hazards caused by the heavy, wet snow that fell late Sunday. After initially opening the Hiawatha Trail from Tomahawk north on Monday; they'll now open most of Zone 1 on New Year's Day, at 8am Thursday. *There are a few exceptions including corridors 17 and 19; and most water crossings. Lincoln County trails in Zones 2, 3, and 4 will remain closed at this time. The Trails are in early season condition and could be rough and icy in areas. Elsewhere in the Northwoods: Langlade County's Zone A snowmobile trails, along with the segment between intersections 41A and 42B in Zone B will open New Years Day at 6am. Most trails in Price, Iron, Vilas, and Oneida Counties have already been open. As always, stay tuned to WJJQ throughout the riding season for news, updates, and events; as well as our snowmobile trail condition report.

Published on 12/31/2025 under News During a snowstorm, street crews prioritize clearing routes. Among the challenges in the city is where to put the snow initially, until it can be moved. That topic has come up at several Board of Public Works meetings in Tomahawk recently, including Tuesday. The conversation has largely centered on the side streets off of Wisconsin Avenue, specifically the south block of 2nd Street. Traditionally, the snow is first pushed to the center of the road until it can be transported elsewhere. Unlike many other side streets, that block on 2nd has angled parking on the east side of the street. When the parking spots are occupied with larger vehicles, and the center-aisle snow piles it it leaves little space for traffic. Several business owners attended a previous meeting to request an alternative, and the Board experimented with pushing the snow to the opposite side of the street. But after trying this method during the first few snow events, they learned the change resulted in blocking the handicap accessible parking. While the plowed snow typically only stays for a day or two, this was a concern for the Board and those who use the stall. As a result, the Board at their meeting decided to revert back to the center-lane snow. The hope to invite business-owners and residents in that area to a future meeting to brainstorm alternative options. Tomahawk Reminding Residents of Winter Parking Rules: Speaking of parking and snow during the winter months, the Board of Public Works also wanted to remind residents and visitors about the city's winter parking rules. That means no parking on city streets between 2:30am and 5am. While the goal is to allow room for plows to operate, the rules apply whether there is snow falling or not. A first offense ticket is $25. The rules went into effect December 1 and run through March 15.

Published on 12/31/2025 under News Space heaters can provide quick warmth, but they are also among the leading cause of home fires during the winter months. After responding to a pair of recent fires caused by space heaters, the Wausau Fire Department offered up some tip to ensure they are being used safely. Their two fires were actually sparked in different ways. The first happened when a space heater was placed too close to combustible materials that caught fire. The second happened when the resident plugged into a string of power strips which overloaded the outlet. Many of the fires can be avoided by taking some precautions. Start by keeping the space heater at least 3 feet from any flammable materials like furniture, bedding, and curtains.Space heaters should be plugged directly into the wall outlet. Extension cords and power strips can overheat and melt which can spark.Never leave space heaters unattended.And whether using a space heater or not; all rooms where people sleep should have a working smoke alarm.

Published on 12/31/2025 under News A local temporary housing facility received a belated Christmas gift, with a significant contribution from an area business. On Tuesday, representatives from AirPro Fan & Blower in Rhinelander contributed $10,000 to Northwoods Alliance for Temporary Housing or NATH Frederick Place. NATH executive Director Abbey Dall Lukowski says, "(AirPro's) continuous generosity in monetary support has been consistent, moreover, their commitment to ensuring our community is well cared for on all levels, is ever appreciated." In addition to dropping off the check, Dall-Lukowski says that Rob Randolph and Jason Giese also showed community commitment by taking time to learn about Frederick Place's program for unhoused neighbors. Dall-Lukowski says, "Serving our homeless neighbors is not always easy, but when we have our Northwoods' partners and communities behind us, the path is made clearer and more easily traveled." Photo: Frederick Place House Staff, Ashlynn Klabunde & Abbey Lukowski with AirPro representatives, Rod Randolph & Jason Giese who recently shared a financial gift at Frederick Place.

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