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Merrill Man Reaches Plea Deal in Fatal 2022 Shooting Published on 09/04/2024 under News

A Merrill man has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with a fatal 2022 shooting.

Tanner Graap, 30, was back in Lincoln County Court for a plea hearing Tuesday. Graap was arrested as a result of the shooting death of a 28 year old Merrill woman at a home in January of 2022. Graap initially told investigators he unintentionally fired the handgun which struck the victim in the back.

As a convicted felon, Graap was not allowed to legally possess a firearm.

At Tuesday's hearing, court records show Graap pleaded guilty to an amended charge of 2nd degree reckless homicide by use of a dangerous weapon. In exchange several other charges have been dismissed, but will be considered during sentencing.

That sentencing date wasn't immediately scheduled. The plea agreement came just two weeks before the case was going to trial.

In Other News

DATCP Warns of Tollways Scams During Winter Travel Season

Published on 01/23/2026 under News Whether you're a snowbird heading south for a few months or planning a quick winter getaway, officials are reminding travelers to be aware of tollway scams. The Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection said they've recently seen an uptick in complaints about these scams. While Wisconsin doesn't have toll roads, many popular travel destinations and neighboring states do. The modern toll system allows motorists to pay online using your license plate for your contact information. Scammers have been posing as these services by sending unsolicited text or email messages claiming the recipient has an outstanding toll and a quickly approaching late fee. In addition to seeking payment, they may also provide a link where you'll be prompted to provide personal information. The DATCP says the first step to avoid these scams is awareness. If you are unsure if you received a possible toll, verify with the toll service's actual website. Don't utilize the links or contact information included in the suspicious message.

Published on 01/23/2026 under News A Northwoods food pantry will benefit from youth at a local church. Early this week, a group of children from Trinity Lutheran Church presented the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry with a contribution for their Hodag Monster Meals program. The funds came from a program at the church known as The Children's Offering. In an effort to teach children about giving back, during the service, the kids are invited to make a donation to a cause impacting children. For December, they selected the Hodag Monster Meals program. As the kids make their way up to the donation jug with their own contribution, they explained that the parishioners add to the cause. In then end, they had nearly $1,800 for the Food Pantry donation. RAFP Director Courtney Smith said she was thankful, offering gratitude for empowering Trinity's young people to help fight hunger and for supporting their mission. She added, "We appreciate Trinity's long-standing commitment to building food security in our community and supporting RAFP."

Published on 01/22/2026 under News With frigid temperatures in the forecast, officials are reminding residents to be prepared and knowledgeable to stay warm. Winter extremes the next few days are something to take seriously including risks of hypothermia and frostbite. Hypothermia is a condition that develops when the core body temperature drops below 95 ̊F. Frostbite is cold damage to body tissue. When windchills drop to a range of 20 and 30 below zero, frostbite can occur in as quickly as a half an hour. As the windchills approach 50 below, as is forecast overnight, it can set in as quickly as 5 minutes. Last winter, relatively mild, saw 96 cold-related deaths in Wisconsin according to the Department of Health Services. There were nearly 1,400 emergency calls and about the same number of ER visits, and approximately 400 hospitalizations related to the cold. If you must head out, dress warm and limit your time outdoors. When traveling keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. Try to keep you gas tank at least half full, and a fully charged cell phone. The Lincoln County Health Department is also reminding people to keep in mind where warming centers are. These facilities are designated to provide a place for residents to warm up, and most open during their regular business hours. Here in the Tomahawk area warming centers include: the library, city hall, the senior center, Our Sisters' House and Strikers Tomahawk Bowl. In Merrill: TB Scott Library; the MARC; the Merrill Enrichment Center; Lincoln County Service Center; Les & Jim's Lincoln Lanes; Riverside Athletic Club; and Walmart. The Gleason Bowling Center is designated warming area. We also heard from the Little Rice Fire Department, which will have the station open from 6am to 6pm on Friday.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News Schools in Lincoln County will closed on Friday, and the extreme cold is to blame. With dangerously cold temperatures in the forecast overnight Thursday and throughout the day Friday, both the Tomahawk and Merrill School Districts made an early decision to close their campuses for Friday. By making the call early, it allows parents or caretakers to make alternative arrangements ahead of time rather than waiting until the morning of school. When it comes to cold, school officials have to consider a number of factors including the transportation of students, both waiting for buses and time spent on the bus. Most Northwoods districts build a few extra days into the school calendar in anticipation of some weather-related cancellations during the school year. We expect the cancellations list to grow as Friday approaches. It's also a good idea to check ahead for any activities, events, and appointments on Friday for potential closures and cancellations. Stay tuned to WJJQ for updates.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News People across the region will be spending the day Thursday preparing for the impending stretch of dangerous cold in the forecast. A local bird rescue is reminding people to fill up their feeders. The folks over at the Raptor Education Group offered a few tips to help our feathered friends find some food over the next few days. They note that it is important to feed birds easily digestible food, typically found in a good wild bird seed mixture. REGI specifically highlighted black sunflower seeds and safflower seeds which are a good source of nutrients and fat, essential in below-zero weather. And for birds like woodpeckers and nuthatches suet is an excellent option. They added that you may want to consider bringing suet inside overnight to keep it softer and readily available to the birds. As for foods to avoid, while common, they advise against corn. Low in nutrients, they note that corn is nearly impossible for birds to digest in cold temperatures. And keep an eye out for birds that appear injured. If you one, they recommend using a towel to place it in a cardboard box and bringing it inside. Then contact REGI or a nearby animal rescue for further steps.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News Lawmakers in Madison are working to find common ground on PFAS investments which could be good news for communities around the state including here in the Northwoods. On Wednesday, Governor Evers expressed optimism on a deal to release $125 million in PFAS funding that was actually approved in the previous 2023-25 budget. In laying out his 2026 legislative agenda, Gov. Evers cited PFAS legislation as an opportunity for bipartisan work and compromise. Approximately $80 million would allocated to a Community grant program to assist local governments in combating and remediating PFAS contamination. Here in Tomahawk, the city has been taking steps to build a PFAs treatment plant, but that facility carries a price tag of approximately $6.2 million. City leaders have been reviewing options to help pay for the project in what is expected to be an increasingly competitive process to secure funding in the coming years through grants or low-interest loans.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News Coming off of the DNR's free weekend, Lincoln County will be offering a similar opportunity to enjoy a hidden gem at no cost in early February. Lincoln County Forestry, Land, and Parks announced that they will be bringing back their Free Trail Pass Weekend for the Underdown Recreation Area. It is currently scheduled for the weekend of February 7 and 8. This will include opportunities to check out the park's cross-country ski, fat-tire bike, and snowshoe trails without the typically required pass, saving users $25. (Winter passes are $25; year-long passes are $35) After a couple of mild winters, the silent sports have been enjoying a snow-filled start to winter. Underdown features more than 20 miles of groomed ski trails, along with cleared snowshoe and bike paths. We'll offer up a reminder as that date draws closer.

Published on 01/22/2026 under News Northcentral Technical College (NTC) has been named as one of the top training colleges in North America. NTC is one of only 11 colleges to receive this recognition from the Learning Resources Network. According to the announcement, the award honors the work of NTC's Workforce Training + Professional Development team including their collaboration with local employers. NTC's Workforce Training and Professional Development team designs and delivers customized training for businesses across the region. Programs are offered onsite at employer locations or at NTC campuses in Wausau, Antigo, Wittenberg, Phillips, Medford and Spencer. Dr. Brad Gast, Dean of Workforce Training and Professional Development at NTC called it an honor to be recognized. He says, "Each year, we have the privilege to serve more than 900 businesses and over 10,000 professionals. We are committed to delivering high quality, responsive solutions that help organizations strengthen performance, adapt to change, and remain competitive in a global economy." This marks the third time in six years that NTC has received this honor.

Published on 01/21/2026 under News Business leaders and other stakeholders from the Tomahawk area recently got together for a wide-ranging discussion this past week. The Tomahawk Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted a roundtable conversation covering pressing economic and workforce issues impacting local businesses and the broader community. In addition to locals, the discussions were moderated by Kurt Bauer, president of the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Tomahawk Chamber Director Charis Lau said, "This roundtable created an important space for employers to openly share challenges and solutions." Among the topics they covered are business costs and tariffs; workforce demographics, attraction and retention; and even housing and childcare. Lau said, "This groups' discussion brought a lot of insight to better understand what is impacting our businesses today. From here we can work collectively to strengthen our workforce and community for the future." They plan to use insights from these discussions to help inform future planning efforts, advocacy priorities, and initiatives aimed at supporting economic growth, workforce development, and community sustainability in the Tomahawk area. They also hope to have continued conversations to ensure local voices are heard and to help position the region for long-term success.

Published on 01/21/2026 under News Over the past several years, Lincoln County has invested into protecting it's water resources. Some of these projects are being funded through grants and contributions from local stakeholders. At their meeting Tuesday, the Lincoln County Board accepted another donation to continue an ongoing stream crossing assessment. To fund this work, the county has been utilizing DNR Surface Water Planning Grants which do require a 33% match. As outlined in a resolution approved by the board Tuesday, Wisconsin Valley Improvement pledged $1,500. Coupled with a previous donation from Trouts Unlimited and in house work, the match of this grant is being filled with no additional tax levy. We told you about this stream crossing project last month. Lincoln County Land Services initiated a multi-phase project assessing the more than 600 culvert stream crossings at public roadways within the county. The goal is to evaluate the condition, sizing, and placement of the culverts to determine whether maintenance or replacement is needed. Phase 1 completed this spring and summer covered approximately a third of the culverts.

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