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Hatchet Girls Cross Country Team Competes at State Meet Published on 11/04/2024 under Sports

On Saturday, the Tomahawk Hatchet varsity girls team headed south to Wisconsin Rapids to compete at the WIAA Division II State Cross Country Meet. This being the 50th year of WIAA girls cross country.

Since 1975 the Tomahawk girls have competed, as a team, at the state meet 25 times (6th most state qualifications of any Wisconsin school). This particular state meet was a cold, but sunny, day that saw a total of the 16 best Division II teams in the state compete against the Hatchets for the WIAA State Championship. The Division II race included two of the fastest runners in the entire state, including Divisions I & III, as Emmerson Drobac of Deerfield/Cambridge ran the course in 17:38 and Ciara Hartman of Bloomer covered the course in 17:43.

The Division II race kicked off at 12:40 PM. The primary objective of the girls team was to get out early in the race and push themselves while also experiencing the course for the first time. The girls did just that and in the first mile of the highly competitive race they were in 13th place. After the mile however the girls dropped placement and remained in 15th for the rest of the race. The lady Hatchets scored 315 points finishing ahead of Prescott. Leading the team with an exceptional time on the challenging course was senior Alli Palmer taking 66th in a time of 20:42 in her final high school cross country race of her career. Unfortunately for the girls there was a sizable gap between Alli and the rest of the team which led to the lower placement, but nonetheless the girls banned together and finished with a good pack running effort. The pack included sophomore Elise Gibeault with a seasonal best time of 21:39 for 103rd, sophomore Abbie Rosenmeier with a time of 21:42 for 108th, freshman Ellie Micke in a time of 21:45 for 111th, and junior Lydia Shaney in a time of 21:53 for 115th. Rounding out the girls' great effort was sophomore Norah Mann in a time of 23:04 for 137th and junior Faith Derleth with a time of 23:57 in 146th.

There were 151 runners in the girls race with finishing team results as follows: University School of Milwaukee-60, Bloomer-80, Mount Horeb-108, Lancaster-138, New Berlin Eisenhower-158, Little Chute-163, Kiel-212, Saint Croix Central-223, Shorewood-237, Watertown Luther Prep-237, West

Salem-275, Berline-290, Shawano Community-294, New Berlin West-300, Tomahawk-317, and Prescott-349.

Other Great Northern Conference performances included the Rhinelander boys taking 14th in the boys Division II race. Antigo's Lillian L'Esperance took 53rd in a time of 20:26. Medford's Lindsay Kahn took 69th in a time of 20:43. Lakeland sent two individuals with Stella Meza taking 77th (20:54) and Ashton Bremer taking 34th (16:57).

In Other News

Lincoln County Board Approves Mini-Grant Program for Community Groups Addressing Opioids

Published on 11/25/2025 under News A new mini-grant program is being created in Lincoln County to address substance use through funds received from opioid lawsuit settlements. Over the past several years, Lincoln County has received more than a half million dollars through nationwide opioid lawsuit settlements. The funds do come with spending restrictions; typically earmarked for opioid remediation through prevention, awareness, or treatment. The Lincoln County Board previously set up an Opioid Settlement Task Force to make recommendations on how the money would best be spent. Among their recommendations was to use a portion of the funds to establish a mini-grant program for community organizations serving Lincoln County. The County Board approved setting aside $50,000 for these mini-grants at their September meeting. Erin Ray serves as the Opioid Settlement Task Force Coordinator. She says, "We believe that the best ideas will come from our local community." Ray added, "We are eager to see the creative projects organizations propose to help our residents and make a real impact with this funding." They identified community groups, non-profits, government agencies, schools, and youth and family organizations in Lincoln County as potential applicants. The application deadline is February 20. Additional information is available on the Lincoln County website.

Published on 11/25/2025 under News The next Vilas County Sheriff is plenty familiar with the community and the office. On Monday, Governor Evers appointed Gerard Ritter to fill the remainder of the term of retiring Sheriff Joseph Fath. While the agency will lose more than four decades of experience when Fath retires in December; Ritter has nearly 25 years himself, joining the Vilas County Sheriff's Office in 2001. He's served a number of positions, most recently administrative patrol captain. He also created a citizens academy and played a role in the Readiness for Recovery program in the jail. And in the community, he created a 'Reading Heroes' program encouraging elementary students to read more. In announcing the appointment, Governor Evers said, "With decades of experience in law enforcement in Vilas County, Ritter has built strong relationships in the community and has a vision to move the office forward." Ritter said, "I have protected and served community members of Vilas County for the past 24 years and look forward to continuing to do so in my new role as sheriff. I strongly believe in 'servant leadership' and will continue to build stronger bonds with the community and local law enforcement agencies." Ritter's appointment will run through the remainder of Fath's unexpired term in January 2027. The position will appear on the next November's ballot.

Published on 11/25/2025 under News Aspirus is encouraging heart health over the holidays. Research shows that heart-related emergencies rise during the holiday season due to a variety of factors including travel, stress, and changes in habits. Megan Johnson APNP with Aspirus Cardiology says, "The two biggest risks we see are increased alcohol intake, which can trigger 'holiday heart syndrome' characterized by abnormal heart rhythms and missed doses of critical medications, which can lead to elevated blood pressure, strokes, or other complications." Johnson encourages mindful eating during holiday gatherings, emphasizing moderation. She says, "Enjoy the festivities and the special foods but try to eat a healthy snack beforehand and choose options that include fruits, vegetables, and proteins." When traveling, Johnson suggests bringing along an adequate supply of prescription medications, and try to maintain routine when taking the meds. If you'll be sitting in a car or plane for a long period of time, try and take breaks to get up and stretch. It's also important to stay hydrated, get adequate rest, and engage in light exercise during the season. And if you experience heart-related symptoms, seek medical attention.

Published on 11/25/2025 under News We have additional information on two fatal crashes in Northern Wisconsin over the weekend. In Vilas County, officials released the name of the driver involved in a single vehicle rollover on Highway 45 in the Town of Conover Saturday evening. The driver, pronounced dead at the scene has been identified as 49 year old Jansan Murray of Leesburg, Florida. Officials had previously indicated that slippery roads may have been a factor. Meanwhile, a Rhinelander man died in a single vehicle crash north of Wausau Saturday evening. According to the Marathon County Sheriff's Office, that crash happened at the intersection of County Road W and Alamo Road in the Town of Texas. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been identified as 72 year old William Kibler of Rhinelander.

Published on 11/25/2025 under News Earlier this month, the Lakeland Pantry held a series of food and fundraising drives. They recently received a boost from a local grocer. The Lakeland Pantry announced that Trig's in Minocqua donated $3,000 in gift cards which they said will directly benefit pantry customers and help local families facing food insecurity. Lorna Springate Lakeland Pantry Director says, "The generosity of Trig's and our other partners truly help us fulfill our mission. We're deeply appreciative of everyone who contributes to making a positive impact." The gift cards will provide families with the flexibility to purchase fresh food and other necessities. They said the support is especially meaningful as the holidays approach, a time when the need for assistance is often even greater.

Published on 11/24/2025 under News The City of Merrill continues to recognize citizens who left an indelible mark on the community. Today they'll honor a resident who became an advocate for the elderly, while also planting the seeds for what became the Merrill-Go-Round bus service and local Meals on Wheels program. Three years ago, the Merrill Historic Preservation Committee began a Memorial Street Sign program. Each year they select a small number of citizens by dedicating a street segment in their honor. At a ceremony this morning they'll unveil a sign honoring Dolores Kelly. The Committee offered some of her accomplishments. In 1970, Kelly joined the city's Committee on Aging where they focused on housing, nutrition, legal services and most importantly transportation for the senior community. That led to the Dial-A-Bus program in 1973, the predecessor to the Merrill-Go-Round. That led to Kelly's recognition as the 1975 Merrill 'Woman of the Year.' The street segment being marked today is outside former Merrill City Hall at the corner of 2nd and Cleveland. The family chose this location, as it was where the first Dial-A-Bus ride launched. The sign unveiling will take place at 11am with members of the Kelly family, city officials and a Merrill-Go-Round bus. This is the fourth of five signs being dedicated this year.

Published on 11/24/2025 under News The Tomahawk High School Drama Department sent their one-act play to the State Festival, and they didn't come home empty handed. This year's production was Epic Adventures in a Rinky-Dink Art Museum. The cast and crew performed on Friday afternoon. The judges presented the Hatchets with All-State honors along with an ensemble award. In addition to the group awards, some individuals were also recognized. Alena Cerkas and Exxie Walbeck each earned outstanding acting awards. Michele Balda, Corey Colburn, and Katie Pritzl were honored with an outstanding directing award. This year's state festival was held at UW Stevens Point. It marked the 10th consecutive year THS has sent the one-act play to the state festival.

Published on 11/24/2025 under News One person died in a single vehicle rollover in Vilas County over the weekend. According to the Vilas County Sheriff's Office, responders were called to a crash on Highway 45 near Abalan Lane in the Town of Conover Saturday evening at shortly before 11pm. The initial call reported a semi cab on its roof. Upon arrival, they located the driver who was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver's name is being withheld pending notification of family. According to the news release, Preliminary reports indicate that the driver likely lost control of the vehicle due to icy road conditions at the time. The crash remains under investigation.

Published on 11/24/2025 under News Whether you bagged a buck opening weekend or are hoping for better luck in the second half of the season, successful hunters can help out the Wisconsin Lions Club by donating the hide. Local Lions Club chapters are working with the state organization to collect the deer hides as a fundraiser for their Lions Camp in Rosholt. The Lions Camp youth program provides week-long, summer excursions for around 1,300 youth with special needs each year. The Lion's sell the donated hides to a processor where they're used to produce leather goods. The Lions typically raise around $80,000 through the hide collection. There are nearly 200 deer hide drop-off locations around the state and the Lion's have an interactive map for those that would like to donate. Locally, the Tomahawk drop-off is at the Hometown Feed Mill. As we've previously covered, the DNR has a venison donation program to help those with food insecurity. Animal rescue facilities like Wild Instincts also accept deer hearts and unprocessed trimmings to help feed the animals in their care.

Published on 11/24/2025 under News A new survey shows most Wisconsinites are buckling up. November 14 with National Seat Belt Day. The Department of Transportation and Wisconsin State Patrol celebrated record-high seat belt use at 94%. Throughout the year, the DoT and Wisconsin State Patrol partner with UW-Whitewater to conduct an observational survey across 160 observation sites around the state. At 94%, it is the highest percentage of seat belt use reported since WisDOT began doing the survey 25 years ago. Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan says, "Wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest things a vehicle occupant can do to protect themselves on the road." Carnahan added, "The results of this survey are encouraging, but they also show there's more work to do." For the other six percent, he says, "We'll continue to do our part to educate drivers about the importance of buckling up, but we hope drivers will do their part and make it click." Results from the survey are reported annually, and are used to inform and evaluate WisDOT's traffic safety campaigns like Click It or Ticket and Buckle Up Phone Down.

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