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Vilas, Iron Counties Announce Snowmbile Trail Closures Tuesday Published on 03/11/2025 under News

After a brief reprieve, it appears the Northwoods snowmobile season is once again concluding with Iron and Vilas Counties announcing the closure of their trail system Tuesday morning.

This comes after Oneida County closed their trails on Monday. Snowmobilers got an extra weekend of riding after last week's winter snow event. But a warm-up followed, leaving many trail segments deteriorating.

This abbreviated season got a late start, and follows last winter when the trails never opened due to a lack of snow.

In Other News

Tomahawk Student Fundraiser Sends Five Veterans on Honor Flight

Published on 11/12/2025 under News Five more local veterans will take part in a future Never Forgotten Honor Flight; and it's all thanks to students from the Tomahawk School District. As part of yesterday's Veterans Day program, the Tomahawk Elementary Student Council awarded five ceremonial Honor Flight boarding passes to veterans in attendance: Gary Hauck, Anthony Powers, James Meunier, David Hetzel, and Bill Smith. All three men served during the Vietnam era. Student Council Adviser Megan Barker explained the students raised more than $2,600 through their 'Sweet Surprise for Veterans fundraiser. Jim Campbell, founder of the local chapter of the Honor Flight, was also on hand at yesterday's program. He noted that Tomahawk students have now sponsored 67 veterans on the Honor Flight which is tops among all schools within their 13 county region. Campbell said these children have provided more than a free trip, they have profoundly changed the lives of the veterans and their families. In addition to the Honor Flight, the students also contributed to Wreaths Across America to fund the placing of 47 wreaths at the Northwoods National cemetery in Harshaw over the holiday season. The ceremony also include speeches, essays, and performances from the band and choir. Bill Burcalow paid tribute to Dan Reiter, a veteran and school counselor/advisor who tragically passed away this spring. Burcalow praised Reiter's work in connecting students with local veteran groups. The district has posted the program to their YouTube Channel.

Published on 11/12/2025 under News It's report card time in the state of Wisconsin...not for students, but for the schools and school districts. The Department of Public Instruction released the annual report cards on Tuesday. A number of districts in the Northwoods earned high marks for their performance and improvements last school year with Tomahawk among those high achievers. The district earned four stars, a mark of 'exceeds expectations.' It's a score the district has maintained over the past decade. District Director of Teaching and Learning Mark Sommer walked the school board through the scores at their meeting Tuesday. Considered a snapshot in time, the scores are based on spring testing. There are four weighted categories: student achievement, closing gaps, district growth, and post secondary readiness. The numerical scores then translate into 5 grades ranging from failure to meet expectations to significantly exceeds expectations. We'll continue to explore the report cards in the coming days, including the Tomahawk elementary, middle and high school scores, as well as a look at how some of the other districts in the Northwoods scored.

Published on 11/12/2025 under News Officials in Lincoln County are hoping to increase the awareness of mental health resources after an uptick in suicides this year. According to Lincoln County Coroner Valerie Caylor, eight Lincoln County residents who have taken their lives this year with two often challenging months still to come. In November and December, Caylor noted that the changing of seasons, holiday gatherings, and family traditions along with cold weather, shortened daylight hours and lack of social interactions can lead to a dark place. In looking for patterns among their investigations, they found seven out of the eight were male, with an average age of 39. Two were teenagers, and one a military veteran. Caylor is looking to raise awareness for those who may need help. The county has a committee that meets quarterly to discuss preventable deaths in the county. One of the items they discussed at their most recent meet was providing more resources for mental health needs at the high school level. She specifically praised the current programing at the Merrill School District and is hoping to spread that success. Other resources included 988 suicide and crisis phone and text line, and North Central Health Care emergency line 800-799-0122.

Published on 11/12/2025 under News The City of Tomahawk has a spending plan in place for next year. At their meeting Tuesday, the Tomahawk City Council unanimously passed a pair of companion ordinances approving the 2026 budget along with the tax levy to support it. The first line most property owners look to is the taxes. At $1.88 million, the city's portion of the tax levy is nearly identical to the current year. As for expenses, at $5.6 million, that's down 1.9% or $110,000. The decreases largely came in debt service payments and capital outlay projects. Most other spending categories are relatively unchanged from last year. Details of the budget were hashed out over a handful of special finance committee meetings. Finance Chair Mickey Loka praised the department heads for their contributions. He acknowledged it was a 'painful process for everyone involved'. Loka also reiterated the need to identify alternative revenue sources for the City. The Council has been looking to go to referendum. They briefly discussed the timeline. No members of the public spoke during the budget hearing. Council members had no further discussion before approval. This continues the finalization of the local budget puzzle. The next piece, the Lincoln County Board expected to approve their budget at a meeting today.

Published on 11/12/2025 under News Downtown Rhinelander is hoping to revitalize a past holiday tradition. DRI announced they are bringing back the Rhinelander Tree Lighting Ceremony. It's coming up at the end of the month and they are looking for groups and organizations to get involved. Aaron Schultz, owner of Big Daddy's is coordinating of the festivities for DRI. He says, "We do not have a Christmas parade (in Rhinelander), and in the past this event has helped residents and businesses feel the holiday spirit." In addition to the tree lighting, they've already partnered with some community groups for refreshments, a visit from Santa and some other activities. Schultz invited other nonprofit groups and community organizations to get involved. He says, "We would love to have caroling and other activities that bring holiday spirit to the event." It'll take place the Saturday after Thanksgiving on November 29.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News A Tomahawk woman is being recognized for her outstanding service to technical college education. The Wisconsin Technical College District Board Association recently named Dianne Lazear as Wisconsin Technical College-Trustee of the Year. Nominees are selected based on their engagement in local, state, and national advocacy and other collaborative work for the benefit of students and technical education. A former Nicolet College faculty member and administrator, Lazear has served on the Nicolet Board of Trustees since 2019. She is one of 144 trustees across Wisconsin's 16 technical colleges. When asked why she serves, Lazear says, "For me, it's the same answer that I gave when I was hired by Nicolet College, almost 30 years ago...Think global, act local." In the announcement Lazear was highlighted for her work in developing a trustee handbook and orientation program for new trustees. Those local efforts have been referenced both in Wisconsin and around the country. Lazear says, "This work transforms individual lives, and as a result, transforms families, communities, and the state, as all ripples matter, transforms the world around us." Abbey Dall Lukowski, chair of the Nicolet College Board called Lazear a true role model for fellow trustees, adding, "Her tireless efforts, passionate engagement, and selfless service to the college and our students are an inspiration to us." Photo: From left to right: Wisconsin Technical College System President, Layla Merrifield; Dianne Lazear, Nicolet College Board of Trustees Member; Kate Ferrel, Nicolet College President; Abbey Dall Lukowski, Nicolet College Board of Trustees Chair.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News People will have a look of Tomahawk's history available at their finger tips, thanks to a project at the Tomahawk Public Library. The Tomahawk Public Library is working on an effort to digitize all of their microfilm local newspaper archives. Library director Heidi O'Hare discussed the project with the Tomahawk City Council at their meeting this past week. O'Hare says that digitizing their newspaper archive had been something they had explored over the past five years. It had generally been cost prohibitive ranging anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000. She began seeking alternatives and found a partnership with newspapers.com, a subsidiary of ancestry.com to complete the work for around $600. Those archives date back to the 1890's offering a snapshot of the community over the years through a local perspective. While a subscription to the newspapers.com is necessary for home use, library patrons will be able access the newspaper files on the library computers for free. And by digitizing the records, O'Hare notes there will be advanced features not available on microfilm such as searchability. It also provides a digital backup of the newspapers. O'Hare says that staff will have some additional training on using the digital newspaper archives.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News Winter weather and animal collisions are just two of the many challenges drivers deal with at this time of year. Both kept Lincoln County deputies busy this past week. With our first taste of winter weather over the weekend, deputies responded to a pair of crashes Sunday attributed to road conditions. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report, deputies initially responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 51. They discovered there had been two separate crashes in that area. In one of those crashes, both the driver and a passenger were brought to an area hospital for undisclosed injuries. Drivers are encouraged to use a little extra caution and slow down when roads become snow covered and slippery. It's also a good idea to get your winter weather emergency kit in your vehicle. Meanwhile, the number of vehicle versus deer collisions remains elevated. Lincoln County deputies responded to another 21 crashes involving deer this past week. That continues a month-long trend.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News With the hunting opener just a few weeks away, Aspirus offered up a reminder about heart health. Many hunters will go from a sedentary lifestyle to a week of increased physical activity which can impact heart rates and blood pressure. This includes hauling gear to the stand, the excitement of bagging a deer, and removing your harvest from the field. Aspirus Cardiology nurse practitioner Megan Johnson says, "Dragging a deer through the woods or walking long distances in the cold may seem manageable, but for someone with high blood pressure or coronary artery disease, it can trigger serious symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, or even heart attacks." She encourages patients to start preparing for hunting season by building cardiovascular endurance, managing blood pressure, and prioritizing overall wellness throughout the year. She also says stress can play a bigger role than most people realize, adding "Your body reacts to excitement and adrenaline. Taking a few deep breaths before dragging a deer or climbing through terrain could make a real difference." It's also good to get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, and moderate alcohol intake throughout the season. Johnson notes that women, in particular, often experience heart attack symptoms differently, reporting jaw or back pain, nausea, or extreme fatigue instead of the classic chest pain. These atypical symptoms can lead to delayed care and increased complications. If any signs of a heart attack are experienced, it is important to seek medical attention immediately.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News While most food pantries focus on non-perishable food items, a new program in the Minocqua area allowed their food pantry to distribute more fresh produce. The Lakeland Pantry launched their Grow-A-Row initiative this summer. They encouraged local gardeners to donate some of their homegrown vegetables. And with the growing season now over, they were able to reflect and celebrate as the community donated more than a ton of produce. In fact, the during the inaugural Grow-A-Row season, they received 2,350 pounds of donated produce. This was thanks to home gardeners as well as a number of community garden partners. Pantry director Lorna Springate says they are deeply grateful. She says, "Your generosity helps strengthen our community and ensures that nutritious food reaches those who need it most. She added, "It's all about 'Neighbors Helping Neighbors.'" The Pantry extends heartfelt thanks to every individual and group who gave fresh produce. These contributions do more than fill shelves—they deliver hope and healthy meals to neighbors confronting food insecurity. Each donation is a testament to the power of collective goodwill.

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