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Voermans Competes in WIAA State Track & Field Meet Published on 06/09/2025 under Sports

Hatchet Junior Track and Field Athlete Alicia Voermans finished 13th in the Pole Vault at the WIAA Division 2 State Track and Field Meet at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Friday. Voermans equaled the school record with a leap of ten feet even. Voermans finished ahead of Angelina Appelbaum of New Berlin Eisenhower, Calee Klein of Clinton, and Amelia Sikri of New Berlin West. Voermans' GNC opponent, Rhinelander's Macy Myers placed eighth with a leap of 11 feet.

This concludes the Tomahawk Track and Field Season.

In Other News

Lincoln County Identifies New Pine Crest Buyer; County Board Vote Planned June 17

Published on 06/09/2025 under News Lincoln County has found a new buyer for Pine Crest Nursing Home, and vote on the sale is scheduled next week. According to a news release, the Lincoln County Administrative and Legislative Committee will forward a purchase agreement for the sale of Pine Crest to the full Lincoln County Board for consideration at their next regular meeting on Tuesday, June 17. The potential buyer is Ensign Group, Inc., which operates multiple skilled nursing and senior living facilities across 14 states. Specifics of the sale weren't provided in the initial news release. The fate of Pine Crest in Merrill has been in the air for a number of years. Amid financial concerns, the Lincoln County Board created an ad-hoc committee in June of 2022 to study the facility. The following year, they began to seek a buyer. Last February, a purchase offer was agreed to with a different buyer, but that sale fell through over the summer. The news release provided a few additional details on Ensign. They are actually comprised of 300+ businesses that are run independently by their own management teams and employees. They said, "This unique approach empowers local leaders and their teams to provide superior solutions to the specific medical needs of the communities they serve." They do operate Wood Aven Health and Rehabilitation in Wausau. A Town Hall meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 10 at 3:30pm at Merrill City Hall, where representatives from Ensign Group will provide a brief presentation on their organization. They are also planning an informational meeting for Pine Crest residents and families. The sale agreement will come before the full Lincoln County Board at their meeting next Tuesday, June 17. If approved, they hope to have the sale finalized by August 1. According to the news release, North Central Health Care (currently contracted by Lincoln County to operate Pine Crest) and Lincoln County Administration "have already begun to assess remaining gaps and remedies to work towards a smooth and successful transition for employees and residents."

Published on 06/09/2025 under News Hundreds of bicyclists left Sunday on an annual, week-long tour of the state with the route following the Wisconsin River. The ride is part of the GReat Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River or GRABAAWR. The riders mirror the 427-mile length of the Wisconsin River, peddling along low-traffic roads and stopping at communities along the route. The trip starts at the headwaters of the Wisconsin River here in the Northwoods. Leaving from Eagle River over the weekend, the first checkpoint is approximately 70 miles south in Tomahawk. From there, day 2 bring the riders to Mosinee. Ultimately, the journey will take the cyclists to Southwestern Wisconsin where they'll arrive in Prairie du Chein by next weekend. The start of the event coincides with conclusion of Wisconsin Bike Week. Motorists are encouraged to be mindful of these and all bicyclists this summer.

Published on 06/09/2025 under News Park City Credit Union will be expanding south with a merger with Wood County Employees Credit Union. According to the announcement, this agreement reflects Park City Credit Union's commitment to serving more members and communities across Wisconsin. Park City currently operates locations in Merrill, Tomahawk, Rhinelander, Minocqua, and now expanding their footprint into Wood and Portage counties. Val Mindak, President/CEO of Park City Credit Union called the merger a natural fit for both organizations. She says, "We share a deep commitment to our members and the communities we serve. By joining forces, we're not only expanding our reach, but we're also strengthening our ability to deliver exceptional value, personalized service, and innovative financial solutions to even more people." They anticipate the merger to be seamless for the members of Wood County Employees Credit Union to receive services through Park City Credit Union.

Published on 06/09/2025 under News Several local schools are among those recognized by the state for success in educating students in districts with a large number of economically disadvantaged families. The Department of Public Instruction announced their annual Title 1 School of Recognition Awards. These 98 schools recognized receive Title 1 funding to provide services to high numbers or high percentages of disadvantaged families. (Some schools received awards in multiple categories.)The awards are broken down into three categories: High Achieving Schools (15 schools): These schools rank in the top 10% statewide for academic achievement in reading and mathematics and demonstrate small or closing achievement gaps.High Progress Schools (24 schools): These schools show significant growth in student outcomes or graduation rates, with measurable progress in closing gaps.High Impact Schools (70 schools): Serving a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, these schools have above-average achievement when compared to similarly situated schoolsLocally North Lakeland Elementary was named a High Achieving School; Sugar Camp Elementary, High Progress. The largest category was High Impact Schools, which included Antigo Middle School, Park Falls Elementary, Prentice Elementary, and Rhinelander's Central Elementary. State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly says, "These schools exemplify what is possible when educators, families and communities come together with dedication, resilience, and commitment to every learner." DPI brought the awards back this year after an extended pause following the Covid pandemic.

Published on 06/09/2025 under News A former Lincoln County Corrections Officer charged with assaulting an inmate was back in Lincoln County Court this past week. Jason Meister is facing two charges, abuse of a resident of penal facility and substantial battery. According to the criminal complaint, Meister allegedly assaulted an inmate in their cell. Following an investigation, Meister was fired. At Friday's preliminary hearing and arraignment, Judge Michael Moran ruled there is probable cause for the case to move forward, and not guilty pleas were entered. Future court dates weren't immediately scheduled.

Published on 06/09/2025 under News Update: The Minocqua Police Department has identified the victim as 62 year old Richard Mastaglio of Minocqua. _____ One person is dead following a single vehicle crash in Minocqua. According to the Minocqua Police Department, responders were paged to a roll-over crash on Highway 51 near Timber Ridge Road. The call came in at shortly before 11am Thursday morning. The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. The name is being withheld pending notification of family. Based on the preliminary investigation, they determined the vehicle was traveling north when the driver lost control, entered the east side ditch, struck a culvert and overturned. The crash remains under investigation.

Published on 06/06/2025 under News Bulls and broncos, cowboys and cowgirls are converging in the Northwoods this weekend. The Wisconsin River Pro Rodeo is back in Lincoln County for a 36th year. Ahead of the three day event, some rodeo royalty stopped by the WJJQ studios for a preview. That visit included Rodeo Queen Mya Pankow, princess Madi Skic, and the jester in rodeo clown Dustin Jenkins. Pankow and Skic are both locals, from Tomahawk and Merrill respectively. Their reign is actually coming to a close this weekend. The duo have spent the past year promoting the rodeo and the sport around the Midwest, competing, and even finding time for school. Pankow called it a rewarding year. She explained becoming queen was a life-long dream, and a full circle experience, inspired as a young girl and now connecting with the next generation. For Skic, she is actually vying to become the next queen, who will be crowned on Sunday. Jenkins role, as rodeo clown, is to keep the competitors safe and the crowded entertained. He highlighted the family nature of the rodeo. He actually started with bulls before making the transition from athlete to entertainer. As for the rodeo competition, it will feature a number of traditional events like tie-down roping, barrel racing and steer wrestling. When asked what is the highlight event, all three were in agreement with bull riding. The rodeo bring in fans and competitors from across the Midwest, who compete right alongside the local participants. Each rodeo night has a special theme. For Friday, it's Military Appreciation Night. It's also WJJQ night. While our staff won't be on horseback, we will be down at the Merrill Festival Grounds meeting and greeting our listeners and rodeo fans and giving away WJJQ prizes. Saturday is 'Tough Enough to Wear Pink' night, dedicated to cancer awareness and research. And Sunday afternoon closes with Family Day.

Published on 06/06/2025 under News For many, the first weekend of June is the unofficial start of summer, and that also marks the return of the DNR's Free Fun Weekend. The agency is encouraging residents and visitors alike to head out and explore the many outdoor recreational opportunities the state has to offer. On Saturday and Sunday people can do so at no cost. Steve Schmelzer is the DNR Bureau Director of Parks and Recreation. He says, "If you like to hike, bike, camp, paddle or even just enjoy a good book in a beautiful place, we hope you will join us for Free Fun Weekend." There are no shortage of opportunities. He notes there are 50 state parks, 15 state forests, 44 state trails, along with thousands of miles of rivers and 15,000 lakes. Some of the state parks will be having special events as part of the year-long 125th anniversary celebration. And as we previewed earlier this week, the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest is having a 100th anniversary celebration Saturday. Many will cast a line without the need for a fishing license, but the DNR is reminding anglers that all other fishing rules and regulations like bag limits and size restrictions still apply. Many state properties will incorporate fishing clinics into the weekend. They do encourage everyone heading out, regardless of your chosen activity to keep safety in mind while respecting fellow recreationists and the properties.

Published on 06/06/2025 under News Wisconsin is known as America's Dairyland, and June is a month-long celebration. Wisconsin Dairy Month is an effort to promote the important role the industry plays in the state. Wisconsin is actually home to more than 5,500 dairy farms and 1.2 million dairy cows. The three pillars of the campaign are Discover, Taste, Celebrate. Organizations like the Wisconsin Farm Bureau and the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin work to ensure that Wisconsin farmers continue to supply the nation with milks, cheeses, ice creams, and other products. Chad Vincent, CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. "Whether you're visiting a farm, enjoying a dairy breakfast, or simply adding Wisconsin cheese to your grocery cart, you're supporting hardworking families who've made this their life's mission." As for the dairy breakfasts that Vincent referred, they are being held in farming communities around the state. Coming up on Sunday, it's Lincoln County's turn, an event held down in Merrill. They'll once again serve up a meal fit for a farmer. In addition to the traditional breakfast spread, they'll even make an exception for some morning cheese curds. Proceeds from the meal help raise money for agriculture-related scholarships and local youth programming here in Lincoln County. It's Sunday from 8am to noon at the MARC in Merrill.

Published on 06/06/2025 under News Art evokes emotions, and the latest exhibit at ArtStart in Rhinelander will do just that. On Thursday, the Northwoods gallery hosted an opening reception for The Holocaust Memory Project. It features the stories of Holocaust survivors as told through collages created from photos, mementos, and documents highlighting their experiences before, during, and after the Holocaust. They noted, "The stories presented in the exhibition put human faces on this tragic chapter in modern history." This exhibition will be on display in the ArtStart Gallery throughout the summer during regular hours...that's Thursday - Saturday 11am – 4pm. The exhibit runs through August 9.

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