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Oneida County Health Warns of Rabies Risk after Bat Exposure Published on 06/17/2025 under News

Bats play a crucial role in our ecosystem including pollination and insect control. But bats can also spread rabies and local health officials are reminding people about that risk.

According to the Oneida County Health Department, bats are actually the leading cause of infecting humans with rabies. While most bats don't carry rabies, they said it's important to treat interactions seriously. That's because small bites and scratches may go unnoticed. These abrasions should be washed with soap and water, then seek medical help.

If you find a bat in your home, especially in bedrooms or other areas of the home that people sleep in, call animal control and inform your local health department. The bat may need to be tested for rabies so it shouldn't be released until clearance.

And make sure pets are up to date on rabies shots as well.

If you want to avoid these encounters, the Health Department offered some tips to bat-proof your home. You're going to need to seal any openings bigger than a dime. That means looking for small holes, cracks, and gaps around pipes. Consider screens, chimney caps, and attic door covers.

Wisconsin is home to eight bat species.

In Other News

Lincoln County Board to Consider Pine Crest Sale at Tuesday Meeting

Published on 06/17/2025 under News The Lincoln County Board is set to consider the sale of Pine Crest nursing home to a private provider. Earlier this month, the county announced a purchase agreement had been reached with Ensign Group, Inc pending approval by the full county board at their meeting this evening. According to the resolution, the purchase agreement is for $9.5 million. They also project the county will save $1 million each year in operational costs. The County would need to lease back space for Health and Human Services. The resolution indicates the buyer is willing to work with the county on that agreement. Last week, Jack Pines LLC, a subsidiary that would operate the local facility held a pair of open house meetings to share their vision with public. The fate of Pine Crest in Merrill has been in question for several years now. This is actually the second attempt to sell the facility. Last February, the Board approved a purchase agreement with a different company. That deal fell apart last summer. If this resolution is approved by the supervisors at tonight's meeting; they hope to have the sale finalized by August 1.

Published on 06/17/2025 under News Northcentral Technical College continues to invest in their wood and forestry programs in Antigo. This past week NTC announced plans for Timberwolf Cabins which they hope will provide students with a unique space to live and learn while attending classes at NTC's Wood Technology Center of Excellence and Sawmill. Once complete, the cabins will be available for professionals attending continuing education classes, as well as traditional students enrolled in the one and two year programs. Dr. Jeannie Worden, President of NTC says, "Students travel from across the nation for hands-on training in the forestry industry at NTC's Antigo campus. We recognized the need for additional housing options for our students and are grateful that the City of Antigo supports our plan for Timberwolf Cabins." Six cabins are planned. The Elwyn Remington Foundation has pledged funding for the first cabin. The NTC Property Foundation's has launched a campaign to fund for another five cabins. In addition to the living quarters, the students will also have access to an outdoor social area, laundry facilities, business equipment and recreational equipment during their stay.

Published on 06/17/2025 under News A Merrill woman was injured following a single vehicle crash, and she was subsequently taken into custody for operating while intoxicated. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report, that incident happened Thursday. Responders were paged to a single vehicle crash at Highway 64 and Monteray Drive. When the deputies arrived on scene, they found the vehicle had rolled, and the driver, a 48 year old Merrill woman, had been thrown from the vehicle and was in the ditch. The woman was transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for treatment of her injuries. Based on the investigation, the deputy determined the woman was intoxicated and placed the woman under arrest for first offense OWI. A few other quick notes from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report...There were two other first offense OWI arrests involving a 49 year old Gleason man and a 44 year old Merrill man.The number of vehicle versus deer collisions is down slightly, but seven were still reported on Lincoln County roadways.

Published on 06/17/2025 under News From short hikes to weeks-long treks, the Ice Age Trail is busy throughout the year. The Ice Age Trail Alliance recently recognized a dedicated group who reached an impressive milestone this past year. At their annual awards ceremony, the Alliance highlighted the latest Thousand-Milers. As the name implies, these are the hikers who surpassed 1,000 miles on the Ice Age Trail. They offered up some details on those individuals. Overall, they said 87 hikers reached four figures, including sixteen who thru-hiked the length of the trail. The quickest to do so...41 days. The hikers represented 48 Wisconsin communities, as well as 14 out-of-staters. Those looking for a little inspiration, the oldest thousand-miler completed the challenge at 83 years old. On the other end of the spectrum, the youngest person to conquer all the miles was 18 years old. The Ice Age Trail spans more than 1,200 miles stretching from Door County peninsula to the Minnesota border, and from the Madison area to the Northwoods. That includes Taylor, Lincoln, Langlade, and Marathon Counties.

Published on 06/16/2025 under News A documentary telling the story of the city of Tomahawk is in the works, and recently took another step with the release of a short trailer video. Last summer we introduced you to this film project titled: Tomahawk: City in the pines. Tomahawk native Clay Schmit is the visionary and local tie, and he's working with friend and award-winning filmmaker John Newcombe. Over the weekend, followers got a sneak peak at their progress. Newcombe released a two minute teaser trailer on his Youtube channel. This short clip focuses primarily on the logging aspect as the region was settled. At the end, there is a quick transition to the modern day tourism and recreational focus. It includes a narration over old photographs, video and drone footage. As for what's comes next, they'll continue working on the film, while also fundraising to offset some of the production costs. A timeline on the full film release was not provided. That teaser trailer is available on Youtube, we'll include a link in the online version of the story.

Published on 06/16/2025 under News Marshfield Clinic is part of a long-term, nationwide cancer prevention study, and they are currently recruiting participants in the Merrill area. Known as Connect, the Connection for Cancer Prevention Study is being led by the National Cancer Institute. Marshfield Clinic is one of several health care systems across the country participating in this cutting-edge research. Marshfield Clinic Senior Research Scientist Dr. Robert Greenlee says, "Connect will create a platform of research for years to come that we expect will reduce this burden by uncovering ways to prevent cancer, detect it earlier when it's more treatable, and improve the health of cancer survivors." It is a long-term study and participants will be asked to complete online health surveys a few times a year, while also submitting blood, urine, and saliva samples every two to three years. As of June 1, Marshfield Clinic has enrolled more than 5,000 participants in Connect. Their goal is recruit 11,000 patients according to Greenlee. As they focus on the Merrill area, people can learn more at an upcoming enrollment session 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 24-25 and July 30-31 at Marshfield Clinic Merrill Center, 1205 O'Day St. Enrollment sessions at other Marshfield Clinic locations will be scheduled periodically. To learn more about Connect, visit cancer.gov/connectstudy.

Published on 06/16/2025 under News Over the past week, we've been looking at the tourism impact numbers along the Highway 51 corridor. Our last stop is up in Vilas County... small in population, but large in tourism. The Wisconsin Department of Tourism released record setting data for both the state and counties last week. Up in Vilas County, they estimate visitors impact at just shy of $303 million last year. That's up slightly from the previous year, and ranks just behind Oneida County for tops in the Northwoods. Collette Sorgel, Director of Vilas County Tourism & Publicity. She says, ""We're always looking for new ways to reach potential visitors, especially the younger generations who may just be learning about the magic of the Northwoods." Tourism is Vilas County's largest industry, supporting 2,105 jobs. Visitor spending in the county accounted for $25.9 million in state and local sales tax revenue last year. Sorgel says,"From generations of families returning to Vilas County to the new faces we're so glad to welcome, we are incredibly thankful for our visitors."

Published on 06/16/2025 under News In the Northwoods, tourism season and road construction season overlap. One project in the Minocqua area is hoping to balance the two interests with a two phase project with summer hiatus. Earlier this year, crews began work on Highway 51 in Minocqua between Front Street and Third Avenue. That road is a main thoroughfare through the community and into the rest of the Northwoods region. To minimize the impact, they're splitting the work and will pause during the busy summer season. According to the latest DoT construction report, Friday was the last scheduled day of work for now. The plan is to return on September 1 to resume and complete the project. In the meantime, they will remove the temporary traffic controls, and all lanes of traffic are expected to remain open. Road Construction Continues:A few other workzones including in the DoT work that may impact local travel...additional information on these and all DoT road construction projects can be found on their website.Crews continue to work on Highway 8 between County L and McCord Road north of Tomahawk. Drivers may encounter closed shoulders and temporary flaggers.A project on Highway 64 east of Antigo begins this week.There are three ongoing DoT projects in Marathon County including Highway 51 between Wausau and Mosinee and two projects on Highway 29 in western Marathon County (Purple Martin Lane to Little Rib River and Clark County Line to County E South)

Published on 06/16/2025 under News A dam project in Marathon County could impact an endangered fish. The DNR is currently considering a permit from Domtar to remove and replace the deteriorating timber section of their hydroelectric facility at the Rothschild Dam. The presence of the state endangered black redhorse is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff estimates 1.1 acres of suitable habitat will be impacted by this project. They concluded the proposed project is not likely appreciably impact the black redhorse fish. The DNR is currently accepting comments on that permit. Additional information. The project is anticipated to commence construction in the summer of 2025 and be substantially complete by January 2029, with the final restoration completed in the summer of 2029.

Published on 06/13/2025 under News It's Friday, and that means a steady stream of visitors are bound for the Northwoods. For many, their destination is Oneida County, which once again saw record setting tourism numbers. Throughout this week, we've been exploring the recent tourism impact data released by the state. Oneida County saw an impressive $303 million in tourism spending. That was up approximately $11 million from 2023, the previous record. Jacqui Sharpe serves as chair of the Oneida County Tourism Council. She says, "Our bustling communities, trails and lakes, beautiful lodging properties, and delicious restaurants are the reason families return year after year. We love welcoming them back and can't thank them enough for their continued support." Sharpe called outdoor recreation the area's 'bread and butter'. She acknowledged that two consecutive mild winters and minimal snow has left an impact. Fortunately, she noted that attractions like the Hodag Dome have been beneficial. The area has also benefited from the growth of ATV and UTV recreation. To serve travelers, there are an estimated 2,200 tourism related jobs supported in the county. Oneida County also collected $24.5 million in state and local sales taxes in 2024. Sharpe closed by saying, "With so many options for where to spend your hard-earned money and time, we feel incredibly grateful that people continue to choose Oneida County. It makes all the difference in our communities!"

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