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Tomahawk Board of Public Works Recap: Contamination Near Garage, North 4th St. Weight Classification Published on 06/26/2025 under News

The City of Tomahawk was notified of a small area of contamination near the city garage, though it is likely an old site.

At their meeting Tuesday, the Board of Public Works was updated on the report and pending investigation. The city had previously reached an agreement with Vertical Bridge to lease a small section of city property near the city garage to construct a telecommunications tower.

In January their contractor notified the DNR and the city of soil and groundwater samples exceeding contaminant levels of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.

Nick Rosenmeier with the Public Works Department provided the Board members on the next steps. The city is working with the DNR and REI, an area environmental consulting firm. Rosenmeier noted they have been very helpful.

The planned next step is to conduct some additional sampling through soil boring and test wells to verify this not newly contaminated. During discussion they board members noted past land use and location near the railroad as potential causes.

The discussion was informational only and no action was taken at this time. The Board will likely have to approve the testing, once those plans have been finalized.

The Board is also looking at the possibility of reclassifying North 4th Street from Class A to Class B with a goal of protecting the street from heavy truck loads. This has been an ongoing topic for several years, and they'll continue to look at options or potential ordinances going forward.

In Other News

Northwoods Lights Out Encourages Reduction in Outdoor Lights, Enjoy Night Skies

Published on 06/27/2025 under News From aurora borealis and meteor showers to owls, bats and fireflies, the Northwoods provides excellent opportunities to view the night skies. Coming up this weekend, conservationists are encouraging people to reduce light pollution and look up. The Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department promoting the 3rd annual Northwoods Lights Out! Following the slogan, "The darker the night, the brighter the stars." Part of the campaign is focused on reducing the use of outdoor lighting, which can impact nocturnal wildlife. This includes insects, frogs and toads, birds, and bats. Some simple projects include repositioning outdoor lighting so it is directed downward and using energy-efficient bulbs in warmer colors. Motion sensor lights provide outdoor light when needed. Or simply close curtains or blinds to keep light inside. They are also encouraging people to take a moment to enjoy the night skies and surroundings whether out in space or the animals that come out at night. Staff will be conducting several night-themed conversations at local libraries during July. Another Northwoods Lights Out is planned for mid-August.

Published on 06/27/2025 under News Summer is ice cream season, and another limited-edition flavor designed by kids is starting to roll out to ice cream shops around the state. Each year, Wisconsin-based Cedar Crest Ice Cream partners with the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation to hold a flavor creation contest. They challenge 4-H clubs around the state to come up with a new theme and ice cream flavor design. The winning entry is actually produced and sold in the month of July, National Ice Cream month. This year, the winning flavor came from Sunnyside Climbers 4-H Club out of Plover. Their Demo Derby creation features chocolate ice cream, 'dented' with chocolate cookie crumbles, 'smashed' M&M's, and swirled with chocolate fudge. Demo Derby is starting to arrive at ice cream parlors and scoop shops around the state. The Windmill up in Nokomis teased the new flavor in their latest shipment (along with a few other July feature flavors). They typically post their daily ice cream selections on their Facebook page so people can watch for Demo Derby entering the rotation in the coming days. The 4H winning flavor is a typically a July exclusive, though on occastion, Cedar Crest has made popular winning flavors permanent.

Published on 06/27/2025 under News A dip in the lake can be refreshing on a hot summer day. Up in Oneida County the Health Department is making sure some popular swimming spots are safe. The Oneida County Health Department will be conducting weekly water quality testing at four county parks with designated swimming areas during the summer months. This includes Hodag Park in Rhinelander, Buck Lake in Pelican, Torpy Park in Minocqua and Sugar Camp Lake in Sugar Camp. The goal is help families and beach-goers make informed choices by identifying when levels of E. coli become temporarily elevated. Swimming when bacteria levels are elevated can lead to illness. To inform the public, they'll use a stoplight color system: green-go ahead; yellow-caution; red-stay out. For this week, all four swimming spots came back green and well below any level of concern. They'll typically test take the samples on Monday/Tuesday, allowing for a follow-up test when results are elevated. Weekly results will be posted to the Health Department website and Facebook page, along with a beach sign.

Published on 06/27/2025 under News We're one week away from the Fourth of July, and experts are predicting record-setting travel. Triple A released their annual holiday travel forecast this week. They're estimating around 1.47 million Wisconsinites will hit the road over the next week. That's 2.5 percent higher than last year. Their forecast covers a 9-day period from this Saturday through the following Sunday. Debbie Haas VP of Travel at AAA notes that Independence Day is one of the most popular times for travel, adding that the holiday falling on a Friday is allowing travelers a chance to extend their getaway. They anticipate Wednesday, July 2 and Sunday, July 6 to be the busiest travel days. Of course here in the Northwoods we are used to the travel patterns with northbound traffic heaviest ahead of the holiday and southbound traffic following. To avoid traffic, set your alarm clock. The roads are typically less crowded during the morning hours. And at the pump, Wisconsin drivers are paying a little more than $3 a gallon, that's down about 25 cents from last year.

Published on 06/27/2025 under News Some local learners pursuing careers in the medical field received scholarships to continue their education. The Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital Foundation recently announced seven scholarships to Tomahawk area students. This year's recipients are: • Katie Volz-College of Dentistry • Molly Mott-Nurse practitioner specializing in pediatrics • Samantha Gebauer-Registered Nurse • Tiana Gerstenberger-Physician Assistant • Taylor Repinski- Doctor of Optometry • Luke Olson-Physician Assistant • Joe Jones-Emergency Medicine Physician Over the years, the foundation has been able to provide more than $175,000 in scholarships. They highlighted that many of past recipients have since returned to the Northwoods, where they provide valuable health care to residents in local communities.

Published on 06/26/2025 under News The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is seeking information on a man missing from the Fox Valley who may be here in the Northwoods. According to a news release, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office investigated an abandoned vehicle off East Circle Drive in the Town of Somo Wednesday morning. They were able to match the registration to Mitchell Reif of Winneconne. Deputies followed up with the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, learning that Reif was listed as missing over the weekend after they were unable to make contact during a welfare check. As part of their investigation in Lincoln County, a property owner near the abandoned car had a trail camera image from Sunday of a man matching the description of Reif. The Sheriff's Office is asking people in northwestern Lincoln County and southeastern Price County to check trail cams or their properties for any signs of Reif. Anyone with information can contact the Lincoln Couty Sheriff's Office.

Published on 06/26/2025 under News It's graduation season, and a non-traditional ceremony was recently held in the Northwoods. That commencement took place at the Oneida County jail where five incarcerated individuals earned their high school diplomas. It's part of an ongoing partnership between Nicolet college and local jail facilities in Oneida, Vilas and Forest Counties. Over the last year, the state grant-funded educational program has awarded 46 diplomas between the three locations. The goal is to help reduce recidivism by providing a pathway to employment opportunities for inmates upon release. Oneida County Sheriff Grady Hartman says, "These inmates have taken advantage of the time they have here and the commitment these instructors have made to assist them and will leave with a positive achievement that they can use to improve their lives and their families' lives once they are released." The ceremony at the Oneida County Jail showed an interesting juxtaposition. The graduates donned traditional graduation caps and gowns, but they were worn over orange jail uniforms. Pomp and Circumstance was played on a cell phone. Each graduate spoke of his journey and thanked all those involved for this opportunity to change. This initiative is part of a broader statewide effort, with Wisconsin's technical colleges serving incarcerated individuals through basic education, credentialing, and workforce readiness programs.

Published on 06/26/2025 under News A Fourth of July cookout in Wisconsin is expected to cost a little more this summer. That's according to the annual Wisconsin Farm Bureau-Market Basket Survey released this week. To find the average cost, they track prices of a dozen cookout like burgers and hot dogs, buns, and sides at a sample of grocery stores across two dozen communities around the state. This year, they found the average cost to host the typical summer cookout for ten is around $69, an increase of 4% from last year. That is about two dollars less than the national average. Spokesperson Cassie Sonnentag says, "These prices are a reflection of inflation and lower availability of certain food items." The report specifically identified an increase in protein prices like beef, pork, and poultry, driven by higher farming costs. Sonnentag says identifying local brands, taking advantages of sale prices, buying in bulk, and shopping in season can reduce overall spending. A few other cookout tips, create a menu and stick to your grocery list. It's helpful to spread the cost by inviting guests to bring a dish to pass. In addition to the cookout survey, the Farm Bureau also conducts a Thanksgiving dinner survey.

Published on 06/26/2025 under News Nicolet College is looking to make it easier for busy people to learn about education opportunities through some special evening outreach events during the summer. These sessions are known as Nicolet @ Night, and there are five planned before the start of the fall term. The goal is to reach potential students who want to learn more about Nicolet, but may not be able to attend these types of events that are typically held during the day. They'll have admissions representatives on hand to discuss academic programs and pathways, classes, services and other information. As a bonus,they'll not only waive the application fee, but attendees will also be entered into a scholarship drawing. Nicolet admissions manger Katie Ourada says these evening events are designed to give students flexibility. She notes, "Many of our future and continuing students are full-time workers, parents, and busy people, who need support when it's convenient for them." There is a Nicolet @ Night session this evening from 4:30-7:00pm on the second floor of the Red Oak Center on the Nicolet Campus. Future dates include July 16, July 21, August 7 and August 12.

Published on 06/26/2025 under News Food pantries play a key role in their respective communities across the Northwoods by addressing food insecurity. One food pantry is celebrating a special anniversary this evening. The Rhinelander Area Food Pantry opened 20 years ago. And over the past two decades, they've distributed more than 9.5 million pounds of food. To celebrate these impressive milestones, they're inviting the community to attend an open house this evening. Executive Director Courtney Smith says, "This is a great opportunity to learn more about RAFP and how we serve our community." It may even inspire people to get involved. They'll have a food truck, live music, and a number of raffles including a getaway to the Kohler Lodge and a Lambeau Field Tour. They're also planning to showcase the new Front Porch Project and debut a new podcast episode focused on the History of the Rhinelander Foot Pantry from the 'If These Woods Could Talk' series. For those that would like to check it out, the Rhinelander Food Pantry Open House is Thursday evening from 5 to 7:30.

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