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Lincoln County Sheriff Report: Two OWIs on Same Call Published on 08/12/2025 under News

Two men were arrested for drunken driving during the same response in Lincoln County over the weekend.

According to this week's Lincoln County Sheriffs Report, deputies were paged to Joe Snow Road in the Town of Scott on Sunday for a vehicle in the ditch. Upon arrival, the deputy found two men on the scene attempting to pull a truck out of the ditch with an ATV.

The deputy noted both drivers, Merrill men, ages 20 and 21, showed signs of impairment. Both drivers were asked to complete field sobriety tests. As a result of those tests both drivers were taken in for a first offense of OWI. They were released to responsible parties.

In other news from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report...

A motorcycle operator was injured in a crash east of Tomahawk. Responders were paged to County B near Seven Island Lake Road in Harrison. The caller indicated a motorcycle crash with injuries. Deputies made contact with the operator, an 18 year old Weston man. He explained he was traveling westbound when he drifted off the roadway and struck a rock causing him to lose control. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries.

The number of vehicle versus deer crashes is down slightly, there were five reported this past week on Lincoln County roadways. There was another vehicle vs bear crash as well.

In Other News

Schofield Pup Selected as New WPS 'Spokesdog' for Safe Digging Campaign

Published on 08/12/2025 under News The next star of the Wisconsin Public Service safe digging campaign has been selected, and she's a pup from the Wausau area. As part of their promotion of Digger's Hotline, WPS put out call for people to submit photos of their dog digging in the dirt. The winning dog will be featured on social media and billboards across their service area over the next year. The utility received a number of adorable photos, and let the public choose from a top 10. More than 12,000 votes were cast, and in the end it was Pearl, a 7 year old labradoodle from Schofield who came out on top. She actually received an impressive 60% of the overall vote. Pearl's pet parents said her favorite activity is digging, and they even created a designating digging area in their back yard. WPS says Pearl will spend the next year starring in campaigns reminding people to call Digger's Hotline at least three days before any home project. She takes over for Arlo, a dog from Tomahawk, who just completed his one year reign. The announcement coincided with National Safe Digging Day, on Monday, August 11. That's because the date is, eight-eleven, also the phone number to schedule an appointment.

Published on 08/12/2025 under News A regional guide continues to make it easier to connect Northwoods consumers with locally sourced foods. Over the past few years, there has been a growing emphasis on 'farm to table.' One of the challenges here in the Northwoods can be connecting producers with consumers. That planted the seeds for the first Farm Fresh Atlas. Over the past few years, there has been a growing emphasis on 'farm to table.' One of the challenges here in the Northwoods can be connecting producers with consumers. That planted the seeds for the first Farm Fresh Atlas. In previous years, the state was divided into six regions, each featuring a separate atlas. But in recent years, the publishers combined each region into a single edition covering all of Wisconsin. Readers can find information about local farms, businesses and farmer's markets that offer foods raised or grown in the area. In addition to these locations, the Atlas also contains guides on in-season produce, and other ways to support locally grown food. This 2025 edition includes a feature on Tranquil Acres located here in Tomahawk. The Atlas is put together by the non-profit REAP Food Group, whose mission is to transform communities, economies, and lives through the power of good food. Print copies are available in information kiosks in stores, visitor's bureaus, and other locations. A digital version is also available for a free download.

Published on 08/12/2025 under News The Oneida County Traffic Safety Commission is looking to make outdoor recreationists a bit safer. One of those efforts is to distribute reflective safety vests, a program they've offered for a number of years now. The second half of summer and the upcoming fall season offer additional risks for walkers, hikers, and bikers. The sun is getting lower in the sky, days are getting shorter, and whether we like it or not, it won't be long before the leaves begin to change. This all makes it harder to see people who may be off enjoying their favorite outdoor recreational activities. In order to improve visibility and therefore safety, the Oneida County Traffic Safety Commission continues to partner with the Highway Department to distribute the free high visibility vests to Oneida County residents. They can be picked up at the Highway Office during regular hours. (Monday-Thursday: 6am-4pm)

Published on 08/12/2025 under News It will be a celebratory day in Antigo this afternoon. The Unified School District of Antigo is holding a groundbreaking ceremony for their brand new elementary school. The new school will be located at 315 Western Avenue near the High School. Once complete it will consolidate all of the district's elementary age students into a single building. It will be known as John H. Bradley Elementary, named for an Antigo man who served during World War II including the Battle of Iwo Jima. The project is thanks to a successful referendum approved by voters last November. District Administrator Glenda Oginski says, "This exciting moment for our district is possible thanks to the strong support of our community." In addition to the new elementary, the district will use additional referendum dollars to modernize the middle and high school buildings, which Duginski says 'will provide generations of students with upgraded schools and state-of-the-art facilities.' As for the elementary groundbreaking, the ceremony is scheduled for 5:30pm this evening and the public is invited to attend.

Published on 08/11/2025 under News The Tomahawk Police Department has unveiled a new fundraiser to support their K9 program. The Tomahawk Police Department recently announced the limited sale of Pipo challenge coins. For those unfamiliar, Pipo is a six year old yellow lab who has served as the TPD K-9 officer the past four years. The collectible coin is designed in the shape of a paw print and also features the Tomahawk Police Department and K9 logo. This isn't the first collector's item featuring the pup. On several past occasions they've also sold Pipo-inspired plush toys. Since it's launch, the Tomahawk K-9 unit has been funded outside of the department's budget through grants, community contributions, and fundraisers which are used on training, certification, and other program costs. The Pipo Challenge Coins are being sold at the police department front desk.

Published on 08/11/2025 under News One call can make a difference. That is the message Wisconsin Public Service and other utility partners are sharing Monday. Today's date is August 11, or 8-11. It also serves as the phone number to call Digger's Hotline. Public utility groups use this date as a reminder for homeowners to have their properties marked for any late summer or fall projects that may involve digging. Dating back to last year, WPS says more than 100 of their underground lines have been damaged because 811 wasn't called three days before digging. They note that incidents like these can lead to service interruptions, costly repairs and serious injuries. As part of the campaign, Wisconsin Public Service will announce the next ambassa-dog. The pup, selected by fan vote, will be used in safe digging reminders over the next year. In addition to dialing 8-11 for the free service, you can also go online to schedule an appointment at www.diggershotline.com.

Published on 08/11/2025 under News With the calendar flipped to August, it won't be long before students are heading back to the classroom. Nicolet College announced two new programs for in-demand careers in the Northwoods, with the fall semester right around the corner. Digital Marketing Promotions is a critical component in the online business world. They'll focus on graphic design, web design, advertising, social media, and e-commerce. Included in the curriculum is an outreach program where the students work with local non-profits on an online marketing campaign. And fittingly, it's an online course, which also allows the students to complete course work at their own pace. The other new program is a bit more hands-on; Field Service Technician. Students will learn how to safely troubleshoot, repair, and maintain industrial equipment, a critical skill according to local employers. In fact, one local employer, Adams is partnering with the Nicolet Foundation to offer ten scholarships for students enrolled. Jesse Adams is president of the company. He says, "For over 37 years, Adams has been committed to investing in the future of the trades and supporting the next generation of skilled technicians." The Nicolet Fall Semester two weeks from today...August 25.____ Speaking of Nicolet, they're doing some campus roadwork ahead of the fall semester. Throughout this week(August 11-15), College Drive will be closed and Nicolet Way will be used for both directions of traffic.

Published on 08/11/2025 under News As part of their summer road maintenance schedule, the Lincoln County Highway Department will completing some chip sealing on numerous county roads this week. Chip-sealing process is a way to extend the life of pavement at a fraction of the time and cost of a major resurfacing project. It involves placing a thin layer of liquid asphalt, topped with tiny stone chips which are compacted as the surface hardens. It's typically completed over the course of a day. Coming up this morning, crews will be working on Gouda Road, MT&W Road and Stone Road in the Town of Harrison, and this afternoon Pickerel Creek Road, Sandy Lane and Pine Point Road in the Town of King. Later this week, chip sealing plans include County D in King and Harrison, as well as Rock Falls Drive in the Town of Rock Falls. Motorists can expect delays and the schedule is weather permitting.

Published on 08/11/2025 under News Kids in Lincoln County will have a chance to learn about fishing at a special event coming up this evening. Council Grounds State Park in Merrill is hosting Kid's Learn to Fish Program. It's part of the DNR OutWiGo program which promotes various outdoor activities at state properties throughout the year. According to organizers, this evening's program will walk kids through the basics of shore fishing. They'll even provide some loaner gear. The class is designed for children ages 6 to 10 year old. And while it is free for the class, those attending will need a park sticker. It gets underway at 5pm and space is limited so you must register ahead.

Published on 08/08/2025 under News The Tomahawk Community has rich history, and that story is being told in a movie made by an award winning documentarian. Last summer we introduced you to this film project titled: Tomahawk: A city in the pines. Tomahawk native Clay Schmit is the visionary, producer, and local tie. He's working with friend and Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Newcombe. The duo have been frequent guests on our morning conversation providing updates. They were back again on Thursday, and brought along another guest in John Pietrowski from PCA. Newcombe visited Tomahawk at the urging of Schmit and said he fell in love with the community. And that planted the seeds for the film. He says they take a deep dive into the history of the community, the people, and their impacts. That includes the timber industry which has played an integral role in the area's prosperity. PCA and John Pietrowski, who also joined the conversation, has become a valuable resource of information on the local mill that has been around for more than a century. Schmit says they've completed most of the research and filming that will be utilized. They're now putting those pieces into what will become an approximately one hour film. And they're eyeing a debut next June. Their goal is to actually work with the movie theater on Main Street which is undergoing some major renovations, to host a red carpet premiere event. Other opportunities include an airing on PBS as well as entries into various Midwest film festivals. Earlier this summer they did release a teaser trailer on YouTube. They are also still raising funds to help with production costs. You can hear that entire conversation in the WJJQ audio center.

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