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ArtStart Receives Generous Donation in Memory of Long Time Support for Boiler Replacement Published on 08/22/2025 under News

Earlier this year, ArtStart in Rhinelander launched a fundraiser to help replace a century-old boiler used to heat their building. And thanks to a donation in memory of a founding member, they have nearly met their goal.

ArtStart announced that the family of Ken Juon made a $25,000 donation towards their 'Keep it Hot' campaign. Juon had been involved in ArtStart since it was established in 2011. He passed away in 2024.

In making the donation, the Juon family joked that it was Ken's self-appointed mission to care for the building's 100-year boiler.

They wrote, "Ken had many names for the old dame — most of them uttered softly and not repeatable. So when ArtStart decided to fundraise for a new boiler, we knew we had to honor all the love Ken had given her for the past 13 years, and donated what we hope will help secure ArtStart's heating needs for many more years."

According to director Ashley McLaughlin, ArtStart had previously received an anonymous donation of $100,000 and were awarded a Focus on Energy grant of $50,000. With the Juon family gift and many other individual contributions, they are now within $10,000 of their goal.

The boiler replacement is scheduled to begin in mid September.

In Other News

Local, State Volunteers Team up for Ice Age Trail Maintenance in Lincoln County

Published on 08/25/2025 under News Several segments of the Ice Age Trail in Lincoln County got some maintenance thanks to a group of volunteers. Earlier this month, members of the local Northwoods Chapter of Ice Age Trail Alliance teamed up with a group of Alliance volunteers from other communities. The goal was to improve hiker experience on three Ice Age Trail segments in Lincoln County: Alta Junction, Averill-Kelly Creek Wilderness, and Harrison Hills. Chad DuChateau, Field Project Manager for the Alliance says, "There's always such good energy when Trailwide volunteers mingle with local volunteers. That sense of appreciation for each other, and for the support of Alliance staff, is what makes Maintenance Sweep events so meaningful." In all, the 15 member crew contributed more than 240 hours of work. This included: The Alta Junction Segment had one of its structures modified with chicken wire to make the surface less slick. The Averill-Kelly Creek Wilderness Segment received a minor bridge upgrade and half a mile of corridor clearing. Along the Harrison Hills Segment:Cleared corridor and removed downed treesWidened and repaired tread, alleviating water issuesRerouted the Trail (short!) to avoid a steep crossing of an ATV trail Modified a few existing structures with chicken wire to increase tractionThey tackled various projects including clearing and widening trails, upgrading a bridge, addressed some low traction areas, and other improvements. During their downtime, the volunteers even got into the Northwoods spirit, setting up camp at Council Grounds. And as quickly as they arrived, the traveling volunteers have already moved on. They've got several additional volunteer projects along the Ice Age Trail in the coming weeks. The Ice Age Trail stretches approximately 1,200 miles across Wisconsin, starting near the Minnesota border and ending near Green Bay. Locally it crosses Taylor, Lincoln, Langlade, and Marathon Counties.

Published on 08/25/2025 under News A summer-long, art scavenger hunt in Antigo has wrapped up, and organizers have deemed it a success. Antigo Visual Arts coordinated the inaugural effort, bringing together local artists and community businesses. The event featured 33 original pieces of art. That included paitings, carvings, and sculpture, all inspired by Wisconsin's birds, animals and native flowers. Each was displayed in or on a participating business turning the downtown Antigo district into a gallery of sorts. Angela Wildman of Wildman Arts says, "As a business, we loved seeing so many different works of art being showcased and interacting with customers who may not have been as familiar with our offerings." In all 76 people completed the scavenger hunt with drawings for prizes. The public was also able to vote for their favorite pieces. And at the wrap up celebration earlier this month, several of the featured pieces were sold through a silent auctions. With enthusiastic community feedback and strong participation, AVA says they plan to make the Downtown Art Scavenger Hunt an annual tradition, and they are hoping to expand in scope and impact in 2026. Photo provided by AVA: Vicki Eldridge posing in front of Tree Solutions below her Snail artwork.

Published on 08/25/2025 under News An Oneida County group addressing childcare in the area is looking for input from the public. The Oneida County Childcare Coalition is currently conducting their annual survey. This initiative aims to assess the child care needs across the county. The Coalition says data collected will guide future projects aimed at enhancing access to quality, affordable child care in the area. There are actually two different surveys being conducted. One is for parents and the general public; the other is focused on businesses and employers. The questions cover a variety of topics including some general questions on childcare access, how childcare challenges impact employment, and where improvements came be made. The Northwoods is in what is considered a childcare desert, meaning there are not enough affordable childcare options available to meet the demand. The survey opened last month, and the period is winding down this week. It's available on the coalition website.

Published on 08/25/2025 under News The archery deer season opener is just a few weeks away, and many hunters are busy with preparations. State forest health specialists are warning hunters about placing tree stands in ash trees. That's because the experts say that ash trees are being affected by the invasive emerald ash borer. According to the DNR news release, infested trees may unexpectedly drop large branches, especially under the weight of an occupied tree stand. DNR forest health specialist Bill McNee says, "Infested or dead ash trees are not as structurally strong as healthy trees, so they are not a good place to put a deer stand." He added, "In many cases, it can be hard to tell if a tree has been infested by emerald ash borer, so hunters should place deer stands in other types of trees instead." The DNR noted that falls from tree stands are the leading cause of serious injury for hunters and reminded hunters to follow tree stand safety rules in general.

Published on 08/25/2025 under News Officials have provided a few additional details on a crash late last week in Lincoln County. That call initially came in Thursday afternoon. Responders were paged to a two vehicle crash on Highway 51 at County S near Tomahawk. Based on the preliminary investigation, the driver was attempting to merge from County S onto Highway 51 north. The vehicle made contact with another northbound vehicle. This caused the driver to lose control. The vehicle left the roadway, entered the ditch and rolled before coming to rest against the tree line. The operator, a 19 year old old Irma man, was extricated from the vehicle and airlifted to a Wausau hospital for treatment. No update on his condition was provided. No other injuries were reported. The crash remains under investigation. Highway 51 was closed for nearly 3 hours following the crash.

Published on 08/25/2025 under News Each spring Wisconsin chooses a new Alice in Dairyland, and next year's ceremony will be in North Central Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced that Marathon County will host the 79th Alice in Dairyland Finals. Alice in Dairyland serves as a spokesperson, educating the public and promoting Wisconsin's agriculture industry. Marathon County is a fitting location. According to UW-Extension, Marathon County features more than 2,200 farms, 97% of which are family owned. Marathon County tops the state in ginseng production and is number two in the dairy industry. It's a frequent destination for Alice in Wonderland. Current Alice in Dairyland, Sarah Hagenow has around a dozen appearances scheduled in the county during her term. The week-long selection process for the next Alice in Dairyland will take place next May in Wausau.

Published on 08/22/2025 under News A growing number of students around the Northwoods are graduating high school each year with college credits thanks to partnerships with Nicolet College. Earlier this month, we looked into the success Tomahawk students have had through the Nicolet dual credit program. But students and school districts across the Nicolet footprint are taking advantage of these partnerships and programs which allow students to earn both high school and college credit for the same class. During the past school year, nearly 900 high school students participated in a Nicolet Dual Credit course. Combined, they earned more than 4,000 college credits. These classes are offered at no cost to the student, saving them the equivalent of $670,000 in tuition. And 47 students actually earned a college credential while in high school in fields such as nursing assistant, EMT, welding and metals fabrication. The dual credit courses are typically offered in three ways: courses taught at Nicolet by a Nicolet instructor; courses taught at a high school with a Nicolet instructor; or courses at a high school by a qualified high school teacher. Nathan Zorn is the dual credit coordinator at Nicolet College. He says, "Our rural school districts face unique challenges in offering a variety of college-level coursework. It is truly rewarding to partner with so many amazing educators in our district and to help young people get a head start on their college and career ambitions." According to Nicolet, the number of students enrolled in a dual credit class has jumped 43% in just three short years.

Published on 08/22/2025 under News In just a few short weeks, Northwoods students will be heading back to the classroom. That means back to school shopping is in full swing. With rising costs, a little extra planning can help avoid breaking the bank. According to the National Retail Foundation, parents of k-12 students anticipate spending a little more than $500 on school supplies and back-to-school clothing. That would actually be down slightly from last year. But by shopping smart, experts say parents can find some savings. It all starts with a shopping list, and more importantly sticking to it. Keep purchases to necessary or essential items by following the district's classroom supply list. Before you even head to the store, consider 'shopping' at home. Items leftover from previous school years can often be re-used. Another creative solution is to team up with relatives, neighbors or classmates to buy supplies in bulk; then divide up the supplies and share the savings. They recommend watching for back-to-school sales and close out deals. While you may have to make extra stops, they note those saving can add up. And finally, take advantage of local organizations and community groups that host school supply drives, distribution events, and back-to-school picnics to offer assistance.

Published on 08/22/2025 under News A popular ice cream shop in the Northwoods recently got some national praise. ChowHound is a well-known website dedicated to all things food. In a recent article, they selected the Best Ice Cream Shop in every single state. The Windmill was actually the top pick for the state of Wisconsin. With the lines of people regularly spilling out the door, it's no surprise. Being the dairy state, the author noted Wisconsin had a lot of worthy candidates. Before getting to the ice cream specifically, she highlighted the scenic setting of the Windmill along the shores of Nokomis which allows people to visit by land, lake, or trail. And when it comes to the ice cream, she noted the regular rotation of flavors with more than two dozen available at any given time. Another thing mentioned, the generous serving sizes. The full list from Chowhound's The Best Ice Cream Shop In Every US State

Published on 08/22/2025 under News A member of the Wausau Fire Department was arrested following an investigation into missing pain medications. The Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation announced charges against Jared J. Thompson. Thompson was in charge of the department's emergency medical program. Among his duties was ordering medications including controlled substances used for pain. The criminal complaint alleges that, between Jan. 1, 2025 through June 16, 2025, approximately 486 vials of hydro-morphone and approximately 612 vials of fentanyl purchased by the Wausau Fire Department were either unaccounted for and/or diverted. For comparison, in 2023, the department purchased approximately 11 vials of hydro-morphone and approximately 92 vials of fentanyl. Thompson allegedly stole those missing medications. As a result, he has been charged with three felony counts of misconduct in public office and two counts of misdemeanor theft. He is currently on leave and is expected to make his initial appearance in Marathon County Court on Friday afternoon.

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