WJJQ Radio

Story Details

Road Work Resumes on Highway 51 in Minocqua Area Published on 09/03/2025 under News

Following the summer tourism season, a two part road construction project in the Minocqua area is resuming.

This spring, crews began work on Highway 51 between Front Street and Third Avenue. They worked until mid-June before pausing for the summer. According to the DoT weekly construction report, that work is picking back up.

They'll begin by working on the curb and gutter. According to the report, both the north and south bound left lanes will be closed. Crews will maintain one lane of traffic in each direction. This project is scheduled to run into October.

In Other News

City of Tomahawk Approves Nuisance Deer Bow Hunt

Published on 09/03/2025 under News The bow deer season is just a week and a half away, and the City of Tomahawk will once again hold a nuisance deer hunt in the city. The Common Council approved that resolution last night, as they have on an annual basis. Now that doesn't mean you'll see hunters walking down Main Street this fall. The city designates areas where the nuisance deer hunt is and is not allowed. Most of the areas designated for the hunt are in what would be considered rural stretches of land within the city limits. While participation and success vary from year to year, a typical season sees fewer than ten deer registered. Clerk Amanda Bartz said four deer were harvested last year. Twenty five tags will be available. The participants must register with the Tomahawk Police Department. They must also follow standard DNR hunting rules. The nuisance deer hunt runs concurrent to the regular archery season which kicks off a week from Saturday.

Published on 09/03/2025 under News Thanks to some lower than anticipated fuel costs last year, your next electric bill may show some savings. Wisconsin Public Service announced that electric customers should see refunds on their bills this fall through fuel cost adjustments. Utility rates are set by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, and part of the formula is estimated fuel cost. When the actual price is lower than projected; the customers receive a credit. According to the WPS announcement, fuel costs were less than projected in 2024. As a result, they said customers should see a credit on an upcoming bill. The refund amount of 6.6 cents per kWh, and will vary based on the customer's electricity usage. They said a typical customer will receive a refund of around $43. The credit should appear on bills in September and October, depending on the customer's billing cycle. Additional information on the WPS website.

Published on 09/03/2025 under News And just a heads up for listeners, our very own Gregg Albert was the focus of a local TV news feature. The segment aired on WSAW last night... that's Channel 7 here in the Northwoods. Dale Ryman spent some time here at the WJJQ studios this past week for the latest segment of 'You Know You're From...' The story took a look back at Gregg's forty plus years owning the Big Q, family, his commitment to community, and balancing continuing to work with semi-retirement. If you missed the segment when it aired live, it is available on their website at wsaw.com.

Published on 09/03/2025 under News September is Suicide Prevention Month, and the Lincoln County Health Department is offering another prevention training class. Working with Healthy Minds Lincoln County and Aspirus, the Health Department is offering a virtual QPR training next week. They offered similar classes this spring. QPR is a three step training model. According to the Health Department, people trained in QPR can learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. The class will instructed by Heidi Pritzl, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for Aspirus Health. It's scheduled for next Monday at noon. It's free thanks to an Aspirus sponsorship, but registration is required. Wednesday is the deadline, and we'll include that information in the online version of the story. As part of this month's Suicide Prevention campaign, we'll highlight several other outreach efforts by the Lincoln County Health Department.

Published on 09/03/2025 under News With the calendar now turned to September, fall hunting season openers are coming quickly. Today is the start of the black bear season. According to a preview provided by the DNR, Wisconsin is home to around 24,000 black bear. While they are most common in the forested northern regions, bear have been expanding south in recent years. Last year, hunters registered ~4,300 bear, with more than half harvested in the first two weeks of the season. Hunters saw a 37% success rate, with numbers higher in the Northwoods. There were a little more than 13,000 licenses available, and the DNR says they received more than 32,000 applications. Another 114,000 people opted for preference points. The combined 146,000 applications was a record. The season runs into October. The DNR reminders bear hunters that they should know their management zone, and review the zone-specific rules in place for the dates they are hunting. These rules vary and may affect the use of hunting aids such as dogs and baiting. Under the current management plan, the state is divided into 6 zones. Zones A, B, and C actually converge here in Lincoln County.

Published on 09/02/2025 under News It's back-to-school day here in Tomahawk, at least for some students. For nearly a decade now, the Tomahawk School District has utilized a staggered start to the school year to accommodate a peer-mentoring program. The transition into both middle and high school can be intimidating for young learners. Back in 2018, the Tomahawk school district introduced the W.E.B. program in the Middle School and Link Crew in the High School. According to the Boomerang Project which oversees Link and WEB, more than 4,500 schools around the country now utilize their programming. They are specifically designed for 6th and 9th grade students (along with students new to the district). They offer specialized orientation and introductory activities which are revisited throughout the school year. It also allows participating students a chance to acclimate to their new building, get used to their lockers and changing classes. These students are attending school today while most of their upper-classmates get one last day of summer break. All Tomahawk elementary students are also back in class. Wednesday will be the first day with the entire student body back on campus. For Tomahawk students, just a reminder, your next summer break is only 172 school days away. Mark calendars for June 4 for the last scheduled day of class.

Published on 09/02/2025 under News Most Northwoods students will be heading back to school this week. Local law enforcement are reminding drivers to slow down, watch for buses and pedestrians, and obey traffic laws. The Wisconsin State Patrol and the Department of Transportation recently highlighted the importance of safety when it comes to school buses. State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan says, "Drivers need to be mindful of their surroundings and the rules of the road to keep children safe as they make their way to school and back home." According to the DoT, there are around 600 accidents in Wisconsin involving school buses each year. State law requires vehicles approaching a bus displaying red warning lights to stop at least 20 feet from the bus and remain there until the operator turns off the lights. Officials offered a few tips for motorists to remember. When you see children on their way to school slow down. Anticipate they may dart into the roadway and be prepared to stop quickly. Always yield to pedestrians, watch for special school zone speed limits, and, of course, eliminate distractions when driving. The State Patrol also encourages parents spend a few minutes going over bus stop safety with students. Those waiting for the bus should stay at least 5 giant steps away from the curb. Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the driver signals it's safe before approaching. If crossing the street, always do so in front of the school bus, making eye contact with the bus driver.

Published on 09/02/2025 under News One person was injured in a multi-vehicle crash including a tractor in Lincoln County. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, responders were sent a crash detection alert from AT&T indicating an incident on Highway 64 in the Town of Pine River. Upon arrival they found a crash involving two passenger vehicles and farm tractor. In their investigation, deputies learned the tractor was traveling north and stopped to turn into a field. The first vehicle stopped behind the tractor, however a second vehicle rear-ended the first, pushing it forward into the tractor. The driver of the third vehicle, a 19 year old Barron man, told the deputy he was not paying close attention at the time. One person reported injury and was brought to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Published on 09/02/2025 under News A wrong-way driving complaint led to an OWI arrest in Lincoln County over the holiday weekend. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report, deputies responded to a report of a driver traveling in the wrong direction on Highway 51 near Lincoln Drive in the Town of Merrill. Deputies were able to locate the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. In making contact with the driver a 52 year old Tomahawk man, the deputy noticed signs of impairment. According to the report, the driver was asked to perform some sobriety tests but was unable to do so, stating he was too drunk. As a result, he was taken into custody for 3rd offense OWI, along with operating while revoked, tampering with an ignition interlock device, and driving the wrong way on a divided highway. _____ A few other quick notes from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report...• A 32 year old Wausau man was arrested for 1st OWI after a traffic stop for failing to illuminate headlights. • A 34 year old Mosinee man was arrested for 1st OWI after a speeding stop. • A 31 year old Tomahawk man was arrested for 2nd OWI after a stop for a registration violation. The number of vehicle versus deer crashes jumped this past week with eleven reported on Lincoln County roadways.

Published on 09/02/2025 under News If you've got a bunch of pine cones, the DNR may have some cash. The agency is collecting red and white pine cones for it's reforestation program. Joseph Vande Hey is a reforestation team leader. He explained that state nurseries pay collectors to bring in these cones with a network of seed and cone buying stations scattered around the state. The timing is important to collect the pine cones before they release the seeds. He notes early September is the best time to collect mature red and white pine cones. It's when the color has just turned brown, but the scales have not yet opened. The state nurseries pay $125 per bushel of red pine cones and $60 per bushel of white pine cones. The bushel is about two five gallon buckets. Experienced collectors can pick a bushel of red pine cones in about 2-3 hours when the cone crop is good. White pine cones are larger, so picking a bushel takes about half the time. A few other quick tips: • All seeds must be of natural origin. Trees in your yard are not appropriate for seed harvest. And make sure the cones you collect are from red or white pines, and not related species. • Picking is easiest and safest for the collector and the tree when done from the ground using handheld landscaping shears. And wear gloves to avoid the sap. • Once picked, store the cones in breathable containers in a cool, dry place until they can be delivered to a drop-off site. That should be done as soon as possible. There are some specific guidelines that collectors must follow. The DNR has these, along with some tips on their website. We'll include the link in the online version of the story.

+ Read More