Evers visits North Lakeland School following collapse of bipartisan budget surplus deal

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat not seeking re-election for a third term this year, visited North Lakeland School on May 28 to highlight his support for students and in the wake of what was touted as a “blockbuster bipartisan proposal” that would’ve utilized state surplus funds to invest in …

Lakeland’s Marshall Holmquist, Emerson Rubo qualify for state track meet

Two Thunderbirds are state-bound to La Crosse following a track and field meet Friday in Rice Lake. The Lakeland track and field team took part in a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet at Dairy State Bank Stadium in Rice Lake. The Lakeland boys finished 14th out of 30 teams with …

Two day search for Whitefish Lake drowning victim ends Saturday

A body of a 45-year-old Lake Geneva man who search and rescue personnel had been searching Lac du Flambeau’s Whitefish Lake since Thursday night was recovered from the lake Saturday. In a press release issued by T.J. Bill, chief of the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department, Kyle Ascheman was …

Bear Cupboard Run seeks volunteers and participants

The Lakeland Pantry is seeking volunteers and participants for the 2026 Bear Cupboard Run, scheduled for Saturday, June 27, at Torpy Park in Minocqua, according to a press release. The event features a half marathon, a 5K run/walk, and the “Cubby” run for children ages 9 and younger.

State ticket punched: Lakeland’s Andrew Colianni/Main Byram Madison-bound

Lakeland boys’ tennis sent a doubles flight to state following a sectional meet in Eau Claire Thursday. The Thunderbirds finished seventh out of 14 teams with 13 points at a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet at the John and Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center. Lakeland’s No. 1 doubles team sophomore …

Minocqua Museum opens for the season on June 8 — volunteers needed

The Minocqua Museum will open its doors for the season on June 8, and volunteers are invited to help welcome visitors throughout the summer. No experience or local‑history knowledge is required — just a friendly smile to greet vacationers and community members.

Big inning: Eight-run sixth propels Pines past LUHS baseball

The Lakeland Union High School baseball team put a scare into the fourth-seeded Northland Pines Eagles in a playoff game Thursday. The 13th-seeded Thunderbirds fell 10-5 to Northland Pines in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game in Eagle River.

Arbor Vitae woman facing theft charges in Oneida County

An Arbor Vitae woman is scheduled to be in Oneida County court later this summer in connection with retail theft charges from 2024. According to the complaint against Alicia Mahler, 38, she was “a party to a crime” and intentionally took merchandise from the Walmart in Minocqua between April 1, …

DOT and DNR partner to encourage safe roads and waters this summer

As many Wisconsinites are expected to travel for Memorial Day weekend, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are teaming up to encourage safe driving, towing and boating over the long weekend and throughout summer.

Mercer’s Kaylee Powers sets new school record in 300 hurdles

The Mercer High School track team experienced a lot of positives as the season came to a conclusion last week. The Tigers competed in a WIAA Division 3 regional track meet in Ashland on Tuesday, May 26 before going to Marathon for a sectional meet on Friday.

Woodruff town board takes no action on Hasbrook Lake Association request

Nearly a year after taking no action on a request from the Hasbrook Lake Association (HLA) regarding a possible amendment to the town boating ordinance addressing enhanced wake restrictions, the Woodruff town board, at its May 26 meeting, maintained that stance.

De Pere hands LUHS girls’ soccer its first loss of the season

It took until the final game of the regular season, but the Lakeland Union High School girls’ soccer team is no longer perfect. De Pere beat the Thunderbirds 7-1 in a non-conference game Thursday at Cloud Family Field in De Pere.

Rice Lake man drowns in Spring Lake

The body of a Rice Lake man was removed by law enforcement from Spring Lake south of Eagle River on May 27. According to a press release from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the dispatch center received a 911 call shortly after 8 p.m. reporting a boat near the Spring …

Vilas County tables ‘Beautification’ council; critics say title is a misnomer

A resolution that outlines the formation of what would be named the Vilas County Natural Beauty Advisory Council was tabled by the Vilas County board during its May 26 meeting. The idea for the council was first raised by Vilas County Board Chairman Jerry Burkett at the board’s Jan. 27 …

GOP lawmakers challenge Evers’s revival of commutations

Republican lawmakers took aim last week at Gov. Tony Evers’s decision to revive Wisconsin’s commutation process, warning that the program could undermine victims’ rights, reopen traumatic wounds for families, and erode confidence in the state’s criminal justice system.

No, Iran and China are not ‘winning’

For years, much of the American media has operated under a peculiar assumption: that the best way to confront adversaries such as China and Iran is to accommodate them. If the United States applies pressure, the narrative quickly becomes that America is overextended, losing leverage, or somehow empowering its enemies.

John Joseph Nimsgern

John J. Nimsgern, age 59 of Menomonie, and formerly of Minocqua, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 23 in Las Vegas doing what he loved, playing the slot machines. Visitation for John will be held on Sunday, May 31 from noon to 4 p.m. at Olson Funeral Home, 615 Wilson …

Roadless forests at risk as repeal effort advances

To the Editor: The U.S. Forest Service is attempting to repeal the Roadless Rule, a very popular rule, which has protected millions of acres of National Forests from logging and mining for 25 years. These roadless areas are often the last remaining intact ecosystems in the U.S., providing vital habitat …

Notes of Honor

Frank Zagar of VFW Post 7898 salutes while local students Lyra Zoch and Norah Gilbert sing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” during a Memorial Day ceremony at Evergreen Cemetery, Monday, May 25 in Woodruff.

Lady T-Bird track and field regional runner-ups

The Lakeland Union High School track and field team had strong individual performances during a regional meet Tuesday. The Thunderbird girls finished runner-up out of nine teams with 108 points at a WIAA Division 2 regional meet at Medford. The Thunderbird boys were third out of nine teams with 120 …