Brian Jopek

Recent Stories

‘It just took a little bit of time’

In May of 2023, Nicolet College hosted one of the 3/4 scale, traveling versions of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Casey Lehmann, an eight year veteran of service in the Wisconsin Army National Guard (WIARNG) that included a 2003-04 deployment to Iraq with the WIARNG’s 724th Engineer Battalion , is the college’s finance manager and coordinated the 2023 visit that resulted in the college receiving one of its panels.

Lakeland airport owners hold an illegal meeting

The town boards of the four towns that own the Lakeland Airport in Arbor Vitae — Arbor Vitae, Minocqua, Lac du Flambeau and Woodruff — agreed at the end of an April 29 special meeting to authorize the purchase of of land near the airport by the Lakeland Airport Commission (LAC).

Chicago man found guilty in 2024 Woodruff armed robbery

A Chicago man will be sentenced next month for his role in an armed robbery in the area of Thies Road and Lorann Drive in Woodruff in mid-January, 2024. As part of a plea agreement, Oscar Resendiz, 34, was found guilty in Oneida County court by Oneida County judge Mary Sowinski on April 28 of armed robbery and battery.

Bear aware: Winter Park’s ‘Wild Side’ series begins for 2026

Fifty-one people took some time out of their Saturday to hear a presentation about black bears. Winter Park board member Wendy Kraly said the 90-minute presentation, made by Randy Johnson, who has been a large carnivore specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) since 2020, was part of the facility’s “Walk On The Wild Side” series, which began in June 2025 as part of a new educational outreach program.

Minocqua plan commission forwards CUP applications to town board

The Minocqua plan commission forwarded to the town board two conditional use permit (CUP) applications during its April 28 meeting.

Land survey underway for OVTC facility

A Weston-based firm is in the process of surveying a four acre parcel of land owned by Oneida County in the town of Pelican that could very well be the next location of a new vehicle storage, shop and office facility for Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC).

Woodruff sends hotel CUP application to Oneida County

The conditional use permit (CUP) application for a 70-room Hampton Inn hotel and an eight-unit housing facility for the business’s employees in Woodruff was forwarded to the Oneida County board’s planning and development committee for its consideration by the Woodruff town board on April 21.

AV-W school district to get a new EL coach

The Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school district will pursue the hiring of a new Expeditionary Learning (EL) coach to succeed Lauren Beversdorf. Her resignation from the school district was effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year.

Arbor Vitae has state grant approved to help rebuild ‘beat-up’ Witches Lake Road

The town of Arbor Vitae has been selected as a recipient of funding for work on one of its town roads through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT). The town received a confirmation letter to that effect on April 14 from Kristina Boardman, Wisconsin’s DOT secretary, who notified the town a project to improve a portion of Witches Lake Road had been selected.

Vilas County board conducts post-election reorganization

Vilas County supervisor Jerry Burkett will once again serve as board chair. That was one of the results of the county board’s post-April election reorganization during its April 21 meeting. Burkett was nominated by county supervisor Dan Swiecichowski which received a second, one of them from county supervisor Holly Tomalnovich.