Brian Jopek

Recent Stories

Fire/EMS director in Lac du Flambeau claims he didn’t resign

On Dec. 12, the Lac du Flambeau town board, after a closed session regarding the status of fire department and emergency medical services (EMS) director Mike Zimmerman, accepted Zimmerman’s resignation after the town board reconvened in open session.

Antigo man arrested on charges related to 2016 case against him

A 34-year-old Antigo man charged with first degree child sexual assault (sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 13), a Class B felony, and causing a child under the age of 13 to view or listen to a sex act, a Class F felony, pled not guilty to both charges in Oneida County court on Dec. 17.

Lac du Flambeau man charged in assault

A Lac du Flambeau man has been charged with first degree attempted intentional homicide in connection with an attack of a woman in Lac du Flambeau on Saturday, Dec. 13. According to a press release from the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department, tribal police officers and deputies with the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department responded to the report of a possible homicide in Lac du Flambeau.

Lac du Flambeau town board appoints interim fire, ambulance directors

Meeting in a Dec. 16 special session at the new fire station, the Lac du Flambeau town board on Dec. 16 appointed an interim fire chief and an interim emergency medical services (EMS) director for the town’s volunteer fire and EMS department.

MHLT school board says no to charter school proposal

The Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) school board has turned down a proposal for the district to be an authorizer for the Elemental Roots charter school, based out of Terri’s Treehouse in Arbor Vitae during its Dec. 15 meeting.

3-K program report provided to MHLT school board

The Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) board of education heard a progress report for the district’s three-year old preschool, or 3-K, program for the 2025-26 school year at its Dec. 15 meeting.

Winchester town board mulls law enforcement needs

The four Vilas County towns that worked to get the Northwoods Emergency Medical Services District (NEMSD) formed and operational – Winchester, Boulder Junction, Manitowish Waters and Presque Isle – are looking at possibilities regarding sharing other services.

Trash talk in Winchester; to lease or not to lease the transfer station

What the town of Winchester will do with its transfer station – continue to operate it or let a private firm run it – was a topic of discussion at the Dec. 8 town board meeting. Town chairman Joe Discianno said he’d visited with Chad Metzger, owner of Lakeland Disposal, following the November meeting in Eagle River of the Landfill Venture Group (LVG).

Cassian town board approached about room tax

The Cassian town board is weighing the possibility of entering into a room tax agreement with the Tomahawk Regional Chamber of Commerce (TRCOC). The topic came up at the town board’s November meeting and Charis Lau, the TRCOC’s executive director and a resident of Cassian, attended to introduce the topic.

AV-W schedules more interviews for principal position

The search by the Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school board to find a successor for principal Rich Fortier will go into January. Fortier announced at the September school board meeting he was retiring from AV-W and the Wisconsin education system. He will stay on until the end of the 2025-26 school year.