Storage units and contents destroyed in fire
Carani: ‘There was all kinds of equipment and fuels and plastics’
Firefighters and equipment from five different counties responded to a storage unit fire in Minocqua on Saturday, July 26. Minocqua fire chief Rich Carani said he and some of his firefighters and trucks were at the Woodruff fire department’s Hog and Hops fundraising event when the call came through.
Vilas County board of adjustment hears Towanda Lake Association appeal
Zoning committee’s May approval of Lakeland Disposal CUP upheld
The five-member Vilas County board of adjustment Tuesday unanimously voted to uphold, or reaffirm, the May 1 decision by the Vilas County board’s zoning committee to approve a conditional use permit (CUP) application submitted by Chad Metzger, owner of Lakeland Disposal in Arbor Vitae.
Fifield fire in late June claims a third victim
Bliefernich: ‘They took a little part of the community with them’
The death toll as the result of an early morning house fire off Shady Knoll Road in the town of Fifield on June 29 is now three. Tom Birchell, 57, died Sunday at the Hennepin Healthcare Burn Center in Minneapolis from burns to nearly 50 percent of his body sustained in the fire.
Concerns raised over County G Landfill liability
With questions about liability, the town of Conover considers an exit from the Landfill Venture Group
Liability concerns regarding the County G Landfill in the town of Cloverland have prompted some questions among members of the Landfill Venture Group (LVG).
Dual-language highway signs unveiled in Lac du Flambeau
Peterson: ‘It’s an amazing feeling to see it come full circle in our community’
The most recent unveiling of dual- language signs in the state of Wisconsin took place during a ceremony in Lac du Flambeau on July 23. The new signs identify Lac du Flambeau’s tribal boundaries and four lakes in both the Ojibwe and English languages.
Bangstad suit against Oneida County P&D committee and BOA dismissed
Sowinski: ‘This court has no choice’
Oneida County circuit court judge Mary Sowinski last week dismissed a lawsuit filed against members of the Oneida County board of adjustment (BOA) and the Oneida County board’s planning and development committee by Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad.
Two truck collision results in a trailer jack knife
There were no injuries in the collision of two pickup trucks on State Highway 70 near the intersection of Hill Lake Road on Minocqua’s west side on Sunday, July 20.
First ‘Saluting Heroes’ balloon rally is this weekend
Event will be at the Hodag Countryfest grounds
This Friday and Saturday, the Hodag Countryfest grounds in Rhinelander will host the first Saluting Heroes Balloon Rally. “It’s the first ever summer balloon rally in the Northwoods,” event co-organizer Steve Woller said. “We do have over 25 balloons coming and we are trying to make enough money in a year or two to replace one of the cabins at Camp American Legion. It’s basically a ‘balloon glow,’ is what we call it.”
Proposed 89-room Woodruff hotel annexed into the Lakeland Sanitary District
Peters: ‘We went back and forth for quite a while on it’
The board of directors for the Lakeland Sanitary District (LSD) Tuesday gave approval to add, or annex, a proposed 89-room hotel in Woodruff to the district’s system.
To offer or not to offer
Proposed land sale to the Landfill Venture Group by Vilas County still being discussed
A proposed sale of land to the Landfill Venture Group (LVG) of the nearly 170 acres it occupies and leases from Vilas County in the town of Cloverland was once again discussed in a closed session of the LVG’s executive committee at its July 16 meeting in Arbor Vitae.
Lakeland Disposal CUP brought up at AV-W school board meeting
Towanda Lake Association president makes one last effort before board of adjustment hearing
A contentious transfer station issue made its way to the July 21 meeting of the Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school board. In May, the Vilas County board’s zoning committee approved a conditional use permit (CUP) application submitted by Chad Metzger, owner of Lakeland Disposal.
MHLT to expand 3K program
Smudde: ‘We’re going to try being a good neighbor’
The board of education for the Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) school district Monday approved plans to expand the district’s 3K program. District administrator Bob Smudde said there are “more than enough students to warrant two sections.”
Sorting it out: Arbor Vitae tables trash transfer site reconsideration
Lake group challenges board action, calls ordinance neglect ‘blatant misconduct’ ahead of July 29 hearing
The Arbor Vitae town board on July 16 tabled a decision on whether or not to rescind its April decision to recommend for approval the application for a conditional use permit (CUP) submitted to Vilas County by Chad Metzger, owner of Lakeland Disposal.
Minocqua town board moves to amend parking ordinance
Amendment would address vehicle, boat trailer overflow parking on Dam Road and River’s Edge Drive
The Minocqua town board last week voted to amend the town’s parking ordinance to address vehicle and boat trailer overflow parking on Dam Road and River’s Edge Drive. The vote to do so was the result of a discussion lasting more than 30 minutes.
Lac du Flambeau town board authorizes ambulance service payment
Town officials want to reduce the Oneida County ambulance contract
As decision time for the Lac du Flambeau town board regarding a 2026 contract with Oneida County for ambulance service gets closer, the town board at its July 16 meeting authorized a payment to Oneida County for the month of August.
Apartment complex CUP application forwarded to Oneida County
Domaszek: ‘We’re talking about safety and security here’
A big plan for an apartment complex intended to assist with the housing shortage in the Minocqua area moved another step toward reality Tuesday. The Minocqua town board unanimously voted in favor of moving forward to the Oneida County board’s planning and development committee a conditional use permit (CUP) for Aspen Grove Minocqua, a 112 unit apartment complex that will be built on 10 acres on Minocqua’s west side.
A possible fifth gravel pit for Cassian
The decision is left to the Oneida County board’s planning and development committee
During a 15-minute June 23 special meeting of the Cassian town board, all three members — town chairman Ed Phebus and town supervisors Keith Gee and Rod Randolph — voted to recommend to the Oneida County board’s planning and development committee the approval of a conditional use permit (CUP) application for a new gravel pit.
‘BicycleGate’ shut!
Lake Tomahawk ordered to remove bicycle gates installed on its right-of-way
Lake Tomahawk must remove gates installed by its town crew on Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) right-of-way in Woodruff. That’s the determination made by agency staff after its review of the situation; bicycle trail gates that recently showed up on stretches of a snowmobile trail along State Highway 47 in Woodruff were a topic of discussion at a June 24 meeting of the Woodruff town board.
Trash talk heats up in Arbor Vitae
Vilas County zoning committee approved Lakeland Disposal CUP in May; Towanda Lake Association pushes for revocation
The Arbor Vitae town board will have on the agenda for its July 16 meeting the conditional use permit (CUP) for Lakeland Disposal approved by the Vilas County board’s zoning and planning committee on May 1.
Chicago All-Stars too much for Snowhawks
Snowhawks rebound for win over local police/fire department
A bounce-back effort by the Lake Tomahawk snowshoe baseball team helped it to overtake the local police/fire department after a Fourth of July loss to the Chicago All-Stars.
Minocqua’s PRAT gets through state budget process
Hartzheim: ‘When we start is the question’
It’s been a few years since voters in Minocqua authorized the town to enact a premiere area resort tax (PRAT). A half-cent PRAT was first considered during the first part of 2018 by members of the town of Minocqua’s broadband and business development committee, who saw it as a possible revenue source to help address, primarily, repairs on the town’s 160 miles of roads.
Babe Ruth League action: Rhinelander downs Lakeland
It was a high scoring, close Babe Ruth League baseball game at the Minocqua Park Complex on July 2 and when it was over, the Rhinelander Hodags eked out a win, 17-16. “Offensively, I felt our team did very well with the bats,” Lakeland 13U head coach Bob Blohm said. “Guys were getting on base and our at-bats were solid.”
Lac du Flambeau town board moves on treasurer position
During a special meeting of electors in December, 2024, voters in the town of Lac du Flambeau approved changing the status of town treasurer from an elected position to an appointed position. Since that time, the town hasn’t had a treasurer, which is a part-time position.
Two people dead, one person seriously injured in Fifield home fire
Two people died and a third sustained what the Price County Sheriff’s Office described in a press release as “significant, life-threatening injuries” in a fire at their home on Shady Knoll Road in Fifield early Sunday morning.
Boulder Junction town board sets survey date for ATV/UTV question
Reuss: ‘You’re never going to satisfy everybody’
For years now, all terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility task vehicle (UTV) use on town roads and town property has been, as it has in other towns over time, somewhat contentious. The question of whether or not the town should adopt an ATV/UTV ordinance has never really been settled despite the results of a survey in the 2019 time frame that showed a majority of respondents favored that.
Birginal lands top role at Lakeland Airport after six-month ascent
The Noble F. Lee Memorial Field in Arbor Vitae, better known as the Lakeland Airport, has a new administrator. After meeting in closed session during its June 19 meeting, the four-member airport commission, representing airport owners Minocqua, Woodruff, Lac du Flambeau and Arbor Vitae, decided to hire Jesse Birginal as airport administrator.
Oneida Vilas Transit Commission eyes Rhinelander site for office and bus faciity
The Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC) has sent a letter of intent to purchase property to the city of Rhinelander. The OVTC has been looking for a new home for Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC), the public transportation partnership the two counties have.
‘BicycleGate’ clash ignites cross-town feud
Woodruff requests Lake Tomahawk remove gates due to safety concerns
Bicycle trail gates that recently showed up on stretches of a snowmobile trail along State Highway 47 in Woodruff were a topic of discussion at the June 24 meeting of the Woodruff town board.
Landfill demands buyback of ‘million-dollar paperweight’
The attorney representing the Landfill Venture Group (LVG) in its litigation against the BOMAG corporation, will send a letter to BOMAG. The LVG is the consortium of Vilas County towns and the city of Eagle River that owns the County G Landfill in Cloverland and in 2018, purchased a new BOMAG trash compactor for $970,000.
Vilas County board OKs assistant finance director position
The office of Vilas County finance director has always been a single-person operation but at its meeting on June 24, the Vilas County board changed that. With a unanimous vote, the county board approved a resolution creating the position of assistant finance director; the base salary will be $70,137.60 and the benefit package is $34,040.43 for a total of $104,178.03.
Woodruff treads water on wake restrictions
Tells lake association to call the DNR
The Woodruff town board took no action Tuesday on a request from Hasbrook Lake Association regarding a possible amendment to the town boating ordinance addressing enhanced wake restrictions.
Vilas County board takes next step toward Riverside Park development
Kramer: ‘This is a piece of land that should be back on the tax roll’
In May of last year, with the expiration of what was a three-year contract between the county and the fair board coming up in 2026, county board chairman Jerry Burkett brought up the possibility of selling some of the land leased by the fair board.
Lakeland Sanitary board mulls rate increase information
Decision expected July 22
When the three-member board of the Lakeland Sanitary District (LSD) meets on July 22, it’s anticipated the district’s ordinance will include rate increases to help pay for the LSD’s facility upgrade on Minocqua’s west side. In late May, the board opted to go with a 30-year payoff for the LSD’s facility upgrade project that is underway.
Arbor Vitae tries for speed reduction at Hwy. 51 and Airport Road
The Arbor Vitae town board is sending a letter of support to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) supporting a lower speed limit on U.S. Highway 51 near its intersection with Airport Road. The decision to ask the DOT to consider lowering the speed limit from 45 to 35 miles per hour followed a discussion at the Arbor Vitae Town Board’s June 18 meeting.
Lac du Flambeau town board to revisit EMS contract with Oneida County
Eyes pay-per-call revival
The Lac du Flambeau town board last week voted to make a monthly payment to Oneida County for ambulance service instead of making a quarterly payment of just over $75,000. The motion authorizing the monthly payment also included a provision requiring the town to give 90 days written notice to amend or not renew the agreement.
Turtle trouble: Minocqua’s Camp Nine Road project on hold
Originally scheduled to begin this week, the DOT shuts it down because of nesting wood turtles
In April, the Minocqua town board approved a resolution required by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regarding an infrastructure project on Minocqua’s west side.
Camp American Legion Celebrates 100 years
‘This camp has helped Save My Life’
Approximately 400 people attended the day-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Camp American Legion in Lake Tomahawk on Saturday, June 13.
Crash victim’s medical records reviewed
Hazelhurst resident died on June 10; he survived a 2024 collision on Hwy. 51 that killed two other people
The 86 year-old Hazelhurst resident involved in a three-vehicle collison on U.S. Highway 51 at the intersection of South Blue Lake Road in Hazelhurst in July of 2024 died on June 10. The crash resulted in the deaths of Greg Bohn, 70, and his wife, Audrey, 70. Jonathon “Jon” Kopchinski was taken by ambulance to a hospital for his injuries.
Vilas County board to consider formation of subcommittee
Ad hoc committee would take on oversight of planning for new highway, forestry facility in Eagle River
When the Vilas County board meets Tuesday, one of the items on the agenda will be a resolution from county board member Joe Muelbach to authorize the formation of an ad hoc committee for the county board’s highway committee.
Construction bid for new Plum Lake town hall approved
Postuchow: ‘I’m ecstatic for the community’
The Plum Lake town board during a special meeting Monday approved a low bid from Wickman Construction in Woodruff to be the primary contractor for construction of the new town hall. The town board began the process to replace the current town hall last year, applying for and ultimately awarded a $4.2 million Flexible Facilities Program (FFP) grant facilitated by the Wisconsin Department of Administration; the funding comes from the U.S. Department of Treasury Capital Projects Fund (CPF) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) approved by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in March of 2021.
LdF school board hears more public input
Amour: ‘We can really grow beyond this’
The election of Dr. Brian Jackson to the board of education for the Lac du Flambeau school district in April of this year has resulted in recent discussions about the role of a school board and what’s happening with the district during its May 13 and June 11 meetings.
MBC injunction hearing postponed in Oneida County court
Sowinski now set to rule on injunction June 20
An injunction hearing in Oneida County circuit court regarding a conditional use permit (CUP) for Kirk Bangstad, owner of Minocqua Brewing Company (MBC), is scheduled for this Friday, June 20. The hearing in front of judge Mary Sowinski was originally scheduled for June 13 but was, according to Oneida County corporation counsel Mike Fugle, removed from that day’s court docket.
AV-W school board approves early Chromebook order
Purchase part of district’s rotation program for the equipment
The Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school district’s board of education Monday voted for a proposal to update 130 of the district’s Acer Chromebooks used by students. District administrator Dr. Jocelyn Hardy noted the equipment was in the district’s budget but it was a matter of timing with regard to “getting the orders in for them to get here for next school year.”
Lake Tomahawk town board approves road projects
The Lake Tomahawk town board last week during a brief meeting awarded road work projects to Musson Brothers of Rhinelander, and Pitlik and Wick. Four companies submitted bids for pulverizing and paving of Bluebird Road and town chairman George DeMet made a motion to award Musson Brothers, with the low bid of $181,181.85, the project.
Driver arrested for 8th OWI in Cassian crash, three injured
Three people were injured Monday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash on County Highway K in Cassian. According to a press release from Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the dispatch center received multiple calls of a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Hwy. K and Harshaw Road in Cassian and the state accident report filed by sheriff’s deputies indicates a southbound 2012 Chevrolet Impala sedan, driven by Holly Wilson, 50, Hazelhurst, failed to stop at a stop sign.
WIC programs in Vilas and Oneida counties to merge
Conlon: ‘It’s not an unusual thing’
The Oneida County public health board Monday unanimously approved a merger of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs in Oneida and Vilas counties. The approval followed a presentation by Oneida County public health director Linda Conlon, who said Vilas County officials, citing staffing issues in the county health department, had approached her with the merger proposal; Vilas County public health director Tami Boers and the department’s assistant director, Stephanie Van Natta, are both leaving their positions with Vilas County.
Front office gains at MHLT, teachers feel shortchanged
Smudde: ‘I need to know I have people I can count on’
At its May 19 meeting, the Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) school district board approved, following a closed session, a 3 percent salary increase plus longevity adjustments for its professional staff and a 3 percent raise for its support staff.
Oneida, Vilas and Forest counties adjusting human services agreement
Lynch: ‘There are discussions’
On Jan. 1, 2025, a new agreement between Oneida, Forest and Vilas counties went into effect that established a human services department for each county. The human services departments replaced each county’s social services departments.
Boulder Junction to consider raising room tax
Chamber seeks increase
The Boulder Junction chamber of commerce has requested an overall increase in the town’s room tax from 5.5 percent to 8 percent. In a May 13 letter to the town board, Taylor Miner, president of the chamber’s board of directors, stated the chamber of commerce has ensured that, since the town’s room tax ordinance was first established in 1993 and its increase adopted in 2016, “our portion of the money collected from our visitors is put right back to use attracting more visitors to spend their money in our community.”
Fire destroys St. Germain home
Cause traced to an eBike
A fire Tuesday night destroyed a home in St. Germain. According to a press release from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the dispatch center received a 911 call at 9:35 p.m. from a residence on Greenwood Drive which is owned by Brigette and Thomas Ryan reporting a garage fire that spread to the house which was destroyed in the blaze. There were no injuries as the occupants were able to leave the structure.
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