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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Lakeland Sanitary board decides on financing option for over $20M facility upgrade
In an effort to keep overall cost to its customers lower, the board of directors for the Lakeland Sanitary District (LSD) Tuesday opted to go with a 30 year payoff for the LSD’s facility upgrade project that is underway.
Fire destroys Presque Isle home
A Presque Isle man was injured as the result of a fire that destroyed his home on State Line Road early Tuesday evening. According to a press release from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the dispatch center received a 911 call at 6:33 p.m. from a neighbor reporting a possible structure fire.
LVG preps lawsuit against BOMAG over ‘million-dollar paperweight’
It’s been nicknamed the “million dollar paperweight” and now, the executive committee of the Landfill Venture Group (LVG) has decided to do something about it. The LVG is the consortium of 13 Vilas County towns and the city of Eagle River that operated the County G Landfill in the town of Cloverland.
Federal budget cuts a concern for the Vilas County health department
During her committee chair report at Tuesday’s Vilas County board meeting, county supervisor Carolyn Ritter informed the rest of the board about a primary concern for the county’s public health office: staffing.
Towanda Lake Association files appeal with Vilas County over Lakeland Disposal CUP
Carroll: ‘Unfortunately, people aren’t happy about it’
The board of directors for the Towanda Lake Association in Arbor Vitae has filed an appeal of a decision by the Vilas County board’s zoning and planning committee to approve a conditional use permit (CUP) application from Chad Metzger, owner of Lakeland Disposal.
Vilas County puts highway facility back on the frontburner
The Vilas County board’s highway committee is preparing for another go at plans to replace the main building at the highway department’s Eagle River location. In early 2023, the project got as far as an extensive needs assessment study conducted by Kueny Architects in Pleasant Prairie before it was ultimately put on the shelf later that year during the county’s 2024 budget process.
Lake Tomahawk town board finalizes building sale to American Legion
Voters authorized the sale in April
In February, 2024, fire damaged the building that, at the time, housed Lake Tomahawk’s Colin F. Schultz American Legion Post 318. The building was owned by the town and leased by the American Legion.
Lac du Flambeau tribe offers rewards in Poupart, Beson cases
Susan Poupart murdered in 1990; Melissa Beson missing since mid-March
The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians is offering rewards totaling up to $50,000 for information regarding two missing tribal members.
Lake Tomahawk town board purchases new plow truck
Vehicle will replace another destroyed by fire
The Lake Tomahawk town board, meeting in special session on Friday, May 16, approved the purchase of a new plow truck. Town chairman George DeMet, during the town board’s regular meeting on Wednesday, May 14, announced the town’s 2016 Western Star plow truck had been destroyed in a fire on Friday, May 9 and to replace it, he said he wanted to meet on May 16 to consider approval of a truck the town of Nokomis had ordered but then backed out of.
Landfill Venture Group presented with idea to purchase land from Vilas County
Burkett: ‘It lessens the county’s exposure’
The possibility of Vilas County selling the land the County G Landfill is on in the town of Cloverland to the Landfill Venture Group (LVG) was brought up by Vilas County board chairman Jerry Burkett at the May 16 meeting of the LVG’s executive committee.
Lac du Flambeau school board, administration get grilled at meeting
Maulson: ‘What are you going to change now?’
The April 1 election marked several changes for town boards and school boards in the Lakeland area that The Lakeland Times regularly covers. The May 13 meeting of the Lac du Flambeau school board was an example of a major change there.
Lakeland area spared widespread damage in storm aftermath
Pertile: ‘It could have been worse’
Aside from trees down in certain locations and other calls regarding some power lines down, a storm system that went through the area Thursday night caused relatively little damage.
North Lakeland school board approves 2025-26 teacher salary increase
Jelinski: ‘We’re slowly trying to bring that up’
The North Lakeland school district’s board of education Monday approved teacher contract renewals that include a 4.9 percent base salary increase for the 2025-26 school year.
Minocqua Winter Park hosts Spring Fling flex disc golf tournament
Event draws 40 disc golfers
2025 marks the second year for the disc golf course at Minocqua Winter Park and on May 10, the facility and its staff hosted a Spring Fling flex disc golf tournament. Minocqua Winter Park trails manager Barb Blow and her husband, Dennis, designed the course.
New Cassian town board sends draft wake boat ordinance to the DNR
It took the new Cassian town board not even two minutes at Monday’s meeting to approve sending a draft of an enhanced wake ordinance to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for review.
Lac du Flambeau town board takes no action on election complaint
Gaulke: ‘The matter is over’
The Lac du Flambeau town board last week voted to take no action related to a complaint against town clerk Susan Schoonover by Stephanie Minisinookwe Thompson. Thompson, who lost by seven votes to Matt Gaulke in the April 1 election for town chair, filed the complaint on April 24 via email.
Minocqua town board OKs dispatcher pay increase
Benbenek: ‘It’s just like any other business having difficulty filling those spots’
The Minocqua police department has been without a chief of police since the retirement of Dave Jaeger in early January. It also had, going into the May 6 meeting of the town board, a vacant police dispatcher position since February.
Minocqua town board denies new Minocqua Brewing Company CUP application
Town board has several questions regarding the county’s process
The Minocqua town board Tuesday, following nearly 45 minutes of discussion and deliberation, denied an application for a conditional use permit (CUP) from Kirk Bangstad, owner of Minocqua Brewing Company.
Vilas County zoning committee OKs Lakeland Disposal CUP
Arbor Vitae’s Towanda Lake Association may appeal decision
The Vilas County board’s zoning and planning committee last week approved a conditional use permit (CUP) application from Chad Metzger, owner of Lakeland Disposal, to construct a solid waste transfer station on just over five acres off of Justin Street in Arbor Vitae.
Oneida County highway dept. to remain at Kemp Street, eyes $10M in improvements
With the determination made the Oneida County highway department is to remain headquartered at its main facility on Kemp Street, the Oneida County board’s public works committee is tentatively planning to meet jointly with the executive committee later this month to go over plans for facility improvement that cover the next few years.
Winchester planning commission spins wheels on ATV ordinance
Discianno: ‘How much more time do we need?’
The Winchester town board’s planning commission, tasked with developing an all terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility task vehicle (UTV) ordinance, worked on a draft of the ordinance for a little more than a half-hour during its April 28 meeting. By the end of the discussion, it was tabled to the commission’s May meeting.
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force presents sextortion awareness program at LUHS
Program sheds light on the dangers of online activity and urges vigilance in the digital age
Approximately 75 people were in the Lakeland Union High School (LUHS) auditorium the evening of Wednesday, April 23, to listen to a presentation from Chad Wanta, a 25-year law enforcement veteran and currently a detective sergeant with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office.
High-speed chase ends in rollover
Pursuit began in Vilas County, ended in Oneida County
Multiple area law enforcement agencies were involved in a high-speed pursuit on April 24. According to a press release from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, sheriff’s deputies responded to a request for a welfare check in the town of Lincoln and upon arrival, “they encountered an armed male sitting in a vehicle.”
Suspect in 2024 Woodruff armed robbery in custody
Resendiz also accused of taking part in beating of robbery victim
A 33 year-old Chicago man is in the Oneida County jail in connection to his role in an armed robbery in the area of Thies Road and Lorann Drive in Woodruff in mid-January, 2024.
From turbulence to takeoff: Lakeland Airport runway project out for bid — again
Nearly a year after an extensive rehabilitation project for the two runways at Lakeland Airport in Arbor Vitae was pushed back because of what the Lakeland Airport commission was informed were environmental issues, the project is once again out for bid.
A well-placed concern?
Rhinelander’s water plans stir Pelican feathers
The very early stages of what might result in a water well for the city of Rhinelander on the grounds of Nicolet College was a major topic of discussion at Monday’s meeting of the Pelican town board. In fact, it was major enough that once the town board moved on to other agenda items, all but one of the 15 or 20 town residents who attended the meeting left.
OVTC schedules required public hearing for late May
Two possible sites considered for new Northwoods Transit Connections facility
A public hearing has been scheduled by the Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC) regarding two possible locations for a new home for Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC), which the OVTC oversees.
Lakeland Sanitary District board OKs annexations
Two upcoming housing construction projects were annexed into the Lakeland Sanitary District (LSD) by its three-member board of directors during the board’s most recent meeting Tuesday. Two upcoming housing construction projects were annexed into the Lakeland Sanitary District (LSD) by its three-member board of directors during the board’s most recent meeting Tuesday.
More seasonal road weight limits to be lifted
As spring progresses, Lakeland area counties and towns are making plans to lift road weight limit restrictions. Oneida County highway commissioner Alex Hegeman removed weight limits on county roads on April 23 and Vilas County will, according to highway commissioner Troy Schalinske, lift limits on county roads Monday, April 28 at 6 a.m.
Arbor Vitae home sustains heavy damage in fire
A two-story house on Grouse Covey Lane in Arbor Vitae sustained heavy damage as the result of a fire Friday afternoon. No one was injured in the fire.
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