Minocqua town board reviewing food truck policy after favorable feedback
Hartzheim: ‘It sounds like we’ve got a general idea where we might want to go’
Members of the Minocqua town board, at the end of an hour-long discussion and receiving feedback regarding the town’s food truck policy at its Nov. 4 meeting, decided to revisit the policy at a future town board meeting and possibly incorporate some changes.
‘I’ve seen all that, done all that’
Lake Tomahawk’s Jim Sprague: Vietnam and after
Jim Sprague of Lake Tomahawk, director of the American Legion Riders District 11, was drafted into the United States Army not long after his graduation from Wilmot High School in Kenosha County. Before he was drafted, he worked briefly at American Brass in Kenosha.
More details regarding LdF fire and EMS service director suspension
On Oct. 29, the Lac du Flambeau town board suspended the town’s fire and emergency medical services (EMS) director Mike Zimmerman for 30 days.
Lac du Flambeau school board sets 2025-26 budget
The Lac du Flambeau public school district’s board of education approved the district’s 2025-26 budget following its annual meeting and budget hearing on Oct. 28.
Minocqua town board approves town’s 2026 budget
The 2026 town of Minocqua budget hearing – attended by two town electors, according to town clerk Roben Haggart – and subsequent town board meeting took about 15 minutes but when it was over, the budget was approved. The overall 2026 budget is $10,056,095 with a tax levy of $5,132,107.
Lac du Flambeau fire and EMS director suspended
Town board approves 30-day suspension for Mike Zimmerman
Lac du Flambeau fire and emergency medical service (EMS) director Mike Zimmerman was suspended by the town board at its Oct. 29 meeting. The motion for the 30-day suspension was made by town supervisor Dennis Pearson following a closed session.
MHLT school board approves 2026 district budget
The 2026 budget for the Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) school district was approved during the school board’s Oct. 29 meeting. The school board during its annual budget hearing heard a nearly 40-minute presentation of the proposed 2025-26 budget from Ed Then, the district’s new finance director with a new title of “business official.”
Former Lac du Flambeau fire station could be a bus barn
LDF Transit needs a home for its buses after Oct. 15 fire
One of the items on the agenda for the Nov. 5 meeting of the Lac du Flambeau town board is a proposed lease agreement with the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians for temporary use of the town’s former fire station on Wild Rice Avenue in downtown Lac du Flambeau.
Possible change in meeting time for Vilas County board discussed
The Vilas County board during its Oct. 28 meeting spent roughly an hour discussing something that had been brought forward by a group of citizens from different towns in the county who would like to see things switched up when it comes to when the county board meets.
Vilas County board approves 2026 budget
Burkett: ‘Health insurance is getting to be a more trying situation’
The increase in property valuations helped with a reduced mill rate incorporated into the 2026 budget approved by the Vilas County board Oct. 27. The overall county budget is $50,480,939; the mill rate is 1.38 per $1,000 of equalized property value which translates to $138 for the owner of a $100,000 home.
Remembering Mike: Woodruff community center renamed for Timmons
Kyle Timmons: ‘It’s a special day to remember him’
The Woodruff town board on Oct. 28 conducted a public hearing for the town’s most recent comprehensive plan and once that was complete, town chair Judi Nelson adjourned the public hearing and convened a regular meeting of the town board. The first item of business was formal approval of the comprehensive plan.
AV-W school board OKs 2025-26 budget
Slight reduction in mill rate
The Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school district’s board of education approved the district’s 2025-26 budget following its budget hearing on Oct. 27.
Lac du Flambeau town board has $2M budget ready for electors
Funding the town’s EMS a big topic of final budget workshop
The Lac du Flambeau town board used its Oct. 22 meeting to finalize a proposed 2026 town budget of nearly $2 million for presentation to electors at the town’s budget hearing on Nov. 18. Going into the 2026 budget preparation process, town board members were well aware of the town’s budgetary limitations; in August, the town board adopted a policy to not spend any extra money aside from items related to public safety.
Minocqua town board opposes Hwy. 51/Hwy. K roundabout
Hartzheim: ‘If you took Fridays and Sundays away, this would be a non-issue’
The Minocqua town board is on the record as being opposed to plans by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) to have a roundabout constructed at the intersection of U.S. Highway 51, County Highway K and Swamp Lake Road.
A miracle in Minocqua
On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the Minocqua police department’s dispatch center received a 911 call. Former Minocqua resident Rick Derrick of Decatur, Ala., and his sister, Celjie Maata of Neenah, had come to the family home just south of the U.S. Highway 51 bridge in Minocqua.
Minocqua town board rejects Bangstad ARP
Permit application submitted for an ‘art garden’
The Minocqua town board at its Oct. 21 meeting voted to reject an administrative review permit (ARP) application submitted by Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad. Town supervisor Brian Fricke’s motion also included the provision that the ARP “should be submitted as a CUP (conditional use permit) based on the outdoor seating that he’s called for in his own writing in the permit (application) and that no outdoor seating is allowed under ... no outdoor services, displays or storage allowed.”
One person arrested, two injured in two-vehicle collision in Arbor Vitae
A Lac du Flambeau woman was charged with causing injury while operating a motor vehicle while under the influence (OWI), a Class F misdemeanor, as the result of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of State Highway 47 and Arnett and Mattke roads in Arbor Vitae on Oct. 15.
One man injured in one-vehicle accident
A 57-year-old Lac du Flambeau man was injured Oct. 10 in a one-vehicle accident on State Highway 47 near the intersection with Country Lane in Arbor Vitae. According to the accident report filed by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, witnesses told authorities the pickup truck Michael Allen was driving, a 2006 GMC Sierra, was seen “swerving prior to the crash.”
Tribal road department building lost in blaze
MABAS activated amid flammable fears
Fire destroyed a large garage at the road department for the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians the morning of Oct. 15. No one was hurt in the blaze, which required activation by Lac du Flambeau fire chief Mike Zimmerman activation of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS).
Opposition yields no U-turn on Hwy. 51/County Hwy. K roundabout Plan
DOT moves forward with safety redesign, construction slated for 2027
Staff with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) have made the determination to move forward with construction of a single-lane roundabout at the intersection of U.S. Highway 51 and Swamp Lake Road and County Highway K in Harshaw.
Ambulance costs leave Lac du Flambeau budget on life support
Board taps reserves to make October payment, braces for painful fiscal triage, may explore referendum to revive funding
Facing mounting financial pressures, the Lac du Flambeau town board has begun taking aggressive steps to rein in spending ahead of its 2026 budget cycle. Among the items under scrutiny are the operating costs of the town’s transfer station and a sharply rising ambulance contract with Oneida County — an agreement that jumped from roughly $60,000 annually to more than $300,000 in just two years.
Begrudgingly, an aye: Arbor Vitae OKs attorney’s disputed bill
The Arbor Vitae town board at its Oct. 15 meeting settled up with town attorney Steve Garbowicz regarding a $570 invoice he’d sent the town regarding the recent Lakeland Disposal/Towanda Lake Association conditional use permit (CUP) issue.
AV-W school board to continue principal search
Superintendent’s recommendation of an internal candidate shot down
The Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school board and administration will continue the search for principal Rich Fortier’s replacement. Fortier, a 15 year-veteran of service as principal at AV-W, had his letter of retirement, effective June 30, 2026, accepted by the school board at its September meeting.
Driver cited in Arbor Vitae rollover crash
An 18-year old Lac du Flambeau man was cited for operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license as the result of an Oct. 6 rollover crash on Lemma Creek Road.
OVTC moves closer to possible land acquisition for new headquarters
The effort by the Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC), which oversees Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC) to procure land for a new administration, shop and bus storage facility for the NTC got another boost Tuesday from the Oneida County board’s land records committee.
Winchester officially endorses NEMSD 2026 budget
The Winchester town board Monday officially gave its stamp of approval to the 2026 budget for the Northwoods Emergency Medical Services District (NEMSD). The budget approved by the NEMSD board is $2,106,522 which Winchester town chairman Joe Discianno said is the “Steve and Phil number,” a reference to NEMSD board members Phil Harris and Steve Herzberg.
Meyer pleads guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography
Also pleads guilty to one count of incest with a child; sentencing scheduled for January
A 31 year-old Gleason man will be sentenced in January in Oneida County court after pleading guilty on Oct. 10 to two counts of possession of child pornography, class D felonies, and one count of incest with a child, a class C felony.
Heavy equipment stirs up more than topsoil in Arbor Vitae as zoning officials dig in
Vilas County sends cease and desist letter to Trapps over unpermitted activity
The Vilas County zoning and planning department has sent a cease and desist letter to Nick Trapp and his father, Richard Trapp, owners of property along U.S. Highway 51 near the Snyder Road intersection in Arbor Vitae.
Lakeland Airport budget approved unanimously amidst heated snow debate
Birginal: ‘I want to build on what’s there’
The representatives of the four towns that own the Noble F. Lee Memorial Field — better known as Lakeland Airport — in Arbor Vitae unanimously approved the airport commission’s 2026 budget proposal during an annual meeting in Minocqua on Oct. 8.
Minocqua PD reels in new patrol boat, DNR on the hook for half the bill
When Minocqua police officers patrol town lakes next year, they’ll have a new boat to ply the waters in. The Minocqua town board at its Oct. 7 meeting approved the purchase of a Princecraft Hudson 190 WS 19 foot boat with a four stroke, 150 horsepower Mercury 150XL Pro engine from Ryden Marine for $41,420.
Lac du Flambeau tribal council general election results
The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians conducted its general election for members of the tribal council on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Nadine Poupart defeated Duane Chapman for tribal council treasurer 288 votes to 255 and Jaime-Ann Allen remains as tribal secretary with a 290 to 246 vote win over Daniel R. Chapman.
Minocqua town board approves fire truck purchase
The Minocqua town board approved the purchase of a new Pierce pumper-tanker for $600,676 during its Oct. 7 meeting. Fire chief Rich Carani said prior to the vote that during the town board’s recent work sessions for the 2026 budget there had been discussion regarding replacement of two vehicles at the fire department’s Bo Di Lac station.
Minocqua bets big on growth: OKs TIF deal for 112-Unit housing development
Hartzheim: ‘This is a first for us’
The Minocqua town board Tuesday approved the town’s first ever tax incremental finance (TIF) developer’s agreement with Aspen Grove Minocqua LLC, co-owned by Matt Ritchie. The company is in the process of developing a 112-unit apartment complex consisting of seven two-story buildings with 16 apartments in each on Minocqua’s west side in an area that has been designated a tax incremental district (TID).
Felzkowski’s ATV bill rolls into controversy: Increasing ATV/UTV weight not favored in Vilas County
Proposed state legislation by Wisconsin Sen. Mary Felzkowski that includes an increase in the maximum weight for all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) was discussed briefly during Tuesday’s meeting of the Vilas County board’s forestry, recreation and land committee.
LdF town board looking to wrap up fire station project
In April of 2023, voters in the town of Lac du Flambeau authorized construction of a new fire station and ambulance garage on State Highway 47 near the intersection with Raven Lake Road. The project, capped at $5.5 million, was scheduled for completion by September 2024. Although some fire department equipment was moved into the new building by spring, issues later prompted NASI Construction of Hurley, the primary contractor, to dismiss one of its subcontractors that year.
Woodruff property revaluation shows a dramatic increase
Huotari: ‘On the whole, people’s taxes won’t be going up’
Woodruff property taxpayers earlier this year received a letter from Bowmar Appraisal, the town’s property assessor. The purpose of the letter was to “provide you with information to help better understand the Revaluation and upcoming review period.”
Two people seriously injured in Hwy. 47 crash near Dolhun Road
A Presque Isle couple was seriously injured Monday in a three-vehicle crash on State Highway 47 near Dolhun Road in Woodruff. According to the accident report filed by the Woodruff police department, a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu sedan driven by Madeline Dodge, 18, Minocqua, and a 2022 Peterbilt truck-tractor driven by Jimmy Gosa, 61, South Bend, Ind., were northbound on Hwy. 47 just after noon.
Three men charged in Oneida County with sexually-related crimes
Three men accused of sexually-related computer crimes involving minors were recently arrested and taken to the Oneida County Jail. The case against Thomas Bartelme, 42, Rhinelander, goes back to July of 2022 when he was arrested and charged with one count of use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, a Class C felony, and attempting the sexual assault of a child under 16-years old, also a Class C felony.
Lac du Flambeau school board OKs $17.7M preliminary budget
The board of education for the Lac du Flambeau school district last week approved a preliminary budget for the 2025-26 of $17,723,205 for presentation at the district’s annual meeting and budget hearing later this month.
Oneida County public works committee moves to help the OVTC
Transit commission, looking for a site for a new home, may have found one in Pelican
The Oneida County board’s public works committee at its Oct. 2 meeting forwarded to the county’s land information department a request from the Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC) regarding the use of four acres of county-owned property in the town of Pelican.
Vilas County EMS leaders launch working group to tackle rising ambulance costs
Several managers of ambulance services in Arbor Vitae that comprise a working group met Monday at the Arbor Vitae fire department’s station two near the intersection of County Highway N and U.S. Highway 51.
A Monday morning disruption
Minocqua Kwik Trip closes briefly as report of burning smell inside is checked out
It was the Monday morning following Beef-A-Rama weekend in Minocqua and things were getting back to normal for people headed to work or taking the kids to school. One of the stops for many during that Monday morning drivetime is a stop at the Kwik Trip near the intersection of U.S. Highway 51 and State Highway 70 in Minocqua but in the middle of it all, the store was temporarily shut down.
Hazelhurst man cited for OWI
A Hazelhurst man was charged with a first offense of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) as the result of a one-vehicle accident on Sylvan Shores Drive in Hazelhurst on Tuesday, Sept. 23.
Plum Lake’s intention to demolish its town hall draws opposition
Thomas: ‘I would just like to look at it closer’
With construction of a new Plum Lake town hall in Sayner underway, an effort has sprung up to save the current town hall. The months of planning for the new town hall included the formation of a building committee and the hiring by the town board of architect Steve Jamroz with Hortonville-based Blue Design Group.
Vilas County board approves board member monthly salaries
New policy to take effect following the April 2026, election
The Vilas County board Tuesday passed a resolution authorizing the establishment of a monthly salary for 20 of its 21 members and a salary increase for the chairman. Under provisions of the resolution, which won’t go into effect until April 21, 2026 — following the general election for county board — 18 supervisors will begin receiving $1,000 per month and the two vice-chairs of the county board will receive $2,500 per month.
Woodruff stops any remaining private road plowing
From this point forward, Woodruff’s road crew will no longer do snowplowing of private roads within the township. That was the decision reached at Tuesday’s meeting of the town board after town chair Judi Nelson brought up the matter. For the most part, the town’s road crew, as is the case in other towns, hasn’t been plowing private roads.
District 18’s vanishing act ends: Houdini sworn in as Vilas County supervisor
It’s been just under a year since the district 18 seat on the Vilas County board wasn’t vacant. The district covers wards 4 and 5 in the city of Eagle River, the fifth ward in nearby Lincoln and the last person who was in that seat on the county board was Joe Laux, who was elected in April of 2024.
Vilas County highway shop in Eagle River shelved again
Schalinske: ‘Roads are something everybody uses’
An effort by the Vilas County highway department to get construction of new Eagle River facility approved has been shelved again. It began in 2022 with a needs study and analysis that had been completed but ultimately, anything further was postponed because of the 2023 budget preparations.
Arbor Vitae town board approached about a wake boat ordinance
Schieble: ‘The future’s here’
Discussion regarding a possible wake boat ordinance in the town of Arbor Vitae was a highlight of the town board’s Sept. 17 meeting. A presentation from the Big Arbor Vitae Lake Association (BAVLA) about a wake boat ordinance was on the meeting agenda but whatever presentations concerning an ordinance took place during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Lynch succeeds Fugle as corporation counsel in Oneida County
One of the resolutions the Oneida County board passed at its Sept. 16 meeting was to hire Chad Lynch as the county’s next corporation counsel. Lynch previously was Oneida County’s assistant corporation counsel before he replaced John Albert as Vilas County’s corporation counsel in November, 2023.
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