Arbor Vitae town board recommends ATV/UTV use on county roads
The Arbor Vitae town board last week made the decision to recommend to Vilas County that stretches of county highways M and N in the town be open for all terrain (ATV) and utility task vehicle (UTV) use.
Lac du Flambeau town electors vote to make a change
Treasurer position to be appointed and not elected starting in April
Residents of the town of Lac du Flambeau who attended a special meeting of the electors last week voted to switch the town treasurer position from elected to appointed effective in April of 2025.
Area fire departments conduct a practice burn on Mercer Lake Road
Sipin: ‘We had a number of objectives for this burn’
Firefighters from seven Lakeland area fire departments converged on a vacant home on Mercer Lake Road on Dec. 14. The structure, owned by Madison and Andrew Alesauskas, was donated by the couple for use in a practice burn.
Smudde offered MHLT district administrator position
Former LUHS administrator has been MHLT principal for just a few months
Four months after he was hired as principal by the Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) school district’s board of education, administrator Bob Smudde has been offered — and he’s accepted — the position of district administrator.
MHLT school board OKs playground equipment purchase
$300,000 cost to be covered by the district and its Firebird Foundation
The Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) school district’s board of education Monday approved the expenditure of up to $225,000 toward the purchase of a “school fitness course” for sixth through eighth grade students.
North Lakeland ‘exceeds expectations’ with latest DPI report card
The board of education for the North Lakeland School (NLS) district heard during its Dec. 9 meeting a report on the latest district report card from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
Lake Tomahawk to receive DNR funding for Bass Road improvements
The town of Lake Tomahawk has up to $150,000 in funding waiting for improvements to a little more than a mile of Bass Road.
Arbor Vitae-Woodruff school board fires finance director
The board of education for the Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school district Monday fired the district’s finance director following a closed session.
Fire heavily damages St. Germain home
Firefighters from three area fire departments responded to the report of a house fire Monday evening. According to a press release from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the dispatch center received a report before 7 p.m. of a house on fire on State Highway 155 in St. Germain.
Lac du Flambeau’s 2025 town budget and property tax levy approved
Residents of the town of Lac du Flambeau Tuesday approved the town’s 2025 budget and property tax levy. The unanimous vote to accept the budget and mill levy took place during a special town meeting after a budget hearing was conducted.
2025 Minocqua budget questions
Hartzheim: ‘Trying to do more with less’
When the town of Minocqua’s 2025 budget and property tax levy were approved during the town’s Nov. 21 budget meetings, town chairman Mark Hartzheim, in his opening remarks, went over areas of the budget where the town board agreed to make cuts during the budget process.
Lac du Flambeau electors to decide on town treasurer position
Remain elected or change to appointed?
The town of Lac du Flambeau will conduct a special town meeting of electors on Dec. 19 at the Lac du Flambeau town hall. The purpose of the meeting is to have town residents determine whether or not the position of town treasurer remain an elected position or be changed to one that is appointed.
Manitowish Waters a ‘Snowmobile Friendly Town’
Among the latest Lakeland area towns named as “Snowmobile Friendly” by the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs (AWSC) is the town of Manitowish Waters. Leigh Ann Petrusky is a member of the Manitowish Sno-Skeeters Snowmobile Club.
Eagle River woman dies after Hwy. 17 crash
A 70 year-old Eagle River woman died late Friday morning as the result of a one vehicle crash on State Highway 17 in Sugar Camp. According to a press release from the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the report of the crash near the intersection of Hwy. 17 and Sunset Road.
Minocqua town board OKs fee increases
Split vote on beer and alcohol license charges
The Minocqua town board Tuesday addressed fees the town charges for licenses, permits and services. “We talked a little bit maybe at budget time and maybe over some meetings about bringing some of our fees, let’s say up to date, for certain things,” town chairman Mark Hartzheim said, adding the town had already addressed fees for the Minocqua Park Complex on State Highway 70.
Arbor Vitae man dies in Hwy. J crash
One man died last week on County Highway J when the vehicle he was driving struck a tree in the town of Newbold near St. Germain last week. According to a press release from the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call at around 3:20 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29, of a one-vehicle crash on Hwy. J.
Winchester 2025 budget, mill levy approved by electors
Voters authorize exceeding mill levy
The Winchester town board Monday during a special meeting approved the town’s 2025 budget and mill levy. Electors, during a special town meeting just before, approved on a vote of 57 to 3 a resolution authorizing the town board to exceed the town’s property tax levy by $202,567, or 21.115 percent.
A Thunderbird who flew Falcons
Minocqua native Nathan Harrold reflects on his Air Force career
There was a time Minocqua native Nathan Harrold, son of Minocqua attorney Greg Harrold, played free safety and quarterback for the Lakeland Union High School Thunderbirds football team.
Boulder Junction town board moves closer to adopting an enhanced wake ordinance
Meessmann: ‘Local control is the way to go’
The Boulder Junction town board last week moved its enhanced wake ordinance effort forward. While not yet formally approving the ordinance, the town board did agree to add verbiage related to the ordinance itself and on signage for boat landings suggested by Robin Miller, a recreation warden with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), who reviewed the draft ordinance.
ATV/UTV issue in Boulder Junction back in the limelight
Duke: ‘The tide has turned’
For several years now in the town of Boulder Junction, the issue of whether or not all terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility task vehicle (UTV) use should be permitted on town roads has been bubbling under the surface.
North Lakeland school district earns Spectrum award
The award is intended to recognize excellence in school communications
The North Lakeland school district was recently honored with a Spectrum Award of Excellence by the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) for work district staff has done in school communications.
Minocqua town board extends shipping container moratorium
The Minocqua town board took action at its Nov. 19 meeting to extend the town’s moratorium on shipping containers through Dec. 31, 2025. The storage container issue is one that has come up from time to time over the past few years, the town enacting a shipping container moratorium in 2021 and extending it periodically since then.
Oneida County ADRC committee approves DOT grant application
Rideout: ‘We need after-hours and weekend transportation options’
The Oneida County board’s Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) committee Monday approved for submission to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) its plan for transportation of the elderly and disabled.
Minocqua’s 2025 budget and mill levy approved
Hartzheim: ‘We were able to fund some things better than we had been’
The Minocqua town board last week approved the town’s 2025 budget, its first since voters approved a referendum in August authorizing the town to exceed its annual tax levy by $750,000.
Vilas County ATV Alliance looking for ATV/UTV county road access
Hanson: ‘We’re not interested in having them’
The Vilas County ATV/UTV Alliance has submitted a letter to Vilas County highway commissioner Troy Schalinske “in support” of opening all Vilas County highways to all terrain vehicle and utility terrain vehicle traffic.
OVTC considers land possibilities for new facility
The Oneida Vilas Transportation Commission (OVTC), which oversees Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC), has been, for the past several months, looking for a new home for an NTC facility. At the moment, NTC operates out of a facility it rents on State Highway 47 in Rhinelander near the intersection of Highway 8.
Arbor Vitae’s 2025 budget approved
The Arbor Vitae town board on Nov. 19 approved the town’s budget and property tax levy for 2025. The action to formally adopt the 2025 budget and tax levy followed the required public hearing and special town meeting to give electors the opportunity to vote.
Minocqua to go with QR technology for downtown parking
Interstate Parking to develop system to track parking fees and permits
After one season with a new electronic system using quick response (QR) codes to charge boaters to use public boat landings, the Minocqua town board is moving ahead with the same technology for parking on the island, or downtown area.
Lac du Flambeau town board responds to tribal council demand
Oct. 18 letter from tribal president urged the town to ‘vacate and quit’ maintenance on three roads
The stage is set for what could be another road battle between the town of Lac du Flambeau and the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.
DNR personnel shortage may cause LVG plan change
New cell at the County G Landfill in Cloverland set to be ready by September, 2026
The Landfill Venture Group (LVG), the consortium of Vilas County municipalities that own the County G Landfill in the town of Cloverland, may have to change some plans before the next new cell of the landfill’s expansion becomes operational.
Space-needs analysis for Vilas County highway department back on
Money for the study budgeted for 2025
The Vilas County board’s highway committee will once again explore the prospect of a space-needs analysis for the highway department’s Eagle River facility.
MHLT school board OKs 2025 election notice
The school board for the Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) school district Monday approved the 2025 election notice. There are two seats up for election in April, 2025; Christy Seidel, currently the school board’s president, was first elected in April, 2010.
Bids opened for Lakeland Sanitary’s water plant upgrade
Three bids received; decision expected in December
The Lakeland Sanitary District’s board was presented at its Nov. 12 meeting with information on three bids for a multi-million dollar upgrade for the district’s wastewater treatment plant on Morgan Road in Minocqua.
‘It’s very bittersweet’
Retiring after 17 years with the Minocqua police department, Dave Jaeger is honored by the town of Minocqua
Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, was Dave Jaeger’s last day on duty as Minocqua police chief. With a total of 32 years in law enforcement, 17 of it with the Minocqua police department, Jaeger officially notified the town board earlier this year of his retirement effective Jan. 3, 2025.
Former Boulder Junction town board member Jeff Long dies
Duke: ‘He devoted his life to everything Boulder Junction’
Jeff Long, who served on the Boulder Junction town board for nearly 38 years, died Tuesday following a long illness. He was 72. Long, who’s family moved to Boulder Junction in the 1950s, was first elected to the town board in April, 1973, four years after he graduated high school in 1969.
Price County sheriff’s office arrests murder suspect
Victim’s body found on the side of a road
A Marshfield man has been arrested by deputies with the Price County Sheriff’s Office in connection to the death of a woman. A Nov. 5 press release from the sheriff’s office stated there was an investigation into the death of a person who’s body had been found on Nov. 3 just before 9 p.m. near the area of State Highway 13 and Whitby Road in the town of Hackett.
Woodruff town board approves 2025 budget
The Woodruff town board, following a budget hearing and approval during a town meeting of the electors, formally approved the town’s 2025 budget and property tax levy Tuesday.
Vilas County board OKs 2025 budget and mill levy
The Vilas County board Tuesday approved the county’s 2025 budget. The final number is $53,600,695 with a property tax levy of $17,768,807. The county’s finance director, Darcy Smith, said Vilas County’s equalized value increased 10.1 percent, or $1.1 billion, over the past year to $11,899,001,900.
Pearson selected as Cobb’s replacement on Lac du Flambeau town board
The Lac du Flambeau Town Board has returned to its full three-member complement with the selection of Dennis Pearson to replace Gloria Cobb.
Presidential election turnout ‘phenomenal‘ in Oneida and Vilas counties
Hartman: ‘It was cool to see voters vested that much in this election’
Voter turnout in the 2024 presidential election was very high across the country, a fact mirrored by the voter turnout in places such as Oneida and Vilas counties. Of the 17,236 registered voters in Vilas County, 16,189 people, or 94 percent, voted.
Tri-County Council’s lease with Vilas County expires
Fanning: ‘There’s a need’
The Tri-County Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault has moved out of the space it had leased on the second floor of the Vilas County Courthouse in Eagle River to conduct outreach service for clients. Vilas, Forest and Oneida counties make up the Tri-County Council with its administrative office in Rhinelander and “promotes non-violence as a life choice and provides a safe environment for persons in crisis,” according to its website.
Vacant Arbor Vitae district seat on Vilas County board to be filled
When the Vilas County board meets Tuesday, aside from conducting the 2025 budget hearing and consideration of the county budget for approval, there’s expected to be the naming of an individual to fill one of two vacant seats on the board. That seat is the District 5 seat, which comprises wards 2 and 7 in the town of Arbor Vitae.
Winchester town board tables ATV/UTV ordinance issue
Newton: ‘This is important to a lot of people’
With it being November and all three seats on the Winchester town board up for election in April, the town board last week tabled, after some discussion, any action on an ordinance for all terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility task vehicle (UTV) use on town roads.
Minocqua town board to consider Aqua Bowl rental agreement
American Pond Hockey owner Will Jeffrey looks for changes in town’s non-profit policy
The town of Minocqua’s policy to not approve things like picnic, beer or liquor licenses for businesses during events such as the annual Beef-A-Rama festival if they aren’t tied in in some manner to a non-profit organization will be on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting of the Minocqua town board.
Boulder Junction town board OKs disc golf on town land
The Boulder Junction town board last week approved the establishment of a disc golf course on town property. The approval is contingent on fundraising for the course’s construction, which is estimated at $24,000.
Lac du Flambeau school board approves 2024-25 budget
School board members to receive raises
The school board for the Lac du Flambeau public school district last approved the district’s budget and property tax levy for 2024-25.
AV-W school board approves 2024-25 budget and tax levy
The Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school district’s board of education Monday approved the district’s mill levy and budget for the 2024-25 school year. Following the budget hearing in the school board’s meeting room with no attendance from the general public with the exception of a district employee and The Lakeland Times, the district’s 2024-25 budget of $11,093,483.74 was approved as was a property tax levy of $5,753,302.
Plum Lake community center building committee meets for first time
With the award to the town of Plum Lake by the federal government of a grant of $4,250,000 to fund construction of new community center in Sayner, the first meeting of the committee that will oversee the project took place Monday.
OVTC discusses Rhinelander public transportation program cancellation
Schreier: ‘Very concerned about this’
The Oct. 14 decision by the Rhinelander Common Council to, because of budget constraints, cancel its shared ride program was a topic of discussion at the Oct. 24 meeting of the Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC) which oversees the Rhinelander-based Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC).
OVTC gets its space needs analysis for new building
Oneida County supervisor Steve Schreier brings up possible open meetings violation
The Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC) received an overview of a space needs assessment for a new facility at its Oct. 24 meeting. The OVTC oversees Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC) which has public transportation routes established in Oneida and Vilas counties and is currently based in a rented facility in Rhinelander.