Lac du Flambeau town board continues to seek answers from LdF tribe on road issue
A letter has been sent by Lac du Flambeau town chairman Matt Gaulke to John Johnson, Sr., president of the Lac du Flambeau Tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians regarding the town’s position in the ongoing road easement issue between the town and the tribe.
Two local cemeteries added to Wreaths Across America
Every year in December, Wreaths Across America (WAA) provides the opportunity for friends and loved ones of U.S. veterans to obtain a Christmas wreath to lay at their loved one’s grave.
Plum Lake electors to decide ATV/UTV issue next month
Contentious issue comes back to the forefront of town business following a petition submission
The town of Plum Lake will have an electors meeting on May 14 at 6:30 at the community center in Sayner.
Minocqua’s new QR code boat launch system arrives
Hartzheim: ‘This’ll be a win-win’
The first of four signs with a quick response (QR) code was installed on April 5 at Minocqua’s Schoolhouse Bay boat landing.
GLITC ponders next steps in CUP application process for Cassian wellness center
Bainbridge: ‘The opinion in the decision doesn’t mean the problem goes away’
On April 3, the Oneida County planning and development committee denied a conditional use permit (CUP) application submitted in the fall of 2023 for the construction of a 36-bed, adolescent recovery and wellness center (ARWC) in the town of Cassian.
AV-W school board briefly discusses cell phone policy
With LUHS adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ policy in 2024-25, a similar policy at AV-W considered a way to help students going forward
The Lakeland Union High School (LUHS) policy starting in the 2024-25 school year that will have students leaving their cell phones in lockers or in their cars during the school day came up briefly near the end of Monday’s meeting of the Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school board.
Committee OKs bid for highway work in Boulder Junction
Cost shared by the town; work will center on the downtown area
The Vilas County board’s highway committee Monday approved the lone bid from Pitlik and Wick to make improvements for Vilas County M as well as Hwy. K in Boulder Junction’s downtown area.
Fundraising for Brandy Park pickleball courts ceases
Fink: ‘There’s no money here’
In September of last year, the Brandy Park commission gave its support to an effort to raise money to build four pickleball courts at the park.
Lac du Flambeau town board supports contractor for Hwy. 70 access from the DOT
Thompson: ‘They claim it’s a safety issue’
The Lac du Flambeau town board is backing an excavating company in its effort to gain access to State Highway 70 just west of County Highway F.
LdF school board approves middle school cross country team
Teaching, support staff salary increases for 2024-25 approved
The Lac du Flambeau school district will have a middle school cross country program starting this fall.
Oneida County public works committee adds a permit requirement
The Oneida County board’s public works committee last week added to the county highway fee schedule.
Minocqua business sustains major damage in fire
Carani: ‘Tires don’t burn like paper’
A Minocqua automotive repair business on Frank Drive was heavily damaged Tuesday as the result of a fire that started with an unattended fire.
Minocqua referendum fails, North Lakeland’s succeeds
Losses for incumbents on the St. Germain town board, Oneida County board, LUHS, AV-W school boards
Tuesday was the day for spring elections in the Lakeland area and while there weren’t a lot of contested seats on the ballot for town boards, county boards and school boards The Lakeland Times regularly covers, there were a few as well as a couple of key issues at the local level, one of those being a referendum in the town of Minocqua.
Winchester town chairman addresses wake ordinance enforcement question
Discianno: ‘I believe most people want to do the right thing’
In March, the Winchester town board approved a hazardous wake ordinance that essentially prohibits any type of activity on town lakes that would generate a hazardous wake or enhanced wake and sent the ordinance back to the planning commission to have an exemption from the ordinance removed.
Vilas County board OKs social services changeover to human services
Anderson: ‘This is a seismic deal’
The Vilas County board, on a 14-1 vote last week approved a resolution that officially paves the way for the reorganization of the county’s social services department into a human services department.
Evers, Baldwin urge mediation on road issue, LdF tribe balks
Swearingen: ‘It’s a federal issue’
The president of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians has sent a response to a letter from Wisconsin governor Tony Evers and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin regarding the ongoing road dispute between the tribe and the town of Lac du Flambeau.
OVTC votes to add another Headwaters route
The Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC), which oversees Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC), has agreed to take on a fourth route for Headwaters, Incorporated in Rhinelander, a workshop for adults with disabilities.
Minocqua town board holds final referendum information meeting
Hartzheim: ‘We’re all taxpayers up here’
The Minocqua town board Tuesday conducted a third and final public information meeting regarding its referendum questions that will be on the ballots of town voters when they go to the polls on April 2.
Lakeland area hit with early spring snow
Schalinske: ‘It’s a great day in the north woods’
An early spring weather system dumped at least eight inches of snow in the Lakeland area Sunday night and into Monday morning.
Winchester planning commission sends revised hazardous wake ordinance to the town board
Open meetings law question arises
The town of Winchester is moving ahead with development of a hazardous wake ordinance.
Local Spring Election Candidate Profiles
It’s general election time once again for local government and public school boards The Lakeland Times provides regular coverage of.
Fire destroys Ye Olde Shillelagh in Manitowish Waters
Cause of early morning blaze under investigation
A fire in the early morning hours of Friday, March 22, destroyed a Manitowish Waters business.
New Lac du Flambeau fire station construction on schedule
After one month shut down in early winter, contractor still aiming for September completion
As was requested at a previous meeting of the Lac du Flambeau town board, representatives from Nasi Construction, the primary contractor for the construction of the town’s new, multi-million dollar fire station on State Highway 47, provided a construction update for the town board as well as residents at the March 20 town board meeting.
Lakeland airport commission sends resolution to town boards
Next step in aid request for funding of projects from the state of Wisconsin
The Lakeland Airport commission last week forwarded to the four towns that own the airport a resolution petitioning Craig Thompson, Wisconsin’s secretary of transportation, for state aid to assist in runway improvements and hangar construction at the airport.
Minocqua town board votes to replace ice damaged dock
One Schoolhouse Bay dock to be replaced by a floating structure
The Minocqua town board, on the heels of approving at its March 19 meeting an amended watercraft launching fee ordinance, later in the meeting approved a bid to replace one of the docks at the town’s Schoolhouse Bay boat ramp.
Minocqua town board to host one more public information meeting
April 2 referendum asking for $950,000 tax levy increase draws questions
The Minocqua town board will host one more informational meeting regarding its referendum on April 2.
DOT gearing up for Minocqua project on U.S. Highway 51
Reconstruction of Hwy. 51 from Manitou Park to the Minocqua bridge set to begin
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) will host a public information meeting on Monday, March 25 at The Waters.
Very minor damage, no injuries in downtown Woodruff fire call
There were no injuries and damage was very minimal during the course of a fire call made by Woodruff firefighters early Tuesday evening.
Lake Tomahawk town board recommends CUP denial to Oneida County
Jennrich: ‘This one’s gonna be interesting’
The Lake Tomahawk town board at its March 13 meeting followed the recommendation of its planning commission by recommending to the Oneida County board’s planning and development committee the denial of a conditional use permit (CUP) application for construction of a large home on Lark Road.
MHLT superintendent meets with educators from other counties on labor, housing issues
Ellis: ‘We have to continue to think outside the box’
As time goes on, the labor availability news for the Lakeland area remains, on the whole, not very good.
Lake Tomahawk town board moves forward with wake ordinance
Based on Newbold’s draft ordinance, it’s to be drafted for Lake Tomahawk and sent to the DNR for review
The Lake Tomahawk town board last week voted to move forward with its enhanced wake ordinance process, using a draft ordinance from the town of Newbold.
Woodruff town board mulls Brandy Park loan
If approved by voters, the loan would be handled jointly with the town of Arbor Vitae
Electors in the towns of Woodruff and Arbor Vitae may be asked at each town’s April annual meeting for authorization to take out a loan for upgrades at Brandy Park.
Oneida County committees approve resolution for Human Services department
Department would replace social services as of Jan. 1, 2025
The effort several people in local law enforcement and social services in Vilas, Oneida and Forest counties see as a needed restructuring of an important component of county government for many residents in those counties got a boost on March 14.
A dam good plan: New bridge on the horizon for Manitowish Waters
Current dam/bridge structure on County Highway W to be replaced in 2027
A little more than a year after it was chosen to put together initial plans and estimates to replace the Rest Lake bridge on County Highway W in Manitowish Waters, the Vilas County highway committee Monday approved participation in a contract with De Pere engineering firm Mead and Hunt for the next phase of design.
Vilas County highway committee OKs bids for projects on Hwy. M and N
Roadwork on 2.1 miles of Vilas County Highway M from Little Ridge Lane on the north side of Boulder Junction to Dairymen’s Road, also in the town of Boulder Junction, will be completed this year.
Minocqua town board conducts information meeting for April 2 referendum
Residents will be asked to authorize $950,000 more in annual property tax levy
The Minocqua town board on March 5 conducted the first of two informational meetings regarding an April 2 referendum question that will have the town asking voters for authorization to raise the tax levy ceiling for the town by an additional $950,000 each year.
Two ice fishermen rescued from the Willow Flowage
Two men who were ice fishing on the Willow Flowage on March 7 had to be rescued after they broke through the ice.
Baseball association’s proposed facility to be voted on in April
Minocqua electors to decide whether to authorize construction of the building on town property
Minocqua residents who attend the town’s annual meeting on April 18 will be asked to authorize construction of a 7,000 square foot indoor baseball training facility at the Minocqua Park Complex on Minocqua’s west side.
Minocqua town board sends CUP applications to Oneida County
The Minocqua town board, during a busy 180-minute regular session on March 5, sent four conditional use permit (CUP) applications to the Oneida County planning and development committee for its consideration.
LdF town board OKs employee handbook revisions
Included is a longevity pay policy which the town hasn’t had
The Lac du Flambeau town board last week approved updates to the employee handbook which includes a formal policy for employee longevity pay.
Concession stand at Torpy Park pavilion to have a new tenant in 2024
Concession stand last occupied during the summer of 2021
The concession stand in the lower level of the original Torpy Park pavilion will have a new tenant for 2024.
Winchester town board OKs hazardous wake ordinance draft
If ultimately adopted, there would be no wake surfing in Winchester
The Winchester town board Monday passed a draft of its hazardous wake ordinance and then sent the draft ordinance back to the town’s planning commission to remove a portion of the draft ordinance that amounts to an exemption of two town lakes.
Magistrate judge orders LdF road appraisals unsealed
A total of $79,000 for the four roads
A magistrate judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin ruled last week that 50-year easement appraisals for the four roads involved in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit against the town of Lac du Flambeau be unsealed.
Minocqua plan commission sends gravel pit CUP application to the town board
The Minocqua plan commission last week forwarded to the town board for its consideration a conditional use permit (CUP) application from Ed Rynders with Tri-County Sand and Gravel.
One dead in Iron County UTV accident
Vehicle went through ice on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage
One person is dead as the result last week of an incident involving the utility task vehicle (UTV) he was in on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage in Mercer.
North Lakeland school referendum highlighted
Brent Jelinski makes a presentation to the Boulder Junction town board
On April 2, voters in the North Lakeland School District’s service area, 277 square miles that includes the towns of Boulder Junction, Manitowish Waters, Winchester and Presque Isle, will be asked two referendum questions when they go to the polls.
Boulder Junction 2023 room tax revenue up
Despite the unusual winter, overall report for the town is good
With the winter of 2023-24 not conducive at all for traditional winter activities in the Northwoods such as snowmobiling, skiing and snowshoeing, that’s translated to hard times for several area businesses.
Vehicle Extrication Training is the Key
Area volunteer fire department personnel train on vehicle extrication
In what’s becoming a sort of firefighting and rescue training area across the road from the town hall in Arbor Vitae Saturday, firefighters and rescue personnel from six different area volunteer departments trained for four hours on extrication from vehicles of crash victims.
Winchester looking at room tax
Planning commission, Vilas County zoning administrator discuss zoning issues
The town of Winchester is taking steps to establish a room tax. The planning commission Monday, following several minutes of discussion about language outlining what a room tax in Winchester would look like, approved a draft and forwarded it to the town board for consideration at its next regular meeting on March 4.
Plum Lake town board goes with two regular meetings per month
Postuchow: ‘I think it would look more professional’
The Plum Lake town board Monday, during a special afternoon meeting, decided to conduct two regular meetings each month.