U.S. Highway 51 shut down briefly Thursday morning
Gas line struck in construction zone
An excavator used on the Manitou Park Drive to the Lake Minocqua bridge construction project on U.S. Highway 51 hit a gas line on the northeast corner of Country Club Road and Hwy. 51 Thursday morning.
The memorial mission of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
DPAA chief researcher Joshua Fennell a keynote speaker at the Northwoods National Cemetery on Memorial Day
On Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, the remains of U.S. Army Private John Cummings, 22 years old at the time he was killed in action in Europe on Dec. 31, 1944, was buried with full military honors next to his parents in Hazelhurst’s Lakeside Garden of Sleep Cemetery.
Minocqua town board goes with August referendum reduction
Resolution passed to ask voters for $750,000 instead of $950,000
The Minocqua town board Tuesday voted to pass a resolution to set the dollar amount of an August referendum at $750,000.
Minocqua Farmers Market’s new home
Westfahl: ‘It was a crap shoot at the beginning but we made it work’
In November, 2019, the town of Minocqua received authorization to purchase the property next to the Minocqua police department on East Chicago Avenue, the former home of Andrew Organiscak, who died the previous September.
MHLT school board OKs salary increase for staff in 2024-25
The board of education for the Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk (MHLT) school district Monday approved a salary increase for teachers and support staff of 4.12 percent for the 2024-25 school year.
Positive poll numbers for ATV/UTV use in Plum Lake
Postuchow: ‘We can’t make everybody happy’
Residents in the town of Plum Lake had the opportunity on May 15 to participate in a non-binding poll regarding all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and utility task vehicle (UTV) use in the town.
Arbor Vitae, Woodruff getting bids for pickleball courts at Brandy Lake Park
One tennis court to be converted to pickleball; fundraising group active again
When the Woodruff town board meets in June, it will be the first to open bids for work at Brandy Park that will include establishment of two pickleball courts.
LdF town board approves generator purchase for new fire station
The Lac du Flambeau town board at its May 15 meeting approved the purchase of a generator for the town’s new fire station under construction on State Highway 47 near the intersection with Raven Lake Road.
Winchester town board questioned about hazardous wake ordinance
Brownewell: ‘I think the town better be prepared’
With the town of Winchester’s hazardous/enhanced wake ordinance set to go into effect on June 2, questions about the ordinance were asked at the town’s annual meeting on May 13.
Kortenhof wins state telecommunicator leadership award
The lead dispatcher for the Minocqua Police Department, Sgt. Jackie Kortenhof, was awarded the 2024 Wisconsin Telecommunicator Leadership Award last week.
Law enforcement, fire and rescue units called in to search for four year-old boy
Reported missing from a residence on Minocqua’s west side on May 5, he was found safe about an hour later
The Minocqua Fire and Rescue Department responded to a call about a missing 4-year-old autistic boy on Blazing Trail on Minocqua’s west side at around 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 5.
Woodruff town board OKs tourist rooming house permits
Christenson: ‘There’s no families that can buy homes up here anymore’
The Woodruff town board’s May 14 meeting was only 15 minutes long but the gravity of the housing shortage in the Lakeland area was apparent in the less than five minutes it took to address two administrative review permit (ARP) applications for tourist rooming houses.
AV-W school board raises staff salaries for 2024-25
Summer maintenance help pay increased to $20 per hour
The board of education for the Arbor Vitae-Woodruff (AV-W) school district Monday followed the trend of other area school boards by approving an across the board increase in salary of 4.12 percent for teachers, administrative staff and support staff for the 2024-25 school year.
Ides of March to play the Campanile Center Thursday
Bergland: ‘We were in high school together’
This Thursday, May 16, the band Ides Of March is to perform at Minocqua’s Campanile Center for the Arts.
Lake Tomahawk town board approves hazardous wake ordinance
Phillips: ‘Don’t wait to rely on Madison
The Lake Tomahawk town board, with an audience of approximately 30 people looking on, passed a hazardous wake/enhanced wake ordinance at its May 8 meeting.
Minocqua town board to ask for $950,000 over the levy in August
Hartzheim: ‘I think there’s a message here’
In August, voters in the town of Minocqua will once again be asked by the town to exceed it’s mill levy by $950,000 annually.
Winchester approves hazardous/enhanced wake ordinance amendment
Takes effect June 2
After months of meeting about it, getting it crafted, having a public hearing in February and having the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) review it at least twice, the Winchester town board Monday approved an amendment to the town’s hazardous/enhanced wake ordinance that was approved in March.
Lac du Flambeau town board OKs another payment to the tribe
Monthly payments to this point total $456,000; town board working on a proposal to resolve road dispute
The Lac du Flambeau town board is working with the town’s legal counsel to develop a proposal intended to resolve the current road easement dispute with the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.
LdF school board approves nearly $202,000 for summer projects
The school board for the Lac du Flambeau public school district last week approved nearly $202,000 in heating and air conditioning installation and maintenance and flooring purchases.
Community center policy and use contract to be reviewed in Boulder Junction
Driscoll: ‘We get a lotof use of this building but not a lot of income’
The Boulder Junction community center opened in January of 2014, and after just over a decade of heavy use on a continuous basis, the town board is considering updating the facility’s policy and use contract for the first time.
Lakeland area resident called out regarding U.S. veteran status
Thomas: ‘You need to stop acting like this’
The veterans service officer for Vilas County, Brian Thomas, has made it clear he believes Lac du Flambeau resident Wally Obermann is not a veteran of service in the United States military.
DOT plans Hwy. 51 projects in Minocqua for 2025 and 2026
With a major construction project of U.S. Highway 51 from the bridge over Lake Minocqua to Manitou Park Drive well underway, planning continues for two major road and infrastructure projects on Hwy. 51 in Minocqua during 2025 and 2026.
OVTC reorganizes, takes delivery of new vans
Total cost nearly $245,000; grant money, ADRC money used for purchase
The Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC), the panel that includes members of the Oneida and Vilas County boards and oversees operations of the Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC), reorganized at its April 25 meeting.
Church pastor in Manitowish Waters adjusting to life in the Northwoods
Texas native has been pastor for Manitowish Waters Community Presbyterian Church since November
The current pastor of the Manitowish Waters Community Presbyterian Church, Eric Peterson, has been at the church since November of last year.
Plum Lake town board OKs two pickleball courts
Project to be paid for through private fundraising
The ever increasing popularity of the sport of pickleball was present at the April 23 meeting of the Plum Lake town board.
Arbor Vitae, Woodruff town boards to meet with Brandy Park commission
The topics will be pickleball courts, park maintenance
When the Brandy Park commission next meets on Tuesday, May 7, at least a portion of that meeting will be with members of the town boards of Arbor Vitae and Woodruff as well as with members of a local group that has been trying to raise funds for pickleball courts at Brandy Lake Park.
Town of Lac du Flambeau to get town hall use policy
Town board denies use of town hall as a private “business office”
The Lac du Flambeau town board last week denied a request from a business person to use the town hall for his business.
Lake Tomahawk disbands its park commission
Town moving ahead with enhanced wake ordinance
Lake Tomahawk residents attending the town’s annual meeting on April 16 voted to disband the town board’s parks commission.
Plum Lake, Conover fire departments respond to grass fire
DNR bulldozers stop fire spread
Despite advisories from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regarding outside burning because of dry conditions, firefighters and equipment with the Plum Lake and Conover fire departments were called early Sunday afternoon to the report of a grass fire on private land on County Highway K in Star Lake.
Minocqua voters OK town purchase of Plaza Drive property
Finalization of $352,000 purchase contingent on agreement with Holtz Builders
The town of Minocqua received the authorization from voters the town board was looking for at the town’s annual meeting on Thursday, April 18.
Lac du Flambeau voters approve town board expansion
Residents of the town of Lac du Flambeau attending the town’s April 16 annual meeting voted 57 to 11 in favor of increasing the size of the town board from three to five members.
Vilas County board reorganizes
Burkett re-elected chairman, Ritter vice-chair
Current Vilas County board chairman Jerry Burkett was re-elected to the position by the rest of the board at last week’s reorganizational meeting.
Minocqua firefighter marks his 50th year with the department
Kort: ‘My goal now is to make it another 10 years’
On March 23, Minocqua resident Don Kort was recognized for his 50 years of service with the Minocqua volunteer fire department at the annual Wisconsin State Firefighters Association (WSFA) banquet and awards presentation in Stevens Point.
Minocqua to have another referendum in August
For the third time in less than two years, voters will be asked again for authorization to go above the annual mill levy
Meeting Tuesday for the first time since a referendum the town of Minocqua held on April 2 asking voters for authorization to go above the annual mill levy by $950,000 failed, the town board voted unanimously to conduct another referendum in August.
MHLT school board hears parents’ concerns
Jopp to MHLT teachers: ‘You deserve a safe working environment’
In February, Dr. Jim Ellis, superintendent for the Minocqua Hazelhurst Lake Tomahawk school district, told The Lakeland Times the district’s administrative staff, following a closed session at the school board’s Feb. 22 meeting, received authorization from the school board “to possibly be doing (teacher contract) renewals for the 2024-25 school year.”
DNR: Elevated fire danger continues across Wisconsin
Agency asks public to avoid all outdoor burning for now
Outside of rain earlier this week, very little precipitation is forecasted for the Northwoods over the course of the next several days.
Landfill Venture Group purchases one-year warranty for problem compactor
The executive committee of the Landfill Venture Group (LVG), the consortium of Vilas County towns and the city of Eagle River that oversees the County G Landfill in the town of Cloverland, last week approved a one-year warranty for the trash compactor it paid nearly $1 million for in 2018.
Arbor Vitae Fire and Rescue Wants Recruits
Sipin: ‘It’s a succession issue’
Over the course of the past few years, the increasing difficulty volunteer fire departments and emergency medical services (EMS) across the country are encountering when it comes to recruiting efforts have been well-documented.
Park Falls shooting suspect arrested in Minocqua
Young: ‘Bad things can go worse and they didn’t’
A 50-year old Park Falls man is being held in connection with a death in Park Falls on Saturday, April 13.
Plum Lake town board makes changes in ATV/UTV electors meeting
Vote will now be a poll
The Plum Lake town board in a special meeting Monday morning decided not to have a meeting of the electors on May 14.
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.
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.
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.
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.