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Nicolet Trustee Named Wisconsin Trustee of the Year

Published on 11/11/2025 under News A Tomahawk woman is being recognized for her outstanding service to technical college education. The Wisconsin Technical College District Board Association recently named Dianne Lazear as Wisconsin Technical College-Trustee of the Year. Nominees are selected based on their engagement in local, state, and national advocacy and other collaborative work for the benefit of students and technical education. A former Nicolet College faculty member and administrator, Lazear has served on the Nicolet Board of Trustees since 2019. She is one of 144 trustees across Wisconsin's 16 technical colleges. When asked why she serves, Lazear says, "For me, it's the same answer that I gave when I was hired by Nicolet College, almost 30 years ago...Think global, act local." In the announcement Lazear was highlighted for her work in developing a trustee handbook and orientation program for new trustees. Those local efforts have been referenced both in Wisconsin and around the country. Lazear says, "This work transforms individual lives, and as a result, transforms families, communities, and the state, as all ripples matter, transforms the world around us." Abbey Dall Lukowski, chair of the Nicolet College Board called Lazear a true role model for fellow trustees, adding, "Her tireless efforts, passionate engagement, and selfless service to the college and our students are an inspiration to us." Photo: From left to right: Wisconsin Technical College System President, Layla Merrifield; Dianne Lazear, Nicolet College Board of Trustees Member; Kate Ferrel, Nicolet College President; Abbey Dall Lukowski, Nicolet College Board of Trustees Chair.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News People will have a look of Tomahawk's history available at their finger tips, thanks to a project at the Tomahawk Public Library. The Tomahawk Public Library is working on an effort to digitize all of their microfilm local newspaper archives. Library director Heidi O'Hare discussed the project with the Tomahawk City Council at their meeting this past week. O'Hare says that digitizing their newspaper archive had been something they had explored over the past five years. It had generally been cost prohibitive ranging anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000. She began seeking alternatives and found a partnership with newspapers.com, a subsidiary of ancestry.com to complete the work for around $600. Those archives date back to the 1890's offering a snapshot of the community over the years through a local perspective. While a subscription to the newspapers.com is necessary for home use, library patrons will be able access the newspaper files on the library computers for free. And by digitizing the records, O'Hare notes there will be advanced features not available on microfilm such as searchability. It also provides a digital backup of the newspapers. O'Hare says that staff will have some additional training on using the digital newspaper archives.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News Winter weather and animal collisions are just two of the many challenges drivers deal with at this time of year. Both kept Lincoln County deputies busy this past week. With our first taste of winter weather over the weekend, deputies responded to a pair of crashes Sunday attributed to road conditions. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report, deputies initially responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 51. They discovered there had been two separate crashes in that area. In one of those crashes, both the driver and a passenger were brought to an area hospital for undisclosed injuries. Drivers are encouraged to use a little extra caution and slow down when roads become snow covered and slippery. It's also a good idea to get your winter weather emergency kit in your vehicle. Meanwhile, the number of vehicle versus deer collisions remains elevated. Lincoln County deputies responded to another 21 crashes involving deer this past week. That continues a month-long trend.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News With the hunting opener just a few weeks away, Aspirus offered up a reminder about heart health. Many hunters will go from a sedentary lifestyle to a week of increased physical activity which can impact heart rates and blood pressure. This includes hauling gear to the stand, the excitement of bagging a deer, and removing your harvest from the field. Aspirus Cardiology nurse practitioner Megan Johnson says, "Dragging a deer through the woods or walking long distances in the cold may seem manageable, but for someone with high blood pressure or coronary artery disease, it can trigger serious symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, or even heart attacks." She encourages patients to start preparing for hunting season by building cardiovascular endurance, managing blood pressure, and prioritizing overall wellness throughout the year. She also says stress can play a bigger role than most people realize, adding "Your body reacts to excitement and adrenaline. Taking a few deep breaths before dragging a deer or climbing through terrain could make a real difference." It's also good to get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, and moderate alcohol intake throughout the season. Johnson notes that women, in particular, often experience heart attack symptoms differently, reporting jaw or back pain, nausea, or extreme fatigue instead of the classic chest pain. These atypical symptoms can lead to delayed care and increased complications. If any signs of a heart attack are experienced, it is important to seek medical attention immediately.

Published on 11/11/2025 under News While most food pantries focus on non-perishable food items, a new program in the Minocqua area allowed their food pantry to distribute more fresh produce. The Lakeland Pantry launched their Grow-A-Row initiative this summer. They encouraged local gardeners to donate some of their homegrown vegetables. And with the growing season now over, they were able to reflect and celebrate as the community donated more than a ton of produce. In fact, the during the inaugural Grow-A-Row season, they received 2,350 pounds of donated produce. This was thanks to home gardeners as well as a number of community garden partners. Pantry director Lorna Springate says they are deeply grateful. She says, "Your generosity helps strengthen our community and ensures that nutritious food reaches those who need it most. She added, "It's all about 'Neighbors Helping Neighbors.'" The Pantry extends heartfelt thanks to every individual and group who gave fresh produce. These contributions do more than fill shelves—they deliver hope and healthy meals to neighbors confronting food insecurity. Each donation is a testament to the power of collective goodwill.

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Sports Headlines

Hatchet Football Seasons Ends With Sectional Championship Loss

Published on 11/10/2025 under Sports Tomahawk's football squad's dream season would end in the WIAA Division 5 Sectional Championship against three-time defending state champion Stratford at Hatchet Field Friday night, 29-0. The Hatchet defense stepped up in the first half and forced three turnovers, including intercepting Tiger quarterback Brady Berg twice. However, Tomahawk would fail to score off of those three turnovers and mustered just over 100 yards of offense. Jett Reilly would lead the Hatchets in rushing, running for 31 yards on eight carries. Tomahawk was also held under 100 yards for the first time this season. The Hatchets finish the 2025 season with a 10-2 record, the most wins in school history. Tomahawk also graduates 11 seniors. They are Wally Horabik, Jason Watkins, Rex Reilly, Jonah Dickens, Nathan Reimer, Logan Norman, Kenny Turner, Ethan Gibeault, Kaiden Kapellusch, Nathan Norman, and Michael Samundsen. The Hatchets also finished with their first playoff win since 2015 and their first trip to the Sectional Championship since 2007.

Published on 11/03/2025 under Sports In the WIAA Division 5 Football Playoffs, #1 Seed Tomahawk would advance to the Sectional Championship for the first time since 2007, defeating #5 Seed Spencer/Columbus Catholic Halloween Night at Hatchet Field, 34-12. The Hatchets jumped out to a 21-0 Halftime lead thanks to a stout defense and two time-consuming touchdown drives. After Spencer/Columbus Catholic cut it to nine heading into the fourth, Tomahawk forced two of the Rockets' three turnovers on the night. Jonah Dickens would come up with a key interception that would pave the way for touchdown runs by Tiegan Sarazin and Max Larson. Sarazin would rush for 100 yards and two touchdowns. The Hatchets also got a touchdown run from Rex Reilly and a 19-yard scoring pass from Jett Reilly to Jonah Dickens. The win gives Tomahawk its first double-digit winning season in school history, moving to 10-1 on the season. The Hatchets will play for their first state semifinal berth since 1990 in the Sectional Championship next week against three-time defending state champion Stratford. Tune in for the Fehrman Orthodontics Kickoff Cabin at 6:10 and the opening kick at 7:00 next Friday. Alex Koch and Jon Long will be in the broadcast booth.

Published on 10/24/2025 under Sports On Friday night, the Tomahawk Hatchet Football Team won their ninth game of the season, with a 41-14 Level One WIAA Playoff victory over Omro. Tomahawk dominated the line of scrimmage all night, as they rushed for 290 yards and had over 35 minutes of possession offensively. On the other side of the ball, Tomahawk held Omro to just 39 yards rushing. Rex Reilly had three rushing touchdowns, and carried the ball 13 times for 59 yards. Jonah Dickens also had three touchdowns, two touchdown catches, both from Jett Reilly, one from 43 yards out the other from ten. Dickens also added a nine yard touchdown run. Jett Reilly, along with those two touchdown passes and 72 yards through the air, had 76 yards on the ground. Tomahawk is now 9-1 on the season and will host Spencer/Columbus Catholic on Friday night at Hatchet Field. Spencer/Columbus defeated New Holstein 31-12. The #1 seed Hatchets and #5 seed Spencer/Columbus will play at Hatchet Field on Friday night at 7:00 pm. Northwoods 92-5 will have the Fehrman Orthodontics Kickoff Cabin at 6:10 pm, and the opening kickoff at 7:00 pm. In other scores from Level One action: In D-5: Stratford beat Richland Center 41-9 In D-4: Mosinee defeated Turner 41-7 In D-3: Merrill defeated Lakeland 38-12, Rhinelander lost to Edgewood 35-7, Wausau East lost to Mount Horeb/Barneveld, and Medford lost to Grafton 49-14

Published on 10/24/2025 under Sports The Tomahawk Hatchet boys and girls cross country teams competed in the Division Two WIAA Sectional Meet at the MARC in Merrill on Friday. The Hatchet girls will have an individual qualifier at the WIAA State Meet next Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids, as Freshman Charlee Lund in fifth place overall and will competed at state. The Hatchet girls finished in fourth place overall, Abbie Rosenmeir was 18th, Lydia Shaney finished 20th, Faith Derleth was 35th, and Elise Gibeault was 38th. Wittenberg-Birnamwood finished first and Shawano was second. On the boys side, Tomahawk was fifth. Lakeland ran away with the boys race scoring 45 points and Shawano qualifies for state with their second place finish. Caiden Reichelt let Tomahawk and finished just one place out of qualifying. Reichelt was 10th overall, Connor Zorn was 37th, Jordyn Carew was 39th, Dawson Jones 42nd and Ryan Montag was 48th. The WIAA Division Two Girls State Race will be at 2:25 pm next Saturday and will feature Hatchet freshman Charlee Lund.

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