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Music on the River Week #3; The Ramble Makes Series Debut

Published on 07/08/2026 under News A summer Wednesday in Tomahawk means another week of Music on the River, and tonight, the series is going a little bit country. Making its Tomahawk debut this evening is the southern Wisconsin group, The Ramble. The band has steadily built a regional following with its energetic mix of classic and modern country hits, covering everything from Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson to Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton. Among the group's growing list of accolades, The Ramble took home the top prize at the 2024 Hodag Country Festival Country Band Championship—perfect timing, considering the 2026 Hodag festival officially kicks off tomorrow in Rhinelander. Tonight marks the third of seven planned concerts for the Music on the River season. Unfortunately, Wednesdays have been exceptionally rainy this summer. With scattered showers once again in the forecast for this evening, concertgoers are encouraged to stay tuned to WJJQ for any weather-related venue or schedule changes.

Published on 07/08/2026 under News Before an ambulance arrives in an emergency, there's a lot happening behind the scenes—and the Merrill Fire Department wants the public to better understand it. The Merrill Fire Department is inviting residents to a series of public meetings this month focused on ambulance service, EMS challenges, and the future of emergency medical care in Lincoln County. Fire Chief Josh Klug says the department hopes the meetings will give residents a better understanding of how ambulance service operates and encourage community involvement. The meetings come as the City of Merrill and Lincoln County continue negotiating a new ambulance service contract. The two have partnered to provide service in the southern two-thirds of the county since 1970. The first meeting begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, at the Merrill Fire Station. Fire department command staff will discuss the history of ambulance service in the county, current operational challenges, and possible funding options. Each meeting will also feature a guest EMS expert. The first session includes James Small with the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health, who will discuss statewide EMS trends and strategies for meeting growing demand with limited resources. For those that can't attend, the presentations will also be livestreamed on the Merrill Fire Department's Facebook page. Additional meetings are scheduled for July 14, 15, 27, and 28.

Published on 07/08/2026 under News The Tomahawk City Council took a small but meaningful step toward a major new housing development last night. At its meeting Tuesday, the Council approved a resolution authorizing the Community Development Authority (CDA) to sell a parcel of land located off Comfort Drive to developer S.C. Swiderski. City Clerk Amanda Bartz noted the official sales paperwork is expected to be signed later this week. The City and the CDA have been working closely with the Mosinee-based developer to construct a new 72-unit apartment complex on Tomahawk's east side near U.S. Highway 51. The developer's agreement, which was initially approved by the Council last month, includes financial incentives funded through tax revenue generated directly by the project. Once complete, the multi-family residential complex is expected to bring a minimum assessed property value of $9.5 million to the city's tax rolls. Based on the project timeline discussed last month, construction is slated to begin this fall and will take approximately 18 months to complete. The development will add 72 much-needed rental units to Tomahawk's tight housing inventory. S.C. Swiderski is a major property management and real estate development firm with residential holdings in more than 30 communities across the state, including Athens, Eagle River, Merrill, Medford, and Wausau.

Published on 07/08/2026 under News Traffic was briefly backed up in northern Lincoln County following a single-vehicle crash on Tuesday afternoon. Emergency responders were dispatched shortly after 4:00 p.m. to Highway 8 near County Highway L, just north of Tomahawk. Witnesses reported a vehicle went off the roadway while navigating the curve located just west of the intersection. No further information was provided regarding the cause of the crash. The incident initially forced a closure of the eastbound lane of Highway 8. Emergency crews eventually reopened the roadway with traffic control to allow the removal of the vehicle. Crews remained on the scene for more than two hours to clear the crash.

Published on 07/08/2026 under News As electric bicycles continue to grow in popularity, local hospitals are seeing a corresponding rise in serious injuries related to e-bike crashes. Aspirus Trauma Coordinator Jamie Armbruster says that because e-bikes are heavier and faster than traditional bicycles, they require much longer stopping distances. This combination often leads to more severe trauma when a crash occurs. Common injuries treated at Aspirus emergency facilities include fractures, facial trauma, internal organ damage, and brain injuries. Many of these cases involve riders who were either skipping helmets entirely or using standard bicycle helmets not safety-certified for higher e-bike speeds. Armbruster emphasizes that wearing a properly fitted helmet remains the single best defense against head injuries, with national statistics showing a proper helmet cuts the risk of severe head injury by 85 percent. According to Armbruster, demographic data highlights two groups facing the highest risk: children and teens, particularly boys under 16, and adults between the ages of 45 and 64. E-bikes can also pose a hazard to pedestrians sharing multi-use recreational trails, parks, and sidewalks. To prevent collisions, riders are encouraged to slow down and use verbal cues or a bike bell when passing others. Finally, local law enforcement agencies encourage all riders to familiarize themselves with the specific rules of the road and local ordinances governing motorized bikes before hitting the pavement.

Published on 07/08/2026 under News A few packs of diapers can go a long way toward helping local families. The Oneida County Health Department is asking the community to donate diapers, baby wipes, and new infant clothing as part of a diaper drive running through July 15. The donations will help stock the department's upcoming Community Baby Shower and Family Day, providing essential supplies to expecting and new parents. The Health Department says, "This drive is a simple way for our community to come together and support families during one of the most exciting — and challenging — times in life." Donations can be dropped off at ten locations throughout Rhinelander, Minocqua, and Three Lakes, including all three public librariesand the Oneida County Health Department. Monetary donations are also being accepted to purchase additional baby supplies. The Community Baby Shower and Family Day will be held July 18 at the YMCA of the Northwoods in Rhinelander. We'll have more on that event next week. Donation drop-off Locations include: Minocqua Public Library - MinocquaCulver's - RhinelanderOneida County Health Department - RhinelanderPeoples State Bank - MinocquaTrigs - RhinelanderTrinity Lutheran Church - RhinelanderFaith Lutheran Church - Three LakesDemmer Memorial Library - Three LakesNicolet National Bank – RhinelanderRhinelander Public Library - Rhinelander

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Sports Headlines

Gibeault Places 3rd in 400 meter dash

Published on 06/06/2026 under Sports In the WIAA Division 2 State Track & Field Meet at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse this weekend. Elise Gibeault and Ellie Micke competed in three separate events. Gibeault's top finish came in the 400 meter dash, placing third with a time of 56.7 seconds. Gibeault would finish 2.26 seconds behind state champion Harper Sheehan of Hayward. In her final event, the Hatchet Junior would set a brand new school record in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.38 seconds, a full second behind Sheehan. As for Micke, her season would end in the High Jump Preliminaries. Micke would finish tied for 12th with Martin Luther's Dynasty Fancher. This concludes the Tomahawk Track & Field Season.

Published on 06/03/2026 under Sports The Hatchet golfing season would end in the WIAA Division 2 Sectional Meet at Spooner Wednesday, placing ninth at the Spooner Golf Club. Tomahawk would finish with a 345, 13 strokes behind St. Croix Central. The top Hatchet golfer in the Sectional meet was Jake Albert, who placed 28th overall with an 82. Rounding out the top three were Rocco Carew with an 83 and Oliver Childers with an 87. Jaxon Kaiser finish with a 93 and Brayden Lamer finished with 100. This concludes the Tomahawk golfing season.

Published on 05/29/2026 under Sports Junior Athlete Elise Gibeault and Sophomore Athlete Ellie Micke would become the only Hatchets to qualify for the WIAA Division 2 State Track & Field Meet at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse next weekend. Gibeault would finish second in both the 200 and 400 meter dashes. Gibeault would re-set personal bests and school records in both events. The Junior finished with a run of 25.74 seconds in the 200 meter dash and a run of 56.39 seconds in the 400 meter dash. Gibeault would place behind only Hayward's Harper Sheehan in both events. As for Micke, she was the last qualifier in the field in the High Jump. Micke tied for the 4th spot in the sectional and would advance by way of tiebreaker. Micke's leap in the High Jump was 5'3". Gibeault and Micke will compete in the WIAA Division 2 State Meet in La Crosse Friday. Field Events begin at 3:00 PM. Running events begin at 3:30 PM.

Published on 05/28/2026 under Sports Despite coming back from down four runs in the fifth inning, Tomahawk's baseball squad would fall in extra innings in the WIAA Division 3 Regional Quarterfinal at Tyler Kahle Memorial Field to the Crandon Cardinals, 8-5. The Hatchets trailed 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning before tying the game up behind two-run hits from Nick Arndt and Max Larson. After the Hatchets stranded the winning run on third in the seventh, Crandon rolled off three runs off Hatchet pitcher Logan Norman to take the lead. Tomahawk would bring the tying run to the plate, but Arndt flew out to center to end the game and the season. Arndt finished two for five with a triple and two RBIs. Max Larson finished one for five with a double and two RBIs. Despite pitching five scoreless innings and retiring ten straight, Norman absorbed the loss on the mound. The Hatchets finish the 2026 season with a 9-11 record and a 7-7 Great Northern Conference record. Tomahawk graduates Norman, Arndt, Jonah Dickens, Wally Horabik, Colton Seslar, and Brody Hilgendorf.

Published on 05/27/2026 under Sports The Marawood Conference Champion Prentice Golf Team won the WIAA Regional Championship on Tuesday at the Inshalla Country Club. The Bucs set a school scoring record with a 297. Ladysmith finished 30 strokes behind Prentice. Eliah Harding led the way with an even par 70, Matti Heikkinen shot a 74, Hagan Isaacson a 76, Evan Lord a 78 and Jackson Isaacson shot a 79. Prentice will compete in the WIAA Sectional Meet on Tuesday at Big Fish Golf Club in Hayward. The first tee times are at 9:00 am.

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