WJJQ Radio

Recent News

WPS: Think Safety and Efficiency in Home Heating When Temperatures Drop

Published on 01/23/2026 under News When temperatures drop, people may seek ways to save a few degrees and a few dollars in their home. With our coldest stretch in a few years, Wisconsin Public Service put out a reminder on home heating safety and efficiency. The two main concerns of home heating, outside of a higher bill, are carbon monoxide and fire. WPS is reminding residents to ensure their carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are in working order. Along those same lines, make sure your meters and vents are cleared. If you decide to warm up your car, make sure the garage door is open, or better yet pull it out into the driveway. A space heater may provide a little extra warmth for a specific room. Try to upgrade to newer models with safety features. WPS says that space heaters should always be plugged directly into the wall. Extension cords and power strips can overload which creates a fire risk. If you're looking to keep your home cozy, WPS also offered a few tips for home heating efficiency as well. Close off rooms that aren't in use. Sunshine and south facing windows are your friend. Open curtains and blinds during the day to provide some added warmth, while closing them at night will help retain heat and cut down on drafts. And if you have ceiling fans, make sure sure they're turning clockwise to push the warm air back down towards the floor. And for future cold, consider a check to seal gaps around windows and doors and keep your furnace regularly serviced. You can visit the WPS website for more tips as well as resources for customers on heating assistance.

Published on 01/23/2026 under News Earlier this week, we talked about the dangers of frostbite. The other major concern in extreme cold is hypothermia. We heard from Aspirus Emergency Physician, Dr. Amery Robinson about hypothermia. Robinson notes, "(Hypothermia) often happens when people aren't expecting it. Even if you know how to handle winter conditions, dangers can sneak up on you." And a victim doesn't need to spend significant time outdoors or a fall into an icy water to experience symptoms. In fact, Robinson said some of the most severe cases he's treated have happened indoors. He provided an example of a fall, leading to extended time with body contact with a cold floor in the basement or garage. That's why it's important to check-in on vulnerable populations, making sure there is a way to call for help in an emergency. As for what to look for, Robinson described early symptoms of hypothermia as the 'umbles.' This includes mumbling, stumbling, fumbling or bumbling. Early symptoms can be treated by providing warmth and even a sweet treat. Robinson explained body heat is generated through metabolism. Sugar and simple carbs are broken down quickly, so they can be especially useful in this case.

Published on 01/23/2026 under News If you spent time the last few days on social media, you may have seen viral posts about exploding trees in this extreme cold. The DNR has dispelled those posts, and explained what is really happening. Officials note the more appropriate headline would be 'cracking trees.' They explained, When it gets cold enough, the liquid sap inside trees can freeze and expand. This puts intense pressure on the inside of the tree which can lead to it physically cracking. It's this force that causes the popping or cracking noise that led to the exploding tree misnomer. As for what happens to the tree moving forward. While the DNR notes this will seldom kill the tree, it can be an entry point for insects, bacteria, and fungi that can negatively impact the tree. Property owners may want to monitor impacted trees in their yards and consult an arborist if concerned.

Published on 01/23/2026 under News Whether you're a snowbird heading south for a few months or planning a quick winter getaway, officials are reminding travelers to be aware of tollway scams. The Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection said they've recently seen an uptick in complaints about these scams. While Wisconsin doesn't have toll roads, many popular travel destinations and neighboring states do. The modern toll system allows motorists to pay online using your license plate for your contact information. Scammers have been posing as these services by sending unsolicited text or email messages claiming the recipient has an outstanding toll and a quickly approaching late fee. In addition to seeking payment, they may also provide a link where you'll be prompted to provide personal information. The DATCP says the first step to avoid these scams is awareness. If you are unsure if you received a possible toll, verify with the toll service's actual website. Don't utilize the links or contact information included in the suspicious message.

Published on 01/23/2026 under News A Northwoods food pantry will benefit from youth at a local church. Early this week, a group of children from Trinity Lutheran Church presented the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry with a contribution for their Hodag Monster Meals program. The funds came from a program at the church known as The Children's Offering. In an effort to teach children about giving back, during the service, the kids are invited to make a donation to a cause impacting children. For December, they selected the Hodag Monster Meals program. As the kids make their way up to the donation jug with their own contribution, they explained that the parishioners add to the cause. In then end, they had nearly $1,800 for the Food Pantry donation. RAFP Director Courtney Smith said she was thankful, offering gratitude for empowering Trinity's young people to help fight hunger and for supporting their mission. She added, "We appreciate Trinity's long-standing commitment to building food security in our community and supporting RAFP."

Published on 01/22/2026 under News With frigid temperatures in the forecast, officials are reminding residents to be prepared and knowledgeable to stay warm. Winter extremes the next few days are something to take seriously including risks of hypothermia and frostbite. Hypothermia is a condition that develops when the core body temperature drops below 95 ̊F. Frostbite is cold damage to body tissue. When windchills drop to a range of 20 and 30 below zero, frostbite can occur in as quickly as a half an hour. As the windchills approach 50 below, as is forecast overnight, it can set in as quickly as 5 minutes. Last winter, relatively mild, saw 96 cold-related deaths in Wisconsin according to the Department of Health Services. There were nearly 1,400 emergency calls and about the same number of ER visits, and approximately 400 hospitalizations related to the cold. If you must head out, dress warm and limit your time outdoors. When traveling keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. Try to keep you gas tank at least half full, and a fully charged cell phone. The Lincoln County Health Department is also reminding people to keep in mind where warming centers are. These facilities are designated to provide a place for residents to warm up, and most open during their regular business hours. Here in the Tomahawk area warming centers include: the library, city hall, the senior center, Our Sisters' House and Strikers Tomahawk Bowl. In Merrill: TB Scott Library; the MARC; the Merrill Enrichment Center; Lincoln County Service Center; Les & Jim's Lincoln Lanes; Riverside Athletic Club; and Walmart. The Gleason Bowling Center is designated warming area. We also heard from the Little Rice Fire Department, which will have the station open from 6am to 6pm on Friday.

+ Read More

Sports Headlines

Hatchet Boys Swimming Team Beats Medford

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports The Hatchet boys' swimmers notched another Great Northern Conference dual victory at the Hatchet Pool Tuesday night, defeating Medford, 72-56. Tomahawk placed first seven total events. Connor Germano placed first in the 50 yard and 100 yard freestyle relays. Dane Dekiep placed first in the 100 yard butterfly relay. The Hatchets also got first-place finishes in the 200 yard medley and 400 yard freestyle relays. Tomahawk's dual record now stands at 3-7 on the season. The Hatchets will have a double dual in Medford with the host and Lakeland coming up on Monday. Events begin at 5:30.

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's hockey squad got another victory in Great Northern Conference play Tuesday night, shutting out Waupaca at SARA Park, 6-0. Tomahawk got on the board twice in the first period, as Breck Stromberg scored on assists from Beau Stromberg and Cole Peterson. The second goal came from Jett Reilly, and was assisted by Jake Albert and Brayden Lamer. Tomahawk outshot Waupaca 20 to three in the first. Tomahawk Senior Jonah Dickens had both goals in the second period, scoring at the 11:56 mark and the 10:13 mark. The first Dickens goal was assisted by Jett Reilly and the second by Brayden Lamer. Tomahawk would add two more goals in the third, Lamer scored a power play goal with assists to Jett Reilly and Colin Black. Cole Peterson closed out the scoring and Mason Jaecks and Beau Stromberg got assists. The Hatchets outshot Waupaca 64-8 in the victory and Hudson Seymour got the shutout. The win by Tomahawk puts them at 15-3 on the season and 8-0 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets are back in action Saturday afternoon at SARA Park against Baldwin-Woodville. The game will be broadcast by Alex Koch and Zach Garner on Northwoods 92.5 WJJQ. The Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pregame Show begins at 1:35. Opening faceoff is at 2:00.

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports The Hatchet girls' wrestlers had a career highlight take place at the Tomahawk Scramble Tuesday night. Senior wrestler Kylie Peissig notched her 100th career win pinning Wausau East state qualifier Aleeah Lee at 107 pounds. Tomahawk got out to a slow start, but finished the scramble on a high note with multiple wrestlers winning two out of three matches. The Hatchet girls are back in action Friday with an Invite at St. Croix Falls. Events begin at 4:00.

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports Tomahawk's girls' basketball squad would suffer a tough non-conference loss at Suring Tuesday night, 56-42. The Hatchets were unable to get balanced scoring from their starters despite a dominant individual performance from Freya Alberg. The Senior Center put in a season-high 25 points in the loss. Anita Ziert finished with 11 points. The loss drops Tomahawk to 9-6 on the season. The Hatchets are back home for a Great Northern Conference showdown against Antigo Friday night. Tip is at 7:15.

Published on 01/21/2026 under Sports The Hatchet boys' basketball squad would lose their sixth straight game Tuesday night, getting dominated by Crandon, 66-23. Tomahawk would struggle to put points on the board once again, failing to crack 30 points for the sixth time this season. The Hatchets' record falls to 2-12 on the year. Tomahawk is back in action Friday for a Great Northern Conference showdown against Antigo. Tip is at 7:15.

+ Read More

Current Weather

Quick Links

WJJQ Daily Features

5:00 until 10:00AM
Jeff in the Morning
Zach with the News

9:35AM
Monday - Friday
Morning Conversation

8:30am - 9:00am
Monday – Saturday
Trig’s Trading Mart
Call (715) 453-4481 to buy, sell, wanted, trade or help your neighbor.

Listen Live While On The Go!
Stream 92.5FM Live To Your Mobile Device.