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Wisconsin Public Services Hosts Students for 'Solar Olympics' Published on 05/18/2023 under News

Mother nature cooperated with area students as they displayed their renewable energy skills.

Wisconsin Public Service held their 27th annual Solar Olympics on the UW-Oshkosh campus. More than 100 students participated from 14 high schools within the WPS footprint. Local schools participating included Three Lakes, Lakeland, Marathon, Wausau West, and Tomahawk.

The friendly competition, hosted each spring, allows these students to showcase their knowledge of solar energy. This year featured 13 different events all with the common theme of solar. Just a few of the examples, solar cars, solar cookers, design work, and solar jeopardy.

Area students are bringing a few gold medals back to the Northwoods. Three Lakes won the Photovoltaic Innovation event, while Tomahawk claimed top spot in Solar T-Shirt Design. The Marathon participants scored well in a number of categories and earned a silver medal in the overall competition.

WPS created the Solar Olympics in 1997 in conjunction with districts participating in the Solarwise for Schools program. Solarwise provides renewable energy lesson plans, projects, and teacher training.

In Other News

Home Fires Typical Increase During Christmas Holiday

Published on 12/20/2024 under News Cooking, candles and Christmas decorations not only make it a festive holiday, but also raise the risk of fire. Area fire departments are reminding those hosting holiday gatherings over the next few days to be mindful of those hazards. According to the National Fire Protection Association, outside of Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are two of the busiest days for home fires. Data shows approximately 1,000 fires are caused by Christmas trees and decorations like candles. NFPA spokesperson, Lorraine Carli says, "By understanding when and where potential risks exist, people can take simple steps to reduce their likelihood, which can go a long way toward ensuring a festive, fire-free holiday season." Starting with your Christmas tree: turn off the lights when you go to bed and make sure to keep it well-watered throughout the season. Keep candles away from any flammable materials, and never let them burn when you're outside the home or sleeping. As for cooking, the kitchen is the origin of nearly half of all house fires. Carli notes that it's easy to become distracted when trying to do too much. If you're hosting a gathering, try to get as much of the cooking out of the way before your guests arrive. Local fire departments are also sharing fire safety messages at this time of year through their Keep the Wreath Green campaign.

Published on 12/20/2024 under News Over the past few months, kids in Oneida County have been taking Legos to a whole new level. This weekend they'll showcase their efforts to the community. Oneida County 4-H is hosting a Youth Robotics Festival on Saturday morning and is inviting the public to attend. The free event will feature 4-H robotics teams from Three Lakes and Rhinelander. Oneida County 4-H partnered with FIRST Lego League to introduce STEM activities to 4th through 8th graders with fun hands-on learning. The activities also help the students develop life skills such as communication and organization. The latest season began back in August, with participants meeting weekly. As we shared last month, the High-Tech Hodag team actually qualified for the state competition. During Saturday's event, the team members will showcase their models, answer questions, recap their season and receive their awards. In addition, Oneida County 4-H leaders will be offering science activities for youth of all ages. For those interested, it'll take place tomorrow (Saturday, December 21) from 10am to noon at the Northwoods Center at Nicolet.

Published on 12/20/2024 under News A day of ice fishing turned into a rescue mission for a group of army soldiers in Northcentral Wisconsin. According to a news release from U.S. Army Public Affairs, Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Deeren, Staff Sgt. Matthew Jones, and Staff Sgt. Steven Vest are currently stationed in Wausau as Army recruiters. The trio decided to spend a day ice fishing on the Wisconsin River when they witnessed another angler break through the ice. They quickly sprang into action, utilizing a make-shift rope by tying their jackets together. They were able to pull the man out of the water, getting him into dry clothes and a heated vehicle until emergency crews arrived. Capt. Matthew Olson, Commander of the Fort McCoy Recruiting Company, said, "I'm beyond proud of the Wausau Army team. Their display of courage and selfless service is a tribute to their Army values and training and reflects the quality of Soldiers we work with every day."

Published on 12/20/2024 under News Another sure sign of winter's arrival... Wisconsin's frozen road laws are beginning to take effect. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced that as of Saturday morning, the declaration will be in place for zones 1 and 2, which comprise roughly the northern half of the state. The frozen road law allows heavier loads for trucks carrying certain cross-cut forest products, along with salt and sand for winter maintenance. The declaration is issued once the ground under highway pavement is frozen to a depth of at least 18-inches. The higher weight limits do not apply to county or local roads unless authorized by the local agency having maintenance authority. The frozen road determination for the remaining portions of the state will be made once conditions warrant.

Published on 12/20/2024 under News The DNR is hosting the first of their twice annual free fishing weekends in just under a month. On Free Fishing Weekend, anglers can fish most Wisconsin waterways without a fishing license or a stamp. The winter event will take place January 18-19. The DNR is encouraging fishing clubs and organizations to consider hosting free fishing clinics to coincide with the free weekend. They note that youth can fish without a license year-round, so it's a good opportunity to target adults. They also encourage consideration of anglers with limited mobility. Once registered, the DNR will promote the clinic and provide educational materials. Interested groups must register by January 8.

Published on 12/20/2024 under News Triple A is projecting record travel over the holiday season. Before hitting the road or flying the skies, Aspirus is reminding travelers to take a little extra care with medications. Proper storage is essential to ensuring medications work as intended, especially when it comes to temperatures. Aspirus Pharmacy Resident Rebecca Thao says, "To maintain their efficacy, you want to keep (prescriptions) in an insulated container if you can, and keep them in their original container..." Thao specifically highlighted freezing temperatures, through if your final destination includes sun and sand, those medications should also be kept in a cool, shaded location. Thao recommended reviewing and discussing any medication needs with your provider or pharmacist. And prepare for the unexpected, she says to bring enough medication to last your entire trip along with a few extra doses in case of a delay or emergency. If you lose your medication or run out: Contact your health care provider for a new prescription at a nearby pharmacy, request a prescription transfer through a national pharmacy chain or visit a local walk-in clinic to obtain a new prescription.

Published on 12/19/2024 under Sports Tomahawk's boys' basketball squad came into Mercer and dominated the Tigers from opening tip Thursday night, winning, 84-34. With Brody Rigney out due to injury, the Hatchets relied on a cast of characters to carry the scoring. Colton Seslar led the way with 21 points for Tomahawk. Dominic Boos had 12 points. Tyler Sundquist had 11. Both Malachi Sheffler and Jeremiah Johnson chipped in 10 for Tomahawk. The Hatchets put 54 points up in the first half, including knocking down seven of their eight three-pointers. The win puts Tomahawk at 2-3 on the season. The Hatchets will be back in action tonight for a Great Northern Conference Showdown at Rhinelander. Tip is at 7:15.

Published on 12/19/2024 under Sports On Thursday night, the top ranked team in Division Two remained undefeated as they beat Medford 10-1. Tomahawk out shot Medford 56-8 in the win, as the Hatchets improve to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the Great Northern Conference. The Hatchets led 4-0 after the first and 8-1 after the second period. Tomahawk added two goals in the final period enroute to their seventh win of the season. The Hatchets were led by Jett Reilly's hat trick, and he also added an assist on the night. Sawyer Hanna lit the lamp twice and Jonah Dickens, Landyn Seymour, Brayden Lamer, Cole Peterson and Jake Albert added goals. Brayden Lamer also had three assists, while Beau Stromberg had two assists, and Albert and Dickens added one assist for the Hatchets in the win. Freshman Hudson Seymour got his first high school win in the Hatchet net. Tomahawk will host West Bend on Saturday at 1:00 pm at the SARA Park Ice Arena. Catch the game on Northwoods 92-5, WJJQ, on-line at wjjq.com and on the WJJQ App, with the Fehrman Orthodontics Pregame Show at 12:35 pm.

Published on 12/19/2024 under News While winter doesn't officially arrive until the weekend, we're getting a sneak peak with a widespread snow expected throughout the day Thursday. Our Northwoods forecast is just a few inches, but central Wisconsin and communities along Lake Michigan could see upwards of 8-10 inches. A number of school districts made the early decision for a snow day. With higher totals forecast to our south and east, these closures are predominantly from Wausau and south. Of course, stay tuned to WJJQ throughout the winter for local cancellations here in the Northwoods. And with our first major snow of the season, officials also note it's important to brush up on winter driving skills.That all starts before you leave your home. The DoT recommends keeping a winter driving kit in your vehicle. Try to keep at least a half tank of gas and a fully charged cell phone. Always clear snow and ice from your vehicle before leaving. Once on the road, the DoT recommends slowing down and allow plenty of time to reach your destination. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses, and ramps. Lastly, leave room for maintenance vehicles and snowplows to do their jobs.

Published on 12/19/2024 under News By the end of the day, there will be plenty of snow to remove. If you're planning to shovel, health officials encourage doing so safely. Snow removal can be a deceptively dangerous chore for your body and can impact your heart, your back, and slip injuries. Aspirus is reminding shovelers to be mindful of those dangers. We heard from Aspirus physical therapist Katie Zenner, who discussed shovel techniques to avoid injury. She says you want to avoid stress and strain on your back by keeping it straight, engaging your core, and utilizing your legs. Avoid twisting and turning. Zenner added, "Instead of just lifting with that shovel and twisting at your trunk, move your feet so you're keeping your body all in line." A few other general shoveling tips offered up by Aspirus: Dress for the cold from head to toe...that includes good footwear for traction. Before you start do a little stretching, and take breaks throughout the process. Try to lighten your load by shoveling a few times during the snow event rather than waiting until it's done. And most importantly, if you do feel any pain, stop shoveling right away. If you have chest pain, seek medical attention immediately.

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