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Hatchet Softball Team Shut-Out by Lakeland Published on 05/01/2024 under Sports

Tomahawk's softball squad was shut out by Lakeland for the second consecutive game, losing, 6-0.

The Hatchets were at the mercy of T-Bird pitcher and University of Arkansas commit Saylor Timmerman, striking out 14 batters. Tomahawk only got two hits in the game, coming from Sammy Gebauer and Macy Jankiewicz.

The loss is Tomahawk's third straight, dropping to 7-9 on the season and 2-5 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets will try to break their losing streak Thursday night in Medford.

In Other News

Merrill Preparing for Debut of 'Food Truck-a-Palooza'

Published on 05/16/2024 under News The countdown is on for a brand new event in Merrill this weekend, and attendees should bring their appetite The popularity of food trucks has exploded in recent years with these mobile restaurants now present in most Northwoods communities. It's even spawned a competition series on the Food Network. This weekend, the City of Merrill is getting in on the trend in a big way with what they've dubbed 'Food Truck-a-Palooza. With the community already the home-base for several food trucks, organizers reached out to operators from across the region for a day of good times and good food. Coming up on Saturday, they'll have more than a dozen food trucks on site at the Merrill Festival Grounds. Half are from here in Lincoln County, while other chefs will be putting on the miles, coming from Rhinelander, the Wausau area, even as far as Tigerton and Winneconne. Looking for variety no matter your favorite cuisine, they'll have food trucks that specialize in Mexican, Pizza, Thai, burgers, sandwiches and BBQ. They've even got a dessert truck. Between bites, attendees can burn off a few calories by walking through the craft and vendor show. They'll have live entertainment, a cornhole tournament, and other fun activities. For menu previews and other event details you can check out their Facebook page, or you can simply stop by the Festival Grounds throughout the day on Saturday.

Published on 05/16/2024 under News A popular student club with a focus on mental health will be coming to Tomahawk. We've featured a number of stories on the Raise Your Voice Club. Many Northwoods schools already have chapters, including the Merrill School District which has been an area leader. At their meeting Tuesday, the Tomahawk School Board heard a presentation and approved efforts to establish a chapter here in Tomahawk. Middle school counselor Cassie Cerny has been leading the effort. She gave a brief overview. Among the goals of Raise Your Voice Club is to eliminate the stigma around mental health while breaking down barriers and building community. To gauge interest, Cerny says that set up an informational table and more than 50 students signing up between the middle and high schools. Earlier this month that held an introductory meeting to explore the direction the students wanted to pursue. She mentioned outreach including a 'color run,' mental health first aid, a mental health library, bringing in guest speakers, and a summer summit. They've also received support from Aspirus and Heritage Chevrolet to help get the program off the ground. It comes at a fitting time, as May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Published on 05/16/2024 under News A Tomahawk School District employee was recently recognized for her quick, life-saving actions earlier this year. State Senator Mary Felzkowski and Representative Calvin Callahan made a stop at the Tomahawk Middle School on Wednesday where they presented Nancy Bernardi with a special citation from the state. According to the school district, Bernardi responded to an individual who was choking in the lunchroom. Applying the Heilmich technique, she was able to dislodge the item. Her swift action, credited with potentially saving the individual's life. Photo provided by Tomahawk School District (L to R) District Administrator Wendell Quesinberry; Rep. Calvin Callahan; Nancy Bernardi; Sen. Mary Felzkowski

Published on 05/16/2024 under News A documentary recounting the life of a highly decorated, local Vietnam Vet can now be called an award winning film. Earlier this year, we told you about 'Honor in the Air' which tells the story of the late Captain Scott Alwin. We even spoke with Pamela Alwin Fullerton, Scott's sister who co-produced the film. Alwin served five tours in Vietnam between 1967 and 1972. During his service, the pilot was highly decorated and the recipient of some of the nation's highest honors, more than 100 medals in all. Alwin tragically lost his life, back on US soil, when his vehicle was struck by a drunken driver. He was laid to rest in Marathon County. Through Honor in the Air, Alwin Fullerton, along with co-producer Susan Reetz of Weston-based Clear Focus Media set out to recount Scott's life story. Through a variety of screenings, they've received glowing reviews, and now they have the hardware to prove it. Honor in the Air recently won an 'Award of Excellence' from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. The biographical film was selected from more than 3,000 entries.

Published on 05/16/2024 under News Local cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy have an innovative new option that may help prevent some of the hair loss commonly associated with treatment. It's a technique known as scalp cooling, and Aspirus Cancer Care - Wausau is the first cancer treatment center in the area to offer the service. In an Aspirus news release announcing the treatment, they said reducing the temperature of the scalp has been shown to help protect hair follicles and limit damage caused by the chemotherapy drugs. It is done through a special head covering worn before, during and briefly after a chemo infusion. In addition to protecting some of the hair, studies have also shown hair may regrow more quickly following treatment. They referred to one patient who benefited from the scalp cooling treatment during her chemotherapy and noted the sense of normalcy she felt during a challenging time. Summer Verg, Survivorship Coordinator and Clinical Educator added, "Patients so far have been really excited about scalp cooling." Not all cancer patients are good candidates, its used for those receiving treatment for solid tumor cancers, most commonly found in the breast, ovaries, cervix, uterus, lung, and prostate. Patients at Aspirus Cancer Care-Wausau can have that conversation with their treatment team.

Published on 05/15/2024 under News Last fall, the Tomahawk School District set out to develop a new Community Education Program. After plenty of work behind the scenes, they're moving closer to launch. At their meeting Tuesday, the Tomahawk School Board heard an update on the Community Education Program from Taylor Remington. She was hired by the district in December to essentially build the program from the ground up. There are other school districts who have similar offerings including Rhinelander. Remmington was able to use them as a blueprint, while still catering to Tomahawk's needs. Earlier this year, the district conducted a community survey. Remmington says they received quality feedback from approximately 160 respondents. Among the survey topics was gauging public interest in class offerings in categories such as arts, outdoor recreation, fitness, and hobbies. Remmington was cognizant of businesses that may offer similar services but stressed the goal is collaboration not competition. An example she used would be bringing in the owner of a fitness facility to lead those classes. Other steps in the process include developing policies for the instructors, and a new website that would serve as a portal with class listings, information, registration and online payment options. As for when people can expect classes, Remmington anticipated a soft launch this summer with a small number of course offered on a one by one basis. A larger launch is expected in the fall with a bigger selection.

Published on 05/15/2024 under News And a bit of good news for motorists here in the Tomahawk area with an ongoing construction project. Lincoln County Highway Commissioner Jason Lemmer says they will begin some paving work on County A. That's the project between the City of Tomahawk and Highway 8 that began in early May. Lemmer says, weather-permitting, they'll begin paving May 20-23. Motorists should use an alternative route and can expect some delays for local traffic.

Published on 05/15/2024 under News New Staff Hires May is a time of transition for schools, not only for the students, but staff as well. Long-time school staff are working their final days ahead of retirement, while new educators are getting ready to join the ranks. Tomahawk is no different, and this year they have around a dozen people set to retire. At their meeting Tuesday, the school board voted to fill five positions including an administrative hire in the high school. Justin Lauber was approved as the new associate principal in the high school. That vacancy was created when Sherri Woodall moved to the elementary, taking over for Guy Steckbauer who is retiring. The board also approved four new teachers: in the elementary, Hannah Fisher and Emily Bublitz; High School Science teacher Cayla Kirchbaum, and THS alum Jarret Flynn in Tech Ed. Post-Election Meeting Following April elections, the May meeting of the Tomahawk School Board began a new term. It marked the first meeting for new board member Lonny Calhoun. He won as a write-in for a vacant city seat. There were some shifts among other board members, and Calhoun essential succeeds long-time board member Cherie Hafeman who did not seek re-election. The board elected officer, with Ron Zimmerman re-elected board president and Kay Kissenger Wolfe as VP. Annual Spring Action Items In some routine spring items, the board unanimously approved the graduation lists, the food service contract, the tentative 2025-26 calendar, and officially updated the end-of-year calendar for the current year. Raise Your Voice Coming to Tomahawk The Board also heard a presentation and subsequently approved a new Raise Your Voice Club. We'll have a bit more on that topic in the coming days. Downtime for Reapportionment Committee And members of the reapportionment committee provided a brief update. They continue gathering the necessary petition signatures and anticipate some downtime over the summer. That's because the official action takes place at the district's annual meeting in September.

Published on 05/15/2024 under News Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, and experts are anticipating near record travel. Earlier this week, Triple A offered up their annual Memorial Day travel forecast. According to their estimates, more than 800,000 Wisconsin residents are expected to travel at least 50 miles over the long weekend. That would be the second highest on record, falling just short of 2019. Debbie Haas, VP of Travel for Triple A notes that Memorial Day weekend is typically the start of a very busy summer travel season. Here in the Northwoods, there is typically a steady influx of people returning to open cabins ahead of summer. Northbound traffic should be heaviest next Friday evening, while southbound traffic typically peaks Memorial Day Monday in the afternoon. As for the price at the pump, Triple A says Wisconsin's average gas price is tracking below prices from Memorial Day last year.

Published on 05/15/2024 under News A growing program here in the Northwoods encourages young girls to run while building life skills. It's known as 'Girls on the Run.' Part of a nationwide program, there is a Northwoods group. The local chapter started 20 years ago up in Minocqua. They now have around a dozen communities from Manitowish Waters to Mosinee. The 10-week, after-school program is based on running, but also builds social and emotional skills in addition to the physical benefits for elementary and middle school participants. Each spring session culminates with a 5k run, which also serves as a fun celebration. There are two local runs coming up this weekend. The first, celebrating the 20th anniversary will be at Minocqua Winter Park on Saturday. Then on Sunday, they'll shift south to Merrill and the River Bend Trail out of Agra Park. For those in a community with a Girls on the Run program, they are always looking to expand, while also seeking coaches, ambassadors, and fundraisers to help current programs. You can visit their website for more information.

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