WJJQ Radio

Story Details

Tomahawk School Board Recap: Budget Work Ongoing for September Approval Published on 08/14/2024 under News

As schools prepare their campuses for the return of students in the coming weeks, their administrative teams and school boards have been busy preparing budgets for the upcoming year. The preliminary spending plan for the Tomahawk School District was on the Board's agenda Tuesday.

District Administrator Wendell Quesinberry provided a brief overview of the spending plan last night. In general, he noted that the district is in good financial shape. That's in part due to the most recent referendum that expires after this school year. The district is also expected to receive another increase in general aid from the state, along with a boost in per pupil funding.

On campus, Quesinberry highlighted fiscal responsibility in the decisions they've made.

As was the case last year, he anticipated the district will under levy. That means they'll ask tax payers to contribute less than the maximum amount allowable under current limits.

Quesinberry cautioned that last night's budget is preliminary as they work with placeholders for variables such as enrollment.

The budget will be back on the agenda for the annual meeting in September.

A couple of other quick notes from last night's school board meeting...

The Board used a vacant high school guidance counselor position to review their duties. The two positions have traditionally served in multiple capacities including student's personal needs as well as planning for the future. At last night's meeting, and after some discussion, the board approved a proposal to modify the vacant counselor position to an Academic and Career planning coordinator to focus specially on those duties. Board members did offer concern in leaving just one traditional guidance counselor on staff. As a result, the motion was amended to include a review and consideration to bring back the second counselor position at a later date.

_____

And some good news for Tomahawk Middle School Eighth Graders who will once again have an opportunity to travel to the nation's capital. The week long, summer field trip to the East Coast was approved under a new partnership with an agency that takes care of trip planning and coordination. This will once again allow qualifying students this enjoyable and educational trip to Washington.

In Other News

Primary Results: November Ballot in Northwoods Takes Shape

Published on 08/14/2024 under News The November ballot is likely set, and the preliminary results didn't offer many surprises here in the the Northwoods. Tuesday was the fall primary in the state of Wisconsin. There were a handful of competitive races here in the Northwoods. Congressman Tom Tiffany knows his opponent for the 7th district House race this fall. Kyle Kilbourn defeated Elsa Duranceau in the Democratic primary. He received 58% of the 56,000 votes cast. 35th Assemblyman Calvin Callahan easily defeated his Republican primary challenger Todd Mayer with 85% of the vote. That sets up a race with Democrat Elizabeth McCrank who ran unopposed. Coincidentally, McCrank and Callahan served along side each other on the Lincoln County Board until Callahan's resignation last year. The match-up for District 12 State Senate was already set, Republican incumbent Mary Felzkowski and Democratic challenger Andi Rich were both unopposed. And finally there was a county-level race here in Lincoln County. Clerk Christ Marlowe faced a primary challenge from Steve Osness. It looks like the incumbent will remain in office. He received 58% of the approximately 3,900 votes in the race. He'll be the lone Clerk candidate on the ballot.

Published on 08/14/2024 under News An ongoing expansion/renovation project at the Marshfield Medical Center Park Falls Hospital wrapped up phase one, and leaders were on hand to celebrate Tuesday. Phase One included adding new spaces for physical & occupational therapy, inpatient pharmacy and the 11-bed Med-Surg hospital unit. Ty Erickson, president of the Marshfield Clinic Health System north market says,"We're at the halfway mark of an exciting venture that ensures state-of-the-art medical technology and an innovative healing environment remain available for the Park Falls region for years to come." Among the attendees at yesterday's ceremony was Governor Evers. The project was selected to receive a Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program from the state which provided $20 million. During his visit, Governor Evers says "Every Wisconsinite should have access to affordable, high-quality healthcare in our state, but we know that rural communities often face their own unique challenges that can stand in the way of folks getting the care they need." As for what's next, Phase 2 will include a retail pharmacy, a relocated urgent care and new spaces for several rehab services. They'll also replace flooring, furniture and lighting in existing space to match the new campus. They hope to wrap up this next phase by next summer.-Photo provided by Marshfield Clinic-

Published on 08/14/2024 under News Leaders in Minocqua will have some additional money to work with in future budget planning. On Tuesday, voters in the Northwoods town approved a referendum to increase the tax levy by $750,000. In promoting the ballot item, the Town said they planned to use the funds in order to retain levels of service for police, fire, public works and library, while maintaining public infrastructure, equipment, and facilities. They anticipate an approximate increase of $39 per $100,000 in assessed value. The referendum was narrowly passed, 804 votes in favor 758 votes opposed. This is actually the third recent attempt at a referendum in Minocqua. In April, a $950,000 request was defeated by just 12 votes.

Published on 08/14/2024 under News A feast and fundraiser is lined up for the Tomahawk area this weekend. The Wishes for Kids organization is hosting their annual Pork Roast at Surewood Forest on Lake Alice Saturday. We were recently joined by one of the organizers, Dave Duranceau to talk a bit about the group and Saturday's event. The local Wishes for Kids has now contributed more than $150,000 to the Wisconsin Make a Wish program, and the Northern chapters specifically. That included a $25,000 donation last year alone. As a result, they've been able to fund dozens of experiences large and small. They've actually created a 'Wall of Wishes' at Surewood Forest that highlights some they've helped fulfill. This weekend's Pig Roast has served as a major fundraising event for the cause. They'll be set up at Surewood Forest, rain or shine, with activities starting at 2pm and the meal at 4pm. The ticket is just $10 for food and plenty of other entertainment. You can hear the entire conversation as a podcast in the WJJQ audio center.

Published on 08/14/2024 under News Throughout the year, the DNR leans on citizen scientists to be their eyes and ears in the outdoors, tracking everything from deer to aquatic invasive species. Now they've put out a call for volunteers to be on the look out for rare plants. It's part of their Wisconsin Rare Plant Monitoring Program, which provides their largest source of rare plant data. Jessica Ross is the coordinator. She says, ""Whether you have botanical knowledge, a commitment to conservation or are just passionate about plants, this is a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors while making a difference." Ross says their volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds, however their efforts all play a significant role in understanding the state of rare plants on how to conserve them. Over the past decade, volunteers have covered nearly every county in the state. Last year alone, 178 reports were submitted including 31 newly documented locations of rare plants. They've got some training opportunities which help volunteers in surveying, estimates, habitats, and establishing GPS coordinates.. Although formal plant identification training isn't required or included, successful volunteers often have previous experience. Additional information is available on the DNR website.

Published on 08/13/2024 under News Wisconsin voters will head to the polls today for the Fall Primary. While the ballot may seem lengthy at first, local elections officials are reminding voters that it is a partisan primary. That means that when casting a ballot, voters will first select which party they'll vote for, and then cannot cross-over for other races down ballot. Those voting on paper ballots may find a party selection circle at the top. Those digital voting may be prompted to choose a party at the start screen, and the machine will narrow the ballot to the selected party. The races on a specific ballot will differ based on location and party selection. It may include US Senate or House; Wisconsin Senate or Assembly and event some county-level offices. All ballots include two statewide referendum questions. Voters can go to myvote.wi.gov and enter their address to view their specific ballot and their polling location. Here in city of Tomahawk, all voters go to SARA Park. The winners of today's primaries will appear in the November general election.

Published on 08/13/2024 under News An armed stand-off in Lincoln County last week ended without incident. That incident happened on last Tuesday, August 6, at a home on a Herb Mitchell Road in the Town of Bradley. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Report, deputies initially responded to a report of a domestic disturbance involving a 64 year old Irma man and his fiance, a 69 year old Oshkosh woman. As deputies arrive on the scene, the woman was able to safely evacuate the home, however the man barricaded himself inside. He was allegedly armed with a shot gun. As a result, the Lincoln County Special Response Team was activated. According to the report, they spoke with the man via telephone, and after several hours convinced him to surrender without incident. The man, whose name was not immediately released, was booked for domestic disorderly conduct and battery. The Sheriff's Office says additional charges are pending.

Published on 08/13/2024 under News It's just a few weeks until students head back to school. Parents are reminded to get an appropriate backpack to help their young learners stay healthy and happy. When selecting a backpack decisions often come down to fashion versus function. We recently heard from Megan Stankowski, a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Aspirus. She notes, "Improper backpack usage among children can lead to neck pain, headaches, back pain and hip pain." She offered up a few tips for parents purchasing a new bookbag for their students this fall. First look for a backpack versus a messenger style bag. It should have two broad, padded shoulder straps, along with a waist or chest strap. Make sure to adjust the straps for a snug fit. Once you've got your backpack, Stankowski notes it's important not to overload it. The general guidance is 15 percent of a child's body weight. A useful tip is to carry heavier items like a laptop rather than using an already full backpack. She recommends using compartments to distribute the weight evenly, and it's also a good idea to routinely check the bag for unneeded items and remove them. Lastly, Stankowski says it's a good idea to talk with your child about their backpack as well.

Published on 08/13/2024 under News Throughout the summer, the Tomahawk Historical Society has been collecting shoes and put out a final call. The shoes won't be part of any future exhibit, but actually serve as a fundraiser for the local museum. They've partnered with an international organization that distributes shoes to those in developing countries. In exchange, the Historical Society will receive a financial donation for collecting shoes. It's all part of their campaign to raise money for an expansion project. The new building will house upcoming exhibits on antique printing equipment as well as a display on the Tomahawk Boat Manufacturing Company. All summer long, their volunteers have been appearing at community events to collect shoes. They've also partnered with local businesses to serve as drop-off locations. They ask that anyone still planning on donating shoes to do so by Monday. Drop-off locations include Trig's, Crossbridge Community Bank, Milo's, Qualheim's, Park City Credit Union, Tomahawk Pharmacy, Tomahawk Main Street Office, Harley Davidson-Somo Plant, and WJJQ.

Published on 08/13/2024 under News A group of vintage motorcycle enthusiasts will be traveling through Northern Wisconsin this week. The Antique Motorcycle Club of America selected Eagle River to host one of their five National Road Run events this year. The AMCA was founded in 1954 by antique motorcycle enthusiasts on the east coast. They've grown to feature 85 chapters around the country including the Wisconsin-based Badger Heritage Chapter. The group said the National Road Runs provide a great opportunity to use these classic machines for their intended purpose—riding on back roads in some of the most scenic parts of the country. The members own, restore, preserve and ride their motorcycles which are all more than 35 years old. They described the Road Run events as a "rolling museum" which offers the public a chance to view the bikes and talk with the riders of these historic machines. There will be an opportunity this evening in Eagle River. They'll be set up from 4pm to 7pm on Wall Street. Organizers said they expect more than 200 motorcycles to be on display. The organization is celebrating the 40th anniversary of their first National Road Run with five events this year from coast to coast.

+ Read More