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Hatchet Girls Cross Country Team Competes at State Meet Published on 11/04/2024 under Sports

On Saturday, the Tomahawk Hatchet varsity girls team headed south to Wisconsin Rapids to compete at the WIAA Division II State Cross Country Meet. This being the 50th year of WIAA girls cross country.

Since 1975 the Tomahawk girls have competed, as a team, at the state meet 25 times (6th most state qualifications of any Wisconsin school). This particular state meet was a cold, but sunny, day that saw a total of the 16 best Division II teams in the state compete against the Hatchets for the WIAA State Championship. The Division II race included two of the fastest runners in the entire state, including Divisions I & III, as Emmerson Drobac of Deerfield/Cambridge ran the course in 17:38 and Ciara Hartman of Bloomer covered the course in 17:43.

The Division II race kicked off at 12:40 PM. The primary objective of the girls team was to get out early in the race and push themselves while also experiencing the course for the first time. The girls did just that and in the first mile of the highly competitive race they were in 13th place. After the mile however the girls dropped placement and remained in 15th for the rest of the race. The lady Hatchets scored 315 points finishing ahead of Prescott. Leading the team with an exceptional time on the challenging course was senior Alli Palmer taking 66th in a time of 20:42 in her final high school cross country race of her career. Unfortunately for the girls there was a sizable gap between Alli and the rest of the team which led to the lower placement, but nonetheless the girls banned together and finished with a good pack running effort. The pack included sophomore Elise Gibeault with a seasonal best time of 21:39 for 103rd, sophomore Abbie Rosenmeier with a time of 21:42 for 108th, freshman Ellie Micke in a time of 21:45 for 111th, and junior Lydia Shaney in a time of 21:53 for 115th. Rounding out the girls' great effort was sophomore Norah Mann in a time of 23:04 for 137th and junior Faith Derleth with a time of 23:57 in 146th.

There were 151 runners in the girls race with finishing team results as follows: University School of Milwaukee-60, Bloomer-80, Mount Horeb-108, Lancaster-138, New Berlin Eisenhower-158, Little Chute-163, Kiel-212, Saint Croix Central-223, Shorewood-237, Watertown Luther Prep-237, West

Salem-275, Berline-290, Shawano Community-294, New Berlin West-300, Tomahawk-317, and Prescott-349.

Other Great Northern Conference performances included the Rhinelander boys taking 14th in the boys Division II race. Antigo's Lillian L'Esperance took 53rd in a time of 20:26. Medford's Lindsay Kahn took 69th in a time of 20:43. Lakeland sent two individuals with Stella Meza taking 77th (20:54) and Ashton Bremer taking 34th (16:57).

In Other News

Election: Republican Incumbents Prevails; School Referendum Results

Published on 11/06/2024 under News Tuesday was election day, and that means Wednesday is election results day. Taking a look at some of the races here in the Northwoods; it was a good night for the Republican incumbents. In the US House of Representatives, congressman Tom Tiffany cruised to victory over his Democratic challenger Kyle Kilbourn by collecting 64% of the vote. Meanwhile, Mary Felzkowski secured another term in Madison. The 12th district state senator received two out of every three votes against Andi Rich. And in the State Assembly, Rob Swearingen topped Dennis Nitzel in the 34th and Calvin Callahan outpaced Elizabeth McCrank in the 35th. Both winners received more than 64% of the vote. Election: School Referendum Results:Several area school districts asked for additional dollars via referendum. It was good news for districts that are part of the Great Northern Conference. Antigo voters supported their $54 million referendum, which includes funds to construct a new elementary school Medford voters approved a $22.6 million referendum for campus improvements including upgrades to their tech ed facilities. And down in Mosinee, funding a $20 million middle and high school modernization easily passed. For one district, however, it looks like it's back to the drawing board. Preliminary results show the operational referendum in Prentice was narrowly defeated. They were asking for $1.2 million each of the next four years.

Published on 11/06/2024 under News Officials have identified the man arrested after a high speed chase in Oneida County earlier this week. According to the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, 51 year old Daniel Thunder of Neopit is being held in the Oneida County Jail. They are recommending 20 charges and citations including 2nd degree reckless endangerment, 1st offense OWI, hit-and-run, and fleeing. The incident began Monday afternoon on Highway 17 north of Rhinelander. The reporting party indicated their vehicle had been struck by another vehicle attempting to overtake in a no passing zone. They said their vehicle was struck a second time while attempting to pull over, and the other driver was escalating the situation. As deputies arrived on the scene, they said Thunder fled in his vehicle,at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. They said he led them on a chase through the City of Rhinelander. Deputies attempted several maneuvers to disable the vehicle. Eventually, the vehicle proceeded east out of Rhinelander to County C and down a small logging road. Eventually, Thunder surrendered without further incident. A date for an initial court appearance wasn't immediately available.

Published on 11/06/2024 under News The Price County Sheriff's Office offered a few more details on a suspicious death investigation, while putting out a call for any clues or tips from the public. According to the Sheriff's Office, a body was recovered along State Highway 13 near the intersection of Whitby Road in the Town of Hackett. That's just north of Prentice. The body was located Sunday evening at shortly before 9pm. In the update, Sheriff Brian Schmidt is looking for any motorists traveling in the area between 8pm and 9pm who may have noticed anything suspicious. They're also locating for anyone whose vehicle is equipped with a dash cam. Those with information can contact the Sheriff's Office. No information on the victim or manner of death is being provided at this time. Officials indicated there is no threat to the public.

Published on 11/06/2024 under News An inmate in the Lincoln County jail will likely face additional charges after an altercation with another inmate. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, that incident happened on Thursday. According to the investigation, the two inmates were having a discussion that eventually turned into a physical fight. During the course of the fight, several punches were thrown before corrections officers were able to intervene. Both of the involved men are from Wausau, ages 40 and 20. According to the report, the investigating deputy spoke with the older of the two men, while the younger described as the primary aggressor chose not to speak with the deputy. According to the report, charges of battery, disorderly conduct, and strangulation along with bail jumping are being recommended for the 20 year old. ____ A couple of other notes from the Sheriff's Office...a 20 year old Gleason man was booked on several charges including 1st offense OWI following a traffic stop. The number of vehicle/deer crashes remains elevated, another 14 were reported on Lincoln County roadways this past week.

Published on 11/06/2024 under News The Rhinelander Food Pantry is better stocked thanks to a group of students, and the generosity of the community. Ahead of Halloween, the student members of the Rhinelander High School FBLA/DECA participated in their annual Trick-or-Can food drive. Instead of the traditional Food Drive where students sit at a table and wait for the community to bring the food to them, Trick or Can brings the food drive to the community's door, while also raising awareness for an issue in our community. The students distributed collection bags in select neighborhoods around the community. Then the day before Halloween, around a dozen students went door-to-door to collect. They weren't after candy, but non-perishable food items. In the end the students were able to deliver around 550 items to the Rhinelander Food Pantry. Trick-or-Can is actually a statewide campaign, and the Rhinelander students were once again near the top of collections in Wisconsin. They hope to get more people and neighborhoods involved next October.-Photo provided by the Rhinelander School District-

Published on 11/06/2024 under News It's that time of year when millions of people are signing up for health insurance in the marketplace. The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin is reminding consumers to be aware of scammers during open enrollment. Scammers are opportunistic, and they often use real events or deadlines to target their victims. The health insurance sign up period is one of those opportunities. They'll typically portray an agent looking to assist in the enrollment process. They may try to entice you by offering cheap plans, or plans with better benefits. However, they're typically just looking for your personal information. A few red flags to look for...Unsolicited calls as legitimate navigators or assistants cannot initiate the assistance. They're also not able to charge for services. Be wary of gift offers. And if going online, make sure to use the .gov suffix; medicare.gov and healthcare.gov As for key dates ...open enrollment began November 1. December 15 is the deadline to enroll or change plans in order to begin coverage in the new year.

Published on 11/05/2024 under News It's a rainy Election Day here in the state of Wisconsin... After months of candidates campaigning, it's time for voters to weigh in. Many didn't wait for Election Day. According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, more than 1.5 million early or absentee ballots have already been cast. That's approximately 41% of active, registered voters. As for what's at stake, there are a pair of high profile and hotly contested races at the top of the ballot. The presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and the US Senate race between Tammy Baldwin and Eric Hovde. Down ballot there are additional races. For the US House-District 7 Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany is seeking another term, facing Democratic challenger Kyle Kilbourn. In the state legislature, a trio of Republicans are looking to remain in office. Mary Felzkowski serves northeastern Wisconsin in the 12th State Senate district. She faces Andi Rich. In the 34th Assembly, most of Oneida and Vilas Counties, Rob Swearingen faces Dennis Nitzel. While the 35th, mostly Lincoln and Langlade Counties, Calvin Callahan is matched up with Elizabeth McCrank. Both Lincoln and Oneida Counties have some county level races, but each is uncontested. And depending on your voting local, there may also be a school referendum on your ballot. That includes voters in Antigo, Medford, and Prentice. Voters can visit MyVote.Wi.Gov to view their specific ballot.

Published on 11/05/2024 under News While awaiting the election results over what could be the next few days, mental health experts are reminding people to take care of themselves as well. The election isn't the only stressor impacting our mental health, but also the 24/7 news cycle and social media. For some that can create a sense of anxiety. Data from the American Psychiatric Association backs that up, with recent surveys showing 43 percent of adults feeling more anxious than last year. Janet Wimmer is a clinical therapist at Aspirus. She notes these stressors can increase people's fears and leads to a feeling of loss of control. She did offer a few tips to improve mental health. It also starts with limiting news consumption. You don't have to avoid news entirely, but rather set a specific times to check rather than constant exposure. The same goes for social media and what can lead to 'doom scrolling' on certain topics. Wimmer also noted that physical health can impact mental health. She recommends focusing on a balanced diet, hydration and quality sleep. Try and get outside to connect with nature with a hobby or activity. Not only is the physical exertion healthy, spending time outdoors has been known to improve moods and reduce stress. Seek socialization with friends, family, and loved ones. Lastly if you become overwhelmed, don't be afraid to seek help.

Published on 11/05/2024 under News A driver was arrested after a high speed chase in Oneida County that passed through Rhinelander. According to the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, deputies initially responded to a two vehicle accident on Highway 17 north of Rhinelander. The reporting party indicated their vehicle was struck by another vehicle attempting to pass in a no passing zone. They said their vehicle was hit a second time while pulling over and that the other operator was escalating the situation. As deputies arrived at the scene, they said the suspect vehicle fled and pursuit followed reaching speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. The chase continued into the City of Rhinelander where officials noted the driver failed to observe traffic signs and signals while driving recklessly. During the chase, deputies attempted several maneuvers to disable the vehicle. Eventually the vehicle proceeded east out of Rhinelander on Timber Drive to County C and down a small logging road. The driver then surrendered without further incident. The name of the individual was not immediately released.

Published on 11/05/2024 under News Severe weather in Wisconsin changes with the season, and the National Weather Service is offering an opportunity to learn more about winter storms before the snow begins to fly. Known as Skywarn Storm Spotter classes, they are typically offered in the spring and focus on thunder storms, lightning and tornadoes. Our NWS office in Green Bay will be offering three winter versions in the coming weeks. They said the main focus will be on cold weather headlines, changes, as well as snow squalls. Storm spotters provide a valuable link to the meteorologists at the National Weather Service by offering an 'eye to the sky' during severe weather events. As for the upcoming class, there are three opportunities, the morning of November 19, that's a Tuesday, then evening sessions on November 22 and 23. They'll take place online and take less than an hour. We'll include a link for those interested in signing up.

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