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Demo Derby-Themed Ice Cream Wins Cedar Crest 4-H Flavor Contest Published on 02/05/2025 under News

While February isn't necessarily ice cream weather, it is the time when Cedar Crest announced the finalists for their annual 4-H flavor creation contest. A local club was among the finalists.

For years, Cedar Crest Ice Cream in Cedarberg has partnered with the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation for the annual contest. They challenge the youth to come up with a name, theme, and even the recipe for a new flavor.

This year, the winning flavor came from Sunnyside Climbers 4-H Club out of Plover. Their Demo Derby creation features chocolate ice cream, 'dented' with Chocolate Cookie Crumbles, 'smashed' M&M's, and swirled with chocolate fudge.

If that sounds enticing, the winning flavor is produced for the summer, and available at ice cream shops around the state. That includes the Windmill up in Nokomis. The 4-H flavor typically arrive around July.

Among the runners-up were the Pesobic Pathfinders 4-H in Merrill. They actually won last year's contest with a popular Paul Bunyan flavor. This year's follow up proposal was Hold Your Horses. While just a concept, it would have featured an espresso ice cream, with English toffee bits and ribbons of salted caramel.

In Other News

Hatchet Hockey Team Wins GNC Tournament Game

Published on 02/05/2025 under Sports On Tuesday night, the Hatchet Hockey Team hosted Rhinelander in an opening round Great Northern Conference Tournament game at SARA Park. The Hatchets jumped out early and skated to a 9-0 win. Tomahawk scored four times in the first period, with Jonah Dickens, Jett Reilly, Austin Lamer and Caiden Reichelt lighting the lamp. The Hatchets would add two goals in the second, from Sawyer Hanna and Carson Childers, building their lead to 6-0. Dickens would pick-up a hat trick with two third period goals and Brayden Lamer also added a goal. Trevor Seliskar would have four saves in high shutout effort. With the win, Tomahawk improves to 18-3 on the season. Tomahawk will host Northland Pines on Tuesday night at 7:00 pm at SARA Park in a second round GNC Tournament Game. The Fehrman Orthodontics Pregame Show is at 6:35 pm on Northwoods 92-5, WJJQ.

Published on 02/05/2025 under News Snowmobile riders in the Northwoods are getting some good news with several additional trail systems opening in the coming days. Thanks to Monday's snowfall, and several more opportunities in the forecast, the Oneida County Forestry, Land, and Recreation Department announced that their snowmobile trail system is tentatively set to open for the season on Friday morning (February 7) at 8am. Oneida County trails are expected to be in rough early season condition. And we also heard from the Price County Snowmobile Association. They're also opening their trails Friday morning. They predict trails will be in poor condition. The Oneida County FLR Department also passed along a few reminders that apply to all riders, avoid trails over waterways unless they have been marked, and make sure to stay on marked trail. Off-trail riding is considered trespassing and can lead to fines, citations, and the potential closure of a trail segment for all riders. Last riding season, trails remained closed due to a lack of snow coverage. Excluding last year, the average opening date over the past decade has been December 23. As always, stay tuned to WJJQ for trail opening dates and announcements, as well as the return of our trail condition report.

Published on 02/05/2025 under News A Wausau-based medical equipment loan program is expanding into other Northwoods communities. We frequently talk about the Good News Project when it comes to electronics recycling, but they have other community outreach services including their Health Equipment Lending Program or HELP. HELP provides essential durable medical equipment to individuals who may not have the means to acquire it otherwise. This includes mobility aids like crutches and wheel chairs, and other home needs like medical beds and lift equipment. And the Good News Project announced a grant from Inclusa Foundation to launch a mobile HELP truck service to transport the equipment other communities in the Northwoods. The Inclusa Foundation is a new grantmaking organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities and older adults across Wisconsin. Toni Schmitt manages the program and says, "Transportation should never be a barrier to receiving essential medical equipment. Schmitt added, With the support of the Inclusa Foundation, we are now able to ensure that more people in our community have the access to durable medical equipment that will allow them to live healthier, more independent lives." On a regular schedule, the truck will visit 11 additional communities including: Antigo, Athens, Birnamwood, Edgar, Hatley, Marathon City, Merrill, Mosinee, Rhinelander, Stratford and Tomahawk. Most of these communities will utilize a partnership with Dollar General to utilize their parking lots as pick-up/drop-off locations. The service will begin later this month. You can learn more on their website.

Published on 02/05/2025 under News Studies show that high blood pressure is among the most searched health concerns. The folks over at Aspirus offered answers to some of those questions. Melissa Wendell is a nurse practitioner at Aspirus Cardiology. She says, "People are starting to realize you can develop high blood pressure without any symptoms. They want to know what they can do to prevent it." First, she says, "It's important to know your numbers. See a primary care provider to identify any underlying causes and determine whether treatment is needed." Hypertension can lead to serious conditions including heart disease, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. It develops over time and can often be prevented. Wendell said some of the factors include an unhealthy diet, obesity, lack of physical activity, and underlying medical conditions like diabetes and sleep apnea. Wendell highlighted some lifestyle changes that can improve hypertension. She says, "Simply reducing salt and avoiding processed foods can help your blood pressure. Staying active also makes a big difference."

+ Read More Tomahawk City Council Recap

Published on 02/05/2025 under News The Tomahawk City Council met Tuesday for a quick and routine February meeting. This included a short presentation from Tomahawk School District Administrator Wendell Quesinberry on the district's upcoming referendum. As part of their community information and outreach, school board members and representatives have requested time at town and city meetings with the school district to offer information on the referendum request. After the presentation it was business as usual. The Council quickly went through and approved the eight community event applications forwarded from last week's Health and Safety meeting. As we previously covered, it includes: the Wine Walk; Main Street Memories Car Show; the weekly Main Street Farmer's Market; the July 3 Arts, Crafts and Vendor Fair; the Fall Ride Bon Fire and Brat Fry; the Venison Feed; and Hometown Christmas. These are all returning events with minimal change. Each was approved unanimously and with no further discussion. As recommended by H&S, the Council approved a request from an employee to carry over unused vacation hours. This was granted because of extenuating circumstances related to a medical absence. The Council approved two resolutions terminating long-time tax incremental districts or TIDs. And the final item on the agenda was the approval of the updated employee handbook.

Published on 02/04/2025 under News For the first time in nearly two years, snowmobile riders in Oneida County may soon be able to hit the trails. The Oneida County Forestry, Land, and Recreation Department announced that their snowmobile trail system is tentatively set to open for the season on Friday morning (February 7) at 8am. They note that all lake and river trails in Oneida County are considered unsafe and should not be utilized until they have been clearly marked by a local snowmobile club. As always, the Oneida County Forestry, Land, & Recreation Department reminds riders to stay on marked trails. They said in the announcement that trails are expected to be in rough early season condition. And they advise riders to check with local clubs or their social media for specific trail condition updates.

Published on 02/04/2025 under News While Monday's snow should help, most area snowmobile trails do remain closed at this time. Rather than waiting for the season to open,many people are taking advantage of other winter recreation opportunities. Often referred to as silent sports, activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat-tire bikes typically require less snow to participate. There are growing network of public and private trail systems here in the Northwoods, many of which are open for the season. While most are in early season conditions, they have been quite busy as people have been eager to get out. And these sports are relatively affordable outside of the initial equipment investment. Others have turned to another popular winter pass time in Wisconsin... ice fishing. The lack of snow hasn't stopped area lakes from filling up with ice shanties and tip ups in typical numbers. This winter has been especially good for ice formation on area waterways. That season should remain open right up through mid-March. The lack of snow and snowmobiling in the area still remains notable. The Northwoods typically serves as a destination for snowmobilers from the southern portions of the state. For many local counties, it's a second consecutive year trails have been closed, while others like Vilas County only recently opened. This has impacted hospitality-based industries like restaurants and lodging, which then affects other businesses within the community. There is a bit of optimism with the possibility of snow in the forecast. In the meantime, there have been some local efforts to get people to visit and support affected businesses. We'll have a bit more on those campaigns and promotions in the coming days.

Published on 02/04/2025 under News A quick response kept a fire in Lincoln County from spreading early Monday morning. According to the Merrill Fire Department, crews were initially dispatched to a car fire at a property on River Road in the Town of Merrill. The owner of the home heard noises and was able to call in the fire at around 2:30am. Upon arrival responders found the fire had spread to a nearby by ice shanty and a portion of the garage. They were able to knock down the fire and keep it from spreading to the home. The vehicle and ice shanty are a loss, the garage was damaged. The release said had the fire continued to burn unnoticed, the loss of property and possibly life could have been much different. Instead, the family was able to remain in their home. Crews also dealt with snow covered roads while responding. Firefighters did briefly return to the scene after the ice shanty reignited. The cause of fire remains under investigation, but it is not considered intentional.

Published on 02/04/2025 under News One person is dead following a snowmobile crash in Forest County over the weekend. According to the DNR, that crash happened Saturday in the Town of Nashville. The operator was traveling on Crane Lake when he struck the shoreline embankment and some small trees. The 25 year old died as a result of his injuries. The name of the victim was not immediately released. The report indicates that alcohol may have played a factor. The crash remains under investigation. This is the fourth fatal snowmobile crash in Wisconsin this year.

Published on 02/04/2025 under News Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital took a brief glimpse into the past Monday afternoon. The facility hosted a small ceremony as they opened a time capsule that was more than 40 year old. The small metal canister was discovered behind the cornerstone of the former Saint Mary's Hospital in Rhinelander. It placed there back in 1981 to serve as a symbol of the hospital's rich history. They noted the contents offer a fascinating snapshot of life for the Rhinelander community, showcasing not just health care artifacts but also items that reflect the culture and spirit of the time. This included photographs, some newspaper clippings, a roster of hospital staff, along with some local mementos, coins, and a prayer rosary. The contents of the time capsule will be archived. Some of the more noteworthy items may be displayed in the future.

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