With new fawns and extended daylight, deer activity is picking up. That means drivers need to be on the lookout. While vehicle/deer crashes are typically highest in fall, those numbers also spike in the months of May and June, the third and fourth most prevalent months. According to the Department of Transportation, drivers reported more than 17,000 collisions with deer last year. That resulted in more than 700 injuries and 9 deaths. Recent averages in both Lincoln and Oneida County show more than 200 vehicle/deer collisions annually. Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan says, "Deer can be erratic and hard to spot, so it's important that drivers are looking ahead and paying close attention to the sides of the road." The DoT provided a few additional reminders:Deer are most active at dawn and dusk. If you see one crossing, anticipate more followingIf the collision is unavoidable, brake firmly and stay in your lane. Avoid swerving your vehicle, which can lead to a more serious crash. If you strike a deer, get off to the side of the road and call law enforcement. It's safest to remain inside your vehicle until help arrives. And as always, slowdown, eliminate distractions and wear your seatbelt.

Officials continue to stress safety as wildfire conditions remain elevated here in Northern Wisconsin. Sunday brought extreme fire risk and a red flag warning. That continues Monday afternoon. Fire crews around the Northwoods were kept busy throughout the weekend where more than a dozen wildfires were reported. This includes three more in Lincoln County, four in Oneida County and six in Vilas County. The causes varied and included debris burning, cooking devices, power equipment, and firearm shooting targets. The recent warm weather with low humidity and a lack of precipitation, has led to a higher risk for a fire. That's coupled with the foliage still coming out of winter dormancy. People are encouraged to be mindful of any activities that can cause a spark. Check the wildfire conditions, issued each morning by the DNR.

While a few pennies won't buy much these days, thousands of pennies can make a difference for those in need. Students in Rhinelander are learning that lesson and the importance of clean drinking water. As part of an annual curriculum on water resources around the world, the third grade classes in Rhinelander are once again organizing an elementary-wide penny collection. Over the years, the cents have added up to more than $20,000. The money raised will go towards well-building projects in Africa, along with the distribution of water filters. They are following in the footsteps of their classmates who, through similar projects over the years, have sponsored wells in Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and most recently Uganda. The lessons in this curriculum are being taught across multiple subject areas including, social studies, geography, reading, and writing.

Officials are investigating a drowning in Wausau over the weekend. According to a news release from the Wausau Police Department, responders were paged to a report of a possible drowning in the Wisconsin River near the downtown boat and kayak docks off North River Drive. Witnesses reported the teenager entered the river and did not resurface. The call came in at around 8:30pm Sunday evening. Within an hour, rescue teams located and recovered the teen from the water. Life-saving efforts were started immediately, but were unsuccessful. The victim was identified as sixteen years old. No other information was provided. Preliminary findings do not indicate foul play. The incident remains under investigation.

There was plenty of sun this past week, perfect for area students to showoff their renewable energy skills. Wisconsin Public Service held their 29th annual Solar Olympics on the UW-Oshkosh campus. Nearly 200 students participated from fourteen high schools within the WPS footprint. Northern Wisconsin was represented by Three Lakes, Elcho, Marathon, Northland Lutheran and Wausau West High Schools. WPS created the Solar Olympics in 1997 for districts participating in the Solarwise for Schools program, which provides renewable energy lesson plans, projects, and teacher training. The friendly competition, hosted each spring, allows these students to showcase their knowledge of solar energy through team and individual competitions. This year's Solar Olympics had 13 events like solar water heater and solar cooker design; solar art and design projects; and solar jeopardy. According to WPS, Valders High School claimed gold, followed by Northland Lutheran High School and Marinette High School.-Photo provided by Wisconsin Public Service-

Marshfield Clinic region of Sanford Health is utilizing settlement money from opioid lawsuits to invest in communities around the state. The provider recently announced that $700,000 would be awarded to 31 local organizations to address the negative impact of opioids. Jay Shrader, vice president of Community Impact and Social Accountability. "This funding is vital and is one small but important step in supporting our communities in our ongoing battle against opioid and stimulant misuse." The funds are being distributed through the Northwoods Coalition which serves 34 counties and 11 Wisconsin Tribal Nations. Locally that includes: Vilas County Youth Coalition, the Lincoln County Opioid Task Force, and Oneida County Substance Use Coalition. Shrader added, "Our communities and community partners are on the front-line and know how to best use these funds in their communities." The funds are earmarked for projects such as drug take back and sharps disposal events; distribution of naloxone and drug checking technology; and community awareness and anti-stigma campaigns.

Tomahawk's baseball squad would suffer a tough non-conference road loss in Merrill Saturday, losing 8-4. The biggest bright spot for Tomahawk was Wally Horabik hitting the first Hatchet home run of the season. The loss drops Tomahawk to 5-8 on the season and 4-5 in Great Northern Conference play.  The Hatchets are back in action for a Great Northern Conference showdown in Medford Monday, trying to go for the split of the season series. First pitch is at 5:00.

Tomahawk's softball squad came away with a split in their invite at Gilman Saturday.  The Hatchets started off the day on an incredibly sour note, losing to Pacelli, 17-1. Tomahawk struggled mightily in the field, committing seven errors. Only five of Pacelli's 17 runs were earned. The only run the Hatchets scored was on an RBI single in the third inning by Averi Petta.  Game two of the tournament saw Tomahawk come back from down seven runs to defeat Edgar, 12-11. The Hatchets trailed, 11-4, in the bottom of the fourth inning before posting eight runs in the final three innings. The game was won when Averi Petta knocked in a walk-off RBI single, scoring Sophie Olsen. Camryn Kraklow was the winning pitcher for Tomahaw. The Hatchets also got a double and three RBIs from Kylie Peissig. The split puts Tomahawk at 6-11 on the season and 2-7 in Great Northern Conference play.  Tomahawk will go for the season sweep of Rhinelander Monday. First pitch is at 5:00.

For a few hours this evening, more than two dozen shops in downtown Tomahawk will turn into temporary wineries offering lucky ticket holders samples of merlots, pinots and muscattos. The Tomahawk Main Street Wine Walk returns for a milestone tenth year, and remains one of the hottest tickets in town. Whether it's the wines or a spring stroll through the business district, the Wine Walk has found its footing. Main Street Director Jennifer Turkiewicz says, For (the Wine Walk) to be 10 years, continue to be as strong as it is, and to sellout every year, that's been really neat to see." She added, "We've become a Mother's Day weekend tradition with a lot of repeat groups; mothers, daughters, grandmas, aunts and cousins spending time together and visiting our Northwoods." She mentioned a group of ten from Madison that have become regulars during Wine Walk Weekend. As in the past, the tickets are capped at 250, and were sold out weeks ago. In addition to the wine samplings, ticket holders also get a swag bag. And for the 10th anniversary, Tomahawk Main Street has teamed up with Sideways to offer a limited number of VIP ticket for a special private wine tasting. (As of Thursday evening, a limited number of the VIP tickets only are still available by calling the Main Street Office) But Turkiewicz notes that people can come downtown to enjoy the atmosphere, take in the live entertainment, and visit shops during extended hours. She estimated around 500-600 people actually come during the event each year. The Wine Walk will be held along Tomahawk Main Street from 4pm to 7pm Friday evening.

The largest single-day food drive in the country is taking place this weekend, and local postal carriers are looking forward to the extra work that comes with it. It's time once again for Stamp Out Hunger, a collection put on by the Association of Letter Carriers in cooperation with the US Postal Service. The annual collection was launched all the way back in 1991. We were recently joined by local mail carrier Craig Boardman to talk about the effort. Local donations go to restock the Tomahawk and Nokomis Food Pantries, and Boardman says over years the Tomahawk community often out-collects larger cities. Last year, the local carriers collected more than 2,500 pounds of food items, along with some additional cash donations. Boardman also did some quick math noting that he has approximately 750 homes along his route, and if each donated a dollar or an item it would go along way. And don't be concerned about overfilling his truck with donations. He says, if needed, he'll work with the postmaster to lighten the load with a mid-route pick-up. That's something that has they've done in the past. Participation is quite simple, place a bag with non-expired and non-perishable food in or on your mailbox in time for your regular Saturday delivery. From there, the carriers will do the rest of the work.