Local Antigo Headlines

Want to buy a locomotive?

Your chance comes Saturday.

With a new—and expensive— focus on operating a steam locomotive excursion train at the Mid-Continent Museum, the organization will host a never-before opportunity Saturday to bid on items that do not fit its focus or needs.

The museum was forced to discontinue using steam locomotives in favor of diesel engines in the early 2000s when extensive repair costs forced it to park its main steamer, Chicago & Northwestern No. 1385.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

A northeast Wisconsin man is accused of stabbing his father in the face, and setting fire to the home they shared. Twenty-two year old Andrew Johnson of Oneida is being held under a quarter-million dollar bond on five felony charges that include attempted homicide, reckless endangerment, aggravated battery, and arson. According to prosecutors, Johnson stabbed his father outside the home on March 21st, and then set fire to the structure. Authorities said an argument led to the stabbing. After that, officials said Johnson's father and uncle went into the house, called 9-1-1, and locked the doors -- and the defendant then grabbed a gas container and threw it at the house to get it to start burning.

Read more: WACD

Antigo High School celebrated “A Night of Kings and Queens” Saturday, at the 2015 junior prom.

A casino night theme kicked off the spring prom season in Langlade County, with the Sheldon Fieldhouse filled with black and red balloons and an acroutrement of gaming symbols, including giant playing cards and dice.

Following the grand march, Hayden Groot and Lexie Schroeder were announced as king and queen.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Antigo photographer Jim Martinsen earned first place at the Wausau Visual Arts “Cattails and Flowers” show currently hanging in the “Reaching New Heights Gallery” inside Marshfield Clinic, 3501 Cranberry Blvd, Weston.

His first place photograph, “Just Before the Snow,” is an image of a teasel viewed through a rain-spattered window.

Katy Ralph, administrator of the Nicolet College Art Gallery judged the show.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

The northwoods, with a host of old barns, ramshackle homesteads and dilapidated sheds tucked along back roads, may become a picker’s paradise.

Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz and Antique Archeology will film episodes of their hit series “American Pickers” throughout Wisconsin in May, and Antigo is on the list.

“American Pickers” is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique picking on History. The show follows two of the most skilled pickers in the business, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, as they embark on an epic road trip across the U.S. in search of America’s most valuable antiques from motorcycles, classic cars and bicycles to one-of-a-kind vintage memorabilia. Mike and Frank are on a mission to recycle America, restore forgotten relics to their former glory, and learn a thing or two about American history along the way.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

The Antigo School Board will meet for their monthly meeting tomorrow, which will feature the three board members elected in April being seated. The meeting will begin at 7PM with taking the oath of office, and re-organizing committees and leadership positions. Currently, the board president is Mike Boldig. New policies will come to the board including a revised tobacco policy based on the emergence of vapor or e-cigarettes, as well as one on course options. Tim Prunty will present the prioritized list and estimated costs of projects that can be completed before the start of the new year which is a total of $120,000.

Read more: WACD

On Friday morning, an Antigo man told police that he had just witnessed a head on collision at the intersection of Center Street and Neva Road. One driver, a Hatley woman, was airlifted to Wausau Aspirus Hospital with non life threatening injuries. The woman told officers that she had fallen asleep behind the wheel before the crash. She was cited for inattentive driving.

On Friday evening, a woman reported her husband missing, saying she hadnt seen him since the previous morning and he hadnt showed up for work. The woman said there had been no domestic issues to speak of and the man wasnt depressed. Multiple agencies from Langlade county and Lincoln county searched for the man in woods, buildings, and sheds. A DNR plane was also brought in for assistance. He was found just after noon on Saturday walking on Rangeline Road with numerous supplies with him. He told officials he had a lot on his mind and just wanted to get away. He was taken to the hospital.

On Sunday night, a woman on Edison Street reported that her two dogs were fighting with each other.

Read more: WACD

After less than two hours of deliberation, a Langlade County jury returned with a verdict of guilt Thursday afternoon for an Antigo man charged with the sexual assault of a four-year-old girl.

Edward “Freddy” Fleming said nothing when Judge Lamont Jacobson read the panel’s ruling but watched carefully as each juror was individually questioned to ensure their finding was indeed unanimous.

And as he and his defense counsel, Attorney Thomas Wilmouth of Hazelhurst, were advised of the next step of the process — a stay in the Wisconsin prison system until an official sentencing hearing on a date yet to be set — the victim’s family and supporters congregated in the hallway, providing hugs and voicing satisfaction in the ruling.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

The Ice Age Trail Chapter will be holding a hike this Saturday. The trail is a thousand-mile footpath-entirely within Wisconsin-that highlights the Ice Age landscape features while providing access to some of the state's most beautiful natural areas. The hike will cover a portion of the Ice Age Trail in Langlade County. Interested hikers should meet in front of the Forestry Department office at the Fairgrounds in Antigo at 9:00 a.m.

Read more: WACD

Antigo High School will kick off the spring promenade season with “Casino Night” on Saturday.

Candidates for prom king, queen and court are shown in the photo above. From left are (kneeling) Nicole Payant and Nadia Voytovich; (first row) Megan Nedden, McKenzy Powell, Jillian Incha, Lexie Schroeder, Brittney Bastle; (middle row) Arin Ver Hagen, Max Nowinsky, Nick Greening, JJ Kasin Liu, Brian Cuevas Ruiz, Marisa Young; (back row) Sam Brettingen, Zach Falk, Hayden Groot, Jake Husnick and Alex Nagel. Missing is Kira Simonis.

The dance will be held in the Sheldon Fieldhouse. Doors will open at 7 p.m. with the grand march beginning at 8 p.m.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

On Wednesday, a retail store in Antigo reported a shoplifting incident that had occurred last week. They found the incident while reviewing security footage. A male subject came into the store without a jacket and left wearing a $100 Under Armor black jacket. The store got the mans license plate, as he left in a blue chevy truck.

In the afternoon, a White Lake woman reported to dispatch that she was having issues with her neighbor, who was using a bulldozer and cutting trees on her property without permission. The man told deputies that he was cleaning up the ditch line and didn't get permission first. The woman said it did look better but was still unhappy about not asking permission first. The dispute was settled between the neighbors.

Just before 3AM Thursday, a 22 year old Antigo man requested a ride home from officers. The man was on Highway 45 walking towards Antigo, and was South of County Road D. The man told officers it was his birthday, and he went out by himself and got drunk.

Read more: WACD

The Antigo Common Council began its 2015 term Tuesday, with a few surprises.

At the annual reorganizational meeting, aldermen selected Fourth Ward Alderman Tom Bauknecht over incumbent Tim Kassis as council president.

The results were announced following a secret paper ballot.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Three Republicans say the federal government should let the state manage Wisconsin's only national forest. State Senator Tom Tiffany of Hazelhurst and Representatives Jeff Mursau of Crivitz and Rob Swearingen of Rhinelander are upset about a proposed 11-percent cut in the U-S Forest Service recreational budget for next year. The three lawmakers believe that the state can manage timber harvest operations more efficiently than Washington can. They claim the savings would more than pay for the recreation offered by the Chequamegon-Nicolet (sheh-wah'-meh-gn Nik-o-lay) National Forest. They said it would also reduce the risk of fires in the one-and-a-half-million-acre forest -- all with no additional tax dollars needed.

Read more: WACD

A man accused of breaking into the home of Wausau's police chief and stealing his pick-up truck will spend almost three months in jail in his home area of western Michigan. Forty-year-old Jason Warner withdrew an insanity plea and struck a deal with Marathon County prosecutors. He pleaded no contest yesterday to a felony count of vehicle theft, and misdemeanors of theft and criminal damage. A burglary charge was reduced to criminal trespassing. Prosecutors said Warner broke into Police Chief Jeff Hardel's home near Wausau last August and left another vehicle in the chief's yard, before driving off with Hardel's pick-up. It was left at a truck stop, where Warner got a ride from somebody else. He was arrested while walking along Interstate-94 in western Wisconsin. His parents reported Warner missing, saying he suffers from paranoid schizo-phrenia and was not taking his medications.

Read more: WACD