Local Rhinelander Headlines

Hornets take Wisconsin's Kaminsky with 9th pick

CHARLOTTE - The Charlotte Hornets have selected Wisconsin power forward Frank Kaminsky with the ninth overall pick in the NBA draft.

The 7-foot-1, 242-pound Kaminsky was The Associated Press Player of the Year this past season, leading the Badgers to the Final Four.

He was the only Division I player to average at least 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists and 1.5 blocks for the season. Kaminsky averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists for the Badgers while shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from 3-point range.

Full story: WJFW

Wisconsin prep basketball games will be a little longer

STEVENS POINT - Wisconsin high school basketball games will run a little longer in the upcoming season.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association board on Thursday voted to change varsity games from four eight-minute quarters to two 18-minute halves for a one-year trial. Junior varsity teams will play two 16-minute halves.

Another significant decision rearranges the schedule for the boys and girls state basketball tournaments next March.

Full story: WJFW

Taking up archery

CONOVER - People take up new hobbies all the time. For some, archery is a great way to stay active--and it can become a lifelong hobby.

"This is a sport, like fishing or a lot of other ones, you can do it for your lifetime," says Adam Hickson, co-owner of Northern Waters Angling, Archery, & Apparel in Conover. "It's a lifetime sport that you're going to enjoy it whether you're 10 or whether you're 90. As long as you're able to, you will enjoy it."

The sport might be difficult at first, but anyone can pick it up.

Full story: WJFW

2nd prison employee arrested after inmates' brazen escape from NY prison

BELLMONT, N.Y. - A correction officer at an upstate New York maximum-security prison has become the second worker there arrested in connection with the escapes of two inmates.

State police say Gene Palmer faces charges including promoting prison contraband and tampering with physical evidence. He was to be arraigned Wednesday night in Plattsburgh. A call to his attorney seeking comment wasn't answered.

Inmates David Sweat and Richard Matt were reported missing from the Clinton County Correctional Facility in Dannemora on June 6.

Full story: WJFW

Unemployment up in most Wisconsin cities, counties

MADISON - Unemployment rates increased in most Wisconsin counties and 31 of the state's 32 largest cities in May.

The state Department of Workforce Development reported the latest figures Wednesday.

Unemployment rates increased in 41 out of 72 counties. Menominee County was the highest at 10.9 percent, while Dane County was lowest at 3.4 percent.

Full story: WJFW

Fish Stick Program works to help fish populations in Northern Wisconsin

RHINELANDER - Many fish need wooded areas around lakes to survive that's why the Wisconsin DNR encourages lake associations to support "Fish Sticks".

Fish Sticks is a project that works to bring in wooden structures to primarily Northern Wisconsin lakes.
Many fish need wooded areas to survive.

Fish and other wildlife also like to gather around wooded areas that are often in short supply.

Full story: WJFW

DNR numbers show a successful turkey hunting season

WISCONSIN - Hunters across Wisconsin harvested nearly 41 thousand turkeys during the 2015 spring turkey hunt. The DNR released its official numbers on Tuesday.

This is the 5th year in a row that the turkey harvest numbers have fallen between 37 and 43 thousand. Wisconsin's turkey population has stabilized over three decades of growth. It was also a very successful season in the north.

"For this most recent harvest in 2015 we saw the highest harvest numbers and success rate in the northern most zones so 6 and 7 since 2012," says Krista McGinley, Assistant Upland Wildlife Ecologist.

Full story: WJFW

Gov. Walker signs gun bills impacting 48-hr. waiting period & off-duty officers with guns on school grounds

MILWAUKEE - Gov. Scott Walker signed a pair of bills impacting Wisconsin gun laws on Wednesday in Milwaukee.

One law means off-duty and retired police officers can now carry guns near and even in schools here in Wisconsin. The other eliminates a 48-hour waiting period for buying a handgun.

Many guns laws don't have bipartisan support, but the off-duty and retired officer actually had some support from both parties.

Full story: WJFW

Walker says framework of budget deal coming soon

MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker says the framework of a budget deal to break a nearly month-long impasse will likely come in the next few days.

Walker did not say Wednesday what the deal may look like, but Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said in response to Walker's suggestion, "It sounds like the governor is more optimistic than I am."

Walker is downplaying the budget delay, noting that only three budgets have been signed before July 19 since 1983 and two of those came when he was governor.

Full story: WJFW

DNR, local law enforcement to hold Operation Dry Water this weekend to highlight safe boating practices

WISCONSIN - The Wisconsin DNR and local law enforcement want people to stay safe on the water. With that goal in mind, the groups will host the seventh annual Operation Dry Water campaign this weekend to stop people from driving their boats drunk.

Boaters should notice more law enforcement officers on the water this weekend in an effort to deter boaters from drinking.

"We always stress a designated operator," said DNR Boating Law Administrator Roy Zellmer.
"We stress sobriety for that person and to ensure good awareness on the water and safety precautions."

Full story: WJFW

Swim challenge to support dive team set for Saturday in Minocqua

MINOCQUA - Members of the Oneida County Dive Team plunge into lakes to keep the public safe. Swimmers from across the Northwoods will plunge into Lake Minocqua this weekend to support the dive team.

The annual Minocqua Island Swim Challenge is set for Saturday morning. The one-mile swim race is still around, but organizers have added a 400-yard race as well.

The race supports the work of the Oneida County Public Safety Dive Team.

Full story: WJFW

Charges: Wisconsin man pointed gun in officer's face at Walmart

ST. PAUL - Prosecutors say a Tomah man pointed a weapon inches from a police officer's face in St. Paul last weekend.

Thirty-four-year-old James Frei of Tomah was charged Tuesday with possession of a firearm, second-degree assault and fleeing a police officer.

Police say Officer Michael Tschida was working off-duty at a Walmart Sunday and confronted Frei after suspecting he was shoplifting.

Full story: WJFW

Committee OKs new state trooper contract

MADISON - The legislative committee that handles state workers' contracts has approved a new plan for state troopers.

The Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Employment Relations rejected a two-year deal in March that would have given troopers a 17 percent pay raise on average. Committee leaders said the full Legislature would never support such a raise.

The committee voted 8-0 Tuesday to adopt a new contract that would give troopers a 3 percent raise for fiscal year 2014 and again for fiscal year 2015. The money would be paid through retroactive lump sums and the new rates would remain in effect going forward. In exchange the troopers would have to pay more for their health insurance.

Full story: WJFW

Demolition could encourage downtown success in Phelps

PHELPS - Over the past decade, a grocery store, a hardware store, a bank, and a medical clinic have all left Phelps.

But demolition might actually be part of the community's solution to some economic challenges.

What people in town knew as "The Big Store" is now rubble on the ground. The store operated for decades in downtown Phelps, selling everything from hardware to groceries. But it had been closed for the past several years. Last week, contractors knocked it down, taking with it many peoples' memories.

Full story: WJFW

New tools help firefighters save lives, put out fires

PICKEREL - New high-tech tools will help firefighters put out fires and save people in Langlade County. The Pickerel Fire Department used grants and donations to buy a thermal imaging camera and two new brush trucks.

The thermal imaging camera detects different levels of heat, making it easier for firefighters to find people lost in the woods. All they have to do is point the camera and find higher levels of heat in the area.

The tool could help the department in many different emergencies.

Full story: WJFW

Majority of millennials turn to Facebook to get their political news

RHINELANDER - A new national study shows the majority of young people get their political news through social media outlets such as Facebook. Researchers want to know how that change in consumer habits could impact our democracy in the future.

The Pew Research Center asked younger Americans where they get their political news. More than 60 percent said Facebook.

UW-Madison Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication Chris Wells says researchers don't know if younger people's reliance on social media for news and information is a good thing or a bad thing since many traditional news outlets post their content on social media.

Full story: WJFW

Nicolet College approves budget for upcoming school year

RHINELANDER - One college in the Northwoods already knows its budget for the upcoming school year. It'll be slightly lower than last year's budget, and that means good news for taxpayers.

Nicolet College in Rhinelander will have just under $36 million to work with next school year. That's down .4% from last year's budget. But school trustee members say that won't impact the quality of the classes offered.

"They can still maintain the same quality, same type of courses, either in the technical courses or in the university transfer courses, everything will be the same," said Nicolet College Board of Trustees chairman Ron Zimmerman. "Matter of fact, there's even some improvements going to be made."

Full story: WJFW

No raises for state workers

MADISON - The legislative committee that handles state workers' contracts has agreed to give them no pay raises over the next two fiscal years.

The Joint Committee on Employment Relations voted 7-2 on Tuesday to adopt a 2015-17 compensation plan that includes no general wage adjustment in either year.

Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, warns the move actually will amount to a pay cut since the state insurance board voted... Full story: WJFW

Upper Peninsula inmate still on the run days later

HOUGHTON, MI - A sheriff in the Upper Peninsula says he's taking some lumps over the escape of a jail inmate who ran away while being escorted from court.

John Saatio has been on the run since Friday. He's suspected of stealing a car that had the keys inside and driving to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he ran out of gas. The Subaru Legacy was found there Saturday.

Houghton County Sheriff Brian McLean says Saatio, in handcuffs, dashed into woods while being escorted from the courthouse.

Full story: WJFW

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