Local Antigo Headlines

The Langlade County Board Of Supervisors agreed Tuesday morning to make it easier to hire individuals if there is a vacancy in one of the departments.

The current process in hiring a person results in approval needing to come from three separate committees, along with the 3/4ths majority vote for the County Board. The new format requires only the oversight committee of the hiring body to approve the hire. County attorney Robin Stowe said this would help expedite the process.

The county's governing body also approved heard a presentation by finance director Gary Olsen about the high costs of the Juvenile Justice program, specifically out of home placement.

Read more: WACD

There’s been no gun play reported, but a criminal escapade that rolled through Antigo and Langlade County during the weekend has some similarities to the classic gangster tale.

The suspects, identified as 37-year-old Lisa Patten and 21-year-old Colton Hancock, remain on the loose, sparking a manhunt which has crossed state lines.

“We believe they may have been involved in several car thefts and burglaries here and elsewhere,” Sheriff Bill Greening said.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

In a highly visible raid Friday afternoon, Antigo and Langlade County authorities arrested two men and will most likely charge a third with the production of methamphetamines.

The agents, as well as those from surrounding counties and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigations, converged on a home at 318 North Ave., surrounding it with armed law officers who carried out the raid and investigation.

North Avenue, located adjacent to the Langlade County Fairgrounds, was blocked by squad cars, with flashing lights, creating tremendous interest in what was going on at a residence just a few hundred feet east.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

The Langlade County Board of Supervisors will clear a path to hire two of its top employees when it meets Tuesday.

Its action will allow the hiring of a new highway commissioner and patrol superintendent/assistant commissioner for the county’s highway department.

Both positions are opening in late spring and early summer due to retirements.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies say a man driving the wrong way on a major highway was too drunk to take an alcohol breath test.

Authorities say the driver swerved around one squad car Sunday and then pulled over after a police officer positioned his squad to stop him. Authorities say the 33-year-old Milwaukee man was too intoxicated to maintain consciousness'' for the breath test.

Read more: WACD

The Langlade County Sheriff's Office is investigating a weekend crime spree that included the thefts of two vehicles, one snowmobile and one burglary.

Officers with the Antigo Police Department responded to McDonald's around noon on Saturday for the report of a man and woman trying to pay for items with a counterfeit $20 during a drive-thru visit.

The suspects left the scene, but a short time later an officer located the suspect vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle, a black ford Pickup truck fled the scene and a high speed chase began.

Read more: WACD

Another great season has come to an end at one of Langlade County’s family-friendly gems—Kettlebowl ski hill.

Gordie Schofield, a longtime volunteer with the Langlade County Ski Club, said that after an excellent weekend of spring skiing, the decision was made early this week to close the hill for the season.

“That thaw happened in a hurry,” Schofield said.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

A Portage County jury has found a 33-year-old man guilty of in the death of his 77-year-old stepfather. The jury deliberated for more than five hours Thursday.

Andrew Pray is scheduled to be sentenced June 9 for the death of Christopher Bonnstetter. Investigators said Bonnstetter died after he was beaten with a baseball bat by Pray in May 2014.

On May 26, the Plover Police Department responded to a home on the 2800 block of Cedar Drive in Plover around 2 p.m. for the report of an assault. Inside they say they found Bonnstetter, critically injured. When officers arrived on scene they found a neighbor and the suspect, Pray, standing in a garage. According to court documents, Pray responded no comment when asked by an officer what happened.

Read more: WACD

This Sunday, the Antigo Fire Department will be holding a fundraising broomball tournament out at Peaceful Valley Park. Broomball is similar to hockey, but is played with an inflated ball and a broomstick. No contact is allowed in this tournament.

There is still time to sign up for the tournament if you'd like. Teams must be a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 10. It is $50 per team. Register by going into the Parks and Rec Office at City Hall, or register online at www.antigo-city.org/rec1. There will be activities for people just willing to watch the action including concessions, raffles and more.

All funds raised will help the fire department purchase a fire extinguisher training system, which is a simulator that projects lasers onto a screen.

Read more: WACD

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation today announced the seasonal posting of weight limits on area state highways. The weight restrictions are 6 tons gross load for single axle vehicles and 10 tons gross load for tandem axle vehicles. The maximum gross weight is 24 tons.

Weight restrictions will be effective at noon on Monday, March 16, 2015 on the following highways:

Read more: WACD

Antigo aldermen were a bit ambivalent on several pay-related issues and two dissented over purchasing a vehicle for City Hall use when the council convened Wednesday.

The meeting was the final regular session for Fifth Ward Alderman Phil Beck, who did not seek re-election. Carol Gottard, who serves the area on the Langlade County Board of Supervisors, will be unopposed on the spring ballot for the seat.

On 6-2 votes, with Beck and Joe Kapusta opposed, aldermen approved two resolutions dealing with employee wages. Tim Kassis was absent.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Unemployment rates are up in every Wisconsin county and major city, with some counties—including Langlade—posting a full percentage point increase or more in the number of people seeking work.

The state Department of Workforce Development reported the figures for January, and there are few ways to spin the numbers in a positive direction, other than to note improvements from one year ago. They show unemployment increases across the board for the month. The figures are preliminary and subject to significant revision month-to-month.

In Langlade County, the rate climbed from 6.5 percent for December to 7.7 percent for January, a 1.2 percent increase. That rate remains 1.2 percent lower than January, 2014.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

There's still a lot of ice on the Mississippi River, even with this week's above-normal temperatures. The Army Corps of Engineers took more measurements yesterday on the river's widest Wisconsin point at Lake Pepin -- and it was still 24-inches thick at its deepest spots. That's three-inches below last week's thickest spot. Experts say tow boats won't want to make shipments on the river until the ice is at least a foot thick or less -- a level they can cut through. It was 49-degrees at nearby La Crosse at eleven this morning, with highs expected to rise into the 60's under sunny skies.

Read more: WACD

Thanks to a high scale marketing push over the last year, Northcentral Technical College has improved their graduation numbers and may hit their "max-out limit" of 16 students next fall. Head of the program, Travis Allen, said that there was concern for the program when only four people graduated the second year. They enhanced media coverage, as well as getting into the schools to tell incoming students about the program.

Read more: WACD