Local Antigo Headlines

Wisconsin's High School Graduation Rate Top 5 In USA

A new data table from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) ranks Wisconsins high school graduation rate among the top states in the nation for three consecutive years. The NCES web table reports the national graduation rate at 81 percent for the 2012-13 school year, based on an adjusted cohort graduation rate. Wisconsins 88.0 percent rate, reported to the public last spring, is behind Iowa at 90 percent and tied for second with Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Texas. Wisconsins graduation rate was 87.0 percent for the 2010-11 school year, 87.5 percent for 2012 graduates, and 88.0 percent for the class of 2013.

Read more: WACD

Five fined $887.50 here for driving while intoxicated

Reserve Judge Glenn Hartley presided over Tuesday’s session in the Langlade County courtroom, assessing fines for a variety of traffic and ordinance related violations.

The largest fine, $887.50, went to individuals charged with their first offense of drunken driving. Cited were Manl A. Malueg, 43, Birnamwood, Dennis J. Bryski, 53, Rhinelander, Corey M. Steber, 20, Wittenberg, Jessica L. Kalwitz, 30, 620 S. Clermont St., and Stephanie J. Schultz, 20, 412 1/2 Second Ave.

Schultz was also fined $213.10 for traveling too fast for conditions.

Read more: Antigo Daily Journal

Brickners poised for big camper year

With the economy on an uptick, RV manufacturers have made up more ground since being sideswiped by the Great Recession, with production of the rolling homes expected to return to levels seen before the economic downturn hit.

And Brickners of Antigo RV Center is ready.

The dealership will hold a preseason open house on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with deals, tours of the latest models, prizes, demonstrations and more.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Czaja, Tiffany plan listening session here

State Senator Tom Tiffany and State Rep. Mary Czaja will be holding a joint listening session in Antigo on Saturday.

Tiffany, who represents the 12th Senate District, and Czaja, 35th Assembly District, will be at Antigo City Hall from 10 to 11 a.m.

The meeting is one of several Tiffany is holding with Czaja, along with State Representatives Jeff Mursau, 36th District, and Rob Swearingen, 34th Assembly District, this month.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Gas Station's Request To Sell Hard Liquor Denied

The Finance Personnel and Legislative Committee met for their monthly meeting on Wednesday night, and denied a request from BP South, a convenience store located on Superior Street in Antigo, to sell hard liquor at the store. Requests of this nature from convenience stores have been denied since the first one in 2002. Committee members said doing so would open up a can of worms, and it would also increase the chance for robberies.

Read more: WACD

Police Activity For Wednesday Night

On Wednesday night, shortly after 5PM, the Langlade County LEC received an anonymous call from a woman who suspected she was following an intoxicated driver, who was northbound on Highway 45. The vehicle was eventually stopped in the parking lot of an Antigo gas station. The driver was not intoxicated, but the 27 year old Birnamwood man was arrested for Operating a vehicle without a license 2nd offense.

Read more: WACD

State's School Accountability Legislation Will Have More Detail Next Week

The state Senate's Education Reform Committee will hold a public hearing next Tuesday on its version of a school accountability package. Unlike the Assembly version, Senate Republicans are not insisting on sanctions for low-performing schools. Also, the Senate measure would not give letter grades to schools, or let private school voucher students choose from multiple tests.

Read more: WACD

Weston Woman Sentenced To Jail After Vandalism

A Wausau area woman has been sentenced to nine months in jail for vandalism during a protest at the proposed Gogebic Taconite iron ore mine. Twenty-seven year old Katie Kloth of Weston, formerly of Stevens Point, was convicted of felony robbery and misdemeanor criminal damage. Two other misdemeanors were dropped in a plea deal. The protesters disrupted mining workers who were drilling exploratory holes at the mining site in Iron County in 2013. Authorities said Kloth led a group that threw cans and water bottles at workers, damaged equipment, and got upset with an employee who was videotaping the protest.

Read more: WACD

Big bonfire closes Yule season

There seems to be something special about a hot dog fresh from the grill in front of a roaring bonfire. Perhaps it is even better when it is served on a 30 degree winter evening.

That was the case Tuesday when the city’s Street Department and the Antigo Optimist Club got together for the annual Christmas tree burn.

It clears up the used Yule trees and provides an outing for dozens of people who enjoy the warmth from the blaze. They also have an opportunity to say farewell to the busy holiday season.

Read more: Antigo Daily Journal

Junket set Saturday on Elcho-area cross country ski trail system

The weather sounds ideal for Elcho Cross-country Ski Club’s 24th annual junket, an opportunity for winter enthusiasts of all ages to share some camaraderie and try out new equipment.

The event will be held Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. at the Moccasin Ski Trail, located just west of Elcho off Moccasin Lake Road.

A representative from Mel’s Trading Post of Rhinelander will be bringing cross-country ski equipment and snowshoes for people to try out, making it a great opportunity for people new to the sport to give skiing or snowshoeing a try in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

Read more: Antigo Daily Journal

Minoqua Man Dies From Injuries Sustained In Snowmobile Accident

A northern Wisconsin man has died from injuries suffered in a snowmobile crash six days ago. Sheriff's officials said 45-year-old Jesse Wiesendanger of Minocqua died yesterday. Investigators said alcohol was an apparent factor in the mishap, which occurred on a trail near Highway 70 in the town of Newbold near Rhinelander. The death was the third reported in the past week on snowmobile trails in the northern half of Wisconsin.

Read more: WACD

Busy Evening Planned Wednesday at City's FPL Meeting

There are several items on the Finance, Personnel, and Legislative committee meeting on Wednesday night for the City of Antigo. The committee wil hear a request to waive the Special Event Fees for Music in the Park events this summer. Other items on the agenda include

-Acceptance of Bid Deemed Most Advantageous for Pioneer Road Parcel

-Accept installation of lights at Little League Ball Field.

Read more: WACD

Woman Charged In Death Of Rhinelander Man

At least one person will be charged in connection with the 2003 death of a Rhinelander man.

Kenneth Wells' body was found that summer in the Wisconsin River in Rhinelander. Latoya Wolf is now charged with a felony in Wells' death.

According to court documents, Latoya Wolf told the Rhinelander Police Department in 2012 that her husband, Shannon Wolf, murdered Wells.

Read more: WACD

Antigo men suspects in bank heist

The Langlade County Sheriff’s Department was instrumental in helping to crack open an investigation which triggered the arrest of two Antigo men for a bank robbery near Wausau.

Kevin J. Calhoun, 29, and 21-year-old Andrew D. Gibney are both in custody awaiting formal charges for the Jan. 13 robbery at the U.S. Bank located on Camp Phillips Road in Weston. Officials believe that Calhoun committed the actual crime with Gibney driving the getaway car.

Headed by the Everest Metro Police Department, the investigation took a turn this past weekend when information compiled by locally-based law officers developed Calhoun as a possible suspect in the case.

Read more: Antigo Daily Journal

Leftovers from barn that served many masters, roles are burned on Monday

A barn standing on the Hafemeister property north of Antigo for 95 years has been razed during the past week, and the odds and ends of the process were burned in a show-stopper of a fire late Monday afternoon.

“People sure are stopping to look,” one of the four Amish men working on the project said. They carefully took the barn apart to get the board and beams that can be resold for new barns and other construction projects.

The structure was constructed in 1919 as the Brookdale Dairy, and when the farm days were over it became headquarters for Hafemeister Implement, the local Case tractor and heavy construction outlet in this part of the state.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Elderly Indiana Man Who Was Reported Missing, Found In Langlade County

At 7:46, a woman living on White Lake Drive in Langlade County called authorities to report an elderly male sitting in her truck. She told him to leave, but he refused, saying he was cold. He eventually left wearing a snowsuit, but returned 15 minutes later. Sheriffs deputies responded. They learned through the mans identification that he was missing from Indiana.

Read more: WACD

Senator Johnson visits here, sees news representatives and local residents

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, who has been a relatively frequent visitor to Antigo in the past year, was here again Saturday to meet with the media and discuss issues with a group of politically-interested local residents in the private meeting room at The Refuge on the city’s north side.

Johnson, an Oshkosh Republican, covered issues with print and electronic media representatives from throughout the area detailing his concerns about border security and the need to control activities among the borders coming into the United States.

He stressed that the strong controls would enhance “the security of America.”

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Packer-Seahawk rivalry stretches from baked goods to cheese, music

In one of his last touches in the kitchen of the Antigo Bakery Friday morning, Mike Pavek put the finishing flourishes on a Green Bay Packer cake to welcome the busy football weekend.

It was an attractive element to a Sunday party setting and was just part of the items in the room including stacks of the famous Antigo Bakery cookies marked for the football game. They were covered with that trademark white frosting.

There will be likely thousands of those cookies served in front of television sets here Sunday, mixed with the bags of chips chicken wings, nachos and popcorn. But there is nothing quite as special, perhaps unique, as those Antigo Bakery cookies.

Read more: Antigo Daily Journal

Aquatic Center opens classes for free access, ideal for winter fitness plan

The Clara R. McKenna Aquatic Center is inviting the public to kick-start their 2015 New Year’s personal, wellness resolutions, to lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle by offering a variety of classes for free through Jan. 24.

Water aerobic classes are available, five days a week at 7:30 and 8 a.m. on Saturdays in the Remington Pool. If you prefer an aerobic class in the warmer Vavruska Pool, classes are at 7:20 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Other classes that are offered in the Vavruska Pool include nonaerobic, arthritic class that is available two times a week on Mondays at 10 a.m. and Thursdays at 9 a.m. The Ai Chi (meditative) classes are available four days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:45 a.m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

White Lake board will bring back much-needed funding referendum

An ad hoc committee made up of community volunteers will begin planning the campaign to pass a spending referendum in White Lake.

On Thursday, the board of education unanimously approved resolutions authorizing a referendum on exceeding state-imposed revenue limits by $300,000 annually for the next five years. Estimated cost to taxpayers will be $1.55 per $1,000 of equalized valuation, or $155 in additional school taxes for the owner of a $100,000 home.

The paperwork included approval of resolutions authorizing the budget to exceed the limits plus a second resolution authorizing the referendum question.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Winter joy arrives, finally the stubborn frigid spell here broken

This is it.

The National Weather Service is predicting that the high temperature Saturday will be 33 degrees, breaking the freezing mark after weeks of readings that were at the bottom of the barrel, far under the zero point.

The chill hit the area during December and didn’t want to let go.

Antigo’s walking crowd was sent into the shopping centers and WelFit seemed busier than normal.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Death of Bob Nueske stuns employees, friends

Employees and associates of Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats are mourning the death of the company’s owner.

Robert “Bob” D. Nueske, son of company founder “R.C.” Nueske and the company’s president, died Monday of complications following knee replacement surgery. He was 67 years old.

Nueske was born on Feb. 22, 1947, and grew up working closely with his father, R.C. Nueske, founder of the family’s now third-generation smokehouse.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Harry needs a helping hand

The four-month-old wire haired terrier mix requires some high-priced surgery, and the Antigo Veterinary Clinic is putting out a call for donations.

“Harry has two severely broken front legs and needs to see a special surgeon in Appleton to install plates to help his bones heal properly,” Derek Goplin, client care coordinator, explained. “Our doctors have done what they can do. He’s been in our care for a month and we’ve seen no bone growth. The only way to get him healed is to get those plates put in.”

A typically rambunctious puppy, Harry came to the clinic after a fall left him with one broken leg. He was treated and returned home, but then a second puppy mishap left the other leg broken, and the owners unable to foot the mounting financial costs.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Gas falls below $2 barrier locally

Across the United States, many kept a careful eye on the price of crude oil as it slipped, and slowly brought down the price of gasoline making commuting and automobile outings more easily justified.

On Tuesday afternoon, Antigo broke a psychological barrier when a gallon of fuel slipped under $2 at the Remington Midtown station at Fifth Avenue and Superior Street.

Carol Vance, who has worked at the store for years, has raised the sign to above $4 per gallon, but said this morning “it has been a long, long time since it was under $2.”

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

School district, community salute crossing guards at ceremonies today

They are the folks in the bright fluorescent vests, who stand out in all kinds of weather—fair and foul—ensuring the community’s children arrive safely at school

Today, they got some long-overdue recognition.

As part of Adult School Crossing Guard Recognition Week, Antigo school district officials along with representatives of the city and police department presented awards and accolades to Bobbie Rosier, Bob Fritsch and Dwaine Packard, the guards to stop traffic and help schoolchildren cross busy roadways at Superior Street at Graham and Seventh avenues and Fifth Avenue at Deleglise Street.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

Temperatures fall to record territory

It got very, very cold in the Antigo area Monday evening and early today coming within one degree of the low record for Jan. 12, and surging past it by four ticks earlier today.

The data, prepared by Intellicast.com, shows the low reading last night was minus 24, which occurred sometime during the evening or early this morning.

The low for Monday is minus 25, a number set in 1974, and today it is 20 below, set in 1999. It is very likely that early today it was four degrees colder than the record.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

White Lake board to advance another vote

The White Lake school board may move forward with plans for a spring spending referendum—its third try for voter approval in a year—on Thursday.

The board will convene at 6 p.m. in the school library.

The agenda is lengthy, led by formal action on a referendum question seeking permission to exceed state-imposed revenue limits by $300,000 annually for the next five years.

Full story: Antigo Daily Journal

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