      |
MILWAUKEE - A judge's ruling could have far-reaching implications for the growing use of high-capacity wells in Wisconsin.
Administrative Law Judge Jeffrey Boldt ruled that the Department of Natural Resources failed to consider the accumulated effects of groundwater use when the agency reviewed an application for a high-capacity well for a $35 million dairy farm.
RHINELANDER - Recovering from alcohol or drug addiction can be difficult. But addiction specialists believe many people can fully recover if they have the right support.
Koinonia Alumni wanted to celebrate community members for recovering from their past addictions. They hosted a lunch event where people could have fun without drugs or alcohol.
RHINELANDER - Volunteers for Rhinelander Area Food Pantry will continue to work hard on upgrading their new location.
People from the Rhinelander area finished putting the walls up Saturday. The goal is to move into Golden Harvest's old building by the beginning of October.
NELSON - A collision between a truck and an ATV has left one man dead in western Wisconsin.
The Buffalo County Sheriff's Office says the truck was northbound on Highway 25 around 4:30 p.m. Friday when the ATV attempted to cross the highway off a field road in the Town of Nelson. The truck hit the ATV, and its operator was ejected.
NORTHWOODS - Wind and hail rocked the Northwoods Thursday. People are still cleaning up from the storm. Others are sitting in the dark, but hopefully not for long. WPS crews are working around the clock to get power restored.
At least 25,000 people were without power after the storm hit Thursday. Close to 1,700 are still without Power in Rhinelander ad more than 2 thousand in Townsend.
MINOCQUA - Unwanted visitors won't be able to easily get into Lakeland Union High School. The school made a lot of changes over the summer to upgrade security.
Last year, anyone could walk through the doors into the school. That's because the doors were unlocked. Only a sign told people which office to check into down the hall. Now, that's no longer the case.
CRANDON - The School District of Crandon and the Forest County Chamber just bought a drone.
Students can fly the drone to take video.
The video will be used to promote businesses in Forest County and the school.
WHITE LAKE - Not many events can bring in enough people to double the population of their area.
But that's exactly what the Wolfman Triathlon in White Lake does.
This is the 20th year triathletes will paddle, bike and run trails in Langlade County.
ST. GERMAIN - Bidders will soon get the chance to own a piece of historic property in the Northwoods. Integrys, the parent company of Wisconsin Public Service, will sell its lakefront property in St. Germain.
"This property is so special and unique," said Hall and Hall Auctions Auction Head Scott Shuman.
CRANDON - You can head to Forest County over the weekend if you want to get your county fair fix.
Fair Coordinator Brenda Flannery says Wednesday's storms caused a few transportation issues. She says the rain practically formed a river on one portion of the grounds just north of Crandon, but everything is ready for action this weekend.
"It was just the idea that we've got to get this done and we have to have it done quick," Flannery said. "So we actually had to wait and set up some of the displays this (Friday) morning."
WAUSAU - For decades, people in northern Wisconsin knew Dave Obey as their representative in Congress.
Obey represented the geographically large 7th Congressional District for 42 years.
He retired in 2011.
MERRILL - A new mural in Merrill reminds people there of the city's storied history.
The mural centers around a trolley scene.
Merrill was one of the first cities in the country to have a trolley system.
MILWAUKEE - A company that wants to develop an iron ore mine in northwestern Wisconsin might make some changes.
Gogebic Taconite is considering limiting the project to only one county instead of two.
The company is considering building the mine only in Iron County.
PLOVER - A Plover police officer returns to active duty after a shooting last month.
Officer Andy Hopfensperger had been on administrative leave after shooting a man who attacked him with a knife.
The Plover police department says an investigation found the use of force was reasonable and justified.
EAGLE RIVER - A 31-year-old man from Lac du Flambeau now living in Michigan will spend more than 2 ½ years in prison with two years of extended supervision for a 2013 stabbing.
James Peterson faced punishment Thursday for drunkenly stabbing Corey Wayman at a party in Lac du Flambeau last year. Wayman has scars on his arm, back and groin, but he survived because the knife barely missed a major artery. His sister said in court Thursday that she didn't want anyone to experience what they went through.
RHINELANDER - Firefighters in the Northwoods worked hard to keep people safe after the storms.
The Crescent Fire Department went to five different calls from the time Thursday's storm ended to about 1pm.
The fire department needs to make sure people stay away from the lines.
MILWAUKEE - The chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee described Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's policies affecting women using language that evokes images of domestic violence.
DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) says Walker, a Republican, has "given women the back of his hand."
MINOCQUA - We pass along some very sad news about a long-time friend of Newswatch 12.
Woody Woodruff died suddenly Thursday morning.
Woodruff was the Executive Director of the Campanile Center for the Arts in Minocqua.
RHINELANDER - Firefighters got a call about a fire caused by lightning around 10am Thursday morning.
The fire destroyed a house on Section 14 Road, Northeast of Rhinelander.
MERRILL - About 70 to 80 people in Lincoln County struggle with homelessness in the winter.
A warming center in Merrill will help give them a safe, warm place to go.
Right now, there are no homeless shelters or warming centers in Lincoln County.
RHINELANDER - Some people in the Northwoods might not have power until Friday. The severe storms Thursday morning damaged some power structures that take a longer time to fix.
Strong winds knocked many trees over and left thousands of people without power. More than 60 percent of homes in Rhinelander still don't have power. Three Northwoods schools had to close early because they didn't have power.
MINOCQUA, WOODRUFF - The storms Thursday morning seemed to come out of nowhere.
"All of the sudden it started sprinkling and then it went from sprinkling to hailing. And it was big-sized hail and people started coming in the parking lot and coming inside. And as they came inside, the hail was coming inside," said Minocqua R Store Supervisor Rebecka Lohr.
ST. GERMAIN - St. Germain will add 230 acres of property near one of its parks. The measure passed in a close 74 to 70 vote Wednesday night.
The vote was close, in part, because people were concerned about the effects of the stewardship grant. The grant will cover just less than half of the cost of the land. The grant can limit what the town can do with the land. Some people at the meeting said they didn't want the town to buy land with the grant because they felt they wouldn't be able to do much with the land.
PULASKI - Authorities say a car collided with a school bus carrying high school athletes near Pulaski, killing a passenger in the car and injuring 14 people.
The woman who died is 24 year old Shannon Hall of Athens, Wisconsin.
Brown County officials said the car hit the back of the bus Tuesday night while the bus tried to cross the highway. The bus was carrying volleyball teams from Pulaski High School.
RHINELANDER - Skateboarders in Rhinelander will have a new skate park next year. It'll be built on the lot behind the Fire Department on Alban and Phillip streets.
The lot is the same spot where the old skate park closed almost five years ago. Park leaders say the old lot closed because the old wooden equipment was not safe for people to skate on.
EAGLE RIVER - Many drivers don't forget their first car. But they don't usually get the chance to see the car after they sell it.
One Northwoods man hadn't seen his 1967 Corvette in nearly 45 years. Then one day, he got a call from the car's newest owner.
"I'm just a happy guy right now," said Donald Casey, the car's original owner.
EAGLE RIVER - People could learn more on Wednesday about what could happen to their brains as they get older.
The Pines Community Wellness Center in Eagle River organized a workshop for seniors about memory loss.
About 50 people attended the class.
MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker says he doesn't have a number in mind for how much he wants to grow the private-school voucher program, should he be elected to a second term.
Walker said Wednesday after touring a sensor manufacturer in Middleton that he wants to grow the program in stages, so there is capacity for all the students who wish to participate.
LAC DU FLAMBEAU - The Lac du Flambeau tribe will see a change in leadership.
Yesterday, voters in Lac Du Flambeau turned out for the 2014 Tribal Primary Elections.
Current tribal president Tom Maulson finished third in the president's primary, and did not advance.
WAUKESHA - The 12-year-old girl who nearly died after she was stabbed 19 times in Waukesha is back in school.
A spokesman for the girl's family says it has been a summer of doctor's appointments, surgeries, specialists and recovery. Stephen Lyons says the girl has been eager to go back to school. She started the 7th grade on Tuesday.
