Local Rhinelander Headlines

SUGAR CAMP - Leaders from animal rehab centers, fisheries and the DNR spoke to students in Sugar Camp, Friday, hoping to combine education with protection and awareness of nature. Many of the students play, hike and hunt in the Northwoods. Conservation wardens like Patrick Novesky say kids need to know the challenges of maintaining nature. Full story: WJFW

EAGLE RIVER - Adults might deal with tough issues like suicide and depression, but sometimes kids have to deal with them too. Eighth graders in Eagle River gathered to talk about tough issues today. The Social Problems Awareness Fair was held at the Northland Pines Middle School. Full story: WJFW

WAUSAU - Prosecutors believe a 33-year-old Merrill woman tried to hire a hit-man to kill her fiance. Jessica Strom offered a man one thousand dollars and sex in return for killing him. Today, she accepted a plea deal to avoid trial. She pleaded no contest at the Marathon County Courthouse today. Before her plea, the judge found that she was competent to move forward with her case. Full story: WJFW

CRANDON - Students these days compete on an international level. Educational leaders here want more students to graduate so they can compete. Only about 63% of kids going to Crandon High School in 2009 graduated in four years. That number improved significantly since then. More than 77% of kids graduated in 2013. Full story: WJFW

EAGLE RIVER - Police think a 14-year-old set a fire in an Eagle River church. The fire happened early in the morning on April 27th at St Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church. A Vilas County Sheriff's officer put the fire out. Full story: WJFW

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI - More than five months of ice breaking on the northern Great Lakes has been completed by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard says Friday that operation Taconite ended Thursday and encompassed all of Lakes Superior and Michigan, the northern half of Lake Huron, the St. Marys River and the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. Full story: WJFW

WAUSAU - A burglary led to a chase through the streets of Wausau early this morning. A little before 2:00 a.m., Wausau police were sent to Kohlman's IGA on South third avenue. Full story: WJFW

ARBOR VITAE - Every night at Newswatch 12, we use some airtime to share information we get from some of our weather observers. Weather watchers help broadcasters make weather reports more accurate. They confirm the daily local weather for meteorologists. Full story: WJFW

MADISON - An insect expert says Wisconsin's tick population came through the harsh winter relatively unscathed. UW-Madison professor of entomology Susan Paskewitz says she's heard from many people who hope the cold winter months might have put a dent in the state's population of disease-carrying ticks. Full story: WJFW

MERRIL - Last year a 19-year-old girl wrote on Facebook that she had cancer. She and her father allegedly went to different businesses asking for donations. Some businesses put out collection containers. But prosecutors say the woman never had cancer. She and her father both face charges for lying. Full story: WJFW

RHINELANDER - When you walk down the main street some communities, you see empty spaces that could house a thriving business. A Northwoods organization wants to bring in potential business owners to look at those vacant spaces. Downtown Rhinelander, Inc. is hosting its second Open House for Available Properties this weekend. Full story: WJFW

VILAS COUNTY - Russ Kennedy now spends his days surrounded by kids at the Lac du Flambeau grade school. But for more than three decades before his retirement this month Kennedy served the public with the Vilas County Sheriff's Office. "What I like most about my job, serving the public of course, helping the public, using my years of experience to that end,” says Kennedy. “ It gives me personal satisfaction, joy, to do that." Full story: WJFW

ST. PAUL, MN - Minnesota lawmakers have a deal on a medical marijuana bill that would set up eight distribution sites and allow qualified patients to access the drug in oil, pill and vapor form. The agreement announced Thursday was crafted to suit concerns of Gov. Mark Dayton, who backs it. Full story: WJFW

ANTIGO - A car seat can save a child's life in a car accident. But safety experts believe most people don't have their kids' car seats installed correctly. Car seat technicians in Antigo can fix that. Full story: WJFW