Local Rhinelander Headlines

WAUSAU - Wausau Police accuse a woman of making heroin and keeping a drug trafficking home. The woman was arrested in a Thursday morning sting in Wausau. Full story: WJFW

RHINELANDER - Police and rescue personnel say a seemingly harmless act for charity has potentially dangerous consequences. Police say an online trend that's sweeping across the Midwest has teens and even adults jumping into icy cold lakes, rivers and ponds in the name of charity. Oneida County Sheriff Grady Hartman believes people should stay away from the challenge. Full story: WJFW

MILWAUKEE - A woman who says she witnessed the altercation in which a Milwaukee police officer shot and killed a homeless man says the officer didn't appear to be in imminent danger. Kelly Brandmeyer was working in a coffee shop April 30 when she heard a shout. She told The Associated Press on Friday she looked up and saw 31-year-old Dontre Hamilton holding an officer's baton. Full story: WJFW

RHINELANDER - People in Oneida County will see a new chief deputy patrolling their streets. Oneida County Sheriff Grady Hartman selected Lieutenant Daniel Hess to take over the position of chief deputy. Full story: WJFW

MERRILL - The defense begins presenting its case today in the trial of a woman charged in a deadly crash in Merrill. 26 year old Ashley Baumann faces seven felony charges. That includes two charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. Full story: WJFW

PHELPS - Working on a hobby farm and caring for large animals takes a lot of hard work. But a passion for those animals makes the work worth it. A graduating senior from Phelps wants to turn her love for animals into a career. Full story: WJFW

MADISON - The state of Wisconsin will stop enforcing a limit on how much people can donate in total to candidates running for office. That will bring state law in line with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Full story: WJFW

WAUSAU - The show went on even after the driver of an SUV crashed into a University of Wisconsin-Marathon County building. About 250 people were inside the theater for a jazz concert when the SUV went through a glass wall. Full story: WJFW

ALTOONA - Students in the Altoona school district will be starting their summer break a little earlier. The school district is among those taking advantage of a recently enacted state law eliminating the requirement that students attend school for at least 180 days a year. Full story: WJFW

ACROSS THE NORTHWOODS - A group of Northwoods airports will get funding for improvements, the majority of which will come from the Federal Aviation Administration. Gov. Scott Walker-(R) approved improvement projects at the Marshfield Municipal Airport, Tomahawk Regional Airport and Langlade County Airport Thursday. Full story: WJFW

NORTHWOODS - You can see reservoirs are filling up thanks to last week's wet weather. Melting snow also helped raise water on the Wisconsin River. The Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company controls 21 different reservoirs along the Wisconsin River. They say many reservoirs along the river in the Northwoods are almost full. Full story: WJFW

MINOCQUA - Most students work to get a good grade on a final project. They don't usually expect national recognition, but two Lakeland Union High School juniors got much more than an A. Sophia Weiss and Paige Courtney's film on the importance of corporate tax reform took third prize in the C-SPAN StudentCam Competition. Full story: WJFW

MADISON - Wisconsin attorney general hopeful Susan Happ isn't convinced criminalizing first-time drunken driving offenses would be the right move. Happ told a WisPolitics.com luncheon on Thursday that first-time drunken drivers already face sanctions on their licenses and increased insurance premiums. Full story: WJFW

LAND O' LAKES - The Land O' Lakes fire department battled a structure fire in Land O' Lakes overnight. Fire Chief Samuel Otterpohl tells Newswatch 12 that the call came in around 10:58 p.m. last night. Full story: WJFW