Local Rhinelander Headlines

Some local school districts stand to lose state funding as open enrollment window closes

PHILLIPS - If fewer students used the state's open enrollment program to leave their home districts and attend school elsewhere, small rural districts such as Phillips would likely be in much better financial positions than they are right now. But if its enrollment numbers stay at their current level, Phillips stands to lose more than $300,000 in state aid next year thanks to the open enrollment trends.

At the close of the formal open enrollment window last week, about 80 students living in the Phillips district plan to attend school somewhere else next year. At the same time, fewer than half that many students chose to leave their home districts to attend Phillips.

Based on the current funding formula, Phillips will lose about $6,600 in state funds for every student who leaves the district.

Full story: WJFW

Phelps School District starts trap shooting club

PHELPS - The popularity of high school trap shooting seems to be spreading all across the Northwoods.
The Phelps School District is one of the latest to take up the sport.

Students came up with the idea to start a trap shooting club last year, and the program got started this spring. But even with the help of overwhelming community support, the club has experienced some growing pains.

Full story: WJFW

Lawmakers advance drug testing for workers, aid recipients

MADISON - A Wisconsin legislative committee has advanced two Republican bills that would establish drug testing for public benefit recipients.

The Assembly's public benefits reform committee approved the bills Wednesday almost on party lines. The measures passed on 8-6 votes with Republicans voting in favor. Rep. Adam Neylon, a Pewaukee Republican, voted against the measures.

The bills would require applicants for state job training programs such as Wisconsin Works and certain applicants for unemployment benefits to answer questionnaires screening for drug abuse. Based on the answers, applicants could be forced to undergo tests and enter state-sponsored treatment to retain their eligibility.

Full story: WJFW

Movement aims to protect pets, victims in domestic abuse situations

PHILLIPS - Many times, a cat or dog in the home makes domestic violence situations even more complicated. The abuser may hurt the animal, or the victim might be reluctant to get out of the home while leaving the animal behind.

TimeOut of Price County serves victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault. Its workers hear story after story of innocent pets being involved in abusive situations.

"(Victims say,) 'I see this happening to my pet constantly. My abuser has a bad day or we get into an argument and they take it out on my pet. I fear for my safety, I fear for my pet's safety,'" said Becky Steinbach, a Sexual Assault Program Coordinator at TimeOut in Phillips.

Full story: WJFW

Open enrollment window closes; some local districts will lose state funds

PHILLIPS - If more students went to school in their home area, school districts like Phillips would be in a much better financial place. Phillips stands to forgo more than $300,000 in state aid because of open enrollment.

The formal open enrollment window closed last week. About 80 students living in the district will likely attend school somewhere else next school year. Fewer than half of that number will come to Phillips by choice.

With how state funding is calculated, Phillips will lose about $6,600 per student that leaves.

Full story: WJFW

Vos: Voucher expansion can't be done as Walker wants

MADISON - Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says expanding the private school voucher program probably can't be done as Gov. Scott Walker has proposed.

Vos commented on the issue Wednesday after a new revenue forecast predicted no growth in the next two years above previous projections.

Walker proposed lifting the 1,000-student enrollment cap in the statewide voucher program, with funding for the expansion coming from public school districts that lose students.

Full story: WJFW

Senate leader says prevailing wage picture looks fuzzy

MADISON - The state Senate's leader says he's talking to his colleagues to gauge support for repealing or revising Wisconsin's prevailing wage law but a committee's moves this week is making the picture fuzzier.

Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald told reporters Wednesday that he's having one-on-one conversations with his caucus about what they would support.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said he doesn't have the votes to pass a repeal in that house. Regardless, Sen. Stephen Nass, the Senate's labor committee chairman, has plunged ahead on a bill that would repeal the law.

Full story: WJFW

Reward increased in killing of 5-year-old Milwaukee girl

MILWAUKEE - The reward has been significantly increased in the case a 5-year-old Milwaukee girl fatally shot last fall while sitting on her grandfather's lap.

Laylah Petersen was killed six months ago when gunfire tore through her grandparents' home. Police say two people approached the house and fired numerous times.

The family announced Wednesday a local attorney added $25,000 to the existing $10,000 reward for the first person who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Full story: WJFW

Senior Meal Program distribution cancelled for this week after fire destroys Senior Center

WOODRUFF - Seniors who rely on the Senior Meal Program in the Lakeland area won't receive their food for a few days after a fire destroyed the Lakeland Senior Center in Woodruff early Wednesday morning.

The senior center served as the point of distribution for the meals, and the fire leaves workers without a place to prepare and ship them out.

The interruption in service could cause a problem for some seniors; for some of them, the meal they receive through the program is often their only meal of the day.

Full story: WJFW

Never Forgotten Honor Flight: Humble Dan Writz finally convinced to take trip

WASHINGTON, DC - Last week, 81 World War II, Korean, and Vietnam War veterans flew to Washington, D.C. free of charge to see the memorials that stand in their honor. Veterans from our area left from Wausau on the Never Forgotten Honor Flight.

It can be a challenge to convince the veterans to participate. They're humble and many feel like there are plenty of other veterans who are more deserving of the opportunity. One veteran who took some convincing is Dan Writz of Abbotsford.

"I just felt I never was qualified to go," Writz said.

Full story: WJFW

Wisconsin Senate approves 70 mph speed limit

MADISON - The state Senate has approved a bill that would allow Wisconsin transportation officials to raise the speed limit on some roads to 70 mph.
The bill would permit the Department of Transportation officials to raise the limit to 70 mph on roads they deem fit. The proposal would prohibit DOT from going to 70 on four-lane roads with at-grade access, however.

Full story: WJFW

Wisconsin Senate approves GPS anti-tracking bill

MADISON - The state Senate has approved a bill designed to curb using GPS devices to track people.

The measure would make placing a GPS device on another person's vehicle without permission a misdemeanor punishable by up to nine months in jail and $10,000 in fines.

The measure carves out exceptions for police, parents and business owners tracking company vehicles.

Full story: WJFW

The Brewers hope to keep momentum going under Craig Counsell

MILWAUKEE - Brewers fans didn't see much to be happy about in the first 25 games of the seasons.

But Monday under new manager Craig Counsell, Brewers fans went to bed happy and proud.

"I told you guys earlier today I'd hope we had a story about this game someday and I think those guys wrote a pretty good story tonight," said Counsell.

Full story: WJFW

Update: Ryan Sisco, linked to homicide suspect Ashlee Martinson, pleads no contest to sex with child charge

RHINELANDER - The man who traveled with a 17-year-old homicide suspect to Indiana plead no contest to a misdemeanor charge for having sex with a child.

The judge however withheld a decision on sentencing in court Tuesday.

22-year-old Ryan Sisco traveled with Ashlee Martinson to Indiana in March.

Full story: WJFW

DNR to hold hearing in Wausau on phosphorous variance determination

MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker's administration has determined that complying with Wisconsin's phosphorus limits would cause substantial social and economic impacts.

Wastewater plants, paper mills and food processers contend they'll have to spend millions of dollars on upgrades to meet the limits, driving up rates.

They need an impact determination to trigger a law that Walker signed last year.

Full story: WJFW

Sparks from train set off Price County fire

PRENTICE - Almost a mile of forest and underbrush stands blackened near a Price County railroad track.

A train likely sent sparks flying into the woods as it passed through the area on Tuesday afternoon. That ignited dry grass, trees, and brush near the tracks. The fire put DNR and local firefighters in action fighting the long, narrow fire.

"We believe it was caused by a train," said the DNR's incident commander, Joe Danowski. "It spread about three-quarters of a mile along the north side of the tracks."

Full story: WJFW

Report: Private lawyers in WI woefully underpaid for public defender work

RHINELANDER - A new report from the Sixth Amendment Center argues private lawyers don't get paid enough when doing public defense work in Wisconsin.

Ann Munninghoff, a former public defender supervisor who lives in Rhinelander, says fewer lawyers are even offering their service because many lose money doing the work.

The state is constitutionally required to provide defense for someone who can't afford it. Wisconsin pays the Wisconsin Public Defender's Office (SPD) to do that work, but they can't handle all of those cases. The group outsources overflow and conflict of interest cases, which are extremely common in small towns in the rural Northwoods.

Full story: WJFW

Northwoods greenhouse successfully grows, harvests garden-fresh tomatoes for 20 years

ANTIGO - Tomatoes brought in from warmer parts of the country this time of year can often be tasteless.

Some supermarkets bring those tomatoes in because most local tomatoes aren't ripe. The growing season in Wisconsin is short and some farmers are only beginning to plant tomato plants.

But Canopy Gardens is different. The family-owned greenhouse is already harvesting tomatoes.

Full story: WJFW

Tomahawk will prepare for when emerald ash borer reaches the community

TOMAHAWK - A Northwoods city wants to be prepared for when emerald ash borer is brought to the area.

The city of Tomahawk will create a plan on what to do when the pest reaches the community. That's after it was found in Rhinelander last fall.

Tomahawk will form a group that will prepare for when emerald ash borer spreads to Tomahawk. The group will be made up of city workers and community members.

Full story: WJFW

WPS offers $2,000 grants to emergency responders

WISCONSIN - Wisconsin Public Service encourages any emergency responders to apply for its "Safety is Worth the Energy" grants. It will award 25 $2,000 grants this year.

All of WPS's service area can apply. Money is used for departments to provide special equipment or training which they otherwise wouldn't have.

"This is the second year we're offering the "Safety is Worth the Energy" grant for our local emergency responders in our service area," said WPS Community Relations Leader Leah Van Zile. "That would be fire departments, emergency rescue squads, police departments."

Full story: WJFW

New Chief Justice wants a smooth transition

MADISON - Newly elected Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Roggensack says she doesn't want to pick a fight with other justices, even though her selection as its leader is contested.

Roggensack spoke Tuesday about her election last week as chief by four of the seven members of the court.

Longtime Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson contends she remains the chief justice and is fighting over the issue in federal court.

Full story: WJFW

UPDATE: Wisconsin mother in serious condition after random shooting

Doctors have upgraded the condition of a woman hospitalized after a random shooting in eastern Wisconsin that left her husband, daughter and another man dead.

Theda Clark Medical Center spokeswoman Megan Mulholland says 32-year-old Erin Stoffel was upgraded from critical to serious condition Tuesday.

Menasha police say Sergio Daniel Valencia del Toro fought with his ex-fiancée Sunday before grabbing two handguns and riding his bike to the Trestle Trail bridge over Little Lake Butte des Morts (BYOO'- deh-mohr) in Menasha. Valencia del Toro opened fire on the bridge, killing Jonathan Stoffel and his 11-year-old daughter, Olivia, along with Adam Bentdahl.

Full story: WJFW

Never Forgotten Honor Flight: Dr. Jacobson served country, community for more than a half-century

WASHINGTON, DC - A retired Northwoods doctor from Eagle River flew to Washington, DC last week. Dr. Lewis Jacobson was one of 27 World War II veterans from northcentral Wisconsin participating in the 19th Never Forgotten Honor Flight. Nearly seventy years ago, he came home from Europe. He was a young, Jewish, American soldier who spent a year and half fighting Hitler's war machine.

"I served from July of 1943 to early January of 1946, a total of about two and a half years, and 18 months was with service overseas in Europe: England, France, and Germany," Jacobson explained.

He was one of approximately 500,000 Jewish people who served in the American armed forces during World War II.

Full story: WJFW

Ryan Sisco, linked to homicide suspect Ashlee Martinson, faces sex with child charge

RHINELANDER - The man who investigators say traveled with Ashlee Martinson after she allegedly killed her mother and stepfather faces a misdemeanor for having sex with a child.

Ryan Sisco, 22, traveled with Martinson to Indiana after Martinson allegedly killed Jennifer and Thomas Ayers in their home east of Rhinelander on March 7.

According to the criminal complaint, Sisco began a relationship with Martinson, 17, between February and March of this year.

Full story: WJFW

Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail encourages silent sports enthusiasts to enjoy the Northwoods

VILAS COUNTY - Many people enjoy exploring the Northwoods on a bicycle. The Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail spans 47 miles.

Local communities hope more people will use the trail.

The paved trail has expanded to connect the four communities of Boulder Junction, St. Germain, Sayner/Star Lake, and Manitowish Waters.

Full story: WJFW

Judge orders evaluations of Slender Man stabbing suspects

WAUKESHA - A judge has decided that two girls accused in the stabbing of a classmate to please the horror character Slender Man should be evaluated by the Waukesha County's Department of Health and Human Services.

The judge made the decision Tuesday after the girls' attorneys asked for the department to evaluate and determine services as if the girls were in juvenile court.

The 12-year-old and 13-year-old girls from Waukesha are charged as adults with attempted first-degree intentional homicide in the attack on Payton Leutner, who survived 19 stab wounds last May.

Full story: WJFW

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