Local Rhinelander Headlines

Organizers have high hopes for Hodag Hops & Vines

RHINELANDER - One of the most popular events in Rhinelander will return soon. The fifth annual Hodag Hops and Vines will help local brewers showcase their beer and wines.

People can sample small-batch beer and wine from across the Northwoods and the state. Event organizers say it's a great way to learn what drinks are available in Wisconsin.

"It showcases a huge array of different beer and wine labels that are available to people here in the Northwoods," says Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Dana DeMet. "It focuses on bringing in local brews, local wines from Northern Wisconsin, as well as the state."

Full story: WJFW

Oneida County Homicides UPDATE: Martinson waives extradition

ONEIDA COUNTY, BOONE COUNTY, IND. - Double homicide suspect Ashlee Martinson won't fight extradition back to Wisconsin anymore. Her local attorney in Boone County, Indiana, informed Boone County Judge J. Jeffrey Edens on Thursday that Martinson decided to waive extradition.

This means law enforcement in Oneida County will be able to return her to Wisconsin to face prosecution without further legal action in Indiana.

Edens set an extradition hearing for 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Martinson did, in fact, waive her extradition during that hearing.

Full story: WJFW

Judge denies Abrahamson request to block amendment

MADISON - A federal judge has denied Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson's request for a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of a constitutional amendment that could lead to her being demoted.

U.S. District Judge James Peterson issued the order on Thursday.

Abrahamson filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday, seeking to stop the amendment from taking effect until after her term ends in four years.

Full story: WJFW

Lunchtime club inspires Northwoods students to stay active

HARSHAW - With video games and TV, it can be difficult to keep kids active. A Northwoods teacher decided to share her passion for being active with students.

Lunchtime at Northwoods Community Elementary School in the School District of Rhinelander begins with a stop at the Mileage Club wall. Students pick up their pedometers.

"You put it on your boot, your jacket, or in your pockets," said Mileage Club member Luciana Grage.

Full story: WJFW

Goats, steers, heifer die in Lincoln County barn fire; described as 'like a nightmare'

GLEASON - "It was like a nightmare. I wondered if I was going to wake up, but I never woke up," said Dorcas Ramer, standing before the rubble of her burned barn.

Dorcas was the first in her family to see their barn in flames, at about 3:30 Thursday morning.

"I just ran upstairs and yelled, 'the barn's on fire!'" remembered Dorcas.

Full story: WJFW

Church Mutual Insurance Company will expand its space by renting a former Walmart building

MERRILL - The company is the largest employee in Merrill. Church Mutual Insurance Company Richard Poirier President says company leaders want to keep growing the company and the community.

"We're the largest employer in Merrill, and we want to put our best foot forward for our community and our company," said Poirier. "Having a vacant building the size of the Walmart in our estimation did not project the best image of the city or our company."

Poirier thinks the company's growth will benefit the community.

Full story: WJFW

Car chase suspect found competent in Marathon County court

WAUSAU - A 58-year-old Clintonville man was found competent in Marathon County court Thursday. Prosecutors accuse Randall Wilson of stealing an SUV and leading police on a 50-mile car chase.

Four squad cars were damaged during the chase.

Wilson faces three felony charges for the 50 mile car chase. Prosecutors accuse the man of stealing the car from a Clintonville car lot.

Full story: WJFW

City Council President receives threatening letter with substance

WAUSAU - The Wausau City Council President got a threatening letter with a white powder in the envelope Wednesday. It was sent to Romey Wagner's home.

The letter and the envelope's contents were brought to the Wausau Police Department. The Wausau Fire Department says the substance is corn starch.

The letter warns that City Council members should watch their steps and actions.

Full story: WJFW

Community prepares to celebrate 100 years

TOWNSEND - One Northwoods town plans get an early start on celebrating its 100th anniversary. People in Townsend won't officially celebrate 100 years until April next year, but they want to get the word out early.

"I approached the town with the suggestion in 2011," explained Townsend Centennial Chairperson Kathleen Marsh. "At that time they decided that we would plan our centennial and put away a little money each year so that we'd have some when it came time to celebrate."

Centennial committee members plan to hang banners around town this July. They also have some historic re-enactments planned this fall and next spring, but they can't do them without community help.

Full story: WJFW

UPDATE: Madison man accused of trying to join Islamic State group

MADISON - A Wisconsin man is accused of traveling to the Middle East in an attempt to join the Islamic State group.

Thirty-four-year-old Joshua Van Haften was arrested Wednesday night at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. A criminal complaint charges him with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

Van Haften appeared Thursday morning in federal court in Madison. Investigators say he was returning from Turkey.

Full story: WJFW

New veterans' center building nearly finished with renovations

RHINELANDER - Rhinelander will see improvements to a new veterans' center soon. Volunteers are working to renovate the old American Legion building on Coon Street.

The project started two years ago. Volunteers have received several donations and grants, but it is still not enough to finish to building.

All the labor for the building has been donated, mostly by local veterans.

Full story: WJFW

Preliminary hearing offers more details as Rhinelander meth case moves forward

RHINELANDER - The case against a 38-year-old Rhinelander woman facing several meth charges will move forward.

Prosecutors believe Jaime Rickert helped buy material for the production of methamphetamine and then helped cook that methamphetamine at her downtown Rhinelander apartment. Rickert faces five felony charges, including manufacturing and delivering amphetamine, knowingly possessing methamphetamine waste, and possessing methamphetamine precursors.

Investigators say Rickert and 40-year-old Michael Steinmetz, Jr. took part in the meth-making process. Thirty-six-year-old Crystal Schirmacher, 35-year-old Jesus Fernandez, and 47-year-old Carrie Steinmetz also face charges for allegedly purchasing material used to make meth.

Full story: WJFW

Walker signs bill protecting victims of cyberbullying

MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker has signed a bill that will allow state judges to issue restraining orders against anyone who uses technology to harass a Wisconsin resident from anywhere in the country.

Current state law allows Wisconsin judges to issue restraining orders only against harassers and stalkers who reside within the state.

Walker signed the bill into law on Wednesday.

Full story: WJFW

Remains identified as those of woman missing nearly 2 years

TOWN OF RICHMOND - Authorities have identified human remains found in the Town of Richmond as those of a woman who was reported missing nearly two years ago.

Heather Szekeres was reported missing by her husband on June 23, 2013. She was last seen at the Final Lap Bar in the City of Shawano on the evening of June 21, 2013.

The Shawano County Sheriff's Office says the remains were recovered on May 10, 2014. On Wednesday, sheriff's officials were notified that DNA samples collected from the remains and from the location where they were recovered are those of Szekeres.

Full story: WJFW

Northland Pines girls' soccer adjusts to new head coach

EAGLE RIVER - The new soccer season means getting used to a new head coach for the girls' team at Northland Pines.

Stephen Williamson took over the team this year after former head coach Wendy McCormack took the team to the sectional finals in last season's playoffs.

Williams says he wants to uphold that winning tradition as he moves forward with the team.

Full story: WJFW

Phelps school referendum passes (again), maintaining perfect streak

PHELPS - School administrators and referendum supporters in some small, rural districts waited nervously for voting results on Tuesday night.

White Lake and Laona, for example, faced the real possibility of closing their schools if referendums failed.

The tiny School District of Phelps, however, had much less cause to feel anxious.

Full story: WJFW

Library accepts design bid

EAGLE RIVER - The library in Eagle River will see more progress on plans for expansion this year. Board members of the Walter E. Olson Memorial Library recently agreed to a design contract for construction. The members plan to add more than 6,000 square feet to the library, nearly doubling its size.

"This project has included volunteer work of many, many, many, many people in our community for a long, long time," said Library Board of Trustees President Laurie Stoegbauer. "People have been really dedicated to this project and have spent many hours getting to where we are now."

Volunteers have raised more than $2 million dollars for the project to date.
This new plan will allow the library more room for its children's area, young adults section, and conference rooms. Library managers hope to keep costs low during construction.

Full story: WJFW

After Rhinelander voter approval, Premier Resort Area Tax heads to state Legislature

RHINELANDER - People shopping in Rhinelander could see a slightly higher sales tax on some items next year.

At the polls on Tuesday, Rhinelander voters overwhelmingly supported a proposal for the Premier Resort Area Tax.

The city is looking to add a half-percent sales tax on tourist-related purchases in the city.

Full story: WJFW

One Phillips family's athletic tradition stretches back decades

PHILLIPS - Members of one Northwoods family share the same love for high school sports.

The Baratkas have all succeeded in high school athletics, all at the same school.

Joe Baratka graduated from Phillips High School in 1986 and his wife Jami graduated in 1992. They both lettered in varsity sports. They left Phillips for a few years but wanted to come back.

Full story: WJFW

New events coordinator hopes to create new events, make existing ones bigger

ST. GERMAIN - Some traditional Northwoods events draw many people to St. Germain every year. The new events and public relations coordinator at the St. Germain Chamber of Commerce hopes to get larger crowds by making some events bigger.

Judy Jurries will help plan events like Colorama, Martinis in May, and the last Pig in the Pines.

Jurries will keep the traditional events around. This year, she plans to run the events the same way they have been done in the past. But in the future, she wants to start putting some twists into things.

Full story: WJFW

Crews clearing path through Lake Superior ice; ships stuck

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI - Crews are working to clear a path through ice on eastern Lake Superior that's left freighters unable to move, including one that had a hole punched in its hull.

The U.S. Coast Guard says a Canadian icebreaker on Wednesday is joining other American vessels breaking ice on Whitefish Bay. Officials say at least 10 ships are affected.

Mark Gill, director of vessel traffic services for the U.S. Coast Guard at Sault Ste. Marie, tells The Detroit News that warmer air and westerly winds loosened ice and pushed it around Whitefish Bay. Some ships have been stranded since Sunday.

Full story: WJFW

Jury finds Dzhokhar Tsarnaev guilty on all 30 counts in Boston Bombing Trial

BOSTON - A jury has convicted Dzhokhar Tsarnaev of all 30 counts he faced stemming from the 2013 bombing of the Boston Marathon.

Tsarnaev was found guilty Wednesday on charges that included conspiracy and use of a weapon of mass destruction. Of the 30 charges, 17 are punishable by death.

Tsarnaev's lawyers admitted he participated in the bombings, but said his now-dead older brother was the driving force behind the deadly attack.

Full story: WJFW

NRB approves zero daily bag limit on Minocqua Chain of Lakes, three walleye daily bag limit in ceded territory

MADISON - People fishing on the Minocqua and Tomahawk Chain of Lakes won't be able to keep walleye they catch for the next five years. The Natural Resources Board approved an emergency rule on Wednesday.

The walleye population on the chain crashed during the past decade. The DNR, Chippewa Tribal leaders, and Walleyes for Tomorrow worked together on the plan. They want to see the walleye population improve.

The plan means Chippewa Tribes will give up their right to harvest walleye on the chains for five years.

Full story: WJFW

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