Local Rhinelander Headlines

Spring brings on pothole season

RHINELANDER - The warmer weather may make everyone happier. But when warmer weather comes, that also means it's time for pothole season.

When the roads freeze, the asphalt pushes up and breaks apart. As it heats up outside and the roads thaw, a pothole will start to form. City workers say Rhinelander is no stranger to potholes.

"Problem areas are the older streets, the main thoroughfares, the Kemp Streets, and Stevens and the Lincolns, where you're seeing ten to fifteen thousand cars a day," said Public Works Street Superintendent Tony Gilman. "That repetitive traffic just pounding on those potholes every day is just going to keep knocking that stuff out of there."

Full story: WJFW

Schools cancel classes, hospital secured during manhunt

UNION GROVE - Some area schools closed and a hospital tightened security as authorities in Racine County continued their search for a man accused of abducting a woman from the medical facility and later shooting at a deputy.

Sheriff's officials say a female employee of Lakeview Specialty Hospital and Rehab near Rochester was abducted by the armed suspect Sunday afternoon and later released in the parking lot of a Union Grove grocery store. That's where the man exchanged gunfire with a deputy before fleeing.

Lakeview administrator Billy Blasingame says only the main entrance at the hospital is being used following Sunday's incident. He says other doors to the building have been secured.

Full story: WJFW

Wisconsin's native tribes gather in Crandon to celebrate Winter's End Powwow

CRANDON - People from Wisconsin's 11 Native American tribes celebrated the end of winter at the 18th annual Winter's End Powwow Saturday and Sunday.

The Forest County Potawatomi hosted the powwow at Crandon High School.

Organizers say the powwow had a good turnout this year. They were particularly excited to see a younger crowd learn about their cultural identity.

Full story: WJFW

People from Wisconsin's 11 Native American tribes celebrated the end of winter at the 18th annual Winter's End Powwow Saturday and Sunday

CRANDON - The Forest County Potawatomi hosted the powwow at Crandon High School.

Organizers say the powwow had a good turnout this year. They were particularly excited to see a younger crowd learn about their cultural identity.

The powwow is a gathering of people. It's a time for socializing and renewing friendships.

Full story: WJFW

Thousands run in Wausau to support veterans, fund Honor Flights

WAUSAU - The 6th annual Bull Falls Brewery Never Forgotten Honor Flight 5K Walk and Run was held this Saturday in Wausau. The event raised money for the honor flight, which pays for veterans to go to Washington D.C. to see war memorials.

It costs $500 dollars to bring a veteran on the flight. Today's run raised more than $13,000.

A lot of people in Northcentral Wisconsin showed their support for veterans today.

Full story: WJFW

The 6th annual Bull Falls Brewery Never Forgotten Honor Flight 5k walk and run was Saturday

WAUSAU - It raised money for the honor flight, which pays for veterans to go to Washington D.C. to see war memorials. It costs $500 dollars to bring a veteran on the flight. Today's run raised more than $13,000.

A lot of people in Northcentral Wisconsin showed their support for veterans today.

"To see everybody come out and support this, it means a lot to the veterans and to those of us who get to help support it," said runner Amanda Murphy.

Full story: WJFW

Hearing continues on whether a Milwaukee Police Officer should be fired after shooting

MILWAUKEE - A hearing on whether a Milwaukee Police officer fired in the wake of shooting a black man should be reinstated has started its third day.

Christopher Manney killed Dontre Hamilton during a fight in a downtown park in April. Prosecutors said the shooting was justified but Chief Ed Flynn still fired Manney for improperly deciding to frisk Hamilton.

A panel of police commissioners began hearing Manney's appeal request Thursday.

Full story: WJFW

Officials investigating March Madness bracket that rated female students

SUN PRAIRIE - Administrators at Sun Prairie High School are alerting parents after students there created a March Madness bracket that rated female students.

In an email to parents Friday Lisa Heipp, the school principal, said officials took immediate action admonishing the activity and asking students to dispose of brackets. She says school officials have talked with upset students as well as those suspected of creating the bracket.

Heipp says officials will continue monitoring social media to determine which students were involved and teachers will also be on alert.

Full story: WJFW

Three facing drug charges related to trafficking after arrests

MERRILL - The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office believes a house southeast of Merrill was being used as a drug trafficking home. Now, three people face drug charges after a police raid Thursday.

It happened on the W5096 River View Rd. Police found marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and an AK47 style assault rifle in the home. The rifle also had a fully loaded extended magazine, according to a Lincoln County Sheriff's Office release.

Eric Welch, 26, Alyssa Olund, 21, and Jacob Cooper, 21, all made appearances in Lincoln County court Friday. All three are from Merrill.

Full story: WJFW

Judge rules Wisconsin abortion law unconstitutional

MADISON - A federal judge has struck down a Wisconsin law requiring abortion providers to get hospital admitting privileges.

U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled Friday that the 2013 law is unconstitutional.

Planned Parenthood and Affiliated Medical Services had sued the state, arguing the requirement will force AMS's Milwaukee clinic to close because its doctors can't get admitting privileges.

Full story: WJFW

Farming class for youth

ANTIGO - Some teens will spend their summer working on farms this year. That's why leaders at Langlade County UW-Extension created a machine and tractor safety course. The course will specifically teach young teens how to safely drive tractors.

"The class consists of a lot of work," said Tractor Safety Instructor Keith Wilson. "It's a six hour course every Saturday for four Saturdays and you've got to go through it. I'm a strict teacher and you've got to be listening"

Nearly 80 people died within the past six years from farming accidents in Wisconsin. That's why the instructor will teach anyone who wants to learn about tractor safety. One father made it a point to put his sons in the course two years ago.

Full story: WJFW

Thousands of trees come down in Northwoods community for airport safety

LAND O' LAKES - In November, workers began cutting down thousands of trees in Land O' Lakes because the trees were too tall. As many as 2,200 flights come into King's Land O' Lakes Airport each year, and the tall trees could put them in danger.

"There's a safety area around the airport that's kind of like a stadium where the field would be the runway and everything above the seats are the safety areas that need to be clear so that the pilot can land safely," said Ryan Donnelly, an airport development engineer with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

In 2012, a FAA flight check discovered many trees were feet taller than they should be in the approach slope. It shutdown night and low visibility flights into and out of the airport in November 2013.

Full story: WJFW

Tri-County Council organizes teen support group for children to cope with double homicide, other topics

RHINELANDER - Earlier in March, a Rhinelander High School student allegedly killed her mother and stepfather.

Many community groups want to help teens in the community cope with what happened.

One way they plan on doing that is by creating a teen support group.

Full story: WJFW

Transportation borrowing and what debt situation could mean for you heading into 2015-17 budget

RHINELANDER - Gov. Scott Walker wants to use nearly $1.3 billion in bonding to help fill a Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) budget hole. It's a move Walker also wants to use to help pay for a new Milwaukee arena, but Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) says that proposal is in effect dead.

Wisconsin sits on nearly $14 billion of debt, most of which was acquired before Gov. Walker took office, heading into our next two-year budget. That's more than $2,400 per person in the state. Governor Walker's budget could add more.

State records show Walker has slowed the growth of state debt, but the state is still borrowing for some programs. According to records from the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, annual debt contracted in calendar year 2010 was around $809 million. In calendar year 2014, records show $598 million in debt contracted.

Full story: WJFW

Heating Assistance Money Still Available

RHINELANDER - While it may be getting warmer outside, Wisconsin Public Service wants people to know there's still money available to help pay for your heating bills.

Wisconsin's Home Energy Assistance Program or WHEAP provides financial assistance to help people pay for their electric and heating costs.

WPS workers remind people that money is still available, but could be gone soon.

Full story: WJFW

Bernice Steadman dies; part of NASA's 'Mercury 13' program

TRAVERSE CITY, MI - A woman who was among 13 selected for training as possible astronauts in the early 1960s has died at her northern Michigan home. She was 89.

Bernice Steadman was a member of the so-called ``Mercury 13.'' NASA dropped the program, and it was 22 more years before a U.S. woman went to space.

Robert Steadman says his wife died Wednesday in Traverse City. She had Alzheimer's disease.

Full story: WJFW

Schimel asks Wis. Supreme Court to take rules case

MADISON - Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel is asking the state Supreme Court to take a case related to how much influence Gov. Scott Walker can have in the state's education department.

Schimel wants the Supreme Court to review an appeals court ruling from last month that found a Republican-written law giving the governor the power to block new education rules is unconstitutional.

The appeals court ruled that the law essentially gives the governor veto authority over anything the elected state schools superintendent proposes, interfering with the superintendent's constitutional powers to supervise public education.

Full story: WJFW

Aquatic Center plans approved; Commission starts fundraising for project amenities

MERRILL - Merrill will soon get a new aquatic center thanks to an anonymous $4 million donation. However, the Merrill Parks and Recreation Commission is still $500,000 short to build amenities for the pool.

"We do have enough money to currently start the pool and to construct the pool," says Parks and Recreation director Dan Wendorf. "The fundraising that we're looking to do right now is for the amenities that will go along with it."

Plans for the Merrill Aquatic Center were just approved. The center was designed to serve all community members.

Full story: WJFW

Teen distracted driving at historic high

NATIONWIDE - Many teens admit they do other things, like use their cell phones, while driving.

A recent survey published in the Journal of Transportation Safety and Security shows distracted driving among teen drivers is at an all-time high.

The Journal surveyed 3,000 teens, many of whom said they understand the dangers of cell phone use and driving, but still continue to do it.

Full story: WJFW

Dueling motions filed in case against 90s TV star `Screech'

Wisconsin prosecutors want to introduce evidence showing the actor who played Screech in the 1990s TV show ``Saved by the Bell'' threatened to stab someone in one bar before he allegedly stabbed another person at a different bar Christmas Day.

Dustin Diamond pleaded not guilty in January to charges stemming from a scuffle at a Port Washington bar.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the claim that Diamond threatened a patron at a different bar is part of ``other acts'' evidence Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol intends to introduce at Diamond's trial.

Full story: WJFW

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