Local Rhinelander Headlines

Wisconsinites not saving enough for retirement according to survey

WISCONSIN - A new survey shows the vast majority of older Wisconsinites don't think they saved enough for retirement.

The survey of 1,000 working, registered voters ages 45 and older residing in Wisconsin was fielded for AARP by Precision Opinion Research in early September 2014 and has a sampling error of +/- 3.1 percent, according to AARP. It was released in January.

Eighty-eight percent of people surveyed said they hadn't saved enough. AARP Wisconsin Federal Advocacy Director Lisa Lamkins believes one reason that's happening is because too few employers offer a workplace savings plan.

Full story: WJFW

NBC suspends Brian Williams for 6 months without pay

NEW YORK - NBC says it is suspending Brian Williams as ``Nightly News'' anchor and managing editor for six months without pay for misleading the public about his experiences covering the Iraq War.

NBC chief executive Steve Burke said Tuesday that Williams' actions were inexcusable and jeopardized the trust he has built up with viewers during his decade as the network's lead anchor. But he said Williams deserved a second chance.

Williams apologized last week for saying he was in a helicopter that was hit by a grenade while covering the Iraq War in 2003.

Full story: WJFW

Board recommends no punishment for veteran's service officer

RHINELANDER - An Oneida County committee doesn't want to punish the county's veteran's officer. That recommendation comes after a daylong county board hearing on the matter last month.

Tammy Walters had been placed on administrative leave and accused of misconduct in office. However, the only offense that received enough votes to be considered was using profanity at work.

Full story: WJFW

Wood County Sheriff's Office looking for man who hit squad car with pick-up

PITTSVILLE - Deputies in Wood County need help finding a 62-year-old Pittsville man after he crashed into a police squad car near Pittsville Tuesday, according to the Wood County Sheriff's Office.

They believe he is armed and dangerous. He may also be headed to the Black River Falls area.

The sheriff's office says it happened after a welfare check. Deputies believed Gary Schwenn was going to harm himself. Police tried to pull him over near Pittsville. The sheriff's office says that's when he rammed his car into the squad car.

Full story: WJFW

Propane costs much lower than last year but future price fluctuations seemingly imminent

NORTHWOODS - Propane prices hit the Northwoods hard last winter. Prices reached nearly six dollars a gallon. This year's been different, and most prices are below two dollars a gallon.

There's a lot more propane available this year, which is driving prices down. One reason for the surplus is because of the warmer temperatures this winter. So there isn't as much demand for propane. Market analysts thought propane use would be similar to last year.

Draeger Propane Manager Josh Schmoll says fuel also hasn't been exported as much this year.

Full story: WJFW

Forest County: Highest percentage for MMR vaccinations in state

FOREST COUNTY - Measles seems like a growing issue across the country. Doctors haven't found any measles cases in Wisconsin, but kids in Forest County might be well prepared.

The county has the highest percentage of children younger than two vaccinated in Wisconsin. That's for Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services gathers data from Wisconsin Immunization Registry. It shows computerize coverage rates of children under the age of two by counties. Forest County averaged to 91.6 percent of children in the age bracket of 24-months-old who got immunizations between 2010 and 2013.

Full story: WJFW

Lack of fresh snow puts damper on some snowmobile trails

EAGLE RIVER - Weeks have passed in the Northwoods without a substantial fresh snowfall. Meanwhile, some snowmobilers have been praying for more.

Popular trails are filled with "snirt," or a combination of snow and dirt.

Some snowmobilers say the trails need about a foot of snow, but they welcome any, even a couple inches like Tuesday evening's snowfall.

Full story: WJFW

Oneida County man charged for sending explicit photos to minor

ONEIDA COUNTY - An Oneida County man faces charges for emailing naked pictures of himself to an underage girl.

57-year-old Bryan Dodd appeared in court Tuesday for his preliminary hearing. Dodd was charged with one felony for exposing a child to harmful material. He decided not to have evidence read against him in the hearing, so the case will proceed.

According to the criminal complaint, in November a 17-year-old girl told an officer at Rhinelander High School about the emails. She said Dodd allegedly sent her 14 emails, some of which contained links to pornography sites and others with explicit photos.

Full story: WJFW

Pilot from Duluth was with NBC anchor on Chinook

DULUTH - A father of four from Duluth says he knows exactly what happened on board the Chinook helicopter carrying NBC anchor Brian Williams over the Iraq desert in 2003. Allan Kelly was one of three pilots on the helicopter.

Kelly tells the Star Tribune (http://strib.mn/1793KHD ) their Chinook did not take enemy fire, contrary to the story Williams has told over the years and has now recanted. Kelly says he won't point fingers, but just wants the truth told in an unbiased manner.

The 44-year-old Kelly says a Chinook that left a base in Kuwait about 30 minutes ahead of their chopper was taking enemy fire. It was hit and forced to make an emergency landing.

Full story: WJFW

ISIS hostage confirmed dead

WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama has spoken with the parents of Kayla Jean Mueller, and offered his condolences and prayers.

The administration and the parents of the 26 year old Arizona woman who was held by Islamic State militants say she's been confirmed dead.

Officials say the family received a private message from her captors over the weekend, and that it was authenticated by U.S. intelligence.

Full story: WJFW

Menominee Nation tries to revive casino proposal

The Menominee Nation has offered to help pay for a new Milwaukee Bucks arena if Governor Scott Walker reverses course and approves the a new casino in Kenosha.

Walker refused to give go-ahead last month.

The tribe announced Tuesday that it would contribute $220 million to cover the state's share of a new Bucks arena if Walker changes his mind.

Walker wants to issue $220 million in bonds to help pay for the new arena drawing the ire of his fellow Republicans.

Full story: WJFW

Proposal would allow shoppers to sample liquor

Wisconsin grocery shoppers may soon be able to sample mini-shots of hard liquor in an aisle near them.

The Assembly's government operations committee will vote on a bill that would allow retailers with liquor licenses to provide mini-shots of booze to their customers.

The measure would allow shoppers to sample one 0.5-ounce sample of hard alcohol, the equivalent of one-third a shot.

Full story: WJFW

Governor Walker's proposed budget could take power from the state's Natural Resources Board

WISCONSIN - The proposal would limit the board's policymaking ability. The board isn't appointed by lawmakers. Wisconsin Wildlife Federation Executive Director, George Meyer believes that's a good thing. He doesn't like the move.

"They [the board] make the final decision on any environmental and hunting and fishing regulations, and that power's being taken away in the budget and given to the governor's appointee's hand, which is the DNR's secretary," said Meyer. "It makes it much more political."

An average citizen can participate with and on the board. The board makes decisions in a public way, and Meyer thinks that losing this would take power away from the average citizen.

Full story: WJFW

Alderman charged with repeat child sex assault

SHEBOYGAN - A Sheboygan alderman is charged with repeatedly sexually assaulting a teenage boy last year.

Thirty-three-year-old Kevin MatiChek made his initial court appearance on the single felony count Monday by closed-circuit TV from jail.\

According to the complaint, MatiChek met the now-15-year-old boy last summer, and treated the teen to gifts, movies and a cellphone that the boy's mother took away.

Full story: WJFW

Northwoods not clear of flu season yet

RHINELANDER - Doctors think fewer people in Wisconsin are now getting the flu compared to last month. But that reduction doesn't mean we're all in the clear yet. Wisconsin is still in the middle of a very active flu season.

Doctors at the Aspirus Rhinelander Clinic are treating flu cases regularly. They think the flu season in the Northwoods tends to last longer than in other parts of the state.

"Typically, our flu season in Northern Wisconsin will last into March and April," says Dr. Jerome Andres. "It came a little early this year. It came on a lot stronger this year than we were hoping."

Full story: WJFW

Price County leads the way to educating people about reproductive coercion

PRICE COUNTY - We hear about domestic and sexual violence often in the media, more recently during a PSA at the Super Bowl and last night during the Grammys.

But there is an overlooked form of that abuse. It's when a partner controls the choice of whether or not to have kids. Price County is leading the way to educate people about that abuse.

It's called reproductive coercion. It happens when women are forced to do something against their will when it comes to having kids.

Full story: WJFW

Downtown business owners submit petition to dissolve Business Improvement District

RHINELANDER - Projects in downtown Rhinelander could lose funding soon because a group of business owners wants to get rid of the city's Business Improvement District. The BID provides money for some of those projects.

Enough business owners now seem to have signed a petition that would dissolve the BID. The petition was submitted to City Hall on Thursday, according to City Administrator Blaine Oborn.

Those business owners pay an additional tax to the BID. That money goes to fund projects in the city.

Full story: WJFW

Taylor County tower climbers get unique view of the Northwoods

STARKS - Imagine climbing a tower that stands more than 1,700 feet tall. It might sound insane, but there's a Taylor County company that does it for a living. Last week they came for to WJFW's transmission tower in the town of Starks to change light bulbs.

"The life of a tower climber, always looking up," said OK Tower Service Tower Technician Chris Cota.

Always looking up to a phenomenal view.

Full story: WJFW

Drew Peterson charged with plotting to kill prosecutor

CHICAGO - Drew Peterson has been charged with trying to hire someone to kill the prosecutor who led the 2012 trial that resulted in the former police officer being convicted of killing his third wife.

State and local prosecutors said Monday that Peterson is charged with solicitation of murder for hire and solicitation for murder after allegedly trying to hire someone to kill Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow while Peterson was in prison.

The 61-year-old is serving a 38-year prison sentence after being convicted in the 2004 drowning death of Kathleen Savio.

Full story: WJFW

Walker's budget proposes cut to secretary of state's office

MADISON - The Secretary of State's office could see its staff and budget shrink by half under Gov. Scott Walker's budget.

Walker's proposal would cut the office's annual budget by 48 percent over the next two years and would eliminate two of the office's four full-time positions, saving the state nearly $500,000.

Secretary of State Doug La Follette said the loss could be devastating for the office that files and maintains state records.

Full story: WJFW

Local county leads the way to educating people about reproductive coercion

PRICE COUNTY - We hear about domestic and sexual violence often in media, particularly in ads at the Super Bowl or the Grammy's.

But there is an overlooked form of that abuse. It's when a partner controls the choice of whether or not to have kids. And Price County is leading the way to educate people about that abuse.

It's called reproductive coercion. Basically women are forced to do something against their will when it comes to having kids.

Full story: WJFW

Newswatch 12 reports: A broken sleep schedule could lead to complications for some firefighters later in life

MERRILL - Many people sacrifice sleep in order to get more done during the day, but, not sleeping a full seven to eight hours can have serious effects on your health down the line.

For firefighters, getting a full night's sleep can be tough.

Bob Akey rarely got a full night's sleep for 28 years. Akey worked as a firefighter and paramedic in Merrill. He reached the rank of captain. He loved helping his community.

Full story: WJFW

Budget cuts could impact Wisconsin's public broadcasting system

MADISON - Leaders of Wisconsin's public broadcasting system say budget cuts proposed by Governor Scott Walker could put some shows on the chopping block.

Walker's 2015 to 2017 spending plan includes a $2.5 million cut in state funding each year for the Educational Communications Board.

The ECB spends about $19 million a year, and buys national programming for some stations and operates infrastructure for most stations outside Madison.

Full story: WJFW

Governor Walker on trade mission to London

MADISON - Governor Scott Walker's trade mission to London this week will be highlighted by a speech about global partnerships and fueling economic growth.

Walker arrived in London on Monday and was scheduled to give the speech Wednesday at a well-known think tank Chatham House.

Walker is trying to bolster his overseas experience as he prepares for a likely 2016 presidential run. His only previous trade mission was to China.

Full story: WJFW

Rhinelander and Tomahawk develop wrestling rivalry

RHINELANDER - Rhinelander and Tomahawk have traded conference titles in wrestling over the last few years.

Longtime wrestlers say it's been an interesting rivalry to watch develop.

"It's been sort of a recent rivalry the last couple years," says Tomahawk junior Kaleb Kaminski. "This is the first time that it's started getting into it, but we've had some tough matches. They're a grown program. We've been in the conference. We've had I think 8 conference titles in a row, going into a couple years ago."

Full story: WJFW

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