Local Rhinelander Headlines

RHINELANDER - Parents try to protect their kids and keep them safe. But it's not always easy to tell when teens are in danger.

Some teens in abusive relationships might try to hide their concerns from others.

Abuse experts say the first thing parents should do is trust their instincts.

Full story: WJFW

RHINELANDER - Homeless shelters help many people who have no where else to go. But the cost of keeping a shelter running is very expensive.

It'll cost $225,000 to operate Frederick Place in Rhinelander this year. The Northwoods Alliance For Temporary Housing only gets $30,000 dollars from the state and federal government. The group needs to fundraise to make up the rest of the money.

"We have a program called One Thousand Give 100 where our goal is to get 1000 people to pledge and donate $100 a year.

Full story: WJFW

ANTIGO - The worst period of the sale and abuse of the bath salt drug in Langlade County seems to have passed.

Around the peak of the problem, more than half of the inmates in Langlade County Jail were there in connection to bath salts.

That was about two years ago.

Full story: WJFW

EAGLE RIVER - An investigation into an Eagle River bar fight led police to a known gang member who is in the country illegally.

Eagle River Police responded to the report of a fight at BBT's Tavern around 12:20 on January 20.

An Eagle River man said another man punched him while a third man drew a gun on him.

Full story: WJFW

LINCOLN COUNTY - Healthy People Lincoln County wants feedback on keeping the public healthy.

People can find the survey at about thirty places in Lincoln County.

"Healthy people Lincoln County is focusing on three different focus areas right now," explains Community Health Planner Molly Young. "They are oral health, mental health, and nutrition and physical activity. So the questions of this survey are focused around those three groups, and what barriers individuals face when accessing resources within these groups."

Full story: WJFW

MADISON, WI - Advocates of open information are sounding the alarm over a provision in Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal that could shield university research from view.

It's the third attempt in recent years at blocking public access to research before publication. Previous efforts have failed at the Capitol.

Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, said Thursday that researchers can currently withhold information if there is a good reason to keep it out of the public eye.

Full story: WJFW

MADISON - The proposed state budget made changes to the mission of the UW system.

Many people didn't like them.

Now, Governor Scott Walker has abruptly backed off his proposal to eliminate the University of Wisconsin System's public service mission statement.

Full story: WJFW

SPENCER - The Marathon County Sheriff's Office blames a two-vehicle crash for killing at least two people Wednesday.

The Marathon County Sheriff's Office says two people died at the scene, according to a release on the office's Facebook page.

A third person was taken to the hospital.

Full story: WJFW

STEVENS POINT - Vegetable growers in Wisconsin need to stay up to date on the latest growing trends to prepare for the next growing season. Each year the UW Extension and the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association put on the three-day Growers Education Conference in Stevens Point to help the growers brush up on the latest techniques. Nearly 1,500 growers and business vendors from around the state make it a priority to attend.

"We all talk about the past growing season as well as plan for the upcoming planting season and just gear up for potato production," said WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan.

Some of the big topics at the conference this year were crop irrigation and soil conditions. Wisconsin potato growers usually sell about $300 million of product after subtracting marketing costs. Growers across Wisconsin said it was difficult to keep crop production numbers up in 2014.

Full story: WJFW

WISCONSIN - The Wisconsin DNR will work on a new wolf management plan. The current plan was written in 1999, and amended in 2007, but the DNR says it needs to be updated again.

The DNR thinks it's important to review current wolf population goals. The new management plan could change the current 350-wolf target population in the state.

A judge's ruling put wolves back on the federal endangered species list. That means wolf hunting and trapping is off limits, said David MacFarland, Large Carnivore Specialist for the Wisconsin DNR.

Full story: WJFW

MERRILL - Two people from Merrill face felony charges after police officers found cocaine, more than a pound of marijuana, and evidence they were planning to sell it on Tuesday.

James Tudor will face three felony charges and Tabatha Roberts will face two.

Merrill officers used a search warrant yesterday to go into their home.

Full story: WJFW

ST. LOUIS PARK, MN - Authorities say the suspect who led dozens of law enforcement officers on a daylong manhunt before committing suicide in Jordan should never have had a gun.

The Star Tribune (http://strib.mn/16BcQwy ) reports 41-one-year-old David Michael Winters was prohibited from possessing firearms because he was a convicted felon and a gang member with a history of criminal behavior.

Winters became the manhunt's subject after exchanging gunfire with police outside a St. Louis Park business on Tuesday.

Full story: WJFW

Doan Nguyen, 30, now faces charges in the Monday stabbing of his coworkers at Best Nails in Rib Mountain. He is charged with one felony count of attempted 1st degree intentional homicide. Nguyen faces two felony counts for 1st degree endangering safety, and two felony counts for aggravated battery.

Update: 2/4/15 1:00 p.m.
The man who allegedly stabbed three people in a Rib Mountain nail salon has been identified at Doan Nguyen, 30. Newswatch 12 confirmed his identity with the owners of Best Nails. The Marathon County Sheriff's Office wouldn't confirm the suspect's identity.

Full story: WJFW

MADISON - Opposition is growing to Gov. Scott Walker's call to borrow $1.3 billion to pay for roads rather than increasing the gas tax or raising vehicle registration fees.

Republican Sen. Tom Tiffany, a member of the Legislature's budget committee, says Walker's funding plan for transportation gives him the ``biggest heartburn'' of anything in the budget.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said that new revenues have to be found to pay for roads, and he was open to raising vehicle registration fees based on miles people drive.

Full story: WJFW