Roberts, James E., passed away at the age of 47, on June 4, 2017, in Chicago, Ill. Jimmy was born to James M. Roberts and Susan L. Roberts in Harvey, Ill., on January 26, 1970.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his mother Susan, paternal grandparents Margaret and Bernard Roberts; maternal grandparents LeRoy and Isabelle Hansen and Aunt Mary.

Jimmy is survived by his father and step-mother James and Claudia Roberts; his sister Tammy Waller and husband Adrian, and sister Audrey Evans and husband Mark; nieces Michelle and Trinity Evens, AJ and Heidi Waller, and nephews Jonathon and Kristian Waller; Uncle Mike Roberts; Aunt Lindy and her children Jimmy, Sherry, John and Kimberly.

Jimmy was truly a free spirited individual who lived his live his way.

Special thanks to Jimmy’s friends: Sill Davis, Al and Andi Tauber, Christa Clumpner, and Lynette for being there for Jimmy’s many struggles in life.

Services will be held at 4201 N Try Street, North Chicago, 60618 on July 8, 2017, from 11:30-3:00.

A 51-year-old Tomahawk man is in the Lincoln County Jail and will be formally charged this afternoon in Lincoln County Court after deputies investigated a complaint of improper behavior of a school bus driver in the Tomahawk School District.

On June 7, deputies were informed of the incidents which had occurred on the last day of school and have been investigating since that date.

The man was taken into custody on June 14, and has been booked into the Lincoln County Jail on felony counts of child enticement, stalking and abduction of another’s child.

Sheriff’s Investigators kept the Tomahawk School District along with the Tomahawk Bus Service informed of the investigation but as this incident occurred on the last day of school deputies did not feel students were in imminent danger as the suspect no longer had contact with students.

The man will appear in Lincoln County Branch One at 1:30 p.m. where he will be formally charged and a bond will be set.

Healthy People Lincoln County is interested in learning more about the health issues affecting Lincoln County residents. Starting this June, a community health opinion survey will be distributed throughout the county to gather information on the strengths, challenges and barriers to health in Lincoln County. This information will be used to identify health priorities and will help guide countywide prevention efforts for the next five years. Individuals that complete the survey will be entered to win a $50 Chamber Gift Certificate that can be used at local businesses.

This survey is part of Healthy People Lincoln County’s Community Health Improvement Planning Process, which occurs every 5 years. “Community feedback is an important piece in this process,” says Shelley Hersil, Health Director for the Lincoln County Health Department. “In order to develop a community owned health improvement plan, we need to hear from residents about the health challenges they are facing and what health issues are important to them.”

Surveys will be available at the Lincoln County Health Department, local clinics, area businesses and a variety of other locations throughout the county. You can also complete the survey online at www.lincolncountyhealthdepartment.com or on the Lincoln County Health Department’s Facebook page. It should take about 5-10 minutes to complete. Those who fill out the survey are eligible to win a $50 Chamber Gift Certificate. The survey is confidential.

If you have questions or would like to have the survey available at your business or organization, please contact Kristin Bath, Lincoln County Health Department Public Health Educator, at 715-539-1373 or kbath@co.lincoln.wi.us. Lincoln County Health Department “providing services to residents promoting optimal health and safety through prevention, protection, and intervention.”

Chad Lewis, Wisconsin author of the Strange and Unusual, will present “UFOs and Crop Circles in Wisconsin” in T.B. Scott Free Library’s Community Room, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 6.
The program, part of the library’s Words Worth Hearing series, is free of charge. First Street Coffee Station and The Checkered Churn will provide refreshments.

Lewis’ presentation takes his audience on a galactically riveting journey to some of the most amazing UFO encounters and the most bizarre crop circles in Wisconsin. These sightings have been reported throughout the entire state, including Wausau and surrounding areas.

Dozens of people throughout Wisconsin have discovered images and impressions in their fields and in the sky that they cannot explain. Filled with UFOs buzzing the fields, cattle mutations, and a few mysterious creatures lurking, crop circles and UFOs remain a baffling puzzle.

Complete with photos, case history, eyewitness accounts, and directions; this unique presentation encourages you to visit these places experience your own alien encounters.

Chad Lewis is an author, researcher and lecturer on topics of the strange and unusual. He holds a Master’s of Science degree in psychology from University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Lewis has tracked vampires in Transylvania, searched for the Loch Ness monster, pursued ghosts in Irish castles, and trekked across the world in search of unique and bizarre stories and history.

Lewis has been featured on the Discovery Channel’s “A Haunting,” ABC’s “World’s Scariest Places,” and hundreds of radio interviews, TV appearances and newspaper articles.

Chad is the author of the Hidden Headlines series and also the co-author of the Road Guide to Haunted Locations book series.

Contact the library at 715-536-7191 or www.tbscottlibrary.org for information on this and other T.B. Scott Free Library programs.

A Tomahawk school bus driver is being held on a $100,000 cash bond, facing charges related to inappropriate behavior toward a student on his bus.

James T. Schmit, 51, of Tomahawk, faces felony charges of child enticement-sexual contact, abduction of a child-detaining and stalking. Judge Jay Tlusty set the high cash bond at Schmit’s initial appearance in Lincoln County Circuit Court Friday.

According to court records, a 15-year-old female told investigators that she rode Schmit’s bus on the last day of school, June 7. Instead of dropping her off at her home, Schmit suggested they visit while he dropped off the rest of the students on the bus. During the ride, he also reportedly asked for the girl’s cell phone number. When the bus came around to her house again, he again drove by and told her he would show here where he lived. When they arrived at his house, he asked the girl if she wanted to see his dog. She declined to get off the bus and told him she had to get home. Schmit then drove her home. As she was getting off the bus, he hugged her, kissed her on the forehead and told her he loved her, court records state.

The victim told officers she was upset because Schmit seemed to know details about her life. The victim’s mother also told officers that she noticed Schmit took extra special interest in her daughter, even though he was not a relative or even a family friend.

The audio visual recording from inside the bus was found to be consistent with the victim’s account. The recording shows the girl was on the bus for 42 minutes after it passed her house the first time. After dropping off the girl at her house, the recording catches Schmit moaning and making sexual comments about the girl.

When interviewed by police, Schmit admitted to developing sexual desires toward other girls on his bus several times over the 26 years he had been a bus driver.

By Jared Schmeltzer
Reporter

Early this morning marked the beginning of a new project in Normal Park. The park will be getting a new building that includes bathrooms and concessions which will be used for concerts and other events hosted at the park.

Merrill Parks and Recreation Director Dan Wendorf says, “The benefits of this building are tremendous. It is going to help the park grow and just this building alone will bring more use to the park.”

This new building is being constructed by J&J Lee Construction and is set to be completed by the end of July. The project will cost $156,000 but after a $20,000 donation by the city band and another $20,000 coming from salvage timber sales from the tornado that struck Merrill back in 2011, only $116,000 will be from city funding.

The Merrill City Band kicked off a fundraiser last year with a goal of $560,000 to benefit both the band’s equipment needs and improvements at Normal Park. Since the gazeba was donated by Lydia Bauman in 2011 as a permanent home for the city band, Merrill City Band Director Linda Becker noted that the band has made a commitment to Normal Park.

“We only use the park seven times a year, but this is our way of giving back to the community for everyone to use,” Becker said. “The community has been so supportive of us for 106 years that we thought this would be our way of giving back.”

The fundraiser has met the band’s equipment needs, Becker said. Additional funds raised through the City Band’s campaign would go toward landscaping and lighting in the park, she added.
As for the old warming house located at the park, Wendorf explained that they are going to look at repurposing the building in another location if possible.

The time to submit your photos for the 3rd Annual Council Grounds State Park photo contest is approaching. Photos taken in the park between Aug. 1, 2015 and July 31, 2017 may be entered into four categories which include plants, wildlife, people using the park and landscapes.
Starting July 1, 2017 photos may be submitted as a high resolution digital jpeg file attached to an email sent to cgphotos@hotmail.com. The contest ends July 31, so be sure to send your photos in during the month of July.
You can see full details and contest rules on line at dnr.wi.gov, enter Council Grounds in the search line and, on the Council Grounds site click on Current Conditions or, you can pick up a copy at the Park Contact Station.

A sign prominently notes: “Go where there’s a path and leave a trail” – and that’s exactly what’s happening in Merrill. A team, organized through Marshfield Clinic Merrill Center, saw an opportunity to help, not only with their volunteer time but also financially through Marshfield Clinic Health System’s 100 Hours project.
“Team MRL Cares” members include Paula McIntyre, R.D., C.D., C.D.E., team captain; Julie Belfiori, R.N.; Deb Boilesen; Family Medicine Specialist Donald Evans, M.D.; Robin Lane, R.N.; Kelley Natzke, R.N, B.S.N.; Margaret Osness and Lynda Swan, all from the Merrill Center; and Leann Fuhrmann, Security Health Plan.
To earn the 100 hours, the team picked up trash on roadsides; helped with Council Grounds State Park cleanup, worked at Dinner at Five, a weekly meal for community members, and with the Merrill Community Gardens; supported the Lincoln County Mental Health Coalition; and helped with River Bend Trail clean up.
“This volunteer work allowed us to affect our community in different ways, from beautifying, respecting and appreciating our environment to having direct contact with people,” said McIntyre. “We saw the fruits of our labor at Council Grounds, where we raked and cleaned together and enjoyed each other’s company. We volunteered at the school forest with other community members. They appreciated what we did and we had satisfaction by giving time to others who benefited from it.”
Reasons abounded for the team to select the River Bend Trail as its 100 Hours donation recipient.
“As a primary care clinic,” McIntyre said, “we encourage our community members and patients to practice healthy behaviors to prevent or manage disease and chronic conditions. This trail offers a wellness opportunity to improve physical, spiritual and emotional health by enjoying the beauty of nature. People of all ages can enjoy it on any day at any time.”
Sarah Williams, Trail Friends/Marketing Committee co-chair, said, “The community loves the trail for all these reasons. River Bend Trail is a fantastic addition to the city and people are really using it. We are grateful for the team’s volunteering to help and I can’t tell you how much we appreciate this donation.”
For trail information, go to www.riverbendtrail.org; or e-mail Williams at sarahj724@gmail.com.
Marshfield Clinic’s donation will be the first to go toward a goal of $20,000 to add bathrooms to the trailhead pavilion.

Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter

Six years and just over a million dollars invested since its inception, the River Bend Trail is not only alive and well, but is on the fast track to expansion thanks to diligent and generous efforts from the community, The River District Development Foundation (RDDF) and ‘Friends of the River Bend Trail’.
According to foundation President Gene Bebel and Vice-President Jim Wedemeyer, the oncoming summer of 2017 will include yet another expansion of the 4-mile trail already in place.
Aside from current work in progress on the Agra Pavilion located at the trail head on Park Street, an additional expansion eastward from Park to Cooper Streets, is set to begin in July; from top bidder Merrill Sand and Gravel.
“We are very excited to get to work on our planned expansion this summer,” said Wedemeyer.
“This 3/4 mile expansion of the River Bend Trail will create a natural loop to walk along the Wisconsin River from Cooper Street, then back to Logan and Park Streets. It will be nice to have a piece of trail where someone can walk a small loop of trail, rather than having to walk the entire length of the trail; if they so choose”
The expansion of the trail will come with an estimated price tag of $171,000 for the extension alone, with paving to come later. Once paving is completed as well as placement of fencing, the project will come in with a final tag of $260,000.

As with all work completed thus far on the trail, July’s project will be paid for via grants and donations. A key grant received by the Foundation, was that of $113,000 from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s (WDNR) Stewardship Grant. As part of the grant funding, the foundation was asked to raise funds to match, which Bebel proudly admits; has already been accomplished thanks to fundraising efforts.
Expansion plans don’t stop with July’s project however, in fact trail supporters are already looking ahead for possible additional expansion in the near future.
“We would ultimately like to see the River Bend Trail span from Merrill to Wausau,” Wedemeyer adds with a grin.
“But that is years down the road. As for the near future we would like to see the trail connect to Wal-Mart,”
In terms of making the foundation’s short-term goal come to fruition, plans are already in the works for a possible expansion of the trail from Cooper Street to Big Eddy Road; to ultimately include Bluebird Lane.
According to Wedemeyer, the DNR has already been contacted as well as the US Army Corps of Engineers.
“We have met with representatives from the DNR and the Army Corps of Engineers, and walked the prospective path of the expansion with them,” he adds.
“Due to the area of the extension, we will have much more work ahead of us than other expansion projects. The plan would be to extend the trail to Bluebird Lane while staying along the river as much as possible. We have an ongoing Environmental and Engineering Study as we speak to examine a possible extension of the trail in the area, and cost. We are also investigating ‘right of way’ and the permit process. If all goes as we hope, we may have a plan in place by next spring.”
Other trail expansion plans in the works include a 10 acre parcel between Kyes and Cooper Streets, known as the “D&L Property.”
“That property was donated to us,” Bebel adds.

“Thanks to generous donations from Church Mutual Insurance and the community foundation, we were able to clear the property and make it ready for RFP (Request for Proposal) this fall,”
When asked of their motivation for bringing a once controversial idea for a recreational trail to fruition and subsequent expansion, the pair agree on a simple concept; benefiting the local community.
“We feel this is another way of really tying the community together,” Wedemeyer explains.

“One of our initial goals with creating the trail in the first place was to open up abandoned properties for re-development. When our organization got started we identified the trail as just one of our first projects to not only up opportunities for development in the Merrill community, but to increase opportunities for the community to engage in recreational activities while using the trail.”

LeRoy F. Dahm, 93, Merrill, passed away peacefully on Tuesday June 6, 2017 at Woodland Court Assisted Living.

He was born September 25, 1923 to the late Harry O. and Esther (Ollhoff) Dahm in the Town of Scott, Lincoln County.

He married Elaine Hulke on April 23, 1949 at the St. John’s Lutheran Church, Merrill, WI.

LeRoy grew up during the Great Depression.  His strong values and determination gained from these experiences served him well throughout his life and were passed on to his children and grandchildren. He worked as a paperboy for the Milwaukee Journal and Merrill Herald from the age of 11 thru high school to help supplement the family’s income. At the age of 15, he and his brother, Harry, purchased their first car for $5.00: a 1926 Chevy.  He attended Jefferson Grade School and Merrill Jr. High.

LeRoy graduated from Merrill High School with the Class of 1941.  He was very active in sports, lettering in Football and Baseball (1939-1941). One of his most memorable experiences was playing football against the future pro football Hall of Fame member, Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, in a classic and highly publicized match-up between Merrill High and Wausau High School in 1940.  (Merrill lost but scored 2 touchdowns against the Wausau powerhouse).  LeRoy became a Merrill H.S. Diamond-M member in 2014.   While in high school, he played the violin and was first chair violin in the Merrill H.S. Orchestra.  He established a lifelong appreciation of music.  His love for music ranged from classical, to country and western, to polka.  He played semi-pro baseball as a catcher for the Merrill Rangers (1947) and also for the U.S Naval team at Great Lakes, Illinois (1948-1949).

Leroy was a Veteran of the US Navy and served for 30 years: beginning in 1942 and retiring in 1973.  During WW II he served as a machinist mate on several troop carrier ships and participated in two major battles in the south pacific: Bougainville (1943) and Green Islands (1944). After the war, he specialized in Electronics and Communications Technology and was an Electronics instructor at the Great Lakes (Illinois) Naval Training Center for a large part of his navy career. From 1959 to 1962, Leroy was transferred to the Naval Communications Station in Ethiopia. There he was assigned as an electronics technician responsible for maintaining the Navy communications systems.  After 30 years in the Navy, he continued for an additional 10 years as a contract electronics instructor at the Great Lakes Naval Electronics School. During this time, he created some of the electronics training material used by the Navy for basic electronics computer based training courses.

He had a passion to always keep busy, even during “retirement.” After his career in the U.S. Navy, he applied his skills in electronics to help friends and family members.  He wired the electrical systems for four houses and a hunting shack. He also enjoyed repairing TVs and radios for family members and friends in his famous electronics repair lab in the basement of his Waukegan, IL home. He worked up until age 79 as a gardener for two “older” customers in the Waukegan area. He was an avid sports fan and particularly liked watching Merrill H.S., UW, and Green Bay Packers football as well as Stanford and Milwaukee Brewers baseball.  He enjoyed reading, gardening, and traveling to visit his children and grandchildren.

While serving with the U.S. Navy, LeRoy and his family were stationed at several military bases including Great Lakes, Illinois and Asmara Eritrea (Ethiopia) in Africa. LeRoy and Elaine’s first two children, Philip and Susan, were born at Great Lakes and his third child, Laurie, was born in Asmara, Eritrea.  LeRoy and his family ultimately settled in Waukegan, IL, where he and Elaine lived until 2007.  After leaving Waukegan, Leroy and Elaine spent their final years in Merrill, Wi where both had siblings and extended family. LeRoy and Elaine provided a nurturing and supportive family life for their three children.

Leroy has been an inspiration to his children, grandchildren, siblings and extended family. He will be greatly missed. Survivors include his daughters:  Laurie (Andrew) Segal of San Francisco, CA, Susan (Frank) Bilban of Frisco, TX and son Phil (Ruth) Dahm of Cupertino, CA, 8 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  He is also survived by his sisters Harriet Henrich, Carol Finanger, Marlene Krueger, and brother Harry F. Dahm as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Elaine, sister Annette, and brother Jim.

Services will be held at the Taylor-Stine Funeral Home in a private memorial.

Congratulations to the following Trinity School students!:

Eighth Grade: Timothy Handlin, Joshua Hass, Abigail Rasmussen, Bethany Schultz.
Seventh Grade: Damien Benzinger, Isaiah Gruett, Joshua Gustafson, Jordyn Leopold.
Sixth Grade: Johnny Handlin, Alex Rajek, Croix Woller.
Fifth Grade: Avery Hoff, Emma Hoff, Chloe Malinowski, Elexa Emmer, Lacey Frisch, Olivia Dzwonkowski, Michael Quong, Ethan Rasmussen, Brooke Rudie, Jalie Severt, Sam Gruett, Sophie Wendorf.

June 9
9:03 a.m.- Officers arrested a male with an active arrest warrant and brought him to the jail. During the arrest, the male resisted officers and also damaged property. The male will be charged for his actions.

June 10
2:40 a.m.- An officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 200 Block of East Second Street. The officer conducted field sobriety tests on the driver after observing signs of impairment. As a result, the driver was arrested for a probation violation as well as operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration 4th offense.

June 11
10:45 a.m.- Officers were called in regard to a burglary in the 800 block of Chippewa Street. According to the caller a motorcycle was stolen from that location and the caller suspected they knew the identity of the suspect. The investigation is ongoing.
Officers responded to numerous calls throughout city in regard to weather related matters.

June 13
1:50 a.m.- Officers responded to a possible domestic disturbance in the 400 block of West Main Street. The investigation determined that an adult male had moved back in with his mother. The mother and son were involved in a verbal argument over relationship issues. The son was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct as a result of the investigation and statements from both parties and citations were issued paraphernalia and possession of THC.
10:56 a.m.- Officers responded to a possible fight involving seven individuals in the 200 block of North State Street. The investigation determined that three parties were involved in a verbal argument which became physical prior to officers’ arrival. One female party was arrested for disorderly conduct related to the incident.

June 14
8:02 p.m.- Officers responded to a report of a male party who was removing construction cones from the roadway on North Center Avenue. Officers made contact with the mail who admitted to moving the cones off the roadway. The male was cited for the violation.

June 15
3:29 p.m.- A female reported a domestic incident that occurred in the 1700 Block of E. First Street. Officers investigated the incident and spoke with parties involved. As a result of the investigation, the case will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s office for review.

June 16
3:04 p.m.- A caller reported a physical domestic incident that had occurred in the recent past. A statement was obtained from the victim. Investigation continues.
3:11 p.m.- A manager at a bank called after a male had become upset that they would not cash a third party check. The male was refusing to leave and began yelling and calling the employees names. The man was located and cited for disorderly conduct.
5:29 p.m.- A female called to report someone stole her son’s bicycle. It is suspected her nephew took the bicycle. The family will attempt to work it out amongst themselves and if they are unable to do so will involve the police again.

June 17
2:06 a.m.- An officer conducted a traffic stop for a moving violation. A passenger in the vehicle was cited for underage drinking and the driver was cited for the moving violation.
11:06 a.m.- A male turned over suspected marijuana and a pipe he found in a parking lot.
12:56 p.m.- A caller reported he was missing money from his vehicle after visiting a local convenience store. An officer observed surveillance video which showed nobody entered his vehicle. It is unknown where the money went missing.
7:31 p.m.- A caller reported a large snake near an alleyway. He was concerned as several neighborhood children were in the area. Officer located and captured the snake which was determined to be a pine snake. It was released in a more appropriate habitat.

Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter

Distracted driving appears to be the cause of a two-vehicle accident Sunday evening in the Town of Pine River.
According to information released by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the crash reported at 8:02 PM near the intersection of STH 64 and Cain Creek Avenue.
As a result of a preliminary investigation, deputies concluded the collision was a result of distracted driving.
Witnesses indicated traffic had slowed on the highway due to a nearby residence releasing ‘Chinese Lanterns’ and other motorists taking an interest in the airborne devices. The slowed traffic resulted in one particular vehicle containing 4 occupants, to slow down as well. A second vehicle then struck the first vehicle.
The operator of the second vehicle reportedly admitted to deputies of using his cell phone to record video of the floating lanterns. He will be subsequently cited for Inattentive Driving.
According to notes from responding deputies, all but one passenger of the first vehicle were standing on the shoulder of the highway upon arrival. The passenger who remained in the vehicle sought medical attention, was treated at the scene by EMS and was later transported to Ministry-Good Samaritan Health Center in Merrill; along with the other three family members. As explained via contact with the Merrill Fire Department, transports such as these are not uncommon, as family members often times would rather not be separated.

Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter

After 80 years of dedicated service as a key employer in the Merrill area, the Weinbrenner Shoe Company will now have sole ownership to the property of which it stands.

As part of a joint meeting last Tuesday between the city’s Committee of the Whole and Redevelopment Authority (RDA), unanimous approval was rendered for a request from the company to purchase the property the company was built and operates on, located at 108 S. Polk Street.

According to documents released by the city, Weinbrenner provided written notice to the city on May 18, of the company’s intent to accept ownership of the Polk Street property.

“We are very excited about this,” commented company president Patrick Miner. “This year marks our 125^th year of being in operation, 80 of which being right here in Merrill on the very ground we stand on today. We are here to stay. We have been committed to Merrill and the citizens of Merrill since day one.”

As Miner explains, the lease agreement was written upon the facility opening in 1936.

Weinbrenner Shoe Company was originally founded in Milwaukee in 1892 by Albert H. Weinbrenner. Then in 1935, a group of Merrill businessmen invited Weinbrenner to open a shoe factory in Merrill A year prior, a similar visit was paid to Weinbrenner by a group of businessmen from Marshfield, resulting in the establishment of the Marshfield –Weinbrenner facility. Upon convincing Weinbrenner to come to Merrill, the Merrill Industrial Federation was formed and fund raising for the project began. The building was dedicated on Dec. 5, 1936.

“The Great Depression hit towns the size of Merrill pretty hard,” Miner explains.

“So it became quite common during the depression for towns Merrill and Marshfield’s size and smaller, to approach business and industry in bigger cities, to try and attract owners to their hometowns; to build and employ people who lost jobs as a result of the depression,”

The Milwaukee plant would ultimately close in 1969

“Mr. Weinbrenner and the cities of Merrill and Marshfield formed very attractive agreements to lease property for the factories, which were pretty standard with these types of expansion and relocation of business and industry. In fact, they are very similar to modern day TIF (Tax Increment Financing).”

The lease agreement was then revised in 1988 when the company came under new ownership. According to an option to purchase provision in the company’s lease with the city, the price to purchase the property would be $234,300 – minus any costs the company has paid for specified improvements of the property, as laid out in the lease. In no case would the purchase price be less than $10, the lease agreement stated.
According to Miner, the company was also required to invest at least $250,000 in improvements to the facility over the lifetime of the lease. Since then, the company has invested well over $400,000 in improvements, including; completely residing the entire facility with aluminum siding in the 1980’s, various roofing projects and the construction of a 20,000 square foot Raw Materials Warehouse.
The lease came due for renewal last year.

Company ownership proceeded to hold internal meetings, as well as meetings with city administration, to decide whether or not they would rather purchase the property or renew the lease.
“We had discussed ideas for a possible expansion,” Miner adds.
“If we chose to move forward with the expansion, we would have renewed the lease. But we weren’t sure if the time was right.” Miner adds.
“We stayed in communication with the city throughout the process and this past spring we ultimately decided to purchase the property, continue to maintain our facility in its current condition and postpone any expansion.”

The Marshfield facility’s lease agreement which is identical to that of the Merrill facility, will be up for renewal in 2019.

Miner indicated the company fully plans on making a similar request to purchase, to the City of Marshfield, as they did with the Committee of the Whole and Common Council last Tuesday. He further indicated the company is still considering options for expansion in Merrill, but no such plans or consideration are currently in place for the Marshfield facility.

“We are considering options fr what to do with our property here in Merrill, but nothing specific at this time,” he added.

“This purchase is a testament to how pleased and proud we are as a company to be here in Merrill. We couldn’t be happier with the work force and the city fathers have always taken care of us and treated us well. We look forward to maintaining that great relationship in the future.”

Immediately following approval at the joint committee meeting, the matter was ultimately given the green light by the city’s Common Council by unanimous vote.

By Jared Schmeltzer
Reporter

In last night’s nine inning battle against Marshfield, Merrill Rangers got the 3-2 win in a low scoring pitchers duel. Three runs on five hits all coming in the first inning would be enough for Chase Nelson and the Rangers defense.

The first inning of the game saw all the offensive action for the Rangers as a lead off walk to Trevor Asmundsen followed up by a base hit through the infield left runners on first and second with one out. Alex Grunenwald came up to the plate and singled to left field scoring Asmundsen and advancing a runner to second. After a wild pitch advanced runners to second and third, Chris Grunenwald would single up the middle scoring both runs and giving Merrill the early 3-0 edge.

The Rangers wouldn’t be able to get any more runs across but with an outstanding pitching performance by Chase Nelson with some solid defense behind him, Merrill would hold on to the lead only allowing two runs to cross the plate for Marshfield, both coming in the eighth inning. Nelson pitched all nine innings striking out four, walking two, allowing seven hits and giving up two runs, neither of them being earned runs.

Top offensive performers for Merrill include Chris Grunenwald (1H, 2RBI), Alex Grunenwald (1H, 1RBI, 1R) and Jared Schmeltzer (1H, 1BB, 1R). You can catch the Rangers in action as they play at Athletic Park in Merrill on Sunday at 1:30 against Whittlesey.

A 23-year-old Medford man was arrested Monday evening after deputies investigated a crash in the Town of Birch. A vehicle had left the roadway and crashed on Horn Lake Road south of Horseshoe Lake Road just before 5 p.m. A check showed the driver was wanted by the Oneida County Sheriff and was taken into custody. He was also cited for several violations as well.

A 27-year-old Merrill man was arrested late Monday evening after a deputy investigated a vehicle in the ditch. The incident was reported at 9:51 p.m. on County Rd. FF near County Rd. K. The driver was placed through field sobriety tests and arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated second offense and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A 19-year-old Tomahawk man was arrested early Tuesday morning on a battery charge. Just before 3 a.m. deputies went to a home in the Town of Bradley and arrested the man at the request of the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office.

A 55-year-old Merrill man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on two counts of battery. The charges were the result of a disturbance Tuesday evening in the Town of Scott.

A 21-year-old Merrill man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a warrant charge. The man appeared in Lincoln County Court and a routine check showed he was wanted by the Oneida County Sheriff for contempt of court.

A 58-year-old Merrill man was arrested Saturday evening on a disorderly conduct charge. Deputies had responded to a residence on County Rd. G in the Town of Pine River just before 9 p.m. for a disturbance.

The number of car deer crashes has gone down with 14 being reported this past week. Another bear was also struck and killed on Saturday evening on US Hwy. 51 just north of County Rd. C in the Town of Merrill.

Joel S. Beilke, 46, of the town of Berlin, passed away on Saturday, June 17, 2017.

He was born on July 1, 1970 in Wausau to Gordon and Loretta (Zemke) Beilke.  Joel grew up in the town of Berlin and attended local schools, graduating from Wausau West High School in 1988.  He was a member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in the town of Berlin.  Joel enjoyed singing karaoke, doing field work, and volunteering his time at the Circle L Corral and the Merrill Riders Club where he was able to assist with safety for the riders and horses.

Survivors include his sons, Chaise (Jamie) and Shane Beilke; parents, Gordon and Loretta Beilke; brother, Richard (Tammy) Beilke; sister, Carol Beilke (Gary Pawlak); nephew, Caleb (Sarah) Beilke; niece, Alyssa Beilke; best friends and neighbors, Jim and Roberta Lawson; special friends, Steve Krause and Pastor Nate Biebert.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

A memorial service will be at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 22, 2017, at Helke Funeral Home, 302 Spruce St., Wausau, with Rev. Robert Edwards officiating.  Family and friends may call beginning at 2:30 p.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.

You may sign the family guestbook at www.helke.com.