On Monday, Nov. 13, the Merrill swim team hosted their year end banquet at the Merrill High School. The Bluejays had a great year as they competed well and sent one swimmer, Trinity Kanitz, to state for the first time in over 30 years.

errill also had many girls earn varsity letters and gave out a few other team awards. Award winners are: MVP, Trinity Kanitz; Bluejay Award, Camryn Schulz and Breann Cagle; and Rookie of the Year, Erin Kanitz. Pictured front from left are: Kaytlin Woller, Camryn Schulz, Trinity Kanitz; middle row, Stevie Booher, Rianna Dowds, Aliyah Pillai, Ananda Van Wie; back row, Katy Ball, Breann Cagle, Rylee Hoeppner, Kaylee King, Erin Kanitz and Katie Myszka.

Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter

The Thanksgiving holiday is viewed by many as a day to gather with friends and family over a home cooked meal, perhaps catch up on the latest scuttlebutt and maybe even catch an NFL game on television. One local couple includes all of the above in their holiday celebration, and has been for the last 18 years, with one minor difference; their doors are open to anyone with an empty belly who cares to stop by.
Dennis and Traci Fick, owners of DAT Bar, have been assembling a Turkey-Day spread for almost as long as they have known each other. And each and every year, they open their dinner table to anyone and everyone who cares to join them. No questions asked, no payment accepted.
As Dennis explains, the entire idea of sharing their holiday with friends, family and complete strangers date back to his childhood and his parents’ Christmas celebration.
“My mom and dad owned Irv & Darlene’s Hour Place and every Christmas Eve they would invite anyone who didn’t already have some place or someone to celebrate Christmas with, over to our house to spend Christmas Eve with our family. Anyone was welcome, whether it was friends, family or patrons from the bar. I can remember having as many as 15-20 people over for Christmas,” he adds. “My parents felt nobody should spend Christmas alone and that’s how we feel about Thanksgiving.”
“Thanksgiving is the one day a year where everyone deserves a home cooked meal,” Traci adds with a smile.
As she further explains, the Ficks’ Feast features all the traditional Thanksgiving tasties including ham, turkey, homemade mashed potatoes, corn and dessert.

Dennis and Traci Fick

The couple begins cooking and preparations every Thanksgiving around 6 a.m. with, with serving beginning at 1 p.m.
“It’s not a buffet style meal, but more of your average home cooked meal where everyone grabs a plate and serves up whatever they like,” Traci said.
The feast remains open for as long as there are hungry mouths to feed, but usually wraps up around 6 p.m. Thanksgiving evening. Once everyone has wandered off to enjoy their turkey comas, the Ficks follow suit.
“This is something we look forward to every year,” Dennis adds. “We usually average 20-30 people with some years as many as 50. Of course our regular customers and good friends stop in, and every year we have people stop in who we have never met and in some cases haven’t seen since. But that’s perfectly fine with us, as long as everyone walks out of here with a full belly and hopefully a smile on their face.”
When asked about cost or the amount of effort required to cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner, much less a dinner to feed so many people for close to the last 20 years, the couple glances at each other momentarily and smile a bit.
“It doesn’t matter,” Traci said. “We don’t look at it as something we have to work to do. We have always looked forward to putting dinner together and we take a lot of pride in it. We don’t advertise or anything, we never have. We just make it known; anyone and everyone is welcome to join us for dinner. Good food makes people happy, and if you leave our dinner table happy, then you made it worthwhile for us.”
The 18th annual free Thanksgiving dinner will once again be open to anyone and will begin at 1 p.m. on Thursday at DAT Bar, located at 1404 W. Main St. No reservations please.

By Jared Schmeltzer
Reporter

On Thursday (November 16), the Merrill girls basketball team traveled to Medford for their first game of the season. The girls started off their season on the right foot with a 54-41 victory.
The Bluejays were unable to build any sort of lead in the first half as Medford held tight with a 22-22 halftime score. In the second half the Merrill girls found a bit of rhythm putting up 32 points and holding Medford to only 19 in the half to take the 13 point win.

Merrill’s offense had to rely on the inside game against Medford, shooting 15 for 28 (53%) inside the three point line and going four for 18 (22%) from deep. In all the girls shot 41% from the field, led by Maddix Bonnell with 21 points on 61% shooting. Bonnell was able to hit one of her two threes, drop in four free throws and swipe four steals on the way to Merrill win. The Bluejays had two other girls score double figures in the victory including Lindsey Casper and Patience Pyan. Casper had 11 points on 25% shooting, however she was able to drop in all seven of her free throw attempts to go along with her two assists, two steals and three rebounds. Pyan was able to go for 10 points on 30% shooting with nine of her points coming off of three made three-point shots and one coming from the free throw line. Pyan also grabbed four rebounds and dished up two assists.

The girls will hit the floor again on Tuesday, November 28, as they travel to Shawno Community High School for their game at 7:15 p.m.

Daniel Schulz, age 64, of Merrill, passed away Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.

Daniel was born September 12, 1953 in Dubuque, Iowa, son of the late Roy and Albertina ‘Tena’ (Moor) Schulz.  He married Jane Kleinschmidt on December 6, 1975, in Merrill.  She survives.  Dan worked for their family business, “Schulzs’ Wrecking” later “Schulzs’ Recycling” for 47 years, even into his retirement.  Through those many years of dedication and hard work, he instilled a wonderful work ethic and sense of accomplishment in both his children, Jason and Danielle.

Some of Dan’s hobbies over the years were: making maple syrup in the woods with his father-in-law and family, snowmobiling, bow and rifle hunting, re-loading shells, fishing, spending time at his cottage, spending time at the barn watching his daughter and granddaughter run their horses in the arena, cutting all the lawns in the Schulz families, working Saturday mornings on his ‘to-do’ lists, and making awesome lunches every day for himself and Jason.  Dan was a man of few words but when he did speak, they were wise words!!

Survivors include his wife, Jane Schulz of Merrill; daughter, Danielle Schulz of Merrill and her daughter, Madison; son, Jason (Bobbi) Schulz of Merrill and their daughters, Cassie, MaKayla and Alexandra; brother, Steve (Cheryl Verdoorn) Schulz of Merrill; and nieces and nephews, Mary Jane (Dave) Mullins of Madison, Sarah (Bob) Campbell of Oshkosh, Nancy (Chad) Conley of Stevens Point, Stephanie (Dave) Miller of Woodbury, MN, John Adumat of Colorado and Scott Schulz of Merrill; as well as several aunts and uncles and cousins.

A private memorial service will be held.  Taylor-Stine Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Merrill, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Online condolences may be made at www.taylorstinefuneralhome.com

“Understanding Investments & Retirement,” the next in the series on understanding and managing your money will be held in the Community Room of T.B. Scott Free Library, 106 W. 1st St., Merrill, on Tuesday evening, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m.

You’ve spent a lifetime working hard and helping others. But when you retire, will you have enough to live the lifestyle you want? This program will be presented by Joel Rueber of Thrivent Insurance, who will focus on the importance of understanding the area of investments and how to use that knowledge to better prepare for retirement. During the presentation you will learn about various retirement income fund options and obtain resources to help you create a plan for the next stage of your life. This presentation will help move you toward making smart financial choices now, so you can feel more confident about the retirement you want to live later.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided compliments of The Checkered Churn and First Street Coffee Station.

For more information about what’s happening at T.B. Scott Free Library, visit www.tbscottlibrary.org or T.B. Scott Free Library on Facebook, or call 715-536-7191.

When it comes to smoking, the good news is that strategies used to reduce the rate of smoking are working. The bad news is that clinicians will continue to see the health ramifications 20 to 40 years after people quit.

Craig Zastrow, NP, APNP, a family medicine nurse practitioner with Ascension Medical Group at Merrill, sees the adverse health effects smoking has on patients and their families.

“Smoking not only harms nearly every organ of the body, it is also the leading cause of lung cancer,” said Zastrow. “But there’s hope: the risk of dying from smoking-related illnesses drops significantly within just a few years of giving up cigarettes.”

According to the World Health Organization, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second most common cancer among both men and women in the United States.

The American Lung Association (ALA) warns that most symptoms of lung cancer do not appear until the disease is in an advanced stage. Many people go misdiagnosed for years because their symptoms are similar to other diseases, such as pneumonia, allergies or a cold.

According to the ALA, more than half of people with lung cancer die within one year of being diagnosed.

Despite these grim statistics, studies have shown that people who have low-dose CT have a 20 percent lower chance of dying from lung cancer because it is detected at the earliest possible stage when the disease has the greatest chance of being cured with early treatment. The ALA estimates that 9 million Americans are eligible for a lung cancer screening, and if only half of those were screened, more than 15,000 lives could be saved.

Zastrow said low-dose CT provides the same early detection and improved outcomes for patients with lung cancer that survivors of breast and colon cancers get from mammography and colonoscopy. Low-dose CT is a safe and non-invasive study that collects 3-D images from all angles around the chest of the lungs, providing detailed images that enable radiologists to detect tiny abnormalities.

“There’s a lot of shame and blame with lung cancer that causes people to put off seeking medical attention, but research shows that early detection provides the best hope for a cure,” said Zastrow.

Unfortunately, nonsmokers are not immune from lung cancer. Other factors that can increase lung cancer risk are family history or genetic factors and exposure to cancer causing agents.
CT scan lung nodule screening is recommended for high-risk patients who are:

•Adults between the ages of 55-80
•Current smokers or those who have quit smoking in the last 15 years, with a 30-pack year history of smoking. To calculate pack years smoked, multiply the number of packs smoked per day by the number of years smoked.
•Adults age 50 and older with a 20-pack year smoking history and one other risk factor, such as a family history of lung cancer, personal history of other cancers or significant history of exposure to certain environmental factors such as asbestos or radon.

Almost all insurance providers cover low-dose CT scan lung nodule screening which is offered in Merrill at Ascension Good Samaritan Hospital. To determine if you are a candidate, please call Ascension Good Samaritan at 715-539-2124 or Ascension Medical Group at 715-804-7500.

Photography by Tina in Merrill will host professional portraits with Santa Claus for the eighth consecutive year. Photographer, Tina L. Scott, has been in contact with the North Pole to confirm Santa’s visit to her studio on Sunday, Dec. 3.

“Every child who believes deserves a special remembrance with Mr. Claus,” Scott says. “And several of his elves will also be here with him this year to celebrate with the children – helping them draw pictures and write letters for Santa, reading Christmas stories, and serving hot chocolate, Christmas cookies, and coffee for the grown-ups!”

Old St. Nicholas will be at Photography by Tina, 607 N. Cleveland St., in Merrill, from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3. The cost is $15 and includes a 5×7” portrait print with Santa, hot chocolate and Christmas cookies, writing letters to Santa, story time and fun with the elves, and a candy cane. Photography by Tina will have a special mailbox for Santa’s letters, and Santa will take them back to the North Pole to read at the end of the day. Additional prints, digital images, and/or Christmas cards will also be available for purchase, if desired.

No appointments are necessary. Simply arrive at the studio on Sunday, Dec. 3, between noon and 3 p.m. Every child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. If you wish to have a pet photographed, please contact the studio in advance to arrange a special time, as some children are afraid of pets. If you have any questions, you can reach Tina at the studio by calling 715-212-0767.

November 13
Calls: #1576- At 9:12 a.m. Med 62 responded, no transport; #1577- At 3:19 p.m. Med 62 responded to Hillview Rd. for a 52 year old male with a cardiac problem, transported to AGSH.
Other activities: Bi-annual fire safety inspections of area businesses; adult home safety inspection was conducted; trained/familiarized with new fire extinguisher prop.

November 14
Calls: #1578- At 3:35 a.m. Med 62 responded to Balsam Ave. for a 72 year old male; #1579- At 7:15 a.m. Med 62 responded to W. Jackson St. for a 67 year old male with a medical problem, transported to AWH; #1580- At 9:15 a.m. Med 62 responded to Alder Rd. for an 85 year old male with a medical problem. transported to AGSH; #1581- At 10:36 a.m. Med 62 responded to W. Main St. for a 59 year old female with a respiratory problem, transported to AGSH; #1582- At 11:29 a.m. Med 62 responded to S. Center Ave. for an 85 year old male with a cardiac problem, transported to AWH.
Other activities: Fire extinguisher training/demonstration at Weinbrenner for employees; bi-annual fire safety inspections of area businesses.

November 15
Calls: #1583- At 5:44 a.m. Med 62 responded to Wisconsin St. for a 74 year old female with a medical problem, transported to AGSH; #1584- At 9:03 a.m. Med 62 responded to County Line Rd. for a cardiac problem, no transport; #1585- At 12:27 p.m. Med 62 responded to AGSH for an 88 year old male with a medical problem, transported to O’Day St.; #1586- At 10:10 p.m. Med 62 responded to AGSH for a 50 year old female with a cardiac problem, transported to AWH; #1587- At 11:06 p.m. Med 63 responded to Prospect St. for a 35 year old male with a medicla problem, transported to AGSH.
Other activities: Fire prevention inspections at businesses in town.

November 16
Calls: #1588- At 12:14 a.m. Med 62 responded to Tug Lake Ave. for a 74 year old male with a medical problem, transported to AGSH; #1589- At 12:35 p.m. Med 62 responded to Main St. for a 49 year old male with a cardiac problem, transported to AGSH; #1590- At 8:19 p.m. Med 62 responded to Third St. for a 46 year old female with a trauma, transported to AGSH; #1591- At 11:06 p.m. Med 62 responded to Pine Ridge Ave. for a 1 year old male with a medical problem, no transport.
Other activities: Fire prevention inspections at local businesses.

November 17
Calls: #1592- At 6:21 a.m. Med 62 responded to Logan Ave. for a medical problem, no transport; #1593- At 11:41 a.m. Med 62 responded to O’Day St. for a 95 year old female with a pain problem, transported to AGSH; #1594- At 1:07 p.m. Med 62 responded to E. 6th St. for a 77 year old female with weakness, transported to AGSH; #1595- At 3:26 p.m. Med 62 responded to E. 7th St. for a 68 year old male with a respiratory problem; #1596- At 4:10 p.m. Med 63 responded to Hwy. 107 for a 46 year old female with a trauma, no transport; #1597- At 7:26 p.m. Med 62 responded to O’Day St. for an 80 year old female with weakness, transported to AGSH; #1598- At 9:04 p.m. Med 62 & Eng 62 responded to E. 1st St. for an odor investigation, smell coming from HVAC system & maintenance notified; #1599- At 9:55 p.m. Med 62 responded to Logan St. for a 41 year old female with a respiratory problem, no transport.
Other activities: Review Tender 65 & the ice auger for hard water drafting.

November 18
Calls: #1600- At 4:51 a.m. Med 62 responded to E. Main St. for a 71 year old female with a trauma, transported to AGSH; #1601- At 9:24 a.m. Med 62 responded to W. St. Paul for an 87 year old female with a respiratory problem, transported to AGSH; ##1602- At 9:42 a.m. Med 63 responded to Logan Ave. for a 45 year old female with a medical problem, no transport; #1603- At 9:59 a.m. Med 63 responded to N. Sales St. for a 77 year old female with a lift assist; #1604- At 2:20 p.m. Med 62 responded to Wendorf Dr. for a 68 year old male with a medical problem, transported to AWH; #1605- At 4:09 p.m. Med 62 & Eng 62 responded to Hwy. 51 for a vehicle smoking on side of road, vehicle found to have blown transmission line that squirted on to the muffler, no smoke or fire; #1606- At 5:57 p.m. Med 62 responded to Grand Ave. for a 45 year old male with a medical problem, transported to AGSH; #1607- At 9:52 p.m. Brush 66 responded to E. Fifth St. for a possible unattended fire, burning garbage was found with no one present in the home, fire was put out; #1608- At 10:22 p.m. Med 62 responded to Woodbine Ave. for a 58 year old male with a diabetic problem, no transport; #1609- At 11:24 p.m. Med 62 responded to Woodbine Ave. for a 42 year old female with a medical problem.
Other activities: Went over chimney buckets & procedures for chimney fires; computer based training on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; training on new Truck 63.

November 19
Calls: #1610- At 9:59 a.m. Med 62 responded to S. Sales St. & Logan Ave. for a 19 year old male with a medical problem, transported to AGSH; #1611- At 3:36 p.m. Med 62 responded to S. Pine Ridge Ave. for a 41 year old male with a medical problem, transported to AGSH; #1612- At 8:23 p.m. Med 62 responded to E. 6th St. for a 91 year old female with a medical problem, transported to AGSH; #1613- At 11:03 p.m. Med 62 responded to Woodbine Ave. for a 42 year old female with a medical problem, transported to AGSH.
Other activities: GPS training with new handheld unit.

On Friday, Nov. 10, in the PRMS fieldhouse over 70 Merrill area youth wrestlers competed in the annual city tournament. This tournament has been around for many years and is a great opportunity for Merrill youth to get a taste of wrestling. All wrestlers practice for a couple weeks at each of the Merrill elementary schools and then compete at Friday’s tournament.

Head High School wrestling coach Brian Suchocki said, “It is great to see all the support from the parents, coaches, school and community for these wrestlers. We look forward to seeing them wrestle some day at the high school. Our motto for the program – ‘We are all future Bluejays’!”

Pictured are all of the youth wrestlers who participated in the tournament posing with signs made by their elementary schools after wrestling.

October 20
6:10 a.m.- Officers responded to a domestic complaint. The caller stated she was battered by her boyfriend. The male suspect was not at the residence. Officers made phone contact with the male who claimed to be not in the area. The investigation is ongoing.

October 21
7:27 a.m.- An officer took a report of damage to property in an individual’s front yard. No known suspects at this time.
3:50 p.m.- Officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of East First Street to take a male subject into custody for a probation violation. The male subject was taken into custody and transported to the jail.

October 22
3:28 p.m.- An officer responded to a theft complaint. The caller advised she had set her cell phone down in a store while she was moving an item and a male party stole it. Video footage was reviewed and the male party is observed taking the cell phone. Investigation is ongoing.

October 23
5:52 p.m.- Officers responded to a fight in progress. The caller stated a truck was driving around with the passenger door open and a female was screaming from inside the vehicle. The vehicle pulled over, the two got out and continued to argue. The female left on foot and the truck was following her through lawns, etc. The truck was stopped and after an investigation, the male driver was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct.

Don’t forget about your fellow community members this holiday shopping season!
The biggest and perhaps the most widely publicized shopping day of the year is just winding down, but an equally important but perhaps not quite as heavily publicized shopping day will soon be upon us with “Small Business Saturday.”
Coined by American Express in 2010, the effort was made to support local businesses that make our communities strong, with the goal of helping to bring more holiday shopping to small businesses.
“It’s important to support local small businesses not just Saturday, but year round,” comments local ACE Hardware owner Tim Haight. “I don’t think the average person realizes just how integral of a role small businesses play in supporting the local community, in more ways than just providing a respective service or product. From community groups to various causes and benefits, many small businesses donate considerably to give back to their community. When a community loses a small business for whatever reason, they are losing much more than just a name or store front. Small businesses rely on the community to support them as just as much as the community relies on their support.”

Courtney Theiler proved herself a force to be reckoned with on the Tomahawk Hatchet volleyball squad this past season; ranking third in the Great Northern Conference and 2^nd on the team in digs (215) and tying for 2^nd on the team in kills with 66.

In addition to volleyball, Theiler will step into her 4^th year as a varsity starter this winter on the Hatchet Girls Basketball team as well as the softball team next Spring as a shortstop.

When not involved in sports, Courtney is a member of the THS varsity club, student council and enjoys spending time with friends and family.

Daughter of Teri and Matt Theiler of Tomahawk, Courtney currently maintains a 4.0 GPA.

Following graduation in the spring, Courtney plans to attend UW-Eau Claire as a Nursing major with hopes of eventually becoming a Nurse Anesthetist.

Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr.

11-23-77

The house move we told you about a couple of weeks ago was not as smooth as we thought. At least that is what residents on Pier Street are saying after the moving company cut numerous trees along that road to make way for the house’s move to the Town of Merrill. According to Park and Rec Director Dennis Donohue he thought it looked as if a tornado had gone up Pier Street when the moving company was done cutting or trimming trees, many of which did not need to be cut in his opinion. In response to the complaints the city’s Park and Recreation Committee voted on Monday to forward an amended ordinance on to the council which would require the park and rec director to sign off on any house moves. Currently only the police chief and building inspector’s signatures are required for a permit, but if the council approves the amendment the park and rec director will need to be involved in the process as well. In other action in front of the commission, the city will ask Lincoln County if they wish to contribute financially to the operation of the pool next year. The past summer the commission required youths who were not city residents to pay a higher admission fee as compared to city children. This, according to Commission Member Robert Sumnicht, likely contributed to smaller attendance over the summer. Pool Director Jack Ader added that the pool attendance was the lowest ever recorded over a season.
In news briefs: It’s official, Park City Credit Union has opened its new facilities at 300 E. 2nd St. The building was previously occupied by Wisconsin Public Service and Park City Credit Union was across the street at 301 E. 1st St. Park City decided it needed more space and WPS concluded it needed less space so the two sides switched buildings. Renovation of the new facility is an estimated $300,000. Andrew Koch has died as the result of a suspected heart attack. Koch was the owner of the Texaco Service Station in Merrill. He was hunting off of Barker Road in the Town of Pine River and apparently died shortly after climbing into his stand; he was found by his companions at noon.
Most people in Merrill where shocked at the news that Otto and Sophie Settele, owners of the Cosmo Theatre in Merrill, are having twins. But don’t envision two little bundles of joy coming out of the hospital any time soon as the twins the Settele’s speak of are the new twin movie theaters as they split the current Cosmo Theatre in two. Both theatres will feature 250 seats and will have a more elaborate sound system; and the walls of each theatre will contain a special fabric which not only is fireproof but will distribute the sound more evenly. A dropped ceiling and recessed lighting will also create a more relaxing atmosphere. Outside in the lobby the concession and ticket booth will be moved between the two theatre entrances and restrooms will now be found on the first floor. To avoid congestion in the lobby the two theatres will have staggered start times. Sophie and Otto have worked in the theatre industry since the 1930s. They began their careers in various theatre chains in New York, and they also own and manage a theatre in Dodgeville, WI. Sophie explained that with the twin theatres they can now hold over hit movies for longer and she noted the industry seems to be thriving with such recent hits as Star Wars and Jaws. She said she also expects more movies to move to the new stereo sound format that the fans are enjoying. The new theatres should be up and running by Thanksgiving; they are expecting big crowds at Christmas when hits “Oh God” and “Smokie and the Bandit” come to town. (I think the work done to Merrill’s Finest Theatre by the Lerch/Dzwonkowski family would knock the socks off of Otto, Sophie, June, and Leroy)

11-24-87

Merrill Area Public Schools may be getting out of the driver’s education business. On average over 250 students a year go through the classroom and behind the wheel training. They pay MAPS $75 for the training but a cost analyst shows the combined education costs the school $213.52 per student with an annual cost of $72,643. This past year alone the cost to run the program increased $8,400. The Board of Education is also considering moving the classes to just after school or during summer months to keep down costs, with the lowest cost option being to just turn the program over to a private entity.
Trinity Lutheran Church in Merrill is mourning the death of their choir director. Daniel Leikip died Monday at Wausau Hospital from the effects of his yearlong battle with a brain tumor. Leikip came to Merrill in 1972 when he became the organist, choir director, and fifth grade teacher at Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Merrill, serving until earlier this month when he was no longer able to due to illness. Besides his work at Trinity, Leikip was past president of the Merrill Concert Association, a member of the advisory committee for Council Grounds, and was recently honored by the Merrill Chamber for his work with the Alleluia Ringers at the church. Leikip is survived by his wife Beth and children Melissa and Nathan at home. Rev. Donald Schulz, Rev. Donald White, and Vicar James Grobe will officiate at services this Saturday at Trinity.
The Fairway Supper Club at the Merrill Golf Course is under expansion. According to general manager Mike Lyon the addition will double the size of the banquet hall and allow them to seat 400 people comfortably. The expanded area will also add a full cocktail bar to the hall. The entire facility should be open to the public by New Year’s Eve. The Lincoln County Board has approved the tax levy for 1988; it decreases the rate by half a cent. The board also appointed Alfred King to fill the vacancy created in district three by the resignation of George Knospe.

11-25-97

A local chain restaurant is fighting back and urges you to watch what you say about them or you could soon find yourself in hot water. Officials from the corporate office are in town and they are intently listening to anyone who may be spreading one of the many false rumors about the restaurant. Currently the restaurant employees are taking the bulk of the consequences of the 30% drop in sales with the loss of hours.
All city elected offices will be on the ballot this upcoming April. Incumbents include Mayor Patsy Woller, City Clerk Judy Stockowitz, Judge Merle Sheridan, Street Commissioner Ralph Sturm, and alderman Susan Kunkel, Michael Willman, Kurt Helmstadter, Floyd Korpi, Roger English, Philip Krause, Robert Monti and Mike Wahoske also will have their seats up for grabs. Both Korpi in district four and Monti in district seven have filed non-candidacy forms. The spring election will be held on April 7.

Barbara (Barb) J. Dintelman, 74, of Merrill, WI, peacefully passed away on the morning of November 23, 2017.  Barb was an incredibly loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, teacher and friend. Having so much pride in her family, she was always ready with a story or photo album to boast to anyone who would look or listen. Her quick wit and infectious smiles were sure to bind her to all.

She was born in Merrill on February 8, 1943. Little did she know she was lying in a bassinet next to her future husband, George. Being born on the same day, at the same hospital, just a few hours apart.  After nearly 40 years apart, they finally reconnected for the first time through their church.  They were married on September 3, 1982. For just over 35 years together, they spent all of their time living in Merrill.

Barb enjoyed her time spent with family and friends.  She loved to listen to country and gospel music as well as her “oldies-but-goodies”, as she’d call them.  She also enjoyed working on various projects for her church and planning the Merrill Class of 1961 reunions. She honored her role as the family historian and the annual family gathering, “Weberfest”, was the highlight of her year. She was happiest when in the presence of her grandchildren, children, family and friends. She often said, “Once a friend, always a friend” and she embraced this fully.

Barb was an elementary school teacher for nearly 30 years, with most of her time teaching 5th grade at Franklin and Kate Goodrich Elementary Schools in Merrill. Many of her former students will remember her saying with a twinkle in her eyes, “Time will pass… will you?” After retirement she stayed involved in many of the school projects. One in particular was the committee formed to establish education scholarships. 

She was a devoted Christian member of St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ in Merrill, participating in the senior choir for many years, which was paramount in her adoration to God.  She was involved in many church committees and enjoyed them all even if she kiddingly said she was only asked because she could never say no. 

Barb’s eyes would literally light up the room.  Her most content moments on this earth were when she was surrounded by the people she loved. These were the times her heart was most full and complete.  She will be missed by her family and many friends.

She is survived by her husband: George, her children and grandchildren: Lori (Michael) Martin, with their children: Derek and Ellen, of Oregon WI, Todd (Karin) Miller, with their children: Anna and Kate of Edina, MN; and Brett (Lisa) Dintelman, with their children Amber and Hailey of Wausau, WI.   

She is also survived by her sister: Janice Shaler of Milton, WI, brothers: Wilburn “Bill” (Carol) Weber of Irma, WI and Gerald “Jerry” (Sandra) Weber of Merrill and many nieces, nephews and friends who all meant the world to her.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents: Norman and Ella (Kakes) Weber and her twin newborn sons: Jeff and Jay Miller.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2017, from 1pm-4pm at Waid Funeral Home, Merrill, WI

A brief Celebration of Life for Barb will follow the visitation with the assistance of the Rev. Kyle Carnes.

In lieu of flowers, Barb requested any memorials be directed to her church, St. Stephen’s UCC in Merrill, for the choir and the music programs she loved so much.

Waid Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Merrill is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.waidfuneral.com.

Barb had many quips she would often say, and so to you Barb, we lovingly say “You done good”. We will continue to honor you through our love of God, family and friends. 

Nancy M. Milleson, age 85, of Merrill, passed away on Friday, November 24, 2017 at Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill.  She was born on August 12, 1932 to the late George and Winifred (Edmunds) Schafer in Syracuse, NY.  Nancy attended and graduated from Syracuse Central High School and continued her love of learning at the UW-Oshkosh and finished at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL.  Nancy was a teacher by profession, and enjoyed teaching in both school and the church.  Nancy also earned a degree as an LPN.  She met and fell in love with the Rev. David James Milleson and the two exchanged vows on September 9, 1961 in Chicago, IL.  Sadly, he preceded her in death on February 5, 2006. She loved being a pastor’s wife because she enjoyed being around people and helping where she could.  In her younger years, Nancy would enjoy gardening at her home and watching the birds at her feeders.  She was a member at Park City Baptist Church in Merrill.  She will be sadly missed.

Nancy is survived by her sons: Stephen (Missy) Milleson of Stevens Point and Paul Milleson of Gibsonton, FL, grandsons: Dustin Bohringer and Nathan Milleson, granddaughters: Kaytlin and Jordan Milleson and 4 great grandchildren.  She is preceded in death by her parents: George and Winifred Schafer and her husband: The Rev. David James Milleson.

Funeral Services for Nancy will be held on Friday, December 1, 2017 at 11am at Waid Funeral Home in Merrill.  Pastor Freddy McMillen will officiate.  Visitation will be held on Friday, December 1, 2017 from 10am until the time of the service, also at the funeral home.  Burial at Snow Hill Cemetery in the town of Scott will immediately follow the service.

Waid Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Merrill is assisting the family with arrangements.  Online condolences may be made at www.waidfuneral.com.

Junior “Ric” Angelo Ricci, age 87, of Wausau, took his eternal flight on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, at Ascension St. Clare’s Hospital in Weston, while surrounded by his loving family.  Ric was born to the late Angelo and Clara (Euler) Ricci on October 2, 1930 in Merrill.  He attended and graduated from Merrill High School with the class of 1948.  On March 19, 1960, he married Dorothy Nickel and together they had two sons, Dwayne and Randy.  Sadly, shortly after celebrating 50 years of marriage, Dorothy passed away.  Ric was lucky enough to find love again when he met and “romanced” Karen Winters, and the two exchanged their vows of love on November 9, 2013 in Wausau.  She survives.

Ric excelled as a painting contractor for most of his adult life.  He owned Industrial Painting Service from 1962-1983, which was family owned.  Ric did spend some time in Texas running painting jobs and doing estimations for Don L. Owen Painting.  He also worked as a painter for UW-Madison and later, UW-Stevens Point, until his retirement.  In his younger years, Ric owned several airplanes and took pilot lessons in Merrill.  He loved flying and would head to the skies every chance he had!  Ric was a member of the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association).  Ric was an avid fisherman and would look forward to his annual fishing trip to Canada with his friend, John.  He was also a very talented square dancer.  He was a member of the Merry Eights and the Lincoln Squares.  Ric would enjoy spending time with his family and friends, whether it was playing cards or rolling the dice.  He is remembered as being a kind-hearted, loving man that would help anyone in need.  Ric was a hard-worker and he never stopped working on his projects, which is what kept him young.  He was a proud member of the Schulz Spur Nove group, as his Italian heritage was very important to him.  Ric was also a member at the Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau.  In recent years, Ric and Karen spent their winters in Florida.

Ric is survived by his loving wife:  Karen Winters of Wausau, his children, whom he adored: Dwayne (Yvonne Wadinski) Ricci of Mosinee and Randy (Kim) Ricci of Wausau, 4 grandchildren: Lisa Ricci, Catherine (Seth) Meltesen, Jacob and Zach Ricci, 5 great grandchildren, siblings: Darlene (John) Losacco of Wesley Chapel, FL, Robert (Patti) Ricci of Irma, WI, Peggy (William) Anderson of De Pere, WI and Linda (Chet) Rhinehart of Merrill and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents:  Angelo and Clara Ricci, and his wife of 50 years: Dorothy Ricci.

Funeral Services for Ric will be held on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 11am at Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau.  Pastor Steven Gjerde will officiate.  Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 from 5pm-8pm at Waid Funeral Home in Merrill and again on Thursday, November 30, 2017 from 10am until the time of the service, at the church.  Burial will take place at Merrill Memorial Park Cemetery.  Waid Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Merrill is assisting the family with the arrangements.  Online condolences may be made at www.waidfuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, family requests that memorials be directed to the Zion Lutheran Church, 709 N. 6^th St., Wausau, WI 54403, in memory of Ric.

A 45-year-old Merrill woman was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a probation violation charge. Deputies went to a home in the Town of Merrill on a welfare check at 1:30 p.m. They found the woman had been drinking in violation of her probation rules.

The Recreation Deputy reports seeing people ice fishing on lakes in or around Tomahawk. Some lakes had less than two inches of ice on them. You are asked to use extreme caution until solid ice forms.

The Recreation Deputy reported a relatively quiet nine-day gun deer season. He reported few violations to include hunters traveling in restricted areas with off road vehicles and illegal stands on county lands. During opening weekend, law enforcement responded to the Town of Somo after a hunter was reported missing about two hours after darkness. The man was found in a field unharmed.

A 46-year-old Hazlehurst man was arrested Saturday afternoon on a warrant charge. A deputy stopped the vehicle the man was operating at 1:37 p.m. after it was found the registered owner was wanted by the Oneida County Sheriff for contempt of court.

Deputies arrested a 47-year-old Gleason man Saturday evening on a warrant charge. The man was found at a home in the Town of Harrison around 6 p.m. He was wanted for violating the terms of his parole for a felony drunk driving conviction.

A 51-year-old man from Marble Falls, Texas was taken into custody late Saturday evening for a traffic offense. A deputy stopped a vehicle the man was operating after he found it traveling 80 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. The man showed signs of impairment and was cited for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, first offense.

Deputies responded to a fight in the Town of Merrill at the Merrill Town Hall Saturday night. A cell 911 caller reported the incident. A male party was struck over the head with a crystal bowl causing injury. The victim refused medical transport.

A 29-year-old Tomahawk man was taken into custody early Sunday morning after a traffic stop. A deputy observed the vehicle traveling at 49 MPH in the 25 MPH zone. The driver refused to perform field sobriety tests. He was cited for a first offense operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

A 25-year-old Lake Tomahawk woman was taken into custody on Sunday morning and will face drug charges. Oneida County Deputies had requested Lincoln County Deputies find the woman at a home in the Town of King and take her into custody related to an ongoing investigation in their county. When Lincoln County Deputies found the woman they also found marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The woman will be referred to the Lincoln County District Attorney for the drug charges; she was turned over to Oneida County at the scene.

Two men are in the Lincoln County Jail after a traffic stop led to felony drug arrests. The vehicle was stopped Sunday evening at around 7:30 p.m. When a deputy made contact with the driver he could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. In searching the vehicle the deputies found psilocin, or mushrooms. The driver, a 49-year-old Weston man, was arrested on charges of felony possession of marijuana as a repeat offender, possession of drug paraphernalia and probation violation. The passenger, a 20-year-old Tomahawk man, was arrested on charges of felony bail jumping and possession of psilocin.

Seventeen people reported striking deer this past week. A Merrill man was injured when his airbag deployed after striking an animal on County Rd. FF.