The Merrill Community Garden Group is looking for volunteers to assist in preparing the development of a new Tall Pines community garden. The volunteer day will be Saturday, April 16. Please bring rakes and shovels; we will be making walk way rows. Volunteers will meet at the garden site located near the corner of 6th Street and Memorial Drive in Merrill, adjacent to Pine Crest Nursing Home.

There will be approximately 24 garden plots for rent in spring of 2016. The garden is open to anyone interested in having a garden alongside others in their community; no pesticides such as herbicides or insecticides will be allowed.

If you are able to volunteer or are interested in a garden plot, please contact Ann Stoeckmann at 715-536-0307 or at AStoeckmann@co.lincoln.wi.us.

The Merrill Community Garden is made possible by funding provided by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health from the WI Partnership Fund.

Wisconsin residents will be able to nominate and elect local representatives to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) at the DNR Spring Hearings & Conservation Congress’ annual county meetings held on Monday, April 11, starting at 7 p.m. in each county of the state. For Lincoln County, the Spring Hearing will be held at Merrill High School, Auditorium, 1201 N. Sales St., Merrill. Individuals interested in natural resources management will also have the opportunity to provide their input by non-binding vote and testimony on proposed rule changes and advisory questions relating to conservation and fish and wildlife management in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Conservation Congress is officially recognized as the only advisory body in the state where citizens elect county delegates to represent their interests on natural resources issues on a local and statewide level to the Natural Resources Board (NRB) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

At the meetings, citizens will have the opportunity to comment and register their support, or non-support, for DNR proposed rule changes as well as Congress proposals that could someday become the rules that regulate fishing, hunting, trapping and other outdoor recreation activities in Wisconsin. They may also submit ideas to address conservation needs or concerns they observe through the WCC resolution process.

Results of the public’s input on these proposals will be presented to the Natural Resources Board in May 2016. If there is significant support for a proposal, the WCC advisory question could become a DNR rule change proposal in following years.

This year in addition to 12 DNR and NRB questions, the Conservation Congress will seek public input on 33 advisory questions on a range of topics, some of which include:
•a proposal to eliminate the “artificial only” restriction from regular season trout regulations;
•a proposal to create a Senior Citizen Conservation Patron License;
•a proposal to disallow permanent waterfowl blinds on public lands;
•a proposal to ban lead fishing tackle and ban lead shot on DNR managed lands;
•a proposal to increase hunting, fishing, and trapping license fees.

“Conservation Congress advisory questions generally originate from citizens’ ideas.” said Rob Bohmann, Chairman of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress. “If resolutions presented at the county level meetings are supported, the resolution is advanced to one of the Congress’ advisory committees and the Congress Executive Council for consideration.

“Each year, there are over 200 resolutions submitted locally. Not all pass, but the ones that do have the potential to become a rule, policy or legislative change in the subsequent years,” Bohmann said. “It is a true grassroots process that empowers the citizens of this state to shape natural resources policy.”

The complete 2016 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources spring rules hearings questionnaire is available for review online or at local DNR service centers. Individuals without internet access may be able to view the online questionnaire by visiting their local library.

People interested in attending the hearings are encouraged to review the questionnaire online prior to the April 11 hearings and should arrive at the hearing location early to register before the hearings begin at 7 p.m.

For additional information on the Spring Hearings, please visit www.dnr.wi.gov and search key words “Spring Hearings.”

By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter

The Merrill girls started their soccer season with a shut-out loss to Mosinee this past Tuesday with a final score of 2-0.  The weather was also markedly terrible, with a light rain/sleet mix and temperatures in the high 30s for most of the game.  Head coach Stephanie Nelson described it as being “wet and awful”.

The Bluejays played admirably, however, with the team holding the ball for a longer period of time and goalie Gabby Schegel making two saves in the first half.  It is also worth noting that this was the first time the girls have played outside this year.

“It was our first time outside for the year it looked pretty promising,” comments Nelson.  “We did a pretty good job possessing the ball, we panicked a little, but all things considering they actually held onto the ball and picked their heads up to look for options.  Mosinee out-shot us 25-12, but what that number doesn’t show is that we probably had the ball more than they did; they just had the ball in more opportune places. Before the first goal, Gabby Schegel made two big saves but just couldn’t (and shouldn’t be expected to) make the third save.”

“Our biggest weakness at this point is that we lack the confidence we need because our skills are still coming back,” adds Nelson.  “I think that if we work the skills hard and get more comfortable with our new system and teammates we will see the improvement we need to compete well with some of the teams in the Valley.”

Girls soccer have there next invite (weather permitting) today @ Wisconsin Rapids-Lincoln @ 4:30 p.m.

Sunday evening, officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at a local store.

Upon arrival, store employees showed officers video surveillance footage of a male and a female, identified as 23-year-old Cody Wolff and 20-year-old Natalie Bord, inside the store and removing “Go Pro” cameras, then hiding them around the store. Wolff was later identified on social media attempting to sell several other “Go Pro” cameras.
An off-duty Merrill officer made contact with Wolff via social media and arranged for a meeting to purchase the items. However rather than the off-duty officer arriving, the investigating officer arrived instead and made contact with Wolff and Bord.
According to officer notes, two of the cameras were reportedly seized while Bord and Wolff were brought to the Merrill Police Department for interviews.
Wolff then led the officer back to the store and showed the hidden Go Pro cameras which he intended to come back and recover on a later date. A felony retail theft charge for Wolff will be recommended to the Lincoln County District Attorney’s office.

The winners have been determined in two Lincoln County Board supervisory districts that had no names on Tuesday’s ballot. Incumbent District 8 Supervisor R. Wayne Plant and District 13 incumbent Supervisor James Albers did not seek re-election.

In District 13, Kirby Crosby had registered as a write-in candidate after the nomination period closed. After counting write-in votes in that district, Kirby has been determined to be the winner.

In District 8, there were no declared candidates and no registered write-in candidates. In that district, Christopher Heller was determined to be the winner based on write-in votes.

Crosby and Heller will be offered the seats on the Lincoln County Board.

April 4
6:29 p.m.- A caller reported he had rear-ended a vehicle but the vehicle continued on. He stated the driver had slammed on the brakes causing the crash and had held up what appeared to be a gun. He stopped and waited for officers to arrive. The struck vehicle also contacted the police once they arrived home. The driver denied having a gun and stated he held his hands up and had a cell phone which was what the other driver likely saw. Initially a passenger claimed to be the driver and it was found the actual driver has a revoked driver’s license. That driver will be cited for operating after revocation and operating without insurance. The driver of the other vehicle will be cited for following vehicle too close. A crash report was completed.

April 6
7:06 p.m.- An officer observed a male who had an active arrest warrant biking on East 1st Street in the 300 block. After a short bicycle pursuit, the male was taken into custody for the warrant. A search of his person revealed drug paraphernalia. The male was cited for the violation.

April 7
1:47 p.m.- A female was arrested for a Probation Violation and taken to the jail.

Parents agree that establishing schedules for eating and sleeping are important for keeping their children healthy. The same goes for childhood immunizations. National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an annual event that highlights the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and the success of immunization programs in promoting healthy communities throughout the United States.

“Vaccinating children on time before their second birthday is the best way to protect them against 14 serious and potentially deadly diseases,” said Mindy Schwarz, Public Health Nurse for Lincoln County Health Department. “The recommended vaccine schedule protects babies early in life, when they are vulnerable.”

Public health and medical experts base their vaccine recommendations on many factors. They study information about diseases and vaccines very carefully to decide which vaccines kids should get and when they should get them for best protection.

Although the number of vaccines a child needs in the first two years may seem like a lot, health care providers know a great deal about the human immune system, and they know that a healthy baby’s immune system can handle getting all vaccines when they are recommended. Schwarz, cautions against parents delaying vaccination. “There is no known benefit to delaying vaccination. Staying on track with the immunization schedule ensures that children have the best protection against diseases.”

During the week of April 16-April 23, 2016 the Lincoln County Health Department will observe NIIW and promote vaccinations for infants, children and adults. To celebrate, call the Lincoln County Health Department at 715-536-0307 and have your immunization record checked to see if you are up-to-date with recommended vaccines.

Lincoln County Health Department reminds residents that we offer monthly immunization clinics by appointment only in Merrill (at the Health Department) every second Tuesday from 12-1 p.m. and third Wednesday from 3–4:30 p.m. for those eligible. For more information on immunizations or to make an appointment, contact the Lincoln County Health Department at 715-536-0307.

For more information about Lincoln County Health Department’s programs and services, visit lincolncountyhealthdepartment.com or find us on Facebook. Lincoln County Health Department is always working for a safer and healthier Lincoln County.

Nick Beversdorf
Reporter

The Bluejay boys had their track meet this past Saturday (April 2nd) in Madison at U.W.-Shell.  Merrill faced a host of different schools from all over the state, scoring mostly in the middle of the pack in the track events.

Top scorers for Merrill include junior Todd Grund who placed 3rd in the pole vault with 13 feet and both sophomore Jared Ollhoff and senior Austyn Kirby who placed 4th and 6th place in the high jump with 5ft 10 in and 5 ft 8in, respectively.  Other Merrill athletes set their own personal records.

“We always enjoy going to this meet due to the high competition it displays and the fun traditions associated with it,” comment coach Kurt VandenHeuvel.  “The guys competed with relentless effort and because of that there were many successes among individuals including; Mitchell Jaeger and Todd Grund both with personal records in the PV.  Isaac Meyer in the Hurdles, and Devon Annis in the 55 Dash.”

Baraboo, Grafton, Fond Du Lac and Catholic Memorial (Waukesha) were the top-performing schools at the meet, consistently placing in the top four spots in almost every event.  Even so, Kurt is still proud of his team and the effort they put in.

“These guys show up everyday disciplined and focused in practices and take every opportunity to prepare for meets like this,” Kurt adds.  “We are a young team, but continue to grow in confidence and mechanics, as guys (Nevada Laabs, Peter Seliger, Austyn Kirby, Will Soderberg, Isaac Buntrock) step up as leaders and reiterate our blueprint (relentless effort, competitive excellence and unit power).”

Merrill boys varsity track will have their next conference meet @ Stevens Point on the UW-SP campus along with the Merrill girls varsity track team.

Jeremy Ratliff

Reporter

Wednesday afternoon, the Merrill Parks and Recreation Commission heard a presentation from Director Dan Wendorf on plans for a new pavilion at the Park Street trailhead of the River Bend Trail, courtesy of AGRA Industries, as well as a park in the same vicinity, courtesy of the Merrill Rotary Club.

Although exact dimensions were not immediately available, the pavilion is expected to use the entire open footprint in the area and will serve as a multi-purpose shelter of sorts.

“From my understanding, the pavilion will basically be there for anyone who has a need for it,” said River District Development Foundation president Gene Bebel. “Whether it’s the Humane Society or if it’s a particularly nasty day and the Farmers Market wants to get out of the weather, the pavilion will be available shelter and space for them.”

As Bebel alluded to, Wendorf indicated the Farmers Market will have a reserved space on the west side of the pavilion.

“The Farmers Market wasn’t very big on moving at first, but they are pretty keen on it now,” he added. “Traffic has really picked up down there which will be a benefit for them and I expect that to only get better as we get into summer, with warmer temps and so on.”

Wendorf stated construction is set to begin in the coming weeks with an estimated completion date sometime in mid-summer. Upon completion, the pavilion will be turned over to Parks and Rec ownership.

Although the park as depicted in a 3-D panoramic view with extensive landscaping and gardening, Bebel cautioned Commission members of the park being a work in progress.

“It doesn’t look like that yet,” he said with a chuckle. “I just want to make sure you’re aware of that. The whole project will cost about $40,000 and the Rotary Club has donated $15,000; we as a foundation are responsible for the rest. Right now, we just don’t have that kind of money. But our goal is to eventually have the park look just like you see it here.”

Existing 6^th District Alderman Dave Sukow commended Bebel and the foundation’s progress since the trail’s inception in 2012.

“I remember not all that long ago sitting in this very room (City Hall council chambers) during a public hearing and this room was packed!” the 10-year veteran alderman explained. “It was standing room only, full of people who were mainly dead set against the whole idea of the trail. Folks made so many accusations. People claimed it would cost millions of dollars! That was an exaggeration of course, but my point is we were so close to not even pursuing this. And look at what we have now. We have a beautiful trail that people use and enjoy and now we have generous support and donations for a park and pavilion.”

“Way to turn it around, Gene,” Sukow added. “To see this go from something folks feared to something folks seem to really love, something great.”

Bebel added total donations to date are just over a million dollars.

In other matters Wednesday, the commission unanimously approved a request by a community group to relocate the Normal Park totem pole, from Normal Park down to the Park Street River Bend Trail head. The move is projected to occur sometime during mid-summer.

Wendorf also updated the commission on progress at the new Aquatic Center, advising construction recently resumed despite the less than favorable weather conditions. Wendorf indicated construction remains ahead of schedule with about 80% of the splash pad being completed. Work remaining consists of smaller projects including installation of diving boards, construction of the shaded concession area and locker/restroom amenities.

April 10, 2011, was a record-setting day for Wisconsin weather. Fifteen tornadoes were confirmed on that date in communities around the state, the most ever recorded on an April day.

In Merrill, it had been a balmy April Sunday. Then the weather turned ugly in the late afternoon, as it became apparent that Merrill was right in the path of that storm. The National Weather Service was predicting that a storm capable of producing a tornado would reach Merrill shortly after 6:20 p.m.

An EF3 tornado, the strongest in Lincoln County history and the most powerful to strike in Wisconsin that day, hit Merrill almost exactly at the time predicted by the NWS.

“Before I started seeing debris, it got dead calm and the air got heavy,” said Andy Lee, who watched the twister approach from the front yard of his soon-to-be demolished ROW Road home.

Touching down first on Joe Snow Road, the tornado traveled its northeasterly route through Merrill’s industrial park, neighborhoods along Airport Road and Hillside Drive, across Hwy. 51 and County Rd. K, and on toward Gleason. Within about 20 minutes the storm had come and gone, leaving behind an unbelievable swath of destruction. Several business buildings, several dozen homes and thousands of trees were damaged. Amazingly, not one life was lost and only a few injuries were reported.

“For being unlucky, we were pretty lucky,” said Mike Handlin, whose home in the Evergreen Heights subdivision was destroyed.

Law enforcement, emergency responders and relief organizations sprang into action. Citizens pitched in to help with the initial cleanup process. Just getting the roads clear of fallen trees was a major task.

Over the next few months, homeowners and businesses went about the work of cleaning up the mess left by the tornado and rebuilding shattered structures. The damage was initially estimated at more than $11 million.

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Assistance efforts from the Merrill community and beyond immediately got into gear. The Red Cross and Salvation Army were on scene to provide support to the victims. St. John Lutheran Church of Merrill offered their kitchen and volunteer cooks to provide meals that were distributed to victims and clean up workers.

Thousands of volunteers donated their time to help with cleanup projects in the tornado damaged areas. Those efforts continued for months as volunteers stepped forward from the Merrill community, surrounding areas and beyond. In April alone, volunteers clocked over 5,000 man hours.

Monetary donations also poured in as major funds were established by the Merrill Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Merrill Area United Way.

Five years later, the scars left by the tornado are still evident around the Merrill area. It will take decades for the trees to return to their former glory and some lots remain vacant where buildings once stood. But, for the most part, homes and businesses have been rebuilt and Merrill has carried on.

Excitement is in the air! Tuesday, April 19, will be jam packed with all things for women. Take time away from the daily duties of life, grab your girlfriends and head to the Smith Center for the ultimate night out for women!

Enjoy unique shopping, beauty tips, fashion jewelry and women’s accessories. You’ll enjoy plenty of personal attention from a variety of experts. Spoil yourself with a glass of wine, some great food and an amazing evening at the Smith Center.

The Ladies Lifestyle Expo is a little slice of boutique heaven. Exhibitors feature offering everything from jewelry, makeup, lawn and garden items, skin care, indoor/outdoor fireplaces and so much more. Mix in a hair and fashion show, guest speakers, door prizes, grand prizes and it’s the ultimate night out for you and your girlfriends.

The Ladies Lifestyle Expo is a main sponsor for our High School Design Challenge. We have teams of very talented young artists bringing their designs into the show. Who can make a dress from mirror glass, plastic, tissue paper, newspaper, and duct tape – just to name of few of the ideas. Head over to the Smith Center on April 19 from 5–9 p.m. and check out these designs.

Models will take the runway at 7 p.m. in stylish spring fashions from The Fresh Boutique and Lund & Taylor and see some sassy hair styles from Waves Full Service Salon.

Don’t forget to register for the fabulous grand prizes that we will be giving away right after the Hair and Fashion Show. Food and beverages will be available through Merrill Youth Hockey Association. Free admission.

The Ladies Lifestyle Expo is sponsored by Waves, The Fresh Boutique, Lund & Taylor, Channel 12 and Merrill Park and Recreation Department. Stage sponsors are Courtside Furniture. Media sponsors are Channel 12, Cool Oldies and The Patriot. Show sponsors: Hugo’s Pizza, KB Body Shop, Park City Credit Union, Dave’s County Market, Merrill Ice Reflections, Wausau Music and Merrill Federal Savings and Loan.

For more information or to become a vendor, call Dawn at 715-536-7313.

Sunday morning, officers responded to a reported dog attack on East Main Street. Upon arrival, the reporting party displayed a laceration on his left leg and a bite mark with puncture wounds on his right hand, which were reportedly sustained during an attack by two dogs. The party further indicated the dogs’ owner was outside at the time of the incident and denied the attack.

Upon interviewing the dogs’ owners, 30-year-old Travis Brossow and 46-year-old Theresa Zastrow, they reportedly indicated the victim had taunted the dogs and provoked the attack. Upon further investigation, it was discovered the dogs had been implicated in previous incidents, the most recent being in November of last year. The dogs were also found to be unregistered and had not been properly vaccinated. Rabies control forms were issued and both Brossow and Zastrow were cited for Keeping a Vicious Animal, failure to license the dogs and failure to vaccinate. The dogs were later transported to the Lincoln County Humane Society for quarantine until they can be properly evaluated by a veterinarian.

Tuesday evening, an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle near the intersection of East 9th and Lake streets, after observing the vehicle traveling in the opposite direction of travel.

According to officer notes, upon contact with the driver, 44-year-old Tracy Lynn Dittmar, she carried a strong odor of intoxicants about her person. Dittmar reportedly consented to performing field sobriety testing but was unable to complete. As a result, Dittmar was taken into custody on a 4th offense charge of Operating While Intoxicated and transported to the Lincoln County Jail.

Snow fall and icy roads kept deputies busy this past week. Snow began falling late Tuesday afternoon mixed with freezing rain. Deputies responded to five crashes and two vehicles in the ditch. One vehicle rolled over on Tannery Road south of US Hwy. 8, the driver was checked by Tomahawk EMS for his injuries but he refused transport.

On Friday morning snow again caused issues on the roadways. Several crashes were checked including one on County Rd. D at Birch Road in the Town of King that involved a minor injury. Tomahawk EMS and Tomahawk Fire Department assisted at that scene.

A 17-year-old Eau Claire man, currently a student at Lincoln Hills School in Irma, was arrested Friday morning on two felony counts of battery. A deputy responded to the facility just after 11 a.m. to investigate the complaint. The suspect is being held in the Lincoln County Jail and will have a bond hearing on Monday.

A 48-year-old Tomahawk man was arrested Friday afternoon after deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the Town of Tomahawk. The victim indicated the suspect had arrived at the residence in violation of his felony bonds in Lincoln County Court. When deputies arrived the suspect had fled into the woods but was soon located and arrested due to the findings of their investigation. The man remains in jail on three felony counts of bail jumping, battery, disorderly conduct and a felony charge of intimidating a victim. The man will have a bond hearing on Monday in Lincoln County Court.

Three people struck deer this past week in Lincoln County. A turkey was also struck, A Tomahawk man struck the bird on Thursday on County Rd. E in the Town of Bradley.

By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter

It has been said before but it’ll be said again: the recent weather has sucked.  Nobody knows this better than the varsity girls soccer team.  After a tough 3-0 loss last to Mosinee last Tuesday (April 5th), the lady Bluejays lost both games at their invite this past Saturday.  In addition to the girls not yet being able to practice outside, Wisconsin Rapids, the invite location, had received about 2 inches of snow the night before, making for very terrible field conditions that almost prevented them from playing.

The girl’s first opponent was Northland Pines, who scored 2 goals within the first 12 minutes.  The girls were able to counter with 2 well-placed goals around the 20-minute mark to tie the game, but unfortunately NP was able to score a goal at the 34-minute mark that pushed the score in their favor.  The second half would see no scores.

“The first half was pretty crazy; all five of the goals were scored then,” comments head coach Stephanie Nelson.  “Pines went up 2-0 after only 12 minutes of play, but then at almost the 20 minute mark, Mae Litschauer scored a beautiful left-footed goal off of a pass from Emily Page from a huge defensive win from Allison Winter-Reed.  About 10 minutes later, Mae Litschauer kept her dominance rolling and passed a ball off to Brianna Grosskurth who snuck it by both the keeper and defender to tie the game up.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t hold the tie for long as Pines got their go-ahead goal at the 34 out of 40 minute mark.  One of their goals was not a very well-earned goal, so in my mind the game was still a loss, but at least not a bad one.”

The second half had become an impasse with both teams not being able to secure the ball long enough to make any progress.  For the remainder of the game the ball mostly stayed in the center of the field.

“Second half, we didn’t get a whole lot of opportunities and neither did they,” adds Nelson.  “It seemed like the ball was being bounced around in the middle of the field with both teams shutting each other down before we could really get anything going.  In the end, Pines won 3-2, and out-shot us 21 (8 shots on goal) to 5 (2 shots on goal).  Our on goal shot to goal percentage was pretty good, so we just need to get our other shots to get on net to make us a little more deadly.”

The second game against Eau Claire North was a lot less sloppy and a lot more aggressive, even though it ended in 3-0 shout-out loss.

“Our second game we played a little more athletic and a whole lot more aggressive defensively.  We held our own despite the sound of a 3-0 loss. Gabby Schlegel snuffed out quite a lot while tallying up 16 saves on the game. We had only a handful of opportunities with five total shots and three on goal, but I feel that compared to the first game, we were a lot more poised and connected a lot more passes. The girls played a lot less sloppy and looked pretty decent against a lot more skilled of a team.  In the end, North had 29 total shots (19 on goal), and two goals in the first half, one in the second half.”

Despite the girl’s record dropping to 0-3, coach Nelson still likes what she is seeing and and is confident that more practice, especially outside, will help the girls as the season progresses.

“I like what I’m seeing out of our play. In the past we weren’t skilled enough to play more of a passing game, but now the girls are moving well with each other and passing pretty decently.  We just need to clean up some of our skills, but that will come once we’re able to actually practice outside, hopefully sometime this week before we have to play the D1 state champs DCE.”

The next game is scheduled for this Thursday, April 14th at 4:30 versus DC Everest @ the MARC.

Lincoln County Sheriff Jeff Jaeger is warning residents of yet another scam, this one aimed at customers of Wisconsin Public Service. WPS has put out a warning that over the past week at least 20 customers had contacted them after they received calls threatening to cut off their utilities unless they paid $500 by a timed deadline.

The scammers instruct the victims to purchase green dot cards at places such as Walgreens or Walmart and use that card to pay the past due amount. Some potential victims were told to meet someone in person in order to turn over the card and make the payment.

WPS would never ask a customer to make a payment using a pre-paid card, nor would they ever ask to meet you in person to receive the payment. If you receive such a call, hang up and notify WPS and your local law enforcement agency. Also remember anytime anyone asks for direct payment with a pre-paid card such as a green dot card that should be an immediate red flag that it is most likely a scam. Once those cards are liquidated, the money is gone and cannot be recovered or traced.

The deadline for paying up or making financial arrangements with WPS is this Friday; the Lincoln County Department of Social Services does still have funds available through the Wisconsin Home and Energy Assistance Program. You can contact them at 715-539-1344 to speak to a program specialist.

April 8
6:11 p.m.- Officers responded to a domestic in progress. Contact was made at the residence with a male and female. Both parties were spoken to separately and both stated it was a verbal altercation only. No evidence contradicting this account was present and no further action was taken.

April 9
4:45 p.m.- An officer responded to an agency assist complaint. Information was received that a male party was not being properly cared for by his assigned caregiver. The investigation is ongoing.

7:54 p.m.- An officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle. The K9 was deployed on the vehicle and made a positive alert. The vehicle and driver were searched. A marijuana pipe, methamphetamine pipe and 3.5 grams of methamphetamine were located. The driver was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, and bail jumping. The same party was arrested for methamphetamine charges in December and is set to be sentenced the end of May.

10:23 p.m.- Officers responded to an anonymous complaint of underage drinking at a bar. Contact was made at the bar and two underage individuals were located. One had not been drinking and was released and one had been drinking and was cited for the violation.

April 10
12:43 a.m.- Officers responded to a driving complaint in the area of West Jackson Street and Eugene Street after the caller reported almost being struck by a vehicle. Upon officer’s arrival at a residence where the suspect vehicle was located, a female fled the house. K9 Eros was utilized and successfully tracked the female where she was found hiding in a tree. The female was subsequently arrested for OWI 1st offense and bail jumping.

By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter

Bluejay varsity softball rebounded against DC Everest this past Thursday in a stunning last inning performance.

Leonna Ives scored a run off her line drive hit to left field in the first inning, helping to secure an early lead.  During the top of the 4th Cassandra Casper scored off a ground ball by Emily Travis that further widened the gap to 2 points. Everything seemed to be going well for the Bluejays until a DC Everest line drive to left field allowed players on 2nd and 3rd base to empty into home, tying up the game in just a few seconds.

Both teams continued to play aggressively, each hoping to one-up the other in an attempt to break the tie.  That is exactly what happened at the top of the 7th when Chelsey LaMonica hit a grounder to first base that allowed her to advance to 1st on an error, which allowed Leonna to advance from 3rd to home, scoring the run needed to win.

“We came out of the blocks firing right away, as our team leaders, two of our captains, Leonna Ives and Chelsey LaMonica got big hits for us in the first to put us on the board for an early lead in the top of the first,” comments head coach Matt Ellenbecker.  “Emily Travis put us up 2-0 in the 4th with a fielders choice RBI.  We really did a solid job all night offensively, gathering 9 base hits, drawing 3 walks and keeping our Ks down to a reasonable number against a very good pitcher.  We were successful both times that we needed to move runners with a bunt, as well.  The little things are big things.  Our 2nd and 3rd runs were driven in with fielder’s choice ground balls.  Productive outs win games, and we did our best with that tonight.”

Ellenbecker also comments on the improved defensive performance during the game.

“Taylor Krueger and our defense bounced back from a rough first outing and performed very well.  She scattered 10 hits, and did a nice job of throwing strikes while moving the ball around the zone and mixing speeds.  Our defense did a solid job backing her up.  We weren’t perfect behind her, but we made huge strides from game one.  It was fun to see her get her first varsity win.”

This performance-driven win helped instill a sense of confidence in the team, especially after the disappointing loss against Weyauwega-Fremont last Friday (April 1st).

“Chelsey LaMonica came in to close it out for the save, working through the very potent heart of the Evergreen order to shut things down for us,” adds Ellenbecker.  “With a young team, we’ll have some ups and downs, but it was very encouraging to see us rebound as a team from a disappointing first performance.”

Field conditions permitting, Bluejay varsity softball will have their next game this Tuesday, April 12th at 4:30 p.m. vs Wausau East @ the MARC.

Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter
Thanks in part to a considerable donation from Church Mutual Insurance Company, a new cutting edge IT program at the NTC-Wausau Campus will soon launch to a promising horizon.
Monday morning, NTC president Dr. Lori Weyers and Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce President Aaron Kapellusch, along with representatives from other area technical colleges, universities as well as members of Church Mutual administration, officially unveiled “The Branch” at the school’s new state of the art ITEC (Informational Technology Entrepreneurial Center).
During the presentation, Church Mutual Senior Vice-President of Operations Kevin Root presented a check in the amount of $250,000 to Kapellusch.
‘The Branch’ was formed through a partnership between the chamber, NTC and Church Mutual and is a ‘skills accelerator’ designed to give high-potential college students the training, connections and experience needed to develop the necessary skills for careers in the ever evolving world of Information Technology.
The Branch, will form multi-disciplinary teams of students and have them work on corporate innovation challenges. Those students with start-up ideas will in turn have an outlet to apply such ideas.

By participating in The Branch-consisting of 10 week cohorts- students will learn and develop valuable career skills such as collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking through entrepreneurial projects.
“Students will have many, many opportunities to work with unique and innovative projects from area businesses, from entrepreneurial and manufacturing to commercial.” Weyers added.
“While working out of the ITEC, The Branch will open the door to get our students and businesses working together to help business grow in central Wisconsin.
According to Root, Church Mutual’s interest in the program was two-fold; fulfilling the company’s emphasis on seeking and forming community partnerships, as well as a recruiting tool of sorts.
“We saw this as a wonderful opportunity for a partnership,” Root stated in a short address to those in attendance Monday morning.
“We are an employee-focused company and credit our employees for everything we have accomplished. But the bad news is several hundred of our employees will be retiring over the next ten years and with that, we will need to replenish our employee pool. We believe the future of our success as a leading employer in north-central Wisconsin, is tied to colleges and schools in our area.”
As Kapellusch adds, the donation was made in January and has already been put to use in helping with program facilitation costs, staffing and promoting the program to area businesses.
In turn, businesses like Church Mutual who choose to invest and take part in the program. see a return on their investment in as little as 10 weeks, which is the timeline for each student cohort.
The first cohort is ready to roll out in May, with another scheduled for the fall.
The Branch is still looking for sponsors, innovative projects and mentors however business participation is limited to members of the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce and only to students attending NTC, Lakeland College, Mid-State Technical College, Rasumussen College, UW-Marathon County, Upper Iowa University and UW-Stevens Point.
Those wishing to learn more about The Branch may contact NTC Learning Coordinator Sarah Kapellusch at (715) 803-1798/kappellusch@ntc.edu or Wausau Chamber Marketing Manager Brian Otten at (715) 848-5947/botten@wausauchamber.com