By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter

This past Saturday saw the annual Children’s Festival held at the Smith Center in Merrill, WI.  Many parents and children showed up to get a kid-friendly look at many of the businesses, organizations, and services that keep Merrill running.

Children were able to took a look at the inside of a MPD squad car and participate in an obstacle course courtesy of the Merrill Police Department and attempt to get dressed in full fire-fighting gear in under 60 seconds courtesy of the Merrill Fire Department.

Other activities included bowling, soccer goal kicking, caricatures, bag toss, golfing, paper airplane launching, block building and physical fitness testing among many others.  Children were also given the opportunity to sign up for many spring and summer activities.

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Prominetly displayed with lights flashing, a MPD squad car sits with the back doors open, allowing kids to see what it is like inside. Hopefully this is the only time they ever see the inside!

Last year the city of Merrill began the process of updating the Merrill Comprehensive Plan, which was originally adopted in 2007. The Comprehensive Plan serves as a guide for the City Plan Commission, Common Council, and other City officials as they make decisions about the long term growth and improvement of the community.

The plan has a 20-year horizon.

The Comprehensive Plan covers a variety of topics, including: Housing, Economic Development, Land Use, Transportation, Community Facilities, and Natural Resources. The plan does not provide a detailed design for every parcel, but rather establishes a general policy for future community change. More specifically, it provides a foundation for decisions on public programs and activities such as: land use, growth and annexation, parks, economic development, public utilities, streets, downtown revitalization, various neighborhood improvements, and zoning. The private sector also uses the plan as a guide for investing in the community.

This planning effort requires citizen input to make it reflective of the community. In the coming months a survey will be conducted to gather information from people who reside, visit, and do business in Merrill. Citizen input will be critical to help shape the future of Merrill.

Citizens are asked to complete the survey to help plan the city’s future. The survey can be found online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/merrillcp.

To date a variety of background data and other information has been collected, maps have been prepared, and meetings held to discuss natural resources, economic development, historic preservation and housing. There are still a variety of topics to be covered before the plan is completed at the end of the year.

During this process the City of Merrill will work with the surrounding communities and Lincoln County to discuss various issues as well. Planning is important because cities are constantly changing; communities that are able to anticipate the future are better able to take advantage of what the future has to offer.

Following the community survey, all of the plan text and maps will be available for review on the city website. If you have any questions or would like additional information on the comprehensive plan, please contact David Johnson, City Administrator at 715-536-5594.

Sunday marked the fifth anniversary of the April 10, 2011 tornado that left a swath of destruction through the Merrill area. As the community rallied to recover from the tornado, the Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation established a Tornado Relief Fund and the donations poured in.
Now, five years later, after granting more than $150,000 in funds to Merrill residents affected by the 2011 tornado, that fund has completed the processing of all claims.

“We have finally fulfilled all the applications that came through,” said Chamber Executive Director Debbe Kinsey. “When we started that fund, we had no idea how much money we would take in or how much we would end up spending. We serviced a tremendous number of people with it.”

With just over $19,000 remaining in the Tornado Relief Fund, the foundation has closed that fund and rolled the money into a new Catastrophic Relief Fund.

“Rather than have the money sit there, we felt it was time to start an emergency fund and put that money to work in the community,” Kinsey said.

This fund is designated to assist Merrill area residents with financial burdens incurred by a catastrophic event that has impacted the community. A qualifying event may be, but is not limited to, one that potentially displaces or affects multiple households. Financial assistance from this fund is for needs not met by any other means.

Kinsey said the funds likely won’t be used for individual circumstances.

“We would be looking more at things that affect multiple families,” she said. “It could be a fire, a storm, or lots of different things.”

Guidelines for disbursement will be determined at the time of the event. The Merrill Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Board of Directors will determine when a catastrophic event meets criteria. All requests will be considered based on the funds available at the time of application and the board has the final determination.

Tax deductible donations can be made to this fund at any time in order for it to live on and continue to serve those in need in the Merrill community well into the future.

“We would love to see it grow,” Kinsey said. “You never know what’s going to hit or when it’s going to hit. If anyone is looking for a fund to benefit the community and receive a tax deduction, this is one way to do that.”

Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr.
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The City of Merrill has issued bonds in the amount of $750,000 to Hill Top Medical Group (Family Medical Clinic) in order to construct a clinic on O’Day St near the hospital. The facility will house up to eight doctors and will be built by the House of Merrill. The city council also approved the transfer of $100,000 from the general fund to finance a development in the Merrill Industrial Park. In other city news, the Merrill Go Round is celebrating its first year in service with a birthday fare special. Rides on the bus will cost you a dime from check point to check point starting Monday. The bus had 65,000 riders in the first year, more than two and a half times the number of its predecessor the Dial a Bus program.
Dan Burk will be the new head of the Chamber of Commerce. Burk will graduate from Ripon College next month and will head straight to Merrill to head the organization. He is a 1972 graduate of Merrill Senior High School and will receive his A.B. degree in economics and speech. Burk is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Burk of Cotter Court in Merrill. Another local association also has a new head, Ron Priebe was elected chair of the Lincoln County Bar Association at their meeting April 6th; Dennis Montabon is vice-president and John Ament treasurer.

I found Dan on Facebook, still alive and well. He told me after 35 years in the St. Louis area he is back in Wisconsin and could not be happier about coming home. And of course he still subscribes to the Foto News.

Sunday is Easter and if you are looking for someplace to go this weekend the Entertainment page has your answers. Club Modern has a buffet on Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. which has ham, chicken, roast beef, tips and ribs for only $3.25. Les & Jim’s will entertain you all weekend with Chucky and the Dip Sticks Friday and the Rhythm Masters Saturday. The Riverside Club will feature a full menu Sunday including spring lamb and Easter ham. Club 64 has Finn Power on Friday and a ham dinner Sunday. Schmitt’s will have a dance on Easter featuring Ray Dorschner and the Rainbow Valley Dutchman. Hinz’s Cork and Dine has a buffet Sunday featuring crab stuffed flounder, sirloin beef, broasted chicken, ribs, tips and ham as well as a dinner menu with duck, turkey and leg of lamb. Or if you want to travel, you can head up to the Silver Birch in Tomahawk where on Saturday night a complete steak dinner is $4.95 or the Sunday buffet will include the music of Guss Wurl.

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The new Merrill City Council took their seats last night, four of them sporting new faces. Robert Monti, Patricia Woller, Cheryl Kanitz and Bryan Stimers were all sworn in Tuesday along with the returning four representatives. A change in committees will bring a new face to chair the personnel and finance committee with Roger English moving from the water and sewer committee to chair the P&F committee and Plautz moving to the water and sewer committee. David D’Amico will head the health and safety committee.

Months of work to obtain a new site for a Lincoln County Landfill may be back to square one after the property slated to be purchased in the Town of Birch was suddenly taken off the market. The solid waste committee has spent thousands of dollars testing and preparing the Alfred Turner property, but according to attorney Glen Hartley, Turner has now informed the group he is not selling. Hartley stated the county’s only recourse now would be to take Turner to court to force him to go through with the sale. Despite the fact that the solid waste committee will soon be filled with new faces thanks to recent elections at both the county and city level the group voted to proceed with the Turner purchase at the meeting last week.

The news for the Merrill Rural Fire Department keeps getting worse as now the Town of Texas in Marathon County has given notice that they intend on pulling out of the rural network. Currently the Merrill Rural Fire Department services Texas along with the Towns of Pine River, Corning, Harding, Rock Falls, Merrill, and Scott. Lawrence Walters of the Town of Texas reported they would like to continue to receive service from Merrill, but they feel it would be less expensive for them to start their own department. Texas actually contracts with and splits their town with Merrill Rural, Town of Maine and Wausau City Fire Departments. They estimate it will take $100,000 to begin their own department. Last week in the Foto News an article made it quite clear that the Town of Corning will most likely start their own department in the next year. Despite the news, the rural fire committee directed Chief Harvey Emmanuel to explore costs associated with his plans to purchase a new pumper and tanker for the rural department. The remaining members of the group have expressed concern that they will need to reimburse townships that get out of the multi-township formation, causing Pine River board member Bill Behrens to express the desire to hold off on the new purchases until the future of the group is more certain.

Make sure you get to Drew’s Supermarket this week and get your Bankroll card punched! The progressive jackpot is at $900 this week. Sorry to Annette Burdick, she did not have her card punched this past Saturday when her name was drawn.

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A picture on the front page shows snow filled trees in front of a city home. About two inches of fluffy white snow fell from the sky on Monday. According to the headline the weather pattern has been snow followed by melt followed by snow. A total of 9.1 inches of precipitation has fallen on the area since November 1.

If you are going to prom time is running out to buy tickets. Prom will be this Saturday and the theme is “A Love to Believe in.” Prom royalty is Bill Weix and Jamie Sullivan. Post prom activities are at Lincoln Lanes beginning at 10:30 p.m.

Looking for something to do this weekend? The Entertainment page has you covered: Club Modern is having a seafood buffet for only $7.49 Friday night, Mulligans Restaurant has a buffet lunch next Wednesday to celebrate Secretaries Day for only $6.50 per person. Grecian Delight’s special this week is the deluxe burger for .99. Jean’s Supper Club in Gleason will have prime rib and ribs this Saturday and a buffet on Sunday. Diamond Dave’s in the Pine Ridge shopping center is gearing up for Cinco de Mayo, but in the meantime margarita’s on Monday are only $1.49. Piggots Pub in Pine River has the Broken Arrow band on Friday; the Pike has the music of Deja Blue; the Edge Tap has karaoke on Friday; Laurie Lee’s is now open at the former Gil’s Bar site and they advise the shuffle board is back and ready to play. Tim Out Sports Bar has $1 Pabst all weekend. And if travel is on your mind Central Wisconsin Travel is planning for the UW Madison – UNLV game in September with packages starting at $499 out of CWA.

Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter

Representatives from Middleton based Carlson Dettman Consulting will soon be getting to work in performing the county’s first ever Employee Classification and Compensation Study.
The measure received unanimous county board approval in February.
As Administrative Coordinator Randy Scholz explains, the idea for such a study had been lingering for a few years. But after receiving some rather concerning information, by last fall the time had come for something to be done.
“I’ve struggled over the idea of a wage study for a few years due to budget concerns, strains of 0% levy increases and so on,” Scholz said.
“What ultimately led me to pursue a study was information I received of our overall employee turnover increasing to 80% in 2011-12. A portion of that of that turnover came in the sheriff’s office and pine crest, but we were seeing it in all departments. Upon researching this further, it appeared as if wages and benefits were a key factor.”
Between 2013 and 15, the county saw a 12% turnover due to retirement, according to Scholz. However, in the seven years prior, the average turnover due to retirement was 29%.
“That told us retirement wasn’t an issue and we focused on what we could do to look into any compensation issues. We decided a compensation study would be a good place to start.”
Other information Scholz obtained to further validate a concern over employee compensation was a study performed by Carlson Dettman study in 2013, titled “Northern Wisconsin/Minnesota Custom Based Wage Survey”, initiated by Burnett, Douglas, Oconto, Oneida and Taylor counties.
“The counties included are very similar in size and demographics to ours,” Scholz explains.
“In addition, six cities were included which are very similar to the communities we have here in Lincoln County.”
As Scholz further explains, of the 52 positions comparable positions between those in Lincoln and the counties involved in the study, 42 proved to be below market average in terms of compensation
“The information pointed to a compensation issue and it was definitely a reason for concern for us. In addition, we are the only county of our neighboring counties which hasn’t done a wage study yet,” he adds.
“It all comes down to recruiting and and retaining employees. It doesn’t do us any good to keep going down the path we were on. How can we provide services to the tax payers if we don’t have the bodies to adequately staff our departments? If all we are doing is training and losing people we are essentially doing the tax payers a disservice and throwing money out the window. In that situation it’s impossible to achieve and maintain an acceptable service level.”
As for the study itself, Scholz emphasizes the value the county is placing on keeping employees involved and informed in the process.
“With everything there are risks and benefits. The benefits are finding out where we stand with our compensation compared to our competitors and identifying areas for improvement. But the risk is employees may feel they’re not being treated fairly during the process. Pending on the results of the study, employees may or may not be happy, but we want to assure fair treatment. The county personnel committee feels the same way, therefore they plan to implement an appeals process as part of the study. If there happens to be employees who don’t agree with the results, they will have an avenue to address their concerns.”

“Personally, my door has always been open for employees to come in and discuss any concerns or questions and that certainly will not change. My door will be open during the wage study as it always has been.”
The Lincoln County Personnel Committee will meet Thursday to discuss guidelines and the procedure for the study, which Scholz estimates to begin within the next week or two.
As part of its February meeting, the county board allocated $60,000 for the study. However Scholz indicates the accepted bid amount was well under that, with a price tag of $56,600.
Deadline for completion of the study is August 1 of this year.

By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter

Bluejay varsity softball completely decimated the Wausau East Lumberjacks last night with a final score of 22-1, bringing their regular season record to 2-1.  The Bluejay girls scored an average of 7 runs per inning until mercy rule was called, officially ending the game early in the 4th.  The Lumberjacks were only able to squeak out one run at the top of the 4th inning.

“I thought we put together quality at-bats for the most part and did a great job running the bases,” comments head coach Matt Ellenbecker.  “That was definitely a bright spot. The team showed great instincts reading balls off of the bat last night and being smart, aggressive base runners early on.  Molly Weix has been one who has stood out early for her work on the bases.  It’s exciting that the weather looks to be turning and we’ll be able to get outside more and continue to work to improve on our game situations.”

Many of the Merrill athletes made incredible plays during the game, including Chelsey LaMonica with 6 RBI and 4 runs scored, Linsey Casper with 3 RBI, 3 runs scored and 3 walks, and Emily Travis with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.

“Chelsey LaMonica was a standout going 4-4 with a double, 4 runs scored and 6 RBI,” adds Matt.  “Leonna Ives and Kelsie Belfiori each pitched in with a couple of extra-base hits apiece.  Emily Travis and Lindsey Casper were both perfect at the plate on the day, as well.  Emily in particular has been doing a very nice job at the plate for us early this year.”

Other top scorers include Maddix Bonnell with 3 runs scored and a walk, Madisen Weix with 3 runs,  Kelsie Belfiori and Leonna Ives with 2 runs and an RBI, and Cassandra Casper and Payton Waldburger with 2 RBI and a run.

In addition to good hitting, good pitching also helped make quick work of East’s attempts to score runs, or even hits.

“Taylor Krueger cruised through 3 innings, setting down each of the 9 hitters she faced.  Kelsie got her first taste of varsity action in the circle, as well, and held her own.  It was a nice situation to get a young pitcher her first experience in a WVC game, and she handled it very well.”

Bluejay varsity softball is scheduled to play their next game this Thursday (April 14th) at 4:30 p.m. @ Wausau West.

Game stats provided by GameChanger.

By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter

Bluejay varsity track had their first Valley Conference Meet this past Tuesday at UW-Stevens Point.  Unfortunately, the Merrill athletes did not perform as well as anticipated.  Both varsity girls and boys teams placed last (7th place) with 23 and 30 points, respectively.  Stevens Point held the advantage at the event, placing first by a relatively wide margin for both boys and girls.

“Merrill Track got a good dose of what other competition is out there in the conference,” comments head coach Kurt VandenHeuvel.  “We made mistakes and lacked confidence which led to the end result and sloppy performances, but that is to be expected when a new philosophy and high standards are being set and athletes really want to excel early in the season.  We are building a culture and embracing challenges.  Last night was a very challenging event for our athletes but the best way to learn and grow in this sport is to get knocked down right away and respond by getting back up.  We are excited to see how the athletes respond.”

However, there still were some notable performances.  Top performers for the girls include Sr. Rylee Folz who placed first in the high jump with a clean 5 ft, So. Autumn Schenzel who placed fifth in the qualifying 55-meter dash with a time of 7.78 sec and placed fourth in the finals with the same time, and Fr. Dalie Thomas who placed fourth in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:03.05 sec.

Top performers for the boys include Jr. Todd Grund who placed third in the pole vault with a score of 12 ft. 6 in., Fr. Jared Ollhoff who placed third in the qualifying triple jump with a score of 40 ft. 6.75 in. and 2nd in the finals with 41 ft. 2.5 in., and So. Adam Laehn who placed fourth in the qualifying long jump with 19 ft. 1 in. and eighth in the finals with the same score.

“There still were standout performances,” adds Kurt.  “They include Rylee Folz winning the High Jump, Jared Ollhoff placing 2nd in the Triple Jump, Daile Thomas just coming up short of breaking the 400 indoor school record and Todd Grund battling in the PV to end up 3rd.  We are a talented team but lack belief.  We will continue to look forward working on the things we can control and know that the outcome we want to reach is at the end of the season.”

Bluejay varsity track will compete again at 4:00 p.m. on April 19th @ Wausau West.  The girls will participate in an invite while the boys will be participating in a triangular.

To give families a chance to test their emergency plans, a statewide tornado drill will be held during the evening of Thursday, April 14. The drill is part of the annual spring severe weather campaign to encourage people in Wisconsin to get ready for possible tornadoes and severe weather.

Gov. Walker has declared April 11-15, 2016 as Wisconsin Tornado & Severe Weather Awareness Week. Wisconsin Emergency Management, the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA) have once again teamed up to sponsor the statewide tornado drill scheduled for Thursday.

For the first time, a mock tornado warning will be issued at 6:55 p.m. on Thursday to give families and businesses a chance to test their emergency severe weather plans. Earlier in the day, a mock tornado watch will be ussed at 1 p.m. and the mock tornado warning will be issued at 1:45 p.m. Many radio and TV stations across the state will issue the test tornado warnings. In addition, mock alerts will be issued on NOAA Weather Radios and many communities will sound their tornado sirens.

According to the NWS, Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes annually. Last year, there were 17 tornado touchdowns in the state. All of the tornadoes were either EF0 or EF1. On Aug. 19, 2015, two tornadoes touched down near Lake Geneva and Big Bend causing damage to area business. No one was injured.

The statewide tornado drill is a great opportunity for schools, businesses and families to test their emergency plans about what to do and where to go when severe weather strikes. The tornado drill will take place even if the sky is cloudy, dark and/or rainy. If actual severe storms are expected in the state on Thursday, the tornado drills will be postponed until Friday, April 15, with the same times. If severe storms are possible Friday, the drills will be cancelled.

Gordon M. Dotter, 92, of Merrill, died April 12, 2016 at Pine Crest Nursing Home, Merrill.

Gordon was born August 22, 1923, in the Town of Rock Falls, Lincoln County, son of the late William and Bertha (Zank) Dotter.  He married Geraldine Turbin on May 29, 1948, in Irma.  She survives.  Gordon had worked as a welder for Solar Permanent in Tomahawk for several years.  He then took a job at Drott Manufacturing in Schofield, which eventually became J.I. Case Company.

Gordon served on the Tug Lake and Woodland School Boards. He also served as the Town of Rock Falls Clerk for many years.  Gordon was a member of St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ, Merrill.  He was also a member of the Merrill Lion’s Club.  Gordon was a member of the Merrill Silver “M” Club having lettered in high school football in 1940.  He received his Diamond “M” this past fall.  In his younger years, Gordon played baseball and was the team’s pitcher.  Gordon enjoyed making maple syrup, hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his wife, Geraldine Dotter of Merrill; two daughters, Barbara (Jay) Harding and Deanna Dotter both of Merrill; two sons, Jim (Jayne) Dotter of Marshfield and Tom Dotter (Corene Obermeyer) of Merrill; five grandchildren, Beth (Todd) Pehlke of Lake Orion, Michigan, Kyle Harding of Merrill, Kevin (Jessica) Harding of Irma, Adam Dotter of Wausau and Elly (Troy) Hanson of Merrill; and seven great-grandchildren.  Gordon was preceded in death by a son, Gary Dotter; his parents, William and Bertha Dotter; and his siblings, William Dotter, Alvin Dotter, Norman Dotter, Grace Call, Elma Dotter and Ruth Dotter.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, April 18, 2016 at the Taylor-Stine Funeral Home, Merrill.  The Rev. Kyle Carnes will officiate.  Burial will take place in Woodlawn Cemetery, Town of Rock Falls.  The visitation will be from 3:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M. Sunday and after 10:00 A.M. Monday all at the funeral home.

Online condolences may be made at www.taylorstinefuneralhome.com

To help prevent traffic crashes in road construction and maintenance work zones that injure and kill motorists and workers, Governor Scott Walker has proclaimed April 11 to 15 as Work Zone Awareness Week in Wisconsin.

Last year in Wisconsin, tragic crashes killed three highway workers.

•Derrick Burkhalter, age 50, of Hilbert died on May 4, 2015, from injuries suffered in a crash on US 10 in Calumet County. He was driving a sweeper truck following two graders that were repairing a gravel shoulder in a marked work zone. His sweeper truck was struck in the rear by a vehicle, which also was traveling along the shoulder. The vehicle went under the rear of the sweeper, lifted it off the ground, and traveled about 100 feet before the sweeper turned on its side.

•Derek Stempa, 30, of Shawano died on May 26, 2015. While working as a flagger for the Shawano County Highway Department, he was struck and fatally injured by a van at the intersection of WIS 47 and County G near Gresham.

•Marcus Wydeven, 50, of Tomahawk died on July 14, 2015. He was working as a flagger for the Lincoln County Highway Department when he was struck by a car and sustained fatal injuries on WIS 17 near Merrill.

“The tragic deaths of Derrick Burkhalter, Derek Stempa and Marcus Wydeven are a profound reminder that we all need to slow down, be patient and pay attention when driving through work zones,” says Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Mark Gottlieb. “Please remember that the workers who are doing their jobs close to traffic want to go home to their loved ones just like you do.”
To help make work zones safer, WisDOT will use temporary portable rumble strips on a dozen state highway improvement projects this construction season. The rumble strips provide an auditory and vibratory warning to drivers to slow down when entering a work zone.

WisDOT also will periodically display messages on its electronic signs on highways and will use social media to remind drivers to slow down and pay attention. (Visit facebook.com/WisDOT, twitter.com/WisconsinDOT, youtube.com/user/wisdot). Television and radio messages about work zone safety will be broadcast statewide.

In addition, officers from the Wisconsin State Patrol and other law enforcement agencies will be deployed in work zones to enforce speed limits and other traffic laws.

“The goal of our work zone safety enforcement and public education efforts is to motivate drivers to behave responsibly. Driving through a work zone is challenging under the best of circumstances, but your reaction time and margin for error are reduced significantly if you speed, tailgate or don’t pay attention to rapidly changing traffic situations. Rear-end collisions are the most frequent type of crash in a work zone,” says Secretary Gottlieb. “In work zones, workers and equipment often are operating within a few feet of traffic. Although construction workers are at a great risk of being hit, about three out of four people killed in work zone crashes are motorists. Because of the risks to motorists and workers, traffic fines are double in work zones.”

Secretary Gottlieb adds that the state’s Move Over Law helps protect workers by requiring drivers to shift lanes if possible or slow down in order to provide a safety zone for law enforcement vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks, tow trucks, highway maintenance and utility vehicles that are on the side of a road with their warning lights flashing.

Today, Wisconsin State Senator Tom Tiffany formally announced his campaign for re-election to the 12th Senate District.

“Over the last four years, it has been a privilege to represent the people of the 12th Senate District in Madison. Every time I walk into the State Capitol in Madison, I think about the 171,000 people I represent in Northern Wisconsin and I take that responsibility seriously.

“I know the citizens of the Northwoods expect results and do not settle for rhetoric. When I was elected to the Assembly in 2010, I made three commitments to voters: to pass a balanced budget, to not raise taxes, and to reform the Department of Natural Resources.

“I kept those commitments and provided voters the confidence to elect me to the State Senate in 2012. Once in the Senate, I promised voters I would continue to reform state government with my colleagues. We have gotten results.

“The last three state budgets have been balanced and passed on time. We have the largest rainy day fund in state history. Bonding is lower than it has been since 1989. We’ve paid back debts to neighboring states and ended the budgetary gimmicks that had become commonplace. As a result property taxes have not gone up, income taxes are down and we have begun to simplify the tax code.

“I’ve been on the forefront to protect property rights – ensuring that Wisconsinites can repair and rebuild their homes. At the same time, I have helped enact reform for local governments. I authored legislation to return MFL fees to counties and municipalities. We eliminated prevailing wage requirements to reduce the cost of public works projects for local units of government and school districts in the future. Small reforms like allowing local governments to replace culverts with a streamlined permitting process, will save thousands of dollars and prevent unnecessary headaches.

“There have been many accomplishments since I was elected to the State Senate. However, there is still work to be done to make state government more responsive to the people. Today, I am formally announcing my campaign to continue to represent the 12th Senate District and to make sure the Northwoods is given a fair shake in Madison.”

Tom and his family have lived in the 12th Senate District for over 25 years.

Tom grew up on a dairy farm near Elmwood, Wis. After graduating from UW-River Falls, Tom worked for a Minnesota farm cooperative where he later became the manager of the cooperative’s petroleum division.

Wanting to move back to his home state, Tom relocated to Minocqua. There, Tom managed the Zenker Oil petroleum distribution. Three years later in 1991, Tom and Chris became the owner/operators of an excursion business on the Willow Flowage which they eventually sold in 2013. Tom and Chris are raising their three daughters on the Willow Flowage, along with their dog Carmel.

Before being elected to the Wisconsin Legislature, Tom served as a Town Supervisor in the Town of Little Rice and continues to work as a dam tender on the flowage. Tom also served on the Oneida County Economic Development Corporation Board as well as the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Restaurant Association. Tom was elected to the State Assembly in 2010 and elected to the State Senate in 2012.

He serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining, and Forestry and also serves on the Joint Finance Committee.

Press Release

MADISON – Migratory game bird hunters in Wisconsin will have 2016 seasons for duck, geese, dove, woodcock and other migratory game birds that are nearly identical to last year’s structure under a rule approved by the state Natural Resources Board today in Madison.

The only significant change is in the Horicon Canada goose hunting zone where goose hunters would be allowed to hunt on any day of a continuous 92-day season instead of selecting a specific period as they have in the past. Hunters who already purchased a period 1 or 2 permit this license year will automatically be allowed to hunt for 92 days.

The first of the 2016 migratory game bird seasons will open Sept. 1 with the early Canada goose, mourning dove and early teal seasons. Regular waterfowl hunting seasons will include a 60-day duck season and a 92-day goose season.

Early season dates:

• Early teal season Sept. 1-7
  
• Early goose season Sept. 1-15
• Dove season Sept. 1- Nov. 29
• Woodcock Sept. 19-Nov. 2

Duck season dates:

• Youth Waterfowl Hunt – Sept. 17-18
• Northern Zone – Sept. 24-Nov. 22
• Southern Zone – Oct. 1-9, then a five day closure, reopening Oct. 15-Dec. 4
• Mississippi River Zone – Oct. 1-7, then seven day closure, reopening on Oct. 15 – Dec. 6

Regular goose season dates:

The state is apportioned into two goose hunting zones for the regular season: Horicon and Exterior. The Mississippi River is a subzone within the Exterior Zone.

Exterior Zone – 92 days.

• North Zone – Sept. 16-Dec. 16
• South Zone –Sept. 16-Oct. 9 and Oct. 15-Dec. 21
• Mississippi River Subzone – Oct. 1-7, Oct. 15-Jan. 5
• Horicon Zone (change from two time periods to just one season) – Sept. 16-Dec. 16

For more details, search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keyword “waterfowl.”

As a result of changes in the federal process for setting annual waterfowl hunting seasons, all migratory game bird hunting seasons will now be approved in April rather than the longstanding August decision, which gives hunters more time to plan and prepare for the fall seasons.

“Wisconsin supports over 135,000 migratory game bird hunters with a diversity of habitat, technique and hunting season preferences,” said Kent Van Horn, Department of Natural Resources waterfowl ecologist. “Nationally, Wisconsin is a leader in migratory bird hunting and management ranking in the top five for number of waterfowl hunters and second in the nation for woodcock hunters. These hunters are strong conservationists participating through various organizations to partner with agencies in habitat conservation, hunter education and management decisions.”

In other business, the board:

1. Amended and approved a revised master plan for the Willow Flowage Scenic Waters Area in Oneida County, which includes approximately 22,000 acres of upland and 5,000 acres of submerged land. The revised plan increases public access on lightly developed existing roads and provides additional camping opportunities on the flowage and Tomahawk River. The board amended the draft master plan to include about 270 acres of adjacent DNR owned land within the Willow Flowage project boundary. Under state law, the department reviews master plans every 15 years to assess adequacy of the current plan and to determine if any revisions are needed.
2. Approved request for the department to begin the process of consolidating lake management planning, lake protection and classification, river protection planning, and aquatic invasive species prevention and control grants under one administrative code. Currently the programs are administered under five separate code chapters. The consolidated code is intended to improve administrative consistency within the programs to create better and more cost-effective environmental outcomes that serve local needs and advance management objectives for surface waters.

For more information on the April Natural Resources Board meeting, search the DNR website for “NRB.”

The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation will sponsor an awards luncheon Sunday, April 17, to honor the achievements of northeast and northcentral Wisconsin students, teachers, and principals who are receiving foundation awards. The event will be held at West De Pere High School.

Collin Zoellner of Gleason, a student at Merrill High School, is among the honorees. Zoellner has been named an Initiative Scholar by the Herb Kohl Foundation.

According to Kim Marggraf, spokesperson for the foundation, Herb Kohl will be making formal award presentations to the recipients at the luncheon. “Education is the key to the future of Wisconsin and our nation. I am very proud of the accomplishments of these students, teachers, and principals, and look forward to the great contributions they will make in the future,” Kohl said.

Northeast and northcentral Wisconsin’s 19 Excellence Scholarship recipients and 19 Initiative Scholarship recipients will each receive $5,000 grants to the postsecondary institution that the student will attend. The scholarship amount was increased from $3,000 to $5,000 in a surprise announcement earlier this month at the first awards luncheon in Chippewa Falls. The 18 teachers and five principals from northeast and northcentral Wisconsin will each receive a $3,000 Fellowship or Leadership grant and an additional $3,000 will be awarded to the teachers’ and principals’ schools for use in innovative educational projects.

“Representatives of co-sponsoring organizations: the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools, Cooperative Educational Service Agencies 7, 8, and 9, Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation, Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, and the families and friends of southeast Wisconsin award recipients will be part of the recognition program,” Marggraf said.

The Herb Kohl Initiative Scholarship was established to recognize students who have demonstrated a high level of motivation to achieve, have shown strong promise for achieving success in college and beyond, have overcome significant personal obstacles or adversity, and have not yet received other academic-based scholarships.

The Kohl Educational Foundation Scholarship and Fellowship program was established by Herb Kohl in 1990. To date the foundation has provided $10.2 million to Wisconsin educators, students, and schools. The Kohl Foundation annually awards approximately 200 scholarships, 100 teacher fellowships, and 16 principal awards throughout the state. The foundation announced the 2016 recipients of those awards last month. The statewide press release can be found on the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation website.

The Holy Cross Sisters, Merrill, have selected Kris McGarigle as the new Administrator for Bell Tower Residence Assisted Living in Merrill.

McGarigle brings over 13 years of executive healthcare experience to the position. Most recently she served as the Vice President of Patient Care and CNO at Ministry St. Clare’s Hospital. In that role she had overall responsibility for the operations of a 99-bed community hospital with accountability for patient satisfaction, quality, staffing and budgets. She, her husband Jim, and four children reside in Wausau.

“I am so happy to be in the role of Administrator of Bell Tower Residence Assisted Living,” McGarigle said. “My experience on the Bell Tower Board of Directors, as well as our family’s time living in Merrill, made me well aware of the compassionate care provided to the residents. I solidly believe in the mission of Bell Tower ‘a ministry of the Holy Cross Sisters,’ and look forward to being part of the Bell Tower Family and Merrill community.”

Bell Tower Residence Assisted Living opened its doors in September of 1990 and is sponsored by the Holy Cross Sisters. For more information visit www.belltowerresidence.org.

As winter draws to a close, so does the Community Warming Center for the 2015-16 season. The Community Warming Center has been cleaned and doors have been closed for conclusion of its second year.

Dee Olsen, Executive Director of the Merrill Area United Way stated, “Again this year, we filled a need for some people who didn’t have an option for safe, secure, warm quarters during the cold nights. The season went smoothly and was successful in that the facility was utilized about 85% of the entire time.” Additionally, she noted, “The real success came from the Merrill people; the estimated 35 volunteers who staffed the facility and Barb Ziemer who served as the volunteer coordinator.”

The Community Warming Center was an outgrowth of the Lincoln County Homelessness Task Force and a Community Warming Center Sub-Committee and organized under the Merrill Area United Way. Barb Ziemer, the Community Warming Center Volunteer Coordinator, was vigilant in ensuring that volunteers were on board to staff the three shifts per night. On April 9, United Way hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Coffee and Input Session. The Volunteers have expressed a willingness to volunteer again next year. Additional volunteers are always welcome and trainings will be held in early fall. Of course, as the Warming Center looks toward its fall opening in 2016, there will be a public request for additional volunteers.

The Merrill Area United Way reported the use numbers for the 2015-2016 second season.
Here are the numbers for the warming center usage this past season:
•Total Service Days: 128
•Total Guests: 13 (12 males and one woman)
•November- 15 service days, males
•December- 31 service days, males
•January- 31 service days, males
•February- 29 service days, males, with female 3 nights
•March– 22 service days, males

Early dialogue between the Merrill Area United Way Board and the Merrill Housing Authority is underway for possible 2016-17 season needs. Olsen noted, “The Merrill Housing Authority has been very generous toward the Warming Center and sees the long-term benefit of having a working relationship with our efforts to ensure the homeless population are supported through the Warming Center. Their support is paramount to our efforts.”

The Community Warming Center Task Force will continue with their regular meeting schedule in preparation for season 3 and long-term facility considerations. United Way thanks the community for their financial support and other donations, gift cards, restaurant coupons, food, clothing, materials, and volunteers. It is the community that has sustained this project.
For further information on the Warming Center contact the United Way office at 715-536-2016 or visit our website, www.merrillareaunitedway.org or our facebook page.

The Never Forgotten Honor Flight organization based in Wausau will fly 16 WWII veterans, 39 Korean War veterans and 39 Vietnam War veterans from central and northern Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials that honor their service on Monday, April 18. It’s the organization’s 23rd flight since the first Never Forgotten Honor Flight took place April 27, 2010.

Sixty-four guardians will accompany the vets on the one-day round trip that departs Central Wisconsin Airport at 7 a.m. and is scheduled to return at approximately 10 p.m. The public is invited to the Central Wisconsin Airport to welcome the veterans home Monday night, and Honor Flight officials recommend arriving no later than 8:30 p.m. Free parking for those welcoming the veterans home will be provided.

After Monday’s trip, the Never Forgotten Honor Flight will have taken 2,098 veterans to Washington, D.C. during the past five years. Additional trips are scheduled for May 16, Sept. 12, and Oct. 10, 2016. Any veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

Veterans receive a free round-trip flight, and guardians pay $500 for the opportunity to accompany one or two veterans on the trip. Veterans and guardians interested in taking a future Honor Flight must complete an application at: www.neverforgottenhonorflight.org or contact the organization at 715-573-8519. The veterans are selected based upon the order in which their applications are received and the conflict they served in. Preference is given to World War II veterans, then Korea Veterans and then Vietnam veterans. Veterans who are terminally ill, regardless of when they served, are also given preference. Guardians should be 18-69 years old and able to lend physical assistance to the veterans. Completed applications for veterans and guardians also can be mailed to Never Forgotten Honor Flight, P.O. Box 5056 Wausau, WI 54402-5056.

North Central Wisconsin’s Never Forgotten Honor Flight is the nation’s 77th regional hub and one of six Wisconsin Honor Flight hubs. The Wausau-based organization was certified by the National Honor Flight Network office in Springfield, Ohio on Dec. 11, 2009.

A reporter from the Merrill Foto News will be going along on Monday’s Honor Flight.

Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter

Monday morning, 94 veterans from central and northern Wisconsin will converge on Mosinee’s Central Wisconsin Airport for the 23rd ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ to Washington DC. Of those participating will be five Lincoln County veterans; John Benzinger of Merrill, and John Friske; John Hering Jr. Buddy Gessler and Thomas Swarthout all of Tomahawk.
Friday afternoon, the Merrill Foto News met with those veterans who were available to discuss the event. Listed below is information on those local veterans, including their respective military service and insights on the upcoming flight.

(Photo unavailable)

John Benzinger-69 of Merrill
Conflict period of service: Vietnam conflict
Branch of Service: United States Army
Area of Service: South Vietnam
Military Specialty: Flight Medic
Years of Service: 1966-69
Remarks/Notes of military service:
“After completing basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and medic school at Fort Sam, Houston Texas, I boarded a ship in San Francisco and arrived in South Vietnam 21 hours later.” Benzinger explains.

“I was surprised to find out the port we arrived at in South Vietnam, was a rest and recreation area for both US service personnel and the Viet-Cong! It was a beautiful area but it was hard to believe it was shared by troops from both sides. During my time in Vietnam I was transferred to various medical and medical evacuation hospitals.”
Thoughts on the ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight.’
“My sister Cindy learned of the honor flight from Mr. James Campbell (flight organizer) and mentioned my name back in 2014. I had known about it for a while before that and was so excited to find out I was going to be on Monday’s flight back in January. It’s such a wonderful thing this organization is doing, it literally brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. I wouldn’t say I’m ‘giddy’ quite yet but come Sunday night, I think it will really hit me that I’m actually going.”
Particular ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ sightseeing interests:
“I’m looking forward to seeing the Vietnam War Memorial, I have a list of names I plan to etch. It will be an emotional time for me, being a medic I cared about each and every person I met over there. I have a deep love for all veterans so it will be very special for me to see all the memorials. All of our veterans have been through hell. It’s an un-explainable feeling to be shot at…war is hell. I am very thankful I am alive and in good health to experience this amazing event. To be honest…this has been on my bucket list of things to do for a while. I can’t begin to express how thankful I am for everyone involved in putting this whole thing together and to keep it going.”

John Friske-94 of Tomahawk
Conflict period of service: World War II
Branch of Service: United States Marine Corps
Area of Service: Pacific Theater of Operations
Military Specialty: RADAR unit crewman
Years of Service: 1943-1945
Remarks/Notes of military service: “I was stationed on various islands in the south Pacific during World War II on the islands of New Britain (New Guinea) and Peliliu (small remote island between the Philippine Islands and Guam). My job was part of a two -man team to watch for and track Japanese airplanes. When we picked them up, we radioed ahead of course and let the other units know.” Friske explains.
“The weather was always very wet and humid on both islands. Peliliu was the last island we landed on before we went home and I’ll never forget that landing!”
“When the anchor was dropped, it ended up being dropped in too deep of water for me. When we were about to unload, I suddenly realized the water was over my head. There was a guy next to me who was quite a bit bigger and taller than I was who grabbed me under my arms and kept my head above water. When we got close enough where I could touch ground and keep my head up, he told me I was on my own,” he adds with a chuckle.
“To make matters worse, I ended up catching malaria and was very sick for a while. Also while on Peliliu, I was assigned to help search for Japanese soldiers who had withdrawn to the jungle after the battle was over (Battle of Peliliu/September-November 1944). That didn’t make much sense to me ya know. We had already won and taken the air strip there and once they were in the jungle we hadn’t seen them since. But we were told to do it so we did.”
Thoughts on the ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight.’
“My nephew Ralph found out about the honor flight last fall and asked me if I wanted to go and this past January I found out I would be on Monday’s flight. I was pretty excited from the start and am pretty excited for Monday.”
Particular ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ sightseeing interests:
“I’m looking forward to seeing the WWII memorial, but there will be so many things to see and it will be a busy day so it’s hard to pick just one or two.”

Buddy Gessler-66 of Tomahawk
Conflict period of service: Vietnam Conflict
Branch of Service: United States Army
Area of Service:  Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam
Military Specialty: Airborne instructor/Truck Driver/Convoy Gunner
Years of Service: 1968-71
Remarks/Notes of military service:
“I began my service as a truck driver in the US Army and took advantage of an option to go through airborne jump school in Fort Benning, Georgia. I spent time as a jump school instructor before heading to Vietnam in the fall of 1969,” Gessler explains.
“My deployment to Vietnam was a long process so I didn’t end up going over with a particular unit like many other veterans did. I was bounced around a bit and eventually joined a unit in Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam. Cam Ranh Bay was the central point for supplies coming into Vietnam and my job was to transport those supplies to various fire bases, camps, artillery and infantry bases in South Vietnam. Sometimes I was a gunner, staffing an M60 or 50-caliber machine gun to defend the convoy and sometimes I was driving. I spent a year in Vietnam and when I was sent home, I had a week off before finishing my military service in Meinz, Germany.”
Thoughts of the ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’
“I’m really looking forward to the trip. I’m hoping to make up for a bad experience. Everyone I know went over there together as a unit. I on the other hand, went to Vietnam alone and came home alone. I didn’t have the camaraderie that others had, it is what it is and just the way things ended up. I didn’t have a good experience coming home in ’71. We flew into Seattle and all the things you hear now about people protesting, spitting on us and so on…that’s what was going on. We stripped off our uniforms as quick as we could so we didn’t draw attention to ourselves. People just weren’t very good to us. I’m looking forward to finally having that sense of camaraderie with other vets. I’m looking forward to having a very positive experience, I’m excited for it.”
Particular ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ sightseeing interests:
“I’m looking forward to seeing all the memorials, but I guess the Vietnam memorial sticks out. I was in DC 30 years ago and seen what they had then so I’m curious to see how things have changed.”

John Hering Jr.-67 of Tomahawk
Conflict period of service: Vietnam Conflict
Branch of Service: United States Army
Area of Service: Pleiku, South Vietnam
Military Specialty: Teletype repairman
Years of Service: 1969-1986
Remarks/Notes of military service:
“I was in basic training when my high school class was graduating,” Hering explains.
“I had always wanted to go into the service and I planned on making a career of it. After finishing basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and further training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, I was on my way to Vietnam in January of 1970. I was stationed with the HMS 62nd Maintenance Battalion in Pleiku, South Vietnam.”
Thoughts of the ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’
“My late wife Doreen found about the honor flight back in 2013 and the minute she mentioned it I was excited! It was something I wanted to be a part of from the start. I lost her this past September due to medical issues she had been suffering from for a while. Even though she is gone now, I know she will be watching over me on Monday. She shared my excitement about this trip right up until the end. I wish she could be there with me but I know she will be watching and smiling every step of the way.”
Particular ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ sightseeing interests:
“I’ve seen the traveling Vietnam memorial so I am really looking forward to seeing the permanent one in DC. I love riding motorcycle and I decided if I didn’t get to go this year, I would take a ride out to DC myself to see everything. I was beyond excited when I learned back in January I was going to be on Monday’s trip. I know it will be an emotional experience.”

Mr. Thomas Swarthout-Vietnam Veteran- was unavailable for interview due to personal obligations, however he will be participating in Monday’s ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’*

Central Wisconsin Airport,Mosinee-Guardians began filing into Cental Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee around 4:30 AM Monday morning, to begin checking in for the 23rd ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ due to take off for Washington D.C at 6:45 AM. Participating veterans began checking in a short time later, gathering at the south end of the airport to enjoy coffee and other refreshments while meeting and conversing with fellow guardians and veterans.
As NFHF co-founder Jim Campbelll explains, the roots of the Wausau based organization date back to 2007.
“It all started with a conversation between a colleague and I, discussing how we could get our veterans out to Washington to see their respective memorials,” the retired US Marine aviator explains.
“I decided it was something I wanted to pursue when I retired and following a flight in which I served as a guardian in 2009, I began looking into it further.”
Shortly after that flight, Campbell was contacted by fellow co-founder Mike Thompson.
“Mike had the same idea I had and contacted the national honor flight headqauarters. They told him I was already involved and he eventually contacted me. We went to work getting the paperwork organized,raising the $85,000 needed for the first flight and coming up with a name.”

As Campbell further explains, the title ‘Never Forgotten’ is specific to the Wausau organization and was chosen due to the emotional and powerful message the name carries.
The first Never Forgotten Honor Flight took off from Central Wisconsin Airport April 27, 2010 and as of Monday morning’s flight, the organization has served 2,098 World War II and Korean War veterans.
“To say my work with the organization is rewarding, would be an incredible understatement,” Campbell adds.
“It’s hard to put into words. To see our veterans recognized, enjoy themselves and most of all; open up to their family members about their service is what its all about”

A 27-year-old Wausau man was arrested early Tuesday morning after deputies investigated a disturbance in the Town of Pine River. Just before 1 a.m., a caller reported that as they were traveling on County Rd. W, a passenger in a vehicle became unruly and eventually broke a window on the auto. The passenger was kicked out and was last seen walking in the area of Center Road. A few hours after the incident, the suspect was located at a residence in the City of Merrill by Merrill Police Officers. The man was booked into the Lincoln County Jail on charges of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct along with charges from the Merrill Police Department, including drug possession, for the incident in the city that morning. On Wednesday at a bond hearing in Lincoln County Court the suspect was released on a signature bond.

A 42-year-old Merrill man was arrested Wednesday morning on a warrant charge. Deputies checked a residence the man was known to frequent on Pope Road and found him there just before noon. The man was wanted by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections since September for violating his probation rules. The man was brought to the Lincoln County Jail and held.

A 41-year-old Tomahawk woman was arrested on Friday evening after a cell 911 call reported a reckless driver. The caller stated the vehicle was traveling south on County Rd. H in the Town of Skanawan just after 5:30 p.m. A short time later a deputy intercepted the vehicle and stopped it near County Rd. V outside of Irma. The deputy immediately noted the odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle and asked the driver to perform field sobriety tests. The woman was later taken into custody for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, third offense. She was also cited for driving on a revoked license and having open intoxicants in a motor vehicle. The woman was brought to the Lincoln County Jail and held.

A 32-year-old Lac du Flambeau woman was arrested early Saturday morning on a warrant charge. A deputy stopped a vehicle the woman was operating on US Hwy. 51 near Irma just before 6 a.m. for speeding. A check showed the woman had a warrant issued by the Lincoln County Court after she was stopped for driving after revocation this past September. The woman was arrested on the warrant and brought to the Lincoln County Jail. She was also cited for not having insurance on her vehicle.

A 27-year-old Merrill man was arrested Saturday night after deputies responded to a disturbance in the Town of Merrill. At 9:21 p.m., a cell 911 caller reported the incident on Pope Road. When deputies made contact with the suspect he admitted breaking a window during the disturbance. He was brought to the Lincoln County Jail where he was booked on a charge of disorderly conduct. Unable to post cash bond the man remains jailed awaiting a bond hearing Monday in Lincoln County Court.

A 36-year-old Merrill man is in the Lincoln County Jail after deputies responded to a disturbance in the Town of Schley. At 3 p.m., a caller reported the man was creating issues during a child custody exchange. When deputies arrived the man refused to cooperate with them, prompting his arrest for disorderly conduct. The man is being held for a bond hearing on Monday in Lincoln County Court.

With many residents doing yard work this weekend, you are reminded the DNR has issued an outdoor burning ban for all of Lincoln County. The National Weather Service has issued alerts to the Sheriff’s Office all weekend that a high probability of grass fires exists due to low humidity, warm temperatures and southerly winds that have resulted in the increased danger for fires. Check with your local fire warden or the DNR before you burn to avoid fines and/or a costly response if your fire gets out of hand.

The number of car deer crashes remains low with only four being reported. Two other animals that were struck this week included a turkey and a coyote. A Bryant man struck a turkey on State Rd. 64 at County Rd. X in the Town of Pine River on Monday morning. A Schofield man struck a coyote on Friday night on US Hwy. 51 at County Rd. V in Irma. Both animals were killed in the crashes.

Delores E. Krause, age 89, of Merrill, was called home by Jesus on Friday, April 15, 2016 at her home while under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care & Hospice Services. She was born September 20, 1926 in the town of Corning to the late Walter and Esther (Hahn) Gutknecht. On September 21, 1946 she and Arthur Krause were united in marriage in the town of Scott. He preceded her in death on August 4, 1994.

Delores worked on the family farm where her favorite chore was milking cows. She enjoyed working outside, especially flower gardening. Delores also liked sewing in her spare time. Delores and Art loved spending time at the cottage in Tomahawk after their retirement. Delores was a wonderful baker and enjoyed trying new recipes. She loved to polka in her early years. Delores was willing to help or give to anyone in need.  She loved her grandchildren and spent every moment she could with them.  She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Merrill.

Survivors include her daughter: Gloria Werner, Merrill; two grandsons: Jeremy (Jessica) Zulliger, and Jason Zulliger; great-grandchildren: Shylo Moon,  Kyle Zulliger, Kira Zulliger, Daniel Zulliger, and Jordan Knoble; and five sisters-in-law: Dorothy Krause, Caroline Krause, Ethel (Vernon) Woller, Jeanne Krause, all of Merrill, and Edna Heckendorf, of Wausau, and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Esther Gutknecht, husband, Arthur Krause,  sisters-in-law, Myrtle Sturm , Joyce Olson, and five brothers-in-law, Wilbert Krause, Walter Krause, Elroy Krause, Milton Krause and Earl Krause.

Funeral services will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at Faith Lutheran Church. Rev. Kevin Hoogland will officiate. Visitation will be from 6-8 PM Tuesday, April 19^th, 2016, at Waid Funeral Home and again from 10 AM until the time of service Wednesday at the church. Burial will follow the service in Faith Lutheran Cemetery, North. Waid Funeral Home of Merrill is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.waidfuneral.com.