Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr
9-6-78
Living near Lincoln Hills School is not the easiest at times. Several times a year students at the youth prison break out, sometimes creating havoc for neighbors. So when a project involving raising chickens within H Cottage at the facility came time for harvest, teacher Herb Schotz spoke with the youths about sharing. All of them agreed that by sharing with the neighbors they could atone for some of the problems caused by a minority of their fellow students. In all, 20 neighbors were contacted and none of them turned down the free dinner. The rest of the chickens were enjoyed at a dinner with a corn roast by the residents of H Cottage who invited school administration who attended along with state Rep. Sheehan Donoghue (R) – Merrill. After the dinner, the youth played horseshoes and softball with their guests.
Labor Day has come and gone and Ron Kautz of the Central Labor Council is breathing a sigh of relief after tallying up the bills from this year’s celebration. Kautz had sounded the alarm over funding for the event after the group lost $2,000 last year. Booster button sales exceeded last year’s total by about 1,100 buttons and more volunteers stepped forward to assist with the events. (Wait until you get the bill for 1984, Ron.) Debbie Seidler was crowned queen of the Labor Day events at a dance Sunday night at Lincoln Lanes.
In briefs: Dr. Thomas Strick will be formally welcomed this evening as he assumes his new post as Superintendent of Schools. MAPS Board of Education President Lester Voigt will call the meeting to order this evening in the administration building. The City has denied a request from Patrolman John Odegard for an extension to his employment. Odegard will be forced to retire as he has reached the state required mandatory retirement age of 55. Governing bodies can grant a waiver, but the city declined to. An advertisement seeks applicants for the potential opening with a starting salary of $12,000. The city also reached a settlement with retired firefighter Lester Heckendorf Jr. who was forced to retire due to heart related disability. Heckendorf will receive a lump sum and then monthly payments from the city for life. As the city did not have insurance to cover this, they will make the payments out of pocket. (Lester was truly lost by the system, which now goes out of its way to protect police and firefighters disabled on duty as well as their dependents. When he passed away less than four years later, his benefits ended leaving his widow and two children to fend for themselves. His son Mark continues to serve on the city’s police force.)
9-7-88
Businessmen flying into Merrill to meet with a local manufacturer is not big news, but when they fly into the airport in a 1940s era DC-3 airplane it is. The front page of this week’s paper pictures the plane owned by the International Shoe Machine Corporation, which retrofitted the plane for their comfort. The plane itself is one of the original planes belonging to Major General Claire Lee Chennault and the Flying Tigers. Chennault led the Flying Tigers, a small group of volunteer American aviators who supported China against Japan before the beginning of World War II.
A four-way race for the Lincoln County Treasurer will narrow next week as voters head to the polls for the fall primary. Jane Ann Savaske, Robert Schneider, Marjorie Johnson and Sue Johanning will all square off for the seat being vacated by longtime incumbent Florian Koehler who did not seek re-election. The winner of that contest on the Republican ticket will face the lone Democrat seeking the post, Jan Lemmer. No other local races will be on the ballot for the primary, but a crowded field seeks the nomination from both parties for the United States Senate seat being vacated by William Proxmire. Those on the Republican side who are looking ahead to fall may want to attend a meeting on behalf of George (H.W.) Bush who is seeking the office of President. That meeting will be held next Tuesday at the Pine Tree in Tomahawk; call Sandy Tank with questions.
Demolition has begun on the former Park City Motorways building at 2nd and Cleveland streets in the city for a new development. The building was most recently occupied by the Bits and Pieces Carpet store. The future of the property will be a car wash built by the Wonder Wash Company, and it will contain four self-serve bays along with an automatic wash bay. An attendant will be on duty seven days a week to assist customers according to Wonder Wash President Bob Clements; he is building similar washes in Tomahawk, Rice Lake and Portage.
Congratulations to Scott and Kim Voigt who have purchased Luebke’s Office Supplies in downtown Merrill. Roger and Pat Luebke are retiring, and they thank their customers for their business over the last 20 years. The Voigts plan on continuing and expanding the business, which will now be known as V.I.P.
9-9-98
The local National Guard troop is preparing to celebrate 100 years of military service. Myron McCoord (who became a United States Congressman, a United States Marshall, and Governor for the Arizona territory and is buried across the street) formed the Merrill group in 1898 with the designation as Company F, Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment. The original purpose of the group was to do battle during the Spanish American War. Troop H as it is now known has seen action in every major conflict since its inception mostly as an infantry division before becoming a tank battalion in 1949, later becoming the 132nd Heavy Tank Battalion which it remains today. An open house to celebrate the centennial will be held this Saturday at the armory.
Another week with advertisements and a letter to the editor regarding the future of the Lincoln County Jail and a potential justice center. Downtown business owners have banded together to educate the public and call members of the county board out on questions such as the need for the $18 million project and why the county is not considering the Lincoln School lot which was purchased for the proposed new jail.
The bridge over the Prairie River just north of town is open, but not officially. State DOT officials opened the span early in order to ease congestion in the area and aid businesses who have been suffering since the bridge was closed this spring. Traffic lights at the intersection by County Rd. G will eventually be added as well. Work still continues from the Holiday Station up to Harry-O’s.
Looking for work? The following are seeking help on the help wanted page: Dave’s County Market needs a cake decorator, Peterson Bus Service needs bus drivers, Lincoln Wood needs production workers, First Financial Bank is seeking a customer service representative, Northwoods Evergreen is accepting applications for wreath and roping makers, McDonald’s is hiring all shifts, Subway needs a sandwich artist, The Foto News needs a typesetter, Good Samaritan has nursing openings in OB, critical care and extended care, International Trucking needs drivers. Pine Ridge Restaurant is hiring for all shifts for cooks and wait staff, and Weinbrenner is hiring machine operators.