Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr
10-25-78
Local officials are urging caution as the youth head out for trick-or-treating next Tuesday. Emergency Government Director Norm Heideman has secured funding from the Highway Safety program for reflective stickers that youths can apply to their costumes as they make their rounds. Parents can also get the sew on stickers to permanently affix them to costumes. The stickers can be picked up at either of the Merrill fire stations now through Halloween. Chief of Police Charles Johnson advised all children must complete their candy collecting by 8 p.m. when porch lights should be shut off; he also urged motorists to use caution as they watch out for the extra pedestrian traffic. The Merrill Optimist Club is hosting their annual Halloween parade next Tuesday. Children up to 12 years of age should meet in the parking lot behind Lincoln County Bank. Treats will be distributed at Park Place at the conclusion of the event which kicks off at 6 p.m. For the adults, Dave’s Club 107 will have a costume contest on Friday where beer will be $1 a pitcher. Hour Place at 413 W. Main St. will have the music of Dick and Andy for their Halloween party on Friday and Saturday. Hub Inn has a Halloween dance on Saturday which will feature the music of Beyer’s Two Plus One and Liermann’s Corning Ballroom will have Bobby Darin and the Drifter’s this Sunday along with a chicken dinner for just $1.95. And finally, the third annual Jaycees haunted house will be held Wednesday through Saturday at the armory featuring 10 “horrifying” rooms for just $1.
The most movement around Merrill this past week has been government officials, and in the next few weeks the animals in need will move to their new home. Lincoln County purchased the former Assembly of God church on East 8th Street and will now consider that building the county annex building. Tom Geiger, Lincoln County Community Development agent is shown packing boxes in his current office in the basement of the Lincoln County Court House. In the next week, the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation office will move in as well while the Nursing Service is already in operation in the new building. The Lincoln County Humane Society will now have a home on Memorial Drive next to the National Guard Armory. The building is now complete on the exterior, and according to Arnine Seis, President of the group, the city and county provided money for the shelter itself but a need exists for the furnishings for the building. (Those early pioneers would be impressed with how far that organization has come in their new spectacular facility.)
A strange thing happened on the way to the Wisconsin Valley title game between Merrill and Antigo this weekend in Antigo. The Merrill Blue Jay football team took a stunning loss this past Saturday at Stiehm Stadium when the D.C. Everest Evergreens achieved their second victory of the season with a 19-13 win. Merrill has slipped to 6-2 in the conference and 7-2 overall. They now head to Antigo to take on the unbeaten Red Robins. Everest’s quarterback Scott LaPorte gave the Jays fits all day long with his offense racking up 213 yards while the defense held the Jays to just 76. The one highlight of the game came in the second quarter after the Evergreens had just scored to go up 13-0 and senior Brien Erickson at the Blue Jay nine-yard line received their ensuing kickoff. He scampered 91 yards for a Blue Jay touchdown with just minutes remaining in the half.
10-26-88
What was once a place of respite and comfort and has now become an unsightly landmark rumored to be filled with ghosts and even a place for those who worship the prince of darkness is being knocked down. The “Old County Home” was located on State Rd. 17 on the north side of the city limits. Built in 1900, the building was meant to house around 50 people at a cost of $8,000 to construct. In 1920 the county purchased additional land and an addition was put on what was now known as the “Lincoln County Hospital.” The hospital housed both paying and non-paying patients on its two floors which featured sun rooms facing to the west. In its heyday, the building had three wards and seven private rooms as well as an operating room, nurses’ rooms, and baths. The addition in the 1920s also saw the installation of a calling system from rooms to the nurse’s station, something considered a luxury found at only the finest hospitals at that time. The building is now owned by Peterson and Latzig who began demolition this past week.
The Merrill Marching Jays are ranked first in the state after the state marching band competition this past weekend. Besides the top award, the Jays also captured trophies for best color guard, best drum major, and the best wind section. Band directors Dan Nordall and Dale Smith are shown presenting the trophies along with band members Sara Nolan, Paula Ashbeck and Stacy Smith. The band has been competing now for nine years, and in four tournaments this year received two first place rankings, a second place rating and a third place ranking. Caption awards were presented three times for the best percussion and three times for best drum major.
Two well-known Merrill residents from opposite ends of the service spectrum passed away this past week. The Rev. Merle Ported died Sunday at Wausau Hospital. The World War II veteran was 65 years old. He came to Merrill in 1975 and served the First Presbyterian and Riverside Presbyterian Churches in both Merrill and Gleason. He retired from his ministerial duties in 1988 while serving those congregations. He had served in five states before making Merrill his home; he was laid to rest at Merrill Memorial Park after private family services. Robert Jeske has also passed away; he served customers at his establishment, the Lazy J tavern on East Main Street. Bob was born in Milwaukee but came to Merrill at the age of seven. He served in the Air Force during the 1950s and was stationed in French Morocco. He married Frances Motter in Merrill, and the pair ran the Lazy J from 1968 until 1982. Jeske passed away last Thursday in Marshfield; he was 56. He was laid to rest at St. Francis Cemetery after a service this past Monday.
The Merrill Blue Jay football team has completed their season at .500 after a 36-7 loss to Antigo this past Thursday in Antigo. Coach Greg Schofield was impressed with this team’s efforts this past season and plans on growing on their accomplishments. At the Silver M Banquet honoring the players and coaches Chris Gennrich was named defensive player of the year and Rob Kaderavek was offensive MVP.
10-28-98
M.S. Carriers (MSCA) has signed an agreement to purchase Interstate Trucking Company located on County Rd. W in the Town of Pine River. The offer still has to be approved by at least one board of directors and meet regulatory conditions, but it is expected to close within 30 days. ITC company president Stuart Smith reports that MSCA will hire 280 of the company’s 320 drivers; he said he turned down higher offers from other potential buyers because they, unlike MSCA, would not commit to keeping the company in Merrill. Stuart expects to lose some management positions within ITC as MSCA centralizes those operations to their base in Memphis, TN.
The business spotlight this month is on the new animal clinic located on East Main Street. Dr. Thomas Shales and his wife Ada have opened Merrill’s Animal Health Center. Besides Shales care of domesticated animals, he is known as an expert in raised game management resources specializing in trophy deer who are exported for breeding stock. He also tells about his experience in doctoring to the local buffalo herd, a powerful and interesting animal to treat according to Shales. He and his wife Ada are pictured with their children Chris and Lizzie and a baby llama named Tera.
Voters will head to the polls in two weeks but nothing local is pressing on the ballot as all county level office holders are running uncontested. A referendum is on the state-wide ballot dealing with the terms of the county sheriffs. If approved by the voters it will change the terms from two to four years beginning in 2002.