6-27-73
The Doering Hotel is no more. The Gleason Volunteer Fire Department burned the structure Tuesday evening to allow the present owner Ray Rueter to build a home on the site. The structure was built in 1904 by Bill Doering Sr. Early owners included Parent, Fry, Mossers, Bauman, Yonke, Chester Doering, Dell and Claire Doering, and recently Elroy Dorns.
Members of Local 2344 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners have settled their strike at the Semling-Menke Company and will be returning to work as early as this afternoon. Union President Harold Robl said the members voted to accept the contract at a meeting held at the Legion this afternoon. The company had planned a shut down over the Fourth of July week, but that has now been canceled except for workers who have vacation commitments. As a part of the new contract, workers will get an 8% pay increase this year, and another 8% next year. New fringe benefits include a full day of vacation pay for Christmas Eve Day, 5% more in company insurance payments, and more weekly health and accident benefits.
In area business news, Dr. Erling O. Ravn has been elected to the board of directors of the Lincoln County Bank. Along with Ravn, bank president Charles Eckerle announced three new additions to the staff: Robert Nedden as Assistant Vice President, Fredrick H. Johnston as assistant cashier, and Thomas John Greenwood as assistant cashier and assistant director of data processing. Donny’s Restaurante and Pizza Place was officially welcomed by the Chamber Ambassadors Thursday morning. Randall Oppitz will manage the location in the Lincoln House Motor Inn. They will feature in-city delivery service for pizza and will soon be serving Italian food for dine in.
6-29-13
An eye for livestock helped land two men in the county jail this past week. Victor Lukes, a farmer from the Town of Scott, told deputies and Chub Van Der Geest to be on the lookout after a three month old heifer and two week old bull were stolen from his farm Saturday night as Lukes and his family attended his daughter’s wedding. Late Monday morning two young men showed up at Van Der Geest’s livestock yard attempting to sell animals matching the description of those that were stolen. Van Der Geest purchased the animals from the two men and called Lukes to come identify them. With a positive ID Van Der Geest stopped payment on the check, and deputies and police officers arrested the pair as they tried to cash the check at a local bank.
District Attorney Christopher Coakley said this morning that it does not appear charges will be filed any time soon in the Ruth Tiffany murder case. A 27 year old Lincoln County man has been in the jailhouse since June 20 for probation violation and is suspected of involvement in the case. A second man arrested by Shawano Police is also in the safety building, and according to a search warrant police seized several blood stained items from a backpack he was carrying. Coakley said last week he was confident charges would be brought in the case but would not give a time table.
Charges have been filed against 23 year old Joseph Kasmierski of Bridge Street in Tomahawk in the shooting death of 29 year old Ronald Dittmer, also of Tomahawk. Dittmer was shot to death outside the home of his former wife on South Tomahawk Ave on June 20. Court action was held at Wausau Hospital where Kasmierski is under deputies’ guard after suffering a gunshot wound himself which is believed to be self-inflicted. His attorney Richard Olson argued for the removal of the guards, but that was denied by the court.
An ad on the entertainment page reminds readers of the upcoming Charlie Daniels Concert July 9 at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds. Tickets are $10 in advance at $12 at the door.
6-23-93
The Merrill Fire Department is leaning towards a lightning strike as the cause of a devastating fire at Washington Elementary School early Thursday morning. Matthew Cavett from Merrill had just finished work at midnight and was driving around town when he spotted smoke rolling out of the school’s roof. When Merrill Firefighters arrived, flames were coming through the roof of the building. Firefighters broke through the east side windows of the structure and began battling the flames. The fire caused considerable damage to a paper storage room and caused extensive damage to the kindergarten and second grade classrooms; the rest of the building suffered smoke and water damage. Greg Kautza of MAPS noted the lightning strike knocked out power to the building and disabled the automatic alarms.
There was one guarantee at the sixth annual Gleason Lion’s Club Heritage Days last weekend, no one went home dry. Friday night it rained. Saturday it rained so hard the group postponed the parade until Sunday morning. Sunday morning the skies were blue and just as the parade started, it started to rain. Despite the poor weather, the Lion’s Club reported the event was well attended. Several pictures on page two showing the event include the first ever cross cut sawing competition which was won by John Zupon Jr. and Dale Fronek.