3-27-74
The ballot box will be active next Tuesday with numerous local races to be decided. In the City of Merrill incumbent mayor Ralph “Fata” Voigt is being challenged by Harvey Struck. Voigt is seeking his eighth term against Struck who is a retired factory maintenance man and foreman. Incumbent street commissioner Kermit Meyer is being challenged by Victor Batchelder, a current city street department employee. Those who are unchallenged are city clerk Bob Klug, city treasurer Al Saeger, and city attorney William Wulf. In the second ward Ellsworth Plautz is being challenged by Otto Bacher. Plautz has served as alderman since 1945 while Bacher is a retired school administrator. In the third ward Stanley Frisch is seeking his fourth term while former mayoral candidate and general manager of the Mosinee Research Corp Albert Iwen is challenging him. Third ward voters will choose between incumbent Alfred Kohler and E. James Fechner; Kohler has held the seat since 1968. In the fifth ward incumbent Donald Tesky is being challenged by Patrick Nugent who is the former county board chairman. In the seventh ward Roger English, who is a 14 year incumbent, is being challenged by Waldo King who served on the council in the 1930’s. In the eighth ward Robert Eagan is being challenged by Walter Proft, the former ninth ward rep who owns Gooze’s Superette; Eagan owns Roberts Studio and is a state driver’s license examiner.
Five people are seeking three seats on the school board. Seeking re-election are Mrs. Barbara Hanson and Elmer Kahre while newcomers include Mrs. Donna Belair, Dennis Knott and Arlan Mayer. Mrs. Arlene Meyer did not seek re-election.
Russ’s Bar was the Monday night pool team champion this year. Team members pictured on the sports page include: Mort Sukow, Jake Ament, Capt. Russ Sukow, Don Iaitoni, Terry Doering, Russ Westburg, Sid Sukow, and sponsor Dick Pickett. Jerry Vanderheid was not available for the photo, and the late Charlie Case was also a member of Russ’s team.
3-28-84
The controversial one way windows in the locker rooms at the Junior and Senior Highs have been removed. State Senator Lloyd Kincaid (D-Crandon) first brought the window controversy to the forefront this past summer, but strong support of the windows from the school board and the students in the schools cast the issue aside. But in a dramatic series of developments this past week the windows were either stripped of their reflective material or removed completely. According to Superintendent of Schools Thomas Strick, Kincaid took the matter to the attorney general’s office who opined that “the right to privacy is a statutory right in Wisconsin.” With the state Department of Justice about to instigate legal proceedings state Superintendent of Schools Bert Grover alerted MAPS on Friday and the windows were removed. School board president Diane Mikkelson noted that the decision to remove the windows was hard but the costs of a lengthy legal fight were not worth the effort.
Russell Peck, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Peck of Merrill, is the recipient of the Pro Deo et Patria emblem. Peck was presented the award recently during Sunday worship services at St. John’s Lutheran Church. The award is part of a program to promote religious growth in scouts who are members of Lutheran churches. The Rev. Alden Beversdorf, who was Peck’s pastoral advisor, presented the award.
3-30-94
After over a month Merrill Police Inspector Tom Schotz reports they have their man in the February 13 robbery of the Merrill Kwik Trip. Twenty two year old Steven Koralewski was apprehended by the Appleton Police Department and held in the Outagamie County Jail before being transferred to the Lincoln County Jail today.
In other law enforcement news an escape plan by two Lincoln Hill’s inmates was foiled within minutes of implementation. The youths attacked a male and female counselor in their cottage, but body alarms worn by the pair brought an immediate response from facility security which prevented a more serious situation. The counselors were treated and released from Good Samaritan Health Center; the would-be escapees were transferred to a maximum security cottage and will face charges under a new law involving battery to a corrections officer.
Al Gruetzmacher beat his son Fred last week at the Gleason Bowling Alley and made history in the process. Prior to Al taking to the lanes last week Fred Gruetzmacher had the highest score of the year in the Wednesday night men’s handicap league. Fred had rolled a 254 to take the top spot and then outdid himself the next week posting a 254 game. But this past week it was Al’s turn, and he rolled the first 300 game in league history at the Gleason Bowling Center. Al started out the night with 184 and 156 games but cleaned off his ball after the second game. After that Gruetzmacher noted the ball was on a different roll and none of his strikes were sloppy like in the first two games. By the ninth frame Gruetzmacher said he was shaking so bad he said he thought the ball was hopping down the lane not rolling. Gruetzmacher reports he could not sleep that night and it took him two days to get over the feat. The only other perfect game in the Gleason Bowling alley history came when Rhinelander’s Jim Haenel rolled one during a tournament in 1971. The owner of the bowling alley, Kerm Montabon, has tossed three 289 games over the years.