Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr
7-18-78
The paper is out a day early as Merrill begins its annual Crazy Day celebration. On the east side a kiddie parade will occur at 10 a.m.; there will be a beer garden at the Merrill Federal parking lot, an art show on the court house lawn, and Caylor’s annual dance in their parking lot at 8 p.m. On the west side kids’ games are all day at Cenotaph Park, a pig roast and beer garden will be on Prospect Street in front of Millers, and the city band will play at 7:30 p.m. In the Sixth Ward, a pie eating contest will be held at Plawman’s Playhouse in the parking lot, a tug-o-war event will be held, and the infamous water fights will be held starting at 8 p.m. And don’t forget Carson and Barnes Circus at the Marin Rohloff Farm.
Edwin Sybeldon, Assistant Superintendent at Lincoln Hills School knows some of his students have issues, but he would like to assure the public that 100% of the trouble is caused by 10% of the population. In an article related to the recent increase in escapes from the institution, Sybeldon tells that most of the escapes are the result of impulse and a response to something negative. “When a problem confronts them, sometimes they’ll decide to try and escape from it, and the school and jump out a window. They may regret it ten minutes later, but they don’t have the character to come back and correct the mistake. Kids have told me they’ve realized they had made a mistake when they are in the woods,” said Sybeldon. In 1977 LHS experienced 59 escapes out of the 620 students that went through the program. After some serious incidents in April where escaped students stole vehicles and threatened citizens the state approved 10 permanent employees and 10 limited term employees to be added to the payroll. At this time there are no plans for any fencing around the property. (Wait until 1983 for that)
Are you heading down looking for bargains tomorrow on Crazy Day? Look no further then these fine merchants: Shar Way at 923 E. Main St. has all of its long summer dresses and bathing suits from 30-50% off, at Merrill House of Music a selection of albums and 8 track tapes are only $2 a piece, Marge’s Style Shop has pantsuits drastically reduced and all purses 50% off, Pamida has a nice selection of boys’ tops for $2 and denim jeans from $7, Mel’s Piggly Wiggly has frying chickens for .49 a pound, Thelma’s in downtown Merrill has all pant coats at 50% off and nightwear at 20% off, across the street at the Guy’s Shop all western and leisure shirts are half off while dress suits are 20% off, McLellans is listing 8 track two spear tape players for just $25 and all tennis shoes at $2 off, Rystrom’s Badger Paint has bargains on name brand paint in store only all day Wednesday, at Nelson’s Rexall you get a hot dog and soda for just .30, Estelle’s House of Fashion has 25% off all summer tops and house dresses starting at $5, Schulze’s Pharmacy is offering their summer jewelry collection at giveaway prices, besides a host of bargains throughout the store, Eddie at Gruett’s is offering a 12” black and white GE TV for only $86, Bishop’s Carpets has 20% off all remnants in stock, and Lady M clothing store is offering maternity wear for 30% off with a value table offering prices as low as $5, Paramount Studios will develop your slides for $1.39 for 20 exposures and reprints for just .19 each, the S&L Store in downtown Merrill has men’s shorts for $4 and women’s slack and skirts for just $9. Dave’s Red Owl wants you to have a steak night with all T-bone steaks for just $2.09 per pound and pick up a gallon of milk for $1.19 and lobster is only $6.99 per pound; over at Drew’s, Old Style beer is just $1.43 a six pack and hams are $1.19 a pound, an eight pack of Pepsi bottles is only $1.19 while at Bob’s Food King they have bottles of ketchup for only .69 and bacon for $1 per one-pound pack.
7-19-88
Could Lincoln Hills School in Irma close? That is the plan of Timothy Cullen, outgoing secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. He wants to divert money from the two juvenile institutions into crime prevention programs which in turn he hopes will stem the tide of juvenile offenders heading to those schools, thus eliminating the need for at least one of them. So far the idea has not found many supporters in the legislature. Lincoln Hills Superintendent Jim Kramlinger pointed out that a similar program led to the closing of two other state run schools leading to the worst of the worse coming to his facility at Irma, students he deems untreatable on the outside. Kramlinger also points to the success of the Lincoln Hills program noting that only 20% of released students end up in the state’s prison system.
In news briefs: If you live on East Street you might want to close your windows at the end of July. The city has hired a contractor to sand blast and paint the water tower; a similar project will occur at the west side tower. Jan Lemmer has joined the list of candidates running for the Treasurer post in Lincoln County. Lemmer will run as a Democrat as she seeks to replace retiring long term Treasurer Florian Koehler. Tom Ourada has announced he will seek another term for the 35th Assembly post. The Antigo Republican has held the post since 1984.
In a large ad for Crazy Days you are reminded of all that will be happening in the Sixth Ward including a dance, food stands, and a beer stand. The following Sixth Ward businesses sponsored the ad: Electric Wiring and Supply, Brown Motors, Becker Baits, Auto Stop, Grunty’s Bar, Semling Menke Co, James Koebe Contract, Plawman’s Playhouse, Daul’s Barber Shop, the Drapery Den, Bob’s Monkey Business, WISCO Security, Merrill Iron and Steel, Park City Liquor, KB Body Shop, Milwaukee Lead, Schulz Wrecking, Baumgart Waste, Wilde’s Oil, Stockely USA, Bill and Nona’s Sixth Ward Floral, Storm Oil, Metal Industries, Merrill Millwork, Harold and Marge’s Bar, Wausau Lumber Sales, Woodcraft Finishes, and the Sixth Ward Business Association.
7-22-98
The new River Rat statue which stood outside of the library is now laying severely damaged at the city garage after vandalism last Wednesday. The statute was a gift from the city and the Historical Society in commemoration of Jenny’s and Merrill’s sesquicentennial. According to Officer Don Seubert’s report it appears someone rocked the statute back and forth to break it off its mount. Officer Hank Caylor reported just before publication that the list of suspects is very short.
International Paper is offering anyone who will take it the Ward Paper Mill dam for free and $200,000 cash, but what the company isn’t offering has the city more concerned. The company offered the dam to any government or citizens’ group who wishes to maintain the dam but refuses to give up the previous engineering studies and claims they have no reliable information on the costs of upgrading the dam to meet the DNR requirements, oh and one more thing, the new owner has to also take possession of the company’s 120-acre sludge landfill in the Town of Merrill. After a meeting between city, county, DNR, and lake association members Merrill Mayor Michael Caylor reported the only encouraging news is the DNR may match the IP money with their own $200,000, but everyone agreed the costs to maintain the dam are uncertain. The DNR has made it clear a retaining wall must be repaired soon and lift gates must all be replaced by 2006.
City officials are not happy with the current state of the city’s finances, but at last week’s city council meeting the aldermen kept spending money. The week prior, the city’s personnel and finance committee heard from the auditors who reported that the city had less than $600,000 in cash on hand, down from $3.3 million four years ago, and they are in danger of losing their bond rating which will affect future borrowing. But that the council approved spending money on patrol bikes for the police department and re-classifying five city employees and creating a new position for another employee. Finance Director Bruce Redlin chastised the council saying expenditures like this should be budgeted for and not taken from the dwindling general fund; Redlin turned down the approved step increases the council gave him Tuesday which will result in his forfeiting $3,400 in pay over two years saying the increases are contrary to the austerity needed by the city to gradually restore its general fund.