Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr
11-1-78
The fall election is next Tuesday and things are starting to heat up on the local political circuit. State Representative Sheehan Donohue (R-Merrill) and her challenger Sandra Polinski (D-Rhinelander) faced off Monday in a debate locally in front of about 60 prospective voters. The event was sponsored by the League of Women Voters and was held at Lincoln Lanes and quickly became heated when Polinski criticized Donoghue for taking donations from lobbyists including from an automobile dealer’s association before she voted against a state law that would have required mechanics to provide a written estimate. Donoghue pointed out the majority of her campaign cash comes from ordinary citizens of her district and the most any political action committee has given her is $300. The race for the local state representative is just one of many on the ballot next week, locally voters will decide between incumbent County Treasurer Florian Koehler who is being challenged by Donald John English, incumbent Sheriff Ronald Krueger who is facing a re-match against local business owner Harr Owens and Congressman Dave Obey who is seeking another term while being opposed by Vinton Vesta of Woodruff. County Clerk Ken Oldenburg, Coroner Dr. James Janowiak, Clerk of Court Janet Beyer, District Attorney Richard Olson and Register of Deeds Warren Weckwerth are all unopposed.
Things didn’t start out well when the Merrill Blue Jays took on the Antigo Red Robins last week, fumbling the ball on their own 17-yard line set up a quick touchdown by Antigo’s Mike March and things only got worse. The Jays were defeated 42-21 in the final game of the season giving them a 7-3 record overall and 6-3 in the conference. When the Jays take the field next fall to open the season they will go right back where they left off as they take on Antigo in the first game. Football letters will be presented to players at the Silver M Banquet this Monday at St. Francis parish hall. Ralph Voigt will be the master of ceremonies at the dinner and Howard Stiehm, former football coach and longtime director of athletics at D. C. Everest High School will be the guest speaker. The Silver M Club boasts 352 members according to its president Dave Knospe. Those who receive their letters Monday will get admitted to the club in 2003.
The fact that hunting season is right around the corner is not lost on readers who turn to page 16. The first installment of Caylor’s Corners cartoon can be found there along with a lift of things to stock up on before you head out into the woods. Blaze orange coveralls are $29.99 and insulated parkas are just $19.99. You can get PAC boots starting at just $12.99 for youth sizes. Don’t forget the union suit for those late night trips outside, they are only $6.99 and hats are just $1. (Guessing many of you still have something in the closet left over from Caylor’s which you will carry into the woods next month)
11-2-88
Church Mutual Insurance Company will open its doors to the public this Sunday for a tour of its newly expanded facilities. Church Mutual underwent the $5.5 million expansion of its world headquarters on the east side of Merrill over the last year, increasing its footprint by 109,000 square feet. Church Mutual first moved to the east side in 1977 after being based in the downtown area. At the time of the move the company employed 100 people locally but that number has since swelled to 290 employees. (800 now in Merrill, over 1000 system wide) Church Mutual is the leading insurer of churches and church related institutions in the United States with more than 43,000 insured in 32 states.
Voters will take to the polls next Tuesday for contests from the White House to the county treasurer’s office. Vice President George Bush will take on Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, Kevin Hermening, former hostage at the United States Embassy in Iran will take on Dave Obey for the United Stated Seventh Congressional District. Susan Engeleiter will face off against Herb Kohl for the United States Senate seat being vacated by William Proxmire. On the state level Senator Lloyd Kincaid is facing a tight race with Joe Handrick who is an informational specialist in the state capitol and also works at his family business in Minocqua, Lakeland Gas. The only contested race at the county level is the battle for the seat being vacated by longtime County Treasurer Florian Koehler. Democrat Jan Lemmer will face off against Jane Savaske. Both women are political newcomers but are highly qualified for the post with Savaske currently serving as a loan officer at M&I Bank and Lemmer a computer operator at Merrill Candy Company and the Town of Harding treasurer.
The Merrill Bowler’s Hall of Fame is set to welcome four new members to its ranks. Harry DuFrame, Helene Galipeau, Gerry Pankow and Grace Wendorf will join the 16 members that have been selected to the group over the past three years of the hall’s existence. Prior inductees have included Ruth Radlinger, Art Burrow, John Fowler, Ray Galipeau, Sr., Lorraine Hanson, Lee Johnson, Debs Loud, Joyce Saeger, Shorty Ament, Edna Flynn, Oopy Schenzel, Ethel Stine, Rita Dreger, Geno Hackbart, Blanche Krueger and Roger Zuesldorff. DuFrame began bowling when he was 12 years old in Milwaukee and continued on until eight years ago when he was no longer physically able to. Helene Galipeau and her husband Ray built Golden Arrow Lanes in Merrill in the building which began on the corner of Scott and First Street where In Step Shoes is and ran up to Helmstadters Jewelry store. She organized many leagues over the years and was the surrogate mother to the group who worked as pinsetters, often giving them rides home at the end of their shifts. Her award will be presented posthumously. Gerry Pankow bowled for 20 years in Racine before coming to Merrill in 1969. His McDonald’s Hamburger team toured the Milwaukee, Racine and Chicago circuit for years with great success. Pankow has a number of 700 series and 279 games under his belt, having finally hit a 300 game three years ago. Grace Wendorf was one of Merrill’s top bowlers for years and has fifteen 600 series to her credit. At least 11 times her various teams were league champions on top of being city champions in 1974. The banquet is Nov. 11 at Lincoln Lanes.
11-4-98
The voters in Lincoln County split their voters between parties as they followed the majority of voters in the state by returning Governor Tommy Thompson and Lieutenant Governor Scott McCallum to another term. State Senator Russ Feingold barely held onto his seat holding off a challenger by Mark Neumann, a Green Bay Republican, by less than 100 votes locally and by 30,000 votes in state wide tallies. Congressman Dave Obey will return to congress for his 15th terms defeating Scott West. On the county level DA John Schellpfeffer, County Clerk Robert Kunkel, County Treasurer Jan Lemmer, Sheriff Paul Proulx, Coroner Dave Haskins and Clerk of Court Cindy Kimmons were all unopposed. A state wide measure to change the term of sheriff from two to four years passed easily.
Could the price of parking downtown increase? The Merrill City Council will vote on raising the price on parking in a metered stall from a nickel to .50 next Tuesday. This will be the first such change in the meter rates since 1947. The council will also vote on a measure to impose a 6.5% room tax. Of the money collected, 95% would be used to market Merrill to tourists.