Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr
12-16-70
Could girls in Merrill schools soon be wearing…slacks? Last Friday the board cautiously approved a plan to allow girls in the elementary, junior and high schools but insisted that “parents are expected to see their students are dressed properly. Students should be neat and clean and attired in such a manner so as not to interfere with the educational process within the classroom or the school.” The board patterned the new policy after a similar one that Antigo recently adopted. The action was spurred based on student requests and action by the junior high student council adopting a new dress code. School Superintendent Roger Lowney said he was reluctant to make policy changes as is Principal Ellis Evans who was petitioned by a group of high school girls. Lowney advised the board if they took a hard line stance from the policy requiring dresses and skirts it would likely be challenged in court where other districts have been rebuffed in their no pants policies. The other issue before the board was the policy allowing boys to take off of school for the annual gun deer hunt. Educators were worried if allowing students to have off the week of Thanksgiving was in line with their educational objectives. Assistant Principal Robert Opsahl told the board that often students are given a pass for Monday but then do not bother showing up for the rest of the week, often creating an unexcused absence. Over 100 students were missing between the junior and senior high schools this year, according to Lowney. Dieter Nickel seemed to sum up the opinion of most board members when he said, “this is one of the few privileges that many of us live up here for. I don’t think we can deny that this is important to many people.”
The City of Merrill Common Council passed a budget yesterday that has some sharp increases but overall reduces the amount of money for the city portion of the property taxes. Added shared revenue and revenue from other sources such as an increase in fines for traffic matters will help offset the increases, the steepest of which mostly involve salary increases in the library and fire department. Citizen comments at the hearing mostly centered on increases to the budget of county, something Mayor Ralph Voigt pointed out the city has no control over.
The way we obtain gasoline may change for good now that a Merrill gas station has opened a self-serve island. The Western Station, 502 E 2nd St is the first to offer a set of gas pumps where the customer pumps their own gas, washes their own windshield, and checks their own oil then pays the cashier inside. Russell Kastrorf, station manager, said the cashier inside starts the gas pump and is able to communicate with the customer through a two way intercom system with instructions on how to run the pump. Several customers have already taken advantage of the new system according to Kasterof, which comes with a 2 cent per gallon savings. Few problems have been reported, however, you are reminded you should not smoke while fueling. Some states are allowing gas pumps operated by coins however they are currently illegal in Wisconsin because they can’t make change. (The Western station was where Pier2 Citgo is now located, and it is still self-serve in many ways.)
12-17-80
The idea of having a centralized fire station has been placed on the back burner after action by a special meeting of the city council Monday evening. Fire Chief Ray Priebeand City Attorney Mike Ravn were tasked with negotiating the purchase of the Duane and Judith Osness home at 700 E Main St, however, when the matter was brought before the council it failed to get the two-thirds votes necessary to spend the $43,000 for the purchase. City Clerk Robert Klug told the council that the city has the money to make the purchase, but Alderman Elmer Kleinschmidt led the group opposing the measure telling his fellow aldermen, “the city doesn’t need the property and doesn’t have the money.” Priebe was hoping to build a large garage on the south side of the current number one station to replace a storage garage he said is on the verge of collapsing. It would house all fire department vehicles, some of which sit outside year round. Priebe explained recently to the rural fire board that the consolidation just made sense as it would be mean one heat bill, one power bill, one phone bill, etc. The Rural Fire Board was told they likely would be called upon to provide financial assistance for the central station; currently the rural fire fund is sitting with $6,000 in reserve cash.
MAPS School Board is jumping right into the deep end of policies when it comes to the new indoor pool which is set to open this April. The board heard from science teacher Jeff Hetfeld, who has been appointed the new director aquatics, on the plans for community use of the pool. Hetfeld told of plans to allow open swimming every morning between 6:30 AM and 7:30 AM for the general public and then again evenings up until 10:00 PM. Special Saturday hours will be set aside for special education students and instructional swimming for pre-school children.
A federal lawsuit against Police Chief Charles Johnson and several of his officers will be heard in February in Madison in front of Judge Barbara Crabb. The plaintiff is seeking $27 million dollars from each of the defendants along with $500 for each day he was deprived of a Lincoln Continental auto whichpolice seized in December of 1977. Merrill Police say they took the car because it was reported to be stolen by the Chicago Police Department and actually belonged to Oscar Gamble, professional baseball player then with the Chicago White Sox and now of the New York Yankees. (My father was a defendant in the lawsuit, whichwas dismissed; he was quite proud to have said he once drove Oscar Gambles car, which he did to the local impound.)
12-19-90
The area will certainly have a white Christmas after seven inches fell on Merrill Monday, and forecasters are saying another large winter storm could be on the way for this weekend. Wausau saw twice as much snow as that city dug out from 15 inches of the white stuff which left roadways treacherous.