Friday, May 16, 2025
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Governor Evers approves US 8 improvements in Lincoln County

Governor Evers signed a $2 million contract to repair US 8 from McCord Rd. to Cty. L in Lincoln County. Work is scheduled to begin May 15, 2025, and to be completed by October 2025. The schedule is …

Felzkowski & Callahan announce Listening Sessions

Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) and Representative Calvin Callahan (R-Tomahawk) will hold Listening Sessions on May 19, 2025, across the 35th Assembly District, which includes all of …

Local Coffee Talks event to feature dementia resources

A mini-fair offering dementia resources will be held Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 9-11 a.m. at First Street Coffee Station in Merrill. The event, sponsored by Park City Credit Union, will provide …

Area Events & Entertainment Community Calendar

May 15 - Veterans Coffee & Conversation at Pine Ridge Restaurant May 15 - UWSP Stevie’s Food Truck at The Creative Spirit May 15 - Creatives for Christ at The Gathering Table May 16 - …

Brooke’s School of Dance presents One Drop

Brooke’s School of Dance presented their 2025 annual dance production entitled One Drop this past weekend, with three shows on Saturday, May 4, 2025, and two shows on Sunday, May 5. All of the …
Sports

Merrill Varsity Baseball falls to Marshfield in seventh inning heartbreaker

The Merrill Varsity Baseball Team traveled to Marshfield on Friday, May 2, 2025, for what would be their only game of the week after multiple weather postponements. “It was the fourth night we …
2025 Merrill Track and Field Team.

Merrill Track & Field shows promise at Indoor Conference Championships

The Merrill High School Track & Field program competed at the recent Indoor Conference Championships, with both boys’ and girls’ teams showcasing developing talent and earning notable …
Erik Grunenwald applying tag after the throw from pitcher EJ Weix (in the background).

Bluejays split doubleheader with Warriors, sweep weekend road games

Bluejays bats quieted by Warriors’ southpaw The Merrill Varsity Boys Baseball Team opened their four-game week with a tough Bluejay loss to Wausau West on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at …

Bluejay Trap Team: A win and a loss

The Merrill Bluejays Varsity Trap Team shot against the Rhinelander High School Trap Team in week four on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. The scores are in from Rhinelander’s shooters in the matchup, …
Kendell Klug makes the hit.

Merrill Girls Varsity Softball Team struggles to get back on the board

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, the Merrill Girls Varsity Softball Team had their home opener taking on the Marshfield Girls at the MARC. In the end, it was the Marshfield Tigers who took home the win. …

Lambeau Field, second oldest and second biggest

At the 1957 dedication of the New City Stadium, many well-known figures were in attendance, including then-Vice President Richard Nixon, center, and the reigning Miss America, Marilyn Van Der Bur, left, and NFL Commissioner, Burt Bell, right.

GREEN BAY – Though the Green Bay Packers have a long-standing reputation for being the oldest team in the NFL, their stadium is close to holding a similar status. New City Stadium …

De Pere studio looks to relinquish Packers history

A 1970s posed photo of the Golden Girls, Green Bay Packers cheerleaders.

GREEN BAY – Over the last century, Green Bay Packers photography has grown synonymous with names like Stiller, Biever and Harmann, but one of those names is looking to relinquish that history …

Green Bay’s Golden Girl: An early start

Mary Jane Van Duyse Sorgel started her dance career at the Dorothy Leyse La Plant School of Dancing at the age of six. Three years later, she began to twirling baton and started wowing the crowds at regional festivals with her acrobatics and baton twirling skills.

Part I in a series GREEN BAY/STURGEON BAY – “She was a very gregarious person. Everyone knew Mary Jane, and Mary Jane knew everyone else, especially in the Green Bay area,” …

Obituaries
Helen “Hossi” Eichsteadt Hostvedt
Helen “Hossi” Eichsteadt Hostvedt, was called to the Lord on Friday, May 9, 2025 at the age of 64. She was working on at the health club, doing what she loved, when complications arose. …
Mabel I. Marquardt
Mabel I. Marquardt
Mabel I. Marquardt, 101, Village of Maine, died Friday, May 9, 2025 at home under the care of family and Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services. Mabel was born March 24, 1924, in the town of …
John “Jack” Manderfield
God called John “Jack” Manderfield to his heavenly home on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at the age of 75, after a brave battle with cancer.  John was born to Jerome and Violet …
Shirley A. Barker
Shirley A. Barker, 76, of Merrill, passed away Thursday, May 8, 2025, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Shirley was born September 18, 1948, in Fond du Lac, daughter of Norman and Mary Lou (Ross) …
Eileen Janice Eggebrecht
Eileen Janice Eggebrecht, age 80, of Merrill, passed away on Monday, May 5, 2025, at the Aspirus Wausau Hospital, with her family by her side.  She was born on April 4, 1945 to the late Harold …
Business

Business News Shorts

C.J. Robinson’s Branch Team receives Edward Jones Award for Exceptional Achievement C.J. Robinson’s Branch Team of the financial services firm Edward Jones on E. Main St. in Merrill …

Valerie Caylor: Caring for the living and the deceased

Lincoln County Coroner Valerie Caylor may have an unusual job, but for her, it’s all about caring for people—whether they’re fighting for their lives or have already lost that …

Business Identity Theft, Scams & Frauds Targeting Small Businesses workshop

The Merrill Enrichment Center will host a workshop on Business Identity Theft & How to Protect Against Scams & Frauds Targeting Small Businesses on May 13, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in …

Smith Automotive Repair LLC opens on E. Second St.

Matt Smith officially opened Smith Automotive Repair LLC at 601 E. Second St. in Merrill on April 1, 2025, after purchasing the building in December 2023 and spending approximately 10 months …
Schools
L to R on the stage:  Lincoln County Sheriff Ken Schneider, Lincoln County Coroner Valerie Caylor, Wisconsin State Trooper Caleb Honensee, Merrill Fire Chief Josh Klug, and City of Merrill Attorney Tom Hayden.

Merrill Optimist Club sponsors Law Expo

As part of Respect for Law Week, the Merrill Optimist Club held their annual Law Expo at Prairie River Middle School (PRMS) on Thursday, May 1, 2025, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event, formerly known as the …

Kell takes second place in Wood Olympics at NTC

Aiden Kell of Merrill High School took second place in the Wood Olympics held at Northcentral Technical College’s (NTC) Antigo Campus. The competition, which included a variety of challenges …

MAPS accepts April donations

The following donations were approved and/or accepted at the April 17, 2025, Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS) Board of Education meeting: Two monetary gifts from United Health Group for the MHS …

MAPS Great Speaker Forum: Human connection matters

The Merrill High School Fieldhouse buzzed with energy Tuesday morning, April 22, 2025, as nationally-recognized youth speaker Joe Beckman delivered a powerful message about the importance of human …
Health

Potatoes and immune function

As winter fades and spring blooms, so do seasonal allergies. With lingering challenges of COVID-19 and flu season, supporting a resilient immune system is more crucial than ever. While the peak of …

Legally ensure your family can make health decisions for you

Did you know your spouse, adult children, or next of kin don’t automatically have the right to make health care decisions for you? It’s a shocking truth that surprises many Wisconsin …

Help us investigate end-of-life care solutions in Wisconsin 

Death: It’s an unavoidable part of life we often avoid talking about. So folks who are seriously ill may not know how to navigate their final years or months.  Many have turned to …

Marshfield Clinic Research Institute seeking ticks for second year of study

The Marshfield Clinic Research Institute is once again asking Wisconsin residents to send in ticks they find this year. In 2024, the Research Institute launched the Tick Inventory via Citizen Science …
Special Sections
Pictured is map of Wisconsin showing where ticks have been collected and sent to Marshfield Clinic Research Institute for identification.
Pictured is map of Wisconsin showing where ticks have been collected and sent to Marshfield Clinic Research Institute for identification.
Pictured is map of Wisconsin showing where ticks have been collected and sent to Marshfield Clinic Research Institute for identification.
Pictured is map of Wisconsin showing where ticks have been collected and sent to Marshfield Clinic Research Institute for identification.
Courts
Bobby Dabbs, age 27, of Trenton, Tenn., made his initial appearance in Lincoln County Court on Monday, March 31, 2025, via Zoom video from the Lincoln County Jail. Dabbs is charged with multiple …
According to a press release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LISO), on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at approximately 6:06 p.m., the Lincoln County 911 Dispatch Center received a call …
A court appearance has been scheduled for a Tomahawk woman charged with stabbing and killing her husband earlier this year. Court records show that Michelle Marie Sanderson, 43, is set to appear in …
Opinion and Editorial
Dear Reader,  In the final accounting, when the ledger of our days closes and the last breath escapes like a whisper into the void, what remains of us? We who once walked with purpose, …
We welcome letters to the Editor, a chance for members of the community to comment on issues of concern to them. All letters must be original, not duplications of letters addressed to public …
"Dazed and Confused" takes place over the course of one day in 1976 Austin, Texas, following the conversations and activities of various teenagers on the last day of school.
Community & Human Interest
Join the Lincoln County Social Connection Challenge! This initiative is organized by the Healthy Minds for Lincoln County Coalition, Aspirus Merrill Hospital, and Lincoln County Health Department in …
MARCH 26, 2025 Boy, Henry Joshua, born to Lizzie Grenwalt and Jordan Grenwalt of Marathon. APRIL 10, 2025 Girl, Madelyn Grace, born to Melissa Dahm and Brad Dahm of Wausau. APRIL 15, 2025 …
The Merrill-Go-Round, the staple of public transportation in Merrill, celebrated its 50th anniversary on Monday, April 21, 2025, with Mayor Steve Hass and other local dignitaries boarding the bus for …