Sunday, May 11, 2025
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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 …

Meetings & Community Services

Alanon Meetings - Mondays at 7 p.m. at Ascension Episcopal Church, 218 Pier St. Alcoholics Anonymous (Open meeting) - Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at St. Stephens UCC, 903 E. 2nd St. Alcoholics …

Local group raises concerns after broker discusses Pine Crest sale in Portage County meeting

A local group is raising concerns after a broker contracted to facilitate a sale of a Lincoln County-owned nursing home discussed details of the potential sale during a public meeting in another county.

The Human Condition And Its Many Variations

Dear Reader,  Remember the song "Just Dropped In (to see what condition my condidtion was in)"  by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition? In today's world, rare indeed is the person who …
REAL ID-compliant cards will have of one of the following markings on the upper top portion of the card. If the card does not have one of these markings, it is not REAL ID-compliant and won’t be accepted as proof of identity in order to board commercial aircraft.

REAL ID required for air travel in May 2025

Airline travelers will face new identification requirements to board their flights for air travel starting May 7, 2025, when enforcement of the REAL ID Act begins. Regular Wisconsin driver licenses …
Sports
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. …
EJ Wiex on the mound pitching for Merrill.

Bluejays Varsity Baseball Team finds rhythm after early season tests

The Merrill Boys Varsity Baseball Team battled through a challenging start to their 2025 season, currently posting a 3-4 record overall with a 0-2 mark in Conference play. “We have been able to …

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
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 …
Judith “Judy” Rose Woller
Judith “Judy” Rose Woller, age 78, residing in the town of Pine River, passed away on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at Pine Crest Nursing Home, while surrounded by her children and under the …
Donna S. Grell
Donna S. Grell, 86, of Merrill, passed away Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at Bell Tower Residence, Merrill. Donna was born April 26, 1939, in Merrill, daughter of Robert and Lydia (Bonke) Koehler. She …
Ronald W. Duranceau
Ronald W. Duranceau of Merrill passed away Friday April 25, 2025 at his home after a long illness. Ron was born Aug. 16, 1962 in Wausau to Roger and Judy (Schultz) Duranceau. He graduated from …
Bernadine R. ‘Berdie’ BaguhnRaasch
Bernadine R. ‘Berdie’ BaguhnRaasch, 93, of Merrill, passed away on Friday, May 2, 2025, at Milestone Senior Living under the care of Compassus Hospice. Berdie was born June 11, 1931, …
Business
Valerie Caylor.

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 …

New child care platform from Lincoln County native set to launch this summer

On April 9, 2025, Lincoln County native and former candidate for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District announced the upcoming launch of a new child care platform in the Badger State. Elsa …
Schools

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 …

St. John Lutheran School announces 2024-2025 third quarter Honor Roll

HIGHEST HONORS (4.0): Molly Literski, Julia Skaar, Ever Smith, Poppy Geisler, Ruby Hoffman, Ella Humphrey, Delana Podeweltz, Samuel Szeto, Christian Voigt, Job Verpoorten HIGH HONORS …

Trinity Lutheran School announces 2024-2025 third quarter Honor Roll

Students are recognized on the Trinity Honor Roll for a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 and higher. An* indicates a 4.0 GPA. FIFTH GRADE Easton Baade Brinlee Brazeau Eli Clerveaux Grace Dupke …
Health

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 …

Lincoln County Health Department measles update

The Lincoln County Health Department (LCHD) issued a press release on April 1, 2025, to provide the community with a measles update in light of a recent increase in cases throughout the U.S. …
Special Sections
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
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 …
James (Jim) K. Campbell, Jr. of Wausau is the Co-Founder and Vice President of Marketing for the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, Inc., and a retired Lt. Col. with the United States Marine Corps. These …
Council Grounds State Park will host a volunteer cleanup event on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 9 a.m. to noon as part of Wisconsin State Parks’ celebration of Earth Day and Arbor Day. Area …