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WJFW News

Marathon County Receives $460,000 Grant Submitted: 07/27/2012

RHINELANDER - Healthiest in the state-that’s Marathon County’s goal.

Currently, the county is ranked 24 of 72 statewide but the Health Department hopes to change that with the recent money they received from Transform Wisconsin Coalition.

Marathon County is dedicated to using the $460,000 grant on improving the overall health of the community.

Judy Burrows, director of chronic disease for the Marathon County Health Department, said "One of the things we'd like to work with schools on is introducing community gardens at the school so that kids have an opportunity to see how food is grown, see what it looks like so they understand where their food really comes from. "

Over the next two years, the county will spend the money improving two other aspects of the community as well.

Cutting down on tobacco use by encouraging buildings to become smoke free is one of their goals and promoting exercise, by devising a plan to connect bike paths in Rothschild, Rib Mountain, and Wausau.

"It's just going to make this a healthier place to live and play and do business," said Burrows.

But while schools push to bring locally grown produce in their cafeterias this fall, farmers across central Wisconsin are struggling to grow their crops.

According to Burrows, "The drought we’re experiencing right now we really see as a short term. What we’re working on with this project is long term solutions."

Marathon County wasn’t the only area in central Wisconsin to receive money from the C.D.C.

Wood County received 320-thousand dollars and Portage County got 160-thousand.

Story By: Jenn Sullivan

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Little Free Libraries Promote Reading Submitted: 05/24/2013

RHINELANDER - You don't need to get a library card to check out a book theses days. Boxes that look like bird houses are popping up all over.

They're called Little Free Libraries. Anyone can stop by to take or give a book. It's all based on the honor system. Maureen O'Melia put her's up at home last night across from Pioneer Park.

"I contacted Ed Hughes from the library. He was excited about the idea as well and he, a week later, says I built you one Maureen. But I had to stain it and get it ready for the outdoors," says Maureen O'Melia, who built a Little Free Library.

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Help a Northwoods Girl Beat Juvenile Diabetes Submitted: 05/24/2013

ANTIGO - Despite having to poke her fingers, and inject insulin throughout the day, 7 year old Meredith smiles all the time. Now YOU can make her smile even brighter.

This is the race car Meredith Meidl designed for Ford's "Real Heroes Contest" benefitting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. Meredith knows a lot about diabetes. She's had the disease since she was 2.

"I just (clicks) and then I push it on my finger and I squeeze my finger and then I put my blood into the strip and it reads my blood," said Meredith demonstrating how she tests her blood sugar.

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Minocqua Farmers Market Opens for the Season Submitted: 05/24/2013

MINOCQUA - Many of us have been waiting for home-grown fruits and vegetables.

Now they're here at a Northwoods summer market.

It's opening day for the Minocqua Farmers Market.

15 vendors filled the Minocqua Park Complex on Highway 70.

They have vegetable plants, flowers, baked goods and MORE available for purchase.

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Fire Burns Rhinelander Apartment Building Submitted: 05/24/2013

RHINELANDER - People jumped from a second story window to escape an early morning fire in Rhinelander.

Just after two this morning, the Rhinelander fire department rushed to 254 Westhill Road.

Half of a four unit apartment building was already in flames when they got there.

Five people living in the building had already gotten out.

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Wolf Gets 12 Years for Stabbing Near Hodag Statue Submitted: 05/24/2013

RHINELANDER - You might remember the name Shannon Wolf. He chased his wife down, stabbed and choked her by the Hodag statue in Rhinelander last February. He'll now spend the next twelve years in prison.

Today Latoya Wolf testified she was partly to blame for what happened. She told the court Shannon Wolf was trying to cut his own wrists. But she got in the way and was cut in the struggle for the knife.

Prosecutors said the violent encounter and the victim's backtracking was a classic example of the domestic abuse cycle.

"I believe that there are significant pressures on Mrs. Wolf," says Assistant District Attorney Scott Moller.

Moller presented Wolf's extensive criminal history. He said there's also a documented history of domestic abuse.

Moller asked Judge Patrick O'Melia to sentence Wolf to 30 years.

Judge O'Melia said he believes this case is one of classic domestic abuse.

He sentenced Wolf to 24 years. He'll spend 12 in prison and 12 years extended supervision.

Wolf is not allowed to have any contact with his wife. He's also not eligible for early release or boot camp.

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Local Lawmakers Comment Proposed Changes to Food Stamp Eligibility Submitted: 05/24/2013

RHINELANDER - If you can prove you don't make enough money, you can get $200 a month in food stamps.

But if Governor Walker has his way, able-bodied adults will have to do a lot more to get that help.

The legislature's budget committee approved that proposal earlier this week.

Governor Walker's proposal will cost the state about $16.8 million, with another $19 million coming from the federal government.

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Possible End to One Walleye Fight Submitted: 05/24/2013

LAC DU FLAMBEAU - The back-and-forth between state lawmakers and the Lac du Flambeau tribe might be over.

Dean Kaufert is a Republican representing Neenah. He wanted to strip a quarter-million dollars of funding from the tribe. That money would have gone to fund a new cultural center.

His original move was a protest against the Chippewa lowering walleye bag limits. That happened on many lakes in the ceded territory this spring.

"I was kind of having some difficulty with some of my colleagues in the Legislature with convincing them that we needed to play hardball by holding this project back," says Rep. Kaufert.

Walleye spearing season by Chippewa fishermen is almost over. They only took about half as many as they expected. So, the DNR raised limits on 423 lakes in the ceded territory.

Kaufert now will not stand in the way of the cultural center money.

"The Governor asked me if I would consider releasing that project due to their ongoing discussions about trying to create a better environment up north for fish stocking and number of walleyes in our lakes," says Rep. Kaufert.

This week, Governor Scott Walker also proposed a state project to put more walleye in Wisconsin's lakes.

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