BOULDER JUNCTION - The Boulder Junction building committee hoped to have plans for a new community center finalized today. But its decided to take an extra two weeks to make more cost saving changes to the plans.
Last fall the town voted "yes" to the 14,000 square foot plan. Since then an architect has come up with a design the committee thinks will please everyone.
"The best thing about the design is it's simple but very attractive. We decided we needed to make it as cost effective as possible. We're trying to follow a theme of a railroad depot because of our area's railroad history and logging history," says Cherie Sanderson, Boulder Junction Library Director.
The final plan will now go to contractors for bids in early March. The building committee will award the bid by April.
"It all depends on how everything goes from step A to Z. But hopefully by next fall. We're not stating a specific month at this point because we really don't know until we accept bids how close we are to being on schedule," says Sanderson.
The library will begin formal fundraising in when they've awarded a bid. They're hoping to raise $250,000 or more to help offset the cost to taxpayers. They're raised $50,000 already.
WAUSAU - If you drink and drive, don't expect to get away with it. Especially when you've already been caught seven other times. A Weston man is facing his eighth drunken driving charge.
Twenty-nine year-old Cole Knapp appeared in Marathon County Court today. Prosecutors say an officer tried to pull Knapp over for a traffic violation May 11 when Knapp took off.
Knapp eventually stopped and got out of his vehicle with his hands in the air.
During a background check, Knapp fled on foot and was arrested a short time. He has seven previous OWI convictions dating back to 2002 in Bayfield, Ashland, Lincoln and Marathon counties.
RHINELANDER - Rhinelander needs new businesses to fill empty stores downtown.
This past weekend 26 properties had an open house. It was organized by Downtown Rhinelander, Inc. (DRI) and Flanders Reality Group. Finding the right home for a business can be hard. But the event tried to help those on the hunt.
"This way, you know, your here, you look, your able to talk to someone who knows the property. And you can really make a really good decision right now today," said Maggie Steffen, DRI Executive Director.
MILWAUKEE - Ministry Health Care plans to lay off several hundred employees, citing a drop in the number of patients and cuts in federal reimbursement levels.
Ministry operates 15 hospitals and 47 clinics across Wisconsin.
The facilities include Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield and Saint Michael's Hospital in Stevens Point.
Ministry spokesman Geoffrey Huys says about 225 to 250 employees will be cut, mainly through attrition and job eliminations.
LAC DU FLAMBEAU - In Vilas County the courts have a new option for treating drug and alcohol offenders, instead of putting them behind bars.
Today the new Wellness Court was named in Lac du Flambeau. Circuit court judge Neal Neilsen and Tribal Court Judge Gary Smith will work together to help those involved with drugs and alcohol get the treatment they need.
"A traditional court would, more than likely sentence the person to jail or prison, and we've seen studies where that just doesn't work anymore. We need to get creative," said Lac du Flambeau Tribal Chief Judge, Gary Smith.
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