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WJFW News

Northwoods Wrestlers earn trips to State Submitted: 02/16/2013
MARSHFIELD - The Division One Sectional in Marshfield proved to be a big day for both Wausau West and Merrill. The two schools combined for 7 of the 14 section champions.

Wausau West had 5 winning their weight classes. They are Bee Lor (106 lbs.), Colin Baine (126), Joe Umlaf (132), Travis Hettinga (152), and Ryan Fay at 285 lbs. Also heading to Madison after a second place finish from Wausau West is Cody Grunenwald at 170 lbs.

Meanwhile Merrill had two wrestlers earn the top spot. Tyler Schmidt won the 220 lb. category, while David Pophal took the 170 lb. title. Also Garrett Schmeling and Mason Reinhardt gained second place finishes at 126 and 160 pounds respectively.


D.C. Everest's Joe Ziolkowski took the 145 pound championship, while Wausau East's Brook Whitehead won at 138 pounds.

Rhinelander had two second place wrestlers moving on. Connor Johnson was second at 195 pounds, while Richard Klaver was also second at 152.

Other second place wrestlers in Divison One were Mitch Mallek (Stevens Point - 182 lb.), Justin Pawlek (Stevens Point - 285), and Nick Diny (Wausau East - 120).

At the Division 2 Sectional in Seymour, Tomahawk's Austin Bellile (185 pounds) and Braxton Potrykus (152) of Wittenberg-Birnamwood won Section Championships. Potrykus' teammate Ben Vosters was second at 113 pounds. Also Mosinee's Elliot Sparby was second at 145.

At the Division 3 Secional in Bonduel, Edgar had three section champs - Devin Lemanski (126), Matt Nowak (170), and Luke Nowak (182).

Crandon's Hayden Krueger took the 145 pound crown, while Carter Shampo was second at 132.

Robert Rocole From Wabeno is also a State Qualifier at 138 lbs taking 2nd at the Boduel Sectional.

Stratford will also have two represenatives at state. Dondrick Tackes won at 195 pounds, while Hunter Kauffman was second at 220.

Also going to Madison are Dylan Willemssen of Athens (106 champ), Elcho's Joey Johnson (160 - second place), and Madison Draeger of Three Lakes (113 - second place).

Story By: Joe Dufek

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Farmers Alfalfa Crop Deals with Hard Winter Submitted: 05/23/2013

DEERBROOK - Wisconsin farmers depend on alfalfa crop for feeding dairy cows.

Usually, alfalfa survives winter.

But a long, cold, and difficult winter is making things hard for many farmers.

“That’s rot. The plant is green, and it’s growing but it’s not going to make another cutting,” said farmer Jason Nagel.

This year’s growing season will be a challenge for him.

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Walleye Plan Excites Local Fishermen Submitted: 05/23/2013

EAGLE RIVER - The initiative will help to rebound what's thought of as a suffering walleye population by adding hundreds of thousands of the fish to Wisconsin lakes.

The project could improve fishing for the state's most popular game fish and tourism in the state. George Langely, a local fishing guide at Eagle Sports bait shop in Eagle River, says walleye fishing isn't what it used to be.

"The walleye population has pretty much suffered in the last twenty years and it's really nice to see Madison recognizing that and taking some steps to do something about it. It will take a while but it's a great start."

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Plan Announced to Boost Walleye Numbers Submitted: 05/23/2013

MADISON - Governor Walker hopes greater walleye numbers can help boost state tourism.

Walker announced a nearly 13-million dollar effort to boost walleye production.

The plan would allow the state to borrow millions to expand hatcheries.

It would also give several million in grants for private walleye production plants.

The plan also includes money for aquaculture work, buying fingerlings from private vendors, and expanding a program that gives tribal youth jobs on natural resources-related projects.

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Unemployment Down for Most of State Submitted: 05/23/2013

MADISON - Some northwoods counties got left behind as unemployment rates IMPROVED almost everywhere in Wisconsin last month.

The state Department of Workforce Development said yesterday that unemployment got worse in April in Price, Menominee and Calumet counties.

Unemployment stayed the same in Iron and Langlade counties.

Rates improved in the other 67 counties.

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DNR raises bag limits on hundreds of northern Wisconsin lakes Submitted: 05/23/2013

MADISON - Wildlife officials have increased daily walleye bag limits for anglers as Wisconsin Chippewa spearfishing winds down.

The state Department of Natural Resources has raised limits on 423 lakes in the ceded territory, a swath of northern Wisconsin the tribes gave to the government more than a century ago. The rules include a five-walleye limit on 289 lakes, a four-walleye limit on three lakes, and a three-walleye limit on 131 lakes.

Bag limits on 113 lakes remain unchanged.

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State Funding for Rural Schools Problematic in the Northwoods Submitted: 05/22/2013

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RHINELANDER - State budgeting can sound like a dry topic. For many people, and even elected officials, it is.

But when a state budget impacts your child's school directly, people tend to pay attention.

Some people in Rhinelander think Wisconsin is not giving its fair share to districts in northern Wisconsin. They met in town tonight to talk about it.

Staff and parents in the School District of Rhinelander want to make sure state officials know just how much they're hurting. They met tonight to hammer that point home.

"Because there are fewer of us in northern Wisconsin than in the big cities, we're going to have to be louder," says Kelli Jacobi, District Director of Instruction, and future Superintendent.

Rhinelander voters passed a $3 million referendum in February. That meant the district could raise more money from property taxes. But it doesn't fix a bigger problem - how much money the district gets from the state.

"There's a huge discrepancy in terms of the school funding formula because it's based on property values and has nothing to do with income," says Marta Kwiatkowski, District Director of Business Services.

That creates an odd situation. Rhinelander is considered a high property value district. That means it doesn't get a whole lot of financial help from the state government. At the same time, it's a high poverty district too.

"If you look at the income, our income is approximately $35,000 on average, where state average is $52,000," says Kwiatkowski.

The wide difference between property values and actual family incomes in Rhinelander creates a challenge. It's been that way for years - since the state Legislature set up school funding rules.

"It's kind of a situation that wasn't taken into account when the current school funding formula was established," says Jacobi.

Now, the only thing school districts like Rhinelander can do is push hard for their state legislators to help them financially.

"We say, hey, what are you going to do for us? We did it for you because we voted you into office. If we don't like (what you're doing), we're going to find somebody that we will like and vote them in," says Brian Carpenter, a parent and middle school teacher.

A temporary fix could be a plan by Senate Republicans Mike Ellis and Luther Olson. They suggest raising the amount of funding devoted to each student by $200 over Governor Walker's budget proposal. Rhinelander leaders strongly support that plan.

"We let people know what our concerns are, what our problems are, and that we need help," says Jacobi.

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Accused Lac du Flambeau stabber faces attempted intentional homicide charge Submitted: 05/22/2013

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EAGLE RIVER - Thirty-year-old James Peterson faces a serious charge this week.

Peterson is accused of stabbing a 19-year-old man in Lac du Flambeau early Sunday morning. He made his initial appearance in court today.

Prosecutors want to charge him with first degree intentional attempted homicide.

Both he and the stabbing victim were treated at the hospital. The victim was taken to Ministry St. Joseph's in Marshfield for further treatment.

Peterson remains in jail Wednesday night on $15,000 cash bond.

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