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WJFW News

Oconto Falls Runs Past Hodags Submitted: 02/19/2013
RHINELANDER - Oconto Falls seemingly couldn't miss in the first half, and the Panthers outpaced the Rhinelander High School girls basketball team 63-40 on Monday night in Rhinelander.

“We switched up three different defenses at them and they continued to score. We started out in a zone, we went back to man, and there wasn’t really anything we could do to stop them. They were just on fire. Hats off to them,” said Hodags assistant coach John Wright.

Wright stepped in to coach RHS, who was without head coach Mark Jacobson due to a bad stomach flu.

The Panthers nailed seven three-pointers on their way to a 44-17 lead at the break. Bay Conference leading scorer McKenna Larsen had 15 first-half points for Oconto Falls.


RHS outscored the visitors in the second 16 minutes, but it wasn't enough as the Hodags fell to 3-17 on the year. Oconto Falls improved to 16-5.


No player had more than seven points for the Hodags, who were led by Sydnei Smith in scoring. Four players had six points in a balanced attack.

“I’d like to see us with that balance. I think that’s the makeup we have right now. We’ve been a heavily guard-dominated scoring team up until this point, but we have some potential to score some points in the paint,” Wright said.

Hodag forwards Brianna Gilbert, Emily Fortier, and Riley Aschenbrenner combined for 16 points, nearly all of them in the post.

RHS sophomore Kylie Hunter continued her gradual recovery from a meniscus injury, chipping in six off the bench.

The loss breaks a streak of three consecutive good outings for RHS. They had beaten Lakeland and Tomahawk last week before hanging tough with conference leader Northland Pines on Friday.

RHS has one more game, home against Wausau East on Thursday, before entering postseason action.

“I think we match up well against East. I would like to continue to see our bigs score some more points,” Wright said.

After that matchup, the Hodags will ready themselves for WIAA playoff play. RHS drew the lowest seed in their Division 2 half-sectional, entering as #10. They will travel to Minocqua next Tuesday to play #7 Lakeland in the first round. The winner of that game will hit the road to face #2 Medford in the Regional Semifinals.

Oconto Falls vs. Rhinelander
Monday, Feb. 19
Oconto Falls 22 22 12 7 – 63
Rhinelander 7 10 7 16 – 40
Oconto Falls (63): McKenna Larsen 17, Jennifer Spang 11, Erin Gilligan 8, Elizabeth Manns 7, Labecca Jones 7, Carly Lemke 6, Elizabeth Watzka 5, Annestashia Rabe 1, Bailey Wolf 1.
Rhinelander (40): Sydnei Smith 7, Brianna Gilbert 6, Kylie Hunter 6, Emily Fortier 6, Mara Meyer 6, Riley Aschenbrenner 4, Molly Williging 3, Brianna Bozek 2.
Three-pointers: OC 10 (Larsen 3, Gillian 2, Jones 2, Watzka, Manns, Spang), R 3 (Meyer 2, Hunter).


Story By: Ben Meyer

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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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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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Father Overseas Turns into Learning Opportunity Submitted: 05/24/2013

RHINELANDER - Rhinelander kindergartener Carlie Jahn watched her dad leave for his third overseas tour of duty last fall.

Usually, she gets to see him for two-weeks during his nine-month tour. But there was no leave for Guardsmen Justin Jahn this year. He will be in Afghanistan until July.

Instead of too much sadness, Carlie's mom is helping her by sharing at school.

"Once that time came through, it was hard for her to understand why he wasn't coming home. I thought this would be a fun way to have her realize that she's not the only one, that there's others out there," says Amanda Jahn.

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Students also recognized veterans and active soldiers related to them.

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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.

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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.

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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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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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