RHINELANDER - You may think of Wisconsin as the beer drinking state.
But one Northwoods group put a spin on beer making today.
The third annual "Boom Lake Brew Out" took place in Rhinelander.
It's held by the Brewing Innovators and Enthusiasts of Rhinelander.
They say today's snow might have even added an extra special touch to the different brews.
"We have pretty good variety. We have a couple stouts being brewed today, we have a barley wine being brewed today, and we have a Belgium Triple. We're representing some American Styles some British styles, some Belgium styles. We kinda have a worldwide approach to it," said beer maker John Rugotzke. The club believes brewing on the ice is something that represents their Northwoods spirit.
They say the brewing gets better each year.
"You know it's just a great day out with some friends, brewing some beer. I think we all kinda love and have a passion for it. And like I said, it's just a great Northwoods thing of being out on the lake and brewing it in the snow. I mean, I know there's a lot of clubs that get together and do events but I don't imagine there's a ton of them that get together on a lake and brew it with the snow falling like this," said Rugotzke.
MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker has selected a former legislator to run the state Department of Natural Resources.
Walker's office announced Monday that he has chosen former Republican state Rep. Dan Meyer to serve as DNR secretary. He replaces Cathy Stepp, who resigned in August to take a position in President Donald Trump's administration.
MINOCQUA - The Minocqua Town Board approved spending nearly $8,000 on a study for the public fishing pier on Highway 51 in Minocqua.
The findings will help board members decide whether to replace the entire bridge or just repair parts of it.
Public Works Director Mark Pertile says the exact age of the pier is unknown but he guesses it's around 100 years old.
"When you look underneath you'll see some of the problem areas. Some of the things we check are the railings to make sure they are stable. But the wood [is starting to] rot," explained Pertile.
RHINELANDER - A large open lot on Rhinelander's east side could soon fill in with a chain restaurant.
Cory Moritz-Hoffmann and her husband hope to build a Pizza Ranch next to Kwik Trip on Eisenhower Parkway. The pair of former Pine Lake firefighters got the idea about six years ago when they first went to a Pizza Ranch in Iowa.
They considered pursing a franchise then, but it was more than they could afford at the time. About two years ago, the Hoffmanns contacted an investor and saw an opportunity to turn their dream into a reality.
RHINELANDER - The Oneida-Vilas Transit Commission will get its long-awaited federal funding installment by October 4.
The timing means no Northwoods Transit Connections drivers will have to voluntarily furlough their pay, but the requirement of 24-hour advance notice for rides will stay in place.
Transit Commission Chair Erv Teichmiller learned the news over the weekend.
The commission is waiting on an expected payment of $300,000 from the federal government. In 2016, that money came in early September. As of last Friday, the commission wasn't expecting the payment until as late as November.
RHINELANDER - A Rhinelander factory that makes smoke flavoring caught fire early Monday morning.
Shortly before 6:00 a.m., Rhinelander, Crescent and Newbold Fire Departments responded to a fire at Red Arrow Products on Rhinelander's west side.
An employee says there were about eight workers inside at the time.
No one was injured.
"Flames were coming out of a conveyor area as high as the roof. We made an interior attack and knocked that flame down. Came in from the other side of the partition wall, then made another interior attack and knocked that down," says Chief Terry Williams.
As of 7:30 a.m. Monday morning, firefighters were still working to make sure the flames were out.
HARSHAW - Oneida County sheriff's deputies found three runaway sisters, ages 14, 14, and 12, in the woods in Harshaw just after 1 p.m. on Monday.
The sisters had been reported missing by their parents Monday morning. The parents had gone to wake the girls up for school, but instead found a note saying they had gone on an "adventure."
The missing girls triggered a search from the Oneida County Sheriff's Office Special Response Unit, Newbold Fire Department Search and Rescue, Minocqua Fire Department, Lake Tomahawk Fire Department, and Little Rice Fire Department.
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