Fired up for homecoming
Members of the Rhinelander High School student body enjoy the annual homecoming bonfire at Hodag Park Sunday, Oct. 4. The Rhinelander High School activities department stated that roughly 175 students showed up for the event and thanked Foley’s Tree Service, the Rhinelander Fire Department and Printpack for their support.
Singles sweep into sectional for Hodag tennis
The Rhinelander High School girls’ tennis team started WIAA postseason play on a strong note at home on Monday, going 8-3 in its matches and tying for second in a Division 1 subsectional tournament conducted at the RHS tennis courts and the Hodag Dome.
Merrill blows out Hodag football 37-0
Nothing seemed to go right for Rhinelander Saturday, Oct. 3 in the Bluejays’ homecoming contest. Merrill led wire-to-wire, stymied the Hodags’ offense and parlayed short fields into easy scores in a 37-0 decision over the Hodags at Jay Stadium.
Hodag harriers sweep titles at Pines Invite
The Rhinelander High School cross country team stayed close to home Tuesday and returned with some hardware, sweeping the boys and girls’ titles at the Northland Pines Invite in Eagle River.
OCEDC announces annual fall summit
The Oneida County Economic Development Corporation (OCEDC) invites business leaders, entrepreneurs, community stakeholders, workforce professionals and residents to attend its 2026 Annual Fall Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 11 a.m. at The Pines Event Center in Rhinelander.
Oneida County libraries survive first round of county budget talks
Oneida County’s three public libraries survived their first major test of the 2027 budget season Monday, with the county executive committee voting 6-1 to advance the libraries’ requested funding after a lengthy debate over how library costs are calculated, who pays them, and whether the county should continue funding libraries …
RHS soccer escapes Medford with win
In almost an exact replica of the Sept. 10 meeting — which the Hodags won 2-1 — the Rhinelander High School boys’ soccer team narrowly escaped a comeback by Medford at Raider Field in Medford on Oct. 6. They walked away victorious, but gave up three goals in the final …
Hodag volleyball drops final GNC game to Medford
The Rhinelander High School volleyball team dropped three straight sets to fall to Medford in the final Great Northern Conference game of the regular season on Oct. 6 in Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Golf: Hapka takes 40th at sectionals
Rhinelander High School junior Ashlyn Hapka shot 111 on Tuesday and placed 40th in a field of 47 girls during her maiden trip to WIAA sectionals at Thornberry Creek.
Hodag swimmers finish 5th in Fondy
The Rhinelander High School girls’ swim team completed one of its longest weeks of the season with a fifth-place finish in the 12-team Fond du Lac Invite Saturday, Oct. 3.
Sports digest
WIAA state boys’ golf tournament heading to Geneva National in 2027 | Retzlaff finishes 19th at Vegas
Rhinelander Rotary Club raises $19K at annual gala, honors two Paul Harris Fellows
The Rhinelander Rotary Club held its Annual Gala in September, raising $19,000 to support local and global community initiatives. The evening’s highlight was the presentation of the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, one of Rotary International’s highest honors, to two individuals whose dedication to service exemplifies the spirit of Rotary.
Pelican town board sends CUP to Oneida County
The Pelican town board, during its Oct. 5 meeting, agreed to send a conditional use permit (CUP) from T.A. Solberg Co., Inc. and Bob Rynders to the Oneida County Planning and Development Committee for approval.
Mountain bike festival brings crowds to the Northwoods
For its third race of the year, the Rhinelander Northwoods Composite Mountain Bike Team (RNC) hosted the third annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League (WICL) Hodag Hustle mountain bike festival at Tesomas Scout Camp in Pine Lake Oct. 3-4.
9 wolves in Price County euthanized due to human safety threats
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed in a statement Friday, Oct. 2 that nine wolves were euthanized in northern Price County due to human health and safety threats.
Thomas Gunnar Bernsteen
Thomas Gunnar Bernsteen, age 63, Green Bay, died on October 3, 2026, in Green Bay. He was born on November 8, 1962, the son of Gunnar and Nelda (Forsman) Bernsteen. He graduated from Rhinelander High School in 1981 and went on to major in marketing at the University of Minnesota, …
James A. Polinski
James A. Polinski, U.S. Navy veteran, passed away peacefully on September 28, 2026 at the age of 68 in Paducah, KY. He was born on April 3, 1958 in Rhinelander to Barbara Bauman and Ronald Polinski.
Charles D. Gritzmacher
Charles D. Gritzmacher, of Oak Creek, passed away at the age of 75 on September 19, 2026, in Milwaukee. He was born on September 2, 1951, in Rhinelander. Charlie was raised in Rhinelander and attended Rhinelander High School. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. After returning, …
