Trial in overdose death case set for April
A four-day jury trial has been scheduled for early April in the case of a 25-year-old Rhinelander woman charged in connection with the overdose death of a 29-year-old Town of Pelican man back in 2022.
Answering the call: Veterans Day speeches focus on service, sacrifice
During the annual Veterans Day program at James Williams Middle School last Friday morning it was noted that just three days are set aside each year for formal recognition of those serving or who have served in the military.
Plan commission approves second phase of Settlers Village project
New multi-family development planned near Walmart
It took an extra two weeks but the City of Rhinelander plan commission has approved the second phase of the Settlers Village development on Timber Drive near Central School.
New study sheds light on extent of PFAS contamination in Wisconsin
Highest detection in Stella is 45,000 parts per trillion
The results of a comprehensive study of 450 samples of ambient shallow groundwater taken from private wells across the State of Wisconsin are in and the Town of Stella in Oneida County has the unfortunate distinction of having the highest levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) detected.
SDR board, superintendent sued over treatment of nonbinary student
Complaint alleges sex-based discrimination
A mother and her nonbinary minor child, a former Rhinelander High School student, filed a lawsuit in federal court last week alleging the Rhinelander school board and school superintendent Eric Burke “repeatedly refused to recognize or respect (the child’s) gender identity” and (undertook) “a series of discriminatory and highly stigmatizing actions against them based on their sex, gender identity, and nonbinary status.”
SWOT analysis is next step for golf course advisory committee
It will be several months before golf balls are once again launched from the tees at the city-owned Northwood Golf Club but the newly created golf course advisory committee has begun holding meetings with the goal of improving golfers’ experience and bringing additional members and players to the course.
Questions raised regarding ownership of land where city trail is to be located
City attorney to research issue
Two weeks after the Rhinelander Common Council unanimously authorized the construction of a new pedestrian/bicycle path connecting westside residents to the rest of the city an adjacent property owner has raised questions regarding ownership of the land in question.
RFD receives new ice rescue suits
Thanks to the generosity of the Rhinelander Lions Club and the Seventh Day Adventist Thrift Shop, members of the Rhinelander Fire Department will remain dry and toasty warm if they have to conduct an ice or cold water rescue this winter.
Auto dealer group accused of racial discrimination agrees to $1.1M settlement
Dealer group also accused of tacking on illegal junk fees
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Wisconsin Department of Justice have taken action against local auto dealer group Rhinelander Auto Center, its current and former owners, and general manager Daniel Towne for “deceiving consumers by tacking hundreds or even thousands of dollars in illegal junk fees onto car prices and for discriminating against American Indian customers by charging them higher financing costs and fees,” the agencies announced in a press release issued Tuesday.
City won’t pursue snow removal program
After hearing from the public, the City of Rhinelander has decided against moving forward with a proposed sidewalk snow removal pilot program at this time.
‘A devoted and generous community’
YMCA of the Northwoods celebrates new sports complex
The YMCA of the Northwoods marked another step in its evolution Tuesday with a ceremony celebrating the opening of the facility’s new sports complex.
Rhinelander man bound over in meth-related human trafficking case
Request for bond modification denied
A 57-year-old Rhinelander man facing six counts of human trafficking was bound over for further proceedings following a preliminary hearing in Oneida County circuit court Thursday that featured testimony from a pair of sheriff’s office investigators.
Survey shows support for tech ed improvements at RHS, JWMS
No decisions have been made but if the results of a community survey are any indication the School District of Rhinelander has sufficient voter support to pass a capital project referendum focused on improving technical education facilities at James Williams Middle School and Rhinelander High School.
City announces new location for proposed skate park
RFQ to be reissued
City officials have had a change of heart as to where the long-desired community skate park should be located.
Fast track: Council approves westside pedestrian/bike path
The Rhinelander Common Council has signed off on the addition of a pedestrian/bicycle path that will connect westside residents to the rest of the city.
RHS student council recognizes River News sports editor with grand marshal honor
He didn’t walk the halls of Rhinelander High School as a student, or don kelly green and white on the playing field, but River News sports editor Jeremy Mayo is inarguably a Hodag and on Friday afternoon he will serve as grand marshal of the 2023 Homecoming Parade.
Tiffany addresses small business owners at economic summit
Having owned and operated Wilderness Cruises for over 20 years, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Minocqua) has firsthand experience with the ups and downs of running a small business.
Fire chief requests three additional firefighters in 2024 budget proposal
The City of Rhinelander is set to receive a “once in a generation” boost in state aid in 2024 and Fire Chief Brian Tonnancour is hoping the City Council will agree to use those funds to hire three additional firefighters.
Residents offer mixed feedback on sidewalk snow removal proposal
The City of Rhinelander is in the information-gathering phase as it considers a pilot program that would involve the hiring of a city employee who would be responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks adjacent to some of the community’s most well-traveled streets.
Supreme court won’t hear toddler death case
On Sept. 26, approximately 1,800 days after an Oneida County jury found Ellen Tran guilty of first-degree reckless homicide in the death of her 20-month-old stepson Avery Edwards, the Wisconsin Supreme Court officially denied a request to review her conviction.
Show-and-tell
District voters tour JWMS technical education facilities
One of the hallmarks of the School District of Rhinelander, particularly in the last half decade or so, is an emphasis on pathways. While there was a time when a four-year college degree was seen as a necessity for most, in recent years the district has taken a more expansive approach focused on ensuring all Rhinelander students get what they need in their public school years in order to reach whatever goal they might set for their future, including immediate entrance into the workforce, a two-year program, military service or some combination thereof.
City alders express support for footpath, request more information
Appointments to golf course advisory committee approved
West Side residents are one step closer to improved foot and bike access to the rest of the city after the Rhinelander Common Council on Monday directed city administration to provide more information, including cost estimates, to build a path linking West Hill Road to Phillip Street.
Unconquered
Rhinelander woman inspired by son’s achievements at Invictus Games
Western Germany is more than 4,000 miles away from the Northwoods of Wisconsin but the distance was of little consequence for Laurie Mueller of Rhinelander as she was absolutely determined to follow her son, SSGT Gregory Walker, U.S. Air Force, Ret., as he represented his country in the recent Invictus Games.
Rhinelander native, granddaughter collaborate on hearing loss book
As Julia Metternich Olson knows all too well, hearing loss is often invisible. This is especially true when the person suffering from hearing loss is a young person no one would suspect is struggling to communicate with others.
City budget presentations begin with plans for development of Heal Creek
Mayor looks ahead to 2024
On the municipal calendar, fall is budget season. Cities and towns of all sizes must determine needs and priorities to be funded in the coming year and how much revenue is expected to fill the coffers.
City takes legal action over ‘dilapidated’ fire escape on Brown St.
Complaint alleges downtown building is unsafe for occupancy
The City of Rhinelander has taken legal action against the owner of a more than 100-year-old downtown building alleging that he has failed to repair an “unsafe and dilapidated fire escape.”
DNR: PFOS levels in Ahlstrom sludge ‘significantly below the median and average’
On Aug. 15 Township of Stella residents were advised that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had obtained a sample of the sludge the Ahlstrom-Munksjo paper mill has been spreading on town lands as part of its DNR-permitted land application activities and were in the process of testing it.
Council OKs public meetings on proposed sidewalk snow removal program
Snow removal is a fact of life in a northern town but that doesn’t mean the concept of consistently clearing sidewalks in a timely manner has been mastered.
Walmart sues city again
The City of Rhinelander is facing another lawsuit from Walmart as the retailer is once again challenging the city’s assessment of the value of its Lincoln Street building.
Phillip Street project expected to wrap up in about three weeks
There has been no shortage of detours and orange cones in the Rhinelander area over the last several months, as multiple infrastructure improvement projects are taking place simultaneously.
Not guilty plea entered in overdose death case
The La Crosse County woman charged in connection with the overdose death of a Rhinelander man in late January has entered a not guilty plea to one count of first-degree reckless homicide-drug delivery.
School district recognizes Brown family for contributions to auditorium, performing arts
Friday, Sept. 1 was the first official day of high school for the Rhinelander High School Class of 2027. The milestone day ended in the school’s auditorium where a brief ceremony was held to recognize the contributions of local resident Dori Brown and her family to the district’s performing arts programs.
Appeals court affirms circuit court decision in jail transfer dispute
The Third District Court of Appeals in Wausau has disposed of an appeal filed by a Michigan man who alleged that Oneida County circuit judge Mike Bloom erred when he declined to order sheriff Grady Hartman to allow the man to serve his four-month jail sentence on a child enticement charge in another county.
Family appeals dismissal of jail death lawsuit
The family of a 20-year-old man who took his life while an inmate in the Oneida County jail has brought their case to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.
City to unveil new and improved website
If all goes according to plan, the new and improved City of Rhinelander website will go live on Sept. 6.
City to investigate complaints about golf course management
Two weeks ago, in response to a “letter of concern” signed by approximately 80 members of the city-owned Northwood Golf Club, the Rhinelander Common Council directed city administration to begin the process of forming a golf course advisory committee to consist of members and players.
Controversial city-owned billboard to be sold
The city-owned billboard on State Highway 17 South is set to be sold following a 5-2 vote of the Rhinelander Common Council on Aug. 14.
School board approves updates to Appendix A
Coaches, advisors to receive salary bump
With the first day of school for School District of Rhinelander students right around the corner, the district’s board of education voted Aug. 21 to update Appendix A, the portion of the employee handbook that governs compensation for the district’s coaches and advisors.
Letter prompts city to form golf course advisory committee
The City of Rhinelander is moving ahead with the creation of a golf course advisory committee after a number of members and regular players submitted a “letter of concern” to city administrator Patrick Reagan and the common council regarding the direction of the city-owned Northwood Golf Club.
Two charged in human trafficking, solicitation investigation
Two local men are being held in the Oneida County jail, each on $100,000 cash bail, in connection with multiple felony charges related to human sex trafficking and solicitation of prostitutes.
Bond set in Oneida County overdose death case
A combination signature and surety bond in the amount of $10,000 has been set for a 42-year-old La Crosse County woman charged with one count of first-degree reckless homicide-drug delivery in connection with the death of a 45-year-old Rhinelander man in late January.
Stella residents question state officials about PFAS investigation
DNR says source of contamination has not been identified
Once again, the Stella Town Hall was filled to near capacity Tuesday as residents of the eastern Oneida County township of approximately 600 people gathered to hear an update from state officials on the ongoing investigation into PFAS contamination found in some town wells.
City public works director resigns
In the midst of a busy summer of road and utility work, the City of Rhinelander now has a vacancy at the top of the public works department.
School committee sends Appendix A revisions to full board
Coach/advisor stipends set to increase
Just in time for the start of the new school year, the School District of Rhinelander is set to update the portion of the employee handbook that governs compensation for coaches and advisors.
Health department warns of increase in ‘fentanyl-related harm’ in Oneida County
It’s difficult for the human brain to comprehend just how quickly a substance no larger than a grain or two of salt can steal a life.
Stella property owners file PFAS lawsuit against Rhinelander paper mill, 3M
A group of property owners in the Town of Stella have filed a federal lawsuit against Ahlstrom Rhinelander LLC and 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn. related to alleged drinking water contamination and are asking a judge to certify the matter as a class action.
Evers brings child care funding campaign to Rhinelander
Special session scheduled for September to address workforce challenges
Hours after announcing his decision to call a special session of the state legislature for the purpose of addressing the state’s workforce challenges, including child care accessibility, Gov. Tony Evers visited children being cared for at the YMCA of the Northwoods in Rhinelander Tuesday afternoon. He received an enthusiastic welcome, even if some of the youngsters were a little unsure about who their special visitor actually was.
RPD wants to close ‘loopholes’ in sex offender proximity, residency ordinance
New vehicle for K-9 unit approved
Four years after the Rhinelander Common Council voted to enact a residency and proximity ordinance directed at convicted sex offenders, Police Chief Lloyd Gauthier was back in the council chambers late last month to introduce revisions aimed at closing what the department believes are “loopholes” in the law.
DNR officials to return to Stella for PFAS discussion
Eight months after Town of Stella residents first learned that dangerous levels of PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) had been detected in water samples taken from local wells, Department of Natural Resources officials are set to return to the small eastern Oneida County community to provide an update on the ongoing PFAS contamination investigation.
Local man ordered to serve additional 6 months in jail for burning his house down
A 35-year-old Rhinelander man was ordered Monday to serve six more months in jail, to be followed by three years probation, after pleading guilty to one count of unsafe burning of own home, a Class H felony.