You are here

Year: 2025

MERRILL ACE HARDWARE ANNOUNCES PLANS TO EXPAND, MOVE TO LARGER LOCATION ON EAST SIDE

Steve Dillon

MERRILL – Merrill Ace Hardware will be moving to a larger location and expanding their operations, as they’ve outgrown their current location on Main St. Owner Bill Babiash stated the move marks an exciting new chapter for the business. “We’re absolutely delighted and excited to have an opportunity to move into the much larger (former) Wisconsin Building Supply building located on the east side of town. We’ve listened to a lot of feedback from the community and this is a win for both the community and us to grow.” The…

Read More

CAR VS DEER STRIKE IN TOWN OF ROCK FALLS ENDS IN ARREST FOR OWI, OTHER CHARGES

Steve Dillon

TOWN OF ROCK FALLS – On Sunday October 12th, a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy on patrol heading N/B on USH 51 near the 217 MM observed what looked like an accident in the S/B lane of USH 51 in the Town of Rock Falls. As the deputy approached the scene a single vehicle was located that was positioned sideways in the roadway blocking both S/B lanes of travel. In speaking with the 43-yr-old female driver from Wind Lake, WI the deputy learned that she had hit a deer and lost…

Read More

TRAFFIC STOP OF INATTENTIVE MOTORIST IN MERRILL ENDS IN OWI 4TH OFFENSE

Steve Dillon

MERRILL – On Friday October 10th, a Merrill Police Officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that pulled out in front of an officer, causing the officer to abruptly hit their brakes so they would avoid hitting the vehicle. During the interaction with the driver of the vehicle, the officer noticed signs of impairment. The driver was also found to have a 0.02 Blood Alcohol restriction and was ultimately arrested for OWI 4th offense.

Read More

MERRILL FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 12

Steve Dillon

MERRILL – The Merrill Fire Department responded to 31 calls last week, bringing the total for 2025 to 1,723. There were 27 EMS calls. There was a motor vehicle accident with injuries on State Rd 107 in the Town of Merrill on Sunday (10/12), and an incident involving a smoldering silo on Joe Snow Rd on Thursday (10/9) that was caused by the storage of old silage.

Read More

“OLD SILAGE” CAUSE OF SILO SMOLDERING EVENT IN TOWN OF SCOTT

Steve Dillon

‘ TOWN OF SCOTT – On Thursday evening October 9th, Merrill Fire units responded to the report of a silo that was smoldering on Joe Snow Rd in the Town of Scott. Fire personnel arriving on site met with the owner of the property who confirmed that old silage was the cause. Firefighters successfully determined the hot spot through the use of a thermal imaging camera, allowing them to cool those areas on the silo and remove the silage. Roughly 4,000 gallons of water were used for the cooling process.…

Read More

SCHOOL IS IN SESSION; BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HEAD LICE

Steve Dillon

The Lincoln County Health Department is reminding residents that with the start-up of the school year comes an increase in cases of head lice, which are common among pre-school and elementary aged children. While lice are a nuisance, they do not pose any danger of further illness or infection. The bugs are typically around the size of a sesame seed, and they can attach to the hair of anyone’s head, whether clean or dirty. Their life cycle is typically around 28 days, but the cycle can repeat itself if left…

Read More

WAUSAU MAYOR DINY ETHICS CASE MOVES TO HEARING

Steve Dillon

WAUSAU – The long-discussed ethics case involving Wausau Mayor Doug Diny moves to a hearing today, with ten witnesses expected including City Clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde and Attorney Anne Jacobson. Both have declined to testify because of an ongoing Justice Department investigation. Others set to appear included the Mayor Diny, Police Chief Matthew Barnes, and Council President Lisa Rasmussen. The complaint focuses on Diny’s handling of a locked, unsecured drop box before the 2024 Presidential Election.

Read More

NORTHCENTRAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF COMMUNITY SAFETY SIMULATION CENTER IN MERRILL

Steve Dillon

MERRILL – Northcentral Technical College is taking safety training to the next level with the launch of its new Community Safety Simulation Center in Merrill, part of NTC’s Public Safety Center of Excellence. The Center is designed to help schools, healthcare facilities, and places of worship better prepare for potential security threats through realistic training and classroom instruction. The 3500 square foot facility has a multi-room space with 360-degree smart screens for custom training scenarios. Teams can utilize the center’s audio-visual capabilities to review their actions and discuss alternative approaches.…

Read More

NORTHWOODS FIREFIGHTERS HEAD TO LOCAL CLASSROOMS DURING FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

Steve Dillon

This week’s all about fire safety, and firefighters across Lincoln and Oneida Counties are taking that message straight into their communities. Crews from the Tomahawk, Nokomis, and Little Rice Fire Departments are stopping by classrooms and other venues like the library to teach kids what to do in case of a fire. In Merrill, they’ll invest several weeks sharing information with students, helping them start to build those lifelong safety habits. Fire Prevention Week for 2025 focuses on lithium-ion batteries, as Fire crews remind folks to choose the right kind…

Read More

MERRILL POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 5; LOCAL RETAILER TURNS OVER COUNTERFEIT BILLS TO MPD

Steve Dillon

During the week ending October 5, the Merrill Police Department responded to ten incidents, while officers conducted approximately 39 traffic stops and 82 security checks. There were two reports of Disorderly Conduct, one of those with a motor vehicle. There was one report of possession of an illegal substance that also included bail jumping, three reports of theft, one report of public intoxication, one instance of possible trespassing, and one probation hold. On Sunday a store found counterfeit bills in their cash register and turned them over to MPD. The…

Read More