March 16, 2026 – Bluejay 96.3FM 730AM

TOWN OF MERRILL HOME DESTROYED IN SUNDAY AFTERNOON FIRE

March 16, 2026March 16, 2026 Steve DillonTOWN OF MERRILL HOME FIRE

A home in the Town of Merrill was destroyed by fire Sunday afternoon. The Merrill Fire Department was dispatched just before 3:30 p.m. to a structure fire at N4235 County Road K. Crews arriving on scene found heavy smoke and flames coming from the second story and initially began defensive operations.Given limited access to the rural property, firefighters set up a water shuttle using tenders from several neighboring departments, with a fill site established at the hydrant near North Center Avenue and 14th Street in the city. One person was…

BONUS PERMITS FOR 2026 TURKEY SEASON NOW AVAILABLE

March 16, 2026March 16, 2026 Steve Dillon

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will start selling bonus permits for the 2026 spring turkey season today.The permits—formerly called leftover tags—went on sale Monday at 10 a.m. through the state’s Go Wild license system and at license agents, with a separate sale date assigned to each turkey zone. Hunters must now create a Go Wild username and password before purchasing permits, and the DNR recommends doing so as soon as possible to avoid delays. Bonus authorizations cost $10 dollars for residents and $15 for non-residents, and hunters can buy…

VILAS COUNTY SNOWMOBILE TRAILS RE-OPEN

March 16, 2026March 15, 2026 Steve Dillon

Snowmobilers once again have the opportunity to enjoy riding in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. Effective Saturday at 8 AM, the over 500- mile Vilas County Snowmobile Trail system was re-opened, including all state and club-funded trails. All trails are safe for passage, per the Vilas County Snowmobile Alliance Clubs. Select trails will remain unopened or could be rerouted because of water issues, and there may be trails that are not groomed. As riders enjoy the extended season, they should avoid trespassing and assume all trails are private property as off-trail riding could…