The Merrill Fire Department responded to 42 calls last week. The total for the 2025 calendar year was 2,227 calls. There was a motor vehicle accident on US Highway 51 in the Town of Rock Falls on Wednesday, December 31st. No injuries were reported from the crash.
Read MoreThere are two candidates on the ballot for Merrill Area Public Schools Board of Education Spring elections. While three board member positions are up for re-election in 2026, only two of those members have announced their candidacy. Board President Kevin Blake and Board Member Nubs Ashbeck have both completed the candidacy filing process, while Board Clerk Ron Liberty has announced non-candidacy. No other filings have been received to run for the vacated position. This leaves a write in option for the 9th Board opening. Terms for three of the other…
Read MoreThe Wisconsin Department of Health Service expects medical expenses for the state to exceed the budget. The Medicaid general program revenue is projected to be $213 million higher than expected when the new two-year state budget was originally signed last summer. DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson submitted a letter to co-chairs of the legislature’s joint Finance Committee outlining reasons for the projected shortfall. The letter cites unexpected cost increases for prescription drugs, Medicare buy-in programs, and fee-for-service mental health and substance use disorder services. In early October, DHS projected a $144…
Read MoreEleven seats will appear on the ballot for the City of Merrill in the upcoming April 7 spring elections. All eight Alderpersons will run unopposed. Those include incumbents Andrew Caylor, Michael “Gus” Caylor, Nathan Meyer, LaDonna Fermanich, Mark Weix Jr, and Rebecca Rutkowski. Jewell Holdorf will be on the ballot for District 5 as incumbent Landis Holdorf has announced non-candidacy, and Derrick Sukow is running for the District 6 seat as Mike Rick has also announced his non-candidacy. Tom Hayden will run unopposed for the Municipal Judge seat, and incumbent…
Read MoreLincoln County voters will see a largely settled county board ballot this spring, with most seats uncontested and a limited number of races drawing competition. Candidate filing closed Tuesday. Of the board’s 22 seats, 17 incumbents filed paperwork and will appear on the ballot without opposition. Several openings were created after current supervisors chose not to seek re-election. In District 9, Christine Vorpagel is stepping aside, and former challenger Don Friske is running to take back the seat. District 18 is also open, with Andy Tomaszewski filing after Ken Wickham…
Read MoreLast Week, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted 24 traffic stops and 54 security checks. There were five calls involving cars hitting deer. On Monday January 29th, deputies were dispatched to Pope Rd in the Town of Merrill regarding a disturbance in progress. A 36-yr-old Merrill woman attempted to take her 16-year-old son’s phone away from him after confronting him about his behavior, and he proceeded to strike her. The son left the scene before deputies arrived, but was located soon thereafter and taken into custody, then transported to the…
Read MoreOn Sunday January 4, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to County Highway T in the Town of Somo regarding a vehicle in the ditch and a burglary. The reporting party stated a vehicle had entered the ditch near an address on County T and the occupants in the vehicle then broke into his building. When Deputies arrived, they questioned the 60-year-old suspect from Mosinee, who denied breaking into the property. Investigation at the scene revealed fresh footprints in the snow matching those of the suspect, which led to and…
Read MoreDuring the week ending January 4th, the Merrill Police Department responded to at least nine incidents, while officers conducted approximately 32 traffic stops and 56 security checks. On Thursday, Officers and EMS responded to a residence for a reported overdose. A male party involved in the incident shared different names with officers, and investigation at the scene revealed there were warrants for his arrest. Once positively identified, the male party was arrested for those warrants and for obstructing an officer. Other activity included two reports of theft, two instances of…
Read MoreWisconsin Public Service and We Energies Power Plants are preparing for the return of peregrine falcons to their nests as the breeding season approaches. The utility providers have filled a vital role over the years in the falcon’s recovery. In reviewing past activity, they published peregrine falcon manager Greg Septon’s 2025 nesting report. The program has seen 443 peregrine falcon chicks hatch at WPS and We Energies facilities across the state since 1992. Four active nesting sites produced a dozen new chicks in 2025, with names inspired by past peregrines.…
Read MoreAs a part of his January State of the State address, Democratic Governor Tony Evers dubbed 2025 “The Year of the Kid”. Evers challenged state lawmakers to support education focused initiatives in the 2025-27 biennial budget he signed last summer. $1.4 billion for K-12 schools and more than $360 million for childcare support was allocated as a part of the budget. Also included were increases for the Universities of Wisconsin System and state technical colleges. The Governor also signed into law a bill prohibiting the use of cellphones in classrooms,…
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