Arts & Life

Next year’s state park stickers are now on sale.  And the DNR is taking submissions for the sticker’s artwork for the following year.  

The 2015 state park sticker contest is open to all high school students throughout the state. 

DNR spokesperson Paul Holtan says judges are looking for designs that evoke the Wisconsin outdoors. 

“We want it to be representative of the parks experience.  Whether it’s outdoor activities, wildlife watching, beautiful scenes of the state parks – what they feel is the most important part of visiting our parks.”

A youth program in Rhinelander is hosting two free gift wrapping nights.  Young people who are turning to Forward Service Corporation for help finding jobs will be giving back to their community by wrapping presents for free.

Youth program coordinator Serena Adler says there are multiple benefits for the young gift wrappers. 

The need for blood continues during the holidays and a Red Cross spokesperson says he hopes people respond over the next two days.

Blood Represenative Marc Sutton says donations tend to drop during the holidays...

"...people are on vacation, on holidays and traveling...we see blood donations go down a little bit....the need doesn't go down during the holiday seasons....'

Sutton points out that some people need blood, even during the holidays...

Giving a pet as a holiday gift could result in a problem if the person getting the animal hasn't approved it.

Oneida County Humane Society Director Bria Swartout talked with Ken Krall about giving pets as gifts.

Experts ask anyone thinking of giving a pet as a gift to remember it will be a 10 to 15 year commitment to the animal.

Snow has started to pile up here in the Northwoods, and that’s good news for snowmobilers. 

Oneida County Forest Director John Bilogan says conditions could be frozen enough in a few days.  But he’s guessing it will be about two weeks before the state-funded trails actually open. 

“It’s all the paperwork side of things – the insurance policies, private land easements, land-use agreements, all have to be in place from the snowmobile clubs and on file in our forestry office.”

The Wisconsin Idea is a guiding principle of the University of Wisconsin System, that says the university should have an impact in all parts of the state.  

Kate VandenBosch is Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW Madison. 

She’s also the guest at this month’s informal science discussion series Science on Tap. 

She says one goal of her talk is to hear from community members about what role the university should play in the Northwoods. 

Rhinelander Police are asking for donations to take a group of underprivileged kids shopping. 

It’s the fourth year of the Shop with a Cop program.  Police and other law enforcement officials will pair up with kids…and take them shopping at Walmart.

Rhinelander Police Officer Chad Brown says the goal is to give each kid at least a hundred dollars to spend. 

Deer hunters may be lamenting the end of the gun season…but there’s still plenty of time for tree hunting. 

Individuals searching for a Christmas tree can cut one in the Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest…with a five dollar permit.  Spokeswoman Megan Healy says part of the appeal of cutting your own tree is the experience. 

Someone has gotten an early Christmas gift in Rhinelander.

The Wisconsin Lottery says a $350,000 SuperCash! ticket Wednesday matched all six winning numbers.

The ticket was sold at Hodag Pump & Pantry on North Stevens Street.

The winner has 180 days from the drawing to pick up their money at the Madison or Milwaukee offices or by mail.

The odds of winning a SuperCash! $350,000 top prize is about one in 1.6 million.