Government

  It's Primary Election Day in Wisconsin. In this election cycle, the towns and school boards have positions open.

While a light turnout is expected, some places could see higher turnouts. In Minocqua, there's a primary for town chair. Incumbent chairperson Mark Hartzheim is being challenged by town board supervisor Billy Fried and Loran Susor, a town employee and firefighter. There are several other races in the region.

Several area school boards also will be trimming the number of candidates today.

The Rhinelander city council got an earful from area business persons last night as the city held the first information session about a possible Premier Area Tax.

Three cities, including Eagle River and two villages in Wisconsin already have this tax. It allows the city to assess an extra one-half of one cent on a dollar for tourist related purchases.The money can only be used to improve infrastructure, like crumbling streets.

A high cash bond was set for a Rhinelander man charged with the 2003 death of a man whose body was found floating in the Wisconsin River.

Oneida County Circuit Judge Michael Bloom set a cash bond of $100,000 for 40 year old Shannon J. Wolf.

A Michigan woman will spend time in prison for filing a false 2008 tax return. But more than a million dollars are in question.

63 year old Rebecca Hoff of Ironwood was sentenced in federal court in Madison Wednesday to 15 months in prison.

The Oneida County Land and Records Committee will take more time to consider bid proposals for the Heal Creek property near Rhinelander.  The committee wants to give competing parties more time, in case of a compromise. 

About 50 people crowded a committee meeting room at the Oneida County Courthouse Tuesday, to weigh in on what to do with the 270-acre Heal Creek property.

The county is selling the land after plans to turn it into a business park stalled. 

The Three Lakes town board next week will continue the process that could eventually mean a new look for the town offices.

Town chair Stella Westfall says they've received bids from four firms to look at whether the current facility next to the  E.U. Demmer  Memorial Library should be renovated or a new building be constructed. She says initial conversations indicate renovation or rebuild will cost about the same. A decision point is nearing..

Wisconsin's death total so far this snowmobile season has been half of last year's total, but  even with the lower numbers, a DNR official says the cause often is too much alcohol. Most of the snowmobile drivers killed this winter have had blood alcohol levels nearly 3 times the legal level.

The Wisconsin Taxpayer's Alliance reports a dramatic shift in how Wisconsin's technical colleges are funded. The legislature moved more than $400 million into the technical college system this school year. It also could mean a  governance shift to more state control.

A committee given the responsibility to consider discipline for Oneida County's Veteran's Services Officer has recommended no further discipline.

A day-long evidentiary hearing was held last month on allegations against Tammy Walters. When the 8 allegations were heard, the county board voted two of them worth possible future discipline and dismissed the other 6. One was improperly giving a security card to a volunteer for emergency duty who at one time was an employee of the office, and the other  allegation was using profanity in public.

Next April, Rhinelander voters will see an advisory referendum  whether the city should petition the legislature to become the next community with a Premier Resort Area Tax.

The question asks whether the city should levy one-half cent on a dollar sales tax on tourist-related  items. The money raised could only be used to upgrade infrastructure, namely city streets. The city could like to fix Lincoln Street from Oneida to Eisenhower Parkway, Stevens Street, Boyce Drive and Oneida Avenue, totaling some $2 million dollars.