News

The Rhinelander District Library had a day at the races…when more than a hundred kids competed in the 28th annual Worm Race.  As WXPR’s Natalie Jablonski reports, some worms just move faster than others.    

A woman and child have been hospitalized after nearly drowning in Star Lake in Vilas County Tuesday. 

Shortly before one o’clock Tuesday, the Vilas County Sheriff’s office received a 911 call reporting two adult women were trying to rescue three children swimming in Star Lake. 

The women apparently rescued two of the children without incident, but when rescuing the third child, one of the women went under the water, along with the child.  A family friend arrived on a boat to pull them out of the water. 

A traveling team of the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team will be playing three games this weekend in Lake Tomahawk and Minocqua.

The team is composed of wounded veterans from the War On Terror, Iraq and Afghanistan whose mission is to raise awareness about service members who are overcoming the loss of limbs and to raise money.

The team will be taking on the local "Snowhawks"  in snowshoe baseball Friday night in Lake Tomahawk, then will play a double-header regular softball game Saturday at the Highway 70 complex in Minocqua.

Nicolet College in Rhinelander has

picked up a $1.9 million dollar state grant which will train more than 300 area workers in high-demand technical jobs.

Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson made the announcement. Kleefisch says the idea is to get the money to the tech colleges to close specific job openings sooner rather than later....

Home sales were up last month for the first time this year.  According to the Wisconsin Realtors Association, over 4 percent more homes sold in Wisconsin in June than in that month last year.

In the northern part of the state, that increase is a little higher – with sales up more than five percent. 

Housing sales for the year to date are still behind compared to 2013, thanks to five consecutive months of lower sales.

Economist Dave Clark says it’s a good time to see a turnaround. 

The Northern National art exhibit opens Tuesday night at Nicolet College.  It includes artwork from all over the country…that ranges from oil paintings to quilts. 

Natalie Jablonski spoke with judge Linda Benedict-Jones…from the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh…about her approach to jurying a large exhibit.  

She selected the works in the show, whittling down more than 500 submissions to about 90.

A motorcyclist injured in a crash in Oneida County has been identified as 33-year-old Jed M. Travis of Weston. 

He was injured in a single-vehicle accident Saturday evening in the town of Woodboro.

Around 5:30 pm, the Oneida County Sheriff’s office received several 911 calls of a motorcycle accident on Highway 8 near Birch Bay Road.

Travis was the only person involved in the accident.  He was airlifted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. 

Officials are continuing their investigation and believe the motorcyclist had been drinking.  

The annual WXPR Blues Cruise down the Wisconsin River leaves the dock, Saturday, August 23rd, at 1:00pm.  We welcome back crowd favorite Eric “Scrappie” Hughes. “Scrappie” Hughes is a delta blues man direct from Memphis.  He’s a fixture every week on Beale Street, playing world-famous clubs like BB King’s and The Rum Boogie Café.   Tickets are $25.00. The ticket price includes a picnic lunch on the boat.

Property taxpayers are asked to note the second installment payment is due  on July 31.

Oneida County Treasurer Kris Osterman says missing this deadline will result in interest being charged...

"...we take all the payments that are due now that would be your second installment taxes or your delinquent taxes...."

Tax payments received with a postmark after July 31 will accrue an additional 10 ½% penalty and interest charge for late payment.  Penalty and interest will continue to accrue at a rate of 1.5% per month until the bill is paid.

Public health officials have made a strong impression that pregnant women should not drink or possibly harm their unborn child. Now an effort to have women cut out smoking during pregnancy is also underway.
Called "First Breath",  health workers hope to get the nearly one-in-four Oneida county women who smoke while pregnant to stop.

Public health nurse and program coordinator Dawn Klink says both mother and child feel the results of smoking...