There was a fire at Park Falls Hardwoods on February 24, 2023. There were no fatalities from the fire.
Park Falls Hardwoods stated, "Thank you to the community and all of the firefighters/fire departments who came out and assisted us during this dreadful time. We wanted to reassure all Park Falls Hardwoods family that we will be rebuilding and opening back up for operation as soon as possible. In the mean time, we plan on keeping our employees working and providing for their families. Thank you again for all of your continued support. We couldn’t do this with out our community and our entire Park Falls family."
A photo of a deer with a musky fishing lure stuck in its mouth was making its rounds on social media. Many people were concerned about the deer and were making comments and sharing the photo and its caption, which stated the DNR would not do anything to help the deer. The deer was seen in the Springstead area.
My Northern Wisconsin contacted the DNR on February 13, 2023 to see what could be done. Robin Miller, Recreation Warden for the Northern Region-Central, replied that she was not aware of the situation but advised we contact the wildlife biologist in the county where the deer was seen. My Northern Wisconsin and Robin both contacted Jenna Malinowski, local biologist for Iron County.
Jenna replied a few days after, as she had been in the field, that the DNR was working on the situation. She stated that animal health concerns can be complicated, requiring careful planning and discussion between agencies and the state veterinarian. "An effort to remove the lure was recently attempted but was unsuccessful," she first stated. She added they were developing a plan.
On February 17th, Jasmine Batten, Supervisor for the DNR's Wildlife Health Section in their Wildlife Management Program, contacted My Northern Wisconsin to say she was in touch with the Wildlife Veterinarian who was consulting with and advising local staff about the deer.
She stated that after the first failed attempt to help the deer, the veterinarian advised that the best option would be chemical immobilization with a dart gun. She then followed up stating, "Because of equipment malfunction during the darting attempt, the animal could not be properly immobilized, and, therefore, the musky lure could not be removed. Staff continue to monitor the situation and have not ruled out the possibility that additional attempts might be made."
Jasmine added that, while the lure was distressing to look at, it did not appear to be harming the deer or stopping it from eating or drinking. She said the deer appeared to be in good condition.
On February 20th, Jasmine advised My Northern Wisconsin that the deer no longer had the lure in its mouth. The DNR did not have to take further steps, and it appears the lure came out on its own. The DNR's biologist received a photo of the deer on the 19th to confirm the lure was gone. The deer has a distinctive notch missing out of its ear, so they were able to identify the deer. Jasmine concluded, "I am thankful to live in a place where so many people care deeply for our wildlife."
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Chequamegon High School Forensics students, under the direction of Ms. Waitrovich, participated in the sub-district competition. Elizabeth Hilgart, William Morris, and Audrina Morris earned performance scores that have advanced them to the District competition, which will be held in Hayward, Wisconsin in March 2023.
Submitted photo.
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Written by: Tom Boisvert
Photos by: Area School Districts
Students and educators from Lincoln County Schools participated in the annual Conservation Poster Contest hosted by the Lincoln County Conservation Program. The contest encourages students to submit posters that illustrate the conservation theme of the year. For 2023, the theme is “One Water”.
Water is one of the foundations for life. Clean water is necessary for crops, drinking, industry, sanitation, livestock, and sustaining the ecosystems on which all life depends. Because of this, a student’s creativity could drift in countless ways to display the 2023 theme. And, without a doubt, all students that participated provided unique posters that helped promote the importance of conservation.
The conservation contest is an excellent opportunity for students to expand their appreciation for the environment, conservation, and become involved with numerous Wisconsin Academic Standards. Educators that have been involved with the contest found this connection to standards helpful and have enjoyed the opportunity to promote conservation within the classroom. Aubrey Boisvert, first grade teacher at Tomahawk Elementary states, “As someone that cares about conservation personally, it was great to see that the kids enjoyed this contest at a young age. They were able to learn about water health and had fun while doing so!”
The conservation contest has several stages of competitions, and winners from each stage advance to the next. The contest begins at the local level (Lincoln County) which then proceeds to an area contest which includes 9 Counties, a state contest, and even a national contest.
K-1 category winners include: Maika Follensbee, Ella Hess, and Abigail Ross. These students won first, second, and third places, respectively. All students are in Mrs. Boisvert’s class at Tomahawk Elementary.
2-3 category winners include: Jenna Peterson, Morgan Webb, and Kinsley Young. These students won first, second, and third places, respectively. All students are in Mrs. Thompson’s class at Trinity Merrill Lutheran School.
Grades 7-9 category winners include: Jayda Nowak, Amarianna McCutcheon, and Danica Lipke. These students won first, second, and third places, respectively. All students are in Ms. Wagenaar’s art class at the Merrill High School.
Grades 10-12 category winners include: Sebastian Doering, Aaron Alloway, and Kaytlyn Hulke. These students won first, second, and third places, respectively. All students are in Ms. Wagenaar’s art class at the Merrill High School.
At 5:35 p.m. on February 20, 2023, police received a report of an accident where the driver hit two vehicles and ran his vehicle into a street sign.
The driver of the striking vehicle fled the scene.
Later, an adult male came to the scene and stated that he was the driver of the vehicle, and he had been drinking. Witnesses stated the male claiming to be the driver was not the driver. Officers were able to locate the driver based on witness statements.
One adult male was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated 7th Offense.
Three Loggers are headed to the state wrestling competition on Thursday, February 23, 2023 through Saturday, February 25, 2023. James Bruhn received third place at Sectionals while Brandon Sommers and Journee Wood each took first place at Sectionals, advancing all of them to State competition. Good luck, Loggers!
Updated 2/26/23:
Submitted photo.
The state competition was held in Madison, and Brandon Sommers got a pin on his first match and took fifth place overall.
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Submitted photo taken of David and Kaylee shortly before the tragic accident.
On Saturday, February 11, 2023, David Kohlmeier and his daughter, Kaylee Lorraine Hamann Kohlmeier, set out to have a fun day of snowmobiling. They stopped by their friends, the Klismets, visited for a bit, and then set back out on the trails. Not long after, a day of fun turned into a day of tragedy when their snowmobile hit a tree.
David was taken to the hospital via ambulance. Kaylee was med-flighted to the emergency room in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the next day, the worst came true. Although Kaylee was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, the injuries she sustained meant that she would not survive. Kaylee passed on with her parents and extended family present to say good-bye. All this was happening to Kaylee while her dad, David, was in-between surgeries for his injuries.
David, having completed his second surgery and still in the hospital, has a lot of physical healing to do but an even greater amount of emotional healing, his sister, Kimberly Borman, shared. He will need to undergo more surgeries and will be off work for an extended period of time. The very next step in the healing process is Kaylee's funeral.
Her funeral will be at Peace Lutheran Church in Park Falls on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Friends and family may gather for a visitation from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., which will be the hour of service. Rev. Samuel Morsching will be the officiant. Attendees are asked to wear pink, purple, or something sparkly in honor and memory of Kaylee, as pink and purple were her favorite colors. For those who would like to help with David's expenses and Kaylee's funeral expenses, a Go Fund Me donation page has been established. Click here to donate to the official page for this tragic accident.
A future celebration of life and interment will take place on July 4, 2023, Kaylee's birthday.
How appropriate that Kaylee was born on the 4th of July. Her family states, "She lit up every room with her infectious smile and giggles, and she spread joy to all of those around her." She is described as having been "a compassionate child who had a great sense of humor with a sprinkle of sass."
Kaylee fully enjoyed life. She loved playing with her dogs, Izzy and Abby. She also loved to spend time in nature, enjoying riding her bike, grouse hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and UTV riding.
Even though she enjoyed the outdoors, Kaylee was a girly girl who loved her baby dolls and stuffies.
A second grader at Chequamegon Elementary School, Kaylee enjoyed spending time with her classmates and her teachers. Her favorite subjects were art and reading. She especially liked to read to her grandmother, Sharon Kohlmeier.
A helper by nature, Kaylee was always willing to chip in with chores or help out in the garden and kitchen. She loved to be surrounded by her family.
Submitted photo of David and Kaylee.
Kaylee is survived by her father, David Kohlmeier; mother, Jamie Boomgard; siblings, Jensen Edward Poncek, Adeline Rose Miesbauer, Mackenzie Renee Miesbauer, and Kathryn Louise Miesbauer; paternal grandmother, Sharon Kohlmeier; maternal grandparents, Mary and Billy Joyce; along with aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, Marvin Hamann; paternal great grandparents, Wally and Edna Hamann; uncle, Michael Hamann; and great-uncle, Bruce Hulke.
To learn more information about the tragic accident, click here.
Thursday, February 16, 2023 was a special night in Abbotsford as the girls' Loggers basketball team celebrated another Marawood North conference championship, and Kacy Eggebrecht joined the 1,000 point club in a dominant 75-39 victory over the Falcons (12-9).
The Loggers earned a share of the conference championship with the Athens Bluejays. The win was Phillips' 38th straight against Marawood North conference foes.
Meanwhile, Eggebrecht came into the contest with 998 career points. Not surprisingly, Kacy needed little time and effort to reach the milestone when she connected on her first shot attempt; a corner 3-pointer at the 16:03 mark of the first half.
Eggebrecht became just the fifth girl in Loggers history to reach the 1,000 point milestone. The junior guard finished with 21 points on the evening, while her backcourt partner Mataya Eckert led all scorers with 24.
Eckert was responsible for 18 first half points, which helped the Loggers race out to a 43-17 lead at halftime. Eight Loggers would score on Thursday night.
The win improves the Loggers record to 20-3 overall and concludes the regular season.
Phillips earned a #1 seed in the playoffs, which begin next week. The girls will play next Friday, February 24, 2023 against the winner of a regional quarterfinal matchup between Boyceville (10-11) and Chetek-Weyerhaeuser (9-12). Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. If the girls win next Friday, they will host the regional final the following day. Game time will be 7 p.m. for that contest, as well.
Let's pack the stands and support the girls in their quest for more hardware!
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Reports received by the police departments in Price County for the month have been condensed and summarized.
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PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
1-1-23: A man reported a man walking in Prentice on the roadway. He had fallen, hit his head, and was knocked unconscious, but the man appeared to be waking up.
1-2-23: A man reported that eight to ten military men in white uniforms were at his property. He said he attempted to talk with them, but they ran away. He could not see any weapons or what they were doing. The man said he is diabetic but felt fine.
1-4-23: A man reported hitting the guardrail on the west side of the south bound lane on Hwy. 13 near US Hwy. 8 in Prentice. He stated he was driving about 10 MPH and there was no damage to his vehicle or the guardrail.
1-5-23: A man called to report another man was walking around Phillips without any pants on. He did not think the person appeared to be injured.
1-6-23: A gas station in Fifield reported they found refuse items in their bathroom.
1-6-23: A man was helping a woman get her vehicle unstuck. Another man offered to help, the woman said his help was not needed, and he began yelling profanities at her.
1-6-23: A woman reported an SUV on its side with its air bags deployed in the Township of Emery. No one was in the vehicle.
1-7-23: A man called to report a snowmobile accident, but he was not at the accident scene. The male driver of the snowmobile had hit his head and was alert and conscious.
1-7-23: A Catawba man reported his wife slapped a plate of food out of his hand and the plate hit him in the face. He called before things escalated.
1-9-23: A woman reported a stray dog jumped into her daughter's car, so her daughter drove it to the Sheriff's Office.
1-10-23: A man with a California number called a local car repair shop to have a vehicle towed from a residence. When the tow truck arrived, the man said he would be there shortly and advised the tow truck driver to knock on the door and kick the lady out. The tow truck driver found the situation odd and he left the scene.
1-11-23: The medical center requested a welfare check on a Town of Worcester woman who said she was having troubles with her neighbors with lots of commotion on her road. The woman told the medical center she had gone outside during the incident and fired a handgun at one of the neighbors and she stated next time she would use a rifle. A doctor talked to the woman's son about the incident. Past contacts showed similar complaints regarding commotion on the woman's road and issues with neighbors.
1-13-23: A woman reported a rollover accident on the south end of Phillips.
1-13-23: An Ogema man reported a vehicle struck his fence and caused damage. The unoccupied vehicle was still there.
1-13-23: Park Falls Police reported that, while attempting to pull over a vehicle, it would not stop, and an officer was in pursuit of the vehicle.
1-14-23: A two vehicle accident occurred in Park Falls. There were no injuries.
1-14-23: A man reported a fight at a business in Phillips. One individual involved was an employee and the other left on foot.
1-16-23: A man called to report being threatened over the phone. Some of his female friends came into the bar where he works and they drank on January 7, 2023. One of them got very intoxicated and urinated and vomited on his floor. The female's father called the man on January 16th, threatening to come to the establishment and take the man out. The father accused the man of putting drugs in his daughter's drink.
1-18-23: A beer truck reportedly passed a school bus that was stopped with its flashing lights on. On 1-23-23, a pulp truck did the same thing to the same driver.
1-19-23: A woman reported her daughter was missing. Her daughter had walked the dog but did not return. The mother found the dog walking without its leash. The mother called back shortly thereafter to state the daughter had been found.
1-19-23: A snow plow reported backing into a vehicle that was traveling on the roadway causing significant damage to the vehicle.
1-21-23: A snowmobile accident, with no injuries, was reported on Solberg Lake.
1-24-23: A man reported seeing a two vehicle accident in his rearview mirror. He did not stop and did not know of any injuries.
1-26-23: A Fifield woman reported that her son has nearly gotten hit trying to cross the highway because vehicles are not stopping when he is getting off the bus even though the stop sign is out and the lights on the bus are flashing.
1-29-23: A Park Falls man reported a snowmobile on fire outside his residence. There were no injuries.
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PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT
1-5-23: On Flambeau Avenue near Beebe Street, a man was seen with his pants down. Officers arrived on scene and the man got in a squad car to warm up. He was transported to the medical center for evaluation.
1-7-23: Assisted the Central Price County Ambulance Service with an elderly female who had fallen in her bathroom and had a large laceration to her head. The officer assisted EMS with controlling the bleeding and loading the patient into the ambulance.
1-9-23: Received a report of a suspicious male at a laundromat. An officer spoke with the male and advised him that he could not stay at the laundromat.
1-10-23: Responded to an EMS call at a local business to assist with an adult male who had a seizure and hit his head and was bleeding. The patient was transported to the medical center.
1-11-23: Assisted the Central Price County Ambulance Service with a female adult who was having trouble breathing and was retaining water. Officers stood by until the Park Falls Ambulance arrived as the Central Price County Ambulance Service was on a call and their second ambulance was broken down.
1-11-23: Responded to a report of a two car motor vehicle collision with no injuries which occurred on Ash Street near Victoria Street in the City of Phillips.
1-12-23: Responded to an uncontrollable child on a school bus. The parent of the child was able to remove the child from the bus. An officer spoke with the mother and child about the incident.
1-13-23: Received a complaint from the City of Phillips water management regarding individuals taking city water without permission.
1-13-23: Assisted the Price County Sheriff's Department with a search warrant in the City of Phillips. One male and one female were arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both individuals were brought to the Price County Jail for booking.
1-13-23: Advised by a local school district that a student was suspected to be consuming an intoxicant from his vehicle between classes. An officer located the vehicle and observed a bottle within the vehicle.
The bottle was recovered at the request of a school representative. The student was issued a citation.
1-14-23: Responded to a report of an unconscious female adult in the City of Phillips.
1-23-23: Responded to a report of a two vehicle crash with no injuries which occurred in the City of Phillips on Flambeau Avenue near First Street.
1-24-23: Received information of a possible child sex crime that occurred in the City of Phillips. An investigation is pending.
1-25-23: Received a complaint from the Price County Sheriff's Department, which reported an occupant of a vehicle was taking pictures of a county worker's vehicle. An officer received the license plate of the suspected vehicle and was able to make contact with two occupants of the vehicle in the City of Phillips. The female occupant advised she thought the vehicle belonged to an ex-boyfriend who was stalking her. The officer advised the female it was not the same vehicle and interviewed her about her current situation.
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PARK FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT
1-2-23: Report of snowmobiles on the side of Hwy. 182 near the nursing home. Operators were lying in a snowbank and a crash was believed to have occurred. Upon arrival, it was found no one was injured and there was no crash. One snowmobile was inoperable. One operator was cited for an unregistered snowmobile.
1-5-23: Conducted a welfare check on a man living in a tent in Hines Park.
1-5-23: Responded for an active domestic abuse incident involving a weapon. Officers arrived on scene and investigated the matter. One female subject was transported to the medical center for medical and mental health evaluation.
1-8-23: Received a report of a large altercation involving gunshots at a bar. The report of gunshots was unfounded.
1-8-23: An officer located two subjects standing off with each other on Division Street near 4th Avenue. One of the subjects was from the earlier altercation at the bar. Officers intervened before a physical fight could occur.
1-12-23: Received a report that an unknown person had drank liquor from a bottle while in the grocery store and walked out without paying for it. Photographs and videos were used to attempt to identify the person.
1-13-23: Attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle operating without any lights on. Officers pursued the vehicle, but the vehicle did not stop. The driver then eluded police on foot. After investigation, the male driver was located and taken into custody. The male was later transported to the Price County Jail for numerous criminal charges.
1-14-23: A woman reported a man standing at front door ringing the doorbell for 15 minutes.
1-16-23: Old appliances, TVs, furniture, and yard waste were noted in a yard by an officer who spoke with the homeowner and will check back with the homeowners on 1/30/23.
1-23-23: A woman reported hearing individuals in an apartment complex where she is the only tenant as everyone else had been evicted. On two occasions, she has heard people in the downstairs apartments.
1-25-23: Received multiple reports of a young child, approximately 3 to 4 years of age, walking west on the sidewalk along Hwy. 182. The child was described as wearing a pink jacket with a pink backpack. The child was located and brought to the elementary school for positive identification and parent contact information. Parents were contacted and Price County Human Services was notified.
1-28-23: Attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a suspect vehicle. Officers pursued the vehicle, which did not stop. Upon investigation, the driver was found to be from Mexico and was driving without a valid license.
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Some people were reporting seeing fire, very high flames, or a bright glow on the south side of Park Falls on the night of Valentine's Day. The flames and light in the sky are coming from the area by the Hwy. 13 bridge and Lower Dam Road, according to the Park Falls Police Department.
This was and is not a structure fire. Rather, a gas company is providing maintenance in that area, which will continue through Friday, February 17, 2023.
Residents will hear noise and see large flames at times. There will also be some flare-ups and a bright glow, through the day and night, until maintenance is complete.
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN PRICE COUNTY: Park Village offers affordable, active living in a park-like setting for those 55+ and disabled persons in Park Falls. Rent is based on 30% Adjusted Gross Income. Small pets under 30 pounds are welcome. Contact Park Village at 715-762-4747.
