2-21-73
Although they remain in their jobs the issue of Chief Deputy Sheriff Harvey Woodward and Deputy Theodore Cortazzo just won’t go away. On Tuesday Lincoln County Board Chairman Patrick Nugent ruled out a request from the Law Enforcement Committee to hold an advisory referendum asking county residents if they want the pair to keep their jobs. District Attorney Dennis Montabon and a representative from the Attorney General’s office pointed out that such a referendum was against state law. Woodward and Cortazzo were reinstated after a dispute with the former sheriff who was defeated in the November election. In other law enforcement news the board approved a resolution raising the reimbursement rate to the sheriff $1.10 per meal served to inmates. They also reimbursed Sheriff Robert Bassett for the money he spent out of his own pocket to feed the inmates and to pay the cook this past month.
A nearly full page ad introduces Merrill to its “newest and finest” venue for dining and entertainment, the Fin N Feather. The restaurant is located in the basement of the Lincoln House and features a full menu including lobster Newburg $5.95, shishkabob flambe $4.25, frog legs $3.95, giant prawns $4.75, Alaskan king crab $4.95, Alaskan rock lobster. $5.95 or a T-bone steak for $5.50. Bubbly hour is from 4-6 p.m. and offers cocktails for .50. The ad also reminds diners “a dinner without wine is like a day without sunshine.”
The season record ninth win continues to elude the Merrill Blue Jay boys’ basketball team who fell to Stevens Point Friday by a score of 72-61. The boys will host the Antigo Red Robins this Friday in the final game of the season. The Jays were beaten by Antigo in December despite a 12 point half time lead. Don Kerr is watching for 6’3″ Jeff Lund to be a major factor in the game for Antigo.
2-23-83
A public hearing will be held March 3rd for a proposed comprehensive plan for Merrill’s future development. Suggestions include major improvements in the downtown shopping area, redirecting zoning for industrial areas. Members of the committee include Les Bares, Tim Sandholm, Don Koll, Shirley Benzinger, Jerry Boettcher, Dave Detjens, Tom Geiger, Don Heller, Beryl Lewinnek, Dave Mootz, Dieter Nickel, Jean Rogers, Frank Roskos, Rita Ruge, Roger Short, Bill Vandehey, George Wanless, and Bill Wulf.
Merrill Mayor Richard Holt is pictured with Dennis Graap as the Merrill Eagle’s Club begins yet another bowlathon for “Jimmy Durante’s Crippled Children Fund.” The Wisconsin Rapid’s Eagles also participated in the event which raised close to $800 for the fund. Last year Merrill ranked sixth in the nation for raising benefits for the Crippled Children’s Fund. As a result the National Eagles organization gave the local group $1,000 to use at the local Special Olympics.
It is official – the girls in Merrill are perfect. The Merrill Blue Jay girls basketball team is headed to the play offs with a perfect 18-0 record. The Jays defeated Stevens Point last Friday 64-42 to cap its regular season schedule and earn its second straight trip to the WIAA State Tournament with a regional tournament in Wausau on Thursday. Janet Fruend, Jan Wickman, Julie Sazma, and Lisa Bonnell all shared the top scoring spot with each girl scoring 12 points in the contest. The Jays are ranked second in the state in the UPI poll and will take on Wausau East at Wausau West Thursday night.
2-17-93
The list of possible locations of the proposed elementary school has been narrowed from fifteen to five. At a public hearing the board of education invited district residents to cast votes for their favored location. The leading contender is the Zimmerman farm which is located north of St. Francis Catholic Church off of West 10thStreet. Attorney Jay Tlusty noted there are issues with this site including wetlands and at least one property owner who has indicated he is not willing to sell to the district. In other school news the board decided not to implement the all-day kindergarten for the 1993-1994 school year. Plans called for the two-year pilot program to be conducted out of Midway and Maple Grove Schools.
For just over a month now Merrill has been getting used to the taste of Hugo Ledin, a pizza maker who started his restaurant in Ashland 35 years ago. Hugo’s son Frank carried on the tradition and now Frank’s daughter Colleen Bostrom has carried on the tradition and brought Hugo’s Pizza to Merrill. The restaurant opened on Jan. 11, on the site of the former Woller Construction office on East Main Street. Although the Merrill location has no dine-in capability Bostrom hopes to add it in the future. For now take-out and delivery are the only option for Merrill customers. Prior to opening Hugo’s, Bostrom worked for Brose’s in Merrill where she met many friendly people helping make Merrill her new home.
The Merrill Blue Jay wrestling team scored big at sectionals this past week and will send 12 out of 13 wrestlers to regionals at D. C. Everest Saturday. The Jays grabbed five titles along the way along with four runner-up finishes and two thirds and a fourth. The Jays wrestled so well they out distanced their nearest by almost doubling the distance in points by scoring 200 1/2. Champions were P. J. Steinbeck, Bob Weix, Jess Koch, Jim Weix, and Adam Christensen.