5-2-73
Students from Merrill and Tomahawk high schools took over county government yesterday in the annual County Government Day. The event is held in cooperation with Edward Burns Post 46. Student government heads elected by their peers included: Judge, Jack Taylor; District Attorney, Jeff Hinz; Sheriff, Don Boquist; County Clerk, Noeline Ellis; Register of Deeds, Bruce Muchinske; County Treasurer, Chuck Liberty; Clerk of Court, Georgia Minton; Surveyor, Steve Schleif; and Coroner, Rick Stine.
The newly formed Lady Knights installed their officers this past week, president Lila Duginski; vice president Judy Olson; secretary Barb Carlson; treasurer Marge Bauer and board member Beatrice Proulx. The installation ceremony was compiled by Phyllis Chilsen and Sally Weix.
Holy Cross Hospital is joining over 7,000 hospitals nationwide in celebrating National Hospital Week. The health care provider employs 190 people at its facility and enjoys the service of many volunteers. Due to construction and remodeling at the hospital there will be no tours this year as in years past. Donations being made to the hospital are pictured this week, including Mrs. Donald Schnabel president of the hospital auxiliary presenting a check to hospital president Sister Jeanne Marie Braun. The money will be used to finance furniture in the first floor waiting room. Mrs. Reinhold Lenz and Mrs. Lloyd Knope are shown with nurse Grace Meagher as the Beta Eta Chapter of Beta Sigma Sorority donates toys and furniture to the children’s play area. The gifts were donated in memory of Urban Kraemer, a former Junior High teacher whose wife Katherine is a member of the sorority.
5-4-83
Dan Woller of the Merrill Cable TV Committee is advising residents of a change in their local programming. Beginning Wednesday, NBC network programming can only be viewed on channel 12, the Rhinelander affiliate. Previously the shows were duplicated on channel 13 WEAU from Eau Claire. Now that WLUK channel 11 of Green Bay has switched to an NBC affiliate, channel 12 has requested to be the exclusive provider of NBC programming in the area. As of July 1, WLUK will be removed from the Merrill Warner Cable system in favor of the Cable Health Network.
Mother’s Day specials are found throughout this week’s paper. Village Hardware & Variety in Gleason has housewares, sewing notions, hair care and greeting cards; Marion’s Silk Flower Boutique has custom designs including centerpieces, wall hangings, and silk plants. Caylor’s has lamps starting at $14.99, a swing rocker for $199.99 or a swivel rocker for just $169. If you wish to treat mom this weekend, Club Modern has a buffet on Sunday for $4.75 per person, Kozy Korner will be open until two on Sunday serving roast beef and ham, Stueber’s Country Way has a buffet for $4.95, and the Trinity Men’s Club will have a sirloin beef dinner Sunday starting at 11:30 a.m. at the school.
Two area residents were honored recently. Lorraine Muschinske was awarded the Liberty Bell by the Lincoln County Branch of the Legal Auxiliary of Wisconsin. Muschinske was recognized for her work as an educator for the last 32 years along with helping to establish a Senior Citizen’s Day in Wisconsin and being on the time capsule committee for the Merrill Centennial. Pictured with Muschinske as she receives her award are Brian Arndorfer, chairman of the Law Day activities, Judge J. Michael Nolan and Pam Nickel, chairman of the Legal Auxiliary of Lincoln County. Louis Tesch has called it quits as supervisor for the Town of Harding after 50 years of service. Tesch was recently recognized by the town after he opted not to run in the spring election. When Tesch, 79, began as a supervisor, axes and horses were used to cut paths in roads, something Tesch did more than once during his years of service.
4-28-93
Stop signs will be installed at six out of nine railroad crossings north of Merrill after a study by the state traffic commissioner. A petition was sent to the state, after a crash at the North Star crossing which left four teenagers injured and one dead, to install flashing lights at all nine crossings in the Town of Merrill. A traffic study showed an average weekday traffic count of 327 vehicles at the crossing making it one the busiest of those surveyed, but only one crash had been reported there in the last five years. The Schulz Spur crossing was also passed over for lights; five people were killed at that crossing in a crash there. Since then stop signs were erected and no crashes have occurred.
Local interest in last week’s school board meeting prompted the meeting to be moved to the junior high cafeteria. A reassignment of principals is causing a stir after it was announced Ken Bashara will move from Lincoln School to Maple Grove School, Mark Jahnke will move from half time principal at Franklin School and Maple Grove to half time between Franklin and Lincoln Schools. Pine River principal Don Viegut will leave Pine River School and become the School-To-Work Director out of the high school, Paul Klippel will now split his time between Midway School and Pine River. Other concerns brought out at the meeting were an objection from parents to move former Scott School students back to Scott School as a part of a combination fifth and sixth grade, and the board’s decision not to fund the replacement of band uniforms with excess from the previous budget.
The former city hall located on E. 2nd Street in Merrill has officially been cleared for occupancy. Sixteen apartments were created in the once dormant building and all but four have already been rented out. Pictured giving a final inspection are Ken Brewington of E&E Services, Darin Pagel building inspector for the City of Merrill, and Fire Chief Harvey Emanuel.