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Candidates continue to come forward with the upcoming spring election including incumbent Mayor Ralph “Fata” Voigt. Voigt announced last Wednesday he would once again seek the office he has held since 1960. Voigt served in the armed forces during World War II, entering into the Army in 1942 as a private and being discharged as a first lieutenant after serving as an assistant adjutant with military government units in Germany. Also seeking re-election is City Clerk Robert Klug. Klug was first elected to the post in 1960 and also serves as City Comptroller, Assessor, Personnel Officer, Purchasing Agent, and is a member of the city’s insurance committee. He is the project manager for Dial-A-Bus and the bookkeeper for the Water and Sewage Utility. Klug and his wife Dorothy have seven children and seven grandchildren.
Merrill Jaycee President David Burbach announced today that the latest Jaycee Radio Day on WJMT has already sold out and the organization has given the city the OK to order a new rescue van to be paid for from the revenue. The Jaycees will take over the local radio station on January 19 with its members doing the announcing; the revenue from the advertising will pay for the new van which will replace the 1962 model van which is outdated and too small to meet the department’s needs. The rescue van responds primarily to traffic and water accidents. It is radio equipped and carries the department’s cutting torches, 10-ton jack, resuscitator, stretcher, and other rescue equipment.
Sheriff Robert Bassett announced the appointment of Richard Pickett as a deputy sheriff. Pickett will fill the post created last week by the county board. The full time deputy was hired to perform the duties formerly handled by the part time deputies, including filling in for vacations and sick leave. Picket was working as a patrol officer for the Tomahawk Police Department prior to the appointment. Also in local law news, Dan Caylor officially began serving as a patrol officer for the City of Merrill this week. He takes the place of Elmer Kleinschmidt who will retire this spring.
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Richard J. Swanson, the Tomahawk man convicted of killing Ruth Tiffany in her Town of Merrill home late last year, has been sent to prison for life. Swanson is pictured being led from the Lincoln County Court this past week where Judge Nolan sentenced him to life in prison after he pled guilty to the charge of first degree murder. He will be eligible for parole in 1995.
Candidates for local offices continue to come forward including Dick Hayes who is seeking a third term on the Merrill City Council representing district one. Vivian Borchardt who previously sat on the school board from 1971 to 1982 has returned to Merrill after caring for her ailing brother and once again seeks to re-join the board. Elmer Kahre of the Town of Pine River also served on the board and is seeking his second consecutive term. He is a dairy farmer and former salesmen in the farm industry. Diane Mikkelson, a member of the board since 1979 and its current president, is also seeking another term. On the County Board side, Bob Sumnicht is seeking a full term in office representing district one; he was appointed to that seat in 1983. Harry Osness, who represents the fourth district, is seeking his fourth consecutive term and sixth overall. Osness is the chair of the Public Property committee, and he and his wife Betty are members of St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ. Ferdinand Ollhoff is seeking the district 10 seat. He is the former director of the Langlade and Marathon County ASCS Office, and he too is a member of St. Stephen’s.
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City Attorney Jim Godlewski is pleased to announce over $10,000 in fines have been completely cleared up and another $2,700 has been paid towards a remaining balance of $11,791 in outstanding fines. The Foto News began publishing the names of local people with outstanding fines in the Merrill Municipal Court late last year in an effort to clear up the past due amounts.
NAPA Auto Parts informs their customers they have officially moved now. They can be found two doors down now in the former Spurgeon’s building.
There are bargains throughout this week’s paper including: Pisces Pets in downtown Merrill has parakeets for $4.99 and finches for $2.99; Hugo’s is celebrating its first anniversary with a lasagna dinner for $3.95 or two 12” pizza’s for $8.95. Cheeser’s Pizza has a Tuesday night special of a 7” one topping pizza for $1.50; Club 107 will have “Sound Express” after the Ice Drags this Saturday; Pine Ridge Restaurant is featuring all you can eat pancakes for .94 cents all month long; and the Good Samaritan Health Center Foundation will have the Merrill Community Talent Review at the high school auditorium on Feb 5.