Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr.
3-24-76
Plans have been finalized for the recognition dinner for State Senator Clifford “Tiny” Krueger this Sunday evening at Lincoln Lanes. Melvin R. Laird, former Seventh District Congressman and Secretary of Defense will be the guest speaker according to dinner chairman James T. Rogers. Laird is a native of Marshfield and was elected to the State Senate along with Krueger in 1946. Tickets for the event are available from Rogers at his office at 120 S. Mill St. or from any of the following: Schalow’s Prescription Center, Nelson’s Rexall Drug Store, Fowlers Drug Store, or Schulze’s Pharmacy, all of Merrill.
A horrific accident outside of Tomahawk has led to the county’s first traffic fatality of the year. The crash was reported on US Hwy. 51 at State Rd. 91 this past week and involved two cars and 13 people who were injured. The victim was a six-year-old girl from Ironwood, Mich. County traffic coordinator Norm Heideman reported that 26 accidents occurred this past February compared to 22 in February of 1975. Weather was the cause of most of those crashes according to Heideman, with speed being the second leading cause.
Looking for something to do this weekend? Club Modern has a daily special of Alaskan crab legs, Les & Jim’s will have the music of Ram Rock on Friday with admission only $1.75. The Eagle’s Club will have a flea market on Sunday. The band the Fugitives will play at the Village Tap. Riverside Club has a 16oz lobster dinner special for only $7.50; Hinz’s Cork and Dyne has prime rib and Roast Island duck dinners on Saturday. At Corning Bar the smorgasbord is only $2.95 on Sunday, Saturday specials are two lobster tails for $6.50 or filet mignon for $4.50. On Thursday you can get a 16oz T-bone steak for $3.95. At the Cosmo you can see the work of Mel Brooks in “Blazing Saddles,” two shows at 7:00 and 9:00.
3-26-86
Voters will find plenty of names on the spring ballot next Tuesday and the front page is highlighting some of the county contests. Three county board members have opted not to run, ninth district supervisor Ewald Katke is returning to his Pine River dairy farm full time, Paul Garner of the 18th district is running for the newly created clerk/treasurer post in Tomahawk, and 12th district supervisor Ernest Townsend is retiring from the board. Don Daenicke has no opposition to take Garner’s seat, but Jane Annis and Ken Oldenburg, the survivors of a three-way primary to replace Townsend, will again face Henry Prueser who was knocked out in the primary but is running as a write-in candidate. Ninth district incumbent William Dexter will face opposition from Norbert Doering, Nicholas Hoffman, and William Meyer for the district’s two seats on the board. Former Town of Schley chair and dairy farmer Eugene Essert has joined that crowded field as a write-in candidate. In other races, DeLyle Bohse will face Gordon Schroeder in the fifth district, Eugene Schmit faces Al Wendland in the 13th, and George Griffin is challenged by Erv Leverenz in the 16th.
Looking for a place to dine on Easter? Local businesses fill the Entertainment page with offers this Sunday. The Legion Lounge has a menu ranging from ham for $2.85 to prime rib for $6.95. The adult price for a buffet at Club Modern is $5.25 which includes ham, chicken and tips. Skippers will be open on Easter Sunday starting at 8 a.m. with Ardie’s famous Easter dinner being served until 2 p.m. The Fairway Supper Club located at the Merrill Golf Course has a buffet for $6.95, children are only $3.50. At the Lincoln House Restaurant and Lounge you will find an Easter dinner from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., reservations are accepted. At the Kozy Korner $2.50 will get you steak and eggs on Easter Sunday morning. The Country Way has its buffet on Sunday and the Music Men playing Sunday evening. Looking to travel? Jim’s Spirit Lake Tavern in Rib Lake has an Easter buffet for only $4.95 that even has spaghetti and meatballs. If something lighter is on your mind Cal’s Chips Restaurant will be open until 8 p.m. on Easter and will have .39 burgers and .49 cheeseburger, and ice cream sundaes are only .79 all day. Neil Zunker is playing at the Moose starting at two on Sunday while Schmidt’s has Karl and the Country Dutchman. Hardee’s will be open all day on Sunday and their breakfast specials include biscuits for only .69.
Other specials this week in the paper, Green’s Flower Shop is offering specials on all their Easter decorations while Caylor’s has a big special on paint and carpeting for those doing a little spring cleaning. United Station on North Center Avenue is turning it up in the video wars: if you rent 10 VHS tapes your next one is free, fill up your $100 gas purchase card and get a free rental as well. Estelle’s House of Fashion has spring dresses anywhere from 15 to 50% off. Bill’s House of Guns is offering their annual spring reloading sale. If spring sports are on your mind, In Step Shoe Store has you covered with the latest in tennis, baseball and track shoes all on special with a 15% discount for local kids on a sports team. Want to just get away? Viking Travel has airline specials ranging from St. Louis for $78 to New York or Denver for $138.
3-27-96
Merrill soon will be all rerouted as the state begins the replacement of the Center Avenue Bridge. It is estimated the bridge will be closed from April 15 through October 15 and along with the detours additional road construction will bring limited travel to the hospital area and points south. Riverside Avenue is currently getting a second layer of blacktop so it can handle the additional traffic created by the closure of the Center Avenue Bridge. South Center Avenue from the bridge to O’Day Street will also be redone with limited traffic patterns throughout the process. The stretch from O’Day Street to Joe Snow Road may take longer to repair and repave and that area may be limited to traffic until August. The Merrill Go Round is requiring at least an hour’s notice for those looking for rides to medical appointments on the south side of the bridge.
Spring elections results are told on page one. The four spots on the Merrill School Board will be filled by Gail Rogers, Martha Sandholm, Joe Fink, and Pat Weber. On the County Board, challenger Eugene Mootz defeated incumbent Eugene Sense in district 11, and Laurence Blomberg knocked out incumbent Helen Kenney in the 18th district. In district 4, Melissa Schroeder held on to defeat challenger Emily Pfingsten, and in the district next door, Gordon Schroeder survived a write-in challenge from Frank Saal Jr. District 10 supervisor Dave Book defeated former Sheriff Harvey Woodward, and Butsy Mosser retained his seat holding back challenger Al Wendland and write-in challenger Guy Schweigert. In the only contested city races, Kurt Helmstadter defeated Goldie Touchette for the third ward aldermanic seat, and in the eighth ward Mike Wahoske defeated Bubsy Johnson. John Rose is the new mayor of Tomahawk, and Bob Dole took the county vote to be on the Republican ticket to face incumbent President Bill Clinton in November.