7-11-73
A president and vice-president will be elected when the Merrill School Board meets tonight. Darrell Hulke, the School Board president, announced his resignation recently as he is moving to LaCrosse for work reasons. Miss Vivian Borchardt will begin her duties tonight on the Board, she replaces Harold Schenzel, who retired from the board.
Mayor Ralph Voigt is threatening to go to the governor’s office over the city’s concerns about a potential landfill. The DNR is refusing to grant the city a license for a new landfill site and according to city engineer Charles Pierotti, the sixth ward site is rapidly filling up. The DNR favors a location on US Hwy 51 at County Rd H. City Clerk Robert Klug announced at the council meeting that the city had received its final revenue sharing check for the year totaling over $68,000.
Fun is on the agenda this week at St. Francis Catholic Church. Greg Kretschmer, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kretschmer, is pictured assembling a booth for the annual church carnival this weekend. The event will be held on the church grounds and will feature Father Kapoun, the Polka Padre and his Ambassadors, along with rides, booths, a bake sale and auction, and a chicken and ham dinner on Sunday.
7-13-83
Page one is filled with pictures of the hottest fiddle in country music as Charlie Daniels played to a crowd estimated at between 4,500 and 5,000 people Saturday at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds. Local police reported few problems and said the crowd was well behaved with the exception of one person who was arrested for disorderly conduct. The event was put on by the Merrill Jaycees and the Merrill Centennial Committee.
How much should a city alderman get paid for their work was the question that remains unanswered after Tuesday night’s common council meeting. The council chose to delay action on a proposal to increase the monthly salary of an alderman from $125 to $225. The proposal also allows the finance committee members to receive $25 per meeting when negotiating labor contracts and loss of time pay if the meetings are held during the work day. Alderwoman Anita Gebert won favor with the board for deleting a portion of the ordinance which would have allowed a $25 per month car allowance. That deletion was approved unanimously. The item will now be held until at least the August meeting for consideration.
Thelma’s was the tops of the Major League softball this year. The team slipped by Church Mutual 15-14 to preserve the undefeated record of 15 games this year. Team members include: Heidi Hershey, Ginger Bonnell, Becca Bonnell, Shannon Johnson, Kim Burrow, Amy Baumann, Becky Schultz, Becky Woller, Jessica Corroo, Kelly Anderson, Stephanie Schulz, Krista Reindl, Sharon Jolly, Carrie Vandre, and Holly Haxton. They are pictured along with their coaches Mary Huss and Steve Schulz.
7-14-93
It is a sure bet that everyone in downtown Merrill will soon miss the soda fountain at Nelson’s Drug and Photo which served its last milk shake last week after more than 30 years in business. In a full page story on page 23 Phyllis Nelson explains she learned the pharmacy business by working for her dad at his pharmacy since seventh grade, so it was a an easy transition when her husband Bud found a store in Merrill owned by Gene and Alma Wiss. The store sat at 800 E. 1st St. for many years before moving across the street into the newly constructed building in 1980. But after 12 years in the new building, Bud died. With no buyer to be found for the business, Phyllis sold the pharmacy portion to Gary Schulze of Snyder Drug Store. The soda counter, which the Nelsons chiseled the gum off the bottom twice a year, is unique. It is believed to be one of two still remaining in drug stores in Wisconsin. Phyllis Nelson said for now she will hang onto the fixtures from the soda fountain but is looking for a buyer. (I sometimes wonder what happened to that fixture of First St where according to Bud I used too much ketchup on my French fries)
The fair is just a week away and the paper is filled with stories about all of the activities the local 4H groups are involved in. This year’s hosts and hostesses for the fair are: Adam Paulus, Jenni Christiansen, Molly Gruetzmacher, and Jenny Schleif.