Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr.
2-18-76
Voters have narrowed the candidates for the spring election for county supervisor. David Morevec was the top vote getter in the 8th District, he will face local grocery store owner Melvin Peterson in April; LeRoy Degner, who recently retired from the Sheriff’s Office came in third. In the 16th District, Floyd Lemon drew nearly double the votes of his two opponents leaving Patrick Buick to face Lemon on the ballot as Andrew Fehr came in third. In other county news, the county board ratified a new labor agreement with the deputies union. All deputies will get a $55 per month raise and a $50 a year uniform allowance which will slowly increase to $150. The board authorized District Attorney Dennis Montabon to appoint Corporation Counsel John Smith as assistant district attorney for the prosecution of paternity matters allowing the DA to attend to his normal duties. The board also approved increasing the fee for ambulance runs to $40 for residents with a $1 charge for each loaded mile traveled. Oxygen will cost you $10 no matter how far you go.
About 60 people attended a meeting Monday and plans are in place to challenge a recent decision by the Merrill City Council to change the election of school board members to an election by district. Alice F. Krueger was chosen as the group’s chairperson at the meeting. They have retained the services of local attorney J. Michael Nolan. He will investigate if the group will just ask the council to revisit the matter, or instead seek an injunction in the courts to block its implementation.
The Merrill Chamber is sponsoring Dollar Days Savings all throughout town. Advertisers offer the following specials: Caylor’s has men’s corduroy pants for $5.99 and women’s jeans start at $11.99 while a mattress set is only $129 while supplies last. One Hour Cleaners will clean any sport coat for $1. Livingstons has boys’ flannel shirts for $2 and men’s dress shirts for $6. Warner Cable has cable TV for 50% off installation and half price for two months allowing subscribers access to all 11 channels they offer in Merrill. S&L Department store has boys’ sweatshirts starting at $1 and ladies’ shorts at $2. Shar-Way has women’s pant suits at 50% off. Strands has all summer ware on sale. Stieve’s Shoes Store has women’s shoes starting at $3. Badger Paint has $2 off per gallon. Fowler Drug has 10% off storewide. Lincoln TV has a Quasar 12” black and white TV for only $85. The Guy’s Shop is offering 50% off winter jackets. Red Owl is serving up loaves of bread, 4 for $1. Marge’s Style Shop has flannel pajamas for $3.50. Country Sports will sell you a pair of ski poles for $1 if you buy a pair of boots. Hull’s Ben Franklin has a clothing rack that is 50% off. Carl’s Foodlane has Meal Time products by the case for only $4.80. Gooze’s Superette is cutting rib eye steaks for $1.69 a pound. And Merrill House of Music will tune you into a compact stereo with phonograph for only $239.
2-19-86
Newcomer Ralph Sturm led in the polls for the primary election for Street Commissioner yesterday. About 25% of the city’s registered voters went to the polls with the Sixth Ward having the largest turnout at 28%. Sturm totaled 639 votes while Don Hanneman had 432 and Ken Plawman had 306. A look at each ward showed Hanneman and Plawman almost evenly split in some while Sturm bested each opponent in every ward. Sturm and Hanneman will now face off in April for the top job at the street department. In the only contested race on the county side, Jane Annis and Ken Oldenburg will be on the ballot come April for the 12th District county board seat. Annis won 55 of the 63 votes cast in the Town of Birch while Oldenburg and Henry Prueser split the Town of Russell votes 42-36. A recount is possible but Prueser is in the hospital and not available for comment. Jim Wise of Irma in a letter to the editor is issuing a challenge to the two street commissioner candidates, stop talking trash and start talking recycling. Wise is referring to recent action by the council to limit the amount of garbage allowed curbside. Wise feels a city wide recycling program would benefit the city and reduce trash flow to the landfill.
The quest for the Valley title in girls’ basketball came just short this past Saturday as the Merrill Bluejay team lost to rival D.C. Everest in the fieldhouse Saturday night 51-46. Although Merrill started out strong, late game free throw throwing by the Evergreens led to their defeat. Merrill crushed the Rhinelander team on Friday 61-38, but a bid to knock off Everest for a second time did not work out for Coach Bob Yuska’s team. Jolene Hanig was the stand out for the local squad scoring 14 points with Everest Coach Paul Alleckson stating that Hanig would be on his first team all-conference team when he does his voting. The boys’ teams continues to look for a win in the Valley. They lost to D.C. Everest 58-54 on Saturday and to the Hodags 63-48 on Friday. The boys are last in the Valley with a 0-14 record, with a 1-15 overall record. One of their last two chances to win a Valley game comes this Friday in the fieldhouse when the boys take on 11-2 Valley Conference leader Wisconsin Rapids.
Got your tickets? The Wausau West Fieldhouse will be the place to be this Sunday as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band plays their hits. The concert with the 1985 Vocal Group of the Year starts at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door and can be purchased at Merrill House of Music and the Studio Bar in Gleason.
2-14-96
The Merrill Manufacturing Corporation wants to assure its employees and the Merrill community that they are here to stay. President of the company Richard Taylor noted that with all of the recent mill closings lately he wants Merrill to know of their strong commitment. Recently Merrill Manufacturing invested in over a million dollars of new state-of-the-art equipment. An open house over the weekend showed off equipment and allowed the employees to train on it. The company has also taken strides to reduce its pollution as they celebrate the one year anniversary of the installation of a recycling system for their zinc plating waste. Merrill Manufacturing is in its 80th year of operation.
Looking for some place to take that someone special for the Valentine’s Day holiday? Mulligan’s Supper Club has sirloin for two for only $17.95. Diamond Dave’s has a rib special all weekend with a rib and shrimp dinner for $14.95. Harry O’s is featuring tenderloin, shrimp and lobster. The Merrill Evening Lions will have their Valentine’s brunch on Sunday at Lincoln Lanes for just $4.95. The Eagles are having a pancake brunch this Sunday. Time Out Sports Bar has the music from The Edge while Hank’s Old Time Tavern in Gleason has classic rock from Midnight Hour right after the races. The Cosmo has the boys back at it in “Grumpier Old Men.”