You probably didn’t know this was in the works, but if all goes well, Wausau could soon have its own climbing gym.

Which means Wausau would have the only dedicated climbing gym in central Wisconsin.

UW-Stevens Point has a climbing wall in its Berg Gym, which is open to students and members of the public with limited days and hours. And the Greenheck-Turner Community Building has a small climbing wall with open climbing events.

Otherwise the closest dedicated gym, with top rope, auto-belay and bouldering areas, is roughly 100 miles away in Appleton.

But if Teah Koval and her partner, Steve Arnold, have their way, in the near future there will be a dedicated climbing gym along the Wisconsin River, where the county’s parks and planning and zoning offices once were. Arnold brings decades of experience in renovation, construction and property management to the project.

Possibly key to making it work one day is that it won’t just be an indoor climbing wall. Koval and company plan to make it much more than that, bringing in additional revenue sources to make sure the ambitious project works.

“Because we’re not a big city that can just open a commercial-style gym, it’s got to have character. It’s got to have personality, and there have to be multiple touch points with different communities,” Koval said.

Koval sat down recently with The Wausonian to give us the full scoop.

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The climbing vision

Koval and Arnold are planning much more than a climbing gym with New Heights Climbing and Fitness. But that will be the central focus, including 10-20 auto-belays (ropes attached to devices that allow you to climb and that slowly lower you down if you fall off the wall), top rope areas (which require a person to belay you or essentially manage the rope, plus lead climbing (using clips along the route) and bouldering areas (shorter climbs without ropes).

Arnold will be setting the climbing routes, something he’s had plenty of experience with. He plans to ensure that there are a variety of route types, from beginner to expert, so everyone can enjoy the gym at different levels.

But the goal is to make it a one-stop fitness area for outdoors enthusiasts, with a 24-hour fitness center centered on strength and functional fitness (no giant screens and blaring music, for example), a sauna, and dedicated kids’ areas. Children’s programming will include the option for birthday parties, as well as summer camps.

Koval said of all the gyms she and Arnold visited, the successful ones focused on children’s climbing summer camps.

They’re also planning to have studio space for yoga, Pilates and other mobility and fitness classes. A co-working space would also be part of the facility

Climbing origins

Koval, who is also a real estate agent, first became interested in climbing in her 20s, but when she met a friend who lead climbed in Upper Michigan, she really got into the sport.

Her involvement in the sport deepened after she met Arnold, who had already been climbing for more than 25 years and favored outdoor climbing. Arnold has also worked in renovation, construction and property management for decades and now focuses more heavily on renovation and creative work. He and Koval expect to handle much of the project’s interior design and some of the interior renovation themselves.

They are also working with architect Chris Ryan, who specializes in climbing facilities and the design of “third places” — gathering spaces outside home and work that help build community. Koval said Ryan will accompany them as they develop the project.

Koval always envisioned Wausau as an ideal place for a climbing gym. And after a climbing trip in Arizona, she said Arnold decided he would either need to dedicate himself to climbing fully or give up the sport. They decided to go all in on the sport. Shortly thereafter someone suggested she open a climbing gym.

“It was more of a ‘challenge accepted’ moment,” Koval told The Wausonian. “It was something that we’ve wanted to do for a long time, and when the opportunity started to become visible, you’ve got to seize it.”

The building goal

I expressed a little surprise when Koval told me the plan was to build the gym along the Wisconsin River where county offices current sit empty. That places it along the Wausau Whitewater kayak course, which Koval sees as an advantage.

“I think it would be an excellent opportunity to collaborate with the whitewater community down there,” Koval said, adding that the location could support other partnerships with the broader community.

The plan would be to use some of the existing buildings for some of the non-climbing activities and constructing a large building to house the climbing itself.

All that would come with no small price tag. Koval estimates the total project could cost upwards of $6 million. At the time of the interview, Koval had started an Indiegogo campaign offering everything from corporate sponsorships to pre-memberships in an effort to help raise funds for the project.

But prior to publication, Koval told The Wausonian that she was moving away from the Indiegogo model and taking donations directly through their website, which allows them greater flexibility. That came after a lot of feedback from users about the platform, Koval said.

One challenge is that the buildings are still owned by Marathon County. The county released a request for proposals for the River Drive properties on April 23, with proposals due July 15. Koval and Arnold plan to submit a proposal, but they could face competition from other developers for the riverfront site.

But the county moved out of the River Drive buildings on the premise that county offices weren’t the best and highest use for that area. The Wausonian wrote about the move last year, including Parks moving to the UWSP-Wausau building.

So the kicker will be to convince county leaders that a climbing gym — something not only Wausau but central Wisconsin currently lacks — is the highest and best use for the property.

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Roughly 10 years ago, Marathon County leaders found themselves in an interesting position. A Republican-backed overhaul of Wisconsin’s metallic-mining laws left county leaders with limited options for restricting a project in Marathon County.

Now the county finds itself in a similar position — but this time over a proposed wind farm in the towns of Day, McMillan, Eau Pleine, Cleveland, Green Valley and Brighton.

That’s because the state Public Service Commission sets specific rules governing the kinds of restrictions counties can impose on such projects. A wind farm that complies with the PSC’s standards is largely regulated at the state level.

County leaders complained then about the lack of local control. Today, county and town officials are again raising concerns about local control, along with noise, possible health effects and declining property values.

Interestingly, the two projects sit on opposite sides of Wisconsin’s political culture wars. Metallic mining was championed by Republicans as a jobs and resource-development issue, while renewable energy projects are more often associated with Democratic climate and clean-energy goals.

But for county officials, the practical question is strikingly similar: How much local protection can they secure when state rules control much of the permitting?

The wind farm project

The Wausonian has not previously written about the Hub City Wind Farm. The 150-megawatt wind farm proposed by Alliant Energy would be a utility-scale wind project in the southwest quadrant of Marathon County, just north of Marshfield.

Alliant estimates the project would include 28 to 38 turbines, generate 450,000 megawatt-hours annually and produce enough electricity to power about 45,000 homes. The company says it has about 20,000 participating acres involving roughly 100 landowners.

The project began with outreach to landowners in late 2022 or early 2023. Alliant representatives say it has been in development for about 3½ years. The company is still making design decisions, including selecting a turbine model, conducting environmental and technical studies and working on the overall layout.

Turbine height is one issue. Alliant says a conservative upper-end estimate would put the blade-tip height at about 680 feet, although smaller turbines are also being considered.

Alliant says it hopes to submit an application to the PSC later this year. Under one hypothetical timeline presented by the company, the PSC could issue a decision by January 2028.

If the project is approved on that timeline, construction could begin in late 2028 or in 2029. Alliant says the project could potentially be completed in one construction season if it uses fewer, larger turbines.

The project could also bring financial benefits. Alliant estimates Marathon County would receive about $450,000 annually in shared utility revenue, while the host towns would divide another $300,000 annually. The company has also estimated landowner payments at about $1.8 million per year, depending on the final project size.

Marathon County created the Alternative Energy Project Local Impact Advisory Committee to study the proposal. The committee is not responsible for approving or rejecting the wind farm. Instead, it is gathering concerns, identifying possible protections and preparing recommendations for the county’s Executive Committee.

But the committee’s first meetings revealed a deeper problem: County and town officials are being asked to prepare for a project without knowing exactly where the turbines will go — or how much power they legally have to protect nearby residents.

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A new program at the Wausau Fire Department could bring as many as nine new firefighter apprentices in its first cohort to the department in October, if ultimately approved.

But city officials weren’t quite ready to sign off on the program without more details about its finances.

Wausau Fire Chief Jeremy Kopp said the program would be a partnership between NTC and the Fire Department. Two cohorts of nine firefighter apprentices would work as firefighter trainees for 18 months, achieving several firefighter and EMT certifications at the end of the program.

The apprentices would be paid for by a federal grant, not city taxpayers.

But committee members weren’t so sure about that. City HR Director Lisa Noack told the committee that the apprentices’ workers compensation premiums would be covered, but not the claims themselves, for instance.

The city’s Human Resources Committee voted 4-1 to table the idea until more details about the potential costs to the city could be brought back for their consideration.

A revamp of Kennedy Park has many involved wondering one thing: Just how much has been raised for the public-private partnership? The Wausonian dug into the numbers.

Oasis Arcade opened in the former Hi Restaurant and, before that, Chang Garden. And while it’s an arcade, the business’s aim is Gen Xers and Millennials out for a date night.

Not to mention, The Wausonian reported on the results of an investigation into a Metro Ride bus that hit a student:

What else in Wausau

Power outages, downed trees following storm: Nearly 4,600 homes were without power Wednesday evening after a storm hit area late afternoon, according to Wisconsin Public Service. The storm included tornado warnings and some tree damage. The storm also led to the scheduled Concert on the Square to be postponed until September, rather than moved to the Rothschild Pavilion.

New apartment project proposed for Riverlife: Wangard Partners of Milwaukee is proposing two four-story buildings in the city’s Riverlife development area. The company is proposing 143 total market-rate units for the area, which was created ten years ago and has struggled with failed projects. (The first successful Riverlife apartments were completed in 2019 by local developers.) Wangard was awarded the project a year ago after the company responded to a request for proposals. The city’s Finance and Economic Development committees went into joint closed session to discuss terms, but took no action in open session.

Wausau Fire responds to Ross Avenue garage fire: The Wausau Fire Department responded to a detached garage fire in the 900 block of Ross Avenue last week — after its occupants were alerted by a mail carrier. The fire engulfed the detached garage, which spread to the attic of the attached residence and damaged nearby structures as well. No one was hurt in the fire, likely because an attentive mail carrier alerted them to blaze.

The city crossing-guard program will be unprivatized: The city’s crossing guard program will be back under the control of the Wausau Police Department after the city council voted unanimously to approve the idea. The city privatized the program years ago because it struggled with staffing. But police officials believe that bringing the program in-house could save the city money.

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Around the metro

Library could host SBA for Ringle relief: Marathon County Public Library officials say they are preparing to host representatives from the Small Business Administration if the Ringle tornadoes are declared a disaster. The SBA could use the space for a month or two in order to help residents affected by storm damage get loans or other assistance for businesses, homes and apartments, according to Library Director Leah Giordano.

Kronenwetter appoints new board member: The village of Kronenwetter has a new board member. The village board on Monday appointed Mary Solheim to the open seat. Solheim replaces Sandi Sorensen, who resigned from the board on May 4. Sorensen in her resignation letter accused the village administrator of bullying and harassment, which the administrator denies. The Wausonian is still waiting for the report from an investigation related to Sorensen’s accusations.

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Entertainment

Wausau Ignite is starting its second season in Wausau, bringing college softball to the Wausau area. They start their home opener today (Thursday), plus an artist reception at Wausau’s newest museum, a bike race, festivals, a writer/musician/performer and so much more in Your Wausome Weekend Guide.

Sports

Girls soccer: Wausau West defeated Eau Claire Memorial 4-1 Saturday. The Warriors will advance to the sectional semifinals against Hudson today (Thursday). Wausau East and D.C. Everest have been eliminated from the tournament.

Boys tennis: Riley Stanchik and Derek Emon of Wausau West qualified for the individual state tennis tournament. They will take on the team of Will Schneidewent and Oscar Piering from Arrowhead today (Thursday) in the first round of play.

College baseball: The Wausau Woodchucks grew their win-streak to three games Tuesday after a 7-4 win over the Thunder Bay Border Cats at Athletic Park. The Chucks still lead the Northwoods League Great Lakes West division, but Madison is nipping at their heels at half a game out.

College softball: Wausau Ignite lost its season opener Tuesday. The Ignite dropped an 11-0 game to the Madison Night Mares in Madison. The Ignite play their home opener tonight (Thursday).

Email me at brian@thewausonian.com. And as always, thanks for subscribing to The Wausonian! If you haven’t subscribed yet, check out the free and paid options below to help support local journalism and stay on top of Wausau news:

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Wausau Ignite is starting its second season in Wausau, brining college softball to the Wausau area. They start Thursday, plus an artist reception at Wausau’s newest museum, a bike race, festivals, a writer/musician/performer and so much more in Your Wausome Weekend Guide.

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Wausau Ignite Home Opener

Thursday, June 11: We already talked about the Wausau Woodchucks’ home opener last week — but don’t forget we’ve got two college summer league ball teams now! The Wausau Ignite softball team is taking the field for its second season, and these games are a ton of fun. Also, for casual fans of the sport, they play fewer innings so you’re not there all night. Cheer on the Ignite at Athletic Park, completely revamped under the ownership of Mark Macdonald. 6:35 pm. See the event page for ticket information.

COTS: Dig Deep

Wednesday, June 10: I often have a hard time describing bluegrass bands, so Dig Deep makes it easy — imagine a band with all the chops of a highly skilled bluegrass outfit, but that looks and acts like a heavy metal outfit. They’ve been tearing up the bluegrass scene and tend to attract more casual fans of the genre as well. They’ll be bringing their unique style to the 400 Block for the latest Concerts on the Square series. 6 pm. See the event page for the rules and what food vendors will be there. And then hang around for the after show with Billy Bronsted and friends at Faraway Place starting at 8 pm.

Editor’s note: This event was postponed because of weather. Dig Deep will appear on the 400 Block on Sept. 2, according to Wausau Events. Check the Concerts on the Square event page for the rescheduled date.

Iconic Artist Reception

Friday, June 12: If you haven’t seen the Iconic exhibit at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, this is your chance to check it out! Not only can you see all the wonderful works of art on display, but you can meet some of the artists and mingle with fellow art enthusiasts, or maybe ask a few questions. The exhibit is devoted to artists who work in traditional mediums, celebrating the art of portraying notable and historical figures through the art of paint. 5-8 pm. See the event page for more.

Man of Honor Weekend

Fri.-Sun., June 12-14: Most of the time a raffle wouldn’t make our Wausome Weekend Guide, but the Man of Honor event fits the bill, with three days of music, fun, fireworks and raising money for veterans. There are food and games during the day Saturday, music by Honky Tonk Highway on Friday and Knock Point on Saturday, with fireworks at dusk. On Sunday, The Polish Connection will play, plus a $6 chicken dinner with the raffle drawing will be held at 6 pm. Proceeds go to help members of the military, veterans and their families. Check out the event page for more (scroll down past the bigger schedule for the details).

Basecamp Bike Fest

Sat.-Sun., June 13-14: The Wisconsin Off-Road Series historically had a race here at Nine Mile Forest Recreation Area — one I did in my 20s — and it’s been so long that I don’t remember the name of the old one. But the new race series, with gravel, short-course and cross-country races, is now called Basecamp Bike Fest, named for the Visit Wausau’s Basecamp campaign. With races of varying difficulty and age groups, if you ever wanted to try your hand at mountain biking, this is a chance to try it right in your backyard! Check out the event page for full details and registration. (Scroll down to the Basecamp Bike Fest for details and registration.)

St. Anne Fest

Fri.-Sat., June 12-13: St. Anne Parish has been hosting this event for decades now, and it’s like a mini-fair right here in Wausau. Live music, a beer tent with beer from Mosinee Brewing Co. plus NA options, a family fun tent with prizes and fun for all ages, a dart tournament, plenty of food including St. Anne’s famous egg rolls — the list of things to do here seems almost endless. 4-10 pm Friday, Noon-10 pm Saturday. See the event page for more.

D.B. Rouse

Saturday, June 13: D.B. Rouse isn’t your typical singer. For one, he’s got a book out, called Busker. And his stage presence is equal parts theatre and music, making him an interesting act who isn’t easy to categorize. As a singer-songwriter, his writing has a grit that reminds me of Bob Dylan, though his voice is quite different. Check him out at the new Faraway Place, which we wrote about last month. 8 pm. See the event page for more.

Old Pine Road

Friday, June 12: The Old Pine Road Band has pretty typical bluegrass instrumentation, but they use that combined with lead singer David Walters’s vocals to create a sound that can be enjoyed both by fans of the genre and even plenty who aren’t normally bluegrass fans. This class-act group is making its way to The Garage on Friday, and promises to be a great time for fans of the genre and even just fans of good music. 7 pm. See the event page for more.

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Upcoming

Old Fashioned Downtown Tour

Saturday, June 20: The Old Fashioned Downtown Tour is back! And this time, we’re giving you a little heads up because this one sold out pretty fast last time we saw it come up. Tour several of downtown Wausau’s historic buildings and find out how they were originally used (especially during the booming 20s and the prohibition era that followed) while sampling old-fashioneds or their spirit-free alternatives at each stop. What a great chance to learn some local history and to enjoy an afternoon cocktail. Starts at the Woodson History Center. Tours at 4 pm and 6 pm. $35. See the event page for more details.

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In Brief

Rev. Meantooth, 6 pm Thursday, June 11 at Sconni’s

Spicy Tie Band, 5 pm Friday, June 12 at Rock Ridge Orchard

Sunday Funday w/ Mike Macabee, 1-4 pm Sunday, June 14 at The Glass Hat

Jordan Bayorgeon (Barefoot Americans), 8 pm Friday, June 12 at Intermission Bar

Beyond Asana: Exploring the Energetic Body, 4 pm Saturday, June 13 at Shelves of Aeaea

Mattea Joy, 7 pm Saturday, June 13 at J&P Tippling House

Beginning Genealogy for Families, 5:30 pm Tuesday, June 16 at MCPL Wausau

Mexican Food Smorgasbord, 6 pm Tuesday, June 16 at Willow Springs Gardens

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Two years ago, Weston officials announced a pretty ambitious project: A total revamp of Kennedy Park, the flagship recreation area in the heart of the village.

The project would redo the entire park eventually, turning it into a veritable baseball complex, with those fields taking up a large footprint in the park. New hockey rinks would come in future phases as well.

The cost? $14.5 million

Who will pay for it? According to early village documents, that would be split roughly 60/40, with the village covering about $8.3 million in costs and fundraising conducted by Friends of Kennedy Park covering the rest. Those costs on the village’s side, village leaders say, are for things the village already would be paying for even without the revamp: things like upgraded bathrooms, a new park shelter, storage space and even a warming house.

But so far the split hasn’t been weighted like that — the latest village records show that village-controlled funds have paid for the bulk of the Kennedy Park rehab so far. And that money raised so far for the project is well below what the village has already put in, including covering two ball fields. And that comes while many raise concerns about the project and how much has been relayed to village officials and the public.

Village officials now say future phases of the Kennedy Park master plan will not move forward until money is raised. But the first major phase already moved ahead with mostly village-controlled funding, including borrowed ARPA funds, capital funds and room tax money, plus a $500,000 private donation.

But the biggest question remains to be answered: How much was actually raised for the project so far?

The Wausonian dug into the numbers.

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People who walk into the new Oasis Arcade in downtown Wausau usually do two things.

First, they look to their left, noticing the bright blue fish tank which stands out against the dark backdrop of the rest of the bar area, and frankly the entire establishment.

They then look the other direction — to the right, where they see rows of arcade and pinball machines. Both generate a lot of excitement.

Oasis Arcade opened officially Wednesday, though some groups in town got early previews.

And before that, many people were buzzing over the place on Facebook — the establishment garnered 2,600 followers on Facebook before it officially opened.

When people think about an arcade in Wausau, they probably think about the old Aladdin’s Castle in the Wausau Center mall: Gangs of teenagers playing the latest Capcom cabinet that seems designed to eat quarters like Pac-Man eats pellets.

But Oasis Arcade is a very different experience.

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Starting Oasis Arcade in Wausau

Co-owner Tom Powers (who started Oasis with co-owner Seth Clendenning) wasn’t initially convinced that the idea of an arcade in Wausau. He talked with his friend, Mark, who helps keep the machines running at the arcade. Powers rode with Mark to Eau Claire to buy a modern arcade cabinet for his home with thousands of games on it. Mark was buying a vintage pinball machine.

When Powers’ son came home from the Navy though, he didn’t see him for hours. He’d been playing the arcade cabinet the whole time. Later his other son and his girlfriend came over. He found them the next morning — they’d stayed up all night.

That, and seeing some business models that worked in other areas, turned him into a believer.

“I wanted to have the ability to say, yeah, the games are on this side, and then I could have a completely different chill vibe on the bar side,” Powers told The Wausonian.

He scoured the Wausau area for a location when he came across the former Hi Restaurant (and former Chang Garden location before that, which still maintains a Weston location).

It featured the separation between the bar and arcade that he wanted. It also took a ton of work clearing out the old restaurant and its stuff from the building. That include a huge 5-station wok setup made of solid iron that took five people four hours to get out of the kitchen.

And painting. So much painting. The walls are jet black, helping the arcade-style lights and machines pop out.

The main draw

Oasis features a slew of games to play, including retro arcade games (think Pac-Man, Gauntlet, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Galaga) to both brand-new pinball machines and vintage pinball machines. (Elektra is a particularly interesting machine, with a distinctive electric hum to it.) The newer ones feature familiar properties such as Star Wars, Jaws and even Stranger Things.

Tokens are three for $1. Most machines take one token though the newer pinball cabinets take three. Powers says they wanted a token model because a flat fee would make most people feel they need to stay longer than they want to get their money’s worth.

During a preview visit recently, $20 was enough for two people to play for over two hours with some tokens left over.

Powers said the food was meant to be affordable as well. They focused on snack food, with a partnership with Jefferson Street Inn for its chef to provide packaged desserts. Otherwise the menu includes pizzas, fries, loaded chips, chicken tenders, Hmong egg rolls and other snack-style items, with names that lean into movie and gaming references such as Pizza the Hut, The Matrix), “You Stay Home and Eat All The Freaking (torilla) Chips, Kip.”

Powers says they also have a partnership with Jefferson Street Inn that will allow conference attendees at the hotel to enjoy the arcade as well, giving the Inn a value add for its conference hosting.

And, the place is planning to host pinball leagues and small tournaments, and a joint competition on Big Buck Hunter in partnership with Bob Lamovec at The Garage, Powers says.

Oasis Arcade’s crowd might not be what you think

One thing that lined up particularly well, Powers says, is the demographics of people who followed Oasis Arcade and the demographic he was going for. Powers said the demographics ranged from 24-54, and a ratio of twice as many women as men. And most were within a 30-mile radius.

That fits because Oasis Arcade is meant to be a date night spot for nostalgic millennials and Gen Xers. Children are allowed until 7 pm, and must be accompanied by an adult; after 7 pm, it’s adults 21 and over only.

“We’re not open later than midnight at any of the busy nights, because I’m not looking for the last-call crowd,” Powers told me. The establishment is regulated as a bar, which is why minors need to be accompanied by an adult.

That’s perfect for date night, and seeing the strong positive signal from women early on boosts that further, Powers explains.

“That tells us a couple things,” Powers says. “One, it tells us that the date-night idea is going to hit because guys have no say in what happens on date night. So if the ladies say, ‘I’d like to go to this place,’ that’s where they’re going to go.”

But something tells me that, especially in the millennial and GenX crowd, they won’t have to twist their date’s arms too much to talk them into going.

Oasis Arcade is located on Jefferson Street where Hi Restaurant was. It is open 3-11 pm Wed-Thurs, 3 pm-midnight Friday, 10 am-midnight Saturday, and 10 am-6 pm Sunday. It is closed but available for private events Monday and Tuesday. Find them on the web or on Facebook.

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A series of crash reports and investigation summaries show a Metro Ride driver did not appear to be at fault in a crash that injured a 12-year-old student near John Muir Middle School, based on crash report data.

According to the report, the bus driver pulled up to the intersection of Callon Street and South 12th Avenue at 7:23 am May 4. A crossing guard waved the driver through the intersection, and as he proceeded through the intersection, a child entered the roadway from between parked vehicles.

The bus’s mirror struck the child, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries, the report shows. The child was transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for treatment.

Because Metro Ride is a city-owned service, Wausau police requested assistance from the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office forensic mapping and reconstruction unit.

No citation was issued to the driver at the time of the incident.

The Wausonian requested the report details.

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A Madison-area developer is proposing apartments for city-owned land — but that proposal comes with a pretty big ask.

Eminent Development Corporation of Madison proposed a 45- to 60-unit apartment complex on city-owned land at North Second Street, just south of Bridge Street and near the Atrium Lofts and the Trolley Quarter Flats apartments.

The developer is asking for the land for $1 and $3 million in TIF incentives for the $14-15 million project. But the district the project is in will run out of its expenditure period soon, so city leaders are weighing using another district to fund the incentives.

The city’s Economic Development Committee Tuesday asked staff to continue working with the Madison developer to come up with more concrete terms.

Subscribers this week read about the new Faraway Place in downtown Wausau. The piece is the first from new Wausonian freelancer Wyatt Massey:

A shipping mishap led to a pretty substantial loss for a local business - and it leads off our breakdown of April civil court cases:

What else in Wausau?

Parks staff identify encampment at Fern Island: Parks Department staff says there is a large encampment at Fern Island Park. Parks Director Jamie Polley told the city’s Parks and Recreation Committee that the department is working with the police department to notify people staying there that camping in city parks is illegal and to get them to remove their belongings. If not, city crews can help remove materials. Cleanup could take some time, Polley says, because of the size of the encampment.

Bad news for homeowners who haven’t had their lead lines replaced yet: Homeowners who haven’t yet had their lead lines replaced could be paying a portion of the cost in the near future. That could happen under an ordinance that would require homeowners to replace their lead service lines. The city had been receiving grant funding and loans to replace lead lines to people’s homes at no cost to the homeowner for the portion on their property; but that funding is likely to wane after this year. Federal rules require drinking water systems to replace lead service lines within 10 years, with limited exceptions. Without an ordinance requiring homeowners to replace them, many might not agree to pay for their lines to be replaced. The ordinance is expected to come to the Wausau Water Works in July, and could be forwarded to the city council after that for approval.

Around the metro

Weston residents want more housing, with a caveat: Weston residents say they want more housing in general — but that mostly means single-family housing that’s affordable. That came from a consultant’s survey as it develops its next comprehensive plan. Twice as many residents favored increasing housing development as did decreasing it, according to the survey results. They primarily favored single-family homes that were below the current cost of $425,000 to build them new, with senior housing and then multi-family development following. The survey comes as the village is updating its comprehensive plan meant to guide development in the village. On a related note from the meeting, the village appears to have 2,300 acres of developable land. The Wausonian for instance reported last month that St. Vincent de Paul in Wausau bought land to develop in the village.

Weston man charged with 7th OWI: Police arrested a Weston man on suspicion of committing his 7th offense of operating while intoxicated. Jail records show Ronald Michael Mattson, 58 of Weston, was charged with committing his seventh OWI in Marathon County Court after police arrested him on Saturday. Mattson is currently free on a $5,000 cash bond, court records show.

Hailstorm leads to postponed Kronenwetter meeting: A hailstorm that dropped marble-sized hail on Wausau last week led to the village canceling a meeting after its village hall leaked and had a power outage. The village was supposed to have held its board meeting that night, but the village held the meeting on Monday instead.

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Business

Greater Wausau Children’s Museum is closing: The Greater Wausau Children’s Museum is closing, according to a post on the museum’s Facebook page. The museum started as a pop-up at area events before opening a space in the Wausau Center mall. The museum later moved to the Cedar Creek Mall until its closure. The museum became unsustainable at its current location, the museum officials on Facebook.

Bank First agrees to buy Peoples State Bank parent company: Wausau-based Peoples State Bank is set to be acquired by Bank First Corp. in an all-stock transaction valued at roughly $203 million, according to a press release. Bank First announced the agreement May 19. Under the deal, Bank First would acquire PSB Holdings Inc., the parent company of Peoples State Bank. The merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals. Peoples State Bank will continue operating under its current name until the deal closes and systems are converted. Peoples State Bank is headquartered in Wausau and has locations in Marathon, Oneida, Vilas, Portage, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties.

Entertainment

This weekend brings the legendary Howard “Guitar” Luedtke to town. Plus Pride Fest activities, the start of the Concerts on the Square series, a dairy breakfast, a birding hike and so much more in Your Wausome Weekend Guide.

Sports

Softball: D.C. Everest finished as the top Wausau area Wisconsin Valley Conference team this season, but now is out of the playoffs. The Evergreens lost 6-5 to Hortonville Thursday, eliminating them from the WIAA tournament. Everest beat Wausau West to advance in the first round, and Wausau East lost its first-round game, leaving all Wausau area Valley teams eliminated from the tournament.

Baseball: D.C. Everest won both of its games Thursday, defeating both Wausau East and Wausau West to finish second place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. But all three Wausau area Valley teams fell in the tournament Tuesday. The Evergreens lost 12-8 to Eau Claire Memorial.

Girls soccer: Wausau West finished the conference season with a 2-0 win over Marshfield Friday, putting the Warrior at No. 2 to close out the Wisconsin Valley Conference season. Both the Warriors and the Evergreens have yet to give up a goal in the WIAA tournament as both won their matches Tuesday. D.C. Everest defeated Eau Claire North 1-0, and Wausau West defeated Superior 5-0. If the Evergreens defeat Hudson and the Warriors defeat Eau Claire Memorial, they will face each other in the sectional semifinal.

Lacrosse: The Wausau Wolfpack girls lacrosse team was eliminated from the WIAA tournament Tuesday. The Wolfpack defeated Middleton 10-6 on Thursday, but lost to Hudson 20-2 on Tuesday. The Wild boys lacrosse team was eliminated May 26 from the tournament after an 11-1 loss to DeForest.

College baseball: The Wausau Woodchucks beat the Lakeshore Chinooks 8-3 Tuesday, as the Woodchucks start the season 6-2 at the top of the Northwoods League Great Lakes West division. First baseman Ryan Chase has 13 hits so far this season to lead the Chucks; he has two home runs and nine RBIs, tied for most with Dawson Harman.

Email me at brian@thewausonian.com. And as always, thanks for subscribing to The Wausonian! If you haven’t subscribed yet, check out the free and paid options below to help support local journalism and stay on top of Wausau news:

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This weekend brings the legendary Howard “Guitar” Luedtke to town. Plus Pride Fest activities, the start of the Concert on the Square series, a dairy breakfast, a birding hike and so much more in Your Wausome Weekend Guide.

Sponsored by

Howard “Guitar” Luedtke

Saturday, June 6: Howard “Guitar” Luedtke doesn’t live in the Wausau area, but growing up I thought he did. That’s because Luedtke was a mainstay of Scott Street Steak and Pub and a regular of the Wausau music scene. People got excited when he came to town. And he’s been playing for five decades now, all over the Midwest and even on the international stage. Luedtke is known for fast, crisp solos and always puts on a stellar show. Luedtke will knock your socks off on the deck of Cheeks Bar and Grill this weekend (or inside, depending on the weather; bring lawn chairs). 2-5 pm. See the event page for more.

Concerts on the Square kickoff

Wednesday, June 3: It’s that time of year again! Nothing says summer quite like the summer Concerts on the Square series. The lineup is a little more cover band-oriented than it used to be, but a night outside sitting on the grass, sipping your favorite beverage and listening to some tunes in downtown Wausau is always a treat, and a quintessential downtown Wausau experience. Week one features The Now. 6 pm. See the event page for the rules and what food vendors will be there. And after the show, Faraway Place in downtown Wausau is hosting an afterparty show with BAMM starting at 8 pm. See the event page for more.)

Pride Fest

Saturday, June 6: This event is divided into the all-ages event held at the 400 Block from 11:30 am to 2 pm, featuring informational booths, bounce houses and other kids’ activities plus live entertainment; and a more adult-oriented night event at the Central Wisconsin Convention and Expo Center in Rothschild, which features Bosco of RuPaul’s Drag Race. See more details about both events, and tickets for the evening show, at the event page.

Wausau Holistic Expo

Saturday, June 6: If you’re into the metaphysical, crystals and tarot cards, then you probably already know about the Wausau Holistic Expo. Held at the Holiday Inn in Rothschild, it features 30 vendors including everything from psychic readings to metaphysical merchandise, plus live tarot readings. 10 am-5 pm. $5. Gift bags for the first 30 people, and children 10 and under enter free with an adult. See the event page for more.

June Dairy Breakfast

Sunday, June 7: Much like Ron Swanson, I am a big fan of breakfast food. And so June Dairy Breakfast is a good event in my book. Scrambled eggs, pancakes with maple syrup, sausage patties, cheese curds, and… ice cream? All for $10. Plus, there are plenty of educational items around the farm to learn about the dairy industry and its impact on Marathon County, and children can participate in interactive events. You know, once you’ve had your fill of pancakes. Held at the NTC Agricultural Center, but park at NTC and take the shuttle since there is no parking at the center. $10, children 6-11 $5, children 5 and under eat free. See the event page for more.

Birding Hike

Saturday, June 6: Burn a few calories and get yourself ready for June Dairy Breakfast with this birding hike from the Friends of Rib Mountain. Join Wausau Bird Club members as they take you on a hike through Rib Mountain State Park’s hiking trails in search of some feathered friends to see and get photos of. The hike lasts about 1.5 hours, and bring water and bug repellant. 7 am. See the event page for more details.

The Wedding Singer

Thurs.-Sat., June 4-6: River and Woods Theatre is back with another production — and this time, they’re tackling The Wedding Singer. The story: Robbie Hart is New Jersey’s favorite wedding singer and the life of the party until his own fiancée leaves him at the altar. He then meets the love of his life, but when she is slated to marry a Wall Street banker, he must put on the performance of his life to win her over. This cast brings together some of Central Wisconsin’s best performers to the James Veninga Theatre at UWSP—Wausau, so don’t miss it! 7 pm. $20, children and seniors $15. See the event page for more.

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Whitewater Recreational Release

Sat-Sun, June 6-7: These are just a blast to watch. Kayakers from around the region come for these recreation releases where the gates are open, creating a churning whitewater rapids course right in the middle of downtown. For the average Joe, they’re just fun to check out while the kayakers practice their turns, dips and even flips. Head on down to Whitewater Park on River Drive (right behind the Farmers Market) and see for yourself. 10 am-4 pm both days. See the event page for more.

The Billy Bronsted String Band

Friday, June 5: Billy Bronsted is local to Wausau, and he’s become one of the top country singers in the state. He’s got two albums to his name: 2017’s This Bed of Mine and the subsequent Rhythm, Racket & Romance. He’s played the stage at Mile of Music in Appleton (not an easy event to get into), played plenty of other festivals and has been featured more than once on Bard Sessions. Here Bronsted is joined at the new Faraway Place by Jordan Kroeger, Ernest Brusubardis IV and Ryan Ogburn. They’ll make ample use of Faraway’s new, larger stage. 9 pm. See the event page for more.

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In Brief

Sonic Circus, 6:30 pm Thursday, June 4 at Tiki Beach Bar and Grill

Yoga in the Sculpture Garden, 5:30 pm Thursday, June 4 at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum

School’s Out Party, 7 pm Friday, June 5 at The Bar—Wausau

Brady Luke Band, 7 pm Friday, June 5 at The Garage

Catastrophic Heroes, 9 pm Friday, June 5 at Nevermore on Third

Hyde in the Biergarten, 5 pm Friday, June 5 at Bull Falls Brewery

Pizza in the Orchard: Southbound, 5 pm Friday, June 5 at Rock Ridge Orchard

Summer Solstice Market, 9 am-4 pm Saturday, June 6 at St. Vincent de Paul

Golden Hour Music: Pop Vocals, 5-8 pm Saturday, June 6 at Stoney Acres Farm

Cozy Gamer Afternoon, noon Saturday, June 6 at The Story Cellar

Downtime Acoustic, 2 pm Sunday, June 7 at The Garage

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Once per month, The Wausonian digs through the civil court filings in Marathon County to find the most interesting cases. It’s one of those Wausonian features that you only get here.

Mid-City Precision wanted to expand its manufacturing capacity. So it ordered a 1999 Mazak CNC Horizontal Machining Center to allow it to produce more. It was the only such machine available used at the time.

Ordering such a thing was no easy task. The machine needed to be sent via four trucks after being disassembled.

Total cost: $85,000 for the machine, and roughly $86,000 to ship it.

The company hired Prime Union Logistics to handle the shipping.

But that’s when things went off the rails, the lawsuit alleges.

Read more

Story by Wyatt Massey

When it became clear that Malarkey’s Pub and Mumble Wrap were odd bedfellows in the shared downtown Wausau location, owner Jesse Bartnik and others got to work reinventing the space. But they wanted to stay true to the pub’s founding principles: live music and community.

Faraway Place, the new bar and restaurant, opened in downtown Wausau early May with a redesigned interior, larger stage, and a menu that bridges the eccentricities of Mumble Wrap with the expected fare of a hometown Wisconsin bar.

With a Milwaukee Brewers game on the big screen, several people enjoying an afternoon beer and others playing Magic: The Gathering nearby, The Wausonian spoke with Bartnik about the new venture.

This Wausau business story is sponsored by:

The Wausau Business Incubator is ready to give your business the space and support it needs to grow.

How Malarkey’s Pub and Mumble Wrap became Faraway Place

Bartnik and the other owners bought Malarkey’s Pub and Townies last year and renovated the restaurant side to open Mumble Wrap. The fast-casual restaurant featured off-the-wall wraps and bowls, which Bartnik said pushed people out of their comfort zones but didn’t always align with what folks expected with a long-standing Irish pub nearby.

“We were trying to bring Malarkey’s back as its own bar and then have the restaurant be separate, and it just wasn’t the right vibe,” Bartnik said. “It wasn’t the right fit.”

The Fork Truck Food Group needed to pivot, especially after they agreed their plan to open a full-service restaurant in The Cobblery nearby wasn’t going to happen. With Saint Patrick’s Day coming up, and former owner Tyler Vogt’s band set to perform, the holiday felt like a fitting farewell, Bartnik said. Renovations began the next day.

The new business got its name from the Ojibwe word for Wausau, which translates to a “far away place,” Bartnik said.

Faraway Place has a larger stage, which is now on the restaurant side of the building. The change allows patrons to step away from the music to grab a drink or watch the show via livestream from the bar or a lounge where the old stage was. An elevated, seated dining area offers a different way to take in a show, too.

Live music will continue to be a mainstay with entertainment on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The majority of shows will be free, Bartnik said, though they will be experimenting with a few ticketed events, like Them Coulee Boys in November.

Additionally, there is trivia on Mondays, hand-dipped corn dogs on Tuesdays, and the adventurous can step up to the open mic on Thursdays.

What’s on the menu

Faraway Place keeps with Mumble Wrap’s fast-casual concept while offering a variety of burgers, chicken sandwiches, and mac and cheese. The menu prices are tiered, too, based on the number of smash burger patties desired.

Affordability was top of mind when designing the menu, Bartnik said, but that didn’t mean sacrificing local connections. Faraway Place has bacon from Nueske’s, produce from Red Door Family Farm, and fries and tots seasoning from Charles Street Flavors. “A lot of times when you’re using all local products, or a lot of local products, the price goes up,” Bartnik said. “But the economy is weird right now. We’re actually able to keep costs down on the food side.” (Diehard Mumble Wrap fans may spot some carryover to the new menu. For example, the chicken batter recipe is the same. Bartnik says there are still plans for a new location for Mumble Wrap. )

Beyond draft beer and a wine list, the bar has a variety of cocktails, some of which can be modified to be non-alcoholic or made with THC. Bartnik said he wants people to feel free to enjoy a fine cocktail without fearing the bill.

Where is Faraway Place?

Faraway Place is at 408 N. 3rd Street, where Malarkey’s Pub and Mumble Wrap were before. The restaurant and bar opens at 11 a.m. each day.

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A number of years ago, city leaders voted to privatize the city’s crossing guard program to save time.

Now, the city is considering unprivatizing the program. Why?

To save money.

A Committee of the Whole voted Tuesday to recommend bringing the city’s crossing guard program back in-house under the Wausau Police Department.

Wausau Police Chief Matt Barnes said bringing the program back in house would save money as the costs for a private firm, All City Management Services, have increased over time.

Barnes said the contract rate for crossing guards in 2020 was $25.99 per hour. That has since jumped to $34.92 per hour, and nearly jumped up more before the contractor backed off on the increase.

But Barnes says he believes that the city can save about 30% of its costs by running the program in-house.

The city council will need to take up the proposal next.

What goes on in Wausau after dark? Find out in our regular Wausau tavern report, where we look at bar calls for Wausau and beyond:

The Wausonian has been largely alone in reporting several arrests of a county board member - and we learned there are new allegations around election fraud:

What else in Wausau?

Bear mama and cub found in tree downtown: Wausau police alerted residents this week to the presence of a bear near downtown Wausau. Police officials spotted the mama bear and her cub in a tree in the 700 block of Forest Street Saturday, according to a social media report. Officers advised residents to keep their distance from the bears. Meanwhile a bear and her cub were also sighted on Pine Road in the village of Kronenwetter Sunday.

City passes ebike ordinace: A new ordinance limits ebikes and other vehicles to a top speed of 15 miles per hour on city trails - but some advocates wanted lower speeds. The city council Tuesday passed the ordinance with the new speed limit. Some speakers at the city council wanted lower speed limits — closer to 8-10 mph — and wanted to see bells as a requirement. Council member Bruce Trueblood said the ordinance is a starting point and can be amended at a later date.

Council approves former judge to ethics board: The City Council affirmed Mayor Doug Diny’s appointment of Mark Seidl to the ethics board, but not without some debate. Seidl, a former appellate court judge, is the latest to be appointed to the board, leaving only one remaining regular board member who presided over the Diny ballot box complaint. The appointment drew controversy from some council members who claimed other applicants were being passed over. City legal staff ruled out of order an attempt to amend the appointment to someone else Tuesday, saying city council members only have the power to confirm or deny the mayor’s appointment.

Around the metro

County waives fees for septic reconnection for tornado victims: Those whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the tornado that hit Ringle and Kronenwetter last month at least won’t have to pay fees to hook their septic systems back up. The County Board Tuesday voted to waive the county’s fee for those who were impacted by the tornado. That fee is normally $160. The fee waiver passed unanimously.

Two arrested in string of burglaries: Two men are facing felony charges related to a series of burglaries in the village of Weston. Harley Seehafer, 32 of Weston, faces felony burglary charges and William Block, 50 of Weston, faces charges of receiving or concealing stolen property, according to online court records. According to the criminal complaint, Mountain Bay Metro police investigated a series of break-ins to outbuildings on Alderson Avenue, Neupert Avenue and Cherry Street in Weston on May 15. According to the complaint, police matched Seehafer with footage taken from a bird feeder camera and, remarkably, an officer saw Seehafer exit a garage next door while he was interviewing one of the victims. Block was working on a vehicle in front of the garage, where officers say they observed some of the stolen items, the complaint says.

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Business

Westsider events space nears completion: A new event space on Wausau’s west side is nearing completion, its owner said. The space was formerly Lang’s Pharmacy and Sandborn Guitars. Westsider owner Tyler Vogt says the space will host its first event soon. The space will be called Liberty Lounge, named for the original name of the neighborhood, Liberty Gardens. The space is intended to be a small events space for roughly 50-some people or fewer, Vogt tells The Wausonian.

Rising Son eyeing Rothschild location: Rising Son martial arts studio is looking at a new location in Rothschild. The new space will be 5,000 square feet and address some of the parking issues the current location has, its owner said on Facebook. The studio’s owners haven’t released full details yet.

Entertainment

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is nothing but a central Wisconsin success story. This national-level act returns for a night of bluegrass and pizza at Stoney Acres Farms. Plus a blues act at The Garage, the Woodchucks take the field at Athletic Park again, a running event raises money for the Humane Society, and many more Wausau events in your Wausome Weekend Guide!

Sports

Baseball: D.C. Everest has clinched its spot as the top Wausau area team in the Wisconsin Valley Conference but SPASH has clinched the Valley title with one set of games to go Thursday. D.C. Everest’s Tuesday score was unavailable Wednesday.

Softball: D.C. Everest finished the season as the top Wisconsin Valley Conference team, finishing third overall. The Evergreens then defeated Wausau West 7-4 Wednesday afternoon to advance to the next round of the WIAA playoffs. They’ll take on Hortonville today (Thursday).

Girls soccer: Many games were postponed due to weather Tuesday but SPASH logged its first loss, to Wisconsin Rapids, leaving the door open for Wausau West to make a claim at first place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. The season was supposed to conclude today (Thursday) but games from Tuesday were postponed until Friday.

Lacrosse: The Wausau Wild boys team finished its season with a 12-6 loss Friday, leaving the team with a 3-6 conference record to cap its Bay Valley Conference season. The Wild lost their regional playoff game Tuesday 11-1 against DeForest. The Wausau Wolfpack girls team won its final game of the Bay Valley Conference season, 12-3 against DeForest Friday. The Wolfpack finished second place in the Bay Valley, one point away from Appleton. The Wolfpack girls will take on Middleton today (Thursday) in the first round of WIAA regional playoffs.

Email me at brian@thewausonian.com. And as always, thanks for subscribing to The Wausonian! If you haven’t subscribed yet, check out the free and paid options below to help support local journalism and stay on top of Wausau news:

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Get 20% off a group subscription

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is nothing but a central Wisconsin success story. This national-level act returns for a night of bluegrass and pizza at Stoney Acres Farms. Plus a blues act at The Garage, the Woodchucks take the field at Athletic Park again, a running event raises money for the Humane Society, and many more Wausau events in your Wausome Weekend Guide!

Sponsored by

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

Thursday, May 28: Horseshoes and Hand Grenades had a pretty incredible rise. They went from playing house parties near the UWSP campus to practically being the house band at Central Waters Brewing Company to playing festivals on the national stage. But the band hasn’t forgotten its Wisconsin roots, and regularly plays this special event at Stoney Acres Farm. The ticket price gets you all you can eat farm-to-table pizza, three hours of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades’ brand of Wisconsin-born bluegrass, and a look at opening act Humbird. 6 pm. $49. See the event page for more. BONUS: If that’s too much for you, Debbie Briggs will bring her vintage jazz to the farm 5-8 pm Friday.

Wausau Woodchucks home opener

Thursday, May 29: One of my favorite summer memories came from covering the Wausau Woodchucks (the closest I ever came to being a baseball beat writer). Jim Gantner once threw me out of his clubhouse when he was manager of the Chucks. (I later used that story and how I hung around to get the quote anyway to land a job.) So to me, summer in Wausau begins when the Chucks take the field. And that home opener comes Thursday. Owner Mark Macdonald helped turn a night at the ballpark into an essential Wausau summer experience, and this Thursday they’ll be back in action at Athletic Park against Green Bay Rockers. 6:35 pm game time. See the Chucks schedule for more.

Allen Brothers Band

Saturday, May 30: We don’t highlight many cover bands on this here page, but the Allen Brothers are something special. (And not just because the lead singer was once my bandmate). They’re one of the few cover bands to take the stage at the old Malarkey’s Pub, and this weekend the talented brothers will take the stage at the new Faraway Place. 8 pm. See the event page for more.

RED End of Silence 20th Anniversary Tour

Saturday, May 30: There’s something always a little surprising about Christian music that falls into the category of hard rock/Nu Metal. And Red is a shining example of that. The band has heavy guitars but sings about Jesus and has been doing that since 2002. This Nashville Act blends a few different styles, primarily like Linkin Park mixed with symphonic elements that make them unique (that was especially true on End of Silence). In this show at the Q&Z Expo Center celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their End of Silence tour, they’ll be joined by Kingdom Collapse and Twist it. 6 pm. $28.52, VIP Lounge tickets available. See the event page for more.

Run for their Lives

Saturday, May 30: Guess what? You and your pup can both support the Marathon County Humane Society by running this 5k! The Humane Society, which helps stray cats and dogs find new homes, is organizing this run/walk starting at Immanuel Baptist Church on Saturday. Not only that, but there is a virtual option if you don’t want to run in person. And the fun part is you can bring your dog to the run or walk too! Registration ends today though, so get yourself signed up if you want to run or walk the course. Chip timing available. 8:30 am. $30. See the event page for more.

Pizza in the Orchard kickoff

Thursday, May 28: Pizza on the Farm is one of my summer musts, but thankfully we have more outdoor pizza options! Pizza in the Orchard is just a bit different of an experience. For one, it’s on Thursdays. For another, one price gets you access to a pizza buffet, with pizza made on site. And the setting is an orchard instead of a farm, with live music from area bands. It’s always a fun time, and means you could have pizza outside three nights per week if you wanted to. This opening pizza night features Jerry Schmitt Duo. 5 pm (music at 6 pm). See the event page for more details.

Phil Kitze and the Resonators

Friday, May 29: There’s something really gripping about the bluesy grit of Phil Kitze and the Resonators. The blues style he gets out of his gold guitar has just the right level of grit, and Kitze and the Resonators bring a big blues sound that is sure to knock the socks off people at The Garage. The Twin Cities band plays of mix of Texas and Chicago blues covers and original songs, and it’s always great to have another blues band play in town. 7 pm. See the event page for more.

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In Brief

Moonbadger, 8 pm Wednesday, May 27 at Faraway Place

Pizza on the patio, 6-8 pm Wednesday, May 27 at Willow Springs Gardens

Nu Metal Sucks Tour, 6 pm Friday, May 29 at Q&Z Expo Center

The Foxfire Affaire, 6 pm Friday, May 29 at Mosinee Brewing Co.

Outdoor Craft and Flea Market, 9 am-3 pm Saturday, May 30 at River District Antiques

Blindside, 6 pm Saturday, May 30 at Bull Falls Brewery

HYDE, 7 pm Saturday, May 30 at Arrow Sports Club

Josh Berton, 9 pm Saturday, May 30 at Nevermore on Third

Darkhorse, 3 pm Saturday, May 30 at Reservoir Dogs Saloon

Dalnodar, Troestler and Noetzel, noon Sunday, May 31 at Faraway Place

Ringle Relief Benefit Concert, noon-6 pm Sunday, May 31 at Hillside Pub

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The county’s Executive Committee last week voted to direct the administrator to hire a third-party investigator to look into Endres’ conduct.

The Wausonian reported that Endres had been arrested following an alleged domestic abuse incident, and then later reported a second arrest following his alleged violation of a non-contact order with his wife, relying on a copy of the police report from the incident. Those charges were read-in when Endres pleaded no contest to one count of disorderly conduct in the first case.

But new allegations surfaced during the meeting that haven’t yet been made public.

According to a copy of the diversion agreement The Wausonian reviewed, the Wausau Police Department referred charges of misdemeanor bail jumping and election fraud — falsifying nomination papers.

The agreement doesn’t spell out the nature of the charges.

While he didn’t have the complaint from the Wausau Police Department, Marathon County Administrator Lance Leonhard said the new allegations had to do with the submission of nomination papers and some “potentially inaccurate information” that might have been used in that submission.

In response to a question from an Executive Committee member, Leonhard said charges related to elections and nomination papers often constitute felony charges, depending on the facts.

According to the diversion agreement, Endres pleaded no contest to the disorderly conduct charge (with the domestic abuse modifier). The charges against Endres will be dismissed in 18 months if Endres follows the terms of the diversion agreement. The Wausonian was not able to see the terms of that agreement.

The new rule around supervisor conduct the Marathon County Board approved last month was used in the Executive Committee’s decision to investigate Endres’ conduct. Leonhard confirmed to The Wausonian that all of the charges included in the case file will be considered.

Below: the proposed Kronenwetter distribution center drawing resident concern and new court details in the Town of Day animal abuse case.

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A man led police on a motorcycle chase following a fight at Homestead on 52 on April 16, a Thursday.

According to police reports, Kristopher Kowalski, 47 of Wausau, entered Homestead on 52 while inebriated and a woman he knew there was not happy that he’d made an appearance. She tried to drive him home and they got into a fight in the parking lot, reports say. Bar patrons who were outside smoking managed to calm the situation, police say. She then left.

But when he tried to get on his motorcycle and a patron stopped him, he became angry and attacked the guy, officers say. Someone else tried to intervene and Kowalski attacked him too. The second man then pushed Kowalski down. After the altercations, Kowalski left on his motorcycle, according to police reports.

Police located him and attempted to stop him, but those attempts were unsuccessful, the report says. Police interviewed the victims of the fight, then went to Kowalski’s home where they arrested him, reports say.

Kowalski faces a felony charge of fleeing an officer, plus misdemeanor charges of battery and disorderly conduct, according to court records.

Tavern Calls

A real knockout: Police responded to a report of a fight at 6:47 pm April 21 at Pregame Pub that resulted in a man being knocked out. Police located the man away from the tavern, who gave conflicting reports including that the fight took place outside the tavern and that he ran into a tree. Police got the man some medical attention, and video provided by staff members corroborated that the fight took place outside the tavern. Police were unable to locate a suspect.

Tavern calls, Wausau and beyond continues below, along with demerit point updates and new liquor license news.

Read more

The Weston Village Board Monday OKed the next step for a new, potentially $7 million police center for the Mountain Bay Metro Police Department.

But concerns about more municipal spending are already circulating on social media, echoing those that came from Weston’s new municipal center.

The Weston Village Board approved the site plan for the new center, which is slated to be built at 3600 Community Center Drive if ultimately approved.

The $7 million figure isn’t final, but it’s what the Mountain Bay Metro Police Board has said it would like to stay at or under. The final cost won’t be known for sure until the project is bid.

The project costs would be split 65-35 between Weston and Rothschild, respectively.

But opposition is already forming, village board member Katrina Clark said Monday. Clark suggested the village reach out to the public to get more information to the public, and get feedback about it.

And board member Barb Ermeling, who voted no Monday, said when the Mountain Bay Metro department was formed from the Rothschild and Everest Metro departments, she was told the current building would be adequate. Board President Mark Maloney said he took that on himself, as he also believed at the time of the merger that a new station wouldn’t be necessary.

“This has been nothing but a success story,” Maloney said, adding that the new center was necessary. Expanding the current Rothschild department would have cost millions on its own. Staff said they are using parts of the old building and reduced the size of the project to help keep costs down.

The Wausonian toured the new Bridge Street Mission homeless shelter and recovery center, and we asked its leadership about the controversy.

A nationally renowned expert in restoration visited Wausau to warn contractors, and homeowners, in Ringle about what to expect from insurance companies:

What else in Wausau

Wausau committee approves new ebike rules: The city of Wausau will have new ebike rules for its paths, if a newly updated ordinance is ultimately approved by the city council. The city’s infrastructure committee approved the update Thursday, which sets a speed limit for bikes including ebikes on city paths of 15 miles per hour. Some commenters at the meeting asked for a 10 mph speed limit and for bells to be required. The new ordinance removes mandatory bicycle registration. The ordinance also generally bans motorized vehicles without pedals from city trails, paths and sidewalks.

Wausau East student wins Congressional art contest: A Wausau East art student won the 7th Congressional District’s most recent art contest. Ayasha Bowman, a senior at East, won the contest with her work ‘Apostle Islands.’ Bowman will now travel to Washington, D.C. to view her work on display at the U.S. Capitol.

Wausau School District weighs 1.5% budget cut: Wausau School District budgets could be cut by 1.5% if the preliminary budget comes to pass. The Wausau School Board heard that as part of a presentation on the preliminary budget plan Monday. District officials told the board that leaders of each building will be determining what to cut in order to get to the 1.5% decrease. Wausau School Board members told staff they want to see at a future meeting what specific cuts will be proposed.

City proposes trade with railroad for Gilbert Park crossing: The city’s Infrastructure Committee approved a plan Thursday to work with Fox Valley & Lake Superior Rail System on a railroad crossing agreement that would help extend the River Edge Trail. Under the committee’s plan, the city would agree to close several railroad crossings in exchange for the railroad not fighting a crossing of the railroad tracks in the south end of Gilbert Park. That crossing would allow the city to extend the River Edge Trail north on the east side of the Wisconsin River. The committee in approving the plan requested the city attorney review the agreement and add stronger language requiring the railroad explicitly not to contest the crossing.

Around the metro

Farmers Market at Kennedy Park draws safety concern: The new Kennedy Park location for Weston’s Farmers Market has been popular — but that’s also been the problem. Weston officials discussed problems with the new park location, including people parking on the grass and potential safety concerns. The village moved its market from the previous location at the corner of Camp Phillips and Schofield Avenue because the site was private and the owner told the village he was developing a new building on that site. The item before the board was discussion only, but board members said they’d keep an eye on parking and safety issues at the market.

TIF No. 1 is closed, but $9 million of debt remains: Village of Weston officials say TIF District No. 1 is officially closed, but a $9 million debt payment later in the year remains. The debt is due in October, Finance Director Jessica Trautman says. The village doesn’t have the money to pay the debt yet, but will once a settlement due in August is received. Closing the district puts all the properties within it fully on the tax rolls, which can relieve tax pressure on residents.

Deputies, wildlife group rescue bear cub: Marathon County deputies and staff members from Wild Instincts wildlife rescue organization rescued a bear cub earlier this month. Deputies were called by the Wausau Police Department after officers found a bear cub alone on Highway 29 west of Wausau. The cub’s mother had been struck and killed by a motorist. Deputies say the cub is doing well after they consulted with Wild Instincts staff. The organization hopes to eventually return it to the wild.

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Parker John’s, Tendeez planned for former 2510 building: Last month The Wausonian broke news about 2510 closing its doors after decades as a Wausau institution. Sources told The Wausonian that two restaurants were planned for the site. The Wausau Daily Herald confirmed earlier this month that Parker John’s and Tendeez Hot Chicken plan to co-locate in the former restaurant site. A third independent deli will also use part of the former deli space.

Entertainment

Scotty Austin is one of the musicians who doesn’t quite sound like how he looks - but he definitely will be rocking the roof off the Q&Z Expo Center this weekend. Plus, your guide to Memorial Day, a hot new house band at Faraway Place, a nostalic look at Wausau and much more in YOUR Wausome Weekend Guide.

Sports

Baseball: D.C. Everest defeated Wisconsin Rapids 8-4 Tuesday, but remains third place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. As the top Wausau area team, the Evergreens are still within reach of the conference title.

Softball: D.C. Everest looked unstoppable in a 13-3 win over Wausau East Tuesday, but the Evergreens remain in third place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. With one game left, D.C. Everest is out of contention for the conference title.

Girls soccer: Wausau West remains the top Wausau area team, but finally dropped a conference game this season against SPASH Tuesday. The Warriors never found the net in a 3-0 loss to the Panthers. West remains in second place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference, but while SPASH looks unstoppable this year, there are still enough matches left that the Warriors could potentially still take the top spot.

Boys tennis: The Wisconsin Valley Conference tournament results linked up exactly the same as the end-of-season standings, as D.C. Everest finished third as the top Wausau area team. The Evergreens finished behind SPASH and Marshfield at first and second. Wausau West finished one point behind the Evergreens in the conference tournament Tuesday.

Email me at brian@thewausonian.com. And as always, thanks for subscribing to The Wausonian! If you haven’t subscribed yet, check out the free and paid options below to help support local journalism and stay on top of Wausau news:

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Scotty Austin is one of the musicians who doesn’t quite sound like how he looks - but he definitely will be rocking the roof off the Q&Z Expo Center this weekend. Plus, your guide to Memorial Day, a hot new house band at Faraway Place, a nostalic look at Wausau and much more in YOUR Wausome Weekend Guide.

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Scotty Austin w/ Yellow No. 5

Thursday, May 21: If you took one look at Scotty Austin, you would immediately think he’s a punk act. Guy has the mohawk, the tank top showing off his tattoos, and the attitude to match. When you search him, however, you get a lot of covers of 80s rock anthem “Rebel Yell,” and his sound seems to be much more melodic hard rock than punk. Formerly of Saving Abel, Austin is now a solo artist headlining stages, including this one at the Q&Z Expo Center. Joining him on this stop of the Rise Against the Monsters Tour is Yellow No. 5, Greater Than Human and Thornbush for what should be an epic hard rock show. 7 pm. $15. See the event page for more.

Days Gone By

Saturday, May 23: You may know Bob Becker. He founded Becker Communications and ran it for over 50 years, growing it from film production and commercial photography into the powerhouse communications firm it is today. Becker loves to share Wausau as it was in the 1950s and 60s, and in this presentation he’ll tell the story of his illustrations of nostalgic Wausau at the Marathon County Public Library in Wausau. This Friends of Historic Wausau Landmarks presentation is free and open to all. 2 pm. See the event page for more.

Wausau Memorial Day Parade

Saturday, May 23: It’s Memorial Day, a national day to remember those who died serving our country. One way to commemorate is to watch the Memorial Day parade downtown, leaving from Trinity Lutheran Church on Stewart Avenue at 11 am Saturday and making its way to Opportunity Inc. on River Drive. Two tips: One, the farmers market is right there on River Drive, so why not make a morning of it? Two, I like the spot where Stewart Avenue makes its way to River Drive for good parade viewing and photos. And don’t forget the Memorial Day Ceremony Monday at Restlawn Cemetery, starting at 11 am.

Jet Pack Stereo

Saturday, May 23: We don’t often highlight cover bands on the Wausome Weekend Guide, because a healthy music scene includes a lot of original music. But the opening weekend of music kicks off with Jet Pack Stereo at the Tiki Beach Bar and Grill, and the place is so unique it’s worth pointing out. Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, Tiki Beach is like a big beach party with live music, and people enjoying the music on shore and in the water, some with pontoon boats and others in kayaks. And with a five-piece band featuring a female lead singer and female bass player, Jet Pack Stereo will make for a fun weekend at the beach, and kicks off summer in style (Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer in my book). It might not actually be a tropical beach, but it’s the Wisconsin version and still plenty of fun. 6:30 pm. See the event page for more.

Moonbadger

Wednesday, May 20: Ok, this one is pretty cool. The new Faraway Place (the former Malarkey’s Pub) is really dedicating itself to music, it seems, and this latest idea is to make Wausau band Moonbadger the official house band! You might not have heard of Moonbadger, as it’s pretty new, but the band that originated from The Mish features a rotating cast of characters including country singer-songwriter Billy Bronsted, bassist/keyboardist Jordan Miles, drumming phenom Erk Juvonen and bass funk specialist Zach Soczka. These guys are laying down the funk with a wholly unique sound, and they’ll be well worth checking out on a Wednesday night. 8 pm. See the event page for more.

Rockin’ for Ringle w/ The Bad Downs

Friday, May 22: Coral Lanes doesn’t always have music, but this weekend the lanes will be rocking! The Bad Downs will be kicking off this fundraiser for Ringle, with proceeds benefiting people who lost homes or had homes damaged in the April tornado that touched down in the town. According to the poster, the funds will be going to Ringle homeowners through the Ringle Fire Department. 7 pm. See the event page for more details.

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In Brief

Jerry Schmitt Band, 7 pm Friday, May 22 at Mosinee Brewing Co.

Caleb and Emily, 8 pm Saturday, May 23 at The Glass Hat

EDM Night, 8 pm Saturday, May 23 at The Intermission Bar

49 Deluxe, 6 pm Saturday, May 23 at Bull Falls Brewing Co.

Creator of Nightmares book launch, 1 pm Saturday, May 23 at The Story Cellar

Outlaw’D, 8 pm Saturday, May 23 at The Garage

Farewell to Dallas of Unbroken/Dying Poets Tour, 6:30 pm Saturday, May 23 at Coral Lanes

Juan Solo, 7 pm Saturday, May 23 at Homestead on 52

Kurt Schweers, 1 pm Sunday, May 24 at The Garage

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A woman puts together a puzzle at a desk while a group of people chat around a table. Another young man works on something, headphones holding back his full head of hair. Next to them, workers in a bustling kitchen prepare food for the day as noon approaches on Friday.

Just a couple of years ago, the space contained a newspaper office, a rock store specializing in moonstones and a cake shop.

I’m at the new Bridge Street Mission building, which one month ago opened its homeless shelter in what was a strip mall and thrift shop on First Avenue.

Bridge Street Mission won the city contract to handle shelter services, following a round of requests for proposals that no one applied for; and it follows a time period involving the city’s police department running a shelter themselves since at the time no other option was available.

In the interest of full disclosure, this reporter used to work for a newspaper company located in that very same building. One of City Pages’ several locations since the COVID-19 pandemic was in the strip mall, next to Bethesda which later became AbleLight Book Shop.

But since April 20 the building has operated as a shelter on the first floor. On the second floor is a men’s addiction recovery center; a women’s center is in progress.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the newly renovated building is a step up in terms of its space. The building looks in many ways like a newly opened professional office building, with wall decor and hardwood floor-mimicking laminate. While the city’s WMC shelter operated out of a church at the extreme generosity of its members, the new place feels decidedly dignified.

That’s an important quality the shelter’s staff live by, Craig Vincent told The Wausonian in a recent interview.

“The goal is not just to meet people in crisis, but to move them to success,” Vincent says.

The Wausonian wanted to follow up with the shelter to see, after roughly a month in, how it’s going. The shelter has already helped some people find their way out of homelessness.

Read more

Andrew McCabe has spent 20 years in the restoration business. He speaks nationally, and has provided restoration services from some pretty famous names you would recognize.

Even he seemed surprised seeing the devastation in Ringle on a recent drive-through.

McCabe, who lives in Bend, Ore. and speaks on restoration topics nationally, wasn’t in the Wausau area on a sightseeing tour. On Wednesday he rode through the damaged area with Clay Rice of Northstar Restoration. Thursday and Friday he spoke to contractors, hosted by the restoration business.

The main thing he wants to get through to them, and to homeowners who suffered damage from the Ringle storm: be wary of the insurance companies.

Often what the insurance companies will tell you is in the company’s interest, not the homeowners’, McCabe told The Wausonian from a dinner table at Day’s Bowl-a-Dome in Wausau before the drive-through.

The truth is homeowners often have more rights than they think, McCabe says. And part of his visit is to convey that to contractors who can then convey that to the homeowners.

Most would see the obvious damage. But McCabe points out that even homeowners who think they escaped the worst damage might want to have an assessment done. Sometimes a homeowner might not realize minor damage would lead to larger damage over time, and by then it might be too late.

At a meeting in Ringle hosted by the town and the Community Foundation of Northcentral Wisconsin, leaders there said many hadn’t been able to start any restoration work because an adjuster hadn’t come out yet.

But it’s actually in homeowners’ best interest to start repairs right away, McCabe countered. In fact, insurance policies often require a homeowner to mitigate further damage, such as from water or mold.

McCabe strongly recommends homeowners pay for a professional estimate of the damages; ideally one that’s notarized. “A free estimate is worth the paper it’s printed on,” McCabe says.

The restoration expert said having an official estimate can dramatically increase insurance payouts to homeowners.

Another tactic, McCabe points out, is that insurance companies will often offer a much smaller settlement to settle a claim. Homeowners, who already just went through a traumatic experience, might be eager to simply have things resolved. But they’ve paid a lot of money via their premiums, and McCabe said homeowners should make sure they receive the full amount they are owed under the policy.

“The insurance company wants you to think that they have all the power,” McCabe says. In actuality, “contractually for the policy, you have the power as the insured. And the clock is ticking on them.”

He cautions that Ringle residents should be aware and cautious, and take steps to protect themselves as they navigate the next steps in restoring their homes and getting back to normal life.

Public-service note: The Wausonian is making the key storm-recovery advice in this story available to all readers. If your home or property was damaged in the Ringle tornado and you need access to the full story, email brian@thewausonian.com and I’ll send you a free link as soon as I am able.

A ride through Ringle

McCabe has worked on restoration projects for 20 years, and seen the devastation of plenty of natural disasters in that time. And even he had a strong reaction when he drove through the tornado-damaged areas of Ringle on a Wednesday afternoon.

“Holy smokes,” he said, observing a damaged house amid a cluster of trees that appeared as if they’d been cut down by a giant scythe.

A ride through Ringle surprises everyone in the car. While roofing contractors were already busy at work on some houses, others looked untouched since the triage repairs that immediately followed the storm.

The homes in the subdivision are in a mixed state. Some look completely untouched by the storm. Others are now only foundations. One in particular is a front entryway and not much else.

In one yard, snowmobiles sit outside, their handlebars bent.

On the way to the subdivision, we stop at an area with rows of pines cut. Rice mentions it looks like a logging operation, if you didn’t know better, with fresh cut logs stacked well over the height of an adult man and stretching in two rows for nearly a city block’s length.

Challenging the insurers

McCabe tells Ringle homeowners to be leery of offers that he says amount to sometimes as low as 50 cents on the dollar. They rely on the pressure homeowners feel to return to their homes in a timely manner. But MCabe says insurance companies owe the money they’re policies require them to pay, and homeowners should hold them to that.

Rice says some insurance companies require an insane amount of documentation — pointing to one instance in which an adjuster asked for photos of each garbage bag.

McCabe says the industry has changed over the years, and their practices have become much less favorable to homeowners who’ve experienced serious damage.

To be fair, I asked if some of the reasons insurance companies have changed is because costs have risen. After all, building costs have risen dramatically since COVID-19. And while building inflation has historically outpaced inflation, that’s been even more the case since the pandemic and the supply chain shock that followed.

Reuters in 2024 reported that home insurers specifically had the biggest loss this century in 2023. A big part of that, the report says, is that more people are moving to higher-risk areas. Building costs played a role too.

McCabe in response points to what he says have been more recent record profits for those companies. Global credit rating agency AM Best reported the insurance industry swung from a $21.3 billion underwriting loss in 2023 to a $22.9 billion underwriting gain in 2024. “No one should ever feel sorry for the insurance companies,” he said.

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The Wausau City Council will hold a meeting soon to discuss priorities for the upcoming budget — something advocates of the proposal say is already called for in city documents, but hasn’t ever happened.

The council voted 9-2 Tuesday to hold a committee of the whole — essentially the entire council acting as a committee — to discuss budget priorities that will shape the budget the council will ultimately approve in fall.

Council Member Sarah Watson said she brought the idea forward (along with council member Carol Lukens) because she noticed the budget book said the council would discuss priorities in March, but from her experience, that never actually happened.

Not everyone was in favor of the idea, however. New council member Bruce Trueblood said the council already discussed priorities at its council retreat, including cutting taxes and addressing affordability, so he didn’t see the reason for it.

But new council member Kristin Slonski said she’d spoken with department heads and many told her they wanted more direction from council on budget priorities. So it made sense to meet to further discuss priorities for the 2027 budget.

The idea isn’t new. Marathon County has implemented a similar process in which county leadership starts gathering budget priorities and discussions earlier in the year.

The Wausonian got an exclusive — St. Vincent de Paul bought land in Weston and plans to build a second location. Here are the details:

And subscribers this week got an in-depth look at Wausau/Marathon County’s real estate market:

What else in Wausau?

Aspirus holds groundbreaking for hospital expansion: A new expansion project for Wausau Aspirus Hospital broke ground last week. The expansion will include 64 total new beds including 48 intermediate care beds and 16-bed observation unit. The expansion also includes advanced diagnostics, specialized care units and expanded surgical facilities. The $227 million expansion is the largest in the company’s history, Aspirus officials said at the initial announcement.

Around the metro

Town of Day man charged in death of multiple dogs: A town of Day man is accused in the deaths of several dogs after deputies investigated the situation at his home on Folz Road in April. Joseph Carey faces eight felony counts of mistreatment of animals resulting in death after deputies responded to a complaint about the dead animals. He also faces 13 misdemeanor charges related to the investigation. Deputies say they found eight dead dogs on the property when they investigated, and ten more in emaciated condition that were taken to the Marathon County Humane Society. Carey is currently free on a $5,000 signature bond, according to court records. Carey is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Monday.

Child care program helps to add 16 new teachers: A county-funded program to help train child care teachers and help bolster teachers in Marathon County led to 16 new teachers, the program’s administrators say. The Child Care Foundational Training and Stipend Program, run by nonprofit Childcaring, also helped create two new family child care programs, says director Kelly Borchardt. Nearly 150 families and roughly 170 children were able to receive child care because of the program, she added. Marathon County funded the program with $200,000 of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to help address the shortage of child care providers in Marathon County. There are now 70 facilities in the county, down from 98 in 2020 and 199 in 2012.

Chief Deputy: Squads at the breaking point: Marathon County’s chief deputy says the office is “at the breaking point” with its squads at the county’s most recent public safety meeting. Funding for the vehicles has been flat for about 13 years while vehicle costs continue to rise. Marathon County Chief Deputy Bill Millhausen told the committee one squad blew an engine after 160,000 miles — and without enough funding the office chose to spend $7,500 to replace the engine instead of replacing it. Staff hopes to come back soon with a funding plan as new vehicles would need to be order in the next six weeks to still get delivery of vehicles this year.

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Business

Grand Daddy’s for sale: Grand Daddy’s Gentlemen’s Club is for sale, according to real estate listings. The property is listed for sale either as a building for a new use or for the business itself, according to a real estate video created for the site. Currently the property is priced at $750,000. The business remains open in the meantime, according to Grand Daddy’s social media.

Planet Fitness moving to old Shopko site: Planet Fitness is moving to the former Shopko site on 17th Avenue. The fitness facility has been advertising the move and signs are up at the new location.

Entertainment

The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum kicks off a new exhibit dedicated to the art of printmaking this weekend. But that’s far from the only Wausau event choice this weekend as Nevermore on Third hosts a punk show, the Wausau Downtown Airport plays host to a Pilot for a Day program, and the library hosts a session on spice blends for grilling. It’s quite the collection this week in Your Wausome Weekend Guide!

Sports

Baseball: D.C. Everest moved into second place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference after a win against Marshfield Tuesday. The Evergreens shut out the Tigers 2-0, giving the team a 6-2 record. D.C. Everest now trails only SPASH, which has a 7-1 record.

Softball: D.C. Everest narrowly lost a game in extra innings to Marshfield, remaining the top area team in third place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. The Evergreens kept it close, but ultimately fell to the Tigers 7-6 in eight innings Tuesday. D.C. Everest is 4-4 in conference play this season, trailing Marshfield and SPASH which are tied for first.

Girls soccer: Wausau West is now tied for first in the Wisconsin Valley Conference after a tight win against Wisconsin Rapids. The Warriors took the game Tuesday 1-0, remaining undefeated in conference play at 4-0. That ties them with SPASH.

Boys tennis: Wausau West defeated crosstown rival Wausau East Thursday, but the Lumberjacks remain ahead of the Warriors in the overall standings. The Warriors defeated the Lumberjacks 4-3 Thursday. But Wausau East has more overall points, currently placing them in third place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference, behind SPASH and Marshfield.

Lacrosse: The Wausau Wild boys team defeated Pulaski 12-5 Thursday but lost to Superior 8-5 Saturday. The Wild are now 2-4 in the Bay Valley Conference. The Wausau Wolfpack girls team lost to Appleton Tuesday 8-6, but split a pair of games on Saturday. That puts the Wolfpack at 4-1 in conference play this season, good for third place behind Bay Port and Appleton.

Email me at brian@thewausonian.com. And as always, thanks for subscribing to The Wausonian! If you haven’t subscribed yet, check out the free and paid options below to help support local journalism and stay on top of Wausau news:

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