ATVs now allowed on some county roads | Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week of Nov. 11, 2021

ATVs and UTVs will now be allowed on some county roads under a new ordinance passed Tuesday.

The vehicles will be allowed on county roads in municipalities outside the Wausau metro which have also allowed them on their roads. The bill, under amendment by the County Board Tuesday, elected to pass a speed limit as part of the ordinance. That will go into effect if the state passes ATV speed limit laws, which are in the works.

Many counties have opened up their roads to ATVs, which some people use to get between trails or even as transportation. Marathon County has a lack of ATV trails so the roads help users navigate the county.

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The Wausonian broke news this week that United Airlines would be closing its service to Chicago at CWA - a major route for CW travelers.

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What else in Wausau?

• A plan to apply for COVID-19 relief funds to pay for a pedestrian bridge as part of the mall redevelopment plan is under fire. The grant, part of a state-administered program designating American Rescue Plan Act dollars, would fund $10 million toward the bridge if approved. Council members argued Tuesday that they were left in the dark, and didn’t like the idea of funding a bridge with COVID relief funds; but the timeline for the grant was tight, a project had to be “shovel ready” to qualify and the city council generally approves grants once they’ve been accepted, advocates argue.

• Speaking of torqued city council members, several raised concerns last week over a plan by the mall redevelopment project company to award the first redevelopment project on the former mall site to T. Wall Enterprises — and have them do the work before moving on to the next Riverlife phase, which it had already agreed to do. The plan was presented to city leaders by Project Manager Chuck Ghidorzi as something already happening, which confused them since they will need to give approval before letting T. Wall out of its development agreement.

• The city has a website now for participating in its first strategic plan. Developing a strategic plan was one of the platforms current mayor Katie Rosenberg campaigned on. It was put on hold because of COVID-19, Rosenberg told The Wausonian, she wanted to ensure people had a real chance to participate, including with in-person meetings. Those meetings are coming later this year, but residents can weigh in on the consultant’s website. BerryDunn was hired to develop the plan for the city.

Around the metro

• Marathon County Jail staff next month are expected to be one of the few county jails in the state to have body cams. The sheriff’s office has had the cameras since February of this year, and jail staff are expected to start wearing the cameras in December. Though Marathon County would be one of the first in the state to use them, Chief Deputy Chad Billeb says it’s likely most jails will have them before long.

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Entertainment

• If you’re in the mood for a little high-energy power punk, check out Nato Coles and CASHED 7 pm Friday at Whitewater Music Hall. Nato Coles brings a melodic energy to a somewhat Ramones-ish style vibe, and CASHED has the power punk jam on lockdown. $5 at the door, and enjoy some of Whitewater Music Hall’s beer while you’re at it!

• It’s the theater mash-up of the decade! Wausau Community Theater partners with the Mosinee Commuity Theatre and Central Wisconsin Children’s Theater to bring the show All Together Now!, a big performance that brings you the best of musical theater. Shows run 7 pm Friday and Saturday, and 2 pm Sunday at the Creske Center in Mosinee.

• And if you’re in the holiday spirit already, check out the Christmas Market Friday and Saturday hosted by Change it up Creations. The fun kicks off at 3:30 pm Friday and goes until 6 pm Saturday, featuring “salvaged, vintage, and natural elements to bring you one of a kind crafts and items to decorate your home inside and out.” They also have fresh wreaths and garland wrap from Grace and Sophie’s Pumpkin Patch. See the Facebook page for more details.

Sports

• The Newman Catholic Cardinals have earned another state title shot in 8-player football. The Cardinals blew past Belmont 35-0 and just squeaked by Gilman 29-28 in the semi-final game to earn a championship game against Luck. The Cardinals will be looking to get revenge against Luck, which defeated them in 2019 42-27. The state tournament was canceled in 2020. The Cardinals take on Luck in the state championship 1 pm Saturday in Wisconsin Rapids.

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