Central Wisconsin Airport looking to entice more airlines through fund and other Wausau news | Weekly Wausonian
Wausau news for the week of June 12, 2025
Correction: The vote was 5-2 in favor of the fund. The Wausonian regrets the error.
The Central Wisconsin Airport has a new plan - make an offer to airlines that’s so good they can’t refuse.
The new plan is to create a fund to help make sure any new flights or airlines that come to CWA don’t lose money in their first two years in business.
CWA Director Brian Grefe presented the plan to the county’s Infrastructure and Extension, Education and Economic Development committees last week; both committees approved contributing $150,000 to the fund (though it passed 5-2 at the EEE meeting). The county board would still need to approve the contribution.
Grefe said airlines the airport has spoken to say the funds are essential for them to consider starting a new service at a smaller airport. Grefe said he is trying to raise at $500,000 fund that would bring in $3 million in economic development. Ultimately, Grefe said, they would like to see a $1.5 million that could bring $9 million in economic impact. Grefe said funds such as these are becoming common for smaller airports.
The news comes after the last airline, Avelo, set up shop at CWA and then closed in less than a year. A report in The Wausonian detailed that the airline had a history of starting service and ending it in a short amount of time. Grefe said Avelo pulled out of the Midwest entirely and that it had nothing to do with CWA. He said the line was actually profitable, and the airport has been using that data to entice other airlines.
Grefe said he plans to ask Portage County to contribute, as well as foundations, business groups and other organizations.
Last week subscribers learned about the new restaurant to replace Jalapenos, called Los Compadres, and the challenges they faced:
Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant's owner is aiming to win Wausau over
Maria Alcantor found out she had her work cut out for her.
And we looked at a new incentive program that entices young workers to move to smaller municipalities - should Wausau participate?
Should Wausau incentivize people to move here?
There are two housing metrics that seem to be paradoxical: Wausau/Marathon County’s population is shrinking but the number of needed housing units is in short supply.
What else in Wausau news?
This week’s Wausau City Council notebook:
The city council on Tuesday started with another battle over whether Mayor Doug Diny is allowed to make commentary during his mayor’s communication segment. Lou Larson objected to his proclamation saying it wasn’t properly noticed. The city’s rules review committee has been discussing the matter. Diny was ultimately overruled but commented anyway on the Wausau Ignite’s first-ever Athletic Park softball game.
The city council approved extending outside legal advice for city employees as the Diny Ethics Complaint situation drags on. Mayor Diny said the process has been on hold for 120 days so he didn’t think it was necessary, but council members said the city employees need the legal advice as additional witnesses are expected to be called. The motion passed 11-0. Diny said he would veto it but, given the unanimous vote, it would be likely his veto would be overturned. That followed roughly 30 minutes of fighting over how the mayor as chair of the council is allowed to speak (the city attorney says according to Robert’s Rules of Order, he is supposed to pass the gavel to the council president before speaking at the podium).
In a less contentious decision Tuesday, the city council approved a $135,000 renovation plan for the municipal airport. Federal Aviation Administration would reimburse 95% of the costs, according to packet materials. The repairs will address some issues on the airport’s brick facade, the roof and the windows.
The city council Tuesday approved spending $250,000 on additional street overlay and milling to address the city’s crumbling roads. The money comes from the amount saved on salt and plowing as Wausau experienced a mild winter last season. Officials chose roads that specifically didn’t have lead pipe underneath, since those roads will be dug up when the pipes are replaced anyway.
Complaint against city personnel under review: Human Resources officials are reviewing a complaint against city personnel. The committee met in closed session to discuss the matter. No information about who was implicated in the complaint, who lodged the complaint or when it was filed has been released.
Around the metro
Inmate dies following suicide attempt: Marathon County Sheriff’s Office officials say an inmate died in a hospital several days after attempting to take his own life. The 26-year-old inmate, who police didn’t name, attempted to commit suicide on June 1. He was hospitalized by died of his injuries on June 8. All jail deaths are subject to review, Marathon County officials say.
Business incubator nearing full capacity: The Wausau Business Incubator is nearing full capacity and has actually filled out all of its manufacturing space, officials say. MCDEVCO Director Kimm Weber told the city’s Economic, Education and Extension Committee last week that when the organization took over running the incubator, it was 60% full. Today it is 82% full and Weber says they’re working on converting some office space to make more light manufacturing space. Weber says they’ve also doled out $675,000 in small business loans, with an average loan size of $25,000.
Rib Mountain man sets new record for paddling entire Wisconsin River: Andy Nevitt, a kayaker from Rib Mountain, set the new fastest time ever paddling the entire Wisconsin River, in three days, 20 hours and 45 minutes, beating the record for any unmotorized boat by five hours and 30 minutes. Nevitt had previously set the record for a kayak of the entire river but now has set the record for any unmotorized vehicle. Nevitt completed his record-breaking river run on May 30.
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Wausau-based series set to debut on SyFy: A new series is about to debut on SyFy that is likely the first TV show to be set in Wausau. Revival is a series based on a comic book series of the same name by comic book artist and writer Tim Seeley. Seeley graduated from D.C. Everest in 1995 and became well-known for his first series Hack/Slash, and went on to draw and write several Image Comics series under the Devil’s Due imprint. Several Wausau locations appear in the comic Revival, which Seeley wrote. The series debuts Thursday on SyFy.
New Gaming Emporium opening in Rib Mountain: A new Gaming Emporium store is set to open in Rib Mountain Friday. The Wausonian first reported on this new development in our story looking back on how Wausau businesses that we wrote about in 2019 did five years later.
Entertainment
Lamplight Sessions brings in another national touring act with Joe Kaplow, All-Out Mutiny brings the heavy to Nevermore on Third, a hike-a-thon on the Ice Age Trail and more on our Wausome Weekend Guide.
Looking for kids/family events? Check out the family-oriented listing from The Wausonian’s partner Wausau Mama, who puts together a weekly listing of children/family activities.
Sports
Softball: D.C. Everest became the Sectional Champion last week, defeating Menomonie 6-0 Thursday. D.C. Everest (No. 4) was to take on No. 5 seed Watertown in the state quarterfinals Wednesday evening, putting them three wins away from a state title.
Baseball: D.C. Everest was eliminated from the WIAA tournament Tuesday, losing to No. 6 seed Eau Claire North 9-6. The Evergreens defeated River Falls Thursday 5-1 before falling to River Falls. D.C. Everest was the last remaining Wausau area team in the tournament.
Girls Soccer: D.C. Everest and Wausau West, which both tied for the conference title, were both eliminated from the state tournament Saturday. The Evergreens lost to 6-2 to No. 1 seed Eau Claire Memorial, and the Warriors lost 2-0 to No. 2 Hudson.
Boys tennis: D.C. Everest’s Ted Kitchell was eliminated Thursday in straight sets. He lost to Kenosha Indian Trail’s David Porut in straight sets 6-0, 6-3.
College softball: The Wausau Ignite got off to an early start with a homerun by Mia Johnson and never looked back in a 12-2 win over the La Crosse Steam Tuesday, the new college summer softball team’s first-ever game. Johnson hit two home runs in the game and drove in five of the 12 runs. The game was called due to a 10-run rule in the sixth inning, which saw the Ignite score seven runs to close out the win. More than 1,200 people attended the first game.
College baseball: The Wausau Woodchucks notched their 6th win of the season against the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders Tuesday. The Woodchucks found themselves tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh before notching solo runs in the 8th and 9th innings to come out with the win. The Chucks are second in the Great Lakes division behind only Madison.
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