Diny takes office | The Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week of April 18, 2024

Doug Diny took the oath of office as Wausau’s new mayor, as supporters and residents packed city hall Tuesday night.

Lisa Rasmussen was elected council president 6-4-1 over Gary Gisselman (4) and Lou Larson (1), who were also nominated. Becky McElhaney was also nominated but declined. (McElhaney served as council president last term.)

Tuesday’s organizational meeting of the Wausau City Council was otherwise fairly uneventful, save for one item: Designation of the official newspaper. That ordinarily went to the Wausau Daily Herald, but several council members inquired whether that could be changed, considering the decline in readership and reach of the Herald, and a lack of local reporters. Some suggested there be a digital and a print official paper.

It’s not clear whether or not that’s possible. The reason the Daily Herald has been the official newspaper is because state law requires the official paper to have a circulation of a certain size and for the city of Wausau’s size, at least 300 paid subscribers. Free papers are therefore not qualified.

The Wausonian reached out to City Attorney Anne Jacobson to learn more about the legality and process involved with these proposals.

Subscribers this past week read our election analysis:

And our coverage of a new Wisconsin Elections Commission complaint:

What else in Wausau?

School lunch help: Pastor Yauo Yang is known for being selfless — both through his work through The Cross church and through his Gospel TLC, a non-profit long-term rehabilitation center he started in Weston. But last week Yang did another good turn — he raised more than $20,000 through a GoFundMe to pay off student lunch debt for Wausau and D.C. Everest school district students.

Guilty plea in parking lot shooting: A man accused of shooting another man while he sat in his car in 2021 pleaded guilty to the crime. Michael Turner was accused of shooting a man while parked in his car on 5th Avenue. Witnesses told police he shot into the car, looked up at witnesses, and then fired again. Turner pleaded guilty to first-degree intentional homicide and will now face sentencing on May 28.

Around the metro

Morgue site in sight: The Human Resources, Property and Finance Committee approved the purchase of a site for the new Forensic Science Center from Northcentral Technical College. Ground is slated to break on the center, or morgue, this year and the county needs to own the site. NTC plans to contribute to the project’s information technology to match what the county pays for the site, County Administrator Lance Leonhard says. The county is building the center because there is a lack of facilities in the state, which costs the county time and money traveling to Madison to have the autopsies performed. Many other northern counties also plan to make use of the facility.

Gibbs re-elected county board chair: Kurt Gibbs was re-elected as county board chair Tuesday. This time Gibbs didn’t face any opposition on the 38-member board. County Board Member Chris Dickinson defeated John Robsinson 19-16 for the vice chair position.

Recount: Marathon County held a recount on District 16 where challenger Bill Conway defeated incumbent Tony Sherfinski by one vote. Under the recount Friday, two additional votes were found for Conway that were considered overvotes (meaning area outside of just one candidate’s oval was marked). A panel determined they were intended to vote for Conway, so in the end he received three more votes than Sherfinski. See The Wausonian’s election analysis for more and check out the video below:

County board inside baseball: The new county board spent a lot of time debating when and how information is sent to county board supervisors — some bristled at some last-minute information being added to packets. But, the problem: those last minute changes come from supervisors themselves. It all got more complicated from there, but in the end the board scrapped the whole idea. A motion to have committees elect their chairs also failed. But one did pass: changing the county board meeting time to 6 pm from 7 pm.

Entertainment

Thursday, April 18: Get those snapping fingers ready - it’s poetry month and Whitewater Music Hall is hosting a poetry reading. The event will feature Wausau’s poet laureate and Wisconsin’s poet laureate reading some of their work. There’s also an open mic, so if you’re in the mood to wax lyrical, that’s another reason to stop on down. And, Whitewater serves its own beer in case you need a little liquid courage. 7 pm. See the event page for more.

Friday, April 19: You know at The Wausonian we’re fans of live loop artists who can build songs on their own using technology. It’s impressive to watch! This Friday Malarkey’s Pub will host Glen Everhart, who is nationally known for his prowess with his Boss loop device. Playing over 3,000 shows per year, it’s Everhart’s first time at Malarkey’s, and it ought to be quite the performance. 8 pm. Check out the event page for more.

Tuesday, April 23: B2wins origin from the streets of Rio de Janeiro brought them to the U.S., where they received a scholarship after appearing on NPR. The duo blends modern musical styles with classical and modern instruments and electronics. This duo puts on a high-energy show and is always a favorite when they come to the area. This show at the Grand Theater ought to be no different. 7:30 pm. $10 and up. See the event page for more.

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.

Sponsored by

Venado: Your Haven for wine, spirits, beer and delights. Indulge in the perfect blend of relaxation and flavor at Venado, where we curate an exceptional experience just for you. Whether it's wine, spirits, beer or delectable bites, we've got you covered. Savor the moment with our exquisite light food plates, from mouthwatering raviolis to artfully crafted charcuterie boards featuring a delightful selection of cheeses. Each dish is a symphony of flavors, complementing our extensive drink menu. Private events tailored for you to celebrate your important moments with us! Venado offers private events, ensuring your special occasions are memorable and personalized. Whether it's a milestone birthday or a corporate gathering, we've got the perfect setting for your celebration. Join us during our regular hours: Tuesday to Thursday: 2 PM - 8 PM Friday and Saturday: 2 PM - 9 PM Our team is dedicated to providing personalized attention, ensuring you thoroughly enjoy your time at Venado. Let us be the backdrop for your moments of joy and relaxation. Visit Venado, where every sip, bite and celebration is crafted to perfection. Cheers to unforgettable experiences!

Sponsored by

Sports

Baseball: Wausau West leads Wausau area teams so far with a 1-1 record after falling to Wausau East Thursday. The Warrior’s Tuesday game was postponed to today (Thursday).

Softball: So far D.C. Everest is the top Wausau area team, but largely because it’s only played one game. The 1-0 Evergreens host Merrill today.

Boys tennis: D.C. Everest is off to a strong start to the season, defeating Wausau West 7-0 Monday. The Evergreens are 1-0 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference and will take on Wisconsin Rapids today.

Girls soccer: D.C. Everest kicked off the season with a win, defeating SPASH 6-1 to start out on top of the Wisconsin Valley Conference. They’ll host Wisconsin Rapids today.

Boys Lacrosse: The new Wausau Wild team defeated Middleton 8-6 this week and is now ranked No. 5 in the state.

---

Thanks for reading The Wausonian! If you’re not already subscribed, you can sign up for free to get this roundup sent to you every Thursday. Or, consider a paid subscription to get all The Wausonian’s content.

Feel free to respond directly to this email to offer any tips or corrections. Thank you!

Already a subscriber? Refer your friends and earn rewards with your unique link below!