Discussing what to do with Wausau's homeless population, Part I | The Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week of July 18, 2024

City officials this week convened the first of two planned committee of the whole sessions on homelessness in Wausau.

Monday’s meeting consisted of about two hours of hearing from all of the agencies either directly or indirectly interacting with the city’s homeless population. Following that was roughly 50 minutes of discussion.

The second meeting will cover the next steps to further curtail homelessness in the Wausau area.

The Wausonian is working on a longer post documenting highlights from the meeting, including what agencies are doing what, some successes they’ve had, and what remains to be done.

But one item from the meeting worth noting: Wausau Police Chief Matt Barnes says the area is increasingly seeing an influx of homeless people from around the area, either because they find their way to Wausau on their own, or because other municipalities bring them here.

On the latter, Barnes notes, if those municipalities are going to bring their homeless here, then they need to contribute to the services Wausau provides.

Wausonian readers this week also read about how the city’s lead pipe replacement plan didn’t turn out the way city leaders presented it:

And, there’s a lot of speculation about why people move to Wausau — but data and conversations with readers paint a different picture:

What else in Wausau?

Train derails on west side: A train derailed on the tracks south of Highway 29 on Friday, WAOW reports. The train crumpled into a pile on the tracks south of Wausau Mine Co. and Franck’s Gym, just west of Trail’s End Lodge. Authorities including the Department of Natural Resources are still investigating the derailment.

Flash flood causes chaos in Wausau: A flash flood on Saturday afternoon led to the cancellation of the remainder of the Taste N Glow festival, brought down trees and power lines, and damaged some streets. Lakeview Drive was closed this week after the storm severely damaged the pavement. Flooding on Grand Avenue and other streets stalled out cars which needed to be towed.

Wausau a start-up gem?: The publication marketbeat.com named Wausau amongst its top 100 places to launch a start-up business. Ranked No. 63, the decision came from a survey of 3,000 business executives and Wausau scored high for business development ecosystem and low cost of living.

Around the metro

Charges filed against man arrested in manhunt: The District Attorney filed felony charges against Bartholomew Baumann following his arrest at the end of a manhunt. Authorities told the public they considered him armed and dangerous at the time. Bauman is facing charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, possessing a firearm as a felon and fleeing an officer. He also faces several misdemeanor charges. Baumann is currently being held on a $75,000 cash bond.

Library adds security staff: Marathon County Public Library has added security to help make its staff safer. Director Leah Giordano says the move came after several unsettling incidents at the library. In the two weeks the security contract has been in place, security peacefully escorted out a man having a mental health episode in the library and dealt with a visitor who was stalking an employee and followed her home.

Business

New bakery: Wausau hadn’t seen many new bakeries popping up for some time. Suddenly, there has been an influx of them. The Moonlight Bakery on Merrill Avenue is the latest to open its doors to the public, following the somewhat recent openings of The Raspberry Cafe, Just Right and The Chocolate Cafe.

Outdoor patio: The status of Bull Falls Brewery remains somewhat mysterious as the company continues to search for a buyer, but recently the brewery opened an outdoor patio for its customers.

Popular restaurant to close for weeks: A&A Restaurant, which always seems to have a packed parking lot, announced it will be closing for three weeks in order for them to “focus on quality time with friends and family” and to make needed repairs and add things to its menu. The post on the restaurant’s website also says it will be adding beer and wine to its menu. The restaurant will be closed July 22 to Aug. 12.

Forward beverage going statewide: Forward Beverage, the no-alcohol drink company openned last year in downtown Wausau, announced recently that it has signed with Badger Liquor to distribute its beverages statewide. That’s a huge step after being open less than a year.

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Entertainment

Thursday, July 18: It’s always a fun time when downtown streets are closed off to provide a cool walkable experience in the city you live; and the Wausau Night Market does just that. Stroll the numerous local vendors downtown as they set up on the length of Third Street and turn downtown into a festival atmosphere. This is the second of three night markets planned for the summer, so there is this one and one more in August before the series is finished for the year. Check out items ranging from Indian baked goods to sipping vinegars to candles, eggs, artwork and much more. 5-9 pm. See the event page for more.

Saturday, July 20: One of the most underrated concert experiences in Wausau is the Concerts in the Clouds series. Help high atop Rib Mountain (yes, I am paying homage to the late great Glen Moberg), these concerts are kind of low key, being held on the top of the mountain, but bring a nice backdrop with the city of Wausau laid out behind the musicians as they jam. This week’s band is an Americana group called Sam and the Strays, with a little bit of country twang that should work perfectly in this setting. Option: Start at the bottom of the mountain and make it an athletic event to hike up to the music. Concerts are free but a state park vehicle pass is required to park. See the event page for more.

Sunday, July 21: Does anyone need a reason to kick back and relax on a Sunday afternoon? Probably not, but what better way to do it than with some great jazz music playing away as you chill? Daddio probably has the coolest band name for a jazz group I’ve heard - I mean, you’d read that and know right away they’re a jazz group. But, you might not know they’re a group from Appleton that brings not only fresh takes to covers ranging from Sting to Steely Dan, but also produces its own music. This should be a great addition to the series. 5 pm. Free. Rain location: St. Andrew’s, Rib Mountain. 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.

Sports

College baseball: The Wausau Woodchucks have continued their stellar season with an 8-1 win against the Madison Mallards Tuesday. That win improved the Woodchucks to 11-2 in the second half of Northwoods League play, and 37-10 overall. The Woodchucks already secured a playoff spot with their first-half record.

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