Election in waiting | Weekly Wausonian
Wausau news for the week of Dec. 18, 2025
It’s the holiday season; but for journalists, it’s also election season.
Candidates are already out collecting signatures for local office, including county board, city council, school board and village and town boards. It’ll also likely include referendums such as those in Wausau and Weston.
Many clerks — including the Marathon County clerk and the city of Wausau clerk — have been publishing updated candidate trackers on their respective websites.
But an interesting trend has emerged lately. Because candidate packet information along with instructions are available online, fewer and fewer candidates are taking out paperwork in person, one of the first clues that someone new is running.
While it might look like few seats will be challenged — so far there don’t appear to be any contested races on city council and only potentially four on county board — there very well might be more coming.
The Wausonian will keep up to date on as many races as we can. Expect more races to become contested as the Jan. 6 filing deadline draws near.
Girls hockey entered the Wisconsin Valley Conference for the first time ever this year — and no one is talking about it. The Wausonian sheds light on what this means for teams such as the Central Wisconsin Storm:
The Central Wisconsin Storm is now in the Wisconsin Valley Conference - why is no one talking about it?
Opening up a tab for valleystats.org a couple of weeks ago, where I collect most of my info for the weekly spots roundup in the Weekly Wausonian, I was surprised to find a new section.
Sometimes holding off for a little extra information pays off - and that was the case with this week’s Wausau Tavern Report:
A warrant and a gun | Wausau Tavern report
We think Wausau gets pretty interesting after dark. Here are the significant police calls to Wausau taverns for the last month, plus information about liquor licenses and other bar-related matters.
NOTE: Next week The Weekly Wausonian will come out on Wednesday, and will incorporate Your Wausome Weekend Guide. The change is to accommodate Christmas, which falls on Thursday this year.
What else in Wausau?
Don’t like the Grand Avenue “washboard?” We’ve got bad news for you: Anyone who has driven on Grand Avenue lately knows it is — to put it politely — in rough shape. The Wausonian reached out to Public Works Director Eric Lindman to ask more. Lindman says his department hasn’t received an unusual amount of complaints, but said the conditions are caused by reflective cracking. Water gets underneath the pavement overlay into the cracks and freezes, pushing the pavement up. The road is under the state’s jurisdiction and Lindman says the city has had conversations with state leaders about this section of the road. The bad news? Reconstruction wouldn’t be until 2030, 2031 if the funding is available, Lindman says.
New candidate files for empty council seat: A new candidate has filed to run for the seat that will be left empty by Becky McElhaney after McElhaney said she wouldn’t run again. Mario Diaz took out paperwork and filed nomination signatures for the District No. 6 city council seat. As of Wednesday morning, no one had filed to challenge any of the nine incumbent council members who plan to run again; nor has anyone filed to run for the seat currently held by Chad Henke, who signaled he isn’t running again.
One school board member files not to run again: At least one school board member so far has filed not to run again next spring. Jennifer Paoli filed her non-candidacy forms with the district clerk, according to the District’s website. The deadline for filing non-candidacy is Dec. 26, and the deadline to file all paperwork required to run is Jan. 6. So far, Lance Trollop has turned in all his paperwork to run for office again. Besides Trollop and Paoli, Cory Sillars’ and Charles Burger’s seats are up for election.
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Around the metro
Weston approves referendum for spring: The village of Weston approved a referendum coming in spring to ask voters for more money in order to fund its share of six new firefighters in the SAFER Fire District. The referendum, the language of which will come back for approval in January, would ask voters to increase the levy beyond the levy limits by $600,000 over two years to help pay for those firefighters. Rib Mountain’s board earlier this month approved funding the new firefighters, but can handle its share without a referendum. Village leaders had originally floated a fire fee but backed off after some community pushback.
Concerts on the Square is coming back to Weston: Village leaders approved one of the Concerts on the Square coming back to Weston next year. One of the concerts was held at Kennedy Park last year, a first in Concerts on the Square history. Village leaders say this year they’ll point the stage at the aquatic center to reduce complaints from residents about the excessive bass.
Two file to run for Weston board: Two new candidates have filed to run for Weston Village Board, according to the latest update on the village’s website. Katrina Clark and Brent Olson have filed to run for the board. Incumbent trustee Joe Jordan filed non-candidacy paperwork, meaning he won’t seek re-election. Besides Jordan’s, Steven Cronin’s and Mark Kern’s seats are also up for election this year.
Entertainment
Max Koepke is back! Koepke is coming to the Sawmill, comedian Steve-O is coming to the Grand, Santa is putting on his own 5k, and so much more in Your Wausome Weekend Guide:
Looking for kids/family events? Check out the full listing from The Wausonian’s partner Wausau Mama, who puts together a weekly listing of children/family activities.
Sports
Boys hockey: D.C. Everest sent Merrill packing Tuesday 6-3 to improve to 2-2, but Wausau West remains at the top of the table with a 3-0 record at the start of the Wisconsin Valley Conference season. But waiting in the wings is long-time rival SPASH, which is also undefeated and has only played one game so far. The Warriors and the Panthers will battle it out on Tuesday, two days before Christmas.
Girls hockey: The Central Wisconsin Storm will have a chance today to get itself back on top of the Wisconsin Valley Conference as the team hosts Northland Pines at Marathon Park. The Storm have won their only conference game so far, and a win would leave them tied for first with Black River Falls. This season is the first for the Central Wisconsin Storm entering the Wisconsin Valley Conference.
Boys basketball: D.C. Everest is off to a strong start in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. The Evergreens defeated Wausau West 79-53 Friday in the conference opener. They’ll take on 1-0 Marshfield on Friday.
Girls basketball: D.C. Everest finally notched a win Friday, defeating cross-metro rival Wausau West 50-47. The Evergreens are now tied with Marshfield for third place. They’ll face the 1-0 Tigers on Friday.
Junior league hockey: The Cyclones won two of a three-game stand this weekend. They beat the Buzz 6-0 Saturday, beat the Badland Sabres 4-2 on Sunday, but lost to Alexandria Blizzard 3-1 Monday. That leave the Cyclones 14-10 in the NA3HL Central Division.
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