Parks puzzle | The Weekly Wausonian
Wausau news for the week of Aug. 8, 2024
Parks Committee officials got themselves a little shock last week when they started getting inquiries from media asking about a new proposal to cleave the city parks from the city/county parks department and put it under public works.
That’s because they knew nothing about it.
Mayor Doug Diny, they say, fed a story to the Wausau Pilot and Review. The proposal wasn’t shared with other media or with the council members who would ultimately be making the decision.
Parks Committee members spared no words in ripping the mayor for leaving them in the dark on the proposal that supposedly would save the city $400,000 to $500,000 in cost savings.
But that calculation seemed to be basically a back-of-the-napkin calculation, committee members said, and didn’t seem to take into account added costs the city might incur. It’s the opposite of a trend generally seen in government of consolidating to save costs. And a consultant to study the proposal would likely cost between $40,000 and $90,000, city finance officials say.
Whether anything will come of the proposal, considering the lack of committee support, remains to be seen.
Subscribers this week had plenty to read in The Wausonian, especially around the elections:
Not to mention, we featured stories about a place in Wausau where you can pick your own Wisconsin Moonstone, and our brand new feature, Getting Real with Real Estate.
SPECIAL NOTE: This week is my birthday week, and if you’ve thought about becoming a paid subscriber, this is a great week to do it. I’m offering 20% off. The Wausonian only rarely runs discounts and will probably be raising prices at the end of the year, so don’t miss out!
What else in Wausau?
Meth bust: Police reported that their Community Resource Unit along with the narcotics task force seized 170 grams of meth in a bust on Wausau’s Southwest Side Friday morning. There were four other meth busts Friday, according to police records - including two related to drug dealing.
When one pool closes, another opens: Those darned wasps forced the Parks Department to shut down its Kaiser Pool early. But, city leaders say, they’ve extended the season for the city’s other two pools - Schulenberg and Memorial - until Aug. 11. Enjoy the week of swimming.
Former mayoral candidate seeking legal funds: The former mayoral candidate accused of using the N word multiple times in an altercation at a West Side Kwik Trip is now fundraising for his legal defense. Chris Wood had raised about $2,000 of his $15,000 goal, saying his First Amendment rights were being violated. Most of the donors are anonymous. For those who didn’t see it, Wood allegedly told a white woman to leave the minority man she was with and find a white person instead, leading to an altercation.
Around the metro
Air training: If you see some extra fighter jet activity in the area between now and Aug. 16, don’t worry too much - it’s just an annual training exercise. Marine, National Guard and Air Force personnel are training for combat at the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center. The training will potentially cover 22 counties, including Marathon, Portage and Wood.
Business
The Chicago hot dog invasion: Yet another Chicago-style hot dog place as opened in the Wausau area. But that’s not all — Chicago Stylez also promises soul food offered at its location inside the UWSP—Wausau campus. The restaurant held its grand opening Aug. 1.
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Entertainment
Thursday, Aug. 8: Adeem The Artist is a pretty good get for Stoney Acres Farm, which has turned its pizza on the farm into a music venue worth taking note of. Adeem The Artist has played at Grand Ole Opry, comes from Knoxville, Tenn. and is now ready to bring the band’s blend of Americana/country to the farm. $39 gets you all-you-can-eat pizza and a night of pop-style country music. $39. Visit Stoney Acres’ website for more info about tickets and the event. 5 pm. Opening act Scott Kirby at 6 pm, main act at 7:30 pm.
Saturday, Aug. 10: The Wausau Business Show has been doing some wild things lately - they started a Lobster Bus that took Wausau residents to Red Lobster in the Fox Valley area, reviving a zombie meme that just won’t quite die (City Pages had a cover feature about whether Wausau would ever get a Red Lobster in the 90s). And now they’re hosting an August Kickbusch Celebration. Operating on the 400 Block from noon to 4 pm Saturday, the new event meant to honor Wausau’s first mayor, August Kickbusch will feature live music from Brad Emanuel, a “busch” kicking contest to see how far someone can kick a can of Busch beer (I hope it’s the light version) and plenty of local food trucks to keep you occupied. See the event page for more.
Sunday, Aug. 11: It surprised me to learn that Janet Planet is from Oshkosh - she’s been a name around the Wausau area for so long I just assumed she lived here! Janet Planet has been rocking the jazz scene for more than three decades and her voice sounds just as good on recent recordings as it ever has. Her voice is sultry and punchy, and it’ll be a joy to watch her take the stage at Kickbusch Plaza behind the library. 5 pm. Free. Rain location: St. Andrew’s, Rib Mountain. Check out River Valley Jazz Society’s page for more information.
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 gotten back to their winning ways, wrapping up a three-game win streak with a notch over the Kenosha Kingfish 16-6 Tuesday. The Woodchucks play their last home game Thursday against the Minnesota Mud Puppies before finishing the season with two games on the road. The Chucks clinched the playoffs with their first half season record, and are 21-10 in the second half (a game and a half behind the Madison Mallards).
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