The battle for Thomas Street | The Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week Independence Day, 2024

What’s in a word? A lot for people concerned about resolutions and what they mean.

A small fight broke out at the city’s Economic Development meeting Tuesday between committee member Terry Kilian and Liz Brodek in her last meeting as Community Development Director. (Randy Fifrick in the department has been named interim director, as The Wausonian was first to report Monday in a note on the publication.)

Kilian questioned why city leaders had not opened the RFP process for Thomas Street parcels as it had for other parcels throughout the city, despite a city council resolution that said they should be put out for bid simultaneously. Brodek explained that it didn’t make sense to put them out yet since there are a lot of moving parts around grants and environmental cleanup. Moving forward with something before the grant process is done can sometimes jeopardize those grant applications, Brodek explained.

The city is currently working with the Department of Natural Resources to conduct a phase I study of the issue and is hoping to transfer the parcels to the Community Development Authority. That’s because the CDA has the ability to apply for grants the city wouldn’t be eligible for. Ultimately, the plan is to turn them into affordable housing.

Here is video of the dust-up:

Subscribers this week read out investigative piece about allegations that cognitively disabled adults were evicted by Opportunity Inc after being mistreated by its staff members and that North Central Health Care’s promises that nothing would change with their care turned out to be false.

And subscribers read our newest feature, the Full Court Press breaking down Marathon County Court cases for the month:

What else in Wausau?

A new Polack Inn?: Wausau musicians and others gave a last hurrah for the Polack Inn Saturday. Its owners are selling the property and the new owners plan to rehabilitate it. The venue served as a home for local and traveling musicians to play their music and garner an audience, typically featuring heavier music. City leaders Tuesday approved selling a nearby parcel to Dan and Ashley Dadabo for $6,900 (the Dadabos asked for the parcel to be gifted). Because the Polack Inn they’re planning to rehab a nearby residence that has been uninhabitable for some time.

Around the metro

Charges more than a year later: A former clerk in the village of Weston has been charged with multiple counts of fraud. According to prosecutors, Theresa Coleman is accused of taking utility payments when worked as Weston’s utility clerk and crediting her’s and family members’ accounts with them instead. She was averaging $600 to $700 per day, and in total is estimated to have stolen more than $21,000. Full details about this and other cases in June can be found in our new Full Court Press feature on Marathon County Court cases.

Pine Crest sale is off: A lawsuit filed against Lincoln County apparently was enough to ward off a potential buyer of the county-run nursing home. A letter sent to Lincoln County’s Administrator by the attorney of buyer Merrill LLC (Richard Thayer), obtained by The Wausonian, says because former district attorney Don Dunphey filed a lawsuit against the county over the nursing home sale, that puts the county in default of the seller’s agreement which specifies that no lawsuits be filed in the matter. The buyer’s attorney in the letter says because of that default, they are terminating their interest in the sale and will be seeking a refund of their earnest money.

Prideful regret: Weston’s village president says he regrets reversing a decision by the village’s Tourism Commission denying a $5,000 grant to Wausau Pride Fest. Mark Maloney says he voted against the grant initially because he thought it would still pass, and that he wanted to send a message because he felt the organization ought to have provided more data in its grant application. When it failed on a 3-3 vote, he says he used his powers as chair to overturn the decision and make the grant. The decision came in the same meeting that the commission denied a $10,000 grant to Monk Botanical Gardens for its Blossom of Lights festival following the fallout of the name change.

Business

Cat cafe: The Starry Night Cat Cafe opened in Stevens Point last month. It’s a late-night cafe that has a cat sanctuary attached to it. As someone who went to a cat cafe in Japan and had a former student who worked at an owl cafe, it’s interesting to see the concept tried in central Wisconsin.

New Ukrainian bakery: Just Right opened last year and started selling out every day. Now, another Ukrainian bakery has opened. Raspberry Cake, run by chefs Pavlo Shuhailo and Anastasiia Reimus, opened up on Wausau’s north side near Briq’s on Merrill Avenue.

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Entertainment

Thursday, July 4: There are plenty of opportunities for fireworks on July 4, if that’s your thing. The Wausau area recently combined its efforts, making one community show at the Wausau Municipal Airport. This year people will actually be allowed inside the airport grounds for the first time. Gates open at 7 pm, fireworks at 9:15 pm. BYOB food and beverage, and pick up after yourself.

Another option is the Mosinee fireworks event. Starts at 3 pm at River Park. Besides a parade at 6 pm, there are plenty of activities going on in the park including cornhole, a bouncy house, face-painting, and live entertainment by the Shane Weather Dup and the Del Rays. Fireworks at dusk. Both events are free.

And yet another option is the Spicy Tie band playing at Tiki Beach Bar and Grill. These are basically beach parties with a big stage and a ton of fun. Besides the live music which starts at 6:30 pm, they’ll launch their own fireworks show.

Friday, July 5: Outside of the Independence Day activities, old-school country band Jesse and the Medicine Men will be playing Stoney Acres. Eating pizza, drinking some of the best beer in central Wisconsin and enjoying some good music sounds like a great evening to me. 4-8:30 pm. Check out their Facebook page for a short video.

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 beat the Madison Mallards 2-1 Monday night as the Chucks finished the first half of the season at 28-6, two games into first place. Tuesday night’s game was rained out, according to the schedule.

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