Wausau apartment incentives continue | Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week of June 4, 2026

A Madison-area developer is proposing apartments for city-owned land — but that proposal comes with a pretty big ask.

Eminent Development Corporation of Madison proposed a 45- to 60-unit apartment complex on city-owned land at North Second Street, just south of Bridge Street and near the Atrium Lofts and the Trolley Quarter Flats apartments.

The developer is asking for the land for $1 and $3 million in TIF incentives for the $14-15 million project. But the district the project is in will run out of its expenditure period soon, so city leaders are weighing using another district to fund the incentives.

The city’s Economic Development Committee Tuesday asked staff to continue working with the Madison developer to come up with more concrete terms.

Subscribers this week read about the new Faraway Place in downtown Wausau. The piece is the first from new Wausonian freelancer Wyatt Massey:

A shipping mishap led to a pretty substantial loss for a local business - and it leads off our breakdown of April civil court cases:

What else in Wausau?

Parks staff identify encampment at Fern Island: Parks Department staff says there is a large encampment at Fern Island Park. Parks Director Jamie Polley told the city’s Parks and Recreation Committee that the department is working with the police department to notify people staying there that camping in city parks is illegal and to get them to remove their belongings. If not, city crews can help remove materials. Cleanup could take some time, Polley says, because of the size of the encampment.

Bad news for homeowners who haven’t had their lead lines replaced yet: Homeowners who haven’t yet had their lead lines replaced could be paying a portion of the cost in the near future. That could happen under an ordinance that would require homeowners to replace their lead service lines. The city had been receiving grant funding and loans to replace lead lines to people’s homes at no cost to the homeowner for the portion on their property; but that funding is likely to wane after this year. Federal rules require drinking water systems to replace lead service lines within 10 years, with limited exceptions. Without an ordinance requiring homeowners to replace them, many might not agree to pay for their lines to be replaced. The ordinance is expected to come to the Wausau Water Works in July, and could be forwarded to the city council after that for approval.

Around the metro

Weston residents want more housing, with a caveat: Weston residents say they want more housing in general — but that mostly means single-family housing that’s affordable. That came from a consultant’s survey as it develops its next comprehensive plan. Twice as many residents favored increasing housing development as did decreasing it, according to the survey results. They primarily favored single-family homes that were below the current cost of $425,000 to build them new, with senior housing and then multi-family development following. The survey comes as the village is updating its comprehensive plan meant to guide development in the village. On a related note from the meeting, the village appears to have 2,300 acres of developable land. The Wausonian for instance reported last month that St. Vincent de Paul in Wausau bought land to develop in the village.

Weston man charged with 7th OWI: Police arrested a Weston man on suspicion of committing his 7th offense of operating while intoxicated. Jail records show Ronald Michael Mattson, 58 of Weston, was charged with committing his seventh OWI in Marathon County Court after police arrested him on Saturday. Mattson is currently free on a $5,000 cash bond, court records show.

Hailstorm leads to postponed Kronenwetter meeting: A hailstorm that dropped marble-sized hail on Wausau last week led to the village canceling a meeting after its village hall leaked and had a power outage. The village was supposed to have held its board meeting that night, but the village held the meeting on Monday instead.

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Business

Greater Wausau Children’s Museum is closing: The Greater Wausau Children’s Museum is closing, according to a post on the museum’s Facebook page. The museum started as a pop-up at area events before opening a space in the Wausau Center mall. The museum later moved to the Cedar Creek Mall until its closure. The museum became unsustainable at its current location, the museum officials on Facebook.

Bank First agrees to buy Peoples State Bank parent company: Wausau-based Peoples State Bank is set to be acquired by Bank First Corp. in an all-stock transaction valued at roughly $203 million, according to a press release. Bank First announced the agreement May 19. Under the deal, Bank First would acquire PSB Holdings Inc., the parent company of Peoples State Bank. The merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals. Peoples State Bank will continue operating under its current name until the deal closes and systems are converted. Peoples State Bank is headquartered in Wausau and has locations in Marathon, Oneida, Vilas, Portage, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties.

Entertainment

This weekend brings the legendary Howard “Guitar” Luedtke to town. Plus Pride Fest activities, the start of the Concerts on the Square series, a dairy breakfast, a birding hike and so much more in Your Wausome Weekend Guide.

Sports

Softball: D.C. Everest finished as the top Wausau area Wisconsin Valley Conference team this season, but now is out of the playoffs. The Evergreens lost 6-5 to Hortonville Thursday, eliminating them from the WIAA tournament. Everest beat Wausau West to advance in the first round, and Wausau East lost its first-round game, leaving all Wausau area Valley teams eliminated from the tournament.

Baseball: D.C. Everest won both of its games Thursday, defeating both Wausau East and Wausau West to finish second place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. But all three Wausau area Valley teams fell in the tournament Tuesday. The Evergreens lost 12-8 to Eau Claire Memorial.

Girls soccer: Wausau West finished the conference season with a 2-0 win over Marshfield Friday, putting the Warrior at No. 2 to close out the Wisconsin Valley Conference season. Both the Warriors and the Evergreens have yet to give up a goal in the WIAA tournament as both won their matches Tuesday. D.C. Everest defeated Eau Claire North 1-0, and Wausau West defeated Superior 5-0. If the Evergreens defeat Hudson and the Warriors defeat Eau Claire Memorial, they will face each other in the sectional semifinal.

Lacrosse: The Wausau Wolfpack girls lacrosse team was eliminated from the WIAA tournament Tuesday. The Wolfpack defeated Middleton 10-6 on Thursday, but lost to Hudson 20-2 on Tuesday. The Wild boys lacrosse team was eliminated May 26 from the tournament after an 11-1 loss to DeForest.

College baseball: The Wausau Woodchucks beat the Lakeshore Chinooks 8-3 Tuesday, as the Woodchucks start the season 6-2 at the top of the Northwoods League Great Lakes West division. First baseman Ryan Chase has 13 hits so far this season to lead the Chucks; he has two home runs and nine RBIs, tied for most with Dawson Harman.

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