Wausau East hockey remains in limbo | Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week of Feb. 12, 2026

Feb 12, 2026

Wausau School Board members were livid Monday about a recent decision by Merrill’s school board to dissolve the East/Merrill hockey co-op team. Especially since that decision came right before the deadline to potentially form a new co-op.

But while solutions were discussed, the fate of Wausau East’s hockey players next year is still up in the air.

Wausau attempted to petition the Wisconsin Valley Conference to allow East players to play on the Wausau West team, but a tied vote among Wisconsin Valley Conference schools meant that won’t happen. And eligibility requirements make it difficult for students to simply enroll at Wausau West.

The school board is weighing a few options, including appealing to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association for an extension to the co-op deadline, seeking to seeking to change conference bylaws to prevent ties, and convincing one of the no voting schools (by process of elimination, that seems to be SPASH, Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield, since the two Wausau schools voted yes and D.C. Everest voted in support) to reconsider their no vote.

The board didn’t take formal action Monday, but Board President James Bouche told the board it would be best for the district’s administration to reach out to the other schools to start the process.

Readers this week got our 2025 real estate breakdown, chock full of real estate stats and with our 2026 real estate outlook:

And, we spoke to all three candidates running for the District No. 6 council seat. Here’s the candidates voters will choose from on Feb. 17:

What else in Wausau?

Final approval of RiverLife concession: The City Council Tuesday officially named Sawmill Adventure Park as the next vendor for the RiverLife concession stand. Sawmill owner Dylan Allwin proposed an ice cream business for the concession stand.

City approves contract with non-profits to spread awareness of lead program: The city' Finance Committee Tuesday approved a contract with two non-profit organizations to promote the city’s lead line replacement program to minority residents. The plan uses grant funding to award $212,500 each to HOLA and New Beginnings. But some criticized the plan, saying the request for proposals was only available for three weeks and that included Christmas and New Year’s weeks when non-profits were closed or operating with a skeleton crew. The plan will still need city council approval.

Around the metro

Kronenwetter supervisor resigns: The village of Kronenwetter saw another resignation last week. Mary Jensen resigned from the board Thursday, according to a post by Kronenwetter officials. Jensen was appointed to the board to fill a vacancy left when Dan Joling was appointed village president, leaving his old seat empty. Joling filled the president’s seat when David Baker resigned from the position last fall. The village is currently working to recruit someone for the position.

Kronenwetter mining site approval gets pushback: Residents and some board members are furious about the village board’s approval last month of a non-metallic mining site along Maple Ridge Road and Highway 39 in the village of Kronenwetter. Residents expressed concern about traffic, noise, pollution and destruction of property values after the board approved an appeal after the village’s zoning board denied the conditional use permit for the mine. Trustee Ken Charneski told the rest of the board Monday during a discussion about the decision that the vote was improper because new evidence isn’t allowed to be presented to the board during an appeal that wasn’t already presented at the Plan Commission. Supporters say the mine presents needed economic development on a site that’s in a TIF District - with no development, taxpayers could be on the hook for nearly $1 million when it closes.

Rothschild man sentenced in federal drug case: A 29-year-old Rothschild man was sentenced last month for possessing meth and fentanyl with the intent of selling it. Edward Jackson III will spend six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to selling meth and fentanyl and possession of a firearm last September. Jackson was arrested after Wausau police were called to a domestic violence incident in May 2024. Police later found drugs in his car thanks to the efforts of a K9 officer.

Sheriff’s office pushes back on media immigration claims: The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office put out a new release this week pushing back on a Channel 9 story in which a representative of HOLA claimed Sheriff’s Office deputies conduct immigration enforcement. Marathon County Sheriff Chad Billeb says that only correction officers work with ICE when there is a detention request to the jail. He said statements that deputies would ask for immigration paperwork at traffic stops or other encounters is false. In The Wausonian’s Full Court Press, we highlighted two lawsuits Billeb and the Sheriff’s Office are currently facing in relation to ICE detention requests. Channel 9 clarified the story, and printed a clarification from the HOLA representative. The Wausonian reached out late Wednesday for additional comment and will update the story if they respond.

Business

New bookstore opens: Room of Words, upstairs from Hoehn’s Huddle in Schofield, opened last weekend. The bookstore planned to open last December, but delays pushed the opening date back. But that’s all in the past as the store held its grand opening Feb. 7. The shop serves pastries and coffee as well as books.

Entertainment

Shrek: The Musical, a snowshoe walk, antiques a macabre Valentine’s Day event and so much more to do 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.

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Sports

Boys basketball: D.C. Everest has now taken the top spot in the Wisconsin Valley Conference after beating SPASH 62-49 Tuesday. The Evergreens now lead Marshfield with a 6-1 record. The Tigers trail closely with a 5-1 record.

Girls basketball: D.C. Everest still remains tied for second in the Wisconsin Valley Conference and is still the top Wausau area team, but a loss last week let Marshfield edge closer. Marshfield beat the Evergreens 53-44 Thursday to pull within one game of the second-place D.C. Everest. D.C. Everest and Wisconsin Rapids are both in second place with 5-3. SPASH leads the conference with an 8-0 record.

Boys hockey: Merrill and Wausau East’s officials might be bickering (see the lede story), but the co-op team didn’t let that affect them on the ice as the Bluejacks won their last regular season game as a team 6-3 over Wisconsin Rapids. Meanwhile, both Wausau West and SPASH won their last games of the season to remain tied in first place with a 9-1 record.

Girls hockey: The Central Wisconsin Storm shut out Medford 6-0 Tuesday to finish their first conference season tied for first place. That gives the Storm a conference title in its first-ever Wisconsin Valley Conference season as girls hockey was added to the WVC this season.

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