Wausau committee raises concerns about license plate cameras | Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week of June 18, 2026

Police since 2023 have been using the Flock Camera license plate reading system — but now city leaders have some concerns.

Captain Benjamin Graham told the city’s Public Health and Safety Committee Monday that the city currently employs 20 such cameras on major thoroughfares — not neighborhoods — and that they track license plates and vehicle info, but not personal identification.

The cameras were used to track down the car of a man going through a coffee shop drive-though accused of exposing himself to a barista in March, Graham shared as an example. Graham told the committee the arrest wouldn’t have happened without the cameras.

Committee members were appreciative but asked about privacy concerns, and whether they could be used for purposes other than intended. Graham explained that camera use is auditable and that officers in other jurisdictions had been criminally charged for misusing them.

Committee members were generally supportive but wanted to see an annual audit presented to the committee starting in January summarizing the trends.

Marathon County leaders have little local control of a proposed wind farm — a situation similar to the metallic mining situation roughly 10 years ago:

Did you know there is a climbing gym being worked on in Wausau? Wausonian readers got the scoop on the project this week:

What else in Wausau?

Grand Theater receives anonymous $1 million pledge: The Grand Theater just embarked on a massive renovation project — and a new pledge promise to help aid that process. An anonymous donor offered to match donations through Dec. 31 of up to $1 million toward the Grand’s renovations. The Grand has raised $15.5 million toward the renovation so far, and with a $17.5 million goal, the grant should help the organization reach its fundraising goal if the match is met. The Grand is expected to reopen in November.

Pophal pleads guilty to wire fraud: Former Wausau financial advisor Stanley Pophal pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering after prosecutors accused him of operating a Ponzi scheme. According to court documents, Pophal through his business Bright with Silver bilked 190 investors out of their money by promising returns and offering to make their principal whole in the case of losses from his supposed wealth that, according to prosecutors, was greatly exagerated. Pophal instead used investor money to fund a lavish lifestyle, including owning hundreds of snowmobiles. The Wausonian wrote about some of the fallout from Stanley Pophal’s fraud here.

Bridge Street Mission releases early stats: Since opening in April, Bridge Street Mission has served 119 unique guests, according to Bridge Street Mission Director Craig Vincent. The shelter so far has moved three people into permanent housing, nine into recovery programs and has had to dismiss five guests for threatening behavior toward staff, Vincent told the city’s Public Health and Safety Committee Monday. The organization took over running the homeless shelter for the city, after Catholic Charities couldn’t renew its contract. The Wausau Police Department temporarily ran a shelter at a church until a new contract with Bridge Street Mission could be put in place.

Rent abatement granted at Atrium Lofts: A tenant at the Atrium Lofts Apartment Complex was awarded rent abatement after the city found the management company failed to make necessary repairs. The tenant told the city’s Public Health and Safety Committee that her windows leaked so badly she needed to move furniture before a rain storm came or her belongings would be soaked. A property manager for Atrium Lofts, a city-aided redevelopment project in what was the Save-O Supply building, told the committee that management tried to have the apartment repaired multiple times, but the leak persisted; a roofer is now scheduled to repair the building but the work has been delayed. But a city inspector testified to the committee that he’d first cited the building’s owners in 2024 and that further inspections showed the window still leaking — and that to this date the problem hadn’t been corrected. “I had water dripping on my head,” the city inspector said. The city committee following a closed session agreed to give the tenant 50% rent abatement going back to July 2025.

Around the metro

County Board member could be censured: Marathon County Board Supervisor Nicholas Endres could be censured, if the board goes along with the county Executive Committee’s recommendations. The Executive Committee voted to recommend censuring Endres following three different allegations stemming from a domestic abuse incident, a no contact order violation and alleged election fraud around his nomination paper signatures. The controversy around Endres led to a rules change on the county board. The board will likely take up the censure at its next meeting.

County leaders could continue Ringle garbage fee reduction: Marathon County leaders could extend a reduction in tipping fees at the Marathon County Solid Waste Facility for residents in Ringle and Kronenwetter impacted by the April tornadoes. The county’s HR, Finance and Property Committee last week approved the extension, which will go before the full board. If the town of Ringle also extends its waiver, the total for a ton of waste disposal would be roughly $50.

Weston leaders discussing new firefighter referendum: The Weston Village Board discussed, but took no action on, a new firefighter referendum a little more than two months following the previous referendum’s failure. The possibility of using additional TIF funding after Weston closed its TIF district was also discussed. SAFER hired three of the nine firefighters it hoped to add, but funding the remaining six is unclear. Many board members expressed concerns about bringing up another referendum so soon after the previous one failed.

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Entertainment

The Wausau Night Market returns this week — and it’s bigger than ever. Plus, a new 400 Block event, snakes and reptiles in Wausau, a familiar band with a new name, a great music act to enjoy with pizza and so much more this week in Your Wausome Weekend Guide.

Sports

Girls soccer: Wausau West shut out powerhouse Hudson 2-0, but lost in the section finals 1-0 to No. 1-seeded Kimberly. The Warriors were the last Wausau area Valley team remaining in the tournament.

Boys tennis: The Wausau West doubles team of Riley Stanchik and Derek Emon fell to Arrowhead 6-0, 6-1 June 4 in state tournament action, ending the hopes of Wausau area Valley teams in the state tournament.

College baseball: The Wausau Woodchucks split a four game series against the Lakeshore Chinooks. That leaves the Chucks at 13-6 this season, leading the Northwoods League’s Great Lakes West Division. Madison trails by one game.

College softball: The Wausau Ignite picked up its first win Saturday against the Grand Forks Spitfires, winning 8-7 at Athletic Park. But it remains the Ignite’s only win of the season so far, leaving them at 1-5 record. That puts them last in the Northwoods League Softball standings.

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