Wausau Mayor Doug Diny set a goal of no more than a 2.5% levy increase for this year’s budget over last year’s.
When he set that goal, the Finance Committee was closer to that goal than he realized. They’d already cut nearly $200,000 from the budget.
On Tuesday, they reached that goal by adding funding from a new program that will add a charge to ticketed events, expected to bring in $70,000. That program will be devised by the city’s Public Health and Safety Committee.
That meets the threshold of a 2.5% levy increase, without which Diny said he would veto any budget sent his way. The city council could have overridden that veto with a supermajority vote.
Diny also said he would veto any budget that included a wheel tax, or would close a city pool or operations at Sylvan Hill.
How that will ultimately impact events in the area remains to be seen. Wausau Events on Monday released a schedule of events for 2025, but said a charge on ticketed events or a fee for free events might change that schedule.
Subscribers this week read stories about a new election filing, possible elementary school closures and more on the efforts to clean up a shuttered mobile home park:
Readers also learned about the candidates running for the 85th Assembly District and the WI 7th Congressional District, and a letter to the editor with a different perspective on the Diny ballot box situation.
What else in Wausau?
Early voting numbers growing: The city clerk reports that so far roughly 500 people per day have been early voting. Daily vote totals have ranged from 492 votes to 623, according to information the city clerk has posted on the city’s Facebook page.
Former teacher pleads guilty to cocaine on campus: A former Wausau middle school teacher pleaded guilty this week to possessing cocaine on school property. Nevan Larson, who was a teacher at John Muir Middle School, was arrested after police received a tip that he had cocaine in his car on school property. Larson was given a year of probation after agreeing to a plea deal.
Legal defense fund started for Mayor: A legal defense fund has been started for legal fees incurred by Mayor Doug Diny. The defense fund, meant to help Diny who is facing a DOJ investigation into his handling of the city’s ballot box, has a goal of $250,000 to assist in the mayor’s legal fees. The fund as of Wednesday morning has raised nearly $6,300.
Around the metro
County could soon test mobile home park ahead of cleanup: County leaders could soon test a shuttered mobile home park ahead of testing it. That’s the next step in the county cleaning up the Northern Lights Mobile Home Park in Schofield after a health department report found people are squatting in the park despite it being abandoned, which is a human health hazard.
Inmate accused of killing Schulz-Juedes to undergo mental health testing: Taylor Sanchez, the inmate accused of killing Cindy Schulz-Juedes, will undergo a court-ordered mental health evaluation after pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Schulz-Juedes was arrested in 2019 on charges of killing her husband Ken Juedes in 2006 in their home. She was sentenced to prison in 2022. But she was found beaten to death last year. The Ken Juedes murder was featured in several TV shows including A&E’s taking the stand.
Business
Forward Beverage wins national award: Forward Beverage won its first national award recently. The new non-alcoholic beverage maker in Wausau took runner-up at the Benzinga Hemp Beverage Competition.
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Entertainment
Thursday, Oct. 31: Malarkey’s Pub is one of the venues that helped put Wausau on the musical map for a lot of touring bands. This Thursday, you can see that in action as the Joseph Huber Band comes to one of Wausau’s top music venue to kick off its Halloween Bash. Huber brings a mix of folks and bluegrass but transcends the genre with solid and creative songwriting. And maybe that’s because he’s one of the original members of the .357 String Band, which was playing this kind of music in the days of the early 2000s before the style exploded as it has since. Huber is one of a kind and a great listen to help celebrate Halloween. Check out the event page.
Friday, Nov. 1: When I was a kid, I remember singing Don McLean’s American Pie on the school bus more than once. The song was so pervasive, even so many years after it was popular, that we all knew the words collectively. So McLean coming to the Grand Theater is a pretty big deal. Amazingly, he hasn’t stopped for 50 years and is still writing, recording and performing music. This is your chance to see an American legend so you’ll want to grab your tickets right away. 7:30 pm. $40-$75. See the event page for more.
Saturday, Nov. 2: The snow hasn’t fallen yet, of course, but it’s always around this time of year when many of us start thinking about winter sports. And part of that tradition is the annual ski/snowboard swap! Let’s be real, a lot of that equipment can be really expensive, and this is a great way to get yourself a deal on used snowboards, downhill skis and Nordic skis, or to sell your own. I still have a pair of Solomon skis I bought at the ski swap way back in my 20s, complete with some now-vintage Edsbyn poles. 11 am-3 pm at East Gate Hall, cash, check with ID and Visa/Mastercard accepted. If only they sold snow. See the event page for more.
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
Football: D.C. Everest sent Hudson packing 50-21 Friday to advance to the next round of the WIAA playoffs. The Evergreens, ranked No. 7, upset the No. 2 ranked Hudson as they take on Madison Memorial on Friday. Wausau West lost to No. 1 ranked Waunakee 28-14.
Volleyball: D.C. Everest beat Superior in four sets, but lost to Marshfield in four sets to end its WIAA playoff run. Wausau West and East both lost in their first-round playoff games, eliminating Wausau area teams from the tournament.
Boys soccer: No. 6-ranked Wausau West defeated No. 3-ranked D.C. Everest 1-0 in the first round of the WIAA playoffs. The Warriors’ joy was short-lived, however, with the team losing to Hudson 4-0 in the next game to end their season. Wausau East in division 2 lost its first-round game to River Falls 5-0, eliminating Wausau area teams from the tournament.
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