Marathon County was not entirely immune to the blue wave that swept the nation Tuesday.
Former Marathon County Board member John Kroll (D) defeated former radio host Patrick Snyder Tuesday for the 85th Assembly seat. Kroll won by roughly eight percentage points, according to unofficial results, in a seat that hasn’t been held by a Democrat in more than a decade.
And Weston resident Yee Leng Xiong (D), who served on the Marathon County Board, the Weston Village Board and the D.C. Everest School Board, was elected as state treasurer. That despite losing among Marathon County ballots by nearly 14 points.
But Republicans still held out in many other seats. Michael Alfonso (R) defeated Fred Clark in Congressional District 7. Cory Tomczyk (R) defeated Gillian Battino for State Senate District 29.
Rep. John Spiros (R) handily defeated challenger Andy Wuethrich by a wide margin for the 86th Assembly seat.
And the state made some mixed choices on state referendum questions. Voters chose yes to banning the governor from creating or increasing fees or taxes through a line-item veto; no to a constitutional amendment prohibiting government-ordered closures or restrictions on gatherings at places of worship during declared emergencies; and yes to banning discrimination or preferential treatment by state programs based on race or sex.
And in county races, Sheriff Chad Billeb and Clerk of Courts Kelly Schremp won re-election. Neither had an opponent on the ballot.
The Wausonian launched a brand new feature this week: In The Zone! We break down all the small changes in your neighborhood that might not be newsworthy, but you care about if they’re in your neighborhood! Plus, it includes an interactive map:
Kronenwetter delays a gravel mine decision | In The Zone
We’re trying a new feature — welcome to The Wausonian’s new zoning map! We’re calling this feature In The Zone. The idea is that there are all these little changes going on in your backyard, and none of them are probably worth a few paragraphs for a brief, but you still might want to know about them.
And one of our more popular posts this week is our feature on Camp 51 Bar and Grill, in the newly renovated space that once housed Campus Pub:
Inside the new bar Camp 51 Bar and Grill in Wausau
Luis Cortes is new to the bar business, but he’s no stranger to hard work.
And finally, speaking of Wausonian features, our Full Court Press feature unearthed a dispute over ownership at Angelo’s Pizza, among other filings. Read it here:
Splitting the pie at Angelo’s Pizza Wausau | Full Court Press
Once per month, The Wausonian digs through the civil court filings in Marathon County to find the most interesting cases. All allegations should be considered alleged until proven in court. It’s one of those Wausonian features that you only get here. Become a paid subscriber to see the whole post.
What else in Wausau?
Wausau received $2M less for lead pipe replacements than expected: City leaders this week learned that Wausau will receive $2 million less in forgivable funding for lead pipe replacements than they had expected. Public Works Director Eric Lindman said one of the two city projects received no forgivable loans, and he identified the city’s lack of a lead service line replacement ordinance as one reason for its funding score. (The city adopted an ordinance Oct. 13, but that wouldn’t have been in place when the city applied.) Mayor Doug Diny says the lack of funds means either the city will need to borrow more or complete fewer lines. The city hoped to replace all the lead lines in the city by 2028.
City asks residents to weigh in on city administrator issue: Wausau residents can weigh in on a mayor’s office proposal to create a city administrator. An administrator would handle day-to-day operations and prepare the annual budget, which would still be approved by the city council. The mayor attempted to include money in the 2027 budget for an administrator’s salary, but that didn’t survive committee. Residents can fill out this survey to voice their opinions on a potential city administrator through Nov. 17.
Around the metro
Flock cameras become topic in county budget discussions, no action taken: Just like Wausau, the county’s Flock cameras came up for discussion at the county’s budget hearing Monday. While speakers asked for funding to be removed and the cameras covered, similar to Wausau’s actions, Marathon County leaders didn’t act similarly. The subject will come up for further discussion at the county’s Public Safety meeting Nov. 10, prior to the final budget meeting later that evening.
PFAS grants could cover the village of Maine: County leaders say state PFAS grants could help test for PFAS in private wells around the county. County Board Chairman John Robinson says the village of Maine could especially benefit. Residents of the village recently sued 3M, alleging its nearby mining and manufacturing operations contaminated their private wells. The county’s health department is researching the grant, Robinson says.
Business 51 reconstruction could include pedestrian island: When Business 51 is reconstructed in 2030–31, it could include a new pedestrian island. The village of Weston’s Community Life and Public Safety Committee gave a preliminary nod to including the pedestrian crossing when the state Department of Transportation reconstructs the road. The crossing would be at Neupert Avenue and would include a pedestrian island for walkers and bicyclists to wait between lanes. That crossing is estimated to cost the village $40,000 to $60,000 for its share. The approval only allows the crossing to be included in the design.
Proposed county budget doesn’t include crisis team expansion: Marathon County’s proposed 2027 budget doesn’t include an expansion of CART, the county’s crisis response team. Though expansion had been discussed earlier, Marathon County Administrator Lance Leonhard told the county’s Health and Human Services Committee that officials are exploring changes to the partnership with North Central Health Care to make more crisis professionals available for community response when officers request help. The county already held a public hearing on the proposed budget, and next week the County Board is expected to make amendments and adopt the budget.
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Business
New Pilates/movement studio opens: Aura Movement Studio opened late last month on 24th Avenue in Wausau. The red-light-infused studio combines yoga, Pilates, barre and strength in its workouts.
New pool hall opens: The Rec Room opened recently on Third Avenue in Wausau. The new business, which The Wausonian reported on earlier in the year when it received its liquor license, features a large pool hall with drinks and a food menu.
Entertainment
Wayne Newton re-opens Wausau’s Grand Theater | Your Wausome Weekend Guide
Wayne Newton is a living legend, and his coming to Wausau is already a pretty big deal. But the performance also marks the return of shows at the Grand after the completion of the theater’s extensive renovations. And that’s not all, with shows at Lamplight Sessions again, a piano bar night at Westsider Lounge, a local book launch party and so much more,…
Sports
Volleyball: D.C. Everest had a strong run in the postseason, but ultimately lost to eventual sectional champions Bay Port in the WIAA sectional semifinal Thursday. The Evergreens beat Wausau East and SPASH to make the sectional semifinals, where they fell in three sets to Bay Port.
Cross country: D.C. Everest’s Will VanSlyke took 12th place of 189 finishers in the WIAA Division 1 boys state meet Saturday, the highest Wausau area finisher. In the girls meet, Wausau West’s Anna Colwell was the highest Wausau-area finisher, placing 12th of 184 finishers.
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