On May 11, 2023, Attorney Stephen Weld, representing the School District of Phillips, replied to our final five questions regarding the band teacher, Mr. Lindgren, who received a letter from the superintendent suggesting he leave his job due to a comment he made. Two days after receipt of that letter, Mr. Lindgren signed the school's resignation documents, though he later asked the school board to rescind his resignation if they would also renew his contract for 2023-2024. (All parts of the story can be read at the links at the top of this article.)
Mr. Weld stated, "Justin Lindgren's March 24, 2023 resignation was unanimously accepted by the Phillips Board of Education at its April 17, 2023 meeting in open session" after coming out of closed session to discuss the matter. (My Price County feels Mr. Weld meant to say the April 24, 2023 meeting as the April 17, 2023 board meeting was rescheduled due to inclement weather. We further believe Mr. Weld meant to say March 22, 2023 instead of March 24,2023, as the resignation document obtained by My Northern Wisconsin was dated March 22, 2023.)
According to the attorney, Mr. Lindgren's vacant band position was posted on the Wisconsin Education Career Access Network (WECAN) upon receipt of the resignation. Mr. Weld said, "Candidates were vetted. The vacancy was filled after the resignation was accepted by the board." Therefore, in the last 2 1/2 weeks since that school board meeting, a new band teacher has been selected for the 2023-2024 school year. According to the Personnel Report, Jayden Gustafson will be the new band teacher once she is approved. She is on the agenda to be approved as a new hire at the Monday, May 15, 2023 school board meeting, which will be held at 5 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.
Source: School District of Phillips
Mr. Weld further commented that "Wisconsin Statute 118.22 sets out the procedure school districts must follow when processing full-time teacher employment contracts for the following school year. All employees in Wisconsin, including teachers, are 'at will' unless another substantive standard is set out in their individual or collective employment contract or the Employer's Employee Handbook/Personnel Policies. In the case of teachers, District/Board policies and rules and/or Wisconsin Statutes 118.21 and 118.22 also may establish a different substantive standard, such as whether the decision was arbitrary or capricious; constituted substantial fault, just cause, or misconduct; or violated public policy."
The School District of Phillips has not answered one of our first questions regarding the reason why students reportedly were not allowed to put up signs at school in support of Mr. Lindgren. However, they did answer our final five questions in full (seen above) and did not provide any further comment.
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A crash with two fatalities occurred on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 on STH 17 near CTH CCC in the Town of Russell. The accident occurred on the bridge over Prairie River.
An investigation revealed Alice Peterson, 59, of Gleason, Wisconsin was traveling southbound on STH 17 when she crossed the center line and entered into the northbound lane of traffic just north of CTH CCC. Her vehicle then struck a northbound vehicle, causing a head-on collision. The northbound vehicle was driven by Alissa Sosnovske, 22, of Gleason, Wisconsin. There were no additional passengers in the vehicles.
The reason for the crash, such as why Alice Peterson crossed the center line, remains under investigation according to Lt. Grant Peterson of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.
My Northern Wisconsin made an Open Records Request with the School District of Phillips to receive Justin Lindgren's personnel file on Thursday, April 20, 2023. We asked for a status update on Thursday, April 27. On Tuesday, May 2, we stated we would need to take further action if we did not get a reply by Thursday, May 4, 2023. On May 4, 2023, Superintendent Rick Morgan replied that he contacted Justin Lindgren that day and Mr. Lindgren responded, in writing, that he would allow his records to be released. We received Mr. Lindgren's personnel file on Friday, May 5, 2023.
Of the contents we received in the personnel file, we found Justin Lindgren's cover letter and resume when he applied for the band teacher position in 2011, along with numerous letters of recommendation from the previous school district he worked at in Ely, Minnesota. There were reviews of Mr. Lindgren, as a teacher, all of which appeared good or excellent, from former Principal Colin Hoogland, who also provided some suggestions in his notes. Acceptance of Mr. Lindgren's request for a sabbatical while he furthered his education at UW-Madison was also in his file. There were contracts and contract renewals from 2011 to 2022 for positions such as the middle school and high school band teacher, middle school and high school band director, track co-head coach, and National Honor Society advisor. There was documentation of certificates Mr. Lindgren received and commendations written to the school complimenting Mr. Lindgren as a band teacher when he traveled with the band outside of the school district. We could not find any negative information or disciplinary action in his entire personnel file that we received.
The only document that cited Mr. Lindgren did anything that was not above board was a document provided to My Price County / My Northern Wisconsin by Mr. Lindgren that was not in his personnel file.
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The document was a letter written by Superintendent Morgan to Mr. Lindgren regarding "Nonrenewal of Teacher Contract" on March 20, 2023.
The letter asked him to take two unpaid days to consider resigning. He would be allowed to finish out the 2022-2023 school year and receive some benefits, plus a letter of reference. If Mr. Lindgren chose not to resign, the School District of Phillips planned to seek his immediate termination.
The full letter is as follows:
The letter was dated March 20, 2023, and there was a school board meeting that evening. A group of community members came to that meeting wanting to show support for Mr. Lindgren, but the superintendent stated if the group was under the impression that the situation that was discussed on social media would be talked about that evening, they were misinformed. He stated that the dismissal of a teacher would likely require a special meeting.
One parent expressed to us that a special meeting never occurred. From the information we have received, we believe a special meeting did not need to occur because ultimately Mr. Lindgren was not terminated by the school board. Instead, the school board accepted his resignation at the April 24, 2023 school board meeting even though Mr. Lindgren asked to rescind his resignation if the school board would renew his contract for 2023-2024.
In Mr. Lindgren's personnel file is the school-provided resignation paperwork, which he signed on March 22, 2023. Mr. Lindgren stated he was under duress when he signed the resignation letter for a number of reasons. One big reason was he knew there were important performances on the calendar, and he couldn't let his students down. "Solo and ensemble, which we were hosting, was Friday, [March 24], and our Festival concert was the following Thursday, [March 30]." Mr. Lindgren said he wanted to be there for his students.
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Concerned parents and other community members have told us information about Mr. Lindgren's band teacher position, including when it was posted in relation to when Mr. Lindgren resigned and if candidates have been interviewed, but we wanted to confirm that information with the school board. We asked Jon Pesko, current president of the school board, if he could answer some questions, which are as follows:
Can you let us know any information about the resignation of Justin Lindgren? What was the vote count to accept his resignation?
How does the school board determine that a teacher's contract will be renewed for the next school year? Is it basically a given unless there is some pending disciplinary action? What are the criteria for a renewal or non-renewal?
On what date was the band teacher job, that Justin now holds, posted?
Has anyone applied for the band teacher position yet?
Have candidates been interviewed for the position? If so, when were they interviewed?
Mr. Pesko replied, "Questions on this matter will be reviewed by the superintendent and legal counsel." We then sent the questions to the superintendent and Attorney Weld, but we have yet to receive a response. UPDATE: On May 11, 2023, Attorney Weld replied to the questions. Click here to read the response.
Other school board members said they wanted to give us information but did not know what they could legally say regarding the topic and chose not to comment. To help answer one of our questions, one person involved with the school explained that "if action isn't brought up by the administration, teachers are sent an intent to renew document every year."
We have given both Mr. Lindgren and his supporters and the School District of Phillips, including the Board of Education, equal opportunities to comment on this situation. While the school district and school board do have certain legal obligations they must abide by, we feel there are questions they could have answered to help us better understand this situation but they chose not to give further comments or answer any additional questions at the time of this publication. We will update the article if we get answers. UPDATE (5/11/23): Click here to read Attorney Weld's response.
Two women who are speaking up, looking for answers, and actively supporting Mr. Lindgren are Donna Calhoun and Michelle Sokolowski. "I don’t normally stick my neck out like this," Michelle said, "but I'm aware of how much he means to his students. Many parents have spoken about how their child opens up to him about difficult situations and he is really supportive, giving good advice, and helps them through it. He takes the time to get to know them....This is going to cause depression and mistrust of school administrators among the students."
At the April 24, 2023 school board meeting, as we reported, community members spoke in support of Mr. Lindgren. Shelly Kaster-Anday, the world languages teacher, was one person who spoke, sharing that on Thursday, April 13, 2023, the Phillips High School Band competed at the Wisconsin School Music Association Large Group Festival in Park Falls. The band received some of the highest ratings it has received in the last twenty years. A man who taught music for 40 years and was a judge at the event, Jeffrey Wenz, remarked to Mr. Lindgren's students, "You are under a director that knows what's happening. Continue to closely follow his instruction."
At the same school board meeting, a community member stated that if Mr. Lindgren lost his job, people would protest on the school grounds. The man was told the people would be asked to leave and arrested if they did not leave. However, according to Chief Mike Hauschild, peaceful protests are allowed on public property. All laws must be followed during the protest. For example, entrances and exits cannot blocked, students must be allowed to move freely about the property, driveways cannot be blocked, etc.. If all laws are followed, peaceful protests are a protected right of American citizens.
Some community members have asked how they can show support of Mr. Lindgren, and one small way is a petition that Michelle started, which asks for Mr. Lindgren's reinstatement as a teacher, which can be signed at this link.
Beyond that, middle school students have started their own petition to keep Mr. Lindgren as their teacher. There are over ten pages of signatures and comments, such as "Mr. Lindgren is the most helpful and hardworking teacher. Everyone loves him," "Mr. Lindgren has always been a good teacher and we want him to stay," "He is so kind and respectful," "I won't do band without him," and "He is so nice and he would never be threating [sic, threatening]."
A high school student was also recommending his classmates e-mail the members of the school board, stating that if the school won't listen to the parents that they want to keep Mr. Lindgren as their teacher, maybe they will listen to the kids.
Currently, Mr. Lindgren will finish out his 11-year career at Phillips with the close of this school year.
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MY PRICE COUNTY / MY NORTHERN WISCONSIN REACHES ALMOST 12,000 HOUSEHOLDS; GET FREE NEWS IN YOUR INBOX
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On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the Price County Sheriff's Office received three burglary complaints, all based in the Township of Worcester.
It was believed the three burglaries were conducted by the same individual(s), because of the evidence at the scenes and the proximity to each other.
Items stolen were ATVs, chainsaws, gas cans, and water heaters, among other items.
On May 5, 2023, while serving a drug warrant at a residence in the Township of Worcester, officers located several items matching the descriptions of the stolen property. One man was arrested for an outstanding felony warrant.
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Sheriff Brian Schmidt believes that the "cooperative efforts of proactive traffic enforcement from the patrol staff, the unique and effective skillset possessed by the Price County K9 Unit, the dedication of the investigative staff, and the hard work from the Price County Special Response Team," all played a factor in this individual being caught. The investigation is ongoing.
Current charges that will be referred to the Price County District Attorney's Office include 21 counts of Felony Bail Jumping - Repeater, 3 counts of Theft - Repeater, 3 counts of Misdemeanor Bail Jumping - Repeater, 2 counts of Burglary - Repeater, 2 counts of Criminal Trespass to Property - Repeater, Forgery - Repeater, Burglary - Arming Self with Dangerous Weapon - Repeater, Possession of Burglarious Tools - Repeater, Receiving Stolen Property - Repeater, Criminal Trespass to Dwelling - Repeater, Operate Vehicle without Owner's Consent - Repeater, Felon in Possession of Firearm - Repeater, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
GET FREE NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Want to see more free news stories, events, help wanted ads, and more? "Like" the My Price County Facebook page and the My Northern Wisconsin Facebook page. You can also register to see free news in Price County and beyond. To sign up to receive our FREE "News Highlights" e-mail, send your e-mail address with "Subscribe" in the subject line to contact@mypricecounty.com Your privacy is important to us. We never give away or sell your e-mail address.
City of Park Falls' residents are being urged by the city to clean up their properties at this time.
Leaves, along with yard and garden waste, left at the curb line or alley in bags will be collected by city trucks from May 15th through May 26th, 2023.
Rocks, concrete, dirt, animal waste, or any material from remodeling or construction will not be picked up, so residents will need to find another means for disposal of those items.
The city will also complete chipping of yard brush at no charge for any quantity under five cubic yards. Chips will be removed unless otherwise requested by the property owner. Brush needs to be placed on the boulevard or alley with the butt ends facing the street or alley.
If you prefer to haul your own brush and yard waste, there is a dump site available behind the city garage.
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MY PRICE COUNTY / MY NORTHERN WISCONSIN REACHES ALMOST 12,000 HOUSEHOLDS; GET FREE NEWS IN YOUR INBOX
Want to see more free news stories, events, help wanted ads, and more? "Like" the My Price County Facebook page and the My Northern Wisconsin Facebook page. You can also register to see free news in Price County and beyond. To sign up to receive our FREE "News Highlights" e-mail, send your e-mail address with "Subscribe" in the subject line to contact@mypricecounty.com Your privacy is important to us. We never give away or sell your e-mail address.
The Water Action Volunteers Program (WAV) is a statewide network of citizen scientist volunteers committed to monitoring as much of Wisconsin's 86,000+ miles of streams and rivers as possible. WAV’s goal is to preserve, protect and restore the State's streams and rivers by collecting high-quality stream data that's useful for decision-making and natural resource management.
Every year, volunteers monitor more than 600 stream locations throughout Wisconsin. This effort wouldn't be possible without the ongoing partnership between University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and, of course, our dedicated volunteers. But who are WAV volunteers? In short, they're your neighbors. They are students, teachers, retirees, outdoor enthusiasts, families, and farmers. WAV volunteers enjoy science and spending time outdoors, and they value the waters and natural resources of Wisconsin.
To help grow the WAV program, Lincoln County’s Land Services Department is hosting an upcoming WAV training. The training will be held on Saturday, May 20th at the Prairie Trails Park in Merrill. This training course will provide an overview of the WAV program and the science behind the baseline parameters that are collected in the field. Being familiar with WAV and the monitoring science and methods prior to the in-person field training is highly encouraged. An online introductory monitoring course can be found at this link.
If you are interested in attending this training, please register online using this link. If you would prefer to register over the phone, you may by calling the Lincoln County Land Services Department at 715-539-1054.
Shortly after midnight on January 11, 2023, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a structure fire with injures on Clark Drive in the Town of Maplehurst.
Taylor County deputies, along with fire and ambulance services, were dispatched to the scene. Upon the arrival of the deputies, they discovered that a home-made structure, built from an old camper frame, was on fire.
The owner of the structure, Matthew J. Zarins, was injured while escaping the structure and suffered from burns and other injuries. Jennifer K. Johnson, from Stanley, Wisconsin, also escaped the structure but was severely burned. Both parties were transported by ambulance for medical treatment. Jennifer K. Johnson succumbed to her injuries and passed on. Matthew J. Zarins recovered from his injuries.
On May 3, 2023, after a three-month long investigation by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Matthew J Zarins was arrested in Loyal, Wisconsin for the death of Jennifer K. Johnson.
Taylor County detectives, with the assistance of the Loyal Police Department and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, entered the residence and located Zarins. He was hiding in the attic to avoid being found. Zarins was taken into custody without incident.
Zarins faces the following charges in Taylor County: Homicide by Negligent Handling of a Dangerous Weapon, Class G Felony; Manufacturing of Methamphetamine, Class F Felony; Possession of Materials for Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Class H Felony; Maintaining a Drug Trafficking Place, Class I Felony; and Possession of Waste from Methamphetamine Manufacturing, Class H Felony.
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By: Steve Teeters
Tuesday, May 23, 2023:
Kendall Weik and the Phillips Loggers softball team are advancing to Regional Finals after an exciting 11-4 victory over Ladysmith on Tuesday night.
Weik put together a phenomenal performance as the senior ace allowed just two hits while striking out 13 batters. Weik's dominance was truly on full display when she launched not one, but two home runs. The first dinger came in the first inning on a solo shot to put the Loggers on top 1-0. Weik's bat has been on fire over the second half of the season. The senior has hit five homers in as many games.
The Loggers lead would be short-lived, however. Shelby Rozak had a leadoff grounder past Weik and would later score on a stolen base with two out.
Ladysmith then added another run in the third to grab a 2-1 lead. The Lumberjills turned a leadoff hit by pitch into a run but Weik worked out of a bases loaded jam to escape further damage to close the inning.
The Loggers responded quickly in the top of the fourth inning to regain the lead. Freshman Ali Kalander punched a 2-out single into right field to score Halle Lehman and Raelee Williams to put Phillips up 3-2.
The Loggers would get some breathing room in the fifth inning after a sac fly from Raelee Williams scored Brooke Eckert. Izzy Teeters followed that at-bat with a 2-run single to shallow center field to score Paula Pomeroy and Lehman. The Loggers took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth.
Ladysmith answered with one run in the fifth but the Loggers were helped in the field when Teeters made a sensational over-the-shoulder catch near the center field wall to take extra bases away from Ladysmith in a rally attempt. If not for the Willie Mays style catch, Ladysmith would have scored on the play and had another runner in scoring position. As it was, Ladysmith trailed 6-3 after five innings.
A leadoff double from Alie Williams and a walk by Lily Miller set the stage for Weik in the top of the sixth, and she came through in a major way with an absolute no doubter over the center field wall to put Phillips in control 9-3. An RBI-single from Raelee Williams scored Brooke Eckert to expand the lead to 10-3.
Ladysmith scored another run in the bottom of the sixth to trail 10-4. But, again, Teeters made another fantastic play in the outfield to thwart a Lumberjills rally. This time, the junior center fielder threw out the speedy Heather Nelson at third base when she pushed her luck for extra bases on an error made in left field.
The Loggers tallied their final run in the seventh and would cruise to the 11-4 win. Phillips had 16 hits with Alie Williams, Weik, Eckert, and Teeters each collecting 3 hits on the night. Seven different players also scored a run in a complete team effort.
The win improves the Loggers record to 5-5, and they will now advance to regional finals to face Grantsburg (23-3) this Thursday. Game time is 5:00 p.m. in Grantsburg.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023:
Kendall Weik was simply brilliant on Tuesday night with a no-hitter to lead the Phillips Loggers softball team past the Prentice Buccaneers, 16-0.
The only blemish on the night for Weik was a leadoff walk to Emily Jordan to start the game. Weik struck out the next 11 batters and finished the night with 15 punch-outs in an overpowering performance.
Similar to last Friday's game against Prentice, the Loggers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Phillips used four walks, a hit by pitch, and a double by Lily Miller to give Weik all the support she would need.
Walks by Prentice pitching would be a major storyline on the night. Phillips collected 14 walks to go with 5 hit by pitch and 8 hits.
The biggest hit of the night also belonged to Weik when she launched an absolute no-doubt homer to deep left field to lead off the fourth inning. The solo home run put Phillips up 8-0 as they cruised to the easy win.
Brooke Eckert went 2 for 3 with 2 runs, 3 RBI, and a pair of walks to lead Logger hitters.
Phillips (4-3) will travel to Rib Lake on Thursday to face the Lady Redmen (10-3) for a doubleheader. The teams squared off against each other in Phillips on Monday but play was suspended after 2 1/2 innings due to rain and poor field conditions. The teams will resume play in game one with the Redmen leading 2-0 through 2 1/2 innings.
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Friday, May 5, 2023:
The Phillips Loggers softball team got early offense and a dominant outing from Kendall Weik on Friday as they defeated the Prentice Buccaneers 11-0 in Phillips.
Weik struck out the side in the first and helped the Loggers offense with her explosive bat in the bottom half of the frame. The senior standout crushed a 2-run homer over the left center field wall to score Lily Miller to go up 3-0 in the early going. The home run followed a lead off double, stolen base and run by Alie Williams, and it gave the team some much needed energy and confidence.
The Loggers batted around in the first and took a 4-0 lead into the second inning.
Alie Williams led off the second with another lead off double and later scored on a bunt single by Brooke Eckert to extend the Loggers lead to 5-0 after two innings.
Heading to the third inning, the Loggers delivered a knockout blow when they tacked on four more runs to lead 9-0.
Paula Pomeroy drew a leadoff walk in the inning and scored all the way from first base on a Raelee Williams double to left field. Williams later scored on an RBI single to left field by Izzy Teeters. Teeters and Lily Miller would score moments later for the commanding 9-0 lead.
Phillips would get two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Loggers collected 9 hits and 4 walks on the evening. The team was led by Alie Williams who went 3 for 4 with 3 doubles, 3 runs, and a stolen base. Kendall Weik went 1 for 2 with the 2-run home run, a walk, and some sensational pitching. Buccaneers hitters had no answer for Weik as 13 of their 15 outs came via strikeout.
Phillips (3-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play) will play in Rib Lake (9-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play) on Monday at 4:45 p.m.
Edit: Monday's game against Rib Lake will be played in Phillips. This game was supposed to be played in Rib Lake originally but has moved to Phillips. Game time is 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, May 4, 2023:
The Phillips Loggers softball team lost to the Athens Bluejays 4-0 at home Thursday night.
A win by Phillips would have earned the Loggers a season split with Athens at one game a piece, and it would have given them a legitimate chance to share a conference title with Athens.
Now Phillips will have to win its remaining Marawood North games while Athens will have to lose two games to Chequamegon for the two teams to be co-champions.
Phillips had a promising start to the game when Kendall Weik worked a quick 1-2-3 first inning and the Loggers offense got going early with a leadoff single by Alie Williams.
But similar to Tuesday's loss in Athens, the Loggers struggled to string hits together and to take advantage of good scoring opportunities against Athens pitcher Danica Diethelm.
After a fly out to center field by Weik, and a stolen base by Williams, Lily Miller punched a 1-out single just over second base to advance Williams to third for a strong scoring chance.
Brooke Eckert then came to bat with Williams at third base, and Miller at second after a stolen base. Unfortunately, Williams and Miller would be left stranded as both Eckert and Halle Lehman each lost in a 7-pitch battle to Diethelm with strikeouts to end the scoring threat.
Heading to the second inning, Athens used a Loggers fielding error, a base hit and sacrifice bunt to take a 1-0 lead on a run by Sophia Coker.
In the Loggers half of the second, Raelee Williams ripped a 1-out single to left field. Unfortunately, a sharply hit grounder to shortstop by Izzy Teeters resulted in a 6-4-3 double play to close the inning.
Athens tallied two more runs in the fourth inning. Sophia Coker led off the inning with a single to left field, and she advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Celina Ellenbecker. Coker later advanced to third base on a throwing error by Weik in a pick off attempt.
The next at-bat resulted in a ground ball towards third base by Sydney Coker that scored Sophia Coker when Phillips decided to go for the out at first base instead of a play at home plate. But a throwing error allowed the run to score and extra bases for Athens. The Bluejays got another run on a wild pitch in the very next at-bat to go up 3-0.
Weik would get a fly out and a strikeout to end the fourth inning. But the Bluejays had momentum and a strong 3-0 lead.
Needing to rally, Phillips was not able to string together hits or a scoring threat the rest of the way. The Loggers would only manage to collect one hit and a walk over the final four innings.
On the evening, Phillips had 4 hits and one walk. The Loggers had 6 left on base with 5 stranded in scoring position.
Kendall Weik allowed 5 hits, one walk, and just two earned runs to go with 7 strikeouts.
The loss drops Phillips to 2-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Loggers will host Prentice on Friday. Game time is scheduled for 4:45 p.m.
Tuesday, May 2, 2023:
The Phillips Loggers softball team traveled to Athens Tuesday night and lost 6-1 to their chief rival in Marawood North conference play.
Coming off of back-to-back wins against Chequamegon last week, the young Loggers team looked to continue their improved play and to extend their win streak to three games in a pivotal conference matchup. But a big sixth inning for the Bluejays was too much to overcome.
Phillips had a golden scoring opportunity to start the game when Alie Williams, Lily Miller, and Brooke Eckert all reached safely with no outs in the first, but the team was unable to take advantage of the bases loaded situation, leaving all three runners stranded to end the top half of the first.
Kendall Weik was back on the mound for the Loggers and had a shutout going until the fifth inning when Athens was able to manufacture a run.
A leadoff walk to Abby Diethelm got things started for Athens in the fifth. Paige Westaby followed the lead off walk with a groundout to Weik to advance Diethelm into scoring position. A wild pitch by Weik allowed Diethelm to advance to third, before she scored on an Addison Lavicka sacrifice fly to center field. Two batters later, Weik induced a groundout to end the fifth.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the sixth, the Loggers still found themselves in good position to rally. Unfortunately, the team went quietly in the frame.
Armed with a 1-0 lead, the experienced Bluejays team would bat around in the sixth inning, resulting in five insurance runs. A one-out error at home plate aided the big inning for Athens and the home team never looked back.
Phillips did manage to tally one run in the top of the seventh on the strength of four walks. But similar to the first inning, the team left the bases loaded in the deciding frame.
The Loggers had 7 walks on the night but were held to just 2 hits.
On the other side of the ledger, Athens had 7 hits and 2 walks on the evening.
Kendall Weik recorded 8 strikeouts in the tough luck loss. The Phillips ace has been as advertised since her recent return and keeps getting better with each outing.
Situational softball was clearly the difference in this game, and the game was much closer than the score would seem to indicate. The young Phillips squad left ten runners on base, six of which were in scoring position.
The loss drops Phillips to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. They will host Athens on Thursday in a rematch of conference rivals. Game time is 4:45 p.m.
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Thursday, April 27, 2023:
The Phillips Loggers defeated the Chequamegon Screaming Eagles 5-1 on Thursday night in Park Falls.
The Loggers took advantage of a first inning error that allowed Lily Miller to reach base with one out. Two batters later, Kendall Weik delivered a two-out RBI double to the right center field gap to score Miller from first base.
Chequamegon would answer with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first. Anya Brenholt drew a one-out walk and quickly moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Kelly Dunlavy then delivered with an RBI single to left field to score Brenholt to tie the game 1-1.
Weik struck out the side in the first to avoid further damage.
Moving to the third inning, Alie Williams had a lead off single before scoring on an RBI double by Miller to go up 2-1 after three.
Heading to the fifth, Phillips clung to the 2-1 lead before a momentum changing play by their freshman catcher, Raelee Williams.
Two Chequamegon errors and a single by Halle Lehman loaded the bases for Williams, who delivered with a two-out bases clearing double to the left center field gap to put the Loggers up 5-1.
That was all Kendall Weik would need to close out the game for Phillips. The senior ace recorded 13 strikeouts on the night while allowing just five hits.
The Loggers collected eight hits on the night. Sisters Alie and Raelee Williams proved to be the catalyst for the Loggers offense tonight. Alie went 3 for 4 with one run and a stolen base. And Raelee put the game out of reach with her clutch at-bat in the fifth.
The Loggers improve to 2-1 on the season while the Screaming Eagles fall to 1-6. Phillips travels to Athens next Tuesday and Chequamegon faces Newman Catholic in Wausau on Friday.
The Phillips Loggers softball team got a much needed shot in the arm when Kendall Weik and Brooke Eckert catapulted the Loggers to a 4-3 walk-off victory over the rival Chequamegon Screaming Eagles.
Weik, the reigning Marawood North Conference Player of the Year, made her season debut 11 days after the Loggers lost to the Mellen Granite Diggers in lopsided fashion to start their season. Weik missed the opener as she has been recovering from an ACL injury sustained during the recent basketball season.
The senior ace allowed 10 singles and 4 walks but worked masterfully to hold a feisty Screaming Eagles team to just three runs.
The Chequamegon scoring would start in the fourth inning when their first six batters would reach safely; five hits and an error. But Weik and the Loggers managed to hold the visitors to just two runs in the frame. The first out came on an interference ruling at third base. The second out came a few batters later when the Loggers got a bases loaded force out at home plate. And Weik would come up with a huge strikeout to end the Chequamegon fourth.
Phillips responded quickly in their half of the fourth with a run by Brooke Eckert. The junior first baseman got things going with a leadoff single that proved costly for Chequamegon. All it took to push Eckert across for the lone run was a single by Halle Lehman and two fielders choice plays from underclassmen Raelee Williams and Paula Pomeroy. But credit goes to the Loggers for putting the ball in play. Logger hitters had just one strikeout on the night.
Moving to the fifth inning, Eckert came up with another big play with an RBI double down the left field line to score sophomore Lily Miller. Miller reached on an error in front of Eckert.
Two batters later, Lehman reached safely on another Chequamegon error. The error also allowed Eckert to score on the play, and Phillips took a 3-2 lead into the sixth inning.
Chequamegon would not go away quietly, though. A fielding error to lead off the sixth inning cost the Loggers their lead. The Screaming Eagles would go back and forth with Weik through the inning.
Chequamegon tallied two singles and a walk during the inning to tie things up 3-3. Despite traffic on the base paths, Weik came up huge with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout in the inning.
The teams went to the seventh tied 3-3. But Weik had two come-backers and a strikeout to stop Chequamegon in what turned out to be their final chance. Weik recorded 8 strikeouts on the night and allowed just two earned runs.
Heading to the bottom of the seventh, Phillips had the top of its lineup coming to the plate. Alie Williams reached on a shallow fly ball to right center field. Lily Miller followed with a single past the second baseman and Brooke Eckert once again came through huge, this time with the game winning RBI to score Williams.
The Loggers had 8 hits on the night. Eckert led the way, going 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBI.
With just three returning starters now on the team (Weik, Eckert, and Williams), the Loggers lineup looks much different than the one that won another conference championship last season. Several newcomers are getting their first taste of varsity playing experience. But tonight was completely different than their disappointing opener just 11 days ago. The team is growing and this game will only serve as a building block for the rest of the season.
The Loggers (1-1) play Chequamegon (1-4) again on Thursday in Park Falls. Come on out and cheer them to victory!
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES - SHOP PRICE COUNTY FIRST: Bumble Bee Rentals offers rentals of tables & chairs for parties and other events. A commercial storefront and a 2-bedroom apartment jus became available, as well. Visit Bumble Bee Rental's website to view the tables & chairs and rentals or call 715-339-3418 to book a showing or reserve your event date.
Greg Denzine and Karen Kerner have been farming at Deer Creek Angus, LLC since 1994. In recent years, they have sold their Black Angus beef products on Fridays at the Minocqua Farmer's Market, had a website built to answer their customers questions, and most recently have built a new store for their customers. The store is located on their farm at N9682 Deer Creek Road in Phillips. Inside the store, there are six freezers filled with many cuts of beef and some pork.
"All the animals are pasture-raised on our farm by 'Mother Cow' and fed quality feed of grass, hay, and grain. All the meat is processed at Whiskey Ridge in Radisson, Wisconsin or Heritage Meats in Butternut, Wisconsin, both of which are state-inspected and licensed facilities. That meat is individually packaged and sold at our store, but you can also still purchase beef in quarters, halves, or whole," Karen explained. Inside the freezers, customers will find Black Angus ground beef, burgers, steaks, roasts, broth bones, jerky, summer sausage, and various other cuts. Greg and Karen have also added some cuts of pork, such as pork chops, bacon, and pork sausage. Most of the selection can be seen on their website, https://www.DeerCreekAngusFarm.com, on the Pricing Tab.
"We are available daily," Karen said. "We don't have set hours for the store, so if you want to call for an appointment, you can call 715-550-6156. Since we are actively involved in farming throughout the day, we are often available for anyone who wants to stop by without an appointment, as well."
For more information, visit Deer Creek Angus, LLC's website. To see cute photos of farm animals, contests, and other information about the daily activities of a farm, follow their Facebook page.
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At 1:10 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2023, the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a two-vehicle accident on STH 70 west from STH 155 near the Saint Germain Elementary School entrance.
It was reported that one of the vehicles was overturned; extrication was needed for the passenger in that vehicle.
According to the Vilas County Sheriff's Office, "The initial investigation showed that both vehicles were traveling eastbound on STH 70. One vehicle was turning left into the Saint Germain Elementary School. The other vehicle collided with the vehicle that was turning and overturned in the highway."
A 75-year-old female was transported by ambulance and a 27-year-old female was transported by helicopter for their injuries.
The highway was closed and detoured for 1 hour and 28 minutes. The crash is being investigated by the Wisconsin State Patrol.
The Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Saint Germain Ambulance, Saint Germain Fire and Rescue, Plum Lake Ambulance, Oneida County MED 5 Ambulance, Aspirus MedEVAC helicopter, and Vilas County Highway Department all responded to the accident.
In the accident were two dogs, which fled from the scene. The pit bull pictured on the right has been located and taken into custody by animal control. The dog on the left is still missing. The Vilas County Sheriff’s Office asked everyone in the St. Germain area to keep an eye out for the dog. "Both dogs are very friendly, but may be wary because of the accident. If you see them, please contact our office at 715-479-4441," said the sheriff's office.
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