The school board members and superintendent in attendance were: Evan Lund, Hailey Halmstad, Joe Van de Voort, Marty Krog, Jon Pesko, Superintendent Rick Morgan, Becky Denzine, Britt Bilgrien, and Meredith Hueckman. Board Member Kevin Rose was absent. Photo: My Price County / School District of Phillips
There was a meeting of the Phillips School Board on Monday, April 24, 2023. Some community members, hearing about the band teacher, Justin Lindgren, potentially losing his job due to a comment he made, have asked why the community was not notified. The school board does post their agendas, which is how the public is notified by the school. My Price County also wrote an article before the meeting, which can be read here. (Send your e-mail address to contact@mypricecounty.com with "Subscribe" in the subject line to get our free News Highlights e-mail once or twice per month. We never share your e-mail address.) During the meeting, the microphone and audio that records the meeting was not working. Once the meeting was almost over, before going into closed session, Bill McCormick, the Director of IT services, let Board Member Marty Krog know the audio was not working. Some community members felt this was deliberate. However, a school board member said that someone was working on the audio and could not get it to work.
A number of community members wore red to the meeting to show their support for Justin. Some in attendance spoke on behalf of Justin during public comment. With a union rep in attendance, Justin spoke asking that the resignation he submitted be rescinded if the school board would renew his contract. He also highlighted his number of years working at the school and the positive things he did for students and the district as a band teacher.
After other business was taken care of on the agenda, the school board went into closed session for almost an hour. When they reconvened, they discussed a few things and then closed the meeting. Donna Calhoun, who spoke in support of Justin and is passionate with support for him, asked what was decided about him in closed session. As the board members were getting their coats and gathering their belongings, she was told that Mr. Lindgren's resignation was accepted and the matter was over. Justin, emotional, left the Performing Arts Center at that time.
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My Price County / My Northern Wisconsin talked with Justin asking if he would be willing to give the community further information to clear the rumors. We asked Justin if he knew why administration asked him to resign. He stated, "The piece that administration was hanging on to is that when a group of middle school kids came barging into the room during LT [Logger Time, which is a study hall/homeroom setting], I grunted and said something to the effect of 'I'm going to kill you guys' before launching into a lecture about maturity, respect, and thinking about their actions." It appears that a student told a staff member who told the principal, and things unfolded from there. According to Justin, no other reason has been given to him, but the school requested that he resign. If he did so, he would be allowed to finish out the school year. My Price County reached out to Superintendent Rick Morgan, but he stated he cannot comment on personnel issues, so we do not know what administration is saying Justin did wrong.
Members of the community have stated that students and staff feel Mr. Lindgren made a statement that was minor and should not cause him to lose his job. According to these community members, who mostly wish to remain anonymous, some staff members wanted to support Justin but felt it might affect their jobs. Students stated they were not allowed to hang posters in support of Mr. Lindgren but pointed out that SAGE (the Sexuality and Gender Equity group) can hang posters. (As noted in our prior article, at an earlier school board meeting, one student specifically asked why SAGE can hang posters but Students Supporting Teachers cannot, which prompted some community members to also inquire about that, so we inquired with the school.) When we asked Superintendent Rick Morgan what SAGE is and why students were not allowed to hang posters in support of teachers but they can hang SAGE posters, plus we asked if Mr. Lindgren would be able to finish teaching for the rest of this school year, Mr. Morgan replied, "I believe the framing of your questions are related to employee circumstances and feel it would be inappropriate to respond." We followed up letting him know we did not see how those questions were related to any confidential personnel information and asked for him to reply. At the time of this publication, which is over 48 hours from our last request to him, Mr. Morgan has not replied to those questions and has not yet given us the resignation agreement we requested on April 20, 2023, but we will update this article when he does provide additional information.
Mr. Lindgren, however, did let us know he is currently a band teacher at the School District of Phillips, and he will finish out this school year. Donna Calhoun stated that the school district clearly does not see Justin as a threat to students if he is being allowed to finish out the school year. Donna wants answers as to why Justin was forced to resign and why the school board would not rescind his resignation per Justin's request. She is asking for the community's support and stated, "This fight is not over."
Donna also stated that many students did not show up for school on Tuesday, the day after the school board meeting, and at least some students who did attend school wore black protesting the acceptance of Mr. Lindgren's resignation.
Donna mentioned here is a petition asking for Mr. Lindgren's reinstatement as a teacher, which can be signed at this link.
We reached out to a few school board members but none of them wanted to publicly comment at this time.
Important - Please Read (and partially related to this article): There has been some confusion about the two news sources in Price County that publish articles. We are My Price County / My Northern Wisconsin, which is a digital news source established in 2012 reaching almost 12,000 households via our website, https://www.mynorthernwisconsin.com/news and many people via our various social media pages, including https://www.facebook.com/mypricecounty. We provide a directory of businesses, help wanted ads, events listings, coupons from businesses, free news, and also run the Phillips community-wide garage sale every June (scheduled for June 16 - 18, 2023). Our goal is to promote our great county, its people, and its businesses.
In regard to our coverage of this story, we saw things being said on Facebook, and we had people reach out to us about this situation, so we interviewed various people including Mr. Lindgren and Mr. Morgan, trying to get both "sides" of the story. We are an unbiased news source trying to provide free news to the community through facts and not rumors. With every article we write, if there are multiple viewpoints, we try to get information from all viewpoints, but some people don't want to share their viewpoints publicly. We do our best to get as much information as possible. My Price County is the publication that is currently trying to get accurate information for the parents and community members regarding this situation.
To help us provide free news to the area, we appreciate any news tips, press releases, or information being sent to us via our contact form or contact@mypricecounty.com. A lot of our contributors are local volunteers wanting to make a difference in our communities. We appreciate them and any businesses who are interested in advertising to sponsor our free news, receive advertising of their business, and help with our goal of promoting Price County.
You can share this article on Facebook at this link.
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES - SHOP PRICE COUNTY FIRST: Deer Creek Angus, LLC has a large selection of Black Angus burgers, steaks, roasts, and other beef products sold by individual packages and in quarters, halves, and whole. Contact Deer Creek Angus, LLC at 715-550-6156, find products & pricing on their website, and follow their Facebook page.
In March 2023, Justin Lindgren, a band teacher in the School District of Phillips, made an off-the-cuff figure of speech remark to get some unruly students to settle down, according to Donna Calhoun, and he may no longer have his job on account of it. Donna is a Price County resident standing up for Mr. Lindgren, who she believes is a valuable teacher in the school district.
"The resignation agreement was forced on Mr. Lindgren," according to Donna. "I believe the real beef is because Mr. Lindgren wants remodeling money for the auditorium to be spent to suit the students of band and choir and not the Northwoods Players....There's a lot more to this story than meets the eye."
With a number of residents sharing rumors and facts on Facebook about this situation, and given a number of residents asked us for more information, we reached out to Principal Kevin Wellman, Superintendent Rick Morgan, and Justin Lindgren.
We asked Mr. Lindgren for an overview of what happened, but he preferred not to make any public comments at this time.
Mr. Wellman replied that he was forwarding our questions to Mr. Morgan.
Our questions to Mr. Wellman and Mr. Morgan were more detailed and included the following:
Could you please update us on the situation with Justin Lindgren? What is it that he allegedly did wrong?
Is he under a disciplinary review? If so, why?
Is he on leave right now or was he on leave for this incident at any time? If so, what is the reason for his leave?
Was he asked to submit a resignation? If so, why and what were the conditions?
Is there a public meeting that will partially be about him on the night of Monday, April 24, 2023?
We have been told that students aren't able to put up signs in support of Mr. Lindgren. Is that true? Why was that decision made?
At a school board meeting, a student said that SAGE posters are allowed at school but not "Students Supporting Teachers." What is SAGE? Why can one student group post signs but not another?
Mr. Morgan replied, "The questions you have proposed are related to personnel and not releasable at this time. However, there is a resignation agreement and this document would potentially be released once requested and proper notice to the individual involved was provided. Please advise as to your request for this document so that I can begin the notification process." Mr. Morgan carbon copied Attorney Steve Weld, but, at the time of publication, Mr. Weld has not provided any additional information, either.
My Price County / My Northern Wisconsin followed up requesting the resignation document and any other information that can be released regarding this situation. We also asked for the non-personnel questions to be answered regarding if there will be a public meeting on Monday night that addresses the situation with Mr. Lindgren, why students cannot put up posters in support of teachers, and what is the mission of SAGE.
While waiting for the reply, a couple community members told us that SAGE is an acronym for Sexuality And Gender Equity. We were informed the group exists to create a safe space for students to meet during lunch once per month. The group was reportedly more active in previous years, making posters and meeting with the principal to discuss policies. According to the student who spoke at the school board meeting, SAGE posters are allowed in the halls of the school but any support posters for Mr. Lindgren are not allowed.
Furthermore, at the March 20, 2023 school board meeting, Mr. Morgan stated that there was not an action item on the agenda that night regarding the teacher [Mr. Lindgren] mentioned in the social media post that was circulating on the Internet. He let people know that if they were in attendance thinking action would be taken, they were misinformed and a special meeting would need to take place for such action. However, district staffing is on the agenda at regular board meetings and public comment is allowed at the meetings.
The school board meeting that was scheduled for Monday, April 17, 2023 was rescheduled, due to inclement weather, to Monday, March 24, 2023. Donna Calhoun believes Mr. Lindgren's situation will be discussed at this meeting. She said that each person in attendance is allowed three minutes during public comment. She is asking anyone who supports Mr. Lindgren to show up at the meeting wearing red in support of him. Anyone who wants to speak on his behalf will have time to do so during public comment. "The kids love Mr. Lindgren. He is wonderful. Someone needs to stand up for what is right. Someone needs to stand up for him," she said, asking the community to attend Monday night's meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m. in the Phillips High School Performing Arts Center.
If Mr. Morgan replies to the remainder of our questions or if Mr. Lindgren makes a statement, we will update this article.
This article can be shared via Facebook at this link.
This article has a Part 2. Click here to read more.
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On Monday, April 17, 2023, two bodies were found in the Town of Enterprise in the Oneida County Forest.
According to the Oneida County Sheriff's Office, the deaths are being investigated by them, the Oneida County District Attorney, the Oneida County Medical Examiner’s Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lincoln County District Attorney were the immediate agencies involved.
It was confirmed on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 that the two bodies are those of the missing teens, Aiden Grefe, 17, and Dakota Brown, 16, from Lincoln County. The Oneida County Sheriff's Office said, "We feel exposure played a factor in their deaths, but this will be determined upon completion of the investigation."
The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office further expressed thanks to the many community partners who assisted with the search for Aiden and Dakota. "There were numerous fire departments which responded to assist, including Fire District Alfa, the Crescent Fire Department, the Corning Fire Department, the Merrill Fire Department, the Newbold Fire Department, the Pine River Fire Department, the Russell Fire Department and First Responders, and the Tomahawk Fire Department. Our state partners included Wisconsin National Guard, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Wisconsin Emergency Management. The Oneida County Forestry Department and the Oneida County Land Records assisted in providing maps of the area. The UTV and ATV Patrol assisted in search[ing] the ATV/UTV trails. The Newbold Search and Rescue provided dogs for the search. The Rosewood Barn and Derek’s Town and Country provided shelter and refreshments for all those involved. Deputies were assisted by the Rhinelander Police Department and the Great lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. The area that needed to be searched was vast and all of these resources were needed."
Reports received by the police departments in Price County for the month have been condensed and summarized.
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PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
3-1-2023: A man ran over the fire department's hoses in Kennan during the clean-up after a fire. The department wanted the man to be told to be more careful when driving where fire departments are operating.
3-1-2023: An abandoned 911 call was received. Dispatch called the number, and the woman said she did not call. Dispatch could hear the driver in the background and asked them to go to a nearby gas station to meet with a deputy. The man did so but then decided to leave as he did not want to get an OWI. The woman sounded more distraught as the call continued. When the man exited the vehicle to go to a bar, the woman started crying. Police responded.
3-2-2023: A man reported a semi truck hit his vehicle when he was slowing down to turn. The semi driver also called stating the truck he hit did not use a turn signal.
3-3-2023: A snowmobile ran into the side of a vehicle in the Township of Fififeld. Neither driver was injured.
3-5-2023: A woman called to report a snowmobile accident near a gas station. The woman stated the rider of the snowmobile was a male who was not conscious and sounded like he was snoring. Dispatch advised to start CPR. Emergency services responded.
3-5-2023: A man stated that, just like last year, snowmobiles were trespassing on his property, mostly on the weekends after a snowfall. He put up "No trespassing" signs earlier in the year.
3-7-2023: A one-vehicle rollover accident was reported.
3-9-2023: A Phillips woman called stating she was scared of her intoxicated husband who threatened to kill her cat. She stated she was also intoxicated and lying on the floor; she was not pushed or shoved but could not get up, and she refused an ambulance. Deputies responded.
3-10-2023: Two callers reported a suspicious man who was screaming and attacking a vehicle.
3-12-2023: A Prentice woman reported that she believed her driveway was being intentionally plowed in with snow. She called the township and they advised they did not do it. She stated she was concerned an ambulance would not get in if it was needed.
3-13-2023: A Kennan woman reported a dog tied up outside with no people there for four days, according to her observations.
3-14-2023: A Prentice man reported a scam call asking him to put $1,500 into a kiosk for two missed court dates. The caller stated they were from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
3-17-2023: A woman requested an extended voucher from the Park Falls Police Department as she was evicted. She was upset and yelling at dispatch. She was advised to be polite as a one-night voucher was available and offered. Dispatch contacted the Park Falls Police Department, and they did not have any extended or one night vouchers available. The woman requesting the voucher hung up on dispatch as she was upset with that news. When she called back, dispatch denied the voucher.
3-18-2023: A woman reported a green Ford F150 truck nearly hitting four individuals near an intersection in the Township of Catawba.
3-18-2023: A physical fight between two inmates was observed on the camera system. Police responded.
3-19-2023: A hospital reported a female was bitten by a cat she owned but stated, "I no longer have the cats; Dad took care of them." She further explained, "The cats were dropped off outdoors somewhere."
3-20-2023: A Catawba man said he was being harassed by a woman who sounded intoxicated as she was repeatedly calling his girlfriend. He stated he has a restraining order against the woman unless the communication has to do with their children. He added the woman sent a text message that she was on her way to his house.
3-20-2023: A man reported his front door was wide open and items were missing from his home. He believed a woman he had staying there for a few days may have taken the items as all her belongings were also gone and the house key was on the table.
3-21-2023: A Phillips man reported threats were made to him at a town meeting.
3-22-2023: A Phillips man stated a Great Dane was in his yard attacking his dog. He was holding the dogs apart but needed an officer to help.
3-22-2023: A Prentice woman reported her mailbox was damaged. She did not think it was done by the snowplow as there was a lack of plowing by her residence.
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PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT
3-2-2023: Assisted a local school with investigating the delivery of a contraband item to a juvenile student. An officer and school officials interviewed students and determined one student had committed the offense. The student was disciplined within the school and issued a citation for delivery of a tobacco product to an underage person.
3-3-2023: Contacted by a local business regarding a check they had sent to a company. The business had checked their bank statements and realized that the check was intercepted and altered. Investigation pending.
3-3-2023: Met with an elderly female who wanted to report a scam. The elderly lady stated she had went to the bank where employees told her that it was a scam and to report it to police. The elderly female was not out any money.
3-6-2023: Observed numerous bags of garbage outside of a residence. An officer noted the bags of
garbage had been placed outside of the residence for several weeks. The officer issued a 48-hour courtesy violation notice for the owner of the residence to remove the bags of garbage.
3-6-2023: Investigated a report of a hit and run accident on a postal vehicle in the City of Phillips. An officer met with the postal carrier and documented the damage to the vehicle. The officer was able to identify the vehicle and operator of the vehicle. The officer requested the assistance of the Price County Sheriff's Office to respond to the owner's residence and speak with the operator and observe the vehicle. The officer will be completing a state accident report.
3-6-2023: A resident of the City of Phillips stopped at the police department to report a suspicious individual was noted on camera outside of a residence in the City of Phillips. The resident reported there didn't appear to be any attempt to enter the residence. The resident noted suspicious tracks in his yard. The resident wanted to report the information in the event there has been or are similar complaints in the area. After viewing the video, it was determined the person was an employee of the Phillips Water Department who was checking meters.
3-6-2023: Received a report of a large pothole causing hazardous conditions to vehicles entering a business in the City of Phillips. The caller reported his vehicle bottomed out when entering the parking lot. An officer spoke with the on-duty manager of the business who was aware of the situation and said they were attempting to have the area repaired as soon as possible.
3-7-2023: Phillips Police Department was dispatched to a local business for a report of a gas smell. Officers arrived and determined there was an unknown odor but did not believe it was gas as the business did not operate on gas. Officers called for Department of Public Works' Supervisor, who also believed the odor was not gas and was unable to determine what the odor was from.
3-8-2023: Assisted the Price County Sheriff's Office with a traffic stop in the City of Phillips. Illegal drugs were located in the vehicle after the deputy could smell the odor of marijuana in the vehicle. Charges will be referred to the Price County District Attorney's Office.
3-9-2023: Notified of a two vehicle accident in a parking lot of a local business. An officer responded and retrieved information from both parties and photographed the damages. The officer ran one male through field sobriety. One male was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated 3rd Offense.
3-15-2023: Received a report of a tent in the City Campground during the closed season. An officer made contact with an adult male who was told he needed to leave the campground as the campground was closed for the season.
3-16-2023: Assisted the Phillips Fire Department with a call to an apartment complex in the City of Phillips. The caller stated there was smoke in the lobby, and she got out of the apartment complex. Officers arrived on scene and observed where the fire alarm was activated. The cause of the activated fire alarm was burnt food from the previous night. Officers cleared shortly after.
3-17-2023: Received a complaint from a realtor who stated that he received an e-mail from a person claiming to be a local resident wishing to sell his property. The realtor found out the local resident was not selling his property and an unknown person used the name of the local resident. The suspected individual was trying to obtain money from the sale of the said property. An investigation is pending.
3-17-2023: Assisted the Phillips Fire Department with a call to the same apartment complex from the day prior in the City of Phillips. The resident had burnt food and set off the fire alarms. The fire department cleared out the smoke with fans. The officer cleared without incident.
3-23-2023: The Phillips Police Department was on regular patrol when stopped by a bystander and informed of a truck that was swerving in their lane of traffic. The officer pulled behind the truck and watched it crossed the fog line three times. An officer initiated a traffic stop. The driver was arrested for first offense OWI and booked into the Price County Jail.
3-25-2023: Met with a citizen who had fallen victim to a scam. An officer obtained information regarding the generator of the scam. An investigation is pending.
3-25-2023: Received a report of harassment by telecommunications device. An officer documented the phone number in which the communication was coming from. The officer issued a preservation request, and an investigation is pending.
3-27-2023: Received a report of harassment by telecommunications device.
3-28-2023: Met with a woman who stated she was walking and two females had two dogs. One of the dogs bit the woman; however, she did not realize it drew blood until later. The woman's pant leg was ripped and an officer did observe broken skin. The officer patrolled the area to attempt to locate the dogs.
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PARK FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT
3-2-23: Received a report of a two vehicle accident that occurred at the intersection of Division Street and Tower Road.
3-2-23: An officer observed a male subject entering the weighing station belonging to the mill. The man was warned for trespassing. The property owner requested the man receive a citation if found on the property again.
3-3-23: A complaint was received from nursing home staff of a subject calling staff at the facility and yelling and swearing at them. They wished for the person to be advised not to call anymore.
3-4-23: There was a complaint of unwanted sexual contact. No contact requested between parties. Both agreed to stay away from each other.
3-5-23: Assisted the Price County Sheriff's Department with a report of a possible intoxicated driver on STH 182 in the area of Sugarbush Road. The vehicle was located and a traffic stop was conducted. The driver's license was suspended from prior and pending OWI cases, and a deputy ultimately arrested the driver for OWI.
3-5-23: There was a single snowmobile injury crash on the snowmobile trail along 3rd Avenue North near the Park Falls Recreational Arena. A driver was cited for operating while intoxicated-snowmobile. The driver is also on a felony bail bond from Price County that includes absolute sobriety. Criminal charges to be referred.
3-5-23: While dealing with a serious snowmobile crash, an officer could hear yelling voices coming from the area of Division Street and 4th Avenue. Another deputy was requested to check the area. The deputy located an altercation between patrons at a bar on Division Street. The deputy handled the matter.
3-6-23: A two vehicle accident occurred on 9th Street North near the Chequamegon High School.
3-6-23: Officers responded to help a Price County deputy with taking a male suspect into custody who had an active warrant for missing a court appearance. The male was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Price County Jail.
3-7-23: Officers responded to a residence for the report of a domestic disturbance where one intoxicated male walked away from the residence. Upon investigation, the male suspect was located and taken into custody for Domestic Disorderly Conduct. The male was transported to the Price County Jail, and charges are to be referred to the Price County District Attorney.
3-8-23: There was a crash involving a school bus.
3-9-23: An officer responded to a residence of a subject that had plans to tear apart their vehicle. An officer met with a subject who believed his electronics and house were bugged. The subject was detained for a Chapter 51.
3-11-23: Received another report of a man contacting a church and acting bizarre. The church requested a no-contact order with secretary staff.
3-11-23: An officer assisted a Price County deputy with OWI processing at the Park Falls Police Department. Upon investigation, officer discovered that a bar had been allowing the underage suspect in the bar.
3-14-23: While at a residence, an officer detected a strong odor of sour, rotten garbage. The officer also observed multiple cans of garbage in the front yard area. After entering the front porch, the officer observed the porch filled with garbage with a strong odor. A citation warning was issued.
3-20-23: Police responded to a credit union for a report of a distraught female with a complaint of a scam.
3-24-23: There was a report of a female subject likely intoxicated and on the ground before stumbling to a residence and pounding on the back door.
3-24-23: An officer made contact with a male subject at a residence. Upon doing so, the officer observed a female believed to have a warrant for her arrest. Upon investigation, one female was taken into custody and found to be in possession of illegally obtained prescription pills.
3-25-23: A person stated that a man pointed a gun at her child while she was walking their dog. An officer conducted an initial interview with the victim and witnesses. An investigation is ongoing.
3-27-23: An officer received a call from an anonymous complainant that a bar was serving alcohol to a minor. Officers made contact with the bar owner who was uncooperative.
3-27-23: A disturbance complaint was made by a female subject regarding a male subject demanding beer and cigarette money. An officer spoke with the male who agreed to cease contact with the female.
3-28-23: A woman stated she received a phone call that she believed to be from her bank. The woman explained that the person who she believed to be working for the bank informed her that there was an attempt made to access her bank account. The woman stated that the day prior her username and password was changed and she could not access her mobile banking app on her phone. She stated that she spoke with the closest branch, which is in Rhinelander, and was informed a credit card and loan was taken out from her account as well as an attempt to wire money from her account to another bank in Ohio.
3-31-23: Received a report from Chippewa Falls Police Department of a possible child abuse that occurred approximately one year ago.
3-31-23: An officer responded to a single vehicle rollover.
Please note: We made the photos a larger size. Read between the photos and through the bottom of the page for the full article.
Imagine if your dream was to open a restaurant in a small town that you love. You and your spouse not only devote your money, but your time, to revitalize old buildings to turn them into a place where community members can enjoy a fine dining experience. Small setbacks happen, and you overcome them, always looking forward to making your dream a reality.
One room of the restaurant before the vandalism. Photo by: Tammy Hastings
Just when your dream gets so close to reality, a nightmare happens. Your nearly-finished business property gets vandalized on Easter morning. The vandalism is not small. It's not "just" a broken window or "just" one wall splashed with paint. The vandalism is extensive, throughout the building, and amounts to over $50,000 in damages.
This nightmare was the reality for Tammy and Jason Hastings on Easter morning.
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
According to Tammy, at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 9, 2023, she found the back door of their restaurant open. "There were five gallon buckets of paint and concrete stain spilled out on the brand new acid-stained floor and thrown on all the walls. I went to get Jason, and we went to the front where we were shocked to find the door broken in."
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
The three forward-facing windows were all busted with glass spewing outside onto the sidewalk.
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
"Once inside, we saw the fireplace we built had been destroyed." The vandal had kicked it in and ripped out the mechanics."
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
Tammy added that everything in the restaurant is custom-made by local businesses from the table tops to the beverage cabinet. "A table top had been picked up and thrown through a window. The beverage cabinet was picked up and knocked over, the doors ripped off and thrown through the front windows and drive-thru. It was heart-breaking to see all of this custom work destroyed."
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
Photo by: Tammy Hastings
Tammy and Jason immediately called the Park Falls Police Department. According to Chief of Police Marvin Nevelier, "Officers responded and began to conduct an investigation, and later obtained video evidence from a surveillance system of a younger male subject attempting to break the front (east) door of the restaurant. Additional video evidence was obtained of the same male subject causing damage within the business." Tammy said the police worked for about nine hours collecting and marking evidence, such as a sock, shoe, and blood left at the scene, among other things.
Chief Nevelier added, "While completing a canvas of the area, officers observed that the west window on the American Legion door was broken out. Based on evidence obtained at the scene, it was determined that the same subject who had damaged La Roca was the same person who had damaged the window at the American Legion. It appears that the subject did not enter the Legion and only broke the window."
"The video cameras picked up several minutes of [the suspect] trying to get into the front door, then falling," Tammy shared. "He was obviously drunk. After several minutes, he was able to break the glass on the front door and let himself in where he proceeded to do his damage."
Tammy posted a still image from the video on social media. Many people messaged her with their thoughts on the identity of the vandal.
One of the people who messaged Tammy was the mother of the suspect, who is a 22-year old man who resides outside of Price County, though his parents reside in Price County.
"Jason and I went to their house where they confessed. I say 'they' because it was more a mom and dad effort. They did all the speaking for him, including saying that he had no recollection. His hands were still covered in paint and stain. His parents asked we not press charges. Not only is that an impossibility because of the dollar amount of damage he did but that would also send a message that he is free to get drunk and do it to someone else. I forgive him and hope he is sorry. But that doesn’t do him any favors in his future or to keeping our community safe."
As for the timeline of this incident, the vandal approached the building around 2:37 a.m., according to video surveillance. It is not known how long he was in the building, but he had to have left before 4:30 a.m. Tammy explained, "According to his mother and the hospital, they picked him up around 4:30 a.m. They had gone to the hospital, took a wheelchair, then brought it back around 5 a.m."
Chief Nevelier said the man was interviewed but not arrested. "At this point, the department will be forwarding criminal charges of burglary and felony criminal damage to property. The department is still actively investigating the case, and additional charges may be filed at a later time."
Tammy stated that she and her husband were able to get through the horrific event on Easter Sunday due to the outpouring of kindness from people in Price County. "Jason and I would like to thank this amazing community and county for your out-pouring of support and words."
"We have put every penny and minute of our life, for almost five years, into this project. We have fought two vandalisms, one worldwide pandemic, and soaring building prices. One drunk young man is not going to be where we throw in the towel." She added that they will fix the damages, and they will open in the future.
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN PRICE COUNTY: Park Village offers affordable, active living in a park-like setting for those 55+ and disabled persons in Park Falls. Rent is based on 30% Adjusted Gross Income. Small pets under 30 pounds are welcome. Contact Park Village at 715-762-4747.
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.
A portion of the former building that many residents have known as Boise Cascade, Lionite, Georgia Pacific, and a few other company names, but is also referred to as "the mill," collapsed in Phillips on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. This was not a planned demolition. It is believed the high winds, freezing rain, and snow may have been a factor, but that has not been confirmed.
Mayor Charles Peterson stated, "With the recent collapse of the north portion of the Phillips Lionite building, the City of Phillips would like to inform everyone that the city is currently working and doing everything possible to encourage the prompt cleanup of the property."
According to the City of Phillips, the owners, Phillips Lionite Wood Products Co, LLC, have been notified by the police department of the collapse. There is no set timeline for clean-up but that does not mean there will not be one in the future.
Regarding some residents coming up with ideas on things that could be built there if Phillips Lionite Wood Products Co, LLC chose to sell their property or build something new themselves, any new construction would have to comply with current zoning requirements or apply for a variance, if needed. The shoreline setbacks for the City of Phillips are 75 feet.
UPDATE: 5-15-2023: Phillips Lionite Wood Products Co, LLC has obtained permits for the removal of the downed structure.
MY PRICE COUNTY / MY NORTHERN WISCONSIN HAS REACHED 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.
4,901 people, 42% of eligible voters, voted in Price County on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. The unofficial results are as follows:
Note: The number in parenthesis after the office title denotes how many of the top vote-getters are elected for the position. Numbers after the names of each candidate are the number of votes each candidate received.
STATEWIDE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
In Price County, Janet C. Protasiewicz received 2,075 votes and Daniel Kelly received 2,772 votes. Statewide, however, Protasiewicz prevailed as the winner for the State of Wisconsin Supreme Court with Protasiewicz receiving about 55% of the vote.
REFERENDUM #1
Yes 2,981 (Price County)
No 1,580 (Price County)
Statewide, about 67% of voters voted "yes."
REFERENDUM #2
Yes 3,114 (Price County)
No 1,470 (Price County)
Statewide, about 68% of voters voted "yes."
REFERENDUM #3
Yes 4,063 (Price County)
No 665 (Price County)
Statewide, about 80% of voters voted "yes."
MUNICIPAL
CITY OF PARK FALLS
MAYOR
Tara Tervort 432
Joseph Oskvarek 177
ALDERPERSON - DIST 1
Daniel Greenwood 128
ALDERPERSON - DIST 2
Terry Wilson (registered write-in) 7
ALDERPERSON - DIST 3
Dixie Weidman 100
ALDERPERSON - DIST 4
Jesse Meyer 43
Michael E. Mader 101
(Article continues after promotional image) SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES - SHOP PRICE COUNTY FIRST: Davette Lynne Hrabak, CPA, located at 164 South Lake Avenue in Phillips, specializes in tax return preparation, business start-up services, consulting, bookkeeping, payroll, and all your accounting needs. Call 715-339-6638 or visit Davette's website. Follow her Facebook page.
CITY OF PHILLIPS
ALDERMAN DIST 1
Richard J. Heitkemper 125
ALDERMAN DIST 2
Laura Tomaszewski 73
ALDERMAN DIST 3
Bill Elliott 73
VILLAGE OF CATAWBA
PRESIDENT
Cheryl Moore 34
TRUSTEE
Richard Manula 33
TREASURER
Gloria Lyons 36
VILLAGE OF KENNAN
PRESIDENT
Jill Arndt 37
TRUSTEE
Bret Dunlap 37
TREASURER
Shirley Arndt 37
VILLAGE OF PRENTICE
PRESIDENT
Bruce Jilka (most write-in votes) 15
TRUSTEE (3)
Rick Freeman 107
Rebeca Schantner 106
Kevin R. Gullickson 79
CHAIRPERSON
Ryan G. Plessner (registered write-in) 53
SUPERVISOR (2)
Larry Hinton 169
Ken Broholm (registered write-in) 27
Wesley Kovarek (registered write-in) 14
CLERK/TREASURER
Elizabeth Palecek 209
TOWN OF ELK
CHAIRPERSON
Tom Frane 339
SUPERVISOR (2)
Jeannie M. Heizler 306
Tyler Weber 254
CLERK
Laurie Hansen 341
TREASURER
Joe Neerdaels 356
TOWN OF EMERY
CHAIRPERSON
Dale Houdek 118
SUPERVISOR (2)
Stan Smith 94
Wayne VanDeVoort 84
CLERK
Regina Distin 120
TREASURER
Jodi Podmolik 116
TOWN OF FIFIELD
CHAIRPERSON
Bill Felch 290
SUPERVISOR (2)
John W. Smith 215
Ann Sloane 212
John W. Schroeder 180
Donald Simon, Jr. 36
(Article continues after promotional message) SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES - SHOP PRICE COUNTY FIRST: Deer Creek Angus, LLC has a large selection of Black Angus burgers, steaks, roasts, and other beef products sold by individual packages and in quarters, halves, and whole. Contact Deer Creek Angus, LLC at 715-550-6156, find products & pricing on their website, and follow their Facebook page.
SUPERVISOR (2)
LeRoy Lallemont 39
Joseph VanDeVoort 24
TREASURER
Rebecca Kempen 44
TOWN OF HACKETT
CHAIRPERSON
Ed Hainy 62
SUPERVISOR 1
Glenn Uhren 60
SUPERVISOR 2
Kathleen Kosterman 61
CLERK/TREASURER
Wendy Orysen 64
TOWN OF HARMONY
CHAIRPERSON
Jim Hanson 66
SUPERVISOR (2)
Julie DeLasky 72
David R. Vyskocil (registered write-in) 9
TOWN OF HILL
CHAIRPERSON
Ron Wiitala 116
SUPERVISOR (2)
Jeffery A. Ulrich 80
Roger J. Bergman 75
John Underwood 67
TOWN OF KENNAN
CHAIRPERSON
Jerome Bieszk 66
SUPERVISOR 1
Jeff Premeau 61
SUPERVISOR 2
Tansy Annexstad 61
TOWN OF KNOX
CHAIRPERSON
Andrew Wild 118
SUPERVISOR 1
Cory Wild 116
SUPERVISOR 2
Jason Kivela (registered write-in) 40
CLERK
Joseph Klepac 114
TREASURER
Linda A. Heikkinen 127
(Article continues after promotional message.)
SUPPORT LOCAL EVENTS: From pop to country to rock to polka, the Price County Fair's 2023 music line-up has a lot of genres covered! Enjoy the Price County Fair, coming to Phillips August 23-27, 2023! Visit the Price County Fair's website and follow the Price County Fair's Facebook page.
TOWN OF LAKE
CHAIRPERSON
David F. Wagner 316
Edward J. Kane (registered write-in) 11
SUPERVISOR (2)
Mark Donner 277
Larry Reas 243
Becca Eitel 108
SUPERVISOR (2)
Bill Evans 95
Gary Siebert 65
Jesse Rhody 59
CLERK
JaNelle Nelson 133
TREASURER
Myrna Holmquist 126
TOWN OF WORCESTER
CHAIRPERSON
Paul H. Precour 508
Anthony Sleck 81
SUPERVISOR (2)
Jeremy Pesko 461
Jim Michler 305
Anthony Sleck 96
CLERK/TREASURER
Roberta Reese 500
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
BUTTERNUT SCHOOL DISTRICT (2)
Randol R. Smart 14
Gary A. Mertig 13
(Article continues after promotional message) SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN PRICE COUNTY: Park Village offers affordable, active living in a park-like setting for those 55+ and disabled persons in Park Falls. Rent is based on 30% Adjusted Gross Income. Small pets under 30 pounds are welcome. Contact Park Village at 715-762-4747.
CHEQUAMEGON SCHOOL DISTRICT
SEAT 1
Robert Hennes 1,178
SEAT 2
Roger I. Strand 1,197
SEAT 3
Jennifer BeBeau (registered write-in) 18
FLAMBEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT (3)
Ted L. Alberson 14
Linda Zimmer 11
Daniel E. Kopacz 7
Jennifer Heath 7
Julie Hauser 2
Sara M. Taylor 0
Brian Beardsley (registered write-in) 0
PHILLIPS SCHOOL DISTRICT
SEAT 1
Evan Jon Lund 1,581
SEAT 2
Meredith Hueckman 1,038
Anne Baxter 920
SEAT 3
Kevin M. Rose 1,569
PRENTICE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SEAT 1
Randy R. Erickson 757
SEAT 2
Helen Palmquist 725
SEAT 3
Darrell E. Pierson 413
Jesse Rhody 366
RIB LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SEAT 1
Nicole S. Scheller 101
SEAT 2
Jennifer R. Scott 51
Karah Grzanna 41
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES - SHOP PRICE COUNTY FIRST: Norvado is an Internet, television, and telephone service provider dedicated to the best technology allowing connection to the world while living the “up north” lifestyle. View current offers on Norvado's website.
On Tuesday, April 4, 2023, residents will see three State of Wisconsin referendum questions on the ballot. More information always helps a voter make an informed decision; therefore, the questions and a brief explanation of each follow.
Question 1. "Conditions of release before conviction. Shall Section 8 (2) of Article I of the constitution be amended to allow a court to impose on an accused person being released before conviction conditions that are designed to protect the community from serious harm?"
According to Ballotpedia, voting "yes" would amend the Wisconsin Constitution. The following underlined, bold words would be added and the bold, struck-through word would be deleted:
(2) All persons, before conviction, shall be eligible for release under reasonable conditions designed to assure their appearance in court, protect members of the community from serious bodily harm as defined by the legislature by law or prevent the intimidation of witnesses. Monetary conditions of release may be imposed at or after the initial appearance only upon a finding that there is a reasonable basis to believe that the conditions are necessary to assure appearance in court. The legislature may authorize, by law, courts to revoke a person's release for a violation of a condition of release.
According to NBC News, both Daniel Kelly and Janet Protasiewicz, Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates, support a "yes" vote on this referendum question.
State Senator Van Wanggaard supports a "yes" vote, stating, "First, it allows a judge to consider 'serious harm' to others instead of 'serious bodily harm' when setting conditions of release. This is an important change, because 'serious bodily harm' is a statutorily defined term, essentially meaning harm that could cause death or serious, permanent disfigurement."
State Representative Sue Conley supports a "no" vote, stating, "There is also no question that the cash bail system is broken. However, we must invest in proven strategies to reduce violent crime and recidivism. Our justice system should not continue to favor those with the resources to post bail. We need to look at successful models that better assess risk and develop a long term, evidence-based solution to the problem."
Question 2. "Cash bail before conviction. Shall Section 8(2) of Article I of the constitution be amended to allow a court to impose cash bail on a person accused of a violent crime based on the totality of the circumstances, including the accused's previous convictions for a violent crime, the probability that the accused will fail to appear, the need to protect the community from serious harm and prevent witness intimidation, and potential affirmative defenses?"
A "yes" vote supports amending the state's Constitution to authorize judges to consider the totality of the circumstances when setting cash bail for people accused of violent crimes, including considering a previous conviction of a violent crime, the likelihood the accused party will not appear in court, the need to protect the community from serious harm which is defined by the state legislature, the need to prevent witness intimidation, and the potential affirmative defenses of the accused party.
A "no" vote opposes amending the state's Constitution, which would maintain the existing conditions for imposing cash bail. Those conditions include ensuring an accused person's appearance in court, protecting members of the community from serious bodily harm, and preventing the intimidation of witnesses.
Questions 1 & 2 are related.
According to NBC News, both Daniel Kelly and Janet Protasiewicz, Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates, support a "yes" vote on this referendum question.
Question 3. "Shall able-bodied, childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits?"
Sam Adolphsen, policy director of the Foundation for Government Accountability, supports a "yes" vote, stating, "The workforce crisis in the Badger State has been driven largely by rapidly expanding welfare programs like food stamps, BadgerCare, and other cash benefits that, for three years, have been disconnected from work. Wisconsin has nearly a quarter million open jobs. Employers are desperate for workers, and voters will soon weigh in on whether they prefer able-bodied adults to be working for a paycheck or receiving a welfare check."
Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard supports a "no" vote, stating, "Their resolution, simply put, attacks low-income people in the state of Wisconsin, and it's born out of a consideration to their base for the spring election. They're trying to gin up their voters, simply put."
All quotes were reported by Ballotpedia.
VOTE MEREDITH HUECKMAN FOR PHILLIPS SCHOOL BOARD ON APRIL 4, 2023!
To learn more about Meredith, read her article and follow her Facebook page.
Mindy Dabler, Price County Humane Officer, is asking for more information about the cat shown in these photos. The cat was found in Prentice and is on a stray hold at Catkins Animal Rescue. He has extensive hair loss/scaling, infestation with fleas, stress, and other illnesses, but Catkins is working to bring him back to good health. Catkins states the cat is friendly and could not have been feral or part of a colony, so he had to be someone's pet. If you have information about this cat, you can contact the Price County Humane Officer at 715-339-3011.
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