Moments ago, The Supreme Court, in a split decision, has decided that private businesses cannot be made to enforce the federal vaccine mandate on their employees. They have kept the stay on that; the vaccine mandate cannot be controlled by OSHA. However, those that are federally-funded, such as health care facilities, must implement the mandate.
On January 8, 2022 at 8:00 p.m., Sawyer County deputies assisted by the LCO Tribal Police Department, the City of Hayward Police Department and the United States Forest Service arrested Quill Running Buffalo Hawk, 40, of Green Bay at the a casino in the Town of Hayward. Hawk was initially taken into custody on a warrant through the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
During the course of the investigation, deputies located four large bundles of US currency of various denominations on Hawk’s person in excess of $4,000. Hawk’s vehicle was located in the casino parking lot where US Forest Service Agent Seehase and his K9 partner Axel conducted a sniff of the vehicle. K9 Axel alerted to the presence of drugs and a search of the vehicle was conducted. Deputies located 31.8 grams of methamphetamine, 7.89 grams of heroin, drug packaging materials and drug paraphernalia.
Hawk was additionally arrested for Possession with intent to Deliver Schedule I & II Narcotics > 3 < 10 grams, Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine >10<50 grams and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Hawk is currently being held in the Sawyer County Jail on a $7,500.00 cash bond. His initial appearance is scheduled for January 18, 2022.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Recognizing the current elevated health risks to drivers 60 and over, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is extending renewal deadlines for this age group.
Licensed drivers who are 60 and over and who have a license scheduled to expire in January, February or March 2022, will now have until March 31, 2022 to visit a DMV to renew with no late fee.
Driver records are automatically updated, and the new expiration date will be visible to law enforcement. Customers can check the status of the license, including the adjusted expiration date, at wisconsindmv.gov/status.
Appointments for a driver license renewal can be scheduled online (wisconsindmv.gov/DLGuide). Applications can also be completed online and submitted electronically. Questions are quickly answered by email or phone.
To make in-person customer visits safer, and reduce the time in the DMV lobby, DMV Customer Services Centers are using safety protocols that include cleaning throughout the day and arranging space to provide safe social distancing.
In-person visits at DMV Customer Services Centers are only available for driver license renewals and original products, ID to vote, and new residents to obtain identification.
Drivers ages 18 to 64, who are U.S. citizens with an unrestricted driver license, and who have not had a change in medical conditions, and who do not need an original REAL ID, may renew their driver license online (wisconsindmv.gov/renewDL).
Traditionally, DMV customers only needed to visit a DMV once every eight years to take a new photo and renew their driver license. Now, online driver license renewal is available through a pilot program which began in May 2020 which allows 16 years to pass between visits.
Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) today announced that municipalities across the state received more than $132 million in the first quarterly payments for 2022 for General Transportation, Connecting Highway, and Expressway Policing Aids.
For calendar year 2022, local governments will receive more than $505 million in general transportation aids (GTA) financial assistance to support transportation related projects, a 2% increase over calendar year 2021 allocations. GTA and other WisDOT Local Programs combined make up almost one third of the state transportation budget.
"The work we do with local governments is essential to an efficient and resilient transportation network that delivers from the first to the last mile," WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. "Thank you to all the local government officials who work together with us to make good investments that improve safety, economic opportunity, and quality of life."
The first quarter payments, made on January 3, totaled $132,266,966.99 and included:
General Transportation Aids - $128,955,117.60 to local units of government
Connecting Highway Aids - $3,015,874.39 in CHA to 116 eligible municipalities
Expressway Policing Aids - $255,975.00 to Milwaukee County
General Transportation Aids help cover the costs of constructing, maintaining, and operating roads and streets under local jurisdiction. Connecting Highway Aids reimburse municipalities for maintenance and traffic control of certain state highways within municipalities.
Quarterly payments for cities, villages, and towns are sent the first Monday in January, April, July, and October. County payments are made in three installments, with 25 percent of the total annual payment on the first Monday in January; 50 percent on the first Monday in July; and 25 percent on the first Monday in October.
A snowmobile crashed into a tree near Big Crooked Lake and Wolf Lake in Boulder Junction on Sunday, January 9, 2022.
The 911 call came in just before 10 a.m. The man, whose age has not been disclosed at this time, was unresponsive. A medical helicopter was paged from a hospital in Minocqua.
There is no further information yet on the condition of the injured man.
Bob Saget, well-known for his role as Danny Tanner on "Full House" and "Fuller House," the host of "America's Funniest Home Videos" from 1989 to 1997, the narrator of "How I Met Your Mother," and comedian, passed away on Sunday, January 9, 2022 at the age of 65.
According to a sheriff's statement, "Earlier today, deputies were called to the Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes for a call about an unresponsive man in a hotel room. The man was identified as Robert Saget and pronounced deceased on scene Detectives found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case." The cause of death will be determined by a medical examiner.
The hotel sent a security officer to his room when family members were unable to get in touch with the actor and they contacted the hotel. When the officer entered, the lights were off. Bob Saget was on the bed, cold to the touch, yellow, and clammy, according to a report. He was lying face up, one arm was across his chest and the other was resting on the bed.
Bob Saget was presently on a comedy tour in Florida. He performed on Saturday night and Tweeted that he loved the show in Jacksonville that had an appreciative audience. He stated he enjoyed it so much he didn't realize he did a two hour set. He shared he was happily addicted to stand-up comedy once again.
FEBRUARY 9, 2022 UPDATE
Bob Saget's cause of death has been deemed "head trauma." According to his family, he accidentally hit the back of his head on something but was not concerned by it. He went to sleep and never woke up. Neither drugs nor alcohol were involved.
UPDATE: The county board voted on December 14, 2021 to consider the sale of the fairgrounds with certain contingencies. Anyone interested in possibly purchasing or leasing the fairgrounds has until January 7, 2022 to contact Nick Trimner, Price County Administrator, with their interest. His number is 715-339-5138.
Date Published: September 22, 2021
The Price County fairgrounds has been in the spotlight recently as Price County decides if they should sell the property to a private party and the fate of the historic barn.
While the fairgrounds has not been sold yet, Price County Administrator Nick Trimner stated, "Price County has been approached by the Baratka family. They would like the county to consider selling the property so they could invest in the facilities in order to hold larger and more events. We are currently having a title search done and looking at the county’s options. The county has not looked at the terms of any potential sale of the property."
If the county did decide to sell the fairgrounds, there would be a long-term lease allowing the Price County Fair Association, http://www.PriceCountyFair.com, to operate the fair on that property. The lease would also allow the Price County Antiques Association to remain established at the fairgrounds. The Boy Scout building, 4-H building, and the schoolhouse would also remain at the fairgrounds. According to Nick Trimner, "There may be more to that long-term lease that has not been identified at this time. If there is a sale to a private party and they were to ever consider selling, or go out of business, the county would have a first right of refusal to get the property back."
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Some residents believe the county should own the fairgrounds, perform needed maintenance, and hold more events there. The county, however, is hoping that if a private party owns the property they would invest more into the property than Price County can with its current budget. More people would likely be drawn to the area if more community events were held at the fairgrounds.
One building that does need maintenance is the historic barn, which had one damaged wing removed and was closed to the public at the 2021 Price County Fair. "Taking into consideration that the building has been deemed unsafe for use, the county has considered asking for quotes to remove the building," Nick admitted. "However, the potential buyers would like us to wait until a decision to sell or keep the property has been made." The Buildings and Grounds Committee is currently overseeing this topic.
There have been a number of county meetings regarding the fairgrounds and there will be more meetings before a final decision is made. Nick advised, "The public is welcome to [come to] those meetings and speak during public comment or contact their [county] board representative."
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Over the last several weeks, the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office, in cooperative investigations with the LCO Police Department and the Town of Hayward Police Department, arrested several individuals in connection with multiple burglaries and thefts that recently occurred in the Hayward area.
As a result of the investigations, three adult males were taken into custody.
Michael J. Denasha, 31, of Hayward, was arrested on two Sawyer County warrants and a Department of Corrections warrant.
Cody J. Potack, 25, of Hayward, was arrested for burglary to a building or dwelling and resisting or obstructing an officer.
Chad C. Headley, 32, of Hayward, was arrested for receiving stolen property and felony bail jumping.
The Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the burglaries and is anticipating additional criminal charges and arrests of other suspects involved in the thefts and burglaries.
The Sawyer County Sheriff's Office advises that a charge is merely an accusation and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
UPDATE: 1/11/2022
On January 7, 2022 at 7:20 p.m., Sawyer County deputies arrested a fourth person involved in the burglaries and thefts that occurred in the Hayward area over the last several months. Deputies arrested Trevor James Wilson, 31, of Hayward, during a traffic stop. Wilson was arrested for Resisting or Obstructing an Officer and is currently being held in the Sawyer County Jail on a Department of Corrections Warrant. Wilson is believed to have committed or is a party to several of the burglaries.
The four men currently arrested for the burglaries face multiple felony charges of Burglary to Building or Dwelling and Receiving Stolen Property. The Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the burglaries anticipating additional arrests and charges in the near future.
Daryl Varner grew up near Kenosha, Wisconsin, the youngest son of two boys born to Daniel and Dorothy "Dot" Varner. He describes his dad sort of like Archie Bunker and his mom as June Cleaver. "My mom was wise beyond her years. She taught me there is good in everyone. She instilled wisdom and gave me two ways to look at things. I take after her a lot," Daryl shared, and he felt his mother was the most influential person in his life.
As a young 18-year old man, with that influence in him, he was eager to take on the world and make a good living for himself. He started working in the degreasing department of a brake lathe factory doing piece work. OSHA was not around at that time, and while he outworked all the other employees there, he came into a lot of contact with a chemical, tricor ethylene. After working there for three months, he knew he had to find another job, which he found at American Motors where he built cars. "It was the smartest thing I ever did," he said.
Daryl would go on to build cars and also train many people on the most efficient and easy way to build cars. He worked at that factory across three decades, though he would have never expected he would even live three decades when he started working there. "It was 11 months into my job that I was in complete kidney failure," Daryl shared. The kidney failure happened due to the chemicals he worked with at the brake lathe factory. The doctors were able to keep his kidneys working well enough for 14 years. "I took 22 pills per day."
By 1985, at the age of 32, Daryl's health was very deteriorated, and he was undergoing dialysis three times per week. His father, feeling that no son of his should have to struggle with kidney failure, discovered he was a match and gave Daryl a kidney. "His kidney lasted for 30 years," Daryl explained. His father went on to live a full life, passing on many years later at 78 years old (not due to kidney issues), and living all those years knowing he had given his son a great gift, the gift of a second chance at life.
Though still needing to take medication so that his body would not reject the kidney, Daryl had a new lease on life. He moved onto a new career, which he enjoyed for 16 years. "It was my dream job," Daryl explained about working as the custom carpenter for a hospital. "I built computer work stations, the nurses' stations, everything. I absolutely just loved that job. I had free-range to create anything that I wanted to. It was an awesome job."
Years later, Daryl moved to Phillips, calling the northwoods home. He currently works at the local grocery store where he is a familiar face to many residents. "I enjoy seeing all the customers," he said.
Along with working at the grocery store, Daryl sells firewood through his business, Daryl's Firewood, https://www.DarylsFirewood.com, which he started in Phillips in 2008. However, he first got started in the firewood business in the 1970s when he installed a wood burner in his house. Since then, he has learned a lot about the business. People often tell him he should charge more for his firewood products, as he sells wood for stoves and also for campfires, but he said he is happy to provide a quality product at an inexpensive price. "My clients appreciate the quality and that pleases me," Daryl said of his internal compensation for a job well done. He really enjoys meeting with his clients, and he also enjoys the solitude of being out in the woods.
His solitude was broken, however, around 2017 when he, once again, went into kidney failure. He was in search of a kidney, but had reached only dead ends until a man named Dan came into a local supper club where Daryl often dines and said, "I hear somebody needs a kidney." Daryl was not present in that moment, but the man was given his phone number, and he called Daryl, who was sitting in his car taking a break from a class he had been attending that day. While Daryl was doctoring at Froedtert in Milwaukee, the man wanted to use Mayo Clinic, which Daryl said was fine. In the meantime, Dan went to Froedtert and found that, sadly, he was not a match for Daryl. However, Dan went one more step above and beyond and told the hospital that if they could find Daryl a kidney from a match, Dan would donate his to someone in need. As luck would have it, Rose, then a stranger but now a friend to Daryl, stopped by Froedtert Hospital asking how she could donate a kidney to someone in need, and she was Daryl's match. The transplant was a success. "The most special thing anyone has ever done for me," Daryl reflected on the two kidneys he has received, "was giving me life...twice."
While happy with those new leases in life, Daryl admitted that if he was granted one wish, it would be "to have not had my life-threatening diseases. If I had better health, I wonder how different my life would have been." Regardless of that thought, Daryl said he doesn't look at it as "Why me?" He looks at it as "Why not me?" "Other people have had hard times, too." Daryl reflected on September 11, 2001. "The day the United States of America could be made to look like a war zone....I just looked at something like that which happened on our soil and seeing those folks jumping out of windows was just awful. It just moved me and made a giant impression." That was certainly a terrible time for our country and those people directly impacted by the attack who had to overcome their hard times, too. More locally, a customer at the grocery store shared a hard time with Daryl. While experiencing a trying medical situation, he told Daryl, "If you could do it, I knew I could do it, too." Daryl reflected, "Maybe that's my purpose."
To provide hope to others is something Daryl strives to achieve. "Never give up," he said. "I am passionate about life and people. The day you decide not to get out of bed is the day you die. I always look forward to a new day." He said the thing that has brought him the most happiness is simply realizing what happiness is and knowing how to find it daily. "If I fulfill something positive each day, I'm happy. That brings me contentment to know I did the best I could and to do something positive. You need to fulfill something positive each day."
In that regard, Daryl said his advice to the next generation would be not to participate in idle gossip and to follow the expression 'To thy own self be true.' "You have to be true to yourself. You've got to take life on life's terms. It's not going to be an easy road but with determination and a need and a want, you'll get there. Nobody's going to hand it to you, and if they do hand it to you, it isn't going to last. It takes work and determination and then you will appreciate it a lot more than if somebody tried to pad your way." Daryl admitted he tries to be the best person he can be. That's his motto in life. While it "hasn't all been a picnic," mostly due to his medical situation, Daryl admitted, "I have a lot of things to kind of be thankful for." One of those things is that the doctors have told him no one has survived as long as he has on anti-rejection drugs. He also said people have to keep their chin up and that finding love makes life easier. "I think everybody should have love, whether its for nature, trees, grass, pets, people. It gives us hope."
Daryl has found love in things, people, and dogs. As for things, he collects antiques. He hopes to add on a room so he can better display his beer sign collection. It's one of those many goals that gives him the desire to get up in the morning.
As for the dogs in his life, Daryl and David have adopted eight rescue dogs thus far. He treats his dog, Max, for diabetes, and since his companion, Bella, recently passed on due to cancer, Daryl knew it was time to rescue another dog. While at an appointment for the skin cancer he gets as an effect of the anti-rejection drugs he has to take, he stopped by a pet shelter and met a Boston Terrier, Moria, that stole his heart and now also steals some space on the sofa as she is the latest addition to the family.
In regard to people, Daryl said his favorite vacation was one he took a few years back with David Palmer. They took a 35 foot motor home to Mt. Rushmore. On the way there, however, Daryl was driving and noticed that no moisture was coming off the tires of the other cars in South Dakota. "My dad always taught me, when you don't see the moisture coming off the tires of the other cars coming past you, that means the road's freezing. All of a sudden I realized there was no moisture coming off the other cars' tires, and I felt the motor home slip, and I thought we don't need this thing falling off the road. I didn't want to say anything to Dave, but I knew it was icy so I turned off." He didn't want to be driving such a large vehicle on icy roads, so he found a truck stop and they spent the night there with the locals. They also grilled salmon, watched TV, and took in the moment while the weather went wild outside. "It was just a great time and one of the most memorable times. That was very special," Daryl shared.
While enjoying the people, pets, and things in his life, Daryl will continue to enjoy interacting with customers at the grocery store and clients of his firewood business. To see a short, interesting video of how Daryl makes his firewood, view his Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/darylsfirewood. While there, follow his page, as Daryl plans to share additional interesting posts in the future.
If you would like more information on saving a life through organ donation, you can take the simple step of noting your intent on your driver's license or you can do further research and take additional steps at https://www.organdonor.gov/
On December 22, at approximately 12:37 a.m., the Tomahawk Fire Department, Tomahawk EMS, and Lincoln County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a report of a house fire on Stevenson Road, west of Grundy Road, in the Town of Skanawan.
Upon arrival, the rear of the house was fully engulfed in flames. It was discovered that the seven occupants of the hosue were able to safely evacuate the residence. All occupants reported no injuries.
As a result of an on-scene investigation, it was reported that the fire started in the attic. One of the occupants woke up to the noise of cracking and the smell of smoke. That occupant woke the other six occupants, evacuated the house, and called 911.
