In late December, My Price County / My Northern Wisconsin contacted all three PCUL board members with a list of community questions, which we will publish in full in an upcoming article. Our publication hoped we would get responses to these questions, because, in November 2025, one of the board members, Cheryl Moore, saw our article and reached out, telling My Price County the email address to send the questions so they could be answered. It was one of the email addresses where questions have been sent since 2024. As of the publication of this article, we have not received responses to the questions. Three of the questions included:
Who is CAP Minnesota LLC (with attorneys Stephen D. Willett and Jon Neve)? Why are they suing PCUL, Lynda Ludwig, and Associated Auction & Liquidation Co as of 12-8-2025?
Why is Associated Auction & Liquidation Co and WSC, Inc. DBA Wausau Auctioneers suing PCUL and CAP Minnesota, LLC as of 12-10-2025?
Why hasn't PCUL paid the $205.50 that was due on 11-7-2024 to the City of Phillips for grass length exceeding 6 inches?
If PCUL provides answers to any or all of our questions, we will publish the responses.
According to the court record, Sanjay Patel of Fargo, North Dakota, the former owner of the "Lionite" property, filed a lawsuit as CAP Minnesota LLC. The lawsuit alleges that PCUL failed to meet the obligations of its loan and security agreement and did not properly distribute the auction proceeds from the October 2025 auction. In past meetings, PCUL President Lynda "Lyn" Ludwig stated that the former owner, Sanjay Patel, was storing equipment in the buildings and was renting space for it. Lyn stated there was an agreement for when the equipment would be removed but did not definitively state, when asked by community members at the meeting, when the equipment removal deadline was or the terms of the contract. In 2025, it was announced by PCUL that an equipment auction would be held in October.
The suit also claims that PCUL has not properly addressed the obligations of environmental and hazardous materials and that auction documents were withheld.
The auction company filed on December 10, 2025 in an attempt to prevent CAP Minnesota LLC and PCUL from holding the auction company responsible.
PCUL's attorney is Shawn Govern.
Motion defenses, an answer, and affirmative defenses were filed on December 30, 2025 for the December 8, 2025 lawsuit.
An answer and affirmative defense was filed on January 2, 2026 for the December 10, 2025 court case.
The grass length violation that PCUL faced with the city has been concluded in court with a "guilty due to no contest plea," but the payment of $205.50, which was due November 7, 2024, has not yet been paid, according to court records.
A basset hound named Violet had been lost in the woods of Oneida County for three days.
A professional dog rescuer was unable to locate the dog and determined that, given an ice and snowstorm was looming, a method that is not generally preferred be used to find the dog. The method was to form a search party.
About 70 people gathered on Sunday, December 28, 2025 to find Violet. Searchers said the dog ran fast, but she was quickly captured.
The reason a search party is not usually utilized is because large groups can sometimes scare lost dogs further into the woods or into unsafe areas.
A day in the life of a police officer can vary, especially in a small town. Some days are easier, and some days involve more difficult arrests. That "more difficult" day happened for officers in Price County on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
According to a bystander, who was visiting the area and captured video of the arrest, a man was in his truck in Park Falls for an extended period of time. He exited with a heavy police presence giving him commands. He was shouting that he did not know what he did wrong or why he was being arrested. At some point, it appears he was either wearing shorts or took his pants off. The video was intentionally blurred in one spot at the beginning, and the end of the video is "censored" in spots to avoid showing personal areas of the man being arrested. You can view the video on our Facebook page.
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According to Park Falls Police Chief Marvin Nevelier, police arrived at 7th Avenue South in the early morning hours on Sunday. He said, "The Price County Dispatch Center advised that a female subject was reporting that she had been held against her will a short distance from her current location. Officers responded and began to investigate the incident and obtained the following information: that she had been riding in a vehicle with Michael Stevens since approximately 12 a.m. on January 4, 2026; that Michael drove her back to her residence but then drove away before she could exit the vehicle; that Michael drove to a vacant lot near 8th Street South and 2nd Street South and parked his vehicle; that Michael turned off his vehicle and became enraged and began destroying the interior of the vehicle; that Michael was causing wires to spark and commented about setting the vehicle on fire; that Michael had mentioned being in possession of a firearm, but no firearm was observed; that at approximately 5:32 a.m., the victim was able to flee from the vehicle and ran to a nearby residence for help."
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With that information, additional officers were summoned to the scene. The Price County Sheriff's Office and Price County SRT responded in case the man might have a firearm. After Michael was located, he stayed in his truck for approximately two hours. He then exited his vehicle, and officers began giving Michael verbal commands. Michael was taken into custody. He was taken to the hospital for treatment as he had been exposed to the outdoor elements; he did not have heat in his vehicle for hours.
After release from the hospital, Michael was transported to the Price County Jail. He is a 35-year-old man being held for violating his probation. According to Chief Nevelier, the Park Falls Police Department is referring misdemeanor and felony criminal charges against Michael for his actions. His listed charges are DC Domestic, False Imprisonment, Resist/Obstruct Officer, Terrorist Threats, and HAB Criminal. He has a probation hold and a felony hold.
UPDATED 1/6/2026:
My Price County asked Sheriff Nevelier how the female got in the man's truck and if she did so willingly. We asked if she knew him, if he harmed her in any way, and if she is an adult. He responded, "As this is still a pending investigation, I am unable to release this information at this time."
MY PRICE COUNTY / MY NORTHERN WISCONSIN REACHES OVER 15,000 HOUSEHOLDS; GET FREE NEWS IN YOUR INBOX
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Update 1/2/2026 at 1 a.m.: Alexandria was found. Since she is safely home and no longer being searched for, we have deleted her photos.
Original Article:
A 14-year-old female is missing from a home in Glen Flora, located in Rusk County. A statewide alert has been issued. The broadcast area was widened due to ties in the Racine and Kenosha areas.
Alexandria Kuntz is 5 feet 3 inches tall and about 170 pounds with hazel eyes and brown, shoulder-length hair.
She was last seen carrying a pinkish/reddish Coach purse. She was wearing gray pants, a gray shirt, a black coat, and cream-colored Converse shoes.
Alexandria was last seen leaving the residence on foot at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 27, 2025.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Rusk County Sheriff's Office at 844-222-7322. Sharing this article is also appreciated.
On Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at 2:16 p.m., Sawyer County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on State Highway 27/70 in the Town of Radisson regarding a deceased female.
Deputies discovered a 61-year-old, Radisson woman, Lynette D. Coaty, in the residence. She had died from apparent stab wounds.
According to Sheriff Douglas Mrotek, "During the initial investigation into the incident, deputies were able to identify an individual as a possible suspect in the homicide. At approximately 4 p.m., the suspect’s vehicle was observed traveling westbound on State Highway 27/70 and ultimately stopped by deputies near the Village of Radisson. The driver, identified as Yevhen Kravchenko, age 37, also from Radisson, was arrested in connection with the homicide."
The suspect is currently being held in the Sawyer County Jail for First Degree Intentional Homicide and is awaiting a court appearance.
The death remains under investigation by the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory and the Medical Examiner’s Office.
A Town of Worcester plow truck was in an accident on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
The driver "was plowing North Worcester Road when the blade caught and threw the truck across the road into the ditch on the far side," according to Town of Worcester Chairman Jim Michler.
The driver was not injured.
The truck was pulled out of the ditch and towed to the town hall by a towing company from Medford.
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Park Falls' mayor, Tara Tervort, reflected on the accomplishments of the recent past and is looking forward to next year.
She stated, "Park Falls has experienced significant change over the last few years, with many major projects reaching
completion in 2025. This past spring, Old Abe Memorial Park was completed, finalizing a redevelopment effort that began in early 2020. What was once a city block filled with vacant buildings and contaminated soil from an old gas station has now been
completely transformed. The city removed the structures, remediated the contamination, and sold a portion of the block to Forward Bank, which has since built a beautiful new commercial building on the corner. We also constructed a new parkway and developed a vibrant downtown central park featuring an outdoor performance stage, a concession building with public restrooms, and a renovated open-air pavilion. Working with our local veterans, the Old Abe Memorial eagle statue was also relocated to its new home in the park."
The mayor also mentioned the completion of the YMCA and medical center renovations, resurfacing of Highway 13, and the conversion of highway streetlights into LED fixtures.
In 2026, Tara stated the city will put together a comprehensive plan; the most recent plan dates back to 2010. She said, "This update is long overdue and will play an essential role in guiding future development. A current comprehensive plan not only strengthens our eligibility for federal and state grants but also provides important direction for developers seeking to invest in our community. As part of this effort, we will also develop a strategic plan for the former paper mill property. Both plans will require strong public input. We want to hear your thoughts, your hopes, and your vision for Park Falls. There will be multiple opportunities for you to participate in public meetings dedicated to this process. Whether your interests involve housing, lodging, retail, industry, recreation, or any other aspect of growth, your voice matters."
Park Villageoffers 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.
Gavin Esterholm, the school board's student liaison for Phillips High School, reported updates regarding various sports, groups, and events at the high school as of December 14, 2025. Gavin interviewed students about their high school experience with these activities.
BAND
The band had their Christmas Concert in early December, featuring the 6th grade band, the 7th and 8th grade band, and the high school band. They each performed various pieces and there were extremely good comments from members of the audience following the concert. The ban also performed some Christmas songs in the commons and for the elementary school in the mornings before
school.
CHOIR
The choir members were working hard at perfecting the music since early fall and held their holiday concert earlier this month. Along with the band, choir members had their fruit sale fundraiser, which was a great success this year, practically filling the band room with fruit boxes.
FBLA
FBLA has been fundraising with their one dollar chocolate bar fundraiser, and it seems as if almost every student sells very well. Emmet Knudson said, "FBLA co-organized a food drive with the Sources of Strength. Together, they helped raise over 400 pounds of food for the Phillips Food Bank. They say thank you to everyone who helped and donated! FBLA had its members (who wished to compete) pick a competitive event. Those who were interested were registered. Some members will have the chance to present their work on February 7th at the Regional Leadership Conference in Loyal, and others may have the opportunity to take a test for their event before that date. All members are invited to this conference, and there will be more details as we get closer to it!”
HOCKEY
I was fortunate enough to make my way up to Park Falls for two of the hockey games this season, and I didn’t realize how exciting and fun hockey was to watch, with players competing on the co-op team with the Chequamegon and Butternut school districts. Players from Phillips include Senior Kalan Chuzles, Junior Audrey Hueckman, and Sophomores Nick Pesko and Finn McCardle. They are
on a three-game winning streak, putting them 3-3 on the year. Last Saturday, they played Green Bay United and won 6-0 with a notable goal by Finn McCardle, earning him the team's hard hat, which recognizes the team's pick of player of the game.
STUDENT COUNCIL
The student council planned and put on a the talent show.
MOCK TRIAL
Mock Trial has been meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays. They have been working through their direct and cross-examination questions in preparation for the first trial at the Price County Courthouse on Monday, December 29. They posted many posters around the school looking for fellow students to act as a “mock jury.”
TEEN COURT
The teen court is part of the deferred prosecution agreement, where kids who face consequences with the law at the age of 16 or younger get the decision to go to a group of their peers from the surrounding schools, including Chequamegon, Prentice, and Phillips, where the teen members question and determine the consequences of their actions. They have had a few cases this year. Last month, they had the chance to hear from Callie Podmolik, who gave a good rundown of what her role as the Juvenile Justice
Intake Worker is and what she does for the kids they don’t see as they end up her way, not at the Teen Court.
BOYS' BASKETBALL
The boys' basketball season is now in full swing, with three games thus far, playing Auburndale, Washburn, and Newman Catholic. During the first home game against Auburndale, Senior Jeffrey Heikkinen had a notable 39 points and tied the most completed 3-point shots by a Logger. Jeffrey said, "Everyone is very young, and it's a completely different team from last year, with
me being the only returning varsity starter. It will be a fun learning experience for everyone, but things will start working themselves out through the season. It's a very big change from last year.”
GIRLS' BASKETBALL
The girls' basketball team has played five games this season. Leah Harper said, “We have been adjusting well to the new coach and are improving every day. We have been enjoying doing some new team bonding experiences and are hoping to get a win soon. We think that the rest of the season will go well, and we will keep getting better.”
November Eagle Award winners from Park Falls Elementary School of the Chequamegon School District were recognized for "being safe."
Front Row Left to Right: Kieko Sohl, Thomas Wagner, Bennet Wagner, Lila Hammond, Keana Mudong, Liam Kontny, and Everleigh Tesnow
Back Row Left to Right: Ariel Sprangers, Drew Branch, Zayda Dannelley, Dawsyn Purdy, Hazel Singer, and Henry Weiler
SOAR AWARDS
November Soar Award winners from Park Falls Elementary School of the Chequamegon School District demonstrated "perseverance."
Front Row Left to Right: Paisley Purvis, Baylee Malach, Jaxon Fincham, and Amir Akis
Middle Row Left to Right: Iris Spurrier, Reed Damrow, Faith Velarde, Namine Stewart, and Adeline Klepac
Back Row Left to Right: Daxon Singer, Marcie Hilgart, Isaac Kjetland, Blake Schmidt, and Breylyn Zielke (The article continues after the ad; keep reading.)
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.
POP TAB WINNERS
November pop tab winners of Park Falls Elementary School of the Chequamegon School District are in Ms. Weinberger's second grade class. They collected 33.88 pounds to support the Ronald McDonald House in Marshfield, Wisconsin. There were 100 pounds of tabs collected by the entire school.
Front Row Left to Right: Josh Hilgart, Mackenzie Miesbauer, Aleigha Naegele, Adalyn Schneider, Jayla Hilgart, Brooks Nelson, and Hendrix Scott
Back Row Left to Right: Brookes Eichman, Ms. Amy Weinberger, Rowan Gerwing, Emery Volk, Layla Rauschenbach, Myah Cole, Faith Velarde, Henry Weiler, Carson Bay, and Atea Silbanuz
The property of 235 North Lake Avenue has been some type of gas/service station for many years. Many locals remember it being owned by Steve Augustine and known as Augie's Shell. In July of 1988, George and Steven Thaler purchased the property, and the younger generations came to know it as Express Mart. It remained in the Thaler family until a few years ago when it closed. Plans to upgrade the gas station were discussed by the business owner and city at meetings in 2021, but those plans were abandoned. In August 2024, Next Stage Designs 2 LLC, (Lynda Ludwig), purchased the property for $220,000.
According to the "Friends of Price County United Limited," the property is expected to be leveled. The tentative schedule is that the canopy that was over the gas pumps will come down on Friday, December 26, 2025. The building will be demolished on Monday, December 29, 2025.
Some residents are wondering about the gas tanks and if there is contamination, which My Price County will be asking Lynda Ludwig, along with other questions posed by the community. As a partial answer, this gas station was mentioned in the "Phillips Lionite Property, Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment" that was completed on November 9, 2023 before Price County United Limited (PCUL) purchased the "Lionite" property on April 1, 2024 for two million dollars. In the report, "Lionite" is referred to as the "subject property."
The document states, "Finding 7: An environmental records search was performed identifying sites within their respective ASTM E 1527-13 search radii of the Property that may represent RECs, HRECs, or de minimis conditions. Three historical/current gasoline stations were located adjacent to and west of the Subject Property. The first gasoline station formerly operated at 235 N. Lake Avenue and BRRTS Case No. 03-51-097044 was opened in 1996 when petroleum contamination was discovered onsite, including free product. Remedial activities occurred starting in 2000, and the case was closed in 2012 with residual soil and groundwater contamination onsite, offsite and in the rights of way. Detections in monitoring wells installed near the Subject Property boundary were below health-based standards as of 2011."
In reference to this gas station, the document continues, "Opinion 7: The former gasoline stations at 235 N. Lake Avenue and 125 S. Lake Avenue have been investigated and/or remediated and contamination appeared limited to the sites and adjoining rights-of-way. Therefore, historical releases of petroleum products at these two gasoline stations are not a REC, CREC, or HREC for the Subject Property."
Updated 12-27-25: The canopy and building got demolished on Friday, December 26, 2025. According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, five gasoline tanks are considered "closed/removed," including two unleaded, two diesel, and one leaded. This was done by the previous owners, the Thalers.
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