At a recent Board of Supervisors meeting, County Administrator Nick Trimner discussed a FEMA grant of about $3.9 million for a community emergency shelter. He stated the cost of the entire project would be about $5.2 million. There would be a 10% local match plus the cost of any non-project approved costs. It was stated that up to $40,000 would be allocated from the county's ARPA funds.
This FEMA grant has also been discussed at board meetings for the School District of Phillips. On December 18, 2023, the board made a resolution authorizing borrowing up to $1.7 million and providing the issuance and sale of general obligation promissory notes for the emergency shelter to be added on at the elementary school.
Some residents became concerned about if this funding was for the prior elementary school or the current one, if the borrowing of more money would affect their taxes, and what type of structure was proposed to be built.
My Price County spoke with Superintendent Rachel Hoffman to get answers for the community. She said the school district applied for a FEMA grant in January 2023. The school is currently in the review process for the grant, but it does look promising that they will receive the grant. The school district should know if the grant has been awarded by Spring 2024.
The building that will be added onto, if the grant is awarded, is the current elementary school and not the old one (which is now the Early Learning Center). Superintendent Hoffman stated, "What was applied for is to build a new multi-purpose facility, like a gym space, at the current elementary school so what people think of as the old middle school. We're not looking to do anything at what we now refer to as the Early Learning Center (old district office). That is not a part of this at all."
The superintendent stated this will not affect anyone's taxes. She explained there are two ways the school can get money, which is going to referendum or using Fund 38 debt that the district can take on. To incur the debt, the school has to make sure it is in their budget so they can pay back the loan. "Fund 38 does not affect the taxes at all....We cannot raise people's taxes to pay that fund back," she said.
The school district previously used Fund 38 to get LED lighting throughout the district. Those payments will be done in about 12 to 18 months, so the superintendent felt this was perfect timing.
"The design process for an architect is about five months, and we only have two years once we get the grant to finish the whole project, so we wanted to have the money available right away just in case we are awarded the grant, and then we can start right away," Superintendent Hoffman said. According to her, from last year's estimate, the architect fee will be about $300,000.
Residents also asked about a getting a petition together if they opposed the resolution. The notice does state that "Section 67.12(12)(e)2, Wisconsin Statutes provides in part that a referendum is required on the question of this borrowing only if a petition is filed within 30 days after this publication signed by at least 7,500 district electors or 20% of the district electors voting for governor at the last general election, whichever is the lesser. If no such petition is filed, then the resolution shall be effective without a referendum."
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If a valid petition is presented, it would go to a referendum. "That would impact their taxes. So the way it is right now, there isn't going to be an impact on their taxes," Superintendent Hoffman explained. She said the tax levy has already been set and cannot be changed.
If the district does not get approved for the FEMA grant, then the district would return the money and not use it. "There is no pre-payment penalty," Superintendent Hoffman said.
Copies of the resolution can be obtained from the district office. The superintendent stated she is also willing to answer anyone's additional questions.
There is a school board meeting on January 15, 2024 at 6 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at the school.
If you have a question or comment about the community, story that you want to tell, or a news tip, send it to us at this link.
Tax season is here! 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.
Donna and Leroy Misener are parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle, family, and friends to many people in the Rib Lake area and beyond, including Taylor and Price Counties.
After celebrating Christmas in Price County with their family, they settled in for the night at their home on North Harper Lake in Taylor County. Hours later, around 3 a.m., Donna heard some popping noises and discovered a fire had started in the corner of their living room. She hollered for her husband who tried to put out the blaze, but the new fire extinguisher did not have enough in it to extinguish the blaze. As the house became filled with smoke, the couple had a difficult time escaping, but ultimately, they escaped the blaze together. Once outside, Leroy used his hands to pat down any smoke and flames that were on each of them.
They hollered for help, but no one could hear them, so they settled into their little shed. Donna's injuries were extensive, so after about three hours, Leroy ran about 3/4 of a mile to find a home with lights on. Those people let him in and called emergency services.
Fortunately, their lives were saved, though Donna is getting treatment for burns and other injuries at a hospital and will need extensive care.
Unfortunately, their entire home and its fifty years of memories have been destroyed.
My Northern Wisconsin reached out to a daughter of the couple to see if any help was needed from the community, but the couple did not want to ask for a dime. Unbeknownst to them at the time, to give them hope for a brighter new year, their niece, Robin Quednow, created a Go Fund Me page at this link. She stated she has never set up a fundraiser before, but added she is doing the only thing she knows to try to help them during this difficult time. Since the story has reached the public, the couple agreed that My Northern Wisconsin can publish these additional details.
A fund has also been established at Forward Bank where 100% of the proceeds will go to the family. To donate, go to any Forward Bank location or send the payment by mail. Checks should be written to the Misener Donation Fund. The envelope should be sent to Misener Donation Fund c/o Forward Bank, P.O. Box 88, Rib Lake, WI 54470.
This article can be shared on Facebook from this link.
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If you or a loved one have experienced a fire, illness, or some other situation that has caused the need for the community to help, reach out to My Northern Wisconsin. We write articles about these situations to get more attention for fundraisers and benefits to help our community members.
Just before Christmas, a fire took a house and its contents on South Avon Avenue. The house was a total loss. While it is noted that the owner does have insurance, a GoFundMe page was set up to help with immediate expenses. The GoFundMe page can be accessed at this link.
On Christmas Eve, a fire started on Elk Avenue at a house which is still standing but with visible damage.
If we receive further information about how the community can help these two home owners, we will publish it on this article.
On Thursday, December 21, 2023, Judge Kevin Klein presided over the trial of the petitioners, Trudy Seefeld and Charles Giese, against the respondent, Price County.
The case was called to order at 2:15 p.m. Attorney Stephen D. Willett was representing Seefeld and Giese in this case, but they appeared in court without counsel. Attorney Bryce Schoenborn represented the county.
The petitioners were requesting the return of six cats. (See related story.)
Attorney Schoenborn stated the cats should not be returned given they fall under Ch. 951 crimes. He called Dr. Ben Tegen as a witness. Exhibit 5, vet records, were offered to the court, but the petitioner objected based on duplication of records. The exhibit was accepted by the court. The witness was briefly cross-examined by the petitioner.
Next, Deputy Mindy Dabler, the Price County Humane Officer, was called to the stand. During questioning by Attorney Schoenborn, Exhibit 1, an application and affidavit of search warrant; Exhibit 2, search warrant; Exhibit 3, return of officer; Exhibit 4, notification to owners; and Exhibit 6, letter dated 11/13/23, were offered and received by the court. The petitioner cross-examined Deputy Dabler.
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The respondent had no other witnesses or evidence to present, and the petitioners did not wish to testify. Attorney Schoenborn made his final comments and statements, but the petitioners did not have any final statements or comments.
After reviewing the evidence and testimony, Judge Klein found that the petitioners failed to prove the allegations they submitted in the petition and failed to meet their burden of proof. Therefore, the court denied the petitioners' request for return of the cats. The court determined that the cats are needed for evidence and/or have been mistreated. As to the monetary obligations incurred by Price County while housing the cats since February 2023 when the petitioners' claim was filed, the court determined that a statutory basis exists and granted the county relief. Attorney Schoenborn will prepare an order breaking down the costs as to all cats surrendered and a separate breakdown of cost for six specific cats. Further, upon stipulation of the parties, all remaining cats other than the six named in court, are considered unclaimed.
The court case was adjourned at 3:26 p.m.
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Scroll through this entire page to see all photos of the entries. You can vote once (for up to three favorite houses) on this website with a free username and once (for multiple houses) on our Facebook group page. (Directions are below.)
The entry deadline for the Christmas House Decorating Contest has been reached, and voting has now begun. Vote for your favorite Christmas-decorated house by selecting the address of the photo and registering your vote. Voting will end at 11:59 p.m. on December 19, 2023 on Facebook and at 3:40 a.m. on December 20, 2023 on our website. Votes will be combined, and the top vote-getter will be named the winner. If you have any trouble voting, contact us at contact@mypricecounty.com so we can help. We appreciate all the entries and everyone who votes. Community participation is one of the things that is so great about Price County.
To get the best idea of each display, as some are not fully captured in one or two photos, (such as the Butternut and Catawba houses), you may want to drive by the address of each house before voting. We only asked for one or two photos, not realizing some displays would be so large. For fairness, we only entered a maximum of two photos for each house in the contest. After the contest is over, we will share more photos and a video of at least one of the houses.
2. Scroll to the top of this page. To the left of each address is a box. Click inside the box of up to three houses for which you want to vote.
3. Click the Vote button.
Thanks to Slaby Law for joining My Price County as a sponsor of this event.
TO VOTE (ON FACEBOOK IN THE MY PRICE COUNTY FACEBOOK GROUP):
1. We have a Facebook page, and a Facebook group. Voting is on the group. Go to this link to join.
2. Find the poll at this link, which is also a pinned, featured post.
3. Click the entries you like best.
THE ENTRIES:
Option 1: 266 South Lake Avenue, Phillips
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Option 2: N15743 Hilltop Road, Phillips
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Option 3: N4530 Main Street, Catawba
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Option 4: N4524 Main Street, Catawba
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Option 5: 460 Sherry Avenue, Park Falls
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Option 6: 284 North Avon Avenue, Phillips
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Option 7: W8311 Lake Shore Drive, Butternut Note: This display in southern Butternut (in Price County) cannot be covered in the two photos. It spans a large area, and we will share the video of it once the contest is over. We would share the video now, but we asked entrants for one or two photos, so we are trying to be fair since no one else shared a video.
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You can share this contest on Facebook at this link.
Thanks to Deer Creek Angus, LLC for joining My Price County as a sponsor of this event.
On February 21, 2023, Brantwood residents, Trudy Seefeld and Charles Giese, filed a lawsuit against Price County regarding the return of multiple cats which were taken by the Price County Humane Officer.
The situation began when the plaintiffs contacted the sheriff's office given they had too many cats. Catkins Animal Rescue was then contacted to take some of the cats and kittens. According to another local newspaper, The Price County Review, the plaintiffs allege that Catkins told them that if the kittens could not be placed in homes, they would be sent to a Dane County animal shelter, which would send them to the University of Wisconsin for research purposes if they were not adopted. That allegation left residents wondering about its validity.
Since Catkins advertises as a no-kill shelter, My Price County reached out to both Catkins and the Dane County Humane Society to understand their policies.
According to the Director of Animal Operations Sarah Byerley at Dane County Humane Society, "In a search of our database back as far as 1/1/2013, I found no record of us accepting any animals at all from Catkins. They are entered as an agency in our database which indicates to me that we may have worked with them in some capacity at some point but not in the past ten years. I can also share that we do not send live animals to the University of Wisconsin, or anywhere else, for research, ever. We also do not ever euthanize an animal for the purpose of research."
The Catkins Board of Directors stated, "We are very disheartened to continue to hear the allegations made regarding our organization by the public and local media outlets. In response to the court case you mentioned, we are not able to comment on any ongoing court cases involving animals that may be being housed and cared for at our facility. All questions regarding this matter should be directed to Price County’s legal counsel."
However, Catkins did advise that "Catkins Animal Rescue has, and always will be, a no-kill organization. We have worked tirelessly for over 15 years to best serve every animal we have encountered and secure them happy endings with loving families. We have wonderful working relationships with many local humane societies in neighboring counties so that all counties are best able to serve the population of homeless pets in Northern Wisconsin. We have never, nor would we ever, send animals to anyone for research. We do not work with Dane County or any other facility in any way, shape, or manner that involves animals being researched or harmed. Our animals stay with us for life until they are adopted. We would never send animals to any other shelter that is not a no-kill....Animals only leave here if they are adopted or fostered."
We asked Catkins and Price County Humane Officer Mindy Dabler about allegations that the Catkins facility is full and the county cannot accept more animals.
Catkins stated, "These are unprecedented times for animal shelters. When we say we are “full” it is that we are beyond capacity and have no more space left to safely house any animals. Our shelter is very small, so when we reach a “full” status, we then add animals to an intake waiting list and call the owner when a kennel opens which allows for safe surrender of the animal to our care. This is common practice for all shelters. We take all strays from the county and do not turn any away per our contract. All strays from Price County must go through either the Price County Police Department or the Price County Humane Officer."
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Officer Dabler agreed, stating, "There have been recent short periods of time where there has been temporarily limited space for animals due to the large amount of animals being surrendered or abandoned post COVID-19. For owner surrenders, Catkins Animal Rescue, Inc. has a waiting list owners can get on. Stray animals are brought to Catkins Animal Rescue, Inc. if necessary and if the situation requires. Catkins Animal Rescue, Inc. and I communicate often to make sure all the animals at the facility are able to be housed safely, in the space provided."
We further asked Catkins why so many animals were being surrendered and why more animals were not getting adopted. They stated, "Shelters around the country, including other shelters here in the Northwoods, are also full beyond capacity. Adoptions have slowed way down due to inflation and the skyrocketing prices for rent, housing, food, gas, and everyday items. It has become an animal crisis nationwide." Catkins added that they have taken in over 390 Price County animals year-to-date (as of November 2023). They have also assisted numerous private owners who wanted to re-home their pets outside of the shelter system.
Given the plaintiffs filed a case seeking to have their cats returned, the county has been responsible for paying to house the cats at Catkins, which has become a considerable amount.
We asked Bryce Schoenborn, attorney for Price County, for the county's official statement on the case. He stated, "On January 31, 2023, the Price County Sheriff’s Department Human Officer, Deputy Mindy M. Dabler, responded to a request from Trudy Seefeld to surrender several domestic cats located at her residence. The original request was to surrender about 20 cats. Upon entering the residence, Deputy Dabler observed approximately 40 cats. Ms. Seefeld’s live-in boyfriend, Charles Giese, estimated that there were 30 cats in the residence. Deputy Dabler observed that several of the cats appeared to have eye infections and/or other maladies. Ms. Seefeld claimed that the animals were receiving care from the Animal Clinic in Tomahawk. At that time, Ms. Seefeld signed owner surrender paperwork for three pregnant cats. Those cats were transported to Catkins Animal Rescue, Inc., who determined that those three cats had upper respiratory infections, fleas, and ear mites. Ms. Seefeld asserted to Catkins that outdoor predators had “taken care of the problem” that she had of possessing too many outdoor cats.
"Deputy Dabler returned on February 7, 2023, at which time Ms. Seefeld signed owner surrender forms and turned over four more female cats. Ms. Seefeld communicated that she was only going to treat the kittens for the upper respiratory infections, as they were young, but not the other cats. Those additional cats were transported to Catkins.
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"On February 9, 2023, Deputy Dabler returned to Ms. Seefeld’s residence. Deputy Dabler observed a cat that Ms. Seefeld indicated could not stand due to injuries sustained after being struck by a piece of machinery; Ms. Seefeld stated that they were going to wait and see if the cat got better, as opposed to seeking care for the animal. Ms. Seefeld signed owner surrender forms and turned over 11 more cats that were transported to Catkins. Ms. Seefeld stated that there were 13 more cats that she wanted to surrender, keeping seven indoor/outdoor cats, and two outdoor cats.
"On February 10, 2023, Ms. Seefeld and Mr. Giese contacted Catkins multiple times, asking for the return of a cat that had been previously surrendered. After being told "no," due to the animal already being surrendered, she stated that she would no longer voluntarily turn over the remaining cats and that Deputy Dabler could no longer come onto the property. All of the cats that had been surrendered were examined. Most of the cats that had been surrendered presented symptoms of sneezing, coughing, running nose, infected eyes, ear mites, and audible breathing. Many did not have their vaccinations, which would have prevented some of the illnesses.
"At that time, the Price County Sheriff’s Department was aware that Ms. Seefeld was no longer cooperating in the surrendering of the animals and that the animals remaining on the property likely suffered from the same maladies as those already surrendered, which conditions were not being properly treated. One of the animals that were remaining had a damaged or lost eye due to injury. Price County sought and obtained a search warrant to obtain possession of the mistreated animals. The search warrant was executed and 14 cats were seized and transported to Catkins.
"After the cats were seized and transported, Ms. Seefeld filed a Petition for Return of Animals. The county has tried to work with Ms. Seefeld, but, so far, has not been able to arrive at a mutually-agreeable resolution. Accordingly, this is a case that will likely need to be determined by the court.
"The county is extraordinarily grateful to Catkins for the exemplary care that the seized animals have received and their patience through this lengthy litigation process. Further, the county is striving to resolve this litigation as quickly as possible."
We reached out to Trudy Seefeld who told us to contact her lawyer, Stephen Willett. He has not responded as of press time. If we do receive a reply, we will publish the response on this article and notify our readers.
The court case is scheduled to take place on December 21, 2023 at the Price County Courthouse.
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Reports received by the police departments in Price County for the month have been condensed and summarized.
PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
The following reports from October were received in November, so we are publishing them now. The November reports follow.
10-23-2023: A woman called reporting there were multiple trespassers on dirt bikes and side-by-sides on her property in Prentice. She stated they turned off, damaged, and stole her trail cameras. She guessed they were hunting birds, and they did not have permission to do so. She said she made a "spike strip" that had likely been run over as it was missing.
10-23-2023: Multiple callers reported a man at a gas station on the north end of Phillips who was folding his laundry on the ground. He had other property thrown about, the trunk of his vehicle open, and was waving his arms in the air. He also let his dog loose in the parking lot.
10-23-2023: A single vehicle accident was reported south of Phillips. Both occupants were alert and conscious, but one occupant reported entrapment and multiple injuries.
10-23-2023: An Ogema female stated her sister's boyfriend was at their residence fighting with everyone, including hitting and yelling. Police responded.
10-23-2023: A Park Falls man reported he was attempting to leave his wife, but she would not let him. She was chasing him around and shoving him. Dispatch could hear his wife shouting in the background.
10-25-2023: A man reported cows were loose in the Township of Ogema.
10-27-2023: A Phillips woman reported that, while working on her computer, a very loud alarm sounded. The computer seemed locked. A message, allegedly from Microsoft, said not to shut the computer down but to call a certain number. She called the number and they asked her to withdraw $5,000 from her bank. As they were talking, they advised that $4,000 was withdrawn and on its way to China. They also asked for gift cards. The woman disconnected the call and unplugged her phone when the caller tried to call back several times. The woman went to the bank to change all her account numbers. She did not believe she lost any money.
10-27-2023: The Town of Flambeau chairman reported gravel being stolen off of Price Lake Road and individuals were paving their driveways with it. He stated there was footage of the theft and where the gravel was dropped off, plus the missing gravel from the pile could be plainly seen.
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11-2-2023: A Phillips woman stated her co-worker followed her home very closely with his high beams on, and he would not pass her. This was around 6 a.m. She was not getting along with him at work. She asked dispatch what to do if this happened again, and they advised to call 911 at that time.
11-2-2023: A Phillips woman reported a confrontation with her postal carrier. She stated she moved her mailbox closer to her house so the plow would not hit it, and she said this had been approved by the postmaster, but her mail carrier did not like it. She said her carrier had a history of throwing her mail and packages and had let her dogs out of their kennel during a different incident, all of which was reported to the local postmaster.
11-2-2023: A Phillips woman reported being scammed out of her Social Security Number through a false job application she responded to online.
11-3-2023: A Park Falls man reported someone tried to break into his garage the night prior, and the door was locked but there was damage to the door.
11-5-2023: A woman reported that, while walking her dog, she heard a female tell her dog to sit and then the dog got off the leash, ran across the road, and attacked her dog. Her dog had wounds to its stomach which were bleeding, and she took her dog to the vet. The dog that allegedly attacked was described as big and brown with brown spots like a boxer but larger.
11-7-2023: A woman called to report a bartender collapsed at a bar in Park Falls. She could not tell if the person was breathing or not but could tell she was turning blue and appeared to be having a seizure. An ambulance was paged and an officer started CPR.
11-9-2023: An Ogema business reported they paid a vendor by check but the check was altered to $30,000 more than what it was originally made out for. The check was previously lost in the mail. The altered check was cashed and appeared on their October 27, 2023 bank statement.
11-10-2023: A Phillips business reported a check was cashed without the owner's permission. The check was made out on September 22, 2023 and cleared on October 3, 2023 for $3,616.78. The caller stated the check never reached its destination.
11-10-2023: A man reported a house fire in the Township of Eienstein. Everyone was out of the residence.
11-11-2023: A two-vehicle accident occurred east of Prentice.
11-16-2023: A woman called stating she booked a DJ from the Eau Claire area in December 2021. She made a $765 down payment. In August 2022, the man said he would no longer DJ her wedding and would return the money but he had not yet done so. The Eau Claire Police told the caller this was common with this DJ.
11-16-2023: The Prentice High School reported a student attacked another student. A student had a bloody, possibly broken nose and his eye hurt. A student left the school on foot.
11-18-2023: An Ogema male reported they found his father deceased. They were at the end of a deer drive, and his father did not come out, so they went back to look for him and found he was no longer alive. The man's son said they were not aware he had any health problems and were surprised he passed on.
11-18-2023. A woman called to report a fully engulfed barn.
11-19-2023: A Kennan woman report a male she did not recognize had pulled into her driveway in a gold car. The male threatened to shoot her dogs as they were chasing him in the woods. She could smell alcohol on his breath. During the call, he was parked in her driveway and was inside his vehicle.
The last two sets of reports from the Price County Sheriff's Office, above, were received on 12-11-2023. We will publish the remainder of November, when we receive those reports, with the December reports.
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PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT
11-1-2023: Received a report of a man with a rifle near the grocery store. The officer was able to identify the man. Police have received numerous complaints about the man carrying his rifle in the past and the man has expressed that he needs to exercise his 2nd Amendment right while being in public.
11-4-2023: Received a phone call of a subject carrying an AR-15 rifle near a local business in the City of Phillips.
11-6-2023: Police responded to an alarm going off on Argyle Avenue. Upon investigation, it was a smoke detector that was placed outside a residence.
11-6-2023: A man was asking for money at a business. Police learned he was passing through town and has an extensive criminal history.
11-7-2023: The owner of a residence on Fifield Street was given 48 hours to remove two mattresses, a recliner, and other junk behind their residence.
11-8-2023: A woman's surveillance camera showed a shirtless male walking through her back yard on Pine Crest Avenue.
11-8-2023: A person received a scam as the individual sent provocative photos over social media and the scammer wanted money in exchange for not sending the photos.
11-10-2023: A two vehicle accident occurred on South Lake Avenue. There were no injuries.
11-10-2023: A man stated individuals were trespassing at his residence while he was in custody. He also felt a former tenant was stealing from his residence.
11-13-2023: A business on Airport Road reported suspicious items in an employee bathroom.
11-14-2023: A search warrant was conducted with assistance from the Price County Sheriff's Office. A 46-year old male was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana (THC), and possession of drug paraphernalia. The man was held at the Price County Jail to await a bond hearing.
11-16-2023: Officers presented a gun safety program for pre-k through 3rd grade students.
11-17-2023: Police received a report of a child sex crime. An investigation is pending.
11-19-2023: An Argyle Avenue resident made a complaint regarding the last two winters' snow removal. An officer responded that they could deal with any concerns once we get snow this year.
11-20-2023: A local business reported a suspicious subject who left prior to law enforcement arriving. Police attempted to locate the person.
11-20-2023: A man reported suspicious activity on his property on Argyle Avenue.
11-20-2023: A 911 call was received at a residence on South Argyle Avenue reporting a person put a gun to someone's head and then put the gun to their head. Phillips and Price County Police responded. Two individuals were taken into custody, and police are investigating the incident.
11-21-2023: Graffiti was painted on the side of an abandoned business on Depot Road. Officers later observed the graffiti was painted over and could not be seen anymore.
11-22-2023: Police received information of drug activity that will be investigated.
11-24-2023: A man was burning plastic and building materials on Flambeau Avenue without the use of a fire pit or ring around the fire. The man was advised to put out the fire and informed of the two ordinances he was violating.
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PARK FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT
11-4-2023: An officer observed individuals that he recognized in a parking lot. When running the registration of a vehicle, he found it was owned by a woman who possibly had a male with numerous warrants out for his arrest residing at her residence. When looking at a booking picture, the officer confirmed that the male with the warrants was amongst the group. The officer followed the car, which turned into a driveway. The two females talked with the officer, though were not very cooperative with information, and the male fled on foot from the vehicle. The area was searched by numerous officers but ultimately the male evaded law enforcement.
11-5-2023: A woman who moved into a new home said her neighbor has a security camera pointed at her house to record the woman and her boyfriend. The neighbor then sends the footage to the man's ex-wife.
11-6-2023: An ongoing dispute between neighbors regarding housing authority led one person to leave a review of the other's business online to inform people of the issues they were having.
11-6-2023: A person was knocking on someone's door at 3 a.m., which seemed suspicious to the resident and police.
11-7-2023: A bar reported an employee stole money, but the employee returned the money, and no charges were filed.
11-9-2023: An officer was asked by Price County Human Services and the chief to check on the welfare of a female due to rape allegations. The female was hesitant to talk about the possible rape but did talk about arguments she recently had with her significant other. A male was arrested for false imprisonment and disorderly conduct with a domestic violence enhancement.
11-11-2023: A hit and run incident occurred in the parking lot behind the hotel and bowling alley. A vehicle struck a parked vehicle and the hotel building. A possible suspect was identified.
11-13-2023: A male was scammed out of about $450 via gift cards he purchased for someone he met through a dating website. He did not want his father to know about it. The officer explained that if someone asks for money on a dating website, to stop communicating with that person and block them if possible.
11-15-2023: A woman called believing her husband was downstairs having intercourse with another woman, but her husband is in jail. Human Services was contacted; a safety plan had been set up earlier in the day.
11-15-2023: A bear carcass was dumped on city property.
11-17-2023: A sleeping bag was found on a dock in Hines Park. The reporting party would like the sleeping bag if not claimed within 30 days.
11-17-2023: An officer conducted a traffic stop. One male was arrested on a warrant. Illegal substances and open intoxicants were located in the vehicle.
11-20-2023: Coffee was reportedly thrown on a vehicle by the reporting party's ex.
11-21-2023: A resident was warned about making repeated harassing phone calls to an elderly woman in Alabama.
11-25-2023: The conservation warden reported multiple traps set on City of Park Falls property by a man. No violations were found.
11-27-2023: A mother and her child reported an unknown person sending sexual pick-up lines over a video game.
“NO, DON’T STOP” was hardly out of my mouth before I felt the forward thrust from the braking of our flatbed trailer as we pulled off the interstate. There, on the shoulder of I-94, somewhere between Chicago and Milwaukee, stood one unsightly group of people (seven, to be exact, four adults and three children). The children looked pitiful, and their disheveled appearance screamed “neglect.” Their old, rusty, and beat-up vehicle with its hood raised appeared to have given up the ghost, and they were waiting for some "Good Samaritan" to stop and rescue them. Even though my “DON’T STOP” request had gone unheeded, I could understand why Dennis was stopping. He holds the record for being rescued from a “MULTITUDE” of perilous situations and feels a deep obligation to repay society.
A born mechanic, he had intended to help get their rig up and running again. He figured they might need water in their radiator, or maybe they had a broken fan belt. But immediately after pulling over, Dennis’ furrowed brow told me, this time, he might be experiencing "Samaritan's remorse" and had misjudged the need. The reason? We had yet to come to a complete stop before they began hoisting the women and children onto the back of the pickup. Then, one of the men started jerking their earthly belongings out of that old car trunk and throwing items onto our truck bed without taking any measure of care. Before Dennis could get out of our vehicle, the other man poked his head (bad breath and all) inside the passenger door window to thank us for stopping. Happy couldn't begin to describe his reaction. He was probably in his mid-thirties, with ratty hair and scummy teeth, and was smiling from ear to ear. We had definitely made his day. We were dumbfounded; they weren't interested in exchanging information about their breakdown, names, or intended destination. It was evident they just wanted to get out of there.
Their vehicle had Michigan license plates, but it was apparent from their gear they were not on vacation or out sightseeing. Our biggest clue was the humongous wire cutters they transferred from their trunk onto the truck bed. Vacationers usually take swimwear, golf clubs, roadmaps, and cameras - not hammers, wire cutters, and crowbars. Their dirty and disheveled appearance suggested they had yet to be guests at any Holiday Inn or even a low-budget Okey Dokey Motel.
I wondered about these people - what was their story? Had they fallen on hard times, or were they, as my mama used to say, "Just plain trifling and wouldn't shake a stick at a snake?" One thing was for sure: they needed basic hygiene skills. But there was no guessing as to their intentions. They had no plans to stick around and revive that old car. They performed like the “Incredible Hulk” as they cleaned out that old beater in record time.
My curiosity turned to fear as their actions revealed sinister and criminal intentions. We watched in horror as they removed the license plates in plain sight of all the interstate traffic whizzing past. Then, they began smashing the windshield, windows, mirrors, and headlights with tire irons. Their actions were beyond belief. We were pulling a trailer loaded with a sizeable D6 bulldozer, so a fast getaway was not an option. We were helpless. Also, the women and children had already made themselves comfortable in the back of the pickup.
Thankfully, for Dennis' sake, thoughts and looks can't wound. Don't get me wrong, I believe the Bible encourages us all to be "Good Samaritans" and to help the wounded by the wayside. In this case, however, I was convinced they weren't the wounded; they were robbers!
When the men finished their destructive frenzy, they jumped on board, and we pulled back on the freeway with absolutely no idea what these hoods expected or where our end might be. I’m sure the passing motorists were intrigued. I mean, we were a sight for sore eyes. We looked like a modern-day version of the Joad family from the “Grapes of Wrath." It was July 1984. Crammed into the cab of our airless 1969 service truck were my husband, me, our two small children, and our teenage foster daughter. And the seven characters were situated in the truck bed behind us.
With my teeth clenched and an icy but low voice, not wanting our uninvited guests to hear me, I asked my husband, "Now, what are you going to do?" He said, “I don’t know," words which were quite unnerving, especially from a man who was always solving problems.
Several miles down the road, we came to a toll booth. The attendant took the money and asked Dennis if the people in the back of our truck bed were the same ones beating the “X*^”>?#@%X” out of their car a few miles back. Dennis sheepishly nodded his head. The men were within earshot, and he dared not say anything. People who travel with wire cutters, hammers, tire irons, etc. likely have guns and knives as well, and we were in no position to defend ourselves. So, he paid the toll and slowly began to pull through the toll gate.
Then, literally within seconds, seemingly out of nowhere, and from every direction came five or six squad cars with lights flashing and sirens screaming. We were surrounded. Police officers began jumping out of their squad cars with guns drawn and pointed toward our “male” riders. They were yelling for them to get down off the truck bed. Once off the truck, they made them raise their hands, spread their legs, and began frisking them. Dennis opened the truck door to get out, but one of the officers screamed at him to get back in the truck and stay there. And stay there we did, for what seemed like an eternity. We watched in horror as the officers removed handguns and switchblades. Then, the frightful encounter became a total embarrassment. Stenciled on our side doors was "Northern Equipment Service LTD. Phillips WI" for all the world to see these ruffians spread eagle over our hood. I felt like yelling to the passing motorist, "We are not the crooks." Instead, I muttered angrily at my husband, and it wasn't "sweet nothings."
Finally, at my coaxing, Dennis asked one of the officers if he could talk to him. After getting permission, Dennis walked over to one of the patrol cars. Dennis explained our plight to him. They believed our involvement in this situation was innocent and made the women and children get off the truck. They permitted us to leave the scene only after reprimanding Dennis for subjecting his family to such danger. We felt terrible for the three young children. As they unloaded their gear, the children cried and begged Dennis not to leave them. That was heartbreaking. Even after all these years, I pray for those precious little ones.
We left the scene never to discover who these people were or what they were up to. Had passing motorists not alerted the toll booth attendant and police, we might be pushing up daisies today. However, I would like to note they did not have any shovels in their arsenal, and I doubt they would have had the ambition to bury us anyway. They most likely would have just shot us and left our bones scattered, who knows where.
I wish I could say the rest of our trip home was uneventful, but the Dennis Onchuck family and EVENTS seem to go hand in hand. After leaving the scene, we drove for a few hours, but it was so hot and humid, and everyone was so tired and crabby that we decided to stop in Waupaca for the night.
The next day began great, but by midafternoon everything changed. When many men travel, it is "from this point to that point and nothing in between." Not Dennis. Always the lover of "big equipment," he contends no trip is ever complete unless he stops and drives through all farm and heavy equipment lots along the way. This trip was no exception; unfortunately, he drove through one lot too many . He spotted some "yellow iron" that he wanted to check out, and after sizing it up, he drove through an adjacent car lot to get back onto the highway. It was a narrow strip, and Dennis was carefully maneuvering his way through when I looked out my window, misjudged our distance from a culvert, and yelled, "watch out." He, thinking he would hit something, jerked the wheel to the left, "Uh oh"…not good. He had smashed the front end of a brand new Oldsmobile. Oh boy; this time I received the "unholy look" and the less than "kind" remarks. Thankfully, Dennis doesn't swear, so I got off easier than many women would have.
For the second time in two days, we found ourselves conversing with the highway patrol. The owner estimated damages to the tune of $700.00. Ouch! After we filled out the paperwork, the patrolman left the scene. It was getting late in the day, so the business owner closed up shop, and all five of us piled back into the truck cab. But, when Dennis turned the key, nothing happened - dead battery.
There were no homes or open businesses nearby, and this was years before cell phones. So, we became the motley crew standing on the side of the road with our truck hood raised, hoping and praying that some "good Samaritan" would stop and rescue us. We looked less threatening than the characters we had stopped to help the day before but discovered quickly that "good Samaritans" were in short supply. Few motorists are willing to stop to help, which, after events we had experienced the day before, we could understand why. Finally, though, a man stopped and gave us a jump, and we were on our way.
We were tired and hungry by this time, but Dennis was afraid to stop. Poor little Andy was whining, "Papa, I 'hungy,' let’s stop at a 'restwant.'” Dennis, trying to be funny, said, "We will; we'll stop at the Onchuck Restaurant." That didn't go over very well with the kids or me. Finally, as we neared home, Dennis did relent and stopped for us to eat but not before he saw a neighbor in a café parking lot and knew we would be able to get a jump from him. Finally, "Home Sweet Home."
Reflecting on this incident from 40 years ago, I am reminded that no occurrence ever surprises our LORD. Our lives often intersect with "ruffians," and we won't know until “eternity” why some people are spared from disaster and not others. Despite my warnings, Dennis still stops to help stranded motorists. Some things will never change! That's what sets him apart from many others. Dennis – the Good Samaritan.
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At 3:27 p.m. on December 5, 2023, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a man had been run over by a loader at the Crass Sawmill located on State Hwy. 64 in the Town of Browning. It was further reported that the man was not conscious or breathing. Taylor County deputies, along with ambulance and EMS services, responded to the scene.
Upon arrival, deputies found the victim lying on the ground, deceased with severe head trauma. The victim was identified as 43-year-old Mark A. Frischman of Medford, Wisconsin.
According to the Taylor County Sheriff's Office, "The investigation into the incident finds that the victim, Mark Frischman, was talking with another individual in the driveway in near proximity to a large loader that was unloading a semi-truck. The conversation ended and one individual walked away and was about six feet away from Frischman when he turned back and had seen Mark Frischman had been backed over by the loader.
"The loader operator was backing a large loader that is not equipped with a back-up camera or back-up alarms. He was unaware that Mark Frischman was standing in the path of the loader as he was backing. Also contributing to the incident were semi-trucks and other large equipment running, making it difficult for the victim to have heard the loader approaching him."
The 2023 Phillips Christmas Parade was held on Friday, December 1, 2023. View a video by clicking on this link. Some photos have also been posted below.
Don't forget to enter our Christmas house-decorating contest.
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Tax-season is approaching. 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.
Get sewing items, NFL Packers & Bears merchandise, Hayden Lane hats, and more at Statewide Sewing.
IAP Inc. is a manufacturer of industrial fans and blowers. Impeccable service, high quality standards, continued growth & prosperity. Visit IAP's website. and follow their Facebook page.
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