It was the gilt (young sow) Goldy’s time this week. She had been bred to our white boar Benjie, and two weeks ago she had begun showing an udder, and it was time to move her to the barn in preparation for farrowing. The momma pigs just seem to know when it is their time, walking resolutely with Kara through the barnyard from their paddocks to the barn. Already, the space was a maternity ward, filled with jug pens of ewes with their lambs. It...

GREEN BAY — When Ashland resident and Mark Mackey’s brother called inviting him to come over to the Peshtigo River for some walleye fishing, he didn’t hesitate. “Bob said, ‘Now’s the time, brother.’ He’s been telling me about the 30-plus-inch walleyes he’s been catching for a few years now and sent a few pictures my way, too, so it didn’t take much to convince me to make the trip,” said Mackey. ...

HAYWARD — To begin the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University field trip season, there are two programs planned for the public, courtesy of the Extension Department. Saturday, May 11, Nature’s Salad Bar: The Hardwood Forest will be from 10 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. Join other inquisitive people while wandering through a mesic hardwood forest filled with wildflowers. A mesic forest consists of trees like sugar maple and basswood that...

SHELL LAKE — The Shell Lake Public Library will be hosting two events in the beginning of May. T.A.B. Device Advice will be Saturday, May 4, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the library. The Teen Advisory Board will help adults age 50 and older with their phones and tablets to receive device advice. This is a drop-in event, and people should bring their devices with. Snapshot Wisconsin will be presented by retired Department of Natural Resources wildlife technician Gary Dunsmoor on Monday, May 6, at 4:30 p.m. at the library. This is a volunteer-based wildlife monitoring project. Utilizing a statewide network of trail cameras, the Snapshot project provides data to support wildlife management. It is also an opportunity for individuals and families to be involved in monitoring valuable resources. Dunsmoor is a Snapshot volunteer through a nonprofit wildlife area partnership. Others can become involved in this citizen science project to become Snapshot partners.

SPOONER — The Spooner Golf Club is now open for the season, and they are encouraging women to sign up for the Ladies League on Tuesdays this summer. The club welcomes female golfers of all skills and handicap levels to participate in the league, which begins on May 14. Board Vice President Darlene Von Arx said the league has been picking up again after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the league offers nine- and 18-hole play options, with tee times beginning at 9 a.m. each Tuesday...

SPOONER — Unknown. Due to cases going unreported and racial data on missing persons being poorly tracked, the actual number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives (MMIWR) across the United States is unknown. Even being underreported, the National Crime Information Center had over 5,487 missing Indigenous women and girls reported in 2022; of those 75% were minors. American Indian women face murder rates that are more than 10...

SPOONER — Ruby’s Pantry is an event held on the second Saturday of the month in Spooner from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Anyone who eats can purchase a bundle for $25. There is no income or residency requirement. Guided by Director Karen Sorenson and an army of dedicated volunteers, the day goes very smoothly. Ruby’s began several years ago and still is going strong. When COVID-19 changed the way the food was distributed, outside instead of inside the Spooner Alternative School, the volunteers were there...

SHELL LAKE — The Shell Lake School Board hired a number of staff members at their meeting Monday, April 15. Morgan Forrestal and Peggy Jones-Matz were hired as part-time food service employees for 2024-25. Julie Westlund, Eric Schenkenberg, Katie Zehm, Stan Lamb and Ashley Krause were hired as summer custodial crew. Steve Byrd was hired as middle school track coach, and Jennifer Boucher was transferred from third grade to sixth grade. ...

Speeding Richard J. Bianco, 32, Bloomer, exceeding speed zones on Feb. 29, $200.50. Frank T. Fuller, 60, Varna, Ill., speeding on expressway on June 24, 2023, $276.10. Gaitlin J. Gunn, 20, Hayward, speeding in 55 mph zone on July 22, 2023, $175.30. ...

April 16 2:19 — Speeding warning, Trego. 7:58 — Possible horse neglect, Spooner. 7:58, checking on horses. 8:48, horses OK. 9:38 — Vehicle accident, Trego. 10:38 — Aggressive dogs, Springbrook. 11:05, nobody at home. 12:09, property owners not answering door....

SPOONER — The Spooner Area School District School Board has selected Peter Schroeder to serve as the principal of Spooner High School, effective July 1. Schroeder currently serves as the middle school/high school principal in the Boscobel Area School District. Prior to becoming an administrator, he taught math, physics and chemistry, as well as having extensive experience coaching and serving as an athletic official. Schroeder is a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army as a field artillery officer. District Administrator Dr. David Aslyn commented, “We are pleased to have Peter Schroeder leading Spooner High School for the upcoming school year. He is a talented educator with solid leadership skills. His commitment to building relationships and working collaboratively really impressed the students, parents, teachers, board members and administrators involved in interviews. I’m confident that he will do well serving the students, families and staff of the Spooner High School. We are fortunate to have a person of Peter’s caliber joining the SASD leadership team.”

SPOONER — The City of Spooner has proclaimed Friday, April 26, as Arbor Day, and the public is invited to an event at Railroad Park that day. Spooner Elementary School fourth-grade students, along with Mayor Gary Cuskey and the Tree Board, will be planting a tree at 1:30 p.m. at the park. Cuskey will read the official proclamation. Spooner was named a Tree City USA in 2023 by the Arbor...

GRANTSBURG — Duck Tucker, a Republican from Grantsburg, held a campaign kick-off rally at Hummer’s Event Center for his run to represent the newly redrawn 75th Assembly District, which includes all of Polk and most of Burnett counties. Well over 100 people gathered to hear comments from Reps. Gae Magnafici and Chanz Green, past Rep. Adam Jarchow, Sen. Romaine Quinn, Burnett County Sheriff Tracy Finch, St. Croix Falls Mayor Kirk Anderson, retired businessman Gary Nelson and Tucker. It was standing room only, as attendees heard...

SPOONER — On Tuesday, April 16, the Spooner Rails softball team hosted the Ashland Oredockers. Spooner topped the Oredockers 10-0, winning in five innings. The winning pitcher in the contest was Annalie Lindgren, throwing all five innings, striking out 9, giving up 1 hit and walking 1 batter. At the plate, the Rails were led by Layla Thompson, going 4/4 and 1 RBI, and Chloe Swonger, 3/3 and 2 RBIs....

SPOONER — It’s always a treat for fans when a pair of Washburn County neighboring towns get together to compete in sports, and that was the case as the Spooner Rails hosted Northwood/Solon Springs (NWSS) in softball on April 15. The two teams were about as even as could be, battling late into the contest. In the end, Spooner picked up a couple late runs to slip past the Evergreens 8-6. ...

SPOONER — The wind was bitterly cold, but the soccer teams and fans alike braved the weather on Friday, April 19, as the Spooner Rails hosted St. Croix Falls. Most of the girls had bare legs, while dedicated fans bundled up in winter coats, scarves and wool hats. By the end of the first half, the Saints held a 3-0 lead, going on to the victory. “It was definitely a...

SPOONER — The Spooner Rails baseball team had a busy week on the diamond, beating the Oredockers at Ashland 7-3 on April 16, falling 11-2 to Hayward on April 18 and then losing 5-3 at St. Croix Falls on April 19. Spooner currently sits at 4-5, and coach Josh Villella and his Rails have a busy week coming up. On Monday, April 22, the Rails hosted the Ladysmith Lumberjacks in...

SHELL LAKE — The Washburn County Board held its reorganizational meeting Tuesday, April 16, which saw new supervisors and youth representatives inducted, new chairs elected and approval of a jail project introduction letter to be sent to residents. New supervisors sworn in were Miles Macone, District 6, Kelly Cupp, District 25, Travis Odegard, District 6, and Ben Dryden, District 18. Youth representatives Serena Lu, Levi Thornley, Hailey Stariha and Emily Adrihan also took the oath of office. ...

SHELL LAKE — Almost every home has one — that cabinet or drawer filled with prescriptions and other medications. And if yours is like most, it probably contains a few things you didn’t know you had, or no longer need. And that can have serious consequences. More than 2.9 million opioid prescriptions are written every year in Wisconsin. That’s right, 2.9 million! And when unused and expired medications start to pile up, it’s easy for them to fall into the wrong hands. Far too often,...

WASHBURN COUNTY - National Day of Prayer will be hosting events in Shell Lake and Spooner on Thursday, May 2. This is the 73rd-annual National Day of Prayer with the theme “Lift up the word, light up the world” from 2 Samuel 22:29-31. People are invited to participate on May 2 at Cornerstone Church in Spooner at 7 a.m., Spooner and Shell Lake city halls at noon and Lake Park Alliance Church in Shell Lake at 6 p.m.