Wittenberg Enterprise & Birnamwood News

Menominee Nation chairwoman joins Biden aboard Air Force One

Published by kjpasson on Thu, 10/31/2024 - 5:33am

Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Chairwoman Gena Kakkak accompanied President Joe Biden on Air Force One on Oct. 24, one day ahead of an event in the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona where the president issued a formal apology on behalf of the United States for the failed assimilation policy of Indian boarding schools.

Witt-Birn’s school taxes to drop 71 cents in 2025

Published by kjpasson on Thu, 10/31/2024 - 5:25am

The tax rate for the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District will be dropping 71 cents as the school board signed off on a $15.7 million budget on Oct. 28.

The current tax rate is $7.29 per $1,000 of equalized valuation, which means the owner of property worth $200,000 can expect to pay $1,458 in school taxes for this year. The district originally thought that the rate was going to drop to $6.95 at its annual meeting in August. Once the district got the final property values from the state in October, the drop will actually be 9.7% to $6.58.

Sheriff’s department looking for missing Marion man

Published by kjpasson on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 2:50pm

The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department is seeking anyone who may have information regarding the whereabouts of a Marion man.

Jason M. Bell, 48, was reported missing by family members on the evening of Oct. 22, according to a sheriff’s department press release. Since that date, extensive law enforcement efforts and resources have been to work on this case, but detectives have been unable to develop further leads and are seeking public assistance to help with this matter.

Warm, dry week allows row crop harvest progress to remain ahead of average

Published by kjpasson on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 7:26am

Wisconsin had 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork statewide for the week ending Oct. 27, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Another warm, dry week with limited rainfall allowed for row crop harvest progress to remain well ahead of average. The weather also led to declines in wheat and pasture conditions as well as soil moisture ratings. The carrot and cranberry harvests continued. Other field activities included spreading manure, fall tillage, planting cover crops and seeding winter wheat.

County board OKs 2025 budget, levy

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 10/29/2024 - 9:31am

Shawano County property taxes will increase 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed value (2.38%) in 2025, based on the budget and levy approved by the county board on Oct. 23.

Jim Davel, administrative coordinator for the county, pointed out to supervisors that while the mill rate will increase in 2025, it has decreased each of the last four years.

True Value files bankruptcy

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 10/29/2024 - 9:19am

Shoppers at True Value stores in Shawano and Oconto Falls will notice few, if any, changes at the stores due to the company’s recent bankruptcy filing.

Chicago-based True Value filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and said in a press release all of its 4,500 stores, including Qualheim’s True Value in Shawano and United True Value in Oconto Falls, will remain open during the bankruptcy process. All stores but one are independently owned.

Shawano-Menominee Circuit Court

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 10/29/2024 - 9:17am

• William B. Matchopatow, 46, a former Gillett man serving time at Redgranite Correctional Institution, pleaded no contest Oct. 24 to misappropriating ID information to avoid a penalty and possession of methamphetamine. Judge Katherine Sloma levied fines and fees and sentenced him to 15 months already served.

• Vernon C. Bessette, 62, Tigerton, pleaded guilty Oct. 22 to felony bail jumping and misdemeanor charges of operating while revoked and possession of a controlled substance. Sloma levied fines and fees and sentenced him to 60 days in county jail.

Public record

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 10/29/2024 - 9:08am

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Oct. 27

Deputies responded to 34 incidents, including a vicious animal on Forest Haven Road in the Town of Richmond; illegal burning on Lake Drive in the Town of Wescott; assisting with a fire on Nightingale Road in the Town of Wittenberg; drugs at the Ho-Chunk Casino, N7198 U.S. Highway 45 in the Town of Wittenberg; animal bite on Hunting Road in the Town of Grant; harassment on County Road G in the Town of Grant; two reckless driving incidents; one traffic hazard; two welfare checks; one crash.

Committee goes behind locked doors at jail

Published by kjpasson on Tue, 10/29/2024 - 9:06am

The days of housing dozens of inmates in one large cell are long gone.

Today’s rules require a more individualized approach to managing a jail population, and members of the Shawano County Ad Hoc Building Committee saw and heard about that when they toured the local jail Oct. 23.

The new jail was built in 1994, with another $4 million invested in updates and improvements since 2018. The work release center on Engel Drive opened in 1998.

Bowler FFA putting together Christmas parade

Published by kjpasson on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 2:29pm

The Bowler FFA is planning a holiday parade, which will take place at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 on Main Street in Bowler.

Anyone interested in entering a float needs to RSVP by Nov. 20 by emailing tchristian@bowler.k12.wi.us. One rule for the parade is that candy cannot be thrown; it must be handed out.