Oconto County Times Herald

Former Gillett mayor charged with theft in a business setting

Published by admin on Mon, 02/17/2020 - 9:45am

OCONTO — Former Gillett Mayor James Beaton was being disingenuous when he said he was blindsided by the sale of Legacy Funeral Chapels, where he had served as funeral director for nearly three years.

Documents filed in Marinette and Oconto courts last week indicate the sale was the culmination of an ongoing dispute with the business’s former owners, which has now led to criminal charges.

Competency exam ordered for elderly murder suspect

Published by admin on Mon, 02/17/2020 - 9:38am

MARINETTE — Six weeks late, a Marinette County judge has ordered a competency examination for the octogenarian Lakewood man charged with a 1976 double murder.

At a hearing in January, Judge James Morrison approved the exam after attorneys for Raymand Vannieuwenhoven said they no longer believe he is capable of aiding his defense.

Morrison set a Feb. 10 deadline – coincidentally the defendant’s 83rd birthday – for receiving results of the exam and scheduled a hearing this week to review the situation.

Next Pulaski superintendent named

Published by admin on Fri, 02/14/2020 - 3:38pm

PULASKI — The community and the school district’s approach to learning attracted Pulaski’s next superintendent to the opportunity.

The Pulaski School Board announced Monday it had selected Allison Space as the next district superintendent and will begin contract negotiations.

Space has been superintendent of the Goodman-Armstrong Creek (GAC) School District for the past three years. Prior to that, she had served in Wabeno schools, including seven years as elementary principal and 12 years as a third grade teacher.

New Oconto County voting machines rolled out and ready

Published by admin on Wed, 02/12/2020 - 11:05am

OCONTO — The first election using Oconto County’s brand-new voting machines is a small one, but County Clerk Kim Pytleski isn’t taking any chances.

With a state Supreme Court primary the only race to be decided Tuesday, Pytleski said she would usually order enough ballots to cover about a 6% voter turnout. She ordered for 25% just in case.

“I would love it if we had a 25% turnout. That would be spectacular,” she said Friday. “I don’t anticipate that.”

Oconto Falls ADRC branch office to expand

Published by admin on Wed, 02/12/2020 - 11:01am

OCONTO FALLS — Oconto County has entered into a modified lease for its Aging and Disability Resources Center to accommodate expanded services for people and their families who are dealing with dementia.

The ADRC of the Wolf River Region – which serves residents of Oconto, Shawano and Menominee counties, as well as the Stockbridge-Munsee Community – has been expanding services at its Oconto Falls satellite office at 229 Van Buren St., county Health and Human Services Director Mike Reimer told the Oconto County Board during its Jan. 23 meeting.

Great Lakes remain at record highs

Published by admin on Tue, 02/11/2020 - 3:29pm

OCONTO — It’s not a question of if, but when, flooding will happen along the bay shore this spring, Oconto County and municipal leaders warned in an update for bay shore residents last week.

County officials are working with the towns of Little River, Oconto, Pensaukee, Little Suamico and the city of Oconto to monitor and provide preparedness information to residents.

Cattle feeder workshop set Feb. 25 at Equity sales barn

Published by andynewsengin on Tue, 02/11/2020 - 12:20pm

BONDUEL — From assessing buildings groaning under their snow loads to consideration of fake meat, the annual University of Wisconsin-Extension Cattle Feeders Workshop has presentations for beef cattle feeders, dairy steer feeders, and related allied industries.

Blueberries require patience from home gardener

Published by andynewsengin on Sun, 02/09/2020 - 10:18am

SHAWANO — Blueberries are an exercise in patience because they’re “a very different critter from basically anything else we grow,” Scott Reuss, Marinette County University of Wisconsin-Extension educator, told 118 people interested in growing the fruit Jan. 30 at Qualheim’s True Value Hardware.

Finger Family Farm owners are Outstanding Young Farmers

Published by admin on Wed, 02/05/2020 - 8:37am

COUNTY LINE — After chatting in the barn for a few minutes, Philip Finger looked over and smiled at a white-faced cow that poked her face through the stanchion.

“She’s following us around,” he said, smiling and going over to pat the big animal’s head. “She’s curious about the visitor.”

Sure enough, the cow had been enjoying lunch near the bottom door but had ambled along the row as Philip and his wife, Laura, walked and talked about their selection as 2020 Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmers.

School arsonist faces child abuse charges

Published by admin on Wed, 02/05/2020 - 8:22am

OCONTO — The man convicted of burning down St. Anthony School in Oconto Falls eight years ago now stands accused of severely injuring a 3-month-old girl in his home.

Vincent J. Enneper, 24, of Oconto Falls, is charged in Oconto County Circuit Court with child abuse intentionally causing great bodily harm, child abuse recklessly causing great harm, first-degree recklessly endangering safety and neglecting a child with the consequence of great bodily harm.

Enneper is scheduled to make an initial appearance Feb. 13 before Judge Jay N. Conley.