21 July 2015

Heritage or hate?

It is down in South Carolina, but flying high in the Wisconsin countryside. The Confederate flag remains a popular symbol of freedom and rebellion for some people in rural communities of Oconto County and elsewhere. Uproar that brought down the flag recently at South Carolina’s state Capitol has also inflamed critics here who see the Civil War-era stars and bars as an emblem for racism and bigotry. But while acceptance of the flag has faded in so
21 July 2015
Library roof project rebid
The Oconto Falls City Council will seek new bids to re-roof the city library, after receiving proposals $40,000 higher than what the city planned to spend. The city is considering either a shingled or steel roof to replace the 9,600-square-foot building’s original roof installed in 1992. According to Alderman Kevin Rusch, bids of $91,000 to $93,000 were submitted for a metal roof; $50,000 was approved in the 2015 budget.
21 July 2015
County fair announces entertainment line-up
The 2015 Oconto County Fair will run Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 20-23, at the fairgrounds at Zippel Park in Gillett. A patriotic opening program will kick off the fair at 6 p.m. Thursday, to be followed by a lawn mower pull at 7 p.m. in front of the grandstand. Free live music will be provided from 8 p.m. to midnight at the refreshment stand stage by Rocker. Friday events include the NEW Motorsports 4X4 truck pull at 7 p.m. at the grandstand.
21 July 2015
Suring to hire police chief
A search is under way for a new police chief in Suring. Applications for the position were due Friday, and a village committee was scheduled to start its review of the applications this week. Police Chief Nick School, a Suring native, continues to work part time for the village but has taken a job with the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office.
21 July 2015
Rymer re-elected president of County Mutual
Oconto County Board Chairman Lee Rymer was recently re-elected as president of the Wisconsin County Mutual Insurance Corporation (County Mutual). Wood County Board Chairman Lance Pliml was elected as vice president and Calumet County Board Supervisor Bill Barribeau as secretary-treasurer. The term of office for all three positions is three years. “These three individuals are leaders both in their own counties and on a statewide level,” said Mark
21 July 2015
Full speed ahead
A summer worth of upgrades at schools in Gillett will make a “world of difference” come Day 1 of the new school year. The district, working with consultants from Energy Services Group, is in the middle of a $2.975 million improvement project. “It’s so nice something is being done. We’ll notice a world of difference,” District Superintendent Todd Carlson said. “The minute school was out, we started here.
21 July 2015
Power outage makes for wedding to remember
While the line “From whence doth the power descend” might sound a bit like a scripture verse uttered from a pulpit positioned on the path around the Falls, it was repeated several times Saturday night in much more common language.
21 July 2015
Everyone needs a friend to act goofy with
I used to good-naturedly call my late friend Jim a “curmudgeon”; he liked to pretend he was a gruff, crabby guy. In reality, Jim was a softy with a wonderful sense of humor and a gift for joke-telling.
21 July 2015
Legion Baseball Highlights
Oconto Falls 9 Seymour 6 Oconto Falls scored six runs in the final two innings Saturday at Seymour. The top two hitters in the order, Sam Shroyer (two RBIs) and Brett Ash (2 for 3), each scored two runs. Hunter Magnin picked up the win in relief for Oconto Falls (14-6, 8-4 Fox River Valley-North). He pitched 2 2/3 innings, struck out two, and allowed two hits and one earned run.
21 July 2015
Oconto Falls pitcher named to Legion all-star team
Riley Gruetzmacher will go from Memorial Field in Oconto Falls to the mound of Miller Park in Milwaukee. The 2015 Oconto Falls High School graduate was recently selected as one of 54 players to play at the state American Legion All-Star game Aug. 9. “I go to a lot of Brewer games and I always have told myself I wanted to pitch on that mound,” Gruetzmacher said. “I might get a chance to now.
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