Six Menominee Indian High School wrestlers advanced to the WIAA sectionals Saturday as the Eagles won the Division 3 regional championship in Shiocton. Six Bonduel wrestlers also advanced out of the Brillion regional. Menominee Indian won the regional with 213.5 points. Shiocton (170.5) was second.

Shawano Community High School junior Zach Soper earned a third trip to the state swim meet with first-place finishes in the 100-yard butterfly and 100 backstroke Saturday at the WIAA Division 2 sectional in Stevens Point. Soper swam away from the competition in the backstroke, finishing in 51:05, more than six seconds better than runner-up Aaron Stange (57.47) of Ashwaubenon. Soper took the butterfly in 52.23 seconds.

Shawano County sheriff’s deputies dealt with an odd incident Saturday afternoon involving an animal problem on Eland Avenue in Wittenberg. A homeowner reported she was unable to get out of her house because there was a raccoon frozen to the sidewalk in its own urine at the bottom of the stairs. A deputy responding to the scene used a bowl of warm water provided by the homeowner to thaw the liquid, and the raccoon walked off. The incident was one

A 42-year-old man suspected of beating and sexually assaulting a woman Friday tried to make his way out of town in a stolen car, the Shawano Police Department said. He was later taken into custody just outside the city on eastbound state Highway 29 by Shawano County sheriff’s deputies.

Shawano Police Department Feb. 13 Police logged 22 incidents, including the following: Harassment — Police investigated a harassment and cyberbullying complaint at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S.

Child abuse A Shawano man is facing a felony charge of physical abuse of a child for allegedly striking a 10-year-old during a disturbance in the city Feb. 2. Ezequiel C. Noriega, 38, could face a maximum six years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

Now that we have hit the middle of February, with weather forecasters talking about temperatures in the middle 30s for next week, my thoughts are turning to the time when winter might loosen its hard-fisted grip. I won’t say spring yet, but once we get into the 30s, it might feel a bit like spring. Meanwhile, I have been enjoying the sunny days that have been numerous of late.

“You gotta have heart, miles and miles of heart.” Frank Sinatra sings that song as only he can, and the message is to not give up, but to go for it. With the Shawano-Menominee Relay for Life coming up March 22, it reminds me of all the people out there fighting for their lives against cancer. Talk about having heart. Join us from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Years ago when I was a little kid, we had a fluffy white dog named Blinker. He was beautiful but very naughty. Every time we turned our back he was down the road. He invented the word runner. After Dad paid the dog pound twice he said, enough. We had to have Blinker put down.