Shortening the Shawano Speedway from a half mile to a three-eighths mile track may not be as simple or cheap as once believed.

Grant Bystol, Shawano County highway commissioner, told members of the Shawano Area Agricultural Society, which operates the track, his department could complete the engineering and blueprints for about $15,000. He estimated a private firm’s costs would be more than $40,000.

The Shawano Common Council on Jan. 14 approved work on three streets to start in 2026 with new pavement, sewer and water improvements.

A lot of options are on the table to reduce $1.6 million in operating expenses for the Shawano School District, but closing a school is not one of them, and neither is doing an operational referendum like other school districts in northeast Wisconsin.

The Shawano School District’s 2025 financial audit came back with a glowing review, it was revealed during a Jan. 12 meeting of the district’s operations committee.

The return to work, school, and regular routines after the holidays can bring an uptick in cold and flu symptoms. As people reach for over-the-counter medications, Aspirus Pharmacy resident Kenneth Yuk is reminding the community to use them safely by reviewing labels carefully.

A 15-year-old boy from Lena died as the result of a snowmobile accident Jan. 13, according to a news release from the Oconto County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Todd Skarban said law enforcement was notified of the single-vehicle crash at 7:32 p.m.