Students at Oconto Falls Middle School walked through the doors of a new building in the fall, while the community bid its farewell to the former Washington Middle School that was later demolished.

In January, the Washington Middle School English Language Arts Department announced it was making plans for the community to say goodbye to the old school as the school district prepared to open the new Oconto Falls Middle School.

Looking at both the future and the past has resulted in a good outlook for Wittenberg during the year 2025.

Topping the list of stories was the push for a new museum in the village that resulted in a gift from the Nueske family. Across town, new apartments breaking ground filled the second slot in the Wittenberg Enterprise and Birnamwood News’s top 10 list.

Here’s a look at what made headlines in 2025:

Wolf River & Co.’s Ryan Engel heads up a four-person crew and a few subcontractors at his home remodeling projects, but if things progress they way he hopes, the company will be expanding its services into developing new construction as well.

State Rep. Jeff Mursau (R-Crivitz) and State Rep. David Steffen (R-Howard) introduced legislation requiring schools to provide sextortion prevention education beginning in sixth grade.

The victim of a fatal crash in the Town of Pensaukee was identified Dec. 22 by the Oconto County Sheriff’s Department.

Stephen Paul Carr Cummins, 34, was the driver of the sport utility vehicle involved in the Dec. 15 rollover on U.S. Highway 41 east of Moody Road. A passenger, Lauren Marcy Jiardini, 31, also of Milwaukee, was hospitalized in Green Bay in what the traffic report indicates were suspected serious injuries.

• Charley E. Estep, 40, Shawano, pleaded no contest Dec. 23 to possession of narcotic drugs. Judge William Kussel Jr. imposed and stayed a prison sentence, then placed him on two years of probation with conditions.

• Moxie J. Barke, 19, Kincheloe, Michigan, was charged Dec. 22 with theft of movable property — special facts and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Judge Jay Conley set a $2,000 cash bond and adjourned his initial appearance until Jan. 15.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Dec. 27

Deputies responded to 26 incidents, including an animal bite on Tile Drive in the Town of Maple Grove; automobile theft on Holy Hill Road in the Town of Green Valley; two traffic hazards; one crash.

Dec. 26

Oconto County Sheriff’s Department

Dec. 22

Deputies responded to 38 incidents, including a K-9 deployment at Suring High School, 411 E. Algoma St., Suring; animal neglect on County Road D in the Town of Morgan; two traffic offenses, one citizen assist, three miscellaneous traffic incidents, one welfare check; two open-line 911 calls; six ambulance calls; eight crashes, two involving deer.