When my granddaughter was in elementary school, I took her outside during a visit on one cold, clear Christmas night. Mother Nature was really strutting her stuff. The moon was full, the firmament ablaze with stars that peppered the inky sky. Mars and Venus were clearly visible to the naked eye.

The Shawano Woman’s Club recently announced a significant increase in the scholarships they are awarding to four local high school students and two adult learners at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in 2026.

Spring migration is underway, and while I’ve missed the birds that journeyed south for the winter, I can’t help but pause to appreciate the ones that never left. Throughout the coldest days of the year, these hardy residents have provided life and movement in an otherwise quiet landscape — frequenting backyard feeders and offering moments of liveliness during long winter stretches.

Awards were presented to 12 area students during the SkillsUSA Wisconsin State Leadership and Skills Conference closing ceremonies held April 8 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison.

Conrad Kreutzberg, with Pulaski High School, took gold in the printing and design category. Pulaski also saw Caleb Theuerkauf take bronze in the electronics category.

The Holt and Balcom Logging Camp Museum in Lakewood will again be welcoming guests this summer.

Free guided tours are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Operated by Holt Lumber Company from 1881 to 1927, the camp is listed on the national historic register. This is the oldest logging camp in America sitting exactly where it was built.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

KESHENA: Winter Farmers Market, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., College of Menominee Nation Cultural Learning Center, N172 State Highway 47-55. Presented by CMN Sustainable Development Institute. Local vendors, healthy food, artisan crafts and more.

OCONTO: Storytime, 10:30 a.m., Farnsworth Public Library, 715 Main St. Story and crafts for preschool children. A caregiver must stay with the child.