Oconto County Times Herald

Oconto Falls passes 2024 city budget

Published by admin on Tue, 11/28/2023 - 11:45am

The Oconto Falls City Council finalized its 2024 city budget Nov. 27, with several street projects dependent on whether state grants come through to support the work.

The city is looking to spend about $3.3 million in the coming year, with $1.5 million raised by local property taxes. That represents a 0.8% tax increase for city purposes.

City Administrator Peter Wills said the possible street projects include a $2.8 million reconstruction of Columbia Street, including sidewalks on the south side of the street, and reconstruction of Oakwood Court, a $532,120 project.

Gillett man killed when pickup overturns

Published by admin on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 1:08pm

A Gillett man died in a one-vehicle accident during the early morning hours of Nov. 25.

Oconto County Sheriff Todd Skarban said dispatchers received the call about 3:15 a.m. regarding the accident on state Highway 22 near Old U Road in the Town of Gillett.

Oconto County Circuit Court

Published by admin on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 1:02pm

Proceedings of Nov. 22

• A three-day jury trial starting Nov. 28 was postponed to May 8 for an Oconto Falls man charged with a charge of homicide by the intoxicated use of a motor vehicle. Thomas Edward Wolf, 56, is charged in connection with a crash Aug. 3 that claimed the life of Bart Erdman, 60, also of Oconto Falls. Judge Michael Judge scheduled a motion hearing for March 7.

Oconto County Sheriff’s Department

Published by admin on Mon, 11/27/2023 - 12:55pm

Nov. 21

Deputies responded to 27 incidents, including drugs in Oconto, trespassing on County Road E in the Town of Morgan, three traffic stops, one traffic hazard, two citizen assists, one miscellaneous traffic incident, two welfare checks; one 911 hangup and one open line; three crashes, one involving deer.

Nov. 20

Most area schools pass DPI standards

Published by admin on Wed, 11/22/2023 - 2:09pm

School districts in Shawano and Oconto counties have met the education standards set by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, according to the 2023 report cards released in mid-November.

Most area schools received a three-star rating, which shows the school has met the threshold for what DPI believes students should know to graduate high school. Some individual schools did not meet the standards, but the overall scores kept those schools at three stars.

NWTC Health Sciences creates XR lab

Published by admin on Wed, 11/22/2023 - 1:49pm

Through a $300,000 grant from Achieving the Dream and the Brave of Heart Fund to address shortage of nurses and systemic inequalities in nursing pathways, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College launches its first Health Sciences Extended Reality Lab.

Governor comes to Oconto to celebrate business

Published by admin on Wed, 11/22/2023 - 8:30am

Gov. Tony Evers took a walking tour of downtown Oconto on Nov. 21 to highlight the Shop Small Wisconsin initiative.

Evers visited six small businesses, starting with The Shop on Main, then going on to Creative Ewe, Roberts Hometown Hardware, The Candy Shop, Secret Garden Floral Design, and ending with a visit to Eyeconic.

Several of the businesses were recipients of the Main Street Bounceback program, which provided grants of up to $10,000 that have helped more than 9,400 small businesses expand or move into storefronts in all 72 counties across the state.

CoVantage Cares announces Giving Tuesday campaign

Published by admin on Wed, 11/22/2023 - 7:56am

CoVantage Cares Foundation has announced the kickoff of its annual two-week fundraising campaign.

The event will begin Nov. 28, which has become known nationally as “Giving Tuesday,” and will end Dec. 12. Funds generated will be matched with up to $175,000 in contributions from CoVantage Cares Foundation, a public charity established by CoVantage Credit Union.

Local nonprofit organizations to receive funding from this year’s campaign were selected by CoVantage staff and are located throughout the communities served by CoVantage Credit Union.

Gillett Middle School gets high marks

Published by admin on Mon, 11/20/2023 - 10:32am

U.S. News and World Report has ranked Gillett Middle School among the top 100 middle schools in Wisconsin in its annual report of the best schools in the country.

“We’re in the top 40% of middle schools everywhere,” Superintendent Wayne Johnson said during the Gillett School Board meeting Nov. 16.

The ranking at usnews.com shows Gillett as 87th among 494 middle schools in the state of Wisconsin, with student reading and math performance skills “well above expectations” compared to other schools in the state.

Wimberger touts progress on PFAS bill

Published by admin on Mon, 11/20/2023 - 10:28am

State Sen. Eric Wimberger told the Oconto County Board on Nov. 16 that helping landowners and municipalities deal with PFAS has been one of the three major goals of his first term in office.