Oconto County Times Herald

Gillett School Board votes to open school fully

Published by admin on Tue, 08/24/2021 - 9:57am

The Gillett School Board voted to approve fully opening the school for the 2021-22 school year.

“We are going to return to normal operations and programming for the fall,” said Gillett School District Superintendent Todd Hencsik. “All students will be in school five days a week. There will be normal start times and end times for students. Lunch will be served like normal in the past.”

Hencisk also said that masks will be optional to wear.

Police shooting suspect committed to institution

Published by admin on Fri, 08/20/2021 - 2:18pm

The Oconto Falls woman accused of shooting a police officer has been committed to a mental health institution for six months.

Alisha M. Kocken, 29, was charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and eight other charges after allegedly shooting Oconto Falls Police Officer Nicole Blaskowski during an incident at Kocken’s apartment Aug. 6. Blaskowski, who was struck twice, was released from the hospital after a day.

Sentencing scheduled Thursday in 1976 double murder

Published by admin on Fri, 08/20/2021 - 12:20pm

The terms of an elderly Lakewood man’s life sentences are scheduled to be determined Aug. 26 in Marinette County Circuit Court.

A jury July 27 convicted Ray Vannieuwenhoven, 84, of two counts of first-degree murder in the 1976 shooting deaths of David Schuldes, 25, and and Ellen Matheys, 24, at the McClintock Park campground in the Town of Silver Cliff in Marinette County.

Oconto County Board approves ARPA spending plan

Published by admin on Fri, 08/20/2021 - 12:19pm

How do you spend $7.4 million in “free” money?

That’s the challenge facing the Oconto County Board as it determines what to do with its allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds. ARPA is the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package that the U.S. Congress passed earlier this year.

The board passed County Administrator Kevin Hamann’s plan 28-0 during its Aug. 19 meeting.

Oconto Falls accepts grant to revive downtown business district

Published by admin on Wed, 08/18/2021 - 2:32pm

The outgoing executive director of the Oconto County Economic Development Corp. used his last visit to the Oconto Falls City Council to “strongly urge” the panel to accept a USDA downtown revitalization planning grant to work on reviving the city’s business district.

The council took his advice and accepted the grant in a 6-0 vote.

Paul Ehrfurth, who is due to retire from OCEDC on Sept. 1, has been working with the city for more than two years to hire a consulting firm and apply for federal grants to fund a study of a number of downtown business properties.

Masks optional for Oconto Falls students

Published by admin on Wed, 08/18/2021 - 2:23pm

Masks will still be optional for Oconto Falls School District students when the new academic year begins Sept. 1.

The school board voted unanimously Aug. 9 to approve a 2021-22 return-to-school plan that keeps in place a May decision that students are not required to wear face coverings in class, although they are encouraged to wear them on school buses.

Tickets on sale for Oconto Cemetery Walk

Published by admin on Wed, 08/18/2021 - 2:21pm

The Oconto County Historical Society is planning to stage its 11th Annual Cemetery Walk, “If Tombstones Could Talk,” on Sept. 13, 14 and 15.

The evening of Sept. 13 will find the walk being staged outdoors at the Evergreen Cemetery, 325 Cook Ave., Oconto, at 6 p.m.

On the evenings of Sept. 14 and 15, the walk will be presented at 6 p.m. in the John B. LeMay Auditorium at Oconto Senior High School, 1717 Superior Ave., Oconto.

Panthers football team lauded for storm cleanup help

Published by admin on Wed, 08/18/2021 - 10:52am

Members of the Oconto Falls High School football team played a big role in cleaning up the city after severe thunderstorms rumbled through the area earlier this month.

City Administrator Vicki Roberts told the city council Aug. 10 that the football players and coaches stepped forward to help the street department clear brush.

Accused shooter held in mental health center

Published by admin on Wed, 08/18/2021 - 10:51am

The woman accused of shooting an Oconto Falls police officer Aug. 6 was taken to Winnebago Mental Health Institute (WMHI) not long after her arrival at the Oconto County Jail, court documents indicate.

Alisha M. Kocken, 29, faces charges including attempted first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the incident, in which she allegedly fired three shots at Officer Nicole Blaskowski, striking her in the head and ballistic vest, after calling 911 to report someone had kidnapped her young son.

Volunteers getting ready to help those in need

Published by admin on Tue, 08/17/2021 - 1:08pm

Volunteers in Oconto County are getting together to provide supplies to those in need around the world.

The Samaritan’s Purse organization is running the Operation Christmas Child project, where volunteers put together shoe boxes full of hygiene items, school supplies, toys and clothes.

“A lot of kids never owned things like these,” said Elaine Newlin, a volunteer with the Appleton Alliance Church in Appleton. “Kids can’t go to school or do other things that we take for granted.”

Newlin said that this international project began in 1993.