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Spooner Advocate
August happenings at Hunt Hill Nature Center
SARONA — In case you missed the news, we are now Hunt Hill Nature Center in Sarona. Over the remainder of the year, we will continue transferring to the new name. Stay tuned for more details. Hunt Hill will host Beasts & Beer: History of Frances Andrews on Wednesday, Aug. 7, with check-in at 5:30 p.m. and the program at 6 p.m. Hunt Hill would not exist had it not...
Wolves vs. cattle in Douglas County this year
DOUGLAS COUNTY — The unusual weather patterns in northwest Wisconsin the last two summers have been challenging for farmers raising beef cattle. Last year’s drought resulted in cattleman Ron Schiff deciding to sell his herd since he didn’t have enough hay to feed them over the winter. This summer’s abundant rain eliminated any problems producing hay, but there has been one constant in his operation: the impact of wolves. “I lost my herd bull to wolves a few years ago but decided to keep my...
Cardinals 10-run Hayward
SPOONER — On a warm, close July 26, the Spooner Cardinals flexed their muscles as everything came together against the visiting Hayward Hawks. Spooner thumped Hayward 10-0 in Independent League play. Later this week, league playoffs assignments will be announced. Spooner took a 1-0 lead over the Hawks in the bottom of the first inning. They increased the number to 4-0 with 3 more runs in the bottom of the third. ...
Jack Pine Savage Days this weekend
SPOONER — The Spooner Area Chamber of Commerce is asking everyone to “vote for Jack” at the annual Jack Pine Savage Days festival set for Friday and Saturday, Aug. 2-3, in downtown Spooner. Spooner Memorial Library will be hosting a Where’s Jack Scavenger Hunt both days around town. The entertainment tent opens at 8:30 a.m. Friday in the Front Street parking lot. Other events Friday throughout the day include the...
Washburn County Sheriff's Office log
July 22 0:15 — Disorderly conduct, Minong. 0:19, no known history of violence. 0:21, person trying to contact someone for ride. 0:25, person feeling unsafe. 1:04, all civil. 3:50 — Speeding warning, Minong. 5:09 — Speeding warning, Minong. 5:21 —...
Wisconsin law enforcement agencies join together to stop speeding with special enforcement Wednesday
MADISON - About 100 law enforcement agencies, including the Wisconsin State Patrol, will join states across the Midwest to step up patrols for Speed Awareness Day on Wednesday, July 31. The campaign is a 24-hour, high-visibility enforcement effort involving state, county and local law enforcement agencies. The Wisconsin State Patrol will have all available officers working statewide to stop drivers who are endangering safety on the roads. The goal of...
WCCO 'goes to the lake': TV crew visits the community
SHELL LAKE — WCCO, the CBS network’s affiliate in the Twin Cities viewing market, continued its annual summer ritual, “Goin’ to the Lake,” with a visit to Shell Lake last week. It was clear from the comments of WCCO’s reporters they were impressed with what they found not only in Shell Lake, but in all of Washburn County. “I love the lake and the charm Shell Lake offers, and the people are all so friendly. I live in the Twin Cities metro now and this...
WCLRA hosting August workshop
SPOONER — The Washburn County Lakes and Rivers Association I hosting a Score My Shore Workshop on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Service Center in Spooner. The Score My Shore tool is an evaluation tool that asks waterfront property owners questions about their lake or river property and how it is managed. The questionnaire provides a final score that gives context to the property’s management and recommends specific practices that could improve the score...
Pasture walk set for Aug. 3
SPOONER — The NW Wisconsin Graziers Network, Shell Lake-Yellow River farmer-led watershed council, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension and UW-River Falls invite you to our August pasture walk/field day of the 2024 grazing season Saturday, Aug. 3. Hosts Dave and Veronica Fogerty operate Black Creek Bison Ranch with about 200 acres west of Spooner on Rolling Green Road. Come see the test plots of alternative and emergency forages such as Teff grass, Sorghum/Sudan, Pearl millet and crabgrass, cover crops, forage analysis tools (bring your forage samples...
Want to be a better gardener? Learn online with Extension!
MADISON — Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening is an online, complete-at-your-own-pace introductory course offered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension Horticulture Program. This course is designed for anyone who wants to improve their gardening skills, regardless of experience level. Participants learn key concepts for selecting, growing and maintaining plants — from trees to houseplants to vegetables and everything in between. The course runs Sept. 8–Dec. 7. At the end of Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations...
DMV offers information on obtaining an ID for voting
MADISON - Ahead of the Wisconsin Fall Primary Aug. 13, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reminds U.S. citizens how to obtain identification, free of charge, that is valid for voting. Valid identification for voting purposes, for those who will be at least 18 years of age by the next election, includes a driver license, identification card, military or student ID card, etc. There is no separate “voter ID.” A federally compliant REAL ID card is not required for voting...
Down on the Farm: Berry season
Time to check once again before the birds beat me to them. I grab a bowl from the house and trudge out to the blueberry patch between the smaller high tunnel and my studio yurt. So close … just a handful is ready, but many are deep purple, so we’re just days away from a first real picking. Berry season is part of the delight of living on the farm, starting with strawberries, then raspberries, then blueberries and blackberries. Strawberry season recently wrapped up, and...
The process of removing car-killed deer
RHINELANDER — Retired Conservation Warden and Lincoln County resident Jim Blankenheim’s memories of car-killed deer (CKD) go back a lot further than the one that laid 60 yards from his door. “I called the Sheriff’s Office to arrange for removal, but they said I’d likely not get a response. They suggested I drag it off the road myself, but there wasn’t any public land nearby. I waited a day and called the contractor several more times, but nothing happened. Then we left town for a...
Candidate forum in Hayward
OJIBWA — On Saturday, Aug. 3, Democratic candidates for the 2024 Primary and General Election will speak to voters at a free brat barbecue and potluck in Ojibwa Park southeast of Hayward (W7911 Hwy. 70, Ojibwa). Invited candidate speakers include Tony Evers, Tammy Baldwin, Ben Wikler, Sarah Rodriguiz, U.S. Seventh Congressional District candidate Kyle Kilbourn, Wisconsin 74th Assembly candidate Jeanne Bruce, Judge Monica Isham, Judge candidate Susan Crawford, Seventh Congressional candidates, District 12 Senate candidate Andi Rich and 35th Assembly candidate Elizabeth McCrank. According to...
Musky addicts unite
SPOONER — When longtime Spooner Muskie Club members Larry Damman and Joe Weiss were asked how many casts they’ve made in their lives for the legendary Fish Of 10,000 Casts, there was a moment of silence. Then Damman quietly said, “I don’t think that number’s been discovered yet.” The message was clear. Both the musky addicts have spent a lot of time on the water, some might say too much when you see how the results from the Spooner Muskie Club’s monthly fishing trips have...
Hunting dogs depredated in Sawyer County
WINTER - On Sunday, July 21, USDA-Wildlife Services verified that wolves killed one Walker trailing hound dog and injured one Walker trailing hound dog in the Town of Winter, Sawyer County. Dog owners are reminded to exercise caution in wolf-occupied areas. Conflicts between hunting dogs and wolves are most common during the bear training and hunting season. Dogs have also been depredated pursuing other wildlife, including fox, coyotes, bobcat, rabbit, snowshoe hare and upland birds. More information is available on the DNR's website. ...
Court report
ATV violations Travis J. Barker, 38, Clearwater, Minn., operating ATV/UTV without muffler on May 25, $232. Donald R. Bass, 37, Rice Lake, operating ATV/UTV without required head gear and illegally operating ATV/UTV on/in vicinity of highway on June 7, $394.70. Michael G. Buck, 44, Elko New Market, Minn., illegally operating ATV/UTV on/in vicinity of highway...
Shell Lake Lions Triathlon/Duathlon Saturday, July 27
SHELL LAKE — The Shell Lake Lions Club will host two events, a triathlon and a duathlon, at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 27, at the Shell Lake beach. Timing services will be provided by Duluth Timing and Events. The triathlon is a traditional swim/bike/run. Participants may also choose the duathlon, a run/bike/run event. Both events will run concurrently. Individuals or teams may enter either event. Again this year, there...
Rendezvous! Forts Folle Avoine revisits fur trade era
DANBURY — Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park exists on the exact site where two winter fur trading posts, North West Co. and XY Co., operated on the banks of the Yellow River from 1802-05. It was the time of the historic fur trade. The trading posts had been undisturbed for nearly two centuries when they were rediscovered. It is the only site in America where two competing fur trading posts were built side by side, just 95 feet apart. The trappers would load their furs...
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The Spooner Advocate, founded in 1901, is Washburn County's leading source of advertising, news, and other information. Located at 251 E. Maple Street, the Spooner Advocate and its companion Total Market Coverage (TMC) product, The Weekender, serve all of Washburn County and parts of Burnett County, with a combined circulation of nearly 20,000 and a penetration rate of 99 percent of households in the area (Pulse Research Survey). Published each week on Thursday, the Spooner Advocate has consistently earned awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association for editorial, news, and advertising excellence. The Advocate also publishes several special-interest magazines and products throughout the year, including The Source of Washburn County, Burnett County Almanac, Barron County Today, the Summer Fun Guide, and the Real Estate Buyer's Guide, to name a few.
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