The Northwoods Land Trust’s (NWLT) 12th annual meeting will be held in the town of Fifield, in Price County, Saturday, May 25. The public is invited to participate.

According to NWLT Executive Director Bryan Pierce, the event will start at 10 a.m. with a walking tour of NWLT’s first Price County conservation easement. The agreement protects more than 300 acres of land and about 4,000 feet of shoreline on Sailor Creek.

The field tour will be hosted by landowners Sue Kartman

Styles of bicycle racks, locations to place them in the community and where to purchase them were discussed by the Eagle River Plan Commission last week.

City Administrator Joe Laux provided information on what the city Revitalization Committee recommended for specific businesses, the style of the bike racks and colors.

Laux said the “U” and “double U” designs can be used, but concerns were raised over locations where they could be placed permanently or temporarily due to the snow removal season.

He said a firm in Minnesota was available to build the racks,

Rep. Rob Swearingen will hold public office hours for the 34th Assembly district regarding state issues Friday, May 17, and Monday, May 20.

Office hours will take place in Woodruff Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Town Hall Conference Room.

Eagle River office hours will also occur on Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. in the lower level of the Vilas County Courthouse in Conference Room 2.

Swearingen will hold office hours

The Republican Party of Vilas County recently received the Wisconsin award at the annual state convention.

Recipients of this award must meet a criteria of points weighed on various grassroots activities to elect Republican leaders.

U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy served as convention chairman, while many delegates from the 7th District dressed in lumberjack plaid to honor Duffy.

This year was the first time the 7th Congressional

Vouchers for free recycling of electronics and disposal of tires and appliances are available to Cloverland residents, according to Clerk/ Treasurer Julie Priefer.

To obtain one of each, contact Priefer at (715) 479-3434 or clerktreasurer@townofcloverland.org.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials say combination of people in the outdoors and fire for cooking lead to a threat of major forest fires in areas where access is a problem.

Jamie R. Remme, DNR forester and ranger in Eagle River, said the forests are typically very dry this time of year.

“One careless action may result in a fire with the potential of burning many forested acres,” said Remme. “Small campfires and warming fires are the only fires allowed during the daytime.  All other fires require a burning permit and are subject to DNR burning restrictions.”

Remme said annual burning

A proposed general permit to streamline the permitting process for small recreational development projects potentially impacting wetlands will be the topic of a public informational hearing in Madison Thursday, May 16, according to state wetland officials.

The informational hearing is slated for 1 p.m. in Room G09 of the State Natural Resources Building, also known as GEF 2, located at 101 S. Webster St. in Madison.

The proposed general permit is the fourth of its kind required under a law passed in July 2012 by state lawmakers.

It would enable people who have a recreational

Despite tough economic times, Vilas and Oneida counties both saw an increase in tourism spending during 2012, according to economic impact figures released by the state Friday.

Vilas County saw direct visitor spending increase 10.25% to $196.4 million in 2012. The nearly $200 million in tourism spending ranked 13th in the state.

Meanwhile, Oneida County experienced $185.9 million in visitor spending in 2012, an increase of 5.59%. Overall, Oneida County ranked 16th in the state.

Statewide, tourism had a total impact

Lay’s potato chips announced Monday that Karen Weber-Mendham of Land O’ Lakes has won the grand prize in the “Do Us A Flavor” contest, which has earned her at least $1 million.

If 1% of the net sales of her flavor — Cheesy Garlic Bread — exceeds $1 million in 2013, she will earn that instead.

Weber-Mendham was crowned the winner by famed actress Eva Longoria at Beso Restaurant in Hollywood.

Three flavors were chosen as finalists, including Cheesy Garlic Bread,

A former Three Lakes town chairman who had access to three separate email accounts for town business has been asked to transmit all electronic correspondence during his term back to the town clerk, as the emails constitute official records of the town.

Because the town must comply with the state’s open records law and possible open records requests, the town  requested that former Chairman Don Sidlowski, who was chairman from April 2009 through April 16, 2013,  return all emails to Town Clerk Sue Harris.

The town made the request to Sidlowski in a letter sent by town attorney Gregory J. Harrold April 16, the date his term ended. Since that time, Harris said Sidlowski has complied with the request, though he has returned the emails via paper format instead of through electronic files.

“He has complied, bringing hundreds,