Charlie Welsh (white uniform) and a Warriors defender battle for the ball as the Bluejays were trying to establish an offensive play in a regional playoff game last week in Amery.

Bluejays exit soccer playoffs with heads high

The Three Lakes-Phelps boys varsity soccer team was eliminated from the WIAA D4 regional playoffs last week following a 6-0 loss to the Warriors of Amery High School. Hopes were high coming into the …

Construction crews at Eagle River Union Airport last week working on building new entrance gates at the end of Dyer Farm Road and the start of the Cessna Lane taxiway.

Eagle River airport gets entry refresh

All three primary entrances to the Eagle River Union Airport will soon get a facelift with new lift gates replacing the sliding gates that were installed more than 20 years ago. The two …

Sophomore Bekah Koch and senior Nolan Waltz qualified for the WIAA State Cross Country Meet in Wisconsin Rapids this coming weekend. Waltz was the overall sectional champion with his first-place finish.

Bluejays advance two to state cross country meet

The Three Lakes-Phelps cross country team celebrated last Saturday at the WIAA D3 sectional race at Rosholt High School, as senior Nolan Waltz and sophomore Bekah Koch qualified as individuals for …

Water conservation meeting set Friday in Boulder Junction

The 2026 Vilas County Lakes Conservation Partners will hold an informational meeting this Friday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Boulder Junction Community Center. The public is …

Junior Eden Smith serves in front of the Northland Pines student section during a 3-1 win over Amherst in the WIAA D3 regional semifinal at Northland Pines High School on Oct. 22.

Eagles nearly upset top-seeded Marathon in regional final

The No.4-seeded Northland Pines varsity volleyball team ended its season in heartbreak after pushing top-seeded Marathon to the absolute limit last Saturday on the road in a thrilling five-set …

News

Oneida declines to follow Vilas on shoreline cutting restrictions

RHINELANDER — The Oneida County Board last Tuesday approved a package of adjustments to its Shoreland Protection Ordinance after narrowly rejecting a proposal to limit clear-cutting along …

Bat monitoring shows increasing numbers for third straight year

Bats may be one of the mascots of Halloween, but the scariest thing about them is their declining numbers …
Halloween festivities planned throughout the Northwoods

Communities throughout the Northwoods will celebrate Halloween with a variety of activities for children …
Phelps muskie tourney draws record number of anglers

The Phelps Chamber of Commerce has announced that Bill White of Ringle is the winner of the 46th annual …
Be ready for flu season with early vaccinations

Halloween is just around the corner, and while families are preparing with costumes and pumpkins, the …

Pheasant season now open

The Wisconsin DNR reminds hunters and the general public that the 2026 pheasant season opened the …
Road closures, signed detour in place for West Shore Road

PHELPS — West Shore Road in Phelps will be closed to all traffic beginning Monday, Oct. 19, for a …
Health, law enforcement agencies set hours for fall Drug Take Back Day

Police and sheriff’s departments across the state will provide a safe, convenient, and anonymous …

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Events Calendar

Three Lakes High School senior Garrett Mandli, left, stands with volunteers Jackson Bender, also a senior, and freshman Trygg Alsager at Don Burnside Park on Oct. 11, where eight Autumn Blaze maple trees were planted as part of Mandli’s Eagle Scout project. The project replaced ash trees lost to emerald ash borer. —Staff Photos By CHRISTINA BRANDMEIER

Eagle Scout project brings new trees to Three Lakes park

Participants take part in the annual Pedal in the Pines bike ride in July, one of the fundraising events benefiting St. Germain Silent Trails. The nonprofit organization, which supports local nonmotorized trails, is seeking new members and volunteers to help with trail maintenance, events and fundraising efforts. —Contributed Photos

St. Germain Silent Trails seeks members to support trail maintenance, recreation

A camera inside the crate allowed the audience to watch as Houdini escaped his straitjacket and captured Hera, the inland taipan snake. —Photos By Bob Hughes

Aron Houdini performs daring escape

A festive group poses at last year’s haunted house. Sprecksel Slaughterhouse returns to Rhinelander Oct. 30–31 for its 13th season, offering Halloween scares while raising funds for local veterans through VFW Post 3143. —Photo By Cloe Rae Photography

Sprecksel Slaughterhouse returns for 13th season, supports veterans

More Lifestyle

Eagles continue their push for state tournament

With a big target on its back heading into the playoffs, the Northland Pines varsity boys’ soccer team worked through the regional round last week, which ended with a regional championship plaque …

Bluejays football team racks up 13 all-conference honors

Officials in the Northwoods-East Conference released their annual all-conference selections for the 2026 season last week, and six members of the Three Lakes-Phelps varsity football team walked away …

Bluejays cruise to regional championship on volleyball court

The Three Lakes varsity volleyball team had the pleasure of playing in front of a home crowd during the regional rounds of the WIAA playoffs as a No. 2 seed in D4 play. The Bluejays beat Spencer in …

Nicolet National Bank Senior Spotlight

Northland Pines senior Dylan Kleffman was one of 18 seniors on the Northland Pines football team who just celebrated a 17-0 win over Crandon on senior night a few weeks ago. Kleffman stepped …

Three Lakes set for playoffs as two-seed in D4

The Three Lakes volleyball team is set for another round of D4 playoffs for the second time in as many years after the WIAA moved from four divisions to five. The Bluejays are the No. 2 seed in 2026 …

Soccer coaches: the secret weapon to Bluejays success

The Three Lakes-Phelps boys varsity soccer team will play their first WIAA D4 regional playoff game this week at Amery High School. This is the same team that came to Three Lakes last October …

Senior Ryan Rydeski fights off a Rhinelander defender during the first half.

Eagles end regular season, prep for playoffs as top seed

The Northland Pines boys’ soccer team finished a productive season, wrapping up the regular season with the final two Great Northern Conference games against Rhinelander and Lakeland last week. …

Nicolet National Bank Senior Spotlight

Northland Pines senior Ethan Miller is another three-sport athlete for the Eagles, which keeps him busy all year long. Whenever he gets the chance, he enjoys grabbing a fishing pole, duck hunting and …

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Packerland

Fritsch: Tuffy arrives, Fritsch departs

“They called him ‘Tuffy’ in his playing days — this Mr. Gene Ronzani, who today became the second head coach in the 31-year history of the Green Bay Packers,” Green Bay Sportswriter Art …

Fritsch: The end of the Lambeau era

Throughout the 1948 and 1949 seasons, Fritsch continued to steadily perform for the Packers under head coach, Curly Lambeau, as the team first slipped to fourth in the Western Division and then …

Fritsch: Tackled by fate

In 1945, Dad had an injury to his knee, and of course you go to the hospital, and you get it taken care of. He had an X-ray done,” explained Ted Fritsch’s son, Tom. “In 1946, he had that …

Fritsch: The Packers’ expensive experiment

In 1946, the Packers purchased a picturesque 53-acre compound built in 1937 for the Green Bay-area Norbertine order. The $32,000 purchase was approved by the board of directors in May as a …

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Sideline Scoop

Twelve former Packers nominated for 2026 Pro Football HOF

The 128 nominations for the 2026 Pro Hall of Fame were announced last week, which included 12 former Green Bay Packer players. Nominees include receivers Donald Driver and Jordy Nelson, …

Staying in touch with the Windigo

It’s that time of the year again when hockey teams in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) hit the ice for a regular season that will run into April. Normally, I’d be all set with …

Packers completely dismantle the Lions

The Green Bay Packers opened the new NFL season with a dominant 27-13 win over the visiting Detroit Lions last Sunday. It really wasn’t a question of whether Green Bay was going to win, as they …

More Sideline Scoop

Eibner and Busha pose partway through the hunt with Labrador retrievers Ellie and Daisy. .—Photo By the Retired Scribbler

A fine day to hunt pheasants at Laona’s Heritage Hunt Club

A fine day to hunt pheasants at Laona’s Heritage Hunt Club It turns out that getting friends together who share a passion for shotguns, dogs and birds takes nothing more than a phone call, and …

Tournament winner Bill White of Ringle hoists his 48.75-inch muskie caught on Lac Vieux Desert. —Contributed Photos

Phelps muskie tourney draws record number of anglers

Phelps muskie tourney draws record number of anglers Four biggest fish pulled from Lac Vieux Desert The Phelps Chamber of Commerce has announced that Bill White of Ringle is the …

Harmon Marien, a graduate of Northland Pines High School, has secured the title of Angler of the Year in the Northern Division. Here, Marien is shown celebrating his first-ever top-three finish on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland.

Marien earns Angler of the Year title in Northern Division series

Eagle River’s Harmon Marien has won Angler of the Year in the Northern Division of the Major League Fishing Toyota Series. This award is based on regular-season points standings across the …

Youth anglers encouraged to participate in Sugar Camp Muskie Classic Sept. 12

Anglers are invited to sign up for the upcoming Sugar Camp Muskie Classic, a one-day catch and release fishing tournament that aims to promote youth participation in the sport of muskie fishing. …

Bonus antlerless tags on sale now

Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations for the 2026 gun deer season are available for purchase online through the Wisconsin DNR’s Go Wild license portal and at license sales locations. …