The Lakeland Times

06/05/2025

TWO SINGLE-VEHICLE ACCIDENTS IN LAKELAND AREA

Two single-vehicle accidents occurred in the Lakeland area between 11:15 a.m. and noon on Thursday.

The first accident occurred on County Highway J in Woodruff near the Carrol Lake Campground, where a van went off the roadway and made impact with a tree.

The second accident was fatal and occurred on U.S. Highway 51 in Minocqua near Timber Ridge Road. The vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, was traveling northbound and went into a ditch east of the roadway, striking a culvert and flipping over. According to a press release from the Minocqua Police Department, the driver, whose name is being withheld until his next of kin are notified, was the only passenger in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

See Tuesday’s edition of The Lakeland Times for further updates.

Trevor Greene/Lakeland Times

04/29/2025

A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin until 2 AM CDT.

04/28/2025

[4/28/25] 5:45 AM. Many of the details for the severe weather today remain unchanged from previous forecast cycles. Some initial storms are possible through the morning and early afternoon, mainly towards central and east-central Wisconsin. These will have a relatively low chance to become severe, but if they do hail will be the main concern. Then, although a break is possible, watch for more discrete and isolated storms in the afternoon. IF any of these storms do develop, they will quickly become severe and all severe hazards will be possible. Finally, attention turns to the potential for an organized line in the evening which could bring additional damaging winds and some possible tornadoes.

04/27/2025

04/18/2025

FIRE IN ARBOR VITAE

A two story home on Grouse Covey Lane in Arbor Vitae sustained heavy damage as the result of a fire Friday afternoon. The Wisconsin Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated by Arbor Vitae fire chief Mike Van Meter and firefighters and equipment from nine area volunteer fire departments responded to the blaze. There were no injuries. Photos and story by Brian Jopek/The Lakeland Times.

04/02/2025

4:35AM [4/2/2025]
Wintry precipitation will continue to spread northward across the region this morning. As of 3AM most locations had seen about 1-2". An additional 1/2-4" of snow is possible through the morning, with the highest amounts forecast for northeast WI. A glaze up to a tenth of ice is also possible for parts of central and northeast WI as snow transitions to freezing rain/sleet throughout the morning.

03/28/2025

WOODRUFF WRITE-INS FOR TOWN CHAIR

In the days after the sudden death of Woodruff town chairman Mike Timmons on March 22, two people stepped forward as write-in candidates for town chair. According to town clerk Julie Huotari, Judi Nelson and Pat Bickner have each filed as registered write-in candidates. March 28 at noon was the deadline to file as a registered write-in.
Bickner is a former town supervisor who was first elected to the town board in April, 2013 and re-elected in 2015. She submitted her resignation from the position in July of 2016 to take effect in August of 2017, citing scheduling issues at that time. Nelson, who had a career in management at Howard Young Medical Center, is currently Woodruff’s deputy town clerk and is also president of the Arbor Vitae-Woodruff school board. The town chair’s seat is up for election in 2025 and Timmons is on the ballot as unopposed. - The Lakeland Times

03/24/2025

ATTENTION!!!

MISSING PERSON: Melissa June Beson

Melissa was last seen in Lac du Flambeau wearing red sweatpants and a gray sweatshirt!

If you know of her whereabouts, please contact LDF Tribal police at 715-588-7717 or the Vilas County Sheriff's Office at 715-479-4441

03/22/2025

ST. GERMAIN MAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER

A St. Germain man has been arrested in the murder of a woman.
According to a press release from Patrick Schmidt, chief deputy for the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the dispatch center received a 911 call at 10:34 p.m. Friday from a caller who reported “a female had been located, and they believed that female to be deceased.”
“Deputies arrived on scene to find Kelly Johnson, 61 years of age, deceased of unnatural causes,” Schmidt said in the press release, adding detectives from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) were called in to investigate.
“Help was also obtained from the Department of Justice’s mobile Crime Response Team as well as the Wisconsin State Patrol,” Schmidt said and early Saturday morning, he said a “suspect was developed as a result of the investigation.”
“During this time frame, this suspect was located and arrested,” Schmidt said.
The suspect was identified as James Johnson, 56, who was arrested for First Degree Intentional Homicide. The press release was updated Saturday, indicating the incident occurred in the town of Cloverland.
See the Friday, March 28 edition of The Lakeland Times for more on this story.

03/19/2025

3/19/2025
The leading edge of today's weather system is moving from Iowa into southwest Wisconsin, and will continue to push into central and northeast Wisconsin late this morning. Mainly snow for the north to start, with rain across the Fox Valley and east-central Wisconsin. Becoming snow area wide by this evening.