FRIDAY, OCT. 3

NAVARINO: Farmtoberfest, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Porter’s Patch, W4314 State Highway 156. Variety of family activities, 60 varieties of pumpkins for sale, food, live music. Details at porterspatch.com. Weekends through Oct. 26. Admission $12.32 plus tax per person; ages 3 and younger free.

SURING: Recovery Talking Circle, 6-8 p.m. South Branch Community Center, W1281 County Road M.

Shawano County officials have not been quiet in their talk about needing a third judge to handle the caseload at the courthouse.

All that talk may be about to pay off — at least a bit.

Ethan Schmidt, the county clerk of courts, said a court-required recording system will be installed in the County Board Room in the courthouse later this month for use by a judge.

Birnamwood resident Ben Hable is tired of seeing representatives in Congress who don’t look like him and don’t hold his values, so he’s planning to be the voice of the people as he announced his candidacy for the 8th Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Tony Wied.

There may have been dollar signs in the eyes of some county supervisors when it was suggested this summer that a juvenile facility in Shawano could generate up to $1.4 million a year in annual revenue for the county.

On Oct. 1, Sheriff George Lenzner said he wasn’t convinced the move would be in the best interests of the county. At a minimum, he told public safety committee members to be cautious when discussing the matter.

A proposed 5-foot drawdown of the water levels at the Balsam Row Dam was rejected by federal officials, forcing Wolf River Hydropower LP, the dam’s owner, to complete a full drawdown of 14 feet in preparation for winter.

That has several area residents concerned.

About 50 people gathered at Forest Haven Park on Sept. 30 to try and get some answers.

Shawano resident Becky Hutchison enjoys getting outdoors with the family and using the disc golf course behind Martzke Park for a morning or afternoon.

Hutchison said her family tries to get out there every other week, even in December. The family even did it one year on Christmas Day when the winter was mild.