Oconto County Times Herald

Oconto County Sheriff's Department dispatch logs

Published by admin on Tue, 08/16/2022 - 4:16pm

Aug. 14

Hicks updates Gillett on fire department

Published by admin on Tue, 08/09/2022 - 1:58pm

Gillett Fire Chief Curt Hicks provided the Gillett City Council with his monthly fire update during the council’s meeting on Aug. 4.

“We have been busy,” said Hicks, who spoke specifically about a barn fire in Gillett. “We had 50 firefighters plus on scene at that call. We went to unified command. Everything went immensely well. We were able to contain things. Between the departments that were there, we put on about 250,000 gallons of water.”

Hicks said that putting out the barn fire took from 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Charges filed in fatal truck-motorcycle crash

Published by admin on Thu, 08/04/2022 - 2:28pm

An Oconto Falls man was charged with homicide by the intoxicated use of a motor vehicle after a collision between a motorcycle and pickup truck claimed a life Aug. 3.

Bond was set at $50,000 cash for Thomas Edward Wolf, 56, after he was formally charged in Oconto County Circuit Court on Aug. 4. Judge Michael T. Judge adjourned his initial appearance until Aug. 11.

The Oconto County Sheriff’s Department was called to County Road I near Beaver Lake Road in the Town of Oconto Falls around 8:45 p.m.

Pulaski man on run from Shawano County deputies

Published by admin on Thu, 08/04/2022 - 1:52pm

A Pulaski man is currently on the run after fleeing Shawano County sheriff’s deputies on Aug. 4.

Shawano County deputies are in search of Tracy A. Bahr, 39, after one deputy had spotted him outside of his residence on County Road F in Pulaski holding a firearm. According to Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, Bahr currently has six separate bench warrants out from Shawano County, with the first stemming from an October 2021 incident.

Prison sentence leveled in fatal 2019 crash

Published by admin on Mon, 08/01/2022 - 1:01pm

A prison sentence was handed down July 29 for a Lena man involved in a fiery fatal crash in 2019.

Travis J. Ragen, 33, Lena, was sentenced to nine years in prison, followed by six years of extended supervision, for homicide by the intoxicated use of a motor vehicle in the Nov. 15, 2019, crash that killed Melissa J. Cota, 53, of Oconto.

Oconto Cemetery Walk tickets to go on sale

Published by admin on Mon, 08/01/2022 - 12:59pm

Tickets for the 12th Annual Oconto County Historical Society sponsored cemetery walk “If Tombstones Could Talk” will go on sale Aug. 8 at the Beyer Home and Carriage Museum, 915 Park Ave.

The Cemetery Walk is scheduled for 6 p.m. on the evenings of September 12, 13 and 14, with the first two performances to be held outside at the Oconto Catholic Cemetery, 3024 N. River Road, Oconto. The Sept. 14 performance is to be presented indoors at the John B. LeMay Auditorium at the Oconto High School, 1717 Superior Ave., Oconto.

Proposal to clarify strip search definition

Published by admin on Fri, 07/29/2022 - 4:05pm

Two Oconto County lawmakers and the sheriff have pledged their support for a bill that would clarify the definition of “strip search” after a controversy over a search conducted last winter by the former Suring school superintendent.

State Sen. Eric Wimberger, state Rep. Elijah Behnke and Sheriff Todd Skarban appeared July 27 with state Rep. David Steffen, who introduced the bill this year and said he plans to re-introduce the measure when the legislature reconvenes in January.

Child sex abuse trial delayed again

Published by admin on Thu, 07/28/2022 - 11:18am

The retrial of an Oconto man on child sex abuse charges has been postponed after the man’s attorney withdrew from the case.

After a hearing in Oconto County Circuit Court on July 28, Judge Michael T. Judge granted defense attorney Brad Hansen’s request to withdraw as counsel for David SanRoman, 46. The move postpones a trial that was scheduled for Aug. 2-3.

Lakewood library expansion gets mixed reaction

Published by admin on Tue, 07/26/2022 - 5:02pm

A divided Oconto County Board has approved using $300,000 of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to support a major expansion of the Lakes Country Public Library in Lakewood.

Supervisors voted 19-10 on July 21 to pledge the donation out of the county’s $7,367,458 ARPA allocation.

Lakes Country Library Board member Tom Thielke told the board the planned $1.2 million project would slightly more than double the library’s current footprint. The 3,066-square-foot structure would get a 3,132-square-foot addition with meeting rooms and improved internet access.

Oconto County board OKs Bug Tussel project

Published by admin on Tue, 07/26/2022 - 5:00pm

The Oconto County Board took what is perceived as a major step forward in improving access to broadband in rural parts of the county on July 21 when it approved an intergovernmental agreement and tax revenue bond financing for Bug Tussel, LLC.

The board voted 28-1 with one abstention. Supervisor Jolene Barkhaus opposed the motion, and Supervisor Brandon Dhuey abstained.