Contact: DNR Office of CommunicationsDNRPress@wisconsin.gov MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public comment on a trail network concept plan at Rib Mountain State Park The Greater Wausau Prosperity Partnership, in collaboration with the DNR, has developed a trail network concept plan for Rib Mountain State Park that is consistent with the park’s property master plan The trail network plan includes concepts for a multiuse community path ski area expansion and snowmobile trail realignment The public can provide feedback on the proposed trail network concept plan through March 2, 2025. The trail network concept plan and information on how to provide input are available on the Rib Mountain State Park webpage The department encourages the public to submit feedback using the online public input form one public informational meeting will be held on Thursday 2025 at Northcentral Technical College's Professional Conference Center in Wausau This informational meeting will run from 6 to approximately 7 p.m and will include a presentation from department staff starting at 6 p.m Staff will present a brief property history and share the trail concept plan in more detail The public may provide comments in person at the public engagement opportunity on Feb. 13 or by using the online public input form A hard copy of the trail network concept plan is available to view at the Rib Mountain State Park office and the Marathon County Public Library Headquarters (300 N Comment cards are also available at the park office Please call the park office prior to arrival to ensure the facility is open Public Engagement Opportunity For The Rib Mountain State Park Trail Concept PlanWhen: Feb 6-7 p.m.Where: Northcentral Technical College Professional Conference Center Room 1004A (located in the Center for Health Science Building)1000 W © Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | Site requirements | Accessibility | Legal | Privacy | Employee resources RIB MOUNTAIN − After being spared from Joann’s list of closures earlier this month the Joann store at 226830 Rib Mountain Drive is set to close An automated answering message greeted callers to the Rib Mountain location Monday telling them it’s a very difficult time but that all locations would be marked to close No closing dates have yet been established although some stores have begun their liquidation sales and will host other sales between now and when they officially close The message told callers they can also shop wherever they are on Joann’s website or app A company statement on joannrestructuring.com said after a comprehensive sale and auction GA Group and Prepetition Term Loan Agent won the bid to purchase all of Joann’s assets That agreement − subject to bankruptcy court approval of the transaction − includes shutting down all operations and starting going-out-of-business sales at all store locations advisors and legal partners tried to pursue more favorable outcomes to keep the company in business and is committed to working with the winning bidder to wind down operations “We deeply appreciate our dedicated Team Members our customers and communities across the nation for their unwavering support for more than 80 years,” the statement said The closure of all Joann locations comes less than two weeks after the company filed a motion seeking court authority to begin closing about 500 of its roughly 850 stores across the country locations in Plover and Marshfield were included in the list of stores the company planned to close the Rib Mountain store was not on the list and two Joann’s employees confirmed the Rib Mountain store had planned to remain open Onalaska and Wisconsin Dells were also not market for closure at the time More local news: What to know about Wausau school consolidation: Principals, attendance boundaries and more Best fish fries in Wausau: Cassel Bar & Grill is 'hands down the best' Contact Caitlin at cshuda@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda (WXCO) – Ice coated the mountain in Marathon county as the storm blew through snapping trees and closing business Cleanup is underway after the north eastern part of the state was hit with a devastating ice storm. Up to a half inch of ice wrapped trees, snapping and crashing them to the ground. It knocked out power for plenty in the Northwoods, with over 35,000 customers still waiting for power on Monday evening At Rib Mountain State Park hiking was discouraged as trees were still actively falling on Monday On the other side of the State Park, the ski hill Granite Peak had their own problems With snow still on slopes and open for business for a few more days quick removal was top of mind for management They were forced to shut the entire ski hill down both Sunday and Monday They plan to have Comet and Blitzen runs open again on Tuesday morning Damage from the ice spans hundreds of miles across the state the Hodag Dome deflated due to loss of power This is a big hit for the town that continuously holds sporting events inside For the election, that’s where Rhinelander residents were supposed to go to vote for the Spring Elections on Tuesday April 1st The City had to hold an emergency meeting to discuss a new venue for voting on Sunday night. It will now be held in the gymnasium of James Williams Middle School The Hodag Dome also posted on Facebook that the School District of Rhinelander says they will continue to provide updates as repairs are made and will let the community as soon as the Dome is back up and open. Want More Local News?We've got you. Scan it to get it. News Ethics and Standards | Privacy Policy in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has developed a trail concept plan for Rib Mountain State Park that is consistent with the park’s property master plan The trail plan includes concepts for a multiuse community path The document outlining the proposed trail concept plan can be found in the Concept Design Story Map: The department encourages the public to submit feedback using the online public input survey after reviewing the trail network concept plan document one public informational meeting will be held in Wausau on Thursday Staff will present a brief property history and share the trail network concept plan in more detail The public may provide comment in person at the public engagement opportunity on Feb Comment cards are available at the park office What: Public Engagement Opportunity For The Rib Mountain State Park Trail Concept Plan Professional Conference CenterRoom 1004A (located in the Center for Health Science Building)1000 W Campus Dr.Wausau RIB MOUNTAIN − A new retailer selling brand-name merchandise at a discount will open Saturday in Rib Mountain A spokesperson for Ross Dress for Less told a Wausau Daily Herald reporter Tuesday that the store will hold its grand opening March 8 at 226675 Rib Mountain Drive The spokesperson did not have additional details on the grand opening but a Facebook post says the store will open at 9 a.m The company's website still does not list hours for the new location Ross confirmed to the Wausau Daily Herald in October that the company had signed a lease for the approximately 23,000 square foot space Rib Mountain leaders first announced plans for the retail store in June The store will be located between Ulta Beauty and PetSmart The space was previously home to Bed Bath & Beyond which announced its closure in January 2023 said the closure was part of a plan to close 150 of the company's lowest-performing stores But the Bed Bath & Beyond chain filed for bankruptcy in April 2023 and liquidated all of its stores According to its website, Ross Dress for Less is the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the U.S footwear and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 60% off department and specialty store regular prices every day Ross currently has central Wisconsin locations in Stevens Point at 5601 U.S in the Dunham's Sports site development and in Marshfield at 503 E Suite 220 in the redeveloped Marshfield Mall Editor Jamie Rokus can be reached at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus Contact: Missy VanLanduyt, DNR Recreation Partnerships, External Relations and Communication Section ChiefMelissa.VanLanduyt@wisconsin.gov or 608-515-6006 MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that it has begun the conceptual trail planning process for a property-wide trail plan at Rib Mountain State Park The concept phase begins the implementation of the property master plan approved by the Natural Resources Board in December 2022 The concept plan includes all elements of trails at the property that were included in the master plan The DNR is completing the conceptual trail planning work in collaboration with many key local partners including the Friends of Rib Mountain State Park Granite Peak Corporation and the Central Wisconsin Off-Road Cycling Coalition Rib Mountain State Park is poised to be a central Wisconsin destination for natural resource and recreation enthusiasts “We’re excited to begin work on the trail plan while maintaining the property’s valuable and unique natural resources," said Diane Brusoe "Being able to collaborate on this plan with our valued partners helps to ensure a balanced and sustainable approach to recreation development at the property." “We trust that the DNR and key stakeholders will protect the park landscape along with the current hiking and snowshoe trails at Rib Mountain State Park while designing an enhanced trail system for additional recreational opportunities,” said representatives of the Friends of Rib Mountain State Park The department anticipates a public engagement period as part of the trail planning process in early 2025 the DNR is committed to providing existing and additional year-round recreational and educational opportunities that are suited to and compatible with the physical and ecological characteristics of the property as well as developing trails that provide high-quality experiences across the spectrum of skill levels For more information and to get signed up to receive project alerts, visit the Rib Mountain State Park webpage After more than two years of planning and discussions Chick-fil-A is expected to open this fall at 225421 Rib Mountain Drive the owner and developer of the Rib Mountain site Attempts to reach a spokesperson for Chick-fil-A Monday for additional information were unsuccessful Chick-fil-A has made its presence known in the central Wisconsin area since November 2023 with several stops by its popular Chick-fil-A Tri State Food Truck in the Wausau But this will be the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in central Wisconsin The restaurant features chicken sandwiches beverages and more along with a variety of dipping sauces and dressings Chick-fil-A has more than 3,000 restaurants across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico with plans to expand by 2030 into Europe and Asia. The closest Chick-fil-A restaurants are currently located in Appleton, Oshkosh and Green Bay, according to its website Lokre Companies first announced a proposal in November 2022 to construct a Chick-fil-A restaurant at the site of the former Olson Floor Covering building in Rib Mountain In March 2023, Lokre revised its proposal and began talking with the village about a combined Chipotle and Chick-fil-A development along with a third tenant in the the Lilac Avenue and Menton Lane area along Rib Mountain Drive Village of Rib Mountain leaders have continued discussion with the development group since that time In October 2024, another developer requested feedback on preliminary site plans to add a 7 Brew drive-thru coffee stand to the project In November they submitted general site plans for the project Lokre Companies announced earlier this month that construction has started on the Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant at 225407 Rib Mountain Drive and a representative for Chipotle told a Wausau Daily Herald reporter they anticipate opening this summer Readers ask: When will the new Wendy's restaurant open in Weston? Here's what we know. Readers ask: When will Ross Dress for Less store open in Rib Mountain? Editor Jamie Rokus can be reach at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus RIB MOUNTAIN − Construction has started on a Chipotle restaurant in central Wisconsin According to a Tuesday morning news release from developer Lokre Companies the restaurant is being built at 225407 Rib Mountain Drive and a grand opening is planned for early fall 2025 It will be the only Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant in central Wisconsin. There are currently 30 Chipotle restaurants across the state with the closest locations in the Appleton area, according to the company's website Chipotle serves a variety of menu items including tacos Attempts to reach a spokesperson for Chipotle Tuesday morning for additional information were unsuccessful Lokre Companies first announced a proposal in March 2023 for a combined Chipotle and Chick-fil-A development along with a third tenant in the the Lilac Avenue and Menton Lane area along Rib Mountain Drive In October 2024, another developer requested feedback on preliminary site plans to add a 7 Brew drive-thru coffee stand to the project The village is still in discussions with developers about plans for a Chick-fil-A restaurant and 7 Brew coffee shop More local development news: What we know about 4 major housing developments underway in Wausau More local business news: What we know so far about the transition of The Store to Fuel On Wisconsin EXCITING TRAILS: While many think of the slopes people ski or snowboard down every year during the winter at Granite Peak in Rib Mountain State Park (WJFW) – Winding through a series of trails in Rib Mountain State Park takes you to an enchanting large quarry While many think of the slopes people ski or snowboard down every year during the winter at Granite Peak in Rib Mountain State Park A series of trails connect and you encircle the rock quarry You can start your hike from the observation tower at Rib Mountain State Park or you can start it on Grouse Lane where I did I got a little lost when trying to find where to start on Grouse Lane But if you go down Grouse Lane it leads to the start of the trail if you start the hike outside the state park Follow Turkey Vulture Trail and your journey goes up a slight hill but it won’t be long until you stumble on a quarry with cliffs surrounding it “The first time I went out there I took my 10 year old and she said to me as we got to the top edge of the quarry '"Dad this is like our own little Grand Canyon'" and I knew we had something special then,” said Kevin Keeffe who is President of the Friends of Rib Mountain State Park group Other trails go around and up the quarry’s cliffs giving a breathtaking view These trails connect back to the main Rib Mountain State Park This makes a longer trail available to those who want a bigger challenge The quarry itself was used to mine quartzite Some of the trails reflect when the quarry was being mined This section was then added to Rib Mountain State Park around 15 years ago Overall I had a great time exploring this spot It's not too difficult of a hike and not hard to get to especially if you live in the Wausau area It’s a place that you could come back to and find something new every trip Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: the Christmas shopping season officially starts Check out these department stores in the Wausau area to kick off your Black Friday shopping Ace Hardware told the Wausau Daily Herald the company will open for its regular hours on Black Friday According to coupon company RetailMeNot Sunday at 226810 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Sunday at 226566 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Best BuyAccording to coupon company RetailMeNot Sunday at 226480 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Dick's Sporting Goods will be open from 6 a.m Sunday at 4600 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Dunham’s SportsAccording to its website, Dunham’s Sports will be open from 4 a.m Sunday at 226464 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain According to its website, Fleet Farm will open its stores at 5 a.m GameStopAccording to coupon company RetailMeNot The store is usually open from noon to 7 p.m Sunday at 4117 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Harbor Freight told the Wausau Daily Herald the company will open its stores from 7 a.m Monday through Saturday at 3525 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain sweepstakes and giveaways that will run through December" on Black Friday Menards told the Wausau Daily Herald the store will be open its regular hours Black Friday Sunday at 3707 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain OfficeMax will be open regular hours on Black Friday Sunday at 226436 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Old NavyOld Navy told the Wausau Daily Herald the company will open its stores from 5 a.m Sunday at 226625 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Sunday at 225720 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Sunday at 226641 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Sam's Club will be open its regular hours Black Friday Saturday at 226200 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Sportsman’s WarehouseAccording to blackfriday.com a website that collects and shares Black Friday ads Sunday at 226601 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain daily at 226450 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain Ulta BeautyAccording to coupon company RetailMeNot Sunday at 3555 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain According to blackfriday.com Walgreens will be open its regular hours Black Friday to midnight daily at 105 Central Bridge St daily at 226100 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain (This story was updated to add new information.) RIB MOUNTAIN − The state Department of Natural Resources is taking the first steps toward upgrading renovating and expanding the trail system at Rib Mountain State Park The biggest change includes offering mountain biking trails on Rib Mountain's slopes. Currently mountain bikes aren't allowed on the hiking trails. The park is already popular with road cyclists, who frequently test their skills riding up and down the park's road The planning work is the beginning stage, part of carrying out the expansion of the park uses outlined in the park property's Master Plan, approved by the DNR's governing Natural Resources Board in December 2022. That plan calls for groundbreaking developments such as expanding downhill skiing creating mountain bike trails and adding new land to the 1,600-acre park "The concept plan includes all elements of trails at the property that were included in the concept plan," according to a DNR news release The DNR is partnering with several groups to develop the plans, including the Friends of Rib Mountain State Park, Granite Peak Ski Area and the Central Wisconsin Off-Road Cycling Coalition Other groups at the table include representatives from Rib Mountain the Greater Wausau Prosperity Partnership and the Wisconsin Climber's Association "We're excited to begin work on the trail plan while maintaining the property's valuable and unique natural resources," said Diane Brusoe Inviting a diverse group of partners who bring a variety of perspectives about how the park should be used "helps to ensure a balanced and sustainable approach to recreational development at the property," Brusoe said DNR officials anticipate scheduling a public engagement process on the trail plans in early 2025 Rib Mountain State Park is one of largest DNR properties located next to an urban area, according to the park's Master Plan Downhill skiing is a major attraction for people to visit the park; the Granit Peak Ski Area which leases the land it uses in the park from the DNR amassed an average of more than 160,000 skier/visitor days in the four years prior to the 2022 passage of the Master Plan In 2023, the DNR estimated that there were more than 590,000 visits to Rib Mountain State Park Officials say the busiest month was in January Part of the goal of the revamped Master Plan and the upgraded trails is to provide additional year-round recreational opportunities at the park Keith Uhlig has been writing about Wisconsin its people and all it has to offer since 2000 a Marathon County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop for a minor traffic violation in the Village of Rib Mountain the deputy received information from the driver about a possible burglary and vehicle theft occurring nearby The deputy proceeded to the reported location and observed a pickup truck leaving the area at a high rate of speed The pursuit initially traveled west on County Highway NN (Cth-NN) where the truck attempted to evade the deputy by driving through an open field before returning to the highway The truck then headed east toward Rib Mountain and onto Rib Mountain Drive and backroads in the Village of Rib Mountain Officers from the Wausau Police Department and troopers from the Wisconsin State Patrol joined the pursuit The pursuit ended on County Highway N near Jonquil Lane The operation resulted in damage to several squad cars and the suspect’s vehicle No citizens or law enforcement officers were injured during the pursuit and no additional crashes occurred beyond those involving law enforcement vehicles for which he received medical treatment before being transported to the Marathon County Jail Investigators confirmed the pursued truck was stolen Authorities believe the suspect and potential accomplices are linked to several other recent crimes which are being actively investigated with the assistance of law enforcement partners The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office is also collaborating with the Mountain Bay Police Department to investigate the crashes involving law enforcement vehicles and the suspect’s truck The Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Mountain Bay Police Department for their assistance during the pursuit and subsequent investigations No further details will be released at this time due to the ongoing nature of the investigations We welcome your stories! Contact us at [email protected] This piece was posted by our news team! Contact us or submit stories at [email protected] Rib Mountain recently announced the addition of several new businesses that have many in Central Wisconsin excited People are excited for two well-known restaurants uncommon in Central Wisconsin to come to the area (WJFW) — Rib Mountain recently announced the addition of several new businesses that have many in Central Wisconsin excited Just off Rib Mountain Drive where the former Olson Carpet One Floor & Home used to be will hold four properties with for Chipotle The properties are located near the Kwik Trip Texas Roadhouse locations where the former Olson Carpet One Floor & Home stood Rib Mountain village officials say they are excited to see what this does for their community “I think there’s always a level of excitement for sure when the project with a project like this that comes into play of course there’s always a number of things that get viewed or analyzed," said Jason Grande "Traffic is always the number one thing that kind of surfaces to the top but I think not only locally but even in the area It's something that has caused changes to roads “There was long-standing conversations even before my start date you know there is a different project or proposal for the site here including this and to the south," Grande said to the south here they bought a residential home to the south and that’s kind of putting the pieces together to get the project and the proposal of what you see now.” There is still no word on an exact date all these will be ready but village officials are hopeful that we could see some of these finished this year RIB MOUNTAIN – The Rib Mountain Drive Kwik Trip will be getting upgrades next year told the Wausau Daily Herald the company is currently in the design and permitting process for the project but Kwik Trip hopes to break ground on the project in February at 225451 Rib Mountain Drive guests will see a more modern remodel with Kwik Trip’s new colors and finishes Kwik Trip will expand its coffee bar and sales cooler and it will add a new kitchen so the Rib Mountain location will be able to provide a larger selection of food for guests to choose from This location will also add two self-checkout stations those additions will add 1,512 square feet to its building and the project will also replace a 124-square-foot shed to the east of the store The convenience store and gas station will also add five parking stalls to the southeast corner of the property Leibl said guests will not see any disruptions to any Kwik Trip services and all current selections will remain available The entire project should take four or five months to complete Shop local: Wausau, what are your favorite local shops to find holiday gifts? Let us know! Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Jim Pauls passed away unexpectedly at his home on Friday October 4th 2024 after spending what for him was a perfect morning duck hunting on Lake Wausau with his son Matt He absolutely loved his job as an Environmental Engineer at Mosinee Paper for over 40 years Upon his retirement he continued his passion for environmental sciences as a Commissioner for the Rib Mountain Metro District and keeping in touch with his friends though email especially his grandchildren Ruby and Lily brothers Terry and Walt (Rose) and sister-in-law Linda (Scott)  A celebration of life will be held on Friday October 11th 2024 from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel Burial will follow at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (WXCO) – Colder temperatures the past few weeks allowed crews to make snow and groom trails for an early December start to ski and snowboard Granite Peak in Wausau opened over the weekend of December 7th Officially kicking off its 87th season of skiing and snowboarding Over the last two weeks it’s been all hands on deck making snow and properly grooming the trails Right now 50 acres are open with 13 trails They’re open Monday through Thursday 10am – 5pm with the Comet Chairlift Snowmaking starts back up Monday night as they try to expand their terrain to the areas East of the Blitzen Chair On the weekends they are open 9am to 9 pm with the season running through the first week of April Check snow report here.