Three Eagle Trail stretches 13 miles between Eagle River and Three Lakes and its open all four seasons (WJFW) — The Northwoods is known for its access to nature but trails didn't make themselves Often they're the product of years of hard work and specific designs The trail has many visitors each year with biking and hiking in the spring summer and fall as well as cross country skiing in the winter The trail is the result of a dedicated group of people looking to bridge Three Lakes and Eagle River communities together “A group of concerned citizens got together and said '"We’d like to see this happen'" so they started talking to landowners and putting it all together,” Christopher Nafziger said “My role and the thing that I really enjoy about it is it’s a place that brings people from outside the community and really highlights the recreational tourism that Three Lakes and Eagle River have to offer.” The trail is maintained by a nonprofit group called the Three Eagle Trail Foundation The southern part of the trail was completed in 2007 and the northern part was completed a decade later The trail is made of compacted crushed limestone The middle part of the trail goes onto the pavement of Sundstein road but the foundation plans to make a wooded trail area to connect the southern and northern areas “The opportunity to give back to my community and build this trail and keep it maintained means so much” Nafziger said “If a storm comes through and blows down a bunch of trees the foundation goes out and we try to open the trail so people can walk it “This is something that is really important that we want to try to allow people to use it as much as possible.” The trail has several boardwalks crossing marshy areas and numerous little trails that go off the normal route The trail has shelters and bathrooms along the way and offers many benefits including an economic boost to businesses in the area they bring money into the community by spending money on hotels and restaurants and all that fun stuff,” said Nafziger said The trail foundation is planning a trail resurfacing project this summer on July 19 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: OKLA (KTUL) — The Owasso Police Department responded to a report that two juveniles had broken through a thin patch of ice on Three Lakes Pond A nearby individual heard the children screaming for help and was able to assist them to shore The individual threw the children a rope to get them out of the pond OPD and medical responders arrived on the scene and treated the children SIGN UP FOR THE CHANNEL 8 NEWSLETTER Facilities within the Three Lakes School District are in need of major upgrades and security improvements The district is going to voters on April 1st to find out what funding they approve More than two and a half years ago the Three Lakes School District started assessing the various needs of its facilities That work eventually led to the current referendum question Three Lakes District Administrator Teri Maney said the referendum address the needs of the district that need to be addressed sooner than later “That's what brought us to the point of saying It would be wise to bring it to our public for their input and see if they are interested in supporting going forward with some of these needs,’” said Maney Included in the priority list is securing entrances upgrading security cameras and the fire alarm system and improving accessibility to the stadium the district found the most cost-effective way to upgrade would be to fund them altogether it made sense to see if we could have some support in doing this bigger project right from the start as a one ticket item,” said Maney Voters in the Three Lakes District will see two questions on their ballot: Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $18,900,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of: district-wide renovations security and site improvements; construction of additions at Sugar Camp Elementary School including for classrooms and a cafeteria/multipurpose room; and acquisition of furnishings fixtures and equipment for both district sites general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $2,700,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project consisting of: athletic facility and site improvements bleacher upgrades and parking lot expansion; related accessibility updates safety and capital maintenance improvements; and acquisition of furnishings Maney said the decision to split the work into two questions was at the suggestions of their task force She said there was a lot of discussion about it but ultimately decided it was important to give voters a choice because we're trying to develop our well rounded students into the future citizens having that is just as important in their outside activities and pursuits and interests as their actual academics are,” said Maney the estimated tax increase is about $58 for every $100,000 of property value Maney hopes construction would start by this time next year the district will have to reassess how they’ll get the money for these projects and it's not like these were the things we want These are truly the things that we feel we need and are quite a critical necessity for our district,” said Maney The questions are on the ballot for the April 1 election “We know that we're very supported by this community and whether our public feels they can or they cannot support this capital referendum We want them to know completely and transparently why we are making an ask.” You can see a full break down of what the money would go toward on the Three Lakes District website. An ATM theft took place early Monday morning at Laona State Bank in Three Lakes and the suspects are still at large (WJFW) — An ATM theft took place early Monday morning at a Three Lakes bank and the suspects are still at large Three Lakes Police Department responded to a bank alarm at Laona State Bank in Town of Three Lakes according to an Three Lakes Police Department news release When officers arrived at the scene they found someone had used a vehicle to commit an ATM theft by hooking it onto their vehicle with a hook and chain Additional resources responded from the Oneida County Sheriff's Office Vilas County Sheriff's Office and Rhinelander Police Department After a search of the area the suspect(s) were not located This is an active investigation if you have any information that may assist our investigation please contact the Three Lakes Department Have a story? Reach out to me at mskurzewski@wjfw.com (WJFW) – The Three Lakes School District will ask constituents for financial support with two questions on the April 1 ballot District Administrator Teri Maney said a “yes” vote to pass the two-question would greatly improve the condition of school buildings and more across the entire district advancing some of our technology,” District Administrator Teri Maney said “Our door locks and things of that nature.” many of the schools’ doorways leading to outside are worn down making it harder to keep the building warm “When you have buildings that have been in place since like 1956 a lot of these builds – especially when we’re talking at the junior high level – they’ve just rusted out Along with improving doors and other secure entrance layouts the district will also look to make the athletic complex more accessible “Our fields are quite far from the school parking lot; it’s a real hike,” Maney said We also really want our public to continue using the track for walking Our community uses our facilities just for their own personal recreation which is why Maney says improvements and additions could lie ahead And then look at a potential build onto Sugar Camp Elementary to cover the 4K classrooms and Special-Ed classrooms.” Maney said another major contribution that would come from passing the referendum is something that most people won’t see but is still performs one of the most important functions in the building “Things that you don’t see though are the deferred maintenance We have to install a couple of more boilers We need the heat on for our kids to be learning and our teachers to be teaching.” The impact on tax payers for question one would be $51 per $100,000 of home value. The Second question would be $7 per $100,000 of home value. It combines for a total of $58 dollars of impact per $100,000 dollars of home value. Visit the Three Lakes Referendum website for any updates We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates Rhinelander and Prentice referendums pass  Voters emphatically approved a $20 million Three Lakes School District referendum question Tuesday to make dramatic updates to facilities and buildings in the district Both questions for the Three Lakes District was approved nearly identically with about 64% approving the $20 million of improvements The School District of Rhinelander operational referendum passed in the Spring election Voters approved the referendum with over 53% of voters approving the referendum the projected tax rate for the 2025-26 school year will be $7.92 per $1,000 The tax rate is expected to decrease every year afterward Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91 by $3,000,000 per year for the 2025-2026 school year and the 2026-2027 school year and by $7,000,000 per year for the 2027-2028 school year and the 2028-2029 school year The Prentice school district passed an operational referendum in the Spring Election beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and ending with the 2028-2029 school year for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses facility maintenance and staff salaries and benefits?” Voters approved the referendum question on the ballot for Prentice with over 57% voting 'Yes' Lee Tauer is still bravely participating in firefighter scenarios (WJFW) – Volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line while getting no paycheck for it and working other jobs Assistant Fire Chief Lee Tauer at the Three Lakes Fire department is now facing a new challenge Tauer has been with the Three Lakes Fire Department for 25 years and he was their first full time employee before stepping down as a volunteer It’s a cancer that is attacking his soft tissue He was first diagnosed a few years ago during a brain scan With the cancer at stage 4 he is now fighting it more aggressively with chemotherapy Assistant Chief Dave Kirby says it’s had a big effect on the department “It’s not real to you until someone that your close too happens and what we see him going through” said Kirby It takes a toll and it takes a toll on the department as we the station has a fundraiser to help Tauer pay the bills Donations have been great since the fund started and there have been donations from all throughout the Northwoods and even as far as Green Bay Tauer is still participating in operations in the department He has good days and some bad but on good days he is still providing great help during firefighting scenarios “Tauer is basically a role model for the department and I know when I first got on he was someone I first looked up to” said Kelly Keating Donations are welcome and a benefit is being thrown for him on March 29th from 10-5 at the Reiter center in Three Lakes Donations can also go to the forward bank under Lee Tauer’s name “He starts just like everyone else who starts and you don’t do it for the accolades or anything else like For any more donations call (715) 617-0883 The Three Lakes School District Board of Education unanimously voted to place a two-question capital referendum on the April 1 (WJFW) — The Three Lakes School District Board of Education unanimously voted to place a two-question capital referendum on the April 1 The referendum is to address facility improvements and renovations in the Three Lakes School District as well as the construction of additions at Sugar Camp Elementary School According to a news release from Three Lakes School District the first referendum question asks voters to authorize general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $18.9 million for the purpose of school building and facility improvement projects that include district-wide renovations and the construction of additions at Sugar Camp Elementary The Sugar Camp additions would include classrooms and a cafeteria and multipurpose room The second referendum question asks voters to authorize general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $2.7 million for the purpose of a facility improvement project that consists of athletic facility and site improvements This project would include track replacement a concessions/bath- room building and a parking lot expansion “Our focus lies on students and their journey to becoming productive citizens while always respecting cost to our citizens and property owners,” Board President Elisha Williams said “We have the best students and staff here in Three Lakes and we want to ensure they have the facilities and tools necessary for continued learning and lifelong success.” the district began the process of assessing facilities the district hired Nexus Solutions to complete a detailed facility audit and create a maintenance schedule surveyed the community about facility needs and formed a community-led planning committee This referendum is a result of this work and information “The process in arriving at this point was lengthy and deliberate,” District Administrator Teri Maney said “Our community has been historically supportive of the school district through passage of operational It is with utmost respect and gratitude that I keep this foremost in my mind It is my intention to keep the community informed as we go forward with this capital improvement referendum.” The Three Lakes School District last passed a capital referendum in 1992 commons and district offices were added and other major building improvements were made district voters passed an operational referendum which allows the district to exceed the annual revenue limit Operational referendums are used for day-to-day expenses that help maintain things such as class size The district is on a five-year cycle for operational referendums and will again seek voter approval for one in 2027 If you want to fill your freezer with warm water fish species like bass you have an open season to keep as many fish as you like from three lakes this year The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) reports all seasons sizes and creel limits have been lifted on three PFBC lakes effective immediately in anticipation of upcoming dam rehabilitation projects More: Pa. angler pulls massive northern pike out of Somerset County lake while ice fishing Lake projects: 31 Pennsylvania lakes to undergo $88 million in major improvements. Here's what's planned The agency reports a $5 million project will include rehabilitation of the dam embankment and spillway to meet DEP dam safety standards the project is expected to last approximately 1.5 years The lake offers angling opportunities largemouth bass yellow perch and catfish."We have lifted fishing regulations to reduce the number of fish in these lakes in advance of these upcoming projects," David Nihart chief of the PFBC Division of Fisheries Management "We encourage anglers to fish these waters and make good use of as many fish as they can prior to the lakes being drained."  The temporary regulations will be posted around each lake Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors is listed on the Wisconsin Watch website as the third worst day of tornadoes in state history An abnormal fall season storm cell brushed over Wisconsin producing multiple tornadoes across the state the largest of which would register today as an F4 on the Fujita Scale travel more than 65 miles through Clark County in central Wisconsin and cutting a swath of destruction a half mile wide at some points Stories of more than 200 barns ripped from their foundations groves of pine trees snapped like matchsticks and bodies of those killed in the storm tossed over a mile from where they were hundreds of head of cattle and horses were dead and millions of dollars of damage recorded Few single communities were impacted that day as much as Three Lakes which suffered the worst tornado in its history a vortex of fierce winds and sheets of blinding rain took all of 4 minutes to rip down Three Lakes Main Street wiping clean almost its entire business district Every building of note in the community of some 500 people had been damaged by the drafts Its railroad depot was picked up by the high winds and set down on its tracks box cars were tossed hundreds of feet through the air snuffed out fires that started during storm which surely would have added to the devastation As often happens during tornadoes with little reason the Dobbs General Store had three of its walls ripped apart yet shelves stocked with goods remained untouched he proceeded to document the damage with his camera providing many pictures of the event that can be seen today at the Three Lakes Historical Society Vincent Zebrowski suffered fatal injuries having been struck by flying timber Charles Grimes were killed when their home was torn asunder by the winds yet hundreds were found to be injured in the aftermath as many cottages between Tomahawk and Three Lakes had been blown into the lakes they once sat on The Rhinelander Box and Lumber Company on the Pelican River east of its city also suffered extensive damage Roads and rail lines in and out of the area impassable by thousands of downed trees cutting the town off from outside communication the community of Three Lakes rallied around its homeless families Newspapers across the Midwest reported on the storm that hit Wisconsin and the task of rebuilding before winter arrived Door to door Fundraising across Oneida and Vilas County was organized by the Rhinelander Woman’s Club raising over $6000.00 in the following weeks A benefit ball was held in Rhinelander in October in support of the families still struggling to get on their feet the town of Three Lakes still recalls the storm the Three Lakes Historical Society and other organizations are memorializing the event with the Three Lakes Cyclone Centennial and self-guided walking tour booklet can be picked up at the museum at the Demmer Library in Three Lakes where you can follow the path of the tornado and see the resilience of a community that survived the storm of a century (AP) — Three family members died after a tree struck their vehicle in Michigan as powerful storms swept across the region and more potentially dangerous weather was forecast Monday across parts of the Southeast Three other people were hospitalized with injuries and one was in critical condition the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office said about 130 miles (209 kilometers) west of Detroit READ MORE: At least 3 people dead, hundreds rescued after severe storms flood streets in South Texas Kalamazoo County had been under a National Weather Service severe thunderstorm warning at the time one of several Sunday in southern Michigan Nearly half a million power outages were reported across Michigan Crews including DTE Energy in Michigan were working to restore service investigators believe severe crosswinds blew over a tractor trailer on Sunday afternoon The vehicle was traveling on the property of Pratt Industries when the accident happened the Porter County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release was found outside of the passenger compartment and had died of his injuries Storms packing powerful winds in southwest Ohio toppled a church steeple damaged homes and flipped over campers Sunday night One school district north of Cincinnati said it would be closed Monday because of storm damage Storm damage was reported in several counties in Tennessee Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis reported damage across the county Clusters of thunderstorms accompanied by strong to severe wind gusts and perhaps a few tornadoes could spread across much of the Southeast on Monday according to the weather service’s Storm Prediction Center © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins Already have an account? 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Sign In Three Lakes Assistant Fire Chief Lee Tauer has been overcoming challenges for 24 years with the department he's overcome challenges his entire career His newest challenge is his biggest one yet and the community is coming together to support him The Three Lakes Fire Department will be hosting an upcoming benefit to support their Assistant Fire Chief Lee Tauer who is undergoing treatment for stage 4 sarcoma The Department’s secretary Kelly Keating said this is the least they can do for him - Three Lakes Assistant Fire Chief Lee Tauer has been overcoming challenges for 24 years with the department and everybody knows him he’s always got a big smile on his face no matter what,” said Keating Keating said Tauer is such a huge part of the Three Lakes community from teaching local students fire safety to training new firefighters he’s always there to answer and he’s so supportive and this isn’t just in the fire department this is outside of the fire department as well,” said Keating Keating said he’s always giving to the community and the department so this benefit is something they want to give back to him as Tauer is retiring from the full-time position as assistant fire chief “We're throwing this benefit just to help him financially with his medical bills and living his daily life while still enjoying the things he loves to do He’s very big on maple syrup when its maple syrup season you do not disturb him Revolve everything around maple syrup,” said Keating The Three Lakes Fire Department is seeking donations for raffle items for the benefit There is also a monetary donation set up at Forward Bank The benefit will be held on March 29th from 10-5pm Raffle items can be dropped off at the Three Lakes Reiter Center Monday through Thursday 9am-2pm “He just has such a big heart that we’re throwing this benefit but it almost feels like it’s not enough,” said Keating Pacelli Powers Past Three Lakes in WIAA Boys Regionals Pacelli downed Three Lakes in a WIAA Boys Basketball Regional Semifinals Lucas Haemmerle led the Cardinals with 26 points 3LAKES (PACEL)-3_7_25 3LAKES (PACEL)-3_7_25Chart (1) 2024-25 OnFocus Central Wisconsin Area Conferences: Conference and Team Links, Schedules Hear about top athletes and top teams in our area ********************************************** We welcome your stories! Contact us at [email protected] David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected] With the passing of its referendum April 1 Three Lakes School District is ready to act on big plans for the future (WJFW) — With the passing of its referendum April 1 The Three Lakes School District will now eagerly start a series of updates and renovations to both Three Lakes and Sugar Camp schools so the main purposes of this is to improve our infrastructure and that includes the safety and security of our entrances updating the learning spaces and mostly getting caught up with the deferred maintenance projects we have scheduled and are coming up for the future,” said Teri Maney maybe a little bit longer to do all the planning and designing and get that arranged," Maney said but by this time next year we should see a lot of progress going on." The Three Lakes school is over 100 years old with a series of additions to it The last construction addition is over 30 years old and prior to that the high school addition was in the 1960s “We also have a very heavily used part of the building that hasn’t been updated since 1956 and that’s where a lot of our repairs and work will have to go lighting a lot of things have changed in that last 86 years,” Maney said Maney said the extremely small Sugar Camp school will be an even bigger project because they will be adding classrooms and a 4k space Much needed updates and space that finally have a chance to happen on a much more timely basis “There's a lot of excitement we live on a very conservative budget knowing that we are a fully operationally funded district and we depend on our operational referendums and schedule our projects very carefully and they’re really laid out precisely on a timeline,” Maney said L’ANSE — Three Upper Peninsula residents were arraigned in 97th District Court in Baraga County Tuesday after allegedly assaulting other people in a confrontation also involving gunfire at the Bear Paw Inn in Three Lakes Troopers from the Michigan State Police Calumet Post had responded to a 911 call around 12:30 a.m Sunday saying three people had assaulted two others A firearm was reportedly discharged several times during the incident one female — were subsequently found and arrested by troopers and sergeants from the Calumet and Negaunee posts was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon — the charge common to all three suspects was also charged with resisting/obstructing a police officer after allegedly resisting arrest She was given a $10,000 personal recognizance bond All three suspects’ next hearing is scheduled for Dec Army Corps of Engineers has released a new shorter timeline for its environmental review of the Line 5 .. Copyright © 2025 Ogden News Publishing of Michigan We talk about an upcoming fundraiser taking place Sign In Register troopers responded to a 911 call after three subjects had allegedly physically assaulted two other individuals A firearm was also allegedly discharged several times during the altercation but no one was reportedly struck by gunfire Troopers and Sergeants from the MSP Calumet and MSP Negaunee Posts subsequently located and arrested two male and one female subjects One of the male subjects resisted arrest and was additionally charged with resisting and obstructing a police officer All three subjects were lodged in the Baraga County Jail on 11/19/2024 18-year-old Austin Conn from Ishpeming was arraigned in the 97th District Court - Baraga for assault with a dangerous weapon 24-year-old Jeremy Vetter from Michigamme was arraigned in the 97th District Court - Baraga on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and resisting/obstructing a police officer 21-year-old Alexis Hernandez from Michigamme was arraigned in the 97th District Court - Baraga for assault with a dangerous weapon & assault/battery She was given a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.  All three defendants are due back in court on 12/3/24 All subjects are considered innocent unless proven guilty Credit Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company - The Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) recently found unauthorized activity that occurred earlier in 2024 on the Three Lakes Chain at the Burnt Rollaways Dam The unauthorized activity was not conducted by WVIC and is under further investigation Anyone who has information about the incident should contact WVIC at 715-848-2976 or staff@wvic.com Feel free to send story ideas or just say “hi” at mjohnson@wjfw.com Racing has been a popular activity for generations and one local snowmobile race is keeping that tradition alive (WJFW) – Racing has been a popular activity for generations Junker Sled Weekend has been a Three Lakes staple for years racers are gearing up to hit the snow and compete for victory have been organizing the event for over a decade last year’s race had to be canceled due to a lack of snow “It started off 11 years ago on John’s private property there still isn’t enough natural snowfall to complete the track Kendall and Dobbins have been using snow guns “We got in contact with Keyes Peak last year to try and make it happen despite the weather This year - at least we have the cold - so we fired up the snow guns and we’ve been making snow for four days now,” Kendall said While the first race only had a handful of participants Dobbins expects this year to be a major event “We’re getting close to 150 registered racers and since they can register in multiple categories I’m not even sure of the total number of race entries,” Dobbins said The race track will be a three-quarter-mile loop “There’s a traveling trophy for the winner of the main class—it’s so heavy you almost don’t want to win it,” joked Kendall “There’s no prize money; it’s just for the glory.” For those interested in attending, more information, including location details, can be found on their website: junkersled.com Subscribe Now And the best time to see them (hint: it’s now) By Lindsey Liles There was a time when bald eagles almost disappeared from American skies In the 1960s and ’70s their numbers plummeted due to widespread use of the pesticide DDT After the spray was banned in 1972 and the Endangered Species Act passed a year later the majestic raptors—a symbol of the United States and a sacred animal to many Native peoples—made a dramatic comeback the range of bald eagles touches every Southern state.  This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Though some bald eagles do occupy the South year-round, their presence in the region increases during the colder months as they seek milder temperatures and easier access to their primary food source, fish. Nesting season stretches from late fall to spring, too, making the height of winter a great time to spot fledgling eagles.  Below, find some proven hangouts of bald eagles in the South.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Northwest Tennessee Tourism (@nwtntourism) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aerial Tallahassee (@aerialtallahassee) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (@arkansasgameandfish) Arkansas offers excellent eagle spotting statewide, but perhaps the best-known locale is Lake Dardanelle, a reservoir on the Arkansas River near Russellville. The state park offers free viewing tours by boat, and you’ll likely glimpse pelicans and all manner of other waterfowl. Nearby lies the 7,055 acres of Holla Bend Wildlife Refuge, another popular birding spot.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Explore Lake Guntersville (@explorelakeguntersville) Located on the Tennessee River in northeastern Alabama, Lake Guntersville is a known winter retreat for bald eagles. Bordered by rugged bluffs and lush woodlands, the expansive reservoir can be explored by boat tour, or you can scan for the birds from the scenic hollows of Lake Guntersville State Park.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Department of the Interior (@usinterior) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Caddo Lake State Park (@caddolakesp) one of the largest breeding populations of prothonotary warblers Lindsey Liles joined Garden & Gun in 2020 after completing a master’s in literature in Scotland and a Fulbright grant in Brazil The Arkansas native is G&G’s digital reporter and she especially enjoys putting her biology background to use by writing about wildlife and conservation The wildturkeyDNA project engages hunters to try and determine why some gobblers don’t look like the others The Hall-of-Fame jockey on his mission to help behind-the-scenes workers at Churchill Downs and beyond—and the unbridled joy of a Derby victory With noses trained to find species by scent these dogs work alongside scientists to help protect rare plants and animals The future of conservation in the South just got a little bit brighter—and not just for salamanders but they’re the craftsmanship of local crustaceans called lawn lobsters The drawls are receiving a lot of flak across the internet but a North Carolina linguist argues they’re actually pretty accurate