Hornung noted as it began they expected a turnout of just under a hundred people; by an hour into the rally a count tallied more than 60 people Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services at Wausau Manor Health Services Born Katherine Marie Marquardt to the late Leo and Marie Marquardt (Edler) on August 11 Katherine worked for three different employers throughout her life which she really enjoyed was as a school crossing guard at two different streets in Wausau She enjoyed talking and getting to know the children she helped cross the street each day The children enjoyed treats that she would provide from time to time Katherine emphatically believed in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior Throughout her life Katherine attended weekly church services which were a priority for her and made sure that all her children were raised in the Christian Faith Grandchildren include Ashley (Barry) Vandenbrink (Clayton) Beth Zieske (Damien German) of Weston some or which will continue playing bingo in her honor Katherine enjoyed being with family and friends You could find her at a local bingo hall multiple times a week hours before bingo started to have time to converse with family and friends She also enjoyed attending the Wisconsin Valley Fair each year She would purchase her season pass the first day they were available She enjoyed grandstand entertainment each day her dog and her gray cat were her favorites Special thanks to all the Wausau Manor caregivers and staff and Aspirus Hospice caregivers You are all very special people in our eyes A Celebration of Katherine's Life will be held this summer in the Wausau area This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Donald “Don” James Blarek entered heaven on Thursday May 1st 2025 He passed peacefully with his family at his side Don was born on September 24th 1938 to parents Stanley and Otilia (Check) Blarek Don graduated from Wausau high school in 1956 he started work at Wausau papers and worked there as a machine tender until retirement He also served as treasurer of local 1381 papermakers union Don was also a lifelong member of St Michaels parish They enjoyed the blessing of a 62yr marriage He is survived by his wife and children along with five grandchildren; Dara Gryniewski Also survived by his two brothers Stanley Jr (Lois) Blarek He had an easy-going nature and great sense of humor with a great laugh Through all of his health struggles over the years Don was a devoted husband and father who truly loved spending time with his family and friends enjoying long weekends at different destinations You could always be sure to see Don and Faye in their convertible on a beautiful summer day Don was preceded in death by his parents Stanley and Otilia Blarek Heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Aspirus Hospice House who’s love and compassion meant everything to Don’s family in their time of need Don will be deeply missed by his loved ones and all who knew him A memorial service will be held and Peterson Kraemer Funeral Home (6th St Wausau) on Saturday May 10th Visitation 11am – 1pm with service at 1pm Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com WI (OnFocus) – The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office will conduct a planned active shooter response training from May 5 to May 8 This training will involve using blank ammunition which replicates the sound of real gunfire Residents and businesses in the area may hear loud noises or see an increased presence of emergency vehicles and personnel The training strengthens inter-agency coordination between law enforcement Preparing for active shooter events is essential to ensure a rapid and life-saving response should a real incident occur This joint exercise emphasizes the department’s ongoing commitment to public safety 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] Wausau law enforcement will conduct an active shooter training off of River Drive in Wausau This will take place at 212 River Drive on May 5th through May 8th The location is south of Wausau's downtown area Training will include using blank ammunition which sounds like real gunfire Wausau Law Enforcement warns people in the area that they may hear loud noises and see an increased presence of emergency vehicles 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 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: 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] As Wausau celebrates National Poetry Month, Tiffany Rodriguez-Lee is using her platform as the city’s second poet laureate to foster connection creativity and reflection through the written word In a conversation with WPR’s Shereen Siewert on “Morning Edition,” Rodriguez-Lee, who also serves as executive director of the Center for Visual Arts spoke about the significance of the poet laureate role and its surprising presence in a mid-sized city like Wausau “I think it’s really unique that Wausau has such a great program and promotes that,” Rodriguez-Lee said Her twofold mission as poet laureate includes creating original poems for public events and curating opportunities for residents to explore poetry for themselves That includes free workshops for community members who might never have picked up a pen for creative writing before it’s really important for everybody to feel heard and connected through using their words,” she said Wausau is among a small number of cities in Wisconsin with a formal poet laureate program Rodriguez-Lee hopes her tenure helps demystify poetry while preserving its power as a vehicle for storytelling Rodriguez-Lee also encourages young writers to experiment freely and without self-judgment helping them discover their voice on their own terms Rodriguez-Lee’s said her poetry is deeply influenced by her lived experience in central Wisconsin her Puerto Rican heritage and time spent in larger cities and abroad That blend gives her a broad lens through which she writes and teaches often highlighting the people and natural beauty that define the region The following interview was edited for brevity and clarity.   Shereen Siewert: What does the role of Wausau’s poet laureate mean to you?  Tiffany Rodriguez-Lee: We see a handful of cities in the state that support laureate programming When I’m out and about throughout the state people are always a little surprised that we have one which is writing poems for certain occasions and reading for certain events which is bringing free workshops into the community for different segments of the population these are folks that haven’t really written much before or are just there to experiment That has been one of my greatest joys in this role bringing those opportunities to people that might normally have that.  SS: How does living in central Wisconsin shape the imagery or the themes in the poetry you write?  I’ve lived here for 12-13 years but have lived in other places and spent time in bigger cities and different parts of the world It is interesting to live in central Wisconsin because I have had experiences from other parts of the world that I’m able to bring here I’m also very much embedded and deeply love and care about this community that I live in and represent Everything I do is taken from that wide lens I know we’re living in a time where things might feel a bit disconnected I’m able to showcase the wonderful people we have here It’s a creative community and I lean into that when I write and celebrate that and the good things we have here.  SS: What do you think poetry can offer us at a time when so much of our public discourse feels polarized or fractured?  but poetry is absolutely an art form that can be a release I see that a lot when I work with youth and high school students who want to write and tell their stories Using that as a way to express ourselves and hear other people’s stories helps us learn and helps us find people who feel those same things that you’re feeling.  SS: What advice do you give to young writers or new poets about finding their own unique voice?  TRL: I would say to be patient with yourself It’s important to let everything come out first then take a step back and think about what just happened or whatever you poured onto the page My voice as a poet has changed multiple times throughout the last decade but I try to focus on just letting it out Just making sure there are no parameters lets people figure it out for themselves.  SS: What role does poetry play in honoring or preserving local history and culture?  Sometimes I feel as though I’m writing to make sure people hear what I have to say But the poet laureate role has required me to think very much outside of myself and think about the community and the role I play here written words and storytelling have always played a role in how we preserve culture and the way we preserve history and the role of poet laureate has been no different I try to capture periods of time that I’m experiencing while also referencing where this community has come from and where we began It’s an interesting blend to add my own voice and how I see the community while preserving all of the things we know that the greater Wausau area has experienced in the past.  SS: We’re marking National Poetry Month in April What would you encourage people to do right now to connect with poetry in their own lives?  I really try so hard to encourage people to participate in poetry and the written word because it really can just be whatever you want it to be It doesn’t have to be this weird thing that you don’t understand Something as simple as writing each morning what I have going on today and how I feel about it can be poetry It’s all poetry that you can read and consume.  If you have an idea about something in central Wisconsin you think we should talk about on “Morning Edition,” send it to us at central@wpr.org Warmer temperatures mean road construction season in Wisconsin is approaching Travelers will face detours and delays resulting from road construction projects throughout the spring summer and fall in Wausau and Marathon County Here’s a list of current and upcoming projects to consider in your travel plans and what local drivers can expect to encounter Washington Street: About three blocks of Washington Street between First Street and Fifth Street will be reconstructed in a project contributing to reestablishing a street grid on the former Wausau Center mall site The project will begin April 14 and is expected to be completed by July 3 according to planning documents on the city’s website The project will also extend North Third Street one block south and establish two blocks of Jackson Street between North Third and Fifth streets and underground utilities and other streetscape features will all be built or replaced as a result of the work Randolph Street: This project will reconstruct Randolph Street east of Merrill Avenue to Burek Street said in an email to a Wausau Daily Herald reporter The street will be closed to thru traffic beginning June 9 until the end of October The section leading to and in front of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is planned to be completed before Aug The intersection with Merrill Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction for about three weeks to replace water and sewer mains gutters and underground utilities will all be replaced as a result of the work Fulton Street: About four blocks of Fulton Street will be reconstructed between First Street and Seventh Street impacting three busy intersections on the city’s northeast side The street will close to thru traffic June 9 through the end of October Work on intersections will cause two detours and one lane reduction through the course of the project Work on the Third Street intersection will detour traffic to Fifth and Sixth streets for one week Fifth Street’s intersection will detour traffic to Third Street for two weeks The Sixth Street intersection will be reduced to one lane for three weeks Stewart Avenue: Just over a mile of Stewart Avenue between Highway 52 Parkway and 48th Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction for two weeks between April 15 and Oct 1 while the roadway is milled and overlayed with asphalt Marathon County N and R: Over 4.5 miles of roadway from Marathon County KK to Sherman Street will be milled and resurfaced in a project expected to begin in early May and be completed by early July The segment between Marathon County NN and Sherman Street will be closed to all traffic and detoured to U.S Access to Home Depot will remain open via Sherman Street The segment between Marathon County KK and Marathon County NN will be reduced to one lane in each direction Drivers should expect delays and uneven road surface in the project area and are encouraged to use alternate routes Other work that will be completed includes repairs to storm inlets curbs and the multi-use trail near intersections Marathon County M: Over 6 miles of roadway between Marathon County P and State 29 will be repaved in a project expected to begin in late June and be completed by late July A half mile of roadway between Marathon County P and Leroy Street in the village of Fenwood will have its surface removed and repaved along with replacement of some curbs and gutters The majority of the project area will have its surface recycled into a new road base before being paved with a layer of asphalt The road will be closed to all traffic except for residents and businesses who should expect delays and rough driving conditions at times during the project Marathon County U: Nearly 4 miles of roadway surface between State 107 and Marathon County O will be recycled into gravel base and paved over with a layer of asphalt in a project expected to begin in late July or early August and be completed by late August or early September More: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the Wausau Daily Herald app Marathon County H: About 8.5 miles of roadway between State 29 and Corn Road near Athens will have its surface removed and replaced with a layer of asphalt in a project expected to begin in late July and be completed in August Marathon County H in Edgar: Almost 3 miles of roadway between State 29 and Marathon County N through Edgar will have its top layer removed and repaved with asphalt in a project expected to begin in late July and be completed in August Marathon County NN: A section of roadway on a hill between Thornapple Road and Whippoorwill Road in the town of Rib Mountain will have its pavement and base course removed and replaced with a new base course and drain tile in a project expected to be completed within the month of July The road will be closed and traffic will be detoured to Marathon County O Marathon County J and N intersection: The intersection between Marathon County J and N will be reconstructed into a four-way stop in a project expected to be completed between June and August The project will add a median and flashing stop signs and is funded 90% by “safety funds” due to a high number of right-angle crashes at the intersection Detours will lead Marathon County J travelers on Gusman Road County Road X and County Road Z while Marathon County N travelers will use a detour on County Road X Bridge projects: Several bridge replacement projects are also planned for the 2025 construction season but details on the schedules of the work have not yet been set. Schedules will be posted on the county’s road construction announcements and traffic bulletins webpage after they are available Wisconsin Department of Transportation regional communications manager The highway will remain open to traffic throughout the project but lane closures are likely to cause delays for travelers Ramps and overpass roadways also receiving resurfacing work include the southbound entrance and exit ramps at State 34 State 153 and Business 51 and all four ramps and the overpass at Maple Ridge Road State 29: Nearly 9 miles of roadway between Purple Martin Lane about a mile west of Marathon City and the Little Rib River crossing near South 48th Avenue will be milled and overlayed with new asphalt surface in a project expected to begin in the summer Marathon County O and 72nd Street will also be repaved as part of the project that aims to improve safety and extend the life of the roadway Guardrails will also be replaced along the corridor as needed Drivers will see single-lane closures of State 29 and 72nd Avenue during the project State 29: Over 7 miles of roadway will be impacted by a construction project between State 13 and Marathon County E set to begin this summer The project will mainly repair and replace features on the westbound lanes as the eastbound lanes had similar work completed in 2020 Planned work includes patching areas of deteriorated concrete along the westbound lanes replacing the westbound ramp at Silver Maple Lane with concrete pavement updating guardrails and updating pedestrian curb ramps at the State 13 westbound ramps The roadway will remain open to traffic as westbound traffic will be directed to cross over to one eastbound lane during the project Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@gannett.com (This story was updated to include new information.) WAUSAU – Red Lobster might not be expanding to Wausau but the company has heard of the Central Wisconsin city after an airplane banner near company headquarters asked the business to open a Wausau restaurant Red Lobster posted Thursday on its Facebook page a photo of a message addressing Damola Adamolekun, the CEO of Red Lobster XO,” the message read in the sky above the trees A spokesperson for Red Lobster told a Wausau Daily Herald reporter a small airplane banner had flown over the company's headquarters Thursday in Orlando “This was our CEO’s view outside of HQ today,” the Facebook post along with the photo read “You guys must really love Cheddar Bay Biscuits in Wausau the post collected more than 300 reactions and a few dozen responses and shares Followers told Red Lobster it’s the running joke in Wausau and begged the brand to open a site in the city saying the support from Wausau means “everything” to the brand “We’re so grateful for the amazing enthusiasm we see from Red Lobster fans especially in Wausau!” the brand replied to one comment suggested a lifetime gift card for whomever paid for the message once a location is complete in Wausau “Our fans in Wausau are truly incredible,” Red Lobster replied While the brand has now heard of Wausau and the desire to have a Red Lobster in the city people shouldn’t hold their breath quite yet Your passion for Red Lobster has us feeling the love,” Red Lobster responded “While expansion isn’t in the works just yet Wausau's love for Red Lobster dates back decades a sign advertised a new restaurant in a vacant downtown Wausau storefront labeling it "Lobster Garden," a fictional hybrid restaurant that would serve food from Red Lobster and Olive Garden a gimmick to get people interested in the restaurant actually opening there While the Wausau area eventually did get an Olive Garden, Red Lobster has never made the leap. A 2015 Wausau Daily Herald article dove into the city's Red Lobster obsession suggesting the chain's Cheddar Bay Biscuits were addicting the draw of inexpensive seafood and the tempting commercials fueled the obsession Some argue that attracting a Red Lobster to the city would mean Wausau would be on the map Eau Claire and La Crosse as a city big and worthy enough for the brand who served as executive director at the Marathon County Development Corp told a reporter Wausau's infatuation with Red Lobster was already flourishing when he arrived in the area in 1985 For more information about Red Lobster, visit redlobster.com or find Red Lobster on Facebook Contact Caitlin at cshuda@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda.