No announcement after botanical gardens board meeting
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) - The issues between the newly renamed Wausau Botanic Gardens and the Monk family continue. For the first time, members of the Monk family are speaking out. This comes after the gardens announced its new name, changed to Wausau Botanical Gardens, on Facebook. Since then, there's been pushback fro...
May 06, 2024
Lo Sentenced to Life Without Parole
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- A Wausau man found guilty of killing Mai Rue Vang during an argument in 2021 will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole. Umberto Lo was sentenced Monday afternoon, four months after he was found guilty at trial. Judge LaMont Jacobson gave him the mandatory life sent...
May 06, 2024
Mayors Monday: Wausau's Doug Diny
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- Wausau Mayor Doug Diny knows the clock is ticking on a groundbreaking for the Foundry on 3rd project at the former Wausau Center Mall site, but so far he's not worried about the developers missing that June 1st deadline. "We're very optimistic," said Diny. "We've been in touch with a...
May 06, 2024
Forest County Humane Society Holds National Adoption Event
FOREST COUNTY, Wis. -- (WAOW-WSAU) If you're looking to add a four-legged friend to your family, then you're going to want to check this out. The Forest County Humane Society is participating in a national adoption event called "Empty the Shelters". The adoption of spayed or neutered pets, who are vaccinate...
May 05, 2024
Burglary at W.O.W. in Wausau
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) - The Wausau Police Department is investigating a burglary that happened early Saturday morning. The robbery took place at the restaurant Wausau on the Water, popularly known as W.O.W, located in Wausau's River District. According to police, the suspect entered the building by breaking a window aroun...
May 05, 2024
Wausau Fire Department, DCI to Conduct Live Burn Exercise
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- The Wausau Fire Department and Wisconsin Department of Justice- Division of Criminal Investigation will conduct live fire training on a home near Bridge Street this week. According to a news release from the city they'll conduct firefighting and investigative training on a home located at 1514 Nort...
May 05, 2024
Tucker Pleads Not Guilty for Attempted Homicide
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- A Wausau man accused of attempted homicide and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon has pled not guilty to the charges in Marathon County court. Todd Tucker is said to have pointed a firearm at a woman who was trying to sell some items to another woman. Investigators say the woman had facil...
May 04, 2024
Wausau Botanical Gardens Leadership to Meet Monday as Name Change Backlash Continues
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) -- Board Members for Wausau Botanical Gardens will meet on Monday to go over feedback they've received regarding the recently announced name change for their facility. WAOW TV reports that members of the board have been cataloging the feedback to "survey the entirety of the community respons...
May 04, 2024
Strasser Scheduled for Trial on Arson Charges
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- A Marathon County man facing accusations of arson and intentionally pointing a firearm at law enforcement will go to trial in September. John Strasser has been scheduled for a three-day trial from September 25th to the 27th for a trio of felony counts including arson of a building without the owner...
May 03, 2024
UPDATED: Wausau Teacher Pleads Not Guilty to Bringing Cocaine to School Grounds
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- A 23-year-old math teacher from John Muir Middle School has pled not guilty to misdemeanor charges after officers found cocaine in his vehicle on school grounds. Nevan Larson was in court Friday afternoon where he waived his right to a reading of the charges and entered the plea for one count of po...
May 03, 2024
One Dead Following Wood County Crash
WOOD COUNTY, WI (WSAU-WAOW) - One individual was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Wood County early Friday morning. The Wood County Sheriff's Department said it occurred at about 12:13 a.m. According to the preliminary inquiry, the car was traveling north on North Biron Drive when it failed to make a curve, leading ...
May 03, 2024
Wisconsin Elementary School Teacher Arrested Following Relationship With Student
HUDSON, WI (WSAU) - A Wisconsin elementary school teacher was arrested Wednesday after allegedly having an affair with a student. According to CBS Minnesota, Madison Bergmann, 24, a 5th-grade teacher at River Crest Elementary in Hudson, has been placed on administrative leave and barred from contacting any district stu...
May 03, 2024
Wausau Man Accused of Breaking Into Neighbor's Apartment While Wielding a Knife
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- A Wausau man is facing a felony count of armed robbery after police say he broke into a neighbor's apartment in late April. Police say Robert Carey snuck into the woman's apartment during the early morning hours on April 24th. The woman and her son were sleeping, but she woke up after hearing a sou...
May 02, 2024
Healthfirst opens new mental health facility
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) - Providers all across the area are struggling to keep up with the demand for mental health resources. Wausau-based Healthfirst Network saw that need, and decided to do something about it. In September, they broke ground on a new mental health clinic. Thursay they cut the ribbon and officially op...
May 02, 2024
Wausau East Staff & Students Honor K9 Therapy Dog Badge During Retirement Ceremony
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) - Students, staff, and Wausau East High School gathered on Thursday afternoon to celebrate and honor their K9 therapy dog Badge. Badge has been working at the school with School Resource Officer Nick Stetzer for the last seven years, and the retirement ceremony included a slideshow presentation of stu...
May 02, 2024
Fanklin Pleads Not Guilty to Homicide by Delivery of Drugs
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- A Central Wisconsin man accused of providing the drugs that led to a fatal overdose in 2020 has pled not guilty to homicide and manufacturing or delivering designer drugs. Otha Franklin entered the plea on Thursday in Marathon County court. Investigators say he and the victim were snorting pills to...
May 02, 2024
Madison's Comedy On State Cancels Jewish Comedian Michael Rapaport's Thursday Show Due To Protests
MADISON, WI (WSAU) - A popular Madison comedy club has canceled Thursday night's sold-out show featuring a celebrity comedian. According to a post on X, which was confirmed by comedian Michael Rapaport, who is Jewish and has been a well-known actor for decades starring in popular shows and movies such as Deep Blue Sea,...
May 02, 2024
Congressman Derrick Van Orden's VETT Act Hopes To Improve Veteran's Experience In Higher Education
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU-WAOW) - Veteran suicide rates peak in the first two years after active service, and Congressman Derrick Van Orden believes that this is partly due to their inability to transfer to education following duty smoothly; the VETT ACT seeks to change this. "The federal government can make things ...
May 02, 2024
State Of Affairs Ep. 14 Former Lt. Gov Candidate David Varnam
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -State of Affairs episode fourteen is now available, featuring former Wisconsin Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor David Varnam joining the program to discuss life after his campaign and issues facing the state. When speaking about the issue of abortion and the role it may play in this year'...
May 02, 2024
Stevens Point Brewery Opens New Gift Shop, Taproom
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) -- The Stevens Point Brewery unveiled its new taproom and gift shop on Wednesday. The $1.1 million project adds seating for up to 99 people in two bar areas and up to 36 tap lines for beer, cider, and soda. Taproom Manager Melissa Wysocki says it also fills one of the brewery's biggest tourist ...
May 01, 2024
Mountain Bay Police Department begins operations
ROTHSCHILD, WI (WSAU-WAOW) - May 1st was the first day that Everest Metro and Rothschild Police have joined, forming the Mountain Bay Metro Police Department. It marks the end of a long process that brought them together, and now their chief says they're ready to get to work. Chief Jeremy Hunt said, "We have two ...
May 01, 2024
Former Marathon County Sheriff Employee Pleads Not Guilty to False Imprisonment Charges
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -- A now former behind-the-scenes worker in the Marathon County Sheriff's Office entered a not guilty plea for a felony count of false imprisonment on Wednesday. Michael Evon is accused of making advances towards a female supervisor at another job, then refusing to let her leave the office until she k...
May 01, 2024
Blogtrepreneur / CC
Kronenewetter Asks Residents To Reduce Water Usage As Well Goes Through Updates
KRONENEWETTER, WI (WSAU) - Residents of Kronenwetter are being encouraged to use less water over the next week. According to a press release from the Village of Kronenwetter, residents are asked to reduce their water usage and refrain from outdoor watering from Monday, May 5, 2024, until Friday, May 10, 2024. During th...
May 01, 2024
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Update: UW-Madison Announces 34 Anti-Israel Protesters Have Been Arrested As 4 Officers Have Been Injured
MADISON, WI (WSAU) - Students at UW-Madison and UW-Madison Police, State Police, and officers from the Dane County Sheriff's Office clashed on Tuesday night as anti-Israel protests have impacted universities across the nation. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Madiso...
May 01, 2024
Small pro-Palestinian protest at UW-Stevens Point
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU-WAOW) - On the lawn of Old Main, one of the main paths across campus at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, a couple dozen individuals join their campus counterparts in support of Palestinian liberation. Students across the Badger State have joined together in support of Palestine, and n...
Apr 30, 2024