Local Features

JULY 23, 2019 IMPORTANT UPDATE: According to a press release today, the Oneida County Health Department is unsure whether the Crescent Spring is currently safe to drink. The DNR is in the process of testing it and many other local wells for PFAS, which was recently found as contamination in a well near the Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport. More information can be found in a report here from WXPR's Ken Krall. Today we’re answering a Curious North question about a specific source of drinking

During the summer of 1958, Rock and Roll pioneers Buddy Holly and the Crickets toured the Upper Midwest as part of the Summer Dance Party tour. The tour passed through Wausau and ended in Rhinelander. Gary Entz has the story for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History . Buddy Holly and the Crickets are considered among the pioneering figures in 1950s Rock and Roll, and in 1958 Holly’s music was in heavy demand. The world of Rock and Roll was a bit different in the 1950s than it became in

This week's A Northwoods Moment in History comes from a question to our Curious North series. Patty Fitzpatrick from Rhinelander recently asked: Is it true that there was a POW camp in Rhinelander during World War II?" To answer Patty's question, here's Gary Entz for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History . In the early years of World War II, German prisoners captured in battle were held in Great Britain. However, in 1942 a rumor spread that Hitler planed on air dropping weapons to his

As people take up hobby beekeeping and bees continue to succumb to diseases, one Northwoods beekeeper has made it a goal over the years to help educate people about the process. Nate Sheppard continues our We Live Up Here series with the story. A bright yellow sign hangs in front of Hansen Honey Farm’s main shop. It shows a cartoon bee with two words written across it: Bee Crossing. The sign not only informs visitors as to the nature of this farm, but also serves as an appropriate warning. Where

In 1923, a fire in Elcho resulted in a dramatic shift for the way the Langlade County town looked. Gary Entz has the story for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History. Most Northwoods communities have undergone numerous changes during their existence. The original wooden buildings of the late nineteenth century gave way to modern brick and mortar buildings as the twentieth century progressed. It happens everywhere, but in some cases the change is more dramatic than most, and none was more

Years ago Dave Daniels from Rhinelander heard of a research project that really interested him, but he never heard what came out of the project so he sent a question to WXPR’s Curious North series asking us to look into it: What ever became of the Little Rock Lake Acid Rain research project conducted by water scientists at the Trout Lake research station near Boulder Junction? For this month’s Field Notes, Susan Knight recounts the entire story of Little Rock Lake, the site of an experiment

Star Lake near Eagle River is a popular summertime destination today. As Gary Entz tells us for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History though, it used to be considered a wasteland. With the summer season upon us, year-round residents and visitors alike will be heading out to enjoy the natural beauty of the Northwoods. One of the places people will go to enjoy the outdoors is Star Lake near Eagle River in Vilas County. Star Lake is a horseshoe-shaped lake with a large peninsula dividing it in

Tamarack trees, like many of us, could live anywhere in Wisconsin but prefer the Northwoods. Recently a listener from Harshaw submitted this question to our Curious North series: What's up with the tamarack trees? They seem to be dying. Is it the rising water levels, or something else? In today’s Wildlife Matters the Masked Biologist sheds some light on what might be causing tamarack tree mortality. One of the questions that came in to Curious North caught my interest, so I thought I would try

For this week's A Northwoods Moment in History, Gary Entz tells us about something that rarely happens. Back in 1936, a case of mistaken identity led a family in Tomahawk to discover a loved one was not in fact dead, but very much alive. Hi, this is Gary Entz for WXPR’s Northwood’s moment in History The death of a beloved relative is one of the most difficult things that any family can face. Although it does not happen often, every now and again a case of mistaken identity can lead family

This week’s Wildlife Matters springs from a Curious North question. Kaye Jaeger from the town of Crescent asks: We love the loons on our lake. We also love the eagle that flies over regularly. Is there anything we can do to prevent the eagle from eating the baby loons? To respond to Kaye's question, the Masked Biologist contemplates the interactions of two charismatic Northwoods wildlife species: bald eagles and loons. It can be a terrible feeling any time you watch one animal attack, kill and