I hit Brown Street last week to gauge opinions in Rhinelander on the community and the surrounding area. I asked one question: What changes would you like to see in the Northwoods? While an infrastructural motif was evident, the responses were as varied as the people themselves. Patty Olenik is a Rhinelander native and the owner of the Mad Batter Bakery. "Parking! More parking. That’s probably the best thing. The parallel parking has been as issue. I parked on the other side of the street the

For this next installment of Field Notes , Susan Knight of Trout Lake Station tells us about the tough-as-nails tiny invertebrates known as tardigrades.

Conversation continues to swirl around a popular Netflix series, raising both awareness and concern surrounding the issue of teen suicide. WXPR volunteer Andrew Padgett spoke with counselors at Rhinelander High School about why the series is concerning…

The old saying goes “shoot for the moon, and if you miss you’ll land among the stars,” but for one local man the stars were enough. WXPR’s Miranda Vander Leest tells us the story of Frank Kovac and his universal dream… Frank Kovac has a Go Fund Me page that’s been set up for nearly a year and a half. He's raised $6,500 of his $100,000 goal. Visit his Facebook page or website for more information.

Last fall forestry and law enforcement officials in northwestern Wisconsin started receiving reports of paper birch trees being stolen from public and private lands. The tree's Latin name is Betula papyrifera , and like the name implies, its white, papery bark is popular for Northwoods-style decorations and crafts, driving demand for raw material. Theft of smaller paper birch trees, saplings and limbs are common, with buyers paying up to $2 per pole. Wardens from the Wisconsin Department of

For Ali Paris , making music is about more than just entertainment; it’s about inspiring unity. Paris is a Palestinian jazz musician and uses his music to advocate for peace, justice and human rights. Paris will be at the Center for Civic Engagement in Wausau this week and WXPR volunteer Andrew Padgett spoke with Paris ahead of his May 5 performance…. Ali Paris will be at the Center for Civic Engagement in Wausau May 5. Tickets are $15; for more information call WXPR at 715-362-6000. This

Adequate sleep is essential to a smoothly functioning brain – and here’s a little-known fact: Your brain is more active when you’re asleep than when you’re awake. We still don’t know all there is to know about sleep, but in today’s episode of BrainWaves, our monthly commentator Molly Rose Teuke shares some tips on how to get more of it. Molly Rose Teuke is host of WXPR’s Thursday Midday Classics and a certified brain-based coach and leadership trainer, helping people master the art and science

A Merrill Middle School teacher has come up with a unique project not just for his students, but for the community and its veterans. WXPR’s Miranda Vander Leest has that story… Pete McConnell has a goal to make 100 pens for the May flight and they’ve made nearly 90 so far. Veterans will receive a certificate with their custom-made pen identifying the student manufacturer. The pens will also be labeled with the materials used and when it was created. For information on how to get involved or to

Decisions, decisions… We make hundreds of them every day. The more reasonable we can be, the better our decision, right? In this month’s installment of BrainWaves , Molly Rose Teuke decides to explore that very question. Her conclusion might surprise you: Don’t be too quick to discount your intuition. Molly Rose Teuke is happy she can make a real job out of her abiding curiosity about how our brains work. She is a certified brain-based coach and trainer helping people master the art and science

There’s an old saying that our natures are all alike; it’s our habits that distinguish us. Today in our new monthly feature called BrainWaves, Thursday Midday Classics host Molly Rose Teuke takes us on a guided tour through habits — what are they, how do they work, and why should we care? Molly Rose Teuke isn’t a neuroscientist, but she plays one in her dreams — and she is a certified brain-based coach and trainer helping people master the art and science of personal change. You can find out