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The city’s economic development committee approved a major new project in Riverlife
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If a plan presented Thursday is Riveron and Ohde proposal, pointing ultimately approved, the city will out that they were the developers have three more buildings in its to finally turn around the troubled Riverlife Development area. first phase of the Riverlife develop-
The city’s economic development ment. “They took over what could be committee Thursday approved a plan politely described as a disaster and by T.Wall Enterprises of Madison turned it into a successful, completed for a three-building development in project,” Kilian says. Viegut told the an open tract of land in the Riverlife committee at Kilian’s questioning area. The plan will build three mixed- that the design could be changed to use buildings including ground floor meet the committee’s goals for Rivercommercial space for restaurants and life. Kilian was the sole voice to vote retail with 123 units total over the against approving T.Wall. three buildings. Terrance Wall told the commit-
The committee chose T.Wall’s tee that their customers tend to be plan over a less expensive and less relatively affluent, with about half expansive plan by local developers under the age of 30; in other words, Mitch Viegut, Fernando Riveron a mix of empty nesters and young and Bob Ohde. Viegut, Riveron and professionals. That would add people Ohde took over the first troubled with disposable income downtown. Riverlife project, finally finishing the T.Wall is known for green building first residential project on the site techniques and helped start the first after its first developer, Mike Frantz, green building college course in the failed to come up with the financing ▲ A rendering provided by Mudrovich Architects shows what the latest Riverlife proposal would look like. country, Wall says. to complete it, and the second, Gor- The T.Wall proposal scored higher man and Company, punted on the project to work on The is what I was talking about,” Committee member Lisa on the criteria set out in the request for proposals, accordLandmark’s redevelopment instead. Rasmussen says. Rasmussen pointed out that it was aling to memos from city staff. T.Wall’s scored 89, versus
Committee members liked the plan from T.Wall in part ways the city’s goal that the Riverlife area would first and only 44 for the Viegut proposal. because the separate buildings provide a plaza that leads foremost be and feel accessible to the public, and not the The design of the building is meant to reflect the area’s to the riverfront, making it accessible to the public. The backyard of the people who live down there. history of lumber operations and then manufacturing, commercial spaces surround that plaza. “That separation But Committee Member Tom Kilian praised the Viegut, developers say.
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School board lifts mask for pop concert (for some)
In a further shift toward post-pandemic life, Wausau West Pop Concert allowed single performers to not wear masks while they performed last weekend.
The school board in a tight 5-4 vote granted school district administration the ability to determine whether some singers could go without masks while they performed. The plan, says Superintendent Keith Hilts, was for solo performers to be able to not wear masks while groups would still wear them. Choirs were eliminated from the pop concert, and audience members were seated 15 feet back from the stage, Hilts says.
School Board President Tricia Zunker told the board she had concerns about the proposal. Many organizations still encouraged masks for singers and performers signing up for the concert were under the impression at the time that masks would be required. The board made the decision in a special meeting a day before the first performance started.
The pop concert was canceled the previous year. This year, in addition to a live audience, the concert was live steamed on YouTube via producer JEM Productions. The performances can be found at JEM Production’s YouTube channel JEMLiveEvents.
Riverwolves get new ownership, revive old name
The Wausau RiverWolves have new owners, and those new owners are bringing back an old familiar name to Wausau hockey fans.
The RiverWolves will become the Wausau Cyclones under the new ownership, a name known to older Wausau hockey fans. The Wausau Cyclones were founded in 1972 by the father of one of the new owners, Walter “Coke” Fehl, and were active until the early 2000s.
Hockey Management Group, the new owner of the now-named Cyclones, includes Brad Fehl, son of the original Cyclones founder, along with Brian Brandt Jr, Corey Garrett, Hannah Westbrook and Curt White.
The Cyclones will continue to be a Tier III junior league hockey team. Unlike many sports, hockey players after high school play
DCI investigating officer-involved shooting in Weston; details confusing
One woman is dead and the male suspect in critical condition following an officerinvolved shooting in the village of Weston Friday.
Police responded to a request for assistance from a woman in an apartment building in Weston. When police entered the apartment building, they heard a woman screaming. When officers entered the apartment, they were confronted with an armed man (police did not say what he was armed with). Police fired their weapons and ultimately the man was transported to the hospital where he is in critical condition. He remained so as of Monday morning, the last update given.
Police discovered the woman who had initially called police dead inside the apartment with an apparent stab wound. Police say she was killed by the male suspect shot by police.
Police have not named either the man they shot nor the victim, or said which apartment complex the incident happened. What the man was armed with was not made clear. DCI has taken over investigating the incident.
No Mow May passes despite opposition
Wausau residents this year will be able to let their lawns grow in the month of May to support pollinators such as bees, despite opposition from some residents.
The city council Tuesday passed the No Mow May resolution. That allows residents to not mow their lawns in May, something that has been successful and popular in Appleton.
Two members of the council voted against the proposal. While some council members said they received nothing but support, others said they received almost universal feedback against the proposal from their district. Detractors of the proposal said the policy would allow lawns to get out of control, would lead to an increase in pests and might affect other neighbors if dandelions allowed to grow spread seed to other yards.
Dr. Israel Del Toro, a Lawrence University professor who led the effort to bring No Mow May to Appleton, says they studied tick populations and found no increase in the number of ticks following No Mow May. Those who want to sign up for No Mow May need to register with the city, and they can pick up a sign provided to the city by Del Toro’s group to indicate what they’re doing.
And come June, city officials say, you’d better mow that lawn.
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City to extend room tax dollars to new balloon rally
The new balloon rally that will now be held outside of the city limits will receive some city funding.
The city council Tuesday approved granting $10,000 to help with the Taste n’ Glow Balloon Fest held this year in the town of Stettin. The event, being organized by Steve and Nancy Woller, is meant to replace the Balloon Rally typically held by Wausau Events at the Wausau Airport. Wausau Events canceled the Balloon Rally and Rib Fest in 2020 and again for 2021 since when they needed to make the decision the vaccination situation wasn’t yet clear.
Several members of the city council and finance committee praised the new event, especially that it would be using local food vendors instead of rib vendors from out of state. And the city is using money out of its own room tax pool, so it wouldn’t affect other ongoing room tax-funded events and organizations.
City Council member Tom Kilian raised questions about the event’s location. Is it proper to fund an event that is being held outside the city limits?
Finance Director Maryanne Groat told the council the room tax commission changed its rules recently to allow room tax funds to go to events outside the city limits as long as they substantially draw room tax dollars to the city.
The event is slated for July 9-11.
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