SPORTSt With OCONTO COUNTY experienced core, OFHS wrestling team has high hopes for season. TIMES HERALD PAGE 32 WWW.NEWMEDIA-WI.COM Wednesday, December11, 2019 Volume 18, Issue 50 $1 Full-time fire chief approved The post is part of the 2020 Oconto Falls city budget. PAGE 2 Twins from Lena mark 100th birthday Merne and Mark Gilles were born Dec. 11 a century ago. PAGE 4 Packers grants to local groups Three organizations that serve Oconto County residents will get help from the Packers Foundation. PAGE 6 Clock church cantata St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gillett is holding its 11th annual Christmas cantata starting Tuesday. PAGE 10 SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT Santa and a family gather for a closer look at the Living Nativity populated by staff and providers of HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital on Thursday as part of the Oconto Falls Christmas Mouse Open House festivities. SEE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS ON PAGES 22-23. JOAN DENIS | CONTRIBUTED PAGE 2t/&8.&%*"twww.newmedia-wi.comtWEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019 OCONTO COUNTY TIMES HERALD (USPS 402-780) Published Wednesdays Full-time fire chief included by NEW Media Inc d/b/a The Oconto County Times Herald Periodicals postage paid at Oconto Falls, Wisconsin 54154 in 2020 city budget POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: 420 N. Chestnut Ave. Suite C, PO Box 184, The idea of making the fre chief Oconto Falls Town Chairman a full-time position has been under Oconto Falls, WI 54154 Property tax Dave Alsteen also spoke in favor of discussion for a number of years, making the chief a full-time position. increase is about McDermid said. The budget will be funded in part Editor “We’re falling farther and farther by a property tax levy of $1,379,966; Warren Bluhm behind on paperwork (and) getting up taxpayers can expect an increase of [email protected] $38.38 per to date on standard operating guide- about $38.38 per $100,000 of equalized News lines,” he said. “It’s getting harder and valuation for city purposes later this [email protected] $100,000 for city harder with more and more require- month, said Eve Wallace, deputy city ments from the state for diferent 920-848-3427 treasurer. agencies to follow through on.” The major public works project for purposes The city took several steps to alert Office 2020 will be a reconstruction of Oak- By WARREN BLUHM the public that the fre chief post was land Street, including water, sewer 420 N. Chestnut Ave. Suite C, PO Box 184, in the budget, and Alderman Marty /FXT&EJUPS and storm sewer service on the entire Coopman sent a letter that was pub- Oconto Falls, WI 54154 length of the street, McDermid said. lished in the Oconto County Times Hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday-Friday OCONTO FALLS — The City Coun- The council also approved the fee Herald, explaining the justifcation Telephone cil approved a $2.8 million budget for schedule, with the biggest adjustment and impact of the position. All of the 920-848-3427 2020 that includes making the fre being a 10% increase in garbage bag feedback was positive, he reported, chief a full-time position. fees, the frst hike in at least 13 years. including one written response from “That’s really the biggest thing in Publisher Howard Elliott, who said he would Word of that increase has had an the whole budget,” Alderman Mat Greg Mellis [email protected] encourage the current chief, Tim impact on sales of the bags at City McDermid said, as he gave a general Editor-In-Chief Magnin, to apply for the job. Hall, said City Administrator Vicki overview during a public hearing Roberts. Carol Ryczek [email protected] The city will develop a job descrip- before the Dec. 3 council vote. “They’re fying of the shelves,” Sports Editor tion and put it out for applications, The committee met multiple times but Magnin – who has been the Roberts said. “Stop by and buy some Morgan Rode [email protected] to go over the budget plan for the part-time chief for about 20 years – is garbage bags as a Christmas present Obituaries coming year, McDermid said. probably the favorite. and a 100-year coin.” [email protected] “We decided to end the TIF dis- “I’d like to thank the council and Coins commemorating the city’s Classifieds/legal notices trict this year, in 2019, as opposed to the fnance committee for the years centennial are on sale at City Hall for [email protected] letting it go through to 2020,” he said. of going through this,” Magnin said. $20. Retail advertising “With closing that, that’ll bring some “There’s been a lot of discussion, a lot [email protected] [email protected] revenue back into the city.” of planning.” Subscriptions Subscription, delivery or payment question? Call 715-526-2121 Driver in fatal crash charged 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday [email protected] with 2nd-degree reckless homicide RATES By NEW MEDIA STAFF 11:40 p.m., he was negotiating the of Ragen’s truck. Print curve at Logtown Road when the Deputies noticed a smell of alcohol Print single issue: $1 OCONTO — The driver in a fatal pickup truck went onto the gravel on Ragen’s breath, and one wit- Prepaid nonrefundable 12 months: two-vehicle crash Nov. 15 is sched- shoulder. As he reentered the road- ness said Ragen had been at a bar in $41 Mail - WI uled to make his frst appearance way, the truck and trailer began to Oconto earlier in the evening, the $52 Mail - outside WI in Oconto County Circuit Court on rotate counterclockwise, crossing complaint said. A blood draw was www.newmedia-wi.com Thursday. over the center line and colliding with taken at the hospital where Ragen was 1-day. $0.99 Travis J. Ragen, 30, of Lena, is Cota’s eastbound car. taken for treatment of serious injuries; 3-mo (90-day introductory offer) $12 charged with second-degree reck- According to the criminal com- results were not yet available when Month-to-month $10 less homicide in connection with the plaint, the two vehicles landed togeth- the complaint was fled Dec. 3. death of Melissa J. Cota, 53, of Oconto. er in the ditch, with the pickup truck When an investigator came to his Prepaid 12 month, nonrefundable, $99 According to an Oconto County fipped upside down on top of the home to take a statement after his Sherif’s Department accident report, car, and burst into fames just after a release from the hospital, Ragen said Member, Wisconsin Newspaper Assoiation Ragen was driving a pickup truck deputy pulled Ragen from his vehicle. he was advised not to speak without westbound on state Highway 22 and Deputies and passersby were unable an attorney present, according to the towing a skid-steer on a trailer. At to save Cota or a dog in the back seat complaint. CORRECTIONS Accuracy is important to the Oconto County Times Herald, and it wants to correct mistakes promptly. Call errors to our attention by phone at 920-848-3427. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019 t/&8.&%*"tXXXOFXNFEJBXJDPNtPAGE 3 Offering a hand Northern Riders 4-H Project Leader Georgia Gerndt moisturizes Nancy Sleeter’s hands at The Bay at Suring. 4-H youth volunteered their time Nov. 21 to offer the residents fancy nails for the holidays. “This community service project is one of many,” Georgia said. “We want to complete as many community service projects as possible.” $0/53*#65&% PAGE 4 t/&8.&%*"twww.newmedia-wi.comt WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019 Identical twins mark 100th birthday and Leo – to complete the family. treasurer and membership chairman help his father. They were born and Jean Osen said her father, Merne of the Civic Club & Lyons Club; and Pursuing his childhood dream to Gilles, would say the secret to their the chairman of the board for the fy, Mark became an ofcer and pilot raised on a Lena longevity is working and keeping Federal Land Bank of Green Bay for in the Army Air Corps and went on busy. Just a few weeks ago and with many years. He was active in the to pilot 32 B-17 bombing missions a little help, he climbed up into the Democratic Party and the St. Charles over Germany and other parts of area dairy farm combine one more time and did a and Holy Cross Community Church. Nazi held Europe. He few two tacti- few laps in the corn feld. Osen, her Merne is an advocate for progressive cal missions on D-Day in support of On Thursday, Dec. 11,1919, Francis cousins, uncles and siblings got to- farming, especially soil conservation, the allied invasion operations. He and Ann Gilles welcomed twin boys gether to produce a short biography and traveled to China as part of the few his bombing missions out of into the world. This week the boys of the century-old twins: People to People program. England as a member of the “The turn 100. After graduating high school in Merne’s wife Claire passed in 1993 Mighty Eighth” Air Force, the 95th Identical twins Merne and Mark 1937 and passage of the Rural Electri- and his second wife, Betty, passed in Bomb Wing, and its 412th Bombard- Gilles were raised on a dairy and fcation Act, Merne, the “elder” twin, 1998. He still lives in his Lena home ment Squadron. crop farm outside Lena and spent worked on wiring Oconto County with some assistance from family.