Damakant Jayshi As the 2026 spring elections for local offices draw closer more incumbents and challengers filed paperwork as of Friday, expanding the field across municipalities, counties and school districts. Among the latest entrants is former Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg, who is seeking to return to the Marathon County Board by running in Dist. 1. Before her 2020 election as mayor, she served two terms on the board representing the same district.

Wausau Pilot & Review Central Wisconsin skywatchers are in for one of the year’s best stretches of observing as the Geminid meteor shower peaks, Jupiter and Saturn stage detailed moon events, and the week ends with a New Moon ideal for deep-sky targets. Cold nights and early sunsets mean longer hours of darkness — and plenty to see for those willing to bundle up.

Peter J. Kernosky Peter James Kernosky, 62, of Wausau, WI, passed away at home due to ongoing health issues on Monday, December 8th, 2025. Pete was born in Ironwood, Michigan on September 3rd, 1963 to James and Marilyn (Rock) Kernosky. He shared a birthday with his twin brother Paul, who passed away in 2017. Pete attended Wausau East High School and graduated in 1982.

DENVER (AP) — For the first time in a decade, Denver Broncos (11-2) stand atop the AFC playoff race heading into the holidays. They're the league's only unbeaten team at home. They've won 10 consecutive games and they've saddled their last 11 visitors with a loss going back 14 months. And they are 2 1/2-point underdogs at home to the…

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Alexander Shur, Votebeat Dec 11, 2025 at 7:10pm EST Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization reporting on voting access and election administration across the U.S. Sign up for Votebeat Wisconsin’s free newsletter here. The Wisconsin Elections Commission on Thursday declined to send the state’s unredacted voter rolls to the federal government, joining more than a dozen states pushing back against disclosing sensitive voter information.

Apparently, trying to reform Wausau’s status quo is about as difficult as trying to eat tomato soup with a fork. We saw that this week with the council’s 9-1 vote to keep charging our water utility roughly $1.5 million per year for the PILOT, or Payment in Lieu of Taxes. Across the so-called political spectrum, this utility PILOT has become increasingly unpopular in town over the years.

Wausau Pilot & Review MARSHFIELD – Will VanErmen set two pool records as the D.C. Everest boys swim team won a Wisconsin Valley Conference triangular on Thursday at Marshfield High School. D.C. Everest won the team title with 148 points, with Marshfield second with 132 and Wisconsin Rapids third with just 7 points. VanErmen won the 100-yard butterfly in 52.07 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 52.27 seconds to set new Marshfield High School boys pool records.

By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review WAUSAU, Wis. — Community members are invited to tour newly updated spaces at John Muir Middle School during an event set for next week. An open house is set from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at 1400 Stewart Ave., showcasing improvements funded through the Wausau School District’s April 2022 referendum. The upgrades at John Muir include new technology education spaces, a weight room, a gymnasium, expanded and modernized music areas, and new general education classrooms, according to the district.

Submitted by Jim Force to Wausau Pilot & Review Wausau, WI –The United States junior women’s curling team advanced to the finals this weekend at the World B championships in Finland. Wausau West graduate Ella Wendling is one of the five curlers on Team Johnson, representing the United States in the competition. The U.S. team finished 5-1 in pool play, and qualified for the finals along with teams from Norway, Latvia, Scotland, Japan and either Italy or Turkey.

By The Associated Press Today in history: On Dec. 12, 2000, George W. Bush became president-elect as a divided U.S. Supreme Court reversed a state court recount decision in Florida’s tightly contested presidential election. Also on this date: In 1870, Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina became the first Black lawmaker sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1963, the east African nation of Kenya declared independence from Britain; it became a republic exactly a year later.

Wausau Pilot & Review WESTON – Chase Crass scored four goals and Hendrix Damrow added a hat trick as Wausau West routed Wausau East/Merrill United 11-1 in a Wisconsin Valley Conference boys hockey game and a Marathon Cup contest on Thursday at Greenheck Ice Arena. Xander DeByle, Braydin Steinke, Joe Graveen and Ian Jackson added scores for the Warriors, who remain undefeated at 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the WVC.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 31 points and Bobby Portis added 27 points and 10 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks rallied in the second half to defeat the Boston Celtics 116-101 on Thursday night without injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Portis hit a pair of 3-pointers from the left corner as Milwaukee opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to go in front 95-82.

(Rothschild)- Volunteers from Cookies for Caregivers baked and served close to 50 dozen freshly baked cookies at the Veterans Weekly Cup-of-Coffee group meeting at Denny’s in Rothschild on November 12, 2025. This is the sixth time that the group has baked and delivered cookies to the Veterans group during the weeks of Memorial Day and Veterans Day.  Over 80 Veterans and the Denny’s staff enjoyed the cookies.

Wausau Pilot & Review Today Snow, mainly before 3pm. Patchy fog before 8am. High near 17. Light west northwest wind becoming west 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around -11. Wind chill values between -20 and -30.

Damakant Jayshi The Wausau Infrastructure and Facilities Committee on Thursday voted to remove two-hour parking limits on several blocks near the Woodson YMCA, approving a six-month trial. The decision came after alders sparred over how best to balance senior access with concerns about those “abusing” the marked stalls by parking long hours. The new parking stalls on Fourth, Franklin and McIndoe streets were built jointly by the city and the YMCA and were automatically designated as two-hour spots because they fall within the Downtown Parking District.

by Addie Costello / Wisconsin Watch and WPR, Wisconsin Watch December 11, 2025 Click here to read highlights from the story Free clinics like Bread of Healing in Milwaukee and Open Arms Free Clinic in Walworth County serve as a final safety net for community members who can’t afford health care. They are bracing for higher demand as more residents are expected to forgo insurance as a crucial tax credit is set to expire and premiums spike.

By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review Wausau Pilot & Review is kicking off the season with a new Spotify playlist featuring our staff’s favorite Christmas songs — a mix of classics, modern favorites and a few unexpected gems that help set the tone for a Wisconsin winter. As many of you know, before entering the newspaper world I spent years as a radio DJ.

Wausau Pilot & Review SCHOFIELD, Wis. — State transportation officials are outlining a major reconstruction of Business Highway 51 in Marathon County, a long-range project that will rebuild the roadway, add bicycle infrastructure and upgrade sidewalks, traffic signals and lighting throughout the corridor. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation plans to reconstruct Business 51 from Lakeview Drive to Kent Street and from the Eau Claire River Bridge to Lakeview Drive.

By MIKE CATALINI Associated Press The “Architects of AI” were named Time's person of the year Thursday, with the magazine citing 2025 as when the potential of artificial intelligence “roared into view” with no turning back. “For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year,” Time said in a social media post.

Wausau Pilot & Review This week’s featured Cocktail of the Week comes from Penny Borchardt at The Palms Supper Club, who delivers a festive twist just in time for the holidays. The Grinch Mimosa combines Midori, champagne and a splash of orange juice for a bright, seasonal spark that’s as cheerful as it is refreshing. Finished with a citrus garnish, it’s a simple, elegant way to add a little color — and a little mischief — to your holiday celebrations.

By Trevor Hook- Wisconsin Public Radio Wisconsin’s homeless shelters face new uncertainty as recent moves from the Trump administration are throwing into question permanent housing funding for people experiencing — or at risk of experiencing — homelessness. Last month, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a plan to put a stringent cap on a stream of federal funding offered through the Continuum of Care Program.

Dear editor: "Two Girls in Gaza:" She limped past the rubble into her tent. Her older sister clung to her shoulder and followed her. They live in Gaza. The youngest, about 11, has shrapnel embedded in her forehead and right leg. The older girl was blinded by the bomb that hit their house and killed their parents and other family members.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. (AP) — Mike Lindell, the fervent supporter of President Donald Trump known to TV viewers as the “MyPillow Guy,” officially entered the race for Minnesota governor Thursday in hopes of winning the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Tim Walz in 2026. Lindell made the announcement at a news conference at his MyPillow factory in the Minneapolis suburb of Shakopee that he streamed live on his Lindell TV conservative news platform.