Health Officer Joan Theurer to Explore New Adventures :: Saying Farewell to a Leader Who Has Always Made it a Priority for Marathon County to be the Healthiest, Safest, and Most Prosperous

Written by Jenna Flynn Throughout my discussion with Joan, there was an emerging theme that partnerships and collaboration have been…

153rd Annual Wisconsin Valley Fair Returns to Marathon Park (Aug. 3–8, 2021)

Come see this year’s musical acts in the grandstands, take in a rodeo and demolition derby, try out some of our new food vendors, participate in the new Riding Class as part of the Draft Horse Show, and much more!

There’s still time to get involved in the 2021 Fair, too! Bring in items to be judged against other members of the public ranging from Poultry and Rabbits to Vegetables and Photography. Enter the apple-pie baking contest or the Fairest of the Fair’s coloring contest. (Click the title for details…)

Meet Laurie Miskimins :: Marathon County’s New Conservation, Planning & Zoning Director

We welcome Laurie Miskimins as our new Director of the Conservation, Planning & Zoning (CPZ) Department in Marathon County. She joins us from Colorado with over 10 years of experience in planning, policy development, and project delivery in federal land settings. (And she’s been to 160 of the 422 National Parks!)

Learn about some of the great work her CPZ team is doing throughout the County, and get to know more about Laurie in the full article… (Click the title for details.)

Activities & Ideas for Celebrating National Park & Recreation Month This July (Plus a preview of August Outdoor Happenings You Won’t Want to Miss!)

In Marathon County, we encourage you to celebrate Park and Recreation Month this July by visiting one of our City or County Parks. Then take our July social media challenge and share how parks and recreation in your community has impacted your life with the hashtag: #OurParkAndRecStory

Check out our online Spring & Summer Recreation Guide, which is jam-packed with outdoor activities and programming that your local park and recreation professionals have planned for you to enjoy in Marathon County.

Plus, get a bonus sneak peek at some August events like a Dog-Gone Pool Party, Movie in the Park & Family Pajama Party, Marathon County Park 100+1 Anniversary Event. View all this and more in the full article… (Click the title for details.)

$1 Million Grant Assistance Available for Rural Small Businesses Affected by COVID-19 & for Rural Residents in Need of Mortgage/Rental Assistance

Marathon County has been awarded a $1 million Community Development Block Grant in partnership with North Central Community Action Program (NCCAP) and MCDEVCO (Marathon County Development Corporation).

The purposes of the grant are to provide relief due to hardships from the pandemic to support low- to moderate-income individuals with mortgage and rental assistance and small businesses severely affected by COVID-19. This grant is available to rural areas only; therefore, the grant excludes the City of Wausau from eligibility. (Click the title for details…)

Recently Re-opened Public Library in Wausau Has a New Look!

All Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) locations returned to pre-pandemic operating hours on June 1, 2021. A closure that lasted more than 1 year gave the library a chance to make some changes at its Wausau Headquarters.

If you haven’t been back to the library yet, check out some pictures of updates you can look forward to at MCPL Wausau, including new, modern furniture; comfy, private study nooks; an updated Teen Zone with charging stations; a beautiful repurposed Rotunda, first-floor computers; and more! (Click the title for details…)

Save the Dates :: Central Wisconsin Book Festival Is Coming Sept. 17-26, 2021

The 5th annual Central Wisconsin Book Festival will include up to 30 events spread across Wausau, Stevens Point, and Wisconsin Rapids, along with various virtual events. Children’s authors, non-fiction, poetry, and, of course, fiction will all be part of the 10-day lineup. Read on to see some of the authors and poets already scheduled to attend. (Click the title for details…)

Community Health Improvement Director Judy Burrows to Retire After 29 Years of Service to the County :: Leaving the County a Better Place to Live, Work, Visit, & Do Business

After 29 years, Judy Burrows is retiring from the Marathon County Health Department. She’s been a key leader in Wisconsin for Smoke-Free Air legislation and has led many statewide tobacco prevention and control efforts and coalitions.

Judy founded the Chronic Disease Prevention Team (now called the Community Health Improvement Team) at the Marathon County Health Department, and was the Public Information Officer in front of the camera throughout the COVID-19 response.

On behalf of the State of Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers, Senator Jerry Petrowski, and Representative Patrick Snyder issued Judy a legislative citation recognizing her 29-year career in public service. Congratulations to Judy on this well-deserved distinction!

Read the full article to learn more about Judy’s amazing career serving Marathon County. (Click the title for details.)

Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) to Resume 11 Flights Daily to Detroit, Minneapolis, & Chicago :: Plus, New Evening Flights

Beginning in June 2021, the Central Wisconsin Airport will resume pre-pandemic flight volumes, with more planes leaving Central Wisconsin than there have been in over a year!

Through the summer, Delta Airlines will be offering 6 flights departing Mosinee to Detroit and Minneapolis;
American Airlines is flying 3 times daily to Chicago; and United Airlines is flying twice daily to Chicago. That’s 11 flights daily departing CWA!

Read on to learn more about our local airport’s recent state-of-the-art renovations, low fares right now, and current safety protocols for flying safely. Central Wisconsin Airport… Your journey begins here. (Click the title for the full story…)

MCDEVCO Proudly Announces 10+ Local Entrepreneurial Business Launches, Upcoming “Crops & Shops Marketplace” Events, & More

After 4 months of weekly classes, 35 (volunteer) professional business class instructors, and one-on-one mentoring, 18 entrepreneurs are on their way to launching — or already have launched — their businesses right here in Marathon County with the help of MCDEVCO.

Learn about their “dolphin tank” experience, upcoming programming for future assistance, and their “Crops & Shops Marketplace” events that feature food trucks and children’s crafts and are open to the public to purchase items that are ag-related (CROPS) or from a small business located throughout Marathon County (SHOPS).

(Click the title to read more…)