Good morning, Wausau.

A home in Stettin caught fire late on Tuesday while homeowners Randy and Julie Punke were working, and they lost their 30-year home as police rescued their blind and deaf 18-year-old dog — now in critical condition — while the couple remains in a motel and is seeking donations via CoVantage Credit Union using the reference 'Punke Disaster'.

After voters rejected the operating referendum on April 1, Wausau School District Superintendent Cale Bushman said the district faces a $3.7 million shortage for the next school year and must make tough choices.

The district will consider staffing cuts—delaying repairs, lowering funding for activities and sports, and reducing classes to help lessen the impact on students and staff.

On April 1, Wausau voters rejected a referendum for $8 million a year that would have helped close the school district’s deficit gap.

Superintendent Cale Bushman said the board will review options such as staffing reductions—deferred maintenance, reduced funding for activities, and possible salary freezes—to manage the district’s finances moving forward.

Fallen tree branches and icy conditions from a winter storm have closed the upper roads at Rib Mountain State Park—making travel dangerous—and park officials are planning cleanup efforts while warning that high winds may drop more branches.

Volunteers are encouraged to help once conditions improve.

Blake Czerwonka, owner of Green Valley Septic, plans to install a septic pit on his 54 acres to use sewage sludge as fertilizer and is working with the DNR and town to secure permits—residents at Tuesday's town meeting raised concerns about odor and runoff affecting nearby homes and No Name Crick without a decision yet being made.

Marshfield Clinic Research Institute is asking Wisconsin residents to send in live or dead ticks for its Tick Inventory via Citizen Science study—more than 6,000 ticks were submitted in 2024 and scientists want to track new species like the lone star tick that may cause Alpha-gal Syndrome.

Mr. Speed Concert in Wausau

7:30-11:30 p.m. — The Grand Theater — Ticket prices vary — Celebrate KISS' 50 years of rock history with the ultimate tribute band experience.

New Age Phonograph Live Performance

7 PM - 1 AM — Intermission Bar — Cover charge — Experience the unique blend of rock and blues from New Age Phonograph.

Swing Into Spring Workshop

6-8 p.m. — The Grand Theater — Free entry — Explore the vibrant history of Black music and dance from the 1920s to contemporary styles.

Guided Tour of Kimono: Garment, Canvas, and Artistic Muse

11 a.m. — Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum — $5.00 entry — Discover the history and influence of the kimono through guided exploration and creative activities.

Marty Stuart Concert

7:30-9 p.m. — The Grand Theater — Tickets from $59 — Experience an evening of live music with country star Marty Stuart in Wausau.