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The sharp crack of ceremonial shovels hitting ground marked more than just another construction project last Friday in Wausau. When Aspirus executives, healthcare workers, and Mayor Doug Diny gathered at the hospital’s Pine Ridge Boulevard campus, they launched the largest healthcare investment in the system’s 134-year history — a $227 million expansion that will reshape medical care across the entire Northwoods region.

For anyone who’s spent hours in a crowded emergency room or watched a loved one wait for a bed, the need is obvious. Aspirus Wausau Hospital has been running at over 95% capacity, turning what should be healing spaces into pressure cookers for staff and patients alike.

The expansion isn’t just about more beds, though those 48 new intermediate-care beds and 16-bed observation unit will make a real difference. It’s about keeping Northwoods families closer to home when serious health issues strike.

Why Your Nearest Major Hospital Was Bursting at the Seams

Wausau serves as the medical hub for over half a million people scattered across Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, and surrounding counties. When you need specialized cardiac care or neuroscience treatment in Tomahawk or Minocqua, you’re heading to Wausau — or you were making the much longer haul to Madison or Green Bay.

The numbers tell the story. Marathon County’s median age hit 41.5 in the last census, and projections show a quarter of Wisconsinites will be over 65 by 2030. Older populations need more complex care, longer stays, and specialized services that rural clinics simply can’t provide.

“It’s not purely meant to expand the cardiac,” explained Aspirus President and CEO Matthew Heywood at the groundbreaking. “It expands the cardiac capabilities, but then expands the capabilities for other services that we have within the hospital.”

Translation: heart care gets a boost, but so does everything from intensive care to cancer treatment with a new PET/CT scanner. The privately funded project spreads improvements across multiple departments rather than pouring everything into one specialty.

What the Expansion Means for Northwoods Residents

Construction crews will be busy through 2028, but the phased approach keeps patient care flowing. The new wings will rise on the hospital’s northern edge, where wooded areas meet the existing 30-acre campus near the Wisconsin River.

Here’s what’s coming:

• 48 intermediate-care beds to ease the bottleneck for patients who need monitoring but not full ICU support
• 16-bed observation unit for shorter-term cases that previously clogged emergency departments
• Expanded cardiac care facilities as heart disease remains the leading health challenge in Wisconsin
• Enhanced neuroscience capabilities for stroke and brain injury treatment
• Advanced imaging technology including a new PET/CT scanner for cancer patients
• Infrastructure for future ICU expansion as needs continue growing

Mayor Diny put it plainly at the ceremony: “Anytime we are moving ground and building things in Wausau it’s a great thing. It enhances the quality of life here for our residents.”

Jobs and Economic Ripple Effects Up North

Marathon County’s economy runs on two main engines: the paper mills that built Wausau and the healthcare sector that now employs more people than any other industry except Georgia-Pacific. This expansion keeps both traditions alive.

Over 200 construction workers will cycle through the project in the next three years. Once the doors open in 2028, expect around 100 new permanent healthcare positions — nurses, technicians, specialists, and support staff.

That’s significant in a region where unemployment hovers around 3.5%. Good-paying jobs with benefits keep young families from leaving for bigger cities and give retirees confidence that quality care will be there when they need it.

“It creates jobs, it’s creating these construction jobs, and anytime we are moving ground and building things in Wausau it’s a great thing.” — Mayor Doug Diny

The $227 million investment stays entirely within private funding from Aspirus, avoiding taxpayer burden while still delivering community benefits. Every concrete truck, every steel beam, every hour of skilled labor pumps money through the local economy.

Filling a Gap That Rural Communities Feel Daily

Drive Highway 51 north from Wausau toward Minocqua and you’ll pass through miles of forest, small towns, and lakes. Beautiful country, but sparse on advanced medical facilities.

When someone in Eagle River needs emergency heart surgery or a Rhinelander resident gets a cancer diagnosis requiring specialized imaging, Wausau becomes the lifeline. The alternative involves two-hour drives to Green Bay or three-plus hours to Madison.

Post-pandemic strains made the capacity crunch worse. Emergency visits jumped across Marathon County as delayed care from COVID lockdowns caught up with people. Chronic conditions that went untreated suddenly became acute crises requiring hospitalization.

The expansion positions Aspirus as what healthcare planners call a “destination for complex, specialized care” — the kind of regional anchor that smaller communities depend on but can’t support individually.

What Comes Next for Northwoods Healthcare

Shovels officially hit dirt in early 2025, right on schedule. The phased construction means different sections will come online at different times through 2028, minimizing disruption to current patients.

Aspirus chose infill development on their existing campus rather than sprawling into undeveloped land, which kept environmental permits straightforward and preserved green space. The Sustainable Wausau initiative’s influence shows in planning for energy-efficient designs, though specific green building certifications haven’t been announced.

This expansion follows a broader trend in Wisconsin healthcare. Systems are consolidating, investing in regional hubs, and building capacity for an aging population that will need more care in the coming decades.

For Northwoods residents, the practical impact is simple: better access to advanced care without leaving the region. Shorter wait times when you need a bed. More specialists available when a health crisis hits. The peace of mind that comes from knowing your community hospital can handle whatever comes through the door.

As construction cranes rise against the backdrop of Rib Mountain over the next three years, they’ll be building more than medical facilities. They’re building the infrastructure that lets families stay rooted in the place they love, knowing that quality healthcare is just down the road.

When Todd Nicklaus stood at the Lincoln Memorial last month, he wasn’t there to honor just any veteran. He was there to complete a journey his father started but never finished.

Ronald Nicklaus passed away in 2023 at age 87, just six weeks before his scheduled Never Forgotten Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. So his son went in his place, carrying a folded American flag and a framed photo of the man who’d served his country, built three companies, and quietly changed countless lives across the Northwoods.

The moment Todd pushed that empty wheelchair across the memorial plaza, whispering “I love you, and I miss you” to his father’s image, the 55th Never Forgotten Honor Flight became something more than a trip. It became a bridge between generations and a reminder that service never really ends.

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From Fort Leonard Wood to the Northwoods Reserve

Ron Nicklaus didn’t ask to be a soldier. The draft came for him in 1958, during those tense post-Korean War years when young men across Wisconsin traded fishing rods for rifles.

He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri — a place known for turning farm boys into disciplined servicemen. Todd remembers his father’s stories about those grueling months. “He said it was just an experience he will never forget. It made him so much better as a person.”

After additional training in Kentucky, Ron returned home to serve with the 32nd Reserve Unit in Tomahawk. That posting kept him close to the pine forests and logging roads he knew, but the lessons from those barracks stayed with him forever. “It made you appreciate what you had,” Todd recalled his father saying.

The 32nd Infantry Division carries deep roots in Wisconsin military history, stretching back to World War I. For Ron, serving in its reserve ranks meant joining a tradition that connected Northwoods veterans across generations.

Building More Than Businesses

Ron Nicklaus never stopped building after his military service ended. Todd describes his father as “a daydreamer” with unstoppable drive — the kind of guy who saw possibilities where others saw obstacles.

Over the decades, Ron founded three companies spanning agriculture and banking. His most notable creation, IncredibleBank, grew from Northwoods roots into a regional presence. But success never changed how he treated people.

“He saw people as if everyone was on the same plane,” Todd explained. “It didn’t matter what walk of life they came from. He said ‘they’re all individuals and deserve to be treated as individuals.’ Everyone has a story.”

That philosophy — treating the logger and the banker with equal respect — runs deep in small-town Wisconsin culture. It’s what makes communities like Tomahawk work.

A Quarter Million Reasons Why Veterans Fly Free

Ron’s most lasting impact might be the one most people never saw. He donated more than $250,000 to Never Forgotten Honor Flight, ensuring Northwoods veterans could visit their memorials in D.C. without paying a dime.

Think about what that means in counties like Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas — where median incomes hover around $52,000 and many aging veterans live on fixed incomes. A trip to Washington isn’t just expensive. For some, it’s impossible.

Honor Flight removes that barrier completely. The organization covers:

• Round-trip flights from Central Wisconsin Airport
• All meals and ground transportation in D.C.
• Guardian volunteers to assist with mobility
• Access to the Lincoln, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam memorials

Ron’s generosity kept those trips free. When he passed away, Never Forgotten dedicated their 55th mission in his honor — a tribute to the quiet banker who never forgot where he came from or who served alongside him.

“What I’ve learned is…it’s about your service. And really doing what you’re called upon to do by your country. That’s what dad did. And every single one of these veterans have done.” — Todd Nicklaus

Why Honor Flights Matter to Northwoods Communities

These aren’t just feel-good field trips. For aging veterans across northern Wisconsin, Honor Flights provide something deeper — recognition, closure, and connection.

The Northwoods has one of the highest veteran populations per capita in the state. In small towns like Tomahawk (population around 1,300), nearly everyone knows a veteran personally. Many served in Korea or Vietnam, conflicts that didn’t always receive hero’s welcomes when soldiers came home.

Honor Flight changes that narrative. When vets return to Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport, they’re greeted by hundreds of cheering neighbors, schoolkids waving flags, and fire trucks spraying water arches overhead. It’s the welcome home some never got.

Studies show these trips reduce veteran isolation and depression. For rural communities where the nearest VA hospital might be an hour away, that social connection matters as much as any medical treatment.

Carrying the Mission Forward

Todd’s tribute at the Lincoln Memorial wasn’t about finishing his father’s bucket list. It was about continuing a conversation between father and son, between one generation of veterans and the next.

When he quoted his father — “I don’t deserve this” — Todd captured the humility that defines Northwoods veterans. They don’t see themselves as heroes. They see themselves as people who answered when called, did their jobs, and came home to build better communities.

Never Forgotten Honor Flight continues flying four missions annually from Wausau, prioritizing terminally ill veterans first, then proceeding by service era. Vietnam veterans now make up a growing percentage of participants as the WWII generation passes.

The program survives entirely on donations and volunteer hours — people like Ron who understood that honoring service can’t wait. Every year delayed is another veteran who might not make it to D.C.

For families across the Northwoods watching their parents age, Todd’s journey offers a different path. If your veteran can’t make the trip, maybe you can go for them. Carry their story. Speak their name at the wall. Push that wheelchair across the memorial plaza.

Because as Todd learned standing beneath Lincoln’s marble gaze, sometimes the greatest tribute isn’t what we do for ourselves. It’s what we do to honor those who came before — and ensure their service is never forgotten.

When a late April tornado tore through Ringle, ripping apart a glass wall at Riverside Elementary School and damaging more than 140 homes, this tight-knit Northwoods community didn’t just hunker down and wait. They grabbed hammers, rearranged classrooms, and got their kids back to school in just eight days.

The elementary school, which serves over 460 students in rural Marathon County, reopened its doors on May 4th after crews worked around the clock to make temporary repairs. Principal Kevin Kampmann told families at an all-school assembly that while two fifth-grade classrooms will stay closed until summer, the building’s bones are solid.

It’s the kind of quick recovery that happens when neighbors show up for neighbors — something folks up here know a thing or two about.

Eight Days Without Classrooms

The tornado hit around April 26th, part of a severe weather system that slammed central Wisconsin with EF-1 and EF-2 winds. The twister’s narrow path left a signature mark on Ringle — snapped trees along rural roads and that dramatic glass wall blown clean out on the school’s south side.

For nearly two weeks, Riverside students traded their regular desks for makeshift learning spaces at the Greenheck Turner Community Center down the road. Teachers hauled supplies, rewrote lesson plans, and made it work.

“To be teaching in a Greenheck Turner facility, it’s an amazing facility but it’s not a classroom,” Kampmann explained. “They really had to adapt and make it work the best that we could. But it’s always good to be back to our normal surroundings, normal building and normal routines.”

What It Takes to Reopen a Storm-Damaged School

Getting 460 kids safely back into a tornado-damaged building isn’t simple. Here’s what had to happen first:

• Structural engineers confirmed no damage to the building’s frame or foundation
• Construction crews boarded and tarped the blown-out glass wall on the south side
• Two fifth-grade classrooms were relocated within the building after wind damage made their original rooms unusable
• D.C. Everest Area School District coordinated with first responders to ensure safe reopening
• Debris was cleared from playgrounds and outdoor areas

Kampmann credits the speed to everyone involved. “Everything that was damaged is something that we could repair quickly, at least temporarily. There will be more repairs that we do over the summer to get everything back to exactly where it needs to be.”

When Northwoods Communities Show Up

The response from neighboring schools and towns reminded everyone why small-town Wisconsin hits different. Nearby schools sent banners and pinwheels to let Riverside students know they weren’t forgotten during the displacement.

First responders, construction crews, and D.C. Everest staff put in long hours to minimize disruption. In a region where manufacturing jobs at places like Greenheck keep the local economy humming, getting parents back to predictable school schedules matters for everyone.

“The support from the surrounding areas and schools has been amazing,” Kampmann said, describing handmade signs and well-wishes that lined the hallways when students returned.

Over 140 homes took damage in the same storm system. Families were juggling insurance claims, roof repairs, and cleanup while trying to maintain some normalcy for their kids.

Tornadoes and the Changing Northwoods

Ringle sits in that flat stretch of Marathon County where the Wisconsin River meanders through farmland and patches of forest. It’s beautiful country, but that open terrain creates a bowling lane for severe weather.

Tornado activity across Wisconsin has crept up about 20% since 2000, according to National Weather Service data. Warmer Great Lakes water feeds more intense spring storm systems, and the Northwoods isn’t immune.

The region has seen its share of severe weather. A 2018 derecho knocked out power for thousands. EF-2 tornadoes touched down in nearby areas back in 2011. But this was the first direct hit on Riverside Elementary in the school’s history.

Marathon County Emergency Management has been working through post-storm recovery assessments, and federal aid through FEMA may help cover repair costs. For now, summer construction crews are lined up to finish what temporary fixes started.

Looking Ahead to Summer Repairs

Those two fifth-grade classrooms won’t sit empty forever. When school lets out, contractors will move in to complete the work — new glass installation, siding replacement, and whatever else needs doing to erase the tornado’s signature.

Students adapted remarkably well to the community center detour, but there’s no substitute for familiar hallways and your own desk. The quick return to routine helps kids process what happened without dwelling on what could have been worse.

In a place where logging and dairy farming built the foundation generations ago, resilience runs deep. Riverside Elementary’s story is just the latest chapter in a long tradition of Northwoods folks taking care of their own when storms roll through.

School’s back in session. The pinwheels are still spinning in the hallways. And come summer, you won’t even know a tornado came calling.

Most folks hang up their work boots by 65. Larry Rappley’s still lacing his at 93.

The Rhinelander resident fires up his log splitter before most people finish their first cup of coffee. He drives his tractor down forest trails, stacks cordwood along the roadside, and collects donations in old peanut butter jars — all while legally blind and working through the aches that come with nearly a century of living.

“All my life I’ve been working in the woods,” Rappley says. “I love logging and stuff like that.”

Ugly Sticks and Pretty Fires

Pull up along Rappley’s roadside stand east of Rhinelander and you’ll spot his hand-painted sign: “Ugly Sticks make pretty fires.”

It’s not just clever marketing. The veteran logger sees beauty in what others overlook — the twisted branches, the gnarly trunks, the wood most people leave to rot. He hauls it out, splits it down, and stacks it for anyone who needs warmth.

Those peanut butter jars sitting beside the firewood? They’ve collected over $1,000 in donations, every penny going to Northwoods Veterans Homestead, a nonprofit helping homeless veterans find their footing.

“I’m more interested in taking and cleaning the wood up rather than see it go to waste.” — Larry Rappley

As a veteran himself, Rappley knows what it means to serve and to struggle. Supporting fellow vets isn’t charity work to him — it’s what neighbors do.

A Lifetime in the Northwoods Timber

Rappley’s connection to these forests runs deeper than most trails. He’s part of the generation that kept Rhinelander’s logging heritage alive after the white pine boom faded.

While the big mills scaled back and automation changed the industry, guys like Rappley kept working the land the old way — tractor, chainsaw, and sweat. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest stretches 1.5 million acres nearby, and Rappley’s spent decades knowing its rhythms.

His granddaughter Shauna Johnson watches him work with a mix of admiration and wonder.

“My grandpa’s always been that perfect example,” she says. “The way he takes care of the land, the way he takes care of his family, the way that he helps other people. He’s selfless.”

What Keeps Him Going

Here’s what a typical day looks like for Rappley:

• Wake before sunrise and check the weather
• Drive the tractor to fallen timber or brush piles
• Run the log splitter until he’s got another cord ready
• Haul wood to the roadside stand
• Collect donations and restock as needed

The work hasn’t gotten easier. Joints complain, vision fails, and there are days the body says quit.

But Rappley’s made from different timber. “You get some aches and pains but you recoup,” he says.

It’s that Northwoods grit — the same spirit that got veterans through wars and winters, that built communities from forest clearings, that keeps folks showing up long after others would’ve stopped.

More Than Firewood

Johnson says she can only hope to “fill about a fraction of my grandpa’s boots with my little feet.”

That sentiment captures something important about Rappley’s story. He’s not just splitting wood — he’s modeling resilience for younger generations in a region where the old ways still matter.

In Oneida County, where 22% of residents are over 65 and the median age pushes 48, elders like Rappley aren’t relics. They’re teachers, showing what it means to stay useful, connected, and generous well into your golden years.

About 30% of Northwoods homes still rely on wood heat, making his firewood stand more than nostalgic. It’s practical support for neighbors trying to keep heating bills manageable through brutal Wisconsin winters.

The Legacy in the Trees

Rappley will hit 94 soon, but don’t expect him to slow down much.

The tractor still runs. The splitter still works. And there’s always more wood that needs cleaning up, more veterans who could use a hand, more reasons to keep showing up.

His story reminds us that age is just a number when you’ve got purpose and a community worth serving. Whether you’re 30 or 93, the Northwoods has a way of keeping you honest, humble, and connected to what matters.

Next time you drive past a roadside firewood stand with a hand-painted sign, think about who might be behind it. Could be someone like Larry Rappley — a neighbor who’s been working these woods longer than most of us have been alive, still finding ways to give back.

Most 18-year-olds are figuring out prom dates and college plans. Ethan Potrykus is preparing to represent the Northwoods on the world stage in Lithuania.

The Three Lakes High School senior has already competed in two World Cup Pankration championships, racking up eight gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. This June, he’ll board a plane for the 2026 World Cup Pankration Championships in Lithuania — bringing a piece of the Northwoods to an ancient martial art with roots in Greece.

It’s a journey that started right here in Eagle River, at Sixel’s Martial, Fitness and Spa, when Potrykus was just six years old.

An Ancient Sport Thriving in the Northwoods

Pankration isn’t the kind of martial art you’ll find at every strip mall dojo. This ancient Greek combat sport combines boxing, grappling, and wrestling into a single discipline that once graced the original Olympic Games.

“Once I got to know Sixel, I got more comfortable doing it and he really helped me grow as a person in this sport,” Potrykus says of his instructor, Sensei Dave Sixel.

Sixel has been teaching in the Eagle River area for decades. His facility serves as more than a training ground — it’s become a community anchor where families return generation after generation.

Three Generations, One Sensei

The Potrykus family’s connection to Sixel’s gym runs deep. Ethan’s grandfather Neal first trained under Sixel back in the 1980s. His father Jason followed the same path.

Now Ethan carries that torch forward, representing not just his family but the entire Northwoods region on international mats.

“I feel it’s a special opportunity in my life,” Sixel reflects. “I have trained quite a few students — I mean a lot! But there’s only a certain few that have stuck with it and the Potrykus family has just been amazing.”

“The tenants of the martial arts: courtesy, humility, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit; that gentleman has them all.” — Sensei Dave Sixel on Ethan Potrykus

That kind of continuity is rare anywhere, but especially meaningful in smaller Northwoods communities where personal mentorship and family traditions shape young lives in profound ways.

Building Champions Takes More Than Trophies

Potrykus earned his black belt at last year’s World Cup — a moment years in the making. But the medals and accolades aren’t what drive him.

“There is always someone better than you and I want to be in the top tier of them,” he explains. “I want to be able to compete with the best of them and I want to continue growing until I am a seven-time black belt like Sixel.”

That mindset — always improving, never satisfied — reflects the martial arts principles Sixel has instilled in him since childhood. It’s also practical wisdom for competing at the international level, where athletes from across the globe bring different training methods and cultural approaches to the mat.

For Potrykus, Pankration offers something beyond competition. “I appreciate the Pankration art as a protection tool I can use to defend myself and feel safe,” he says. Win or lose in Lithuania, that confidence and skill stays with him.

Why the Northwoods Breeds Tough Competitors

Our region has always produced athletes with grit. Maybe it’s the long winters that build mental toughness, or the outdoor culture that demands physical resilience.

Facilities like Sixel’s provide structured training opportunities in communities where youth need productive outlets and positive role models. In rural areas, these multi-use training centers become gathering places that serve far more than recreational purposes.

Here’s what makes youth martial arts programs particularly valuable in Northwoods communities:

• Year-round indoor training regardless of weather conditions
• Mentorship from instructors who know families across generations
• Competitive opportunities beyond typical high school sports offerings
• Life skills training that extends beyond physical techniques
• Community connections in areas where population is spread across wide geography

The martial arts culture in Central and Northern Wisconsin extends beyond Pankration. From Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu programs near Viroqua to traditional martial arts academies scattered throughout the region, residents have access to diverse training options that rival what you’d find in larger metro areas.

Eyes on Lithuania, Roots in Wisconsin

As June approaches, Potrykus balances senior year responsibilities with training for the biggest competition of his life so far. The 2026 World Cup Pankration Championships will test him against elite competitors who’ve dedicated their lives to the sport.

But he’s not going alone. He carries the support of his family, his sensei, and a community that’s watched him grow from a six-year-old beginner to an 18-year-old world competitor.

“I want to continue to keep competing, I want to keep growing,” Potrykus says simply. For a kid from Three Lakes heading to Lithuania, that’s the kind of determination that makes the Northwoods proud.

Whether he returns with more gold or just more experience, he’ll still be the same young man practicing in Eagle River — proving you don’t need to leave the Northwoods to reach for the world.