12/29/2025

ASHLAND - Despite Northland College’s spring 2025 closure, former faculty are forming the Northland Collaborative to save its educational mission, acknowledging the community’s desire to preserve its economic role. The Collaborative plans to launch a micro college offering a two-year, holistic, community-based program for 20-25 students. The curriculum will be discussion-based and “experiential or place-based,” utilizing the Chequamegon Bay area, drawing inspiration from models like Thoreau College which offers transferable credits. Though the closing was devastating, local staff remain and are eager to assist. The Collaborative is interested in operating on a portion of the campus, though a specific timeline requires a year of planning. For more information, go to northlandcollaborative.org

12/29/2025

PARK FALLS - The 60th annual Fifield-Park Falls Audubon Christmas Bird Count was held on the 14th, continuing a tradition started in 1965. Historically, the count has documented 77 different bird species, with a low of 17 species in 1970 and a high of 41 in 2006. Individual bird sightings ranged from 467 in 1965 to 2,612 in 2007. The 2025 count tallied 28 species and 1,242 individual birds. Seven field observers contributed 21 hours, covering 246 miles by road and two miles on foot. An additional 18 “Feeder Count” participants counted birds at their residences. This data will be published in the Price County Review, The Passenger Pigeon, and on audubon.org/bird/cbc.

BLIZZARD WARNING

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON SUNDAY TO NOON CST MONDAY...for Iron and Ashland Counties

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...for ALL Western U.P. and Northern Wisconsin Counties.

Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations between 9 and 14 inches except between 11 and 15 inches for northern and east-central Ashland County and between 14 and 18 inches for northern Iron County. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph.

Whiteout conditions are expected, mainly in the northern half of these South Shore counties, and will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening, especially along Highway 2 on the South Shore where the strongest wind gusts are expected. Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute.