#Wausau food

[wausaupilot]

Wausau committee gives nod to Westsider outdoor dining

The commission accepted planning staff’s recommendation that the “substantial burden” of harm caused by allowing the operation of the patio dining was not met at a public hearing on June 20.

Damakant Jayshi The Wausau Plan Commission on Tuesday gave a conditional approval to Westsider Diner & Lounge to operate an outdoor dining area limited to eating and drinking, with no live music planned. The new establishment at 628 North Third Ave. cannot play music outdoors, an assurance city officials received from the owner, Tyler Vogt. “We talked to Tyler and he said there won’t be any…

[newstfionline]

Friday, April 5, 2024

Vocations (WSJ) Graduating high schoolers are flocking to the trades, with the number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges up 16 percent as of last year. The percentage of students studying construction trades is up 23 percent and the percentage of those working in HVAC and vehicle maintenance is up 7 percent. Enrollment growth is vastly outpacing four-year college programs as a whole, which saw enrollments creep up a paltry 0.8 percent.

As obesity rises, Big Food and dietitians push ‘anti-diet’ advice (Washington Post) Jaye Rochon struggled to lose weight for years. But she felt as if a burden had lifted when she discovered YouTube influencers advocating “health at every size”—urging her to stop dieting and start listening to her “mental hunger.” She stopped avoiding favorite foods such as cupcakes and Nutella. “They made me feel like I was safe eating whatever the hell I wanted,” said Rochon, 51, a video editor in Wausau, Wis. In two months, she regained 50 pounds. As her weight neared 300 pounds, she began to worry about her health. The videos that Rochon encountered are part of the “anti-diet” movement, a social media juggernaut that began as an effort to combat weight stigma and an unhealthy obsession with thinness. But now global food marketers are seeking to cash in on the trend. One company in particular, General Mills, maker of Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms cereals, has launched a multipronged campaign that capitalizes on the teachings of the anti-diet movement. It has showered giveaways on registered dietitians who promote its cereals online with the hashtag #DerailTheShame, and sponsored influencers who promote its sugary snacks. The company has also enlisted a team of lobbyists and pushed back against federal policies that would add health information to food labels.

Biden Administration Presses Congress on $18 Billion Sale of F-15 Jets to Israel (NYT) The Biden administration is pressing Congress to approve a plan to sell $18 billion worth of F-15 fighter jets to Israel, as President Biden resists calls to limit U.S. arms sales to Israel over its military offensive in Gaza. The State Department recently sent an informal notice to two congressional committees to start a legislative review process for the order, a first step toward the department’s giving formal authorization for the transfer of up to 50 of the planes. The deal, which would be one of the largest U.S. arms sales to Israel in years, would also include munitions, training and other support.

At least 241 people have died in El Salvador’s prisons during the ‘war on gangs,’ rights group says (AP) At least 241 people have died in El Salvador prisons since the start of President Nayib Bukele’s “war on gangs” two years ago, according to the organization Humanitarian Legal Relief. Ingrid Escobar, director of the rights organization, said they received 500 reports of deaths in state custody, but they have confirmed about half, including two minors. In March 2022, Bukele announced a “state of exception,” waiving many constitutional rights to combat the gangs that have terrorized the Central American nation. Since then, El Salvador has arrested 80,000 people—more than 1% of the country’s population—throwing them into prison, often with little evidence of their ties to gangs and almost no access to due process. The prisons have been likened to torture chambers, with horrifying conditions.

Argentina’s Milei takes his chainsaw to the state, cutting 15,000 jobs and spurring protests (AP) Argentina said Wednesday that it had cut 15,000 state jobs as part of President Javier Milei’s aggressive campaign to slash spending, the latest in a series of painful economic measures that have put the libertarian government on a collision course with angry protesters and powerful trade unions. Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni announced the job cuts in a news conference, portraying them as key to Milei’s promised shake-up of Argentina’s bloated public sector. Hundreds of defiant employees—some notified of their termination last week and others before that—stormed their workplaces in Buenos Aires and nearby cities on Wednesday, beating drums, decrying their dismissal as unjust and demanding their reinstatement. Milei campaigned for president while brandishing a chainsaw—promising to fix Argentina’s long-troubled economy by chopping down the size of the state. However, his efforts have hiked inflation, making it even harder for struggling Argentines to make ends meet.

Pressure in UK to suspend arms sales to Israel (BBC) More than 600 legal experts, including three former UK Supreme Court judges, have called on the British government to suspend arms sales to Israel. The letter argues the exports must end to "avoid UK complicity" in potential breaches of international law, such as the Genocide Convention, citing South Africa's case against Israel at the UN International Court of Justice. Israel rejects the claim of genocide as "wholly unfounded". Scrutiny of arms sales follows the killing of seven humanitarian workers, including three British citizens, in Gaza in an Israeli strike on Monday.

After terror attack, Russia sees U.S. role (Washington Post) In the aftermath of last month’s terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue outside Moscow, Russian officials not only have blamed Ukraine but also have repeatedly accused the West of involvement—even though U.S. officials insist they gave Moscow a specific warning that the Islamic State could attack the venue. If the U.S. warning was so detailed, it raises further questions about Russia’s failure to prevent the country’s worst terrorist attack in two decades. But rather than publicly confronting questions about their own actions, Russian security officials have disregarded the claims of responsibility by the Islamic State. Instead, they have insisted that U.S. and British intelligence were involved in helping Ukraine organize the strike.

The true toll of the war in Ukraine is measured in bodies (AP) The true toll of the war in Ukraine—and the odds faced by each side—can be measured in bodies. More than half a million people have been killed or seriously injured in two years of war in Ukraine, according to Western intelligence estimates—a human toll not seen in Europe since World War II. The question of who prevails is being increasingly shaped by which side can tolerate higher losses. By that measure, Moscow has the upper hand. Russia had 3.7 times more men of fighting age than Ukraine in 2022, according to World Bank data. That means that though Russia has sustained nearly twice as many casualties as Ukraine, according to Western intelligence estimates, on a per capita basis Russia’s losses remain lower than Ukraine’s. “Manpower is another currency,” said Nick Reynolds, a research fellow at RUSI. “The Russians with their industrial base and larger manpower can expend manpower and materiel at less cost.”

People jump into the sea to escape raging ferry fire in Gulf of Thailand (AP) Panicked passengers jumped into the sea to escape a raging ferry fire in the Gulf of Thailand early Thursday, and all 108 people on board were safe. The overnight ferry from Surat Thani province was about to arrive at Koh Tao, a popular tourist destination off the Thai coast, when one of the passengers suddenly heard a crackling sound and smelled smoke. Videos showed people hurrying out of the ferry’s cabin while putting on life vests, as thick black smoke swept across the ferry. It was later engulfed in fire. Rescue boats could not get close to the ferry out of fear of explosions. A passenger said people had to jump into the sea to be rescued.

Taiwan quake: Rescue efforts complicated by aftershocks, rainfall (Washington Post) Rescue efforts resumed at dawn Thursday to try to free more than 600 people who remained trapped after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the east coast of Taiwan, as aftershocks continued to rattle the area around Hualien, the epicenter, and forecasts of rain raised concerns about more landslides. The efforts have been complicated by a large number of aftershocks—at least 324—in Hualien county, a scenic coastal region popular with tourists and hikers, and where the damage has been the heaviest. Taiwan officials said aftershocks of magnitude 6.5 to 7.0 were possible over the next three days.

World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés says Israel targeted staff in Gaza ‘car by car’ (BBC) World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder José Andrés has accused Israeli forces in Gaza of targeting his aid workers “systematically, car by car”. Monday’s strike which killed seven members of his staff was not a mistake, he said, repeating that Israeli forces had been told of their movements. WCK workers from Australia, Canada, Poland, the UK and the US were killed as well as their Palestinian colleague. Speaking to Reuters news agency on Wednesday, the Spanish-American celebrity chef said this was not a “bad luck situation where, ‘oops,’ we dropped the bomb in the wrong place”. In a separate interview with Israel’s Channel 12 news, Mr Andrés said “it was really a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by everybody at the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]”. Humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip is in doubt after WCK—a key provider of aid to the territory—suspended operations. “America is going to be sending its Navy and its military to do humanitarian work, but at the same time weapons provided by America ... are killing civilians,” Andrés said.

Gaza is going hungry. Its children could face a lifetime of harm. (Washington Post) Gaza’s children are going hungry. More than 25 have reportedly died of complications linked to malnutrition, according to the World Health Organization. Hundreds of thousands more face starvation as Israel continues its siege. Doctors and nutrition experts say the children who survive the lack of nourishment—and the ongoing bombing, infectious diseases and psychological trauma—are further condemned to face a lifetime of health woes. Malnutrition will rob them of the ability to fully develop their brains and bodies. Many will be shorter and physically weaker as a result. “At the simplest level, if you have impaired nutrition and growth, your brain stops growing,” said Zulfiqar Bhutta, a physician and the chair of global child health at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. In the short term, even less sustenance will be available for the children of Gaza: This week, an Israeli airstrike that killed seven aid workers led several assistance organizations to announce they would suspend operations.

African Elephants (CBS News) For any fans of ancient Roman history, elephant warfare is back on the menu. Unfortunately, it’s the 21st century, so no army of elephants will be marching into Europe anytime soon—instead, Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi has threatened to ship 20,000 African elephants into Germany following a public dispute between the two countries over elephant conservation. It all started earlier this year when Germany announced plans to restrict imports of hunting trophies from Africa. Botswana, which is home to around one-third of the world’s elephant population, quickly objected to the decision because Germany is one of the biggest hunting trophy importers in the world. Botswana has long struggled with its elephant populations, as overpopulation can bring the giant animals into conflict with people. Annual quotas for trophy hunting can be used to control populations while also providing much-needed economic support for local communities, but Western conservationists are more concerned about protecting the vulnerable animals. Masisi said it was easy for German ministers to call for conservation without “elephants in their backyard,” but added that he was “willing to change that.”

[queerworldtravelers]

Wisconsin

42°30' N to 47°3' N and 86°49' W to 92°54' W

Getting older means realizing that if you see the people you love once a year, if you're lucky, you might get to see them 20 or 30 more times in your life. Time is the only currency we have that we can never get back or make more of, so we spend it wisely. On our way across the United States we decided to spend a lot of time with our loved ones. This is a wild decision after spending a year outside of the country as we returned completely different people with wildly altered world views. Crashing back into old familiar guest rooms and sitting at well-known dinner tables helped us to see just how far our wings have spread. It also helped us to see with a startling clarity just how much we have changed. 

After adventuring north with Sara and Aaron, Krystal’s mom picked us up at the Dollar General in St. Germain. We spent the afternoon in beach chairs soaking up the lake for a few more minutes before heading to the Upper Peninsula.

As we all grow older and wiser we have started a tradition of heading to a small cabin on the shores of Lake Superior in the old copper mining port town of Ontonagon. If you have never been to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan we recommend heading that way after the snow melts and after the black flies die off. The rivers casually flow through ancient carved beds, with water stained by the tannins of tree leaves. Lake Superior is the deepest of the Great Lakes and her shores are studded with agates, driftwood, and the crisp air from far northern lands. The western shores of the Upper Peninsula are also home to volcanic rocks named Yooper lights. The presence of sodalite, a fluorescent mineral in the rocks, shines brightly under UV light. We shared the magic lore of the rocks with dear little ones in Hawaiʻi and spent our days on a mission to find some to share. Armed with rudimentary tools and unshakable spirits we totally found a few!

There isn’t a ton to do in Ontonagon, so it is best to space things out. This visit we made a stop at the preserved Old Victoria mining village. A hardy woman of Finnish descent guided us through the straw beds, working phonograph, a wood-fired sauna, and stories of lives lived in the cold and relentless work of copper mining. We missed fresh-baked cinnamon buns in the wood hearth by a week!

The rest of our days were spent reading on the beach, meandering through the forest, and eating great food. We had a grill and were gifted three giant porterhouse steaks. Wow! We also picked up a $1 puzzle at the thrift store and it proved to be really hard. After three weeks of working on it every morning we were able to finish it and it was only missing one piece, which we are sure is on the floor at the cabin. We also did an enormous amount of mushroom hunting and collected chanterelles, hedgehogs, and an abundance of lobster mushrooms. If ever in Iron Mountain we recommend finding Mushroom Matt for a download of epic mycelial knowledge.

From the Upper Peninsula we headed to the booming metropolis of Wausau to spend a few days with Krystal’s aunt Angie, Mark, and their dog who we like to call Muffuletta. Sharing stories of family memories and spending time poolside with cousins made the time speed right past. Aunty Angie was able to share pictures of Krystal’s dad when he was little and added more details to the tapestry of the family history.

We headed farther down state to spend some time with Krystal’s dad. Serendipitously, Aunty Lee was also in town from Oklahoma. Mary suggested photos and everyone agreed!

Our days in the forest of Montello were punctuated with grilled turkey, millions of hummingbirds, and really epic Amish produce. We squared away the guest room, so if anyone is headed to stay things should be a little more cozy. Krystal was able to go with her Aunt Joyce to the Red Granite Correctional facility to spend some time with her older brother. Mary also interviewed Krystal’s dad! We thought the second edition of the family video was ready to roll out, and now we have so much more to add! Dennis and Sandy drove us to Madison for the next leg of the adventure.

In Madison we spent the night at the Governor’s Mansion Inn which was a total score and highly recommended for your midwest lodging needs. We needed a few beers and, we didn’t know it, also some poutine! The capital is gorgeous and easy to navigate on foot thanks to the University.

The next morning found Krystal digging through the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives. She unearthed old records for the orphanage where her father was raised that looked eerily similar to the records we found in Palermo for the institute her great grandmother was abandoned at. At the end of the day we are all connected in patterns and ways that are super haunting and logical if we are brave enough to look.

We took the Badger Bus from Madison to Milwaukee and it totally rocked. The agenda in Milwaukee quickly filled up with really wonderful adventures that included visiting the grave sites of Krystal’s Sicilian family; a lovely lunch with Ginger, a second cousin; and meeting up with Aunty Teddy, Krystal’s grand aunt. While in Milwaukee we rented a car from the Enterprise on Wisconsin Ave. in downtown Milwaukee and it was the absolute BEST rental car agency either of us has ever had the fortune of engaging with. We actually look forward to returning and doing business with them again in the future. No joke.

In the middle of it all was our one year wedding anniversary! To celebrate we headed to a free kayak rental stand on the shores of the Horicon Marsh just after sunrise. We were pleasantly surprised to find a seaworthy tandem kayak, life vests, paddles, and an accessible boat launch. The boat launch was epic! Seriously. We set the boat down, sat in, and rolled it off into the marsh. We had a blast spending some time on the water celebrating a whirlwind of a year.

We made our way to the Intermodal Station and secured two $25 tickets on the Amtrak from Milwaukee to Chicago. We are grateful for the train, but wow does the US have a long way to go in upgrading infrastructure! A clunky bump down the tracks at sunset put us back at Sara and Aaron’s house just in time for some homemade Panang curry. They are seriously the absolute best friends in the whole world. The next morning found us trundling through O’Hare at the crack of dawn for a direct flight to SFO. Next stop: California!

[chchchchelsea]

Craft Breweries and Wineries  Things to Do in Wausau

Indulge your senses in Wausau's vibrant craft brewery and winery scene. Explore local flavours and artisanal craftsmanship as you sip on finely brewed beers and sample exquisite wines. From cosy tasting rooms to sprawling vineyards, Wausau offers a diverse array of options for every palate. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of flavours and aromas as you discover the unique character and charm of each brewery and winery in this charming Wisconsin city.

Craft Brewery Tours and Tastings Things to Do in Wausau

Embark on a flavorful journey through Things to Do in Wausau thriving craft brewery scene. Join guided brewery tours to learn about the brewing process while sampling a diverse selection of handcrafted beers. From hoppy IPAs to rich stouts, there's something to satisfy every beer lover's palate. Sit back, relax, and soak in the laid-back ambiance of local breweries as you indulge in refreshing brews and lively conversation.

Wine Tasting Adventures of  Things to Do in Wausau

Savour the sophistication of Wausau's wineries with guided wine tasting experiences. Explore vineyards nestled in the picturesque countryside, where you can stroll through rows of grapevines and learn about the art of winemaking from knowledgeable vintners. Sample an array of varietals, from crisp whites to robust reds, and discover the unique terroir of the region with each sip.

Brewery and Winery Events of Things to Do in Wausau

Immerse yourself in Wausau's vibrant brewery and winery culture by attending special events and tastings. From beer festivals featuring local breweries to wine pairing dinners at elegant vineyards, there's always something exciting happening in Wausau's craft beverage scene. Gather with fellow enthusiasts to celebrate the craft and camaraderie of brewing and winemaking in this lively city.

Food and Drink Pairings of Things to Do in Wausau

Elevate your culinary experience in Wausau with expertly crafted food and drink pairings. Many local breweries and wineries offer tasting menus that highlight the complementary flavours of their beverages alongside delectable cuisine. From artisanal cheese boards to gourmet small plates, indulge in a symphony of flavours that perfectly complement the complexity of craft beer and wine.

Live Music and Entertainment of Things to Do in Wausau

Experience the vibrant atmosphere of Wausau's craft beverage establishments with live music and entertainment. Many breweries and wineries host regular performances by local musicians, creating the perfect backdrop for an evening of relaxation and revelry. Sip on your favourite libations as you tap your toes to the rhythm of live music, making memories that will last a lifetime.

Brewery and Winery Tours of Things to Do in Wausau

Discover the secrets behind Wausau's craft beer and wine production with immersive brewery and winery tours. Go behind the scenes to learn about the intricacies of brewing and winemaking, from sourcing the finest ingredients to fermentation and ageing processes. Guided tours offer a fascinating glimpse into the craftsmanship and passion that goes into creating each bottle of beer and wine.

Unique Tasting Experiences of Things to Do in Wausau

Expand your palate and embark on a journey of exploration with unique tasting experiences in Wausau. From barrel-aged beers to limited-release wines, discover rare and exclusive offerings that you won't find anywhere else. Engage with knowledgeable staff who will guide you through tasting flights and provide insights into the flavour profiles and characteristics of each beverage, making for a memorable and educational experience.

Conclusion

exploring the craft breweries and wineries in Wausau offers a delightful blend of flavours, experiences, and community engagement. From guided tours to tasting events, there's no shortage of ways to immerse yourself in the vibrant beverage culture of this charming city. Whether you're a beer enthusiast or a wine connoisseur, Wausau's craft beverage scene has something to offer for everyone. Soak in the laid-back atmosphere, savour the artisanal craftsmanship, and indulge in the rich tapestry of flavours that define Wausau's brewing and winemaking traditions. Plan your next adventure and discover the countless things to do in Wausau, where every sip tells a story of passion, creativity, and local pride.

[wausaucoupons]

Food & Drink Coupons in Wausau

http://dlvr.it/SvVB0Z

[yesterdaysprint]

Wausau Daily Herald, Wisconsin, June 3, 1922

[watermelonlipstick]

Dreams, Chapter 18

If you haven’t read this series before, you might want to start on Chapter 1, or check out the Dreams Masterlist! Here’s the series description:

When Dean dies for good leaving Sam and his girlfriend (the reader) behind, they must figure out how to carry on without him. Alone, reeling, and unsure what to do next, trying to honor Dean’s memory and follow their hearts gets even more complicated when their nightmares become dreams that feel a little too real.

Title: Dreams, Chapter 18

Pairing: (past) Dean Winchester x Reader, (eventual) Sam Winchester x Reader

Word Count: 4326

Summary: Dean gets a better sense of what Sam and the reader’s new life is like.

Warnings: FLUFF, swearing

           Barbie opens the door with an honest to god plate of pigs in a blanket as though she just had them going and you have to remind yourself you’re in a dream. “What a nice surprise! Come in, come in. And who’s this?” she asks, hugging Sam with one arm while holding onto the plate and offering for you to take one. It’s as buttery and salty as you ever could’ve hoped.

           “This is, uh, this is my brother Dean.”

           “Well hello, Dean! What a handsome pair you two are.” She offers the plate to the brothers. Dean grabs two with a pincher, tossing both in his mouth. Sam politely takes one as Barbie yells over her shoulder. “Mike, we have company!” She motions for you three to follow her into the house and Sam has to practically clothesline his brother to get him to take his shoes off before he trails blindly after the plate full of sausage.

           Mike stands up from one of those leather armchairs, folding back the magazine he’s reading to greet Sam with a bear hug. “This is my brother Dean,” Sam offers as Mike hugs you with decidedly gentler back pats than he had for Sam. Dean holds his hand out as if to shake but Mike curves his big paws around Dean’s shoulders and pulls him in for a hug with enough force that Dean almost falls into him.

           “You didn’t say anything about a brother!” he bellows to Sam over Dean’s shoulder.

           Sam and you both freeze, and you can only speak for yourself but you suspect Sam is also worried Dean will be upset to hear that. Instead, finally released from Mike’s binding embrace, Dean rocks back to holding up his own weight with a big smile. “Crazy private, these two, right? You’d think they were in the witness protection program.” For another second you’re worried about how you’ll do damage control, how you’ll talk to them about Dean after this, and then you remember this isn’t actually Mike and Barbie, they won’t actually remember anything.

           Mike leans into Dean conspiratorially. “You can say that again. Now, what can I get you three to drink?”

           “Whatever you’re having works for me, sir,” Dean answers, charming as ever with his most clean-cut smile.

           “You’re going to regret saying that,” Mike laughs, heading over to the kitchen where Barbie is fiddling with something in the oven. He fills a row of pint glasses with dark beer out of a growler you know is the extremely strong beer he brews himself and hands one to his wife with a kiss on her cheek, motions for you and the Winchesters to each take one. “To a pleasant surprise and finding out there’s another man in the world like Sam.”

           “I think you mean another man like me,” Dean says cheerfully as you all clink your glasses together.

           “So you’re older?” Barbie asks, handing Sam a stack of plates to go make the table with.

           “Four years, yeah. It was easier to tell when I had a foot on him.” Dean reaches up to ruffle his baby brother’s hair, and Sam generously waits a half-second before swatting his hand away with a sheepish flush.

           “A foot? Really? I wouldn’t have thought anyone would ever have had a foot on this behemoth,” Mike laughs, catching Sam with a jokey punch to his bicep when he comes back for silverware.

           “Oh, yeah. Sam was a little squirt until he was like 17.” Dean continues.

           “How’s Luke’s basketball team doing?” Sam asks, color rising in his cheeks and desperate to have the focus shifted off of himself.

           Barbie grants his wish with a knowing smile. “Going to the playoffs! He’s very excited.” She hands Sam a huge bowl of salad to carry to the table and takes out a hot casserole dish from the oven.

           “They do playoffs for middle school?” you ask, about to trail into the dining room after Barbie with Sam and Mike like a chain of ducklings. Dean stops you with a hand on your arm.

           “It’s going to make it weird if you’re not yourself with him,” he mutters, low so the Kaisers and Sam won’t hear. “I’m okay, kid, I promise. This is…awesome, but I know you’re holding back. You don’t have to.”

           “What’re you talking about?”

           “You touched Sam more when I was topside and we were together. You’d think he has leprosy the way you’re dodging him now.”

           “Dean, we’re always going to be togeth—”

           He rolls his eyes in frustration. “Okay, fine, yeah, we’re together now. But you know what I mean.”

           You bite your lip. “I thought they’re just my mind’s projections, who cares if they think it’s weird.”

           “Babe.” He holds firm, his gaze steady.

           “Jesus, Dean, it is weird, okay? The whole thing is bizarre!” Your whisper has turned into a bit of a hiss and he glances to the dining room to make sure you haven’t caught anyone’s attention.

           He wraps his fingers around your hand and swipes an arc into it, looking down as he does. “I know it is, I’m sorry. Can you try, just a little bit? The whole thing is only going to get less awkward if we keep at it.”

           “Fine, yeah. I’ll try.”

           Dean holds your eyes for a moment, not seeming to buy it, before staring back at his feet. “For you it’s a dream but this—this is the closest I’m going to get; to being part of your lives. I just—I just kinda want it to be as close as it can be, you know? If you’re acting different then it’s not really—”

           “Understood.” You swallow hard against the lump forming in your throat, willing it to dissolve, not about to keep feeling sorry for yourself when he’s clearly putting so much aside to be present.

           Too quickly for you to react Dean lifts your hand to his lips, and the warmth of the kiss on your skin sends a shudder through you. He follows you into the dining room, where Sam and the Kaisers are about to sit down. You grab the seat next to Sam, leaving the head of the table opposite Barbie for Dean as the new guest.

           “You okay?” Sam asks, quietly enough you’re sure you’re the only one who can hear it.

           You squeeze his thigh reassuringly under the table. “Yeah, definitely.”

           Dean catches your eyes to give you a meaningful look that makes you swallow again, and before you can think about it you’re sliding your hand around Sam’s neck, looping him down to kiss him on the cheek. Sam’s cheeks flush pink as the corner of his mouth tries to tug into a smile and it’s so impossibly cute that you’re not faking your subsequent smile for Dean’s sake.

           Both Barbie and Dean smirk thoughtfully at the two of you before pretending to be engrossed in the salad she’s passing to him. “So, Dean! We heard your families were friends before these two got together; was it one of those things that you always knew was going to happen?”

           Sam chokes on a sip of beer, trying his best to cough with his mouth closed to keep the sputtering to a minimum. You think you’re probably the only one who catches the flair of joyful ribbing behind Dean’s eyes as he pretends to be concerned.

           “Aw, I remember my first drink. All good over there, Sammy?”

           His little brother strains to stop, his voice sounding as rough and cracked as if he’d spent 50 days breathing sand. “Yep. Wrong pipe, sorry.” He gives a closed-mouth smile of reassurance to his hosts that makes him look like a kid.

           Dean turns to Barbie, smile smooth and charming as anything. “You know, it’s funny you ask that. When we were younger, I was the one with the crush on her.”

           You probably should’ve guessed Dean would pull some kind of jokey shit like this but you’re still thankful that the Winchesters aren’t sitting close enough to kick each other’s legs under the table. As it is, you give a grin you hope seems warm and not tense.

           Mike finishes chewing a huge bite and nudges Dean’s arm with his elbow playfully. “I hope there’s no jealousy there.”

           “Ah, you know how it is. You grow up, things happen.” And if that isn’t the damn understatement of the century. “Couldn’t ask for a better girl to take care of my baby bro.”

           “Well I think that’s pretty damn sweet. Barb’s sister hated me until I drove to Wausau on Thanksgiving Day to change a blown-out tire for her. We’d already been married six years!”

           Barbie rolls her eyes across the table at Sam, mouthing “not true,” with an easy smile.  

           “I think that’s worth a drink,” Mike emphasizes, raising his beer. “To the best girl for—what’d you call him? Somehow I can’t imagine He-Man over here ever being a ‘Sammy.’”

           You raise your own drink with everyone else and Dean catches your eye with an iridescent twinkle as he repeats the toast. “To the best girl.”

           The rest of dinner is the exact emotional and literal comfort food you always get from the Kaisers, a respite from the world in the best way. As you had suspected he would, Dean gets along perfectly with them, falling into a good-natured ribbing of Sam borne of admiration with Mike and charming Barbie within an inch of her life. Dean tells stories about Sam as a little kid that you know are really far more embarrassing than the version he shares, and hearing Dean edit to idealize Sam for the Kaisers even as an eight year old makes you want to melt into the floor.

           You pretend to be tired too early in the evening, feeling selfish and wanting the boys all for yourself. Being handed a Tupperware of leftovers reminds you this isn’t real; the futility of carrying them a flash in the evening that you’ve otherwise forgotten won’t last.

           Standing in the doorway, Sam’s already on the porch when Barbie stops Dean as he’s following you out. Quietly, trying for privacy, she says to him, “Honey, I am so glad we got to meet you. We worry about these two being all by themselves, but knowing they’ve got you looking out for them is going to help me sleep a little more soundly tonight.”

           Dean covers her hand where she has his arm and looks at her with soft doe eyes. “You have no idea how much I could say the same to you.”

           They hug for a beat longer than necessary and then Dean’s right at your side, trailing after Sam’s long legs down the road to your cabin.

           It’s hard not to think it’s purposeful, Sam going ahead to let you walk with Dean on the way back. Dean flicks a side of his jacket away from his body and you slide in there like you always did, warmed by the pre-contained heat coming off of him and giggling when he kisses the top of your head. “Man, I guess some things never change,” he murmurs, breath spilling over your hair. “You even move to the damn arctic and still don’t get any warmer coats.”

           He’s feeding you the intro to an old script but you don’t have the heart to tease back, just snuggling up to him and walking to the cabin together feeling the familiar way the muscles in Dean’s side move against you as he does. Sam doesn’t even look back and it’s so unlike him not to check that you’re there that then you know definitively he’s giving you a moment together. “I miss you, baby.”

           “Kid, I’m right here.”

           You peer up at him. “Don’t be a dick.”

           He glances down at you bundled against him. “I miss you too. But I see you guys all the time; it’s like nothing changed.”

           The reflex to laugh bitterly doesn’t fit the moment but you can’t stop it. “Right. My mistake.”

           His jaw muscles tighten to a ball for a whisper of a beat. “I need you to fucking work with me here, babe. I know this is not ideal but it’s so much more than anyone else gets and I gotta be honest, you’re being kind of a bitch about it.” You kick your eyebrows up on your forehead, both disbelieving and challenging. Dean realizes the mistake borne of his frustration immediately. “Not a bitch, that’s not what I mean, sorry. A baby. You’re being a baby.”

           “A baby?”

           He stops you both. Sam’s already about halfway up the driveway. “Listen, I know that you’re—I don’t know, mad. At me for not being here, the way things happened, whatever. But it’s done. It’s over. No one else in the fucking world gets this, gets to have it both ways, visit like I’m just a town away. You get to see me, I get to see you guys, pretty much whenever we want.”

           A few tears start collecting in the wells of your eyelids, indignance or grief or both. You try to blink them back but when one falls, lightning fast and stupid like Wil E. Coyote running out over the edge of a cliff, Dean brushes it away with a swipe of his thumb. “I get it. I miss you too, all the fucking time. I miss the way things could’ve been; I miss shit I didn’t even have, you know? I miss this fucking cabin, believe it or not—I—we all could’ve lived in a cabin like this together. We—maybe we could have had kids or something, couple of little girls to braid Uncle Sammy’s hair, the fuck do I know? But at some point I had to accept what I do have, and you do too.”

           You look over his shoulder, not wanting to meet Dean’s eyes or the truth that’s there. He’s right, but that doesn’t make the bottomless pit of greed for more of him go away. “Sam’s going to be waiting for us.”

           “Don’t deflect. It doesn’t have to be this second, but you have to get good with this. Today—tonight, whatever—was pretty damn near perfect and you’re upset because you want something that doesn’t exist.” He flicks his gaze up the driveway to confirm it’s empty; Sam’s already inside. His jaw is still tight but his eyes are tender and fuzzy, the same way he looks when he’s tired. When they lock onto yours, you can feel them sear straight into you, heating you up slow like an Easy Bake oven. “But right now you’re going to kiss me like it’s the first time. Then we’re going to head in, and you’re going to act like I know you’ve been with Sammy, sappy freaks that you both are, I’m going to have a few drinks with my brother, and we’ll tell the same stupid stories you’ve heard a hundred times.”

           That’s finally enough to make you chuckle and you venture an arm out of the protective embrace he has on you to take his chin in your hand, thumb on that perfect indent as you catch Dean’s lips with yours. It’s soft and delicate, a thank you and a reminder and a memory at once. His lashes catch a shadow when he opens his eyes, and you hold them for a long second. “I thought you said like our first kiss—you didn’t even try to jam your tongue down my throat.”

           Dean rolls his eyes through a smile and a part of your mind flares with victory knowing you’ve made it past the bramble patch of emotion. “I was like twenty, can’t blame a guy for trying. You couldn’t have been that mad; you still let me get under your shirt the next day.”

           You laugh hard, letting it ring out along the driveway as you tug Dean to the house with your fingers interlinked in his.

           Sam is pouring a few fingers of bourbon into three little juice glasses when you walk in, and you grab one right off the counter without breaking your stride, tossing it back and offering it to Sam. “Hit me.”

           He smirks and obliges as you slide a hand to his lower back. There’s a half beat of hesitation before he leans back that inch or two into your palm like he always does, but what’s more important in that moment is that he still does, and without flushing. Sam and Dean both grab their glasses and you don’t remember the last time you’ve done this many toasts in a night that weren’t at the bar following a Packers win.

           “To you two morons finally figuring this shit out,” Dean says, raising his glass.

           “Yeah, whatever,” Sam grins. For a beat you can see in his eyes the unbridled admiration he has for his brother, the complete devotion and deep grain of grief he’ll never be free of even if he can see Dean like this every day for the rest of forever. You wonder if you had truly realized the way it flared in his eyes before everything. All three of you sip at your whiskeys together, and you have to fight to keep your mouth closed through a petite yawn.

           Sam tucks a stray piece of hair behind your ear and lets you lean into the wall of his body, wrap your hand around to his side. His hand moves to envelop your shoulder, thumb swiping absentmindedly back and forth. It’s nothing, genuinely less physical affection than you used to show Sam most of the time when you and Dean were two halves of a living couple like he’d pointed out to you earlier, but the most important thing is that it feels okay. More than anything it feels like being at the bar, the ‘aren’t they so cute’ on Dean’s face the same one that you get at work only made different by how much you wish you were somehow able to tuck up under Dean’s arm at the same time.

           A couple drinks and a while later you’re sprawled on the couch, head laid back on the armrest. One foot is tucked under Sam’s thigh where he sits next to you and one rests on top of his lap, a large, warm palm gently wrapped around your shin. The living room—area in the non-bedroom-or-bathroom-space in the cabin where you’ve put a couch, armchair, and rocking chair you’ve grown fond of, really—is small enough that Dean’s knees, extended and one crossed over the other where his feet are on the coffee table, are right by your shoulder, absentminded slow rocking of the maple chair he’s on not quite matching the pace of the hand he has playing with your hair. You’re close to drifting off, and isn’t that weird, that you would get sleepy in a dream, but listening to Sam and Dean is so relaxing. They’re talking about the few weeks they stayed in Bar Harbor as kids, running around Acadia National Park like it was their own personal playground and swimming in freezing cold Atlantic waters, creating all kinds of imaginary games in spite of even Sam being maybe a touch too old for it, by then.

           It’s warm; Sam has put a couple logs on the fireplace, trying to hide how eager he is to show his brother all the repairs he’s done to the cabin. More than that, you realize suddenly, it finally feels like home, Dean’s appraisal the baptism that it needed to make you feel safe enough here to approach sleep so casually without Sam’s body as physical protection. Dean’s hand wraps around to cradle your head and he leans over to whisper in your ear. “It’s okay, you can fall asleep.”

           You shake your head loose of a little of the drowsiness. “No, I—we’re in my head, it’ll be over if I—” you murmur, waking up even more as you talk.

           Sam’s hand moves up and down your shin reassuringly. “It’s okay. We have a greenhouse filled with dream root now, we can come back all the time.”

           “Well, not all the time,” Dean amends. “You guys have to get out there, not become sleep junkies. Once, twice a month or something.”

           “Oh good, a standing appointment. Like the dentist,” you say, rolling your eyes around a bitter smirk and killing the rest of your drink. Sam smiles softly and looks up at Dean, silently willing him to be the one to argue with you.

           Dean takes the bait, sliding his hand out of your hair to prop his elbows on his knees. You sit up straighter to be able to fully see his face.

           “Babe, come on, don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Sam and I have seen what happens to people who get hooked on this shit, take it every day. It’s a risk to do it even every couple weeks.”

           “You haven’t even explained to me how this works—do I have to decide to wake up or will it happen by itself?”

           “It’ll be a natural transition if you don’t consciously decide to,” Sam offers, voice quiet and smooth like you’re some victim’s family member he’s trying to soothe. You let him do it, stop yourself from rankling defensively and appreciate for a second how nice it sounds, how comforting it really is. “Most likely it’ll get easier to control it with a little practice, but I think Dean’s right, if you go to sleep that’ll probably do it a little more, uh, gently.”

           Sam’s eyes reflect the firelight as they do every time he sits in that spot on the couch. He looks warm, looks calm and whole. You can see right away that he needs you to be the one who’s struggling to let go—maybe partly for Dean, who’s eviscerated every time he sees his brother hurt and has always been, but also for himself, for the way he’s telling himself this is enough. Though you were the one who’d threatened Dean, Sam had undoubtedly gotten closer to following through—following Dean—both actively and passively. You loved Dean, but Sam in many ways was Dean, just like Dean was Sam. Inextricable in the parts that really counted and that was the point, why you would’ve mainlined dream root swamp ass tea until you withered away like a rat choosing a pleasure button over food to see them both. They were each perfect alone, Sam and Dean—different and perfect—but together they were the sun and the moon, the entire universe inside one Impala.

           It’s easy to let him have it. Sam deserves so much more than this small mercy and you are struggling, want desperately to have been put in some kind of coma together in this little play-pretend world where the food’s always exactly what you want and the time passes inconsequentially if at all.

           You wipe a tear off your cheek that you hadn’t felt fall, can tell before you open your mouth that your voice is going to falter. “Couple weeks, right? You promise?” Sam and Dean nod in tandem and you try to drink up every drop of it, try to ignore the shade of sad-desperate behind both of their eyes. “And it’s going to be the same? No one’s going to like, forget or anything? Is this like Groundhog Day where you’ll have to be re-introduced to Barbie and Mike every time?”

           Dean’s eyebrows screw up in thoughtful empathy. “Pretty uncharted territory here, kid. I hope not, but I don’t want to promise you something I can’t deliver.”

           Sam reaches over to take your hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. “It’ll still be us, though. That’s the important part, right?”

           You nod tightly, feeling small and stupid ironically like a kid trying to fight off bedtime. It hangs in the air for a beat.

           “Catch you losers later, I guess,” Dean smirks, standing up and offering you a hand. Like he’s heading to his house on the other side of the block you reach up for a hug, only momentarily surprised when Dean foregoes the hug to slip a strong hand into your hair, cradling your face for a kiss that’s somehow bruising and tender as he presses your lower back to weld yourself to him. The feeling of his lips steals the breath from your lungs and you barely have the presence of mind to realize you’re blushing, getting dangerously close to making out just a step away from Sam. Dean, cocky asshole that he is, winks at you as he draws back.

           When you turn back to Sam, he’s—he’s rolling his eyes through a smile. With a start you realize it’s exactly the same long-suffering playful tolerance he’d have catching you stealing a kiss during a case and that thought alone is a buoy as Dean pulls Sam down to tuck into his arms, that same eternally-little-brother hug that has always made you smile. You look down at your feet, giving them a second to share a few of those ever-indecipherable looks.

           “Do you guys want to just stay out here maybe? I can ‘go to sleep’ or whatever in the other room? Feels a little weird to just sit here and have you both staring at me,” you offer with air quotes.

           Sam’s eyes are earnest and reassuring when he meets yours. “Whatever makes you most comfortable. Do you want me to, ah, also…?” He tosses a casual thumb over his shoulder to the bedroom.

           “I’ll be okay, I think. Thanks, though.” You rock back on your feet awkwardly. “Um, goodnight, I guess.”

           “See you soon, babe,” Dean says, and it’s not hard to see the sweetness under the casual affect he’s trying on.

           “See you both soon. Love you, morons.”

           You don’t remember falling asleep, but then you wouldn’t, because in reality you’re waking up.

-

Continue to Dreams, Chapter 19

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Marathon County restaurant health inspections this month

Curious if your favorite spot made the grade? Check out the latest health inspection results for local bars and eateries in Wausau and Marathon County:

Wausau Pilot & Review Monthly, Wausau Pilot publishes the results of health inspections at local bars and restaurants. When interpreting these results, it is important to note that there is a wide range of severity in health regulations. Many, if not most, violations are minor, ranging from cracked floor tiles to boxes improperly stored in a kitchen area. These types of violations are noted, but…

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When you're having a bad day and feeling shitty as hell cause you're sick and have your period, and your husband puts on your favorite movie for you and goes to make you food 🥺🥺🥰🥰🥰 (at Wausau, Wisconsin) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWG2E80LBAP/?utm_medium=tumblr

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#rothschild #wisconsin - Oct. 30

Join us on Halloween for WEMSA's Halloween Party & EMS Memorial Fundraiser at the Bull Falls Harley-Davidson of Wausau where all proceeds go towards the EMS Memorial Fund.

We will have raffles, a silent auction, an amazing band SlabBand, beer, local food trucks and more!

Support EMS and our WEMSA Foundation to raise money to build the EMS Memorial Monument at the Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial located in Wisconsin Rapids, WI.

If you can't attend, consider donating directly towards this cause here: https://www.wemsafoundation.org/donate

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Smile, it's contagious. #Happiness #SaturdayMotivation #SaturdayMorning #relax #Wausau #BeHappy (at Abbyland Foods, Inc)

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13,000 School Districts, 13,000 Approaches to Teaching During Covid

Jan. 21, 2021

Leer en español

What does it mean to go to public school in the United States during the pandemic?

The answer looks so different in different parts of the country, it is hard to tell that we are one nation.

In some rural and suburban areas, especially in the South, Midwest and Great Plains, almost all students began the 2020-21 academic year attending school in person, and they have continued to do so, except for temporary closures during outbreaks.

In many cities, the bulk of students haven’t been in a classroom since March. And in some districts, like New York City, only younger students have the option of going to school in person, with many attending only part-time.

With little guidance from the federal government, the nation’s 13,000 districts have largely come up with their own standards for when it is safe to open schools and what virus mitigation measures to use. Those decisions have often been based as much on politics as on public health data.

Through all of this, there has been no official accounting of how many American students are attending school in person or virtually. We don’t know precisely how many remote students are not receiving any live instruction, or how many students have not logged into their classes all year. Nor has the federal government tracked how many coronavirus cases have been identified in schools or which mitigation methods districts are using.

While it is clear that many students learning remotely are falling behind, few districts have comprehensively assessed where their students are, and what skills they have and have not learned since schools across the country closed last March. As a result, we don’t know what approaches to remote instruction have worked or failed.

But some of the early data is deeply troubling. In Houston, the nation’s seventh-largest public school district, which began the year remotely, 42 percent of students received at least one F in the first grading period in the fall, compared with 26 percent in the fall of 2019.

In the Saint Paul Public Schools in Minnesota, where nearly all students have been learning remotely since the start of this school year, 32 percent of grades given in high school core courses in the first quarter were failing marks, up from 12 percent the year before.

And Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, where classes were virtual all fall, found that the percentage of middle and high school students who failed two or more classes in the first quarter increased 83 percent from the first quarter of the previous year. The increase was even greater among students with disabilities and students learning English.

The disruption of education, like so much else about the pandemic, has not affected everyone equally. Districts serving high percentages of nonwhite or poor students were significantly more likely to remain fully remote this fall than other districts.

For many of the students who have not set foot in school since March, in-person education also represents a critical safety net — a source of food and other basic necessities, a place with caring adults who will notice signs of abuse or neglect — from which they are now cut off.

And the limited data from assessments and grades this fall suggest that disadvantaged students have lost the most ground during months of remote learning.

“Lower-income kids, kids of color, kids with unique needs like those who have a disability or other challenges — the numbers look very, very bad,” said Robin Lake, the director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a research and policy organization based at the University of Washington Bothell.

Students are not suffering just academically. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that the proportion of mental-health-related visits among all visits to emergency rooms by children 5 to 17 years old increased significantly from April to October, compared with those months in 2019.

To give readers a sense of the varying ways the pandemic has affected students, families, teachers and school staff, The New York Times has profiled seven districts across the country, looking at how each responded in differing ways to the challenges of educating children in the pandemic.

Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest, has operated remotely all fall, citing the city’s high rate of virus transmission. With cases still very high and hospitals overwhelmed, it seems unlikely that the district, where most students are Latino, will return to in-person learning anytime soon.

Cherokee County, Ga., a mostly white suburban district, offered in-person instruction all fall, though several of its schools switched to remote learning temporarily because of outbreaks, and the entire district was closed for at least two weeks following winter break as staffing shortages mounted. Wausau, Wis., a small, majority-white district in a state that found itself one of the worst virus hot spots for a period in the fall, vacillated between in-person and remote instruction.

In the District of Columbia Public Schools, a majority Black district, we followed efforts to re-engage students during a semester of all-remote instruction. In Providence, R.I., the governor’s push for schools to open allowed its mostly Hispanic students to come back to class, unlike in other Northeastern cities, even as the state experienced a dangerous new surge.

Roosevelt Independent School District, a tiny, rural, mostly Latino district in West Texas, made the fraught decision to require all students to return to school in person to combat a wave of academic failures. Edison, N.J., a large suburban district where a majority of the students are Asian, has struggled to make hybrid education work.

Although education experts still have only a cloudy understanding of the impact of the coronavirus on learning, they have gained some clarity about the conditions under which schools can open safely.

Evidence has increased that schools, particularly elementary schools, are unlikely to seed transmission when community spread is at moderate or low levels — provided they use mitigation strategies, including mask requirements, social distancing and good ventilation.

But in places where the virus has surged, officials say they have seen more transmission in schools, especially in higher grades. High school sports have been a particular source of infections, leading some states to suspend them, outraging many parents.

The increasing evidence that some schools could operate safely was good news for districts where students were faltering under remote learning. Unfortunately, it emerged just as a new wave of infections picked up and then quickly engulfed the country late last year and into the new one.

Many superintendents have watched the rising cases with anguish, as they saw their hopes of bringing more students back to school in the near future threatened.

“It doesn’t feel good to know that children need you — children that you dedicated your life to absolutely need you — and you can’t be there for them in the ways you normally could and would,” said Sharon L. Contreras, the superintendent of Guilford County Schools, North Carolina’s third-largest district.

As we enter 2021, vaccines are likely to change the picture — but more slowly than Dr. Contreras and many educators, parents and children would want.

Although many states are prioritizing educators for the vaccine, it will take months for all teachers to be fully vaccinated — leaving aside those who decline — and most children will likely not be vaccinated until fall at the earliest.

At the same time, a new variant of the coronavirus that is thought to be more contagious is spreading in the United States, complicating efforts to reopen classrooms.

All this means that many schools will likely continue to require masks and social distancing well into the 2021-22 school year. And while few districts have said so explicitly, many students may not see teachers or classmates in person until the fall.

Opening photographs, clockwise from top left: Victor J. Blue for The New York Times, Philip Keith for The New York Times, Christopher Lee for The New York Times

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Teacher in need of donations for annual turkey drive

Your contributions are appreciated.

WAUSAU – A special education instructor in the Wausau School District is once again making a difference in the lives of people who are in need and he is asking for your help. Each year, Rob Hughes raises money for the Wausau Area Food for Hope Turkey Drive to buy turkeys and hams to give away in November to area schools and community organizations. He partners with Festival Foods.“When I was…

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