Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
 MAP

Weekly News Blast: It’s been another busy week for the Town of Grant. Here’s the highlights: Portage County Circuit Court held a hearing on the summary judgment motions filed in both the public records case and the open meetings case filed against our Town by former Supervisor Heather Grys-Luecht.  The hearing lasted for about 3 hours between the two cases. A written decision may be available sometime in January, but the Court scheduled the cases for an Oral Ruling on March 16, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. Our congratulations and gratitude are extended to Kathy Lee and Diana Luecht who were serving on the Plan Commission (PC) as Secretary and Commissioner, respectively. Both ended their tenures on Wednesday with the conclusion of the PC’s revisions of the Zoning Ordinance. This was a monumental task, commencing nearly a decade ago, with stops and starts due to Covid, Board and Commissioner changes, and more. But now it’s ready for consideration by the Town Board, thanks, in part, to their assistance and insight. Three Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP) grants were submitted this week for the following: Mertz Subdivision (1.9 miles); Elm Road ( 90th – 100th Streets S); and Lake Road ( 86th – 90th ). These will be reviewed by the Portage County Highway Commissioner before being submitted to the WisDOT State Review Committee for consideration in February. Although they ranked 5th, 6th, and 7th by the local LRIP Committee, this is only one parameter of consideration by the state committee. Our hope is that at least one of these projects is funded at a 50% cost-share, the minimum that was requested in our applications. Quite a bit of brushing and clearing was accomplished this week. Kudos to our Public Works crew! The snowplow operators were challenged first by lots and lots of snow to now, rain and ice!  It might be slippery out there so please be careful. Happy Holidays to you and yours, Sharon

Posted on by clerk

Rapidly Changing Weather Brings Unsafe Ice Conditions Statewide

Rapidly Changing Weather Brings Unsafe Ice Conditions Statewide

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) urges the public to practice ice safety on all of Wisconsin’s waterbodies and remember that no ice is safe ice.

Temperature swings, mixed precipitation and other factors are making ice unsafe to walk or drive on across much of the state, despite recent snowfall and subzero temperatures.

Get Ice Status From Local Sources

The DNR does not monitor ice conditions. If your plans include access to or use of an ice-covered waterbody, contact your local fishing clubs, bait shops or outfitters for ice conditions.

These places routinely check ice conditions and can give you the best and most current conditions. If you can plan your outing without any travel over ice, do it. 

Conditions Vary On Waterbodies

Each waterbody can have its own characteristics. Check if the lake has inlets, outlets, narrows that have currents or is spring-fed, all of which can thin the ice. Some smaller lakes can have aerators that are run throughout the winter, either covering a large area towards the center of the lake or may have smaller aerators placed by private property landowners adjacent to their shore and piers.

It is equally as important to stay alert for pressure ridges or ice heaves. These can be dangerous due to thin ice and resulting open water. They are often created, move or grow with changes in temperatures and high winds. Pressure ridges and ice heaves can happen on Wisconsin’s largest inland lake, Lake Winnebago, a popular home to sturgeon spearers, and the Bay of Green Bay, among other places.

Ice Safety Basics

Here are a few basic ice safety tips to remember:

  • Carry a cell phone, and let people know where you are going and when you’ll return home.
  • Wear proper clothing and equipment, including a life jacket or a float coat, to help you stay afloat and to help maintain body heat.
  • Wear ice creepers attached to boots to prevent slipping on clear ice.
  • Carry a spud bar to check the ice while walking to new areas.
  • Carry a few spikes and a length of light rope in an easily accessible pocket to help pull yourself – or others – out of the ice.
  • If you fall in, remain as calm as possible. While attempting to get out of the water, call for help. Anyone who attempts to rescue you should use a rope or something similar to avoid falling through themselves.
  • Do not travel in unfamiliar areas or at night.

Have a plan in place noting where you will be and when you plan to return. Along with leaving a written note of your plans, keeping a charged cell phone is also recommended.

Check out the DNR’s Ice Safety webpage for more information on staying safe on the ice, including tips for creating ice claws and what to do if you fall through ice.