Welcome everybody to Midday magazine for this Thursday, March 20th, 2025.
Have your host James J. Mailoff here today.
We are welcoming into the studio.
After a long absence, we're very happy to welcome in Lisa Kubas executive director of Visit
Rome, Wisconsin.
Lisa, so good to see you.
Thanks for being here.
Yeah, thanks.
Good morning.
It's nice to be back.
It's been a little while.
But this is old hat for you and I.
We've done this plenty of times.
We do want to shout out Gillian who usually joins us and everything and appreciate her
being here.
And we want to send a very big shout out to our sponsors and the crew support Edward State
Bank, who give us the opportunity to put the spotlight on the Rome area and really talk
about some of the cool, fun things going on over in that area.
When I tell everybody right now, though, we're going to scratch the surface.
But there are so many other things to enjoy and love about the Rome area.
You can find out more about those at VisitRomeWi.com VisitRomeWi.com.
There are a lot of cool things coming up though right around the corner.
We're going to get into some of those.
And Lisa, one of the things we really want to put a focus on today is the Nukusa Wall
Eye Days.
Right.
One of our signature events in the area.
Oh, yeah.
It starts this Saturday through April 13th.
Just a great event in Nukusa.
We recently, actually, as a side note, went to the Wisconsin fishing expo and we've learned
more and more that Lake Pietenwell and the whole Wisconsin River just is pretty world-class
fishing.
So, opportunity for people to catch some very large fish and win some prizes.
Within the Wall Eye Days, there's a kids fishing tournament on the 12th and then the Jim
Freeman Memorial Tournament on the 13th.
It's, as I said, one of the signature events in the area.
I mean, Central Wisconsin, not just Nukusa or the Rome area or anything.
Not only do you have people from port and point and was on Marshfield coming to this event,
but you've got people out of state coming to this.
It's a big event.
And with that being said, when we have out of towners coming in and everything, I always
like to encourage people, locals, to treat these people well.
You want them to come back.
It's a big part of our economy and helps a lot of our local businesses out quite a bit.
So that being said, this is also one of the most fun events we have, too.
Because I got at least a handful of friends that are a part of this event every year just
so they know they're going to fish at least once this year.
Because it could be tougher as you get older to get out there, you know, you get working
so much and personal, you know, family and everything.
This is an opportunity not only to do all that, but to kind of combine those worlds, bring
the family with you, bring the kids down.
It's always been cool to me, the fishing tournament.
I was a little kid and I got to be a part of that when I first moved here.
And it was my early days of learning to fish.
And it really did help me fall in love with the sport where I saw my papa doing it.
I was trying to be like him and everything and I saw these other adults doing it.
So when you bring the kids down, it's a fun event and they're going to have a good time.
But you're also helping this sport stay alive and in the hobby and the fun of fishing,
keeping around and everything.
As we have less and less of this stuff kind of happening more, we need more and more
people to pay attention to that and do that and also have a good time.
And I don't want to take away from this either because a couple of those friends I mentioned
Lisa are also very competitive, very competitive people and I know how much we love fishing.
It's fun.
It's relaxing and it's also, you know, they're a little bit of bragging rights involved
in that one.
And with that being said, there's a Jim Freeman Memorial tournament you mentioned there.
The details of that one, it'll be April 13th, 10 to 3.
And let's talk a little bit about the prizes that can be awarded Lisa.
Yeah, so first place is $2,500 second place.
It's a $500 gift card, $500 cash and Jacobi custom pool queue.
If you're familiar with those, I mean, world-class pool queues.
Third place is a $300 gift card, $200 cash and a guided fishing trip.
And just talking about these prizes real quick, I don't know many times where I've ever seen
something and I'm like, I'm not sure if I want first or second or third prize.
They're all really cool and they're all very unique.
They go all out on these prizes.
They really do.
They go all in on these.
They shout out to the sponsors and everybody involved in these great days because that
is one of the bigger prize packages I've ever seen with stuff and they do this every
year like this.
That third place prize, $300 gift cards, $200 cash, that's a really cool combination
right there.
That guided fishing trip from Forseer, like we got to talk with them a little bit ago
and everything they had them on the show and incredible people, just great people.
And growing up around lakes and thinking, I know quite a bit about stuff and then I
talked to somebody like that and I know nothing.
They know everything.
They're incredibly intelligent.
That right there is a huge package and worth quite a bit I'll say.
Second prize, again, the gift cards and the cash, a great kind of, a great combination
there.
The custom cues, one of our long time standing local businesses that we love promoting and
talking about any chance we get, I've used those cues before, they're the best cues
I've ever had.
They're the best cues I've ever used.
Best I've seen, they have such cool and interesting designs to them.
I can't imagine one of those custom cues costs.
I've never actually purchased one.
I've only used them from friends and everything so that alone is a pretty good package.
Let alone the cash and the gift cards and then that first place prize is beautiful.
Nobody can turn that down.
Some really nice prizes.
I just wanted to take a moment and shout out the businesses, the sponsors, everybody that
makes that happen.
That is pretty cool.
And again, with the kids fishing tournament, the real prize there is continuing this hobby
in the sport to another generation and really infusing that in them.
Correct.
There's lots of prizes for kids though, they're not listed here, but lots of prizes for the
kids to win as well.
We encourage you to make plans and find out more by going to o4nacusa.org, that's f-o-r-nacusa.org.
I head on over there, check this out and keep making plans for this event and everybody because
we want to see you down there.
It's going to be a lot of fun.
San Valley has a hiring event coming up, Lisa that we wanted to know.
Right.
San Valley this Saturday from 10 to 1.
It's having a hiring event.
So if you're looking for seasonal or even year round employment, bring your resume, that
will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If you have questions prior, you can email employment at sanvalley.com, but if you're looking
for a fun, very exciting place to work with lots of good people, I would highly recommend.
I've known a couple people to work over there and they rave about it.
They really enjoyed it.
One person was going to school a point and went to work over there and really enjoyed their
time here in state and in this area, in part because of working at San Valley and the
people they met and all that, they made some great connections and some lifetime friends
over there.
The way they were treated by their employers also was a huge part of that and I've heard
some great things about the people over at San Valley and the way they're treating
our community, putting into our community and having events like this really are a great
opportunity for you to, you don't have to take my word for it, go ahead and talk to
them yourself, find out for yourself about these things.
Certainly, any age is really open to this, but I got to tell you if you are somebody like
I mentioned there who's in this area going to mid state or a point or something like that
or if you're somebody who is graduating or graduating high school or something like, there's
a lot of room for you to grow in this industry, just getting your foot in the door at San Valley.
It's a great opportunity.
Great opportunity for high school kids as well for the summer, if you know you're interested
in cadding or retirees as well.
And again, if you want to have questions or want to know more, you can email them employmentatsanvalley.com
employmentatsanvalley.com.
Another job fair coming up over Lake Arrow.
Yeah, it's that time of year.
So Lake Arrow head is having their job, fair March 24th.
So that's Monday from 330 to 530 and then next Saturday the 29th from 10 to noon, kind
of the same format, bring your resume, there'll be people interviewing right on site.
And again, it is, there's full time, part time, seasonal year round.
So another great employer in the rural area.
It's a wonderful opportunity to speak directly with department managers and human resources.
Those people explore part time, full time, seasonal, all the different types of work that
there is available over there.
Doing this kind of work myself in the past, I know that I started at seasonal and got brought
on to be part time.
So there's that opportunity that might be available.
You just don't know until you put yourself out there and really find out.
Shout out to Lake Arrow head hosting this.
We know that there's a lot of people out there in that realm that could really use these
opportunities.
So make sure to make plans for that Lake Arrow head job fair happening March 24th.
Every 30, then 530, and March 29th will go from 10 to noon over at 1195 Apache Lane in
beautiful Rome, Wisconsin.
Live music at Sherwood Lodge coming up, man, we love live music.
Oh, I know.
Rome's just the place for live music.
So I mean, with the summer gearing up, I mean, it's still obviously indoor live music.
So Lake Sherwood Lodge, March 29th, that's next Saturday from 4 to 7, featuring Mike Nanstead,
who's a central Wisconsin native, who plays acoustic guitar, is known for classic country,
rock, artists like Tom Petty or Clapton and Jimmy Buffett.
Yeah.
If there's a guitar involved, Mike can do it.
Like he's good.
And he is a great job, a great voice and a great way of bringing his own, you know, kind
of vibe to these songs, these classics that we know so well.
And he can go from Jimmy Buffett to Tom Petty, like he's very good at this, the great
act to be able to see.
You can see him live at Sherwood Lodge, March 29th, he'll have a four o'clock show and
a seven o'clock show.
It doesn't look like you need tickets or anything for that one, you show up, you should
be able to take in the show.
The Rome indoor farmers market, indoor makers, makers market, I'm sorry, is coming up a little
bit different than the farmers market.
I want to make sure to make that know, because makers market, we don't get to talk about
these very often.
It's a really cool one coming up to Rome.
Right.
So what we used to call it a farmers market, just kind of as a pick up from the summer.
But I mean, with it being winter, there's really not a lot of fresh produce available.
So we thought more appropriate to call it a makers market.
Some of those same vendors though, well, that are at the farmers market.
So that happens April 11th from noon to three.
And then just wanted to mention that the outdoor farmers market starts May 23rd.
So everyone's always excited for that reopening of that.
My mother will meet you there.
Yes.
Yes.
Very excited about it.
Shout out to all these businesses and everybody that are a part of this, a big thank you to
the Rome area supporting our ag industry, supporting our creative art industry and the
people that work in the vendors and everything.
They don't have a ton of opportunities to do this.
So every opportunity they have indoor markets like this really is noteworthy.
It really does.
It is the definition of buying local supporting local.
Sure.
It really is.
And that takes place at our Rome town hall, at 1146 Alpine Drive.
Any chance to shout out that town, I just have a sucker for that town hall.
I love that town hall.
The Easter egg hadn't speaking up.
The Easter egg we used to, I don't know if they do it anymore, but they used to have an
Easter hug in the town hall.
Oh, okay.
I don't think so.
I don't think so.
When I first moved here, I know they had at least one there.
Okay.
But I remember it because my sister beat me badly in it.
She had like 20 eggs and I'd won or something like that one.
We have another Easter egg coming up at Trinaurus Park on April 12th.
It is that time of year as we're getting ready for these.
A fun one coming up at Trinaurus.
Yeah.
Trinaurus Park, I think this is their second annual.
So they just started it last year.
So that's April 12th from 10 to one.
It's a great setting, just a beautiful park with a lodge and they're going to serve breakfast.
Breakfast begins at 9.30 a.m. and then the hunt is from 10 to one.
It's a fun time for the kids and you get to be able to sit back and relax and not only
have a beautiful backdrop to all of this at Trinaurus because it is so beautiful over
there.
But also being able to maybe see some friends or family or something like that and know
that your kids are having fun and you don't have to pick up.
It's a great event and we appreciate our friends over at Trinaurus hosting this one.
April 12th, their Easter egg hunt will be taking place and it is free for all the children
and it's free for all the children to want to make sure to mention that.
Lake Arrowhead has an Easter egg hunt coming up.
Yeah, another Lake Arrowhead has been doing this for many many years so another Easter egg
hunt on April 14th.
You're surely welcome to come out and do both.
The Easter Bunny will be there.
The hunt is on the Pine's driving range, open to both members of Lake Arrowhead and
the public.
Starts at 10 a.m.
Shark.
It's going to be another fun one, another great opportunity for the kids with the Trinaurus
one being April 12th and this one being April 14th.
Kind of take both and if you want, you can kind of do both if you'd like to and I don't
want to skate past this, they do have the Easter Bunny there.
That is pretty unique.
They do have the Easter Bunny.
That is pretty fantastic.
Did I say something wrong, Lisa?
No.
Oh, okay.
I just wanted to make sure I didn't get anything wrong there.
The Easter Bunny is going to be there.
That is pretty cool.
So good for them to have that and make plans to go ahead and trend the Lake Arrowhead
Easter egg hunt April 14th.
Easter brunch at Lake Arrowhead is also taking place.
That'll be April 20th though.
Correct.
So the next weekend, this is a very traditional Easter egg brunch that Lake Arrowhead
has been putting on for again many, many years at the Lake Arrowhead Clubhouse 930-1230.
Definitely make a reservation because I think that most of the time they are booked.
You can make a reservation by contacting Donna at 715-325-2915 or emailing bankwits at
Lake ArrowheadGolf.com.
I encourage you to do that, everybody.
Again, think about how nice Easter can be when you don't have to do the dishes, but not
for nothing.
Amazing food over there.
They've got some great chefs over there.
They really go all out that carving station.
I've seen it before.
It's really nice.
They do a really nice job over there with that.
Be sure to check it out.
Easter brunch at Lake Arrowhead April 20th.
One of our favorite groups of people to talk to, along with our friends at Visit Rome,
is the group at the historic Point Boss.
We always like to shout them out and appreciate the work that they're doing over there keeping
history alive and well.
We'll talk about them.
One of the last things we're going to do to wrap up their Campfire Cooking is coming up
on April 26th.
Right.
Just, yeah, we like you guys just love Point Boss.
So many unique events that we help them try to promote them as well.
On April 26th, it's Campfire Cooking.
That's from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
So the workshop will concentrate on cooking methods and foods used by our ancestors.
We conducted by the staff there with assistance from others who have expertise in this area.
Cost is $15.
The class does have a maximum class size of 15.
So if you're interested, I would suggest registering pretty quickly.
Yeah.
I would encourage you to do that too, everybody.
It's just that way you know it's done.
You can go to historicpointboss.com to reach out to them to find out more.
They have a Facebook page as well.
You can reach out to them and find out more if you need to register all of those things.
You're going to be going over not only the basics of fire building and camping, camp firing
and open hearth cooking, but you're also going to be doing this with locals and people
that really know their stuff and getting a chance to keep history alive.
You're investing in your community, you're investing in your community's future just
by attending this event and maybe learning some cool stuff part of it as well.
We appreciate the gang over there at historicpointboss and doing this event.
That's one of the more fun ones too that they do over there.
Find out more at historicpointboss.com, historicpointboss.com.
Lisa, it is that time we are wrapping up already, we're getting so close to the end and
I wanted to take a little bit of time for this next one because I didn't get a chance
to do a lot of digging on this topic.
When I found it was really cool, I think this is interesting, link the links project starting
this spring.
Can you tell us what this is?
Yeah, so this has been many years in the making.
Just addressing a safer place to cross Highway 13 or a safer way to cross State Highway
13 and really improved connectivity throughout the town of Rome as many of you know.
Half of Rome is on one side of State Highway 13 and half is on the other side.
This is a project that will start this spring.
It consists of a tunnel under State Highway 13 right in the area of Avocados, just right
outside of their parking lot.
A tunnel under Highway 13 and then there will be a pedestrian path from the west side
of that tunnel to our town center and that will include a bridge over the 14 mile creek
as well.
So really just a way for again, I mean it started off as a safety project.
So very involved with the Department of Transportation and the DNR so we're finally ready to start
this project this spring.
Well I haven't gotten to do a ton of digging on this particular one.
I've done a lot on this subject and when this is done in rural communities or bigger cities
they've done this a lot down south where they in a lot of the reason they did it was safety
as well but safety for the animals where this was an underpass where a lot of deer and
a lot of animals use it instead of trying to cross the street.
Animals you know have evolved a little bit to learn hey those machines I don't want anything
to do with those.
So they use these passes as well.
Along with the way that this I think is an opportunity to make that area, it's a beautiful
area make it even nicer you know along with of course in first and foremost the safety
factor in this.
It has other advantages to it doing something like this and I will tell you this is not
the only area that's going to be doing something like this.
Other cities are talking about doing more and more of these kind of things especially
with those cities like ours here in Rapids that run into train issues from time to time.
So this is a subject that's not you know going anywhere and honestly the what's happening
with this project I don't want to say it's a guinea pig but a lot of people are paying
attention to see how it's being done and the logistics and some of that because hey can
that work in my community.
As a lot more places are looking at doing this I'm not sure if anybody if a lot of places
will be able to but I know a lot of people are talking about it a lot of thinking about
it.
We do think it's it's also another great example of hey we see an issue let's do some
about this.
Let's let's let's do something about this and just people coming together and making
that happen working with our DNR and our local you know our state of course obviously
but you know making this happen on a real grassroots level on a lot of ways.
Yeah yeah we're extremely excited.
It's a fun project and I'm looking forward to seeing how this grows and kind of watching
as it develops and everything because I'm also a construction kid and I just find that
stuff interesting so that it's going to be very interesting.
The link the Lakes project is there a website is there any way we can find out more about
this Lisa.
We do have a landing page on our website visit Rome w i dot com and if you click on the
initiatives tab you'll be able to find information just as Lisa was saying that I just flipped
right over there and there it is right there you can check it out yourself everybody along
with as I warned you in the beginning of this they've got grant program work force development
a great blog and online store get some of the merch get some visit Rome apparel there
are so many things over there at the website and so many great things going on in the
Rome area.
We thank you Lisa and your team over there helping us spend some time on Rome and visiting
Rome a little bit.
Yeah well thanks for having us to spread the word.
And we appreciate our friends over in the crew support over at state bank sponsoring this
segment a big shout out to them by local support local support those that support this community
and visit our friends in Rome at visit Rome w i dot com visit Rome w i dot com well
a more midday magazine coming up right here at ninety seven five f m thirteen twenty
i am w f h are locally grown radio.
