Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce

11/02/2026

GOOD MORNING, RUSK COUNTY! BIG THINGS ARE HAPPENING!

November is here, and so is your MONDAY MORNING HUDDLE!

What's happening in your community this month? Who won the Bloody Burger Battle? What's next for Rusk County? And what should YOUR next community forum be about?

We've got the answers, the highlights, and a few things you'll want to be part of!

INSIDE THIS WEEK'S RUSK RUNDOWN:

- November at a Glance: Events, meetings, and happenings across Rusk County!
- Election Day: What you need to know before heading to the polls.
- Halloween Night Out: Photos and highlights from an incredible community turnout!
- Bloody Burger Battle: Winners, prizes, and celebrations!
- Honoring Our Heroes: The Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day.
- Local Buzz: Business news, opportunities, and holiday happenings.
- YOUR VOICE, YOUR COUNTY: Help decide the topic of our next community forum!

And that's just the beginning!

A big thank-you to Ladysmith Federal Savings & Loan, our presenting sponsor, and Wildwood Acupuncture for helping make this edition possible!

ONE COUNTY. MANY COMMUNITIES. STRONGER TOGETHER.

We're bringing Rusk County together, one community and one story at a time.

DON'T MISS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD!

READ THE FULL RUSK RUNDOWN HERE:

https://ruskcountychamber.org/article/monday-morning-huddle-november-2-2026-your-month-at-a-glance-community-service-opportunity.html

Know someone who should see this? SHARE it! TAG a neighbor! INVITE a local business or community organization to follow along!

Have something happening in your town? We want to hear about it!

The Rusk Rundown — Your community. Your businesses. Your voice.

Start November with The Rusk Rundown's Monday Morning Huddle! Explore Rusk County events, Election Day, the Marine Corps Birthday, Veterans Day, local business news, public meetings, and our next community forum poll.

11/02/2026

🎃 THIS is what community looks like! ❤️

What an incredible evening for Halloween Night Out 2026!

We couldn't have asked for more gorgeous weather, a better atmosphere, or a more wonderful turnout! Downtown Ladysmith was filled with little ghouls and goblins, princesses and fairies, superheroes, and families enjoying an evening of Halloween fun!

But the real magic? Friends, families, neighbors, local businesses, and volunteers coming together to make memories for our kids!

❤️ Rusk County, YOU made this special!

📸 Now let's have some fun!

👍 LIKE and FOLLOW the Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce page!

👀 See someone you recognize in the photos? TAG them!

❤️ SHARE this story with friends, family, and neighbors! Even those without Facebook can enjoy the article and photos!

This is what makes our communities special. Not just the events, but the people who show up for one another.

One county. Many communities. Stronger together!

📸 Check out the Halloween Night Out story and photo gallery:

Downtown Ladysmith came alive on October 30, 2026, as families, local businesses, community organizations, and volunteers gathered for Halloween Night Out. From trick-or-treating and costume contests to free hot dogs, Chamber Bucks prizes, and a movi

10/30/2026

🎃 Introducing The Weekender — Your Rusk County Connection!

Our first Friday edition of The Rusk Rundown: The Weekender is here!

From local events and businesses to Halloween fun and community happenings, we're bringing Rusk County together, one story at a time. 🍂

A connected community is a stronger community. Our goal is simple: keep our neighbors informed, celebrate what makes each community special, and bring Rusk County closer together.

👍 Like, follow, and SHARE! Pass this article along to friends, family, and neighbors—even those who aren't on Facebook. Anyone can read it, no Facebook account needed!

Your weekend starts here. Your community makes it happen.

📰 Read The Weekender here:
https://ruskcountychamber.org/article/the-weekender-october-30-2026.html

Get out. Explore. Support local.

Celebrate Halloween weekend across Rusk County! Explore Ladysmith's Halloween Night Out, costume contests, trick-or-treat times, local business events, and family activities in this edition of The Weekender.

10/27/2026

🎉🏆 **BETTER LATE THAN NEVER… WE HAVE WINNERS!** 🏆🎉

🍔🍹 **2026 RUSK AREA CHAMBER BLOODY MARY & BURGER BATTLE PRIZE DRAWING RESULTS!**

Well, Rusk County… we have a confession to make! 😅

We've been just a *little* busy around the Chamber lately! Between reorganizing, planning new events, launching new initiatives, and getting things moving in a BIG way, a few things managed to slide a little farther down the to-do list than we intended.

And apparently, announcing our Bloody Mary & Burger Battle prize winners was one of them! 🤦‍♂️

The good news? **The winners were drawn, the prizes are real, and it's FINALLY time to give these folks the recognition they deserve!**

So, without further delay… 🥁🥁🥁

🏆 **OUR GRAND PRIZE WINNER!**

🎉 **PAUL KNAITZ — $250 CHAMBER GIFT CERTIFICATE!** 🎉

🎁 **OUR LUCKY WINNERS!**

🎟️ **Mickey Byrne** — $20 Cedar Lodge Gift Card

🎟️ **Jeffrey Rosolowski** — $25 Loony Bin Bar & Grill Gift Card

🎟️ **Jody Robertson** — $25 JS Supper Club & Catering Gift Card

🎟️ **Brian Robertson** — $25 Miner Station Gift Card

🎟️ **Kari Frear** — $25 Heart Of The North Brewing Co. Gift Card

🎟️ **Sharlene Bellefeuille** — $25 Phat Bobs at Big Swedes Resort Gift Card

🍕 **Charlie Frisinger** — Porky's Bar and Papa Joe's Homemade Pizza 12" Three-Topping Pizza

🍕 **Patric Miller** — Porky's Bar 12" Three-Topping Pizza **updated name!

🍕 **Cindy Janson** — Porky's Bar 12" Three-Topping Pizza

🎟️ **Mike Bushland** — $25 LJ'S American Bar Gift Card

🧺 **Carol Blaisdell** — Gift Basket donated by Alison M Flamme Kempen

👏 **LET'S HEAR IT FOR ALL OUR WINNERS!**

We owe a huge THANK YOU to the businesses and sponsors who generously provided these prizes, along with every single person who purchased a card, visited a participating establishment, and helped make this event a success!

And while we may be a little late getting this announcement out, one thing hasn't changed: **our commitment to supporting the local businesses that make Rusk County such a great place to live, work, and visit.**

We're shaking things up at the Chamber, building some exciting new opportunities, and working hard to bring more energy, more events, and more value to our communities.

**We might be running a little behind on this announcement, but we're picking up speed everywhere else!** 🚀

Thank you for your patience, your participation, and your continued support!

🎉 HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! 🎉

Know one of our lucky winners? Tag them in the comments or share this post so we can make sure everyone gets their prizes!

🎁 Prize Pickup Information:

📍 Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce Office

📅 Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday

🕘 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

📞 715-256-7388

Please call ahead before stopping by to make sure we're in the office and available to get your prize to you!

Thank you for helping us spread the word and celebrate our winners! 🎉

❤️ **SHOP LOCAL. SUPPORT LOCAL. GROW LOCAL.**

— Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce

10/26/2026

🚀 RUSK COUNTY, WE'RE KICKING OFF SOMETHING NEW!

Introducing THE RUSK RUNDOWN — Monday Morning Huddle!

📰 Volume 1 | Issue 1 — October 26, 2026

Business. Government. Community. Your week starts here!

From local headlines and government meetings to community events, business opportunities, and everything happening around Rusk County — we're bringing it together in one place.

This is just the beginning. We're excited about where we're headed, and we want YOU to be part of it!

☕ Grab your coffee, check out our first edition, and tell us what you think!

⏰ A quick note: Since today marks our very first edition, we're getting it out a little later than planned. Starting next Monday, you can expect The Rusk Rundown in your feed before 11:00 AM every Monday!

👇 READ THE FIRST RUSK RUNDOWN HERE:

https://ruskcountychamber.org/article/monday-morning-huddle-october-26-2026.html

A stronger, more connected Rusk County starts with all of us.

Start your week with The Rusk Rundown! Get the latest Rusk County government meetings, community events, Halloween activities, local business promotions, job opportunities, and Chamber news—all in one convenient Monday Morning Huddle.

10/23/2026

🇺🇸 RUSK COUNTY — YOUR VOICE MATTERS. NOW HEAR THEIRS.

🎥 THE 2026 RUSK COUNTY SHERIFF'S CANDIDATES FORUM — FULL RECORDING

On October 21, the Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce brought together all three candidates for Rusk County Sheriff for an evening of respectful discussion, community engagement, and civic responsibility.

🚔 Phil Grassmann — Incumbent Sheriff
🚔 Marc Egle — Write-in Candidate
🚔 Jim Menard — Write-in Candidate

Each candidate had an opportunity to discuss their experience, leadership, priorities, and vision for Rusk County.

🎬 WATCH THE FULL FORUM ON OUR CHAMBER WEBSITE:
https://ruskcountychamber.org/article/2026-rusk-county-sheriffs-candidates-forum-watch-the-full-recording.html

📢 PLEASE SHARE THIS LINK — ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON FACEBOOK!

You do not need a Facebook account to watch the forum. The recording is available on our Chamber website, so you can send the link by text message, email, or any other way you communicate with family, friends, neighbors, and fellow residents.

Let's make sure everyone has an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates, whether they use social media or not.

👏 A sincere thank-you to all three candidates for their professionalism and willingness to serve, to Firm Foundation Academy for hosting, and to everyone who helped make this community event possible.

🔊 A note about the audio: Some portions of the recording may be muffled or difficult to hear. We apologize and will continue improving our setup for future events.

💬 We welcome constructive feedback and ideas for future community forums. Respectful discussion makes our community stronger.

🗳️ NOVEMBER 3, 2026 — MAKE YOUR VOICE COUNT!

Watch. Listen. Learn. Share. VOTE.

The Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce hosted this forum as a nonpartisan community service and does not endorse any candidate through this event.

Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce
Supporting Local Businesses. Strengthening Our Communities.

Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce
Michael Frear Jennifer Steen Laura Jennerman

10/22/2026

🇺🇸 THANK YOU, RUSK COUNTY! WHAT A NIGHT! 🇺🇸

Tonight, the Area Chamber of Commerce had the privilege of bringing our community together for the 2026 Rusk County Sheriff Candidates Forum!

First and foremost, we sincerely thank all three candidates for participating:

⭐ Phil Grassmann — Incumbent Sheriff

⭐ Marc Egle — Write-in Candidate

⭐ Jim Menard — Write-in Candidate

Thank you, gentlemen, for your willingness to stand before our community, answer questions, share your perspectives, and give the people of Rusk County an opportunity to hear directly from you.

👏 A special thank-you to Firm Foundation Academy for graciously opening its doors and hosting this important community event!

And to everyone who attended in person, watched online, submitted questions, volunteered, or helped make tonight possible — THANK YOU!

🇺🇸 OUR GOAL WAS SIMPLE.

Bring our community together, provide a fair and respectful platform for all three candidates, and give the residents of Rusk County information they can use to make their own informed decisions.

Based on the conversations and feedback we've received this evening, we're encouraged by the community's response!

🎤 A QUICK NOTE ABOUT OUR AUDIO & VIDEO RECORDING

We recognize that portions of tonight's online broadcast had muffled audio, making it difficult for some viewers to hear clearly.

For that, we sincerely apologize.

We're learning as we go, and we're committed to improving our audio and broadcasting setup for future community forums and events.

🎥 MISSED TONIGHT'S FORUM? DON'T WORRY!

We recorded tonight's event, and once Google finishes processing the recording, we plan to upload the video to YouTube and share the link right here on our page!

This will give everyone an opportunity to watch the forum, revisit the candidates' responses, and hear what each candidate had to say.

We believe this information should be available to everyone, whether you attended in person, joined us online, or couldn't make it tonight.

💬 NOW, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

The Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to growing, improving, and finding more ways to bring our community together.

We'd love your feedback!

✅ What was the most valuable part of tonight's forum for you?

✅ What's ONE thing we could improve for future community events?

We welcome both compliments and constructive criticism. We're not looking for perfect reviews — we're looking for meaningful feedback that helps us do better!

All we ask is that comments remain respectful, constructive, and focused on moving our community forward.

🗳️ NOW COMES THE MOST IMPORTANT PART!

The Chamber provided the opportunity.

The candidates showed up and shared their perspectives.

Now, Rusk County, it's up to YOU!

The information shared tonight only has value if we take the time to consider it and participate in the democratic process.

🇺🇸 GET INFORMED. MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION. GET OUT AND VOTE!

Regardless of which candidate you support, your voice matters.

Strong communities aren't built by one person, one organization, or one elected official. They're built by people willing to show up, listen, participate, and work together.

On behalf of the Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce, thank you for being part of tonight's conversation.

We're looking forward to providing more opportunities for our community to connect, communicate, and grow together!

🇺🇸 YOUR COMMUNITY. YOUR VOICE. YOUR VOTE. 🇺🇸



Ps: if you have pictures of the forum, please share them in the comments!

10/21/2026

🚨🇺🇸 **IT'S HERE, FOLKS! TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!** 🇺🇸🚨

**RUSK COUNTY SHERIFF CANDIDATES FORUM — TONIGHT!**

🔴 **WATCH LIVE OR JOIN ONLINE HERE!** 👇👇👇

https://meet.google.com/wpw-qunh-qxu

📞 **PREFER TO CALL IN AND LISTEN?**

**Dial:** +1 478-292-3943
**PIN:** 481 732 758 #

🇺🇸 **THREE CANDIDATES. ONE COMMUNITY. AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM EACH OF THEM!**

Join us this evening as the Rusk Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes all three candidates for Rusk County Sheriff:

⭐ **Phil Grassmann** — Sheriff
⭐ **Marc Egle** — Write-in Candidate
⭐ **Jim Menard** — Write-in Candidate

📅 **TONIGHT — Wednesday, October 21, 2026**
⏰ **5:30 PM – 7:00 PM**
📍 **Firm Foundation Academy**
🎥 **Attend in person, join through Google Meet, or call in and listen!**

10/20/2026

🍂 Mark your calendars! 🍂

St. John’s Lutheran Church is hosting their Fall Bazaar & Thrift Sale on Saturday, November 7th from 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Stop by for a day of shopping, delicious food, and community fun! 🧡

🍲 Soup & sandwiches
🥧 Homemade pies & bake sale
🧵 Quilts & crafts
💌 Christmas & greeting cards
🛍️ Thrift sale finds & more!

📍 St. John’s Lutheran Church
515 College Avenue, Ladysmith

Come out and support a wonderful local event! 🍁

10/20/2026

🍂 Fall fun is coming to Sunset Oaks! 🍂
Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 24th from 3–7 PM and enjoy an afternoon and evening of horse-drawn wagon rides, delicious food, live music, craft cocktails, and more! 🎃🍁
Bring your friends and family and come out to support one of our local businesses while enjoying a beautiful fall evening!

📍 Sunset Oaks – Holcombe, WI