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  • Public places flags on Bessemer graves

    Charity Smith|May 23, 2020

    BESSEMER - Approximately 20 to 30 people, many of them veterans, helped place American flags on veterans' graves at Hillcrest Cemetery in Bessemer, early Friday morning. "It's an honor to be able to do this for them. I'm 92 and still walking,"said Walt Maki, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Tokyo. "It's in memory for all those that served." The annual event is a collaborative effort between the American Legion and the VFW in Bessemer, and was organized by VFW commander Donna...

  • Forestry Committee approves Schomberg paving improvements

    Richard Jenkins|May 21, 2020

    HURLEY — The Iron County Forestry and Parks Committee decided improvements to Schomberg Park were the best way to honor the memory of Thomas E. Popko, voting Monday to send a bid to pave the park’s gravel areas to the full county board. A former member of the Iron County Board of Supervisors and Forestry and Parks Committee member, Popko died Jan. 7. According to information presented at Monday’s meeting, he left the county a total of $56,150 when he died. “His request, when he came in and made these changes to his policies last summer was he...

  • Missing child found near McDonald Dam

    Richard Jenkins|May 21, 2020

    ERWIN TOWNSHIP — A child who had been reported missing from a campsite near McDonald Dam Tuesday was located later that same day. The Gogebic County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a missing 4-year-old at approximately 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to Sheriff Pete Matonich. Matonich said the child’s mother had reported her son was playing with other children near the campsite and had possibly wandered off. GCSD deputies, along with troopers from the Michigan State Police’s Wakefield Post and members of Gogebic County Search and Rescue,...

  • GCC Guatemala service learning trip rescheduled for December

    Charity Smith|May 21, 2020

    IRONWOOD - The third annual Gogebic Community College service learning trip to Guatemala, originally scheduled for this week, has been tentatively rescheduled to leave on Dec. 12, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The trip, in conjunction with Pura Vida Ministries, is an opportunity for students and members of the community to experience Mayan culture, while helping to build a cinder-block house for a Guatemalan family in need, according to Janie Williams, GCC's service learning trip...

  • Ironwood offers families chance to get items still at LLW

    Richard Jenkins|May 8, 2020

    IRONWOOD — With the in-person school year ending abruptly in March due to the corornavirus pandemic, many Ironwood students were unable to clean out their lockers or say goodbye to teachers. The district is planning a series of collection events next week to allow families to get the items that were unexpectedly left at school until now. So far, three pick-up events are planned for Monday and Tuesday for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. “It’s been a long time, but our hands have been tied until this point,” K-12 Principal Melissa...

  • Bessemer to reopen city hall, library in phases

    Charity Smith|May 5, 2020

    BESSEMER — The city of Bessemer announced plans Friday to slowly reopen city hall and the library to the public in five phases. “We are entering into a new normal and we want to give people time to prepare and adjust,” said City Manager Charly Loper in an email. The first phase is already under way and second phase for both the city hall and the library is identical to the current situation. Everything remains closed to the public, with strict social distancing practices in place. Loper said they are in Phase 1 and 2, calling them "iden...

  • GCC to hold virtual commencement

    Charity Smith|Apr 18, 2020

    IRONWOOD — In light of the coronavirus pandemic and large group gatherings being prohibited, Gogebic Community College is preparing to take its 2020 commencement ceremony online. While the ceremony for the approximately 175 graduates will take place on Friday, May 8 at 6 p.m., the originally scheduled date and time, there will be no actual gathering but instead a virtual gathering — one that will be live-streamed so that everyone who wishes to attend can do so. Graduates will not be able to walk across a physical stage, instead there name wil...

  • Local schools work on graduation plans

    Richard Jenkins|Apr 18, 2020

    With the remainder of the school year now canceled in both Michigan and Wisconsin due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, area seniors and their families await information on what the new plan for their graduation ceremonies will be. Although many of the area’s school districts are still developing graduation plans, the local superintendents expressed a desire to honor their graduating seniors in some way -- even if the final form is still unclear. “We’re trying to figure out ways to help honor and recognize our seniors for their hard work...

  • Theatre alive while dark

    Charity Smith|Apr 17, 2020

    IRONWOOD - The stay-at-home order may have forced a prolonged intermission of events at the Historic Ironwood Theatre, but that does not mean activities have ceased there. Instead of producing shows and events, the volunteer staff is taking on many of the cleaning and remolding projects that could not have been done with the theater open. "Now that our theater is dark, we are doing a lot of cleaning and refurbishing projects in the building," said Zona Wick, president of the theatre's board of...

  • Iron County declares a state of emergency

    Richard Jenkins|Mar 17, 2020

    HURLEY — Following the declaration of a state of emergency, the Iron County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution regarding COVID-19, or the coronavirus pandemic, Monday. After Iron County Board Chairman Joe Pinardi declared a state of emergency, the board passed a resolution “providing county administration emergency administrative flexibility in responding to COVID-19.” The resolution allows Pinardi — in consultation with a newly formed administrative committee — to take actions needed to respond to the pandemic, with the resolution list...

  • Churches react to coronavirus

    Charity Smith|Mar 16, 2020

    HURLEY - Worshipers at St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Hurley on Sunday refrained from shaking hands as ordered by the bishop, but instead offered each other a wave or threw up the peace sign to each other. Many parishioners carried little bottles of sanitizer which they used intermittently at various intervals of the service. Father Frank Kordek, OFM, read a letter from the bishop of the Superior Diocese written last week releasing Catholics from their Sunday obligation to atten...

  • MTU, NMU cancel in-person classes in wake of coronavirus

    Charity Smith|Mar 12, 2020

    IRONWOOD — Michigan Technological University and Northern Michigan University joined other universities across the nation Wednesday in canceling all face-to-face classes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Gogebic Community College will remain open, according to President George McNulty, but the college will work with health officials daily to monitor the situation. “The health of our students and community is our most important priority,” said McNulty. “While there are not confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Gogebic County, the number of case...

  • Community comes out to Hygge Hike

    Richard Jenkins|Mar 2, 2020

    MONTREAL, Wis. - The difference in weather from last year's event was reflected in the turnout, as almost 60 people came out to the second annual Hygge Hike at the Montreal Ski Trails Saturday. "Last year, there was a 30-below wind chill; this year, I think it's 37 (degrees) today," said Rebecca Holm, one of the Northern Iron County Engaged Residents members who helped organize the hike. "A huge difference that brought more people - we went from having five participants last year to having...

  • Turkey dinner raises funds for Kimball VFD

    Richard Jenkins|Mar 2, 2020

    KIMBALL, Wis. - The line stretched out the door and into the parking lot of the Kimball Community Center at one point, as residents came out to support the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department's annual turkey dinner Sunday. Organizers were pleased with the turnout, estimating at least 700 people bought tickets to the dinner, either showing up in person, placing take-out orders or having meals delivered. "Even with the line out to the sidewalk there were still open seats, so there was a good flow,"...

  • Ironwood man acquitted of all charges

    Richard Jenkins|Feb 1, 2020

    BESSEMER — After deliberating for roughly 4.5 hours, a jury found an Ironwood man not guilty of all charges in Gogebic County Circuit Court Friday. Jeremy James Richards, 42, was acquitted of four counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct-personal injury and one count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm-strangulation. Each of the criminal sexual conduct charges had carried a potential life sentence as the maximum punishment. The charges had stemmed from an alleged incident involving a woman Richards had a casual, sexual ...

  • Chilstrom, ELCA's first bishop, dies at age 88

    Larry Holcombe|Feb 1, 2020

    GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. - The Rev. Herbert W. Chilstrom, 88, the first presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, died Jan. 19 at his home in Green Valley. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Corinne (Hansen), also a Lutheran pastor; a daughter, Mary Cress of Mesa; a son, Christopher Holt of Baltimore; and four sisters. He was preceded in death by his son, Andrew; as well as a brother and two sisters. Chilstrom was born in Litchfield, Minnesota, on Oct. 18, 1931. He was a...

  • Fishing tourney raises funds for Flowage

    Richard Jenkins|Jan 20, 2020

    GILE, Wis. - Ice fishing enthusiasts from as far away as Green Bay came to the Gile Flowage Saturday for the third annual Ice Fishing Jamboree. Organized by the Bank Club, the tournament had anglers competing to catch the largest pike, walleye, crappie and perch. Joe Smoczyk, one of the tournament's organizers, said the 52 anglers participating was down from last year but Saturday's snowstorm probably kept some people off the ice. The weather also likely kept the fish from biting aggressively,...

  • Snowmobiler killed in Hurley crash

    Richard Jenkins|Jan 20, 2020

    HURLEY — A woman is dead after a Sunday morning snowmobile crash in Hurley. Iron County Dispatch received reports of a snowmobile operator being unresponsive after her snowmobile went off the trail outside of Hurley at approximately 1:52 a.m. Sunday, Iron County Sheriff Paul Samardich said in a news release. Officers with the Hurley Police Department and deputies with the Iron County Sheriff’s Department immediately responded, according to Samardich, along with Beacon Ambulance and Hurley Snowmobile Rescue. Officers located the scene of the...

  • Iron County ballots set for April 7 election

    Larry Holcombe|Jan 9, 2020

    Ballots are set for the spring election in Iron County after Tuesday’s filing deadline. Besides the county board of supervisors, there are also elections on April 7 for mayor and city council seats in Hurley and Montreal, the Mercer town board and the Hurley and Mercer school boards. The April 7 ballot will also include voting in Wisconsin’s presidential primary. While most members of the county board are running unopposed for reelection, there will be a few new people on the board. In District 1 (Hurley) newcomer Kathleen Byrns is running uno...

  • Stabenow, Peters call for action in response to high Great Lakes water levels

    Richard Jenkins|Jan 9, 2020

    WASHINGTON — Michigan’s two senators, Democrats Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, annoucned Monday that they were calling on the Department of the Army and the Office of Management and Budget to address the high water levels around the Great Lakes in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ budget for the 2020 fiscal year. Included in that call was a funding request for dredging Ontonagon and other commercial harbors around the state. “Communities and coastlines across Michigan have been battered by flooding and erosion as a result of record high wa...

  • Foster children adopted into 'forever home'

    Richard Jenkins|Nov 27, 2019

    BESSEMER - Thursday's Thanksgiving dinner will likely be extra special for a Caspian family after Gogebic County Judge Anna Talaska finalized the adoption of two brothers Tuesday afternoon - which happens to also be Adoption Day in Michigan. Colton Earle Houghtaling, 10, and Chase Joseph Houghtaling, 6, sat in the Bessemer courtroom with their new mom, Tina Houghtaling, as the formal process was completed before the family and court staff enjoyed cake to celebrate them joining their "forever fam...

  • Wakefield voters elect council, pass ballot measures

    Richard Jenkins|Nov 6, 2019

    WAKEFIELD - There will be some new faces on the Wakefield City Council following Tuesday's election. A total of six candidates ran for the five council seats, with incumbent councilman Dale White receiving the most votes with 270. Scott Heikkila - who city clerk Susan Ahonen told the Daily Globe had chosen not to seek election - took second with 236 votes. Incumbents James S. Anderson, Amy Tarro and Kay Witta round out the council with 211 votes, 199 votes and 182 votes, respectively. Current ma...

  • NCT group hikes to Montreal Gorge

    Richard Jenkins|Oct 7, 2019

    IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — The hardy few who braved the cold, wet, windy weather Saturday morning got the chance to preview the future path of the North Country Trail on Little Girl’s Points and enjoy one of the best views of fall leaves in the county as the Ni-Miikanaake chapter hosted a hike to the Montreal Gorge. The small group hiked along Lake Road from the Superior Falls parking lot for a short distance before heading off road and along a muddy all-terrain vehicle trail to the cliffs above the Montreal River. Saturday’s hike was the final group...

  • Saxon Harbor marina reopens today

    Richard Jenkins|Aug 30, 2019

    SAXON, Wis. — It’s been 3 years, 1 month and 19 days since flooding from the July 11, 2016 storm, destroyed Saxon Harbor. Today, for the first time since that storm, boats will be able to use the harbor’s marina again. The marina’s new docks and boat launches are open for public use, however, county officials are asking visitors to be patient over the next few weeks while some of the final cosmetic work is completed around the marina. “Go down and enjoy, but understand there’s still some work that’s being finished up,” Iron County Forestry...

  • Iron River man pleads to taking car

    Richard Jenkins|Jun 22, 2019

    BESSEMER — An Iron River man pleaded guilty for taking a car from an Ironwood parking lot in Gogebic Circuit Court on Tuesday. Kyle Cal Kontney, 26, pleaded guilty to unlawfully driving away with a vehicle and use of methamphetamine as part of a plea agreement. The agreement also requires he plead guilty to breaking and entering of a motor vehicle to steal property less than $200 in a separate case in Gogebic County District Court. The unlawful driving charge is a 5-year felony, while breaking and entering and use of meth are misdemeanors. In e...

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