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  • Hundreds turn out for Hurley craft fair on gun-deer opener

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 25, 2013

    HURLEY - The windchill reading was -2 degrees for the Saturday opener of Wisconsin's gun-deer season around 10 a.m., but it was cozy inside the Hurley K-12 school for an annual craft fair. The parking lot was full around noon for the fair that's sponsored by the Midget Booster Club. Bill Ceccon, in charge of the event, said 44 vendors paid $20 per space to display inside the school. He said the Booster Club took over the fair about five or six years ago and in the past it was sponsored by the... Full story

  • Survey link included on city's website

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 25, 2013

    IRONWOOD — A link to the city of Ironwood’s website has been added on the comprehensive plan revision. The new city plan will guide the community for the next decade, as city officials continue to respond to demographic shifts and build on recent successes. The plan will establish a vision for the future and outline how that vision will be achieved, the site notes. The revision kicked off earlier this month with a workshop before a planning commission meeting. Brad Scheib, of the Hoisington Koegler Group Inc., of Minneapolis, a consultant pla... Full story

  • 'Lead protester' at mine site bound over to stand trial

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 20, 2013

    HURLEY - A Weston, Wis., woman Tuesday was bound over for trial on robbery and theft charges in connection with a June 11 protest at the Gogebic-Taconite mine site near Upson. Katie (Krow) Kloth, 26, was ordered to stand trial by Iron County Judge Patrick Madden after one witness testified at the preliminary examination. About 20 people attended the hearing, including both G-Tac officials and Kloth supporters. Stacy Saari, a G-Tac employee, described Kloth as the "lead protester" at the site... Full story

  • Xcel repairs follow strong Sunday winds

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 19, 2013

    IRONWOOD - A tree that fell on a power line near Grand View Hospital caused some sporadic outages throughout the area on Sunday evening. Xcel Energy workers were continuing repairs on Monday. An employee said there was quite bit of damage to the system. An unlucky customer at Red's Auto Car Wash on Cloverland Drive was literally caught up in the middle of the outage. The customer was stuck in the middle of a car wash in a garage stall and because of "electrical issues," the door wouldn't rise,... Full story

  • Young angler has big day on water

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 16, 2013

    MERCER, Wis. - To say Mitch Pierce, a fifth grader at the Mercer school, had a good day of musky fishing would be a vast understatement. Pierce started a summer day on an unnamed Mercer area lake by catching a 37-inch musky, the biggest of his young fishing career. Later that same day, he followed up that success with a 44-inch monster. Some musky fishermen never land a 40-plus-inch fish in their angling lifetimes. "Mitch credited his parents, Micki and Chris Holstrom, for always taking him... Full story

  • City commissioners reorganize Monday

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 9, 2013

    IRONWOOD - A reorganizational meeting of the Ironwood City Commission is scheduled for Monday at 6:30 p.m. in commission chambers at the Memorial Building. The mayor, mayor pro-tempore and city commissioners will be sworn in as the first item of business. David Sim is the only new member of the commission. He replaces Monie Schackleford, who was the lowest vote-getter on Tuesday out of the six candidates for the five commission seats. The commission's first action will be to hear comments at a public hearing on a request for a variance on a... Full story

  • Ironwood comprehensive plan revision kicks off

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 7, 2013

    IRONWOOD - The revision of Ironwood's comprehensive plan kicked off Wednesday afternoon with a workshop before the planning commission meeting. Brad Scheib, of the Hoisington Koegler Group Inc., of Minneapolis, the consultant planner for the project, outlined steps for updating the comprehensive plan. Scheib said public involvement will be a key part of the process and said Ironwood residents will receive surveys designed to assist in developing the plan in their November tax bills. City... Full story

  • Ironwood millage proposal fails

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 6, 2013

    IRONWOOD - On a 263 to 249 vote, city of Ironwood voters on Tuesday turned down a 10-year millage for street improvements. The special millage called for 10 miles of city streets to be milled and pulverized next year, with a blacktop overlay. City manager Scott Erickson said the work would likely begin in Norrie Location and then move from south to north. For a homeowner with a parcel with a taxable value of $20,000, average for the city, the 2 mills would add $40 a year to the tax bill, in... Full story

  • Former tribal council member says pollution should be key election issue

    Ralph Ansami|Nov 2, 2013

    ODANAH, Wis. - A former tribal council member said Friday he can't understand why the Bad River Indian Reservation's council isn't making inadequate treatment of its sewage more of a priority. With a tribal election set for Tuesday, Tom Deragon Jr., who said he sat on the tribal council for a year, has put up a sign along U.S. 2, near the Bad River Casino, seeking to "raise community awareness" about the tribe's polluting of the Bad River and Lake Superior. "Nothing's getting done," he said. "I... Full story

  • Charges added in Montreal fatal drunk driving crash

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 31, 2013

    HURLEY — A 17-year-old Hurley resident who faces a count of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle has entered not guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges related to the traffic death. Paige Rene Grayson, 17, of 210 Copper St., was the driver in a Sept. 14 single-vehicle accident in the city of Montreal that resulted in the death of Trevor Mylly, 17, of Ironwood. A passenger in the vehicle, he died of a massive skull fracture. Grayson is being represented by attorney Mike Korpela and on Monday charges of operating while intoxicated, speeding, o... Full story

  • Halloween looks warm, but wet

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 30, 2013

    After more than a week of rain and snow, the sunshine across the Gogebic Range Monday and Tuesday was a welcome relief, although brief. Although the thermometer dropped to 20 degrees overnight Monday, on Tuesday morning it turned sunny and the temperature had rebounded to 36 by noon. By 11 a.m., it had already warmed up to 40 degrees at Saxon Harbor, where there was no wind and clear sailing, allowing a few boats to get out on Lake Superior. Dark clouds had returned by Tuesday afternoon,... Full story

  • Center's new ice unveiled Friday

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 30, 2013

    IRONWOOD - Area skaters will get to try out the new ice at the Patrick O'Donnell Civic Center on Friday. New ice-making equipment has been installed and center manager Brian Roehm said Monday the system seems to be working fine. Roehm said the project was completed with the help of a handful of volunteers. Also, he said the community corrections department assisted by assigning people to serve community service sentences by working at the center. Open skating hours will be 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.... Full story

  • Hurley condo association treasurer faces theft counts

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 29, 2013

    HURLEY — A 73-year-old Hurley man appeared in Iron County Court Monday morning on two felony counts of theft in a business setting over $10,000. Thomas J. Cvengros, of LaBlonde Lane, was represented in court by A. Dennis Cossi. He entered not guilty pleas to the counts and waived his right to a speedy preliminary examination. Cvengros was released on a $5,000 signature bond by Iron County Judge Patrick Madden on the condition that he have no contact with the Eagle Bluff Condo Association and the Lake Michele Lake District. According to the crim... Full story

  • Little blue ambulance

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 26, 2013

    BESSEMER — Tires on Gogebic County’s new snow ambulances may soon be converted to skis. Gogebic County Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Loeper on Wednesday unveiled one of the two new ambulances outside the sheriff's department following a county board meeting. The little blue ambulances, which look like small electric-powered cars, have no motors, but include hitches and may be towed by snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles. Loeper told county board members every Upper Peninsula county wil... Full story

  • 1,852 area customers affected by Thursday power outage

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 25, 2013

    IRONWOOD — Much of the Gogebic Range experienced a four-hour power outage on Thursday afternoon. The lights went out around 2:30 p.m. and residents along McLeod Avenue didn’t have electricity until 6:26 p.m., although services were restored earlier than that in other parts of the city. Some residences didn’t get power until 7:30 p.m., however. A spokesman from Xcel Energy’s Eau Claire office said Thursday evening that the power outage affected 1,852 customers. There were reports the outage... Full story

  • Ashland man sent to prison for seventh drunk driving count

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 22, 2013

    HURLEY — A 48-year-old Ashland man was sentenced to three years in prison and two years of probation Monday for a seventh drunk driving offense. Iron County Judge Patrick Madden sentenced Lloyd Neveaux Jr. in a late afternoon court session. Neveaux, formerly of Odanah, was also assessed fines and court costs of $2,000, had his driver’s license revoked for 24 months, received a five-year interlock ignition system requirement and was given credit for 65 days served in jail. Asked by Madden if he... Full story

  • Wording for McDonald recall petition approved

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 18, 2013

    BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Election Commission Thursday approved language for a ballot on whether Bill McDonald should be recalled from the Bessemer School Board. Sheri Graham, a fellow school member who is attempting to oust McDonald from office, will now have 180 days to collect signatures for a recall petition. The earliest a recall election could be held would be next May. In her second effort to approve language for the ballot, Graham alleged: —McDonald misled voters, telling them to... Full story

  • Lombardo appointed to Hurley City Council

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 9, 2013

    HURLEY — With six applicants to choose from, the Hurley City Council appointed Steve Lombardo to fill a vacant council seat on Tuesday. Lombardo, a teacher in the Hurley School District, replaces John Aijala, who moved from Hurley. Council member Jamey Francis nominated Lombardo for the position, indicating he will bring in some youthful enthusiasm. Don Richards seconded the nomination, and Lombardo was elected on a 3-1 vote, with Char Mussatti voting no and Rob Lanctoe abstaining. Joanne Brunea... Full story

  • Fire guts Ironwood church

    Ralph Ansami|Oct 8, 2013

    IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Public Safety Department’s fire officer on Monday was investigating a late Saturday night fire that gutted a downtown church. Brandon Snyder said the IPSD received an 11:44 p.m. call that there was a structure fire in the area of Lutey’s Flower Shop, near Ayer Street. It was determined the fire was coming from Peace Lutheran Church at 102 S. Mansfield St., across the street from Lutey’s. Snyder said there were flames and smoke coming out of the east side of the wood-fr... Full story

  • Despite wet summer, Lake Superior level still 10 inches below normal

    Ralph Ansami|Sep 19, 2013

    After significant increases in the water level of Lake Superior over the past few months, the lake level held relatively steady in August and remains lower than long-term averages. According to Kevin Crupi, of the National Weather Service office in Marquette, the Lake Superior level stood at 601.86 feet above sea level on Aug. 1 and ended the month slightly higher at 601.94 feet. August 2013 water levels on Lake Superior were about three to four inches higher than in August of 2012, but still... Full story

  • Clean sweep

    Ralph Ansami|Sep 16, 2013

    IRONWOOD — A citywide fall clean-up on a sunny Saturday is one example of the many opportunities Ironwood residents have to improve their community. Scores of people lined up their vehicles along the vacant lot on Ayer Street, waiting to get rid of junk, just as they do during the spring clean-up day and the popular annual “Make A Difference” day, when trash is picked up around the city by volunteers. Mayor Kim Corcoran said on Saturday people began lining up at 6:30 a.m., although the event... Full story

  • IPSD assumes bigger role in Ironwood's blight fight

    Ralph Ansami|Sep 16, 2013

    IRONWOOD — The tactics have changed in Ironwood’s blight fight. Previously, complaints were handled by a single city blight control officer, but the Ironwood Public Safety Department took over enforcement of blight complaints in the spring. Citizens who don’t keep their properties clean and mowed continue to face possible action from the city. IPSD Lt. Mike Rimkus explained to city commissioners last week how the city is now responding to blighted property complaints. Rimkus said it is a team effort. He estimated every public safety offic... Full story

  • Blighted parcel clean-up cost pegged at $53,000

    Ralph Ansami|Sep 7, 2013

    IRONWOOD — It will apparently cost $53,000 to clean up the blighted parcel the city of Ironwood condemned at 213 Bonnie St. The city commission on Monday will consider awarding a bid for that amount to Jake’s Excavating, a local company, for the removal of the structure and clean-up of the site. The former Peterson grocery store building in Bonnie Location was most recently owned by John Harteloo, who made no effort to clean up the site in the past few years, leading to the condemnation declaration because of health hazards. The city rec... Full story

  • Vandals strike at fairgrounds

    Ralph Ansami|Sep 5, 2013

    IRONWOOD — Vandalism damage at the Gogebic County Fairgrounds is under investigation by the Ironwood Public Safety Department. The IPSD received a 3:10 a.m. Wednesday complaint about a building break-in at the fairgrounds from Bill McDonald, who was dropping off some carnival equipment. McDonald noticed the main office door swinging open and discovered a side window on the building had been smashed. Inside the large main office building, fire extinguishers had been sprayed and pop cans and d... Full story

  • Rain, rain go away

    Ralph Ansami|Sep 4, 2013

    The 8.4 inches of rain that Ironwood received in August didn’t set a monthly rainfall record, but it came close. A whopping 6.53 inches fell in the last week of the month, the result of numerous thunderstorm cloudbursts, after a relatively dry first three-plus weeks of August. The 8.4 inches compares to the record 8.86 inches recorded in 1941, according to the National Weather Service office in Marquette. Records are kept for about the past 110 years. In comparison, 1.84 inches fell on I... Full story

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