Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 226 - 250 of 368
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — Not guilty pleas were entered in Judge Patrick Madden’s Iron County Courtroom Wednesday during the initial appearance of three defendants charged with a range of crimes including misdemeanor battery. John Paul Ranta, 29, of Woodruff, Wis., is facing a felony charge of strangulation and suffocation — which carries a maximum penalty of 6 years in prison and a $10,000 fine — and two misdemeanor charges. The misdemeanor charges — battery and disorderly conduct — carry maximum penalties o... Full story
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — The Iron County Comprehensive Planning Land and Zoning Committee Tuesday again discussed a plan to install an electronic sign at the Mercer School, and while no formal action was taken, there was a consensus that the committee would reach a decision at its next meeting. The discussion stems from a request by Zoning Administrator Tom Bergman for the committee to clarify how it viewed the county’s prohibition of “flashing signs.” Bergman, in essence, wanted to know whether the committ... Full story
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] SPRINGSTEAD, Wis. — Members of the University of Wisconsin’s Iron County Extension Office visited the Sherman Town Hall Thursday to meet residents and discuss programs the office offers. The goal was to establish relationships with residents and provide an opportunity for the Extension office to share what it was working on and how area residents could get involved. Representatives from the Price County Extension Office were also present, given the town’s proximity to the county line and the numbe... Full story
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — After the sticker shock wore off, the members of the Iron County Board of Supervisors Finance Committee voted 4-1 Thursday to move forward with the purchase of two dispatcher consoles for the sheriff’s department. The purchase will cost around $199,799 — although the price would have increased another $50,000 if the county doesn’t make the purchase prior to Nov. 21 — according to information presented to the committee. “We can ignore the $50,000, but we can’t ignore the fact we need the (... Full story
ERWIN TOWNSHIP — While the Erwin Township agreed that it was a good idea at Wednesday’s meeting, they agreed to delay the Geographic Information System mapping of the township until the update of the township’s property cards is complete. Township Supervisor Larry Grimsby explained he was in the process of confirming and updating the information on the property cards — which are the records of the assessing data of the parcels of land in the township. “I don’t want to put that information in there, because if somebody goes on and looks up th... Full story
HURLEY - As part of his mission as the youth development agent with the University of Wisconsin's Iron County Extension Office, Neil Klemme recently took seven Hurley teens to Montello, Wis., to participate in a first impressions survey. The survey entails two groups visiting each other's communities to offer feedback based on the "first impression" of a visitor, Klemme explained. "You're looking at the community's assets. What are the positives in the community and what can they do to enhance... Full story
MERCER, Wis. — The waters of southern Iron County were the focus for fishermen with kayaks and canoes this weekend as Mercer held its first “Can-Yak” canoe and kayak fishing tournament and festival. The tournament which began with registration on Friday and fishing on Saturday and Sunday provided an opportunity to bring visitors to the Mercer area in what is traditionally a down period, according to Tina Brunell, the executive director of the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce and one of the organizers of the tournament. “Mercer, what we are all... Full story
IRONWOOD - The Ironwood City Commission is expected to hear a request to authorize the remaining funds generated by the "Bridge the Gap" campaign be used to extend the paved portion of the regional trail from the Montreal River to U.S. 51, according to Hurley Mayor Joe Pinardi. According to Pinardi, he and the University of Wisconsin Iron County Extension Office's Will Andresen met with city officials, including Ironwood City Manager Scott Erickson, on Friday to discuss using the remaining... Full story
HURLEY — Members of the Gogebic Range Broadband Committee met this week to discuss moving forward with applying for a grant through the state of Wisconsin to expand Internet access to residents in northern Iron County. The committee is working on an application for a state Broadband Expansion Grant that would help fund the expansion of broadband Internet to residents around Saxon, Anderson and the Gile Flowage, using existing towers in the region. One of the towers, on Radar Hill near Whitecap Mountains and the town of Anderson, is owned by t... Full story
Labor Day weekend means the imminent arrival of another school year for Gogebic County students. The first day of school for students in the Ironwood, Bessemer, Wakefield-Marenisco and Watersmeet districts is Tuesday. For students in the Ironwood Area Schools, classes begin at 8 a.m. with dismissal times of 3:05, 3:10 and 3:15 p.m. for grades K-2, 3-6 and 7-12 respectively. It will also mark the first year the district will have a K-12 principal, rather than both a K-6 and 7-12 principal. Denise... Full story
HURLEY - Over 20 people attended Tuesday's meeting of the Iron County Regional Trail Committee, leading to the election of new leaders and the reaching of a consensus on how to move forward with bringing the regional trail through Iron County. The effort is the latest development in the ongoing effort to construct a non-motorized trail between the ski trails in Montreal, Wis. and Sunday Lake in Wakefield. Although no formal action was taken, the group agreed to move forward with the plan to... Full story
MERCER, Wis. - The Iron County Land and Waters Conservation Department's "Conservation on Tap" lecture series wrapped up Tuesday, at The Pines in Mercer, with a presentation by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Sam Jonas on moose populations in the Upper Midwest with a focus on Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Minnesota. Jonas began his lecture by discussing the history of moose in the region. Historically moose populations were found in the upper midwest,... Full story
IRONWOOD - Incoming Ironwood second grader Kaitlynn McCracken not only kept up with her studies over the summer by participating in the Ironwood Area School District's summer program but also received a gift certificate for attending 19 of the sessions. The program, designed to prevent students from "backsliding" and losing knowledge over the summer vacation, was open to the district's incoming second through 11th graders and offered the students a chance to work on lessons using the software... Full story
Although they probably wish otherwise, today was the first day of the 2015-16 school year for students in the Hurley and Mercer school districts. Classes began at 8 a.m. for Mercer students and 8:05 a.m. for Hurley, according to information on each district's website. There was a familiar face in a new role when students arrived at the Hurley K-12 School this morning, with Melissa Oja serving as the district's dean of students. Oja had previously worked in the district as a middle-high school... Full story
HURLEY — While more information is needed to see whether its a viable option, the Gogebic Range Broadband Committee discussed applying for grants from the state of Wisconsin to expand broadband internet access to Iron county residents at the committee’s Wednesday meeting. While there are several options and funding levels that could be pursued, the committee’s consensus seemed to be to pursue “the low-hanging fruit” and choose the option that requires the least investment and expense while serving as many people as possible. With this goal... Full story
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — The Ironwood Township Board of Trustees approved naming Zoning Administrator Leroy Johnson as the township’s noxious weed officer at Monday’s meeting, pending Johnson’s acceptance of the position. Several board members brought up the logic in selecting Johnson for the position as there is likely a lot of overlap with his current responsibility of enforcing township regulations against blight. “Would (appointing Johnson) be a logical thing to do. A lot of times, the same nuisance things he would be checking, many times tho... Full story
IRONWOOD - A group of residents gathered at the pavilion in Ironwood's Depot Park Saturday morning to receive assignments for the summer clean-up of the Montreal River. The clean-up was one of three this year, said Ian Shackleford - a botanist with the U.S. Forest Service which helped an organize the cleanup - and was coordinated by the Forest Service, the Ironwood Parks and Recreation Committee and the Iron County Land and Water Conservation Department. There was a clean-up using kayaks in... Full story
KIMBALL, Wis. - The Iron County Farmers Market was especially crowded Saturday as the market dedicated a new sign commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Lucy Luoma Hantala Pavilion, the market's home. Located at the corner of 10th Avenue and U.S. 51, the pavilion is named after Lucy Luoma Hantala, a former teacher of one of the market's founding fathers, John Sola and a supporter of the effort to build the pavilion. "The market had applied for a grant to construct the new pavilion, but the... Full story
BESSEMER - It was a party in Bessemer's Bluff Valley Park Saturday as the park was the site of the annual town picnic, hosted by Marty's Goldenaires. The day featured a variety of games for both children and adults, including penny pitch, chuck-a-luck, frog races, super-sized beer pong - which features soccer balls and garbage cans - and a corn hole tournament. There was also the standard summer picnic-fare of burgers, bratwurst, hot dogs, grilled corn and chicken as well as refreshments.... Full story
WAKEFIELD - Area residents now have another avenue to dispose of old medication with the Michigan State Police Wakefield Post unveiling a new medicine drop-off box on Friday. The box will be available for residents to use during the post's hours of operation, Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to trooper Warren Webster. The box offers an easy, anonymous way to dispose of certain prescription medicines, Webster said, adding that while post personnel will monitor the disposal to... Full story
IRONWOOD — The Gogebic Range Solid Waste Management Authority board decided Thursday to make another effort to meet with the city of Bessemer to reach a resolution to the city’s exit from the authority. The decision came after Bessemer representatives were unable to make Thursday’s meeting and, according to documents provided at the meeting, requested a meeting some time in September. Bessemer’s city council voted to leave the authority at its March 16 meeting. At issue in the dispute between the city and authority is a disagreement regardi... Full story
ERWIN TOWNSHIP — Wednesday’s Erwin Township Planning Commission began with township Supervisor Larry Grimsby running the meeting before the commission elected its officers. William Hellen was elected chairman, John Nuce was elected vice chairman and David Pawlak was named secretary. Prior to the meeting, all three officers as well as the two other commissioners — Roger Mussatti and Jim Anderson — were sworn in by Grimsby, which Grimsby told the Daily Globe was a precaution as the township was unable to find record of the oaths being adminis... Full story
HURLEY — The Iron County Board of Supervisors’ Finance Committee approved reclassifying Sarah Eder from a level 2 to a level 3 social worker Thursday. Iron County Human Services Director Carolyn Kolson-Janov said Eder has been with the county for five years — although she had worked in the county as an AmeriCorps and contract worker prior to joining the county full-time — and works with the child protective services and child welfare units. There are four levels of social workers, Kolson-Janov said, with four being the highest and applica... Full story
IRONWOOD - Once again, its time for the annual tradition that is the Gogebic County Fair, which opens today and runs through Sunday. Starting at 10 a.m., today, the public can explore the fairgrounds until 8:30 p.m. and participants can drop off entries in all categories. The day will feature a youth challenge, beginning at 4:30 p.m., according to the fair's Entertainment and Marketing Chair, Kathy Jo Koval. The challenge features six teams of area youth competing in a number of "silly games,"... Full story
ERWIN TOWNSHIP — Erwin Township hasn’t been up-to-date on paying taxes to the federal government. That was the news township Supervisor Larry Grimsby delivered to the board of trustees Wednesday. “It was discovered that we’re on the verge, the township is on the verge, of being put into collections by the federal government,” said Grimsby. Grimsby reassured the board and residents in attendance that, now the township was aware of the problems, the township leaders were taking steps to resolve the issue. According to Grimsby — who was reading... Full story
