Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 143
GREENLAND TOWNSHIP - Residents from Greenland and surrounding communities gathered at Stenson Park on Saturday to celebrate the independence of America. Greenland's Forth of July committee coordinators, Sue Turin and Trisha Mcintyre, organized the event so anybody can participate. "It's open to everybody," Turin said. "It's not just a community event." The festivities started with a walk, roll or run followed by cornhole tournament and a kickball game which had eight teams vying for the top...
WAKEFIELD - The Wakefield-Marenisco High School class of 2019 threw their graduation caps in the air friday, signifying an end to a chapter in their lives. Before the class celebrated their achievement, Jason Gustafson, superintendent of the district, gave the graduating class advice. "Before you act, listen; before you react, think; before you spend, earn; before you criticize, wait; before you quit, try," he said quoting William Arthur Ward. He told the class to listen to their hearts to...
HURLEY - The Hurley K-12 School Board and community members gave retiring superintendent Chris Patritto a round of applause at Monday's board meeting "Every challenge our board has given Chris Patritto he's performed admirably," board president Joe Simonich said. Simonich presented Patritto with a certificate of commendation from Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and a plaque on behalf of state Sen. Janet Bewley and state Rep. Beth Meyer, who represent Iron County in Madison. Simonich said the district...
IRONWOOD - Friends of the Iron Belle Trail turned the pavilion at Ironwood Depot Park into a desert smorgasbord for their annual Mother's Day Walk, Run & Roll on Sunday. The group of volunteers help keep up the trail and promote it, said Enni Gregas, member of the trail association. The event encourages people to be active and gives people a chance to see the trail, she added. "It's beautiful and it's scenic," she said. Little kids can learn to ride their bikes, she said, and seniors can ride sa...
HURLEY - The 14th annual Brian Nasi Memorial Heart run/walk took place on Saturday at the Hurley K-12 school. Ginger Nasi, widow of Brian, founded the event to create awareness of heart disease and promote healthy habits. "We're starting with the youth in the community and make it a healthy habit to always get out there and exercise and do the best you can," she said. Nasi said the event has always been more of a "family running event" to encourage creating a healthy lifestyle early on in life....
IRONWOOD - The Historic Ironwood Theatre hosted a strategic planning session on Thursday to define the theater's place in the community and shape its future. Amy Quinn, president and CEO of Grow and Lead, said she understands the HIT has undergone a transition in the last few years. "The theater has a new board that is really moving forward and they want a plan so they can all be in alignment," said Quinn, a consultant for non-profits across the U.P. One goal of the work session was to find out...
IRONWOOD — Aspirus Hospital in Ironwood is using remote technology to offer patients expanded access to physicians. David Sim, manager of marketing and public relations for Aspirus, said it’s not always easy for the hospital to find enough doctors to work in the area. “It’s hard for rural communities to compete with such high demand,” he said. “Everybody wants more providers.” Telehealth addresses this problem by allowing doctors to live anywhere in the world, but work where they are most needed. During a demonstration, a doorbell soun...
IRONWOOD — Wesley United Methodist Church kicked off the first Friday of March by offering a free community dinner. Head trustee for the church Ronald Ahonen said the church has cooked Christmas dinners for the neighborhood in the past, but has never done something like this before. He said, the mission of the church is to serve and that’s what they are trying to do. “We hope people come and enjoy the fellowship as well as the dinner,” he added. Keith Mullikin, pastor of the church, said the church had a food pantry for a number of years, but d...
MERCER, Wis. - The Mercer Public Library and Mercer Historical Society joined together to host their second "Mercer Memory" event on Friday. Life-long Mercer resident Peg Brunner shared stories of her life from growing up there. From catching her first "legal Musky" at age 15 to throwing rocks off a bridge killing redhorse fish which had invaded her favorite fishing spot, Brunner was determined to show her brothers she could do anything they could do. "I was really quite the tomboy," Brunner...
IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Carnegie Library hosted its first ever donut sale this fall to help fund programs and purchases for the library. People were able to pre-order their donuts, which were made by Rigoni's Bakery, earlier this month, and pick them up Tuesday morning at the library. Library director Elaine Erickson said Rigoni's donated all the packaging materials. "We had both businesses and individuals contribute; we had very diverse support," she said. The library sold pumpkin spice and...
BESSEMER - The Bessemer City Council heard a presentation at its meeting Monday from Jim Loeper, Gogebic County emergency management and 911 coordinator, regarding the countywide 911 operating surcharge proposal on the Nov. 4 election ballot. The current surcharge millage expires June 2015 and voters are asked for the renewal, which is not to exceed $1.65, on the monthly billings of landline, wireless and VOIP service suppliers within the county. Loeper said the county can levy up to $1.65 per...
HURLEY - People looking to help local high school seniors and enjoy an Italian meal had a chance to do just that at a luncheon hosted by the Gogebic and Iron County Paisano Club on Saturday. Around 30 people visited the Hurley Senior Center for a lunch of Italian sausage, polenta, Italian sauerkraut a beverage and desert. A 50/50 raffle was also held, as was a drawing for donated door prizes. Dorothy Walesewicz, who shares the club's title of president with her husband, Joe, said it was the...
Of the six schools within the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District, just one has seen an increase in this year's enrollment from last year. Excluding the few students who are counted as part of a separate district formed within the ISD, the six other GOISD schools have seen a drop of 433 total students-or a decrease of more than 16 percent-from 2009 to 2014, according to data provided by the GOISD and mischooldata.org. Wakefield-Marenisco, with a 2014 fall count of 291, has held close...
WAKEFIELD - The Wakefield City Council decided Monday the Sunday Lake spillway may need more extensive repairs than originally thought. Employees from the city's department of public works lowered the level of Sunday Lake in late September and determined the spillway was in need of concrete and rebar reconstruction. The estimated cost of materials was about $1,500 and city officials said the work could have been completed by city employees in three days. However council member Bob Blaskowski...
WAKEFIELD - The Wakefield City Council terminated several contracts during its meeting Monday in order to help in the purchase of Father Daniel Hall as the new city hall building. The Western U.P. Substance Abuse Service Agency contract, the city's Employee Assistance Program (EAP), was up for renewal. After tabling the discussion at a previous meeting, the motion was carried to terminate the contract since the city is not legally obligated to carry an EAP, rather it is required to inform its...
BESSEMER - The pews were full Sunday morning at Sharon Lutheran Church in Bessemer as the congregation celebrated 125 years of existence with a service and a catered brunch, and also officially installed its new pastor, the Rev. Bill Jacobson. Jacobson has been presiding over the All Saints Lutheran Church in Wakefield for several years and has held sermons at Sharon Lutheran since June 1. He said the church held an official installation Sunday because Bishop Tom Skrenes, of the Northern Great...
IRONWOOD - Students at All Saints Catholic Academy in Ironwood held a Fire Safety Day Friday afternoon at the school. Students were visited by members of the Ironwood Public Safety Department and got to check out the department's fire trucks and some of the equipment. All Saints' new principal, Timothy Barry, said the school has held similar events in the past. "It's fire safety month and we're having a fire safety day," he said. "They're here showing the kids how all the equipment works, and ta...
IRONWOOD - Gogebic Community College Foundation honored three individuals and one organization for their contributions to the college and commitment to the community at its 19th annual "Celebration of Achievements" banquet Thursday. This year's honorees included distinguished alumni Robert Baima and Walter Prosek. Roy Contratto was also honored as 2014's distinguished faculty member, and the Ironwood Kiwanis Club was awarded Honorary Friends of the College at the banquet in the Lindquist...
WAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP - Due to a decrease in taxable property value Wakefield Township residents will get a slight tax break for 2014's tax year. The Wakefield Township Board approved a new millage rate at its meeting Tuesday, which is slightly lower than 2013's rate and will generate roughly $27,000 less in township revenue. "For you taxpayers, the millage rate will go down from 4.65 to 4.4021," said John Cox, township supervisor. The total taxable value dropped from about $31.1 million to $25.5 m...
BESSEMER - Bessemer's City Council voiced its support for the proposed hotel resort and casino on top of Indianhead Mountain in Wakefield Township, citing potential job creation associated with the endeavor. The plan for the 140-bed hotel and adjoining casino is a partnership between Indianhead/Blackjack Mountain officials and Lac Vieux Desert tribal leaders from Watersmeet. "It certainly will create jobs in the area in the event that it should occur," council member Al Gaiss said, predicting...
ONTONAGON COUNTY - Senior citizens recently enjoyed the fall colors in Ontonagon County from the seat of an off-road vehicle during the seventh annual Senior Fall Color Tour. According to a release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, nearly 100 senior citizens occupied the passenger seats of two-, four- and six-person side-by-side ORVs as the group traveled a 19-mile route from Greenland to Twin Lakes State Park. The color ride is organized and provided entirely by volunteers...
IRONWOOD — Three more individuals and a local organization will be honored Thursday for their commitment to Gogebic Community College and the community at the 19th annual “Celebration of Achievements” banquet, hosted by the GCC Foundation. This year’s honorees include distinguished alumnus Robert Baima, class of 1971, and Walter Prosek, class of 1940. Distinguished faculty member Roy Contratto, will also be honored, and the Ironwood Kiwanis Club will be deemed Honorary Friends of the College. Baima Baima, a Hurley native, graduated from GC...
BESSEMER - The city of Bessemer is looking to remove a blighted structure at 506 S. Moore St., for which it would receive grant reimbursements from the Michigan State Housing and Development Authority. Officials were notified in July that Gogebic County received the MSHDA Blight Elimination grant, along with four other Upper Peninsula counties: Alger, Delta, Houghton and Marquette. The grant money, totaling $168,950, is to be used for elimination of 11 publicly-owned residential structures and...
IRONWOOD - Aspirus Grand View Hospital held an open house Thursday to show the public its new emergency department. Officials said the project, which included relocating the hospital's lab and pharmacy, cost $4 million and completely changed the appearance and structure of the hospital's emergency care location. "It's like working in a whole new place," said Brian Hughes, one of the full-time physicians in the department. Hughes has been at AGVH for two years, but in the emergency medicine...
WAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP - Plans for a new 140-bed hotel and adjoining casino are in the works for the top of the Indianhead Mountain Ski Resort in Wakefield Township. Barry Bolich, manager of Indianhead and Blackjack Mountain ski resorts, and tribal leaders from the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians gave a presentation to the township board and planning commission at a meeting in September. "At this point, we've entered into and signed a letter of intent ... to pursue and study...
