By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] MANITOWISH WATERS, Wis. — On Oct. 1, the Benson family of Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin, woke up to what they called "a nightmare." In communications shared this past week, Josh and Tristen Benson said their daughter, Hadley, 8, suddenly rose that day "displaying behavior far different than normal." According to the Bensons, emergency service personnel cleared her at that time, but Hadley then again awoke the next day and "wasn't herself and we knew something was off." After that incident, they...

By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission on Monday approved a proposal submitted by the Michigan Baseball Congress, which wants to use Randa Field for its adult baseball league. The city field, which the league hopes to use as of the spring of 2025, is near the iconic “Big Indian” and the Norrie Amateur Sports Club Inc. City manager Paul Anderson said that the congress approached him about a month ago with the “unique opportunity.” “We noted that it does need some significant work in...

By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD —- The Board of Education for Ironwood Area Schools heard a Monday presentation from Trisha Winn, chair of the English Department and coordinator of the Professional Learning Committee. The board also heard a presentation from Alan Tulppo, superintendent of the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District. Tulppo has been making the rounds of all GOISD schools regarding how each of them utilize various services. The GOISD aims to provide support to its districts in areas such as academic...

By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer City Council on Monday evening voted to approve an employment agreement with Samantha Zacovek, newly named as the city’s clerk/treasurer. Zacovek had been been working as deputy clerk since earlier this year when former clerk/treasurer Mandy Lake began also serving as interim city manager. The council recently hired Lake as city manager. Until this month, Zacovek also had served in recent years as a part-time administrator to the Downtown Development Authority....

By JASON JUNO [email protected] MARQUETTE — Wakefield-Marenisco junior Noelle Grace earned a spot on the All-U.P. volleyball team for the second year in a row. After making the Division 4 First Team last year, Grace this year became one of 16 Dream Team selections in voting at last week’s second annual volleyball meeting of the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Ironwood’s Audra Pawlak and Hanna Vaughn were selected to the Division 1-3 First Team with a trio of Ewen-Trout Creek players named to the...

By JASON JUNO [email protected] IRONWOOD — Gogebic won its home opener 75-62 over the Northland College JV team Thursday night. The Samsons started fast and led 43-24 at halftime. They needed that margin as Northland fought back to make it a closer game in the second half. Gogebic was playing the second night of a back-to-back after a nice win at Marshfield the night before, but it was a late trip. The Samsons, though, only played well in one half that game, the second, and they’ve generally had one good half in all of their...

By JASON JUNO [email protected] MARQUETTE — Iron Mountain dominated the major 11-player awards given up out by the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association at its 75th annual football meeting last week. The Mountaineers finished 11-1 and advanced to the Division 8 regional final where it lost 14-7 to Beal City, which is playing Riverview Gabriel Richard for a state championship Friday morning. Iron Mountain was named Small School Team of the Year, with the retiring Robin Martilla Coach of the Year. Running back...