Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 27
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Pat O’Donnell Civic Center may be the site of this year’s Gogebic County Fair in Ironwood. County Fair Board members voted on Monday evening to have board member Linda Nelson prepare a related proposal to submit to the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners in time for that board’s March 13 meeting. Board member Thomas Hampston opposed the vote, but all others voted aye. Before the vote, Nelson said she already had spoken with Jay Kivisto, Civic Center manager, and said that he and his ass...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] Three community hubs in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties were recipients of Michigan Community Centers grant funds announced last week by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, and are now planning for the future in which they can use these funds. Local recipients included the Ironwood Carnegie Library, the Historic Ironwood Theatre, and the Lake Gogebic Senior Citizens Club in Bergland. The Michigan Community Centers grant funds of $64...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] In what has been called a no-snow or low-snow winter, area ski hills are ending a short season early. In Wisconsin, Whitecap Mountains Resort in Upson closed on March 1. In Gogebic County, Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort and Mt. Zion Ski Hill closed on Sunday. The latter is on the campus of Gogebic Community College. In Ontonagon County, the Porcupine Mountains Ski Area and Adventure Mountain - due to their reliance only on natural snow - have each been ope...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — At their most recent meeting last week, the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners delivered a hard no to any attempts to retain the 2024 fair at the county fairgrounds. The agenda included two items: 1. Reconsideration of the board’s Oct. 11, 2023, vote to close this year’s fair at the fairgrounds, along with any other major events there; and 2. Subsequent action to consider a revised proposal by county Fair Board members, who have been pushing for a smaller version of the fair that would...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] IRONWOOD - Robert Sertic of Ironwood is 88 and still going strong, but he's already left a legacy in relation to a decades-long hobby. Sertic recently donated 270 model planes to Michigan Technological University. "They have an Air Force ROTC program," said Sertic in explaining the school's interest. He added that his daughter, Sue Pertile, also of Ironwood, put an ad out regarding the planes and MTU happened to answer it. "My daughter and her husband...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] BESSEMER - The Bessemer Area School District held its monthly board meeting Thursday. The board approved the formation of a school golf team, and welcomed Max France to the board as the K-6 dean of students. France was voted unanimously into his position at the meeting, and is already settling into the new role at the Washington Elementary School after a month. Superintendent Richard Matrella commended the work of the new team at Washington elementary...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Members of the Bessemer Downtown Development Authority voted last week to allot $3,500 over a 9-month period to a Bessemer business that is now entering its third year of operation. The funding is part of the city’s Pop-Up Shop program. Benefitting from the funding are Nicolas Hernandez and Victoria Arrington, owners and operators of Iron Bay Delivery. They are doing business as Iron Bay Detail and Wash. “Iron Bay Detail and Wash will offer a wide range of vehicle detailing services, inclu...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Members of the Bessemer Downtown Development Authority voted last week to advertise the position of a part-time executive director for their board. The person hired will take the reins from Samantha Dorr, who has served in that role for the past year and a half. The position was created when former City Manager Charly Loper assigned Dorr, then the city secretary, to round up information for the DDA while Loper was immersed in a multi-year utility and road project. It began as an extra r...
By LARRY HOLCOMBE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Local Girl Scouts are marking their an annual rite of spring with the selling of Girl Scout cookies across the region. A group of Junior Girl Scouts with local Troop 5429 -- Natalie Sackmann, Evelynn Hembree, Ivy Bromley and Azaylia Jewell -- set up a table to sell cookies on Friday at 5 p.m. at Super One grocery store in Ironwood. It was just one of several planned pop-up shop cookie selling booths planned for the region by the troop...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Members of the Finance, Budgeting and Auditing Committee of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners voted last week to accept and file a written proposal to help initiate a new drug treatment and mental health center in the U.P. Commissioner Joseph Bonovetz said the proposal that Houghton County Administrator Ben Larson submitted to the Upper Peninsula Coalition for Area Progress. Larson’s proposal says that there is U.P.-wide support to establish a U.P. Drug Treatment and Mental Health Cri...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — A variety of improvements are now in store for the Gogebic County Jail, thanks to a vote last week by county officials to fund $1.5 million for the listed projects. Members of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners’ Finance, Budgeting and Auditing Committee discussed and recommended the action, which the board later approved. The vote specified that funds will be allocated from the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund. The U.S. Department of Treasury defines that fund as “a gener...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WATERSMEET — A history of the Anishinaabe people is the focus of a traveling exhibit called “The Seventh Fire,” running from March 11-22 at the Ottawa National Forest Visitor Center in Watersmeet. “Anishinaabe” means “the original people” and also refers to the Ojibwe, who compose Watersmeet’s Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. The word is pronounced ah-nish-i-NAW-bee. Organizers of the exhibit report that it will include a timeline of the Anishinaabe, as well as “videos that sh...
MERCER, Wis. - David Phillip Swearingen, age 77 of Mercer, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, at Aspirus Ironwood Hospital. Dave was born on June 15, 1946, at Grandview Hospital in Ironwood, Michigan, the son of Paul and Phyllis Swearingen. He graduated from Mercer High School and was a bartender in the Milwaukee area for many years. Dave loved sports and excelled in basketball and baseball and was inducted to the Mercer Hall of Fame. He is survived by his daughter, Candee DeCarlo; his... Full story
IRONWOOD, Mich. - Jacqueline L. Milewski, 85, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Jackie is survived by her husband, Eugene "Geno" Milewski; three daughters, Diana (Jim) Alexandroni, Donna Milewski-Dorner and Debbie (Jeff) Lekies; grandchildren, Barbie Esterline, Robby Lampart, Nicki (Chris) Hudson, Janelle "Jelly" Lekies, Carissa VanVonderen and Alesha Dorner; and many adoring nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Flavella... Full story
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Ronald Keith Yesney, 93, of Harrison, died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. He was born Sept. 9, 1930, to Samuel and Agnes (Peterson) Yesney in Wakefield. He was the second oldest of four children. Ronald's youth was spent in Verona. He and his siblings lived in a charming home directly across the street from the Verona School, which he attended. His father Samuel worked at the Plymouth Mine and his mother Agnes was a... Full story
IRONWOOD, Mich. - Michael "Mike" J. Oszakiewski, 37, of Ironwood, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. Mike was born on June 21, 1986, to Joseph and Krystina (Nowak) Oszakiewski. He was a 2004 graduate of Mercer High School. Mike enjoyed working the last 15 years at Snow Country Hardwoods in Hurley. He loved playing video games or watching movies, especially with his nephew and going disc golfing. Mike was beloved by all his family and friends. Mike is survived by his sister, Jessica (Doug)... Full story
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Patrick J. Niemi, age 55, of Ironwood Township, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. Patrick was born on Dec. 1, 1968, in Ironwood, to the late Olive and Raymond Niemi. He is survived by his loving sons, Andrew and Michael Niemi; brother, Raymond Niemi Jr.; sister-in-law, Paulette Niemi; nephews, Anthony and Nick Niemi; and an aunt, Lillian Sullivan. Patrick attended St. Ambrose Catholic School for most of his schooling and graduated from Luther L. Wright... Full story
FAIRHOPE, Ala. - Muriel Fay Polvi, age 85 of Fairhope, Alabama, passed away on Jan. 3, 2024, just weeks after her husband, Ron. She was born and raised in Ironwood, Michigan. After graduating from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood, Fay married the love of her life, Ron Polvi. They were married for 67 years and raised three children, Christopher, Ronilyn and Tracy. Fay held several jobs as a bookkeeper. Through the years, she enjoyed reading and painting, and as an accomplished cook and... Full story
RAMSAY, Mich. - Lucille Ann (nee Miskovich) Zazeski, 76, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 4, 2024, with her loving family at her side. Lucille was born on March 25, 1947, in Wakefield of the late Steve and Mary Miskovich, as the eighth of 13 children. On June 14, 1969, Lucille was united in marriage with David Zazeski of Wakefield, in Wakefield. Lucille was a graduate of Wakefield High School. Lucille went on to have three boys which she took pride in raising and celebrating all holidays... Full story
TUCSON, Ariz. - Carol Jean Zivic went to be with our Lord on Feb. 17, 2024. The former Carol Jean Engebretsen was born in 1939 in Escanaba, Michigan, to parents John Leif Engebretsen and Marion Stuart (Perkins) Engebretsen. Carol graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood, Michigan, in 1957. She attended Gogebic Community College in Ironwood until 1959 when she married William Thomas Zivic Sr. After son William Thomas Zivic Jr. was born in 1960, the family moved to Tucson, where Bil... Full story
Email calendar items and community news to [email protected]. For more information, call 906-932-2211. Thursday, March 7 Bessemer St. Vincent de Paul, financial assistance, 9-10 a.m.; food pantry, 10 a.m. to noon. 906-663-4436. Ironwood St. Vincent de Paul, food pantry and financial assistance, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., located behind Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. 906-932-4325. Gogebic County Veterans Service Officer, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Wakefield City Hall; 1-2 p.m., Watersmeet Township; 2:45-3:15 p.m., Marenisco Township. 906-667-1110.... Full story
By JASON JUNO [email protected] EWEN --- The last time Wakefield won a district championship in boys basketball, the president was George Bush. The first one. The Cardinals ended a drought dating back to 1992, when consolidation with Marenisco was still more than a decade away, with a 41-37 MHSAA Division 4 District 97 championship win over Ironwood Friday night. "That's 32 years we've been waiting for this," W-M coach Pat Libertoski said. "Thirty-two years, man - finally, finally. I'm...
By JASON JUNO [email protected] EWEN --- Ironwood went into last year's district tournament as the favorite. They had just three losses in the regular season and they were the home team. This year was different. Ewen-Trout Creek was the home team and the Panthers defeated the Red Devils not too long ago as a part of their 10-game winning streak that moved them into the favorite status. "There's not as much pressure," Ironwood coach Adam Mackey said. "Obviously at home, you feel that...
By JASON JUNO [email protected] IRONWOOD --- Gogebic fell to United Tribes, which is seeking a second straight trip to the NJCAA Division II national tournament, 90-71 in Sunday afternoon's Region 13 championship game. United Tribes took the early lead, 32-14 after the first quarter, and played from ahead all afternoon. GCC cut it to nine twice - 41-32, late in the first half, and 60-51 midway through the third quarter. But UT had an answer both times and was able to repeat as Region 13...
