Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER - For the second year in a row, VFW Post 3687 in Bessemer sponsored on Saturday a "COVID-friendly" celebration that organizers described as "an Easter egg hunt in a bag." Billed officially as a community Easter event, the occasion went off without a hitch, with dozens of cars passing on each side of a table stocked for ongoing and efficient dispatch. The Easter Bunny stood front and center, waving with both hands, throwing kisses, clapping,...
BESSEMER - Students at Washington Elementary got to pour slime on Mark Switzer, the school's dean of instruction, on Thursday, as a reward for the kids' fundraising efforts in the Kids Heart Challenge for the American Heart Association. The annual challenge encourages students to get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day, drink water instead of drinks with sugar, and show acts of kindness. The students set up profiles on the Kids Heart Challenge website and raised money for the American Heart...
BESSEMER - Students and staff at A.D. Johnson Junior-Senior High School spent Thursday learning about autism in preparation for Autism Awareness Day today. "The theme for world wide autism is to also work with kindness," said teacher Jamie Stiffarm. "So, the acceptance and kindness towards others." To help educate students, the school held an hourly contest Thursday where questions on autism spectrum disorder were read every period and students had the time in between classes to drop their...
HURLEY — It appears the criminal case against a former chief of the Hurley Volunteer Fire Department is nearing a conclusion after a deferred prosecution agreement was accepted in the case Monday. Darrell J. Petrusha, 56, was charged with one count of identity theft related to his alleged improper use of a fire department credit card for personal expenses. Monday’s agreement means special prosecutor Allen Brey will dismiss the case if Petrusha meets certain requirements, including avoiding any new criminal charges for the next six months. It...
WAKEFIELD — Last summer, an expansion of the Iron Belle Trail linked Bessemer to Ramsay, meaning that the trail in Gogebic County now stretches from Hurley to Ramsay, with a paved trail for silent sports such as hiking and biking. A new hurdle now exists in how to continue the trail expansion from Ramsay to Wakefield — action highly anticipated by trail lovers and by business owners who might stand to gain sales from the added activity. The city of Wakefield now finds itself squarely in the midst of the effort because it is one of five own...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY - The plan for this season's road work in Iron County, including the construction of the county's first roundabout, is beginning to take shape after the Wisconsin Department of Transportation released its first regional construction preview Thursday. Work replacing the existing interchange between U.S. 2 and U.S. 51 with a roundabout is scheduled to begin in May and run through November, with holiday work restrictions expected for the...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Three members of the Ironwood Public Safety Department were honored on Wednesday for work in the line of duty that led to saving lives in recent months. IPSD Lt. Michael Rimkus was presented with the department's Meritorious Conduct Award for his role in preventing a possible suicide. Officers Andrew Leiphart and Paul Rickard were presented with the Recognition of Life Saving Award for their role in performing CPR until medical teams...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER - The former director of the Ironwood Public Safety Department will have to pay a fine and complete community service after being sentenced by videoconference in Gogebic County District Court Wednesday on a misdemeanor eavesdropping charge. Gregory Dean Klecker, 61, was ordered to pay a $600 fine and complete seven days of community service for attempted eavesdropping in relation to his use of a recorder to document a conversation between...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Lightning is said to have caused an equipment failure at an Ironwood substation, leading to a Monday morning power outage for much of Gogebic County and northeast Iron County. The outage occurred around 6:50 a.m. when equipment failed at the Ironwood substation located at Oak Street and Alfred Wright Boulevard, according to Liz Wolf Green, a spokesperson for Xcel Energy, Inc., out of the corporate office for Michigan and Wisconsin in Eau...
IRONWOOD - Four area schools will host blood drives over the coming weeks. The American Red Cross blood drives could provide scholarship opportunities. "The Red Cross offers these schools a scholarship program that if they get their students engaged to volunteer, contact donors, try to recruit their fellow students," said Christine Luxton, account representative for the American Red Cross. The program credits the students for the units they collect through the school year The program runs from...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - Work hasn't quite wrapped up but the Iron County Highway Committee had a chance to see the progress on construction of the highway department's new Mercer garage Tuesday as the committee held its meeting at the site. Highway Commissioner Mike Swartz said the project was a little behind schedule but then hoped to move into the building by the first week of April. Even after the department has begun occupying the building, Swartz said t...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Area Schools is likely staying the course for the next few years after the district’s board of education renewed Superintendent Travis Powell’s contract for another three years Monday. “I’m grateful to the board for renewing my contract. I’m looking forward to what we’ll be able to accomplish together over the next three years,” Powell said after the meeting. “I enjoy my job and the opportunity to continue it.” He said the language of the contract was the same as his pri...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY - With thank you signs around the school and recognition from officials and community, a departing Hurley School Board member was said to have helped the district to accomplish great things. Joe Simonich, a school board member for the past 27 years, sat at his last meeting Monday after announcing that he would not be running for a 10th term on April 6. He was honored by board members and administrators, past and present, and given a plaque...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] Given scarce snow all season and a current warming trend, the skiing season is now closed for Whitecap Mountains Resort in Upson, Wis. "This is the last day," said Tom Backerud from the front desk on Sunday. "We've gotten about half the snow we usually get, so it's been a little off," added Backerud, who handles reservations. The total regional snow count as of the end of last week was under 80 inches. Even so, Backerud said that business throughout the...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The application for a $2.925 million loan was expected to be formally submitted this week to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development division in relation to a pending water project for the city of Wakefield. Matt Treado, the Ishpeming office manager of U.P. Engineers and Architects, reported the news at a Monday evening meeting of the Wakefield City Council. During the virtual session, Treado said he hopes to get a response to the funding request by May, and he anticipates adv...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Whether on the highway or downtown, restaurant owners say the pandemic continues to challenge them. Debra Federico, owner of Mike's Restaurant on U.S. 2, said she decided back in May 2020 to stay closed for indoor dining until a vaccine was developed and it would be safe and feasible for the small dining room to open. They constructed a takeout window in the interim and reopened in February with the vaccine rollout moving forward. "It's...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Mt. Zion Winter Recreation Area at Gogebic Community College is closed for the season. The college made the announcement Wednesday. Jim Vanderspoel, director of GCC's Ski Area Management program and Mt. Zion operations, said the closure came just a few days earlier than he had planned. He said he had hoped to have the hill open through Sunday. "After the recent warm temperatures and heavy rainfall, we had no choice but to close," Vandersp...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - Demolition of the Traveler's Lodge in Bessemer began Wednesday morning. The motel and its property was purchased late last year by Dollar General, which plans to build a store there on U.S. 2 on the east end of the city. Workers with Angelo Luppino Construction started the demolition process early Wednesday morning, according to Paul Luppino of the company. Luppino said they were taking trees down as part of clearing the site and plan to...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER TOWNSHIP - The first "Muk Up" ski race event had good weather and plenty of participants and fans on Saturday at Blackjack Mountain. "I hope they do it again next year," said Pat Orr, of Ironwood, who came to watch her adult son race. "The fresh air, the kids and the adults having a good time." The event was named to honor the late Tony Mukavitz, who passed away in May 2020. But the ski race itself was in the planning stages for several...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY - A vaccination a day may keep COVID-19 away as Hurley and Mercer educators and childcare providers started receiving vaccinations this week from the Iron County Health Department. Kevin Genisot, administrator of Hurley Public School District, said he was among the teachers scheduled to receive shots on Thursday afternoon at the Memorial Building. The Hurley School District has 95 employees to include substitutes, full and part-time staff,...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - The mystery of the Friday water line break was solved late afternoon Wednesday when Ironwood Public Works crews found the source was a private line leading to a former nursing home. City crews and a leak detection specialist from the Michigan Rural Water Association determined late Tuesday afternoon that the break was in a 4-inch lateral line leading from the city main to the former Josephson's Nursing Home at 634 E Ayer St., said Scott...
