Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees learned on Tuesday of funding changes due to a pause of federal funds ordered on Monday by the Office of Management and Budget. The freeze took effect on Tuesday at 5 p.m., according to Chad Lashua, vice president of business services. However, on the same day, the Associated Press reported that U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan put a temporary halt on the freeze. "On Jan. 27, there was...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Board of Education for the Ironwood Area Schools learned on Monday evening that the school's Team with the Intensive Interventions For Literacy group was selected to receive the education excellence award from the SET SEG Foundation, a state group. K-12 Principal Melissa Nigh said the team is the same group that went to Lansing last year to present success with literacy interventions for second graders. Regarding SET SEG's decision, Nigh...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — Members of the Ironwood City Commission voted Monday to fund a proposal of $19,809 from Angelo Luppino Inc. of Iron Belt, Wisconsin, to restructure two city offices. The action followed discussion in more than one recent meeting regarding how to assure the safety of city staff when — as city manager Paul Anderson phrased it — “aggressive members of the public made our staff feel threatened and uncomfortable.” The vote followed an update by Anderson, who had been asked to research how othe...
BESSEMER — Members of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners voted last week to send a letter of appreciation to the City of Wakefield regarding its help with electrical issues at the Gogebic County Fairground in Ironwood. Under the leadership of Wakefield city manager Robert Brown Jr. and water and electric supervisor David Semenak, the city helped to address electrical issues at the fairground in the aftermath of a 2023 fire that destroyed three buildings. "A letter of appreciation was sent to the city of Wakefield, thanking them for t...
WAKEFIELD, Mich. - Laurence Wayne "Larry" Kangas, 75, of Wakefield, died on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, after a brief battle with cancer. Larry was born on Nov. 22, 1949, in Ironwood, a son of Gust E. and Lillian (Manninen) Kangas. He attended Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood and graduated in 1968. Larry lived his entire life within the Gogebic Range except when he proudly served his country in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany as a chemical equipment repairman. Following his honorab...
Email calendar items and community news to [email protected]. For more information, call 906-932-2211. Thursday, Jan. 30 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....
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] GOGEBIC RANGE — Frigid weather this week closed all area schools on both Monday and Tuesday, with school officials instead encouraging students to stay home and stay warm. Only a few schools on Monday already had planned to close for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Marquette National Weather Service reported that the Gogebic-Iron County Airport in Ironwood Township had recorded a wind chill of 50 degrees below zero on Tuesday at 7:56 a.m. Many other areas reported wind chills hovering at 40 degrees b...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] IRONWOOD – The Ironwood City Commission received good news on a recent audit of the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2024. “We had a clean audit,” said Paul Linn, treasurer and finance director, at a Jan. 13 meeting. “We had increases in most of our fund balances.” The findings by Makela, Pollack and Ahonen PLLC of Ironwood showed no material weaknesses or structural deficiencies, nor any questions relating to major federal award programs. Commissioner Rick Semo thanked Linn “for another good report...
IRONWOOD, Mich. - It is with heavy hearts that we announce that Wayne A. Sillanpaa, 75, passed away peacefully at Aspirus St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota, on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Wayne lived a life devoted to family, hard work and enjoyment in the outdoors. Wayne graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood in 1967. Shortly after, he entered and completed two years of trade school, receiving a diploma in machine tool operation from North Central Technical Institute and...
IRONWOOD, Mich. - Steven Roy Salmi, age 70, of Ironwood, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at the Aspirus Ironwood Hospital. Steve was born on March 20, 1954, to Barney and Luella (Santi) Salmi in Ironwood. He attended Ironwood Township elementary schools and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in 1972, having participated in many sports along the way, excelling in football, wherein he made lifelong friends. Steve then attended Gogebic Community College and later graduated from the...
IRONWOOD, Mich. - With sadness we announce the passing of our sweet and beautiful mother, Nadine Pearl (Sampson) Roebuck. She passed away peacefully at her home in Ironwood, surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, at the age of 71. Nadine was born on July 23, 1953, in Gladwin, to Eugene and Vernie (Shirkey) Sampson. She graduated from Wakefield High School with honors in 1971. Nadine met her lifelong partner, Jose Tinoco, in 2000, and shared the love of life and their...
BESSEMER, Mich. – Ida Florence (Laakonen) Wick, 94, of Bessemer, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, at Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hurley, Wisconsin. Ida was born on March 21, 1930, in Superior, Wisconsin. She was adopted at six months old to the late George and Mary Magdziak. She was a resident of Ironwood until 2011. Ida then moved to Bessemer to live with her daughter, Donna, and son-in-law, Mike. On Jan. 10, 1948, she married Wilbert "Bolla" Laakonen and r...
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Robert W. Trudeau of Johnson City, passed away in his home on Jan. 5, 2025, at the age of 83. He was born in Ironwood, Michigan, on Nov. 13, 1941, to the late Archie and Lempi (Enkkeli) Trudeau. Bob was the youngest of three brothers and both of his parents were deaf. He learned sign language at an early age. His father, Archie, passed away when he was nine years old and his family struggled financially thereafter. Bob graduated from Ironwood High School in 1959 and...
MADISON, Wis. - Ronald A. Poquette, 63, of Beaver Dam passed away on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at UnityPoint Meriter Hospital in Madison. Ron was born on Oct. 21, 1961, the son of Edward G. and Joanne M. (Dishaw) Poquette in West Allis, Wisconsin. On Aug. 19, 1995, he was united in marriage with Sharon L. Tippett Richardson in Ironwood, Michigan. A proud veteran, Ron served in the Michigan National Guard and retired after 20 years of dedicated service. Throughout his military service, Ron worked...
Email calendar items and community news to [email protected]. For more information, call 906-932-2211. Thursday, Jan. 23 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....
By JASON JUNO [email protected] IRONWOOD — Things are trending up again for GCC after a tough start to 2025. After losing three of their first four, the Samsons won all three of their games last week and welcomed their biggest playmaker back in X’Zavion McCoy. They fell short in a big game at DCTC Monday, but they were competitive in a 96-84 loss, giving them hope for the rematch on Feb. 3 in Ironwood. It was a four-point game, 45-41, at halftime. “(We) hung with them,” GCC coach Dennis Mackey said. “DCTC’s size wore us down.” McCo...
By JASON JUNO [email protected] DOLLAR BAY - At first glance, Ironwood's 53-49 win over Dollar Bay looks like an upset. The Blue Bolts were the ones ranked second in the U.P. Division 4 poll coming into Thursday night's game. But the Red Devils would be the No. 1 seed in its Division 3 district if the postseason started today. And in fact, their MPR, the formula the MHSAA uses to seed teams, is better than any D-3 or D-4 team in the U.P., except for Crystal Falls Forest Park, whom...
WAUPACA, Wis. — Officials of Waupaca Foundry Inc. announced in a Monday press release that they will cease operations and close their Ironwood plant in mid-February. According to the announcement, all employees have been offered relocation to iron foundry operations in Marinette or Waupaca, Wisconsin, or in Tell City, Indiana. The Ironwood plant — which opened in 2019 and currently employs 18 full-time workers — is a grinding and cleaning operation for castings produced at Plant 1, a gray iron foundry in Waupaca. The press release said the l...
By BRENDA MOSELEY [email protected] IRONWOOD — “Medals, hot chocolate and cookies for all.” That’s what the organizers of Sisu Ski Fest’s Depot Dash on Jan. 10 promised kids 10 and under, and it’s also what they delivered at the Historic Ironwood Depot Park. But even better than the treats and rewards for most kids was the chance to ski the dash — a loop trail created by Sisu volunteers. Although the Jan. 11 Sisu Ski Festival adult races were cancelled due to lack of sufficient sn...
By BRENDA MOSELEY [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Lumberjacks may have lost to the high-ranked Dryden Ice Dogs on Friday and Saturday nights, but the Tier II Junior A hockey team surely has won the support of its new town. On Jan. 10 and 11, the Pat O’Donnell Civic Center in Ironwood was filled with fans, with many wearing sweatshirts or hats bearing the Lumberjack logo. Announcer Trey Luce wore a suit and tie featuring wood rounds. Hoping for a chance to talk with the team or re...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Gogebic County Fair Board met on Tuesday evening for its first meeting of 2025, welcoming several members and updating on the status of this year's fair. New members are Joe Cayer, Stephanie Matonich and Dan Wood, along with returning members Linda Nelson, Shelley Suckow, Holly Ramme and Melinda Kostak. As part of its annual reorganization, the board elected Nelson as chairperson and Suckow as vice chairperson. Nelson also presented the...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic-Iron County Airport Board welcomed new member Peter Matonich at an annual reorganizational meeting on Monday. The board also re-elected Pat Hanson as chairperson, Dan Siirila as vice chairperson and Mario Loretti as recording secretary. James Lorenson continues to serve as a board member. Board members also voted to continue operating under Robert’s Rules and to continue scheduling regular meetings on the second Monday of the month at 5 p.m. in the airport office. The board hea...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Marion J. Olson, 92, formerly of Ironwood, Michigan, entered eternal peace on Dec. 27, 2024, surrounded by members of her loving family. Marion was born April 16, 1932, the daughter of the late John and Anna (Sopko) and stepdaughter of the late Joseph Kurta. After graduating from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood in 1950, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. She was trained as a teletypewriter mechanic and became an instructor before being reassigned to recruitment duty....
