Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 125 - 149 of 902
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Temperatures in the 40s did not lessen the enthusiasm of a Thursday evening drive-by tribute to seniors that were set to graduate from Wakefield-Marenisco K-12 School the following night. The event took place on M-28, next to Sunday Lake, where lantern poles along the paved walking path feature banners with pictures of each pending graduate. The departing students stood next to their respective banners as a casual parade of vehicles drove...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley City Council on May 11 directed Gary Laguna, city water manager, to see if the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources would have its lead service line replacement project grant agreement ready in time for a May 19 special meeting. The earlier the documents are signed the sooner the project can begin and helps to ensure the planned 40 water line replacements can occur this construction season, according to city officials. The council also approved a recommendation from the p...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY - A pedestrian's quick action helped to reduce the amount of what is believed to be discarded motor oil that made its way through the stormwater system into the Montreal River on Monday. Jeff Paddock, Northern Region Spills coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said the caller complained there was a "sheen present on the river" near the Hurley bridge. The city of Hurley and Iron County Emergency Management placed...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield City Council pledged on Monday to commit $2,500 toward the return of the town’s Fourth of July celebration. City officials and Fourth of July organizer Ann Marie Cooney said that members of the city’s Fourth of July Committee, as well as its Fireworks Committee, are deeply engaged in renewing the celebration. Last year’s events were canceled due to restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down this area in March of 2020 and has had lingering effects ever si...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Ironwood residents who have not paid water or sewer bills during the COVID-19 pandemic will need to resume by June 1 or pay late fees. The Ironwood City Commission 4-0 approved the request of the city water department to resume charges for city water and sewer along with late payment fees, and water turn on and off fees. Mayor Annette Burchell was not present on an excused absence. The temporary waiving of the reconnection fees and penalties on monthly utility bills has so far r...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] PAULDING — The multi-day search for a missing teen in the Paulding area ended Monday after his body was found in the woods near his home. Officials with the Ontonagon County Sheriff’s Department and County Emergency Management made the announcement late Monday afternoon, following the notification of Cam Besonen’s family. “Our community mourns the loss of this young man,” Ontonagon County Sheriff Dale Rantala said in the announcement. “Rescuers had been committed to finding him and worked tire...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The Michigan State Police-Wakefield post is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Agency to host a national prescription drug take back day event today from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The event provides citizens with the opportunity to dispose of all unwanted, unused, or outdated prescription pills they may have, according to a press release. The public is asked to bring back any unused prescription pills to the MSP post so that they can be properly disposed of. There is a green bin set up in the lob...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — A Schofield, Wisconsin, man is facing charges in Iron County Court for his role in a fatal accident south of Hurley that closed a portion of U.S. 51 for several hours last October. Joshua L. Shields, 25, is facing one count of homicide by vehicle-use of a controlled substance, a felony that carries a maximum punishment of up to 25 years in prison or a $100,000 fine. Shields is charged in connection to a multi-car crash on U.S. 51 at Spruce Road in Oma on Oct. 1. Iron County Dispatch r...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley City Council on Monday voted 4-1 not to close Silver Street or provide other support that would allow for a downtown parade during the annual Memorial Weekend ATV/UTV Rally. Council members Joanne Bruneau, Jamey Francis, Robert Lanctoe and Stephanie Innes-Smith voted with the decision to withhold city support required for the Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce and other event partners to hold the parade in the interest of following COVID-19 pandemic guidelines that still r...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] HURLEY - A rescue effort that included the help of the Hurley Police and Public Works departments successfully retrieved a dog that had fallen into a manhole near Second Avenue near downtown Hurley Wednesday morning. Sadie, a 13-year-old German wire hair pointer belonging to Karen and Paul Hagemann, ventured off into a culvert during her morning walk shortly before 9 a.m. The culvert starts at the west side of Second Avenue and runs under the road...
IRONWOOD, Mich. - William "Weeps" Maki, age 92, of Ironwood, peacefully passed away in his sleep on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Weeps was born July 5, 1928 in Ironwood, son of the late Toivo and Helmi (Mattinen) Maki. He attended Ironwood schools, graduating from Luther L. Wright High School in 1946. After graduation he was employed at Beckers' trailer factory and later worked for the City of Ironwood Public Safety Department as a police officer, detective, and eventually as assistant police... Full story
NAPLES, Fla. - On Wednesday, March 17, 2021, we lost our dear mother, grandmother and friend of many - Marilyn Martin. She was born Marilyn Jacobson in Bessemer, Michigan, on March 16, 1932, to Art and Edith Jacobson. Her final resting place will be in Bessemer. Marilyn was 89 years old and died peacefully in the early evening the day after her 89th birthday from natural causes in Naples. Marilyn had entered hospice four days earlier and when asked, hospice was advised, "We have plans on... Full story
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO TOWNSHIP — Members of the Marenisco Township Board of Trustees learned at their regular Monday evening meeting that Supervisor Bruce Mahler will post a new advertisement to invite applicants for the full-time position of Chief of Police. “Applicants must have current Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards certification and ability to be licensed to be considered for employment,” states the announcement shared by Mahler. It also states that the person hired as chief will work “a mi...
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] HURLEY — Eagle Bluff Golf Club was placed on the Hurley City Council agenda on Monday to discuss the lack of response regarding its overdue annual lease payment, according to Mayor Jay Aijala at the meeting. Aijala said the club was late with the $10,000 payment for 2020 for use of the city-owned golf course, and there had been no communication from the nonprofit Eagle Bluff board of directors. The council has worked with the golf club on lease issues in past years that have been financially c...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — After two days of testimony, it took a jury less than an hour to convict a La Crosse, Wisconsin, man of all three drug charges he faced in Gogebic County Circuit Court Friday. Derrick Lee Menara, 43, was found guilty of possessing methamphetamine with intent to deliver, conspiracy to possess meth with the intent to deliver, and maintaining a drug house after roughly 45 minutes of jury deliberations. Menara had been accused of traveling to the area to sell drugs in August 2020. While h...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — The trial of a La Crosse, Wisconsin, man facing three local drug charges got underway in Gogebic County Circuit Court Thursday following jury selection the day before. Derrick Lee Menara, 43, is standing trial on charges of possessing methamphetamine with intent to deliver, conspiracy to possess meth with the intent to deliver, and maintaining a drug house. Menara is accused of traveling to the area to sell drugs in August 2020. While here, he is alleged to have evaded law enforcement r...
ONTONAGON — Following a three-month investigation, detectives from the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team arrested a 31-year-old male from Rockland, and a 29-year-old male from White Pine, on Wednesday for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, a 20-year felony, according to a Thursday press release. UPSET detectives had developed information that the suspects had been distributing large quantities of methamphetamine to Ontonagon County for the past several months, the UPSET release said. Detectives determined the sus...
Email calendar items and community news to [email protected]. For more information, call 906-932-2211. Wednesday, March 3 Christian Men of the Northland, 6:30 a.m., Uptown Cafe, Ironwood. Alcoholics Anonymous, open meeting, noon, Salem Lutheran Church, Ironwood. area74.org. DOVE Support Group, noon-2 p.m. 906-932-4990. Ironwood-Hurley Rotary Club, 12:15 p.m., Elk and Hound Restaurant, Ironwood. Iron County Veterans Service Officer, 1-3 p.m., Mercer, Wis., Town Hall. 715-561-2190. Gogebic-Ontonagon Community Action Agency quarterly food... Full story
Email calendar items and community news to [email protected]. For more information, call 906-932-2211. Tuesday, March 2 Pickleball, 9 a.m.-noon, Ironwood Memorial Building. Gogebic County Veterans Service Officer, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Ironwood Memorial Building. 906-667-1110. Alcoholics Anonymous, noon, Salem Lutheran Church, Ironwood. area74.org. Ironwood Kiwanis Club, noon, Golden Dragon. Wakefield Seniors, noon, Wakefield Senior Center. Cribbage, 1 p.m., Mercer, Wis., Public Library. 715-476-2366. Alcoholics Anonymous, 6 p.m., Sharon... Full story
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley City Council will hold a workshop to clarify an overtime rule in the employee handbook, according to business at the regular meeting on Tuesday. Mayor Jay Aijala said he wanted the matter added to the agenda because the misunderstanding doesn’t seem to have an obvious solution. Employees of the city Department of Public Works were called in to clear snow for five hours during late hours on Dec. 30. The department claims the hours are overtime while the city clerk said the wor...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Public Safety Department is meeting its goal to have all officers certified in emergency medical response within three years, according to the annual report of director Andrew DiGiorgio during the Ironwood City Commission meeting on Monday. Police officers often arrive to medical emergencies prior to the paramedics and their role is vital in sustaining life until other help arrives, he said. Department vehicles are equipped with medical response gear to include an a...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO — Members of the Marenisco Township Board of Trustees voted Monday evening to table action on a newly-drafted ordinance in relation to recreational marijuana enterprise. After a report from Township Attorney Jim Bucknell, who drafted the new terms, board members agreed with Supervisor Bruce Mahler that it would be best to clarify issues on zoning and on the related role of the Planning Commission. No matter what new information is unveiled, Bucknell warned of the need for a related public h...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution to amend its 2020 budget due to unanticipated revenues and expenditures incurred by the city related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution passed the council 6-0 and adjusts the 2020 revenues with an additional $336,610 in revenues and $328,959 in expenditures. City Alderman Steve Lombardo was not present. The additional revenues in the resolution include $99,700 for grant funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture O...
