Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 571 - 595 of 911
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY — The 2017 city of Hurley budget is nearly identical to 2016 and that’s a good thing for taxpayers. The city council Tuesday approved a $2,324,849 budget for 2017 that is down .37 percent and a tax levy of $885,399, down .15 percent. City clerk Stacy Wiercinski briefly went over key budget items with council members after there were no public comments. She said the city’s debt has dropped slightly and she hopes the opening of the grocery store and a motel on U.S. 51 will help boost the water...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] WAKEFIELD - The Wakefield State Police Post, for the second year in a row, hosted a Harvest Gathering food drive to support local food pantries as part of a statewide effprt. Area youth from the Bessemer Honor Society and Ironwood Reserve Officers Training Corps assisted in packing charitable food donations for St. Vincent's DePaul in Bessemer and Ironwood and the food pantry in Watersmeet. The Wakefield office, in 2015, was recognized with the highest...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — An Ironwood man, prosecutors said was a major player in the Gogebic Range drug trade, was sentenced to at least eight years in prison in Gogebic County Circuit Court Tuesday in a pair of cases against him. Adam Lee Stone, 36, of Ironwood was sentenced to between eight and 20 years in prison on a charge of delivery/manufacturing of methamphetamine; the most serious of the four felonies Stone pleaded guilty to in September. “After processing these recent drug cases since I took office in...
IRONWOOD — The Michigan State Police’s Wakefield Post will be holding a pair of presentations on the dangers of illegal drugs, such as heroin and carfentanil — providing not only an opportunity to learn about the opiate epidemic that is often in the news but also provide answers to questions people may have. The first presentation is scheduled for Friday, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Ontonagon Area High School’s cafeteria. The second is scheduled for Monday, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in rooms T112-113 of the technical building — above the cosme...
HURLEY — The Hurley City Council will consider the budget for 2017 at a special session today at 4 p.m. at city hall. The budgets of the various city departments will be reviewed before the council makes recommendations on a proposed overall budget. The council will also act on approving short-term borrowing for a new truck for the department of public works and to purchase radios for the police department. The meeting will begin with a closed session for bargaining, including a discussion of employee compensation and the police union c...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON — Bob Graham, the Ontonagon Area School District’s head mechanic, stressed to the school board Monday the importance of passing the bus millage vote November 8. Graham was replying to a question from board members on the cost of recent expenses for bus repairs. The mechanic said the fleet is plagued with badly rusted undersides on the old fleet and added that inspectors have already failed the 2002 bus, preventing its use. He added the 2006 bus has 176,000 mileage, 2005-190,000; 2004- 200,000 and...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY — It’s possible the case of a 52-year-old Hurley woman who is charged with six counts of theft from Iron County may be settled in a month. The attorney for Mary Peterson Tijan, of 112 Germania St., told Iron County Judge Patrick Madden Wednesday that negotiations with special prosecutor Fritz Schellgell are continuing. At a pre-trial hearing, Joseph Rafferty Jr. told Madden, “I assure the court that there’s a cauldron (of activity) bubbling underneath,” referring to the talks. Madden told Raff...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY - A 47-year-old Ironwood woman waived her right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial Tuesday morning in Iron County Court on 26 counts of identity theft. Wendy Wuorinen is alleged to have withdrawn around $7,613 from the Iron County Community Credit Union in Kimball from a customer's account without authorization. The withdrawals occurred from November 2014 to December 2015 while she was employed there, according to the criminal...
BESSEMER, Mich. - Don Lee Bennetts, 72, a lifelong resident of Bessemer, passed away unexpectedly early Monday morning, Oct. 3, 2016, at his home. Don was born on July 4, 1944, in Bessemer, a son of Walter and Vivian (Tobin) Bennetts. He attended A.D. Johnston High School and graduated in 1962. Don proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy, aboard the USS Eldorado in the Bay of Tonkin during the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged on Aug. 30, 1966, as a Boatswains Mate Third Class Petty O...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — A plea agreement was reached in the two cases against a man authorities say is a key figure in the Gogebic Range drug trade which will see him serve at least eight years in prison. In Gogebic County Circuit Court Friday, Adam Lee Stone, 36, of Ironwood, pleaded guilty to a total of four felonies — two in each of the cases against him. Gogebic County Prosecutor Nick Jacobs said he pushed for the sentence due to Stone’s importance in the area’s illegal drug trade. “After processing these r...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON — The Ontonagon County Board Tuesday joined the growing chorus of those objecting to the decision of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) to cancel the services of the White Pine Electric Plant. In a letter to the governor, the Michigan Agency for Energy and MISO; the board stated it understands MISO plans to replace "this critical generating resource (White Pine) with a 1998 operating protocol called radial reconfiguration that will provide the same level, or assurance, of r...
WHITE PINE, Mich. - Roland "Rocky" Antoine Jr., 60, of White Pine, passed away Friday morning, Sept. 16, 2016, surrounded by his family after a lengthy illness. Rocky was born on May 30, 1956, in Wakefield, a son of Elaine (Powell) and Roland Antoine Sr. He grew up in Ramsay. In 1972, his family moved to White Pine, and he attended White Pine High School and graduated in 1974. For two years, Rocky proudly served his country in the U.S. Army as a military police officer. Following his honorable d...
HURLEY — A preliminary examination date has been set in the case of an Iron County woman accused of identity theft. A preliminary exam will be held Oct. 4 in the case of Wendy Sue Wuorinen, 47, of Ironwood Township. Wuorinen is facing 26 felony counts of identity theft. Each count carries a potential maximum sentence of six years in prison and/or a fine of $10,000. According to a Hurley Police Department report, Wuorinen is alleged to have used her job at the Iron County Community Credit Union to withdraw approximately $7,613 from a c...
WAKEFIELD — The Michigan State Police Wakefield Post reminds parents to talk to their children about bus safety. “To reduce the chance of transportation-related injuries, we encourage parents to teach their children about proper behavior around a bus,” said trooper Jerry Mazurek. He said parents should talk to children about “school bus danger zones” that extend 10 feet from the bus in all directions. When leaving the bus, Mazurek said children should walk 10 feet away before turning. He said children crossing in front of a bus should mo...
ONTONAGON - Huge crowds and great weather ushered in the 60th anniversary of the Ontonagon Labor Day Festival in Ontonagon over the weekend. It was estimated that 5,000 people lined the streets for the large Festival Parade on Sunday as floats and bands made their way down River Street. Competition for float prizes was stiff and the Norwich Country Club with its "Dukes of Hazard 39 years later," float scored first place in the open division. All the Dukes of Hazard characters were there. Boss...
ASHLAND, Wis. - James "Dewey" Morzenti, 69, of Ashland, passed away in Ironwood, Mich., on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, in the home of his best friend and caregiver Faye Korpi and under the care of hospice. "I am walking point for the rest of my family." He was born in Ironwood to Albert and Pauline (Cornetto) Morzenti on Sept. 7, 1946. Dewey graduated from J.E. Murphy High School in 1965 and then enlisted in the United States Air Force. After graduating from the Air Police Academy in Texas, he served...
BESSEMER - A small group of area residents gathered at Saint Sebastian School Tuesday for the second week of the Michigan State Police's citizens academy. The academy is an eight-week course designed to expose citizens to the various capabilities of the MSP. "Basically, it's to give more information to the general public on who we are in the state police - all the different services we provide," said Jerry Mazurek, the community service trooper with the MSP's Wakefield post. "It's education,...
HARLINGENG, Texas - Charles D. Sikonia, 88, passed away peacefully on Aug. 23, 2016, at an assisted living facility in Harlingeng. He was born in Ironwood, on Dec. 30, 1927, son of the late Carl and Mary Sikonia of Erwin Township. Lived in Erwin Township, attended Erwin Central School and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood in 1945. Charles, known as Chuck, is survived by his wife Marilyn (Brennan) of 14 years; brother, William (Susanne), of Ironwood; nephews, Bill S...
BLACK RIVER HARBOR - The body of a 32-year-old Negaunee man who slipped into Black River near Sandstone Falls was found Monday afternoon. Gogebic County Sheriff Pete Matonich said the body was located around 9:30 a.m. on Monday, but was not recovered until around 4:30 p.m. "Recovery efforts were hampered due to the dangerous water and difficult terrain," Matonich said. The river was running high from around 3 inches of rain that fell over the weekend. The man and a friend were taking photos...
IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Public Safety Department responded to a 1:40 p.m. Tuesday afternoon fire in a house that followed a domestic disturbance. IPSD Director Andrew DiGiorgio, at the scene around 2 p.m., said the fire at 246 W. Ash St. was intentionally set and criminal charges were pending. He said a man had barricaded himself inside the house after a domestic dispute with a woman. IPSD officers were then able to gain entry to the residence and remove the suspect. At that point, DiGiorgio...
HURLEY — A 52-year-old Hurley woman who worked for the Iron County Department of Human Services has been charged with five counts of theft from a business setting. A criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Iron County Court against Mary Peterson Tijan, of 112 Germania St., charges that unauthorized checks, expense requests and charges from her against the DHS total $185,388. The complaint was authorized by acting Iron County District Attorney Fritz Schellgell. Hurley Police Chief Chris Colassaco, who was first notified of the alleged financial i...
HURLEY - Hundreds lined Silver Street in downtown Hurley for the annual Iron County Heritage Parade on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Beginning with the "Star Spangled Banner," sung by Hurley High School class of 2016 member Reggie Kelly; floats, vehicles and people made their way up and down Silver Street to celebrate Iron County. The parade marshals were recently retired Hurley police chief Dan Erspamer, his father and retired Ironwood police chief Ted Erspamer, the new Hurley police chief Chris...
WAKEFIELD, Mich. - Erma I. Sgaggio, 95, a long-time resident of Wakefield, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning, July 27, 2016. Her two sons were at her side. Erma was born on Jan. 18, 1921, in Ironwood, the daughter of Dominic and Elizabeth (Valente) Rigoni. She attended St. Ambrose High School and graduated in 1939. On Sept. 28, 1955, Erma was united in marriage to Tony C. Sgaggio. Erma started her business career as a linotype operator at the Ironwood Daily Globe followed by several...
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — Monday’s Ironwood Township Board of Trustees meeting began with the addition of Treasurer Jyl Renee Olson-DeRosso’s resignation to the meeting agenda. Following a closed session to discuss personnel issues, the board accepted Olson-DeRosso’s resignation, effective Aug. 22. In addition to accepting the resignation, the board also voted to ask the Michigan State Police to begin an investigation in order to “assist (the township) in resolving discrepancies in the audit that the we could not resolve ourselves,” according t...
LITTLE GIRL'S POINT - State Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, toured part of Little Girl's Point to see first hand the damage to Lake Road resulting from the heavy rains and flooding following a July 11 storm. Casperson began his trip at the Michigan State Police post in Wakefield before traveling to the Point via Lake Road. The tour took roughly four hours, with Casperson stopping to look at the damage caused by the flooding, including several of the washouts on Lake Road, and talking to...
