Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 856 - 880 of 899
EAGLE RIVER, Wis. — Vilas County Sheriff Frank Tomlanovich, 61, died Wednesday at his home following a short illness. A news release from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department said Tomlanovich’s family was by his side. Funeral services are pending. Tomlanovich was employed with Vilas County for 34 years, beginning in 1979 after working for the Eagle River Police Department. He was a sheriff’s department patrol deputy for about 15 years and was promoted to the detective sergeant’s position in 1994, serving in that capacity for 16 years, ac...
IRONWOOD — Grab a leash and some walking shoes because the third annual Hound Dog Hike is set for Saturday at Camp K-Nine in Ironwood. The event kicks off with a walking parade at 9 a.m. and runs through 1 p.m. All proceeds from the event benefit the HOPE Animal Shelter in Ironwood. The goal is to raise $2,500 for the shelter, and according to Donna Matusewic from Camp K-Nine, the goal has been met each year. “It’s really worthwhile to know that the animals are taken care of, and that we have...
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has denied an appeal from the Bad River Band to stop exploratory drilling near Upson. Late last week, DNR waste management director Ann Coakley said the drilling will continue. The Bad River Band of Indians contended the impact of drilling was not fully considered during the 10 days the DNR had to decide on whether or not to allow Gogebic Taconite to drill. Coakley said G-TAc met all of the requirements of the law for exploration and there was nothing in the letter from the tribe to...
WAKEFIELD, Mich. — The Wakefield News publisher emeritus Henry R. “Hank” Backman, 82, a longtime resident of Wakefield, died peacefully Friday, June 14, 2013, at his home, with his loving family by his side. Hank was born on Aug. 4, 1930, in Ramsay, the son of Henry G. and Helia Hilda (Hakala) Backman. He attended Ramsay School and graduated from Wakefield High School in 1949. Hank also attended the University of Wichita, Wichita, Kan.; the College of San Mateo, San Mateo, Calif.; and the Unive...
ONTONAGON — For forty years John Gravier has run the football fields, basketball courts and tracks across the Western Upper Peninsula. He is affectionately known as a zebra by many and occasionally there may have been some cheers and boos. Gravier is a referee. This winter he was honored by the Michigan High School Athletic Association for 40 years as a referee. Although John could not attend the dinner honoring long time referees, the Association presented him with a trophy in which is e...
HURLEY — Elementary and middle school students from the Hurley K-12 School took a different route to school Tuesday, participating in the school’s first Walk to School Day. Students, parents, teachers and staff members lined up at Super One parking lot in Hurley and walked west on Center Drive, dressed in Hawaiian shirts, leis and other tropical garb. There was music and officers from the Iron County Sheriff’s Department and Hurley Police Department escorted the walkers along the route. “Ever...
IRONWOOD — “The Porkies is a place full of wonder and legend. It’s a wonderful place for imaginary crimes,” Henry Kisor, mystery writer, told a crowd of about 20 Saturday morning at Ironwood’s Carnegie Library. Kisor discussed his fourth Steve Martinez mystery, Hang Fire. Martinez is the fictional police officer in Kisor’s novels who keeps finding another mystery to solve in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Hang Fire is a term which refers to the misfire of a muzzle loader, said Kisor. The book is ab...
HURLEY — Third grade students from the Hurley K-12 School helped beautify the downtown by planting flowers along Silver Street Monday. Students, paired with adult volunteers, placed flowers and plants in planters located on the sidewalks. Joy Schelble, nutrition educator coordinator for the Iron County University of Wisconsin-Extension office, coordinated the event, along with the Master Gardeners and the city of Hurley. Schelble has been working with the school district’s school garden, and...
LAKE GOGEBIC, Mich. — Paul H. Uerling, 85, of Lake Gogebic, entered eternal life on Sunday, May 12, 2013. Paul, a baptized child of God, was born on June 7, 1927, in Colby, Wis., the son of Theodore P. and Naomi (Fulton) Uerling. He graduated from Marenisco High School in 1945. Paul enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Jan. 29, 1945, and served in NTC, Great Lakes, Ill., NATechTRACEN in Jacksonville, Fla., and the U.S. Naval Operating Base in Guam, Mariana Islands. He was honorably discharged on M...
CLEVELAND (AP) — Prosecutors said Thursday they may seek the death penalty against Ariel Castro, the man accused of imprisoning three women at his home for a decade, as police charged that he impregnated one of his captives at least five times and made her miscarry by starving her and punching her in the belly. The horrific allegations were contained in a police report that also said another one of the women, Amanda Berry, was forced to give birth in a plastic kiddie pool. Cuyahoga County p...
BESSEMER — During their closing arguments, prosecuting attorney Richard Adams and defense attorney Rudy Perhalla discussed a variety of options and theories for and against the conviction of Kenneth Wayne Peters, 50, of Bessemer. Peters is on trial for allegedly murdering his 79-year-old wife Ethel Grzena-Peters in August 2012. Prosecution Adams started his closing arguments by writing a list of things that were discussed in the trial; deceit, motive, opportunity, geography, topography, w...
BESSEMER — To have the cup, or not have the cup. That is the question. That was the theme of Monday’s trial against Kenneth Wayne Peters, 50, of Bessemer. Peters is on trial for allegedly murdering his 79-year-old wife Ethel Grzena-Peters in August 2012. Peters continued to be cross examined by prosecuting attorney Richard Adams about his actions leading up the his wife’s disappearance on Aug. 4, 2012. According to a previous testimony from Tiffany Youngberg, Peters was drinking gin from a pur...
ONTONAGON — What started out as a nice Sunday kayak ride for two Ontonagon men ended up a cold spill into icy waters and an even colder night in the woods for one of them. The Ontonagon County Sheriff’s Department reported the men set in to the Firesteel River early Sunday afternoon. Undersheriff Gerald Balcomb said the river was very fast with the spring run-off and one of the kayaks overturned and spilled its driver into the water. The second kayaker assisted the spilled man, helping him to shore. The second kayaker continued to the Fir...
To the Editor: I often see in my mind’s eye a picture of Lady Justice with her blindfold around her neck, scale broken beyond repair, dress ripped, being chased out of the White House by Eric Holder and President Barack Obama. This week a new picture came into my head: one of Lady Liberty with a suicide vest locked on with the torch replaced by a dead-man switch she dare not let go of. Are the terrorists winning? I watched as the people of Boston cheered law enforcement as they concluded a weeklong search for the surviving marathon bomber. G...
TROUT CREEK, Mich. — Milan “Sonny” Shegan passed away at his home in Trout Creek Friday, April 26, 2013, following a courageous 10-year battle with cancer. He was born Oct. 3, 1938, in McKeesport, Pa., to the late Mike and Milka Shegan. Sonny served his country in the United States Marine Corps. Following his discharge, Sonny worked for 30-plus years as a police officer. He served on three police departments: Forest Heights, Md., Bladensburg, Md., and Laurel, Md. During his career, Sonny was instrumental in developing training programs for f...
BESSEMER — Kenneth Wayne Peters, 50, of Bessemer, testified Friday about how he came to meet the woman he is accused of murdering. Peters is on trial for allegedly murdering his wife, Ethel Grzena-Peters, 79, last August. Prosecutor Richard Adams rested and defense attorney Rudy Perhalla asked for Judge Roy Gotham to throw out the case, saying there wasn’t enough evidence to continue the proceedings. Gotham denied the motion, ruling there was enough evidence for a “rational juror to render a dec...
DETROIT (AP) — For the Detroit Tigers, it felt like 2011 again. Two of the key components of that year’s AL Central division champs reunited Wednesday night to help the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 7-5. Victor Martinez drove in a pair of runs and Jose Valverde returned to Detroit with a save. Martinez missed all of last season with a knee injury, and entered the game hitting .182. On a 39-degree night, he was robbed of extra bases by Eric Hosmer in his first at-bat, but he had an RBI dou...
BESSEMER — Jurors heard testimony from a former cell mate of Kenneth Peters who spoke about fixing “damning evidence” during 32nd Circuit Court proceedings on Tuesday at the Gogebic County Courthouse in Bessemer. Peters, 50, of Bessemer, is on trial for allegedly murdering his 79-year-old wife Ethel Grzena-Peters in August 2012. Prosecuting attorney Richard Adams called Isaac Laplander, of Ironwood, to the stand and questioned him about his experience as Peters’ cell mate in early Decembe...
MARQUETTE, Mich. — Eddie R. Raisanen, 93, of 1902 Summit St., Marquette, entered eternal life on April 12, 2013. Ed was born in Wakefield to Isaac and Matilda (Lusa) Raisanen on Sept. 19, 1919. Following his graduation from Wakefield Senior High School, he worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Sunday Lake Mine until joining the Michigan State Police in 1942. In 1943, Ed was inducted into the United States Army. Following his honorable discharge, he resumed his career with the State...
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The MIT police officer killed during the manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombing suspects was the brother of a machinist for Hendrick Motorsports, bringing the events of this past week closer to home for NASCAR teams already rallying around the tragedy. Sean Collier, who began working for Massachusetts Institute of Technology about a year ago, was found shot to death late Thursday in his vehicle in Cambridge, Mass. Police have said Collier was responding to a report o...
BOSTON (AP) — The FBI released photos and video Thursday of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing and asked for the public’s help in identifying them, zeroing in on the two men on surveillance-camera footage less than three days after the deadly attack. The photos depict one man in a dark baseball cap and the other in a white cap worn backward. The men were seen walking one behind the other in the crowd, and the one in the white hat was seen setting down a backpack at the site of the sec...
ONTONAGON — A program to dramatically reduce drunk driving in the five western Upper Peninsula counties was kicked off at the Ontonagon County Courthouse Wednesday and Thursday. Ontonagon, Houghton, Baraga, Gogebic and Keweenaw counties will form a regional driving while intoxicated court approach. Retired Judge Patrick Bowler, after 24 years on the bench, is the state judicial outreach liaison for the program. He conducted the training session for judges and officials of the five counties in On...
WEST, Texas (AP) — Rescuers searched the smoking remnants of a Texas farm town Thursday for survivors of a thunderous fertilizer plant explosion, gingerly checking smashed houses and apartments for anyone still trapped in debris or bodies of the dead. Initial reports put the number of fatalities as high as 15, but later in the day, authorities backed away from any estimate and refused to elaborate. More than 160 people were hurt. A breathtaking band of destruction extended for blocks around t...
BOSTON (AP) — Called upon to console a grieving city and reassure a shaken nation, President Barack Obama on Thursday promised that Boston would “run again” after deadly twin bombings at its famous marathon. More than 2,000 people rose in a standing ovation in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and sang “America the Beautiful.” Obama’s message of resolve in time of tragedy was echoed by Mayor Thomas Menino and Gov. Deval Patrick at a packed interfaith service. “Nothing will take us down because...
