Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 887 - 908 of 908
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...
IRONWOOD — The Gogebic County Children’s Trust Fund commended local high school students and community members for being role models at an annual awards banquet Wednesday at Gogebic Community College. Four students from the Gogebic County school districts were honored for their efforts. “All four of these students have not only applied themselves in the classroom, but have gone above and beyond for their communities,” CTF chair Kitti Colassaco said. “These are young people who have helped ot...
BESSEMER — Members of the jury listened to testimony on bloodhounds and forensic video analysis Wednesday during day five of the Kenneth Peters murder trial 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. Gogebic County Prosecutor Richard Adams started the afternoon by questioning Det. Sgt. Louise Horn, of Vilas County, Wis., on her involvement in the case. Horn works with b...
BOSTON (AP) — Investigators poring over photos and video from the Boston Marathon bombing have a department-store surveillance-camera image of a man dropping off a bag at the scene of the one of the blasts, a top city politician said Wednesday. City Council President Stephen Murphy, who said he was briefed by members of the Boston Police Department, said he does not know if investigators know the man’s name. He said officers are chasing leads that could take them to the suspect. “They may be on...
WAKEFIELD — According to Michigan State Police Trooper Matt Lequia, of the Wakefield Post, it all started for him as an Upper Peninsula boy in middle school. “I did a ride-along with a trooper and I got a good taste of what it was like,” Lequia, formerly of Champion, said. Lequia is a trooper at the Wakefield Post after graduating from the 124th Michigan State Police Trooper Recruit School in March in Lansing, along with 90 other recruits. “I am really excited,” Lequia said. “I am happy to be in...
The report of a suspicious backpack found at the door of Gogebic Taconite’s office in downtown Hurley Saturday morning caused quite a stir. The good news is the bomb squad called in from Marathon County, Wis., found nothing explosive in the backpack and no one was hurt, but beyond that, it was, as always, heartening to see the quick and broad response of local officials. The Hurley Police, Iron County Sheriff’s and Hurley Fire departments were out in full force for the better part of seven hours. The area was efficiently evacuated and bar...
HURLEY — A backpack left near the front door of Gogebic Taconite’s office in downtown Hurley led to the evacuation of the area for more than six hours Saturday until a bomb squad declared there was no threat. Gogebic Taconite personnel located the backpack near the front door of their office at 402 Silver St. Saturday morning and reported it as a “suspicious item” to police at about 10 a.m., according to Hurley Police Chief Dan Erspamer. Police cordoned off a four-square block area of downtow...
NEW YORK (AP) — Sometimes the bait is a small amount of cash in a stray wallet. Or a credit card. Even a pack of cigarettes can do the trick. Police in New York City leave the items unattended — on subway platforms, on park benches, in cars — and wait to see if someone grabs them. The New York Police Department says the practice has been a valuable tool for catching career criminals and deterring thefts in public places. But a recent court ruling throwing out a larceny case against a Bronx...
BESSEMER — Friday’s continuing trial against Kenneth Wayne Peters, 50, of Bessemer, was “unpredictable,” according to 32nd Circuit Court Judge Roy Gotham after a day of testimony at the Gogebic County Courthouse. District attorney Richard Adams called numerous witnesses, presenting a case against Peters for allegedly murdering his wife, Ethel Grzena-Peters, 79, of Bessemer, in August 2012. Grzena-Peters went missing on Aug. 3, 2012, and her body was found on Aug. 13, 2012, in Watersmeet Townshi...
Prom season kicks off tonight with Wakefield-Marenisco High School’s prom at the Wakefield VFW. Seven area proms will be held through May 11. School and other public officials have tips for precautions to make sure the celebrations stay safe and everyone has a good time. For Wakefield-Marenisco, once the teens are at the prom site, they must stay there until it is over, as they will not be readmitted if they leave, said Melody Saubert, W-M high school secretary and junior prom advisor. For the p...
LONDON (AP) — Love her or loathe her, one thing’s beyond dispute: Margaret Thatcher transformed Britain. The Iron Lady, who ruled for 11 remarkable years, imposed her will on a fractious, rundown nation — breaking the unions, triumphing in a far-off war, and selling off state industries at a record pace. She left behind a leaner government and more prosperous nation by the time a political mutiny ousted her from No. 10 Downing Street. Thatcher’s spokesman, Tim Bell, said the former prime m...
BRIGHTON (AP) — You know those TV shows where the lead character is a medical specialist who also solves crimes? Andrea Lautenschlager is like that, but with a twist. A Brighton veterinarian and specialist in animal surgery, Lautenschlager also trains dogs for investigations beyond the scope of police canine units. “We have trailing dogs, disaster dogs and human remains dogs,” she told the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus of Howell. Disaster dogs, trained to assist in finding people during...
NEW YORK (AP) — It took a zombie to find Disaster at the Crossroads of the World. Two years after he disappeared from his Long Island home, Disaster the cat was found this week in the heart of Manhattan — by a Times Square haunted house promoter dressed up as a zombie. Jeremy Zelkowitz, who sells tickets for the Times Scare haunted house, spotted Disaster early Saturday morning crossing 42nd Street. He snatched up Disaster, a black and white cat who appeared to be well-kept and neat, and brought...
WAKEFIELD — Glenn Gauthier, of the Michigan State Police Wakefield Post, has been promoted to sergeant after serving nearly 14 years at the post. “It feels very, very good,” Gauthier said. He has been training for his new position, and said that he has “a lot to learn.” “It’s only my first week, but things have been good,” Gauthier said. “I have a lot to learn. There is a lot of different aspects to the job, including different tasks. There is a lot of multi-tasking and switching, but things are...
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield City Council swore in longtime resident Charles Picoldi Monday, to fill an unexpired term vacated by a resignation. A seat on the council became available when April Rauh resigned her position in March. One application, from Picoldi, was received by the city to fill the vacancy. The council is now comprised of Joseph DelFavero, Ted Finco, Picoldi, Jason White and Mayor Richard Bolen. The council approved GEI Consultants to complete the engineering design for the c...
IRONWOOD — Property acquisitions will be minimal for Ironwood’s 2014-’15 U.S. 2 (Cloverland Drive) reconstruction project, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. Mike Premo, of MDOT’s Crystal Falls office, told a gathering of about 75 people at a Thursday public meeting in Ironwood that two chief areas where property purchases will be required are the two intersections where a fifth lane of traffic will be added. The extra lanes at the Douglas Boulevard (Business U.S. 2) and Lake Street intersections will be used for left-ha...
KINGSFORD — Family and friends were more than excited to welcome their loved ones back from Afghanistan during a welcome home ceremony for the 1432nd Engineer Company on Thursday. Approximately 1,000 people gathered at Kingsford High School to greet more than 90 soldiers from the 10-month deployment. Gogebic County undersheriff Ross Solberg was among those soldiers from the Gogebic Range who returned Thursday. Gogebic County Sheriff Pete Matonich attended the ceremony. Josh and Angela Reed, of Randville, and their two children, Izayah, 6, a...
IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission took no action Monday on a proposed agency fee agreement requested by the local employees union. Michigan officially became a “freedom-to-work” state on Thursday, meaning employees can choose whether or not to join unions. The Local 1538 union, represented by Robert Murphy, sought to have the city commission Monday adopt an agency fee agreement that would require all newly hired employees to pay the equivalent of union dues. “Michigan American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council...
WAKEFIELD — Regional Hospice’s seventh annual Polar Plunge saw an increase in plungers and donations this year at Saturday’s event in Wakefield. Forty-one brave souls plunged into the cold waters of Sunday Lake, including two entries in the scaredy-cat category, which requires participants to only go in up to their knees. “We broke the record for jumpers,” said Mary Oberto, of Regional Hospice in Bessemer. “We had 41, the most we’ve ever had.” Oberto organized the event with Kathy Maki of R...
WATERSMEET — The Lac Vieux Desert Tribe presented its semi-annual revenue sharing funds to Watersmeet Township and Watersmeet Township School officials Friday afternoon at the casino. The funds, also known as 2 percent funds, are presented to local units of government twice a year as part of 1994 compact with the state, according to tribal board vice chair and 2 percent committee member Joette Pete-Baldwin. On Friday, the township received a check for $158,235. The school’s check was for $22,500. According to Pete-Baldwin, any group, thr...
