Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1761 - 1785 of 9650
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer City Council tabled the approval of the detour route for the U.S. 2 project on Monday to allow ample time for those residents that were unable to attend Monday's public hearing to submit written comments and questions. Residents will have until Oct. 5 to offer their comments, questions and suggestions to city manager Charly Loper. The U.S. 2 project starts in 2021, however, the detours won’t be in place until 2022. Councilman Bill McDonald pushed for the tabling of the rou... Full story
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - Locals interested in canning foods got some assistance making sure their equipment was operating properly as Gogebic Community College hosted a pair of drive-thru events on Friday and Monday to allow those interested in pressure canning to have their gauges tested to make sure they are reading properly. Food that is not pressurized correctly can lead to many food-borne illnesses, such as botulism. The college worked in conjunction with the...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — The Iron County Health Department announced several additional drive-thru flu clinics Tuesday as department staff encourage residents to get immunized in an effort to avoid an influenza outbreak from happening while the coronavirus pandemic is still occurring. Along with the previously announced Sept. 29 event at the Mercer Community Center and the Oct. 7 event at the Iron County Highway Garage in Hurley; the department is also holding a drive-thru clinic from 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 13 a...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — A survey in which 90% of teachers say there are insurmountable challenges with combining in-school and at-home learning prompted the Hurley K-12 School Board to unanimously approve ending the virtual option at the end of the semester. In about six weeks, all Hurley K-12 students will start the second quarter attending in-person. The only exception are the students who signed up for the third-party Odyssey online curriculum program that does not require a live video feed with classes. S... Full story
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Components of the Downtown City Square project are taking shape this week including the fountain-splash pad, pergola and bandshell canopy. Department of Public Works personnel of the city of Ironwood were on site Monday to receive training on the Vortex fountain-splash pad water jets and lighting. The digital system allows for programming 16 water jets and LED lighting in white, blue, green and red. There are two outside directional jets...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer Area Schools sent home a kindergarten and fourth-grade class Monday as a precaution against COVID-19 after a student in each of the classes became ill. Bessemer Superintendent Dan Niemi said the precaution went beyond what the district is required to do “Even though it is not required, we had to tighten the reins,” said Niemi. “I don’t want to have a pandemic breakout in our school system.” A letter to parents posted on the district’s Facebook page said testing for the kinde...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — A delay in the shipping of the vaccine means the Iron County Health Department is delaying one of its planned drive-thru flu vaccine clincs, the health department announced Friday. “The health department’s vaccine suppliers have notified the department that there are plenty of vaccines and there will not be a shortage this year, but shipments have been delayed until Sept. 30,” a department spokesperson said in the announcement. “Therefore, there will be a change to the upcoming fl... Full story
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] SAXON, Wis. - Sunday was a beautiful day to be out and about in Saxon, Wisconsin. Local farms had gotten together and organized their "Saxon Fall Farm Market Tour," which saw locals and visitors alike stopping by the three participating farms and getting a chance to win prizes, pet animals and pick a variety of goodies. "It started as a way to spread awareness to the community, to let them know that we are out here," said Deb Swartz, of the Swartz Family...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - People gathered at the Mercer Veteran's Memorial Friday evening in honor of the seventh annual flag retirement ceremony. The ceremony, held yearly on Prisoner of War/Missing In Action Day, consisted of the retirement of two flags, the U.S. flag and the Prisoner of War/Missing In Action. The first ceremony was held in 2013 and is an event that holds significant meaning to the community. Members of local VFWs aided in the ceremony, folding t...
MERCER — The town of Mercer Board of Supervisors on Thursday discussed the possibility of hiring a part time blight officer while determining a course of action for repeated violations. A complaint from a neighbor brought an individual to the attention of the town board who had also had a 2019 motorhome violation that resulted in a permit purchase after several communications. The motorhome is back along with reported blight issues and the board discussed whether the township or Iron County should take action. Town attorney Fritz Schellgell r...
IRONWOOD - With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic preventing large in-person gatherings, two Gogebic Range organizations are hosting virtual versions of their annual races. Both the organizers of the Bridges and Bluffs half marathon and Copper Peak Trails Fest are hoping the community comes out to support the virtual events this year as they are the biggest fundraisers of the year for the Friends of the Iron Belle Trail and Sisu Dirt Crew respectively. Rather than completing the race on a single...
IRONWOOD — Ironwood citizens unable to vote at the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3, may apply for absent voter ballots at the city clerk’s office in the Memorial Building at 213 S. Marquette St. Application can be made during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The city clerk’s office will also be open for such applications on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Completed ballots can be mailed back, dropped off at the clerk’s office or put in a special drop box scheduled to be placed near the flag pole in f... Full story
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WATERSMEET - Wednesday's first full day of school this year "went as well as it could," according to Gerald Pease, superintendent of the Watersmeet K-12 school. "Nobody knows all the answers," said Pease in relation to addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic, but he said school officials and other community members are trying their best to create a safe environment for students. Pease did not yet have an official count of this year's students, but he... Full story
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — As part of an effort to transition to online permit sales, the Iron County forestry and parks committee changed how much people will have to pay for a permit to harvest boughs on county land. Prior to the decision, there were two permit prices — with county residents paying $100 for a permit and non-residents paying $150. Iron County Forestry Administrator Eric Peterson said the transition to selling permits online would be simpler if the price was changed to a single price. “It would make...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD — Gogebic Community College is offering free testing of dial gauges for pressure canners from 3 to 6 p.m today and again on Monday, in conjunction with the Michigan State University-Extension and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. A pressure gauge used by someone who cans food items like vegetable and meat, must be tested once per year, according to a press release from the college. “It seems that with COVID and with other things around food safety this year, we have a lot more people who...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley City Council on Wednesday approved a recommendation from the public works department to inform the Wisconsin Department of Transportation that the city intends to conduct preliminary work ahead of a planned highway reconstruction. Jeff Seamandel, a project manager with MSA, the city’s engineering consulting firm, said WDOT is planning a U.S. 51 reconstruction project in 2023 that will include the 2nd Avenue section through Hurley. If Hurley would conduct a utility replacement pr... Full story
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON — The Ontonagon County Board Tuesday, adopted its 2020-2021 general fund operating budget and special revenue budgets. The general fund and other financing sources resulted in a budget of $3,791,986. According to the Ontonagon County Clerk Stacy Preiss, the number is just slightly over last years sum by about 3%. The special revenue budget includes funds such as the road commission, forestry fund, animal protection fund, court fund, SONCO Ambulance fund and similar funds and programs. Also in a...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — After an extended discussion and a rescinded motion, the Wakefield Planning Commission voted Tuesday to grant a garage variance to Ken and Amy Libertoski at 1118 Charles Street. The unanimous vote, which allows the couple to build a garage before a house, included an attached bond that will require the Libertoskis to pay $4,999 if they do not also build a house on the same property within four years. “We plan to retire in two to four years,” said Ken Libertoski, who was present by phone at th...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — After two years of committee meetings, workshops, public hearings and several revisions, the Ironwood City Commission approved the city’s adult-use marijuana ordinance on Monday. The 3-2 approval amends the city code to regulate adult-use marijuana establishments. The effective date of the ordinance was not announced at the meeting but the commission extended its option-out ordinance through Nov. 9 at a previous meeting to allow time for administrative and enforcement structures to be pu... Full story
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] UPSON, Wis. - With most cornhole leagues inactive during the coronavirus pandemic, the special events attract many players including the first ever tournament sponsored by Whitecap Mountains Ski Resort on Saturday. The tournament is one more way to draw people to the resort in the off-season, according to David Dziuban, resort manager. The golf course had an especially busy summer and in addition to weddings and family events, the cornhole...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services began reporting outbreak information for schools across the state Monday. “Parents and students should know that if their school is listed, their local health department and school are already investigating. Based on that investigation, people are contacted individually if they were possibly exposed to COVID-19 at school,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said in the announcement. Khaldun is the chief medical executive and chief deputy for health fo...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic-Iron County Airport Board approved its budget on Monday, but the conversation dealt largely with either dedicating existing funds or returning them to the counties. The board 3-0 approved the $119,432 fiscal year 2021 operating budget. The budget remains the same as fiscal year 2020. Joe Bonovetz, board chair, and Brandon Snyder, board member, were not present. Patrick Hanson, vice chair, officiated the meeting. Board member James Lorenson brought up the fact that the airport... Full story
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] WAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP - An area ski resort looking to grow by adding off-season opportunities held its Lake Superior North Country Adventure Fest this past weekend, drawing dozens of motorized vehicle riders from around the Midwest. "It's mainly a social ride for the most part. There are no races," said Matthew Vaughan, CEO of Big Snow Ski Resort, which includes the hills and trails of Indianhead and Blackjack ski resorts in the Wakefield area. "It's...
