Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1631 - 1655 of 9883
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 TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER TOWNSHIP - The first "Muk Up" ski race event had good weather and plenty of participants and fans on Saturday at Blackjack Mountain. "I hope they do it again next year," said Pat Orr, of Ironwood, who came to watch her adult son race. "The fresh air, the kids and the adults having a good time." The event was named to honor the late Tony Mukavitz, who passed away in May 2020. But the ski race itself was in the planning stages for several...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — There is still time for skiers and snowshoers to participate in the MECCA Trails Winterfest. The fundraising event has been extended through March 28 and trail conditions are “pretty good,” according to Beth Wetzler of the Winterfest committee. “I think sometimes people are scared that there’s not going to be good conditions (in the spring), but actually conditions can be pretty good in the spring. Some people it is their favorite time of year to ski and snowshoe,” Wetzler said. Howev...
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...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The city of Ironwood drinking water shows no failing marks, according to the annual report recently released by the city. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants and the presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk, according to the city’s annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report). The city’s test results show that water samples tested in 2020 were...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY - A vaccination a day may keep COVID-19 away as Hurley and Mercer educators and childcare providers started receiving vaccinations this week from the Iron County Health Department. Kevin Genisot, administrator of Hurley Public School District, said he was among the teachers scheduled to receive shots on Thursday afternoon at the Memorial Building. The Hurley School District has 95 employees to include substitutes, full and part-time staff,...
WAKEFIELD — The city of Wakefield has announced the end of an advisory for residents to boil water before drinking. A city press release issued on Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. notes that the advisory issued on Monday morning has been “fully lifted.” According to the announcement issued by City Manager Robert Brown Jr., “The water boil advisory was issued due to a sudden loss in water pressure below acceptable levels throughout the city’s water distribution system.” That issue, which resulted after a communication error between the city’s wate...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - The mystery of the Friday water line break was solved late afternoon Wednesday when Ironwood Public Works crews found the source was a private line leading to a former nursing home. City crews and a leak detection specialist from the Michigan Rural Water Association determined late Tuesday afternoon that the break was in a 4-inch lateral line leading from the city main to the former Josephson's Nursing Home at 634 E Ayer St., said Scott...
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...
IRONWOOD - Specialists have joined the city of Ironwood Public Works Department in pinpointing a water break on Ayer Street. On Wednesday morning crews were still looking for the precise location of a water main break before they started digging. The break occurred on Friday but city crews were unable to narrow the search to a specific area, according to Scott Erickson, city manager. A resident in the 600 block of Ayer Street reported to city officials hearing "a running water sound in their...
IRONWOOD — An area watercolor artist will provide a virtual demonstration event as part of March First Friday activities in Ironwood. The theme for this month is “An Artful Community.” Artist Peg Sandin will provide the demonstration from the classroom studio of Downtown Art Place at 6 p.m. Friday. The event will be broadcast on Facebook Live with links to the event from felivelife.org, travelironwood.com and DAP websites or Facebook pages. In his report to the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority on Feb. 25, Tim Erickson, city commu...
Businesses in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties have received more than $175,000 in grant money through the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program, the state recently announced. Twenty-five businesses in Gogebic County received a total of $125,876 in grant funding, according to information from InvestUP, and eight Ontonagon County businesses received a total of $52,250. InvestUP was the economic development organization responsible for administering the grants in the Upper Peninsula. “The Michigan Small Businesses Survival Grant Program p...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic County Fair Board on Monday approved a change to the days that harness racing will occur due to scheduling issues with other fairs. Harness racing is among the most popular events of the county fair and has been held for many years, said Jim Lorenson, board chair. The harness racing was typically held on Thursday and Friday during the fair, but will now be held at 1 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. Saturday, he said. The United States Trotting Association reached out to the fair b...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — The city of Bessemer has received clearance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development for this year’s water and sewer project and is proceeding with the bidding process, Darren Pionk of C2AE, an engineering company, told the city council Monday. After hearing of the clearance, Pionk said they called for bids from contractors. Pionk said as of Monday, eight contractors have expressed interest in bidding on the project. Those companies have obtained copies of the plans for the...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - Students in the TRIO program at Gogebic Community College, didn't let harsh winds, icy conditions and a broken part on the tow rope put a damper on their fun Friday night when they took advantage of the tubing hill at Mount Zion. Twenty-five students participated in the event, put on by the program which is designed to support and encourage students that are either low income, disabled, or first-generation college students. "We had a lot of...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MONTREAL, Wis. - The full moon may have been behind clouds for most of the night, but it was just about the only thing that stayed away from the Montreal Ski Trails Saturday night as the third annual Hygge Hike drew record crowds. "(We're) beyond pleased, we never expected to have this big of a turnout," said Rebecca Holm, one of the Northern Iron County Engaged Residents members who helped organize the hike. "Coming off of having the first Hygge...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Utilities crews continued on Monday to seek the source of a water line break that occurred Friday, according to Scott Erickson, Ironwood city manager. The investigation started after multiple callers reported discolored water at homes and businesses on early Friday morning, according to a city announcement. The cause of the discoloration was believed to be from a water main break and work started to search for the source. “The break has not yet been discovered,” Erickson said Monda...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The city of Wakefield is recommending a boil advisory for its residents after a Sunday pump station error created problems with water clarity and pressure and — in some cases — a loss of service. “While under the advisory, residents should not drink the water without boiling the water first,” said City Manager Robert Brown Jr. in a Monday press release. He added, “During times of low water pressure, groundwater has the potential to infiltrate the city’s old water system, which is why a precaut...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Seven areas around Ironwood will be included in summer sewer and water projects, according to Scott Erickson, Ironwood city manager. The work includes a major reconstruction on Lake Avenue, along with projects on Van Buskirk Road, East Ayer Street, downtown, and Lake Street, he said. Work schedules will be announced after contractor bids are awarded. “There is a combination of sewer, storm sewer and water line work in this summer’s projects,” Erickson said. The largest portion with th...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON — The Ontonagon Village Council, in a special meeting Wednesday, terminated the employment of Village Manager Joe Erickson on a split 3-2 vote. The number met quorum requirements, Village President Tony Smydra said, as two members Mike Morgon and Mike Rebholz — who were appointed to village trustee vacancies — will not be sworn in until the March meeting of the council. The motion to release Erickson from his contract came following a discussion of the submission of a contract with the state conce...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — Four students at Washington Elementary have been placed on quarantine after a classmate tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. “They are in a cohort group so the kids that were sitting next to the (infected) student, we’re having them just go virtual,” said Dan Niemi, superintendent of the Bessemer Area School District. Niemi said that contact tracing was done and, upon the recommendation of the health department, those four students will be out of the building until March 8. “This has beco...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday acted to draft a letter expressing concerns about how COVID-19 rules and regulations are established for border counties. The board 7-0 approved a letter to be drafted by board chair James Lorenson, to be submitted to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The concerns of Gogebic County to be expressed are how the pandemic rules do not consider the unique nature of the western-most point of the Upper Peninsula with shared borders to Iron a...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — A member of the Mercer School Board has resigned for personal reasons, according to a letter presented to the board at Monday’s school board meeting. The school board 4-0 approved the resignation announcement of board member Jeff Nehring. Nehring, who was not present, is a recently retired dentist, who was reelected to a three year term on the school board in the April 7, 2020, election following an earlier appointment to the board. In a letter from Nehring to School Board President...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — Members of the Wakefield City Council voted Monday evening to approve the start of an engineering study in relation to a pending sewer upgrade at the Eddy Park Campground on Sunday Lake. The Escanaba office of C2AE will conduct the study, for which its project engineer, Darren Pionk, presented a $7,000 estimate. City Manager Robert Brown, Jr. said that costs of materials are not yet factored in, and he added that the city also will contribute in-house labor expense. He added that the grand t...
