Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1309 - 1333 of 9679
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY - A pedestrian's quick action helped to reduce the amount of what is believed to be discarded motor oil that made its way through the stormwater system into the Montreal River on Monday. Jeff Paddock, Northern Region Spills coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said the caller complained there was a "sheen present on the river" near the Hurley bridge. The city of Hurley and Iron County Emergency Management placed...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic County Fair Board continued working out logistics for this year’s fair in August at its regular meeting on Monday, with some items needing to wait a little longer to determine what the pandemic requirements will look like this summer. In the fair coordinator’s report, Terttu Anderson said the fair has four weddings and two graduations scheduled so far this year and three weddings on the calendar for 2022. In the board reports the marketing and sponsorships budget was repor...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] UPSON, Wis. - The Saturday Wisconsin fishing opener offered good weather and anglers at Weber Lake had a little extra special fun for families attending the "Kids Fishing Event." Around 150 participants found their spot along the wide shoreline of Weber Lake, adjacent to the White Pine Ski Resort in Upson. The 17th annual event was open to all children with the first 40 who registered getting a free rod and reel from the Superior Bass Club. The purp...
IRONWOOD — Gogebic Community College will hold its commencement ceremony virtually again this year on Friday evening. “Due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 and to protect our students, their families, faculty and staff, we decided to host a virtual graduation ceremony to be aired on YouTube on Friday,” said GCC president Dr. George McNulty in a Monday press release. “This decision was not an easy one, and we are working diligently to provide students with a ceremony that they will remember.” Set to air on YouTube on Friday at 6 p.m., the colle...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — Fourth grade students at Washington Elementary School were treated to a presentation on the importance, and many uses of trees Friday morning. The presentation was given by Doug Foley, a retired fourth grade teacher from Ironwood and co-owner of 906 Tree Service LLC. “It gives us a really good idea that the trees that surround us are really here to give us more than just cutting them down and getting firewood from them,” said Jill Carver, fourth grade teacher at Washington. “I mean, it give...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — To say that the end of the school year last year was unusual would be an understatement. The coronavirus pandemic meant students finished the school year remotely and staff at the Ironwood Area Schools was left coordinating how to get the contents of lockers back to their owners rather than organize the traditional end-of-year events — many of which were canceled or drastically changed due to COVID. The district hopes this year features a return to more recognizable events, although off...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — An increase in development and real estate sales was credited in part for an increase in assessed value, according to the 2021 Equalization Report that was approved by the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday. The compilation of agricultural, commercial, industrial, timber and residential valuations among nine county taxing units that are used to fund county services was assessed at $7,801,943 for 2021, which is a 3% increase over 2020, according to Kathy Jo Koval, c...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] ERWIN TOWNSHIP - After meeting Tuesday evening for the first time in six months, members of the Gogebic County Chapter of the Michigan Townships Association voted in four new officers, including a brand new position. Wakefield Township Supervisor Mandy Lake, who had volunteered to head the meeting until new officers were elected, is the new chairperson. "She looks like she's doing a fine job here," said Erwin Township Supervisor Larry Grimsby, while...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield City Council pledged on Monday to commit $2,500 toward the return of the town’s Fourth of July celebration. City officials and Fourth of July organizer Ann Marie Cooney said that members of the city’s Fourth of July Committee, as well as its Fireworks Committee, are deeply engaged in renewing the celebration. Last year’s events were canceled due to restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down this area in March of 2020 and has had lingering effects ever si...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD — Gogebic Community College President George McNulty shared with the college board Tuesday his concerns about the budget recommendation funding model proposed in the state House Appropriations Subcommittee last week regarding universities and community colleges during the 2021-2022 fiscal year. McNulty said he learned, that if enacted, GCC could face an 18.6% reduction in state funding. “If enacted as proposed, not only this fall, but phased in fully over the next three years, this recommendat...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Ironwood residents who have not paid water or sewer bills during the COVID-19 pandemic will need to resume by June 1 or pay late fees. The Ironwood City Commission 4-0 approved the request of the city water department to resume charges for city water and sewer along with late payment fees, and water turn on and off fees. Mayor Annette Burchell was not present on an excused absence. The temporary waiving of the reconnection fees and penalties on monthly utility bills has so far r...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] PAULDING — The multi-day search for a missing teen in the Paulding area ended Monday after his body was found in the woods near his home. Officials with the Ontonagon County Sheriff’s Department and County Emergency Management made the announcement late Monday afternoon, following the notification of Cam Besonen’s family. “Our community mourns the loss of this young man,” Ontonagon County Sheriff Dale Rantala said in the announcement. “Rescuers had been committed to finding him and worked tire...
MERCER, Wis. — The town of Mercer held its annual meeting on Thursday, where John Sendra, town board chair, asked the nearly 20 residents present to contact their elected state officials to ask their support for the town’s Premier Resort Area Tax (PRAT) request. Mercer voters approved PRAT on April 6. A municipality with at least 40% of its equalized assessed property value in use by tourism-related retailers, would qualify for PRAT. A municipality at less than 40% tourist driven value must have a PRAT request authorized by the state leg...
MERCER, Wis. - Students of the Mercer School District are getting a first-hand experience with wildlife field research through a county program. Mercer School eighth- and ninth-graders are continuing the annual participation in the Iron County Loon and Lake Study, in support of the Iron County Land and Water Conservation Department, according to Sarah Engler, the middle and high school science teacher at Mercer School. The project involves three field trips to the nearby Fox Lake and Deer Lake....
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The Michigan State Police-Wakefield post is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Agency to host a national prescription drug take back day event today from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The event provides citizens with the opportunity to dispose of all unwanted, unused, or outdated prescription pills they may have, according to a press release. The public is asked to bring back any unused prescription pills to the MSP post so that they can be properly disposed of. There is a green bin set up in the lob...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD — A former Major League Baseball player, decided to commemorate his 55 years on earth by walking the Iron Belle Trail for a charitable cause on Thursday. Eric Hillman, of Ironwood, who pitched for the New York Mets from 1992-1994, raised $17,209 of his $20,000 goal as of press-time Friday. The money raised is going directly to No Kid Hungry in honor of his 55th birthday on April 27. Along with raising money for the organization, he said he also hopes to bring awareness to the cause. “Not all...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Discussion on the May First Friday focused on gardens and cleanup with a little forecast for live entertainment to return in June, according to the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority meeting on Thursday. Darrin Kimbler, a member of DIDA along with the Range Master Gardener program, said that plants were ordered for the pocket park downtown and other projects. The planting will occur later in May and the First Friday event would be...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Downtown Ironwood Development Authority discussed several projects in various stages along with some pandemic grant relief opportunities and summer planning during a Thursday meeting. In his DIDA goals update, Tom Bergman, director of community development for the city of Ironwood, said the special committee on the downtown historical signage project has not met but should do so prior to the May DIDA meeting. He confirmed with the members that the committee would include Mayor A...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MONTREAL, Wis. — It seems there are no easy answers, and no final decision was made, but the Montreal City Council discussed possible ways to fund much-needed road work throughout Montreal and Gile Tuesday. Mayor Erik Guenard said the city tries to set money aside in each budget for road work, but the amount often isn’t enough to do much. “We try to … set aside money on a yearly basis for road improvements, typically it has been $35,000-40,000,” Guenard said. “But again, that’s general fund...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — A Schofield, Wisconsin, man is facing charges in Iron County Court for his role in a fatal accident south of Hurley that closed a portion of U.S. 51 for several hours last October. Joshua L. Shields, 25, is facing one count of homicide by vehicle-use of a controlled substance, a felony that carries a maximum punishment of up to 25 years in prison or a $100,000 fine. Shields is charged in connection to a multi-car crash on U.S. 51 at Spruce Road in Oma on Oct. 1. Iron County Dispatch r...
IRONWOOD — The 18th annual city of Ironwood Spring Clean-Up Day will be held at the end of the month, according to a Tuesday announcement. The opportunity for Ironwood residents to dispose of items with a drop off dumpster will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, April 30, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 1. The location is changed to the Ironwood Public Safety Building at 123 West McLeod Ave. Residents are asked to enter off of Alfred Wright Boulevard to enter the unloading area behind the public safety building. Residents are r...
