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  • M-26 bridge work delayed, start planned for later in April

    Apr 7, 2021

    By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] GREENLAND - The region's fickle weather can make spring a difficult time to plan construction projects in the Western Upper Peninsula, as evident by the delayed start of a bridge project in Ontonagon County. Work completing a multi-year project replacing two bridges over the Firesteel River near Greenland had been scheduled to start in mid-March, according to a Michigan Department of Transportation announcement. However, MDOT spokesman Dan...

  • Bessemer VFW offers drive-thru Easter event

    Apr 6, 2021

    By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER - For the second year in a row, VFW Post 3687 in Bessemer sponsored on Saturday a "COVID-friendly" celebration that organizers described as "an Easter egg hunt in a bag." Billed officially as a community Easter event, the occasion went off without a hitch, with dozens of cars passing on each side of a table stocked for ongoing and efficient dispatch. The Easter Bunny stood front and center, waving with both hands, throwing kisses, clapping,...

  • Iron County votes today

    Apr 6, 2021

    By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — Iron County voters are heading to the polls today to cast their ballots in Wisconsin’s spring election. Although the local races will depend on where voters live, everyone in the county will have the chance to vote in the race for state superintendent of public instruction between Jill Underly and Deborah Kerr, as well as the judicial race for a seat on the District 3 Court of Appeals between Gregory Gill and Rick Cveykus. Many of the local races feature unopposed candidates running for ei...

  • Kimball church members enjoy Easter breakfast

    Apr 6, 2021

    By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] KIMBALL, Wis. — In a sign that the COVID-19 pandemic is fading — and/or that more and more people now have related vaccinations — an Iron County church offered an Easter morning breakfast at its Kimball location. Just prior to a mid-morning service led by Pastor Steve Estola, the Good Shepherd Community Church offered a hot meal to a small number of church members who ate in groups separated by several feet of “social distance.” Robin Estola, the pastor’s wife, said that all of them were “so thankfu...

  • Council approves resolution for flexible meeting platforms

    Charity Smith|Apr 3, 2021

    BESSEMER — The Bessemer City Council approved a resolution to allow flexibility in meeting platforms during its first in-person meeting in over a year on Friday. The special meeting was called in order to address the issue of whether or not to meet in person in the future. “That’s the state of Michigan for you. It kind of contradicts the COVID-19 rules. I talked to our attorney and we have to have this meeting in person in order to decide whether Monday, and future meetings, will be in person,” said City Manager Charly Loper. Loper said th...

  • Slimed for a cause

    Charity Smith|Apr 3, 2021

    BESSEMER - Students at Washington Elementary got to pour slime on Mark Switzer, the school's dean of instruction, on Thursday, as a reward for the kids' fundraising efforts in the Kids Heart Challenge for the American Heart Association. The annual challenge encourages students to get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day, drink water instead of drinks with sugar, and show acts of kindness. The students set up profiles on the Kids Heart Challenge website and raised money for the American Heart...

  • Mercer to decide on PRAT tax in Tuesday election

    Tom LaVenture|Apr 2, 2021

    MERCER, Wisc. — Town of Mercer voters will decide whether or not to pass a half-cent consumer tax to pay for roads and infrastructure spending in an Election Day referendum on Tuesday. Voters may choose yes or no to the ballet question, “Should the Town of Mercer levy 0.5% (one half cent on the dollar) sales tax on tourist related retailers, as described in Wisconsin State Statute 66.1113(1)(d) to pay for transportation and public safety infrastructure?” The question posed is a proposed Premier Resort Area Tax (PRAT) that Mercer is eligible to...

  • ADJ learns about autism

    Charity Smith|Apr 2, 2021

    BESSEMER - Students and staff at A.D. Johnson Junior-Senior High School spent Thursday learning about autism in preparation for Autism Awareness Day today. "The theme for world wide autism is to also work with kindness," said teacher Jamie Stiffarm. "So, the acceptance and kindness towards others." To help educate students, the school held an hourly contest Thursday where questions on autism spectrum disorder were read every period and students had the time in between classes to drop their...

  • County board OKs Germania Hill land purchase

    Richard Jenkins|Apr 1, 2021

    HURLEY — They may never need it, but Iron County will be able to build a new route to its communication tower on Germania Hill in Hurley after the Iron County Board of Supervisors voted 13-2 to approve a land purchase Tuesday. Supervisors Larry Youngs and Karl Krall voted against the measure. The board approved purchasing a pair of lots, including 127 Germania St., from Kenneth Tilton for $10,500. The purchase is viewed as a preventative measure, according to several board members, if there are further issues with a different property owner w...

  • GCC medical coding, billing program lauded

    Charity Smith|Apr 1, 2021

    IRONWOOD — Gogebic Community College was singled out for having one of the best medical coding and billing degree programs in 2021 by intelligent.com, an online magazine that rates post-secondary education programs. GCC president George McNulty told board members at their Tuesday meeting that the program was also praised for being “academically rigorous.” He said the magazine provides “unbiased” research that helps students make decisions on higher education. GCC was selected from an assessment of 1,280 accredited college and universities, acco...

  • Electric Work

    Apr 1, 2021

  • Mercer Library offers variety of online activities

    Charity Smith|Mar 31, 2021

    MERCER, Wis. - While the Mercer Library is open, the staff continues to offer a variety of online events as they are not hosting any in-person gatherings due to social distancing concerns. "We are trying to focus mostly on things that people can take home from the library to work on or online events," said library director Teresa Schmidt. The library gives out craft kits twice a month. The kits are appropriate for kids, families, and even adults, Schmidt said. The latest craft project kit was...

  • Agreement reached in former fire chief's case

    Richard Jenkins|Mar 31, 2021

    HURLEY — It appears the criminal case against a former chief of the Hurley Volunteer Fire Department is nearing a conclusion after a deferred prosecution agreement was accepted in the case Monday. Darrell J. Petrusha, 56, was charged with one count of identity theft related to his alleged improper use of a fire department credit card for personal expenses. Monday’s agreement means special prosecutor Allen Brey will dismiss the case if Petrusha meets certain requirements, including avoiding any new criminal charges for the next six months. It...

  • Wakefield ponders solution to Iron Belle extension

    P.J. Glisson|Mar 30, 2021

    WAKEFIELD — Last summer, an expansion of the Iron Belle Trail linked Bessemer to Ramsay, meaning that the trail in Gogebic County now stretches from Hurley to Ramsay, with a paved trail for silent sports such as hiking and biking. A new hurdle now exists in how to continue the trail expansion from Ramsay to Wakefield — action highly anticipated by trail lovers and by business owners who might stand to gain sales from the added activity. The city of Wakefield now finds itself squarely in the midst of the effort because it is one of five own...

  • 'Seeds of Change' demo set for First Friday 

    Tom LaVenture|Mar 30, 2021

    IRONWOOD — The First Friday Committee is planning one more virtual event for the pandemic with a seeding demonstration from master gardeners to help residents with planting in their gardens. “Seeds of Change” will be a Facebook Live First Friday event from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 2, at facebook.com/events/ 239335811206992. Members of Range Master Gardeners will live stream a demonstration on seed starting from Northwind Natural Foods Co-op. In his report to the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority on March 25, Tim Erickson, city commu...

  • Sunday Lake

    Mar 30, 2021

  • Roundabout among 2021 road projects in Iron County

    Mar 27, 2021

    By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY - The plan for this season's road work in Iron County, including the construction of the county's first roundabout, is beginning to take shape after the Wisconsin Department of Transportation released its first regional construction preview Thursday. Work replacing the existing interchange between U.S. 2 and U.S. 51 with a roundabout is scheduled to begin in May and run through November, with holiday work restrictions expected for the...

  • Ironwood DDA tackles TIF timing

    Mar 27, 2021

    By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The goal of establishing a tax increment financing district (TIF) for the downtown looks to be delayed longer than anticipated, according to reports at Thursday’s meeting of the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority. Tom Bergman, director of community development for the city of Ironwood, said ongoing work with the zoning ordinance has created delays. This will require the city to adjust its TIF application to the revised Redevelopment Ready Communities “2.0” certification process...

  • GCC considers adding new program

    Mar 27, 2021

    By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD — Gogebic Community College is considering three possible programs in search of adding one to enhance the school and utilize existing space at the Lindquist Center, according to college president George McNulty. The board of trustees held a workshop to discuss the options on Thursday afternoon. The programs under consideration are outdoor education, occupational therapy assistant, and physical therapy assistant. The outdoor recreational industry brought in $788 billion last year, according t...

  • Watersmeet ambulance progress delayed

    Mar 26, 2021

    By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — The work to provide faster response for ambulance service in the remote areas of Watersmeet Township area has slowed, according to information provided to the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday. The minutes from the Ambulance Committee noted a contract with an ambulance service in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin, continues to be on hold after the Gogebic Iron Medical Control Authority indicated issues, including the company is not licensed in Michigan. James Lorenson, com...

  • Marenisco to post chief of police position again

    Mar 26, 2021

    By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO TOWNSHIP — Members of the Marenisco Township Board of Trustees learned at their regular Monday evening meeting that Supervisor Bruce Mahler will post a new advertisement to invite applicants for the full-time position of Chief of Police. “Applicants must have current Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards certification and ability to be licensed to be considered for employment,” states the announcement shared by Mahler. It also states that the person hired as chief will work “a mi...

  • Officers honored for saving lives

    Mar 26, 2021

    By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Three members of the Ironwood Public Safety Department were honored on Wednesday for work in the line of duty that led to saving lives in recent months. IPSD Lt. Michael Rimkus was presented with the department's Meritorious Conduct Award for his role in preventing a possible suicide. Officers Andrew Leiphart and Paul Rickard were presented with the Recognition of Life Saving Award for their role in performing CPR until medical teams...

  • Former IPSD director sentenced

    Mar 25, 2021

    By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER - The former director of the Ironwood Public Safety Department will have to pay a fine and complete community service after being sentenced by videoconference in Gogebic County District Court Wednesday on a misdemeanor eavesdropping charge. Gregory Dean Klecker, 61, was ordered to pay a $600 fine and complete seven days of community service for attempted eavesdropping in relation to his use of a recorder to document a conversation between...

  • Bessemer Township approves amended budget

    Mar 25, 2021

    By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] RAMSAY — Some residents of Bessemer Township complained at Monday’s annual meeting of the township board of trustees about a proposed increase of $3,000 to the deputy treasurer’s wage. The request by township treasurer Hope Tarnaski would have increased deputy treasure Corine Johnston’s pay to $3,600. Residents voiced concerns with the increase. It was the first township meeting attended by members and residents in-person and via Zoom. Resident Jean Verbos questioned the need for the increase, when th...

  • Spring Cleaning

    Mar 25, 2021

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