Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1593 - 1617 of 9883
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...
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...
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...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] MARQUETTE — This week of spring rain, light snow and seasonable temperatures is really an exception to an ongoing unseasonably warm and dry trend that will continue to impact the area, according to the National Weather Service in Marquette. The seasonal precipitation level since July 1, 2020 is slightly above normal at 25.7 inches, while the average is 25.01 inches, according to Ryan Connelly, meteorologist in Marquette. The observed measurements are recorded at the wastewater treatment facility i...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The annual city spring cleanup event is being planned to work within the current pandemic guidelines, according to reports at the Ironwood City Commission meeting Monday. Commissioner Kim Corcoran inquired as to whether the city’s spring cleanup would occur this year. The annual event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. City Manager Scott Erickson said a one-day event with the high school Army JROTC program providing the labor would not be possible. The city is working to cre...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO — Members of the Marenisco Township Board of Trustees voted Monday evening to approve an ordinance allowing recreational marijuana enterprise within the limited area of the former Ojibway Correctional Facility. The unanimous vote, with all members present, included related action that will change zoning in that locale from Commercial 1 to Commercial 2. The vote followed a public hearing that drew fewer than 20 people to the community room of the Marenisco Township Hall, and inspired inquiries bu...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — Given that the township would likely be found responsible if the issue were contested, the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees voted Monday to pay the plumbing bill for a Jackson Road residence after sewage backed up into the property’s basement. The $262 bill came after the property owners called a plumber about the sewage backup and it was ultimately determined that the issue was with the township sewer line rather than the pipes the homeowner is responsible for. “I think we s...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Lightning is said to have caused an equipment failure at an Ironwood substation, leading to a Monday morning power outage for much of Gogebic County and northeast Iron County. The outage occurred around 6:50 a.m. when equipment failed at the Ironwood substation located at Oak Street and Alfred Wright Boulevard, according to Liz Wolf Green, a spokesperson for Xcel Energy, Inc., out of the corporate office for Michigan and Wisconsin in Eau...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] Another year of skiing has largely come to an end as some of the local ski hills that were still open wrapped up operations this past weekend. Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort’s website showed the ski hill as closed for the season Monday after having 32 trails and six lifts open Saturday, according to Powderhorn’s ski condition report. “Overall, (the season) went well; despite the lack of natural snow and the pandemic,” said Bruce Noren, of Powderhorn. “I have to say we’re pleased with the season as...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — A program that is designed to keep Michigan residents who fell behind on their rent and utilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in their homes started March 15, and will run through the end of the year, according to Gogebic-Ontonagon Community Action Agency.. The state of Michigan COVID-9 Emergency Rental Assistance program is a collaborative community process to expedite rental and utility assistance to affected tenants and their landlords, said Rochelle Clemens-Ludtke, the GOCAA h...
WATERSMEET — For the first time in many years the Watersmeet Bible Church has a permanent pastor. Robert Yerks was officially appointed to the position on March 1. “His love of Jesus Christ, people, and the beauty of creation make him a great pastor for the Watersmeet community and area,” said Carol Mason Sherrill of Watersmeet Bible Church. Prior to Yerks’ arrival as an intern in 2019, the church has had some difficulty maintaining a permanent pastor, he said. According to Yerks after a couple pastors came and left, the congregation was “ve...
HURLEY - Hurley K-12 School students have made maple syrup for years, but funding now makes it possible to expand into a larger and more comprehensive learning experience. High school science students and the Northwoods Manufacturing program are involved in establishing a tap system for 200 trees using gravity to move sap through tubes to storage tanks to be transported and processed, said Troy Puisto, science teacher. It's the "ground floor" of a something that is expected to continue...
RAMSAY — As the city of Wakefield prepares for a decision on assuming control of the Indianhead Water system, the board of the current operator, Gogebic Range Water Authority, sought to learn more about the option at its virtual meeting on March 11. G Jean Verbos, water authority administrator, presented details of the Indianhead Water system to the board. This included a description of the customer base by meter size, commodity rate, readiness to serve rate, debt retirement and a profit and loss statement. There will be a more in depth d...
IRONWOOD - Four area schools will host blood drives over the coming weeks. The American Red Cross blood drives could provide scholarship opportunities. "The Red Cross offers these schools a scholarship program that if they get their students engaged to volunteer, contact donors, try to recruit their fellow students," said Christine Luxton, account representative for the American Red Cross. The program credits the students for the units they collect through the school year The program runs from...
HANCOCK — A stabilization of the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain and ramped up production schedules is expected to allow the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department to expand the eligibility criteria for those residents able to receive the vaccine. “We are currently vaccinating people age 65 and older, those age 50 and older with underlying health conditions, and caregivers of children with special health care needs,” WUPHD Health Officer Kate Beer said in an announcement of the expansion. “Providers across the district are seeing their w...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - Work hasn't quite wrapped up but the Iron County Highway Committee had a chance to see the progress on construction of the highway department's new Mercer garage Tuesday as the committee held its meeting at the site. Highway Commissioner Mike Swartz said the project was a little behind schedule but then hoped to move into the building by the first week of April. Even after the department has begun occupying the building, Swartz said t...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — Members of the Wakefield-Marenisco Board of Education voted Monday evening to authorize four separate athletic contracts with the Bessemer Area School District. The five-year Gogebic Miners contracts relate to football, baseball, softball and cross-country, and members added a contingency to each of them in relation to how coaches will be hired. The contingency relates to each district’s handling of internal posting versus preference. Wakefield-Marenisco added to the contract that, alt...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Area Schools is likely staying the course for the next few years after the district’s board of education renewed Superintendent Travis Powell’s contract for another three years Monday. “I’m grateful to the board for renewing my contract. I’m looking forward to what we’ll be able to accomplish together over the next three years,” Powell said after the meeting. “I enjoy my job and the opportunity to continue it.” He said the language of the contract was the same as his pri...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY - With thank you signs around the school and recognition from officials and community, a departing Hurley School Board member was said to have helped the district to accomplish great things. Joe Simonich, a school board member for the past 27 years, sat at his last meeting Monday after announcing that he would not be running for a 10th term on April 6. He was honored by board members and administrators, past and present, and given a plaque...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer City Council voted unanimously during its regular meeting Monday night to reconvene on April 5 in an in-person/virtual hybrid format. This will be the first time the council has met in person since March 2020. “We are now able to have meetings with up to 25 people as long as everyone is properly spaced,” City Manager Charly Loper informed the council. Loper suggested the hybrid meetings, but cautioned “a lot” of the county’s population is still waiting COVID-19 vaccination...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — The MECCA Cross Country Ski Trails are now entirely on public land after the Iron County Forestry Department completed a recent land purchase. The purchase acquired a 40-acre parcel that the trail had been on for years after the past owner, Jim Kichak, was interested in selling it. “We’re very pleased to now be on 100% public property. It gives us a long-term ability to plan and expand and enhance the trails without risk of having to reroute trails,” said MECCA President Mike Sh...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Social service extensions and free school meals will continue through summer in support of families during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to announcements from Michigan and Wisconsin. State social service departments in coordination with school districts are working to continue benefits for families with children who are missing free or reduced price school meals because of the COVID-19 pandemic for the 2020-2021 school year, the announcements said. “It looks like the free meals pro...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] Given scarce snow all season and a current warming trend, the skiing season is now closed for Whitecap Mountains Resort in Upson, Wis. "This is the last day," said Tom Backerud from the front desk on Sunday. "We've gotten about half the snow we usually get, so it's been a little off," added Backerud, who handles reservations. The total regional snow count as of the end of last week was under 80 inches. Even so, Backerud said that business throughout the...
