Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1569 - 1593 of 9848
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...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Area emergency management officials say the flood risk is minimized this spring with less snow but that additional rain or snow over the next few weeks could change that outlook. “With a very mild winter so far, the spring snowmelt flood risk is below normal and no major flooding is anticipated,” said Heidi DeRosso, director of Gogebic County Emergency Management and 911 coordinator. The emergency management office continues to monitor the river and lake levels in the watershed and r...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The application for a $2.925 million loan was expected to be formally submitted this week to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development division in relation to a pending water project for the city of Wakefield. Matt Treado, the Ishpeming office manager of U.P. Engineers and Architects, reported the news at a Monday evening meeting of the Wakefield City Council. During the virtual session, Treado said he hopes to get a response to the funding request by May, and he anticipates adv...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Whether on the highway or downtown, restaurant owners say the pandemic continues to challenge them. Debra Federico, owner of Mike's Restaurant on U.S. 2, said she decided back in May 2020 to stay closed for indoor dining until a vaccine was developed and it would be safe and feasible for the small dining room to open. They constructed a takeout window in the interim and reopened in February with the vaccine rollout moving forward. "It's...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Courthouse elevator will soon undergo repairs after breakdowns over the summer left people briefly stuck between floors. The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Thursday 7-0 approved a recommendation from the Economic Development and Capital Improvement Committee to authorize a $34,682 bid to Otis Elevator Company. According to meeting minutes, the committee found the repairs to be necessary immediately as it is the only elevator in the building. County Administra...
IRONWOOD — Gogebic Community College will hold its graduation ceremony virtually again this year. “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,” said GCC President George McNulty, in a press release Wednesday. “This decision was not an easy one, and we are already working diligently to provide students with a ceremony that they will remember.” The online presentation, similar to last year’s virtual commencement, will be shown on YouTube on...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Mt. Zion Winter Recreation Area at Gogebic Community College is closed for the season. The college made the announcement Wednesday. Jim Vanderspoel, director of GCC's Ski Area Management program and Mt. Zion operations, said the closure came just a few days earlier than he had planned. He said he had hoped to have the hill open through Sunday. "After the recent warm temperatures and heavy rainfall, we had no choice but to close," Vandersp...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The first of 16 applicants seeking various commercial permits to operate adult-use marijuana growing, manufacturing, retail, inspection and transportation licenses was held March 4. The planning commission heard a presentation of the marijuana microbusiness application of Three Twins Cultivators, by project partners, Joshua Norman, Ben Thompson and Benji Fisher. The three plan to build a growing and processing operation for 150 plants, with a separate onsite retail dispensary at 138 West...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — Eagle Bluff Golf Club was placed on the Hurley City Council agenda on Monday to discuss the lack of response regarding its overdue annual lease payment, according to Mayor Jay Aijala at the meeting. Aijala said the club was late with the $10,000 payment for 2020 for use of the city-owned golf course, and there had been no communication from the nonprofit Eagle Bluff board of directors. The council has worked with the golf club on lease issues in past years that have been financially c...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - Demolition of the Traveler's Lodge in Bessemer began Wednesday morning. The motel and its property was purchased late last year by Dollar General, which plans to build a store there on U.S. 2 on the east end of the city. Workers with Angelo Luppino Construction started the demolition process early Wednesday morning, according to Paul Luppino of the company. Luppino said they were taking trees down as part of clearing the site and plan to...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission on Monday approved changes to the adult-use marijuana ordinance to clarify conditional uses. The commission 3-1 approved an amended ordinance regarding conditional use permits. The revision is for consistency between the adult use marijuana ordinance and the zoning ordinance. Commissioner Joseph Cayer voted against, and Commissioner Rick Semo was not present with an excused absence. Tom Bergman, director of community development, said the adult use marijuana...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HANCOCK — More than 25% of Ontonagon County residents over the age of 16 have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the latest vaccine numbers that the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department released Monday. A total of 1,291 people, or 25.6%, have received the needed vaccinations, according to the WUPHD. Another 1,615 of the county’s 5,003 residents over the age of 16 have received their first vaccination dose. Nine hundred and ninety seven of the county’s 2,154 residents over...
