Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1861 - 1885 of 9692
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HANCOCK — The Western Upper Peninsula now has a second death related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, after the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department announced Houghton County’s first fatality Saturday. “Our heartfelt sympathies and prayers go out to the family who has lost their loved one,” WUPHD health officer Kate Beer said in the announcement. “This is a sad reminder of the seriousness of the COVID-19 threat. We must continue our prevention efforts, especially for the safety of our el...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] U.S. 2 has been humming with activity as asphalt placement has begun this week between Wakefield and Bessemer. According to Dan Weingarten, communications representative with Michigan's Department of Transportation, the $1.34 million project began on July 7 with gradual preparations for the current work along a 4.2-mile stretch. "This project is preventive maintenance - designed to improve the ride quality and maintain fair and good condition roads," said... Full story
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — The health departments in both Iron County and the Western Upper Peninsula continue to work with local school districts as they start the school year in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “You, your children and our schools are preparing for a very different start to the school year. Positive cases continue to rise and the COVID-19 virus remains active in Iron County,” an Iron County Health Department spokesperson said in a news release Thursday. “Regardless of whether your ch...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — The Genisot family wants their COVID-19 experience to give others confidence that the community will get through the pandemic together but to expect that others will become infected before a vaccine or other solution will lessen the threat. “We’re expecting it with more staff. We’re expecting it with kids,” said Kevin Genisot, the administrator of Hurley K-12 School. “This is something that we are going to deal with at a level that hopefully everyone with an experience will find it eve...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved a three-year contract for county dispatching services to Negaunee Regional Dispatch. The contract was recommended by the Finance, Budgeting and Auditing Committee, and was supported by the Michigan State Police Wakefield Post. It will take effect on Jan. 1. The bid will realize approximately $145,259 in savings from the current contract with Iron County (Mich.) Dispatch, according to the letter from Heidi DeRosso... Full story
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - A new park with a playground for kids was recently built behind the centerfield fence of Barber Field in the Yale Location of Bessemer and has opened to rave reviews. "I think it's wonderful especially with all the kids in the neighborhood. I know my grandkids really enjoy it, every night we got to take them down there," said Paulette Baldwin. According to Bessemer city manager Charly Loper, city officials started looking into the idea of...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic limiting events, Northern Iron County Engaged Residents is encouraging locals to get out and explore the area by launching its Backyard Adventure Month Tuesday. “The idea of having this whole thing is because, with the COVID shutdown, people are looking for things to do,” said Ken Saari, NICER vice president and one of several event organizers. For the month of September, challenge participants can obtain a competition booklet that contains the entry...
IRONWOOD - The Gogebic Community College board worked to welcome the new school year with the hiring of four new staff members Tuesday, filling the positions of registrar, career counselor, Nordic ski coach and a networking specialist. The board formerly approved the hiring of Jacqueline Franzoi as career counselor, although she had already started her position. "We're really excited and we're thrilled to have her here," vice president of student services Jeanne Graham told the board as she intr... Full story
HURLEY — The Hurley Board of Education will not make changes to its in-classroom with virtual option reopening plan, or the decision to go ahead with fall sports after taking no action at a special meeting on Tuesday. The school board approved its reopening plan 5-0 and fall sports schedule 3-2 at an Aug. 17 meeting. Three school board members requested a special meeting to revisit the decision, “due to the current health data change, and the importance of this decision,” as stated on the agenda. Leslie Kolesar, school board president, said the...
MERCER, Wis. — Staff and faculty of the Mercer School District are working through in-service days to prepare for the start of fall semester on Tuesday, according to District Administrator Sheri Kopka in her report to the Board of Education on Monday. The school’s reopening plan was reviewed by the Iron County Department of Health and the day-to-day school operation details will be provided to families so they know what to expect, she said. Supply donations included a $469 cash donation to help kids with school supplies, along with a sep...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission will wait until September to consider a revised adult-use marijuana manufacturing ordinance proposal that failed a split vote in March. Mayor Annette Burchell was not present and Mayor Pro Tem Kim Corcoran urged the commissioners not to take action on the ordinance until the full commission was present. The 4-0 decision to postpone followed a public hearing and after commissioners made suggestions for changes. “We’ve been approaching this ordinance, I think... Full story
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - Students at Bessemer Area Schools returned to much different campus than they had left, with the school making multiple modifications and improvements to the buildings both structural and cosmetic, and new technology available at A.D. Johnston Junior-Senior High. Students at Washington Elementary walked into a school Tuesday that has far fewer windows, at least temporarily. All of the old windows have been taking down and replaced with...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — After failing to find any clarity regarding the state of donations to the township’s volunteer fire department, the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees voted to “outsource” the matter to an outside agency Monday night — meaning the matter is likely soon to be referred to law enforcement. “My recommendation is we outsource this to an outside agency to get the answers. Whatever the truth is, they’re going to let us know,” Supervisor Jim Simmons said. “We just want to get at the tr...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Luther L. Wright K-12 School was expected to be filled with students today for the first day of the 2020-21 school year, however, the district's board of education voted in an emergency meeting Friday to postpone the start of the school year until Sept. 8. "It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the delay in the start of this school year. ... The reason for this delay is that our elevator, which is being upgraded, will not be... Full story
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — It has only been one week since the Hurley Public School Board decided to start the school year in the classroom with a virtual learning option — but a special meeting tonight will revisit the decision in part for updated information regarding COVID-19 cases in Iron County. “The magnitude of this decision is great and with school only a week away, it’s imperative that the board reviews the plan a final time to determine if it’s the most appropriate given our current situation...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — The Mercer Public Library will conclude its survey at the end of the month with prize drawings to encourage more people to help shape the long-term planning of a community centerpiece. All input is welcome but there is an effort to reach working age adults and those who don’t use the library regularly in particular, said Teresa Schmidt, director of the Mercer Public Library. The survey (bit.ly/mercerlibrarysurvey) wants to reach these people for some feedback to see what could change...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] SAXON, Wis. — For the first time since 2016, Iron County can say Saxon Harbor is fully open for the season this week, as the harbor’s campground opened for the remainder of the 2020 camping season Thursday. “It will be nice to see a full facility again,” Iron County’s forestry and parks administrator, Eric Peterson, told the Daily Globe last week. With the exception of those who took advantage of the first-come, first-served camping last weekend, Saxon Harbor’s campground hasn’t been open since the... Full story
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - A new ramp is gradually taking shape at the front of A. D. Johnston Junior/Senior high school, as crews from Angelo Luppino, Inc have been working to replace the prior ramp, which was severely dilapidated. "It's more of an emergency exit ramp. It's not fully ADA compliant, but we felt that we needed a ramp at the east side door, just in case we have a fire and we have handicapped students on that side of the building that need to get out,"...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — This is the final week of a summer breakfast and lunch program offered through Hurley K-12 School. “This is our last week,” said Kevin Genisot, Hurley school district administrator. “We were averaging almost 3,000 meals a week all through summer. A lot of families really relied on that and they really enjoyed it.” The Summer Foods School Program stemmed from the free or reduced breakfast and lunch program that is made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency an...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — Iron County is approaching a total of 100 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 since the coronavirus was first detected in the county as the county health department announced new positives Thursday. As of Thursday, Iron County has had 98 residents test positive for COVID-19 since the health department announced the first case in the county in late March, with 77 of those cases now considered recovered. The county has had three of the cases require hospitalization, and the singl... Full story
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — The Gogebic-Iron County Airport reopened for a second time in a month to complete a summer-long runway project. The airport was set to reopen officially at 8 p.m. Thursday, according to Michael Harma, airport manager. The airport was closed from Aug. 13-20 so workers could cut drainage gaps across the new surface following a $5.19 million runway reconstruction project in June and July. The temporary runway lines were replaced this week with permanent lines after oils in the n...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - Officials with the Ottawa National Forest announced the reopening of Black River Harbor to swimmers on Tuesday after test results on the water by the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department came back as "clear and safe for body contact." The harbor and river had been closed to swimmers since Aug. 5, following a sewage discharge by the Bessemer Township waste water treatment plant's sewage lagoon. The lagoons had reached it's maximum...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - The rituals of campus life are slowly beginning to resume at Gogebic Community College, as students began moving into the dorms Monday and the first orientation events were held Wednesday, with more planned for today. However, things are undoubtedly different as the college takes steps to protect students during the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are excited to welcome students to GCC this fall, ... the safety of our GCC community continues to be our... Full story
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — All systems are go to welcome students at the Wakefield-Marenisco K-12 School, said Superintendent Jason Gustafson. Students will report on Tuesday at 10 a.m. to a school that Gustafson assures is “cleaned, polished” and “as safe as it possibly can be.” The superintendent reported the news to board of education members at their Monday evening meeting and also noted in a related, written agenda report that custodial staff was putting “finishing touches” on the school and that he also had plac...
