Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1863 - 1887 of 9733
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — After an extended discussion and a rescinded motion, the Wakefield Planning Commission voted Tuesday to grant a garage variance to Ken and Amy Libertoski at 1118 Charles Street. The unanimous vote, which allows the couple to build a garage before a house, included an attached bond that will require the Libertoskis to pay $4,999 if they do not also build a house on the same property within four years. “We plan to retire in two to four years,” said Ken Libertoski, who was present by phone at th...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — After two years of committee meetings, workshops, public hearings and several revisions, the Ironwood City Commission approved the city’s adult-use marijuana ordinance on Monday. The 3-2 approval amends the city code to regulate adult-use marijuana establishments. The effective date of the ordinance was not announced at the meeting but the commission extended its option-out ordinance through Nov. 9 at a previous meeting to allow time for administrative and enforcement structures to be pu...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] UPSON, Wis. - With most cornhole leagues inactive during the coronavirus pandemic, the special events attract many players including the first ever tournament sponsored by Whitecap Mountains Ski Resort on Saturday. The tournament is one more way to draw people to the resort in the off-season, according to David Dziuban, resort manager. The golf course had an especially busy summer and in addition to weddings and family events, the cornhole...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services began reporting outbreak information for schools across the state Monday. “Parents and students should know that if their school is listed, their local health department and school are already investigating. Based on that investigation, people are contacted individually if they were possibly exposed to COVID-19 at school,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said in the announcement. Khaldun is the chief medical executive and chief deputy for health fo...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic-Iron County Airport Board approved its budget on Monday, but the conversation dealt largely with either dedicating existing funds or returning them to the counties. The board 3-0 approved the $119,432 fiscal year 2021 operating budget. The budget remains the same as fiscal year 2020. Joe Bonovetz, board chair, and Brandon Snyder, board member, were not present. Patrick Hanson, vice chair, officiated the meeting. Board member James Lorenson brought up the fact that the airport...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] WAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP - An area ski resort looking to grow by adding off-season opportunities held its Lake Superior North Country Adventure Fest this past weekend, drawing dozens of motorized vehicle riders from around the Midwest. "It's mainly a social ride for the most part. There are no races," said Matthew Vaughan, CEO of Big Snow Ski Resort, which includes the hills and trails of Indianhead and Blackjack ski resorts in the Wakefield area. "It's...
IRONWOOD — Two people are facing drug charges following the search of a property in Ironwood Friday. The Gogebic Iron Area Narcotics Team executed the search warrant on a property near the intersection of Cloverland Drive and Curry Street Friday, a spokesman for the drug team said in a news release, as part of an investigation that started in June. Two individuals were arrested at the scene, according to the spokesman, on initial charges of conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine and maintaining a drug house. The names of the two people a...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] RAMSAY - Thursday's ribbon-cutting ceremony in Ramsay not only celebrated the opening of the newest local segment of the Iron Belle Trail, it also marked the latest milestone in the 10-plus year effort to develop the local non-motorized trail system. "I just want to thank everybody personally for this project, it is ... a group effort and it would not happened without everybody being here and working on it. ... What a privilege to work with you...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] RAMSAY — An effort to reduce the size of the Gogebic Range Water Authority Board ended after opposition from municipality members led to removing the action from consideration at its regular meeting Thursday. The municipalities represented on the water authority include the charter township of Ironwood, and the townships of Bessemer and Wakefield, and the cities of Bessemer and Wakefield. Each municipality has two or three members plus alternates and the Water Authority proposed a five-member b...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — A name change for the Wakefield Public Library may soon be official, according to Joel Laessig, library director. In a Wednesday interview, Laessig said he will approach members of the Wakefield City Council on Sept. 14 to make the formal request. Library board members already have discussed the issue, and public hearings were held earlier this year as well. Laessig said the pending name change is based on a desire to honor the late Eugene Maki, who played a prominent role in the town’s cul...
Email calendar items and community news to [email protected]. For more information, call 906-932-2211. Saturday, Sept. 12 Community Pickleball, 9-noon, Patterson Tennis Court, weather permitting. Union Station Food Pantry and Northern Food Bank, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 252 E. Ayer St., Ironwood. Alcoholics Anonymous, 11 a.m., Salem Lutheran Church, Ironwood. area74.org. Community Pickleball Paddlers, 2-5 p.m., Mercer School gymnasium. 715-776-4588. Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 p.m., Salem Lutheran Church, Ironwood. area74.org. Sunday, Sept. 13...
ROCKLAND - The Michigan State Police awarded a Rockland man with the "Distinguished Citizen Award," on Wednesday evening - the highest honor it can give to a civilian. The award was presented to Bruce Racine for rescuing his neighbor, Caryl Miilu, 85, from a house fire on June 3. "It is an honor and a privilege to recognize your high degree of civil duty that was displayed while assisting in the lifesaving of another," said Eighth District Commander Captain John E. Halpin in a letter that...
IRONWOOD — The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 continue to affect our lives, even as the event itself happened 19 years ago. Scott Erickson, the manager for the city of Ironwood, said the anniversary is a good time for people to reflect on the service of first responders in our community. Firefighters, law enforcement and medical first responders rose to the occasion on 9/11, and they continue to go into harm’s way every day to keep communities safe and healthy, he said. “I guess for me, this is a time to just remind people to reach out a...
BESSEMER - The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a public hearing on the topic of the county's 2020-21 operational budget for its next regular meeting. The board 7-0 approved a public hearing prior to the 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 county board meeting at the request of Juliane Giackino, county administrator. The action followed a budget workshop prior to the regular meeting on Wednesday. The proposed budget was sent forward to the hearing without significant changes...
By CHARITY SMITH by [email protected] BESSEMER - The city of Bessemer and the Michigan Department of Transportation will be having a virtual public hearing at 5 p.m. on Sept. 21 to discuss the proposed detour route for U.S. 2 traffic heading through the city's downtown district, during the reconstruction of the highway during in the summer of 2022. "We've looked at numerous routes and this is the best route we've found. It's by no means perfect," said city manager Charly Loper, of...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO — As of the end of August, Marenisco Township has been short a police chief, but Supervisor Richard Bouvette hopes that a new person will soon take on the role. Former Police Chief Bruce Mahler is no longer in charge, as he left the job at the end of August after giving several months of prior notice. Bouvette said Tuesday that Mahler now is taking a break before he assumes the reins as township supervisor. Having won the Aug. 4 primary unopposed, he will take over the job when Bouvette r...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON — The Most Rev. John Doerfler, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Marquette, in a letter to the five Catholic churches of Ontonagon County, informed parishioners of a change in some Masses in Rockland and White Pine coming in October. Doerfler said he has been concerned about the workload of Father Michael Jacobus with five weekend Masses and the amount of travel it entails. Besides Rockland and White Pine, Jacobus serves churches in Ontonagon, Ewen and Bergland. “At the same time,” Doerfler wrote...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - The classrooms of the Luther L. Wright K-12 School were filled with students for the first time since the switch to distance learning last spring in response to the coronavirus pandemic as the Ironwood Area Schools kicked off the 2020-2021 school year Tuesday. "We had a smooth start. We had lots of help as the kids got off the buses and into their classrooms," K-12 Principal Melissa Nigh said. "I don't know if it could have come any...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — Public health officials say that getting the most people vaccinated with a flu shot as possible by October will hopefully avoid the “twindemic” potential of both influenza and COVID-19. The Iron County Health Department has received its first shipment of influenza vaccine for the 2020-2021 flu season. The department guidelines are to distribute vaccines as soon as possible with the goal of vaccinating the community by the end of October. “We don’t want to confuse the flu season with the CO...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — A Wisconsin man has been arraigned on a felony charge related to a stabbing in Ironwood earlier this month. Benjamin Allen Bozile, 30, of Gillett, Wisconsin, is charged with one count of assault with intent to commit murder. The charge carries a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. The charge steps from an incident at an Ironwood motel in the 400 block of West Cloverland Drive on Sept. 1, according to a news release from the Ironwood Public Safety Department. Officers responding...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] RAMSAY - Labor Day weekend is traditionally a time when family and friends gather for games, barbecues and an opportunity to enjoy each other's company before the winter season creeps in. Sunday afternoon was no exception as people came from near and far to indulge in the many new park amenities at Ramsay Memorial Park, made possible by a $400,000 renovation. Also ready just in time as an additional route to get there was the recently finished Iron Belle...
BESSEMER — Although a ceremony is planned later this week to formalize the event, the newest local segment of the non-motorized Iron Belle Trail is now open. The segment extending the trail from Moore Street in Bessemer to Ramsay opened Friday. Prior to the segment’s completion the local trail ran from the Hurley trailhead between U.S. 51 and the Montreal River in Wisconsin into Michigan to the Moore Street trailhead. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Thursday in Ramsay to mark the trail opening. Due to COVID, this is an invite-only eve...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Members of an emerging band said a lot of firsts were realized at the First Friday live streaming concert, Friday. For most of the members of Myron Elkins and the Dying Breed it was the first time to the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin. It was also their first opportunity to live-stream a concert. “It feels nice to be up here,” said Myron Elkins, the lead singer, who also works as a welder in Kalamazoo. “Down where I’m from everyone is just 100 miles per hour all the time.” The band formed...
MERCER, Wis. — The Mercer Town Board of Supervisors on Thursday approved a change to health insurance coverage to a another agency for the duration of an application period to an insurance cooperative for municipalities known as Spectrum Employer Group Co-op. The 4-0 vote, with board member Eric Snow not present, will switch coverage for eight of the town employees from the current insurer to a second insurer from October through Jan. 1, 2021. The action also designates Vic Ouimette, a town board supervisor who works in the insurance industry,...
IRONWOOD - The Ironwood City Commission approved expenditures for enhancements to the Pat O'Donnell Civic Center replacement building during a special meeting on Monday. The commission 5-0 approved $123,303 of civic center funds to be invested that are not included with the insurance company's funds to replace the structure. There are also $50,000 in individual donations for the enhancements. "The city's insurance company only pays for what was there before," said Scott Erickson, city manager....
