Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1913 - 1937 of 9883
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HANCOCK — The numbers of locals with COVID-19 and deaths related to the coronavirus continue to rise, state and regional health officials said Thursday. Gogebic County has had a total of 306 positives and another 126 probables as of Thursday, according to the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department. This includes 181 recoveries, nine deaths, 131 active cases and 111 cases where a person is beyond the two-week quarantine period but hasn’t reached the 30-day mark to be considered a recovered cas...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON - Fern Malila traveled around the world in her position with an electronic medical records company, but that world was turned upside down in 2011 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fern is a Registered Nurse and lived in Virginia, working for Cerner Corporation and traveling to clients inside and outside the U.S. for medical software sales, development and support. Since she could be called by the company to travel anytime, Fern always...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — County judges reported Wednesday that an ongoing strategic plan process, although slowed by the coronavirus pandemic, has exceeded expectations in terms of participation and results. The report on the grant progress and implementation of a two-year court operation plan and four-year court strategic plan came as a presentation to the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners. The presenters at the meeting included Circuit Court Judge Michael Pope and District Court Judge Anna Talaska, a...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] As Election Day nears on Tuesday the city and county clerks of Gogebic County will be open Saturday, and some on Sunday, to allow for absentee voters to pick up and drop off ballots in person the final weekend before in-person voting is held at the polls. “Clerks are required by law to do a total of 8 hours on either Saturday or Sunday or a combination over both days — the weekend before the Tuesday Nov. 3 election,” said Vicky Finco, clerk for Erwin Township. Should a voter desire, his or her a...
By CHARITY SMITH csmith@yourdaily IRONWOOD – The Ironwood Carnegie Library reverted back to curbside only services this week as a result of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Gogebic County. Library officials hope to resume in-person services again on Nov. 9. "Following the decision when the (local schools) and the college decided to close, we decided that we would also close down for two weeks," said Lynne Wiercinski, director of the Ironwood Library. She said she consults with the health d...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — The Iron County Board of Supervisors approved the 2021 work plan for the county forestry department, as well as a resolution allowing the county to seek grants to administer the county forest, at the board’s monthly meeting Tuesday. The work plan covers everything from upgrades to the various county parks and trail systems to timber sales and wildlife habitat management. Forest administrator Eric Peterson told the forestry committee earlier this month he wasn’t planning to start many...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - With a little pandemic imagination the partnership that brings international performers to Ironwood will continue to educate in the schools and entertain the community. The Historic Ironwood Theatre (HIT) contracted with Arts Midwest World Fest program that is designed for international musicians to perform in small and mid-sized communities of the Midwest as a cultural exchange. The two-year Ironwood agreement with HIT has support from...
Gogebic County MTA meeting features departing membersning that the total years represented two different stints in charge. "I've enjoyed it most of the time." He said he has appreciated the past couple of years less, owing to the current COVID-19 pandemic and Marenisco's loss of the Ojibway Correctional Facility. Nevertheless, he concluded, "It's been a pleasure to work with you people." Other MTA members who are leaving the group include Wakefield Township Treasurer Joan Dalman, Erwin Township...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The city of Ironwood continues to revise the city code related to the adult-use marijuana ordinance. The commission 4-0 approved to amend the city nuisance ordinance to address odors at its meeting Monday. Commissioner Joseph Cayer was not present. The amendment provides some tools for the city to help address nuisances relative to smells to include marijuana growing, said Scott Erickson, city manager. There is now a mechanism to use equipment that can measure levels of odor to a...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - Dan Niemi, superintendent of Bessemer Area Schools told the school board Monday that workers from St. George Glass of Iron Mountain have started to install the framing for the new windows at Washington Elementary School. "That's finally starting to make some movement," Niemi said. The original glass block windows were removed in August, before school resumed, to help speed up the process of installing the windows and protect kids from...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Jack Frost Parade has been canceled due the increase in COVID-19 cases in the area leading to local spread of the virus, but the Ironwood Area Chamber of Commerce has several ideas to lift the holiday spirit with safer events. The fate of the parade that was scheduled for Dec. 5, was going to be based on the number of registered parade participants by Nov. 9, according to Michael Meyer, director of the Ironwood Chamber of Commerce. The Jack Frost Festival Board decided on Monday t...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in the region so has the death toll. Gogebic County has had a total of 259 positive cases and 110 probables since the virus was first confirmed locally in March, according to Saturday’s update of Michigan’s coronavirus website. Those numbers include three deaths of those who were confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19 and two more people who were probable for having the virus. These numbers are an increase from the Western U.P. Hea...
IRONWOOD – The Ironwood campus of Gogebic Community College switched to a virtual learning platform on Monday, in an effort to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to a press release. “While challenging, we are still able to maintain our primary mission,” said Dr. George McNulty, president of GCC in the press release. “We continue to work closely with the health department to do what we can to mitigate spread.” Classes will remain virtual until Nov. 9, with the exception of several lab courses, the release said. Faculty w...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Students in need of new hats, gloves and scarves were welcome to pick them up throughout Saturday at the Wakefield-Marenisco K-12 School. As part of a project called "The Giving Fence," the free items were protected within clear plastic bags that were attached with colorful clothespins on a fence next to the school's playground. "The idea for "The Giving Fence" came from someone from Appleton (Wisconsin) who sent a donation of gloves," said Kat...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD -- The Ironwood Area Schools is moving its elementary students to remote learning for at least the rest of the month, district officials announced Thursday night. The district cited the area’s rising number of COVID-19 cases as the reason for the move. “Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic, and an increase in cases affecting our school, Ironwood Area Schools will be moving all elementary instruction to remote instruction starting tomorrow, Oct. 23, and going until at least Fri...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — Bessemer City Councilman Lou Miskovich officially resigned on Thursday, claiming a lack of communication and “petty behavior” among the councilors as reasons for his decision to step down. “The petty behavior between councilors, combined with closed-minded personal agendas is crippling this town,” Miskovich said in his letter of resignation. “There are issues with communication between councilors as well as keeping all councilors abreast of situations. I feel this system is flawed if n...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY - Two Hurley residents were displaced due to an early Friday morning fire on the corner of Hematite Street and 6th Avenue South. The Hurley Fire Department responded at around 2 a.m. to a report of a residential fire at 510 Hematite Street, according to HFD Chief Mike Sejbl. By the time firefighters arrived there were flames coming out of the upper level of the home. There were no injuries to the two adult residents or the firefighters, he...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD -- Among the items voters within the boundaries of the Ironwood Area Schools district will be deciding in the Nov. 3 election is a renewal of the district’s operating millage. The ballot measure asks voters to renew the existing millage rate of 18 mills, which translates to $18 per every $1,000 of taxable value. “This proposal will allow our schools to levy a statutory rate of 18 mills on all property, except principal residences -- so not your (primary) house,” Ironwood Super...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP -- After last week’s board of trustees meeting was canceled due to a possible COVID-19 exposure, Ironwood Township officials are expecting the Oct. 26 meeting to be held remotely. “Next meeting will be a virtual (meeting), we are following the governor’s orders,” Supervisor Jim Simmons said, referring to the state law which Gov. Whitmer signed Friday, allowing government bodies to meet remotely during the pandemic. Information on how to call into the teleconference meeting...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - Students at A.D. Johnston Junior and Senior High School returned to in-person learning on Thursday for the first time since 11 positive cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the district. However, students at Washington Elementary School are going to remain virtual through Oct. 30, according to an announcement on the district's Facebook page. Superintendent Dan Niemi told the Daily Globe that the high school has been thoroughly deep-cleaned...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HANCOCK -- Gogebic County has over 100 active cases of COVID-19, according to the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department -- a stark contrast from the single-digit case numbers reported less than one month ago. The health department is also reporting a second fatality in the county. Gogebic County has had a total of 218 positive cases and 84 probables as of Tuesday, according to information on the WUPHD’s website. That includes 108 active cases and 157 recovered cases, the two fatalities and 3...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley K-12 School administrator recommended no changes regarding pandemic attendance policies at the Monday school board meeting. Last March no one could predict what the situation would be right now, said Kevin Genisot, school district administrator. The school district plan to move forward was based on the latest information in consultation with the Iron County Health Department and that will continue with the understanding that no one knows what the situation will be six months f...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Lutheran churches that are part of the Northern Great Lakes Synod are inviting churches of all faiths to ring their bells for five minutes starting at noon on Sunday, Nov. 1, as part of an All Saints Day ceremony, to remember those that have died, not just in their individual parishes, but across the country from COVID-19. "We honor those people that passed in our congregation throughout the year, and then now this is the added for the...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD -- In what will likely be the first of many such votes, the Ironwood Area Schools’ board of education approved the district’s Extended Continuity of Learning Plan Monday. Superintendent Travis Powell said the plan contains a fair amount of overlap with the similar plans the district has passed since the start of the pandemic in March. The document lays out how the district will educate students if they are forced to stop in-person learning again due to the coronavirus pandemic. The big...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - A lot of time and effort has gone into beautifying the downtown but some of that love is now going to the Ironwood business route along U.S. 2, thanks to some holiday ornaments courtesy of the Ironwood Tourism Council. The city is a partner with the Ironwood Tourism Council, which has provided funds to purchase holiday ornaments in an effort to create a sense of destination, said Tim Erickson, a community development specialist for the ci...
