Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 2191 - 2215 of 9836
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] HURLEY - Many area Catholics were able to attend church services for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as public Mass services resumed this past weekend at St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Hurley. "It is good to be back," one woman was overheard exclaiming as she entered the church. "It was heartbreaking not to be able to come to church." Attendance was limited to 25% of the church's total occupancy, which limited...
TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Downtown Ironwood bars and restaurants may soon use more outdoor room for customers amidst the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. During its virtual meeting Thursday the city of Ironwood Planning Commission 5-0 recommended that the city commission approve an outdoor seating policy for businesses. Members Nancy Korpela and Mark Silver were not present. City commissioner Joseph Cayer was present as a non-voting ex-officio member. “As businesses open up again we are trying to create some flexibili...
TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — The town of Mercer Board of Supervisors on Thursday amended its private display fireworks ordinance to require permits for possession, use or sale of fireworks. The need for Mercer to amend its ordinance is to more effectively regulate the use of fireworks in accordance with Wisconsin Statute 167.10, the section that governs fireworks, according to township attorney Fritz Schellgell at the meeting. The ordinance now requires any person who wishes to use, possess, sell or otherwise d...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON - With eight long days behind them, FA Construction is about 80% done with the second phase of the Pebble Beach Drive-Braceburn Court reconstruction in Ontonagon. The project began last fall when the company reconstructed the ditches and replaced all of the culverts in the subdivision. With the drainage patterns disrupted by 40 years of building, water pooling on the streets ruined the old pavement, according to village officials and they decided to...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - With the temporary inflatable dome removed on Thursday, the work now starts on the new structure that will be the new permanent arena to replace the old Pat O'Donnell Civic Center. When the dome was initially deflated, the material was still wet and could not dry out as it draped like a bowl over the hockey boards and plexiglass, said Jim Collins, chair of the civic center board. The water quickly drained from the reinflated dome and it...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley Board of Education will have options to consider regarding an in-school or continued virtual learning start to the fall semester by its next board meeting. The administration is continuing to monitor the impact of COVID-19 and are preparing a multitude of scenarios and solutions for each one, said Kevin Genisot, school district administrator on Wednesday. “It continues to be a very fluid situation and final decisions will need to be made when the time gets closer to the start of...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — Area communities have somewhat of a bipolar tourism message that both encourages and discourages travel during a summer season still under the yoke of a COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism generates more than $21 million annually for Iron County, according to Kelly Klein, coordinator of Iron County Economic Development. The industry employs more than 250 people with full-time-equivalent jobs which comprises a big segment of the local economy, whether it’s from lodging, restaurant, gas or eve...
IRONWOOD - Area community members who attended a Tuesday protest at the Memorial Building said they were compelled to add their voices to the worldwide outrage against racism and brutality in police departments. After watching the social media video of George Floyd, an African-American man who died while handcuffed and laying on the ground with the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer on his neck on May 25, Heidi Amsley said she was moved to attend the Ironwood event. "It was a really visc...
IRONWOOD — Local education officials warn that the Western Upper Peninsula could face disastrous consequences if nothing is done to prevent the state from slashing the amount districts receive in per-pupil funding. Officials told the Daily Globe that if the drastic cuts are imposed, local districts would have to go beyond the normal measures taken in tough times — from the elimination of electives and school-sponsored sports to layoffs and possibly even state takeovers. “These are generational decisions that are going to absolutely affec...
IRONWOOD — Work has stalled but the idea continues to re-establish a county economic development office, according to a report at the Ironwood Economic Development Corporation meeting Wednesday. EDC member Gary Burnett asked for an update on the work to establish a regional EDC office. The cities of Ironwood and Bessemer are behind the effort to hire an emergency economic development coordinator who would implement the strategic plan process that was established by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, said Tom Bergman, director of c...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Citing uncertainties of COVID-19 restrictions and health agency concerns of a summer surge, the Gogebic County Fair Board on Monday canceled its centennial event this August but may pursue a virtual option. After lengthy discussion during a virtual meeting the board considered two other options — to go ahead with the fair or delay the decision until the July meeting. The board acted 4-2 to cancel the traditional fair scheduled for Aug. 6-9, with the option to pursue a virtual fair in...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Parks and Recreation Committee on Monday approved a letter in support of a mountain bike trail development application by Sisu Dirt Crew. The committee 6-0 approved a letter to support Sisu Dirt Crews' effort to build a mountain bike trail between snowmobile Trail No. 2 and the Iron Belle Trail. Committee member Linda Jindrich was not present. The approval followed a project update from Tom Bergman, director of community...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Gogebic-Iron County Airport closed Monday for more than a month of runway work. The Runway 9/27 rehabilitation and runway lighting reconstruction project will require the closure of the runway and airport through July 15, and again from Aug. 13-20, said Mike Harm, airport manager. The single asphalt runway is 6,502 feet by 120 feet. "The runway surface will be milled and shaped and brought to elevation," Harma said. "A new blacktop...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — Although the MECCA Cross Country Ski Trails are already a popular winter destination, the club hopes it will soon draw visitors year-round. MECCA President Mike Shouldice said that along with the normal brushing and trail maintenance, the club is planning a project to allow users to take advantage of the 13 miles of ski trails during the warmer weather. “We’re hoping to transform MECCA from just a winter sports venue to a year-round trail system,” Shouldice said. “There really ar...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY - The food service staff at Hurley K-12 School say the breakfast and lunch program for kids since the pandemic shutdown and continuing through summer could be described as a labor of love. The school district offers free breakfast and free lunch to all students 18 and younger weekdays and on weekends. Parents pick up the food at the school or at 10 scheduled delivery points throughout the area. "We miss our kids, that's the biggest thing,"...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO - After nearly a quarter century on the job, Marenisco Township Supervisor Richard Bouvette has announced he will retire after the coming November election. Bouvette has made that decision clear in recent months, but it wasn't until this spring that only one person applied to take over the job. He is Marenisco Police Chief Bruce Mahler, who will retire from law enforcement in August after more than 16 years on his largely one-man job. Both men, w...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - HOPE Animal Shelter has seen a surge in pet adoptions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving few animals in their care. "Our numbers are the lowest they have been," said Randy Kirchhoff, director of the Help Orphaned Pets Everywhere shelter in Ironwood. According to Kirchhoff, the shelter only has six dogs, 20 cats, and three kittens which still need "forever homes" and normally those numbers are doubled. Shelter volunteers...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] RAMSAY – The Ramsey/Bessemer Township Fourth of July Committee called off it’s annual Independence Day celebration Thursday night as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “It was a hard decision, but with all the unknowns as far as social distancing, and licenses for raffles, etc., and the health and safety of our area residents, the committee felt it was best to cancel,” said Lisa Selin, president of the Ramsey/Bessemer Fourth of July Committee. The possibility of having only the fireworks was dis...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer Fourth of July Committee announced “with heavy hearts” the cancellation of the Bessemer Blast 2020 on Thursday, “due to the many uncertainties in the weeks ahead resulting from COVID-19.” “It was a tough decision, but with everything that is going on, we almost really didn’t have a choice in the matter,” said Linda Nelson, committee chair. “It was the only decision, and I guess the best decision we could make.” The committee’s unanimous decision came two days after the Bessem...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - As plans for the new civic center are nearly finalized, the project visibly started Thursday with the deflation of the temporary dome that served the city for the year between permanent structures. Wednesday was the final day for the Pat O'Donnell Civic Center Board to provide requests for enhancements or changes to the project architect and insurance company that is paying to replace the 40-year-old structure after its roof failed under...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved the county’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan. The plan requires board approval and was approved unanimously. The plan is required by the state and is due by June 1. The document presented by Juliane Giackino, county administrator, has four sections that include protective safety measures, employee benefits as they relate to COVID-19, employees with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, and a business continuity plan...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — It’s still too soon for large group events due to the coronavirus pandemic and so First Friday for June will be a virtual concert and gift card giveaway, along with a call to support downtown businesses and restaurants. “As you know we can’t have any events with more than 10 people but we still want to move forward with First Friday,” said First Friday organizer Tim Erickson, a community development specialist with the city of Ironwood. “So, we decided to move forward in a virtual way...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — The Iron County Board of Supervisors approved taking out a loan to cover part of the cost of building a new garage in Mercer for the county’s highway department Tuesday. The county will borrow $1 million in a 5-year loan with an interest rate of 2.5%, with the board opting to take the shorter loan than the 8-year loan Highway Commissioner Mike Swartz had originally suggested. Swartz expressed concern about the highway department’s ability to pay the more expensive quarterly payments for t...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - The rain did nothing to deter volunteers from distributing 25-pound boxes of fresh produce to families at the Luther L. Wright K-12 School Wednesday. The district will continue to distribute produce boxes on Wednesdays through the end of June, according to Food Service Director Mary Hampston Kusz. The district received the delivery of 280 boxes of produce through U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farms to Families program to hand out...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission on Tuesday heard the latest developments on the COVID-19 response in the western Upper Peninsula. Kate Beer, the health officer and administrator for the Western U.P. Health Department, attended the virtual meeting to report on the state and regional response. Gogebic County has five positive cases and one non-Michigan resident case who is recovering in the area. Houghton County reported two new cases on Tuesday — both travel-related. “Our big concern still...
