Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — The six districts that make up the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District continue to develop plans for educating students after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer canceled in-person classes for the remainder of the school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with remote learning expected to get underway in the coming weeks. The required “continuity of learning plan” each district is developing are part of the executive order Whitmer issued Thursday closing all K-12 school build...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HANCOCK -- It appears reports of the first presumed positive coronavirus case in Ontonagon County on the state of Michigan’s COVID-19 reporting website is incorrect, according to a Western Upper Peninsula Health Department announcement Sunday. The error appears to stem from a former Ontonagon resident who was tested in southeast Michigan but no longer resides in the county. “We’re not sure if they moved or what, but it wasn’t a test that was done in this area,” health officer Cathryn Beer told...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY — Sharon’s Coffee Company is accustomed to closing briefly for spring repairs, but the owners decided on a major project for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic shutdown order. “We are lucky this pandemic didn’t come during snowmobile season,” said Sharon Ofstad, owner, noting that it tends to slow down after winter until Memorial Day weekend. “We had a wonderful winter and we’re looking forward to a great summer. Let’s hope everybody...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] EWEN — Friday is the deadline for school districts to submit to the state how they plan to educate students who will be without face-to-face education for the rest of the school year because of the COVID-19 virus. With that in mind, the school superintendents and principals within the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District are meeting early this week with GOISD officials to devise a plan. The districts will then meet with teachers to continue to develop a plan for the rest of the school year. E...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — With the expectation that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases will increase, medical officials are calling for calm, continued self-isolation and to call ahead before going to a hospital or clinic with coronavirus symptoms. “We continue emphasizing how important it is for people who are experiencing symptoms to please call ahead instead of just driving to the doctor’s office,” said Chris Pogliano, M.D., chief medical officer at Aspirus Ironwood Hospital. “Aspirus has a designate...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD — With rules against gatherings of more than 10 people in one place to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the funeral industry has had to make some adjustments. McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home in Ironwood and Cane Funeral Home in Ontonagon both recently purchased equipment which will allow for visitations and funeral services to be broadcast online. “It’s a way for people to go ahead and do a celebration of life or some type of funeral service, while still maintaining social distancing,” said An...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — The Town of Mercer Board of Supervisors approved a new snowplow loan, bids for roof and siding, and a mowing contract at its regular meeting Thursday. There were 32 people who attended the virtual meeting via GoToMeeting. This is the third public meeting that the board has held since the Wisconsin Attorney General’s office said the format would not violate open meeting laws during the coronavirus shutdown order. The board 5-0 approved an $8,844 bid for a roof replacement for Mer...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] LANSING - Michigan students almost certainly won't be returning to their classrooms this spring, after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday she was canceling face-to-face classes for the remainder of the school year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-35, which closed all K-12 school buildings for the rest of the school year - unless the COVID-19 or coronavirus pandemic ends - and set out guidelines for...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] The two major grocery stores in Ironwood and neighboring Hurley, Wisconsin have installed plexiglass shields at checkout stands. The shields are in place between the cashiers and customers to help protect against the spread of COVID-19. Cashiers are among the vulnerable essential workers who come face-to-face with the public each day during the coronavirus pandemic. "We like them," said Lawrence Glatczak, manager of Super One Foods in Ironwood. "The...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] HURLEY, Wis. - Hurley elementary teachers say online learning was already utilized in the classroom setting and has made for a smooth transition in the home setting after the shutdown order from the coronavirus pandemic. Administration and staff are in direct communication to ensure that what is happening from the state level is being incorporated at the local level, said Kevin Genisot, administrator of Hurley School District. Parents receive...
By TOM LAVENTURE and CHARITY SMITH [email protected] HANCOCK — The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Gogebic County is now at two, and there are zero cases reported in Ontonagon County. The information released Tuesday from Western U.P. Health Department in Hancock, showed that as of March 31 there have been 40 individuals referred for COVID-19 testing in Gogebic County. So far 12 cases tested negative, 24 tests are pending, and one test was canceled. Gogebic County is so far the only county in the western U.P. to have reported a d...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] When Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer mandated that residents “stay at home” to help slow the spread of COVID-19, many residents wondered how this was to be enforced, and essential business owners scrambled to get there employees papers to travel back and fourth to work. According to Gogebic County Undersheriff Ross Solberg, there have been “no more than half a dozen,” complaints received by his office, and they are usually regarding businesses and not individuals and many of the complaints were determi...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MADISON, Wis. -— Gov. Tony Evers is seeking a major disaster declaration for Wisconsin as the state continues to work to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Evers sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking the federal declaration Tuesday for the COVID-19, or coronavirus, pandemic. “The response to this virus has required a tremendous response from the state and all of its communities that far exceeds the resources currently available to us,” Evers said in a statement. “By seeking...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Gogebic Range Solid Waste Management Authority plans to continue the shutdown of its transfer station and recycling facility for the duration of the emergency order regarding the coronavirus pandemic. The waste management authority shut down operation except for garbage collection on March 23. The scheduled garbage collection in the townships of Ironwood, Bessemer, Marenisco and Wakefield and in the city of Wakefield continue on...
LANSING — The Michigan National Guard is now authorized to perform humanitarian missions around the state after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday President Donald Trump granted her request to allocate up to 3,000 members of the Michigan Army and Air National Guard for 90 days to help respond to the coronavirus pandemic in the state. The humanitarian missions will include helping run mobile screening facilities, distributing food and other crucial supplies, disinfecting public spaces and supporting public safety when required, according t...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] With the threat of the coronavirus looming everywhere, a record number of voters in Iron County, Wisconsin, are choosing to vote absentee in this year's presidential primary and many local officials are encouraging it. "We are definitely promoting it," said Mercer Town Clerk Debbie Hohner. "We were trying to find the best way to promote the idea of absentee ballots, so our deputy clerk, Beth Wetzir, actually created a Facebook page for us. Hohner said...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD -- The Ironwood Area Schools is reducing the number of days it is distributing meals while classes remain cancelled in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Starting Monday, parents were able to pick up five days worth of lunches and breakfasts at the school for each child under 18 in their household, rather than receiving the week's worth of food over two distribution days. Ironwood Superintendent Travis Powell said the change not only...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] WAKEFIELD — Activities are continuing as scheduled for residents at Gogebic Medical Care Facility, they even enjoyed a visit and photo op with the Easter Bunny last week, in spite of the looming threat of COVID-19. Photos with the bunny were mailed to the loved ones of residents with the caption, “Somebunny loves and misses you. I’m doing ok.” “It’s the same course of activities, we are just a little bit more precautious, following social distancing guidelines, and frequent hand washing,” sai...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] As students across the state of Michigan continue to stay home in compliance with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order closing schools in response to the coronavirus pandemic, districts await word on whether classes will resume this year and if they’ll be forced to make up any lost days. “We’re pushing for some direction on that, because that will inform decisions we make regarding virtual learning, or offline learning for families that don’t have reliable internet access,” Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediat...
IRONWOOD — The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department has identified sites that were visited by an individual who recently tested positive for the COVID-19 disease from the coronavirus pandemic. Local residents visiting these sites may be at higher risk for exposure as the virus can remain airborne for at least three hours and can remain on surfaces for at least three days. The times listed for when the individual was at these four sites are all Central Daylight Time. The person tested positive for COVID-19 was reportedly at: —Our Lady of...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - For students of the Mercer School District, homeroom is now literally homeroom. Since the school shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, teachers have kept the students engaged in learning through emails, online platforms and have now added video conferencing. This past Monday the school started a daily school-wide morning homeroom session using the remote online conferencing platform from Zoom Video Communications. The effort is...
