Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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MINOCQUA, Wis. — Richard “Dick” D. Kemplin, 94, of Mercer, passed away with his family by his side on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at the Marshfield Medical Center in Minocqua. A celebration of Dick’s life, with family and friends, is being planned. The family has chosen the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home in Ironwood to honor Dick’s legacy of life. To make an online condolence, visit McKevittPatrickFuneralHome.com.... Full story
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] GOGEBIC RANGE - If you're looking for a bit of adventure, it's hard to go wrong by hitting local ATV trails. Think muddy ruts and fallen trees, along with regular curves, hills and pools of water. Then there is the added interest of meeting another trail traveler, head-on, from the opposite direction. In short, wear your seatbelt. On Monday, Jerry Nezworski - president and trail boss for the Gogebic Range Trail Authority - took representatives of...
By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Professional racers made waves last weekend as the International Watercross Association brought summer snowmobiling to Sunday Lake for the first time. Taking off like drag racers, participants roared the engines of their modified snowmobiles from land to water, circling colored buoys and sometimes stalling and sinking before returning to shore. Along with locals, the audience also included other racers, racing team members, and their family...
By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] BESSEMER — Members of the Bessemer Downtown Development Authority learned on June 12 that the demolition of what is known as “the old Gambles building” on Sophie Street has been scheduled for directly after July 4. Demolition of the building has been made possible by funding from the State Land Grant Authority, with coordination by Gogebic County Treasurer Lisa Hewitt. Members voted to purchase two signs to be placed on the building. The signs read “Big Things Are Happening” and “Bessemer DDA Project in P...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners voted on June 12 to enter an interlocal agreement with several other western U.P. counties in relation to materials management. Board Chairman James Lorenson said that the Western U.P. Planning and Development Region will serve as the central planning agency for the interlocal group. No discussion occurred on the decision, but board members had agreed in previous meetings that it made sense to team up with the other counties, which include O...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] HURLEY - The Hurley Board of Education approved on Monday the formation of a Ducks Unlimited Chapter at the school. It will be the first high school chapter in the state. The action followed a presentation about the benefits of the addition by regional director Jesse Vokolek, Youth Engagement Coordinator Scott McFarren, and Hurley High School teacher Corey Chilson. Ducks Unlimited is a nonprofit organization that focuses on the conservation of waterfowl...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] RAMSAY - Construction is now underway in Ramsay toward a new U.S. Post Office. That was the word Tuesday from Josh Barrett of Lang Contractors in Flushing, Mich. "We're the prime contractor for the Post Office for the whole state of Michigan," he said. "And Florida." Ground was broken for the project on June 13. In relation to the base, Barrett said, "We've got everything dug out for the footings and stem walls," adding that stem walls are foundation walls...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] HURLEY - Members of the Penokee Range 4-H Livestock Club held their Haymakers and Hotdogs fundraiser this past weekend, with members of the club working together to raise money for their future projects, including improvements to the county fairgrounds. The club spent four hours washing cars and selling hot dogs, according to Chelsea DeRosso and Kristie Dalbeck. This was the fourth annual Haymakers and Hotdogs fundraiser, and the entire club participated...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] HURLEY — Although no formal discussion has yet occurred, Iron County may decide to revive the position of county administrator that existed in past years. In a Tuesday morning meeting, Kurt Wolff — who chairs the Finance Committee of the Iron County Board of Supervisors — briefly addressed the subject of the county’s organizational structure. “Almost all counties have gone to some form of county administrator,” he said in reference to the rest of the state. “Although we can’t afford it, we also can...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] MARENISCO TOWNSHIP — Members of the Marenisco Board of Trustees are pleased with how the public cooperated with new, stricter rules relating to a spring cleanup that occurred on June 15-16. “That went very smoothly,” said township supervisor Bruce Mahler on Tuesday. “We had nobody show up who didn’t have a voucher.” The township changed its terms this year in relation to the cleanup, requiring that residents register in advance at the town hall and acquire a voucher. Mahler said that this year’s...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Members of the Ambulance Committee of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners learned at their June 12 meeting that the county is preparing for an Aug. 6 vote on its ambulance millage. According to James Lorenson, who chairs both the committee and the board, the county now receives 3-part support in ambulance services from Beacon Ambulance Service Inc. in Ironwood; Aspirus MedEvac of Wausau, Wisconsin; and a group of first responders in Watersmeet. “Beacon is interested in a ren...
`By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] WAKEFIELD — Starting on Friday, and continuing through Sunday, the International Watercross Association will set snowmobiles racing across Sunday Lake in Wakefield. Specially modified snowmobiles will be used for the competition, which will occur next to the north-side beach. Approximately 100 participants are expected to compete at the event, which also will include live music, food and beverage vendors, prizes and more. Things kick off on Friday with an amateur race starting at about 5 p.m. Amateur r...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] GOGEBIC RANGE - While many folks were sleeping in on Saturday morning, a flurry of activity was occurring at the park pavilion of the Gogebic-Iron County Airport in North Ironwood. Shortly after dawn, dogs were everywhere - specifically elite, purebred, fully qualified beagles - in anticipation of the American Kennel Club's large-pack championship. Butch Saari of North Ironwood, who was one of the local event representatives, said it has been about...
By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] GOGEBIC RANGE - In case you did not already know it, area museums have a lot going on this summer. In the past week, The Globe visited just two area museums in Erwin Township and in Marenisco Township. But the tri-county area has 11 total museums listed here, and each of them make a unique mark on regional heritage. These houses of history are filled with a great variety of interest, fascination and intrigue, and offer unique opportunities for family outin...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission voted Monday evening to approve a budget of nearly $30 million for the fiscal year of 2024-2025. The budget total represents an increase of 57% over the 2023-24 budget of $18.6 million. The action — which included approval of related millage rates and city fees — followed a public hearing that included a budget summary by Paul Linn, city finance director and treasurer. No public comment occurred. “The proposed millages remain exactly the same as last year,...
By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer City Council voted Monday evening to offer $70,000 to $90,000 to a successful candidate for city manager. The offer would be contingent upon the candidate possessing at least five years of municipal government experience and a bachelor’s degree. According to related statements, the candidate also would receive standard city benefits, including a 2% defined benefit pension; medical, dental and vision insurance; and paid time off. In other news, the council also approved sug...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] HURLEY — Members of the Hurley City Council learned on Tuesday evening that the city’s utility construction work along U.S. 51/2nd Avenue is progressing without issue. Caleb Radtke, an engineer with MSA Professional Services’ Rhinelander office, said that Phase 1, which included the area from Copper to Silver streets, is complete. He said Phases 2 and 3 are now underway, with sanitary sewer and water utility lines being replaced from Iron to Copper streets and Silver to Bernard streets. Aspha...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Carnegie Library has kicked off its summer of fun, with their annual reading program. This year's theme, "Adventure begins at your library," celebrates adventure stories, and the library has a variety of events planned for kids of all ages. The kickoff to the summer reading was held on Tuesday, with kids gathering at the library to meet Smokey the Bear, sign up for events and library cards, and register for the summer reading. B...
By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield City Council unanimously approved its 2024-25 fiscal year budget, along with related millage, on Monday evening. The action followed a public hearing that included no public comment. Total revenue for the new budget is listed as $5,503,794. Total millage will be 23.33, including the city’s operational millage of 18.3519, along with remaining millages for the Wakefield Public Library and roads. A background report by City Manager Robert Brown Jr. said that tax revenue from gen...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic-Iron County Airport held its June meeting on Monday. The board voted to change the time that they meet to be at 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month, a change that came about due to conflicting schedules for several board members. The meeting location will remain at the airport offices at E5560 Airport Road in Ironwood Township. The board also heard a presentation from airport manager Jeremy Busch regarding the goings-on of the airport and how everything was running at this...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] MONTREAL — The construction of a new water treatment facility in Montreal is continuing to see progress after ground was broken for the project in early May. “They have poured the footings and will be pouring the floor slab as rain allows,” said Mayor Kelly Traczyk in a Tuesday evening email. She added, “We are also going to begin seeking funding for phase two of this project to add an ion exchange system for removal of total organic carbons and disinfection byproducts.” Traczyk said that the first...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] ONTONAGON - A sign on one of the cabins at Miller's Cottages in Ontonagon reads "Every summer has a story." That is especially the case this year as Ontonagon now boasts the nation's first off-road electric vehicle charging network. Dozens of people involved in making it happen gathered on June 6 at the cottages to celebrate the occasion both formally, with speeches and interviews, and informally, with food, live music and lots of friendly...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] MERCER - Steady rain put a temporary damper on the annual Junefest bike tour on June 8 in Mercer. However, it did not stop a small group of participants from leaving at the designated group departure time of 8 a.m. "These northerners are wusses," kidded Jenny Leigh, who had driven about four hours up from Wauwotosa in Milwaukee County. She said that she had loaded up on carbs while her partner, Betsy Bolte, of the same locale, said they had been...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] MERCER — An ongoing effort to connect separate bike trails in Iron and Vilas counties is seeing progress, with a feasibility study that is expected to be complete by the end of this year. That’s the word from Brenda Nelson, who is leading the push with fellow members of ICORE and the Mercer town park board. Nelson spoke to The Globe during Mercer’s Junefest bike tour on June 8. ICORE is an acronym for the Iron County Outdoor Recreation Enthusiasts. So far, said Nelson, the Wisconsin Depar...
