Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has released general aid to school districts for the 2019-20 school year. General aid to the Hurley School District this year increased 5.67% or $143,559 from $2.52 million in 2018-19 to $2.67 million in 2019-20. General aid is unlimited financing for general educational programs of school districts, as opposed to categorical aid that is restricted for specific purposes. The increase in the state general aid doesn’t add additional revenue to the b...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] OMA, Wis. - A portion of County Road G in Iron County closed Monday as work got underway building a new bridge. The work is being done where County G crosses the outlet of Long Lake, approximately 7 miles east of U.S. 51. The bridge will replace the two existing culverts, which Iron County Highway Commissioner Mike Swartz said badly needed to be replaced. He said he recognizes the road closure may inconvenience some, but the work couldn't be...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] IRONWOOD — Members of Ice Crystals Figure Skating Club and Polar Bear Hockey sought information about the status of the Pat O’ Donnell Civic Center from Ironwood’s City Commission during Monday night’s meeting. Mat Sommer, board member of the civic center and youth hockey league, said the closure of the civic center is affecting both clubs. “I cannot stress enough how important this building is to us as club members and taxpayers,” he said. Robin Phillips, president of the Ice Crystals, said the cl...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Women's Club room was filled to capacity Monday evening during a city commission workshop to address the quality of water in Ironwood. Ironwood City Manager Scott Erickson said the city's water system was built in the early 1900's and served close to 20,000 customers during the "hay-day" of ironwood's mining days. "Now we're serving about 5,200," he said adding that the issue is water quality versus water clarity. Separating...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON - The Ontonagon Village Council acting as the Zoning Board of Appeals Monday held a public meeting and later approved a small campground to be located on the Ontonagon River. Keith Penagor, Ontonagon, proposed a three site campground for Tiny Houses, RV's and tents on his property which has 219 feet of frontage on the Ontonagon River. His lot is 1.4 acres but the zoning regulation allows campgrounds as a conditional use and requires a minimum lot...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — Ironwood Township became the latest Gogebic County community to ban recreational marijuana businesses after the board of trustees passed Ordinance 57 Monday. “This does not … permanently shut the door (to future commercial businesses),” Clerk Mary Segalin said. “This (discussion) could be reopened after the state comes and gives us their full rules and regulations. But, from here until then, this is prohibiting recreational establishments from opening doors. “This does not me...
WATERSMEET - The region's Fourth of July celebrations concluded on a sunny, warm Saturday with a full schedule of events in Watersmeet, which offered a parade, picnic, and fireworks, along with numerous activities. The parade route along U.S. Hwy. 45 featured flags posted on intermittent light poles, with people lining the street on both sides for a procession led by local veterans. "Yooper Pride" was the parade theme, which was boldly expressed by Nordine's Plaza in Watersmeet, which won first...
GREENLAND TOWNSHIP - Residents from Greenland and surrounding communities gathered at Stenson Park on Saturday to celebrate the independence of America. Greenland's Forth of July committee coordinators, Sue Turin and Trisha Mcintyre, organized the event so anybody can participate. "It's open to everybody," Turin said. "It's not just a community event." The festivities started with a walk, roll or run followed by cornhole tournament and a kickball game which had eight teams vying for the top...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — Members of the Wakefield Township board may use a state option of shared costs to address problem roads within township boundaries. According to Wakefield Township supervisor John Cox, board members discussed the possibility at their Tuesday evening meeting this week. “We’re looking at special assessment districts as a way to fund roads,” said Cox, who declined to share any roads under consideration at this time. An article on the website of the Michigan Townships Association defines a speci...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] Marenisco’s fireworks postponed on Thursday were planned for Friday as Fourth of July festivities continue tonight with food and beverages being served in Mercer’s Carow Park followed by fireworks over Grand Portage Lake at dusk. As the celebration continues, people are checking their pockets, wallets, purses or anywhere else which could contain the winning ticket for a number of 50-50 drawings around the area. The winning numbers for Bessemer are 6899 and this year’s jackpot is $36,996, up $2,31...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO - The final day of 4th of July activities in Marenisco included a well-received picnic lunch in the pavilion of Lake Gogebic County Park on Friday. The relaxed crowd enjoyed a free picnic lunch, including brats grilled by Marenisco Township trustee Dave Hagen, whose wife, Sally, was nearby. "It's nice today," said Hagen of the day's balmy weather. "Good brats, too." Afterward, kids played wiffle ball on the neighboring lawn under the direction o...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER - An extended thunderstorm late Thursday afternoon did nothing to dampen the spirits of persons viewing or participating in that evening's 4th of July parade on the main street of Bessemer. Some sprinkles fell off and on during the event, but few people noticed and nobody cared. At least a couple viewers wore garbage bags rather stylishly in a spontaneous effort to stay dry. Most folks, however, were decked out in patriotic versions of hats sungla...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - The rain held off long enough for Mercer to hold its Fourth of July parade downtown Thursday and an afternoon of food and games at Carow Park, but the evening's fireworks were postponed until Saturday at dusk due to a line of thunderstorms that moved through later in the day. In the morning, people lined both sides of main street to watch the parade on the theme, "America to the Moon and Back: 50 Years" to acknowledge the first...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] IRONWOOD - Friends of the Miners Memorial Heritage Park removed a patch of Japanese knotweed growing in the park on Tuesday. The invasive species was first spotted recently by Rick Semo, vice president of the group, who was checking on eradication efforts of a different plant. "I came in here looking for garlic mustard because I didn't know what it looked like," he said. "And I saw that stuff and thought, whoa, that's not what I thought it would look...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - The 44th annual Hometown Variety Show on Tuesday evening in Wakefield was steeped in spirit and carried with it a patriotic flair that fit right in with a week of Independence Day celebrations. Ten performers from various towns filled the night, along with interspersed announcements of raffle winners who took home prizes that included bikes, airline fare vouchers and decorative items. The event was in the Wakefield-Marenisco K-12 School gym,...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] Biologists with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission are surveying inland lakes of the Ojibwe Ceded Territories that includes the Upper Peninsula and northeast Wisconsin. The Michigan lakes in Gogebic County included in the study are Chaney Lake, East Bay Lake, Lac Vieux Desert, Stateline Lake and West Bay Lake. The study includes 24 Wisconsin lakes in the Burnett, Langlade, Oneida, Polk, Vilas and Washburn counties. Invasive species compete against native species and can result in...
By LARRY HOLCOMBE [email protected] Boom! Bang! Kaboom! Fourth of July celebrations have already started across the region, but they will kick into high gear the next few days. Bessemer's week of revelry included a lot of food, music, fun and games over the weekend. Things will continue apace this evening with a long list of games and other activities for young and old on Sophie Street. Among the activities will be street bowling at 6 p.m., a children's dance at 7, water balloon toss...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] HURLEY - The former Wishbones Restaurant lot is being transformed into a green space in downtown Hurley. The Hurley Chamber of Commerce received property on the corner of Silver Street and Fourth Avenue last year by a generous donation, according to Rita Franzoi, marketing director and event coordinator for the chamber. A public meeting for residents and business owners was held so input on the future use of the property could be presented to the...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer City Council on Monday approved a plywood manufacturer’s request to form an industrial development district as a possible tax incentive for an addition and upgrade at 1000 Yale Ave., Bessemer. The council approved 4-0 to adopt Resolution No. 2017-30 following a public hearing. Mayor Adam Zak was not present. The estimated $3 million dollar project includes a $1.5 million building and $1.5 million for machinery that improves the veneer drying process, said David McD...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] WAKEFIELD - There were some serious questions from around 35 residents of the western Upper Peninsula who gathered at the Wakefield VFW Post 9084 for a meet and greet event with three area legislators. U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet; state Sen. Ed. McBroom, R-Vulcan, and state Rep. Greg Markkanen, R-Hancock, spoke briefly and fielded questions and comments for around two hours. All three said there is no substitute to meeting face-to-face...
By STEVE NEWMAN [email protected] IRONWOOD - Liam Schoeller was pleased with the performance he and other area children put on Saturday as Prairie Fire Children's Theatre put on the play "Sleeping Beauty" at the Historic Ironwood Theatre. When asked how he felt during the play, he simply said, "Nervous." "I don't think they missed a line," he said of the afternoon performance. "It amazes me." The annual theater camp for kids is, for him a "highlight of the summer." The group of campers...
BESSEMER — An all terrain vehicle-motorcycle crash in Bessemer on Saturday resulted in injury, according to law enforcement officials. The crash occurred at around 4:17 p.m. when a 55-year-old motorcyclist traveling on Black River Road, struck a side-by-side ATV that was turning left into a driveway, according to Michigan State Police. The motorcyclist was evacuated by air ambulance to Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. The crash is under investigation and an accident investigator was called to the scene, according to Mic...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] BESSEMER - A law enforcement orientation program to help officers familiarize themselves with courthouse procedures was held at Gogebic County Courthouse on Friday. The new program, started by Gogebic/Ontonagon Circuit Court Judge Micheal Pope, offers members of law enforcement a tour of the courthouse along with the opportunity to meet the staff working in the building. "Most departments are very good about bringing new staff by within a short...
