Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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By RICHARD JENKINS and CHARITY SMITH [email protected] MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers directed the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to issue a Safer at Home order prohibiting all nonessential travel Tuesday as the state works to combat the spread of the COVID-19, or coronavirus, pandemic. The order takes effect at 8 a.m. today, and runs through the morning of April 24, unless an order suspending it is issued prior to that date. “I know the COVID-19 outbreak has been difficult and has disrupted the lives of people across our sta...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Anny Lin said she understands the urgency to stop the spread of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 after experiencing quarantines and restrictions on movement on a recent visit to China. Lin, the owner of Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant in Ironwood, traveled to China with her 9-month-old daughter, Amber Chen, for a Lunar New Year visit with family from Jan. 21 to Feb. 28. They arrived just before the start of the coronavirus pandem...
by JAN TUCKER [email protected] MARQUETTE - On Feb. 11 Sheriff Dale Rantala with approval of the Ontonagon County Commission sent two corrections officers from the Ontonagon County Sheriff's Department to Marquette for a six-week corrections training academy. Ryan Tucker and Ken Waldrop completed the academy held at the Ramada in Marquette. The academy instructor was led by Captain Brian Steed of the Marquette County Sheriff's Department with the help of numerous sergeants from Steed's...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER - At a Monday meeting of the Bessemer Area School Board, members voted to appoint a new trustee and to limit access to the schools, while also allowing planned maintenance to continue. "I guess this is an historic event - the first meeting using electronic technology," said Board President Jim Partanen. Board members met via ZOOM software, which allows people to gather virtually with the aid of either phones or computers. The action was taken in...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — As county facilities restrict access to the public and county officials seek to limit in-person interactions in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Iron County Sheriff Paul Samardich is reassuring the public that essential services will continue to be provided and deputies will continue to patrol the community. “Crimes will continue to be investigated, as they always have. I want people to be assured, we will always be available,” Samardich said, adding that the department is adapt...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD — Local officials are adjusting to a statewide stay at home order and are asking for compliance from area residents. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order 2020-21, is effective Tuesday and for at least the next three weeks. The order temporarily suspends in-person operations and business that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. “This is an unprecedented crisis that requires all of us working together to protect our families and our communities,...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] Fears of COVID-19, a strain of coronavirus that has resulted in new national and state precautions, have changed the nature of American society, resulting in a largely virtual world where human interaction occurs most safely online. That includes churches, despite their longstanding role as places known to encourage community gathering for worship, religious learning and social support. Although, for decades, larger small-town churches of various...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] The skiing season ended this past weekend on a busy note, despite recent warnings of coronavirus and various health mandates from state and national officials. Big Snow Resort featured a final day of skiing on Sunday at Indianhead Mountain in Wakefield. The same resort's Blackjack location in Wakefield Township closed on Friday. Whitecap Mountains Resort in Upson, Wis., also had its final day of skiing on Sunday. Big Powderhorn Mountain in Bessemer...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Area Schools has received a grant that will allow it to offer additional mental health services to the students in the district. The grant allows the district to place “a fully-funded mental health professional on our campus to provide evidence-based behavioral and social-emotional support for our most at-risk students,” Ironwood K-12 Principal Melissa Nigh said. She said the person will have the title of “transitional coach,” and will be similar to a social worker or...
MERCER, Wis. - The town of Mercer Board of Supervisors on Friday approved its COVID-19 emergency plan during a special meeting on Friday, to include additional support for first responders. The board held its first electronic meeting after determining on Thursday that an electronic meeting that provides public notification and access via phone or computer is compliant with open meeting laws during for the duration of the COVID-19 state and national emergency. The board 4-0 approved the Mercer CO...
IRONWOOD — The city of Ironwood is providing support and resources for businesses that are struggling through the coronavirus pandemic. There are grants, zero-interest loans and other support out there and it’s changing all the time, said Tom Bergman, director of community development for the city of Ironwood. The city is sending out email updates a few times a week to business owners to help them with their own search for resources, he said. “This is just to let them know what opportunities are there in terms of disaster relief and other...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - The town of Mercer Board of Supervisors on Thursday unanimously approved a recommendation to conduct meetings by phone or video conference call. The regular meeting was held in the Community Center to be able to have chairs six-feet apart to avoid the potential spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Rather than continue with meetings that require a labor intensive disinfecting process the board decided on the electronic...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BAYFIELD, Wis. — The Bayfield County Health Department announced Thursday the first case of COVID-19, or the coronavirus, in the county has been confirmed. The individual who tested positive developed symptoms shortly after traveling to a location where community spread of COVID-19 was happening, according to the health department. The department has reviewed self-quarantine procedures with the individual since the test. The department is in daily contact with the individual to monitor the s...
MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers directed the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to review how best to protect the health and safety of citizens and employees of its Division of Motor Vehicles while still providing essential services during the coronavirus pandemic, leading to the decision to temporarily close DMV locations today for a deep clean. “Unfortunately, COVID-19 is having a dramatic impact on our communities. We want to help flatten the infection curve over the next few weeks to protect the most vulnerable among us. Limiting the...
BESSEMER — Gogebic County board chairman Dan Siirila formally issued an emergency declaration for the county Tuesday in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “I hereby declare that a ‘state of emergency’; exists within our jurisdiction as of March 17, 2020 and that local resources are being utilized to the fullest possible extent,” Siirila wrote. “The county (emergency operations center) has been virtually activated and our emergency operations plan has been activated until such time as the board acts to cease the state of emergency....
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] WAKEFIELD - The Dollar General announced Monday it is requesting the first hour of store operations each day to be designated for customers who are most susceptible to the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. "During these unprecedented times, Dollar General is diligently working to meet the ongoing needs of our customers and communities," said Todd Vasos, CEO of Dollar General, in a statement. The Wakefield Dollar General is participating in the...
By TOM LAVENTURE [email protected] IRONWOOD - H.O.P.E. Animal Shelter in Ironwood is limiting access to the facility to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The safety of staff, volunteers and supporters is of primary importance during these potentially stressful times, according to the announcement. Until further notice the shelter is limiting all non-urgent functions but will remain open to the public for animal reclaims, SNAP vouchers and...
HURLEY, Wis. - With the spirit of the drive-in restaurants the staff of the Hurley Senior Center are enjoying the switch to takeout lunches. On Monday the Iron County congregate meal sites in Hurley, Saxon, Iron Belt, Mercer and Springstead were closed until further notice. The kitchen staff instead are brown-bagging the lunches and handing them off to seniors as they driving into the parking lots for the takeout orders from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. "It's just our second day and our numbers are...
HURLEY, Wis. — Wisconsin follows Michigan in ordering bars and restaurants to close at 5 p.m. Tuesday along with other restrictions on gatherings in light of efforts to slow the pandemic spread of coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19. Gov. Tony Evers directed the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to issue the closure order for restaurants and bars other than to offer take-out or delivery. The order followed news COVID-19 cases involving people who were exposed locally and not while traveling abroad were increasing in the state. ...
HURLEY, Wis. - The new coronavirus pandemic that causes coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) was the central topic the Hurley Public School Board meeting on Monday. Two Iron County Health Department staff, Katie Hampston, public health officer, and Melissa Geach, public health nurse, were present at the meeting to answer board questions. The two said the prevention efforts that encourage isolation and bans the congregating of people are to "flatten the curve" of the number of people who are infected at...
HURLEY — Following the declaration of a state of emergency, the Iron County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution regarding COVID-19, or the coronavirus pandemic, Monday. After Iron County Board Chairman Joe Pinardi declared a state of emergency, the board passed a resolution “providing county administration emergency administrative flexibility in responding to COVID-19.” The resolution allows Pinardi — in consultation with a newly formed administrative committee — to take actions needed to respond to the pandemic, with the resolution list...
HURLEY - Worshipers at St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Hurley on Sunday refrained from shaking hands as ordered by the bishop, but instead offered each other a wave or threw up the peace sign to each other. Many parishioners carried little bottles of sanitizer which they used intermittently at various intervals of the service. Father Frank Kordek, OFM, read a letter from the bishop of the Superior Diocese written last week releasing Catholics from their Sunday obligation to atten...
HURLEY — Hurley Superintendent Kevin Genisot provided an update on the district’s response to the coronavirus pandemic Sunday, laying out its priorities in the coming days. Genisot wrote the district would be announcing updates in the near future on its top two priorities — providing meals to any students that need them and continuing to teach while classes are cancelled. On Friday, district officials announced they were suspending classes through April 13 due to concerns over the pandemic. Later that day, Gov. Tony Evers ordered schools aroun...
