Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 3305 - 3329 of 9797
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON - When third grade teacher Kristi Pestka tells students "class take your seats," some will be standing, peddling or sitting on bean chairs. It is called "flexible seating," a part of a three-pronged grant written by Pestka and 4-5 grade teacher Hillary Sunblad at the Ontonagon Area Elementary School. Students might be doing their work on a desk cycle, stand-up desk, bean bag floor seating, spinning chair or covered log. The teachers wrote and...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer city council voted Monday evening to accept responsibility for a pending $9,222 state grant that would provide surveying funds for the continuation of the Western Gateway Trail. The council also voted to approve a related contract with Coleman Engineering Company of Ironwood, since it is engineering the trail project. If received, the grant will fund final surveying of a planned trail route through land that Pat Steiger of Bessemer has agreed to sell to the state. “This is the eas...
IRONWOOD - The Historic Ironwood Theatre hosted a strategic planning session on Thursday to define the theater's place in the community and shape its future. Amy Quinn, president and CEO of Grow and Lead, said she understands the HIT has undergone a transition in the last few years. "The theater has a new board that is really moving forward and they want a plan so they can all be in alignment," said Quinn, a consultant for non-profits across the U.P. One goal of the work session was to find out...
Tuesday is election day in Wisconsin with many candidates across the state running for local offices. In Iron County, the elections are for town offices and school boards, as well as a pair of seats on the Montreal city council. There’s also a referendum on the Mercer ballot concerning the approval of an application for a half percent tax Premiere Resort Area Tax. Approval of the referendum is just one step in the process of creating the new tax, according to Iron County Clerk Mike Saari. The only other items on the ballots here are a pair o...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER - The smell of sugar and the sounds of kazoos filled the halls of A.D. Johnston Junior and Senior High School during a Thursday morning breakfast that was held to raise awareness of autism spectrum disorder. Blue is the signature color of autism, so blueberry pancakes were in abundance as nearly 200 kids from all grades gathered in the school's multipurpose room to enjoy the treat, along with each other's company. The kazoos just added to the...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] HURLEY — The common’s of Hurley school was packed with people as sixth graders set up their projects for the annual science fair held on Friday. Mike Swartz, math and science teacher at Hurley, said the kids put a lot of effort” into their projects. To give his students ideas for projects, he talked with his class about science fair projects he did when he was in school and laughed about still having his board at his parent’s house. “At first they really did not want to do the science fair, but...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — There will soon be an additional medical resource for Gogebic Range residents, with the Iron County Board of Supervisors getting information Tuesday on NorthLakes Community Clinic’s plans to expand into Hurley. The non-profit organization leased Paul Hagemann’s former dental office on 5th Avenue in Hurley earlier this month, with plans to open later this summer. Clinic CEO Reba Rice told the board she was excited at the possibilities, and that the community would ultimately shape what...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER - Members of the Bessemer school board of education voted Monday evening to approve the final debt payment in relation to refunding bonds in the amount of $132,436.56. The board now hopes that voters will support a resolution to facilitate what superintendent Dave Wineburner has called "a continuation of our current levy" or a "no-tax increase bond proposal." The board voted on Jan. 15 to accept that resolution and since then has been discussing...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] IRONWOOD - Roughly 50 members of the community attended the Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees meeting Thursday to hear about partnership opportunities with the Young Men's Christian Association, including the possibility of bringing back GCC's pool. Ryan Zietlow, CEO of the Northwoods YMCA, said community support is vital to the sustainability of his organization. "We currently have 4,000 members (in Rhinelander, Wis.) which consists of abou...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] EWEN — The Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District continues to seek an earlier start date for its six locals districts, scheduling a public hearing on the issue in April. The GOISD submitted its application for an earlier start date to the state March 11. The hearing, set for a 4 p.m. EST April 23 at the GOISD’s Bergland office, means the application has made it through the initial part of the approval process. “We’re in the second step of the process,” said GOISD superintendent Bruce May...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] BESSEMER - Gogebic County Circuit Court Judge Michael Pope gave a presentation at the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday regarding office changes in the courthouse. Pope said the move was primarily to get court staff on the same floor. "We have already moved two offices and the third is being moved (today)," he said. The Department of Corrections offices have moved from upstairs down to the annex. The District Court probation staf...
IRONWOOD — The community garden in Norrie Park is accepting applications from those interested in renting plots for the upcoming gardening season. The plots, which are fenced in to protect the plants from deer and other animals, offers locals a chance to grow a garden when they might not otherwise have the ability to. Each plot measures roughly 10-by-20 feet. Plots are available for a fee, according to a garden spokesperson, but those with assistance cards can obtain them for free. There is a mandatory orientation meeting for anyone interested...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees discussed the upcoming April 15 visit from the Higher Learning Commission during its meeting on Tuesday. John Lupino, chairman of the board, said he thinks the college is doing “well.” “We’re looking at some of the concerns that they (HEC) had last time and we’re addressing them to the best of our ability,” he said. One of the issues HEC raised during its last visit was that assessments were not conducted universally, which resulted in d...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — The Ironwood Township Board of Trustees heard several options for repairing the damage to the township gym’s roof Monday, but needed more information before it could act. The township building’s gym has been closed to the public since two of the roof support beams cracked under the apparent weight of the snow load March 11. The lack of damage to the building’s exterior walls and construction of temporary support structu...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield-Marenisco Board of Education voted Monday evening to reinstate a Life Skills course as an elective for students in grades 10, 11 and 12, beginning in the next school year. According to superintendent Jason Gustafson, the course will be similar to a home economics course offered by the school years ago, but the approach will be modernized. “We thought focusing more on the financials would be most useful,” said Gustafson, regar...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Wakefield city council members learned Monday evening that no interest has been expressed yet for a seat left vacant when former member Pat Mann resigned last month, effective Feb. 28. "As of today, we've had no applications for the vacant council seat, so get the word out," said city manager Bob Brown. Several applications for the seat have been picked up, according to Brown, but none had been submitted as of Monday's meeting. Council members...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission heard Monday that the Pat O’Donnell Civic Center will remain closed. Scott Erickson, city manager for Ironwood, informed the commission engineers are expected to inspect the building today, looking at damaged roof trusses due to snow load. “Once the structural engineer is in there he’ll be able to let us know if it’s still fine where people can come in and crews can do the work around them or not,” he said. There are events scheduled to use the center in t...
By BRYAN HELLIOS [email protected] BESSEMER - The Bessemer High School quiz bowl team finished runner-up in the WNMU TV13 High School Bowl competition. According to Dave Rowe, coach for Bessemer, his team battled its way to the finals, but Houghton pulled away in the second half of the championship match, winning 250-130. "Houghton was able to get more of the toss-ups and the bonuses, and we were not able to catch them," he said. In the final, the score was 40-40 early on and Houghton...
By STEVE NEWMAN [email protected] UPSON, Wis. - With temperatures reaching 50 degrees on Saturday, enthusiastic skiers were trying to enjoy some of the last days of ski season at Whitecap Mountain. The bright, sunny skies brought a good crowd out to stay at the resort as well as skiers who just came for the day. Skier Ben Bonitz, who came from Eau Claire to ski, said his family has had season passes for Whitecap for about 15 years. Not only was he excited about the skiing, but the work of...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — There’s a new transportation program in Iron County, focused on seniors in the southern part of the county. Beginning in February, the county contracted with the Hurley Senior Center to offer transportation for shopping and medical trips to those in the Mercer area. “Every … Friday we would go to the Mercer Senior Center, pick up anybody that wants to come shopping,” said Trista Olson, the Aging and Disability Resource Center/Aging manager for Iron County. The trips alternate between going...
By STEVE NEWMAN [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Awkward Stage Drama Club brought its brand of youthful fun and energy to the Historic Ironwood Theatre Saturday night with the club's latest effort, "The Murder Mystery at The Murder Mystery." The group, which is a cooperative effort between the theater and Ironwood Carnegie Library, is composed of 6-12 grade students from throughout the area. The group gives young people a chance to experience theatre for themselves. Volunteer Tyler Saari...
