Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 3834 - 3858 of 9797
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — As part of the city of Ironwood’s Plaidurday festivities, Ironwood Masonic Lodge No. 389 held an open house Friday. The lodge has been holding the open houses every First Friday, according to Andy Tait, as an informational event where the public can stop in and find out what the organization is all about. “We’ve actually had pretty decent turnout,” said Tait, who currently leads the lodge. “We usually have two or three people come in, kind of poke their nose in and see what’s goin...
LANSING — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has authorized additional money to cover up to $7.4 million in matching funds Upper Peninsula grant recipients are required to pay under the Federal Emergency Management Agency public assistance program. June floods caused significant damage to portions of Gogebic, Houghton and Menominee counties. A preliminary damage assessment determined that public agencies in the three counties sustained nearly $30 million in damages that are eligible for public assistance relief. Local agencies must match 25 percent o...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON - Sandy Morin believes in miracles and she has seen that miracle in her journey with cancer. One of Morin's passions is quilting. She belongs to quilt groups and often they have quilting retreats, where like- minded sewers spend a weekend looking at different patterns and styles of quilts and exchanging information. In December 2016, she was helping to ready the area for such a retreat, and helped to move a large television. By the next day her...
By STEVE NEWMAN [email protected] MARENISCO — Waupaca Foundry, a company subsidiary based in Waupaca, Wis., held a job fair Friday that continues today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Marenisco Town Hall, with the possibility of locating a plant on the Gogebic Range. According to Donna Kenney, of Marenisco Township, the company approached the township about a job fair two to three weeks ago. According to Richard Bouvette, township supervisor, Waupaca’s interest in locating in the area is “extremely serious” and they are “looking for a via...
By LARRY HOLCOMBE [email protected] OMA, Wis. - The Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association is teaching kids across the region about the forest industry with a two-day Log-a-Load for kids symposium. Day one, on Thursday, saw 408 school kids arrive from schools across northern Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula take in a series of learning stations set up in the woods north of Pine Lake in Oma. Today will see 588 more kids come through, according to Tara Krall, Iron County...
MERCER, Wis. — The 16th annual Pumpkin Run ATV/UTV Rally kicked off Thursday and runs through the weekend in Iron County. More than 200 riders have registered for the event, held to promote riding in Iron County — “the ultimate ATV and UTV adventure,” according to Beth Wetzler, executive director of the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce. A three-day poker run, ATV, UTV and lawn tractor pulls, a Great Pumpkin Parade through downtown Mercer, and a wrap-up party on Saturday night are some of the rally’s highlights. There are also two poker run...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY — A new attorney has been appointed to represent Joseph Lussier, who was convicted of murder and hiding a corpse in August in Iron County. According to automated court records, Timothy Provis was recently appointed to represent Lussier, 27, in an appeal. Lussier is serving a life sentence in the Green Bay Correctional facility in the death of Wayne M. Valliere Jr., of Lac du Flambeau. On Wednesday, a motion was filed for the public defender’s office to extend the time to appoint counsel for Lus...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - Transforming a customer's experience was the topic of conversation at the Western U.P. Chamber Alliance's regional roundtable Wednesday at Cold Iron Brewing. Mark Schwanz, the owner of Chelsi's Corner, talked to the group about the philosophy he uses at his clothing store on Aurora Street in downtown Ironwood. The Western U.P. Chamber Alliance is an organization made of the chambers of commerce in the western Upper Peninsula, Ironwood...
MARENISCO — A judge’s decision on a lawsuit filed by Marenisco Township to attempt to prevent closure of the Ojibway Correctional Facility could come as soon as a week. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed a response Monday to the lawsuit on behalf of the Michigan Department of Corrections. MDOC is requesting the complaint be dismissed. Marenisco Township claims there was not enough time given nor the opportunity to be heard before the decision was made to close the prison. It’s also claimed the DOC did not consider the economic impac...
IRONWOOD — In recognition of October being National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, officials at Domestic Violence Escape are planning a candlelight event for Friday evening at Depot Park in Ironwood. “Join us in this special event as we come together in honor of victims and survivors, both past and present, to stand up against violence,” said a DOVE press release. The event is scheduled from 7 p.m. at the pavilion in Depot Park. DOVE officials are asking people to wear purple — a color designated to help bring awareness to domestic violence...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - While the Ironwood Area Schools hadn't planned on using the George N. Sleight School after this year, district officials didn't think they'd need a plan for life after Sleight so soon. However, the recent discovery of electrical issues has forced the district to move its timeline for closing the building forward, Superintendent Travis Powell said. "This was an unexpected change - the closing of Sleight this suddenly - we thought we would...
By LARRY HOLCOMBE [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - Mercer Town Chairman John Sendra was all smiles standing in the middle of a brand new bridge over the Turtle River on Cramer Lake Road Tuesday morning. The bridge was a longtime coming with many hurdles put in front of its progress, but many people stepped up to help, he told a group of 17 government and business leaders, as well as other community members who joined for a ribbon cutting. "It just shows you when a community works toge...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] UPSON, Wis. — Octoberfest is coming to Whitecap Mountain on Saturday with events planned for young and old alike. Whitecap manager David Dziuban said the events will begin at 10 a.m. with a keg-tapping. There will be a bouncy house for the kids, face painting, a bean bag toss and a scavenger hunt. The fun, games, food and refreshments will run until 11 p.m., with Lake Effect performing music from 7 to 11 p.m. Fall colors are peaking across the Gogebic Range and the scenery at Whitecap on Tuesday was sp...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — It looks like it may take some getting out and pounding the pavement to decide the number of lanes on U.S. 2 through Bessemer after state officials attended Monday’s meeting to answer the Bessemer City Council’s questions. “We’re not trying to make your job difficult, and we’re trying to come up with a workable solution that’s going to work for Bessemer for (many years),” councilman Terry Kryshak said. “So I think it’s worth the investment of ‘boots on the ground’ as they say a...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — The 2018-19 budget adopted by the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday sets salaries for board members and county officials. The chairman of the county board receives a base salary of $445 per month and the finance committee chair is paid $395 per month. The other five commissioners receive $320 per month. Commissioners are paid $35 for each separate standing committee meeting they attend. An out-of-county meeting or conference qualifies a board member for a $45 payment. C...
MERCER, Wis. - The Mercer and Butternut schools celebrated Pioneer homecoming week at their respective schools during the week. On Friday, the Butternut students came to spend the day in Mercer enjoying an afternoon of competitive homecoming festivities and games in the Mercer gymnasium. The homecoming dance took place at the Great Northern Motel in their Great Room following the football game on Saturday evening. The grand march was held at 7:30 p.m. and the crowning of the kings and queens f...
BESSEMER - While the temperature left little doubt fall has arrived on the Gogebic Range, the lack of rain or much wind meant the crowds were out in Bessemer Saturday for the 40th annual Pumpkin Festival. "(It) is going well ... there's no rain and the wind is minimal," festival co-chair Donna Frello said. "So it's going as good as can be expected when it's 40 degrees." Along with popular annual staples such as the craft fair, Klassic Kruiser's car show, kiddies parade, and pumpkin decorating...
IRONWOOD - The Historic Ironwood Theatre was packed Saturday for a good cause, as Ethan Bortnick performed at COLE's Foundation's 10th annual celebration. "I was pleasantly surprised by the turnout," said Aaron Ruotsala, estimating a 400-450 people attended the performance. "I heard a lot of really good positive feedback, folks seemed to enjoy themselves." Ruotsala and his wife, Moireen, founded COLE's Foundation in 2008 in memory of their son, Cole Ruotsala, who died of cancer that year. The...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — Gogebic County Road Commission Manager-Engineer Darren Pionk resigned Friday after being suspended earlier this month for allowing equipment and employees to be used at his residence for his personal benefit. Gogebic County Board of Road Commission Chair Marti Wegner, of Watersmeet, said the vote to accept the resignation at a special morning meeting after a closed session was 5-0. The road commission issued the three-week suspension on a 3-2 vote at a special meeting on Sept. 6, then met a...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - For the second year in a row, Extreme Tool's The Extreme Team won Gogebic Community College's 18 Legs vs. 18 Wheels truck pull competition. "It was an awesome day. We had sunshine and blue sky, we had rain and wind, and someone reported a little sleet, as well. It just added to the color for the event and a little bit of a challenge," GCC service learning trip coordinator Janie Williams said. Around 10 teams competed to see who could...
