Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 3972 - 3996 of 9883
MARENISCO (AP) — A township in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is suing to stop the closing of a prison. Marenisco Township in Gogebic County says the state didn’t do an economic-impact study as required by law. However, a judge on Monday rejected a request for a restraining order which was filed by Marenisco Township. The Michigan Corrections Department in August announced plans to close the Ojibway prison in the months ahead. The prison has 203 employees, including some who live in Wisconsin. Local officials say closing the prison would great...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] IRONWOOD — Monday’s temperatures in the 70s gave way to the lower 50s on Tuesday as fall arrived early across the Gogebic Range. Summer doesn’t officially end until Saturday, but the cool weather proved otherwise. On a warm Monday, several dogs and their owners romped through Ironwood’s Norrie Park, while a pair of competitors tried out the new disc golf course there. A half-dozen boat trailers parked at the County C boat landing on the Gile Flowage, near Hurley, were a sign fishermen were out after w...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Area Schools is examining its branding efforts in order to get all the district’s teams and clubs on the same page, the board of education learned Monday. The first step of this process will begin next week as the district will hold a public meeting to discuss school color options. Ironwood Superintendent Travis Powell and Athletic Director Gordy Erickson said the district’s various teams have gotten uniforms in different shades and colors over the years. “There’s so many d...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY — Is it time to eliminate the Midget mascot? That’s what a committee in the Hurley School District will decide by the end of the year. “It’s time for a discussion,” school board president Joe Simonich, of Kimball, said Monday. He said the district had been threatened in the past with lawsuits regarding the Midget moniker. It’s planned the committee will come up with a recommendation for the school board by December. “We want this to be a transparent process,” Simonich said. Board members s...
By JEAN NORDINE [email protected] BESSEMER - At Monday's regular meeting of the Bessemer City Council, the council stated they want more input from the Michigan Department of Trasportation before making a decision as to if U.S. 2 should remain four lanes or go on a road diet and become three lanes. The council feels they need an actual survey to see exactly where the lanes would go, before they can make a decision. They also question whether compromises can be made. They are...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Organizers of a Sunday spaghetti feed at the Wakefield VFW hope the event will add to legal coffers aimed at disputing a recent state decision to close Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco. Food was served steadily as the room quickly filled with local people willing to contribute the $10 fee for what they believe is still a fighting chance of reversing the state directive. "We've got just under $4,000 right now sitting in a bank...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Historic Ironwood Theatre was the hot place to be Saturday as comedian Charlie Berens performed at a stop on his "Oh My Gosh" tour. Berens, known for his popular "Manitowoc Minute" online series, entertained with his variety show - featuring standup comedy, singing and prerecorded sketches. The "Manitowoc Minute" features Berens putting an exaggerated Wisconsin spin on some of the day's top headlines and topics of interest in roughly...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Grins galore served as hallmarks of joy at Saturday’s Upper Peninsula Golf and Bocce Tournaments, sponsored by Area 39 of the Special Olympics of Michigan. Bessemer hosted both tournaments, with the bocce event held at Bluff Valley Park and the golf event held at Gogebic Country Club. Thunderstorms occurred early in the morning, but quickly cleared as the tournaments geared up. SOMI’s Area 39 director Barb Siira, who is resigning this year after 25 years in her position, said 134 athle...
BESSEMER - The popularity of the Iron Belle non-motorized trail extends to all age categories. Cutso and Phyllis Corullo, both 88, of Bessemer, have lived across the street from the new-to-Bessemer trail for the last 62 years. "Because of their location, they feel the trail runs through their front yard," said their daughter, Marge Leaf. That doesn't bother them, however. The couple enjoyed watching construction of the trail to Bessemer from Ironwood and now takes note of the many people who...
IRONWOOD — A Minneapolis area man is facing five felonies after he was arrested in Ironwood earlier this week for allegedly bringing drugs to the area. Brandon Bible, 35, is charged with possession with intent to deliver heroin, tampering with evidence and three counts of resisting or obstructing a police officer. The possession with intent to deliver charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A Gogebic-Iron Area Narcotics Team spokesperson said officers seized 70 grams of heroin — valued at $30,000 — during the investigation. Autho...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — Faced with equipment nearing the end of its life cycle, the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Authority recently raised its rates to ensure operations can continue without interruption. The authority, created in 1983, treats wastewater for the city of Ironwood, Ironwood Township and the city of Hurley to ensure it’s clean and safe before it’s released into the Montreal River. Its current facilities include a plant built in 1986 to treat a daily flow of 3.4 million gallons per day, with a peak...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] SAXON, Wis. - While it's evident a lot of work stills needs to be done, Saxon Harbor's marina is beginning to take shape as workers poured concrete for the west boat launch Thursday. There are roughly three to four weeks of work left on a $2.77 million contract with Roen Salvage to dredge the marina basins and rebuild various parts of the harbor that was destroyed in the July 2016 storm. The final marina contract, covering much of the marina's...
By JEAN NORDINE [email protected] IRONWOOD - Author Sally Bair visited the Ironwood Carnegie Library Thursday afternoon to speak about her latest book, "Run Sally Run." She resides in Washburn, Wis., and is a former journalist. She writes children's books and a weekly devotional column for two newspapers and has won numerous awards for her writing. Bair has three children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Bair has been writing since 14. When she was inspired by the book,...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — A resolution that outlines funding for the Bessemer to Ramsay stretch of the Iron Belle Trail construction project was approved by the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners Wednesday. In February, the county board passed a resolution supporting submission of an application to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund for development of the three-mile non-motorized recreational trail. The total project cost is $1,165,800, but it could be $1,428,000 if the trust fund money is approved. Paul A...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — As the fight to keep the Ojibway prison in Marenisco from closing continues, the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the facility remain open. The prison is scheduled for closure Dec. 1 and many of the inmates have already been transferred to other facilities. County board members continued to contend they had the rug pulled out from under them when the closure was announced before they had a chance to meet with officials downstate. Joe Bonovetz, o...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY - As Hurley City Council members considered thinning trees at Riccelli Park at Tuesday's meeting, a resident of that neighborhood urged them not to cut down too many. Mike Sejbl, who is Hurley's fire chief, said clear-cutting "would definitely change that whole neighborhood." Earlier Tuesday, at a parks and recreation committee meeting, council members discussed cutting down as many as 100 evergreen trees, mostly on the south side of the...
IRONWOOD — The Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, along with the MSP Wakefield Post, announced the arrest of Jason Elliott Irvine, 47, of Ironwood, following an investigation into his online activity. A search warrant was executed on Irvine’s residence on Sept. 6. Digital evidence was located revealing Irvine had engaged in criminal sexual conduct first-degree with a minor child. Irvine was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and was arraigned on Friday. Bond was set at $10...
Tuesday was the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks when two airliners crashed into the World's Trade Center, a third plane crashed into the Pentagon and a fourth plane crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pa. Nineteen militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda carried out the attacks, with almost 3,000 people killed. The attack began at 8:45 a.m., when the first plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. Immediately news coverage was telling and showing American...
IRONWOOD - Plans for a special tire collection for city of Ironwood residents were discussed by the city commission on Monday. Code enforcement officer Jason Alonen said the collections will be held next week behind the Ironwood Public Safety Department building on McLeod Avenue. From Monday through Thursday of next week, tires may be deposited from 8 a.m. through 3 p.m. No more than 10 tires can be discarded per residence. The collection times for Friday, Sept. 21, will be from 9 a.m. to 6...
HURLEY — Despite having some of the highest concentration of sugar maple forests in the country, northern Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula lack a strong commercial maple syrup industry. A forum in Iron County planned for later this fall will look at whether there is interest in changing that. “The intent is to gauge interest in the community (for) developing commercial enterprises here based around maple syrup and its products,” said Darrin Kimbler, one of the University of Wisconsin-Extension educators organizing the forum. “This...
By JEAN NORDINE [email protected] BESSEMER - Over 50 people were in attendance at a public meeting with the Bessemer City Council Monday evening to discuss the upcoming 2021 total reconstruction of U.S. 2 going through the city of Bessemer and whether the road should be three or four lanes. Also on hand were three representatives for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), Dan Kari from Crystal Falls, Dave Bradley also from Crystal Falls and Mark Kleikamp from Escanaba. MDOT...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - While presenting a Monday report called "Wakefield's 10-Year Financial Forecast," Bob Blaskowski warned Wakefield's city council of "what we might call a slow-moving train wreck." Blaskowski, of Wakefield, said the city is mired in declining property values, rising utility costs, and significant responsibilities in the way of employee health care and pensions while also witnessing a shrinking tax base due to fading population. The former city...
