Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 4044 - 4068 of 9883
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER - It appears the Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco won't go down without a fight. Around 100 people, including many Ojibway employees and their families, appeared at a Gogebic County Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday to discuss the planned Dec. 1 closing of the facility, even though it wasn't on the agenda. Joining them was Ed McBroom, the former state representative who is seeking the state Senate seat held by Tom Casperson,...
WAKEFIELD - The $3.9 million Michigan Department of Transportation project to remove and replace the M-28 bridge over Jackson Creek, east of Wakefield, is running behind schedule. The planned reopening of the bridge to traffic will be delayed by up to five weeks. The detour in place was set to be lifted Sept. 8, but the bridge is now expected to be reopened to traffic on Oct. 12. Eastbound and westbound M-28 remains closed at the bridge. Access is being maintained to businesses and residences...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — A Bessemer woman will have one more chance to take a plea deal and avoid a trial on child abuse charges after her final pre-trial hearing in Gogebic County Circuit Court was adjourned Wednesday. Kayla Marie Brown, 26, is charged with one count of first degree child abuse, two counts of second degree child abuse and one count of unlawful imprisonment. All four counts are felonies, with first degree child abuse carrying a potential maximum sentence of up to life in prison. With both s...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - Ironwood's Hiawatha statue is expected to get its much-needed repairs next summer, after the Ironwood Chamber of Commerce's board approved sending the first payment for the project Tuesday. "The board approved making a down payment of 50 percent that will reserve us our time," chamber executive director Michael Meyer said. While the chamber is still raising funds to pay for the repairs, Meyer said they didn't want to wait until all the...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY — The two men who were convicted of murdering Lac du Flambeau tribal member Wayne Valliere Jr. have indicated they intend to appeal the Iron County Court decision. A 12-person Iron County jury deliberated about an hour and a half on Aug. 13 before finding Joseph Lussier, 27, and Richard Allen, 28, guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse in the Dec. 22 shooting death. Iron County Judge Patrick Madden then sentenced the two to life in prison without parole, although t...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON — Pilot Dan Sullivan and several residents interested in the Ontonagon County Airport urged the Ontonagon County Board to apply for a grant to extend the runway of the local airport to 5,000 feet. He asked the board to apply for a recent government supplemental which included up to 1 billion dollars available to rural airports. He said a 5,000 feet runway is standard for general aviation. Sullivan claimed the grant funds are available to airports like Ontonagon with no local match. Sullivan e...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Area Schools board of education approved a series of personnel changes Monday, including hiring a new dean of students. Dan Martinson will replace Dan Niemi as the district’s dean of students, after Niemi took a job as principal in Bessemer. “We’re excited to hire Dan Martinson as the new dean of students of Ironwood Area Schools. He brings us experience helping students learn from mistakes and fits well with our mission to help students learn and grow the ‘Wright Way,’” Sup...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - When the Michigan Department of Corrections announced last week it will close Ojibway Correctional Facility by Dec. 1, it provoked ongoing protest via demonstration, petitions, signs along U.S. 2, and a whole lot of informal ire on the part of local citizens. No such objection occurred, however, at Monday's regular meeting of the Wakefield-Marenisco Board of Education. "Despite the bad news on the prison, I'm optimistic," said superintendent...
By JEAN NORDINE [email protected] BERGLAND - One of the rooms at the Bergland-Matchwood Historical Society Museum in Bergland is entirely dedicated to the Bergland School. There are a variety of displays in the "school room," such as class composites, sports uniforms, trophies and more. The Bergland school district operated for 80 years, from 1904 through 1984. Class composite photos from 1929 through 1984 line the wall of the room. Although the school district began in 1904, there...
By JEAN NORDINE [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Historic Theatre was full of fever Saturday night, Saturday Night Fever to be exact, when the Las Vegas-based, Bee Gees Gold Tribute hit the stage. The group featured John Acosta as Barry Gibbs, Daryll Borges (Randy Gibbs) and Jeff Celentano (Maurice Gibbs). If someone closed their eyes they would swear the actual Bee Gees were in the house. The trio recreated the three part harmonious sounds of the legendary Bee Gees to perfect...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON - The Ontonagon Airport, Schuster Field, was the scene of a simulated rescue mission as part of Operation Northern Strike 2018 hosted by the Combined Readiness Training Center in Grayling last week. The largest National Guard training in the U.S. came back to northern Michigan with Operation Northern Strike at Camp Grayline and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. They were there to train over 6,000 members of the military from all over the...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — With its lakes and trails, Mercer is a popular destination for those visiting Iron County and Wisconsin’s Northwoods. The town is now looking to those visitors to help fund necessary road repairs, as the town board recently passed a Premier Resort Area Tax on certain purchases. “This is the best way for tourists to share in the cost of maintaining town roads,” Town Chairman John Sendra told the Daily Globe. “In lieu of a PRAT tax, real estate taxpayers would still have to pay for r...
BESSEMER - Matthew James LaPlant, 37, of Bessemer, will learn his fate at his sentencing next month after a jury found him guilty of three felonies in his child abuse trial in Gogebic County Circuit Court. The jury deliberated for the better part of three hours Friday before finding LaPlant guilty of two counts of second- degree child abuse and one count of unlawful imprisonment. While LaPlant was also charged with first-degree child abuse, Gogebic County Circuit Judge Michael Pope told jurors t...
State Rep. Scott Dianda said he has sent a letter to Gov. Rick Snyder asking that the Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco remain open. The state this week said it would close Ojibway on Dec. 1. On Friday Dianda, D-Calumet, sent a letter to Snyder asking him to stay his decision and reconsider the future of the facility because of the hardship the closure will cause for communities, workers and their families. Dianda issued the following statement: “My western U.P. communities and constituents directly affected by the closure of O...
IRONWOOD - Marlene Zaleski of Bessemer was named the Homemaker of the Year at the Gogebic County Fair last weekend. Zaleski entered 98 exhibits in baking, canning, flowers, sewing, knitting, garden vegetables, photography and antiques, according to Bonnie Maki, coordinator of the annual award. Of those exhibits, Zaleski earned 61 first and second ribbons, and she received a grand championship ribbon for her canned beets. "They were just beautiful," said Maki. Zaleski said she was thrilled with...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER - Matthew James LaPlant, 37, of Bessemer, took the stand Thursday to defend himself during his child abuse trial in Gogebic County Circuit Court. LaPlant is charged with one count of first-degree child abuse, two counts of second-degree child abuse and one count of unlawful imprisonment. All four counts are felonies, with first-degree child abuse carrying a potential maximum sentence of up to life in prison. The prosecution has alleged...
By JEAN NORDINE [email protected] GILE, Wis. - The eighth annual Danny B Suicide Awareness Jack and Jill Softball tournament is slated for Aug. 25-26 at Gotta's field in Gile. The tournament originated as a tribute to the memory of Danny Baross, who lost his battle with depression and committed suicide in 2009. This year the tournament committee expects to top the $20,000 total that they have raised for Range Suicide Prevention Council over the past seven years of holding the Danny B....
By JEAN NORDINE [email protected] MARENISCO — State Sen. Tom Casperson said he was not informed ahead of time by the Michigan Department of Corrections of its decision to close the Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco before the DOC’s public announcement Tuesday morning. Ojibway was on a short list of possible closings and while the public was waiting to hear the DOC’s decision many, including Casperson, thought the decision would be made in September. He was part of a group lobbying against the closure. Meanwhile, hundreds of p...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER - Jurors heard from the alleged victim Wednesday in the trial of a Bessemer man accused of child abuse as the prosecution wrapped up its case in Gogebic County Circuit Court. Matthew James LaPlant, 31, is charged with one count of first degree child abuse, two counts of second degree child abuse and one count of unlawful imprisonment. All four counts are felonies, with first degree child abuse carrying a potential maximum sentence of up to...
BESSEMER - Bessemer's parks and recreation committee, along with the Bessemer library board, worked with Bessemer Housing Authority to install "The Book Book," a little library for people to grab or leave a book. City manager Charly Loper's father, Bruce, crafted the "Book" and it is located at the Housing Authority, 709 Iron St., Bessemer, in front of the office. "Feel free to use the little library that has books for all ages, such as 'Presidential Courage' by Michael Beschloss for adult...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources figures the city of Hurley’s wastewater system should be able to handle 8 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period, according to city officials. Street superintendent Mark Bluse and department employee Gary Laguna on Wednesday discussed a meeting they had last week with the DNR on sewer overflows. They appeared before the Hurley City Council. Laguna said the DNR indicated the city’s wastewater treatment process had been bypassed nine times since...
MARENISCO - The Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco Township will close Dec. 1, the Michigan Department of Corrections said Tuesday. The facility has 203 employees and is one of the biggest employers in Gogebic County. Gogebic County Board of Commissioners Chair George Peterson, of Watersmeet, said Tuesday the news came as quite a blow. "It's devastating to our county to lose those jobs - 200 jobs plus the related service industry. It's going to trickle out to our school districts." He sa...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER - Allegations of being locked in a dog cage, being physically beaten and made to taste soiled underwear were the focus of testimony as the prosecution began its case in Gogebic County Circuit Court Tuesday against a Bessemer man facing child abuse charges. Matthew James LaPlant, 31, is charged with one count of first degree child abuse, two counts of second degree child abuse and one count of unlawful imprisonment. All four counts are...
HURLEY — An 81-year-old Kimball, Wis., man who is charged with making a terroristic threat appeared in Iron County Court Monday morning. Robert “Barrel Bob” Gollubske was advised to contact the public defender’s office for legal representation. Bond was continued at $10,000, with a few new conditions added, according to automated court records. Gollubske is alleged to have told the clerk in the waiting area at the Marshfield Clinic in Mercer, “I can blow this place up and get away with it,” causing fear among employees at the clinic. He...
