Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 4928 - 4952 of 9883
KIMBALL, Wis. - The parking area was packed, but the dancers were slow to take the floor at Little Finland's Fall Harvest dance Sunday afternoon. Priscilla Stephani and Ginger Benninghoff, two friends who said they have known each other for 60 years, were the first people on the dance floor. Benninghoff said she and Stephani were both cheer leaders at Hurley and they have been dancing together for years. Benninghoff also said there used to be a lot more dancing in the community than there is...
BESSEMER — The Bessemer city council will hold a public hearing on the special use request by the Gogebic Range Trail Authority this evening at 5:30 at city hall. The GRTA is requesting approval as sponsors for off-road vehicle use of the trail. It already is the designated sponsor for the same trail for snowmobiles. The GRTA says the people living beside the trail in Bessemer are already accustomed to the sound of snowmobile traffic on the trail and the trail has been an unofficial ORV trail for many years. This special use permit would allow...
BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution supporting continued funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the board received an update this week from U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet. Bergman said he signed a bipartisan letter to President Donald Trump calling for $300 million for the program in fiscal year 2016. On May 5, Trump signed legislation to fund the government through Sept. 30 and that kept full funding for the GLRI intact, according to Bergman. As Congress considers the 2018 budget, B...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] HURLEY - The Hurley K-12 school is celebrating National School Lunch Week as part of National Farm to School Month. On Thursday at noon, Hurley hosted the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch, providing an apple to every student in the school. Suzette Pertile said the Department of Public Instruction has been doing this for four years, but it is the first year Hurley is taking part in the Crunch. Pertile said the school received 625 Red Delicious apples...
IRONWOOD - The success of the First Friday efforts in Ironwood continued with the Plaidurday celebration. The Friday downtown promotion included a 6 p.m. drone photo by Kevin Schneller in which about 150 people wore plaid. The First Friday events were scheduled to end after September but continue after demands from both the public and business community, city manager Scott Erickson said Monday. They have livened up the city on a night when the streets would typically be bare. City commissioner...
HURLEY — The city of Hurley received a favorable 2016 audit report at its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday. A representative of the Wipfli company presented an overview of the audit, saying the city received an unmodified, or “clean” opinion. There were no concerns in the water-sewer budget. A few of the departments went over their budgets for the year, however. In other business, the council adopted an ordinance on housing and property maintenance. Council members set trick-or-treating hours from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31. They noted...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - Firefighters from several southern Iron County departments gathered at Carow Park in Mercer Wednesday to learn how to handle potential propane fires. Roughly 30 firefighters from the Mercer, Sherman-Springstead and Oma fire departments attended the training event; which was hosted by the Mercer Fire Department and sponsored by the Wisconsin Propane Education and Research Council. The training event began with classroom instruction on...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] IRONWOOD - Local members of this year's Boys State and Girls State weren't sure they wanted to go, but they all returned in awe from their downstate experience. And one of them, Zane Ozzello, had the further honor of then being chosen to participate in Boys Nation, which included trips to Washington, D.C. Ozzello, along with fellow participants Angelina Jarvela, Joshua Hale and Jessica Beckman, are now seniors at Ironwood High School, and they shared...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — Insuring adequate funding for court systems is one of the “wins” the Michigan Association of Counties has supported recently, its executive director told the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday. Stephan Currie outlined issues MAC has been tackling and is prepared to tackle. He said a task force on how state court systems are funded has been assigned, but has not yet met. Currie said huge cuts to revenue sharing payments to counties have caused MAC to ponder if that’s the pro...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — Fans of Saxon Harbor had a chance to hear the latest plans for the harbor’s reconstruction Tuesday at the Hurley K-12 school as engineers from the various parts of the project presented the designs and sought public feedback. The multi-hour meeting started with a presentation from Christopher McMahon, of Ayres Associates engineering firm, on the reconstruction of the County A bridge over Oronto Creek that was partially destroyed during the July 11, 2016 storm that flooded and des...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] IRONWOOD - The Ironwood City Commission officially closed out a project on Monday that recommends $19 million in sewer-water improvements over the next 20 years. Ironwood received $970,912 in funding through the Michigan SAW grant program in October of 2014 to develop an asset management plan for the wastewater and stormwater sewer systems. The project will benefit the city for many years to come. In approving a certificate of completion for the...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Wakefield City Council members, as well as a group of Wakefield citizens, viewed a virtual computer rendering of a proposed City Hall renovation that includes an optional expansion to house a new city library, Monday evening. Architect John Larson, who operates in Gwinn and Negaunee, and his colleague Mike Lempinen, an architectural designer, offered the slide show, which they emphasized was "schematic," rather than any attempt to "dictate"...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - At Monday evening's Wakefield City Council meeting, members voted to raise all but seasonal rates at the Eddy Park Campground, as recommended by the planning commission. For premium sites - which include water and electricity - daily rates will rise $5, from $30 to $35, and monthly rates will rise $25, from $325 to $350. For tent sites, daily rates will rise $2, from $10 to $12, and monthly rates will rise $15, from $145 to $160. All sites will...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] IRONWOOD — Mayor Annette Burchell praised the Ironwood Public Safety Department and other responding agencies Monday for their quick response to the Golden Dragon restaurant fire last Wednesday. The downtown Chinese restaurant may not be reopening for another month because of the fire, according to city commissioner Jim Mildren, who talked with restaurant owner Anny Lin on Monday. Mildren noted the Kiwanis Club holds its noon lunches at the Golden Dragon and he pointed out what an asset the business is...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — As the end of the fiscal year approaches, the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees passed three budget amendment resolutions Monday night. The first resolution dealt with the township’s general fund, with the board approving $700 in revenue and $67,950 in expense amendments. “The reason (the expense amendment) is so high is because we have the road work coming up,” Clerk Mary Segalin said. “I wanted to place $70,000 from last year’s budget into Roads and Bridges to bring it up...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - While the organizers of most events would be disappointed if there was rain during their events, Mercer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Chelcie Pinsonneault wasn't too worried about the rain during this weekend's 15th annual Pumpkin Run. "That doesn't bother them, at all," Pinsonneault said, regarding all-terrain vehicle side-by-side riders enjoying rain since it creates mud on the trails. The multi-day event wrapped up Saturda...
By STEVE NEWMAN [email protected] IRONWOOD - In spite of a rainy day on Saturday, city staff worked with Ironwood's JROTC and other volunteers to offer their twice-yearly citywide cleanup day. Cars were parked well down Ayer Street in advance of the event, but due to the rain, turnout was down somewhat and the residents did not have to wait long to unload. According to city manager Scott Erickson, the day is one of the most popular events the city offers for its residents. "Usually...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — The Iron County Board of Supervisor’s Finance Committee approved the purchase of a new software system for the sheriff’s department and dispatcher center Thursday. Darrell Petrusha, who handles many of the county’s technology needs, described the system as a “complete operating system” for the county’s dispatch center — handling everything from keeping records of reports and processing booking information to a mapping software when dispatching calls. “This is all-inclusive in...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - People squared off against a semi truck - as well as each other - at Gogebic Community College Friday, as the college held the 18 Legs vs. 18 Wheels truck pull fundraiser. Teams of nine used a rope to tow the college's semi truck 20 feet, with the team with the fastest time winning a trophy and bragging rights. "It's fantastic, we couldn't have a more beautiful fall day to do this - spectacular," organizer Janie Williams said. "I think...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ROCKLAND - Neither cancer, nor loss of a functioning hand can stop Caryl Miilu from living life to the fullest. Miilu was 44 with a husband and five daughters when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is now 82 and one of the longest survivors of cancer in the area. It was after the Ontonagon Labor Fest parade in 1979 while she was reading in bed that she discovered a lump in her breast. She had just started a new job in the office of Dr. Robert Johnson...
BESSEMER — Lisa Hewitt, of Wakefield, has been selected to fill the vacancy in the Gogebic County Treasurer’s office. Gogebic County Prosecutor Nick Jacobs, who was on the three-person committee to appoint a treasurer, announced the selection on Friday. Hewitt replaces Sue Pertile, who retired effective Oct. 31. Jacobs noted the committee formed under state statuteS completed the process of reviewing applications and conducting interviews to appoint the treasurer for the term of office which expires on Dec. 31, 2020. Hewitt has served as the...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD - Gogebic Community College faculty hosted Brian Dawson, a retired Air Force pilot and drone program instructor at Alpena Community College, Thursday. Dawson and Ryon List, dean of instruction, spent the morning in meetings with school officials to discuss the feasibility of starting a drone licensing program at GCC. List said the drone program at Alpena is part of a Workforce Development program and if instituted at GCC, would be designed...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER - Julie DeRosie and her yellow Labrador, Remington, have been preparing to become a therapy team for nearly two years. The former Bessemer Area School District teacher and coach purchased the dog when it was just 7 weeks old and they are now providing therapy to elderly and the disabled in the area, dealing with nursing homes and Aspirus Ironwood Hospital. They are registered through Pet Partners of Bellevue, Washington. DeRosie took a...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — It may take awhile, but the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has begun the process of implementing a possible long-term solution to the repeated sediment buildup that closes off the mouth of Oman’s Creek from Lake Superior at Little Girl’s Point. In August, the DNR reviewed proposals for the design of a groin — or low wall designed to prevent the movement of sediment — to be built into the lake near the creek’s mouth. “The main difference between (a groin) and say, a br...
