Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 4824 - 4848 of 9883
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] ONTONAGON — The Ontonagon County Board of Commissioners, Tuesday, rose to pay tribute to its newest commissioner, David Nykanen, who died Monday. David Nykanen was elected to the District 3 commission seat in October, 2016 when he defeated long time commission Chairman John Pelkola by three votes. Dave Nykanen is the brother to County Board Chairman Carl Nykanen and was serving his first time on the board. Later in the meeting the board voted to take applications for the District 3 seat which includes r...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wausau) was in Mercer Monday to meet with Northwoods constituents, advocating for the tax bill passed by the House of Representatives and taking questions on range of topics - including the recent attempts to overhaul healthcare. Duffy touted the tax reform efforts recently passed by the House, arguing the legislation targets corporate taxes and helping the middle class. "We're going to get it done, we think...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — A crew from Men’s Journal magazine liked what it saw at Big Powderhorn Mountain near Bessemer last winter. In pointing out the best places to ski in the country, the magazine editors rate the ski hill the “number one mom and pop resort,” according to Powderhorn general manager Bruce Noren. “They came here last winter and skied for a few days. They were a great group of people,” Noren said on Monday morning. He added a former U.S. Ski Team member was included in the group of skiers and the st...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] BESSEMER — The new city council and mayor opened Monday’s city council meeting in Bessemer by adding three articles under “New Business” and could not get to them fast enough. New council member Allen Archie added to the agenda a review of the new police powers ordinance and zoning amendments passed by the prior council and returning council member Linda Nelson added an opt out procedure of the 2016 Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act passed by the last council, after a full year of content...
HURLEY - While many Gogebic Range residents were pursuing deer on the first day of Wisconsin's gun-deer season on Saturday, others were hunting for bargains in a festive atmosphere at the Hurley K-12 School's annual craft fair. More than 40 vendors were on hand, filling the commons area of the school and elementary gymnasium. Among the vendors in the small gym was the school's Northwoods Manufacturing team of students, offering for sale numerous items produced right there at the school. Six...
IRONWOOD - The line was out the cafeteria door Saturday at Luther L. Wright K-12 School Saturday for the annual gingerbread house building workshop, and the rush didn't really slow down until the event ended two hours later. "It got really busy yesterday and it never really stopped," kindergarten teacher Niki McRae, a member of the district's events committee that organized the workshop. "We've always had a really good turnout." McRae said it was easily over 100 kids who built houses, with the...
IRONWOOD — The Ni-Miikanaake Chapter of the North Country Trail Association held its yearly wrap-up meeting and potluck Nov. 7. Chapter president Cal Kangas reviewed the summer’s work progress, according to a chapter news release, most notably the crew of Amish volunteers that helped with trail maintenance in October. The group of 12 volunteers helped build bridges on the trail and remove fallen logs. The chapter also finished a boardwalk along the Black River, near Conglomerate Falls, and cleared a section of trail between Black River Har...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY — Old Man Winter delivered an early blow that has knocked out the Copper Street infrastructure project until spring. The two feet of heavy snow that Hurley received in the past two weeks has shut down the work by Ross Peterson Construction, of Hurley. That leaves a mess for Copper Street residents to contend with this winter. MSA Professional Services, the city’s engineering company for the project, offered a written update from project manager Jeff Seamandel on Tuesday. The company has com...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] BESSEMER - After the swearing in of the new city council Thursday in Bessemer, Gogebic County Sheriff's Department deputy Adam Zak was elected mayor 5-0 and Allen Archie was elected mayor pro tempore. With that bit of housecleaning done, the new council began discussing rules of conduct that will dictate how meetings are conducted for the next two years. Zak was the top vote-getter in the recent election. During the final month of the last council's...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD - Becky Schwartz, owner of Creative Spirits in Ironwood, said there are creative people who make gifts and greeting cards for people during this holiday season and others. She is ramping up in preparation of customers' demands for festive seasonal designs and creations. Creative Spirits and the Dancing Raven Art Works studio are co-hosting an open house this weekend to kick off the season of creativity. Schwartz said Creative Spirits' doors...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - Even with the falling snow and winds, a small crowd gathered at Depot Park in Ironwood Wednesday for the tree lighting ceremony that kicks off the annual Jack Frost Festival. "Today we gather to inaugurate the beginning of our annual Jack Frost Winter Festival. A festival to celebrate and embrace our glorious winter season," Mayor Annette Burchell said to start the event. "A season of gratefulness for the people and ideals that matter. A...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD - Caleb Griffin, a 19 year old forward on the Ironwood Fighting Yoopers, is tied for first place in the nation with 43 points, according to the United States Premier Hockey League. On the flip side; Cale Bowman, a 19 year old center for the Yoopers, is also leading the nation in penalty minutes earned, a much more dubious distinction. Griffin, who stretches the tape out to 5 foot 9 inches and tips the scale at 170 pounds, allows his stick to...
IRONWOOD — Videoconferencing capabilities at the Ironwood Memorial Building have greatly increased since Merit Network ran fiber-optic cable to the building, according to city manager Scott Erickson. Erickson said the faster internet speed should save money for the city in allowing the videoconferencing of events far away, cutting down on travel costs. City employees will be able to participate in some meetings and training by videoconferences, rather than making the long drives to the other end of the peninsula or to lower Michigan. In his Mon...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD - With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the man in the red and white puffy suit is not wasting anytime in setting up headquarters in the area to support those in need of gifts for their children at Christmas. According to Santa's Headquarters, in 2016 more than 400 kids received presents in Gogebic County through the Santa's Headquarters effort. Last year, families received $50 gift certificates for groceries, one large toy for each kid,...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Drivers on both M-28 and U.S. 2 will enjoy a view of this year's city of Wakefield Christmas tree, thanks to a unanimous Monday vote by city council members to place it next to the Wakefield Visitors and Information Center on Sunday Lake. The decision was recommended by the Wakefield Planning Commission at its Nov. 6 meeting. Planning commission members had discussed two other locations next to the municipal building or next to First National...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD — While the process is taking longer than initially expected, Copper Peak supporters in the Michigan legislature hope to vote on a pair of bills to provide funding for the ski flying hill’s renovations by the end of the year. State Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, has introduced Senate Bill 0523; while state Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain, introduced a largely identical bill — House Bill 5134 — in the state house. The bills would take approximately $1.9 million a year from excess...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - Ironwood firefighters responded to a report of a small fire at the Luther L. Wright K-12 School Monday. The fire, reported shortly before 2:30 p.m., was caused by faulty wiring in a drinking fountain in the second floor back hallway. "Ironically, we just had a fire drill about 15 minutes before this happened. So ... all the kids just followed all the procedures and did everything really well. We had the buses here immediately so we could...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - The Wakefield city council on Monday welcomed newly-elected member James Anderson and also voted to appoint John Granato as the new mayor and Amy Tarro as Mayor Pro Tempore. Granato and Tarro, along with council members Kay Wiita and Pat Mann, all remain on the council after being voted in as incumbents in the Nov. 7 election. Anderson was a write-in candidate who filled the vacancy left by Joe DelFavero, whose last meeting with the council...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission on Monday agreed to move ahead with a company’s plan to install a tower on Mt. Zion, but took no action on a second request. GogebicRange.net and Northern Michigan University have requested to install towers for wireless service on Mt. Zion. The city owns the land, but permits would be needed through Ironwood Township. City commission members spoke favorably of a plan by Gogebicrange.net to attach fixed wireless technology to the top of two existing light pol...
By STEVE NEWMAN [email protected] HURLEY - Dorothy Walesewicz and Kyle Anderson were talking about the older upright piano in the Hurley Memorial Building. Kyle works with buying and selling pianos, and he was buying the old upright piano, but wanted to give the the faithful instrument a good send-off. Dorothy said to Kyle, "How about a talent show?" They both thought it was a good idea and Dorothy and her husband Joe set it up for the evening of Veteran's Day, about two weeks before the e...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - Area hunters arrived at the Superior Range Shooters Club in Ironwood Township to either find their zero or confirm their zero before hunting season opens up in Wisconsin and Michigan this week. The range was marked for known distances out to 100 meters with fresh targets for rifle zeroing. The club opens its doors each deer season to non-members so they can make sure they hit what they aim at. Club members help people adjust their...
By STEVE NEWMAN [email protected] KIMBALL — Singer/storyteller Tanya Stanaway presented a program of Finnish music along with stories of Finland at Little Finland Sunday afternoon, to the joy of the assembled crowd. Stanaway played accordion and did “sing alongs” of songs in Finnish while accompanying on guitar. Stanaway was born in Finland and moved to the United States when she was younger, but she retains her love for her native country, as anyone who listened to her presentation could tell. She has stayed in touch with her roots...
