Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 5209 - 5233 of 9883
WATERSMEET — An investigation into an apparent drowning Sunday evening on East Bear Lake in the Sylvania Wilderness Area of Watersmeet Township continues. The search resumed Monday morning and the body of 24-year-old Sang-Mook Yoon, of Grand Rapids, was recovered from the water shortly before 10 a.m. on Monday. Law enforcement was made known of the incident around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. A group of campers was swimming near a canoe landing on the lake. All of the people got out of the water, except for Yoon. Gogebic County Sheriff’s Department dep...
BESSEMER - While the Fourth of July weekend has become filled with cookouts and fireworks, a small crowd gathered in downtown Bessemer Sunday to recite the Declaration of Independence and mark the historical context of the holiday. After talking briefly about the history of the document; Connie Pricco, Dan Cvengros, Richard Steiger and John Frello took turns reciting the declaration's text. The group read several parts in unison, including the famous "We hold these truths to be self-evident,...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] ERWIN TOWNSHIP - The Erwin Township Hall was packed Sunday for the township's annual picnic. Now in its 50th year, the Erwin Area Picnic started following the Erwin School's closure in 1967. Organizers with the Erwin Area Community Club said the idea for the picnic was born when the township's women wanted a way to keep the community together after the school's closure meant the end of traditional methods, like the parent teacher association.... Full story
BLACK RIVER HARBOR — Volunteers will gather at Ottawa National Forest July 11 to restore the historic Black River Harbor pavilion. The scope of the project includes restoration of a masonry chimney, removal of non-historic additions and general refurbishment, according to Donald Rae, a communications officer for HistoriCorps. “As with all HistoriCorps projects, the work is carried out under supervision of trained field staff and in accordance with strict professional standards. This is the second time a HistoriCorps crew has worked at the sit...
IRONWOOD - It may have been the weather, but the Ironwood Memorial Building was filled with kids Friday afternoon for the Ironwood Carnegie Library's Sciencepalooza Science Fair. "I think the rain has helped a little," library director Lynne Wiercinski said, estimating 150 kids participated in the experiments. "It's a great indoor activity for a day that's not so beautiful outside, but I also know that whenever you do anything that involves science, we always see an excellent turnout." The...
The Fourth of July is a time for communities across the area to gather and celebrate. Many communities have planned parades, games in the park and fireworks. Not all the celebrations are on Tuesday, July 4, though, as the annual excitement builds with events in the days prior. Ramsay Bessemer Township will be the first to light up the sky with fireworks in the region tonight at dusk. That event is after a street dance that starts at 6 p.m. offering music, food and refreshments near the Town...
BESSEMER - Melissa Rajala, librarian for the Bessemer Public Library, opened the doors and kicked off the annual summer book sale Thursday morning. The sale runs through Monday, with all proceeds earmarked to benefit the summer reading program. Rajala said this year the bulk of the offerings are donated books from estates or personal libraries. If the library already owns a book that is donated, the book will be used to support the summer reading program, so the donated books come in handy and...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — While Daniel Ferguson has been charged with one count in connection with his escape last week from the Gogebic County Jail, additional charges are expected in the case. Ferguson, 26, has been charged with escape while awaiting trial for a felony — a felony charge with a maximum potential sentence of four years in prison — in connection with the escape that led to a multi-day manhunt. In addition to the escape charge, additional breaking and entering charges are expected in the case,...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners agreed to advance $30,000 to pay pre-fair expenses Wednesday. In a letter, Gogebic County Fair Chairman Jim Gribble said at its most recent meeting, the fair board unanimously requested an advance to cover pre-fair vouchers. He said the money will be repaid by fair receipts, as has been done in previous years. County board member Jeff Wasley, of Ironwood, who also sits on the fair board, said the county board also advanced the fair board the same a...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — A year after a devastating storm washed out much of the Little Girl’s Point area and severely damaged other locations, Gogebic County is still about $2 million short of reimbursement costs. As a result, Michigan’s state senators are supporting a change in rules used to determine federal reimbursements for storm damages so it doesn’t happen again. The July 11 storm dumped about a foot of rain in four hours and wiped out large culverts and washed away road surfaces. In a letter to the U.S. Ho...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — The Ironwood Township Board of Trustees hired Plante Moran Wednesday to perform a forensic audit on the township’s finances in an attempt to get to the bottom of the township’s financial irregularities — including determining the potential scope of former treasurer Jyl Olson-DeRosso’s alleged embezzlement. The lower Michigan-based Plante Moran was one of five companies the board considered. Each company was assigned a letter during the discussions to allow the board members t...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield Historical Society is looking for talent for this weekend’s Hometown Variety Show Sunday at 6 p.m. The variety show is being held in the Wakefield gymnasium and is free to enter, but there is a suggested $3 donation at the door for entrance, with all proceeds going to support the Wakefield Museum. Donna Ferson said the variety show usually lasts an hour or an hour and a half and includes demonstrations by the Bethany Ann Hellen Studios, Wakefield-Marenisco cheerleaders and...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY — Foth Infrastructure and Environment, LLC, will continue its work as the engineering firm for the reconstruction of Saxon Harbor, after the Iron County Board of Supervisors approved the contract for Phase 2 of the reconstruction’s design process Tuesday. While the first design phase of the reconstruction project to return Saxon Harbor to an operable state following its destruction during rain and flooding during the July 11, 2016 storm consisted primarily of gathering information, Pha...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD - Gogebic Community College held its truth in taxation hearing and set its millage for the next year at 2.81290, to be levied against property in the college's district. According to the board, this millage rate remains unchanged and has stayed the same for an extended period of time. The college budget, to include a review of the revenue and expenses to date, was also discussed and set for the next year. With an understanding the budget has...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] IRONWOOD — A resolution approving final costs of the Aurora Lands assessor’s plat was approved Monday by the city commission. The cost of the plat will be split 50-50 with the property owners, city manager Scott Erickson noted. The total cost to Aurora property owners will be $18,516. The purpose of platting the Aurora Land parcels is so the homeowners can own the land where their residences are located, and not the land association. Erickson said the landowners can choose to pay back their spe...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] IRONWOOD - For the second straight year, a Feed the Hungry van arrived Monday to bring 21,000 pounds of food to the Lighthouse Faith Center Church on Ironwood's Ayer Street. Pastor Tom Rouse said the free food products will be distributed to the needy on the Gogebic Range on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. "Whoever comes, comes," he said of the would-be recipients. Rouse said from his conversations with area food shelter operators, like the Union Station...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer Area School District board of education met Monday after holding a Truth in Taxation meeting to discuss next years millage and debt retirement rate. The board set the Non-Homestead Operating Millage at 17.9694, which according to Chris Bergquist has not changed in years and set the A.D. Johnston debt retirement millage at 2.45. Jim Partanen, briefing for the finance committee highlighted the 2016-17 Food Service budget came i...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — While Ironwood Township’s Board of Review doesn’t meet frequently, there are now options if a board member can’t make one of the three meetings each year, after the township’s board of trustees approved two board alternates. Darrin Kimbler and Sandy Lahtinen were each approved for a two-year term as alternates for the board; which meets in March, July and December. The board’s March meeting is where township tax payers can appeal the amount they are taxed, while the July and De...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - The Women on Target instructional shooting event saw 21 women experience a range of firearm shooting on Saturday at the Superior Range Shooter's Club on Black River Road in the township. Once the shooting commenced, the unmistakable sound of lead pinging steel reverberated across the grounds. The immediate feedback of shooting steel targets and even balloons, makes shooting much more engaging and enjoyable. The day started with an...
By JUSTIN LIBERTOSKI [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - The rain held off for the Woods and Blooms Garden Club rededication ceremony at the Century Pines Park in Mercer. Beverly Johnson, a member of the Woods and Blooms Garden Club, described the history of the park Saturday. The park originally started as part of the Mercer Downtown Development Project and a grant was received in April of 2005 to begin work on the park. Beverly's husband, Roger, drew up the plan for the park. The Woods and...
By JAN TUCKER [email protected] Fewer people are unemployed in Gogebic County in the past five months, but statistics show there are also fewer employed. According to the Michigan Civilian Labor Force, unemployment in the county in May numbered 350. That is 50 fewer than the 400 unemployed in January. A closer look at the labor force statistics, however, show there are fewer people employed in Gogebic County in those five months. In January total employment reached 6,250 but in May those numbers fell to 5,900, a drop of 350. The civilian...
