Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 5801 - 5825 of 9893
By ISABELLE KLEINSCHMIDT [email protected] IRONWOOD - Zion Lutheran Church was filled with Finnish-American history and culture as the National Finnish-American Festival Chorus held its annual Christmas concert Sunday afternoon. Under the direction of Gale Hellier, the chorus sang several Finnish Christmas songs, as well as some well-known sing-along carols in English. They were accompanied on flute by Susan Kontny and on piano by Sandra Rowoldt. With each piece, the singers explained the...
IRONWOOD — Superior Snowshoe Walks have been scheduled for the sixth winter season, beginning in January. All of the walks begin in the dark at 6:30 p.m. Headlights or flashlights are recommended. People who are new to snowshoeing can try snowshoes for free, according to Sam and Anne Davey at the Hobby Wheel, 932-3332. The schedule includes: —Jan. 4: Mark Fitting Annual Memorial Walk, starting at Michigan Information Center, sponsored by Maplewood Restaurant. —Jan. 11: Bessemer walk behind city hall, sponsored by Bessemer VFW. —Jan. 18: Gog...
By ISABELLE KLEINSCHMIDT [email protected] BESSEMER - Despite the snow, local runners showed-up for the 4th Annual Frozen Rundra Saturday morning in Bessemer. Given this year's theme of "Ugly Sweaters," many runners came wearing sweaters, tutus and other festive apparel. Participants had the option to choose a two- or six-mile run, or a three-mile walk, through the city streets. Amanda Corullo, of Montreal, has participated in the run for all four years. "I love this run, it's a fun one,...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Area shoppers had another chance to buy local, while completing their Christmas shopping Saturday as the Wakefield Historical Society held its annual Old Fashioned Christmas Faire at the Wakefield Veterans of Foreign Wars hall. This year's event featured approximately 45 tables, filled by around 26 vendors, according to society board member Harold Schroeder. "We have a wide variety of crafts and bakery goods," he said. While he has only...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — Faced with the prospects of interviewing six candidates for a Gogebic County Road Commission board vacancy, the county board devised a plan Wednesday for the sessions. Board members agreed to meet at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, to begin interviewing the candidates. The board is scheduled for a regular 5 p.m. meeting on that date, but it will probably be delayed because of the interviews, or the interviews will be sandwiched around the 5 p.m. meeting. County board members said it’s pos...
IRONWOOD - A couple inches of snow on Thursday night added sparkle to Friday's Jack Festival Parade in downtown Ironwood. The patriotic theme of the parade brought out vibrant reds, whites and blues for a celebration of the upcoming winter. On a mild evening, with temperatures in the 30s, a total of 37 parade entries passed by the judges at the River Valley Bank and hundreds of spectators along Aurora Street. The Cub Scouts' float was selected as the top entry, followed by the Klassic Kruisers...
BESSEMER — Monday’s Bessemer City Council meeting at 5 p.m. in council chambers will discuss a new master plan for the city. North of 45 LLC and Coleman Engineering provided Charly Loper, the city manager, with an outline and scope of work regarding the master plan. Loper said Coleman Engineering knows the community better, but North of 45 has more experience and specifically incorporates a “Winter City” concept into its planning. In response to a request of contractors for the city to provide asbestos and lead paint assessments for the propert...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] HURLEY - Republican Donald Trump lost nine votes and Democrat Hillary Clinton gained two in Thursday's recount of Presidential votes in Iron County. The county board of canvass certified a vote total of 2,081 for Trump and 1,275 for Clinton, or an 11-vote swing from election night totals. The recount wrapped up at 3:34 p.m. in the county courthouse at Hurley, as the town of Sherman was the last municipality to be counted. Iron County may have been one o...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] Officially, the date has come and gone in Michigan for the snowmobile trails to open for local riders and visitors. Wisconsin's official date is Dec. 15, so there is still time for the snow to accumulate by opening day. In the Lake Gogebic area, a new trail groomer has been received. Only two were purchased by the state and they received one of them. Almost 1,000 man hours were put into brushing the trails for the first time in three years. The Sno...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER — A Bessemer man was arraigned on one count of second-degree child abuse in Gogebic County Circuit Court Tuesday. Steven Joseph Gerszewski, 46, pleaded not guilty to the charge in a short arraignment hearing. The charge, which carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, stems from an Oct. 22 incident when Gerszewski allegedly head-butted a child and pushed the child’s head toward a wall, according to court documents. Gerzewski is also facing a habitual offender-second off...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER - A Hurley woman who had fled the state prior to her initial sentencing hearing was sentenced in Gogebic County Circuit Court Wednesday. Tracy Lynn Gehrke, 44, was sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison on a count of delivering less than 50 grams of heroin. The charges carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. She pleaded guilty to the charge on July 1 as part of a plea agreement that stipulated she would be...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved a resolution bemoaning the high cost of auto insurance in Michigan. Commissioner Bob Orlich, of Wakefield, who introduced the resolution, said it is supported by State Rep. Scott Dianda, who favors zones that would reduce insurance costs in low-traffic areas of the state. Orlich said Michigan residents pay nearly three times more per year in auto insurance than Iowa and Maine residents. Part of the problem is in Michigan, w...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] WAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP — After 25 years of public service to the township, Delmar Smith has retired. Jerry Niemi replaces Smith as a trustee. The audit of the township was completed. The township has a balance of $559,000, enough to operate for two years in an emergency, which outpaces the suggested amount of reserves on hand. Last year, the township spent $30,000 less than budgeted. Property assessments are an ongoing affair and each local government is required to reassess at least 20 percent of its p...
By LARRY HOLCOMBE [email protected] It's the 11th year of Santa's Headquarters and organizers say the effort to make sure every child has a gift on Christmas continues to grow. "It's amazing to see the outpouring of generosity from the public," said co-chair Jim Mildren. "It keeps growing each year - the toys, the gifts, the gift cards. It's quite an operation - all for the kids and their families." Fellow co-chair Pat Niksich said Tuesday there are 167 families and 370 kids in Gogebi...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] BESSEMER - An Ontonagon woman was sentenced to two years in prison on drug charges Tuesday in Gogebic County Circuit Court. Alyssa Lou Pollard, 25, was sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison for each of the two charges - one count of delivering cocaine and one count of delivery of a controlled substance on school or library property - however, the two sentences will be served at the same time. "I can't make you be sober, that's your choice,"...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD — While covering new business at the Gogebic Community College board meeting, the discussion turned to the limited number of resident students and the financial burden this placed on the college. The board recognized the need to emphasize on-campus residency in the future to alleviate the burden on the General Fund. Tony Pollack, school accountant, said the school was in good financial condition and trending in the right direction. “The school keeps good records, implements cost cutting mea...
By IAN MINIELLY [email protected] IRONWOOD - The entry and judging deadline for the 2016 Jack Frost Gingerbread Workshop is Saturday, Dec. 3, at 1 p.m. The gingerbread houses can be dropped off and judged at the River Valley Bank in downtown Ironwood. The categories for submission and grading of the gingerbread houses are as follows: -Under 5 years old. -6-8-years-old. -9-12-years-old. -13-18-years-old. -Group houses. -Family houses. -Adult houses. There is currently a dearth of...
By ISABELLE KLEINSCHMIDT [email protected] WAKEFIELD - The Wakefield City Council reconsidered a previous decision to purchase utility poles Monday, ultimately opting to go with the second-lowest bidder. The council had awarded the purchase of new utility poles to the lowest bidder, Hydrolake Inc. On Monday, City Manager Richard Brackney raised the concern that the poles from Hydrolake were treated with Pentachlorophenol, whereas the next lowest bidder, Bell Lumber & Pole uses CCA....
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — The Ironwood Township Board of Trustees authorized a revised contract with the Michigan Department of Treasury Monday, expanding the department’s review of into the township’s finances. The new agreement will involve the years 2014 through 2016; and expands the investigation to “assist with reconciling accounts in the Trust and Agency fund” and “reconciling accounts in the Tax Collection fund,” according to the agreement. The agreement also includes a provision that if discr...
By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] IRONWOOD - With the snow on the ground not deep enough to hit the slopes, ski fans went to the Historic Ironwood Theatre Saturday night to see the premiere of Warren Miller's latest film, "Here, There and Everywhere." The film travels around the world - including Alaska, Montana, Greenland and Switzerland - in search of thrills and adventure. Using talking-head interviews, as well as a mixture of GoPro and traditional footage set to a soundtrack of...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] IRONWOOD - Groom it and they will come. The parking lots at the Active Backroads Retreat trails off West Pioneer Road, near Norrie Park, were full Saturday morning as cross country skiers got a jump on winter. The ABR groomer machines were heading out again around 10:30 a.m. to smooth the trails as temperatures reached the mid-30s. "It's the only game in town," Bill Richie, who was selling ABR ski passes, said from his small booth, explaining the good c...
Wisconsin gun-deer hunters still have time to fill out Deer Hunter Wildlife Surveys, which help play an important role in wildlife management. “The surveys provide a great opportunity for hunters to let Department of Natural Resources staff know which types of animals they see in the wild. “Thanks to the continued efforts of hunters, department staff can better track population changes and improve management decisions, especially for animals that are very hard to monitor. Hunters are encouraged to record all hunting activity, even if no wil...
By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] October jobless numbers in northern Wisconsin held steady and continue at their lowest rates in about 15 years. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development released the job rates for counties on Wednesday and Iron County continued with the second worst numbers in the state. Iron County’s unemployment rate of 5.9 percent for October dropped a couple notches from the 5.7 percent rate in September. A year ago, the county stood at 6.6 percent. Other area Wisconsin counties didn’t change much or sta...
