Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Friends of the Miners Memorial Heritage Park hosted a candlelight snowshoe walk around the Ironwood park’s trails on the evening of Dec. 28. Families, couples and individuals also enjoyed snacks provided by the organizers. The annual fundraiser for the trails helps the group with ongoing maintenance and other projects, according to Tom Kangas, vice president of the Friends of the MMHP. Kangas said that in previous years, money that was raised went toward the purchase of a Snowcat so the...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] It's a challenging time of year for ski hills, with one of them opening after another during the Christmas and New Year's Day season. So it wasn't as though there wasn't enough to do without Mother Nature throwing a curve ball in relation to last weekend's blizzard. Then again, maybe it's just a matter of perspective, according to Tuesday interviews with area ski hill managers. "It's all good," said a cheery David Dziuban, owner of Whitecap Mountains...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] Christmas spirit was challenged last week when a lingering blizzard literally took the Gogebic Range by storm, causing multiple accidents and dropping nearly two and one-half feet of snow over four days. “It was quite a storm,” said Iron County Sheriff Paul Samardich, who added that it was one of the worst that he can remember in the past quarter century. “It was difficult. I would say we had 25 to 30 weather-related accidents.” “Mass chaos” was the description from Det. Jesse Yesney of the Gogebic Cou...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - Christmas often inspires memories of childhood and other bygone days, especially those most reminiscent of the greatest holiday spirit. That is especially the case with Jason Gustafson, whose yard on Indianhead Road in Wakefield is a testament to vintage holiday lights. "I always go back to nostalgia," said Gustafson, who is the superintendent of the Wakefield-Marenisco School District. He lives with his wife, Stephanie, and their daughter,...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — Members of the Board of Education for the Ironwood Area Schools District voted on Monday evening to approve a resolution to apply for a preliminary qualification of bonds. Superintendent Travis Powell said the ultimate aim is for a May 2 ballot asking Ironwood citizens to approve a $16 million bond that would require a 1.45 millage increase in order to fund the construction of a school addition to the existing Luther L. Wright K-12 School. Monday’s vote was unanimous, with all members present,...
RAMSAY - A rerouting of snowmobile Trail 2 between Ramsay and Wakefield was expected to be complete today, with a ribbon cutting set for Saturday at 10 a.m. The event will take place in Ramsay where the trail crosses South Verona Road, between Railroad Street and the point where Main Street becomes Horseshoe Bend. "We're pretty pumped," said Steve Hamilton, president of the Gogebic Range Trail Authority, on Monday. "We're all pretty happy." Hamilton said the nearly 4-mile rerouting - which was...
IRONWOOD – The Ironwood City Commission passed a resolution Monday updating the city’s Zoning Ordinance through a series of amendments. Community Development Director Tom Bergman said the update was a longtime coming, something they had been working on for a number of years. He said the Planning Commission held public hearings in December 2021 and July 2022 on the matter. “The City Commission and Planning Commission met multiple times to hold workshops on specific aspects, specifically the general provisions in regards to medical marij...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] IRONWOOD - Despite wind chill near zero on Saturday night, the Jack Frost parade in downtown Ironwood, drew a large crowd and offered a dazzling array of 40 entries loaded with colored lights and other creative details. Viewers came ready to battle the weather with long coats and faces hidden behind scarves or hats - some of which sprouted reindeer horns and flashing lights. Beyond that, the old saying of "cold hands, warm heart" took on broader meaning as...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] MERCER, Wis. — Mercer hosted its annual Northwoods Winter Wonderland celebration on Saturday. People lined the highway to watch the parade as it made its way to the Chamber of Commerce office where a large wreath was place on the Clair d’Loon statue and the community tree was lit. According to Melissa Copp of the Mercer Chamber, people seemed to be having a great time at the Mercer Community Center following the parade, as they gathered around for hot chocolate, cider, cookies and crafts, and a chance to t...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Members of the Bessemer City Council voted on Monday evening to approve preliminary work in relation to a new $2 million project for water system improvements. The project was proposed by Darren Pionk, project manager for C2AE, a design and engineering firm that has overseen various city projects. “This is the project plan that we submitted last year to EGLE,” said Pionk of Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. “It works out to be a 75% grant-funded project....
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER TOWNSHIP - Skiers and snowboarders flocked to Black River Basin last weekend as Snowriver Mountain Resort opened the site on Thanksgiving Day - the first to open in the region for the season. Sunshine and temperatures in the mid-40s made for spring-like skiing, with a steady flow of activity at the Bessemer Township site while The Globe visited on Friday. Josh Johnson of Bessemer was helping his son, Jack, 4, as he continued to improve his...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD - A heavy blanket of snow hit the Northwoods last week, as temperatures dropped below freezing for several days and lake effect snow fell. The snow began falling heavily on Thursday, continuing into the weekend, with area schools closing on Friday due to the weather. According to the National Weather Service, 19.8 inches of snow fell in Ironwood in the 24-hour period ending Friday at 7 a.m. Another 5.0 inches fell through Saturday at 7 a.m.,...
By LARRY HOLCOMBE [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley Board of Education heard from administrators about the district’s recently released State Report Card. Elementary principal Steve Lombardo and middle/high school principal Melissa Oja said they were overall pleased with the scores. Lombardo said the elementary scores were based on a statewide standardized test taken by all third through fifth graders last spring. He said Hurley’s elementary students scored 72.3%, which was up from 71% last year, putting the district in the “exce...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — Monday’s Ironwood City Commission meeting included Paul Anderson attending for the first time in his new role as city manager. His first day was on Oct. 31, and he also will assume the dual role of city engineer when Scott Erickson concludes that responsibility at the end of this month. One of Anderson’s first recommendations was to encourage commission members to approve the hiring of Jennifer Jacobson as the new city clerk. “The city received close to a couple dozen applications for this po...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER - Unlike Memorial Day, which honors veterans who lost their lives while serving in American wars, Veterans Day celebrates all U.S. veterans. Retired U.S. Army Col. Tom Jurkowski made the distinction while providing the main address during a Veterans Day ceremony in the gym of the A.D. Johnston Junior and Senior High School in Bessemer.Students from Washington Elementary School also had been bused in from several blocks away to enjoy the...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] HURLEY — The Iron County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a 2023 budget of nearly $20 million at its Monday evening meeting. The vote followed a related public hearing in which Iron County Clerk Michael Saari presented the numbers. “It came out pretty well,” said Saari, despite the county projecting $19,917,378.47 in expenses next to revenue of $14,221,583.47. According to Saari, the difference of $5,695,795 was the actual tax levy. However, he said that was mediated by an increase of $166,...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] Only three of seven area boards of education had contested races in Tuesday’s election in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties. Among contested races in Gogebic County, the winners for the Ironwood Area Schools Board of Education were incumbents Caroline Delich and Brenda Agee and newcomers Aaron Ruotsala and Ashley Weber-Jarvenpaa. Incumbents Tara Graham, Dick Matrella and Beth Steiger also retained their seats on the Bessemer Area Board of Education. In Ontonagon County, Cindy Ellsworth, Shawn Brown, Maggi B...
By LARRY HOLCOMBE [email protected] Voters across the country will head to the polls Tuesday for the midterm election, and the balance of power in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives hangs in the balance, but down the ballot are important races for state and local positions, as well. Polls are open in Michigan and Wisconsin on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Michigan U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, faces a challenge from Democrat Bob Lorinser of Marquette, for Michigan’s First Congressional District seat. Also on t...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER - Now that drones are becoming much more common, greater numbers of people are using them for a variety of reasons, such as taking photos, fighting fires, treating crops, delivering packages, and monitoring traffic and weather. Using a drone to enhance safety is also not unusual, and toward that end, the Gogebic County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Unit has been using one to take video in order to pinpoint exactly where rescue personnel need to be s...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Although most of the snow has melted from the season’s first winter storm on Oct. 17, the weather event certainly made clear that the road construction season is coming to a halt. Monday evening’s Bessemer City Council meeting addressed that pending closure, while also discussing related issues that have occurred during this year’s leg of a 3-year project replacing water and sewer lines and addressing related road restoration. The discussion started with a Bessemer resident’s complaint...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] IRONWOOD - Bluegrass music is known for high energy and infectious sound, and that's exactly what filled the Historic Ironwood Theatre when the Henhouse Prowlers performed last weekend. The four-member Chicago band wasted no time in riling up the audience with one fast-paced tune after another in a Saturday night concert that did not disappoint. The band's harmony was generous, pure and hypnotic, but the guys also took turns in solos, while interspersing...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] Winter weather hit the Northwoods on Monday, with snow and ice causing power outages, slick roads, and cancellation of schools. Chris Ouellette, a spokesperson for Xcel Energy, told the Globe Monday afternoon that 2,300 individuals had lost power in the Ironwood and Bessemer area due to the storm and that crews had been working on restoring the power since that morning. Ouellette said Tuesday afternoon that power was restored to all customers by 8:30 Monda...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Members of the Bessemer Downtown Development Authority are looking to the future in relation to how to achieve the city’s greatest potential. In a meeting last week, they discussed a number of priorities, including expanded parking, new main street trees and even the potential for a YMCA or similar facility. Samantha Dorr, a city secretary who also now heads up the DDA, said as a starting point that she has studied the city’s master plan and noted that any DDA goals should be approached “as c...
By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — At a special meeting last week, members of the Ironwood City Commission voted unanimously to confirm a contract hiring Paul Anderson, P.E., of Ironwood as the new city manager and city engineer. Anderson’s predecessor, Scott Erickson, also had worked in the same dual role for 17 years before submitting his resignation in April. At that time, Erickson said that his final day as city manager would be June 6, whereas he would retain his role as city engineer until a new manager was hired. “I...
