Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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HOUGHTON - Two Gogebic County health officials attended the first U.P. Accessibility Summit on Sept. 26 and 27 at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. Kassi Huotari, executive director of the Gogebic Range Health Foundation, and Amy Nosal, a community health worker with the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department, participated in the event uniquely centered around the needs and benefits of increasing accessibility. Increasing accessibility means creating spaces and attitudes that...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners approved a general fund budget of nearly $9.1 million for the 2025 fiscal year. The Sept. 25 vote followed a brief public hearing during which no comments were issued. Revenues and expenditures total $9,080,162, and the budget also includes an arrangement to share a percentage of the county’s annual PILT funds — or payment in lieu of taxes — with townships that include national forests. According to the state of Michigan, PILT funds are paid by...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] MARENISCO TOWNSHIP — A new marijuana facility might find a home in Marenisco Township if the state of Michigan agrees to sell land that once housed the former Ojibway Correctional Facility. Township supervisor Bruce Mahler reported the news to The Globe on Sept. 27. He said that representatives of Whispering Cedar LLC of Wisconsin gave a presentation of their plans during a Sept. 23 meeting of the Marenisco Township Board of Trustees. In mid-September, they made an offer for an undisclosed sum to t...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] IRONWOOD - It's no secret that the population of Gogebic County has dwindled steadily since the first half of the 20th century, when more than twice as many folks lived here. But now, the state's key demographer predicts that the entire state will not be able to offset the many deaths of aging baby boomers unless we experience "continuous and higher levels of net positive migration." Dr. Jaclyn Butler spoke on Sept. 26 at the Ironwood Area Chamber...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer Area School District has been working on a few projects that have come to fruition, according to Superintendent Richard Matrella. The district saw the installation and hookup of chargers for its electric buses, and Massie Field has seen an overhaul of its baseball dugouts. The dugout update has been a long time coming, according to Matrella, who spoke with The Globe on Tuesday. “This has been a project that has been on the radar for the past couple years,” said Matrella. “We f...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic County Fair Board met on Monday to discuss the upcoming year’s budget, along with plans for next year’s fair entertainment. The board approved asking Rice Bull Riding, the company that operated the 2023 rodeo at the fairgrounds, to get on its schedule for next year’s season. Board member Linda Nelson reached out prior to the meeting, asking for a ballpark estimate for the costs of the rodeo’s return to Ironwood, and was told $25,000, which she said was $11,000 less than the rodeo’s...
WAKEFIELD — Window replacements in the gymnasium of the Wakefield-Marenisco K-12 School have been proceeding nicely, according to superintendent Jason Gustafson. He told Board of Education members on Sept. 30 that construction workers have been operating effectively even in the presence of students. But he added, “The construction workers even came in on a Sunday to eliminate some disruption to the school day as they worked.” The board also voted to accept a bid for $4,279 from Baseman Brothers Inc. of Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, for the cost...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners has deferred to the county attorney and the county Road Commission a request made by Jerry Nezworski, president and trail manager of the Gogebic Range Trail Authority, to designate Trail 2 as a state ORV route from the Wisconsin border to Wakefield. The action occurred at the commission’s Sept. 25 meeting. Nezworski, who noted that the Wakefield City Council already gave its own approval, said it is necessary to have the trail properly ack...
GOGEBIC RANGE - As the crisp fall air arrives, Michiganders flock to the best color viewing spots, and many of those are located alongside U.P. county roads. Now is the ideal time to enjoy an afternoon drive while taking in the splendor of fall leaves. "The County Road Association of Michigan encourages Michiganders to explore the beauty of the Upper Peninsula this fall," said Denise Donohue, CEO of CRA. "We all know Michigan has a lot to offer, and the changing leaves are just one of the...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] WATERSMEET TOWNSHIP - Sunday afternoon in Watersmeet was long, sad and heavy, but also full of love, light and hope. It was the setting for a panel discussion by local Native American survivors of former re-education efforts, which existed in the early to mid-20th Century as a result of governmental directives and the cooperation of various religious institutions who willfully removed children around the nation from their own homes and placed them in...
By JASON JUNO [email protected] IRONWOOD — North Central continued to proof it’s still a top-five team in the Upper Peninsula with a 50-8 victory over visiting Ironwood Friday night. The Jets have been ranked fifth in the past two U.P. 8-player polls. They’re 4-1 this year after an 8-3 campaign last year that saw their state-record 41 game winning-steak come to end. They might not be that dominant anymore, but they’re still plenty good. “Super big, super fast, super athletic,” Ironwood coach Kevin Lane said. “Their defensive lin...
By SARAH LAUZON [email protected] BESSEMER — This weekend, the Pumpkin Festival will be celebrated, marking the 44th year of this Bessemer tradition. Events will run from today through Sunday. A 50/50 raffle and a geocaching contest will begin today. Those looking to enter the geocaching contest can pick up a Bessemer Pumpkin Hunt map from either Bessemer Dairy Queen or the Pumpkinfest Facebook page. Festival chairman Donna Frello is looking forward to the event. “The weather promises to be excellent,” Frello told The Globe. The major...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER - One year ago today, an accidental fire destroyed three structures at the Gogebic County Fairgrounds: the 4-H horse barn, the grandstands and a nearby hay barn. The blaze occurred directly after two additional structures had been demolished: the poultry barn and an old utility trailer. The fire started within the former grandstands, which were in the process of being demolished by a construction crew cutting supports with a torch that...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER — The Bessemer City Council voted Monday evening to table action on hiring a city manager until the full council is present. Councilman Mark Movrich was absent. The vote was a repeat of what occurred at the council’s Sept. 9 meeting when councilman Adam Zak was absent. “I don’t know how much longer we can kick the can down the road,” said Zak. “This could go on for months and months,” said councilwoman Linda Nelson. “No, it’s not going to go on for months,” said Mayor Peter Tacconelli, who...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission approved on Monday evening a budget amendment that could help to pave the way to hire a human resources director. Paul Linn, the city’s treasurer and finance director, made the request for the $88,000 amendment while announcing that the person now serving as clerk II-treasurer plans to retire by the end of the year after 39 years of service. Linn said it is “the perfect time” to restructure staff to serve the city’s needs better. Regarding the human resources...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees approved on Tuesday a continuing exploration by President Chris Patritto regarding the feasibility of annexing Houghton County, or some facet of it, into the college’s Copper Country district. The action at the board’s regular monthly meeting included the understanding that Patritto reports his findings to the board. Before the action, Patritto provided the board with a related presentation. According to his proposal, when he first took the posit...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] IRONWOOD — Ironwood City Commissioners approved on Monday evening the amending of an ordinance that authorizes the expansion of Miners Memorial Heritage Park. Several persons affiliated with the park spoke in favor of the plan. Ivan Hellen, MMHP’s historian, said the designated area of expansion will hold a full-size model of a mining memorial headframe along Penokee Road. “This is not just going to be a headframe,” he said. “It’s going to have stairs and a viewing platform.” He believes the headfra...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD — September was a busy purchasing month for the Ironwood Area Schools. During its regular monthly meeting on Monday, the Ironwood Area School Board approved the purchase of several items, programs and projects. Included were the purchase of the Fundations Reading Curriculum as presented, a Microsoft 365 A5 subscription for $5,321, a 28-inch floor scrubber for $15,349, and insulation for the bus garage for $7,450. The board also heard an update from Superintendent Daniel Martinson. “Time sure fli...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield City Council on Monday learned of a bold, new proposal from city manager Robert Brown Jr. "The council was informed that a local group has proposed the demolition of the existing tennis courts in Eddy Park and the construction of three separate courts for basketball, pickle ball, and tennis," stated Brown in a Tuesday email to The Globe. Brown did not indicate the nature of the local group but added that its members estimate the cost of the suggested project would be "...
