Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 9748 - 9772 of 9797
KINGSFORD — Family and friends were more than excited to welcome their loved ones back from Afghanistan during a welcome home ceremony for the 1432nd Engineer Company on Thursday. Approximately 1,000 people gathered at Kingsford High School to greet more than 90 soldiers from the 10-month deployment. Gogebic County undersheriff Ross Solberg was among those soldiers from the Gogebic Range who returned Thursday. Gogebic County Sheriff Pete Matonich attended the ceremony. Josh and Angela Reed, of Randville, and their two children, Izayah, 6, a...
IRONWOOD — The Ironwood City Commission took no action Monday on a proposed agency fee agreement requested by the local employees union. Michigan officially became a “freedom-to-work” state on Thursday, meaning employees can choose whether or not to join unions. The Local 1538 union, represented by Robert Murphy, sought to have the city commission Monday adopt an agency fee agreement that would require all newly hired employees to pay the equivalent of union dues. “Michigan American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council...
BAYFIELD, Wis. — The two snowmobilers who were found dead on Lake Superior near Madeline Island on Feb. 20 were both extremely intoxicated, according to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources investigation. Joshua Reynolds, 30, and Mark J. Backes, 38, both of La Pointe, were found dead the morning after they were reported missing. Their snowmobile broke through the ice of the lake. Reynolds had a blood-alcohol level of .286 and Backes’ level was .260, according to the WDNR’s fatality summary for the 2012-’13 winter season. In Wiscons...
BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners renewed the $1 per month 911 surcharge on all communications service providers for another year on Wednesday. On May 15, 2009, county voters approved a surcharge of up to $1.65 per month, but only $1 has been collected, noted Jim Loeper, county emergency services director. The surcharge was voted in 1,449-1,052. The $1 renewal begins on July 1. Loeper noted the surcharge collected by the county will be in effect through December of 2014, and it will then be placed before the voters again. ...
ONTONAGON — The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park will host a guided hike as part of statewide events celebrating Arbor Day in Michigan. The hike is scheduled for April 27 at 1 p.m. (EDT.) The Porkies is one of nine locations hosting a Michigan Department of Natural Resources-sponsored events. “This is the first year that we are doing an event with Arbor Day,” said Bob Wild, park interpreter. “We usually do events around Earth Day.” The event is part of a new initiative for the Porkies to partner with other entities, including...
IRONWOOD — The Western Upper Peninsula Trail Association was recognized by the city commission Monday as a nonprofit organization for the purpose of obtaining charitable gaming licenses. Representatives of WUPTA, an off-road group, spoke to the commission about the purpose of the organization and its membership drive efforts. “We want to work with businesses and landowners,” said WUPTA president Ross Kolesar. The club has two safety instructors and is involved with similar organizations in Ontonagon and Iron County, Wis. “We’ve done a lot in...
MARQUETTE — The Catholic Diocese of Marquette broke ground for the Venerable Frederic Baraga Chapel Tuesday in the St. Peter Cathedral courtyard in Marquette. Archbishop Alexander Sample and Monsignor Michael Steber, pastor of St. Peter Cathedral, were among participants. The chapel will house the earthly remains of the diocese’s first bishop, Venerable Frederic Baraga. “The chapel design will harmonize with the beauty of St. Peter Cathedral,” diocesan director of communications Loreene Zeno Ko...
BESSEMER — The Bessemer Area Schools Board of Education is asking voters to approve a $6.67 million bond referendum for what officials are calling a “major infrastructure update.” The district is looking to create a more energy-efficient, healthy and safe educational environment at both schools, according to district administrator Mark Johnson. The school board approved a bond referendum request this month and plans to hold two public meetings to discuss the project. The first will be April...
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — Changes to the comprehensive plan for zoning ordinances were discussed by the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees’ Monday. Ironwood Township resident Tom Schneller spoke to the board during the public comment portion of the meeting about concerns he has with the rough draft that the township planning commission is working on. “I have read the first 50 or 60 pages, and there are some things that are extremely wrong and that I am extremely concerned with,” Schneller said. H...
HURLEY — Representatives from the Gogebic Taconite company spoke to the Iron County Mining Impact Committee Monday about possible reclamation at the proposed mine near Upson. GTAC president Bill Williams said studies on the proposed mine site would help shape ideas as to what the site could become after the mining process is completed. Williams said former mining areas in Minnesota have been turned into all-terrain vehicle parks after mine sites closed. “Another possible idea that has been mentioned is a shooting range,” Williams said. “Idea...
WAKEFIELD — Regional Hospice’s seventh annual Polar Plunge saw an increase in plungers and donations this year at Saturday’s event in Wakefield. Forty-one brave souls plunged into the cold waters of Sunday Lake, including two entries in the scaredy-cat category, which requires participants to only go in up to their knees. “We broke the record for jumpers,” said Mary Oberto, of Regional Hospice in Bessemer. “We had 41, the most we’ve ever had.” Oberto organized the event with Kathy Maki of R...
HURLEY — The Hurley Lions Club held an annual pancake breakfast Sunday at the Liberty Bell in support of the Hurley K-12 School’s participation in a summer youth camp program. Club treasurer Bob Traczyk said the fundraiser, held each year on Palm Sunday, raises money that helps students spend a week at the North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters. “We’ve been dedicating these funds to the summer youth camp for around 10 years,” he said. Traczyk said the fundraiser itself has been...
BESSEMER — Many area children delighted in finding candy, quarters and prize tickets inside Easter eggs during an egg hunt in Bessemer Saturday. Kids and their parents from across the Gogebic Range attended the free event hosted by the Bessemer Chamber of Commerce at Washington Elementary School in Bessemer. Attendees lined up by age before entering the main floor to search for 1,424 eggs hidden in the hallways, stairwells and around the gymnasium and stage. Each hunter was allowed to collect 10 eggs, and after every child had their eggs, e...
BESSEMER — Gogebic County Sheriff Peter Matonich isn’t signing the downstate petition to keep wolves a protected species and prevent a hunt. When the sheriff of Saginaw County sent Matonich a message seeking his support in signing the petition to stop the planned wolf hunt, it struck a raw nerve with Matonich. “I would like to thank you for the laugh, I needed one today. I will make sure and pass on your letter and request to other law enforcement agencies and officers in my county. I am sure they could use a good laugh, also,” Matonic...
IRONWOOD — Although the 17 inches of snow that had fallen in Ironwood from Tuesday to Thursday added depth to a snowy March, the total for the month is not close to setting a record. Another 4 inches fell at the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Treatment Plant for the 24-hour period to 7 a.m. Thursday, bringing the total for March to 31.8 inches, with more than a week remaining until April. The record snowfall for March in Ironwood over the past 100 years is a whopping 57.2 inches recorded in 2002, a...
IRONWOOD — Local leaders spoke in support of a bill that would allow off-road vehicles to cross certain bridges and access state highways through a videoconference Thursday at Gogebic Community College. State Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, set up videoconference locations across the Upper Peninsula to allow citizens to weigh in on Senate Bill 50 during a meeting of the Senate Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes Committee. Casperson introduced the bill with hopes that the l...
IRONWOOD — The Michigan Department of Transportation and city of Ironwood have scheduled a Thursday, March 28, public meeting to discuss U.S. 2 (Cloverland Drive) corridor construction plans for 2014. The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. in the Ironwood Memorial Building auditorium. It will include a brief presentation, followed by an opportunity for residents and business owners to ask questions or speak one-on-one with MDOT or city officials. “While this planned U.S. 2 corridor work will result in major improvements in the city of Ironwood, it...
IRONWOOD — Despite snowy weather, donors flocked to the Ironwood Memorial Building for the annual Red Cross Blood Drive Wednesday. According to volunteer coordinator Betsy Slabaugh, some people were unable to attend the event because of wintery conditions. “We had a couple of people cancel because of the weather, but our walk-ins made up for it,” she said. Repeat donors who have given 25 units or more were awarded goodie bags to celebrate their donations. “We had 63 people in this area who hav...
BESSEMER — Gogebic County Prosecutor Richard Adams has authorized charges against the five people who were arrested early Tuesday morning for meth-making in two busts. A house was raided at 525 Florence St. in Ironwood, followed by a second search of a residence on River Street in Ramsay. Both busts were conducted by the Gogebic-Iron Area Narcotics Team, with the cooperation of other area law enforcement officers and the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team. Arrested in the Ironwood raid were George Davis, 59; Kristin Carter, 31, and W...
IRONWOOD — The first day of spring resulted in more snow and cold temperatures on the Gogebic Range Wednesday as March continued to be a bear of a month. A total of 4.5 inches of snow was recorded at the National Weather Service weather station off Cloverland Drive for the 24-hour period to 7 a.m. Wednesday, resulting in an accumulation for the past two days of 13 inches. It was fluffy stuff and the 4.5 inches of snow melted to just .1 inch of precipitation. The overnight low early Wednesday was 6 degrees, with a windchill reading below z...
HURLEY — Burton Industries of Ironwood has joined the businesses assisting the Hurley School District in upgrading its technical education cooperative program. District administrator Chris Patritto told the school board Monday that Burton, an electronics components firm in the industrial park, has indicated it wants to join the effort that also includes Ironwood Plastics, Extreme Tool, of Wakefield, and Bretting Manufacturing, of Ashland. “They’re excited about it,” Patritto said. The compani...
