Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
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By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees hired two vice presidents at a special meeting Thursday morning, filling positions in its upper level administration. Both are expected to begin their duties in May. Chad Lashua, of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, was hired as the new vice president of business services. He is the director of business services at Nicolet Area Technical College in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, where he has held various business-related roles since 2010. He has an additional 10 y...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] MERCER, Wis. - The North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters brought its Knowledge at Noon program series to the Mercer Library on Wednesday, for a presentation on dragonflies. The annual series covers a variety of topics on the first Wednesday of each month from December through May with a presentation at a different location in the discovery center's region. This presentation discussed how dragonflies function, their importance, and how...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] WAKEFIELD - After nearly two months without a library director, the Wakefield Library has hired two part-time librarians. Carly Rusch, of Ironwood, will be the new part-time library director. The board approved her hire during its monthly meeting on Tuesday night, for 20 hours a week at $18.50 per hour. "She came across as amazing," said library board president Loraine Mussatti. Barb Suomi, a library volunteer, said Rusch had a great awareness and that...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] LONGUEUIL, Quebec — According to a Monday report, the Canadian copper development company Highland Copper Company Inc. has initiated an updated feasibility study on its 100%-owned Copperwood Project in Gogebic County and, depending in part on the results of the study, may initiate construction activities at the project later this year. “The transformation of Highland Copper is well underway,” said Denis Miville-Deschênes, president and CEO of the company. “With a new board and a clean balance sheet,...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] The Ironwood City Commission adopted “slightly increased” campground rates for Curry Park at its regular meeting on Monday. City Manager Scott Erickson said that these increased rates will help mitigate the costs of some of the city’s new projects in the park, including the adoption a new system that will allow people to register a spot at the campground online before their visit. The city manager said that Curry Park campground spots have been open to people on a first come, first served basis...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - Gogebic Community College, in collaboration with the Ironwood Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group, celebrated Black History Month with a powerful and passionate performance by Frederick Douglass impersonator Steve Cole on Monday, that left at least one student in tears. Douglass was a former slave that escaped slavery and later bought his freedom for $712. He is remembered as a prominent abolitionist and journalist. Cole recited a Douglass...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] SAXON, Wis. - Terra-X - a new kind of snowmobile racing created by the Mid America Snowmobile Tournament of Expert Riders - took over the Iron County Fairgrounds on Saturday. The event was brought to Saxon by the Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce, White Thunder Riders, and the Iron County Fair Board. "This is only the second time that it was ever done. It went very good. Everybody from the drivers to the parents was very happy and they're all hoping we do...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] MONTREAL, Wis. — Numerous colorful ice lights and giant bonfires illuminated the Montreal Ski Trails on Saturday night as hundreds of people snowshoed the trail during the fourth annual Hygge Hike. The event is a fundraiser for the Northern Iron County Engaged Residents and the Penokee Rangers. Kari Klemme, of NICER, said that 379 people came out for this years event. That nearly doubles last year’s number, she said. “It was awesome,” said Klemme. She said that the funds will be split between the two...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] HANCOCK — For the first time this year, the seven-day COVID-19 case count in the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department’s weekly update fell below 100, with less than 100 new cases in Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties from Feb. 26 to Wednesday. There were 13 new COVID-19 cases in Baraga County, 18 new cases in Gogebic, 40 new cases in Houghton, four new cases in Keweenaw and eight new cases in Ontonagon, for a total of 83 new cases in the western U.P. The update says tha...
IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Public Safety Department was called to the scene of a two-vehicle crash involving a school bus and a pickup truck on Thursday afternoon on U.S. 2 just east of Easy Street in the city. The school bus, operated by Schilleman Bus Service of Eagle River, Wisconsin, was transporting children for the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District at 2:30 p.m. when it collided with a pickup truck. Four people were transported to Aspirus Ironwood Hospital for minor injuries and...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER - For the first time in nearly two years students and staff at Washington Elementary School are free to be in the classroom and move about the building without a face covering. The Bessemer school board unanimously voted to terminate the face-mask mandate at the elementary school during its meeting on Wednesday. Superintendent Dan Niemi said he discussed the issue with elementary principal Mark Switzer, and other staff members and they all felt...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] BESSEMER — Jerry Wuorenmaa, the executive director of the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region office, appeared before the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting on Wednesday to provide an overview of a grant opportunity from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. The grant was regarding collaboration between counties for materials management. Wuorenmaa called this “a newer way of looking at solid waste management and pla...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] IRONWOOD - As the three-day winter storm comes to an end, 14.9 inches of snow were measured at the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Treatment Facility in Ironwood from Monday through 7 a.m. on Wednesday, bringing the total snow accumulation for the 2021-2022 winter season to 143.8 inches. The National Weather Service in Marquette says that Ironwood, Watersmeet and most surrounding areas received 12-18 inches of snow, with the Porcupine Mountains and other,...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD — Jesse Carroll, of Ironwood, was hired as the new administrative assistant to the director of admissions, marketing and public relations at Gogebic Community College by the board of trustees Tuesday night. According to college officials, Carroll, a GCC alum, has the experience needed and is a strong advocate for the college. Carroll was selected from 12 applicants for the position. “I am excited to welcome Jesse as the new assistant in admissions and marketing,” said Kim Zeckovich, direc...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] SAXON, Wis. — The Mid America Snowmobile Tournament of Expert Riders will bring their latest form of racing — Terra-X — to the Iron County Fairgrounds in Saxon on Saturday. T he event is sponsored by the Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce, White Thunder Riders, and the Iron County Fair Board. Hurley Chamber Director Rita Franzoi said that Terra-X is “one of the most fun forms of snowmobile racing,” in a press release. Terra-X racing is a new form of snow oval sno-cross snowmobile racing that incorpora...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - Today is the last day to register for the Wolverine Winter Challenge, so there is still time to sign up and participate for a chance to win door prizes. The challenge will end on Saturday. Participants can choose to snowshoe one or all five of the snowshoe trails, ski 10k of any groomed trail or fat tire bike one groomed snowmobile trail on the Wolverine Nordic Ski Trails in Ironwood Township. For each trail completed or after completing the 10k ski, the participant gets an entry...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - After a 10-year hiatus, the snowmobile hillclimb returned to Copper Peak this past weekend. Participants had a simple goal to make it to the top of the extremely steep Copper Peak hill, zigging and zagging around gates. The top prizes went to those who made it to the top in the shortest time. Tyler Robinson, of Afton, Wyoming, was named King of the Hill in the Mod Class with a winning time of 42.06 seconds. Matt Tingstad of Bessemer claimed...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] MARQUETTE — A winter weather advisory will be in effect until 6 a.m. CST Wednesday for Ironwood, Watersmeet and surrounding areas, according to the National Weather Service in Marquette. Matt Zika, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said there will be 12-18 inches of snow over a 48-hour period starting on Monday before tapering off Wednesday morning. “When you first look at the snow totals, they look pretty impressive,” Zika said. “But they take place over a long duration of 48 hour...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] HANCOCK — The cumulative COVID-19 case rate for Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties has dropped for the fourth week in a row, according to an update from the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department on Friday. The COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 population is 276.2 in Baraga County, 208.5 in Gogebic, 150 in Houghton, 182 in Keweenaw and 206.4 in Ontonagon, for a total of 185.2 cases per 100,000 population in the western U.P. As of last week, the cumulative case rate was 298.6 p...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] MONTREAL, Wis. - Northern Iron County Engaged Residents and the Penokee Rangers Trail Corps are planning the fourth annual Hygge Hike by candlelight at the Historic Montreal Ski Trails from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 26. According to NICER, the organizers decided to continue with the candlelight snowshoe theme of the hike following the success of last year's event. A 1.5-mile portion of the Montreal Ski Trails will be lined with luminaria, bonfires and...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] BESSEMER — The city of Bessemer is purchasing a new dump truck. The city council approved the purchase for $128,000 during its meeting on Monday after some discussion on the two possible trucks, opting for the one that cost $4,000 more. According to City Manager Charly Loper, the city’s department of public works lead-man Neal Nelson said that both trucks would meet the city’s needs. She said that Nelson said the more expensive truck would be able to be used for plowing, but would be a little long...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] RAMSAY - The Bessemer Township Fire Department now has a working and upgraded set of Jaws of Life tools to assist with emergency situations thanks to a generous donation from a fire department in lower Michigan and the coordinating efforts of Specialist Tpr. Jason Berg of the Michigan State Police Fire Investigation Unit in Negaunee. "It's a big game-changer for the fire department," said Berg. "Now they are able to have equipment that is going to...
By CHARITY SMITH [email protected] IRONWOOD - Gogebic Community College has partnered once again with the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District to host five summer camp classes for youth ages 11-14. "It is really exciting. It's the second year we have tried to do some programing targeting middle school students," said Glen Ackerman-Behr, director of workforce development at GCC. "Last year, we had one camp in Gogebic County and one camp in Ontonagon County, both focusing on manu...
By ZACHARY MARANO [email protected] HURLEY — The Iron County Comprehensive Planning/Land and Zoning Committee considered a request from Wayne Riebe, of Mercer, to change the definition of a lot in Iron County’s shoreland ordinance at its meeting Tuesday. Riebe wants to expand his property, the Gateway Lodge and Resort, past a public right-of-way in Mercer. However, the county defines a lot as a continuous parcel of land not divided by a public right-of-way. Land and Zoning Administrator Erika Roeder said that if Riebe makes this expans...
