Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 176 - 200 of 302
To the Editor: To the citizens of Bessemer, I urge you to vote against the override of the Headlee Amendment. The Headlee Amendment was passed in 1979 by a vote of the citizens of the entire state of Michigan to provide some control over what had been, up to that point, the runaway imposition of increased property taxes. The amendment mandated that as a municipality grew in property values, a formula was used to decrease the millage that the municipality could impose on its citizens, thereby maintaining at least some control on the amount of... Full story
To the Editor: I believe the letter to the editor by Mike Korpela (Oct. 12) regarding school consolidation is extremely relevant to the continuation of quality education in western Gogebic County. I believe further investigation is necessary by the Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco school districts. As a former resident of East Grand Rapids, I believe the state has had, as recent as this past year, a special fund of $5 million to assist various schools in consolidation transitions. There really is no reason for the boards of education to not... Full story
To the Editor: Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the annual convention of the Michigan Municipal League, the leading advocate and training organization for cities across Michigan. I attended this convention to visit with my friends from Wakefield, Mayor Richard Bolen, city manager John Siira and council member Ted Finco. I also had the opportunity to meet the Ironwood city manager, Scott Erickson. As a newly appointed city manager for Luna Pier, Mich., I was extremely impressed to learn that both Bolen and Erickson are both serving on... Full story
I am ashamed of the Ironwood Township Board which is responsible for cutting $14,000 worth of funding to the Ironwood Carnegie Library. I’m afraid the library will be forced to charge Ironwood Township residents a fee to access the library. The annual non-resident fee was recently increased to $60 for 2014. That is substantially more than the $8 per person the township has provided the library in the past, and will make it impossible for economically challenged families to access a valuable resource. I encourage Ironwood Township residents t... Full story
On Nov. 5, Bessemer voters will be asked to consider a proposal to restore the city’s maximum taxing authority for general government purposes to the charter-authorized 20 mills. Earlier this year, the Bessemer City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the following proposal to override the tax limitation of the Headlee Amendment to the Michigan Constitution: “Shall a Headlee Override be adopted so that the current limitations on the amount of city taxes that may be levied against all taxable property in the city of Bessemer, Gogebic Cou... Full story
The Luther L. Wright High School class of 1958 recently held its 55th reunion. It was a very successful reunion, thanks to many of your community members. We had a very informational and entertaining experience at the Old Depot Museum with Gary Harrington, who has been always willing to take our class on tours in the past, such as at the Ironwood Memorial Building. He is great. Then, we had another wonderful, educational tour of the Historic Ironwood Theatre by Bruce Greenhill, who was so personable and knowledgeable. We also toured a few... Full story
I met Harry Rizzie in the summer of 1992. The first thing he said to me was: “I know you’re the new super, but my question to you is, just what is your athletic background?” That began a friendship which lasted these past 22 years. Harry was one of the good guys, as he loved Bessemer and especially its kids weaving their way through our schools. Harry was a man of short, meaningful questions and statements. He kept me on my toes and made me think. Harry was blessed with many friends and his voice on the radio kept the stay-at-home fan glued... Full story
Every time we hear a siren or see flashing lights whiz by, there’s a good possibility someone is in peril. And while we sit back — mostly with relief when we see the fire engine didn’t turn toward our house or down our grandmother’s road — police, fire and other emergency personnel charge ahead. Any hour of the day, to the farthest reaches of the county, bad things can and do happen. Help is needed and help arrives, thanks to the men and women of our many local emergency units. Some of these folks are professionals, while others are volunteers,... Full story
To the Editor: Five months have passed since the Bessemer Area Schools’ $7 million bond proposal was decisively rejected by district voters. Rather than accepting the vote as an informed decision, our school board is bogged down in a tiresome display of petty bickering, frivolous recall petitions and repackaging another doomed bond proposal. Most recently, our board is looking into moving the elementary school from one obsolete building to another obsolete building. Regarding the issue of the day, consolidation, our board is unwilling to e... Full story
The American Red Cross blood drive on Sept. 25 in Ironwood received 74 pints of blood, which are now available for patients in need at approximately 3,000 hospitals in our community and across the nation. They send their sincere appreciation for everyone who supported the blood drive, especially to Anders Lyle Johnson, who received his 10-gallon donation pin. The next American Red Cross blood drive at the Ironwood Memorial Building will be Dec. 18 from noon to 6 p.m. Call me, Betsy Slabough, at 906-932-5478 for more information or to set up an... Full story
The Mercer Lioness community blood drive was held Tuesday, Oct. 8. There were 29 registered donors. A milestone donor award was given to Opal Roberts, who earned her seven-gallon pin. The Mercer Lioness members are grateful for the donors and volunteers who made this drive a success, including Judy Bugni, blood drive coordinator; Lori Ackerman and Joyce Brundage, registration; LaRane Garrett, Jeannie Koleno and Pat Wonderling, canteen; and June Brunell, Judie Wilson and Wonderling, for the supply of cookies and bars. The next blood drive will... Full story
National Newspaper Week, Oct. 6-12, may not be marked in red on your calendar, and we’re pretty sure Hallmark has never written a card to celebrate the occasion, but we’d like to take the opportunity to share the importance of newspapers in today’s society. Newspapers continue to be a strong source of information to millions of people every day. According to Scarborough Research, 131 million Americans read a daily newspaper the past week. It is true the newspaper industry is changing, but contrary to what you may have heard, newspapers are n... Full story
To the Editor: Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the United States, profiting $32 billion annually, which includes more than 100,000 children being sold in the sex trade industry. The belief that this crime only exists in third world countries only shadows the reality that human trafficking is not only occurring in the United States, but is happening in the state of Wisconsin and in our community of Iron County. I am exceedingly proud of the immediate response from the Iron County Sheriff’s Department, district a... Full story
To the Editor: It has recently been brought to our attention that there is a petition circulating through the communities of Bessemer and Wakefield recommending putting the consolidation of Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco school districts onto the ballot for a May 2014 election. While any citizen may circulate a petition on any topic, no one has the right to claim support for the petition’s intent when that support has not been given. The person attempting to collect signatures to put consolidation onto the May ballot has indicated the W... Full story
If the current upheaval in Washington over the shutdown of the federal government and looming debt ceiling deadline teaches us anything, perhaps it should be that we need to elect reasonable people. People who are willing to do the work of governing. Isn’t that what we elected them to do? To that end, and keeping in mind the age-old adage: “All politics is local,” we challenge the community to become engaged in the Nov. 5 general election. There are key elections for city government and millage proposals across Gogebic County. In Ironw... Full story
To the Editor: First, I would like to say that I am a deer hunter and have been since the late 1960s. Let me ask all of you a question: “What should the city of Ironwood do if a child predator moves into the city?” Do any of you think that the city should get rid of all the children in the city in hope that the child predator will go away? That is what the city is doing to combat the wolf problem. They want to slaughter as many deer as possible in hope that the wolves will go away. Let me tell you that it will never happen. It’s time to targe... Full story
To the Editor: Once upon a time, one could read the funnies to children. Looks like the comics are going the way of the radio and TV. Twice in the last week the punch line in a strip has used the word “fart.” I would feel terrible trying to navigate around this word while reading to children Does anyone else feel this way, or is it just me? Ted Shultz Hurley... Full story
I am one of those “seniors” who made the trip to Gogebic Community College Saturday, Sept. 21, to take advantage of the community flu shot clinic. I was able to use the drive-up part and thought it was great for those of us who have trouble walking. Kudos to the Iron County Health Department, the Western U.P. Health Department, Aspirus Grand View Hospital and GCC’s nursing program for sponsoring such a well-run clinic. Thank you. Margaret A. Boline Bessemer... Full story
To the Editor: An article in the Sept. 18 Daily Globe reported about my presentation to the Ontonagon County Commission about how the Western U.P. Planning and Development Region officials would not answer my questions. It is important that the public knows what my questions concerned. I have attended WUPPDR meetings where they promoted an alternative energy such as pellet plants. I agree with the concept of alternative fuels. However, I believe information provided to promote these uses should be based on facts, with the intent of creating a... Full story
To the Editor: On March 27, 1977, in the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain, was the most tragic occurrence of all time in regard to airplane accidents. Of a total 650 people, 582 were killed and 68 survived. One of the survivors, Norman Williams, of California, related that his mother prayed the 91st Psalm for his safety just prior to his departure. Because of the heavy fog on the island, neither pilot was aware of the impending dilemma. One plane was taxiing in and the other was moving to become airborne when they collided. Williams said... Full story
I had the privilege and honor of accompanying a World War II veteran on this week’s U.P. Honor Flight mission to Washington, D.C. Being a part of this flight was a tremendous experience I will never forget. These veterans, like all who have proudly worn a uniform for the United States Armed Forces, have provided a great service to our nation, and they deserve our gratitude and respect. They also deserve the assurance that their needs will be met, regardless of what phase of life they are in. Spending time with those 75 Upper Peninsula v... Full story
To the Editor: We can do better than this. On Monday, Sept. 9, our representatives here in Ironwood decided to spend 53,000 of our dollars to confiscate and destroy the residence and workplace of a neighbor and fellow citizen of ours — a person who in spite of great difficulties, not only works hard to provide for his own needs, but consistently spends much of his own time, money and effort to positively help others, and who is a harm to no one. How would you feel if a person forcibly took your own residence and workshop, most of your p... Full story
To the editor: The Range Suicide Prevention Council would like to publicly thank the Danny B Dream Team for all its help in our mission of reducing suicides here on the Gogebic Range. Over the past three years, these dedicated young people have raised more than $7,500 by putting on the Danny B Jack & Jill Softball Tournament in memory of Danny Baross, who died Feb. 10, 2009, at the age of 31 as a result of suicide. Just as important as the funds they have raised is the fact they, along with the Baross family, are helping tear down the shroud... Full story
To the Editor: I found Michigan state Rep. Scott Dianda’s (D-Calumet) letter to the editor in the Aug. 30 Daily Globe to be very misleading. The reasons are: — No-fault isn’t the issue; unlimited medical benefits are the problem. — Michigan is one of 13 states with a no-fault law. — We’re the only one with an unlimited PIP Benefit. — 2012 the average medical claim in Michigan was over $45,000. The next highest state, New Jersey, is a no-fault state also. Their average was $17,000. — Every other state a person has the choice on how much in med... Full story
To the Editor: Crow call sharply drifts over forest wall, between the nothing and the all. All, or nothing at all. It is remindful of Aristotle’s “law of the excluded middle,” which states that everything is either “A,” or “Not A.” But Aristotle, even considering the shorter life spans of the time, must at some point have come to the realization as his philosophy matured that not everything is either black or white, but inclusive of many shades of grey between. In terms of human ability, the unseen world far outweighs the seen. Analysis usin... Full story
