Gogebic Community College extends closure through today

By ZACHARY MARANO

zmarano@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — Gogebic Community College faculty decided on Tuesday to close its Ironwood campus, including the Lindquist Center, on Wednesday and today “due to recent threats and uncertainty.”

A Facebook post from the college says that Ironwood campus staff will be working remotely and the Copper Country Center in Houghton will remain open on these days.

The Gogebic County Sheriff’s Department received a bomb threat directed at Gogebic Community College on Monday. College president Dr. George McNulty said on Monday evening that college operations would resume on Tuesday, but GCC was closed again on Tuesday after a second bomb threat.

According to a media release from the Michigan State Police, state troopers, the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Department and the Ironwood Public Safety Department responded to the first bomb threat at approximately 3:20 p.m. on Monday. Area law enforcement and GCC personnel conducted a search of the premise and determined the threat “not credible,” the release says.

The Gogebic County Sheriff’s Department and MSP responded to a second bomb threat at approximately 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday, a press release signed by Sheriff Ross Solberg says.

“This threat was similar in nature to the report made yesterday,” the release says. “Area law enforcement worked with the college administration to quickly evacuate and lock the buildings down. Law enforcement then conducted a thorough search of the college. No explosive devices or anything else suspicious was located.”

Det./Sgt. Jessie L. Yesney told the Daily Globe on Wednesday that an emergency plan is in place and sheriff’s deputies and state police are actively patrolling the area.

Yesney said that GCC is just one of many colleges and universities threatened across the country that was threatened this week. He said that a federal investigation is ongoing.

Lt. Mark Giannunzio of the Michigan State Police Negaunee Post told the Daily Globe that the phone calls threatening GCC and other colleges seem to be coming from outside of the country.