Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

City commission hears grim facts on suicide

By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

IRONWOOD — Pat Gallinagh had some grim statistics for the Ironwood City Commission on Monday.

The suicide rate in Ontonagon County is the highest in the state and Gogebic County ranks seventh among the 83 counties, he noted.

The Ironwood resident, a former area educator and high school football coach, believes the lack of psychiatric counseling on the Gogebic Range plays a big factor in the high suicide rate here, in addition to alcohol and drug abuse and the availability of firearms.

“The scarcity of mental health services, alcohol and guns ar...