GOGEBIC RANGE - The Western U.P. is the number one winner of USA Today's Best Fall Foliage Destination Spot for 2024. MI-TRALE of Bruce Crossing made the announcement while encouraging local residents and tourists to enjoy local trails and roads while the leaves are still on the trees. USA Today noted Copper Peak among color-viewing opportunities. Copper Peak's adventure ride, which provides a panoramic view of a sea of trees in all directions, will be open until Oct. 20. Beyond the local...

By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD - Ironwood celebrated Plaidurday on Friday. Now an annual tradition, the celebration saw hundreds of people gather in downtown Ironwood, on Aurora Street, for a drone photo, vendor fair and other fun. This year, the celebration began at 10 a.m., with people gathering downtown to participate in a scavenger hunt. The vendor fair was held at the Ironwood Downtown City Square, beginning at 3:30 p.m., with artisans and farmers gathering to sell their...

HOUGHTON - Two Gogebic County health officials attended the first U.P. Accessibility Summit on Sept. 26 and 27 at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. Kassi Huotari, executive director of the Gogebic Range Health Foundation, and Amy Nosal, a community health worker with the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department, participated in the event uniquely centered around the needs and benefits of increasing accessibility. Increasing accessibility means creating spaces and attitudes that...

By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] PENCE, Wis. - Students from across the Northwoods got to attend a logging industry demonstration this past week, as the Log A Load For Kids nationwide giving campaign hosted a multi-day logging event in Pence, Wisconsin. Loggers and other industry professionals donate their time to contribute to local Children's Miracle Network hospitals by donating the value of a load of logs to nearby Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. According to Log-A-Load...

KIMBALL, Wis. - Larry Michael Hopkins passed away on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, at his home due to prostate cancer. Larry was born on June 2, 1941, at the Aspirus Ironwood Hospital, in Ironwood, Michigan, to Mildred Elvira Nyman and Roy Hargraves Hopkins. Not long after, he and his mother moved to Ashland to live with his aunt and grandfather while his father commanded a company of army engineers in the South Pacific. After World War II, he and his parents resided for three years in Jones,...

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - David Paul Mullard, 39, of El Cajon, California, lost his courageous battle to cancer at University of California San Diego Hospital in San Diego on Sept. 29, 2024. He was born on Jan. 25, 1985, to Paul and Joyce Mullard during a snowstorm in Ashland, Wisconsin. He grew up in Hurley, Wisconsin, and graduated from Hurley High School in 2003. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in October 2003. After basic training, David became an information technology (IT) specialist and was...

IRONWOOD, Mich. - Ann Marie Danielson, 65, of Ironwood, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at her home, surrounded by her loving family after battling cancer for the past 11 months. She was so brave, strong, and fought so hard while remaining optimistic throughout her entire sickness. Ann was born on Jan. 15, 1959, in Ironwood, a daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Selves) Uremovich. She attended Ironwood schools. Ann worked at The Liberty Bell Chalet in downtown Hurley, Wisconsin, for more...

ERWIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Jane Denise Pawlak, age 72, of Erwin Township, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 30, 2024, surrounded by her family and friends. Jane was born on Sept. 1, 1952, at the Divine Infant Hospital in Wakefield to Dominic "Dava" and Bernice (Grambow) Valesano. She graduated from high school in Wakefield and continued her education at Gogebic Community College and Northern Michigan University. Jane retired as a special education teacher for the Gogebic Intermediate School...

IRONWOOD, Mich. - Norma June Oman, 87, a long-time Ironwood resident, passed away peacefully on Sept. 27, 2024, with her husband by her side, at a Twin Cities assisted living center. Norma began her life in Saxon, Wisconsin, as the youngest of five children born to John and Bessie Nordberg. After graduating from Saxon High School, Norma married Eric Oman on July 30, 1955, and they built their life together in one of the prettiest spots on Lake Superior, Little Girl's Point. Norma was a gifted...

HURLEY, Wis. - Nancy Jane Sertic, 89, of Ironwood Township, Michigan, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Villa Maria Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hurley. Nancy was born the baby of eight siblings on July 10, 1935, to Oscar and Ida (Berg) Holst in Ironwood, Michigan. She attended Norrie Elementary School and was a 1953 graduate of Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood. On Aug. 24, 1955, she was united in marriage to Robert "Cheetah" Sertic at Holy Trinity Church in...

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Lillian L. Suomi, of Green Bay, passed away at St. Vincent Hospital, on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, after a brief stay. She had been a resident of Oak Park Place Assisted Living and Memory Care for the past three years. Lillian was born to George R. and Elsie E. (Toijala) Suomi on Jan. 22, 1935, in Bessemer, Michigan. She was raised in Harding Location and lived across the road from her grandmother Toijala's farm. Lillian attended local schools and graduated from A.D. Johnston...

INDIAN RIVER, Mich. - Phoebe Katherine (Tassava) Ordway, 91, passed away in her sleep Aug. 11, 2024, with family at her side. Phoebe was born to Abel and Lempi (Niemi) Tassava in Ironwood on Oct. 7, 1932. She graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood in 1949. She completed cosmetology school in Lansing and owned and operated her own salon from 1957 to 1998. In 1953 Phoebe married Harold K. Ordway. Never a day passed without love and devotion to one another being evident. Phoebe's...