Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Sorted by date Results 1 - 21 of 21
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER — Members of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners took steps last week to streamline income and expenses relating to the county fairgrounds. The action took place at the board’s July 10 meeting and included a vote that all future rental and storage revenue from the fairgrounds should be collected directly by the county, rather than by the county Fair Board. Related discussion occurred during the county’s Personnel and Negotiations Committee, which met just prior to the board meeti...
By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] WAKEFIELD - The first burial lot in the city of Wakefield was purchased in 1905, roughly two decades after the city was established in 1884, at about the same time that the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western railroad company laid tracks through the region. George Wakefield, a successful business man in logging, real estate and mineral lands - originally from Henderson, New York - had surveyed the area and established the city named for him. At the time, the...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] GOGEBIC RANGE — As Fourth of July celebrations wrap up in the Gogebic Range, many towns have pulled the winning numbers for their 50/50s. Below is a list of some of the major 50/50s, their winning numbers, and any other available information. Bessemer The Bessemer Fourth of July record-setting 50/50 raffle winners were Greg and Diana Meeuwsen of West Salem, Wisconsin. Their winning ticket number was 36413, and they took home $54,573. Wakefield The Wakefield Fourth of July 50/50 winner was Paige Berwald o...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] IRONWOOD — The Ironwood Area School District has officially welcomed Dan Martinson into the position of superintendent. Martinson began his new role on July 1 and has been settling into it ever since. Martinson started his Ironwood career as a social studies teacher from 1999-2002. He then worked as an alternative education teacher for the Delta Schoolcraft Intermediate School District in the Escanaba area. He returned to Ironwood in 2014 as an alternative school educator. Since then, he has held s...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] IRONWOOD - On July 12, kids shrieked in the background while playing in the sprinkler of the Downtown City Square as local and state officials hailed Ironwood's newly allotted status as a Redevelopment Ready City. The squeals were apt as officials sometimes used similar enthusiasm to congratulate and/or thank each for the accomplishment. "Redevelopment Ready - Yay!" called out Mayor Kim Corcoran. The mayor said the new status, conferred by...
By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] WATERSMEET TOWNSHIP — Haley and Nicole Peterson are teenagers from Watersmeet. They’re going to Romania this October to compete in the 2024 Pankration World Championships. Pankration, you say? Yes, Pankration. It is an Ancient Greek form of combat dating back to 648 BC. In Greek mythology, it was said that the heroes Heracles and Theseus invented Pankration as a result of using both wrestling and boxing in their confrontations with opponents. The rules have changed over the centuries. It’s a safer, more i...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] BESSEMER - The end of an era, of sorts, occurred on July 10 when the old Gamble Hardware building and Rexall Pharmacy building were demolished in a single day on Bessemer's main street. The action was a long time coming and was made possible, finally, by recently allotted funds from Michigan's State Land Bank Authority. "It's kind of tough to watch it go down," said Jerry Strelcheck, who ran a hardware store there for many years, starting at the age...
By DAMIIAN LANG [email protected] IRONWOOD - Every July and August in Ironwood, the Emberlight Festival makes a big splash. Art in the Park - a large installation art show - is the first event of the festival, having started on June 29, but it lasts through Aug. 24 in Miners Memorial Heritage Park. Artists from across the upper Midwest bring their original pieces, large and small, and create art installations nestled among the lush, green trees. Visitors will discover stunning, poignant,...
By MEGAN HUGHES [email protected] HURLEY — During a regular monthly meeting on Monday, members of the Hurley School District Board of Education discussed and planned for policy changes that will begin on Aug. 1, due to federal adjustments to Title IX regulations. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 are those regarding discrimination based on sex in relation to educational programs and activities. “The Title IX applies to schools, local and state educational agencies all across the United States that receive any federal fin...
By PAMELA JANSSON [email protected] HURLEY — The Hurley City Council learned on Monday evening that a new housing development expected to break ground by now has been delayed until later this fall. “We’ve been going round and round on the wetlands issue,” said Mayor Joanne Bruneau. She said she has learned from Carol Keen, vice president for real estate development for Impact Seven in Rice Lake, that in order to avoid any association with wetlands, the originally planned housing site now must be adjusted slightly. Impact Seven was ins...
IRONWOOD - Lawrence "Larry" J. Choronzy, 75, of Ironwood, passed away on Friday, July 5, 2024, at the Aspirus Ironwood Hospital. Larry was born on Jan. 6, 1949, to John and Signe (Kaartunen) Choronzy in Ironwood. He was a true Norrie resident, living on the same street his entire 75 years of life. Larry was a 1967 graduate of L.L. Wright High School in Ironwood. He was united in marriage to Gail Lehto, his high school sweetheart, on May 9, 1970, in Ironwood. He was a member of the U.S. Army... Full story
SPOONER, Wis. - Donna R. Lake, 77, of Spooner, formerly a longtime resident of Wakefield, Michigan, died on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at Glenview Assisted Living in Shell Lake, Wisconsin. Donna was born on March 21, 1947, at the Wakefield Hospital, a daughter of Harold E. and Carol A. (Dahl) Lake. She was baptized and confirmed at the First Lutheran Church, (now All Saints Lutheran Church), in Wakefield. Donna attended Wakefield High School and graduated in 1965. She continued her education at... Full story
DULUTH, Minn. - William H. Kleimola, 40, of Kimball, Wisconsin, passed away at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth after a short illness on Thursday, July 4, 2024. William was born March 13, 1984, in Ironwood, Michigan, to JoAnn Niemi (Pelkola) and Walter Kleimola. He was later guided in life by his second father, Roy Niemi. He attended and graduated from Hurley K-12 School in 2003. Willy went on to dedicate a career of over 20 years to Kimball Inn restaurant. Willy was preceeded in death by his fathe... Full story
OSPREY, Fla. - Elizabeth A. Weis, born Dec. 28, 1928, passed on June 28, 2024. She is survived by her eight children, Walter, Alicia, Patricia, Elizabeth Jeanne, Dianna, Krystine, Marci and Kathleen; as well as 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Elizabeth graduated from Canisteo Central High School in New York as salutatorian in 1946 and then went on to receive her Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 1950. Upon graduation, she worked as a home economics teacher in... Full story
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Carole Ann Erickson, 84, of Ironwood Township, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Sunday, July 7, 2024. Carole was born on June 14, 1940, to Roy Luoma and Helen (Lake) Niemi. She was a graduate of J.E. Murphy High School in Hurley, Wisconsin. On March 3, 1962, she was united in marriage with Ronald E. Erickson at Holy Trinity Church. Carole enjoyed spending time at their lake cottage, going to the casino, and playing scratch-offs. Carole will be miss... Full story
HURLEY, Wis. - Jeannine Ann Saippa, 86, of Hurley, Wisconsin, a long-time former resident of Kimball, passed away on Sunday, July 14, 2024, at the Skyview Nursing Home in Hurley surrounded by her family. Jeannine was born and raised in Milwaukee, on July 9, 1938, to Robert and Cecelia Chase. After high school, Jeannine met the love of her life, John "Mitch" Saippa. They later married and moved to Kimball to raise their three children. Jeannine worked at the Corkscrew Citgo in Hurley, Citgo in... Full story
HURLEY, Wis. - Earl Rudolph Hakari, 92, of Ironwood Township, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 15, 2024, at the Villa Maria Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hurley. Earl was born on Feb. 21, 1932, in Ironwood Township to Earl J. and Eva V. Siikila. He was a 1949 graduate of Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood. Earl then served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. After his service, he graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1959. Earl lived in Montana, Detroit... Full story
Email calendar items and community news to [email protected]. For more information, call 906-932-2211. Thursday, July 18 Bessemer St. Vincent de Paul, financial assistance, 9-10 a.m.; food pantry, 10 a.m. to noon. 906-663-4436. Ironwood St. Vincent de Paul, food pantry and financial assistance, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., located behind Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. 906-932-4325. Gogebic County Veterans Service Officer, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Wakefield City Hall; 1-2 p.m., Watersmeet Township; 2:45-3:15 p.m., Marenisco Township. 906-667-1110.... Full story
By JASON JUNO [email protected] IRONWOOD — Ironwood, Hurley and Gogebic all had strong seasons and they played in some epic battles against each other on the diamond this season. For instance, the Red Devils beat both of their rivals, but also lost to both in walkoff fashion. Now players from all three teams, plus one from Ontonagon and a couple of recent graduates, have joined forces, and their American Legion team, the Ironwood Athletics, is 9-3 entering this week’s zone tournament in Gladstone. “You never know how it’s going to go,...