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Wastewater Authority
Seeking Federal Funds |
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| Ironwood - March 25, 2009 The central topic of
discussion at the Wednesday morning meeting was in
regards to a sludge accumulation in a 6 inch sludge
transfer line at the wastewater facility. It seems
as though not all the initial grit received at the
facility is filtered out. As result when being
pumped from tank one to next filtration process some
sludge does accumulate in the lines. The amount of
the sludge is estimated to be approximately 2 inches
or one third of the pipes diameter according to Jim
Bowman, the facility manager. Jim explained that due
to some very sharp turns in the line sections of the
pipe will need to be disassembled for cleaning. In
fact, the whole cleaning project is not a simple as
one might expect. Jim will keep the board members a
breast of the progress made on this project.
Discussed a letter received from MERS to the
Wastewater authority regarding the Retirement
Investment Portfolio. As a surprise to no one the
value of the portfolio decreased 25% last year. The
Portfolio as a whole has done very well over the
long haul as a result of its conservative investment
strategy and planning. MERS portfolio management
strategy is based on a conservative annual growth
rate of 8%. Over the last seven years realized gains
were approximately 13%. The investment portfolio is
still geared to a ten year plus investment plan. The
committee saw no need to make any changes in the
authorities position. The question did arise over
the large amounts of money held that is not FDIC
insured. It was noted that those monies were insured
through PRIVEST directly.
|
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| Jim Bowman advised the board about plans to seek
Federal Stimulus money. The wastewater facility did
not have shovel ready projects to gain access to the
2009 funds. However, the manager is preparing two
large proposals and several smaller ones to submit
for the 2010 funding when it becomes available. As
in life nothing is simple. Many items that would be
useful for waste water facilities are made in
foreign countries and these items (systems) might
not fly in the face of the "Made in America"
provisions the stimulus package. One disturbing
comment was in regard to the Michigan State
Revolving Loan Fund. Jim learned that this fund is
geared for municipalities with populations of 10,000
or more. It was felt that since the combined size of
the area serviced by the wastewater facility was
close to that number that there might be an
opportunity to utilize these funds. Jim Bowman will
continue to work with Coleman Engineering for
sources of state and federal funding for the
facilities projects |
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Community Health Fair: April 2 |
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From: "Communications - Finlandia
University"
Hancock - March 28 2009
A Community Health Fair will take place at
Finlandia Hall, the Finlandia University
residence hall, on Thursday, April 2, 2009,
from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
The event includes free blood pressure, body
fat, and bone density screenings, activities
for children, information from various
health care providers, food, and prize
raffles.
The Community Health Fair is sponsored by
the Finlandia University Department of
Residence Life and the Student Nurses'
Association.
For more information please contact Kelley
Martin, Finlandia director of residence
life, at 906-487-7230 or kelley.martin@finlandia.edu.
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Magnetic Generator
Nears Production |
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L'ANSE -March 27 , 2009
A company based in L'Anse is continuing
to develop their electric generator that
runs on magnets.
The Nullgrav Corporation's patent
generator was just tested by Lake
Superior State University and confirmed
the company's results that the generator
actually speeds up when used.
President and CEO Richard Rogala says
every other kind of generator slows down
when a load is applied.
But because their magnets and coils are
fixed they're able to be more efficient.
The hope is, with more investors, to
develop a generator the runs solely on
magnets, eliminating the need for fuel
or combustion.
"So this new patented design will enable
us to tap more of the magnetism that's
sitting in the magnets just more
efficiently because it doesn't fight
itself under load," says Rogala.
He hopes in the next year or so, to have
the product ready for manufacture and
set up a plant in the Houghton-Hancock
area. |
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Blight Complaint
Discussed at Township Hall |
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| Ironwood Township - March 25, 2009 The blight was once
again the topic of discussion at the Township meeting Monday
afternoon. Resident and local attorney, Marvin Marks renewed
his complaint regarding blighted property that is adjacent
to his township property at Little Girls Point. Mr. Marks
had sent a letter to the Board of Trustees with photos that
allegedly supported his claim. Mr. Marks advised the Board
that regardless of what action the board took or didn't take
he had begun litigation in the matter.
The board agreed to once again inspect the property that
is the center of the complaint. |
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| Jim Roeper Gogebic 911 Coordinator made a presentation
at the township meeting regarding the upcoming
election. The Gogebic 911 Committee is requesting an E911
surcharge increase. The increase is deemed necessary due to
significant cost increases associated with the dispatching
of 911 calls from Negaunee Dispatch Center.
The enhanced service provides dispatchers with the
callers location when circumstances prevent the caller from
doing so themselves. This situation can arise under many
circumstances such as when a caller is the victim of an
heart attack or when phone lines fail during a fire. Basic
911 service does not pinpoint the location of the 911
caller. |
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Ironwood Native Shooting Victim |
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| Sgt. Ervin Romans who was killed in the
line of duty in Oakland, CA ( See story below) was the eldest
son of Mr. & Mrs. Chet Romans of Ironwood Township. Chet owns
Romans Electric and is a long time member of the Ironwood
Township Vol. Fire Dept. |
OAKLAND, Calif. MARCH 23, 2009
Relatives of the man suspected of fatally shooting three Oakland
police officers said Sunday the 26-year-old parolee was
frustrated about not finding work and feared returning to jail.
The suspect Lovelle Mixon was slain in a gunfight with police
during which two officers were killed Saturday, authorities
said. Another officer was fatally shot earlier in the day and a
fourth gravely wounded after the two of them pulled Mixon over
for a routine traffic stop, police said.
Mixon's family gathered Sunday at his grandmother's East Oakland
home, where he had stayed on and off since being released from a
nine-month sentence for a parole violation, family members said.
He had previously served six years in state prison for assault
with a firearm during an armed robbery in San Francisco, the
family said. While he was in Corcoran state prison, he married
his childhood girlfriend, they said.
Mixon's uncle, 38-year-old Curtis Mixon of Fremont, said his
nephew had become depressed because he could not find work as a
convicted felon. His nephew expected authorities to issue an
arrest warrant for missing parole meetings, even though the he
felt he was not to blame, he said.
"I think his frustration was building up, but he was trying to
better himself," Curtis Mixon said.
Mixon was wanted on a no-bail warrant for violating his parole
when Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, and Officer John Hege, 41, both on
motorcycles, stopped a 1995 Buick sedan in east Oakland just
after 1 p.m., police said.
The driver opened fire, killing Dunakin and gravely wounding
Hege, Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said.
Police initially issued a statement Sunday saying Hege had died
but later backtracked, saying the officer had been declared
brain dead but remained on life support while a decision was
made about donating his organs.
Reached by telephone, Dr. John S. Hege said his son was attached
to a ventilator and "looks fine" except for a black eye behind
which the bullet was lodged.
"He does not have vital brain function to sustain life and will
not regain that," Hege said, adding that the family would soon
make a decision about continuing life support.
After shooting Hege and Dunakin, the gunman fled on foot, police
said, leading to an intense manhunt.
Two hours later, officers found the gunman inside a nearby
apartment building. When a SWAT team entered, the gunman opened
fire, police said. Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, and Sgt. Daniel Sakai,
35 were killed and a third officer was grazed by a bullet,
police said.
Officers returned fire, killing Mixon, police said.
Mixon's sister, Reynete Mixon, 16, said she was sleeping when
police kicked in the door and threw flash grenades, one of which
struck her and caused minor burns on her leg. She said she did
not know her brother was in the apartment when she fled as shots
rang out.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered flags at the state capitol
flown at half-staff Sunday. Schwarzenegger returned from
Washington, D.C., to meet briefly with Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums
and members of the police department Sunday afternoon.
Police said never in the department's history had so many
officers been killed in the line of duty in a single day.
Relatives and co-workers of the four officers requested privacy
as they absorbed the enormity of the deaths. Oakland had never
lost even two officers on the same day.
Yet some details about their lives and motivations for joining
law enforcement emerged Sunday.
Friends who knew Sakai from his days at the University of
California, Berkeley and his continued involvement in his
college fraternity said he was married to a campus police
officer and was a father. He and his family lived in Castro
Valley.
Oren Levy, a fraternity brother of Sakai, said his friend grew
up in Big Bear and was an accomplished mountain biker and
outdoorsman who majored in forestry and graduated in 1995.
As an undergraduate at Berkeley, Sakai worked for the campus
police department as a student volunteer. After graduation,
Sakai spent a year in Japan teaching English.
"His honor was extremely important to him. Whenever there was a
situation where someone could take the path that was less
honorable, he always advocated doing the right thing," Levy
said. "Being a police officer was really perfect for him."
Hege's father said his son, who lived in Concord, loved being a
policeman. He worked well with people and was an Eagle Scout. He
played high school football and wrestled. He umpired and coached
even as a youth, and joined the Oakland Police Department
reserves.
After graduating from St. Mary's College in Moraga, he taught
high school physical education for a few years in nearby Hayward
before joining the police department a decade ago.
He recently became a motorcycle traffic patrol officer, Hege
said, adding, "He liked excitement."
As for the slain shooting suspect, Hege said, "The man was
evidently terribly desperate. It is a sad story."
LaTasha Mixon, 28, of Sacramento said Sunday her cousin was "not
a monster."
She said her family's prayers were with the slain officers'
relatives.
"We're devastated. Everybody took a major loss. We're crushed,"
she said.
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Wisconsin Public Service Foundation
donates thousands in UPPCO's service area
|
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Houghton, MI – March 23, 2004 |
The Wisconsin Public Service Foundation has been
supporting charities in Upper Peninsula Power Company's service
area since 1999, the year after UPPCO's merger with the
foundation's parent company.
To date, the foundation has contributed over half a million
dollars ($506,595) in direct grants to 501(c)(3) charities in
the Upper Peninsula, including $90,000 in 2008. This amount does
not include scholarships or the Matching Gifts and Dollars for
Doers programs, which are also funded by the foundation, nor
does it include the non-foundation donations UPPCO makes each
year from other shareholder dollars.
The foundation itself is funded by stockholders of Integrys
Energy Group, not customers. Initially the foundation was funded
with paper company stocks that had been repurchased in the late
1920s and had appreciated significantly over time. The transfer
of the certificates gave the foundation a base of $2 million.
The resulting tax credits increased the value of WPS stock and
gave the company a consistent means of contributing to
charitable purposes.
The Wisconsin Public Service Foundation also funds two programs
that support employees in their community-service work. The
Matching Gifts program provides a dollar-for-dollar match of
employees' gifts to qualifying charities, up to $2,000 per year.
The Dollars for Doers program contributes up to $100.00 to a
charity or charities for which an employee volunteers at least
20 hours a year.
"The current state of the economy has had a negative impact on
the foundation's budget," said Janet Wolfe, Communications
Manager, who administers the corporate giving program at UPPCO.
"Our allowance for 2009 has been reduced by about one third,
following the national trend. Nevertheless, the foundation has
been very generous to us, and we appreciate the ability to tap
into that resource for charities the Upper Peninsula."
For More Information, Contact:
* Janet Wolfe
Communications Manager/Community Relations Leader
906-483-4528
* UPPCO Customer Service
800-562-7680 |
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Pinewood Derby
Nears! |
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| Wakefield - March 23, 2009 The cars may be small
and the builders might be small but, The Pinewood Derby is no
small event. The Cub Scouts have been racing these gravity fueled
vehicles since Adam and Eve. So it seems. After one or two hours of
browsing the web it becomes quite clear that this is a serious
sport. It is also big business. There a myriad of web sites selling
car kits, car plans, secret tips on winning, patches, badges,
trophies and more. Much, much more. Once you get past the
commercialization and over zealous dads, the Pinewood Derby is a
great and fun filled events for the Cubs themselves. |
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| The Pinewood Derby is one of the most popular events
in Cub Scouting. Every year more than a million boys and parents
team up to carve, decorate, weigh, adjust, fret over, and finally
race a Pinewood Derby car. The first Pinewood Derby was held in 1953
by Cub Scout Pack 280C of Manhattan Beach, California, and as of
1991 (Ref. 1992 BSA Retail Catalog) more than 81 million Pinewood
Derby model car kits have been sold. Wow!! |
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| Gogebic Cub Scouts (pictured above and below) are
getting ready for their Derby which will be held this Saturday at
the Wakefield-Marenisco School. Cubs from Bessemer Cub Pack 337 and
Wakefield Cub Pack 300 have been preparing their race cars for the
big event. |
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Scout Master Bruce Jendrusina and Cub Master Mary Jendrusina have
held workshops for those Cubs needing inspiration and/or guidance.
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DOWNTOWN
REVITALIZATION EFFORTS MOVE FORWARD |
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The following is a press release from Dan Petersen,
Ironwood Community Development Director
Residents in Downtown Ironwood's primary retail trade area may be
receiving phone calls during week of March 16th•
As part of its data collection activities for the Blueprints for
Michigan's Downtowns, the residents in the City of Ironwood's
primary retail trade area may be receiving a phone call during the
week of March 16th• The purpose of the calls will be to gather
information regarding respondents' perceptions about downtown
Ironwood, the reasons they visit the district, and the opportunities
that exist for improving the area. The telephone survey will take
approximately 5-10 minutes to complete for each household.
Participants will be selected at random.
The primary retail trade area was defined at a meeting of the
Process Committee, which is a group that was established to help
guide the Blueprints process for the city while, at the same time,
ensuring a wide range of vantage points are represented. The retail
trade area consists of the population centers of Wakefield, Michigan
on the East to the Wisconsin towns of Saxon and Upson on the West.
"We want to know how Ironwood's historic downtown district can
better-serve the needs and desires of the people who do business
here," said Downtown Ironwood Development Authority (DIDA) Chairman
George Goerig. "This process is a good opportunity for citizens and
downtown businesses to create a common vision about what they would
like their downtown district to be."
The Blueprints for Michigan's Downtowns is a partnership between the
City of Ironwood, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA),
the Michigan Municipal League (MML) and the Michigan Economic
Development Corporation (MEDC). It is a program designed to give
local units of government a five-year action strategy towards
revitalizing traditional downtown areas in the state. HyettPalma,
Inc., a nationally-renowned downtown consulting firm, is working
with these entities and will conduct II site visit during the week
of Apri120, 2009 to conduct one-on-one interviews, focus groups,
field research, and a community vision session.
Contact:
Dan Petersen, Community Development Director
petersend@cityofironwood.org
(906) 932-5050 ext. 126
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Scouting Out Rockland |
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| Rockland - March 7, 2009 Boy Scouts
from Troop 337, Bessemer and Troop 209,
Ontonagon once again had a joint overnight
camping adventure. Thirty-one scouts went to
Rockland where they spent the weekend
exploring caves, snow shoeing and honing up
their scout skills. This was their first
overnighter of 2009.
Pictured above and below scouts work on
their knot tying prowess while waiting to go
outside and work on their map and compass
challenges. Some things in scouting never
change. |
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READ MORE |
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Time Waits For No Man |
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Bergland - March 9, 2009
While traveling to an assignment,
IronwoodInfo reporter Arvo toolanen
noticed the clock being dismantled
at the Ewen State Bank in Bergland.
Concerned that the local bank might
be the latest victim of the banking
crisis, Arvo stopped to investigate
the matter.
Fortunetly, the bank was still on
firm ground. It seems that the clock
refused to advance to Daylight
Savings Time, citing the effects of
global warming or something of the
sort. So the clock was fired and
will go to the great clock heaven in
the sky.
By evening, Cook's Sign Co. from
Marquette had replaced the cranky
old clock with a brand new, more
obedient one.
Time waits for no clock! |
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Township Plans "Junk Week" |
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Ironwood Township - March
10, 2009
The Township Board held its
regularly scheduled meeting
Monday afternoon.The board went
through the agenda quickly
without any whiners interrupting
the meeting.
Joe Hilborn from White Pine
addressed the board regarding a
scrap metal pickup from township
residents. The details are to
worked out by the board. One
benefit of the scrap pickup will
be to reduce blight in the
Township. You may recall that
Hilborn was the scrap dealer who
dismantled and removed the old
refrigeration equipment from the
Civic Center last summer. It was
a monumental accomplishment! (Read
Ice Machine)
In other business the board
approved a contract to Coleman
Engineering for surveying Skyway
Road at Soccer Park. Initially
the survey will be paid for out
of the Parks and Recreation
Budget. The expenditures will be
reimbursed from the income
derived from the planned logging
west of the Airport Terminal.
The Board also discussed the
grant application being sent to
the USDA. There is a requirement
that an attorney be named for
the project along with an
estimate of costs. The board
voted to request an estimate
from Attorney James Bucknell.
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City and
Union Reach
Tentative
Agreement |
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Tuesday
- March 3,
2009
A large
number of
City workers
showed up
last night
for the
regularly
scheduled
meeting of
the Bessemer
City
Council. All
were on hand
to hear the
out come of
last
evening's
vote on
their labor
contract.
Following a
closed
session the
board
returned to
an open
session and
city manager
Tom Chatel
read the
terms of the
"second
tentative
agreement"
Under the
proposed
changes the
union
workers will
receive a
three
percent
raise
retroactive
to April
2008. The
raise
amounts to
45 cents per
hour. The
workers will
also receive
a three
percent
raise
commencing
April 2009.
That increse
amounts to
47 cents an
hour.
The union
membership
has agreed
to
concessions
on their
healthcare
coverage.
They will go
from a plan
D2 to a plan
D15. In
addition
they will
give the
city the
right to
seek
alternative
sources for
their health
care
coverage.
Members
choosing to
obtain their
own coverage
will be
compensated
$100 per
month for a
husband and
wife and
$150 per
month for a
family.
New
employees
will have to
contribute
$50 per
month
towards
their
healthcare
package.
The union
agreed to
drop the
Unfair Labor
Act
complaint
against the
city, and
absorb any
costs
incurred
The plan was
approved by
the council
in a 5-1
vote with
only
Peterson
voting no.
The workers
present at
the meeting
appeared
satisfied at
the
decision.
The contract
agrreement
will now go
to the
city's
attorney,
Michael Pope
and to Bob
Murphy for
Union
ratification.
(Photo above
- II file
photo) |
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Winter Carnival Recognized as Top Event |
.jpg) |
Top Events USA, a new website guiding people to recreation,
has named Michigan Tech's Winter Carnival among the top ten
recreational events in Michigan.
The website gives a short description of the carnival and
includes a live link to Tech’s carnival website.
Events USA also singled out carnival as its "cool site of
the day" on Jan. 8.
Carnival is listed third in the ten Michigan events that are
singled out. Other events recognized include Tulip Time in
Holland and the North American Snow Festival in Cadillac.
Winter Carnival was the only UP event listed.
The Top Events website is
www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-michigan.html .
View IronwoodInfo's coverage of the 2009 MTU "Winter
Carnival" |
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Operation Yellow Jacket Deemed Hoax |
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March 4, 2009
Subject: Watch Out!!!
Spring is Coming!
Operation Yellow Jacket
Look out for MI-DOT trucks parked along the road or suddenly
appearing behind you pacing you - it could be a Trooper driving
the truck. Called 'Operation Yellow Jacket', each Michigan State
Police District has a truck cleaned up and ready to go! These
trucks have specially modified engines that can virtually
catapult the truck from snow-plow speed to intercept speed in
seconds. And when the engine boost kicks in, the warning lights
automatically change from flashing yellow to the dreaded red and
blue!
READ MORE |
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Slick Roads Cause of another
US 2 Crash |
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| Ironwood Township -
February 27, 2009 Slick
roads were again the cause a
multi car crash on US 2 this
morning. The crash oocurred
at 9:00am just east of
Country Club Road.
I.T.V.D. was also on the
scene.
You may remember that MDOT
refused install a traffic
light t this location
sighting costs over lives.
County state and
Ironwood Officer were on the
scene.
Names of the car
occupants and the extent of
their injuries were not know
at the time of the crash. |
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Tax Rescue Plan For Homeowners |
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| Bessemer - February 26, 2009
Sue Pertile, Gogebic County
Treasurer, presented a homeowner's
rescue plan of sorts that was
approved at Wednesday nights County
Commission meeting. Sue Perile
offered a one-year extension on
overdue property taxes. The plan
offers a one year extention not a
forgiveness on delinquent tax bills.
Sue wants delinquent taxpayers to
understand "One thing with the
hardship is that it does not forgive
the taxes it only gives them one
year. Unfortunately the taxpayer
then has two years (2006 & 2007
taxes) to pay up by March 31, 2010
(in this instance)."
Sue goes on to say that "There are
other agencies that may be of
assistance to people. They are
Family Independence Agency,
Gogebic-Ontonogan Community Action,
and the Veteran’s Affair.
Individuals may want to contact
these agencies first and see if they
qualify for assistance."
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Three Cub Packs
Hold Blue and Gold Ceremonies |
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| February 22, 2009 This weekend
three Cub Packs held their annual
awards ceremonies for recognizing
the achievements of Cub Scouts this
past year. On Friday night the Cubs
of Ontonagon, Pack 209, gathered at Holy Family
Catholic Church for their awards
event. On Sunday evening Cub Pack
300 from Wakefield and Cub Pack 337
from Bessemer held a joint awards
ceremony at St. Sebastian Catholic
Church in Bessemer. At each
event, there were plenty of skits to
enjoy along with good food and
fellowship. The scouts, their
families and guests all had a great
time. Isn't that what scouting is
all about?
Click to view the Ontonagon Blue and
Gold Ceremony
Click to view the Bessemer/Wakefield
Blue and Gold Ceremony |
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IronwoodInfo.com is a Michigan,
Non-Profit Media Corporation |
|
Contact IronwoodInfo.com |
|
email:
mail@ironwoodinfo.com
snail mail: P.O. Box 305 Ironwood, MI 49938
Telephone
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Fax
906-884-2544 |
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