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Gogebic Range Bank and Trails Top Agenda |
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| Ironwood - August 13, 2009 Last evening the Ironwood Planning
and Zoning members met in a special
meeting called for two purposes.
First, there was a public hearing for
the purpose of reviewing the site plan
and hearing public comments the
Gogebic Range Bank's new building. The
proposed new building is to be located
at 155 Cloverland Drive, the site of
the current bank building. |
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| The purpose of this meeting was
clearly a matter of Political
Posturing, on behalf of the
hiker/biker group which intends on
evicting the ATV and snowmobile riders
from the caves area. The events which
took place Monday evening at the City
Council meeting put a wrinkle in the
biker/hiker groups agenda. The P and Z is largely controlled by the members of city's Rec. Committee and their associates. The request to add a new trail loop to the existing trail through Riverside Cemetery. Although the idea to put a dog path there failed, the additional trail was approved. Here's a thought for you. The new addition is multi-user. Hiking and biking. Now let's see, you can walk down this trail but, ATV that you can hear approaching your butt, are excluded. However, a crazed kid on a "SILENT SPORT" bike can put 2" tracks down your back before you know that they're there, are permitted to use the same trails. Hmmm. The second traily tale on the agenda would have continued the trail system through the "caves". However, this item was tabled for no reason other than political posturing. |
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Official: 13 Candidates Meet Filing Deadline |
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| Ironwood - August 11, 2009 Thirteen City Commission Candidates have turned in their Nominating Petitions, meeting today's 4:00pm filing deadline. Incumbents Lamb and Burchell turned in their petitions moments before the official deadline. The thirteen candidates are: |
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Official: "Motorized Sports Legal in Caves Area" |
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| Ironwood - August 11, 2009 Last evening the Ironwood City Council made it official, Motorized Sports have legal access to the trails within the "Caves" area. Up to now, the Snowmobile and ATV riders have been using the trails that they created for the past three decades with the "Implied Consent" of the city government. The vote was three to two. Bob Burchell and Gema Lamb dissenting. The item caves question found its way onto the council agenda after representatives of the Silent Sport advocates boycotted a meeting intended to resolve issues on the use of the caves. The council had requested that representatives of motorized sports and their silent sport counterparts, meet and work out their differences in the future use of the caves trail. Failing to do so, the city would take action on the matter. The Gogebic Range Trail Authority, has from the beginning agreed to share the caves with the Silent Sport People. The early leadership of the hikers/bikers group said "it was all or nothing". It would appear after last evening that, that is the trail still chosen by the group. John Semo spoke to the council last evening and stated his desire for exclusive use of the trail by his hiker/biker group. In fact, Semo once again brought up the caves issue in a period reserved for discussion of "Non Agenda" items. |
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Under the Rainbow and Over the Barrel |
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| Lake Gogebic - August 10, 2009 Not all the water was in the Lake yesterday, as firefighters competed in the annual "Water Barrel Fights" held at the LGVFD hall. Pumper trunks were pumping away as the firefighters took aim at the tiny keg dangling from a wire suspended high above. While this was a day of fun and fundraising, it was comforting to know that even the newest firemen could hit the smallest of targets, should the need arise. |
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Hikers Take a Hike - Boycott Meeting |
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| August 7, 2009 Risking an all or nothing conclusion to their current effort to create a non-motorized trail through the Ironwood caves area, representatives of the group decided to boycott a meeting with city management and members of the Gogebic Range Trail Authority. The meeting was to take place Tuesday evening at offices in the Memorial Building, where the two groups were to sit down and come to a compromise on coexisting in the caves. At the last moment, the hiker group notified the city manager that they were no longer interested in discussions. At the last meeting, both sides came very close to a plan to share the 400+ acres in contention. Evidently when the hiker representatives presented the proposal to the group, the "all or nothing" mentality prevailed. The City Commission had asked the two groups to work out a settlement between themselves. Failing to do so, will result in the commission making the final decision on the use of the caves. |
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"Cole" |
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| Ironwood - August 7, 2009 Most
Ironwood residents are aware of the Cole's Story. The
beautiful three year old son of Aaron and Moireen
Ruotsala, who was tragically inflicted with
adrenocortical carcinoma, an aggressive, inexplicable
cancer. |
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| Cole....to the moon
and back by Arvo Toolanen |
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Cole's inspiration for dad Aaron to write a book through cousin Julie's website, Cole's Caring Bridge, gives us a loving and harrowing account of their family life in 8 short weeks. This story invokes us to learn to live day by day with a thoughtful eye on the future while interacting with family, knowing individual support comes from the oldest members to the youngest members during our alotted time on earth. Going by war planes, abortion clinics, experiencing the biological and human family, labeling atheist on medical records, learning newly termed medical conditions for analysis and perceived results, how someone deals with their private alone time and more is chronicled in the book. Cole's example to brothers and sisters in faith brings into question how different faiths and people are preceived, to bringing a community of 6000 together in spite of its drawbacks and faults. With interaction through the web and ability to travel, Aaron experiences lives with very little to no material trappings, to those with 401k's and benefit plans, to Cole's short 3 years and to all the web's users attention and comments. Through this experience Aaron gives us his insight into various versions of happiness and caring. Thank you, Cole, for rubbing your ear to show comfort and the strength to show true affection for your family. Caring openly and loving eternally! |
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| The book is available in both written
and audio formats.
You can obtain a copy at book stores and online at http://www.colesfoundation.com/book/ |
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| We hope to be working with Aaron in the
future to bring our readers up-to-date on the work of
the C.O.L.E.'s Foundation, supporting other families
facing similar experiences, all over the country. The young Ruotsala family is also gathering moral support for other children inflicted with cancer, through a new program, "Kids Unite to Fight". The foundation supplies students with kits which supply information about childhood cancer. It also supplies ideas for letter writing to inflicted kids. The letters and post cards are already bringing joy to seriously ill children. The effort has been well received in local schools and is gaining interest all over our country.
To learn more about this great effort click on to
http://www.kidsunitetofight.com |
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| Township Gets an "A+" on Financial Statement - Again! |
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| Ironwood Township - August 5, 2009 Once again the Township received an "A+" on the audit of the year end annual financial statement. The financial statements for cities and township is slightly different from those used in business, in fact it a combination of standard GAP accounting and Statutory Accounting methods. Tony Pollack, CPA from the accounting firm Joki, Makela and
Pollack, PLLC went over the audit for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2008 . Mr. Pollack went over the highlights of
the audit. The township's surplus is equal to seven months revenues.
Unlike the city of Ironwood and other governmental entities,
the Charter Township of Ironwood is in very sound fiscal
standing. The township, due to its conservative reserving practices,
is postured to weather a crisis should one arise. |
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Troop 337 Goes to Camp Tesomas |
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| Bessemer - August 8, 2009 The Bessemer Boy Scout Troop 337 recently spent a week at Scout Camp Tesomas. The camp is located just north of Rhinelander, WI. The boys were accompanied by Scout Master Bruce Jendusina and Assistant Leaders Chuck McIntyre, Bonnie McIntire and Ron Store. While at camp the scouts were able to work on obtaining several of their merit badges. The boys had the opportunity to complete the requirements for their mountain climbing badges, which they have been work on for several months.. The scouts went to classes on leather crafting and sailing as well as several other classes. |
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Scouts Give Helping Hand! |
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| Helping out at Senior Fest, while earning Community Service hours are White Pine Scouts. Pictured above are Coty and Beverly Isabel, and Katie Isabel and Sam Hapela. |