5/6/2025

ASHLAND COUNTY – About a 5 miles stretch of US-2 was closed in both directions for hours on the Bad River Reservation in Ashland County due to a fire yesterday afternoon.  A Stunning video from a motorist on the WUPM Facebook page shows fire in the ditch and thick smoke which brought visibility down to zero.  The highway reopened last night in both directions.  The cause of the fire has not been released.    

5/6/2025

IRONWOOD - Gogebic Community College learning that it will only receive about a 1.5% increase in funding for the next year, but says it will still continue to educate students.

The state Senate Higher Education and Community College Appropriations Subcommittee proposed the increase, which would be the smallest increase given to Gogebic in the last five years. Gogebic Community College Business Services Vice President, Chad Lashua says budget cuts and such a small increase won’t even cover cost increases in health and building insurance, and the budget is stretched thin, especially with the introduction of two new technical programs. Governor Whitmer had recommended a 2.4% increase for the college. Gogebic now waits to hear what the budget for the school will be, which has yet to be decided in Lansing.

5/6/2025

MINOCQUA - A request by the owner of the Minocqua Brewing Company, Kirk Bangstad to have his currently revoked county conditional use permit reinstated has been denied by a federal judge. Bangstad made the request in order to open an outdoor beer garden at the Brewing Company. Federal district Judge James Peterson said in an order at the end of April that granting a temporary restraining order against the county, which revoked Bangstad’s permit would have to allow the county time to be notified and respond, and that the late date at which the Bangstad filed his request precluded that, and that he had since July of last year when the permit was originally revoked to do so. Bangstad contends that the continued revocation of the conditional use permit impedes his ability to do business by not having the beer garden open.