2 Days until Mostly sunny, light wind SISU Ski Fest High: 15 | Low: 13 | Details, page 2 Shop Downtown Ironwood for your chance to win one of ten $25-$100 Prize Drawings! sisuskifest.com DAILY GLOBE yourdailyglobe.com Thursday, January 9, 2014 75 cents Cold drives WEATHER HISTORY Ontonagon Ironwood’s coldest day frost deep By JAN TUCKER [email protected] occurred 32 years ago ONTONAGON — The impact By RALPH ANSAMI spare key under a car tire. He of the cold winter became evi- [email protected] remembers taking a bus to the dent Wednesday when the On the warm side of the polar airport, with the drifting snow Ontonagon County Road Com- vortex, it was 80 degrees in San creating near white-out condi- mission checked its frost tubes Diego on Monday and 68 on tions. along the major highways. Tuesday, high temperatures at It was a Sunday and, like this Frost tubes are maintained this time of year even for Califor- year, the coldest day followed a on U.S. 45, 4.5 miles south of M- nia. week of frigid weather across the 38 (Woodspur); U.S. 45, 5.7 From the warmth of his home Gogebic Range and nation. The miles north of M-28, between in San Diego, a former Ironwood old saying, “The mail must go Bruce Crossing and Ewen, and resident recalled the coldest win- through,” didn’t hold true to form M-64, 6.1 miles north of M-28, ter day on record in Ironwood. that week, as it was so cold mail between White Pine and Berg- Buddy Wigdahl remembered delivery was postponed in Iron- land. The tubes are monitored to that on Jan. 17, 1982, Ironwood wood. determine the impact of winter sustained a 41-degree below zero That weekend resulted in at and spring thaw on the high- reading, which tied for the cold- least three fires in Ironwood, and ways. est official temperature here. It a big blaze in Silver City. According to road commission was also 41-below on Feb. 12, Two ski buses were totaled in officials, on Jan. 9, 2013, the 1967, according to a check of temperature was 35 degrees and National Weather Service the ground was frozen to 27 records in Marquette posted inches deep at the Woodspur IRONWOOD page 5 online. — site. Between Bruce Crossing Wigdahl, whose mother was and Ewen, it was 32 and frozen from Ironwood and who works as to 28 inches, while between Cold facts: a handyman in San Diego, said White Pine and Bergland it was Area old-timers remember in a telephone conversation the 30 degrees and frozen to 39 inch- some frigid winters, but frigid temperature that day in es. records from the National 1982 was only half the story. What a difference a year Weather Service office in Mar- “The wind was around 40 to makes! quette indicate four of the five 45 mph,” he said. “I remember On Wednesday at the Wood- record-setting cold days here the blowing snow on the way to spur tube, the temperature was occurred from 1966 to the pre- the airport,” said Wigdahl, who 2 and the ground was frozen to sent. was in his early 20s back then. 42 inches. It was 5 below at the The five coldest days in The strong wind resulted in a Bruce Crossing site and frozen Ironwood in the past 100-plus wind chill estimated at 84 to 86 to 44 inches. years are: below. M-64, between White Pine —41 below zero: Jan. 17, Cortney Ofstad/Daily Globe Wigdahl, who formerly and Bergland, is consistently 1982, and Feb. 12, 1967. ICE COVERS the beacon on the breakwall at Saxon Harbor Tuesday. The recent spell of below zero worked for Northern Carpets on the area of the greatest frost —40 below: Jan. 9, 1917. weather is expected to leave the area, as temperatures are to climb into the 30s by the weekend. Har- Silver Street in Hurley, said he —38 below: Jan. 31, 1985, bor watchers said some of the ice mounds along the Lake Superior shoreline were blown out with was “shaking like a leaf on a tree and Feb. 19, 1966. recent south winds. that day” when he looked for ONTONAGON — page 5 GOGEBIC COUNTY Special Gogebic County meeting County board chair resigns By RALPH ANSAMI death of Dennis Jacobson. scheduled on MSU-Extension, 4-H [email protected] Commissioner George Peter- BESSEMER — After filling son, of Watersmeet, a county By RALPH ANSAMI operated regarding 4-H,” board member Jim sion director for Gogebic County. one vacancy last week, the Goge- board member for 14 years, [email protected] Oliver, of Ironwood, said. He added that a Brahee said if the county doesn’t sign the bic County Board of Commission- praised both Siirila and former BESSEMER — The Gogebic County meeting has also been set for 5:15 p.m. next memorandum with MSU, it would lose two ers now has another seat to fill. board chairman and present com- Board Wednesday set up a special public Tuesday, open to the public, on providing other MSU-Extension positions that are County board chairman Dan missioner Leroy Kangas, of Iron- meeting to discuss the future of the Michi- some sort of program for the children. No part of the agreement. While he said 4-H is Siirila, who represents District 2 wood Township, for their roles, gan State University-Extension program formal action will be taken then. the most “visible” part of the program, MSU (Ironwood), announced on calling them “quality people.” and 4-H. The board was told last week that the provides other services, as well. Wednesday that he’s resigning Peterson added, “Thank you The board will seek the public’s input at a interim MSU-Extension director for the Lucia Patritto, an MSU educator for effective Jan. 31 because he’s for a great job.” 5 p.m., Jan. 22 session. area that includes Gogebic County, Doug Gogebic County, disputed board members’ moving into a new house out of Siirila said he hopes to attend The board has not signed what is called a Brahee, was no longer in that position and recent complaints that there was no coordi- that district. the board’s second meeting of the 2014 memorandum of agreement with would retire in March. nator for the 4-H program for much of 2013. On a motion by commissioner month on Jan. 22, but he’ll be MSU-Extension, and has been considering Brahee attended Wednesday’s meeting, “That’s clearly wrong,” she said. Jim Oliver, of Ironwood, the having arm surgery before then. developing a program like 4-H on its own. however, confirming that he will retire on board agreed to advertise for can- The board on Wednesday “We’re not happy with how MSU is being March 15, but still serves as MSU-Exten- didates to fill the District 2 seat. renamed Tom Gerovac, of Iron- Last Friday, Joe Bonovetz, of wood, as vice-chair after county GOGEBIC — page 5 Bessemer, was appointed to the clerk Gerry Pelissero determined District 5 seat on the board, fill- that position must be appointed ing the vacancy left by the recent every year. Gogebic Taconite: ‘We’ve learned a lot talking to people’ n One-on-one meetings offered by Iron county bomb G-Tac in Iron, Ashland counties threat charge dismissed By CORTNEY OFSTAD [email protected] By RALPH ANSAMI this week on a jury trial sched- HURLEY — Gogebic Taconite [email protected] uled for next Tuesday and representatives met with resi- HURLEY — A bomb scare Wednesday for one of the defen- dents in Iron and Ashland coun- felony count against a Kimball, dants in the Mercer sex traffick- ties Wednesday, answering ques- Wis., resident has been dismissed ing case. tions and discussing topics relat- in Iron County Court. Fox was assigned to the Gol- ed to the proposed iron ore mine The case against Robert (Bar- lubske case in July, replacing Iron near Upson, Wis. rel Bob) Gollubske, 75, was County Judge Patrick Madden. According to Bob Seitz, recently dismissed without preju- Gollubske told Madden he spokesman for G-Tac, the event dice by acting Judge Douglas Fox, made the threat on May 8 to blow was “really great.” of Price County. up the courthouse so FBI agents It was the second time the Iron County District Attorney would come to his property on company hosted one-on-one meet- Marty Lipske said Wednesday Kimball Drive and he could show ings, allowing citizens to speak since the felony was dismissed them alleged damages from a with G-Tac, accomodating those without prejudice, it means he’ll blacktop plant. He told the court who may be uncomfortable have until the end of the month to he spoke out of “... just plain igno- speaking in a public hearing for- Cortney Ofstad/Daily Globe decide whether to refile a charge TOM BIDGOOD, left, of Arvada, Colo., formerly of Ironwood, and Bob Alexander, of Upson, Wis., listen to against Gollubske. Bill Williams, president of Gogebic Taconite, and Bob Seitz, spokesman for the company, in Hurley Lipske said he’s concentrating Wednesday. BOMB — page 5 MINING — page 5 C O N T A C T U S WEATHER INSIDE INDEX TODAY NEWS FOR Business . .8 Daily Globe Inc. Wednesday Precipitation Vol. 95, Ed. 7 118 E. McLeod Ave. High 2 To 7 a.m. THE SENIOR Classifieds . .14-16 Sunny Comics . .11 PO Box 548 —Details, page 2 Low -16 Wednesday 0.00 in.