40 percent chance of snow High: 8 | Low: -2 | Details, page 2 Passion for excellence. Compassion for people. aspirusgrandview.org GV-013a DAILY GLOBE yourdailyglobe.com Thursday, December 26, 2013 75 cents B I R D C O U N T Photo submitted by Kim Herman BLUE JAYS placed fourth this year in the Bessemer Area Bird Count. Rare duck shows up in Christmas Bird Count By JERRY EDDE really, because other than some special to The Daily Globe rapids on local streams and rivers, I was still fiddling with the and the little patch of water I was focus knob on the spotting scope looking at, there is no open water when the duck flipped up and dove during late December within 7.5 for the bottom of the pond. miles of Bessemer, the scope of the “Uh oh, that’s no mallard,” I range for the Christmas Bird thought, as I struggled to bring Count. the edge between the open water Earlier Saturday, we had just and the snow-covered ice into turned onto East Norrie Park Cortney Ofstad/Daily Globe sharp focus. Road when Christy said, “There’s JIM RADY, of Ironwood, receives a helping of ham from volunteer Jerry Wanink at Woodland Church, during a free Christmas meal, Wednes- Through the binoculars, it a blue jay.” And just as I was day in Ironwood. appeared the duck out on the about to say, “Two blue jays,” Bessemer Area Wastewater Treat- Christy shouted, “Wow, there’s ment pond might be a mallard, something big. It’s an Ee—Ee— but it was really too far to tell at Ee—.” Woodland Church offers annual 10 power. “Bald eagle?” I suggested, as Mallards are dabblers, not the majestic bird swooped across divers, and this duck was still the road in front of us and landed Christmas dinner underwater when the scene finally in the pointy top of a balsam fir. came into sharp focus at 60 power. We stopped there for several Suddenly, the duck was at the sur- moments, watching the national By CORTNEY OFSTAD according to Pastor Mike Hill, God would have us do,” Hill said. 20 volunteers, not only members face again and I instantly saw a symbol peer down upon us from [email protected] the event gets more popular each “And that is taking care of each of Woodland Church, but others large white cheek patch and a above. Christy ended up spying IRONWOOD — Local resi- year. other.” from around the community. very yellow eye. “Goldeneye,” I two bald eagles that day and four dents sat down for a community There is no cost for people to Attendees dined on ham, “That completes the holiday blurted. additional eagles were reported by Christmas meal at Woodland attend the meal, and Hill said turkey, mashed potatoes, stuff- spirit,” Hill said. This was quite a prize because cooperators later that evening. Church in Ironwood Wednesday. helping people was an “inde- ing, vegetables, rolls and lots of it was the first report of waterfowl This is the third year the scribable good feeling.” dessert. during the Bessemer Area Christ- mas Bird Count. Not surprising, event has taken place, and “I truly believe this is what The meal was prepared by 15- DINNER — page 5 BIRD — page 5 Winter Depot Park development, wonderland award made news in 2013 brings holiday The Year In Review vacationers By MIRANDA ANDERSON [email protected] UPSON, Wis. — While some people head home for the holi- Editor’s2013 note: The Daily Globe days, others head out on vaca- is again counting down the top five tion. Plenty of early season local stories of the year. No. 5 is the renovation of Depot Park. The Daily snow has made the area’s ski Globe will countdown other tops sto- hills, cross country trails and ries through Dec. 31. snowmobile trails perfect for a holiday getaway. By Christmas Day, the By RALPH ANSAMI area had received 57.4 inches [email protected] of snow for the season, IRONWOOD — Developments including 24.6 inches in the centered on Ironwood’s Depot month of December. All the Park, including visits from Gov. Photo submitted WORKERS PLACE a pole near new sod at Depot Park in Ironwood in the area ski hills were reporting Rick Snyder and Lt. Gov. Brian summer. Volunteers assisted city employees in making improvements most, if not all, of their runs Calley, were voted the Daily Miranda Anderson/Daily Globe to the park as the local share for a grant. open. VISITORS AND locals ski near the lodge at Whitecap Mountain Tues- Globe’s No. 5 story of the year. Numerous individuals cele- day afternoon. When Calley visited Jacquart for $100 apiece near the old rail- ence of about 60 people at the brated Christmas Eve by ski- Fabric Products in the industrial road depot building. Depot on a warm summer day. ing and snowboarding at their coordination and confi- grandma; they’re tired,” she park, Bob Jacquart, CEO, asked The city received a Michigan Calley, 36, and Snyder said Whitecap Mountain Tuesday. dence while also being fun. said. for a show of hands of people in Department of Natural Resources Michigan is making an economic Dustin and Joanie Vibbert But this wasn’t Dustin Vib- Locals enjoy the slopes, too. the crowd who had worked on Trust Fund grant for $429,000 or comeback and people should visited Whitecap as part of a berts first visit here. He began Nate Hitchcock, began snow- Depot Park improvements. About the project. The city’s match was think about what kind of future family tradition of holiday skiing at Whitecap 15 years boarding three years ago. 30 hands shot up, or half of those $31,600. they want for their kids and excursions. ago. He said Christmas Eve was at the gathering. The park will be the trailhead grandkids, including recreational The Vibbert family tradition Another couple, Matt and the only day available for him Bricks and sod were placed at for Gov. Snyder’s statewide non- opportunities. includes visits to a new ski hill Dawn Sprister, also came to and his friend, due to their the Depot, a pavilion was con- motorized trail from Detroit to “It’s shaping up as a beautiful each year, for the past four Whitecap on a family vacation. hectic work schedules. structed and a volleyball court Ironwood. park,” Jacquart said, noting it years, with their children They have been skiing for “The terrain around here is was laid out as a grant and great “This is the beginning of a will not only be used by bicyclists, Kallie, Lily and Dawson. 25 years and this is the first pretty cool,” Hitchcock said, deal of volunteer help merged. vision to connect all the way from Joanie Vibbert said skiing is year they brought their kids adding it was good to see the A crew of about 10 people the border of Wisconsin to the “great for the kids,” enhancing along. “They’re with their snow. placed 7,800 bricks that were sold Ohio border,” Calley told an audi- DEPOT — page 5 C O N T A C T U S WEATHER INSIDE INDEX TODAY PACKER WOES Business . .14 Daily Globe Inc. Wednesday Precipitation Vol. 94, Ed. 302 118 E. McLeod Ave. High 16 To 7 a.m. Classifieds . .12-14 Snow possible Matthews out, Rogers still a Comics . .11 PO Box 548 —Details, page 2 Low 6 Wednesday .10 in. question as Green Bay looks Ironwood, MI 49938 Year ago today Snowfall ahead to Chicago. Community . .3 High 15 To 7 a.m. Obituaries . .6 yourdailyglobe.com Low -11 Wednesday 1.8 in. —Sports, page 9 Today’s records Snow on ground 14 in. Opinion . .4 906-932-2211 High 52 (1994) Season total 57.4 in. Sports . .9-10 Low -22 (2000) Last season 40.7 in. 2 l THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2013 NATION / WORLD THE DAILY GLOBE • YOURDAILYGLOBE.COM FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR IRONWOOD Thousands left without power TODAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY across US and Canada LITCHFIELD, Maine (AP) — Utility crews from Maine to Michigan and into Canada Snow Possible Mostly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy worked Wednesday to restore power to hundreds of thousands 8º -2º 23º 16º 29º 4º 7º -10º -1º -15º of homes and businesses left in Winds: 5-10 mph W Winds: 5-10 mph W Winds: 5-10 mph W Winds: 5-15 mph SW Winds: 10-15 mph SW the dark by last weekend's ice storm, and people slowly trick- OUTLOOK led out of shelters to spend Ontonagon Christmas Day at their finally 11/6 Today we will see partly cloudy skies with a warm homes. 40% chance of snow, high temperature of 8º, humidity of 72%. West wind 5 to 10 mph. But not everyone was so Bergland lucky, including Ashley Walter, 9/-2 The record high temperature for today is 52º set in 1994. who was forced to spend Christ- Wakefield Ironwood 45 mas at a shelter in a school in Saxon 8/-2 8/-2 SUN AND MOON Litchfield with her husband, 9/1 Marenisco Jacob Walter, and their month- 8/-5 Bessemer old daughter, Leah. Hurley 8/-1 2 Watersmeet Upson The family lost power on Sat- 8/-1 6/-1 9/-5 Sunrise . .7:43 a.m. 51 Sunset . .4:20 p.m. urday, got it back and then lost Mercer Moonrise . .12:56 a.m. it again Sunday. Ashley Walter 7/-3 Moonset . .12:09 p.m. and Leah stay warm at the Manitowish shelter while Jacob Walter 8/-1 NATIONAL WEATHER makes frequent trips home to Minocqua Today Fri.