11/12/2025

IRON COUNTY - Iron County Outdoor Recreation Enthusiasts or ICORE is extending Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail from Ironwood, Bessemer, and Ramsey into Wisconsin, linking them to Montreal via the old Soo Line. A 10-mile paved section is finished, with plans to pave three more miles into Hurley and across the Montreal River. ICORE is negotiating the $200,000 purchase of the grade from Canadian National, needing $55,000 more with grants secured and an $82,000 application pending. The trail uses the existing railroad grade, includes shared motorized sections, and will eventually be owned by Hurley and Montreal. It’s estimated that another $2 million is required for paving and restoring two historic railroad bridges. For more information go to ironcountyoutdoors.org

11/12/2025

N. WISCONSIN - The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has released the 2024-25 school and district accountability report cards.  The annual evaluations cover Achievement, Growth, Target Group Outcomes, and On-Track to Graduation.  In Northern Wisconsin public schools with the top scores include the Chequamegon School District which includes the towns of Park Falls and Glidden with an overall score of 75.8, followed by Hurley with 65.5.  Mellen Schools received a score of 64.3, Mercer 62.7, Ashland with a 60, Lakeland 59.9, followed by Bayfield with an overall score of 58.1.  Statewide, 94 percent of public-school districts and 85 percent of public schools met or exceeded expectations.

11/12/2025

N. WISCONSIN - Wisconsin has submitted a $1 billion funding request to the federal government to address and improve rural health care access.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services outlined three main priorities including $337 million for recruiting and retaining health care workers, $329 million for technology and innovation initiatives and $279 million to strengthen rural care partnerships.  The funding request is part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHT), a $50 billion fund born from the Trump administration's 'Big Beautiful Bill' signed into law this summer. The program was designed partly to offset concerns over Medicaid cuts included in the same bill.  The Department of Health Services plans to recruit a team to manage the project if funding is approved. However, Wisconsin won't learn whether its request has been successful until the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announces award decisions at the end of the year.