CRYSTAL FALLS—The Forest Park Board of Education made several decisions concerning staff at its June 25 meeting.
 Prior to the meeting, Deb Divoky was sworn in as a new board member, filling the vacancy left from John Harrison’s resignation last month. Appointed now, she may run for the board position in the November general election.

The Arlise Troupe and their wild and crazy unicycles will be among featured performers at the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus set for July 5 at the Iron County Fairgrounds. (C&M photo)
IRON RIVER—Thanks to the sponsorship of the Iron County Fair Board, Culpepper & Merriweather Circus, “America’s Favorite Big Top Circus,” is coming to Iron River Thursday, July 5, at the Iron County Fairgrounds with two scheduled performances at 5 and 7:30 p.m.

IRON COUNTY—The Fourth of July will be celebrated next Wednesday, July 4, in Iron County with special events planned in Iron River, Alpha and Amasa.
 Iron River
 Iraq war veterans and their families will get special honors during Iron River’s Fourth of July parade.

Tim Hovey (left), developer of the Apple Blossom Apartments, and Ron Basso, member of the Iron River Downtown Development Authority and project committee member, reviewed plans for renovating the old Central School on June 13.
IRON RIVER—Don’t call it “The Old Central School” anymore—the Apple Blossom Apartments development plans are under way.
 Having received approval from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the project’s developer, the Hovey Companies, is moving forward with remediation plans, then  renovating the building into one, two and three-bedroom affordable housing, along with retail space on the lower level.

IRON RIVER—The Iron County Road Commission looked at a policy that will address gravel donations from the townships for use on their own local road projects.
 The matter was brought up at the board’s May meeting, and discussion continued at the June 12 monthly meeting.
 The draft of a policy indicated that the Road Commission would share up to 50 percent of gravel crushing, although the timing of local road projects would be up to the Road Board.

Robert Vassar stands by his pride and joy, a 1918 Buick touring car, one of many classic vehicles that were on display during the annual Father’s Day auto show at the Iron County Fairgrounds June 17. From its wooden spoke wheels to its side panels obtained from British Columbia, Vassar has been working for years and countless hours restoring the 95-year-old vehicle, which had been found in a field near Rhinelander in 1968. He obtained the car a few years ago. More photos from the auto show on the back page.

CRYSTAL FALLS—The Iron County Board of Commissioners heard a proposal from a Midwestern-based developer interested in opening a retail business near the Courthouse.
 Tim O’non, representing the developer, told the board the business would like to be located on property between Court Street and U.S. 2, and Sixth and Seventh streets.
 Two private properties would be affected as well as the former carriage house on county property, used by the Sheriff’s Department for storage.

IRON RIVER TOWNSHIP—The Iron River Township Board anticipates the first steps of its Rural Development water-line replacement project to begin in the next two to three weeks, according to Township Attorney Steve Polich.
 GEI Consultants representatives were unable to attend the regular June 12 monthly meeting of the board, but Polich stated that he had recently been in contact with them.
 He hoped to have RD approval on the contracts within 10 days.

CRYSTAL FALLS—The Crystal Falls City Council endorsed a proposal for development of a retail business within city limits at its June 11 monthly meeting.
 Tim O’non, representing a Midwest property developer, was introduced by West Statewide Realty’s owner Ken West, who told the council his client was looking for property in Crystal Falls to construct a 9,100 square foot building with about 30 parking spaces.
 The property suited for the business, O’non explained, was located between U.S. 2 and Court Street, and Sixth and Seventh streets—directly north of the Courthouse.
 He said purchase agreements were in place with two properties, and the developer was negotiating an agreement on the county property, which includes the old carriage house, now used as cold storage for the sheriff‘s department.

Brayden Nelson, 10, of Gibbs City Road looks as happy as an angler can be after catching this 19-inch smallmouth bass during the kids fishing derby held June 8 at the U.S. Forest Service’s Lake Ottawa campground. He used a jig and a worm. Seconds after this photo, the big bass was released back into the lake, since smallmouths are a catch-and-release species at Lake Ottawa.