Forest Park’s 44-member Class of 2012 listens to some final words of advice from Principal Lisa Olson. The class motto: “We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other with us.”

High efficiency lighting was installed on Washington/Lay Avenue from Evergreen Street to Genesee Street as part of Iron River’s street light improvement project. Members of the Iron River City Council, Downtown Development and GEI Consultants reviewed the lighting project, which was near completion on May 30. Attending were, from left,  DDA Chairman Jim Gibula, DDA member Jim Quayle, GEI engineer Craig Richardson, Iron River Mayor Terry Tarsi, volunteer City Manager John Archocosky, Councilman Ed Marcell and DDA members Roger Zanon and Ron Basso.
IRON RIVER—Life is looking brighter on Washington Avenue.
 A lot brighter and much more efficient, due to a grant awarded the city by the Michigan Strategic Fund/Michigan Energy Office in the amount of $31,680 for replacement of 22 existing aged, inefficient high-pressure sodium streetlight fixtures and poles.
 The street lights were replaced with new LED fixtures and poles as part of  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) program funding.
 By switching to the LED fixtures, the resulting gains in energy efficiency will lead to reduced electrical energy consumption and reduced carbon emissions.

IRON RIVER—The Michigan State Housing Development Authority has conditionally approved the rehabilitation of the former Central School into rental housing units to be known as the Apple Blossom Apartments.

CRYSTAL FALLS—In order to better accommodate underground utility upgrades, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and contractors for the U.S. 2/M-189 reconstruction in Iron River will be changing detours and traffic patterns.

IRON RIVER—West Iron County Schools is closing out its fiscal year with solid finances, said Board of Education Finance Committee Chairman Rob Possanza at the May 21 meeting.
 “There are no issues in the general fund,” he reported. The district is also earning .86 percent on its balances.

Nancy Johnson, branch manager at Miners State Bank in Iron River, presents a check for $2,000 to Ross Parcels, director of the Iron County Museum in Caspian. The funds will be used to sponsor a family Labor Day miners’ picnic on the museum grounds Sunday, Sept. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The day will feature “dozens” of home-baked pies in the afternoon along with indoor and outdoor activities, music, picnic foods and an opportunity for families to explore the early history of iron ore mining in Iron County.

CRYSTAL FALLS—The Iron County Board of Commissioners accepted the recommendation of two of its members to appoint Sue Clisch as the county’s new administrator.
 Clisch had been employed as executive assistant to the administrator since 2008.
 Since the retirement of Administrator Jan Huizing in March, she has been serving as interim administrator

IRON COUNTY—The candidate lists for township races have were released by County Clerk Joan Luhtanen late last week, following the filing deadline.
 All county races will go before voters this year in the Aug. 7 primary and the Nov. 6 general election. All township offices are for four years.
 A look at the candidate lineup for each township follows:

IRON RIVER—Iron River public works crews have been starting summer maintenance two to three weeks ahead of schedule, thanks to cooperative weather conditions.
 The Iron River City Council was given an update on projects from volunteer City Manager John Archocosky at its May 16 meeting.
 “The DPW has begun cutting grass, cleaning parks an patching streets, along with other work that would normally not have begun for two to three more weeks,” he wrote in his report.
 “We typically would not have seen these summer activities start for another few weeks, but the warm weather has also allowed this work to begin ahead of schedule.”

Five black granite memorials, dedicated to veterans of the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Iraq-Afghanistan War, Cold War and nurses of all wars, were set in place May 16 at the Iron River Veterans Memorial. The memorials will be officially unveiled in a special program on Memorial Day, May 28, beginning at 9 a.m. Pictured, from left, are Mike Jacobs of Jacobs Funeral Home of Iron River;  Todd Lindahl, Iron River Veterans Memorial Association representative of DAV Chapter 67; Mike Kunchynski of Mike’s Crane Service; Ron Zeller, chair of the Veterans Memorial Association; Dick Weatherholt, association representative of American Legion Post 21; Paul Jacobs of Jacobs Funeral Home of Iron River; and Rusty Poikonen, association representative of DAV Chapter 67.
IRON COUNTY—Those who gave their all for their country will be remembered and honored next Monday, May 28, when Iron County and the rest of the nation observes Memorial Day.
 Special ceremonies will take place Memorial Day morning at cemeteries around the county, led by the West Side and East Side Veterans councils.
 Iron River: Memorial Day events begin at 8 a.m. with the firing of a volley at the old City Cemetery by American Legion Post 17.
 At 9 a.m., a special dedication program will be held at the Iron River Veterans Memorial Association to officially unveil the five new memorials by the Iron River Veterans Memorial Association. The community is cordially invited to attend the program.