Jan. 8: Iron County Sheriff Mark Valesano tapped as state president of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association for 2020.

Jan. 15: The Hannahville Indian Community Tribal Council announces a $30 million expansion project at the Island Resort and Casino.

Jan. 20: Iron Mountain City Manager Jordan Stanchina says a tax settlement has been reached with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to reduce the value of its supercenter in South Stephenson Avenue by about $730,000, or 14%, to $4.5 million. Wal-Mart had sought $1.1 million, or about 22%, to $4.1 million. The city refunds Wal-Mart $40,753.

Jan. 21: Megan Wilder, the former clerk for Long Lake, Wis., pleads guilty to theft in a business setting for reportedly using the town’s credit card to rack up thousands of dollars in personal charges.

Richard Heigl rides in Norway High School's commencement ceremony.

Jan. 21: A South Dakota jury convicts Stephen Falkenberg, 45, of first-degree manslaughter and second-degree murder in the March 2019 death of his girlfriend, Tamara LaFramboise. Falkenberg then came to Menominee County and dumped her dismembered body in the Little River, where two boys found it March 16.

Jan. 23: Dickinson County Healthcare System looks at other options to refinance debt and purchase new equipment as its application for a $25.65 million federal loan remains in limbo.

Jan. 28: The Iron Mountain boys basketball team tops previously undefeated Negaunee, 69-51, to remain unbeaten on the season.

FEBRUARY

Feb. 4: Trentin McWilliams, a 19-year-old former Norway-Vulcan Area Schools student accused of threatening the district in a Snapchat video message Nov. 4, is convicted in Dickinson County Circuit Court of attempted false report or threat of terrorism, a reduced charge in exchange for his no-contest plea. He gets sentenced to time served March 3.

Allison Farley, Rize Cannabis public relations and marketing director, inspects a station at the medical dispensary counter at the company’s North Stephenson Avenue building in Iron Mountain. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photos)

Feb. 5: As expected, the Republican-majority U.S. Senate votes President Donald Trump not guilty on articles of impeachment for his alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate the son of his political rival, Joe Biden. Only one member of the GOP, Sen. Mitt Romney, votes against the president and only on one of the two articles of impeachment.

Feb. 5: Wisconsin health officials announce the first confirmed case of the new virus in the state, a person who had just returned from China; it’s the 12th reported case in the U.S.

Feb. 16: Austrian Clemens Aigner sets a new Giant Pine Mountain record of 472 feet while winning both weekend competitions in the 2020 Bellin Health Continental Cup. The previous record of 471 feet had stood since 2009.

Feb. 18: Republican Tom Tiffany advances in the primary to face Democrat Tricia Zunker to fill the 7th District U.S. House seat left vacant by Sean Duffy’s resignation.

Feb. 18: The Norway ski team places second in the U.P. Finals at Powderhorn Mountain in Ironwood.

MICHIGAN GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER addresses the state Thursday in Lansing after state and federal charges were announced earlier in the day against 13 members of two militia groups accused of preparing to kidnap the governor. (Michigan Office of the Governor via AP)

Feb. 20: Dickinson County Healthcare System decides to sell $31.7 million in revenue bonds at the end of March to refinance debt and purchase equipment. The county board approved the sale Feb. 26.

Feb. 27: North Dickinson County girls basketball team captures the Skyline Conference title with a 56-44 win over Carney-Nadeau, ending the regular season with a perfect 16-0 record in conference play.

Feb. 28: U.S. health officials announce the nation’s first coronavirus-related death, in Washington state; a second death would come March 1.

Feb. 29: The Niagara, Wis., girls basketball team wins the regional title.

MARCH

(Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo) LOGAN BUSH VOTES Tuesday in Ward 3 at Iron Mountain City Hall.

March 3: Iron Mountain senior Marcus Johnson surpasses 2,000 points in high school play, scoring 28 against Gladstone. He passes Earvin “Magic” Johnson on the state’s list.

March 3: Harvey Bennett Jr., 64, of Norway, is sentenced to at least five years in prison for triggering a seven-vehicle crash on U.S. 2 in September.

March 4: U.S. House passes $8.3 billion measure to battle the quickly spreading coronavirus.

March 5: Iron Mountain boys basketball falls to Negaunee, 52-51, spoiling the team’s bid for second consecutive undefeated regular season.

March 10: Michigan health officials announce the state’s first two confirmed coronavirus cases, both in the Detroit area.

March 10: Former vice president Joe Biden wins the presidential primary in Michigan, along with three other states.

March 10: Area voters approve 0.05 mills, or 5 cents per $1,000 of taxable value for the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department, though Dickinson County overall did not back the measure. The county denied extra funding for the Dickinson County Conservation District as well. Norway-Vulcan School District’s request of 3 mills for a sinking fund falls 15 votes short of passage; also turned down were millages for Breen Township parks and recreation, and road work in Norway Township.

March 11: Northern Michigan University and Michigan Technological University both announce they will suspend most face-to-face classes and go to online instruction into at least April.

March 12: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer orders all public and private schools in the state closed, effective March 16, for three weeks until April 5 to combat the spread of COVID-19. Across the border, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declares a state of emergency; the state at that point had eight confirmed virus cases.

March 12: The list of sporting events altered by the COVID-19 pandemic grows to included the MHSAA suspending winter sports postseason events and the cancellation of all remaining WIAA high school basketball tournament games and the annual NCAA “March Madness” college basketball tournament.

March 13: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer bans gatherings of 250 or more, extending into April. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers orders public and private schools closed across the state, not to resume any earlier than April 6. President Donald Trump declares the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency.

March 16: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer orders all restaurants closed to dine-in customers starting at 3 p.m. that same day.

March 16: Major League Baseball postpones opening day to mid-May; Kentucky Derby moved to first Saturday in September, on Labor Day weekend.

March 16: City Halls in Iron Mountain, Kingsford and Norway closed to the public. Dickinson County Board declares a state of emergency due to the coronavirus. Congregate meal sites closed throughout the county, though takeout and home deliveries continue.

March 17: Iron County Courthouse closed to public. In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers orders bars and restaurants to shift to takeout or delivery only, limits gatherings to no more than 10. Border closed between U.S. and Canada.

March 18: Northern Michigan University and Michigan Technological University both decide to finish the spring semester with online instruction.

March 20: Michigan reports 334 coronavirus cases, Wisconsin 155; both states have three deaths as well. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says for now she’s not planning a stay-at-home mandate.

March 23: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issues a stay-at-home order for all of Michigan, as coronavirus cases in the state top 1,200, with at least 15 dead. She also extends the school shutdown through at least April 13. In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers orders all non-essential businesses closed and urges residents stay home. Chippewa County announces it may have the Upper Peninsula’s first COVID-19 positive.

March 23: Dickinson County Healthcare System decides to postpone its $32 million bond sale.

March 24: Marquette County reports its first confirmed COVID-19 positive. The White House and Senate and House leaders reach agreement on a $2 trillion coronavirus aid package. In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers bans all gatherings and imposes month-long travel restrictions.

March 25: Senate passes $2.2 trillion virus aid package. A record 3.3 million in U.S. file for unemployment. Luce County has Upper Peninsula’s third COVID-19 case.

March 26: Marinette County has first coronavirus case; an elderly man in Gogebic County becomes the U.P.’s first virus-related death.

March 26: Raymand Vannieuwenhoven, charged with first-degree murder after DNA analysis in 2018 appears to link him to a Green Bay couple slain at a Marinette County campground in July 1976, is found incompetent to stand trial after the 83-year-old is ruled unable to understand court proceedings and assist in his own defense.

March 27: President Donald Trump signs a $2.2 trillion stimulus aid bill amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 29: Delta County has its first confirmed coronavirus case.

March 30: Mackinac County has first COVID-19 case. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs $150 million in funding package for fighting the coronavirus in the state. Forest Park senior Mercedes Simmons is named to the Michigan Associated Press Division 4 All-State first team, while West Iron County’s Emily Nelson earns honorable mention in Division 3.

APRIL

April 1: Dickinson County has its first reported COVID-19 case. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declares all Michigan public and private schools will remain on remote learning through the end of the school year. A record 6.6 million people file new unemployment claims.

April 2: Dickinson County’s first COVID-19 case becomes the Upper Peninsula’s second virus death, the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department reports.

April 3: Michigan reports more than 2,000 new cases, a single-day record, to go above 12,700 confirmed COVID-19 positives and 479 deaths.

April 3: Iron Mountain junior Foster Wonders is named the UP’s Mr. Basketball for a second straight year by the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Teammate senior Marcus Johnson on the All-Class Dream Team team for a third consecutive year.

April 5: Dickinson County has a second confirmed virus case, while Marquette County has its first and second death.

April 5: Menominee junior center Emma Anderson is named Ms. U.P. Basketball while Forest Park senior Mercedes Simmons is selected for the All-Class Dream Team. Seniors Emily Nelson of West Iron County and Brianna Smith of North Dickinson County are first-team selections. North Central senior Noah Gorzinski and freshman Luke Gorzinski earn honorable mention on the Michigan Associate Press Division 4 boys team.

April 6: Despite concerns about the spread of COVID-19, Wisconsin voters go to the polls, with Goodman-Armstrong Creek voters approving a school referendum.

April 6: Iron Mountain senior Marcus Johnson and junior Foster Wonders again named to the Michigan Associated Press Division 3 All-State first team. It’s the third all-state year for Johnson.

April 9: Delta County has its first COVID-19 death, Menominee County its first confirmed case. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends the “stay-at-home” order through April. Longtime Daily News sports writer Burt Angeli, known for his dedicated coverage of local sports and his “ScuttleBu(r)t” column, dies at age 65 after a battle with cancer.

April 10: Dickinson County has a second coronavirus-related death.

April 12: Marquette County has two more coronavirus-related deaths as the Upper Peninsula reaches 50 confirmed cases and nine deaths.

April 11: The Detroit News names first-team all-state Iron Mountain’s Marcus Johnson and Foster Wonders in Division 3 boys; in girls basketball, Forest Park’s Mercedes Simmons, West Iron County’s Emily Nelson and North Dickinson County’s Brianna Smith earn mention as well.

April 13: Marinette County has first COVID-19 death. Results of Wisconsin’s unusual spring elections show liberal Jill Karofsky unseats incumbent Dan Kelly on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

April 15: Thousands protest at Michigan State Capitol in Lansing over Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s coronavirus restrictions.

April 16: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers extends school closure to May 26.

April 20: COVID-19 cases reach 67 in the Upper Peninsula, about 32,000 in Michigan.

April 21: Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association cancels all spring sports.

April 21: Iron Mountain junior Foster Wonders chosen to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan’s Best of the Best List; IM’s Marcus Johnson a Division 3 team selection, while Forest Park senior Mercedes Simmons was named to the Division 4 team for girls basketball. Kingsford’s Cole Brackett earns honorable mention in Division 2.

April 21: The 53rd annual Upper Peninsula Rodeo in Iron River is canceled.

April 24: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends stay-at-home order through May 15, as the state reaches nearly 3,000 coronavirus-related deaths.

April 23: A COVID-19 outbreak is reported at Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wis.

April 24: Lisa Harry resigns as Kingsford High School’s varsity girls basketball coach after two seasons.

April 29: Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul presses the state Supreme Court to rule against state Republicans who challenge Gov. Tony Evers’ authority to institute stay-at-home orders.

MAY

May 1: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says the stay-at-home order will remain until May 15.

May 6: The Michigan Legislature sues Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s authority on the stay-at-home order and other moves to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

May 7: Nearly 3.2 million filed for unemployment in the past week, raising to about 33.5 million applying for jobless benefits since the coronavirus outbreak hit.

May 7: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends stay-at-home order to May 28, though auto and other manufacturers can return the next week.

May 8: State Little League play is called off for 2020.

May 8: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delays expiration of driver’s licenses and state ID cards to July 31.

May 11: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers allows nearly all non-essential retail stores to reopen with no more than five customers at a time.

May 12: Wisconsin state Sen. Tom Tiffany easily wins a special election for the 7th Congressional District to fill the seat vacated by Sean Duffy’s resignation.

May 13: The Wisconsin Supreme Court tosses Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order, leading a number of Wisconsin establishments to reopen for business.

May 17: Iron Mountain’s Foster Wonders and Marcus Johnson both are named to The Detroit Free Press all-state first-team.

May 18: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer deems it safe to reopen restaurants, bars and retail businesses in northern Michigan starting May 22 and allow gatherings of more than 10. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers gives up on trying to set further virus restrictions given the state Supreme Court ruling. Iron Mountain raises water and sewer rates.

May 20: Memorial Day observances in the region curtailed by COVID-19 concerns.

May 21: The Dickinson County Board rescinds its emergency declaration for COVID-19; Dickinson County Healthcare System cuts its hospital virus wing. The state relaxes stay-at-home restrictions, allows gatherings of more than 10.

— May 22: Local restaurants in Michigan again begin serving customers indoors.

— May 27: COVID-19 deaths pass 100,000 in the United States. Wisconsin decides to mail absentee ballot applications ahead of the Nov. 3 elections.

JUNE

June 3: A group of marchers in Iron Mountain made local the nationwide protests over the Memorial Day death of a man at the hands of Minneapolis police. Most of the march was along U.S. 2, which in Iron Mountain also is Stephenson Avenue. The protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd on May 25 after being restrained by former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, who was caught on video pressing his knee to Floyd’s neck until he became unresponsive.

June 8: Dickinson County reports receiving $550,000 in community stabilization funds from the state.

June 9: Keweenaw, Alger counties report their first COVID-19 positives. The Michigan High School Athletic Association relaxes restrictions on U.P. schools starting June 10 to allow indoor activities in groups of 50 and outdoor activities of up to 250 with social distancing and proper cleaning of equipment.

June 10: Northern Lights YMCA reopens after being shut down since mid-March.

June 12: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says overnight camps — no more than 10 recommended per group — and limited school activities can begin June 15.

June 15: While coronavirus restrictions appear to be relaxing, a number of staple summer events — Brew Fest in Iron Mountain; Pine Mountain Music Festival; U.P. Northwoods Triathlon; Hodag Country Music Festival in Rhinelander, Wis.; U.P. Championship Rodeo in Iron River; Art on the Rocks in Marquette; Bass Festival in Crystal Falls; nearly every county fair in the region — are called off.

June 15: Michigan’s health department mandates COVID-19 testing of all nursing home residents and staff after nearly 2,000 deaths are linked to such facilities — at that point, about a third of all the state’s deaths.

June 17: The Michigan Legislature unanimously approved spending $880 million in federal relief aid for the coronavirus pandemic, setting aside funds for front-line workers, municipalities and child care providers. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says K-12 schools can reopen for in-person classes as long as Michigan continues to show successful containment of the virus. The Wisconsin Elections Commission gives final approval to mailing absentee ballot application forms to 2.7 million registered voters.

June 18: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends the virus state of emergency to July 16, which continues jobless benefits and other changes. The Senior Citizens Council of Dickinson County expresses interest in acquiring the county-owned Iron Mountain Senior Center at Crystal Lake. Board Chairman Henry Wender had suggested the move at the board’s June 8 meeting.

June 19: Dickinson County Healthcare System indicates it has a positive bottom line of $3.35 million through the end of May primarily due to COVID-19 stimulus assistance.

June 22: Dickinson County Board agrees to negotiate sale of the county-owned senior center at Crystal Lake to the Senior Citizens Council of Dickinson County.

June 23: Dickinson County Fair in Norway, originally set for Sept. 3-7, canceled. Organizers say they will try to have a livestock competition and auction that same weekend for the 4-H members who have projects for the year.

June 25: President Donald Trump visits and tours the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wis., the recent winner of a $5 billion federal contract to build up to 10 new guided missile frigates. A judge grants the state’s request to shut down the west leg of Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac.

June 27: Iron County reports its first COVID-19 death.

June 29: The Breitung Township School Board approves Jon Lorenzoni as varsity girls basketball coach at Kingsford High School.

June 30: The U.P. State Fair in Escanaba is canceled, followed a short time later by the Great Lakes Logging & Heavy Equipment Expo, also in Escanaba but set for Sept. 10-12.

JULY

July 1: Area fireworks vendors report sales up sharply as a number of municipal shows are called off. A judge allows Enbridge Inc. to resume pumping oil through its Straits of Mackinac pipeline.

July 2: The Iron County Medical Care Facility confirms an employee has tested positive for COVID-19.

July 4: Justin Mondeik of Gleason, Wis., wins the 37th annual Stateline Challenge at Norway Speedway.

July 6: Dickinson County reports five new COVID-19 positives, raising its total to 14. Major League Baseball releases new pandemic-shortened schedule with 60-game schedules and an opening night of July 23.

July 7: Michigan’s COVID-19 deaths reach 6,005.

July 8: Iron Mountain sees major surge in absentee ballot requests for the Aug. 4 primary election.

July 9: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reminds the public the state has a mask mandate. At that point, Michigan had the nation’s 12th-lowest rate of coronavirus infections. The next day, Whitmer mandated that Michigan businesses open to the public deny service to anyone who refuses to wear a mask.

July 13: Iron Mountain’s Foster Wonders commits to play basketball at Division I Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill. The U.P. All-Star Football Game canceled due to the pandemic.

July 14: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends the coronavirus emergency declaration through Aug. 11.

July 17: The Michigan Supreme Court rules that local governments can’t keep excess funds from the sale of tax-foreclosed properties.

July 20: Boss Snowplow reveals plans to expand its manufacturing facility north of Lake Antoine, seeking a tax break on the $12.5 million project. The Industrial Facilities Tax exemption would provide a 50% reduction in local property taxes for up to 12 years. Kingsford City Manager Anthony Edlebeck announces he intends to retire in January.

July 27: The gray wolf population in the Upper Peninsula is estimated at 695, divided among 173 packs, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The figures come from the latest biennial survey was done during the winter of 2019-2020.

July 29: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tightens Upper Peninsula restrictions to no more than 10 starting July 31. Bars must close to indoor service if more than 70% of their gross receipts are from alcohol sales.

July 30: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issues a statewide mask mandate amid a spike coronavirus cases in the state.

July 31: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoes Republican-sponsored legislation that would have let nursing homes house coronavirus-infected residents in a separate building apart from other residents. Two taverns in downtown Iron Mountain, Sol Blu Lounge & Tap Room and The Blind Pig, get city council approval to use city right-of-way, such as parking spaces and alleys, to set up outdoor service.

AUGUST

Aug. 1-2: The Michigan-Wisconsin Open high school tennis tournament still manages to go on in Escanaba, drawing 42 players.

Aug. 3: The Iron Mountain City Council authorizes an Industrial Facilities tax break that allows Boss Snowplow a 50% reduction exemption for up to 12 years on its $12.5 million expansion. Dickinson County reaches 46 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Aug. 4: With masks and plastic screens, Michigan voters go to the polls to decide millages and elect officials for local governments. Primaries also take place for state and federal House seats. State later reports a record 2.5 million voted in the primary.

Aug. 7: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends the state’s coronavirus emergency through Sept. 4. The seven-day statewide average had risen six-fold since June 10 to about 700 cases per day.

Aug. 10: Michigan high school football teams allowed to start practice.

Aug. 11: Former vice president Joe Biden, the presumed Democratic candidate for president, picks California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate. If elected, she would be the first woman, first Black woman and first person of south Asian descent to hold office behind the president.

Aug. 11: Big 10, Pac-10 cancel the fall football season.

Aug. 13: Michigan will mail postcards to 4.4 million registered voters advising they can vote from home in the November election and will spend $2 million to provide pre-paid postage on absentee ballot return envelopes.

Aug. 14: The Michigan High School Athletic Association moves the football season to next spring but states other fall sports will proceed as scheduled.

Aug. 17: The NBA opens two months of playoff games in the so-called “bubble” at the Disney complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Aug. 18: U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy suspends some operational changes in mail delivery that critics had said would delay and disrupt absentee voting in the November elections.

Aug. 19: Michael Stelmaszek, a former Kingsford Public Safety officer who became St. Ignace city manager, is tapped to succeed Anthony Edlebeck as Kingsford city manager in January.

Aug. 20: Dickinson County Healthcare System will apply again for a federal loan to refinance debt and purchase new equipment but likely will need less than the original $26 million it sought a year earlier. The MSHAA clears the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula to compete in fall soccer, volleyball and swimming.

Aug. 24: A number of area schools plan to resume in-person classes this week for the first time since March, among them North Dickinson County, Breitung Township Schools, Iron Mountain Public Schools, Norway-Vulcan Area, Forest park. Wisconsin schools — Niagara, Florence County, Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine, Goodman-Armstrong Creek — mostly plan to resume Sept. 1.

Aug. 24: Dickinson County Healthcare System will apply for $16.9 million federal loan, down about $8 million from their original request. The reduction possibly is due to federal CARES Act COVID-19 assistance.

Aug. 24: Protests erupt after Kenosha, Wis., police shoot a Black man in the back, leaving him paralyzed.

Aug. 25: Menominee County temporarily passes Marquette County to lead the Upper Peninsula in COVID-19 cases at 202.

Aug. 26: Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from the Chicago area, is accused of shooting three people, killing two, during protests over the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, Wis.; NBA playoff games, including the Milwaukee Bucks, called off in protest.

Aug. 27: Marinette County Fair opens despite the county leading the region at the time with 582 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Aug. 28: Michigan crosses 100,000 COVID-19 cases with 100,699 and 6,446 deaths.

Aug. 29: Recreational marijuana sales will soon begin in Iron Mountain as contractors finish exterior work at the Rize U.P. dispensary at 1580 N. Stephenson Ave., one of two retail shops authorized by the city council in January.

Aug. 29: College football season opens with Central Arkansas topping Austin Peay, 24-17.

Aug. 31: North Dickinson County defeats Norway to open the prep volleyball season opener in the area.

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 3: Once consigned to the spring, Michigan’s fall high school football season is back on after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifts restrictions that had restricted play.

Sept. 4: Dickinson County goes forward with 4-H livestock show and auction on what would have been fair weekend; fair foods also are offered for sale at the Dickinson County fairgrounds in Norway. Peyton Clark, 10, of Niagara, Wis., wins grand champion market beef steer Sept. 4, while 14-year-old Mari Fairchild of Merriman takes the reserve spot.

Sept. 4: Matt Wonders, an Iron Mountain Class of 1991 graduate who now teaches in the district, is inducted into the Northern Michigan University Sports Hall of Fame for basketball. He joins his wife, Julie (Heldt) Wonders, inducted in 2019.

Sept 13: The Green Bay Packers open their COVID-19 complicated season with a 43-34 win over NFC North rival the Minnesota Vikings in an empty U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Sept. 16: Michigan’s appeals court rules Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson had “inherent” authority to do the mass mailing of unsolicited absentee ballot applications to millions of 2020 voters.

Sept. 17: A U.S. judge blocks Postal service changes that would have slowed mail service nationwide.

Sept. 18: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies, setting off a rush by President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate to fill her seat with a conservative.

Sept. 19: A new monument for Gold Star Families is unveiled on the Dickinson County Courthouse grounds in Iron Mountain.

Sept. 21: A federal judge rules that Wisconsin absentee ballots can be counted up to six days after the Nov. 3 presidential election.

Sept. 22: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers extends the statewide mask mandate until Nov. 21. The Upper Peninsula Honor Flight, shifted from May 20 to Sept. 23, is postponed a second time to May 5.

Sept. 23: Michigan lawmakers swiftly pass a $62.7 billion state budget. Forest Park School District in Iron County suspends classes due to COVID-19 cases. West Iron County follows suit two days later.

Sept. 24: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she will allow movie theaters and other venues to reopen in two weeks. Iron Mountain High School reopens football season with 42-6 win over Bark River-Harris.

Sept. 27: A federal appeals court halts the six-day extension past Nov. 3 in Wisconsin for absentee ballots to be counted.

Sept. 29: State Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain, reveals he has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Sept. 30: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs a $62.7 billion budget that had bipartisan support amid the coronavirus pandemic. Iron County reports its fifth COVID-19 death and fourth in a week’s time.

OCTOBER

Oct. 2: The Michigan Supreme Court declares unconstitutional Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s use of a 1945 law to put coronavirus pandemic restrictions in place, throwing her steps to stem the pandemic into doubt.

Oct. 2: President Donald Trump is flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after testing positive for COVID-19. He returns to the White House on Oct. 5.

Oct. 6: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers limits indoor gatherings to 25% of capacity, or 10 if no capacity is indicated.

Oct. 6: Forest Park High School head football coach David Graff resigns, citing concerns about playing amid the growing coronavirus situation in Iron County.

Oct. 8: Agents reveal a supposed plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, to either hold her hostage or put her on trial.

Oct. 9: A week after the state Supreme Court states Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lacked the authority, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issues emergency orders to keep many of the restrictions in place.

Oct. 10: Norway honors its past state champions by erecting a sign for the Class D winners in 1979 and 1980 in football and 1979 in girls basketball.

Oct. 12: The Michigan Supreme Court rejects Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s request to delay by 28 days the effect of its decision striking down the law she cited to keep measures in place aimed at controlling the coronavirus.

Oct. 12: Dickinson County jumps by 95 confirmed coronavirus cases in one day, while Iron County has six new deaths.

Oct. 12: A Wisconsin judge allows the mask mandate to stand, rejecting a Republican challenge.

Oct. 14: Michigan’s Republican-led state Legislature votes to keep intact the longer-lasting unemployment benefits and other coronavirus-related orders by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Oct. 14: A Wisconsin judge blocks Gov. Tony Evers’ ability to limit the number of people who can gather in bars, restaurants and other indoor places.

Oct. 15: Michigan, Wisconsin set records for new virus positives in a single day, with Michigan hitting 2,030 and Wisconsin 3,747.

Oct. 16: All Dickinson County public schools are shut down for two weeks — at least until Nov. 2 — due to increased coronavirus activity. All prep sports are suspended as well.

Oct. 19: A Wisconsin judge puts Gov. Tony Evers’ 25% limits back in place on patrons in bars, restaurants and other indoor venues.

Oct. 20: Dickinson County Healthcare System is assessing the potential effects of an apparent ransomware attack that forced the provider to shut down its computer system.

Oct. 20: The Houghton-Hancock Copper Bowl, the high school football game contested since 1963, is canceled.

Oct. 21: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs bills that lengthen state unemployment benefits to 26 weeks from 20 weeks, through the end of the year.

Oct. 23: A Wisconsin appeals court judge blocks Gov. Tony Evers’ restrictions on indoor public gatherings pending an appeal.

Oct. 23: A Marinette County Sheriff’s deputy shoots and kills a man suspected in the death of another man at a Goodman, Wis., home.

Oct. 26: Dickinson County reinstates a state of emergency for the coronavirus, citing an explosive rise in infections.

Oct. 26: Amy Coney Barrett is sworn in to succeed Ruth Bader Ginsberg on the U.S. Supreme Court after being confirmed by the Senate days before the election.

Oct. 29: Dickinson County schools are allowed to have students back in class Nov. 2. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tightens restrictions on indoor social gatherings to no more than 50 and no more than six at a table.

Oct. 29: The Trump Administration moves to end gray wolf protection under the Endangered Species Act.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 2: Schools in Dickinson County resume in-person classes.

Nov. 3: Election day. Referendums pass for the Niagara School District, Iron County millages. Votes still being tallied for president, U.S. senate.

Nov. 4: Raymand Vannieuwenhoven, 83, ruled competent to stand trial for first-degree murder after DNA analysis in 2018 appears to link him to a Green Bay couple slain at a Marinette County campground in July 1976.

Nov. 5: Schools in Dickinson County to go to virtual learning again through at least Nov. 23, only a week after resuming in-person classes.

Nov. 8: Former vice president Joe Biden declared president-elect.

Nov. 9: Local health officials report 152 new COVID-19 confirmed cases in Dickinson County over four days, along with a 25th virus death. Dickinson County Healthcare System computers are again functioning after a malware attack discovered Oct. 17.

Nov. 11: Iron Mountain senior Foster Wonders signs a letter of intent to play basketball at Division 1 Southern Illinois University.

Nov. 12: Virus surges in region, with 358 new confirmed cases in the Upper Peninsula; Michigan and Wisconsin see similar rise.

Nov. 13: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer moves to shut down Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5 pipeline that runs beneath the Straits of Mackinac, revoking an easement and declaring the flow must stop within 180 days.

Nov. 15: Firearm deer season opens in Michigan.

Nov. 15: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer orders high schools and colleges to cease in-person classes, closes restaurants to indoor dining and suspends organized sports — including the high school football playoffs — due to the spike in coronavirus cases.

Nov. 20: Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and House Speaker Lee Chatfield summoned to the White House by President Donald Trump to discuss Michigan election results but say they see no reason to change the outcome. The recount in Wisconsin’s Democratic-heavy Milwaukee and Dane counties begins, on Trump’s request.

Nov. 23: Michigan election officials certify Democrat Joe Biden’s 154,000-vote presidential win over President Donald Trump in the state.

Nov. 24: Deer harvest down in area counties but up slightly statewide after the first weekend of the gun deer season in Wisconsin. High school basketball play begins in Wisconsin. College basketball opens nationwide.

Nov. 27: A Marinette County Sheriff’s deputy fatally shoots 74-year-old Duane Rich of Wausaukee after a domestic dispute in the Town of Amberg.

Nov. 29: Tom Casperson, the former state House representative and state senator from Escanaba, dies of cancer at age 61.

Nov. 30: In-person classes resume for most grade school and middle school students in Dickinson County, but high school students to remain on remote learning until Dec. 8.

Nov. 30: Wisconsin certifies Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential win by about 20,600 votes over incumbent Donald Trump.

DECEMBER

Dec. 1: The nine-day gun season in Wisconsin saw more hunters and more deer taken, though area counties had a smaller harvest. President Donald Trump files suit in Wisconsin seeking to disqualify more than 221,000 ballots in heavily Democratic Milwaukee and Dane counties.

Dec. 2: A federal judge turns down a suit that sought to end Michigan’s ban on indoor dining.

Dec. 2: A pursuit through two counties ends with a 34-year-old man fatally shooting himself in a farm field off M-69 in Felch Township.

Dec. 3: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asks Michigan lawmakers to approve $300 million in state spending to fight the coronavirus, including money for vaccine distribution.

Dec. 4: Wisconsin officials announce the state will resume its wolf hunt in November 2021 after the animal is dropped from the federal endangered species list.

Dec. 7: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends the partial shutdown of businesses and schools through Dec. 20 as the state continues to see a wave of new coronavirus cases.

Dec. 7: The Michigan House cancels its voting session scheduled for Dec. 8 after Rudy Giuliani, the lawyer for President Donald Trump who testified only days earlier before lawmakers in Lansing without wearing a mask, tests positive for COVID-19. More sessions end up canceled after a staffer tests positive.

Dec. 8: A Wisconsin-based National Guard pilot dies when a fighter jet crashes in the Hiawatha National Forest while on a training mission.

Dec. 10: A husband and wife are killed in a house explosion in Breen Township. The victims are Roy Kline, 78, and Maryann Kline, 66.

Dec. 10: The nation’s first coronavirus vaccine, from Pfizer Inc. gets final approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

Dec. 13: The Green Bay Packers defeat the Detroit Lions to clinch the NFC North title.

Dec. 14: The Electoral College formally chooses Joe Biden as the nation’s next president with 306 votes. The Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects President Donald Trump’s lawsuit attempting to overturn the results of the presidential election in the state.

Dec. 17: Pamela Faccio of Norway, an intensive care unit nurse, volunteers to become the first person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at Dickinson County Memorial Hospital.

Dec. 17: Seven area players named to the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters 11-player All-U.P. football Dream Team; West Iron’s Nathan Lundin tapped as UP Lineman of the Year.

Dec. 18: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer allows high school students to return to in-person classes; theaters and entertainment venues can reopen with capacity restrictions.

Dec. 18: North Central has six of the seven area players named to the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters eight-player All-U.P. football Dream Team, with NC’s Luke Gorzinski named offensive player of the year and the Jets unanimous choice as team of the year.

Dec. 18: The MHSAA announces that high school football playoffs and volleyball will resume in January.

Dec. 21: The U.S. House passes a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill. The Michigan Senate sends a $465 million pandemic spending plan to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Dec. 22: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs bill prohibiting water shutoffs in Michigan through March.

Dec. 22: West Iron County senior lineman Nathan Lundin named to the Associated Press Division 7-8 All-State First Team; North Central sophomore quarterback Luke Gorzinski and senior lineman Carter Eichmeier named to the AP All-State First Team for eight-player football.

Dec. 23: Kingsford junior wide receiver Zach Person is named to the Associated Press Division 5-6 All-State football Second Team.

Dec. 24: A federal judge upholds a decision dismissing a lawsuit seeking to declare President Donald Trump the winner in Wisconsin.

Dec. 27: President Donald Trump signs a $900 billion pandemic relief package that contains $600 in stimulus checks to most Americans.

Dec. 28: The Dickinson County Board adopts a $9.9 million general fund budget for 2021.

Dec. 29: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs $106 million coronavirus relief plan

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