Minnesota Ballet, Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, local student dancers to perform "The Nutcracker" Dec. 4, 5 at Rozsa Center

The Rozsa Center will present The Nutcracker by the Minnesota Ballet, the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra and local student dancers Dec. 4 and 5. (Photo courtesy Rozsa Center)

HOUGHTON -- The snowflakes, the beloved Christmas music, the magical tale: Come to the Rozsa Center to experience the timeless Christmas tradition that is The Nutcracker ballet! Minnesota Ballet and Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra (with Joel Neves conducting) will present a fully-staged production, with live orchestra, of Tchaikovsky's enchanting Nutcracker ballet at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5.

The performance is presented with support by Minnesota Public Radio.

Student dancers from many area schools, including Houghton, Hancock, Baraga, Lake Linden-Hubbell, C-L-K, Michigan Tech, Gogebic CC and others will take the stage to create this magical Christmas fairytale with the Minnesota Ballet and Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are on sale now: $25 for adults, $10 for youth.

Special for The Nutcracker performances only, a $55 "family package" includes two adults and two youth tickets. Additional youth tickets can be added on for $6 each. No charge for Michigan Tech students with a Student ID/ Experience Tech fee. Advance reserved seating is now available. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 487-2073, online, in person at the Central Ticketing Office in the Student Development Complex or at the Rozsa Box Office the evening of the performance.

DNR offers reward in Houghton County wolf poaching case

DNR press release dated Nov. 23, 2015:

MARQUETTE -- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is offering a Report All Poaching (RAP) reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual who shot a gray wolf in Houghton County Saturday, Nov. 21.

The shooting took place along M-26, one half-mile south of Twin Lakes.

DNR conservation officers said the shooter’s vehicle would have been parked along the west shoulder of M-26, heading southwest. The shooting took place sometime between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. EST.

"The subject shot from the vehicle and struck the wolf as it was standing on the snowmobile trail (Trail No. 3) to the west of the highway," said Sgt. Grant Emery of the DNR’s Baraga Field Office.

Gray wolves are a federally endangered species and are protected in Michigan. Wolves cannot legally be killed except in the defense of human life.

The maximum penalty for poaching a wolf is 90 days in jail or a fine of up to $1,000, or both, plus reimbursement of $1,500 to the state for the animal. Poaching convictions also usually include a suspension of hunting privileges for a period of four years.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Marquette DNR District Office at 906-228-6561 or the Report All Poaching line at 1-800-292-7800. All information provided is confidential.

For more information about gray wolves in Michigan, visit the DNR’s webpage at: www.michigan.gov/wolves.