Letter: State of the Menominee River

One of many signs placed near the Menominee River by water protectors opposed to the proposed Back 40 mining project. (Photo courtesy Mary Hansen of the Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River)

By Dale Burie, President
Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River
Sent as Letter to Editor Dec. 27, 2021

As 2021 comes to a close, I would like to offer my "State of the River" address to the people of this Menominee River watershed and beyond.

This past year we have seen Great Lakes Exploration file an application for exclusive Mineral Rights in Holmes and Faithorn townships in Menominee County. The Coalition established a "Call to Action" button on our website for concerned citizens to submit their letters of opposition. There were over 600 letters filed with the Mineral Leases Division of the State of Michigan in opposition, and we are asking for denial of this application.*

Aquila Resources also filed an application for exclusive Mineral Rights in Lake and Holmes townships in Menominee County. Once again, the Coalition established a "Call to Action" button on our website to send a letter of opposition to the Mineral Lease Division of the State of Michigan. Well over 200 letters were submitted, asking the Division director to deny this lease application.**

In October, Aquila Resources announced the transfer of their interests to Gold Resources of Denver, Colorado. This is the same Aquila Resources that came to this area with promises of high paying jobs, helping local school systems, building better roads; and after spending over 100,000,000 dollars of money they obtained from our friends, relatives, and the good people of Marinette and Menominee Counties, they are all but bankrupt. My heart goes out to the investors for their losses.

As Gold Resources intends to spend 2022 filing for the necessary permits to continue the Back Forty project, we as the Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River, Inc., stand ready with our staff of Environmental attorneys to STOP any forward progress for a sulfide mine on the Menominee River, with your help and support.

We have an opportunity to submit your letter of support to make the Anaem Omot (The Dog’s Belly, Anaem ah ka chiew, 60 Islands) Holmes and Lake Townships, Menominee County, Michigan, for consideration for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places by the State Historic Preservation Review Board at their meeting on January 28, 2022. You also can attend with ZOOM. This is the historical Menominee Indian burial grounds, dance rings and gardens.

A Menominee burial ground on the Michigan side of the Menominee River, not far from the proposed site for the Back 40 mining project. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

You may submit your support letter to Todd A. Walsh, National Register Coordinator by email at: WalshT@michigan.gov  or by letter to: Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, 300 North Washington Square, Lansing, Michigan 48913.

Protect the Menominee River for your children and grandchildren.

Dale Burie
Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River, Inc.
www.jointherivercoalition.org

Editor's Notes:

* See our Oct. 27, 2021, article, "DNR to hold Public Meeting, comment period, on Great Exploration metallic mineral lease request in Menominee County."

 ** See the Nov. 20, 2021, article, "UPDATED: PUBLIC NOTICE: DNR to hold virtual public meeting on Aquila mineral lease application Nov. 23."

People of the Heart complete third annual 90-mile Water Walk

By Michele Bourdieu

People of the Heart Water Walkers gather at the Sand Point Lighthouse on Keweenaw Bay for a photo at the conclusion of their 3-day, 90-mile walk from Copper Harbor to Baraga, Mich., on Oct. 11, Indigenous Peoples' Day, 2021. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

The third annual People of the Heart Water Walk for Indigenous Peoples' Day 2021 was the 12th Water Walk for Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie, of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), co-founder and co-organizer of the Walk. This year her mother, Barbara Swartz, joined her daughter by driving one of the vans that accompanied the walkers in the 90-mile trek from Copper Harbor to Baraga and by offering her cooking skills for the participants.

Michigamikwe Terri Denomie, co-founder and co-organizer of the People of the Heart Water Walk, takes a break during the Walk, riding a while with her mother, Barbara Swartz, at the wheel. (Photo © and courtesy Donica Hope Dravillas)

Terri, who is Head Start Center Director at the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, including KBIC Head Start and Early Head Start, spoke about her connection with her inspiration -- the late Grandma Josephine, who led water walks along all the Great Lakes. The lovely photos of water Terri takes and posts on her Facebook page are evidence of her belief that "Water is Life."

Terri and Barbara, along with People of the Heart co-founder and co-organizer Kathy Smith of KBIC, paused at Great Sand Bay on Oct. 9, the first day of this year's Walk, to speak with Keweenaw Now.

Terri, Barbara and Kathy at Great Sand Bay on Oct. 9, 2021. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

"I'm the proud caretaker of our KBIC Water Walkers Eagle Staff since 2015," Terri said.

She often carries the Eagle Staff or the traditional copper pail of water during water walks. Terri added she is even thinking of having a small water walk for her KBIC Head Start pupils to make them aware of the importance of protecting the water.

"The Children of our Community will always be in my heart! I've watched so many young children through their first five years of life in our Community, and love to watch them grow!" Terri said.

Besides serving on the Tribal Education Committee for 26 years, Terri served on the Tribal Council from 1996 to 2001 and dedicates hours of volunteer time for women's ceremonies and Talking Circles, preparing and delivering senior citizen meals in Baraga and more.

This is the second year Terri's mother, Barbara, has cooked for the Water Walkers. She also cooked for Pow Wow feasts for 9 years.

"She's one of our elders, who guides us and supports us," said Kathy Smith.

Kathy, who formerly worked in the KBIC Natural Resources Department, told Keweenaw Now her main concern is conserving the seeds and plants, sources of food and medicine for the Anishinaabe people, especially now when climate change brings more hot, dry weather. In addition, the black ash trees on the reservation, used for making baskets, have been threatened by the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.

"Something needs to come about or our beautiful gifts (i.e. resources) could be taken away," Kathy said. "Luckily we have seeds in storage."

She recently received a position in charge of wild rice issues for GLIFWC -- the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.

In the traditional Anishinaabe migration story, wild rice is the "food on the water," important for food security, she explained.*

The People of the Heart Water Walk is a spiritual journey during which participants, Native and non-Native, honor the water to call attention to the importance of protecting it.

During the Water Walk, Nibi (water) is always moving throughout the day. It doesn't stop. Just as a river continually flows, so does Nibi in a water walk. In order to keep this gentle flow, participants use a relay system of walkers. When one person passes the copper vessel of water to the next walker, this is a phrase you may hear in exchange: "Anishinaabemowin: Nga izhichige Nibi onji." Broad translation: I will do it for the water.**

Day 1: Copper Harbor to Mohawk

During the Walk, Terri posted on Facebook, "Day 1 of the People of the Heart Water Walk started at 7:40 a.m. in Copper Harbor and we walked 33 miles to Mohawk stopping at 6-7 p.m.!"

Water Walkers head south from Copper Harbor on Oct. 9, 2021, Day 1 of the 3-day walk to Baraga. (Photo © and courtesy Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie)

Near Eagle Harbor, Terri walks with Ronnie Mae Krueger of Copper Harbor. (Photo © and courtesy Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie)

Walkers reach Eagle Harbor on a warm, sunny Oct. 9 and continue on to Great Sand Bay. (Photo © and courtesy Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie)

Some of the Water Walk vehicle support drivers pause at Great Sand Bay to assist with the relay exchanges, but the copper vessel of water and the Eagle Staff keep moving on the way to Eagle River and Mohawk. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

The Rev. Julie Belew carries Nibi while Kathy Smith accompanies her with the Eagle Staff, heading toward Eagle River on Day 1. (Photo © and courtesy Donica Hope Dravillas)

The Rev. Julie Belew, pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Baraga, participated again in the People of the Heart Water Walk, along with her husband, the Rev. Bucky Beach, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Houghton. In addition to walking, the couple have offered hospitality to the walkers each year.

"Water is fluid: With its ebb and flow surrounded by diverse environments, I think of the diverse communities that come together to surround the water in prayer," said Pastor Julie. "It touches my heart every time the copper vessel is passed from one pair of hands to the next as we carry the water. With collective intentions we express gratitude for Nibi giving of herself to sustain all our relations -- the two legged, four legged and winged creatures. We cannot live without her! 

"As the many cars passed us on our three-day journey I would hear a pleading come from my heart, 'Please, (people who pass us by), may there be some realization/awareness that she (Nibi) needs our protection and care, and it will take all of our efforts.'"

Charli Mills of Hancock participated in the People of the Heart Water Walk for the second time, driving one of the support vans. She had also driven a vehicle and provided food and drink for them in October 2019.***

Charli Mills, center, is pictured here with her support vehicle  on Day 1 of the 2021 People of the Heart Water Walk. (Photo © and courtesy Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie)

"This year, the weather was unseasonably warm, reminding us that the work we do for the water is vital," Charli told Keweenaw Now. "Climate change is here." 

In 2020 Charli was unable to participate actively in the Water Walk, partly because of COVID (Last year People of the Heart encouraged supporters to do their own water walk or an individual activity of personal connection with water to keep the group small because of COVID distancing protocol.) and partly because she was working hard to finish her MFA degree.

"I took breaks (from studying) to meditate on the work of the Water Walkers and focus my attention on how precious Nibi is to us all," Charli added.

Cynthia Drake of Ripley is another Water Walker who participated remotely but spiritually in last year's walk (because of her daughter's illness) but walked with them again this year and has welcomed the People of the Heart Water Walkers to her home and waterfall each year. She commented on what the Water Walk means to her.

"It's just a powerful spiritual journey and practice to do this honoring and respect of our Nibi, our water, which is truly our life, and to be in community," Cynthia told Keweenaw Now. "When we do the Water Walk it brings us into this beautiful community of people who are almost like tributaries into the flow of the water as we do this journey with the water. I was just honored to be a part of it."

Day 2: Mohawk to Houghton

On Day 2, Oct. 10, Water Walkers passed through Lake Linden, Mason and Dollar Bay on their way to the Portage Lift Bridge in Houghton. They passed Torch Lake and Portage Lake, stopping at a point just a few miles short of Chassell.

Theresa Pitts of KBIC, who grew up near Torch Lake, a Superfund site and Area of Concern -- polluted by years of copper mining toxic waste -- joined the Water Walk this year because of her own experience of the need to protect the waters of the Keweenaw.

Theresa especially wanted to walk from Hubbell, her childhood home, to Mason, where she remembers spending time with family members, including her grandmother, who lived there.

Theresa Pitts and other Water Walkers reach Mason in Osceola Township. The Rev. Bucky Beach, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, walks beside her with the Eagle Staff. (Photo © Charli Mills and courtesy Theresa Pitts)

"It was in Mason where I learned of the dangers of Torch Lake. It was there I came to understand at an early age that her water was sick," Theresa writes in a guest article for Keweenaw Now on her personal experience of this year's Water Walk, "People of the Heart Water Walk offers hope for area lake."

Water Walkers approach the Portage Lift Bridge from Ripley. (Photo © and courtesy Donica Hope Dravillas)

On Day 2 People of the Heart Water Walkers cross the Portage Lift Bridge between Hancock and Houghton. Some drop asemaa, sacred tobacco, into the Keweenaw Waterway as a gift to the water. Mike Rodriguez of KBIC carries the Eagle Staff. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Water Walkers continue their Day 2 walk along the Houghton waterfront. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Madeline, center, has participated in the People of the Heart Water Walk all three years with her Mom, Donica Hope Dravillas of Copper Harbor. Here Madeline carries Nibi as the walkers continue along Portage Lake on US 41 just south of Houghton on the way to Chassell. (Photo © and courtesy Theresa Pitts)

Donica Hope Dravillas commented on the diversity of the group of walkers.

"We have People from all walks of life gather to carry this water," Donica said. "I am honored to walk with the Grandmothers, Youth, Men, Them, and Women that have brought their self and their heart to do this work."

Day 3: Houghton to Baraga

During the Walk on Day 3, Oct. 11, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie posted on Facebook this map of the remaining route from the Houghton-Baraga County line toward the Water Walkers' final destination, inviting others to join them for the conclusion of the Walk at the Sand Point Lighthouse on Keweenaw Bay. (Map © and courtesy Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie)

Water Walkers head along US-41 toward their final destination, Sand Point Lighthouse in the Ojibwa Recreation Area, Baraga. (Photo © and courtesy Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie)

On a beautiful, sunny Oct. 11 afternoon, the Water Walkers reached the Ojibwa Recreation Area, where they returned the water carried in the copper vessel to Keweenaw Bay, offering asemaa, sacred tobacco, and singing a water song in the Ojibwa language.

People of the Heart Water Walkers arrive at the Ojibwa Recreation Center in Baraga for the completion of their 90-mile Water Walk at Sand Point Lighthouse. Carrying the copper vessel of Nibi is Kathy Smith, accompanied by her twin sons -- Jacob, carrying the Eagle Staff, and Caleb. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

As Walkers approach the lake, Terri's grandson Chance offers them asemaa to take to the water. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Water Walkers return Lake Superior water (Nibi) they have carried from Copper Harbor to Baraga in a ceremony on Keweenaw Bay near the Sand Point Lighthouse. Kathy Smith, her son Jacob (carrying the Eagle Staff), and Gichigamikwe Terri Denomie with her grandson Chance sing the Nibi Song by Dorene Day. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

The Nibi Song in the above video was suggested to Doreen Day by her grandson. They have given permission to everyone to sing this song to the water. The words are translated here:
"Water, we love you.
 We thank you.
 We respect you."

The pronunciation is as follows:
Ne-be Gee Zah- gay- e- goo
Gee Me-gwetch -wayn ne- me – goo
Gee Zah Wayn ne- me- goo ****

Following the return of Nibi to the lake, Kathy Smith thanked the Water Walkers for their participation.

Kathy Smith expresses thanks to all who contributed to the success of this year's People of the Heart Water Walk. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Kathy noted also the importance of the food chiefs who worked in the kitchen: Erika Vye, Ronnie Mae Krueger, Evan Lanese, Gabriel Ahrendt, Elise Rosky, Emily Shaw, and Rachael Pressley.

Kathy, who has been the co-organizer of the People of the Heart Water Walk all three years, told Keweenaw Now she was very pleased with this year's walk for several reasons.

"This year was a fantastic year," Kathy said. "The weather was beautiful and Mama aki had been so generous to us all. She provided everything that we needed to bring awareness to the water, and the surrounding communities have been so supportive. Nimiigwechiwendam to everyone who supported, donated time and monies. Especially to the food chiefs that provided sustenance.

"The walk has been successful each year as we go along and gets more acknowledgement each year. Each step is a prayer and gratitude for our most precious gift, Nibi. We help by healing our own personal connection and relationship to each other, the land and to Nibi. What better gift of coming together along with MTU's Indigenous Peoples' Day Campaign who facilitates the planning committee. It's a precious gift in building relationships and doing this work together."

Joanne Thomas of Allouez, in Keweenaw County, was unable to join the walk because that same weekend she was hosting visitors from out of town, descendants of Big Annie Clemenc, heroine of the 1913 Copper Miners' Strike. Annie's descendants, Denise Masse and Debra Devlin, came to Calumet to donate the award for Big Annie's 2013 induction into the International Labor Hall of Fame to the Big Annie exhibit at the Coppertown Mining Museum in Calumet. Joanne, who created that exhibit, was a part of the event at the museum. She also told the visitors about the Water Walk happening that day because they had expressed a wish to visit the spring of fresh water near Centennial Heights, just north of Calumet.

Joanne Thomas, right, helps visitor Debra Devlin, a great granddaughter of Big Annie, collect fresh water from the spring near Centennial Heights. (Photo courtesy Joanne Thomas)

"It was the weekend of the Water Walk, and I was taking them to fetch water at the spring because they loved the water when Debra tried it when she was here earlier in August," Joanne told Keweenaw Now. "They were happy to 'participate' as they were tactilely appreciating clean water." 

Denise Masse, who is married to a great grandson of Big Annie, collects water from the spring. (Photo courtesy Joanne Thomas)

Thus, as Kathy Smith noted, awareness of the People of the Heart Water Walk for Indigenous Peoples' Day is reaching a wider community each year.

Notes:

* See p. A51 of an excerpt from The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway, by Edward Benton-Banai, for the reference to wild rice in the story of the Anishiinaabe migration.

** See "Protocols for the Nibi Walks."

*** See Charli Mills' 2019 Keweenaw Now guest article, "Experiencing People of the Heart Water Walk."

**** Click here for more on the Nibi (Water) Song.

Opening Zoom Reception for Natalie Salminen Rude exhibit in·ter·stice: (noun) a small intervening space to be Dec. 9 at Finlandia Gallery

Artist Natalie Salminen Rude. (Photos courtesy Finlandia University)

HANCOCK -- Finlandia University Gallery presents the 31st Annual Contemporary Finnish American Artist Series Exhibition featuring the artwork of Natalie Salminen Rude at the Finlandia University Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC), Hancock until February 4, 2022.

An opening Zoom reception will be held at 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, December 9. Join Zoom Meeting here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85740123384?pwd=VkxCVTVwck5PZzZKdTJYTFBYUHJxdz09

Meeting ID: 857 4012 3384
Passcode: 713269

An in-person closing reception for the artist is planned to take place at the gallery from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, February 3, with an artist talk beginning at 7:20 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

first fruits offering
(scarcity poses as truth)
Annunciation
2021
Encaustic, mixed media on panel
8″ x 10″

Finnish American artist Natalie Salminen Rude is presenting an exhibit titled in·ter·stice: (noun) a small intervening space. Contemplative, multidisciplinary and inquisitive, Salminen Rude aims to identify and uncover the dehumanizing forces found within technology and systemization. What is to be done if we are too deeply steeped in a system that we depend on? What happens when we never stop long enough to think thoroughly through the possible ramifications of progress as a core value, as our new sacred?

we’re overthrown
values illuminated
please take directions
2019
Encaustic, hand drawn plat map artifacts, dried botanicals, 23kt gold leaf, quilting hoops
48″ x 72″

For Salminen Rude, an antidote lies in the re-humanizing of all things. A simple first step for her is more non-digital communication, through movement, word and image, in physical spaces. By use of antidotal and symbolic imagery, layered ideation, encaustic, oil, light and darks, and haiku (as "poetic assists" for conversation), Salminen Rude brings together an interstice for contemplation and conversation. Her desire is that viewers pay attention to and participate in their own inquiries and solutions. Through attention, dialogue and the art of breaking down the breakdowns, the re-humanizing of our world is still possible.

Salminen Rude is both an artist and a poet, with poetry and text playing a vital role in her practice. She works in a variety of mediums, employing oils, mixed media and encaustic in her paintings and sculpture. Her work explores and celebrates layered ideation, both physically and metaphorically.

life support systems
embedded in Earth’s design
the Lie says "uproot"
2021
Oil, 23kt gold leaf on canvas
30″ x 40″

Salminen Rude received a BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Superior in 2003 and currently resides in Duluth with her husband and three children. Prior to the pandemic of 2020, she maintained a brick and mortar studio and showroom called Studio Haiku. She teaches encaustic workshops both locally and internationally; exhibits; and facilitates discussions on spirituality, the art of haiku, and what it means to live as an artist within the context of commitment, family, and the humble rhythms of life. 

human flourishing
are we paying attention?
extermination
(detail) 2019
Encaustic, hand drawn plat map artifacts, Japanese paper, ink, 23kt on birch panel
45″ x 48″

The Finlandia University Gallery is located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy Street, Hancock. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by appointment. Please call 906-487-7500 for more information.

Learn more about this exhibit, other exhibits and the Finlandia University Gallery in general by visiting finlandia.edu/universitygallery.

Michigan Advance: Nessel interview: GOP is in 'extreme minority' on gun laws, abortion bans

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. (Photo courtesy Michigan.gov)

By Laina G. Stebbins*
Posted on Michigan Advance December 3, 2021
Republished in part here under Creative Commons**

The fate of Roe v. Wade has never hung more precariously in the balance as the 6-3 conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments Wednesday over a Mississippi abortion law that may spell the end of Roe v. Wade.

Just one day before, a 15-year-old at Oakland County’s Oxford High School allegedly opened fire, killing four students and injuring seven others.

The collision of the two issues in less than a week, both of which she is deeply involved in, is not lost on Attorney General Dana Nessel.

By the end of this Supreme Court term, it will likely be far easier for a teenage boy to acquire a firearm in Michigan than for an adult woman to procure an abortion.

    -- Dana Nessel (@dananessel) December 1, 2021

In a phone interview with the Democratic AG Wednesday evening, the Michigan Advance asked how preventing gun violence and protecting abortion access is possible under a GOP-controlled state Legislature and a right-wing Supreme Court.

"Anything that’s any kind of regulation on any kind of firearm is impermissible in accordance with today’s Republican Party," Nessel said.

And most Republican officials at the state and federal level are also firmly against abortion rights. 

To Nessel, both issues are prime examples of how "the Republican Party is in the extreme minority when it comes to how the public feels and how residents of the state of Michigan feel."

Sixty percent of American adults want to see Roe v. Wade upheld, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, and Pew Research has found that roughly two-thirds of Americans have consistently opposed completely undoing Roe for the past 30 years.

Additionally, about 57 percent of Americans believe that firearm sale laws should be stricter.

Why can you buy a deadly weapon when you're 18 but not a Budweiser? I mean, it's outrageous. -- Attorney General Dana Nessel

Nessel says that the only real way to get an "extreme minority" from controlling public policy for everyone else is to vote them out of office. Michigan’s new redistricting panel will help, she contended -- a "once-in-a-decade redistricting" process and a "once-in-forever opportunity to have non-gerrymandered districts" -- with those new district changes possibly helping to get new lawmakers in charge that hold views more representative of most Michiganders.

On Wednesday, the Democrat re-upped her 2019 prediction that Roe will be successfully overturned. The Advance  asked Nessel about what this would mean for Michigan, what it’s like having two college-aged children for whom active shooter drills are the norm.

It is "the worst and most helpless feeling you will ever have as a parent," Nessel said, having her kids text her while sheltered in place at school without knowing whether there could be a real threat to their lives outside their door.

Prior to becoming the state’s chief law enforcement officer, Nessel was a private attorney who notably argued a Michigan marriage equality case that ultimately became part of the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges U.S. Supreme Court decision. The Advance also talked with Nessel, the state’s first out LGBTQ top official, about the future of that case.

The following are excerpts from the interview:

Michigan Advance: We can start with the Oxford School shooting Tuesday. What has been your involvement in the  investigation?

Nessel: When the shooting initially happened, we offered our assistance to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department. But since that time, we’ve been coordinating with the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. I’ve talked to Prosecutor [Karen] McDonald several times. My team has been consulting with her team. We’re offering just any assistance or support that we can lend, and, I think, trying to review all the evidence together and collaborate as much as possible. I have a really close relationship with Prosecutor McDonald. This is a pretty big case for her first year in office, but I think she’s handling it very well.

Michigan Advance: The charges against the shooting suspect, particularly the terrorism charge — do you think those are fair?

Nessel: Yeah. Absolutely. I fully support Prosecutor McDonald in her charging decision.

Michigan Advance: What can be done on gun reform in Michigan since our state’s GOP-led Legislature won’t act?

Nessel: Well, how much time do you have? You use that last caveat, right -- "since they won’t act." There are so many common sense gun laws that could be put in place right now, that could’ve prevented what happened [Tuesday] altogether. Some of these are laws that they have in other states. These are not laws that infringe upon a person’s Second Amendment right to bear arms. They’re just common sense reforms that would protect our society, and many which would specifically protect our children.

But I think what we’re going to have to do at this point -- understanding, of course, that we’re going to have our once-in-a-decade redistricting and our once-in-forever opportunity to have non-gerrymandered districts -- I think that we are likely to have more moderated districts where you’ll have a competitive district that had been gerrymandered for so long, instead of it being a rush to the base and to support the concept of "anyone should have any kind of gun, any time, any place, under any circumstances," which is really what the Republican Party subscribes to now.

… Even 10 years ago, it would be hard for me to picture even Republicans supporting the ghost guns, and now you do. That is what you have at this point because anything that’s any kind of regulation on any kind of firearm is impermissible in accordance with today’s Republican Party.

I think we have to view what happened [Tuesday] as an opportunity to make progress so that the lives of these poor kids, whose lives are cut short, or those who are badly injured, or even for the kids, the survivors who were there and present and will forever be impacted by what happened that day, even if they themselves were not injured, we have to do something to advance these bills. If that means having to elect new people for the Legislature with a new mindset, who understand the great importance of reasonable gun laws, then so be it. Then that is what we have to do.

Whether it has to do with gun laws that a vast majority of Michigan residents support, or whether it has to do with the other big news of the day which is the SCOTUS arguments. The vast majority of Michiganders think that Roe ought to be upheld and believe that a woman has a right to have a medically safe abortion [and] that’s between her and her doctor. Any of these issues where the Republican Party is in the extreme minority when it comes to how the public feels and how residents of the state of Michigan feel.

But this will be, I guess, our opportunity at the polls to say, 'We want to have a legislature that is more in keeping with the way that Michigan residents think and what our values and our belief system is.' … Honestly, someone has to hold these folks that are running for my seat accountable, because no one’s asking these difficult questions. … People need to know how they feel about [them], so they can see the differences between the parties. ... CLICK HERE to read the rest of this article on Michigan Advance.

Editor's Notes:

* Laina G. Stebbins, author of this article, is a reporter for Michigan Advance. She covers the environment, Native American issues and criminal justice for the Advance. A lifelong Michigander, she is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism. Read more about Laina here.

** Michigan Advance gives permission for republishing their articles under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

UPDATED: Rozsa Center to present Minnesota Ballet's "The Nutcracker" Dec. 3, 4, 5

Minnesota Ballet, the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra and students from the Superior School of Dance will perform The Nutcracker at the Rozsa Center this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3, 4 and 5. (Photo courtesy Rozsa Center)

UPDATED: HOUGHTON -- The Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts will present Minnesota Ballet's new production of The Nutcracker with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, featuring local dancers from the Superior School of Dance at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday and Saturday, Dec. 3 and 4, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5. 

This fresh, new version of the family favorite, choreographed by Karl von Rabenau, captivates with fairies, princes, lumberjacks, sweet-makers in this joyous tale. Experience young Clara’s enchanting dream come to life while on a holiday travel trip with her beloved Nutcracker doll.

Ticket prices: Adult: $28; Youth (Infants-Grades 12): $12; Michigan Tech Students w/valid ID: Free. Michigan Tech students can bring a friend with the Experience Tech fee.

Seats are assigned so buy your tickets in advance. Visit the Events Calendar page, choose the day you prefer and click on tickets to purchase online. Tickets are also available by phone at 906-487-2858. The Rozsa Box Office will also be open for ticket purchases prior to performances.

Socially distanced, pod-style seating is in the tier section and all wheelchair-accessible seats for this performance. Masks are required. Visit the Rozsa COVID-19 Policies for more information.

This activity is supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

Governor Whitmer takes action to protect Great Lakes, shut down Line 5 via state courts

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. (Photo courtesy Michigan.gov)

LANSING, Mich. -- Governor Whitmer today, Nov. 30, 2021, announced that the State of Michigan is shifting its legal strategy to give Michigan state courts the final say in protecting the Great Lakes by voluntarily dismissing the governor’s lawsuit against Enbridge in federal court. The governor’s goal remains protecting the Great Lakes, which means shutting down the Line 5 dual oil pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac as soon as possible. By clearing the way for the lawsuit filed by Attorney General Dana Nessel to go forward in Michigan state court, today’s action seeks to protect the Great Lakes and our state’s natural resources, which support 1.3 million jobs, including 350,000 jobs in Michigan, and generate $82 billion in wages annually.

"Today, I took further action to protect the Great Lakes from an oil spill and help us stay focused on getting the Line 5 dual oil pipelines out of the water as quickly as possible," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "While I respectfully disagree, the federal court has now decided to keep the lawsuit I filed in November 2020. I believe the people of Michigan, and our state courts, should have the final say on whether this oil company should continue pumping 23 million gallons of crude oil through the Straits of Mackinac every day. After today’s action, Attorney General Dana Nessel’s lawsuit, filed in June 2019, should now be able to move forward expeditiously in state court. Our goal here remains the same: protecting the Great Lakes, protecting Michigan jobs, and protecting Michigan’s economy."

Michigan DNR Director, National Wildlife Federation, League of Conservation Voters support Whitmer's action

"Michigan state courts should have the right to determine what happens in our Great Lakes," said Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Eichinger.  "No oil company should be able to dictate to Michiganders what happens in our sovereign lands and waters. This dismissal ensures that the people of Michigan have a say in protecting our Great Lakes."

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has been calling attention to the dangers of a potential Line 5 oil spill since Enbridge's disastrous 2010 oil spill in the Kalamazoo River. On their Web site, the group states, "Line 5 is a ticking time bomb in our Great Lakes that is threatening to spill millions of gallons of oil into the largest freshwater lakes in the world, essential habitat for wildlife, and the foundation of local economies."

A National Wildlife Federation diver inspects Line 5 in 2013. (File photo courtesy National Wildlife Federation) 

NWF welcomed Gov. Whitmer's action today.

"The National Wildlife Federation strongly supports Governor Whitmer’s courageous and steadfast legal strategy to shut down Line 5 and protect Michigan’s interest in the Great Lakes from interference by a Canadian oil company," said Mike Shriberg, Regional Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes Regional Center. "Line 5 is an urgent threat to the Great Lakes and the Governor’s move to cut through Enbridge’s legal delay tactics is the best way to move forward toward what really matters: protecting the Great Lakes from a catastrophic oil spill."

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters, a non-partisan group lists protecting the Great Lakes as one of their priority issues. They applauded Governor Whitmer's legal decision today.

"The governor's action today is an important step to protect our Great Lakes from the ticking time bomb of a catastrophic oil spill by allowing the state’s strong legal case to move forward and shut down the dangerous, aging Line 5 pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac," said Lisa Wozniak, Executive Director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. "Governor Whitmer and Attorney General Nessel are again showing that they are dedicated to protecting our Great Lakes, the source of drinking water for millions and a critical driver of our economy."

Background

Line 5 is 68-year-old dual oil pipeline running along the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac with 23 million gallons of oil flowing through it every day. The governor and Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Eichinger issued a Notice of Revocation and Termination of Easement to Enbridge in November 2020 and filed in state court to enforce this action. Enbridge then removed the case to federal court. Although the state sought to return the case to state court, earlier this month, the federal court denied that request and decided to hear the case.

In June 2019, before the governor filed her lawsuit, Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a separate lawsuit in state court to shut down the Line 5 dual pipelines that run through the Straits of Mackinac. The Attorney General’s lawsuit remains in state court, although the judge in that case has paused the lawsuit while the Governor’s lawsuit proceeded in federal court. 

Inset photo: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. (Photo courtesy Michigan.gov)

Today the governor filed a notice in federal court to voluntarily dismiss her lawsuit. The governor’s voluntary dismissal of her lawsuit should enable the Attorney General’s case to move forward in state court where this matter finally belongs and can move quickly to shut down the dual pipelines and protect the Great Lakes from a catastrophic oil spill. The Attorney General has taken the position that her lawsuit in state court should proceed. While the governor has taken action to reshape the state’s legal strategy, she is not withdrawing the Notice of Revocation and Termination of Easement, which she issued to Enbridge on November 13, 2020.

Today’s action does not impact Enbridge’s efforts to build a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac.

Securing Michigan’s Energy Needs

To ensure Michigan’s energy needs are met, Governor Whitmer has been laser-focused on diversifying the state’s energy needs to ensure access to cheaper clean energy sources. Under Governor Whitmer's direction, the five-step MI Propane Security plan further ensures propane security for the residents of our state and businesses by:

•  Protecting consumers from price gouging and by providing accessible heating assistance for families in need.
•  Sending clear signals to encourage market participants to invest in the development of alternative propane sourcing options.
• Leveraging the tools of state government to encourage the development of alternative sourcing options.
• Monitoring propane supply and coordinating responses to potential disruptions with the energy industry.
• Maximizing propane efficiency while reducing energy costs in Michigan through efficiency, weatherization, and the transition to electrification and renewable energy.

Since early in 2019, the Whitmer Administration has been working with industry to preparing for and deploy alternatives to ensure energy security for both of Michigan's peninsulas in the event of a Line 5 closure.*

*Editor's Note:

See this April 19, 2020, article: "U.P. Energy Task Force submits propane recommendations to Gov. Whitmer."

UPDATE:  See the Michigan Advance Nov. 30, 2021, updated article, "New: State shifts strategy on Line 5, drops federal case," with comments from Aaron Payment, chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, from Attorney General Dana Nessel, and from Enbridge.

UP Wolf advocacy group calls for resignation of Natural Resources Commissioner over false statement

Michigan wolves are again in danger of being hunted since they were removed from the federal endangered species list last year and state officials ignore science and ethics. (Photo courtesy National Wolfwatcher Coalition. Reprinted with permission.)

EWEN, Michigan -- In a letter to Michigan Natural Resources Commission Chairwoman Carol Rose and DNR Director Dan Eichinger, Nancy Warren -- a U.P. resident, wolf advocate and  National Wolfwatcher Coalition director -- asked that Commissioner JR Richardson release a public apology and resign from the Commission because of his history of deceptive actions about wolves in Michigan.

During the program "Ask the DNR," which aired on November 4, 2021, on WNMU-TV, Commissioner Richardson told an unsubstantiated story of a wolf attack on a dog chained to a porch. During the same segment, Commissioner Richardson encouraged listeners to contact him, which Warren did in an attempt to get more details. When Richardson failed to respond, Warren submitted a formal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Michigan DNR, asking for documentation of the incident any time within the past ten years, as alleged by Richardson. The DNR responded that no such record exists.

"Commissioner Richardson had an obligation to verify rumors he may have heard and not mislead the public by spreading them," said Warren. "He should be held accountable."

In her letter to Rose and Eichinger, Warren also states, "Commissioner Richardson also provided inaccurate information about the Wolf Management Advisory Council (WMAC) during that interview. He stated that there are six members of the WMAC from downstate and one from 'up here.' But the WMAC consists of five individuals: Three from Lower Michigan, who represent hunting organizations, 'conservation' groups (in the form of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs), and animal advocacy groups. The one person on the WMAC from the Upper Peninsula represents agriculture and hunting interests. The fifth representative on the WMAC, from the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, actually lives in Ashland, Wisconsin. Two tribal members from the Upper Peninsula applied to serve but were not selected to represent tribal interests. The chair of the WMAC is a DNR employee."

This pattern of unscrupulous behavior dates back to 2013, when as Chair of the Commission, another Freedom of Information Act request revealed that Richardson admitted to his Executive Assistant that he had trashed 2000 public comments related to the wolf hunt.*

"Commissioner JR Richardson cannot be trusted to make ethical, science-based wildlife management decisions that respect the values of Michigan residents, the democratic process and the intrinsic value of wolves," said Warren. "It is apparent he only wants to hear from those whose beliefs align with his and he should not be allowed to continue serving on the Natural Resources Commission."**

Editor's Notes:

*  See our Nov. 14, 2013, article, "National Wolfwatcher Coalition: State officials ignore, destroy comments opposing Michigan wolf hunt," which reports Nancy Warren's findings, through a FOIA request, that Richardson admitted trashing public comments related to the 2013 wolf hunt.

** See also the Bridge Michigan Nov. 22, 2021, article, "Michigan wildlife official cries wolf. Gray wolf advocates want him gone."

UPDATED: PUBLIC NOTICE: DNR to hold virtual public meeting on Aquila mineral lease application Nov. 23

 

UPDATE: This map shows the parcels included in the direct metallic mineral leases Aquila Resources USA Inc has requested from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Click here for a larger map. (Map courtesy Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

LANSING -- Aquila Resources USA Inc, of Stephenson, Michigan, has requested direct, metallic mineral leases from the state of Michigan covering the following described Department of Natural Resources metallic mineral rights located within Holmes Township and Lake Township, Menominee County, Michigan, containing 1988 acres, more or less, further described as follows:

Leasable Development
T35N, R28W, Section 5, S1/2 SW1/4; SW1/4 SE1/4 (120 acres m/l); Section 8,
NE1/4; N1/2 NW1/4; SE1/4 NW1/4 (280 acres m/l)

Leasable Development with Restrictions
T36N, R28W, Section 32, S1/2 S1/2 (160 acres m/l)
T35N, R28W, Section 4, W1/2 W1/2 (166 acres m/l); Section 5, N1/2; N1/2 S1/2; SE1/4 SE1/4 (542 acres m/l); Section 6, SE1/4 (160 acres m/l); Section 7, NE1/4; NE1/4 NW1/4 (200 acres m/l); Section 8, SW1/4 NW1/4 (40 acres m/l)
T35N, R29W, Section 12, NE1/4; NE1/4 SW1/4, SE1/4 NW1/4 (240 acres m/l)

Leasable Nondevelopment
T35N, R28W, Section 6, NE1/4 SW1/4 (40 acres m/l)
T35N, R29W, Section 1, SE1/4 SE1/4 (40 acres m/l)

If approved by DNR, a lease to Aquila Resources USA Inc would grant the exclusive right to explore for the presence of metallic minerals in the described areas. A lease alone does not grant a lessee a right to mine.

UPDATE: Click here for a Parcel Classification Report.

Virtual informational public meeting

The DNR Minerals Management Section will hold a virtual informational public meeting regarding the lease application from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST (Noon to 3 p.m. CST) on Tuesday, November 23, 2021. Interested parties may join the meeting by going to
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/497847189230147852. Based upon the necessary technology to conduct a virtual meeting and offer two-way communication for public comment, registration is required for those who desire to provide public comment during the meeting.* Should you not want to provide public comment and desire to only observe the meeting anonymously, or if you do not have internet access, please use the phone option by dialing 1(631)992-3221 and using access code 614-394-882. This meeting will be recorded, and the recording will be made available to the public at Michigan.gov/Minerals.

UPDATED: A multi-agency panel will respond to written questions from the public regarding the lease application during this meeting. Questions may be submitted to DNR, Minerals Management Section, P.O. Box 30452, Lansing, MI 48909 or DNR-LeaseManagement@michigan.gov. Please include Aquila in the subject line. Written questions received by November 18, 2021, will be addressed during the meeting; questions received after November 18, 2021, will be answered via email.  Additional questions and comments will be accepted until Nov. 30, 2021. 

The meeting will also include a public comment period. Anyone wishing to participate in the public comment portion of the meeting will be allowed two minutes to speak.**

Editor's Notes:

* From Dale Burie, President of the Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River to those who register to join the meeting online: "You will receive a confirmation of your Registration from Kirk Lapham of the DNR Minerals Division. In that email you will find a "Join the Webinar" box. On November 23, click on the box to enter the Meeting. This DNR decision could be the turning point of the entire Aquila effort to transfer their interests in the Back Forty mining project to Gold Resources. We need your help to stop the renewal of Aquila's mineral leases." (While not mentioned in the above public notice, this is a renewal of Aquila's leases that are expiring.)

** Dale Burie adds that the Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River has provided, on their Web site, a page for concerned persons to submit comments opposing DNR renewal of the above-mentioned Aquila Mineral Rights. CLICK HERE to fill out an easy form with your comments that the Coalition will forward to DNR decision makers. You do not have to be a resident of Michigan to comment.

Oil and Water Don’t Mix: Response to Federal Court Decision on Enbridge Line 5

UPDATE: On Thursday, Nov. 18, President Biden will host an in-person meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau. Environmental advocates including the National Wildlife Federation, Oil and Water Don't Mix, and Clean Water Action are holding a press conference outside the Canadian Embassy at 10 a.m. EST to demand that President Biden support Governor Whitmer's move to decommission the Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline. Please attend the press conference virtually via Facebook livestream at: https://www.facebook.com/oilandwaterdontmixcoalition

Oil and Water Don't Mix calls on President Biden to support the State of Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in their suit in state court against Enbridge. (Photo courtesy Oil and Water Don't Mix)

Posted Nov. 16, 2021, on oilandwaterdontmix.org
Shared here with permission

The November 16 decision in U.S. District Court dismissing Michigan's motion to have the Line 5 shutdown case sent back to state court means that a foreign corporation has secured at least a temporary success in protecting oil profits at any cost -- even if that means keeping the Great Lakes at tremendous risk.

The court’s decision may appear to be a victory for Canada and Enbridge, but the reality is that Canadians and Michiganders who care about protecting the Great Lakes and our climate both lose with this decision.

Ultimately it may be up to President Biden to decide whether a 68-year-old oil Canadian pipeline is more important than the Great Lakes and his just days-old commitment to reducing fossil fuels by 45 percent by 2030. The fact is, we don’t have until 2030 to protect the Great Lakes from the twin oil pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac -- they are a ticking time bomb. If, as Judge Neff has decided, this is a federal matter and the people of Michigan have no voice, the president must now speak for us. President Biden has the power to withdraw the presidential permit for Line 5, save the Great Lakes, and honor his commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He should stand by Governor Whitmer and do it without delay. Time is not on our side. 

Click here to comment and take action.

Michigan Anishinaabek Caucus to hold virtual Town Hall on Line 5 issues Nov. 16

Editor's UPDATE: This event is delayed because of technical difficulties. It is being recorded via Zoom and the recording will be posted on the Anishinaabek Facebook page at a later time.

Water protectors demonstrate against Enbridge's Line 5 Tunnel project near the Mackinac Bridge. (Photo © Valerie Jean and courtesy Michigan Anishinaabek Caucus)

The Michigan Anishinaabek Caucus will host a virtual Town Hall on Line 5, Enbridge's 68-year-old pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (ET) Tuesday, November 16, on the Michigan Anishinaabek Caucus Facebook page. Anyone on Facebook may attend this live event. (See UPDATE above.)

Dr. Kyle Whyte -- Citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, Anishinaabek Caucus member and professor of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan -- will be convening a conversation on the Line 5 eviction, the proposed tunnel and the cultural site that was discovered last year under the Straits.

The town hall panel will feature Andrea Pierce, member of Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and chair and founder of Anishinaabek Caucus; Dr. Martin Reinhardt, member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and tenured professor of Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University; Biidaaban Reinhardt, member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians; Sean McBrearty of Oil and Water Don't Mix; and others.  

This is the third in a series of virtual Town Halls sponsored by the Anishinaabek Caucus during November, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

Rozsa, McArdle Theatre to host events this weekend

ANCHORAGE WORLD PREMIERE will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Rozsa Center. (Photos courtesy Rozsa Center)

HOUGHTON --  This weekend you are invited to a World Premiere at the Rozsa Center and Michigan Tech's first play in 18 months at the McArdle Theatre on campus.

A London composer and New York choreographer met on Rabbit Island, a tiny island off the coast of the Keweenaw, where they were inspired to create ANCHORAGE WORLD PREMIERE, presented in collaboration with Rabbit Island Foundation, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the James and Margaret Black Performance Hall in the Rozsa.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth. Michigan Tech students can attend for free and bring a friend with the Experience Tech Fee.

The Arsonists will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11-13 and Nov. 17-19 in the McArdle Theatre in Walker Arts and Humanities Center.

Firebugs have been setting homes aflame. Will businessman Biedermann be prepared for the cunning arsonists at his door? This dark political satire, written in the 1950s about the spread of communism, is reimagined in modern times by director Kristy Dodson.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for youth. Michigan Tech students can attend for free and bring a friend with the Experience Tech Fee.

Tickets are available by phone at 906-487-2073, online and in person at the Central Ticketing Office in the Student Development Complex. The Rozsa Box Office will also be open for ticket purchases two hours prior to performances.

Click here for information about Live Streaming Events.

Note: Face coverings are required for volunteers, staff and audience members at these events. Please visit the Rozsa COVID-19 Policies for the most up-to-date information.

Guest Video: Let the Wave ...

By Samantha Cooper
Published here with her permission

Samantha Cooper (Sam, she/her) became one of over 900 defendants in the struggle to stop the line 3 (93) pipeline this past summer. She was invited to stand with Indigenous leaders upholding their treaty rights and protecting the natural resources guaranteed to them under federal law. This nonviolent stand resulted in a misdemeanor charge, which she will challenge in court with her co-defendants.  (Video © and courtesy Samantha Cooper)

After spending a month in northern Minnesota, Samantha Cooper created an interpolation of a song called "Tomorrow" by Miner. Keweenaw Now appreciates Samantha's permission to share this video, her love note to the rights of manoomin (wild rice).
 
"Let The Wave" features Frank Bibeau -- the Attorney in a historic rights of manoomin case unfolding in Minnesota right now. This track also features Shara Nova (My Brightest Diamond), Jaike Spotted Wolff (Camp Migizi), Holly T. Bird (Attorney and Co-Executive Director Of Title Track), Dan Rickabus (State Of Water Podcast), Seth Bernard (Title Track Founder), and Bryan Heany (37.ENT). Sam edited this video with Jon Stegenga (Humanizing Through Story) and Nathan Wright (MackinawOde).

Please see the YouTube video for full credits and a larger video screen.

This video single was made possible in part by a grant from the Arts Council Of Kalamazoo. Samantha Cooper owns 25 percent of this interpolation; any proceeds will be donated to the Line 3 Rapid Response Fund.

Please consider donating to The Center For Protest Law and Litigation - Line 3 Rapid Response Fund: https://www.protestlaw.org/line3

This project was made to honor the water protectors from RISE Coalition, Honor The Earth, Welcome Water Protector Center, Red Lake Treaty Camp, Camp Migizi, Giniw Collective, Stop The Money Pipeline, MackinawOde, Native Roots Radio, Friends Of The Headwaters, The Bay Mills Indian Community, MI Cats, Bad River Band, Up Hell’s Creek Camp, Indigenous Environmental Network, MN350, Kalamazoo Remembers, Great Lakes Water Protectors, Oil and Water Don’t Mix and beyond.
 
Special thanks to Lee Sprague, Yebishawn Oldshield, Daniel Hinmon, Kara Wiltstone, Bia, Nathan Wright and Gerardo Reyes for having me out on the water, and for sharing your joy in this video.
 
#StopTheMoneyPipeline #COP26 #StopLine3 #ShutDownLine5NoTunnel #WaterIsLife #RightsOfNature #RightsOfManoomin #WeAreAllTreatyPeople #FrankBibeau #HollyTBird #JaikeSpottedWolf #SharaNova #SamanthaCooper #HumanizingThroughStory #EarthworkMusic

41 North Film Festival: Destination Cinema at Michigan Tech, November 4-7, 2021

The 41 North Film Festival, 2021, is from Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 4-7. (Logo courtesy Rozsa Center)

HOUGHTON -- This year's 41 North Film Festival will showcase 30 award-winning independent films from around the region, country, and world. Come to see new films that are currently in distribution and under discussion! Check out the complete film lineup here.

Most films will screen in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts unless otherwise noted. See the Schedule here.

All events at the festival are free and open to the public.  

Michigan Tech Students:
Bring an I.D. and tap to enter through the south door of the theater to enter to each film.

Everyone else -- including MTU faculty, staff, and students from other schools -- needs to reserve one ticket for the entire festival in one of these ways:

•  visiting https://mtu.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=3535
•  calling the SDC Ticketing Office: 906-487-2073
•  going to the SDC Ticketing Office in person at 600  MacInnes Drive
  

Bring your ticket with you for access to all the great events of the 41 North Film Festival. Tickets will also be available at the Rozsa Center in the lobby 30 minutes prior to the start of each film.

Please consider making a donation to help support the festival when you purchase your ticket. Your donations are tax-deductible and will help us keep the festival free and open to the community.

Pre-register and donate here. 

Editor's Note: If you missed this in our right-hand column, you can see the Rozsa Center's COVID-19 Policies here: https://www.mtu.edu/rozsa/covid-policies/ 

Spooktacular Saturday: Houghton County Democratic Party to host Halloween Fling Oct. 30 via Zoom

Meet state and local legislators and officials at the Houghton County Dems' Virtual Halloween Fling at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30. (Poster courtesy Houghton County Democratic Party)

It's Spooktacular Saturday! On Halloween Eve, Houghton County Dems invite you to meet virtually with state and local legislators and officials who will speak at their Spooktacular Saturday fundraiser beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 via Zoom. What better way to scare opponents than refilling coffers for the 2022 elections through your generosity?

Local, regional, state and national Democratic candidates need your support next year. Have some fun, hear these guests and give them your comments and questions, and contribute to the Houghton County Democratic Party.* Confirmed speakers include the following:

• Lavora Barnes, Chair, Michigan Democratic Party
• Dr. Bob Lorinser, candidate for Congress
• Rep. Yousef Rahbi
• Judge Michelle Rick
• Commissioner Glenn Anderson
• Jennifer Kelly, county clerk
• and maybe more!
  

Join the event for free at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, via Zoom.* RSVP at https://forms.gle/xTBGPZzxcmfCFGpR8 to receive the link nearer showtime.

This is a fall fundraiser with the goal of replacing the Houghton Dems' twice-cancelled Spring Fling. Help fill reserves for the 2022 election year! If you can't make it Saturday, your help is still needed. Please consider donating through ActBlue at:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/spk21

or by mail at
HCDC
PO Box 304
Houghton MI 49931
 
Sponsored by the Houghton County Democratic Committee, PO Box 304, Houghton MI 49931.

Please consider donating to the Houghton County Democratic Party through ActBlue by clicking here.

You can also send a check made out to "HCDC" or "Houghton County Democratic Committee" PO Box 304 Houghton, MI 49931.

* Joining the Zoom event is free. Donations are voluntary.