Supporters of Ukraine continue Walks for World Peace on Lift Bridge

By Michele Bourdieu

Participants in the fourth Walk for World Peace in support of Ukraine on March 16, 2022, display flags and signs to passing traffic on the Hancock side of the Portage Lift Bridge after crossing the bridge from Houghton. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photo © and courtesy Adelina Oronova)

HOUGHTON-HANCOCK -- About 30 participants in the fourth Walk for World Peace in support of Ukraine displayed signs and flags to rush-hour traffic crossing the Portage Lift Bridge between Houghton and Hancock on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

According to organizer Adelina Oronova, Fulbright Ukrainian scholar at Michigan Tech, these walks will continue every Wednesday until the war of Russian aggression in Ukraine ends. 

Adelina Oronova, one of the leaders of the group Yoopers for Ukraine, welcomes the participants in the March 16 Walk for World Peace in support of Ukraine and announces the beginning of the Walk from Houghton to Hancock. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Adelina and her Ukrainian husband, Nazar Gora, also a Michigan Tech graduate student, have been active in spreading the word about Ukraine both on and off campus. They have led demonstrations on campus at noon near the Husky statue and hosted presentations and open discussions on Ukraine in both the Michigan Tech library and the Portage Lake District Library as well as offering an online presentation during last week's UPEC (Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition) Celebrate the UP! online event.

As participants gathered to begin the March 16 Walk in Houghton, two visitors from Marquette, Ukrainian mothers accompanied by their small children, spoke to Keweenaw Now about their reasons for making the two-hour drive to Houghton in order to participate in the Walk.

Ukrainian mothers Violetta Boyle, with her daughter, Lily, and Natalija Iskhakova and her son, Boris, came to Houghton from Marquette, MI, to participate in the March 16, 2022, Walk for World Peace and support for Ukraine. Both still have family members in Ukraine. Click on YouTube for a larger view. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

A little after 5 p.m. the walkers began their trek across the Lift Bridge, flags flying in the wind and signs aimed at passing traffic, stopping on the Hancock side of the bridge to face the traffic there.

Led by Nazar Gora, the March 16, 2022, Walk for World Peace in support of Ukraine begins. Participants cross the Portage Lift Bridge from Houghton to Hancock, displaying their signs and flags. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Walkers face traffic on the Hancock side of the bridge. (Photo © and courtesy Adelina Oronova)

Boris, Lily and their Moms are with walkers who pause for a photo on the Hancock side of the bridge. (Photo © and courtesy Adelina Oronova)

Participants in the Walk cross the Portage Lift Bridge as they return from Hancock to Houghton. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Michigan Tech professors Craig Waddell and his wife, Victoria Bergvall, have participated in more than one of these Walks for World Peace in support of Ukraine. They spoke with Keweenaw Now about why they think it is important.

Craig Waddell and Victoria Bergvall of Houghton give their reasons for supporting Ukraine. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Another local Ukrainian resident, Anna Hill of Chassell, told Keweenaw Now she joined the Walk because she wants Americans to support Ukraine.

Anna Hill, who is Ukrainian and now lives in Chassell (MI), speaks about her reasons for joining the Walk. With her is Elizabeth Flynn, retired professor emerita in Humanities at Michigan Tech University, who tutors Anna in English. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Beth and Tom Maki of Lake Linden said they walked for Ukraine because their son, Matt, is there, in Lviv. He has been in Ukraine for 10 years working as a teacher.

"He just loves it there," Beth Maki said. "I was there in 2019 with him and got to know the people. I'm hoping to go back there to see him and his friends again."

Tom and Beth Maki of Lake Linden said they walked for Ukraine and their son, Matt, who is there now. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Organizer Adelina was pleased with the turnout for the Walk, noting it was good to see new participants each time.

Adelina Oronova, organizer of the March 16 Walk for World Peace in support of Ukraine, comments on the turnout at the Walk and her hopes for her country. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

For more photos and videos of the March 16 Walk, see the Yoopers for Ukraine Facebook page.*

 

Presentations on Ukraine available on line

 

Some recent presentations on Ukraine, which were held via Zoom and Facebook Live, are still available on line. During those presentations, Adelina and Nazar were joined by Nadija Packauskas, a Lithuanian American who is concerned about Ukraine and organized previous marches, and Zenia, a Russian student at Michigan Tech. Their presentations include some history background on Ukraine as well as updates on the present struggle against Russian military aggression.

 

One of their more recent presentations was included in the UPEC (Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition) Celebrate the U.P.! event on March 12. The video recording of this presentation is available on YouTube.

 

To open the presentation on Ukraine for UPEC, Nadija lights a candle for a moment of silence for Ukraine. Pictured with her, from left, are Zenia; Nadija's 91-year-old father, Vytautas Packauskas; Adelina and Nazar. (Photo courtesy UPEC)

 

Earlier in March the group also spoke at the Michigan Tech library and the Portage Lake District Library.

A video recording of the most recent presentation at the MTU library, on March 17, is available via Facebook live on the Yoopers for Ukraine Facebook page.

Here the group gives a presentation at the Portage Lake District Library on March 8: from left, Nadija, Nazar, Adelina and Zenia. (Photo © and courtesy Nadija Packauskas)

 

In addition, demonstrations for Ukraine have been held at the Husky statue on the Michigan Tech campus. These will now be continued at noon next Monday, March 21, and Thursday, March 24.

Supporters of Ukraine gather near the Husky statue on the Michigan Tech campus. (Photo courtesy Adelina Oronova)

For information on how you can help support Ukraine in several different ways, visit https://linktr.ee/RazomForUkraine. For more updates visit the Facebook page Yoopers for Ukraine.

* Editor's Note: See also our March 4, 2022, article, "Second Walk for World Peace supporting Ukraine: Participants speak out."

Visit our friend Kateryna Lapina's Facebook page for updates on her work for Ukraine. (She was interviewed in the above March 4 article)

Wisconsin DNR extends Public Comment Period For Draft Environmental Impact Statement on proposed Enbridge pipeline relocation

Enbridge’s proposed new Line 5 through the Penokees crosses every major river in the watershed. Plans include mile-long horizontal directional drilling -- the same that produced the many breeches in the Minnesota aquifers as they drilled under 207 waterways over there -- and blasting through the million-year-old granite, rich with asbestos, in order to install their new line. (Map: Carl Lemke Sack)

By Barbara With*
Posted March 16, 2022, on Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative
Reprinted with permission

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced on March 16, 2022, it is extending the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement that it has prepared for the proposed relocation of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline. The comment period is extended by one month and will now close on April 15, 2022.

The department is currently reviewing the more than 10,000 written comments it has received to date. The department has determined that this extension is reasonable given the project’s complexity, the volume of technical information, the length of the draft Environmental Impact Statement and the public interest in the project. The department hopes the extended comment period will provide the public with ample time to review and provide comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement by email or regular mail. Submit electronic and hardcopy written comments at any time through Friday, April 15, 2022, to:  

Department of Natural Resources Line 5 EIS Comments (EA/7) 101 South Webster Street, Madison, WI 53707 Email: DNROEEACOMMENTS@WI.GOV

The Wisconsin DNR will consider all public comments received during the comment period and any other pertinent information that becomes known to the department and prepare a Final Environmental Impact Statement. The public will be notified when the Final Environmental Impact Statement is completed. No permit decisions will be made until after the Environmental Impact Statement process is complete.

More information on the proposed project and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is available on the DNR’s Enbridge Pipeline Projects webpage.**

* Guest author Barbara With is a journalist for the Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative.

** See also the Feb. 9, 2022, article "Guest Article: Citizens expose gross inadequacies in Enbridge Line 5 draft EIS, tell DNR to do their job." 

Dr. Bob Lorinser, 1st District Congressional candidate, to hold Town Halls in Calumet, Houghton, Baraga this week

A Keweenaw Town Hall with Dr. Bob Lorinser, who is running as a Democrat for U.S. Congress, 1st District, will be held on Monday, March 14, at the Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne's in Calumet. Click on poster for larger image. (Poster courtesy Dr. Bob Lorinser)

CALUMET -- A Keweenaw Town Hall for All with Dr. Bob Lorinser will be held from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. EDT Monday, March 14, at Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne's in Calumet. This is an in-person event.*

The Keweenaw Town Hall is the first of three Town Hall events with Dr. Bob Lorinser this week. He will also meet with 1st District (Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan) constituents in Houghton and in Baraga.

All constituents are invited to these town hall meetings with U.S. Congressional candidate Dr. Bob Lorinser. Dr. Bob's upcoming "Town Hall for All" events are live, in-person, and open to the public regardless of political party affiliation.

​Dr. Bob Lorinser's incumbent opponent, Jack Bergman, has not held a town hall in nearly five years. Dr. Bob is offering voters the opportunity to get to know the Democratic candidate vying for Congress.​

Dr. Lorinser will give a speech and then open the second portion of the town hall for questions from a live audience.

To learn about Dr. Bob Lorinser visit his Web site. To read about his positions on important issues, click here.

Two more Town Halls with Dr. Bob Lorinser this week:

Dr. Bob Lorinser will hold a Houghton County Town Hall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT this Tuesday, March 15, at the Holiday Inn Express, 1110 Century Way, in Houghton. (Poster courtesy Dr. Bob Lorinser)

Dr. Bob Lorinser will hold a Baraga Town Hall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 16, at the Baraga Lakeside Inn, 900 US-41, in Baraga. (Poster courtesy Dr. Bob Lorinser)

These Town Hall events are all live, in-person, and open to the public regardless of political party affiliation.*

*Editor's Note: Dr. Bob told Keweenaw Now that, while these Town Hall events are in-person only, future events this spring and summer will include virtual access as well as in-person attendance.